Liberty Ledger - Issue 1 - October 28, 2020

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ledger

NEWS

NEWS

Read about the 2020 election

Read about the switch to Level 1

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9

IN-DEPTH

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Read about activism from four perspectives

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CONTENT 6 NEWS

Your Vote Matters

Why, even with an Electoral College, your singular vote matters

8 FEATURE

School Behind a Screen

Surviving the pandemic when Immunocompromised

10 IN-DEPTH 14 OPINION It’s Not Over Yet

Photos by Jaxon Drezek (top left), Sammy Knickmeyer (top right) and Sarah Downs

Hear from four student activists on why they choose to advocate

FOLLOW US!

16 NEWS @lhs.publications @LHSJourn Visit our site: LHSToday.org

@lhsstreaming A 2019-2020 School Newspapers Online Distinguished Site

UPCOMING EVENTS

NOV.

2-3: No school 7: Senior studio photo deadline 10: Picture retake day from 8-10 a.m.

16: Late Start 17: Senior Picture cleanup day 7:30-9 a.m.

25-27: Thanksgiving Break 28: Senior Yearbook Picture Deadline

DEC.

1: Club group photo day 7:15-noon 8: Choir concert 7-9 p.m.

10: Winter band Concert 7-9 p.m.

14: Late Start 15: FMS Winter Band concert 6:30-9 p.m.

17: Board of Education Meeting 7 p.m.

23-Jan. 1: Winter Break

JAN.

4: Late Start 15: Early Release 18: No Classes, Martin Luther King Day 19: No Classes 21: Board of Education Meeting 7 p.m.

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Content | lhstoday.org design by: I. Salvosa & E. Thimyan

Cover photo by Sarah Downs

Examining ‘Cancel Culture’ in today’s society

19 SPORTS

Cross Country Wins Juniors and Seniors go head-to- Conference Title.

Powder Puff Palooza

head in a game of flag football

The LEDGER Liberty High School 2275 Sommers Road Lake Saint Louis, MO. 63367 636.561.0075 ext: 28039 jonathanhall@wsdr4.org

Volume 8 Issue 1 Editors Lizzie Kayser* Brooke Huffman* Ianne Salvosa* Reporters Mollie Banstetter (Layout Editor), Emily Bohn, Paige Bostic (Executive Videographer), Sarah Downs (Photo Editor) Elizabeth Hamby (Assistant Editor) Irem Inan, Ally Schniepp (Sports Editor), Elaine Thimyan *Each editor also serves as a reporter

Intentions

Canceled.

The Ledger is a publication that releases 4 issues (one per quarter) throughout the year, distributing 1,000 free copies to the student body, faculty and administration.

The Ledger magazine is a part of the district’s curriculum and is designed to provide a practical

Boys find new success, girls continue legacy

journalistic experience for written expression on a variety of topics. It is a student-led publication class that reports on stories relatable to the school community. Students write, take photos and design the publication and the adviser will supervise the student journalists.

The opinions expressed in this magazine may not be those of Liberty, nor the Wentzville R-IV School District, faculty, staff or administration.

The main editorial, when included, expresses the opinion of the Ledger editorial staff.

Reacting

Letters to all editors can be submitted in room 239, emailed or mailed to Liberty. All letters must be signed. Limit letters you wish to be published to 250 words. Letters may be edited for space requirements and libelous material to the discretion of the editors. If you have a news story idea or comment, please contact us in room 239.

Credentials

The Ledger is a member of the Sponsors of Student Publications of Greater St. Louis.

Advertising

To further facilitate the space available for student writing, advertising will not be offered in The Ledger.

Homecoming Week Must Go On Student Council members pre-film the school’s first ever virtual assembly

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by Jaxin Osinski Reporter

Check out the Homecoming Assembly video produced by Student Council by scanning this QR code.

Being able to adjust and make the best out of your situation is going to be the norm for students, all year long.

And this is exactly what happened with the pep assembly.

But just because the school physically can’t have an assembly, doesn’t mean there can’t be one. Students came together to film something that has never done before to give students across the school the best homecoming week possible. The assembly was made be available to watch on Wednesday, Sept. 23.

SPIRIT CHAMPS

Sean Bruce Emily Mesnier

CHALK CONTEST

In a year of uncertainty, let’s take a look behind the scenes of something never done at Liberty High School – a virtual pep assembly. Due to COVID-19, homecoming has been pushed back, but student council isn’t going to let that stop students from getting a homecoming week.

“It was quite different, and took me out of my comfort zone. Although I had a lot of fun and I am super excited to see how it turns out,” Stuco member Tess Roberts (11), who was one of the students running the assembly, said.

The year-long theme “Decades” has led to the decision to make homecoming 70’s themed. So obviously the assembly has to match the theme of the 70s and the hosts tried their best to give the audience an enjoyable hippie experience.

The video was not the easiest thing to film, since it’s hard to bring out emotion and do everything in front of just a camera- with no actual audience.

“Aidan (Berry) and I had a lot of mess ups and redos but once we started to get it down, we started to have fun with it,” stated Owen Herling another student council member that helped host the assembly.

Photos by Alix Queen

FCCLA

Photos by Grace Pickering (top left and right) and Monica Reyes (bottom left and right).

Girls Cross Country

70’s d a y Owen Herling (left) and Aidan Berry (right) pose for 70’s day.

Laina McMakin in front of the spirit wall for 70’s day.

Grace Pickering’s groovy style for 70’s day.

Senior Bailey Crow shows off her yellow for color wars.

Photos by Monica Reyes

News | lhstoday.org design by: I. Salvosa & E. Thimyan

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Anne-Arky Cast and Crew CAST

Sean Bruce Payton Busselman Anna Decker Morgan Feinstein Emily Grant Connor Higlen Jackson Martin Cassie Tarrant Shane Wolz Anna Wright

CREW

Emily Bohn Rhett Cunningham Maddie Gamache Ashley Haberberger Brooke Huffman Aadi Kadam Lizzie Kayser Makenzie Keiling Sammy Knickmeyer Julia McCutcheon Anna Morrison Cleopatra Mozolewski Liv Overton Alyssa Place Gabe Reid Abby Shields Amanda Speciale Chloe Stenger Elaine Thimyan Norah Wibbenmeyer Chynna Yeh Amanda Yoder Michelle Yoder

From left to right: Sean Bruce, Morgan Feinstein and Emily Grant perform at a Saturday rehearsal. photo by Alvin Gehrke

Draw The Curtain

One act ‘Anne-Arky’ is set to debut Oct. 22-23 after virtual auditions

by Elaine Thiyman Reporter

With the start of the school year, there are lots of questions regarding normal school activities and events. Some school events are happening differently, some being postponed like the homecoming dance, and other events still pursuing normal routine. The theater season is no exception.

Right as we were starting school again, the theater department had their first auditions for the fall one-act, “Anne-Arky”. On Wednesday, Sept. 15, Mrs. Gehrke and Mr. Eversole held virtual auditions.

“Each auditioner had a different Google Meet code, and Mr. Eversole (our technical director) and I watched their auditions,” Gehrke said.

Sophomore Anna Wright and junior Jackson Martin both auditioned and talked about their experiences.

“I think [auditioning virtually is] easier because you’re in the same environment when you were practicing,” Wright said.

Since the auditions are over, the cast has been set. There were no callbacks for the one-act. Usually, callbacks serve to see more of an actor in certain roles.

