Northstar Sept. Edition

NORTH STAR 09.25.13 • volume 28 • issue 2 Francis Howell North

WHAT’S NEXT?

NORMANDY

Roof Fix Planned Doc Promotes Purple

Sisters Dominate The Courts Leggings Debate

CONTENTS 4-5

28-29

NEWS

02-03

POWDER PUFF

KOE struggles to find participants for the annual Powder Puff game for the third year in a row.

SPORTS

28-29

TWICE THE TALENT

31

PETE THE GREAT

Freshman diver is making a splash into action as he qualifies for State this season.

CHANGE FOR ALL

03

Changes to this year’s Homecoming assembly causes controversy.

04-05

TROUBLE ON THIRD

Leaking skylights, strong odor and air scrubbers raise question in the “Happy Hallway.”

Takenaka sisters work to improve the tennis team and achieve state titles.

32

FIELD ERROR

Varsity Boys soccer team works to overcome new difficulties with the turf.

33

ALL-CONFERENCE

An All-Conference senior comes to FHN hoping to add to the talent of the Varsity Football team.

12

36-37

FEATURES

10-11

JOB

Clementz lands her dream job as she interns for a major fashion company.

13

IT CAN WAIT

Get the facts about texting and driving to make the road a safer place.

15

40-41 OPINIONS 41

RIDE

Runnels makes some waves with his friends at the lake in his free time.

MUSIC

See the local band made popular by its many appearances at well known events and venues.

NOT SO NORMAL

Students show off their unique abilities and characteristics that set them apart from the norm.

17

Take an up-close look at all of the action with photos from this season’s first win.

MAKEUP

See how different brands of cosmetics compare to one another.

12

FOOTBALL FRIDAY

42

GAMING

Learn about the benefits video games offer.

44

An Intro to Physics class at Normandy High School learns observation skills. Students weighed masses of sugar cubes and used their senses to observe. (matt krieg)

LEGGING LOSS

Students go head-tohead with their views on the newly implemented leggings policy.

ON THE COVER

This month, North Star takes an indepth look at the Normandy transfer situation, including changes in FHSD, Normandy regaining accreditation and how the state plans to handle situation. (matt krieg)

2549 Hackmann Rd. St. Charles, MO 63303

DISTRIBUTED FOR FREE TO FHN BY THE NORTH STAR STAFF / PROVIDING AN OPEN FORUM FOR FHN SINCE 1986 PAGE BY BRIANNA MORGAN

BRIEFLY SPEAKING

EPSILON BETA The Learning Commons has started a new service club called Epsilon Beta.

“We have kids that want to be librarians and kids who are just here for the service hours,” librarian Angie Davis said. “We welcome everyone. “

Students attending prom 2013 form a circle to cheer on students engaged in a dance-off. Prom took place on April 20 last year, almost a month before the date of prom this year. (file photo)

I

think Prom will be nice to have on May 17 because the weather will be great and for the seniors it will be a perfect end to our senior year.

- Stephanie Sage, 12

PROM DATE CHANGED

Due to Easter weekend being the third weekend in April, the weekend FHN usually has Prom, the date has been changed to May 17. There’s been a lot of controversy over whether this was the right decision. “[The later date will be better] because it’ll release stress before finals,” Junior Delegates member Bailey North said. “It’ll get people’s minds off of their finals by getting them out and being with their friends and dancing.”

The choices for the Prom date were a Friday night or May 17 since all other weekends were booked. FHN administration approved the date as May 17 because it was pointed out that if Prom were on Friday the school would have attendance issues. However, many students are unhappy with the late date.

“I definitely think it’s a lot later than it should be because it’s only a week or two before school’s out,” senior Tyler Ludwig said. “I think it’d be better if it was moved up a little bit.”

HELD HOSTAGE IN THE AUDITORIUM The fall play this year will be held at 7 p.m. Nov. 21-23 in the auditorium. The play, “In-Laws, Outlaws and Other Despicable People,” is about a family taken hostage while the criminals are hiding from the police. Tickets may be bought in advance for $6 starting the the week of the play or WATCH at the door for $7.

Junior Jack Boden, who plays stressed liquor store robber Tony, is excited about the amount of people who are putting the play together and hoping just as many will come watch.

“I think people should come see this play because it’s going to be really fun to watch and it’s really funny,” Boden said.

Boden is not the only person excited about the play, To see one of the Drama teacher Jeff Tandler is enthused about the outdoor rehearsals for the fall play use this link: scenery and is also looking forward to the audience’s goo.gl/1goNFt reactions. He believes everyone will enjoy the show because it’s humorous and entertaining.

“It’ll be good, all the plays have been very good, high quality and good talent,” Tandler said. “I think they’re going to laugh hysterically, look at the characters, and be able to relate and they will like the ending. It’s very heartfelt.”

PAGE BY LEXI WILKINSON & BRIEFS BY CARLY VOSSMEYER, MELISSA LUKES, ASHLEY EUBANKS & SOPHIE GORDON

SPEAKING UP This year, Speech and Debate got new Head Coach Randy Pierce and new Assistant Coach Jordyn Klackner. Pierce coached at Pattonville for 38 years and Klackner has no Speech and Debate experience. They were offered the positions in place of coach Theresa Maher, who will be on maternity leave soon.

“I like them a lot,” senior Molly Kube said. “We have a nice balance with a new, fresh debater and one with a lot of experience.”

Their goals are to keep the program strong while they prepare the debaters for their tournaments.

THE GOP

RETURNS

The Young Republicans club is returning after a twoyear absence. Their plans include meeting once a month on Thursdays, taking trips to places like City Hall, having movie nights, and doing service projects.

UNDER THE SEA Homecoming will be held Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. in the large gym.

The theme this year is A Knight Under the Sea, so StuCo is decorating the gym with treasure chests and coral reefs.

“I hope everyone likes the theme,” StuCo Parliamentarian Kaitlin Eifert said. “It was fun to plan.”

09.25.13 FHNTODAY.COM 01

n

ns

TOP

Want to see your tweet here?

Tag tweets about school with

TWEETS #FHNnews

@little_mac3

@WiebeSteadyMobn Does anyone else’s school i.d. make you look really chubby and pale or am I just really chubby and pale.....

Shelby Wiebe

I feel like a lot of people aren’t going to homecoming this year. I would never miss a high school dance unless I had to!!

Ashley McIlroy

WATCH IT

SHORTER ROSTER

Watch this video to see how the junior and senior girls are getting pumped for Powderpuff http://goo. gl/ibU9uX

After scrambling to find participants, the Powder Puff game will go on with a significant difference between the number of juniors and seniors

BY BRIANNA MORGAN

1006briannamorgan@gmail.com • @BriMorgan1006

T

onight, the stadium’s stands will fill with people of all ages waiting for the annual Powder Puff game to kick off. After just three scheduled practices, the girls will line the field and prepare to begin the game; the only difference is that there are less players. This year’s 120 seniors is down five from last year and 19 from the year before that. Only 80 juniors are playing which is down 20 from last year and 11 more from the year before that. When sign ups for Powder Puff, sponsored by Knights of Excellence (KOE), came around, finding people to participate was so difficult that KOE extended the deadline for forms. Many people think that it is due to the lack of announcements.

“If there are reasons that girls aren’t playing Powder Puff, then that’s fine,” KOE sponsor Lindsey Scheller said. “We just don’t want that reason to be because we didn’t hear about it. We want to make sure that they aren’t not finding out about it.”

According to Scheller, the number of students has kept declining every year since morning announcements were ended in the 2011 school year. One thing

02 FHNTODAY.COM

09.25.13

that KOE plans to do to fix this problem is to go visit each of the junior and senior homerooms next year so that everyone has a chance to hear about the game. Although most agree that announcements are one of the biggest contributing factors to the decline in participants, some believe that the cost to participate also plays a part. In order to play in the game, there is either a $28 or $37 fee, depending on whether or not the girls want to keep their jersey.

“It’s a lot of money to do it your junior and senior year so I know a lot of people who are just doing it their senior year because of the cost,” junior Haley Holman said.

All proceeds from the game go to other activities KOE does later on in the year, such as the KOE Picnic. Because the game is a fundraiser for the club, tickets cost $3 in advance and will cost $4 at the gate and sports passes cannot be used.

“The money we raise helps us put on better events throughout the year that allow us to celebrate teachers, staff, and students,” KOE Vice President Missy Cloward said.

PAGE BY ALEXIS TAINTER

@Andrew_Scherff

@RealAustinKnott

@WatkinzzMarissa

@joseph_corey

I can calculate the electric flux through a Gaussian surface and the polarity of a molecule, yet I CAN’T DO ECONOMICS

It’s Senior year I can’t wait for homecoming, prom, and snowcoming Imma be a dancing fool

I envy the people who get to go home after school and get to relax

Sometimes I’ll drive past north and laugh at all the people who don’t get released early.

Andrew Scherff

Marissa Watkins

Austin Knott

Joe Henke

WALK OF ATHLETES CUT Changes to this year’s Homecoming Pep Assembly regarding athletes sparks controversy among students

BY LEXI WILKINSON •

lexiwilkinson@gmail.com

@loupy0925

The Homecoming Pep Assembly this Friday will look different than it has before. Previously, all levels of Knightline and Cheerleading performed for the student body. This year, however, StuCo decided to cut the Walk of Athletes, only present the Varsity Football team, and only have Varsity Cheerleading and Knightline perform.

By doing this, StuCo hopes to get everyone more pumped up for the Homecoming game.

“I like the changes,” Varsity Football player Trevor Dames-Bolte said. “I think they’ll get the school more behind us because they’ve been more hesitant with their support in the past.”

Not all athletes feel that the changes will be better, though.

“I’m not really fond of cutting the Walk of Athletes,” Varsity Volleyball player Valerie

Udovenko said. “The pep assembly is about the athletes and when you take that away, it loses the meaning behind it.”

StuCo has made sure to keep all fall athletes in mind. Black and Gold Day was intended to recognize other sports, and there are also plans to have the athletes participate in games that will be more fun to watch than the Walk of Athletes, which was seen as “boring” to some. StuCo sponsor Shelley Parks believes that the changes are for the best and hopes they are embraced by students.

“Tradition is never easy to break,” Parks said. “But once people see that the athletes are still being recognized, I think they’ll appreciate the energy.”

CLUB GETS NEW SPONSOR Youth in Government increases in membership and makes big plans for the year including a trip to the capital city.

BY MADDIE HIATT maddiehiatt@gmail.com

•

@maddiehiatt

Youth in Government began having meetings again this year with a new sponsor. Government and U.S. History teacher Russ Beckman, new to FHN, has taken over the club.

“I was looking for a way to get involved,” Beckman said. “I want to also find a different way of getting kids involved.”

The second meeting of the year was held on Monday, Sept. 17, where a total of 13 people showed up. One of the 13 people at the meeting was sophomore Zoe Lawson who has taken an interest in government.

“I’m interested in politics and I wanted to learn all about the political process,” Lawson said.

Beckman has planned a two-day trip to Jefferson City in mid-November for a conference and is looking into a trip for spring.

Beckman hopes to keep the club from swinging to either side of the political spectrum, and get PAGE BY ALEXIS TAINTER

Teacher Russ Beckman goes over possible activities Youth in Government could do in the coming year.

(Jenna Rodriguez)

enough people from all viewpoints involved to keep the club balanced and sustainable for years to come. “[In the future] hopefully we’ll have enough underclassmen so this club can continue for the foreseeable future,” Beckman said.

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SOMETHING FISHY IN THE HAPPY HALLWAY Water spots and HEPA filters cause suspicisons of the return of last year’s foul smell ELISABETH CONDON • ECONDON2014@GMAIL.COM • @willowandgingko

T

his year, High-efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) scrubbers have been successful in ridding the third floor of last year’s infamous fish smell that came from a problem with the skylights. The smell is gone, but as the fiberglass skylights near the end of their 25-30 year life expectancy, the District plans on replacing them with a more permanent solution.

“It’s our goal that we’re going to try to take the panels out completely and replace them with a different roofing system over spring break of 2014, but we don’t know if we’ll have enough time to get it done over spring break.” FHSD Director of Operations and Facilities Rick Pavia said. “If the seal is still working and we don’t have enough time to get it done, then we’ll schedule it for the summer of 2014, and it will never have the potential of that happening again.”

Pavia is mainly worried about the potential for bad weather or unexpected snow over spring break, but as long as the weather conditions are acceptable, the leaky skylights will be replaced by a metal roof over spring break. If a freak snow hits over spring break, Pavia will postpone the roof replacement for the summer of 2014.

The District architect is looking at options for replacing the roof. Many things have to be taken into consideration for this, like how much weight the existing structure can take. The facilities department has not yet figured out how much this endeavor will cost because they have not yet received bids. However, costs so far have been rather minimal because the District already owned the HEPA filters and didn’t have to pay an outside source to evaluate the issue.

