U-TIMES U. City High School 7401 Balson Ave University City, MO 63130
ALL THE RIGHT NOTES
By Eliot Fuller and Rebecca Rico
Staff Writers We’ve all heard the phrase “practice makes perfect.” The band, orchestra and choir lived up to the saying on Dec. 6, at the annual winter concert. With an abundance of holiday-themed pieces, the students showed off their skills and hours of practice. At 6 pm, family and friends filed into the auditorium to watch the musicians’ hard work pay off. The band was the first to take the stage. Senior Lamont Harvey who plays on the drumline felt as though the group was well prepared for the spotlight. “We practiced every class since Homecoming and mixed it with practice for basketball games,” Harvey said. “We had to go back and forth between concert and
marching band.” As the band wrapped up their finale, the orchestra was standing by, ready to perform. “I practiced an hour and a half every day for a month, and I got private lessons to prepare for the concert,” Marley Gardner, freshman, said.
REVIEW Gardner plays violin and has been in the orchestra for six years, dating back to elementary school. Folake Adewale is also a freshman, playing in her first high school winter concert. “The concert was really fun, and the pieces were interesting to play,” Adewale said. Her personal favorite song was “Chant, Chorale, and Dance” by Bill Calhoun. “It had a lot of staccato
movement, which are very short, fast notes,” she said. “Although the advanced orchestra sped it up a bit, I still think we did good.” After the orchestra finished, it was finally time for the choir. Both Marquess Pearson and D’avion Reed, first year choir students and seniors, landed a solo at the concert. “It was stressful and nerve racking,” Reed said. “I don’t like singing in front of people.” Although Pearson initially considered himself more of a dancer, he was recruited by choir teacher Caroline Ibnabdeljalil after performing in last year’s musical, “Sister Act.” “Mrs. I. (Ibnabdeljalil) tells me I have a lot of raw talent,” Pearson said. “Singing is something that can be learned and perfected with time.”
U-Times December 2018 Volume 29, Issue 2
NEWSMAGAZINE
Mia Khlor, sophomore, plays the violin to “Hallelujah.” “The song was very graceful and we had good dynamics,” Khlor said. “We played the song well as a group and we were very synchronized.”
Members of the drumline, including Diamante Tucker, Khyri Carr, Jaheim Stampley, Jeremiah Jackson and Lamont Harvey, perform during their portion of the concert. “We were short a lot of people and had to read the music and cover the parts they would have normally played,” Harvey said.
Playing in sync, the orchestra comes together for the start of the concert. “‘Hallelujah’ was our first piece all together as one combined orchestra,” said Annie Rhodes, junior. “It was my favorite song.”
The choir sings “A Prayer for Tomorrow” by Allen Pote, one of three songs they performed based on the Holocaust. “The artist visited Auschwitz and wrote a song with the words he found on the walls,” Alona Jenkins, senior, said.
IN THIS ISSUE
4-5
2-3 Opinion/News • Anti-Semitism
• Loop trolley
• Dangers of underage gambling
Gun Violence • Gun violence in America
7
6 Features
• Staff Editorial
Performing his solo, “I Will Make the Difference,” tenor Marquess Pearson, senior, concentrates on the song. “When I’m about to get ready to perform I clear my head,” said Pearson. “You’re mind is your worst enemy when you’re about to perform. It’s what causes people to mess up.” PHOTOS BY REBECCA RICO, NEZA GRILC, ELISA CAVALIERE
• Stress and classwork
Sports • Boys Basketball
• Powder Puff
December 2018
opinion
When you realize your minority status By Julian Albright Co-Editor
For 18 years of my life, nothing ever made me feel like a minority, that is, until 11 people were shot and killed. Granted, at first glance most people would not assume that I am in a minority group. When people look at me, they see a heterosexual white male, probably the most unlikely person to be pegged as a minority. Attending school at U. City, however, has made me a minority just because the majority of students are black. This never affected me. I never felt out of place, like I didn’t have friends or feel excluded. But I’m not talking about race, I’m talking about a minority group that is often overlooked: Jews. Why am I just now addressing the issue of Jewish people being a minority? Because modern day anti-Semitism is often overlooked, even when it constantly plagues our world. It is pretty much accepted by educated people that after 6 million Jews were slaughtered in the Holocaust, Jews now account for around 0.2% of the world’s population and 2.2% of the U.S. population. In comparison,
according to the Pew Research Center, in 2015 the world population was 31.2% Christian and 24.1% Muslim. According to the U.S. Census, the black population in America is estimated to make up about 13.3% of the total population. Looking at the numbers, no argument can be made against Jews being a minority. There are simply fewer of us. But many Jews are white, privileged and financially well off, which makes people think it is not important to acknowledge that Jews are a minority. However, when community centers are receiving bomb threats, people are being shot and killed, cemeteries are getting ransacked and college campuses becoming non-inclusive, it seems like the responsible thing to do. I suppose that part of me has always realized that Jews were a minority. I was aware of the over 100 bomb threats that were called in during 2017. I was also in U. City and helped to clean up the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery after it was vandalized last year. But the event that really struck me about being a minority was when 11 people were shot and killed at the Tree of Life Synagogue in an area of
Pittsburgh called Squirrel Hill, an area where I have family. For some reason, for the first time, I felt more cautious, almost scared to be a Jew in America. Immediately, I had some insight into what other minorities feel the majority of their lives. I was always aware of the struggle of minorities just by living in U. City, but after the shooting I felt as if I could actually relate to the struggle of fear. I was still proud of being Jewish, but it seemed more dangerous to express my beliefs in a country that protects freedom of religion in the constitution. It made me, and plenty of my Jewish peers, hesitant about publicly embracing our religion, and it was not a pleasant sight to see my own temple increase security. Obviously, this is not a topic that only affects Jews. I’m aware that Jews are not the only people who can be oppressed. But the fact that Jews have been attacked for their beliefs for thousands of years, makes it upsetting that it is still happening. From being removed from our homeland by the ancient Romans, to the Spanish Inquisition in the 1400’s, to the Holocaust, to Neo-Nazis in 2018, it is quite tiring not being accepted,
