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Liberty Ledger
Volume 4
issue 5
may 5, 2017
Liberty High School
2275 Sommers Rd. Lake St. Louis, Mo 63367 636.561.0075 www.wentzville.k12.mo.us
Serving Students,Community and Beyond
Intentions
The Liberty Ledger is a publication that releases six issues throughout the year, distributing 1,000 free copies to the student body, faculty and administration of Liberty High School as well as the surrounding Wentzville and Lake St. Louis communities. The publication is part of the District’s curriculum and is designed to provide practical journalistic experience and for written expression on a variety of topics. The adviser and principal will review the content and may delay publication, stop publication or remove specific material from this paper. The opinions expressed in this newspaper 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 Liberty editorial staff.
Reacting
Letters to the editor 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 at the discretion of the editors. If you have a news story idea or comment, please contact us in room 239.
Credentials
The Liberty Ledger is a member of the Sponsors of Student Publications of Greater St. Louis.
Advertising
Editors-In-Chief Olivia Holler* Chasteanne Salvosa*
Sports Editor Maddie Baker*
ONLINE EDITORS Sarah Martin* Max Fensterman* Alicia Orlando*
To further facilitate the space available for student writing, advertising will McKenzie REPORTERS Bartels, Danielle Corgan, Jessica not be offered in the Liberty Ledger. Gibson, Maddi Pomerinke, Jenna Schwandner.
*Each editor also serves as a reporter.
Liberty Ledger Old and New
may 5, 2017
News
3
Staff defeats students at first ever Swofford game Olivia Holler To kick off prom weekend, a seniors versus staff basketball game was held on April 7th. Swofford games have been held in the district for 17 years. The game was to collect money for the Swofford Scholarship. The staff won the game 4032. The theme for the Swofford Game is always faculty vs. seniors.
“We decided to tie the game into the Prom theme (the Great Gatsby). Mrs. Steinbruegge came up with the idea that Gatsby called his friends ‘Old Sport’ and that the faculty could be the ‘Old Sports’ and the seniors could be the ‘young sports,’” Mrs.Farrelly said. “I took that idea and ran with it for the dance, incorporating old-school moves from my generation, along with some newer moves from this generation.” The teachers and girls did a halftime dance and they had started working on that at the end of March. “Practice was interesting. I learned some new dance moves and have gotten close with some of the girls and teachers,” senior Hannah Jones said. Around 200-300 people came to cheer on the players. “The crowd was awesome, they were respectful to Mrs.Swofford and cheered loud for the boys,” Mrs. Gerringer said. Overall, they raised photo by O. Holler $1600 for the scholarship The staff defeated the students at Liberty’s first annual Swofford game. Dr. fund. Sutherlin lines up for a shot as the crowd cheers loudly.
German students participated in several events at German Day, including a poster competition.
photo provided by Mr. Stoll
More Than a Language
Students compete at Wash. University for German Day Sarah Martin Liberty students were wunderbar (wonderful) at the German Day competition. Mr. Stoll’s German students were invited to Washington University on April 6 for the annual German Day. The day consisted of a poetry declamation, scavenger hunt, trivia competition, skit competition, poster/art competition, spelling bee and mini games. High schools within 100 miles of St. Louis were invited to compete in the event. German teacher Mr. Stoll accompanied the students to the competition. “The students did amazing,” Mr. Stoll said. “Everyone prepared a lot for the competition and it showed.” Freshmen Charles Schraudenbach, Zach
Kerns and Michael Peeler won silver for the poetry declamation. Freshman Melana Quarles and sophomore Ian Beardslee both won bronze. Many students were faced with the first time ever using German outside of the classroom. “It was cool speaking german in front of people you didn’t know,” Schraudenbach said.” German Day was a success in the eye of the students and Mr. Stoll. “There was no doubt that we did an amazing job,” Mr. Stoll said, “The poetry recitation and skits were also top notch. It was great for our students to see how they stack up against other schools in the area. For such a young program, they have had an enormous amount of success.”
Step in the Right Direction Moving On Up
Liberty holds a Drug and Mental Heath Presentation HOSA places top three and advances to Internationals Olivia Holler Imagine not being able to wake up one day or not being able to breathe. That’s what it feels like to overdose. Teens are more likely to die of overdose than to die texting and driving. On April 12th, Liberty hosted a drug and mental health presentation in the large gym to help inform people on drug usage and mental health issues. The three presenters were: National Council Alcoholism Drug Abuse, CHADS Coalition and St. Charles County Ambulance District. Cassie Morris from NCADA discussed the opioid plant as well as the amount of harm the plant has affected our area. “We are only five percent of the world’s population but have consumed 98 percent of the world’s hydrocodone,” Morris said. She had also talked about the dangers of prescription drugs. The next presenter was Mark Norwine from CHADS Coalition.
Norwine talked about his personal experiences with mental health and how it ran in the family. He also had talked to the freshmen in more detail the day after the drug presentation. The final presenter was the St. Charles County Ambulance District. Paramedics Lisa Cassidy and Kyle Gaines showed an overdose video and a real 911 call to give students a feel of what paramedics go through as well as the parents involved when an overdose happens. “I want to be able to see the teens graduate, I don’t want to see them take their lives,” Cassidy said. To encourage students to go to this presentation, more than 60 teachers have offered extra credit for attending the event. “It’s important that students had attended this presentation so we can better educate them on substance abuse, coping skills and mental health awareness,” Dr. Sutherlin said.
McKenzie Bartels For months before state took place, students were getting ready to compete to advance to internationals. On March 27th and 28th, students went to Rolla, Missouri to compete at the HOSA state competition. Out of the 28 competitors, 12 placed in the top five of their event. Out of those 12 students, five of them placed in the top 3 of their events. “I am extremely proud of all of our student’s accomplishments,” said Mrs. Strathman. Seniors Cameron Graham and Katelyn Bindbeutel placed third in Medical Innovation. Junior Daryn Adler placed second
in Biomedical Laboratory Science. Junior Madison McGuire placed second in Medical Reading and junior Lexi Guffey placed second in Healthy Lifestyle. Internationals takes place June 20-24 in Orlando, Florida. Daryn Adler started preparing for her event back in November. Then, in January she started working on her application to be state president. Lexi Guffey started preparing back in September and worked on her event for a couple hours a week so that she felt that she was definitely prepared to compete. Since both Guffey and Adler applied to be part of the state office, they had to take tests, go to interviews and give presentations too. Daryn Adler was announced state president and Lexi Guffey was announced the historian. “At first I was in disbelief. It didn’t hit me that I was photo provided by Mrs. Strathman actually state president until I At the HOSA state competition, 12 Liberty students placed in the top five of their got up on stage,” said Adler. event.