Over the 2012-13 school year, when Darlene Jones was the head principal, Pavia was notified of a crude odor in the upper level “Happy Hallway.” The smell even prompted some 04 FHNTODAY.COM

09.25.13

students to begin referring to the third floor as, “The Penguin House.”

“We investigated and felt it was the seams where the skylight panels meet each other,” Pavia said.

Water was seeping through the sealant between the fiberglass panels, causing the smell. Over spring break of 2013, maintenance staff put a new sealer over all the panel seams, and no more water entered the school through the skylights through the end of the year.

In late July, new Head Principal Andy Downs was notified that the problem with the third floor skylights had returned. Downs followed up with Pavia.

“I have had people talk to me about the smell,” Downs said. “With regard to that area, I have not had specifics about it impacting breathing or anything of that nature; it’s been about smell and that the smell has caused people to have headaches or things of that nature.

However, I have also been told by people that they’re no longer smelling that.”

Pavia and other maintenance workers went again to investigate and discovered that the problem was not the PAGE BY BRIANNA MORGAN

Students walk down the third floor hallway after the bell releases class with damaged skylights overhead. Many students were unaware that the skylights are actually supposed to be clear. (paige martinez)

seams between the fiberglass panels, but instead was the fiberglass panels themselves.

“The actual fiberglass skylight panels have started to deteriorate and they are actually acting like a sponge,” Pavia said. “When it rains, the skylight panel is actually absorbing some water.”

As temperature and humidity changes, the panels expand and contract. As the panels change size, they release the water they hold inside. This water gets into the school and is what caused the bad smell. After a couple decent rains have torn through St. Charles, no more water has leaked into the school.

HEPA air scrubbers still remain upstairs, for precautionary purposes. Pavia is confident, though, that the sealer put over the skylights will be effective in keeping water out of the school.

“They’re running the air cleaners up there and they’ll run them until we actually replace the skylights,” FHN Maintenance Worker Tim Williams said.

As with every time water gets into a structure and sits, there is the potential for mold. Maintenance crews and PAGE BY BRIANNA MORGAN

custodial staff have been very proactive in making sure mold does not start growing.

“We cleaned everything up,” Pavia said. “When we first started noticing it, we stayed on top of it. We cleaned the water every time it came through, so the water was cleaned up immediately. Any sort of stains on the walls, we cleaned up and we do that to prevent moisture from staying inside the facility, so that we do not end up with an indoor air quality issue or any sort of potential problems in regards to making the air quality problems any worse than what would be acceptable in the halls.”

This isn’t the first time FHSD has had to deal with a leaky roof.

“The Francis Howell School District has about 3 million square feet of buildings, so we do have roof leaks from time to time,” Pavia said. “There is a district-wide facilities committee and district-wide report where we review and assess all of our roofs.”

The FHSD maintenance crews are experienced enough that they have ensured this problem does not get out of hand.

“The school district and the maintenance department has identified the problem that was brought to our attention and we are addressing it,” Pavia said. “[We are] trying to make sure that we have a comfortable learning environment for our students.”

THE NEED TO KNOW FIBERGLASS SKYLIGHTS •Made from a combination of fiberglass and aluminium • Should be replaced every 30 years depending on how well maintained.

•Should be cleaned every 10 years or so.

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The Fun Way to Fundraise

LAUREN

GYGI

I like that it’s a challenge, it’s something that takes a lot of patience and effort and hard work and not something that you can quickly do and there’s so many possibilities with what you can do with it.

Q&A What got you started in calligraphy?

“I had an art project that we did and we had to write the hieroglyphic alphabet and after I did that I really got curious about how to write different styles of letters and that’s what really got me started.”

What do you do with your calligraphy?

“I help make decorations for parties and stuff like that I do crafts with it, I make a lot of artwork in my sketch books and journals so I practice my fonts with that and then I usually help out friends with projects.”

What do other people say about your calligraphy?

“People think it’s interesting that I do handwriting and I spend a lot of time on it and a lot of times they’re just curious about how it all works so then I show them how to do it. They don’t realize how big of a project it can be at times and how much time it can actually take up so it’s kind of surprising.”

WATCH Check out the link goo.gl/BYZNT1 for a video showing off Lauren’s sweet Calligraphy Skills.

THE PRICE IS RIGHT Four girls compare their typical drugstore products to their high-priced equals for a day to decide if it’s worth it to buy the more expensive product or if cheaper is really better.

PHOTOS BY ARELI LARA

Setting Spray Model: Emma Gordon Make Up For Ever versus ELF: Each product was easy to use, and didn’t cause breakouts. ELF dried out the face, however, Make Up For Ever ran off with sweat and needed to be reapplied. With both products drying the mist was required.

Emma chose: ELF Makeup Mist & Set because when she sweated at track practice the Make Up For Ever spray turned powdery.

Sephora $12

Ingredients 1. Distilled Water 2. Tea Tree Oil 3. Lavender Oil 4. Small Spray Bottle 5. Funnel (recommended)

Target $3

Or DIY

Directions 1. Add distilled water to small spray bottle.

2. Add five drops of each oil to the water.

3. Shake before spraying twice on face.

Source: Kaitlyn Robertson 10 FHNTODAY.COM 09.25.13

PAGE BY SARAI ESPARZA & ASHLEY EUBANKS

Mascara Model: Alexis Tabaka

They’re Real! vs. Great Lash: Both products can smear when applied, neither are waterproof.

Alexis chose: Great Lash because it works just as well, it’s not heavy and it’s cheaper than They’re Real!

Sephora $23

Eyeliner Model: Lovely Hall

Sephora $9

Walmart $4

Walmart $4

Long Lasting vs. Maybelline Line Express: No reapplication needed as neither product smeared, the Sephora eyeliner was heavier.

Lovely chose: Maybelline, they were the same but Maybelline is lighter.

Eyeshadow Model: Erica Sims

Maybelline Modern Metallics vs. Urban Decay: Urban Decay got powdery, Maybelline ran off with sweat, and both smeared.

Erica chose: Urban Decay, because the color stayed bright all day.

WATCH IT

Sephora $18

y find your st

le

on pinterest

Scan here to get to a pin board full of homecoming clothing and accessory choices for guys for Homecoming 2013.

It includes hair styles, shoes, and other things to spice up every guys’ outfit and make it unique.

Go to: goo.gl/EB7ehp

#FHNstyle

Target $3

Use the link goo.gl/z2ua2I to see a video of Alexis Tabaka applying Homecoming makeup looks on two volunteer models.

PAGE BY SARAI ESPARZA & ASHLEY EUBANKS

09.25.13

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STYLISH TO STYLIST

Junior lands an uncommon and surprising internship for her age at a major fashion company called Ola Style

BY CLAIRE CARR clrcarr@gmail.com

• @clurrburr4

Junior Brenna Clementz walks into the studio and immediately gets started.

She’s the head intern at Ola Style for and she has a lot to get done at the fashion show today. Brenna makes herself busy by laying out clothes. Next, she grabs an airbrush and calls a model. As she applies the tribal design to the model’s face, she thinks back to the beginning of summer. She never thought that sharing her dream with a designer, countless phone calls, and a love for fashion would get her here.

“I just saw an opportunity,” Brenna said. “She told me she was looking for an intern and I said I loved fashion and everything about it.”

At Ola Style, Brenna holds a lot of responsibility. Her jobs range from going on coffee runs to proposing concepts for the lookbook, also working with companies like Macy’s and Nordstrom. Fashion Designer Ola Hawatmeh and her personal assistant Logan Griesemer say that Brenna is important to the company and helps keep them focused.

“She’s a great employee,” Griesemer said. “She’s highly motivated. Brenna shows initiative, which we like here, and is always wanting to do a good job.

We’ve given her a lot more creative freedom than we have any other intern.”

To some, Brenna’s level of maturity is surprising. The job she has normally goes out to college students, so she works above what’s expected from her age. Brenna is the first high school student to be hired as an intern for Ola Style.

“She has a passion for fashion and is attentive,” Hawatmeh said. “She follows directions well and takes leadership upon herself.”

Brenna believes that this internship is the beginning of a future in fashion.

Brenna and Ola Hawatmeh at a fashion show in downtown St. Louis. At this fashion show, Clementz did airbrush make up on models, gave them their outfits, and told them the order they went on the runway. (submitted photo)

Hawatmeh and Griesemer agree that Brenna has a good chance of success in the industry.

“It’s a good way to get my foot in the door,” Brenna said. “I just hope something of a career comes out of it.”

Check out Ola Style’s website to find out about Ola Hawatmeh, Ola Style’s lookbook, and much more at www.olastyle.net

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT: PURPLE PLEDGE Determined to support the senior class in his final year of teaching, one staff member promises to wear the senior class color every day

BY SOPHIE GORDON smgordon14@gmail.com

• @SophGordon

12 FHNTODAY.COM 09.25.13

Walking the halls of school, P.E. and driver’s education teacher Greg Hennenfent sports a purple shirt-something he’s vowed to wear every school day.

“It isn’t that I want it to stand out, it’s that I just want everybody to notice that I’m supporting the senior class,” Doc, who has taught at North for almost 20 years, said.

“Purple just happens to be my favorite color, so it just kind of worked right in. That’s what made it easy, cause I love purple.”

Currently, Doc is the proud owner of 22 purple shirts.

His favorite is from Disney World and says “Howell

North” at the top with Grumpy, from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, who says “I’ve had enough.

Retirement 2014.” He also has a T-shirt specially made for his homeroom students. Each student has his or her signature on the back of the “Doc’s Homies” shirt, which was inspired by HIS saying, “It’s a great day in the Howell North hood.”

“I think that’s pretty cool because he likes to go out in style,” senior Mike Wollenberg, one of Doc’s homeroom students, said. “I like that he is celebrating the last senior class that he is ever gonna be a part of.”

PAGE BY CLAIRE CARR

A MESSAGE THAT COULD KILL Texting and driving is the leading cause of death among teens; one text message sent while driving could impact a life forever

3/4 teens say texting and driving is

5 seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road while texting. At 55mph, you have enough time to travel the length of an entire football field.

common among their friends. That’s 75% Over 3,000 teens die per year from texting and driving, while about 2,700 die for driving under the influence of alcohol, according to a study by Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park.

Y

ou are 23x more likely to get into a crash if you are texting and driving.

In Missouri, you can only be ticketed for texting and driving if you are 21 or under, even though adults have proven to be just as guilty at the act.

More than 100,000 crashes a year involve texting and driving.

49% of drivers with cell phones under the age of 35 send or read text messages while driving.

32% of teens who drive while distracted believe nothing bad will happen to them.

In 2012, only 1 ticket was issued for texting and driving in the St. Louis County. Many argue that the law is not being enforced.

Sources: http://newyork.cbslocal.com, http://www.itcanwait.com, http://www.stoptextsstopwrecks.org, http://www.distraction.gov, http://stlouis.cbslocal.com

AT&T It Can Wait Campaign WATCH IT

What Adults Say

“It seems that every time somebody in front of me makes a bad choice I always pass them and see that they are texting and it’s shocking to me that they don’t see all that is going around them outside their car.”

-Jani Wilkins, English teacher “I was at a four-way stop and was the last one to arrive, the other guy was at the stop sign texting and never even figured out that he was supposed to go and I just went. He wasn’t even paying attention that he was supposed to be driving.”

-Laura Montgomery, Science Teacher

What Teens Say

“I think it’s kind of a hard thing to stop because it’s hard to catch but the threat of the law may stop people.”

-Krista Burris, 12 “People get aggravated when I don’t text back so if I’m driving for a long period of time I have to text them, but I stop at a stoplight or stop sign first.”

-Ashley Dale-Derks, 11

AT&T recently launched a powerful documentary about the effects of texting and driving that went viral.

(Go to http://goo.gl/qyAGY4 to see a new documentary on tragic stories of texting and driving)

“I see adults text and drive more than I see kids our age do it.”

-Lauren Hogan, 11

Take The Pledge: No text message, email, or video is worth the risk of endangering my life or the lives of others on the road.

I, _________________ pledge to never text and drive and will take action to educate others about the dangers of texting while driving..

Helpful Driving Apps

Drive Alive

To keep you safe on the roads and reduce the amount of texting and driving.

Price: $4.99 PAGE BY EMILY HAMPSON

This app monitors your application usage on the road and gives you cash/rewards for being a safe driver.

Canary-Teen Safety An app that allows parents to monitor their kids talking, texting, speeding, or using social media on Price: FREE the road.

SafeTexting

Price: $0.99

Voice Assist When the SafeTexting app detects you are driving it flashes a reminder to not text and drive.

Voice Assist allows you to make calls, manage emails, text, and post on social media all with your voice.

