Parkway North High School
N rsestar 12860 Fee Fee Rd. St. Louis, MO 63146
Volume 52, Issue 4, February 7, 2014
Students Share Their Valentine’s Day Plans See more on page 6
Also Featured:
Polar Vortex: Students Deal with More Snow Days See more on page 8
Students Discuss Difference between Brand Names, Personal Style See more on page 5
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NEWS
February 7, 2014 Parkway North High School
North’s Chess Team Starts Season with Winning Record year, the chess team lost last year’s top player. two different ways to win a chess match. A Because chess is a game of strategy, play“Although we lost a strong board 1, our competitor can either checkmate a player, ers need to keep working and strengthening previous year's board 2 and 3… have gotten which is a move where one competitors’ king their skills in order to succeed. Consequently, Centerspread Editor really strong to move up to the level necessary is threatened and there is no move to escape, members of the chess team are encouraged to Parkway North’s chess team has started to play on their boards,” said Israel. “One of or when one competitor’s time runs out, the play, even on their own computer, as much as possible. off its season strong with an undefeated re- our alternates last year, Ketul Patel, has really other competitor wins. “In order to win, you have to have supe“If we all played our best we could win cord and is hoping to continue with its win- picked up his game and moved all the way up ning season, ending it with a trip to the state from not even being one of the main boards rior tactics. Each player has a one-hour time the league and probably state. We have very competition on March 1. Last year, the team last year, to this year's board 3. Our board 4, limit in which to complete [his moves]. The strong players and a lot of potential” said IsRyan Wahidi, still remains strong in tourna- game ends with checkmate or time running rael. “We just have to be at our best when we won state and advanced to nationals. play other schools.” “Our club's biggest accomplishment this ment, and our board 5, Chris Haborstroh, out,” said Wahidi. “Chess is a lot like a sport; it requires The chess team has played De Smet, year was beating our rival school, Vianney. remains very strong against his opponents. They probably have the toughest chess team Luke Matthew is a reliable alternate...he has constant practice. We practice Wednesdays Parkway South, Wright City, Valley Park, Viafter school, before school any day, during ac anney, and Eureka. So far the team has beat in our division, and we just barely came out great decision making skills.” Chess tournaments consist of a timed lab as permitted, and online as much as pos- every team. Their next match is Feb. 12 at Laon top, 19-11. Our boards 1 and 5 struggled due. against their opponents and lost, but our game between two competitors. There are sible,” said Cundiff. middle boards remained strong and pulled out the win,” said senior Jon Israel. Winners in matches are decided by points. Each board or match is worth 30 points. In the end, the team with the most points wins. Not only has the team had a perfect record, but several players as well. “Our team is undefeated and some of our players are too,” said English teacher and chess club sponsor Alison Cundiff. Parkway North’s chess team competes in the Gateway Chess League, which is a scholastic chess organization and includes high schools in the greater St Louis area. They compete on Wednesdays after school. In order for teams to advance to the state and league championships, they must first do well during the season and win at quarter finals on Feb. 19 and semifinals on Feb. 26. “In the Gateway League, one school competes against another each week. The schools are from all over Missouri and Illinois. A whole bunch of teams play each other, then the winners play the winners and so on… our goals are to win our league and state," said Cundiff. After the state competition, a national competition takes place with students and schools from all over the country. For teams who do well at nationals there is even a higher competition known as super nationals where teams compete at a university against players from around the world. While the team has been doing well, they still have had some challenges to overcome. In chess, different players are ranked The Parkway North Chess team practices before a match after school in the library against St John Vianney on Jan. 15. “Our clubs biggest with board one being the highest, and this accomplishment this year was beating our rival school, Vianney. They probably have the toughest chess team in our division,” said Israel. Gianna Sparks
Norsestar Staff Aurora Wrancher ...Editor in Chief
Molly Thal
...Editor in Chief
Zack Becker
...Online Editor
Nadia Ahmed
...News Editor
Kori Clay
...Community Editor
Gianna Sparks
...Centerspread Editor
Jamie Powell ...Features Editor
Chaney Cooper ...Sports Editor Emma Mitchell ...Opinions Editor Ryan Lutker ...Entertainment Editor Brianne Lewis ...Ad Manager Staff Writers and Photographers ...Monyelle Asher ...Lauren Sparks Tracy Silvagnoli...Sponsor
Norsestar Policy Norsestar encourages students, teachers, parents, administrators and other readers to publish their opinion in the form of a letter to the editor. However, due to space limitations,not all letters can be published. Any student or faculty member may submit an article or photo to the Norsestar by placing the item in the mailbox in the library or by giving to a staff member. Letters must be signed; no anonymous articles will appear in the newspaper. Norsestar will accept any letter submitted regardless of whether or not the staff agrees with its opinion, unless the material presented is libelous, promotes illegal activities, or is deemed in poor taste by the editorial board. The staff reserves the right to edit letters for length or clarification.
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Community
February 7, 2014 Parkway North High School
Photo by Jordan Stack
North High Students Volunteer Their Time At Interesting Places Aurora Wrancher Co-Editor in Chief
Senior Jordan Stack cares for the cats at Five Acres Animal Shelter. Five Acres mission “is to end pet homelessness, promote responsible pet ownership, and advocate for animal welfare” and takes care of dogs and cats who don’t have homes.
While some people begin volunteering to get service hours, people continue volunteering because they feel very strongly about a certain cause and reap the benefit of helping others. Junior Alexis Becker, who volunteers at the St. Louis Crisis Nursery said, “I really love volunteering at Crisis Nursery. All the volunteers really need to do is play with the children and keep them out of trouble. Even though all the kids there are having a rough time, all the kids are always a lot of fun and want to play nonstop.” The St. Louis Crisis Nursery (SLCN) is a nonprofit agency that is funded by donations and works to prevent child abuse and neglect. It provides emergency short term housing for children ages birth to 12 years. “Its main purpose is to keep young children out of high stress situations where they might fall victim to neglect or abuse,” said Becker. During their stay at the nursery, each child receives a medical exam, 3 full meals and 3 snacks, a developmental assessment, 24 hour care by trained staff and volunteers, and therapeutic activities developed for each child’s situation and needs. Parents may voluntarily bring their children for many reasons including domestic violence, lack of utilities, parental or sibling illness or death, or overwhelming parental stress. “I really only started volunteering
last summer when I was a camp counselor at Camp Independence for a week. I originally started volunteering because I needed to get some hours for NHS and government,” said Becker. Although Becker originally started volunteering for government and National Honor Society, she continues to volunteer because she enjoys doing it. “I go there sometimes when I have free time as well. They are all extremely adorable, and I honestly don’t feel like [I’m] working at all when I go there,” said Becker. Senior Jordan Stack is a volunteer at Five Acres Animal Shelter. She volunteers there for Service Learning and goes there once a week, every week. “I volunteer at Five Acres Animal Shelter. I just started volunteering there a couple of weeks ago but I’ve volunteered at a lot of different places for a long time. I mostly volunteer with the cats and that involves feeding them, giving them water and cleaning their cages, along with playing with them as well,” said Stack. Five Acres Animal Shelter is the only no kill shelter in St. Charles County, Missouri. They do not euthanize any of the animals that they get in their shelter; they keep them for as long as needed until they find their forever home. “I enjoy volunteering because it feels really good to give back and know that you’re helping someone or something. It gives you a really great feeling to know that you’re giving back to the community,” said Stack.
