WG ECHO February 2018 Issue

ECHO See pg. 7: ‘Clark announces retirement’

February 2018 Volume 103 Issue 6 Photos from ECHO Archives

100 Selma Ave st. Louis MO 63119 WGECHO.org

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Table of Contents

ECHO

Educate to destigmatize eating disorders ‘Trump Bump’ doesn’t improve wages Oppression lives on at Webster WGHS hosts qualifiers for history bowl St. Louisians race for congressional seat Clark announces retirement All Write provides opportunities for student interns ECHO shares history of Webster Groves Women’s swim team finishes season 7-1 Women’s swim places 7th at State Review:“50 Shades Freed”receives negative reviews 34-year-old speedrun record revoked Black journalists need recognition Orchestra performs at Carnegie Hall Drama departments performs Broadway Revue Willie’s Comic

2017-18 ECHO STAFF

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Caroline Fellows PRINT EDITOR: Riley Mullgardt JUNIOR EDITOR: Cole Schnell BUSINESS/ADS MANAGER: Evelyn Trampe VIDEO EDITOR: Ashli Wagner SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER: Natalie Johnson NEWS/OPINION EDITOR: Elise Keller SPORTS EDITOR: Greg Frazier FEATURE EDITOR: Rosa Parks PODCAST EDITOR: Eleanor Marshall ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: Josie Krueger GRAPHICS EDITOR: Sean Mullins ADVISOR: Donald Johnson

SOME MATERIAL COURTESY OF AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEWSPAPER EDITORS/MCT CAMPUS HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER 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.

February 2018

The ECHO FAMILY 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!

Melanie Bennett Curtin Family Fellows Family Jean Dugan Meghan Gray Aerin Johnson Phil Wojak Ernie Yilmaz wgecho.org

ECHO

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Opinion

Ellie’s Expression

Educate to destigmatize eating disorders Eleanor Marshall Opinion Columnist News flash: eating disorders are a disease.

I know it’s hard to picture something Hollywood glamorizes so much as a bad thing, but yes, it’s true: eating disorders are a disease, and a fairly common one at that.

“Thirty million Americans will struggle with a full-blown eating disorder, and millions more will battle food and body image issues,” according to nationaleatingdisorders.org (NEDA).

If so many people struggle with this, why aren’t they given help? The answer is simple: the stigma surrounding these disorders.

This stigma is an issue. People struggling are scared to talk about their disorder, scared it will be brushed off as “a lifestyle choice,” according to Mental Health Australia, rather than acknowledging the seriousness of the disease.

This is extremely dangerous. When left untreated, eating disorders can be deadly.

The mortality rate is “4 percent for anorexia nervosa, 3.9 percent for bulimia nervosa, and 5.2 percent for eating disorder not otherwise specified,” NEDA said. Reasons for death include starvation, substance abuse and suicide.

Another reason people don’t come forward about their eating disorders is the stereotype. People struggling without a certain body type are worried they won’t be taken as seriously as people who are extremely thin. This leads to even fewer people getting help, which obviously is a problem.

People don’t realize that diseases don’t discriminate-- they can

Photo by Price Chambers/Colorado Springs Gazette/TNS

Lura Borden, of Colorado Springs, CO, with photos of her daughter, Laurie, who died on June 1, 2005 because of an eating disorder.

happen to anyone.

To fight these stereotypes, the National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC) is promoting the message “One Size DOESN’T Fit All” to emphasize that these disorders can and do affect people of all sizes “genders, ages, races and ethnic identities, sexual orientations and socio-economic backgrounds.”

What can we do about this? Educate.

If people learn the dangerous truths about eating disorders, the stigmas will vanish. People will be able to talk about their issues and get the help they need, making the world a healthier and happier place.

Op-ed

‘Trump Bump’ doesn’t improve wages Cole Schnell Junior Editor Whitehouse.gov released a statement titled, “Tax Cuts and Reforms are Helping American Workers and Businesses” on Jan. 31.

The statement contains a list of examples from eight different newspapers of how the “Trump Bump” is “trickling down” to American workers.

This is a non-sequitur. The tax bill is not raising wages and one time bonuses don’t help workers who barely have enough money to pay rent and buy food every month.

Companies, like Apple, Comcast, Walmart, AT&T, American Airlines and Bank of America, already have given $1,000 to $2,500 bonuses to their employees.

Walmart started raising wages of their employees before the tax bill and not because of the tax bill. The real reason is Obamaera legislation lowering unemployment.

Lowered unemployment means labor market is getting tighter.

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Walmart has to pay its employees more because there is more competition for workers. If workers have more opportunities for jobs, then workers will pick the jobs with higher wages.

Despite the need to raise wages, Walmart CEO and president Doug McMillon claimed the tax bill gave Walmart the opportunity to raise wages.

The tax cuts are good for Walmart, so it is advantageous for Walmart to tip its hat to the Congress Republicans by making it look like there is a cause and effect. Walmart thanked the hand that feeds it. The podcast,“The Daily,” called Walmart’s actions a positive feedback loop.

This sense of success led to the tax bill’s approval rating to increase.

According to the New York Times, the tax bill’s approval rating increased from 37 percent in December to 51 percent in early February.

In this era, Americans, especially journalists, have to be more careful about what information to believe and need to recognize the speakers and their biases.

