October 2022 Pepper Box

Fall sports are wrapping up their seasons ahead of the winter

RITENOUR HIGH SCHOOL

Melly wins state teacher of the year

Ritenour alumna Christina Melly was announced as the Missouri teacher of the year in a surprise assembly

CHLOE SAPP Content Editor-in-Chief

On September 19th, a “senior meeting” turned into a celebration as English teacher Christina Melly was named Missouri Teacher of the Year.

All English teachers were asked to bring their classes to the auditorium, while all seniors were expecting a presentation about graduation. But, since this was such a random event, there was high suspicion, especially from Melly, who was teaching sophomores at the time.

“I was a little confused -- I teach senior classes and have been a name reader at graduation, but September seemed so early to start talking about it,” Melly said. “They called me down, and I tried to talk Schuler out of it - he told me ‘bring 'em, they'll need to hear this eventually anyway!’”

There were also cameramen lining the walls and school officials that would not normally be present at the “senior meeting”. One specific sign to Melly that it had to be more than a meeting was when Dr. Margie Vandeven,

Commissioner of Education, walked up to the podium.

“I didn't hear any words after Dr. Vandeven came onstage -- I was just suddenly very aware of my heartbeat and all of the people around me. I was in a conversation with some people and I barely even remember those moments,” Melly recounted.

Melly had been selected as one of 17 semi-finalists for Missouri teacher of the year, her being the only Ritenour teacher represented, earlier in the month. This meant everyone in the auditorium was aware of what was possibly about to be announced. When the news was announced, Melly came up to accept her award and give a speech.

“Everyone who’s sitting here in front of me, you make my day-to-day life so fun and so amazing. I come home with amazing stories. Sometimes [my family] gets tired of the teacher talk because there are so many amazing things that you all do, so it’s an honor to be your teacher, and I hope I can represent us well,” said Melly while accepting her award.

Melly has not only taught at Ritenour for 11 years, but she is also a Ritenour alumna, being a part of Ritenour’s

class of 2006. She got her degree in teaching at UMSL and then came back to Ritenour to teach.

“Every teacher I've ever had or worked with is part of who I am,” Melly said. “Two who had a huge influence on me were Mrs. Vest and Mrs. Hirsch -- they mentored me in my first years at RHS. So much of how I try to interact with my students and build our classroom comes from

those two. Every moment is a chance to uplift someone else -- whether that's being sympathetic after a long shift at work, working through a tricky essay topic, or connecting people with resources to change their situations. Teaching lets me do that like nothing else in the world.”

Melly applied for this award to see how far she could get, but her goal in

teaching was never just to win this honor. Her goal is to continue becoming a better teacher and she doesn’t plan on stopping soon.

“Right now, making sense of all of the changes that are coming my way is the main goal. I love teaching, I love being in the classroom -- I know I want to continue my education and keep working to make public education better for all of us.

Reversing a national trend: Principal turnover at RHS

DANIELLE HAYNES Visual Editor-in-Chief

Dr. Jana Haywood was hired last year as the Ritenour High School principal, but if the history of the principal position at Ritenour over the last ten years repeats itself, she will be gone by class of

2025.

In the last 10 years Ritenour has gone through five principals, each lasting an average of three years at the helm.

While this might seem alarming, this is not only a Ritenour problem. Principal turnover nationwide has

increased, and the leaders of the district have a plan to try to break the cycle of short tenures of its school leaders.

Dr. Haywood was thrilled to be hired last year, and has embraced her role as a leader of a building in transition after dealing with the effects that COVID had on education the last two years.

“I was excited to accept the role as principal here at Ritenour High School. This is my 11th year as a building leader, I've served at all levels pre K through 12. And so I felt very confident in terms of my experience and knowledge to be able to really tackle leading this school at a time such as this,” Haywood said.

While she has no intentions of leaving, the national trend shows that it would not be a surprise.

A national study from the National Association of Secondary School Principals states that 35% of principals

are at their school for less than two years, and only 11% of principals are at their school for 10 or more years.

The numbers are worse for any principal who is serving in a low income, high poverty school district. In combination with this, more educators overall are fleeing the profession after the pandemic, leading to a nationwide teaching shortage and multiple new teachers in the building.

These statistics can have a major effect on the students and staff members who remain at the school.

“Well, anytime you have a new boss, you have to kind of get used to some of the new things that they emphasize. But at the end of the day, most of us are here to help the kids and teach the content,” veteran social studies teacher Mike Murray said. “It can be challenging at times, with, as I mentioned previously, maybe a different vision for things,

but at the end of the day, you try to get behind them and do what's good for the students.”

A study by the Brookings Institute found that principal turnover can be associated with lower test scores, school proficiency rates, and teacher retention.

“I think most of our staff assumes that when principals are hired, and they're here, they're here to help. They're here to facilitate, they're here. Obviously, they have a tough job, they have to balance parents, teachers admin at the central office. So it's not an easy role,” Murray said. “I think part of that challenge and what tends to make the tenure a little shorter for people is it can be very time consuming, very challenging.”