“I’m nonplussed with there being no callback list. It merely means I have less work to do overall,” Martin said. The cast and crew list was posted at 4 p.m. on Thursday after school.

For the one-act, different crews worked on different days. This meant that sound and lighting didn’t work together in the booth until show night, and actors were masked and socially distanced to the best extent.

“Anne-Arky” debuted on Oct. 22-23 at 7 p.m. Mrs. Gehrke will have recording rights so if it the public can’t see the show in person it will be livestreamed or recorded in some way shape or from.

Rehearsals have already begun most with crew heads and cast staying after school, but the crew will be added in as early as this week.

“We have a really fun, interesting, and compelling season, and our hope is that we’ll be able to still bring the show to our audiences, either virtually or, for very small audiences, in person,” Gehrke said.

4 design by: E. Bohn

News | lhstoday.org

1: Mrs. Gehrke blocks a scene with the cast.

2: The Anne-Arky poster design, created by senior Emily Grant.

3: Connor Higlen reacts in his scene to his script that caught fire because of a broken flashlight. photos by Jackson Martin and Alvin Gehrke

NHS Induction 2020 NHS inducts new members online

by Sabryn Gibson Reporter

The induction for the National Honor Society looked a little different this year. Due to COVID-19, new members of NHS got inducted through a computer screen and a lot later than usual. Normally, the NHS Induction is in April, but because of COVID-19, it was postponed.

“This is not what we planned, but this is what we get to do,” Mrs. Hallemeier, one of the sponsors, explained in the induction.

Even with the new challenges presented, the National Honor Society still kept up with tradition. As part of their tradition, the cabinet members led the induction, this year just from the comfort of their own homes.

This year’s induction welcomed new members to NHS and introduced them to their four pillars: scholarships, service, leadership and character.

These four pillars are the basis of the National Honor Society and should always be upheld by the members.

Moving forward, the National Honor Society has many goals for this school year. The main goal of being able to find opportunities for members.

“Our first (goal) is to find opportunities for all of our members to volunteer locally, whether that be remote or in groups with proper guidelines. Additionally, we have a goal of providing support for students and our academic family here at Liberty,” National Honor Society President, Olivia Guffey (12) explained.

Although this year may look different, the National Honor Society’s morals have not changed. The NHS plans to keep meeting virtually and lead their community through this year.

Newly Inducted Members:

Julia Amery, Sanjana Anand, Madelynne Ashlock, Isabella Bahr, Shounak Banerjee, Brynn Bartram, Ethan Besowshek, Cole Blackstock, Paige Bostic, Sean Bruce, Carson Clay, Alyssa Conrad, Abbi Davis, Sarah Dickson, Doris Earle, Phoebe Eikel, Ella Evans, Rachel Geisler, Lena Granberry, Elizabeth Hamby, Sydney Hilgenbrink, Ella Hillgartner, Alyson Hively, Brooke Huffman, Irem Inan, Kiara Jimenez, Brett Kercher, Amira Khayyat, Aubrey Kress, Sarah LePage, Kimball Lowe, Mahathi Manikandan, Charitee Marasso, Kent Masten, Natalie Medina, Emma Meuser, Benjamin Meyer, Kaitlyn Mueller, Annika Pastrana, Anika Roos, Madelyn Sanderson, Nila Sasi, Aleigha Schnable, Ally Scudder, Taylor Shay-Jakul, Kathryn Swanson, Cassandra Tarrant, Britney Thai, Carly Torbit, Megan Venturella, Anna Weber, Dagon Williams, Evan Worobec, Amanda Yoder, Trevor York, Jaden Zelidon, and Kyle Zink.

The induction occurred via a Google Meet, an interesting change from years past.

photo by Sabryn Gibson

WSD Returns to Five Days a Week WSD Board votes to move to Level 1

by Ianne Salvosa Co Editor-in-Chief The Wentzville School District Board of Education voted to switch to Level 1: In-person learning starting on Oct. 19 at the board meeting on Sept. 17 in the Liberty High School auditorium. Level 1 allows students who chose Option 1 to attend school in-person five days a week with the appropriate health and safety measures in place.

“When I signed up to get on this board I promised myself that I would do what the best in power to give these kids, the best education they can possibly get,” Director Daniel Brice said. “I firmly believe that Level 2 is not helping them.”

Director Brice made the motion to move to Level 1 at the beginning of second quarter, given that students pre-K to 12 would be required to

Speakers present to the Board of Education on Sept. 17.

photo by Ianne Salvosa

wear masks. Director Dale Schaper seconded the motion, allowing the board to call for a vote. In a split decision, two board members voted nay and five voted aye.

Prior to voting for the switch to Level 1, Director Brad Buchanan proposed an amendment to the motion, requiring that two out of four of the COVID-19 metrics be met one week before Oct. 19.

However, four board members voted nay and three voted aye, causing the motion to fail.

Members of the Wentzville School District community were able to discuss whether or not the district should remain in Level 2: Blended learning prior to the decision being made. In this public forum portion of the meeting, the public is allowed to sign up to speak for three minutes to share their thoughts and opinions on matters relating to the district.

News | lhstoday.org design by: E. Bohn

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Your Vote Matters

Why, even with an Electoral College, your singular vote matters

by Mollie Banstetter Layout Editor

You may have seen the phrase “your vote matters” plastered all over Instagram lately. Here’s why you need to cast your ballot. In presidential elections, your vote is synonymous with your voice. Whoever wins will be the commander in chief for the next four years.

The electoral college has caused many Americans confusion. The idea of it may seem perplexing, but it’s not all that complicated.

Government teacher Ms. Holmes explains the electoral college like this: “The electoral college is the formal way we elect the president and vice president of the United States,” she said. “There are 538 electors in the electoral college that are trying to be ‘won’ by the Republican and Democratic candidates. Each state is given a particular number of electors based on their population. A candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win the election. When you vote for a candidate, you are actually voting for a slate of electors that promise to vote for that candidate.”

Our electors are the only people who directly vote for president. On the first Monday after the second Wednesday of December the electors meet to officially vote for the president. Whenever you (a non-elector) vote for president you are contributing to the popular vote, this vote then appoints a state elector who will then vote at the meeting of electors.

Even though our country is a democracy, it can be confusing that we don’t directly elect our president like we do with other electable positions.

Our Founding Fathers, mainly James Madison (who was the greatest supporter of the electoral college) wanted to ensure that if one party were to become the majority, they wouldn’t infringe upon the minorities’ political views and rights.

According to the National Archives, it is done this way because

The Path to 270

In order for a candidate to become the next President, they must reach 270 electoral votes from any combination of the states. Each state has a number of electoral votes: 2 given automatically as each state has 2 senators, and the remaining number of representatives proportionate to its population.

6 design by: P. Bostic

News | lhstoday.org

“the Founding Fathers established it in the Constitution, in part, as a compromise between the election of the President by a vote in Congress and election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens.”

So get out and vote on Nov. 3 or request a mail in ballot and vote earlier. However you are going to do it, cast your vote and use your voice, because it could change the next four years of your life.

The 2020 Election Breakdown America is fairly divided on who would make the best president

by Paige Bostic Executive Videographer

As the infamous year of 2020 comes to its sluggish end, citizens across the country are bracing themselves for a landmark presidential election- the first in decades that takes place in the midst of a devastating pandemic. The election itself is riddled with controversy between the two front runners, Donald Trump (R) and Joe Biden (D), and their respective vice-presidential nominees, Mike Pence (R) and Kamala Harris (D). Both candidates have had to make do with strenuous conditions to continue their public campaigns.

