The 800 News - Issue 8, May 2019

THE 800

NEWS

APRIL 2019

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THE 800 STAFF

THE 8

EDITOR IN CHIEF ISABELLA FRANCOIS, JUNIOR

PRINT EDITOR NATALIE FORD, JUNIOR

SPORTING WCA EDITOR THOMAS SCHULTZ, SENIOR

MEDIA EDITOR BENNIE ANDERSON, JUNIOR

NEWS EDITOR GABE CARADONNA , SENIOR

FEATURES EDITOR AMANDA ESPY, SENIOR 2 STAFF

800 STAFF

STUDENTS SERVING STUDENTS

OPINION EDITOR ASHLEY MOLLENHOFF, SENIOR QUICK READS CLAIRE SANDAN, SENIOR

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR ALLISON EICHENLAUB, SENIOR

IN DEPTH EDITOR AVA BIDNER, JUNIOR

SPORTING PRINT EDITOR TOMMY BRINER, JUNIOR

THE 800 STAFF PEARSON GEORGES • ZACH CANCILA • ALEX CHEN • LEA DESPOTIS • DYLAN ELIAS • LAUREN FLEMING • EMMA GORE • JOURNEE HENRY • COLE HINTZ • AVA HOLLMANN • JOEY KEANE • CAROLINE MEGOWN • SYDNEY MOORE • MAX NELSON • JIMMY OBERTOP • MEGAN ROCHE • KOBY SCHMER • NATHANIEL SEMS • REBEKAH SEMS • GRACE SKILJAN • GRIFFIN THOMAS

STAFF 3

CONTENTS

FEATURE

MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS PG. 6 AP OR 1818 PG. 8 SLEEP POSITIONS PG. 9

4 CONTENTS

ENTERTAINMENT IN-DEPTH ICE CREAM PG. 16-17 BUT DOES IT REALLY...

PG. 18 PLANNERS PG. 18

SUMMER HOMEWORK PG. 10-13 CONFIDENT PLURLISM PG. 14-15

SPORTS

LUKE LINAM PG. 22 GIRL’S LACROSSE PG. 23 BOY’S VOLLEYBALL PG. 24 BASEBALL PG. 25 GOLF STATE & BOY’S LACROSSE PG. 26 BLUE CREW & PASSING THE TORCH PG. 27

CONTENTS

STAFF ED

STAFF ED

SUMMER V. YEAR-ROUND SCHOOLING The debate over which form of education is actually more effective Unlike the common assumption about the origin of summer vacation, the long break during the hot summer months was not actually prompted from the agrarian calendar and the need for children to stay home to work on the farm.

provide more stability for at-risk students.”

While year-round schooling can provide more structure for students and give them a sense of stability and continuity in the classroom, it has not proved beneficial to all. In fact, overall academic achievement may not be affected by the choice of a year-round schedule, but of course, true “success” in a school must measure more than just test scores — a student’s mental health, ability to focus, eagerness to learn, retention of material, and application of knowledge to daily life should also be considered when determining if a particular schedule or educational system is effective.

In an article from PBS, Kenneth Gold, a historian at the College of Staten Island, explains the history: “‘What school on the agrarian calendar actually looked like was a short winter term and a short summer term. And if you think about farming needs, that’s actually what makes sense.’ Kids in rural, agricultural areas were most needed in the spring, when most crops had to be planted, and in the fall, when crops were harvested and sold. Historically, many attended school in the summer when there was comparatively less need One parent, Bryan Cooper, whose children attend Piedmont Elementary for them on the farm.”

School claims that his sons “never get that feeling of ‘I’m so sick of being at school’ because they get so many breaks that they are always refreshed and ready to go back to school.”

In urban areas, schools followed a different schedule that also included summer schooling. Schools were generally open year round, but attendance was not mandatory, and children would simply come when they were able.

According to Niche, some of the benefits of a year-round schedule include: And by the end of the 19th century, “school reformers started pushing for increased school building capacity, the enhancement of continuity and pace standardization of the school calendar across urban and rural areas. So a of instruction, and more vacation options for both students and faculty. compromise was struck that created the modern school calendar,” according Perhaps most importantly, as Cooper supported, this school system focuses to PBS. on keeping students’ brains more refreshed, which in turn can allow for a In addition, summer seemed to be a beneficial addition to the school calendar, allowing teachers to take needed time to train as well as giving kids a rewarding break. The original tradition of summer vacation came out of a logical need for a hiatus for students and teachers as well as the reality of avoiding school during the hot months when schools had no air conditioning.

In fact, the concept of summer break did not arise from any one academic reason or concern, but today studies are revisiting the purpose of summer and the benefits and disadvantages it offers.

better learning environment overall — one in which a greater number of students are healthy, well-rested, and mentally-ready to learn and engage.

Also, schools with high poverty levels can benefit from the system because students are able to have access to material and education year-round that may not be available to them during a long summer break at home.

That being said, there are undoubtedly cons to consider about eliminating the traditional summer break, including: conflict in scheduling extracurriculars, no opportunities for summer camps, service projects, jobs, or internships, and increased costs (according to Niche).

According to PBS, “Long summer breaks have been shown to cause children, especially lower-income children, to lose ground academically. It’s a Although some of the benefits of a year-round schedule are clear and the phenomenon known as ‘summer slide,’ where students return to school in the debate should certainly be continued in the future, there is no concrete fall having lost a full month of learning, on average.” evidence that this method improves academic achievement or student performance. And after all, summer vacation is simply a rite of passage for most American children and teenagers. Regardless of the statistics, summer To combat this alarming learning loss, summer programs, summer school, is undoubtedly a chance for kids to take a brain break, enjoy practical and and year-round schooling are all being examined and attempted by schools influential real world experiences, spend time with family, gain life skills, in the United States. In fact, according to Niche, as of June 2018, there are explore talents and hobbies that are not available or practical during the 3,181 year-round schools in the U.S., and 10% of all public school students attend year-round schools. Most schools are required by state laws to have at school year, spend more time outside, and to simply make the classic memleast 180 school days each academic year, but some states like West Virginia, ories and stories we all have from our childhood summers. College, careers, and responsibilities will come soon enough, and sometimes our society have flexible laws about the way the school calendar is actually arranged.