4 NEWS Stealing the Show
Liberty Ledger
may 5, 2017
Liberty theater presents their comedic spring play
photo by Ms. Willis
Sarah Martin A burglary took place at Liberty, but don’t worry, they were just acting. Liberty’s spring play, “You Can’t Beat the House” written by Pat Cook, was showcased in the cafeteria on March 30, 31 and April 1. The play is a comedy that consists of two burglars, played by seniors Jack Barrett and Jake DeNunzio. Throughout the play, the burglars attempt to rob a house that is for sale. Buyers arrive at the house, and create several difficulties for the men. The 10 roles in the play consist of six women and four men. The rest
of the cast includes: Blake Phillips, Maria Hufford, Nick McClanahan, Alex Ovares, Heather McClanahan, Alyssa Fay, Abby Hankins and Paxton Linnemeyer. This is the first play that Liberty drama instructor Mrs. Willis has directed. “There were a lot of actors that had never been in a show before,” Mrs. Willis said. “Each person grew as part of the family. Everyone was very welcoming.” The assistant director of the play, senior Dakota Barnett, believes that his first time assistant directing was a
And the Winners are...
success. “I feel like the experience itself was really rewarding and it really gave me a sense of gratitude for people that do this at other venues,” Barnett said. As someone who is interested in film, having this type of background is important to Barnett. “To have all of the people on the same page in a cohesive state of mind where they feel content enough to be able to put on something like that and are very confident in themselves,” Barnett said. “That tells me that I did my job.” Senior Alex Ovares played the character Fern Larraby. This is her second time being a part of a production at Liberty. “I feel like the play was a huge success,” Ovares said. “I believe we were strong on every aspect. We had a great director, assistant director, cast and crew… It was awesome, I loved every minute of it.” This year’s spring play was a success in the eyes of many students and the people involved. This is the last play that will be held in Liberty’s cafeteria. The next play at Liberty will take place in the brand new auditorium.
Five films by Liberty students win at WSD Film Festival Jessica Gibson “Abortion” With a topic that has mixed feelings from so many people, sophomores Sarah Groves and Emily McPherron were able to tell the story from each side of the spectrum. “It was for our AP U.S History project and we had to choose a controversial topic,” McPherron said. “We had to cover both sides of the story.” Groves and McPherron film won the informational category. “Valentine Cookie Pops” If you ever want to learn to cook cake pops, I suggest you watch this video. Senior Jordan Lange, juniors Samantha Clynes and Jonathan Gruebbeling and sophomore Nathan Laws created a film to teach students, teachers and families how to make Valentine’s Day cake pops. “It was really interesting to see the difference between a regular cookie and the cake pop,” said Lange. It took this group of students a week to put together this film. Hard work pays off as their film won in the instructional category.
“Mirrored” For anyone who watches this film, be prepared for a story like no other. After many weeks of script writing and filming, seniors Jake Denunzio, Taylour Moenster, Dakota Barnett and Levi Fuller produced an awardwinning film. “It was about this kid with a bit of a mental issue and he creates an image of this kid that represents who he wants to be,” said Denunzio. Their film won story category. “Distracted Driving” The theme of this film is something everyone should watch. It captures the reality of what can happen and the feelings that go along with it. Sophomores Megan Maetten, Gillian Sanford, Kelsey Sneed, Abby Bryzcki and special guest Charlie, Maetten’s dog. “It was a class project for my drivers ed class,” Maettan said. “Kleiber said if it turns out good we could submit it to the film festival and so we did.” With a full night of hard work, their film won in the PSA category.
“September’s Student of the Month” The audience’s attention was captured from the second the film began. Sophomore Braden McMakin filmed a video over junior Connor Low, the September student of the month for Liberty. The video was put together with a few clips from Low’s Youtube channel, interviews and two hours of editing. “I did the video for my journalism class,” said McMakin. “I had the video idea instantly because I know people are mostly interested in watching a visual story opposed to reading one.”
First in the Auditorium Sarah Martin Senior Dakota Barnett had the opportunity to be the very first student to step foot in the new auditorium. “They thought that I had earned the spot of being a senior and doing a lot for the theater production itself,” Barnett said. “The big part of the reason why I would be able to be the first one was that I’m looking to come back next year to build the set. There were a lot of things that had led up to me being the first one.” Barnett believes that this auditorium will be a huge asset to the Liberty theater program. “It’s hard for people to be engaged with something that doesn’t necessarily visually exist. It would be like a football team trying to practice without a football field,” Barnett said. This theater will allow for more productions in less time and will also allow for a larger audience. “It should allow people to start coming in and making, not even just more memories but essentially more money as well, we can fit in more people into the shows,” Barnett said.
photo by Dr. Sutherlin Senior Dakota Barnett visits the new theater, and leaves his legacy.
“It’s hard for people to be engaged with something that doesn’t necessarily visually exist. It would be like a football team trying to practice without a football field.” -Dakota Barnett
photos provided by Hoener Associates Inc.
Liberty’s new auditorium has been under construction for many months, but it will be ready for use by next school year.