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Opinion

Op-ed

ECHO

Oppression lives on at Webster

Rosa Parks Feature Editor On a recent ECHO survey, one student said, “No one’s racist at this school.”

This statement is completely false. Webster Groves High School, like other schools, has had racism since the day its doors opened.

The 1966 documentary, “16 in Webster,” said “Webster Groves is six square miles of the American dream.” It was and still is the American dream- for Caucasian residents and students.

In the film, no black students were in any organizations except football. Cheerleading for black women was not an option because it was based off “image.”

About hanging out with black students, one student in the film said, “A couple of those guys…wanted to go out on a double date or something like that; my father for one wouldn’t let me, and I really don’t think that I’d want to.”

Races were separate but not equal 50 years ago. The racism was something that was seen as normal and not called out on, but it has been 50 years since “16 in Webster,” and the same underlying racist ideologies still remain throughout the halls.

Fifty years later, minorities still feel as if they’re targeted based on their skin tone. The only difference now is racism is unacceptable, but still blatant.

About racism in the school, freshman Carlos Byrd, a Hispanic student said, “Most of it was during election season with many students asking, for example, ‘Did you have to climb over the wall to get to school today’ or shouting ‘get deported’ in my face.

Although this has died down, it still happens occasionally.”

“It makes me feel furious, but I neither want to get in trouble for lashing back or to stoop to their level by insulting them back.

I just tried to bottle it up until I found something that I could take it out on. I had trouble actually paying attention in class because of this,” Byrd said.

An ECHO survey revealed 76.1 percent of 73 student respondents have seen or experienced racism at the school, while 90.4 percent believe there may be white supremacists and/or Neo-

February 2018

Nazis at Webster. These statistics are surreal.

Anyone who identifies him/herself as an ally, a feminist, or a friend of any person of color must stand up when racist comments are made. White silence is consent, and right now, most students are consenting to the oppression that students of color must endure while attending school.

Mexican-American junior Sophia Gotto said, “A boy in my Spanish class told me, ‘Trump will put you back in the fields and back in the kitchen where you belong.’”

It is no longer the 1950s: the year is 2018. People of all colors, religions and sexualities are becoming more accepted in the world, but there is still hatred everywhere. Webster has the chance to make the school a place where prejudice no longer resides.

As Nelson Mandela once said, “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background or his religion. People learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”

Students must learn to fill themselves with kindness instead of hatred. There was a time when students were taught that Christopher Columbus was a hero. The same students now recognize the seemingly great acts he committed were evil. Students must be educated more on topics regarding race and oppression in order for them to be less oppressive to others.

About speaking up, Gotto said, “Students...say something, please say something. There have been incidents where students feel scared or afraid to fight back, so their issues with it never get reported. No one should feel scared when they are wronged in a situation.”

The school and its students have come a long way since 50 years ago, but more has to be done to empower students of color and become a place of acceptance. The students at Webster Groves can be better. Webster Groves can be better.

Another student response from the survey said, “Racism has been around...forever, if we don’t change that soon, it will be around forever longer.”

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ECHO

News

5

WGHS hosts qualifiers for history bowl, bee Sean Mullins Technology Columnist WGHS hosted the Missouri State Qualifiers for the National History Bowl and the National History Bee on Feb. 24. This was the school’s third time hosting overall.

The National History Bowl involves teams of four students who play a total of five history games, and the top team moves on to Nationals.

The National History Bee is individual, and student contestants answer questions over multiple rounds before moving on to the finals in the afternoon. Questions usually range from American and world history to history of other subjects, like science, English or sports.

WGHS had not previously won the competition in years prior due to stiff competition.

According to Julie Burchett, the teams from other schools are incredibly dedicated to their craft, particularly Marquette High School, who won in 2017.

“If we have the team from Marquette coming, they have a team that works specifically only on history all year,” Burchett said before the competition, “so that makes it kind of hard to compete with them.”

Since WGHS hosted the competition, any students who applied could enter without worrying about travel expenses, as the competition doesn’t fund travel.

Three WGHS teams entered, including sophomore Ethan Weihl, who competed in the history bowl and bee in 2017.

About his experience with the previous competition, Weihl said, “I had a lot of fun. I learned a lot, too, which was awesome.

It was a great time, just hanging out with friends.”

Student entrants practiced for the history bowl and bee by reading through history packets. However, as prepared as one can be, the competition comes down not only to knowledge, but

Photo by Ethan Weihl

Sophomore Patrick Lee prepares to press a buzzer to answer a question at the Feb. 24, National History Bowl.

quick thinking, as noted by sophomore Daniel Bloomer, who entered the competition for the first time this year.

Regarding his strategy for the event, Bloomer said, “I’m anticipating to make it up as I go.”

While the WGHS teams did not win the competition, students still enjoyed working together in the competition and are excited for the next bowl and bee in 2019.

Upcoming Events: March 13 Parent-Teacher Conferences-4-8 p.m.

March 14 Half Day-Periods 1, 2, 3, 7 Hixson Activity Fair Parent-Teacher Conferences-12:50 -2:45 p.m.

March 15 MIOS Assembly-3rd Hour Spring Sports Assembly-6th Hour March 16-25 Spring Break March 29 STUCO Elections 6th Hour

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February 2018

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News

ECHO

St. Louisans race for congressional seat

Elise Keller News/Opinion Editor Missouri’s first congressional district includes St. Louis City and neighborhoods in north Webster and Rock Hill. Since 2001, Lacy Clay has been this district’s congressional representative.

