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The Rockwood Board of Education determined in 2010 that starting with the Class of 2013, the cum laude system of student recognition will replace class rank. A student’s seven-semester weighted-grade GPA will determine their designation within the laude system.

Cum laude will be assigned to students with a 3.5-3.74 GPA, magna cum laude for a 3.75-3.99 and summa cum laude for a minimum of a 4.0. The groupings will be recognized during graduation and during Senior Awards Night.

The traditional class rank system orders students in a grade according to their weighted GPA, while the cum laude system organizes students into categories.

Mr. Jeff Buckman, EHS college and career center specialist, suggested the change in graduation recognition in a meeting with all four college specialists from each of the Rockwood high schools and the director of guidance held in 2010.

The college specialists discussed the issues students faced regarding grades, GPA, class rank recognition and college. The Board of Education approved the change in GPA recognition.

“We were seeing stress levels of these high-achieving students rise because of competition within the top of the top,” Mr. Buckman said. “They were more concerned about taking classes because of the weight they were going to get versus the overall strength and overall enjoyment of it. Eliminating class rank was best for the mental and physical health of our students.”

In recent years, St. Louis districts have made the shift away from class rank. The Clayton, Fort Zumwalt, Hazelwood, Ladue, Parkway and Webster Groves public school districts, as well as private secondary schools, such as Chaminade, Cor Jesu, St. Louis University High School and Westminster have embraced the trend spreading across the nation.

More than half of all high schools in the United States no longer report class rank, which used to be a dominant component in the college admission, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling.

“The move towards dropping class rank is something that is taking hold across the country, especially in districts of higher-performing schools,” Mrs. AnnMarie Gilman, freshman principal and Renaissance coordinator, said. “There are many school districts where if you take a 4.0 student and plug them into a different school district, they might earn a 3.0 because of the challenge and the rigor of the school. Ranking our students is a misrepresentation of a student’s actual ability and skill. It’s important that we refocus on learning because in the long run when learning comes, GPA will follow.”

Faculty hope the elimination of the ranking system will encourage students to sign up for more AP and honors courses.

“Students need to take into account their own ability, the rigor of the course and the number of activities they are in when selecting courses,” Mrs. Molly Smith, Guidance Department chair, said.

If students are concerned with their GPAs they should focus on AP courses that apply to a future career, according to Mrs. Smith.

“The studies that I do in high school will relate to and help me later in life,” Cody McIlvaine (11).

To improve their educational experience, students are encouraged to

sign up for courses based on difficulty and interest rather than focusing on how the grade in a class will affect their GPA.

“I think class rank is kind of stupid because people can take easy classes and get all ‘A’s, where you should be challenging yourself,” Adam Vorel (10) said. “If you challenge yourself, you don’t necessarily get good grades. Class rank is not an indication of how good of a student you are.”

The discontinuation of class rank could eliminate insecurities in the classroom.

“The new system will be better because it’s not as competitive,” Natalie Starzyk (10) said. “I don’t have over a 4.0, and now I won’t be compared to students in AP classes.”

Students recognize the flaws in the ranking system, which can affect self-perception.

“If a student is of a lower class rank, that could be self-degrading, but I like knowing my rank,” Kristen Wood (11) said.

High class ranks proved to be an incentive as well as a stimulus for success.

“I wish they still had class rank,” Aileen Markovitz (10) said. “My goal is to be at the top and when they took it away, it gave me less to work for. It doesn’t really matter to me who I’m ahead of or who’s ahead of me, but I like to know that I am doing the best that I can and am being rewarded for it.”

Taking weighted-grade classes allows a GPA to be greater than 4.0.

“Some people say that others take harder classes just to get the better class rank, but that’s the motivation,” Shovik Bandyopadhyay (12) said. “If you’ve taken one more hard class than the person

behind you in class rank, you deserve to be recognized for that. It’s a lot more prestigious to say you are number one or two or three or four; it’s more specific for applications.”

Seniors must indicate that EHS doesn’t recognize class rank on college applications.

When class rank is not a factor in the admission process, colleges look more closely at a student’s course load, GPA, standardized test scores and extracurricular activities, according to Recognizing Achievement for Rockwood High School Graduates, a release made by the district.

Standardized tests are meant to measure a student’s aptitude for college. The scores level the playing field to some degree, which is why some colleges place more value on the performance events, like the A.C.T. and S.A.T., according to Mrs. Gilman.

Students believe an impressive class rank attracts college admissions officers.

About 60 percent of Duke’s undergraduate applicants came out of high schools that did not rank, according to Mr. Samuel Carpenter, senior assistant director of undergraduate admissions at Duke University.

Duke University is among the most selective colleges in the United States with an acceptance rate of 14 percent, according to The College Board’s website.

“Particularly when it comes to Duke, the majority of the applications that we see are coming from talented, accomplished, engaging students; they’ve done well in school; they’ve taken harder classes,” Mr. Carpenter said in a phone

interview conducted, Jan. 29. “When admissions sit together and talk about kids, we don’t talk about rank; we’re not talking about test scores; we aren’t even necessarily talking about grades. We talk about the letters of recommendation, what the students do outside class and what the kids say about themselves in the essay portion.”

Motivated students have to navigate often-conflicting demands when planning for their college futures. Just because a school of choice isn’t concerned with class rank doesn’t mean the organization offering scholarship money isn’t asking for that information.

The discontinuation of class rank may negatively affect the scholarship process.