Liberty Ledger Top of the World
News
MAY 5, 2017
5
Liberty wins STL Safe Driver’s competition and receives a Greek Fire concert Sarah Martin Greek Fire arrived at Liberty on Friday, Liberty students finish the week on top April 7, to award students a concert for of the world. their dedication to safe driving. Liberty was After several long months, Greek Fire at awarded $10,000 along with the concert. long last visited Liberty for a concert. The concert was held in the gym at the end of the school day. Greek Fire performed several of their new and older songs, as well as announcing the prom court. “I thought that they did really well,” sophomore Mykaela Reiland said. “I liked how students were singing along and encouraging them.” The lead singer, Moon, also mentioned why safe driving is so important to him. “Man, it’s everything. One of my biggest influences is that my cousin was killed the day before his 18th birthday because of a car accident. It’s of the utmost importance,” Moon said. Greek Fire is an alternative rock photo by E. Mason band from St. Louis, well known for their hit song, “Top of the World.” Moon, the lead singer of Greek Fire, is a supporter of safe driving due to losing a family member to a car accident. Moon is also well known for being
Masterful Mechanics
Ratchet Rockers place first at regional competition McKenzie Bartels The Wentzville Ratchet Rocker Robotics team has had a successful run of accomplishments this spring and continues to improve. The team won first place at the St. Louis Regional Competition at the Chaifetz Arena on March 9-11. The Ratchet Rockers have about 50 students from all three Wentzville high schools combined, and 12 of those students come from Liberty. Robotics is a growing program that encourages students to pursue STEM careers and education opportunities. Every season the Ratchet Rockers get a new challenge and then they have six weeks to design, build and program a new robot. The Ratchet Rockers have practiced almost every day of the week since January, including on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The state championships are May 13 at Liberty. At the St. Louis Regional, the Wentzville team competed with a total of 52 other teams from seven different states and ranked second. In the final round, the Ratchet Rockers were undefeated and earned a spot at the world championships in Edward Jones Dome St. Louis on April 26-29.
Among the highlights at worlds was ranking 40 out of 68 other teams in the very competitive Tesla Sub-Division. The Rockers had multiple achievements at regionals. They won the Innovation in Control Award for their vision programming and control. “I was elated. All our hard work had finally paid off,” sophomore Maya Angeles, a member of the CAD team said. At a robotics competition, there are many events that take place. The parents normally stay in the stands and watch. The kids stay in the pits and try to get on a team’s good side for alliance purposes. They also fix and repair robots here. The Ratchet Rockers ranked 25th of almost 7,000 teams worldwide. “I hope that in the future we can win Worlds,” junior Seth Tate said, who also works in CAD. Head Coach Darrell Wodrich is very proud of the robotics team. “This level of performance doesn’t happen by accident,” Wodrich said. “It happens because of dedicated, hardworking students and mentors, backed by the support of the school district and our generous sponsors.”
featured on the morning show on 105.7 The Point. Liberty finished the Safe Driver competition in first place out of 168 schools with an overwhelming amount of 40,000 pledges. Moon, along with the president of Jim Butler Auto Group, Brad Sowers, visited Liberty on Nov. 4th, to announce and celebrate the win. Students were ecstatic when Liberty was named the winner, and excitement increased more when the day of the concert arrived. “I thought it was fun,” sophomore Tiffany Galvez said. “I love alternative music but I hadn’t listened to them before.” The competition began several months ago. Students all around the St. Louis area were given the opportunity to take a pledge for safe driving. Everyone had the opportunity to pledge once an hour. Liberty remained in the lead for the majority of the competition. Liberty would not have won the competition if it weren’t for the dedication of the community. Driving is a very important topic in high schools since most students begin driving
photo by A. Grant Freshman Alexis Eller had the opportunity to hold a guitar for the band Greek Fire. She spent the majority of the concert dancing and singing along to the music.
their sophomore year. “I’m excited because they’re going to reinforce the importance of driving safe,” driver’s ed teacher, Ms. Kleiber said. “It’s always nice when you have celebrities endorsing something. They’re local community members, and even though many of the students don’t know who they are, it’s still influential.” The competition brought a new light to safe driving, and in the end brought Liberty’s students, teachers, and parents together.
The Results Are In
Metcalf and Cheatham win StuCo election Olivia Holler It’s that time of year again, where the student body takes time to vote for the officers in StuCo to represent our school. This year, juniors Bennett Outman and Abby Falgout were running against juniors Morgan Metcalf and Bailey Cheatham. Both Outman and Metcalf were running for president. Falgout and Cheatham were running for vice president. On April 15th, the winners Metcalf and Cheatham were announced over Twitter. On voting day, each of the candidates
did one last push to get students to vote. Outman and Falgout had pencils and “tickets” with their slogan on it and then they had freshman Dessa Outman, Bennett’s sister, play her guitar to go along with their theme with music. They also used sidewalk chalk with their slogan. Metcalf and Cheatham passed out Mickey Mouse ears to go along with the Disney theme. They also did chalk on sidewalks to promote themselves. On April 15th, the winners Metcalf and Cheatham were announced over Twitter.
“We want to incorporate more studentbased programs/ activities to make sure we can get everyone involved. Everyone deserves an amazing high school experience.” provided by Bailey Cheatham and Morgan Metcalf
-Morgan Metcalf
6 people
Liberty Ledger
may 5, 2017
Wishing Her Well
Welcoming Her In
Nurse Donaldson retires after 35 years
photo by D. Corgan
Danielle Corgan Starting off from the very first day Liberty opened, Ms. Donaldson has been the face of the nurse’s office. She was a registered nurse for 35 years and announced her retirement in March. Ms. Donaldson started her career as a candy striper in high school where she volunteered at a local hospital. To her, nursing just seemed so exciting and fun. She worked at St. Louis Children’s Hospital for 18 years then office nursing for 6 years at a pediatrician’s office and then she got into school nursing for about 10 years in elementary, middle and high schools. High school is her favorite. She enjoys all the challenges that go along with the job. “I love working with teenagers and I think that high school nursing is very challenging and
rewarding,” Donaldson said. “The problems that you encounter in high school are bigger just because we are dealing with young men and young women.” Along with the challenge, Donaldson enjoys knowing she has a good support system with dealing with drug, pregnancy, bullying issues, etc. She likes working with guidance counselors to provide the best needs for students. “I really like being in a team setting where I can work with our guidance counselors in order to help students with whatever they need,” Donaldson said. Donaldson received a lot of love from the Liberty staff her last day. Mrs. Reininger brought in several gifts throughout the day from the staff with stuff she liked such as Cheez-its and Diet Coke, which are her favorite snacks. She also received flowers from staff, cake in the guidance office and cards from students. “It’s been a day brightener,” Donaldson said. On her first day as a retired nurse, she had hip surgery on March 29 for a muscle tear in her left hip. It was an old tennis injury that has progressed over time. After that, things are looking up as she plans to travel with her husband and visit with her three kids and five grandchildren who all live out of town. She would like to go on medical mission trips, get back into tennis and continue wedding planning for her daughter who is getting married this summer.
