December 2019: The power of presence

francis howell central hs volume 23, issue 3: december

THE POWER OF

PRESENCe

During the holidays, the presence of loved ones can be the most meaningful gift

FROM THE EDITOR

STAFF EDITORS-IN-CHIEF CENTRAL FOCUS: Kayla Reyes FHCTODAY: Megan Percy CENTRALIZED: Lanie Sanders ERGO: Lanie Sanders PHOTO: Gracie Kruep PAPER ASSIGNMENTS EDITOR: Natalie Walsh WEB ASSIGNMENTS EDITOR: Kierigan McEvoy COPY EDITOR: Kana Chung DESIGN EDITOR: Isaiah Salin PHOTO EDITOR: Amelia Vohsen VIDEO EDITOR: Savannah Drnec SOCIAL MEDIA EDITORS: Zoe Lentz and Rachel Vrazel STAFF REPORTERS: Aidan Allen, Grace Bahru, Faith Beckmann, Alyssa Bernier, Anna Carroll, Sam Chen, Kana Chung, Emma Clasen, Craig Eddy, Essy Ingram, Faith Jacoby, Ruthann Kimbrel, Morgan Kromer, Zoe Michals, Ty Nedungadi, Avery Olson, Sarah Percy, Robin Ziegemeier STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS: Hannah Bernard, Faith Carter, Nicole Crangle, Paige Fann, Benjamin Freeman, Ann-Maree Gammell, Madelyn Hermeyer, Andrew Houmes, Emma Hultz, Taylor Krieg, Kathryn Linke, Robert Pordea, Erin Reitz, Suzie Safi, Rhyen Standridge, Abby Turner, Corinne Vorderstrasse, Emily Wolfe Gretchen Wood, Kayden Zipoy ADVISER: Matthew Schott

THOUGHTS?

Have a letter for the editor or a question for us?

If something we wrote demands your voice, please e-mail us at fhcpub@gmail.com or drop your handwritten letter off with Mr. Schott in Room 139. We can also be reached via snail mail at 5199 State Highway N, St Charles, MO 63304. The Central Focus staff will print the entirety of your letter, providing it meets the standards of publication laid out in the FHC Publications editorial policy, which is available in Room 139 or at www.fhctoday.com for your perusal.

2 Page by Kayla Reyes

Kayla Reyes

Editor-in-Chief

D

uring the holiday season, the stress to find the perfect gift overwhelms us, sometimes to the point of overshadowing the real meaning of this special time. This issue discusses the ways to get past the stress of the holidays and how to be a present to those around us. We explore how people celebrate in meaningful ways, as well as the power the presence of loved ones has during the holidays. Stories in each section of the paper expand on different ways to give during the holiday season and ways gifts are meaningful, as well as the ways a person’s presence affects those around them. For some, a tangible gift can be a way to show love and care during the holidays, but for others, the most meaningful gift is the presence of loved ones .

Sincerely,

ABOUT THE COVER STORY Presents or presence ... 16-17

Giving a gift — be it a material one or one of presence — has a significant effect on students.

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DISCOVER Driving While Distracted ... 4

The ever-present distraction of a phone puts new drivers in danger, leads to getting lost.

Getting Involved With Giving ... 5

Learning to be charitable at a young age sets up teens to continue giving throughout life.

To Give? Or To Receive? ... 6-7

The act of giving and receiving gifts can have profound effects on recipients of generosity.

Clubs celebrate the holidays ... 8 Various school organizations get their members involved in charitable acts.

FEATURE The Best Present You Ever Got ...

10-11

14

Students reflect on the gift they recieved that was their most treasured gift ever.

Teachers Are Gifts ... 12

Realtionships with teahchers are a meaningful part of students’ lives

Patient Companionship ... 13

Carl Swanson’s volunteering provides patients at hospital with gift of presence.

Visit FHCtoday. com for more photo galleries

Mountains and Valleys... 14-15 Senior twins start group focusing on student’s relationships with the Bible.

MOVE Running Toward Immortality ... 18-19 A group of track athletes meet every day - no matter the weather - to improve for track team.

ACL Injuries ... 20-21

Injuries to three girls basketball players hasn’t derailed their ability to help the squad.

More Than Just Wrestling ... 22-23

The pressure of starting a new team falls on 15 female athletes battling societal norms

ENTERTAIN Last-Minute Gifts ... 25

24

We’ve got 10 great ideas for last-minute gifts for the loved one that’s hard to shop for.

Holiday Dessert Recipes ... 26

Need some quick, easy treats for a holiday party? Zoe Michals has the recipe for you.

VOICE Good Teammates ... 27

Ty Nedungadi’s reflects on the experience he had shortly after his final swimming race.

Marketing Ruins Holidays ... 28-29 Rachel reflects on the incessant marketing of Christmas, wishes for simpler gifts.

Phone Presence ... 30

Going a week without her phone left Kayla Reyes with eyes open on phone addiction.

Being There... 31

In our gift-mad holidays, sometimes the best gift to give is simply your time.

27 CONTENTS

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3

Driving blind

New drivers are increasingly unaware of their surroundings

By Kana Chung

Copy Editor “So, when you’re on 364 going East, you merge over and exit onto 94. You know, that lane where everyone is merging on and off.”

These are the directions given by a mother to her teenage daughter.

However, they are only met by a confused expression.

“You’ll pass where the Stadium 18 Cinema is, and Friday’s.”

The young girl shrugs and shakes her head, signaling to her mother that she hasn’t the slightest clue where the aforementioned buildings were.

“We pass that street where we always turn to meet Grandpa for lunch… ringing any bells?” “...Nope.”

Becoming a licensed driver is a rite of passage most experience in high school - a freedom that many see as the first step of their transition to adulthood.

But for many students today, a bigger challenge stunts their launch into the real world: knowing where to go.

Senior Gabrielle Berger admits she constantly requires the help of her GPS, even when driving along familiar routes. “[My sense of direction is] not [good] at all. I have to use a GPS to get from [school] to my job, and I work [at least] once a week,” Berger said.

Berger credits some of this to the fact that she does not multitask particularly well.

“No, [I’m not a good multitasker]. I sometimes struggle with walking and talking,” Berger said.

On the contrary, students such as senior Caitlyn Brown, who believe they are able

to multitask well, seem to have a better grasp of their surroundings.

“If it’s in the city [I’m good with navigating], but once you cross the river, then I have to use [a gps],” Brown said.

Mobile technology has been on the rise since the 1980s, but now, more than ever, it is readily available to young children and teens.

Former Driver’s Education teacher, Malach Radigan, is fully aware of the impact that having a cell phone readily available is having on new drivers. It seems to affect not only their sense of awareness, but also their overall approach to the task.

“I guess the biggest challenge [for teen drivers] would be cell phones, because when I was driving, I still didn’t have a cell phone. If I did, you only had a certain limit to it,” Mr. Radigan said.

“Even teaching kids how to drive today.

They’re impatient, and I was probably impatient too, but they’re very impatient.

They’re super scared to fail or mess up.

And then, even with that, it’s like their attention span is just not there.”

There is a noticeable difference between the directional understanding of teens learning to drive and that of their parents. A portion of this is likely due to the difference in experience while navigating familiar areas.

“My parents are a lot better [with directions]. Just because they’ve lived here for longer, and they know how all the roads [connect], and I haven’t b e e n

driving that long,” Brown said.

However, a more problematic factor for the trending disorientation amongst teens is that they were too distracted as children, and paid little to no attention to where their parents were going or how they got there. Brown believes that not paying attention to where her parents were driving in her youth has decreased her understanding of how her surroundings connect. “ I haven’t paid attention in the car when [my parents] were driving,” Brown said.

Phones aren’t the only source for distraction though. Berger admits that as a child, she paid more attention to books than the assing buildings out of the car window.

“I more [often] read a book, which is still not paying attention,” Berger said.

Even outside of teaching students how to drive, Mr. Radigan has seen how his students act in the car with their parents.

“Just yesterday, leaving school, I was at a stoplight and I saw one of my players in the car with his mom and I mean his headphones are in he’s looking down at his phone,” Radigan said. “So I think that’s probably what it is: is just a distraction piece. If they’re not driving, they’re on their phone or engaged in something else.”

When compared to her brother who often looked around while his parents drove from place to place, Berger has noticed her recognition is much worse.

“I know, my brother, he would refuse to read his book in the car. So he would always look out on the roads and I’d be [reading] a book. And he actually knows where he’s going,” Berger said.

Being detached from everyday tasks such as driving can have a dramatic impact on the efficiency of a person’s life, and can keep us from being present in more places than the road.

“I’ve noticed that sometimes I’ve tried to stop being on my phone when I’m talking to people, but I’ve noticed friends are also on their phone, so it’s like, ‘Oh,’” Berger said. “I realized how much [my phone distracts me] more when I’m trying to actively not be on my phone, if that makes sense.”

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DISCOVER

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CHRISTMAS CHEER: A volunteer at Calvary Church on Mid Rivers helps collect shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. Operation Christmas Child is an organization mainly run through churches where donators can pack a shoebox filled with goodies to be sent to children in war and poverty ridden areas around the world. PHOTO BY FAITH BECKMANN

Giving Back Participation in giving and donating can gift others in community

By Faith Beckmann

Staff Reporter As the lights of the surrounding street glow through the windows of a small, broken down home in the center of Moscow, a young child anticipates Christmas just like any other child their age would. However, for them this is different. Unlike most children, this child has grown up in an area riddled with poverty, so to them, Christmas usually means spending time with their siblings with little to no gifts.

However, this year is going to be different. The child has overheard that this year some special people will be coming by to bring them a present.

As they sit up in the dark of the night, waiting for dawn, the excitement begins to grow as if it were a flower blossoming in the spring. When the sun begins to rise, and daylight fills the room, the child is ready. They wake up all of their siblings and patiently wait for the strangers to arrive with the gift.

Suddenly, a truck pulls onto the street. It stops, and a group of people climb out.

Carefully, they begin to unload dozens of red and green shoeboxes. Before they know it, the child is at the side of the truck with their siblings. A friendly middle-aged woman hands them a box and smiles. As the child opens the box, they see simple items one may take for granted: a new toothbrush, a hair brush, some hair clips. But what sticks out to them most is a surprise hidden underneath all of hygienic goodies: a small teddy bear. The child picks up the bear and holds it to their chest,

saying how much they love it. As of this moment, Christmas feels a little more special. According to their website, this is the impact of Operation Christmas Child.