For senior Kyle Williams, Haywood is the second principal he has had at Ritenour during his four years. Dr. Jeff Marker led the school during Williams' freshman and sophomore

The

editors sampled five of the top Halloween candies and ranked them

A review of all of the famous events of Halloween, and how to avoid some dangers

COLLEGE AND CAREER OFFICE

HALLOWEEN CANDY RANKINGS

Photo by Amareona Muhammad

Ritenour has experienced the effects of a national trend, and is trying to put it to an end

Ritenour Superintendent Dr. Chris Kilbride celebrates with Christina Melly at the special announcement declaring Melly as the Missouri teacher of the year. Melly's family looked on behind.

Photo by Danielle Haynes

Haywood

Staff Editorial - Safety on Halloween

Since Halloween is a night when strangers are constantly interacting, people’s identities are hidden with costumes, and there are a lot more general distractions in public settings, it is very important to take steps to stay safe.

Traditionally, kids dress up, go out with their family or friends, and go house to house getting free candy and enjoying the Halloween spirit. However, there are many safety precautions that people

can take in order to ensure that the night will remain fun and peaceful Going in groups can be a smart and enjoyable thing to do to stay safe while trick or treating. While out, trick or treaters must be aware of their surroundings, watching for reckless drivers and staying on the sidewalks as much as possible. Since people are hiding behind costumes, it is a lot easier for people looking to cause harm to blend in to the crowd on a night like Halloween.

In addition to people who might go out with the intention to cause harm,

Word on the

individuals will want to make sure that they don’t inadvertently scar children with hyper-realistic costumes. Young kids are impressionable, and while we know Halloween is about being scary, we don’t want to accidentally create a traumatic experience in a young person’s life.

Trick or treating is not the only way to have fun on Halloween. For older kids, there is less door-to-door candy collection and more partying. While these events can be exciting, there are a lot of actual scares that go

with it. Peer pressure is one of those big scares. There is a lot of recklessness and a lack of responsible adult supervision on Halloween, so a good idea would be to share your location with a trusted adult and surround yourself with friends who care about your safety.

Furthermore, it is vital that you check your surroundings, especially at new locations while surrounded by strangers in masks. There are some people who will try to take advantage of people who are oblivious to potential harm. Make sure you know

“Fall is all about enjoying all the nice weather while you can. My favorite fall things would include being outside to enjoy a hike, walking my dog, or enjoying good food at my favorite restaurants.”

What is your favorite Fall activity and why?

who is giving you candy, pouring you drinks, and don’t use the excuse of the holiday to change your normal dating behaviors.

Just because this is a holiday, it does not mean that outcomes are different. While it is important to keep yourself safe from anyone trying to harm you, it is also important that you don’t go too far with Halloween tricks. Make sure everything is in good fun, and not something that can get the police involved or hurt anyone else.

“Watching movies at home with my cat.”

“Hanging out with friends and some close cousins and watching horror movies. It’s in season for the year and the best time to do so. It’s a part of staying in that spooky tradition. And really because no one is going to a haunted house in January.”

PEPPER BOX STAFF

Visual

Danielle Haynes

Content EIC: Chloe Sapp

Production EIC: Jennifer Huerta Lopez

Leanna Duncan

and A&E Editor: Tori Pratt

Social Media Manager: Julia Lohnes

Spotlight Editor: Caroline Groceman Special Edition and Sports Editor: Layla Fouche Adviser: Ron Steinschriber

Members:Mya Cates, Elizabeth Dobbs, Billie Ford, Caden Gaither, Peyton House, Jack Jamison, Allison Madrid, Kya Merriman, Trinidy Millsapp, Amareona Muhammad, Dan Mutegeki, Mariam Neeb, Logan Overall, Alivia Pearia, Skylar Powers, Jimena Rosales-Martinex, Conrad Sentman, Margaret Susovica, Cinthia Talbott Perdomo, Hallie Thornburgh, Brandon Treat, Klayton Wilkinson

The Pepper Box is designed and created by members of the newspaper staff of Ritenour High School. The purpose of the newspaper is to provide a forum for the students to focus on issues, give opinions, and share information with the Ritenour High School community. The opinions expressed in this paper do not reflect opinions of our faculty or administration.

Jake PagayonanSenior

Blake Hernton - Orchestra teacher

Hannah CortezFreshman

Dakota JohnsonSophomore

The Kitchen - Klayton Wilkinson

“I really enjoy going on walks when the trees start to change colors, it’s so beautiful.”

Ellie WeisslerJunior

“I like having bonfires with friends and my family. We get to spend time together and I like eating s'mores.”

Tricked - Margaret Susovica

Students need more options for mental health

BeReal With Tori

effects on humans than a physical illness would.

Where there is a nurse inside schools for physical illnesses, there are counselors at the school to help students with their mental health. However, not all students feel as if their needs are getting met with a counselor visit.

“I think they handle it decently but have the wrong idea of anything they do helping wise,” senior Kali Smith said.

definitely some ways that they could improve in their care of those with mental health problems. It makes some students more comfortable to sit within their sadness than to go to somebody for help because they feel as if it is easier.

