2016-17 Issue 5 (January)

2351 clarkson rd. chesterfield, mo 63017

issue V

marquettemessenger.com

jan. 2017

THE MESSENGER MARQUETTE HIGH SCHOOL

AMERICAN. pg 8-9

INTRODUCTIONS

INSIDE TODAY

ROLL CALL

12 7

poetry slam

women’s march

Editor in Chief Associate Editor Copy Editor News Editor Community Editor Features Editor Arts & Leisure Editor Sports Editor Opinions Editor Advertising Manager Advertising Designer Business Manager Illustrator Cartoonist Online Editor Assistant Online Editor Photo Editor Photo Editor Staff Adviser Lead Photographer Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter

Ellie Toler Athena Zeng Brittany Freeman Greg Svirnovskiy Alia Arif Tali Gorodetsky Austin Woods Maddie Eveland Ryan Berger Jenica Bunderson Aleanah Arraya Kyle Reamer Delaney Neely Michael Robinson Neelansh Bute Abhi Srirangam Mahika Mushuni Kenzie Winstead Emily Jorgensen Taylor Styer Nick Brouk Jen Bosche Mark Goldenberg Kavya Jain Sabrina Lacy Alex McAteer Elena McCormick Adam Noll David Paine

OUR POLICY STL neighborhoods

16

13 mystique

COVER BY ELLIE TOLER AND ATHENA ZENG STUDENTS ON COVER: Marvin Dailey, senior; Aylin Taysi, sophomore; Juan Carlos Medina, senior; Molly Johnson, freshman.

The Messenger Editorial Policy: The Messenger is published eight times a year by students enrolled in the New Production class at Marquette High School, Chesterfield, Mo., 63017. The publication office is located in Room 226, (636) 891-6000 ext. 26228 Opinions of Messenger columnists or the Editorial Board are not representative of the opinions of the entire Messenger staff, the newspa-

CONTACT US 2351 Clarkson Rd Chesterfield, MO 63017 (636) 891-6000 @yourMHSnews @MustangReport marquettemessenger.com

To kindle some friendly competition, the Messenger staff separated into groups named after the four Harry Potter houses, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, Check out the outcome of the first house contest by going on to the online website, marquettemessenger.com.

Gryffindor: MHS Speaks: Donald Trump’s Inauguration Slytherin: Video and IG: New Year’s Resolution Hufflepuff: Which MHS Grade-Level Principal Are You? Ravenclaw: MHS Seniors Create Youtube Videos

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per or the administration. The Messenger takes responses for any issue. Send these in at marquettemessenger.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 deems appropriate including advertisements and letters to the editor.

OPINIONS

editorialBOARD Be kind. Support women’s rights.

I

T’S TIME WE HAVE A DISCUSSION, MHS. WE, as the youth of America, are the future of this nation. We have the ability to change the present and the future. That’s why it’s so very important that we discuss women’s rights.

It’s important to remember that women’s rights aren’t just a women’s issue; they’re a human issue because women’s rights are human rights. They affect us all.

As of 2015, nearly 50 percent of the world’s population was female, according to the World Bank. And right now those 50 percent need all of us to advocate for them.

Women work just as much as men, if not more, according to U.N. statistics. In developed nations, they work 30 more minutes on average per week, and in developing nations, they work 50 minutes more per week on average. Without that portion of the workforce, think of the economic consequences this world would face.

Yet despite their hard work, as of 2015, women earn only 80 percent of what men made for the same jobs, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. The gender pay gap is even worse for those in middle-skill occupations where women earn only 66 percent of what men make. The numbers are even more shocking for women of color.

And that’s just in America. Women are more

heavily affected by poverty worldwide. According to the U.N., older women and lone mothers are more heavily affected by poverty than men in similar situations.

These numbers show why we should all care.

Women provide a great deal of the world workforce yet are being left behind in economic opportunities, especially women of color.

Consider this: the new book and movie Hidden Figures documents the story of the contributions of NASA’s black women mathematicians. Without their contributions, NASA’s space program would’ve been setback by years.

If we don’t give women the opportunities necessary for them to thrive, we’re missing out on the potential of nearly half the world’s population.

Women’s rights are human rights for far more than just the fact they’re also humans. They’re real contributors, they make the world run and they too will be the future leaders of America and of the world.

Supporting women’s rights is an issue of kindness.

Supporting your fellow human being, regardless of gender, is a basic tenant of being a decent human.

Think of the Golden Rule: treat others how you wish to be treated. Many of us have heard this sentiment before, and wanting to help your fellow human receive equal opportunities and reach their potential

plays directly into this idea.

For example, the recent women’s marches that took place in St. Louis, throughout the nation and across the world truly were an act of kindness. The women and men of these marches were advocating for the rights of their fellow human regardless of gender, race and sexuality.

Yet, when people actively attempt to downplay the work of the women’s rights movement, they’re curbing the work of the movement from continuing.

When people call feminists “feminazis,” it trivializes the importance of an entire movement while simultaneously adding a stigma to the idea of fighting for equality. When people hold onto antiquated ideas of what a woman’s role should be in society, they attempt to re-marginalize an entire gender fighting for equality.

We, as students, do have power to change the status quo. Go out and protest. Contact your congressional leaders. Act to change the future.

It’s up to all of us, men and women alike, to remedy these issues. Women should be celebrated and, at the very least, provided the same opportunities as men.

It’s about time we care for all people regardless of gender. It’s up to our generation to be the voice of kindness. It’s up to us to be the voice of equality.

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OPINIONS

Challenge your political beliefs I WAS TALKING TO A GOOD FRIEND, A FELlow Democrat, on inauguration day about the dangers of fake news.

Both of us had been strong, enthusiastic Clinton supporters - not just in opposition to Trump, but in affirmation of her ideals - and we had both been troubled by myths and false coverage from right-wing outlets about her.

Through her 30 years in public service, she had truly become the perfect demon for conservative Republicans to attack.

And that’s when I began to worry because as a progressive, I realized who the perfect demon was for liberals - the newly inaugurated President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.

The group of people I surround myself with, which surprise, surprise happens to be composed mostly of liberals, would most likely believe anything about Trump.

When an unsubstantiated dossier surfaced about alleged activities Trump had engaged in previously surfaced, we all believed it.

Much of the Left has fallen victim to the belief that Trump is “not a legitimate president.”

Now while I have the utmost respect for Representative John Lewis, I recognize that the electoral college made a clear choice in December, and we should accept that choice.

It’s very easy to believe exactly what we want about our opponents and about those we consider our biggest rivals, and we often resort to ideas not based in fact or rationalism but in anger.

As I delved deeper into the question of fake news, I realized the reality of the situation. The Left is just as vulnerable to believing fake coverage about its opponents as the Right was because for the past eight years leaders in Washington have retreated further and further into their own corners.

