Issuu

FALL 2019

Westminster Christian Academy

p. 22

STAFF

THE 800

MANAGING EDITOR IN CHIEF ISABELLA FRANCOIS,

SENIOR

CONTENT EDITOR IN CHIEF AVA BIDNER, SENIOR

SPORTING WCA EDITOR TOMMY BRINER, SENIOR

DESIGN EDITOR LEA DESPOTIS, SENIOR

MEDIA EDITOR NATALIE FORD , SENIOR

NEWS EDITOR GRACE SKILJAN, SENIOR 2 STAFF

0 STAFF

STUDENTS SERVING STUDENTS

FEATURE EDITOR REBEKAH SEMS, SENIOR

OPINION EDITOR AVA HOLLMANN, SENIOR

800 SPORTING ONLINE EDITOR & PODCAST HOST BENNIE ANDERSON , SENIOR 800 SPORTING VISUAL EFFECTS EDITOR PEARSON GEORGES, SENIOR

800 SPORTING STAFF WRITER & PODCAST HOST KOBY SCHMER, SENIOR

THE 800 STAFF WRITERS EMMA HARRIS • BROOKE HIGHMARK • MAGGIE LINDSTROM • JACK MARTIN • CALEB MOELLENHOFF • AIDAN PENBERTHY • LAURYN RHODES STAFF 3

CONTENTS

NEWS SENIOR SERVICE PG. 6-9 PETER AND THE STARCATCHER PG. 10-11 ITSOG RECAP PG. 12

4 CONTENTS

FEATURE CLIFF OF RECOVERY PG. 13 DIABETES PG. 14 WHERE YOUR DEMONS HIDE PG. 15 WHAT’S IN YOUR LOCKER? PG. 16 WHY IS YOUR BOYFRIEND SO MUCH LIKE YOUR DAD? PG. 17

IN-DEPTH/OPINION THE RIGHT TO BE FORGOTTEN PG. 18-19 IN RESPONSE TO... PG. 20-21 1ST AMMENDMENT CONFERENCE PG. 22-23 TAKE A HIKE PG. 24 POLISHING PAPER PG. 25 JOKER PG. 26 BOB DYLAN PG. 27 XC SATIRE PG. 28 HAIR COLORS PG. 29 THE PATH TO SUCCESS PG. 30-31 STUDY HALL PG. 32

SPORTING GIRLS’ XC PG. 34 FLEX FOOTBALL PG. 35 AVERY STANFILL PG. 36 DAN BURKE PG. 37 NOLAN JONES PG. 38 LEGION OF BEN PG. 39 FCA PG. 40 SOCCER PG. 42 FIELD HOKCEY PG. 43 SOFTBALL PG. 44 BOYS’ SWIM PG. 46 PLAYER OF THE MONTH PG. 47

STAFF ED

BY AVA BIDNER

SUPPORTING/OPPOSING: FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Many Americans who support the First Amendment, especially the freedom of speech, argue that this is a key aspect of the Bill of Rights because it provides protection for one of the most essential pillars that our nation was founded on — the freedom to speak openly, to express opinions without restraint or censorship, to protest publicly, and to share ideas without the government interfering or punishing citizens for contrary beliefs. Strong advocates of the First Amendment and the freedom of speech claim that this right protects “each of us from the inﬂuence of special interests,” according to Natalie Regoli, editor in chief of ConnectUs. Freedom of speech may prevent tyranny of the majority, allows minorities the opportunity to share their beliefs openly and usually without consequence, and ensures those in power cannot become overpowering dictators. Individuals have the freedom to “express criticism of those who are in power” (ConnectUs). While controversy in America today may be one of our nation’s greatest weaknesses, it can also be viewed as one of our largest strengths. We are a country full of diversity, varying opinions, and differing beliefs — we challenge each other’s perspectives, cause each other to re-examine our own worldviews, and we prevent our country from becoming controlled by one perspective. Freedom of speech exposes people to ideas that are contrary to their own, creating “resiliency,” as Regoli claims, and promoting the pursuit of truth, instead of citizens content to remain blinded by their own beliefs. In addition, freedom of speech encourages “the free exchange of ideas.” Regoli explains how this works: “When a society operates in an area where free speech is given to all, then there is a more signiﬁcant exchange of ideas that occur. It becomes almost impossible for those who are in power to suppress truths that they may not want to let out in the open. This process allows for progress to occur because people can learn from the experiences and perspectives of one another without worrying about the dogma of a ‘Big Brother’ element in society, either corporate or government-based.” As Lea Despotis explores in her article on pages 17-18, freedom of speech can also promote exposure of unethical

or illegal activities, shown through the example of Edward Snowden, who leaked secrets and information regarding the surveillance and privacy of American citizens to the press. This has become an area of controversy about whether Snowden’s actions were justiﬁed or not, but many strict adherents to the freedom of speech believe it was his right to uncover the unlawful actions the government was performing and to inform Americans about a situation that directly affected them. Regoli also shares how freedom of speech can increase knowledge of a society. “When you have a chance to ask questions or share perspectives, then it creates more learning opportunities in society. This right makes it easier for all individuals to make a new discovery, suggest ideas, or exchange information freely without worrying about potential political consequences. Even if some of the ideas do not work after you get to try them, the process of testing contributes to the advancement of society as well,” she says. While some opponents of complete freedom of speech argue that it may be used for hatred, violence, and hostility, Regoli also makes the point that free speech can allow for “peaceful changes in society.” Because individuals have the opportunity to openly share facts and opinions to persuade others to consider their view, they may be less inclined to use violence or hate speech to promote change. Regoli afﬁrms that this certainly requires patience from all, but it may be a method to create change without violent action or speech. Lastly, free speech can even challenge hate as opposed to increasing it. Regoli cites Peter Tatchell, a human-rights activist, who stated in Index in 2016, “[Free speech] includes the right and moral imperative to challenge, oppose, and protest bigoted views. Bad ideas are most effectively defeated by good ideas, backed by ethics and reason, rather than bans and censorship.” This supports the previous idea that freedom of speech can actually decrease violence and hatred in society in several aspects. Visit thewildcatroar.com to read the opposing perspective! And check out Isabella Francois’ story about the First Amendment conference on pages 22-23.

STAFF ED 5

HANNAH CARTER MAKES STRIDES IN FIRE EDUCATION AT BOLES FIRE STATION

ISABELLA FRANCOIS Managing Editor-in-Chief

Carter has always been interested in helping others, and While many seniors serve at elementary schools helping out in even from a young age, she knew she wanted to do something with medicine. However, she did not want to serve at the classroom every Thursday morning, Hannah Carter combines elementary education with emergency response training a hospital along with many of her classmates and instead wanted to experience a different aspect of the medical through her work with the Boles Fire Protection District and field. So, when she learned about the opportunity to serve elementary schools in that fire district. with the fire department for senior service she signed up. “Basically, I help wash the trucks and make sure the trucks are stocked with the correct equipment, I make sure the oxygen tanks are functioning correctly and have enough air in them, I help give presentations on fire safety to elementary school kids, and I get to run calls with them and bring them the things they need and watch,” Carter said.

“I’ve been interested in going into the medical field ever since I was in elementary school, so I thought it would be really cool to get to explore the emergency medical field a little bit,” she continued. Working with the fire department has also allowed Carter to inspire younger girls who might be interested in working there in the future. Firefighting is a male-dominated field, where only four percent of firefighters are women, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. So, by seeing girls like Carter presenting on fire safety, elementary-aged girls can be more motivated to consider firefighting as a career. “So, I’m the only girl that works with them which is really cool, and the other day we went to an elementary school to give a presentation on fire safety, and all the guys walked into the room first, and I came in last, and all the little girls eyes lighted up, and they started waving at me which was a really cool experience,” Carter explained. Also, occasionally, Boles Fire Protection has preschools or elementary schools come to the station. Carter and the other firefighters give them a tour of the station, let them spray water hoses and climb on the trucks, and then teach them about all the equipment firefighters use. This type of education is incredibly important because it prepares elementary school students and even younger children to be aware of the dangers of fire and ensure that they have a plan with their families in the case of an emergency and that they know how to get out of their houses safely.

Hannah Carter stadning in front of a ﬁretruck at Boles Fire Protection District. Photo by: Boles Fire Protection District

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“I think it’s important to teach fire education because it keeps not only the kids safe, but it also keeps the firefighters safe because they don’t have to risk their lives and go into a fire to look for someone if everyone is already outside together,” Carter concluded.

KATHERINE BAUER PREPARES FOR A CAREER IN EDUCATION THROUGH SERVICE AT DAYSPRING ISABELLA FRANCOIS Managing Editor-in-Chief Many seniors serve at schools across the St. Louis area. But, Katherine Bauer has the unique opportunity to work at Dayspring School of the Arts, which is a program that provides art education as well as other enrichment classes for homeschooled students. Her service allows her to understand different types of education as well as to bond with the students.

“Even though it’s not a typical elementary school, it’s pretty much the same atmosphere, and the kids are still amazing and really enjoy having someone to look up to,” said Bauer. Bauer assists the teacher with different tasks in the classroom, which helps prepare her for what it will be like when she manages her own class in the future, as she hopes to do. “I basically help the teacher with whatever needs to be done. Sometimes that involves making copies and cutting things out, but I also get to do things with the kids a lot, such as reading to them or helping them with different activities,” Bauer continued. The activities at Dayspring are geared towards stretching the kids’ imaginations and teaching them in an unconventional way. One way the kids in Bauer’s classroom do this is through an activity called “Think Outside the Box Thursdays.” “We do an activity every week where the students have a partial shape already drawn for them, and then they have to add on to it and make it into something different [than the original shape]. I always enjoy it when they show me the creative and imaginative pictures they come up with,” said Bauer. Although working at Dayspring was not her ﬁrst choice of senior service, Bauer is incredibly thankful that God placed her there because she knows her service is preparing her for a future career.

“I knew I wanted to do [my senior service] at an elementary school so I could get some experience helping in a classroom since I am going into teaching as a career, but all my choices were full when I signed up. I was already familiar with Dayspring because I took a theatre class there when I was younger, so I chose it mainly because it was an organization I was somewhat familiar with. I enjoy having [teachers] to learn from and Katherine Bauer helps the students at Dayspring School of look up to while still serving in the way God is calling me to at this time,” Bauer concluded. Arts. Photo by: Dayspring School of Arts

NEWS 7

LILY DUDA GAINS INVALUABLE EXPERIENCE IN THE INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY UNIT AT MISSOURI BAPTIST MEDICAL CENTER ISABELLA FRANCOIS Managing Editor-in-Chief

From the time she was in elementary school, senior Lily Duda has always been interested in the medical ﬁeld. So, when the time came to sign up for senior service, Duda was one of the ﬁrst in line to sign up to work at Missouri Baptist Medical Center.

in patients. I also get to observe procedures,” explained Duda. One of the most exciting parts of Duda’s work at Missouri Baptist is observing procedures because it shows her how she might be able to help patients in the future.

“I volunteer in the interventional radiology unit at Missouri Baptist Medical Center. I usually help the nurses with small “Last week, I watched a lung get drained of ﬂuid [a thoratasks that need to be done, such as folding blankets and signing centesis], and this week I observed a noninvasive procedure on the spleen,” said Duda.

However, the procedures would not be possible without the fantastic staff at Missouri Baptist. Interacting with and learning from the team is what makes Duda’s experience different than what you can learn by studying a medical textbook or watching a video. “My favorite part has been meeting nurses and doctors and seeing what they do on an everyday basis,” Duda continued. Duda has always been passionate about the service aspect of the medical field, which is why her work at Missouri Baptist is so fulfilling. She not only can learn from some of the best medical professionals in their field but also experiences all of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into caring for patients. Her time at Missouri Baptist so far has shown Duda that the medical field is much more than just procedures and operations. The people are what make the work in the medical field so amazing and life-changing because, without doctors and nurses, many of us would not be alive today. “Serving is so fulfilling when you are passionate about what you are doing,” Duda concluded.

Lily Duda is all decked out for observing procedures. Photo by: Missouri Baptist Medical Center

8 NEWS

SEBASTIAN LACASSIE MENTORS PRESCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH SERVICE AT KIRK DAY SCHOOL ISABELLA FRANCOIS Managing Editor-in-Chief

Westminster Christian Academy and Kirk Day School have already had a special relationship, with many sixth grade students from Kirk transitioning to Westminster for seventh grade. In order to build relationships for that transition, Westminster seniors serve at Kirk in order to help the students begin to understand what it means to be a part of the Westminster community. Kirk Day School is a preschool-sixth grade school, so senior volunteers work with a variety of ages. Specifically, Sebastian Lacassie serves in the preschool every Thursday morning and serves as an assistant for the teacher and a friend for the students. “I help out the junior kindergarten class at Kirk. I help prepare their projects for them, and I help out the teacher by being a class mediator of sorts. I also get to just hang out and play with them,” Lacassie said. Kirk is a desirable senior service as Westminster students have been serving there for many years and have loved it. In fact, that is one of the reasons Lacassie decided to serve there. “I had heard nothing but good things about Kirk, and I wanted to be in a senior service with a lot of my friends. At first, I was hesitant and skeptical about being assigned to junior kindergarten but now after knowing all the kids I am really happy with the way things turned out,” he explained. One of the most impactful parts of the service that student volunteers always mention is when they are able to go out to recess with the kids because it allows them to not only let loose and have fun but also reminds them that it is so fulfilling to spend Sebastian Lacassie surrounded by his students at Kirk time with kids. Day School. Photo by: Kirk Day School “I would say my favorite moment so far has been when I go out and play with the kids. It’s always so much fun and brings back so many childhood memories. The kids are hilarious, and I appreciate that time so much. It is definitely one of the best parts of my week because I get to be a mentor for the kids,” Lacassie explained.

NEWS 9

WESTMINSTER REACHES NEW HEIGHTS IN THE THEATRICAL PRODUCTION OF PETER AND THE STARCATCHER GRACE SKILJAN NEWS EDITOR

From Thursday, Oct. 17 to Saturday, Oct. 19, the theatre program performed Peter and the Starcatcher at 7:00 pm in the Blackbox Theatre, as well as a 2:00 pm matinee show on Saturday. Peter and the Starcatcher is an engaging story about the origins of Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, and the Lost Boys. The play is full of ups and downs that have the crowd crying one minute and laughing the next. Peter and the Starcatcher is a production that uses a wide range of props, outﬁts, and creative sounds to make the play come alive. The play is also quite immersive, including several scenes where the actors actually went into the audience and made it feel as if the people watching were a part of the play. “It was one of the best shows I’ve ever been apart of because it was so interactive with the audience,” said Michael Lee, senior, who played Peter.

a 13-year-old girl who is trying to find her identity. She was so fun to play, and the show itself was so fun,” said Polski. This play was also some of the cast members’ first time on stage. This is a brave feat since it takes immense courage to get up in front of the school and perform with such few mistakes. Ethan Rush, senior, played Molly’s father in the play and looked like he had been on stage his whole life. “Because it was my first play I was a little nervous, but it has been a great experience, and the cast has been really supportive,” said Rush. Peter and the Starcatcher is different than any play that has been seen at Westminster previously. The energy and the emotion the cast used created an atmosphere of awe in the crowd that is very hard to achieve. Every cast member was extremely devoted to his or her part, and this commitment could be clearly seen by their performances on stage.

