April issue 2018 by jcredblack

Go read about the student vs staff basketball game.

p. 14

Red & Black Newspaper 04.16.18 â&#x20AC;˘ Volume 87 â&#x20AC;˘ Issue 6 Jefferson City High School Jefferson City, MO

A discussion on school safety School safety concerns are vocalized by students and addressed by JCPS staff p. 12-13

CONTENTS 14 04.16.18 NEWS 4 4 5 5 6 7

The theme for prom has been announced Food Truck Fridays have commenced Renovation is due to commence on JCHS The annual Jaycee’s Easter egg hunt Courtyard bash goes off with a splash

14 15 16 16

SPORTS

Student vs Teachers basketball Complaints from athletes Girls and Boys basketball take their shot Swinging away into baseball season Rugby is ready to tackle this season

OPINION

The curriculum needs serious change

April review of Coffee with Larry

Unhealthy food doesn’t have your back

The national walkout takes place at JCHS

Editorial: Social Censorship

FEATURES

H2H: Is “senioritus” a legit problem?

HOSA club connects students with their healthcare interests

A story teller comes to the JC library

Go get this year’s yearbook!

Get your favorite teachers pied!

20 20 21 21

Featured Faculty: Sarah Senter

SPOTLIGHT 12-13

School safety is discussed and addressed by JCHS

Suggestions? Email us at RedBlack.JCHS@gmail.com, call us at 573-659-3310, or come stop by room J141. We’d love to hear your ideas or even publish your work. We accept freelance writers, photographers, and cartoon artists. Come be a part of your student newspaper.

A&E

Drama explained by your peers Netflix suggestions Spring outfits ideas Upcoming events at the high school

Reviews: “A Quiet Place;” “Smallcakes;” “Ready Player One”

Billboard VS JCHS

DIY organizers and how to make them

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Cover Shout Out A big thank you to Officer Joyner for being the focus of our cover this issue!

weird dramatic losers). Jimothy played the role of this everyday paper salesman, and now he has directed and starred in his own movie with his wife. If that isn’t goals I don’t know what is. I’m just so proud. I know I don’t know him personally so it’s weird that I feel proud of him, but whatever, get out, everyone should be proud of everyone when they do something great. Speaking of getting up in everyone’s business, what is wrong with random compliments? Go compliment people. Of course, be courteous and polite and don’t be jerk about it, but just like walking up to someone and nicely being like “I love your shoes” honestly is the best thing. Makes my day anyway. Well, I’m running out of space. Also, I think this might be my last time writing to you guys. I’m gonna miss this a lot. I’ve had a great time, honestly. I’m getting a little sad thinking that I won’t be able to rant at you all, like ever again. Well, except you guys that I already rant at face-to-face. You guys are just stuck with me. I guess I’ll just have to start writing letters and handing them out to random people on the street. Thank you all for listening to me for six issues. I really appreciate it. - Gillian Burks

FROM THE EDITOR

Wow, School is almost over. Just... wow. I don’t mean wow like look how far we’ve come, I mean it more in wow I can’t believe I still have to deal with this for like another month. I’m so done. I need school to be over right now. Yes, I know college is school too and the work is going to be so much harder and blah blah blah. Stop it, I don’t care. You know what I do care about? Puppies (also, all the other animals, you guys just don’t get a spotlight right now). Last night my mini schnauzer curled up right next to me, oh my god, I thought I was gonna die of happiness. Speaking of happiness, shout out to my boo. Keeping me happy even when I’m a mess of anxiety and stress. You the real MVP. Is that still a thing? I think it died a long time ago. Eh, don’t care. The real MVP right there. Jeez, what to talk about this time. You guys ever realize that by talking about not knowing what to talk about I’m using up words. Sneaky sneaky. Okay, can we talk about Jim Halpert? I know his real name is John Krasinski or whatever, but I’m gonna call him Jim Halpert. He starred in the office playing a role that was the epitome of normal (not bashing, that’s sorta the whole point of the show, everyone is REAL not

April 16, 2018 Volume 87, Issue 6 Red & Black is a student led newspaper that serves as a public forum for the school and the community. Opinions expressed in the paper are not necessarily those of JCHS nor the faculty, staff or administrators.

Editors: Gillian Burks Sidney Johnson Matt LeCure Salem Sanfilippo Solindas Staff Reporters: Yessnia AustinDixon Madison Behrens McCayla Hartman Kayla Hensley Emalee Murdock Tyanna Robinson Adviser: Kathleen M. Turner Jefferson City High School 609 Union Street Jefferson City, MO 65101 (573) 659-3050 redblack.jchs@gmail.com

@redblackjc www.jcredblack.com 04.16.18//NEWS

NEWS Prom at West Egg

his year, Jefferson City High School will be having prom on May 5, 2018. The theme will be The Great Gatsby. Originally the theme was The Roaring 20s, but to be more specific the Prom Committee choose this theme because in the book “The Great Gatsby,” the main character Jay Gatsby was best known for his wealth and extravagant parties. Unfortunately, in the end Jay Gatsby did have memorable parties but no one remembered him. So the Prom Committee wanted to make this year’s prom memorable. In order to make this year’s prom a success, the Prom Committee has to go through a lot to prepare. As usual there will be a photo booth and a few backdrops to take group pictures. The

Yessnia Austin-Dixon

prom committee wants to give the feeling that the students are actually at one of Gatsby’s parties. The dance will be very extravagant with the lights and the big shimmering decorations. Prom will be in the JCHS gym, and the Nichols Career Center Culinary Arts Program will be catering to save money. The financial issue is also the reason why prom won’t be held in Capital Plaza this year. If prom committee did decide on having prom at Capital Plaza, the best date would have been in April, on Easter weekend. Another problem was that the expenses were over the budget. Before Prom officially starts, plenty of students take pictures at the Capital. Since the Capital is under construction, everyone might not be able to take

Bring on the food trucks

pictures there because the fountains will be done this fall. The entrance to the dance won’t be from the band hall it will be in front of the gym doors. Lilian Ballinger, the Prom Committee President, believes this year’s prom will be better than the last. “I feel like this prom will definitely have better elements, but if not that, this year’s prom will be just as good,” said Lilian. Hopefully prom will be better and more people will come. JCHS will start selling prom tickets on April 25. Prom is a night where all students come together and celebrate their last few days with each other. It’s no more cliques or drama. Prom brings people together, so this year’s prom has to be memorable.