The Deans’ Scholarship
Liberty sends three students to Saint Louis University with the Dean’s Scholarship
photo by C. Salvosa
Chasteanne Salvosa Seniors Emily Gharabegi, Maya Jackson and Susan Jiang are SLU-bound after being accepted and awarded with the Deans’ Scholarship. All three students, who applied to Saint Louis University before scholarship deadline of December 1st, met the Deans’ Scholarship expectations of exceptional ACT scores and academic performance. While all three students were awarded the same scholarship, they are studying different degrees.
Emily Gharabegi, who chose SLU’s biochemistry program, not only chose the school for the accredited program, but for the school’s unique beliefs as well. “I love their Jesuit traditions and their belief in service,” Gharabegi said. Heading towards occupational therapy, Maya Jackson applied to SLU for the school’s fast track program. “And mostly what I applied there for was the occupational therapy program,” Jackson said. “Because it’s a five year program, so you get your master’s degree a lot sooner and it’s a really accredited program. All the occupational therapists that come out of there, get jobs quickly and pass their occupational therapy tests the first time.” For Susan Jiang, who applied to SLU after many relatives attended the school, is on the business route, but is also debating on whether she should take pre-med or not. “I won’t really know anything until college starts,” Jiang said.
Liberty welcomes new nurse as she adapts to Liberty Danielle Corgan Our new nurse, Bridget Thomason, has been a registered nurse for 21 years. She was a nurse at South Middle School since 2011 and was a substitute nurse in the Wentzville School District prior to that. She is excited about the change of going from middle school to high school; especially at Liberty. “I think change is always good, I’m excited because I like this age a little bit better photo by D. Corgan than the middle school age,” Thomason said. “I love this beautiful school. It’s awesome and big and all the teachers and principals are nice.” Mrs. Thomason has been married for almost 20 years and has three kids: ages 12, 15 and 17. She loves spending time with her family and in her spare time she like to water ski as well as spend time at Bull Shoals Lake and do crossfit. “It’s just a hobby, I do it and I coach a couple kids classes, it’s a lot of fun,” Thomason said. With having a passion for taking care of kids and having an aunt who was a nurse, Thomason thought nursing might be what’s for her. “I went to college for nursing and never looked back,” Thomason said. She’s excited about continuing her career at Liberty and loves her new big and bright office.
Madelyn and Merit
Senior Madelyn Brown wins academic scholarship for Southeast Missouri State Chasteanne Salvosa In January, senior Madelyn Brown won the Regent’s Scholarship from Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO), joining other Eagles who had won scholarships based on merit. “It feels really special photo by C. Salvosa knowing my scholarship is different than most students who have signed on to colleges this year,” Brown said. “I have worked very hard in high school, so it is nice to see my hard work paying off in an academic scholarship.” Brown, who will be attending SEMO in the fall, plans to study historical preservation, which was another factor in her choosing the university. “I have always loved history,” Brown said. “And SEMO is one of only nine schools in the country that offer this (historical preservation) as an undergraduate degree.” Among one of the many athletes signed onto colleges, Madelyn Brown is signed to Southeast Missouri State University, as another Eagle to be sent to school on an academic scholarship.
Liberty Ledger
MAY 5, 2017
eaving egacies
2017
In-depth
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LiBerty Ledger May 18, 2015
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may 5, 2017
LiBerty Ledger
Spreading our wings outside of
Chloie Johnson, paige file, maddi pomerinke, alicia orlando
Missouri
Matt Adams- Ranken Michael Albertson- SCC Chaz Allen- SCC Jake Anderson- SCC Kelly Anderson- SCC Stuart Anderson- University of Central MO RayAllen Antoine- STL CC Lauren Asberry- SCC Chad Bailey- SCAD Jackson Bailey- Southeast MO Sean Bakker- SCC Allison Ball- Truman State Catie Barrett- Mizzou Kathleen Bearry- SCC Katelyn Bindbeutel- Saint Louis University Ryan Brillos- SCC John Brooks- SCC Madelyn Brown- Southeast MO Alison Burski- Northwest Missouri State Tommy Burtelow- Lindenwood David Carey- Southeast MO Logan Chadwick- University of Central MO Danielle Corgan- SCC Samantha Cox- Mizzou Jake DeNunzio- Webster University James Dotson- Mizzou Elijah England- Missouri State Jacob Erickson-Rieger- MO S&T Justin Mennerich- MO State Travis Monroe- University of Central MO Ricky Moore- Lindenwood
Danielle Eshbaugh- Southeast MO Kaylee Essers- Mizzou Luke Flacke- Columbia College Nicole Knobbe- Missouri State Kendall Lemke- UMKC Angela Lenczycki- Truman State Hamza Mansoor- Mizzou Holly Mckenzie- Southeast MO Mackenzie Murphy- Saint Louis University Dalton Nilges- University of Central MO Shannon O’Guinn- Webster University Alicia Orlando- Fontbonne University Allison Patrico- Mizzou Gabriel Rompel- Drury University Matt Royer- Mizzou Katie Rupeika- Missouri State Abi Fox- University of Central MO Kallie Fruehwirth- Lindenwood Erika Fulhorst- Mizzou Abby Ghiglione-Ebenstein- Mizzou Brittany Gonzalez- SCC Cameron Graham- Maryville University Tori Harris- Fontbonne Universtiy Ross Hewitt- UMKC Maria Hufford- Missouri State Bailee Hunt- Lindenwood Avery Ingle- Westminster Hannah Jones- Missouri State Sarah Mikulas- University of Central MO Alec Miller- MO S&T
Gabby Murphy- Truman Bryan Muthemba- SCC Mackenzie Nelson- Southeast MO Collin Page- SCC Josh Parmentier- MO S&T Braden Pearce- Mizzou Kiersten Perkins- UMSL Blake Phillips- Mizzou Emilee Reed- SCC Caleb Retzer- SCC Bret Rozanc- Lindenwood Haley Sante- Webster University Joe Sahrmann- Mizzou Drew Schill- SCC Sarah Seger- SCC Abby Sesti- Stephen’s College Shelby Shields- SCC Sam Schuettenberg- Meramec College Ryan Sinkler- SCC Audrey Smith- Missouri State Sydney Sneed- Southeast MO Ellie Sorge- Southeast MO Taylor Stewart- Missouri State Amber Stockton- Westminster Andrew Stuhlman- Missouri Baptist Cameron Tabers- SCC Connor Taylor- Ranken Amanda Voss- SCC Brendon Weidinger- University of Central MO Heather White- SCC Brooks Widlowski- MO State Brenden Young- SCC
iberty
Out of State
Nathaniel Bolingbroke- Utah State Jordan Baumann- Waynesburg University (PA.) Sean Campbell- University of Colorado Sami Childress- University of Kansas Katie Coyle- University of Arkansas Addison Donnell- University of Tampa Lexi Edwards- Southern Illinois University Nick Follmer- Central Michigan Elizabeth Hall- University of Tulsa Brian Jones- Washburn University Stone Krogman- Quincy University Savannah Kruse- Blackburn College (IL.) Jerome Murray- Coastal Carolina University (SC) Amy Paulus- Catholic University of America (Washington D.C.) Hailey Pearson- University of Arkansas Maddi Pomerinke- West Virginia University Adrian Przezdziecki- University of Chicago Nicholas Raphael- Purdue University Trey Rybicki- University of Arkansas