“I chose this play because I wanted One of the best parts of something very ensemble driven going to productions such and something new that WestminPeter (Michael Lee) begins to fly after absorbing as Peter and the Starcatcher ster hasn’t seen the past few years. “starstuff.” Photo by: Tammy Stevenson was seeing classmates and I’m drawn to the writing and the friends in character. Ella Polfact that it has the entire spectrum ski, senior, played Molly, a young headstrong girl who is of human emotion, embodying a comedic degree while one of the main characters in the play. Polski played her also incorporating very somber moments. I remember part so well it was hard to find where she began and her seeing it on Broadway, and it was one of the best theatricharacter ended. cal productions I’ve ever seen, and I wanted to try it with my students,” said Jim Butz, drama teacher and director “I love my character because she perfectly exemplifies of Peter and the Starcatcher.

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PETER AND THE STARCATCHER

Molly (Ella Polski) comforts Peter. Photo by: Tammy Stevenson

Black Stache (Matthew Culligen) attempts to recruit Peter as a pirate. Photo by: Tammy Stevenson

Mermaids perform dance and song in extravagant costume. Photo by: Tammy Stevenson

AND A BIT OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL PERFORMANCE OF “THE LITTLE MERMAID” THROWN IN FOR GOOD MEASURE

Sebastian and Flounder give Ariel advice. Photo by: Nikki Mabry

Ariel sings with her ocean friends. Photo by: Nikki Mabry

ONLINE 11

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THE CLIFF OF RECOVERY

The struggles of eating disorders and the journey of recovery

REBEKAH SEMS FEATURE EDITOR

Imagine being afraid of heights and having to go stand on the edge of the cliff three times a day. This type of fear is a reality for individuals struggling with eating disorders. My friend, who wishes to stay anonymous, is in recovery from anorexia nervosa and has agreed to share her story with me. Obviously, this is a sensitive topic but an important one that is not talked about openly, especially at Westminster.

“When you’re caught in something like an eating disorder or any other addiction, it is impossible to get out of the behaviors by yourself. I remember feeling completely lost, confused, and always anxious. I knew that I needed to stop, but I felt powerless to do that,” said Rene. In treatment, Rene met other girls who understood her struggle and were also in recovery. Some were in recovery from anorexia, while others dealt with bulimia, binging, and some struggled with all three. In America, “at least 30 million people of all ages and genders suffer from an eating disorder,” according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. This is an incredible amount of people in America and is mostly due to diet culture, photoshopping, and the intense focus on appearance. Also, most people dealing with eating disorders also struggle with anxiety, depression, OCD, social phobia, or other mental health illnesses.

My friend, who will go by the name of Rene, found herself sitting in a Westminster health class listening to the teacher talk Rene is still in recovery, but she admits that her journey is anything but perfect: “I have come a really about eating disorders. long way with my relationship with food, but there are times when old behaviors pop up, “I remember sitting there and thinking, and then I have to deal with the repercussions being underweight and having to gain of my actions.” weight sounds like such a nice problem to have. I was super insecure at the time In a society so fixated on numbers, “good” about my weight so not having to worry and “bad” foods, and new fad diets, eating about losing weight and instead being disorders are inevitable. However, that doesn’t underweight seemed great,” said Rene. mean nothing can be done to lessen their severity and decrease the number of people Rene’s self-image began deteriorating affected by these eating disorders. over the coming weeks as she found herself thinking and worrying more “I think that mental health in general needs to about food and her weight. She began be talked about more openly. Everyone deals to obsess over assignments in class that with some sort of mental health issue to a cerinvolved calorie counting and learning tain degree, so people can relate to a certain degree with your how to avoid certain foods. struggles. It can be equally as bad, though, to overemphasis disorders and create a society where nobody can do anything “I think that [health] class can be a really helpful and good because it might ‘trigger’ someone. We have to find a balance class to take for most people, but I was already heading down where we acknowledge our issues and feel more comfortable this path, so it encouraged and intensified a lot of negative talking about them, but also have grace for others who don’t thoughts,” said Rene. completely get what you’re going through,” said Rene. As the weeks progressed, Rene started restricting her diet and over the summer began to lose weight. Anorexia nervosa is connected to the fear of gaining weight and therefore, results in restricting foods and over-exercising to prevent weight gain. However, weight loss is just one of the many symptoms of the disorder and oftentimes, individuals can struggle without others even noticing any physical changes.

Eating disorders are a reality for all people, and that includes students at Westminster, unfortunately. So, talk to someone if you need help, or be the friend that reaches out when you see someone else struggling.

“One of my therapists told me that eating disorders don’t evolve overnight, and they won’t go away overnight either. You need people to support you, check in on you, and talk to Eventually, Rene started attending therapy for help and was sent you, and you can be that person for someone else, too,” Rene to residential treatment where she began her journey of recovadvised. ery.

FEATURE 13

WHAT MORE DO THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH?

Diabetes: the two types EMMA HARRIS Staff Writer

When someone comes back from the buffet with ﬁve cookies or two slices of cake, there’s a recurring joke: “Be careful or you’re going to get diabetes!” What I don’t think people realize is that diabetes is much more complicated than that — there are actually two types. There is the type most people know about, type two, which is the one that is usually brought on by an unhealthy lifestyle, and then there is the type that is autoimmune, meaning there is absolutely no prevention or cure for it. This is type one. To understand type one diabetes, or T1D for short, you have to understand how a normal person’s body works. According to Mayo Clinic, humans have an organ called the pancreas, which produces insulin. Insulin is the hormone that converts the sugar in food into the energy your body uses for all of its functions. Type one diabetes causes blood sugars to rise and fall frequently, and this not only makes you feel crummy, but it can also have long term effects on the body, such as nerve, kidney, and eye damage, as well as heart and blood vessel disease. Heart and blood vessel disease can then lead to heart attacks, strokes, and high blood pressure. What’s worse is that an extreme low or high blood sugar level can send an individual into a coma and, if dramatic enough, even lead to death. A person with type one diabetes does not have a functioning pancreas because of a ﬂuke in the immune system. For reasons that are currently unknown, the immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Scientists also have yet to discover why this type of diabetes is typically diagnosed in youth, but is also increasingly developing in adults.

game with real life, dire consequences with rules that are always changing, and you can never stop playing – not even for a minute.” Diabetes, especially type one diabetes, is compared to a board game that nobody can really tell you how to play, where your fate is controlled by a role of the dice while you are stuck trying to combat the repercussions, and where things are constantly changing. People pull the rug out from under you, adding on and abandoning rules every few seconds. What you once thought was a good strategy isn’t all of a sudden. As can be expected, type one diabetes can lead to many mental health conditions, the most prevalent being anxiety. According to doctors Kaitlyn Rechenberg, MA, MPH, MSN, Robin Whittemore, PhD, and Margaret Grey, DrPH (who all graduated from Yale School of Nursing) in an informational piece found in the US National Library of Health, “Mental health conditions occur in approximately 33 percent to 42 percent of youth with T1D, a rate two to three times higher than peers without T1D.” This is assumed to be a result of hypervigilance, the constant dread of knowing your blood sugar level could go very wrong, and the fact that people affected with type one diabetes often can’t experience life the way others get to. They often have to sit out on fun activities if their blood sugar is too low, they feel tired and their bodies ache when their blood sugar is excessively high, and they are judged constantly for whipping out a phone during school in order to check numbers or text their parents. Some scientists say the combined hypervigilance and attentional bias increase sensitivity to negative stimuli. This leads to either state anxiety (“transient experience of the physiological arousal associated with feelings of dread and tension”) according to the US National Library of Health) or trait anxiety (the likelihood of responding to stimuli with anxiousness), and eventually both.

In order to live with diabetes, one has to buy insulin to inject into his or her body, in addition to a blood sugar kit, hospital bills, supplies, and more. This can be extremely costly, and according to Robin Respaur, a journalist for Reuters, the average annual insulin cost alone was 5,705 dollars in 2016. Prices have risen since then. Bridget Montgomery, a mom with a T1D child, said in an article she wrote for the Diabetes Council that she spends up to 82,940 dollars a year on her one child with diabetes. Having type one diabetes usually means an individual was genetically predisposed to the disease. It can’t be prevented, it can’t be cured. And it can be difﬁcult to understand and truly know how to manage the disease. See, diabetes has no clear instruction manual, making it hard to navigate and deal with. My aunt once described it perfectly: “It’s like playing a board

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Unlike type two diabetes, type one diabetes is incurable and unpreventable. Infographic by: Emma Harris

WHERE YOUR DEMONS HIDE

Demons may play a more impactful role than you think when it comes to personality disorders

When humans have the genetics for a personality disorder and/ or grew up in an abusive environment, they have become even more susceptible for demons to take advantage of them and their mental illness. Cluster A, speciﬁcally, includes symptoms that sound unnervingly like how demons can act through humans.

“Humans were created with a heart, mind, body, soul, and will. Doctors and naturalists tend to focus on just the mind and body part which is the physical aspect of humans. They conclude that Feature Editor if you’re hearing voices then there must be a chemical imbalance What would you do if someone were to tell you he hears voices in the brain, and that very well could be the case, but Christians know that there is also the spiritual aspect and realm that plays whispering his name? You would probably take a few steps back and regard that person as crazy. In fact, hearing voices say a part in all of this, so we can approach the situation with more tools in our toolbox. Often times there can be a mental/physical your name is a symptom of schizotypal personality disorder. problem going on and a spiritual force, too,” said Wilkins.

REBEKAH SEMS

According to Mayo Clinic, “A personality disorder is a type of mental disorder in which you have a rigid and unhealthy pattern C.S. Lewis, a famous theologian and Christian author, also believed that demons are opportunistic and will take whatever of thinking, functioning, and behaving.” chance they can to inﬂuence thoughts and actions of humans. This can look different with each disorder. Mayo Clinic categorized each personality disorder in clusters. Cluster A includes paranoid personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder, and schizotypal personality disorder. Cluster B includes overly emotional disorders like antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, and narcissistic personality disorder. Finally, cluster C consists of disorders that involve anxiety and fearful behavior like obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCD), avoidant personality disorder, and dependent personality disorder.

“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight,” said Lewis.

“Demons are opportunistic. They aren’t just going to sit back and wait around — they attack and will take every opportunity they can get to do damage,” said Jason Wilkins, Bible teacher.

Many people who suffer with any type of personality disorder are not sure how to relate to people or situations, which can cause difﬁculties in relationships, school, or work. The Mayo Clinic reports that personality disorders are a result of genetics and environment surroundings during childhood. Physciatrists will usually treat these disorders with medication and therapy and will sometimes, if the patient is extremely sick, place the patient in a mental hospital. However, as I began to read through symptoms of these disorders, I started wondering if there was more to these disorders than simply the mental causes and effects.

Christians have to be careful not to fall into either of the traps Lewis describes or to disregard the physical aspect of humans and only focus on the spiritual.

“Just as doctors are silly and wrong for only paying attention to the mind and body, we are also silly and wrong if we only pay attention to the spiritual part. For example, some people may know that someone is suffering from some sort of mental illness and jump to the conclusion that they must have sinned to have that illness, which is just not biblical,” said Wilkins. When it comes to how we handle the spiritual realm and its effects on us, Christians must be aware of how to respond and react to demonic forces. However, while they can be terrifying to think about, demons are not victorious over Christ.

While some personality disorders don’t strike me this way, cluster A and cluster B forced me to consider the possibility of the spiritual realm and its interference with humans.

“I believe that Christians are protected from being possessed by demons because we belong to Jesus, but we are not immune to attacks,” said Wilkins.

Most Christians I know don’t deny the fact that demons are real, and Jason Wilkins, senior worldviews teacher, agrees that the spiritual forces in the world are both real and dangerous and opportunistic.

Even if we don’t suffer from a personality disorder or any disorder, the world is full of sin, and demons are a real threat in all situations. Christians must be aware of them, yet not infatuated by them, as we cling to the hope that is Jesus Christ.

FEATURE 15

WHAT’S IN YOUR LOCKER? Your locker is like your home at school -- something that you are responsible for, so how will you use it?

MAGGIE LINDSTROM Staff Writer

Upon entering Westminster, every student is assigned a locker. Some people choose to keep their lockers super clean and organized and even decorate them while others do not care about their space as much, leaving old food and drinks to rot and leak, as well as dirty clothes and past papers. Every person is different, which makes every locker unique Some students organize and decorate their lockers so that even if they are all built the same. I choose to decorate my everything is accessible and easy to see. Photo by: Isabella locker with wrapping paper on the walls and magnets. But some Francois people want to keep the walls of their locker bare with maybe only a shelf inside. I also use my locker to store extra school supplies just in case I will ever need another binder or colored pencils or anything else for school. Middle schoolers and high schoolers have many differences when it comes to locker styles. Middle schoolers are required to use their lockers to store their school supplies since they are not able to carry their backpacks from class to class. Also, when middle schoolers were asked whether they have clean and organized lockers, the majority of them said their lockers were well-kept and tidy, making their supplies more accessible during their passing periods.

“I mainly use my locker for my lunch, and other than that, it is normally empty,” said Lily Johnson, sophomore.

However, when sophomores Sarah Moyer and Belle St. John were asked about how organized their lockers are, they both admitted that they barely use their lockers, and if they do, they are rarely clean. “I mainly use my locker for my lunch, and other than that, it is normally empty,” said Lily Johnson, sophomore. In high school, most students wear their backpacks around during the day, which eliminates the primary use of the locker. Also, when the middle schoolers were asked if they decorate their lockers, most of the boys said no while the girls said yes, but they only had a couple of pictures or magnets. The majority of high schoolers, both boys and girls, did not decorate the interior of their lockers, but instead, the outside of their lockers often become littered with sports team magnets or stickers from clubs. So, what does your locker look like?

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Other students, mostly those in high school, almost never use their lockers. Photo by: Maggie Lindstrom

WHY IS YOUR BOYFRIEND SO MUCH LIKE YOUR DAD? Your opposite sex parent has a lot of influence in your romantic relationships

REBEKAH SEMS Feature Editor

securely attached individual whose primary connections have taught her that people are loving, dependable, and trustworthy, this is just dandy. But for those of us who are insecurely attached, the familiar can be dangerous territory.” The attachment theory says we will internalize how our parents treat us and each other as our sense of self, which impacts how we see ourselves and what we seek out in partners. In an interview with Dr. Rebecca Bergen, a licensed clinical psychologist, posted in August of 2019 on MyDomaine, Bergen explains how the attachment theory inﬂuences who we form relationships with: “If parents showed love, responded to our needs, and validated our feelings, then we were more likely to develop a secure attachment style. We then seek out and desire that same attachment style as an adult.” A secure attachment style is the ﬁrst form of how parents impact our dating life. When kids feel safe in their home and loved by their opposite-sex parent, then they search for someone like that parent, which is a positive form of the attachment style.

