Off the Shelves by Krystle Hoisington

PILOT

January 2025 - Issue 2 - Vol. 72

Lindbergh High School 5000 Lindbergh Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63126 (314)-729-2400

lindberghlookup@gmail.com www.lindberghlookup.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Mira Schoewe Editor in Chief Lilian Donaldson Editor in Chief Finnley Placke Media Editor Krystle Hoisington Advisor

Leila Thomas Staff Writer Kelly Forbes Staff Writer Zoe Azzara Staff Writer Fiona Le Staff Writer

Martin Corbin-Cornwell Staff Writer Lydia Brown Contributing Writer Stella Roehrs Online Contributing Writer Sydney Murphy Online Contributing Photographer, Yearbooker

Rick Thomas Concrete, LLC Issue Sponsor

The Castillo Family Green Sponsor Ben’s Floral Flyer Sponsor Kirkwood Theater Guild Flyer Sponsor

The Donaldson Family Flyer Sponsor Catherine the Great Flyer Sponsor The Murphy Family Flyer Sponsor

The Denny Team Flyer Sponsor

To email about a correction, please contact krystlehoisington@lindberghschools.ws. Letters can be submitted to 28miraschoewe@lindberghschools.ws or Room 21 Guest articles can be submitted to 28miraschoewe@lindberghschools.ws

To request a meeting with an editor for a pitch, please contact 28miraschoewe@lindberghschools.ws To place an ad, or for more information, please go to lindberghlookup.com/advertising or contact 27finnleyplacke@lindberghschools.ws

Corrections Pilot recognizes its ethical responsibility to remain transparent with readers and to present the most accurate information possible If you notice an error in our reporting, please contact krystlehoisington@llindberghschools.ws so that corrections can be made. All corrections, if any, are listed on the From the Editors page.

Letters to the Editor The Editorial Board welcomes readers to share their thoughts, comments and suggestions with the newsroom by sending a letter to the editor. Letters must be between 50-200 words in length and signed with the writer’s name and grade level. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters must be respectful and free of profanities, personal attacks or other offensive language. Submissions should address issues relevant to readers or topics covered in recent issues of the Pilot. Letters containing false or unsubstantiated information will not be published. All letters are subject to editing for clarity, length and adherence to editorial standards. By submitting a letter to the editor, you are recognizing deadline restrictions, responsibility for your work and that your writing follows the journalism code of ethics. Publication is determined by the Editorial Board.

Guest Articles The Editorial Board recognizes the diverse perspectives, interests and opinions of its readers and allows this information to be published in the newsmagazine through allowing readers to submit a guest article. Guest articles must be at least one page in length and follow standard AP style format. Anonymous articles will not be published. Guest writers will be labeled as a ‘Contributing Writer’ in their byline and on the masthead. Guest articles can range from a variety of topics, including personal narratives, political commentaries and argument essays. Articles containing false or unsubstantiated information will not be published. All articles are subject to editing for clarity, length and adherence to editorial standards. By submitting an article, you are recognizing deadline restrictions, responsibility for your work and that your writing follows the journalism code of ethics. Articles written by non-staffers will be published online. To be published in the print edition, you must be enrolled for the following semester.

Pilot Policy Pilot is a monthly newsmagazine published by students enrolled in the Pilot Publications class at Lindbergh High School, 5000 Lindbergh Boulevard, St. Louis. Opinions of Pilot writers or the Editorial Board are not reflective of the opinions of the staff as a whole, the Pilot or the administration. The Pilot welcomes responses and letters brought to room 21. The Pilot reserves the right to edit submissions as long as their original intent remains unaltered, and to refuse to print material for any reason the Editor in Chief and advisor deem appropriate. More information about our editorial policy can be found on www.lindberghlookup.com

dear readers...

As we move into 2026, it has become increasingly clear that many of the challenges facing our community are connected to larger social and political forces. From the strain placed upon local food pantries during the record-long government shutdown to the debate over access to books in Missouri schools, these issues explore the growing concerns about who is heard and how communities respond when systems fall short. While these discussions often begin at the state or national level, their impact is felt locally, affecting students, families and educators within our district. In this edition, you will also explore major pop culture moments, music and films of 2025, alongside changes to the ACT and ongoing concerns about climate change. Together, these stories capture a year marked by resilience and rapid changes. With this issue, Pilot aims to inform, encourage and inspire thoughtful conversation about the world shaping Lindbergh and our future.

dear readers...

