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Red & Black Volume 88 Issue 2 JeffersonCity HighSchool Jefferson City, MO.
Jays in the military pg. 8-9
Jays Center Stage
CONTENTS 11.15.18
SPOTLIGHT
NEWS
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Events this fall
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Teen stress levels
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Policy VS Practice: why trans students can’t change their name in the yearbook
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Save the wave
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The truth about alcohol
Fundamental differences between Democrats and Republicans
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8 9 10
Featured teacher & staff Featured artist: Will Mollenkamp
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Flu safety at JCHS
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JCHS drama club takes on classic musical “Grease”
It’s hunting season!
SPORTS
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Chicken everywhere
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Five places to hike this fall
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Player perspective: Tennis
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Featured athletes: Greta Haarmann & Jimmy Knolls
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Walker returns to alma mater
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FEATURES Students serving: Future heroes
Grease takes the stage!
A&E
OPINION 17
Dressin’ without opressin’
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Hispanic students are treated unequally
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Editorial: Eating disorders
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Head to Head: Is it okay to cheat?
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Dear Patti: Dog Horoscopes: Thanksgiving Family How to Friendsgiving Thanksgiving food substitutes Reviews: Bohemian Rhapsody & Busch’s Florist and Greenhouse Noah’s shower thoughts
Do you have story suggestions for the Red & Black? Email us at RedBlack.JCHS@gmail.com, call us at 573-340-3715, 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.
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11.15.18//CONTENTS
FROM THE EDITORS Hello again!
Hello!
We’re back for round two! This has been an eye-opening experience as to how much work actually goes into creating this paper. Hours after school, sleepless nights and stressful days. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. This issue highlights many problems facing our students here at JCHS. The News section is focused on presenting the facts on all topics in a fair and unbiased way. I can promise that many hours went into editing and revising to make this issue better than the last. I hope that we can exceed your expectations and also be an informative source for you to form opinions and make decisions. The newspaper would not be possible without our hardworking staff who continues to grow in knowledge and experience, and our advisor who always puts up with us. We hope you enjoy! -Taylor:)
Welcome back everyone! Both the staff and myself are excited to bring our second issue to our tenure with the Red & Black. I feel that we have learned from the previous issue to bring and even better one this time around. I’m especially excited to present everyone with the stories this issue contains. We’ve tried to write about and discuss issues that are more pressing and feel more important to people. Our news story about the placement of preferred names for transgenders is incredibly important to me and I think it highlights an issue that concerns a lot of people. I hope that everyone enjoys our newest issue and finds the topics chosen as worthwhile and intriguing as I did. -Blakelee
If you’re interested in becoming a freelance writer for the Red & Black, contact us through our email at
RedBlackJCHS@gmail.com
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November 15, 2018 Volume 88, Issue 2 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-In-Chief: Taylor Baker Blakelee Sutton Staff Reporters: Lesley Altheuser Rhakala Blackmon Rylie Bohanan Makayla Coleman Michelle Grant Noah Holt Demeshia Slaughter Ash Stickann Adviser: Kathleen M. Ledgerwood Jefferson City High School 609 Union Street Jefferson City, MO 65101 (573) 659-3050 redblack.jchs@gmail.com
@redblackjc
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NEWS
Events This Fall Ash Stickann
Nov. 23rd Discover Nature: Runge Animal Feeding Place & Price: Runge Conservation Nature Center, 1:30pm-2pm, free Nov. 29th Suicide: The Ripple Effect. A film to save lives Book Signing 6:00pm; Speakers 6:30pm; Documentary 7:00pm; free
Nov. 29th Mayor’s 13th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Place & Price: Rotary Park on Bolivar St, 5:30pm, free Nov. 30th Downtown Living Windows Place & Price: Downtown, 6-9pm, free
Dec. 1st Jefferson City Christmas Parade Place & Price: Downtown, 4:30pm, free
Teen Stress Levels Ash Stickann
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tress, it’s something we all experience. From worrying about an upcoming test, to figuring out a ride schedule for school that week. Early October through late December can be a very stressful time in the mind of a high school student. Often students are dealing with the changing of term, the cramming of tests before breaks, and the transitioning from one sport to another, all while holding your life together. Autumn can be a very tight schedule for a lot of students at Jefferson City High School. An analysis survey done in 2013 by the American Psychological Association showed than in comparison to the adult average of 5.1 on the 10 point stress scale, teens averaged a level of 5.8. The results of two social media polls of JCHS students shows that from students who responded, feelings of extreme stress surround many students at JCHS.