2
wherever we choose to live. I admit that while Jews, inarguably, are not the most struggling minority in the world, it is important to acknowledge how small our group of people actually are and not ignore the fact that anti-Semitism is still very real in 2018. We need the same amount of support that has been demonstrated through the Black Lives Matter movement or the fight for women’s rights. Although there was a lot of activity on social media in the days following the Pittsburgh shooting, more support is never bad. The fight for religious freedom in our country still isn’t over, and that pretty much goes for any religion that isn’t Christianity. This is no attack on America, any other religions or a competition to see which minority group is oppressed the worst. Actually, consider this a public service announcement to communicate that, as Americans, we need to recognize that anti-Semitism is alive and well and to not forget that support for Jews matters as much as other groups. Our country must not forget the significance of all the groups of people who live within its borders.
Gambling addiction damages underage teens By Elijah Ballard Guest Writer
High school students face stress daily for a variety of reasons, but underage gambling is one that goes unnoticed. I was one of the unnoticed that fell victim to underage gambling. I didn’t know what I was getting into. Online gambling was an avenue for me to relieve my stress but ultimately led to catastrophic problems in my life. Students across the globe, like me, are constantly being fed into this addiction that’s almost impossible to give up. Underage gambling is an addiction that must be stopped. The majority of my time was spent online, gambling on unregulated websites that permitted anyone to place bets if they had access to a credit card. At 14-years old, I didn’t understand the repercussions of such an act. I spent time at lunch gambling with friends, and again when I got home. I usually lost, and because of unawareness, I gambled again, and again and again. It was a rinse and repeat cycle. It lasted until one day when I looked into the mirror and realized everyone I knew had disappeared from my life. My friends and family had vanished and I had lost control. In hindsight, I wish I’d known that underage gambling wasn’t an addiction unique to me, but instead a growing addiction for youth in America. According to knowtheodds.org, studies in recent years have shown a 2.1% increase in underage gambling from
2018-2019 U-Times Staff Co-Editor: Julian Albright Co-Editor: Linsey Sparks Sports Editor: Eliot Fuller Web Editor: Eliot Fuller Staff Writers/Photographers: Jaden Brooks Ian Feld Grace Klein Emma McMahon Rebecca Rico Charya Young Adviser: Mrs. Mary Williams
ages 14-21, which amounts to roughly 2,605,306 teens. This means over 2 million young adults are gambling in numerous ways through loopholes in the system. The problem is that young adults aren’t aware of the harsh repercussions of their actions. The average brain of a young adult doesn’t fully develop until 23 or 24 years old, which allows teens to gamble despite underdeveloped logical thinking skills. I gambled through a video game called Counter-Strike. Third-party websites allowed me to convert items I purchased in the game to currency I could gamble with. Through this loophole, thousands of young adults are able to place bets in an unregulated system. However, some states regulate online gambling and take it very seriously. According to New Jersey’s online gambling website, “[The state] takes strong verification checks on all customers at the time of account establishment.” Many states have followed suit. Missouri, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and 11 others have enforced online gambling laws in their state. If the rest of America practiced these laws, online gambling wouldn’t be as accessible. Teenagers gamble in different variations such as with dice and cards, and also on sporting events. For social experience or monetary gain, these “harmless” ways of gambling can turn into serious addictions. Students resort to locations such as the bathroom or library where minimal faculty are present. College students gamble
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 establishing U-Times as a public forum, student editors will apply
as well. According to sciencedirect. com, students from both University of Memphis and Nevada gambled at casinos. Of the respondents, 24.2% from Memphis and 52.7% from Nevada had illegally gambled in casinos. Similar to how college students obtain drugs or alcohol easily, they also find easy ways to gamble that aren’t online. Many solutions to this problem exist, one would include reducing advertising. Advertisements portray gambling as a successful business that “changes lives.” When gambling is translated through advertisements in a positive connotation, kids believe it. At the University of Sydney, researchers found in 2007 that North Carolina State Lottery spent over $385,000 on advertising and scholarships for university events, essentially promoting underage gambling. They also discovered a New York advertisement that read, “All you need is a dollar and a dream.” These false advertisements come from credible sources that shed a positive light on gambling and leave a convincing message to youth. While lowering the amount of positive advertisements surrounding gambling will have a positive impact on America as a whole, other things can be done at the school level. Students at U. City can work together to make this addiction less probable for fellow students by working with administration to add it to common curriculum. Plenty of information is available about drugs and alcohol, but rarely underage gambling. An
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 educational process, copyright infringement, or unwarranted invasion of privacy.
