N rsestar Parkway North High School

Volume 50, Issue 5, March 28, 201312860 Fee Fee Rd. St. Louis, MO 63146

Also Featured:

Performances Draw Crowd at Talent Show (Page 7)

Page 12

School Swap: Ursuline Academy, Metro, Maplewood (Page 13)

Spring Sports Begin(Page 15)

Robotics Team Hosts Second Annual Competition

2 News March 28, 2013Parkway North High School

History Classes Make Switch to Online Textbooks

In the past, students came home on the first day of school hauling their backpacks loaded with textbooks roughly the weight of a 2 month old child. This upcoming school year, that will change for students in Government class. The social studies department has made the decision to focus their attention on digital textbooks found online, while also giving students the choice to take home a paper copy.

“The big change is that when a student comes in on the first day, instead of saying, ‘Here’s your textbook, here’s your syllabus,’ they’ll come in on the first day and [the teachers will say], ‘This is the website you have to go to.’ [Students will] get a PDF copy of the text book they use at home,” said history teacher Bob McKitrick, who is also the head of the social studies department.

The digital version of the textbooks will have features that allow students to do some things that are not possible on print copies. Students who don’t like a digital copy or who may not have access to a digital copy will also be able to use a hard copy of the book if they prefer.

“You can use the software to highlight. If I want to use my user name and I want to highlight something, it’ll stay because it’s like my digital textbook. I can do anything to those pages, then I save, and because it’s my personal account...it’s still there,” said McKitrick. “That’s going to be a huge change

that a lot of students will be able to do online.” One reason for the change is the general

preference of students to working online as opposed to working from a textbook.

“We feel like students are more technology literate than they ever were before. Educators see technology as a way to reach

Molly Thal

Centerspread Editor

more students now. It’s the same reason we have Twitter accounts and Facebook pages. Students are wired in,” said McKitrick.

Another reason is economics. While it would cost a little more to get both books and online access, there would be economic advantages to this change.

“We lose about 25-30 textbooks a year in Modern US, World and Government. If students are just going online and doing most of their work online, we feel like that will cut down that expense,” said McKitrick. “Every year, we need to buy those books back. Every year, we’re buying more books. In the long run, it could be cheaper because there wouldn’t be as many lost books.”

Last year, students took a survey about which format they preferred to read and study. More students preferred a hard copy of the textbooks than an online version, which surprised many of the teachers.

“I like reading them in print. It’s just that they’re heavy,” said sophomore Kemi Ola. “[Print books] are always available, as opposed to online, where you can’t always get them.”

Another reason students may prefer print books is the unreliability, as well as the unavailability of an internet connection.

“I think that’s really unfair [to offer only a digital copy] to the students because a person’s internet could be down. Even if [using digital textbooks] would make backpacks lighter, [print copies] are still a lot more convenient,” said senior Talia Slosson.

This survey, as well as these differing opinions, influenced the social studies department decision for next school year, and the social studies class will be offering both. Because both options will be offered, students who prefer print copies may continue to use it, but social studies teachers predict that online books will be more popular once students get use to them.

Government students such as sophomore Amanda Crawford will have to choose between print textbooks and online textbooks for the 2013-2014 school year.

Photo illustration by Molly Thal

3NEWSMarch 28, 2013Parkway North High School

Norsestar StaffKevin Graeler ...Editor in ChiefEmily McCarter ...Editor in ChiefJocelyn Treadway ...Design EditorSteven Chaffin ...Online & Entertainment EditorBrandon Fredman ...Online Coordinator & Opinions EditorIan Brown ...News EditorEmily Ladig ...News Editor Jamie Powell ...Community Editor

Norsestar Policy Norsestar encourages students, teachers, parents, administrators and other readers to pub-lish their opinion in the form of a letter to the editor. However, due to space limitations,not all letters can be published. Any student or faculty member may submit an article or photo to the Norsestar by placing the item in the mailbox in the library or by giving to a staff member. Letters must be signed; no anonymous articles will appear in the newspaper. Norsestar will accept any letter submitted regardless of whether or not the staff agrees with its opinion, unless the mate-rial presented is libelous, promotes illegal activities, or is deemed in poor taste by the editorial board. The staff reserves the right to edit letters for length or clarification.

On Feb. 11, 2013, to the surprise of the world and the Vatican itself, Pope Benedict XVI announced to a group of Cardinals at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City that he would be ending his nearly eight year reign on Feb. 28, 2013 due to advanced age and an inability to meet the physical and mental demands of the papacy. On March 13, it was announced that Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio from Argentina began his papacy, taking the papal title Pope Francis I. “[When I heard the Pope had announced his resignation,] I was pleasantly surprised and I took note of all the new complications that would arise from his resignation, such as: Where will he live? What will he do?” said sophomore Douglass Fritz. The abdication of the papacy by Benedict XVI, who retains his papal title, is a rarity. The last pope to end his reign was Pope Gregory XII in 1415, ending the Western Schism; and the last Pope to do so willingly since Pope Celestine V in 1294. “It is sometimes overlooked that two popes in the last century, Pius XII and John Paul II had written their resignations that were to be submitted if certain events ever came to pass,” said Director of the Archdiocese of St. Louis Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs Dr. Lawrence Welch. “During the Second World War, Pope Pius XII learned that Adolf Hitler had plans to arrest him. The Pope directed that his written resignation be submitted if he were ever arrested by the Nazis. He wanted to make sure that under such circumstances the Church would not be deprived of her papal leadership. Pope John Paul II had his resignation written and directed his staff to submit it in the event that he was completely incapacitated. Neither Pope found it necessary to resign, but these examples show that the idea of a Pope resigning was not completely [unheard] of in recent times. The fact that two earlier Popes thought about circumstances under which they would resign may have helped Pope Benedict XVI in his decision to actually resign

from the chair of St. Peter.” Benedict’s resignation could change the way Popes are viewed and selected in the future. While Popes have generally served until death, enduring illness and the effects of old age, this surprise announcement could result in younger Popes being elected, and more popes opting to resign rather than to serve for the remainder of their lives. “Pope Benedict’s resignation is unusual, and the possible consequences of it for the future remain to be seen. The resignation could make future Popes less reluctant to resign if they find themselves in ill health and unable to keep up with the demands of the office. Those demands have only increased in the last forty years,” said Welch, “as … Popes are now expected to travel, to meet and work with the leaders of other Christian churches and communities, to promote dialogue among world religions in addition to the responsibilities of being the visible head of the Catholic Church. “ Apart from a possible change in image, having a pope-emeritus could usher in a

Benedict Leaves Papacy, Francis I Becomes New PopeSteven Chaffin Jr.

Online and Entertainment Editor

wide range of political, social, and religious consequences. With Benedict living only a walking distance away from the Vatican, many have suggested that the former Pope’s stances will still heavily influence, and possibly restrict, the decision-making of the new pope. “Initially, I thought [having a pope-emeritus would cause problems], but after careful consideration, I decided that the probability of the former pope having significant power to affect such a large system is quite low,” said Fritz. Other students think that the resignation of the Pope could cause a sort of division within the Catholic Church. “One issue arises in the Church doctrine that states that the Pope is chosen by God. If the Pope was chosen by God, why would he resign? This could lead to a schism in the Church...Some would follow the old Pope, and others the new. Another issue is that it shows that the papacy has its weaknesses,” said senior Adam Laytham. There are even more modern means

by which Benedict could assert considerable influence apart from the Vatican’s control. “If he voiced a dissenting opinion, it is entirely possible it would create a conflict within the Church. He has a Twitter account, @Pontifex, so a quick tweet could be read by his 1.6 million followers, rather than isolated within the walls of the Vatican,” said Kinney. However, Pope Benedict’s resignation could also teach his followers lessons about being a follower of Christ and the Catholic Church. “Pope Benedict’s resignation shows Catholics that to be a disciple of Jesus Christ is to be humble in serving the Church with an eye to always doing what is best for serving the mission of the Gospel whether one is the Pope or an ordinary believer,” said Welch. The new Pope, Pope Francis I also models living a life of humility. He took the name of a humble man who rejects the regular splendor of such a prestigious position in the Catholic Church. He was reported having taken the bus back to his hotel after his inauguration as Pope along with the other Cardinals, rather than taking advantage of his new personal chauffeur. Although he has only held his new position for a short time, Pope Francis I has already made headlines for plans to travel to Brazil to lead the World Youth Day in mid-July, and has spurred discussion on several important issues involving religious affairs. It is not uncommon for new Popes to offer a wide variety of new opinions or to reaffirm previous Church decisions, but Pope Francis I, being the first non-European Pope and first Jesuit Pope in over one thousand years, has many convinced that there will be noticeable changes throughout the Catholic Church in the years to come. “I believe in [the new Pope] to lead the Catholic faith and fix any problems there are in the church,” said senior Jason Lohe Pope Francis I has already called for greater interreligious dialogue and better protection of the environment. On March 23, Francis I also met with Benedict XVI, the first meeting between Popes in over 600 years. Pope Francis I, the pontiff of first, as he has been called, represents a new age in the Catholic Church.

