U. City High School 7401 Balson Ave. University City, MO 63130
U-Times February 2013 Volume 24, Issue 3 NEWS MAGAZINE
INSIDE THIS ISSUE... CE PLAifer T S FIRnna So A
E LAC D P iken N O A SEC chael Ra
CE PLA tard D s IR a TH ne P ph a D
CE LA a P IRD lum TH ana P Di
Daniel Politte scores a perfect 36 on ACT Page 2-3
Inauguration trip to Washington D.C. Page 4-5
Ice Carnival in the Loop Page 6
Robotics Team Page 8
Every year Mr. Yancy has the Graphics class students compete in a poster contest for the musical of that spring. The winner gets their posters on display all over the school which advertises the musical. Above are the finalists. PHOTOS BY EMILY LOOBY
Spring musical requires time commitment By Emily Looby Staff Writer Major challenges tend to bring forth major accomplishments. The stress of putting together a major performance, such as the spring musical, brings excitement and pressure to already hectic schedules “It has affected my life drastically,” said Camaron Ballard of playing the lead in the spring musical “Footloose.” “It requires a nice chunk of my time and commitment which is okay sometimes, but with having school, college enrollment, and thirteen dance classes a week, it leaves me sort of stressed out. However, the opening night is usually more rewarding than the exhaustion and anxiety of practicing every day. Students have been working since the first week of January to make the spring musical “Footloose” a success. This year’s production tells the story of a rebellious teen, Ren McCormack (Ballard), who moves from Chicago to a small midwestern town that has banned dancing and rock music. Throughout the show, according to Ballard, the dancing changes and with every scene, the audience experiences a new style of dance.
“All the dancing helps the show to become more visual,” said junior Drea Dicarlo who plays the preacher’s wife. “It also helps to convey the mood of show through all the dancing.” The production this year has attracted some dancers who have never participated in a musical stage production before. “Since I’m new to the show this year, it’s been a great experience being a part of the cast, as well as dancing and singing simultaneously,” said sophomore Kerstin Morley who plays Betty Blast, owner of the Burger Blast and a lead dancer. “I’m excited to see how the end product will finally come together.” In addition to Ballard, Dicarlo, and Morley, senior Destiny Anderson-Bush was cast as Rusty, Ariel’s best friend. Ariel. the female lead, is played by junior Asha Garrison. “At auditions I was skeptical about going for the lead but now that I got it, I love it, There’s no holding me back,” said Garrison. As the roles were cast, supporting male roles in the musical were sometimes creatively filled because of a lack of male participants. Some had to be cut from the show while
others were gender bent and played by females and, in some cases, girls were partnered with other girls in dances done in pairs. “Luckily there were not many lead male roles, but we did lack male supporting roles,” said Ballard. “We only had to cut one character out of the script.” While the musical has been busy rehearsing for the show, the set crew has also been working after school to create the set for the musical, led by new set crew sponsors, Mr. Forrester, band teacher, and Mr. Yancy, art teacher. The new leadership also brought new faces the crew, which is composed mostly of girls. “This year it [building the set] has been an entire girl thing,” said junior Abbey Karlovsky. “This is strange because in the past it has been mostly a guy thing.” The spring musical will be performed on Friday, February 22, and there will be two shows Saturday, February 23. “The cast is actually looking pretty good this year,” said Garrison. “We have some great singers and dancers and some really talented actors and actresses. You are definitely in for a treat.”
U-Times February 2013
OPINION 2
Arming teachers is like living in Wild West By Michael Johnson Editorial Writer After the recent shooting at Sandy Hook, some political voices have called for arming teachers. The solution to stopping gun violence in schools is not to add more guns. Having an armed resource officer in some schools as a deterrent to day-to-day violence may be reasonable in certain well-considered
circumstances. Arming teachers and administrators, on the other hand, is a recipe for disaster. While some teachers may enjoy the fantasy of a Clint Eastwood “make my day” moment, the reality is that most armed civilian defenders against a deranged gunman are shot and killed. Moreover, students may be caught in the crossfire. Teachers would not have the training to function as SWAT teams do. When the real police arrive on the scene, encountering panicked teachers brandishing weapons would only add to the confusion. We could be faced with a war zone at school! Yet if we gave teachers the training required to shoot
effectively in a crisis, they would have less time to devote to their primary job of teaching. Our educators can save more lives by preparing students to become successful, well-adjusted adults. Armed guards are appropriate in some situations, but this is not a universal solution. An article in the EconoMonitor estimates it would cost $15 billion a year to put armed guards in every school. Assuming these guards worked perfectly, they would save only 10 lives per year. Imagine the improvements in education and counseling this money could buy! Common sense suggests investing in our schools can save more than 10 people a year.