Operation Christmas Child is an organization run by Samaritan’s Purse through churches in which participants pack brightly colored shoeboxes with school supplies, small toys and personal hygiene items to be shipped around the world to children as young as two years old and as old as fourteen. Using a tracker, participants can track where their box ends up, which is usually a third world country. This year, freshman Kaylee Wright recently took part in Operation Christmas Child for the first time through Waypoint Church. She expressed the impact the program has on not only the children who receive the shoeboxes, but the people who donate the shoeboxes as well.

“We are changing the lives of so many kids who have never even received a present before, and they get to wake up Christmas morning to a present,” Wright said. “[This program] makes me more aware of the people around me and dealing with how fortunate we are in the [United States].”

Another organization which allows for donation opportunities is Toys for Tots, a program where people can donate new or packaged toys to collection boxes in grocery stores, toy stores and other retailers. Junior Alyssa Winkler has been donating toys to this organization for the past two years.

“There are lots of people that are less

DISCOVER

fortunate than you,” Winkler stated.

“And you should help them because they don’t have the same resources.

They’re going through way harder times than you are and so, I mean, if you were in their shoes once, you [would] want people to help you.”

Sophomore Sammi Reise and her family have been donating to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for the past eight years through a fundraiser her mother’s work puts on throughout the holiday season. According to Reise, the money raised goes towards treatment costs and upkeep of the hospital.

“We always get a letter in the mail around the holidays telling what they’re doing with our money and kind of who it helps,” Reise said. “It [is] kind of just like, ‘Oh, well, this is what we use your money for.’ and so it kind of just varies [and] you kind of get to see certain stories from little kids and it’s just nice to hear what they’re doing with it.”

Reise also believes students should try to donate, no matter the amount they are able to give, even the smallest amount of donations will always make an impact.

“I think that every little dollar helps, you know. So it kind of like, just makes things easier on those families and it helps continue their child’s treatment,” Reise stated. “And when you see stories about kids with cancer they’re always very grateful about how, especially if they go to a place like St. Judes, they were impacted by the donations of people who are bringing in money to help their child survive. Donate if you can.”

Donation and Volunteer Opportunities for the Holidays: u St. Louis Area Food Bank u Letters to Santa at Macy’s u Letters of Gratitude Operation Gratitude u Affordable Christmas u Jewish and Muslim Day of Community Service

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THE POWER OF PRESENTS: Science shows that giving and receiving gifts creates positive feelings in the brain. Positive effects are both physical and mental. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY LANIE SANDERS

The power of

giving 6 Page by Faith Jacoby

DISCOVER

Giving and receiving affects the brains in different ways

By Faith Jacoby

Staff Reporter The little boy’s eyes light up with pure joy as his older sister hands him his gift. What he doesn’t realize is how happy she is seeing his smile as he shakes the box frantically. What he will never see is her smile matching his as she picks the toy out and carefully wrapping it with as much joy as he possesses when he opens it. As he pries the box open, his smile somehow grows wider. He jumps up and throws his arms around his sister, making all of her efforts toward the gift totally worth it.

As the holiday season rapidly approaches, so does the desire to give and receive gifts. Attached to the season of giving is the lingering pressure to give the perfect present. Everyone knows the feeling of disappointment and dread that comes with receiving something they really don’t want, followed up with the fake, uncomfortable smile you’re forced to flash so they don’t hurt the giver’s feelings. There is rarely ever anyone who is comfortable enough to tell someone they don’t like their gift, because the truth is, deep down, we know they spent money and time to give you this present. Whether it was thought out or not, no one is ready for that confrontation. It’s fair to say we’ve all been on both sides.

However, giving and receiving gifts makes people feel really, really good. Seeing someone’s face light up as they rip away wrapping paper or frantically yank tissue paper out of a bag is a feeling like no other, especially when they get even more excited after seeing what’s inside.

With that being said, junior Zoey Hulbert explains why she prefers giving over receiving.

“It’s great and you get to see how excited someone gets,” Hulbert said. “Then you just know that you made their day if it’s a quality gift.”

Senior Sam Cole also favors giving gifts versus receiving them, because as he explains, he’s not good at it.

“Giving gifts intimates a sign of generosity and overall augments one’s character,” Cole said. “It is much more difficult to give than to receive, but the spiritual and psychological benefits are manifold.”

Although most people claim they prefer giving gifts, there is an honorable amount of people who also love receiving gifts. But, most people who prefer getting versus giving are children.

Psychology teacher Stacey Dennigmann explained a sort of turning point in people’s lives that they reach, which is different for everyone, where they begin to prefer giving over receiving.

“When it comes to giving and receiving we reach a sort of

milestone,” Dennigmann said. “Which is different for everyone, but instead of a gift, it’s like an experience.”

Hulbert explained what she thinks happens when someone receives a gift.

“I think that whenever someone receives gifts, they feel loved and wanted,” Hulbert said. “And they know that somebody was thinking about them and went through the work to provide the gift.”

Cole described it much differently, like giving gifts around the holidays is, for some, designed for hiding apathy.

“Perhaps people try to make up for their impenitence during the holiday season by an artificial charity of giving,” Cole said. “We give to make it seem like we care, but more often than not, there is little effort involved in giving a gift.”

Dennigmann described how people feel when they give gifts.

“When you give a gift, you do something good,” Dennigmann said. “And because you do something good, you feel good.”

Dennigmann went on to explain a sort of unspoken rule that is present in the psychology world.

“There’s a whole phenomenon in psychology about that ‘Do good, feel good’ empathy that when you do things that are intrinsically rewarding,” Dennigmann said.

“It just kind of changes your outlook on everything.”

Hulbert put into words how she feels when she gives gifts and why it’s special to her.

“I’m always excited to give gifts,” Hulbert - junior Zoey said. “I love to think about my friends or people in my life when I see things that remind me of them.”

Dennigmann added that she also likes receiving gifts and it makes her feel loved.

“I like that someone actually took the time to think of me,” Dennigmann said. “And how they try and make it personal to me and match my personality or something they know I’d enjoy.”

As the giving season draws closer than ever, gifts are on the mind of arguably everyone. Whether you’re more of a giver or getter, the presence of presents is all around us.

“I think that whenever

someone receives gifts, they feel loved and

wanted. And they know that somebody was

thinking about them and

went through the work to provide the gift.”

Hulbert

The Important Information Inside The Brain

Chemicals linked to happiness include dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, which are present when we give and receive.

Shopping for Gifts

A black Friday poll taken in 2013 revealed 39% of shoppers buy items for people they considered picky.

The Health Benefits The Psychological of Giving Benefits of Giving Lower blood pressure, increased selfesteem, less depression, lower stress level, longer life, and greater happiness all come with giving.

Giving makes us feel better about ourselves, helps us avoid feeling guilty, and also preserves our self-image.

DISCOVER

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ACtivityFestivities festivities Activity Spreading holiday traditions contributes to a joyous and celebratory season

By Sarah Percy

joy as well. Charity is at the heart of their holiday Staff Reporter season as they also organize fundraisers and Green and red streamers hang from the photo drives for less fortunate kids. booth. The Grinch and Santa Claus decorations “For Student Council we do a toy drive to give crowd the tables. Lights twinkle from the ceiling, toys to people that don’t have them., We usually complementing the colors splattered around the pair up with another club because I know that a room. Christmas music blares from the speakers lot of clubs do charity drives,” Aleksick stated. as the people dressed in suits and dresses make This holiday is not only celebrated in America, but their way to the dance floor. Students mingle all around the globe by all different cultures and with the members of Club 21 as they dance and people. Learning about various countries and how sing the night away, they celebrate is an idea celebrating the joyous that Central International season together. encompasses during Various clubs use this time.

Winter the holiday season as a seasons also provide chance to express their great opportunities to unique celebrations and sit around with friends show their holiday pride. and eat all the Christmas Student Council is a desserts possible. perfect example of a club Spanish teacher Caitlin that attempts to embody Crain attempts to blend the main component both of these ideas by of Christmas in their taking the festivities Caitlin Crain, celebrations: giving to worldwide as she leads Spanish teacher. others. The Club 21 Dance, Central International in a organized by Student cookie contest.

Council, is recognized by “We do a holiday winter all involved as a special night. Senior and Student cookie exchange where we pick countries and Council vice president Sydney Aleksick shares basically find cookies from all these countries more about this event. around the world. People bake them, and we eat “We set up a special needs dance called Club 21 great cookies from all over the globe,” Ms. Crain Dance and we make all the Christmas decorations exclaimed. and we dance with them. It’s so fun and we get The giving is not limited to only the clubs of to take pictures with Santa which is really cool,” the world language department, but the classes Aleksick shared. in general. Each year, the entire department While celebrating among the members of Club conducts a donation process where they 21 is a wonderful way to spend time and spread encourage students in their classes to bring in Christmas cheer, Student Council also attempts money for the Winter Love collection. to make all those financially struggling feel this “We raise money for students at Central that are

“It’s really fun and nice to be able to give back to students at our school.”

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8 Page by Sarah Percy

DISCOVER

DONATION: Mrs Crain receives money from junior Rhyen Standridge as a part of the Winter Love Collection through the language department. The money raised was used for making the holiday season enjoyable for students. PHOTO BY KAYLA REYES

in need during the holiday season. This year we raised $3,000 for 12 students at Central. It’s really fun and nice to be able to give back to students at our school,” Ms. Crain stated.

The theater department also believes that Christmas is a great time to celebrate with your peers and engage in jovial events. Senior troupe president Josiah Haan strives to always bring excitement to this holiday season.

“We have a holiday party where the officers do something fun, but it’s a secret. We do Secret Santa, white elephant, and everyone brings food so it’s a big potluck. We also have music and a photo booth. So it’s a legit party,” Haan said.

Everyone is invited to this gathering, but no one knows what to expect. The officers and other members involved tend to change the festivities each year to keep the excitement alive. The theater group, never missing an opportunity to perform, partakes in their Christmas festivities on the stage they know so well. Senior Isaiah Henry, the troupe’s vice president, shares about using props to create a celebratory mood.

“We have Santa Claus come with reindeer and elves, and we set up a tree and a fake fire on the stage,” Henry shared.

The only acceptable way for the students of theater to commemorate this time of the year is by celebrating with their people on the stage where they do what they love.

However, the theater is not the only club that expresses their love for the arts. Choir also celebrates similarly to theater. Rita Schien, a member of the choir, shares what exactly these similarities entail.

“Every year we do a holiday party where we play games, sing karaoke, and eat food. Chamber choir has a secret santa, a potluck, and we play games and just hang out,” Schien shared.

DISCOVER

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greatest gifts. ever.

