Issuu

THE 800

NOVEMBER 2018

NEWS

EDUCATION Whatâ€™s Wrong with American Education? AMERICAN

EID

ftp.T.hffy so

FBE

ME.fiII.anEe

Hgh

if Ff

Make an Effort, Make an Impact Pg. 8-9 Westminster Christian Academy

Zaza Education Needs a Re-design Pg. 12-13

Math is a Liberal Art Pg. 18-21

THE 800 STAFF EDITOR IN CHIEF ISABELLA FRANCOIS, JUNIOR

PRINT EDITOR NATALIE FORD, JUNIOR

SPORTING WCA EDITOR THOMAS SCHULTZ, SENIOR

MEDIA EDITOR BENNIE ANDERSON, JUNIOR

NEWS EDITOR GABE CARADONNA , SENIOR

FEATURE EDITOR AMANDA ESPY, SENIOR 2 STAFF

THE

800 STAFF

STUDENTS SERVING STUDENTS

OPINION EDITOR ASHLEY MOLLENHOFF, SENIOR QUICK READS CLAIRE SANDAN, SENIOR

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR ALLISON EICHENLAUB, SENIOR

IN DEPTH EDITOR AVA BIDNER, JUNIOR

THE 800 STAFF TOMMY BRINER • ZACH CANCILA • ALEX CHEN • LEA DESPOTIS • DYLAN ELIAS • LAUREN FLEMING • PEARSON GEORGES • EMMA GORE • JOURNEE HENRY • COLE HINTZ • AVA HOLLMANN • JOEY KEANE • CAROLINE MEGOWN • SYDENY MOORE • MAX NELSON • JIMMY OBERTOP • MEGAN ROCHE • KOBY SCHMER • NATHANIEL SEMS • REBEKAH SEMS • GRACE SKILJAN • GRIFFIN THOMAS STAFF 3

CONTENTS

FEATURES MAKE AN EFFORT MAKE AN IMPACT PG. 8-9 STRONG IS BEAUTIFUL PG. 10 EVERY VOTE COUNTS PG. 11

4 CONTENTS

ENTERTAINMENT

IN-DEPTH

WESTMINSTAGRAM PG. 14 A STAR IS BORN REVIEW PG. 14

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX PG. 12-13 FISH ARE FRIENDS ,NOT FOOD PG. 16-19 MATH IS A LIBERAL ART PG. 20-23

SPORTS GIRLS BASKETBALL PREVIEW PG. 28 BOYS BASKETBALL PREVIEW PG. 29 SWIMMING & WRESTLING PREVIEWS PG. 30 WCAâ€™S MOST INTENSE ATHLETE PG. 31 LACROSSE PG. 32 WHY YOU SHOULD RUN PG. 33

CONTENTS

STAFF ED EDUCATION IS A GAME As any WCA student can conﬁrm, education today is a game - and high school is all about learning how to play it. Sleepless nights, tired eyes, unhealthy amounts of caffeine, the fear of failure, extremely high standards, sports, extracurriculars, clubs, tests, and homework all plague the lives of high school students, and the stress we have today greatly exceeds the pressures placed on our parents thirty years ago.

Many WCA alums, and high school graduates in general, look back fondly on the “good old times” of their high school years, remembering their teachers, the friday night football games, and the silly shenanigans they shared with their friends. But will WCA and all current high school students one day have the same feelings about their high school career as their parents and past alumni do? The system needs to change. Hard work and discipline are critical qualities of a successful and desirable employee, and high school students should develop these traits during their education, but it should not have to be at the expense of their health, happiness, and quality of life. Westminster students are being prepared for their lives to come and they will likely be well-equipped for the adversities and jobs that accompany college and adulthood, but they are also missing some critical aspects of a well-rounded life and high school career: sleep, time with family and friends, and the opportunity to actually learn - not just cram. Westminster is not alone in these problems. High school students all over the country struggle with high stress levels and a severe lack of time to fulﬁll all their commitments and still lead a happy, healthy life. This grave problem is not the fault of teachers, administrators, students, or the curriculum alone. But regardless of where the problem originated, it has only grown and strengthened over the past several decades, and no one seems to know how to confront the problem.

STAFF ED While students do have the ability to make changes and have an impact on the future of education, how could they possibly find the time? We may be able to make a small mark on our own school, but in reality, we are more concerned about learning how to play and win the game than solving the broken system. High school is a part of the road to our futures, and although it may not always be a fun or desirable experience, we have developed our own strategies for playing the game because we have goals that are unattainable without a degree. We need a change. We want to look back on our high school years and remember not only our hard classes, exhausted nights, and busy schedules, but also the fun times we shared with friends and the ways we grew not just academically, but also personally and spiritually. The road to a better education system will not be easy, but small steps can make a difference. We need to be encouraged to understand how we best learn, to explore the subjects we are interested in, and to dedicate time not only to studying but also our faith, our family, and our community. This problem is simply not a one-step solution. Dedicated teachers, heads of school, and parents need to join together in pursuit of a better system, and it may take many years or even decades. Eliminating homework and tests altogether will not solve the issue because students need to develop these skills. However, small steps in the right direction can be made if teachers communicate more effectively with other teachers to ensure the workload is manageable, use class time more efficiently, and alter the grading system so that students have less pressure but also have the opportunity for success. See pages 12-13 for Lea Despotis’ related story and pages 18-19 for Isabella Francois’ related story. Remember that you can find the Wildcat Roar in your school email or online at www.thewildcatroar.com!

STAFF ED 5

DIVE IN WITH PAYTON DUNN GRACE SKILJAN STAFF WRITER

Muscles tensed and arms taut, Payton Dunn, Senior is poised on the block, ready to dive into the pool at the sound of a horn. Dunn is a part of the swim program at Westminster and has swam competitively for twelve years. She swims year round for Clayton Shaw Park (CSP) along with Westminster’s team during girl’s season. Dunn is Westminster’s top swimmer and has qualiﬁed for state every year she has swam in high school. Last year she swam in the 200 yard freestyle and the 500 yard freestyle placing 10th and 5th respectively.

this can be very dangerous and painful. Her ability to have the patience and persistence to continue swimming and her unfailing good attitude has made her a role-model for all of the girls on the team. Coach Kempen, girls and boys swim coach said, “Through her adversity and through all the pain she went through she never gave up and continues to work her hardest.” Dunn has always been one of the most encouraging and inclusive girls on the swim team. “Westminster swimming has given me the most amazing community of girls. The team is extremely close and we support each other in and out of the pool. Coach Kempen and Kehr have grown my love for the sport through their incredible coaching. Swimming for Westminster has shown me that great things happen when a

Payton Dunn, senior, swims at the Ozark Zone Chamonship Meet Photo courtesy of: Payton Dunn

While Dunn seems to be a natural-born athlete, she has earned all of her times through hard work and dedication. With club swim overlapping with school swim, Dunn juggles both practices along with club meets and schoolwork. Being a part of club swim involves sacriﬁcing weekends and early mornings for swim along with playing any other sport. Dunn is in meets that span over two days. Her dedication to the sport she loves is inspiring, along with her perseverance through the trials that come her way. Dunn struggled with a persisting shoulder injury throughout her swimming career. With a sport like swimming which uses the shoulder and back muscles

6 FEATURE

team works together,” said Dunn Along with her happy personality, Dunn gives her all for every race. Throughout any circumstance Dunn is someone who can be counted on to try her hardest and to push herself to be better. Her goals for the season are to break the school’s 500 free record and to move up places in her events at state. When looking at the future Dunn plans to attend and swim for Chapman University next year in Orange, California. She will be missed by the entire team but they wish her the best of luck!

QUICK READS

BEHIND THE WEB OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL PLAY This year’s big middle school play is the childhood classic “Charlotte’s Web”

BY: GABE CARADONNA News Editor

The Westminster middle school production of Charlotte’s Web was November 16th and 17th. The director, Gina Rosenberg, answered a few questions on the this year’s middle school production. The middle schoolers had been preparing for a while; “Auditions happened in September and we have been preparing ever since” said Ms. Rosenberg. She also said she was “extremely excited because it’s (Charlotte’s Web) an amazing story and has won countless awards over the years”. But of course there are always some nerves going into a play, but Rosenberg said, “I think they have healthy nerves if anything.” From the rehearsals, the kids couldn’t have seemed more ready and excited to perform. This year, the set of the play had something different than they ever used before, “I’m really excited for the web because we are using a projector screen and you’ll be able to see the web be woven across the whole thing.” The young stars had been waiting for this moment for a long time a made sure not to dissapoint.