When compared, the two seem radically different in their ideals, making for divided voters. According to the Washington Post as of October 2020, America remains almost evenly divided, with 42% of registered voters supporting Trump, and 52% supporting Biden. In addition, there are multitudes of demographic support for both candidates, which calls attention to which groups of people support which candidate the strongest.

While there is a variety of opinions between the demographics, both Trump and Biden may have to address more split demographics to secure votes. These include senior citizens, men, and Caucasians. Regardless of demographics, voters are free to choose which issues appeal to them and which candidate addresses most of them.

The electoral college means that there are a number of states that are important to the election process. States such as California (55), Texas (38), and New York (29) are more densely populated and have a much higher say than Missouri (10).

The presidential candidates, at the moment, need to consider which states play to their parties. Recent consensus shows that Missouri as a state is more likely to cast a higher number of Republican electoral votes, in this case, votes for President Trump. However, there are a variety of states who have so many different views that it is not as easy to predict which party they will likely vote for as a state. These toss-up states include Florida, Ohio, Nevada, and Arizona.

While Biden is holding a slim lead as of right now, there is no guarantee of victory for either candidate as the voting process is distinct from others. With differing candidates are differences in voting styles, with 57% of Trump supporters planning to vote in person by election day, and 52% of Biden supporters planning to vote by mail. The driving factor behind these decisions is COVID-19, and how safe the voter will feel if they choose to vote in person or by mail. The differences in voting methods may delay the announcement of who has won the election.

Whether or not one is able to vote or not, this election will be a grand event for all American people. The United States is built on the ideals of liberty, equality, and democracy, and the presidential election can ensure both. Truly, it is the people’s decision of who shall lead the land of the free, so to potential voters who are reading this, I urge you to take advantage of our system and VOTE!

Meet Your Candidates Donald Trump

Born: Jun 14th 1946, NY Education: Wharton School (BS Economics) Political Experience: President of USA (2016-) Pre-Political Profession: Businessman, Television Personality Political Party: Republican Achievements: Real estate business accumulated his net worth of $2.5 billion.

Times Ran for President: Three

Born: Nov 20th 1942, PA Education: Syracuse Law School (JD) Political Experience: Councilman, US Senator, Former VP of USA (2008-2016) Pre-Political Profession: Lawyer Political Party: Democrat Achievements: 5th youngest Senator in the history of the United States.

Times Ran for President: Three

photos provided by Wikipedia Commons

Joe Biden

News | lhstoday.org

design by. P. Bostic

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A C T I V I S M ;

By Mollie Banstetter Layout Editor, Irem Inan Reporter, and Ianne Salvosa Co Editor-in-chief

Sruthi Ramesh Online activism

I have struggled with feeling like I have a purpose in this world, for much of my adolescent life. Mental health has played a huge role in that, but I always came to the idea that we are on this earth to serve others, and them for us. Maybe our main reason for living is to simply help each other out?

As time went on, I found a purpose for myself in activism. And as selfish as it sounds, the idea of helping others has helped ground me. But I try to remember why I do what I do- the duality of who it serves.

As a teen, I don’t get to make the executive decisions on where I’m able to go, so I’m not able to take my activism outside of written word or social media- though I definitely will when I am responsible for myself. In a world of performative activism,

I try to repost more informational & unique posts, even though there is always the chance that people will not read them. After all, there is power in knowledge, and that is (according to me at least) the foundation of advocacy. I truly believe in the power of using your voice, and the fact that we must accept any privilege we have to speak up for those who cannot. But the most important part of all of that is to make sure that you are not telling someone else’s story for them. There is a strength in allowing others to reclaim their voice, so we have to be cognizant of that.

“If all you do is fight for your own life, then your life is worth nothing.”— Hera Syndulla

Sarvani Kunapareddy Immigration Reform After living in the United States for a majority of my life I still haven’t been able to achieve the American Dream. Many immigrants around the county are in the same situation as me. Living here in the only home we know alongside our friends, we adapt to the idea that we have the same opportunities as those around us. However, this could not be further from the truth, many students face the harsh reality of having to leave the country at the age of 21.

At first I was scared. I was scared of what could happen if I spoke out. But after confiding in my closest friends, my coaches, and teachers, I realized that I had support. This support fueled me to make a change. I first began by educating myself and those around me, including others facing this obstacle. I realized that if there was a network of people facing this situation we could fight to make real change. Months after understanding my future, I secured a meeting with those who could make real change- U.S. Senate staffers at Claire McCaskill’s office. I worked tirelessly on my speech, preparing to fight for my future. The support I gained fueled me to continue my fight. I was able to set up meetings with DC staffers so that more attention would

10 design by: M. Banstetter, I. Inan & I. Salvosa News | lhstoday.org

be brought to the struggles of dependent visa holders.

I was later able to work on the Letters 4 Fairness, which is a campaign that works to write 100,000 letters to Congress to clear the green card backlog.

The letters ask Congress representatives to take action against the green card backlog and allow green card applicants to have the opportunity to live in the United States. Determined to meet the goal, I reached out to teachers and friends and we sent 90,000 letters.

As I educated more and more people about the situation thousands of immigrants face, more activists arose. I was able to meet those who have faced this situation and co-founded The Hidden Dream Organization. We work to raise awareness of the countless struggles faced by visa immigrants, share resources, and create a community to uplift those affected by the broken U.S. immigration system. We were able to raise over $3000 and give two students a thousand dollar scholarship as they aren’t eligible for any financial aid. We host workshops to help immigrant students navigate high school and college. Meeting others that face the same situation as me gave me hope that change could be possible. We could fight for our future.

I T ’ S O V E R

N O T Y E T

Arthi Kondapaneni Black Lives Matter To me, BLM is a simple concept. A concept that reflects on the basis of our country… that everyone deserves the right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That black men, women and children deserve human rights and respect. To me, Black Lives Matter is a movement to end racial oppression.

A movement that is not about dividing, but about uniting… to fight for a more peaceful society.

The Pledge of Allegiance stresses the point of “Liberty and Justice for All,” but where is liberty and where is justice when it comes to the countless killings of black people? This movement is to advocate that skin color should not be the deciding factor between life and death, between liberty and oppression.

To me, Black Lives Matter is a movement that speaks

up for all those that were not able to.

Black lives do matter, and America’s judicial system and law enforcement system have to do better. By reforming and redistributing the money of the police, cops will be able to be better trained and have specialized professionals with them, so that there is no excuse for lives to be unjustly taken. Since I am not black, I understand that I will never be able to fully understand the effects of police brutality, but I will do my best to educate myself daily and be a strong ally of the movement.

To truly make America great, we need to end police brutality and discrimination. We are the land of the free, but America will never truly be free until we make a change for the better.

Matthew Eversole LGBTQ+ Rights Out of many causes that I support, LGBTQ+ rights are particularly close to my heart because of all of the friends and family in my life who are affected. I went to a private high school where students could be expelled if they came out. Many of my friends were LGBTQ+ and could only be themselves outside of school or in a few safe classes, but they also got involved in the arts and found a network of friends to support them. My sister is asexual, and the pressure of going to school in an unsupportive environment drastically impacted her mental health, but she joined a Gay-Straight Alliance as soon as she went to college and found friends there. When I went to college, one of my friends couldn’t come out publicly because his parents would have disowned him and he would have had to drop out of college, but he got his degree and immediately married his husband. In all of these cases, I witnessed the unjust stigma attached to the LGBTQ+ community. In all of these cases, I was able to learn how much kindness

and caring for people means and how much I took being able to be myself all of my life for granted.

