December Globe Newsmagazine Vol. 84, Issue 4

GL ďƒźBE December, Vol. 84 Issue 4

DANGEROUS CITY? TASH 9

A State Run 30

Winter Entertainment 34

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METAMORPHOSES

The fall play performed by CHS students goes beyond what has ever been done before.

CLAIRE LISKER

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TASH

Several CHS students are involved in a group which promotes teen sexual health.

EMMA EHLL

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HERE AND THERE

CHS language teachers Teresa Schafer and Hongling Zhang share their experiences in their countries.

SHIORI TOMATSU

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CONTENTS 22

COVER STORY

Media often portrays St. Louis as a dangerous city. A few Globe reporters decided to investigate the truth.

PARKER SCHULTZ

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A STATE RUN

This year, the CHS cross country team made it to state.

REBECCA STIFFELMAN AND NEIL DOCHERTY

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ATHLETE PROFILE

Danielle Sikora has made it to state both years at CHS and is one of the best swimmers on the team.

PETER BAUGH

get creative.

T H E

G L O B E

C A P T I O N

C O N T E S T

LAST MONTH’S WINNER “Peck: Their defensive team is weaker than hydrogen bonds!

Rice: F=(m*a +David Neville)... Ouch, that’s got to hurt!”

- Matthew and Harrison Garrett (Seniors)

SUBMIT YOUR AMUSING CAPTION AT CHSGLOBE.COM Editors in Chief Meredith McMahon Katherine Ren

Photo Editors: Olivia MacDougal Willie Wysession

Senior Managing Editors Eudora Olsen Parker Schultz Shiori Tomatsu Arya Yadama

Editors: David Androphy Peter Baugh Abraham Bluestone Rachel Bluestone Chris Cho Neil Docherty Emma Ehll-Welply Jeffrey Friedman Jessica Jancose Nina Murov Peter Shumway Christopher Sleckman

Webmaster: Dan Zeng Senior Web Editor: Addison Leong

Business Managers: David Behrend Ben Diamond Richard Simon Distribution Editor: Steven Zou Web Editors: Peter Shumway Varun Chakravarthy Reporters: Sophie Allen Zach Bayly Sonya Liu April Myers Rebecca Polinsky

Peter Schmidt Daniele Skor Noah Watson Steven Zou Bridget Boeger Gabby Boeger Jeffrey Cheng Gwyneth Henke Sierra Hieronymus Audrey Holds Joseph Katz JiHyun Kim Rebecca Stiffelman Phoebe Yao Albert Wang Eunnuri Yi Richard Simon

Graphic Artists: Audrey Palmer Matt De La Paz Cherry Tomatsu Victoria Yi Photographers: Sierra Carrel Noah Engel Seth Lewis Megan McCormick Hanna Park Regine Rosas Margaret Schedl Alexis Schwartz Dana Schwartz Alessandra Silva Rebecca Stiffelman

The Globe Newsmagazine exists to inform, entertain, persuade, and represent the student voice at CHS. All content decisions are made by the student editorial staff, and the Globe is an entirely self-funded publication. Not every story that our reporters write is published in the print newsmagazine. Visit www.chsglobe.com for additional stories and photos, and for more information about the Globe itself. For more information about advertising and subscriptions, please contact our office: Clayton High School Globe 1 Mark Twain Circle Clayton, MO 63105 (314) 854-6668 Fax: 854-6734 globe@claytonschools.net

EDITOR’S LETTER

IT’S QUITE SIMPLE I caught a late train back from Chicago in August, and wound up waiting for a ride back home at the station in downtown St. Louis at 2 a.m. in the morning. Little me, pink duffel, dead phone.

My dad was on his way, but in my mind, he could not get there faster. Then I thought, if this were any other place, say New York City in a subway station, I would not be as scared. I would probably just find someone on the street and ask to use their phone. But this was not New York — far from it.

So there I was, standing alone at 2 a.m. in the morning in the second most dangerous city in the country, and it hit me. The problem with this city is that nobody walks. What kind of major city’s streets are completely empty? Why is St. Louis in the top 25 Fattest Cities in the United States? Because nobody walks.

It’s hard to get away with a lot of things when there are a lot of witnesses. When nobody is walking, the streets become breeding grounds for sketchy activity. But it wouldn’t

be easy to enlist people to walk the streets of downtown St. Louis, at least not with the stats we have going for us.

According to neighborhoodscout.com, over 6,000 violent crimes occurred in St. Louis city in 2011 alone. That number was dwarfed by the nearly 28,000 annual property crimes in the city.

Now let’s compare those statistics to the crime rate in Clayton. In 2010, a total of 83 crimes occurred. This number includes both violent crimes and property theft.

We are fortunate to go to school in such a safe neighborhood. Students are free to leave school grounds, walk to lunch, and not have to worry for their lives. This seems hyperbolic, but it is truly something to be thankful for.

Clayton is a rare entity bordering such a “dangerous” place. But this makes us all the more responsible for refusing to passively accept the futility of St. Louis city.

I was alone at the train station that night in August because the other hundreds of people

knew to park their cars outside the station for a quick escape when they arrived home. Not a single person felt safe enough to wait for a ride.

Not a single person walked home. We accept that which we think we cannot change.

But like New York, there is still hope for St. Louis. New York City was not always the booming metropolis it is today. A major clean-up of the homeless population and a revamp of Broadway in the early ‘90’s brought more people out of their homes and onto the streets of the Big Apple. It is not too late for St. Louis to take back its name as the “Gateway to the West.”

I can safely say that I stood at that train station for thirty minutes without any mishap. The problems are bigger than us, but not impossible to solve. We can start by simply walking. 

EUDORA OLSEN Senior Managing Editor

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Cover photos by William Wysession

PANORAMA Oct. 25, 2012

An Evolution of Time On Oct. 25, after a month and a half of practice and hard work, the cast of “Metamorphoses” was finally ready to open the play. Mary Zimmerman’s adaptation of the Greek playwright Ovid’s “Metamorphoses” tells six different tales of transformation, hence the title “Metamorphoses.” Every aspect of the play, from the plot to the setting in water, is specifically designed to lend itself to the theme of evolution and transformation. The play was completely sold out.

PHOTO BY JOHN LAMB

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etamorphoses

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hen I walked into the always-familiar black box theatre on Saturday Oct. 27, I didn’t recognize it. The audience seats had been reoriented to be centered by the side-wall rather than the entrances, and the seats had been elevated 5 1/2 feet above a rectangular pool of water in the center. It was as though the black box had been transformed as a symbol of this year’s fall play, “Metamorphoses.”

The eleven scenes were based on the Latin narrative by the Roman poet Ovid. Through both comedic and dramatic plots, they explored themes like creation, chaos, desire, power, love, art and speech, all of which linked together in a final scene that invoked chills and a few tears.

Dressed in simple and neutral colored cos-

by CLAIRE LISKER

tumes, a small but talented cast of CHS students performed in the pool and around its perimeter, involving the audience with an occasional splash.

I was captivated as each actor explored a variety of characters and conveyed complex emotions not habitually experienced by teenagers. Senior Eudora Olsen played Alcyone in Ceyx, a King, in which, through her tensed cheeks and a beckoning voice, she transmitted both the grief and desperation of losing Ceyx (senior James Kerr), as well as goosebumps, to the audience. Junior Alessandra Silva, who played Midas’ daughter in the opening scene, Midas and his daughter, conveyed the joy and free-spiritedness of youth which upon reunit-

ing with her father (senior Robbie Love) in the final scene, triggered my tears.

The audience enjoyed recognizing familiar melodies, like the James Bond theme song, which cleverly matched the scenes. Many were also pleased to recognize some mythological tales. My friend beside me was delighted to recall from his studies that Baucis and Philemon concludes when the couple in love is interlaced to become a tree and be eternally linked.

All audience members emerged from the transformed black box impressed with the performance, so much so that an extra show was opened on Sunday night to welcome those who had been disappointed in missing it. 

Top left, clockwise: Alessandra Silva and Robbie Love performing as daughter and father. Katie Warnusz-Steckel and Sarah Lerwick, playing Myrrha and Aphrodite.

Eudora Olsen and James Kerr, playing lovers-turnedbirds as Alcyone and Ceyx. For more show photos, visit chsglobe.com.

PHOTOS BY JOHN LAMB

H

ealth class is often regarded as just another class to pass in order to meet graduation requirements. However, many of the subjects discussed in the curriculum are more relevant and can have more influence on our lives than the Pythagorean theorem or Shakespeare’s greatest work.

One subject that is particularly relevant to teenagers is sexual health. TASH, or Teen Advocates for Sexual Health, is a diverse group of students from around the St. Louis area that create and develop plans to spread knowledge and understanding of healthy sexuality based on rights, respect and responsibility.

“Teen Advocates for Sexual Health (TASH) was launched in 2001 with the goal of improving the sexual health of St. Louis area teens,” program director Judy Lipsitz said. “It was created to give teens a voice in sharing their thoughts, feelings and opinions on teen sexuality - what teens need to be sexually healthy and safe - who better than the youth to go to in order to create programs, activities and curriculum that address the many issues that impact teen sexual health.”

This program, run by Planned Parenthood, does everything from advocating for sex education to preventing teen dating violence while remaining primarily student-run and training the members to become agents of change.

“We start with a lot of basic sex education that some people may not receive in their schools,” junior Sarah Casteel said. “This is also a good way to go into further depth and understanding for everyone. We do interactive activities and have lots of breakout and big group discussions about the reproductive system.”

TASH has gone from 13 teens in 2001 to 49 teens in 2012, from 18 different high schools.

CHS is represented with eight participants.

Other than Casteel, the CHS members include Seth Lewis, Hannah Bledsoe, Allison Peipert, Bryce Monser, Jonah Lindblad and Rilke Griffin.

Everyone that joins comes for different reasons and gets something special out of it.

“I decided to join TASH because I like being able to make an impact in politics that concern me and knowing my rights as a teenager,” Lindblad said. “TASH has really empowered me when it comes to politics and knowing my rights in general.”

Many in the group have other reasons for joining that stem from a passion for creating change.

“I decided to join TASH because the issues discussed are issues that are very important to me,” Casteel said. “I wanted to learn how to become an activist regarding areas of importance to me. I also wanted to become involved with Planned Parenthood because I think it’s such an awesome organization.”

According to Lipsitz, the whole group is just

UPFRONT

TASH MAKES A SPLASH CHS students participate in this growing organization.

TASH participants group together in a brainstorm session. (Seth Lewis)

by EMMA EHLL as dedicated and committed to making a difference.

“TASH members are passionate, determined, activists-having a vision of how their community should look- a community rooted in equality, justice and acceptance,” Lipsitz said.

CHS health teacher Melissa Hobbick agreed.

“TASH is a fantastic program because they are able to get the word [education] out to other districts that may not have as good of sexuality education, plus they are able to get information out to some of the lower socioeconomic areas, which are the demographics that tend to have the most issues.”

Regardless of their reason for joining, once involved with TASH, students practice getting their voices heard.

“TASH students meet with school administrators, school board members to talk about the quality of sex education within their respective schools, believing that abstinence only denies young people lifesaving information,” Lipsitz said. “TASH believes that abstinence should be

part of the message but not all of the message.”

The Clayton School District provides more comprehensive education on this subject than many schools.

“There have been a lot of results that [show that] what we are teaching is working, that it’s helping kids to make good decisions when becoming sexually active,” Hobbick said. “However, not all the districts around us are doing that.

We are very lucky that we are allowed to teach the things that we teach. A lot of schools teach abstinence only, but we understand that kids are eventually going to have sex and we want to make sure that they are able to protect themselves when they make that choice.”

While Hobbick has gotten feedback from the Clayton community that the current strategy works and has seen the pregnancy and STD rates go down with her own eyes, it is more important than ever to encourage other communities to educate their students about this topic.

And TASH has made a strong commitment to do just that. 

