23-24 Marquette Messenger: Issue 6

ROLL CALL

Editor

Annabelle Miller

Anvi Talyan

Prashu Sidella

Elliott Jorgensen

Willem Hummel

David Moss

Eli Ferguson

Justin Small

Emily Chien

Aubrey Lacavich

Hailey Neuner

Kate Jesperson

Claire Lowder

Layla Shockley

Luke Graves

Shreya Das

Elizabeth Bahr

Aiden Burkhardt

Samantha Perz

Morgan Siegel

Zoey Srote

Emily Jorgensen

10 BLUE BELL ICE CREAM A beloved ice cream brand comes to Missouri.

16 RETIRING COACHES John Meyer and Eric Schweain to retire at the end of the school year.

ABOUT US

The Messenger is a public forum, published six times a year by students in the News Production class at Marquette High School, Chesterfield, MO, 63017. The publication serves to inform readers about issues concerning the community.

Opinions of Messenger columnists or the Editorial Board are not Representative of the opinions of the entire Messenger staff or the administration. The full student publication policy can be viewed on the Messenger official website, marquettemessenger.com.

The Messenger takes responses for any issue. Send these to yourmhsnews@gmail.com. The Messenger reserves the right to edit submitted material and to refuse to print material because of space limitations, repetitive subject matter,

libelous content or any other reason the editor in chief and adviser deem appropriate, including advertisements and letters to the editor.

The Messenger is nationally recognized as a member of the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA), the Journalism Education Association, Missouri Journalism Education Association and Quill & Scroll. This year, the publication was named a Hall of Fame recipient and Quill & Scroll George H. Gallup award winner. Past issues have been named NSPA Pacemaker finalists and CSPA Crown finalists. The Messenger website is a Distinguished Site recipient.

The publication office is located in Room 226, (636) 891-6000 ext. 26228.

Photographs by Emily Chien, Katherine Schroeder, Lucas Tourinho, Amanda Watson

Two lacrosse athletes reach milestones

Featuring: Duo Dogs visit Special Olympics,

Choir Trip, Solar Eclipse and Team

Bosnjak,

Admin make changes to lunch shifts

aubrey LACAVICH • claire LOWDER

Students should expect a change in lunch schedules for the 2024-2025 school year: instead of four lunch shifts, there will be three.

“I’m not aware of any effects to class schedules this may have as of right now because we’re still planning all the aspects of it,” Senior Principal Amy Sturges said.

Ultimately, the decision was made in the hopes of balancing schedules on A-Days, but it also was made to give custodians a breather.

“It allows a little break for our cafeteria staff to reset,” Sturges said.

For Rhea Sen, junior, fourth hour on A-Days seems to last forever. The administration last altered lunch schedules in 2020, moving from three to four lunch shifts because of staff shortages, high enrollment and COVID-19.

“I like the three lunch shift idea because on A-Days there is such an imbalance of classes and we always end up doing something in fourth hour that the other classes don’t get to,” Sen said.

Fourth hour is currently 31 minutes longer on A-Days than all other hours, but with the lunch shift changes, it’ll be around the same length as all other classes.

“Right now, fourth hour is longer

to accommodate four lunch shifts, but switching to three will push minutes back into the other classes on A-Days,”

Principal Dr. Tracey Waeckerle said. “Everything else will stay the same.”

On block days there will most likely be a gap in place of second or third lunch to give cafeteria workers more time to clean up and prepare for the next shift. Many sciences and P.E. Teachers require students to have first or fourth lunch because class time cannot be interrupted.

“We seem to be catching back up on custodial and cafeteria staff shortages, so we decided to put that time back into other classes,” Dr. Waeckerle said.

Bathroom mirror removal frustrates students

samantha PERZ • morgan SIEGEL

Racquel Borland, sophomore, wakes up at 5:30 a.m. every morning to begin getting ready for school before she leaves to catch her bus at 6:40 a.m. Once she arrives at MHS, Borland, along with other students who take the bus from the city, prefers to finish getting ready in the school bathrooms.

The first week back from Spring Break, however, Borland came across a surprise: some of the bathroom mirrors had been removed.

“Hanging out in the bathroom has gotten worse because there are only two mirrors in the cafeteria bathroom, which is where the girls typically put on makeup,” Borland said. “Every girl is trying to take turns using two mirrors.”

Borland said a lot of girls value their physical appearance.

“Physical appearance can make or break our confidence and a lot of girls base their self-esteem off that, and taking away the mirrors makes some girls a little more self-conscious,” Borland said.

Moving bathroom mirrors followed the administration’s decision to prop open bathroom doors.

“We are going to be permanently propping the doors open, so the reason for moving the mirrors is for the privacy of the people in the stalls and urinals,” Freshman Principal Kyle Devine said.

Some bathroom doors, however, are often closed.

“Students threw away the doorstops, so we have permanent doorstops coming in,” Devine said. “They just need to be installed by our general maintenance staff.”

Devine said keeping bathroom doors open is an attempt to address issues with vaping, fighting and graffiti in the bathrooms.

“It’s really just to keep the place safer for people and more enjoyable,” Devine said. “Nobody should have to walk into a bathroom and deal with that.”

Some staff members like Tracy Crawford, nurse, agree with this new policy and its purpose.

“I think its a great idea. It cuts down on vandalism, smoking, and ditching class,” Crawford said

With the continuation of bathroom doors being kept open, there has been a rise in students going to the nurse’s

doors are now being propped open to deter vaping, fighting and graffiti, Freshman Principal Kyle Devine said.

office to use the bathroom there.

“We do tend to be a spot where kids like to try to use ours, but we do have to keep them for emergency purposes,”

Crawford said Landon Lawhorn, sophomore, said he wishes bathroom doors would remain closed.

“I think that is a major invasion of privacy,” Lawhorn said. “I just think it’s weird, and frankly, makes everyone uncomfortable.”

The Board of Education discusses district issues at the Thursday, Feb. 22, meeting at MHS. There are currently seven board members, one of whom will resign on May 17. Jessica

School board member resigns

School board member Jessica Clark has announced her resignation from the school board, effective May 17, cutting her term a year short.

Clark’s resignation leaves an open seat on the Board, which the Board will temporarily fill through a majority vote. The new electee will hold the position until the next school board election, April 8, 2025.