Policies
idea would be to implement underage gambling lessons into the Personal Finance curriculum that teaches the value of money and how gambling affects it, as well as having an assembly focusing on underage gambling. During the assembly, professionals from the National Council of Problem Gambling and students damaged by underage gambling would speak to the student body about why gambling is harmful. Ultimately, parents are the ones who can stop an underage gambling addiction before it starts. Common symptoms that show addiction include missing school, grade drops, less interest in extracurricular activities, mood swings and increased value in money. If parents become aware of these symptoms, they must be the ones who communicate with the student and get professional aid which can be found by calling the National Council on Problem Gambling at 1-800-522-4700 or using their live text chat. Parents can also call Missouri’s Gambling hotline at 888-BETS-OFF. An addiction to underage gambling produces detrimental effects in the lives of those addicted, in addition to their families and friends. According to Missouri law, a person must be 21 years of age to gamble legally. If violated, young adults could be put in jail and it could negatively impact the rest of their life. I was affected by underage gambling, and I didn’t let my friends and family know. For those who make the same mistake, seek help. You are not alone.
Opinions expressed on the editorial page do not reflect the viewpoints of the school administration. All editorials (unsigned) represent a majority opinion of the Editorial Board. Signed editorials, columns, editorial cartoons, and reviews reflect the views of the author and not necessarily those of the U-Times Editorial Board. The U-Times reserves the right to reject, edit, or shorten letters. Submit letters to Mrs. Mary Williams in Room L306, or to any U-Times staff
member, or to marywilliams@ ucityschools.org.
Contact Us
We are located in Room L 306 at University City High School, 7401 Balson Ave., University City, MO 63130. Our email address is marywilliams@ucityschools.org. Tweet us or follow us on Instagram @utimesonline.
3
news
December 2018
Trolley up and running after multiple delays
By Jaden Brooks Staff Writer
Just before the kick-off of the holiday season on Nov. 15, the Loop trolley was finally put into action although it did not actually operate in U. City until two days later because a city permit was lacking. According to FOX 2 News, Gregory Rose, University City city manager, said the city was nervous about an electric pole near the library that was unsafe for vehicles and pedestrians. After overcoming many delays, Joe Edwards’ dream finally came true. It took over 20 years to get the Loop trolley operating. “Years ago, in 1997, there was a neighborhood gathering of people trying to figure out how to spur development east of Skinker and save the neighborhood because it was going down, down, down,” Joe Edwards, trolley developer, said. “Finally it hit me, an hour and a half into the meeting. We should bring back a trolley, a streetcar system.” Delays occurred for many reasons, which Edwards compares to other sizeable projects. “It’s hard to describe for a major project, there’s the Arch grounds [which] happened several years after expected,” Edwards said. “The Blues hockey practice center that was up and down, up and down, up and down, it’s finally about to happen. It’s like if somebody remodels a kitchen, it usually comes in a little later than they thought originally and that happened with this project. Some of it was the time it took the company to retrofit the cars.” There are two cars operating right now from Thursday through Sunday, with a third car expected in a couple of months. “It will be up and running this spring when the Loop trolley system will go seven days a week with longer hours and it will really be meaningful to St. Louis at that moment,” Edwards said. As for the delays, Edwards cites a variety of reasons. “We are only one of five cities in United States that got the Urban Circulator Grant, $25 million dollars,” Edwards said. “Sixty-five cities tried for this funding. We are one of five who received it, otherwise it would have gone to a different state. That [was] the key question, it had to be on electric transit. It can’t be spent it on education, healthcare, or anything else. It was very meaningful, it's not coming out of general revenue, it’s self-supporting in that regard. It was important to me to not get the money from the general funds, only out of the Federal Transit Urban Circulator Fund.” Although Edwards put a lot of energy into funding for the trolley, he admits that some businesses in the Loop suffered during construction. “It was tricky during construction,” Edwards said. “Contractors tried to give as much access as possible during that time. A furniture store closed six months before construction, but they closed their store downtown at a similar time, and there was no trolley construction downtown. A clothing boutique, Sole & Blues, closed, but they also closed their three other stores.” Edwards mentions that he is the owner of several businesses in the Loop and was keenly aware of the impact of trolley construction. “It’s much easier to blame a highly visible project,” Edwards said. “On the other side of Delmar, [it] impacted many businesses more and people did suffer at times, but not for long--it wasn’t devastating, but it was tougher. At the most, it was only six weeks in front of a business.” Now that it is finally up and running, the Loop trolley has been received well. “We are pleased to have the trolley up and running,” Terry Crow, mayor of University City, said. “The trolley connects two of the treasures of St. Louis – the Delmar Loop and the History Museum in Forest Park. We hope that it will provide a nostalgic means of
The trolley stops in front of Fitz’s in the Loop. The 2.2-mile line starts in University City in front of the University City Public Library at Kingsland and Delmar and runs to the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park.