The person you date often shares characteristics with your opposite sex parent. Photo By: Rebekah Sems My sister has been dating her boyfriend for over a year and a half. Even though she went to college twelve hours away from home, she found someone who is surprisingly alike to my dad. Both have similar majors, are silly, good storytellers, great with kids, athletic, and driven. In fact, after I forced both my dad and her boyfriend to take personality tests, I found that they are both ENTJs on Myers-Briggs and threes on the Enneagram. I was shocked but decided it was most likely a unique coincidence. However, after spending a weekend with my brother and his girlfriend, I was even more amazed. Both are people pleasers, diligent workers, perfectionists, easy to talk to, sensitive, deeply aware, and caring people. The only difference in their Myers-Briggs is that my mom is an introvert, and his girlfriend is an extrovert. These similarities led me to wonder and question how much, if at all, parents inﬂuence the people we are in relationships with and date. After researching, I found that this is a real psychological phenomenon that can be presented in two forms: you either have a secure relationship with your opposite-sex parent and look for someone who will provide that same type of security, or, as a result of an insecure relationship with your opposite-sex parent, you will subconsciously look for someone who also treats you this way. These conclusions are a result of the “attachment theory.” For example, an article in May of 2014, written on Psychology Today by Peg Streep, says, “As human beings, we are drawn, on an unconscious level, toward the familiar. For a

Streep makes this clear by saying, “Needless to say, when romantic partners [are] like parents in good ways, relationship satisfaction [is] relatively high.” However, when children grow up in an insecure relationship with their opposite-sex parent, then when they look for a partner, they will most likely find someone who will resemble what they’ve grown up with, which “when the similarities [are] related to negative characteristics, relationship satisfaction [is] relatively low,” says Streep. Your parents also influence how you act in a relationship based on how they treat each other. Children who have grown up in a secure home and who have watched their parents be kind to one another and handle conflict well will likely become adults who are more confident in themselves and will expect to be treated well in return. Therefore, it makes sense that the opposite is true for kids growing up in an insecure home where they “have a fragmented sense of self, which may lead to low self-esteem, anxiety in relationships, doubt that we can trust others, and sometimes being more apt to seek out relationships that mimic this same attachment—not because it feels good but because it is familiar to us,” says Bergen. As kids, we see and internalize our parents’ relationship, which influences how we view ourselves and act in a relationship, while our attachment to our opposite-sex parent also impacts us so that we will most likely find someone with similar characteristics. Humans seek out the familiar because it is known and what we are comfortable with, and romantic relationships are not any different.

FEATURE 17

YOUR PERMANENT RECORD: CAN YOU ERASE IT?

Anonymity is a distant memory. To what extent can we maintain our online privacy? LEA DESPOTIS Design Editor

It was 2013 when a catalytic shock reverberated across the digital world. Notorious whistleblower Edward Snowden toppled the American intelligence establishment with a single revelation that led to his demise: “You are being watched and recorded.” Initiating one of the largest security heists in U.S. history, the former NSA agent single-handedly leaked highly-classified information to expose the government’s unprecedented mass-surveillance on its citizens. The aftershock of Snowden’s disclosure thrust a crisis upon institutions and personnel, whose identities incidentally emerged amidst the troves of data. Almost five years later, we are still counting the costs of the 1.7 million documents that continue to trickle out to the public domain. Whether the fugitive leaker is a traitor or a patriot, the line remains blurred. But one thing is clear—we, indeed, are being tracked and recorded. With the onset of the digital paradigm, automated systems hold the capacity to generate quintillions bytes of data every day, feeding the ever-expanding cloud. From our social networks, blog comments, and Amazon reviews to our personal emails, birthdates, and addresses, individual data remains deeply embedded online. Nearly every aspect of our existence rests in archived files etched into cyberspace somewhere that can land in the hands of someone—possibly a nefarious third party.

18 IN-DEPTH

Snowden’s incident, therefore, illuminates a precarious legal and moral dichotomy of the tech age. It marks a prelude to a tale of how vast streams of data ﬂow to unexpected places and how private matters move about beyond our control. With a compromised veneer of privacy, we are rendered helpless in our ability to manage what the internet knows.

But Europe’s right of erasure evokes fear in American constitutionalists— and rightfully so. The sacred promise of the First Amendment cautions against hindering any speech, regardless of its personal nature. In September of 2019, Google battled the “right to be forgotten” in a case that pitted free speech against privacy rights. The court ruled decisively; no such right exists in the United States. Yet with an overwhelming 88% of Americans in support of the “right to be forgotten,” the tech giant’s victory does not stiﬂe the enticing allure of protecting one’s digital footprint. American society continues to face a perplexing dilemma surrounding the blanket removal of information. With the world-wide web that neither forgives nor forgets, a minor blemish can surface to the top of a search result indeﬁnitely. Whether a careless misstep, an inaccurate portrayal, or a youthful indiscretion, an unrelenting stigma can mar an otherwise pristine record.

Understanding the concern of data migration, Snowden’s attorney Ben Wizner suggests, “There is no reason why technological conveniences have to come at the cost of giving up our priIn fact, Pew Research Center indicates vacy wholesale…People should be able that more than half of all adult internet to control information held on them as users rely on search engines to inquire well as with whom they share it.” about others. Employment opportunities may also be at stake. According This begs the question: Do people, to a study by Cross-Tab Transforming then, have a right to remain unknown? Market Research, 85% of U.S. recruiters and hiring managers use online conYes—but only in Europe. In what is re- tent to influence their hiring decisions. ferred to as the “right to be forgotten,” An internet profile can be one of the European citizens possess the ability many barriers that play havoc with to selectively delete personal traces peoples’ lives. inscribed into the internet. In the 2014 decision, the European Union’s highest As generations are socialized in an court granted corporations, government alternate online reality, American officials, and individuals the right to society struggles with the technology request removal of links containing we created that conflicts with who sensitive information deemed “inaccu- we are as humans. But we must face rate, inadequate, irrelevant or excesthe reality: the digital eternity is an sive.” Since then, Google received unforgiving machine, cataloguing the 845,000 requests to eliminate a total best and worst of our lives into a perof 3.3 million URL links, and 45% of manent record. How can we wipe the those requests were, in fact, delisted. slate clean? We can’t. Instead, word to the wise: we must consider our tracks before we lay them.

Sketched by Lea Despotis Edward Snowden from his new book Permanent Record.

Affective partisan polarization. Americans’ feeling towards their own party has barely changed since the 1970s, but Americans have become more “cold” towards the other party since the 1990s. (Soure: American Election Study)

IN-DEPTH 19

IN RESPONSE TO. . .

This story was originally written for AP language in reponse to an article from The New York Times titled “When An Abortion Doctor Becomes a Mother”

AVA BIDNER

Content Editor-in-Chief Dear Dr. Henneberg, My name is Ava Bidner, and I am a 17-year-old senior in high school. I recently read your article in The New York Times titled “When An Abortion Doctor Becomes a Mother,” and after rereading it several times, I felt compelled to write you this letter and make an effort to further open the dialogue about this controversial topic, as you have through your article. First, I would like to sincerely apologize for the insensitive and insolent words of the protester you spoke of. Hearing stories about people like this man who clearly have no desire to foster understanding with others or actually begin a conversation nearly brings me to tears. I am deeply sorry for his offensive manner of communication, and I truly hope that you do not allow this one man to affect your view of all pro-life supporters. Yes, I am pro-life, and I am also a devout Christian, but I can tell you with conﬁdence that we are not all like this bitter, disrespectful protester. Reading the words “Repent! Repent, baby killer!” makes me nauseous and causes me to realize how profoundly divided we are and how much more humility and mutual respect is needed to restore even the most basic foundation of a relationship. Furthermore, I respect your decision to become a doctor, and I know how much dedication, hard work, and time you have undoubtedly poured into your education and career. Although I am only a senior in high school, I have attended several programs at WashU medical school, am currently volunteering in a hospital weekly, and have shadowed several doctors in the OR. I plan to be on the pre-med track in college next year with the hope of becoming a neonatologist one day. I am already aware of how much incredible devotion is necessary to succeed in medical school and become a doctor, so I must commend you for attaining such ambitious goals, and I also appreciate your efforts to improve women’s health and assist them in the difﬁcult task of planning for a family. Lastly, I also sincerely agree with your statement at the end of your article: “Everything is messy: the work of doctors, the work of mothers, and the love of each one of us for our children.” There is no doubt we live in an utterly broken world, and your claim

20 IN-DEPTH

encompasses the unfortunate reality of our relationships and careers which often must survive under harsh and adverse circumstances. However, speaking candidly, your article also led me to mourn the state of our society; I am concerned about the loss of morality in America today, and I am distressed because we seem to place more focus on the issue of rights and freedoms than on compassion and life. Although you made rational arguments through your experiences and stories in your article, I must respectfully disagree with your opinions regarding maintaining boundaries, your assertion that the connection between your work as a mother and as a doctor is “a symbiosis, a harmony,” and your claim that “somebody has to do the work.”

Seconds after I was born on Dec. 7, 2001. Photo by: Ava Bidner While I completely agree with the need to maintain boundaries between your work and your personal life, and I also respect the fact that you have actual experience with this in the medical ﬁeld while I do not, I do not believe your perspective of drawing these boundaries is realistic. As you write, “If compartmentalization doesn’t come naturally, it’s beaten into you in training. . . You have to maintain some boundaries. You can’t let it bleed over, you’ll never survive.” I believe this applies to most jobs; whether someone is a politician, a teacher, or a doctor, he or she must make a conscious decision to avoid bringing work home everyday or bringing personal matters to work. That being said, there is a clear distinction between allowing your work life to remain at the ofﬁce (or in your case, the clinic) and not actually viewing your patients as human beings, and yes, I’m referring to both the mother and the baby. As an INFJ and an intensely sensitive person, I understand the necessity of establishing these boundaries and maintaining them. If I do not do this, I tend to take other people’s worries and emotions on my shoulders constantly, and living with the weight of not only my own but also dozens of others’ issues does not work for extended periods of time. But I believe the boundaries you are referring to are the boundaries between a “baby” at work and a baby in any other part of your life. Your description of your work proves this: “We routinely perform procedures well into our patients’ second trimester, when the fetus is well-formed and easily recog-

nizable as humanlike, even ‘life’-like. Baby-like.” I must ask you, why do you use the words “baby-like?” If your baby had happened to be born premature at 26 weeks (the end of the second trimester), would you have held your brand new little girl for the ﬁrst time and described her as “baby-like” to your friends and parents as you announced her birth? No. Of course not. You would describe her as beautiful, precious, and a bundle of joy. So why do you say that as a doctor, you can draw “a distinction, a boundary, between a fetus and a baby?” You even admit that when you became a mother, you learned there were truly no boundaries. I admire the way you describe this realization: “The moment you become a mother, the moment another heartbeat ﬂickers inside of you, all boundaries fall away.” You are so right. Although I have not experienced this powerful and intense emotion yet, I hope to have several children one day, and I know your description will match my feelings. But I just cannot comprehend how even after giving birth to your daughter and witnessing a miracle, you still are able to build up walls at work and continue to see the babies, the tiny, beautiful humans, at your clinic as merely “baby-like.”

“Why can’t ‘the work’ be helping the pregnant mom with nurturing her unborn? Why can’t ‘the work’ be encouraging the community to nurture the unborn? Why can’t ‘the work’ be to remind the father of the unborn to be there and work with the mom? Why does ‘the work’ have to be taking the life of the unborn?” I understand how complex and involved this situation is, and I know that doing “the work” may avoid heartache and lessen the pain in different aspects. Too often, mothers who decide not to abort find themselves falling in love with their babies and wanting to raise them despite the fact that they lack the social structure, financial stability, and basic necessities required to give their children a safe home and a fulfilling childhood. This situation can certainly lead to equal or even greater suffering, distress, and pain for both the mother and the child than if the pregnancy had been terminated. However, Segall makes a valid argument about defining “the work,” and I will add that as a mother who unquestionably loves your daughter with all of your heart, do you not desire for other women to experience the joy of motherhood? After struggling with infertility yourself, do you not want to give other infertile women the opportunity to adopt a baby another woman cannot provide for instead of disposing of the child altogether?

In reality, you cannot separate two of the most essential pieces of your life — your daughter and your work — especially when you are an abortion doctor. You describe the connection between your work as a doctor and as a mother as “a symbiosis, a harmony” instead of a “tension or a contradiction to be reconciled.” This belief may assist you in making it through each day at the clinic, but it simply is not logical or indicative of a consistent worldview. You express your difficulty in denying this fact yourself: “There is the fetus in the dish, the perfect curl of its fingers and toes. Sometimes it reminds me of my daughter — how could it not?” My heart breaks knowing that everyday you go to work and have to stifle the emotions you feel and the connections to your daughter you witness. Wouldn’t life be so much easier if we could carefully divide up our lives into pieces and then store each piece in a box, not allowing it to mingle with the rest of our lives? Unfortunately, life simply does not function this way, and as a doctor who has observed “miscarriages of all types, in every trimester” and allowed these terrifying images to cause alarm during your own pregnancy, I trust that you know this. The “first flicker of a heartbeat” you felt inside you was no different than the heartbeat of any other baby you have ever encountered in your clinic; therefore, I must challenge your claim that your position as a mother is harmonious with your career as a doctor.

My mom had a devastating miscarriage the year before I was born; she carried her baby, Paige Alma Bidner, who would have been my older sister, for almost 20 full weeks before a tragic stillbirth. The idea of a woman aborting her perfectly healthy baby will always be heartbreaking to my mom and dad who had no choice to keep their precious child. In addition, from the one short article I have read of yours, you appear to be a caring and lovely mother, a supportive wife, and an experienced doctor, and I ﬁnd it indicative of your morals that you assumed some punishment, some type of “bad karma” as you describe, would occur during your pregnancy because of your work. As you express your anticipation of a tragedy, you not only reveal your most genuine emotions and your deep-seated fear for the future of your pregnancy, but you also hint at the moral dilemma present: “I kept waiting for it, any of it, to happen to me. Nothing would’ve surprised me except a pregnancy that was normal, uneventful, routine.” Although I believe you deserve forgiveness and grace regardless of your actions, your own concern for a penalty as justice for your behavior reveals your true beliefs about abortion and your unease that perhaps it is morally reprehensible.

Lastly, I cannot support your ﬁnal statement that “somebody has to do the work.” By “the work,” you are evidently referring to abortion, and while I must concede that an abortion may be necessary in the rare circumstance of saving the mother’s life, I generally do not believe that anyone should have to complete this tragic procedure. Rhett Segall questions your assertion in a comment on your article:

Overall, I thank you, Dr. Henneberg, for writing with sincerity and conviction in your article, as I hope to have also done in my response. I hope you understand that I am writing you from a place of humility and compassion, not of bitterness or resentment. This discussion is one that is close to my heart — both because of my sweet sister Paige who I will meet in Heaven one day and because of my ambition of working in the NICU with premature and suffering babies in the future. From a place of compassion and concern, I beg you to reconsider the relationship between your work and your personal life as well as the babies you see at work and your own baby because there really are no boundaries. I beg you to consider why “somebody has to do the work” of death. And I beg you to begin seeing every patient not simply as “baby-like” but as he or she truly is: a baby — and a blessing. Sincerely, Ava Bidner

IN-DEPTH 21

Court of Missouri.

