☼ Fast X, the 10th installment of the famous Fast and Furious franchise, will see Vin Diesel reprising his role as Dominic Toretto. The Toretto family will take on a new enemy in Jason Momoa as the franchise as a whole comes to a close with this final movie. However, many are less than thrilled with the film’s release as many believe the Fast and Furious franchise has overstayed its welcome.
“It should have ended after Fast and Furious 2, it hasn’t been good since.” Matt Havermale, social studies teacher
☼ This live-action remake of Disney’s The Little Mermaid will feature Halle Bailey as Ariel, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula and Jonah HauerKing as Prince Eric.
“I’m excited for it, I think it’s cool to retell a story with some new perspectives and we’re considering how princess stories can be told with people of different skin color.” Kristen Johnson, English teacher
☼ It’s anticipated that Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will be just as much of a hit as its predecessor. Across the Spider-Verse sees Miles Morales thrown into the Multiverse among new Spider-People and he must eliminate the threat to the Multiverse and face off against his fellow spiders.
“The animation of the first was amazing and the first of its kind and I’m just really excited to see that come back.” Caleb Thompson, sophomore
Movie release dates for the movies listed
May 19
May 26
June 2
June 16
July 21
☼ A star-studded cast will feature in Wes Anderson’s newest film: Asteroid City. Anderson’s classic use of color theory, Robert Yeoman’s cinematography and the stellar cast might make this one of the most “Anderson” movies of his career. The film takes place circa 1955 where numerous storylines cross paths in a desert town where out of this world activity alters their lives.
“It looks really interesting.” Evie Kraus, junior
☼ Greta Gerwig’s latest project is the highly anticipated Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken. With little known about the plot, it can be inferred that Barbie will make her way out of her Technicolor world and into the real world alongside her admiring boyfriend. The film will feature numerous other stars in various roles like cowboy Ken and president Barbie
“I am so excited to see Barbie. Love her.” Kailyn Curtis, freshman
A law at the beginning of 2023 passed allowing the Willow Project to start taking effect and proceed with oil drilling along he northern Alaskan slope.
by Kaylee Priest kpriest027@g.fhsdschools.orgConocoPhillips, Alaska’s largest oil producer and manufacturer, started the Willow Project. It is a project that started decades ago to oil drill into the northern slope of Alaska, less than 30 miles from the Arctic Ocean. According to the Washington Post, area that has been mapped out for the upcoming project is said to hold 600 million barrels of oil, or in other words 25,200 gallons of oil, meaning they will be digging deep into parts of Alaska and the ocean to find natural resources like oil or gas, releasing harmful pollutants into the air. This much oil over a timespan of only 30 years is going to release 277 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. That is like adding two million cars to the roads. On a daily basis, human beings release about 2.3 pounds of CO2, the Willow Project will release about 22 peoples worth (50.5 pounds a day) allowing this project to be a big contributor to the CO2 crisis that is
global warming.
On March 13, the Biden Administration passed this project into law. This project will be taking place over 4,000 miles from where the controversy all started in Washington DC where it has now become a national concern to some. Young activists online started a petition called “Protect the Arctic” with over six million signatures and a mission to help prevent this law from passing. A new petition has recently been started on the same website to overturn the new law and save the Arctic. Protesters, lobbyists and social activists are all working together to stop this project.
ConocoPhillips company said that this project will cost them anywhere between $8-$10 million to complete, and with an income between $8-$17 million.
According to the Biden Administration, the Willow Project fits within their environmental priorities, enhancing energy sources and security, while also providing benefits to native Alaskan communities.
On March 11, FHN sophomore Jayln Carson passed away from complications due to Leukemia. Jayln was 16 years old at the time of her passing. Jayln was the oldest of nine children and loved cooking in her free time and often cooked meals for her younger siblings.
Jayln and her mother, Erica, had a very close relationship and Erica remembers her daughter as a sweet and caring soul. Erica hosted a sweet 16 party for Jayln in November of last year and made the party as special as possible for Jayln which highlights the close relationship that the two had.
