December full edition

Francis Howell Central High School

CENTRAL

FOCUS

VOLUME 20, ISSUE 3 DEC. 16, 2016

*

MiNORITY the

* fifteen percent of FHC students are of minority status.

Inside are their stories.

2

STAFF

DEAR READERS,

STAFF MEMBERS

In this issue of Central Focus we ask minority students here at our Emily Mann school to explain Print Executive Editor life to us from the eyes of a minority; we look through their eyes, seeing both the negatives and positives to being someone of a fewer represented ethnicity, sex, nationality, or race. We see things differently by reading their stories, and how they live their life, because of what their minority status has given them, or caused them to be deprived of.

Print Executive Editor Emily Mann

Multimedia Executive Editor Elisa Swanson

Move Editor

Elizabeth Gerger

Feature Editor Skylar Laird

Voice Editor

Mackenzie Morris

Discover Editor Elaine Mallon

Entertain Editor Juliet Fuhrmann

Copy Editor

Lukas Mendel

Staff Reporters

Liz Baker, Abbie Bartell, Jessica Fults, Caleb Harmon, Whitney Klein, Bryce Lee, Reese McLaughlin, Conor Ruffin, Millenia Simmons, Hailey Stewart

ON THE COVER Though there is a large minority presence only make up 15 percent of the schools population.

However, this does not make them any less significant. inside are the stories of how being a minority has affected these students. PHOTO

BY TAYLOR TINNES

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.

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.

Online

CONNECT

FHCtoday.com is the online home of FHC Publications and serves as a hub for all of our breaking news, photography and video work. For all you need to know about the FHC community, head to FHCtoday.com francis howell central publications @fhcpublications @fhcpublications fhcpublications

Visit FHCtoday.com by scanning this QR code

READY TO WRESTLE Members of FHC’s highly regarded wrestling team are preparing to take hold of the state wrestling meet as the team returns five boys who wrestled at state last year. They’ll be counting on their coaches, Steve Cross and Rocky Vercher to lead them there. “Rocky has a more personal bond with most of the team, he’ll take everyone out, he’ll get a workout in and you know he connects with you personally,” sophomore Cory Wait said. “Coach Cross can’t really do that. You know he’s a teacher, he has his home life, he’s just there to help you with everything you need help with, but not as a friend. PHOTO BY TAYLOR TINNES

Here there, everywhere ... 4-5 We cover news locally, and globally, to give you the important facts.

Reflecting on the election ... 6 A look at how President-elect Trump is currently preparing for the presidency.

Ridiculous retail rituals ... 7

Students explain the stress of working in retail around the holiday season.

Begining to look a lot like ... 8-9 The different ways in which students here celebrate the holidays.

Supplying the toys ... 10

NHS picks up the annual Toys for Tots winter toy drive

Fired up on a Friday ... 11

Epsilon Beta brews up attention about club focused on reading

Ethnic food ... 12

Get a taste of every culture by exploring foods of different places.

Being a minority ... 14-15 EPSILON BETA Learning Commons specialist Kelly Hauquitz prepares a cup of coffee for a student on Friday, Dec. 2. Mrs. Hauquitz and Mrs. Andrea Head sponsor Epsilon Beta, which serves coffee and hot cocoa every Friday for $1 per cup. PHOTO BY TAYLOR TINNES

We define the word minority, and how being a minority defines students

Through a lense ... 16-17

A profile explaining how a minority student sees life differently

A new life... 18-19

A profile telling the story of a student who moved to America in 7th grade

FRIENDBOYS Elisa Swanson extols the virtues of having friends of the opposite sex.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ELISA SWANSON

Of equal importance ... 20

The presence of minorities within our school, state, and country

Let it snow! ... 22

A quick guide to places to sled, ski and skate once the weather turns wintry.

Speeding it up... 23

Boys basketball team will use speed to find success this season.

Title grab ... 24-25

Multiple wrestlers are gunning for state titles.

HO HO WHO ARE YOU? Take this quiz to see which Christmas character you are.

Dec. 16, 2016

RUBBED OUT Proposition Howell failed by a 52-48 percent vote on Nov. 8.

The proposition was to pass a 60-cent tax levy to residents of the Francis Howell School District but since it was not approved, members of the school board and district will begin to find ways to save money throughout the district, including reducing the number of full-time employees, restricting busing and possibly a four-day school week, though that wouldn’t be considered until the 2018-19 school year. . PHOTO BY KENZIE MORRIS

Friendboys ... 27

Having a friend of the opposite sex is the best of things according to Elisa Swanson.

Unhappiness is okay ... 28

Garrett Allen shares why he thinks it’s okay for students to be unhappy.

Staff editorial... 29

Those in the majority need to watch their language.

3

4

discover From Local to Global

Local: Proposition Howell fails No cuts have been finalized after Proposition Howell’s failure

By Kenzie Morris

Voice editor

On Nov. 9, voters in the Francis Howell School District failed to pass Proposition Howell, the 60-cent tax levy. For months, students and teachers have worried about the passage of the proposition and what it will mean for our district, although it seems that we are currently at a standstill.

Despite months of hearing horror stories of what would happen if Proposition H o w e l l does not pass, there are actually a lot of decisions s t i l l up in the air.

Chad Lange, treasurer of the FHSD board, cannot say for sure what exactly will happen after the levy’s failure.

“It’s still early to pinpoint what exact changes you can expect to see. As of yet, the board has not made any decisions on any specific items to cut or reduce,” Mr. Lange said.

As of now, everything is still up in the air. We cannot know what exactly will be cut, or even that they will be.

“There is the slim possibility that no other cuts or reductions will take place anytime in the near future and keep a deficit,” Lange said.

While this is not optimal, it may be what the district comes to. Fortunately, it appears the major cuts were already made this year, according to

Superintendent Mary HendricksHarris.

“Administration and the Board continue to have conversations about the next level of cuts, however, many cuts were made prior to Proposition Howell in order to keep the District in a financially secure position,” Dr. Hendricks-Harris said, “While it is disheartening to not be able to provide the types of supports we once were, we will continue to look to minimize the effect of future cuts on our students.”

While the board is working their best to resolve the budget issue and determine what cuts should be made, three seats are up for reelection next year, so come April, the board could have a totally different outlook on the budget. This is another reason they are unsure of what may happen next year. Even if decisions are made, they could be changed or more could be added come summer.

The next step is making things easier on the students, but to make sure we remain a successful learning environment, students must do their best to make things easier on the administration.

Mark Lafata, the president of the board, acknowledges this may be difficult for students.

“I would just ask the students to be patient and understand some of the programs may not be available because of lack of funding and when new revenues do come available,” Mr. Lafata said.

As a student, it is hard to hear the best thing you can do is wait in a situation like this, but as of now, we do not have anything worry about, as nothing is set in stone. We will likely begin knowing the board’s decisions throughout the next year.

Dr. Hendricks-Harris

“Many cuts were made prior to Proposition Howell in order to keep the District in a financially secure position.”

-Dr. Mary HendricksHarris

State: Local and state Missouri officials violate state Sunshine Law The “Sunshine Law” as it is called in many states, including Missouri, is the state’s responsibility to disclose public information. This policy essentially preserves the citizens’ rights to know about the happenings of the state.

During October 2014, an audit was conducted to evaluate local officials’ compliance with the law, and was released to the public in November of 2016. Overwhelmingly, the audit displayed low results. What they found was that only about 30% of state and local officials were in full compliance

with the Sunshine Law, and the audit states, “several entities failed to document the reasons for closing meetings,” which is a direct violation of the law.

What’s worse is that it seems these violations are nothing new. The Saint Louis Police Department was sued in 2006 by a man, John Chasnoff, for failing to comply with his request for personnel records. The department announced they would be releasing the documents, but officers intervened, and the information was withheld. Three lawsuits and nine years later, the court finally ruled Chasnoff

USA: Obama continues to pass executive orders after elections President Barack Obama is coming to the end of his term, and he is feverishly trying to maintain the policies he has built over the last eight years. He and his federal agencies are mandating executive orders to preserve the policies in place. He has passed 35 orders in 2016 alone.

Executive orders are passed or repealed only by the President of the United States, unless of course they are unconstitutional and other branches must get involved. These orders are not laws, but are treated as such until they are removed. When a president is in office, he may pass new executive orders, or remove the ones made by any past POTUS, which is what makes the surge of executive orders by President Obama all the more confusing.

As we all know, our new president-elect, Donald Trump, holds a different political ideology than President Obama does, and come January, he will have the power to strip the country of any executive orders in place. Of course President-elect Trump has announced he will not be repealing all of President Obama’s orders, at least some will not be in place come next year.

President Obama most likely continues to pass the orders as a “last ditch effort” to maximize the amount of people helped in the last stretch of his time in office. Most recently, he passed an order to minimize the amount of exposure people have to the poisonous mineral, silica, on work and construction sites.

Even if the order is repealed by President-elect Trump, its effects may remain in tact, and have long lasting effects. The idea that an order’s effects may outlive its time in place is what drives Pres. Obama to continue putting them into place.

Global: Great Barrier Reef bleached

By Abbie Bartell

Staff reporter The Great Barrier Reef. It stretches over 133,000 square miles, it is the only living thing on earth that is visible from outer space, and it is the largest living structure in the world. And 93% of it is dead. Well, not exactly.