Mental Health is considered one of the world's most controversial topics, especially throughout schools where it is not normalized enough.

I think one of the reasons that mental health has not been taken as seriously is because it is not as concrete as physical illnesses. In reality, mental health can have worse

Freshman, Lilliana Pratt agreed with Smith, saying that the immediate help is good, but the long term help is not always there.

“I think schools truly are decent at helping but you tell them something and they automatically go to a parent or they do things that aren’t beneficial. Just the same repetitive actions,” Pratt said.

While schools are doing the best they can, there are

Schools should have more options for students who face the battles of anxiety, depression, and all of the other sorts of mental illnesses. They should make them feel more comfortable at the place they spend their teenage years growing up and changing being able to sit down and talk to someone.

Mental illnesses in school should not be as controversial as they are and students should be able to feel more comfortable dealing with them in schools.

The age old question; who is better, orchestra or band?

orchestra.”

This is because band instruments are easier to play, therefore, more simpleminded people are open to playing them instead of dedicating themselves to a difficult craft like orchestra.

when we think of beautiful classical music and not percussion? Orchestra just has an overall more lovely perception.

(Please note that this article is a satirical joke and not meant to be offensive.)

Have you ever heard, “Wow, the oboe is so cool. Wow, the piccolo and glockenspiel really add energy!”

No. You’ve never heard that. This is why Orchestra is undeniably better than band. Lets start with the facts. Band is more generic than orchestra. According to the Give a Note Foundation, “93% of schools offer band and only 36% of schools offer

Second, band is not refined like orchestra is. You ever heard someone say, “Dang those trumpets sound so elegant.” No, you’ve never heard that. Maybe you’ve heard, “wow the percussion is so loud,” or “wow those brass instruments sound like dying elephants.”

It's true, orchestra might sound like dying cats sometimes, but that doesn’t take away the elegance and prestige the orchestral aesthetic orchestra has.

Orchestra is delightful. Why do people traditionally hire a quartet for the sentimental parts of wedding and hire the brass band for the party? It’s because band is only good for play and orchestra is where all the business happens. Why do we think of string instruments

Third of all, band kids' health habits are absolutely awful. Band kids empty their spit filled reeds on the carpet and like to play notes as loud as humanly allowed. Imagine laving to walk into the band room and having to know that everywhere you are stepping on is a puddle of some random nose-picking band kid’s old spit. Imagine having to cover your ears when you’re anywhere near the band area of the building or else you’ll get permanent hearing damage.

Is it possible that an orchestra kid may hit a pitchy note every now and then? Of course, but orchestra students are human and deserve some compassion for their mistakes.

There are some upsides to band kids though. For example, I've heard from a lot of students that band kids are very passionate and

dedicated. This clearly shines through when you take into account many regular band students are also in Jazz Band and Marching Band which requires students to put in extra hours and hard work into their schedules.

However, can band kids take this too far?

Two anonymous choir students had a couple things to say about band kids. We’ll call them 1 and 2.

“They (band kids) think they’re better than everyone else just because they have to wake up earlier. The thing is,” Source 1 added furiously, “Orchestra, band and choir are just a bunch of people that really like music but band thinks they’re superior, which really sucks because super passionate band people have come up straight to my face and say choir sucks because they think all we do is sing.”

Source 2 also mentioned that whenever there is an assembly for the music program in the choir room, band is always the one to trash it.

Editorial Cartoons

“They trashed the choir room, more than once. When they left, they left a tambourine, paper packets and someone’s hoodie. Us choir kids had to pick up their mess.”

These two sources didn’t have nearly as strong of an opinion on orchestra kids. All they said was, “Eh, they’re fine” when asked about them, which is arguably much better than their thoughts on band kids and practically says orchestra kids are the epitome of perfection.

These first hand instances of band kids being too “intense,” and “terrifying” from obviously credible anonymous sources are more than enough to show that the beautiful whimsy orchestra creates is easily better than band.

(Please remember this is not meant to be taken seriously nor as an actual attack to the band program.)

Illustrations by Klayton Wilkinson

Allison Madrid

Allison's A-List

Junior Allison Madrid dives into a musical rivalry as fierce as the Jets and the Sharks

Counselors are doing their best, but there needs to be more options for students in need

Tori Pratt

Illustration by Margaret Susovica

Photo courtesy Tori Pratt

Halloween happenings

CAROLINE GROCEMAN Spotlight Editor

Trick-or-Treating is always something to look forward to when October rolls around.

It is filled with lots of fun and even more candy. People get to dress up and go out with friends, go to haunted houses, and trick or treat. As a child, so many fun memories are created on Halloween.

“My family and I used to go to a street called Windom. One year I was dressed as Marilyn Monroe and ended up getting chased by a guy with a chainsaw. I was so scared that I peed myself,” said Jayden Bock.

Getting home and getting all the candy is the best part.

Senior Isabelle Cortez described her joy in spreading all the candy out on the floor and searching through for the best pieces, and then throwing away the pieces that don’t taste good, or finding someone who thought it did.