Jayln was known by her teachers as a very bright student. Jayln’s English teacher, Amanda Barnhouse, remembers Jayln as a more quiet and reserved person who got her work in on time, but also as a student who would contribute to the class discussions whenever she could.
“Jayln was an amazing student,” Barnhouse said. “She was really really quiet but she was so sweet and she never had any problems with anyone and it was a joy to have her in my classes.”
by Gavin Swart gswart370@g.fhsdschools.org
Jane Puzkar, Mark Ponder and Ron Harmon were sworn in as the new Board of Education directors on April 18, and new officers were elected. Adam Bertrand became the new president, Randy Cook is now the vice president and Jane Puszkar has become the treasurer. With nearly half of the board’s composition changing, many new voices will be heard.
“How much they choose to be involved and participate, and how much time they choose to put into their board role is yet to be seen,” Board Director Randy Cook said. “But I’m confident they will do their due diligence on each item that we consider in our oversight role.”
The board has new goals moving forward to improve itself and the School Board’s communication with the district at large. After the struggles to communicate that came with the Prop S spending, the board now has new policies to improve communication going forward.
“From now on, plans will have to be approved before bids can go out,” Board Director Janet Stiglich explained. “There was not a whole lot of oversight for the board on this construction progress at first. There’s much more now. Now we have updates at every board meeting.”
by Drew Johnson djohnson440@g.fhsdschools.org
The FHN Choir will host a spring concert on Wednesday, May 18, at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium. The performance is molded after various others put on by the choir, such as the Broadway concert.
“We have already performed a lot of the music in previous performances,” vocal music director, AP Music Theory teacher and choir director Jennifer Oncken said. “Our students are singing at an incredible level and they blew everything out of the water in some of these recent performances.”
Tickets will be available online prior to the show or at the door.
“It’s going to be really exciting to put that on for our friends and family and give them an opportunity to hear what the kids are doing,” Oncken said.
by Miranda Fabian mfabian486@g.fhsdschools.org
Teachers Sue Herweck and Yvonne Kehoe and attendance secretary Marlene Wilcoxen are counting down the days until their retirement.
Working here 22 years, Herweck, a history teacher for students with special needs, plans on babysitting her grandkids every now and then and so does Wilcoxen, having worked here 18 years. Kehoe, working here for 13 years as a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing, plans on starting a jewelry business once school gets out.
With their last days here, they all agree that one of the best things at North has been the environment, specifically the other staff, and learning a lot from them.
“The world is made up of all types of people and everyone of them makes the world a richer place,” Kehoe said.
FHN Choir will be hosted its annual Choir Broadway Concert on May 12 and 13. The show took place in the auditorium, beginning at 6:30 p.m. on both days. This production included multiple performances of solos, duets and small groups that choir members auditioned for. Viewers heard songs from “Frozen,” “Mamma Mia,” “Rent” and other popular works. Tickets for the concert were $10 and choir will use the money raised for sound equipment, music purchases and other expenses.
“It’s a variety show all showcasing Broadway music. If you like watching things such as [have] musicals, dancing and singing, you would highly enjoy the show,” junior Kaitlyn Shariff said.
Sun Club will be hosting a Farmer’s Market on Saturday, May 13 from 9 a.m - noon at FHN. It is recommended that visitors bring cash to make their purchases from the various booths. The money raised will go toward Sun Club’s funding to incorporate more recycling bins at FHN.
“I think [the market] brings the community together,” junior Hailey Zhang said. “I also think it’s an amazing way to promote smaller businesses along with letting students sell their creations.”
(Brief by Alayna Lohaus)
Sarah Korte and Jackson McGowen went to Orlando, Florida, with DECA for the International Career Development Conference April 22-25.
“The people you meet, and the memories you make far outweighs anything,” Sarah Korte, a senior who went to Internationals said, “Everybody tells you that going to DECA Internationals is a life changing experience, it was a hundred percent a life changing experience.”