On October 14th, Outside Magazine published a story on how the Great Barrier Reef had died; however this was debunked by scientists who said it wasn’t dead, but dying. The Reef suffers from a sickness called coral bleaching and it has spread through over 93% of the reef according to the report from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. This sickness is destroying the Great Barrier Reef and it plays a significant role in contributing to Australia’s ecosystem, but its effects aren’t isolated to just Australia.

While we may not be directly affected by the growing sickness of the Great Barrier Reef, we can see the cause of the problem all around us. The main cause to its growing sickness is warming waters and polluted inland runoff caused by humans.These problems can originate anywhere, even here. That means when you litter, or run the water while you brush your teeth, or leave the car loitering for too long, all of these small things can add up to big numbers that aren’t in favor with our home; earth. Fortunately the same goes for the other way around. Any time you recycle, use less water or use less energy, these small things add up as well to help out the environment in monumental ways.

Besides, we don’t want to be the generation known for killing one of the 7 natural wonders of the world do we? Next time you go out, try using a reusable water bottle, or turning off all the lights when you leave the house. You aren’t only affecting Missouri, but the world.

DEC. 16, 2016

had a right to the documents and to a $100,000 grant for attorney fees. The noncompliance with this law affects local people and takes money from our taxes as the grant was paid for with state money. In essence, we are paying taxes that will be used to pay for court cases that would not happen had the state been honest in the first place. The citizens of Missouri have a right to access public information and be involved with our community, but for too long, public officials have been noncompliant with the law.

The bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef To the left shows a piece of coral over the past 17 years and its different stages of coral bleaching.

Year 2016: The color is completely white and bleached. Being unprotected and sick, death is sure to follow. This covers over 93% of the reef.

Year 2005: The coral is fading and losing its bright hue. Larger portions of the reef are in this stage of the deadly coral bleaching sickness.

Year 1999: The coral is vibrant and healthy. At one time the entire Great Barrier Reef looked liked this.

5

6

discover

Trump takes the White House Less than a month away from the inauguration, Trump begins transition

By Reese Mclaughlin

Staff reporter The 2016 presidential race came to a close Nov. 8, with Donald Trump winning 306 of the electoral votes. The race was rough for many, putting unneeded stress upon many American’s lives. From growing threats to our country, both foreign and domestic, American citizens have become more involved in politics. Voter turnout has increased by 4.7% since the 2012 election, a small increase, yet a couple of thousand votes could mean the difference between electing one candidate over the other. The country is heavily divided, with the results of the popular vote showing Clinton winning 2,653,958 more votes than Trump — which represents about a 2.1% lead in the popular vote. From trivial twitter feuds to nasty words exchanged during debates, the 2016 election has been anything but civil.

Across the country there have been many calls for a vote recount, the most prominent of these being lead by former presidential candidate and Green party leader, Jill Stein.

Stein has launched protests outside Trump tower for a recount in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

These states were chosen because of statistical anomalies reported in counties that uses electronic voting equipment. Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are all states that have been solidly Democratic for decades, but voted in favor of Trump. It’s been 24 years

since Michigan and Pennsylvania voted red, as these states contributed to the 1988 election of George H. W. Bush. This can be connected to the President-elect’s promise to bring jobs back to the U.S. from overseas, something which really resonated with the blue collared workers in these states.

The efforts of Stein and other disgruntled citizens to prevent Trump’s inauguration has not fazed the president elect. From conducting interviews for cabinet positions to reexamining America’s involvement in foreign affairs, Trump hit the ground running. The cabinet picks Trump has made so far have been dominating the news. Picks like Steve Bannon for Chief White House Strategist, have been met with extreme criticism from both Democrats and Republicans alike. Bannon for the last decade ran Breitbart News, a website that is known for posting anti-semitic,racist, and misogynistic articles. As for Secretary of Treasury, Trump has chosen Steve Mnuchin, a man with strong ties to Wall Street. Mnuchin was a partner at Goldman Sachs (a multinational finance company) for 17 years. Even though politicians who have such ties were criticized by the Trump campaign, for the belief that they lead to corruption.Trump has chosen retired Marine Corps General James Mattis for his Secretary of Defense. Mattis, commonly known as Mad Dog Mattis, has many years of experience in the Middle East, and is expected to reinforce peaceful alliances with Sunni-Arab states

(Egypt,Morocco, and Jordan,.) and keeping the international peace.

It is vital for teenagers to understand what is happening and how it will affect them in the future. It is highly likely that during his term in office the President-elect will address multiple major issues that will impact not only just Americans, but people all over the world. For example, the Paris Climate Accords, a legally binding climate deal which 195 countries adopted, is put in place to monitor and prevent any further damage of global warming; Trump has talked about taking the U.S. out of the deal. Trump has discussed furthering the building of the Keystone XL pipeline which would carry crude oil all the way from Canada, through Nebraska, and end in the Texas gulf coast. Many activists are against this because of the amount of money it would take to extract crude oil, and farmers are worried about the potential of a leak and the damage it would do to their farms. However, those in favor of the pipeline believe it will stimulate the economy by creating thousands of new jobs for its construction.

On Friday January 20th, Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States of America. From his lack of political experience to his avoidance of political correctness in his speech, Donald Trump’s election to the presidency stunned the establishments of both parties and the major media outlets.

In full swing

Holidays make trying time for retail employees Millennia Simmons

Staff reporter It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

It’s the time of mailing out holiday cards, matching ugly Christmas sweaters, and picking out the perfect gifts for loved ones.

Each year, Americans of all ages take part in “making it rain”, or in this case “snow” in hopes of getting those special gifts or decorations for the upcoming festivities.

According to Statisticbrain. com the annual retail spending in November and December so far is $616.9 billion dollars. That is about 11% more than in 2015, excluding online shopping.

The big spending kick off was on Nov. 25th also known as Black Friday. After being stuffed with turkey and commemorating with family, people set out to get their hands on new arrivals and literal door busting deals for the holiday season.

Some students may not have been able to participate in the spending, but experienced the American madness first hand behind the counter.

Junior Christian Parker had no other way to describe working at Walmart during Black Friday than an “experience.”

“Honestly, it was crazy, everybody went crazy over things that they wanted …and there were a lot of things everybody [felt they] needed to have, to say the least it was an experience,” Parker said.

Senior Garrett Robinson dealt with the occasional difficult shopper as well, during his shift at JC Penney’s, however after working there a couple of years, outo f - h a n d shoppers are

DEC. 16, 2016

a custom during the holidays.

“A couple of people were difficult, that’s as expected on Black Friday, like some lady didn’t get the price she wanted for a shirt,” Robinson said.

December holiday shopping is still a major ordeal even after Black Friday. After Halloween, commercialization of the holidays are in full swing with advertising and catalogs received in the mail with your must-haves to end the year.

Last minute Christmas shopping is also promoted with Holiday Hours in stores. Stores in Missouri remain open 1-2 hours later than their standard times, each day, before closing on the 25th. West County Mall for example is opened an additional hour after Black Friday, then until 11pm during the week before Christmas.

Independent stores like Wal-Mart and Target have services available for additional hours as well.

Robinson experienced working additional hours on Black Fridays. It’s not much of a change but it sometimes cuts into family time.

“I wish we could actually open on Friday instead of Thursday so we can spend time with our family,” Robinson said.

Not only are shoppers out all hours of the day, but workers as well. Workers have to tend to the holiday shopping crowds while trying to get in on the discounts themselves. They also have to work longer shifts and set up prior to the sale in order to accommodate the doorbuster events.

During Black Friday, for example, senior Abbi Nardi said her and her co-workers were assigned extra shifts that night. “[We] loaded up on shifts a lot, everyone was there working longer shifts and we were given food and stuff,” Nardi said Senior Carli Buchanan did the same, as well as prepare for the sale the next day at her job, Journey’s.

“We made sure we had a lot of people working that day and we put our sales tags on the night before, that way, whenever we came in, in the morning we didn’t worry about that,” Buchanan said.

The huge crowds and long hours however do not take away the spirit of the holiday’s from these students. Parker states that working extra hours gives him the opportunity to witness the effort people put into making their holiday a special occasion.

“It makes it a little more appreciative of the things I get, the struggle people go through to get presents and make sure their loved ones have [a] good holiday,” Parker said.

7

8

feature

Traditions with a twist

41% spend most of their day enjoying their presents

28% do something different and unique

72% buy their friends presents

Unique celebrations keep holidays fresh

By Juliet Fuhrmann

55% Decorate both inside and outside their house

86% visit family or friends for Christmas

Entertain editor Christmas is the time of year that a person is surrounded by their loved ones and celebrates the holiday together. Lots of people celebrate this holiday but not everyone celebrates it the same way. Some have secret santa, like Steffany Hinkebein, or some like Aleks Kisseloff go out on vacation every Christmas to honor someone they love. And some do not celebrate Christmas at all and have a normal winter break like Kalani West.

Hinkebein does something very unique and fun during this time of year; she has had a Secret Santa within her family every year since 2006.

They pick a theme every year and whatever that is, they have to get their person a present that has to do with it.

“A couple of years ago, we did an ‘as seen on TV’ and we could only get stuff for one another that was on TV, like all the weird cooking stuff you see on commercials,” Hinkebein said.

Every year is a different theme, it could revolve around movies and actors or something like electricity.

That is not the only thing she does though, Hinkebein’s also does within her family is they play the classic movie, “A Christmas Story,” on repeat all Christmas Day. “I know every word, line, and phrase in that movie from start to finish,” Hinkebein said.

