APRIL 2019
THE 800
NEWS An Abundance of AP Exams Pg. 17-18
Rewiring Intelligence Pg. 12-13 Westminster Christian Academy
The Death of Free Speech Pg. 14-15
Is St. Louis “Better Together” Pg. 22-25 1
THE 800 STAFF
THE 8
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
FEATURES EDITOR AMANDA ESPY, SENIOR 2 STAFF
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
SPORTING PRINT EDITOR TOMMY BRINER, JUNIOR
THE 800 STAFF PEARSON GEORGES • ZACH CANCILA • ALEX CHEN • LEA DESPOTIS • DYLAN ELIAS • LAUREN FLEMING • EMMA GORE • JOURNEE HENRY • COLE HINTZ • AVA HOLLMANN • JOEY KEANE • CAROLINE MEGOWN • SYDNEY MOORE • MAX NELSON • JIMMY OBERTOP • MEGAN ROCHE • KOBY SCHMER • NATHANIEL SEMS • REBEKAH SEMS • GRACE SKILJAN • GRIFFIN THOMAS
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CONTENTS
FEATURE
ROBOTICS PG. 6 TEACHER SPEAK PG. 7 PERSONALITIES PG. 8 JESSIE’S BAKESALE PG. 9
4 CONTENTS
ENTERTAINMENT IN-DEPTH TO JEEP OF NOT TO JEEP PG. 12 6 WORDS WE PRONOUNCE DIFFERENTLY PG. 12 4 WAYS TO GET INTO THE SCHOOL OF YOUR DREAMS PG. 13
HIGHSCHOOL DATING PG. 14 AP EXAMS PG. 15-16 AI PG. 17-18 FINALS PG. 19-21 BETTER TOGETHER PG. 22-24
SPORTS
BEST OF WCA SPORTS PG. 30 ANDREW KEMPEN PG. 33 GIRL’S LACROSSE PG. 35 BASEBALL PG. 36
CONTENTS
STAFF ED
STAFF ED
EQUALITY OR SUPREMACY?
How the definition of feminism has morphed into an increasingly complex issue that impacts both men and women 100 years ago when women were fighting for their rights to vote, to hold official positions in government, and to have their equal rights stamped into the Constitution, their passion for change and reform was entirely justified. After years of discrimination and diminution, women had every right to protest and fight for equality in every aspect of life, whether it be politically, economically, or socially. But this is not 1919. It’s 2019, and women have achieved those changes. The official Merriam-Webster definition of “feminism,” the 2017 word of the year, is “the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes” and “organized activity on behalf of women’s rights and interests.” While true equality and a world free of persecution and discrimination is merely a hypothetical situation because of the sin that encroaches on every aspect of life, in the United States, women have achieved freedom and have secured the rights to vote, own property, have positions in government offices, receive equal education, serve in the military, and possess virtually every freedom that men in the U.S. have. In a time and place when women have been guaranteed rights under the highest form of authority, the Constitution, our society continues to fight for change and “organized activity on behalf of women’s rights and interests.” While there is nothing wrong with advocating for equality when a people group feels underrepresented or has suffered unfair treatment or discrimination, women today have achieved the goals of their mothers and grandmothers from the generations before them. The 19th and 20th century definition of “feminism” has been accomplished; the movement and campaign for women today is an entirely different matter involving much more complex issues, including abortion and movements like #MeToo that support women and aim to eliminate sexual assault in the workplace.
of “the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.” In addition, the debate begins to heat up as people argue over the position and role of men in relation to women. The goal of “feminism” was originally equality of the sexes, but today’s media seems to illustrate this quite differently. In an effort to portray women as strong, capable individuals, advertisements and commercials are displayed all over every media platform, broadcasting to the world that women can achieve not only successful careers and influence in the workplace but also can easily stand at the head of a household and take care of the endless calls of a needy husband and several children. While there may be nothing wrong with women acting as leaders in many areas of their lives, men simply should not have to be degraded in an attempt to make women appear more powerful and impressive. Sexist advertisements today frequently show determined women attacking both their home life and work life with ease and success while their lazy husbands stay at home and waste away, proving that men are just as much of a target as women in the media. Is this a picture of reality? Why must men appear less so that women can be more? In an article titled “What Is Feminism, And Why Do So Many Women And Men Hate It?” in Forbes, Kathy Caprino, career growth and personal success coach, writer, TEDx and keynote speaker, and leadership developer, elaborates on the idea that equality is not synonymous with sameness: “Feminism at its core is about equality of men and women, not ‘sameness.’ So many people offer up the argument that women are not the ‘same’ as men so there can’t be equality. In other words, because their bodies are different (many say ‘weaker’ and smaller), and because men and women have different physical capabilities, these physical differences mean equality is not possible. It’s critical to understand that ‘same’ does not mean ‘equal.’ The issue here is about equal rights and equal access to opportunities. Men and women don’t have to be the ‘same’ in physicality to have the right to equality.”
These are justified and righteous movements with the objective of gaining more respect for women and advocating for women’s roles in issues that directly impact their lives, but these growing campaigns address topics much broader than simply women’s rights and equality.
