The Wildcat Roar September 2015

R THE

OAR

O-Line p.20

Volume XIII ● ISSUE ONE ● SEPTEMBER 2015 Westminster Christian Academy

Summer Seminar Stories p.15

OPINIONS INSIDE

OPINIONS

Here’s My Thoughts..........................................4 Leave Me and My Crop Top Alone....................6

ENTERTAINMENT

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Concerts to Watch For.......................................7 Summer’s Best and Brightest Movies...............8

NEWS

All Around the World........................................10 Back To School................................................11

FEATURES

New Heads......................................................14 Untold Stories of Summer Semina.............16-17

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SPORTS

Unsung Heroes...............................................20 Jake’s Take......................................................22

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STAFF EDITORIAL Take Advantage of Your Time Here O

ver a month into the new school year, post-summer depression seems to be slowly but surely wearing off. But don’t let that discourage you—classrooms will only feel like prison cells if you let them. Each new school day has the same potential to produce great memories just like each summer day. Whether you traveled across the world on summer seminar, traveled around the country competing in a sport, saw your favorite band live, conducted research in a lab, or just hung out with your friends at Taco Bell, your summer was not a waste of time. And neither is your school year.

The aura surrounding school is that it is a drag. That we are all forced out of our summer bliss and into the grief-ridden school year for our torture, agony, and despair. Can’t we put that predetermination aside? School can be a burden, but it is also a source of joy. Think of the

relationships you have built with friends and teammates throughout your days at WCA and of that team, organization, or club in which you made an impact. This school gives outlets to harness your untapped capabilities and do something extraordinary. And the only person stopping you is you.

Yes, hitting the books can be painful sometimes— especially in the middle of a week when you have two papers due, work every night, sports practice, and an improv show to host at the end of the week—but this year has unimaginable potential.

The Roar staff would like to encourage you all to hone in on your talents, pursue your interests, try new things, take chances, make new friends, and take advantage of every moment. You may be surprised at the memories you can make.

thewildcatroar.com Like us on Facebook at The Wildcat Roar Follow us @WCAroar For LIVE Sports Updates - @wcaroar_live 800 Maryville Centre Dr., Town & Country, MO 63117

WILDCAT ROAR STAFF Editors-in-Chief: Audrey O’Neill and Maggi Eachus Managing Editor-in-Chief: Katherine Yenzer Sporting WCA Editor: Ben Sems Print Editors: Cate Hoogstraten and Lauren Ramos Broadcast Editor: John Pottebaum Online Editor: Chase Lottmann Webmasters: Morgan Barr and Kaitlin Tershak Business Manager: Andrew Montgomery Opinions Editor: Mary Grace Barber Entertainment Editor: Ryan Davis News Editor: Markus Cicka Features Editor: Sarah Ragsdale SportsSports Braces Editor: Jake Schroeder

Staff: Alex Lawrence Alyssa Shikles Andrew Van Horn Bridgette Grimm Cooper Moore Dominic Cusumano Hilary Hightower Joshua Theus Lauren Bell Madison Koetting

MaryKate Kopsky Michael Alldredge Morayo Oginni Nicholas Glanvill Preston Willis Samuel Dare Savannah Mathews Steve Williams Zach Hughes Zach Shultz

Advisor: Scott Vonder Bruegge

OPINIONS

HERE’S MY

THOUGHTS: Heated

Mary Grace Barber Opinions Editor

There have been a lot of hot-button issues this summer. Whether it’s the gay marriage legislation, the 2016 election, or the new leggings rule, I’m sure there’s something you have a vibrant opinion on.

I haven’t met a single student who is happy to be back in school right now.

For some, they hate waking up early. Some hate sitting still. Others can’t stand the stress of the mountains of homework teachers might assign, and some might just be fed up and don’t want to go to school at Westminster. I’m sure you have one, arguable reason you as to why you shouldn’t be in school.

Far too often as a child, I heard my mom tell me, “Hate is a strong word.”

As someone who feels the need to communicate her emotions with the utmost clarity and vehemence, “I hate [fill in the blank]” was an easy descriptor to color my feelings. Usually, I was reprimanded for hating so many things.

Now, I’m beginning to understand where my mom was coming from. Passion powers us forward—it motivates us to work towards our goals and gives us strength when we want to give up. If hate is your

propellor, you’re not going to be a pleasant person to be around.

So here’s my thoughts: pick one thing you’re passionate about. One thing that lights a fire in your chest and prompts words to spill from your mouth and puts the glow in your eyes.

One thing that you love more than anything else in this world.

Sure, you might not want to be in school right now.

Let me be honest—I don’t always want to either. Moreover, I’m in danger of catching a bad case of senioritis-because that virus is going to sweep through my grade like the Black Plague.

Pick one thing you love.

One thing you’re heated about. Then, take it and run. Pour your devotion, your energy, and your time into it. Use it to put the more laborious tasks in perspective. Although AP Statistics may not be my favorite subject, I’m taking it to get into a low-acceptance-rate college that I fell in love with this summer.

I’m passionate about this college.

Everyone is heated about something. Don’t waste your time wandering without a compass and poorly doing tasks you don’t care about. Find what you love, and do it. Life without passion isn’t worth living.

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What defines high school?

It’s the moments that one remembers after high school.