By Essy Ingram Staff Reporter

Behind every good gift is a thoughtful gift-giver, one that selected an earthly possession that they believed would best communicate the sentiments felt for their recipient. The receiving end of such a gift is an agreeably good place to be; one is able to appreciate the intentionality of the giver and bask in the joy their gift brings. When the question of which gift is best is inquired, it’s easy to see that the qualities of a “good” gift differs for everyone.

LEAD IN: Kobe Thambyrajah rejoices after receiving his Wii console, a gift he had anticipated up until that very morning.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KOBE THAMYRAJAH

Senior Kobe Thambyrajah

Thambyrajah remembers a certain Christmas when he received his favorite gift.

“When I was about seven years old I got my first ever gaming system which was a Wii,” Thambyrajah said.

The picture clearly presents Thambyrajah in a triumphant pose at the sight of his new console.

“It was just showing me putting my hands up and I was just like super happy,” Thambyrajah explained,

describing the photo.

Before receiving the gift, he was persistent in his pursuit for the gaming system.

“I remember we had… a Santa Stalker, which is like your top ten things you want for Christmas. I just put ‘Wii, Wii, Wii, Wii, all I want for Christmas is a Wii’,” Thambyrajah reminisced.

Senior Lilly Klohr A collector of snowglobes across the nation, Klohr recalled her most prized present, a snow globe she attained with her dad on their trip together.

“We went to Texas together and he got me this really cool Texas snow globe, and it means a lot to me because I never get to travel with my dad just me and him,” Klohr recalled.

The effort it took to procure her present made the results that much more satisfactory.

“It was the middle of spring and nobody wanted snow globes. So when we finally found it, it was like such a relief that we finally got one,” said Klohr.

10 Page by Essy Ingram

While on the trip, her dad’s knee was injured, a bittersweet memory.

“When we were going down there, he accidentally pulled his knee and had to have three surgeries,” Klohr said. “Now it’s, like, even more special because my dad said he never wants to go back to Texas.”

The unique memory was founded around the gift she received.

“I feel like me, picking out things and giving them, I have more fun than actually getting them because I get kind of embarrassed when I get a gift,” Klohr admitted.

Inside the dome of glass, frantic crystals billow through the clustered skyscrapers. This unique globe holds Lilly Klohr’s most cherished memories.

FEATURE

Sophomore Lucy Schwesig Although an uncommon present, Schwesig’s most memorable one was a mattress.

“A very important gift to me was my bed. I got a nice bed, and before, I didn’t sleep good and now I really love to be in my bed, and it’s changed my life,” Schwesig stated.

As a taller individual, sleeping in a smaller bed proved to be an issue. With the arrival of her new sleeping pad, commenced the end of her bed issues.

Its arrival also brought anticipation within itself.

“I was ecstatic mostly because it came in a box, and most mattresses come in mattress form, but… this one actually had to sit there for a few days and decompress out of its box form,” Schwesig said.

During the period of waiting she endured for her gift, she was feeling “amazed, full of excitement and wonder.”

“I love to receive gifts because, you know, everyone loves gifts, and then I don’t have to get them for myself,” Schwesig added.

Freshman Emma Williss For her birthday, she received “Dear Evan Hansen” tickets from her parents.

“I really enjoy musical theatre and it was a really fun experience and I had fun with my mom and I really enjoyed it,” Williss said.

Her seed of interest in the musical arts was watered and fed by her frequent visits to performances. This performance, in particular, was individual to Williss.

“I go to the Muny every summer and it was fun because [“Dear Evan Hansen”] was a different kind of musical,” Williss explained.

She also is aware that her gift wasn’t given without the sacrifice of her parents.

“Broadway tickets are not cheap,” Williss said, laughing. “And my parents decided to spend their money on [the tickets] instead of so many other things they could’ve spent it on.”

Sophomore Cole Dunman

Freshman Joseph Hornberger

On Christmas day, Dunman found himself $100 richer, only it was hard to comprehend receiving the large sum of money.

“I legitimately thought it was fake… I [have never received] a hundred dollar bill or just anything in that expense,” said Dunman.

Finally, “when [his] aunt kept telling [him] it was real like five hundred times”, he realized the gift was genuine. Upon the realization, Dunman decided he didn’t need the money quite as much as another would, so he gave it away.

The gift he received and what became of it reminds Dunman of the reality of there being “people… who would preferably need it more than [himself].”

With the danger of St. Louis in mind, he donated it to a coalition to end gun violence.

“With how the world is today something like [giving] should just be a norm,” Dunman asserted.

Years later, Hornberger recalls his most memorable gift as a Lego gift card given by his grandmother on Christmas day.

“II had so much fun with it because I didn’t even expect it,” Hornberger said.

Even as a freshman, he aspires to be an engineer one day. Building with his hands has always been something he enjoyed. Enamored by the gift at the time, Hornberger described the way he felt on his way to put his gift to use. “[The gift] reminds me of the awe I found in walking into the Lego store. I walked in, and I was like, ‘Woah.’ It’s one of those things.”

Hornberger reminisces about the feeling of receiving his gift: “You experience like, ‘Wow, someone cared enough about me to do this for me.’ And it makes you feel special, like, it’s because you’re you that I did this.”

FEATURE

my least favorite: CHRISTMAS MOVIES

A FOUL TASTE: As punishment, Ralphie sits idle with a bar of soap in his mouth. In his blank countenance rests a clear cry for help. PHOTO COURTESY OF MGM STUDIOS

By Essy Ingram

Staff Reporter A delightful array of factors play into the holiday aura, one in particular which can make or break the mood: Christmas movies. Although there is a bountiful supply of wholesome films to delight in, there happens to exist many key showings that taint the very name of this holiday.

“A Christmas Story” (1983) More a story of the embarrassment of a young boy than one depicting the holidays, this film features crude scenes of violent mall Santas, soap eating, and leg lamps. For your own well-being, please choose a more wholesome alternative, such as “A Wonderful Life” (1946).

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000) The only time Jim Carrey looked good in green was in “The Mask” (1994). The hairy green man posing as our beloved Grinch has made an abomination of a onceamusing tale from dear old Dr. Seuss.

“Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1964) Never has such a classic movie ruined the spirit of Christmas more: a young boyreindeer is shunned from the reindeer community for having bright red nostrils, only to be realized as worthy of love and acceptance once Santa deemed him able to lead his sleigh on one dark winter’s eve — more a tragedy than anything.

“Home Alone” (1990) Apologies to “Home Alone” fans everywhere, this acclaimed film is entertaining, yet ultimately unrealistic and quite scary. It tends to romanticize the triumph of this witty eight-year-old over two full-grown fugitives, giving a false sense of security to children who believe themselves to be capable of defense against criminals. Entertaining, yet unrealistic. (Thank you, next.)

“The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993) Unfortunately, this film made the list due to its irrelevance to the holiday of Christmas itself. The main character’s name is Jack Skellington who lives in Halloweentown. Its presence of actual spirits as opposed to Christmas spirit, for obvious reasons, makes the cut for least enjoyable holiday films.

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LEANING IN: As senior Lee Evans focuses on a problem during her second hour Algebra III class, math teacher Roxanne Fetsch watches and listens to him work through the problem. Mrs. Fetsch is all about helping students until they fully understand the problem. PHOTO BY MAYA CULIAN

being there The presence of teachers in student’s lives pulls stress out and pushes love in their hearts

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Page by Emma Clasen

By Emma Clasen

Staff Reporter It’s a regular Thursday at school, but for junior Olivia Daniel it’s been a rough day. Today Daniel has been on edge up until she walks into room 213, Mrs. Roxanne Fetsch’s classroom. The second she walks through the door she feels lighter knowing that Fetsch will help and talk to her. Fetsch walks into the room with a beaming and radiant smile on her face, immediately everyone, especially Daniel, feels calm and at home.

Fetsch pulls Daniel to the side and talks her through her troubles.

Gina. a nickname and inside joke that was made in Mrs. Fetsch’s class. Second semester of the 2018-2019 school year, Mrs. Fetsch’s seventh hour began to call Mrs. Fetsch Gina. Daniel started this among the class, and it ended up sticking.

“Mrs. Fetsch is very smart, she will be there for you when you’re having a really bad day, she considers other people’s feelings, kind of before hers. If you ever need anything, she’s there for you on the spot,” Daniel said.

Teachers are like gifts to students. Without teachers like Mrs. Fetsch, school would not be as enjoyable.

High school is rough, we are trying to find ourselves and who we are while trying to keep a steady GPA. Junior Hailey Leeser, has two favorite teachers: Ms. Chrissy Young and Mrs. Fetsch. Leeser is also in on the “Gina” joke.

“They both care a lot. They don’t just want to put a worksheet in front of a kid. They actually, genuinely want to teach the subject and make sure kids understand,” Leeser said.

Both Daniel and Leeser go to their favorite teachers for advice and during times when they find themselves struggling. The girls feel a strong bond with their favorite teachers.

Junior Harlie Mills finds herself talking to Dr. Ashley

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Eiswirth, whom she describes as a motherly figure.

“She would check all my grades, not even just for her class. She’d ask me ‘Why are you missing this? You need to get this in,’” Mills said.

Most students have a favorite teacher, whether it be because they can get away with sleeping in their class, or because the teacher has become someone they trust, we can all agree that great teachers are gifts.

With out them school wouldn’t be as fun, students would be more stressed, and the subjects would be more difficult.

High school is supposed to be the most uncomfortable and worst four years, all around your peers are trying to find themselves.The constant changing of friend groups and personality can become stressful. Thats why its amazing to have a trusted adult to talk to. It helps to have a teacher you can bond and connect with.

“A good teacher doesn’t want to just put a worksheet in front of a kid, they genuinely want to teach their students that subject or topic and help them understand what they are being taught,” Leeser said.

The best teachers have most of the same qualities and characteristics, they are compassionate, loving, smart, and trustworthy. A teacher who truly cares will be there no matter the struggle, whether you are dealing with trouble in school, with friends or family or with helping with your mentality.

“I was having a really hard time with myself, and she normally helps me calm down and reevaluate and get myself back to normal, so I don’t have to stress about things, ” Daniel said.

Teachers are like presents because they will always stick by your side and be present in your life once you’ve made that connection. Take advantage of the opportunity, having a teacher or teachers to talk to can get you through the darkest times.