Aurora Wrancher ...Features EditorGianna Sparks ...Features EditorRichard Reynolds ...Sports EditorStaff Writers and Photographers ...Katryn Dobkin ...Jonathan Herzog ...Zack Becker ...Ashley Van Camp ...Brianne Lewis ...Jordyn Werre

Tracy Silvagnoli...Sponsor

Molly Thal ...Centerspread Editor

Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI (left) in 2010. He was Pope from April 19, 2005 to Feb. 28, 2013. He was succeeded by Pope Francis I from Argentina (right) on March 13, 2013 who is the first non-European Pope in 1,272 years.

Cardinals Select First Non-European Pope in nearly 1,300 years

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4 News March 28, 2013Parkway North High School

Robotics Team Hosts Competition for Second Straight Year

Kevin Graeler

Editor-in-ChiefStudents from six different states com-

peted in the annual North High Robotics Competition that took place on March 2, 2013.

“If you are even remotely considering going into any technical field, this is where to go to get your feet wet,” said Technology Edu-cation teacher Brad Ziegler, who served as the event coordinator.

This was the second year that Parkway North hosted the robotics competition while also competing against the other schools that participated.

“We were building robots for the com-petition to compete against other teams,” said freshman David Wokovich. “We work by our-selves, and [Ziegler] helps us with program-ming problems if we have them.”

After hours of preparation for the event the night before, nearly 40 teams presented their robots, competed in competitions, and were judged during contests that took place in the upper gym.

“Overall, I am overseeing 30-40 volun-teers and running off of a budget of about 800 dollars [for the competition],” Ziegler said. “It’s crazy to see it all come together.”

High school teams traveled to North to experience the competition that has quickly gained credibility in the high school robotics

community.“The planning group here is getting

pulled in to mentor other groups to set up competitions around the area,” Ziegler said. “We had a couple teams return from last year, and the new teams liked how we ran things.”

The goal for all of the students involved is to build robots in teams that will compete in a competition that tests the machine’s abil-

Technology students from six different states came to North to show off their robots

ity to move small beanbags into a separate scoring area in a specified length of time.

“I like building the robots and hanging out with my friends,” Wokovich said. “If you get a few friends together, it is really fun to just work and build robots.”

Each robot is the result of weeks of work put in by the teams. North High has fifteen students in the Robotics Club and splits up

the club into two separate teams during com-petitions.

“There are a lot of things you are com-bining to make the robot,” said Ziegler. “There is a lot of learning that takes place. It’s fun to see what these kids have built.”

Besides this annual competition, the North High Robotics Club travels to various locations to compete at other high schools.

“We have competitions around Missouri and out-of-state sometimes,” Wokovich said.

The makeup of the club at North will be changing due to graduation this May. Many members are seniors, including the club pres-ident, Sam Bush.

“[Senior Sam Bush] is graduating so we are getting ready to elect a new president,” Ziegler said.

Bush has been active in the group throughout his high school career and is in-terested in pursuing the field of technology as a future career.

“When I moved from Ohio, I became re-ally interested because I want to make a ca-reer out of it. This was a perfect way to do so,” said Bush.

Lessons learned throughout each meet-ing and competitions prepare students for potential future careers in technological fields and satisfied curiosity.

“Get involved early [with the club],” Ziegler commented. “Computers are pretty much taking up all aspects of our life.”

Senior Steven Gruber, freshman Jared Skiles, and junior Kevin Wilking work as a team to improve their robot during the Robotics Competition at North.

Students gather around one of the fields to have their robots compete on March 2, 2013.

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5Opinions

MARCH 28, 2013

Parkway North High School

Kevin Graeler

Editor-in-Chief

Students Taking Advanced Placement Exams Should Research Possible Outcomes Before Spending $89

Just Another Day With Another TestMissouri will soon require all students to take an “End of High School Exam”

High school students acknowledge standardized testing as an inevitable portion of the American educational experience. As the number of these tests continues to increase, the importance and legitimacy of using this as a method to measure academic prowess leaves room for improvement. While standardize tests have their place in the educational system, students are tested too much and the tests don’t accurately measure a student’s true ability.

“There are standardized tests for so many different things for continuing education,” said Judy Babitz, the testing coordinator at North High. “Missouri will be adding more and more tests as time goes on because of the ‘No Child Left Behind’ laws.”

From national tests such as the ACT and SAT to exams required by the state like End of Course exams (EOCS) and other focused assessments, testing has become deeply rooted in determining the intellect of students and their ability to comprehend topics discussed in classes throughout each school year.

“This is a really hot topic right now. I just went into a meeting to see how everything is going to be set up,” said Babitz. “The theory of EOCs is to fi nd out if students have actually learned the material. In theory, EOC’s are a good thing. But the question is, ‘Are we allowing the teachers to teach or just teach to the test?’”

Teachers are often caught in a perpetual revolving door with the issue of standardized test scores. There is a fi ne line that must be followed while determining curriculum in order for students to have maximum opportunities to succeed on the tests and learn material and skills that may help them outside of the classroom.

“Teachers are forced to teach to the

Beginning May 6, students at Parkway North will be taking the Advanced Placement Exams in the hopes of receiving college credit based on their scores. However, today, more and more colleges are not accepting college credit for certain exams, and which scores are accepted also vary greatly from school to school. Though AP Exams are benefi cial, students should exercise caution when deciding which exams to take, if they take any at all.

Typically, students who receive a certain score on the AP Exam are able to receive credit hours in college or even move up to a higher level class beginning their freshman year. Based on the scores one receives, a student can enter college with over six credit hours and save over $1000.

“[Taking the AP Exams] are an investment,” said testing coordinator Judy Babitz. “If you qualify for college credit, it is a tremendous fi nancial savings. You can

test and [the tests force] less creative interpretation of their subject,” said senior Samantha Thal. “It might be a way of measuring factual knowledge, but it is not a good test of potential and intelligence.”

Another argument in opposition to these assessments is the fact that a student might excel in classes but still receive subpar scores. Some students do not test well but understand the material well.

“Everybody learns differently. We have seen kids in here who have incredible averages [in classes] and get anxiety for the tests,” explained Babitz. “If you’re not a

great test taker, sometimes that can work to your detriment.”

The opposite is also true. Some students are great at test taking and score high on standardize tests even though they don’t know the material well and cannot transfer the knowledge which is the ultimate goal of education.

While there are many negative opinions held by students towards the concept of testing, some people believe these experiences serve to prepare each individual for the rigors of college courses in the future and give educators an idea of

what the students knows and still needs to learn.

“[Standardized testing] helps you with testing situations because once you get to college you have to take big tests,” said senior Alaura Iskowitz.

Knowing the scores of the tests and the areas where a student is successful or unsuccessful may help a student decide what they are going to do with their future and prepare them for after high school, but the side effects are detrimental.

“I think it’s the right amount of testing,” said senior Thomas Beilsmith. “The goal of standardized testing is to understand where students are in their academic abilities.”

But students are growing weary as a result of standardized testing and dread having to be tested so much. Students are beginning to hate learning because the only benefi t they see is a good test score which translates into nothing of value to them. This dread will continue to grow as students are required to take more and more tests.

“Starting in two years, there will be an ‘End of High School exam’ for juniors,” Babitz explained. This test will last approximately four hours and be a requirement for graduation.

As the issue rages on, many of the top institutions are struggling with the importance of standardized tests just like Parkway faculty members are right now in the district and guidance offi ces.

“Some of the Ivy League [schools] are considering not having standardized tests at all,” Babitz said.

Testing is an inescapable aspect of receiving an appropriate education, but standardized tests simply do not fully encompass the capabilities of each student.

Babitz said, “Depending just on a test does not allow you to see all the different factors of whom the student is.”

Jo Treadway

Design Editor

receive three hours of college for a tenth of the cost at college.”

Although it’s cheaper and benefi cial to receive college credit in high school, there is no guarantee that a student can receive that credit from the AP Exams, especially if one’s major in college is in the same subject of the exam.

“As good as an AP-level class is in high school, the college might teach that same class differently,” Babitz said. “If you wish to apply your AP credit in college, the school has to put you in the next level. For example, if you receive credit for Biology, you have to go into the next level of that class, but they may teach the subject differently. For that reason, they may not accept AP credit because the school wants you to learn the subject the way they teach it so you are more prepared.”

In addition, what AP emphasizes in the courses offered could be very different than what a college or a particular major would emphasize in that same class. If students are not careful, they may be spending $89 for nothing.

“[If I didn’t receive college credit for the AP Exams], I would be upset because I went to so much work preparing for the test and then I would fi nd out that it didn’t even matter,” said junior Alyssa LaFever who will be taking four exams total: English, Chemistry, U.S. Government, and Government: Comparative Politics.

Overall, taking the AP Exams is very benefi cial for students and are a great investment. However, students should not blindly jump into the exam and expect to receive college credit. If they are not prepared enough for the exam or the school doesn’t even accept credit, the exams could be a waste. That is why it is important for students to discuss with their teachers and the colleges they apply to in order to decide if taking the test is the right thing to do.

“I highly recommend that students discuss the AP exam with teachers to see if they are ready to take it or not,” said Babitz. “Deciding whether or not the AP exams are worth taking is not a blanket-case because different schools and programs accept

different scores.”Whether or not taking the AP Exams

is worth it is for each student to decide, but the student needs to make sure that they are ready for the exam so they get the score they need to receive credit.