Gillian Burks

en’s D-Dees Kettle Korn LLC, Rebel Tacos, Ozark Mountain Biscuit Co. and REO Feedwagon were all gathered Friday, March 30 for a night of food, music, and fun. The first Food Truck Friday for 2018 has commenced in the lot in front of The Bridge, a bar accompanied by the REO Feedwagon as a micro restaurant located downtown beside the Penitentiary. Once a month, food trucks will gather in front of The Bridge to show off their local homemade cuisine and give the community a reason to get out and spend time together. Seating is provided by the patio and indoor space of The Bridge. The band Claysville Road performed at this past Food Truck Friday. The trucks and music are all Missouri local to promote the local businesses. Jennifer Bax, the owner of D-Dees Kettle Korn for three years, spoke briefly about the event. “[The purpose of the event is] for everybody to come out and have a good time,” Bax said. Each new Food Truck Friday will bring new food trucks and new bands, as dates are announced, so will the truck options and the performing groups. The Food Truck Friday dates will be released through Facebook events, and are listed on the visitjeffersoncity.com page as they are posted on Facebook. They will be held in the later weeks of each month.

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[Photo by Gillian Burks] Rebel Tacos held the longest line at the event and offered tasty options like two dollar tacos and fried avocado.

A highschool makeover Salem Sanfilippo Solindas

ews of Capital City High School, Jefferson City’s soon-to-be second public high school, has been buzzing for a couple years now, demanding the community’s attention. While it is a big deal and it makes sense that the whole city is excited and curious, CCHS has unfortunately overshadowed other, important projects concerning the existing public school. One such project is the series of major renovations Jefferson City High School is about to receive. Most people know very little about what will actually be changed (which is a serious shame, because JCHS’ website has made it look pretty cool). Among other improvements, JCHS plans to boast a new and improved cafeteria, modern media center, and a completely new library. Overall, the school is going to have a lot more elbow room, with modern and open floor plans. Unfortunately, students may not see the final product for a while. While the schedule is still open to adjustment, the Board of Education estimated in May of last year that construction would probably finish some time around the end of 2019. So, unless you’re a sophomore, freshman, or even younger, you probably won’t get to see much of what our school has in store. Hopefully, though, this means they’ll spend all this time making our school the best it can be for the future. In the meantime, spend some time looking into the plans yourself.

Scan this QR code to watch JCHS’s video tour of the renovation plans.

Jaycees’ Annual Easter Egg Hunt Sidney Johnson

aster weekend usually brings Easter festivities, and this year was no exception. Jefferson City Jaycees partnered with The Parks and Recreation Department to host the 31st Annual Easter Egg Hunt held at Memorial Park. On Saturday, March 31st, hundreds of children nine years old and younger, pulled into Memorial Park, ready to hunt. The fee for children was one dollar each, and parents were not charged. The proceeds from the event went to the benefit of Jefferson City community programs. The park was separated into four sections for each age group. Children under three were allowed to be accompanied by a parent, all other ages were sent off on their own. When the time came, all children lined up and waited for their age group to be called. Once the children heard the words over the speaker, they were off!

[Photo by Sidney Johnson] A child marvels over his Easter egg finds and throws his arms out, beaming with joy.

[Photo by Sidney Johnson] Kids and parents alike joined in the fun.

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A bash in the courtyard McCayla Hartman

Kayla Hensley

n Friday, March 16, JCHS held its annual Courtyard Bash. Several students stood in the courtyard as color packets were splattered all over. It was a fun event where teachers, staff, and students gathered together and powdered with color. The event was made by Jefferson City High School's Key Club, who will also be in charge of the Paint the People run/walk on April 14.

[Photos by Kayla Hensley and McCayla Hartman]

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Back at it again with the April Coffee with Larry Gillian Burks

t this month’s Coffee with Larry, boundary lines were retouched on, there was a short discussion on the mascot and colors of Capital City High School, and there was a brief update on construction. Design plans are continuing to be approved as already approved plans are taking action on the ground of Capital City High School. Reconstruction on the current high school is still planned to commence as soon as the building is cleared for summer break. Larry Linthacum, the Jefferson City Public Schools’ superintendent, retouched on the boundary lines. The previous long list of possible boundary lines for the newly divided district has been narrowed down to five choices. These five choices, as well as all of the tabled options, are available to

view on the JCPS website. Meetings are continuing to be held to hear the community’s voice on the boundary lines, the most recent having been a meeting with Lewis and Clark parents. The final decision will be made by the Board of Education. The mascot and colors for CCHS have been voted on and chosen as well. Royal blue and silver are going to decorate the halls and Cavaliers will be their school mascot. There has been a mild commotion about the choosing of a mascot that doesn’t match the “Home of the Jays.” The 5,000 votes have spoken, the Cavaliers have won. Coffee with Larry meetings, as always, is open to the public and is from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. the first Friday of every month.