The Wild West notion of arming teachers is a misguided ploy by the National Rifle Association to dissuade us from the real issue: gun control. The NRA even opposes common-sense measures such as a ban on military assault weapons. Simply put, gun control works. When Australia implemented effective gun control laws, armed murders in the country dropped by an astounding 59%. We need to strive for a culture that loves people rather than guns. Humanity will never be free of violence, but we can reduce the lethal consequences of troubled individuals by limiting the availability of guns. Just say no to guns in our school.
STUDENTS SPEAK OUT Marissa Killion, freshman “No, they shouldn’t… It’s dangerous to the students…You don’t know what might happen.”
Rickell Miller, freshman “It is under control in schools now. I do think teachers should be armed just in case.”
Sam Shelton, senior “I would feel threatened if my teacher had a gun. There is no problem with the control now.”
Malik Johnson, sophomore “Teachers should not carry guns, it is a safety hazard. They are not police officers.”
New Year’s Resolutions easy to make...and break By Adriana Smith Editorial Writer
At the beginning of the year, individuals tend to look back and think about how to make this one better than the last. The logical evolution of this sentiment is making a New Year’s Resolution, but those are often broken in a short period of time. “I think it’s tradition for some people ,but not everybody is going to make one,” said Mr. Gatewood, business
2012-2013 U-Times Staff
Editors: Lily Lewis-Stump & Alice Mutrux Web Editor: Carl Sechrist Staff Writers/Photographers: Kayla Holmes Michael Johnson Emily Looby Jihira Patton Christine Politte Samuel Polzin Adriana Smith Andrew White Reneise White
teacher. If a resolution is made, it is usually recycled from the year before. This cycle consists of the top three most common resolutions. According to a study at statisticbrainamericans.com, people are more likely to resolve to either get organized, or save money. Of course, the latter is something many adults choose to work on. “My resolution is to lose some weight, mainly for my health because I’m a diabetic,” said Gatewood. Most definitely, losing weight is a good resolution. However, different age groups have different focuses. For teenagers, the main focus would probably be their academic success.
Adviser Mrs. Mary Williams
Philosophy The newspaper’s primary obligation is to inform its readers about events in the school and community and of the issues of national or international importance which directly or indirectly affect the school population. The newspaper, while serving as a training ground for future journalists as part of the school curriculum, recognizes all rights and responsibilities under the First Amendment. While
“My New Year’s resolutions are to get my attitude together and work on my grades,”said Jaidah Kirskey, freshman. “I made these my resolutions because people have told me I need to work on my attitude,”. It is hard to keep New Year’s resolutions when you’re constantly put in situations that can easily make you forget your resolution. When your friends are doing the wrong thing, such as skipping class, talking poorly of another person, or not applying themselves to their work, it is even more of a challenge to remember what you were trying to do- or not do. “I remove myself from negative situations,” said Kirskey. “I try to keep
establishing U-Times as a public forum, student editors will apply professional standards and ethics for decision making as they take on the responsibility for content and production of the newspaper. Inasmuch as the student staff encourages constructive criticism of any part of the newspaper, authority for content rests in the hands of the student members of the newspaper staff. Students will not publish material considered to be legally unprotected speech, or libel, obscenity, material disruption of the
to myself so I can stick to working on myself.” People break resolutions because they set the bar too high. Some resolutions are too unrealistic, like trying to quit smoking or lose weight. Often people have too much going on in their life to remember their resolution. If you don’t make a resolution, you don’t have anything to worry about, but if you do, you should stick to it. In the first few months of the year only 46% of people stick to their resolution. Setting a less ambitious, short-term goal can help a person reach their long -term goal. As we look forward to 2013, this is something everyone should keep in mind when deciding on a resolution.
