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DECA held an optional business panel Jan. 20 to prepare members before competing at districts Feb. 6. Competition events are either solo or with a partner and consist of written tests, business presentations and on-the-spot interviews. “[My favorite part] is when first-year DECA members are successful,” Jessica Kennedy, club advisor, said. “It’s like they found their spark in the world of business. The look on their face is priceless.”
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Social studies teachers Mike Hill and Riley Keltner, Principal Brad Griffith, Logan Elick (12) and Reese Elick (12) traveled to see the Lincoln Memorial. “I didn’t get to see the inauguration, but I learned a lot of history about our country,” Reese said.
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The VEX Robotics team traveled to Troy Buchanan High School Jan. 26 for the Troy Winter Classic tournament consisting of 48 teams across Missouri high schools. Schools can send up to six teams to compete. Three out of four of the VEX Robotics teams competed in this event, and Team “Gheese,” led by Rex Zhu (11) and Ben Reiser (11), placed third and qualified for the state tournament. “I’m very excited,” team leader Reiser said. “This year’s game has a huge hang structure in the center that not really anyone has gone for. Almost all the matches are 40 or 50 points higher because of how the scoring works differently.”
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“Lift Every Voice” Concert
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will host the “Lift Every Voice” concert Feb. 28 in celebration of Black History Month at the Stifel Theatre. The concert features an assortment of music from African and African-American cultures. Tickets are available on the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra website and can vary from $27 to $67 depending on seating.
Light Cycles
Brookdale Farms debuted its “Light Cycles” immersive event January and will run until March. Visitors can stroll through a mile-long nighttime walk through nature with several light and sound installations. The event allows visitors of all ages to experience nature in a vivid way. Tickets can vary from $30 for ages 13 and up, and $23 for children 12 and under.
Inauguration Field Trip
To see the inauguration of President Donald Trump, social studies teachers Mike Hill and Riley Keltner, as well as Principal Brad Griffith, took two AP Government & Politics students, Logan and Reese Elick (12), to Washington D.C. Jan. 18-21.
“The most important thing for us [was] seeing the peaceful transfer of power firsthand,” Keltner said. “Everything we talk about in history class or government class is about the history of the process and the continuation of that process. Presidents are temporary, but the process is not.”
The trip was originally an opportunity to watch the inauguration from the National Mall near the United States Capitol. Due to severe weather conditions, the ceremony was moved to the Capitol Rotunda and was inaccessible to the group. Nevertheless, the group visited other locations in the city such as the Natural History Museum, the Lincoln Memorial, the Spy Museum, the Supreme Court building and many more.
“[I mostly felt excitement,]” Hill said. “I’m in the epicenter of our democracy, and you can’t get closer to it than actually being in Washington D.C., and also knowing that you’re sharing an experience with other people in the moment is special.”