Price: $1.99 09.25.13 FHNTODAY.COM 13

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improve opportunities

BELIEVE IT OR NOT Normality isn’t the trend anymore and these students push that idea to the extreme with their special abilities and physical characteristics

BY MEGAN GRANNEMANN

mgrannemann@gmail.com | @MGrannemann

GRAND LEFT HAND

PHOTOS BY elle redel andrew wittman matt krieg

For senior Robbie Hilker, his disability isn’t an issue at all. His left hand has only three fingers.

He went to Shriners Hospital in St. Louis to undergo surgeries and physical therapy as a child.

“I remember in elementary school that some people made fun of me for having the hand.”

Robbie said. “Back then it really bothered me, but now when someone makes fun of me I don’t really care since I can do whatever they can do. It just doesn’t really matter anymore.”

EYE COLOR CLASH

Eye color comes down to three basic colors. People typically have baby blues, brown, and the occasional green or hazel eyes.

Junior Carl Treas is an exception to that normality. Treas has a condition called heterochromia iridium which makes his left eye one-third brown while the other part of it is blue. This condition affects less than 200,000 people in the United States.

“It’s easier to strike up a conversation when people notice my eye, it’s a good conversation piece,” Treas said.

THE WEBBED WOMAN Many kids went through a phase in their childhood when they wanted to be a fictional character they idolized. Senior Kelsey McIlroy and sophomore Ashley McIlroy came closer to that fantasy than most children. Kelsey jokingly tells people that she’s part mermaid because she has webbed toes and so does her sister. The medical term for webbed toes is syndactyly. The disease occurs in every 1 in 2,000 births. Their mother Donna McIlroy and younger sister Megan McIlroy also have webbed feet. Kelsey’s case is the most extreme. The other three did not realize they had webbed toes until Kelsey noticed hers.

“When I was little I thought everybody else was super weird. I remember the day that I realized I was the weird one and then I thought it was so cool,” Kelsey said.

PAGE BY MEGAN GRANNEMANN

HUMAN RUBBER BAND

WATCH Check out the link goo.gl/7VMtWJ to see Mallory performing her eccentric talent.

Senior Mallory Echelmeyer is considered a human rubber band, which isn’t hard to accomplish since she’s double jointed. She can jump rope herself in slow motion. She kneads her hands together brings her legs through the loop she’s made with her arms and swings her arms over her head back to their normal position. Mid-swing, you can hear the pop of her shoulders.

“It’s half and half. Some people are like ‘oh that’s so cool,’ the other half are like, ‘oh don’t do that,’” Mallory said.

HOBBY OF THE MONTH

WIZARD OF OZ

The classic movie decorates part of a senior’s life

BY EMILY HAMPSON theemilyhampson@gmail.com

Witches, dogs, flying monkeys, and tin men decorate senior Deanna Hyde’s bedroom. A whole bookshelf is scattered with “Wizard of Oz” memorabilia that Deanna has been collecting almost her whole lifetime. Her favorite item sits on her dresser. It’s a coffee mug with the tin man’s face on it.

“The tin man cup just stands out.”

Deanna’s mom, Stefanie Hyde said.

“You’ll see a lot of the Dorothy dolls and you’ll see quite a few of the other characters, but you don’t see the cup too much, and just the way they made it, it just kind of stands out.”

Deanna’s collection also includes figurines, tin signs, ornaments, limited edition plates that play songs such as “Somewhere Over The Rainbow,” and much more. Deanna has collected about 30 different items of “The Wizard of Oz” merchandise, all given to her from her friends and family. Deanna often receives texts from her friends and family of things relating to the movie.

The items Deanna collects reminds her of her friends and family that gave her the gifts, and the movie’s message.

“Don’t leave your family just because you’re mad at them, always remember where you came from and don’t stray from that,” Deanna said. “I think that it reminds me to always remember what my family did for me and never forget it.”

WATCH Use the link goo.gl/oFofWT to see a video of Deanna’s collectables.

09.25.13 FHNTODAY.COM 15

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SMELL THAT SWEET SMOKE Former vegetarian opens a barbecue restaurant on Main Street, bringing back the southern atmosphere in a unique way

BY SARAI ESPARZA saraiesparza.se@gmail.com

People enjoy drinks at Hendricks BBQ on Mainstreet.

Their hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays. The restaurant is located at 1200 S Main St. (amanda eckhard)

•

@SaraiEsparza

The smoky smell of barbecue fills the air inside of Hendricks BBQ on Main Street. The place is filled with the voices of families talking about their days as they eat a hand-cooked meal with red and white checkered napkins on their laps.

“We wanted to bring back some of the honky-tonk days in a way that’s family friendly,” Hendricks BBQ owner Gurpreet Padda said.

Hendricks was scheduled to open in May 2011, but after a water main break, the whole place was flooded and everything was destroyed. After repairs to the property Hendricks opened in September 2012. Padda and business partner Ami Grimes had to go out and re source everything, from the wood used for the bar to the lighting used in the restaurant. Padda and Grimes didn’t always want to open a barbecue restaurant, but since they already had other successful restaurants, including a Mexican restaurant and a French bistro, they thought it would be their next big move.

“We knew we wanted to create something fabulous,” Padda said.

The restaurant was named after Grimes’s maiden name. Once they had acquired the old Waterworks building on Main Street, they traveled along the Mississippi River all the way down to New Orleans tasting and trying barbe-

cue recipes along the way in hopes of finding the barbecue flavor that was once authentic to the St. Louis area.

“We went to every little throwdown in town you could imagine,” Padda said.

Some popular dishes include the standard ribs, the St. Louis style ribs, and the smoked brisket which is smoked for 14 hours. All of Hendricks ribs are slow smoked until they reach fall-offthe-bone tenderness. But, contrary to the restaurant’s name, barbeque isn’t the only thing Hendricks specializes in. They have all kinds of burgers and a variety of sides, like butter biscuits that are made with homemade butter. All of the food used is grown and raised at a farm that Padda and Grimes own so their food is always fresh and never premanufactured.

“I liked that they had a lot of choices and the food and service was amazing,” sophomore Emily Floyd said.

Hendricks BBQ also has the Moonshine Blues bar in the basement which was inspired by the Prohibition Era. Padda and Grimes knew that St. Louis was a hub for blues music and they wanted to reintroduce the blues culture, so they created the Moonshine Blues bar. Inside the blues bar people can go and listen to live blues music while they chow down on barbecue and enjoy the laid back atmosphere.

“Our goal is that when you come to Hendricks its not just about the food. It’s not just about the decor,” Padda said.

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RIDE OF THE MONTH: FOR THE LOVE OF BOATS One senior has the license to drive any watercraft and shares his passion for boating by taking his friends out on the lake in his ski boat

BY SOPHIE GORDON smgordon14@gmail.com

•

@sophgordon

He whips the boat around, pulling the tube behind him through the waves. The ski boat is fast, and senior Dillon Runnels has one goal in mind: throw his friends into the water. “[My friends] love it,” Dillon said. “Every second of the day they’re like, ‘Hey Dillon, can you tube me? Dillon, can you tube me?’”

Runnels’ family owns a lake house near Mark Twain Lake where they have a bass PAGE BY MELISSA LUKES

boat, ski boat, and pontoon. When they go to the lake, they like to bring friends and extended family.

“It’s just a lot of fun for the kids to have fun just going out tubing and skiing and splashing each other,” father Lindell Runnels said.

“They like to see how much air they can get when they’re on the tube. They like to see who can get thrown off or whipped off and how much air they can get.”

Among the friends Dillon takes to the lake is senior Austin Franzen, who he has known since fifth grade. Franzen says they go to the lake together several times a year.

“He’s a really good driver,” Franzen said. “ We do a lot of tubing and skiing and fun stuff like that.”

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Until the State reconvenes in January there are many unanswered questions reguarding the transfer. What has North done to help transfer students? Will Normandy regain its accreditation? How do the students feel? (photo illustrations by cameron mccarty)

FOCUSING ON THE FUTURE As certain pieces of the transfer process come together, others have yet to be discovered

HOW WE GOT HERE Take a look back at the events that led up to the first day of schoo with the Normandy transfer students

18 FHNTODAY.COM

June 11

June 28

BY JESSICA OLSEN jessicaolsen144@gmail.com • @jessicuhhh9

After a summer of confusion and chaos, students, parents, and teachers of the FHSD and Normandy communities finally begin to settle into a newer normal-- just barely after the first month into the 2013-14 school year. The outlook on today’s situation is bright for most people, including Head Principal Andy Downs, because many are trying to focus on the positives of the Normandy transfer.

“On a yearly basis, we get a lot of students who transfer here from other schools and do very well in transferring,” Downs said. “We’re very comfortable with our school and climate and the way that we do things on a daily basis.”

At the higher level of the education system, while administrators are positive, they are still trying to finalize the transfer process. There are still many unanswered questions for Superintendent Pam Sloan and the rest of the administrative team.

“It is nothing short of a significant challenge for our community and for our school district,” Sloan said. “For us, we’re going along a specific course of action that we’re going to work on this year. It was a distraction from our work that we do as a school district, so we’re working through it and doing the best that we can. I think the most unsettling for me is, what does the future hold?

Is it just for this year? Is it this year and next year? Is it forever? We don’t know.

We don’t know if the law will stand, if they’ll make changes in the law.”

The administration is working hard with the information they do have. Currently, they are focusing on the bussing of transfers. Already, the team has split

July 2

The MO Supreme Court ruled Senior Matt Schneider writes Superintendent Pam Sloan that students in unaccredited and the public are informed of an article to the St. Louis Post schools could transfer.

Dispatch the transfer news

09.25.13

July 3 Matt Schneider’s article on the lashback is published to the St. Louis Post Dispatch (goo.gl/uAmh9M)

July 11 Town hall meeting held by Pam Sloan to address the concerns of parents

PAGE BY MADDIE HIATT

the bus routes in order to shorten the time spent riding the bus and prevent students from having to wake up earlier than necessary.

“You’re building a complete new system,” Sloan said. “How are the students going to get here? You know, the transportation wasn’t really locked in. It’s just a pretty tight timeline to get everything figured out.”

The transportation adjustments extend to the after school bussing of transfer students who participate in after school activities-- a ride in which some students find themselves on for a few hours. Sloan wants to work on finding ways to help those students complete homework, and making sure they’re not getting hungry during the long journey.

“It was just a lot of front-end work on how to get the students here,” Sloan said. “We’re still refining those details.”

Along with transportation, the administrative team is also working to find a system they can use to help compare where the transfer students are academically to their new peers. One of these includes a new reading software.

“We’re high-performing and we will continue to be high-performing and we will get some support around these kids,” Sloan said.

In regards to Francis Howell’s budget, not much has changed. The tuition money for the transfer students is going towards everyday materials, and a separate system has been made to help keep the budget in order.

“There’s a very specific calculation of what it goes into,” Sloan said. “So you don’t just randomly come up with a number. There’s specific components that make up that calculation, and so we’re using it for materials, supplies, just the same things we’d spend money on for our regular students.”

As for the future, there are still several questions that are left unanswered.

In October, Sloan and the rest of the administrative team will begin preparations for the 2014-15 school year-- a year in which many possible outcomes lie.

Normandy may gain back their accreditation within the next year-and-half, thus sending the transfer students back to their home school.

There’s also the possibility of Normandy not regaining their accreditation, in which Francis Howell may have to prepare for an even larger number of transfer students entering the district.

“I think the path in front of us is a question mark as far as planning for next year,” Sloan said. “That’s one of the most concerning parts for me right now is how we plan for the unknown.”

While Sloan and the rest of the administrative team continue to work to find a greater structure for the transfer students, the staff at North continue to keep a positive attitude about the situation. Mentor Leader and counselor Stephanie Johnson worked to incorporate all transfer students in the annual Freshman Transition Day so they could get a feel for the school before the first day.

“We had given out shirts to our new students, and a lot of them showed up in those shirts,” Johnson said. “That was nice to see them having pride in our school, being our new students. I was happy they showed up, that we had a good turn-out. I had been positive about it the whole time.”

AP Psychology and AP US History teacher Sean Fowler tries to stay positive himself. But while he thinks the solution for now is working fine, he doesn’t see much hope for it lasting in the future.

“I don’t think this is a sustainable solution,” Fowler said. “I don’t think it’s what’s best for the students. In the short run, I think it may be good for some of the students that came here, but ultimately I don’t think it’s good for the students in the district. The probability when you have some of your most dedicated students leaving the school, it seems highly improbable they’ll re-gain their accreditation; and what if they do? What if they do three years down the line? You have a freshman, say she comes here this year, she’s here through her junior year, and all of a sudden Normandy gets accreditation. Her senior year, she has to go back to a school she has not been a part of for the last three years.

