Wildcat The FEBRUARY 2014
p.14 Coleman’s Dream Comes True
p.5 p.6 p.9
HollyBerryFollow Up Online Friends STL Turns 250
VOLUME XI
ISSUE SIX
WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY www.thewildcatroar.com
What’s Inside
Opinions Talent Talks.................................................................4 That’s So Gay.............................................................4 Hollyberry Follow Up...................................................5 Online Friends............................................................6 Christian Music..........................................................6 Harvey Preview..........................................................7 Honk Review..............................................................7
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Features
WCA’s Reputation.................................................8 Korean Exchange Program..................................8 St. Louis’ Birthday..................................................9 Polar Vortex..........................................................9 Twittminster..........................................................10 Project Givewell...................................................10 Robotics Review..................................................11
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Sports ADMIRALTY r CLASS ACTION r COMMERCIAL LAW r EMPLOYMENT LAW r ENVIRONMENTAL LITIGATION r
Hall Of Fame Parent.............................................12 A Dream Fulfilled..................................................13 Swimmers Bring Sunshine......................................13 Sports Reeds.........................................................14 College Signings...................................................14 Athletes of the Month............................................14
HEALTH LAW r INSURANCE LAW r PERSONAL INJURY r PRODUCT LIABILITY r PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY
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Opinion
STICKIN’ TO IT
From the Editors
A
t the start of each New Year, many of us set out with a list of resolutions to meet. While they may differ according to personality and age, it is not uncommon to find health related goals on this list of “to-dos” for the year. They often relate to diet and exercise in the hopes of improving health, self-confidence, or even just in preparation for the vacation to the Bahamas over the summer. For the first couple of weeks, we find success. We wake up an hour earlier to go to the gym, replace our Cheetos and cookies with carrot sticks and bananas, and go to bed at an earlier hour. However, towards the middle of February, we tend to reach our peak, and our determination runs out. We give into a minor temptation, and before we know it, we start to push our goals off to the next New Year’s resolution list. One of the primary reasons why New Years Resolutions fail is because we go too hard too fast. In order to make lasting, permanent change, we must gradually take small steps towards the bigger goal. Sometimes, it can be overwhelming to say see a 365 day period before us. Whether it be no soda, no fast food, or no dessert, depriving yourself of these things for 365 days can appear miserable. That is why it is important to set smaller goals to reach the bigger goals. For example, if you are trying to go to bed at an earlier hour, don’t start going to bed four hours earlier immediately. If you’re normal bedtime was 12:00 AM, try going to bed at 11:30. Once this becomes routine, try going to bed at 11:00, then 10:30, and so on and so forth until you reach your desired goal. For adjusting your diet, try to gradually replace the unhealthy food options in your home with healthier ones. Secondly, goals tailored to meet health and fitness needs should not be made in the negative sense, but rather in the positive. Often, when athletes are interviewed, they talk about how prepping for a competition is not only physical but also mental. Sometimes merely having a positive mentality can help us achieve our goals. In our diet-obsessed culture, we have made food the enemy. Bulimia and anorexia are not the only eating disorders anymore. Orthorexia, the unhealthy obsession of eating pure foods, has been added to the list. Food, as it was designed, is a sensory experience that nourishes our bodies. It affects mood, energy, health, weight, and how your body functions. So, if you are trying to give up soda, instead of thinking to yourself, “I can’t have this,” realize that, first, you can have it, but you choose not to because you want to take better care of yourself. In this way, we no longer view it as depriving ourselves but rather rewarding ourselves. Though February is coming to an end, and we may have already stopped working towards our goals, we can still pick up from where we left off. However, this time you have the opportunity to adjust them.
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Wildcat Roar Staff Editors in Chief: Morgan Koetting and Jill Coyne Design Editor: Scott Rupprecht Print Editor: Eichel Davis Entertainment Editor: Catherine Bakewell Sports Editor: Reed Montgomery News Editor: Megan Galvin Feature Editor: Mary Wynn Opinions Editor: Chrissy Talent Adviser: Scott Vonder Bruegge
Circulation/Business Manager: Christian Linhoff Online Editors: Maggi Eachus and Audrey O’Neill Broadcast Editor: John Pottebaum Photo Editor: Andrea Reed Staff Writers: Austin Benefield Becca Eis Elisabeth Harding
Mary Heyl Cate Hoogstraten Juhyae Kim Ashley Klein Andrew Montgomery Bria Paxton Lauren Ramos Jake Schroeder Katherine Yenzer
Opinion
Talent Talks Dealing with stress Stress levels are high this time of year. Everyone is exhausted, homework and projects pile up into an unmanageable mountain of work, and it feels like the school year will never end. And stress can make life awful, particularly if you have no idea how to handle it. Of course, there is no single “good” way to deal with stress. Different people deal with stress differently. But here are some tips for dealing with stress that, I have found, work well for most people.
by CATHERINE Bakewell
Words can, like, totally get on our nerves sometimes, ya know? There is one phrase in particular that bothers me. I often hear it said by teenage boys, provoked by something they find stupid, frustrating, or just uncool. Sometimes they use this word at each other to get their friends angry or to tell a quick joke. Still, every time I hear it in the hallway, I flinch. “That’s so gay,” they say. I used to be a little confused by this phrase, since it never made sense to me how a clothing style, a test, or an idea could have a sexual orientation. Before long, however, I realized that to many people, “gay” has become a synonym for “stupid” or “bad”. Using “gay” as an insult is an unwise and unkind thing to do, regardless of one’s views on homosexuality. For one, it puts down people by turning their sexual orientation into a slur. Furthermore, prejudice of any kind should never be tolerated. Westminster ought to be an environment of kindness and respect, not one of bullying. The use of this word as slander reflects poorly on the school and, more importantly, can hurt others. Turning the word “gay” into a pejorative will almost certainly count against individuals in a “real world” setting. It is likely that at some point they will meet a gay person, whether that person has come out or not. Using this word in a derogative manner in front of someone who is gay or even someone who is not could cause them to be hurt. The words we choose to use in front of others greatly affect their opinions of us and our beliefs. The hate brought about by calling bad things “gay” will never improve them or contribute anything positive to a situation.