“I think it is a good opportunity to show what you’ve learned [and taking the AP exams] is a chance to earn college credit, so I fi gured, ‘why not take it?’,” said LaFever

They should check with the colleges they’re applying to to see if they’ll receive credit at all. For most students, AP credit is a great opportunity that allows them to have more fl exibility in their schedule, can help them save money, and even allow them to graduate early.

“I’ve checked with my school of choice,” said LaFever, “and if I get good scores on all my tests, I could earn up to 12 credit hours total in college.”

Students who are ready for the test and know their school will accept credit should spend the $89 to take the AP Tests; however, students who are not, should not.

March 28, 2013Parkway North High School6 Entertainment

Jonathan Herzog

Staff Writer

Music Industry Mixes Past and Current Artists

The music industry can be a tough place to make a living. No matter how successful their careers are, musicians are bound to seem “dated” after enough time. It’s understandable that musicians wouldn’t want to fade into obscurity, but would rather keep making music as long as they can. In March, several bands and artists released new albums – some for the first time in years – in an attempt to stay fresh in the music world. “I think that it’s good, especially when it comes to people like David Bowie, Bob Dylan, [and] Springsteen, who’s only getting better,” said senior Noah Laster. These albums include, among others, Bonnie Tyler’s “Rocks and Honey,” Bon Jovi’s “What About Now,” David Bowie’s “The Next Day,” Depeche Mode’s “Delta Machine,” and an untitled album from Cher. “I will certainly purchase the new David Bowie album when I get the chance. I’ll probably also get Bob Dylan’s ‘Tempest’ as well,” said English teacher Mark Bannecker. But these artists can’t be successful on just an older generation of listeners. Some of these musicians hit the height of their careers before many North students were born. How

do they interest a younger generation in their sound? “I think these artists establish a legacy that younger audiences are very much aware of, and are…more willing to take the time to try to appreciate these older, legendary things,” said Bannecker. For those artists out to recapture popularity, most of these comeback attempts are hit or miss. Madonna’s controversial comeback attempt in 2012 was judged by many to be one of those flops, but that could be attributed to doing things for the sake of popularity rather than for the sake of art. “There are certain artists that might not be as relevant and they hit their peak in the 70’s or 80’s, but good musicians always make good music. It just has to do with if they stay true to that ideal of making good art rather than selling out or doing what is

commercially popular,” said senior Shane Devine. Most seem to agree that it’s the desire to make art, not the desire to make money, which keeps some musicians from never retiring. But for just as many short, vibrant careers in the form of one-hit wonders, there are long, comfortable ones. Those musicians are slow-burning fires, and since cultural relevancy isn’t something they worry about, they put more effort into making music for art. “I would argue for artists, like Springsteen and Dylan, they’re not comebacks. Every few years they put out a CD that critics tend to enjoy. And I don’t know that it’s just critics genuflecting in front

of these legends – I think that their music is being seriously considered and deemed outstanding still. So I don’t know that it’s really a comeback, it’s just a continuation of an impressive career,” said Bannecker. No matter how old they are, as long as musicians have the proper motivations, they can still make high quality music. Popular requests from Parkway North students for new albums from older artists include The Pixies, The Smiths, and Morrissey. While they may not be putting out albums this year, the other albums can be found online and, for those looking for a bit more nostalgia, music stores.

Headline Bands Bring Shows to Saint Louis Different Venues This Spring, Summer

Music under the stars. Fun in the sun. Friends rocking out. This spring and summer, concerts will be a popular event among students. “I am going to see [Marina and the Diamonds] with Sarah Williams, and Maura McBride,” said Irena Shalinskaya. British singer, Marina and the Diamonds, is performing on May 17 in St. Louis. The lead singer, who is from London and performs indie pop music, has a differnt take on pop music. Her music is inspired by Madonna and Fiona Apple. She is very comparable to Katy Perry. “[Marina and the Diamonds] is a non-mainstream pop singer which I like,” said sophomore Irina Shalinskaya. One Direction is a British boy band that got their start on the British X-Factor, where they developed a following. The pop boy band is growing everyday. Other boy bands that are becoming popular are The Wanted , who are touring as well. Their new album is called Take Me Home. “My friends went to a One Direction concert in October last year so that is where I heard of them,” said sophomore Amanda Crawford. Even though they are not coming to St. Louis, they will perform in Chicago on July 13 and 14 and perform in Kansas City on July 19. Some students are going out of town to

see their favorite artists perform live. “I am seeing [One Direction] in Chicago,” said Crawford. Pentatonix is an acapella group that got their start by winning NBC’s The Sing-Off which is a show for acapella groups that sing covers of popular songs. The group members are Avi, Scott, Mitch, Kevin, and Kirstie. The group’s Christmas album was the number

one iTunes Holiday Albums. They are touring from March to August, and performed in St. Louis on March 8. “I like [Pentatonix] because they are really talented and have a cool take on songs,” said sophomore Lindsey Potts. This summer and spring, many additional artists are going on tour including Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Beyonce Knowles,

and Justin Timberlake. Taylor Swift performed on March 18 and 19 in St. Louis and will perform in Chicago on Aug. 10. Bruno Mars is performing in St. Louis on Aug. 8 and in Chicago on July 13. “I think [Taylor Swift] is cool and fun. Her music is something a lot of people can enjoy, and she seems like a sweet person,” said sophomore Shannon Commerford. There are several other bands going on tour this summer including New Kids on the Block, 98 Degrees, Boyz II Men, and Kendrick Lamar, who will be in St. Louis on April 17. “I like Kendrick Lamar because his songs have double meaning, and I like his beats,” said English teacher David Beck. Various festivals are going to take place this summer also including Coachella, Lollapoza, and Vans Warped Tour. Many of these festivals are going to be outdoor events in other cities. “I am going to see Umphery’s McGee. [They are] a jam band that has a different show every night. They are also performing at Summer Camp, which is a festival where you camp out for three days and listen to 75 bands in Chillicotche, IL,” said Beck. Many artists are performing this summer and spring in the St. Louis area and other Midwest areas, including Chicago. Many of these artists are very popular and have good music to listen to, making for a good season for those new to concerts and those who frequent concerts often to go to the shows.

Brianne Lewis

Staff Writer

Photo by Brianne Lewis

On March 19, North students attended the Taylor Swift concert where she performed her hit songs at the Scotttrade Center in St.Louis to a crowd of 14,000 people. Tickets were sold out on both nights of her performance. Swift is one of many performances coming to St. Louis this spring.

Photo by Shannon Com

merford

7March 28, 2013Parkway North High School Entertainment

Jonathan Herzog

Staff Writer

Parkway North hosts students with skills of all kinds, whether they’re traditional or eccentric. On March 8, North’s Student Council invited these students to showcase their talents in the annual talent show. “It went well because everyone was really cooperative, besides one person who auditioned and did not show up. We made about $1,300 dollars and it all went to [help fight] cancer,” said Student Council president Nick Piazza, who helped organize the event. STUCO members worked for almost a month planning the talent show, starting with a date and handling all the logistics from there. This can be challenging for them, but they have help from staff members. “I helped the student council select the date and made sure that the date worked with everyone involved. I helped them set the price. I helped them set up for tryouts and select the acts and organize the program,” said history teacher Bob McKitrick, who sponsors the Student Council. Auditions for the talent show were held on Feb. 26 and 27, where students performed in front of Student Council members acting as a panel of judges. There were many auditions, but not all students made it into the final show. However, Piazza assures that this wasn’t because of a lack of skill. “Some acts I felt like people weren’t emotionally ready to perform in front of a large group because, even for a panel of four judges, they were almost about to throw up. We wouldn’t choose them because I would

feel bad if that happened in front of people,” said Piazza. This should serve to encourage, not discourage, students and give them motivation to practice and hone their skills and stage fright. If more students were willing to present themselves, the talent show could expand even more. “We tried to get a good, diverse group of acts – people we think the crowd would enjoy,” said Piazza. The official lineup for the talent show featured a performance from Danny McGinnist with Max White, Jack Linneman, and Alex Pack. “Me, my friends Jack and Alex, performed an acoustic rendition of a song, and we let Danny McGinnist rap over it. He came to us [the day of the talent show], actually, and asked us if we wanted to do it,” said White. Along with those four students, there were acts by K’miyah Carson, Phoebe Lieberman, Brandon Atkins and Tali Eke, Abby Russell, Jake Sendweiss, Hellen Oh, Maddie Swaney, Kailey LaClare with Danielle Feinstein and Jack Catalanotto, Jackson Hartig, and a performance from the band Lincoln and the Emancipators, which is formed by students from North. “My favorite act was probably Kailey and Jack’s, which was the one where they did a song with Danielle Feinstein, and I enjoyed the dancing as well,” said White. Along with a showcase of the skills of North’s students, the talent show doubled as an event for the Relay for Life. Originally, Relay for Life was scheduled that evening,

but the evening was cancelled. Cancer survivors and members from the American Cancer Society were invited to speak near the end of the event. There was also an interactive glow-light service to honor those whose lives had been touched by cancer. “[My favorite part was] the end with the glow-sticks. [I liked when] the glow sticks broke [and lit up] to show that everyone has someone they love who has suffered from cancer. It was moving, in the sense of how,

when they would turn the lights off, everyone had a glow-stick in their hands and everyone’s glow-stick was glowing. They cracked it if they had someone that they loved who died from cancer,” said White. Next year, the talent show may stand on its own without it doubling for the Relay for Life. The student council is already thinking of ways to improve it. All it needs are students willing to show their skills because there are more than enough outstanding students at North with something to share.