Overall, a mature and productive discussion of “feminism” requires first a basic understanding of the definition of such a controversial term, as well as knowledge about the history of the word and its meaning and connotations over time periods. A feminist 100 years ago simply was not fighting for or even supporting many of the movements and issues that fall under the category of “feminism” Approaching this issue with the understanding that the goals enand women’s rights today. Perhaps with a fuller understanding of compassing “feminism” today are entirely different than they were many diverse perspectives and with increased education on gender a century ago allows individuals to be better informed on such a hot roles and stereotypes in history and today, dialogue can become topic and to take a stance that is best representative of their personal more peaceful and effective, leading to stronger unity between the objectives regarding women’s rights and the question of equality and sexes and a feeling of more equality and respect. their acknowledgment that those goals may lie outside the confines
STAFF ED 5
team and donate countless hours towards Team 4256.
MORE THAN ROBOTS The Impact of Westminster’s Robotics Team
AMANDA BERRY Guest Writer
“The mentors are so patient and responsible,” said Molly Li, junior. A member of the programming team, Li has had the experience of working with professionals from companies such as Boeing and Siemens. While the mentors guide the students through the engineering process and business development, the Robotics team emphasizes student leadership.
While the shiny blue metal frame and flashy LED lights of this year’s robot,“Tippy,” are what first catches the eye, the Cyborg Cats Team 4256 embodies so much “When I started, I was really nervous. As time went on, I started more than just robots. to become more confident in myself as a leader, and I have been “I love being a part of a vast and diverse community of people able to handle a lot of stressful situations with the things I have with different skills and talents that are all needed to make our learned,” said Max Radloff, junior. team efficient,” said Joshua Adamson, sophomore. Radloff leads eleven of his teammates as the Drive team leader, Students interested in mechanical and technical skills and also building the drivetrain and frame of the robot. those gifted in writing, photography, and graphic design have a “My favorite part about Robotics has to be working with others place on the team. With seven sub-teams led by fifteen stuto build a successful robot. I really like seeing us making progdent leaders, the Cyborg Cats includes a total of seventy-two members, making it one of the largest student organizations at ress and reaching our goals as a team,” said Radloff. Westminster. One of the team’s goals is to create a cohesive community both within and outside of WCA, so this April four students traveled to Promise Christian Academy to demonstrate their robot and teach about the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology) Robotics program. “My favorite part of the Promise demo was seeing the kids interact with the robot. They were overjoyed to be able to get the ball from the robot and toss it back. I couldn’t stop smiling the whole time,” said Radloff. “Just seeing their excitement made me excited,” said Adamson. This outreach event reflects the servant-hearted culture the team is striving towards.
“I love being a part of a vast and diverse community of people with different skills and talents that are all needed to make our team efficient,” said Joshua Adamson, sophomore. “I’ve learned how to be more open to learn new things, especially since I am blessed enough to become experienced in many different forms of engineering and mentored by people who have occupations that I wish to pursue in the future,” said Adamson. Seventeen mentors from businesses across the St. Louis region assist the Cyborg Cats. These mentors apply their industry knowledge to equipping students to succeed in all areas of the
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“I learned to be kind because everyone in robotics is so kind, so thoughtful, and so sweet. Being in this loving and kind environment just makes me want to change myself to be a better person. Also, by watching other people in robotics behave, I learned the importance of being responsible for the team,” said Li. While the Cyborg Cats are excited to travel to the World Championships in Detroit at the end of April, they recognize the importance of the opportunity overall.
“IT’S A CONSTANT LEARNING EXPERIENCE” -JOSHUA ADAMSON
TEACHER SPEAK ALLISON EICHENLAUB ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
MOLLY ARVESEN US ENGLISH TEACHER
Q: Did you plan to be a teacher when you were in high school? A: I think being a teacher was always in my bones. My sister and I played teacher all the time when we were little, and I loved standing at my easel and teaching her things. Molly with her husband and son. Photo by: Molly Arvesen
Q: WHAT DID YOU STUDY IN COLLEGE? A: FOR A FEW WEEKS I WAS A KINESIOLOGY MAJOR, BUT AFTER I FAILED MY FIRST PHYSICS EXAM BY A LOT, I SWITCHED TO ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND WAS MUCH, MUCH HAPPIER. I MINORED IN COACHING AND TOOK A LOT OF SPORTS CLASSES.
Q: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT TEACHING? A: WHILE I LOVE THE BOOKS WE READ AND THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE IN SOPHOMORE ENGLISH, THE BEST PART OF THE JOB IS STUDENTS. I LOVE HAVING RELATIONSHIPS AND GETTING TO KNOW THE PEOPLE IN MY CLASS, AND I’M ALWAYS IMPRESSED AND AMAZED (USUALLY IN A GOOD WAY) BY THE IDEAS THEY COME UP WITH. PLUS, THERE IS NEVER A BORING MOMENT WITH HIGH SCHOOLERS! Q: WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER RECEIVED? A: WHEN I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF I SHOULD MOVE HERE TO ST. LOUIS AND WORK AT WCA, AN OLDER WOMAN TOLD ME TO LOOK FOR GOD’S PROVISION AND WALK TOWARDS WHERE I SAW IT. I’VE COME BACK TO THOSE WORDS SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND I’VE BEEN ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL THAT HE PROVIDED A PLACE FOR ME HERE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A COMPLETE UNKNOWN. Q: WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR FREE TIME? A: I KNOW THIS WILL BE SHOCKING, BUT I LOVE TO GET LOST IN A BOOK. I’M CURRENTLY READING A SERIES ABOUT A 14TH CENTURY MONASTERY, WHICH IS COMPLETELY FASCINATING AND HAS MOVED ME TO TEARS MORE THAN ONCE. AND IF IT’S EVEN A LITTLE SUNNY AND/OR WARM, YOU WILL FIND ME OUTSIDE WALKING WITH THE TOT AND MY DOG. Q: WHAT IS THE MOST SATISFYING THING ABOUT TEACHING? A: AM I ALLOWED TO SAY SUMMER? JUST KIDDING. SORT OF. BUT LIKE I SAID BEFORE, IT REALLY IS THE STUDENTS IN MY CLASS. SINCE I WON’T BE TEACHING NEXT YEAR DUE TO MOVING AND A NEW BABY, I AM ALREADY MISSING BEING IN THE CLASSROOM WITH STUDENTS. SOME OF THE FIRST KIDS I TAUGHT ARE NOW 25 AND IT’S INCREDIBLE TO SEE THE WAYS THEY HAVE GROWN AND MATURED INTO ADULTS. HOPEFULLY, I’LL GET TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH LOTS OF WCA STUDENTS, SO HERE’S MY NOT-SO-SUBTLE ENCOURAGEMENT FOR ALL OF YOU TO MOVE TO TEXAS! Q: What is a random talent you have? A: I am able to thread a spaghetti noodle through my nose and cough it out my mouth. I highly suggest trying this next time you eat spaghetti. (Don’t tell your parents where you heard this.)