1) Scream, shout, and throw things.
As your pile of homework builds, so will your stress. Bottling all that up is unhealthy and exhausting. And we can’t have that! And the best way to release all of that pent up stress is in short, but violent, bursts of anger. So be mad! Shout! Scream! Throw things across the room! We recommend doing this alone, and only throwing pillows, for your safety as well as the safety of others. You wouldn’t want to deal with a lawsuit on top of all of that homework.
2) Rip apart old homework. See tip #1. 3) SLEEP!
Let’s be real here. You probably aren’t going to do any homework after 11. You’re just going to spend the night on the internet or watching TV or reading a book and won’t do your homework until you realize that it’s 3 a.m., and you do have school tomorrow, and YOU HAVEN’T FINISHED YOUR HOMEWORK YET. And then you don’t end up in bed till 4 and you have to drag yourself through the school day with 3 hours of sleep. And that makes everything worse. So just SLEEP.
4) Eat.
Believe it or not, eating is incredibly important. Food gives you energy, and you will need all the energy you can get. Not eating well (skipping a lot of meals, eating small meals, or even eating too much junk food) can be incredibly dangerous, particularly if you aren’t sleeping well. Undernourishment+stress=major physical exhaustion. Combine that with mental exhaustion and life becomes really cruddy really fast. So please, for the love of all things good, eat, sleep, and take care of yourself. Despite what you may believe, your health is a bit more important than your homework.
5) Exercise.
Closely related to tips 4 and 5. Besides being healthy, it also releases endorphins, which are things that make you happy. It’s painful at first, but if you just push through the pain, you will benefit in the long run. In that way, exercise is a metaphor for life. And we can always use more metaphors for life. (And exercise can also be a great stress reliever. See tips 1 and 2.)
6) Treat yourself.
You drag yourself out of bed every day and somehow finish all of your work and then wake up the next day and do it all over again. You’re surviving. And that deserves an award. So go treat yourself. Get some ice cream, and enjoy it. Watch your favorite movie. Read a book. Go do something with your friends. Being surrounded by work and demands is suffocating. Give yourself a chance to breathe. Forget about all your work for a moment, and relax. You deserve it.
7) Realize that it will end All things must end. This is a fact of life. All the
stress will go away. The huge piles of homework will dwindle, projects will be finished, and school will eventually end. So relax and keep going. You’ll survive. We all do, somehow.
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Letter to the Editor: The Numbers Don’t Lie As a 1991 WCA graduate and owner of Campus Cuisine by Hollyberry, I have proudly served my alma mater since 2011. Campus Cuisine was hired after the ISACS, a 2010 accreditation study, revealed Westminster had been serving “junk food” for lunch. My company was contracted “to provide a healthy and nutritional meal service for the daily lunch program to students of WCA.” Campus Cuisine is pleased to report that in its 2+ years, sales have grown approximately 67% from the previous vendor. This is not surprising to me: pursuing excellence is what I learned to do at WCA. (According to Sauce Magazine, Hollyberry was voted best caterer in St. Louis for the last five years.) Hollyberry’s Campus Cuisine has not raised its hot lunch prices in 2.5 years. Campus Cuisine proudly features three made-fromscratch entrée combo options each day, sandwich and salad bars, thirty snack options, and eight drink options. Research shows that Campus Cuisine’s lunch prices are competitive with other private schools, including Cor Jesu Academy and Desmet Jesuit High school. The menu choices for Campus Cuisine are based on feedback from students and community members. Currently, Hollyberry has engaged parents and students from the WCA community to give feedback concerning menu offerings. Also, Campus Cuisine supports Westminster’s commitment to freedom of food choice. If students want to bring their own food, even junk food, they are free to do so. WCA’s students may “gripe” about Campus Cuisine, as stated by the Roar’s article entitled “Not so Merry for Hollyberry,” but the truth is that the numbers don’t lie: Campus Cuisine’s sales have been steadily increasing each year. I and my staff truly care about WCA students, and we believe that good nutrition is key to a student’s ability thrive and flourish at WCA.