This August, Clay will run against Cori Bush.

The August primary will determine which Democratic candidate will be on the ballot in November.

While serving in Congress, Clay made advances towards civil rights, including the law he sponsored called the African American Civil Rights Network Act of 2017. This law required there be a Civil Rights Network in the National Parks Service that is able to make sites that relate to the Civil Rights movement historical landmarks.

Bush also led advances towards equality, including speaking at the Women’s March of Springfield, Missouri, in 2017 and the St. Louis Women’s March in January of 2018. Bush organized and participated in demonstrations following the Jason Stockley verdict in September of 2017.

“I handled the Stockley verdict by trying to get the information before the verdict came down, studying up on it and trying to understand both sides. I have to always go with my gut as I think about the community as a whole. I think about where we’ve come from, and where the community is going, and where should I stand in that,” Bush said.

“For me, it was on the side of standing with the family, and standing on the right side of justice, which is to say that black and brown people in St. Louis, trans people, have a right to life, a right to live a normal life like anyone else. We have a right not to be gunned down in the street, especially by those that we look to serve and protect us,” Bush said.

“I went out to protest there, and make sure our voices were heard. I continued to protest, day after day, to raise awareness. I organized protests, helped find resources during the protests, and stood. I helped people who were maced; I was there to help as a medic and whatever I could do,” Bush said.

Bush has worked to improve people’s lives, as she is a nurse, a pastor, and an early childhood educator. She’s also experienced some of the things she hopes to fight against if elected into Congress.

“It’s a fight, but I’m used to fighting. I fought during Ferguson.

I’ve fought in some other areas of my personal life, by being homeless and suffering through domestic violence and sexual assault. So many things, living through homelessness and all of that myself, I fight. I know how to fight, and I’m not afraid to go to Congress and fight because the legacy that will come from that will be that the people of St. Louis won’t have to go through some of the things that we’ve had to go through,” Bush said.

If elected into Congress, Bush hopes to cause change in St. Louis by communicating better with the people in her district.

Bush said something Clay is not doing enough of as a representative is, “Actually being here, being present, sitting with us, getting to know us, being accessible to the people that you are

February 2018

Photo from Cori Bush

Cori Bush will run against incumbent Lacy Clay in the August primary for representative of Missouri’s first district.

supposed to represent, letting the people know that you are a part of us, that you’re with us, and that it’s our voice you’re carrying in Congress. That’s one thing I believe is truly missing.”

Bush feels she will have a big effect in Congress because she knows how to get things done.

“I’ve been able to see change happen here in St. Louis without any type of a title, without any money, without any clout or power behind my name, but I’ve still been able to make things happen and to affect real change here,” Bush said.

Though Bush is running for Congress for the first time, she has the support of two PACs (political action committees) that are both trying to simply get new people into Congress. PACs promote and raise money for candidates they support.

Julie Burchett, teacher, said the first PAC, Justice Democrats, is, “primarily trying to find new democrats to run, and they want to get the old established Democrats out because they don’t think they’re doing enough.”

“This other group called Brand New Congress, they believe the same things. They’re the same as the Justice Democrats.

They’re progressive. They believe in all the same things; however, they want to endorse Democrats, progressive Republicans, or independents who will get together and try to get common sense legislature put through. Even though they’re progressive which is more Democratic, if they find a Republican that they think is going to promote these common sense things that we need to get done, for example gun control, they’re going to give money to them,” Burchett said.

“St. Louis deserves good jobs. We deserve a livable wage. We deserve quality, affordable health care. We deserve affordable college. I believe in free state colleges and state universities. We don’t need to send our children to college knowing that they’re walking in with the burden of debt. I believe in fighting for $15.

I’m fighting for universal daycare, universal pre-k, the rights of our LGBT community. I’m fighting for immigrant rights. I believe that there should be a path to citizenship for immigrants in this country. I support our Dreamers. I believe in investing in infrastructure. I’m definitely fighting for our veterans,” Bush said about what she hopes to focus on if elected.

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ECHO

News

7

Clark announces retirement Cole Schnell Junior Editor Principal Dr. Jon Clark announced he will retire at the end of this school year after 22 years of working at WGHS and 14 years of being principal.

“I’m going to miss being with the students,” Clark said.

Clark said it was difficult decision and “ultimately, I made the decision for my son, Jacob and daughter, Jenna. I want to be with them as a father on a regular basis. I’ve missed too many of their events and want to be with them as much as possible.”

Early this year, Clark won “Outstanding Administrator Award” at the Missouri State thespian conference after being recommend for the award by senior Elliot Williams and drama teacher Todd Schaefer.

Clark received the Stephanie Phillips Award through Coaches with Cancer last year and won Principal of the Year from St. Louis Area Secondary School Principal Association in 2005.

Clark said his greatest achievement wasn’t his personal awards, but the achievement of his students like record high test scores, Class of 2017 getting over $26 million in scholarships, championship-winning sports teams and an award-winning art program.

Clark has been fighting brain cancer since he was diagnosed in

2006. The community has supported Clark through his struggle by lighting up Lockwood Avenue with luminaries to raise money for cancer research and initially members of the community wore bracelets to show their support for Clark.

“I’m thankful for the support you’ve (the students) given me,” Clark said.

Senior Trinity Baker-Simmons said, “I am happy that I will be graduating this year so I don’t have to experience Webster without him.”