Unlike Hinkebein’s family, others go on vacation every year, like Kisseloff’s family, who go to Dallas, Texas every Christmas for an organization for military families. It is for those who have lost their father or mother; he goes there to honor the memory of his father.

“The organizations are a great way for families to make friends that they don’t have to explain

Dec. 16, 2016

themselves to,” Kisseloff said.

One of the events that Kisseloff goes to is called “Snowball Express”. It is a fun event that around 5,000 kids do a bunch of cool, fun stuff.

For example, there are parades, a zoo and a Six Flags the families go to.

“It is a bunch of things that that we do together as a family to honor my father, it is nice to be around a group of people that know and understand what you went through” Kisseloff said.

He also has a “Friendsmas,” which is a gathering of him and his friends have an evening of fun and laughter.

“It is so fun, it happens a week after Christmas getting together with my friends for a night and having fun,” Kisseloff said.

There are some people though who don’t celebrate Christmas at all; West is one of those people. She and her family don’t have anything to do with Christmas and don’t celebrate any other holiday because it is in her beliefs as a Jehova’s Witness.

“It is the belief that Christmas has pagan orgins, so it does not make sense to celebrate it.

To me it’s not boring not to celebrate anything and throughout the year my family will come up and we all do something fun together,” West said.

Whether someone does something very unique and crazy for Christmas, have a traditional Christmas or don’t celebrate it at all, it is a fun time of the year and whatever brings someone a smile, is what this time of year is about.

“Even though it is fun doing something unique every year, I just love being surrounded by my family because it’s obviously not about the Stecret Santa gifts. It is about being with the ones you love,” Hinkebein said.

9

10

feature

Remembering why we donate NHS members explain why it partakes in Toys for Tots

By Whitney Klein

Staff reporter Christmas is supposed to be a season of giving, yet some people wake up with nothing. Some children wake up, and it’s just another day: no running downstairs in excitement, no presents under the tree, sometimes not even any tree at all.

Toys for Tots is a non-profit organization run by the United States Marines whose mission is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.

According to the Toys for Tots website, toysfortots.org, “The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive, patriotic citizens.”

What takes place each year is the collection and distribution of toys in the communities in which a Marine Corps Reserve Unit is located. Some communities don’t have Reserve Units, so in those communities, the campaign can be conducted by a Marine Corps League Detachment or group of men and women, generally veteran Marines, authorized by Marine Toys for Tots Foundation to conduct a local Toys for Tots campaign.

FHC participates in Toys for Tots in memory of an alumnus, Lance Corporal Phillip D. Vinnedge, who died while serving in Afghanistan in fall 2010.

NHS Historian Nic Dobbins believes the charity is still relevant.

“He always loved giving back to the children, so we’re continuing that,” Dobbins said.

Students at FHC deserve the chance to feel like they’re making a difference. They can feel pride in knowing they brought happiness to a child.

“He died the way he lived, serving others,” stated in an obituary posted in the St. Louis

Post-Dispatch.

Vinnedge attended both FHC and the Lewis and Clark Career Center from 2005 - 2009. While in high school, he did everything with a special focus: Boy Scouts, wrestling, skydiving, welding, trap shooting. He gave up wrestling his senior year to ensure that he would begin his Marine Corps training injury free. He had hoped to join since the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Vinnedge was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton in California but was quickly shipped off to Helmand province, Afghanistan. On Oct. 13, 2010, Vinnedge was in an anti-tank humvee working as an assault man when a roadside bomb went off killing Vinnedge and the three other passengers, Cpl. Justin Cain, Lance Cpl. Joseph Rodewald, and Pfc. Victor Dew. “Phillip loved life, and he loved challenges. From simple childhood bets and dares, to personal goals and accomplishments, Phillip never backed down from a challenge,” according to St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Toys for Tots is continued in his memory. It went smoothly from 2010 until 2 years ago when communication issues began.

The students had no idea who Vinnedge was and had no idea why he was being remembered.

National Honor Society (NHS) stood up for the charity and took it over.

Mrs. Laurie Penuel, NHS sponsor and English teacher at FHC, tells why she believes the charity should be continued.

“Not only do we want to honor a fallen soldier, but a member of the FHC alumni,” Mrs. Penuel said.

“He lost his life serving our country, and something him and his family loved to do was collect toys for those less fortunate than them, and now we continue that in his honor,” NHS secretary Nathan Smith said. “The more participation we can have around school, the more successful we can be, and will give more kids a great holiday.”

Need it now? Get it here!

FHCToday.com is our school’s source for news as it is happening, as well as tons and tons of amazing photos and great video stories, all put together by the members of FHC Publications. Check out one of our best stories today!

The Saucedo effect

Elisa Swanson and Taylor Tinnes documented the Spartan Regiment’s whirlwind three days with clinician Richard Saucedo in early November. Read the story and watch the video, only on FHCToday.com!

The silos

Jake Hayden’s personal narrative about exploring Klondike Park with a friend will transport you to the St. Charles County park with amazing scenery. Read the story and check out the photo gallery, only on FHCToday.com!

Top

10 Movies

For Christmas

As the holiday season approaches, these movies are the perfect ones to curl to up under a blanket with the whole family.

1. “The Polar Express”

Older kids can relate to the main character losing his belief in Santa Claus while watching him regaining it. It hits close to home.

2. “Elf”

It’s kind of fun to see an adult with the childlike wonder that we are all losing as we grow.

3. “Disney’s: A Christmas Carol”

It helps you to understand that not everything in life is bad, for we need to focus on the happy memories and not be sour because of bad ones.

4. “Frosty the Snowman”

He’s a lovable snowman that dances and sings songs so cute that they get stuck in your head for weeks. What’s better than that?

5. “Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer”

It teaches kids that unique qualities can be their best qualities, and to not let bullies get to them.

6. “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”

Clark Griswold’s trying to have a perfect holiday, but everything that could go wrong does in the funniest way.

7. “Christmas with the Kranks”

Adult humor and crazy, Christmasobsessed neighbors makes this movie a mix of humor and chaos with a touch of a few heartfelt family scenes.

8. “Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas”

Basically every modern day teenager is a grinch. “I guess I could use a little social interaction,” The Grinch.

9. “Home Alone 2”

A light-hearted kids comedy, the slapstick comedy keep all audiences awake

10. “Nightmare Before Christmas”

It brings together the two best holidays ever. Even though Jack was told he was supposed to be king of Halloween, he wanted more, and he went for what he wanted, not what others said he should do.

Coffee and a show Epislon Beta gets thrifty in efforts to raise money

By Elaine Mallon

friendly smile.

Discover editor “My favorite thing about coffee and hot cocoa As groggy students enter through the front friday is just walking around and seeing everyone doors on Friday mornings, they are greeted by come. I like to hand out the coffee and cocoa an energetic student clad in an oversized coffee to people,” Hunter said, “It just makes my day cup.

With their interests piqued, students making other people happy.” head to the library. In an effort to increase hot A second year member of Epsilon Beta, cocoa sales, librarian Kelly Hauquitz created Hunter’s involvement in the club is greater than the thrifty costume out of an old trash can. For serving coffee, as the club is more about giving three years, Epsilon Beta has been serving hot back to the community than anything else. cocoa to students; however, the organization “I think everyone can find a place in Epsilon is still looking for ways to gain more school Beta. Some people, when they hear about awareness, thus giving birth to the coffee Epsilon Beta being associated with the library, cup costume. think, ‘I can’t do this, I’m not a book nerd’. And “Coffee Friday is still kind of a new that’s not the case, anyone can join,” Hunter thing. The first day we did it this year, said. “It’s a great way to help people because we had a student stand out by the what we do is not all book based.” door with a sign, and, as crazy as it From working with the local middle school sounds, our sales were good that day. libraries to assisting the librarians with their own So I suggested, ‘Do you want me to promotions, members of Epsilon Beta can find make a costume?’ and they said a variety of ways to give back. sure, and I asked would you “One major thing that I did last year wear the costume, and the is that I went out to the elementary officers said they would schools, and I helped the wear it. That’s where the librarians out. I did that on idea came from,” Mrs. Wednesdays after school, Hauquitz said. because the librarians loved While hot the help,” Cook said. “We’re chocolate Friday’s promoting that now. Hopefully main purpose is to provide next month we’ll have a van load of sleepy students with a kids to go out there.” caffeinated boost, the funds Like athletes can earn a varsity letter, raised help pay for all of members of Epsilon Beta have the Epsilon Beta’s activities from opportunity to earn an academic letter their dues to their upcoming by volunteering for 35 hours at a public conference this March in library or the school library.

Hannibal.

“I think one of the reasons Mr. Harris “If we can make consistently and Dr. Arnel like Epsilon Beta so much is $60 in sales than we consider because it is a place where students can earn that to be successful. That’s not all an academic letter and that does not exist profit, since we have to buy the K in any other club, as far as we know,” Mrs. cups. We don’t necessarily do it Hauquitz said. “It’s an opportunity that isn’t for the profit; it’s more of a service everywhere. If you are an academic type and that we provide, but the more sales you like to read, there are ways that you can we can make, the better off Epsilon tap into our club here at FHC and perhaps put Beta’s funds will be,” Mrs. Hauquitz it on a resume or a college application.” said.

However, students involved in Epsilon Junior Ellie Cook serves as the Beta aren’t solely involved for the purpose historian of Epsilon Beta. She believes of building up their college resumes. In that with the incorporation of the Epsilon Beta, students are all bonded new costume, it will increase student together by their love of reading and involvement in the club. love of helping out their community.