They had competed as a team in the Entrepreneurship Innovation Plan event and did incredibly well placing in the top 20 percent. (Brief by Gavin Swart)
Ecology club will be hosting their annual end of year picnic this year on Saturday, May 20, to celebrate the completion of the school year and those participating in the club. The picnic will be held at Klondike Park where the club will eat food, play outdoor games and then go hiking. It is anticipated that around 10 club members will participate and it will last around two and a half hours.
“We hike, sometimes kids wanna fish too, I make it very student centered so whatever the kiddos wanna do is typically what we will end up doing,” ecology club sponsor Joe Brocksmith said.
Running on no exact agenda and having a hectic day, the environment is still their top priority. Looking at critters, investigating plants and enjoying the scenery is their way for this club to end the year off great.
(Brief by Kaylee Priest)
On Thursday, April 20, the Board of Education voted to save money for the district and cut back on the amount of school buses and routes starting at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, due to the short supply of drivers. At the board meeting, Superintendent Kenneth Roumpos had presented ‘Transportation Recommendations’ and had primarily discussed that times and areas of bus stops may change, including to stop bussing for students in grades 6-12 who are within a one mile radius of school.
“They’re consolidating stops to make sure that they can pick up more kids within that hour time frame, which to me makes sense,” Principal Jeffery Fletcher said. “Around 200 people live within one mile radius of school, and therefore would be forced to walk instead of taking the bus. Efficiency and safety is the board’s main discussion on the bus cuts.”
(Brief by Ray Hathcock)
Missouri Governor Mike Parson approved a bill that took effect this school year requiring in-state colleges, public community colleges and universities to accept a 3 on the AP exam as credit. Previously, institutions were allowed to accept only a 4 or 5 on the exam.
“When you look at the numbers, 30 percent of students got a 3 on the 2022 AP Government exam,” AP government and Pre-AP U.S history teacher Jill Rudolph said.
“That allows another percent of kids [to get credit for that class in college].”
Similar bills have been passed in various other states such as Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky and Illinois. The bill will benefit many students taking the AP exam this year.
“It goes back to fairness and setting a standard for universities across the state,” Rudolph said. “I do think it’s a good idea for other states to also do.”
(Brief by Drew Johnson)
Terry Schmitt is a sophomore at FHN and belongs to a small group of people at North who play Dungeons and Dragons. D&D is a game where a DM, or Dungeon Master, props the game, decides the setting and builds the world. Anything that a player doesn’t directly affect is the Dungeon Master’s job to manipulate.
“It’s like the Dungeon Master sets the table and the players make the food,” Schmitt said.
Schmitt was first introduced to D&D by his parents, who played when they attended FHN. He first started playing himself when he met another D&D player at school.
“I’m currently playing in three [games], as well as DMing my own, but there are two that I’ve done before that,” Schmitt said.
D&D games can go on for quite a long time, with official campaigns often taking up to 80 hours of playtime. This amount of time is a commitment and the rules can throw new players off.
“D&D can be really difficult to get into, just because there’s so many stats and numbers that you have to calculate in creating a character and a world. So I would recommend using a website like D&D Beyond or just watching videos beforehand,” Schmitt said.
Schmitt strongly recommends D&D to new people, as it can bring people together for a fun and entertaining experience.
“It’s such a fun way to make new friends and hang out with current friends,” Schmitt said.
by Alex Wheadon awheadon315@g.fhsdschools.org
Ultimate is one of the games played by the e-sports team. The team has a record of nine wins to three losses going into playoffs which is a best of one, double elimination bracket where the winner moves to state. One instrumental player on the team is sophomore Pace Roedl. He has been able to take out a lot of players in the sets he has played in.
He has been playing since he was a child. His first game was Super Smash Bros. Brawl on the Wii. When Smash for Wii U and 3DS came out, he would play on the bus with his friends. He got really into competitive smash this year even
though he had been delving into it since Ultimate came out.
“I started playing Smash Bros when I was 5 or 6. I played Brawl on the Wii and that was my first introduction to the game,” Roedl said. “After that, I played Smash 4 on the 3DS and enjoyed it a lot. I’d frequently play with my friends on the bus.”
