WG ECHO February 2019 Issue

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Men’s basketball approaches 3rd consecutive State title pg. 12

2018-19 ECHO STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Cole Schnell PRINT EDITOR: Ellie Marshall JUNIOR EDITOR: Elise Keller BUSINESS MANAGER: Trinity Madison VIDEO EDITOR: Evelyn Trampe SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER: Rosa Parks OPINION EDITOR: Emily Stisser NEWS EDITOR: Ethan Weihl SPORTS EDITOR: Greg Frazier FEATURE EDITOR: Lindsey Bennett PODCAST EDITOR: Maeve Taylor ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: Josie Krueger GRAPHICS EDITOR: Colin Shue TECH COLUMNIST: Sean Mullins ADVISOR: Donald Johnson SOME MATERIAL FROM TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE The Echo is a monthly publication of the newspaper staff of Webster Groves High School, 100 Selma Avenue, Webster Groves, MO. To contact staff members, call 314-963-6400 ex. 11157 or write to wgecho@wgmail.org.

Unsigned editorials are the opinion of a majority of staff members; signed articles are the opinion of the writer.

Letters to the editor of 300 words or less are welcome; submit letters by the 10th of the month to wgecho@wgmail.org, or room 155. All letters must be signed, although the name may be withheld from publication if requested. The Echo has the right to edit letters for publication as long as intent remains unchanged.

The Echo is a member of SSP, Quill and Scroll, MJEA, JEA, MIPA, NSPA and CSPA.

The Echo Family

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Teen dating violence epidemic needs to end Prop E will provide safety, reduce overcrowding Sex education must be inclusive Students perform Shakespeare Spanish department travels to Spain Webster to vote on space solution in April Festival’s 5th year brings authors, artists, musicians Junior returns to Broadway Through the screen: Cultural Appropriation Team brings historical, cultural value

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Proud Past, Inspired Future tradition continues, expands Women’s swim places 3rd overall Men’s basketball approaching 3rd consecutive State championship Women’s basketball heads to Districts Review: “Green Book” tells heavy but humorous true story Review: Rogers delivers honest chart topper Games’ history must be saved Willie’s Comic

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Cover Cutline: Junior Amorey Womack and Miller Career Academy senior Chaz Lovett wait for a rebound on Douglass Night, Feb. 8. The final score was 81-41 Webster. Photo by Jaden Fields.

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The Echo Family helps make the Echo possible. To become a member of the Echo Family, please contact wgecho@wgmail.org. Thanks to all of our members!

Aerin Johnson Keillyn Johnson Brad and Amy Krueger Curtin Family Melanie Bennett Hepfinger Family

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12 Table of Contents | February 2019

Ellie’s Expression

Teen dating violence epidemic needs to end

Photo by Jim Mahoney/Dallas Morning News/TNS

After being shot in the face by her boyfriend three years ago, Waco resident Carolyn Thomas has endured countless surgeries to repair catastrophic wounds to her face, and is still waiting for more permanent teeth. She now flies all over the country to lecture and talk about domestic violence and abusive relationships.

Eleanor Marshall Opinion Columnist With Valentine’s Day in our recent past, love is in the air. It’s hard to escape the sappy ballads, cheesy rom-coms, and couple pictures on Instagram during February.

With all the good, it is easy to overlook the ugly truth of relationships: according to VAWnet.org, “One in three teens will experience physical or sexual violence in their relationships.”

Despite this staggeringly high number, the negative outcomes of abuse (including truancy, alcohol and drugs abuse, eating disorders, depression and suicide) and the fact that adolescents and young adults have the highest rates of intimate partner violence of any age group, the Avon Foundation reports, “three in four parents have never talked to their children about domestic violence.”

Luckily, Webster requires students to take health. What may seem like a fairly insignificant class teaches us one of the most important things we learn in school: how to spot unhealthy and abusive relationships. While these lessons might not be perfect, they at least attempt to start the conversation, educate students and prevent abuse.

Our school is trying to protect and educate. Our country is not.

According to dosomething.org, “Eight States in the U.S. do not consider a violent dating relationship domestic abuse. Therefore, adolescents, teens and 20-somethings are unable to apply for a restraining order for protection from the abuser.”

Fortunately, Missouri is not one of them, but it still requires people to be 17 years of age or older to get a restraining order against an abusive ex-partner. Due to this and other laws protecting abusers, Missouri received an F when “graded” by the organization Break the Cycle.

A failing grade in protecting our youth is not acceptable. As a state and as a country we should be protecting “the weak and the weary.” We were built on “justice for all,” but where is the justice?

If abuse starts at an impressionable age, then the idea of what it means to be in love is skewed. The pattern of abuse will continue unless something is done so that one in three becomes none in three.

Editorial

Prop E will provide safety, reduce overcrowding Proposition E will create a beneficial environment for all students with the new proposed extensions.

The Echo endorses proposition E. The new bond increase will not raise any taxes and will keep the current tax rate at 56.99 cents per $100 of property value.

This means that no citizen of Webster Groves to pay more money than he/she already is.

The proposition also allocates $6 million for an increase of accessibility i.e. chairlifts, ramps, etc. in all schools. This will help those with disabilities better navigate schools.

The proposition also helps address safety concerns brought up by recent lockdowns in the district. It will fund more secure entrances and doors to classrooms. This will help to protect students, creating a safer environment for them to learn.

However, the largest concern addressed by Proposition E is the space issues in the elementary schools.

Currently, 9 percent of elementary school students are in modular units outside, and this number of students is expected to grow

February 2019 | Opinion

over the coming years. Students should not have to deal with the distractions of working in a temporary, outside classroom.

These changes, however, will not affect the high school, other than the aforementioned safety and accessibility concerns. The new school system will allow for a greater camaraderie among the middle school grades, building a stronger community at Hixson.