“There are a lot of “In Epsilon Beta, you meet people students that don’t know what Epsilon from very different backgrounds. It’s really cool Beta is and I would like to change because you become friends HEATING UP Dressed as a giant that,” Cook said. with someone you never cup of coffee, freshman Carl Swanson walks the halls on Friday, Along with attending the monthly thought you would be friends Dec. 2, trying to stir up publicity meetings, senior Penelope Hunter with. It’s cool meeting different and sales for Epsilon Beta’s weekly spends her Friday morning’s serving people because it opens up Friday coffee sales. PHOTO BY students up with warm drinks and a your eyes,” Hunter said.

TAYLOR TINNES

Dec. 16, 2016

11

12

Taste of the world Different cultures, different foods

By Elisa Swanson Web executive editor

Singaporeans Chicken Porridge The Stray family eat a mix of dishes from Britain and Singapore, which consists of shepherd’s pie, spaghetti, chili, boiled chicken and rice porridge.

Rice porridge can be made a variety of ways and is a simple dish consisting of ingredients in any kitchen: rice, water and whatever meat flavoring is desired.

“My favorite food is rice porridge because I love the flavor of chicken and chicken stock. My mum makes porridge, but I don’t really think porridge reminds me of anything except my grandma.”

-Keegan Stray British Asian

Filipinos Pancit In the Klos household on any given day, the food served is a tossup between American and Filipino foods. While there may not be one specific dish that their family calls a comfort meal, there is a definite emphasis on meats.

Pancit or behun uses the same rice noodles as pat thai mixed with marinated chicken and various vegetables.

“We eat a lot of meat, steaks, chickens, a lot of beef...When my mom grew up, meat was considered a luxury. Not a lot of people could afford it in the Philippines and that was something she kind of brought over to our family and it just stuck.”

-Justin Klos Filipino American

Italians Northern Italian Pasta The Moore family eats a lot of pasta, anything from red sauce to white to clam. Pasta has even integrated itself into ritual for the Moores. They sit down every Sunday as a family to eat it.

This pasta sauce recipe is an old family recipe. It involves garlic, olive oil, italian spices, and tomato sauce and can be used with noodles or for pizza.

“Every sunday, we usually eat pasta for a family thing. My mom does a lot of different pastas but it’s usually red sauce and it’s thin spaghetti and sometimes we like to put like meatballs and pork in it. ” -Dani Moore Italian

2016-17 YEARBOOK ORDER FORM

BUY IT! The 2016-17 yearbook will be FHC’s 20th. Celebrate our school’s 20th anniversary by giving us some information and $50 and you’ll have your name put down for one copy of FHC’s award-winning yearbook, the Odyssey.

What we need from you (please write clearly): Your name:____________________________ Year in school:_________________________ Cash or check:_________________________ Date:______________ (ALL CHECKS MUST BE MADE OUT TO FHC PUBLICATIONS)

If you prefer to use a credit card, you can do so at this registration or at this address: www.jostensyearbook.com Once you are there, type in Francis Howell Central and follow the directions IMPORTANT DEADLINES: $50 price: from the start of school until Dec. 25, 2016 $65 price: from Jan. 1 until end of school year $75 price: at pick-up, no extra copies guaranteed

RECEIPT

Thanks for ordering your copy of the 2016-17 Odyssey.

Books will be available at registration in the summer of 2017 (typically, late July). If you have questions, please contact Matthew Schott at matthew.schott@fhsdschools.org Order date:_______________

Staff signature

Amount paid:_____________

__________________

Dates to know FHC Publications has partnered with Club’s Choice to give students a chance to earn a free yearbook.

Sell 15 tubs of cookie dough and you’ll earn a copy of the 2016-17 Odyssey for free! Get order forms at schedule pickup Collect all money and checks (made out to FHC Publications) at the time of order.

Money is due when you submit order forms.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Order forms submitted to Rm. 139 by: Monday, Aug. 22 Cookie pick-up: Tuesday, Sept. 20 in school cafeteria (2:30-5p) All orders MUST be picked up, as FHC Publications has no way to store your cookie dough if it is not picked up Questions?

Ask Mr. Schott at matthew.schott@ fhsdschools.org

Show us your skills!

ReplayIt is an app from our yearbook publisher, Jostens, which allows amazing student photographers like you the chance to share photos you take from the events and classes you attend so we can use them in FHC Publications!

Just download the app from the Apple App Store or Android App Store and find our school in there. Upload your photos and the app does the rest!

APPLE APP

ANDROID APP

14

in focus

TROUBLING EXPERIENCES Three times in his life, senior Keenan Peebles has experienced racism while walking on the street. It’s had a profound experience on Peebles outlook on life. “I’m a person that likes things to be done not because of who I am, not because of what I look like, or the color of my skin, but rather than the content of my character,” Peebles said. PHOTO BY TAYLOR TINNES

*

iN struggle his

* Keenan Peebles struggles with racism and the ability to connect with others

By Emily Mann

Print Executive Editor

S

enior Keenan Peebles, an African American, walks down the streets of St. Louis, in the park with his family, enjoying their time together. As thousands of people are walking around this event, Peebles recounts accidentally bumping into someone, “Hey n*****” is said from the stranger passing by. By the time he was able to turn around, the stranger was gone, but the comment was forever in his mind.

Mustering up all the self-control, self-respect, and self-awareness he has, he continues to walk, head held high, reminding himself over and over again “They don’t know what they’re saying, they’ve been raised in a house where they learned it is okay to say that. It’s not them, its what they’ve been taught.”

“Racism is the absence of love.

Racism is the idea, or the mentality, that you are superior to inferior races.

That the people are anatomically and physiologically inferior to you, that they were created in a lesser magnitude or a lesser being of humanity: that they are socially, economically, physically, spiritually, and mentally lower. [Racism] comes from the lack of love for human beings people don’t love each other, how can you hate a person that you don’t even know?” Peebles said.

Peebles has been called a “n****r” on three separate occasions throughout his life, once in Chicago, once in Florida, and once in the situation above: all from people who he did not know. Though he is not easily offended, this word still evokes a feeling of extreme vexation. Despite this, because he has grown up in

a black home, he has been taught to deal with, and understand other people and their treatment.

“I have been told, ‘Keenan you can’t blame someone for being who they were taught to be,’ parents can only produce what they are, so when I hear any other race say something that is ignorant to another race, I have sympathy for them, because I know they’re only ignorant,” Peebles said.

Peebles experiences the hindrances of racism, prejudice, and overall human hatred everyday throughout his life. Although he does not allow his race to become a handicap in his life, he has experienced situations in which this was unavoidable, and has fears and phobias as a result.

“I think that in moments there has been obvious racism, there’s obvious prejudice, but I never want to think of my race always being a handicap, [some] people use their race and the history of their race as an excuse to justify certain behaviors, which is where I disagree with certain African Americans,” Peebles said.

Peebles chooses to ignore his race when it comes to his abilities and level of acceptability in life and rather focus on who he is as a person, and feels this is how things should always be. As Peebles said “forget the color of your skin, if i were to cut you, we would all bleed red.” Peebles does not see his pigment as an excuse, or a crutch, but instead relies on his other qualities to prove who he is as a person, refraining from his race defining who he is.

“I’m a person that likes things to be done not because of who I am, not because of what I look like, or the color of my skin, but rather than the content of my character,” Peebles said.

Due to African Americans facing discrimination throughout history, Peebles mentioned the existence of

“I’ve experienced culture in different ways and have been able to travel and see what other cultures are like.”

- Jack Pordea Junior Jack Pordea, student who moved here from Romania wears a jersey representing his home country.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Dec. 16, 2016

15

16

in focus

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 quotas for minimum and maximum amounts Peebles believes this ignorance, this comfort in of certain genders, races, sexualities, and staying in our own ways, never accepting change ethnicities, which he says can sometimes be an or different ideas, leads to obliviousness to the impediment on his everyday life, and how he goes affects our actions have on those around us and about things, and goes about bettering himself. their feelings and lives. Even sometimes they “I don’t want to look good on paper I want become so unaware that they are blind to the to look good in person. Am I relatable? Am I image they portray of their self. touchable? Am I agreeable?

“In the African-American Am I able to work with people?” community the word n***** is Peebles said. “I don’t want to thrown around like fleas on a be chosen because I’m black dog. I use the analogy of fleas because the government requires on a dog because it is absolutely you to have a certain amount of horrendous [to use that word]. You black people...I don’t want to be can’t expect people to treat you statistically great I want to be with respect if you don’t have any characteristically great” respect for yourself,” Peebles said.

Furthermore, Peebles addresses On the other hand, Peebles Caucasian how his race has created a barrier explains sometimes this respect between himself and others of for oneself is sometimes in too different races and ethnicities, abundant, and expressed in the and how this has been the most wrong ways and outlets: by not African dramatic impact on his life. considering others feelings and American “Race has so much isolated opinions, and staying in one’s me from cultural exposure, and ignorant, routine life.

I’m not just talking about lack of “There is sort of a culture in exposure to caucasian culture: our school, that conservative American whether it be another ethnicity or haughty sort of blindness to the Indian another culture I find myself being issues to the world. If you don’t very polarized when it comes to think empathetically you won’t different discussions,” Peebles recognize those issues. What [the said. “In some shape, form, or confederate flag] means to you Asian fashion, my race has caused me [is one thing], but that flag to me to be somewhat ignorant.” means something completely Because of this sense of different. Everyday operations as isolation, it has pushed Peebles a student just means being very Hispanic/ that much further into the depths vigilant,” Peebles said.