So, I don’t know where it goes from here. I think we need to seriously think

August 2 Final tally of Normandy transfer students coming to FHSD

PAGE BY MADDIE HIATT

August 3 & 4 Transfer Student enrollment day with help of mentors and FHN students

Top: In July, 2013, a town hall meeting was held at FHC for parents to ask questions regarding the transfer. (file photo) Right: Counselor Mary Kerr-Grant helps in the process of Normandy transfer students pick their schedule. Students were also taken on a school tour by FHN mentors. (matt krieg)

about, what do we do about schools that are failing?”

Though the worried about how to help the failing schools, Head Principal Andy Downs has had an overall upbeat attitude towards the transfer. He is optimistic about the transfer, thinking of North’s past and current reputation.

“For me, my attitude is always, that we’re in the business of educating kids and any kids that walk through our doors, we’re going to educate,” Downs said. “I’ve always felt confident about this school and about our kids. I think that being in this school, and having a staff and student body that’s very welcoming and very people centered made this a building that any new kids that come in would feel welcomed.”

August 5 The transportation for the Normandy students is finalized

August 6

August 8

Transition day held for incoming freshmen as well as transfer students

First day of school for Francis Howell and new Normandy transfer students

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FHNTODAY.COM 19

WATCH

Use the link goo.gl/Wr9k8N to see a video of Carey getting on the bus.

What is your favorite part about being at FHN?

“I like the diversity.”

THE FINAL STOP

A senior transfers from Normandy to FHN in the last year of his high school career

Siera Shepard

BY DANIEL BODDEN daniel.bodden21@gmail.com • @ danbodden

“I expected not a lot of people to accept us.

They did though.”

Alize Reid

“I want to better my education and I wanted to play football to see if I can get a scholarship and meet new friends.”

Antwan Coosland

“I like new people and new teachers and everything. I get more help than I used to on my work.”

Sherikco Sherrill

20 FHNTODAY.COM

09.25.13

Carey Ingram wakes up around 4 a.m. every morning to get ready. At 5 a.m., a time when most FHN students are still sound asleep, he grabs breakfast. He then heads to his bus stop about one-third of a mile away. The walk is quiet and lonely since Carey is the only student at this stop, and the cool, dark air gives a chill to the morning. When the bus finally arrives, usually around 5:40, he heads to the very back, taking the last seat. The ride lasts for 80 minutes, and Carey spends this time listening to relaxing music and attempting to sleep. It isn’t until 7 a.m. that he will arrive at FHN. He has the longest ride of them all: first on the bus and last one off.

This is his senior year.

Switching high schools isn’t new for Carey. FHN is the last on a long list of schools he has attended. “‘Where wasn’t I?’ is the question,” Carey said.

“I was at McCluer, Pattonville, Hazelwood, a lot of schools...To me, it was just like ‘I’m going to another school.’ If I had been at Normandy my whole life, it [the move] might have affected me more.”

When it was announced on July 1 that the unaccredited Normandy chose FHSD to provide free transportation, Carey and his family jumped at the opportunity.

“I was impressed by how professional and nice and consistent the FHSD staff was,” Carey’s father Tony Collins said.

“The unity and the whole organization was just magnificent, and that was something I was impressed with. I just wanted the best education, the right education for my son.”

Though Carey has always been a hard worker, he says North gives him something to work towards. He feels that he is better prepared to graduate with the education North has given him. In addition, football has given him a way to connect with his new peers.

Carey has played football since he was 8 years old and has been on the

football team at all the high schools he has gone to. He met Varsity Football Head Coach Brandon Gregory at registration and got the details to try out. Gregory says that there have been no conflicts on the team, and the players had embraced the new players before they even met them.

“Carey is proving people who spoke against the Normandy transfers wrong,” Gregory said. “He’s coachable and willing to do and play whatever we ask of him. He also brings a good sense of humor and gets along well with the others.”

Carey was dealt a tough hand of cards that made playing football last year impossible. During the first preseason game, he suffered a partial ACL tear which put him on the bench for the rest of the season. He also suffers from heart problems and asthma.

“I wasn’t supposed to make it past seven, but I was a strong-willed person so, kinda lingered on, and I grew out of it, but then it came back last year and I passed out at Subway and stuff,” Carey said. “Being on medicine, it cleared up. It’s working so far, and I’m living with it. I’ll probably be stuck with it for the rest of my life, but, you know, trials and tribulations.”

Coming back to the sport after his ACL injury healed and being on the team at FHN has helped him build connections and make the transition smoother.

Carey’s father has been glad to see this smooth transition and is as happy to see him on the field as Carey is to be out there.

“I was very excited and glad he joined the team,” Collins said. “I want the best for my child and I support whatever he wants to do as his school activities.

I love it and I support him 150 percent. I sit back and enjoy watching my son play the game he loves and wants to do.”

But, in the end, coming here for Carey wasn’t about the bus, the drama, the food, or even the people.

From day one, he has been focused and determined to receive the education he came for.

“I wasn’t worried about making friends or not making any friends,” Carey said. “I’m just worried about who’s got homework, what I’ve gotta do, and when I start football. I wasn’t worried about friends, so to speak. I came for the education. All the other stuff is for the birds.”

PAGE BY MADDIE HIATT

WHAT FHN IS DOING TO HELP

PRIVATE TO PUBLIC

Wanting more preparation for college, a junior transfers from her private school to FHN after Normandy loses accreditation

BY ALEXIS TAINTER alexistainter@gmail.com • @ lexis_taint

The option to switch to FHSD was open to all students living in the Normandy District, even those attending private schools. Among the private school transfers was junior Dominique Taylor.

“I’ve lived in the Normandy District all my life, but I’ve always gone to a private school,” Dominique said.

“All my family has gone to private school, and I guess my parents just thought it was better for me.”

Before the transfer process was in place, Dominique attended Incarnate Word Academy, an all-girls Catholic high school with less than 400 students. Between religion classes and uniforms, IWA is very different from FHN. These differences are one of the many reasons why Dominique chose to switch schools.

“I think academics here are a lot better than at Incarnate because there’s a bigger variety of classes, which I think would be good for me to prepare for college,” Dominique said.

“At Incarnate they had your basic classes and didn’t have as many options.”

Another deciding factor was athletics.

At an all-girls school, there isn’t a football team or a boys’ basketball team and those are two sports Dominique really enjoys.

While it was Dominique’s final decision to transfer, her mother, Robin Edwards, was also actively involved in the process. Edwards helped Dominique weigh all her options and look at what was best for her.

“When we got that phone call that Friday morning saying she was accepted, she was so excited,” Edwards said. “I was a little apprehensive at first, I guess because she was going to a new school with a new environment. But when we came and got a tour of the school and I actually visited with some teachers and spoke with some of the other parents, I was getting excited as well.”

While Dominique and her mom were excited, some people were skeptical. Dominique is one of about 70 students transferring from private schools, according PAGE BY MADDIE HIATT

to Normandy’s superintendent, and some did not believe the District should pay for these private school transfers.

“There’s some questions about the process but I think we did the best we could with the time frame we were given considering that the court case was in June and decisions had to be made within three weeks,” Normandy Superintendent Ty McNichols said.

The Normandy transfer issue is expected to be a main topic in state legislatures in January. While discussions continue , Dominique’s mom does not view it as a problem and likes the way things are now.

“We live in the district as well and I feel like each child in the district should have the option to go,” Edwards said. “It’s not our fault that they are unaccredited and I want the best education for my child, I’m sure all parents would.

Regardless of whether they’re going to private or public or home schooled, to me, it doesn’t matter. They still deserve an opportunity just like any other student living in the district.”

Dominique has a few goals she hopes to accomplish. This year, she plans to participate in track and field, keep her grades up, and join NHS. Looking back on her decisions, Dominique has no regrets.

“Francis Howell is a good district with the learning and the people,” Dominique said. “I love Incarnate and it felt like one big family but I’m happy I came here.”

Regardless of how happy a student may be about attending a Francis Howell school, their time there is uncertain. If Normandy happens to regain their accreditation, the transfer program will no longer continue and the students would have to return to their schools in the Normandy District. But if this happens before Dominique graduates next year, her mom plans to keep her in FHSD, rather than take her back to Incarnate.

“If Normandy were to regain their accreditation by next year, I would probably not switch her for her senior year,” Edwards said. “ I would more than likely just move out to the Francis Howell District so she can finish her senior year because, at this point, I am 100 percent happy with her decision.”

With the new transfer students at North, members of FHN are stepping up to make sure the students are taken care of

Booster Club:

Will meet Activities bus at 5:30 in the parking lot, where they bring snacks and drinks for the students.

Originally only for athletes, but now extends to any student that attends after school tutoring as well.

Sodexho, the food company the school gets their lunches from, has also been help in providing some of the snacks for the students.

Tutoring:

Held from 2:30-5:30 p.m. and students can get help from teachers or work on missing assignments.

The school is able to do this with some of the money received from Normandy.

Teachers sign up to participate in the tutoring, and three different teachers attend the tutoring each day.

They meet in the learning commons, the mac lab, or room 136. The amount of students attending each day varies.

Some days there are as many as 20 kids, other days there are less.

If one of the transfer students is having academic issues, the faculty wants to work on being more proactive in setting up more specific times in advance to make sure those students get the help they need, due to the long transportation.

The administrators will look at and compare reading and testing scores to help figure out where the Normandy students compare to North’s students, and figure out in what areas they need help in.

09.25.13

FHNTODAY.COM 21

Located between 270 and I-70, Normandy High School starts at 7:40 a.m. The school runs on a block schedule with alternating A and B days.

This year all odd classes are taken on A days while even classes are taken on B days. The campus is also split into four main buildings with specific subjects in each. (matt krieg)

WATCH

FIXING NORMANDY The failing school district has plans to regain accreditation by focusing on a better curriculum

Use the link goo.gl/oFofWT to see a video of Normandy High School.

BY PRISCILLA JOEL pjchristo16@gmail.com • @JCPjchristo

As the school year is in full swing, the students of Normandy find themselves in the midst of a very different learning environment from last year. Approximately 3,000 students currently attend Normandy after it lost almost onefourth of its student population. These students are faced with the challenge of learning in an unaccredited school district. However, Normandy is working towards re-gaining accreditation.

“For us as a district, we need time and resources,” Normandy Superintendent Ty McNichols said, “and when I say resources, we

need to be able to keep those programs that we know that are research-based that show evidence of improvement.”

McNichols’ position is one of the new changes at Normandy. McNichols officially took position as superintendent on July 1. McNichols was aware of the status of the school when taking position, and he has plans to make changes to the school’s curriculum.

“What will be of most importance is just going through the curriculum this year, enhancing the proficiency level with our staff and being able to present that and ensure that our students go deep in their learning,” McNichols said.

The Normandy staff is striving to give importance to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) skills while emphasizing strategy and literacy. They are also going to have a stronger focus on comprehension writing and speaking.

“In my conversations with [students], they’ve been very positive about the things that they’re seeing in the schools.

They seem to have been excited about the possibilities to make a difference,” McNichols said.

Normandy has also put together a team of seven members who are working with teachers on instructional effectiveness so that they are able to focus specifically on the areas that they’ll be supervising. This leadership team has expanded from the original three members and has been re-distributed responsibilities so they can remain more focused on assisting their particular section.

Students at Normandy are optimistic about the new year

BY SOPHIE GORDON

smgordon14@gmail.com • @ sophgordon

Even with all of the uncertainty at Normandy, Normandy senior Raquan Smith doesn’t show it.

He has plans to pursue his passion for acting and apply to a college with a great theater program. He’s prepared to take on the year, along with many of his classmates.

The atmosphere at Normandy High School is a positive one, according to students and teachers.

Smith finds the smaller class sizes to be beneficial and likes the one-on-one attention.

“I feel like if I needed to come to school to get one-on-one, I don’t necessarily have to stay after,” Smith said.

Smith says he feels he’s more prepared for college this year due to the newly refocused curriculum.

One of his favorite classes is biology, and he loves his Advancement via Individual Development (AVID)

Senior Raquan Smith stands in the smallest of two theatres on the Normandy campus. (matt krieg)

class.

“Me being the student that I am, I like the fact that we are getting ready for college so we are more ahead,” Smith said.

According to Associate Principal Paula Sams, the school year is going wonderfully and the students seem more eager to learn this year. She looks forward to seeing the students grow in the new, focused environment.

“My favorite part of the year is welcoming students back and seeing the commitment from the students to make sure we are doing what we can to regain accreditation,” Sams said.

A QUICK GLANCE I-70

FHN High School

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I-70

Lambert Airport

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PAGE BY MADDIE HIATT

POSITIVE PROGRESS

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In addition, Normandy is also partnering with local universities, such as UMSL and Washington University, who come in and support teachers with different instructional strategies to improve the education offered to students.

“I’ve just enjoyed the energy and the commitment and the passion that I’ve seen from teachers and staff,” McNichols said.