The trolley operator stays on track while making the trip from the Loop to the History Museum. The inside of the cars are finished in two-tone wood with brass fittings. PHOTOS BY JADEN BROOKS
attracting more visitors to the Loop to shop and dine.” Likewise, Edwards sees a lot of potential for the trolley to succeed. “Early response has been nothing short of phenomenal-- now that people are able to ride the cars and see how beautiful they are in the interiors,” Edwards said. “They’re gorgeous, two tones of wood and brass fittings. It’s fun to ride and it’s clean electric transit, whether you are going to work, going to see a show or going to a restaurant.” Nathan Hill, junior, is one of the people who rode the trolley when it was free during Thanksgiving break. “It was an interesting experience,” Hill said. “I don’t know if I’d do it again, but it’s definitely worth trying.”
GUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA
Intruder drills just part of school life in age of increased mass sh
By Eliot Fuller Web Editor
Multiple gunshots fired in the hallway. Teachers barricading the doors. People hiding in closets. This may sound like the climax of an action movie, but it’s actually just another day at U. City. On a weekday where students were given the day off, the entire staff was in the building, participating in a school shooting simulation led by Tier One Tactical Solutions. Brian Ashley, social studies teacher, participated in the drill. He explained that there were multiple stages of the four-hour training. “In the first part, we were in a classroom and informed that there was an active shooter in the building,” Ashley said. “We worked to try and barricade ourselves in.” From there, another simulation was run, where teachers had to decide what to do in the event of a shooting. Gunshots rang out in the hallway. “We had the option to either barricade ourselves in or get out of the building,” Ashley said. Towards the end of the training, there was one final simulation, consisting of an active shooter in the classroom. “We were in our classrooms, and someone
started firing a [starter] gun,” Ashley said. “We had to find something to throw at him, and then get behind a desk.” When students across America walk into school, they’re supposed to feel safe and secure. But in 2018, this isn’t always the case. With school shootings becoming more and more prevalent, students and teachers alike feel as though their safety is being jeopardized. According to the organization Everytown for Gun Safety, as of Dec. 1, the United States has seen 86 shootings on school grounds in the past year alone. That statistic hits close to home for many students, and has some wondering how safe they really are in school. Jayla Fitch, junior, worries that the growing number of shootings impacts how parents feel about their children’s safety. “I think it’s making people kind of hesitant about sending their kids to high schools, or just American schools in general,” Fitch said. “Because guns are so easily accessed, there can be a shooting anywhere.” As part of the generation that grew up postColumbine, Fitch recalled the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, which occurred when she was in fifth grade. She explained that since then, the country has seen many more
During this simulation, teachers barricade the door and stand ready with chairs to protect each other. “We were going through the protocol to defend ourselves,” said Nathan Pipes, social studies teacher. “I picked up a chair and instructed everyone else to do so.”
Trainers from Tier One Tactical Solutions instruct Jacqueline Cooke, front desk receptionist. “They were giving me pointers on how to help direct the building in emergency situations,” Cooke said. PHOTOS COURTESY OF TIER ONE TACTICAL SOLUTIONS
school shootings, and she has noticed a shift in the way people view the issue. “Now, as we’re growing older, we’re realizing that this is more of a problem,” Fitch said. “There could be a shooting at recess. There could be a shooting at lunch. There could be a shooting anywhere.” Last spring, many students participated in a National School Walkout on the 19th anniversary of Columbine in support of stopping school violence. One of the organizers of the local event was senior Rowan Hoel, who has been very outspoken on the issue of gun violence and its impact on U.S. schools. Her activism was sparked by the many school shootings the U.S. has recently endured. “I hate that a school shooting had to make me more aware of gun violence that happens daily, but I think that it forced me to get more involved,” Hoel said. “The mass shootings we’ve seen over the past few years have shone a light on gun violence.” Hoel explained that the frequent shootings have changed the way she feels in school. “Now, [school shootings] are always kind of in the back of my head,” Hoel said. “But at the same time, you can’t live in fear of that happening.”