WCA JOURNALISM STUDENTS GAIN INSIGHT INTO THEIR RIGHTS AT THE HEROES OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT CONFERENCE

The students ﬁrst participated in a discussion and question and answer session with Mary Beth Tinker, Cathy Kuhlmeier, Lynne Jackson, Robert Patrick, and the Honorable Noelle C. Collins. One of the moments that stood out, in particular, was when a student asked Tinker whether she fully understood the scope of her case at the time it took place.

Managing Editor-in-Chief

“It took me a long time to realize the impact on student and on schools because I looked around and I saw the [Vietnam] War because when the case was decided it was 1969, one of the worst years for the war. I thought, oh great, I can wear a black armband, but it doesn’t really change anything about the war. Sometimes you get discouraged, and you think that the things you do don’t really matter, but later on after I talked to teachers and administrators, I realized that I did make an impact. The basic idea remains that young people in schools should have a say. Young people in our country should have a say,” Tinker replied.

ISABELLA FRANCOIS

Students from McCluer North, Seckman, and Westminster as well as the Honorable Noelle C. Collins discuss the First Amendment. Photo By: Isabella Francois

On Thursday, Nov. 7, students from the 800 News staff visited the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse to learn about how the First Amendment is interpreted in different cases and how it applies to students today.

Forum Institute, an organization that promotes diversity in journalism and free press.

The Heroes of the First Amendment conference was created to educate students about the importance of the At the Heroes of the First Amendment- First Amendment as well as to celebrate conference, students heard from Mary the 50th anniversary of Tinker v. Des Beth Tinker, the plaintiff in the Tinker Moines. v. Des Moines case, Cathy Kuhlmeier, one of the plaintiffs in Hazelwood v. “I knew I wanted to do something Kuhlmeier, and Lynne Jackson, the special for the anniversary of the Tinker great-great-granddaughter of Dred and decision. I have worked with Mary Harriet Scott. Also, in addition to hear- Beth and Cathy in the past because they ing from key members of these critical both continue to meet with teachers cases, students also were able to hear and students across the country. I have from Robert Patrick, a reporter for the also participated in several programs St. Louis Post Dispatch who is one of for which Gene [Polincinski] was the the few federal court reporters in the moderator. The idea started with getting U.S., as well as the Honorable Noelle the three of them together in St. Louis C. Collins, a Magistrate Judge for and [ﬂew] from there,” explained Rachel the Eastern District of Missouri. The Marshall, founder of the event and discussion was moderated by Gene public education & community outreach Polincinski, president of the Freedom administrator for the Eastern District

22 IN-DEPTH

After the question and answer session, the students broke up into groups to discuss the First Amendment in their schools on a smaller scale. Westminster students were with journalism and political science students from McCluer North High School and Seckman High School. They were also joined by the Honorable Noelle C. Collins who moderated the discussion. The students were posed with two questions and were able to choose which one they wanted to focus on. The ﬁrst question asked if students should be allowed to express their opinions on social media without worrying about being punished by teachers or school administrators. The second question asked if public schools should be allowed to report on controversial issues in their student newspapers without the approval of school authorities. The group decided to discuss the ﬁrst question. They had a great conversation about how policies look different in public and private schools. Also, as a part of the exercise, students were asked to come up with a plan of action to implement what they learned at the conference in their schools, and it sparked a desire for

A panoramic view of the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse. Photo By: Isabella Francois

real change, especially among students from Seckman High School. “I plan to draft a social media policy that aptly addresses student usage of social media, which we currently don’t have! I also want to take it to the school board eventually,” explained Elijah Baum, a student at Seckman High School.

“I believe the first amendment for students is important and should be protected. I especially believe student journalism is critical. High school and college are for preparing youth for careers and for real life and thus it should be a mirror of reality.” -Rachel Marshall Public Education & Community Outreach Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse

High School. The inaugural Heroes of the First Amendment Conference truly impacted students as it brought the Constitution to life through the amazing stories of real people. It was amazing to be in the same room with people who fought for their rights, and this day serves as an inspiration for student journalists to continue to stand up for what they believe in. “I hope that students learned that the Constitution is not some dusty book up on a shelf, but rather something that affects them and their lives every day. I hope students more fully understand and appreciate the human stories behind the legal process and landmark cases they learn about in school. I hope that student journalists see themselves as relevant contributors,” concluded Marshall.

The conference had a profound impact on the students as it reminded them of the importance of the First Amendment and how it can be applied in ways that may seem counterintuitive. “Lynne Jackson said, ‘Sometimes, silence is golden,’ which surprised me to hear at a First Amendment Conference. But it was awesome because she is so right and proved it with the Dred Scott case!” explained Baum. In the Dred Scott case, Scott continued to teach his family what was right, despite the persecution he faced. He did not protest or incite violence after he lost his case but continued to live in an upright manner. One hundred years later, students were able to hear from Cathy Kuhlmeier, who also lost her case but did not give up, which is truly inspiring. It was a breathtaking experience, and it was a pleasure to be standing in a room with so many heroes and people with some of the same passions as me. I could repeat that day a million times over,” said India, a student at McCluer North

Cathy Kuhlmeier plaintiff in the Supreme Court case Hazlewood v. Kuhlmeier, Lynn Jackson, great-great granddaughter of Dred Scott, and Mary Beth Tinker, plaintiff in the Supreme Court Case Tinker v. Des Moines. The Hazlewood and Tinker cases are considered landmark decisions regarding ﬁrst amendment rights. In Hazlewood, the Court sided with the Hazlewood School District and its policy of censuring the school newspaper. In Tinker, the Court sided with Tinker, who wore a black armband to school in protest of the Viet Nam War saying “A student’s right to free speech does not end at the schoolhouse doors.” Both cases as well as the Dred Scott case were argued in St. Louis at the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals before heading to the Supreme Court. Illustration By: Emma Harris

IN-DEPTH 23

TACKLE YOUR PROBLEMS: TAKE A HIKE

on a scale of small, medium, or large, is considered large.”

AVA HOLLMANN

This is “large” because it could be comparable to medication and therapy used for depression, particularly because while the “dropout rate” for therapy and medicine is 26 to 28 percent, while it is only 18 to 19 percent for exercise. These two types of supporters of mental health are not independent from one another, though depending on the person, they can be used together for even more depression improvement.

Anxious thoughts about school, sports, and college ricocheted around in my head, making my conscious a pinball machine. After a month and a half of my senior year, I was already more stressed than I thought possible. And as an introvert, my way of processing it is to internalize, which then allows no room for anything else.

Schuch and Stubbs believe these positive effects of exercise could be due to exercise’s ability to provide a confidence boost, anti-inflammatory effects, and growth of BDNF, which promotes neurological growth and formation of patterns and a routine. These contend the lower confidence, inflammatory effects, and lower levels of BDNF associated with depression.

So, I packed up my journal, pen, and water bottle and drove to Castlewood park, which is a convenient two miles from my house. With the original intent to hit the trails for about an hour, I hiked for two and a half hours, reveling in the burn of my legs and shortness of breath, while also losing myself in the beauty of the leaf-laden paths and soft filtering of sunlight through the trees. Then, I was ready to pen it out. My thoughts moved easily and smoothly from my mind to my pen, and finally, to my journal pages. After 45 minutes, the crux of my conflict had been revealed, and my mind was opened up, with more headspace to think of solutions moving forward.

But exercise is not the only helpful remedy – nature has been shown to be conducive to mental health as well. In a research study titled “The beneﬁts of nature experience: Improved affect and cognition,” Gregory N. Bratman, Gretchen C. Daily, Benjamin J. Levy, and James J. Gross studied the effects of nature on anxiety, depression, and cognition.

3 natural ways to improve mental health Opinions Editor

Journaling, exercising, and spending time outside provide numerous mental beneﬁts. Photo by: Ava Hollmann

In their study, they studied 60 participants who had been randomly assigned to walk around for 50 minutes in either an urban or natural setting in Stanford, California. Before and after the study, they took several cognitive assessments of the participants, and found, after the second set of assessments, that “compared to the urban walk, the nature walk resulted in affective benefits (decreased anxiety, rumination, and negative affect, and preservation of positive affect) as well as cognitive benefits (increased working memory performance).” While this study, like the one performed by Schuch and Stubbs, is only a stepping stone in the path to discovering the plethora of benefits behind being in nature, it is, according to the scientists who conducted this study, helpful to “further [their] understanding of the influence of relatively brief nature experiences on affect and cognition, and help to lay the foundation for future research on the mechanisms underlying these effects.”

And ﬁnally, perhaps even more accessible than exercise and nature, is journaling. The University of Rochester Medical Center, with input from health professionals Renee Watson, MSN RN, Marianne Fraser, MSN RN, and Paul Ballas, MD, claim that “keeping a journal can help one manage anxiety, reduce stress, First, to explore the positive effects of exercise, researchers Fe- and cope with depression by helping [to] prioritize problems, lipe Barreto Schuch and Brendon Stubbs from King’s College fears, and concerns, tracking any symptoms day-to-day [to help] learn ways to… better control them, and providing an opportuof Cambridge University in London were featured in Outside nity for… identifying negative thoughts and behaviors.” magazine for their studies in exercise’s role in mental health. While not everybody may be interested in being outside, exercising, and journaling, even doing just one of these things can have exceptional mental health beneﬁts, especially compared to other commonly-sought out alternatives.

For their research, they reviewed “25 studies that surveyed a to- Journaling, like exercise and nature, is a viable way to enhanc tal of 1,487 people and found that between 40 and 50 percent of one’s headspace. And, unlike typical teenage methods of coping people with depression respond to exercise, with an effect that, with stress, they are natural and free. So what are you waiting for? Lace up your shoes, get a journal, and take a hike.

24 OPINION

POLISHING UP YOUR PAPER Elevate your paper in just 30 minutes

EMMA HARRIS Staff Writer

I get it: sometimes you’re just not happy with your paper. You can’t trace this feeling back to anything in particular, you just don’t like it. And here’s the cherry on top: it’s due tomorrow. Panic ensues because it is simply too late to rewrite whole chunks, but you need a good grade, whether it is to maintain your current grade or to boost it. Here are ﬁve quick and easy tips to make your paper better that only take 30 minutes to apply:

5. Check Your Commas I know, I know, the thing you didn’t want to hear: make sure you’re using commas appropriately. It may seem tedious, but commas are incredibly important for a smooth paper. They’re either your ally or your greatest foe. Not enough commas make run on sentences, but too many just looks bad and has the possibility to make everything choppy. In just 30 minutes, these applied steps will make your paper sound smooth and create a more effortless, professional feel.

1. To Be Verbs Find a list of “to be” verbs online, then hit ﬁnd and replace in your Google Doc. Go through the list one by one, type each word into the ﬁnd and replace search bar, and use an alternative way to say what you want to say – be especially stingy when using the word “is.”

2. Replace Your “Examples” The two words “for example” or “an example of this” are used far too often in paper writing, making them blend in. To sound more scholarly and to stand out, replace “for example” with “for instance” or “this is proven through.” Don’t get rid of all “examples,” though – variety is needed in writing.

3. Mix Short and Long Sentences In writing, if you have all short sentences, your paper is going to sound choppy, and if you have all long sentences, it’s going to be too wordy. If you have more than three or four of the same length sentences in a row, make sure to change this: you can try combining two neighboring sentences or break one up to add some depth and interest.

4. Find Common Word Alternatives Synonymous to changing “example,” one should also change other various, commonly used words. Instead of “because” use “for,” instead of “happens” say “occurs,” and instead of always using “however,” change it up sometimes by saying “that said.” Use alternatives to “very” such as “extremely” or “incredibly,” or ﬁnd a stronger vocab word than the one you plugged “very” Five tips for high schoolers to improve the quality of an before. For example, for “very small,” ditch “very” and replace English paper. Infographic by: Emma Harris “small” with “minute.”

OPINION 25

just a clown – he becomes a symbol of mental illness, childhood trauma, and rejection from society.

DESCENT INTO MADNESS There’s a new twist on a classic story of the world’s most well-known villain

Overall, Joker is certainly worthy of your time and is a creative, intriguing ﬁlm with phenomenal acting and a real story to tell. But beware, Joker is a whole lot more than just a ﬁlm about Batman’s greatest villain.

GRACE SKILJAN News Editor

Everyone knows and loves the malevolent character that is the Joker. The antagonist to Batman, Joker’s insanity has not had an explanation until today. Making his first debut in Detective Comics in 1951, Joker earned his name from his disfigurement after jumping into a vat of chemicals because of his resemblance to the joker playing cards. However, according to the new film Joker directed by Todd Phillips, he has a very different backstory. Played by Joaquin Phoenix, Arthur Fleck (later known as Joker) is a struggling comedian who is abused by the society he lives in. He struggles with a neurological disability which causes him to laugh uncontrollably in awkward situations; this and the fact that he is always alone make him a constant target for other characters throughout the movie. This film has extremely pressing themes that are sensitive to many viewers, including mental illness, childhood trauma, and isolation. All of these themes assist in the movie’s striking production, leaving the audience rattled by the end and earning the film an understandable R rating. The film as a whole is very disturbing and is almost hard to watch because of the intensity of emotions Fleck feels which evokes an intense emotional response in the audience. We watch as he sinks deeper and deeper into madness and the anguish and self-loathing consume him. Joker also provides an illustration of how a classist society starts to crumble when the lower class begins to revolt. After three murders of higher class citizens draw the attention of the city, the Joker’s popularity rises and people begin to follow his lead. The aftermath is a purge-like scene where it is a free-for-all in the streets of Gotham. In addition, Joker also introduces Bruce Wayne, played by Dante Pereira-Olson. Batman is shown as a little boy during the film, and Joker’s connection to him actually lies with his father, Thomas Wayne (Brett Cullen). The movie reveals Batman’s backstory along with Joker’s and shows just how intertwined their worlds are. Taking a classic story, twisting it, and warping it into an entire film, Todd Phillips has audiences pitying the once-hated villain. He transforms Joker into a real person with feelings and severe emotional damage that the audience feels along with the character. Understanding his backstory makes the Joker more than

26 OPINION

Drawing by: Emma Harris

BOB DYLAN IS DISAPPEARING: HERE’S WHY HE SHOULDN’T BE

Bob Dylan, one of the greatest song writers of all time. Photo by: Emma Harris

Everyone needs to listen to the famous American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan

I believe this quote is extremely needed, a reminder to not only try to understand different sides Staff Writer and views but a reminder that There is one person who has dominated the music industry like just because we cannot underno other, and his name is Bob Dylan. A folk artist, rock artist, stand something doesn’t mean and even a folk-rock artist, this Nobel Prize in Literature winner it isn’t valid. There is a slew is insightful and tells essential lessons through his lyrics. His of insightful lyrics and songs by Bob Dylan beyond this one, lyrics should be a fundamental part of anyone’s life, especially including “My Back Pages” (“I was so much older then, I’m in youth (where his stories and wisdom can influence individu- younger than that now”), “Blowing in the Wind,” and one of als positively in their formative years). However, I have noticed my personal favorites, “Who Killed Davey Moore?” (a satirical, something quite alarming: almost nobody in my generation has profound song that uses sarcasm to convey an excellent point). even heard of him. As an old soul who has always listened to Bob Dylan and grown because of it, this is concerning and even When the radio is filled with the meaningless lyrics and autragic to me, and I believe we cannot let this artist go as we have to-tuned voices of today, there is something in society that is been. lost, an element unfulfilled. As Bob Dylan once said, “The

EMMA HARRIS

I can guess what you’re about to say: if you know Bob Dylan but don’t listen to him, it’s because you don’t like his voice. Bob Dylan’s voice is, as most put it, bad. And while I wholeheartedly disagree with this statement, I can see where people are coming from. His voice is scratchy, raspy, sometimes harsh, and lacks any beauty to it. But this only grows my love for him. Because of his less-than-perfect voice, he does these three things: he shows people success is possible even with the absence of a beautiful voice, he forces people to pay attention to his lyrics, and he creates a realistic, raw feel to his music. All of this creates a personal feeling, which is maybe why I have always felt understood by Dylan. The emotions he evokes in his listeners and the authenticity of his voice really do draw attention to his lyrics and, for me, at least, create a charming atmosphere.

stuff on the radio is so sweet, it makes my tooth hurt.” Music is no longer being used to teach people valuable lessons and to tell stories, and when we are fed mindless lyrics, we lose the tendency to search for something more profound. We no longer have the desire to search for the meaning of life or its morals. Still, music is such an inescapable, important inﬂuencer that it inﬁltrates our thought process and experiences, changing the way we think. I believe we have lost a certain dimension in our passion and societal function, and listening to Bob Dylan could help this — even if it’s just in a minor way.