Pace joined in the spring crew battle season when he moved to North in January.
He got into competitive smash when Ultimate came out, which was his first time he really got into smash. He had been playing smash for a lot of his life; he only really went to tournaments here and there until he moved to North and joined the e-sports team, going to more tournaments to practice.
“Once Smash Ultimate came out, I started looking to play it competitively,”
Roedl said. “I went to a few tournaments here and there, but I never really did much. When I moved back here in January, and started going to as many as I could. I’ve only really been playing competitive smash bros for about four months now.”
He “mains” (which is the character you mainly play) Robin, a character where the specials, aerials, tilts and smash attacks have a meter to show how much you use them. For example, Robin has a move called Arcfire where the input of the side special is a fire spell from a tomb that has a meter that when it’s depleted, needs to be recharged and the tomb will be able to be picked up and thrown the same with the rest of their specials.
“I main Robin,” Roedl said. “I press
In downtown St. Louis, there’s a house covered with plants and pieces of art ranging from drawings and paintings to sculptures. It first opened on Sept. 2, 1988, and is approaching its 35th birthday. The home belongs to Jeff Lockheed, who transformed it into a cafe when he needed work.
buttons strategically and win.”
Practice is a good way to get good at anything, Roedl does this in his free time. He goes to local smash tournaments, because they are fun for him and he likes to be able to hang out with people and play the game. He also reviews his matches so he can go over them and improve for the future. Another thing he does in his free time is watch pro players who he can take tips from and be able to hone his skill to get better at the game as a whole.
“I go to tournaments, review any matches I played and recorded and watch pro players in my free time,” Roedl said. “You get to hang out with other people and it’s all a fun time. It’s a lovely atmosphere, and obviously getting to play games that you enjoy is awesome as well.”
“I used to work for, at the time, TWA (Trans World Airlines) airline, and they fired me,” Lockheed said. “I needed a job, so this is how this evolved. The place was my home and I made it into a bar.”
The colorful contrast between the bar and the homes around it cannot be understated. This is because Lockheed has collected and display’s all different types of art, and even creates his own. This contributes to the unique atmosphere of the house, inside and out.
“I collect art, and it’s all different; paintings, drawings, sculptures, everything. I have a large space to display it so that’s what I intend to do with all of it,” Lockheed said.
With the summer months fast approaching, the greenery in the area will certainly flourish making the home even more eye-catching. It’s all a part of the evolution Lockheed sees in his business.
“In the summertime it’s really nice because of the plants and there’s a little more space. It’s like anything, it evolves and I find new things and I create new things and I try to share that with the customers,” Lockheed said.
Nurses Amy Kelly and Heather Marren have worked at North for a combined 27 years. Prior to working at North, Kelly worked at Cardinal Glennon and Becky David, while Marren worked at Progress West, Mercy and Sager Middle School.
“I have a bachelor’s degree in management, then I went to St. Charles Community College for my nursing license,” Kelly said.
The nurse’s duties encompass more than just bandages and Ibuprofen. The nurses spend their time doing paperwork, vaccine records, cleaning the office and helping students.
“It’s way more than band aids and cough drops,” Marren said. “Thinking outside the box, getting creative, working with what you have.”
Part of keeping students healthy is maintaining their emotional health at school.
“We also do a lot of counseling, helping people find their way through high school, building relationships, watching them grow,” Kelly said.
Kelly worked in a bank for 12 years until she got her nursing license, while Marren attended school then worked in ERs and a level I trauma center.
“I figured I’d eventually end up in a school,” Marren said. ”My whole family is teachers and it’s a very family-friendly job schedule wise.”
School nurses are celebrated nationally on May 10 each year, which coincides with National Nurses Week. An important part of being a school nurse is helping students adapt their life to a new diagnosis and forming relationships with the students that need their help.