Teachers listen to instruction from a Tier One Tactical Solutions trainer. “We were debriefing about the decisions we made to either flee the building or stay and hide,” said Awrey Henderson, math teacher.
Most mass shootings barely survive 24-hour news cycle By Linsey Sparks Co-Editor
Everybody knows the big names like Sandy Hook, Pulse and Parkland. These are the names that have received more news coverage than most stories. However, mass shooting are so frequent that people have a tendency to simply forget about many of them. From the Sandy Hook shooting on Dec. 14, 2012 until Dec. 3 of this year, there have been 1,913 mass shootings, according to the online publication Vox, which tracks mass shootings and the number of people injured and killed in them. The website reads, “So far in 2018, 365 people have been killed and 1,296 wounded in 327 mass shootings.” That means that there has been almost one fatal victim in a mass shooting every day this year. With that statistic, it is almost impossible for every shooting to get its deserved media coverage. And if every single mass shooting was covered, people would have no time to hear about anything else. And with everything else happening in this country surrounding politics and the economy, it just isn’t possible to cover every single mass shooting with fidelity. Because shootings occur so often, they are now in the 24-hour news cycle and then disappear. They go in one ear from the news, hang out in the memory for a few days and then head on out the other ear. Cory Barber, junior, said he remembers a mass shooting “for maybe a week at the most, because it happens so much.” “It’s just another time, another day,” said Barber. “It’s just normal at this point.” The incident at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School made headlines across the globe. The student-led activism that came as a result from the shooting in Parkland Florida, where 17 students were killed on Feb. 14, survived the 24-hour news cycle and stretched into at least nine months of media coverage. Students in Parkland knew that school shootings were so frequent and easily forgotten,
so they decided they would not let the world dismiss this one. Students organized the “March for Our Lives” protest for stricter gun laws, they landed the cover of Time magazine and have met with lawmakers to enact the changes they believe should be made. However, even after the Parkland shooting and everything the students did, mass shootings continued to happen. “... If us (sic) students have learned anything, it’s that if you don’t study, you will fail,” said Emma Gonzalez, Parkland survivor, at a gun control rally just a few days after the shooting. “And in this case if you actively do nothing, people continually end up dead, so it’s time to start doing something.” America’s weak gun laws could be at least partially to blame. A chart on Vox showed that the United States has “the weakest gun laws in the developed world.” The chart compares many different countries’ guns per 10 people and gun related deaths per 100,000 people. Ireland’s place on the chart shows that they have less than 10 guns per 100 people and around one gun-related death per 100,000 people. The United States, on the other hand, has a little over 100 guns per 100 people and around 12 gun-related deaths per 100,000 people. “So many people are getting [guns] legally because it’s so easy to get them legally,” Phoebe Thoroughman, senior, said. “Then tons of people are getting them illegally because they’re getting them from the people who have them legally.” The longest amount of time with no reported mass shootings was 11 days in January 2013, from Jan. 8 to Jan. 18, according to Vox. The only full calendar week without a mass shooting laid within those 11 days. “Mass shootings happen so often, people are immune to it these days,” Shawn Hall, senior, said. “It’s like ‘another person shot up a school’ and it’s only in the news for 2-3 days and we go on with our lives.”
When it comes to maki feels there are actions our protect our students. “I think common sense pretty obvious one,” Hoel s how easily accessible guns Some teachers have voi the issue as well. Peggy Ha thinks it’s unfair that stude a world where school shoo threat. “Children should never worrying about becoming violence,” Halter said. Halter believes the scho in preventing gun-related m could take more action to f of students. “I feel as though safety adequately addressed by b building leaders,” she said always thought that adding security would make us jus little more time, or give us the event of an active shoo During the active-shoot Michael Peoples, principal alongside his fellow admin
Colum Park Sandy Virgini Orla Las V Aur San Ber Fort Thousan Charl Pittsb Sant Jackso Louis Hous Bakers Silver Annap Ben
A
Students from U. City, Ladue and Webster Groves come together downtown on March 24 to participate in the March for Our Lives, a nationwide protest organized by Never Again MSD (student-led political action committee) and Everytown for Gun Safety. “I thought it was important for students to exercise their right to free speech because how close we are to the issue of school shootings,” Nathan Hill, junior, said.