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By Christine Politte Staff Writer Since the December shooting in Newtown, Conn., that claimed the lives of 20 students and six teachers, heated debate has sprung up across America. Both sides agree that future tragedies like the one in Newtown must be prevented, but they agree on little else. While some call for new restrictions on guns or even outright bans, others say the only way to end the violence is to loosen gun laws and allow them into schools. Some schools are even arming teachers. “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,” said Wayne LaPierre, a vice president of the National Rifle Association, according to the New York Times. At U. City High, however, most teachers disagree. “Teachers carrying guns is not the answer,” said Mr. Cloud, math teacher. “No one could have prevented what happened in Connecticut… Schools across the nation need to remain level-headed and only make decisions that they have control over.” Ms. Martineau, English teacher, agrees. “This is not the Wild West,” she said. “…I just feel the presence of guns would ruin the nurturing atmospheres of schools.” Mr. Kelton, math teacher, is concerned about the implications of having a gun with him. “Where are we supposed to keep our guns?” he said. “What happens…if someone takes the gun from me?”
Even if it’s deemed a good idea, he said, important logistics still need to be worked out. Likewise, the consensus among the students appears to be that guns don’t belong in the classroom. “I would not feel safe,” said Deanna Smith, junior. “So much could go wrong.” Arreon Watson, junior, agrees. “Teachers aren’t trained to do all that stuff,” he said. “Teachers should be trained to talk down an intruder,” he said, instead of using guns. However, some students would find it reassuring to know their teachers were armed. “It’s a good idea,” said Jaylen Williams, freshman. “I wouldn’t have to worry about anybody coming to shoot us.” Ms. Halter, English teacher, says she’d be willing to carry a gun if necessary. “I’d be very comfortable with that, but… I’ve been trained in using a firearm and concealed carry,” Halter said. “I can understand why a lot of teachers wouldn’t be comfortable… I don’t think it should be anything forced on teachers.” If an intruder came into the school, teachers agree the safety of their students would come first. “[I would] try to follow lockdown procedures as is and keep the kids as calm as possible,” Cloud said. “[I’d] try to keep everyone as safe as possible.” If worst came to worst, Halter said, she would try to convince a gunman to let her students go and keep her
“Teachers carrying guns is not the answer.”
-Mr. Cloud
While in the U.S. Army during her early twenties, Ms, Halter, English teacher, carried an M-60 machine gun in (what was then) West Germany. Halter worked in the military police. She does not believe teachers should be forced to arm themselves. PHOTO COURTESY OF MS. HALTER
there. “I think that’s the role of the teacher,” she said. “And if he was determined to shoot, he’d just have to shoot me first.”
DANIEL POLITTE: BOY GENIUS Senior scores a perfect 36 on the ACT Andrew White Staff Writer No doubt all who read this article are familiar with the ACT, the standardized test used widely in the Midwest to gauge high school students’ academic aptitude and guide them into college. The ACT measures four areas of study: reading, writing, mathematics, and science. Students can score up to 36 on each subject; their final score is a composite of their scores in each area. According to ACT’s Marketing & Communications office, less than one-tenth of one percent, or 0.001%, of students who take the ACT manage a perfect score, a 36 on each quadrant of the test. Yet that score was attained by senior Dan Politte. Reactions to the test score have been mostly congratulatory and celebratory. “The first five minutes I was like, ‘Whoooo! Whoooo! Whoooo!’” said Politte. “I wasn’t expecting it.” “Did he? Really! I didn’t know that!” said physics teacher Mr. Thomas upon hearing the news. “He’s a great kid, he deserves it. I’m really glad for him.” Others, such as Politte’s calculus teacher, Mr. Igoe, understands how Politte could accomplish this feat. “I’m not surprised that he did well on the ACT,” said Mr. Igoe, Politte’s calculus teacher. “I’ve had Dan all four years, and he is excellent… uniformly excellent.”