Midnight Madness encourages legal and fun street-racing in St. Louis
by Ben HenryAfew Fridays out of the year, over 1,000 spectators and hundreds of racers pack the stands and tracks of Worldwide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, for “Midnight Madness”.
Sponsored by Ranken Technical College and NOS Energy Drinks, it provides an outlet for illegal street racers to satisfy their need for speed in a safe environment. The event is headed by Jon Bisci, director of WWT’s media relations.
“We have the quarter mile drag strip and the drift course open for the event,” Bisci said.
The program was first started in 2000 in Las Vegas after the urban racing culture erupted and Las Vegas police were running out of options. The program aimed to regulate the dangerous culture and give the racers a legal way to show off their speed. It was then brought to St. Louis by Chris Blair in 2013 when he purchased the thenabandoned racetrack facility.
“After the Fast & Furious movies, the street racing culture exploded. I was in Vegas at the time, and we had people going seven wide down the Strip,” Bisci said. “There wasn’t a place for young people to have safe and cheap fun in Vegas at the time.”
Sgt. Smith of the Madison, IL, Police Department works at the raceway as security.
“People come here and race so we don’t have to deal with it on major roads, it’s almost completely eliminated street racing in this area,” Smith said.
A major part of the program is that it is significantly safer than the underground racing culture that has claimed many lives.
“The faster you go, the more safety equipment we require you to have. Everybody needs a safety harness. At 14 seconds [in a quarter mile] we require a helmet, at faster speeds we require fire suits and roll cages,” Bisci said.
One of the racers at the event is Ethan Hassler, who has modified his 1972 Chevy Monte Carlo to be race-legal.
“I’ve put a roll cage and reinforced the chassis,” Hassler said. “I wear a helmet with an 8-point harness. It’s a lot safer now.”
The race organizers also do their part to ensure that the race is safe for all involved.
“We have what we call ‘the Beach’, it’s a sand pit and aircraft nets [are used] to stop any cars that can’t stop on their own,” Bisci said. “We’ve also got fire and safety teams at the finish line, where most accidents happen and we have cleanup crews in a few places.”
From the Cardinals to the Orioles, there are a lot of great jerseys out there, these are five of the greatest. (Content by Elise Grimshaw)
#1 ST. LOUIS CARDINALS, home white jerseys. Last season, the Cardinals finished first in the NL Central before being knocked out by the eventual National League Champions, the Philadelphia Phillies. As for their uniform, the iconic home white jersey with the iconic birds on bat are second to none. Along with the cardinal red hat and the STL logo, the Cardinals home uniform is a standard setting look.
“The uniforms are nice, especially the birds on the bat, it adds that extra detail that most jerseys don’t have.” Caden Ziha, freshman
#2 NEW YORK YANKEES, home white jerseys with pinstripes. The 27-time world champion NY Yankees may boast the most titles in MLB history, but for this ranking they finish a close second to the Cards. The Yankees have worn pinstripes on their jerseys since 1915 and years later, began their historic chase of World Series victories. Along with the pinstripes, the look is complete with a navy hat and interlocking NY lettering.
#3 LOS ANGELES DODGERS, home white jerseys with blue Dodgers script and red numbering. Last season the Dodgers won first place in the NL West Division. They started wearing the red numbering on the front of the jersey in early 1952. The company who made the jerseys suggested they use red for the front to compliment the red on the logo. Topped with their jerseys, the Dodgers are one of the more successful and storied franchises in the MLB.
#4 BALTIMORE ORIOLES, home white jerseys with orange script, white and orange hat. The Orioles have not had much success on the field lately but their uniforms are a winner. Not only the home whites but the away gray jerseys are a great look as well. Last season, they finished fourth in the AL East division. The Orioles have only won three World Series titles but despite the number of titles they have, they are high up on the uniform rankings.
#5 OAKLAND ATHLETICS, home white jerseys with green and yellow Athletics script and hats. In addition to the home white jerseys, the green alternate jerseys are a great addition to the rankings. The Athletics were fifth in the AL West, they were established in 1901 and have won nine titles since then. The Athletics have several great uniforms but ultimately the home whites look very crisp.