The cast and crew psoing before their last rehearsal. Photo by: Gabe Caradonna

Cast members putting on costumes and makeup Photo by: Gabe Caradonna

Guy Matthews (right) ﬁxing Tyler Collison’s mic. Photo by: Gabe Caradonna

FEATURE 7

MAKE AN EFFORT, MAKE AN IMPACT Kyrstin Pritchett and Avery Englemeyer share their experiences from high school to college and how different they can be

REBEKAH SEMS

rigorous 6 year Medical Program she is taking at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC). “It’s much different not playing a sport in college. I absolutely miss playing, and I hope to join intramural teams when I ﬁnd more time. The main difference is not having that team that you get to see at the end of a long day,” said Englemeyer. Both Pritchett and Englemeyer havebeen shaped by positive Westminster teams and memories that made transitioning to new teams and not playing a sport at all, a major switch.

STAFF WRITER

Westminster also provided Pritchett with close friends that she still keeps in contact with, but now that she attends Mizzou, relationships in college strongly differ from those in high school. “In college you are on your own. You don’t have your family to do life with, so at college your friends become your family. Also it’s not as structured as it is in high school, so you have time to hang out or study with friends whenever,” said Pritchett. Kyrstin Pritchett (upper center) laughs with her soroity sisters and close friends. Photo By: Kyrstin Pritchett

With the leaves changing and cascading down to the ground, the campus of Mizzou is surrounded in a ﬂurry of color. Kyrstin Pritchett, a sophomore at Mizzou, walks through the campus on her way to class. Pritchett graduated from Westminster in 2017 and now that she attends a large state-school, she ﬁnds that while there are many differences between high school and college, both experiences are equally life-changing and serve as a valuable time in life. One difference Pritchett has faced from high school to college is sports. Pritchett has played soccer her entire life and all throughout high school, and now she continues to play club soccer at Mizzou.

8 FEATURE

“Playing a club sport in college is deﬁnitely a time commitment like it was in high school. It’s amazing though, because the sport you love helps connect you to other people who are just as passionate about it which is so cool,” said Pritchett. Soccer helped bridge the gap of the transition from high school to college for Pritchett, and it continues to be a passion that brings her friendships. Another Westminster alum, Avery Englemeyer, who graduated in the class of 2018, also played sports all through high school. When it came to deciding on whether or not to continue playing her favorite sport, volleyball, in college, Englemeyer decided that it would be too time-consuming to ﬁt into the

In addition, her sorority, Chi Omega, has also been a place full of new and developing friendships that have shaped her college experience. While at ﬁrst Pritchett was unsure if she was the “sorority type”, she has found that being apart of Greek Life has given her opportunities and friendships that she never would have been able to make otherwise. “These people push me to love others better and be a light for God. I love being a part of Greek Life and participating in Homecoming and Greek Week, it’s a big community, and I’ve found my closest friends here,” said Pritchett. At UMKC, Englemeyer is also a member of the Chi Omega sorority. Because the medical program that Englemeyer is in is made up of only 100 people and can be conﬁning at times, the idea of joining a sorority was especially

Westminster gave me to feel confident about my faith in Christ. It also showed me how rewarding Christ-centered friendships are and causes me to “I didn’t want the program to take over my life, so I knew joining a sorority would be a good way for me to balance school seek those out and continue keeping contact with my and a social life. It’s not the only way to make friends, but it’s an friends from WCA,” said Pritchett. easier outlet for finding fun things to do and getting involved in Both Pritchett and Englemeyer have had to make the the community,” said Englemeyer. difficult decisions of choosing where to go to school, and what activities to participate in and can speak to When it comes to academics, both Pritchett and Englemeyer current students who feel the stress of college loomagree that Westminster prepared them well for the courses they take in college. While college is a step up from high school and ing ahead. so is therefore, expected to be more challenging, Westminster “You are your own person outside of school, and it is implemented basic skills like knowing how to keep a tight schedule, study techniques, and a foundation that is highly valu- good to maintain the things you love. Definitely think through what you’re committing to and how much able in higher education. time that is going to take up,” said Englemeyer. inviting.

However, it is important to not only spend time studying in your dorm room, but to also dive into the college experience by joining the community. “Go ahead and get involved! Play a sport, join a sorority or fraternity, participate in a club! College is a time to meet new people, so make an effort and make an impact,” said Pritchett.

Avery Englemeyer (far right) stands in front of the Chi Omega house with her sorority friends. Photo By: Avery Englemeyer

“The tools I learned at Westminster to balance everything are still helping me today. Along with that, nothing compares to the teachers at Westminster. With their teaching, I am able to use much of what I learned in high school in upper level college classes,” said Englemeyer. Westminster also prepared them both for how to stay strong in their faith, even when it is challenged. Since both Pritchett and Englemeyer attend public schools, their faith has been tested several times, and they have had to make difﬁcult decisions and choices.

“I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THE FOUNDATION WESTMINSTER GAVE ME TO FEEL CONFIDENT ABOUT MY FAITH IN CHRIST. IT SHOWED ME HOW REWARDING CHRIST-CENTERED FRIENDSHIPS ARE AND CAUSES ME TO SEEK THOSE OUT.” - K. PRITCHETT

“College is a time where you get to decide if you want to pursue your faith in college or not. I am so grateful for the foundation

FEATURE 9

STRONG IS BEAUTIFUL

THE YOUNG FEMALE ATHLETES’ STRENGTH AND CONFIDENCE DEFINE THEIR BEAUTY

AVA HOLLMANN STAFF WRITER

A surge of excitement rushes through me as I scroll through the Instagram page of professional steeplechaser Emma Coburn. Her posts, from ab workout videos to their track victory pictures, inspire me to have a stronger physique and be a better runner. Even more than that, I see her smiles after a triumphant race or a gruelling workout, and I desire for that same pride in what my body can do.

Ruth Connelly, junior, adds that being strong is about more than just brawn. “Being strong is never just physical, but mental as well. You can be the physically-strongest person, but if your mind quits, your body will struggle to accomplish that task,” said Connelly. Even with these body types for different sports, though, the question of whether being strong or skinny in appearance is more acceptable still looms ominously. To Hanna, though all body types are being embraced more, the main body promoted by our culture is skinny. “I think the current image of beauty tends to be skinny like models, and it’s especially hard for teenage girls to get over that image. However, I think our culture today is continually accepting more body types. To me, I see strong women as beautiful, but it’s still hard ﬁght the message that thin models represent what beauty looks like,” said Ottsen. “In my ﬁeld of activity, there are dancers who look incredibly thin and those who are very muscular, and I am unable to discern which is more beautiful. We are slowly drifting from the time of skinny being on the pedestal of beauty to a time where we can love other body types, not just the strong one,” said Alm.

Emma Coburn’s Instagram post following her seventh consecutive U.S. Championships victory in the 3000m steeplechase. Photo by: Emma Coburn

Track and field is not the only sport, though, in which physical strength translates into confidence. From soccer to dancing, girls are striving for strong bodies that mobilize them to thrive in their sport and gain the confidence that results from it. Lexi Jo Alm, junior, believes that confidence from working out goes hand in hand with appearance. “There are always times when I feel inferior because my build isn’t a certain way, but otherwise, I feel empowered and beautiful when I am muscular and strong,” said Alm. Hanna Ottsen, junior, is a soccer player who embraces strength like Lexi Jo, in the feeling of it, while also recognizing that every sport tends to mold a specific body. “To me, strength is about reaching a new max when I’m lifting or going in for a hard tackle in soccer. It’s more of a feeling of strength instead of looking the part, though I do think that there are different body types for athletes unique to their sports” said Ottsen.