Photos by Katryn Dobkin

Freshman Phoebe Lieberman performs an ‘I’m Yours’ by Jason Mraz cover at the talent show on March 8. All of the proceeds collected were donated to the American Cancer Society.

Students Impress Peers at School Talent Show

Freshman Helen Oh plays Bumblebee Boogie on the piano. There was a wide variety of perfor-mances at the talent show, including multiple singers and students playing instruments.

CenterspreadNorsestar8 Parkway North High School

March 28, 2013March 28, 2013Parkway North High School 9

Ashley Van CampStaff Writer

As the weather gets warmer and the snow starts to melt, students begin to go outside more often. There are many activities that can be enjoyed outside, but one of the easiest, healthiest, and most affordable is hiking through some of the most unique parks in St. Louis.

“Powder Valley is a good place to hike because it has a lot of diversity such as different plants and landscapes,” said volunteer Marti Pawol.

Powder Valley Conservation in Kirkwood has several trails ranging from short 15 minute hikes to longer trips that can take over an hour to complete. Along with the various trails, Powder Valley has a nature center where children and adults can take different classes, ask questions, or just explore the different wildlife in the state.

“Tanglevine is an easy, paved, level trail that is handicap accessible. Hickory Ridge is a harder trail with more hills, but is very pretty with greater plant diversity, and Broken Ridge takes you down by the creek and is quieter because it is the furthest away from the highway,” said Pawol.

People enjoy hiking trails for various reasons. While some look for the difficulty to challenge themselves, others look for the scenery and experience that can be enjoyed along the trail.

“The scenery, seclusion, and quietness [of a trail] makes [the trail] a good place to hike,” said physical education teacher Chris Frankenfield.

Aside from Powder Valley, there are several other areas with distinctive hiking trails in St. Louis.

Laumeier Sculpture Park, located off of Rott road in St. Louis sets itself apart from traditional parks because of its abundance of artwork along the trails. The trail through

an wooded area for pedestrians only. Finally, Meadows Loop, which is 2.8 miles long and shares part of the Lakeview trail, offers a clear view of the Creve Coeur Lake, along with a beautiful walk through the woods.

Hiking is a sport that almost everyone can participate in, whether young or old, providing a great way to get outdoors and enjoy the fresh air, while promoting a healthy lifestyle.

“Hiking is inexpensive, [relatively] easy, and a good way to start to exercising,” said Frankenfield.

“My favorite part about Spring is the fresh mornings, followed by warm days that say goodbye with the colors of life,”said senior Rogelio Bonilla.

“My favorite thing about Spring is the beautiful sunshine we get from time to time,” said junior Geoffry Smith.

“More daylight and Cardinal spring training,” said science teacher Megan Yemm.

Gianna SparksFeatures Editor

Laumeier has a gradual incline with a 100 feet elevation gain, making it an easier trail to hike. Although it is not handicap accessible, Laumeier’s trails goes through both woodlands and vast fields filled with larger sculptures that makes a great place for a picnic. Laumeier gives hikers a chance to enjoy serene nature and unique art simultaneously.

“[The sculptures] are all very unique in designs,” said sophomore Brandon Etz, frequent hiker.

Laumeier has over 60 pieces of artwork scattered throughout the park, ranging from modern art to a mosaic cat that greets visitors as they enter. Along with the variety of sculptures, the park also has an indoor gallery, library, classes, and several free programs focusing on conservation and history.

Another popular park with hiking trails located near the homes of many North students is Creve Coeur Park.

“Creve Coeur Park has a trail that is hard to find, but a great [trail]. The upper part goes through the bluffs and it’s great for hiking or biking,” said Frankenfield.

The most well-known trail at Creve Coeur Park is the paved, 3.7 mile Lakeview trail that gives hikers a great view of the body of water, and briefly takes them through the woods. However, there are a total of five trails at Creve Coeur Park, varying in lengths and levels of difficulty.

“Creve Coeur Park is out in nature, there are no distracting noises, it has a big lake, and the trails [are unique] because of their various terrain,” said Etz.

Of the five trails, Bootlegger’s Run, a 1.5 mile trail with a slight incline that goes through the woods, is the only non-paved trail. It takes hikers through a quiet and secluded area of the park. The Creve Coeur connector is 2.8 miles long and connects to the Katy Trail, while Mallard Lake Trail winds for 2.6 miles with

“It’s nice and warm and you can go to the petting zoo without being cold,” said freshman Lucas Paul.

Beautiful pieces of modern artwork scattered around Laumeier Sculpture Park make it a unique hik-ing spot for the hikers of St. Louis. This steel piece, Bornibus, was created by Mark di Suvero, an artist from Shanghai, China.

St. Louis Hiking Offers Diverse Experiences Including Varied Scenary, Difficulty Levels

“I enjoy Spring because of spring break and because you don’t have to wear heavy outer clothing,” said sophomore Valerie Zhuravel.

What is your favorite thing about Spring? Powder Valley, a Missouri Conservation Area,

focuses on protecting native plants and ani-mals through a variety of classes. Additionally, the area has several trails going throughout the woods

Photos by Gianna Sparks

Ricardo Cat by Niki de Saint Phalle offers a bench for visitors to rest during their hike at Lau-meier Sculpture Park. It is also a favorite for chil-dren because its shape and size make it easy to climb on.

Spring break is a time for many students to relax by going on vacation with friends, fam-ily, or staying at home.

Besides playing sports for North, many students were traveling due to academics and athletics.

“I was playing baseball for school and relaxing at home; if I went out of town then I would probably not play much of the season,”

said junior Amir Saga.“I had a volleyball tournament in

Indianapolis. I was looking forward to winning and bonding with my team,” said

sophomore Carly Coughlin.Coughlin was also looking forward to

shopping while she is in Indianapolis and re-laxing at home.

“When I was not [at the tournament], I was getting lots of sleep and hanging with my friends and family,” said Coughlin.

While some competed to win at tourna-ments, sophomore Annalise Ruzicka went to the Lake of the Ozarks for the state DECA competition affiliated with Parkway North High School.

“I tried my best during the competi-tion to meet as many new people as I can in my free time,” said Ruzicka.

Other students went on vacation with a group of friends.

“I went to Gulf Shores, Alabama this spring break. I was really looking forward to getting away and laying on the beach,” said senior Abbey Boland.

Many seniors say going on a spring break trip is a great way to get together with a group of friends and create mem-

ories one last time before graduation. “It was a fun experience to go out of

town with friends and get away from school before graduating,” said Boland.

Being on vacation with friends might have even brought

some closer.“I feel this will bring my

friends and I even closer because we will be hanging out, shopping,

and having a good time,” said senior Mikey Williams

Not only were students going somewhere on spring break, teachers

were as well.“I went to Rosemary, Florida. I

spent lots of time on the beach with my toes in the sand, reading, and spending

time with family and friends,” said secretary Kathy Dodge.

Spring Break: Time for Fun, Adventure, Learning

As the weather warms up and Spring rolls around the corner, many people go on their annual Spring clothes shopping trips. Spring fashion usu-ally consists of people buying things that fit new trends and sporting them with their favorite old trends.

The differences between the fashion from Spring 2012 and Spring 2013 seem almost like complete opposites. In the Spring 2012 season, blazers made a bold statement amongst the high school girls population.

Senior Lauren Sanders said, “[I like wearing blazers because] they are cute with a sophisticated flare.”

While blazers are still popular, college ath-letic wear is dominating the high school girl popu-lation this season.

“I like wearing [college athletic gear] because I’m interested in going to that school [or if it’s a] sports team from that college [that] I like,” said sophomore Nicole Miller.

Along with athletic wear from various uni-versities, another Spring 2013 trend are beanies with a professional athletic team’s logo printed on them.

Junior Leah Wayne said, “I like to wear bean-ies because it’s cold in the school, and I match them to my outfit.”

This fashion statement is very popular with girls as well as boys.

“[I like wearing beanies] because my idol, Alex Gaskarth, [singer and guitarist from All Time Low] wears one, and it makes me feel punk,” said senior Richard Ngo-Lam.

Another Spring 2012 trend that seems to follow into the Spring 2013 season are Converse Chuck Taylor’s tennis shoes.

“[Converse Chuck Taylor’s] are definitely a classic [shoe.] They just seem to go well with my casual sense of style and match well with my jeans,” said senior Sylvia Tse.

Sperry Days are another shoe that has ar-rived and are here to stay for a while.

Senior Caylen Vinson said, “[Sperry’s] are comfortable [and] can pretty much go with any-thing depending on what style you have. I own three pairs myself.”

With so many trends coming in and out, many create their own styles by mixing old trends with new trends. Being an administrator at a high school, there are multiple trends that can be seen on a daily basis, let alone every season.

“The biggest trend I’ve seen with girls in the whole school is yoga pants. I like them because they’re versatile and comfortable, ” said senior principal Karen Calcaterra.