A Welcome Presence

Senior Carl Swanson’s company brightens patients’ lives

A COMFORTING PRESENCE: Carl Swanson sits beside a patient and comforts her during her stay at the hospital. He keeps patients company during their hospital stays, and makes sure their needs are met. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY NATALIE WALSH

By Sam Chen

Staff Reporter He enters the patient’s room. He’s the only other person in the room, besides the patient. He sits down by the patient, and listens intently as the patient talks, keeping the patient company where they wouldn’t have had any otherwise. He goes from room to room, checking in on each patient and making sure they get what they need. He checks on the patients who are alone, making sure they don’t feel lonely and have someone to talk to.

Senior Carl Swanson is a patient companion at St. Joseph’s Hospital. As a patient companion, Carl visits with patients who don’t have anyone to talk to or feel lonely. He sits with them, his presence something they can take comfort in.

He got his start as a patient companion during the summer. Swanson applied to volunteer at St. Joseph’s Hospital, as his sister, Erica Swanson, did before him. His sister took part in volunteer work at the hospital as well, and is part of the reason he decided to put his time into the hospital.

“This was over the summer, and I was bored, so my mom told me to volunteer at the hospital because that’s what my older sister had done too, and they just randomly assigned me to [be a patient companion],” Carl said.

This volunteering opportunity has grown from just something Carl does during his spare time, though. The patient companion work he does has helped Carl realize how much difference a seemingly small action, such as taking the time to talk to someone and pay them company, can make.

“For the longest time I never saw the effect, I just knew I was going in there, just listening; it

was just like a lot of listening,” Carl recalls. “And then I talked to my sister and she told me these patients actually, they need something like this, it helps them feel not as lonely, it helps them feel comfortable and have their stay go by a little bit faster and be a little bit better.”

Carl’s older sister Erica is currently in UMKC’s 6-year medicine program, and also volunteered at the hospital. Her time spent volunteering at the hospital showed her the necessity of what people like Carl do for the patients, their listening and presence and the connections they build with the patients.

While she was not part of the patient companion program, she explains the positive effects it has on both patients and companions alike.

“I feel like it really gets to the root of why many people choose medicine — to form these connections and sit and empathize with others during their most vulnerable times and just try to be of help,” Erica explains. “I think this is a great opportunity for anyone considering the healthcare field.”

Erica believes volunteering at the hospital is important not only to further a career in healthcare, but also teaches vital skills to participants. The experience with patients enhances the ability to converse and connect with people such as in the case of Carl.

“You can learn from the patients their view of the healthcare system and how to connect and have conversations with them. It’s a skill that’s so necessary these days in all fields, not just the healthcare profession,” Erica said.

The experience is a transformative one, not just for the patients, but also for Carl. Not only are the patients’ stays brightened by his presence, but Carl also learns vital skills from participating. His

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“These patients actually, they need something like this, it helps them feel not as lonely, it helps them feel comfortable and have their stay go by a little bit faster and be a little bit better.”

-Carl Swanson, Senior

involvement allows him to connect with those he helps, and to meet and be exposed to a larger variety of different people.

“I think it just helps me connect with people, and that’s a big part of what I’ve learned from it, it was just connecting to a wider range of people: different ages, different ethnicities, different backgrounds and just learning about people like that,” Carl says.

In the end, though, Carl does it to better the community, brightening one patient’s stay at a time.

“I do it just because at this point I’ve realized it’s really beneficial for these people.”

Page by Sam Chen and Natalie Walsh

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A Journey of Faith MAV is a new Bible study deepening the meaning of faith in every stage of life.

By Kierigan McEvoy

Web Assignments Editor She holds a book. It is blue and dark brown with engravings of flowers covering the front of it. It is not pristine and new, but rather worn with page markers and post-it notes sticking out in every direction. It is not fragile, and she does not treat it as such.

Instead, she is generous with it; opening it up for all to see what treasures lie inside. As they sit in a small circle, she reads from her book and talks about what the words mean; these words bearing gifts of love and encouragement at every turn. Her name is Paige, and she gives to the world by sharing the presence of others, specifically one other: God. Created by senior siblings Allen and Paige Butterfield, MAV is an inclusive Bible study that takes place every Tuesday at 6:30 am here at FHC in room 136. The goal of the group is simple: to provide an environment for people to strengthen relationships, both spiritually and socially.

“It is for anyone looking for fellowship or to increase better relationships between people, and just to learn, have a better faith, and to be able to have it in a school, which is different,” Paige said. “Just to be able to incorporate [faith] into all parts of your life.”

Although MAV has similar goals as FCA, there are a few big differences between the two groups. The first is that MAV meets in Mrs. Maupin’s room before school where as FCA meets after school on Tuesdays at a leader’s’ home. The second is there are no games or athletic activities at MAV; it is strictly a Bible study where students directly engage in conversations about what book they are currently studying.

“We meet in school, before school and we don’t play any games or anything, it’s more than just diving into God’s word,” Allen explained. “When we get here, it’s more of just a place for us to learn more about the Gospel and just learn more about what God has to offer us.”

ILLUSTRATION BY ANNA CARROLL

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FELLOWSHIP: Seniors Paige Butterfield and Anna Carroll are joined by junior Essy Ingram in a conversation about faith. They laugh lightheartedly and soak in each others compay while growing their faith. PHOTO BY EMILY WOLFE

HIGHS AND LOWS: Senior Ian Inrgam and juniors Alex Vogel and Deven Debro meet in small group to discuss the book of Galatians.

They have been studying this scripture for the last few meetings, reading chapter by chapter and discussing evey few lines. PHOTO

BY EMILY WOLFE

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THE POWER OF PRAYER: Senior Allen Butterfield prays over freshman Lucas Schuster and junior Tyler Hoskins. This particular meeting was all about being there for your friends and supporting them. The participants met in small groups and poured their hearts out. They shared their struggles, their praises, and their love for the Lord.

PHOTO BY EMILY WOLFE

Being able to have the friendly environment that MAV provides is a big motivator for junior Tyler Hoskins, who is a dedicated member of FCA among other clubs, wakes up early every Tuesday morning looking forward to a group of smiling faces.

“Just the people here, like, they’re so welcoming and I love everything about it so far,” Hoskins said.

“I just think it’s a great way to just make myself wake up and do this thing for God and just do it all for him.”

Like Hoskins, junior Makenzie Blough enjoys MAV and the uniqueness the club offers students.

The environment that the club radiates can all be attributed to the people involved; the people who wake up every morning ready to learn more about themselves. “[My favorite thing] — I think — is just the different spectrum of people that are there and just getting to know everyone’s input from different perspectives,” Blough explained. “I just really love how everyone gets along and they all bond over one thing that we all have in common.

Nobody’s judged, there’s no separation there.”

The presence of MAV has brought many important gifts to these students who are seeking to be uplifting and kind to others. The things learned at MAV are really gifts waiting to be used

to impact the rest of FHC, a little at a time.

“I have learned how to encourage and uplift my friends and lead them to the Lord,” Paige said. “I think that translates into the classroom and on the field where can continue to encourage those around me no matter where I am.”

The group is strengthening its relationship with the word but also with other members of the group in hopes of creating a new community of people with a variety of differences.

“I think it brings a lot of joy and happiness, and also like a lot of friendship,” Blough said. “There are people in our study group that I’ve met and I’ve been acquaintances with, but I didn’t really know who they were and now that I see them in our Bible study, I’ve been able to get to know them.

[We] have deeper discussions that helps me to get closer with them and I think that’s a really cool relationship.”

It is safe to say that for this club, relationships take top priority. Although the bonds of friendship formed through MAV are valued, perhaps the most important relationship is the one formed within themselves. The one between their heart and that of another, a higher being, their God. “[MAV] has definitely strengthened my relationship with God,” Paige said. “It has made me more willing to just follow what He has for me,

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and if that is to like lead a Bible study then I’m all in; just being more obedient. “ Just like a teacher is constantly learning how to best teach their expertise to their students, the Butterfields are constantly gaining knowledge about their faith from the presence of MAV. “It has given me, and everybody who is involved, a community of great people who love Jesus,” Allen explained. “It is teaching many how to be bold in their faith and what it truly means to be a follower of Christ.”

MAV is building a community at FHC. It is creating another outlet for students to speak freely about what they believe in.

“It’s just an opportunity for me to like express my faith with people who share the same beliefs as me,” Hoskins said. “So, I just thought it was a great way to put myself out there.”

In the Bible, mountains and valleys are constantly used as symbols of hope and despair.

When life knocks you down or if it lifts you up, through the mountains and valleys of life He promises to always be present. MAV’s purpose is to be a reminder of that promise.

“I think it’s really important because it just shows how faithful the Lord is and how consistent He is in our life and how He is truly our foundation,” Paige explained. “He supports us through everything.”

Page by Kierigan McEvoy

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CLASSROOM CHEER: Mrs. Sarah LaRue happily sits and talks with students. “In order to make somebody feel special or cherished, just listening to them and being there for them in whatever capacity they need is a really great way to connect,” Mrs. LaRue said. PHOTO BY TAYLOR KRIEG

presence over presents

Spending time with loved ones during the holidays can be the best present

O

By Avery Olson Staff Reporter

ne of the worst feelings around this time of year is seeing the look of veiled disappointment on someone’s face when they open a present that was a miss. Out of courtesy, they’ll give you a “thanks!” and a manufactured smile, but both of you know it was a flop. There’s no easy way to figure out what would make someone’s day, but giving meaningful gifts doesn’t have to be impossible.

In fact, sometimes the best gift to give is quality time. In a world where everyone seems so busy, taking a break from the routines of

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Page by Kayla Reyes

everyday life to spend time with someone can be just as impactful as a material present.

There’s nothing more refreshing than a good conversation and feeling like you matter to someone. English teacher Sarah LaRue finds it more effective to take a listening role.

“In order to make somebody feel special or cherished, just listening to them and being there for them in whatever capacity they need is a really great way to connect. We all like talking about ourselves and we love knowing that we’re cared for,” Mrs. LaRue said.

There’s a lot of buying in our culture, even more so during the holidays: presents for family and friends, ingredients in holiday recipes and decorations to help get in the spirit of the season. Choosing to give time over physical objects is a way to break away

FOCUS

from the typical routines of Christmastime in America, and also lightens the load of January debt. Another added bonus is that the stress of finding the “perfect gift” is taken out of the equation. Arranging a date with loved ones doesn’t have to be complicated, according to sophomore Audrey Beahan.

“Most of the time when I’m with my friends, we just go to a movie, or the park or the library.

I just like being able to sit down and spend time with them,” Beahan said.

Even though there’s always pressure to have gatherings and exchange gifts, ultimately, there should be more to a friendship than material things.

“At the end of the day, you shouldn’t have to buy something to validate someone’s presence,” Beahan said.