Another change that Normandy implemented is to have a greater visibility of the classrooms by taking “learning walks.” This is when the administrative team goes out and visits classrooms, observes what’s happening, and then provides feedback to the principal to suggest teaching strategies that they think will be helpful to improve the education offered to Normandy’s students.

The Normandy school district is working to implement these changes because according to a system of accountability in Missouri called the Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP), they have not been meeting the standards.

A school is granted accreditation by being observed for 14 standards including academic achievement, subgroup achievement, college and career readiness, and attendance and graduation rates.

“I know it’s going to take at least a year and a half to get everything in place to ensure that we’re moving in the right direction,” McNichols said.

Meanwhile, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has issued guidance to help the District to comply with the law.

“We’re working very closely with them within the district to help them improve their program,” Communications Coordinator for DESE Sarah Potter said.

To further help out Normandy, DESE has also requested that the State Board help them increase their oversight in monitoring Normandy.

“We’re looking for a new plan,” Potter said, “Hopefully we will come up with a long term solution that’s gonna help them.”

Normandy is making adjustments as needed while people in their communities are looking for different ways to raise money to bridge the gap in their budget.

This gap is present because Normandy is obligated to pay tuition and transportation costs, which as of press time, are costing $1.5 million monthly for the students who transferred to FHSD. With this depression in the school’s budget, Normandy must work even harder to regain their accreditation before the money they have is exhausted.

“It’s just the number of students leaving and the cost of the tuitions, that we have to pay for every student based on whatever district they were accepted in, will be that impacts how quickly we can move through this process,” said McNichols.

The school’s budget will be a crucial topic discussed by the House when they meet in January. They will be looking at ways to help Normandy regain their accreditation.

“You can’t have money leave the equation and think that the sending school district is still gonna be the same,” 85th representative from the State Legislature Clem Smith said.

For right now, Normandy will continue to hope for the best as it works to provide a better education for its students. They are aiming to increase their standards and prove themselves to the State and soon regain their accreditation.

“We’re hoping that we will show the progress after this year under new leadership and under new administration to show the State that we are progressing and that we do have a comprehensive plan that will work,” said McNichols.

I-70

University City

Normandy High School

The Arch

Take at a look at statistics between Normandy and FHN in 2012

Normandy

FHN

Students per Classroom Teacher

22

25

Average Teacher Salary

$59,768

$56,780

Average Administrator Salary

$91,449

$100,441

Average Students per Administrator

171

263

Percent of Attendence Rate

85

95.7

Total Students

1,025

1,852

Percent of Black Students

98

8.1

Percent of White Students

1

84.1

Census 2010- Total Population

35,210

113,553

2012 District ACT Score

16.1

22.7

Land Area Sq. Miles

10

157

info from goo.gl/VIu0Q1

09.25.13

FHNTODAY.COM 23

COURTNEY CURTIS •Curtis is the State Representative for District 73 which includes St. Louis county •Curtis is currently the Chairman of Freshman Bipartisan Issue Development Committee

CLEM SMITH •Smith is State Representative for District 85 which includes St. Louis County • Smith is the ViceChairman on the Issue Development Standing Committee on Disadvantaged Communities

BRYAN SPENCER • Spencer is State Representative for District 63 which includes St. Charles and Warren county.

•Spencer taught for 22 years prior to his election

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A DIFFICULT DECISION

With unresolved issues, the Missouri House of Representatives hope to clear things up for Normandy in January

BY LAUREN PIKE laurenpike14@gmail.com • @pike_n_ike

The Normandy School District is on a path of uncertainty. The June 11 Missouri Supreme Court decision regarding the transfer of students from unaccredited districts has provided transfer students with the promise of a quality education, but between the issues of transportation and tuition costs, the behemoth of bankruptcy is a looming possibility for the district.

“If a school district goes bankrupt, the surrounding touching school districts will absorb that area,” State Representative of District 63 Bryan Spencer said. “It’s gonna be tough situation for Normandy. Can they bounce back? Yes. Is it going to be difficult?

Absolutely. Is it something that can cause Normandy to be dissolved? That’s a possibility too. It’s hard to predict the future of Normandy. It really lies in the community, school district leaders, and the parents and kids.”

Due to the threat of absorption, there was an immediate push for Governor Jay Nixon to call a Special House Session to discuss changes in legislature. According to State Representative of District 73 Courtney Curtis, the session was not called due to the unlikelihood of reaching a solution to problems, such as potential bankruptcy and the regaining of accreditation, in a short session.

Representatives hope to solve most of these problems when they reconvene in January.

“The financial issue is today’s biggest problem, but that’s not the larger problem,” Curtis said. “The larger problem is that it’s an unaccredited district and with these challenges, it just couples the challenge of being an unaccredited district with having less funding and facing maybe even the potential closing of the district if they ran out of money.”

Financial issues play a key role in the immediate future for unaccredited districts, like Normandy, even though the dilemma of re-gaining accreditation is largely on the forefront. Because of the overturned ruling, the sending school district is required to foot the bill for the tuition and transportation of

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transferring students. The differing tuition rates of schools and cost of transportation are draining the budget, leaving the potential for bankruptcy if students continue to leave the unaccredited school district.

“My first course of action would be to provide additional funding to the district and then additional resources to Normandy so they could become accredited,” State Representative of District 85 Clem Smith said. “If the students wanted to stay in the school district, they have that right. If there were any budget shortfalls, which there are, there would be additional money to come to that district. I would also put up holds on any future transfers until the financial component is worked out.”

The Missouri Supreme Court ruling of Breitenfeld v. The School District of Clayton originally upheld the state statute regarding the transfer of students from unaccredited schools as unconstitutional. However, it was overturned in a unanimous Missouri Supreme Court decision which stated that students in unaccredited districts have the right to transfer to accredited districts which must accept them as long as sufficient capacity is available.

“I don’t think it’s the best answer,” Chief Academic Officer of FHSD Mary HendricksHarris said. “They have about 3,000 students, and Normandy is paying lots of money to send students to other districts when they should be focusing on their students.”

While the process of coming to a solution for potential bankruptcy remains up in the air, a common goal of the House of Representatives remains to make sure that kids across Missouri are getting a quality education.

“I’m definitely for figuring out a way to make sure that all of our school districts are accredited and to make sure that the kids are being educated because that’s our number one goal,” Curtis said. “At the end of the day, the thing that’s best for the state is to educate the students and figure out a pathway to make sure that all districts are accredited and making sure all students are being educated, period.”

PAGE BY MADDIE HIATT

It’s a great day to be a VIKING.

While there is much confusion outside of Normandy, within its high school, the atmosphere is positive.

Smaller classes have allowed students to get oneon-one times with their teachers and teachers have been able to really focus on the lessons for the day

Senior Toni McCormick writes a script for multimedia. She is looking forward to learning this school year. “It’s going to be better than last year because the policies are different. Last year, they weren’t as focused on helping us succeed.” (matt krieg) Students practice measuring the mass of sugar cubes and making observations in an Intro to Physics class. (matt krieg)

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2

St

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sR oc

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3

1

and H unt R oad

Located at the intersection of St. Charles Rock Road and Lucas and Hunt Road, the campus used to be the site of Eden Theological Seminary.

4

1 - EAST HALL: This is where the library and small theater are located. Most classes in this building are English and History centered.

2 - WEST H well as the behind her dance stud

Lucas

NORMANDY HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS

PAGE BY MATT KRIEG

WATCH

Use the link goo.gl/ZowKOi to see a video of Normandy High School.

Mathematics teacher Brenda Glaze helps students with angles in Geometry. (matt krieg) Senior Romalus Tabb stands in Viking Hall where he plays basketball. Tabb plays whatever postion the coach needs him in and has played basketball since seventh grade. (matt krieg)

A group of students laugh during a conversation in the small auditorium where plays are put on each semester. (matt krieg)

WEST HALL: The lunchroom can be found here as l as the choir room among others. In a building ind here you can find the weight room, a gym and ce studio.

PAGE BY MATT KRIEG

3 - VIKING HALL: The basketball/volleyball court is located here. Larger theater productions and graduation are held here too.

4 - CENTRAL HALL: This is where the science, math and STEM classes are located.

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FHNTODAY.COM 27

TAKENAKA TAKEOVER

This year, with two Takenakas on the team, Coach Kleiber hopes the girls will lead the Girls’ Tennis team to State

BY BRENDA ALVARADO brenduhalvarado@gmail.com

S

YURI 28 FHNTODAY.COM

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•

@brenduhalvarado

he stands. Her right knee bent forward, ready to go.

She looks back at her doubles partner and waits for the ball to be returned. When it crosses the net, without hesitation, she moves to it. Her tennis skirt flies up as she swiftly moves to the ball and swats it down like a mosquito.

From outside the courts, you hear Coach Kleiber shout, “Way to be there Risa, way to be there.” The previous Class 2 Champion has just scored a point for her doubles team.

Junior Risa Takenaka started playing tennis six years ago. At age 10, Risa didn’t know how mentally hard the sport was, or how someday it would win her the first State title for singles in the St. Charles County, or the 2012 All Metro-Tennis player of the year. She didn’t know much, she merely joined because her parents had also done it. All Risa knew was that she had a racket and a ball.

“I mean, I’m not really good at any other sport and I can’t really imagine my life without tennis,” Risa said.

Last season, due to her constant club training, Risa went undefeated, winning all 21 of her singles matches. She’s excited for this season because, to her, high school tennis is kind of a break.

It’s not as intense or challenging as club. With this break, Risa plans on playing well. But joining Risa this year is none other than her freshman sister Yuri Takenaka.

Leaving the courts, snack in one hand, racquet in the other Yuri walks towards school. She stands at nearly the same height as her older sister, and in the light blue uniforms, the two look identical. Like her sister, she also started tennis at age 10.

Although Yuri does not compete as competitively as Risa in club tennis, the two make up the number one and two players on the Girls Varsity Tennis team.

Getting this one, two spot wasn’t easy for them. On top of High School tennis practice, the two attend at least two hours of Club tennis practice for the Miller Tennis Academy. At the Miller Tennis Academy the girls must participate at least two hours a day in a four or five day program. No matter how hard it gets, they keep going.

“I think the hardest part of tennis to keep going even if you had a bad day,” Yuri said.

PAGE BY BRENDA ALVARADO

Far Left: Yuri Takenaka hits the ball back to her opponent during her match against Ft. Zumwalt South.

The Knights came out victorious. (alyssa savage) Left: Risa Takenaka shuffles her feet to ready herself for the return in her match against Ft. Zumwalt South. (alyssa savage) Below: Risa Takenaka reaches to return ball to her opponent. Risa ended up losing the match. (alyssa savage)

WATCH

Another challenge for the two is simply each other. Risa and Yuri have established a sibling rivalry but they believe the competition itself is what drives them to be better--not necessarily each other.

Many believe that the sisters should go to State for doubles and place well. Then, they expect the duo to get first and second in singles. This would make FHN tennis well-known at the State level, if only it was possible.

The Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) only allows tennis players to qualify individually for one event. Both girls plan on qualifying for State individually in singles. Risa hopes to defend her title, while Yuri just plans on being there and seeing how it goes. But, there is another way for them to play together: team qualifications.

In order for the Varsity girls Tennis team to qualify for State, they must first win Districts. Then the team, consisting of the top six girls, must go on to win Sectionals to finally qualify for State. In order to prepare the girls for State, coach Kleiber focuses on the intensity of the practices instead of the amount of time spent practicing, as well as frequently winning throughout the season with hopes to establish the FHN tennis dominance.

“You know what, my goal is to always go to State,” coach Kleiber said. “You have to practice hard. You don’t have to practice more, you just have to make quality practices when you practice.”

Risa has one win against Troy under her belt. This game is just one in the many Risa will play on her way to another State title. Although she has recently had her first loss against FZS, Risa is determined to keep her title. She’ll have to work hard this year with Yuri pushing her. To her, it’s just another game.

“If you work hard, you’ll get what you want,” Risa said.

PAGE BY BRENDA ALVARADO

Watch this video to see the Takenaka sisters in action goo.gl/o2AuDi

RISA

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BRIEFLY SPEAKING

COMEBACK YEAR After several years of never placing in the top three teams, the Cross Country team is this year

BY DANIEL BODDEN

daniel.bodden21@gmail.com • @danbodden

SISTER SCHOOL RIVALRY Despite the Varsity Softball team’s record of 2-9, Assistant Varsity Coach Mike Freedline has high hopes for the impact the upcoming game tomorrow against one of FHN’s biggest rivals, who are currently ranked fifth in the State, the FHHS Vikings. He hopes they will do well, even though they lost to Howell in District finals last year.

“We have been playing really tough teams and this game will give us an opportunity to turn the season around and gain some momentum,” Freedline said.