FEATURE 7
BAKING FOR A CAUSE Jessie Kunkel’s puts on her 12th annual bake sale. Allison Eichenlaub Entertainment Editor
Jessie Kunkel, senior, has been making her mark the past 12 years in the simple way of running her own bake stand. Jessie grew up in a Christian household where her mom taught and demonstrated the importance of what it means to be a servant leader. Occasionally, her mom and grandma would put on a few garage sales and her mom would donate some of the proceeds to a charity. Seeing this example set by her loved ones, she realized that she too wanted to help others that were less fortunate than her. “I tried to picture myself in their situation. I knew that if I were in their shoes, I would want them to do the same for me” stated Kunkel.
baking anything from homemade cookies, to pies, to brownies. Around 5th grade she was pretty much baking everything herself and putting the whole fundraiser together, without the help of her mom and grandma. “I believe that the variety in my baked goods throughout the years caused people to buy more and more, graciously contributing to my fundraiser. My best seller is my famous smiley face sugar cookie. This cookie is very personal to me
“I tried to picture myself in their situation. I knew that if I were in their shoes, I would want them to do the same for me” for a couple of reasons. First, the recipe is a family recipe that comes from my grandmas side of the family that she used and that her mom used before. And second, I think sharing a smile with someone is important because it encourages people to have positivity and an uplifting attitude” said Kunkel. For her first 10 years, she had the bake sale set up in her garage and put out signs so people knew to stop by and buy baked goods for a good cause. After her 10th annual sale, her life became extremely busy with all of her other commitments. She didn’t want to stop selling her baked goods completely, so she turned to online orders as a solution for her 11th and 12th year sales. Online orders have proven to be more convenient for people because they don’t have to make a special trip to her house, they can just order from anywhere.
Over the past 12 years, Jessie has raised over $8,600 total. This year, she is raising money for Operation Christmas Child, Lamb of God School in the Congo, and Love a Child. Her goal is to raise a minimum of $500 every year, and she is Jessie Kunkel at her bake sale in her garage. Photo by: Jessie hoping to achieve that goal this year as well. Kunkle When Jessie was in first grade, she decided to start off by selling lemonade and cookies that her mom and grandma helped make. (It was known as Jessica’s Lemonade sale back then.) Slowly but surely, people began stopping by and purchasing some of her treats. First grade Jessie was filled with excitement that people were willing join in and help others in need by buying her treats. She ended up donating all the money she made that year to Operation Christmas Child. She enjoyed her first experience so much that every year after that she continued to use the gift of baking and service to glorify God. As she grew older, her fundraiser bagan to expand and she was
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“I am so thankful that God has guided me every step of the way in planning and learning each year through this act of service. I plan to use all the aspects of serving that God has gifted me with in order to help others as I graduate highschool and in my future. And to think it all started out with one cup of lemonade” concluded Jessie. Jessie has a genuine heart for others and has been demonstrating that for the past 12 years through her bake sale. She understands the importance of giving to the less fortunate and donating for a great cause. She works very hard in school and is dedicated to all the tasks placed in front of her.
FEATURE
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN The last month for seniors is here and that GABE CARADONNA NEWS EDITOR
It is almost that time of year. The time that seniors no longer are high schoolers anymore. With the last day of school coming quickly on May 10th (for seniors) and graduation soon after, it seems like there isn’t much left for seniors to do. With around a month left to go for seniors, many are are already checked out and ready for college and even more summer. Of course many seniors are sad the end is near. It is the end of a long four year journey with people they have known for much
GREENWOOD CEMETARY
A RESTORATIVE, JUNIOR FIELD TRIP
of their lives. Many of the classmates they see everyday will just become a memory to them, but it is time. It’s time for us to prepare for the next four or more years of our lives, college. The moment we have been preparing our entire high school lives for is just a couple months away. For now though, it is the last month of highschool. What does that mean for the worn out seniors? For the most part, it means do enough to get by. Being that most seniors have already been accepted to at least one college, there isn’t much left for us to do in our last month of high school. Many are ready for the nice weather to arrive. “I’m trying to enjoy the weather. Skating, playing basketball, swimming and other things”said Devon Deverger. Devon is going to major in architecture at Kansas University so he is all set to go. For the other grades, there are finals to prepare for, but for the seniors, there is maybe one final to prepare for. Then there is the otherside who want to go out strong. When asked how he is going to handle his last month, senior Blake Swenson said, “I’m going to finish strong and gear up for college.”