In many cases, the cliche proves true: it really is the thought that counts. Even if the gift in question is simple, showing that you thought of the person and wanted to recognize them with a present is meaningful on its own. Just because a gift is ‘store-bought’ doesn’t mean it has to feel mass-produced, there are a few ways to buy a personalized present. One method is to think about the recipient’s passions, and pick out something that pertains to their interests. For Beahan, that passion is art.

“I’m an artistic person, and whenever I get art supplies from people, I scream.

It just shows that people know me and what makes me happy, which means a lot,” Beahan said.

Another way to pick out meaningful store-bought presents is to ask yourself, “What would bring this person joy?

How would this make them happy?

Have they mentioned wanting this thing before?” In sophomore Abbie Vester’s case, that made a present she received all the more special. “[The best gift I’ve ever received] was for sure my dog. I’d wanted her for a really long time, and she’s my buddy,” Vester said.

Whatever the approach to choosing the right gift, the end goal of giving is to make the recipient feel cherished and appreciated, and if you navigate this holiday season with that in mind, you’ll be sure to succeed.

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“In order to make somebody feel special or cherished, just listening to them and being there for them in whatever capacity they need is a really great way to connect.”

-Mrs. Sarah LaRue, English teacher

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OFF-SEASON SPRINTING: Eli Allen and Reed Easterling perform handoffs with a baton. “My biggest goal is just to stay in shape and to get myself better so that during track season I can get better and better times,” Easterling said. PHOTO BY KAYLA REYES

relentless. impassioned.

immortal.

By Kayla Reyes

Editor-in-Chief The first snow of the year falls to the ground, a thick flurry of white, fluffy flakes blowing through the air. The hallways clear out and fall silent as hundreds of teenagers quickly rush to their transportation, desperate to get out of the frigid temperatures and the cold, slushy snow that cascades onto heads covered with hands, jackets and binders. Though all activities and practices have been cancelled due to the inclement weather, a select group of students — runners — prepares to face the unforgiving conditions head-on. The Immortals, a winter training group comprised of cross country and track runners, layer up in their finest cold-weather gear, ready, excited even, to face the environment many of their peers are reluctant to confront.

The group, headed by senior Eli Allen, meets every weekday after school for a combination of

18 Page by Kayla Reyes

Small group of runners practices every day after school, no matter the weather. Their goal?

To make each other better

cardio, strength workouts and stretching. Unlike other winter training groups, the Immortals are completely student-led. They have no sponsor to oversee practices, no coach to arrange workouts, no authority figure to keep them in check. The only leadership they receive comes from one another, the only motivation from themselves.

“We don’t have an official winter group school sponsor, and the coaches do put up workouts in January,” Allen said. “But I feel that those workouts are posted too late, and not enough people do them because there’s not a whole lot of organization. The real benefit of [them] is undermined.”

Though the group isn’t widely known or recognized, it isn’t from lack of dedication or longevity. The Immortals were founded in 2014 by Allen’s older brother, Garrett Allen, as an attempt to keep in shape for the quickly approaching track season. The name, coined by the older Allen

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brother, was inspired by a fierce group of soldiers.

“The name comes from an ancient group of Persian soldiers called the Immortals. They were the only Persian guard at the time and they were, ironically, the only group in battle that could stand up and slaughter the Spartans,” Eli Allen explained. “[We also have] the mentality that what we do would be immortally cast into our lives as something that would forever make us better runners and people.”

Though the triumph over Spartans isn’t applicable to the FHC Immortals, their dedication does, in some ways, parallel that of their namesake-- their unwavering dedication, their unmatched perseverance. What the Immortals do is a feat not achieved by many: putting themselves in unbearable conditions, actively welcoming an unforgivable environment and happily pushing through until the end.

Junior Jackson Ford, assistant-coach and

member of three years, feels the intense teammates; spending so much time with devotion of the Immortals with each one group of people is bound to lead to a practice he attends, and admires Allen’s degree of closeness, and in the case of the resolute determination.

Immortals, this closeness is an incredibly “[Eli] is very determined ... in his appealing attribute. leadership position. It makes him a good “It’s all sort of a friend group as well, so leader in the fact that he’s constantly basically we bond really well and we get persevering to run, even when we a lot more time alone with each other probably shouldn’t,” Ford said. to sort of... talk and have fun and stuff,” The Immortals are intensely invested Easterling said. in their training routine for the track preThe camaraderie provided by the season, and with conditions including Immortals is one of its best aspects, below-freezing temperatures, boneaccording to Ford. Because of the chilling winds and the occasional flurry Immortals, Ford gets an escape from the of snow, preparation is key is remaining stresses of everyday life, a place to spend as comfortable and safe as possible. time with the people he cares about.

Being unprepared can be detrimental “It kind of shows me like what my close for the group, especially because of their friend group is because the people who adamant willingness to endure harsh are part of the Immortals are people and, at times, dangerous conditions. that I hang out with all the time,” Ford Ford recalls a time last year when Allen said. “It gives me an excuse to not do forgot to bring gloves and ran anyway, my homework and hang out with other despite the below-freezing temperatures people, really.” he had to endure.

According to Allen, running in the “He ran in 18 degree weather and he winter is a way to stay in shape both almost got frostbite on his hands, because mentally and physically; it’s a way for he didn’t run with gloves,” Ford said. athletes to rid themselves of the stress With this experience in mind, Allen they face each day. rarely neglects to prepare for the “I find running during stressful times like conditions he’ll be facing, even keeping finals or the end of the quarter relieves my in mind the group he leads as he packs stress, and I find that I sleep better and eat his gear for the next day; bringing extra better,” Allen said. “I think it’s always a good hats and gloves and sending reminders way to stay healthy during the winter and to the Immortals GroupMe to prepare for stay active so you’re not stuck indoors all practice.Even with proper preparation, day.” running in the winter is still physically Being a part of the Immortals offers demanding. Ford explains that the cold many benefits, but the goal of each air is incredibly taxing on a runner’s member is ultimately the same-PROPER PREPARATION: Eli Allen and Reed Easterling swing their legs prior to their run in throat, nose and lungs. becoming a better runner. order to keep their bodies injury-free. “The time I have spent in the winter running helps to “It’s really just the breathing because prevent injury that has plagued other athletes,” Allen said. PHOTO BY KAYLA REYES “My biggest goal is just to stay in shape you’re constantly sniffling from the cold and to get myself better so that during air and you’re very compacted because the track season I can get better and after the Immortals started practicing. you have a lot of tight clothing on to kind of keep better times,” Easterling said.

“It really helps us because that way we don’t that warmth,” Ford said. “It’s really cold and it’s Ford adds that though the main goal of the we don’t start at zero like the other athletes do,” a lot of pain. Every year I’ve gotten some sort of Immortals is to prepare for the upcoming track Easterling explained. “By the time track season bacterial infection in my lungs.” season, the group is open to anyone looking to starts, we can get more into it and start off the Despite the harsh improve their running or find something to do in season going faster environment, prethe winter. [and] compete with season training allows “[Our goal] is to get people prepared for that the other schools the Immortals to track season for those who are running track,” Ford that do have winter acclimate themselves said. “Even for people who aren’t running track, [it training.” to the conditions gives] them something to do because there’s not O f f - s e a s o n they’ll be facing during a whole lot of winter sports, so the Immortals is a training also gives the track season, as way to just kind of keep in shape.” the Immortals a well as making their Allen has many plans for improving and space where they bodies more resilient expanding the Immortals, including hopes to can establish goals to injuries that other begin a weight room routine and incorporate for themselves and athletes may be more strength workouts into their practices. grow closer to likeafflicted by.

“The goal, if we can, is to find a teacher or a minded people, and “The time I have sponsor who can take us into the weight room an opportunity to spent in the winter two or three times a week, so we can work on our push themselves and running really helps to fast twitch muscles in our legs and put bulk on our each other to become prevent injury that has upper body and core, so that we’re more prepared better runners. plagued other athletes to run faster shorter distances, which is what track “I hate to run by who have injured surrounds,” Allen explained. myself, as do most themselves and lost Though the Immortals’ attention falls into many people, so having -senior Eli Allen their senior season in different categories, from speed runs to proper people there with the past,” Allen said. stretching, they ultimately aim to bring in as many me to push me and Junior Reed Easterling, an Immortals member people as possible to have a productive season of pushing them really helps because track is a and varsity cross country and track runner, believes bonding and personal improvement. much more closely bonded sport,” Allen said. “It’s winter training is difficult because of the severe “I want to get a big group. And I want us to enter almost essential that you run with people so that conditions, but acknowledges the importance of the season better than we left off last season,” you don’t let yourself down.” off-season training; it gives him an advantage over Allen said. [Anyone] is more than welcome to join.

Another benefit provided by the Immortals is other runners whose seasons will begin months If you’re a track athlete, come out and join us.” the opportunity to strengthen the bond between

“Having people there with

me to push me... really helps

beause track is a much more

closely bonded sport. It’s almost essential that you run with

people so that you don’t let yourself down.”

*For more information on Immortals training, visit Mrs. Baize in room 113

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An ACL injury An ACL is torn when the knee pivots or locks as the foot is firmly planted on the ground Approximately 15,000 ACL injuries occur each year in the United States.

On average, it takes roughly 6-9 months to return to full activity.

Football, basketball, and soccer players are at a higher risk of tearing or injuring the ACL due to the high intensity of these sports.

Sources: medicine.net, mayoclinic.org

STILL PART OF THE TEAM: Injured junior Sophie Delaney slaps hands with junior Gracie Stugart during introductions during the team’s 55-54 victory over Lutheran St. Charles on Dec. 6. Delaney and seniors Aria Lynch and Jocelyn Morelli all tore their anterior cruciate ligaments before the season, leaving the team to fill the roles they would’ve played this season. The three injured girls have continued to be a part of the team by helping coach and motivate the players who’ve replaced them. PHOTOS BY SUSIE SAFI

Three athletes still able to have positive effects, despite ACL injuries

By Alyssa Bernier

Staff Reporter Sitting on the bench. Watching their teammates both struggle and dominate on the court. Watching the gleam of adrenaline they remember so clearly come off the girls with every shot taken and pass made. The sweat trickling down their foreheads is a reminder of the sport they yearn to be able to play again. Still supporting their teammates and cheering them on on the sidelines even though they would rather be able to play alongside them.

This is the reality for the three girls who tore their ACL before the girls basketball season started. They won’t be able to experience the sheer joy of playing with their team this season, but with that pain comes an even greater presence. These girls are able to play a special role in supporting their team, allowing them to feel like they are still a part of a family and allows them to impact their teammates.