His sister, Christine Politte, freshman, concluded, “I think it’s really cool, and I’m proud that he did that… but it does set the bar pretty high for me.” In middle school, Politte was part of the Duke TIP program, and took the ACT in 7th grade. Additionally, he took ACT Prep at U. City. “I think I owe a lot… to an ACT practice course they offered when I was in 10th grade,” Politte said. Mike Sarber, senior and friend to Dan, took the course with Politte and recalls one day in particular. “Do you remember that time Mrs. Hagan came into class and yelled, ‘Dan, you got a 35 on the ACT!’” said Sarber. To students seeking to follow in Dan’s footsteps, Igoe offers sage advice. “If you can apply as much time as he does on his studies outside of school, you might be looking at some good scores… but there’s no substitute for using your time wisely. I would encourage folks to take the ACT, even if they’ve already taken it, if they think they could do better… there can still be opportunities for scholarships or reduced spending, and I hate to see missed opportunities.” Thomas also had some tips. “The thing that stands out about Dan is [that] he really wants to figure things out for himself. He will work on problems and get them wrong a few
In AP Physics, Daniel Politte works out a problem. He is currently deciding between attending University of Missouri, Washington University and University of Illinois. PHOTO BY MADELINE LEWIS
times before asking for assistance. I guess the word is ‘perseverance,’ he doesn’t give up. I think when you’re willing to put the time in after you’ve made mistakes is when real learning occurs.”
NEWS 3
Sandy Hook shooting brings forth security questions
U-Times February 2013
Should teachers be armed?
U-Times February 2013
INAUGURATION 4
25 students chosen to att
Only the most notabe people received front row seats in the gallery overlooking the podium at the inaguration. Democratic Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill provided U. City with their tickets to the inaguration. PHOTO BY CARL SECHRIST
D.C. trip provides once-in-a lifetime opportunity By Reneise White Staff Writer Early in December, Mr. Maclin, principal, called a special assembly to announce that 26 students would be given the opportunity to attend the inauguration of President Barack Obama to his second term as president of the United States. Students would be selected based on the following criteria: they must be a junior or senior, must be passing all their classes and must have an attendance rate of 93% or higher. There were 188 students that met those requirements. Next, the students and their parents had to attend the mandatory Parent Night meeting in order to be able to submit the last requirement, which was the essay. There were 100 families who attended the Parent Night. The essay requirement consisted of writing a 7501500 word essay about the most memorable moment of the presidential election, excluding election day and the day after. The students were given until December 10 to turn in their papers. When it was all over, 80 students submitted the essay.
On December 14, students were notified if they were selected to go to the Presidential Inauguration. At this point, selected students had to attend three different mandatory meetings to take care of forms and the $100 fee, the only fee students had to pay. Donors covered the rest of the cost of the trip. The students also had to prepare for dealing with all the media coverage from local media outlets and CNN before and during the first two days of the trip. As Friday, January 18 arrived, the 26 chosen students and 8 chaperones had mixed emotions about the four day trip. Some were nervous to fly on a plane for the first time, some were excited about leaving the state for the first time, and others were still in a bit of a state of shock that they were even going. “I never thought I would get the chance to go to D.C., which is the place I always wanted to visit,” said junior Marlynna Blumer. After arriving in D.C., students were impressed at the number of national memorials they visited, including the Washington Monument, the World War II Memorial, the
Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the Martin Luther King Memorial, the FDR Memorial, the Pentagon Memorial, the U.S. Capitol Building, Arlington Cemetery, and many more. “The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial was just one of those places that you wouldn’t understand unless you were there,” said Darion Young, junior. “It was a lifetime accomplishment for me.” Other students connected more with other memorials. Alexis Kozhevsky, junior, saw the Pentagon Memorial as an immediate favorite. “The Pentagon or the 9/11 Memorial was made so recently that I had emotions for it and the structure was so simple but it had a really big message,” said Kozhevsky. After an exhausting day of learning and fun, even the chaperones went straight to bed. Ms. Pritchard, volunteer coordinator, was one of them. “I brought books, movies, and work, “said Pritchard. “I went straight to sleep, though. We got back late each night, so when we got back I was looking for my pillow.
After visiting the Smithsonian Museums, Jeffrey Standifer, Molly Paterson, Daniel Politte, Abby Mutrux, Grace Deitzler and Mr. Wurst stand outside of the Museum of Natural History, waiting for the group to walk to Pi Pizzeria. “It was great seeing the Smithsonian museums for the first time,” says Deitzler. “Seeing all of those artifacts from history in one place was really inspiring.”