National walkout practiced among JC peers Kayla Hensley

here is a phrase that has been projected by teens across the states: "Protect kids not guns." School shootings have been an American phenomenon throughout history. Recently the horrific deaths of seventeen Florida students have sparked protests against gun violence amongst young people everywhere. The growing movement for change has inspired walkouts as well as rallies to push back against the National Rifle Association and their gun wielding agenda. After the Parkland Florida shooting, many came to the realization that enough is enough. Support for the seventeen victims and their friends flooded social media, prompting a rightful uprising against big government officials. Bills requesting assault rifles to be banned have been ignored by congress, leaving many feeling unsafe and ignored. JCHS

students felt compelled to make a stand as well. On March 14th, students left FAST class to protest the outdated gun laws. Posters were created, some had senators’ names and numbers, giving an opportunity for students to call and make a change. Tiny ribbons were handed out to represent the 17 lost lives and the fight against gun violence. Teens gathered around the flagpole in front of the high school to listen to the powerful words of their classmates. Some offered their condolences, others expressed their discontent with the NRA and current gun laws. Photos of posters and students were shared on social media using the viral hashtags #marchforourlives and #kidsnotguns. Moments of silence concluded the peaceful protest, and students were ushered inside by administrators. A small amount of counter protesters participated in the walkout as well, objecting against strict gun laws. The

group wore hunting gear to represent their right to own a weapon. “Seeing everyone together was amazing, standing up and speaking out during a time like this amplified our schools unity, and the love and peace we held in our hearts that day” said senior Tylee Ciolli, one of the many students who proudly held their posters at the rally. There is something special about seeing a High school exercise their freedom of speech and come together as a community to protest peacefully.

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Features

Students take interest in Healthcare field Tyanna Robinson

lot of people wonder what HOSA club is about. HOSA stands for Health Occupational Students of America, it’s a club where students choose to be future health professionals. Like medical club, they are a group that are interested in the health field. The club welcomes all students with an interest in the medical field regardless of their specific passion. For example, some of the desired paths that current members are working towards are physical therapy, dental hygiene, and medical lab technology. The purpose of the club is to provide a student-led organization for students interested in the health profession. The club has conferences in the fall and the spring where they consider districts and state, respectively. During districts,

the club members work on leadership in the health field and how they can bring leadership in the health field and professionalism in their lives. This includes various workshops, guest speakers,and activities. In between the time of districts and state, they prep for competition. There are dozens of categories of competing events. Anywhere from taking pictures of the medical field, to performing in a medical profession. During state, which is held at Missouri S&T in Rolla, they take all the prep work they have done for competition and carry out the plan. Depending on the contest they signed up for, the competition is broken up into two rounds which makes the conference two days. The first round consist of a written test. If you score high enough, you move to round two.

Cydnee Durk, a Senior at Jefferson City High School and one of the leaders in HOSA club tells us why she admires the club. “I like the fact that we do go out and compete and have conferences. We get to interact with other schools who have had HOSA as a club for longer and we can improve our club based on the information we gather from other schools,” Said Durk. If you’re interested in the club, the adviser is Jackie Johnson, meetings are the first Tuesday of each month at 3 p.m. and the third Tuesday at 7:10 a.m. in Room 119. For more information,you can contact jackie.johnson@jcschools.us.

Body language is how the audience tells what your story is. While vocal intuition makes the story more interesting for the listeners. Stuch believes that when you use character voices they create a picture in the audiences head. “The cool thing about character voices is you can automatically plant an image in the people’s head and

they have no control over it.” So when he changed voices for each of his characters in our minds we imagine how that character looks. Storytelling is about telling a story to get a reaction from the audience. The way you describe your words, the way you use your voice in different pitches and your body language is what can help you to get the reaction you want.

A story teller performs at the JCHS library O Yessnia Austin-Dixon

n Thursday March 22, 2018 Will Stuch, a professional storyteller, came to Jefferson City High School during FAST. That night there was a storytelling concert and Will Stuch and three other professional storytellers at 7 p.m.-8 p.m. Stuch told numerous stories about his personal life and he had some students participate in activities to create their own stories. He gave tips about how to become a better storyteller. When Stuch was telling his story he used different voices and he used multiple descriptive words to create images in the audience’s head. Nevertheless, when Stuch was telling his stories he never had an ending because he wanted to create a reaction from the audience. “The beginning, middle, and end are all important, whether you’re writing or telling a story. If you’re going to be storytellers, you have to be aware of your body language and you have to be aware of your vocal intuition,” Stuch said.

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[Photo by Angie Green]

Get your year book before time runs out! Matthew LeCure

he yearbook is a compilation of everything regarding a school year, hence the name. The students, staff, athletics, clubs, events, everything that goes on in the school. All of this, from the documentation to the photography, is done by students. This year, the Marcullus team created Once in Your Lifetime, the 2017-2018 Jefferson City High School yearbook. Like Red & Black and Broadcast Media, Yearbook is a Journalistic Production class. The prerequisite to the class is Journalistic Writing, although some kids sign up without it. The Yearbook class is run by Amy Wittman, who has been advising the organization for three years. As of now, there are seventeen students enrolled in the 4th block class. In the beginning of the year, the class works on developing skills for reporting and interviewing. The students are also responsible for the photography and the design work, as well as ad sales and

marketing. “Some of the students have a preference for photography or they’re more confident in writing,” Wittman said. “I really encourage and require all of them to try everything.” Even during the “Yearbook boot camp” at the beginning of the year, the class already works on covering events. Despite the book being released once, the staff have deadlines throughout the year. March 19, 2018 was the final deadline for this year’s book. On that day, all 308 pages were sent to the printer. Once the book is sent to print, the staff work on the supplemental insert. Basically, it’s the coverage of the events that go on after the book is sent off. It is a seperate part of the book that features prom, Mr. JC, and other late-year happenings. Even after send off, the staff continue to work just as hard. This supplement to the book is sent to print in May, and will be

available at registration. This year’s book name, “Once in Your Lifetime,” came up due to the solar eclipse that happened in the beginning of the school year. Due to the rarity of the celestial phenomenon, the yearbook’s name is inspired by that. It also references how one only goes through high school once, and that you cannot relive the past. The staff has worked on the yearbook since the very beginning of the year. They have gotten through the deadlines, pressure and more. “As a staff, they grow closer, everyone gets to know each other, everyone gets to know their strengths and challenges,” Wittman said. “I feel like at this point in the year, everyone’s a bit closer.” If you haven’t bought a yearbook yet, there are still some for purchase. There are order forms in the main office, or you can head to J142.

