Central High Times - Volume 110, Issue 4 - Summer 2024

The Old Man and the Old Moon

Alumni Feature: Shyam Rama

Senior Goodbyes Pg. 08 Pg. 11 Pg. 24-27

IN THIS ISSUE . . .

Letter from the Editor

L. Caplinger

Central Awards &

Accomplistments

S. Greene

Wright and G. Pickett

School Board Elections J. Herr Man, Moon, and Movement R. Wood

Social Media Law A. Loughary

Advertisers

Sylvan Learning Evangel University

MSU’s LCR Dept.

Serves D. Scholz and C. Lawson

Pitchin’ with Purpose

ADVISER Kori O’Dell

PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ned Pickett

ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Emmarie Logan

ASSISTANT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Lucy Caplinger

DIRECTOR OF DESIGN Allison Loughary

ASSISTANT DESIGNERS Emma Lewis, Reese Wood

COPY EDITORS Madi Taylor, Tyler VanLaningham

ASSISTANT COPY EDITORS Sarah Greene, Jack Herr, Jack Wegrzyn

A. Schmidt

Puttin’ with Pride B. Woods

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Chloe Cunniff

SENIOR REPORTERS Nina Malega, Morgan Martens

RETURNING REPORTER Nathaniel Hunter

THE CHT Volume 110 Issue 4 CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL 423 E. Central St., Springfield, MO 65802 CONTACT kechrismer@spsmail.org

FONT FAMILIES Function, Century PUBLISHER Jostens Publishing

EDITORIAL POLICY

The Central High Times is a student-produced publication of the Central High School journalism department. The staff and advisor strive to create an open forum for students and teachers. We take resposibility 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.

Locker celebrating senior’s achievements throughout the school year. Photo by Lucy Caplinger.

Taylor

Community Cornerstones

E. Logan

Words with No English Translation

T. VanLaningham

Advertiser

College Alumni Feature:

Rama C. Cunniff

Kicking & Screaming

D. Bandaru and N. Finan

Diversity Matters

Hunter

Senior Goodbyes N. Pickett

LETTER TO THE EDITOR POLICY

Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard

M. Martens and N. Malega

Advertiser

Drury University

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 limitations.

ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP POLICY

The Central High Times has the right to accept, reject or cancel any advertisement at any time. Advertising will not contain any 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 or illegal for high school students or violates journalistic principles). Advertisements accepted by the Central High Times staff are not an endorsement from the staff, advisor, 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 advisor, Kori Chrismer, at kechrismer@spsmail.org. Sponsorships begins at $25 per year, advertising pricing begins at $50 per issue, and all money raised goes toward our printing budget.

LETTER from the

Oh, really? I get to do one more of these? Works for me, I suppose. This is not going to be another goodbye. I’ve written three of those already, one of which is already appearing later in this magazine. It is really more of an introduction than anything. Next year, the magazine will only have two people on it who have been working on it for longer than one year, and one of those is our adviser. In almost any other scenario or with any other group, I would be terrified. To an extent, I am a little concerned—the class and deadlines can be demanding for even the most experienced staffer—but I’d like to think we run a fairly

tight ship here. Nonetheless, there is really no group I would trust more to pick up the slack than our newer staffers. I have only known most of them for about seven months, but during that time, they quelled all fears I had about such a beginner-heavy staff and then exceeded all expectations beyond that. I do not think I have ever exactly told them how much they have made me proud this year—frankly, the whole magazine has—so I suppose this is the opportunity to do it.

More importantly, it is time to introduce your new editor for next year. I have met very few people as passionate or fiercely loyal as she is, which is the kind of intensity

that the magazine needs. She is a great writer, of course, and I believe that she will make a fantastic leader for the group we have. As such, without any further wishy-washiness on my part, I’d like to hand over this letter to Lucy Caplinger.

Choosing journalism as an elective started out as a maybe.

Scheduling classes for my first year of high school felt monumental, like there was no going back if you picked the wrong thing. In a way, that holds up. Central, like all high schools, has its fair share of cliques and groups – different congregations of students all interested in the same sport or club – and it all starts with the classes you choose your freshman year. For me, writing was a given. I have always loved writing; whether it be an English essay or a lab report, writing has always felt like it could be “my thing.” Prior to Journalism, I had never thought about writing in an analytical or published way. Most of the stuff I wrote for fun was fictional and unedited. I have a Google Drive full of unfinished stories and half hearted poems that will probably never see the light of day. After finishing my first year of J1 with Mrs. O’Dell, my heart was set on being a part of the mag staff. There was something so satisfying about conducting interviews and research and finishing a story by a specific deadline. I wouldn’t consider myself a typically or traditionally organized person, but Journalism inspired me to become more structured with my work. There was a big difference between being

in J1 and walking in on the first day of J2. In J1, an easy half of my first year classmates were seniors who needed the English credit, or freshmen who didn’t know what other electives they would be interested in. J2 was still just a room full of high schoolers, but, in my eyes, it felt so much more grown up. Everyone wanted to be there. Half of the staff was seniors who had been working together for multiple years. The first few months, I felt like an outsider looking in. Really though, most of my nervousness was unnecessary. I slowly began moving to sit at the back table (where our coolest female senior staff resided) and, after that, any fear of being

left out subsided. The people in this class (and forgive me for being cheesy) are a family. Journalism is people from every clique working together to create a literary report full of current events. The Central High Times is representative of everybody. It’s a room full of people who would usually have no reason to interact if it weren’t for this shared goal of educating and informing the student body. It is crazy to think about what my Central experience would have consisted of if I hadn’t chosen to pursue the mag, and I am incredibly grateful that this is the reality I exist in.

Despite my love of Journalism, I would

EDITOR

have never thought I would grow into the position of assistant editor and eventually the EIC (editor-in-chief). I have genuinely learned so much this year from the current staff, and I am sure that I wouldn’t have the tools, or even the confidence, to lead without them. We recently went to JEA, a national Journalism convention and competition, in Kansas City together as a group. I was the only underclassman on mag staff present, and I am so thankful to be granted with that experience as a sophomore. In Kansas City, I learned a lot about leadership. Some of my fellow staff members and I went to a seminar class that focused on being a good editor and, ultimately, a good teammate. It was very interesting to look into the lives of other high school students and hear their takes on my ideas and the solutions they had for our problems. I think more than anything, though, the trip really cemented

my love for being a part of the magazine and the people I have been able to share it with this year. I am so proud of all of our recent issues of the magazine, and I am beyond excited to see what we do in the future as a (growing) team.

Outside of journalism, my school involvement is limited: I am a part of the Central Archive Club and book club. I plan to start my journey with the IB program next fall as a CP student. There are a lot of pathways available to choose from, and I ended up going with education. This is the first year I have genuinely thought about college. I don’t really know where I want to go, but I’m hoping to pursue a Journalism degree and put that toward a job in publishing. I have looked at some colleges, but my dad is dead set on me being a Mizzou Tiger. For a long time, the only thing I wanted in a college was for it

to be far away, but as I have matured I have begun to acknowledge the beauty of my surroundings.

No matter where I go for college, or what I end up doing within my career, I know that I can credit my love of Journalism to the Central High Times and our amazing adviser Mrs. O’Dell.

Yours,

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Central Awards &

SARAH GREENE

COPY EDITOR

Print Journalism - Kori O’Dell

American Scholastic Press Journalism 2023

- 1st Place Magazine

- 2nd Place Yearbook

Missouri Interscholastic Press Association 2023

- Honorable Mention Yearbook

- 2nd Place September Photo of the Month (Ollie Francis)

Inducted 8 seniors to Quill & Scroll International Honorary Society for High School Journalists

LAD Fair Awards

- 22 awards for pieces from the Central High Times

MIJA J-Day Awards

- 2 Superior ratings for the Central High Times overall

- Yearbook overall/theme concept (Ainsley Daccache)

- Excellent rating for Newspaper inside page design (Allison Loughary)

- Honorable Mention for Sports reporting (Emmarie Logan)

JEA NSMC Awards

Excellent rating for News writing (Chloe Cunniff)

Band - Chris Rohrbaugh and Stacey O’Neal

Missouri State Homecoming Parade

- First Place Class V Bands

Outstanding Musical Sound Overall

- Outstanding Colorguard Class V

Pitt State Jazz Festival Superior 1 Ratings

- 6 Outstanding Soloist Awards

Parkview Jazz Festival Superior 1 Ratings

- 2 Outstanding Soloist Awards

Scholars Beginning Band Superior 1 Rating at SPS Middle School Bandfest

4 Springfield Youth Symphony Players

8 All District Honor Band Players

7 All District Concert Band Players

8 Middle School Honor Band Players

District Chamber Festival

- 6 Outstanding Awards

District Chamber Festival

- 8 Exemplary Awards

Central Girls Tennis - Donita Cox

- All Conference Team 3rd year (Elana Hadi)