Latino of understanding humans and In recognizing this, Peebles the way people see things, and points out we as a society have Source: U.S. Census communicate with one another. become too okay with accepting Bureau This has incentivized him to see how we are, and we don’t work other points of view, and see to improve ourselves in order to things outside of his set of his lessen the divide between people. normal thought process.

“Let us not try and be so angelic “It is my day-to-day challenge to be able to that we forget that being human makes us flawed. be empathetic with people to see where they I have to really think about what comes out of are coming from to see their point of view while my mouth because it can really be offensive and expecting them to be empathetic with me,” that’s where that whole empathy thing comes Peebles said. “I think as a person of the black from, because we have to empathize with people community or black ethnicity, one of the biggest and learn to say ‘I’m not going to disrespect the struggles is learning how to shape my life so it’s not culture, I’m not going to disrupt the essence or the just all about black, it isn’t just all about Africannucleus of who you are by saying offensive words,’” American. Things are much more relatable when said Peebles.

I become much more empathetic,” said peebles.

This coincides with what people have been

Minorities in Missouri

83% 12% .6%

“In my case, the ability to travel and see the world and all of its diversity and how different the world really is.”

- Talia Thambyrajah Junior Talia Thambyrajah with a Malaysian God. Her mother is caucasian and her father is Malaysian. In her hands is Ganesa, one of the gods the Hindu worship.

2% 4%

CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16 taught, or what we believe, and refusing to ever attempts to intermingle, and make himself more change this idea or way of thought. Peebles aware. explains these thoughts of racism, and hatred Considering all of our differences, it is still do not just spur up out of thin air, they do not impossible to understand and accept one not manifest on a random occasion. They are another. In fact, Peebles goes as far to say it may something instilled over time. be easier than we would believe.

“I can’t be upset with [racists] “For instance black people because [they’ve] been taught to eat sweet potato pie and most act like that and if [they’re] racist white homes eat pumpkin pie. then [their] parents must be racist So there is an analogy to show and [their] grandparents must be that disconnect. The pies look racist because there’s no way, there basically the same, but they have is no way someone can just wake up such a difference in taste, and one day and say ‘I’m going to be a so that goes to show we are not racist,’” Peebles said. as different as we think we are,” Essentially, because Peebles Peebles said. “We have to learn Caucasian is a minority and has faced how to make those connections discrimination, he has learned to and talk and discuss with people value social skills, and the ability who have lived totally different to empathize with others. He has lives than us.”

African also learned what huge impact In fact, Keenan refers to this American differences between one another difference that really isn’t as can have, and the importance to large as we make it out to be, know the differences between with the Greek term, agape, cultures and people. which means a brotherly American “A lot of fathers are missing from love. Humans are failing to Indian the black communities homes, understand, and love each [and] if no one knows that and they other, and this is the biggest walk into a black house it’s going reason we can not come to be a mental and emotional together, skin tone, gender, Asian catastrophe,” Peebles said. “When I sexuality, and religion aside: we moved out here to St. Charles, I was are lacking that brotherly love. sort of bombarded, not necessarily “I think that we sometimes by the educational or the academic can get complacent with just Hispanic/ rigor, but the social change that I being around our culture and Latino had never experienced before in a I know people who are just school it really took me off guard.” fine with being around black Peebles believes one of the roots people, or people that are just of disconnect and conflict between fine being around white people Multiple people of different races, genders, ... most people are okay with races or ethnicities is that we do not fully being with just their kind” understand one another.

Peebles believes we need to Source: FHC registrar “You need to be able to know see things different. That people

Minorities in FHC

85% 8%

.2% 2% 3%

“I basically have to work twice as hard, you hear things that aren’t necessary acceptable and you have to fight constantly to prove it wrong.”

- Tatiana Hanna Senior Tatiana Hanna I’m a female, I’m black, and I’m half bahamian making her a minority.

2%

how the culture works, how is the structure of the family built? What are the stereotypical things of a culture and so when I know those things I can stay away from them. How do things operate? How do things move?” said Peebles.

Even though Peebles tries his best to understand and learn about other people’s cultures, he is constantly still running into differences and barriers everyday, even as he

need to go about life differently, and get out of their own bubble, their own values, or even their own life.

“It is always good for people to open up their heart and open up their ears and say I need to stop listening with my ears and listen with their ears, I need to stop seeing with my eyes and see with their eyes I need to stop feeling with my heart and start feeling with yours and maybe what I’m doing is just slightly offensive,” Peebles said.

Dec. 16, 2016

17

18

in focus

LANGUAGE BARRIER Upon moving to the United States from China, junior Siyi Wang experienced some adjustments to a country in which she didn’t speak the language. I had to go home and do all the practice in order to be able to talk to you guys and understand what the teachers are teaching in class,� Wang said. PHOTO BY TAYLOR TINNES

*

iN place a new

* Siyi Wang overcame a rough start, language barrier to see her new country as a blessing

By Skylar Laird Feature Editor

C

onfused and afraid, seventh grade Siyi Wang locks herself in a bathroom stall.

Outside the restroom, she can hear dogs barking and a voice speaking over the intercom system speaking in a language she can not yet understand, having just moved from China to America a few months prior. Unsure of what’s happening, Wang remains hidden out of her fear of dogs, which she can still hear barking in the hallway, outside the restroom.

Once the police realize she’s in there, and after failed attempts at explaining the situation due to the language barrier, Wang is brought out of hiding and down to the principal’s office, where she sits, surrounded still by officers and trained canines, fearful that this is her fault, that she has done something seriously wrong to end up here. Finally, however, her worries are curbed by a mom who speaks Mandarin Chinese, Wang’s native language, who explains the entire situation to the terrified new student: how this is a routine check by officers, how nothing serious has happened, how none of this has to do with her.

Four years later, a junior in high school, Wang recounts the experience in English so fluent it’s difficult to tell there was ever a time she couldn’t speak it; a trait almost

ironic in nature as she recalls first grappling with the language.

“It was scary because I didn’t know much English back then, and it seemed like everyone was nice to me, but I just couldn’t understand them,” she said of her move. “[Learning English] was a real struggle; I had to go home and do all the practice in order to be able to talk to you guys and understand what the teachers are teaching in class.”

There was more to the move than just a language difference, though; China and America vary in numerous ways, from class sizes to holidays to the very food people eat.

“I think one tradition that we have is different festivals,” Wang said.

“You guys have your festivals, like Independence Day, New Year’s, or Christmas, almost equivalent to what we have, but we have just a few more since China’s been around for so long. I never celebrated Thanksgiving or Halloween in China.” She also pointed out a difference in cuisine.

“Food is also so different,” she said. “In China, it’s not just Chinese food. It’s actually very involved, and we have other food from other countries, but here almost everything from other countries is Americanized.”

Even the schooling came as a sort of culture shock for Wang, who was used to a different sort of system.

“Starting [school] here was very different from China. Class is not as big here, and you get more time with teachers individually, and the classes

“I’m many different cultures. I’m Russian, Tangalin, Hawaiian, and I’m gay. so there are all these different subcultures within the culture that just kind of define me as a minority.”

- Aleksandr Kisseloff Junior Aleksandr Kisseloff holds a mirror and makeup brush in hair flaunts his skills in beauty.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Dec. 16, 2016

19

in focus

20

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 are much easier,” she explained. she said.

Although each of these changes posed Even after all the difficulties of such an its own difficulties and need for adaptation, enormous move, including struggles in the biggest difference by far for Wang was communicating, new customs, and even going from a majority to a minority, which being locked in a bathroom as dogs barked has had an impact on her outside, Wang wouldn’t day-to-day life. change her experience “If I go out walking or even if she could. shopping, people … they “I’m glad I moved here,” treat you differently,” she she said, “because I can said. “I don’t want to say it’s experience two different racist, but it’s almost like countries and two that. When I or my mom different ethnicities at the and I walk into a store or same time.” She further something like that, it’s like explained: “In everyday life, Caucasian you can just feel the tone if we’re discussing an event change.” or situation, people ask me, This tone change, ‘How is it different if you’re however, did not carry into in China?’ or ‘How would African Wang’s social life at school, you do this if you’re not American as she reported never really thinking as an American having been bullied for her this second?’” ethnicity; the worst she has Being a person of two faced has been over-thedifferent cultures, Wang American line humor. said she was proud of both.

Indian “Sometimes people “[Being an American] make jokes and they is different than what I don’t really take into deep thought, but I’m proud consideration how far they that I’m here,” she said. “I Asian go as a joke,” she said. thought people back in Asian stereotypes are the China would dislike me if I main culprit of these jokes, was an American, but they including jokes about her were fine, and my friends Hispanic/ skills as a driver, having had are really nice with me, Latino people tell her that if she and experiencing being an were to stop at a stop sign American is really cool.” for too long no one would Being a minority, Wang approach her because has faced challenges Multiple she’s an Asian driver. “It’s most students never have, races hurtful,” she said, “because meaning not everyone can it’s like saying because I’m relate to her experiences.

Source: U.S. Census Asian I’m scary or a bad Her piece of advice for Bureau driver.” anyone who might not Despite not having been understand what she has bullied for her ethnicity, done and been through is however, making friends did not initially simply to imagine what it’s been like for come too naturally for her due to her her. inability to understand English after first “Try to put yourself in a situation where moving to America. you move to another country, and be in “[Making friends] was hard at first, but it’s the minority in that country, and think also really funny because I make mistakes about how you talk and be with other speaking English and they’ll correct me,” people. It’s different,” she said.