Lynne Midyett, school board president, said the reason for Clark’s resignation is that she is moving out of the school district and will no longer qualify for the position.

The last time there was a vacancy in the school board was in 2017 when Tamara Jo Rhomberg and Lynne Midyett were appointed to fill Herman Kriegshauser and Rob Castle’s positions respectively.

Applications will be accepted beginning Monday, April 22, and must be submitted in person at the Administrative Office, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The deadline to submit an application is Monday, May 6.

Andrew Scognamiglio, senior, voted in the most recent school board election and said he hopes to see some positive changes come from Clark’s resignation. One of his concerns has been her past comments on disabled people, as well as her attitude toward teachers.

“When I voted in the recent school board election, I was looking for someone who was going to uphold school values,” Scognamiglio said. “Somebody who’s there because they want to be, not because they have to be.”

Scognamiglio said he hopes whoever fills the vacant spot holds these values as well.

“They should be for the betterment of the school,” Scognamiglio said.

Principal Dr. Tracey Waeckerle said she currently has no concerns about the vacancy and understands this is standard procedure.

Elected April 2, Milligan won a seat for the first time, while Rhomberg retained the seat she’s held since 2017. Board Election Winners Tamara Rhomberg & Phillip Milligan

During Spring Break, mirrors in the bathrooms were moved or removed as a way to protect students’ privacy because the bathroom

Photograph by Elliott Jorgensen

In response to COVID, the administration moved from three lunch shifts to four lunch shifts to spread out MHS’ average of about 2,200 students. Next year, however, instead of four lunch shifts, there will be three. Photograph by Aubrey Lacavich

Clark’s seat will be filled by a board vote until an elected member can take their place. Photograph by Willem Hummel claire LOWDER

IN BRIEF

Prom will take place Saturday, May 4, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Hilton St. Louis Frontenac Hotel.

Friday, May 10, is the last day of school for seniors. The Graduation Ceremony will take place 7 p.m. Saturday, May 11, at The Family Arena.

Friday, May 24, is the last day of school for freshmen, sophomores and juniors.

AP Testing will run from Monday, May 6, to Friday, May 17.

Finals start Monday, May 21, and end Friday, May 24.

The Rockwood Board of Education unanimously approved extending Superintendent Dr. Curtis Cain’s contract through the 2026-2027 school year on Wednesday, April 17.

Jatin Sridhar, senior, is a semifinalist in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. Sridhar is 1 of 11 students from Missouri to reach the semifinals.

Massive cicada emergence coming this year

Only a year after moving to St. Louis, Ed Bolton, chemistry teacher, experienced a massive emergence of periodical cicadas in 1986.

“They were everywhere. They covered the grass and the cars,” Bolton said. “We’d be playing baseball in the backyard, and you could hear people run because the ground was crunchy with cicadas.”

Cicadas are large insects that stay underground for varying durations of time. Annual cicadas emerge from late May to early June every year, and periodical cicadas emerge every 13 or 17 years.

Brood 19 emerges every 13 years, and Brood 13 emerges every 17 years. Both broods will emerge with annual cicadas later this spring.

Sharon Dobesh-Beckman, entomologist and pesticides branch outreach coordinator for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said these two broods have not emerged together in more than 200 years.

While annual broods, like dog-day cicadas, will be present, Dobesh-Beckman said there will be several significant differences in this year’s cicada emergence compared to previous years.

“The physical appearance of the cicadas will be different, and because these cicadas come out after such a long period, they come out in much larger numbers,” Dobesh-Beckman said.

Some areas may see hundreds of periodical cicada insects over an acre, Dobesh-Beckman said.

Cicadas are completely harmless to humans, but their loud buzzing noise may be challenging, especially in areas with large cicada populations, Dobesh-Beckman said.

“The decibels they produce have been compared to that of a lawnmower, so imagine a lot of lawnmowers going off at the same time,” Dobesh-Beckman said.

Cicadas insert their eggs into small tree branches shortly before they die.

Twigs may eventually appear to split due to this egg laying, Dobesh-Beckman said.

“Next spring, after the winter, is when you may even see more of that damage come to light,” Dobesh-Beckman said. “If young trees sustain heavy damage, they could die because they can’t withstand that much physical damage.”

Dobesh-Beckman said wrapping young trees in netting or similar material can protect them from the risk posed by cicadas.

When Cicadas die in large numbers, their decaying bodies may accumulate and produce an unpleasant odor, requiring cleanup in some areas.

Despite these challenges, Dobesh-Beckman said the emergence is natural and beneficial for many ecosystems.

“Cicadas live underground, so their emergence helps aerate soil. Even though some people will notice those holes and consider them unsightly, they’re actually a good thing for the environment,” Dobesh-Beckman said. “The cicadas are also very beneficial for a lot of birds, insects and small animals that will utilize them as protein-rich food.”

Managing the emergence of cicadas is difficult, especially due to the rarity and scale of the event, Dobesh-Beckman said. Pesticide use is not recommended, as it could poison animals that consume cicadas. The duration of the emergence is only two to three weeks, so waiting it out and managing cleanup will be the best course of action,

Dobesh-Beckman said.

“When we have all those extra dead insects around, just sweep them up and put them in a place where they can decompose and return nutrients to the soil,” Dobesh-Beckman said.

Josh Wyckhouse, junior, said cicadas significantly affect dogs because dogs like to eat them. White’s family plans to keep their household dog from consuming too many.

White said the large amount of cicadas in the air may cause visibility issues for drivers and require them to be more vigilant.

“Mainly, they’re very annoying and very loud,” White said.

By the end of the summer, Bolton said the presence of cicadas feels normal.

“You’re not gonna make them go away. Being mad doesn’t do you any good, so make a game out of it,” Bolton said.

Wrapping young trees in netting or similar materials can protect them from the risks associated with cicadas.

david MOSS

Cicada nymphs are uncovered in a Ballwin back yard. The nymph phase is the longest stage in a cicada’s life. As a nymph, they remain underground only emerging to lay eggs and mate. While underground, they subsist off of tree sap. Some cicadas emerge annually, while others emerge once every 13-17 years. Photograph by Jim Gerken

Information from Sharon Dobesh-Beckman Photograph by Elliott Jorgensen

BREAKING LANGUAGE BARRIERS

Teachers offer English language learners support

luke GRAVES • justin SMALL speak English that is still “in their journey,” making it important for them to be given support.