hootings in schools
ing schools safer, Hoel country can take to
e gun control is a said. “It’s ridiculous s are in this country.” iced their concerns on alter, English teacher, ents have to live in otings are a constant
r have to go to school a victim of gun
ool is being proactive mayhem, but that it fully ensure the safety
in our school is being both the district and d. “However, I have g an extra layer of st a bit safer, buy a s advanced warning in oter.” ter simulation, l, participated nistrators and staff. He
explained the logistics of the training drills. “There was a team of [off-duty police] officers who came over to deliver the training,” Peoples said. “The training started off with a presentation. It provided some data on school shootings and police response time.” Peoples said that from there, the staff put their knowledge to the test in a school shooting simulation. “We were separated into groups, placed in classrooms, and told that we would be participating in some active shooter training that was very realistic and intense,” Peoples said. “Once we completed those, we were moved upstairs, and the main office went through a situational drill.” Peoples said he feels a great deal of pressure as the head of the building, and an obligation to keep his students safe. “In school shootings, adults are ultimately responsible for the safety of our students,” Peoples said. “As the building principal, I am responsible for everyone, both staff and students. The unfortunate reality is that school shootings have occurred, and my heart’s desire is that nothing like that would ever occur at any point of my career.”
mbine kland y Hook ia Tech ando Vegas rora rnardino Hood nd Oaks leston burgh ta Fe onville sville ston sfield Spring polis nton
An unidentified group of protesters block an intersection in downtown St. Louis during the March for Our Lives on March 24. They echo the sentiments of the student-led protests of Parkland survivors. PHOTO BY LINSEY SPARKS
FIGHT... OR FLIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS BY REBECCA RICO
STAFF EDITORIAL
AMERICA’S NEW NORMAL The wholesale killing of innocent people has become normalized. Watching the news a few weeks ago on the morning after a mass shooting in California left 12 innocent people dead, it was alarming to see the way the news anchors spoke about the tragedy in such an unaffected way. It was enough to make people turn off the TV. It becomes so unsettling to see people gloss over the murders of dozens of civilians like it’s nothing more than the weather report. And all we ever do is send our thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families. We need to implement legislation and strategies that will minimize gun violence. We know, we all know, that it’s just a matter of time, maybe only days, until the next story airs about some deranged killer who’s emptied his chamber into a crowd of people. Ever since the first real “mass shooting” at Columbine High School in 1999, there have been over 50 shootings that left five or more people dead. It seems like there’s one in the news every few weeks. It’s this trend that is so disconcerning. The fact that the population seems content with violence, as if we have recognized it as a part of American life. Sure, there is still plenty of coverage over these events, or at least the notable ones. The Las Vegas shooting that claimed the lives of 58 innocents sent the U.S. into shock and frenzy for a month, but that quickly vanished like so many traumatic events in this country. But that’s the thing: It’s hard not to forget because of the immensity and frequency. A little over a month after Las Vegas, Americans again had to deal with a rampage during a church service in Texas
where a shooter killed 25 people. This is our modern society. This is our pandemic. It sits there over our heads, and it will continue to dominate headlines until the term “mass shooting” has no meaning left. The swift descent into madness, where we can accept these tragedies and brush them off while foolishly believing it will never happen to us is extremely dangerous to the nation and every person in it. We can no longer say with any confidence that these are isolated instances that will never affect us personally. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. There will be incidents in our society. There are horrible people who do terrible things, but not with the regularity at which today’s generation has witnessed. Even so, as horrifying as it is to think about the possibility and certainty of future events, it is even more jarring to watch as we pretend that it is so normal. These are people, children often, whom we allow to be slaughtered like farm animals, their lives cut short, and we have the audacity to brush over it without hardly a second thought, without recognizing the problem plaguing society, without educating and reforming the systems that allow it to happen. Gun control has to be a priority, and long, difficult conversations around mental health have to begin. The issue of mass shootings is not one that we should take lightly, because it is utterly unnerving to see the problem fester to the point where the most disturbing part of a killing is the lack of distress it causes. If this is the future we are willing to tolerate, however, one in that we are no longer devastated for more than a few moments over terroristic acts, then large scale death will only become more prevalent.