Several students mentioned greeting Clark in the halls as a best memory regarding him. Clark said greeting students is one of the things he will miss the most.

“I’m most proud of the relationships I’ve built with students, staff and WG community over the years. They are all the reason I love my job so much,” Clark said.

Before Clark was principal, he started at WGHS as an assistant principal in 1996 after being a math teacher and basketball coach at Rolla and John F. Hodge High Schools.

As the head coach of Rolla men’s basketball team, Clark won 99 games. He returned two years ago to coach the Statesmen for one last game and what became his 100th win.

WGSD posted the job opening and has met with faculty about desired traits of a new principal. The interview process is planned to begin Mar. 1 and the final decision is planned to be announced the week of April 23.

All Write provides opportunities for student interns Ellie Marshall Podcast Editor All Write Festival is a four-year tradition where authors, comedians, artists, historians and musicians come and share their knowledge and talents with students at assemblies throughout the week.

This festival is a large event for Freshman Annalise WGHS, and it takes a lot of planning. McCann sings as part This is where the All Write interns of All Write’s “Drama Queens” performance. come in.

“Students take on various roles for a few months before the festival to help us plan and organize and execute this festival,” Steve Leftridge, English teacher and coordinator of the All Write festival, said.

“Interns usually have a specialty, that can be anything from art to music to management, and they spend their time helping out with their specialty to make the festival run as smoothly as possible,” senior Hannah Luckes said. “(Leftridge) just has a lot going on before the festival, so we basically just do anything he needs,” sophomore Isabelle O’Neal said.

Students enjoy this opportunity for a different way of learning.

“I wanted to be an intern because it’s a unique opportunity to

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kind of be your own teacher and learn in a new way, not just sit in class. You get to be independent,” O’Neal said.

“I really like the leadership role it gives me and the experience I now have with managing big events and being creative in unique ways. The incredible people I have been able to meet face to face and have conversations with has also been a major perk,” Luckes said.

“It’s fun to be a part of planning something that the whole school is so involved in and excited about and it’s amazing to be able to do the behind the scenes work before and during it to make it all happen,” senior Gracie Kaul said.

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Feature

ECHO

ECHO shares history o Caroline Fellows Editor-in-Chief Ashli Wagner Video Editor In social studies classes, students learn about world history and United States history. They can recite the emperors of China and the effects of the Civil War. However, there is more history a bit closer to home. Here is the history behind some of Webster Groves High School’s landmarks and traditions:

Birdies Every year since 1996, the Varsity cheerleaders do birdies in their routines. According to assistant cheerleading coach Dana Miller, student Michelle Yoder came up with birdies as a cheerleader in 1996 when she would have graduated.

“That year, Michelle and another cheerleader (Jenny Sprague) were in a car accident, and they passed away, so ever since then the cheerleaders do birdies every year in memory of them,” Miller said.

about and use that information to find them internships or jobs,” Detrick said.

Julie Burchett stepped in as the coWhen students pass the Chelsea Detordinator and began to research currick Experiential Learning Center, their rent experiential learning programs. eyes are frequently drawn to the terra“I visited Harvard, Stanford, Unicotta warrior in the doorway. versity of Chicago… then I pulled it However, if they were to look past the all together to make it work for high warrior and to their left, they would see school,” Burchett said. a painting of Chelsea Detrick, the perThe Chelsea Center provides opporson the center was named after. Chelsea tunities like internships, service learngraduated from WGHS in 2003 and ating, travel, credit for employment and tended Elon University. After graduating a shadowing program. college, she moved to Washington state Students have assignments before, and contracted cancer. She died on April during, and after their experiences.

9, 2009.

“Before you would write your exGlenn Detrick, Chelsea’s father, had pectations, then during you’d keep a been talking with principal Dr. Jon Clark journal saying what you did like ‘tofor years about experiential learning, and day was a good day, this is why’ or ‘toafter Chelsea’s death he asked what it day was not a good day,’ and then after would take to get a center at WGHS. “Kids grow up having all these experiPhoto from Glenn Detrick you’d write a reflection about the experience and yourself,” Detrick said. ences, and we as adults don’t do anything This painting of Chelsea hangs in the ChelDetrick is grateful for the center. to help them learn from those experienc- sea Center at Webster Groves High School.

“Even though she (Chelsea) lived es,” Detrick said. such a short life, she could still have Detrick donated money and presented his ideas for the center. “[We would] have kids talk about what they’re passionate an impact,” Detrick said.

The Chelsea Center

Plymouth Field

to fight in World War I. Kopplin fought in the war for three years until he died in France on July 15, 1918.

Webster Groves High School has been While at Webster Groves High around for over 100 years, but Plymouth School, Kopplin was an athlete.

Field hasn’t always been there, nor has it Other students wanted to commemalways had the same name. orate him by renaming the field. In Plymouth Field was originally used as a 1947, part of the field was needed for football field and named Kopplin Field after Richard Kopplin.

Photo from Pat Voss the rebuilding of Roberts Gym, so the school converted the football field into Kopplin graduated from Webster Groves Plymouth Field was originally named two baseball fields and a parking lot.

High School in 1917 and joined the military Kopplin Field.

February 2018

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ECHO

Feature

of Webster Groves

9

Roberts Gym

Roberts Gym hasn’t always been where students play basketball, volleyball, or participate in P.E. class.