Chase Lottman Online Editor

High School days are filled with noise, long classes that can be boring at times, and hefty amounts of homework. Some students cringe at the thought of high school. But take a moment to think about how high school is only four years out of one’s entire life. So, a student should appreciate

“High school is the only time that you spend almost every day with friends,” --Emily Lytle, sophomore

what about high school has to offer in the four years that you’re there.

This time in a student’s life will be the most friendfilled time. The typical high school day consists of group projects, group discussions, lunch, and many other things that involve working with one’s with peers. A job consists of working with total strangers, not with friends.

Sports represent a major part of high school. Whether someone is playing in the game, cheering on the team from the stands, or flipping burgers at the concession stands, they are supporting the school. There is some-

thing unique to high school sports, the games bring students together, which creates friendships.

At Westminster, the “Blue Crew” rallies students to come out and support their comrades in action.

Games in high school represent a social event for all spectators. The themes the crew creates involve all students to dress up and come to cheer on their friends.

“High school sports are special because there is not much pressure, and friends get to come and support. And, what other time in your life can a game be watched by almost all of your friends?” said Jordan Haessuer, sophomore.

Another subject that can define highschool is clubs.

From garden to chess or spanish, clubs offer students who are not interested in athletics some way to get involved. Clubs are a time that one can create memories with people that share the similar interests.

Social events stay in the minds of high school students. One will not remember the grade that they received on their english essay or math quiz. They remember the people, not the material.

OPINIONS

With Love, From the Author I disagree with the administration, and that should be okay.

A column in response to the article on pg. 12-13.

Katherine Yenzer Managing Editor For me, as a young woman, a feature article on dress code was next to impossible to write. With every objective word I wrote it felt as if I was going against everything that I believe in. This issue has far surpassed having to wear leggings, and I don’t believe that lack of communication is the issue here. I feel heard by the administration, and I feel that I have been able to objectively hear what they have to say as well. That doesn’t change the facts. A part of the reasoning behind the decision to require leggings is that women should dress in a way that doesn’t distract men. Women are not objects. So why is society objectifying us? The female population does not exist solely to cater to the needs of men, nor do men exist to cater to women. So why are women around the world being told it is their responsibility to change the way they dress in order to appease men?

The argument that uses Romans 14:13 is fair but misguided. It is impractical to tell God’s children that they should keep from doing anything that causes their brother to stumble, because anything that we do can cause someone somewhere to sin.

Should WCA’s football team stop winning because it leads the other team to jealous thoughts? Should a student who got into Harvard with hard work not attend because it causes her best friend to covet her intelligence? Should people stop buying expensive cars or objects that tempt others into theft? And should a woman stop wearing what she wants because a man may lust after her? No. Romans 14 tells us to do best by our brothers out of love, it does not however say that Christians should go against their own conscience in order to accommodate for the needs of others. An individual is solely responsible for their sin, and if a loved one is struggling through sin, we should do what we feel is best in order to help them. If a Westminster male has become distracted by lustful thoughts, the way to help is not to change the way women dress. As soon as he leaves WCA he will be tragically unprepared and unable to handle his thoughts. The only way to truly help our brother is to teach him to control his thoughts and actions; this is what will best prepare him for his time after Westminster. This is how we can show love to others.

Women can wear whatever they want. Whether that be a crop-top or a turtleneck, women have the right to wear what makes them feel comfortable. I’m not advocating that WCA shouldn’t require leggings or that they should stop encouraging modesty.

We should all dress modestly at WCA out of respect for the professional environment that the school has strived to create. I will continue to dress modestly in the name of professionalism, but never will I alter the way that I dress because a man lacks selfcontrol.

As a society and a school, we need to fix what is broken. Let’s stop telling girls how they should dress, and let’s start teaching men how they can control their thoughts and actions. Stop blaming young women for the lust of their male classmates, and start talking with young men about how they can learn to keep their thoughts pure and actions respectful. Women are not objects, and neither are men, so let’s encourage mutual respect and courtesy between the two sexes instead of persecuting one for their wardrobe. Changing the way someone dresses won’t solve anything but changing the way an individual thinks can and will change everything.

Do you want to add to the conversation? If so, feel free to email me at katherineyenzer@wcapublications.com - the only way to change things here is by talking, so let’s talk.

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The Best of this Summer Cate Hoogstraten Print Editor Unbeknownst to many, teenagers have given summer somewhat of a structure. Sleeping, eating, and netflixing normally fill the day time but night time is reserved for one thing: concerts. Some concerts are legendary, while others are hardly worthwhile. With summer drawing to a close, several students recap their favorite - and not so favorite - summer concerts.

“The BØRNS concert was my favorite.

Bleachers opened and both the bands have amazing lead singers.”

said Rebekah Shields, junior.

“Walk the Moon was the best; they had great energy and really got the crowd going.” said Camryn Wil-

liams, junior.

“J. Cole was my favorite, because J. Cole is just so good.”

said Sydney Driscoll, junior.

Did you miss going to see your favorite band this summer? The time for concerts isn’t over yet! Check out your favorite bands this fall, too.