It’s not hard to understand why.

When we refuse to acknowledge the other side, life is easier, our convictions are more understandable, and most troubling of all, we lose the sense of pragmatism that has guided American political thought for so long.

So as we finally enter these next four years, with many of us afraid of the Trump administration’s ideas and policies, we must all make a concerted effort to move beyond our own circles and to talk to the other side.

Only when we engage in open discussion are we able to build consensus.

Hillary Clinton, as first lady, as a Senator and as Secretary of State, was a consensus-builder.

Those of us who were so inspired by her during the campaign must honor that legacy by reaching out of our own bubbles and into the open where we are forced to challenge ourselves.

We must keep marching forward through the next administration toward progress. There is no room to shy away from the other side at this juncture in our history.

BY MARK GOLDENBERG

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Support Trump’s first 100 days THE PEOPLE OF UNITED STATES ARE AFRAID OF what the future holds. I, however, am not. For many years, the U.S. has been a significant world power, yet recently we’ve slipped. With President Trump’s ideas, we have the chance to become an even stronger country.

Trump will face a number of challenges within his first 100 days.

What will Trump do to protect workers? How will he work on environmental problems? Will he be able to deport all the illegal immigrants? Can he repeal the Affordable Care Act? Trump has steps to make sure American workers are treated fairly and compensated correctly. He will start with the withdrawal or renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

With the help of the Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representatives, Trump will crack down on foreign trade abuses on American workers.

Previously, companies left the U.S. for cheaper labor, and then have imported their materials to sell in the states. I want the materials I use to have the “Made in America” quality that I love. As a conservative, I want to make sure my friends and fellow Americans have jobs and proper compensation for their hard work.

One of the most important and controversial policy changes is Trump’s desire to withdraw payments

Twitter troll

from the U.N. war against global warming and instead concentrate on environmental problems in America.

The Dakota Access Pipeline is essential to the country’s energy use. Our country needs this pipeline to further improve energy production, which in turn will help job growth. Trump has stated that the pipeline project will create about 28,000 jobs.

Another priority is to remove more than 2 million criminal and illegal immigrants from this country and suspend any immigration from terror prone regions.

This action provides more jobs for U.S. citizens and helps with the protection of Americans from ISIS and terrorist groups.

Trump is already repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. I’ve seen damage from Obama Care and how it has affected my family - it is unfair.

You can’t be forced to have insurance; each person has a choice. Trump plans on making a similar system to Obama’s, but with one main difference: an option.

Even if you don’t believe in Trump, you need to give him a chance. He has opportunities to make the country greater than it has even been.

I, as an American, will stand by my president.

BY DAVID PAINE

It’s time for “The Donald” to stop tweeting

IT’S OFFICIAL: A TWITTER TROLL IS OUR PRESIdent.

Or at least that’s the way it seems. Our new president can be recognized for his brash words, his fervent supporters and, of course, his Twitter activity.

It’s understandable to have a few hiccups as a president using Twitter. It was really only first used by now former president Barack Obama (miss you Barry O). But Trump’s Twitter usage goes beyond a few hiccups.

Take, for example, his Dec. 6 tweet about Boeing, a company partially based in St. Louis: “Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!”

The result: an approximately 1 percent drop in Boeing stock prices.

Although that doesn’t seem like much and Boeing easily recovered, the instance provides serious worries as to what President Trump can do to market prices with a simple tweet.

But that was in 2016. It’s a new year and Trump has obviously changed. Look at this set of three tweets from Jan. 9, and you’ll see a changed man: “Meryl Streep, one of the most over-rated actresses in Hollywood, doesn't know me but attacked last night at the Golden Globes. She is a.....”

“Hillary flunky who lost big. For the 100th time, I never ‘mocked’ a disabled reporter (would never do that) but simply showed him.......” “‘groveling’ when he totally changed a 16-year-old story that he had written in order to make me look bad. Just more very dishonest media!”

Well maybe he didn’t abide by the whole “new

year, new me” philosophy, especially in continuing to defend himself as a bully of the disabled, but now that he’s president, Trump surely will change.

“Watched protests yesterday but was under the impression that we just had an election! Why didn't these people vote? Celebs hurt cause badly.”

I guess that Jan. 22 tweet proves otherwise. In this tweet, President Trump suggests that Women’s March protesters, who were protesting the inequality between genders and not specifically Trump, did not vote, thus trivializing the meaning of the movement.

I personally know a number of people who protested in these marches, and I’m a huge supporter of gender equality (like we all should be), and we voted and have voiced our dissent.

Tweets like these certainly aren’t presidential in that they don’t support all people like Trump aims to do. Rather, these inflammatory remarks act to further divide the nation.

Despite his many, many flaws, I have to give President Trump a chance.

Why? Because if he fails, our nation fails.

But in order for us, the younger generation, to work toward accepting him, much less tolerating him, he has to make an effort both in the real world and online. That starts with curbing his irresponsible Twitter usage before anything worse happens.

It’s important to remember Mr. President: you were hired for this job to “Make America Great Again,” not to make Twitter great again.

Get off your phone and do your job.

Donald Trump has 22.9 million Twitter followers

BY RYAN BERGER

NEWS

ACTIONS AND REACTIONS President Trumps first eight days in office Jan. 20

President Donald Trump participates in the swearing in ceremony with his wife Melania Trump on Friday, Jan. 20. Picture provided by Wikipedia

THE VIEW. “I was maybe like 700 yards away from where he was standing.”

“We were kinda by the reflecting pool and then we were near the FBI building during the parade.”

THE SPEECH. “The fact that he said that he wanted to bring us together as Americans and along the lines of stopping so devices, make America great again.”

Jan. 23 Non-governmental organizations providing abortions were defunded, withdrawal of the United States from the Trans-Paciic Partnership and issued a series of gag orders on governmental agencies

“Abortions have been going on for a very long time. They are not going to stop when there is not access to safe medical care.”

“It’s a ine line of going through people’s property, but if it [reinstating the pipelines] is going to help the country, then go for it.”

Executive Order: Expediting Environmental Reviews and Approvals for High Priority Infrastructure Projects, revival of Keystone Pipeline and Dakota Access Pipeline

HUNTER BEHRENS || SOPHOMORE

Jan. 25 Executive orders: Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements, Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States

THE IMPACT.

Will Lockwood, freshman

“I felt I witnessed a piece of history because this was such an interesting election. I kinda witnessed first hand the social aspect of the protesters and the people who support Trump I witnessed first hand how sometimes ridiculous it got.”