FROM THE EDITORS

Mira Schoewe and Lillian Donaldson

Editors-in-Chief, Pilot

Mira Schoewe and Lillian Donaldson

Editors-in-Chief, Pilot

Mira Schoewe and Lillian Donaldson

Editors-in-Chief, Pilot

Spread design by Mira Schoewe.

“I’m just glad we’re here [to] offer the kids an opportunity to play a

COACH ANDREW

and CONTRIBUTE COLLECT

The students aided during the shutdown.

Last year’s record-breaking

government shutdown halted SNAP benefits, paused the National School Lunch Program and left thousands of St. Louis residents in need of affordable food. Feed My People volunteer Alice Larson, however, said the local pantry is working hard to keep up with the rising demand.

by Kelly Forbes - Staff Writer News

A member of AVID 11 and a junior at Lindbergh High School, Larson dedicates her free time to volunteering with Feed My People, a local program that provides food and clothes to those in need. Recently, the organization ran a food drive accepting donations of canned goods, whole-grain products, spices and clothes as a way

Spread design by Mira Schoewe and Kelly Forbes.

to combat the temporary defunding of government programs. Several Lindbergh students have already made an effort to help out, Larson said, calling the project a “student-led initiative” and saying that students were the primary driving force behind the organization’s work and efforts.

“It’s very heartwarming to see all of these people getting the help they need, especially because it’s more personal and they get to choose what they want or need,” Larson said, and added: “Feed My People can give people in poverty a lot more dignity because it’s more similar to a grocery store, so the people can go pick out the foods they need.”

Larson believes that Feed My People’s grocery-store like environment makes getting assistance with food feel less dehumanizing and that it makes the experience feel more natural for people than picking up a box of prepackaged food.

“People can go and pick out the foods they need, like if they have a picky eater at home,” Larson said.

Around ten percent of Missouri’s population uses food stamps, and nearly 48 percent of Missouri students use NSLP for lunch, according to an article by USAfacts. During the government shutdown, Feed My People worked to target St. Louis’ South County area, where they believed residents were affected the most.

if someone does not have the transporation to get here, and she said she will sometimes deliver the food and that typically those people also need more help than just food, so they also can provide a lawn service,” Derry said.

Other local programs, such as the Salvation Army, Feeding Missouri (a partnership of Missouri’s six major food banks) and St. Louis Gateway Citadel, have also contributed to food donation efforts.

Leigh Anne Haun, the executive director of Feeding Missouri, said in an article by the Missouri Independent that “food banks are the safety net to the safety net” and that the main need for the community right now is volunteering and donations. Despite city-wide strains, Derry said the Feed My People food drive has seen ample success.

“The students have been very organized and have really taken initiative. They have blown me away. Students have been following their interests, and people have really been doing their set jobs really well. The drive is doing very well,” Derry said.

CONTRIBUTE COLLECT

Ms. Derry, an AVID 11 teacher helping oversee the organization of the drive at Lindbergh Schools, said that food drives such as Feed My People have been very helpful to the local community.

have really taken initiative. They have blown me away. Students have been following their interests, and people have really been doing their set jobs really well. The drive is doing very well,” Derry said.

Larson also said the drive had collected more items than expected.

“The original goal was around 350 items, and we ended up with 1,300 items and passed 2 goals in the same day. I would definitely help with this drive again,” Larson said.

and

“The original goal was around 350 items, and we ended up with 1,300 items and passed 2 goals in the same day. I would definitely help with this drive again,” Larson said.

The students aided during the shutdown.

by Kelly Forbes - Staff Writer News

“To me, it sounds like Feed My People is very involved in the community. One of my students asked the director of Feed My People what she does

“It’s very heartwarming to see all of these people getting the help they need.” - Alice Larson (11)

at local food

with food

Lgovernment shutdown halted SNAP benefits, paused the National School Lunch Program and left thousands of St. Louis residents in need of affordable food. Feed My People volunteer Alice Larson, however, said the local pantry is working hard to keep up with the rising demand.

Upper left: Lindbergh students pose

donations. They volunteer

pantry Feed My People. Photographed by Lindbergh High School.