On Sept. 14, the Cross Country team participated in their biggest meet of the season: the Forest Park Invitational. This meet consists of 13 different races with teams from more than 100 different high schools and three different states, as well as two divisions -- the White Division and the more competitive Green Division.

In the White Division, the Varsity Boys took second, led by junior Tim Bries who placed 30th with a time of 17:27. They scored a total of 109 points, three less than the third place team. The JV Boys also took second in the Green Division lead by sophomore Cameron Landers who placed seventh out of 427.

“I thought Forest Park, like every year, was absolutely amazing,” senior Varsity runner Brandon Chac said.

Both the boys teams received plaques for placing in the top three teams-the first the boys teams have received in years. Chac believes the boys’ success is because of their ability to competitively run together.

“We use each other to push ourselves and succeed,” Chac said.

The Varsity Girls, on the other hand, took 26th in the more competitive Green Division. Varsity runner Dominique Meyer is proud of the girls’ performance in the meet.

“The girls did a lot better overall,” Meyer said. “Some people made breakthroughs in their times and that helped us overall.”

During their first meet, The First Capital Invitational, the Girls took first, earning their first championship title this season.

“This meet [Forest Park] was a lot harder,” Meyer said. “There were runners from all over Missouri, including the top people in the state.”

Despite their recent success, both teams keep their bigger goal in mind: State, which takes place on Nov. 9 at Jefferson City.

A ‘HOLE’ LOT OF WORK The girls golf team currently has a record of 0-5 as of press time.

“I don’t think we are doing our best, because we don’t have many experienced girls on our team which requires us to practice a lot,” junior Julz Kaminski said.

The team team has been either practicing or playing a game every school day to get ready for tonight’s match against Holt.

“We really prepare to go out there and play to the best of our abilities,” junior Hannah Wilson said.

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Sophomore Meghan Mitchell attempts to save the ball from hitting the Knights side during the game (paige martinez)

TAKING DOWN THE VIKINGS ONE SPIKE AT A TIME Tomorrow the Girls Volleyball team takes on one of their biggest rivals

BY BRENDA ALVARADO

• @brendhalvarado Tomorrow at 6 p.m. the girls Varsity Volleyball team will play one of their biggest rivals: the Howell Vikings.

“I think we get better each game so by the time we play them, we will be even stronger,” freshman Varsity player Kate Doerhoff said. “It will be a good game.”

With their current record of 2-7, the Varsity girls Volleyball team plans on watching the JV Volleyball game against Howell and really focusing on Howell’s weaknesses there. With this, they will have a better feel for Howell’s Varsity team’s playing style.

Using this to their advantage, the team plans on winning their game against Howell. If they win, this would be the first time they’ve beat Howell in years.

“I think that if we just work together and play well we can beat them,” junior Valerie Udevenko said. brenduhalvarado@gmail,com

PAGE BY DAVID MCFEELY & BRIEFS BY DAVID MCFEELY & RODNEY MALONE

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

DIVING DUO

Two freshmen reboot FHN’s diving team

BY MAGGIE TORBECK

• @maggiextorbeck For the past eight years, FHN’s Boys’ Diving team has been without a single member. That is, until this year.

Freshmen Matthew Jewson and Peter Lucido sprung the diving team back into action after being idle for so long.

Five days a week, from 6-9 p.m., STL Dive Club member Lucido is hard at work with two back-to-back practices.

Lucido has been competitively diving for almost two and a half years.

“With his experience, we are hoping he can place as a medalist in State this year,” coach William Crow said.

Lucido qualified for state diving and broke the previous school record during his first meet. During the second meet, he broke his own record.

FHN’s team also welcomed a firstyear diver, Matthew Jewson. All though he has minimal experience, Jewson spends additional time to get ahead of the competition.

“I wanted to try a new sport, I’ve been teaching myself to dive since last year,” Jewson said.

Crow is optimistic about Jewson’s diving future.

“We are hoping he can compete in an 11 dive meet, like GAC’s, by the end of the season,” Crow said.

In addition to diving, Jewson also competitively swims for North’s team. mtorbeck068@gmail.com

Boys Varsity cross country runners Brandon Chac, Ean Theilbar, Timmy Bries and Greg Criswell take off from the starting line. This meet was the first Capital Meet on September 6 at McNair Park. (matt krieg)

SIGHTS SET ON NATIONALS With the new turf, Varsity Knightline has run into many different challenges, including grip and mobility. Even with their difficulties, the team has their sights set on Nationals, Feb. 1-2, as well as the Lindenwood and Farmington competitions in December.

“Even though practices are so long and tiring, we accomplish our goals no matter how high they are,” sophomore Abbey Mills said.

The team has already had eight performances this year, and the girls are hoping to perfect their routine before the Homecoming game this Friday.

Varsity Cheerleaders perform at halftime on the new turf field (ashleigh jenkins)

LIFTING UP THE TEAM On Sept. 15, the Varsity Cheer team went to State at the University of Missouri, in Columbia. The team had to have an emergency practice that morning from 9-10 a.m. due to the injury of one of the bases during practice the day before. Even with the unexpected injury, the team was able to pull together in order to successfully execute their routine.

“The hardest part of the routine in my opinion was the individual stunts,” sophomore Karley McCarthy said. “Since I got switched into competition four days prior, my group was a little shaky, but we pulled it off.”

The team had been preparing specifically for State for two to three weeks prior to the event. They performed the same routine that was done for Regionals, but with added stunts and aspects. The squad ended up placing eighth out of nine teams that competed in State.

PAGE BY KYLEIGH KRISTENSEN & BRIEFS BY HANNAH DIETRICH

WATCH Follow the link to see FHN’s new star diver http://goo.gl/iAlXzB

09.25.13 FHNTODAY.COM 31

S

BRIEFLY SPEAKING

Senior Zac Fletcher competes in the 100 breast stroke against Timberland and Fort Zumwalt West. (amanda eckert)

HOWELL TRI-MEET The Boys’ Swim and Dive teams went head-to-head with FHHS and FHC in a tri-meet on Sept. 18. The final outcome was first place for FHHS with 143 points, FHC in second with 138 points, and North trailing behind in last place with 49 points.

“I could’ve done better compared to my previous meets,” senior Zac Fletcher said.

“I think my goggles falling off affected my performance a lot.”

Although they lost, they didn’t walk away with nothing. The diving team beat out both sister schools and some swimmers won their events.

“We improved a little bit because we have a bigger team and two strong divers,” said swim coach William Crow, “but it seems we are still lacking endurance, so we will be working on that.”

FALL STATS 10 • 9 • 8 • 7 • 6 • 5 • 4 • 3 • 2 • 1 •

(As of press time)

Volleyball Football KEY -Wins -Loses

Soccer

Cross Country: 1-1 Golf: 0-5 Swimming: 0-4

32 FHNTODAY.COM 09.25.13

Tennis

NARROW GOALS

Freshman Osvaldo Guerrero takes control of the soccer ball in the game against the Troy Buchanan Trojans on Wednesday, Sept.

11. The Knights lost the game 2-3. (jessica allison)

The Varsity Boys’ Soccer team works to overcome the struggles of new formations and new, narrowed turf field

BY DAVID MCFEELY

mcfeely1313@gmail.com•@mcfeely1313

On the Varsity Boys’ Soccer team’s third game of the season, they allowed zero goals in a game against Pattonville on a full 73-yard wide field at Rockwood Summit.

Then, after coming home to the new 65-yard wide Howell North turf field, they allowed three goals against Troy and lost. That loss may be attributed to the turf field being eight yards more narrow than the team is used to. The field is within required regulation dimensions, but is narrower than most other schools’ fields.

“It stinks just playing on it; it can be deceptive to players playing on it,” Head Coach Larry Scheller said. “We are used to more space so it will affect how we play on it.”

When the requested dimensions of 118 by 73 yards were sent out by the activities office, the dimensions were messed up to where the field was put in four yards narrow on each side. When the blueprints were sent in a request, no one caught that it was short and it was signed off on.

According to the activities director Mike Janes, the activities office does not know whether or not this error will be corrected. With the team not knowing if they are going to fix the field, they are working together to overcome the difficulty of a having less space than they are used to.

“We will have to be more compact and learn to better communicate as a team,” senior Mathieu Perrault said.

Even though there are struggles that come from the small turf field, there can also be good things that come out of it just being a turf field.

“It will help us bring a sense of pride to our program and gives us a sense of appreciation to work harder and more incentive to win on the field,” Scheller said.

To help get accustomed to the field, the team practices on the turf field on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 2:30-5 p.m.

“Well, the practice always helps you improve skills and how to use them,” Perrault said. “This helps us get used to being more compact and playing on the narrower field.”

The team has started off the season with a 2-3 record, as of press time. Along with the turf field being a difficulty, they are working everyday on improving their new formation that is different from previous years.

“With every player playing a new position it is difficult getting everyone to understand the position and maintaining their role,” Scheller said.

Last year, the team won Districts and still have seven returning starters from that team. This can help with all of the competition that goes on between the team challenging each other for the different starting spots, which can give them a lot of depth.

“I think we did good last year winning districts and we will do even better this year because most of us have been together for three years now,” senior Tyler Walters said.

PAGE BY MAGGIE TORBECK

THE GAME CHANGER

#

FHNGameday Tag your all of your sports posts with #FHNGameday to see your tweet, photos or video featured here

Instagram

New football player gives the student body hope that this season will be better than the last years’ have been

BY KYLEIGH KRISTENSEN kyleigh1318@gmail.com • @kyleigh15

Now, more than ever, the hopes of the FHN student body have grown to have a better football season due to the reputation of Normandy transfer Terry White. Sporting jersey number one, Terry is a cornerback and a receiver, and he’s achieved the title of All-Conference in the Suburban East Conference during the 2012 season.

“He understands the game well, he’s football wise,” Head Coach Brandon Gregory said. “He’ll make the team better. On his team he was the best player so him becoming a part of the team, I think will make him better and he’ll make the players around him better.”

Terry has been playing football since he was about five-years-old because his brothers before him played. As an All-Conference player, Terry was selected by being the best at his position out of the entire conference. After he was selected, he was placed on an honorary team composed of other top players from different teams.

Terry currently has one touchdown and is working hard to meet his own expectations and achieve his own personal goals without letting the pressure that goes along with the All-Conference title, as well as being a transfer student, affect the way he plays.

“The transfer has gone great and it’s just been a good experience, so it won’t affect the way I play at all.” Terry said.

Currently, the football team as a 1-2 record. As the season goes on, the Knights will work hard to meet Gregory’s and the rest of FHN’s expectations, along with meeting their own personal goals,

Best Photobomb ever! #FHNXC #FHNGameDay #Spirit

@sassygirl_pintsize Emma Gordon

Instagram

Top: Senior Terry White escapes his opponents as he runs the ball down the field for a first down. (paige martinez) Bottom Left: White dodges his defensive opponent as he completes a play. (paige martinez) Bottom Right: White poses for a picture after a first down. (matt krieg)

such as thriving academically and on the field so he can play college football.

“I see me and Terry coming together to help the team and our coaches achieve a goal of a championship,”corner and safety Russell Lanton said. “We all have work we need to do but it can be done with hard work and focus.”

Varisty girls at a Great game last night!

Way to bring home that win boys! #FHNGameDay #Varsity #cheerleading

@karley_r_n Karley McCarthy

Twitter @Jwalker049 Jessie Walker Can’t wait to support my boys and my troops #FHNGameDay #RedWhiteBlue

OPINION: ‘ROID RAGE

Instagram

MLB athletes should be punished to the furthest extent by the MLB for the use of steroids during the season

BY RODNEY MALONE malonerodney97@gmail.com

•

In the past couple of months, Major League Baseball (MLB) has suspended several players, like Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees, and Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers, for using illegal performance enhancing drugs. I think the MLB has every right to suspend these players because they are not only cheating the game, but also their teammates and fans.

In the MLB it is legal for athletes to use steroids, like Human Growth Hormone (HGH), during rehabilitation to heal efficiently and

PAGE BY RODNEY MALONE & BRENDA ALVARADO

correctly. I don’t agree with this rule because athletes are bound to abuse this privilege and start using steroid, like HGH, during the season to enhance their abilities. The use of steroids can cause players to develop addiction, it can lead to kidney failure, and, in some cases, death.

If the MLB keeps laying down the law by suspending athletes from games without pay, the use of steroids will go down dramatically. This allows athletes not using steroids to show off their natural talents.

they only won because of our body paint #postgame @ahappe @ kristen_metts

@mmmm_itsnicole Nicole Morse

09.25.13 FHNTODAY.COM 33

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Homecoming

‘13

314-402-3380

Expires October 31, 2014

13 LUCKY

The varsity football team ended its 12-game skid against FZS

BY DAVID MCFEELY mcfeely1313@gmail.com

• @mcfeely1313

Although many believed Friday the 13th would be unlucky for the Knights, they won their first game of the season 48-20 and broke a 12-game losing streak dating back to 2011.