Our school district is the bedrock that allows our community to thrive, and voters need to give the school district the resources to continue to build our community.

Voters need to prioritize the efficiency, safety and community of our students and vote for Proposition E. Proposition E increases safety levels at all district schools and solves overcrowding issues.

If the bond were to fail, it is likely that more modules would need to be implemented, and safety and accessibility improvements would be limited to what is available within the district’s current operating budget.

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Op-Ed

Sex education must be inclusive Rosa Parks Social Media Manager All students deserve equal access to proper and thorough sex education, but LGBTQ students have been tossed aside by sex ed programs in schools.

Currently, eight states have laws that specifically prevent LGBTQ sex education, commonly known as “no promo homo” laws. In Arizona, teachers are told not to “Promote a homosexual lifestyle,” according to PBS.org.

Although Missouri has laws that require students to be taught about STDs and that abstinence m u s t be the first and best choice taught, it doesn’t have explicit laws against teaching LGBTQ sex education. Webster students are required to take a one semester health class during their time at high school, but that semester mentions little to no coverage of LGBTQ sex ed.

Danny Churra, senior, stated, “It’s something that affects a lot of people and something that should be taught to young people who might be questioning their sexuality and might be having sex.”

Webster strives itself on being an inclusive school, and for the most part, it is, but it still must go into its curriculum and change it to be more accepting of the times. Learning the same heterosexual abstinence-only sex education will not prepare students for how the times have changed in the last 50 years. The sex ed curriculum needs a more inclusive update.

Senior Camille Mussman, Teen Advocates for Sexual Health (TASH) member, said, “I’m not sure what every anatomy teacher in WGHS teaches to students about sex ed, but in my experience taking both anatomy and health, I only really learned about the anatomical aspects of sex organs (not including inter-sex individuals).”

“I think it is equally, if not more, important to talk about com-

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munication and consent in a sex ed class as it is to show anatomical pictures of genitals. Students can carry communication skill sets with them throughout life and they are extremely important within relationships (sexual or other),” Mussman said.

Refusing to give thorough sex ed to all students regardless of gender or sexual orientation guarantees the risk of STDs, pregnancies and mental health issues will stay high.

A 2007 GLSEN National School Climate Survey stated students who were given an

Photo

by Rosa Parks

Refusing to give thorough sex ed to all students causes risks of STDs and pregnancies to stay high.

abstinence-only sex education reported they were more likely to be harassed and that they felt unsafe at school due to their sexual orientation.

The Human Rights Campaign (hrc.org) stated, “ Inclusive programs are those that help youth understand gender identity and sexual orientation with age-appropriate and medically accurate information; incorporate positive examples of LGBTQ individuals, romantic relationships and families; emphasize the need for protection during sex for people of all identities; dispel common myths and stereotypes about behavior and identity.”

Inclusive sex ed is important for the mental state of LGBTQ students. If they only learn about heterosexual practices, they feel excluded, as if their sexuality or gender isn’t valid. No matter what, their sexuality or gender is valid and must be discussed in health classes. Everyone deserves equal access to sex ed, including students of the LGBTQ community.

Mussman added, “With students of all sexual orientations, only focusing on heterosexual relationships and sex ed doesn’t make any sense. Our education should represent our student body and prepare every single person for any relationships they experience.”

Opinion | February 2019

Students perform Shakespeare Maeve Taylor Podcast Manager

Photo by Zeke Lamantia

Senior Basil Sessen, who is directing Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” assists senior Josie Krueger, who plays Helena. Performances will be March 1 and 2, at 7 p.m. in the Black Box Theater.

Drama students will perform Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” during All Write Week, with additional performances on March 1 and 2, at 7 p.m. in the Black Box. Tickets for evening shows are $7 for students and $10 for adults.

This play, first performed around 1596, is a comedy set between Athens and a mystical forest, portrays the events surrounding the marriage of Theseus (senior Christian Gray) and Hippolyta (sophomore Jaden Fields), with the main focus on four lovers: Hermia (senior Grace Engel), Helena (senior Josie Krueger), Lysander (senior Sam Getz) and Demetrius (junior Quinn Coffman).

Other elements include the adventures of the mechanicals, who have the intent of putting on a play for the wedding. These include Nick Bottom (sophomore Abram Wilson), Peter Quince (freshman Zoie Sellers), Francis Flute (senior Aidan Kurtz), Tom Snout (freshman Thomas Kessler), Robin Starveling (senior Mel Carroll) and Snug (freshman Aidan Owens).

The set is being produced by tech theater classes.

Sophomore Annalise McCann, who plays the Fairy Queen Titania, describes the set as “very cool,” adding it “will be really fun to act on.”

Spanish department travels to Spain Elise Keller News Editor Students in the Spanish program will take a 10-day long trip to Spain during spring break.

“We want them to be able to practice what we learn in class and be able to go somewhere where they can use it,” Spanish teacher Amy Rowland said.

Senior Elizabeth Paci will attend the trip.

“I’m interested to see how well I’ll be able to comprehend the language,” Paci said.

The trip is entirely funded by the students. “We do some fundraising, but it’s not funded by any organizations,” Rowland said.

The group of 30 students will go to numerous cities in Spain.

Cities they’ll visit include, “Madrid and Barcelona and some other important cities in Spain,” according to Rowland.

The group expects to get a hands-on learning experience from the trip.

“Sometimes we go to places like the royal palace and some cathedrals. We also have hands-on cooking classes that we’re gonna do, so they’re gonna learn how to make Spanish food.

We have a lot of different variety of things we get to do,” Rowland said.

February 2019 | News

“I’m most excited about being surrounded by the culture in Spain,” Paci said.

Rowland said she is most excited to see the cultures in Spain.