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Policy VS. Practice
Why trans students can’t change their names in the yearbook E
Taylor Baker
very year the Marcullus yearbook staff receives complaints from transgender students who do not wish to have their legal name in the yearbook. Many transgender students choose to go by a preferred name, which is different from their legal name. Transgender students are a growing minority in schools, which is making school board revisit and rethink policies and procedures. Some of these students may feel ostracized from their peers simply because they were born in the wrong body and being reminded of their birth name can add to this isolation. The issue comes into play when trans students go by a name that is not in the yearbook, which may out them to their peers. This could be a big source of stress for students who work hard to pass as a cisgender person (a person who was born as the gender they identify as). Having their legal name printed in the yearbook is not only a reminder to the student body, but also a personal reminder to the student for the rest of their life. “Where we currently are is that, the practice that the high school has taken, for the yearbook, that legal names be used. Now having said that, when I look at board policy, we don’t have anything specific that speaks to that,” stated Gary Verslues, Assistant Superintendent. Yearbook advisor, Ms. Wittman, has stated that the protocol does not come from the yearbook staff or from her. “We have had complaints from transgender students who would like
their taken name (instead of their birth name) to appear next to portraits. I totally understand their position, and I have taken this concern and conversation to the principal Bob James. He checked with the Board of Education on the issue, and they stood by their policy of using legal names,” stated Wittman. James says that since this is a community standard, the decision lies with the Board of Education, so he spoke to Mr. Verslues in March of the 2018 school year about transgender students changing their names in official records. Wittman says the Board of Education would not change the policy when Mr. James asked, but Mr. Verslues states that the Board never had a policy to begin with, and that this is more of an issue of following what has been done in the past. The current protocol has been to use legal names to avoid any legal action that might be taken by a parent or student. When school boards set out to write policies, they pull them from different entities. These sources are national and state associations, which write up sample policies specifically for schools to use. The Missouri School Board Association has two policies which state that schools should use the student’s preferred name for everything except transcripts, where they would use the legal name, but our school does not follow that rule because they have not formally adopted either policy. “The district has sub-committees for policies...This is one I asked Dr. Shindorf,
the Chief of Learning, my immediate supervisor, where we were with that because he’s on the policy committee, and he said we don’t have one. And so it’s one that will be reviewed and added to their list as far as ‘hey we need to adopt a policy, which one do we want to adopt?’” stated Verslues. This issue boils down to two things. First, schools are in a unique position now when it comes to supporting the transgender student body, but the JCPS Board of Education is aware of the issue and they want to develop a clear policy. Second, the yearbook staff is not in charge of creating policies for transgender students to change their name. One of their staff members, Salem Sanfilippo Solindas, has expressed his frustration on the subject. “We’ve been asked personally by several students to change names in the yearbook, but it’s out of our control. Because of the current system, we’re forced to out transgender students, and that’s just not okay,” says Sanfilioppo Solindas.
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Save the wave S
ave the Wave is a small movement that rippled through JCHS. Some people are unaware what Save the Wave is or the reasonings behind it. A small group of sophomores began the movement. It started with the ultimate goal of having equal enforcement of rules relating to head gear, like durags, bonnets, hats and beanies. “The save the wave is not a new trend. It was a trend when I was high school (95-99). The purpose of the do-rag is to help the hair lay down and help the waves form with the wave grease. You are suppose to do that the night before, so that when you come to school your waves are just fresh to death,” Counselor Teshura Rogers says. Some JC students believe that the administration has discriminated against a certain race of people since durags and bonnets are mostly found in African and African American culture. “Save the Wave is not just about getting to wear durags. It’s about the enforcement, application, and equality when administrations sets and enforces rules, policies and procedures,” sophomore Kaia Pritchett says. Francisca Lopez, a Spanish teacher, has a different perspective about Save the Wave and headgear in school. “I feel society works better when we all go by certain norms. Some norms are
Rhakala Blackmon
written somewhere and some of them are not. I feel it is important to show your head and eyes when you are inside a building; it is a sign of respect for others. Everyone should show respect for others, but not because someone asks you to do so but because each person is selfdisciplined, and they use their own free agency to show cordial and respectful behavior towards each other,” Lopez says. Some students view the ban of durags and bonnets in school as a personal attack. “I just think that the ban of a durag or bonnet is flat out discrimination, while there are individuals walking around wearing confederate attire which is deeply offensive to certain cultures and people,” Najavon Parish says. Sophomore Kyron Davis said he’s brought up multiple examples of inconsistency to teachers and principals. “They said they handled [the inconsistency], but it happened again recently. The process of waves doesn’t happen overnight, it requires consistency,” Kyron Davis finishes. Mrs. Pleus, a secretary, brought up the point that “As a female, I understand that some hair types need to have some taming. There’s some students who wear bandannas as a headband. It’s hard to regulate who gets to wear what…. If I [as a student] came into school with a bandanna on, they would say take it off
because it’s against school rules,” Mrs. Pleus says. Mrs. Rogers in the counseling office had a few things to say about Save the Wave. “In my opinion kids are not trying to save the wave, they don’t even want to show the WAVE. Many of those students use the scarves and the do-rags as an alternative to doing basic self care, hair care. You should want to take care of yourself and your appearance and the way you present yourself to world. You only get one time to make a first impression,” Mrs. Rogers says. The Save the Wave movement has died in popularity, but the effects of it still are around. “The issue is going to be revisited at the end of the month and a solution will be found,” according to the Save the Wave organizers. Until then administration has been cracking down on students wearing headgear. “If you need help with hair product for getting a haircut you can come to the counseling office and we will help you,” Mrs. Rogers. states.
Please read the inserted statement from Principal Bob James about the rules and policies regarding head gear. This email was sent to a reporter asking for a comment on the story, but the Red & Black staff thought it was important enough to include it in its entirety, so the student body could share in understanding the reasoning behind the rules.
Kyron Davis models a durag.
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11.15.18//NEWS
Fundamental Differences Between Sutton Democrats and Republicans Blakelee Taylor Baker
This is a generalization of both parties and therefore does not reflect the ideals of every member of either party.
Left Abortion: Women should have the freedom to terminate a pregnancy if she so chooses
Right
Abortion: Restricted access to a safe abortion
Gun Control: Increase steps and
Gun Control: Firearms should be more readily available to a wider range of people
Government Programs: People should have access to government assistance
Government Programs: The government should cut spending on citizen assistance.