Monica Bremer, Spanish teacher, arrived to the U.S. from Panama in 2002. She said in her country, learning English was a required course since her childhood, making it somewhat easy for her.

“You get better with time because language is a journey that takes a long time,” Bremer said.

Bremer still found early struggles with understanding English in her classes, though.

“I came here to study, to do my masters in education,” Bremer said. “Then I remember my first semester. Taking the classes fully is very exhausting for the brain because you really want to understand and the teachers often are not aware.”

Because of this, Bremer is thankful for English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), a program that helps students from other countries adjust to the English language.

Fast Fact

Carol Logue, ESOL teacher, said the central purpose of the program is to support students who do not speak English as their first language.

9.6% of the population in St. Louis County speak a language other than English.

Information from Missouri Economic Research and Information Center

Bremer said she had difficulty understanding events in American schools as well as holidays popular in America, such as Spirit Week and St. Patrick’s Day, respectively, when she began teaching at MHS 15 years ago.

This experience is similar to those of many students, she said. Many students who migrate to the United States

“We support them in all ways we can, whether it be reading, tests, helping with projects, getting them to know the school culture,” Logue said.

Having taught ESOL for 32 and half years, Logue said the program has grown in size over the years. Currently, there are a total of 48 ESOL students.

The program plans to continue evolving to provide the right help for students, Logue said.

“Kids have the right to be in school,” Logue said about the importance of ESOL.

Alejandro Gonzalez, senior, is from Mexico. He said he was initially nervous about taking classes in a set-

ting different from his native country until he was informed about the ESOL program.

While he initially questioned the program, having never heard of it before, he said that after speaking with Logue, he understands its importance.

“There are a lot of students from other countries,” Gonzalez said. “So they want to help them grow in the U.S., especially high school.”

Gonzalez said that through the program he was shown around the school so he could better understand

the language. He also said they helped him with the assignments in his Intro to College Writing class.

“It’s not hard to write stuff in English, but I don’t know certain words,” Gonzalez said. “They helped me fill in the blanks for connecting sentences and stuff.”

Other teachers also help Gonzales by sending him to the ESOL classroom whenever he struggles significantly, and communicate with his ESOL teacher to inform them of what he needs help with.

Program brings families together through language

anvi TALYAN

Galina Reznikov, Wildhorse English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teacher, has been part of Wildhorse Elementary’s Building Bridges program since 2016 and now she leads it.

The program started in 2014 due to a need to support students who were speaking English as their second language, Reznikov said. It offered an opportunity to bring families together to eat dinner, play games and learn.

“It was also for parents to not feel intimidated about school. Perhaps if they had any questions, they could ask in a warm environment,” Reznikov said.

At the time, the school had a large population of Hispanic students who needed extra assistance in English, Reznikov said. Now, the program includes a variety of ethnicities and continues to focus on four modules of language: speaking, reading, writing and listening, along with a new addition of math this year.

“Writing is the hardest part of the four modules, but speaking is an integral part before we write. If we cannot speak it, we cannot write it,” Reznikov said.

Fourteen families participated in the four sessions offered this year.

At the last event on Wednesday, April 3, the children performed short

plays in their respective grade levels and received small gifts. Parents received the book “Aesop’s Fables” to continue encouraging their children to read and to make connections in English.

Senior Sanika Saraf, who went to Wildhorse, has volunteered with the program since last year through National Honor Society (NHS), attending four sessions in total.

“I think it’s great because, with everything that’s going on in the world, it’s nice that St. Louis, and especially

Chesterfield and Wildhorse, have a safe haven for a lot of kids and also their parents,” Saraf said.

Saraf said she’s helped with multiple age groups, specifically fourth and fifth graders and first and second graders. At the last event, she worked with the first and second grade group as they prepared for a play to present the same night.

Saraf said she also finds it beneficial to have the parents involved in the students’ learning process, and for them to receive resources for their children.

“I really like how the ESOL program focuses on making sure they have the tools and the knowledge to continue education not only during the school year but also in the summer,” Saraf said. “Because I believe that’s when it’s really important to retain everything you’ve learned during the school year.”

Peyton Weissman, junior, volunteered for the program this year through NHS. Weissman is taking Spanish 4 and worked with Spanish-speaking fourth and fifth graders because of her knowledge of the language.

“I thought it was a really good opportunity to practice what I learned in Spanish and then also help them feel included in the community,” Weissman said.

Though at times Weissman had to use an online translator to communicate, she was able to converse almost fully in Spanish. She said it was interesting how the children simplified their language when speaking to her compared to each other.

Weissman said she enjoyed being able to support the program.

“I think it’s a really good chance just to have all of the students come together,” Weissman said. “And then they can also make friends through there for school too. It’s interesting just to see all of the cultures coming together.”

Jayla Freeman, senior, helps students complete a puzzle at Wild Horse Elementary during a Building Bridges event on Wednesday, April 3. Photograph by Anvi Talyan

Lisa Funez, world language teacher, helps Victor Munoz, senior, with government homework. Munoz’s first language is Spanish. Photograph by Eli Ferguson

issue VI FEATURES 7

HOW TO: Students teach their passions

samantha PERZ

Musician shares songwriting tips & tricks

Ava Smith, junior, started writing songs after learning that her favorite artists wrote their own music. Now, she is always ready to write when inspiration strikes.

“My brain runs a mile a minute, so I’ll just be thinking of anything and everything at all times and I’ll just pop that into my Notes App and see what happens,” Smith said.

Smith also uses Pinterest and Instagram to find inspiration. She said creating mood boards can help a person think of ideas to get the process going.

Then, Smith looks through her notes while playing the guitar or piano to start writing. This order can be switched; sometimes, Smith said she prefers to start with a melody.

“I try to find a specific time period for at least half an hour where I have nothing going on and I just write whatever comes to mind,” Smith said.

As ideas come and go, she records sections in Voice Memos until the song is complete. Then, she shares her work with others.

“I love finishing the songs and singing them to people and seeing their reactions,” Smith said.