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Someone is going to get pied! You choose who! We’ll be around the lunch room in the new few weeks to collect votes! Mr. Ganey, Mr. Gale, Mr. Briggs, Bob James, Ms. Thurman and Ms. Stevens are all up to get pied in the face. Drop some change into their jars at lunch and the one with the most change by the time of the Marcullus assembly will be pied!

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Why Skilled Trades and Associate’s Degrees are important: ▶▶ Associates Degrees in an applied science or skilled trade pay very close to the same amount as a Bachelor’s Degree. ▶▶ Knowing a skill not only applies to a job, many people in trades can save themselves money working on their own vehicles, computers, construction projects, heaters/air conditioners, and many other things. ▶▶ Extra income is not always that easy to come by. Many skilled trade’s people create their own small businesses that allow them to make extra money as they desire it. ▶▶ An Associate’s Degree will cost less than half of that of a Bachelor’s Degree.

Featured Staff Member: Sarah Senter Emalee Murdock

arah Elizabeth Senter is the oldest out of three children, she has a sister that is 23 and and younger sister that is 13. She was born in Manchester, Missouri and went to high school at Lutheran High School in Affton, Missouri. Senter has received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Missouri State University in Springfield. She has been teaching for four years and this school year is her very first year at Jefferson City High School. Before this year she taught at School of the Osage High School, Sturgeon Middle School, and Trinity Lutheran here in Jefferson City. “I wanted to become a teacher so that I could use my talents and abilities to help others learn,” Senter said. She currently teaches Algebra 1B and Geometry on the first floor of Nichols. Her favorite thing about teaching is a student’s reaction to finally understanding a concept which had previously been difficult for him/ her. The easiest part of teaching for her is buying supplies so her students can borrow them if they need them. The hardest thing about teaching is seeing students who could be more successful in the classroom give up on themselves and refuse to take a risk and try. Senters favorite thing to do outside of teaching is spending time with her

loving husband and her beautiful family. Senter and her husband have been married for two years, they have a two-year-old standard poodle named Quigley that they love as their own child that they got about a year ago. They met through mutual friends and because of that he asked her to dance at a wedding they both attended. Senters husband played soccer for Jefferson City High School and graduated from here as well.

Fun Fact:

She has been able to say the alphabet backwards since the 1st grade.

Do you have any suggestions for the Features’ section? Know someone with a crazy skill? Have a topic you wish we’d cover? Want us to shine a light on your club? Give us an email at redblack.jchs@gmail.com or stop by room 141. www.jcredblack.com 04.16.18//FEATURES

JCHS addresses school safety concerns Gillian Burks

Salem Sanfilippo Solindas

[Photo provided by NSN]

Tylee Ciolli speaks to the crowd of students at the National Walkout. Multiple students took up the flagpole as their stage to give oral presentations of speeches, poems, and the like. School staff remained close by to ensure student safety in the midst of their peaceful protest.

national walkout was held on Wednesday, March 10. The students participating left their classes at 10 a.m. and stepped outside for a full 17 minutes in remembrance of the 17 students who lost their lives just a month earlier in a Florida school shooting. There was a second local Jefferson City High School walkout held March 12, the following Friday. Both walkouts had remarkable numbers of students involved. Although there is no official count of students who participated, eye witnesses claim to have seen crowds of around 50 students. Participation varied between simple silence, red ribbon pins, speeches and spoken word poetry. Alejandra Ramos, a junior at JCHS, participated in the national school walkout. “I just feel as a young student, we are the upcoming generation, I feel that we should be involved,” Ramos said. These recent concerns, expressed by the community, are being addressed by the school as vigorously as they have always been in the past. The school’s staff and administrators are working to provide a safe learning environment for all of Jefferson City’s Public School’s students. Frank Underwood is the Transportation, Safety, and Security Coordinator for JCPS. The new threats to student’s safety are being constantly

addressed by Safety leaders like Frank Underwood. “Unfortunately, with these events, come new information, with techniques and procedures on how to deal with these type of things. And that’s what we are doing. We are continuously evolving our security, making sure that it’s the best as it can be ... part of it is the renovation of this new high school, making it more secure,” Underwood said. There is a 33-page checkoff provided by FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security that the school fills out to ensure all problems may be identified and addressed. After filling out the questionnaire in 2012, the school was provided with a list of recommendations which were considered and used to improve the safety of the buildings. The school already has taken extensive measures to ensure that threats are unable to enter the building. Bullet-proof glass protects the front office, all visitors must check in, and the doors going around the building are locked from the outside at 8:30 a.m. All of the teachers are trained on safety procedures regarding natural disasters and outside threats. Just how prepared teachers are has been a contested topic in the high media coverage of gun-related

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incidents in schools. An uprising solution being proposed is the arming of school staff and teachers. There are mixed options on this topic: one side saying that arming teachers would provide active protection to the students and discourage shooters and the other arguing that arming teachers is ignoring the root problem behind these attacks. Larry Linthacum is the JCPS superintendent, and he explained the current plans for arming JCHS teachers. “We’re trying to consider all options, but at this point that is not our recommendation as far as arming teachers,” Linthacum said. Tensions are high among students as they struggle to find their voices in this whole debate and teachers work to alleviate the stress from their classrooms to ensure a healthy teaching environment. The administration and faculty would like to stress that the best way to ensure a safe school is by speaking up. Alert any teachers or staff if you see anything alarming or worrying. Almost all threats stopped have been because a student alerted a faculty member and they were able to address the situation before any problems arose.