Katryn DobkinStaff WriterSpring 2012 Fashion Spring 2013 Fashion

Mizzou College Wear Spring 2012 price: $44.95Spring 2013 price: $54.95

SperrySpring 2012 price: $91.99Spring 2013 price: $79.99

Neon Athletic WearSpring 2012 price: $25.99Spring 2013 price: $29.99

Miami Heat BeanieSpring 2012 price: $22.49Spring 2013 price: $34.99

H&M BlazersSpring 2012 price: $59.95Spring 2013 price: $34.95

Chuck Taylor’sSpring 2012 price: $49.98Spring 2013 price: $25.60

Hot Topic Tie-Dye ShirtSpring 2012 price: $20.00Spring 2013 price: $16.99

Steven Chaffin Online Editor

Photos by Katryn Dobkin

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Photo by Ashley Van Camp

10 COMMUNITY March 28, 2013Parkway North High School

Diversity Groups Form One Giant Group Social Justice

During March 11-14, students and fac-ulty dressed up during a new spirit week sponsored by the Social Justice Group to bring people together as a community and spread awareness to different issues.

“For the spirit week that we had, each day was symbolic for a different issue, and our goal was to have accepting students by the end of the week,” said sophomore Eryn

Carter.Mudd explained, “The goal of spirit

week was to get the school to come together and have fun dressing up and coming togeth-er as a community, but also shedding light over the themes of the day.”

After a successful spirit week, Mike Ha-zelton has additional goals for the rest of the year.

“These kids are passionate about what they do. I’d like to get more people to be pas-sionate about being in these groups and all working together,” said Hazelton.

Several awareness groups have teamed up this year to create one major group known as “No Place for Hate” in order to address so-cial justice issues at North.

“The main groups that we formed from were Superintendents Social Justice Leader-ship Advisory Council (SSJLAC), Zero Con-flict, and GSA,” said group sponsor Mike Hazelton. “All of these groups had driven people, but I think they needed more guid-ance, a goal, and a focus so that they could be more engaged.”

The Student Social Justice group grew out of multiple groups that had the same message but needed more guidance.

“It was a student in one of the groups that had the idea of making one big group, after sitting through an SSJLAC meeting,” said Hazelton. “Then, I just started tracking kids down. I didn’t want to take away any unique perspective, but I wanted to meet as one group.”

Members thought that it would be eas-ier to achieve the goal of school wide accep-tance by all working together.

“We want to brand our message of no bullying to the kids, and we want them to

practice it,” said Hazelton. “If we talk about it enough to help people make connections, it will be enough to make people stop it when they see it.”

Even though the group started last year, the group has since grown and has goals to improve how they will get their message out.

“Last year, we did a lot with the ‘No Place for Hate’ assembly, but no one really knew about us when we were just called the Social Justice Committee,” said sophomore Layla Kousari.

In order to improve their efforts from the previous year, the group decided to plan more activities during the 2012-13 school year.

Moeller shows off his school spirit by dressing up for No Place for Hate spirit week.

In recent years, the Parkway School District has been going down a very environ-mentally friendly path, from composting to the new solar panels. Most of the changes were due to Parkway North’s Environthon group. Even though Environthon is a com-petition that the club competes in, the club does a lot more for the community.

“Environthon is a contest where you have to put together the ideas and manage-ment behind soils, nature, and wildlife, and current issues to come up with solutions to real world problems,” said biology teacher Russell Barton.

“Environthon is a knowledge based en-vironmental competition where schools com-pete,” said senior Jacqueline Sotraidis.

However, competitions are not the only thing Environthon does. The team is involved in the community as well and participates in opportunities besides the competitions.

“Our Environthon team is way more scientific than any other Environthon group; others don’t dabble in the small opportuni-ties like we do,” said Barton, who believes that despite not winning last year’s competi-tion, North still has the better club.

Environthon had a huge role in many of the different Green projects across Parkway. Environthon was the largest force behind the move to install solar panels at some Parkway schools. Environthon and the recycling club are responsible for getting the composting program started in Parkway.

Environthon Gets Ball Rolling in Green Movement“I’ve been helping with the composting

program. We recently went to the middle school to teach about composting,” said So-traidis. She and other members of the club have been pushing for composting across the school district.

“I coordinated a lot of the efforts to-wards the composting,” said sophomore Abby Lammers.

North will also be receiving a green-house with state grants. The greenhouse will be used to both offer a space for classes to be held, and to offer different opportunities for the biology classes of the school.

Environthon also focuses on the com-munity, and how being environmentally friendly helps out communities. Last year, Environthon started a website that offered different eco-friendly tips and advice on how to improve one’s home. The website also has videos for teachers that show how to perform simple fun experiments that also go along the curriculum.

“[Environthon] gives students going into Environmental Science a way to learn about it,” said Sotraidis.

“Environthon is an example on how Parkway North fits into the community. It gave rise to Lexus Eco, the community out-reach of Environthon. It is a publicity cam-paign for solar, composting, improving home efficiency, and benefits of a rain garden. We have also done lots of native habitat word with Lexus Eco and Environthon,” said Bar-ton.

Environthon will be saying goodbye to some seniors next year including Jacqueline

Sotraidis and JJ Kim. Both who have been members of Environthon since their fresh-men year.

“These seniors have the most time with me. I’ve been with them for all four years. They have produced positive changes and have been very involved in different envi-ronmental initiatives. They have a lot of en-ergy,” said Barton.

Environthon has some big shoes to fill since both Sotraidis and Kim have been major leaders in Environthon and Lexus Eco in re-

Emily Ladig

Staff Writer

Zack Becker

Staff Writer

cent years. Sotraidis led the Lexus Eco Team to a first round win last year, and Kim led the team to first round win this year. With these seniors leaving, there is a lot of room for new leaders to step up in Environthon.

With Environthon being the spearhead for the green movement in Parkway School District and dominating at the local Environ-thon competitions, the future of the environ-ment and positive changes not only to the district, but in the community as well, look bright.

Students and staff of Parkway North stand outside of the St.Louis Compost office to find out what their duties for the day are.

“We did a movie night in the library and did discussions. Also this year, we really worked hard to discuss our goals as a group,” added freshman Meghan Mudd.

As for next year, the group hopes to “incorporate these groups into a district SS-JLAC, and for North to have something each month to highlight issues,” Hazelton said.

The group hopes to continue to be suc-cessful with their efforts to improve school climate.

“We’re striving to make North a more accepting environment for everyone. We want all students to feel comfortable and have a person that they can go to for help,” said Carter.

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Richard ReynoldsSports Editor

11March 28, 2013Parkway North High School Features

Queeny All Districts is an event that hosts all fifth grade, eighth grade, and symphonic orches-tras from the Parkway North, South, Central, and West.

Parkway Unites Various Students Through Music

Ways to Join the MilitaryRECRUITMENT You can contact a recruiter at school, a re-cruitment center, or by e-mail. A recruiter can help you decide whether or not the military is right for you. If it is, you can sign up and begin training.

ROTC For those interested in becoming officers in the military, the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) offers programs at several universities which allow college students to prepare to be officers in the military. Cadets in ROTC commit to serve in the mili-tary after graduation in exchange for paid college tuition. ROTC also allows graduates to enter Basic Combat Training at a higher rank than those who are enlisted.

BASIC COMBAT TRAINING (BCT) Others may take part in BCT which is a nine weeks course and consists of three differ-ent phases before graduation. This gives recruits the knowledge base and physical strength they need to be a soldier.

ADVANCED INDIVIDUAL TRAINING (AIT) A final option is training for the specific job a soldier will perform while in the military. Individuals can attend AIT schools and receive hands-on training for their career field within the military.

Jocelyn TreadwayDesign Editor

Parkway North Students Serve Their Country by Joining Military

One of the United States Marines’ mot-toes states, “In order to be your best, you have to train like the best.” Several North students have considered serving their coun-try after graduation, and many have learned that the commitment and dedication re-quired for joining the military is what best suits them. Through meeting recruiters to taking the Armed Services Vocational Apti-tude Battery test, or ASVAP for short, which was held at North March 8 of this year, a number of students have decided to enlist in the army to begin training next year.

Senior Kiarra Johnson enlisted in the United States Marine Corps earlier this year and has been preparing herself for the next step in her career.

“I have to go to physical training and go every Saturday to work out,” Johnson said, “I also check in every week and [the Ma-rines] have to check my grades.”

The recruitment process for the Ma-rines is intensive, and taking the ASVAP is a critical step in making it to that particular branch of the military.

“The ASVAP is a test to determine which job you will be able to do in the Ma-rines,” Johnson said. “If you get a high enough score, you can do whichever job you want. I’ve taken the test three times to get the score I want.”

While the recruitment process for

the Marines can be long, for senior Justin Brooks, enlisting in the United States Army was a fairly smooth process.

“[Enlisting in the army] for me seemed to happen overnight,” Brooks said. “I called one day, and they worked to try to get me en-listed as fast as possible. I set up an appoint-ment, went in, and took a practice ASVAP. I have the support of my family and friends so [the process] went smoothly.”

The decision to join the military is an important one and should not be taken light-ly. Students who enlist in the military may have very different reasons for doing so, but family is a key role in making the decision.

“I have other family members in the Marines,” Johnson said. “I think it’s a way for me to follow in their footsteps.”

The military also offers opportunities to students, whether they may not be ready for college yet or if they would prefer to do something different, or would rather serve their country before continuing education.