ENTERTAINMENT

ENTERTAINMENT

Summer’s Best and Brightest Summer Movies Wins and Fails

Ryan Davis

Entertainment Editor The summer was spent doing plenty of activities: going to amusement parks, tanning on beaches, or hanging out at camp. But there were many who just decided to stay near home and go see a good movie. And as it is with every summer, there were movies that came out on top and some that just flopped.

Worth the Money Jurassic World: As the current highest grossing film of the year so far, “Jurassic World” keeps the audience awake with its captivating story and loud roars. And if that wasn’t enough, it had one of the catchiest movie themes ever.

Inside Out: Since Pixar missed out on a movie last year (for the first time in 10 years), they made up for it with the funny, tear-jerking “Inside Out”. As the only children’s film other than “Minions” out this summer, it ranked high this summer in terms of movie wins.

Ant-Man: due to “Avengers: Age of Ultron” being released before the summer, “Ant-Man” takes its place as the Marvel movie on the list. Filled with comedy, action, and SOOOO many easter eggs (stay till the VERY end of the credits), Ant-Man proves that Marvel just can’t fail.

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation: what’s impossible is how this franchise just won’t die just like its main character. As the fifth installment in the franchise, this movie keeps up the action its predecessors demonstrated.

Straight Outta Compton: ok, so technically this movie was already out after WCA started back up, but we’re still counting it as part of the summer films due to its popularity. An inspiring biography plus great music, “Straight Outta Compton” is straight outta this world.

Worth the Wait Terminator Genisys: When you allow your plot twist to be revealed in the trailer, it should’ve been obvious that this movie didn’t have that much to offer.

Fantastic Four: Everyone was skeptical of it and they were right to be; little character development, missing scenes that were constantly shown in trailers, and one of the laziest team namings of all time combine to make one the worst films of the summer.

San Andreas: It may have had the Rock in it but it’s a movie about buildings falling over. Can we please end with the disaster flicks?

And that’s the list for this year’s ups and downs in Hollywood. While some of them may be a bit misjudged, we can’t deny that there are greater movies on the way. Stay tuned for more of Ryan’s Reviews.

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The Expiration Date

A Sneak Peak Into WCA’s New Serial Novel

Mary Grace Barber Opinions Editor

Scan the QR code to access Expiration Date online.

Normally, expiration dates are found on the back of milk cartons or loaves of bread. They’re a mark of when something turns bad.

Imagine if people had expiration dates too. What if the things they did wrong were printed on their skin until they proved themselves to be good again--until their evil expired.

What if a person was imprisoned until the expiration date was reached. Now imagine society locking you up in a prison until you reached your expiration date.

This year on WCA’s online newspaper, The Wildcat Roar, you can read a story that asks and answers these questions. Expiration Date is a serial novel written by Mary Grace Barber, and a new chapter will be published with each issue online.

Last year, the serial novel, Shatterproof, focused on a girl named Bryony and dealt with the effects of our words on others and the pressures to be perfect in society.

Although Expiration Date continues to follow Bryony on her journey, the plot stands independent from that of Shatterproof. In this new story, Bryony awakes in futuristic America with tattoos of the things she did wrong on her skin. But things go awry from the start when the police seize her and lock her up for her “illegal tattoo.”

Those who have not read the first novel should have limited trouble following the plot of Expiration Date.

However, a few well-loved characters from Shatterproof will reappear, and obviously every author encourages their readers to explore all of his or her works.

Because Expiration Date has yet to be released, here are a few quotes from peers that will encourage you to check out the serial novel on The Wildcat Roar online.

“Wait, what’s a serial novel?”

--Chase Lottman, sophomore.

“I’m obsessed with [Shatterproof],” --Katherine Yenzer, junior.

“It’s a really unique concept, which makes it stand out from all the other stories,” --Elyse Blatz, senior.

“It’s like Charles Dickens’ serial novels, except I don’t get paid by the word, and there’s actually a happy ending,” --Mary Grace Barber, author.

Jared Orange Competes in Code in D.C.

NEWS

Ryan Davis Entertainment Editor towards each other or opposing teams, points would be deducted from the main score. This put the crews on high alert, fearing that even the simplest of arguments could be translated into disaster for their victory.

Every member of the team had an important part to play during the match. Orange, Westminster’s only representative, acted as the PHP user, website tester, and security designer. Orange’s teammates, who hailed from other Missouri schools, held other positions aimed towards their specific skill set including: product manager, developer, and web designer. The team came in sixth place overall, much to Orange’s irritation. “We lost to teams smaller than us which was pretty bad,” he says.

“There were a lot of technical difficulties. I don’t know why. You would kinda expect an IT-centered organization to be on top of their game but it was kinda disorganized.”

Despite the loss, Orange says he would participate in the competition again if given the chance.

“It was just fun,” according to Orange, “and I’m opening my mind to more programming. Now I know things like PHP and now I can do a lot of other cool stuff besides Java.”

He says he would definitely recommend it to other Westminster students with a rating of 8 out of 10. Congrats to Jared Orange and his team for their impressive hacking (I mean coding).

Jared Orange, left, along withThe Coding Crew

Photo taken by John Cooper

Students came back to Westminster this year with many different, interesting stories. Summer seminars, Camp Westminster, and exciting vacations were only a few of the many tales told around the halls. Yet, one story has been mostly untold: a competition held in Washington D.C. for upcoming web designers (cough, hackers, cough cough). Jared Orange, senior, recently attended this prestigious competition with a group of other students in order to prove they have what it takes to be the coders of the future.