“We get to see a lot of culture because, in Spain, you have European culture, you have Arabic culture [and] you have Jewish culture all in one area, so we get to see a lot of different cultural legacies,” Rowland said.

About her expectations for the trip, Paci said, “I don’t really know what to expect, but I think it will be a new and different experience, and I’m sure I’ll have a lot of fun.”

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Webster to vote on space solution in April Evelyn Trampe Video Editor Proposition E, on the ballot for April 2, is a $22 million bond issue designed to “improve safety, accessibility and other space issues in district buildings and relieve overcrowding in elementary schools,” according to the WGSD website.

Specifically, $6 million would be allocated for safety and accessibility enhancements including “secure doors and controlled, single point of entry vestibules for all buildings, asbestos abatement, secure interior and classroom doors, secure exterior doors, as well as elevators and chair lifts to improve accessibility,” the district website stated.

The remaining $16 million would go to the expansion of Hixson, allowing sixth grade to be moved there and Steger Sixth Grade Center/Givens to be converted into a single elementary building.

Crowding within elementary schools has been a problem for the past couple of years, prompting Avery, Clark and Edgar

Road to install modular units on campus.

However, the enrollment size is still rapidly growing.

The district website stated, “Since 2009, elementary resident enrollment has increased by 8 percent and total district enrollment has increased by 11 percent.”

Working out of a module is by no means close to an ideal educational environment.

Clark elementary fifth grader, Owen Hartwig, felt working out of a module or “pod” is highly disruptive to his schooling.

“The first reason [why the pods should be removed] is that the pods are back to back, which means that if one class is taking a test and the other class is screaming, they could be distracting the class taking the test and affect their work,” Hartwig said.

Along with being next to another class, the modules are in close proximity to the playground, and students hear the recess noises (children yelling) throughout the school day.

Hartwig also felt being separated from the school building creates issues.

“If it’s raining and we have to go somewhere inside the building, we have to walk outside in the rain in a file and wait for everyone to go inside,” Hartwig said.

If Proposition E passes, all modules will be eliminated from the district and additional room will be created for roughly 400 elementary students by converting Steger/Givens into just an elementary school.

Hixson will then expand to accommodate for the relocation of the sixth graders, which would, according to public relations officer Cathy Vespereny, “Add significant space at the elementary level and addresses a long-standing inequity that left students in the northern part of Webster Groves without an elementary school in their neighborhood.”

“Moving sixth grade to Hixson would reduce the number of school transitions for students, offer more academic and extra-curricular options for sixth graders and allow a greater continuity of care for the academic, social and emotional needs of students,” Vespereny said.

Festival’s 5th year brings authors, artists, musicians Lindsey Bennett Feature Editor All Write, coming early March, will return for the fifth year in a row. The 2019 festival will feature a space theme to give an out-of-this-world experience.

For one week, the day-in, day-out experience of the school day will be replaced with movies, performances and speakers.

Continuing from last year, the festival will feature a movie with a question-andanswer session following the screening.

The documentary film, “Day One,” follows a group of teen refugees resettled in St. Louis who try to overcome the trauma of their past.

The director, Lori Miller, and special guests from the film will be present postafter. A second movie, “Parallel Chords” will show in the library Wednesday.

This year in particular brings more attention to creators of spoken word and poetry, with Tongo Eisen-Martin returning for a consecutive year, as well as Alex Luu and Ashlee Haze performing.

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Around 20 speakers from this year’s line up will be flying in from out of town.

English teacher and All Write organizer Steve Leftridge said, “I think people will find the assemblies and the lineup to be particularly powerful this year.”

The festival also celebrates artists of the musical kind, with St. Louis rock band The Mighty Pines and senior students Owen Ragland and Christian Raigan performing on Friday.

Besides performing, student participation in All Write is always present. Naturally, the student writing contest, named after alum author Jonathan Franzen, will feature student-submitted written works.

Art Write and Screen Write, showcasing student artists and filmmakers will also make a return.

Ragain said, “All Write is great for students because it allows them to step away from their class settings that they’re used too and actually experience meaningful life lessons from authors and all sorts of people with varying professions. It’s something that not a lot of schools do and

Photo by Rosa Parks

St. Louis hip-hop artist Che Sanchez performs at the 2018 All Write festival.

we are very lucky to have.”

The All Write Festival will take place March 4-8, in Knight Auditorium, the Black Box Theater, and a new Satellite Stage in part of the library.

News | February 2019

Junior returns to Broadway Emily Stisser Opinion Editor Returning to off-Broadway performances, junior Elizabeth Teeter will star in world premiere musical “The Secret Life of Bees,” directed by Tony winner Sam Gold.

Written by two time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, the play is adapted from the bestselling novel by Sue Monk Kidd, published in 2001. Music has been created by Grammy and Tony award winner Duncan Sheik, with lyrics by two time Tony nominee Susan Birkenhead.

Teeter will play protagonist Lily Melissa Owens, a curious, radical and everchanging white teen from Sylvan, SC., in 1964.

In the past five years, Teeter has commuted to New York for performances, rehearsals and auditions during summer and school months. During shows, Teeter balances a full time job as a performer and a student.

Teeter has previously starred in Broadway productions such as “Mary Poppins” (2012), “The Audience” (2015) and “The Crucible” (2016).

Previously, Teeter has been away for shows in elementary and middle school, but never had to worry about lacking credit. In her newest show, rehearsals occur from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day until performances begin. Teeter will perform eight times a week, taking on a full time job and expected to continue a high school education.

Late rehearsal days will leave more time for schoolwork, but Teeter said it will be a “learning process.”

Although she has had opportunities to travel for wok, Teeter has stepped back from most out-of-town productions, cherishing the high school experience and focusing on classes, sports and friendships.

Teeter will leave during Spring Break to start rehearsals in New York, missing the rest of second semester.

