October 26, 2017 Print Issue

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Rolla High School - 900 Bulldog Run Rolla, Missouri 65401- Volume 69 - Issue - 3 October 26, 2017 - www.rhsecho.com

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November is National Novel Writing Month: Check out the Writing Club It’s the most Spooktacular Time of the Year to check out a haunted house Cultural messages in Hollywood normalize a very disturbing reality

Photo by Bailey Allison

In this issue...

Ozark Actors Theatre.................................................................8 Monthly Movies..........................................................................9 RHS Tennis...............................................................................18 Sam’s Soapbox..........................................................................22

Letter from the Editor Do you remember when the toughest decision of October was deciding what you were going to be for Halloween? I do. I remember that one year I could not decide whether or not I should be a vampire or Hannah Montana. I’m sure you understand what I was going through; Hannah Montana was the biggest pop sensation at the time, but on the other hand, vampires were cool. After days of switching back and forth, I finally decided to be a mixture: vampire Hannah Montana. Now, I have to say, I think my costume was one to be remembered.

I know it may seem a little silly to focus this letter on my third grade halloween costume, but I can promise you that there is significance attached to vampire Hannah Montana. Nowadays, it seems as if our biggest worries are about big tests or the ACT, not our halloween costume. Don’t get me wrong, the ACT is important, but why shouldn’t our halloween costumes be too? I have previously thought that I am too old for Halloween, but after reminiscing about vampire Hannah Montana, I realized that I can have fun this Halloween too.

It’s so easy to get caught up in everyday tasks that we forget about the little things. Sometimes we just have to give ourselves a break. So, in honor of vampire Hannah Montana, I’m going to dress up this year. I haven’t quite figured out the details of my new, groovy costume, but this Halloween is going to be the best one in years.

2017-2018 Rolla High ECHO Magazine Staff Editor In Chief - Sophia Gesualdi Copy Editor - Adrienne Pyeatt Managing Editor - Lydia Giesey Photo Editor - Bailey Allison Section Editors: Caroline Adams (Opinion), Maia Bond (Arts & Entertainment), Kayla Copeland (News), Brandon Kirchner (Sports), Jessa Swearingen (Feature) Staff Writers - Nalani Massaro, Lorren Black, Brett Gonzalez, Tutu Hardwick, Abbee Hilgers, Elizabeth Kaelin, Sam Kimball, Taylor Miller, Isaac Stormes, Nicole Van Horn Adviser - Mary Gillis ECHO is an open forum for student expression. All letters to the editor must include the writer’s name, signature and class or position. Anonymous letters will not be published. ECHO reserves the right to reject any letters. Letters should be sent to ECHO, Rolla High School, 900 Bulldog Run, Rolla, MO 65401.

ECHO is a member of Missouri Scholastic Press Association, Journalism Education Association, and Quill & Scroll Honor Society

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Weighted vs. Unweighted GPAs RHS Staff Editorial Results Should Rolla High School Invoke a Weighted GPA System Yes - 11 No - 5 No Vote - 2

The debate of a weighted vs. an unweighted GPA continues to appear in American education platforms, public and private, since its initial rise in the early 2000s. A weighted grade system, simply put, inflates the grading scale from a 4.0 to a 5.0 for AP, honors and college classes. The idea behind this system is that it benefits those who push themselves to a more challenging work load. In other words, low risk, high reward. Though there are issues, we, the staff of ECHO, believe that the pros far outnumber the cons. We stand to resolve that implementing the weighted grades system to Rolla High School would only benefit students.

Critics of weighted GPAs often cite that these systems allow for inequity as a whole.

Students who don’t take harder classes typically will suddenly up their workload to extremes, all in the name of a few extra points. Some people wonder what classes will be considered for the larger grade scale, and if they aren’t, how much will their classes suffer because of it. Although these fears may be legitimate, in reality, it’s much more unlikely.

Many students of advanced classes deserve recognition for their hard work, and, despite the worries of counselors and parents alike, they know their workload and what will push that limit. Switching to a weighted grades system would lower penalties for taking advanced classes and therefore ensure that more students would take them.

Challenges and adversity are necessary for growth, and if a student is less likely to be afraid of ruining their 4.0 from taking a harder class, this system would only prove to be beneficial.

In the debate of level playing fields, the concept of class ranks has been heavily associated with this grading system. Some schools across the country have debated removing class rank, speculating that it creates petty rivalry. However, because most colleges rely on this format to determine financial aid, the suggestion of removing class rank remains ineffective. Enacting weighted GPAs would ultimately solve this issue; class rank would be better represented, and the proportion of class rank to amount of money from scholarships would definitely benefit students.

Ultimately, there are advantages to both GPA systems. But we uphold that weighted grades would unequivocally help the students of Rolla High School. This system, which both encourages and rewards students to take challenging classes, would do only to benefit our blue ribbon school.

Staff Editorial

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45% of heroin users were at some point addicted to prescription opioids. There is no hiding the worsening epidemic of heroin and opioid addicts in our community. From Rolla High graduates to mothers and fathers, addiction be sudden and completely unexpected. Police in a small town like Rolla can only do their best to help the community heal and get help for those in need.

A detective with the Rolla Police Department, Derrick Dillon, wears a dark suit and a red tie. He is tall but kind, well spoken and clearly intelligent. He shines a light onthe police department and what they do to combat drug abuse.

“I started in law enforcement about 13 years ago. I was born and raised in Rolla, I love it here, and I became interested when I went on a ride along with my friend. I didn’t realize the bad aspects of this community that a lot of people don’t see, just like with any community. That really fueled the fire for me as far as wanting to become a police officer and do my part in serving the community,” Dillon said.

Despite the obvious kind hearted reasoning behind wanting to be an officer, Dillon admits, looking down and reaching for the right words, seeing what they often see can take a toll on anyone.

“I get to see the worst in people and situations. We work in a primarily negative environment and are called when really bad things happen. Unfortunately, as a detective, we probably investigate the worst of the worst. Anywhere from child abuse to homicide, and there’s investigations where we have to pass bad news on to family members,” Dillon said.

The reasoning behind drug related deaths are almost always hard to explain to families. Some are unexpected, they had no idea their family member had an issue, or they think their family member had sought out help and was recovering. Dillon’s job deals with few living drug survivors.

“My experience with opioids as a detective is that we come in at the end where someone has overdosed or passed away because of opioid abuse. My job as a detective is to investigate all deaths that occur outside of a medical facility and some of those deaths are because of opioid abuse,” Dillon said.

It is easy to get caught up in local news, it seems like there are more drug related deaths each day. It is disheartening and seems hopeless, Dillon looks up when he speaks and folds his hands on top of the dark wooden desk.

“I don’t think that there’s any more opioids in Rolla than other places in Missouri, but probably not any less. Everyone says that Rolla has a drug problem, which is true, but our culture has a drug problem. Our surrounding communities and bigger cities, you can’t really go anywhere without some type of drug problem,” Dillon said.

Drugs have been a part of each person’s life, no matter what.

Each community deals with it, and the effects reach everyone. Because children are constantly bombarded with D.A.R.E. programs and anti-drug assemblies, it can become boring and desensitize them. That is, until someone they know overdoses or a family member becomes an addict.