- Girls Tennis Academic Conference Champions

Cheer - Veronica Smith, Aleila Cage, Katelyn Carcione

UCA Camp JV Awards

- 1st place Cheer Performance

- 2nd Place Game Day

UCA Camp Varsity Awards

- 2nd place Camp Routine

7 UCA All Americans

MCCA Awards

- 4th place in STL Regional at Traditional Competition

- 5th in State at Traditional Competition

- Academic All State (Gwen Smith)

Signed Athlete with Drury (Blake Tucker)

Archery - Audra Uzzell and Elicia Ligon

5 HS State Qualifiers

MS State Qualifier (Skylar Lee)

SPS All City Tournament Awards

- First Place Female Archer (Aleyse Goodfriend)

- Fourth Place Male Archer (Wilson Johnson)

- In Top 10 for Male Archers (Gabe Beurelein)

- In Top 10 for Male Archers (Kahler Sharp)

- In Top 10 for Female Archers (Skylar Lee)

Scholars Math Team - Audra Uzzell

Mathcounts Regional Competition

- First Place Team

- 7 State Qualifiers

- 1st Place Countdown Round (Lanie Deng)

Mathcounts State Competition

- First Place Team– First time in Scholars history

- Mrs. Uzzell qualifies to coach the Missouri Mathcounts National Team

- 4 Missouri Mathcounts National Team Members

- 2nd Place Countdown Round (Lanie Deng)

- 2nd Place Overall (Lanie Deng)

Boys Basketball - Jordan Epps

- 2023 Blue and Gold Champions

- 2023-2024 Ozark Conference Co-Champions

- 2023 - 2024 Class 6 District 5 Champions

- 2023 - 2024 Class 6 3rd Place

- Tyrique Brooks– 1 Ozark Conference award, 4 Class 6 awards, 2 Bass Pro awards

- Keion Epps– 1 Ozark Conference award, 3 Class 6 awards

- Bryce Walker– Ozark Conference Honorable Mention

- Tayshaun Wells– Ozark Conference All Defense Team

Accomplishments

Boys Wrestling Team - Michael Dalangin

- SPS All-City Champs

- 3rd place at Bolivar Invitational

- All-State, All-Conference, 2x State Qualifier (Rylan Lashley)

- 3x State Qualifier, Over 100 Career Varsity Wins (Lucas Gideon)

- 2 All-Conference (Joshua Nelson, Noah Phelps)

Girls Basketball - Caitlin Lamberth

- All-Conference Honorable Mention (Talia Dyson)

- All Conference Defensive Team (Kellyce Brooks)

Central Step Team - Jazmyn Marshall and Dr. Ashley Felton

World of Step Spain Regional Competition

- 1st Novice hip hop Solo, Pageant Scholarship, Confidence Award (Shamaya Lewis)

- Highest Online Voting

- Large group - Entertainment Award, 2nd novice division

- 1st overall small group novice division

- Small group - Most Heart Award

DECA - Kevin Buening

- The Dog House was certified gold for the 4th year in a row

- 25 State Competition qualifiers

- 14 International Competition qualifiers

Choir - Eric Eichenberger and Stacey O’Neal

7 MSU Invitational Honor Choir Players

MSU Outstanding Singer Honorable Mention (Ella Greninger)

17 All District 9-10 Honor Choir Awards

3 All State Honor Choir Members

11 Southwest American Choral Directors Association -Honor Choirs (Denver CO) Awards

District Chamber Festival

- 5 Exemplary Awards

- 7 Outstanding Awards

- 3 Bronze Rating Awards

Pomdogs - Meon Cloud and Collyn Riley

- UDA Leadership Award

- Signed Athlete with Drury (Megan McNeilis)

- 3 UDA All Americans

- 2 UDA Pin it Forward awards

- 2 UDA Superior Trophies

Math Team (High School) - Ellen Hunter

- 1st place in Sweepstakes at 3 Math League Qualifying Contests

- 2 AIME qualifiers (Lanie Deng, Brayden Miao)

- 23 Math League State Qualifiers

Girls Wrestling Team - Michael Dalangin

3-1 Dual Record

4th place at Bolivar Invitational

- All-State, All-Conference, 3x State Qualifier, 4th Place State Medalist (Jaidyn Pohlsander)

Envirothon - Paul Eppsl

Regional Envirothon 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams

Individual divisions

- 1st Place Wildlife division (Miles Montgomery)

- 1st Place Forestry division (Quinn King)

- 1st Place Aquatic ecosystem division (Eli Kromrey)

- 1st Place Current issue: Renewable energy (Quincy Alberhasky)

Central Speech and Debate - Karissa Talty and Seth Bossi

- 1st-3rd place team awards 12 times throughout the season

- 4 State Qualifiers

- 6 National Catholic Forensics League Qualifiers

- National IE Tournament of Champions Qualifier (Sohum Dua)

- 6 National Speech and Debate Qualifiers

- 9 Academic All-Americans

Orchestra - Brianne Brown

8 All-State Orchestra Players

Federation String Division 1st Place (Dakota Walton) 2nd Place (Eli Parks)

Springfield Symphony (Naomi Meng)

Missouri Philharmonic (Colin Andrews)

16 Springfield Youth Symphony Players

*All listed Accolades were turned in to Journalism by coaches and teachers; there is no guarantee that all school awards will be listed here.

SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS

JACK HERR

COPY EDITOR

The three winners of the election for Springfield School Board held on April 2nd, 2024 have been announced. Danielle Kincaid, Susan Provance and Maryam Mohammadkhani were sworn in on April 9th, 2024. The newly elected school board members will help shape Springfield Public Schools (SPS) policy for the next three years.

With around thirteen-thousand of the total seventy-thousand ballots cast, Provance was the favorite candidate, netting a little over 18% of the vote. Provance was followed closely behind by Kincaid and Mohammadkhani with 16.9% and 15.6% of the vote, respectively. Landon McCarter and Chad Rollins, who both ran for school board in 2023, lost out on a seat for the second time in a row. A new candidate, Kyler Sherman-Wilkins, also did not have enough votes to make it on the board. Scott Crise, former Vice President of the board, did not receive enough votes for reelection, but was not surprised by the results. “I had told my wife, my family, over the weekend that this is the order I expected,” Crise said.

Following the failed campaign of Crise, Judy Brunner has ascended to the position of school board vice-president. Brunner has been a principal at many SPS locations, including Central. Brunner is especially concerned with the safety of SPS.

Kincaid will remain president of the school board following her reelection. As president, Kincaid will bring a sort of continuity to school board policy, continuing to advocate for collaboration between schools and the greater community, rectification of behavioral issues, and delivering a highquality education to students. In particular, Kincaid is hoping to see the continuation of the five-year strategic plan that addresses rampant behavioral issues in the district. The plan was initially suggested by Superintendent Lathan and has a focus on

correcting behavioral language in schools. Another important aspect of the plan is making behavioral expectations clear at the beginning of the year by distributing the student handbook to students and parents alike.

Maryam Mohammadkhani will continue her role as an influential member of the loose minority in the school board following her reelection. Mohammadkhani continues to advocate for rolling back technology use in classrooms. As a reelect, Mohammadkhani’s primary focus will be on the quality of education for SPS students.

Susan Provance is the only new board member coming out of this election. Provance has been entrenched in the SPS community ever since her graduation from Glendale High School in 1971, serving as a coach and teacher. Provance was inducted into Springfield Public Schools’ Hall of Fame in 2015 for her achievements. Provance is very passionate about the education of the new generations. “We should have things in Springfield that will give our kids a fulfilled life, but whatever careers they want to go into, they should be able to find it here,” Provance said. As an ex-Park Board Member, Provance believes that the experience garnered organizing such events as the Turkey Trot will transfer to her new position on the school board. Provance is predicted to align with Kincaid’s loose majority in voting.

Percentage of the vote for each candidate.

Photos courtesy of Springfield Daily Citizen.

SOCIAL MEDIA LAW

TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat. . .YouTube, Facebook, X. These apps and more are common places to share and receive information and also communicate with other people. The alleged problems lie in a couple different things, including spending too much time on these platforms and not using them safely. Lawmakers are hoping to reduce these dangers through a variety of plans on the state-wide and national levels.

Social media usage has become incredibly widespread, especially in the school setting. Psychology and history teacher Emily Halinger has noted the use of social media in the classroom. This position allows Halinger to observe students and understand the effects social media has on teenagers.

“ I think social media is great in small doses. It's really fun to send reels to your friends, post on your story and scroll for a little bit but it's hard to do that for just a little bit, which is the con. I think it's really addictive and I wish I spent less time than I do on Instagram but it's really hard to just log off because it's so integrated into our lives and I really love the good parts of it.