Right: Lindbergh junior, participant in Avid 11, helps out with donations. Photographed by LHS

Upper left: Lindbergh students pose with food donations. They volunteer at local food pantry Feed My People. Photographed by Lindbergh High School.

Right: Lindbergh junior, participant in Avid 11, helps out with donations. Photographed by LHS

WHO 2025 IN REVIEW

2025 IN REVIEW

WHO 2025 IN REVIEW

by Zoe Azzara - Staff Writer

Donald Trump Takes Office

Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States on Monday, Jan. 20, marking the beginning of his second term following a landslide victory.

WHO

California Wildfires

WHO 2025 IN REVIEW

Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States on Monday, Jan. 20, marking the beginning of his second term following a landslide victory.

WAS AT THE INAUGURATION?

Sitting in the front row at the presidential inauguration were the world’s top one percent —America’s billionaires, worth a collective $1.35 trillion. (Forbes)

Left to right: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos (worth $239.4 billion); Tesla CEO Elon Musk ($433.9 billion); Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg ($211.8 billion); OpenAI CEO Sam Altman ($1.1 billion); First Lady Melania Trump ($50 million) - though not included in top one percent Not included in the image: Alphabet cofounder Sergey Brin ($154 billion); Apple CEO Tim Cook ($2.2 billion)

California Wildfires

California’s January wildfires were among America’s most damaging natural disasters. In January, the fires burned 40,000 acres, damaged about 12,000 structures and killed at least 24 people.

Not included in the image: Alphabet cofounder Sergey Brin ($154 billion); Apple CEO Tim Cook ($2.2 billion)

Papal Transition

Pope Francis passed on Apr. 21, 2025, and Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected as the new pope on May 8, 2025. He took the name Pope Leo XIV, becoming the first American to hold the position.

Donald Trump points while speaking at a rally.

Released to Netflix June 20, 2025, Kpop Demon Hunters reached unprecedented success. It had over 325 million views in its first 91 days on Netflix and four songs in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100, including its soundtrack single, “Soda Pop,” which inspired a TikTok dance challenge.

In Pop Culture

The Summer I Turned Pretty premiered its third and final season in weekly episode increments from July 16, 2025, to Sept. 17, 2025.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announced their engagement on Aug. 26, 2025, sharing the news through a joint Instagram post captioned, “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.”

The “Coldplaygate” Incident

A viral “kiss cam” moment in July 2025, in which the former CEO of tech company Astronomer, Andy Byron, was caught embracing his former employee Kristian Cabot, before quickly ducking out of the frame, prompting the media to suspect an affair.

The sequel, released Friday, Nov. 21, earned $150 million nationally and $226 million globally during its opening weekend, ranking as the second-largest U.S. opening for the year and the largest international debut for a stage musical adaptation. The movie musical performed well with the fans, achieving a 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

A ROBBERY AT THE

LOUVRE

A ROBBERY AT THE LOUVRE

On Oct. 19, 2025, two suspected thieves, disguised as construction workers, stole eight pieces of the French Crown Jewels valued at €88 million, or approximately $101 million, from the Apollo Gallery. The incident attracted widespread media attention and became a viral meme.

In December 2025, The New York Times Company sued the Pentagon over new rules implemented by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whose title was recently changed to the “Secretary of War” by the Trump administration. These rules restrict media access and require prior approval for reporting. The lawsuit is currently still ongoing.

Spread design by Mira Schoewe, Lilian Donaldson and Zoe Azzara.

BAN

Four years

after widespread book removals in Missouri, one district is seeing titles return to its schools.

Four years after widespread book removals in Missouri, one district is seeing

At Lindbergh, several books remain off shelves. Why?

titles return to its schools. At Lindbergh, several books remain off shelves. Why?

Four years after widespread book removals in Missouri, one district is seeing titles return to its schools. At Lindbergh, several books remain off shelves. Why?

BAN

2022: Missouri

Senate Bill 775 is introduced to Congress by the bill’s sponsor,

is introduced

Congress by

While on the Senate floor, Republican Sen. Rick Brattin and other members of the Consevative Caucus propose the book-restricting law as an amendment to add to the original bill.

MMMRehder and the bill’s co-sponsor, Democratic Sen. Jill Schupp, carry it through Senate debates.