“I feel like at this time, my life in col-lege isn’t where I would want it to be,” Brooks said. “Everyone says to go to college, but at this point, I’d like to do something differ-ent and serving was always something in the back of my mind. I also have an older brother who recently enlisted. We talked about it, and the army seemed like a good fit.”

Though the military offers several op-portunities and benefits for soldiers, it is difficult and is not for everyone. Those who are thinking of enlisting should give careful thought before doing so.

“I would say to anyone who is thinking of enlisting that it’s a good choice,” Brooks said, “but to make sure that this is what they want to do. Once you sign those papers, you’re locked in. But if it’s something you want to do, go for it.”

For those who do decide to enlist, there are several ways to do so, though the most common way is by meeting with a recruiter to enlist. Recruiters are at school sometimes but can always be found at a recruiting office. However, options such as joining an ROTC, the Reserve Officer Training Corps, in col-lege, allow students to receive free education in exchange for committing to serve. Basic Combat Training is another option that al-lows people to enter at a higher ranking than if they enlisted out of high school.

The recruitment process can take long, but perseverance is key.

“Go to physical training and stay posi-tive,” Johnson said. “They make you train a lot, but be as loud as you can and as quick as you can. They don’t like it when you’re quiet; they want you to be assertive. Also, when your recruiter gives you an order, do it as soon as possible.”

Overall, Johnson and Brooks are both ready to move on to the next step in their life and are ready for the challenges and experi-ences that the military will offer.

“The only concern that’s crept into my mind is Basic Combat Training and wonder-ing if I’ll be able to perform up to what they expect of me. Other than that, I’m pretty con-fident and I’m ready,” said Brooks.

Photo by Richard Reynold

s

On March 12, 2013, Parkway School District brought together orchestra students from all the Parkway schools to perform at Queeny Park for All-Districts, a three part performance consisting of the fifth grade or-chestra players, the eighth grade orchestra players, and the symphonic orchestra players. This opportunity allowed orchestra stu-dents to experience what it’s like to play in a vast orchestra, filled with students at differ-ent levels of experience.

“You get to see your roots,” said sopho-more Ryan Wahidi.

Remembering where they came from makes high school students take a trip down memory lane-back to when they were just learning to play their instruments.

“It gives a wave of nostalgia to the high school students,” said Wahidi.

This was also a great opportunity for orchestra players to learn from players who have more experience than them.

“Being able to learn from people who are better than me will have a great affect on my playing abilities,” said junior Gretchen Gregory.

“Fifth graders can see eighth graders play and the eighth graders can see the high school students play,” said Parkway North orchestra director Ken Rapini. “It helps per-petuate the program.”

Playing in a large orchestra brings chal-lenges of its own, but it has a positive effect for all of the students.

“You’re given the opportunity to play

with everyone,” said senior Andrew Stock. “Very few students get any opportunities to play with such a large group. There are spe-cific challenges that arise when you are made to play with large groups, and I think learn-ing to surmount those challenges can be a very powerful thing.”

These challenges include the logistics

of getting all students from various schools together at once. It even stems down to the younger students, who are given the oppor-tunity to participate in this concert, but may not have the same amount of discipline or talent.

“Very young children have never played in a group that size…it’s a good thing [to ex-

pose them to this],” said Stock.Not only does All-Districts help their

playing ability, but it also helps to keep the music program alive in the district.

“The purpose of All-Districts is to pro-mote the program and get public relations,” said Rapini.

Even though the likelihood that most of the students participating in this event are going to become professionals is slim, All-Districts offers the students to come together as a community and play together.

“It goes back to the issue of community because, whether or not any of the young students go on to become professional musi-cians, and there is a 99 percent chance that they won’t, there’s something about simply being involved in music that affords a really great sense of community,” said Stock.

The interaction with students from other schools in the Parkway School District created a new environment from the norm of playing with the students within the same school. It was also a great experience to play with others who share the same interest in music.

“I looked forward to having a good time with a large number of students who are in-terested in music,” said Wahidi.

Playing with other students from the different schools helps to bridge new friend-ships with other students. There are not many opportunities where students get to do this aside from athletics.

“My favorite part is getting to play with people from the different schools,” said Greg-ory.

Through Commitment, Dedication, Training, Students Succeed In Recruitment Process

12 Features March 28, 2013Parkway North High School

Jordyn Werre

Staff Writer

Photos by Jordyn W

erre

District Wide Art Exhibit Held at Parkway North

The Regional Art Show was held in the Parkway North commons from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on March 6.

“The Regional Art Show is a great op-portunity to showcase the talent of our stu-dents,” said art teacher Tom Waggle.

Waggle is proud to show the work of his students to friends and families of Parkway North and has fun showing the potential of students to others.

“It is also a fun time for the younger kids in our area to see what their artist po-tential can become when they get to North High,” said Waggle.

Senior David Vogan and former student Erin Kennedy enjoyed their time at the Re-gional Art Show which was attended by many more patrons in the community.

“I had a blast at the art show. It was exciting to see how artistically talented my peers have become. I also found it inspiring because it made me realize how proud I am to attend a school with such an outstanding art curriculum,” said Vogan.

“The artwork was very interesting. The pieces varied from paint, to pastel, to clay and other media. I loved how it all came together to create this amazing show,” said Kennedy.

Students are also proud of their work and learned about different art movements and media.

“Honestly, I mostly let my hand do the talking; the assignment in class was to make a cubist bust of a person. And cubism is basi-cally altered reality I guess, just making odd angles and levels and surface,” said sopho-more Earcha Turrentine, whose art was dis-played.

“The idea for the man was to make his face kind of distorted, specifically his eye, like the idea of the things we go through and have to see. I wanted to make sure he was a strong solid figure, hence the six pack, showing he can get through it. Mostly it was a lot of trial and error and having fun with it,” said Tur-rentine.

Turrentine and her fellow nominees were happy to know that their hard work paid off when they won a spot in the Regional Art Show.

“It was cool to be nominated for the art show because it means someone liked how my art turned out,” said senior Rachel Green.

Green expresses herself through her artwork, which is what art teachers look for in a student and hopes others will appreciate.

“I would like people to appreciate the variety of techniques, styles and personal voice that is on display in the digital art class-es,” said art teacher Christa Ollinger.

Sophomore Autumn Sauer also ex-pressed herself through her art.

Sauer said, “My assignment was to cre-ate a self-portrait. I used this opportunity to not only represent my physical appearance but also my personality. In my piece, I used a simple background to emphasize the way I stand out. Also, I based my portrait off a pho-to of myself smiling to capture my optimistic attitude.”

Sauer gave full effort in her assignment going beyond just a copy of herself and was pleased because her teacher, Ollinger, hon-ored her for it.

“When I found out that I would be fea-tured in the art show, I was very excited. This meant a lot to me because my teacher, Miss Ollinger, had recognized it as a special piece,” said Sauer.

Sauer’s self-portrait carries the theme of importance in the individual. Other themes included senior Noah Laster’s art pieces.

“I made two ceramic pieces: one pot and the other is a teapot. I made them to look visually stunning without actually being able to be used for their purpose. It’s intended to reflect society and how it looks compared to its actual function,” said Laster.

The Regional Art Show brings the Parkway community together to view and acknowledge the talent of art students and hard work.

Parents and students from the Parkway community gathered at Parkway North on Wednesday, March 6 to observe the creativity of Parkway students. The art show presented art from Parkway students of all grades using different types of mediums such as paint, clay, or photography.

Earcha Turrentine designed this sculpture in Tom Waggle’s sculpture class; her inspiration was a wounded warrior.

13FeaturesStudents Experience Other Schools in St. Louis Area

Emily McCarter

Editor-in-Chief

No matter who you meet from St. Louis, the same question is inevitable among your conversation. What high school did you at-tend? Given that, it’s important to know how schools in St. Louis can be very different in nature yet similar in style.

Cultural Leadership, originally for Jew-ish students and African-American students, was started to help kids understand other cultures while also learning what they can do to improve social justice. The group spon-sored a school swap in which three students came to Parkway North for a day to see what students at Parkway North experience every day.

“[In the group], we talk about social justice in St. Louis and how education is not fair for everyone yet,” said junior at Maple-wood High School Kyra Wallace. Wallace participated in the swap and attended North for one day.

“Parkway North is more spirited, and the students are welcoming and nice. Also, North has a lot more extracurricular activi-ties to offer [than Maplewood High School],” said Wallace.

Besides the obvious differences in size—Parkway North containing approxi-mately 1,450 students to approximately 330 students at Maplewood Richmond Heights—and location, Wallace noticed other dif-ferences too. In regards to class schedule, Maplewood Richmond Heights has a regu-lar schedule where they go to eight classes each day. However, Parkway North runs on a block schedule where the students attend four classes a day every other day.

“I would like block scheduling better because it gives the students more time to learn and really get into what you’re doing in that class,” said Wallace. “Also, the home-work is more spread out so that’s nice.”

Although there are many differences between Parkway North and Maplewood Richmond Heights High School, both schools have some similarities.

“We have study hall at my school, which is almost the same as North’s because you can go to the library to do homework or see teachers if you need help,” said Wallace.

Both schools also offer honors and AP classes and give approximately 2-3 hours of homework per night. Also, both schools have an abundance of technology.