- SASKIA STEVENS, 9

“[Social media] can be extremely beneficial for students because it gives them a chance to interact with diverse groups of people and to have social support when they are going through emotional turmoil and can make students more resilient to stressors in their everyday lives,” Halinger said.

However, Halinger has seen more students using social media during class. This could be linked to a number of causes, including the time of day and the nature of the class in terms of it being work time or a lecture.

“Social media can be easy distractors for students who have avoidant tendencies in their everyday lives. It can lead to lower motivation in students to do ‘mundane’ tasks in work or school and can also make attention spans lower which can affect students academically. All of these effects can happen during

key developmental stages in students and lead to the creation of habits that are difficult to break in adulthood,” Halinger said.

Counselor Anthony James similarly noticed the benefits and detriments to social media use in high school teenagers. Social media gives students the opportunity to communicate with family and friends who don’t live nearby. However, he has noticed harmful activities such as phishing and cyber bullying as well.

ALLISON LOUGHARY DIRECTOR OF DESIGN

“While social media can be a good way to stay connected with others, students must be careful with what they post and whom they interact with,” James said.

Lawmakers acknowledge these negatives and are attempting in a variety of ways to combat them. Missouri Senate Bill 976 has two parts: the first raises awareness to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) related career fields, while the second creates a curriculum that teaches students about social media safety.

The curriculum would be published on the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s website, as well as the websites of school districts in the state. Included in the curriculum would be topics on time management, negative effects such as addiction, the permanency of sharing online, and generally how to stay safe and keep information private on social media.

In addition to implementing the curriculum, this provision states that school districts shall prohibit the access of social media through the use of the school internet. Teachers will be able to permit the use of social media in class for educational purposes. When on the school provided internet, users will be prevented from accessing unsafe and unlawful data and websites, particularly ones where student information could be shared. This will also limit internet access to solely age appropriate materials.

One of the biggest discussions in this area has been banning TikTok in the U.S. Due to the nature of the data that the app collects and with it being owned by the Chinese company, ByteDance, there are fears that this could be a threat to national security.

Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced a bill to ban the use of the app on government devices in April 2021 and President Joe Biden approved it in December 2022 when he signed a larger act involving a number of other provisions relating to, but not limited to, the funding of domestic and foreign policies.

In an effort to lessen the privacy concerns and threats associated with the current ownership of the app, bills have been proposed that force a ban unless ByteDance sells its stake in TikTok. A version of this with an 180 day deadline was passed by the House of Representatives on March 10, 2024 and was awaiting approval from the Senate, where the future of the bill was not as sure as in the House. On April 18, 2024, the House attached a similar proposal to a foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific region. This includes the same ultimatum that was passed in the previous House bill, but with a longer deadline of 270 days with the option for the president to give an additional 90 days before a nation-wide ban goes into effect.

This addition to the foreign aid package allowed for the provision to be passed sooner than it would if it was standing alone. President Biden signed the package into law on April 24, 2024. This would give ByteDance an initial deadline in January 2025, to sell their shares in the app, though it could be extended to April.

Although there are a number of detriments to social media use, the positives are hard for people to give up. Students generally expressed feelings of indifference at the idea, frustration at potential restriction, and realization that it might be better in the long run as difficult as it might be to accept in the moment.

Man, Moon, and Movement

The Old Man and the Old Moon is a movie about an old man tasked with refilling the moon with its fuel. Originally produced by PigPen Theaters, it was recently performed by the Central Drama department. There were three showings for the public, with one for students who bought tickets. The performances were shown from April 5-9 in the Central High School Auditorium.

The process of making the play took two months with lots of dedication, requiring after school practicing. “The production process for this show in particular felt really smooth. We had about two months to put this show together. The first two weeks our goal, while lengthy, was to stage practically all of the scenes and somehow we managed to do that,” Bennott Derossett, 8, said.

“I most definitely had fun when working on this production and really all the shows I’ve done here!” Derossett said. “Everyone working on this show was so great to work with. Everyone you see on stage and everyone who works on the show backstage and behind the curtain as well are just amazing people. I’ve made some of my strongest friendships from doing theater here at Central.”

The story follows the main character, simply known as The Old Man, as he travels around the world to find his wife after she left to go find lost memories from their homeland. He starts by departing from his local town after coincidently being confused with the famous Lieutenant Pericles Llewellyn McWallander, who had been missing for some time.

He leaves his house to go out and find his wife, hoping the moon will not run out before he finds her. He travels to the town and joins a ship headed towards war. He accidentally convinces the crew that he is the famous LT. McWallander. They set off on a trip to the south instead of the west where the old man needs to go. He learns about the crew and their struggles and has a run-in with rebels. During the battle, the captain of the ship is killed, and the old man assumes control because he is technically the highest rank officer on the ship.

REESE WOOD

DESIGN EDITOR

He decides to re-route the ship towards the west where he believes his wife had left, enticing the crew with the promise of adventure and finding the city of lights. Not long after, they enter a major storm caused by the moon running out of fuel. During the storm, the Old Man gets thrown overboard and eaten by a large fish, where he, by complete coincidence, meets the real LT.–or the ghost that’s left of him. They have a very long chat, and both learn lessons; most importantly, the old man learns how to work with others and how to take second opinions. After, they work together and manage to escape the beast.

He eventually finds the city his wife left–the city of light, which existed before the moon was powered by never-ending liquid light. The old man was able to get some of the liquid light in a barrel and joined a raft where he would meet his future wife. Surprisingly, in the city, he meets his wife again and after a quick recollection, they leave and go back home. The Old Man trusts one of the crew members to refuel the moon and leaves with his wife on a boat trip.

“Every night that we did that scene during the show we got a little applause and I had this little thought like yeah, we totally just did that,” Derossett said “I felt the exact same way when we were working through all of the lifts for the show with our lift and stage combat coordinator Ms. Hildebrand. Not to mention our other wonderful teachers through this process, Ms. Williams and our Director Dr. Teague.”

VAULT INTO THE OLYMPIC GAMES

The Olympic Games have roots dating back 3,000 years. Since then, the Olympics have experienced countless changes to its games. This year, the Summer Olympics are being held in Paris, France. New sports are making their debut, some previous sports are making their comebacks and changes have been made to the traditional Olympic sports. These edits are coming together to keep the entertainment of the Olympics alive.

The first reports of the Olympic Games come from 776 B.C., ancient Greece. It consisted of only one event, a 192-meter foot race called the “stade”. This isn’t the origin of the Games, however. It’s believed that Heracles, a Greek demigod, founded the Games, which quickly became a staple of Greek festivals. They were held every four years during a religious festival honoring Zeus near Olympia. Ancient historians began measuring time by the four-year increments between the Olympics. These increments were known as “Olympiads’’.

After 52 years (or 13 Olympiads), the diaulos (modern-day 400-meter race) and the dolichos (similar to modern time 1,500-3,000 meter race) were added to the roster. From there, new events joined the Games. In 708 B.C., the pentathlon, which consisted of a foot race, a long jump, discus and javelin throws, and a wrestling match was introduced. Next came boxing

in 688 B.C., chariot racing in 680 B.C. and pankration in 648 B.C. Pankration was a combination of boxing and wrestling with very few rules. At this time, there were no women’s events, and only male citizens of Greece were allowed to participate.

The Olympics faced a decline after the Roman Empire conquered Greece, before they officially ended in A.D. 393 as all “pagan” festivals in Greece were banned by Emperor Theodosius I. It wasn’t until November 1892, that the idea of an Olympic Games revival was introduced. Baron Pierre de Coubertin of France was dedicated to promoting physical education and wanted to create a modern Olympics after visiting the ancient Olympic site. He proposed reviving the Olympic Games as an international athletic competition, held every four years. After two years, he was approved to fund the International Olympic Committee.