About why she wanted to pursue this opportunity, Teeter explained, “The book is so good. I’ve never had the opportunity to really be a part of an adaptation of something, of such a well known novel...

I immediately fell in love with the story

February 2019 | Feature

and the character and so that made me want to do it even more.”

In November, Teeter spent a week in New York for prerehearsals, meeting the cast, learning the music, reading through the script and getting to know her character.

“It’s cool because it’s a completely new musical, and they are still in the process of writing. I walked in and the lyricist had written two new songs after my audition, or I would sing something and we would adjust the key to fit my voice,” Teeter said.

“As a group, we did a read through of the script, and the creative team valued our thoughts on scenes and lines.

Photo provided by Elizabeth Teeter The next day, we came in and Elizabeth Teeter performs in “The Crucible” (2016) had 20 new pages of lines with Saoirse Ronan and Ben Wishaw. just because of what we had said,” Teeter continued.

Teeter’s character is accompanied by role; in the past, she and other actors have her surrogate mother and black caregiver, rotated playing roles.

Teeter said, “I’ve been in musicals beRosaleen, played by Tony nominee Sayfore, and I’ve had principal roles, but this con Sengbloh.

Owens, living with her abusive father show is different because I’m one of the and losing her mother at a young age, de- lead characters. It’s a lot more responsipends on the companionship of Rosaleen. bility and hard work that I will have to put After the pair ends up in a drastic situa- into it because I will be on stage pretty tion, they must embark on a journey, es- much the whole time.”

About her connection with the characcaping to Tiburon, South Carolina.

Sengbloh’s role, considered a second- ter, Teeter knew the part felt “right” while ary character in the novel, is projected to reading the book prior to and during her play a bigger role in the performance ac- audition.

Teeter explained, “Most of the shows cording to Birkenhead.

“I think the story is really relevant and I’ve gotten into, I’ve had a feeling walkan important time to bring this piece; it ing into the room, and had a certain contouches on a lot of important points about nection with the character. I’ve definitely the strength of women and the racial is- had auditions or self tapes where I think I did okay, but I am also thinking, ‘I sues in society,” Teeter said.

The novel is illustrated by Owen’s con- know I’m not right for this character,’ so sciousness, telling the story in her per- the minute I got the sides, I just felt like spective, which will translate over to the it came naturally, when you aren’t really forcing anything, the character just kind performance.

“When I read the book, there were so of lives inside you.”

Officially opening on May 12, “The Semany things that I immediately connected with, just what (Lily) was going through cret Life of Bees” will run through July 7, and her thoughts. It just feels right,” Tee- with the Atlantic Theater Company at the Linda Gross Theater. ter said.

This will also be Teeter’s first principal

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“What would America be like if we loved black people a

Through the screen: C

Rosa P Social Medi

Kim Kardashian, Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, Marc Jacobs, Kylie Jenner-all of these stars have been accused of cultural appropriation.

Cultural appropriation has several meanings and can be displayed in several different ways, but one prominent definition from Cambridge Dictionary states, “The act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that you understand or respect this culture.”

A recent example is Ariana Grande, who has been accused by some of appropriating not one, but two cultures: Japanese and African American. Some accuse Grande of “brownfacing” (mentioned later in article), in which she gets by as a dark skinned woman despite being Caucasian. Her recent music video, “7 Rings,” also features Grande with her signature ponytail saying, “You like my hair? Gee thanks, just bought it.”

Twitter user Amber Leigh said, “Ignoring and defending one issue does not negate them all. I’m not ridiculing Ariana; I just want to bring these issues to light that as a white woman; she’s taking advantage of so many others cultures in order to propel herself forward in her career.”

NCCJ.org defines privilege as “unearned access to resources (social power) that are only readily available to some people because of their social group membership; an advantage, or immunity granted to or enjoyed by one societal group above and beyond the common advantage of all other groups. Privilege is often invisible to those who have it.”

Grande is not the only star to be accused of appropriating culture; in fact, most of the Kardashians have had run-ins with the subject.

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Kim Kardashian faced backlash when she sported braids, specifically Fulani Braids, at an awards show.

History.com states, “Although these hairstyles were subjected to harsh criticism, it didn’t stop non-black groups from adopting them as their own, often showing a lack of understanding for the rich history of braids, curls and locs.”

“When Kim Kardashian wore cornrows in 2018, she called them ‘Bo Derek inspired,’ in reference to the hairstyle worn by a white actress in the 1979 film ‘10.’ Men and women outside the black community were praised for their ‘new’ and ‘trendy’ looks, which, unknowingly or not, appropriated black culture,” History. com states.

Some black women and men have been discriminated against due to their hairstyles. In 2016, a high school in Kentucky was accused of having racist undertones in its school dress code.

The school’s dress code stated, “Hair styles that are extreme, distracting, or attention-getting will not be permitted. No dreadlocks, cornrolls (sic), twists, mohawks, no jewelry will be worn in the hair. No braids will be allowed on males.”

To understand cultural appropriation, it’s necessary to understand privilege.

NCCJ.org defines privilege as “unearned access to resources (social power) that are only readily available to some people because of their social group membership; an advantage, or immunity granted to or enjoyed by one societal group above and beyond the common advantage of all other groups. Privilege is often invisible to those who have it.”

Senior Aysha Gray said, “Privilege is very fluid. You might have privilege in one place but not have it in another. You might gain privilege if you go to a certain place. It’s really just a benefit that you receive in life that you can’t control and that you often aren’t really aware of because you’ve done nothing to gain it or lose it. It is very dependent upon the society that you’re in and what its values are, so whatever values we have as a society, if you possess them, you get privilege.”