Black Cinema Showcases Music, Dancing, Poetry from the Harlem Renaissance
Students Practice for Black History Month Celebration Aurora Wrancher
performers, food and other refreshments will be served at the end of the show. “If it wasn’t for slavery, America wouldn’t be what it is today. So [I feel] we
should always recognize and give respect to that. It should never be forgotten,” said Carson. The show is free to the public. Photo by Aurora Wrancher
Co-Editor in Chief Since 1976, the United States has celebrated Black History Month. At Parkway North, this year’s annual Black History Month Celebration will take place on Thursday, Feb. 27 in the theater. “The event is pretty much a time travel back to black Hollywood, the urban cinemagic. It’s very glamorous. It shows the ins and outs and the struggles of black history and the stars that have gotten us to our Beyonces, our Rhiannas, our Queen Latifahs. It shows the people who have opened the doors for [celebrities now],” said senior K’Myah Carson. Practices for the event, which is called Black Cinema, are underway, to ensure that everyone is thoroughly prepared for their part. Since the performers were chosen, rehearsals have taken place after school. “I’m part of the planning committee. Right now, as far as the production is concerned, I’m an assistant. I help with choreography; I help vocally; I will be reciting one of the poems; I help other people that will be reciting poems,” said senior K’Myah Carson. In addition to the people who will be acting in the play, there are also dancers, music, poetry, and singing. “I’m going to be dancing. I wanted to do something different this year and I found out a lot of people were doing it,” said junior Brittany Johnson. The show will not only highlight African American history, it will also celebrate the diversity of Parkway North, as a whole. “We focus on poets like Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes, and more of the com-
mon ones. We’re [also] opening the doors to some that aren’t as common like the woman who wrote For Colored Girls. We’re shining a light on the people who really aren’t recognized as much,” said Carson . The talent show will also highlight many aspects of not just African American History, but its culture as well. “It’s like an enjoyable history lesson. We use the entertainment to bring people in. But there’s always a bigger picture. We’re showing the African American students who we are and where we come from,” said Carson. The African American History and Literature classes have a project about the Harlem Renaissance that they will have to present after the performances that evening. Their presentations will take place in the commons. Each of the students picked a different influential figure from the Harlem Renaissance and did research on them. “This project features many African Americans who began to explore what it is to be black in America. It is a celebration of African heritage. It was a place and a space in Harlem where they encouraged each other to excel and to express in all different forms and mediums. I think it’s worthwhile for us to go back and celebrate what they did,” said history teacher Scott Moeller. Students will present a tri-panel display board on which they will include information about the person they chose. “It’s something that has worked beforeto have students share their work for the parents that come in. Parents are always interested in what their students are doing. It’s a nice way to share with them,” said Moeller. Along with guest speakers and student
Senior K’Myah Carson leads a rehearsal of one of the dances that will be performed at the celebration.
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opinions
February 7, 2014 Parkway North High School
Students Should Consider Personal Style, Not Name Brands Photos by Monyelle Asher
Monyelle Asher Staff Writer The latest trends can be hard to keep up with. Some things are popular one day and not the next, and others are so expensive that the prices seem like an April Fool’s joke (like a $298 for a Michael Kors Jet Set Travel Striped Tote). 2013 was a big year for new trends that people have been stretching their necks to get, but brand name trends are not as important as individual comfort and style. “I think some [people] do [pay too much attention to name brands], and some [people] don’t,” said clothing and textiles teacher Kara Sussman. “Some teens have a style that doesn’t involve brands, while others go shopping more for brands than what looks good on them.” Being obsessed with a brand can cause people to spend money they don’t have. The release of shoes like KDs and Jordans had people of all ages and genders standing in lines for hours to be the first to get them. It comes as no surprise that the high demand for the shoes enabled retailers to raise the prices to anywhere from $100 to $180. “[Standing in line for shoes] is a waste of time,” said sophomore Tray Smith. “They’re just shoes. I have one pair of Jordans that cost $150, but I had to pay for them myself.” According to an article by Cornell Daily Sun, the most popular brands are determined based of what brands people view online but may not be able to afford. Therefore, they listed the stores and brands based off of what was searched the most on Google. Many popular teenager and young adult oriented stores showed up on the list of 39. American Eagle was ranked 21; Hollister was ranked 18; Zara was ranked 2; Nike was ranked 1. “I shop at Buckle because I like Rock Jeans and Mek Jeans,” said sophomore
Sophomore Darien McGary wears two pairs of Nike socks.
Rashaad Taylor. Both stores sell jeans at astoundingly high prices. Mek and Rock jeans sell for over $100 a pair. Not spending a lot of money for name brands doesn’t mean a student can’t be in style and feel good about what they wear. Some of the more popular female trends include printed leggings and infinity scarves can be purchased for as little as $10 and are comfortable and change any plain outfit into a personal statement. “Name brands don’t really describe your fashion. You should wear what you want and make it your own,” said senior Abigail SaintValliere People still like to be in-style while making their own style and pieces related to trends are easy to purchase if one is not looking for a certain brand. Leggings have gained popularity because of their numerous colors and patterns, while the infinity scarves are being adorned by people because of their
What name brands do you see most often during school? Victoria’s Secret 22% LuLu Lemon 12% Hollister 16%
***Percentages based off 670 responses extreme versatility and ability to dress up or down any outfit. Sussman also believes that Pinterest.com affects people’s interests in certain clothes and trends. “I know lots of teachers are on Pinterest. I think it’s up there with Facebook and Twitter,” said Sussman. “I even use it for my sewing class.” Although some people swoon over the next big brand whenever it comes out, there are still many others who don’t care as much about the logo on their clothes. “[Name brands don’t] really matter,” said senior Kelley Bell. “Most people don’t recognize it as name brand here [at Parkway North], and the ones who do don’t really care. Conforming to name brands to fit in makes everyone look the same.” Instead of spending a lot of money on name brands, people can mix and match less expensive brands to create their own look even if it is inspired by current trends.