“[Maplewood] has Macbooks students pay a $50 deposit for which is returned at the summer. If a senior [has the Macbook], then the school gives you it when you graduate, said Wallce.

Two students also came from Metro High School, a magnet school in St. Louis city that has approximately 400 students, to experience Parkway North for a day.

“Parkway North is the most diverse school I have seen,”said Leonard Blair Jr, a junior at Metro High School.

Although the students were impressed with the cultural, ethnical, and socioeconom-ical diversity, they were also impressed by the amount of technology that the students had access to.

“There was a Smartboard in every class-room at North, which was very interesting. At Metro, we only have one Smartboard in the whole school,” said Blair Jr.

“The calculators they use at North are very high-tech, with a full keyboard. The cal-culators at Metro are very old and outdated,” said Blair.

However, Metro is different because

it has an open campus where students can leave during lunch.

Another school that didn’t participate in the swap but allowed a student to attend for the day to see the differences and simi-larities was Ursuline Academy, an all-girl Catholic school.

“I can’t imagine going to school with guys, there would be so much distraction,” said Madelyn Kemper, a senior at Ursuline Academy.

There is a law against any public school favoring any religion; however, private schools may have ties to a specific religion and encourage participation in that religion. At Ursuline Academy, students say a prayer every morning and afternoon over their PA system.

“I think [a Catholic education] has helped me stay grounded. If I didn’t have my faith, then I would be less confident in my own actions because Ursuline has taught me that what I do is for a greater purpose,” said Kemper.

Even teachers agree that there is value in a Catholic education.

“I feel a Catholic education is more valuable in terms of discipline, and it comes down to the faith aspect because [religion] is integrated into all of the subjects,” said Kath-leen Stinehart, a theology teacher at Ursuline Academy.

Ursuline Academy is a private institu-

tion and can require other aspects in their curriculum in order for students to graduate, and they don’t have to follow the state’s re-quirements.

“We have to have 120 hours of ser-vice to graduate; it’s a part of our cur-riculum called ‘serviam,’ which means ‘I will serve.’ I’ve learned a lot about myself through the service I’ve done,” said Kemper. Another difference is the diversity among students. Ursuline Academy has a very small percentage of minority students, as opposed to Parkway North that has ap-proximately 40% minority students.

“In terms of college experiences, [the students at Ursuline] may find some things surprising,” said Stinehart.

There are also many parallels between Parkway North and Ursuline Academy. Ursu-line has a testing room for students to make up tests that they missed, which is similar to North’s Curriculum Learning Center where students can get help from student tutors, do homework, or retake tests.

Recently, Ursuline hosted its “Fresh-man Diversity Day” hosted by the Diversity Team. The group addressed some problems in their school such as bullying, which is the same concept as North’s “Freshman Project” hosted by Captain’s Council. Both projects aim to improve the attitudes of student’s about their school and to make everyone feel welcome.

“I like the atmosphere the most at Ur-suline Academy; I feel like I’m at home. I also love our open campus,” said Kemper.

Ursuline Academy also has a Smart-board in every classroom, like Parkway North. However, Parkway North does offer more electives to students.

“Ursuline Academy has no orchestra program. Public schools offer more diverse electives. Smaller schools do not have the financial resources to keep pace with large public schools and elective course selec-tions,” said Kathriner.

No matter where you go to school in St. Louis, there will be advantages and disad-vantages to every school.

“I believe we are all shaped by our environment no matter where we go to school. We all try to adapt, somehow,” said Kathriner.

According to Wallace, the swap taught students to “adapt to different environemnts. [I can] go from a really small population to a really big population and still feel like I’m not standing out.”

Photos by Emily M

cCarter

March 28, 2013Parkway North High School

Students at Ursuline listen as their Theology teacher, Kathleen Stinehart, discusses her opinion on abortion and using a surrogate mother. At private schools, such as Ursuline, teachers have the ability to incorporate religion and their own opinion into their teachings.

Students at Ursuline are required to wear a uniform that consists of a plaid skirt, tennis shoes or leather shoes, and an Ursuline shirt.

Sports14 March 28, 2013Parkway North High School

Ian Brown

News Editor

Jamie PowellCommunity Editor

Photo by Ian Brown

With the end of the 2011-2012 National Football League season, the future of the St. Louis Rams franchise is up in the air. As the Rams’ lease expired on the Edward Jones Dome, which has hosted the Rams’ home games since built in 1995, a proposal that will cost 700 million dollars was made to renovate the stadium to make it in to a “top tier” stadium, but how or if these renovations will be paid for still hangs in the balance. “As a die-hard Rams fan, I am all for the city helping fund a major renovation or a new stadium,” said senior Zach Muzik. The Rams have the option of moving the team to another site or city after the 2014 season if they cannot reach an agreement with the city of St. Louis. “I think to keep a lot of people happy; they should figure it out and stay in St. Louis. If in order to do that the city needs to pay. Then, it should be done with no questions asked. Keeping [the Rams] will do more good than harm,” said senior James Irwin. Having an NFL franchise as well as a top tier stadium brings much more to the city than just football revenue. The Edward Jones Dome has previously hosted NCAA final Fours, along with concerts of many artists and even conventions. “The city renovating the stadium so that

it is a top ten in the nation stadium in order to host big events such as a Political National Conventions or another Final Four is what should be done to bring in more revenue to the city,” said math teacher Jim Lawrence. Another proposal was to move the stadium away from the downtown area and

to a more suburban area such as Earth City. “I am secretly hoping that the proposal to put the stadium over by Earth City Expressway is the one they go with. It would put the stadium in Maryland Heights, and I would be able to attend a lot of games since it would only be a ten minute drive. Parking

downtown is a nightmare anyway and if the Maryland Heights proposal is accepted, there would be plenty of parking and tailgating which is a vital part of going to a football game but is rarely seen downtown,” said senior Brian Lambert. To some, not having the stadium in the downtown area will not be beneficial for the city and changes the whole dynamic of the sporting event. “Moving the stadium away from the city would defeat the purpose. There is not enough money downtown and removing the stadium would take away a big attraction which means the city, which has very little revenue as it is, would lose even more,” said Lawrence. Others prefer the current location and want to see the renovations done. “I really like where the dome is now. All I think needs to be done is a retractable roof and seats that aren’t red. Just a more modern look similar to Indianapolis or Dallas,” said Muzik. Although opinions on the stadium differ, the general consensus is that the city is responsible for keeping the Rams in town and in order to do that, game facilities need to be improved. “It is stupid for the Rams to change cities. They just moved less than twenty years ago, and are beginning to turn it back around again. They are beginning to get back to the greatest show on turf, although that would be impossible,” said Lambert.

Should They Stay or Should They Go

Last year, the Parkway North track team set many goals and raise the bar for the following years. This year, the track team plans to reach those goals with hard work and dedication. “This year is going to be good. There’s less people than last year, but we all will just have to step it up. The seniors will need to take over, like Jonathan Little, George Chisom, Cameron Cosey, and JD (Jalen Dillard),” said senior Chris Collins, who runs the four by two, four by four, and two- hundred. Students who have done track at North before are part of the team because they love running, want a scholarship, or like the relationships that are formed bonding with the team. “I did track this year because I did it last year at my old school, but I’m also doing track because I went to the Olympics to see my cousin run and it motivated me to want to do the same,” said sophomore Jordan Barry. As winter sports came to an end and the spring season started to approach, the runners prepared for the season on their own as well as with the team. “I did some running outside and lifted some weights in order to prepare for track season this year,” said senior Jalen Dillard. Although many of the runners prepared for track during it’s off season, it didn’t quite prepare them enough for the hard practices

to come. “The practices are hard. The endurance workouts are really intense The running I did in basketball had me pretty prepared but not that much,” said junior Diarra Newson. During the practices, one of the most important parts of running that the coaches teach their runners is form and stride. “The coaches teach us a lot about stride and form. Form is basically the makeup of running; it’s making sure that your running

is correct and also your breathing is together. Stride is with your legs. It’s mostly how you run: it’s not a sprint but it’s also not a jog there’s a balance,” said senior Naomi Bryant Students and teachers of Parkway North have high hope set for the boys and girls track team. “I think the track team is going to do really well this year. I can most definitely see them going to State, boys and girls,” said senior Darion McCuller. Although the school and coaches have expectations for this year, many goals are set individually as well. “I hope to beat the school record for the triple jump and go to State. I also hope to win a scholarship. I was offered one my freshman year, and I hope more offers come,” said senior Jason Hursey. This year will also mark the first time in two years that North will hold a track meet. Due to the construction work on the track, North wasn’t able to hold any meets last year. “We have a couple of meets that are here this year. We have an invitational and sectional. It will be fun to have a home meet,” said boys’ track coach Jeff Kinney. Even though the weather hasn’t been ideal for outdoor track practice, the team makes it work inside. Players can still get a work out in by running laps in the hallways and doing strength training. Some bonding time with their teammates occurs as well since they are running in close corridors. “We run around upstairs or in the gym for 10-20 minutes and it’s a lot harder than

Boys, Girls Track Team Prepares for 2013 Spring Season Despite Non-Spring Weather by Conditioning

Photo by Jamie Pow

ell

Photo by Jamie Pow

ell

The Parkway North boys track team prepares for their 2013 season by going over the fun-damentals during their practices. The team has to practice in the gym when the weather is bad.