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UNDERCOVER WRITER

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by JESSICA JANCOSE

Chinese teacher Hongling Zhang stands in her classroom before her 1st hour class. (Erin Castellano)

Not many students can say that they have a Chinese teacher who is as qualified to teach an English class as she is a Chinese class.

CHS Chinese teacher Hongling Zhang came to America from China with the intention of studying law at Washington University. However, she soon found that a different path began to interest her.

“I came here to go to the WashU Law School.

Then I took a writing course at Fontbonne and both of the teachers were very helpful, so I started to write,” she said. “It still seems like a mystery that I decided to switch. It’s a very big change. Normally people wouldn’t switch from law school to writing because it’s very difficult to make a living by writing.”

Despite the obvious challenges associated with this career path, Zhang’s passion for writing overcame her reservations. Zhang graduated from Washington University with degrees in both creative writing and English literature.

Born from this background in creative writing was Zhang’s interest in translation and in writing her own novels.

Zhang’s first published work is a book of short stories entitled, “The Paper Cranes.”

Many of the stories are centered on the Vietnam War. “I am interested in the Vietnam War,” she said. “I like the interaction between Western culture and Eastern culture. I feel like, although it is a horrible way for people to interact, it is still a very important experience for

people to learn from each other.”

Zhang’s status as a Chinese immigrant in America makes her acutely aware of the importance of identifying and reconciling the differences between Eastern and Western culture.

These experiences have given Zhang a unique viewpoint in her writing.

“Living here in the States for almost 20 years makes me different,” Zhang said. “I have different perspective from Chinese writers and my experiences are very different from American writers. I believe writing is about the fusion of different experiences.”

Unfortunately, between the five Chinese classes that Zhang currently teaches both at CHS and at Wydown Middle School, she has little time for writing while school is in session.

“I can’t write while I’m teaching, that’s for sure,” she said. “Writing is not only time consuming but it’s also energy consuming. After a day of teaching I don’t have any extra energy.”

Her latest novel, which focuses on her experiences growing up during the Cultural Revolution in China, has been in the works for the past ten years.

“It’s pretty close to being finished, but unfortunately I can only work on it during the summer,” she said.

However, during the school year she does not abandon her passion for writing altogether. She works on translating Chinese novels into English.

“I take it as a way to learn more about English writing,” Zhang said. “I can do translating for half an hour a day and it doesn’t require me to think about the characters or the plot, I can just think about the words.”

Though one might expect Zhang to view translation simply as a way to pass the time, she actually believes that translating novels has been an invaluable experience for her.

“Translation has helped me write tremendously, she said. “I see translation as a way to read something very carefully because there’s nothing more close reading than translation.”

Her most recent translation, “The Bathing Women,” is a best-seller in China and is now available in Barnes and Noble, Amazon and on iTunes. The original author, Tie Ning, is head of the Writer’s Association in China. Zhang’s translation of “The Bathing Women” marks the first of Tie Ning’s books to be made available in English.

Zhang hopes to continue a career in writing all her life. “Either way – writing or translating – I just want to do things related to literature and to writing,” she said.

In college, when she first got the idea that she wanted to spend her life as a writer, her friends were doubtful.

“They all thought that I was crazy,” she said.

“They told me that I wouldn’t make a living majoring in English, particularly because English isn’t my native language. I don’t know, I guess it was crazy enough to work.” 

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THE F-WORD

UPFRONT

It may not be the word you’re thinking of ...

by NURI YI

Finals. The word strikes dread into the bravest hearts.

Important and necessary, but not exactly heartwarming. “We don’t want you to be defined just by your finals, but they’re important,” counselor Alice Morrison said. “They’re the end of the coursework.”

“In life, we are going to receive tests all the time,” history teacher Kurtis Werner said.

“Most will be prepared for, like our finals, and others we will have to go into unprepared.”

It may be much easier to daydream of the things you’ll do during winter break, but ignoring the truth won’t cause it to go away.

To study, first organize your materials by subject and prioritize your work.

“You have to conserve your time, and you have to plan your time,” Morrison said. For instance, if you have a class in which you have a 79 percent and a class in which you have an 89 percent you should focus your studying on the 79 percent class.

“If you crank that,” Morrison said, “it’ll boost you to the next letter grade.”

Schedule time for regular homework, study times, breaks, classes, extracurriculars, meals and sleep.

“It’s really good if you set up a schedule for each day until the final to know what you’re go-

ing to study and keep up with that,” sophomore Ine Suh said.

Also, avoid cramming.

Information often goes into your short-term memory, but to move information into longterm memory, studying small amounts over a longer period of time is more helpful.

“In order to commit things to long-term memory, you have to sleep on it,” Morrison said.

“I don’t want you depriving yourself of sleep because it’s counterproductive. Once you’ve gotten the plan and worked the plan, sleep.”

Since the final is only an hour and a half long but can cover any of the material from the semester, it’s important to study the most pertinent of subjects.

“Math finals are generally practical problems. Like, last year, Ms. Glenn gave us fifteen multiple choice questions on the first final,” sophomore Nathan Jarvis said.

But, it can be hard to guess what will be on the final with the many units of study.

Studying from unit tests is always a good idea.

“If it’s important on the unit test, it’ll be important on the final,” Morrison said. You can see your weaknesses and mistakes and learn from them.

Ask teachers how they would study. “I make my students clean out their binders every unit.

They should have every homework assignment, handout from class, study guide, and test from my units of study,” Werner said. “It’s always a good idea to review a multitude of materials.”

The night before the exam, make sure you know what rooms to go to and review material for the classes having exams the next day. Get a good night’s sleep. Have a good breakfast the morning of the test. Bring a snack to have in between exams. When not testing, you don’t have to be at school, but everyone must stay for the entire testing time. Feel free to meet in the commons or study in the library.

Don’t get too worried. “Some anxiety is good,” Morrison said. “It gets you cranked up.

But there’s a tipping point for too much. Keep [anxiety] in check. How? By doing the best that you can.”

Try not to be a fatalist.

“This is not make or break,” Morrison said. “[You’re] not going to get into a college or not get into a college because of [your] social studies final. They’re important, but not that important.”

And when you’re done, you can enjoy your break. Freedom is calling. 

Senior Carly Cassity turns her attention to the textbook because of finals week. (Erin Castellano)

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THE MORE THAT YOU READ, THE MORE YOU WILL KNOW

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oday a reader, tomorrow a leader. Glenridge Elementary School’s annual Readathon is a PTO-sponsored reading incentive program for the K-5 grade levels at Glenridge. Lasting from Nov. 1 to Nov. 21, the motto and theme of this year’s Readathon was centered on the invaluable skills kids develop while reading books. “Basically it’s like, read, read, read a whole lot for a short period of time and develop a habit of reading every day,” Glenridge librarian Jude Hagene said. “My role in the Readathon is to get the kids excited.”

Everyone participating receives a certificate of completion, and those committed are rewarded with all sorts of prizes, including bikes, gift baskets and invitations to luncheons with the mayor of Clayton, Linda Goldstein. The class that reads the most collectively receives an extra recess and a pizza party; their teacher is rewarded with a spa package.

Although focused on supporting the kids and encouraging a habit of daily reading, the

by PHEOBE YAO Readathon, as a fundraiser, helps Glenridge out as well.

“If they want to go around to neighbors and friends and relatives, they can ask to be sponsored so that they can raise money that will come to the school,” Hagene said.

Though the participants and funds raised have yet to be totaled, there are high hopes for the success of this year’s Readathon.

“I think it’s going to be a great success again this year,” co-chair of the 2011 readathon Kim Crawford said. “In the [2010 year] we had only 50 kids participate, I think there are about 350-360 students at Glenridge, and it seemed shocking.”

The 2010 moderately successful attempt motivated the faculty, and the Readathon set an idealistic goal of 200 students for the following year. When 2011 rolled past with 190 participants and approximately $10,000 in money raised towards buying iPads for the different grade levels, the goal was reasonably met.

“I think every year the kids get more excited about it,” Hagene said. “You know, when the child first hears something in one grade and

then hears it again in the next, it sort of builds momentum.”

Glenridge plans to use the money raised in this fourth year of the Readathon to renovate the stage area of the school’s playground. CHS librarian Lauran DeRigne offered her opinion on the plan.

“Any program that gets kids reading is good,” DeRigne said. “I think they should [read] regardless, [since] you know, adding the incentives sometimes is kind of a double edged sword.”

A love for reading begins at an early age and is the source of success later in life. The Readathon is about cultivating that love.

“No matter what your situation is, reading can take you to any place you ever would dream of,” said Crawford. “I agree, I don’t think a child should be rewarded for reading, but I think a little something that causes a spark isn’t a bad thing.”

According to Hagene, “If [students] choose to participate and if they promise to read, they are going to fill their minds with wonderful things and their hearts with inspiration.” 

UPFRONT

DO YOU SPEECH OR DO YOU DEBATE?

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by CHRIS CHO

-shirt designs. Check.

Theme of the tournament. Check. Extemporaneous speaking questions. Check. Recruitment of judges.

Pending?

The Clayton Fall Classic has been a worthy tradition of the Speech and Debate team for over a decade. Every year, the team has the opportunity to host a tournament in which schools across the state of Missouri travel to CHS to participate in events such as humorous interpretation and debates such as Lincoln Douglas.

However, there is much preparation for this event as the coaches and students must gear up for a myriad of demanding tasks.

Preparation starts two months before the two day event with the recruitment of judges.

Debate members recruit close to 420 judges for the tournament.

Justin Seiwell, the coach of the Speech and Debate team, spearheads the planning process. “[We start planning] exactly one year in advance,” Seiwell said. “All during the 2012 Clayton Fall Classic, I kept a journal of improvements and ideas for next year. I’ve done that

same kind of journaling for five years now.”

The preparation, though, goes far beyond recruiting the judges. Seiwell commented on the number of responsibilities the team carries out during the tournament.

“We have to prepare to handle 300+ volunteer judges, which means answering their questions, putting together a judging schedule for each one, providing food in a hospitality room, plan for a concession stand so that our student guests can eat throughout the tournament, make signs to help people find their way around the building, take in entries and then make competitive schedules, and make sure the classrooms are ready and to tabulate results as they come in,” he said.

Debate board member senior Noam Kantor agreed that the tournament is a challenge to execute.

“The tournament is physically exhausting because of all the running around, climbing stairs, standing, and not eating over the span of a couple meals,” Kantor said.

Although the tournament involves numerous tasks that need careful attention, Seiwell stated that he gives all the power to the students to prepare for the tournament.

“My philosophy is simple: it’s not my tour-

nament,” Seiwell said. “The tournament belongs to our students. The board members, led by team president Alex Meneses and our judges’ chair Ellie Gund, are incredibly fun to work with and they’re incredibly respectful. As often as humanly possible, I want them to make the decisions. They learn much more if they do it.”

Throughout endless amounts of work, the debate team never leaves out a dose of humorous satire. The debate team chose viral videos as the theme for the upcoming tournament, and they featured the Gangnam Style dance at the awards ceremony.

Following the tournament, Seiwell confidently voiced his pride in the Speech and Debate team’s work. “[CHS] students are top-notch, so we host a top-notch tournament that is recognized state wide,” Seiwell said. “I love seeing students get excited about it; and I really love how much they bond. By the time we get to our team dinner, they all act like they’ve known each other for years. That’s really cool to see.”

In the end, Kantor felt the experience was worthwhile. “The feeling of overwhelming accomplishment makes it all worth it. Knowing that you’ve helped organize something that big is an awesome feeling.” 

Audrey Palmer, Lindsey Anderson and Ellie Gund at the Clayton Fall Classic. (David Behrend)

13

Here and There

by Shiori Tomatsu Teachers at CHS explain similarities and differences between their native homelands and America.

Teresa Schafer (middle) poses as a kindergartener in her native country, Peru.