For instance, the University of Missouri: Columbia grants scholarships based on class rank and GPA. For schools that don’t rank, Mizzou will recalculate a student’s GPA only including core classes and compare that to the GPA of Mizzou’s previous freshman class, according to Mr. Buckman. The new GPA is normally lower because the easier classes in which students usually earned higher grades are disregarded.

“We aren’t talking about huge amounts of money; it’s typically $1,500 or $2,000, but it’s enough that a family has to pay out of pocket,” Mr. Buckman said. “There are families that are going to be unhappy, but we can’t appease everybody. We looked at that, and said that we are going to help far more students than hurt with this decision.”

The remaining universities and scholarships must conform with the evident trend of eliminating class rank or be rendered irrelevant.

Benefit or buzzkillNew cum laude system complicates student recognition conceptions

monika nayakfeaturewriter

Stephen Sugarbaker (9) speeds to ring the bell before Josh Tipton (9) in Spanish II. The review game reinforced previously taught lessons on sentence construction and verb conjugation. The review game

breeds healthy competition in Spanish teacher, Mrs. Altis Durante’s classroom. “Competing in sports here at Eureka is obviously really important,” Sydney Ridinger (11) said. “There is nothing

wrong with competing in sports, but they are suppressing the people who are academically based with the new cum laude system. I focus on my schooling and my education; that’s where I compete.”

monika nayak

2EntertainmentIf you liked...then you’ll love...New TV shows to replace the old shows that the audience couldn’t live without

Freaks and Geeks Between the years of 1999 and 2000 Freaks and Geeks aired on NBC. This teen comedy drama showed what it was like to be an outcast in high school, whether you’re a freak or a geek. The main character Lindsay Weir ditched her old goody-two-shoes life style to hang out with the ‘90s rock-enthused group of freaks. The show also trails her brother Sam Weir and his two geek friends. Life lessons work their way through the trials of Sam falling in love with head cheerleader Cindy, and Lindsay experimenting with drugs and The Grateful Dead. The high school activities also had hard hitting themes such as individuality.

Seinfeld Seinfeld ran for nine seasons on NBC from July 1989 to May 1998. The show focused on Jerry Seinfeld and his friends and acquaintances and their quirky, often troubled, lives in Manhattan. Seinfeld was a character-driven show without a specific plot line. Each week the episode focused on the escapades of all of the characters. Somehow at the end of each show, their adventures intertwined and created a hilarious, unexpected outcome. “Sometimes I wish that there was another show that had the same dynamic like Seinfeld,” Olivia Perez (12) said.

Sex and the CitySex and the City was a comedy-drama that aired in 1998 and ran until 2004 on HBO. The show centered on four high-end thirty-something girlfriends. The character Carrie Bradshaw who wrote the revolutionary column “Sex and the City” narrated the show. Even though the show focused primarily on finding new boyfriends and drinking cosmopolitans, it also highlighted new ways to be an independent woman in the ‘90s. Carrie Bradshaw showed viewers that women can be working women in the city in their thirties while also having fun and buying thousands of dollars worth of designer shoes.

LostABC’s Lost ran for six seasons from Sept. 2004 to May 2010. This Sci-fi drama follows a group of passengers stranded on a strange island after the crash of Oceanic flight 815. From polar bears to hidden hatches, Lost had it all when it came to science fiction. The show was both mysteriously gripping and supernaturally satisfying but also focused on realistic relationships and conflicts between survivors of the crash. Among the many twists and unexpected turns during the six seasons, Lost filled the gap between an emotional drama and a creepy Sci-fi fantasy making it like a nitty-gritty Desperate Housewives.

Full HouseThe classic family sitcom Full House aired from Sept. 1987 until May 1995. Full House follows Danny Tanner’s hectic life and family situations after his wife passed away. Danny along with his best friend Joey and his brother-in-law Jesse raise his three daughters DJ, Stephanie and Michelle. “I liked that it was funny, and it was oriented around the family,” Allison Rhine (11) said. “It was really relatable and realistic.” Full House showed what it was like to have family problems and how to work them out with giggles added.

Awkward. MTV’s Awkward. is relatable to most high school students’ lives. Jenna Hamilton goes through high school with her two best friends, struggling to pick between two (very attractive) boys and figuring out her own identity and—most of all—wanting to fit in. After being falsely accused of a suicide attempt, Jenna releases her feelings on her private blog. “You can relate to it and it’s different because it has twists that other shows don’t have,” Stephanie Caldwell (11) said. There have been two seasons with a third coming out the summer of 2013. Catch up on aired episodes on MTV’s website.

It’s Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaFX’s It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia is a character-driven show. It’s Always Sunny follows “the gang,” a group of unsuccessful, self-centered, egotistical friends in Philadelphia. The gang owns a dead-end bar Paddy’s Pub. They always find ways to undermine each other’s plans, like throwing a hula-pig-roast themed party for the wrong person. If you liked the fast-paced silly character dialogue of Seinfeld then you’ll love the ridiculous scenarios of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The first season aired in Aug. 2005, and FX is about to air it’s ninth season. Catch up on all the seasons on Netflix.

GirlsHBO’s new hit series Girls follows a group of girls in their twenties in New York on their jaunts of boy-drama and city life, much like a modern day Sex and the City. Starring the young Lena Dunham, Girls shows the hardships of finding a job and living a New York-lifestyle in contemporary America. Like Carrie Bradshaw, the main character Hannah is an independent girl determined to be a success through her writing and the support of her three close friends. The first season aired in April 2012 and is now midway through its third season. To catch up on all three seasons you can find the episodes at HBOgo.com.