Nichols Student News This story was completed in collaboration with Nichols Student News. Video recordings of the interviews taken are available along with a written piece by the NSN staff members Greta Cross and Kaitylnn Mulcahey. Visit www.NicholsStudentNews.com to view these and many other stories created by the NSN staff.

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SPORTS

Students VS Teachers basketball tournament Tyanna Robinson

he Jefferson City High School Staff Team battled the Student Team in a very competitive basketball game Tuesday, March 20th. The staff and the students each had two teams that competed against each other. Those who supported the Student Team wore black, and those who supported the Staff Team wore red. Every team that competed brought positive and uplifting energy. Counseling Secretary and Register, Dulce Stevens, competed on the Staff Team and assures that the Student vs Staff Basketball Tournament is nothing but fun and games. “I never laughed so hard in my life.” said Stevens, “It was really fun to have belly laughs from student to teacher, and provided the chance to show students what it’s like outside of our normal environment.” The Staff started out with a strong lead, but it didn’t last very long. In the middle of the second half, the Staff

points as possible in order to earn bragTeam’s score was low, so the Student ging rights. The crowd was on edge, Team decided to make a deal with the shouting, cheering on their team and staff. Gary Verslues, Assistant Superjeering at the opposing team. The atmointendent for Secondary Schools, was sphere was tense, the clock was slowing allowed six free shots if he was able to winding down. At the end of game, the score at least 10 points. If he was not scoreboard showed 72-71, the Staff able to make the 10 points, 10 points Team was victorious. would be granted to the student team. The final quarter of the game was intense, the entire team on both sides were on the court. Each team hustling up and down the court, trying [Photo by Tyanna Robinson] to score as many Thomas Maxwell Hanranhan goes up for a lay up, while Emili Smith stands behind him ready for a rebound.

Athletes complain about their sports Archery

Football

“The money distribution is no where near equal throughout the school.” - Mitchell Huston

“I can never be perfect when shooting my bow.” - Benjamin Larrison

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Matt LeCure

Football

“I put the work in at practice, but didn’t put the work in to prepare for tests.” - Van Johnson

Girls’ and boys’ basketball shoot their shot Sidney Johnson

he Lady Jays basketball team entered the district games in Wentzville, Missouri, as the number one seed and played favorably in both games, making their way to sectionals. The Lady Jays’ were ready for districts finishing their regular season 20-7 and placed 10th in the state. In the first round at districts Jefferson City High School played against Battle High School, finishing overall with 25-point lead. In the District Championship game JCHS played Troy finishing 39-23, with one of the Lady Jays’ starters, Greta Haarmann, out with an injury. The success at the districts games, however, did not come as a shock to the Lady Jays’ who were very confident entering districts. Caitlyn Anderson, Point Guard for JCHS, stresses the importance of the team’s mindset despite the opposing team. “As a team we went in feeling we had a good chance,” said Anderson, “But we knew we had to play hard no matter who the opponent was.” The Lady Jays’ went into sectionals feeling no different, especially by their performance at districts. The Lady Jays’ were up against Francis Howell in St. Louis at Maryville College. The Lady Jays’ were neck and neck throughout the game at sectionals

he Jefferson City Jays basketball team started out on fire, but struggled more toward the end of their season and finished 11-13 in their regular season. The JCHS Basketball Team really wanted to redeem themselves at the district games. The JCHS basketball team went into the District Games, held at Holt High in Wentzville, as the number one seed. The Jays’ were hopeful that being the number one seed would give them a win in their first rounds of districts. Senior, Garrett Parker, small and

against Francis Howell Central. In the last 15 seconds the game was tied 34-34 and JCHS had possession of the ball. Center, Micah Linthacum, went for a lay up; the shot, however, did not end up in basket. Francis Howell was awarded possession of the ball and scored in the last five seconds of the game. With this achievement at districts, some players on the team, like Ileah Chambly, think this is what cost them the victory. Chambly is co-captain and small

foward for the Lady Jays Basketball Team and this is her second time playing in the Sectional Tournament. “Going into sectionals our heads weren’t there and we were overlooking the game in front of us,” said Chambly. The Lady Jays’ put up a fight until the very end, but unfortunately were unsuccessful in reaching their goal-making it to the Final Four. The Lady Jays’ Head Coach, Brad Conway, are focusing on next season and leaving what happened this year on the court.

[Photo Submitted by Tori Lepage] The Lady Jays Basketball Team celebrates being awarded District Champions at the 2017=2018 Girls Basketball Tournament power forward, had mixed emotions going into the district games. “I felt that our team was very confident going into Districts for the most part, but I knew we still had some work to do and I was hoping we would pull through,” said Parker. The week of practices before the District Games, complications at practice were frequent, not creating good energy for the game that weekend. The Jays’ pulled together and left the negative energy back in Jefferson City. The Jays’ had a strong start to the game, but the

fell short in the second half and were defeated 56-48. Hudson Nilges, a shooting guard for JCHS, reflects back on that final game and gives his perception on why the game did not end in favor of JCHS. “We did not come prepared,” said Nilges, “We just weren’t there mentally and that cost us the game.” The Jays’ will be losing five seniors this year, and will have to adapt to the change, while also overcoming their weaknesses that cost them this season.