T

he sky was clear and the air was fresh.

When Chinese teacher Hongling Zhang came to America, she surprised at how few people there were; to her, America was a countryside.

Spanish teacher Teresa Schafer is a native of Peru but has lived in America for almost 30 years. Interestingly, she was surprised with the number of people in the city area.

“I liked seeing lots of people walking around in streets and plazas like downtown Manhattan,” she said. “I still miss seeing people in the streets talking to each other though.”

Zhang came to America in 1993 as a visiting scholar in law school at Washington University.

“Many college graduates chose to leave China and study abroad in the 1980’s,” she said. “They still do today but they are more likely to go back [to China] after they graduate.”

Hongling Zhang (middle, front) grew up in China before moving to the U.S. in 1993.

Photos courtesy of Schafer and Zhang Courtesy of Teresa Schafer

FEATURES

s

Courtesy of Hongling Zhang

Zhang, as well as Schafer, see that American schools have more freedom than the schools in their native homelands. However, they agree that there are also many similarities between the school systems.

Along with differing first impressions of America, Zhang and Schafer also had different childhoods in their home country.

“I was born and raised in China, in a small town called Honghu,” Zhang said. “I grew up during the Cultural Revolution, and my childhood was heavily influenced by politics. However, we were taught that kids in America were living a much more miserable life. They had to work all day long and could hardly get any food.”

Schafer grew up in two different places in Peru, one being the mountains of central Peru, 3000 meters above sea level in a small town.

She would live there from April to mid-Decem-

ber. From mid-December to the end of March, she lived in a bigger coastal town in a house a block from the ocean. Her school was slightly different than those in America.

“My school was smaller than CHS, about 450 students in total,” she said. “Everyone knew each other, so it was very important to display our best behavior. I went to school Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Up until 4th grade I also went to school on Saturday[s] from 8 a.m. to noon.”

Both, as teachers at CHS, see that there are differences between their school and CHS. Zhang sees that there is a lot more freedom of expression here compared to her school in China.

“Kids in Clayton are very privileged,” she said. “They ask questions in class and can express themselves more freely. I think both cultural values and educational systems contribute to the differences in between China and America.”

Schafer also sees the difference in degree of freedom that American schools have.

“The first day in class [Human Ethics at Saint Louis University] was so wonderful,” she said. “I was able to express my opinions freely about issues I considered important. I’ve always loved school, but I truly love college here!”

Despite differences in Globe Archives

the education system, Schafer firmly believes that Peru and America are more similar than different.

“Kids are kids everywhere and we all pursue happiness for ourselves and our families,” she said. “I think the times we live [in] are what make it different. Respect for our parents and all adults was a big thing back then.”

Along with seeing the differences and similarities of their native country and America, both Zhang and Schafer have changed from getting acquainted with everything from American culture to politics.

“Having lived in the States for nearly 20 years, I have been ‘Americanized’ in a lot of ways,” Zhang said. “For instance, my ‘Chinese stomach’ has been turned into and ‘international stomach’. I am now aware of two very different perspectives and able to hold them in harmony. I’ve also developed a deeper understanding of how the American democracy works and how people with different ethnic background can share this country.”

For Schafer, a lot of her views on social justice and many other social issues have taken a big shift.

“While I still preserve many traditional core values and was raised by very conservative Catholic parents, I hold a totally different position in many of the controversial issues of our time,” she said.

All in all, both teachers appreciate the fact they were allowed this opportunity to be immersed in different cultures.

“I love America,” Schafer said. “I have been here for almost 30 years and it feels like home to me, even if some people still insist in viewing me as a foreigner.” 

15

THE ULTIMATE HOCKEY TEAM

by JEFFREY FRIEDMAN

When a disabled player on the Gateway Locomotives hockey team smiles after scoring a goal, it makes you wonder how anyone could fight in hockey.

G

ateway Special Hockey is a nonprofit organization that, put simply, makes disabled hockey players’ dreams come true.

In 1993, Tony Sansone, Jr. read an article while he was in the Toronto airport about an organized ice hockey program

for developmentally challenged youth and young adults. This program, which existed in Canada, was called Grandravine Special Hockey. The team went by the Grandravine Tornadoes.

Sansone was determined to bring this program to St. Louis.

While Sansone was able to gather friends and teammates to coach the team, finding available ice was no walk in the park.

“Never before were these kids allowed to play hockey because of insurance purposes in the United States,” former Blues player and current Blues analyst Kelly Chase said. “And nobody had ice time for them.”

Chase stepped up by offering to host a Blues’ players sponsored hockey school that would take place in the summer at Brentwood Ice Rink. Chase would donate the profit made from the school to the

(Left) Richard Hollocher with his friend, Chris. (Above) The Locomotives competing.

Locomotives for ice time, and would talk to the Brentwood rink management to make ice available to the Locomotives – at this time, Brentwood was where the Blues practiced.

In 1996, team representatives from Canada as well as some established programs in the USA held a formal meeting to create a league which would provide special athletes in the neighboring countries with some organization and competition.

Today, the league is known as Special Hockey International, or “The Heart League.”

The St. Louis chapter, Gateway Special Hockey, Inc., is a non-profit which was established in 1994. It exists as a result of donations and fundraisers. All of the staff in the organization are volunteers, and all of the money received goes to the benefit of the players.

This season, the ages of the players range from four to 45. While this program is composed primarily of players with Down Syndrome, players with any disability are welcome to join the roster.

The Locomotives are divided into two teams – a senior team and a junior team. The junior team is composed of young, inexperienced players, while the players on the senior team are older and have spent some time playing.

Richard Hollocher, a junior at CHS, has the pleasure to be a part of this amazing experience as a volunteer.

“Right now I’m teaching a boy named Bret,” Hollocher said. “He’s a fifth grader, and he’s never skated in his life. I’m sort of his personal coach for now. At the practices, I really help Bret skate. I teach him to have stronger ankles, and how to stay balanced ...

In games, I help run lines, referee sometimes and just sort of get the kids pumped up for the game.”

Most of the volunteers are parents of

kids in the program, but there is a good mix of people who help out. Some former players come back to support and provide assistance, and even dress out for games.

The Locomotives’ senior team typically plays high school teams, and the junior team usually plays kids who are younger than they are. While for the Locomotives these games a r e c o m petitive, the opposing players usually use their opposite hand and make sure that the Locomotives enjoy themselves.

These outside teams view the games as a great opportunity not only for the Locomotives, but for themselves as well.

On Sunday, Nov. 18 the senior Locomotive team took on Eureka High School. This game was followed by a match between the junior Locomotive team and the Rockets Pee Wee A2 team.

“We don’t make their day, they make our day,” Rockets coach Kevin Whitworth said.

“They make my kids open their eyes to the world and that’s just cool.”

Since the Gateway Locomotives is the only team of its kind in St. Louis, a lot of their time is spent traveling to other cities for competitive tournaments. Two of their competitors are fairly nearby – the Chicago Tomahawks and the Colorado Golden Eagles.

Twice during the season, the Locomotives participate in the Special Hockey I n ternational Tournament, consisting of special teams from the USA and Canada – a league known as Special Hockey International. The host of the tournament alternates every year between the United States and Canada.

The Locomotives are best described as one giant family of multiple ages and backgrounds with one common goal – to support the disabled athletes.

Erin Ott explained that the case of her son Brian is an uncommon one. He has cancer of the brain and spinal chord which led to his mental disability. Thanks to the program, he is able to accomplish his dream of playing hockey.

“Knowing you can go out and do something to help someone that wasn’t as lucky as you are is fantastic,” Hollocher said. “The best feeling in the world is when they smile at you after they score a goal or celebrate and then the whole team goes crazy for them and they’re all cheering. They have so much fun.

And that smile is priceless.” 

Photos courtesy of Richard Hollocher and Jeffrey Friedman, graphic by Audrey Palmer.

17

HIDDEN TALENTS

Left, clockwise: Debra McBride, Kurt Kleinberg, Omar Bala, John Ryan. Photos by Erin Castellano

While the hallways of CHS are meant to connect the classrooms, they also contain a very diverse mixture of staff members and students. The best way to learn and appreciate life at a school like CHS is to realize that everything that surrounds us is not defined by its title or name. Although the hallways are formost a place for transportation, it’s interesting to note how each person that walks through them has their own passion or talent outside of the halls of CHS.

by ARYA YADAMA and CLAIRE LISKER Debra McBride, Junior Counselor Here at CHS, we have a very central theater and music department. The music wing is always filled with students expressing their many talents and passions. Indeed, music has impacted the lives of many, but its influence stretches beyond the boundaries of the music wing, all the way to the counseling office.

Much like Mamma Mia’s Sophie, CHS’s counselor Debra McBride began singing in rounds and harmony before she could even read.

Thanks to the guidance of her older sisters, McBride has had a passion for music as long as she remembers. Whether or not she is singing,

music is always a source of energy and relaxation when she is tired or stressed. However, for McBride, singing was much more than a hobby or pastime.

McBride was a formally trained and recognized singer. Her vocal studies as a lyric soprano in college prepared her for great performance opportunities. She participated in several choral concerts in Central America including a televised performance at the National Theatre of Costa Rica.

In her first solo performance with a live symphony, she shared the program with the current concertmaster of the St. Louis Symphony, David Halen.

McBride feels very fortunate for her expe-

riences but humbly admits, “although I never mastered the dancing, I did my best with a song and dance ensemble performing for our troops.”

She was honored on numerous occasions to sing for weddings, funerals, games and conventions; however, performances shared with her two daughters, both singers, and her son, who plays the drums, stand out as her favorites.

Today, music is a huge part of her life. She embodies the idea that music will accompany you no matter where life takes you. “Although singing has certainly provided extra income over the years, I’ve never thought of myself as a professional singer,” she said. “Instead, I consider myself a professional educator who likes to sing.” 

Kurt Kleinberg , Math Teacher He’s our very own mathematician with a sick beat. That’s right CHS, Kurt Kleinberg was in a boy band. In fact, his musical career started with a theater program much like the one we have here as CHS. “It was during a chorus show when I was put into a quartet when I really found my love for singing and dancing with others,” Kleinberg said. “Me and a couple friends really got into it, and by the time we graduated I started to choreograph for shows and I was dancing exclusively.”

After winning a prestigious singing and dancing competition, Kleinberg spent two years after high school per-

forming in places like Hard Rock Café and other pop venues.

“We did mostly boy band music like InSync and Backstreet Boys. I’m not afraid to admit that, in fact, I still love that music today. We sometimes wrote our own songs.”

For some members of the band, music was a stepping stone for later successes. One of his fellow members became a producer of the hit TV show “Glee.” Now a math teacher, Kleinberg has found a way to bring his passion to CHS. Kleinberg’s musical talents were revealed last year during his guest appearance in the school musical, “Footloose.”

Though his boy band days might be behind him, Kleinberg’s love for pop rock continues.  Photo courtesy of Kurt Kleinberg

Omar Bala, Custodian Omar Bala is recognized by most students as a CHS custodian, but aside from his work in the school, Bala has a multitude of unknown talents.

Bala started his musical career in his home country, Albania. He even performed at the CHS World Language and Cultures day, playing guitar and singing a traditional Albanian song.

His love for music started at a very young age.

“I used to sing with friends and family when I was young,” Bala said. “I love music, especially romantic and classical music.”

His talents are spread among a number of instruments.

“I started with playing trumpet in school,” Bala said. “Then I started violin, then a little bit of guitar. I played a lot of instruments, but I never really mastered any of them.”

Along with his musical abilities Bala is also athletically talented--he played soccer and fished in Albania. But above all of these talents, Bala holds a special place in his heart for the game of chess.

This is a love he has shared with some lucky students at CHS, playing with the chess club on occasion.

“There are a lot of very talented kids here. But they are young so they play fast,” Bala said. “I beat [the] kids here because they are just beginning.

Maybe in a few years they will beat me.”