Gay Rights: Favor the right of gay marriage, support LGBT causes
Gay Rights: Generally oppose the right to gay marriage, support traditional marriage
Environmental Issues: Encourage government action to prioritize bettering environment pollution over sustaining the economy
Environmental Issues: More-so consider the economic outcomes of prioritizing
regulations required to attain a firearm
The Truth About Alcohol S
ome Jefferson City students have let Daren the D.A.R.E. Lion down. Alcohol is on the list of substances used by JC students. In the chart you can see that so far this school year we’ve had 4 instances of drug/alcohol abuse. Alcohol is harder to be more discreet with, but with the options of parties on the weekend, filling up a solid bottle with alcohol, and sometimes even having access to alcohol at home could sadly turn some JC students into full-blown alcoholics and has some students on the verge. Everyone knows the basic facts about alcohol: it’s a depressant, the teen body cannot handle alcohol, alcohol is bad and it breaks down some of the main organs needed to function. But, not many people fully understand the full effects of alcohol. The brain, liver, heart, pancreas, kidneys and stomach are some of the organs that feel the full effects of alcohol. In some cases there are adults who drank so heavily as teens that as adults,
their organs will sometimes fail from all the abuse. Drinking as teens and the number of alcohol and substance abuse by students is concerning. A heavy drinker is someone who drinks a lot over a period of time, while a binge drinker is someone who drinks an excessive amount over the period of a day. Heavy drinking as a teenager can impact health as an adult. According to Next Generation Village, starting off drinking as a teenager paves the pathway for alcohol abuse as an adult. Binge drinking on the other hand can cause alcohol poisoning, which can cause death, choking, severe dehydration, seizures, hypothermia, irregular heartbeat and brain damage. So, the next time you choose to drinking underage ask yourself is it worth it?
Rhakala Blackmon
Number of Drug/Alcohol Instances at JCPS secondary schools As of 11/5/18: JCHS: Si9GC: JCAC: TJMS:
4 1 1 1
Total: 7 _______________________________ 2017-2018 School Year: JCHS: Si9GC: JCAC: TJMS: LCMS:
48 20 17 12 2
Total: 97
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FEATURES
Students serving: Future heroes Aaliyah Finton
Pictures by Princess Garner
What made you join the military? Carter Mallory- I felt like the Marines was the best one for me. I had an uncle in the NAVY, and I want to serve my country. Riley Hoffman- A desire to serve, to get something back, to protect the ones I love, and someone needs to put it back together. Wyle Minx- I’m a physical guy, and I want a job that is physical. Mackenzie Pendleton- I wanted to join ever since the 6th grade. Christopher Williamson- A Lot of people said I couldn’t do it, so I wanna prove them wrong.
Carter Mallory has signed with the Marines. Why do you think it is important to serve?
Mackenzie Pendleton wants to sign with the Marines.
Carter- I think it is important to serve because you are giving up your life for your own country, pretty ballsy to serve. Riley- Mainly due to the fact that no one really takes that bravery to serve. The soul purpose of serving is for the idea of freedom.
What are you most looking forward to?
Mackenzie- So little people that are able to. I feel like it is your responsibility.
Riley- To be honest, I’m not really looking forward to it [Boot Camp].
Wyle- Leadership, you learn things that will stick with you, and doing something that’s bigger than yourself.
Mackenzie- I’m looking forward to the closeness of everyone in there.
Carter- I’m most excited for Boot Camp
Chris- I’m most looking forward to the Trauma [training to be a medic].
Riley Hoffman has signed with the Marines. Has anyone in your family been a Marine? Carter- Uncle Riley- My brother served in the Marines Wyle- Grandpa
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Wyle Minx wants to sign with the Marines.
11.15.18//FEATURES
Christopher Williamson wants to sign with the Army.
Featured teacher & staff Blakelee Sutton
Rhakala Blackmon
Connie Westcott
Dulce Stevens Do you have a staff member you think more people should know about? Contact us with your suggestion, and we may do a feature on them!
Q: What compelled you to join the military? A: “My dad was in the Navy, I had friends in the Navy, I had an uncle in the Army, I couldn’t afford to go to college, and my parents couldn’t afford to send me to college, and I figured it was the best way to figure out what I wanted to do with my life and not be a burden to someone else.” Q: What are some things that you learned from you time in the Navy? A: “It doesn’t matter if you didn’t know that a rule existed, you still had to follow it. It doesn’t matter if you didn’t understand a reason behind a rule, you still had to follow it. Responsibility: be
accountable for your actions. Whether you agree with why you had to do that or not, you still have to be responsible for doing it.” Q: How has your experience within the Navy shaped your life now? A: “It allowed me to travel some and meet a whole bunch of different people. It shaped me into the person I am. I never would have ended up in the Midwest without being in the Navy, I don’t know what I would be doing. Even though it was only six years of my life, it allowed me time to figure out who I am.”
S
he’s proud and she’s wearing a crown. Dulce Stevens works as a secretary in the JC office. This is her fourth year working at Jefferson City High School. She originally worked in public relations and marketing, but felt the need to be in the school in some capacity. Mrs. Stevens is a former Jay Bird who still loves the people and students, even on the hard days. As a alumni, she says some things never change; for example, the Alma Mater and fight song cheers will always be a classic. Homecoming and the Christmas assemblies are some of her favorite events at JC. Mrs. Stevens is very happy that JC has air conditioning because at one point in time only Nicholas had air conditioning. When Mrs. Stevens attended JC, she was involved in Spanish club, was a JC ambassador, and was in chorale. She acted in the musicals and did an evening of drama. Stevens admits her grades weren’t all that good as a high school student, but she made great memories. Mrs. Stevens has a husband and two sons. Her husband is a JC and drumline alumni. Mrs. Stevens mom is from Arkansas. Her father immigrated from El Salvador. She has some of her cousins who immigrated to the United States. Growing up as a kid, her house was always loud and full with other people in the house. In her free time, she teaches Zumba and Zumba aquatics at the YMCA. Her passion is dancing and watching her son play in the band. She quilts with her mother sometimes. Mrs. Stevens used to live in KC, and she goes back to watch plays at the Starlight Theater with her sister. “Find your tribe. If you feel like you’ve peaked in high school, you’ve peaked too soon. Enjoy it now, and this is only piece of what your life is going to be.”