For those not familiar with this competition, the basic layout goes like this. Teams would have to design a webpage using different programs such as HTML (HyperText Markup Language), JavaScript, PHP, among others.

The teams are selected by chapter. The chapter’s sponsor would monitor those who signed up and teach them different skills to use on the computer. At the end of the training period, those who were deemed good were selected to compete with the team.

The contest lasted for three days, beginning with an oral test first, followed by a written portion, and concluding with an actual coding trial, where they would build the website. The scores for all three would be combined together at the end. One of the obstacles during the competition was that the teams were scored outside of the event hall as well. For example, if a team were to goof off in their hotel rooms or show disorderly conduct

All Around the World

Students from the Spanish and French Clubs attend the Festival of Nations

Cate Hoogstraten Print Editor

On a gloomy, seemingly uneventful Saturday afternoon on the 29th of August, Tower Grove Park was teeming with unusual activity.

Thousands of people could be seen tasting, watching, and learning about other cultures. Only the Festival of Nations, a multi-cultural event held by the International Institute, draws this kind of crowd.

The festival is in town for a mere weekend each year, and both the French and Spanish Clubs took the opportunity to attend the event, marking the kickoff of both clubs. French and Spanish students meandered the park, browsing the miles of food and shopping stands while watching

several performances by people of different nationalities.

The festival is an event that many students won’t soon forget.

“It’s a really fun way to experience other cultures, and it’s a really unique experience. There aren’t many places in St. Louis where you can see so many cultures so close to each other,” said Morgan Henry, senior and member of Spanish Club.

“I tend to think about other countries as far away, distant lands, but the Festival of Nations reminds me that there are people right here in St. Louis who celebrate many different cultures,” said Paris Hubler,

Juniors Hannah Haguewood, MaryKate Kopsky, and Cate Hoogstraten at the Festival of Nations

NEWS

junior and member of French Club.

The Festival of Nations is not just for students who are involved in a language club.

“It’s important for people who live ignorantly in America to go because it helps open their eyes and learn about the different countries that are on the earth with us,” said Luke Demetry, junior.

While St. Louis is not exactly known for offering an abundance of festivals, the Festival of Nations

is one that all St. Louis residents should attend at least once. The festival encompasses everything that is special about travel: authentic and ethnic food, performances, and bonding experiences with diverse groups of people.

North and South Tensions Cause Concern in the Halls of WCA. Markus Cicka News Editor

North Korea outlined an ultimatum to its southern category. North Korea’s offensive action is a despicable neighbor: Stop the “provocations” and “psychological crime that breaks a ceasefire agreement and the nonwarfare” or pay the price. North Korea’s regime, known aggression treaty between the North and South. If North for being both thin-skinned and fond of starting conflict, Korea continues on provoking, South Korea’s military will has made plenty of threats before. In fact, articulating de- respond sternly, and end the evil provocations of North rogatory and intimidating words about South Korea and Korea,” he said. This would cause hundreds of thouthe United States has been more the norm for years. sands of young adults to be pulled into the draft. One What makes this case different, though, is that two WCA student who did not want to be named who spoke South Korean soldiers have been seriously wounded by about a possible draft if the tensions rise. He said. “If I landmines, August 4 in the South Korea and the U.S.-led went into the draft, I would be scared that I would never U.N. Command in Korea concluded North Korea planted see my family again.” One ongoing point of contention the mines on a patrol route in the southern part of the is South Korea’s joint military exercises with the United zone. North Korea has denied responsibility and refused States which is a regular training event .

South Korean demands for an apology.

Those exercises were suspended Thursday amid the Specifically, the threat is tied to cross-border propaganda war of words, Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have loudspeakers that South Korea resumed using last week been escalating since some of the propaganda South for the first time in a decade. Pyongyang is demanding Korea has been firing has been saying things along the they be turned off. “The situation of the country is now line of. Another anonymous exchange student talked inching closer to the brink of war,” Ji Jae Ryong, North about the situation. He said, “Our country and theirs Korean ambassador (CNN). have been living peacefully for many years. I would want South Korean Defense Minister, Han Min-koo, acthis to continue so many lives are not lost.” cused North Korea of pushing the tensions to the severe

10|THEWILDCATROAR.COM|SEPTEMBER 2015

Maggi Eachus Editor-in-Chief

FEATURES

Skirting Around the Issue: A Continuation One thing is for sure, when it comes to issues such as dress code, the conversations must continue Katherine Yenzer Managing Editor

Last March, the Widcat Roar ran a story deasling with dress code. With the recent requirement of leggings, the conversation of dress code has again made it to the top of the lunch table, dinner table, and social media topic list.

Recently the staff of the Wildcat Roar decided to spike a story directly dealing with dress code. Hours of editing and discussion culminated in a chance for the newspaper staff to sit down with Noah Brink, assistant head of school, and talk. What emerged from that discussion was an emphasis on fostering better relationships, aided by conversations.

The topic is highly charged and rather than do the issue a disservice and possibly even close the door to more conversations we’ve decided to take a longer approach.

Students are going to disagree with the choices made by the administration. Sometimes students need to trust that the administration is making the right call, but when students feel that something is truly unjust, they have the right to speak up and ask questions. The solution is to have an open discussion between the school and students when the majority of students have concerns.