Rehder and the bill’s co-sponsor, Democratic Sen. Jill Schupp, carry it through Senate debates.

Republican Gov. Mike Parson signs the bill, with the amendment, into law June of 2022.

Rehder does not approve of the amendment and says, in reference to the proposal, that the bill is being “hijacked by a few men who wanted to talk about another issue.”

ISSOURI — A 2022 state

law that prohibited schools from providing books classified as “explicit sexual material” to students was overturned on Nov. 17, 2025, by Jackson County Circuit Court Judge J. Dale Youngs after a lawsuit filed on behalf of some Missouri librarians. The ruling applies only in the district where the circuit court is located and is still currently impacting Lindbergh High School.

be labeled a Class A misdemeanor and could result in up to one year in jail or a fine of up to $2,000.

Before it was struck down early last November, the law — Missouri Revised Statute 573.550, enacted through Senate Bill 775 — criminalized librarians, teachers and other school staff who made available materials containing visual depictions of sexually explicit acts. Violations would

be labeled a Class A misdemeanor and could result in up to one year in jail or a fine of up to $2,000.

Following the law’s enactment, 12 Missouri school districts removed 315 books from their shelves between July and December 2022, according to data published by St. Charles Community College. At Lindbergh High School, the removed titles included The Handmaid’s Tale: The Graphic Novel, The Sun and Her Flowers and volumes one through four of A Game of Thrones, according to information obtained from the school through a Freedom of Information Act request submitted in November of 2022.

Lindbergh High School Director of Communications Beth Johnston said the district is closely monitoring the situation but must continue to follow state

2022: Missouri Senate Bill 775 is introduced to Congress by the bill’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder.

Photo courtesy of MO Senate.

Republican Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder.

Photo courtesy of MO Senate.

2022: Missouri Senate Bill 775

the bill’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder.

Photo courtesy of MO Senate.

NED! NED!

August 28, 2022: The law officially goes into effect, and hundreds of books are removed from schools across the state.

by Mira Schoewe and Lillian Donaldson - Editors-in-Chief News

2025: Youngs rules in the ACLU’s favor, and the law is overturned in the area where the circuit court is located.

2023: The bill is challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri on behalf of some Missouri librarians. The case is brought to Jackson County Circuit Court Judge J. Dale Youngs.

law as it currently applies.

“Our district values the role that library media centers play, both as a part of the academic experience and social-emotional development,” Johnston said. “In serving a large, diverse student population, it is our intention to help students see themselves reflected in the literature as well as be exposed to new learning opportunities.”

Johnston added: “Having said that, as long as the law remains in effect, Lindbergh Schools will continue to ensure compliance with the requirements set forth in SB 775.”

Legal challenge

Missouri SB 775 was officially challenged in February 2023 on behalf of the Missouri Association of School Librarians (MASL) and the Missouri Library Association (MLA). The lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Missouri, according to court documents filed within the appeal.

Tom Bastian, Director of Communications at the ACLU of Missouri, told a reporter for Pilot in December 2025 that following the law’s enactment, the organization challenged automatic book-removal policies in the Wentzville and Independence school districts. The lawsuit against Wentzville was later dropped after the

Spread design by Mira Schoewe and Lilian Donaldson.

Lindbergh, being not in that district, is still experiencing the impacts.

“It is our intention to help students see themselves reflected in the literature as well as be exposed to new learning opportunities.” - Beth Johnston, LHS Director of Communications

district returned seven of the eight removed books to its shelves. He added that many of the book challenges originated “through organized efforts on Facebook.”

In their petition, the plaintiffs said the bill was “unconstitutional” and violated the Missouri Constitution’s Free Speech Clause (Article 1, Section 8) and Due Process Clause (Article 1, Section 10).

“The ACLU of Missouri will always stand for the right to access ideas and information in schools and defend the ability of trained library professionals to make choices about what books are appropriate for their library shelves,” Gillian R. Wilcox, the ACLU’s director of litigation, said in a statement.

The petition also said that the law appeared to target books authored by or about individuals belonging to minorities. Bastian echoed this statement and said the ban “primarily targeted books by and about people from BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities.”

The petition also described SB 775 as “vague and overbroad,” and said that it did not make clear enough what actions were permitted inside or outside of school.

The plaintiffs claimed this led many librarians to fear potential persecution for materials shared outside the classroom or at home.