QUICK READS
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ENTERTAINMENT 11
AN ABUNDANCE OF AP EXAMS All the details you need to know about upcoming AP exams. . . AVA BIDNER
IN-DEPTH EDITOR As April floats by and May comes closer and closer, millions of high school students all over the country begin to prepare for their daunting AP (Advanced Placement) exams. With 38 national AP exams available, including many diverse subject areas
such as Calculus AB and BC, Chinese Language and Culture, Art History, Biology, European History, Government and Politics, Psychology, and Statistics, many students have the opportunity to choose a quite rigorous schedule involving multiple AP classes — and therefore also multiple AP exams at the closing of the school year.
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While not all high schools in the United States offer all AP classes (and some schools are lacking AP classes altogether), AP exams have become increasingly more popular and prominent today, especially among students who are applying to highly selective universities. Westminster offers 20 AP classes, mostly geared towards
upperclassmen, although sophomores now possess the opportunity to take a select few if they have the proper requirements and recommendations (the most popular of which is AP European History). Although 20 unique AP classes exist at Westminster, some of
these classes have overlapping exams; for example, the AP Spanish IV and V classes both prepare students for the same exam: Spanish Language and Culture. All students who enroll in AP classes at Westminster are expected to sit for the corresponding exam. However, all AP exams are technically open to any student who desires to take them, meaning even if a student has not taken the class, he or she can still take the exam. Although they are certainly rigorous and require a significant time commitment and dedication to learning the specific format of each exam (designed by The College Board), AP classes offer extensive benefits as well. Not
only do high school students have the opportunity to experience a curriculum and workload similar to classes they may take in college, but they also develop time management and critical thinking skills. In addition, AP classes often allow students to achieve college credit or to test out of many introductory college courses although this does not apply to every university. The Princeton Review claims, “At many colleges and universities, a high enough score will earn the student college credit. In some instances, earning college credit can mean an overall lower college tuition bill. . . AP scores won’t affect your high school GPA or your chances of college admission. (The fact that you took AP courses when they were available is a different story!) But good AP scores can earn you college credit. Just remember that every school is different. Some won’t accept credit unless you score a 5. Some won’t accept them at all.” According to statistics from The College Board for the 2017-18 academic year, 5,090,324 AP exams were taken, and the total number of students taking AP exams added up to 2,808,909. This data proves that many students taking AP exams took more than just one. For the same 2017-18 academic year, English Language, United States History, and English Literature were among the most popular AP courses/exams chosen while German, Italian, and Japanese Language were significantly less favored. As students prepare to test their cumulative knowledge from the year-long courses, it is essential that they are familiar with the AP “style” of scoring. AP tests are scored on a scale between 1 and 5, and a score of 3 or higher is considered a passing grade. According to PrepScholar, most AP exams have a passing rate of approximately 65%, meaning 65% of students achieve a 3 or above. The highest score possible, a 5, is relatively rare, constituting only 10-20% of the scores.
IN-DEPTH
While various AP exams boast differing passing rates which could encourage some students to select classes based on success rates or popularity, achieving “success” on an AP exam likely means something different for every student based on their goals, plans, grades, and personal interests. Students are better off choosing a course they are genuinely excited and interested about rather than a course that seems more popular or simply has higher success rates.
of these two sections vary from test to test, but most exams include both a multiple-choice and free-response section. I won’t dive into the specifics of each individual exam, but if you are gearing up to tackle an AP exam next month, I recommend you do a little research on the particular format of your exam(s).
each exam with a clear mind, a good night’s sleep, a hearty breakfast, and all necessary materials.
The 2019 AP exams will be administered during two consecutive weeks in May: May 6-10 and May 13-17. Scores are usually released in early to mid-July. Check the chart below to see the specific dates and times These tests can certainly be demanding for each AP exam this year. Be on time and and fatiguing, both mentally and phys- good luck! ically. To best set yourself up for sucSo now, let’s break down the reality of cess, PrepScholar encourages students taking an AP exam. According to Prep- to start studying early (although we all Scholar, “AP tests are generally between know this can be so, so hard to cram two and three hours long, though most into our busy schedules), to prepare for the format and style of the exam, to deare closer to three hours. There is one velop test-taking skills through practice break that separates the test into two sections.” The length, format, and weight tests, and of course to come prepared to
IN-DEPTH
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THE DEATH OF FREE SPEECH
That’s just simply not the case anymore.
MEDIA EDITOR
That does not really sound like a safe place to me. To me, it
How the United States of America lost its voice BENNIE ANDERSON
We have these “safe spaces” which at its heart is a good idea to people who need to have a place where they can go and feel welcome. The term “safe space” is defined as, “a place (as on a college campus) intended to be free of bias, conflict, criticism, or potentially threatening actions, ideas, or conversations.”