This team is able to share an especially close bond throughout this season because of the support they get from, and give to, the three girls who tore their ACL’s and are unable to play alongside their teammates this season. The strong presence the injured players are still able to bring to the team, despite being unable to play.

One of the three girls who tore their ACL, senior Jocelyn Morelli still feels like the injured girls have importance on the team, despite their absence on the court.

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“We go to every practice and game and cheer them on… all of the expectations are the same as if [we] were on the court [we’re] just not,” Morelli said.

Though many teams may look at this as a setback that has only negative impacts, the girls believe the bond it has created will continue to have a positive impact throughout this entire season on and off the court. Another one of the three girls who tore their ACL, junior Sophie Delaney, believes the team is taking this setback and bettering themselves through it.

“Our team is working to a point where we are learning to fix up those missing patches and put everything back together … we are trying to keep a positive atmosphere through it as well,” Delaney said.

Although the injured girls may not get to play on the court, they still play a large role in the success of the team. They play an especially important role in encouraging and lifting up the girls. Junior Gracie Stugart believes the vocal aspect the girls bring to every game and practice contributes to the team’s success.

“They are still vocal leaders and encourage and support [us] even if they can’t play a role on the court,” Stugart said.

Another component the injured girls are able to bring to the team is helping them get better at the positions they would normally play, as well as acting as their second set of eyes on the court. While the team may lack in the positions the injured girls are no longer able to play, they

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compensate by stepping up and teaching the other girls ways to become better.

This is especially important when it comes to the younger girls that are stepping up from JV and C-team to fill the positions that are lacking players. Senior Aria Lynch, believes this component contributes to bettering the team.

“If it is a position I used to play, I will give them suggestions and help them out … especially if they are new players coming up from JV or C-team and this is a new experience for them,” Lynch said.

As well as spreading their knowledge and skills to the other girls, they also act as a second set of eyes on the court. On the sidelines they vocally help the girls see the parts of the court they cannot see while caught up in the game.

“I play the part of telling them where to go… like if someone [on the other team] is creeping up behind them I will tell them to watch out,” Lynch said.

The team is able to give them back the same amount of support they get in regards to the surgeries, therapy, and trauma that come with their injuries. The support system this has created for both the players on and off the court has generated an environment where the girls feel they are part of a true family.

“We’re here for [our team], we’re here to help [them] and support them in exchange for the support they give us back when we need it … this has honestly created a stronger bond between all of us, ” Delaney said.

Present through the pain

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FACE OFF: Sophia Tran takes her stance as she would for the start of a match. Being the only female wrestler who competed last season, the senior sets an example for the new members.

PHOTO BY RHYEN STANDRIDGE

welcome to the

m at

22 Page by Natalie Walsh

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TACKLING A CHALLENGE: Coach Kurt Kruse directs junior Rhyen Standridge on how to properly execute a half-nelson on Mary Kate Neal. Practicing challenges at practice improve their performance at meets. “The details in wrestling are very important, they can make or break the move. Our coaches point out a lot of minor details to make us better, because though they are minor, they make a large impact.” PHOTO

BY ANDREW HOUMES

TAKE DOWN: Mary Kate Neal takes the upper hand at practice. The team spends a lot of practice time going through drills PHOTO BY ANDREW HOUMES

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Victoria Coombs, a sophomore, practices her wrestling positions. She is one of 16 girls on the new team. PHOTO

BY ANDREW HOUMES

Inaugural girls wrestling team is breaking gender barriers and tackling social norms

By Natalie Walsh

Print Assignments Editor Eye to eye. Silence settles over the gymnasium as the referee places his arm between the two opponents. Hearts are racing as anticipation and anxiety settles in for the match. Knees bent, arms in position, waiting for the referee to let hell break loose; cut the strings holding them back and let what needs to be done, be done.

Wrestling is a sport like no other. It requires dedication to technique and mental toughness.

Throughout school history, there have only ever been male wrestlers until last year. The first female wrestler to step foot onto the mats was Sophia Tran as a junior in the 2018-2019 season. She is excited to perform her senior year in the 2019-2020 season.

“I joined wrestling because … I like doing combat sports and it seemed fun to do,” Tran said. “I was told by a former teammate that girls were able to do it [that season], so I took advantage of it.”

Of course, her desire to join wrestling accompanied by fear which was faced and overcome. Worrying about being the only girl and meeting expectations were just a few of the many.

“My fears was probably that I wasn’t going to be good enough and that I would let everyone down,” Tran said. “There was a lot of pressure on me… I had to meet people’s expectations because I was the only girl.”

Once facing this adversity, she joined the team and made a decision that impacted her athletics.

But being the only female wrestler in the building, there was not enough to make a seperate program for girls.

Until now.

There are currently 16 girls competing in the wrestling program. Of the 16 girls in the program, there are several different reasons as to why they joined. For sophomore Mary Kate Neal, wrestling

would be a sport that would help her in other aspects of her athletic career.

“I thought it would be good for soccer to make me more aggressive and give me more stamina,” Neal said.

WIth practices every day in the weightroom and on the mats, wrestling has proven to be a physical challenge for any contestants, yet what many forget about is the mental strength required to compete in this devouring sport.

“To me, mental toughness is telling yourself sometimes to become mentally strong,” Tran said.

“I feel like you have to tell yourself that more than your peers because you’ll never get better if you rely on others.”

Overcoming any mental obstacles and physical fatigue may have scared off female wrestlers in the past, but not anymore. This may be the first female team at our school, but other schools and districts have had female teams for several seasons with more that two girls on their teams.

With this being the team’s first year, the other programs they will face have years of experience on their backs. This is a common fear amongst the new members of our team who have never competed before.

“I’m new to this and I don’t know much. There are girls from last year that we will be wrestling because other schools had wrestling last year and it wasn’t until this year that we got it,” Neal said.

No wrestling experience, physical adversity, mental pain; all reasons not to join, but none are the reason females haven’t joined in the past.

What’s the reason? Being female.

“I was terrified of joining,” Tran said. “I was scared that I wouldn’t be accepted by the coaches and the boys and that they would think weird of me.”

Females have a rocky history in male-dominated sports. Even today, women encounter struggles

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when entering sports that are predominantly male.

Whether it be because of coaches who only want boys on their teams or players who only want male teammates, the hardships continue. This small step from girls at FHC is believed by the players to be headed in a better direction for females everywhere.

“In a male-dominated sport, I am setting an example that girls can do anything that a guy can do,” Tran said. “For wrestling, it’s all about skill, speed and moving around and that is something everyone is capable of doing which doesn’t make is only a male sport.”

Not only do these girls believe they can match their male counterparts, but also that they can take this sport to a different level. Junior Paige VanDaele feels girls have things to offer that may be new and refreshing to the sport.

“It’s not just for males. We can take it and we can make it better… we can take it and do more with it or go to more extremes,” VanDaele said.

A culture and environment between the two teams has developed where female athletes are recognized for their worth. The boys, as the female wrestlers attest, are nothing but accepting.

Regardless of our accepting culture, discrimination amongst genders happens in our society every day and it takes a brave soul to break the barriers to start something new.

“I think I have impacted girls wrestling here at FHC. I think when people see others doing something or starting something new, they feel more comfortable starting it because [someone] has already broken the ice for [them],” Tran said.

Now, with 15 other girls falling in Tran’s footsteps, motivation for people to do things they never would have done before it settling into our society.

On and off of the mats. “[Stepping out of your comfort zone is] important because you get to try things you would never normally do,” VanDaele said. “If you think that something is cool, then you should just take a chance with it. If you don’t take it, then you will probably miss out on something that you wish you had taken the chance for.”

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ADS

NEWSPAPER & WEB: “Newspaper is the reason I come into school every day and why when everyone around me is praying for a snow day, I’m wishing for the opposite.”

Liz Baker, editor-in-chief “You build so many amazing relationships through your time in room 139; publications has introduced me to some of my best friends. We’re a big family and no matter what you know you can rely on eachother.” Lanie Sanders, editor-inchief YEARBOOK: “The best memories I have from my time at FHC have something to do with Yearbook. In three years, I’ve never gotten bored, and I’ve always felt at home in room 139. The only thing I regret about my time on staff is not joining sooner.” Sydney Kaiser, editor-in-chief PHOTO & BROADCAST: “Photography and broadcast have helped me to find a place to develop my creative side as well as well as keeping my Spartan pride. I love being in the know at FHC and being a part of a team to capture those memories for everyone,” Taylor Tinnes, editor-in-chief HONORS: Honors requires students to create a project, in collaboration with Mr. Schott, that must be published. The project must be approved by Mr. Schott.

WHY PUBLICATIONS

DEADLINE: JANUARY 23, 2020

PHOTO & BROADCAST: Photographers are our eyes on the ground; they cover events as they happen at FHC. Our videographers tell stories of the people, places and things that make FHC amazing.

YEARBOOK: Yearbook staff chronicles the year.

We’re at every event and every game. We tell the big stories, like the homecoming football game, but also the small stories, like that one time Ms. Fay pranked one of her students. We take pictures, write stories, design pages, and make sure everything that matters gets remembered.

NEWSPAPER & WEB: FHCtoday.com is the daily website of FHC, while the Central Focus newspaper comes out once per month and covers the biggest issues and stories as they happen.

FHC Publications students create all the media (yearbook, newspaper, website, broadcast) at FHC.

ABOUT US

NEXT STEPS: Turn this in to Mr. Schott in 139 and enroll in Newspaper Production or Yearbook Production.

1. Why do you want to be on FHC Publications?

2. What skills do you bring to FHC Publications?

3. What would you change about the newspaper/ yearbook/website?

What class do you want to be in (rank from 1-3, 1 being your favorite) Newspaper: 1 2 3 Yearbook: 1 2 3 Photo/video: 1 2 3

YOUR NAME: YOUR GRADE: FAVORITE ENGLISH TEACHER:

HOW TO GET IN: If you’ve taken (or are taking) Journalism I or II, Digital Photojournalism, Graphic Design or AP Lang & Comp, you’re in! Woo-hoo! Skip the questions below, but fill out your name, grade and English teacher and let me know your choice of class.

All others, please answer the questions below on the opposite side of this paper.

APPLY

FHC PUBLICATIONS. MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!

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Top Tier holiday Gifts

From DIY’s to merchandise, here are last minute holiday gift ideas

By Ruthann Kimbrel

GIFT OF GAMING: Buying a video game for a sibling, other family member or friend is rewarding being able to watch them earn unique achievements or play and bond together over the cold of the holidays. Some games are easy while others are challenging, some even have puzzles and items to collect. There is always a perfect video game for anyone.