Military
Chris Bingaman Austin Cleppe Brendan Daw Kyle Jansen Wyatt Lake (Air Force Academy) Alex Poteet
in-depth
LiBerty Ledger MAY 5, 2017 A Piece of Liberty to Hold Forever Rosner gives senior cheerleaders a special momento Danielle Corgan Following her love for teaching and passion for school spirit, Mrs. Rosner has been an active member in creating traditions here at Liberty and building the foundation of what it means to be a Liberty Eagle. Rosner had always thought of how interesting it would be to start with a high school. Being a cheer coach, she loves anything related to being involved and showing off school pride. As soon as she knew Wentzville was creating a new high school, she had a desire to be a part of it. “Before Liberty started, I just thought it would always be cool, and when they started talking about building a new high school in the district, I was like ‘man that would be so cool to be a part of... picking out colors and mascots and that cultural, tradition and this is the way we do things,’” Rosner said. “It was just kind of fun to be here from the ground up and know why things are the way they are and why we do things.” From the start, she always talked to her cheerleaders about the importances of tradition and how the cheer they start are the ones that will carry on forever. As she said goodbye to her senior cheerleaders at their end of the year banquet, she gave them all a piece of Liberty they can hang onto forever. “I got a brick from when they were still building the building and kept it for the last four years,” Rosner said. “Then I broke it up to give to each of my senior cheerleaders a piece of it since they were apart of the beginning of our program and the beginning of school,” Rosner said. “I think that idea just kind of came from when we were the original staff talking about building the culture and building the legacy and building the school and the environment and community that we wanted liberty high school to be,” Rosner said. “That building analogy just kept coming up.” Many of the cheerleaders loved the gift and the symbolic meaning it holds. “I thought it was incredibly thoughtful and amazing gift for all of us and I was so happy to have a piece of Liberty to carry with me after I leave,” Allison Ball said.
Seniors and Scholarships
Seniors set the bar high at the very first honors night 1st event in LHS auditorium 88 attended 22 scholarships to apply for $3.2 million in scholarships for the 88 students 17 departmental awards
photo by a. grant
Pieces Of Liberty Jessica Gibson
“Out of everything I’ll take from high school, the friendships, and what a friendship should be like is what I really think about.” -Eva Herling
“My work ethic. Coming into school, I just kind of did what I had to do. Getting a job, going to school and softball has helped me improve.” -Kendal Lemke
Class of
2017
Please join us in the celebration of Liberty’s inaugural graduation. Saturday, May 20, 2017 at 6 p.m.
The Family Arena, 2002 Arena Pkwy, St Charles, MO 63303.
Yo
d! u’re Invite
Students arrive at 4:30 p.m and enter Gate Five. Guests arrive at 5 p.m and enter Gates One & Two. Tickets for guests will not be sold, the number of guests attending is unlimited and free.
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“My senior jerseys they gave me for varsity soccer. It’ll bring back the sports and activities I took part of during high school.” -Issac Gomez
10 in-deptH
May 5, 2017
Liberty Ledger
2017 Senior Superlatives Alicia Orlando and Danielle Corgan
Most Likely to Get Away with Everything
Most Likely to Win the Lottery and Lose the Ticket
Worst Case of Senioritis
Best Bromance
Sydney Andrzejewski and Blake Phillips
Chaz Allen and Jordan Little
Best Smile
Class Clown
Most Likely to Star on Broadway
Most Athletic
Chris Bingaman and Danielle Corgan
Megan Smythe and Drew Schill
Jake Denunzio and Maria Hufford
Avery Ingle and Nick Follmer
Sabrina Haffling and David Carey
Holly Mckenzie and Gabe Rompel
Teacher’s Pet
Worst Driver
Sarah Mikulas and Nicholas Raphael
Best Eyes
Brooks Widlowski and Alicia Orlando
Nicole Knobbe and Austin Beckerle
Best Dressed
Michael Albertson and Erika Fulhorst
Best Hair
John Brooks and Gabie Kocsis
Most Likely to Cure Cancer
Mackenzie Murphy and Cameron Graham
Biggest Klutz
Kylie Seaton and Brian Jones
Biggest Flirt
Alec Miller and Hannah Dees
Most Likely to be Late to Graduation Allison Kranz and Austin Cleppe
Most Likely to be America’s Next Top Model Una Selmanovic and Daniel Holmen
Liberty Ledger
people
May 5, 2017
A Gatsby Affair
Liberty holds their first junior-senior prom Olivia holler
The second annual Liberty prom was held at The Christy. This was the first junior-senior prom. Students arrived at 7 p.m. and headed straight toward the dance floor. As soon as they came in, they received gift bags containing a coffee mug, glow sticks and candy. Everybody had high energy and showed their best dance moves on the dance floor. They talked and laughed the night away. Seniors also enjoyed their last dance together. Prom Court was announced around 9 p.m. and seniors RayAllen Antoine and Taylor Stewart won Prom King and Queen. They were surprised and very happy to have this honor. All in all, it was really a “Night to Remember.” photos provided by Baker’s Photography
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12 people
MAY 5, 2017
Wilke at Work
Ms. Wilke is named 2017 Support Staff of the Year Chasteanne salvosa As administration assistant to activities director, Mr. Eldredge, Ms. Deborah Wilke has a lot on her shoulders. All the hard work she has put into the 2016-17 school year has led her to earn the title of being Liberty’s 2017 support staff of the year. First working at Timberland as registrar for six years, Wilke got her start in education in the Wentzville School District in 2007. “I have worked for a few different companies from the corporate office of a retail chain, to TGI Friday’s corporate office, then to commercial and residential construction companies before landing at Wentzville School District,” Wilke said. But as time went on, Wilke left Timberland for Liberty in 2013, working again as a registrar for two years. Then when the position for administration assistant opened up, Wilke tried her hand at it after assisting Mr. Eldredge with some of the activity office duties, applied and was offered the job. “Nobody exhibits what it means to be a Liberty Eagle more than Debbie Wilke. She is good-hearted, generous and works
Liberty Ledger Sending Off Our Seniors Alicia Orlando
Yearbook Editor and Reporter
photo by C. Salvosa Ms. Wilke worked at several corporate offices of retail chains, TGI Friday’s and construction companies before working at Liberty.