Dillon reads his notes, scribbled in blue pen, his voice echoing quietly around the plain room. His foot taps to an unknown rhythm.

“To date we have investigated 11 deaths from January 1st to now associated with opioid abuse. There are also four additional deaths that we are still waiting on toxicology reports. We recently issued Narcan, which is a drug that helps reverse opioid overdoses, that

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ECHO Awareness

our officers will be carrying,” Dillon said.

Dillon waves his hands and pauses to gather his words as he explains growing into his position in law enforcement.

“A lot of deaths that we investigate are sudden and involve young adults. We take a good hard look at the evidence, because it probably leads to overdose. Its sad to me because when I was a younger patrol officer, I remember it was all about making the arrest and being really excited that you found drugs in the car or on someone. As I’ve matured as a law enforcement officer, I’m able to understand more about addiction and how it affects the family and the addict. I really take pride in trying to learn more about how we can help addicts,” Dillon said.

Dealing with addicts every day can be taxing, even if you are not personally attached to them. The strain law enforcement puts on the mind, along with a personal struggle is hard to juggle.

“I have a close friend who is addicted to alcohol and there’s a lot of similarities in symptoms. It’s unfortunate they started it to begin with, but once they have, what can we do as a community, agency, friends, and family to help them through that addiction?

We have to do what we can to love them unconditionally and support them to get them the help that they need,” Dillon said.

It can be difficult, as an agency, to be very preventative in the war on drugs. However, steps are being taken to help those in need. Police officers jobs are not solely to arrest and give out tickets. Dillon speaks with pride and hopeful assurance.

“The police department is very reactive, we go when there is a call. I can tell you that we have a lot of caring and compassionate officers here who understand that addiction is a serious problem. It’s not just about making the arrest, it’s about helping them through the process. We will attempt to get them any type of help they are willing to take. We will refer them somewhere or attend drug court. It’s about being compassionate and understanding,” Dillon said.

No matter how compassionate people are, right now there are people overdosing. Drugs continue to become more deadly and combatting and singling out the most deadly are essential in ending this crisis.

“What is really concerning right now is that fentanyl is being introduced, which is another narcotic that is used for medical purposes. It is very potent and toxic, so a little bit used in the wrong manner can result in death. When people are abusing heroin and they get their next fix, they don’t know exactly what they are getting, and if it includes fentanyl, a lot of the toxicology reports we are getting back include fentanyl, and that is probably what’s killing them. It is also young drug users who are not familiar with using heroin and they inject too much and one time could be all it takes,” Dillon said.

Dillon’s kind tone shines when he talks about helping people. He encourages in a way that seems genuine and as if he truly knows he is right.

“Never give up never stop trying to get clean. Some people take a lot longer than others. You just have to encourage them to get help in any way shape or form. I like to give my business card and say ‘Please, if there’s anything we can do for you, please let me be that person’. Any family member that is dealing with this, do not give up. I’ve heard so many say that they can’t handle it anymore and if they were given just one more chance that may have been the chance they needed to push through,” Dillon said.

St. Louis citizens continue protests over distress with E K police-involved shootings S R b y

photo released through creative commons St. Louis has been in constant unrest since the shooting of a man named Anthony Lamar Smith by police officer Jason Stockley.

The incident happened after Smith was allegedly taking part in a drug deal while on probation for shoplifting charges. This conflict resulted in a three minute car chase. When the chase subsided, Stockley and his partner got out of the car and confronted Smith.

While they were talking through the window, Stockley reported that Smith’s demeanor changed while he started searching for something in his console, what Stockley thought was a gun. This resulted in Smith not complying and Stockley, for what he says

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were safety reasons, shooting Smith. Shortly after the conflict, riots began.

Just as the riots had just begun to die down, the verdict of Stockley’s case was made: not guilty. The citizens of St. Louis were outraged. Many believed he should be acquitted for the killing of an seemingly innocent man. Major protests began on September 15th where 200-300 people were protesting. These protests were mostly peaceful but a few citizens reacted harshly, climbing on vehicles, breaking windows, and throwing bottles at the police force.

Major artists including Ed Sheeran and U2 were pushed to cancel their shows due to the civil unrest for everyone’s safety. The major protests went until about October 3rd, but they continue to happen now in lesser amounts. So far roughly 120 people have been arrested for violence caused by the riots. Many St. Louis families are afraid of the protests.with its brutal turn, fearing that they or their possessions will be impaired. This uproar gave life to a multitude movements, such as Black Lives Matter and #ExpectUs. #ExpectUs was started when a group of people attended a baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium, wielding a sign with the Cardinals mascot wearing a shirt saying “Black Lives Matter, #ExpectUs”. Many believe this ruling of Smith’s case is unjust and unfair. They march the streets peacefully, hoping that someday people will understand this case from their perspective, and see an end to this violence.

This Month in History: The Origins of Halloween Each month in this column I will feature exciting events that happened in the past. Anything from iconic historical moments, influential movements, or just silly random events. I have always enjoyed learning about history, and I hope you will too! b y

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The tradition of Halloween dates back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts, who lived in Ireland 2,000 years ago, celebrated their new year on November 1st. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest, and the beginning of the cold winter, a time associated with death. They believed that on the night before the new year, October 31st, they boundary between the world of the living and dead became blurred. On this night of Samhain they believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.

The Celts thought that the presence of otherworldly spirits made it easier for Celtic priests, or Druids, to make predictions of the upcoming winter. Celts were entirely dependent on the natural world, so the predictions were a source of relief and direction during the long winter. To commemorate Samhain, Druids would build sacred bonfires, where people would gather to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. During the event, the Celts wore costumes, usually consisting of animal heads and skins, and tried to predict other’s fortunes. When the event was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, that had been extinguished earlier in the evening, from the sacred bonfire. They hoped that the fire would protect them in the upcoming winter.

This history of Halloween was compiled using information from the following websites: morphsuits.co.uk, socialspookiestplaces.com, samanthagentry.blogspot.com, members.tripod.com

By 43 A.D., the Roman Empire had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. Over the four hundred years that the Romans ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain. The first was Feralia, a day in late October where the Romans commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple. The incorporation of this celebration into Samhain most likely explains the tradition of “bobbing” for apples that is traditionally practiced today during Halloween.

By the 9th century, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands, where it blended with and replaced the older Celtic traditions. In 1000 A.D., the Christian church would make November 2nd All Souls’ Day to honor the dead. It is believed today that the church was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related but church-sanctioned holiday. All Souls’ Day was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and costumes as saints, angels, and devils. The All Saints’ Day celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas. The night before it, the traditional night of Samhain in the Celtic religion, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween.

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n October 28, 8pm to 11pm, Rolla High School will be hosting the annual Haunted High.

The event is only five dollars to attend. Admissions will be at the cafeteria entrance of the school.

Money made from this event will be given to local organizations which do not have a chance to bring in any money.

“The money that we raise goes to various charitable organizations and this year we’re gonna help back,” Leadership teacher Jamie Cantrell said.

With inspiration coming in from different places, and help from multiple students and parents, this year’s Haunted High is not one to miss.