The society that we live in has become so focused on making sure that we appease the masses. We’ve come to try and accept and make everyone feel safe, which is a good practice.But at what cost? While our society attempts to appease everyone, it actually appeases no one. In this world, it’s like walking on eggshells. Everything I say, do, tweet, or post, I have to make sure that I don’t offend anyone. Or else I’ll end up like Kevin Hart and be forced to quit my dream job after a tweet from my distant past comes out where I say I don’t want my son to be gay. Junior Justin Fuller had this to say about being politically correct, “I feel that it’s important that people are able to have important discussion about important topics because without people sharing different ideas and viewpoint real change cannot happen.”
sounds more like an emotional shield protecting those who are not strong or courageous enough to stand up for what they believe. According to this definition, a safe place is a bunker where people go in retreat so that they can feel comfortable in their own skin and/or reject the notion that their beliefs might be wrong,
What’s the point of even having an opinion when all you’ll have to hear is someone say, “that’s a microaggression.” And the Part of that has to do with the society being geared towards whole entire conversation gets shut down. A microaggression making everyone feel accepted and cared for. Accepting is defined as, “A direct, subtle, or unintentional discrimination and caring for others are good things, but when they are against members of a marginalized group”. taken to the extreme, problems begin to occur. Recently, a deposition from the former Vice Chancellor at Mizzou surfaced where she says, “That it can be considered sexual harassment when a tall man asks out a shorter woman.” This is not to discredit sexual harassment or those who have been sexually harassed or assaulted. But to me, a 6’4 270 pound man, this statement is alarming and to be quite frank, ridiculous. As ridiculous as this may be, this is just one example of what can happen when we start to see a restriction of our Freedom of Speech but more importantly freedom of opinion. One of the founding principles of the United States of America was to create a place where we can talk and express our uniqueness freely and openly. That we can talk about sharing our differences and opinion with one another.
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“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” - George Orwell OPINION
FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE All life deserves to be protected, especially those who don’t have a voice yet
Understandable, if a person does not believe in God and the value of life, then there would be no reason to have an issue with abortion. Abortion can seem wrong to non-religious people if they believe that life should be valued and protected, but it seems that in the modern world, most of society is in support of termination of unborn life. The Washington Post released an article stating that 7 out of 10 Americans support abortion. This number only accounts for Americans, but other countries such as Iceland are actively pursuing abortions as well. Iceland has the lowest number of people with Down syndrome in any
REBEKAH SEMS STAFF WRITER
As I scroll through instagram, I skim past snapshots of friends and cute poses. Suddenly, I stop on a picture posted by a family friend of mine. It’s a dark photo with a shady outline of a person, I realize it’s a baby, her baby. In her caption, she describes finally getting to see a first glimpse of her daughter. She and her husband have both shared, through social media, how excited they are awaiting the arrival of their girl. I’m touched but also reminded that several people believe that their little girl is not human but tissue. Obviously, people’s choices about when life begins are all across the board and everyone’s opinions must be valued and taken into account. However, personally I am saddened when people believe that life is of no importance unless a child is born, and recently even that has been put into question. I believe that women should have the right to make decisions for themselves and their bodies, however, when it comes to making the choice of terminating the life of those without a voice, it concerns more than just their bodies but also the body of their unborn baby. They are no longer just making a choice for their own bodies but also for the life of another human being. As a Christian, I have been raised with a pro-life belief where I firmly agree that all life is valuable, and most be protected. One of the verses from the Bible that supports my view is Psalm 139: 14 where it says, “I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” This verse shows how important human life is to God who created all creatures. In today’s world, I am well aware that my opinions are criticized for being anti-abortion. I believe that people can make the choices they want and I do not have to agree with them, however, when it comes to abortion, women and couples must understand the consequences of their decisions. When they decide to terminate the life of a child, I believe it is murder and the killing of one of God’s special creations.
OPINION
A 12 week baby is seen in an ultrasound. Photo by: Shaw Airforce Base country since “close to 100 percent [of women] who received a positive test for Down syndrome terminated their pregnancy” (CBSN). It worries and concerns me that people chose to end a life base off of a disease such as Down syndrome, when a person can continue to live a rich and full life even with disabilities. Obviously, there are serious issues when the life of the mother is at risk due to a pregnancy and that can be an immensely difficult decision that results in pain and heartbreak. There are other alternatives to abortion for moms whose health is not at risk. Those options include keeping the child, giving the child up for adoption, or even placing the child in the guardianship of another family member. Unplanned pregnancies are scary and can produce painful decisions, but ultimately there are alternatives other than abortion. God designed each life in a beautiful and special way, and His heart is saddened when humans take the lives of others into their own hands. Babies are innocent humans who are without a voice and deserve to be protected and loved just as my family friends love and protect their unborn daughter.
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RECLAIMING CHARACTER
Recent college admissions scandals highlight the need to realign values.
But there’s a much heavier toll to this college mania— and today’s youth are the collateral damage. As questionable behavior skyrockets -- with the embellishment of accomplishments in order to appeal to the arbitrary demands of an admission officer -- the essential values of integrity, character, and ethics are compromised for a shallow price.