Carl Lamb, junior

Jan. 27 Executive Orders: Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Employees, Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States

INFOGRAPHIC BY BRITTANY FREEMAN REPORTING BY MAHIKA MUSHUNI

DISTRICT NEWS

$95

2nd

million

stage of construction at MHS: retrofitting

Superintendent Dr. Eric Knost introduced Proposition T at the Jan. 11 board meeting. If passed, the bond issue will fund the second phase of S.T.E.M construction at MHS by the retrofitting of classrooms on the third floor.

“Trump is an egomaniac who has no real idea of the state of illegal immigration and is trying to start a witch hunt to appease the blood thirsty racist section of his voter base.”

EVAN DEL CARMEN || JUNIOR

DAY 8

“I felt I gained from the experience a better understanding of how our government works and operates and how it is a system and not just a bunch of people.”

MEGAN SCHREMP || JUNIOR

Jan. 24

DAY 6

“He set a record for most times prayed during an inauguration. It was nice because we prayed, but it wasn’t just Christianity, it was every religion.”

COLTEN KREKELER || SOPHOMORE

DAY 5

Two students reflect on President Donald Trump’s inauguration at the National Mall

“It’s good because it’s is wasting taxpayers dollars. Too many people are paying for other people’s healthcare.”

DAY 4

MHS takes on the Mall

DAY 1

Executive Order: Minimizing the economic /burden of the patient protection and afordable care act pending repeal

“The question is, what does that accomplish because all of the radical ground you are trying to ight, they are just going to use that as a basis to recruit more people.”

ARIEL ASHIE || SENIOR

INFOGRAPHIC BY BRITTANY FREEMAN SOURCE: WHITEHOUSE.GOV

Board member elections will take place April 4.

There are three seats up for three-year terms and one seat is up for a oneyear term because of former board member Rob Casatle's resignation.

4

seats open for election

3

three-year terms

INFOGRAPHIC BY BRITTANY FREEMAN

5

NEWS

Schools carry Narcan, antidote for heroin use

BY NICK BROUK AND ALEX MCATEER FOR JOHN DOE, WHOSE NAME HAS been changed to protect his identity, the scariest part is falling asleep.

“I never slept,” Doe said. “My parents, as soon as they found out, started saying that if I fell asleep I’d forget to breathe. So I figured if I never went to bed, I’d never forget to breathe. So I’d always be up till 4 a.m., 5 a.m., tripping off heroin, thinking that if I don’t go to sleep, I’ll be just fine.”

Doe is a heroin user and likely not the only one at MHS. An average of seven people in Saint Louis overdose on heroin each month, and that rate is climbing, according to CBS. Already this year, the city has seen 40 heroin-related deaths and been nicknamed “Ground Zero” for America’s heroin epidemic.

School Resource Officer Joe Early confirmed heroin is prevalent.

“It was always people in their twenties or older, and we are seeing now that teens are starting to use heroin as well,” Officer Early said.

Officer Early said the school nurses and officers are now all issued Narcan,

Joe Mozingo and Joe Richardson speak at the Awaken Project of Crestview Middle School. The program was started by Richardson and educates students through about heroin music. Photograph by Nick Brouk an antidote used for stopping an opiate overdose. Previously this drug was almost exclusive to ambulances and hospitals.

Gretchen Henry, school nurse, said Narcan is given to family members if they are related to an addict.

Officer Early and Henry both blame the current rise in heroin abuse on the relatively easy access kids have to prescription medication.

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“You kind of get a feel that when so many people are starting to have Narcan and carry Narcan other than the ambulances, even with the high price of that drug, you know that it’s a pretty bad circumstance that would force that,” Officer Early said.

Narcan costs an average of $140 for two doses.

Officer Early said kids would often steal their parents’ prescription drugs

that mimicked opiates and crush and snort them, which eventually led to similar behavior with heroin.

Eighty percent of people who use heroin report having first misused prescription opioids, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

“Whenever people are getting hooked on these drugs, they're living for the drug and doing everything they can for the drug,” Officer Early said.

Organizations such as the Awaken Project have raised funds in hopes of fighting substance abuse.

On Jan. 11, Jeff Mozingo and Joe Richardson lead the Awaken Project at Crestview Middle School, a presentation on the harrowing reality of the growing heroin epidemic in the St. Louis area.

Along with Addiction Is Real, a non-profit made up of individuals who have been personally affected by the current drug epidemic, Richardson described in detail the intense struggle he endured while trying to help his son beat heroin, a battle Billy Joe Richardson Jr.. eventually lost.

Now, Richardson honors Billy’s memory by warning parents and students alike to “Never get curious about heroin. Not even once.”

COMMUNITY

Seniors Hannah Freeman, Julianne Haglof and Erin Grossman march on Saturday, Jan. 20 from Union Station to the Arch to protest for women’s rights following the inauguration of President Donald Trump. The march had an estimated 3.2 to 4.7 million people in attendance world wide. Printed with permission by Julianne Haglof

Students march for gender equality man said she had a cold, and as such was not planning on attending the event until the events of the day before.

YLIE HULL, SOPHOMORE, REMEMBERS EVERYTHING “The whole point of the march initially was to ensure that equal from the Women's March: the signs, the traffic and the rights were being placed at the forefront of society, but I think it chants. Most of all, Hull recalls the atmosphere. definitely transformed into an anti-Trump thing,” Grossman said.

“It was amazing,” Hull said. “I felt like all of my opinions were “I think that this has really risen out of the Trump administration, very valid and everybody else was really supportive of each other especially with all of his appointments.” and there wasn’t anybody bringing us down.”

Grossman said that if Hillary Clinton had been elected PresiHull said the march allowed her to feel as if she and others have dent, the march would have had an entirely different atmosphere. the power to organize and protect themselves, “It just would have been less about defiance and more about “Just being surrounded by all these women who were out there empowerment,” Grossman said. trying to make a difference and better their country, I felt really Akash Sarkar, junior, did not take part in the march, but agreed empowered there,” Hull said. “I felt like that's what it's like to be that Trump’s election played a role in its tone.

American.”

“It would be more prideful and happy. With Hull said her main purpose for attending the Trump, it was more fearful and angry,” Sarkar said. march was to show her solidarity to those who Sarkar said the Trump campaign was unfairly held “I marched to struggle and agitate for rights everyday. to a higher standard in the election because he faced “I used my voice and I told a lot of people that off against a female candidate. support and show I’m here to support them,” Hull said. “I just wanted “News agencies were constantly tirading him for solidarity for those who to show that we’re not gonna let anybody’s voices a war against women while the Clinton’s probably feel marginalized espebe silenced.” equaled Trump in cases against women with Presicially after the inauguraOn Saturday, Jan. 21, the day after President dent Bill Clinton’s rape accusations,” Sarkar said. “I tion.”