American Eagle 3%
Nike 46%
Sophomore Dyreanna Merriweather wears Ugg boots with cheetah print leggings.
Jamie Powell Features Editor In high school, tattoos are one of the most common crazes going around even though people under 18 can’t get one without a parent’s consent. However, not everyone makes the smartest decision when getting a tattoo. Teens who decide to get a tattoo need to carefully consider the content of the tattoo since tattoos are permanent or wait until they are older and can make a more informed, rational decision. “Twenty-one years of age is the appropriate age because the adolescent brain isn’t fully formed until at least age 21. That’s why the drinking age is 21...That’s my personal opinion,” said senior counselor Paul Arthur. The biggest risk that teenagers take when getting tattoos is that they may not like it after they become older. “I was 17 when I got my first tattoo. It’s a tattoo on my chest that says ‘dedicated’. I don’t like it anymore. I wanted a tattoo really bad and then I got it and now it’s stupid,” said senior Collin Webber. That is why many parents and students agree to wait and get a tattoo at the age of 18 or older. “My mom said I can have a tattoo, but only at the age of 18 and I have to be out of the house. So, basically I have to be 18 and in college in order to get a tattoo,” said senior
Datrion Valencia. Senior Josh Mackee also regrets his tattoo and feels he should have waited. “I was 17; I got my mom’s name on my arm. I don’t like it anymore. The story to this was that we could get a tattoo for 10 bucks so I went first and I regret it,” said Mackee. Many teachers at Parkway North also have experienced getting a tattoo and question whether or not they would like it as they become older. English teacher Jeff Church said, “I was 18 when I had my first tattoo. It was two dragons intertwined. It was about three inches or so big, but I recently got it covered up. In total I have six tattoos,” said Church. Although many parents are willing to let their teens get “tatted,” there are other parents that are 100 percent against tattoos. “My parents won’t allow me to get a tattoo. I guess it’s like a stigma attached to body modification. I think it’s kind of reasonable though because it’s there forever,” said junior Evan Lehman. Tattoos are permanent and can affect a person’s future if they get the tattoo in a wrong place or an inappropriate tattoo. Many businesses make employees cover their tattoos and its difficult to cover tattoos on one’s hands or face. “I was 16 when I got my first tattoo. I went to the tattoo artist’s house to get it. I didn’t have permission from my parents, so I
Photos by Jamie Powell
Teens Should Wait Until Older to Get Tattoo
Senior Megan Ghassemi got a tattoo of a treble note when she turned 18.
snuck and got it,” said senior Royce Jackson. For many high school students, having a tattoo is a big deal because it’s a work of art that shows their interest or story, but being mature enough to truly decide what art work will still be interesting and tell the story an individual wants years from now is important. Teens should wait as long as they can to make the decision to get a tattoo and only get a tattoo if it is really meaningful for them.
English Teacher Jeff Church covered up his first tattoo. “My background ancestary is Irish and English...One of my favorite singers has a song called “Irish Blood, English Heart” so I took that saying and had the Irish and English flags mixed for a crest,” said Church.
february 7, 2014 Parkway North High School
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Entertainment
Golden Globes, People’s Choice Awards Recognize Blockbusters Nadia Ahmed News Editor This January, people in the movie industry were honored at various award shows including the People’s Choice Awards and the Golden Globes. While these award shows honored movies that were in the theaters in 2013, these movies can now be watched at home on DVD. On Jan. 8, the People’s Choice Awards honored people in the media industry. Winners were decided by the public-anyone could vote online in over 40 categories related to movies, television shows, and music. At the People’s Choice Awards, there was one movie that won two awards, Iron Man 3. This comedic action movie won Favorite Movie and Favorite Action Movie. “I feel that the movie showed Tony Stark with a lot of humanity,” said sophomore Elsa Schenk. This action packed comedy brings the sarcastic and brilliant Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr. ) together with a terrorist, the Mandarin (Sir Ben Kingsley), who threatens to destroy the United States. After an explosion leaves Stark’s former bodyguard, Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau), injured, Tony Stark suits up in a beaten up prototype suit and takes on the Mandarin, along with the help of Colonel James Rhodes (Don Cheadle). “I think people enjoy this movie because it has romance and action. It is not specifically for boys or girls. It is a movie for everyone,” said sophomore Kailey Brown.
The Heat won the People’s Choice for Favorite Comedic Movie. This movie stars Sandra Bullock as an FBI agent, who teams up with Melissa McCarthy, a Boston police officer, to take down a drug lord in Boston. “It was really funny and I love Melissa McCarthy,” said Junior Joycelyn Botelho. “I really liked the character transformation of Sandra Bullock’s character.” “It is a movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously. This movie is packed with a lot of physical comedy,” said English teacher Mark Bannecker, sponsor of film club. At the Golden Globes, members of The Hollywood Foreign Press get to decide the best movies, television shows, and actors. One of the most popular movies of 2013 was Frozen. Frozen won Best Animated Feature Film. The heart-tugging, magical, and adventurous film was voiced by stars Kristen Bell, Jonathon Groff, and Idina Menzel. “I liked it because it had more of a sister dynamic rather than a romantic dynamic,” said Brown. Frozen takes the audience on a journey with Anna (Bell) who is trying to save her sister, Elsa (Menzel), who happens to have icy powers that froze their city of Arendelle. Along the way, Anna meets Kristoff (Groff) and a cheery snowman named Olaf (Josh Gad) and learns several valuable lessons. This film is a fun adventure for the family. “I loved it because it wasn’t your normal handsome prince story. It had a real message; family is the most important thing,” said Schenk. 12 Years A Slave won the Golden Globe
Iron Man 3 won best movie and best action movie at the People’s Choice Awards
Frozen won Best Animated Feature Film at the Golden Globes.
for Best Drama. This gripping film stars Chiwetel Ejifor, Paul Giamatti, and Michael Fassbender. This film is set in the 1840’s in America. It tells the story of Solomon Northup (Ejifor), a free black man, who makes his living as a fiddler. Early in the film, Solomon is captured by some white men who put him on a ship headed to New Orleans where he is sold into slavery by a businessman (Giamatti). The film shows Solomon’s journey with slav-
ery and the different people and struggles he encounters along the way. Award Shows such as the Golden Globes and the People’s Choice Awards not only give recognition to several great films, but they also provide good movie recommendations for people who did not get a chance to see them in the theaters. “A lot of people look at these award shows as recommendations for movies that they would want to watch,” said Bannecker.