Here’s what Bob Dylan means to me. On Oct. 22, 2019, I got to see my lifelong hero in person. The experience was surreal, for I had been waiting and dreaming of this moment for as long as I can remember (which I genuinely mean) — I know, not every four-year-old’s dream. Growing up, Dylan’s music always meant so much to me, and when I saw interviews of him or heard his songs, I always felt understood. Feeling semi-alienated is really just the kind of person I am, but when I read about Bob Dylan or his lyrics, they are wholly comforting to me because I know there’s someone out there who’s like me. Part of my attachment may be from fond memories of my dad singing Bob Dylan’s songs to me as a child — and if I could remember, I would have memories of this from when I was a newborn, too.

If you can’t get past his voice, that’s fine — I get it, he’s not everyone’s favorite. But don’t let his lyrics get lost because of his voice; if you have decided his unique voice just isn’t your taste, I ask of you to read his lyrics — the lyrics that won him the Nobel Prize in not only Literature, but also the words that were the first songs to earn the Nobel Prize ever (and this has yet to change). His words are beautiful, profound, and incredibly deep — not to mention filled with wisdom. Bob Dylan has the fantastic ability to write from diverse perspectives and as different people, meaning, if you listen to him enough, his songs And as a poet, I of course love his lyrics. In fact, I don’t think may just make you more insightful and empathetic. I’d have half the talent I hold in poetry writing if he were not present in my life, teaching me how to write insightful and Take “The Times They Are A-Changin,’” one of his most well- beautiful lyrics through his own. What I’m trying to say is mayknown tunes, as an example of his amazing lyrical talent. This be I’m a little biased, and maybe I’m expecting too much, but I song has so many wise lyrics we can learn from, my favorite of truly believe that listening to Bob Dylan could actually make an which is “don’t criticize what you can’t understand” (a lyric the impact on our society. So, why not give him a chance? twelve-year-old me claimed I would one day get a tattoo of).

OPINION 27

INTO THE WOODS

What a NON-typical practice and meet are like for a WCA cross country runner

AVA HOLLMANN Opinions Editor

It’s Monday morning, and as YouTuber Cody Ko says in his “Epic Morning Routine” video, “Rise and Grind.” At 5:00 a.m. sharp, I giddily wake up, ready to run. After devouring some energy gels, lacing up my bulky trail running shoes, and strapping on my headlight, I head out the door to do my easy early morning run of ten miles. It’s so refreshing to be up this early – to head out into the pitch black, then return in time for the sunrise. I’m basically a farmer.

From 3:20 to 5:00, I run my favorite workout – 12 mile-repeats around the school. Then, until 5:30, I do a bodyweight strength routine, which includes 100 consecutive pushups, 1,000 crunches, and 200 squats. Always gotta be a skinny (and ripped) legend. After I finish practice, I down eight Gatorades, nine Clif Bars, a bag of spinach, and three stalks of broccoli (hold the ranch). As far as I can tell, my stomach is a bottomless abyss that constantly needs filling; the grind willnever stop, and neither will my muscle car metabolism. Once I get home, I churn out homework for about 45 minutes, despite the fact that I take eight AP classes. To me, school can be prioritized second; my parents only pay nearly 20k a year for me to be in peak athletic shape. Proceeding homework, I plunk my body into an ice bath for 15 minutes, not just grinning and bearing it, but reveling in the sharp, cold pain. I love the feeling of chilly numbness. After that, I eat my third rationing of spaghetti, and finally, head to bed. It may only be 7:00, but I need at least ten hours of sleep. Anything less would be detrimental to my pristine health. The next morning, I wake up refreshed and revved up for meet day. Throughout the day, I prepare by visualizing every turn, hill, and exact pace for the entirety of the race. Without thorough mental preparation for at least several hours preceding the race, my physical efforts will be completely fruitless. Enduring eeks of hard training? Who cares. Achieving success in previous meets? Meaningless. Mind over matter, people. Mind. Over. Matter. Once on the bus, I listen to my “epic pump up jams” playlist, which includes bangers such as “Barbara Manatee” by Veggie Tales, “Roar” by Katy Perry, and “Lose Yourself” by Eminem. Genre variety is key in hype music.

When we arrive at the meet, I hop out of the bus, staring hopefully out at the course that is a dense, spoooky forest. A 5k in the middle of the woods is what every course is, so this, in addition to mud puddles and small streams, is nothing out of the After I get back to my house and shower, I carbo-load with three ordinary. bowls of pasta, each with ﬁve tablespoons of syrup on top. I always use syrup in the morning- cheese and spaghetti sauce After warming up, my team and I line up at the starting line, are reserved for lunch and dinner. I then pack my lunch, which then lurch forward into the woods once the gun goes off. 3.1 consists of more spaghetti, ﬁve bananas, more energy gel, and a miles later, we are mud-soaked, bloody, and high on the body’s gallon of chocolate milk. Gotta get those simple sugars in! natural drug: endorphins. The symbols associated with a cliche WCA cross country runner. Infographic by: Ava Hollmann

Now ready for departure, I drive to school for my grindin’ morning lift. Unfortunately, I share the weight room with the infamous football players. They are embarrassed that I can deadlift more than them, but I play it cool, barely avoiding eye contact and a smirk. I’m too humble to ﬂex my poppin’ muscles like that. Eight hours later, it’s time for the real deal – afternoon practice.

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Despite no Blue Crew ever present to watch us run, it’s still nice to know that they know we exist at all. Because for the past three years, the boys and girls’ teams have competed exceptionally well at the district and state meet levels, so why wouldn’t they prioritize us over other sports like football? It’s really just comforting that they, or anyone at WCA, even give us the time of day.

THE SUPPRESSION OF CREATIVE EXPRESSION

Should WCA students be allowed to dye their hair unnatural colors?

go to and all the incredible teachers, but school can feels long and the dreary color palette only ampliﬁes this. This raises an important question: how much physical similarity is too much? I believe Westminster currently crosses the line between unity and individuality, and because of this, vivosity and liveliness of the student body is dulled from the amazingly active community WCA actually has. The occasional colored head would be a nice break to this redundancy.

EMMA HARRIS

And here we reach the overused argument that hair color will be a distraction. However, when I searched for surveys and sciAt Westminster Christian Academy, hair colors that aren’t natu- entific research backing this up, I found nothing, meaning there rally occuring are banned. This means no bubblegum pink hair, is absolutely no proof that this is the case. On the lists of the no bright teal hair, and no emerald green hair — if your hair is greatest distractions, there were things such as texting, eating dyed any color of the rainbow, you will be issued a detention. in class, and social media, but never hair color. The argument is Not even dip-dyed hair is allowed at WCA. Here is my worry: invalid, for we have no evidence at all to believe unnatural hair this rule is suppressing creative expression. color will distract students — we have just been using deductive reasoning that might be majorly flawed. In fact, the chance that According to Deana Vandegriff, director of academic operastudents will be affected in a learning environment seems very tions, one of the reasons no unnatural hair colors are allowed slim in modern day context is to “help unify us.” She also offered another explanation: because unnatural hair color is “Teams all wear the same uniform for a reason. It identifies so common nowadays that it them as being connected.” This is true: teams all have the same doesn’t stand out as it once did; uniform and it helps identify them as a body. However, if you people are used to it. Even if look at professional teams —take baseball, for example — they hair being a distraction was a all take creative liberty. While community is extremely importvalid argument at some point, it ant, celebrating individuality within that community is equaljust doesn’t apply anymore. ly important, and students need more opportunities for said By not allowing students to individualism. In fact, the Bible speaks in Romans 12:4-5 about have unnatural hair colors, maintaining individuality within the body of Christ: “For as in WCA is suppressing stuone body we have many members, and the members do not all dent’s creative expression. have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Photo by:Emma Harris Christ, and individually members one of another.”

Staff Writer

We should be able to look different and still feel close, and God wants this. However, what with already having uniforms, everyone seems to blend into each other, and while this might connect us, it also creates a mildly mundane atmosphere: nothing and no one stands out. We are lost in a sea of beige and blue. Students are not called to be creative and innovative in a community that produces rules restricting individualism, and individuality and a desire to express ourselves creatively is therefore lost. That said, WCA does a good job of promoting individuality in other outlets; we have a wonderful arts program (including both visual and fine arts) to back this up, and one of our core beliefs is being able to express creativity. But at the moment, this conflicts with the no unnatural hair color rule. Allowing colors to seep into the student body could really help counter this lack of individuality. I’m not arguing that we should scrap uniforms altogether, but relaxing the hair color rule could really benefit the life in the community and help students express themselves. Everyday, we are surrounded in the same shade of beige, and this can feel tedious and defeating to us as students — it amplifies the frustration of school, seemingly lengthening the school day. Of course, I’m thankful for this wonderful school I

Susie Brown, director of student life, has an additional concern about the possible distractions dyed hair might cause: “If people have a crazy hair color, others might focus on hair instead of what is most important — character,” she said. I agree that distraction from character would be an awful thing and truly do not want this to happen. In fact, I admire Mrs. Brown for seeking this. However, I just cannot see any situation where hair color would distract us from our morals and integrity. I can’t ﬁnd the correlation between the two, and I think the reality is that people are not going to forget about having integrity because the person sitting next to them has blue hair. I don’t believe having unnatural hair will make the community feel separated or distract people from either class or their moral obligations. In fact, hair color has the potential to enhance our community, rekindling life into us and giving people the opportunity for individualism. This is a legitimate form of creative expression and an even more perfect one for introverts who need ways to express themselves other than talking. I will say this: if differentiating hair color is able to weaken our community, Westminster may have some deeper issues to address.

OPINION 29

THE PATH TO SUCCESS

Two teachers’ perspectives on how to determine a career, and the role that college plays in the path to it

AVA HOLLMANN Opinions Editor

For several months, seniors are laser-focused on standardized testing, writing, and then, once everything is submitted, waiting. In every class, “Where are you applying?” and “Did you get in?” are questions that make regular appearances in conversation. And every day, nay, every hour, e-mail inboxes are impulsively checked, then impatiently refreshed, repeatedly, in hopes of receiving notiﬁcation of their acceptance to their dream school.

details that they believe will make or break their adult life. However, these only make up the visible tip of the iceberg; below the surface lies the heavier, deeper thoughts. These ones are existential, and include “What kind of contribution does God want me to make in the world?,” “Have I done enough in high school, and am I doing enough now, to prepare for adulthood?,” and “What kind of quality of life do I want

that they can have a career in. With this career, though, comes the purpose that it is serving in one’s life. Will it be a job that the person is incredibly passionate about, but does not offer a large income? Will it be a job that is less fulfilling to one’s passions and gifts, but does offer a larger income? Or, will it have both? In these circumstances, the student must ask him or herself if they want a fulfillment of his calling, financial safety, or maybe the best of both. At Westminster, students are blessed to have passionate, relational teachers that strive to make their subject matter engaging and possibly pique their interest in the subjects for college. Jeremy Irwin, senior Worldviews teacher, is one such of these teachers. However, he did not originally predict this career for his life. “Going into college, I wanted to study biology because I thought I wanted to be a doctor. This was because I highly value success and the appearance of success, and being a doctor is obviously pretty prestigious,” said Irwin. However, this study in biology did not last long; after partaking in an internship the summer after his sophomore year, his plans changed.

Should passion or money be your primary motivation when choosing a career? Photo By: Ava Hollmann In this stressful season of expectation for seniors, it seems that college is not just a next step in life, but the next step that will deﬁne their future. Whether there be a focus on the major they intend on studying, or the prestige of the school that they want to study it at, seniors zero in on the

30 OPINION

to give myself and possibly my own family some day?” College itself may or may not quell these deeper crises, but for those who do think that college is the right next step, it does have the potential to offer an education in a subject area

“The end of my sophomore year of college, I got converted [to Christianity]. I started attending college ministry and really liked the people; I got super involved. But, I also had an internship at a pharmaceutical company that summer doing cancer research on goat blood proteins. And it was me, in a lab, by myself, ten hours a day doing the exact same experimental protocol over and over again, all summer. I got paid a ton of money… but I hated it,” said Irwin. Following this mundane awakening about careers in the science ﬁeld, Irwin dove into something he was really passionate about — church ministry. “I realized that what made me alive

was the college ministry — leading the small groups, asking deep questions, planning and preparing talks, writing songs, and leading worship. I was good at that stuff, and I liked that stuff. My natural interest was shifting, and I was starting to be curious about what made me come alive, and it was not the science — it was theology, and to a certain extent, psychology. So, in my junior year, I went to school as little as possible, and volunteered 40-60 hours a week in my church ministry. I was on every team they let me be on, and I loved it.” After Irwin graduated, he became an assistant pastor at a small local church, but quickly realized that he needed to be trained at a seminary before pastoral work. Once he completed seminary, he began working at The Journey church. He worked his way up the leadership ladder at the church, and eventually was in contention for senior teaching pastor. “I went into ministry because I really enjoyed studying and talking about the Bible, and I just had compassion, empathy, and curiosity about people. And I loved the work of pastoral ministry, which I view as bringing God’s grace to the struggle. [But,] the higher I rose up in the ranks [at The Journey], the less of that I got to do, because I was making higher decisions and felt farther away.” Irwin continued to stray further from his original intention of preaching, and eventually “ended up getting reallly, really burnt out.” So, he quit his job, with the tentative plan that his next job would involve “teaching, high-relational contact, and an opportunity to contribute to the glory of a worthy institution.”