“My favorite memory would’ve been being able to spend it with my family. It created a bond between us, I remember dressing up with my sister and being so excited to get out and get candy,” Cortez said.

Bonfire Bonfire

Bonfires are very common to see while out on Halloween, especially when trick-ortreating.

These bonfires keep you warm and add some sort of effect to Halloween and those spooky stories. While these bonfires are cool, there are dangers and risks in having one.

“I see danger in bonfires, if they are not tended properly, things or people could be burned,” said Kameryn Degardin.

Bonfires can be small, but that doesn’t mean they are safer than bigger ones. If a bonfire gets out of control, everything around can become in severe danger.

Large brush fires could break out, houses could become partially

on fire, and the people around could get burned.

Bonfires can be fun, especially when you get to roast marshmallows and make s’mores.

“I think they are fun because I love to roast marshmallows and make s’mores. I definitely think they can be dangerous, especially around younger kids, because they could spread further and get

out of hand.” said Jayden Bock.

It is very important for one to know the risk of having a bonfire before officially having one. First always make sure that where you are planning on having a bonfire is a safe place that you are allowed to have one. You also want to make sure that you stay away from big areas that could catch on fire.

Always have something to put the

Going out with siblings and friends was always something to look forward to; the matching costumes, the jokes told, and the laughs shared. Traditions are being born and followed each year. People come and go throughout the years, they get too old or they move away, they decide that it is time to move on from trick-or-treating and do something more mature, but they will always look back at all the memories they formed as a kid, and going out on Halloween.

fire out with, and make sure that everyone stays a good distance away; especially younger kids. There are many bonfires while trick-or-treating and it is very important that these little kids stay away from the dangerous fire.

On Halloween it is important to practice the safety of having a bonfire and ensuring that they don’t get out of hand so that nobody gets hurt.

CAROLINE GROCEMAN Spotlight Editor

JENNIFER HUERTA LOPEZ Production Editor-in-Chief

Wearing costumes is one of the most exciting parts of Halloween, but it could also potentially cause some problems.

When wearing a costume you get to dress up like whatever person or character you want to be and you can put it in as much imagination as you want into your costume. Costumes are a fun part of Halloween but there are people who take costumes a bit too far and end up wearing inappropriate costumes that can come out as offensive.

The issue with costumes is about cultural appropriation, which is when someone from a different culture imitates another culture in an inappropriate

CCostumes ostumes

way. There have been many instances when people dress up in other people’s cultures in an unoffensive way, but they don’t realize that in reality people from that culture my get offended and hurt.

“The problem with costumes is people making an assumption about other people's cultures,” senior Jayden Bock said. “Saying this costume is the only thing that represents somebody's culture, like you're offending

somebody by dressing up as them, you're not paying respects to their culture or identifying that this is a culture, they think they’re being cool or funny. Seeing people dress up like Native Americans or people in sombreros and Hispanic heritage attire is disrespectful because that's not their culture so they shouldn’t be doing it.”

Although sometimes it is not the person’s intentions to imitate or make fun of someone else's culture, to the rest of the society it seems as if you are being judgmental towards those other cultures and communities.

“I think that sometimes costumes are used as an

excuse to be ignorant and appropriate of somebody else's culture. I think we as a community need to be more mindful about what we are doing and listen to the people who are part of those cultures by being respectful towards their cultures,” junior Cailan Wooten said.

It is important for

everyone to be aware and respectful towards those other cultures. When dressing up for the Halloween festivities,everyone needs to be mindful of what they wear and what message they are putting out into the community, and overall having respect towards all cultures around the world.

Scary movies

JENNIFER HUERTA LOPEZ Production Editor-in-Chief

Fall season is the perfect time to get cozy and in the Halloween spirit, and watching scary movies is definitely a perfect way to get it started.

Movies are the perfect way to get some thrill and excitement during the month of October. These movies help bring terror and intensity into your life, while enjoying a nice time.

Just like a book, scary movies can be fiction or based off of a true story, and knowing that it was a true story makes the movie a bit more scary and creepy. Some movies are more creepy and disturbing and others contain content that strike you with an intense scare. The unexpected moments are what really make watching a movie a better experience because you are too concentrated in the movie, and all of the sudden you hear a loud bang on the screen and you might even began screaming or jumping of your seat yourself.

“My favorite scary movie is “X”, it’s an A24 film. I like that scary movies are scary, and I like the thrill, I like not knowing what’s going to happen next, I like the unpredictability,”Senior Ulises Hernandez said.

The best thing about scary movies is that people can enjoy them however they want. They can watch them by themselves, if they are brave enough, or they can have the company of family or friends for a more comforting experience. All this while enjoying your favorite snacks like popcorn, chips, candy, pizza, ice cream, and lots of other delicacies.

“When watching a scary movie I like to eat my favorite candy which is Reeses, and I like to just sit down and watch it with my family typically, and we just eat snacks.” senior Maria Ventura said.

Some Halloween traditions continue to bring joy, but others need to be looked at carefully

year.