December 2018
6
features
Students, teachers debate workload By Charya Young Staff Writer
Imagine sitting in your bedroom, it’s 10:55 pm and you have to complete three major assignments, all due by 11:59 on Google Classroom. One assignment is a summative worth 70% of your grade and will definitely take the most time to do, leaving you with little to no time to finish the other two. One teacher has informed you that if your assignment [that is worth fewer points] is late, they won’t grade it and the other teacher will take 20 points off. So, what do you do? Complete the most important assignment and save at least one grade, or complete the two assignments that will help your grade in two other classes? Homework can be headache to turn in on time when a student has seven classes to keep up with. Some students have voiced that teachers need to allow more time to complete work outside of class and ease up on how many assignments are handed out. “Teachers put work on top of work, and it gets too confusing and a bit much sometimes,” Jaleah Hatcher, sophomore, said. However, some teachers respectfully disagreed with these students, saying that time is given in and out of class to finish their work. “I know I do [give enough class time], I can’t speak for other teachers, Sherry Wibben, science teacher, said. “It’s standard practice that we give students time to do assignments. Usually if a student has a question about an assignment, they can ask me in class.
I’m the source.” Other teachers make a point that students should complete certain assignments at home and not allow it to consume class time. “It’s heartbreaking to me,” Dorthea Nevils, English teacher, said. “In previous years, I didn’t have to give up time in class for student to get work done that should have been done at home.” Further complicating matters, some students believe a few teachers are unapproachable in the classroom and would rather ask for help from other sources or not ask at all. Rhyan Haynes, junior, said she’s seen some improvement in her current teachers, but other teachers she would just prefer to google her question rather than ask the teacher. Sitting down with students and taking time to thoroughly teach a lesson and making sure everybody understands is another way that teachers can help students relieve stress and succeed. “Everybody doesn’t learn the same, everybody learns differently. I feel like they should slow down and teach the lesson more thoroughly then maybe we would understand the lessons,” Destiny Tatum, sophomore, said. “I feel like since everybody learns so differently, we shouldn’t use the grading system that we have. I don’t like it because an F shouldn’t always determine if we pass or fail a class.” Coordination is another recommendation students would make to their teachers. A lot of students take part in a sports team or an after-school activity that is time consuming. “[Teachers] don’t coordinate with
one another,” Merrick Hoel, sophomore, said. “It’s hard to manage when you have sports and other activities.” Even some teachers agree that there could be a little more communication with other faculty members when it comes to assignments and projects. “I think sometimes we do [coordinate around each other’s lessons], depending on the subject matter,” Matthew Horn, social studies teacher, said. “I think we could do a better job of coordinating together so we can maybe teach similar stuff or not overwhelm you with big assignments, especially with AP classes, but it is something that we’re working on.”
Matthew Tuths, Latin teacher, instructs his Latin 4 class. “Generally what I’ve seen is that students get behind because of poor time management and organization,” Tuths said. PHOTO BY IAN FELD
In Pre-AP Lit and Comp 2, Shadonna Robinson and Adam Holahan, sophomores, participate in a discussion on “Of Mice and Men.” “There’s a lot of work but not way too much,” Holahan said. “If you manage your time well, it’s not too bad.” PHOTO BY ALONA JENKINS
headsunlimited
Ask for Amy or Lacey • 314.863.3100 800 DeMun Ave. Clayton, MO 63105
7
sports
December 2018
Boys basketball off to best start since 2014-15 By Julian Albright Co-Editor
Beginning his second season as the head coach of the boys basketball program, Kelvin Lee’s team jumped quickly to 5-2, their best start in four seasons. Since the 2014-15 season, the Lions have not started their season with a winning record. Much of this can be attributed to the direction of Lee, who has decades of experience. Lee played college ball at Houston Baptist University, and went on to work on the coaching staffs at Baylor University and Texas A&M. He then came to St. Louis to coach high school basketball at Chaminade, Miller Career Academy, St. Mary’s and now U. City. When Lee arrived at U. City, he had a vision for making the school a better place and making his players and the student body into better people. Since the beginning of last year, Lee has been instilling his values into U. City. “I want our kids to be good students, good athletes and good people,” said Lee. “Being a good person is more
important than anything.” Lee is happy with the progress the school has made in becoming a better place, but there is still more work to be done. “This is a journey,” said Lee. “I’m committed to a 10-year deal. It will take time to get it done.” Lee’s varsity team has wasted no time turning things around. After a win on Nov. 28, against Lee’s former school, St. Mary’s, the Lions’ record improved to 2-1. Their fast start can be attributed to freshman point guard Larry Abbey, and sophomore shooting guard and leading scorer, Justin Holland, who control the Lions’ back court. After draining six 3-pointers against Trinity in the Lions’ first game of the Vianney Tournament on Nov. 26, Holland was ranked eighth in the St. Louis area in 3-point percentage, according to the St. Louis PostDispatch. His teammate, Abbey, also ranked eighth in the area in assists with 12 on the season. Holland and Abbey are thrilled to start off so hot in their young careers. “I didn’t have a great season on JV
last year, but to come back and play a lot better and start out strong feels amazing,” said Holland. The early success is somewhat surprising when it is considered that the team has only two seniors, and only two returning varsity players, Azyah Brown, senior, and Trayvon Robinson, junior. There are five sophomores and two freshman on the 13- man roster. Two of these underclassmen are Abbey and Holland, the only players ranked in the St. Louis area. Certainly the lack of age and experience has not impacted skill, but the team does lack a strong central leadership. In Lee’s opinion, the coaches are doing most of the leading, but he has faith that over the course of the season, his returning players will pick up some of the slack and act as key leaders for the players. Coach Lee and the Lions seem to have created what is looking like a “fresh start” of sorts for basketball at U. City, and they are excited to see what the season brings.