Fluent in English and Chinese and currently learning Spanish and Haitian Creole, Ivy Wang, sophomore, sees languages as opportunities to bridge the gap between different people and cultures.

“Since the world that we live in right now is so globalized, it’s become more important to not be monolingual,” Wang said.

Before diving into the language, Wang recommends looking at the alphabet first. For example, English has a Latin-based alphabet.

The next step is to learn essential phrases, such as “What is your name?” or “Hello.” Wang prefers to expand her vocabulary and become more familiar with the language’s grammar.

“Write words down, learn how to make sentences, constantly review vocab over because a language is only going to come with memorization,” Wang said.

Mastering a new language means mastering reading, listening, speaking and writing, but not perfection.

“It’s going to be hard at first, but you don’t have to learn everything to achieve fluency,” Wang said.

Lucas Tourinho, junior, still remembers the first set of nails he ever did: a nude base with bubbles and wavy French tips.

“After that, I wanted to do everything gel,” Tourinho said.

Three years later, he now has more than 200 gel colors and specializes in nail art.

Follow Tourinho’s steps below to do an at-home manicure using gel polish.

1. Pick out a style and design. Consider length, shape, shine, color and type of design.

2. Push back or trim the cuticles of each nail with a cuticle-trimming tool.

3. For longer nail designs, use nail glue to secure tips or press-on nails. Apply in-line with the finger.

4. Paint a thin coat of a clear base coat and then place each hand under a UV or LED lamp for 60 seconds.

5. Apply 2-3 coats of the main gel color and cure for 60 to 90 seconds after each layer.

6. Use fine brushes to paint gel polish designs onto the nails. Cure for 60 to 90 seconds.

7. Seal with a top clear coat and cure for 60 seconds.

Ava Smith, junior, uses Voice Memos to record her songs. She also shares music on an Instagram account. Photograph by Ava Smith

Ivy Wang, sophomore, finds languages with a Latin-based alphabet easier to understand phonetically as they are similar to English. Photograph by Eli Ferguson

Lucas Tourinho, junior, prefers to use GelX tips. He also uses Beetles brand for his gel polish and lamp. Photograph by Lucas Tourinho

Local energy moves

aren’t here,” Dr. Waeckerle said. “We ask students to charge Chromebooks at home and have those prepared so we’re not having things plugged into outlets

Dr. Waeckerle said there are no specific plans in place for major energy efficiency improvements, but when periodic renovations do occur, energy-efficient lighting and equipment are

Currently, Ameren's target install 5400 megawatts (MW) and solar power by the mid-2030s. Although no specific plans renewable energy centers

systems and energy-efficient boilers, updating lighting systems, adding energy-efficient appliances and technology and adding water-saving strategies such

Ameren will install several facilities near the St. Louis produce electricity where sumed the most.

Scott Wibbenmeyer, senior of renewable development is in charge of Ameren’s switch fossil fuels to renewable energy.

“Missouri right now receives

While the district moves toward power company that supports Louis region, is making a to cleaner and renewable es as well.

Labadie Energy Center is the largest coal-powered in the St. Louis region. It began operating Aubrey Lacavich

Students pass by the power lines in the parking lot on Tuesday, April 30. A reliable electricity grid is essential for the daily function of the school and plays a major role in the classroom for running smartboards, Chromebooks and operating computer labs and printing services. Photograph by Annabelle Miller

moves toward renewability

supports the St. gradual shift energy sourctarget is to (MW) of wind mid-2030s. plans exist for near MHS,

and has a balanced mix of about 15% renewables and some nuclear as well,” Wibbenmeyer said.

Labadie Energy Center, 22 miles from MHS, is the largest coal-fired power plant in Missouri and generates 2,389.4 MW of electricity per hour. Labadie is most important power producer in the St. Louis region.

All of Ameren’s energy plants are connected to Missouri’s energy grid, Wibbenmeyer said.

“If Labadie goes offline, you won't lose power for that reason,” Wibbenmeyer said. “So if Labadie is turned off, which we do for maintenance, the lights don't go out.”

Like most of Ameren’s fossil fuel power plants, Labadie has provided energy for decades. Labadie Energy Center began operating in 1973 and continues to generate electricity at full capacity.

Missouri energy rates remain low because many coal and gas plants were not installed recently and are partially paid for.

Future of Electricity

Kevin Koch, AP Environmental Science teacher, said a “smart-grid” approach is best for the future of the U.S. electricity grid due to the environmental costs of centralized power centers.

“You would have multiple energy generation sources besides one centralized plant like most of the U.S. energy production,” Koch said.

Koch said the Parkway School District is a model to look at for this, as each building generates some of its energy with rooftop solar arrays.

“Our school and district is doing what it can to improve energy use,” Koch said. “MHS could generate some of its power using solar generation; however, this would take approval by the board and the community.”

Branson said the district has considered solar power a few times over the years but it has never gone further than the planning phase. The maintenance of solar panels and the roof below is a big reason why the district has strayed from getting solar panels.

newable energy program supervisor, said Ameren is trying to offer more affordable ways for nonprofit organizations, including schools, to get solar panels.

“Solar is part of an overall solution to grid reliability, customer affordability and moving toward sustainable energy,” Nauert said.

Additional reporting by Willem Hummel

several energy Louis region to where it is consenior director development at Ameren, switch from energy. receives the

“Ultimately, it’s just become so old that it needs to retire, like any old device or person,” Wibbenmeyer said. “We’re going to run it until its end-of-life to make sure we've gotten all the value out of it for our customers.”

Wibbenmeyer said Ameren invests in Labadie to ensure it operates reliably as Ameren transitions to a new power

“Solar panels and their supports can get in the way of locating and repairing roof leaks. If a roof system replacement is planned, then the panels have to be removed, stored, then put back in place when the job is complete,” Branson said. “This adds a significant cost to a roof replacement project.”

Annemarie Nauert, Ameren re-

Worldwide, nearly1out ofevery10 peoplelack reliable electricity.

coal-powered power plant operating in 1973. Photograph by

GET IT WHILE IT’S COLD

Southern ice cream comes to St. Louis area

kate JESPERSON

Last November, the Blue Bell Creameries brand announced they would be expanding their company’s dessert distribution to St. Louis and neighboring cities by March 18, 2024.