"Dr. Marker was very easy going and it seems like he just went with the flow of things," Williams said. "I was somewhat surprised when he announced he was leaving, but I didn't necessarily have a reaction to it. I wasn't really phased by his announcement to him leaving."

While Williams was not sure what the change in principals would mean going into his junior year, he has noticed some differences in the way things are going at school with Dr. Haywood.

"(Dr. Haywood) and I have built a relationship where she can put me in my place in a heartbeat, but I know she always wants the best for me," Williams said. "Dr. Haywood has been very proactive to situations and always tries to find the best solutions for things. She also always

seeks the opinions of others (students and adults) to learn the different perspectives and to help her make executive decisions."

Superintendent Chris Kilbride believes that constant change can have a negative effect on the students, saying that it could lead to things like staff and students wondering whether they should buy into a new leader if they believe they will be gone quickly.

“I think fidelity, getting people on board to the mission of the school is impacted when you've got constant turnover. If a school is going to improve performance for every student, it's going to be the principal that's going to work with teachers, work with assistant principals, and work with the community to make that happen,” Dr.

Kilbride said. “ When there is a period of turnover in the principalship. That's not what we're after. We are looking for stability in the position.”

Dr. Kilbride believes that the district can achieve stability in the position with Dr. Haywood, and it has put in some extra structures to make sure that continuity remains. Ritenour created the position of Director of Secondary Education last year and hired Dr. Bruce Green.

“We know that the role of the principalship at Ritenour High School is a very challenging role, and we want to make sure that Dr. Haywood is being supported on a daily basis to a greater extent than what it was in the past,” Dr. Kilbride said. “This new structure has been put in place to support not only the high school, but also for the two middle schools.”

Green, who came from outside the district was seen as a change maker to assist the new principal, however, he sees himself as part of the team dedicated to changing the trend.

“I am one of the main ingredients in the larger scheme of things for educational leadership at the high school,” Green said. “One of the things that I really live by is this whole notion of leadership. I believe that leadership is the ability to work with and through people to achieve the goals of the organization. I also believe that everything rises and falls on leadership, so one of my roles is to actively support as well as engage the building leaders so that they're providing a space for adults and students that is conducive to learning.”

Dr. Haywood was not sure

how everything was going to work together with the brand new position, but says that it has helped her transition to lead the high school.

“(Dr. Green’s) presence in the opening semester of my tenure really made a tremendous difference. We had so many unknown variables and factors that were surfacing on a daily basis having another leader with the his experience and knowledge and just care for children, was really beneficial for everyone involved,” Dr. Haywood said. “In looking at how the roles will intertwine or interact in the future I think is a big question is still is to be answered. But I'm excited to have any level of support for the high school.”

Pepper Box staff receives first place honors

The newspaper received the honors from Quill and Scroll, the International Journalism Honors Society

CONRAD SENTMAN Staff Reporter

The Ritenour Pepper Box recently won another award to add to its collection.

For the third time in the last eleven years, and the second time in the last three years, the Pepper Box has won the International First Place Award from International Quill and Scroll, a high school journalism honors society. Every year, the Pepper Box sends out three issues to get judged on the quality of its content: organization, writing, photography, and design. This year they were ranked particularly well due to how they had good visuals,

good coverage, good writing, and good editing.

This award was especially impressive to the staff, as only six students returned from the 2020-2021 staff, including senior Chloe Sapp and graduated seniors Kaylyn Riggs, Michelle Everett, Maricela Nunez, Kaitlyn Hurst, and Chanel Foster. Since it is challenging to get first place, those six students accomplished writing all the early content all on their own, while the new students were still just learning some of the techniques for writing a good paper.

Current Content Editorin-Chief, senior Chloe Sapp said that it took some time to get used to the small group of editors.

“We didn’t know if we were going to be able to produce as many high-quality publications with so few people in the room, but we got along so well and were able to navigate through that early period and create quality content,” Sapp said.

The judge’s general comments reflected the consistency of the Pepper Box, as well as its continued growth over the years.

“The Pepper Box looks like

The Pepper Box. It’s unique to other publications and the consistency moves from the coverage and writing to the visuals. The staff works hard to inform their readers on a variety of topics. It’s fun to see this publication each year and their improvements.”

Pepper Box adviser Ron Steinschriber was thrilled to see the results of the critique and is looking forward to a new school year with some more veteran staff and high expectations. Mr.Steinschriber also added that thy Pepper Box tries to focus on consistency from year to year, and that has helped them receive such positive feedback.

“That’s something we focus on every year and we always take the advice from the judges very seriously when we're trying to improve what we produce. We try to do a blend of national and local news and we try to find interesting stories that are happening around our school. So it's a combination of timely stories as well as feature stories where we get to get indepth with our sources”.

“The award was both surprising and expected. I knew we produced high-

quality work last year, but I was a little concerned that our production approach might have hurt us last year,” Steinschriber said.

“During COVID we kind of changed the way we produce newspapers. That year we had to go completely online, so we did special editions and normal issues and just put them up digitally. Since we came back to school in person, we've been kind of incorporating that model so half of our issues come out on paper, and half come out digitally”.