10 FEATURE

“To me, being muscular is not necessarily the new beautiful, but it can be a component. All women are different- some need strength to feel confident in who they are, and others need to be skinny. Whatever makes you feel confident and comfortable in your own skin is what makes you beautiful,” said Connelly. These three athletes, despite their slightly differing views, are inspired by professinal athletes. “The most prominent American female athletes are strong women, inside and out, making them role models for true beauty,” said Ottsen Luckily for some female athletes at Westminster, an inspirational athlete is incredibly accessible. Jennifer Meyer, girls cross country coach and distance in track and field coach, shares her insight from being a lifelong athlete. “For young women to feel strong and empowered, it would help to set goals and then put a plan in place to achieve those goals. One way to do this is to communicate their goals to their family members so that they can support them,” said Meyer. As a distance runner, I completely attest to the admiration of olympians and professional runners. Also in the distance-running world is the skinny body type, though it appears different based on build. All of that is to say that female athletes, with their fire to push their physical and mental limits, are challenging and reshaping culture’s stereotype of an ideal female body.

EVERY VOTE COUNTS

Eighteen year olds have the opportunity to participate in voting for the leaders of America.

GRACE SKILJAN STAFF WRITER

In the United States, when a person turns eighteen they become an adult in the eyes of the state. Being an adult comes with privileges and responsibilities that need to be taken seriously. One of these privlages is voting. Voting is a way for everyone to be involved with who is in charge of our country. Many Westminster students that

“Going around and knocking on doors allows the senior class to have an appreciation for all the work that goes into government campaigns. It also was a great opportunity to help and serve the Republican or Democratic Party since most of us seniors wouldn’t normally go help with it”

-Sarah-Elizabeth Williams, Senior

One way Westminster seniors got involved with today’s politics was through a class project in their marketing class. This project involved going from door to door and asking questions about who people are voting for and why. It also let them see the effects of political campaigns and how they inﬂuence the way people vote.This gave them an opportunity to see what their community thinks about the present political race’s candidates and their campaigns. Through projects like these, Westminster is able to challenge its students to be knowledgeable about things happening with our country. Knowing what is going on in the world is important because the votes of these students count. For example, in Florida there was a recount for the statewide races for governor, senator, and agricultural commissioner. Because the initial votes were in a 5% margin of each other, the votes had to be recounted, meaning that every vote will have to be machine-counted again and if the margins are still very close the votes will be ounted again manually.

Nicole Brenneman, Class of 2018 shows her political activism by attendng Senator Josh Hawley’s rally. Photo by: Ava Hollmann.

are old enough have taken intuitive and voted in the recent election for Missouri’s senator. No matter their political view, high-schoolers everywhere are exercising their right as an American citizen to vote. To be able to choose a candidate to vote for, teenagers need to be involved in politics. Whether by their parents, peers, or classes, high-schoolers need to educate themselves on what is going on in the world. By encouarging tenns to be aware of what is going on in politics increases the likelyhood that these teens will develop opinions about what kind of people with certain views should be placed in a position of power. It also helps develop their own political views and make contributions of ideas and solutions to problems when they are older. Their opinions give them motavation which encourages progress in their lives as well as others.

This means that every single vote counts for these races. The votes of the younger generation matter for these candidates. If every single eighteen year old decided to vote in this election, it could make a big difference because the idea that every vote counts is very real especially in this particular race. The younger generation are making an impact in this political race and in others. Their right to vote gives them the freedom to make a change. Turning eighteen marks a transition from a kid to an adult; entering into the adult world is challenge that everyone must face at some point in their lives. To become part of the adult world involves making decisions that will affect more than just oneself, but the entire country. It is something to be taken seriously and not neglected. The fear of older generations is that teenagers are so wrapped up in their own little world that they do not realize that the world is bigger than just their own backyard. The youth is the future, and if America’s youth does not become involved, then there will be no one to run the country.

FEATURE 11

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BUBBLE As the American educational model faces limitations, a redesign of the system may point the way forward.

LEA DESPOTIS

Finland’s educational foundation incorporated a completely novel set of principles rejected by the majority of classrooms across the world. Based on practical and vocational programs, Finland avoided the push for standardization and restrictive curriculum. Instead, educators prioritized collaboration and a balanced circular cycle consisting of sharing, creating, innovating, and applying developmental skills to foster critical thinking. With relatively minimal amounts of homework and standardized testing, they valued the educational merit of free time as an opportunity to grow and learn organically and creatively. They sought to instill a deeper type of learning, and that’s what revolutionized their classrooms and placed them number #1 in the world.

STAFF WRITER

Photo By: Pexels

In a bold assertion in my previous article The Over-committed, Over-pressured, Almost-college student, I claimed that students today are under siege. Plagued by the demands of excessive pressure and over-commitment, students edge closer to the precipice of disaster. As teens tirelessly pursue the narrow conﬁnes of success in the academic realm, a call for change in the system appears more imperative than ever. But society faces a challenging question: How can learning institutions adequately develop competent students and inspire a generation of engaged and productive citizens? By analyzing the very core of the American educational

12 IN-DEPTH

PISA garnered worldwide attention as a poignant example of what Finland was doing right and where other systems fell short. What had they done to nurture such high performing critical thinkers?

model, it brings into question the narrow methods of evaluating and educating today’s students—and if these are truly the best strategies. In the year 2000, students across the world participated in the ﬁrst global assessment of the Program International Student Assessment (PISA). In contrast to traditional standardized tests, the PISA quantiﬁed preparedness for life by assessing a unique set of skills: critical thinking, communication, and application to real-life problems. With shocking results, the unsuspected nation of Finland emerged on top, surpassing the U.S., Germany, and Korea, who prided themselves on their educational systems. The results of the

While Finnish students continue to excel academically under this philosophy, America’s youth suffer at the hands of an amped-up, relentless achievement race. Yet exhausted and over-tested American students consistently underperform in comparison to their high-scoring counterparts in Finland. But why? In the backdrop of the Common Core curriculum, the education in America centers around a very limited approach. Stressing only particular areas of knowledge, the system employs a regimented routine of lecture, homework, and exam with the emphasis on assessments and performance. In an era of extreme standardization, students are measured on their ability to regurgitate the memorized facts onto the scantron bubbles to demonstrate proﬁciency in a subject. This mindset essentially focuses on the end results rather than the process itself. “Our educational system forces information and facts on students and

often times doesn’t allow them to understand the meaning behind the information. Students don’t have a deep connection with their education and easily forget things that they have learned,” said Hanna Ottsen, junior. “My problem with education is that I fail to see the relevance in everything I’m learning.”

However, the skills students lack today are exactly the skills needed to thrive in the modern world. In an IBM survey of 1,500 CEOs, employers ranked “creativity” as the top priority in their staff; yet, this quality was lacking in many of the otherwise qualiﬁed candidates.

By neglecting students’ potentials to make relevant connections, our system undermines the most fundamental principles of education.

And this is where education can stand to improve. In an era of what experts call an “educational crisis,” we must look to a new approach where schools nurture students’ drive to learn instead of destroying it, stimulate original thinking instead of stiﬂing it, and promote application instead of omitting it.

“The goal of education cannot just be to impart knowledge, it has to make people who can learn and want to learn and are able to navigate through the world. If we care about personal transformation, we cannot accept the way education is now,” said Robert Murphy, math teacher.

In transforming schools, educational experts harken for reform and propose practical solutions. Using Finland as an example of success, a highly personalized, dynamic approach to education will engage students and instill a broader range of skills. By incorporating interdisciplinary ideas and project-based practical learning, students learn to collaborate, communicate and innovate. With emphasis placed on these fundamental skills that go beyond the surface of superﬁcial learning, students are equipped to ﬂourish in an ever-changing 21st-century world. After all, progress and problem-solving is only ever made through innovation and creativity—and thinking “outside the bubble” is exactly what we need to teach our future generations.

Photo By: Pexels

Schools today foster a “spoon-fed” approach, where students lack the ability to think independently and to critically extrapolate from their learning. As achievement and results trump understanding, the one-dimensional measure of learning correlates with a narrow aspect of intelligence and fails to reward problem-solving skills achieved through ingenuity and creativity. Through the standardization and rigid curriculum, students disengage from productive thinking and application, plunging into a creativity and originality cycle of stagnation. In fact, according to a study by William and Mary’s Kyumg Hee Kim, students are embroiled in a “creativity crisis” as Torrance Tests of Creativity scores have consistently declined since 1990.