St. Louis Rams Face Possibility Of Changing Cities

Parkway North girls track team gets right to work after their warm ups as they run their warm up laps before their practice.

running outside because it’s hotter. They can’t keep track of everyone so they usually make us run more,” said freshman Amadi Crawford. With the help of their coaches and much practice, indoors and out, the PNH track team should go very far this year. The first meet will take place on March 28 at Parkway South.

The Edward Jones Dome has been home to the St. Louis Rams since 1995 but the Rams might be heading to a different home. If the team moves, the center will still be used for conventions and other events.

March 28, 2013Parkway North High School Sports 15

Aurora Wrancher

Features EditorThe girls’ basketball team 2012-13 sea-

son was one with very few losses. Parkway Central was the last game for many seniors on the team, but also an opportunity for some newcomers to show that they had what it takes to be on the team. The players on the team proved to work very well together be-cause at the end of it, their final record was 25-2.

“We knew that we had as good team so we were trying to stay humble and play well as a team,” said senior Amber Alexander.

The girls won every tournament that they competed in this year, which included the Parkway Tip-off Tournament, the Rock-wood Summit Holiday Tournament, and the Parkway Central Tournament.

“Winning all three tournaments that we competed in was a big accomplishment. We had to beat some very good teams in all three tournaments,” said girls basketball coach Will Young.

The only loss that they had, not includ-ing Districts, was to Incarnate Word, which had an undefeated girls’ basketball team this year.

“We had an excellent season this year,” said Young.

Although the girls did not win their

District games, their career this season was very successful. They expect to have another successful season next year, but might have some difficulty replacing their four departing seniors including one of their key players, Al-exander.

“I feel like everyone contributed to the team. There are not just a couple of people. Everyone would come in and step up,” said Alexander.

Alexander finished with 1447 points for her career, which places her third all-time at North. She also had over 400 assists and 400 steals.

“I’m proud of my accomplishments, but I actually didn’t know that I was third all-time until someone told me. I’m proud of it,” said Alexander.

Although they had many good games, one stands out in particular.

“The game we played against Webster Groves was one of the highlights of the sea-son. We knew that it was a big game because they came in first place in Conferences,” said Alexander.

Although Alexander’s basketball career at Parkway North is ending, she doesn’t plan on ending her basketball career when she leaves.

“I plan on playing basketball in college, but I’m not sure which one I’m going to yet,” said Alexander.

The girls lost their District game to Parkway Central, who they had taken on and beaten twice in the regular season. Before losing to the Central, they had a 22 game winning streak. The game that night was led by freshman Alesia Sutton. Senior Naomi Bryant finished with 13 points, and Alexan-der finished with 10 points scored that game.

“We were trying to get far, but that didn’t happen. Things happen. We all under-stand,” said Alexander.

Even though they will need to replace some of their key players for next season, they will still have Sutton, who had an aver-age of 12.8 points per game this season and almost 100 assists.

“She ran our offense as our point guard, and did an excellent job all season,” said Young.

Young is confident that they will be able to live up to the same standards that they have set for their team next year. The coaches are very proud of the players for be-ing so dedicated to their team and teammates throughout the entire season.

“Next year,+ we will have high expecta-tions again. We should have an opportunity to compete for another conference champi-onship. It will also be an important goal for us to advance beyond districts, since we fell short this year,” said Young.

The girl’s basketball team was proud of what they accomplished this season, but they have high hopes that they can do even bet-ter next season. With new players replacing the old, they will be able to see what the new players have to bring to the table. The team next year will have big expectations.

Girls’ Basketball Team Finishes Season with 25 VictoriesSenior Amber Alexander leaves with third-most points in North

There are two types of people when it comes to exercising: the couch potato or the person who makes a point to exercise frequently. People know physical activity is good for the body, but that still does not get people to be active. That is why the Parkway School District requires students to take two Physical Education (P .E.) courses.

“People who get physical exercise do better academically for the next two hours,” said P.E. teacher Christopher Frankenfield. “People who are active also have more energy to get things done.”

One of the easiest, cheapest, and most natural ways to exercise is to walk. The more one walks and the faster one walks, the more one gains from walking.

“[Walking] is free and easy,” said Fran-kenfield. “[People should] walk the flight of stairs [in lieu of the elevator]. People can park their car further.”

Walking is both easy and healthy for the body. Also, just a breath of fresh air does the same.

“Just stepping outside promotes physi-cal activity,” said P.E. teacher Jessica Sum-ner.

Physical activity does not need to be tedious. A lot of activities people enjoy every day make people more physically active any-way.

“People need to find something they en-joy doing that works the body,” said health teacher Jodi Chambers. “It is important that the student enjoys that physical activity so they can make a health habit out of it.”

A major roadblock to better fitness is actually a rule exclusive to Parkway North, which bans a student from taking the same

P.E. class more than once. This policy can be an excuse for students not to exercise.

“If a student is interested in the content of a P.E. course, why should we not allow stu-dents to take the same class more than once,” said Chambers.

People who exercise more frequently also find themselves in a better mood.

“Physical activity makes you feel better about yourself,” said Chambers. “You can be a much better student if you feel better about

yourself.” There are still many people who do

not care about fitness and do not enjoy P.E classes. However, communication with the teacher can make things better.

“During P.E., a student should commu-nicate with their teacher about their physical fitness level,” said Chambers. “Your teacher should be able to help you individually de-velop a personal fitness plan.”

Parkway offers a wide variety of P.E.

classes that fit the needs of all fitness levels. Lifetime and Recreation Sports and Walk-ing Fitness are classes recommended by P.E teachers for those who are not necessarily athletic. These classes are also good for the athletic people as well.

“These classes are geared more towards individual improvement, rather than improv-ing upon competitive skills,” said Sumner.

On the flip side, Competitive Sports and Games is a course recommended for those who are more athletic and want a more com-petitive course.

“Competitive Sports and Games should be for students who want competition in their P.E. class,” said Chambers.

Strength and conditioning is a course designed for an athletic person to work on their individual fitness and strength, rather than competitive fitness.

“Strength and conditioning is actually a personal fitness class,” said Frankenfield. “That class is geared towards individual and noncompetitive fitness.”

Adventure Pursuits is for the student who isn’t the most athletic, but wants to be a part of a team.

“Adventure Pursuits is not competitive, but it is an active course and promotes other skills like leadership, strength, and condi-tioning,” said Frankenfield

While many students are not athletic and may not ever participate in a team sport, teamwork is still an important life skill.

“P.E. can teach you to work with other people,” said Chambers.

P.E. classes are very different from oth-er courses at school. However, it is important to give the brain a break, and become more active.

Frankenfield said, “We get so worked up in our core classes; we tend to forget about the physical aspect of our lives.”

Physical Education Courses Prove Worthwhile for StudentsBrandon Fredman

Online Coordinator, Opinions Editor

Every Friday, Christopher Frankenfield’s 8th block Walking Fitness class does a one mile test to see how fast students can walk. Every Friday, students walk down Whispering Hills Drive to Heri-tage Place. After the test, the class walks over to Smoothie King so students can grab a healthy treat after their workout.

Photo by Brandon Fred

man

vs. De Soto: W 62-30at Summit: W 55-45vs. Ursuline: W 60-55at University City: W 63-13vs. Parkway West: W 63-19vs. Lindbergh: W 68-35vs. Parkway Central W 54-36at Pattonville: W 65-28at Seckman: W 62-21vs. Normandy: W 71-8vs. Francis Howell: W 57-31

vs. Hazelwood C.: W 57-52vs. Marquette: W 59-54at Kirkwood: W 53-45at Hazelwood West: W 57-43at Summit: W 50-29vs. Howell North: W 66-30at Webster Groves: W 57-47at Fort Zumwalt W.: W 59-40vs. Parkway West: W 62-38vs. Parkway Central: L 47-54

2012-2013 Games

at Parkway West: W 58-29vs. Parkway Central: W 63-51vs. Parkway South: W 57-44at Incarnate Word: L 35-65at Ladue: W 65-48vs. Lafayette: W 50-38

MArch 28, 2012Parkway North High School 16BackpageFroYo

FroYo, a self-serve frozen yogurt bar located at 10909 Olive Blvd is a hot spot among many teen-agers as well as adults in the Creve Coeur and Maryland Heights area. The dessert shop offers over 12 different frozen yogurt flavors as well as over 16 different toppings. People can walk in and create their own dessert as well as their own portion size, and when they are finished with their creation, they put it on the scale next to the cash register and pay 42 cents/oz.

The Frozen yogurt is kept cold in these fridges, located behind the Self-servers.

Customers can mix-and-match which flavors they want for their frozen treat.

“I like eating at FroYo because the sorbet is really good and a lot healthier. Also, putting a bunch of fresh fruit in it is so good,” said senior Taylor Weiss.

The stack of cups begin the journey through FroYo’s yogurt. FroYo offers 12 different flavors

With 16 toppings to choose from, cus-tomers can have virtually any combi-nation in their yogurt.

Frozen yogurt at FroYo is kept cool in these contain-ers which also dispense the yogurt.

Behind the colorful decor and the variety of self-serve frozen yogurts is the kitchen where employees clean up and prepare the yogurt flavors.

Katryn Dobkin

Staff Writer