Trump’s inauguration, students joined hundreds of think the inaccurate covering of the President was thousands of citizens worldwide in taking part in one of the reasons why we have so much polarizaJULIANNE HAGLOF the global Women’s March, a movement composed tion.”

SENIOR of upwards of 3 million people, where they walked Sarkar said that while he supports the rights of to raise awareness for gender and racial equality. people to protest, he simply doesn’t understand why Julianne Haglof, senior, said she felt galvanized they would be doing so in this situation. to engage in the march to counter the inequalities she feels perme“I believe that it is doing very little to accomplish anything,” ate through society.

Sarkar said. “We have much bigger things to accomplish. This wom“I marched to support and show solidarity for those who feel en's march is just more whining than accomplishing anything.” marginalized, especially after the inauguration, and also to join in Josie Koch, junior, said she felt compelled to attend the march making a statement that discrimination, racism, xenophobia, hoafter hearing about it in the days prior. mophobia and objectification are not going to be tolerated,” Haglof “I just went because I thought it would be fun and my mom was said. interested, so we decided to go check it out together,” Koch said.

Haglof said she felt proud to be part of such a large representa“Some people at the march were riled up, but others were just excittion of American democracy and ideals. ed to be there.”

“The crowd was incredibly friendly, energetic, welcoming and Koch said the premise of the march rested on advancing the tolerating toward all, and the march was overall a celebration of the rights of women all over the world. amazing feat of millions of people across the world coming together “Women’s rights are humans rights and I’m happy to remember to stand up for what should at this point be second nature,” she said. how far we’ve come in such a short period of time.”

Erin Grossman, senior, attended the march with Haglof. Gross-

BY GREG SVIRNOVSKIY

K

7

IN-DEPTH

“

SHOW ME WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE.” “This is what democracy looks like.”

What began as a small chant soon rippled through the crowds until hundreds of people were shouting those same lines for the same cause: equality.

Tingles started running up and down the arms of Yujin Kim, senior. She waited in line for an hour at the Brentwood metro station for this, the Women’s March downtown on Jan. 21.

After immigrating from South Korea 14 years ago, Kim said she has never felt more American than in that moment, standing downtown as she marched for equality.

“I wouldn’t say I’m much of a patriot for the U.S. or my home country of Korea, but at that moment I kind of wanted to tear up,” Kim said. “It was just really overwhelming.”

For Kim, being American means accepting other people’s differences.

For Eleanor Smith, junior, being American means standing up for your beliefs and upholding the values presented by the Declaration of Independence.

For Arjun Devraj, senior, being American means being accepting, being open and being tolerant.

So, what makes us American?

WE THE PEOPLE In light of recent political developments, students reflect upon what it means to be American

BY KAVYA JAIN, ELLIE TOLER AND ATHENA ZENG

ON PATRIOTISM

Devraj said he encourages people to volunteer with organizations that represent their beliefs, whether those beliefs fall on the right or the left.

For him, a good American is someone who is op and industrious.

“I think that the biggest thing is that we confuse being American with being born here which is com pletely wrong because anyone who founded Ameri like their ancestors no one except Native American rightfully began America,” Devraj said.

Eleanor Smith, junior, said it doesn’t matterwhether people are born in this country for them t be an American. However, once they’re in the U.S. she thinks they should assimilate to the culture.

“People need to be willing and okay to accept o ideals and our situations and conform from what they’re used to and maybe keep some of their ideal but be completely involved in America,” Smith said Zach Davis, senior, said you can be born Ameri can or achieve American status through the legal p cess. His grandfather is from Puerto Rico, a United States territory, that technically makes him an Ame can but not in the eyes of others, explained Davis.

“When people think of Americans they think o Caucasian men, but anyone can be American as lon as they’re here legally,” he said.

Davis said this election has changed society’s p spective on what it means to be American.

“I feel like it’s created a divide between the peo that there’s a difference between actual Americans and immigrants and that immigrants aren’t real Americans,” he said. “But they are.”

A DUAL IDENTITY

Devraj said he questioned American ideals most strongly after the election because he felt as if it were a repudiation to his identity. However, he found support in people with similar beliefs.

He sees a distinct difference between being patriotic and being nationalistic. With patriotism, people strive to improve their country in order to create a more accepting, open union. With nationalism, people blindly accept anything America does.

To promote patriotism rather than nationalism,

Zoya Abbassi, senior, was born and raised in America by her parents, who both immigrated from Pakistan as teenagers.

To her, being an American means to be hopeful and proud. It means being willing to chase your dreams.

Though her nationality is technically American her ethnicity is Pakistani.

She said she feels as if she lives two lives, one

Roee Dar, senior | He

Yujin Kim, senior | Korean Yahya Abbasi, freshman | English Lucas Martins, sophomore | Spanish

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IN-DEPTH

Abbassi headed to Lambert International Airport Pakistani and another American. As a Pakistani, she with some friends on Sunday, Jan. 29 in protest of the spends time with family friends, wears traditional clothing and eats Pakistani food. As an American, she executive order. They held signs outside of terminals one and two, with mixed reactions from other people hangs out with school friends. at the airport. Some were supportive, honking their She thought her two identities clashed because horns and giving them a thumbs-up. Others, however, the norms of American society and the norms of the just shook their heads.

Pakistani culture her parents were raised with were She said she wanted to spread her message that so different. the actions of radical Islamic terrorists do not reflect In the recent years, Abbassi has come to learn all Muslim people. She thinks fear largely contributes how to balance her American identity and Pakistani to the misconception that all Muslim people pose a heritage. She’s brought them together instead of septhreat to America. arating them. Now, she identifies a Pakistani-American.

Above all else, she strongly identifies with her AMERICAN BY GENERATION Muslim faith.

Nora Madaras, senior, grew up with Romanian Islam shapes her American identity everyday culture in an American society. because many of her morals and values derive from Born and raised in a Romanian-American houseit, she said. Islam emphasizes becoming a better indihold, Nora said she has a strong sense of American vidual everyday through spreading kindness, staying identity while maintaining her Romanian roots. honest, respecting elders and being responsible.

“At first, I thought it was going to be more like Abbassi said she tries to remember Islamic printwo separate worlds where at home it’s all Romanian ciples and values to be a better human and friend to and then at school it’s all American,” Nora said, “but those around her. my home wouldn’t be found in Romania.”

“Islam has a large emphasis on each individual Nora said America has a looser definition of being trying to improve themselves everyday to become a American compared to other countries because of its better human being and friend to all those around us diversity. She said that while people definitely change and that can be done by staying honest, respecting elders, taking responsibility, being kind et cetera, and when they move to America and adapt to the way of life, immigrants can still keep their I try and remember these goals evheritage with them. eryday and live by them to continue “There’s definitely not a full to try and better myself,” Abbassi Check out our video pressure to completely Americanize said. yourself,” she said. “Most people in on what it means to be this country actually value holding FRUSTRATIONS ENSUE American on on to your family’s culture in the MARQUETTEMESSENGER. past, so I don’t think it’s that big of When Abbassi heard about COM a pressure.”