Staff Reporter

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Decorated PIcture Frame or Corkboard: If your loved one or friend has a favorite photo but nowhere nice to display it, a decorated photo frame or corkboard is the gift for them.

Go to Michaels, Hobby Lobby or JoAnn Fabric and Craft Store to pick up a photo frame or corkboard and decorations like stickers, paint markers, patterned duct tape, and hot glue. If you get a corkboard don’t forget to pick out some cute thumbtacks.

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Merchandise: From Shane Dawson’s CONSPIRACY makeup line to Dan Howell’s SOUL merch, merchandise from a favorite content creator can make any family member or friend’s holiday season a warm and pretty one. Getting a friend or relative their favorite influencer’s merchandise makes them joyous and thankful and it is something they can use for as long as they want.

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Beginner’s Guide: Get your family or loved one a Beginner’s guide to any topic they are thinking about taking up or already enjoy. Some examples are a Beginners Guide to crocheting, knitting, painting or whatever else you think they will find interesting! While you’re at it, buy them some of the starter essentials as well!

Self-Care Basket, Bag or Box: Noticing the stress of a loved one or friend tells them that you really appreciate them so, get them things they can use to destress. Things like soft blankets, face masks, coloring books and colored pencils, a journal, essential oils and other great destressors make a nice addition to the basket.

Video Games: If you know that a family member or friend has a gaming console such as a PS4, Nintendo Switch, or any other consoles, buy them a video game you think they would enjoy or already do enjoy.

Playing the video game or watching them play, brings you and the other person a sense of joy knowing you can bond over it.

A Gift Card: If you’ve become clueless as to what your relatives or friends want, get them a gift card for an easy and inexpensive gift option. A gift card allows them to choose their own gift that they will enjoy.

Pajamas and Fuzzy SocksYou value your friends and family’s comfort, so why not get them some comfy pajamas and warm fuzzy socks for the holidays? Family and friends will be able to get cozy by the fire while opening up presents on Christmas morning. Plus, pajamas and fuzzy socks are stylish for the season.

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Scrapbook: Do you have any pictures and stickers left over from a previous craft? Why not buy a scrapbook to give to your loved one or friend and remind them of everything you have been through together.

THE GIFT OF SELF-CARE: With a box, bag or basket, the present of self-care can help a family member or friend going through stressful holiday shopping and finals during the school year. Adding in small things like a funny coaster for drinks, packed food such as donuts and a card wishing them a Happy Holiday. PHOTOS BY RUTHANN KIMBREL

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STL Zoo Adopt an Animal: This is an amazing gift for your animal-loving friends and family. You receive a multitude of gifts depending on how much you spend on the adoption, and the proceeds go towards the animal’s care and wellbeing.

ENTERTAIN

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Movie Tickets: With some good movies coming to or already on the big screen, buying your loved one or friend movie tickets and taking them out on a “movie-date” to spend some quality time together. Having quality time with them in the theatre or arcade before the movie starts can bring you closer together as you bond over post-movie thoughts

Page by Ruthann Kimbrel

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HOW TO feast Festively

Tasty and easy dessert recipes for the holiday season

By Zoe Michals Staff Reporter

We are quickly approaching the time of year infamous for festivities and fattening. To successfully accomplish the latter, try out these tasty holiday treats!

Whether you are in need of a dessert for a school holiday party, a friend get together, or a family gathering, these are three well-liked holiday treat recipes.

Gingerbread Cookies

German Candy Cane Cake

In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat 1½ sticks of butter, ¾ cup of brown sugar and ⅔ cup of molasses using a hand mixer until fluffy. Add one egg and 1 tsp. of pure vanilla extract and beat until combined. In a medium bowl, using a whisk, combine 3¼ cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp. ground ginger, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, ½ tsp. ground cloves, ½ tsp. kosher salt and ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg. Using the hand mixer on low, gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until dough comes together. Divide dough in half and create two discs. Wrap each in plastic wrap and chill until firm. Preheat oven to 350° and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place one disc of dough on a lightly floured surface and roll until ¼” thick. Cut out gingerbread men and transfer to baking sheets. Bake until slightly puffed- 9 to 10 minute depending on the size of your cookie cutters. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Decorate with icing and sprinkles as desired.

Preheat oven to 325. Sift together 1 cup of flour and ¾ cup of sugar. Sift again and set aside. In a large bowl or standing mixer, beat 12 egg whites until foamy. Add 1 tsp. of cream of tartar and ¼ tsp. salt. Beat until soft peaks form. Add ¾ cup of sugar, 1 tsp. of vanilla extract and 1 tsp. of almond extract. Continue beating until egg whites are firm but not dry. Sift one-third of the floursugar mixture onto the egg whites and, with a rubber or silicone spatula, gently fold the mixture into the egg whites. Add remaining flour in two batches, folding gently after each addition. Turn batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan and bake until browned and firm to the touch, 50 to 60 minutes. Invert cake (in pan) on a cooling rack for at least an hour. When completely cool, run a long, thin, sharp knife between cake and pan to loosen, and remove cake. Put candy canes in a large sealable plastic bag.

Crush them into small pieces. Sift crushed candy with a fine-mesh strainer and reserve candy dust for later. In a large bowl, beat 2 cups of heavy whipping cream with ¼ cup of granulated sugar until soft peaks form. Frost cake with whipped cream using a spatula to form swirls and peaks. Sprinkle frosted cake with crushed candy canes and decorate the outside with candies of your choice.

Buckeye Cookies

Preheat oven to 350° and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine 1¼ cups peanut butter and ⅓ cup powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Scoop into 22 small balls and freeze until hardened. In a large bowl, combine 1½ sticks of butter, ¾ cup of brown sugar and ½ cup of sugar and beat until light and fluffy, then add 1 egg and 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract and mix until evenly combined. Add the 1¼ cups of flour, ¾ cup of cocoa powder, ¾ tsp. of baking soda and ¾ tsp. salt and mix until evenly combined. Scoop a heaping tablespoon of the cookie dough and flatten into a pancake-like circle on the baking sheet. Place a frozen peanut butter ball on top. Bring the edges of the dough around the peanut butter ball and pinch the edges together to seal, adding more dough if necessary to cover the frozen peanut butter completely. Roll stuffed cookie dough ball in sugar and place back on prepared baking sheets. Repeat until all dough is used, spacing the cookies about 2” apart. Bake until the cookies are set, about 12 minutes.

26 Page by Zoe Michals

ENTERTAIN

GOING ALL THE WAY FHC Swimmers cheer on their fellow teammate as they swim their event.

The team all encourages each other to swim their best, regardless of the outcome of the event. PHOTO BY FAITH CARTER

finishing the race together Teammates leave an emotional impact on an athlete As I approached the block, ready to swim the 100 back, multiple feelings were coursing through my veins. This was the very last race that I would swim, ever, in high school. This was the last GAC’s that I would swim in, and the first time I was seeded sixth place in a race.

There was a lot of pressure on me to get a faster time and earning a medal, but I didn’t think I could decrease my time even further and the other swimmers were faster and further from me. As I was in the water and grabbing the bar, I then felt confident, powerful, nervous as the announcer said, “Take Ty Nedungadi your mark.” The sudden Staff Reporter rush of adrenaline accelerated in me as I heard that buzzer for the last time. Racing that 100 back was exhilarating, knowing I would finish in the top eight, and trying my hardest to get a faster time.

However, I wasn’t prepared to see that I got disqualified for my event for an “illegal turn.” A rush of emotions filled my body and I became very angry and upset at the results of it. When changing in the locker room, the sudden

realization occurred and the rain started to pour down. That was the last race of high school, the first time I actually could earn my team a lot of points, and I threw it away in that race. All of that work and leading up just for me to get disqualified.

I suddenly changed from being infuriated to sad and I started to tear up.

My teammate, Chase who was beside me changing in the locker room tried to cheer me up, yet I still felt a little upset. Going back to where my team was sitting, I tried to hide my emotions and watched as other swimmers were racing. Then, I felt a hand on my shoulder from my teammate Andrew, and I saw looks around my shoulder.

Everyone was praising my swim and were standing by me in that moment. I received pats on the back, people telling me to forget about the race and to have a good time, even jokes and laughter to brighten the mood. In that moment I actually felt happier and cheerful because I saw my teammates cared for me and were there for support.

There were many times when I felt down and there was always someone to cheer me; however, this moment felt different to me. It felt to me as if everyone around me was helping me feel better. It felt so grateful and touching that my teammates cared more about myself rather than the outcome of the score. I felt as though I let my team down and yet they didn’t care whatsoever that I disqualified. My teammates were able to

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help me laugh it off now and use it as a joke. I felt so thankful that they wanted to make me feel better the rest of the night, and I’m grateful to have teammates sit alongside me.

The end of the season was sad for me because we were all together and cheering until the end of GAC’s and it was upsetting to know this was the last time I would bond with my teammates at the pool. It feels as if I lost a part of me and I lost close relatives. That moment of support was the last time that I could very appreciative of my teammates and feel lots of love for them.

I realized then just how much my teammates meant to me. They were like family to me and was always someone to talk to. As I reminiscenced memories of times I was feeling stressed from school or gloomy, I picture my teammates by me.

I see how much I relied on them for my decisions and for advice. They replaced the family I couldn’t see in years and I feel closer to my teammates because they were there for me.

Now as I look back to every swim season, my teammates have always been there to support myself and each other whether there was a bad swim, a disqualification, or a personal situation we were going through. The four years that I spent on the swim team showed me how important my teammates are to me and I picture how happier I am as my teammates were by my side.

The sport has played a part in changing me, but my teammates shaped who I am.

Page by Ty Nedungadi and Natalie Walsh

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Amid marketing that is everywhere, take me back to

the little house When I was very young, I remember my mother reading me the “Little House on the Prairie” books as a bedtime story, a series detailing the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder, a young pioneer girl who lived in the 1800s.

Every night as she tucked me and my sister into bed, she would sit by the door in our room and read us her stories, bringing Laura’s world to life with passionate inflection and vivid description.

The tales of Rachel Vrazel wading across a Social Media Editor river in a covered wagon, sliding down bales of hay in open fields, and trekking to a one-room schoolhouse to learn each day fascinated me. But it was the stories of the Ingalls’ Christmases that truly enthralled me. I always looked forward to hearing about all the relatives that would crowd into their tiny home, singing along to the carols Laura’s Pa played on his fiddle, the sugary hard candies they would make out of snow and molasses, their trips to Christmas Eve services and the adventures that happened along the way.