“The goal of education cannot just be to impart knowledge, it has to make people who can learn and want to learn and are able to navigate through the world. ” - ROBERT MURPHY IN-DEPTH 13

Westminstagram

Westminster Christian Academy

A STAR IS BORN ASHLEY MOELLENHOFF OPINION EDITOR

You may remember a certain singer known for wearing a meat dress. Lady Gaga tends to hide behind costumes, yet this never has mufﬂed her beautiful singing voice. While this is who she is, Bradley Cooper, the director and producer of A Star is Born, decided to cast Gaga as the unmasked vulnerable, Ally. A Star is Born is a reboot of an old time classic. Bradley Cooper, a fan favorite, steps out of his comfort zone to be the wasted famous singer, Jackson Maine. This gave the movie something no one has ever seen before. He travels as he plays shows all across the United States where crowds cheer his name.

isaacjohnston32 It was a great four years and football taught me so much. I love my family. #goonsquad #82out

Lady Gaga is known for her powerful voice as a singer, but she has never taken on an acting career. Her character is a waitress at a restaurant where she is barely making it. She has to deal with a ruthless boss who doesn’t appreciate her. After work when she is performing at the bar she always performs at. She is quickly recognized by the audience as a shy girl, made to perform because of her stellar powerful voice. Jackson Maine ﬁrst encounters her as he stumbles across the bar swaying to the sound of her voice. The movie gives us a taste for fame with Jackson Maine rapidly slipping into his drug and alcohol addiction, Ally on the other hand is on her way to the top after Maine gives her a chance.

21makeupaddictions Unleash your inner artist. jamescharles wow so beautiful

Jefferson City, Missouri

Movie Poster for A Star is Born Photo By: Ashley Moellenhoff

haydenturley_21 State XC meet went pretty well.

14 ENTERTAINMENT

This story is a tear jerker and a must see. The audience becomes attached to the characters in the two hours and ﬁfteen minutes. As Cooper said, “The movie knows she’s a star before she does.” The audience will feel as though they have discovered Ally and they will not be able to let go of her undeniable spirit. Bradley Cooper’s take on a Star is Born is a true art. The sound track from the movie is just another bonus.

TEACHER SPEAK ALLISON EICHENLAUB ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

ANNIE SULLIVAN PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Sullivan poses with her players. Photo by Claire Sanden.

ANNIE SULLIVAN IS A PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER AND HAS BEEN TEACHING AT WCA FOR 11 YEARS. SHE IS ALSO THE GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL COACH AND ENJOYS WORKING ALONGSIDE HER STUDENTS AND PLAYERS EVERYDAY.

Q: DID YOU PLAN TO BE A PE TEACHER AND COACH WHEN YOU WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL?

A: I DID NOT PLAN TO BE A PE TEACHER IN HIGH SCHOOL. I HONESTLY DIDN’T HAVE A CLUE WHAT I WANTED TO DO. I KNOW I LOVED BEING ACTIVE AND ENJOYED SCIENCE. WHEN I WENT TO PICK A MAJOR FOR COLLEGE, I SAW EXERCISE SCIENCE AND FIGURED THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD FIT! ENDED UP LOVING IT

Q: WHAT DID YOU STUDY IN COLLEGE?

A: I STUDIED EXERCISE SCIENCE FOR MY UNDERGRAD AND EDUCATION FOR MY MASTERS. (AND DR. GALL WAS ONE OF MY PROFESSORS AT TRUMAN)

Q: WHAT IS SOMETHING MOST STUDENTS DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU?

A: A FEW YEARS AFTER COLLEGE I WENT AND DID SOME OVERSEAS MISSION WORK USING SPORTS AS A GATEWAY TO CREATE RELATIONSHIPS. I WAS IN AUSTRALIA FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS, THEN TRAVELED TO JAKARTA AND SINGAPORE. I ACTUALLY INTERVIEWED FOR A JOB IN JAKARTA AND ALMOST THOUGHT ABOUT STAYING. HOWEVER, GOD BROUGHT ME BACK AND WITHIN A FEW WEEKS, I HAD A JOB AT WCA!

Q: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MEMORY?

A: WE WOULD GO ON VACATIONS WITH A LARGE GROUP OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY AT A RESORT IN MINNESOTA. I LEARNED TO SKI WHEN I WAS 5 ON THAT LAKE!

Q: WHAT IS A RANDOM TALENT YOU HAVE?

A: I CAN MAKE MY TONGUE INTO CLOVERS AND I LEARNED HOW TO GIVE MYSELF A LAZY EYE WHILE SITTING IN GERMAN CLASS SOPHOMORE YEAR.

ENTERTAINMENT 15

“FISH ARE FRIENDS, NOT FOOD”

The vegan and vegetarian trend is growing, and the increase begs the question of whether teens should be involved.

AVA BIDNER

IN-DEPTH EDITOR A quick scroll through Instagram or a stroll down a grocery store aisle yields an abundance of vegan or vegetarian recipes and options. These diets have become both more popular and more accessible over the past few years, and people all over the country and globe are choosing to try them. Adding labels like “gluten-free,” “nonGMO,” “organic,” “gluten free,” and especially “vegan” instantly boosts a product’s health factor in the eyes of many people who trust that these labels ensure the product is healthier. But is this really true? And what are the pros and cons to eating a vegetarian diet or living a truly vegan lifestyle? And most importantly, what is the best and healthiest decision for a teen with a growing, developing mind?

ly equally dispersed among age ranges, the vegan “movement is driven by the young,” as The Guardian reveals. Research by The Guardian proves that “close to half of all vegans are aged 15-34 (42%), compared with just 14% who are over 65.” These studies show that the vegan lifestyle is taking millennials and even the next generation by storm, likely due to the exposure on Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube, in addition to teenagers’ desires to have a positive impact on the planet. “I see a lot of vegan dishes and stuff on Instagram so I wanted to try them out,” said Lily Duda, junior, who tested out the vegan diet for about three weeks and decided it was not the best choice for her.

A proper definition of vegetarianism and veganism is also a critical ingredient to a full understanding of not only the reasons behind these diets but also their health benefits and concerns. Vegetarians are generally defined as people who do not eat meat, poultry, or seafood. However, there are people who follow many different dietary patterns who still consider themselves to be vegetarians. For example, lacto-ovo vegetarians do not eat meat, poultry, or fish but do eat eggs and dairy products; lacto vegetarians do not eat meat, poultry, fish, or eggs but do consume dairy products; ovo vegetarians do not eat Grace Johler, senior, enjoying her vegetarian salad at meat, poultry, fish, or dairy products lunch. Photo by: Grace Johler but do eat eggs; and partial vegetarians avoid meat but eat fish (pescatarians) or Today, veganism and vegetarianism are accessible, teens become more concerned with caring for the environment, avoid meat but eat poultry (pollo-veggrowing at a rapid rate. According to a 2016 poll conducted by the Vegetar- and many celebrities and internet stars etarians). “pave the way” as vegan role models ian Resource Group, approximately Vegans are considered total vegetarians 6-8 million adults in the United States (according to Plant Based News). and choose to not only abstain from do not eat meat, fish, or poultry. In addition, several more million have “I started eating vegetarian because of eating meat, poultry, and fish, but also any and all products derived from eliminated red meat from their diets. health concerns. However, once I reAnd these statistics do not even include searched more, I realized how horrible animals, including eggs and dairy prodteenagers. About 2 percent of youth in the conditions of the meat industry are ucts. The greatest distinction between vegetarians and vegans is that most the U.S. from ages 6-17 never eat meat, for the animals, and so now I also eat fish, or poultry, and approximately 0.5 vegetarian to not support those practic- vegans choose to not only be involved percent of American youth are vegan. es,” said Grace Johler, senior, who has in the diet aspect but also to embrace a complete vegan lifestyle, avoiding the been vegetarian for a year and a half. use of all animal products, including While this number may not be the majority, the trend is on the rise as vegan In addition, data shows that while the leather, beeswax and honey, gelatin, food becomes both appealing and more percentage of vegetarians may be most- keratin, fur, silk, wool, and cashmere. These ingredients are derived from

16 IN-DEPTH

animals and are not only used in the production of foods but also in self-care and hygiene products, clothing, and textiles. Living a truly vegan lifestyle requires a commitment to refrain from all animal products, which can be an extremely difficult and time-consuming task, as well as dedication to the environment and to a healthier personal life. “I’m vegan for health, environmental, and ethical reasons. A wide variety of diseases and common health problems arise from eating meat and dairy. Furthermore, these industries demolish natural landscapes, pollute the air, and frequently force their animals into unnatural, inhumane living conditions,” said Hannah Brown, senior, who has been vegetarian for a year and a half and vegan for over five months. Of course, the main concern with these diets is how those who selectively eat meat consume enough protein, energy, and nutrients. Proteins essentially control the entire body and all of its functions, and the dietary intake of proteins is vital because some important amino acids, the smaller subunits of proteins, can not be synthesized by the body. Required for the structure of tissues, organs, and cells, proteins regulate body processes, help provide cells and tissues with stiffness and rigidity, and act as antibodies which help fight infection from harmful foreign pathogens like bacteria and viruses. Protein is also imperative for muscle growth, strength, and repair. While protein may be more difficult to incorporate into a vegetarian or vegan diet, it is not impossible. Animal foods are often considered complete proteins because they contain all nine of the essential amino acids in the right amounts, and they are also generally easier to digest. Plant-based proteins are protected by cellulose and are therefore more difficult for the body to digest in comparison to animal proteins. They also tend to lack one or more of the essential amino acids, making them incomplete proteins.