Obama’s two terms inspire students By Reneise White Staff Writer
Experiencing the inauguration of the second term of the first African American U.S. President was like being a part of history in the making and provided the highlight of the Washington D.C. trip for students. Most could not believe they were actually there. “It’s hard to describe,” said senior Ethan Farber. “I was beyond excitement. I was so excited that I could not comprehend it.” After landing in D. C., students were thrilled to get started sightseeing and were impatient for Inauguration Day to come about. Not only were the students excited, but the chaperones felt the same way. “I can’t say I was excited because I could not believe it was happening,” said Ms. Pezzola, social
studies teacher. “It was affirming in that everything we saw represented the values that we as Americans need to hold on to.” At the Inauguration, Mr. Horn, social studies teacher, took in President Obama’s speech and honored our students for their hard work that brought them to this point of success. “I am very proud of the students, proud of being a part of our nation’s history and to see the progress that we’ve made,” said Horn. “It was really awesome to see.” On the way home from the trip, Ms. Conner, science teacher, reflected on what type of message she thinks the trip should send to our students. “The fact that Barack Obama, a black man, got two terms, means that any black male can do anything they want to do,” said Conner.
Standing inside of the World War II Memorial, Daniel Politte and Janae Miller read one of the inscriptions, a quote by Colonel Oveta Culp Hobby: “Women who stepped up were measured as citizens of the nation, not as women...this was a people’s war, and everyone was in it.” The memorial was one of many the students visited on their four-day trip. “I appreciated the focus the monument puts on women,” says Politte, “They really were very important to the success of the Allies in World War II.”
Seniors Elie Hudson and Grace Deitzler excitedly stand on the National Mall, thirty minuted before the start of the inauguration. The temperature was 30 degrees, but braving the cold temperature paid off as President Obama gave his speech. “Obama was perfect,” says Hudson. “I was holding back tears.”
At the Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Camaron Ballard, Rashad Scales, Madelin Mattli, Jeffrey Standifer, Courtney Lee and Janae Miller collect their baggage. “I was excited to meet CNN’s Don Lemon,” says Sandifer, “We were taking the first step on the trip.” Lemon is the CNN reporter who shadowed the students for two days and did a segment about the trip on CNN. PHOTO BY MS. PRITCHARD
U-Times February 2013
The entire group on the steps outside of the House Chambers at the U.S. Capitol building following a tour of the inside. “The Capitol Rotunda was stunning, and it felt amazing to stand in the same place that so many important politicians have throughout history,” says Madelin Mattli,
INAUGURATION 5
tend inauguration in D.C.
U-Times February 2013
FEATURES 6
Students volunteer at Ice Carnival for first time By Alice Mutrux Co-Editor Living in University City, there’s only one event during which an onlooker can spot penguins and snowmen wandering the sidewalks on a sunny day. The annual Loop Ice Carnival, which spanned from Jan. 18-19, filled the street of Delmar with hundreds of locals and out-of-towners in search for a fun weekend. Starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, activities such as a temporary tattoo scavenger hunt for kids, ice putt putt, human dog sled races, and assorted game booths were scattered in front of 57 boutiques and eateries. Spectators stopped by to watch artists from Ice Visions carve spectacular sculptures out of blocks of ice in the Fitz’s parking lot. In addition, 48 other elaborate ice sculptures were distributed in front of businesses, each representing a different store or restaurant. Thirteen students from U. City volunteered to help with the set up and clean up of the Ice Carnival, and many went above and beyond to help out. A portion of students worked at the ‘information igloo’ passing out fliers and maps, and directing people to different locations, whereas other volunteers engaged more with the crowds along Delmar. Myah Waters, sophomore, and Brandon Walker, freshman, interacted with the kids playing carnival
games and going down the ice slides. “I volunteered because I was bored and had nothing else to do that weekend, but I ended up having fun entertaining the kids around the ice sculptures,” said Walker. A Loop business owner and director of marketing, Jessica Bueler, chaperoned the students and was impressed by their effort. “I was actually surprised with how well the students did at the information booth engaging people, answering questions, and handing out the maps for the event,” said Beuler. “There was one particular student who was just fantastic! Devante Thomas helped out at our ‘information igloo’ by distributing Loop Ice Carnival maps to visitors, and he even stayed late and helped us pack up everything into our cars after the event was over. He was such a big help, we really hope to have him back again next year!” Some of the students signed up to work The Loop Ice Carnival to earn more volunteer hours and others out of sheer curiosity. Most had never been to the carnival before and were pleasantly surprised by their experience. “I volunteered to wear a penguin suit and convinced all of the other penguins to slide head-first down the ice slides.” said freshman Dustin Veal. “I will most definitely be returning [to the Ice Carnival] in the future. My goal next year is to get paid for dressing up like a penguin.”