At this time all of their products are now available at local stores to citizens of St. Louis, Columbia, Jefferson City, central Missouri and southern parts of Illinois.

Blue Bell originated in Texas, where Jessica Risenhoover, School Store volunteer, said she was raised on the ice cream brand.

“Blue Bell is a Texas tradition that everybody supports, and we’ve always been proud of the fact that you could never get it outside of Texas,” Risenhoover said. “But since I don’t live in Texas anymore, I love that the brand has been able to grow because it is such a staple of my home state.”

As a kid, Risenhoover said her favorite Blue Bell ice cream flavor was Tin Roof, vanilla ice cream consisting of chocolate sauce and chocolate-dipped roasted peanuts. As an adult, however, Risenhoover’s favorite flavor is Buttered Pecan.

“It is hands down their best flavor,” Risenhoover said. “It’s so good and super buttery. No ice cream place makes it better.”

As an additional surprise and way to celebrate Blue Bell’s expansion to St. Louis, the brand introduced a new ice cream flavor, Gooey Butter Cake, that was opened to the public on March 18 as well.

“I feel like Gooey Butter is a St. Louis thing,” Risenhoover said. “Texas tried to replicate something that was not regional to them and did not do a good job. Regional flavors should be left to individual regions.”

After originating in Texas, Blue Bell began distributing to southern states years before it made its way up to Missouri.

Wesley Miller, freshman, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and said his family would always buy Blue Bell ice cream as it was a family favorite.

He said when he was young it was harder to differentiate between Blue Bell and any other ice cream, but once he moved to St. Louis and saw it wasn’t sold at stores, he realized how good it was.

“It’s definitely better than some of the other ice cream we have up here,” Miller said. “It has the best flavors.”

Dr. Pepper Float is one of the company’s yearround flavors now sold in St. Louis, and a flavor Miller saw but didn’t try while on a trip in Florida.

“I like Dr. Pepper and I like ice cream, so hopefully it’ll be the best of both worlds,” Miller said.

Another trip to Florida, for this year’s spring break, sparked a new love of Blue Bell ice cream for Claire Katsev, history teacher.

“I had seen things about the brand on Instagram, and my family and I were like ‘we have to get this’,” Katsev said.

They tried Cookie Two Step, vanilla ice cream consisting of chunks of chocolate chip cookie dough and crème filled chocolate cookies.

“We were obsessed with it for the whole week, and then we came back home to St. Louis and around a week later, my sister sent us a picture saying the Cookie Two Step was here,” Katsev said. “We were super pumped about it.”

The only setback about Blue Bell ice cream for Katsev is she said she wishes it were creamier.

“My absolute favorite ice cream brand is Tillamook, specifically for its flavor options and creaminess, but the variety of flavors in Blue Bell has started to do it for me,” Katsev said. “It has for sure become a close second to Tillamook.”

Katsev has only tried Cookie Two Step, but some of the other chocolate and peanut butter flavors she said are intriguing to her.

“I’m always into chocolate and peanut butter, so

Lightly salted with roasted pecans, the Blue Bell Buttered Pecan is ranked #3 for best Blue Bell ice cream from Parade magazine.

1. Blue Bell ice cream announced its arrival to Missouri earlier this spring and now the Blue Bell ice cream truck can be seen outside stores such as the Schnucks at 2511 Kehrs Mill Rd. Photograph by Elliott Jorgensen

2. The Blue Bell Cookie Two Step is a creamy vanilla ice cream with hints of brown sugar. It has chocolate filled cookies and chocolate chip cookie dough pieces. Photograph by Emily Chien

Buttered Pecan

The Blue Bell Dutch Chocolate is made from a rich and creamy chocolate ice cream. According to Parade, it is ranked #2 for best Blue Bell ice cream.

Dutch Chocolate

Half chocolate, half vanilla, the Great Divide is ranked #1 for best Blue Bell ice cream, according to Parade.

Illustration by Emily Chien

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Students find hangout spots outside of home, school

Connor Gleason, sophomore, goes to Panera every week to do homework and study with friends.

“Panera is my happy place,” Gleason said.

Places like Panera, the library, a gym, or other community centers are all examples of people’s “Third Places.” According to the Brookings Institution, the term was coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg.

A person’s first place is home, their second place is work or school and the third place is a place where people can interact with the community comfortably and make relationships.

relationships with people, but sort of familiar relationships with people,” Hobbs said.

Hobbs said the discussion on third places increased after Covid-19 when many didn’t have the means to go to their third places, which impacted the mental health of the population.

“The more social connections that we have to a place, the better our mental health is,” Hobbs said.

"The more social connections we have to a place, the better our mental health is."

Ashley Hobbs, pyschology teacher

Gleason was not familiar with the concept of a third place but said Starbucks would be another example of a third place for students.

Ashley Hobbs, Sociology teacher, said third places are a place of comfort.

“[Places that] we don't necessarily have super personal, or intimate eli FERGUSON

Kate Lorenz, sophomore, said people need a third place. She enjoys going to the Daniel Boone Library to find a quiet place. She also enjoys going to Castlewood Park in her free time.

One controversy surrounding the Third Place theory is that America does not have good access to third places and many cannot find third places, leading to less connections with strangers.

“I think a lot of kids need a lot of calming places, especially inside high anxiety places like schools, and I feel like we could do that by asking for them from our schools and local communities,” Lorenz said.

Isabelle Cheung, junior, goes to Panera often to study and enjoy a meal.

Photograph by Emily Chien

1650 Clarkson Rd, Chesterfield, MO 63017

300 Clarkson Rd, Ellisville, MO, 63011

Avanti Singh, senior, goes to the Daniel Boone Library to work on homework and pick up a book.

Photograph by Emily Chien

This map shows common "third places" students go outside of school and home. A "third home" is where people can interact with a community and make relationships.

SPEAK OUT

As of 2024, large companies such as Best Buy and Target are planning to stop carrying physical media, such as DVDs and Blu-rays. Is this a good or bad idea? Why?

“I would say it’s good. They’re helping the environment by reducing all of the plastic waste and material used in DVDs, and you’ll save some space and storage.”

SOWMYAN SRIDHAR

KUMUTHAPRIYA, freshman

“I think it’s a bad idea because in some cars you can only use DVD players. I also feel like it’s not beneficial because it doesn’t support collectors and because some people use the discs for decorations.”