This year’s staff is committed to continuing the success of the Pepper Box and adding their personal touches to achieve the highest rating, the George Gallup Award, which only went to nine schools in the country this year. Senior Danielle Haynes is the Visual Editor-in-Chief this year and has big plans.

“Expectations are to get the paper out to more students by expanding our reach, and bring more creative ideas to make the newspaper visually appealing,” Haynes said.

Assistant Activities Director Lee Laskowski, was complimentary of the Pepper Box, especially with how it

has continued to thrive in the new social media world.

"The newspaper is unique just in general because there's a historical presence within the newspapers and in them being full future articles, a lot of the stuff now, people, as they follow social media, want 160 characters or less. They want just that short glimpse of the story and I think a lot of the details are missed,” Laskowski said. “It's unique because students are showcasing what took place in their articles is appreciated and unique in its capacity.”

Laskowski said that with all the new digital media, he still enjoys having school newspapers that are printed, and being able to leaf through their pages. He believes the Pepper Box staff will continue with their quality work.

“(The Pepper Box is) a really good product,” Laskowski said. “Whatever we can do to showcase kids, that's the most important thing to me so our student body can get the recognition they deserve. Not just within the articles but then given the opportunities so those student editors and writers to then showcase their abilities as well.”

New College and Career Office opens at RHS

office moved from the welcome center area to the old IT room, attracting more student interest

KYA MERRIMAN Staff Reporter

Over the summer, the old IT department was remodeled, and in the last month, the freshly remodeled space has been turned into the new College and Career Office.

College counselors

Cabrina Noonan and Tajon Telfair are staff members of the office. They have been working to settle into the new environment and establish their newfound independent space. Noonan believes that the new office space will be much better than their old location.

"It will allow an opportunity for students to feel comfortable and have a space to focus on the topic at hand,” Noonan said. “I have been able to better connect with students because of the new College and Career office. I have seen over

100 students this semester already.”

The purpose of the College and Career office has always been to help students at the high school determine what their preferred career or college destination is. However, according to Noonan, the space will allow for these goals to be amplified. She hopes that the more visible office will allow for more traffic and utilization of the resources they offer.

The previous College and Career office was located across the hall from the upper class grade level office. Now it is located in one of the most high traffic hallways in the school. So the office is much more easily seen and accessible.

Many believe that this will provide an opportunity for students to gather information and prepare for their future. Having this area in the school makes it more

accessible and more likely to be utilized by students.

Ritenour High School senior Evelyn AraizaGarcia says that it is important to have this space in the school.

“It allows for a space specifically for college related questions and meetings that feels comfortable and safe,” AraizaGarcia said. “It will be easier to connect with office staff as well.”

Another Ritenour High School senior, Enrique Castillo believes that the new space is much more relaxing and calming environment than the last office.

“It stands as a good area for those who are undecided on their path after high school,” Castillo said.

The migration of the College and Career office will allow additional opportunities for students. Some of the jobs performed in the office are college and scholarship applications, financial aid,

writing recommendation letters, helping families through the college process, and discovering other career options. These jobs will be easier to perform in this newly improved location.

Ritenour may be able to expect a rise in college bound students as a result of this newly renovated, welcoming, and career focused place.

Photo by Chloe Sapp

College counselor Cabrina Noonan holds a meeting with senior Andy Vo to help him decide on his post high school decisions.

Hocus Pocus 2 is a nostalgic, cheesy good time

The sequel brings back the Sanderson sisters for another Halloween romp through Salem

CHLOE SAPP Content Editor-in-Chief

The Halloween classic, “Hocus Pocus,” has come out with a sequel 29 years later.

“Hocus Pocus 2” gives people of all ages another option on what to watch on Halloween night, and lets adults bask in nostalgia for the Sanderson Sisters. The main actresses Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy even reprised their roles as the iconic sibling trio.

This movie was the perfect example of a fun yet predictable, cheesy kids movie. With dance numbers and constant one-liners that have been used over and over again in Disney Channel

Original Movies, this movie is just what you would expect it to be; fun but bad if you take it too seriously.

Senior Jennifer HuertaLopez is one enjoyer of the movie.

“The movie was really good and puts you in a Halloween spirit,” Huerta-

Lopez said. “It was predictable, but it was still good enough to keep you entertained. I really liked the ending where even as a witch, her sisters were still more meaningful to her than her power.”

Sisterhood was a giant part of this movie which is something “Hocus Pocus” has been known for since its first installment. The sequel particularly focuses on womanhood and sisterhood as the new main characters are a group of three teenage girls who are best friends. This is also a major selling point of the movie.

Brotherhood is a common theme in media, but we don’t always see the importance of sisterhood. This theme gives the movie more meaning and saves it from becoming just a funny story about witches, which is why both the original and now the sequel is highly praised.

This familiarity was appreciated by senior Layla Fouche, but she also was upset by their choice in

characters.

“I loved how 'Hocus Pocus 2; went to its original origins, but I’m mad they had to use new actors as the kids,” Fouche said “They could have used the original kid actors and had the witches return to get them, but the ending was sweet.”