LEA DESPOTIS
Recent professional reports indicate a cultural shift in students’ inclination towards dishonest means to accomplish goals. According to the 2012 Josephson Report on the Ethics of American What a sad moment our society has witnessed when corYouth, 57% of teens surveyed agree that successful people “do ruption, deceit, and fraud surge through the distinguished what they have to do” to get ahead, even if such actions include campuses of America, forcing people to ask the troubling cheating. Equally unsettling are the results of “The Children question: who got in where—and how? We Mean To Raise” report analyzing where students align their Last week, a nation-wide college-admissions scandal dom- values. When asked what mattered most between the categories of high school achievement, happiness, or caring for others, only inated news headlines, ensnaring CEOs, athletic coaches, celebrities, and other wealthy families in an illicit scheme 22% of students surveyed ranked “caring” as their top priority. to gain admission to selective universities. The disturbing These instances represent a glaring example of the moral decay allegations have exposed fraud by bribing coaches, falsibefitting of our times -- a manifestation of the consequences of fying applications, and submitting fraudulent ACT/SAT attributing success with achievement, valuing outcomes over scores. means, and pursuing self-serving interest over concern for others. It leaves us questioning, Where do we go from here? In what the Justice Department calls the “largest college admission prosecution in U.S. history,” parents discreetly paid anywhere from $200,000 to up to $6.5 million to por- As we cross beyond the threshold of tolerance, there’s an urgent tray their ordinary kids as high school superstars, worthy of necessity to turn the conversation towards guiding the minds of today’s youth. And this is exactly what some reformers in the receiving the coveted admission slots. Sadly, authenticity field have already set out to accomplish. and merit did not enter the equation in the minds of the wealthy participants, who gladly wielded their privilege. Initiated in 2013, the Harvard Graduate School of Education These shocking illegal tactics are not without precedent in launched Making Care Common project calling families, educathe current college-admission craze. Only five months prior tors, and communities to elevate core ethical capacities in modern-day culture. With a vision for a brighter future, the initiative to the Varsity-Blues Scandal, a New York Times exposé promotes an educational system that encourages children to implicated T.M. Landry College Preparatory School in Louisiana for perpetrating a well-organized scam of doctoring transcripts and inventing compelling student stories “care about others and the common good, treat designed to appeal to elite admissions officers. In return, the school proudly boasted their acceptance of low-income people well day to day, come to understand and students into the hallowed halls of Harvard, Princeton, seek fairness and justice, and do what is right Cornell, Brown, and Stanford.
STAFF WRITER
even at times at a cost to themselves.”
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These blatant crimes are just the tip of the iceberg for a prolonged investigation, likely to expose others gaming the system. It has become all-too-common for participants to bend the boundaries of acceptable decorum, with some submitting inauthentic college essays or securing diagnoses of exaggerated or non-existent disabilities to gain extra time on the ACT/SAT.
In a mission to transform the college admissions process, this month Making Care Common released the second of four reports titled “Turning the Tide” offering concrete steps to drastically alter the values in college admissions. Endorsed by over 50 college deans, the report provides a set of recommendations to influence character building and integrity development.
As the college admissions process has lost credibility at the hands of bad behavior, there are no winners. With universities reputations tarnished and degrees and acceptance letters under scrutiny, we are left with skepticism of the bastions of higher education. The impression of instability places us on shaky ground for the future of college admissions.
In a time when we strive to break barriers, seek inclusion, and ensure equity to all people, character and ethics stand at the heart of inspiring positive change and solving social, economic, and political tensions. Cultivating a sense of responsibility to the community and instilling empathetic, caring, and just-minded ideals are invaluable qualities that facilitate interconnectedness and enhance the ability to engage in the world.
OPINION
have better reputations than others.
THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION The question most commonly used in St. Louis to judge someone quickly is: “Where did you go to high school?”
Grace Skiljan Staff Writer
When meeting new people in St. Louis, the first question always asked is “Where did you go to high school?” What seems like a harmless inquiry is actually a way for native St. Louisans to gage social status, religion, and even character. Every school, private or public, has a reputation in St. Louis, and every person who attends that school is subjected to that reputation. Private school kids are stuck-up, over privileged, and judge public-schoolers for not having the same social standing, while public-school kids judge private-schoolers for using “Daddy’s Money” and thinking they are better than everyone else. If you go to an all boys school you better be athletic or you won’t be staying long, unless you go to SLUH in which case if you aren’t smarter than 95% of the world then you might as well stop wasting your money and be home-schooled. These are just a couple of the false stereotypes that come with the names of St. Louis high schools. Though many schools have unwanted baggage that goes along with their title, some
For example: John Burroughs echos with straight As and perfect ACT scores, while Vianney has athleticism coming out of its ears. No matter what stereotype comes with your high school name, the result will always be the same, assumptions and judgement on who you are and where you came from. It easy to associate certain schools with more money than others. Especially the nicer private schools that are known for their higher standards and better reputation. People automatically assume that the more wealthy families will send their kids to the most expensive schools. About 16.7% of St. Louis’ population attends private school, while around 20% of the population have close to 100k income. Although the numbers are close this still proves that not all wealthy families choose to send their kids to private school and that not everyone can be judged based on their schooling. Even though we like to think we are special, this question isn’t just a St. Louis trend, it happens everywhere, and so does the reaction. No matter what city or what school, the assuming nature of people does not change. Although it is somewhat comical to see charts and graphs of high school stereotypes, it is also sad to see how easy it is to categorize others based on something as trivial as high school. So while we will always carry a little high school spirit with us, it should not be a defining factor, and no matter what school someone went to, what they do in the now is what defines them.