The Walking DeadAMC’s The Walking Dead is both creepy and heartfelt. It’s a post-apocalyptic drama that follows a group of survivors in a zombie-ridden world. It’s a character drama with a lot of gushing zombie blood. “I like how it’s science fiction because there are zombies in it, but it’s also really realistic,” Ryann Walgren (10) said. If you’re looking for the next Sci-fi drama after Lost, The Walking Dead is your show. You can satisfy your needs with zombie heads flying everywhere and family ties. The Walking Dead is on it’s third season, but to catch up you can find all the old episodes on Netflix.

Modern FamilyIf you like goofy family-oriented sitcoms then ABC’s Modern Family is the perfect fit for you. Modern Family has been on air for four seasons, starting, Sept. 2009. The show tells silly but touching tales of Jay Pritchett and his son and daughter and their families. Modern Family is filmed in a mockumentary style where each character is shown in a fake interview off-set as if being filmed for a documentary. Modern Family includes relatable family situations, like dad jokes and teenager-parent based arguments. Catch up on Netflix.

casey walkereditorsociety

Register online at www.fontbonne.edu/open.To learn more, contact our admission office at 800.205.5862 or fbyou@fontbonne.edu.

Join us for an OPEN HOUSE. Monday, Feb. 18, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. (lunch included)tour campus · learn about academic programs · check out financial aid & scholarships

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Covered in neon, Elliot Woll (11) dances during at NightGlow, Jan. 25. “My favorite part of the dance was probably all black

lights and getting to wear all the neon and glowing. I went because I heard the music was going to be really loud and good.”

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3Student lifeDancing to a new beatStuCo tries mixer instead of formal winter dance, hoping to boost attendance

Senoritis: a commonly used term to describe the complete lack of motivation felt by seniors throughout their last semester of high school.

Like the fleeting motavation, the winter dance attendance has also dwindled over the past few years.

The number of attendees for the past three years have been between 200-300 students, according to Mr. Jim Schulz, StuCo sponsor.

“I never went to Turnabout before because it didn’t sound like a lot of fun,” Chloe Lozano (11) said. “I decided to go to NightGlow because it sounded like a lot of people were going.”

Since the winter dance hasn’t been very popular, StuCo members took the initiative to establish a new format—an informal mixer.

No dresses. No dates. No court. No pressure. NightGlow was designed to be a new atmosphere for attendees.

Held after the girls and boys varsity basketball games where fans whited out Lafayette and Lindbergh, respectively, the celebration continued in Gym B. The white shirts and black lights set everything in the dark gym aglow.

“They revamped the dance,” Nathan Vorel, StuCo vice president, said. “There was a lot of excitement about NightGlow. There was a lot of interest from people that haven’t gone in years past, so I think it’s a really positive thing.”

Even though attendance had been low in previous years, the work to set up the winter dance was still StuCo-sized.

“StuCo works as hard for the winter dance as for Homecoming,” Kylie Ruprecht, StuCo president, said. “It had a ton of committees and a lot to prepare.”

Homecoming decorations require about four hours of work from the hundred plus StuCo members the day of the dance alone, not including the hours of preparation in the weeks leading up to the dance.

For NightGlow, however, the dance decorations were minimal, creating a much easier set-up for StuCo.

“We had a backdrop and there were decorations in the atrium,” Mr. Schulz said. “It wasn’t as big on decorations as we had in the past because there wasn’t as much time, so we only needed about 30 StuCo members.”

For the first time ever, students DJed the dance, providing attendees with an opportunity to choose what music they wanted to hear.

“I started [DJing] like a year ago just

messing around in my room,” Adam Hindman, student DJ, said. “I did a few house parties. I asked Mr. Schulz if I could DJ Homecoming next year, and when I heard they wanted a cheaper DJ for the winter dance, I said I could do it as well.”

With fresh ideas for quick set-up, decorations and music, students have taken the initiative on creating an atmosphere that made a whole new experience unlike any other dance at EHS.

“When I came here as a freshman, the talk about Turnabout was ‘don’t go, its not very fun,’” Alex Powell, NightGlow chair, said. “I went my sophomore and junior years. My junior year there were 200 people, and it wasn’t anything special. The idea this year was to make it unique.”

In order to bolster attendance at the dance, StuCo advertised for several weeks. Simple but eye-catching signs throughout the school showed students how NightGlow would be unique and casual.

Furthermore, NightGlow Twitter and facebook accounts shared news about the dance. The Twitter group had 88 followers and the facebook group got 187 RSVPs for “going” and “maybe.”

“We did so much advertising because we are trying to build a reputation for it,” Adam Culbreath, NightGlow chair, said. “No one really knew what was going on, so we thought we should blow it up a couple weeks before. It’s all marketing. It’s hard to get everybody to go, but not a lot of people went in the past couple years because nobody really knew about it.”

People did talk as the dance brought in 460 attendees, more than than the past three years, according to Mr. Schulz.

NightGlow made an impression. “I liked the music and how they

decorated with all the neon and black lights,” Justin Willmeno (12) said. “Everyone was having a great time dancing.”

NightGlow also had an informal enviroment created by the lack of sequined dresses and shiny black dress shoes which made students feel at ease.