In the early 1910s, Roberts Gym was used as an armory to train soldiers for World War I. After the war ended, the facility was donated to the school to use as gyms.

The facility was used as two gyms, but according to alumni relations director Pat Voss, “(the gym) was not big enough to hold fans that came to watch,” so they decided to rebuild it.

Construction began in 1945 but took over three years to complete due to a lack of steel because of World War II and the labor strike. During construction of the gym, the basketball team practiced and played games at Maplewood High School.

After the completion of the gym, the Statesmen basketball team played its first game against Maplewood because “it only seemed right to do so,” Voss said.

The new gym gained its name after Charlie Roberts, who was a coach and athletic director.

Roberts was named the “Maker of Champions” by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for his 21 straight track State championship wins. He also coached football and basketball at Webster.

Photo from Pat Voss

Roberts Gym is named after Charlie Roberts, a former coach and athletic director.

Roberts was one of only six athletic directors in Webster’s history and one of three famous coaches. He taught and coached at Webster for 39 years. Roberts died in 1946.

The gym was named after him two years after he died.

Jerry R. Knight Auditorium

Photo from Pat Voss

Ray Moss retired in 1955, and in 1974 Moss Field was named after him.

Moss Field Moss Field is dedicated to a man who was one of only five athletic directors WGHS has ever had.

The field was originally named War Memorial Field in honor of the soldiers who died in World War II, but it later was dedicated to Moss due to his 25 years of coaching and directing.

Moss’s final game was the Turkey Day game of 1994.

Moss retired in 1995 and the field’s name changed to “Moss Field” in 1974.

The field has been renovated several times to look how it is now. The field got bleachers in 1978 and lights in 1979. The track was added in 1984 and the locker room was added in 1990.

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Jerry Knight, principal from 1969-1986, was a strong advocate for the arts.

“He told me as a teacher and then as a young assistant principal that you had to have someplace to go when things got bad, when you have terrible crazy days as an administrator and his always was something with the fine arts,” alumni relations director Pat Voss said.

According to Voss, Knight never missed a band concert, choir concert or play.

The auditorium was built in 1927 but remained unnamed until the late 1990s when Knight retired.

He retired as principal in 1986 and became the district CFO. The auditorium was named Knight Auditorium in 1997.

“He had a very, very special place in his heart for the arts, and that was only appropriate that that (the auditorium) then be named for him,” Voss said.

Mosaics Alumni relations director Pat Voss was principal for eight years before being succeeded by Dr. Jon Clark.

“My first two years of being principal I thought God had put a curse on me. We (the school) lost five students in two years and we lost four in one summer,” Voss said.

After the these students’ deaths, other students wanted to remember those who had passed and collected money to buy brick stones with the names of those who died.

The bricks along with a mosaic statue were placed into a garden in the middle of the courtyard.

February 2018

ECHO Sports 10 Women’s swim team finishes season 7-1 Natalie Johnson Social Media Manager

Women’s swim dominated every meet but one with a minimum advantage of 34 points.

The team of 52 girls dedicated at least 10 hours to practicing each week, Varsity and JV girls alike.

Led by head coach Dan Broshears, the team started the season with a home meet at Webster University against Parkway North High School, leading the season with its lowest advantage.

Team manager Tobey Nelson said, “It was interesting because as we grew closer as a team, we began to perform better.”

This was senor Isi Albers’ final year swimming at WGHS, and she described it as “bittersweet.” Albers said it was a successful season in part because the team “feels more like a family than a team.”

Albers also credited Broshears. “B is great… he wants everyone to succeed,” Albers said.

Broshears described the season as “better than most.” He’s proud of the work his team put into the season.

Junior Kendra Howard said this season the swimmers were “more whole as a team. There was a lot of positivity… everyone was bringing each other up.”

The team placed second in conference and third in the Nancy Brandt Invitational.

February 2018

Photo by Greg Frazier

Statewomen swimmers switch roles during a relay race at the Parkway North meet. This was Webster’s first meet, resulting in a 102-68 win. Webster finished out the season 7-1.

Broshears predicted the team would do well at the MSHSAA State meet hoping it would place within the top 10, and it did.

Howard thought State this year was different because the class changed, so it “was a lot more competitive.”

Achieving seventh place, this was the first time the team placed in the top 10 in 10 years after placing fourth in 2007.

Last year’s team placed 27th.

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ECHO

Sports

Fraizer from the Field

11

Women’s swim places 7th at State Greg Frazier Sports Columnist In December, my prediction for women’s swim was placing them in the top 20; however, its performance blew my prediction out of the water. The team got seventh out of 43.

Senior relay swimmer Isi Albers said in December, “I think we’re going to show how good we are and surprise everyone.”

They did just that.

Albers, along with senior Katherine Kempf, junior Kendra Howard, sophomores Parker Hageman and Elizabeth Ragan, and freshman Madeleine Collier, did in fact surprise everyone.

In preliminaries, the Stateswomen were lacking confidence, but once the first race gunned off and they placed two above their preliminary result, Webster was splashed with a wave of needed confidence for the rest of the State meet.

In the first event at State, 200-yard medley relay, Collier dove off the block to swim a solid 28.59 followed by Howard’s faulty 32.98. Kempf and Albers brought it back with a respectable 29.02 for Kempf and a fast 26.29 from Albers. Webster took 12th, which was an improvement from their 14th finish in the preliminary round.