Years ago, FHN made a decision to change the original victory gold into a vegas gold. Since not every activity at FHN that uses vegas gold uses the same vendor, it meant that many of the golds used around the school or on sports jerseys look different from one another.
“The thing with vegas gold is you never know what you might get,” Activities Director Mike Janes said.
Many of the coaches at North have been lobbying for a change for multiple years. However, with the new school opening in 2024, Janes and many of the coaches at North view now as a perfect time to change the gold. Baseball coach and crisis counselor Barry Morrison was a strong lobbyist for the change.
“I’ve been wanting this to change for a while and I’m really glad we finally are doing it,” Morrison said. “The thinking was that the new gold is going to match more of Howell’s gold and it’s going to stick out way more than the current gold.”
The move over to the victory gold is not going into effect immediately and is a multi-year change. Instead of ordering every team new uniforms over the summer, they will be ordering new uniforms when they are needed that will be in the new gold.
“It would cost way too much to just get rid of our newer jerseys when there’s no need to,” Janes said. “When the time comes and it’s needed, we’ll order all new jerseys that have the brand new gold on it.”
Scan to see jerseys that were ranked #6 through #10
Former teacher Donna Malkmus retired after the 2021-2022 school year. Although she won’t be involved in the academic aspect of the school anymore, Malkmus made the decision to coach boys tennis for the first time this year.
“Coach Soltisiak needed an assistant and asked if I would help her out,” Malkmus said.
Malkmus does enjoy seeing people from the school everyday, some of who she taught during her time at North.
“Some of these boys I already
knew and had them in class, mainly the upperclassmen, and it’s nice I can continue to see them,” Malkmus said.
A lot of the athletes still enjoy being able to see her although it isn’t during the school day and it shows how the relationships aren’t all faded because of her retirement.
Boys Tennis coach Donna Malkmus gives the team a 2-minute warning before they begin practicing serves at Vetta Racquet Sports West on April 12. Malkmus was previously a chemistry teacher at Howell North, but recently retired. Now, she begins her first year of coaching boys tennis. (Photo by Hannah Button)
Freshman Katie Head joined the cross country and track team this year with big shoes to fill since her brother junior Andrew Head is one of the top distance runners for the school. Katie spends six days a week practicing during the track and cross country season as well as practicing during the off seasons. Her hard work and dedication makes her stand out as one of the top female athletes on the track team.
“I feel like I have high pressure put on me because I’m Andrew’s sister,” Katie said. “I’ve been trying to improve myself as an athlete and perform to the best of my abilities.”
Senior catcher Patrick Martinez played in his final varsity season for FHN this year. In middle school, Martinez began to play club ball. He tried out for, and made the STL Prospects who he has played for ever since. In high school, he played three years on Varsity with his freshman season being canceled due to COVID.
“I was always on a really good club team, and I think that translates to now,” Martinez said. “It’s been fun, we’re still good and we can still compete and have a chance to win every single game and that’s what it’s all about.”
Junior Walter Hammond took a year off from volleyball last year but decided to come back to the FHN boys volleyball team.
“I decided to take a mental break,” Hammond said. “I needed to focus more on school and myself before I could play volleyball again.”
Hammond expressed that it feels great to be back. He decided to come back because he really enjoys the sport and felt that he got taller and stronger.
“Do what’s best for you and try not to ruin your mental state for the sport you play,” Hammond said.
On April 11, the varsity Lady Knights soccer team faced off against Fort Zumwalt West at Lou Fusz Soccer Complex. The game finished in a 1-0 win for the Lady Knights by way of a penalty shootout. Goalkeeper junior Cassie Hodgkins held a clean sheet during the game, the Lady Knights second clean sheet of the season. The game usually goes to a shootout after both regulation halves and 30 minutes of extra-time.