For example, instead of having one long extended summer vacation, a school needs to remember to just let kids be kids. may divide the 180 days into four nine week quarters, each followed by a three-week break (and a full month for the summer quarter).

See Ava Bidner’s story “Summer Study?” on pages 10-13 for more informaPrincipal Beth Sturgill of Piedmont Elementary School in West Virginia, a school that has implemented a year-round schedule for nearly 20 years, explains to PBS why she believes it is the best method: “In addition to preventing student and teacher burnout, less time is needed for reteaching at the beginning of the year. . . Having shorter breaks throughout the year can

tion on summer breaks and homework!

STAFF ED 5

MEET ME AT THE FAIR! Meet Me in St. Louis included a large cast with willing and eager singers, actors, and dancers

“I love spending time with everyone in the cast. It’s so much fun and we have such a good time laughing and making jokes, but also working hard and helping each other to put on a great show,” said Grace Andrews, sophomore.

Meet Me in St. Louis definitely required energy from the cast, especially leading principals that were consistently on stage.

Rebekah Sems Staff Writer

With four rehearsals less than the years before, the Meet Me in St. Louis cast used every and any spare minute to make the show a success. The show included a moving trolley, fast scene changes, and elaborate costumes, as well as an orchestra pit. Like all Westminster shows in the past, this one was striving for excellence with fast-paced dances and new tricks.

Each day at 3:15 the entire cast met in the theatre, and after a word of prayer, it all comes to life. For awhile the cast had been split up to have different rehearsal times. Since the cast consists of 53 members as well as musicians, tech, and stage crew, the director, Mr. Schwamb, decided to split up the cast.

Unlike before, a separate dance ensemble from the chorus was created so that dances can be more complicated without compromising the volume of the songs.

“The dancers have to be moving and jumping almost all the time, so it’s super important to have a chorus that can sing when we can’t,” said Ella Polski, junior and dance captain of the show.

The show also featured a living history museum and pre-show choir before the musical begins. Mrs. Eichelberger worked to research and create scripts for chorus and dance members to learn and memorize as part of the living history museum. The hope was to help the audience to have a better context of the show, and share facts about the time the show takes place in.

“It was so fun to get in character and also share fun facts about the period in which the show takes place,” said Allison Eichenlaub, a senior and a living history character who sold stamps at the fair.

Meet Me in St. Louis takes place in 1904 during the World’s Fair and the living history shared extras details about the fair, while the pre-show choir sang sneak peaks from songs in the show as well as popular songs during the early 1900s.

The week leading up the the three show nights, was called tech week, and resulted in late nights and tiring hours of cleaning details. Hair, makeup, and costumes were all expected for the hours of practice with all members knowing their places and jobs during the show. All the work can be draining, but the cast found ways to enjoy even the sometimes tiring reruns.

6 FEATURE

The Meet Me in St. Louis poster was designed to feature key aspects of the show. Photo by:Allen Schwamb “It’s been super fun to be in the show but also hard to balance school, this, and other commitments that I have. It gets easier when I can time manage well and get enough sleep, rest, and take care of myself,” said Allison Broadhurst, senior, who played the leading role, Esther in the musical.

This show has brought new friendships and fun memories that the entire cast is able to enjoy.

“I’ve got to meet so many new people and become closer with people that I wouldn’t have before. I loved this show and had such a good time performing it!” said Broadhurst.

The cast had the exciting experience of being nominated by St. Louis High School Musical Theatre Awards for best ensemble, best show, best leading actress, best supporting actor and actress’, best Tech, best Music Direction, and overall Direction.

This means they will perform one scene from the show at The Fox on June 2, and will find out if they have won any of the awards they were nominated for.

Meet Me in St. Louis was put together by an amazing group of people, who were willing to sacrifice their time and energy to perform an excellent show that provided joy and laughter to a watching audience, as well as glorify God with their individual gifts.

My First Musical: Meet Me In St. Louis Taking a step out of my comfort zone and trying something completely new ALLISON EICHENLAUB Entertainment Editor

As an incoming freshman, I would have never pictured myself performing on the Westminster stage. I was always involved in volleyball, tennis, and soccer with no time for any other activities. However, this year I wanted to make a change.

because musical would be a conflict. I had mixed emotions about this change because I had played soccer since kindergarten, and it was sad to see it come to an end. But this experience has been so eye-opening for me.

I am extremely happy that I decided to take a step out of my comfort zone and try out for something completely new to me, because I have learned so much. This experience has taught me that you can’t judge people on their “friend groups” until you actually get to know them. Categorizing classmates into groups is very easy for teenagers to do, and we need to give others a chance.

It also taught me that I should not wait until the last minute to try something new. I never thought I would like to be involved in theatre, and now high school is almost over for me.

I highly encourage other students who have never been in a musical to be bold and try it early in their high school career.

You can’t make a judgement on something until you actually try it.

Dance ensemble girls pose before they take the stage. Photo by: Allison Eichenlaub Before being in the musical, I had a preconceived notion that all the musical kids were secluded in their own little world and did not want to be friends with any new kids that tried to join. I was scared to try to join in on their group, but boy was I wrong. This particular group of theatre kids have been so welcoming to me by making me included me into their group.

The MMISL Cast poses after finishing their performance of the song Banjo. Photo by: Tanyna Carter

This year, I decided to try out for the musical and see what happened, and to my surprise, I was cast as a dancer. That meant I could no longer play on the school’s soccer team

FEATURE 7

FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE

Westminster is switching over some AP classes to using the 1818 program through SLU. Grace Skiljan Staff Writer

Many of Westminster’s AP classes have been making the switch to the 1818 ACC Program. This has caused some questions to be asked and concerns to be voiced about the matter. “I take AP classes because of the challenge and the idea of it being a college course.” says Lily Duda, Junior. Students are worried about their grades and how this change will affect their college credits. The teachers are assuring everyone that their grades will be fine and might even benefit from the switch. 1818 introduces new opportunities that AP originally didn’t offer. Because it is technically a college class the 1818 can make it easier for highschool students to gain college credits and add more to their transcripts.

Comparisons between AP and 1818. Chart by: Grace Skiljan

“The reason we are switching is so that we can offer college credit for honors classes. I think this will be a good change for Westminster because it will give us as teachers more flexibility to teach and organize the curriculum the way we want too.”