every day to make Liberty a better place, for students, staff, and community members,” activities director, Mr. Eldredge said. But not only does Wilke work to make Liberty a better place, she says that she finds Liberty a great place to work. “I love the positive attitude that Liberty’s administration, teachers, support staff and students have,” Wilke said. Working with some of Liberty on your shoulders certainly isn’t easy, but Ms. Wilke sure makes it look like it is and with her everyday hard work, it shows just how she earned 2017 support staff of the year.
Dinomite
Drew Schill is named Liberty’s first Mr. LHS Chasteanne Salvosa Those who attended Liberty’s first Mr. LHS pageant were given the show they were promised. Though no one really knew what to expect from the nine contestants, one thing was for sure, the audience definitely expected to be entertained. With an turnout of 300 people, photo by E. Mason the audience watched and witnessed Mr. LHS Drew Schill danced in a dinosaur suit to the everything from Jurassic Park theme song for his talent. the boys opening dance, the swimwear category, the talent portion, the formal wear and questionnaire. Decided by the student body and a panel of judges consisting of Mr. Webster, Mr. Walterbach, Mr. Schaper, Ms. McMillen and Ms. Holmes, the first Mr. LHS was chosen out of the nine contestants consisting of seniors Chad Bailey, John Brooks, Elijah England, Tim Leach, Nick McLanahan, Kenny Nowling, Colin Page, Drew Schill and junior Patrick Stege. The audience seemed to be in a bind between seniors Collin Page, who impressed the audience with his rendition of the iconic Napoleon Dynamite dance, and Drew Schill, who pranced around in a dinosaur suit to the Jurassic Park theme song. However, Schill beat Page by one point, winning the title of Mr. LHS. “I’m actually extremely happy,” Schill said. “And whenever I heard we were doing it, it was the only thing I really ever wanted.”
Alicia Orlando has been a part of LHS publications from day one, placing a lot of her time, effort, and dedication in every single yearbook or newspaper ever published at Liberty. From taking journalism, Orlando took yearbook the following year, which at time, produced both the yearbook and the newspaper. Orlando
is known for her skillfulness in design which came in handy as she rose through the ranks and became a yearbook editor with fellow yearbook student Danielle Corgan. Besides working on Liberty’s fourth yearbook, Orlando also worked on Liberty’s first official newspaper staff, helping produce
seven Liberty Ledger newspapers and launch LHSToday.org in the 2016-17 school year.
Danielle Corgan
Yearbook Editor and Reporter
Danielle Corgan, commonly known as ‘Lady Liberty’, is
Liberty’s and LHS publication’s biggest fan and cheerleader. Splitting her time between classwork, cheerleading, publications and running her own photography business, Corgan never fails to impress all with her commitment to everything she does. Corgan took the inaugural journalism class, taking yearbook
the following year and became a yearbook editor with fellow yearbook student Alicia Orlando. Corgan is known for her award winning photography, which has been showcased in both yearbook and newspaper. Corgan has given nothing but hard work to the four yearbooks and seven newspapers she has helped to produce.
Maddi Pomerinke
Yearbook Business Manager and Reporter Maddi Pomerinke is a dedicated member of LHS publications as she has devoted many hours to the production of the Liberty Talon and Liberty Ledger. After taking journalism in her sophomore year, Pomerinke went on to join the yearbook staff in creating the third yearbook in Liberty history. Pomerinke not
only continued to create content for publications, but also became yearbook’s business manager, entering and managing yearbook sales. She then went on to take both yearbook and newspaper, a total of two hours in publications and split her time between the two, helping to produce seven Liberty Ledger newspapers as
well as developing the theme for Liberty’s 2017 yearbook over the summer.
The Liberty Ledger newspaper staff would like to thank Alicia Orlando, Danielle Corgan and Maddi Pomerinke on their relentless dedication to LHS publications.Your hard work will be preserved in Liberty history and will certainly never be forgotten.
Liberty Ledger
Riddles
What falls but never gets hurt? __________________________________ Does February like March? __________________________________
MAY 5, 2017
INTERACTIVE
spring time
What season is best to go on a trampoline?
13
First Person to complete ALL the activities on this page and bring it to room 239 has the chance to win a QT gift card!
Scavenger hunt Quesestions 1. How much money was raised at the Swofford game?
__________________________________ Name a bow that can’t be tied.
2. What festival film won in the instructional category?
__________________________________ Why are frogs so happy? __________________________________
3. How many students from Liberty are on robotics?
What did the summer say to the spring? __________________________________ What’s a baby chicks favorite plant?