Winner or not, Bala believes that chess is a great mental challenge for high school students.

“Chess is related to your imagination. It’s good for your brain, and for everything,” Bala said.

“Einstein [said] that imagination is more important than knowledge. Because knowledge, is limited. Imagination is limitless.”  On Seeing a Crow (see right) describes an odd occurrence that Ryan’s father witnessed in passing.

Ryan presents it as a “mythical occurrence without an explanation.”

John Ryan, English Teacher Like most students, John Ryan first wrote poetry as an elementary school kid, eager to use a big word that he had heard, type it up on a typewriter and sign it with his well-rehearsed signature.

Ryan became active with poetry in the 90’s after receiving an honorable mention in a poetry contest. At first, poetry was a personal endeavor for Ryan, who shared it only with family and friends on special occasions, such as when he wrote his wedding vows in verse.

Mostly, Ryan writes about sensations, events, and people that you just “don’t have a box for.” He is interested in “ambiguity and the gray areas of life; moments that you can’t quite explain but you want to explain,” and values poems that “reveal something intimate about a person or a relationship; that allows the reader to feel.”

Ryan finds most inspiration for his poetry when he is in motion, and believes that there is a specific correlation between the nature of his motion and his writing. This is because “you put yourself in a different contemplative mode when you are cautiously biking or driving versus calmly walking.”

Interestingly, lines that he has thought of while biking have often developed into stories, while lines that come to his mind while walking often form his poems.

After making a collection of poetry in his MFA program at the University of MissouriSt. Louis, he published for the first time, a moment that was very gratifying after its long process.

But it was all worth it. Poetry has not only provided Ryan with a hobby, but also with a unique insight that influences his teaching,

his appreciation of literature and his view of life.

Ryan finds that too many people shy away from writing poetry. His advice? “If you can get a draft down of a poem or a story, don’t get in the way of yourself. Just write it. You can revise forever. At some point, it will be finished.” 

On Seeing a Crow On seeing a crow Fall at least forty feet to his death, Just like that, d, Right in the middle of the boulevar gs, win of ping flap no , ing With no warn r, eithe t, sigh in car a out with ed, Inde The low morning Sun gaped: He should have made The scene more flamboyant, But the rays were diffused r, Into a soft, unending yellow ethe Not pink, orange or red– Jaundice, not passion for life Or death. h How is it that the harbinger of deat fall? d Himself coul messenWho gave the command to kill the ger?

Death is not capricious; towards Rather, he orchestrates with an eye greatness As an artist and decomposer.

Who can say?

Maybe the orders were mixed up.

Maybe the crow decided to disobey.

-John J. Ryan

rise,” pub-

(First appeared in “Elements of Surp lished by Sungrazer Press)

MUSIC THROUGH LIFE

by PETER SCHMIDT and GWYNETH HENKE Graphics by Audrey Palmer

Students who have a passion for music must ultimately decide if they follow their dream or choose a more practical journey (Graphic by Audrey Palmer). (Opposite, Right to Left) Ben Colagiovanni performs. Ben as a child playing the piano (Photos from Ben Colagiovanni).

B

en Colagiovanni, a 2012 CHS graduate, started composing music before he could tie his shoes. While his classmates clutched rag dolls and greying stuffed animals, Colagiovanni was carting a Luciano Pavarotti record jacket through his preschool.

His passion for music carried him through his time at CHS and into a full scholarship in music composition at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

While most CHS students are focusing on what some may call more practical career paths, a dedicated few are walking to the beat of a different drum.

The lack of stability in many musical careers can discourage some young musicians.

Music often yields notoriously low-paying jobs, and growing up in or around Clayton can give many CHS students an unrealistic expectation for the future.

“A very small percentage [of musicians] 20 or 30 years down the road may be able to have such a lifestyle,” senior Isaac Ilivicky, a percussionist in the CHS band and president of the CHS Tri-M musical society, said.

Financial instability is not the only concern, however. Musicians also have the added requirement of living up to the music’s beauty and power, a mission which can often seem daunting.

“The most challenging thing as a classical musician is if you’re playing a piece by a great composer like Beethoven or Mozart or Schumann or Brahms ... they’re at their best every day, and they’re already brilliant,” Kurt Baldwin, associate professor of music at University of Missouri-St. Louis and cel-

list in the Arianna String Quartet, said. “So if you bring anything less than 100 percent of what you’ve got each day, you’re going to fall short.”

However, the benefits presented by music seem to outweigh the challenges and adversity that musicians face.

Colagiovanni emphasized music’s power to unite people.

“You can bring so many different types of people together through music because it is such a fundamental part of who we are as human beings,” he said.

Illivicky expressed a similar sentiment.

“Most of the people I cherish most in my life I have met through music ... it allows you to meet the best people out there,” Illivicky said.

Another valuable quality is music’s ability to transcend the barriers of time and language. Modern advances in technology have not changed the amount of diligence and practice required to succeed in music.

“Time at the instrument doesn’t move more quickly than it did 350 years ago,” Baldwin said.

By practicing and enjoying music, CHS students are taking part in an activity that forces them to slow down and experience a process drastically different from the instant-rewards systems of today. The students are immersing themselves in a tradition that spans nearly all of human history.

CHS students also enjoy the power of expression that music gives them.

“To me, what makes music so special is that it is a universal language,” Colagiovanni said.

So although the protective confines of Clayton may feel impermeable, music gives students an opportunity to communicate with people of all socioeconomic or linguistic differences.

“Through music, I really am able to explore what I’m unable to say in words,” Illivicky said. “[With] every note on the marimba or every hit of the drum, you feel your emotion, and it goes into your playing.”

Although music is an integral part of many students’ lives, it is important to remember that every person is multifaceted in their interests and aspirations.

For instance, Illivicky is considering a dual major in music and aerospace engineering.

“It’s nice to have engineering, but I’m not choosing engineering over music because it has potential to be more stable,” he said. “I’m choosing what I’m doing in college because it’s what I am most passionate about.”

Robert Nichols, a band teacher at CHS, discussed how music can affect the lives of students at a recent ceremony for Tri-M. “We all have passions, and we all eventually embark upon different journeys in life, but no matter what that journey is, one thing that we all have in common is that you will all have the opportunity to mark your work with excellence,” Nichols said at the ceremony.

Although most CHS students will move on to careers in something other than music, they will continue to enjoy and practice the art that they studied in this harmonious wing of the school.

A few students, however, predict that music will dictate their future.

Colagiovanni, who is already en route to his musical career, emphasized the importance of music in the future of our generation.

“You can speak to the people of the world and tell them the message of your heart,” Colagiovanni said. “Is that difficult? Not to me.

It’s a beautiful mission to have when I wake up each morning.” 

DANGEROUS CITY?

BY PARKER SCHULTZ

reporting by Katherine Ren, Peter Baugh, and Abraham Bluestone

PHOTOGRAPHS BY WILLIAM WYSESSION

St. Louis City

Megan Boken had little reason to believe her visit to St. Louis this August would turn deadly. While she was parked in the Central West End, a gunman assaulted her. The gunman opened Boken’s car door and shot her in the chest and neck. Boken was pronounced dead upon arrival at Barnes Jewish Hospital.

Incidents of crime, such as the murder of Megan Boken, have earned a sour reputation for St. Louis city. The city has been ranked among the top most dangerous US cities for the past several years by CQ Press. This year, St. Louis ranks fourth in crime, and numbers don’t lie, right?

The problem is, numbers don’t always tell the whole story. While spontaneous crimes and city rankings show one side of crime in St. Louis city, they don’t grasp the big picture. Crime is far more complicated than one

value. Not all crimes fit into convenient categories, and crime doesn’t affect groups of people or areas evenly. To get an accurate understanding of crime, you have to talk to the people.

How Bad is the Crime, Really?

In many ways, Clayton is a world of its own. The realities of crime and the city are muffled by the boundaries of the “Clayton Bubble.” In order to gain an accurate sense of the crime around St. Louis, Globe reporters found people working inside the bubble but living outside who could provide a unique, double-experience.

One such person is Craig Sucher, a biology teacher and baseball head

coach at CHS, who has been a resident of St. Louis Hills for over ten years. Sucher says he feels safe from crime in his neighborhood.

“We love [our neighborhood],” Sucher said. “There are a lot of families, a lot of kids [and] a very strong sense of community. People are outside a ton, just hanging out, helping each other out. It’s just idyllic for us in a lot of ways.”

While Sucher feels safe, he believes that safety precautions should still be taken in terms of avoiding crime.

“My reality is an extremely safe place,” Sucher said. “My reality is that I need to be aware of securing my things. I think that I would have the same reality if I lived somewhere in St. Louis County.”

Another resident outside of Clayton, CHS sophomore Marina Henke, also feels safe in her neighborhood. Henke lives in University City (UCity), not far from the Loop. And while she feels safe, she has also had experiences with crime.

“A few weeks ago my mom was out walking the dog in Forest Park early in the morning. A guy ended up breaking one of the windows in our car and rummaging around through the entire thing,” Henke said. “That wasn’t going to stop us from going to the park, but now we’re just a little more aware when we go out places. A little bit of crime should not turn a person away from an area.”

Henke believes that people unfamiliar with University City are unjustly intimidated by perceived crime.

“People look and see ‘oh, there was a shooting in the Loop’ and think there is a shooting in the Loop every week, and that’s just such a random occurrence,” Henke said. “It’s stupid to miss out on really nice parts of St. Louis.”

In Henke’s experience, being safe around areas with high crime rates is all about being smart. John Blaskiewiez, a St. Louis police officer and resident of the City of St. Louis, had similar sentiments.

“As a community, don’t allow yourself to be a victim of crime by being careless,” he said. “Don’t leave items in your car! Don’t associate with the criminal element and you will be less likely to be a victim of crime.”

Blaskiewiez is not required by the police force to live in the city. Despite that, he made the choice to live there.

He feels safe in St. Louis Hills, and believes that the media helps to create the crime-ridden view of the city.

“The media has a lot of control on how St. Louis is

perceived,” Blaskiewiez said. “Although crime statistics tell part of the story, they don’t tell all of it. The media tends to focus on St. Louis crime as opposed to crime in suburban areas.”

C

City Business

Crime is particularly concerning not only when individuals are threatened, but especially when entire communities can suffer. One of the strongest ways crime can negatively impact communities is by driving out business.

Despite fears that some customers may have in supporting businesses in the city, many business owners have found success outside of the counties.

David Zimmerman, a Clayton resident, is the head chef and co-founder of a local restaurant, Plush, near the SLU campus, an area that has been revitalized by the University’s effort to improve the conditions of the campus and surrounding areas.

Zimmerman feels quite comfortable with the location.

“I think of it as a very safe place,” Zimmerman said. “I work there everyday. I never have any issues. I do know that from time to time that there are break-ins and things in the neighborhood that I am in, but I don’t ever feel worried myself, but there is definitely crime around.”

Zimmerman says that although he feels safe, some“That wasn’t gotimes other people worry about the location of his resing to stop us from taurant. going to the park, “I show people where [my business] is, and they ask but now we’re just me, ‘Do you feel safe there?’” a little more aware Zimmerman said. “I’m like when we go out ‘Of course I do. I wouldn’t have started a business here places. A little bit if I didn’t.’” of crime should not Delmar Boulevard, or the Loop, is another robust busiturn a person away ness area of the city, attractfrom an area.” ing citizens of St. Louis with unique shops, restaurants and entertainment venues.

- Marina Henke But the Loop is not without CHS Sophomore its problems. Called the great dividing line of the city by the BBC, Delmar is perhaps one of the best snapshots of the problems in the City of St. Louis.

NORTH GRAND BLVD, THE FOX IN DOWNTOWN

To the south of Delmar the city of St. Louis is thriving, with beautiful and well-maintained homes, and in some cases, just a block north of this line, are crime-stricken areas, burned out homes, tremendous poverty and a lack of opportunity.