Minorities in USA

77% 13%

“I suppose a minority could be anyone who’s different from what people perceive as normal.”

- Adam Khan Senior Adam Khan, carries the Quran, the central religious text of Islam.

Being a minority has never entirely defined who Khan is and the way he acted, but it has taken an influence on of the ways he lives his life.

“I talk about it all the time. It is not something I’m shy about. I’ll tell people I’m Afghani, Pakistani, Indian, German, Irish. I’m a mutt basically,” said Khan.

6% 2%

18% 2%

*

iN minority the

* Khan,

Hritzkowin, Thamyrajah share how being a member of a minority group has affected their lives

By Lukas Mendel Copy editor

T

he smaller number or part, especially a number that is less than fifty percent of the whole number. This is the general, basic definition that the word minority spurs from. A minority, though, is not just a word or a mere number, it is an embodiment of all people who represent cultures, religions, sexual orientations, or ethnicities that differ from the majority of others.

Being considered a minority will differ from place to place, as a black man is considered a minority here at school, but a white man would be considered a minority within the Middle East. What never changes, is the way people’s vast differences works to define themselves and their experiences as an individual, for the good or bad. Being a minority especially can play a major part into the development of how one defines themselves.

Adam Khan, senior, would define himself as a minority because of his Muslim faith and being a child of mixed parents. Khan differs from the mass Christian and white population at school, but he says he has never been entirely defined by it. “[Being a minority hasn’t affected me], Not too much no, there are jokes and they are from friends so it’s always in jest, but I just have too much pride for anything to really affect me that much,” said Khan.

Khan’s pride in being a minority has affected him the most throughout his life, as personally being Muslim has not changed him as a person.

Olivia Hritzkowin, sophomore, defines herself as a minority being a member of the LGBT community and also being a woman. Hritzkowin feels strongly that her being a minority has played a major role in her development as a person and that it’s influence has defined her.

“It has influenced me because I

Dec. 16, 2016

feel discrimination because of it, every once in awhile not all the time, I think America is becoming a lot more accepting of it, but it has also influenced my home life,” Hritzkowin said. “My parents and family have to deal with it and they don’t relate to it.

It has affected a lot of aspects.”

The influence has been negative at times, and it took Hritzkowin time before she could truly feel proud of being who she was. She has definitely felt the negativity from others before because of who she is:a minority.

“I don’t think I’ve lost any friends because of it, but I have had people stray away from me. I’ve had people at school call me names behind my back ...When I’m in the hallway I hear something about being gay …

I used to, like in freshman year and eighth grade, get really offended by it and it made me really upset and now I just say ‘Yeah it’s true.’ I feel like it’s something that I shouldn’t be ashamed of,”Hritzkowin said.

Talia Thambyrajah, junior, defines herself as a minority because of her ethnicity as a Malaysian and her deep cultural experiences. Thambyrajah feels that her cultural background has significantly defined the person she has become and is truly grateful she is allowed to experience it.

Thambyrajah greatly values diversity in not just herself, but in all people.

People’s diversity is what defines themselves as an individual and Thambyrajah thinks we should place more importance on it in our society.

Her diversity has also brought her deep cultural experiences that she would otherwise never be able to experience if she was not a minority.

“Being culturally diverse has definitely changed my personal life and they way I perceive life,” Thambyrajah said. “I just really value diversity a lot because I think it’s really important. It is something that we don’t value as people as much as we should.”

“I would consider myself a minority because I am a in the LGBT community.”

- Olivia Hritzkowin sporting her rainbow patch representing the LGBT community. Hritzkowin feels strongly that her being a minority has played a major role in her development as a person and that it’s influence has defined her.

“It has influenced me because I feel discrimination because of it, every once in awhile not all the time, I think America is becoming a lot more accepting of it, but it has also influenced my home life,” Hritzkowin said. “My parents and family have to deal with it and they don’t relate to it. It has affected a lot of aspects.”

21

22

move

Snowed out Looking for a place this winter to get out and hit the slopes?

Here are the top places for a sleigh ride around St. Louis

By Hailey Stewart Staff reporter

1. Art Hill in Forest Park - The most beloved sledding locale due to the slope of the hill. It is very spacious, but very popular 2. Bum’s Hollow in Blanchette Park - It’s bowl shape boasts hills and can accommodate hundreds of sledders as a time.

3. Deer Creek Park, Maplewood - A short but steep hill. Has multiple “dips.”

4. Glidden Park, Collinsville - Includes a hockey rink.

The sledding hill itself is fast enough to maintain control yet thrill a person. The hill is for the most part smooth, no major bumps.

5. Haskell Park, Alton - It has a steep slope and quick drop-off for a fast ride down.

6. Suson Park, South St. Louis County - The length of the hill is impressive.

7. Sioux Passage Park, North St. Louis County - While running up the hill is no picnic, sledding down is a blast. The hill is long, steep, and compared to more highly populated areas, is usually not very crowded.

8. Hidden Valley - This resort makes the snow Mother Nature doesn’t.

They have grooms and runs and provide you with their lifts to jump off and ski down. Fun, however pricey.

BOUNCE! Kaleb Cissell dribbles the ball while preparing for this year’s basketball season. They’re trying their hardest at practice in hopes of good outcomes this year.

PHOTO BY BELEN HERRERA

HARD WORKING Pre-season practices have included more running and scrimmages, according to senior Marcus James, above, running a play during a practice. PHOTO BY BELEN HERRERA

High hopes

Boys basketball prepares for season with lofty expectations

By Liz Baker

Staff Editor The boys varsity basketball team began its season in December with a loss against Francis Howell North. Coaches Larry Anders and Brian Cissell, prepared the team for its season.

Each year Coach Anders prepares his teams in a variety of ways making sure that the players are ready for the season as best they can be.

“I prepare for each game as if it was twenty years ago. I make sure my players are prepared mentally and physically. We watch game film on teams and find a tendency each team has,” said Coach Anders, entering his twentieth year as FHC’s coach.

Team captains, Marcus James and Kaleb Cissell both noticed the lack of height on the team this year. Anders says the team makes up for this with strong defense and speed; James thinks the team can make up for the shortcoming with their sense of community and understanding.

“We have a good chemistry, and we have fun on the court together,” James said “We trust each other to do what we need to do; everybody knows their role, “ He further explained that the younger team members weren’t trying to show off and be the one scoring constantly, that instead they were working together for the good of the team so that the team as a whole could do

their best.

Kaleb Cissel has the same approach as Anders, he thinks the team’s skills will be what drives them and allows them to overcome the height difference.

“As a team, we’re real small so we’re going to have to be faster than the bigger teams and hopefully we’ll just play smarter and quicker than everybody,” said Kaleb Cissell.

Kaleb said the team they would need to rely more on their guards and have a more quick-paced play to recover for their absence of height on the team.

Anders thinks the team dynamic is interesting as well. He’s waiting to see how they will perform when the clock’s ticking; Kaleb Cissell has high hopes for the team this year too.

“I think we’re going to do a lot better this year than we did last year, so I’m excited to see how this season is going to go,” said Kaleb Cissell.

Last year the team was expected to do well but ended up losing in the districts against Francis Howell. According to Kaleb Cissel the team is faster than they were last year which will be another factor in making up for the height, they still need to work hard though.

“We just need to work harder than we thought we needed to. We had high expectations but while we played well, they played better.” said Kaleb Cissell.

James said that because of the high

Dec. 16, 2016

expectations of this year and the loss of many senior players, the remaining players were mainly trying to do what they could to help the team win instead of trying to score as much as they could individually.

Anders has high expectations for the team.

He thinks they can compete for a GAC title and a District Championship. They couldn’t get to that point without practicing first though; the team has been practicing every week day for the past four weeks. Anders prepares the team beforehand, starting at the end of the previous season, by watching old teams games, open gyms, weight training sessions, summer team camps and fall league. According to Kaleb Cissell, the team also usually tries to have a dinner together before a game.

“We prepare by doing our best at practice,” said Kaleb Cissell “We try to get mentally prepared as well, like on the bus.”

While Anders way of preparing the team may not have changed, the captains have noticed differences in the way their practices run. To James, the team is more united this year; Kaleb Cissell, has noticed a change in fluidity since last year. “They go more smoothly than they did before,” said Kaleb Cissell. “I think how fast and efficient they are [is the biggest change].”

The team leaders have a good outlook on the rest of the season and have confidence the team will do well with its skills, unity, and dynamic.

23

24

move

Jackson Berck PHOTOS BY TAYLOR TINNES

Last season’s state qualifiers talk about this season and where to improve

By Elizabeth Gerger

Move Editor Last season, the wrestling team placed ninth in state, with five of the six state qualifiers placing, including state champion Jackson Berck. Three of the six state qualifiers were, then freshmen, Devin Schwartzkopf, Corey Wait, and Andrew Godier.

This season Assistant Coach Rocky Vercher, owner and operator of Victory Performance Training, is hoping to bring an even bigger lineup and have more state qualifiers than last year.

“State titles have eluded this program it’s entire existence. We have come super close, placing top five [in state] many

times. We are a young team with four returning state players,” Coach Vercher.

“If we stay healthy, we have a great chance of capturing this elusive title in the years to come, hopefully, this year.”