4. What sport was Mrs. Donaldson’s playing when she tore her hip muscle ?
__________________________________
Word Search Words Spring Rain Flowers April Sunshine May Butterfly Garden Sprout Bloom Sunflower Baseball
Original
5. What is the percent of people admitted to cheating in 1990?
6. How many sports does Wyatt Lake play?
Find The Dif ference Circle the 5 differences
Different
14 op-ed
Liberty Ledger
MAY 5, 2017
Never Saying Goodbye
Getting a Leg Up
Maddie Baker I remember the first day of high school like it was yesterday. The excitement of choosing the classes you wanted to take, all the opportunities it had to hold and the memories and the new friends that I would get to make. I never thought that high school would go by this fast. The traditions that were made by the seniors that started the school will be passed down slowly to each grade. The juniors will have to continue to keep the traditions going. Traditions such as having the most school spirit, being some of the loudest people in the student section at football games and basketball games, assemblies and living up to the high standards that the senior class has set. The sports teams have been built by the seniors. The accomplishments that many have them have received and the amazing reputation that they have set the for the school will now have to be passed down to the junior class, for the class that started this whole school will now be graduating. The senior class would tell you that the junior year is the toughest year out of all the years of high school. Let me tell you, they were right. Junior year has been the most stressful year, but also the most worthwhile year that I could ask for. Throughout all the times of junior year, I would say that this year has the most memories I have made throughout my high school experience. This year I found out what I want
Max Fensterman When thinking about high school academics, many things come to mind. Seldom does the term “cheating” make the list. Everyone does it, right? Be honest with yourself. Even if you’re not “that person”, you can at least admit to observing cheating or know someone who committed academic dishonesty. The word cheating is certainly not a shining subject in the eyes of anyone involved. Academic dishonesty used to be a very taboo topic, and was seldom discussed or recognized by students and teachers alike. In the 1940s, 20 percent of students admitted to cheating in high school. Nowadays, it’s become the norm, with between 75 percent and 98 percent of students admitting to not having integrity in their academics, according to the Educational Testing Service’s Cheating Fact Sheet. Although there are varying reasons why this shift has occurred, one thing is for certain: something is broken. Here at Liberty, our statistics stand on par with some of the best independent research on the topic of cheating. Out of a survey conducted by Liberty Publications of 50 Liberty students, 95 percent of the 40 who chose to respond said that they had committed academic dishonesty in some form during their high school career. The question begs itself, what causes Liberty’s students to feel this need to cheat? After all, we have among the highestachieving students in the state, much less the school district. In 2016, Liberty scored higher than both Timberland and Holt in the EOC index testing, in both Algebra II
Saying goodbye to my junior year and the seniors
Buzzkill
to do with my future and started to look at colleges. There have been hours of studying for the ACT. Through it all, my friends that have been there with me to laugh with and have the excitement of having one more year to graduate. Once the end of junior year hits you, you start to realize that you are the next ones to graduate and reality sets in about how important and fast this year has been. It has gone by faster and faster each day and it is a scary thought that you’re only one year away from getting that diploma. These past four years have prepared you for the moment where you step out into the real world and have provided you with some of the most memorable memories. The seniors will be missed, but I am ready to take on their roles and be a role model for the school. Never say goodbye to high school. It will be one of the most memorable experiences in life and you will look back at these years and smile at all the memories. And to the seniors in the words of Peter Pan, “Never say goodbye, because saying goodbye means going away, and going away means forgetting.”
Cheating in high school may be more widespread than ever
The national bee population is still decling after conservation plan is implemented chasteanne salvosa Widely known as the “beepocalypse”, honeybees, a small, but widely important part of our ecosystem is collapsing. One colony after another, bees began disappearing by the thousands in 2006, when beekeepers began to notice large chunks of colonies simply died overnight. This baffling occurrence was then labeled, “colony collapse disorder”. The cause for concern also began to increase as year after year, it was reported that up to 40 percent of bee colonies would suddenly die in merely one winter. Honeybees are inarguably essential to the environment. Even in the early stages of our biology education, we are taught about the role in which bees play in pollination, which in turn, helps fruits and vegetables
grow. Without honeybees, the fragile system that we humans stand upon could collapse right underneath our feet. “I think it’s imperative that we’re mindful of the bees because a lot of people don’t realize we need them to survive,” junior Emma Ingle said. Ingle has a held a passion for bees at a very young age and still feels strongly about the issue today. While many environmentalists and conservationists understand the severity of the issue, many people are still unaware of how the bee population widely affects our lives. “The declining bee population is an epidemic that could ultimately harm the world at a large scale,” senior and leader of the environmental club Ben Collins said. “As primary pollinators of agriculture, bees
are necessary for the success of many plants and crops.” Though Collins finds the decline of the bee population a scary situation, he finds hope in different solutions that could easily be implemented by our community, which range from ending the use of pesticides to simply creating a more welcoming ecosystem by planting. But while the public begin to understand the austerity of the issue, the White House released a 64 page policy called the National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators in 2015. And the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has spent millions of dollars and have conducted numerous surveys on the beepocalypse.
and English II. Liberty also beat the state average by a whopping 64 points. The issue isn’t so much that students aren’t learning the information, and feel the need to cheat. Instead, an overwhelming amount of them responded to our survey saying that they felt some sort of anxiety or stress. Whether it was contributed to parents or their own intrinsic motivation to get good grades and end up with a job to earn a living, students are simply cracking under pressure. We may never be able to completely eliminate cheating from the world. It’s human nature to want to do all you can to get a leg up, even if it means doing something immoral. The key to lessening the amount and severity of academic dishonesty is to not take these instances lightly. However, instead of punishing a student, administrators should find out the reason for cheating and take appropriate steps within the classroom so that future students don’t feel the need to cheat on assignments. A large part of this could be reduced if we as a society saw students as more than a letter grade, and recognized extracurricular accomplishments, which can usually tell you more about a person’s character than their report card.
Still, in a recent survey released in May by the USDA, the national bee population decreased by 8 percent since 2015, when the national strategy mentioned above was implemented. While the beepocalypse gains publicity every day, the fate of the population rests in the hands of countless beekeepers, conservationists and ordinary people and all of us as a school. As in the words of Collins, “a greener school is always a greater school.”