St. Louis Hosts Outdoor Recreation Shows, Car Shows Photo by Zack Becker
Zack Becker Online Editor Every winter, St. Louis hosts a variety of events at the America Center downtown to remind people that Spring is around the corner and outdoor recreation is on its way. One of these events was the Annual St. Louis Auto Show was held from Jan. 24-26. Car manufacturers from around the world showcased their newest and hottest cars to the public. “My favorite car [was] the Ford Raptor because I can actually fit in it. Also, it’s a sport truck that looks really neat,” said senior Cody Mayse. “I think that the car show was excellent this year. The only downside is I’m always upset that Audi never shows up - only Bommarito [dealership] brings a few.” The auto show had many things to offer, like a drifting demo from the world famous Vaughn Gittin Jr., an exotic sports car showcase with cars from Maserati, Lamborghini, and Aston Martin, and a local motorcycle stunt team. The new 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and the new 2015 Ford Mustang were the most popular vehicles at the auto show. Companies like Hyundai held contests to win prizes, including a new car. Each year the show adds new attractions to bring more visitors. “To be honest the show always keeps getting better and better,” said Mayse. Now that the St. Louis Auto Show is over, St. Louis can look forward to the 2014 Boat and Sportshow Feb. 26 - March 2 and 37th Annual Builders Home and Garden
People from all over St. Louis gather downtown at the St. Louis America’s Center for the Auto Show where realistic and dream cars alike were on display on Jan. 24-26.
Show March 6-9. “The Progressive Insurance St. Louis Boat and Sportshow is the area’s largest outdoors event with 400,000 square feet of boats, exhibits and hands-on activities for the entire family,” said Elizabeth Matthews, Account Executive for the show. This year’s show is going to be bigger and better than the previous shows, with more activities and a special guest. Matthews said, “The 2014 show will consist of more exhibitors and more handson activities than the previous years. We will also have a special celebrity guest appearance on Saturday, March 1. John Godwin, star of A&E’s hit series Duck Dynasty [will be there].
Guests can get autographs and take photos with the star of this cult-favorite TV show.” This year, there will be seminars about boats and an opportunity to test some scuba gear. “Every day, there is something new to do and see. Fred’s Shed is a great place for boat owners to attend educational seminars about maintaining, repairing, and upgrading their boat. Each seminar will cover a variety of topics and demonstrations, along with question and answer session for the experts,” said Matthews. “Guests can also suit up in their water gear and test out the latest in scuba gear in the DEMA ‘Be a Diver Pool’.” Tickets for the show are $10 for people
over the age of 15, and free for people 15 or younger. The website also has a $2 coupon for Thursday. The Home and Garden show will have over 400 companies showing off their newest and greatest products, from cleaning supplies, to gardening, to pool and spa recreation, to interior design. “It is a great place to find everything you need for your next home project, including information and advice from home improvement experts,” said Ellen Viehmann, Assistant Staff Vice President for Show Marketing of the Home Builders Association. This year, the show is going to have a traveling museum about President JFK. There will be many other things like going on a treasure hunt, looking through designer rooms, and attending a seminar led by actor Ed Begley Jr. “The JFK Experience, a traveling museum with 350 items from the life and presidency of John F. Kennedy [will be there],” said Viehmann. “Show attendees can search the Show for the latest landscaping materials and ideas and register to win a Belgard outdoor fireplace worth $7,250,” said Viehmann. A replica model of the 1961 Lincoln convertible limousine that Kennedy was shot in will also be on display. Tickets are $10 for people over 12-yearsold, but $2 off on Thursday & Friday or $1 off on the weekend with a coupon from Schnucks. Both shows are expected to be very popular and successful this year and improved from last year, as was the St. Louis Auto Show.
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Norsestar
February 7, 2014
Parkway North High School
Eating fancy chocolates, exchanging cards in elementary school, going to romantic movies. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and students and teachers will celebrate it with friends, a date, or family. For some, like history teacher Julie McMullen, Valentine’s Day is celebrated simply yet it is still special. “We usually don’t go out,” said McMullen, whose husband and four kids keep her company while staying in. Going out is “too crazy.” Instead, they stay in and do something special together each year at home. McMullen and her family “spend time together” and “eat a special dinner” on Valentine’s Day. Freshman Felecia Becker is also planning on staying in with her family and her boyfriend. Becker’s family eats a family dinner together on the holiday, and this year her boyfriend is joining them, making the dinner extra special. “[We are planning on] hanging out, watching movies,” said Becker, whose movie picks include Titanic and The Breakfast Club. Meanwhile, Sophomore Alena Ruhl is going out on Valentine’s Day with friends. “[We’re] gonna go to Skyzone,” said Ruhl. Freshman Himaja Yerragunta is going bowling with friends. Yerragunta said, “I’m going out with friends to release stress and spend a memorable time on Valentine’s Day.” St. Louis offers events for diverse interests on Valentine’s Day if one is so inclined to go out. Laumeier Park is hosting a LOVEmeier Valentine’s party on Feb. 9 from 5-8 p.m. The party costs $35 for non-members and $25 for members. The LOVEmeier Valentine’s Day party features food, music and art. For those who enjoy chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate Company is offering free tours every Saturdays in February from 9 a.m.-noon by reservation. The tour covers the 3,000 square foot facility and is located in The Hill. For a fun and romantic night with a date, St. Louis Ballet is presenting Love Is in the Air at the Touhill Performing Arts Center
Esther Howland becomes the first Valentine’s cards manufacturer after seeing Valentines in England
1910
Joyce Clyde Hall makes a small fortune selling pictured postcards; this eventually becomes known as Hallmark
“The summer that my husband and I got engaged, my family drove to Alaska...While we were on that trip, my husband and I wrote to each other every day...When I returned to Missouri, my husband proposed to me, saying he could not spend another day without me. We both still have all the letters that we sent. It's funny to look back at what we wrote!” said math teacher Michelle Goetz
2 “[I dressed up in a tuxedo and told my
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wife]’Do you like my costume?.......I dressed up as your groom.’ At that point, I got down on one knee and popped the question. Lots of joyful tears were had. My wife said ‘Yes’- a few times actually, which was awesome,” said English teacher Dave Beck
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"He proposed to me Christmas morning and I said ‘Yes!’ We spent Christmas day sharing the news with our families and friends. It was perfect," said science teacher Elegan Kramer
The Day of Love: Gianna Sparks Centerspread Editor
Many people’s Valentine’s Day plans include giving gifts, such as flowers, hearts, and chocolates to their significant other
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rtesy of Mic helle Goetz