Gratefully serving the WCA community,
Holly Cunningham
Behind the Scenes With Campus Cusine On January 13, Holly Cunningham, owner of Campus Cuisine by HollyBerry, invited the Newspaper staff to take a tour of the kitchen and sample a variety of the café’s specialties. Before the tour, a few of the kitchen staffers introduced themselves and gave a brief synopsis on their passions, talents and reasons for working with HollyBerry. Evidently, their jobs as chefs at WCA are more than their source of income, working with food is their passion. The kitchen proudly contains the best cooking equipment on the market. More than cafeteria food is produced within the kitchen walls; entrepreneurs also come in to use the equipment for their businesses. Cunningham herself uses the equipment for the HollyBerry catering company. Students and parents have the option of taking cookie dough or a dinner to-go, such as lasagna, home from the café in the Grab & Go refrigerator beside the kitchen doors. HollyBerry’s ingredients are wholesome and healthy; they purchase “farmer’s boxes” from local farmers. Everything is made fresh and grown in the St. Louis area. Snacks are made on a daily basis. Westminster is one of the few schools in Missouri to recycle and compost, thanks to the garden club. Monthly menus are based off of previous sales, therefore reoccurring items have proven to be some of the more popular options. After the lunch periods, HollyBerry donates extra food and ingredients to Sunshine Ministry and Feed My Peeps, food kitchens for the homeless. HollyBerry promotes options that are healthy and tasty. Because thirty to fifty percent of calories and bone density weight are consumed and made at school, nutritious food is essential. Students’ ability to perform well in academics and sports is greatly dependent upon what is put into their bodies. Cunningham encouraged picky students to break out of their comfort zone when it comes to food. The newspaper staff had the pleasure of sampling Deb’s Famous Spaghetti, chicken gordita, spinach salad with raspberry dressing, a pear and cream cheese muffin, and chicken tortilla soup.
Opinion
A Hooking Drama Downton Abbey Captivates Viewers Young and Old with Intrigue and Suspense
This is the title card image that appears in the TV Show (Photo Courtesy by: WikiCommons)
The period drama sets off nostalgia for any who watch it, keeping them glued to the TV for an hour every weekend. The luscious gowns and proper etiquette make viewers long for a chance to live in such an elegant society, as well as the applicable downstairs with the hard working class of the staff at Downton Abbey. As the story goes from the tragedy of the mighty White Star Line ship Titanic to the modern era of the 1920’s, the drama continuously becomes more tragic and twisted. When the fourth season premiered, the same deep story lines and quality writing prevailed. Throughout the years of 1912-’22 the history of the time has been brilliantly incorporated into all the episodes. From the intensity of World War I to the classic modern rebellion of the twenties, the characters continue to morph themselves to the time, changing attitudes and behaviors to incorporate real life situations and true feelings. For Americans especially, the authentic accents heard on the show are especially intriguing and deliciously foreign. It sets the viewer in a different time and place with authentic details that take viewers beyond their living room. However, there is no way to tell how long that will last. As the fourth season proceeds, it seems to bring extra, predictable, and unnecessary plots to the 20th century castle. The impending doom that always seems to be coming for the family at Downton instantly intrigues viewers, typically involving twisted servants and scandal to the upper class. As Downton continues to go through more trials and drama, the now loyal viewers and fans will wonder how long the Abbey can prevail. 6 |THEWILDCATROAR.COM | FEBRUARY 2014
Peek -aPooka
by BECCA Eis
Many people would believe a socially awkward outcast is lonely. However, in the winter play Harvey, the socially awkward hero has one faithful friend, a six-foot, three-and-oneinch tall “invisible” rabbit affectionately named Harvey. Harvey is described as a pooka, which is a mischievous spirit in Irish folklore. The main character, Elwood P. Dowd, played by Drew Straub, junior, proudly introduces Harvey to everyone he meets, to the embarrassment of his friends and family. His sister, Veta, played by Annie Canfield, senior, is especially bothered by this as his behavior prevents her and her daughter, Myrtle Mae, played by Alyson McKie, sophomore, from climbing up the social ladder. She makes a decision to place her brother in an insane asylum. This unusual set of events controls the rest of the show, creating an interesting and comedic atmosphere. In contrast to the fall musical, Harvey’s cast is small, with only twelve acting members. The cast has grown closer as a result. “[The cast size] has made everyone know each other and interact more than they would in a larger cast. We have lots of jokes together and it helps us form good friendships,” said McKie. “Memorizing lines is probably the hardest part. But figuring out the way to say lines is also pretty difficult,” said Harrison Farmer, junior, who plays Dr. Sanderson, one of the doctors at the sanitarium. To discover what happens to Elwood, his friend Harvey, and their family, come see the show on Friday, February 28th or Saturday, March 1st at 7:00pm.
Honk! Becomes a Hit.
by CATE Hoogstraten
The Ugly Duckling was the inspiration for the first Middle School musical on Jan. 17 and 18. With plenty of lovable characters gracing the stage, Honk was a delight that surprised the entire audience. Filled with captivating dance numbers and several performances from the chorus, Honk was a musical put on by both the 7th and 8th grades. Though the storyline seemed like it was going to be another cliche musical about good morals, it pushed past this stereotype to enchant all ages. While some numbers from the chorus were a little shaky, stellar solos from several characters and a perfectly set stage did much more than just make up for it. Emily Zell, 8th grade, who played Ida the mother duck, drew all eyes to her with her pure voice and strong vibrato, as well as her motherly presence and poise on stage. Damon Beckemeyer, 8th grade, charmed with wit and well placed sarcasm, and spurred on much laughter from the audience, and though she played a small role, Jada Ferguson, 8th grade, shone as the Bullfrog with her stunning voice and just the right amount of attitude to add to the show. And of course, Mark Geisz, 7th grade, fascinated all with a thorough performance of his character’s clumsiness that transformed into grace. Overall, Honk was a musical that enchanted all in the audience, the first of hopefully many more Middle School musical hits.