LGBTQ+ youth have the greatest risk for suicide and self-harm, but all it takes to make a difference is one caring person. No one should be singled out for who they love, and no one should be able to deny others the same rights that they claim for themselves. Yes, it gets better—but what if you can be the one who makes a bigger difference at the earliest possible moment in someone’s life?

Progress averages out to a straight line, but it’s actually a combination of steps forward and steps back. A lot of progress has been made regarding LGBTQ+ rights in the last 20 years, but courts and states are trying to roll those rights back. History and numbers are not on the side of those who oppose these rights. It is a moral obligation for allies like myself to use my voice and privilege to stand up for the rights of others. Together, we will win.

News | lhstoday.org design by: M. Banstetter, I. Inan & I. Salvosa

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photo submitted by Sophia Whalley

Sophia Whalley’s desk is set up for a day of online learning.

School Behind a Screen Surviving the Pandemic when Immunocompromised

by Lizzie Kayser Co Editor-in-Chief

Elizabeth Green completes her morning routine in the same room “I’ve never had to be so cautious about what I touch or where I go,” she’ll be attending school in. She says hello to her cats and sits down at Whalley said. “Going to the store or park or just out in general used to be her desk, praying that she won’t run into any trouble with her internet my escape, my little distresser. Now, while I still like to go out, it tends to connection. Green officially logs into school at 7:20 a.m. add more stress onto my life. Last year was probably the most social I’ve After finishing her three Google Meet classes, she works ever been so going from that to a very introverted person has been a hard independently for the rest of the day. Though there is no specific way she transition. has to complete these self-guided courses, Green has split them into blocks “Virtual learning utilizes a combination of video calls and self-guided to resemble a regular school schedule. courses through LAUNCH, a Missouri based program that creates online “I just do them at a certain time to give myself a sense of normalcy,” classes for public schools. Green, for example, takes three classes with Green said.

Wentzville teachers and completes the rest on her own. Both Whalley Green, a sophomore, was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease (an and Green – apart from technical difficulties – have done well with this autoimmune disease in which the body attacks the thyroid gland) just a structure, as long as they are able to stay organized and keep on track. month before the pandemic began. Because of this, she has opted to go all However, some aspects of school simply cannot be replicated from behind online this semester. Immunocompromised individuals like Green are at a screen. a greater risk of developing severe complications from “One thing I do really miss about in-person school is COVID-19. While many people counted down the days being social. I could see my friends, I could ask for help on until quarantine would finish, Green’s and other families assignments, I could talk to whoever,” Whalley said. “At looked toward a prolonged period of isolation. home, if I want to talk to someone, I have to reach out to “It’s difficult to see people go and have fun but have them and it sort of feels unnatural to me.” to stay in and miss out on opportunities,” Green said.

Immunocompromised students are no strangers to “We just have to be extra careful. It’s hard because you adaptation, and with the help of the school have been able want to be friendly and see people and not seem like to adjust. Still, it can be extremely frustrating, especially people who run away from things, but we also need to be when it seems like others are ignorant to their situation.

- sophia whalley safe. I don’t think [people] understand that.”

Green has struggled to witness a growing denial of the A typical work or school environment doesn’t pandemic’s severity while dealing with its impact herself. guarantee the safety high-risk lives depend upon. For this reason, senior “Sometimes it’s like, are we doing the right thing or are we being Sophia Whalley, also dealing with a weakened immune system, is taking stupid? But then you see things in the news about people who have suffered online classes. and had all these life-changing things happen, like their lungs being messed “My family wasn’t comfortable with me or my brother going back into up for years,” Green said. “It’s not a joke, it’s not a political statement; it’s a classroom where social distancing and masks might not be enforced,” science and science is fact, not fiction.”

Whalley said. “Since my mom is a microbiologist and sort of does this Green and Whalley both stress the importance of taking the pandemic research for a living, she’s made sure our family is very cautious and seriously- if not for you, then for somebody else. careful.”

“From my perspective, I wish people would understand that the On a regular basis, Whalley does her best to keep herself from pandemic is real, that people are legitimately dying from it,” Whalley said. getting sick. She always kept hand sanitizer and cold medicine, ate a diet “I wish people would understand that those CDC guidelines actually do full of vitamin C, and kept her distance from others when they were sick. mean something and that you could save someone’s life just by wearing a However, while the precautions she took became second nature before, mask.” they now have to be at the forefront of her mind when leaving home.

“ you could save

someone’s life just by wearing a mask.

”

8 design by: L. Kayser

Feature| lhstoday.org

The school board’s recent decision to make the change to Level 1 learning has been clothed in controversy. Some say it’s long overdue, and that students deserve a normal education. Others are concerned about safety measures, arguing that as soon as students are completely in person an outbreak will occur, causing the board to swiftly switch to Level 3, or entirely virtual learning. There are two sides of every story, both of which deserve equal representation.

Mental Health Matters

Senior Kayde Chronister highly anticipates the return to a “regular” school week, hoping it will reduce stress and strain.

“Currently, it’s putting a strain on my mental health to have so much stress due to online work. Like, how many assignments are there? What if they forgot to email me? Where are these assignments? When are they due?” Chronister said.

He finds his own grades suffering due to the mix-ups caused by hybrid learning, and believes there’s not much more we can do, other than our current precautions. Though he has sympathy for those being affected by the pandemic, Chronister prioritizes his wellbeing.

“All of my decisions are mental health and safety based. Maybe it’s selfish, but I have to do what I have to in order to succeed,” Chronister said.

Despite the stigma that those looking forward to Level 1 learning don’t take the pandemic seriously, Chronister believes that he is taking the steps necessary to protect those around him. He has also voiced concerns about being completely in person, and would be willing to go all virtual if it means keeping his peers happy and healthy.

Should We Stay... photo by Sarah Downs

A look at two students’ sides surrounding the recent change to Level 1 learning

by Brooke Huffman Co Editor-in-Chief

Whether or not to return to full time school is an extremely divided issue, leaving students split down the middle.

...or Should We Go? Students Deserve Safety

Senior Shaina Feinstein is thoroughly against the switch to Level 1 learning, believing it to be an extremely risky decision made purely to appease parents.

“Since the decision was made against the recommendation of Dr. Cain, we know it was not for the benefit of the students. It’s ridiculous that a couple hundred angry parents can cause the board to send thousands of students and staff members into an unsafe environment,” Feinstein said.

Though she agrees that Level 2 isn’t perfect, it’s a compromise that she’s willing to make, with enough room for social distancing. Her biggest concern with the return to Level 1 is students being stuffed into classrooms without the advised 6 feet space.

“The classrooms barely have enough room for us to be socially distanced at half capacity, so having everyone back in the building at once will be crazy. The hallways are going to be packed and I won’t eat lunch in the cafeteria anymore,” Feinstein said.

Feinstein isn’t only concerned about the coronavirus while in class- she’s cautious wherever she goes. With a mask always on hand and worn correctly, and the thought of safety on her mind, she treads carefully.

“I don’t want to get sick, and I don’t want to bring anything home because my dad is currently helping out his parents, who are older and have other health conditions that COVID would make worse,” Feinstein said. “I would like for things to go back to ‘normal,’ but I know that for that to happen later, we need to be safe now.”