Students should not be afraid to question decisions that greatly alter their school-life, and the school needs to listen to the students and carefully consider the fairness behind their decisions. To that end, Brink sat down with the staff of the Roar to do just that.

With the goal of fostering better relationships, Brink spent an hour and a half listening to students and disussing with them the desire for better relationships and how a dress code can contribute to that.

“A major goal [behind dress codes] is to improve the relationship. It isn’t healthy when a daily part of the interaction between faculty and students is dominated by checking skirt lengths or any other kind of conversation that requires “interpretation” of the dress code. Teachers need to get on with class; they shouldn’t have to be figuring out if a student is in compliance or not. So, a clear policy for dress helps with that,” said Brink.

“The conversation was a beneficial one, and although many students still have frustrations, it is our hope that since this conversation has been started, doors have been opened and relationships will be formed,” said Cate Hoogstraten, junior.

Good conversations stem from good relationships, and it is the hope of the Wildcat Roar staff that we, as a

12|THEWILDCATROAR.COM|SEPTEMBER 2015

school, can use disagreements like this one as a way to open up conversation and build trust between students and administration. Students want to be heard, but so does the administration, and if both sides simply become angry because they feel unheard and refuse to start a conversation, the possibility of forming relationships becomes unlikely.

While the issue of leggings has become a highly charged one it has revealed the issue of students sincerely being concerned about the logic and rationale behind a decision and feeling as if they are not being heard. So let’s do everything in our power to be heard, and carefully listen to the responses we receive. No one is perfect here, and the best that can be done is listen and respect each other, no matter what our position or views are. This conversation is far from over, and we hope that it is one that will continue as well as help relationships flourish.

Features

Skirting around the ISSUE

By: Maggi Eachus and Audrey O’Neill

F

ew first world problems get people as riled up as the dress code does. Whether it be about non-Lands End apparel or the exhausted arguments for and against skirt lengths, everyone has something to say.

While the popular opinion takes offense at the threeinch skirt rule, there are students who believe it is there for a good reason. They understand that school is a professional environment geared towards learning and equal opportunity for all students.

“I choose to keep the three inch rule so that I can feel comfortable in what I’m wearing and don’t have to constantly worry about if my butt is going to show,” said Sophie Dunlap, junior.

Dunlap chooses not only to keep the dress code out of respect for herself, but to keep male students from temptation. As a female, she says that it is her responsibility to allow her male counterparts to learn in an equal and focused environment.

On the other side of the spectrum, Molly Cook, sophomore, is one of those students who feels that the rule can be at times unfair. While she understands why the rule is in place, she finds that it can be slightly unrealistic.

“A lot of my skirts are old, and I have grown since I bought them. They’re shorter than three inches, but I don’t want to waste the money to buy a new one when these are perfectly fine,” said Cook.

Cook, like others has had the same skirts for a long time, and even though she has grown a little over the years the skirts are still in good condition. On top of tuition, replacing

$40 skirts every time a teen hits a growth spurt can be quite frustrating for students and parents alike.

The main reason the rule is in place is to ensure that male students stay focused on learning instead of lusting.

Men are wired visually; which can be difficult for female students to understand. In addition to 25 times higher production rates of testosterone, the sexual pursuit area of their brain is 2.5 times larger than females, according to renowned psychologist, Louann Brizendine.

However, not every male student is represented by this opinion. Some guys have found that a skirt shorter than three inches does not affect them.

“Often times it’s not even noticeable. I guess we males have become used to it based on what media and culture throw at us. The length of a skirt isn’t really a big deal,” said Austin Mathai, senior.

The current style among teenage girls is high waisted shorts and short pencil skirts. While society dictates what females are expected to wear, WCA’s dress code is much more conservative. Girls just want to wear what makes them feel fashionable and comfortable, which can vary from girl to girl.

“Give [females] a break. I’m sure no girl was intending to cause harm and damage by wearing a skirt that was slightly shorter than three inches,” said Mathai.

While not all students agree on the skirt length rule, it can be said that some consideration is needed over the subject. The intentions behind the rules are in good faith, but may not be as applicable or helpful as thought.

10 | THEWILDCATROAR.COM | 03.04.15

page 10 from the March 2015 Issue of The Wildcat Roar

Welcome to America

New student, Andrea LaCassie, junior, moves from Germany to St. Louis Sarah Ragsdale Features Editor

“I had so many friends and many amazing experiences there, and here I’m starting over again. It’s not easy to be able to build these relationships...although I have to say people here are very friendly!”

Although she is now being immersed again in American life, LaCassie has retained some of the German language.

“I don’t speak German fluently, but I am able to get by. I would love to continue learning it.”

photo courtesy of Andrea LaCassie

Schule auf Deutschland is a familiar concept for Andrea LaCassie, junior, who recently transferred from Frankfurt International School in Germany. However, while most new students come from other public or private schools and some from home-school education, LaCassie arrived from across the seas to start a new school year at WCA. Up until August, she had been living in Germany for four years.

Because LaCassie has experienced both countries, she has been able to compare and contrast what life is like for kids in Germany versus the United States.