St. Pope Galasius I makes Feb. 14 a Christian holiday named after St. Valentine
1847
Lauren Sparks Staff Writer
on Feb. 14 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $28. Shaw Nature Reserve is hosting an evening hike at 7 p.m. on Feb 14 with hot chocolate and dessert afterwards. The cost is $24 for a member and $29 for a non-member. Registration ends on Feb. 10 and is required. Holidays are a great time to make fun, new memories, and Valentine’s Day is no exception. Sophomore Matt Balentine recalls that his favorite Valentine’s Day memory as a child is passing out cards and candy to the whole class in elementary school, while McMullen has a tale from her days in the fourth grade. “When I was in 4th grade, a sixth grader wanted to give me a box of chocolates [for Valentine’s Day], but McMullen had a different idea and was embarrassed that the boy had a crush on her. “I hid under my fourth grade teacher’s desk [until the boy left],” said McMullen. North staff and students show that Valentine’s Day can be celebrated in many different ways, whether you are going out or staying in. If you don’t have plans, check out some of the events above with whoever you love. Whether you have a date or are hanging out with family and friends, have fun and stay safe. Valentine’s Day is for everyone, no matter how you celebrate it.
Photo cou
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Students Plan Valentine’s Day Activities
How did you propose?
Photo by Elegan Kramer
The origin of Valentine’s Day is traced to a Roman fertility festival, upon the expansion of the Roman Empire into Europe, the festival is introduced to the British
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Photo by Lauren Sparks
Photos from Wikepedia
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The suicides in Romeo and Juliet are iconic, for both characters believed that death was the only way in which they could truly be with each other. “Death [in Romeo and Juliet] is really emotional because it’s something close to me,” said math teacher Lynn Elliot. Death, forbidden love, and separation, are all factors in romantic novels that add to emotion in the story. “My favorite romantic read has to be Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Really, this is my favorite book in general. I think that the characters were really relatable in this novel,” said English teacher Jennifer Bannecker. Pride and Prejudice is a classic novel by Jane Austen which tells the story of two characters from separate classes, not seemingly expected to fall in love, but do none-the-less. The story also addresses the issue of class and decorum, the characters are confined to their social classes, and must act according to what is deemed proper. “One of the aspects of this book that makes it even more romantic is how Austen sets up Elizabeth’s love interest, Mr. Darcy, to be a character we don’t like much in the beginning and then helps our attitudes to shift
From Staying Home, to Going out, to Enjoying time with Family
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Valentine’s Day paves the way for new love to bloom and old love to renew itself. What better way to dapple into love than by reading about the triumphs and failures of human history’s greatest love stories. From classical, dramatic love to the new age infatuations with vampires and werewolves, romantic novels lead readers into a world of emotions and tears. Writers from centuries ago wrote about tragic love, and those types of stories are still popular today. “My favorite romantic novel is Romeo and Juliet,” said sophomore Alex Galindo. The tale of Romeo and Juliet, one of the most well known tragedies, written by William Shakespeare, added depth to the most popular type of love story- boy sees girl, boy falls in love with girl, vice versa, obstacles tear them apart, but despite all odds, the resolution finds them together again. Unfortunately, Romeo and Juliet ended their love in death. “The idea is so deeply embedded into pop culture, and it’s been around for a long time,” said Galindo.
as he slowly reveals his true character,” said Bannecker. Love stories have evolved with humanity to appeal to new generations, but still involve loss and death. The newest, and most wellknown love story circulating the globe is John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars. Brimming with emotions, the story follows a cancer patient who falls in love. Teens have swarmed over the franchise that Fault in Our Stars has created, and gossip about the love between the two main characters, Hazel and Augustus, floods social media networks. “I think the most common love story is the dumb, teenage love,” said junior Maura McBride. When writing romance novels, a frequent motif is that of silly teenage love. Teenagers will go to drastic measures to solidify their love. For example, Romeo and Juliet did not have to die because they couldn’t be there. Just as Romeo and Juliet committed suicide because they couldn’t bear life without each other. Oftentimes, death is added for dramatic affect. Romance novels lead the reader into a world of love and emotion, and sometimes the reader can relate to the situation, and other times it’s just a nice fantasy.
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Emma Mitchell Opinions Editor
Parkway North High School
Centerspread
Students, Teachers Share Their Favorite Romance Novels
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February 7, 2014
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very Feb. 14, people celebrate Valentine’s Day, which is dedicated to love and relationships. However Valentine’s Day has not always been celebrated with love notes and chocolate. “[The start of Valentine’s Day] is shrouded in mystery. It seems that the idea of a day for love was born out of the late medieval period... by the Middle Ages it was intertwined with a day to celebrate love,” said history teacher Joni Patton. However, no one knows for sure how Valentine’s Day started. Some people believe that the early Romans started the celebration with a fertility festival known as Lupercalia that was celebrated around the same time as the traditional Valentine’s Day. Others believe that the holiday arose from the English belief that birds choose their mates on Feb 14. Still others believe the holiday honors two saints named Valentine who were imprisoned and killed by Emperor Claudius during the third century. “After Christianity arose [in the Roman Empire], the holiday was made more Christian, and named after St. Valentine,” said junior Jimmy Kallaos. While people are confident that the holiday is named after a saint, there are
History of Valentine’s Day is Shrouded in Mystery, Murder
multiple St. Valentines from the early church which the day could be named after. One saint was known to marry couples after the Roman Emperor Claudius II made marriage illegal. Another saint was supposedly imprisoned after refusing to worship the Roman gods, and received notes of encouragement from children, which is possibly where the idea of exchanging Valentine’s notes came from. “We have commercialized the [celebration of Valentines Day]. Instead of being just a day for lovers, it has grown to include parents, grandparents, children, etc.” said Patton. Valentine’s Day has been celebrated in many different ways, often involving ways for young, single women to determine their future husbands. According to the World Book Encyclopedia, women would pin bay leaves to their pillows the night before Valentine’s Day and hope to see a man in their dreams that evening. In Derbyshire, single women were rumored to have marched around a church at midnight on Valentine’s Day, chanting a rhyme, in hopes that a man would appear and marry them.