President Donald Trump’s executive However, even with these order restricting refugees from sevdifferences she said all Americans en predominantly Muslim countries, share the ideals of hard work, freedom and individushe said she was shocked. ality.

“I’m all for promoting safety and regulations for Americans highly value working their way up refugees who are coming and for people who want the ladder through a systematic approach of going to to call America their home because they should have school and getting a job whereas in Romania things the best intentions when coming here,” Abbassi said.

aren’t as advanced and the nation is still trying to recover from communist regime, Nora said.

Although Nora said American values can be wonderful, she also firmly believes that citizens must think critically about their country.

“We should take a long, hard look at the problems that we do have and include everyone in fixing them,” she said.

Mihaela Madaras, Nora’s mother, moved to the U.S. in 1992 as student from Romania. Originally, her plans were to move back to Romania after finishing her schooling at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

But after pursuing a postdoctoral, getting married, finding a job in Rochester, New York and having two children, Mihaela said she felt established in the U.S. and thought it would be best for Nora and her sister Alexandra to grow up and go to school in the U.S. Six years ago, after 19 years in the U.S., Mihaela and her husband, Marcel Madaras, finally became American citizens.

“It took a lot of hard work and adjusting because this is not an easy thing, to come from a completely different culture, from a completely different continent, to come here and find a new home,” Mihaela said. “But we did it and for us, and it’s our new home.

We wouldn’t go back.”

Although Marcel dreams of retiring back in Romania, Mihaela said the reality is that she’s gotten so used to the way of life here, and she doesn’t want to be too far from her children.

That’s what being American means to Mihaela, she said. It just means being with a family.

Mihaela said being invested in the election and feeling disheartened by the results proved to her that she was American and made her feel a part of the American culture more than anything.

“It’s my country because it’s my children’s’ country, and I feel responsible for the future,” Mihaela said. “So I feel like I need to participate in shaping the future. Any parent, I think, feels that way. If your children were to live here, you want to shape that future in a way, be apart of it and have a responsibility towards it.”

Kenzie Meador, sophomore | English

ebrew Balqees Abdelbaset, sophomore | Arabic

Billy An, junior | Chinese

9

COMMUNITY

Alumnus works to unify city, county STL BY THE NUMBERS

BY ELLIE TOLER

W

HAT BEGAN AS A PASSIONATE SIDE project escalated to a business plan, blog and finally a nonprofit organization.

Jake Hollander, Class of 2009, started St. Louis Strong, a nonpartisan grassroots movement, in October 2015 with a mission in mind: rectifying the divisions that hurt the St. Louis economy and damaged the sense of community throughout the region.

For Hollander, accomplishing this goal means the re-entry of St. Louis City into the county.

Hollander said the unification of city and county would increase economic opportunity, alleviate social abuses and more effectively allocate resources towards the region’s most pressing issues.

“Simply bringing the city into the county or conducting a full-out merger is not going to change the prospects of the region overnight,” Hollander said.

“However, it does increase our chances of becoming an economically viable region in which your chances of success begin to depend less on your zip code or skin color.”

He and the rest of St. Louis Strong have hosted three community roundtables, where citizens can propose their plans to restructure the St. Louis area.

Hollander said he’s seen a flood of support from people across the city and county. Although St. Louis Strong lacks funding or paid staff members, they boast a Facebook following that is comparable to organizations with a paid communications team.

While the Municipal League of Metro St. Louis supports simple re-entry, the Chesterfield city council opposed discussing the matter by a 6-2 margin.

10

Hollander said he aims to generate enough support from the community to persuade public officials to support unification.

Connor Ouchi, junior, attended St. Louis Strong’s first monthly supporter meeting on Jan. 10 at T-Rex on Washington Ave. He hopes the city and county can be unified in the near future.

“It’s not going to be an easy task,” Ouchi said.

“There’s a lot of education to be done. There’s a lot of political outreach to do.”

Ouchi said he supports the cause because it’s fiscally responsible to consolidate resources.

“It’s going to take some time, but ultimately if St. Louisans get involved, get active and get educated then this could be a reality hopefully in the near future,” Ouchi said.

Kyle Juvers, associate director of Better Together Saint Louis, said his organization was created in response to the growing public interest in the unification of the city and county.

Juvers said a fragmented St. Louis has created internal competition, service disparities and prevention of strong regional leadership. However, his reports indicate that St. Louis does not lack the resources or capabilities to flourish. He cites the universities, cultural institutions and philanthropic community in St. Louis as being a clear indication that the city can thrive.

“The building blocks for a thriving, vibrant region are present and in many cases the reasons its residents choose to call the St. Louis region home,” Juvers said. “However, what has been evident time and again is that the citizens of the region lack a governmental structure worthy of its people.”

90 MUNICIPALITIES in St. Louis County alone Annually, St. Louis City and County governments cost

2.3 BILLION DOLLARS

52,000 pages

of ordinances for the city and county

43 municipalities sit on one square mile of land or less INFOGRAPHIC BY ELLIE TOLER SOURCE: BETTER TOGETHER STL

COMMUNITY Feb. 9, 2017

Sept. 26, 2016

Sept. 1, 2016

Feb. 2, 2017

TBD, 2017

New businesses come to Ellisville, facilitate growth

BY ATHENA ZENG FIRST IT WAS RAISING CANES. Then it was Chick-fil-A. And now it’s Popeye’s.

At first thought, it may seem like Ellisville has discovered a newfound and intense craving for chicken. But the arrival of these chicken restaurants is merely a small fraction of the new businesses and growth Ellisville has been seeing for these past five years. Within February alone, Ellisville residents can expect to see a new QT, Arby’s, Chick-fil-A. And in to be announced dates, a Starbucks and a Popeye’s.

The major development of Ellisville began in 2012, Mayor of Ellisville Adam Paul said, when he first took office and was faced with some difficult challenges. Fountain Plaza, where Lifetime Fitness is, was 60 percent vacant and the Best Buy and K-Mart were closing. Paul, the council and the administration had to decide whether or not they would move forward with tax incentives in order to bring a Walmart in, a development that was already on the table.

“Nothing against the Wal-Mart, I was against the financing incentives for the developer,” Paul said. “I’ve always been a free market individual. I think the free market should dictate itself,

and we shouldn’t pick winners and losto tax incentives for retail, to create a ers when it comes to determining what soft landing pad and level playing field businesses should come in and out of for businesses that want to locate in town in search of sales tax revenue.”