The Power of an Education To many, the solution to crime is education. If people can be raised inside of schools, and off of the streets, they are allowed opportunities to live more productive and crime free lives.

Washington University Campus Patrol Officer Rebecca Biermann agreed with this sentiment.

“I think the more we can get kids in school and educated, the [less] amount of time they have to be on the street,” she said. “A lot of the homeless kids don’t have the opportunity to go to school like we did, so if we can get those kids education, if we can get them into school, it means it gets them off the streets during the day.”

As a teacher, Sucher can’t help but look through crime incidents, such as the Boken case, through an educational lens.

“The two suspects [in that case] are both 18-year-old young men. I don’t know where they went to school and I don’t know if they recently graduated or if they are currently in their senior year of high school, but I have to think that if these two young men had a sound vision for their future, potential bright careers ahead of them, to go to college ... if they had hope and promise, then I think it’s much more doubtful that they [would] feel the need to rob and murder somebody,” he said. “But without that hope and promise, I think people will do some pretty horrible things.”

Another person who lives the importance of education daily is Jayne Howard, a teacher at Long Middle School in South City. Howard, apart from being a city teacher, is also a Clayton resident and parent. She believes that while crime is a reality in the city, it doesn’t pose a major risk to people who are smart about avoiding it.

“I think there are parts of the city where you are more exposed, more at risk than other parts,” Howard said. “I think that you just have to be smart about your decisions. If you know that there’s a rough part of the city, just be cautious.

To generalize is just ridiculous, I feel like it’s really easy to be negative. There’s stuff that happens in Clayton too.”

Howard’s sentiments were voiced by others who live outside of Clayton. She also agreed that the media plays an important role in how outsiders view St. Louis.

“The media to some extent creates it [St. Louis city’s negative image],” Howard said. “If you turn on the local news it’s about babies being beaten, houses blowing up [and] meth labs.”

Howard believes that the loss of business downtown has

EADS BRIDGE OVER THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER IN ST. LOUIS

changed the face of St. Louis.

“It’s almost a weird situation because we almost have two downtowns,” Howard said. “We have downtown and we have Clayton. I mean imagine what our downtown would be like if the businesses in Clayton were still in downtown. We would have a more vibrant downtown. The tax revenue would benefit our city in total, it would benefit schools, and the other infrastructure. But imagine the tax dollars that we benefit from here that helps our taxes stay lower for the schools and stuff, and imagine if that was in the city.”

For Howard, violence has on occasion been a part of her teaching career.

“Some of the kids I teach, not all of them, have been exposed to a lot of crime,” Howard said. “Prostitution of their parents, lots of gun violence, certainly a lot of moving about. A lot of the kids I teach have to take care of kids younger than them so there’s not a lot of parent supervision.”

Despite experiences with the hardships of crime, Howard sees reasons to remain hopeful.

“For every crazy story there are at least three or more great, success stories of kids, who despite the odds, are thriving,” she said.

Howard believes we should not always be telling the gory stories, but focus on the positive ones as well.

“You can either view everything as an opportunity or you can always

find a reason not to do something,” Howard said. “There’s too many good reasons to go into the city, than sitting, than to stay home and to be afraid of it, because what’s to be afraid of is the exception not the rule. There’s too much good stuff.”

Attempts for Change Recent attempts have been made to make improvements in St. Louis crime. Just this November, Proposition A was passed, allowing the City of St. Louis to have control of its own police department.

The old police system, a holdover from the Civil War, placed the Missouri governor in charge of the St. Louis police department.

Now that the current mayor, Francis Slay, is in charge of the police, city officials hope that the police force will be able to run more efficiently.

The city also plans on saving money through this new plan.

Prior to the implementation of this plan, crime rates in St. Louis have been on decline.

In a press conference in November Police Chief Dan Isom said that overall crime in St. Louis through October was down nearly 12 percent from the previous year.

The decline was due, in part, to the launch of a new deployment strategy for the police department, the Homicide Deterrence Initiative, that shifted approximately 100 officers to nighttime shifts in the highest crime and population areas of St. Louis.

The initiative was implemented after the Boken shooting and according to department records, after the 30-day strategy ended, there was a 68 percent decrease in gun assaults in their target areas.

Additionally, in response to the Boken case, St. Louis by Alderman Craig Schmid proposed legislation in September that would block resale of stolen cellphones, which have become a hot target for crime - as it was in the case of

Boken. The hope is to reduce the market of stolen phones and in turn the number of crimes related to the theft of these devices. The first vote on the bill passed unanimously in the month of November.

Conclusion Be street smart. That was the recurring theme in all of the interviews we conducted. No matter how safe a neighborhood seems, crime is always a possibility, and making smart decisions reduces someone’s chance of being victimized.

As crime in our city continues, the stigma attached to St. Louis remains a reality. As the greater St. Louis community moves forward, hopefully both will be reduced. While the crime ratings for St. Louis may not provide a holistic picture of the city, they do make an important point. No crime level, no matter how high or low, is above the need of improvement. 

CLAYTON WINTER

/////////// Girls’ Basketball ////////////////////////////////// Girls’ Swimming ////////////////////// Goals: The girls’ basketball team hopes to have a strong defense this year. They also want to ensure that they will play well, despite only having four seniors on the team and many new varsity players.

Goals: The girls’ swim team hopes to send multiple people to the state competition. With a number of freshmen, the Greyhounds want to make sure the younger players are integrated quickly.

2011-2012 Record: 14-14

2011-2012 Record: 6-9

Players to Watch:

Players to Watch:

Lacei Sams Carmen Planells Nina Murov

Danielle Sikora Dana Schwartz Grace Hartmann (diving)

SPORTS PREVIEW

////////// Wrestling /////////////////////////////////////////// Boys’ Basketball ////////////////////// Goals: To not lose. The philosophy of the team is to look at one match at a time, winning the match ahead of them. The Greyhounds also hope to have multiple state qualifiers.

Goals: After losing to Westminister in districts in early 2012, the Greyhound basketball team hopes to win the district tournament and improve on their play from last season.

2011-2012 Record: 6-1

2011-2012 Record: 8-15

Players to Watch:

Players to Watch:

Roger Taylor M.J. Milbourn Delvon Anderson

Mitch Elliott Nick Bax Addison Joseph

29

CROSS COUNTRY CORNER

Andy Hodapp (above) running at the state meet. All photos by Noah Engel.

A STATE RUN

With strong captains and coaches, both cross country teams had their best seasons in years.

by NEIL DOCHERTY “That’s a false start, son, please step back over there.”

CHS junior Andy Hodapp’s heart sank. He had jumped in front of the line before the gun went off. One minor mistake and he was disqualified from the race.

The runners lined up again. The gun went off. Everyone ran forward. Suddenly, two more shots rang out. Someone else had false started.

The refs said a few words to each other, then turned towards Hodapp.

“Bring that kid back here!” a ref yelled. A bystander had brought to the attention of the officials that a runner is allowed two false starts before being disqualified.

Hodapp returned to the starting line.

The relief on his teammate’s faces was palpable. Their charge was restored. They had a chance now, their goal of being in the top four in the state seeming within reach once again.

With adrenaline pumping, the final gun went off. The most important race of the year had begun.

Despite the false start at the state meet on

Nov. 3, Hodapp went on to finish in 29th place, just four places shy of All-State and was the first runner for the Greyhound team.

As a whole, the team was 16 points away from their goal of a state plaque (the top four teams at state receive an award on the champion’s podium). But the squad’s 5th place finish would make them the third most successful team in Clayton history.

“It was a very bittersweet meet,” senior cocaptain Derrick Stone said. “But I really couldn't have asked for better performances from all of the guys. I thought we raced with our hearts, and as a captain, what more could you ask of your team?”

Just five years ago, when head coach Kurtis Werner inherited the squad, the best runner on the varsity team wouldn’t even have a varsity qualifying time on the 2012 team.

At the time, Clayton was ranked number 74 of 75 teams in the state, but with the support of a rotating cast of coaches and tremendous effort by the runners, Werner managed to shape a team that others feared in races.

So, in the end, despite just falling short of their goal, Werner was proud of his team.

“Selfishly, I wanted this team to have a plaque so bad, but after I took a step back and focused on what our runners had accomplished - we had done exactly what I had hoped they would do,” he said.

The current seniors refer to “founding” their current team and feel that they have set a path up for future generations of runners. They have worked through injuries and set-backs, but never gave up.

“Cross country gives back only what you put into it,” senior co-captain Matthew Garrett said. “If you're not willing to fight through the pain, then you're not going to get faster.”

That includes running in the off season.

Many of the boys will keep running to get better for next season, the reward from doing so will be obvious in the races.

“I have very high expectations for the team next year,” Stone said, “and I wouldn't be surprised if next year’s team is bigger and bolder than this one.” 

by REBECCA STIFFELMAN Hundreds of high school girls from across the state lined up, waiting for the single gunshot that would initiate the state race - the beginning of the end of a challenging season. Surrounding fans, coaches and family cheered, but a deep, silent focus was the only thing on the minds of CHS cross country runners.

“I was nervous and excited, but I knew our team was ready. We had trained hard and our coaches prepared us well,” junior Lily Niswonger said. “By the time the gun was raised we all got serious.”

To qualify for state, the varsity girls’ cross country team had to deliver a great performance at districts.

“In many ways I felt a sense of relief after we found out that the girls qualified for state,” senior Maggie Keil said. “It has been a difficult couple of years where we have just barely missed the mark for making it to state, and being able to go as a team made all of our hard work even more worth it.”

This year marked the first season since 1997 that both the girls’ and boys’ cross country teams placed first at districts. This is a feat attributed by the team to great coaching, difficult workouts and a strongly bonded squad.

But at the state meet, the stakes were higher and the excitement stronger.

“Every part of the race there are fans on ei-

SPORTS ther side of you cheering for you and propelling come better runners,” Niswonger said. you along,” Keil said. “It really makes all the difThe team came through with an 11th place ference. The atmosphere is just amazing.” finish – a huge improvement from previous The cross country team had to face a chal- years. lenging course at the state meet. They woke “We have grown a lot closer over the past early the day of the two years and I think race and prepared this has helped treas usual – stretchmendously with our ing, hydrating and success,” Keil said. warming up. The “It makes practice team approached and stressful meets this meet just as much more enjoythey would any able when you can other, but the imtalk and hang out portance was everwith the rest of the present. team.”

With the poThe support of tential to do better experienced leaders than previous CHS and understanding girls ever had, the friends pushed the team had to keep team through diftheir nerves down ficult running and and focus on runnew challenges. But ning. Much of the whether the sucLauren Indovino and Maggie Keil (right) hold the plaque team’s success was cess was due to new from winning districts. attributed to their runners, strong and close bonds. experienced leaders “Everyone wanted to do well and put in the or long and difficult practices, the team was time, and it paid off. We stuck with each other, pleased with their overall performance and impaced off each other and helped each other be- provement. 

33

CLAYTON FOOTBALL TEAM CROWNED

DISTRICT CHAMPS

The CHS football squads took down many teams on their way to the district championship. Here is a look back at their district run, along with their season ending loss in the state tournament.

by CHRIS SLECKMAN Clayton Greyhounds over Jennings Warriors 45-22

Clayton Greyhounds over Gateway Tech Jaguars 30-26

Clayton Greyhounds over University City Lions 27-20

The Greyhounds’ postseason run started as a nightmare when Jennings running back, Darrell Green, scored a 90-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter.

However, running back Tyler Walker came to the rescue with two rushing touchdowns in the first quarter and the Hounds finished the half with a 19-14 lead.

In the second half, they never looked back.

Cailer Keaton added on three more rushing touchdowns. Walker and Keaton finished the game with a combined 375 rushing yards and five touchdowns.

In the second game of the postseason, the Hounds faced the Gateway Tech Jaguars, and once again, this game did not begin as planned.