Nostalgia is a tricky thing in film. Sometimes, directors want to play to the audience’s emotions and bring them back to the good old days, but this doesn’t always work in their favor. If you don’t get nostalgia right, people are going to be upset. “Hocus Pocus 2” would have been a much stronger movie if the original children were brought back to also reprise their role. You can’t give us the Sanderson sisters back without the OG kids, too!

Overall, “Hocus Pocus 2” does what it needs to. It gives the older audience nostalgia, gives the younger audience something new to love for eternity, and gives everyone a good laugh.

Pepper Box ranks: best Halloween candy

The Pepper Box editorial staff narrowed down the top five candy that you can receive on Halloween

TWIX

KIT KAT

Taste - 1st Appearance - 3rd Texture - 2nd Excitement Level - 1st Marketing/Packaging - 1st Overall Rating - 1st

"Like if Bob Ross did stills of food, then used divine magic to bring it to life and hand-fed it to you." - Caden Gaither

"The Twix was hands down the best candy of the 5. The way all the flavors collided was immaculate." - Tori Pratt

"I think the best is Twix because it has a good combination of caramel, chocolate, and cookie."

- Jennifer Huerta Lopez

REESE’S

Taste - 3rd Appearance - 1st Texture - 1st Excitement Level - 2nd Marketing/Packaging - 2nd Overall Rating - 2nd

"Has good amount of chocolate to wafer." - Julia Lohnes

" I love the taste in general and the packaging."Skylar Powers

"Kit Kat has a perfect chocolate to wafer cookie ratio and blends the flavors together magically."Liz Dobbs

SNICKERS

Taste - 4th Appearance - 2nd Texture - 4th Excitement Level - 4th Marketing/Packaging - 3rd Overall Rating - 4th

"Reese's is my favorite candy because I love peanut butter and chocolate together. It's the best combination, hands down." - Chloe Sapp

"Reese's just has too much peanut butter." - Julia Lohnes

Taste - 2nd Appearance - 5th Texture - 3rd Excitement Level - 3rd Marketing/Packaging - 4th Overall Rating - 3rd

"Snickers have the perfect mix between chocolate, caramel, peanuts, and nougat and it blends seamlessly for the perfect bite." - Layla Fouche

"The delectable Snickers that lit up my mouth, the crunch, the ribbon, the melt." - Margaret Susovica

"I absolutely hate the texture of Snickers and its just simply gross." - Skylar Powers

HERSHEY'S

Taste - 5th Appearance - 4th Texture - 5th Excitement Level - 5th Marketing/Packaging - 5th Overall Rating - 5th

"I used to find Hershey bars delicious, but they recently started tasting like mini soap bars dipped in chocolate." - Layla Fouche

"Only good for s'mores." - Caroline Groceman

Photo courtesy IMDB

Tori Beard leads the cross country team to new heights

The sophomore runner has stood out this season on a cross country team that has won many medals

MARIAM NEEB Pepper Box Staff

The Ritenour Cross Country team has been doing exceptionally well this past season, getting a large boost from some individual performances and team growth.

The Ritenour Cross Country team has had a significant growth in numbers from barely ten runners in the 2021 season to now exceeding 20+ members.

“This year has been going incredibly well just based on the fact that we won a team title at the Northside Invitational and we have more numbers than we’ve had in years. Its been a fantastic season so far,” head cross country coach Mike Aitken said.

Many other runners agree,

including junior Viktor Pingel.

“It’s going pretty good. Everyone is improving,” Pingel said.

One of the standout runners this season has been sophomore Tori Beard. She has been running competitively since 7th grade and competed at Rockbridge High School before coming to Ritenour her freshman year. She has won a medal in nearly every race this season and has more medals yet to obtain.

Beard is one of the only varsity runners on the team.

For the first time in recent history, the girl’s cross country team brought home a team championship from the Northside Invitational on September 21 with a team score of 44.

Beard led the team by taking 3rd place in the

competition with a 2-mile time of 15:28.

On October 7th, she ran a 5k in 23:51 minutes and placed 41 overall in the girl’s varsity heat.

During practices, Beard is always seen running up in front of the pack and leading by example. Especially on days where the runners have a more difficult workout, she is always there to support her teammates.

“What keeps me motivated is that feeling I get after running,” Beard said.

Pingel has been her consistent running partner throughout the season.

“In races, I run a little bit faster than Tori, but I like keeping that pace during practice because it’s easier and I like having someone to run with,” Pingel said.

Even though Beard

might not be the loudest one at practice, she is still a confident and prominent leader when it comes to leading by example and accompanying the team to more victories to come.

“I think sometimes that you don’t need to be vocal to be a leader,” Aitken said. “Sometimes you just lead by example and if you have a good work ethic and you work hard on a daily basis, you can set an example for your teammates.”

Beard has settled in to Ritenour since her move last year, and feels pride while wearing the Ritenour name on her uniform. She feels she can be a representative of the school.