Ellisville.

Despite the risk of turning down the “I give a lot of credit to organization Wal-Mart in the wake of the vacancies, from the administrative and operations Paul said this proved to be the right de- standpoint all the way down to public cision. Now, the 150 residents who live works and police departments,” Paul in the Estates at Parkview Apartments said. “It’s been a complete effort and a are still able to live there, and the Ellischange of mindset in the way we view ville council has plans to instate a big or business.” mid box store in the Additionally, Bill empty dealership lots.

Schwer, city manager, Since 2012, they’ve said Ellisville was able to “It’s been a complete built 450 thousand attract the sprouting of efort and a change of square feet of vacant many new businesses by mindset in the way we lots with new develpartnering with Ballwin opment. They’ve also and Wildwood, MoDOT, view business.” increased the city’s and East West Gateway ADAM PAUL sales tax revenue Council of Governments MAYOR OF ELLISVILLE by 15 percent and has paved the way for the brought in new resiimplementation of the dential developments Great Streets Project, a and projects that created thousands of $12 million investment in Ellisville jobs over the last five years in construc- corridor. Schwer said the Great Streets tion and retail, Paul said.

Project greatly improves traffic flow, The reason why Paul said Ellisville increases aesthetic appeal, and demonhas been seeing such dramatic growth strates to businesses that the Manchesand success, even more so than some ter corridor will be a vibrant place to neighboring communities, is because do business for years to come. With all the city has put in the right leadership, these aspects considered, Schwer ancleaned house at city hall and put in ticipates a 2 percent retail sales growth new administration, he said. The new each year. administration was able to instill laws “In closely-knit markets like ours, and regulations, such as the opposition there will always be an ebb and flow

among locales and municipalities,” Schwer said. “But I believe the business community has recognized our commitment to efficiency in our permitting process, as well as our willingness to be flexible and receptive to their needs.

Tony Johnson, the owner-operator of the incoming Ellisville Chick-fil-A, said the location’s potential for growth, its proximity to other locations, and its good working business relationship is what attracted the restaurant’s business.

Johnson said there’s an opportunity for the Chick-fil-A to partner with the community in a lot of ways. One being some new service oriented items that they’re going to announce at the grand opening on Feb. 9., and the other being 85 to 100 jobs worth of employment.

Irene Gao, senior, found out about the Chick-fil-A job on Snagajob and was further encouraged by the restaurants’ posters touting benefits for high school workers she had seen.

“I think the growth in Ellisville is wonderful,” Gao said. “The place they picked is perfect because it’s in the center of all these suburbs that love Chick-fil-A. They’re building a really great community and it helps because they want everyone of all ages and especially all schools, because they’re all about the community.”

10% off all Services 173 Long Road Suite 102 Chesterfield, MO 63005 (636) 536-4247

11

FEATURES

SLAM DUNK Poetry team finds success; to compete tomorrow

BY ELLIE TOLER

A

FTER RECEIVING AN EMAIL ASKING FOR one more team for their slam poetry competition, Poetry Club sponsor Shelly Justin, language arts teacher, had three words for non-profit organization UrbArts: We’ll do it.

The team, which is called Beauty and the Beats in reference to beats of poetry, first consisted of MyKayla Ridgell, sophomore, and juniors Petiri Munyikwa, Zack Lesmeister and Jordan Shatto.

They took second place at their first slam competition, which is called a bout, on Jan. 16 at UrbArts, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting the arts. They then snagged a first place finish two days later on Wednesday, Jan. 18, at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School.

Justin said one of the judges contacted the team after their first competition to tell them how rare it is for a brand new group to place in the top three.

“I kind of had to push them out there like little baby chickens, and I’ll tell you they’re addicted now,” Justin said. “They’ve got that bug.”

Two new performers, juniors Emma Resek and Jillian Hyink, competed at another competition on Jan. 25 at Hazelwood West High School with Lesmeister and Ridgell. They finished first out of four teams.

The team will compete tomorrow against 13 other teams at St. Louis Community College in Forest Park for the finals competition of the UrbArts Festival.

“We’re not expecting to go first place, but just from what we’ve seen, I have a good feeling they’re

Cecilia Kayser, senior; MyKayla Ridgell, sophomore; and juniors Jillian Hyink, Emma Resek and Zack Lesmeister watch a member from the Misfits perform at the Hazelwood West competition on Jan. 25. The slam team will perform tomorrow at St. Louis Community College in Forest Park. Photograph by Athena Zeng going to be up there in the top three of four in the final competition,” Justin said. “We’re going to be a force to meet.”

The judging for slam poetry is very subjective, Justin said. Six people judge the poems for each bout, but they drop the two highest and two lowest scores before averaging the middle. Competing poets may not use props, and they must perform their own original work.

Although Jordan Shatto, junior, doesn’t attend Poetry Club, she’s been writing poems since the second grade and now performs as part of the slam team.

Whereas she used to write about her aspirations and dreams, Shatto said she now finds inspiration in her past struggles. She wrote one poem a year before she performed it at a competition, so she had to go back and channel those emotions from that time in

her life.

“Anyone can wish for something, but not everyone can really connect to an experience the way that you can,” Shatto said.

Petiri Munyikwa, junior, said many audience members will voice their approval when the poet says something profound. Then there’s the snapping, which people do to encourage poets when they stumble over their words or make an error.

Munyikwa said he feels powerful when he performs his poems on stage as he draws positive energy from the audience.

“It’s like I’m reclaiming my own story for what I want it to be,” Munyikwa said. “I don’t have to label myself as anything when I’m onstage.”

TAXI! Cabs provide alternative transportation

BY ALIA ARIF ROBERT GARY, JUNIOR, WOULD wake up every Tuesday and Thursday morning first semester at 5:30 a.m., take a shower, eat breakfast and wait for his ride to school.

Unlike his usual bus, which would’ve often been delayed, Gary’s ride would come promptly at 6 a.m., with a stranger in the front seat, ready to drive Gary to school.

Gary participates in Rockwood’s taxi service, a program that employs 150-175 taxis per week to allow students alternative transportation options to and from school.

“I only use it to come for math help and stuff like that,” Gary said.

Brittany Hogan is Rockwood’s coordinator of educational equity and diversity, the department through which Rockwood supplies students who’ve demonstrated a need for transportation with taxis.

While Gary uses the program to get to school earlier for academic

12

Trevon Ramsey, junior, arrives to school on Jan. 31 from St Louis City by means of St Louis Taxi. “I like it.” Ramsey said, “I don’t have to drive out here, so it saves gas.” Photograph by Alia Arif purposes, most of the taxis are used by students for extracurricular activities, Hogan said. Rockwood has about 20 students designated as homeless currently using cabs as their transportation to school, Hogan said.