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Featured artist: Will Mollenkamp Blakelee Sutton
Photo by: Blakelee Sutton
Q: What is your role within band? A: “I am the drum major, I’m the highest
ranking student. Mostly, I just conduct. I do some shuffling and disciplinary action.”
Q: What work went into getting that high of a position? A: “Mr. Meyers has known me for a long
time. He knew my siblings, so going in, he knew that I was going to be a good worker. I was a good player and marcher for two years, so he decided that I was good for the role.”
Q: What drove you to join band? A: “Both of my parents did it and both
of my siblings did it. It was just kind of something you do for our family.”
Q: What responsibilities do you have within band?
Q: What negative aspects come with being in band?
A: “My primary thing is conducting, so
A: “It’s a lot of stress. If you get something wrong, the directors’ don’t like that. If there’s a break in time between the winds and drumline, the director gets upset with me and Katie [Vogel] for not keeping tempo even if we did.”
I have to be the first to learn all of the music. At some point, there is some level of teaching music if I have to, or helping with marching technique. If there’s an issue between two people in the band, we have a hierarchy, so they’ll take it to their section leader. The section leader will take it to a J.O. if it’s still a problem and if the J.O. still has a problem with it, they’ll bring it to me. If I still have a problem, I’ll take it to a director.”
Q: What do you enjoy most about band? A: “It’s really loud, it resonates through
your body. From a very formative age, I’ve been kind of immersed in music.”
Do you know a student artist you think more people should know about? Contact us with your suggestion and we may do a feature article on them!
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11.15.18//FEATURES
Q: What do you want to improve upon as you expand your role within band? A: “I’m always looking to increase my
musicality. As a musician, just feeling the music more. I’m a very technical player, so I play what’s on the page. I need to do more putting emotion into that. As a leader, I tend to get kinda short with people if they’re not doing things right. When people aren’t doing their job, I tend to get kinda upset and I need to work on that.”
Flu safety at JCHS Ash Stickann
We are in the midst of Flu Season! Many people do not know how to protect themselves from the cruel signs and symptoms of the flu. Here’s 6 ways to stay healthy and avoid the spread of the flu!
Get Vaccinated
Cover your mouth and nose when sneezing into your elbow.
Wash your hands. -after contact with other people -before eating -after sneezing and coughing
Avoid touching your face. Drink lots of water and stay hydrated!
Wear a surgical mask in crowded areas.
During fall and winter, it’s important to help your body in any way you can, especially when the flu is afoot.
JCHS Drama Club takes on classic musical “Grease” Joshua Luetjen
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hen you hear “You’re the One That I Want” performed by Olivia NewtonJohn and John Travolta or “Greased Lightnin’” performed by the latter, you may feel the magical urge to sing along to some of your favorite songs. JC was looking to spark that feeling once again with this fall’s musical. With “Grease” being one of the most popular musicals of all time, it was only a matter of time until the JCHS Drama Department picked it up and added their own spin to it. Taking inspiration from the Broadway retelling from 2007, “Grease” tells the romantic-comedy-esque story of Sandy and Danny, who fall in love over the summer and return to high school the following year, unknown to them that they were going to the same high school, Rydell High. Emotional moments and musical numbers ensue as the couple and their friends learn to accept who they are.
With over 1,500 people attending the show on all three days, calling the show a success would be an understatement. The two-act musical achieved thunderous applause after each scene. With less than two months to complete production, many challenges presented themselves to the cast and crew of the show. “I had trouble getting the costume changes down. In every scene I had a different costume. ‘You’re The One That I Want’ was the hardest to do quickly,” says Josephine Turner, who played the lead role Sandy Dubrowski. Musical number after musical number, the charm of the musical and the passion poured into it really started to show. “I loved it. That was one of the most fun and well put together musical/play to watch. I thoroughly loved sitting in that chair for two hours,” says Kaia Wickham,
one of the musical’s many attendees, “I liked how it was musical-based songs, instead of what people thought it would be from the movie.”
Photo by: Ash Stickann
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Grease takes the stage! Photos by: Ash Stickann
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11.15.18//SPOTLIGHT
It’s hunting season! Hope Wittenberger proudly holds up her deer.
Mr. Landis Duffett is good at teaching German and Chinese... he’s got hunting skills too!
A perfect shot by Hunter Kinard!