“We just get ideas from lots of places, the internet, the new Halloween store has really been helping us, they’ve been

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great.” Cantrell said,“We have built up quite a bit of costumes and this year we have four makeup artists.”

The event will be a mix of ideas and surprises for people attending. Lots of work is being put into this attraction for the enjoyment of the people and for local organizations to move forward.

One thing to remember when going to Haunted High, is to be respectful toward the people in the event and the people who put it together.

Former and current students, teachers, and parents get together to create this attraction for people to enjoy the terrors of Halloween.

Please refrain from using foul language or a rough attitude and just have fun. Get into the mood of the spooky holiday, get scared, and have a wonderful time.

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The Rolla High School choir has been a robust program in the past, and this year is no exception. This month, the 2017-2018 choir season began. Jason Bartelsmeyer, the Rolla High School choir director, is optimistic about this year of choir.

“This choir season is going really great. It’s nice to have the freshmen over here. I have freshmen in my chamber choir, as well as in my concert choir. My concert choir has about 60 members right now, and that’s the biggest choir that I’ve ever directed,” Bartelsmeyer said.

The large size of this year’s choir allows it to perform pieces that have not been possible in the past.

“Normally when we have a choir the size of 25 or 30 . . . we can do more chamber works, where you don’t need a big choir. But there are some pieces out there that do call for a mass choir experience, so we really are working on pieces that need a lot of sopranos and a lot of altos to bring out the parts,” Bartelsmeyer said.

Micah Wells is one of those altos. She is a second alto, so she sings the lowest female part. Beyond the musical aspect of choir, she enjoys the camaraderie.

“I’ve made some really good friends, and I’ve learned a lot about

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Arts & Entertainment Editor what I want to do with my life and my future,” Wells said.

She loves choir, but by far her favorite aspect is the travel.

“We get to go and stay in hotels and have a really nice breakfast, and breakfast is my favorite food,” Wells said.

One of those trips is to the Renaissance Festival in Kansas City.

It has been a staple of the fall choir calendar for many years. “[The Renaissance Festival] involves writing a script, and coming up with some Renaissance style music pieces,” Bartelsmeyer said.

This year, they performed at the Renaissance Festival on Sunday, October 11th, stayed the night, and arrived back in Rolla Monday evening.

Concerts are also an essential part of the choral calendar.

The fall choir concert was on Thursday, October 19 at the First Baptist Church in Rolla.

“This year, we featured folk songs from around the world. Not only did the high school choir sing, but choirs from the junior high, middle school, and also the Rolla community choirs joined us. It’s a big event for us every year,” Bartelsmeyer said.

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The former church across the street from the high school stands out from the crowd with its over the top banners advertising plays and musicals and its eccentric yellow stage door. The Ozark Actors Theater is not only an entertainment staple in Rollas community, it provides perfect opportunities for aspiring actors and actresses to experience the world of theater outside of high school drama class. Well known Junior, Kelly Brown, provides his extensive experiences of each form of theater.

“My first play was Annie, in 2010, and I loved the movie.

My mom and I used to go to shows there all the time, and she saw on their website they were having auditions,” Brown said.

Though Brown used to be more involved in OAT, high school caught up with him and his busy schedule couldn’t handle another activity.

“I used to do the fall plays but I don’t anymore just because it is hard with football and all the homework. OAT has three plays in the summer and I do at least one and sometimes I’m offered a second show,” Brown said.

Auditioning for anything can give people all kinds of nerves. Brown has been in so many plays, it seems second nature to sing and act in front of people.

“For me, it is OAT that’s more nerve wracking because it was the first place I was introduced to theater. Now it isn’t as much because I’ve been in so many. At the high school, it isn’t nerve wracking at all because OAT is professional theater and this is just the high school,” Brown said.

OAT is a professional theater with people coming from all parts of the country to audition. Somehow, the audition process doesn’t quite change from high school to professional.

“It’s honestly quite the same. You wait in the hallway until your name is called. At the high school all you do is the monologue and the song they pick for you to prepare. The only difference between auditioning at OAT and the high school is that at OAT, you have to sing a song that is in a published musical, but you get to pick it. Sometimes you do a monologue and sometimes you perform lines with one of the casters,” Brown said.

The main difference between high school and professional theater comes into play with rehearsal hours. Demanding times can be too much for high school students, but much more is expected in professional plays.

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“The musicals at the high school, we have about three months to prepare, and we practice every day after school. At OAT we have one month to do the entire show, so two weeks of rehearsals from one to five and then six thirty to nine thirty, every day except Monday. Once you get to the Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday before our first performance on Thursday, they are dress rehearsals called ‘ten a days’, where we go from eleven to four, then six to eleven,” Brown said.

Brown weighs the pros and cons of each type of theater, obviously struggling with choosing one over the other.

I love doing shows at the high school, especially because you create a family and they are very welcoming and it is great. I do prefer OAT though, because you get people coming from all over, like New York, St. Louis, Chicago. You get to spend so much time with them in a short period of time. The only thing that sucks is that they leave in a month, so you can get really close to them and then they go back to New York. I’ve kept in contact with some of them and I see them sometimes though,” Brown said.

Overall, theater is a place where people can do what they love and meet new people. The atmosphere and joy felt in rehearsals is universal.

“The best part about both high school and OAT is the people.

You get to know them all so well, you’re all interested in the same things, and you all try as hard as possible to make the show its best. It is awesome to see what you can accomplish in a short amount of time,” Brown said.

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Photography Editor I am definitely one to go onto Netflix, browse through the trending category, watch the first episode of literally everything, and likely never continue the series. So for this column I’m going to watch the first episode of a recommend series on Netflix to give my first impressions and whether I would continue the series or not. For the month of October, I watched the raved about show The Walking Dead.

I have had multiple friends attempt to persuade me to start watching The Walking Dead, and I don’t regret not watching it earlier. The pilot episode was, in my opinion, slow and uneventful. Not to mention, I‘m not much of zombie apocalypse fan; I don’t truly find zombies to be scary or interesting. What this show failed to offer that other shows usually do for me, is a character that really sticks out to me in the first episode. No character stuck out to me, which was somewhat disappointing.

Despite many friends raving about The Walking Dead, it was not my forte or something I would pick out myself. I may find it more interesting if I were to watch a few more episodes and really get a feel for the storyline and characters, but I don’t plan on finding out what happens in following episodes. To conclude, I will most likely not continue to watch The Walking Dead.

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With Halloween right around the corner, here are some movies that will get you in the spirit of the holiday.

The Village

Ivy Walker (Bryce Dallas Howard) and Lucius Hunt (Joaquin Phoenix) live in a 19th century village that is trapped in the middle of the woods by these strange creatures that nobody speaks about. After a seven year old boy is killed, Ivy escapes into the forest in order to help the village prepare for future attacks. After a huge plot twist, this movie is definitely hard to forget.

It

A group of young kids in a small town sounds pretty cliché, but what happened to them over the summer is something only the insane could dream up. Strange things start to happen in this small town, like children disappearing. Soon a group of kids discover Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard), a shape-shifting monster that preys on children every 27 years. Its up to this group of kids to face their own fears and fight this evil nightmare. This is definitely a scary movie and one you should watch while the sun

Get Out

After dating for a few months, Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and Rose (Allison Williams) decided to head up to Rose’s parent’s house so that Chris could get to know her family. After many weird and confusing encounters, Chris finds himself in the middle of something he never dreamed possible. This is a good movie to watch if you don’t like to be really freaked out.