“I know that a lot of people like to dress up for fun,” Ruprecht said. “But I think NightGlow was much more laid-back.”

With the dance being such a success, the possibilities for next year’s winter dance are vast.

“I had a lot of positive responses from students about this dance so we will definitely take that into consideration when we plan next year’s dance,” Mr. Schulz said.

With its success, those who initiated the efforts hope to leave behind a new Eureka tradition.

“As a senior, one of the big things I want to do is leave something behind and leave a good reputation behind, so I hope that people will still decide to go next year,” Powell said.

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A range of repercussions

Five out of every ten people will be affected by a mental disorder at some point in their life. Of every five people who are effected by a mental disorder, only one will seek care for their disorder, according to Dr. Oltmanns.

The tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT brings important topics to light for discussion and raises awareness of underlying issues

The dots on the map represent the

25 mental health centers in Missouri,

according to the Missouri Department of Mental Health’s website.

Five of these serve within St. Louis County. So if

half of all adults will deal with a mental disorder at

some point in their life, three million Missourians will need

access to mental health services. Theoretically, this means

that each of the twenty-five community mental health centers

in Missouri would have to serve 120,000 patients.

Tragedies like the Newtown, CT shooting shed light on issues society usually chooses to avoid.

Often, the instigators of such displays of violence have a history of mental disorders, according to a 2011 Texas A&M study on the psychological profiles of school shooters. These people end up committing acts of violence because their disorders go untreated.

With his death, the status

of Newtown Elementary Adam Lanza’s mental health with go unanswered; was Lanza mentally ill or simply criminal? What is apparent in the wake of the shootings is the gap between the need for care and whether persons in need receive care.

Of the small percentage of people who do seek help, most do so through their primary physician. They normally do not go to a psychologist or psychiatrist,

who are trained for recognizing mental disorders and selecting the best treatment, according to Dr. Thomas Oltmanns, professor of psychology at Washington University, in a phone interview conducted, Jan 8.

Those who do not seek help for their disorders do so for many reasons, inckuding not having mental health care covered under their insurance or not having access to care.

Not having access to care raises flags. There are only 25 mental health centers across Missouri.

Simply put, mental health doesn’t take precedence.

“There are relatively few people who want to stand up and be advocates for mental health funding because of its stigma,” Dr. Oltmanns said. “Also, mental health advocates don’t have the raw power of other groups that promote funding for cancer or

heart disease.”Mental health care, though not

always a popular cause, still needs action towards improvement.

“We need to address mental health care issues,” Dr. Oltmanns said. “I would like to see publicly-funded treatments available, and then you have to have a place to treat them.”

Though mental health seems to fly under the radar, its importance can’t be overlooked.

Where I was when...Teachers and students recall tragedies of the past

At the 1972 Olympics in Munich, eight Palestinian terrorists attacked members of the Israeli Olympic team. “My first thoughts were disbelief,” Mrs. Beth Demerest, science teacher, said. “The massacre was unacceptable. The athletes had nothing to do with the politics.”

The shuttle orbiter Challenger exploded about a minute after liftoff in Jan. 28,1986, killing the entire crew. “We actually pulled the TV into my classroom and we were sitting there watching it,” Mrs. Mary Wisdom, math teacher, said. “I think it had a very significant impact on my students.”

Known as one of the deadliest school shooting incidents, the Columbine High School shooting left 15 dead and 21 wounded. “I was shocked,” Mrs. Lauren Schoellhorn, social studies teacher, said. “I was in high school and I remember thinking, ‘This could happen to people my age.’”

Terrorists hijacked four airplanes and them into the World Trade Center and Pentagon, Sept. 11, 2001. The death toll neared 3,000. “I was in first grade and parents were taking kids out of class, Matt Tucker (12) said. “When I got older, I realized it was a serious event.”

Adam Lanza attacked Sandy Hook Elementary killing 20 children and six adults, Dec. 14. “Something inside me made me want to cry for the students dying,” Sarah Wingbermuehle (9) said. “It made me nervous that someone would go and just shoot people.”

Mental healthLack of care for mentally ill cause for concern

Safety proposals: RSD and EHS

Arming teachers?Citizens around the country wonder

whether having just one gun in the hands of a resource officer is enough to protect a whole school. One idea is to give guns to the teachers.

“I think arming teachers is ridiculous,” Alicia Kilpatrick (11) said. “I’d be terrified.”

This controversial idea would need approval at many levels to be a possibility.

“If the state approved it, we’d definitely weigh it then,” Janet

Strate, Rockwood Board of Education president, said in a phone interview, Jan. 8. “We’d also have to look at what our parents want and what our staff feels comfortable with.”

The idea will most likely not see any advances in the future.

“I don’t think teachers signed up to be security people,” Mr. Griffith said. “Also, I just think it’s the wrong message about what we’re about in education. I think it is unrealistic not just for our school district, but also for any school district.”

Adding school resource officers?In the district, every middle and

high school has a full-time school resource officer (SRO), while the elementary schools have none. One idea calls for more SROs in schools.

“I feel like adding a few more would be a decent idea to make sure everything’s under control,” Logan Buness (10) said.

But the idea must be looked at in terms of reality. There aren’t plans to add SROs to the middle and high schools. Adding them to elementary schools may not be a an option either, since the cost of adding a full-time SRO in every elementary school

would be about $1 million annually, according to Mr. Griffith.

Having an SRO on an elementary campus may have broader effects on students.