“I was meeting up with some old friends from elementary school to recon-
nect and catch up with each other, when we started talking about our highschools. All of them ended up at different public schools that were all around St. Louis. When I began talking about Westminster they all looked at me really weird. The rest of the lunch was just them making private school jokes and ended with them asking me to pay because I “obviously have the money” They definitely judged me really quickly for going to a private school, and made big assumtions about me and my family which was pretty hurtful.” -Lauryn Rhodes, Junior OPINION
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HEATING UP
VARSITY BASEBALL IS LOOKING TO GET HOT AT THE RIGHT TIME. 18
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THE BEST OF WESTMINSTER SPORTS THIS YEAR Remembering the best sports moments at WCA this year. TOMMY BRINER STAFF WRITER
It’s been a wild year for Westminster sports. To commemorate it, Sporting WCA recaps some of the greatest moments of the year so far. Westminster vs. Parkway West Boys Soccer - September 14, 2018 Early in the season, Boys Soccer was struggling. Losers of five out of their last six games, they needed a spark as they headed into days with consecutive games against Parkway schools. Led by Luke Linam who netted three goals, they defeated North 7-0. The following day, the Wildcats would get their best win of the season, a 1-0 shootout win against Parkway West. Neither team scored in regulation or overtime. Joey Keane made 15 saves, including a miraculous game saver in the overtime period. Nathan Laughlin nailed the only goal in shootouts, and the Wildcats won 1-0, dog piling on Laughlin in celebration.
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fallen to Incarnate Word earlier in the season by a score of 8-2, but that didn’t stop them. Sophomore Marty Briner went 2-for-3 with a double off of the fence and a single that knocked in the go-ahead run in the fifth inning. Junior Lauren Gates went 3-for-3 with 2 RBIs. The Wildcats advanced to Sectionals where they fell to Notre Dame. They finished the season with a 13-12 record and currently hold the title for the deepest playoff run of any Westminster team this year.
Westminster vs. Lutheran South Football - September 28, 2018 The Wildcats brought their record back to .500 with a statement win at Lutheran South on their homecoming night. After some pregame antics on social media during the week, Westminster came out firing. They carried a 30-0 lead into the fourth quarter before turning the ball over twice. They held on to win 30-22 after stopping Lutheran South on fourth down from the twoyard line. The Blue Crew brought their popcorn and saw one of Westminster Football’s best games of the season. Westminster vs. Incarnate Word Softball - October 13, 2018 Softball brought home a District Championship on this cold and rainy Saturday afternoon in one of the most unlikely sports stories of the year. Returning only five players, the Wildcats started four players that had never played the sport before. They’d
Westminster vs. John Burroughs Boys Basketball - December 14, 2018 Boys Basketball got their most impressive win of the year early in the season on the road at John Burroughs. The Bombers came into the game on a winning streak, but the Wildcats quickly put an end to that. In the first quarter, Casen Lawrence hit three three-pointers to send the Wildcats out to a big lead early. The hot start, paired with the loudest and craziest traveling Blue Crew of the year, had Burroughs not knowing how to respond. At the half, the Wildcats led 32-17. Westminster stifled a late run by Burroughs, and the Wildcats won 58-43. Widely regarded as the Wildcats’ best game of the season, the win propelled the team to victories in five of their next six games.
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Westminster vs. Cor Jesu Girls Basketball - January 5, 2019 After losing by four points to Ladue in the championship game of the MICDS Christmas Tournament, Girls Basketball got back to their game with a victory in the inaugural Wildcat New Year Shootout, a tournament hosted by Westminster. After defeating Nerinx in the first round and top-seeded Pattonville in the second, the Wildcats faced off against Cor Jesu for the championship. They allowed only four points in the first quarter and nine in the second, racing out to a 28-13 halftime lead. They won 49-31 and walked away with their most significant achievement of the season, a sign of how far they had come as a team in just a few years.
Patrick Andrews Advances to State February 9, 2019 After returning from a leg injury with just a few weeks left in the season, Patrick Andrews advanced to State in his final season of Wrestling at Westminster. Coming from the 195 lbs. class, Andrews claimed a State bid in the wrestle back rounds of the Class 3 District 2 tournament. He was the lone Wildcat wrestler to make it to State, but his impressive comeback was one of the best stories of hard work and dedication at Westminster this year. Andrews was in the weight
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room every day after school during the she will go down in history as time he was injured, working out his one of Westminster’s greatest healthy muscles in preparation for his athletes ever. return. His hard work paid off in the end when he was rewarded with a trip to the State Meet at Mizzou. Margo O’Meara Wins Her Second State Title in Two Years - February 16, 2019 After tearing her ACL while playing soccer in the spring, Sophomore Margo O’Meara returned to go back-to-back with her second State Championship in 1M Diving. Her final score at the meet totaled just over 520 points, less than five points short of the State Meet’s diving record. Margo is currently in Indianapolis training. She aspires to make it to the Olympics one day, and
Although Westminster teams overall have been successful this year, only one team sport has made it out of Districts. Will that change this Spring? Can Baseball make another deep playoff run? Will one of the Lacrosse teams heat up at the right time? Could Boys Volleyball go on a win streak? Or will Boys Tennis go far with their deep Varsity lineup? Westminster’s last team State Title was in 2013 during Baseball’s back-to-back-to-back-to-back State Championship run. Hopefully a Westminster team will get back to it this year and win it all. Stay tuned to Sporting WCA to keep up with the latest on Westminster sports.
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ANDREW KEMPEN AND ALEX’S LEMONADE STAND
Andrew Kempen worked together with WCA’s Blue Crew to raise money for childhood cancer research.