Hagemann stormed forward in the second event, 200 yard freestyle, placing fourth with a time of 1:54.46. Hagemann went out too fast in the first 50 yard (25.80) and felt the repercussions in the 150 split, swimming a 30.09. Still, a decisive performance.

Howard swam the 200-yard IM for a seventh place finish with a time of 2:14.53. One second slower than her preliminary result.

The 200-yard IM is known as a monster along with the 500yard. Mastering the IM would mean mastering all four styles of swim, which is improbable at the high school level.

Hagemann continued her aqueous assault in St. Peters; laying down a second place finish in the 100-yard Backstroke. She swam just 0.03 seconds slower than her preliminaries with a time of 59.03.

I’d say Hagemann was Webster’s anchor and was warding off any other competitors with these fast times and crucial placements.

The final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay. Judging by the results I’ve written about, how’d you expect they did? Seventh?

Fifth? Well, your guesses aren’t good enough. Webster placed second. Yes, you heard that right. Second.

In order of swimming, Ragan, Howard, Kempf and Hagemann dropped their preliminary time by three seconds and scraped under 3:40.00 with a time of 3:39.05. This race was do or die, and the women’s swimming team delivered.

Just a reminder: last year, women’s swim got 28th out of 49.

This year seventh out of 43, so before you buy ticket to a basketball game, remember that the Webster U’s swimming pool is full of champions, and unfortunately, empty of fans.

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Photo from Skylar Jones

Senior Isi Albers, junior Kendra Howard, freshman Madeleine Collier and senior Katherine Kempf bite their medals at the MSHAA State Swimming Championship on Feb. 17-18. Webster placed seventh out of 43. It’s been 10 years since the Stateswomen have placed in the top 10 at State.

February 2018

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Entertainment

Review

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‘50 Shades Freed’ receives negative reviews resulting in his termination at their office at the end of the second book. He comes back for revenge, starting a fire in Christian’s corporate headquarters. This fire both literally and metaphorically heats things up, causing chaos between Christian, Ana and Jack.

In 2015, when the series first started, sexual abuse was mentioned but ultimately overlooked. However, since the #MeToo movement started in 2017, the movie started getting backlash for the content it promoted.

Comedian Bill Maher spoke about this issue on one of his recent TV segments. He questions why this is one of the most popular movies out right now when it’s a movie about “a woman on a leash.”

Despite the first two movies being extremely boring and controversial, the third one actually has a plot, is somewhat interesting and promotes consensual relationships. It’s labeled as a drama, but comes across more as a poorly-written action film with sex after everything.

The movie’s sales plummeted a noticeable 14 percent than the previous movie making only $18 million on the first day, as opposed to the $21.4 million for “Fifty Shades Darker” and $30 million for “Fifty Shades of Grey.”

The reviews were rough, as it received a 13 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and a 4.2 out of 10 on IMDb.

Photo from official “50 Shades Freed” website

“50 Shades Freed,” the third and final installment of the “50 Shades” trilogy, debuted on Feb. 9, starring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan.

Riley Mullgardt Print Editor “50 Shades Freed,” the third and final movie in the controversial series based of “50 Shades of Grey” by E. L. James, was released Feb. 9.

The first movie brought up issues of women’s consent/respect and abusing power in relationships which were overlooked due to the movie’s popularity.

In the books and movies, Anastasia “Ana” Steele (Dakota Johnson) is punished with sexual acts after she “disobeys” her partner Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan). He treats their relationship like a business deal with contracts and rules.

In the new film, Christian and Ana get married, and it appears their contracts and rules have mostly disappeared from their relationship. The first few minutes display their marriage and their honeymoon, making their life appear perfect... only to be interrupted by Jack Hyde.

Jack is Ana’s former boss who tried to sexually assault her,

February 2018

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ECHO

Entertainment

Electric Retrospective

13

34-year-old speedrun record revoked Sean Mullins Technology Columnist Speedrunning world records held for decades are under investigation following disputes over possibly faked records on classic games like “Dragster” and “Donkey Kong.”

For those unaware, speedrunning is the practice of completing games as quickly as possible. Gamers collaborate to find an optimal route to complete beloved titles, often sharing tricks to skip certain sections, and compete for the world record. Aside from the fame of being a world record holder, speedrunners race for fun and to improve their skills. Some speedrunners even race for charity events like Awesome Games Done Quick.

While speedrunning communities are filled with gamers attempting honestly to complete their favorite games rapidly, cheaters are often disqualified from leaderboards. Speedruns can be faked by splicing recorded footage, modifying code, using different versions of a game, or using special programs to complete the game. Certain speedrun types allow some of these exploits, like tool-assisted categories, but if those runs aren’t labeled as such, they’re disqualified.

Cheating has always been an issue in speedrunning communities, but a recent dispute on gaming world record site Twin Galaxies brought the problem into the public eye. Todd Rogers, a record holder for multiple games, was banned for life from Twin Galaxies scoreboards and his times were removed after debates over his famous “Dragster” record.

Rogers held the world record for Activision’s “Dragster” on Atari 2600 since 1982, with a time of 5.51 seconds, acclaimed as Guinness’s “World’s Longest Standing Video Game Record.”

Activision authenticated the record, and it was later imported to Twin Galaxies. After Twin Galaxies introduced a dispute system in 2017, a dispute was filed by multiple speedrunners, including Eric “Omnigamer” Koziel, claiming the record was impossible to achieve.