“This statute has created a chilling effect on school library collection development, resulting in fewer representative books within our collections due to fear of prosecution,” Melissa Corey, former president of MASL, said in a statement.

Jean Baldwin, the association’s current president, said the ruling restored librarians’ ability to support students’ literacy without fear.

Republican Sen. Rick Brattin of Harrisonville, the politician who first proposed the book-restricting amendment, later criticized the librarians challenging the statute in a 2024 Facebook post.

He wrote that “There is ZERO misunderstanding of what is prohibited by the law I passed to protect children in [Missouri].”

Legislative history

Senate Bill 775 was first proposed in early 2022 by Missouri Republican Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder, the bill’s primary sponsor. She and co-sponsor Democratic Sen. Jill Schupp advanced the bill through the Missouri Senate while Republican Rep. Hannah Kelly served as the joint sponsor in the House of Representatives.

According to Rehder, the bill’s original intent was to protect minors from exposure to unnecessary sexual content, predatory behavior or other forms of sexual victimization.

During Senate debate, Brattin introduced an amendment that added the book-restriction language to the bill. Brattin said the law was necessary to “protect the youth and their minds and their innocence.” Several other members of the Conservative Caucus, including then-Sen. Denny Hoskins of Warrensburg, supported the amendment.

Rehder opposed the change and said that Brattin was “pushing around…sexual assault survivors” and “torpedoeing bipartisan bills to help new mothers and sexual assault survivors,” according to reporting by the Associated Press. She also said, in reference to the amendment, that the bill was “hijacked by a few men who wanted to talk about another issue.”

Despite Rehder’s dislike of the new legislation, the bill, with the book-restricting statute, was passed and signed into legislation by Republican Gov. Mike Parson in June 2022. The law was officially enacted on Aug. 28, 2022 and remains in effect in the Lindbergh district.

TRANSFORMS THE ACT

Policies

Expectations

by Lillian Donaldson - Editor-in-Chief Feature

As college admissions

continue to change, many Lindbergh students are trying to understand how important the ACT really is. Some believe it still matters, others feel it is becoming optional and many are unsure how colleges view the test now.

College and career counselor Ms. Kienzler said the ACT’s importance depends on the strengths of each student’s application.

“A lot of colleges have test options so it isn’t necessary to have a great test score especially if you have really solid grades. If a student doesn’t have good grades, that’s when the ACT score becomes more significant. If your ACT score is in a higher range like upper 20s and 30s, then that helps you qualify for scholarships,” she said.

Kienzler ’s explanation illustrates what students often discover when comparing colleges. A strong GPA can sometimes replace the need for a test score at many schools. But students with lower grades may use the ACT to show academic ability in another way. For some, the ACT isn’t about admissions at all, but about making college more affordable. As students review why they take the test, the ACT itself has changed a considerable amount.

Mr. Griner, Lindbergh’s ACT coordinator, said several sections were fixed to help students manage their time better.

“They adjusted the time and amount of questions for most of the test, usually in the students favor. Like now the English test is down to 35 minutes where it used to be 45 minutes and 75 questions. Reading tests were given more time: 40 minutes,” Griner said.

These updates mean that students today face a test with slightly less pressure and more balanced pacing than in past years.

Some students are deciding whether the ACT fits into their plans. Some take it once to keep their options open, while others test multiple times to raise their chances of scholarships. For teachers helping students prepare, the changes have also influenced how they guide them.

Mr. Little, an English teacher who works with students in after school practice, offered a few tips.

“You should take the ACT as soon as you are able to just to get a feel for it. I think that then you can use that to say ‘okay what do I need to work on?’ and then you keep taking it until you top out your score and you’ve gotten the best score you can,” said Little.

Even with new policies and more flexible requirements, one part of the ACT has stayed the same: the expectations for honesty and conduct on test day.

“If you get caught cheating, your test gets dismissed and you’re not scored. There is a lot of paperwork involved. But you can sign up again and hopefully not cheat the next time,” Griner said.

Lillian Donaldson and Mira Schoewe

SETS SAIL SHIPP

Inside Coach Shipp’s efforts to help girls’ sports get the ball back on their side of the court.

by Leila Thomas - Staff Writer Sports

Left: Coach Shipp, Lindbergh’s varsity field hockey and frehsman basketball coach, looks on in Flyers Gym. Photographed by Mira Schoewe.