“Games like that feel really long,” Hodgkins said. “But it’s such a good feeling when it’s over and you get the win.” (Brief by Tony Biondo)
by Violet Newton violetannenewton@gmail.com
FHN girl’s lacrosse beat the Ursuline Bears on April 12. They furthered their undefeated record this season, and junior Kendra Swope scored her 200th goal of her time playing lacrosse. The ending score was 16-9. The score was close at halftime but FHN pulled ahead, broke the tie and won the game, ending in a win and a new record for Swope.
“I was really happy because it was a huge accomplishment,” Swope said.
Since this game, they lost to Ladue on April 24 ending in a 17-11 victory for the rams, effectively ending their winning streak.
FHN Track has had a successful season thus far, with many athletes PRing. Since the season started, senior Jordan Allen has PRed in every meet he has participated in. Allen ran sprints this season, along with 300M Hurdles, which he had never ran before. His current PR on 300M Hurdles is 43.57 seconds and his PR on 200 meter dash is 23.15 seconds.
“It’s been really great to see so much improvement right away,” Allen said. “I’m really just trying to continue to improve.” (Brief by Braeden Kettinger)
On April 23, the FHN bowling team won state. They had a team of five qualify who then went on to win in round three of a shootout 246-210 against the Pattonville Pirates.
“It was mind blowing,” senior Kael Schafering said. “We had been in second place all day and it was a rush. We were all so happy because this season has been sorta a rough one and we have been on and off with our bowlers. We were doing everything we could to qualify for state and this is the first time we had a whole team qualify. It was great, an amazing experience.”
Bryce Renz gained his spot on the boys varsity golf team as the number two player by his sophomore year, following behind Senior Ian McDermott.
“Earning this spot wasn’t easy because of all the competition there was this year,” Renz said.
His low scores during his freshman year, hard work over the past year, and the continuous low scores early this season helped Renz prove why he was chosen to become number two.
On May 2, Renz tied for first overall at the GAC South tournament with a score of 78.
Almost everyone’s grandparents have a couple cool stories from their lives but my grandparents don’t just have a simple story.
My grandma and her second husband owned a huge house down in Des Peres, I remember going there all the time on weekends and breaks from school. We would get donuts in the morning with my grandpa and cousins as well as watch not-sokid-friendly shows like South Park with him.
To learn more about my grandmas husbands, scan this QR code to read the full article.
And my grandma and cousin Riley would have tea party’s in her sun room looking out to the country club golf course that we used to sneak onto and play around.
My grandma Connie, also known as Grams, is the most rib-tickling person I know. She was a Rockette in New York for two years in her twenties right before she had my aunt and father. When she auditioned to be a Rockette, it was on a whim, quite literally, she showed up with her ballet shoes and nothing prepared. The judges and coaches of the team gave her 20 minutes to figure out a routine and music, and she did it. For having nothing prepared, she still achieved her dream of becoming a Rockette after being an English teacher for a year. She always wanted me and my cousin Riley to be competitive dancers like she was; to no avail on her part. Now for an even cooler piece of information about her, being a Rockette is hard to beat but she married not one but two NFL Offensive Linemen who both played for the Giants… and they were best friends.
Missouri Legislature needs to take action against gun violence change the legal age to purchase a firearm and mandating thorough background checks in order to obtain permission to own a gun would be a start to solving the problem.
by Editorial Staff yourfhn@fhntoday.comSince the 1999 Columbine shooting, 311,000 children have been exposed to gun violence while at school. That is over twice the entire population of St. Peters and St. Charles combined. 311,000 is almost 200 times as many students at FHN. Students are in danger and Missouri legislation is doing nothing to further prevent this.
School shootings have become a pressing issue over the past decade. Changes are being implemented in schools all over the nation. Procedures like metal detectors being set up, administrators guarding doors and students being inspected when they enter school. These have become the norm across the nation. Meanwhile, our legislature has been ignoring us and has been passing bills that affect few. Our priority as a state needs to focus on the children.
The children that fear going to school.
The children who bring their phones to the bathroom with them just in case they have to send the feared “I love you” text.
The children who are victims of our state’s neglect.