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Swinging away into JCHS baseball season Emalee Murdock

Tyler Bise, Dawson Schuemann and Justin Wood get ready to bat.

[Photos by Madison Behrens] Justin Wood winds up to throw the ball.

ith last year’s State Championship title under their belt, the JCHS Baseball Team is not disappointing anyone with the start of this season. Their biggest win yet was against St. Francis Borgia. The JCHS Baseball Team beat them twice, 10-0 and 5-0. They beat Carthage High School 16-6, as well as Hillcrest High school 10-0.

Last season the team had an outstanding record with only being defeated twice, and eventually excelled onto the Class Four State Championship and won. Head coach Brian Ash explains his approach to this season after having several players graduate last year and getting new players on the team. “With so many new players,

coaches are being a little more patient and breaking down the fundamentals,” Ash said. Senior, middle infielder, Ryan Sturm, says that the players are focusing on revisiting the skills that will help them perform well on the field. “The Jays are working hard to master the fundamentals of baseball, being focused and taking one game at a time,” Sturm said, “We hope to see another great season of baseball this year.”

Rugby is ready to tackle this next season R Gillian Burks

ugby is available both high school girls and boys in Jefferson City. The teams are self-funded and are registered as an independent city club. The boys’ season usually begins in the fall, while the girls’ season waits until late summer. When their season starts, the girls’ team will practice every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Currently, the boys’ team practices every Tuesday and Thursday starting at 5 p.m. Both teams utilize the fields beside the Jefferson City Memorial Airport, just past the bridge leaving town on 54, as the location

for their practices. The practices last between two to three hours and include strategy, game rules and maneuvers. Courtney Harrel is one of the three coaches for the girls’ team. This past fall was her fourth year of coaching. “[Rugby] is a game of strategy and it’s unusual to the Midwest...when we get players, they’ve never played rugby; they don’t know what rugby is. We have to start from the ground up,” Harrel said. The boys’ play a version of rugby which requires a team of 15, while the girls’ play a version which requires

16 04.16.18//SPORTS

only seven. The teams are available for any one in 9th through 12th grade, with the exception of anyone over 19. To sign up for either team, simply show up to a practice, and the coaches available will provide the paperwork. There is a small fee required for insurance purposes as the only protective wear that the teams use is mouth guards. Rugby is a unique sport and provides an experience unlike that which other commonly played American sports offer. “Rugby is a mixture of football and soccer, but it’s better than both,” Harrel said.

Opinion

The curriculum needs serious changes G Yessnia Austin-Dixon

oing through high school can be stressful. First, there is the enormous amount of homework, the quizzes and test, the after-school activities, and home life. Countless times students are told high school is supposed to prepare students for the future. High school teaches you how to think critically, to have better social skills, and to be more responsible. But, is all of that, plus the amount of school work students get everyday too much to handle? The learning curriculum is difficult because of the way teachers are teaching the subject and how the students process the information being taught to them. Junior Lillian Ballinger, feels that the learning curriculum is hard because of lack of understanding towards students. “Some teachers don’t take into consideration that we have more than just

their class to have work in. So, whenever we have projects and multiple tests on the same day, it gets harder to keep up,” Ballinger said. As students get older, they lose sleep and the curriculum gets harder for students to understand because they’re tired. It’s easy for someone to say, just get more sleep, but to actually make yourself sleep longer is a different story. On average teenagers get six or less hours of sleep every night. The less sleep they have, the less likely they are going to pay attention in class. The learning curriculum doesn’t have to get easier, it just needs to slow down. Not everyone learns at the same pace, especially if the students are half awake. High school students are given high expectations they have to reach in order to be successful. For some students they feel like they are always in competition with their peers just to get a

good grade or to be ranked the highest in their class. “I feel like we have these expectations that we’re supposed to live up to, like you have to get good grades to go to college and if you don’t go to college you won’t get a good job and it feels like you’re a failure or disappointment if you don’t reach those expectations,” said Ballinger. High expectations put so much pressure on students and adding the extra homework and stress is what makes the learning curriculum so hard.

Unhealthy snacks don’t have your back Kayla Hensley

ed Bull may give you wings, but it will also give you irritability, stomach pains, and withdrawals. There is a price that comes along with a lot of the sweet treats we like to enjoy. Teenagers are mostly always on the sugary end of the food spectrum, and lately the side effects of unhealthy eating have gotten worse. Not only has obesity tripled since the 80s, but it has been declared an epidemic. The treats chosen by students to enjoy for the day reflect the unhealthy eating habits of Americans everywhere. Soda, energy drinks, candy bars, Hot Cheetos, the list goes on and on. These snacks are okay in moderation, but have developed into an everyday meal for many students. Some even choose

these for the most important meal of the day. The effect of these foods can have a lasting effect on your heart, high blood pressure, stomach and development. Eating unnecessary amounts of greasy or sugary foods can cause acne, and who wants that on top of hormones? No one, that’s who. Sadly most foods have gotten unavoidably unhealthy over the last 100 years, which means that even if you think you’re healthy, you’re most likely indulging in more sugar than intended. If you’re not watching what you eat, and you don’t worry about your metabolism or care about your general health, then the impending doom of an unhealthy adulthood doesn’t apply to you. Investing in a healthy diet takes

time and patience, and unfortunately most teenagers don’t have either. There are simple ways to improve your diet that don’t require exercise or strenuous grocery shopping. Simply drinking an extra cup of water will improve your skin and bodily functions. Choosing fruits and veggies you can tolerate as a snack will help with the stomach pains from Cheetos and RedBull. Swapping out your everyday sugary or salty snacks with something rich in protein or fiber will cause a dramatic difference in your energy levels, your focus in class, and brain function. Although these foods are enjoyable, they can be harmful. Your snack choices as a teen will make a large impact on your life as an adult.