“I think kids in elementary schools should already feel safe,” Kilpatrick said. “They don’t need to see someone with a gun.”

Ultimately, the district serves the community.

“If the community says they want an SRO in every school, I’m sure that’s what the district would consider,” Mr. Griffith said.

ID System?One of the more actionable ideas

on the table is an ID-swiping system, allowing only those with a verified ID to enter into any school building.

“An ID system would take a lot of time, but I think it would be beneficial because then we would

know who’s coming in and who leaves,” Hailey Harper (10) said.

However, the idea has its flaws.“If somebody comes in with in gun,

he probably wouldn’t stop at the ID swipe,” Mr. Griffith said.

Similarly to adding more SROs, the district must determine if an ID system will improve school safety.

Locked-down perimeter

A one way entrance into the building allows visitors to be monitiored with more ease and keeps the school much safer. EHS’s campus

is set up with multiple entrances, so the district is planning on closing the holes in the campus’ perimeter within the next four weeks.

“We’ll probably have to fence the courtyard off so students can access all the buildings, but we’ll have to lock all of the other perimeter doors,” Mr. Dennis Griffith, district safety coordinator and assistant superintendent for administrative services, said.

mary tomlinson writerfeature

The Second Amendment of the United State’s Constitution protects citizens’ right to own guns, and while it’s unlikely this right will be taken away, politicians continue to debate its technicalities.

“Gun control has always been a hot topic,” Jacob Boehm

(12) said. “But when a horrible shooting pops up, everyone starts talking about it.”

Regulations already exist for gun control. It is against federal law for anyone who is underage, a fugitive, a user of an illegal substance, an illegal alien, a military discharge or is mentally defective to own a gun, according to the U.S. Department of Justice’s website.

Additionally, no one is permitted to manufacture or possess a fully-automatic weapon, a weapon that does not need to

be reloaded so multiple shots can be fired consecutively.

A recent bill sought to set up a national background check system. Under this act, firearms dealers must request a background check to be performed through three national crime databases, according to the FBI’s website.

While regulations combat violence, other measures also contribute to a safety. A more holistic approach may be more effective in curbing violence.

“Laws are not going to prevent

criminals from getting their hands on guns,” Mr. Mike Smith, school resource officer, said. “Mental illness has to be addressed. Video game violence has to be addressed. Parents have to pay attention to what their kids are doing. I think all of it should be addressed, not just gun control.”

When forming regluations, the availabiliy of guns to the mentally ill is an important consideration.

“If you have a mental health issue, it should be no question that you can’t own a gun,” Sean Markovitz (9) said.

But if no diagnosis is sought, no such refusal will occur. For guns to be kept out of the hands of the mentally ill who may be prone to violence, more diagnoses must be made, as well as more specific diagnoses.

“When looking at mental disorders, violence and gun control, people want to prevent people with mental disorders from getting guns,” Dr. Oltmanns said. “People who have mental disorders are not more likely to be violent. However, there are certain kinds of disorders that are

prone to cause more violence. Instead of saying all people with mental disorders shouldn’t have guns, we should say people with certain kinds of mental disorders shouldn’t have guns.”

Unfortunately, there will always be those who commit acts of violence not because of a mental disorder but because of a criminal nature. The challenge for policy makers lies in finding a balance in the regulations. In the coming months, America will see if the Newtown tragedy pushes politicians towards gun reform.

Gun control

4Feature 5Feature

Missing a key ingredient

Doing away with class rank hurts top studentsSt

aff

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Adventures in introversionA thoughtful soul shares insights on life within

Politically correct?

caseywalkersociety editor

maddie sanden-chiefeditor-in

6OpinionsMy life literally came to a crashing halt,

Dec. 28. During a basketball game in Jeff City, the back of my head crashed into the wood floor.

While I can’t remember the exact events leading up to my concussion, teammates and parents told me I dove feet first towards a loose ball, and as my feet flew forward, my head fell backward, a loud crash echoed throughout the now-silent gym.

The next thing I remember was a trainer and my coach running to my side as a stream of tears fell down my cheeks.

Through the rest of the night, dozens of concerned friends questioned me as I prepared to head home with a teammate’s mom.

The next morning, I chose to spend the morning at my sister’s basketball game—a rather poor decision considering the noise and light caused quite a headache. My mom’s concern that afternoon found me at my family doctor’s office. As she checked my eyes with a light, I passed out prompting a rush of emergency room staff to take me to the neighboring St. Luke’s Hospital.

After a CT scan and a six-hour wait, doctors concluded I simply had a concussion. There were few answers as to why I would have passed out when looking at the light, but I walked out of the ER

with plenty of information on concussion recovery.

I spent the next week engaged in activities I rarely considered before. I painted on canvas, knitted scarves and played countless card games. It would be an understatement to say I was frustrated—and bored.

I couldn’t look at a screen—TV and computers made me feel like I was going cross-eyed—and I slept constantly, almost 14 hours a day.

Even hanging out with my friends was difficult as I spent New Year’s wishing I had chosen to stay in and sleep rather than hang out at my friend’s house.

Through the continuous struggle of recovery, it’s become very apparent I have more to be thankful for than I ever used to realize.

I never realized having eyes healthy enough to look at a computer screen to accomplish dozens of daily tasks was such a blessing.

Even sitting at my kitchen table trying to do math problems would send my head spinning. I couldn’t believe simple multiplication facts had become so challenging. Why was I consciously having to think about the answer to 9x6? What had once come so naturally was now a constant challenge.