After a few weight class changes and lots of cutting, the team has high hopes for the season. Many of the coaches are looking at a top four finish in state, but senior state qualifier Dylan Gillette thinks otherwise.

“I think we’ll qualify most of our lineup this year for state, and we’ll definitely be a lot better than last year,” Gillette said.

“All the wrestlers are looking at a [team] state championship and that’ll be the first one in school history.”

220 lbs 2016 State Champion at 195 lbs “My advantage in gaining weight is that I lift in the offseason and just keep getting stronger and then I don’t have to worry about watching my weight.”

The motivation level of the team has been raised in hopes to be even more successful than last season.

“We have a quote this year that the boys came up with: ‘212 Degrees’. Water boils at 212 degrees, which creates steam. Steam can move a locomotive. At 211 degrees it’s just really hot water. The last one degree makes all the difference,” Coach Vercher said. “The boys and coaches brainstormed together to come up with this quote. We [the coaches] also work very hard on staying positive, which is proven in many studies to be more effective in creating successful wrestlers and great young men.”

“My mission in life is to give kids the guidance and knowledge that I didn’t have at that young age.”

Assistant Coach Rocky Vercher

Dylan Gillette

Andrew Godier

195 lbs 2016 State qualifier at 220 lbs “I’ll be a lot stronger comparably at 195 than most of the other wrestlers since I’m a bigger guy already, and, since I cut all this weight, I’ll be one of the biggest guys at 195.

I have the strength of a 220 pounder at 195.”

126 lbs 2016 6th in State at 113 lbs “Being a freshman (last year), a challenge going into state was my lack of experience. This year, I think our team is looking really well and we’ll place high in state.”

Devin Schwartzkopf

138 lbs 2016 2nd in State at 132 lbs “I think I was pretty successful last year, it didn’t end how I wanted, but it was pretty good.”

Corey Wait

132 lbs.

2016 6th in State at 126 lbs “My conditioning is pretty good. Everyone has the skill, but I think I have the advantage when it comes to conditioning, I just have more gas in the tank.”

Dec. 16, 2016

25

FREE! Big Mac or Quarter Pounder with Cheese with Purchase of Big Mac or Quarter Pounder with Cheese Sandwich at Regular Price.

Expiration: 12/31/2016

We are hiring smiling faces!

Now accepting applications online at: www.pleaseapplyonline.com/christianfoods Location address: 6251 Mid Rivers Mall Dr., St. Peters, MO

snagajob

JOIN OUR TEAM: www.pleaseapplyonline.com/christianfoods

WATCH IT LIVE!

Basketball starts in December!

FHCtoday.com will be at the court to broadcast the following games: UPCOMING BASKETBALL GAMES: GIRLS Today: vs. Francis Howell North at 5:30p Jan. 5: vs. Timberland at 7p BOYS Today: vs Francis Howell North at 7 p.

Jan. 6: vs. Timberland at 7p

Friendboys “Ohmygosh, are you guys dating!?” If I had a quarter for every time I heard this come out of someone’s mouth, I would be filthy rich. It’s one thing if it is just teenagers causing more Elisa Swanson drama, but it’s everyone: Web executive editor nosy moms, the cashier at the grocery store, the people who shouldn’t even care. I cannot walk to class with, ask for help on an assignment from, even SPEAK to someone of the opposite gender without someone assuming we are more than friends or our relationship is heading in that direction.

The thing is, I probably have the same number of guy friends as girl ones and the assumption every single one of those males is or will become something more than a platonic friend comes from a different era. If you ask me, an era where women were expected to stay in the house and fraternizing with the opposite gender was scandalous.

People should stop commenting on opposite gender friendships because they help more than they hurt, and in part, they are not much different than having a relationship with someone of the same gender. There are so many benefits to having friends of both genders, the following are just six reasons why having friends of the opposite gender is amazing.

Diversity. Guys and girls have different ideas of “hanging out;” it brings some flavor into the friend group. Having friends who are both guys and girls broadens your spectrum and your views about things. Recently, I’ve been exposed to Swedish heavy metal, something I probably wouldn’t have if it was not for a close male friend.

Diversity makes you step out of your comfort zone, and most of the time, that’s a good thing.

Confidence. Having any friends boosts a person’s self esteem, but having friends of the opposite gender pulls a person out of their shell, even if it’s because you have to stand up for yourself more or explain yourself more, like why the pens all have to be facing in the same direction or why an all gray outfit is socially unacceptable.

Less competition.

Notice they call it a cat fight for a reason.

Surrounding yourself with other girls is fun and feels safe, but it is kind of like a competition of who’s the fittest. You don’t really expect your guy friend to also be trying to grab the attention of the cute guy in math class.

With less

competition comes less stress. You do not feel like you have to have the latest trends or be up on the latest contouring methods because the little details don’t matter to guys. You can allow yourself to let your hair down once in awhile. With less insecurity that you aren’t standing out compared to the girl next to you, there’s also less drama.

Girls feed on drama. Not that it’s necessarily a bad thing because I get it: I get salty and angry, but when my drama is fed to my girlfriends, it becomes an ocean of salt. Sometimes, drama just needs some pepper to its salt to bring it back to a middle ground. Guys aren’t afraid to be a little insensitive and realistic and sometimes that’s better than feeding the negative emotions.

No filter. Blatant honesty. Somewhere along the line, honesty makes a friendship so much stronger. In a truly, no gray space, guy-girl friendship, the filter just comes off the moment the two of you are together. Who cares if the f-bomb slips or a burp comes out? This friendship is not to impress each other with how ladylike or gentlemanlike you can be.

Best person to ask for advice in your love life.

Or any advice really. It has to do with the blatant honesty. Sometimes you just need to pick the brain of the opposite gender, but you know you can’t exactly ask your crush what he means when he sends more Snapchats of his cat than himself.

No one knows that answer better than another male. They also are not afraid to say what you don’t need to hear, like that guy might not be interested in you or you dress like a middle age mom. While it’s nice to hear compliments (and girls are queens of complementing) and advice can seem harsh, the truth is not always nice and in this case, “If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all,” does not apply.

Dec. 16, 2016

No seriously.

We’re just friends No one else can embarrass you the way he can. Part of girl code is not sharing the selfies you took before you brushed your hair or your teeth or when you were trying to win the most number of chins you can have contest. There’s no code here, which makes it even more embarrassing when those triple chin photos end up on Twitter two years later. This person is like the sibling you didn’t ask for but secretly wanted and with that comes the “harmless” blackmail of years of terrible photos and embarrassing stories that never get old, like the one time you ran into a stop sign and broke your collarbone.

No relationship is perfect. Every single one has its ups and downs and loop de loops but the near perfect friendships make it through them all. It should not matter whether this person shares the same gender as you. Sure, no guy friend will understand the struggle of PMS-ing or willingly watch a marathon of chick flicks, but there’s something great about having someone outside of your girls to go to, someone who will be completely real with you but also funny and silly and allow you to ask dumb questions like if Cosmo is always right about what guys. Plus, who knows, in 20 years, if life works out as a movie, they might be the perfect maid of honor.

27

28

voice

The pursuit of

unhappiness Finding joy in between the highs and lows of being a student Right now, it’s dark outside. It wasn’t dark when I got here and sat down, and it wasn’t dark when my dad got home from work, proud about some great point Garrett Allen he made at that huge Staff reporter meeting he had. It wasn’t dark when I got here, but it’s dark now, and still laying before me is the monstrous pile of notebooks, textbooks, packets, unread messages, and stress — due soon, I think. This sucks. I know I can’t check my phone anymore. I know that years from now, I’ll still be sitting somewhere before the pile, and it will still yet be dark outside. I worry that, like my cat, I will soon become nocturnal.

I am not a happy person. People read that, and subsequently believe that makes me an “unhappy” person … and at times, (more frequently than I’d like) I am certainly and undoubtedly unhappy — but never completely, never fully enough to make my life, my existence — dark outside. If life is

a cascading river, then we place ourselves on one of two banks: total satisfaction, and ultimate gloom. There is no spectrum — “to be, or not to be.” It is as if to achieve success in our lives, we must find complete happiness with all that we do, or be cast upon the forlorn wastes of the other side of the timelessly cascading, unrelenting river.

I don’t feel unhappy though. Waking up before the sun itself remains intensely disturbing to me, and the educational gauntlet we wade through is daunting, yes, but it’s not a death sentence. I simply live in between, gloriously paddling a tiny raft in the center of the river. I don’t need to pursue happiness, nor do I desire it — that absolute condemnation to a golden throne upon a mountain of pure euphoria. None of us can get there, and none of us ever will.

Yet there is meaning behind the bullets we dodge. We find purpose in our sleepless nights of studying, striving, yearning for the gateway to be opened for a perhaps eternal happiness … and what we don’t realize is satisfaction exists without joy. The hours of power and sweat we put into our

passion fulfills us, even if it makes us restless, showerless, and, at this point, probably a little bit nocturnal. Medical students are notorious for hating their insane lives, but the magic of the matter is that they also love it — they bathe themselves in the river. Engineers, military servicemen, teachers, biologists, authors, veterinarians, cats — all live with stress, yet find life-giving meaning in their passions. I am not alone on my little, fantastic raft. We’re all there. What defines us is whether or not we choose to leave the eternal banks to brave a life of motion, of passion.

And it’s still dark outside. Time to ride the night, get a little wet, become driven. We will return here again. But next time, never forget what we’re hurting for.

We will return again, return to the lonely nighttime, to the infinitesimal reservoir of the universe’s wisdom. We will return again.