Today, Irwin feels he has a much better work-life balance because of his job. His advice for students who are seeking this balance in their career, or just any sort of path to a career, is to reﬂect on three things. “First, your calling: this is a deep self knowledge that is corroborated by others who know you well in which you understand and embrace your unique desires, drives, and possible contributions. Second, competencies: what are you actually good at and enjoy being good at? And, what do you have inherent curiosity for? And third, circumstances: what opportunities are available to you in areas of interest, but also, what are the needs of the marketplace currently?” Luckily for WCA students, Irwin is not the only teacher that is an example of listening to God’s calling for one’s career; Scott Vonder Bruegge, yearbook and newspaper teacher, has also experienced some twists and turns on his own career path. “In high school, I didn’t particularly like science, but [going into college,] I wanted to be a doctor. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life; I was just part of the system and doing what I thought you were supposed to do,” said Vonder Bruegge. In college, though, he “started thinking through the cost beneﬁt” of studying to be a doctor. After watching his pre-med roommate study, as well as take classes such as organic chemistry, he realized that he “would have to give up a lot of life” in order to continue pursuing medical school. So, he changed his trajectory radically and decided to major in business.

“When I started to look at things that actually brought me some sort of sense of Soon enough, he received a text from fulfillment, I started looking toward the Jason Wilkins, the other senior World- business end of things. I didn’t know it views teacher at Westminster, asking if at the time, but I was trying to figure out he would like to shadow Wilkin’s class. first what I was good at, second what I Irwin did, and he soon fell in love with liked to do, and third what I felt were the the prospect of teaching a Bible class perceived needs of the world. I couldn’t here. articulate that then like I can now, but I

sort of felt the gist of that,” said Vonder Bruegge. Having realized this, Vonder Bruegge spent the remainder of college studying business, as well as involving himself in the Young Life ministry at a local high school in Waco, Texas. He realized that he loved youth ministry, yet did not want to become a youth pastor. So, he decided to become a teacher, as that would encompass interacting with high schoolers, business, and the three values he held for choosing a career. With this in mind, he is able to give advice to high school students. “Figure out what is fulfilling to you… and the three things will come along those lines… Run from the standard track that defines what success is supposed to look like. Don’t be afraid to take the road less travelled. You don’t necessarily need to find some perfect career, because that doesn’t always work. If you can find a career that will allow you the lifestyle you want, then during the seasons where the career isn’t as rewarding as you’ve hoped, you haven’t sacrificed the rest of your life for it. In your career you can have power, money, and time. But you’ll never have more than two at a time. I chose time.” said Vonder Bruegge. Vonder Bruegge and Irwin each had ideas of what they might want to study in college and pursue as a career, but were awakened to what they came alive for and how that did or did not match up with the current career track. Their radical change in job paths, even after college, show that college is certainly not the end-all-be-all for finding what career one is going to pick. And while their main focus in choosing their careers was not the income, that does not mean that they have still not been immensely blessed.

OPINION 31

STUDY HALL: HARD WORK OR HINDRANCE?

The great debate about study hall and if it’s truly worth it

LAURYN RHODES Staff Writer

It’s no secret that the average teenager is under a lot of pressure. After spending hours shifting from class to class at school, students are expected to go home and dedicate even more of their time to school related work - which takes up three and a half hours on average according to the Los Angeles Times - and that’s after dinner, showering, and planning things out for the next day. It’s important to note that students who have jobs or participate in extracurriculars like sports, theatre, and other various clubs don’t get home until even later and, therefore, automatically have less time, energy, and attentiveness to do their assignments. To say the least, maintaining good grades, all while trying to maintain a social life and ﬁnding time to relax, can become stressful for high schoolers. Lucky for students today, there are a number of solutions that help to alleviate the pressure that comes alongside school. One of these is study hall, an elective dedicated to giving students time to work and complete tasks in the hopes that they will have less, or nothing, to do when they get home after a long day. While it sounds like something extremely favorable, some wonder if the class is truly as helpful as it sounds. But why?

“If you don’t have any time to spare after school, study hall can actually be really useful,” said Gracie Dark, junior. This presents the other side of the argument: When students decide to use their time wisely it is possible to get a lot done, making study hall more than beneﬁcial. High schoolers can win back one or two hours of their night which would have otherwise been spent doing homework. With this extra time they can get an extra hour of much-needed sleep, spend more time with friends and family, or work on the many other ambitions present in their lives. By the time busy students are done with clubs and sports, teachers have left school and the math center is closed. Not being able to get help on confusing topics can heavily impact a student’s grade. This marks another great reason why study hall can be helpful to students. The hour not only gives them the chance to knock out an hour of homework but also provides them with the ability to accomplish tasks they wouldn’t be able to after school - like visiting teachers or going to the math center. “Being able to meet with teachers to clear up topics I’m struggling with saves so much time because I don’t have to try and ﬁgure out how to do my homework when I get home,” said Hope Burkey, senior.

School is stressful and time-consuming, and it should be okay for students to take a break from their busy schedules during the day and have a little downtime during the class. Study hall really can be a time for stressed-out students to both regroup and reset in order to stay motivated and interested in their other classes throughout the day. Even more reason why the class is The most common worry about study hall is that students who enroll in the class won’t use the time they’ve been given wisely. in the best interest of students, it gives them space to complete tasks and focus, if they so choose, which can be challenging for Due to procrastination, distraction, pure laziness, or all of the some to ﬁnd the time to do when they get home. The pros of above, it is true that some students sign up for the course and complete little to no work during the time they are given. This, study hall far outweigh the cons. If the class helps even a small amount of the students who take it, it is worth it and should be of course, defeats the purpose of this elective entirely. kept. “After sitting through classes without being able to talk, it’s easy to understand how by the time someone gets to study hall the last thing they want to do is work,” said Grace Dempsey, senior. It could also be argued that the Academic Hub, where study hall is held, doesn’t hold the best atmosphere for accomplishing schoolwork. With easy access to technology, the ability to sit with friends, and supervision from just one adult, it’s not difﬁcult for students to get off track. “You’re supposed to do the work [during study hall], so that you have more time to relax later,” said Annie Wood, freshman. “That’s the whole point of the class. If you don’t do your homework, then you’re just wasting your time.” However, not all students spend an entire study hall period being unproductive.

32 OPINION

Seniors Carsyn Beachy and Shelby Adkisson socialize during study hall. Photo by:Lauryn Rhodes

CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS END SEASONS WELL

Ava Hollmann finishes ninth, boys’ team finishes fifth at state

Caleb Moellenhoff Staff Writer

On Saturday, Nov. 9, senior Ava Hollmann ran the race of her life. With a blazing fast time of 19:15.10, Ava finished in ninth place at the state meet. In doing so, she surpassed Amanda Espy and Laura Tarantino on the all-time record board going from 3rd to 1st place on the list. Coming into the race, she had a goal and a game-plan in place, but once the race started, all other strategy went out the window. “Going into the race, I was hoping to get all-state which is Top 25, and I was also thinking in order to do that I would already have to break the school record. My race plan was to not to go out as fast as I wanted to, and then start speeding up on the second and third miles. Well, I ended up running my fastest mile ever for the first mile of the race, so I just tried to stay calm and hold on during the second and third mile,” said Hollmann. Trying to perfectly pace a 5k can be helpful in running a fast time. However, at one point or another, racing is racing. The state meet is a contest of how hard someone can push themselves no matter what place you are in or what pace you are running, and Hollmann gave it her all until she triumphantly crossed the finish line in the fastest time in Westminster girls’ cross country history. “As I was a quarter-mile from the finish line, I heard [Boys’ Assistant] Coach Jacob Pinkley say that I was in 8th place, so then I was really confused. I thought he was just making that up. However, in the last straight away, I could see the time and

place that I was going to finish, and I couldn’t believe it. When I finished and saw everyone who was there for me, it really warmed my heart and made me so much more joyful because if I didn’t have them, my time and place wouldn’t have meant as much,” said Hollmann. Often times things do not end in the best way possible. A majority of the time it seems that all circumstances abide by Murphy’s Law, but this time was different. In Hollmann’s last high school cross country race, everything went better than expected. However, after only a week of rest, Hollmann will start training once again for the spring track season because that’s just who she is. Also on Saturday, the boys’ cross country team competed against some of the best teams in the state and gave it their all. Coming into the race, the boys knew that placing in the top four was a possibility, but unfortunately, it didn’t end up happening. There are a lot of factors that go into a race, and you can never really know where people are going to place for sure. Nevertheless, the boys ran fast. “We all had a ton of fun at the state meet and the whole experience is one of the most enjoyable things I have done during my time at Westminster. It’s a huge blessing to be apart of such a fun atmosphere with the best teams from across Missouri. The whole team did great and Hayden Turley even got a PR. Although we didn’t get on the podium, 5th is still a great way to cap off a successful season,” said Colin Ring, junior. The boys’ performance at state bodes well for the future as the top six runners consist of four juniors, one sophomore, and one freshman. Also, one of the top runners on the team in 2018, junior Caleb Moellenhoff has been sidelined due to injury for a year, so hopefully when he returns it will just make the team even better. “Our coach, Coach Heefner, showed us that we were the only team in class three that returned all of their top six runners, and I think our potential is sky high for next season because of all of our returning talent. With all six of this year’s runners along with Caleb back for next year, we think we could definitely contend for a podium finish again and possibly even top two,” said Ring. In all, the 2019 cross country season has drawn to a close, but the boys and girls will be training hard to keep getting better and better throughout this track season and over the summer. One thing is for certain, the future continues to be very bright for the Westminster cross country team.

Ava Hollmann raced at the state meet in Columbia, MO on Saturday, Nov. 9 and ﬁnished in ninth place overall. Photo by: Caleb Moellenhoff

34 SPORTING

A NEW WAY TO EXPERIENCE FOOTBALL The seventh grade football team played a new style of football this year in hopes of getting more players. Here’s how it worked out.

CASEN LAWRENCE Staff Writer

The quarterback waits for the snap in the backﬁeld. Photo by: 800 Sporting

While the players still aren’t working on all aspects of the game, they are still developing essential skills to prepare them for high school. There are definitely some cons to flex football, but ultimately it helps prepare them for the next level in several ways. Also, because seventh grade teams practice just twice a week for an hour, playing flex football gives players who have never played football more time to prepare and develop their fundamentals before moving on to full contact.

The 7th grade football team runs drills at practice. Photo by: 800 Sporting

The seventh grade football team has a new look this year. Due to arising safety concerns and the desire to draw in new players, the program decided to participate in a mix of both full-contact and flag football, also called “flex football.” Westminster is not the only school taking on this new trend; other schools such as John Burroughs and Priory are competing in the league, as well. Flex football is a nine-on-nine form of football where players wear a soft shell helmet along with soft shell shoulder pads. Rather than tackling the player with the ball, the play is stopped when a defender pulls the opponent’s flag off of their waist. Knocking a player down is a penalty. Additionally, there are two fewer offensive and defensive linemen on the field. The tackle football aspect comes into play with blocking. While blocking, the players are allowed to make full contact with the opposing players in their padded areas without knocking them down. Recently, there have been some safety concerns regarding tackle football and how it affects players’ health. Flex football is a unique, innovative way for kids to experience the game under safe conditions. “Flex football helps my hand eye coordination pulling the flags, and it brings a very low risk of getting hurt,” said Austin McCarthy, seventh grader.

Coach Layton explains a play to the boys. Photo by: 800 Sporting

“Flex football allows the seventh graders to build a foundation for tackle football without the instant focus on preparing for full tackle games. This was detrimental to the development of good and safe fundamentals such as tackling and blocking which did not receive the time or attention that it deserved,” said Athletic Director Cory Snyder. The football program plans on keeping the tradition alive next year, but the decision is not set in stone. “This is our ﬁrst season using this model, and we have not gone through the tackle football phase yet, but I think that the athletes are really enjoying the experience. I would imagine that we will continue to use this model going forward but the schools will all meet and make that decision together,” said Snyder.

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AVERY STANFILL SHINES ON VARSITY VOLLEYBALL AS A FRESHMAN

Avery Stanﬁll, a freshman on varsity volleyball makes a positive impact through her exceptional talent and experience.

BROOKE HIGHMARK Staff Writer

Freshman Avery Stanﬁll has already become a key player on the girls’ volleyball team as a rookie. Her ﬁne-tuned skills combined with many years of experience have made her stand out from the rest. She has led the team in digs this season, as she plays libero, and she also leads the team in serves.

was chosen to represent Missouri and travel to Barcelona to compete next summer. “While we’re there, we’ll get to not only play volleyball but also explore Spanish culture.” Lastly, and obviously, she made the varsity volleyball team as a freshman. Making varsity was an especially difficult task due to the ten seniors and few spots available. However, Stanfill’s talent could not be denied. So far, her season has been solid. Stanfill’s experience overall has been exceedingly beneficial. “Being on varsity has been so much fun. I was curious to see how the season would start out since we have ten seniors. But, they have been great teammates on and off the court. It’s a lot of fun to play volleyball at a high level in school, especially because our elementary and middle

Stanﬁll’s volleyball journey, for both school and club, began when she was just nine years old, and her dad began coaching her from the very start. “He always tells me that there are two things you can control: attitude and effort. He also tells all of his teams that they should ﬁght to win, but it’s okay to lose if you gave your very best effort.”

Avery Stanfill, freshman, prepares to serve the ball in one of the first varsity games this season. Photo by: Brooke Highmark school teams were almost never challenged by other teams,” Stanfill explained. Stanfill hopes to not only shine on the court but also inspire younger players who hope to be in the same position as she is today. “My advice to younger players would be to be a great Avery Stanfill prepares to serve-recieve the ball. Photo by: teammate, play hard, and have fun. If you’re not having fun, Brooke Highmark there’s no point in playing. You should fight for your teammates and not just yourself. In order to play at a high level, you have Stanfill has not always been a libero. In fact, she was an outside to have a great attitude and a drive to compete.” hitter and a setter before switching to this position. She picked up being a libero at 13 when she tried out for a highly selective Stanfill doesn’t plan to stop her volleyball career anytime soon. team. “I had never played libero before, but I figured that it was “I hope to play volleyball in college someday. If it’s a good fit, I my best chance because of my height and skills,” said Stanfill. want to play at a D1 school.” Since then, Stanfill has earned many accomplishments for someone her age. She earned a spot on the USA High Performance team and got to train on a college campus in Pennsylvania for five days with other talented players. Additionally, she

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Stanﬁll might still be a new and fairly unknown player to the Westminster community, but she will continue to make a name for herself through her exceptional talent and uncommon work ethic.