The Advantages and Misconceptions of Having Online Friends Online friends aren’t that dangerous. Kids are generally wary of talking to people on the internet, especially because of the online predator stories they’ve heard. But some teenagers have made online friends before, and they know it’s not necessarily as risky as people make it sound. Most parents teach their kids not to talk to people they do not know through the Internet, and they have legitimate reasons for doing so. The Internet is an open space where people can say and see whatever they want, all while hiding behind computer screens. Online predators can certainly be a threat if teens are not careful. Some also argue that while a person you befriend on the web may not be dangerous, the relationship between you two would be shallow and worthless. They would argue that instead, you should build relationships with the people you know in real life. But meeting people on the Internet, if done safely, has many advantages. Teens make friends in real life because they have similar interests such as TV shows, music, or activities. The same concept applies to making friends online. People on the Internet who have similar interests get to know each other, and they learn that there are others just like them living in different parts of the world. They can benefit from befriending individuals who are passionate about the same things, especially if there is no one around them in real life with the same interests. Adrian Chen of The New Inquiry shared a story about his friend Austin whom he had first talked to through an online forum. Their mutual interest in video-making brought them together. “When we met up...we hit it off instantly, and he remains one of my closest friends—a friendship which...largely exists through Gchat and
email,” said Chen. Danielle Henderson of The Huffington Post honestly admitted that some of her online friendships stayed online, some failed, and some turned into real life relationships. “I met one of my best friends on a message board ...Her posts there stood out from the usual fangirling—they were thick with sarcasm and cut with a dark streak of humor… We both lived in New York City, so we decided to meet...and we’ve been besties ever since (two years ago, I officiated her wedding),” wrote Henderson. Additionally, teens often refrain from opening up to the people around them for fear of being judged or having malicious rumors spread, but online friends can provide encouragement and advice or simply listen and empathize with them. They can support each other and develop a deep bond just like friends in real life. There are millions of other people just like us on the Internet who are afraid to talk to strangers online because they believe they could be talking to a predator. We forget that many of them are individuals just like us who have no intentions of harming others. So long as teens act safely and don’t thoughtlessly share personal information such as addresses, making friends online can lead to wholesome relationships. While this doesn’t mean everyone should go on the Internet and start making friends, people could be more accepting of the fact that individuals around them have online friends. Not all online friendships will work out, but regardless, they have the potential to develop into true friendships.
The Ultimate Choice: Christian or Secular There are countless ways for Christians to worship God, and one of the most common is through music. Classic religious music and age-old hymns closely transcribed from the messages represented in the Bible are most often pertinent, genuine, and theologically accurate. However, some feel that the Christian music that is produced today and circulated by contemporary Christian radio stations such as Joy FM often misses the mark of providing original music while conveying messages relevant to the Christian community. Thankfully, this isn’t the case with all Christian music. Many Christian artists take popular sounds and change explicit messages to praises to God. Artists who step outside the sphere of typical religious music and develop their own sound are more likely to express new messages in a new way, such as Francesca Battistelli, TobyMac, and Lecrae to name a few. It’s helpful for Christian listeners to develop their own taste in Christian music by looking into artists who assimilate their favorite musical genres. From rap, to pop, to rock - unique artists represent them all while spreading the message of the gospel. Often, people complain that much of Christian music seems to
follow the same musical patterns from song to song. While the content of a song is arguably more important than its sound, wornout chords and melodies neither excite interest nor demand attention from listeners. This is why Christians must branch out and discover new Christian music. Upcoming artists such as Switchfoot provide a unique sound and a Godly message. Unfortunately, others relate Christian songs with depressing lyrics. Some think they drive at the same messages until they are worn to exhaustion, resulting in a significant loss of meaning for the listener. Also, the constant repetition of melodies and ideas can be a turnoff for listeners because it makes the overall message seem contrived. A listener who feels as if each song has been copied and pasted from the last is unlikely think that such unoriginal themes are genuine. This is a poor representation of God’s Word, which is wholly true and honest. Although there are many Christian bands like this, there are also many who exalt pleasing lyrics and encourage listeners. One such band is Rend Collective Experiment. As a Christian band should, Rend praises God while employing an organic sound.
What’s in a Reptutation?
Family Across the Globe During January, twenty-five Korean students and three faculty from Saemmul Christian Academy in South Korea visited the Westminster community. MaryWynn |Features Editor| marywynn@wcapublications.com
Megan Johnson, junior, poses as what is considered a stereotypical Westminster student.