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Split

After going to a party with a few friends, Casey Cooke (Anya Taylor-Joy) and two others are sitting in a car about to go home. Before they can leave, Kevin (James McAvoy) jumps into the front seat of the car and renders the three teens unconscious. When Casey wakes up she finds out that Kevin has 23 separate personalities, and the worst of them has yet to “wake up”. This thrilling and creepy movie is not something you should watch alone.

is still up.

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National Novel Writing Month, more commonly known as NaNoWriMo, is a time for people from all walks of life to come together for one purpose: to write 50,000 words in one month.

On November 1st, hundreds of thousands of people all over the world (312,897 people participated in 2016) will sit down at their computer, or take out their pen and paper, or write with anything they can get their hands on.

Starting in October (or “Preptober”) people are invited to announce their novels on the NaNoWriMo website. Participants who consider themselves “plotters” will take this month to research, come up with ideas, and prepare outlines for their novels. Participants who are “pantsers” (“Fly-by-the-Seat-ofYour-Pants-ers”) will go into November with nothing but a vague concept of what they want to write, and maybe, if they’re lucky, a good title. The forums on the NaNoWriMo website are full of tips for outlining, ideas for names and titles, as well as entire plots you can adopt if you’re stuck.

You may recognize some NaNoWriMo success stories. “Water for Elephants” by Sara Gruen, “The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern, “Fangirl” by Rainbow Rowell, “Cinder” by Marissa Meyer, and “Anna and the French Kiss” by Stephanie Perkins were all written for NaNoWriMo. Is 50,000 words too much for you? Then you can try out the Young Writers Program (YWP)! While NaNoWriMo is open to anyone over the age of 13, students under the age of 18 are encouraged to participate in the Young Writers Program. (71,229 people participated in YWP in 2016.) YWP allows participants to set their own goal, anywhere from 500 to 50,000 words. If you think you’re too busy to write, or are just getting started in writing, then try writing just 100 words a day, which will give you 3,000 words by the end of the month. The Tell-Tale Heart

by Edgar Allan Poe is only 2093 words long, so 3,000 words is more than enough to tell a great story. If November is too busy for you, whether that be because of sports or other activities, you can try out Camp NaNoWriMo, which is in session during April and July. Campers are encouraged to work on any

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project, not just novels.

You can set a goal of writing one million words, or 100 lines of poetry, or 50 pages of drawing. Campers are also grouped into “cabins,” 12-person chat rooms where people can talk about their stories. 60,951 people went to camp in 2016, that’s over 5,000 cabins!

NaNoWriMo is also a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Their mission statement is “National Novel Writing Month believes in the transformational power of creativity. We provide the structure, community, and encouragement to help people find their voices, achieve creative goals, and build new worlds—on and off the page.”

Whether you’re a plotter, a pantser, or somewhere in between, if you like to write, NaNoWriMo is for you.

If you have a busy schedule and need somewhere to write, Writer’s Club meets in room 300 every Wednesday and Friday from 3:10 to 4:30, and Writing Lab is open in the Library on Mondays and Wednesdays until 4:30.

The Giver - 43,617 words Fahrenheit 451 - 45,910 words The Great Gatsby - 47,094 words To Kill A Mockingbir - 99,121 words Lord of the Flies - 59,900 words Brave New World - 64,531 words

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ARTIST Of The

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Sophomore Mackinzie Mace, was raised in an extremely artistic family, “My dad has had a major influence on me, because he isn’t an artist but he spends a lot of time drawing.” Mace said.

From a very young age, Mace experimented with shading and drawing cartoons.

“The forms of art that inspire me the most are tattoo and anime art,” Mace said. Even as a child she was exposed to different and modern outlets of art, “Ever since I was little, my grandma and I would watch ink masters together,” Mace said.

After learning about Mace’s inspiration, her future plans became a topic of discussion.

“After high school, I would like to continue doing art, I believe that being a tattoo artist would be the best fit for me.”

Mace said.

Her favorite images to sketch for future tattoos are the ones

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that are most symbolic to her, “Certain tattoo designs interest me, such as a realistic raven with its wings spread out. To me, this tattoo symbolizes the afterlife and death, which are two things that are inspirations for my artwork.” Mace said.

What makes artwork so special overall, is the artist’s intent.

For Mace, as well as many, art is a form of expression.

“I do drawing as an escape, like if I am shading while I am angry, the shading comes out to be a lot darker. However, if I am happy, the drawings may turn out to be light and celestial or the shading will turn from a dark to light ombre.” Mace said.

Finally, what does art mean to Mackinzie Mace? Every artist has a different outlook and perspective on the things that simply define them as a person.

“The thing that I like the most about art, is that it can be anything. There are no limitations and everything is fair game,” Mace said.

Mackinzie Mace

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Although most of us have been deemed too old to trick-or-treat by our parents and peers, there’s no limit on the Halloween spirit at Rolla High School.

Many students have traditions that their families participate in each year. Senior Laura McCutcheon’s family has a unique way of celebrating this time of the year.

“My family watches all of the Harry Potter movies while drinking apple cider or homemade butterbeer at least once every October. My favorite aspect of Halloween is that we combine spooky things like scary movies or costumes with cold weather and fall leaves. It’s my favorite season,” McCutcheon said.

Other students of Rolla High, like Senior Jordan Mumma, have fond memories of their childhood Halloween.

“My family had a tradition when my siblings and I were younger. We would trick-or-treat and then go pour our candy out on the floor and trade each other

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for candy we wanted. My favorite part of Halloween is carving pumpkins because I like to take the insides out,” Mumma said.

Halloween is a time for friendly encounters and getting familiar with the youth in the community through trick-or-treating, Freshman Genevieve Huber has already found that the youth of Rolla are quite amusing.

“The best part of Halloween is seeing all of the different costumes, especially when they’re really creative or something I haven’t seen before. One time, this little girl dressed up as a toothbrush. It was in a subtle way, so I was unsure of what the costume was at first. She told me, and I assumed that since she was dressed as a toothbrush she must like dental hygiene and wouldn’t want candy. It turns out her mom made her do it and she never brushes her teeth,” Huber said.

“Halloween is great because you get free candy from strangers and it’s not creepy or dangerous.”

-Jordan Mumma

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“I love that so many people go out of their way to buy candy and then stay up late to pass it out so that children have a good time and pleasant memories of Halloween.�

-Lyndsi Blakely Focus

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Missouri’s Major Mysteries b y

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Exorcist House

Many thrill seekers have heard of the movie “The Exorcist”, but did you know the movie is based off real events that took place in St. Louis, Missouri? In the late 1940’s, an anonymous boy under the pseudonym Roland Doe was allegedly possessed by a demon.

He and his family had lived in Cottage City, Maryland, when Roland’s aunt, who was a spiritual woman, suddenly died. In a state of grief, he turned to ouija boards to try to contact his beloved aunt. Doing so, he was possessed by a demonic spirit. The family searched for someone who could help Roland, so they moved to St. Louis to seek the help of a trained priest of the Roman Catholic Church. The house still stands in all its horrifying glory, at 8435 Roanoke Drive in St. Louis Missouri, where that 14 year old boy’s many exorcisms once took place.