THE DETHRONING OF DAN BURKE

After more than a decade, former student and teacher Mr. Dan Burke has ﬁnally been knocked off the cross country leaderboards.

CALEB MOELLENHOFF Staff Writer

In the storied history of Westminster cross country, ten names hold hallowed places on the all-time record board for the 5k (3.1 miles). They are set as marks for the current and future generations to strive for. Currently serving as an upper school English teacher at Westminster, Dan Burke sits at the esteemed tenth spot on the list. In 2000, Burke ran an impressive time of 17:00.50. Back then, the Westminster cross country team looked very different than it does today.

Westminster. With the current talent in boys cross country, the eventual dethronement of Burke was proven to be inevitable. The only question was who would do it ﬁrst. On Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019, juniors Colin Ring and Hunter Freiner were the ones to accomplish this feat. With times of 16:45.06 and 16:56.17, Ring and Freiner ﬁnally knocked Burke out of the top ten as well as Evan Parres (Parres was an extraordinary runner from the class of 2018, but he was unfortunately sidelined due to injury for the latter part of his time at Westminster). Surpassing Burke was an especially extraordinary feat for these two juniors because Ring and Freiner both had Burke as their English teacher in ninth grade. In doing so, they earned themselves the esteemed spots of 5th and 8th place.

“Making it onto the record board is a huge honor and something I’m super excited about. I have known making it onto the record board was a possibility ever since districts last year where I was just a few seconds away, and I made it one of my goals to break 17 [minutes] this year. Surpassing Mr. Burke, one of my all-time favorite teachers, as well as a few other really good runners out of Westminster is just crazy, and I feel very “When I was in high school, the team was really small. In a lot blessed and humbled to even have my name alongside theirs. of ways, it was much more of an individual sport. There wasn’t Getting to make it onto the board with my teammate, Hunter a tremendous amount of a team-sport mentality as there is today. Freiner, at the same meet while also winning the meet as a team It’s changed a lot. It has become a lot more of a collaborative made it all the more memorable and special,” said Ring. team mindset than it used to be. When I ran that time, it was at Forest Park. It was a relatively flat course, and it was just a real- Coming into the race, the boys knew that they had a good ly fun, fast race. At the time, I was so excited to seal my spot, at chance of beating Burke’s time, as the Orchard Farms Invitaleast for a few years, as having the fastest time at Westminster,” tional has one of the fastest courses in the state of Missouri. said Burke. The meet takes place on an expansive, flat farmland next to Orchard Farms High School, where there are no hills in sight. For years, cross country runners have stared longingly up at the With this speedy advantage, Ring and Freiner were able to run record board out on the plaza in contemplation of what it would faster than ever before. However, coming into the race the boys be like to finally earn a place among the greatest to ever run at had been dealing with some slight aches and pains.

“My knee had been bothering me a little bit going into the race, so I wasn’t sure what would actually happen during the race. Breaking 17 is a goal I have been trying to achieve for a year or two now, and to ﬁnally do it feels great,” said Freiner, “I realized I had a shot at breaking 17 when I had about 300 or 400 meters left and my coach, Jacob Pinkley, said that I was at 15:45. At that point, I realized how close I really was to achieving my long-time goal.”

Mr. Burke stands with the men who broke his record. Photo by: Caleb Moellenhoff

While achieving a spot on the record board is a great accomplishment, this story is not about winners and losers; it is not meant to praise Ring and Freiner and bring shame to Burke and Parres. Because eventually, all records fade. Instead, earning a spot on the all-time list is an extension of the legacy of Westminster cross country, like the passing on the metaphorical torch from one generation to another. It is striving to glorify God in all we do through being good stewards of His gifts. It is pushing past all physical and mental barriers. After all, records are meant to be broken; sorry, Mr. Burke.

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THREE-SPORT ATHLETE NOLAN JONES IS MAKING AN IMPACT

Sophomore Nolan Jones made some waves this football season CASEN LAWRENCE Staff Writer

Sophomore Nolan Jones is a three-sport athlete returning from a strong freshman season in football, wrestling, and baseball. This year, Jones will step into bigger roles and work to build on an impressive and impactful freshman year. Jones has already made a big contribution on the football field this year. He has scored two touchdowns after returning from an injury that sidelined him for the first four contests. “Missing the first couple games this year was difficult, and staying in shape was difficult, but I feel like I’m caught up now. The team has been playing hard, and I’m glad to be able to get back out on the field with them,” said Jones.

Jones celebrates a touchdown against O’Fallon Cristian. Photo by: Aidan Penberthy “I try to work out on my own a lot over the summer, and not as often, but still frequently, during season. I think playing three sports beneﬁts my athleticism greatly and beneﬁts my character through hard work and discipline in all my sports,” he said. Jones tries not to look ahead in the year, but rather stay focused on his current sport. “I manage playing three sports by focusing on the sport that is in season. I focus on being committed to that sport and not another one. I also make sure I keep my grades up,” explained Jones. Jones plans to continue his athletic career at the next level. “My favorite sport is baseball. And if I can, I want to wrestle and play baseball in college.” He credits much of his success to his dad, who has helped him become the player he is today in all sports, especially on the baseball diamond. “My dad has helped me with baseball by always throwing me batting practice and adjusting my swing in anyway needed. He also always hits me ground ball after ground ball every chance we get. He’s spent a lot of his life around the game, and he pours all his knowledge into me.”

Jones prepares for a play against O’Fallon Cristian. Photo by: Aidan Penberthy Jones will participate in wrestling in the winter and baseball in the spring. Playing three sports is already a difﬁcult task, but the addition of schoolwork and club teams makes it seemingly impossible.

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Jones has continued to impress the Westminster sports community with his athletic versatility and success, and he looks forward to making a signiﬁcant impact in the years to come, both at WCA and beyond.

THE LEGION OF BEN

Six football players who share the same name are making a big impact.

AIDAN PENBERTHY

ferring to the Academy to begin his junior season. The most physically imposing ﬁgure in the Legion brings a different kind of sandpaper-like workmanship. This Ben has family ties across the world in the beautiful country of Romania. Ben Chereji plays tight end and defensive line with ferocity all opponents fear. He brings size, conﬁdence, and a whole lot of laughter to the Legion. The next man in the Legion of Ben has been dominant on both sides of the ball this year playing at receiver and cornerback. He possesses a speed unseen since that of someone who shares his last name escaping an alligator attack in the swamps of Florida. Having a

Staff Writer

There is a group of men walking the halls at 800 Maryville Centre Drive that rivals a group of local D-list celebrities. They range in stature from six foot six monsters to five foot ten speedsters. They come from former NFL players all the way to financial advisors. When put together, they create an all-male force unseen in St. Louis since One Direction rolled into town on Aug. 24, 2014. Although this group does not have the same level of fame, they have the level of swagger and skill to put themselves on the map. This is the Legion of Ben. We will go one by one introducing all of the members and what they bring to the squadron. First, we bring out the big, bad offensive lineman. The Yale Bulldog commit has held this line together to keep QB Lane Davis healthy all year. The son of former NFL lineman of the same name, Bennie Anderson is the largest man in the Legion. Bennie can be seen saying hello to every person he sees in the hallway, and he appears to be more of a gentle giant. But as Cage the Elephant once said, there “Ain’t no Rest for the Wicked.” Come game time, a different animal is unleashed, and there are no friends on the football field. Ben Straub celebrates by flexing during a game against Priory. Photo Checking in second on the list is the youngest of the pack. Playing in by: Aidan Penberthy his first varsity season as cornerback and wide receiver, he is learning spot on the field on nearly every play, he plays an integral role in his on the fly and making a contribution to the team in his sophomore year. senior season. Ben has aspirations like those of Queen at the beginning This Ben, of the Broadhurst clan, has followed the Avicii school of of every play, and he has been heard saying how he wants to break free thought, taking his game to new levels this season. The young man is for a score. Although not as large as the aforementioned Anderson and being groomed by his older teammates in the Legion. Chereji, Ben Hicks is a very big asset for the Legion. The third Ben on our list is somewhat of a newcomer himself, transThe fifth member of the Legion is only in his first football season. This athletic specimen just plainly and simply loves hitting people. Playing safety and receiver, this Ben is involved in every snap. He walks the halls making everyone laugh and making sure no moment is ever dull. He is a great team guy and even though his name sounds like the city, he has no connections to Paris. Ben Parres brings moxy, grit, and life to the Legion. The final man on the list brings the class and makes sure everybody gets to, as Jameis Winston once said, “eat a W,” on gameday. A reminder to visit his family business for dinner at the end of every third quarter has become part of the Westminster gameday experience. This Ben brings finesse on offense and defense as a running back, receiver, and safety. He, as Kygo once said, “Stole the Show” with highlight play after highlight play in the first few weeks of the season. He leads the team in many statistical categories including visits to Straub’s per week at an unprecedented rate. Ben Straub brings the edge and skill to the Legion. The Legion of Ben is one that opponents of all walks of life should fear. As a part of this team’s core, the Legion looks to take the momentum from the Town and Country Cup victory as well as the Homecoming victory into the second half of the season and make noise on a regional stage. The Legion is a close group that when all their powers are combined, can make serious waves in the St. Louis football landscape. Watch out for the Legion of Ben to be making a The Wildcats run out through the banner before their game against Lutheran North. Photo by: Aidan Penberthy stop at a stadium near you this fall.

SPORTING 39

HOW FCA IS BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER

Westminster students have experienced fellowship and community through Fellowship of Christian Atheletes. BROOKE HIGHMARK

FCA is not only a Westminster program but is also an international non-proﬁt organization. It was founded in 1954 by Don McClanen in Kansas City, Missouri. FCA’s vision is “to see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the inﬂuence of coaches and athletes,” and their mission is “to lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His church.” The organization aspires to maintain these statements through its values of integrity, service, teamwork, and excellence.

Staff Writer

FCA has become the hotspot for Westminster athletes to grow in their faith with Christ and in community with their peers. “FCA serves to help student-athletes work through what it means to glorify God through whatever sport they play and to be an ambassador for Christ with the talents and abilities they have been given,” said Dan Petke, FCA director.

“For many people at Westminster, two of the most important aspects of their lives are Jesus Christ and athletics. As a coach, my mission ﬁeld is the baseball and softball ﬁeld. Playing Westminster could be the only encounter a member of the opposing team might have with Jesus, and we take that very seriously at WCA. There is a reason God has gifted us with athletic abilities, to glorify Him and further His Kingdom,” said Petke when asked why FCA was brought to Westminster. Students share laughs and dinner at an FCA meeting on a Tuesday evening. Photo by: Tommy Briner

FCA, or Fellowship of Christian Athletes, takes place every Tuesday night and is led by students. Participants can enjoy free food as well as a small group discussion that challenges and develops their faith. Various Westminster families volunteer to host the meetings, so most weeks it takes place at a different house.

Although some may think that high school teenagers are not ﬁt to be in charge of such a program, Petke disagrees: “There is a lot of wisdom among Westminster students, and being able to witness students encouraging, challenging, and holding one another accountable is an incredible privilege.” Many students have stepped up and taken on leadership roles within FCA. “I became an FCA leader because I really respected the leaders last year and wanted to follow in their footsteps and because I found a fun and caring community in FCA,” said current leader and senior Aiden Davitt.

“Hosting FCA in our home allows us to meet many of the student-athletes of WCA. It is a great opportunity for athletes of different sports to interact,” said Ann Mabry, two-year hostess Overall, Fellowship of Christian Athletes has been a wideand mother of Westminster athletes. ly beneﬁcial program for the Westminster student body. All student-athletes are strongly encouraged to attend. It is a unique “I have grown in my faith a lot since I started going to FCA. opportunity for these athletes to expand their relationship with I’ve learned how to not be tempted by peer pressure and how to God and others and to learn how to shine His light on and off think about my actions before doing them,” said Jamie Obertop, the sports stage. freshman varsity ﬁeld hockey player and regular attendee.

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WILDCATS FALL TO LADUE IN SECOND ROUND OF DISTRICTS, FINISH SEASON 5-6

After defeating Parkway North in the ﬁrst round of districts, the Wildcats fell to Ladue in the district semiﬁnal.

JACK MARTIN Staff Writer

The Westminster football season came to an end this past Tommy Briner lines up during the second game of the season against LiberFriday as the Wildcats fell to the Ladue Rams by a score of 38-0. After starting the season on a rough note that included four ty. Photo by: Pearson Georges straight losses, the boys have much to be proud of after rallying including Tommy Briner, Ben Parres, and Cody Smith finally to a record of 5-2 over their last seven games. got some experience under their belts and were able to make greater contributions as the season progressed. Although the loss to Ladue was a tough way to end, the Wildcats made a lot of progress from the early stages of the season. After a tough home loss to John Burroughs’ worst team in the last five or ten years that brought the Wildcats’ record to 0-3, many people began to question how tough the team really was. They put these questions to rest by winning four of five after their next game against Lutheran North. This turnaround was led by many of the captains. Lane Davis, senior, threw for 11 touchdowns during this stretch, seven of which were caught by fellow senior Ben Hicks. Defensively, seniors Ben Straub and Toby Davidson anchored a defense that allowed an average of 24 points per game during the back half of the season. Another big reason for this strong second half of the season can be credited to the many first-year players. Many seniors,

Ben Hicks makes a tackle in the team’s ﬁrst game against St. Mary’s. Photo by: Aiden Penberthy

The team also built a strong foundation for their future. Sophomore running backs LJ Minner and Nolan Jones appear to be a strong tandem in the years to come. The offensive line only loses one key piece with the departure of Yale commit Bennie Anderson. Parker Smith also looks to be a promising slot wide receiver. Overall, the team may not have been hoping for a 5-6 season, but this season certainly showed the grit of the Wildcats. Rather than hanging their heads, they all came together and found hope as the season went on. To the 17 graduating seniors, 800 Sporting thanks you for your hard work and dedication this past season and wishes you the best going forward.

The Wildcats celebrate after a Ben Chereji touchdown against Lutheran North. Photo by: Pearson Georges

SPORTING 41

SOCCER SEASON COMES TO AN END AT THE HANDS OF PARKWAY CENTRAL

The boys’ soccer team’s season came to an end in the ﬁrst round of districts, but it wasn’t before one of the team’s best seasons in a decade and a 14-7 record.

KOBY SCHMER Staff Writer

The Westminster boys soccer team took a tough 4-1 loss in a game against the Parkway Central Colts. With the loss, the team’s season comes to an end, leaving their record at 14-7. In the game, the Colts came out firing off the bat, scoring two goals in the first half and not letting the Wildcat offense get too deep in their zone. At halftime, the score was 2-0, and head coach Dan Legters tried to rally the troops in the second half to stop the bleeding. As the second half started, the dominance of the Colts was far from over as the Colts knocked in two more goals. In the final minutes, the boys in blue finally put in their first goal thanks to a misplay by the Central goaltender. At the final buzzer, the score was 4-1.