www.jcredblack.com 04.16.18//OPINION

The Red and Black Editorial: Censoring needs to stop T

he National School Walkout was held on March 14. Many of our fellow students stepped out of their classes to join forces and speak their opinions. A local walkout occurred the following Friday. Even more students walked outside and paid their respects to the victims of the Florida school shooting. When I heard talk of these walkouts in the days before, it was in quick comments, as if speaking about it for too long would have caused some sort of issue. When the walkouts were brought up outside of school, I read things like “students just want to get out of class” on Facebook. Students did not just want to get out of class. I find it ridiculous to not understand that if students are old enough to die in a school shooting, then they are old enough to respectfully express their opinions about dying in a school shooting. Students want to talk about these adult issues, but it seems like there is no one there to start the conversation. Did your health class talk about rape? Did your child development class talk about homes with abusive relationships? We skim over topics like mental illness, drug and alcohol abuse, and sex to “protect” the students, but is ignorance really bliss? According to a survey of 8th, 10th, and 12th

graders by Project Know, 50% of teens have misused drugs (either illicit or prescription). Of course, studies like this are also skewed by the number of willing participants who are comfortable sharing this information. It’s not that students aren’t going to know about these topics if schools don’t say anything, it’s just that they’ll be misinformed. Our high school, like many high schools, claims that it is preparing us for the future. They are always stating

about Japanese internment camps without the help of my history book? Each generation is supposedly worse than the last, and each generation’s supposed failure is blamed on a plethora of scapegoats. The parents aren’t doing enough. The school system has given up. Smart phones are making kids dumb. Drugs are too readily available. Each time someone points a finger at someone else, they are shucking their own responsibility. It’s like saying the person tossing their garbage on the ground is ruining the planet while you chug along in your fivemiles-to-a-gallon diesel truck. You are tossing out your own need for responsibility because you’ve found someone, besides yourself, to lay the blame on. We are young adults, emphasis on adults. I will be leaving this school in about 30 more school days. My father bought me mace to protect myself for when I move out, but I was thinking about it. Why doesn’t the school offer a [Image by Kayla Hensley] self defense class as a P.E. credit? that we are young adults, so we should Seems like something an adult should act like it. Then treat us like it. know. I want to know how to protect In Child Development, we had a myself from being abducted. There are day where we talked about sex and topics being brushed off, but they are STDs, but same-sex relationships were what we need to be educated adults. hardly touched on, if at all. There are We don’t deserve censorship of adult pieces missing from our textbooks. I topics, we deserve an open educational get it, mitochondria is the powerhouse environment. of the cell. Why did I have to learn

04.16.18//OPINION

Excuses, excuses...

Head to Head

Sidney Johnson

Is “senioritis” legit?

lright, first things first, let’s establish that senioritis is nothing but an excuse used by people who don’t want to do their school work. Now, I totally get not wanting to be at school and not wanting to your homework, but being a senior doesn’t make things any more challenging than the years prior. Knowing that the things are coming to an end, it’s tempting for seniors to get this mind-set, wanting an easy way out. Seniors have this sort of mentality that since they have almost served their full sentence behind the bars of high school, their brains are are mush and they should be entitled to doing less. Some say that school can be just as time consuming and important as a job. Usually, the student you are at school reflects on your work ethic. But unlike school, a career usually doesn’t have an ending after four years. Students who like to slack off are usually the ones who like to use the senioritis excuse. I am a senior myself, so I totally get wanting to be done and never looking back, but you have to power through and finish strong! Some people think that senioritis can be related to the anxious feeling regarding the next big milestone. A 2011 study in the Journal of School Health recorded some cases where students feel so much anxiety with the stress of going to college and taking the next big step in life, students react by acting out and are more frequently truant. Some students fear such a big change and never make it to college. However, this study is not a proof that senioritis is true condition in any way. According to The National Institution of Mental Health 6.3 million teenagers have an anxiety disorder. With high anxiety being common among teenagers there is no way to determine that the anxiety is completely related to the worries of the next step. So quit the excuses, y’all. Do or, hey, don’t do your homework, but don’t blame it on “senioritis” because it’s not a thing and neither teachers nor parents will sympathise with you.

Some monsters ARE real! Matt LeCure

enior year: a time of change, growth, and loss of any and all energy you still have. The suffix “itis” is used to complete a word representing an illness. The phrase “senioritis” describes a jolt of fear, stress and depression that occurs to students during their last year of high school. Some people think of it as just a joke, but I am here to tell all the naysayers that senioritis is a really big deal. As a senior, I know how real senioritis is. The first symptom of senioritis is stress for the future. It’s your final year of high school, and you are living in the last moments of your childhood. You are starting to think about college, your potential career, and so much more. It can be slightly or incredibly stressful. After you get stressed out about the future, it is time to freak out about the present. You may not even have a future if you don’t pass high school. You probably will, but it will be the epitome of humiliation. Because of the stress, the work seems to get more and more difficult, causing even more stress. It’s sickness that makes you even more sick. How is that fair?! [Photo by McCayla Hartman] The final stage of senioritis is the most tiring. That’s because it drains every last drop of energy you have left. You’re always tired, lost in thought and emotionless. I wouldn’t describe this feeling of sadness, but more of a “done with everything” sort of mood. There is so much stuff you have to think about, so your mind is working too hard. That’s really not ideal in a school setting. While senioritis seems like just a joke, it really is a serious problem. It can lower your self-esteem, and that will lead to you believing that you can’t succeed. With that attitude, you probably can’t. The best thing for you is confidence. Don’t get motivated because you don’t want to fail. Get motivated because you want to pass. If you are like me, and an optimistic mind-set is really hard to achieve, just write out the things you want. If thinking doesn’t work, turn it into something physical. All you need to do is take a deep breath and never give up.

www.jcredblack.com 04.16.18//OPINION

The Red and Black Editorial: Censoring needs to stop T

03.15.18//OPINION

Excuses, excuses...