Liberty Ledger
sports
May 5, 2017
15
Taking Their Talent to the Next Level...
Liberty’s senior athletes carry their hard work to their colleges Maddie Baker
Abby Sesti
Stephens College NAIA Softball
photo by M. Baker
“Balancing everything is kind of difficult, especially in high school because you have a lot going on and last year when I had a job it was even more difficult because I was taking harder classes than I am now,” senior Wyatt Lake said. “My junior year was definitely my toughest and it was kind of hard to manage, but you get through it.”
Balancing Act
Wyatt Lake is named one of the Post-Dispatch Scholar Athletes
Tori Harris
Maddie Baker
Fontbonne University Division III Women’s Soccer
GPA: 4.31 Class Ranking: 8th Sports: Track and Field, Cross Country and Football
It started with an email from athletic director, Mr. Eldredge, to the coaches about potential scholar athletes. Coach Glavin nominated candidates for the position but one student stood out the most to Mr. Eldredge. Each year the St. Louis Post-Dispatch honors an scholar athlete who succeeds in both academics and sports. Senior Wyatt Lake was picked to be the representative for Liberty’s Post-Dispatch Scholar Athlete. He was also recently accepted into the Air Force Academy. “Wyatt is a three sport varsity athlete, his GPA and his honors of being a several time all-conference athlete and an all-district athlete it just took him to the top and actually made it a pretty clear cut,” Eldredge said. Hard work has been a part of Lake’s mindset in everything that he does including sports that he played; football, cross country and track. “For me, it’s an everyday thing because I always try to put hard work into everything that I do,” Lake said. “So everyday I stay after school for practice and also when I get home I do my homework. For me it’s just an average day.” Lake has also found out how to manage his time wisely so he has time for school, friends and sports. “Balancing everything is kind of difficult, especially in high school because you have a lot going on and last year when I had a job it was even more difficult because I was taking harder classes than I am now,” Lake said. “My junior year was definitely my toughest and was kind of hard to manage, but you get through it.” Lake didn’t know he was nominated at first. He was told one morning that he was the representative for Liberty. “I called him on his cell phone, because he was on release time, left him a voice-mail to come see me when he got to school. He came in and happened to be in Mr. Kiesel’s office and we just shared the news with him,” Eldredge said. “His reaction was very humbled and grateful for the honor to be considered for it.”
Gabe Rompel Drury University Division II Cross Country
16 sports
May 5, 2017
Think Fast Liberty holds baseball game to recognize first responders
Maddie Baker When one is a part of the O’Fallon Fire Department, coming to Liberty Baseball games isn’t much of an option unless it is a special occasion like the event, Fastballers for First Responders. On Wednesday, April 19th, Liberty hosted a baseball game photo by M. Baker to recognize the fire department, Fastballers for first responders was held on Wed. Apr. paramedics and police department. 19th to honor the fire department, paramedics, and police Mike Braile, captain of the department. O’Fallon Fire Department, was one of many first responders there. “Seeing the support from Liberty and the effort put forth from the students is very much appreciated,” Braile said. “We also had many of the staff and Liberty parents come up to us.” The first responders weren’t the only people who were honored to be there. The varsity baseball team was honored to have them there as well. “The Fastballs for First Responders was a successful event with a great turnout, and it was nice being able to recognize the first responders in our community,” junior Andy Jorris said. “We were honored to dedicate our game to their to them for all that they do for us. After all, it’s all about playing for something bigger than ourselves.” The first responders were honored to come, but they felt that it was more to help support Liberty. When they came they felt that was all the recognition they needed. “Frankly when we learned Liberty was hosting Fastballs for First Responders, it was more about helping you than for us being recognized. That is the way firefighters are built,” Braile said. “Our job is all about helping others and when we are able to do that, that is all the recognition we need. We are very thankful and appreciate when we are recognized.” Unfortunately, the first responders had to respond to an incident and had to leave halfway through the game, but were still honored to be there for half of the game.
photos by M. Baker (above: left to right) Senior Dalton Nilges delivers a pitch against Holt High School. O’Fallon Fire Department first responders Matt Braile, Ron Ormsby and Mike Knipping enjoy watching the baseball game while talking with parents, students and teachers. (below) Seniors RayAllen Antoine, Alicia Orlando, Tori Harris and Taylor Stewart watch in hopes of beating Holt. The first responders also brought the first responder vehicles with them as well.
Spring into Sports Maddie Baker
Boys Golf
Achievements:
Took second place in the Bogey Hills Invitational-White Division tournament and took 3rd in the 42nd Warrenton Invitational-White Division tournament.
Track and Field
Achievements:
Boys took fourth at the Wolfpack Invitational and Capital City Relays. Nolan Bone (10) has jumped 14 feet in the pole vault, won the Capital Civic Relays and won the pole vault at Timberland’s varsity meet. Nick Follmer (12) won the discus at Holt’s varsity meet. Lydia Hart (9) medaled in javelin at Capital City relays.
Liberty Ledger
Girls Soccer Record:5-12-1 Achievements:
Bryn Lundberg (12) and Natalie Ray (12) lead in goals scored. Beth Roberts (10), Tori Harris (12) and Genevieve Johnson (9) lead in assists. Amy Carnahan (11) has 56 saves so far this season. Girls Soccer beat schools like Fulton, Elsberry, Trinity and St. Charles.
Baseball
Record:15-6 Achievements: James Dotson (12) and Chase Krogman (10) have 19 and 13 RBI apiece. Jordan Cole (12) and Krogman have hit 2 home runs. The Eagles have been recognized by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch as one of the top ranked large schools.
photo by A. Orlando
Boys Tennis
Record:7-4 Achievements:
Placed 2nd out of 8 teams at Holt Invitational. Boys’ tennis is currently on a six-game winning streak, beating teams like Fort Zumwalt North, Fort Zumwalt East, Troy Buchanan, Timberland, Fort Zumwalt West and St. Charles West.
photo by Ar. Amann
photo provided by Trotter
photo provided by Trotter
photo by A. Lenczycki