Blackfishing Blackfishing is a new trend on the internet that involves people of European decent pretending to be black on social media by using hair products, spray tans, dark makeup and sometimes even cosmetic surgery to drastically change their appearance.

One Hellogiggles.com writer said, “The exact physical features that white people have historically crucified us for are now desirable to them: pouty lips, brown sun kissed skin, voluminous curly hair and curvy bodies. White women thirst for the look but don’t want the marginalized lifestyle or racism that accompanies Black womanhood, so they turn to darker makeup, plastic surgery, and Instagram filters that alter their skin tone.”

Feature | February 2019

as much as we love black culture?” -Amandla Sternberg

Cultural Appropriation

Parks ia Manager

“I’m upset about blackfishing because I feel like it’s borderline blackface,” senior Gold Kaanagbara said. “You’re pretending to be black, reap the benefits of our skin and our melanin and actual people who are black, who are darker are losing out because they prefer you instead of us. It’s just fake. I feel like people feel that our melanin looks better on them then it looks on us, which I have an issue with because it doesn’t.”

Colorism NJJC.org states colorism is “a practice of discrimination by which those with lighter skin are treated more favorably than those with darker skin. This practice is a product of racism in the United States, in that it upholds the white standards of beauty and benefits white people in the institutions of oppression (media, medical world, etc.).

Colorism is nothing new; in fact, it started during slavery. If slaves had lighter skin (usually due to rape), then they would usually be called “house slaves.” They would work inside the homes on the plantation, cooking, cleaning, taking care of the babies, instead of working in the fields, where the darker skinned slaves were. This is where the idea of colorism first appeared.

The lighter a slave was, the more benefits he or she reaped.

This idea that lighter is better was still intact after slavery was abolished, and an example of this is the brown paper bag test. The test consisted of holding up a brown paper bag to one’s face, and if one was darker than the bag, then he or she did not pass. However, if one was lighter, he or she “passed” the test and reaped the benefits of being lighter skinned.

Ferris State University (Ferris.Edu) spoke on Henry Louis Gates 1966 book, “The Future of the Race”: “Henry Louis Gates Jr., the prominent Harvard historian, described his introduction to this practice as an undergraduate student at Yale in the late 1960s. According to Gates, ‘Some of the brothers who came from New Orleans held a bag party. As a classmate explained it to me, a bag party was a New Orleans custom wherein a brown paper bag was stuck on the door.

“Anyone darker than the bag was denied entrance. That was one cultural legacy that would be put to rest in a hurry-we all made sure of that...Why exclude their darker brothers? Because they, meaning those with lighter skin, not only had a fetish for white skin and Eurocentric features, but they had internalized the racist notion that light skin is a marker of intellectual, cultural, social, and personal superiority-over and above darker people.”

Colorism can be seen in modern day America, especially when looking at the movie and media industry.

Amandla Sternberg, a lighter skinned black actor, faced backlash when she was cast for the role of Starr in film “The Hate U Give.” This film called for a dark skinned woman (as seen on

February 2019 | Feature

Drawing by Zeke LaMantia

A woman paints herself a different shade. Some Instagram influencers have been accused of trying to pretend they are a different ethnicity.

the cover of the original book), but Sternberg was given the role.

About colorism, Sternberg said, “Something interesting has happened with me and Yara and Zendaya — there is a level of accessibility of being bi-racial that has afforded us attention in a way that I don’t think would have been afforded to us otherwise...Me and Yara and Zendaya are perceived in the same way, I guess, because we are lighter-skinned black girls, and we fill this interesting place of being accessible to Hollywood and accessible to white people in a way that darker-skinned girls are not afforded the same privilege,” according to Variety.com.

“Colorism is a strange thing,” Gray said. “On a social aspect it really only affects you from within the community of black people. From a systematic aspect it affects you from without. Studies show that darker skinned people have lower socioeconomic status, they tend to make less money, they get longer prison sentences for the same crimes than lighter skinned people.”

“I really think colorism is a hard topic to talk about because it doesn’t necessarily negate, but it adds complexity to the idea of ‘we’re all black,’ because while we may all be black, we are all experiencing blackness in different ways. There is nothing wrong with that, but it is a reality. I think it’s pretty gross. I wish it didn’t exist, but you know, I wish a lot of things didn’t exist. I think a way we can try to combat that is to recognise that there is a definite hierarchy,” Gray said.

Additional reporting by Ellie Marshall

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Team brings historical, cultural value

Photo by Jaden Fields

Step team performs during the annual Douglass Night basketball game on Feb. 8.

Trinity Madison Business Manager Step is defined as “a complex synchronized dancelike performance that blends African folk traditions with popular culture”

by Britannica Encyclopedia, but to the Step team, it’s much more.

Senior Nia Lyles explained, “Sometimes [step] can be very aggressive, but other times, it can be motivational.”

Junior Tanys Giles, step master, described step as “a way of communicating difficult things and issues in life … in a form of dance and rhythm.”

Counselor and Coach Simone Cunningham said, “[Step] is used to express power and used to express culture and heritage… we

use that as a way to honor our ancestors and what they did and how they paved the way for us, but also as a way to gather and fellowship with one another.”

This fellowship is impactful for the student dancers, including Senior and captain Aysha Gray, who said, “I think my favorite part of step is the community that is formed within the group, but also within the larger school culture as a whole. Within the group, it’s a very close knit feeling, very familial.”

Giles further elaborated, “ My favorite part [of being on the step team] is being able to go to ... a team … and being able to know that we are all a community and knowing that I can go downstairs and be like ‘hey, I had a bad day,’ and we could all talk about it while still practicing for our performances.”

Debate surrounds the origin of this percussive dance. Some scholars say step emerged from Isicathulo or “gumboot” dancers of South African mines. Some say step emerged as a children’s game in the Congo. Others say it emerged because Kwame Nkrumah brought West African influence into his fraternity. However, all agree that step has come to a new educational field.