“In Germany, kids are raised with much more independence. Because it is very safe there, they start taking the U-bahn, which is a train/subway, when they are five years old.” LaCassie also shared that Germans “are very concerned about their environment.?

Speaking about school, LaCassie said that breaks in the two countries are different. “In Germany, we had vacations throughout the school year instead of just having a long summer.” However, she says that both schools are alike in their academic rigor.

Going from the United States to Germany and back again has given LaCassie the opportunity to visit over eleven countries.

My family got to explore many different places and see many different countries such as France, Italy, Spain, Dubai, Croatia, Borneo, Austria, Switzerland, Russia, Greece, England, etc.”

In addition to moving to the U.S. after such a length of time in Germany, LaCassie has had to adjust to switching schools junior year.

Andrea LaCassie with her family in Paris, France

visit us at: www.thewildcatroar.com

FEATURES

Sarah Ragsdale Features Editor

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The Untold Stories of Summer Seminar By: Lauren Ramos, Print Editor

National Trips: Page 16 International Trips: Page 17

FEATURES

OREGON

On the second day in the Wallowa Mountains, they ran into some park rangers at a lake that was about a quarter of a mile from where they set up camp. Unfortunately, the state law in Oregon is that people cannot hike and camp in a group of more than 12 campers, but the Westminster campsite had 17 people there.

“We weren’t aware of the law and knew that we were in trouble immediately after the rangers asked us if we were all together,” said Jordan Hartmann, senior.

To avoid any trouble with the law, they sprinted back to the campsite and quickly picked up their tents to separate into smaller groups. However, the boys’ new campsite was so far away that they awakened in the middle of the night to bobcats scratching their tents.

Photo By: Jordan Hartmann

SOUTH DAKOTA

Seventeen seniors travelled north to the beautiful state of South Dakota to hike the Badlands and visit Mount Rushmore with their classmates. Of course, with all the time in the wilderness craziness was bound to ensue. On the first night in the Badlands, they pitched their tents on a giant plateau and their guides were staying on a hill nearby. The sky was very clear and did not show any sign of the possibility of a single raindrop. However, Lauren Stoner, senior, suggested that they should put rain covers on their tents to be safe, but no one humored her advice. Around 1:00 a.m. a terrible storm hit the camp site. “It was the worst storm any of us had ever seen with 70 mile per hour winds and hail,” said Jack Andrews, senior. In the madness of the storm, people’s tents got blown over and everyone was scrambling to keep their tents and things from getting blown away in the downpour. The morning after the watery madness, the guide, clueless with a complete night of sleep, asked how they slept.

Photo By: Claire Rebbe

NEW YORK

Students spent five days exploring the “Big Apple.” One night they went to see the play “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.” At the end of the show, Mr. Schwamb stood up to applaud and he ripped his pants. So Mr. Schwamb had to take off his button shirt and tie it around his pants to cover the rip. All he had underneath was a white wifebeater. There were a lot of turned heads as he walked up and down the streets of New York in a wife-beater.

Walking around the streets of the big city surrounded by high schoolers did not make the situation any less embarrassing, but it is fun for the group to look back and laugh about.

Photo By: Joey Hobaugh

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SPAIN

Photo By: Lauren Ramos

FRANCE

A group of 16 Westminster students and faculty members travelled to France to attend a school and tour Paris. During their time in Paris, the group walked down to the Paris Metro to travel to their next destination. They had taken a trip on the Metro before, so it shouldn’t have been a big deal, but that day it was. As the train pulled up to the platform, the students noticed that it was much more crowded than usual. Unfazed, the group patiently waited for the doors to slide open. Unfortunately, the Paris Metro is notoriously fast moving. As a few students eventually made their way in, the doors began sliding shut. The students already in the train began frantically pulling more people on, but it wasn’t enough. When the doors finally did close, juniors Chelsea Caplinger, Taylor French, and Sydney Bowden were left stranded on the platform.

Photo By: Tommy Regan

A group of sophomores, juniors, and seniors travelled to the historically rich country of Spain. They spent a week in the Mediterranean city of Dénia at Alfa y Omega Colegio to teach and learn from students of all ages. Following the week of classes, they toured Madrid for the weekend. Throughout the trip, junior, Tom Southwell tried to do parkour which was a humorous aspect of the trip. On the very last night as everyone was walking back to the hotel, Southwell decided to end his Spanish parkour with a bang. He ran to a concrete barrier in the middle of the street and jumped off of it to show off his moves. However once he reached the top of it, the heavy barrier tipped over and fell. A loud bang roared through the streets causing everyone’s head to turn. The hundreds of onlookers gave Southwell a standing ovation for his accomplishment.

Photo By: Sarah Ragsdale

SOUTH KOREA

A group of seniors were able to experience a once in a lifetime trip in the beautiful city of Seoul, South Korea.

They taught students English at WCA’s partner, Saemmul School, stayed with host families, and toured the unique city. Korean food is unlike anything most Americans have ever tried, and unfortunately, Westminster students experienced Korean food like no one has ever experienced before. While Tommy Regan and Ben Isaacs, seniors, were at lunch, a group of boys brought some food for them to try. It was a plastic bowl with dark, red noodles.

Of course, they were happy to accept the gift, but were warned that they need to be careful because the dish was very spicy. Quickly, a large group of kids crowded around the table to watch the Americans eat this “secret” food.