I’ve always prided myself on my school

work, holding grades as a top priority in my life. Heading off to college, I have been constantly reminded of how my transcript opens numerous doors toward a successful future.

Suddenly, however, I worried about maintaining my academics if my brain struggled to perform at its previous caliber.

Despite my concerns, I’ve slowly begun to approach my former state.

Four weeks later, this concussion penetrated my stubborn skull and taught me the importance of stopping to give thanks for even the small things.

No matter how cliché it sounds, I consider the little things a blessing now. Watching a movie means so much more now than it did four weeks ago. Going to a sleepover has become much more exciting.

I know a girl that battled a concussion for three years. In the scheme of things, four weeks of sitting on the sidelines pales in comparison with her time lost.

She missed so much of her teenage life, so I know I’m lucky to be almost healed and back to normal.

Despite the fair share of breakdowns I’ve experienced, the lessons I have learned were worth the struggles.

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Concussion changes lifestyle

Baking chocolate chip cookies requires every ingredient to have that familiar chocolatey, gooey taste. Leaving out the vanilla—a small teaspoon with a big impact—makes a huge different in the composition.

Like a cookie, college applications need careful consideration with many little ingredients coming together to wow an admissions counselor.

Starting with the Class of 2013, class rank is no longer reported, a piece of the recipe many colleges look at for scholarship and admission decisions.

For many, the new system of ranking proves beneficial as students are grouped based on GPA, not put order from highest to lowest.

Nearly half of all high schools have stopped reporting class rank, according to the National Association for College Admissions Counseling survey.

The trend started amongst very small schools who felt that it may not be fair for a small class of very similar students to be compared to one another. For schools with classes of 150 or 200 students, this approach makes sense.

At a school like EHS, on the other hand, such a policy hurts students who have constantly strived for top academic marks and been at the top of their classes.

The Class of 2013 has 514 students, so the top 10 percent includes 51 students and the top 25 percent includes 129 students.

Students that fall into these groups deserve to be recognized for the extra work they put into becoming a top student.

Without class rank on applications, colleges place extra emphasis on test scores and GPA, according to the College Board. Even performance in Advance Placement classes may take more weight in their consideration.

While the disappearance of class rank is meant to help more students than it could hurt, if a student has great grades but a lower A.C.T. or S.A.T., their chances of admission or scholarships could suffer.

Before the change, the ranking system helped foster competition among students as they competed for a top position, which serves as strong motivation to get good grades.

For students already doing well, it may give the extra push to strive for the straight “A” report card.

The new system of ranking serves to push students to take classes that interest them, not just weighted grade or AP classes to bolster their GPA. However, many students take these classes because they want to be challenged or to show colleges how they have taken rigorous courses.

AP classes teach curricula that prepare students for the AP exam, future college

classes and possibly earn them college credit. That college credit, earned in high school may be used by a college freshman to bypass basic courses.

With some basic classes out of the way, college freshman may take courses more in their areas of interest.

In the meantime, students applying to college must make the most of the new situation.

Without a class rank to supplement their achievements, it becomes even more important to make other portions of the application stand out.

While some incentive may have been lost by eliminating class rank, students should still strive for their best in the classroom.

Even if all the ingredients aren’t in the kitchen, an alternative type of cookie can be made. A batch of peanut butter cookies can taste just as good without such a powerful little ingredient.

Every day when I arrive home from school I take a fat, quiet nap. I rush up to my room barely saying “hi” to my parents and my four cats before I pass out. There is no time for “How was your day?” I am asleep or in a daze by 4:00 p.m.

My parents have learned this routine; they don’t think I’m a nocturnal creature or a lazy, crabby teenager. They now know the truth. I am definitively introverted.

Being around people for over seven hours physically and mentally drains me. It’s as if a social and talkative leech has attached to my body from 8:16 a.m. until the time I flop down on my bed, sucking out all my energy.

My after-school nap is my way of meditation. I need to regain energy after being around a large group of people for a sustained period of time. This year after the Eureka

v. Lafayette football game I went out with friends, and I was so exhausted at 9:00 p.m. that I could barely utter the words “I’ll have a cheeseburger” to the worker at Five Guys Burger and Fries.

I have learned (after extensive battling with my extroverted sister and Googling the word “introvert”) that I do not, in fact, dislike people. I’m not anti-social; I actually love being around my friends and family and having good, long-winded conversations. Get me one-on-one, and I’ll talk you into the ground about a song I just discovered on Spotify, historical happenings and whether North Korea is going to launch that long range missile.

But it’s the fact of my introverted life that rather than gaining energy from other people, I gain energy from myself and being alone. For example, extroverts typically would enjoy the

grotesque volume of the lunch room but you can find me recharging in the much more quite library during lunch period (and I swear I’m not a hermit...)

It wasn’t until I was in high school that my sister and mom (who are both extroverts) understood that “nothing is wrong” and “I don’t feel like talking” are true statements and aren’t just me being passive aggressive.

They tend to want to talk problems out as they are happening while my philosophy is to leave the problem alone for a couple hours, and I’ll talk about it after I have had time to collect my thoughts.

Now that I’m older I understand why my dad always hated to be asked, “What’s wrong?” when he was just recharging, too.

Read the rest of Casey’s column online at EHS-hub.info.