Another custom for celebrating Valentine’s Day came from young English men who would pick a young women to be their “valentine”. The man would give gifts and attention to his valentine. As time went on, romantic notes gradually replaced gifts, and special books called Valentines Writers containing poetry and tips on writing valentines were sold. “[The celebration of Valentine’s Day] has changed, but also stayed the same,” said Kallaos. While the tradition of giving cards and notes to others has remained the same, many aspects of Valentine’s Day have changed. The holiday has become a day where companies can market special cards, toys, and candies. Many schools hold dances and couples often go on dates and spend time with each. “Usually people take their partner out for a movie and dinner,” said senior Danny McGinnist. “There is dinner, flowers, chocolate, big teddy bears, and people telling each other ‘I love you’.”
“[The start of Valentine’s Day] is shrouded in mystery. It seems that the idea of a day for love was born out of the late medieval period” - history teacher Jodi Patton
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Features
February 7, 2014 Parkway North High School
Polar Vortex: Are More Snow Days To Come? Photo by Brianne Lewis
Brianne Lewis Ad Manager
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veryone is freaking out about the one and only polar vortex that is coming to every part of the United States. This winter has become one of the snowiest, coldest, and harshest of all time. Due to this harsh season, Parkway North has been closed for six snow days so far. Meteorology teacher Karen LaFever said, “We have gotten these type of winters before, and that it actually happens once every ten years or so. This winter is just coupled with more moisture than usual, so it seems as if we’re never had a winter like this when actually it is not as rare as people think.” This winter, many people have had difficulties getting home or getting to school because of the weather and the roads not being clear. “The worst part of the polar vortex is being snowed in at work for two days. I work at Gatesworth retirement home,” said junior Madeleine Meyer. This season has seen an “extremely cold air mass that usually stays over the North Pole area of the world. It is a lower pressure system, meaning the air circulates in a counter-clockwise rotation. Sometimes parts of it ‘break off’ and plunges cold air as far as Southern Florida,” said LaFever. While the polar vortex has been taking place, many students in the Midwest have gotten off of school because of cold weather and serious amounts of snow. Due to this, students will be going to school on Feb. 14, which was originally a professional development day for teachers, and May 23, extending the school year one day so far. “The polar vortex affects our daily lives only when it breaks off and makes it uncomfortable and sometimes dangerously cold to be outside. It’s there every day, keeping the cold air locked up at the poles.
This white winter has been the one of the harshest winters that most can remember. The polar vortex has taken a toll on cities all around the United States.
There is also one at South Pole,” said LaFever. For many students, getting to school during the winter has been a hardship unless they have a safe truck to drive through roads surrounding everyone. “There are a few routes that I take to get school, though there is a hill on two of the routes so I usually take Mason,” said junior Roger Moses.
Since most of the U.S. have had such harsh weather conditions this season, many are scared for the next season. Places in the southern United States such as Georgia are putting winter conditions in their economic plan. “There is no certainty in meteorology. That‘s what makes it so interesting to me,
However, the long term forecasters have said since November that this would be a bad winter, with February culminating in above average precipitation and below average temperatures,” said LaFever. Next year’s winter looks to be less harsh than this year’s but considering the winter that we have had anything can happen.
Parkway North Families Own Local Restaurants, Shops Community Editor
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nconsistent hours, long work days on school nights, and the impatient wait of a customer to arrive can become mind numbing to any student dealing with the balancing act of both school and a job. However, having to work with your family can make the transition much easier and lead to a happier work environment. Four students at Parkway North can attest to this as their families own local businesses throughout the St. Louis area. “I officially started working 7 months ago. But I used to help out for 4 years. I used to study and help at the same time,” said junior Bhavana Yerragunta, whose family owns the restaurant Priyaa Indian Cuisine on McKelvey Rd. Priyaa creates and serves authentic North-South Indian food and has specials on the weekend. “It’s comfortable. I can come to work late, [and] I get more privileges,” said Kasey Green, who used to work at her family
business Bada Bing barbeque, pizza, and wings on Dr. Martin Luther King Drive. There are more benefits than being able to balance both school and a job when working with a family. There becomes a feeling of an accepting environment since they know that their family is there to guide them throughout work. “It’s obviously different with family than [with] someone else. You don’t feel like an outsider when you’re with family,” said Yerragunta Freshman Yuki Yang, whose family owns Zang Chi Chinese restaurant on North New Ballas Rd, agrees with Yerragunta in that with “family you can work together. Fast food [is] stricter. You can’t get any connection.” Zang Chi offers lunch and dinner specials as well as dine-in, carry-out, or delivery. Connection is a great part of the atmosphere in a family-owned restaurant; it can relieve tension and create a light environment. Yang tells the story of how her family helped her get through an awkward time when she was working the front desk and told a customer the wrong price for an
item on their menu. “I told [a] customer [the] wrong price, and my aunt made me pretend I was mental,” said Yang. Her family had her back when she made a mistake and turned the situation around to create a funny story about when she helped work. Senior Amir Sagakhanah works at his family’s Subway restaurant. They own many of the Subway restaurants throughout the Creve Coeur area. “My dad worked in St. Louis and bought one from his cousin, and that’s how it [all] started,” said Sagakhanah. Some students hope to take over the business when their parents retire, while others are hesitant about whether they want to go into the family business. “I experienced the labor and effort needed to put in to make the restaurant successful, and I’m not interested in the business,” said Yerragunta Whereas Yerragunta declines from owning the business when she gets older, Sagakhanah said that in the future he may want to take charge of the Subway restaurants.
Photo by Kori Clay
Kori Clay
Junior Bhavana Yerragunta serves water to a customer in her family’s restaurant on a Sunday afternoon before the start of the Superbowl.