Westminster students’ contrasting opinions of WCA vary from athletic and academic to hypocritical to compassionate. But how do students outside of the Westminster community view WCA? What is it’s reputation? It is not uncommon to have students from other high schools in West St. Louis County perceive WCA as an impressive facility with top-notch academics, populated by students who are both preppy and classy. Most students interviewed for this story quickly identified the school’s “gorgeous” campus, describing it as “beautiful and recently redone.” But is it fair to judge a book by its cover? “Westminster families have a history of wealth. It has a typical West County look,” said Alex Pozo, senior at CBC. WCA also holds a positive reputation for its academics. Local students noted that, as a private school, Westminster’s curriculum is viewed as more demanding than that of many local public high schools. “It’s one of the top private schools in St. Louis,” said Mariana Blessing, home schooled sophomore. Students at WCA seem to be defined by their looks, as well as their personalities. Nearly everyone interviewed described Westminster students as “preppy” and a number of people mentioned that WCA families are classy. “WCA girls care more about what they look like than girls at Ursuline. The reputation WCA holds at Ursuline is that it’s high class and preppy. The families I know from WCA are consistent with their reputation for being quite classy and preppy,” said Cassandra Keller, junior at Ursuline. Westminster’s reputation can be extremely contrasting. While some view WCA as a party school, others view it as an extremely Godly school. “Some think Westminster is full of Jesus-freaks while others say it’s a bunch of West County partiers,” said Pozo. When asked if their experience with WCA students is consistent with their reputation, students’ answers rang out in unison. “The common reputation WCA holds at Marquette is not too positive- people do relate Westminster kids with money and parties; however, the people I know from WCA couldn’t be sweeter,” said Annie Zigman, junior at Marquette. Pozo also contrasted WCA’s reputation as a party school. “The people I know at WCA are great kids who love Jesus, work hard, and have incredible school spirit,” said Pozo. So, it seems the reputation of Westminster of being a party school where rich kids dress preppy may be overridden by reality when people get to know the students one on one. 8 |THEWILDCATROAR.COM | FEBRUARY 2014
Many of the American families and Korean students that took part in the South Korean exchange program this January began the experience as strangers but left as family. “We grew so close with our boys because we were around each other all the time and got along really well,” said Betsy Bailey, eight grade. South Korean students lived in the home of Westminster families and attended school at WCA for three weeks, including Spirit Week. Not only did they experience a change in culture, but they were also able to experience the culture of the Midwest by partaking in field trips in St. Louis and even a day trip to Chicago, Illinois.
Mackenzie Yeager, senior, and her mother say goodbye to their Korean students at the airport. Photo credit: Mackenzie Yeager
“We took them to a lot of different restaurants and did activities in the area like bowling and laser tag,” said Alec Bequette, seventh grade. Many WCA students had a similar experience this past summer by living with a Korean host family. For two weeks, they were immersed in the South Korean culture by exploring the city of Seoul and teaching classes at Saemmul. As a result, some of these students were interested in hosting South Korean students during their visit to WCA. “My family decided to participate because I had a wonderful time in Korea this summer and I wanted to reciprocate the wonderful hospitality I received,” said Emma Bailey, a senior. American host families were able to share American culture to their students by including them in their daily schedules, meals, and fun activities. “I got to share with my two boys everything that is different about America. It was awesome to see how our cultures can be so different, yet we were able to connect so easily,” said Christian Lindgren, senior. After sharing so much of their lives with each other and spending countless hours together, many who took part is this unique exchange program grew close with each other and have made memorable friendships. Not only will this WCA winter tradition continue in the future, but the family bonds made between the Korean students and their hosts families will also continue. The Korean students and WCA families can now say that they have “family” across the world.
Snow Day 101
by KATHERINE Yenzer When the forecast predicts snow, students all over the St. Louis area keep their fingers crossed in hopes of a snow day. Due to a recent weather phenomenon referred to as the ‘polar vortex,’ Missouri and most of the continental United States have been experiencing irregularly cold temperatures. Westminster has had four snow days and a half day so far, and the cold weather does not seem to be going away. This is what has caused the large amounts of snow that St. Louis has been receiving. The anticipated phone call from Todd Fuller reporting that school has been cancelled makes the cold winter days worth it. Most students assume that Dr. Stoner is the one who always makes the call, but the process is more complicated than that. “The final call is made by Dr. Sefrit with input from Dr. Stoner, Mark Jennings [head of maintenance] and myself,” said Fuller. Many have been pleasantly surprised by the amount of snow days this year. Despite the fact that every time it snows students hope for a snow day, that is not always the case. “Some of the questions that we consider are: first, can we can have the lot cleared and ready for school, second, what are the current road conditions. Third, what is the forecast for the day (we don’t want students snowed in at school), and fourth, what are the other schools doing,” said Fuller. Each snowfall brings with it excitement, but also dangerous road conditions. Whether or not the polar vortex brings more snow, Westminster families can feel confident in the fact that school will be called off if the roads are declared dangerous.
St. Louis Celebrates its 250th Birthday On Friday, February 14, the city of St. Louis commenced the celebration of its 250th anniversary at Forest Park. The birthday weekend, which lasted from the 14th to the 18th, was the kickoff of a yearlong celebration. STL250, a nonprofit volunteer group, hosted the events. People in St. Louis will have opportunities every month to learn about the city’s history and to engage with others around them. According to STL250, the events range from small gatherings to festivals taking place at large entertainment venues. Despite the bitter February weather, many St. Louisans drove to Forest Park to attend the opening events. At “The Biggest Birthday Bash” held in the Missouri History Museum, families rode on horsedrawn carriages, enjoyed musical performances, and participated in many more bonding activities all while learning about their city. An event that will take place throughout the year is “Cakeway to the West,” which encourages people to visit iconic St. Louis locations, learn about their histories, and potentially win sweepstakes. Each of the 250 cake sites is marked by a fiberglass cake celebrating St. Louis’s anniversary. Through these events, STL250 hopes people will “Reflect on rich history, applaud diversity, share community pride, or simply have fun.”
PART I: Just in Time
by CATHERINE Bakewell
The New Year’s party carried on downstairs while the four of them sat around the hearth, safe from both the cold outside and the undesirables downstairs. A few drops clung to the bottom of their champagne glasses, and except for the muffled chatter from down below, the group remained silent. It was easy to grow tired of the same thing, even if these parties were renowned for being elaborate and raucous affairs. The host in particular, the young Charles Waltham, had a devious gleam in his eye that night. “We should do something,” Charles smiled. The girl sitting across from him with the untamed, auburn curls glanced up from her phone. “What kind of something?” “A game,” proposed Charles as he rose from his chair and ambled over to the cabinet to refill his drink.