Sanden says

Reaching across the table to insist that he and his ex-wife must get remarried, Brenon Hawley (12) and I perform in “Cankersores and Other Distractions” during last year’s One Acts. Working in

different teams with my classmates and getting feedback from Ms. A and my peers helped me improve my acting skills throughout my theater classes.

7Opinions

The primary obligation of The Bugle is to create a quality publication to inform its readers about events in the school and community and of issues of national or international importance which directly or indirectly affect the school population.

The Bugle, while serving as a training ground for future journalists as part of the school curriculum, recognizes all rights and responsibilities under the First Amendment and strives to establish and maintain standards outlined by the Society of Professional Journalists.

The Bugle is a public forum. Student editors apply professional standards and ethics for decision making as they take on the responsibility for content and production of the newspaper. While 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, libel, obscenity, material disruption of the school process, copyright infringement or unwarranted invasion of privacy.

Letters to the editor are encouraged by students, faculty and the community. Letters must be signed but names can be withheld upon request. Letters must not exceed 250 words and The Bugle reserves the right to reject, edit or shorten as necessary. Letters should be submitted to ehs_hub@rockwood.k12.mo.us.

Opinions expressed on the editorial page do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints or official policies of the school administration. All editorials (unsigned) represent a majority opinion of the Editorial Board. Members of the Editorial Board include all staff editors. Signed editorials, columns, editorial cartoons and reviews reflect the views of the author and not those of the editorial board.

The Bugle reserves the right to refuse any business which seeks to advertise any product which is illegal or generally considered unhealthy or undesirable for students as determined by the Editorial Board. The Bugle may choose to publish public service ads at the discretion of the Editorial Board. The Bugle will print political ads which comply with federal, state and local campaign laws.

The Bugle is a member of Sponsors of School Publications of Greater St. Louis, the Journalism Education Association and the National Scholastic Press Association.

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editor-in-chiefmaddie sandenonline editorsabby biggsrachel trujillosociety editorcasey walkeropinions editorpaige ondr

photo editormadeline karasfeature writersmonika nayakforrest nettlesmary tomlinsononline writerstaylor balleau

ads managermichael mclaughlinads staff connor mondscheinonline community editorjon hoeflingeradviserelisha strecker

Paige’s picks Senior reflects on her favorite classes

It’s that time of year again: course selection. For everyone but seniors, course selection is a major source of stress. Like deciding what to wear to Homecoming, choosing classes requires much thought and planning.

Being very interested in fashion, I always take months to find the perfect Homecoming dress and accessories. I am also an avid planner, so I took selecting my courses seriously and planned out how each class would affect my schedule for the years to come.

Boys, if you think you are off the hook think again. If you think finding the perfect tie to match your date’s dress is unimportant, enjoy not having a date to homecoming. This coordination is important to keep in mind. Everyone has their own sense of style; there will always be that one person who shows up to Homecoming in a duct tape dress, just like some classes I may enjoy but might not interest others in the slightest.

As a senior, I have completed 35 courses, so—like a fashion adviser—I am here to help you figure out the best classes to take.

Everyone needs two fine arts classes (one credit) to graduate, just like every girl needs a dress to wear to Homecoming. The best way I have found to fulfill this requirement is through theatre classes.

I have taken Theatre 1, Theatre 2, Theatre 3 and Theatre 4. As a freshman, I took Theatre 1 first semester and enjoyed it so much that I took Theatre 2 second semester. Theatre classes give students a unique opportunity that they cannot get in any other class, full creative freedom. They get to choose what scenes they preform, usually who they preform with and stage the scene themselves.

Ms. Susie Allmendinger, theatre teacher, truly loves theatre and teaches all of her students to have that same appreciation and respect for the art form. She is not only a talented director but an actress, as well. Having her as a teacher has made me a much better actress. I think about my characters in depth and think about the motivation behind each one of their actions.

I learned so much from all of my theatre courses, ranging from how to develop a character to the history of theatre. Those classes also gave me more of an appreciation for all aspects of theatre from the acting side to the technical side.

Even if students are not interested in the arts, the classes help students be more comfortable preforming in front of groups and improve memorization skills.

Shoes are a definite must for Homecoming, just like two practical arts courses (one credit) are a must for graduation. Last year, I was in Fashions 1 in order to meet this requirement.

In the course we sewed pin cushions, pillow cases and pajama pants. I had a lot of fun in the class because of the environment Mrs. Debbie Powell, FACS teacher, created; it seemed like I was hanging out with a bunch of friends while working on a fun project rather than at school working on something to be graded. Although I was terrible at sewing, Mrs.

Powell worked with each student to make sure they succeeded. I feel like I have the basic knowledge I need so I can do simple sewing tasks, such as sewing on a button.

After taking Journalism Writing and Reporting last year to finish my practical arts requirements, I took Newspaper Production. My only regret about newspaper is not taking it sooner. I love to write and newspaper gives me the opportunity to write my opinions; I feel like I actually have a voice at school.

If writing isn’t your thing, EHS Publications offers many different types of courses to cater your specific interests. Design and Desktop Publishing deals more with designs and layouts on computer and is the prerequisite for Yearbook Production

while Video Production deals with filming and editing videos to make the Bugle Broadcast. All of the Publications count for a practical arts credit.

Mrs. Elisha Strecker, Journalism teacher, treats each of her students as real journalists not as students doing a story for their high school newspaper. She collaborates with each of her students on a creative level and has made me a better writer. I write with more imagery and metaphors to capture my audience now, a skill I used to struggle with.