February 7, 2014 Parkway North High School
Features
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Student Government Hosts Sadie Hawkins Dance
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Photo by Molly Thal
Molly Thal Co-Editor-in-Chief
n Saturday, Feb. 8, Student Government will host the KISS Dance, Sadie Hawkins style. The girls ask the boys, or anyone can go with a group of friends. “I think it’s really cool that they’re having a role reversal kind of dance where the girl gets to choose who they want to go with,” said junior Kristen Suzuki. Suzuki took advantage of this role reversal to ask senior Tobias Israelsen. “I asked him around Christmas time, so I put it in a present,” said Suzuki. “I wrapped up a bag of pistachios because he likes them, and then I attached a note that said, ‘I know this might be nuts, but will you go to the Sadie Hawkins dance with me?’” Unfortunately, the dance came very close to being canceled. There was a deadline to get 100 tickets before Jan. 31; if that deadline was not met, the KISS dance would have been canceled. “If we don’t have that minimum, we’re afraid we won’t have enough people to break even. If only 50 people show up, we’d be losing money,” said junior class president Jamie David, who has been active in the Sadie Hawkins dance preparation. However, on the day of the deadline, there had been 112 tickets sold. Then ticket
The KISS dance has been advertised with a banner in the commons, flyers throughout the halls, and promotions in the daily announcements.
orders kept coming in. This is the first time in many years that a winter dance has succeeded. “In the past years, we haven’t had enough [ticket sales] to have the dance, so
it always had been canceled and students are always disappointed,” said account secretary Donna Dulin. Dulin is in charge or the book store, so she keeps track of ticket sales every year. “This year, on the other hand, we are up to 165 tickets so we are able to have the dance. We met the deadline of 100,” Dulin said. In past years, dances like this one have been canceled due to lack of funding, interest, and ticket sales. Students did not seem interested.
“We’ve tried winter dances, and I don’t think it ever worked,” said David. Like homecoming and prom, the KISS dance will be open to dates who do not go North. As long as the Parkway North student fills out a guest form, their date will be welcome. The form requires a signature of approval from the principal of the date’s school, and a signature from Parkway North’s principle, Dr. Jenny Marquart. “[Students] just kept coming in and asking, ‘How many tickets have we sold? Are we gonna have enough?’” said Dulin. “There were also a lot of people who came in and grabbed the guest form, so that helped bring the numbers up too- when they’re buying two tickets at a time.” While this dance will be similar to others this year, there is a detail, other than the reversal of the gender roles, that sets it apart: a photo booth. “I’ve seen the backdrop they’re going to use for [the photo booth] and it looks really cute,” said Suzuki, who helped Student Government plan the decorations. Tickets are $12 before the dance. Tickets will not be sold at the door, so they must be bought in the bookstore beforehand.
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Sports
february 7, 2014 Parkway North High School
Sports Local Ice Athletes Represent Saint Louis at Winter Olympics Highligh Photos by Ryan Lutker
Ryan Lutker Staff Writer
Blues center player T.J. Oshie rests on the ice during practice on Jan. 30. Oshie will be one of twenty-five men playing on the USA Men’s Olympic Hockey team in the 2014 Winter Olympics.
“The biggest highlight of the season so far has been winning the Fort Zumwalt North tournament [Jan. 31]. We came together as a team to overcome injuries and adversity to beat some good teams,” said senior Ben Campbell.
Vikettes
A young St. Louis Blues fan watches their practice, in preparation for their upcoming games, at the St. Louis Mills Mall from behind the glass on Jan. 30.
Three St. Louis Blues players will be going to Sochi to play on the USA Men’s Hockey team: center forwards David Backes and T.J. Oshie, and defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. The additional seven Blues players will still be representing St. Louis, but playing for different countries including Canada, Russia, Sweden, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. “They were looking for the best players that they could get to fit certain roles,” said teacher Mike Hazelton, a hockey fan and coach. St. Louis Blues staff will also be involved in Sochi for the Canadian men’s hockey team. Head coach Ken Hitchcock will be an assistant coach, and general manager Doug Armstrong will be helping to oversee the team. Overall, the representation from the St. Louis Blues this Olympics is certainly larger when compared to the 2010 Winter Olympics, in which only three players from the team were sent to Vancouver, Can. According to USAhockey.com, The U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team will include 13 former Olympians, “a stark contrast to four years ago when the silver medal-winning 2010 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team featured just three players with Olympic experience.” After taking second place to Canada in the 2010 Winter Olympics, the USA team will be in hot pursuit of the gold medal this year. However they will have to work hard to
earn this, considering the strength of teams like Sweden and 2010 gold winner Canada. “They are going to be playing against some good scorers, so they are going to have to have a solid defense and play well together,” said sophomore and hockey player Alec Morozovich. David Backes, who played for the 2010 USA team, is expected to be a captain or alternate captain for the 2014 Winter Olympics. Hazelton said, “David Backes, by NHL standards, isn’t your traditional goal scoring player; he’s a power forward. He’s there to be a big physical presence and leader on the ice.” T.J. Oshie and Kevin Shattenkirk will be the other St. Louis Blues players to watch in their first times playing for team USA. “T.J. Oshie has had a break-out year. He’s doing more offensively and he’s matured. I think that he’s a great goal scorer and set-up guy that they are going to rely on. Kevin Shattenkirk is probably one of the best two-way players in the game. [He’s] probably my favorite Blues defenseman because he’s a good two-way player and that offensive component that he brings is going to serve him well,” said Hazelton. Morozovich and Hazelton agreed that there were no other players more fit to play for Team USA in this year’s Winter Olympics. With such a large amount of St. Louis locals traveling to compete in the 2014 Winter Olympics, there is little doubt that St. Louis will be well represented in Sochi.
“Before the St. Charles Classic competition [Jan. 25], we made our hip hop dance more advanced by adding harder skills and speeding up our counts. This made us work a lot harder and we ended up getting third place out of seven teams,” said Vikette captain senior Emily Scholten. Photo by John Motley
On Feb. 7, 230 American athletes will begin competing at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. While this is the largest representation ever for any country at the Winter Olympics, not all will be playing on team USA. Seven players from the St. Louis Blues will be competing for other countries while three others and a local figure skater will play for team USA. The local figure skater is Gracie Gold, 18, from Springfield, Mo. This will be her first time participating in the Olympics. Gold is scheduled to compete in the women’s singles event on Feb. 19. According to Filip Bondy from the Daily News, “Gold is ranked only 10th in the world by icenetwork.com, a long way from favored Mao Asada of Japan. But she can pull off triple-triple combinations, which is a requisite for any legitimate contender.” At the US Championship in January, Gold scored a 72.12 in the short program, a personal record for her. At the end of the day, she was given first place in the ladies singles division with an overall score of 211.69, a lead of 18 points over second place Polina Edmunds and 2013 champion Ashley Wagner by over 28 points. Gold’s performance at the Championship secured her spot to compete in the Winter Olympics, and after taking her first national title, there are high expectations for Gold. According to Parkway North senior Paulina Kofman, who has been figure skating for seven years, the judges this year will be looking for “technical and performance elements, but mainly…for their technique in their jumps and how well they perform [overall].”