Thank you to all the students and staff at JCHS who submitted their hunting photos! www.jcredblack.com 11.15.18//SPOTLIGHT
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SPORTS Player perspective: Tennis Bailey Higgins
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laying tennis, you have the best kind of knot in your stomach as you step onto the court, excited to hear your shoes squeak against the ground and your racquet connect with the ball. Having played tennis for JCHS for three years now, an uninteresting day is nonexistent during season. The competition is challenging and the weather fluctuates (although the windy days are the worst), but the friendships make it all worth it. Being surrounded by girls who share the same passion for tennis as I do is a great feeling to have when pulling up to the courts every day during season for practice. Of course there are always the practices that go awry, like the multiple times this season that the storm clouds opened up and attacked us during play, or when it was too hot to practice due to MSHSAA regulations. Despite those practices, nothing held the team back in striving to be better. The entire team was dedicated to becoming better and working together successfully, which
gave us the best ending record (15-4) of any girls team that Coach Thompson has ever coached. In order to get the record we did, we had to scope out the competition, which meant traveling long distances all over Missouri. The hotel stays are definitely a plus, as it gives the team a longer chance to bond than just at a two hour practice every day. It is very refreshing to have a head coach like Coach Thompson, who cares about tennis just as much as the players do, and Coach Lee, who is new to assistant coaching but made sure everyone always had a positive outlook on the sport. Coach Thompson and Coach Lee also do their best to make sure we all get along by incorporating team bonding days among practices which we all enjoy. Between the fun practices, the long car and bus rides that are somehow bearable, and the relationships we form on the team, tennis feels a lot more like a family to me than a ragtag group of girls just thrown together on the court.
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By: Bailey Higgins
Featured Athletes Rylie Bohanan
Greta Haarmann: Basketball Q: What position do you play? A: Shooting Guard Q: How long have you been playing basketball? A: 13 years Q: Do you play any other sports? A: Yes, soccer for 14 years. Q:What is your favorite thing about basketball? A: Definitely my teammates. They truly define what it’s like to be a
family. We have amazing team chemistry which carries over on the court and makes us successful.
Q:What are you most excited for in you 2018 season? A: Making a postseason run. We’ve set many goals for this season and have very high expectations for ourselves.
Noah Holt
Jimmy Knolls: Cross Country Q: What sport are you playing this year? A: Just finished Cross Country and now practicing for track season. Q: What are your goals for this track season? A: To drop my 400 time by two or three seconds, and my 800 time down to a 2-10.
Q: Do you plan on participating in Track and Cross Country next year? A: Definitely. 100%.
Q: Do you plan on doing anything with either of these sports after Photo By: Noah Holt
high school? A: I actually hope to go to college to run. That’s my big goal, but we’ll see how that works out.
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Walker returns to alma mater Rylie Bohanan
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t the end of the 2017 football season, Coach Ted LePage, after 12 seasons at JC, announced he was stepping down as head coach. LePage returned to Blair Oaks High School, where he had coached before joining the JC football staff. This news upset some players, like senior linebacker, Jeremy Zayumba. “I felt really upset and mad [when hearing about Coach LePage leaving] because it was going to be my senior season,” Zayumba says. LePage’s resignation this left an opening in the head coach position. This brought for new head coach, Terry Walker, from Blair Oaks High School. Coming off of a winning season (13-1) at Blair Oaks, and the Jays just finishing with a losing season (3-7), people were excited to see what Walker could do. Walker says he chose to come to JC because “I love this school. I grew up here. I attended this high school. High school means a lot to me.... I was gone in the Air Force for twenty-five plus years. The prospect of coming back here, to an area that had a significant impact on me meant something to me,” Walker says. Before Walker was announced as the new head coach, rumors spread of his coming to JC. “When I heard about Terry Walker being the new coach, I wasn’t surprised. I had heard a lot about him and about how he wanted to return [to JC],” Zayumba states. Walker is known for being a strong believer in hard-work and having a very disciplined team. Coach Walker had four goals set for the season: “I want to see the kids continue to improve with their effort. I want them to continue to become mentally tough and more physically tough and I want to see them play with more edge that we did not have at the beginning of the season.” Coach Walker also challenged his players in ways that Coach LePage did not. It was a very different and
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challenging experience for everyone. “The first practice was very different. It was a lot harder and the coaches were making us do things that were very different,” Zayumba recalls. Coach Walker wanted to do things that the players weren’t comfortable with or they weren’t used to. He believed that it would help them improve quickly, and it did. “We improved each week, and that’s all I could really ask,” Walker says. Even though the season didn’t end the way that many would have hoped it would, Coach Walker brought a new name for the Jefferson City High School football team and will continue to improve the program as a whole.
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Opinion
Dressin’ without opressin’ Maxwell Ntalamu
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exist, gender inequality, offensive. These are a few ways that many would describe the dress code at Jefferson City High School. In schools all across America, dress codes are embedded in school constitutions and rule books. Dress codes tend to favor male students over their female counterparts. Many think that females shouldn’t show their shoulders and upper arms; they also can’t wear shorts that don’t go past their fingertips when their arms are to their side. These rules are caused by the idea that males cannot “control themselves” when females wear these things. Schools are blaming males not being able to “control themselves” on females clothing choices. Saying things like, “If a girl gets raped, it’s her fault because she wore that outfit.” Or “If she doesn’t want to be sexually assaulted, then why is she showing her shoulders?”
Male students shouldn’t dictate what females can wear to school. It is not the female’s fault for wearing clothes that she feels most comfortable in. A lot of males wear tank tops and short shorts and they don’t get dress coded. If females can “control themselves” when their male peers wear that type of clothing, then males should be able to be as mature. In addition, if JCHS is going to oppress girls for wearing clothing that shows a little more skin than is deemed “acceptable,” male students should have the same rules. Rani Patel, a female sophomore, believes that men should be held accountable, rather than shaming women’s bodies. “Our shoulders are not distracting, all animals have them and there is no reason for them to be covered up at all times. If males can’t control their actions then they should be the ones who need to make a change not females,” Patel states.