Step, as it exists from the 20th century onward, is a phenomenon dominated by Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLO). BGLO sororities and fraternities have revolutionized step. The percussive dance has solidified itself into African American culture, as personified in filmmaker Spike Lee’s “School Daze.”

The team has performed at the Turkey Day Pep Assembly, MLK Celebration, Douglass Night, and the All-Write Festival.

As far as their performances go, Gray said, “Ya know, just expect us to show up and show out honestly.”

Proud Past, Inspired Future tradition continues, expands Josie Krueger Entertainment Columnist Proud Past- Inspired Future is an organization that annually awards up to four African-American students with a trip to Washington D.C., where they explore their history and their future.

The 2018 grand prize winners were seniors Aysha Gray and Teona Adams.

The winners are chosen by an anonymous panel based on submissions of an “expression” that reflects “both an appreciation for their history and aspirations for their future,” according to Chelsea Center staff Dana Miller.

This year’s winners are sophomore Chris Rhodes and juniors Jessica Peterson, Aryka Cooper and Nakaya Bratcher.

Miller, a chaperone for the weekend, said the most valuable thing about the trip is “to be able to go to the museum and learn about African American history, and the fact that this is the only museum of this nature in the country.”

“There is so much history that you don’t learn about in school.

The students were amazed by all the history...(including) the minute the slave ships came to America, to the present,” Miller said.

The trip will take place from Friday, April 5, to Sunday, April 7.

The group hopes to tour the capital on Friday, and visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture on Saturday.

Peterson’s expression was an essay capturing the struggle of

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black history as it pertains to her family.

Peterson said, “(This trip) inspires me to be better and strive for greatness knowing that I came from such strong people. I hope that I will understand where I came from.”

Bratcher’s main idea of her expression was “self-love.”

Bratcher said, “(The trip) could really affect what I want to do in the future. Right now, I’m stuck on business and nursing. I feel like once I experience this, everything will change.”

Rhodes wrote a slam poem for his expression addressing present-day black oppression.

Rhodes said, “I hope to learn more about my past and be inspired for my future. I think it will make my future better.”

Miller said, “When you have exposure to history, it gives you inspiration for the future. Different models of success of different people who look like you-- definitely inspiring.”

In Cooper’s expression, she hoped to portray that “no matter what you go through, you should rise up against it. The more you fight, the more you are able to win.”

In the future, Cooper said she wants to “be an author ...The more I get (exposed) to, the more my mind opens up as well. It helps me learn more about more cultures I can incorporate into my writing.”

About continuing this program, Miller said, “I hope that this program is able to expand. Last year we had two grand prize winners, and this year, four students can go on the trip. Hopefully, we can have it available to more students.”

Feature | February 2019

Women’s swim team places 3rd overall Ethan Weihl News Editor Women’s swim went to State for the second year in a row and finished third overall, scoring 188 points, the highest score ever from WGHS. Last year, the team got seventh overall, scoring a total of 130.5 points.

This year, Coach Dan Broshears set a higher goal.

“We should be in the top four,” Broshears said.

The team had a strong season prior to State as well. It finished with a 9-1 record in duels and earned medals in a number of tournaments.

“We did pretty well,” Broshears said.

Photo from Kendra Howard The team also won Districts for the first Women’s swim placed third overall at the MSHAA State championship on Feb. time on Feb. 1.

Sophomore Madeleine Collier noted the 15-16. The team’s total score was 188. MICDS had 191. Ladue had 216. improvement that the team has made.

“We’re doing a lot better,” Collier said about the progress the all swimmers has increased. Freshman Lilijana Gregov got team has made this year. eighth in the 100-yard freestyle.

Collier also talked about how the team has grown. The team “I’d like to medal in State,” Collier said about her personal gained a number of freshmen this year, and the skill level among goals. Collier got eighth place in the 100-yard backstroke. She, along with her team of freshman Chloe Hagemann, junior Parker Hagemann and Gregov got third place in the 200-yard medley relay.

In addition, the two other relay teams both received third place.

The 200-yard freestyle relay team included junior Elisabeth Ragan, freshman Elizabeth Seitz, Gregov, and senior Kendra Howard. The 400-yard freestyle relay team included Ragan, Howard, Seitz and Parker Hagemann.

In the individual races, Howard got eighth in the 200-yard individual medley, Parker Hagemann got fifth in both the 100-yard butterfly and the 500-yard freestyle, and Gregov got eighth in the 100-yard freestyle.

Collier elaborated about what a great experience State was.

She felt State allows fellow team members to come closer together and bond with each other.

“It was wonderful,” senior Skyler Jones said about Districts last year.

The team has also fostered a close-knit community among the swimmers.

“I feel that we’re all very close,” Collier said.

“It’s super duper supportive,” Jones agreed. “We all know each other’s names.”

Jones also talked about how important it is to be a member of a team, and how those members build everyone up.

“Even if you’re not good, you get a chance to be a part of a team,” Jones said.

The women’s swim team went into State strong. Team members were hoping for a big win.

“Hopefully, we get a top three finish,” Jones said before the team achieved that goal.

February 2019 | Sports

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Frazier from the Field

Men’s Basketball approaches 3rd consecutive State title Greg Frazier Sports Editor

Photo by Jaden Fields

Senior guard Malachy Simpson holds the ball against a sea of Miller Career Academy opponents on Feb. 8. The Statesmen won 81-41.

Men’s basketball is on it’s way to winning it’s third consecutive State championship. Who might stop the Statesmen?

Head Coach Jay Blossom said, “Our biggest challenge will be against Chaminade at Districts. With McCluer and everything, it’ll be one of the hardest Districts to get through in state history.”