SENIOR RIDES:
Old cars make new memories By Carl Sechrist Web Editor A car is an important part of many people’s lives, and because of that, what somebody drives can say a lot about who they are or where they come from. Sedan? Truck? Hatch or SUV? Each of these vehicles says something about the lifestyle of the driver. As college approaches, many seniors have begun to drive on a regular basis, and may even have their own vehicles. Many seniors have average, fairly boring cars, but the stories that come with them are not always quite as mundane.
Grace Deitzler, who drives an underpowered ’99 Volvo S70, that “takes a long time to accelerate,” participated in the Tire Rack Street Survival School, sponsored by the BMW Club, shortly after receiving her license in October 2011. The goal of the school is to get teen drivers comfortable with their cars and to teach them valuable skills to get out of sticky situations. Unlike traditional defensive driving programs, which are akin to an abstinence-only health class strategy, Street Survival requires the student to find and exceed the limits
Seniors Ethan Farber and Eliana Hudson regularly park their cars parallel to Jackson Park Elementary. PHOTO BY CARL SECHRIST
The ice slides, a big hit with the kids, as well as some students. Freshman Dustin Veal, dressed in a penguin suit, tried out the slide. PHOTO BY ALICE MUTRUX
of their car in a safe, closed-course environment. “How to turn into the spin” was one of the most notable skills she learned, said Deitzler. The school puts students into a “freak situation” scenario and teaches them how to make it out in a safe and controlled manner. “Luckily I haven’t had to use any of the skills, but it’s still good to have them,” said Deitzler, The one day event costs only $75, which is a great value when considering the costs of not taking part. “It’s a great deal for the entire day,” said Deitzler. There is an event scheduled for May 11, and there will probably be one or two more in the area this year. Inherited from her grandmother, Jordan Kennedy drives a 2004 Mazda Protégé 5 with added cool points because it has a manual transmission. Kennedy claims that it can go as fast as 190mph, “tested once,” while her grandmother was still driving it. The car also has an upgraded sound system with 30 inch speakers, tinted windows and “always smells like Black Ice [air freshener].” Elie Hudson has also benefitted from her grandparents. She has just begun to drive on a regular basis and is currently using her grandparent’s 2002 Ford Escort. “I ‘got’ my car December-ish. I don’t really use it [that much], just to get to and from work, run errands, et cetera,”
she said. Although it seems to run well enough – after all it is a grandparent car – “it’s a really old, basic car, and so sometimes the [sound] only comes out of one of the speakers,” she said. And since it doesn’t even have a cassette player, “I’m stuck listening to either radio [music] or NPR.” Although she didn’t know the exact mileage, Madeline Mattli, who owns a red 1998 Honda Civic, thinks that it might have more than 200,000 miles on it. Like Kennedy, she earns bonus points because this particular Civic contains a manual transmission, or “stick shift.” “I don’t care about its rattly engine”, she said. “It’s my baby.” Chris States owns a used 1993 Toyota Camry. The only problem with it, he says, is that one of the window motors is broken. “The window stopped working when we drove it off the lot,” he said. Although the car is technically his, States has “no idea” whether or not the college he goes to will allow him to have it freshman year. It is likely that he will probably have to let it sit at home for a year before he can bring it on campus. “I’m not too picky [about cleaning it],” he said. If it is unlikely to rain, he will wash and vacuum the car about once a month. This car was a “necessary” buy, States said, and if he could buy any car he wanted, “I would get a Mini Cooper.”