THOMAS SHULTZ SPORTS EDITOR
From morning workouts, to after school practices, to homework at night, high school athletes have plenty to worry about without adding anything else to their plate. But Andrew Kempen has taken on something bigger than high school. Despite growing up a soccer player, Kempen had always dreamed of playing football. His freshman year he played soccer, but worked out with the football team punting and kicking in practice and even a few games, where he found great success. At the end of the 2016 season, it was clear Kempen was lined up to have the varsity kicking role the next year.
Sam and Mike had been working with Kick it for Cancer, a program of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation that helps athletes raise money for childhood cancer research, for a few years prior to their deaths. Andrew took up their fight and followed in their footsteps. He began to sell bracelets and collect donations at every football game, and set up an account with Kick-It. With the help of his mom, Marjan, and dad, Kevin, he has raised $10,000 for childhood cancer research, funding almost 5 weeks of research ($2,000 is equal to 1 week of research) in the 3 years since he started. But as always, Andrew isn’t satisfied to settle into complacency. He has one final goal for high school, and that is to raise $7,000 before he graduates. He currently sits at $3,333, so the Westminster Blue Crew decided to come alongside Kempen and help him try and reach his goal. “Seeing Andrew’s compassion and drive to help those around him is amazing,” said Thomas Shultz, Blue Crew President, “Usually Blue Crew’s job is to cheer for Andrew during games, but now it’s time we support him off the field as well.” The Blue Crew fundraised through two events: a dress down day and a raffle. The dress down day was on the Friday of the game, and students each brought $5 to dress down in yellow.
Photo by: Marjan Kempen
He turned all his focus to football and began to travel to various camps across the county. Kempen attended a Kohl’s Kicking Camp in Wisconsin, where he met Sam Foltz and Mike Sadler (Nebraska’s punter and Michigan State’s punter), who were not only great football players, but exceptional people as well.
There were also two raffles, which included prizes for such as a Westminster Shirt from the bookstore, Hollyberry Cookies, Cupliting Coffee, Beats™ Headphones, or Free Chick-fil-a for 6 months (1 meal a week for 6 months). The main prize was free Chick-fil-a for 6 months. On that evening, the Blue Crew came decked out in yellow in support of Andrew Kempen, Alex’s Lemonade Stand, and all of those who are trying to kick cancer once and for all.
“They were mentors to me, teaching me how to achieve my goals both on and off the field,” recalled Kempen. But late on the night of July 23, 2016, Sam and Mike were involved in a tragic car accident that took both of their lives. “I was devastated,” said Kempen, “But Sam and Mike had always shown that there was more to life outside of football, and I wanted to honor them and follow their lead.”
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THE LEGEND OF THE PIG
A lock-in, an analogy, and the story of how the Wildcats are trying to model commitment this season
SPORTING WCA STAFF
Every sports team finds something to rally around and bring energy to the team. The Westminster Girls Lacrosse team, however, has found motivation in a rather strange way: an article about eggs and bacon.
themselves when they are sacrificed to make bacon or ham. Pigs, therefore, are more committed than chickens.
The team fell in love with the analogy. It went right along the team’s theme for the year of commitment. The wheels started It all started at the preseason lock-in in early March. Beto turn, and a week later the team decided to embody this idea sides being divided into “families”, wearing themed outfits, by awarding a stuffed animal pig to the player who showed and team-building games, the Girls Lacrosse team read an the most commitment in each game. article about the difference between a pig and a chicken or “I think the pig is a great way to recognize the hardest worker ham and eggs. on our team from each game,” said Emma Gore, “The whole team helps decide who deserves it, and then the winner carries the pig around with them at school the next day.” The ridiculousness of carrying a stuffed animal pig around the hallways of Westminster has brought the Girls Lacrosse team closer together as well as brought them attention from people outside of the team. “We get some pretty weird looks when we carry the pig around, but we love it,” said Dani Mabry, Captain. The pig has also translate to better on field play and preparation outside of practice. “We have preached commitment this whole year,” continued Mabry, “and the whole team has bought in, giving us more focus in practice and a better drive to work outside on our own.” After a tough stretch of games in the beginning of the season, the team has battled back, and now sits one game away from a 500 record, after the 10-9 loss to Ladue. But the Cats star player Dani Mabry has just been cleared for play, leaving the team in a position to do some damage.
Chickens, the article said, give only a part of themselves when they lay eggs, but pigs, on the other hand, give all of
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BASEBALL UPDATE SPORTING *through April 15
JANUARY
Record: 15-3 Best ERA: 0.56 (Zach Brasier) Most IP: 25.2 (Nick Moten) Best AVG: .500 (Jimmy Obertop) RBI Leader: 20 (Jimmy Obertop, Adam Ebling) HR Leader: 5 (Jimmy Obertop)
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WRESTLING UPDATE ULTIMATE CHICKEN
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BASKETBALL FIGHTS CANCER WCA BASKETBALL AND ANDREW KEMPEN RAISED OVER $4,000 DOLLARS FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER RESEARCH SPORTING
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SPRING SPORTS TEAM LEADERS Senior pitcher Zach Brasier has been a dominant force on the mound for the 15-3 Wildcats. With a 3-0 record, Brasier has allowed just 2 earned runs in 25 innings pitched while striking out 23 opposing batters.
ZACH BRASIER
Junior Mason Andrasko leads the Saint Louis area in aces with 36. He is also ranked in the top 10 in kills per game with 116 kills in just 35 games played. In his third year on the varsity team, he has already helped the Wildcats quadrouple their win total from last year.
MASON ANDRASKO
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