The Statesman have only been defeated twice this season, against Ladue on Jan. 22, and against Staley in Indiana on Jan. 26. Their record as of Feb. 13, stands at 20-2.

Blossom said, “It’s easy to get worse when you win, but it’s also easy to get better when you lose.”

It’s difficult to compare this year’s team to last year’s team.

This year, they will have a better record going into playoffs, but they also lost three starters: R.J. Wright, Courtney Ramey and Carte’Are Gordon. The Statesmen’s record is better likely because they didn’t travel to top ranked schools around the Midwest to compete.

Senior guard Malachy Simpson said, “We know as long as the Webster is on our jersey, we’re going to get everybody’s best game, but I have full confidence in our team that we’re capable.”

Simpson said, “The odds are stacked against us. Winning State, much less three times in a row, is difficult to do.”

Women’s basketball heads to Districts Cole Schnell Editor-in-Chief

Women’s basketball will play against McCluer North on Feb. 25, at 7:30 p.m. for the first game of District 5 tournament, hosted by Webster at Robert’s Gym. McCluer North has the highest winning percentage of .681, followed by Webster with a winning percentage of .542. The Nerinx Hall and Ritenour follow Webster with a .458 and .150 winning percentage, respectively.

Webster has not faced McCluer North this season.

On Monday night, Webster beat Parkway North, who has won 11 percent more games than McCluer North.

Head coach Josh Spuhl said, “I think it (the tournament) will be a good match-up. The teams are pretty even.”

The winner of the Webster v. McCluer North game will play against the winner of the Ritenour v. Nerinx game in the District 5 championship on March 1, at 6 p.m.

Finishing an injury-ridden season, Webster is injury-less and full-throttle, winning the last five out of six games.

This season, Webster has been very streaky, only losing or winning only two non-contiguous games. Spuhl said this isn’t good because it shows the team wasn’t playing consistently.

Spuhl denotes the team’s success to a couple factors: “sharing the ball,” “wanting to win for the team” and “becoming more like a family.”

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Photo by Emily Stisser

Freshman Eliza Maupin, 21, shoots amidst conflict. Women’s basketball celebrated its Senior Night against Hazelwood West on Feb. 9.

Spuhl said, “We hope a lot of people come.” Spuhl said playing at home will give the team an advantage.

The team that wins Districts will go on to the Sectional, the winner of the Sectional will go on to the Quarterfinals, and the winner of the Quarterfinals will go to State.

Sports | February 2019

Josie’s Journal

Review: ‘Green Book’ tells heavy but humorous story Josie Krueger Entertainment Columnist “Green Book,” directed by Peter Farrelly and released on Nov. 1, tells the true story of Dr. Don Shirley, played by Mahershala Ali, and his driver, Tony Vallelonga, played by Viggo Mortensen.

Vallelonga, an Italian from the Bronx in 1962, provides for himself and his family by working odd jobs. He’s called upon by Dr. Shirley, a renowned classical and jazz pianist, who is touring through the South and looking for a driver that can transport him safely between gigs.

Vallelonga accepts the job offer hesitantly, illuminating his racist nature, and they embark on their journey through the South.

During their travels, the two encounter racial conflicts and discover their personal differences.

Although the racial issues addressed in the film are extremely heavy and relevant even today, Farrelly successfully embeds genuinely laugh-out-loud humor in almost every scene.

The title refers to a small book Vallelonga carries around with the names and locations of black-only hotels throughout the South. Most nights, Vallelonga and Shirley stay in separate hotels because of segregation.

The film has received criticism, though, from platforms like “The Root,” “Slashfilm” and “Vulture,” who claim the racial conflicts addressed are unrealistically softened, with Monique Judge from “The Root” specifically saying it “spoon feeds rac-

“The perfect cure for a bad case of the Februaries” (314) 962-1515 17 W. Moody Ave Webster Groves February 2019 | Entertainment

Photo by Universal Pictures

Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) seeks Tony Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen) to safely escort him between musical performances.

ism to white people.”

Other critics included Shirley’s actual nephew, who claimed he was not consulted on any aspect of Shirley’s portrayal.

Nick Vallelonga, co-writer of the film and son of Tony Vallelonga, said, “I respected (Shirley’s) wishes. I didn’t contact anyone because he adamantly told me never to do that, even after he passed away.”

Farrelly said, “ I know a lot of people have different opinions about it and I like that it’s getting people talking about race because that’s what the movie is supposed to do. Our hearts were in the right place when we made this movie.”

Despite this criticism, the performance of a patient, wise, internally conflicted and genuine musical legend that Ali puts on is breathtaking. The portrayal of a prejudiced, crude man to an accepting, genuine-hearted father and friend by Mortensen is equally impressive.

The film is nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Musical or Comedy Motion Picture and Best Screenplay-Motion Picture.

Mortenson is nominated for Best Actor in a Motion Picture, and Ali is nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture. Peter Farrelly is up for Best Director of a Motion Picture.

Although “Green Book” may not accurately encompass the depth and severity of racism during this time, the point of the film was to tell Shirley and Vallelonga’s story-- one of struggle, growth and the development of an overall lifelong bond, and in that regard, “Green Book” succeeds.

“Green Book” is rated PG-13 for thematic content, language including racial epithets, smoking, some violence and suggestive material. The film runs for two hours and 10 minutes.

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Review: Rogers delivers honest chart-topper

Photo provided by Capitol Records

Upon the album’s release, Maggie Rogers said on Instagram, “I am beaming and exploding with so much light and love.

Thank you for holding me these past 2.5 years and letting me do this thing I love so much. This record belongs to you now.”

Emily Stisser Opinion Editor

“Heard it in a Past Life,” fully written and co-produced by Folk-pop singer Maggie Rogers, comprehensively elates the experiences and feelings of change. Rogers’ first major-label debut album with Capitol Records was released Jan. 18.