Zombie Road

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Zombie Road, originally named Lawler Ford Road, is a winding trail outside St. Louis, and is known to be haunted by many entities. The story goes: a man named Zombie had escaped from a local mental hospital and disappeared along Lawler Ford, leaving only his blood-soaked clothes. The nickname Zombie Road followed soon after. However this is not the only theory as to how the road got its name. One theory is of the “Zombie Killer,” a ghoulish man who lived in a shack along the trail, who would attack young couples looking for a place to be alone. There are many more theories, but the most agreed-upon one, and some would say the most spine-tingling, may be the real-life story of the ghost of a local judge’s wife, who was hit by a train on the railroad on Zombie Road, and now haunts the area.

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Thespian Hall

Boonville, Missouri is said to be the starting place of the Thespian Society, an acting organization that was only for males then. As the group gained popularity, they decided to build a place where people could watch them perform, so the Thespian Hall was built. When the Civil War started, there was a need for soldiers, so not many could preform anymore, so they decided to use the building as a Hospital for Federal Soldiers to put the building to good use. Once the war was over, it was used as a court house, among other things. Nowadays, people say many spirits reside here. The most famous of them is a phantom, named Mrs. X. Many report seeing a gray-haired woman walking the halls, but finding out moments later there is no one there. There have also been wig stands and various other objects, said to float around, when no one has touched them at all.

Goat Man’s Grave

Between Rolla and St. James about 4 miles down Highway BB, is Pine Creek Cemetery, though it is most often referred to as “Goat Man’s Grave” or “Spook Hollow”. This cemetery is home to many paranormal occurrences, the Goat Man being the most well-known. Legend says there was once a deformed man with hooves for feet living in the abandoned bus near the cemetery, hence the name “Goat Man”. Once the Goat Man died, his spirit began haunting the bus and nearby cemetery. There have also been reports of phantom cars speeding down the dead end dirt road, and disappearing into the night.

Smallett Cave

Ava is a small town in Douglas County. Since it was founded in 1871, it is believed to be haunted. As legend goes, there is a phantom that lurks near a small cave system in a part of Ava called Smallett. This alleged apparition is rumored to be a shoemaker. Instead of a head, all that remains is a pair of shoes dangling in mid-air. Many that have heard this spirit say they hear a light tapping, like a hammer on a shoe mold. They say he never appears between dawn and dusk, but only under the cover of night.

Pythian Castle

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This 101 year old castle in Springfield, Missouri was home to one of the first secret fraternal organizations in North America, the Knights of Pythias. The organization was founded during the Civil War, and stretched throughout the country. The Knights of Pythias made the decision to turn the castle into a joint orphanage and senior citizen home before it got taken over by the government in World War II. Considering the age of the castle, it is believed to be haunted, with no clear story as to why it is. Many mysterious noises have been heard throughout the building including voices, doors slamming shut, and boxes being moved when no one is around. Temperature changes, orbs, voices, and ghostly images have all been documented at Pythian Castle.

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For the lovers of all things spooky, The Missouri State Penitentiary proves to be a worthy attraction. With the title of “The Bloodiest 47 Acres in America”, one can’t help getting chills before stepping into the building. Before visiting this infamous sight, we wanted to get some insight on the people that work there and their personal paranormal experiences. Sheila Sanford is the Prison Tour Coordinator.

“The main focus of my job is to schedule all public tours, scheduling of all tour staff that works the tours, and I also schedule and coordinate the staff for the souvenir shop at the prison,” Sanford said.

A little-known fact about the souvenir shop is that most of the souvenirs were made by the inmates themselves. In the six years that Sanford has been working at the prison, we naturally wondered if she ever experienced anything paranormal.

“I have had footsteps follow me up out of the dungeon area, seen shadow figures, and heard voices in empty buildings. Not much scares me, but there are things that can make you question what you just saw, heard, or even felt.” Sandford said. The prison has a stellar reputation for its knowledgeable and friendly staff, most guests will compliment the former prison guard tour guides. As well as the guests loving the tour guides, the staff is pretty fond of their guests.

“I would have to say my favorite part of working with the Tours of Missouri State Penitentiary and the Visitors Bureau is the wonderful visitors that we get to meet each tour season,” Sanford said.

The penitentiary offers many different tour opportunities with reasonable prices. These tours include 2-3 hour sessions around the buildings with an in-depth explanation of the history. Those who would like a more paranormal experience, are able to go on ghost hunts or even attend a ghost hunting class. On the episode of Ghost Adventures, called “The Missouri State Prison”, the host and crew described it to be heavily charged with violent energy.

Gaining exposure from many television channels and magazines, our home state of Missouri easily becomes a hotspot for the spooky season.

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Freaky Facts

Here are some weird facts about the inmates that were executed at the Penitintirary.

-Claude McGee was asked why he didn’t eat his last meal, and he responded that he “was saving it for later.”

-Robert Kenyson kidnapped and killed Dr. Davis to try to get $5,000 to marry his sweetheart.

-Wilburn Johnson killed 2 children so the he could get $5 -Allen Lambus, age 73, killed a teenage girl with a pitchfork because she wasn’t attracted to him.

-Marshall Perkins was the first guy to ever confess to committing a crime -Bonnie B. Heady kidnapped and killed a young boy. She demanded a $600,000 ransom, which was the largest to ever be payed.

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Athletes of the Month Drew Blair

Senior Goalkeeper Drew Blair broke the record for most shutouts.

“I started playing soccer when i was in the 7th grade. Just a couple of my friends had been trying to get me to play for a while and I finally caved.” Blair said.

While Drew’s main sport is soccer he has also participated in many other activities.

“I have played just about every sport other than wrestling, Baseball, Football, and Soccer are the main three. I also run track and I’m thinking about trying out Wrestling this season but I’m not sure.” Blair replied.

Being one of the top soccer programs in the conference many would think that practice is quite excruciating but Drew thinks otherwise.

“Our practices are pretty relaxed we typically have two to three games a week so we don’t really go hard in practice.” Blair mentioned.

Having played Soccer for 5 years Drew has had many experiences and memories on the field. but it’s the teammates that make Soccer so enjoyable.

“My favorite part about playing soccer is being with my teammates, we are all just a big happy family” Blair said.

Having just beat the the school record that stood for over two decades for the most shutouts in a career it must of been quite the experience.

“It was very emotional. I’ve been working to get this record since the moment I decided I was gonna play soccer. When I finally broke it I was just thinking about all the games, all the shutouts and everyone who helped me along the way. Couldn’t have done without Coach believing in me enough to start my freshman year.

Couldn’t have done it without the abundance of talent I have been blessed with, an All-State Nick Janke just to pinpoint one. And to do it on our home turf in that game, the moment was just unreal and one I’ll never forget.” Blair said.

Now in his Senior season Drew is eyeing a state championship to end off his record breaking High School career.

“I’m hoping for a state championship, this team is good enough to win it all. Even though we haven’t really been able to score in the past I think we finally put it together to make a deep playoff run.” Blair said.