With two big bites of the mystery dish, their mouths were on fire. “It was the spiciest thing, I’ve ever eaten, but we won the respect of the kids at school,” said Regan.

FEATURES

Q&A With WCA’s Three Newest STARS Sabrina Bringham, Sydney Thomas, and Megan Wibbenmeyer, seniors, discuss their experience with the 2015 STARS program

Audrey O’Neill Editor-in-Chief

The six-week long “Students and Teachers as Research Scientists” program, sponsored by local private industries and universities, is an opportunity for high school students and teachers to participate in hands-on research, write and present research papers, and listen to lectures from nationally-known scientists. Last summer, Rebecca Liu, senior, and Stephanie Strothkamp, class of 2015, were among the select group of STARS participants. Liu worked with STARS for her second year this summer, joined by three of her classmates, Sabrina Bringham, Sydney Thomas, and Megan Wibbenmeyer, seniors.

The Roar: Can you explain your topics of research?

Sydney Thomas: [Megan and I] researched the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. Specifically the role of the Sabrina Bringham: I worked [with] Salmonella. A nonprotein of alpha synuclein. In PD, it misfolds and builds profit organization called Meds and Food for Kids works up which is what forms the Lewy bodies in the brain that cause many of the trademark PD symptoms. Our lab was to feed malnourished children in Haiti. Right now, they researching whether or not a certain dopamine metaboare developing a snack, popcorn, and they want to use Scottish Bonnet Peppers for flavor. Scottish Bonnet Pep- lite (DOPAL) could increase build-up at high concentrapers are susceptible to Salmonella contamination, and tions. Some days we would work with rats and handle them and check their weights. Other days we would their factory, located in Haiti, needs an energy efficient and cost effective way to treat the peppers for the pos- spend hours working on our papers, trying to dig up new sibility of contamination. The purpose of this study is to information on the pathogenesis of PD. Other times, we find a method to kill Salmonella that will work in Haiti so would stay down in the lab, running in vitro tests. So we the Scottish Bonnet Peppers can be used to flavor pop- would prepare solutions, add our protein at various concorn. To test my hypothesis, I contaminated Scottish Bon- centrations and then run the assay. net Pepper samples with Salmonella and toasted them for various amount of times at different temperatures and The Roar: What was the biggest challenge you faced during the program? observed the samples after diluting them and allowing them to grow overnight.

Megan Wibbenmeyer: Me and Sydney were in the same lab. One challenge was that we worked with a spectrometer. Working with it was difficult, and some data wasn't fully collected because of it.

SB: Near the end of the program, everybody was really tired. It was fun but it was a lot of work. I was really worried about my experiment working but it turned out to work great!

ST: The days were really long, and we had to be focussed in order to be sure everything was done precisely.

The Roar: Do you have any funny stories from your time in STARS? SB: We just did goofy stuff like play with liquid nitrogen, and we spent a lot of time eating outside the lab.

Sydney Thomas and Megan Wibbenmeyer, seniors, pose in their STARS lab coats.

18|THEWILDCATROAR.COM|SEPTEMBER 2015

MW: Something funny was our Bagel Tuesday's! Bagels were seven dollars for a baker’s dozen!

ST: We would pool for bagels on Tuesday and then share with the lab and hide the extras.

SPORTS b y MAg g i E ac h u s

maggieachus@WCAPUBLICATIONS.COM follow @maggi_peaches on Twitter

Field Hockey Secures First Win Beginning as a club team in 2013, the Westminster field hockey program has grown into a full fledged varsity team with a JV team, a C team, and two middle school teams in addition. Over the past four years the team has gone from just a concept in the minds of Varsity Coach Nancy Schmer and JV coach Michelle Pottebaum to a full fledged, competitive program.

While the quick expansion of the team is clearly notable, the heart and soul of the team lies with the girls themselves. They are the glue of the program that makes it so unique.

“They committed to this team knowing that they would be up against established programs and teams with more experience. They are working daily to improve their skills and continue to strive for excellence on and off the hockey field,” said Schmer.

Not only are these girls committed to working hard to stay on par with the other more established varsity programs, but they also work hard off the field. There is an unmistakable bond between these girls that sets them apart from other teams.

“The team is constantly encouraging and looks past the wins and losses.” said Lucy Kehr, senior.

Kher is one of the captains of the varsity squad and is looking forward to a final season with the Wildcats. She speaks highly of the girls on the team and their encouragement. Also, Kehr has been impacted by the program in learning how to cope with loss and celebration. The team is constantly able to mourn the losses but also to celebrate the small victories within each game.

As the program looks towards its future, both the coaches and girls have high goals and expectations for the team not only on but also off the field.

“I want this team to be a team of humility and a team that rejoices in the little things,” said Lucy Kehr, senior and team captain.

Schmer projects that the program should someday

reach State Champion status, but for this season she has some more practical expectations and goals for the team “These girls have already exceeded all of my expectations. They are working daily to get better,” said Schmer.

While all the girls have different expectations for the season, the main goal for the team would be to put some points on the scoreboard and beyond that to have fun and work hard while doing it.