But with a conscious effort and dedication to eating vegetarian or vegan and still consuming enough protein, it is completely possible to incorporate the necessary nutrients into one’s diet. “A health concern most people express to me is that there is a lack of protein in the vegetarian diet. However, I get plenty of protein from beans, nuts, tofu, and lots of other plant based foods,” said Johler. While these diets may require additional effort when ensuring that there is enough protein and other nutrients in them, they also provide many convenient health beneﬁts that are difﬁcult to obtain when eating meat and dairy products frequently.

“I started eating vegetarian because of health concerns. However, once I researched more, I realized how horrible the conditions of the meat industry are for the animals, and so now I also eat vegetarian to not support those practices.” - Grace Johler, senior

A healthy, balanced meal at a vegan restuarant in Richmond, VA. Photo by: Hannah Brown

IN-DEPTH 17

Data taken from a

18 IN-DEPTH

2016 poll conducted by the Vegetarian Resource Group and The Guardian.

“Refraining from consuming animal products appears to reduce the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and certain cancers. Skeptics often question the method in which vegans consume protein but forget that plants contain this crucial nutrient. Although people must eat more plants than they would animal products to obtain necessary amounts of protein, dedicated vegans ﬁnd little trouble staying healthy,” said Brown. These diets have also become controversial over time as stereotypes have developed and people criticize others’ food choices. The decision to become vegetarian or vegan can be a life-changing step for someone, but it really does not involve anyone but the person, and in the case of a teenager, his or her parents and doctor. “People generally stereotype vegans as earthy hippies or health-obsessed dieters. However, as more people educate themselves on veganism and solely eat plant-based food, the stigma begins to dissolve. I believe that society should continue to increase acceptance of veganism and actively promote the lifestyle to mend human relationships with the earth and with animals,” said Brown.

antibiotics and hormones in livestock, a desire to avoid excessive use of environmental resources, and of course health benefits such as less saturated fats, lower LDL cholesterol, more vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and lower etarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionblood pressure. ally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment “Vegetarianism and veganism have greatly increased my awareness of how of certain diseases.” irresponsibly humans often treat our resources and fellow life forms, and I now seek to reduce my part in such unnecessary destruction,” said Brown.

Overall, the decision to become a vegetarian or vegan, especially as a teen, must be made on an individual basis. As teens engage in constant activity, they need to ensure they are receiving enough essential protein and nutrients to feed their growing minds and bodies. For some this may mean a diverse diet of animal products and plant-based foods, while others may function best on a full plant-based diet like vegetarianism or veganism.

The key phrase here is “appropriately planned” because vegetarians must consciously focus more than meat-eaters on consuming enough protein and following other nutritional guidelines, such as consuming enough healthy fats. Hannah Stevenson, junior, is not a vegetarian but understands the situation well: “If you don’t feel comfortable eating meat, then don’t eat meat. And if you do, go ahead. We should choose what makes us feel good and respect others for their food choices.”

The vegetarian or vegan diet is a healthy option for many people, including teens, while others require different “I think that vegetarianism helps promote a healthy lifestyle if executed diets to meet their bodies’ needs. There correctly. It also brings me more energy is no right or wrong answer overall, but there is a best choice for each individbecause of my lack of junk food and ual. fast food,” said Jacob Moyer, junior, who has been vegetarian for three years.

There are many motives for vegetarianism and veganism, including concerns The American Dietetic Association about animal welfare or the use of claims that “appropriately planned veg-

“Appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health beneﬁts in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.” - The American Dietetic Associaton IN-DEPTH 19

MATH IS A LIBERAL ART

In today’s scoiety math education has begun to focus on compuation rather than full understanding and problems based math classes seek to change that ISABELLA FRANCOIS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

University in Bangkok, Thailand who published a comprehensive study in the Procedia Journal of Social and Behavioral Sciences in 2018. This struggle begins at the elementary level when children are ﬁrst introduced to basic math concepts. Children are taught multiplication and division rules simply because “that’s how it works” and when they do not understand they are considered poor math students. While elementary school teachers are not to blame because their math education was also ﬂawed , a lacking elementary education system is the root of the problem. “Many elementary school teachers confuse two incredibly different concepts; math is almost unrelated from computation. These are the key terms for me because they are by no means the same. The worksheets that you do when you are little, those are the things that we now do with a calculator,” said Robert Murphy, math teacher.

The idea that computation is all that math is about has become such a widespread misconception that the majority of students enter college believing that A Westminster student sits at a desk, confused by their math homework. Photo by: Isabella Francois they know how to do complex math “Why can’t you understand?” asked my This dilemma, however, is not just an based upon their knowledge of specific calculation. However, when put into math teacher. It was elementary school isolated situation seen in a few elediscussion groups or real-life scenarand I could not understand the concept mentary school students. In fact, the idea that math is a series of formulaic ios in college settings, students seem of solving an equation. It seemed unnatural to me that there were numbers steps that are to be exactly followed has to be incompetent. And this frustrates professors. combined with letters because accord- led to many students and society as a whole developing an aversion to math ing to what I had been taught before, Math used numbers and English used as well as being underprepared to apply “A man named Paul Lockhart had a math to real life situations. letters, there was no crossover. Ph.D. in math and was a college professor and he became so frustrated with how students could not talk about math “According to the latest national test It was at this moment that I decided I once they got to him in college he gave results, most students lack mathehated math. Why would the letters of up and now teaches third grade because my favorite subject, English, infiltrate matical problem-solving skills. This he decided he has to go back to the beproves to be one of the reasons why the numeric world of mathematics, I ginning and catch students before they overall achievement in mathematics wondered. When I asked the teacher, reach that point of [only understanding she simply told me that the letters were is considered quite low. It also rejust there to aid in the steps of solving flects that students have difficulties in computation],” said Murphy. an equation and suggested that if I did comprehending mathematical problems not understand, I should ask my parents affecting the process of problem-solv- In fact, Paul Lockhart was so troubled ing,” explain researchers from the about after-school tutoring or about by his findings in the math education Department of Educational Research moving to a lower level math class. system as a teacher, he published a and Psychology at Chulalongkorn book hoping to bring about some

20 IN-DEPTH

change in the math community. Although his work as a teacher only impacts a few students, he hopes that his book will bring about a better understanding of math as a whole. “It is so heartbreaking to see what is being done to mathematics in school. This rich and fascinating adventure of the imagination has been reduced to a sterile set of ‘facts’ to be memorized and procedures to be followed,” Lockhart explains in his book, A Mathematician’s Lament. The procedural aspect of math is what turns students away and allows them to become complacent in their computation skills. But Lockhart brings up an interesting idea that math is, in fact, a journey, an “adventure of the imagination” that allows for students to think deeply about the concepts they are learning and truly understand the purpose of them instead of only looking at the surface. “By concentrating on the ‘what,’ and leaving out the ‘why’ mathematics is reduced to an empty shell. Mathematics is the art of explanation. If you deny students the opportunity to engage in this activity— to pose their own problems, make their own conjectures and discoveries, to be wrong, to be creatively frustrated, to have an inspiration, and to cobble together their own explanations and proofs— you deny them mathematics itself,” Lockhart continues. “But, while learning math as “the art of explanation” seems like a great idea, the concept seems a bit abstract for practical application in schools. However, there is a way that this idea can be applied, and that is through problems based math. Problems based math is a class in which students are given a problem to do for homework without prior teaching and are expected to wrestle with the ideas and bring their work back to present to and discuss with the class.