“It feels good to represent Ritenour when I run. I feel it shows at Ritenour, there are many kids who are resilient

to challenge and are willing to put work in day after day. It shows there is a lot of dedication and passion at this school, even if it’s hidden," Beard said.

Photo courtesy Cross Country Tori Beard runs at an event this year. She has been one of the top varsity runners.

Inside the Huddle - Fall sport traditions

Question: What tradition does your sport keep from year to year?

Shawn Buttry Boys Swimming

“We have a chant. Someone shouts ‘Who are we?’ and we respond ‘We are RHS.’ And then we repeat that chant two more times. Then finish off with a count to three and yell huskies.”

"We had all the varsity girls take a picture at the beginning of the season. Before each game Coach Kim will make a poster of one of the players with our game information."

An Nguyen Girls Tennis

“ We don't really have any traditions since we have a new coach. We just go to a game to do what needs to be done and try our best.”

Ray Reardean Boys Soccer

"After a game we usually go to Bdubs (Buffalo Wild Wings) to celebrate a win."

Fall Season Sports Capsules

LAYLA FOUCHE Sports Editor

Football

Coach: Yarmon Kirksey

• Record: Our record is 4-3

• Key Player(s): Jayden Barnett, Billy Hall, Eli Mitchell, Eli Fry, Tyler Hewitt, Percy Childs, Nathan Watson, Derrick Smith Jr.

• Achieving Newcomer(s): Corey Holmes, Yarmon Kirksey Jr., Joe Wood III, Bryan Steiger

• Hopes for closing out the season: Winning our conference, hosting a first round playoff game, and winning a district championship

Boys Soccer

• Coach: Michael Mayberry

• Record: 5-6

Key Player(s): Aaron Rico, Nbaye Thiam, Ray Reardean, Benji Rico, and Coe Reardean.

• Achieving Newcomer(s): Neddy Flores and Jesus Rico are a couple of 9th-grade varsity players that see substantial playing time.

• Hopes for closing out the season: I would like us to improve upon our overall record, reduce our goals against and increase our goals scored, and win a few games in districts.

Coach: Brittany Dean

• Record: 14-4 as of 10/3

• Key Player(s): Elizabeth Dobbs, Layla Fouche, Samantha Lohnes, and Leyla Payton.

• Achieving Newcomer(s): Kara Sampson and Jaycee Durnin.

Hopes for closing out the season:My hope is that the girls will continue to play hard off the field. I hope that they have/will walk away from this season with their heads held high no matter the outcome and know that their coaches are proud of them. I want them to be able to take something away from the season that they learned and can use off the field.

• Coach: Jennifer Wakefield

• Record: 6-4

Key Player(s): Everyone plays a vital role in swimming. Without each member, we would not be able to compete in the relays like some of the schools we have swam against. Thanks to Shawn Buttry my senior leader who swims two relays and two individuals, juniors: Anthony Finizia who swims two relays and two individuals, and Holden Myers who swims our longest event and three relays. Then there are our sophomores: returner Jackson Leong who swims three relays and one individual, and newcomer Johnell Weeden who also swims three relays and one individual; each member is an important piece of the puzzle that has our small team winning some meets.

Hopes for closing out the season: This season I just want the swimmers to continue to try their best and continue to drop times.

Boys Swim Girls Tennis

• Coach: Katie Davis

• Record: Our record is 4-8.

Key Player(s): It's hard to pick key players because everyone is such an integral part of the team. They all have something different to offer and bring to the table. Whether it's a strength on the court or to team morale, everyone contributes.

Achieving Newcomer(s): Allison Madrid has done a fantastic job as a first-year player. She is constantly I am lucky to have her on the team.

Hopes for closing out the season: Closing the season, I just hope everyone has a good time and can look back on the year with pride. I've seen so much improvement in them in the last few weeks that the second part shouldn't be too hard.

Girls Volleyball

Coach: Ellen Kim

• Record: 6-6-1

• Key Player(s): Lexi Hahn has been player of the game more than anyone this year at the varsity level.

• Achieving Newcomer(s): Talia Jones is playing a new role as an outside hitter (but she was on varsity some last year).

• Hopes for closing out the season: We hope to finish our season right around or slightly above .500. We want to meet or exceed our goal of raising at least $3,000 for our pink out game on Tuesday, Oct. 18.

Girls Golf

• Coach: Sean Snedeker

Record: While we did not win a match this season, the golf team showed tremendous growth this season.

Key Player(s): Several golfers participated in every varsity match this season, including Danielle Haynes, Maggie Kunshek, Hannah Cortez, Laiyana Norfleet, and Christina Vo. All of these golfers earned Honorable MentionAll Conference honors, with the exception of Christina Vo.

• Achieving Newcomer(s): Christina had the strongest showing at our Conference Tournament, earned a medal, and had enough conference points to get her 2nd-team AllConference honors.

Hopes for closing out the season: We closed out the season with our team tournament, in which the golfers invited a guest to play golf in a fun format. Danielle and Mr. Buxman won that tournament and we celebrated the season with families, refreshments, and individual team awards.

Ciboney Damien Girls Volleyball