- Mr. Warren, AP U.S. History teacher 8 FEATURE

WHAT DOES SLEEP HAVE TO DO WITH PERSONALITY? The way you sleep can be analyzed to tell more about your personality

REBEKAH SEMS Staff Writer

As summer approaches, a common trend among most students is the excitement of sleep. Late nights and early mornings spent studying and finishing homework are no longer necessary. Students and teachers alike can finally take a break from constant thinking and analyzing by resting peacefully in their beds. However, few people realize that the way they sleep can be analyzed and also determine interesting facts about their personality.

“Science of People” explains eight different types of sleep positions that are most common and what they say about a person. The first position they explain is The Fetal position, which is highly common among women. It involves sleeping on your side with your knees tucked in. “Science of People” says these people are usually “tough on the outside but a huge softy on the inside.” They are most likely the people who are shy when you first meet but then open up to be more relaxed and comfortable.

The second position has the unfortunate name of The Log, and involves lying completely in a straight line on your side with arms by your sides. However, this position is not for people who are bland or unexiciting but actually depicts more outgoing and socially involved individuals. In fact, they are more likely to be taken advantage of and can be considered overly trusting and carefree.

A complete opposite of The Soldier is The Freefaller. This positions involves sleeping on your stomach with your arms under or around your pillow and your head turned to the side. These sleepers are social and energetic, but often have deep emotions that can be hurt very easily.

The Starfish, which is a spread out position, usually takes up the entire bed. These people are comfortable and carefree and most likely loyal friends. They are careful listeners and enjoy helping others whenever they can. They don’t require much attention but don’t mind receiving admiration or compliments every now and then.

Another position, Science of People explains, is The Pillow Hugger. This simply describes those who love to cuddle in bed with their pillow. These people hold their special bonds close and cherish them above all else. Whether it is their pillow, relationships, job, or other significant parts of their lives that they appreciate, Pillow Huggers try to pull the things most important to them even tighter. They want to feel secure and safe and surround themselves with loved ones.

The final position is The Thinker, which is similar to the Fetal Position, but differs because they have one hand resting underneath their chin. The name fits the position since they resemble someone deep in thought. Their emotions often run high, and they can have dramatic swings from one extreme to the other.

They are very sensitive and also known to be fairly moody.

While, “Science of People”, only explains eight positions, several other types are common and unique among people. There also can be variations of the eight different types that can speak more truth on characteristics of a person.

As sleep becomes more available over the next few months, pay special attention to how you sleep, it might tell you more about yourself than you ever realized.

The Yearner is the third position explained and is portrayed by sleeping on your side with your arms stretched out in front of you. They are known to be skeptical, poor decision-makers, but also loyal to their plans once the choice is made. They can be open-minded but are more doubtful and curious than others.

For these unique reasons these sleepers are more intricate and complicated people who can seem aloof at times and quiet.

Next, The Soldier sleep position is a very unique and uncommon way to rest since “only eight percent of sleepers claim to get the most sleep this way” (Science of People). This position is when you sleep on your back with your arms straight by your sides. These people tend to be more to themselves and Several different sleep positions can tell lots more about shy, rule-followers, and often perfectionists. They require themselves and others to stick to a high moral standard and are personalites. Photo by:Reader’s Digest most likely more strict and critical of themselves and others as well.

FEATURE 9

SUMMER STUDY?

Is summer homework actually beneficial to students, and how does the concept of summer work redefine homework during the academic year?

AVA BIDNER IN-DEPTH EDITOR

As May approaches and Westminster students buckle down, preparing for final tests, projects, papers, and daunting AP exams, the entire community looks forward to warm, sunny summer days and time spent away from the beige halls of our beloved Westminster.

Considering all of these benefits of summer, it seems cruel to force students to sacrifice their time (which they may be using very productively) to finish schoolwork that may not even be necessary.

That being said, there are numerous benefits to a few short assignments over the summer, as well. For students Many schools, including Kirkwood who have an innate joy for reading High School, are making the decision and learning, it is likely unnecessary to ban summer homework for all class- to push extra work on them during es to give students these opportunities. the summer because they are already In a recent article from The Kirkwood dedicated to engaging further in their Call, KHS principal, Dr. Michael learning and maintaining their skills Havener, revealed that summer work during the time off. But for students for all classes (regular, honors, and AP) who may have other passions (which will not be required. is perfectly okay) and may not be as inclined to pick up a book or even conA quote from Dr. Havener in the article sider a school subject over the summer, reveals the administration’s reasoning a reading assignment or brief math behind the decision: “Students will worksheet may not be the worst idea in have the opportunity to read on their the world. own, catch their breath [and] reset. That doesn’t mean there are not opportuni- According to an article from the Harties to learn. . . We want to give stuvard Graduate School of Education, dents an idea on how learning can look many students experience (both at a over the summer. Whether it’s travel or high school and elementary level) a going to different events around [Kirk- “summer math slump” which can be wood], working or going outside for a detrimental when August rolls back walk. Hopefully in the end we can have around. “It’s tough to imagine filling ideas of what students can do that’s not a lazy beach day with fractions, or homework or turning something in on stretching out in the back seat on a road the first day.” trip and practicing long division. For

But for many of these students, their days will be interrupted by the requirement of dreaded summer work, and their unfortunate habits of procrastination will only make finishing this work even more difficult. Whether it’s two novels for an English class or a thick packet of math problems, students will always find something to complain about in regards to summer work — and who’s to blame them? Their glorious freedom has been compromised by work for the upcoming year, and even if it’s not much, students often simply want to check out from school for a few weeks — not a single thought about trig formulas or Jay Gatsby or the organelles of the cell invading their summer-bound minds.

High school students experience dozens of pressures and struggles during the A summer free of schoolwork and school year, many of which fade away requirements offers many benefits to during the summer, giving students students, giving them the opportunity to a short release from the troubles of experience a much-needed brain break, fatigue, arduous exams, constantly busy spend time with friends and family, days, lack of free time, school drama, travel and experience new places and excessive and unhealthy stress, and of cultures, engage in their own personal course, hours and hours of homework. interests and passions, earn money or experience through a job or internship, According to The Kirkwood Call, Dr. delight in some well-deserved time off, Havener’s main reasoning behind the and perhaps most importantly, to allow recent decision was the importance and teenagers to simply enjoy this short precedence of mental health: “What stage in their lives before it vanishes brought us to this decision was an oninto college and adulthood. going social [and] emotional aspect of school and allowing students to learn in

10 IN-DEPTH

different ways. . . I believe in homework, but there is a right time and place for it and the summer is not that time.”

many of us, summer and mathematics just don’t seem to mix. But across the socioeconomic spectrum, kids arrive back at school every fall much worse off in mathematics than they finished in the spring. On average, students lose approximately 2.6 months of learning in math over the summer — and teachers have to give up weeks of class time, or more, to make up for that loss.”