“It feels great. We all played great, and got the victory,” senior Carey Ingram said With 26 seconds left in the game both junior Jordan Moody and senior Anthony Starks uncapped a gatorade jug and poured it on coach Brandon Gregory to celebrate his first win as the Knights coach.

“The last time that happened was before my team went to state,” Gregory said. “Although I feel like the 12 seniors deserved it more than I did. With them putting in all the hard work over the past three years and having only won three games before today.”

With 10 minutes left in the first quarter, senior Terry White ran a 1-yard touchdown to put the Knights up 7-0. That touchdown started with a fumble recovery by junior Danny Bacon on the Bulldogs 7-yard line. Six minutes later, junior Jordan Moody got an 11-yard touchdown run to put the Knights up 14-0. The Knights ended the first quarter with a 14-0 lead.

In the second quarter, White recovered a fumble and brought it back to the Bulldogs 43-yard line.

Later in the quarter, White fumbled the ball while playing at quarterback but the Bulldogs were not able to score on the turnover. The Knights went into half up 14-0.

FHN extended the lead to 21-0 off of Danny Bacon’s 9-yard touchdown reception, the Bulldogs kept fighting though. Not too long after, the Bulldogs recovered a fumble for a touchdown off a Knights punt return to make the score 21-6. Both the Bulldogs and the Knights would score before the end of the third quarter to make the score 27-13.

The Bulldogs kept on fighting by getting a 7-yard touchdown run 30 seconds into the 4th quarter to make the score 27-20. With nine minutes to play in the game, the Knights converted a gutsy fourth down and one on their own 34-yard line. FHN was forced to punt a few plays later but on the Bulldogs next possession the Knights recovered a fumble on the Bulldogs 31-yard line with 6:32 left in the game.

The Knights did not stop there and went on to score three more touchdowns in the quarter making the score 48-20.

“I feel good with this being the best start I have had since I have been here,” Gregory said, “but just like the way we came back the past two games we can’t give up. I expect the the other team to come out and fight.”

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Juniors Nick Gehricke and Danny Bacon listen to advice from a coach during halftime. Later in the game, Bacon would score a touchdown on a 9-yard touchdown reception. The Knights ended the game with three touchdowns in the fourth quarter alone. (matt krieg) Junior Jordan Moody avoids the tackle of multiple Fort Zumwalt South Bulldogs. Previously in the game, Moody scored the second touchdown of the night on an 11-yard run. (matt krieg)

Senior Trevor Dames Bolte looks out from the locker room towards the FHN Stadium right before the Knights took the field to begin the game. (matt krieg) Junior Jordan Moody dances with teammates in the locker room to celebrate the win over the Fort Zumwalt South Bulldogs. The final score was 48-20. The team also celebrated with a box of cookies. (matt krieg)

PAGE BY BRENDA ALVARADO

Jordan Moody and Anthony Starks uncapped a gatorade jug to pour over head coach Brandon Gregory to celebrate his first win as a Knight. The win also ended a 12-game losing streak for the Varsity team. The Knights beat the FZS Bulldogs 48-20. The Knights then went to their endzone to talk about the win as a group. (matt krieg) Senior Terry White celebrates with Head Varsity Coach Brandon Gregory as the Knights allow the clock to run out at the end of the game. In the fourth quarter alone, the Knights scored three touchdowns. This was the Knights’ first win in 12 games. This Friday, the Knights will be going to Francis Howell High School for their next game. (paige martinez)

PAGE BY BRENDA ALVARADO

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ONE FUNNY FAMILY

‘The Family’ was a hilarious film with superb acting and a good amount of action

BY RODNEY MALONE malone.rodney97@gmail.com

‘T

he Family’ was an amazing film with an excellent plot and solid acting. After living in a number of different places and taking up different aliases, the hilarious but hot-headed, Giovanni Manzoni and his family are put into the witness protection program and become the Blake family. After settling in a shanty home in Normandy, the Blakes attempt to be a normal family, but they have a difficult time blending in due to their past mafia involvement, which leads to some hilarious sequences.

This forces the family to put aside their own personal problems and come together to protect each other. I thought it was funny to see the juxtaposition between the normal community members and the actions of the family members as they committed a number of crimes, including blowing up a grocery store.

The best thing about the movie was the incredible acting by Robert De Niro who played Giovanni Manzoni. He did such an incredible job becoming his character that it didn’t feel like he was acting as an Italian gangster, but it seemed as if he was one in real life. As the head of the household, I think that Robert De Niro had an amazing performance, which helped his supporting cast to shine as well.

I also liked the chemistry between VOTE Text 657172 to de Niro and Tommy Lee Jones, HERE 37607 if you agree Robert who played Robert Stansfield, the FBI with Rodney or text agent watching over the Manzoni fam657442 to 37607 ily to make sure they didn’t cause any if you disagre with him trouble. The two did a good job showing the love, but mostly hate, relationship between the two characters. I also liked the chemistry between Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer who played husband and wife. I really thought the movie sent a great message of how family will always be there. No matter what situation anyone was in, the whole family always backed them up and stood firm beside them. This was shown on many occasions, such as when brother and sister ( John D’Leo and Dianna Agon) started their first day at another new school. The entire cast seemed to click incredibly well which made the story line even more believable.

I really appreciated the movie because it wasn’t just senseless killing and explosions every other second. It wasn’t like the film “Live To Die Hard” which was confusing and not enjoyable because the special effects got in the way of the plot. This movie did a good job of developing the characters and the plot while they incorporated action.

I also enjoyed the comedic genius of the movie. I thought that every funny

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moment happened at the perfect time. The movie also kept me on my toes because it featured a few action-packed scenes which turned out to just be the father’s dreams.

With the excellent acting, good humor, and great chemistry, the movie was truly a triple threat. I think everyone should go out and experience this amazing film.

PAGE BY BRITTANY STECK

LEFTOVERS

GRUBHUB

Free If you don’t feel like doing the dishes, have food delivered to you from nearby restaurants.

Free

Grab the leftovers from dinner last night that are sitting in the fridge and whip up a brand new recipe.

JELL-O JIGGLE-IT

Free If you thought the wobbly movement of gelatin was fascinating, wait until you make it wiggle to your music.

DIVERSIFYING LOCAL SCENE Local band Inimical Drive combines metal and alternative style to create a unique sound

BY KYLEIGH KRISTENSEN kyleigh1318@gmail.com • @kyleigh15_

Anyone that listens to metal or alternative will like the band Inimical Drive. They are a local band that started out as high school friends. Everyone besides drummer Mark Nicol attended FHSD. Vocalist Joel Colby went to both FHN and FHHS. Bassist Dan Winter and guitarist Nick Blackburn went to FHHS. Metal heads would most likely enjoy the song, “Signal the Sirens.” The song is from the album of the same name, which won best new release in “Revolver Magazine.” This song is my favorite because it features the heaviness of screaming, but also showcases clean vocals. It’s impressive that Joel can show the diversity in his voice by switching between screaming and singing.

As for alternative kids, they would love the

band’s song that was featured on MTV called “Say We’ll Be Fine.” Throughout the entire song, Joel uses clean vocals, so the song is perfect for people who can’t stand screaming.

The songs display heavy riffs, and fast and hard drums, along with clean vocal choruses. The combination of these elements wrapped around ‘hooks’ are key to separating Inimical Drive from other metal bands. Listening to the band live is amazing because of the energy they portray on stage. The crowd feeds off of the intensity of the band’s performances, creating an amazing experience for everyone.

This previous summer the band played at Warped Tour and has played at Pointfest five times. They have also won Battle of the Bands at East St. Louis concert venue, Pop’s. The band plays at Pop’s once again on Oct. 19 for anyone that’s interested in watching an amazing show.

HOT AND FREDDY

BY EMMA PURSLEY emma1996ecp@gmail.com

Freddy’s is located at 1365 Jungermann Road St.Peters, MO (mckenzie shea) PAGE BY BRITTANY STECK

When walking into Freddy’s, you’re greeted by a simple, yet detailed electronic menu. Their menu is very specific, featuring mainly steakburgers and hot dogs; however, the food is presented in a variety of ways. The red leather seats and the black and white photos along the walls give the place the feel of an old diner.

The service is quick and efficient and the food is served hot. The burger was a little dry, but met my expectations as a typical diner burger.

The fries were well seasoned, but extremely greasy which took away from the salty, smoky flavor of the seasoning.

As far as the servers, they were friendly and talkative and definitely seemed to be enjoying their jobs.

Overall, the restaurant had a very open and friendly atmosphere, the food didn’t amaze me, but the feel of the environment was better than any other restaurant in the area. I would recommend Freddy’s for anyone looking for something fast and simple. It was worth the trip and I would go back again, but if I was looking for a nice sit down meal I would choose a different restaurant.

FOUR SQUARE

Free

Rack up points by checking into restaurants and other places. Who knows, you may become Mayor of Waffle House.

TECH SPOTLIGHT

iOS7

Apple releases its latest iteration of the iconic operating system

BY NICK WYER nickwyere23@gmail.com

•

@loftiicries

iOS 7, Apple’s latest operating system update, is a great improvement over its previous iterations. The old multitasking bar is now gone and is swapped out for a control center that gives users quick access to a multitude of settings without going to the settings app. For instance, many people change their brightness settings often, and iOS 7 allows users to do that with a swipe of the screen rather than having to laboriously open the settings app. Another added bonus of iOS 7 is an updated version of Siri. Siri can now search Wikipedia, post to Twitter and Facebook, and (almost) carry a conversation. iOS 7 is a complete overhaul visually compared to its predecessors.

With iOS 7, Apple brings a pop of color to its new operating system.

Everything seems more bright and colorful compared to its older brothers. The biggest complaint I have with iOS 7 is how the new theme interacts with older app icons. Because iOS 7 comes with updated default app icons that are plain compared to older ones, the older apps look bulky compared to those of iOS 7.

I strongly disagree with those that claim iOS 7 looks similar to the Android operating system. It’s still the same iPhone we know and love. Overall, I would say that iOS 7 is definitely a step up compared to its brothers and has a lot of potential. I can’t wait to see the future iterations of it and the changes they bring.

09.25.13

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Video games get a bad reputation for inspiring violence in young children. Many people can’t see past the negatives and into the benefits of video games, such as hand eye coordination, social interaction, strategy and puzzle skills. Some video games even help with math and reading skills. (photo illustration by ashleigh jenkins)

NO GLITCHES WITH GAMING

In a world where video games have become a norm, we need to stop bashing the gaming world and instead focus on the skills it can teach us

BY BRITTANY STECK

Another positive thing about video games is their ability to bring people together. Games such as “Super Mario Party” give families an alternative to board games on family fun nights. Games such as multiplayer “Halo Reach” It’s around us everyday. The fast-paced clicking on buttons. The soft bell allow players to interact with others from across the world. This allows gamers sound of coins being collected. The celebratory tune of a level up. to connect and work together toward a common goal.

It’s hard to ignore the persisting increase of gaming in Adventure games such as “Legend of Zelda” and “Pokemon” our lives, especially with the release of the new xBox One give gamers a sense of drive as they work to complete mission afright around the corner. That’s why I believe that instead ter mission. This desire to continue leveling up can be transportof bashing the world of video games, we should be focused into everyday life as students work towards different goals: ing on the positives of them instead. completing homework, obtaining higher grades, or becoming a During game play, especially in games such as “Call leader of a certain activity. of Duty” and “World of Warcraft”, the player is able to Nintendo’s “Animal Crossing” and Mojang’s “Minecraft” protake on the persona of virtual being. This experience is a vide players with a creative outlet. Sparks of inspiration can come chance for the gamer to release the stress of everyday life from being able to build your own virtual worlds or being able to into a controlled environment without consequences. customize your own character. This can also transfer over to life This “stress relief ” was used in a recent study by Jane outside the electronic screen through things such as art, creative Use the link to see a video of McGonigal, a game designer at the Institute for the Fuwriting, and even video game designing.

Jane McGonigal’s TED Talk on ture. Her experiment “Superbetter” used the traditional Although video games have a bad reputation for being too the effects of video games. tactics of video games to help patients through the emoviolent or melting teenage brains everywhere, I believe that we http://goo.gl/uS3S3m tional and physical steps of different health problems, should focus on the lessons that gamers learn, such as hand-eye such as depression and brain injuries. While playing this coordination, multitasking, and problem solving. These skills can game, patients experienced improvements in three main be incorporated into everyday life, not to mention the potential areas, physical, emotional, and social resilience. “Superbetter” improved their to use them in schools as a revolutionary learning tool. mental self worth and even increased their lifespan by seven and a half minutes.