Whether students find themselves supporting or opposing Level 1 learning, they’ve taken an interest in how their education is being handled like never before. They worry about health, both mental and physical, and how school is directly affecting their wellbeing. This debate has students involved, present and passionate, ready to fight for what they believe is right.

Feature | lhstoday.org design by: L. Kayser

9

CANCELED.

Examining ‘Cancel Culture‘ in today’s society

by Brooke Huffman Co-Editor-in-Chief

What does it mean to be “canceled?” For some, it’s temporary grounding- a couple months filled with hateful hashtags and death threats, soon washing over with a wave of newly adoring fans. For others, it means the end of a career. Canceling has been around for decades in some form or another, but only recently has it become trendy. Opening Twitter, it seems like a new celebrity or influencer is canceled every few hours.

Are we evolving to a point where we no longer tolerate ignorance, or do we simply enjoy the drama?

The answer is both, or neither. We cancel for any reason possible- some valid, but often not. With words like “ableist” and “classist” integrating into everyday vernacular, they’ve lost a lot of their meaning, yet they keep the same shock factor. This is clearly a problem, as these accusations should have the power to deplatform a creator, or at least merit a lengthy apology and a commitment to do better. Even worse, creators canceled for valid reasons often fail to be truly canceled; instead, they face criticism, post the infamous notes app apology, and return to their careers, untouched.

The problem is, nobody knows exactly what behavior should result in cancellation. Of course, there are the basics- sexual assault, murder, pedophilia, etc. but even then without a slew of hard evidence it’s debatable. Do we forgive mistakes made in childhood? Do we purposely dig up dirt from decades earlier? It’s such a gray area of morality. Without clear guidelines we run wild, finding old messages and exposing them to the world.

For all of the gray areas, there are a couple simple rules to follow: don’t give bigots a platform, don’t give predators a platform and don’t give rapists a platform. We often allow our favorite stars to slide, making up excuses for their clearly inappropriate behavior. If we looked at it from an unbiased perspective, Shane Dawson and 6ix9ine would’ve lost their influence years ago. Instead, we want to forgive, even when it’s not our place.

As a white woman, I have no say in whether or not Shane Dawson should be forgiven for his racist past. It’s not my place to justify his behavior, as it didn’t affect me in the slightest. Speaking over the people that were targeted by his videos is ridiculous; it would be like arguing with biologists over basic science.

Cancel culture is doing something right- it’s calling out inappropriate behavior and eliminating excuses- but does that make up for all of the damage it does? There isn’t really a right or wrong answer.

All we can do is continue to examine the difference between simple error and a clear pattern of behavior. We can continue to call out problematic creators, and eliminate their ability to influence those around them. We can draw a line in the sand, and show clear expectations for the people we look up to. We can allow victims to share their stories, and create safe spaces where they feel comfortable doing so.

Cancellation clearly isn’t a perfect process- but it’s the temporary solution we need to hold people accountable.

14 design by: B. Huffman

Opinion| lhstoday.org

Replacing Hatred With Hype

The Liberty Hype Instagram account gives students an anonymous platform to promote positivity

by Ianne Salvosa Co-Editor-in-Chief

The owners of the Liberty Hype Instagram account believe that if you don’t have anything nice to say, keep it off of social media.

Instagram has been plagued with anonymous accounts, each claiming to be on the one stop shop for gossip and drama. But in the midst of the negativity, one account has become a standout. The Liberty Hype account (@liberty.hype.lhs) is a project created by a group of students to inspire students to be kind to one another. One of the account’s owners was motivated to create the account after meeting a student that had been victimized by a gossip account. After seeing the student’s positive outlook despite the hate they had received, the owner decided to encourage others to have the same perspective.

“I decided that Liberty has been ruled by drama, rumors, and hate for too long and I wanted to provide an account that promoted happiness, kindness, and fun,” the owner said.

In order to promote those values, the public account allows any student to send in a direct message with a compliment for another student. Then, the account will post a screenshot of the message, cropping out any identifying information of the person who submitted the comment.

Submissions range from compliments on someone’s looks to expressions of gratitude towards friends who have helped them through a tough time. The account is only on its third week but has received about 203 submissions, posting 82.

“Some people don’t want it posted and some just want to get something personal off of their chest,” the owner said.

Sophomore Ally Reyes first came across the Liberty Hype account when the account posted a DM complimenting her sweet personality and positivity.

“I was really happy to get those shoutouts. It was really sweet and made my day,” Reyes said. “I like how it’s anonymous too, it makes it more fun.”

In regards to the account’s anonymity, the owner describes its purpose as a way to maintain trust between them and the person submitting the comment. If the owner keeps their own anonymity, then the submitter can

trust that they will keep theirs as well. The mystery of the owners is also designed to impact how students perceive the account.

“I chose to be anonymous, that way people wouldn’t judge me for who I am or by reputation,” the owner said.

As of right now, the owners plan on revealing themselves in the near future, after they have received 100 submissions. But no matter what the account owners’ real identity is, followers of the account exhibit gratitude towards their mission.

“The fact that a person, or multiple people would set up an account just to spread some positive energy is honestly such a great thing to see,” senior Liam Graham said.

Graham had submitted a shoutout of his own, but instead of directing towards a friend, his message was for the account. Disappointed by the presence of gossip accounts, Graham gave praise towards the owners of Liberty Hype.

“I get that cancel culture and what not is pretty much just a part of social media, but when I see it happening to students in a school, especially mine— I’m going to take action,” Graham said.

As students take the initiative to make kindness a priority, the owner believes it should become the default behavior.

“I think positivity should be how we fill the void when we are bored. It spreads like wildfires and it can do amazing things,” the owner said.

Shout out recipients and followers feel as if the wildfire has already spread.

“I really like the LHS hype account. Whoever created that deserves the world,” Reyes said. “I think spreading positivity and kindness is very important, and they’re doing a great job with that.”

The reception of the account has mainly been positive; however, they have received a fair share of hate. But regardless, Liberty Hype was able to gain 228 followers since its first post on Sept. 4, expanding the reach of their mission to uplift.

To submit an anonymous shout out, send a direct message to @liberty. hype.lhs on Instagram. Submissions should uphold the owners’ values of spreading kindness and positivity.

photos provided by Liberty Hype

The LHS Hype account focuses on highlighting the positive traits of students.

Feature | lhstoday.org design by: B. Huffman

15

The Sun Is Rising on The Sunrise Movement Sunrise Movement unites against a common enemy that threatens all of their futures—Climate Change.

by Irem Inan Reporter

(Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report, that showed that warming over 1.5 degrees Celsius will cause very catastrophic effects, and that to achieve that goal, we must cut global greenhouse gas emissions by 40-60% by 2030, and reach net zero by 2050 (though since the US emits so much, nationally we really need to be reaching net zero well before 2050).”

Sunrise provides numbers and data to back up their problems and solutions. They don’t just tell the people in power how climate change disproportionately affects minorities—they make

As, for us, the sun dawns on a new day, for members of the Sunrise Movement’s St. Louis hub, it dawns on a new movement. Founded in 2017 by Varshini Prakash and Sara Blazevic, the Sunrise Movement and its members have been trailblazers for efforts against climate change in the late 2010s. But over time, the movement has snowballed into much more than that.

“The Sunrise Movement is a youth led climate justice organization,” said Parkway West High School senior, Ulaa Kuziez. “I say climate justice because as a movement we recognize the intersection of different systems of oppression and fight for justice on all fronts, for all people. We use different tactics like direct action and protests to elevate the urgency of climate change, grow participation, and fight for justice.”