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Features TWITT As selected by the WILDCAT ROAR staff
Project Givewell is at it Again
After previous successes, WCA’s student outreach program starts afresh. @JohnnayBaseball I paid for my food at Wendy’s entirely out of pennies. Cashier laughed and didn’t even bother counting #desperatetimes John Pottebaum
@CollinEiner5 Some people really need a tweet limit for one day #calmdown Collin Einertson
@Shanebenes “So for your surgery are they gonna put you to sleep??” Nooooo @cailynshea they’re gonna do it while I’m awake.... #genius Shane Benes
@aussraines It’s crazy how much happier you are when it’s 55 outside Austin Raines
@mdeves It’s such a struggle trying to resist singing along with my music when I’m on a plane Madison Deves
@margalicious_1 Just beat Mr. Breems high score in flappy bird #winning #itsthelittlethings Margo Koby
JakeSchroeder |Staff Writer| jakeschroeder@wcapublications.com
Last year Westminster was both surprised and curious about the announcement of a group of eighth grade students who wanted to build a well. Since then, they have grown from a small, unknown group into the leaders of student led outreach. Project Givewell was started by seven freshman: Alex Lawrence, Chelsea Caplinger, Paris Hubler, Ethan Davitt, Patrick Agan, Michael Shaw, and Dean Karanas. Introduced to the student body last year during chapel, Project Givewell has raised enough money to finish building a clean water well in Kenya. Some of the raised money was donated by students and teachers. Now that the well has been built, Project Givewell is starting to expand their efforts to reach out. “Our newest project is that we are trying to fund is a school in the Congo. We have some schools that we are looking at possibly funding,” said Lawrence. “The Congo has just ended a 15 year war. 7 million people have died. It has also left over 5 million children orphaned,” said Ann Heyse, freshmen expository writing teacher and Project Givewell advisor. To put that in perspective, during the Holocaust, 6 million people died. A million more have died in the war in the Congo. The need in the country is great. Education is one of the things that the country truly lacks. In Kinshasa, one of the biggest cities in Africa, 65% of children have no education. This startling figure is one of the many that spurred Project Givewell to help meet the need. Project Givewell members say the main problem that plagues the few schools in the Congo is the cost. “Most schools cost $25 a month, but the average family only makes $100 a month.” said Heyse. New City Fellowship, a local church in St. Louis, has partnered with many Congolese pas-
| FEBRUARY 2014 10| THEWILDCATROAR.COM
Students from a potential school that Project Givewell may be sponsoring. Photo credit Ann Heyse
tors and have built 3 schools. In those schools, over 600 kids are being educated. Project Givewell is trying to fund their own school. Like the well project, money will be an issue. “To fund the school, its around $1000 a month. We want to fund it for a year, so we will need between $10-$13 thousand dollars.” said Lawrence. Despite this large amount, the huge success of the well project last year is a confidence booster for Project Givewell. Project Givewell needs help from the students and faculty in two ways. First, they need help raising the money. “If every student can give $10 dollars, we will meet our goal. We also have a ‘slogan’ for the project: For the cost of 1 WCA tuition, we can help educate 200 kids.” said Heyse. The next thing that Project Givewell is help with certain things. “We need help with certain small jobs, and some big jobs. we are trying to get set meeting dates so we can get people to help. If you are interested, talk to some of us,” said Lawrence.
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Reaching New Heights Westminster’s robotics team takes on a new and exciting challenge requiring teamwork. Rebeccaeis |Staff Writer| rebeccaeis@wcapublications.com
On January 4th, the members of Cyborg Cats, Westminster’s own robotics team, gathered together to watch the broadcast of this year’s game. They eagerly awaited the announcement, anxious to begin strategizing for the game and designing their new robot. Finally, the announcement came. The game’s title is Aerial Assist and requires teams to build a robot that could throw an exercise ball into large scoring goals at the top of the playing field to earn points. In the center of the field, there is a “truss” that robots can also throw the ball over to earn points. Robots can also earn points by working together and “In my opinion, “assisting” each other the biggest chalin moving the ball across the lenge of the year field. One way they can do this is by passing it to each lies in our depenother, such as in a basketdence on other ball game. This employs robots. This year, F.I.R.S.T’s idea of coopertition. all the bonus “Coopertition is founded points -- neceson the concept and a philososary if you want phy that teams can and should help and cooperate with each to win -- rely comother even as they compete,” pletely on whether said F.I.R.S.T’s website. your alliance roWhile the idea of cooperabots can catch, tion is beneficial in promoting teamwork, it can prove to be throw, score, and a challenge. move the ball to “In my opinion, the bigyou,” said Alex gest challenge of the year lies in our dependence on Kessel, junior and other robots. This year, all the the team’s Chief bonus points -- necessary if Engineer. you want to win -- rely completely on whether your alliance robots can catch, throw, score, and move the ball to you,” said Alex Kessel, junior and the team’s Chief Engineer. From it’s beginnings three years ago, Westminster’s team has grown enormously.