In addition, for eager and ambitious students who are planning on taking higher level classes in the fall, they often must complete some amount of work over the summer to ensure they have the necessary skills and sufficient

“Students will have the opportunity to read on their own, catch their breath [and] reset. That doesn’t mean there are not opportunities to learn. . . We want to give students an idea on how learning can look over the summer.

Whether it’s travel or going to different events around [Kirkwood], working or going outside for a walk. Hopefully in the end we can have ideas of what students can do that’s not homework or turning something in on the first day.”

- Dr. Michael Havener, Kirkwood High School Principal

basis of knowledge to succeed in the class. For example, students moving from a regular level math class to an honors level class may need to finish a few lessons or chapters covered in the honors class the year before to ensure they do not fall behind the other students.

Summer homework is designed to ensure students come back to school in August prepared to learn and jump right back in and to minimize the review period, which wastes time during the school year. The idea is that students will forget less material, remain accustomed to doing homework, and will be ready to discuss material and begin lessons in the first week of school. If accomplished correctly, summer homework can be quite effective, and often the problem lies more in the mistake of the student when choosing to procrastinate and wait until the last few days of summer to start the work rather than the teachers’ or the school’s action of merely assigning the work.

However, students and administrators must tread carefully, ensuring they avoid overwhelming kids with unnecessary busy work. One or two novels to facilitate discussion in the fall and a math packet to make sure kids return without having forgotten the basics should benefit the students. But teenagers also need to have the chance to develop their own taste in reading, experience learning out in the real world, and spend time deepening their own interests, all of which can be inhibited by summer homework.

If the goal behind summer homework is to prevent the loss of material, then the knowledge gained and then forgotten during the school year must also be examined. According to an article from Edutopia from the George Lucas Educational Foundation, “Forgetting is almost immediately the nemesis of memory, as psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered in the 1880s. Ebbinghaus pioneered landmark research in the field of retention and learning, observing what he called the forgetting curve, a measure of how much we forget over time. In his experiments, he discovered that without

IN-DEPTH 11

“Forgetting is almost immediately the nemesis of memory, as psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered in the 1880s. . . In his experiments, he discovered that without any reinforcement or connections to prior knowledge, information is quickly forgotten—roughly 56 percent in one hour, 66 percent after a day, and 75 percent after six days.”

- George Lucas Educational Foundation any reinforcement or connections to prior knowledge, information is quickly forgotten—roughly 56 percent in one hour, 66 percent after a day, and 75 percent after six days.”

Because most schools today do not engage in frequent periods of review to help continually reinforce the material for students, the “summer slump” may not actually be the only flaw in the system — and summer may not be the only time when students allow knowledge to slip from their brains. There-

12 IN-DEPTH

fore, what this data about memory and retention may actually suggest is a detrimental flaw in the educational system and the way in which students choose to study: material is learned one day and then is not reviewed or reinforced until likely the night before the test or exam. Solving this problem will require completely rethinking the way students’ time is spent in the classroom and outside of the classroom — and this will involve deliberate and direct commitment by both teachers and students to changing and bettering

the system.

Overall, the concept of summer homework and the differing perspectives schools may have on the topic actually involves a much broader issue than simply a few summer assignments.

Perhaps the decisions teachers and schools make regarding summer homework should actually reach far beyond the direct topic and should begin to impact and improve the way class time and homework is utilized during the school year.

Graph showing retention in relation to the number of days after learning. Photo by: Ava Bidner (data from Growth Engineering)

IN-DEPTH

13

encourage peaceful cohabitation in society despite engrained differences.

The United States was founded upon the fundamental philosophy of pluralism, as partisan politics differentiates how people view the purpose of country, the meaning of common good, and the definition of human thriving.

However, the very principles that so divide us also distinguish us. While maintaining our diverging practices and beliefs, Confident Pluralism argues that Americans can elevate the conversation worship, the stores you shop, and the through civic aspirations that value media you follow can all imply a politi- tolerance, humility, and patience over cal statement. protest, defensiveness, and coercion.

PRACTICING CONFIDENT PLURALISM As partisan politics witnesses rising hostility, young citizens should seek a new direction.

LEA DESPOTIS STAFF WRITER

On September 24, 2017, many of the Pittsburgh Steelers kneeled during the national anthem after President Trump openly expressed his opinion that players should remain standing. The Steelers coach Mike Tomlin responded, “We’re not going to play politics.”

The reality of that statement, however, is simply impossible: everything is political.

But in the last few decades, a sharp divide in political identity amplifies the brewing “us vs them” mentality sweeping across the nation. With the rise of social media platforms like Twitter

“We need to find the best civil and legal way to preserve difference, but then allow dialogue across difference,” says Inazu, “We can begin by looking for common ground. We can form some sort of bond that then allows us to build upon our relationship with trust.”

To forge a new path forward, society shares the collective responsibility to embrace the civil practices of confident pluralism. As the young minds of America shape the future, it’s necessary that students today acquire the skills to change the dysfunctional trajectory in an increasingly polarized political climate. After an enlightening interview with Dr. Inazu, I have learned identifiable ways that we, at Westminster Christian Academy, can inspire progress.

Over the last two years, companies such as Nike, Chick-fil-A, Hobby Lobby, Nordstrom, and Starbucks have all been targets of political boycotts related to contentious political and social issues. In response to corporate political activity, public calls to patronize certain retail establishments has dramatically increased. Mainstream and cable news networks, Hollywood award ceremonies, television programs and sitcoms all add biased political spin to influence and promote social agendas.

Politics is—and always has been—invading everyday life; the restaurants you support, the places where you

14 IN-DEPTH

and Facebook, information penetrates rapidly and expansively, perpetuating a rising animosity in our polarized politics. The United States is mired in a partisan hyper-conflict that is dividing politicians, communities, and even families. As our nation faces seemingly irresolvable disagreements, many wonder: Can we just get along?