Patel, like many other female students at JCHS, feel attacked by this rule and find it offensive. “There is the fingertip length rule. I along with every single female I know disagree with this rule. Almost all athletic shorts made for girls that aren’t for basketball aren’t fingertip length,” Patel says. As the times change, school rules should change with them. Societal norms are becoming freedom based, and the school board should too. Female students should be seen as equal as male students.. Either the school rules should start changing for male students or they should change the rules for female students. I am not saying that there shouldn’t be a dress code. I am saying that the dress code needs to be changed and it needs to be changed now.
Hispanic students are treated unequally Alexa Silva
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oday in the US, immigrants are given a bad reputation and portrayed in the media as horrible people. Many non-Hispanic people label us as rapists, murderers and drug dealers. From what I and other Hispanics have heard, read and seen, people talk about how immigrants steal jobs from them. This is disgustingly false and selfish of those who have no idea of the struggles and challenges immigrants go through to create better lives for them and their families. The United States of America is known as the “land of opportunity” and the “land of the free.” Many people fail to follow this and to represent this. Knowing how much discrimination Hispanics get from the whole country, imagine how some schools treat or think of Hispanic children. I’m not saying every school treats Hispanic students badly or don’t entirely welcome us; I am saying that there is not enough being done to show appreciation for those who are different. You may think that I am being biased because I am
Hispanic, but I have personal knowledge on this vs. those that may not, and I have experienced different situations. I would like to see more Hispanic spirit at the school I attend. In my junior year in English class, a white non-Hispanic boy made a rude comment about Mexicans and Trump. The teacher tried to silence him. It was very awkward because I was the only non-white person in the class, so everyone knew who to look at. Me being the strong, bold person I am, I started to speak to him in Spanish. Immediately, he stopped talking. I smiled and sat down as I knew I made him feel immature for speaking on something he doesn’t know about. This made me feel more confident about being Hispanic. I’m proud I stood up for myself. I believe there should be more clubs or events celebrating Hispanic heritage. I wanted to form a Hispanic/Latin dance team to help educate people about Hispanic traditions. My high school has a step team that represents African-
American dance styles. It made me upset that the school will allow this dance team to be formed, but the Activities Director would not allow me to form my Hispanic dance team. The fact that a white, activities director wouldn’t even agree to meet with me to discuss my ideas makes me wonder why he wouldn’t give me a chance. Now focusing on what can be done to help reduce racism towards Hispanics. One idea is to form a group that can help bring awareness about Hispanics. A second option could be to hold a monthly assembly where the school comes together to work on teamwork and grow closer and gain a better understanding about others, including Hispanics.
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Eating disorders The Red and Black’s Editorial Female Body Standards
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hen it comes to today’s society, women are expected to be “body positive.” Many women preach about body positivity, but there are still so many who compare themselves to celebrities and knowingly, or even unknowingly shame other women for their body type, which is usually something that is uncontrollable. Teen and preteen girls have role models who sing about body positivity for curvy girls, but insult skinny girls in the same sentence. We want our daughters to grow up to be strong, but they are influenced by women who put down other women. We see body shaming on a daily basis, and we let it happen without thinking twice. When researchers followed a group of 496 adolescent girls for 8 years until they were 20, they found: 5.2% of the girls met criteria for DSM-5 anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder. When the researchers included nonspecific eating disorder symptoms, a total of 13.2% of the girls had suffered from a DSM-5 eating disorder by age 20. These alarming statistics are from the National Eating Disorder Organization. Why is it that teen girls are shamed for everything, including their bodies, to the point that they develop a disease and put their life at risk, just to meet an image of “perfection”?
It’s time for us as a society to break the stigma around eating disorders. So many people have suffered from one of these awful mental illness in their lives. It’s likely something that many women can relate to. We should be talking about these things to our friends, sisters and daughters to make sure everyone is healthy and safe.
Male Body Standards
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ody standards in society vary from demographic to demographic. When it comes to men and a masculine appearance, people often see a strong and muscular structure. But not all bodies are made to fit the cookie-cutter mold that society forms. A lot of teenage boys who have an eating disorder fall into binge eating, rather than Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia. A survey done by the National Institute of Mental Health showed that 1.5% of adolescent boys struggle with eating disorders.
Another common sign in teenage males is an obsession with working out; though fitness is important, it should not be a constant feeling of need in their minds. Teenage boys with eating disorders are often overlooked due to more females being affected. Although a lower number of boys are diagnosed, it may be that boys don’t believe it can happen to them so they don’t look for help. Some might believe that’s life being a teenager.
Athlete Body Standards
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thlete body standards have changed over time. But, one factor will never change: we’re expected to be strong and quick. In JC athletics, all body types can bring something to the table. One of the sports that suffered the most with body standards was wrestling. But, now they have clear regulations on how much weight a wrestler can gain or lose in a certain amount of time. Athletes are pressured to maintain their bodies, whether it means bulking up or slimming down. There have been some athletes who have lost weight or gained weight to be more
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appealing to college recruiters. Overall, as an athlete you need to understand that maintaining a healthy weight and diet is a must. Over-exercising or fasting, and/or gaining an excessive amount of weight is unhealthy. For example, Usain Bolt is 207 lbs and 6’5, which is not considered an ideal body type or weight, yet he is still the fastest man and record holder in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m. Be happy with who you are and put in work for the results you want. Don’t take shortcuts because they always end up leaving you on a longer journey.
Head to Head Is it okay to cheat?