Matthew Hoekzema, freshman, Brennan Murphy, sophomore, and Alex Kessel, junior, work on this year’s robot. Photo by Juhyae Kim
“The more team members we have the better equipped we are to accomplish our teams mission ‘to honor God while building a community that nurtures a love for science, technology, engineering and math through excellence in workmanship, and leadership by service.’ People need to understand that our robotics team is about so much more than just building a robot!,” said Lisa Harding, the team’s lead mentor. While it is a common misconception that the Robotics team soley consists of the students who are good at math and science, the team actually consists of many different people with a variety of talents. “Our team is amazingly diverse, with an impressive array of talents and interests that are all used in the program. The engineering side is really only part of it. Half the people on our team work on things completely unrelated to engineering, like contacting professional companies or designing billboards. Robotics is not only a great place to learn about things, but also to learn how to work with people and be patient with them. That’s harder to do than you’d think, but it is extremely important,” said Kessel. The Cyborg Cats are excited to begin their new season and continue to challenge themselves with navigating this new game. The team will participate in two competitions this season, one local and one out of town. To see the Cyborg Cats in action, be sure to visit the Chaifetz Arena on March 13th-15th. More information can be found about the Cyborg Cats, F.I.R.S.T, and this year’s challenge on the team’s website: www.cyborgcats. com.
Sports
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Westminster Parent Gets Inducted into the Hall of Fame
Everyone has a story to tell, and Saenea Williams, junior, has a dad that is in the Hall of Fame. Williams always knew from an early age that her family was special and different. Her father, Aeneas Williams, a newly inducted hall of famer, was a New Orleans native who played defensive back from 1991 to 2004 for the Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Rams. On February 2, 2013, Williams failed to get voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Williams didn’t gather enough support from the 46-person Hall of Fame Selection Committee when it met on the eve of Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans — a short drive from where he grew up. Although he wasn’t voted in last year, he still saw it as an honor that the voters remembered
all his accomplishments. Williams was quoted last year in the Times Picayune “I just praise the Lord, to have the (voters) talking about me and remembering my career in such a positive manner, it’s just a blessing,” .
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After falling short for selection to the Pro Football Hall of Fame a year ago, the former Southern University All-America cornerback was upbeat rather than upset. Until his final two years with the Rams, Williams was known as one of the NFL’s top cover cornerbacks. He played safety in the last two seasons with the Rams, and he also recorded 795 tackles. Eventually, on February 1, 2014, Williams was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. While football is a big part of Williams life, it does not define him. Williams has been preaching for 6 years, and he now preaches at the Spirit of the Lord family Church. Williams felt as if God called him to be a pastor and he didn’t pass up God’s calling. With most of the money he earned from the NFL, Williams built his own church, from the ground up. Ultimatley, Seanea is proud of her father’s accomplishments on and off the football field. “Having a dad in the hall of fame is more than exciting, and I don’t let that get between our relationship” said Seanea Williams. Saenea always watched her dad play, which has lead to high expectations for herself. She now runs track, and she is a cheerleader. Only the best of the best can achieve what Aeneas Williams has. He will go down in history as one the best at his position, and his name will be forever linked with the Hall of Fame. An honor very few can ever dream to achieve.
A Dream Fulfilled Coach Coleman’s journey to the varsity head coaching position.
Coleman coaches varsity players. Photo by: Eichel Davis.
Coleman coaches Brendan Bognar. Photo by: Eichel Davis.
A basketball player turned coach later on in life is not uncommon, but only a very special few receive the opportunity to coach for the high school they played for. Doug Coleman, varsity basketball coach, played at Westminster from 1996 to 1999 during which time he became a star player. Coleman would go on to play college basketball at Maryville University, and he eventually made his way back to the Westminster community in 2005 to coach the middle school A team and the freshman team. Coleman coached the younger student-athletes at Westminster for five years. “I enjoyed coaching that level because there is nothing better than seeing that excitement and enthusiasm from younger players. They get excited from a basket or making a play,” said Coleman. With the success that Coleman had with the younger teams, he was eventually given the opportunity to coach the JV team. After 2 successful seasons as the JV Coach, Coleman was rewarded with his dream job as the head varsity coach. “It was incredible to have my dream job become a reality… The job was affirmation that hard work pays off. Any young coach would like to have that affirmed, and it has been really fun since,” said Coleman. Of course, the transition from JV coach to Varsity
coach has brought about new responsibilities for Coleman. “In the organizational development, caring for people, and decision making that it takes to be a leader; those things I am finding out are vital in the move from assistant coach to head coach,” said Coleman. While building a winning basketball program at Westminster is important to Coleman, there are other reasons as to why he decided to chase the varsity head coaching position at Westminster. “Coaching is my way of giving back to a community, the Westminster community, that has given me so much over the years. This community appreciates, values and respects that my family and I want to be a part of my players and their families’ stories,” said Coleman. Coleman has been around the Westminster basketball program for a long time. He has witnessed its ups and downs, and, because of this, he understands the priviledge that the basketball players have at this school. “I try to let the boys know how lucky they are to have such resources available to them... I can see players who are not aware of the blessing that surround this place; I was that guy back then. So I do not want these guys to miss it now,” said Coleman. Coleman has worked his way to the top. He has earned his position, and accomplished a dream worth chasing.
Swimmers Bring Sunshine
MeganGalvin |News Editor| megangalvin@wcapublications.com
Vasrsity Swimmers went to downtown St. Louis to serve at Sunshine Ministries.