I always regret not taking Child Development.

Check out the rest of Paige’s column online at EHS-hub.info.

paigeondreditoropinions

A Paige from her book

taylor emery

Tyler Jordan, guard, soars above the defender, after a great steal for the easy lay up vs. the Farmington Knights, Dec. 10. The Wildcats were victorious, 78-65.

8SportsOne crazy ride

The boys varsity basketball battles through a season of ups and downs

A roller coaster can be either a thrilling experience or an agonizing torture, depending on one’s tastes. The twists and turns, the ups and downs, that fluttering, butterflies in the stomach feeling; it can be a scary journey. As the passengers ride, they aren’t entirely sure what will happen, but in the end the riders always arrive safely at their destination.

The boys varsity basketball team is hoping that their season is on a similar roller coaster ride with the ending being success in both the district and state tournaments.

While the team has been successful for the majority of the season, that success didn’t come easily. The team stumbled out of the gates with a somewhat rocky start where they lost two of their first three games, including a thirty-point loss to Hazelwood Central.

The team then really started to come together and went on a hot streak, winning nine of their next 12 games as they began to grow as a team.

“At the beginning of the season we knew we had a lot of talent,” Mason Bendigo, forward, said. “But we didn’t really work together, so we struggled at the start.”

The Wildcat players are really starting to bond. Their chemistry and ability to play as a unit has changed drastically throughout the season as they have grown together. They are now able to make passes and plays for one other in their sleep.

“Right now the team’s doing well,” Mr. Austin Kirby, assistant varsity coach, said.“We’re fighting the battles of the ups and downs of a long season, but all-in-all we play was as a team, and we’re doing well.”

Energy and leadership are the keys to this team’s success. Whenever they play extremely hard they are just as successful. Also the team is built around their 10 seniors. Their leadership, especially that of Tyler Jordan, guard, has been a key to the team’s early success.

“His freshman year he was a wildly-talented athlete, kind of like a wild mustang that has all this athleticism, but isn’t channeled appropriately.” Mr. Craig Kennedy, head varsity coach, said. “He used to rely solely on that athleticism, but now he understands good positioning and plays with a lot of intelligence.”

So far Jordan’s leadership this season has paid off for him personally; he’s averaging 12.6 points, 2.9 assists and 2.8 steals per game.

His leadership has really helped other teammates emerge and step up for the team. In particular, Bendigo, fresh off of a

torn ACL that kept him sidelined all of last season.

As a freshman, Bendigo was an important role player, but now as a junior he is one of the focal points of the team. As a 6’6” post player who can also stroke it from three, Bendigo is one of the biggest offensive threats for the Wildcats this season.

“Our offensive advantage is we’ve got several guys who can score any given night, other than Tyler,” Coach Kirby said. “Mason can shoot it and Matt [Baker, point guard] goes to the hoop. We’ve got multiple options that can beat you.”

But the talent of the team doesn’t stop

there. This is one of the deepest teams Coach Kennedy has had in years.

“This is my fourth year on varsity,” Jordan said. “And this is definitely the most talented team I’ve played with here. I just feel like we are really deep and will be a tough game for most teams this season.”

Some other starters that have stepped up this season as key varsity components in their first true varsity season are Geoffrey “Gino” Green, guard; Brayton Bennett, center; Nate Echard, guard and Dalton Zeiser, forward.

“The first game was exciting for all of us,” Bennett said. “I hadn’t really ever

gotten a lot of varsity time, and neither had some other guys, so it has been fun to get a lot of time.”

The team’s mind set—“Never say die”—means teammates don’t let each other quit when the team is down. Twice in a one-week stretch in the games against Lafayette and Kirkwood they were able to come back from being down double-digit margins going into the fourth quarter.

“We’ve had a lot of close games this year,” Zeiser said. “Even when we are down in games we never get down on ourselves. We just keep fighting. The comebacks are a lot of fun, especially the Lafayette game.”

The Eureka vs. Lafayette game was a thriller, definitely a game to be remembered. Both teams were evenly matched that night, and the game was close until the very end. It took a spectacular stretch of defensive stops and a lot of heart for the boys to fight back from a late Lancer lead.

The game came down to the final seconds as the Wildcats, up one, needed a clutch defensive stop with 10 seconds left to win the game. The ball bounced around after a missed Lancer shot, and it ended up in Echard’s hands. With the clock ticking down, he streaked away from the Lancer defenders and screamed in excitement as the buzzer sounded and the Cats triumphed, 49-48.

“It was such a great game. We really pulled together to win,” Echard said. “I hate losing versus Lafayette, so it felt awesome to get a win.”

The team has the talent to go far this season, but they still have some work to do to reach their goals. They have slipped a little off form from their Lafayette game and prior.

“We’ve struggled the last couple games,”Adam Harshbarger, guard, said. “We haven’t really played as a team. We just need to keep working and getting better, and things will hopefully get better.”

In the last few games they have lost by considerable amounts to rivals Parkway South and Rockwood Summit throwing additional obstacles in their path.

“Our goal is to be ready to advance far in the State Tournament and do really well at the end of the season when it really counts,” Bendigo said. “So even though we’ve gotten off track we are still focused on our goals.”

Although at times it doesn’t always seem like they are on the right track, after the ride comes to a hault, their hope is they end up with a successful season.

forrest nettleseditorsports

emily benton