SPORTS b y N ICK G L A N VI L L nickglanvill@WCAPUBLICATIONS.COM

UNSUNG HEROES Sweat, blood, and lots of food. This is what five of Westminster’s best endure on a daily basis. The football team has one of the biggest offensive lines in the St. Louis area and is looking to defend their district title from a year ago. The line is composed of Seniors Wyatt Malcolm, Minsok Lee, Chris Heyl, Robert Davis, and Jeremiah Branscomb. They average a height of 6 foot 2 inches, 288 pounds, and eat up to 3500 calories per day.

They are hard working and are constantly encouraging each other. More importantly, they have goals. These men know when to have fun and when to be serious. They know when to mess with each other and to support each other. When its conditioning time, they get after it and push one another.

“Conditioning is the best part of the day, because it’s how we get better, it’s how we are going to win”, said Davis.

“Its pretty hard while doing it, But it feels really good after because you know you have done something to better your team”, added Branscomb.

One of the main reasons why the O-Line is so successful is that they are just downright huge.

Their size is comparable to the Missouri Tigers offensive line, who average 289 lbs. Last season, the group only gave up 8 sacks in 13 games. And that’s with having the line’s biggest member, Lee, hurt for 6 weeks.

Having a good line sets up the

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“I feel like this is the tightest unit on the team, and maybe even the tightest unit at WCA.”

success of every play.

“Its great to have such a good line, it gives me time and takes some of the pressure off. A lot of my receivers go out there and make plays for me, and it just makes my job a little bit easier,” said senior quarterback, Evan Johnson.

The guys all have the same goal: winning a championship.

“We are seniors, we know how this program works and what we have to achieve”, said Malcolm.

Each lineman knows the man standing next to him is going to do everything he can to help his team succeed.

“I feel comfortable in games knowing the guy next to me will do his job”, said Lee. Yet, this is more than football and what appears on the outside. This unit is a family.

“I feel like this is the tightest unit on the team, and maybe even the tightest unit at Westminster. We practice together, we work together, we eat together, we do everything together” said Davis.

These guys are more than just a couple of students that decided to play football All five linemen are in it for the same reason.

They are in it to win and they are in it for each other.

They all said at once, “We are brothers... and breakfast is the best part of the day”.

WE ARE

GO FIGURE

INTRODUCING A WHOLE NEW WAY TO EXPERIENCE WCA ATHLETICS

THE EVOLUTION OF WESTMINSTER JOURNALISM HAS TAKEN FORM IN AN ALL NEW SPORTS FOCUSED NETWORK COMMITTED TO BRINGING YOU INSTANT COVERAGE AND HIGHLIGHTS FOR ALL SPORTS ALL THE TIME.

7

Number of tackles broken by Cameron Tucker, Senior, on his 40 yard touchdown run against St. Dominic

5-0

the final score of the historic Westminster-Brentwood field hockey game. It marked the first EVER varsity win that Westminster was able to bring home in the history of the program.

SPORTS

Section Edited by

/ BENJAMIN SEMS

Jake’s Take Time to Listen Up

things that are unnecessary and wrong. The common reaction to this would be to simply not do whatever bad idea that they have. This is easy, but it brings about an air of uncoachability. Yes, even not listening to a bad idea is still being uncoachable.

While being uncoachable may not have direct consequences in high school, the damage will increase as you get older.

In college, I imagine that coaches will make athletes do things that are border-

B y J AKE s c h r o e d e r follow @SCHRADES93 on Twitter.

Listening is hardreally hard. As a guy notorious for having the attention span of a chipmunk with ADD, this statement is more true that I would like to admit. One comfort in this fact is that I know that I am not the only person who struggles with this problem.

Lack of listening is a problem that plagues many athletes, myself included. In the heat of practice or a game, often times the last thing an athlete wants to do is listen.

This can mean listening to another player, but usually it means listening to the coach.

Now, I know what you are thinking. It’s Westminster Christian Academy, and I’m supposed to say something along the lines

line insane (think mid of, “Listen to your coach because Jesus wants you to.” In response to this, I would say that there is a safe bet that Jesus does not really care that you listen to your coach.

Whether or not you listen to your coach is not a religious matter; it’s a matter of basic courtesy.

The idea of listening to your coach and following directions is a concept that is important for everyone, regardless of their athleticism or participation in sports. It challenges a problem—or potential problem—that is plaguing students and adults alike.

22|THEWILDCATROAR.COM|SEPTEMBER 2015

This issue can be simply put as the lack of attention and respect for authority figures. As can be imagined, this dilemma inhabits many facets of life, but I want to respond to it specifically from a sports standpoint.

It may not seem like a big deal. I would agree with this; from the surface level, a simple thing like not listening to a coach is harmless. To people who feel this way, I challenge you to look at it through a broader lens. Coaches, like every athlete, make mistakes. Along with this, they often have their players do

summer conditioning), but not listening to a college coach is a great way to be removed from a team. Even after college, not listening to an employer (a “coach”) is even more of a risk. It has often been said that, “Uncoachable kids turn into unemployable adults.”

I couldn’t agree more. Employers don’t have time for people that won’t listen to them, and often times, they won’t be keen on giving a second chance.

The above description is a very extreme example, but it is an important thing to remember. It’s best to make a habit of listening now.

MORE SPORTS

For more stories visit sportingwca.thewildcatroar.com.

For instant scores and more, follow @SportingWCA on Twitter.

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