“We’ve got a ton of talent to build with, so it should be a really fun adventure for us.” - Coach Andrew Schipp

After scheduling issues

left several staff members unable to coach the freshman girls’ basketball team this season, Varsity Field Hockey Coach Andrew Shipp stepped into the role.

“I don’t know who declined the position before me… We started the field hockey team here, and I helped start the girls’ lacrosse team here to provide girls an opportunity to play sports that they otherwise [might] not have had,” Shipp said.

A coach of girls’ sports for 19 years, Coach Shipp has been involved with multiple Lindbergh athletics programs and girls’ sports teams. In 2015, he worked with Coach Jackie Stevens to restart the field hockey program. Two years later, he assisted Stevens in launching the girls’ lacrosse team during its first full season.

“Shipp knew I was interested in starting a girls’ lacrosse program at Lindbergh, so he asked for my help with field hockey since he thought working together would be beneficial for us both... Our program would have gotten off the ground without his support,” Stevens said.

Gender disparities have been a topic of dicussion in sports for some time. According to a study by Western Oregon University, WNBA players receive 30 percent less shared revenue from their teams and leagues than NBA players.

At Lindbergh, Shipp also said his decision was driven by a desire to ensure the program continued.

“[Coach Luczak and I] were really trying to make sure that the freshman girls team was going to be able to stand because we really want them to be able to experience high school sports… and I’m just glad we’re here and can offer the kids an opportunity to play a sport they seem to love,” Shipp said.

Varsity field hockey player Evy Przygoda said Shipp’s coaching style contributed to the team’s growth and dynamics.

“Shipp’s been a really good coach and not only just as a coach, but as a team player. He’s really great at working with us individually as well as a team,” Przygoda said.

Przygoda also added that Shipp was effective at

communicating and teambuilding.

“Shipp’s [very] good at noticing things that [no one has] outwardly told him. When we’re having issues as a team or between players, he’s able to see that and help us, [as well as] work with us through that type of thing,” Przygoda said.

Months before the winter sports season began, Shipp said he was preparing for the upcoming basketball season while continuing to work with the field hockey team. Part of his motivation, he said, stemmed from a desire to mentor younger players, an experience he said shaped his own journey as a student athlete years prior.

“Seeing that no one else was able to make this happen, I felt that it would be the right thing to do to step in and learn some basketball with them so that they could have a season, and the kids could get to play,” Shipp said.

Freshman basketball player Penny Anslem said Shipp has helped bring new momentum to the team and his role as coach.

“Shipp has [been] an amazing freshman coach, and the way he approaches us is just so understanding. He really understands everything that’s going on, and he helps just our team in general,” Anselm said.

Shipp said his focus is understanding, empathy and creating a supportive environment for athletes.

“What I want to accomplish is that they all come back next year and want to play again. I hope for this year that they learn some skills to make themselves a competitive team, learn how to trust and work with each other, and in the end, just have fun,” Shipp said.

He emphasized that taking the job wasn’t just about adding another title to his resume, but about ensuring that the girls had a chance to grow and enjoy the sport. He wants the players to develop teamwork and skills, and feel motivated to return to the team the next coming season.

“They want to try. They want to prove that they can make it to the next level. We’ve got a ton of talent to build with, so it should be a really fun adventure for us,” Shipp said.

American pop phenomenon Beyonce performing at her recent Cowboy Carter tour. Photographed by Parkwood Entertainment.

girl,

PUT YOUR on

RECORDS

Up-and-coming artists, billion-dollar tours and the rise of AI made 2025 a big year for music. Here’s an overview.

by Lydia Brown - Contributing Writer Culture and Lifestyle

AI-generated music first began to climb the charts early last November, prompting critics to speculate possibilities of job displacement, copyright infringement and what this could mean for the future of the music industry. Some Lindbergh students have also shown concern about these new developments. Franco Pona, a freshman and president of the Lindbergh Anti-AI Coalition (LAAC), said that AI was “just really insulting,” and that “all it does is steal other people’s ideas…it hurts my heart to see everyone else’s music just be turned [into] profit.”