Data shows that students we discuss math have higher scores and that students who enjoy complex problems also have higher scores.

At Westminster, 8th-grade Algebra I is a partial problems based class, and 8th grade Honors Algebra I is completely problems based. While the class may take some adjustment at ﬁrst, teacher JD Perona has seen great results throughout his time teaching the class.

IN-DEPTH 21

“IF EVERYONE WAS EXPOSED TO MATHEMATICS IN ITS NATURAL STATE, WITH ALL THE CHALLENGING FUN AND SURPRISES THAT THAT ENTAILS, I THINK WE WOULD SEE A DRAMATIC CHANGE BOTH IN THE ATTITUDE OF STUDENTS TOWARD MATHEMATICS AND IN OUR CONCEPTION OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE GOOD AT MATH” -PAUL LOCKHART AUTHOR OF A MATHEMATICIANS LAMENT “One of the biggest benefits of problems based math is that students learn to understand that math is bigger than just memorizing your way through it because in problems based you actually talk about it and are able to understand it. I also think that a lot of people learn to like math a lot more than they did before,” JD Perona explains. Personally, I also have seen the benefits of problems based math in my own life as before I took Mr. Perona’s eighth grade Algebra I class, I really did not like math and felt as though I would never be able to understand the material. However, upon taking the class I realized that math can mean more to me than formulas and numbers; it can be a discussion, a debate, and most importantly, a conversation. I found myself excited to go to class every day and present what I had learned in my homework to the class. After 8th grade, I decided that I wanted to take more advanced level math classes, and now I am in Honors Pre-Calculus with Derivatives learning advanced calculus concepts. I am enjoying learning more than ever. Although wrestling with complex material is difficult at times, the reward of knowing that you thought about the material deeply and built a relationship with someone over the material is extremely rewarding.

in problems based math, students must overall proves to be the math of tomorthink about the material on their own. row. In the future, advanced computers will be able to do calculations, but problem-solving skills will always be “There are 80 students who take my necessary, and in a world where a libdirect instruction Pre-Calculus class and there are 10 that take Mr. Dejong’s eral arts education is needed, problems based math fits in perfectly. problems based class. Most people want to be told what to do so the fact that they have to wrestle with it them- Math as a liberal art does seem like selves and think of some way to state it a contradiction, but while the words and continually engage themselves with “liberal” and “art” have connotations it is difficult for them. Students want of politics or painting, when used to to be spoon fed information despite describe education they actually mean the fact that it has nothing to do with an education in which students see the reality,” said Murphy. connection between their subjects and engage in discussion over them. While learning independently can be extremely difficult, it is true that “Math is a liberal art because in the computing an answer to an equation or liberal arts everything requires you to the like is not useful for real-life situa- be able to articulate what you know in tions. In a job, a computer or calculator a discussion-based setting; you need would do mindless calculation while a to be able to have an adult conversahuman is needed to problem solve and tion about what you are learning. The think on their own. However, not only idea that you need to be able to have a the flawed math system enforced the conversation; telling me the steps about idea of formulaic education, but the how you are going to solve it should school system, in general, promotes the be worth more points than the correct idea of working only for a grade and answer,” said Murphy. only doing what is required. In order for students to be well pre“Students prefer direct instruction pared for the future, the math curricubecause it’s easier. You don’t have to lum must change for the better in order work as much at it, and I think that peo- to prepare students for real life in the ple start to devalue the actual learning workforce where they will be valued as process; they think that if I just get my humans and not computers. If this takes A, than nothing else matters when it place, then the students of tomorrow actually should be about the learning will be better equipped to use their process. It’s a lot more work to push knowledge of math to relate to the yourself through it,” said Perona. greater body of human knowledge.

However, problems based math does have some ﬂaws, as it requires the student to be self-motivated and truly want to understand the material. Many high school students want material and But, while there are some challenges steps simply to be handed to them and associated with problems based math, it

22 IN-DEPTH

“I CHOSE PROBLEMS BASED MATH BECAUSE IT HELPS ME LEARN THE BEST BY FORCING ME TO UNDERSTAND WHY I’M DOING WHAT I AM. I LOVE THE COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT OF THE CLASS AND HOW EVERYONE LEARNS OFF OF EACH OTHER’S QUESTIONS.” -CAROLINE KOPSKY, JUNIOR

Honors Pre-Calculus students Annie Davidson and Katelyn Jeong work on a problem in their problems-based math class. Photo By: Caroline Kopsky

IN-DEPTH 23

ITSOG

IN THE SPIRIT OF GIVING

“

BY: REBEKAH SEMS

Unity was the overall theme for Westminster, and ITSOG was one specific way for students and staff at WCA to help the community and unite with different organizations in the area. The daily goals, and the addition of the Shop Together Challenge worked in tandem to create an atmosphere of unity and continue to encourage the spirit of giving to those less fortunate.

“

QUICK READ

24 QUICK READ

COLLEGE SEARCH

“

BY: CLAIRE SANDEN

I would definitely recommend to juniors and lower classmen that it is never too early to start looking. I began going on visits my junior year, and I’m really glad I started looking that early. Senior year is packed full of events and there is not much time so I would highly suggest that you get started early on it. -Kiley Mckee, senior

“

Seniors Hattie Means, Kylie McKee, Rachel Arndt, and Molly Anderson go a on a college vsit together. Photo by: Kylie McKee

QUICK READ 25

DISNEY SHOWS THEN AND NOW ASHLEY MOELLENHOFF

functional teens like them, they are seeing put together adults playing the role of teenagers.

OPINION WRITER

Disney Channel has changed from what it used to be eleven When Zendaya began her role on “K.C. Undercover” she was years ago. In, 2007 Disney Channel constructed their shows nineteen, and ended the role as a twenty-one years old. She was, to give life lessons to young teens. They showed that even if things are difﬁcult, they will come around to work out in the end. While the shows are still trying to teach a lesson today, they struggle to connect to the awkward middle school high school life the watchers’ live out.

“Disney channel then was more meaningful with a purposeful message, now they are just making a show to produce content.” for many girls, a face to look up to, yet she was not even near the age she was pretending to be. When Miley Cyrus began her role on “Hannah Montana” she was fourteen, ending the role as -Grace Rahal, Junior a eighteen year old. Zendaya was a legal adult the whole time Hannah Montana performing “Noboy’s Perfect” Photo By: Ashley Moellenhoff

“K.C. Undercover”, a Disney Show playing from 20152018, starring Zendaya, a well known Disney star, is about her life living with a family of spies. She herself works to accomplish missions as she hides her secret life from her friends. This sounds like a similar plot to the the hit show “Hannah Montana,” playing on Disney from 2006-2011. Miley Stewart, played by Miley Cyrus, was an average girl who was an awkward typical high schooler everyone could relate to. She had an obnoxious older brother, Jackson Rod Stewart who was everything but girly. On the weekends she was teen pop sensation “Hannah Montana.” While she was Miley, she dressed the part of her character and did not have a perfect wardrobe everyday. Hannah Montana, however, had a dream closet with everything a teenage girl could ever hope for. Her Hannah Montana life was the dream, but all viewers knew this is not who she was most of the time.

she was playing a high schooler. Cyrus played the role of Miley Stewart/ Hannah Montana as her real age. Disney is changing what watchers see as a normal age teen. “Andi Mack” on the other hand, is another Disney Channel show playing now. It is about a girl who finds out her long time older sister is really her mother, as she’s been living with her grandparents. While this show still tries to convey the struggle of middle school, it is going about it a different way. The show is working to create a norm than actually representing one. They have tried to make an uncommon situation be something that is always on middle schoolers’ TVs. For the first time in Disney Channel history they have created a gay character named Cyrus Goodman. It can go unsaid that this being the first time in history that a gay character is portrayed, it is definitely going away from what Disney used to be. This character is going to cause kids who never would have considered homosexuality to become curious about the controversial issue.

TV is a big part of teenager’s growing up and can become the anthem for how they live their lives. Girls are going to try to K.C. on the other hand always has a perfect outfit, at school, always look perfect because of Zendaya, instead of thinking it’s at home, or wherever. These outfits double over as her spy normal to be a little bit of a mess because of Miley. Boys will outfits. She does not need to make a transition to become a question something they don’t understand, instead of living like spy because she’s always in a perfect state. This is what has Jackson Stewart a crazy older brother always seeking a new warped the image of Disney. Kids are no longer seeing dysthrill.