The Jaguars jumped up to a 6-0 in the first quarter when quarterback Zach McBride threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Deandre Taylor.

However, just as before, Tyler Walker led the Hounds back with two rushing touchdowns and at halftime, the Hounds had the lead 14 - 6. The third quarter began with an 89-yard kickoff return for the Jaguars. Nevertheless, Clayton was resilient, with two minutes left Tyler Walker caught a screen pass, and took it 76 yards for a touchdown and gave the Hounds a 28-26 lead.

The Hounds secured the win with a safety that eliminated any chance of the Jaguars making a comeback.

The first half of this game was relatively uneventful. Walker scored the only points of the first half on a 3-yard touchdown run and Clayton led the game 7-0 at halftime. The second half was a completely different story, filled with lead changes and incredible plays. The Lions took a 14 - 7 lead after Ronnell Perkins caught a 35-yard touchdown pass. Clayton regained the lead after two rushing touchdowns

by Walker and a key 2-point conversion where Jake Brown throw a pass to Sean Anderson who made a great catch to give the Hounds a 21 - 14 lead. Walker secured the lead with an incredible interception for a touchdown on the last play of the game to give the Hounds the 27-20 win and the district championship.

Player of the Game: Cailer Keaton, 15 rushes for 144 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Player of the Game: Tyler Walker, 19 rushes for 131 yards and 3 touchdowns and 1 reception for 76 yards and a touchdown.

Player of the Game: Tyler Walker, with 23 rushes for 182 yards and 3 touchdowns, 15 tackles, a fumble recovery, and an interception returned for a touchdown.

Helias Crusaders over Clayton Greyhounds 31-8

The Greyhounds start play with quarterback Jake Brown dropping back. Photo by Olivia MacDougal.

The Greyhounds had a chance to be off to a great start with an interception returned for a touchdown; however, the play was called back for a penalty. The Crusaders finished off the half with an interception and a fumble recovery and were up 17 - 0 at halftime. The Greyhounds started the second half with a superb defensive stop and a blocked punt. However, the offense was not able to capitalize on the great field position. Soon after, the Hounds play-maker, Walker, got the Hounds on the board by tackling the Crusaders’ running back, Garrett Bushchjost, in the end zone for a safety.

The Hounds then drove down the field and finished off the drive with a two-yard rushing touchdown by Walker. After three periods the Hounds were down 17 - 8. Unfortunately they were not able to get anything going in the fourth quarter and the Helias Crusaders won the game 31 - 8. 

SPORTS

ATHLETE PROFILE

Danielle Sikora

Danielle Sikora works on her breaststroke during a Clayton swim practice. Photo by Peter Baugh.

Katelyn Long and Sikora (right) smile at the state meet. Photo courtesy of Danielle Sikora.

OFF THE BLOCKS

After making the state competition two straight years, Danielle Sikora is working to continue her swimming dominance.

by PETER BAUGH

D

anielle Sikora knows what it’s like to be under pressure. As a state contender in swimming during both of her years at CHS, she is familiar with the strain of competition.

Sikora, a junior, holds two records for CHS swimming, in the 200-yard individual medley (IM) and 100-yard breaststroke. She is also working to get better, which is a scary thought for Clayton opponents. Aside from being the best swimmer on the CHS team, Sikora is a supportive force on the squad.

“She is a really nice person and she was good at helping with people who needed help with technique or anything,” Miranda Rubin, a sophomore swimmer, said.

Katelyn Long, the girls’ swim coach, agreed that she is good natured, remembering how Sikora brought the entire team trail mix, her pre-race snack, at the conference meet last year.

Though she clearly loves her team, Sikora was not always sure she was going to swim with CHS. Aside from swimming with Clayton, Sikora competes with Clayton Shaw Park Swimming (CSP), a more competitive club team in the area, leading to schedule conflicts.

CSP offers a rigorous opportunity for de-

veloping swimmers. Sometimes, the transition This year, Sikora plans to qualify for state between the harder practices and easier ones again. can result in less effective technique, a common “You can only swim in two [events at the reason many swimmers choose not to swim for state competition]. I’ve only qualified in two their high school teams. events each year so it just worked out that way,” Sikora, however, accepted her situation and Sikora said. “I guess a goal could be to make is happy swimming with both CHS and CSP. more than just two so I can decide [what events “I have just gotten used to the fact, because to swim].”

I want to do high She also hopes to school, that I’ll just make it back to the state go to these [CHS] finals as she did last sea“She is so versatile ... she is practices,” she said. son.

With CHS, Sikora Long feels that Sikogood at breaststroke, she is has made her mark. ra’s versatility helps make great at IMs, she can do sprints Her freshman year, her an effective swimmer. freestyle.” she qualified for the “She is so versatile state competition in ... she is good at breastthe 100-yard breaststroke, she is great at Katelyn Long stroke, her best IMs, she can do sprints Girls’ Swim Coach stroke, and the 100freestyle. We can do a lot yard freestyle. Her of different things with sophomore year, she her,” she said. qualified in the 100As a team, Long is also yard breaststroke again, along with the 200-IM, hopeful for what Sikora and her teammates can which she excelled in at the state meet. do. “[W]hat was great about state last year was “We have a lot of experienced swimmers that she made it back [to the IM finals],” Long that showed up this year. We probably have five said. “She was in the top 16.” or six swimmers that have been swimming all Sikora finished in 15th place in the 200-IM, year,” Long said. “I am really excited to see what earning state points for the Clayton team. they can do during the high school season.” 

33

WINTER Snuggled up on your couch with nothing to do?

Too cold to go outside?

Look no further than your personal guide to this winter’s entertainment, courtesy of your friends at the Globe. Happy chillaxing!

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NTERTAINMENT

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by EUDORA OLSEN

They say wisdom comes with age, but

the opposite seems to be true for iconic punk-rock band Green Day. The hype surrounding their most recent creation “¡Uno, Dos, Tre!” proved to be for nothing since its release marked the flop of (count ‘em) not one, not two, but possibly three albums (“Tre” is set to be released in January).

The three hooligans have been at it since the early ‘90’s.

Green Day started as an afterschool jam session in Billie Joe Armstrong’s garage, and boomed into a Grammy-award winning icon.

The band won its greatest recognition in 2004 with the release of the politically charged album “American Idiot,” and saw continued success with their second rock opera “21st Century Breakdown.”

Possibly the strongest aspect of these two platinum albums was the balance of social commentary and teenage angst. Green Day does a good job of staying true to its punk jam session vibe, but that is all they seem to achieve in their latest album.

The first of the three-part album, “¡Uno!” is mediocre at best. The opening song “Nuclear Family” is a safe (and by safe I mean very boring) choice to kick off such a hefty collection of songs. “Nuclear Family”



sounds like one giant chorus.

The only things that seem to vary throughout “¡Uno!” are the intros to the songs. When you hear the first chords, you think that maybe this song will be a gem in the rough, but once Billie Joe hits those first notes, you are thrown into a monotony of angsty rhymes with the occasional yodel. “¡Dos!” is more mellow, more boring, and even more monotonous. Lines like “the silence is so deafening, it’s like picking at a sore” make you think that Billie, Mike, and Tre were using MadLibs to come up with lyrics. The only song in “¡Dos!” that is semi-enjoyable is titled “F*** Time” probably because it is just fun to make fun of.

“Makeout Party,” “Lazy Bones,” and “Wow! That’s Loud” sound like the cries of die-hard Ke$ha fans—far from what Green Day fans would ever want to be associated with.

Ironically, Green Day has pushed back the release of “¡Tre!” to build up hype. But if “¡Tre!” is anything like the first two, they should consider cancelling its release all together.

Green Day has truly reduced its sound to something of an apathetic teenager. What happened to the social criticism?

The ground-breaking rock operas? “¡Uno, Dos, Tre!” is not worth your money or ears, unless you enjoy listening to angsty drones for two hours. 

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Green Day/Wikimedia Commons

by PETER BAUGH

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I find it hard to dislike Taylor Swift.

She is clever, creative and pure. While many of the songs playing over the radio in today’s world are autotuned, it is refreshing to hear the voice of a real singer.

Taylor Swift has released four albums. Her latest, “Red,” was released on Oct. 21, selling 262,000 copies on its first day, according to USA Today.

The album does not disappoint.

Some singles from the album had been pre-released, including the smash hit “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” With catchy tunes like these, Swift continues to add to her already huge fanbase.

“Red” is by far my favorite album by Taylor Swift. Her albums have gotten progressively better as time goes on, and “Red” is continuing the trend.

Swift continues to produce harsh

and bitter songs, such as “We are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and “I Knew You Were Trouble.,” but also has mixed in some very sweet songs. One of those is named “Stay Stay Stay,” my personal favorite on the album.

Another standout feature is the purity of Swift’s songs. Though many songs in today’s music culture are about drugs, drinking or sex, it’s nice to hear hits that are not about elicit activities.

Only one aspect of “Red” could be improved. The album was full of songs about love and boys. In past albums Swift has added in an occasional song of a different type, such as “Never Grow Up” in her album “Speak Now.” That said, though Swift’s past albums were good, “Red” was great. The album is definitely a keeper and one worth listening to. 

wHOME INSLOW’S

Photos by Noah Engel

by PETER SCHMIDT

    Winslow’s Home is the closest you can get to your grandmother’s kitchen without leaving the neighborhood. When I arrived at the organic-oriented restaurant at the corner of Delmar and Midland, I had the odd sensation of traveling backwards in time. The pleasingly cluttered interior - walls lined with wooden shelves, marble tables scattered about and the warm aroma of delicious food - is comfortingly reminiscent of a family-owned general store from the golden days of old.

In fact, that’s exactly what it is.

The University City restaurant is based on a simple idea. “Seasonable, minimally manipulated food,” Chef Cary McDowell said. Most of the food on the menu originates primarily from Winslow’s Farm, an organic farm located only 35 miles away in Augusta, Missouri. In an age where most food is grown and packaged in a chemical cocktail thousands of miles away, the proximity between Winslow’s Home and its food source is refreshing.

The menu is simple: There are usually only four dinner entrees at a time, and all of them consist of basic, organic ingredients. When I visited, they were offering cornbread stuffed with poblano peppers and spaghetti squash, braised beef stew with carrots and parsnips and crispy roasted chicken with cheesy grits and collard greens.

None of these options sound like the experimental concoctions that are popular in most current avant-garde restaurants. However, the simplicity of the food does not detract from its taste. Rather, it allows you to more fully enjoy each individual ingredient.

Standing at the marble counter with a friendly employee looking at me expectantly, I realized I was in a predicament. The description of each choice on the menu tempted me equally, but out of pity for the pair of Wash.

U. students standing behind me, I chose the chicken pot pie, the brisket sandwich and the enticing but mysterious “steamer” beverage.

The brisket. Oh, the brisket. The smoky sweet meat piled on sourdough with brie and horseradish is mouth watering enough to make vegetarians want some. It is, for good reason, the most popular item on the menu.

The brisket and all other lunch fare is accompanied by a salad of leafy greens with a splash of dressing. This delicious addition challenged my expectations of just how good a salad could taste.

The chicken potpie had a buttery crust and a wonderfully gooey interior, but it wasn’t nearly as impressive as the brisket. That said, the fresh vegetables and crust made the pie a decent alternative. Lastly, the steamer. My first impression was that is was comparable

to drinking a cloud of vanilla. The frothy milk and vanilla mixture was warm and subtly sweet, and it came in a huge mug that could sate anyone’s desire for a hot drink on a blustery day. It is the perfect autumnal beverage.

Another remarkable aspect of Winslow’s Home is the selection of goods. The walls are lined with shelves of books, cooking materials, take-home meals and an assortment of puzzling gadgets. It is the only place in Clayton that offers children’s books alongside a California Conundrum white wine and a La Cama Albariño 2011. The store’s almost puzzling variety provides a source of entertainment for any visitor.