Dr. John Inazu, the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law, Religion, and Political Science at Washington University in St. Louis, suggests that there is a way.

In his book Confident Pluralism, Inazu provides realistic guidelines that

“Everyday that goes by we are more worried about social media as our primary mode of communication with each other, so a practical step for current students is to figure out if there are ways to prioritize face-to-face relationships and communication,” says Inazu, “As students move on to college, think about how you can be deliberate about diversifying your inputs and newsfeeds, so that you can be exposed to different viewpoints and ideas about our national politics.”

In a technologically connected world, the mask of anonymity inherent in faceless online interactions fosters

greater incivility. To avoid the corrosive hostility, Inazu recommends a cautious approach to disseminating political comentary via the internet.

“One thing to practice now is to set up the kind of habits that you are going to need for college and beyond. I think one of those is to step out of the sense you need to respond immediately to the world. When you hear about something that you don’t like, wait hours before you post something online. Once it’s out there it’s out there. Realize the world is a big place and we are limited in our ability to know. Find a way to speak confidently about the things you know about and don’t be overconfident about the things you don’t know,” says Inazu.

Additionally, in a more sheltered envi- confident pluralism within ronment such as a Christian school, stu- those constraints. Be really dents must also realize the importance willing to push each other on of developing a diversified community difference and don’t assume to navigate through impending political consensus within those constraints.” and social tensions.

“There are a lot of places and institutions we will find ourselves that have their own blind spots. First, recognize where you are and the upsides and downsides of being at this space and how to protect against being part of an echo-chamber. It is important to not be influenced by all the same voices and be sure to allow for self-reflection,” says Inazu.

As politics infiltrates our lives, the tenor of the times reveals that we must demand more of our citizens and halt the crippling political rancor.

As we prepare for the on-slot of negativity undoubtedly expected in the 2020 election, future voters must strive towards exercising civil practices that enhance productive political discourse. If we’re going to continue to “play politics,” let us proceed confidently in our pluralism.

“Our challenge is, whatever the constraints are, maximize the ability for

Affective partisan polarization. Americans’ feeling towards their own party has barely changed since the 1970s, but Americans have become more “cold” towards the other party since the 1990s. (Soure: American Election Study)

Mean Thermometer rating (Temperature)

Partisan Polarization 80

Between Parties Within Dem Party

70

60 50 40 30 20 10 0

IN-DEPTH 15

Custard’s Last Stand I tried 6 St. Louis classic custard spots so you don’t have to

Procedure: In order to have some consistency, I asked the cashier at each place what their most popular/favorite item was and ordered a small concrete of each one.

Isabella Francois Editor-in-Chief

3 2

16 ENTERTAINMENT

5 1

6

1.

2.Fritz’s: ANDY’S:

Tiger Stripe (oreo and caramel)

Texture: 8 Flavor: 10 Presentation: 9 Cost: 8 Location: 8.5 Total: 43.4

m&m and caramel concrete

Texture: 7 Flavor: 8 Presentation: 8 Cost: 8 Location: 7 Total: 38

3.

4.ted drewes: Silky’s:

elvis pretzely (Pretzel and caramel)

Texture: 8 Flavor: 7 Presentation: 6 Cost: 8.5 Location: 8.5 Total: 38

4

Turtle (caramel, chocolate, and nuts)

Texture: 7 Flavor: 8 Presentation: 8 Cost: 8 Location: 7 Total: 38

5. custard factory: 6.

CD Combo (cookie dough, caramel, nestle crunch) Texture: 5 Flavor: 6 Presentation: 4

custard station: Cost: 6 Location: 7 Total: 28

Texture: 4 Flavor: 5 Presentation: 6 Cost: 6 Location: 6.5 Total: 27.5

Bahama Brownie (brownies & fudge, topped w/ whipped cream & chocolate sprinkles)

ENTERTAINMENT 17

Benefits of Having a Planner

THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY A PLANNER CAN BE BENEFICIAL ESPECIALLY IN HIGHSCHOOL.

Grace Skiljan Staff Writer

These reasons include: Time management: By writing everything out and designating a time and place for everything you are able to eliminate time wasting.

Improves productivity: Having your entire to-do list written out will keep you on track and help you to deviate less from your goals and activities and be able to finish everything in a timely manner.

Provides stress relief: Putting everything in one place lessons anxiety about forgetting something or losing track of things. And by finishing everything in on time lessens stress because it takes all the weight off your shoulders and leaves you room to do fun activities.

You can see where you put most of your time into: In a planner if you are seeing that most of your planner is taken up by schoolwork or sports or other activities it reveals what is important to you by how much time you Many Westminster girls keep planners. Above are some pictured. Photo by: Grace Skiljan put into it, and you can adjust accordingly to your priorities.

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THE ELEVENTH COMMANDMENT

CHRISTIAN MODESTY AT THE FOUNDATION OF WESTMINSTER’S DRESS CODE Ava Hollmann Staff Writer

Standing by the Forest Park baseball fields in my leggings and shorts, I felt like an idiot. While all my cross country friends were freely wearing their LuLu and Nike leggings, I was the short, dorky freshman whose mom had forced her to wear something over her leggings because of “modesty.” At that moment, I wanted to be anything but “modest.”

Backed by these things, Westminster’s dress code has been incredibly purposeful. However, the school did not always have uniforms to enforce this as it does now- at the old campus, things were a bit different.

“In the old dress code, it stated that there had to be discernible slack, but that was difficult to enforce because it was hard to define. At the old campus, jeans with holes, jeggings, spaghetti strap shirts, short skirts, and low cut tops [were commonly being worn despite this rule],” said Brown.

With the move to the new campus came also the shift to a standardized dress code- uniforms. But despite this, the skirt length loophole was found, and thus eventually came the leggings requirement instated a few years ago.

““Neatness, modesty, and cleanliness [are the goals of our dress code, even on dress down days].”

-Mrs. Brown

Of course, at fourteen, I didn’t quite understand why my mom was protecting me from weirdos staring at me while I ran by.