26 OPINION

800 SPORTING

NOVEMBER

GIRLS BASKETBALL PREVIEW P. 28

BOYS BASKETBALL PREVIEW P. 29

SWIMMING PREVIEW

P. 30

WRESTLING PREVIEW

P. 30

WHY YOU SHOULD RUN

P. 33

BUILDING A PROGRAM

GIRLS BASKETBALL IS BLENDING YOUNG TALENT WITH VETERAN EXPERIENCE

SPORTINGWCA 27

GIRLS BASKETBALL: YEARS IN THE MAKING Girls Varsity Basketball is getting ready for their best season in five years.

TOMMY BRINER STAFF WRITER

The Girls Varsity Basketball program has been years in the making. It has taken time, but this year might finally be the year where it all comes together. With three standout Freshman and five different Seniors capable of making a huge impact, this team is capable of winning Westminster’s first District Championship in Girls Basketball since 2012.

This year, one of the biggest Westminster sports stories has been the Freshman class for Girls Basketball. There are three of them on Varsity. Carli Vick stands over six feet tall and plays inside. Brooke Highmark and Rielly Brophy are both much shorter but are strong ball handlers and good shooters. Although all three are loaded with intrigue, they are also all completely unproven. They will have to work to earn everything. All things considered, this team has the potential to be Westminster’s best this winter. A District Championship is not out of reach. Westminster’s District, Class 4 District 5, includes Burroughs, Ladue, MICDS, Parkway North, Villa, and Visitation.

“I’m excited for the season to start,” said Junior Macey Lottmann, “This is the most hype we’ve had surrounding a team since I’ve been here, so it should be a fun season.” The team’s foundation lies in its Seniors. Kristen Keys, Kiley McKee, and Claire Sanden are all four-year Varsity players at Westminster. Last year, Keys scored 144 points while playing in only 15 games. When she played, the offense flowed in a way that it failed to without her. McKee led the team in scoring, averaging 13.9 points per game, playing in every game and taking more shots than anyone else on the team. Sanden averaged five points per game while also grabbing five rebounds per game. She is a physical inside player who is also able to shoot mid-range shots and three pointers. These three girls will lead the team. Bri Adams and Dani Mabry, also both Seniors, will be role players who find different ways to contribute. Having Adams and Mabry gives the team very important depth that they lacked last year. The Junior class has only two girls still playing basketball, but both will be important to the success of the team. Last year, Macey Lottman played in every game and Carsyn Beachy missed only one. They combined to average 12.6 points per game from the guard position. Both of these girls have also been playing for Varsity since their Freshman years. Marty Briner is the lone Sophomore on Varsity this season. She will play a limited amount, but hopes to find her place in the talented lineup. She played in just three Varsity games last year as a Freshman.

Photo By: Tommy Briner

“I think we’re going to have our ﬁrst winning season in three or four years and I think we will go far in Districts,” said Sanden. “One of the things that makes our team different is our enthusiasm on and off the court,” said Highmark, “We all take basketball very seriously, but also make sure that we still have fun.” The season starts off with the Troy Tournament which will be played in the week following Thanksgiving. League play will then get right underway, and the rest of the schedule will include some large-school non-conference opponents such as University City, Kirkwood, and Clayton. While aspirations this season are high, the team will have to stay grounded and play their style of basketball as best they can. “Our expectations are to just work as hard as we can and see where that takes us,” said Brophy.

2018-19 BOYS BASKETBALL PREVIEW Entering Coach Dale Ribble’s third season, the Wildcats are poised to have their most succcsesful season since he took over the program.

THOMAS SHULTZ SPORTING EDITOR

The Wildcats are in an interesting position this year. Coming off a 16-12 season that ended in an early exit from the district tournament, they return 3 of their top 4 scorers from last year in hopes of capturing their first district title since 2015. And with the strong core and addition of some talented freshmen, the Cats have the depth and shooters to have a very successful season. One of the main challenges for the Wildcats this year is that they are not a very big team. Outside of freshmen Sam Vestal and Austin Vick, (6’ 4 and 6’ 6), the team’s biggest player is Brennan Orf at a little over 6’ 2. But Orf is a beast inside, with the ability to fight through contact and finish at the rim. The smaller team also allows the Wildcats to run a quick moving, 3-point heavy offense. They can swing the ball until a quality shot opens up that a sharpshooter such as Jerram Adams or Casen Lawrence will knock down. “We need to focus on controlling the ball,” said Coach Ribble, “if we are crisp with our passing, scoring lanes will open up, giving us a good opportunity to be successful on offense.”

Projected Starting 5: PG - SR Luke Linam

Westminster has had some great point guards over the years, and Linam has some big shoes to ﬁll. But after a strong junior season, he has shown that he’s ready to take over the offense. He was fourth on the team in points, averaging 7.4 a game, and second in assists.

C - JR Brennan Orf Orf is going to be crucial if the Cats are going to have any success this season. As a sophomore last year, he led the team in points, rebounds and blocks averaging 11.5, 7, and 1.2 respectively. This year the offense will start with him. If he can ﬁnish in the paint, he will draw in defenders leaving other players open for shots.

SG - SR Jerram Adams Adams is another player returning after a good 2017-18 season. He was the best defensive player last year, leading the team in steals, and locking down whoever he guarded. Offensively, he was second on the team in points, averaging 10.1 ppg. He shot an impressive 42% from 3 point range last year, and looks to have a strong senior season.

F - SR Isaac Johnston Johnston has been a mainly a role player for the Wildcats over the years, ﬁlling in where needed and geting his job done. He plays strong, and physical down low and can draw contact from defending players. Johnston looks to become a regular starter this year on a solid team.

SG - SR Blake Jewell Jewell is a quick, high energy player who seems to be a perfect ﬁt with this years offense. His ball handleing and play making ability give him a strong chance of racking up some quality minutes this year and having a big impact on the Cats success.

PLAYERS TO WATCH Freshmen: EJ Williams Casen Lawrence

Austin Vick

Senior: Trey Klein

Swimming Dives into 2018-19 Season

After a dominant season last year, the Girls Swim and Dive Team looks to continue their streak of excellence.

Koby Schmer Staff Writer

With the boys swimmers and divers season coming to an end, it is time for the ladies to step in where they left off last year. After a rather impressive season last year, the girls strive to take this success and have another season to remember. However, with the loss of seventeen stellar seniors, the team hopes to regroup with the returning swimmers stepping up into a leadership role.

ing about the season to come. The relay teams last year were quite strong, with all three qualifying in state. The swimmers grabbed a ninth place ﬁnish in the 200 relay, and also came in eleventh in the 400 relay. With the strong performance, the team sees potential, and hopes to pick up off of last year’s success.

Last year, the Westminster community was blown away by the diving performance of Margo O’Meara. As a freshman, she scored the most points in state, surpassing the second place ﬁnisher by over one hundred points. As a sophomore, O’Meara will certainly be a diver to watch in the state of Missouri, hoping to remain at the top for this years season. One swimmer who will be someone to watch throughout the season is Payton Dunn, senior. Dunn swam her way to the state ﬁnals last year, showing her skill in the 200 and 500 free. She ended up getting top ten times in both these categories, clocking in at 1:59.23 on the 200 and 5:15.78 on the 500. “We lost some great seniors, but the freshman are very motivated and will make a big impact at meets,” said Dunn, comment- Photo by: 800 Sporting

Wrestling: New Coach, New Season

Under a new Head Coach, Varsity Wrestling looks to reach new heights. Pearson Georges Staff Writer

the starters last year will be back again to try to continue playing Now that fall sports have come to an end, it is time for winter well and winning matches. sports to take over. Among these sports are wrestling, basketball, Hopefully the wrestling team will be able to adapt to these changand swimming. As for wrestling, the boys are going to have to es and continue to be a strong team throughout the entire season. readjust to some changes that were made over the off season. Westminster wrestling has made a large change to the entire team by switching their head coaches. Prior to this year, the varsity coach for 19 years had been Tim Muehleisen. However, he has given up his position as head coach and handed it over to Coach Wadley. Another change to the team is the loss of veteran wrestler Charlie McCracken. McCracken made a huge impact on the Wildcat wrestling team. “Charlie always made sure everyone had fun while also working crazy hard. It will deﬁnitely be different without him but we are still a tight team and there are a lot of returning starters so we can still compete and do well this year,” said Clayton Perona, junior. With the loss of McCracken, the rest of the team is going to have to stand up to ﬁll his shoes. However, as Perona said, many of Photo by: Clayton Perona