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Audrey Collier

Being a state qualifier is never an easy task; it takes dedication and persistence.

For Junior Audrey Collier it is no different. She qualified earlier in the month for state in golf, but it wasn’t always a clear cut path.

“I quit basketball and I started summer before my freshman year. My dad considered golf, so I just picked it up,” Collier said.

Not being in a huge golfing district or conference has lead to the golfers forming tight knit relationships with one another.

“Getting to be with my teammates, we really developed close friendships.” Collier said.

This season for the bulldogs was a historic one for our golf team.

“Coach said it was the first time in about 10 years that anyone has made it to state in girls golf,” Collier said.

To qualify for state was no easy task for Collier as she had to shoot under a predetermined mark, so she had all the pressure on her to perform.

“The cutoff for state was 85 and I got an 83,” Collier said.

Considering she made it to state to state this year, Collier had modest goals for herself. But, of course, like any other athlete, was aiming for the top. ““I have definitely improved since last year, but the goals I set for this year were to make it to districts,conference, and sectionals, and obviously state, but I never pictured myself actually being there, but it was definitely one of my goals and I accomplished that,” Collier said. by

Isaac Stormes & Brett Gonzalez

Staff Reporters

The American Taco Company has generously agreed to award each Athlete and Artist of the Month featured in ECHO a $10 ATC Gift Card.

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offseason splashes

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With another NBA season now upon us and the preseason analyzes in the books players are now returning to the court to try to lead their team to the NBA Finals. Last season was quite the interesting one with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors returning for round number three in the NBA Finals. Junior Blaize Klossner is an avid sports fan who has watched Basketball for many years.

“If I had to put money on it, I would be going toward a Part IV of Warriors-Cavs. But I would much rather see a different matchup.” Klossner said.

With offseason trades and the draft during the offseason some teams are looking a lot better than before. Teams like the Thunder adding stars Paul George and Carmelo Anthony or the Celtics adding Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward they could shift up the Western and Eastern Conferences. Junior Blaize Klossner kept up with the offseason trades over the summer.

“The Thunder will be interesting to watch. Melo is not a superstar anymore, but he plays his best when he has supporting roles around him. With a big 3 of Westbrook, George, and Anthony, their offense will be one of the best. My biggest question is how the defense will be.” Klossner said.

Arguably the best player of all time Lebron returns for his 14th season in the NBA. Lebron has lead his team to the previous seven finals but with teams like the Celtics and 76ers rising in the East this may be the end to the seven year streak. Senior Josh Pritchett

is a fan of Lebron James.

“I think Lebron will make the Finals again this season, he is still one of the best players in the league and has talent all around him.” Pritchett said.

The Warriors led by Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala are the favorites to win the Finals again this year. Approaching dynasty status and one of the best teams of all time the Warriors are looking to win their third championship in the last four years. Senior Pablo Cunningham plays Basketball as well as watches Basketball.

“I’m not sure the Warriors are gonna win again. The Cavs picked up some good talent and I say there’s a better chance the Cavs win this season.” Cunningham said.

With the NBA draft we saw new exciting prospects enter the league such as Lonzo Ball and Jayson Tatum. With many new talented players entering the league it’s hard to say who will make the biggest impact on their team. Junior Blaize Klossner was one to watch the draft and saw the picks.

“I am absolutely loving Jayson Tatum, I feel like he will have the best year out of this years draft class.” Klossner said.

The Boston Celtics finished 2nd in the Eastern Conference losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the East Conference Championship.

With a new identity to the team starring Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward the Celtics could give the Cavaliers a run for their money this season. Senior Josh Pritchett has been into basketball ever since he was a kid.

“No because the Cavaliers still have Lebron and are a all around good team, I don’t think the Celtics have the roster to beat the Cavs.” Pritchett said.

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RHS Tennis b y

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As Rolla High School moves into its second quarter, the girls’ tennis team has wrapped up their 2017 season. Upon completing their season, the girls have come to appreciate their unexpected success.

“The clean slate that graduating almost all of our varsity players for the past two years brought us and the low expectations that we gave ourself. We didn’t expect to win every single match, but we outdid what we thought we would accomplish,” senior Rachel Butz said.

Throughout the season, the team worked hard in hopes to surpass their expectations.

“We had a great team bond that helped the mood and attitude on the court stay positive. We also took the time to do strength and agility training days which helped our endurance during matches,” senior Laura McCutcheon said.

As the season progressed, the girls continued to grow as a team in order to perform to the best of their ability.

“You can see how the team grows and how the bonds between each of the players grow. After the first few matches, I could see the team becoming a family, and it’s just really nice to be able to be a part of it,” Butz said.

The team finished their season with a final record of 10-8 thanks to placing second in the district tournament. However, for Senior Rachel Butz, the season was not over until after she played at the individual state tournament. After state, Butz completed her personal season with a record of 28-14.

“I loved my personal season. The first three matches were really hard on me because I just couldn’t get my head into the games, but after those three I had a turning point; I had some of the best matches I’ve ever played in my life. I honestly never looked past districts before I actually got there, so I had no idea that I would make it as far as state. The sweet sixteen was way past what I could’ve ever expected, so it truly was an amazing, unforgettable last season,” Butz said.

The Rolla girls’ tennis team ended their season on a high note after two months of bonding, working hard, and playing the sport they love.

“I liked how they came together as a team and really showed integrity and heart to overcome a very tough start to the season and some adversity throughout,” manager Ethan Walker said.

photos courtesy of RHS Growler Yearbook

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Pick of the Pack b y

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Hello! Welcome to Pick of the Pack, ECHO’s monthly column all about the lovable pets waiting down at the Rolla Animal Shelter! The Rolla shelter always has many dogs and cats hoping for someone to come adopt them into a loving home. If you are interested in adopting any of these animals, go to our local shelter located at 1915 Sharpe Rd in Rolla, where the animals are adorable, and you can get them for a good cause.

Name: N/A Gender: Male Age: Adult (Professional guess: 3 years old) Breed: Pitbull Mix (Most likely Staffordshire) Description: This affectionate dog is a keeper! This pup is sure to steal your hearts in seconds. He is quiet but loves all of the attention he can get.Though he is not yet neutered, but has all his vaccines.

He is mostly white with black spots. This pooch is very happy; he even looks as if he is smiling! He is not the biggest dog, but he isn’t small either. Most would say he is the perfect size. If you think this dog seems like a candidate to be your next pet, head down to the Rolla Animal Shelter as soon as possible!

Name: N/A Gender: Male Age: Adult (Professional guess: 1+ years old) Breed: Orange Tabby Description: This lively cat will melt your heart! He was taken in as a stray by the shelter on September 28, 2017. This tabby doesn’t have any health concerns, but he hasn’t been declawed or neutered.

He’s a rather small cat, but every ounce of him is filled with love! This kitty isn’t interested in playing much. However, he requires much attention. He absolutely adores being held and pet! If you’re interested in adopting this cat, head to the Rolla Animal Shelter today!

small clubs: WRITER’S

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Rolla High School is home to many small clubs people may not know about or think about joining. One of those clubs is Writer’s Club.