My Liah Patton, sophomore
Fashion trends: boot up! By Kayla Holmes Staff Writer
rkly Spaggs U
Sequel provides new experience By Jihira Patton Staff Writer Call of Duty: Black Ops II became the highest grossing game of the month of November when it was released on November 13, 2012 selling 7.5 million copies. It is the ninth game in the Call of Duty series and the sequel to Black Ops. Having played both Black Ops and Black Ops II I would have to say that the franchise has made significant improvements as far as overall gaming goes and graphics. When it comes to graphics, they improved on the quality and realism of the environment and guns. These help increase the game play itself and make the player feel like they’re in the game. When it comes to game play it is much smoother and does not skip often like Black Ops did when I played that online. Speaking of online matches, the menus have been changed and the loading times of matches have decreased which makes waiting a lot easier. This makes playing faster and fun. Customization is a big thing when it comes to gaming and being able to customize the perks I want for my weapon or the gear to use for my soldier makes the gaming experience that much more enjoyable. Black Ops II is a great game and I would recommend it to any gamer who is into war games and have played or not played any of the Call of Duty franchises.
Trends come and go with the year and season but as of winter 2013, boots are in. All types of boots including Ugg Australia, combat boots, Doc Martens and Timberland. Everyday these boots are stomping down the halls of our school and are worn with jeans and a colorful blouse or a denim shirt. Uggs are a returning fashion. For the past few years, everyone has built a small collection of Uggs that make their way out of the closet for casual occasions only during the winter. Another repeated trend is Timberlands. Many years back Timberlands were all the rage and only the trendiest people had a pair. Doc Martens are a new trend. A while ago no one had heard of them, but now they are all over U. City. People wear them but in the most exotic colors, such as bright pink, yellow, red and purple, and of course there are those who prefer the simple but just as fabulous black.
Immersed in vegetables at Frida’s Deli in the Loop By Micheal Johnson Editorial Writer In a nod to the liberal Loop-loving University City culture, a new vegetarian deli has opened not far from our school. Frida’s is nestled in a tiny space on North and South Road just north of Delmar. The bright mixture of earthy colors on the walls and plates welcomed our group on a cold afternoon. A sign on the wall proudly announces that everything is recycled or composted. My drink arrived with an earth-friendly paper straw. Orders are placed at the register and the food was promptly delivered to our table. An eclectic selection of 13 sandwiches and 3 salads are available for under
$10. We did not sample any of the intriguing smoothies (for example the Fountain of Youth with coconut water, strawberries, peaches, mango, lemon, and tocos). At a vegetarian establishment, a scrumptious salad is expected and was delivered freshly by Frida’s. The ultimate veggie salad arrived in an enormous bowl. The tangy ranch dressing inspired me to finish off all the croutons. The quesadilla was made with a brown rice tortilla that was too crunchy for my taste but was nicely spiced with chunks of red pepper and scallions embedded in the cheese. A white cheddar grilled cheese was an interesting variation with a soft bun, arugula and avocado. The mushroom Reuben stuffed with sauerkraut was also
voted a winner at our table. In the drink category, I thought the sweet zinger juice to be heavy on the carrots without enough sweetness. Be prepared for a healthy, vegetable-laden adventure at Frida’s. You won’t find French fries or hot dogs on this menu. The small size of the dining area and deli atmosphere did not imply a lingering lunch. Sidewalk tables give the promise of relaxed dining when the temperature climbs. Frida’s is worth a return visit that will include a taste of their award-winning (Riverfront Times Reader’s Choice) vegan burger. Frida’s is open 11am-7pm Tuesday-Friday and 11am-4pm Saturday-Monday.
What’s on your iPod? Sophomore Diamond Jones listens to Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Jessie J, One Direction, Bruno Mars and Rihanna. “I like a lot of diverse music but, mostly pop,” says Diamond. She gets her music from mp3 download app on her Android phone.
Junior Andew Bates “You know I had to get that ‘Finally Rich Album,” says Bates. He listens to Kendrick Lamar’s “Poetic Justice” and also artists such as J.Cole, Chief Keef and Wale. “Download music from www.livemixtape. com and also www.youtube.”
Freshman Reggie Morris listens to “Theft Shop” by Macklemore featuring Ryan Lewis. He also likes songs by Yo Gotti, Tyga, A$AP Rocky, and Rich Kids. He gets his music from ITunes.
ENTERTAINMENT 7
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U-Times February 2013
PICKS OF THE ISSUE...