The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. There were 43 events and 280 male participants from 12 nations. The events included swimming, gymnastics, track and field, weightlifting, cycling, tennis and more. However, the modern Olympics didn’t fully take off until the 1924 Games that were held in France. Around 3,000 participants, including more than 100 women, from 44 nations participated. This Game also featured the first closing ceremony. The Winter Games were also introduced this year, which featured bobsledding, figure skating, ice hockey and the biathlon. The Summer Olympics are held every leap year and the Winter Olympics are held two years after each leap year. Major cities bid for the chance to host the Games. It’s once again time for the Summer Olympics, and this year they’re being held in Paris, France. Breaking, also known as breakdancing, is having its debut this year. It will not return to the next Summer Olympics. Sixteen girls (B-girls) and sixteen boys (B-boys) will compete through a round-robin, followed by quarterfinals, semifinals and medal battles. The battles will consist of three one-onone competitions, while a panel of nine

MADI TAYLOR COPY EDITOR

judges scores the B-girls and B-boys. This will also be the second Summer Olympics that features surfing, which will be held in Teahupo’o, on the island of Tahiti in French Polynesia. Skateboarding will also be returning, with men’s and women’s street and park events. Sports climbing is returning with some changes. There will be 68 athletes, rather than 40, and two events-bouldering and lead combined and a speed event. Another returning sport is men’s and women’s 3x3 basketball. Kayaking is also debuting, in which four athletes race each other from a ramp above water, with up to six downstream and two upstream gates. There have been a few changes made to traditional games, as well. Men will now be able to participate in artistic swimming, which will now also include an acrobatic routine round. A new women’s weight class was added to boxing and a men’s was dropped. The number of weight classes for weightlifting has dropped from 14 to ten. Previously, the volleyball fields of 12 teams were split into two pools of six teams, with each team playing five matches in the pool phase. This year, there are three pools of four teams, with each team playing three matches. In the track and field events, the men’s 50k race walk is being replaced with the marathon race walk mixed relay. Additionally, all athletes who don’t qualify in the preliminary rounds are given a second chance to qualify for the semifinals through repechage heats between 200m and 1500m. The Olympic Games date back centuries and they embody tradition. Changes to the sports and events are being made each Olympic season and are designed to challenge the athletes and entertain viewers. Paris is making its preparations for the season this year, which starts in late July. Make sure to check out olympics.com to see the event schedule!

Photo by USA Today.

CHLOE CUNNIFF

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

Although students grow up and move on in life, it doesn’t mean they are forgotten. Shyam Rama graduated from Central High School in 2023. As a CHS student, he took on the role of Student Body President and accomplished many things at Central.

“Originally, I joined the IB program in the pathway of Biology and Medicine, but soon after the pandemic hit, I realized medicine was not my calling,” Rama said.

From a young age, Shyam was always the designated family photographer, entrusted with capturing our moments on anything from an old digital camera to an iPhone 4. However, it wasn’t until his sophomore year of high school that his interest in media peaked.

“While searching for something new, I started expanding my interests at Central, joining new clubs and sports. By junior year, I knew I wanted a leadership role and ran for student body president,” Rama said.

While Shyam was joining new clubs and activities, he ended up joining the Media I class with the idea of an easy credit and the chance to handle cameras.

“Yet, it was the hands-on experience I gained later in the first semester that ignited my passion for media. Under the guidance of Mr. Cantrell, I delved into advanced techniques and editing concepts, skills that would prove invaluable in programs like Central Intelligence and IB Film,” Rama said.

“As my senior year unfolded, I felt like I was living a teenage high school dream. Being in the best classes, surrounded by close peers, and having the privilege to go to New York, Long Beach, and Aspen for filmmaking made my year amazing,” Rama said.

ALUMNI FEATURE: SHYAM RAMA

The feeling of going to basketball games dressed up and leading chants, having fun with the student body at assemblies, or creating new ideas for high school dances with Cabinet was like no other.

“One outstanding project was the opportunity to edit videos for NBA superstar Stephen Curry. On March 19th, a promotional edit I crafted for his upcoming golf tour premiered across Stephen’s social media platforms, amassing over 4 million views. Witnessing my work showcased on a celebrity’s page and receiving positive

feedback was surreal; an indescribable sense of accomplishment still resonates with me today,” Rama said.

During Rama’s junior year of high school, he was able to gain almost 100 clients and generate almost $1500 in revenue. With this money, he started buying higher quality gear and building his brand more and more. Shyam made a creative partnership with his fellow filmmaker Daniel Huinda. Together, they wanted to create a film using Shyam’s story-telling and Daniel’s cinematography, creating the documentary

“The Springfield Inn,” shedding light on Shyam’s upbringing in a motel and the pressing issue of homelessness in Missouri.

“The success of our collaboration, including international awards and an offer for distribution on Amazon Prime, affirmed my belief in the power of our partnership and the content we could create together,” Rama said.

“Inspired by our collaboration, I invited Daniel to join me in my media business. With the arrival of senior year, a new opportunity presented itself through our friend Jonah Swann’s World Record Campaign for breast cancer fundraising,” Rama said.

“Collaborating tirelessly throughout the summer with Jonah, we were able to raise over $27,000 for the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks. Impressed by Jonah’s passion for business, I proposed a partnership wherein he would handle client acquisition while Daniel and I focused on creative direction, with profits evenly shared,” Rama said.

Rama started a video and photography company with Huinda and Swann called PanoRamaMedia.

“The business I had started was thriving, accumulating over $4,000 in revenue in just one semester. However, as the realities of college were getting more visible and our paths diverged, we decided to streamline the business back to its roots, removing Daniel and Jonah from any obligations as they embarked on their collegiate journeys. Ultimately, what began as a personal passion for filmmaking in July 2021 blossomed into a dynamic partnership in 2022, only to return to my solo endeavors in 2023, marking a transformative chapter in my entrepreneurial journey,” Rama said. Website: panoramamedia.org Instagram: @pano_rama_media

All photos courtesy of Shyam Rama,

Community Cornerstones: Springfield’s Black Educators

EMMARIE LOGAN

ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The month of February highlights a time to celebrate and explore the rich history of African Americans and the many trials they have overcome. The History Museum in Springfield, Missouri, also known as The History Museum on the Square, brought students and educators together to reminisce on the inspiring past.

Emily Morris, a librarian at Central High School, partnered with The History Museum to bring their showcase of African American history to life right within the school’s walls. The display, called Community Cornerstones: Springfield’s Black Educators, looked at the spirited history of Black American education through the eyes of educators before desegregation.

“The History Museum on the Square provided vinyl panels with local history, state history and national history. There was a video component with interviews of local community members who attended Lincoln School before it was integrated with Springfield High School [Now known as Central High School],” Morris said.

“We printed out biographies of the teachers featured from the Lincoln School and posted those for students to read. We also pulled yearbooks, school newspapers and books from our CHS collection that were relevant to desegregation. Students enjoyed browsing these and also liked looking for their relatives in our archives.”

Students from around the building were able to come and explore the display which took place in the library for four and a half days. Many English and History classes took part in the exhibit, learning about historical events that took place extremely close to home and for some students, even closer.

“Students were able to see that many of the people affected by the desegregation of the Lincoln School are still living in our community today. What may feel like ancient history to some of our students was really not that long ago. Students recognized relatives and religious leaders in their lives in the video provided by the History Museum on the Square,” Morris said.

Central High School has a long, rich history including being the first integrated school in Springfield. Many African American students moved schools, while some chose to stay at Lincoln for the family feel and desired culture. The former students and educators who were directly affected by this change in history have grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and students who now walk the story-filled halls. This display provided by The History Museum on the Square revealed the living history that many students did not know they carry with them.

“We are living each day in a building that made history here at CHS. We need to recognize that our diversity here at Central

is something to take pride in every day,” Morris said.

A key aspect of the display at the museum was connecting with the students and educators who experienced this firsthand. The video that students got to watch captivated the former students and educators looking at past photos and excerpts, interviewing them about the fond memories, hardships, and monumental changes made and lived through them.

“Several teachers brought classes down to view the display and students really seemed to connect to the information, especially since it was directly connected to our school’s history,” Morris said.

All photos by Allison Loughary.

NATHANIEL HUNTER

REPORTER

In the middle of February, a story broke involving the parent of a student athlete at Republic High School filing a civil lawsuit against the school. The suit was filed because the parent alleged that their child had been the victim of several racist threats and harassment, and that the staff of the school did not handle the situation in an appropriate way nor did the perpetrators of the harassment face appropriate punishment. Not even two weeks after the initial story was made public, the Springfield branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was reported as saying that racist threats and harassment at Republic High School are a widespread issue and that the school board needs to take action to solve the problem. The president of Springfield’s branch of the NAACP, Kai Sutton, reportedly accompanied another student and their parents to a meeting with the Principal and Vice Principal of the school regarding harassment. Sutton also wrote a letter to the Republic High School school board that was obtained by the Springfield News-Leader, with some of the contents of the letter being published in an article on February 26.

“It is deeply troubling to learn that the child (the student Sutton accompanied) has been subjected to threats of shootings targeting African-American and Jewish students, as well as the use of derogatory racial slurs, including the full N-word, and derogatory monkey sounds,” “Furthermore, the fact that such behavior has repeatedly been inadequately addressed by the school administration is unacceptable.” Sutton said.

Reports regarding targeted harassment occurring at Republic High School raise questions regarding the culture of high schools in Springfield in general. The idea that discrimination of this sort is tolerated and enabled on a broad scale could make students who are members of marginalized groups feel unsafe. These fears are particularly relevant to Central High School. Central generally promotes a culture of tolerance and inclusivity, with many rooms having a sticker on the door saying that it is a safe space for LGBTQ+ students, who, in an environment hostile to members of marginalized groups, may not feel safe walking the halls. This applies

Local DiversityMatters

to racial minorities as well, as Central is the only school in the district that offers African American history as a class. The African American history teacher, Hayden Champion, stated that, out of the schools he’s worked at, Central is the most diverse.