KATE LORENZ, sophomore

“I don’t think it’s the best idea. Nowadays you see so many people buying record players because it’s nice and it’s nostalgic for them, and it might be the same thing for DVDs. I’d still like to have DVDs and not be completely cut off from them.”

SAJA MOHSEN, junior

“I think it’s good. I think if someone isn’t buying something, why continue to make it? It’s a waste of material and time and money.”

BRYSON WEAVER, senior

When the topic of uncompensated child labor is brought up, many think of factories and terrible working conditions. However, modern child labor can also be seen as fun, colorful and being broad casted on the internet.

That’s just what “kidfluencers” are: modern child labor.

Kidfluencer is a term used to describe someone with a large presence on social media and the internet.

EDITORIAL

worth $30 million.

“I think it’s a little shortsighted because things are on streaming services, but they move services so often that it’s not always easy to track down the thing that you want to watch. And there’s still plenty of movie lovers who just want to have that film at hand.”

RAY HOLMES, librarian

Stop exploiting children BOARD

Children are too young to understand the far-reaching implications of being active on the internet. Kids tend to just go along with what their parents want them to do for social media, such as content for a YouTube video.

The largest kidfluencer on YouTube is Ryan Kaji, who is commonly known online as Ryan’s Toy Review. At age 6, Kaji made the Forbes top earners list, becoming the youngest person in history to make the list. As of 2023, it is estimated by Forbes that Kaji is

His parents exploited him for internet content, which he couldn’t have comprehended at such a young age.

Situations like this have prompted reactions from multiple state legislatures, including Missouri’s. Representative Doug Mann, D-Columbia, who is sponsoring a bill that would protect kids from harmful exploitation by their parents. This proposed bill aims to outline a clear and consistent compensation for the children, allow for the child to ask to remove all videos when they turn 18 and for parents to log the earnings and online presence of their child.

Legislation and regulations are essential for kidfluencers to protect the child’s interest, keep the parents in line and ensure these kidfluencers receive fair compensation for their work.

LETTERS to the EDITOR

The Missouri bill that may be passed is utterly stupid. The bill states that if a teacher or counselor asks a student what pronouns they prefer to use, they will be registered as a sex offender. By doing this, the teachers and/or counselors could lose their jobs, and the students are disrespected by not allowing teachers to ask for preferred pronouns. It is insane that people believe that asking others of their preferred pronouns is an issue that needs solving, out of all of the issues that actually do. Ask almost anyone if they’ve ever felt hurt because they were asked what their pronouns are, and they’ll say no. But ask someone if they were hurt by being mis-gendered, and most of the responses are yes. This bill’s passing would affect so many in a negative way when there are so many other things people should be doing and passing to protect students, not disrespect them.

It is absolutely ridiculous for the House Bill 1885 to come into effect. This bill is not just stopping people from being called their preferred pronouns, it is additionally threatening their wellbeing. No teacher calling someone named Rebecca “Becky” faces any harm, but once you call them “Robert,” the media explodes. Worse than that, the class E felony received for this is on the same level as kidnapping, SA, human trafficking and even ending someone’s life. People try to use the argument that they have the childrens’ “ best interest at heart,” yet the bill actually destroys mental health for those very children. This school’s inclusivity has always been a point of pride for me, and I hate to see the world pulling it down so some conservatives don’t feel scared by students comfortable with their identity.

CASSIDY KERBER, freshman OLIVIA ELLINGTON, freshman

Photo Illustration by Kate Jesperson

issue VI OPINIONS

Although it can be uncertain, embrace change

aubrey LACAVICH

My entire life will change in two months, and so will the lives of the 534 other seniors I’ve gone to school with for the past four years.

I’ve had almost the same schedule for the past 12 years: wake up at 6 a.m., go to school, then dance, then bed at 11 p.m.. I’ve danced with the same

group of girls since the age of 6, gone to school with people I’ve known since kindergarten, and lived in the same house since I was born.

My twin that I see everyday will be a couple hours away from me, across the state, causing the car rides and late night talks to become scarce. For me, everything will change next year.

We are taught at the elementary school age that school is your job and you must be diligent to ultimately receive your diploma senior year. We work hard for a single piece of paper that sums up the past 13 years of our lives.

I think that’s crazy.

My childhood, my youth and the only thing I’ve ever known will be over in a matter of weeks. Everything I have learned will be put to the test. Will I pass or fail at the game of life?

Have I worked hard enough?

Will I be successful?

I’m not sure what the answers to those questions are, and it scares me. The rest of my life is supposed to start on Saturday, May 11. I have a week left to process that my childhood is over and I will actually be an adult.

This change has caused a fair amount of tears and a wide range of emotions, but I know I will be okay. It’s normal to be scared of change, especially one of this magnitude. As much as I’m sad to leave this comforting routine behind, and quite frankly terrified of what the future will hold, I’m trying to embrace this change.

Looking ahead, I will make close friends in college, tons of lasting memories and I’ll get to learn about what I’m interested in. It’s exciting to think about the freedom that comes with graduation. So many wonderful things are in store for me. The only thing to do moving forward is to be positive.

Change is scary, but so are a lot of things. Our class has gone through many obstacles and has survived, so going to college can’t be that hard. Challenges, mistakes and difficult situations make us stronger and smarter. So while I’m afraid and sad to leave, I’m ready for this change and all the opportunities that come with it.

Moments can’t be captured through a phone

I went to school on the day of the eclipse, but my mind didn’t. I was thinking about a science project I hadn’t started, math homework I was behind on, a News Production coverage deadline and the ACT the next day.

But if I said these immediate academic stresses were the only things on my mind, I’d be lying.

I was also thinking about scholarships I wanted to apply for, the end of school drawing near, my summer (which is looking busier by the day), colleges and the doors I don’t want to let close as I race through the halls of life searching for my future. I was also thinking about the sudden, tragic death of Soren Roeseler, senior, and surrounding my friends who knew him much more than I had the privilege to with love and compassion.

Thinking and processing information are some of humans’ most prized and important functions, so how and when we think matters.