Our country is one of three in the world that has the right to bear arms in our Constitution so it’s safe to say that the right to own guns is a prominent part of our country’s culture. It is not realistic to completely ban gun ownership, or to enforce strict gun control. However, putting laws in place that
BY THE NUMBERSTo learn about gun violence in Missouri, read these statistics.
In the state of Missouri, 18-year-olds are not able to rent a car, drink alcohol or use of tobacco or cannabis products. It is unacceptable that by state law, 18-year-olds can purchase a gun but are not able to rent a car. The Missouri legislature continues to ignore mass school shootings, and focuses all efforts into upholding laws that further the unpermitted access to guns. This is irresponsible. Making it more difficult to obtain firearms in simple ways like a thorough background check, mandating permits and waiting periods can lessen the chances of school shootings for cases where people are buying guns and bringing them into schools. Many of the people who perpetrate school shootings are facing mental health issues that have gone undiagnosed or unnoticed in the past. In cases like this the perpetrator is likely not aware of the magnitude of the actions they are committing. By enacting waiting periods, there could be time for the perpetrator to be helped by someone. And by enacting thorough background checks, gun merchants will be able to limit the amount of people buying guns that are at risk of a mental health crisis.
It can be tricky to place exactly where students get guns from as it is illegal to purchase a gun until 18. It is pushed off as just irresponsible parents keeping guns in reachable places. While this can be true in some cases, it is actually legal for people under the age of 18 to possess firearms as long as they are purchased by an adult. This makes it legal for students in high school
42% of students know where and how to report a threat
4.6 Million children live in homes with a fire-arm that is loaded and locked
(Source: Navigate360.com and SandyHookPromise.com )
to possess firearms, not to mention many seniors in high school are 18 and can legally purchase and possess a firearm.
However, the way most school shooters obtain guns is due to parents irresponsibly, putting loaded firearms in unlocked areas. This cannot be completely controlled by any means, but 23 states have passed Secure Storage Laws, Missouri not being one of them. These laws require parents to lock up firearms. A less extreme version of this law is the Child-AccessPrevention Law which penalizes parents if a child gains access to a firearm. Both of these laws are easy to enact and dramatically lessen minors’ access to guns. In studies, it has been proven that seven out of ten children that had gained access
Editors-in-Chiefs: Chloe Ellison
Amber Winkler
to guns were not locked up.
Gun control does not have to be extreme, just simple bills can lessen the issue and make students feel more safe. The majority of our state legislature along with many civilians do not believe in gun control as it is usually viewed as the right to bear arms being taken away. That is not the case. This is no longer a matter of political affiliation or beliefs, it is a matter of the life or death of students.
Whether you are reading this as a student, a parent, an educator or a civilian, taking action is the only way to get laws passed to save lives. Taking action doesn’t have to be difficult. Sending an email, a letter or calling legislators can help significantly.
Be the change to help the children who are just looking to learn.
59% of students feel safe while at school
(Source: youthtruth.com and SandyHookPromise.com)
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Have you purchased your yearbook chronicling the 2022-23 school year?
We just don’t want you to miss out and the price goes up in the coming weeks. Check the “Yearbook” menu item on FHNtoday.com to make sure your name is on the list so you don’t miss out.
If you need to buy your book, you still can in room 131 with Mrs. Kiel or online at FHNtoday.com under the “Yearbook” menu.
Join the Booster Club and support your student!
Funds raised by the Booser Club provide monetary support to all sports.
To Join Email: HowellNorthAthleticBoosters@gmail.com
Black Membership: $25
Black and Gold Membership: $50 (comes with $25 booster bucks)
Knights Membership: $100 (comes with $50 booster bucks)
Have you purchased your yearbook chronicling the 2019-20 school year?
just don’t want you miss out and the price goes up coming weeks. Check the “Yearbook” menu item on FHNtoday.com to your name is on the so you don’t miss out.
you need to buy your book, you still can in room 131 with Mrs. Kiel or online at FHNtoday.com under the “Yearbook” menu.
year’s book will be pages of chronicle everything each of the seasons to everything in between.