It seemed to me that, though the Ingalls moved around a lot and rarely spent Christmas in the same place, never never even receiving extravagant gifts, their holidays somehow always seemed more magical, more vibrant, and more full of … well, I wasn’t sure what, but it just seemed better.

Fast forward eight years, and I’m now in my sophomore year of high school. And if my Christmases seemed lacking in holiday cheer years ago, by now they are completely devoid of all the fun the season should bring.

As soon as November hits, I’m bombarded with the wish lists of my younger siblings and the overwhelming pressure to find the just-right gift for everyone.

I spend so much time talking with some of my close friends as they lament that they don’t have a significant other to spend the holidays with, or they obsess about how romantic their holiday will be with their boyfriend or girlfriend and all of the cute things they will do together. I can’t even drive down to Target for a routine shopping trip without being instantly bombarded by the apparent must-have Christmas trinkets

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and stocking stuffers, only to be escorted to the snacks aisle by a forest of brightly colored strings of lights adorning the smooth green plastic of artificial trees.

My mother piles ornaments, garlands, red and green craft supplies, and glittery bows into our cart, doing her best to replicate the creative DIY holiday decor plastered on Pinterest.

But it’s when we return home again that the real chaos starts: wrapping paper coating the floor as I struggle to fold and tape down edges, Christmas music blaring as my mom tries to drown out the stress of yet another project, and all of the stress that comes from relationships, worrying if I picked the right gifts. And the end of the day, my patience is wearing thin, and my heart is about as full of my wallet — which, after all the gift shopping — only contains $3.25.

This routine is so easy to slip into - buy gifts, wrap, decorate, sing carols, drop spare change in a bucket as you rush out of the cold to buy more gifts. When I was younger, I used to hear adults say, “I hate the holidays, they’re so stressful.” And while I couldn’t comprhend this at the time, aging has made it perfectly clear — we get so caught up in the world’s view of what the perfect Christmas should be like, that we forget what it is like to actually have the perfect Christmas. And I begin to wonder if I wasn’t so right in thinking that Laura’s Christmases were different from mine, that it might not have been just a story, after all.

Our society has conditioned us to think of Christmas a certain way. Much like the pressures we find to fit in by wearing the right clothes, acting the right way or posting the perfect picture on your Instagram, today’s marketing and media has created a monsterous predicament and a huge obstacle that we face each winter. With advertisements more visible through social media and the rate of technology more readily available to young children, Christmas is becoming more and more about the gifts. Nowadays, you ask a child what their favorite thing about Christmas is, and they immediately begin detailing the wishlist they’ve crafted, while many parents’ go into thousands of dollars worth of debt to provide their children with the perfect Christmas.

The holiday movies and films we enjoy have moved on from heartfelt and genuine movies such as “It’s a Wonderful Life” to cheesy Hallmark films that portray romance as essential to the season — be living unhappily single, go off on some

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holiday vacation, fall in love with the man or woman of your dreams, and live happily ever after in a log cabin encased in snow while decorating gingerbread cookies and magically baking all of life’s cares away.

And of course the never ending pressure to celebrate just right; we have to have the most atrocious ugly sweater, decorate our homes just right both inside and out, post the perfect Christmas party photos on our Instagram. And while none of this is inherently bad, all of these festivities should reflect the love and joy of the season, not be the purpose of the season. The holidays have become so commercialized that our society is marketing the uniformity in how we enjoy Christmas as the ideal way to celebrate the holiday, when, in reality, this season should hold a special and unique meaning in the hearts of us all.

And now, after all these years, I realize what truly made Laura Ingalls’ Christmases so different from mine. The Ingall’s sisters’ did wait in anticipation of the gifts they would receive, but it was never the highlight of their Christmas.

They never had much money; store bought gifts and Christmas feasts weren’t usually in the budget. But no matter where they werehey never let their surroundings, financial status, or romantic relationships dictate whether or not their Christmas was a success — their time spent with each other did. I have no doubt in my mind that if for one Christmas we could leave the expensive gift giving, the romantic stress and the pressure to be presentable for the holidays behind — if we could leave behind the damage of marketing, media, and commercialization behind for just the last month of the year, our Christmases would be truly merry.

So, if you’re a procrastinator and still haven’t bought your Christmas gifts, I have a challenge for you — don’t buy them.

Instead of giving someone a useless object or nicknack, invest in them personally.

Make the effort to spend one on one time with the people in your life; show them that they are loved and that you appreciate them by seeking out the chance to spend the holidays with them in a more real and present way, rather than handing them a wrapped package and calling it good. Let’s end the decade by remembering something it seems we forgot centuries ago — making the holidays not about how much we receive or spend, the romance, or how festive our homes and instagram feed is. Let’s make this Christmas about the people we spend it with.

ILLUSTRATION BY ANNA CARROLL

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Page by Rachel Vrazel

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power off

Taking time away from your phone makes you more present in your life Each morning, after turning off the alarm that so horrendously blares and startles me into consciousness, I unlock my phone and browse various apps, not quite ready to fully awaken and prepare myself for the day ahead. When I do finally exit the comfort of my bed, I play some music and continue to look at my notifications, mindlessly scrolling as I move sluggishly around my house.

The routine is quite similar when I finally find myself getting r e a d y for bed at some ungodly hour.

I check my phone as I brush my teeth, and Kayla Reyes instead of Editor-in-Chief climbing into my bed and falling asleep, I scroll some more. “One more video,” I tell myself.

“Five more minutes and I’ll go to sleep.” I spend more time than I’d like to admit looking at my phone when the only thing I should be seeing is the backs of my eyelids.

It’s for this reason exactly that I challenged myself to be without a phone entirely. For a week, I decided, I would use my phone as little as possible. I was struck with anticipation and nervousness as I set upon my task, ready despite the remnants of apprehension that lingered.

My first day started out relatively easy. I didn’t check my phone in the morning, and I didn’t listen to music. I went to school and paid attention to my classes, not much different from how I usually do.

Aside from the occasional glance at my phone, I normally don’t use it in class anyway, so this part wasn’t outrageously difficult.

It was when I got home that my only real trouble started. I completed my homework quite quickly and without distraction, which was nice. However, being unable to contact any of my friends or use my phone for entertainment left me bored.

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I didn’t realize how much I rely on my phone to keep me entertained until I was left without it.

With that being said, I did find other activities to fill my time with. I read, conversed with my family and organized my room.

Before I knew it, my phone was hardly even on my mind. Eventually though, after I had run out of things to do with my time, I felt the urge to use my phone. Neglecting it, I got ready for bed, went

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to my room and fell asleep within minutes. I awoke the next day feeling well-rested and refreshed, something I typically don’t experience on the average school day.

I went through my routine as normal, talking with friends and completing my assignments. I got home and interacted with my family.

Without the distraction of my phone, I felt much more present and involved in my own life. My interactions seemed more meaningful, my conversations more thoughtful.

Everything was going incredibly well.

It was on my third day that I was met with a real obstacle. One of my teachers asked my class to pull out our phones to complete an activity.

I figured I would just do it quickly and turn my phone off again, but notifications had amassed during the time I neglected my cell phone, and each one tempted me. A text from a friend, even a notification of a New York Times article appealed to me after going a few days without using it.

From this, I realized how ingrained the use of technology is in our society.

Not only are teenagers heavily reliant on technology, phones in particular, but the use of technology in classrooms has become exceedingly prevalent.

There are phones everywhere we go, and most young people can’t go very long without looking at their own.

While I was without my phone, I realized just how much everybody else in my life uses theirs. Regardless of whether I was having a conversation with a friend or simply sitting with my family, I noticed the amount of attention we pay to a piece of metal and glass rather than the people around us.

For this reason, I challenge you to put down your phone and pay attention to what matters. Make connections with people, and don’t rely on your phone to do so. Don’t let a piece of technology distract you from the amazing people and experiences right in front of you.

You don’t have to get rid of your phone entirely, but make it less of a priority. Engross yourself in conversations and interactions with loved ones instead of being absorbed in technology. Forget your phone, and be more present in your life.

STAFF EDITORIAL: PRESENCE

A gift should not require a gift in return W hen one gives a present, as the recipient unwraps it, there is always anticipation. As they pull back the wrapping, their fingers ache for the initial graze of this generous offering.

They feel an undeniable surprise, either a disappointed or delighted sensation, as they finally unveil what the giver has bestowed upon them. They react positively, either in a forced or effortless fashion, depending on the success of the giver. But one feeling some may feel, regardless of their satisfaction with their present, is an undeniable guilt upon viewing it.

This can be for many reasons; perhaps they have given a gift in return, and it is not on par with the gift they received. Their present feels inadequate in comparison to the awesome present they have now,

in either sentimental or monetary value; another reason is that perhaps they did not give a present in return at all, making the giving feel like an unfair transaction.

They feel awful for not trading anything back, for not following through on what they feel is some unspoken agreement.

Do not let yourself fear this should happen to you. Do not fret about not being good enough for any present you receive. Do not think that gift-giving is transactional, and don’t let anyone make you feel that it is.

The reason you should receive a gift is because the person who gives it to you thinks you are worth it, because you play a crucial part in their life, and should be rewarded for simply existing. If you are given a gift with the expectation you must give one back, it’s

VOICE

not a gift, it’s a barter. A business deal. It is a cold handshake, unfeelingly agreeing that you are not worth supplying to without the supplier getting something in return.

In this issue, we have dissected the presents we give and the presence we display. Presents can come in many forms; presence can be shown in many ways. The existence of either, accompanied by a sense of sacrifice on the part of the presenter, should never demand reciprocity. You exist and you give for no reason except that you want to, and no one should control how you do either. The demand for presence or presents from you in return for someone else’s is simply unfair. Be free from the weight of this feeling this holiday season; present yourself and your gifts however you wish.

Page by Megan Percy

31

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spartans go seven up at state

final frame

By Gracie Kruep

of the Class 4 state volleyball tournament,

32 Page by Gracie Kruep

a key player in bringing the team to its first-ever berth in the state tournament.

the Spartans went up seven points on

“We were so excited to be competing

Lafayette, giving them an extra boost after

against Lafayette, especially since they’re

their long day of volleyball on Nov. 8 in

a familiar team to us,” Green said. “It felt

Cape Girardeau.

amazing to be beating them for a portion

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Photo Editor-in-chief

During the third match on the first day

The girls battled three of the best teams

of the game.”

in the state: Nixa, Liberty and Lafayette,

Even though the team didn’t come out

coming out fourth overall after another

with a state championship, they made

round of strenuous volleyball on day two.

it closer than any other team in school

Senior Liv Green scored the point and was

history.

FINAL FRAME