Now, at seventeen, though I wear leggings freely when I run, I do still try to abstain from wearing them solo outside of running, and if I do, I pull a shirt down over them. But leggings are not the only article of clothing that are contested- yoga pants and certain-length shorts, to name a couple, can also be under scrutiny for their length and tightness on girls, especially from a Christian perspective and in a Christian environment “Before leggings, it was awkward and uncomfortable, espesuch as Westminster, so much so that it’s almost like the elevcially for a male teacher, to comment if a girls’ skirt was too enth commandment. short. [The skirt length rule] is also difficult to enforce because some lengths could look shorter on one girl than another,” said As someone who has grown up in this environment, leapfrog- Brown. ging from Christian preschool, elementary school, middle school, high school, and soon college, I’ve always known how But on dress down days, dress code is tweaked so that a girl a good Christian girl should dress, but never why. So, I asked doesn’t have to wear a uniform. However, there is still dress Mrs. Brown, director of Student Life, some questions about code for the more casual clothing, like yoga pants and fitting or Westminster’s policy on Christian modesty, starting with the baggy sweatpants. overall goal of it.

“Ultimately, being modest shows that you care about yourself, others, the school you are representing, and our Lord. It is for the greater good; there are good intentions behind it,” said Brown.

Mrs. Brown references 1 Timothy 2:9-10 to support this, wherein Paul teaches about modesty in the context of proper types of worship.

“I… want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.”

“Neatness, modesty, and cleanliness [are the goals of our dress code, even on dress down days]. Yoga pants are tight and form fitting, and leave nothing to the imagination. [Most] sweatpants are not appropriate because they are sloppy-looking and/or for working out, and students do work out in class unless in PE,” said Brown.

Whatever girls think about the skirts, leggings, and uniforms in general, it is clear that it is an effective way to implement the type of modesty that the Bible teaches. Even if it seems as enforced as the eleventh commandment, female students will be able to take their modest dress with them for the rest of their life.

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MAY

LINAM’S LEGACY

LUKE LINAM HAS HAD AN ILLUSTRIOUS SPORTS CAREER AT WESTMINSTER, SPORTNG 21 PLAYING SPORTS IN ALL THREE SEASONS, ALL FOUR YEARS.

SPORTINGWCA

LUKE LINAM’S LEGACY

Although he was never dominant in one particular sport and won’t go on to play any sports in college, Luke Linam has a legacy that should be remembered for years to come.

TOMMY BRINER STAFF WRITER

Playing sports in high school is a huge commitment. Practices go every day after school for two hours, and games often keep athletes away from home and their schoolwork until 8 or 9 o’clock in the evening. Very few athletes can manage to be three-sport athletes. Only a select group will be able to play a sport in every season of high school. This year, there were five such athletes, known as “Iron Wildcats.” Luke Linam was one. However, not only was Linam a four-year three-sport athlete, but he was a three-sport Varsity starter and a main contributor in all three sports during his Senior year. Now, as his final Westminster season winds down and heads to the playoffs, the legacy he will leave at Westminster is worth looking back at and remembering.

A unique part of Linam’s story is that he won’t be continuing to play any of the three sports he was so good at high school when he goes to college. Even though he was a star athlete in all three high school sports, he was unable to find any good enough opportunities for college sports.

“I tried to play baseball but the opportunity just wasn’t there for me. I hope to be heavily involved in club or intramural sports,” he said.

Not only has Linam been a star athlete in his performance, but he’s also been a leader and a role model on each of his teams.

“I’ve played with Luke for six seasons now and even early on you could tell there was something different. He would always get people up and ready to play. Even when he wasn’t playing the best he would keep encouraging others and he did not need to be the star, especially in basketball. There were games where he was happy with getting five assists. That’s how a leader should be,” said Brennan Orf, Junior basketball and baseball player.

Linam has also had a profound impact on some of the younger kids he’s played alongside.

Luke Linam has played soccer, basketball, and baseball since his Freshman year. However, two of those three stand “Linam was a huge part to our team. He led by example, and he out in his mind. didn’t take reps off in practice. He showed us young guys what it takes to be a winner. He was also a great role model off the “Baseball has always been close to my heart along with court, reflecting God in everything he does,” said Casen Lawbasketball so those two were no brainers to play in high rence, Freshman point guard. school. I wasn’t sure I would even want to play soccer when I was a Freshman so that way I could focus more Linam commented on a few things that have helped to make him on basketball and baseball, but I decided it would help me the athlete and person he is today and taking on the challenge of meet new people as a new Freshman and looking back it playing three sports. was definitely a good decision to play,” he said.

As for his favorite, it goes back and forth.

“It’s always bounced back and forth between basketball and baseball. I guess my favorite is whatever sport I’m playing in either the winter or spring.”

“If you’re going to play multiple sports, don’t put one foot in the water but be invested in your teammates and the people and coaches that are taking time to make you better.”

Linam will certainly be remembered in the Westminster record books. Nobody has scored more than his 23 goals in the last ten years at Westminster. He scored 433 points in two seasons on the Basketball teams, and maintained a free throw percentage of better than 85 percent over that time. In his Senior season for Baseball, he has an OBP of .398 along with 27 RBIs and eight doubles.

But he will also be remembered by his teammates and those who surrounded him at Westminster for his attitude and his lead-by-example style. He won’t be remembered for being a flashy star athlete, but more as a steady leader who made those around him better and paired his impressive natural athleticism with his second-to-none drive, hustle, and effort. Luke Linam resembles what all Westminster athletes should strive to be.

22 SPORTING

Luke will attend the University of Arkansas in the fall.

BASEBALL DISTRICT PREVIEW

Westminster’s best team is getting ready for the playoffs, and anything except a deep run would be considered a

Adam Ebling and Brennan Orf each followed with three.

Obertop hit .463 while Blaise Matheny hit .434. In the playoffs, though, the whole Westminster lineup will have to be firing.

TOMMY BRINER STAFF WRITER

Headed into the Spring Sports playoffs, Westminster Baseball is the team on the campus that has the best chance of going far. Baseball, of course, is in Westminster’s pedigree, and this year’s team is no exception to the long line of great teams in the last ten years.

This year’s squad enters the playoffs with a record of 24-6.

Three of those six losses have come in the last five games, including their final regular season game, a 2-1 loss to Vianney in a game that dragged on for fourteen innings.