Last year, both the Department of Educational Equity and Diversity

(DEED) and Rockwood School District spent about $250,000 on alternative transportation programs.

Rockwood Voluntary Interdistrict Choice (VICC) is the program through which students who live in the metropolitan area have the option of attending county district schools. Sometimes,

however, the VICC program’s bus routes cannot encompass all of the homes that need VICC’s transportation.

Jackie Gary, Robert Gary’s mother, said the VICC program was very helpful with providing transportation.

Jackie said while the program helped alleviate the strain of finding a ride for Robert before school, allowing Robert to be driven to school by a stranger everyday concerned her.

“He’s been part of the transfer of the city to county since he was 5 years old,” Jackie said. “I was more worried when he was younger.”

Hogan said all taxi drivers are screened before being used in the program. With the issue of safety out of Jackie’s mind, she suggests the program to other families in similar situations.

“Yes, we don’t have any problems,” Jackie said. “As long as the parents know who their kids are getting in a cab with, check the person, license plate, keep communicating with the child, and know when they reach school, then it’s good.”

FEATURES

Neon nights Changes to Turnabout elicit mixed reactions among students

BY ELENA MCCORMICK LEXI BRATTON, SOPHOMORE, TOOK hours to get ready for Turnabout last year.

Forty minutes on hair and makeup, the perfect dress, photos with friends, the whole shabang.

“I prepared with my friends and we all took forever,” Bratton said.

Bratton wore a black knitted lace dress adorned with colorful flowers that cut just above the knee.

This year, the Marquette Academic & Cultural Club (MACC) will host the annual Turnabout tomorrow night at 7 p.m. in the Commons.

In a departure from previous years, the theme is neon, meaning that the dresses and suits of the past will no longer be a requisite for the evening.

Junior Isaiah Hughston, president of MACC, said he and other members collectively decided to promote a casual atmosphere for Turnabout, so people wouldn’t have to buy new, expensive clothing for only one night.

“I think the idea got misconstrued because with Turnabout. The only thing we’re changing is that we said, ‘come as you are’,” Hughston said.

Hughston said the nature of the dance is meant to be a break from the magnitude of formal school dances While Homecoming and Prom are both regarded as more important dances, the style for Turnabout is now encouraged to be whatever someone wants to wear.

Carter Monks, sophomore, wore a white button dress shirt with a navy blue vest and a tie with khaki pants and suede shoes last year.

“I plan on pretty much wearing the same thing this year, maybe a few changes, but more or less the same thing,” Monks said.

Monks said he liked the pomp and dress up of the previous themes of the dance.

“I personally like what it was last year,” Monks said, “I like getting dressed up and I think other people like to get dressed up to just give them a chance to get fancy, especially because we don’t have that chance too often.”

MACC will be giving away free Homecoming and Prom tickets at the door for those who have already bought tickets to Turnabout this year. With every 100 tickets sold, two more tickets will be given away.

In an effort to maximize the number of people at Turnabout, MACC has been listening to many different concerns and opinions about the dance to make it more appealing for everyone.

They have displayed posters across the school. The members have also put together a playlist to collectively mix with the DJs. Junior Principal Carl Hudson, sponsor of MACC, said to treat Turnabout like a big party. Neon will only be a theme, and it shouldn’t make someone dress how they don’t want to.

Micah Nellis, sophomore, sees this year’s theme as challenging the normalities of a dance.

“In dressing casually, we are saying that we don’t care about the ‘rules’, you can do, and you can dress however you want,” Ellis said.

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13

ARTS&LEISURE

BEST OF THE WEST

A look into some of STL’s neighborhoods

BY AUSTIN WOODS AND MARK GOLDENBERG

L

The Central West End Timothy Lumpkins browses through Left Bank Books.

“The kind of books I like vary,” he said. “Right now I’m on a mindfulness kick.” Photograph by Austin Woods

T

HE MISSOURI BAKING COMpany in the Hill, is an independent food outlet located at 2027 Edwards St. Imai Anabayan, junior, is an occasional visitor to the Hill, and enjoys the area for its various restaurants, including the Missouri Baking Co. “The last time I went was with family friends from Iowa, and we had a big meal,” he said.

Anabayan said that MHS students can learn a lot from the Hill and its cultural diversity.

“MHS students would love the Hill, especially those taking foreign language classes,” Anabayan said. “Students can learn to appreciate other cultures as they do in their classes. There’s a strong Italian influence there that helps students learn to appreciate these other cultures. It

just shows the diversity of the community.”

Diane Gambaro, Missouri Baking Co. employee, said that the bakery is an important part of the Hill experience.

“It’s a local gathering for people,” Gambaro said. “We have the same customers who come daily or weekly.”

The business was started by an Italian family, but gradually flourished into a retail bakery. The family’s original recipes are still used. “[Our bakery is different from others in that] we are fourth generation and we’re family owned,” Gambaro said. “We make all of our products The Missouri Baking Co. has been selling traditional pastries from scratch.” since an Italian family arrived to the area years ago. Photograph

The Hill

by Austin Woods

T The Grove Pam Kell finishes up her grocery shopping.

Photograph by Austin Woods

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EFT BANK BOOKS, IN CENTRAL West End, is an independent bookstore located at 399 N Euclid Ave. Morgan Simers, sophomore, is a frequent visitor of the Central West End, and a fan of Left Bank Books.

“I like the authors that come in and do readings of their books, and they have a really good selection there,” Simers said. “[The Central West End] is quite different from living in the suburbs. It’s a lot more exposure to the arts and culture.”

Lauren Wiser, marketing and publicity manager for Left Bank Books, sees the business as vital to the community.

“I think every neighborhood would benefit from having a good bookstore because we do so much more than sell books,” Wiser, said. “We strive to be a good neighbor in everything we do.”

The store carries books by local authors, and is part of the Left Bank Books Foundation, which promotes literacy in the community.

“I feel like one of our strengths is that we’ve been able to grow with the times,” Wiser said. “Like having a full e-commerce website, offering e-books and e-readers like the Kobo, and physically growing the store in space and inventory.”

Wiser said the store has maintained its integrity and original goal and continues to contribute to the St. Louis area.

“We’re a place for dialogue and idea-sharing, a place for knowledge about our world and our struggles, a place to learn more about our city and its citizens, and how we can work to better the lives of all of them,” Wiser said.

Timothy Lumpkins, a local resident, visits the Central West End about twice a month, and likes visiting Left Bank Books most of all.

“I like that the staff is knowledgeable about a lot of different things,” Lumpkins said. “When I think about other bookstores, they don’t have that level of comfort where I can talk to the staff and get suggestions. So there’s a really good human element.”