Boys Basketball
Cheer “Competition time was my favorite time because even though I was sick and I was out of competitions, I watched my cheer-mates prepare for the big day. We placed fourth [at competition, Jan. 12] Just watching them practice showed their determination and how great they were,” said junior Kyaira Nichols.
February 7, 2014 Parkway North High School
Sports
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Girls Lacrosse Prepares for Season With Open Gyms and Recruitment
hts: Girls Swimming “When they got to announcing the places, I was very surprised to hear we had won [Summit meet, Jan. 15, 16]. Our whole team was so excited,” said junior Emily Nicholson. Photo by Lynn Lundstrom
Girls Basketball “At our game against Hazelwood Central for the championship [Jan. 31], we were losing in the first quarter but then we played great team defense, came back, and won,” said junior Emily Evans.
Wrestling
“I was very pleased with our performance at Affton [Dec. 7]. We placed third not because of one individual performance, or a few individual performances. Everyone who wrestled scored points for the team. That’s what made placing third so special,” said coach Matt Conley. Photo by Jackie Johnson
Sports Editor After coming off a 6-10 season last year, the girls lacrosse team has kept busy preparing for their upcoming season beginning March 3. The team is looking to improve by recruiting new players and refining the skills of returning players. “We really want to take incoming players under our wings. We have a buddy system where we pair junior varsity players with varsity players. We give each other presents and letters, it’s really fun. We just want people to love the sport as much as we do,” said defender junior Katie Newton. The team brought steady numbers of new players for many years, but last season their number of new recruits took a hit when many of the incoming freshman players caught mono early on in the season. “We have a strong base of upperclassmen, but we are really looking for freshman girls to learn the game and become a part of the future of the team,” said head coach Marcia Barasch. To achieve this, future leadership within the team has been working hard to promote the sport. “We had a booth at freshman orientation. We’ve hung up fliers around school. I tell all the underclassmen that I can find to try the open gyms because we need them to keep the program going,” said Newton. The open gyms, which are run by varsity players, are used as an introduction to the sport for those unfamiliar to it, and as a refresher to returning players. The last two are Feb. 18 at 6:30 p.m. and Feb. 11 at 8 p.m. “At open gyms, we separate into beginners and returning players and really break it down for the beginning players. Returning players get back into the swing of things. We’re [also] doing a little bit of conditioning, so that the first week of practices we can really hit the ground running,” said senior Kara Motley, who will be a third year varsity player this year. One of the things that sets lacrosse at North apart from other sports is the experience level necessary for incoming players. In sports like soccer and softball, many of the players have been in select and CYC leagues before they began playing in high school. However, with lacrosse all the necessary skills to play are learned after joining the team, with help from coaches and fellow teammates. “It was really challenging at first just trying to get used to how to use the stick properly and come to the mentality that the ball would not hit me in the face as long as I had my stick there, but the coaches were great and I learned a lot really fast,” said freshman Melanie Brucker, who was new to the team last year. Many on the team, including junior Annalise Ruzicka, feel that the team’s dynamic
Photos by Chaney Cooper
Chaney Cooper
At the end of their open gym on Jan. 28, players gather in a circle to learn new names and play the “stick game,” which is a tradition to end every open gym with.
has helped them find their footing in the sport. “When I was a freshman the seniors were always encouraging me to do my best and they always gave me really positive feedback, and now as an upperclassmen I try to encourage the younger generations of our team like was done for me,” said Ruzicka. Returning players also want to hone skills and improve their record from last year. “We’ve definitely gotten better over the years, our wins have increased and we’ve defeated some really great teams,” said Motley. One of their most notable wins last year was against Whitfield School. With odds and the past against them, the team rallied a 1514 win after double overtime. Wins like that, Motley claims, are what really bring the team together. “My experience has been really great with the team. We have a zero tolerance for drama. We’re all just there because we want to have fun and play [lacrosse]. It’s a great group of girls who really love the sport,” said Motley. “Although goals are established once the teams are set, one of my goals is to build the strongest team possible to take us to a new level of play against higher ranking teams. Dedication, conditioning and skill improvement will get us there. Learning the game can be tricky, but the more you practice the better your skills get,” said Barasch.
“We’ve definitely gotten better over the years. Our wins have increased and we’ve defeated some really great teams” -Senior Kara Motley
Junior Cassidy Taggart throws ball to a teammate opposite her in line-drills at the beginning of open gym on Jan 28.
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Backpage
february 7, 2014 Parkway North High School
Junior Courtney Bethel-Prost, junior Erik Muschinske, and sophomore Josh Zimmerman play competitive law students in Legally Blonde which will debut on Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. in the Parkway North theater.
Daughters of Delta Nu, main character Elle’s sorority, gush over predictions for Elle’s boyfriend’s proposal.
Junior David Thal rehearses Blood in the Water, which is his character’s lecture on the first day of class. Thal plays Callahan, the law professor.
Cast, Crew of Legally Blonde Prepare for Opening Night on February 21 Molly Thal Co-Editor-in-Chief
Freshman Sean Carter trims wood for the musical’s set. Students learn safety around power tools in the beginning of the year. “Nicole Hunt has helped me a lot with learning some of the major safety things. But a lot of it is common sense,” said Carter.
Freshman Mary Carter and sophomore Kirby Cooper paint the walls of the set. Students have been working to get the set ready every day after school since before Winter Break.
Sophomore Leah Jacobson spots Muschinske as he constructs the wall of Elle’s bedroom.
Junior Layla Kusari rehearses her part as Elle’s best friend on Tuesday, Jan. 28. In this song, Elle’s friends convince her to stay positive after she learns that her ex-boyfriend has moved on.
Stage manager Shannon Commerford leads the group of actors in vocal warm-ups. These warm-ups help with annunciation during rehearsals.