The Sunrise Movement is best known nationwide for their efforts to pass the Green New Deal. This is a motion that works against two key injustices at the same time: climate change and Members of the movement line up at the Green New Deal Town Hall in St. Louis. inequality. Members of the movement believe that we can’t just tackle an effort to show them. Sunrise is based around environmental problems—we must take on those the belief that a lot of the things that we don’t plaguing our society as well. intuitively tie to the environmental crisis are Grace Tedder, co-founder of Sunrise STL, actually a result of it. said, “We’re calling for a Green New Deal to The same systems keeping poor people address the combined crises of climate change poor and rich people rich are the ones harming and centuries of racial inequity in this country, our planet. The Green New Deal calls for green all while creating millions of good-paying jobs.” solutions, yes, but it deals with issues more She continued that the Deal isn’t its own policy, complex than that—issues that have been ignored but “a high level vision of the many policies we in deals past. need to pass to stop the worst impacts of climate “We are working on building more change. The Green New Deal also addresses a community partnerships and organizing lot of issues outside of what is narrowly viewed an upcoming action to call out our local as climate issues (like healthcare, jobs, racial governments failures to divest from police and equity), but this is because they are inextricably criminalization of poverty and invest in actual linked—the same systems of oppression that public safety and addressing pressing issues like led to degradation of the planet have also been climate change, social services, etc, and present harming people.” our vision for St. Louis,” said Tedder.

She went on to explain the specifics: These solutions are working in the best “The Green New Deal resolution presented interest of the city, as well as the Earth. The in US Congress is based on the 2018 IPCC organization is currently trying to achieve Lydia

12 design by: E. Hamby

Feature | lhstoday.org

Krewson—the mayor of St. Louis’—removal from office. This began shortly after Mayor Krewson exposed the identities of protestors marching to defund the police on a Facebook livestream. Her behavior led to another demonstration outside her house, where many St. Louisans showed up to call for her resignation.

These are small steps of a bigger plan taking place in the city. “The [Middle and High School] Network is a national network of middle school and high schoolers in Sunrise and it’s designed to support this next generation of climate activists,” said Eva Kappas, a member of the Sunrise STL hub who attends John Burroughs High School.

“This takes the form of Zoom calls to provide a space for troubleshooting problems that come up with organizing within schools, recruiting peers, starting a hub, or being a young person in a Sunrise hub that may have more college or high photo provided by Grace Tedder school students that could be intimidating.”

Students can learn how to organize on their own so they can become leaders themselves in the fight against climate change. The MS-HS Network is designed for beginners, whether they be beginners to the Sunrise Movement or activism in general.

There’s no doubt that these are overwhelming problems. But they are happening—at a city near you—and working with Sunrise is a viable option to start fixing them.

Even though COVID-19 took the movement virtual, it’s ongoing. Sunrise is powerful, but it wasn’t built in a day, “You don’t have to be at every meeting, every event to make an impact. Come out to one meeting, learn a bit about what we’ve got going on, come out to an action when you can. Learn where you can about community organizing, because we are the only ones who will stand up for ourselves and each other at the end of the day,” said Tedder.

Forever Notorious

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, an inspirational Supreme Court Justice, died on Sept. 18

B G R

A wise woman once said, “No door should be closed to people willing to spend the hours of effort needed to make dreams come true.” That woman was none other than Joan Ruth Bader, famously known as Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG).

She lived that truth out till the day she died, while she served as the second female, but the first Jewish female, appointed as a Supreme Court justice. For 27 years, RBG remained incredibly faithful to the courts and law.

Fighting for gender equality she relentlessly worked to obtain equal pay, less discrimination, and the right for abortion. That might not seem like much, but living through the ‘70s and ‘80s she was very ahead of her time, in a reality where gender norms weren’t questioned very much.

Similarly, in RBG’s words, “For most girls growing up in the ’40s, the most important degree was not your B.A., but your M.R.S.” That meant that women were not expected to go to a college or university for education purposes but simply to find a spouse.

Ginsburg was really just lucky

in that department when she met her future husband Martin Ginsburg at Cornell University. When they were both schooling at Harvard, he fell very ill with testicular cancer during a year of schooling and she covered for his class while he was away, while maintaining her top of the class title.

She graduated from a class of nine women among 491 men.

After graduating, believe it or not, RBG struggled to find a job. Before her famous Supreme Court rule she worked at many law firms, and became a professor at Rutgers University, and even founded the Women’s Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union (WRP) that educated and advocated for women’s rights.

It was then in 1993 that she was appointed by President Bill Clinton to the Supreme Court after serving for the U.S Court of Appeals for 13 years.

Many dissents and cases later, she earned the respect of so many Americans. Her strength in her opinions and words was the pinpoint of her character. She unapologetically stood up to the injustices in the world and the men that overtook it.

“I am inspired by her tenacity and how she fought for things even if it wasn’t the popular opinion or outlook,” English teacher Mrs. Franke said.

Some of RBG’s landmark cases were Obergefell vs. Hodge, which took part in the legalization of samesex marriage, and United States vs.

Virginia, that fought for women to be able to admit into an all-male college where they were previously restricted from because of their sex and ability.

“We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague. Today we mourn, but with confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her — a tireless and resolute champion of justice,” Chief Justice, John Roberts said.

She fought endlessly from topics anywhere from sex discrimination, equality, abortion, and equal pay.

She was so dedicated to the court that her husband, Martin, had to drag

Photo provided by Wikimedia Commons RBG’s strength in her opinions and words was the pinpoint of her character. She unapologetically stood up to the injustices in the world and the men that overtook it.

her home for dinner and eventually to bed each night. At one point a law student even jokingly nicknamed her the Notorious RBG after the rapper B.I.G, but she ended up embracing it.

And from this point forward she is still remembered for the seemingly silly name.

She died from the wrath of metastatic pancreatic cancer on Sept.

18 but Ruth lived an amazing life of 87 years. ‘We The People’ thank her for the amazing work she has done to make our world just a little bit better of a place.

Rest in Power Ruth.

In The Words of RBG

“ “ “ “

You can’t have it all, all at once

“ “ “ “

Elizabeth Hamby Assistant Editor

When a thoughtless or unkind word is spoken, best tune out Every now and then it helps to be a little deaf You can disagree without being disagreeable

Feature | lhstoday.org design by: E. Hamby

13

Powder Puff Palooza Juniors and Seniors go head-to-head in flag football

by Sarah Downs Photo Editor Liberty’s juniors and seniors competed in a friendly rivalry of flag football at Heartland Field in Wentzville on Sunday, Sept. 21.

During the first two quarters of the football game, they did not have any flags to pull, so they had to do a two-hand touch until the second half of the second quarter. The juniors had a strong defense, and so did the seniors, however the seniors also had a strong offense.

The seniors had Kate Fulhorst as their quarterback and she was also the quarterback last year for juniors. However, something new that she did for this year’s powderpuff was kicker.

With her soccer background she was able to make each kick she attempted. Even though Fulhorst was in the game, her favorite moment was out on the sidelines.

“When someone made a good play or scored, everyone would start jumping and hyping them up,” she said.

Offense is always interesting to watch but senior Eve Shelton enjoyed being on defense.

“I liked offense but defense was definitely better since it was more physical and a lot of fun not letting the juniors score,” Shelton said. Her favorite moment of the game was when the boys came out during halftime for their halftime dance. The players were great and what makes a great player? a great coach, and the senior team had six coaches.