Head to Head

Sidney Johnson

Is “senioritis” legit?

Some monsters ARE real! Matt LeCure

www.jcredblack.com 03.15.18//OPINION

Arts&Entertainment

Salem Sanfilippo Solindas

Drama

explained by non-thespians

Q&A

Beth Vaughn

Mikey Saucedo

Q: Where is stage right?

Q: How does one… “act?”

V: ...on the right side of the stage? M: When you have the right to be on the stage at any time.

V: You think about the character and… what you think the character should be like. M: You pretend that you’re something when you’re really not.

Q: Why do people act? V: It’s a way that they can show their personalities and who they want to be M: They don’t like who they are, so they wanna act like someone different.

tom Ana

y’s Gre e Gle ale erd ir l Riv gs pG ssi hin o G er T g n a Str al pic ir l Aty pG ssi use Go r ho fe e l l Li Fu ret irl G Sec

Q: How do you get into character? V: You do research of people that would be similar to the character M: Normally in the mornings, you kinda just wanna warm up and think about who you’re gonna be today. And then be that

Are yo watch u looking f on Ne tflix? or a new se Th rie some sugge e Red & Bl s to a stions for yo ck have u.

ssi

McCayla Hartman

04.16.18//ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Spring outifts inspired by The Snob Shop McCayla Hartman

pink jacket: $15.00 shirt: $7.00 jeans: $12.00

$6.00

shirt $8.00 shorts: $10.50

$34.00

$18.50

Upcoming events at Jeff City High School Tyanna Robinson

www.jcredblack.com 04.16.18//ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

REVIEWS

Did you see a good movie? Read an interesting book? Hear a great song that’s stuck in your head? Stop by room 141 with your suggestion.

Emalee Murdock

any people are wondering where and what this Smallcakes place is. Smallcakes is a new cupcakery with tons of flavors you may of never even heard of. The cupcakes are made fresh and decorated beautifully every day. They make a flavor of the day and get pretty creative with their flavors. The Cupcakery is located at 905 Eastland Dr. Suite B Jefferson City. They are open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, except

Sundays when they are open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Smallcakes has great customer service and always greets you with a smile. The ladies and gentlemen that work there are very kind and try to help you as much as possible. Some say the cupcakes are a little pricey, but they are definitely worth it! They even make cupcakes for dogs! If you would like a tasty delicious sweet treat, go check out Small Cakes.

Salem Sanfilippo Solindas

was really, really worried about this movie. If you’ve seen atrocities like Pixels (2015) or Super Mario Bros (1993), you know how ridiculously bad most video game movies tend to be. So, naturally, I didn’t have very high hopes for Ready Player One. Luckily, this movie was everything I could want and more. As a huge fan of video games, the 80’s, and video games from the 80’s, I ended up smiling the whole movie from the references alone. Set in a futuristic wasteland, RP1 spends most of its time in Oasis, a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (or MMORPG) that uses virtual reality to create a perfect world, which the entire population plays in. It makes for an awesome concept, and it’s

only made better with the cast of awesome characters. I would have honestly been satisfied just watching the protagonists explore Oasis, just interacting with each other, no conflict at all. I think the villain was the weakest member of the cast, which is saying something, since he’s a pretty cool character. I’ve never read the book RP1 is based on, but I definitely want to. I know the plot changed quite a bit in this adaptation, which got a lot of fans’ goats, since overall it wasn’t all that faithful from what I understand. Still, it’s worth your time. This movie has something to offer for everyone, “normies” and “nerds” alike.

Blakelee Sutton

Quiet Place” is a horror/thriller film written and directed by John Krasinski. The film is a near-masterpiece that engages the audience in nail-biting suspense from the first frame until the credits start rolling. The direction throughout is that of an artist who has come to master the craft. Audio throughout is used to brilliant effect and is integrated masterfully. Every single actor in the film gives some of the most captivating performances given by anyone in years,

and the quality never wavers at any time. The film avoids the problem that many others make the mistake of. It lets us know what we need to in a way that doesn’t insult the audience’s intelligence. Character details aren’t lazily explained with expository dialogue; things are shown, not told. A Quiet Place is a heart-pounding thrill ride that goes further than just horror, becoming an emotional rollercoaster that will become an instant classic.

04.16.18//ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Staff Suggestions

JCHS Students

Salem Sanfilippo Solindas

#1 God’s Plan- Drake #2 Meant to Be- Bebe

Rexha & Florida Georgia Line

#3 Perfect- Ed Sheeran #4 Finesse- Bruno Mars & Cardi B.

#5 Psycho- Post Malone & Ty Dolla $ign

#1 Psycho- Post Malone & Ty Dolla $ign

#2 God’s Plan- Drake

#1 Some Girls- Hailee Steinfeld

#3 Perfect- Ed Sheeran

#2 Walkway Blues- M83

#4 Freaky Friday- Lil

#3 Stir Fry- Migos

Dicky ft. Chris Brown

#5 Pray for Me- The Weeknd & Kendrick Lamar

#4 Teardrops on my Guitar- Taylor Swift

#5 I’m Yours- Jason Mraz

Bullet journal ideas from your classmates Emalee Murdock Tyanna Robinson

Ifeoma Salem Anunoby’s Sanfilippo Bullet Solindas’ Journal Bullet Journal

www.jcredblack.com 04.16.18//ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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