In 2025, AI companies, including ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, made billions from distributing AI content and received backlash from Euronews article claiming this would strip artists of their income. Other news sources, including The Atlantic, Forbes and APNews have also criticized AI’s involvement in the music industry.

BIGGEST TOURS

Coldplay - Music of the Spheres - $1.15 billion

Beyonce - Cowboy Carter Tour - $407.6 million

Beyonce - Cowboy Carter Tour - $407.6 million Shakira - Tour - $130 million -

Shakira - Tour - $130 million

Coldplay - Music of the Spheres - $1.15 billion Beyonce - Cowboy Carter Tour - $407.6 million Shakira - Tour - $130 million -

Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres was the largest tour in 2025, making $1.15 billion. Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour was a runner-up, making $407.6 million. Shakira’s tour has been successful, but nowhere near as successful as others, making $130 million.

NEW ARTISTS TAKE THE STAGE

Sombr - Alongside his social media presence, Shane Boose -professionally known as Sombr -- first gained popularity from songs “Back to Friends” and “We Never Dated.” However, following what some fans labeled “perverted” or “inappropriate” statements made at some of his concerts, he was struck with a storm of online controversy, with several social media users claiming his concerts were inappropriate for teens, “brainrot on stage” or just straight-up “cringe.”

Rest in Peace to:

Benson Boone - Boone broke into the music industry with his hit song “Beautiful Things” and his opening performance for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, which took place June of 2024. He is known for his iconic backflips, wide vocal range and memorable stage presence. In April of 2025, he released the single “Mystical Magical” off of his album American Heart, which was set to release in June. The song garnered lots of attention online, where users made a meme out of the “moonbeam ice cream” line in “Mystical Magical,” helping to lead him to a mostly well-received collaboration with Crumbl Cookies.

Ozzy “Prince of Darkness” Osbourne was an English singer, songwriter and co-founder of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. He died of a sudden heart attack on July 22, 2025. He was 76.

Rest in Peace

Ozzy “Prince of Darkness” Osbourne was an English singer, songwriter and co-founder of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. He died of a sudden heart attack on July 22, 2025. He was 76.

Ozzy “Prince of Darkness” was an English singer, co-founder of the heavy Sabbath. He died of a on July 22, 2025.

Rick Davies was the lead singer and co-founder of rock band Supertramp. He passed at age 81 after years of battling myeloma.

Rick Davies was the co-founder of rock band passed at age 81 after myeloma.

Brian Wilson, an American singer, songwriter and co-founder of pop rock band the Beach Boys, died on June 11, 2025. He was 82.

In April of 2025, he released the single “Mystical Magical” off of his album American Heart, which was set to release in June. The song garnered lots of attention online, where users made a meme out of the “moonbeam ice cream” line in “Mystical Magical,” helping to lead him to a mostly well-received collaboration with Crumbl Cookies.

Katseye - The K-Pop group released their song “Gnarly,” which blew up across social media platforms, partially due to its “gnarly” beat and lyrics featuring random words such as “boba tea” and “Tesla.” The song also featured a corresponding dance which blew up on TikTok. Last August, Katseye’s popularity reached new heights after a popular GAP advertisement collaboration featuring the slogan, “Better in Denim.” On the internet, fans admired the ad’s choreography, upbeat music and “inclusive” message, but critics speculated the ad was nothing more than an attempt for the clothing brand to capitalize on the controversies following Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle collaboration.

Brian Wilson, an American singer, songwriter and co-founder of pop rock band the Beach Boys, died on June 11, 2025. He was 82.

Brian Wilson, an songwriter and co-founder band the Beach Boys, 2025. He

Up-and-coming artist Benson Boone performs at the 2025 Grammys. Photographed by Kevin Mazur for Getty Images.

Up-and-coming artist at the 2025 Grammys.

Data courtesy of Billboard.

Spread design by Mira Schoewe. Spread data courtesy of Rolling Stone.

Data courtesy of Billboard.

in CRISIS CLIMATE

Climate change’s impact on local communities

by Fiona Le - Staff Writer News

CClimate change is an

limate change is an

“imbalance of the input of energy from the sun and the output of energy by earth due to the fact that our atmosphere’s ability to hold that energy is increasing,” Ms. Oesch, a Lindbergh High School biology teacher, said.

Climate change is an ever-evolving challenge not just for all of America, but for underprivileged

communities.