U-Times February 2013
COMPETITION 8
TALL TILLMAN 6’8” senior leads team in points and rebounds; fifth in area in blocked shots By Kayla Homes Staff Writer In just three years, senior Darnell Tillman has grown in many ways including height, skills and responsibility. Tillman started out at 6’1, a freshman with no plans of participating in sports, clubs, or any extracurricular activities. By his sophomore year, Tillman had been influenced by family to play basketball. When he started it was only because everyone in his house played. Over the years, he began to like the sport as his skills grew. Along with his skills he began to grow and stood out from the team, becoming the leading player this year. “My height makes me different from other basketball players,” said Tillman. “I’ve grown three inches since sophomore year.” Tillman also acquired responsibility.
Other players expect certain things fromWWinnhim so he has learned to anticipate where to be at all times. He has people who depend on him to be where he needs to be. “I used to look for others to score; now it’s my turn.” Tillman doesn’t get his skills by doing nothing; he has to work hard in and outside of practice. He goes running on his own and lifts weights to get in shape for games. He also started training earlier in the year. “I came everyday over the summer,” said Tillman. “I jogged by myself while others were partying.” Besides high school basketball, Tillman also plays for a club basketball team. His club team has helped him to become exposed to interested colleges. As of now, he says Georgia Tech, Alabama University, Pine Bluff Arkansas, and Mizzou are interested in him. Another benefit of playing for a club team is the traveling. So far, Tillman has traveled to Indiana, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Louisville to play in showcase tournaments. “Traveling was the best thing so far,” said Tillman. Tillman has made much progress since he started playing basketball. This year, he’s consistently been listed as one of the top five block shot leaders in the area, according to stltoday.com. When he began, he wasn’t allowed to start games very often but now he’s always in from the beginning. “I started sometimes but I was under everybody so I had to wait,” said Tillman. “Now I just go out and play.” Knowing what it’s like to be a new player, Tillman sees potential in a younger teammate, sophomore Omar Foster. “I see a lot of potential in Omar,” said Tillman. “He was just like I was last year, People never pass him the ball; he has to get it himself.” Foster also sees similarities in him and Tillman’s strengths and weaknesses. “It’s the number, we’re both 24. We have the same problem, getting the ball to the post,” said Foster. “We score the same way and he gets more rebounds than me. He is a real good player though.”
At the Parkway West game in January, senior Darnell Tillman wins the tip-off. “As soon as the ball is thrown in the air, the game is on,” says Tillman.
The rules of the FIRST robotics competition are strict and freshman Jonah Zukosky is responsible for ensuring that the specifications are met and the rules of competition are followed.
Robotics team works to finish building by Feb. 19 deadline By Samuel Polzin Staff Writer
now become something more than just filler on a resume. He is really enjoying it, and is confident in regards to the After school, sometimes as late as next three years. 10 pm, the whir of saws and click-clack The lead builder has been Sarber, of keys can be heard from one of the but sophomores like Walter Deitzler most remote corners of the school, have been stepping up. Deitzler now down by the lecture hall, and it is helps in every aspect of building and underclassmen who are sitting behind leads the design team. the tools. “I love to build, and I feel lucky Trained for success by today’s to be on the high school team,” said seniors, underclassmen are learning to Walter Deitzler. take the lead during the 2013 robotics Grace Deitzler doesn’t do much season. building, and Seniors is instead the Grace Deitzler, oil that keeps Daniel Politte, the machine and Mike running… Sarber have figuratively, of been on course. the robotics “I am the team since organizer,” said they were Grace Deitzler. freshmen, “I do the when it first paperwork, talk came to U. to the press, lead City, in the discussions, and 2009-2010 motivate people.” school year. The question They are the is, however, who current cowill be stepping captains and up next year to have been fill her spot. the brains of With a Senior Mike Sarber provides instruction to freshman the operation Christine Politte about how to use a jigsaw to cut Lexan. disappointing throughout “Stop Build Day” was Feb. 19 and the team was no season last year, longer able to work on the robot until March 14, one the past four after being the years, but they day before the competition. PHOTOS BY SAM POLZIN highest ranked AND CARL SECHRIST will be gone rookie team in next season. 2010 and making Politte, who has been programming it to the FIRST Robotics Championship the robots for the past four years, is in 2011, the team is looking for currently teaching freshman Joshua another strong showing. They also Stueck to take over the job next year. encourage community members to “I was interested in getting to know come out and cheer for U. City at the programming, and I thought robotics district competition at the Chaifetz would help me out as I look ahead to Arena March 14-16, which is open to college,” said Stueck. the public and free of admission. For Stueck, the robotics team has