“My favorite part about the game is just the whole environment,” said Blake Seaton (12), “Seeing everyone come together to do something that we don’t do that much”. Seaton enjoyed the rivalry between the seniors and juniors Senior Laina McMakin was one of the cheerleader coaches for the boys and was seen on the field with them to show them the dances as their routine continued.

The juniors put up a tough fight towards the end of the game, but the seniors won this year’s powder puff. Class of 2021 and class of 2022 have a very strong rivalry this year, and this game made a lot of the seniors happy when they made the final touchdown.

Fun Facts

• A lot of the senior girls were running and kicking in their socks.

• During practice, both seniors and juniors listened to music during drills.

• The seniors’ coaches brought their gaming headsets, on game day, to make themselves look like their football coaches.

• The seniors’ coaches also carried around a white board and Expo markers to show what was the play and what the players position was.

• The coaches taught the girls the chants they use to hype up their teammates, when they were close to.

• This year’s powderpuff was not school sponsored, it was parent sponsored. photos by B. McMakin, J. Drezek, and I. Salvosa

16 design by: S. Downs

News | lhstoday.org

Find The Impostors

There’s an impostor among the staff!

Here’s how to play and have a chance to win a $15 gift card to QuickTrip. The list of crewmates are on the right, one of them is the impostor.

-There are QR codes around the school, scan them with your phone to find a body, or crew mates doing their task.

-If you are “sus” of anyone after scanning the QR codes, come to room 239 to scan the emergency meeting QR code and you’ll have the chance to vote for someone. It will tell you if you voted off the impostor or not.

- If they are not the impostor you have one another chance to find one of the impostors.

- First person to find one of the impostors wins a $15 gift card, however, if you already found one of the impostors you can not find the other one. The first person to find the other impostor will also receive a $15 gift card.

- If you use up both of your emergency buttons, then you will no longer be able to guess who the impostor is.

The list of players are to the right, two of them are the impostor, figure out who and win the prize. Good luck and have fun.

Mr. Cole

Mr. Stoll

Mr. Eversole

Mr. Jolliff

Mrs. Gehrke

Mr. Schaper

Mr. Leonard

Mr. Wheeler

Chance to win a $15 QT gift card!

Mr. Kling

Mrs. Steinbruegge

Who Are The

Entertainment | lhstoday.org design by: S. Downs

17

Girls Golf Soars Above Competition to Win Conference and Knight Cup

Team goes undefeated in the regular season leading up to GACs

by Lizzie Kayser Editor-in-Chief

Freshman Sophie Chenot hits her driver off the tee box at St. Peters Golf Course in a match against Fort Zumwalt East.

photo by Sarah Downs

On Tuesday, Sept. 29, the varsity girls golf team won their conference championship. The day before they took first place at the Knight Cup tournament. Getting there was certainly no easy feat, but looking at their season thus far, this back-to-back win is no surprise. In every conference match leading up to GACs (Gateway Athletic Conference), they were undefeated.

“The golf team has grown tremendously over this year. Both as a collective whole pulling for one another to succeed, as well as individually through dedication and hard work,” golf coach Mr. Cole said. “Our goal since day one has been to play our best golf in late September and October and after the week we have had winning the Knight Cup and then GAC’s, I would say we are heading in the right direction.”

The Knight Cup was a close victory between Liberty and Timberland.

In overtime, sophomore Kyndall Stubblefield and senior Kelly Karresinking a 12 foot par putt- secured the winning title for the team.

The golfers compete in both conference matches and separate tournaments in the first part of their season. They earn points by winning matches, which is factored into their final score at the GAC Tournament.

Though the team was already undefeated (9-0), the points received at the final tournament are weighed much higher than the matches- meaning that there was still a chance they could lose. However, rather than letting this weigh them down, the Eagles soared even higher above their competitionKarre won, Stubblefield finished second, and freshman Sophie Chenot and sophomore Madalyn Breckenridge both medaled.

“Our biggest competition all season was Fort Zumwalt South, who we beat 10-0 in our match, but if they beat us in the tournament, they could take home the win,” senior Grace Pickering said. “I think we knew there was a good chance we would win, but we knew it wouldn’t be easy.”

To do well in golf, as with any sport, requires hard work and dedication.

Every day after school, the team heads to the Wentzville Driving Range or

18 design by: A. Schniepp News | lhstoday.org

the Golf Club of Wentzville to practice. Along with honing their physical skills, they train to be of sound mind when golfing, capable of analyzing every environmental aspect that could affect their shot. What an onlooker sees is only a small piece of what truly goes into golf.

“Golf is a mentally challenging game that teaches you how to control your attitude. Every shot counts and if you let a bad shot create a bad attitude you aren’t going to have a great day,” Kyndall Stubblefield said. “Golf also teaches you how to be responsible for yourself. You alone are accountable for every shot.”

In a game where your mind is both your biggest help and biggest hindrance, guidance is essential to keep you out of your own head. That’s where coaches come in. For the past two seasons, Mr. Cole has coached the golfers with the help of Mr. Lindsay, who started as an assistant coach this year. Many golfers attribute good coaching to their success. The team has cycled through several coaches throughout the years, and while a challenge, each coach allowed the team to grow in a new way.

“They have all been super supportive and positive,” Karre said.

“Sodemann was always pushing us to improve and focus on what was next.

Ashby always inspired me and has taught me many things to better both my golf game and my outlook on life. Cole is our biggest cheerleader and has the ability to cheer me up when I’m feeling upset with myself. Lindsay is very knowledgeable and encouraging, he helps me make wise decisions.”

Karre has been a part of golf since her freshman year. As the team grew, she was able to grow alongside it.

“As a golfer, I think I’ve matured a lot and have begun to realize that I have the skills to come back if things aren’t going well,” Karre said.

Bouncing back is vital when it comes to golf. When one day doesn’t work out, they have to be ready to tackle it again the next.

“Golf is so much harder than it seems. It takes a lot of effort, stamina, and a good mindset. Your attitude truly determines how you play, and many people don’t understand that you can have good days and bad days,” Breckenridge said. “Golf is a very physically exhausting sport. Often, tournaments take almost five hours, and matches take around two. We play in the heat, cold, and even the rain, Additionally, we have to walk the entire time -no golf carts! It is very underrated as a sport, and I want people to know that it is much harder that you may think, and it deserves just as much credit as other sports.”

Indeed, determination is what makes the golf team thrive. However, though each girl swings on her own, this extends far beyond the individual.

“Each and every one of the girls on my team work so hard to go out there every day and do their best, for themselves, sure, but more so for the team,” Pickering said. “Golf is really interesting because we all go out there and play our own game, but when it comes down to it, you really want to do the best you can for your team.”

Cole, with an incredible season under his belt, believes that this is what truly makes the team special.

“I am extremely proud of our team. High school golf is technically a team sport played by individuals. However, this particular group of Lady Eagle’s takes the word teammate to heart, Cole said. Although we are conference champs, undefeated in the regular season, and won a lot this year, I am still most proud of how they support one another both on and off the course as individuals and teammates.”

Cross Country Wins Conference

Boys team has breakthrough performance and the girls continue their dominance

by Vianca Malave Reporter

photo provided by Denise Morris

The boys cross country team won their first ever conference title.le.

When the cross country team started running on July 1, Coach Glavin noticed a new commitment from the boys team he hadn’t seen before. They showed up every day and that work ethic carried over into the season.