WCA’S MOST INTENSE ATHLETE From Stocks of Brocoli to 12 mile runs Caleb Moellenhoff Does it All AMANDA ESPY EDITOR

Caleb Moellenhoff, sophomore, is one of WCA’s top cross country runners for the boys team and played a key role in their second place victory at Districts. But his training consists much more than just showing up to

“HAVING THE DAILY SUCCESS OF HARD WORK PAYS OFF”

Despite how challenging the race can be, Moellenhoff has speciﬁc reminders reminders that keep him consistent. “The team is a brotherhood and we all push each other to be the best of our abilities. They have out together a great workout plan and I can trust that I will be at the best shape when I need to be,” said Moellenhoff. Atheletes and coaches admire his dedication to the sport and his training in and out of season. This year he was awarded the “Most Dedicated” achievement by Head Coach Nile Heefner and Assisant Coach Jacob Pinkley. “It is without question that Caleb has put in an insane amount of hardwork this season and deserves this award. His work ethic will take him so far in his running career, and I’m very excited to see how he imporves in the coming years,” said Heefner. It is evident that Moellenhoffs hardwork has beneﬁted the team by his running performance, while also inspiring others to remain deicated to their training. “There is such a community aspect in running that I love. The best times are going on long runs with my teamates where we can talk and joke about things. I hope to somedaycontinue my running career in college,” said Moellenhoff.

practice. He maintains a healthy lifestyle consisting of a bag of spinach per day, no added sugars, and 8-10 eggs at least twice a week. At state he stayed dedicated to his routine diet bringing a stalk of brocoli and peanut butter sandwhiches to eat the night before. Not only does he have a healthy diet, but he also will not look at screens of any kind 1-2 hours before bed in order to insure a solid night of sleep. “The individual success of each day is rewarding. Making the day by day success helps me to realize at the end of the season how the hard work I put in daily paid off in the long run” said Moellenhoff. Moellenhoffs strict routine paid off this season helping him run hard and secure the boys second place at districts along with several other races. Going in to state he planed to follow this same routine and go hard. “State is more of a celebration of the hard work we have put in this season. I’m just gonna go into this running the best I can,” said Moellenhoff.

Photo By: Ashley Moellenhoff

KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR BOYS LACROSSE THE BOYS LACROSSE TEAM LOOKS TO BUILD OFF OF LAST YEAR’S SUCCESS IN HOPES OF BRINGING HOME FIRST STATE TITLE

ZACH CANCILA STAFF WRITER

With a sport that has just recently come into its own, it seems like everywhere you look kids are picking up lacrosse sticks looking to play. While it has not completely overthrown other sports in terms of worldwide popularity, lacrosse is on the rise and will continue to become more popular in the years to come at Westminster due to the changes that have been made to the program. With that said, here at Westminster the lacrosse team’s presence hasn’t gone unnoticed, that is if you’re talking about girls lacrosse. Throughout the past few years the girls lacrosse team has generated much success and created a name for themselves. From having one of the best records in the area, to appearing in the finals and semifinals in back to back years, their achievements surely have not been overlooked. However, in terms of boys lacrosse, the recognition is still to come. Since becoming associated with the school back in 2014, boys lacrosse has gotten off to a rather slow start. With no district titles to show for, many don’t see boys lacrosse as being anything special. However, that is about to change. After falling short of winning their first district game in school history last year, the Cats have been working hard all summer and fall for the upcoming season. Coming off their best season yet, there are many positives to be had and much to look forward to for the future. The team is determined to bring home their first state title after a promising offseason. During the offseason the Cats won the Vianney invitational defeating teams that have beat them in previous years. With a new mentality and higher standards, the Cats are done being overlooked. There is much to be excited about for this upcoming spring as the rising Wildcats look to take home their end goal.

2017-18 Team

COLD FEET?

Why everyone should run cross country and track

AVA HOLLMANN STAFF WRITER

part of their success,” said Lawrence. “I continue to run even with injuries and other setbacks because I still love the sport, and I want to keep improving. Plus, I want to continue to run for my teammates and coaches who continue to work hard for me,” said Duda. Despite her injury, Lawrence still encourages others to join the sport, no matter where they are in their aerobic ﬁtness.

“My advice to people who are interested in running is to take Aerobic capacity is an integral part of many sports, but is combined with skill and equipment. What if, however, there were two a risk and go for it. I was skeptical joining cross-country sophsports in which the body was solely tested on its aerobic capaci- omore year, but it has changed my life. To start this sport, all ty? Luckily, there are: cross country and track and ﬁeld. The purest forms of sport, cross country and track challenge the body and the mind to their furthest limits, on and off the course and track. Cross country in particular affects mental strength and teaches valuable lessons about teamwork, open-mindedness, and hard work. Though it is not nearly as high on the radar of WCA students as more popular sports, such as Blue Crew-thronged games of football and basketball, it should be. A myth I have heard from several students in my years at WCA is that cross country is a sport in which the team runs ten miles everyday, for two hours straight, thus clearly discouraging people who are not at that level. However, this could not be farther from the truth, as explained by Kinsley Lawrence, a junior on the 2018 girls cross country team. “Before joining cross country, I was not interested in running- I mostly joined so I could get in shape for lacrosse, but now, I am so glad I did. I love all the girls on the team as well as the coaches, and running with all of them by my side makes it so much easier when the races get really hard,” said Lawrence. Lily Duda, junior, was also on the 2018 girls cross country team, and had an unconventional approach to running, as she was a dancer until her sophomore year when she joined the XC team. “The transition from dancing to running was difﬁcult, since they require very different skills, like endurance. But somthing they have in common is attention to proper technique,” said Duda. This year in particular, the girls cross country team was plagued with persisting injuries. However, that did not stop the girls from running their best. This season, Lawrence had excruciating shin pain, culminating in two boots. “My injuries have taught me to place my value in my team and ultimately in Jesus more than my performance or physical abilities. Being able to support the girls is more than enough to keep me on the team, and hopefully in the future I’ll be able to be a

Kinsley Lawrence (bottom) and Lily Duda (top) at Districts. Photo by: Isabella Francois

you need is an open mind,” said Lawrence. This life change because of an open mind to running has reaped more rewards than personal bests, but lessons in mental strength as well. “I have leanred that hard work can get you anywhere, and that pushing through hard times always pays off,” said Lawrence. The motivation behind this mental strength is not purely self-inflicted, though- the unique team aspect of cross country fosters community. “Cross country truly attracts the best group of people; I have learned the importance of teamwork and the difference that just a little bit of encouragement can make,” said Lawrence. From teamwork, endurance, and starting at a realistic current fitness level, cross country breeds a love for an exercise that can be carried throughout life. And, when football and volleyball players are fifty years old, will they still be playing? Maybe. But with proper care of injuries and overall health, those who ran cross country in high school will be lapping the court and fields and fields with the limping, padding-clad athletes.

WHAT TO WATCH F0R - WINTER SPORTS

Kiley McKee

Brennan Orf

Margo O’Meara

Kiley McKee, Senior, is coming off a season in which she scored 361 points - almost twice as many as any other player on her team. she should have another great year in this, her senior season, as she plays on what will in all likelihood be the best westminster basketball team she has played on.

Brennan Orf, Junior, averaged 11 points per game last season as a sophomore. The most on his team. This year, he returns as a junior with a new motivation - win a district championship. His team has the tools to do it, bu the is the leader of this squad. Don’t miss the opportunity to watch one of Westminster’s finest basketball players as he continues the quest for 1,000 points.

Margo O’Meara, Sophomore, dominated in diving last year, winning the state championship by a healthy margin as a just a freshman.Unfortunately, the multi-sport star tore her acl in the varsity soccer playoffs last spring. she will hopefully make a full comeback and win her second state championship in diving in her second season.

Ben Parres

Due to a conflict with his club team, Ben Parres, Junior, did not play hockey for Westminster last year. however, after switching teams this year, he will be playing for Westminster this year. He will play a key role in the team’s journey to a third straight Wickenheiser Cup Championship.

00:00