On the morning of January 20th, twenty-five swimmers from the girl’s varsity swim team ventured downtown to Sunshine Ministries. The girls spent the day packing boxes and setting up a shop in the ministry’s new location. Sunshine Ministries is an organization founded to provide Christian services to the needy living in downtown St. Louis. The organization runs a food pantry, a community closet, shelters and pre-school. Sunshine is completely funded from individual support. “Sunshine Ministries is bettering the community. I love how they appeal to youth, men and women,” said Olivia Coomes, junior. The swim team spent the day boxing up donated items and moving them from Sunshine’s old four story brick building to their newly constructed two story building. Once there, the team members emptied the packages and set up a shop, similar to Goodwill, for the needy to buy from. “Doing this service project opened my eyes and made me feel humbled. I will no longer take material possessions for granted,” said Carmen Verbeek, freshman.
Swimmers Olivia Coomes, junior, Lucy Kehr, sophomore, Clara Gruniesen, sophomore, Mackenzie Weiberg, freshamn, Izzy Haupfer, sophomore, and SJ Fiala, junior, pose with adorable stuffed animals for the children.
The team also toured Sunshine’s new preschool which serves 2-5 year olds who are being raised in poverty conditions. The teachers provide the children with a good education, but also a biblical teaching. “Seeing the preschool really hit home for me because I’ve always wanted to be a teacher,” said Julia Johnson, junior. The girls ended the trip with a stop by Crown Candy Kitchen where they bonded over milkshakes. “After spending the day at Sunshine Ministries I learned that it’s really fun to help out others, especially with friends,” said Lauren Massot, sophomore.
SPORTS REEDS Features
Multi-Sports World
It was a tough decision, but, at the time, I thought it was the right one. I would quit basketball, the game I loved, for tennis, the game I loved even more. I knew the commitment basketball would be in high-school, and I knew I wanted to put all my time and effort into tennis. But two hip surgeries and a long hiatus later from playing sports, and I can’t help but question my decision. Would being a multi-sport athlete change anything? Maybe, but probably not. Either way, I now believe that being a multi-sport competitor is almost always the best decision for a student athlete. We all have our favorite sport. Some of us enjoy non-contact sports more than contact sports, but, like me, many people simply love playing any and every game. It is just fun being out on a court or field competing against others. Of course, not everyone is an athlete, and there are millions of people that do not enjoy sports at all, and that is okay. But to those that do love competing, don’t stop in high-school. High-school athletics provide a way for teenagers to stay active. While this might seem simple and obvious, it seems like many teenagers struggle to stay busy. When boredom takes over, high-school students often times turn to things that are not as beneficial as sports. This may be video games, television, or, in extreme cases, drugs and alcohol. Ultimately, keeping a teenager occupied cannot be a bad thing, and participating in multiple sports, in addition to school work, will most definitely take up most of one’s free time. There are other reasons as to why being a multi-sport athlete in high-school is important. The most significant of these reasons is that playing multiple sports trains the body in many different ways. Basketball, for example, will strengthen completely different muscles than tennis. If you only play one sport, certain muscles will grow and strengthen while others will weaken, which leads to injuries. So while many athletes may think concentrating all their time on one sport is beneficial, quite the opposite can be true. There are cases though where concentrating on one sport becomes necessary. For those that plan on making a living off of athletics, quitting all other sports to concentrate on one may be necessary. However, there have been many professional athletes that have played multiple sports through high-school and even college. For example, Russell Wilson, the quarterback of the Super Bowl champions Seattle Seahawks, played both football and baseball during his college career. There are also multiple future college athletes at Westminster that have been able to play two sports at a high level. It can be done, and, for most multi-sport athletes, the dedication and time spent on different sports has been both beneficial and enjoyable. I realize that participating in multiple sports is a huge commitment. In fact, playing just one sport can be a huge commitment, but if there is still a desire and some love for a sport, I would recommend that you continue to compete in that sport. It does not necessarily have to be for Westminster. In fact, sometimes an athlete’s best option is to just play on a pick-up basketball or soccer team. This way he or she can continue to compete with less pressure. Ultimately, the decision comes down to you. What I think most people want to avoid is making a decision that they will eventually regret. I know that I have, at times, regretted my decision to quit basketball, but I also understand that not playing basketball has benefited me in different areas of my life outside of sports. In the end, if there is still a desire to compete in a certain sport do not give that sport up. Continue to play until your love for it dies out.
Reed Montgomery |Sport Editor|
ATHLETES
of the
Star Studded Class
EICHEL Davis
The Class of 2014 has 13 students commited to play college sports at prestigous school across the country. This includes 8 Division 1 commits.
BRENNAN HEHNER [BASEBALL] Lindenwood University LUAREN VANEK [ROWING] Southern Methodist University TYLER CATLETT [BASEBALL] Maryville University BRETT BOND [BASEBALL] University of Missouri-Columbia SHANE BENES [BASEBALL] University of Missouri-Columbia SYDNEY SEABAUGH [SOFTBALL] Lindenwood University KYLE KINNER [FOOTBALL] Bucknell University COLLIN EINERTSON [BASEBALL] DePauw University JESSICA DREESBEIMDIEKE [GOLF] Denver University DEREK BELL [TENNIS] Southern Florida University TRAVIS RALLS [BASEBALL] Greenville College CAROLINE MOORE [SOCCER] Taylor University CALEB HICKS [BASEBALL] Jefferson Community
Month
DOMINICCusumano MIddle School Men’s Basketball Shooting Guard Specialty: 3-point shot
14 | THEWILDCATROAR.COM | FEBRUARY 2014
SINCLAIREDavis Varsity Dance Team 3rd in Hip Hop 4th in Jazz
LuarenVanek Woman’s Rowing: Full Ride to Southern Methodist University
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