In that game, starting pitcher Zach Brasier lasted six innings, giving up 0 ER on three hits. Brennan Orf came on in relief and threw six more shutout innings. Zach Gross drove in the Wildcats’ lone run in the seventh inning. In the thirteenth, Joey Keane entered in relief. He threw one clean inning and recorded two outs in the next, but was bested in the bottom of the fourteenth. The loss hurt, but Vianney is one of the best teams in the area and the Wildcats have much bigger issues to worry about than a regular season non-conference game.

The end of the season will be May 31st if the Wildcats go all the way. For the Wildcats’ first few games, there’s no excuse for losing. Once the Wildcats get deeper into Sectionals, however, they will face some good competition.

Nick Moten will be on the mound for the Wildcats on Wednesday afternoon. Zach Brasier should follow him, and Brayden Haug will be Westminster’s third starter in the playoffs.

The Wildcats play on Wednesday at 5:00 PM at Westminster against Clayton.

The Wildcats’ first playoff opponent is Clayton. After rainouts on Saturday, Westminster’s first round game was pushed from Tuesday to Wednesday. Westminster is hosting Districts, so they’ll get to play at home. With a win against Clayton, the Wildcats would take on the winner of a game between John Burroughs and MICDS in the District Championship game.

On the season, the Wildcats were statistically very impressive.

Jimmy Obertop led the team with eight home runs, while

SPORTING 23

with in the area, being one of the league leaders in goals scored.

GIRLS LACROSSE HEADS TO THE PLAYOFFS

After a turbulent regular season, Girls Lacrosse goes into the playoffs with a lot of question marks.

KOBY SCHMER STAFF WRITER

After the team placed third in the state last season, there was much controversy on whether this Girls Lacrosse team would have a repeat year. The team faced quite a bit of change throughout the offseason including a new coach, losing multiple star players, and having to field almost an entirely new team.

Alongside Mabry is Bridget Sullivan, Junior, who is right behind the senior with 33 goals scored. Sullivan has managed to grab about two goals per game while also contributing the second most assists on the team, right behind Emma Gore, Senior.

The other Juniors who have made some noise this year are Katie Hobaugh and Josie Christen. Hobaugh has 23 goals with 8 assists and Christen has 20 goals with 7 assists. The two will certainly be players to watch for the remainder of this season and even next spring as Seniors.

While the Juniors and Seniors lead the team, one young freshman is getting some time and helping in big ways. This Freshman is Kharis Perona. In her first season of high school lacrosse, she has managed to rack up 14 goals through regular season play. A freshman who has the ability to goal-score at the varsity level is almost unheard of in Lacrosse, but Perona is defying the odds.

The backbone of the operation is goaltender Reese Earleywine, who has over 80 saves this season. While Earleywine has the most experience in the goal, 628 minutes played, the other Junior goalkeeper Sabrina Granata is making her name known, allowing only 23 goals in her five games played. With these two, the team remains confident when the ball gets on the their side of the field.

Dani Mabry. Photo by: Maggie Wessels

As they head into playoffs in 2019, the team sits at a record 7-11, but the question is does this record actually reflect how the team is performing? Not exactly.

Coach Kuhn and the team started Districts on Tuesday, May 14th where they took on Hazelwood West at home. The Wildcats jumped out to an early 6-0 lead on goals from various players, including Dani Mabry, who scored her 100th career goal. The Wildcats ran away with the game and won by a score of 16-3.

Their next game is on Thursday against Eureka. With a win, they would play again on Saturday.

There is no doubt that the team has had a tougher schedule this season than the last couple of years. They’ve played teams like Lafayette, MICDS, Villa, and even kept their game against Ladue within one goal. Their most recent affairs have been with Nerinx Hall and Pattonville, and in both of these, they fell short by no more than five goals.

Before that, they grabbed a 20-goal win in their matchup against St. Dominic.

Their strengths? Goalscoring.

After missing the first part of the season, Dani Mabry, senior captain, leads the team with goals at 38, averaging over three goals per game. Mabry also managed to rack up two five goal games, one against Incarnate Word and the other against St. Dominic. Mabry is a force to be reckoned

24 SPORTING

Emma Gore. Photo by: Maggie Wessels

BOYS VOLLEYBALL SEASON COMES TO AN END AT THE HANDS OF ST. MARY’S

The Wildcats fell to St. Mary’s in the second round of Districts, but that doesn’t mean that the season wasn’t a

TOMMY BRINER STAFF WRITER

On Monday evening, Boys Volleyball defeated Bayless in two games (25-13, 25-18) in the first round of the Class 3 District Tournament. It was their first playoff win in two years. Then, on Tuesday, the Wildcats played at 5:30 PM against St. Mary’s, where they lost in three sets (18-25, 25-21, 17-25).

Adams, who played setter on the Volleyball team, was a threesport athlete throughout high school. Even though he was a strong wide receiver for the football team and a star shooter on the basketball team, he will always have fond memories of his third sport.

“The two years I’ve played volleyball were a blast. I loved competing all the time in and practice and it’s been great seeing how much we have improved.,” said Adams.

Although it came to an earlier end than he would’ve liked, Mason Andrasko had a stellar season. He was a leader in the area for kills and aces, and at outside hitter, he carried the Westminster offense through their inexperience and was a rock to them throughout the year.

The end of the season marks the Wildcats’ best finish since 2015. They finished with a record of 13-16, 11 games better than their two wins last season.

Seven Westminster Seniors saw their careers come to an end on Tuesday night, including Colin Davitt, Blake Jewell, Jerram Adams, Kyle Dolan, Maxwell Burns, Isaac Johnston, and John Fregene. Davitt and Jewell were both four year players and multi-sport athletes who saw not only their Volleyball careers but also their Westminster sports careers come to an end on Tuesday.

Aiden Davitt bumps the ball in warmups. Photo by: Bricyn Johnson

“Even though the season didn’t end with the result we wanted I am so happy with our team’s accomplishments and how the Seniors helped transform the program,” said Andrasko.

A year after quitting basketball to pursue his ambitions in volleyball, Andrasko has no regrets.

“Although the decision to quit basketball was a very tough one, I think it paid off for the better,” he said.

Next year, the team will be led by Andrasko as well as Aiden Davitt and rising Junior Evan Harris.