“So, as we have an increase in carbon dioxide and also gases like methane, the ability for our atmosphere to trap that energy is increasing,” Oesch said.

Burning fossil fuels to generate power is the primary driver of climate change, according to the United Nations. Though America and other developed countries produce the most greenhouse gases, its impact on developing countries is often overlooked.

A 2025 tornado takes on downtown St. Louis. This photo is part of a video clip courtesy of Earthcam.com.

“So flooding of lowland areas, which we are also already seeing, places like very low-lying areas like Bangladesh, which is basically a country on a river delta. A river delta is just the sediments dropped by a river. So, this is very porous land that is being inundated from below by seawater. The people that live there, their drinking water and their irrigation water for their rice is just becoming saltier and saltier every year. And then you have countries like the Maldives, which is, if you look up the Maldives, it’s gorgeous pictures of islands, and those populations will not have a country at some point,” Oesch said.

Climate change is directly related to natural disasters, causing them to be more frequent and intense, according to the National Library of Medicine. In like manner, low-income, urban communities within St. Louis city limits also struggle with the impacts of climate change. St. Louis City Mayor Cara Spencer addressed these issues in her Sustainability and Climate Plan.

“The effects of climate change have never been more apparent in our community than they are now. In the tornado-impacted area, residents who are already dealing with so much are now also facing years of higher temperatures because much of the tree canopy was destroyed, leaving asphalt and buildings to absorb the heat and cause temperatures to become even more dangerous,” Spencer said.

Urban Saint Louis is vulnerable to heat waves due to the lack of air conditioning, particularly in underprivileged, poor neighborhoods and because urban areas are typically warmer than rural areas, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“The general consensus is you will have more extreme weather events: overall increase in temperatures in the temperate areas and in, well, I guess everywhere, and again, average temperatures. So it’s not that the cold’s going away. It’s just that when we get warm, we’re going to get really, really warm and when we get cold, we’ll get less cold. And we are already seeing that on average over time,” Oesch said.

At LHS, students and staff demonstrate their own efforts to be eco-conscious. Mr. Barry Marquart, a Lindbergh High School AP Environmental Science educator, stated the efforts to reduce energy use in the Lindbergh school building.

“I think in some way we’ve done some things. Like, the new buildings have controls on our heating and cooling and things like that.

So they’re making sure that at night it cools down, so we’re not using as much heat,” Marquart said.

In addition to reducing heating use, the building includes sensors to further reduce energy.

“We’re making sure the lights are on sensors now, so that lights don’t stay on for a long period of time. So, lights are turned off when they’re not in use. There are motion sensors in most rooms, and so, I think that the school is saving a lot of energy,” Marquart said.

Ms. Oesch provided further insight on climate-conscious efforts within the building.

“They’re trying to reduce those maintenance costs, they’re trying to reduce the energy costs, and that, even if it’s only for the bottom dollar, so that we can invest in our students more, that is eco-conscious, because that’s that much less coal we’re burning… All of this is powered by coal. Very little is, if any, renewable where we are in this region,” said Oesch.

Ms. Oesch also identified efforts outside the building to sustain Missouri streams.

“They have a rain garden out back, and again, that’s part of water reclamation, so that we’re not just sending all our dirty water... like, sending our water onto the streets, through the streets, and then right back into the rivers and the creeks. If you keep that in the ground, it replenishes the water table better, keeps our trees healthier, and it allows all that water to get cleaned before it goes to the stream. I also notice they have a lot of native plants, like the trees and the landscaping is somewhat thoughtful in that regard,” Oesch said. Lindbergh junior Serah Munene shared her efforts to be eco-conscious.

“I guess [I’m] trying to be mindful of what I do. Like, recycling when I can, being mindful of water usage… sometimes I walk from school, or I’ll take the bus instead of driving that day,” Munene said.

As it appears from those members of the staff and students, being ecologically responsible is a community effort.

“I find the more I think about climate change and resource management, the more I feel that so much relies on people just being good people. But I know that it is more complicated… At the end of the day, I wish no one ill will for protecting their own interests. We all have to protect our own interests—because no one else will. I guess what I really wish for is for more education and more critical thinking among voters and consumers. I think that is the key to any meaningful change in the US,” Oesch said.

Spread design by Mira Schoewe and Fiona Le