But next time, remember that life is terribly short. Remember that even if things are hard, and it’s difficult to pull tired bones together enough to find the will to push on, life is only ever the meaning we give it.

It’s dark outside ... it’ll be okay.

F O C A L

POINTS Each issue, the editorial staff of the Central Focus picks three issues focused on the school and gives you insight and impact in just a couple quick sentences.

Emily Mann: Music

Music is something so much more than white noise, or random sounds. Music is the ability to express thoughts, ideas, and feelings that one could not otherwise express or convey to someone. Music is the ability to capture and tell the stories of which can not remain silent, that need to be heard. Music is the opportunity to bring people together, to learn and understand eachothers differences, music is the way to hear things differently, a way to open our ears and really hear those around us.

Music captivates, music expresses, and music creates the most beautiful things in life.

Elisa Swanson: Snapchat

One of the past Snapchat updates allow users to bold, italicize, and underline the text they send to their friends, which is one of my favorite things ever. People always complain that text doesn’t get the whole message across, but with these new features the tone of voice and change in emphasis can be used and changed up. It is so much better than the constrictions of simply capitalizing when you get excited, angry, and sarcastic.

Juliet Fuhrman: School technology

Technology has become and very big part of our educational lives. We submit our art projects, type our essays, and work on our class assignments on Google classroom, but not everyone has the ability to access Google Classroom or even a computer. When students can’t get online, their grade suffers for it, which isn’t right. Teachers say we shouldn’t depend on technology for everything we do, but they expect us to put important school work and homework online, and they depend on technology for us to access our assignments.

Students are often unaware of who might hear their hateful words. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JULIET FUHRMANN AND MACKENZIE MORRIS

Weight of words

Too many do not consider impact their words have

T

o this day, curse words run rampant in the halls of most schools. There is no denying that kids curse, and that likely is not going to change. What however can, and should, change is which words are said. If people want to swear every once in awhile, that is their own thing, but it is when slurs are thrown around that other students need to step up. Let’s be honest, a teacher yelling at a student for saying the n-word won’t make them do anything but mumble it under their breath the moment the adult walks away. Students are the ones who have to say something to their peers for it to actually get through, so consider this an open letter to all of you who say the n-word, f**, or gay as an insult: stop, you are just making a fool of yourself.

It has been 150 years since the United States has been slave free. You would think by now people may have dropped their old ways and taken up civil language, but here we are, still using the unpleasant slang of our ancestors. Many of you frequent users may not know this, but the n-word originally came from an almost prefix for slaves.

Slavemasters would refer to their slaves as “n***** John” or whatever their name was. It became the commonplace to refer to black men as the more aggressive from of negroes even after they were freed. It is a word that has a history of slavery, a symbol of racism, so why do students refuse to drop the ethnic slur? By insisting it is only a way to refer to black people, one is simply denying the truth and allowing himself to be ignorant. Don’t be that guy.

Ethnic slurs are not the only derogatory terms that make their way into our halls. Despite homosexuality becoming more accepted in the eyes of the law, people are still called f** or gay as a synonym for dumb or stupid. Being gay is nothing to be ashamed of and should not be illustrated that way. Whether the person saying the slur is homophobic or not, it is sending the message that being gay equals being unintelligent, which is simply not true. As for those of us who abstain

Dec. 16, 2016

from the use of such words, by standing by and allowing these things to continue in our society, we are placing ourselves in a society that makes a home for subconscious oppression, and that is nothing to be taken lightly.

This is all of our school. It is our duty to stand up to the people who lack enough compassion to watch what they say around the people who may be offended by their words. The best way to create a positive environment in our school is by avoiding the usage of derogatory slurs altogether.

The people who use those terms often do not acknowledge they could be offensive, or simply deny that they are, but that is not anyone’s place to say but the person the term refers to. Only gay people can decide whether using f** and gay as an insult is offensive to their group, and it is no one else’s place to say it is not. As for the minorities who use slurs which refer to themselves, that is their decision, but they should then understand why other people may get the impression it is okay to say that. A black man who calls himself a n***** every day must understand that by speaking those words, he is sending the message it does not offend him to be called that. If a person does not want to be called a slur by others, they must be aware of the way they describe themselves.

Is it right? Maybe not, but when you call yourself something often, don’t be surprised when others follow suit.

Slurs against minorities have remained commonplace in the hallways of our school, and quite frankly, we are too smart for that. Our school pushes us to thrive in whatever way we can, to challenge ourselves academically, but it is about time we start challenging each other to hold ourselves accountable for the words we say.

The English language is a beautiful one, full of ways to insult each other, so next time you want to make fun of your friend for being silly, stray away from “gay” and find a more interesting way of doing it. Like “hebetudinous.” Seriously, how fun is that?

29

30

entertain

Mixing it up

Recipes from different countries can keep holiday baking fresh

By Jessica Fults

Staff reporter Sugar cookies, Gingerbread, Snickerdoodles; all classic christmas cookies that are baked and eaten year after year. While traditional cookies are a hit, they can seem repetitive. These cookies from Korea and Germany bring a new aspect to your standard spread.

Still want to bake traditional cookies, but with a twist? Here are four ways to add something special to them.

1.) Infuse cookies or frosting with spices or other flavorings.

2.) Dip the cookies in candy melt.

3.) Add dried fruit into the batter or center of the cookie.

4.) Edible glitter recipe: 1/4 cup granulated sugar or other crytalline sugars 1/2 teaspoon liquid food coloring. (see picture to the right).

GLITTER The glitter soaks into the sugar, forming edible glitter, a creative way to spice up your holiday baking. Holiday bakers can add this to any Christmas cookie for an extra touch.

Korean flower cookies (Yakgwa):

Pfeffernusse from Germany:

Sift flour into a bowl and mix in the sesame oil and egg yolk. Add salt and pepper. In another bowl, combine ginger juice, rice wine, and honey. Mix into the flour mixture. Knead lightly. Form dough into balls, making about 20. Use a cookie press to form an impression on the cookie, and on the underside, poke with a fork. In a pan, heat the oil.

Drop them, 5-6 at a time. Fry for 2 1/2 minutes, turning them and fry for another 2 1/2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and cool on a rack. Move to a plate and top with cinnamon and nuts. Yield: 20 cookies

In a mixing bowl stir flour, salt, baking soda, pepper, aniseeds, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves. In a second mixing bowl with an electric mixer cream butter, sugar, and molasses on medium. Beat in the egg. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture and beat until thoroughly blended. Cover and chill dough for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease baking sheets. Roll dough into 1 ½ inch balls. Place balls two inches apart onto sheets. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes.

When cookies are still warm, roll in powdered sugar. Transfer the cookies to cooling racks. Yield: 24-30 cookies

YUMMY During the cooling process of the Yakgwa cookies, they are placed on a cooling rack. After this they are ready to enjoy.

SUGAR After rolling the warm cookies in powdered sugar, wait for them to cool. They are now ready to be shared and eaten at your next holiday party.

2 cups of flour 2 tbsps of sesame oil 1 egg yolk Pinch of salt and pepper 1 tbsp of freshly squeezed ginger juice 2 tbsps rice vinegar 3 tbsps honey or agave 1 cup canola oil ½ tbsp cinnamon and 4 tbsps coarsely chopped pine nuts for topping.

2 ¼ cups of all purpose flour 1 pinch salt ¼ teaspoon baking soda, allspice, and nutmeg ½ teaspoon pepper, anise seed, and cinnamon ½ cup butter, softened ¾ cup of brown sugar ¼ cup molasses 1 egg Powdered sugar to roll cookies in (use desired amount)

What Christmas character are you?

By Bryce Lee Staff reporter

1) What’s your favorite Christmas food?

A) Cookies C) Pudding

B) Ham D) Deviled Eggs

2) Which do you like the most?

A) Christmas Food C) Christmas movies

B) Opening presents D) Having snowball fights

3) What’s your Favorite part of 25 days of Christmas?

A) Christmas parties B) Movie marathons C) Christmas shopping D) Seeing Christmas lights

4) What’s your favorite activity?

A) Making gingerbread houses C) Decorating the tree

B) Popcorn & movie D) Hanging up decorations

5) Which is more important to You?

A) Spreading the Christmas spirit in need C) Being with family

B) Donating money to those D) Getting presents

6) How much do you like receiving presents?

A) 10 C) 7-9

B) 4-6 D) 0-3

7) How much do you like giving others presents?

A)10 C) 4-6

B) 7-9 D) 0-3

8) How much do you enjoy Christmas?

If you answered mostly C’s you are- “Kevin McCallister” from “Home Alone” If you answered mostly B’s you are- “The Grinch” from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” ANSWERS: If you answered mostly A’s you are- “Santa Claus”

B) 7-9 D) 0-3

If you answered mostly D’s you are- “Scrooge” from “A Christmas Carol”

A)10 C) 4-6

If you had mostly equal answers, then you are “Rudolph” from “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”

Dec. 16, 2016

31

NEWSPAPER & WEB: “Newspaper has ignited a passion within and given me a reason to come to school every day. Room 139 has become my favorite place, and I’m very thankful to have found something to enjoy in high school.”

Emily Mann, editor-in-chief 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, editorin-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 can be an individual or group project that is approved by Mr. Schott. It can be published in any publication and can be done in either one semester or over two.

WHY PUBLICATIONS

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, enroll in Newspaper Production or Yearbook Production when signing up for classes for 2017-18!

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 Journalism, 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!