Upon release, the album placed No. 2 on the New Billboard 200, with over 37,000 albums sales, making it the No. 1 topselling album the week following its drop.

The album begins with “Give A Little,” a boppy first track that eases listeners into Roger’s story and sound. Counting down to her album release, Rogers periodically posted handwritten notes explaining her motive for the song, and what it meant to her as writer. Each song had its own blurb. Upon release, the information helped fans establish what Rogers wanted them to take away from the song.

About this song, Rogers said, “I wanted to re-introduce myself. This song is a clean slate. Let’s start over. Let me tell you this story in my own words.”

“Heard It In A Past Life” includes two songs from Rogers’ past work, including the track that first introduced her to the world, “Alaska,” which has accrued over 100 million global combined streams to date.

Though released on her past EP, “Now That the Light Is Fading,” Rogers included “Alaska” because “this is the song that changed my life. Nearly everything that’s happened in the past two years has been an action or reaction related to that singular moment when this song was shared.”

Alaska boasts a very unique sound, inspired by electronic music. Rogers is notorious for using unconventional methods to produce her music. For example, she uses glacial and frog synths in the verses of techo-tinged track, “Overnight.” Nature has had an incredible impact on Rogers’ musical style, which takes inspiration from the sounds naturally created by the environment.

Released as a single prior to the album and her first No. 1 song, the track, “Light On,” transcends beyond all other tracks, clearly illustrating her experiences and feelings in trying to find herself.

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The track is vulnerable and prevalent, artfully expressing what it feels like to feel something completely different than what others might expect.

Rogers pleads with herself, explaining, “With everyone around me sayin, ‘you should be oh-so happy now.’”

“Heard it in a Past Life” is available on all streaming services and can be purchased for around $9.99 through iTunes, Amazon and other services. The album is explicit, though there is a clean version available.

Entertainment | February 2019

Electric Retrospective

Games’ history must be saved

Sean Mullins Technology Columnist

Although the Wii Shop Channel’s closure may not affect those who’ve moved on to next-generation consoles, its shutdown comes with major ramifications to something that affects the games industry at large: media preservation.

The Wii Shop Channel wasn’t just a convenient digital store with catchy music; it was integral in introducing the Wii’s massive casual market to the concepts of downloadable titles, retro revivals, indie games and classic re-releases. While not the first pioneer of its kind, the Wii Shop Channel fostered and popularized many vital aspects of digital storefronts for consoles, giving it a vital spot in Nintendo’s history.

As convenient as digital distribution is for consumers and developers, it brings a major drawback: if the distributor closes, download-exclusive games can no longer be legally purchased.

This is especially an issue for the Wii Shop Channel, which saved purchase history to consoles rather than accounts. Anyone buying a replacement Wii after having one lost or broken had to repurchase WiiWare, which is now impossible.

It could be argued that low-budget, low-quality shovelware is usually what goes unarchived. The Wii had mountains of shovelware because of its sizable install base, and as YouTuber Scott the Woz showcases in his “WiiWare Chronicles” pentalogy, the vast majority of the Wii Shop Channel isn’t exactly worth starting an apocalypse over. However, bad games aren’t without entertainment value, even if it’s ironic enjoyment, and they deserve archival.

Furthermore, saying that only shovelware was lost ignores excellent WiiWare exclusives. Some WiiWare titles eventually released physically or through collections, such as Mega Man’s Wii installments being released in “Mega Man Legacy Collection 2,” but other popular titles like “Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth” have yet to be released elsewhere. Unless their publishers release them on current systems, WiiWare exclusives are permanently limited to individual Wii systems that downloaded them.

Losing the ability to purchase digital games isn’t an issue limited to closing stores. Licensed games are often delisted from online stores and made unavailable after licensing contracts expire, as was unfortunately the case with “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game.” Additionally, while other storefronts continued sales, Telltale Games had many of its works removed from Steam as the company prepared to liquidate its assets following its closure.

Previously purchased games also become impossible to play if integral features become unavailable. Online multiplayer is an increasingly major pillar of the industry, but games that require an online connection at all times, particularly MMORPGs, become inaccessible when developers shut down servers. Dedicated fans can recreate public servers, as is the case with fan project “ToonTown Rewritten,” but online-only games usually aren’t revived like this.

February 2019 | Entertainment

Image from Konami

Because “Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth” was exclusive to the Wii Shop Channel, the game can no longer be purchased now that the digital storefront has closed. Unless Konami decides to re-release the game, “ReBirth” will be forever lost to time.

If not properly archived, even developers lose completed works. When porting “Kingdom Hearts” to modern consoles, Square Enix had to rebuild it from the ground up, as the original source code was lost years before. Thankfully, the game was recreated, but if it wasn’t created by a major developer with the time and budget to do so, the classic action game would be lost forever.

The internet makes recording entertainment history more convenient, as communities like the Lost Media Wiki strive to recover and retain information on missing works. However, compared to movies or books, games are significantly harder to preserve by nature of interactivity, as they can’t simply be viewed as an exhibit.

Releasing physically isn’t always a perfect solution, as firsttime developers benefit more from starting with digital-exclusive releases. Physical copies aren’t immune to disrepair either, as early CDs are degrading and later models will follow suit.

However, physical copies make archival much easier for developers and historians. Although digital sales will likely become the primary distribution method, future console generations need physical releases.

The games industry needs to consider how to best preserve and archive its best works before they disappear, be it through re-releases, physical copies or new methods yet to be created. Games are an entertainment medium like no other, and their history deserves to be preserved for future generations like any other.

Go to the Electric Retrospective blog at https://electricretrospective.wordpress.com for more game reviews and news, including a review of “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.” New posts release every Tuesday.

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Join us in Celebration of the Lord!

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Entertainment | February 2019