“That’s been the big difference,” Glavin said. “This is a huge step forward for the boys and this has helped change the culture for the team.”

The boys’ hard work has paid off as they won their first conference title in school history Wednesday afternoon at Washington High School.

“It was exciting because I’ve been here for four years and we were never really contenders for conference and this year we got six out of the seven guys in conference which has never been done before,” senior Josh Rossman said, who took fourth place at the meet. Teammate Collin Fay placed third.

“Working with the guys every day, going to workouts, and practice gave us a bond that we’ve never really had before,” Rossman said.

Fay and Rossman have been back-and-forth as the top guy at races this season.

“They’re the leaders of our team and set the pace at the workouts,” Glavin said.

The boys JV team also won conference. Jacob Smith and Alex Djidjev finished first and second, respectively in their race.

“Depth has been huge,” Glavin said.

For the girls varsity team, they took the conference championship, the team’s first since they joined the Central Division.

The Liberty girls controlled the race from the start and put five

photo provided by Denise Morris

The Girls cross country team placed five runners in the top 10 at the conference meet.

runners in the top 10 in the race. Ally Kruger was the individual conference champion followed by Molly Morris (third) and Megan Venturella (fifth).

“We put five in the top 10 and I think one of the coolest things is that our number 1 girl Ally Kruger usually has more competition and so she’ll go out more, but since there weren’t girls at her level she got to run with me and our third girl for the first mile,” Morris said.

The team had just come off of a race Saturday at McNair Park.

Wednesday’s conference race took place in the afternoon and on a hot day and they weren’t concerned with times. The team performed well in the conditions.

“The girls ran really well; they were awesome,” Glavin said. “We were focused on Washington and Zumwalt South and the girls did a great job getting in front of their counterpart.”

The last time the girls team won conference was back in 2015 when Liberty was in the North Division. The team had finished second the past three years.

The girls JV team placed third in their race. Medalists were Dori Earle (fourth), Emily Barnett (seventh) and Payton Grotewiel (13th).

Next up for the cross country team are districts on Oct. 31 at Big Driver in Washington.

“Another tough course,” Glavin said. “Our kids are tough in general.

This is a good course for our kids. Our mental toughness gives us advantage on some of these tough courses.” photos by AJ Serna

All-Conference Boys Collin Fay 3rd Josh Rossman 4th Dylan Carlson 5th JD Grana 7th Sean Looney 13th Diego Jurado 14th

All-Conference Girls Ally Kruger 1st Molly Morris 3rd Megan Venturella 4th Adrienne Rockette 8th Fiona Flynn 10th News | lhstoday.org design by: A. Schniepp

19

photo by Katie Swanson

photo by Sarah Downs

Football

Girls Golf Coach Cole How do you think the season is going so far?

“Our season has been a huge success.

We went undefeated in conference, finished in second place for the district tournament and also qualified three golfers for the state tournament.”

What are a few highlights of the season?

“Our biggest highlight thus far was being crowned the GAC North/Central Champions. However, finishing in second place overall as a team at districts is a very close second. We also won the Knight Cup in late September.”

photo by Jayce Haun

Volleyball The varsity volleyball team has a record of 5-9 this year with six games going to five sets. Sophomore setter Riley Watson leads the team in assists with 182 for the season.

Morgan Brewer leads with 42 blocks and Savannah Meyer leads in kills with 160.

photo by Jayce Haun

Boys Soccer Coach Luedecke How do you think the season is going so far?

“Season is going great so far. We are 10-4.”

What are a few highlights of the season?

“One highlight would be beating Timberland once and Holt twice.

Making us the best Wentzville soccer team.”

What are some goals you have going forward?

“Continue to focus on getting better every day and win a district title.”

Conquering the Conference

The Varsity football team went 3-5 in the regular season, with wins over Francis Howell North Warrenton and Troy. Quarterback Blake Seaton led with eight touchdowns this season and Jordan Smith close behind with seven.

Tye Yeh leads the Eagles on defense with 67 tackles this season and senior Kaden Orcutt with 66.

The varsity girls tennis team wins both GACs and districts

By Ianne Salvosa Co-Editor-In-Chief The varsity girls tennis team took home the first place plaque after winning the GAC North-Central Division championship on Sept. 30. While gold medals are not an uncommon sight around the team, the girls made history as they dominated the conference.

“Our program has never won medals in each match at GACs,” Coach Campos said. “It was awesome.”

With a successful 11-1 season preceding the conference championship, the team was able to prepare themselves by playing five straight matches in the final week of the regular season. For freshman Izzy Gamm, preparation includes going out and practicing everyday, getting ready not just physically, but mentally.

“The preparation paid off because I personally had good results but also as a team, our game has improved throughout the season,” Gamm said. Gamm played No. 1 singles and doubles, earning a first place medal for both matches. Even though the formidable freshman had accomplished much, she does not let it change how she practices.

“I had an overall good record but despite the results, I always give my best,” Gamm said.

Some team members even took to participating in private lessons in addition to the team’s daily practices. Senior Britney Thai believes her extra effort outside of practice was evident in her performance.

“It made me more confident on the court and it helped me improve my technique,” Thai said. Thai played No. 4 and No. 5 doubles with partner Madeline Dubois, finishing in third place. She attributes their success to how their own strengths complement one another.

Moving forward, the team competed at districts, individually and as a team.

Individual districts took place on Oct. 3 at Helias Catholic High School, with Gamm and her partner Grace Flinn taking home the district championship with their doubles match and on Oct. 6 the team won 5-3 against Fort Zumwalt South.

Coach Campos believes the team’s efforts propelled them toward success.

“You’ve put the time in during the season to get to this point and need to keep the momentum wave going, so when the players are out there, no matter what situation is presented they will make their adjustment and know what to do,” Coach Campos said.

photo by Abby Jordan

Girls Tennis

Coach Campos How do you think the season is going so far?

“It has gone very well and been a remarkable and amazing season.”

What are a few highlights of the season?

“We were the GAC champions. We also were the Tennis Girls Class 2 Team District Champions. Reach Team States in the Elite 8 round for Class 2. We have qualified our #1 Doubles Team for State: Isabella Gamm & Grace Flinn.”

What are some goals you have going forward?

“The goal is to have our state qualifying doubles team advance to semifinals towards medal rounds. This was achieved on Oct. 15. Izzy and Grace defeated teams from Central(Cape Girardeau) and Republic to achieve this goal.” They placed seventh at state.

photo by A.J. Serna

Boys Swim The boys swim team had many impressive team performances throughout the season. At the recent Roger Eastman invitational, Amar Selmanovic, Carson Clay, Brad Nonaka and Deion Cunningham took second in the varsity 200 freestyle relay. Ryan Schmerold, Payton Guffey, Dalton Rice and Vito Signaigo took first in the JV 200 freestyle relay.

photo by Dori Earle photo by Jayce Haun

Softball The varsity softball team ended this year with a record of 4-21. Kylee Orf led the team with 29 hits and a .420 batting average. Kendall Weber led the team with 83 outs and 67 putouts.

Abbie Cook was close behing with 76 outs and 72 putouts. **Records and statistics as of Oct. 20

Cross Country

Both boys and girls teams won first place in their conference. Ally Kruger won the girls race and Molly Morris took third. The conference title was the girls first since they joined the GAC Central Division. In the boys race, Collin Fay was third and Josh Rossman fourth overall. It was the first time an LHS boys team won conference and they had six all GAC performances.