A big “F” or a false “A”
Why students may be cheating
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Michelle Grant
on’t cheat. It isn’t honest. It isn’t right. You will be punished. You will get an automatic zero. Do these phrases sound familiar? If you’re a part of the American school system, they should. There seems to be an implacable system. The teacher shares information at the front of the class and the students take careful notes that are to be memorized for the test. And so the tedious cycle begins: notes, memorize, test, forget. Throughout high school, students are required to take specific classes in order to graduate. Many struggle with several subjects as a result of lack of time or interest. Most students have a job, an extracurricular activity or even family issues that take up most of their time, leaving them scrambling to understand the material. Sometimes this doesn’t work, leaving the exhausted student breaking down and finally giving up late at night, all just to get a decent grade; the actual material they were supposed to absorb doesn’t absorb at all. The next day, the same student begins to panic at the first page of questions on the test. They realize they don’t know the answers and decide to write their neighbor’s answers. Immoral? Maybe to the teacher and to the majority of adults. But cheating is something that has started to seem less like a deadly sin to some high school students. The argument isn’t to preach laziness or encourage dishonesty, it’s understanding why students cheat in the first place. There is a tremendous amount of pressure on children from the moment they enter the school system to have respectable grades. Good grades seem to equal success and a bright future. The school system has indoctrinated students that GPA and grades are all that matters. Students care less about learning about the class and more about getting a 95% on the next exam. It isn’t unreasonable to think that cheating could sometimes be the only option under pressure, and realistically many opt to do so.
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Lesley Altheuser
would prefer even to fail with honor than win by cheating,” wrote Sophocles, an ancient Greek philosopher. He is saying that if you fail, at least you tried your best. Passing as a result of cheating involves little to no effort and will result in negative consequences. Cheating only deprives the student of academic and life skills that they need, while lowering self-esteem. I believe that hard work is very important for growth and learning. One of my classmates said, “Cheating is no big deal because a test won’t matter ten years from now. A test is just a paper with annoying questions. Who cares?” However, there are consequences in school for students who cheat. Students will receive punishments in high school, including a phone call home, detention, and a negative mark on their permanent record. In college, a student can even be kicked out for cheating. Students who cheat receive a big, fat, unforgettable F. But, grades are not as important as losing academic skills and being unable to complete future assignments or tests. Unfortunately, students who cheat will also lack life skills, which include time management skills, responsibility, trust/credibility, and goal-setting. When congratulated on work that is not theirs, the student might feel guilty. Cheating results in the student lacking the skills to solve everyday problems, feeling poor, and having a negative reputation. Trying very hard and slowly improving is better than cheating for an easy A. So remember, you should strive for progress, not perfection, and you should attempt to be successful academically and in everyday life. The next time you are tempted to cheat, ask your teacher for help or sign up for an academic lab. Now is the time to learn and set yourself up for success, while you are receiving a public education, and there are free resources to help you.
www.jcredblack.com11.15.18//OPINION
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Chicken everywhere Rylie Bohanan and Michelle Grant Chick-fil-A Buffalo Wild Wings We thought that Chick-fil-A was They have the most variety of flavors the freshest out of all three chicken that we tried. The chicken tenders were breaded nicely, although not very crispy. The tenders paired best with buttermilk and herb ranch or the zesty BBQ sauce. 8.5/10
Lee’s Chicken We thought that Lee’s chicken was
the most tender of the three that we tried. They were crispy and flavorful. Although they did not come with sauce, which is a downside, they make up for it in sides. 8/10
out of the three. Besides the sauce variety, there isn’t anything very special about these wings. You don’t get the extravagant meal that the price would suggest. The fries are mediocre and not seasoned very well. We didn’t like the total on our receipts, and you probably won’t either. 6.5/10
Popeyes Popeyes has a pretty wide variety
of chicken and sides. The chicken tenders were very crispy and and flavorful. They were a little more pricey than your average chicken tenders, but worth the money. Popeyes has a large side menu, and the most popular side, the seasoned Cajun fries were a yummy addition instead of your average fries. 8.5/10
Five places to hike this fall Michelle Grant
1. Ha Ha Tonka
3. Elephant Rocks
2. Painted Rock
4. Devil’s Icebox
Travel Time: 1 hour Location: Camdenton Ha Ha Tonka is home to sinkholes, caves, a natural bridge, a spring, bluffs and the remains of a gothic castle. The castle was built by Robert Snyder, but later burned down in 1942. The remains of this once beautiful mansion still stand as a spooky reminder of what it once was.
Travel Time: 17-20 minutes Location: 7 miles west of Westphalia The trails at Painted Rock lead through the woods to many viewpoints looking out from the bluffs. There is even evidence of a Native American burial site located along Osage Scenic Bluff Trail.
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Travel Time: 2.5 hours Location: Belleview If you and your pals want to go on a roadtrip, Elephant Rocks could be the outdoorsy adventure you’re looking for. This park is located on an old quarry, with giant granite rocks scattered atop a bluff. A scenic trail through the woods leads up to these giant rocks.
Travel Time: 30 minutes Location: Columbia Devil’s Icebox is a cave spanning up to 7 miles. In addition to the cave, there is a natural rock bridge, sinkholes, and other smaller caves.
5. Rocky Top
Travel Time: 45 minutes Location: Lake of the Ozarks This trail quickly leads right to a large open field with rocks scattered all about it. From there, hikers can continue down the path and eventually arrive to a beautiful overlook out onto the Lake of the Ozarks.
11.15.18//ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Dear Patti
Patti (the imaginary friend of the Red & Black staff) Dear A, Your dog probably thinks he smells like beef. Maybe invest in some meat perfume or just stick
Dear Patti, Why does my dog like my boyfriend better than me? Sincerely, A
beef sticks in your pockets. Your dog is most likely just excited to see an new person. Don’t take it personally. When you guys get married, you can adopt your own dog who loves both of you evenly. Or prefers the one who feeds them. But, cats are better, and you can’t change my mind. All my love (and hopefully your dog’s), Patti
Horoscopes: Thanksgiving Family Demeshia Slaughter
Aries- You’re independent and like to be in charge of everything. You’re the host of the dinner. Taurus- You’re the one who brings your favorite dish. Gemini- You’re not doing much. You’re the loud one who agrees with everyone. Cancer- You visit with all your family members one by one because you care for them so much.