Brandon Ming, sophomore, pushes the ball up the floor during a win against McCluer South-Berkeley on Dec. 4. “If you work hard in practice, you’ll start to see it pay off, and that’s what’s happening with us right now,” said Ming. PHOTO BY GRACE KLEIN
Powder puff game ends in tie By Grace Klein Staff Writer
Every year the junior and senior girls face off in a friendly match against each other to raise awareness for breast cancer, but this year it was to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s disease. “It’s usually in October for breast cancer, but we missed it this year, so now it’s Alzheimer’s awareness for November,” said Rhyan Haynes, junior. “There are some players who have family members who suffer from it, so it’s a good way for them to get their minds off of it.” The game ended in a tie, with Ayanna Williams scoring a touchdown for the seniors, and Kristen Thompson scoring one for the juniors. Thompson and Williams are both part of the track team and their teammates agreed that they made the difference. “It was fun even though we only had nine players,” said Williams. “I played hard, got really dirty and fell a lot.” The seniors were noticeably outnumbered with the juniors having 20 players. Despite having fewer players, the seniors still feel they gave it their all and came together as a team. “Our teamwork was fantastic and we overcame the obstacle of having so few players,” said Angela Smith, senior. “We dominated with just enough.” The juniors, playing the powder puff game for the first time, felt they had their own disadvantage as well: inexperience. They also used their team camaraderie to overcome this challenge. “I feel like we all got along well but we didn’t really know what we were doing,” said Annie Rhoades, junior. “I still had a great time.”
The juniors and seniors come together for a final group photo after the game. “It was cool to get all the juniors and seniors together and not have any drama,” said Chloe Easter, junior. PHOTOS BY GRACE KLEIN
Wearing a wig, Demetrius Willingham, junior, gets pumped up before the start of the game. “I wore it because I was supposed to be a cheerleader for the girls,” said Willingham. “It was itchy though, so I won’t do it again.
Sprinting down the field, Angela Smith, senior, attempts to score a touchdown on the first play. “I ignored the play we had agreed on and just ran with the ball,” said Smith. “My flag fell off before I got the chance to score.”
Caught up in the intensity of the game, junior players gave their opponents an earful after a missed call from the ref. “The other team was cheating, so we were booing them,” said Erianna Funches, junior.
HOLIDAY TRAVEL TRADITIONS
features
“We go to North Carolina and Chicago. We play this game called ‘Grab a Bag,’ where you pick a random present under the tree, and if you don’t like it, you can switch with someone else.”
Marion Wright, sophomore
“I go to the Dominican Republic or Jamaica every year. There is family in both places, and I get to go to the beach and have home cooked meals for the holidays.”
Chloe Easter, junior
8
“I go to Detroit almost every year to see my grandmother. I love being at her house and spending time with her.”
Justice Strickland, sophomore
Least Favorites:
“Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” -Julian Albright “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” -Linsey Sparks “Little Drummer Boy” -Eliot Fuller “Carol of the Bells” -Ian Feld “Jingle Bells” -Charya Young “Baby it’s Cold Outside” -Emma McMahon “All I Want for Christmas is You” -Jaden Brooks “Jingle Bells” -Grace Klein “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” -Rebecca Rico
Favorites:
“All I Want for Christmas is You” (Mariah Carey) -Julian Albright “Believe” (Josh Groban, “The Polar Express”) -Linsey Sparks “What Christmas Means to Me” (Stevie Wonder) -Eliot Fuller “Little Saint Nick” -Ian Feld “Last Christmas” -Charya Young “Jingle Bell Rock” -Emma McMahon “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” -Jaden Brooks “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” -Grace Klein “Feliz Navidad” -Rebecca Rico
Staff Picks: The best and worst holiday songs
“I go to Dallas and Chicago every year for the holidays. One tradition my family has is going to lower income neighborhoods and higher income neighborhoods, and seeing the differences between the two in the different states.”
Rhyan Haynes, junior
Whether traveling near or far, families set aside time to visit friends and relatives for the holidays
December 2018
PHOTO BY JADEN BROOKS
See page 3
RIGHT ON TRACK
U-TIMES NEWSMAGAZINE
U. City High School 7401 Balson Ave University City, MO 63130
U-Times December 2018 Volume 29, Issue 2