“Being the school that is located in the heart of Springfield, we have a lot of students with a lot of different cultural backgrounds who come here,” Champion said. “We have people who have lived in Springfield their whole life, first generation students, students who are from the South to the East side of the world to the North side and Europe and whatnot, so I think just within our student population you see a lot of diversity.”

The diversity of cultures and background Champion refers to can be seen all throughout the school. Central students are a variety of different races, ethnicities and religions, with over 20% of the over 1,000 students being some kind of racial minority, and the environment of the school is shaped by this fact. Whether it be through the classes offered or the general attitudes of the students, Central’s diversity is one of its key qualities. An example of this quality was put on display just a few days after the news of discrimination at Republic was released, when on March 4th, Brandy Colbert, a female author of color, spoke to students via Zoom at the Central library.

Colbert was born and raised in Springfield, and her first novel was published in 2014. Generally a young adult writer, Colbert’s body of work covers a broad variety of topics, such as sexuality, mental illness, and race. One of these books is ‘Black Birds in the Sky’, a novel about the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. The novel not only covers the massacre itself, but the history and destruction of the wealthy black community that originally existed in Tulsa known as “Black Wall Street.” An article covering the same topics was published in Central’s magazine last year, making Colbert’s virtual visit to Central even more fitting. Her appearance was set up by Jodi Pitts, the African American literature teacher, using leftover funds from a fundraiser.

“I hope that it helps students see a broader perspective,” Pitts said, regarding how Colbert’s visit relates to Central’s attitude regarding racial diversity. “I think

sometimes when we get into race, your mind can quickly go to negative race issues. A lot of what she (Colbert) writes is what everyday teens go through, so I hope that whatever aspect they were able to pull from they were able to get some motivation or inspiration, seeing a successful black adult in the world.”

One of the main sources of discrimination is seeing the relationships between different groups with an “us vs. them” mentality, believing that the in-group is automatically good and the out-group is automatically bad. When someone has little to no knowledge on the out-group, it is much easier to fall into this line of thinking.

Discrimination is typically justified by dehumanization, and understanding is the enemy of dehumanization. By learning about people like Colbert, who write about topics anyone can relate to and find success doing so, it humanizes not just her, but African Americans in general. Learning about someone who is part of a minority group that is often dehumanized, and seeing their humanity firsthand is nearly as important as knowing the history and culture of that group when it comes to understanding members of that group as regular people worthy of respect.

The environment and culture of Central is one fully committed to diversity, where students not only understand each other, but are given the resources to educate themselves on the racial history of the country in the hopes of creating a better country for all people, regardless of race or anything else. The importance of classes like African American history is understated, but it is still very meaningful.

“Those classes offer a chance for students to see perspectives that they may not have even considered,” Champion said. “Personally, I think it matters because, specifically with Black history, there have been a lot of mistakes made in our country. I think to be good historians, we can’t run from those mistakes, and the only way to ensure those mistakes aren’t repeated is to acknowledge and learn from them to create a better world for the next generation. If we don’t address them and don’t understand why they happen and what can be done differently, the cycle will keep continuing.”

Words With No English Translation

TYLER VANLANINGHAM

COPY EDITOR

Komorebi

This is a Japanese word that is defined by the interplay of sunlight filtering through the leaves of trees. While English lacks a direct translation, even the rough translation doesn’t quite grasp the whole concept of this word. Komorebi is actually a serene feeling often associated with moments of tranquility and introspection in or about nature. In Japanese culture, it symbolizes the beauty of nature, and serves as a reminder of the fleeting yet impactful moments that enrich our lives.

Madrugada

This is a Spanish word that refers to the early hours of the morning, specifically the period just before dawn. In English, we usually refer to this time as early morning or dawn, however Madrugada carries a sense of calm anticipation that English translations don’t really encapsulate. It is a time when the world is still and the sky begins to lighten, signaling the arrival of a new day. Madrugada can also hold a personal significance as it could also refer to a period of change in one’s life, especially in which someone might have to make big decisions. This word captures the unique beauty of the hours before sunrise, almost like an early morning twilight.

Verschlimmbessern

Verschlimmbessern is a German term that describes the act of trying to improve something, but inadvertently making it worse in the process. English has a similar concept with phrases like “to make matters worse” or to “dig yourself into a deeper hole.” Verschlimmbessern describes the irony and frustration that unintentionally worsening a situation through attempted improvements carries. This word highlights the risk of unintended consequences and kind of serves as a reminder to approach drastic change with caution.

This word is a Norwegian term that describes the feeling of being in love, specifically during the initial stages of a relationship. The most similar English word would probably be infatuation, however Forelsket doesn’t come with the same negative connotation as infatuation. It is more about the excitement -- like the feeling of butterflies in the stomach. This word reflects an appreciation for love and emotional experiences, highlighting the intricacies of human emotions that exist beyond things like language barriers.

This is an Indonesian word for when someone taps the shoulder of someone else opposite of them to fool them into looking the wrong way. Almost everyone is familiar with this joke, but there isn’t a single word (or even phrase) in English that accurately and concisely describes it. The word not only describes the actual act of the joke, but also the lighthearted, playful nature that comes with the act.

Winter Sports Recap

This Boys Basketball season has been a drastic improvement from the previous year for the Bulldogs, with the team breaking records and competing in tournaments along the way. Coached by Jordan Epps, the team ended the season with a 20-6 win-loss record, in comparison with 15-10 just the year before, being the best record Central has had in several years. Tyrique Brooks, 12, also achieved the major milestone of scoring 1,500 points over the course of their games. The boys had an 8-1 record in their conference, tying for conference champions, and this year has been the first time since 1984 that the Bulldogs were in the final round of the Blue and Gold tournament.

JACK WEGRZYN COPY EDITOR

One of the Central Girls Basketball teams’ most notable wins was against Parkview, where the Bulldogs displayed P.R.I.D.E. and perseverance with a classic underdog story. Down 21 points at one time, the girls worked their way back and finally accomplished the overtime victory. Guided by coach Caitlin Lamberth, the team contains a mixture of underclassmen and upperclassmen who contribute to the overall team culture. Lamberth strives to build an environment of family and team bonding on and off the basketball court.

The Central Girls Swimmers competed at 16 meets throughout this year’s season, from smaller-scale duals to championship competitions such as the SWMO meet. Beginning on Valentine’s Day, a select few of the Bulldogs swam at the State Championship competition, after either achieving a time in the top 32 best in an event or being picked to represent Central in a relay leg. The individual State qualifiers this year included Edie Ferguson, 9, Naomi Meng, 11, and Fiona Lu, 11, led by Coach Joe Price.

Since Coach Audra Uzzell first started coaching the Central archery program, this season has brought the most individual State qualifiers and the highest team score ever. Surrounding teams compete in qualifying rounds throughout the season, accumulating points to their total team scores. With 3200 points being the mark to give teams the ticket to State, the Bulldogs shot just 8 points under, with a value of 3,192. Although the team did not qualify, Aleyse Goodfriend, 10, Carter Meints, 11, Wilson Johnson, 9, Kahler Sharp, 12, Gabe Beuerlein, 10, and Skylar Lee, 8, all gained point totals eligible for the state level.

The Central Wrestling Boys and Girls both brought home many awards from the district and state tournaments. Girls wrestler Jaidyn Pohlsander, 11, placed 3rd at districts and later 4th at state, as led by Coach Dalangin. Boys Lucas Gideon and Rylan Lashley also placed at districts.

Photo by Gentry Goode

Photo by Emily Hernandez

Photo by Emily Hernandez

Photo courtesy of Lucas Gideon

Photo by Elseya Ligon

Track

The 2023-2024 track season has been an enjoyable and rewarding experience for new freshmen.

“I hated running when I first started, so it’s really nice to see where I started and see where I’ve come to love it,” Rachel Lee, 9, said.

Lee started the track team this year after already having experience in cross-country middle school teams. Her continuation of the sport has led her to love track and field with a passion.

“It really helped me make more connections,” Lee said. Her experiences earlier in middle school cross country helped prepare her for the year, but the full high school sport has given Lee a new appreciation of the track.

A typical practice can vary for track and field. The practices can be divided into two segments, a workout day and an easy day.

“For an easy day, we’ll just talk to our coach and see how many miles we can run for that day. For a workout day, we’ll typically go do a mile warmup and then come back and get a workout set from our coach, and we just do the workout on our own or with the groups we were assigned,” Ron Timm, 9, said. Practice will usually go on after school every day for a week with certain rest days for the wellbeing of the players.

At practice, Jude Thomas, 9, puts in a fight that will grow his athletic position on the team and also for his own personal

GRANT PICKETT

J1 REPORTER

growth. A drive for the sport is important as he runs the miles required and eats the food necessary for appropriate muscle growth.