Above all else, it is the friendly atmosphere of Winslow’s Home that makes it special. Every member of the staff was eager to stop and talk with me, acting as if I was a regular customer or a close cousin of the Winslow family tree.

So as the temperature drops and the cold winter wind becomes increasingly hostile, make a visit to Winslow’s Home. Order a delicious meal and indulge in their assortment of cookies and cakes. Or you might prefer to just relax, sit back, sip on a glass of spiced apple cider, and observe the eclectic crowd of customers that passes through the door. You’ll feel right at home. 

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by RACHEL BLUESTONE

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One year ago, One Direction released their first album, “Up All Night,” to a predominantly British audience. A year later, they released their second album, “Take Me Home,” onto the world stage. In the past year, they’ve gone from being a group of five boys who placed third on “The X Factor” in 2010 to a group of five boys who are the love interests of millions of girls across the world.

“Up All Night” was a tough act to beat, but the boys definitely beat it. The album starts off upbeat with the album’s first single, “Live While We’re Young.” The song has the rhythm of a classic club song, complete with the catchphrase “tonight let’s get some, and live while we’re young.”

“Live While We’re Young” is followed by another upbeat club song, and the boy band’s newest United States single, “Kiss You,” before slowing down a fair bit for the second album single, “Little Things,” written by fellow British artist, the singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran. The song is slow and heartwarming, a message to a girl that you love everything about them, including all of the little things.

“Little Things” is followed by yet another upbeat pop song, “C’mon C’mon,” and the outgoing rhythm of the songs lasts for another three songs, ending with “Rock Me,” the ultimate club dance song on the album. The song begins with clapping reminiscent of Queen’s 1977 hit “We Will Rock You.” The chorus is made up of Niall Horan singing the melody and Harry Styles singing the harmony, and makes the listener immediately want to jump up and dance.

“Change My Mind” slows down a bit, a slower pop song, before leading into “I Would,” a preppy song written by the boys of One Direction, along with Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones and Dougie Poynter of another British band, McFLY. Tom Fletcher also wrote a song from “Up All Night” called “I Want.” “I Would” blends into “Over Again,” a slow, bittersweet song also written by Sheeran. The song’s lyrics are similar to poetry: “now she’s feeling so low since she went solo, hole in the middle of my heart like a polo. And it’s no joke to me, so can we do it all over again?”

“Over Again” is followed by “Back for You,” and then “They Don’t Know About Us,” a song about a love that the world knows nothing about, but if they did, they would be jealous. The final track of the album, “Summer Love,” was written mostly by the boys themselves, and is a bittersweet melody about looking back on a past summer relationship.

Overall, “Take Me Home” is a definite win for the boys of One Direction. Its upbeat pop songs blend perfectly into the slower, bittersweet ones. It reminds the critics that they have more than just looks going for them, and reminds the fans that yes, they’re still there, and that yes, they’re still talented. Each song sounds as if it’s been recorded with the thought of how it will sound in a stadium in mind, and, chances are, each song will sound amazing. 

Brett Robson- Global Photographics/Wikimedia Commons

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by DAVID ANDROPHY “Lincoln,” an Oscar-worthy film, was even better than the movie was hyped up to be.

Directed by Steven Spielberg, this drama revolves around President Abraham Lincoln as he and his staff works diligently to pass the 13th amendment, outlawing slavery.

Daniel Day Lewis stars as Lincoln. Lewis did a magnificent job of playing the role of America’s 16th president. He was able to capture all the elements of Lincoln’s personality: his natural leadership, his loving nature and his cunning ability to soften any dim mood with a funny joke. More importantly, Lewis was able to embody the spirit of Lincoln in his stunning performance.

Supporting actors Sally Field (Mary Todd Lincoln), David Strathairn (William Steward), and Tommy Lee Jones (Thaddeus Stevens) play instrumental roles in the film’s conflict over Lincoln’s decision to whether or not try to pass the 13th amendment during a lame duck session of congress. Faced with insurmountable opposition, they all questioned Lincoln’s decision to try to pass the amendment before the Civil War ended, but all ended up offering their support.

“Lincoln” isn’t a Civil War movie such as “Gettysburg” or the unforgettable “Glory,” but a drama that focuses on how a man is able to lead a nation, despite the nation being divided.

Lincoln is also trying to pass a controversial bill, while family problems develop with is wife. The film main’s plot focuses on Lincoln and his cabinet trying to persuade Northern Democrats to vote in support of the 13th amendment. Abraham Lincoln also has to deal with a conflict between him and his wife as Lincoln fulfills the role as president, but not that of a husband. Lincoln’s oldest son wants to join the war effort for the Union and Mary Todd Lincoln is staunchly against the idea, fearing for his safety.

“Lincoln” is a must-see film over the holiday season and is unarguably a nominee for Best Picture. Steven Spielberg didn’t fail to impress in another one of his magnificent films. “Lincoln” will surely change your perspective of Abraham Lincoln and the challenges he faced even in the waning months of the Civil War. 

SM

by NINA MUROV

He was said to have set himself on fire in front of an audience; a legendary end to a legendary man. His name was Sixto Rodriguez (known just as Rodriguez to fans), and he was one of the inspiring voices that rocked a nation during the 1970s.

The surprising part?

None of his devoted fans knew anything about him - who he was, where he lived, how he died - nothing.

All they knew was that his unique voice and meaningful lyrics gave them hope and motivation to get through the toughest time in their country’s history - Apartheid.

And this is where the critically acclaimed documentary “Searching for Sugarman” gets really good, as two dedicated fans set out on a mission to find out what happened to their hero.

Sixto Rodriguez was a struggling singer/ songwriter who lived in Detroit in the 1960s.

Two producers had heard him perform at a beaten down bar in downtown Detroit and were amazed at the distinctive voice that they heard.

They decided to give him a record deal, thinking that Rodriguez could be something special.

They thought he’d be the new voice of a generation. They were wrong - kind of.

If you ask anyone in the United States if they’ve heard of Rodriguez, their answer is no.

That’s because his album didn’t do as well as the producers had hoped, and nothing came out of his U.S. career.

MCT Campus

    

But somehow, a pirated copy of Rodriguez’s album swam across the ocean, and arrived in South Africa during Apartheid - and Rodriguez became a phenomenon, bigger than Elvis.

The mystery part of “Searching for Sugarman” is enough to get audiences hooked. However, the universal lesson that is taught through these determined fans’ journey is what makes for a truly great documentary. 

Searching for Sugarman/Wikimedia Commons

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by ALBERT WANG

    

Disney/MCT The plot of “Wreck-It Ralph” is seen through the perspective of a video game villain. But instead of an action movie hero, Ralph, the title character, is discriminated against by everyone in his arcade game.

Through the creative concept that arcade characters can visit others games after the store closes, Ralph literally travels the arcade, trying to win a medal so that he can gain the respect of the characters in his own game.

From games for the younger players, such as Sugar Rush, a game based on “Mario Kart,”

Anna Karenina/Wikimedia Commons

to games for the older players, such as Hero’s Duty, based on “Call of Duty,” “Wreck-It Ralph” ties all of them together in humorous fashion.

Villains from well-known video games make appearances such as the ghosts from “Pac-Man,” Bowser from “Super Mario Brothers,” Doctor Eggman from “Sonic the Hedgehog” and even the paddles from “Pong.”

“Wreck-It Ralph” is humor-packed, yet still teaches a great lesson that no matter where life puts you, you can always prove yourself worthy. 

AK

by MEREDITH MCMAHON

    

Producer Joe Wright’s adaptation of Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina” is fresh and creative, condensing the over thousand-page novel into a lush, passion-filled two-hour film. Wright’s adaptation does not stick to the novel quite as rigidly as his adaptations have in past films, such as “Pride and Prejudice” and “Atonement,” however, I think the creative liberties he took in “Anna Karenina” enhance the movie overall.

One such creative liberty is his conversion of the cities Moscow and St. Petersburg, where most of the action takes place, into theaters.

Characters, when “on stage,” are scrutinized carefully when in the spotlight in the superficial and somewhat claustrophobic world of

Russian court life in which Anna lives. The theater is in no way limiting, however - for instance, a corner of backstage quickly converts to busy urban streets, then into a cramped apartment, demonstrating its flexibility.

Wright’s usage of the theater as a set also is pulled off with the overall luxury and extravagance that make the film so aesthetically pleasing. Keira Knightley, starring as Anna Karenina, is a gem both visually and in her acting skills. Her performance in such a complex role is exemplary and the costume design was magnificent, truly making her a vision.

Another actor who deserves praise is Jude Law, who played the role of Count Karenin, Anna’s strict, morally upright husband. Law’s

lines were powerfully delivered, and made up for the attractive, yet not as exemplary actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson who played Vronsky, Anna’s lover.

Overall, the film is artistic and aesthetically full of details. Wright well maneuvers the difficulties of filming such an expansive piece. The film, however, is not one that I would care to take home and re-watch again and again. This is because of the claustrophobic feeling of the film, which is, though artistic, unsettling for a viewer. Overall, however, “Anna Karenina” is an excellent choice for those who want a moody, passionate film that takes place in the suffocating environment of eighteenth century Russian court. 

STAFF ED

Photos by William Wysession

OUT OF THE BUBBLE

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very city is a changing entity. It possesses wealthy and povertystricken individuals, conservative and liberal zones. Some of these distinctions are unspoken, others are not, and even more are imagined.

Humans scratch dividing lines onto their surroundings as though etching the walls between good and evil. And amidst these chaotic maps of downcast eyes and shaking fingers, it’s easy to forget that a city, an entire city, is home.

St. Louis is in no way perfect. Crime, as we describe in this issue, is a problem, and many feel that St. Louis is a far cry from the metropolis it was one hundred years ago. In several areas, drugs are rampant, and as you drive through other neighborhoods it’s no rare event to see trees poking their way out of dusty roofs

and walls.

Among the many struggles that St. Louis faces, it’s easy for residents to draw the line between us and them.

It’s less painful to cut oneself off from the troubles every community endures than to embrace them as your own. But as we draw our lines with increasing fervor and dedication, we are shrinking and distorting the boundaries of our home.

It’s no stretch to say that Clayton is a beautiful place. Restaurants, stores and art galleries line the streets of central Clayton, and Shaw Park is nestled at its heart, providing a quiet, green haven. One could live for decades without exiting its familiar roads. And yet when we choose to paint our faces exclusively with the Clayton motto, we cut ourselves off from the beauty that thrives across the St. Louis area, in all of its districts and suburbs.

There’s no rubric for a community. No equa-

tion exists for what makes beauty within a city.

The only way to love your community, we believe, is to know your community, and this means venturing out of the Clayton bubble that so many of us remain in.

Our boundaries, despite what we are often led to believe, stretch beyond Clayton Road, Skinker and Forsyth. Instead, they reach to the Mississippi, Meramec and Missouri Rivers, to Towergrove park, the Arch, downtown, Midtown, South City and all of the areas in between.

It’s our responsibility to embrace these boundaries and the lives that they hold within them, and to see every part of the community of which we are a member.

Always love the place where you live, but never limit that place to the immediate and comfortable surroundings.

And instead of being residents of Clayton, Missouri, as a community let’s become proud citizens of St. Louis. 

by PETER SHUMWAY COMMENTARY

THE 1.6 BILLION ELECTION The election is over. But really, is it ever?

If you had 1.6 billion dollars, what would you buy? You could buy 64 Olympic pools of Nutella, feed the homeless population of America for five years or mastermind a campaign to buy your way into elected office.

The Republican Party’s Karl Rove spent over $1 billion on this year’s elections - $127 million alone on Mitt Romney’s campaign. Out of the 22 candidates he supported, 15 lost. Photograph from Tom Fox/Dallas Morning News/MCT.

CHS Compliments Who are they? And why?