Sponsored by Mrs. Burke, Writer’s Club meets biweekly in room 300. Students are invited to use their time to write their stories using Chromebooks or pen and paper. Angelina Smith, president of Writer’s Club, had this to say about the club.

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Can You Tell Me A Little About Writer’s Club?

“Writer’s Club is a safe environment for any student of any of the grades in the high school to come together to talk and write. Sometimes we’ll help each other by giving them prompts if they’re stuck in a rut for the story they’re writing.

Sometimes we’ll throw out names or ideas, again, if they’re stuck on something.

We meet every Wednesday and Friday after school, as soon as school gets out until 4:30,” Smith said.

What Do You Think Of Writer’s Club?

“Writer’s Club is generally a really safe place. We won’t judge you for what you do want to write, we won’t judge you for anything, really. We’re really open and safe. It helps. It definitely helps me to get better ideas, and more opinions on my writing,” Smith said.

Why Should People Join Writer’s Club?

“People should join Writer’s Club because, like I said, it’s a really good environment, especially if you want to write, which is the main goal. All together, as a whole, we’re all really accepting. We’re all helpful, even though it may not seem like it at times. We’re like family,” Smith said.

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Changing the Game b y

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Noah Doyle is a senior baseball player who also takes part in E- Sports. He specializes in Call of Duty, and story based games.

“I play Call of Duty a lot. I pretty much play all of them besides IW (Infinite Warfare) and AW (Advanced Warfare). Doyle said.“Usually I’m playing at least an hour and a half everyday, unless I’m busy, give or take, so about 12-15 hours a week.”

Due to all that time he puts in, Doyle has experienced a lot of success in gaming. He has reached many personal milestones.

“I prestiged in MW3 in five days, Black Ops 3 in six days, and I have 15 career “Nukes” on MW2 (25 kills in a row).The most kills I’ve ever got was on “Shipment” in MW3 where I once got 128 kills. My K-D ratio (kills to deaths) is a 1.5.

All the success Doyle has earned playing these games has set him on a pedestal above the rest of the competition.

“In Modern Warfare Remastered I’m in the top 1 percent in the world.” Doyle said.

As a true gamer Doyle doesn’t play just one game he has broader horizons on the genres he plays.

“I also like story based games like “Red Dead Redemption”, “The Last of Us”, and all of the “Fallout’ series.” Doyle said.

Meat Chucker

It’s not every year you get to have a world record holder in your school, but at RHS we have precisely that. The record in itself is an odd one, but Senior Jacob Phillips takes a lot of pride in holding it.

“It happened this past summer when I was in Yale, Michigan visiting my grandparents, and they had a bologna throwing contest. On my first throw I threw the package 180 feet and the final round I threw it 195 feet.” Phillips said.

Phillips didn’t go against many people, but they were all experienced.

“I went against this middle aged guy, he was pretty good, he threw it 187 feet and he rolled it. I threw it over hand like a football.” Phillips said.

Phillips is a proud participant in the Bologna Festival contest and proudly wears the shirt he was given.

“I feel great. It makes me proud of myself.” Phillips said.

Woodland Warrior The last unique athlete is Lane McDonald. Lane is an avid hunter and loves spending his time in the outdoors. Lane has hunted and killed many different kinds of animals and also spends his time fishing.

“I’ve hunted turkeys, squirrels, deer, and I shot a ram about two years ago, but I mainly hunt deer and turkey. I especially love turkey hunting because you can actually hear them and know they’re there, instead of deer you just kind of sit and wait.” Mcdonald said.

Mcdonald normally stays close to home hunt.

“I usually stay around Rolla, and my brother and I went to a game ranch around Rolla and I shot a ram with my bow.” Mcdonald said.

Hunting as much as he does, Mcdonald hunts with many different techniques and methods but his ole reliables never lets him down.

“I shoot a 30-30 for deer and for turkeys I shoot a 12 gauge. I’ve killed about 20 deer in my life, 15 with a gun and 5 with a bow.” Mcdonald said.

The motivation to hunt for Mcdonald is simple.

“Because it’s fun and I get to shoot stuff,” Mcdonald said.

Being an American to the bone Mcdonald sums up his life motto simply.

“Hunting and fishing, lovin everyday,” Mcdonald said.

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Fifty Shades Of Abusive Relationships “Fifty Shades of Grey”, written by E. L. James, made its first appearance to our society in 2011.

At first, people were horrified to see such an inappropriate book on the Bestseller list at every Barnes and Noble store across the nation. But as time progressed the fame for the book increased and director Sam Taylor-Johnson was able to produce a movie. The book not only contains disturbing pornographic situations, but also glorifies abusive relationships. Star Hargis, English teacher at Rolla High School, is a mother of two daughters and has many opinions on the book.

“Well, I think it’s disturbing on multiple levels. First and foremost, it’s horribly written.

Secondly, it’s disturbing to see that we haven’t progressed very far in terms of representation of women in media. So, it’s sort of disturbing to me that we are still seeing images of women being exploited in ways on film. It’s almost made to feel romantic or desirable,” Hargis said.

The physical and mental abuse in Fifty Shades is very clearly written and loved by readers across the world. Abusive relationships are damaging and never good for an individual, we should all know that. Hargis comments on the abusive situations written in the book: “Well, I feel really uncomfortable with the idea that violence is being used in pornographic ways. I have a real problem with seeing violence in something that is appealing, or something that’s acceptable. In relationships, I think it’s very dangerous where you get into a mentality that finds it acceptable, because where do you draw that line? When you give up that much control to somebody else, when you allow someone to physically harm you to make them feel better where do you draw that line? Where does it stop? How much do you give up? How much do you allow yourself to get hurt before it becomes detrimental to you? So, I think it’s really dangerous to portray violence in a desirable way,” Hargis said.

After the movie continued its fame and the popularity increased, Facebook was blown up with Buzzfeed articles which examined relationships portrayed in the book “Fifty Shades of Grey”. Desiring that sort of relationship is hurtful, and yet appealing to some.

“I can see the appeal of it, honestly. I can see why people think giving up control is appealing because life is difficult and challenging. And the idea of letting someone else take care of us, deal with all of our conflicts and make everything seemingly better sounds really appealing. But in the end, that lack of control is actually what could end up be more harmful than anything else,” Hargis said.

Hargis, a mother of two daughters is disturbed to see a book like “Fifty Shades” be idolized by people, when she would not want the same thing to happen to her children.

“Well, I’m realistic, there is going to be many things I can’t shield my daughters from and I don’t think I should shield from some of the

realities of the world. But I am very careful of making sure they see the good representation of women. I want them to see strength, intelligence, and humor. That being said, I can right now, but I won’t be able to stop them in the future if they want to watch or read “Fifty Shades of Grey”, that’s their prerogative. But I can at least create a foundation that they can recognize that the portrayal of women in films like that is not necessary a realistic one or a positive one. So, of course they can see what they want but at least I would have provided them with the tools to be able to assess how that kind of representation can be dangerous and harmful to women in general,” Hargis said.

Being an English teacher for many years, Hargis can easily say that “Fifty Shades of Grey” is not only a bad book, but also poorly written.