“Having a protein shake every day is something that definitely helps you recover from hardcore training,” is what Jude has to say about his training throughout the week.

While having the mentality and drive to play the sport, athletes need to be equipped with shoes and clothing for the best control over their running. Having appropriate footwear is also important to how fast you run. To improve traction, runners wear shoes with spikes on the bottom. The shoes also need to be flexible and durable. Shoes also need to be light so that runners can raise and lower their feet with little to no weight.

The track itself is one of the main factors in how fast they are. The track is a rubberized, artificial path made usually around a turf field for sports like soccer and football. Usually, high school running tracks usually are 400 meters long with six lanes for competitors. While the runners are doing their events, they need also to have the appropriate footwear. Runners wear shoes with spikes on the bottom to improve their traction. Traction is the key aspect of running. The less traction, the less pressure you can apply to the ground to go forward. The shoes also need to be flexible and durable. Shoes also need to be light so that runners can raise and lower their feet

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J1 REPORTER

with little to no weight.

“I love my team, it’s a really good community and everyone supports each other,” Timm said. The track team is a very encouraging group that really helps out each individual person in it.

“I know, especially on Varsity, the team is very tight-knit and I really appreciate that,” Timm said. The team is a closely run and serious team as well.

Timm and Lee both competed in cross

country in middle school and now that they are in freshman year, they both stated they feel very comfortable being on the track team.

The drive is a key aspect when it comes to high school sports, therefore, when at competitions and at practice, runners need to give it their all for best results. An understanding of how to run and what helps you run better is the best way to get better with your abilities. Being on the team has allowed athletes to grow and get stronger mentally. Having a fight in you with the right equipment, understanding, and discipline is how a true athlete can become the best they can be.

”Consistency is key, show up and try, and then you’ll be the best version of yourself,” says Timm.

Photos Curtosy of Emma Gugliata

CENTRAL SERVES

Returning players, new beginnings. This season of boys tennis brings new players and old ones back to the sport. There are currently 40 active students of all ages and skill levels on the tennis team. They practice at the Cooper Tennis Complex from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.and play games all around town. One player, Jathin Bande, 9, a previous Springfield Scholars Program student, is participating, and he thinks the season has been good and will continue to be as such. Others think that it’s going to be rather rough.

The head coach, Donita Cox, is an expert at the sport and has been playing since she was 5 years old. Cox is also the A+ coordinator. Cox also has the job of

organizing all tennis matches and games, including the Springfield Invitational, a huge tournament with teams from all over Springfield. Students who participate in tennis also have to balance their schoolwork with the sport, which can be especially challenging with some students taking advanced curriculums and IB classes.

“The coach gives you some leeway when you miss practices, she’s not super strict, she’s pretty understanding,” Ethan Dang, 10, said.

Some students believe that they are in good control of their schedule, while others think otherwise. Due to the tight schedule of games and practices, team members have less time to do schoolwork they may have for their regular classes.

DANE SCHOLZ

J1 REPORTER

It’s not just the student athletes who have to do a balancing act: the coach has to accommodate the playing experience, varying skill levels, and learning style of each member of the team.

“I have a big variety of players, from players who have been playing since elementary school and do not need much instruction, but we also have kids who are just picking up a racket, there are different needs for each player, so the hard part of my job is meeting the needs of all the players,”said Cox.

As of writing this article, this season the JV team is even, with 2 wins and 2 losses and the Varsity team is ahead with 9 wins and 3 losses.

Cox said that her most promising current player is Josh Kim. Kim has been to State almost every year since he started, and Cox said that Kim is one of the best players in the state. She also believes that Pranav Mandava is a promising player, as he has gone to State often since he started playing at the high school level. Cox believes that these top 2 players on the team could pursue a college career in tennis.

This season seems to be going well for the student athletes, both in tennis and in regular school, especially since it’s right in testing season.

“It’s definitely a challenge to keep up with school and tennis at the same time, but it can be done with good time management and planning,” Bande said.

Photo illustration courtesy of Patrick Burns.

Photo by Paige Bodnar.

Photo by Paige Bodnar.

Photo by Paige Bodnar..

Photo by Paige Bodnar.

ABBOTT SCHMIDT J1 REPORTER

The baseball team is encouraging students to join next season to be a part of the best team yet. With tryouts at the stadium on the corner of Pythian and Cedarbrook in the last week of February, players can expect to practice, train, and build strong friendships on the field.

The Central baseball team, led by coach Jerrod White, mentions that this is the best it has ever been according to White. White urges those who are passionate about baseball, or looking for a sport to try, to give baseball a chance next season. The baseball team practices at the stadium on the corner of Pythian and Cedarbrook, and tryouts are in the last week of February. Once on the team, players will practice, train, and play games together, building strong friendships.

“We practice in the summer and fall and lift weights together all winter,” White said. “Any interested students are welcome to email me and come enjoy a Bulldog Baseball game!”

White often mentions the community he builds with his students and the friendships that are built between players. Player David McDowell, 9, mentions how fun it was to be on the team, even though he was uncertain about his performance at first.

“I took last year off, so at the beginning of the season, I was unsure of how things would go, and immediately after I started playing I enjoyed it a lot,” McDowell said. “It’s definitely different from middle school baseball. There’s more coaching and practices are every day. It’s definitely more helpful for the team.”

David McDowell further explained how

PITCHIN’ WITH PURPOSE

helpful White’s leadership to the team was.

“We started off kind of rough, but then we started winning some games. Our coaches have been encouraging us, helping us through the losses and we started winning games,” McDowell said. “It’s definitely our mindset that has changed throughout the season.”

Both White and McDowell expressed the difficulty of having a small team. David said there are 14 people on the team, which means nine on field and five on the bench at a time. With seniors leaving the team, more passionate players joining would be helpful to the team’s continued growth.

“There are a lot of challenges playing a 6A schedule with a small roster but I enjoy it very much,” White said. “It has made me a better coach, leader, and tougher person.”

In the end, both McDowell and White’s perseverance is due to their passion for baseball. For both, baseball was a part of their lives from a young age.

“It’s a very unique sport,” McDowell said. “In most sports, you score points by getting to one side of the field or putting the ball through a net or hoop or goal. In baseball, it’s completely different. It’s a completely different approach, so it’s very unique.”

Despite being a small team, the baseball team is a passionate group with a supportive coach. The team is looking for more baseball players to join next year.

White said students should join the team, “only if they want to gain a great group of friends, learn everyday, have an awesome time, and compete their hardest.”

Photo by Jonas Tetlow.

Photo by Kevin Myers.

Photo by Jonas Tetlow.

Photo by Jonas Tetlow.

Photo by Kevin Myers.

MEMORIES ON THE MAT

Fostering this year’s only Missouri State High School Activities Association female medalist from Springfield, Jaidyn Pohlsander, 11, Central’s Girls Wrestling team has played an active role in defining the newer sport’s history. Coach Michael Dalangin and the team as a whole share a strong sense of compassion towards one another, expressing strong enthusiasm for the capability and future of the program.

“I had wanted to join since I was in middle school and just never had that push, but I had some friends that got me into my first practice,” Lily Reynolds, 11, said. “We welcome anyone from any background to join, no matter how athletic you are. Usually, it’s us girls getting other girls to join. I would say almost all girls we’ve had join have stayed strong, and are ready for next year.”

Participation in wrestling has proved to be extremely valuable for underclassmen and upperclassmen alike, with this year’s team including many freshmen. On the mat, the newer wrestlers have been encouraged to push themselves and witness tangible success. “I think it’s beneficial in numerous ways,” Dalangin said. “I think that there’s this stigma with Girls Wrestling. It’s so new, but it’s developing in the right way. So many girls are scared to wrestle. From my experience, the girls that have wrestled for me, or that I have seen wrestle, their confidence is unmatched. It’s huge for them and the things that they want to do in the future. People think of it as only a guys

sport, but our success, a majority of it is our girls.”

Throughout the season, the girls have consistently placed as individuals and as a team at competitive duals and tournaments. Pohslander, specifically, placed third at MSHSAA Districts, the only female wrestler representing Springfield Public Schools at State.

“I honestly felt a lot of pressure representing Central at State this year,” Pohslander said. “I felt like I was not only representing myself and my team, but all of the SPS girls. I felt like it was up to me to do well for all of us. It also was Coach

Dalangin’s first year as Central’s head coach, so I really wanted to do well for him. When I placed 4th, I felt like I had placed for everyone, that it had all been worth it.”

The team came together to support Pohslander and the two male qualifiers, seniors Rylan Lashley and Lucas Gideon, in a variety of ways. Sending the wrestlers off right before they leave and cheering them on from the sidelines, the tight-knit group expresses love and compassion both on and off the mat.