Research from Stanford University estimates that the average person has approximately 60,000 thoughts per day. Ninety percent of these thoughts are repetitive, and 75 percent are negative. This is only one estimate, but I’m sure the results don’t surprise anyone: humans are biased toward negative, anxious thoughts that tend to ruminate throughout the day.

But why shouldn’t we be? Every

day contains countless decisions with unpredictable results. Shouldn’t we be prepared for the worst if we’re bound to these whims?

The problem is that this repetitive thinking, which is mostly negative, pulls us further from the reality of each moment.

Social media adds to this problem. Despite the potential for connecting individuals and improving self-esteem, social media often causes tremendous stress, pressure to compare oneself to others and increased sadness and isolation.

Social media and always-present cameras compound the desire to leave the moment we are in and look for joy, connection and validation on a screen instead.

When unique moments appear around us, stepping into them is hard. As humans, we can’t turn off those 60,000 thoughts. That’s why we use technology to capture moments instead, hoping to find their essence later when we have more time. Or, have less

Should TikTok be banned in the U.S.?

On April 24, President Joe Biden passed a law giving ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, at most one year to divest itself from the social media platform due to concerns over the Chinese government gathering sensitive information through the app. If the company doesn’t sell, TikTok will get banned in the U.S.

YES

TikTok keeps track of users’ information and is capable of leaking this data without the consent or knowledge of its customers. There is no way for U.S. Intelligence to clearly understand where leaked information goes yet and for what purpose it is used, and this unknown is a threat to national security. TikTok employees have been cooperative in answering recently asked questions the U.S. has had about the app; however, until it can be confirmed that TikTok poses no risk to sensitive information in the U.S., it is not worth the risk to continue using the app. A ban could be beneficial, and besides, there are other social media options that are essentially the same, such as Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts.

NO

to think about.

But that’s not how life works. Our thoughts will always be with us, and we can’t ignore them. But, we can change how we perceive them.

I’m not telling anyone how to act or live in any given moment; we are usually the best judge of ourselves. If snapping photos helps you capture amazing moments with the people you care about, by all means go ahead. But don’t let these outward actions pull you away from the beauty of now. A meaningful moment won’t be revived in your Instagram story the next day. You’re standing in it.

While there is a clear risk in using an app that has access to user information, this risk is not limited to TikTok. Meta, the company owning Instagram and Facebook, has been put under fire in the past regarding its security. In response to these concerns, Meta made changes to their policy, just as TikTok is attempting to do, by building U.S.-based data centers to protect user data. TikTok even features a “safety mode” that saves all videos and information to the user’s phone rather than the app. ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, has been readily compliant to questioning and investigation through the years. While TikTok is based in China, it functions as a completely independent international company. Overall, the threat posed by TikTok is minimal and does not at all warrant the extreme ultimatum issued by the U.S. government.

david MOSS

Graduation is a bittersweet moment for many seniors. Many grads feel like they are losing their childhood and leaving meaningful connections behind. But, the silver-lining is the growth and experiences that lie ahead of you. Illustration by Layla Shockley

On April 9, students put away their phones and put on their safety glasses to gaze at the solar eclipse. This made capturing the moment possible. Photograph by Kate Jesperson

willem HUMMEL

layla SHOCKLEY

SCORING SUCCESS

Players achieve milestones in lacrosse

prashu SIDELLA

Lacrosse players Marin Lally, junior, and Madelyn Haas, senior, have recently achieved two notable milestones of scoring 100 career points and 100 goals in their careers.

In the history of the team, only six players have reached 100 points and four have reached 100 goals. Players earn points from goals and assists, while goals are only goals.

Renee Abrolat, head coach, expressed her excitement for Haas and Lally for achieving this feat.

“There have only been two other athletes in our program’s history to reach 100 career goals and for them to become the third and fourth players to achieve that has been truly amazing to watch.” Abrolat said. “Madelyn and Marin put so much time and effort into the sport and our team, I am incredibly proud of them. We are lucky to have them as a part of our program.”

Abrolat said Haas and Lally have made an impact on the team since their very first year.

“They have really grown into their own as players and teammates and have found a groove that works for the team. Madelyn and Marin are able to play and adapt quickly which makes them so valuable on the field,” Abrolat said. “Madelyn and Marin are always striving to get better in season and during the off season and have put a ton of work in to get to where they are today.”

Lally has been playing lacrosse since fifth grade, starting with the Lou Fusz club team before joining MHS’ team as a freshman.

“Since being a freshman, I’ve been working hard on and off the field to improve and try to produce in the games as much as I can,” Lally said. “I’m really

excited and proud to have reached this goal.”

Lally shared that one of her memorable goals was in a recent game against MICDS and explained that her success would not have been possible without the support of her team.

“I was able to get us three goals when we were only two behind them. That made a big difference,” Lally said. “They [teammates] set me up for a lot of goals with their assists and support throughout the season.”

Lally’s message to aspiring players is to “try your hardest on and off the field” and to “always stay positive and strive for your goals.”

Haas began playing lacrosse in fifth grade for MHS’ feeder team before joining the Samurai Club team in eighth grade.

“I feel very humbled and thankful to have reached this milestone in my career,” Haas said.

Hass said her most memorable goal was against Westminster her junior year.

“The Westminster goalie got called for shooting space, and I took an 8-meter shot on an empty net,” she said.

Haas credited her team for her accomplishment.

“When you’re doing the same thing day after day, it’s hard to find joy, but the people you’re playing with will always make everything worth it,” she said.

Haas emphasizes the broader significance of lacrosse beyond statistics.

“Lacrosse, or any sport for that matter, isn’t all about stats. Of course, it feels nice to reach 100 points, but there are aspects of the game that are equally as important as points that aren’t accounted for in stats,” Haas said. “Hard work, dedication and a strong mental game are all you need to be a strong player no matter what the stats have to say.”

Tennis team, admin honor teacher diagnosed with cancer

annabelle MILLER • justin SMALL

Every year, the tennis team organizes an annual cancer awareness event and this year they planned to spotlight Mike Wagner, science teacher, who was diagnosed with abdominal cancer in January.

Due to impending inclement weather, that match was canceled and couldn’t be rescheduled due to the timing of the team’s season.

Wagner said it was an honor that the team planned to recognize him and that their efforts to spread awareness are important to the community as a whole.