Leo- You make everybody mad with your drama and lies. Virgo- You sit around with multiple plates and give out wise advise. Libra- You’re he one who shares how life is going, and you bring extra desserts. Scorpio- You spend half of the time sitting in the corner with your plate, while on your phone. And the other half of the time, you actually communicate with people.
Sagittarius- You’re the clown that is making everybody laugh and enjoy themselves. Capricorn- You’re the one that comes just to make a scene in a way that makes everybody jealous. Aquarius- You follow Sagittarius’ act and try to entertain everyone with jokes. Pisces- You tell everyone you love and miss them. You gush about how much you care for them.
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How to Friendsgiving F
Rylie Bohanan
riendsgiving is the celebration of Thanksgiving with your close friends. Everyone sits around, eats food, and shares what they are thankful for. But, how do you successfully celebrate Friendsgiving? First, you need to find a place to hold the event. You could have it at your house, it could be at a house of any of your friend’s, or you could go get breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner at a local restaurant or diner. Anywhere where you and all your friends can be together works. Second, you need to make the plans. Find a date and time that works for everyone. It’s not a true Friendsgiving if not everyone is there. Third, you should plan some activities. You could pick a movie to watch, preferably “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.” Or you could put pictures of you and your friends on a wall and take some cute pictures in front of them. There are tons of activities you and your friends can do. Just have fun! And finally, you need to have lots of food for you and your friends. It can be
turkey, chicken, mashed potatoes, or all of the above. There’s no wrong way to have a Friendsgiving, just have fun with your friends. But, don’t forget that it’s Thanksgiving, so tell your friends how much they mean to you and how grateful you are for them. And, of course, eat all the turkey you can.
By: Lesley Altheuser
Thanksgiving food substitutes E
Noah Holt
veryone who celebrates Thanksgiving knows that you must have the staple items like turkey, mashed potatoes with the gravy on the side, stuffing, all kinds of things. Though, there are a few exception, you might not like stuffing, your religion might not let you eat turkey, but you might still want to fill that spot, so here are some nice substitutes for main Thanksgiving dishes! Turkey Substitutes The header, the captain, the turkey. This poultry dish is a big meat feature for Thanksgiving, with dark and white meat, heated to 425 to 450 degrees. But if you don’t have that, then a good hearty chicken should do fine. Roasted Chicken can come in a assortment of only white meat, only dark, or a mix of the two, making it so you don’t really miss out on anything with the food unless you’re a fan of the wishbone! For the vegans/vegetarians out there,
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you might not enjoy tofu or just the empty spot for food so we have Quorn Turk’y Roast, which is a roasted soy-free loaf with egg whites with low calories, and is gluten-free. Mashed Potatoes Substitutes Potatoes are pretty easy to sub with, with sweet potatoes being the most typical alternate to them, though if that just isn’t what you would like, then Mashed Cauliflower with Roasted Garlic is low calorie and low carbs. Drinks So some have water, some have punch, but some have Stovetop Cinnamon Hot Chocolate. All you need is milk, unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar, and cinnamon then viola! A nice warm drink for your core. So those are a few substitutes for basic Thanksgiving items for those who can’t have the basic, or just want to mix things up. Happy Thanksgiving!
11.15.18//ART & ENTERTAINMENT
REVIEWS B
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.
Blakelee Sutton
ohemian Rhapsody is a new biography that travels through the rock band Queen’s legacy and the events that inspired their music. The film contains a few plot issues and strange editing choices, but is elevated by an excellent soundtrack and actor performances. Rami Malek’s performance as Freddie Mercury is spectacular. He personifies one of the best rock band frontmen with his scarily accurate portrayal. The method by which the origin of Queen’s many phenomenal tracks were explained was a joy to watch and gave a new perspective on the lives of the band members. The climax of the film was simply a masterpiece of musical filmmaking.
At some points, the film contains a few jarring editing choices that feel out of place and could have been removed, but they aren’t a deal breaker. Bohemian Rhapsody is a well executed rough documentation of Queen’s history and was a true spectacle to experience.
Rani Patel
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he first time I stepped into Busch’s Florist and Greenhouse was the first of many times I found myself there. The employees are helpful, the bird is feisty and the plants are astounding. Busch’s, located in downtown Jefferson City, Columbia and Linn, sells fruit baskets, business gifts and flowers for every occasion. They even plan weddings. This past month, Busch’s realized the capital was under construction and there was a wedding in the Governor’s garden during JCHS’s homecoming. Due to this, they put together a photo room in the back of their greenhouse, complete with snacks and infused water.
Busch’s Florist and Greenhouse, while pricey, is a great place to go if you are ever in need of plants or, if you are like me and my friends, a photo shoot.
Noah’s shower thoughts Noah Holt
www.jcredblack.com 11.15.18//ART & ENTERTAINMENT
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Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @redblackjc! Across 2 Gobble Gobble 6 Lanterns, pies, and roasted seeds 7 4th thursday of november 9 JCHS’s favorite school mascot Down 1 White and fluffy with a side of gravy 3 The school newspaper 4 Also called maize and made into mazes 5 Cooked inside the main dish, but eaten outside 6 Came over on the mayflower 8 This pig product is common at the dinner table
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