“I had a lot of support going into Districts, and even more going into MSHSAA State,” Pohslander said. “My practice partner, Luke

EMMA LEWIS REPORTER

Phelps, finished his season before I did, but continued to show up for me everyday. I remember he was excited when I called him to tell him I had my medal, but [Phelps] still told me I would work harder and win State next year, which is exactly what I plan to do. My girls were also at Districts when I qualified, and there were a lot of cheers and hugs.”

The amount of love on the team goes beyond gender, shared between both the boys and the girls. The camaraderie, the collective experiences of the wrestlers, and the bonds formed this year have solidified the group as a family.

“We genuinely lose our voices from cheering each other on,” Reynolds said. “No matter how long you’ve been on or how good you are, there’s always someone there cheering for you. For me, it gives that boost of adrenaline I need to win. Outside of wrestling, we are all family, we are there for each other through anything. Whether that’s schoolwork or personal life issues, you’ll always have your teammates.”

Entering their final seasons, both Reynolds and Pohslander have seen Girls Wrestling as an extremely rewarding experience. With the support of Dalangin and their teammates, the achievements and successes the team has experienced have been essential to their respective high school experiences.

“Women’s wrestling is still very young, so you get to really be responsible for the history of a sport,” Pohslander said. “You will be able to build your strength, endurance, speed, confidence, and you will meet so many people, expanding your worldview. I truly love my team.”

All photos courtesy of Jaidyn Pohlsander.

BELLA WOODS J1 REPORTER

The boys golf team can be found practicing and competing throughout fourth quarter. Coach John Collins works with the boys to lead them toward victories and triumphs. He is working toward encouraging the freshmen and juniors to participate in tournaments over the summer to help maintain their skills.

With six new members, three being freshmen, Collins works towards building and keeping technique up.

“Last year we had some strong senior leadership from three players who were determined to keep the team best scoring. They did accomplish this goal and encouraged the younger players to take their place and keep the momentum going,”

The team has managed to do just that.

“We are peaking just at the right time, Our varsity is scoring better, and we are only a week away from our Conference

PUTTIN’ WITH PRIDE

tournament. We have our District tournament on May 6th and then we will find out if anyone qualifies for the State Tournament,” Collins said.

Aiden Gray is a current senior and the captain of the golf team.

“This season has been a mixed bag. I haven’t really performed how I wanted to, but I’ve had a great year with my friends nonetheless,”

Even when scores may not be where the team would like, the camaraderie between members holds stronger than ever. As a captain, Gray focuses on working with younger members, similarly to Collins. With eight seniors this year, there are a lot of strong and well-trained players who are succeeding at getting the younger players to step up to the tee and take their best shot at this growing sport this spring!

All photos by Elseya Ligon..

KICKING & SCREAMING

Injuries have been especially high in girls soccer this season with over seven girls being injured only 15 games into the season. Injuries such as concussions, hits to the legs, and even harder hits to the face have already occurred. Central players have said that these injuries usually occur due to inexperienced players and poor calls by referees.

Nathan Cardoza is the girls soccer coach and has had to deal with all of these injuries that have happened.

“More often than I like, this year there have been a lot of injuries. It’s usually not this bad, but this year there’ve been a lot of tough injuries,” Cardoza said.

Hill was pushed by a player on the opposing team and slammed her head into the turf.

“School sports have a lot of beginners in general, so they are very injury-prone. A lot of teams are inexperienced and lack proper training,” Green said.

Cardoza has seen many people getting hurt due to inexperience on the field.

“For us, we have a lack of experience,

DHRUTI

for fun though and aren’t exactly trained properly,” Green said.

Both Hill and Green have faced injuries from what they claim to be “inexperienced players” on the field.

“Teams that don’t know how to play just use their bodies and push around,” Hill said.

Hill is a left wing on the Varsity team and has played soccer for 13 years. She has faced two major injuries, one being the previously mentioned concussion and the other being a broken leg.

“Refs are bad at stopping small things that could lead to a bigger injury at some point in the game. They let too many things slide,” Green said.

Over seven girls have gotten injured this season and have had to sit out multiple games.

“The more common injuries are concussions, which we’ve had more than usual of. Then also knee injuries and ankle injuries,” Cardoza said.

Players Addie Green, 11, and Journey Hill, 9, are both Varsity soccer players and were both injured this season.

“I’ve gotten two concussions in the three years that I’ve played soccer,” Green said.

When a player gets a concussion they immediately go to see a sports medicine doctor, who will tell them the state of the injury. A tough concussion can put a player out of commission for weeks.

“This season I got a major concussion that caused me to sit out for about two weeks,” Hill said.

people who don’t really have much experience playing the sport are more prone to injuries,” Cardoza said.

Green has played soccer for about three years. In addition to her two concussions, she was recently kicked in the face by an opposing team’s player. This injury caused Green to get 14 stitches in her eye and face.

“Injuries can be very unlucky in soccer. Lots of people in the game are just playing

“I think sometimes if [referees] don’t control the game correctly, injuries are prone to happen,” Cardoza said.

In an earlier game, Central’s JV goalie was kicked in the face by an opposing team and got a bloody nose. No foul was called by the refs.

“Players need more skill-based training instead of just pure aggression. Lots of players need to train outside of practice since a lot of injuries occur due to aggression from beginners,” Green said

The main way the girls soccer team has been dealing with these injuries is through preventive workouts.

“We did weight training designed for hip and knee strengthening along with some dynamic workouts that focus on ankle and knee support,” Cardoza said. “Some [injuries] you can’t prevent.”

Photo by Gentry Goode.

Photo by Gentry Goode.

Photo by Hamtpon Richards.

Senior Goodbyes

Ned Pickett / Print Magazine Editor-in-Chief

I feel like I have said my farewells, or at least been building up towards saying my farewells over the course of the entire year. I suppose that this is the last opportunity to actually get to say that, provided, of course, that I do not sneak back into the journalism program wearing a fake mustache/glasses/nose combo and a baseball hat. No one would suspect a thing. But despite my nigh foolproof plan, I think it may actually have come time to face the end. I cannot exactly say whether or not I will miss being here immediately after graduation, but I am certain that at some undefined point in the future, there will come a feeling of nostalgia and reminiscing on how simple high school was. Of course, it wasn’t simple, but neither was middle school at the time, or elementary school, or preschool. Frankly, the exponential growth of complexity in life feels like it should be a matter of moderate concern, but perhaps that is a problem for another time. In any case, ciao.

Emmarie Logan / Online Magazine Editor-in-Chief

Writing this is difficult, mostly because I still have not considered the fact that I will not be returning to Central High School or Room 24 next year. I think it will hit me when it is too late. It is also very odd considering I have never written about myself within the journalism walls. I have always written about someone or something happening in the community. So now, I am talking about myself and saying goodbye. If there was one thing I would want anyone to remember from these 180 words, it would be that compassion is the most important trait to have. As a person, as a friend, and even as a reporter. In every story I have written there is an element of compassion because the people within Central High School matter and I have had the privilege of telling those stories. Thank you, everyone. Most of all, thank you, Mrs. O’Dell. You have been the light of my high school career and I would not be anywhere I am today without your support, love, and dedication.

Madi Taylor / Magazine Copy Editor

It’s been four long, long years guys, and I’m excited for this chapter of my life to be over. I’ll have free time, the stress of IB will be gone, and my life won’t revolve around grades anymore. Off to college I’ll go! I’ll be away from my friends, my family, all the teachers who have made Central worth it… I’m excited, but I don’t think I’m ready. As stressful as high school has been, I’ve made a million memories I can never forget. Sitting here in Journalism, writing my senior goodbye, surrounded by friends I love and an adviser I feel an overwhelming appreciation for is a feeling I can’t describe. I’ve loved journalism and working on the magazine with a team of amazing people, and I can’t thank them enough. I could never have predicted how journalism has changed my life for the better since that first day in Journalism my freshman year. Here I am, at the end of the road. Thank you, Mrs. O’Dell, for absolutely everything. Goodbye, Central High Times. Thanks for sticking around, ya’ll.

PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Allison Loughary / Magazine Director of Design

As I rewrite this goodbye for the fourth time, I am realizing exactly why it has been so hard to write: I don’t want this to be over. I don’t want to leave this room where I have grown so much. I don’t want to leave the people I am so grateful I have had the opportunity to get to know and love. This program, the people—they all mean so much to me. I have found safety and encouragement here and it is very difficult to think that in just a few short weeks, I will be leaving this classroom that quickly became one of my favorite places at Central. Despite the days left here being numbered, I will not be leaving empty handed. I will have so many fond memories of my time with everyone, in addition to the skills I learned in the class itself. There is only one thing I will not miss, and that is InDesign and the long hours of fighting with the program. Good riddance. On that note, farewell and until next time, loves.