“What I’m going through, every family seems to go through at one point or another,” Wagner said.

Wagner was diagnosed with abdominal cancer in early January and then went through four sessions of chemotherapy. After a respite period, he had surgery on Monday, April 26, with the goal to be cancer-free following that surgery.

“His family reached out to some faculty members and said that he’s having a hard time,” Alex Nelle, varsity tennis coach, said. “We wanted to do something to try to boost his spirits.”

Earlier in April the team presented Wagner with a banner including signatures of support from members of the community.

Isabella Tyluyayev, junior, has Wagner in AP Physics class and is happy the team was planning to recognize him.

“It’s hard seeing a teacher go through something that you have no control over,” Tyulyayev said.

The administration and staff are also planning to recognize and fund raise for Wagner during the Walk for Wagner event every hour of the school day Friday, May 3. Participating teachers donated money and will walk during their plan time.

Associate Principal Dr. Mike Wegener helped plan the event and said the administration wanted the staff involved in fundraising. He is walking to

ensure a principal is always on the track during the seven-hour fundraiser.

“Doing something that is out on the track, visible that people are doing together just seemed a little bit more active, visual and meaningful,” Dr. Wegener said.

There are more than 45 faculty and staff participating in the walk and they have raised more than $600.

1. Madelyn Haas, senior, intercepts a pass from a Rockwood Summit player.

2. Varsity lacrosse players huddle up before their game against Rockwood Summit. Both Lally and Haas scored their 100 goal on senior night. Photographs by Katherine Schroeder

After Mike Wagner, science teacher, was diagnosed with cancer earlier this semester, the tennis team presented him with a banner filled with signatures of support from the community. The team had planned a fundraiser but it was canceled due to rain. Photograph by Rhianna Li

SPORTS may 2024

‘Play Hard, Play Together, Play Like A Mustang’

Head coaches announce retirements

hailey NEUNER

John Meyer and Eric Schweain announced their coaching retirements from softball and boys basketball, respectively, earlier this year.

Activities Director Adam Starling, said he is proud of the retiring coaches and the impact they’ve had on their sports programs.

“Schweain is somebody that has coached all the different seasons, and coached multiple different sports and really wants to step up when there is a need for a coach, to come in and help kids so that those programs could continue to move forward,” Starling said.

For now, Starling is working to fill their positions for the next softball and basketball season.

“The coach hiring process is very similar to the teacher hiring process,” Starling said.

The process is initiated with a letter of resignation from the activities director to the Rockwood Human Resources Department and then the district accepts applications.

John Meyer, softball

Aubrey Watson, junior, met Meyer during her freshman year on the softball field.

“It’s sad to know that the coach I’ve had by my side throughout all my years of playing in high school won’t be there

to finish it out with me,” Watson said. “I’ve developed such a strong relationship with him and we know each other’s lingo and how to communicate what’s best for the team.”

While Meyer is retiring as softball coach, he will continue to coach baseball next year.

Watson said Meyer emphasized all parts of the student-athlete.

Coach Meyer

• Softball coach from 2019-2023

• District Titles 2019, 2020, 2022

“He pushes all of his athletes to be the best version of themselves on and off the field. I can go to him when I need help with anything,” Watson said.

• Final Four Visit 2020, 2022

• Conference Coach of the Year 2022

Meyer led the softball team to three district titles and two Final Four appearances during his time as a coach.

“I tried to be authentic and honest. If I did that, I felt like the players could trust me. I was willing to have difficult conversations, give the players a voice, and not let players settle for less,” Meyer said. “It takes a lot of empathy and looking through the players’ eyes. I told the team more than once that being around them was the best part of my

Coach Schweain

school day.”

This year also concludes Meyer’s career as a business teacher.

• Basketball coach from 2001 to 2024

• District Titles 2012, 2020, 2021

• Final Four Visit 2012 Conference Coach of the Year 2018-2019

“I am a very proud Marquette Mustang, and it has been a privilege to teach and coach so many talented student-athletes,” Meyer said. “It is not easy, but if you respond to the challenges and compete, you will have a chance to be successful.”

Eric Schweain, boys basketball

• District Coach of the Year 2019-2020, 20202021

Since his first season as head coach in 2017, Schweain led the boys basketball program to two District Titles and one Conference Title as a two-time District Coach of the Year and Conference Coach of the Year.

Schweain has been a part of the MHS community for more than two decades as a teacher, coach and par-

Moments to Remember

ent. He is now teaching at Priory High School after retiring from teaching at MHS last school year but said Rockwood will always have a special piece of his heart.

“All of education is about relationships. I was lucky to have a strong support with my students and work alongside some amazing colleagues,” Schweain said. “I cherish the 29 years I worked at Rockwood.”

Derek Hoffman, assistant varsity boys basketball coach, has recorded 24 seasons on staff, many of those spent at Schweain’s side.

“Coach Schweain has an infectious laugh and a great sense of humor. He could balance that with a very competitive personality. I don’t think a lot of people can do that,” Hoffman said.

When recalling his many memories with Schweain, Hoffman said there’s one that stands out: Schweain told his 2012 team in the middle of a slump that he had no doubt they’d make it to the Final Four, and they did.

MEYER’S FAVORITES

District Championship win in 2019 against Eureka

Aubrey Watson’s walk-off in the District Semi-Final victory over Lafayette in 2022

The 2022 team’s trip to the Final Four: “I was very happy to see our players get to experience the Final Four excitement and share the field with three other great teams” 1. 2. 3.

SCHWEAIN’S FAVORITES

A win by 20 points over undefeated Webster Groves to claim the Conference Title in 2019

Celebrating “like kids” after winning quarterfinals to advance to the state tournament in 2012 1. 2. 3.

Winning back-to-back District Titles in 2020 and 2021: “We were underdogs both years and our kids just played so well”

Aubrey Watson, junior, rounds third base and receives a high-five from head varsity softball coach John Meyer during a game against Francis Howell Central on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023.

“Meyer gets hype, recognizes me and celebrates my successes,” Watson said. Photograph by Amanda Watson

Eric Schweain looks back to the court during a varsity boys basketball game at the historic Hoosier Gym in Knightstown, Indiana, on Saturday, Feb. 3.

Photograph by Stephanie Owen.