“Well, it’s just bad writing. I mean, how many times can you say the word blush? I have a real issue with fanfiction in general, but as a teacher, I don’t like to say that people shouldn’t or can’t read things because I think that’s a dangerous area to go into as well. I don’t want to ban anything. But I can control what is in my classroom. So therefore I can say no, that’s not acceptable for what we are trying to achieve in here. And I can try to encourage people to appreciate good writing when they see it. But it really disturbs me to see that bad writers like that are multimillionaires when there are excellent writers that probably live in filth. It’s kind of bothersome to see, as an English teacher, that to be successful, you have to appeal to the lowest common denominator,” Hargis said.

Raising daughters can be difficult with the idolization of books and stars like “Fifty Shades”. Hargis tries to make sure her daughters understand their worth in the world is more than what is portrayed on films.

“I think it’s really important that we make everyone, not just women, aware of what good representation is and why it matters, especially to young girls. I don’t think it’s simply the role of women to propagate positive imagery, I think it’s the role of human beings to do that.

So I would hope that not only women, but men would become more actively engaged about the type of imagery that provides in our culture. Because I have young girls and I can tell you that they dress up like their super heros, and I can tell you that it bothers me that my 9 year old admired Harley Quinn over Wonder Woman. I can tell you that that significantly bothered me because a representation she sort exemplifies of allowing yourself to be in an abusive relationship. So it really bothers me that that sort of ideology is being fed to young kids it’s because they are listening, they are watching, they are internalizing it, and they are wanting to replicate it. And I’ve seen it in my own kids,” Hargis concludes. b y

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The debate between which show is better -”Parks and Recreation” or “The Office”- continues even though both have ended.

They’ve both been nominated for many awards, but one is more deserving. That show is “Parks and Recreation” Why? I’ll tell you.

While they both have a number of outstanding episodes, “The Office” has more episodes that are mediocre. I couldn’t stand it until it got slightly entertaining in the 4th season, but “Parks and Recreation” had me in stitches from the beginning. This is because “Parks and Recreation” has more dynamic colors and characters. The greatest example of this is in the protagonists. Michael Scott is one of the only entertaining characters “The Office”, but he can’t compare to Leslie Knope. She’s ambitious, passionate, and competitive. Leslie cares about her friends and everything she does, while Micheal only cares about adoration from his coworkers and his unrealistic goals. Leslie isn’t the only outstanding character in “Parks and Recreation, every one of them is out there, with unique stories and characteristics. The only other memorable character from “The Office” is Dwight Schrute, who’s funny, but not enough on his own. While “The Office” is praised for Jim and Pam’s relationship, I found it underdeveloped and overhyped. “Parks and Recreation” delivers both Andy and April, the epitome of opposites attract, and Leslie and Ben, whose political savvy and workaholic tendencies only brought them closer.

There’s even a dynamic duo found in Leslie and Ann, and overall 100% more female interaction in “Parks and Recreation”, while the women in “The Office” barely seem to notice one another.

Finally -and the most convincing point I have- is the adorable Li’l Sebastian.

Sam’s Soapbox Parrallel parking spots take up too much space There is a massive gap separating how people think about their local budget and how they think about the federal budget. This divide stems mostly from the inability to see the effects of federal programs. When a person pays their federal taxes many times it feels like that money is just being thrown away. Often, it is used on complicated federal programs that many taxpayers never see the impact of. It does not feel like it is being used to provide valuable services to the public.

Taxes at the local level are different. It is easy to understand where the money is going. In Rolla, for example, 0.5% of sales taxes go to transportation and infrastructure improvement. It is much harder to visualize what federal moneys are going towards. Of course, it is publically available information, but the amounts and uses are incomprehensible to individual citizens. This is why many people are apprehensive concerning federal taxes.

Politicians do a poor job of explaining what federal money is going to. To many Americans,

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There is hands-down, nothing as beautiful as the fictional love story than that of Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly of The Office (U.S. edition). For those of you who live under a rock and don’t know what The Office is about, it’s about life in a Scranton, Pennsylvania office, belonging to the infamous Dunder-Mifflin Paper Company. The show focuses on everyday life in the office and the many unlikely friendships that form over several years of being filmed for a documentary.

With an IMDb rating of 8.8/10, The Office took TV by the storm for nine, beautifully-written seasons over the course of eight years, while Parks and Recreation is rated 8.6/10

by IMDb and only ran for seven seasons throughout six years. There’s obviously a reason it didn’t last as long as The Office. With many proposals that tug at the audience's heart strings, an endless supply of pranks, and a perfectly cast set of characters, Parks and Recreation doesn’t compare to The Office; coming from someone who has seen every episode of each series, I personally prefer The Office over Parks and Recreation.

The Office is timeless and never fails to make me laugh.

Although The Office didn’t have its own version of Lil’ Sebastian, who needs a lame miniature horse when you have endless “That’s What She Said” jokes by none other than Michael Scott himself?

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federal taxes feel like the government stealing their money. They do not see any of the results (with the exception of perhaps social security and medicare), so of course they are scared of taxes being raised.

People want to know where their money is going.

Compared to other countries, Americans are more charitable, but have a much lower tax rate. A lack of social programs causes this. Unlike many western countries, America has very few large federal programs. This makes people less willing to pay taxes, which makes the government able to do less. To compensate, Americans donate to charity.

It creates a negative feedback loop that makes federal taxes seem like stealing to many Americans.

If federal taxes felt like they were paid in exchange for social services, like local taxes, Americans would have a much more positive view of them. It is up to politicians to help explain taxes in a way that the average American can understand. That way, taxes will feel less like a burden, and more like a necessary social construct.

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Ominous October

October is finally upon us, so I thought it was only fair that this month I would join the pumpkin carving craze. Carving a pumpkin doesn’t seem like a difficult task, but, it was a long and treacherous journey. With the spooky, scary, skeleton season now upon us, many people celebrate Halloween in various ways. They carve pumpkins, dress up, go trick-or-treating, and visit haunted houses. However, do we all actually know how any of these traditions started?

Carving pumpkins originates from the irish folktale of “stingy jack.”

The folktale encourages people to carve scary faces into pumpkins and turnips to scare away the wandering spirit of cursed Stingy Jack.

Stingy Jack often tricked the devil and when he eventually died, Jack found himself banished from hell. He was only able to roam aimlessly, wreaking havoc throughout the night. To avoid this, people believed carving scary faces into pumpkins would ward off Jack, or any other evil spirits.

The original Halloween was called Samhain by Celtic farmers which means “summers end”. Samhain symbolized the end of summer and the marked the end of harvest season, and was celebrated on the 31st of October. This day was a welcome to the cold and dark winter, which the Celt people thought signified death. On the night of October 31st, it was believed the dead spirits returned to earth, and the Celts would hold grand fires to sacrifice crops and animals to the dead. The tradition of trick-or-treating comes from the “All souls day” tradition where the poor would go to door praying for people’s deceased loved ones in return for cakes known as “soul cakes.”

Follow Mackinzie Mace @mackinziemace on Instagram!

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October wraps up fall sports and welcomes the winter sports season

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Contact RHS ECHO Magzine Mary Gillis, Adviser mgillis@rolla.k12.mo.us (573)-458-0101 ext. 14302 Room 302