Tyler VanLaningham / Magazine Copy Editor

During my years here at Central I’ve had a lot of opportunities to grow as a person. I’ve made so many wonderful friends here and looked forward to school every day. It is apparent how much the teachers care for the education of their students and, to me, it always felt like everyone around me wanted to see me succeed. Writing for this magazine has been a highlight of my senior year. I have loved to write since I was very young, so it was an especially cool experience to see my pieces published and to edit other people’s stories too. My senior year has been by far the best, which is making the end of this year much harder than any other. I know that going to college will benefit me and help me further my personal growth, but a part of me just wants things to stay the way they are. I love coming to Central every day to see friends and teachers, so this summer is going to feel a lot different than previous years. I’m going to enjoy it, but it also won’t feel right knowing that I won’t be back next year.

Nina Malega / Magazine Senior Reporter

During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, I was preparing myself to enter my freshman year of high school. At that time, I thought I had everything figured out. I participated in a sport that I loved, I had an amazing group of friends, and I had many opportunities that interested me. As I went through my freshman year, the life I once found so fulfilling and consistent slipped through the cracks. I somehow lost the love I had for the things that once held the utmost importance in my life and I found myself having to rebuild. At the beginning of my sophomore year, I started journalism one, which introduced me to a new and exciting form of fulfillment. Thoughts and opinions I had once thought held no meaning suddenly were in front of me on paper. My time being a reporter for the Central High Times has given me a voice I had once thought I had lost and the urge to keep finding things to fulfill my life.

Senior Goodbyes

Ainsley Daccache / Yearbook Editor-in-Chief

I have been in this class for 4 years now and it has truly changed me as a student. I have met people who I would’ve never met if it wasn’t for journalism. I created relationships with people in my grade and created new relationships with people who I was too scared to talk to or people who were too scared to talk to me. Journalism has opened my eyes to so many new things. Mrs. O’Dell (formerly Chrismer) has provided a home for all of us students in J2 and made sure no one feels left out. I have had my moments of overload of stress, but never once have I regretted picking the journalism 1 class in 8th grade as we picked out our high school classes. Finally, I would like to mention how I would’ve never been able to get through this year without all the help everyone has provided me. Being editor of the yearbook was not easy, but with the help of everyone on staff we were able to collaborate and create a yearbook that I hope everyone is proud of. I am so excited to see what this team will accomplish next year.

Evan Cornelius-White / Photo Editor

When I joined Journalism 1 my sophomore year, I wasn’t expecting I’d be a “journalism kid.” I took the class to get an elective credit and fill out my schedule, and I heard from others that it might improve my writing skills. Looking back 3 years later, I’m extremely grateful for the decision I made. Being on yearbook staff the past 2 years has helped me not only become a better writer, but taught me how to operate a camera and use the Adobe Suite. Saying goodbye to the staff, class, and the yearbook itself won’t be an easy task. I’ve spent countless hours editing, revising, and looking over all the pictures in the yearbook, yet never realized in the moment how cool those memories were. Now writing this, I know that I will treasure them forever. I am forever grateful for my time on yearbook staff, and will treasure the memories I made forever.

Meghan Grone / Yearbook Copy Editor

I remember getting my first yearbook ever as a freshman, and I thought it was so cool, so I decided to take J1 the next year. Eventually, that turned into me being on staff and turning into a “yearbook kid”. Although I am extremely excited to be moving on to the next chapter of my life, I have to say it’s going to be hard to say goodbye to the yearbook staff. Being a part of J2 has not only improved my writing and camera skills, but also my collaboration and communication skills, all of these being something I can utilize in the future. While high school wasn’t always what I expected it to be (it is nothing like the movies make it seem), it definitely gave me some awesome memories, and I am glad I was able to document just some of those things in the yearbook.

Morgan Martens / Magazine Senior Reporter

When thinking about high school, Journalism has been a ride for a lifetime. Through all the amazing people and my amazing teacher, this experience has been spectacular. It’s been a long four years but it has been something I will take with me forever. From writing sports to going and getting a sweet treat, these four years have taught me so much, and made high school a lot easier for me. Journalism has been a huge influence on my life, and I can’t imagine my life without it. Having creative freedom has brought me so much closer to Central, and I’m going to miss it so much. I will carry these memories with me for the rest of my life, and will never forget everything that has happened to me in these four years.

Chloe Cunniff / Social Media Coordinator

I have only been at Central for three years. I went into high school preparing to be here for four years, only to find out at the beginning of this year I could graduate early. Being in journalism has been the highlight of my experience at Central. Journalism 1 was a test to see if I would like this class and if I belonged, and I am so happy to say I loved the class. My first year on staff was weird for me. I am socially awkward and antisocial, so I only talked to one person and kept to myself. This year, I have opened up and made friends with people and have gone on a wonderful trip with these people. I love this staff and will miss them when the year ends.

Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard

MORGAN MARTENS

SENIOR REPORTER

NINA MALEGA SENIOR REPORTER

Known for its diverse menu and retro design, Rita’s Italian Ice and Frozen Custard has a mirage of different items and flavors to decide upon. In comparison to its competitors, Rita’s brings a refreshing diverse menu with products that range from custards, to shakes, as well as dairy free and sugar free options.

Care for a frozen treat? I recently went to Rita’s. Rita’s is an Italian shaved ice, coffee, and frozen custard shop. It is located on Republic Road near the intersection of Republic Road and Cox Road. The facility offers outside seating. It’s famously known for odd flavors and Gelati which is a threelayer treat with two layers of custard and one layer of ice.

The first thing I ordered was a Gelati. The flavors I chose were lemon ice and orange cream custard. The orange custard was a special flavor that Rita’s changes regularly. The ice had a great flavor. It was pretty sour and tart, which to me, is a great thing to add to a frozen treat like ice. The texture of the ice was smooth, which made a difference in the flavor. The orange cream custard sounds weird to have with lemon ice, but was a nice balance for the lemon ice. The texture of the custard was pleasant and helped the overall Gelati. I also combined both the ice and custard and with it together, I felt it completed the sweet treat. The flavors worked well together while also giving an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Overall I would give this Gelati a nine and a half out of ten. I would probably change the flavors for the next one.

The other treat I got from Rita’s was a frozen lemonade with mango flavoring. For future visits, I will probably go with the classic frozen lemonade and not add different flavors to it. In my opinion, the mango kind of overpowered the lemonade. I like mango flavoring, but it wasn’t great to add to the already strong flavor. With that being said, I think the lemonade had a good flavor on its own. It wasn’t too sweet. I think that’s something big I look for in a frozen lemonade. Having too sweet of lemonade makes a drink harder for me to enjoy because it’s heavily changed by sugar. I think the frozen lemonade was good as just frozen lemonade, no additives. Other places tend to add things like vanilla and cream, but that’s too much, and it takes away from the flavor. Overall, I think the frozen lemonade with mango was a seven out of ten. If the mango flavor was not added I would say it’s an eight out of ten.

The most admirable trait about Rita’s is their ability to accommodate various dietary restrictions and preferences. A struggle I have with most frozen treat shops I find is the lack of dairy free and sugar free choices that they have. When first looking at Rita’s online menu, I was shocked to see the abundance of dairy free and even sugar free products that they offered.

The product I tried was the sugar free peach mango italian ice. While visiting Rita’s online menu, I noticed that the sugar free flavors vary amongst locations. When I went to my local shop and asked about the sugar free flavors, the only flavor that they offered was peach mango. A problem I often find with sugar free products is that they have the tendency to taste diluted and in some cases bitter. I was extremely pleased to find out that Rita’s did not follow that same pattern. Upon trying the Italian ice, I immediately noticed how fresh it tasted. Despite my choice being sugar free, there was still an extreme abundance of flavor. Though the flavor was peach mango, the mango noticeably overpowered the peach. While I do enjoy mango, I would have preferred a balance between the two flavors. The mango was very sweet, and the hints of peach that I noticed were very sweet as well. Though both flavors had a sweetness to them, it did not taste artificial or sickeningly sweet.

In comparison to the various other frozen treat shops in Springfield such as Andy’s Frozen Custard and Braums, Rita’s has stuck out to me the most. Rita’s has shown that they are able to keep a diverse menu while also keeping the price point reasonable. I was able to purchase two customizable items and paid under ten dollars for both. Rita’s often gets compared to Springfield’s classic Andy’s Frozen Custard. While I thoroughly enjoy Andy’s, I can rarely eat there because of their lack of dairy free and sugar free options. From a price standpoint, as well as simply the menu, I found that Rita’s has more to offer while keeping the quality high.

Rita’s has been a delicious addition to Springfield’s frozen treat scene. The numerous dessert options keep people coming back to try something that they hadn't tried before. The gorgeous and close knit seating makes

Rita’s the perfect environment to enjoy your sweet treat while also connecting with those around you.

Photos by Morgan Martens.

Photos courtesy of Rita’s Facebook.