Blake Jewell practices in warmups. Photo by: Bricyn Johnson

“We’re losing 60 percent of our Varsity players due to graduation, but we still have our best hitter, Mason Andrasko, so I think we’ll be alright,” said Davitt, “We also need to recruit new guys for next year’s team.”

SPORTING 25

BOYS LACROSSE GEARS UP FOR THE POSTSEASON Boys Lacrosse earned a three seed for the playoffs, but can they make a run?

Wildcats want to win more than a game or two. On the season, Selk has scored and ten goals and assisted on another 11. Another key player to watch out for is goalie Nicholas Lee, who is 7-6 on the season.

The time for the Boys Lax team is now. The pieces to the puzzles are there, and now it’s just time to put it all together. The Wildcats play on Thursday at 5:45 at Westminster.

TOMMY BRINER STAFF WRITER

The Boys Lacrosse team has a had a very impressive year led by Seniors Luke Fiala and Griffin Thomas. The team has been solid this year and has a record of 7-8. They’ve battled through much adversity and are looking good heading into a first round home playoff matchup versus Webster Groves.

Fiala and Thomas lead Westminster in goals scored with 27 and 15 goals, respectively, and Keenan Miller is third on the team with 13.

Sitting at the three seed, the Wildcats are favored to win the matchup as Webster Groves has struggled this year and has a 5-11 record. In order for the team to make a run, the younger guys are going to have to step up and play big roles. Sophomores Jackson Selk and Noah Coomes will need to make a difference if the

GOLF GOES TO STATE

The team huddles up for a pregame talk.

early. He shot a solid 78 on the day. Davis followed Wooldridge and shot a 76, good enough for sixth place overall after the first Willyard worked through jitters to shoot an 85. On Tuesday, Three Westminster golfers qualified for the two-day State day.

Lane Davis struggled on the front nine, shooting 44 before getChampionship in Columbia, MO. ting everything back together and shooting a 38 on the back. He finished with an 82, and after two days, placed 18th overall in the State. Wooldridge shot an 81 and finished 22nd. Willyard came back on day two with a 79 and finished 43rd.

STAFF WRITER Three Westminster golfers went to the Class 3 State Championship on Monday and Tuesday at Columbia Country Club. Ju- Davis is a three-year state qualifier. He had hoped to place betnior Lane Davis, Sophomore Cole Willyard, and Freshman Jack ter, but he still had a great season. Wooldridge, just a Freshman, had a great showWooldridge were among the 88 qualifiers for the tournament. ing in his first trip to State. And alThe playoffs started with Districts two weeks ago. All five Westthough he didn’t minster golfers qualified to play at Sectionals, and Westminster play his best, Cole won the District, defeating the competition of Priory and Borgia.

Willyard’s first Then, the following Monday at Sectionals, the Wildcats played trip to State was at Bogey Hills Country Club. The cut for the section was among still a success. the lowest in the state at 82. Junior Ben Parres missed the cut by one shot, shooting an 83, while Freshman coach’s son Luke The Golf team had Burkey missed the cut by two strokes with an 84. Lane Davis another solid year. just squeezed in with and 81 while Freshman Jack Wooldridge With no graduatshot 74, good enough for second place in the tournament. Cole ing Seniors, the Willyard followed with a score of 82. team can only get better next year.

The team traveled to Columbia for a practice round at the course on Sunday afternoon. On Monday morning, Wooldridge teed off The Boys at State.

TOMMY BRINER

26 SPORTING

A LETTER TO WESTMINSTER

A new generation is taking control of Blue Crew. What will they do with it?

To the Westminster students,

Thank you for your support of Blue Crew this school year. We had a great year as we revived a Westminster tradition that was dying. From the first game of the season on a hot Saturday evening at Parkway West to the steady grind of Tuesday and Friday night basketball games in the Arena, you, the Westminster students and the Blue Crew, brought the noise and intensity that really made a difference. Your dedication to attendance builds community at Westminster, and we hope to continue this trend as this school years leads into next.

Now it’s time for them to move on. They will pass down their hard work and it will be up to a new generation to to handle. They are challenging the grades that will follow them in these ways.

Can you not only maintain the Blue Crew’s strength in not only numbers, but also noise? Can you continue to find new students to get to attend sporting events to promote the building of community throughout our school? Will you continue to make Blue Crew a source of pride for Westminster?

Next year’s Blue Crew leaders will be announced this summer.

Those leaders will quickly go to work in preparation for the upcoming fall season. But they will need your help. With strong student attendance and involvement, Blue Crew will thrive. If they put in the work to make Blue Crew thrive, so should you, and let’s make Blue Crew a highlight of high school.

Thomas Shultz and Harrison Lawrence were your fearless leaders this year. They inherited a Blue Crew that was complacent and weak. They turned it into a source of pride for Westminster.

They worked hard around limitations and organized themes and chants that brought students to games and unified the students and the school.

PASSING THE TORCH THE NEW EDITOR TAKES OVER SPORTING

As the beloved Class of 2019 graduates and leaves, it’s time for someone new to take control of Sporting.

TOMMY BRINER SPORTS EDITOR

After two years as a staff writer, I will be taking over Sporting.

I have assembled a staff that I believe to be capable of covering Westminster sports as well as anyone ever has. In coordination with 800 News and its chief editors, we, as a newspaper, will be working our hardest to bring you in the community the best journalism and interesting stories.

tinue to improve the unique product that is Sporting.

We hope to find new outlets to bring you content, such as through our new podcast featuring Bennie Anderson and Koby Schmer.

We are on Instagram, Twitter, our website, and coming this fall will be the revival of our Snapchat story.

Our aspirations for this coming fall are very high. We want to make this Sporting’s best year yet, and we have the tools to do just that. We hope that you enjoy reading, listening, and watching our content as much as we enjoy creating it for you.

Here is a list of roles for next year’s Sporting staff: Tommy Briner, Sporting Editor Bennie Anderson, Online Editor Koby Schmer, Staff Writer Jack Martin, Staff Writer Aidan Penberthy, Staff Writer Pearson Georges, Visual Effects

We are all really looking forward to this next year. Thank you for Similarly to Blue Crew, Thomas Shultz took control of the sports taking the time to read what we write. section of the Newspaper that was at its worst. Thomas was able to transform a boring, low-quality sports section into something that we now take pride in. After working closely with Thomas this year, we have come up with new ideas for next year to con-

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28 OPINION