Koziel created a tool-assisted speedrun (TAS), a program in which controller inputs are sequenced to complete games optimally, to determine the fastest humanly possible time for “Dragster.” Koziel’s TAS could only reach 5.57 seconds, further confirmed by 13 speedrunners who also reached that time. Even Activision’s internal testing during the game’s development, which predicted an inhumanly perfect time, only clocked in at 5.54 seconds.

Activision’s authentication would have settled the dispute instantly, but the evidence is lost to time. During that era, records were submitted as Polaroids taken of the player’s time. The pictures were kept for weeks at most and were likely trashed long before the debate began. Despite the long-gone Polaroids, David Crane, a programmer who worked on “Dragster,” believes Rogers got his time legitimately, having seen him perform in person.

“I remember him showing us scores in various games that exceeded those that we- even as designers of the games- could achieve,” Crane said in an interview with Twin Galaxies. “After

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Photo by Joe Rimkus Jr./Miami Herald/South Florida Sun-Sentinel Out/TNS

Record holders like Billy Mitchell, who remains the first of just four persons to have played a perfect “PacMan” game, are now under more scrutiny in the wake of Todd Rogers’ “Dragster” controversy.

more than 30 years, I can’t remember what those scores were, but I don’t have a shadow of a doubt that he achieved the scores he claims.”

Others who knew Rogers, however, say he has a history of denying proof of his work. Robert T. Mruczek, a former Twin Galaxies Senior Referee, was a close friend of Rogers’s, and despite viewing him as “a brother [he] never had,” was willing to present evidence against him. Mruczek asked Rogers over several years for evidence of some of his records, but received only excuses.

In a statement regarding Rogers’s records, Mruczek said, “The reason cited was always the same… that the tapes were buried amidst hundreds of tapes, and he had to find them, then make copies, and just did not have the time.”

On Jan. 29, Twin Galaxies officially decided based on Koziel and Mruczek’s statements and the lack of photographic evidence, Rogers’s score was faked and will no longer be recognized. The record, along with other records Rogers held for games like the Atari 5200 version of “Centipede,” were removed, and Rogers was banned from Twin Galaxies leaderboards for life. Guinness removed his records from their database shortly afterward.

Other famous record holders, like Billy Mitchell, known for his former records on “Donkey Kong,” are now under heavy scrutiny. Mitchell’s scores were removed from a “Donkey Kong” speedrunning community forum amidst evidence that his scores were achieved on an emulator rather than the original arcade cabinet hardware. Despite his lost dispute, Rogers praised in a Facebook post that his disqualification could lead to better cheating moderation.

“While I do maintain that Twin Galaxies is wrong in my particular case,” Rogers wrote, “if the investigation into my score(s), and subsequent banning, can serve as a catalyst to clean the database of questionable scores and facilitate methods to catch future cheaters, this is a positive thing.”

Go to the Electric Retrospective blog at https://electricretrospective.wordpress.com for more game reviews and news. New posts release every Tuesday.

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Entertainment

Josie’s Journal

ECHO

Black journalists need recognition Josie Krueger Entertainment Columnist During Black History Month, people recognize well-known African American figures in history who fought for or took steps towards racial equality: Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Thurgood Marshall, Harriet Tubman, etc.

However, African-American journalists in history, although they contributed and still contribute today to change in society and politics, are not always given the recognition they deserve during this month. From the days of slavery in the United States to the present, below are some of prominent black legends in journalism.

Samuel E. Cornish and John B. Russwurm co-founded the first United States African American newspaper in 1827, titled “Freedom’s Journal.”

Cornish, free from his birth in 1795, wrote for “Freedom’s Journal,” “The Rights of All,” “Colored American” and “The Colonization Scheme Considered.”

Russwurm, besides being the second African American in the U.S. with a college degree, was junior editor of “Freedom’s Journal.” He also lived in Liberia for much of his life, studying African languages and participating in journalism and politics there.

Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, better recognized as Frederick Douglass, is one of the most well known orators and journalists of the 19th century.

Douglass was born a slave in 1818 Maryland. He taught himself to read and write at an early age before escaping slavery and starting his career as an author, orator and journalist.

Rochester, N.Y. is where Douglass established and ran his own anti-slavery newspaper, “The North Star,” which was one of the leading abolitionist publications of the 19th century.

The ideals and awareness that Douglass’s two published autobiographies and newspaper spread throughout the United States and Europe contributed monumentally to the abolitionist movement and fight for equality even into present day.

Ida Wells Barnett was born into slavery in 1862 Holly Springs, Mississippi before being emancipated at the end of the Civil War. Wells Barnett started out protesting Jim Crow Laws through editorials she wrote under the name “Iola.” She also worked for “Free Speech and Headlight,” a Memphis black newspaper, advocating civil rights.

The wrongful lynching of three of Wells Barnett’s friends, Thomas Moss, Henry Stewart and Calvin McDowell in 1892, inspired her to become an anti-lynching activist.

In addition to anti-lynching, Wells Barnett fought for women’s suffrage. In her lifetime, she established the British AntiLynching Society and helped found the National Association of Colored Women and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

February 2018

Wells Barnett died in 1931.

Through her pamphlet, “Southern Horrors,” books, lectures and work as a journalist, Wells Barnett was an extremely influential figure in the United States’ early struggle for civil rights.

Malvin Russell Goode was a man of many firsts for African American journalists.