So gamers, raise your controls proudly and play on.

brittany14steck@gmail.com

•

@LittleMsBritt

WATCH IT

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09.25.13

PAGE BY JESSICA OLSEN

MAN’S BEST FRIEND NEEDS A LEASH The new Taubman Prestige Outlets mall in Chesterfield allows customers to bring their dogs into certain stores

BY EMMA PURSLEY emma1996ecp@gmail.com

Taubman Prestige Outlets in Chesterfield has a few unusual customers: dogs. Although I’m an avid dog lover, I disagree with Taubman Prestige’s choice to allow dogs into about 75 percent of its stores because of health and safety risks the dogs may present.

Dogs are animals of instinct and may act out at any time. The mall requires that dogs be on a leash no longer than six feet in order to keep the dogs under control, but in such close quarters it’s hard to say that even a short leash can keep a dog under control.

There haven’t been any fights yet; however, workers in the mall have said that there have been dogs who

were separated due to aggressive behavior.

The mall is not equipped to handle the dogs and their needs. There is no green area for the dogs to relieve themselves, and the clean-up stations are outside and far apart. Being allergic to dogs is also a very common problem, but there is nothing being done to protect the customers in the mall other than the stickers saying which stores allow dogs, but the stickers are small and not easily noticed.

I believe that there is a time and a place for everything, including being with dogs. There are outdoor areas where dogs are encouraged to be, and those are safe and healthy places for them and the people around them.

BY HANNAH ROSEN @immaconch

Recently, there has been a lot of controversy over a new vague law that will be implemented in California starting on Jan. 1, 2014. The law allows all transgender students to choose which programs, activities and facilities they use based on what their gender identity is.

Although this law may seem like a breakthrough for some, I just see a huge disaster waiting to happen due to the risk of bullying and sexual harassment.

But even so, California Governor Jerry Brown signed the School Success and Opportunity Act into law on Aug. 12.

I can understand the part of this law stating that transgender students can choose which programs and activities they participate in based on their gender identity. However, it is not right to allow a transgender female to change with girls or use the same bathroom or shower--the same applies to those who are transgender male. For all we know, this huge breakthrough could lead to an increased amount of bullying and harassment in schools than ever before.

Supporters may disagree with this theory, asserting that there have been schools in the state who have experimented with this ideology for years before and have had no incidents occur. According to a California student, this law will open doors for transgender individuals both psychologically and extracurricularly.

PAGE BY JESSICA OLSEN

Learning about what’s really important brittany14steck@gmail.com

New law is supposed to help transgender students but may only make matters worse •

DRAMA DIRECTOR

BY BRITTANY STECK

TRANSGENDER TURMOIL OVER CALIFORNIA LAW

ms.hannahrosen@gmail.com

SHADOWING A PRO:

The School Success and Opportunity Act has caused a lot of debate throughout the nation. (cameron mccarty)

I do not believe these claims though. Harassment and bullying is not an unknown phenomenon with statistics showing that one in seven students are either a bully or have been bullied. This statistic may not even cover all students being that in most cases the victim is too scared to come forward.

In my mind, unless a person has gotten sex reassignment surgery, they do not belong where those of the biologically opposite sex are. The whole point of having male and female segregated facilities is so we have somewhere to go where we can do our own things in private. What facility we use should not be based on our gender identity, but on our biological anatomy instead. That’s the only way that a clear line can be drawn without non-transgender individuals abusing the law.

I understand that transgender individuals try their best to live as the other gender, but allowing them to choose which facility they use will only harm them in the end.

•

@LittleMsBritt

As an aspiring theater teacher, I headed out to shadow a few directors in hopes that I could learn some useful tips from their more than 20 years of experience in showbiz. But in between learning about stage directions and set building, an even more impactful lesson dawned upon me.

Sitting in the dimly-lit auditorium looking around at the worn-down stage and torn audience seats reminded me that I loved theater because it wasn’t always perfect. Seeing the stage manager scramble to get all the props accounted for reminded me about the rush of theater that I craved time and time again. Watching actors, stage managers, and directors laughing and working together to block out a scene reminded me of the family-like bonds that exist with every show.

Looking back on the multiple shows I’ve been a part of, I realized I was so caught up in the hustle and bustle of performing that I forgot why I loved theater in the first place. I realized that the most important part of it all was the memories of being around people who could make you laugh even on the toughest days.

This doesn’t just go for theater though. I’m hoping this is a simple reminder for those sweating during sport practices, those running band scales until their fingers feel like falling off, or those trying to plan the perfect dance for the student body.

It’s not about the end result; it’s about the journey itself and the people you’re on it with.

09.25.13

FHNTODAY.COM 43

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THE HOT TOPIC OF:

LOSING LEGGINGS After administration announced that leggings were banned in the dress code, an uproar spread throughout the halls of FHN PRO

CON

BY JESSICA OLSEN

BY ELISABETH CONDON

jessicaolsen144@gmail.com • @jessicuhhh9

As these events have started to unravel I find the banning of leggings unnecessary, since they have become a crucial component of female fashion.

Yes, some girls aren’t as responsible as they should be when trying to look presentable in leggings.

However, it’s possible to find decent, affordable leggings that keep everything covered and modVOTE est. I’ve even found some at Target.

I use leggings for comfort, and a style staple, HERE so why should I be punished because other girls don’t want to do the same?

Leggings have become critical for girls’ wardrobes-- much like the white t-shirt. Leggings are something girls can focus their outfit around, or be used almost like accessories, tying an outfit together. With the banning of leggings, girls are left with primarily two options to cover their bottom half as winter comes around; it’s impossible to make sweatpants look nice, and jeans begin feeling repetitive in a girl’s wardrobe.

Personally, I dread the colder months in the year when thinking about putting on a pair of jeans. Jeans are not comfortable on certain body types; mine just so happens to be one of them. I hate sitting in jeans, I hate shopping for jeans, I hate jeans. Leggings can move with my body; not strain against it like jeans do.

It’s also nice knowing that a certain pair of leggings can fit a variety of sizes, whereas jeans conform to one numbered size-- a number that can haunt you for the long cold months if it’s greater than you wish.

The leggings ban needs to be readjusted. It may not be as easy to see, but for some girls, the ban is causing a lot of unnecessary stress when thinking about the cold months ahead.

econdon2014@gmail.com • @willowandgingko

Leggings, yoga pants, and other spandex “pants” are the new pandemic gripping the nation.

According to dictionary.com, pants are defined as, “an usually loose-fitting outer garment for the lower part of the body.”

Leggings are the antithesis of loose-fitting.

As a female, if there is anything I want to cover up, it’s my legs. I feel more comfortable wearing Text 703524 to denim shorts than wearing spandex anything.

37607 if you Although shorts don’t technically cover as much agree with bare skin, they are far more modest than leggings.

Jessica or text 703639 to 37607 There are many things in the world that I would if you agree with rather see than a girl wearing barely-there legElisabeth gings, but if I had to choose, I would rather look at a plaid pair of shorts sagging out of a boy’s poorly-belted jeans.

FHN needs to stand its ground with the antileggings policy in order to maintain an appropriate, professional, and modest learning environment.

When FHN banned leggings, “#savethebooty” crowded up my Twitter feed, and I was shocked by the lack of offense taken. That reaction alone would have been enough to turn me off on the whole idea of ever wearing leggings. Leggings do not scream strength or independence to me.

As a girl trying to become a strong, independent woman, it saddens me that the average female teen is stereotyped as leggings, a baggy sweater, and Starbucks.

As for me, I will keep drinking Starbucks, but you’ll never see me in a pair of leggings as pants. I’ll proudly wear my jeans, roll up my sleeves, flex my muscles, and try to emulate the woman who epitomizes female strength, Rosie the Riveter.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

The full version of the Editorial Policy can be found at FHNtoday.com/editorialpolicy

Have an opinion on something in this month’s paper? Submit a letter, and tell us about it.

• Letters must be signed by the author and verified.

• Letters are submitted to room 026 or Mr. Manfull’s mailbox.

• Letters must include the author’s phone number and e-mail for verification.

• Letters should not exceed 300 words.

44 FHNTODAY.COM 09.25.13

• Letters may be edited for length, grammar, spelling and content.

• Letters will not be printed if content is obscene, invasive, encouraging disruption of school and/or implies libel.

• Authors will be notified if any changes are made to the letter by the editorial staff.

PAGE BY HANNAH ROSEN

Editors-in-Chief: Maddie Hiatt Sophie Gordon

Managing Editor: Daniel Bodden

Business Manager: Rowan Pugh

Business: Aly Jenkins Anna Domitz

Editors: News Editor: Brianna Morgan Features Editor: Emily Hampson Sports Editor: Brenda Alvarado Opinions Editor: Brittany Steck Copy Editor: Lauren Pike General Staff: Claire Carr Elisabeth Condon Sarai Esparza Ashley Eubanks Megan Granneman Priscilla Joel Kyleigh Kristensen Melisssa Lukes Rodney Malone David McFeely Jessica Olsen Emma Pursley Hannah Rosen Alexis Tainter Maggie Torbeck Lexi Wilkinson

NORTH STAR TAKE: KEEP THE MONEY IN UNACCREDITED SCHOOL DISTRICTS The North Star looks at the issues with the transfer program and what needs to be done to solve problems in Normandy ON BEHALF OF THE EDITORIAL STAFF yourfhn@fhntoday.com • @fhntoday

As the transfer transition settles down, it may seem like the accreditation problem is solved, but this solution doesn’t fix the heart of the problem. According to STLtoday.com, the State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has projected Normandy will run out of money in March, and it’s no surprise. Chances are low that this district can survive while paying more than $15 million in tuition to send more than 1,000 kids to schools all over the area.

The problem here is not with the transfer students, but the transfer program does need to end. It would be sad to see these students leave North, but eventually a permanent solution has to be made, and going through the transfer process every year would be ridiculous. Normandy’s plans to regain accreditation are also not the problem. Normandy is focusing on programs that will help their performance in the areas needed for accreditation. The district is doing the best it can with the situation at hand.

The problem here is that the State is making it impossible for Normandy to become reaccredited. Mandating that Normandy finds a way to cut their now $65 million budget back down to $50 million while improving and becoming accredited is completely unreasonable. They are financially able to do much less, but the State is expecting them to do much better than before. Normandy Assistant SuperinPAGE BY BRITTANY STECK

Editor in Chief of Photography: Matt Krieg Photo Editors: Managing Editor of Photography: Cameron McCarty Director of Photography: Paige Martinez Photo Editor: Ashleigh Jenkins Photographers: Jessica Allison Jenna Rodriguez Amanda Eckhard Sammie Savala Ashleigh Jenkins Alyssa Savage Hayden Jensen McKenzie Shea Ariel Kirkpatrick Ashton Stegman Areli Lara Megan Tanksley Lauren Price Abigal Temper Elle Redel Andrew Wittman

tendent of Operations Mick Willis said any adjustments the District makes to absorb the added costs as much as possible would affect 80 percent of programs and services in place now.

The State needs to stop forcing failing districts to give money to all of these transfer schools. It needs to help keep students and funding in the schools, and utilize the money in the best ways possible. When schools become provisionally accredited, that is the time it needs to step in and mandate how the budget is spent, but all the money needs to remain in the schools. It should be spent on programs like tutoring, professional development, and STEM--not transfer programs.

According to STLtoday.com, the State Board of Education has recommended $6.8 million in aid be given to Normandy, but this may not be approved and it may not help the situation at all. Throwing money at this district didn’t help before it lost accreditation and it won’t help now. The State needs to step in with a plan to fix the problem and make sure the money is spent responsibly. If it doesn’t, there’s very little chance this situation will improve at all.

The solution needs to start with this simple action: keeping money in accrediting schools. From there, plans will need to be implemented and change will take time, but it will at least be steps in the right direction. These students in failing schools are worth the headaches it takes to solve these problems. They have to be saved, and it can’t be done by leaving this situation alone.

FHNTODAY STAFF Editor-in-Chief of Multimedia: Zack Eaton Editors: Online Sports Editor: Mike Ebert Managing Web Editor: Jake Chiarelli Webmaster: Alex Weinstock Stats/Scores Editor: Mike Hamilton Web Staff: Nick Wyer Hannah Dietrich

Video Staff: Aiza Bustos Lucas Dykes Kyle Cuppy Sam Skaggs

Video Editors: Hannah Stillman Dan Stewart Maddie Richterkessing Advisers: Aaron Manfull Beth Phillips

09.25.13

FHNTODAY.COM 45

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check out

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Daily sports scores Thousands of photos Fan of the Week Athlete of the Week Game of the Week #FHNgameday Catch all your sports action here!

Patriot Night Football At the Varsity Footbal against Ft. Zumwalt South fans and students came dressed in patriotic colors to support their team and their country. Check out the photos online.

Soccer Kicks Off

@FHNtodaylive

We have coverage of this year’s soccer seasons and photos from many of the games matches.

Get live updates from select games throughout the season by following @FHNtodaylive on Twitter.