According to the New York Times, the 2012 presidential campaigns spent around 1.6 billion dollars combined. If you include the Senate, House of Representatives and other local representatives, this total increases to 6 billion dollars. This season held the most expensive elections ever.

This spending would have not been feasible in the past, but now Super Political Action Committees (PACs) have been introduced into the political realm. These Super PACs such as “Restore our Future” and “Priorities USA Action” raised massive amounts of money.

In the past, Super PACs were illegal, but they were reintroduced in 2010 when the court case, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, was approved.

The argument is that companies should be able to protect their interests. Therefore, they should be able to have the capability to donate heavily financially to their preferred candidate.

Super PACs with massive budgets can serve as organizations that would educate the American people, over radio and TV. But something very different happened.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Obama’s biggest Super PAC, Priorities USA Action, spent 100 percent of funding to criticize opposing views. Similarly Romney’s biggest Super PAC, Restore our Future, spent 90 percent of their financing to criticize opposing candidates.

Instead of a way to learn more about candidates, these independent Super PACs seemed to exist with the sole purpose of tearing down the opposition.

These negative advertisements have succeeded only in creating an economic boom for television and radio stations.

The social ramifications of the Super PAC creations have also resonated across the nation, resulting in increased tensions in an even more polarized country.

American citizens have not yet learned how to formulate balanced views, and, as a result, our populace is now rife with extremist views over questionable and exaggerated content.

In another four years the expensive presidential battle will resume.

As candidates wonder how they should run, it would be in the best interest of America for them not to have to worry about the money. Our public officials should be concentrating on making the best plans for America.

As a nation we are highly influenced by the money being thrown into campaigns and negativity should not be the thing that influences our views. We need to truly learn the views of the candidates, instead of being focused on criticizing others. 

L

ast year, CHS became the s c e n e of what seemed like a “Lifetime” movie. A student anonymously manufactured a twitter handle that splattered taunts attached to students’ names across social media called “CHS Gossip.” As students scanned over iPhones and refreshed web pages scouring for their names, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed in my generation, who couldn’t seem to resist the urge to succumb to utter cliché.

However, when checking Facebook a few nights ago I noticed that CHS students, anonymous of course, had begun a redeeming mission.

Their statement was: “This Facebook has been created anonymously by a few high schoolers, who felt that CHS needs a little more love. Inbox us on Facebook, or send us an anonymous message via our tumblr ask page (http://chscompliments.tumblr.com/ask) - comments about anyone or anything you admire about our school, and we’ll publish them without revealing your name - a silent act of kindness.”

The silent act was met with a booming response. “CHS Compliments,” a Facebook account dedicated to anonymously posting students’ compliments to one an-

other, now has about 300 friends after approximately a week of activity online. The compliments range from honest appreciation to “Dobby, thank you for being the best house elf ever.”

However, with some students still healing their scars from “CHS Gossip,” there have been arousals of caution and concern. After all, with anonymous comments on any form of social media comes the certain danger of backhanded adolescent humor. Some have even posted on the “CHS Compliments” home page, scolding people to use the site to carry out its intended purpose: delivering silent acts of kindness.

Although I haven’t personally used the account, I still find myself drawn to what people have to say to their peers, the ones who may be their best friend, or the ones who they may just pass in the hallway every day.

The complimentary notes might not have my name attached, but it makes me feel a little bit better knowing my school isn’t a cesspool of harsh whispers and seemingly assigned lunch tables.

So, my first publicized compliment won’t go on the “CHS Compliments” Facebook page; instead, I’ve decided to publish it here. Dear CHS Compliments, thank you for saving me from the bad “Lifetime” movie CHS had become. 

-ZACH BAYLY 43

PRO/CON

QDOBA VS. CHIPOTLE INTEGRITY AND TREATMENT

by JEFFREY FRIEDMAN Steve Ells, the CEO of Chipotle and a classically trained chef, was not happy with his pork.

After much experimentation with new ingredients and different cooking methods, he finally found a solution that worked.

Ells ventured to a farm in Iowa where pigs were raised in a traditional and moral way. The pigs were on a healthy all-vegetarian diet containing no animal byproducts. They lived outside and were given plenty of room to run and play. They were never given antibiotics, and enjoyed a relaxed life. Raising pigs in this manner is more expensive, but worth it to Ells for a burrito that is so much more delicious.

This marked an important moment on Chipotle’s journey to be dedicated to naturally raised meat. Ells then sought out similar sources for all of Chipotle’s ingredients.

This is all part of a program that Chipotle calls “Food with Integrity.” It tastes noticeably better, too.

As of 2010, 100 percent of their pork is naturally raised as well as 100 percent of their chicken and beef. Chipotle uses zero trans fat frying oil and their cheese and sour cream have no rBGH - a harmful hormone that is marketed to dairy farmers to increase milk production in cows.

Chipotle almost makes its customers’ lives too easy. As if its many convenient locations were not enough, ordering your favorite burrito is now as simple as picking up your iPhone or iPod touch. Placing custom orders and paying with credit has never required less effort.

Also, the generous employees of Chipotle give out buy-one-get-one-free coupons as if they had a coupon tree in the back.

When it comes to Chipotle’s delicious and well-known burritos, the customer is welcome to pack inside as much as he or she pleases. The

Graphic by Cherry Tomatsu

choice between corn or flour tortillas is a tough one, but you can’t go wrong. And don’t worry – if you’re not in a tortilla mood, just throw all of the same ingredients into a bowl and grab some utensils. My stomach growls just thinking about it.

But we’re just getting started. What about that one day where you crave something crispy above all else? You’re in luck, because the crispy corn tacos are a crunchy delight. But what if I want some tacos in a hard shell, and others in a soft flour tortilla? Oh yeah, that’s right, they’ll do it.

Not only that, but at Chipotle, when you ask for extra, they give you extra. I’m talking mountains of shredded cheese.

And if you know you won’t have time to work out later, just indulge in one of their perfectly composed salads. You can’t go wrong with a plethora of precisely chopped deliciousness.

So Chipotle possesses probity, tastes amazing, and makes the lives of its customers simple.

But why else would you go there?

It’s so much closer. Why drive farther during your lunch period for something that won’t satisfy you nearly as much?

But what is the real factor that sets Chipotle on a pedestal overlooking all of the other Mexican restaurants in society?

The choices.

Corn or flour tortilla? Cilantro-lime rice or brown rice? Pinto or vegetarian black beans?

Braised carnitas, barbacoa, adobo-marinated and grilled chicken, or steak? Guacamole, salsa, cheese, sour cream? So many options! I guess you’ll have to try them all.

All of the meat options are overly satisfying, but the best in my opinion is the carnitas (shredded pork). If you’re a spicy eater, the barbacoa (spicy shredded beef) is the choice for you. The flavorful chicken and bite-sized steak will fulfill that craving as well.

“A lot of my experiences with Chipotle have just been ten times better than those with Qdoba,” junior Marcel Negrete said. “I just haven’t had the greatest food when I’ve gone to Qdoba.”

So next time there is a dilemma between Chipotle or Qdoba, the right choice should be obvious – just think about the pigs and the endless possibilities. 

CHS sophomores and Globies Audrey Holds and Jeffrey Friedman pose with their personal favorite burritos. (Photo by Olivia MacDougal)

TASTE AND VARIETY

by AUDREY HOLDS Senior Addison Joseph eats Qdoba about three times a week to resolve the craving that only a Qdoba burrito can fill. And his story is not an uncommon tale. Another senior, Emily Longman said, “I go once every week or two. My family’s kind of addicted.”

When taking a bite into a Qdoba burrito, one cannot deny the explosion of awesomeness in one’s mouth.

Junior Griffin Reed described Qdoba as, “tantalizingly delicious,” for the word “good” would never satisfy to describe a Qdoba burrito.

Chipotle, Qdoba’s fierce rival, is consistently defeated, due to Qdoba’s superb taste, wide variety, delicious queso sauce, and high quality.

When comparing the different types of food, Qdoba is the clear winner. Sophomore Alaina Curran said, “I like Qdoba better because of the variety, like the taco salads, burritos, nacho gumbo, and the tortilla soup.”

The variety adds even more diversity to the experience of Qdoba, so everyone can have

something according to their own personal taste.

With a wide variety of salsa, Qdoba also is the victor with pico de gallo, chile corn, verde, roja, and habañero sauce. The frequent adoration of Qdoba is due to its queso sauce. As sophomore Noah Engel says, “Queso makes the

of queso sauce definitely puts Chipotle at a disadvantage.

Also, the food quality at Qdoba is superior to that at Chipotle’s, even though Chipotle is renowned for natural farm raised animals. Sophomore Reeves Oyster said, “I think the guacamole is definitely better at Qdoba, which is my favorite part about a burrito, but I also think that the meat is less chewy, and overall it tastes better.”

Junior Stephanie “Queso makes the world a better place Langendoerfer agreed that Qdoba has superifor people of all colors and religions.” or food quality. “Being Mexican- American, Noah Engel it is more “authentic” than Chipotle in my CHS Sophomore opinion,” Langendoerfer said.

With 24 Qdoba restaurants located in Saint Louis, those who are undecided about whether Qdoba world a better place for people of all colors and or Chipotle is better should go to discover for religions.” Senior Varun Chakravarthy even re- themselves which is their preference. However, solves to order the Three Cheese Queso Burrito the taste buds cannot lie, and as the people have with a side of chips and queso sauce. The lack proven, Qdoba is the victor. 

in their words What made your mind up about being a teacher?

I taught for a year thinking I would be a farmer, so I taught in a small school and found that I really enjoyed teaching and the interaction with people. I decided I would teach for a couple more years and I looked for a larger school to teach in. I began in a very small rural school. I then ended up in Parkway and continued to like it so I never became a farmer.

You are one the few teachers that teaches chemistry and biology. Which one has been your favorite and why?

Photo by Alexis Schwartz

Q&A

Steven Zou sits down with chemistry teacher Mike Howe to talk about his teaching career.

Why do you think an understanding in chemistry and biology will be beneficial for students?

We do many things in chemistry and biology that students will probably not directly use in their everyday life. However, chemistry and biology are about a way of thinking and a way of problem solving and exercising your mind in ways that you will use in your everyday life.

I probably enjoy the chemistry more. The first year that I taught, I taught biology and advanced biology. I enjoy working with numbers. chemistry has applications that are more mathematical. Therefore, I probably would say that chemistry is more enjoyable, but by now I also know chemistry better so you can do more with it if you understand it better.

Which chemical reaction lab has been your favorite?

It’d probably have to be the thermite reaction. Thermite reaction is the reaction of aluminum oxide and iron oxide (rust) to make aluminum metal. In doing it, it releases a lot of energy. It looks like an amazing amount of energy but in reality, it is equivalent to about one bite of candy bar.

What has been your favorite moment in teaching?

There have been many fun times in teaching. I have enjoyed being a teacher every year that I have taught. I have fun doing it. Maybe just to hear your former student doing well and the class has been an impact in their life.

In the past, you have sponsored many clubs, including the Chinese cooking club.

What inspired you to sponsor those clubs?

These types of clubs, the Chinese cooking club, the Harry Potter club, are made of students who wanted to do an activity and needed an official faculty sponsor, so I said yes.

Now you are the sponsor of the Harry Potter club. Could you tell me some of the memorable experiences of the club?

I found out that the Sorting Hat would have put me in Ravenclaw.

Does that mean you are a die-hard Harry Potter Fan? Well I would not say I am a die-hard fan, but I have read all the books and seen all the movies, and I have enjoyed Harry Potter.

Can you tell us something unique about yourself that students do not know about?

When I was growing up and worked on the farm, one of the jobs that I did every summer was to cut the teeth out of baby pigs.

Being a father that already has kids in college, what is your best advice for college bound students?

I think that kids should challenge themselves as much as possible academically and do the best you can to choose peers that will push you in a positive direction.  For more Q & A’s and other updates visit chsglobe.com or follow the Globe on twitter @chsglobe

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