Born in 1908, Goode grew up in Homestead, PN. Goode did not enter the journalism field until age 40. He worked for the “Pittsburgh Courier,” the highest selling African American newspaper in the U.S. at the time. He also did radio broadcasts, ran his own daily news show, and became news director of WHOD television station.

Goode became the United Nations reporter for ABC and first black news correspondent at ABC Television News when he was hired in 1962. From this job, he earned fame and respect in the journalism field.

Goode then worked overseas teaching journalism in Nigeria, Tanzania and Ethiopia before returning to the states and his job at ABC. He then retired in 1973.

Additionally, he was the first black member of the National Association of Radio and Television News Directors.

Goode’s presence in journalism helped ABC shift their focus from white issues to issues of underrepresented groups and minorities, inspiring other news sources in the same way. His work was also significant contribution to the Civil Rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s, covering important events like the assassinations of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. Ethel Lois Payne, born in 1911 Chicago, was considered “The First Lady of the Black Press” due to her many accolades as a writer, reporter and journalist.

Her first experience in journalism was an article written for the “Chicago Defender” concerning the racial discrimination in the U.S. military in Japan.

Payne then pursued global reporting, interviewing prominent figures such as John F. Kennedy, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr. and at-the-time president, Dwight D. Eisenhower. Her interview with the president changed how the White House addressed civil rights issues from then on.

Payne also worked for CBS News, becoming the first African American woman to be a radio and television commentator. In addition, she received the TransAfrica African Freedom Award and an award from the Capital Press Club.

Through the brave questions she asked throughout her career as a journalist and reporter, Payne brought attention to issues of discrimination and earned her title as “The First Lady of the Black Press.”

These are only a few of the African American journalists who deserve recognition, not just this month but all the time.

All of these figures and more can be found in the National Association of Black Journalists’ “Hall of Fame.”

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Entertainment

15

Orchestra performs at Carnegie Hall Josie Krueger Entertainment Editor Webster Groves High School Orchestra traveld to New York from Feb. 23 to 26, to perform in Midtown Manhattan’s famous Carnegie Hall on Feb. 26.

This three auditorium, 3,671 seat venue was established in 1891, its opening show starring maestro Walter Damrosch alongside Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Since then, legendary performers like Judy Garland, Harry Belafonte and Tina Turner have appeared on Carnegie’s stage.

Leah Poe, orchestra director said, “The honor of playing on that stage is giant. There are professional musicians that have never played on that stage. It’s definitely a big deal. It’s very unique; it’s not something that everyone can say they’ve done.”

Also significant, though, is the honor of being selected.

To be considered, the Silver Strings Orchestra had to receive three superior ratings at a competition last spring. Then Poe sent in a sample tape of the Silver Strings performing for the next level of adjudication, which it also passed. The Silver Strings orchestra was then invited to perform at Carnegie in a series including three other school orchestras chosen from different states.

Senior Silver Strings senior Anna Bussler’s favorite thing about performing is “when all the work comes together; like you’ve been preparing so long and then you get to hear it...and the applause at the end.”

The Silver Strings’ performance will be about 30 minutes, and it will perform four pieces.

Photo provided by Leah Poe

Students perform on the highly acclaimed Carnegie Hall Stage.

The students also have other experiences to look forward to in their four days traveling.

Sophomore violinist Fiona Carton, said. “We’re going to be traveling a lot, we’re going to see (‘The Lion King’ on Broadway), and we’re going to go to Ellis Island, so it’s going to be pretty fun.”

Carton described the orchestra in one word: “Driven.”

Bussler said the best quality of Silver Strings is “We take people from all different skill levels, and we can produce this amazing sound...you don’t have to be the best, but you’re still able to perform in that group.”

On the other hand, Poe said the silver strings orchestra’s best quality is “their ability to work together and work towards a common goal together...Their dedication, that’s it.”

Drama department performs Broadway Revue Evelyn Trampe Business Manager The Broadway Revue was Feb. 8, and hosted by the drama department. Thirteen students showcased their talents through performing songs from Broadway musicals.

Audience members enjoyed the performances and recommended seeing more drama department shows.

“I will always recommend anything related to the theater to other students. This show in particular was fantastic because it was like one giant musicals. The crowd was great, the pianist was incredible, and the students who were performing were amazing,” senior Becca DeGreef said.

Senior Connor Hanneken agreed, “I loved the show, and I’m so glad the drama department gave the chance for rising Broadway performers to showcase their talents.”

The majority of students who participated in the show are a part of Broadway Club and prepared their songs for weeks. “[Students] with [drama teacher Todd] Schaefer’s help, chose songs to sing and started rehearsing with [the drama department’s] collaborative pianist, Linda Radick, in preparation for

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Photo by Caroline Fellows

Sophomore Caleb Miofsky and junior Jessie Martin perform a scene from “La La Land” at the Feb. 8, Broadway Revue.

the revue,” junior Nicholas Braun said.

Braun expected the evening to be “super fun” and filled with “good singing and lively performance[s]” He believes his predictions to be true, as he thought the show and everyone’s performances were “great.”

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Entertainment

ECHO

We Welcome You to join us in fellowship and worship Activities: • NAMI Family Classes Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. through May 9.

Registration is required. For more info please contact 314-962-4670 or visit www.namistl.org/programs.

• Thursday night Open Court Basketball • Easter Egg Hunt March 31, at 1 p.m.

February 2018

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