The team huddles before the start of a game. Photo by: Logan Mann

wins of the fall were the 2-0 win against Ladue and the 2-1 upset against MICDS. In mid-season, they even managed to rank as one of the top small schools in the area. As the season ended, so did the careers of ﬁve key senior players: Will Mason, Danny Sacco, Pierce Dunner, Trent Grass, and Mike Lemp. Losing these players will surely hurt, but this team is a team full of players from all grades that should carry them well into next season. A good core of junior players that consists of Luke Laughlin, Aidan Kline, and Andrew Smith should have the team ready to go next year.

Losing senior Pierce Dunne will also provide an opening for the goalkeeper spot, and it looks like junior Lincoln Chimento Though the season came to an early end for the team, it was easily one of their best seasons in the last decade as they racked will ﬁll that role. Chimento is no novice to the position, for he played 275 minutes this past season and ended with a record of up their most wins in ten years. In the Wildcats fourteen-win two wins and one loss. season, nine of the wins were shutout victories. The biggest The Wildcats made some waves and did better than a lot of people were expecting this season, but now, it is time to move on to the next phase for the soccer program.

Some of the varsity players smile from the bench. Photo by: Logan Mann

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Westminster’s seniors pose for a photo on Senior Night. Photo by: Aidan Penberthy

ALWAYS IMPROVING: FIELD HOCKEY SEASON

dinary moment for the Wildcats this year was when they played the soon-to-be state champions, the MICDS Rams, and Ava Bidner, senior, riﬂed one into the back of the net. Though one goal may not seem like much, this was the ﬁrst goal that the

The Westminster ﬁeld hockey team caps off their season after a tough loss KOBY SCHMER

Staff Writer & Podcast Host The Westminster field hockey season came to an end this past Saturday after a loss to the number three seed: the John Burroughs Bombers. The final score was 8-0 on that rainy Saturday morning, putting the Wildcats final record at 6-15. In this postseason, the team came to new heights as they took down the 12-9-1 Parkway West Longhorns by a final score of 3-2. Two of the three goals were scored by Alyssa Legters, senior, and the final was scored by KK Pruett, sophomore. Jamie Obertop, freshman, was a crucial component on the defensive end, helping Sabrina Granata, senior, out in the goal by putting her body in front of quite a few shots from the Longhorns. In her last two games, Granata made over twenty five saves, twenty of which were in the John Burroughs game. The final record for the Wildcats was 6-15. The team won tough games against Edwardsville 3-2, Parkway West 3-2, and Rosati Kain 2-0. When taking a look at their schedule in the 2019 season, it is no doubt that they had one of the toughest schedules in the area, playing one-seeded Villa, two-seeded MICDS, and three-seeded John Burroughs in the regular season. An extraor-

Kendall Sadler, sophomore, catches her breath on the ﬁeld during a game against Pattonville High School. Photo by Aidan Penberthy

Wildcats have ever scored against the Rams, giving the team tremendous confidence coming into future years. Taking a look at the leading goal scorers this season, Ava Bidner leads the charge with seven, despite missing the first couple of games of the season. Closely behind Bidner is Alyssa Legters, senior, with five goals and then KK Pruett, sophomore, with four goals. In the assists column, Legters and Pruett lead the pack with five each. One impressive part of the season were the two freshmen starting on the varsity squad: Jamie Obertop and Elizabeth Clawson. Obertop was a key defenseman for the team this season, staying quick to the ball and tracking the other teams’ players with ease. Clawson’s factor to the team was not only her speed, but her skill to deke opposing players. Clawson kept the ball tight at all times and rarely got the ball taken from her. Though the team stays confident with these two freshmen, the team says goodbye to thirteen key seniors: Ava Bidner, Hope Burkey, Abrielle Danna, Jaela Ginger, Luci Hilboldt, Riley Kilgore, Alyssa Legters, Bridget Sullivan, Libby Thomas, Ava Cella, Elle Pierson, Sabrina Granata, and Lucy Wood. 800 Sporting wishes you the best of luck in your future endeavors.

Senior Lucy Hilboldt and sophomore Kendall Sadler work the ball in a regular season home game. Photo by: Aidan Penberthy

SPORTING 43

SOFTBALL WRAP-UP: THANK YOU SENIORS

The softball team pays tribute to their seniors as the season comes to a close. Koby Schmer

Staff Writer & Podcast Host

season was her ﬁrst ever home run against Parkway West and driving in four of the eight runs to get the eighth win for the Wildcats on the 2019 season. Carsyn Beachy has a similar story to Hobaugh, not playing softball until her junior year of high school. Beachy has athletic experience as a crucial member of the girl’s basketball team, but softball was a little different. In her ﬁrst season, Beachy worked her way into the starting lineup, driving in nine runs and getting 13 hits. In that season, Beachy hit a huge triple in the game against Lutheran St. Charles, giving her a third extra

In a game consisting of loud fans, dominant pitching, and clutch hitting, the Westminster softball team came up short against the Parkway North Vikings, putting their record at 10-11. The final score was 13-6, thus ending the 2019 season for them. The softball program says farewell to four seniors who were crucial to the success of the season. Those seniors are Lauren Gates, Reese Earleywine, Katie Hobaugh, and Carsyn Beachy. Lauren Gates, catcher, is a player who started playing on the varsity team in her freshman season. In her first year, she didn’t hesitate like most freshmen, but rather she hit .571, leading the team in hits. She hit .443 the next year, once again leading the team in hitting. In her final two seasons, she took on the role of more of a power hitter, hitting around 20 RBI’s in both seasons. She ended this senior year season with five home runs and a Lauren Gates steps up to the plate in the district semifinal against Parkway slash line of .469/.514/.984. She also ended the final game with North. Photo by: Aidan Penberthy a huge base clearing triple to put the Wildcats three runs away base hit on the season. In her most recent season, her batting from tying the Vikings. The crowd went bananas. average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage improved substantially from a .153/.265/.220 to a .234/.321/.362. Once Reese Earleywine, much like Gates, started playing on the varsity team as a freshman and started to take control as a soph- again, Beachy raced her way around the bases for her second career triple in the win against Parkway West. omore, leading the team with 23 RBI’s and hitting half of the home runs that year. In her junior year, she started to take the role of a solid number three hitter, and, once again, drove in the most runs on the team. And finally, in her senior year, she had one of the top batting averages in the area, hitting just north of .500. As far as next year goes for Earleywine, she will continue to lace up her cleats and play softball at The University of Southern Mississippi.

To all four seniors on the Westminster Wildcat softball team, 800 Sporting wishes you the best of luck for your future endeavors.

As far as next year looks for Coach Petke and the softball team, plenty of hope lies in freshman Gabby Merrifield, who is looking to make her second season being the starting pitcher for the team, and even add a few more home runs to her current Katie Hobaugh, second baseman, saw softball as foreign tertotal (two). Nicki Mabry will be going into her senior year and ritory in her freshman and sophomore year. In her junior year, the team had a shortage of players and was in desperate need of will surely be a crucial component to the 2020 fall roster. Other returning players for the team include Dyamond Clay, Marty a second baseman. After much convincing from Coach Petke, Hobaugh decided to play for the softball team. In her first year, Briner, Victoria Fuller, Sami Mabry, Hope Linam, Jadyn Patton, and Grace Yost. Hobaugh cracked the starting lineup and got her first hits in the third game against Rosati-Kain. Hobaugh had a handful of multiple-hit games and decided to play again in her senior year. With the returning players and the young talent that is coming In this recent season, Hobaugh had the third best batting average up in the program, there is hope for future seasons for the Westminster softball team. on the team (.450) and also drove in the third most runs (17). Obviously Hobaugh’s most memorable moment of this recent Signing off…until next fall.

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SET APART THROUGH PRAYER: HOW THE GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL TEAM IS SPREADING THE GOSPEL

ters, and it is not only a beneﬁt for the other team but also for Westminster players. “I love praying with the other team after the game because it reminds us that although we are opponents across the net, we are still sisters in Christ. It helps remind us that no matter who won or lost, we all play the game for the glory of God. The best part is when we play a public school and the players who want to pray join us and are able to share their faith with us. I think this is a great tradition, and it helps separate Westminster from all the other schools,” said Heidi Hightower, senior.

The volleyball team has started a tradition of inviting the other team to pray after every match.

Crutcher explains that the leadership on the volleyball team has played a large part in honoring this tradition. “Many of the teams I have coached over the years have prayed with other teams, but it only works if it is something that the team wants to do, and finds value in. I have been very pleased with our Staff Writer athletes and their leadership. They understand the importance The girls’ volleyball team has set a prime example of how West- of our time in prayer together, as well as our time in prayer with our opponents.” minster sports teams can be set apart from the rest. They have set the tradition of inviting the other team to join them in prayer Surprisingly, very few teams have ever turned down the offer to after each game. pray after the game. Sometimes not all of the members choose “First of all, win or lose we want to honor God for the blessing to join in, but most of the time the opponent’s team leaders to be able to compete. Secondly, we want to pray for our oppo- gather their team and participate. nents and show that although we compete on the court, we are The volleyball team has gone the extra mile to glorify God unified in Christ. Finally, we may be offering some teams the and influence other teams through their sport. This is the type only opportunity during their season to pray with their teamof thing that Westminster wants to be known for, and a prime mates,” said Bryndyn Crutcher, head coach. example of spreading the gospel outside of the Westminster Crutcher hopes to set the example for his players to be bold in bubble. professing their faith. He wants them to know that prayer mat-

BROOKE HIGHMARK

The volleyball team gathers together with the St. Dominic players after a match. Photo by: Ben Knisley

SPORTING 45

THE REC-PLEX: A GOOD PLACE TO BE

The boys’ swim team took on state after another solid season.

to qualify for the medal or consolation round. Impressively, the team gave it their all and got the job done and continued to compete on Friday. “State was sick. It was pretty surreal for most of us since we’ve never made it to the championship round,” said junior Sam Parker Stillman.

CALEB MOELLENHOFF Staff Writer

On Thursday and Friday, Nov. 14 and 15, while most Westminster students were sitting in class or participating in after school activities, the boys swim team was competing hard at the State meet held in the St. Peters Rec-Plex. For the two days, the boys swam personal bests, shattered records, and received All-State honors. As a team, the boys ﬁnished in 22nd place, and individually, sophomore Jack Villa medaled in 7th place in the 100 breaststroke. Additionally, Jack Villa, Jacob Moyer, Adam Clements, and Hugh Muschany broke the school record TWICE in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:31.75 placing in 13th in the State. Also, the 200 medley relay, consisting of Jacob Moyer, Jack Villa, Adam Clements, and Hugh Muschany, ﬁnished in 14th place in the State.

Sam Parker Stillman swam the breast stroke leg of the 100 medley relay, the 100 breast stroke, 400 freestyle relay, and 200 freestyle relay during the season. Photo by: 800 News

“Nobody could have asked our relays to do any better than we did. We dropped huge amounts of time in each of them and that Because of their accomplishments this year with a predominantsuccess can be attributed to the hard work we put in over the season and everybody stepping up to the occasion at state,” said ly young team, hopefully, the team will be able to keep improving times to be able to place even higher at State next year. Jack Villa. In all, one thing is for certain: the future is bright for the boys swim team. On Thursday, the boys had to swim fast enough in the prelims Villa said, “State went well, and I was satisﬁed with my time, but there is still a lot of room to improve in the future.” “Our relay that placed 13th and broke the school record is made up of two juniors and two sophomores this year, so I feel like next year we’re gonna make even bigger plays,” said Stillman.

Coach Kehr preps the swim team at the state meet. Photo by: 800 News

46 SPORTING

The boys’ swim team has already gained the valuable experience of going on in the competition to swim for All-State honors. They have raced against some of the best swimmers in the State, and next year, the boys will come into the meet as more experienced and conﬁdent swimmers. In all, on behalf of the Westminster community, congratulations to the team for an amazing season, and we are beyond excited to see what the future holds for the boys’ swim program.

RBIs and already having hit three homers.

PLAYER OF THE MONTH: REESE EARLEYWINE

On the defensive side of things this season, Earleywine has a .85 ﬁelding percentage from the shortstop position while also rolling four double plays and getting 45 total outs. Despite her essential talent to the softball team, she also displays leadership towards her teammates that helps them strive towards being the best team that they can be.

Reese Earleywine ﬁnished the season with ﬁve homeruns and a .517 batting average. She is 800 Sporting’s “I think Reese is always looking to help people improve and Player of the Month. isn’t shy to help people in a constructive way because she really wants to win,” said Marty Briner, junior teammate. “She wants KOBY SCHMER to help everyone on the team succeed.”

Staff Writer

Earleywine admits that when she was a freshman and sophAs she rounds third and heads home after tanking a ball over omore, Deanne Pfyl, class of 2018, helped her become more the fence, she flashes a little dance move of her own before she comfortable with the team atmosphere and also acted as a slaps Coach Petke’s hand. mentor figure to her. Because of the role Pfyl had on the team, Earleywine strives to be like her and to be a captain that is a This athlete is one of the most dominant fall athletes that we good example to her teammates, especially the younger ones. have seen at Westminster this year. For that reason, it is easy to say that softball player Reese Earleywine deserves to be the “I want to prepare the younger girls for their leadership roles 800 Sporting Player of the Month. in the future because it comes faster than you realize,” said Earleywine. “My freshman year feels like yesterday.” Reese Earleywine, senior shortstop, has been a part of the Westminster varsity softball team since her freshman year, and Coach Petke, head coach, said that he noticed tremendous even then she was making herself known. She had the third growth within her talent and leadership skills on and off the most runs batted in during her freshman season, and that was field this season: “[Reese] has provided a huge bat in our linejust the start. Her sophomore season was the one that put her up, and we can always count on her to come in clutch. As far on the map, driving in twenty-three runs and knocking three as her leadership goes, she has been a great role model for the balls over the fence. She led the team in both categories. In last younger players in the program.” year’s historic softball season, she had twenty-six RBIs and a .464 batting average. When asked about her leadership role on the team, Earleywine said, “I want to leave a lasting impact on all the underclassmen Thus far in the season, Earleywine has guided the offense, because they still have not only softball but also a whole high hitting in the three-hole for the 6-6 Wildcats. Statistically, Ear- school experience to go through.” leywine is leading the team in almost every possible category. She is looking at a slash line of a .514 average, .583 on-base With her final season slowly coming to a close, Earleywine is percentage, and .935 slugging percentage. Also, she’s looking setting her focus not only on having a season for the books but to break her personal records in RBIs and home-runs, having 14 also having some fun with the season and the girls on the team in order to make it as memorable as possible. “It’s my senior year and now I want to do my best because it has never been fun when I stress myself out,” said Earleywine. “Mr. Petke has preached to me to overcome my emotions, and if I am hard on myself, it trickles down to the rest of the team. I’m trying to just breathe and have fun with it.” With her work ethic, personality, and most importantly, talent, there is no doubt that Earleywine will leave a strong legacy for younger athletes to come in the Westminster softball program. She will forever be recognized for all that she has done in transforming the team and also for being one of the most talented softball players in Westminster history. Reese Earleywine swings for the fences. Photo by: Tommy Briner

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