HE GROVE CONTAINS CITY GREENS Market, located at 4260 Manchester Ave., an independent 501c3 non-profit corporation that buys locally produced food that is grown without chemicals.

Dylan Naylor, co-director of City Greens Market, sees this as one of its defining factors.

“We buy food that is much higher quality [than other grocery stores] because we know the people growing it and we know that it was picked the day before, sometimes even the day of, delivery,” Naylor said.

City Greens Market was founded eight years ago by a local group that felt disappointed with long commutes to buy groceries.

“We are still the only store [in the Grove] that sells fresh vegetables,” Naylor said.

Altogether, Naylor sees City Greens Market as

important to the Grove, the St. Louis area, and to farmers everywhere.

“We sell all locally grown organic fruit and vegetables, which sets us apart from other grocery stores like Schnucks, Dierbergs, Trader Joe’s, and Whole Foods. Those grocery stores do almost nothing to support local agriculture,” he said.

“They are actually partly responsible for hundreds of local farms going out of business over the years because they have chosen to support corporate mega-farms in California, Mexico, and China.”

Pam Kell, a local resident, has been shopping at City Greens Market for a year and a half, and appreciates what the store has to offer.

“It offers fresh fruits and vegetables and healthy meats to an area that doesn’t have those things,” Kell said. “I’m attracted to the idea of locally grown foods the most.”

ARTS & LEISURE From the hottest new celebrities to racy politicians, high school students are all over the latest gossip, but in between all of the rumors, does the “breaking news” get lost? When 240 students were asked to identify six TV personalities at lunch on Jan. 25 the results were as follows.

BRIAN WILLIAMS

ELLEN DEGENERES

chief news anchor for MSNBC

POP

22.1% 78.2%

MEGYN KELLY news anchor for NBC 18.0% 81.6%

host of “The Ellen Degeneres Show” 99.5% 0.5%

VS

CONAN O’BRIEN host of “Conan” 71.2% 28.8%

NEWS JIMMY FALLON

WOLF BLITZER host of ”The Situation Room” on CNN

host of “The Tonight Show” 100% 0%

15.4% 84.5%

18.5% of students knew news personalities

on 90.2% students knew pop average... ofculture personalities

correctly identified

incorrectly identified

INFOGRAPHIC BY BRITTANY FREEMAN

15

SPORTS

Count sports as PE credit AT THIS POINT IN THE YEAR, I AM worrying about what classes I must sign up for next year to satisfy my credit needs.

One in particular I’ve been dreading since my freshman year: the other half of my P.E. credit.

None of the listed classes strike me as interesting, and I’d rather spend my time at school doing something I want to do. Physical education is not anything I want to do.

Let me rephrase, the physical education courses aren’t appealing to me. I’m active in other ways inside and outside of school.

I’ve participated in lacrosse for two seasons, and plan to do it as long as I am here. I also did cross country this past fall.

So, if I’m spending my free time active, why can’t that count to satisfy my P.E. credit?

Practice for both of those sports are two hours after school everyday, and from February to April, that’s about 80 hours of practice per sport, not including games, meets or off-season workouts.

Now, if I were to take a PE class, 49 minutes a day, from January to May, that’s about 66 hours.

That’s 24 more hours I am spending active in a sport than I would be in PE, and people often don’t put as much effort into PE courses as their favored sports.

People have pointed out that it might be unfair, but nothing is stopping any student from doing a sport if they please. For example, cross country is a no-cut sport, meaning you will make the team.

This doesn’t have to only include school-sponsored athletics either. Many students do sports outside of school, like rugby, rowing, gymnastics, etc.

There has been an instance where an MHS student was involved in elite gymnastics training, and was in the gym for over 20 hours a week. Essentially, he did home-school PE. His coach would send his mom the attendance, which would then be sent to the school and counted towards the required semester of PE. If a sport were to count as a credit, then attendance would have to be strict, much like a PE class, and a certain number of missed practices should result in consequences or loss of credit.

But with the 1,292 students who participate in school sports, nearly half the MHS population, extracurricular sports should be considered an option for PE classes. With a system like that, students will have greater freedom and more options within their schedules.

BY DELANEY NEELY

16

Mystique to compete at Nationals Sophomores Jamie Holtzman, Jenna Karl, Lauryn Colona and Sadie Eggman perform their Britney Spears mix at the Mystique showcase on Sunday, Jan. 29. Varsity Mystique will compete at Nationals in Orlando, Fla. next month. Photograph by Tali Gorodetsky

BY JEN BOSCHE

E

RIN BROOKS, SENIOR, HAS BEEN WORKING very hard with the rest of her dance team to complete their season on a good note. “[Mystique] is like a big family,” Brooks said.

“Coming on to it, I didn’t know that it would be like that and it’s great to have those people by my side.”

She has been dancing since she was two and from March 2-6, Brooks and the rest of the Mystique girls will be competing at Nationals in Orlando, Fla. Mystique has been preparing for this event by practicing three to four times a week, with Thursday practices at 6 a.m.

“We’ve been in ‘competition mode’ since October and will keep going until Nationals in March,” Sara Fuchs, Mystique coach, said.

Practices consist of running the dances over and over while fixing mistakes by “cleaning” them.

Although exhausting, the process produces positive results.

Mystique has attended nationals three times in the past and have made it to the finals each time.

This year, the girls will be looking to keep the streak going in the large jazz category and the medium mix category.

“Unlike other sports, dance is based solely on opinion,” Fuchs said. “One competition the judges may love the dance, and the next they give us a lot of critiques.”

Mystique competed at three previous competitions this season. At camp, the girls placed first. This was the qualifier for Nationals. Then, at the Yvonne Cole Invitational, the jazz dance scored higher than the mixed dance whereas at the Lee’s Summit North Invitational, it was the opposite.

Kaylee Schriever, senior, has a great love for dancing and is excited to compete.

“This year we are a pretty talented group and I think we are going to rank better than last year.”

Schriever said.

Other Missouri teams also will be attending.

These schools include Ladue, Rockwood Summit, Seckman and Mehlville.

“I will say this group of girls is one of the hardest working teams that Mystique has ever had. They are constantly working outside of practice to improve and it’s showing everyday,” Fuchs said. “We always aim to go to Nationals and make finals. That’s a huge deal to be able to compete with the best of the best, and come out in at least the top half.”

Winter Guard snags second place The Winter Guard team performed their dance to “Read All About It” by Emilie Sande at Rockwood Review on Friday, Jan. 27 at MHS. They then took second place at the AA Division at the Mascoutah High School Festival on Saturday, Jan. 28. “I’m so pumped about second because normally we never place that high or even break a 60,” Will Phillips, sophomore, said. Photograph by Aleanah Arraya