The news site of Marquette High School

Marquette Messenger
The news site of Marquette High School

Marquette Messenger
The news site of Marquette High School

Marquette Messenger
Lauren Pickett

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor

Lauren Pickett, senior, is the In-Depth Editor for the MHS Messenger. This is her second full year on staff. Also, Lauren participates in two other activities: Marquette Academic and Cultural Club (MACC) and Student Council. She hopes to advance her journalistic skills to advocate for and inform others.

All content by Lauren Pickett
Anna Zamenski and Julia McCarthy were longtime best friends, growing and traveling together to destinations like Canada for a French class trip in June 2017. Zamenski is running the paper petition in an effort to honor McCarthy, who passed away in August 2018, and keep her memory alive with an empty chair at the RSHS graduation. “The chair wouldn’t be big or flashy, I know she wouldn’t have liked that,” Zamenski said. “It would be more discreet and meaningful.”

Community Petitions for Honorary Chair at RSHS Graduation, Admin Declines

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
May 10, 2021
Director of Educational Equity and Diversity Brittany Hogan has read “What If…” by Samantha Berger to elementary school students, such as those in Pond Elementary, for the district’s diverse read aloud initiative. “Our curriculum continues to be a focal point of ensuring our kids are seeing reflections of themselves through windows, mirrors and sliding doors,” Hogan said. “I have hopefully laid the foundation for great work to continue.”

Director of Educational Equity, Diversity Brittany Hogan Resigns

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
April 23, 2021
A crowd gathered in Ballwin, Mo., Wednesday June 3, 2020 to advocate for the Black Lives Matter movement and for accountability in the murder of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man by Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer May 25, 2020. Of those killed by police in 2020, 80 were unarmed and most were people of color, according to the Mapping Police Violence 2020 report. Since 2017, most killings by police begin with traffic stops, mental health checks, domestic disturbances or reported low level offenses. It is imperative to demand systemic change in policing through policy and culture reform.

Derek Chauvin Verdict: A Step Toward Accountability

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
April 22, 2021
Failing to support Asian American communities during a resurgence of racial discrimination would be damaging to all communities of color, especially those that have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and subjected to the ills of racism for centuries. About 4 in 10 Black and Asian adults reported increased racial tension since the COVID-19 pandemic began, according to a July 2020 Pew Research Center survey. Comparing the severity of different communities racial history is a diversion from the universal target—white supremacy. Black and Asian communities must work to deconstruct racial biases and amplify each others' voices. We are all in fear.

Black-Asian Solidarity Necessary to Fight Racism

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
April 20, 2021
Superintendent Dr. Mark Miles said he has been able to connect and build quality relationships with students, staff and community members while serving RSD. "That is very important for any leader in any organization to build relationships with individuals throughout the organization," Dr. Miles said. "I certainly have had much support."

Q&A: Superintendent Dr. Mark Miles Discusses Tenure

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
April 20, 2021
Superintendent Dr. Mark Miles attends the Nov. 5 Board of Education (BOE) meeting last year. In a letter to the RSD community, Dr. Miles said his retirement is a bittersweet transition as his 26-year career in public education concludes. "I am thankful for my time in Rockwood School District," Dr. Miles said. "[RSD] is truly a special place with remarkable people providing exceptional opportunities for our students."

Superintendent Dr. Mark Miles Announces Retirement

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
April 10, 2021
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[Photo] COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Begins in the Community

Waha Siddiqui and Connor Del Carmen
April 7, 2021
Sam Wakapa, sophomore, enjoys reading and playing basketball with friends as forms of self-care. Growing up as a first-generation Kenyan immigrant, Wakapa said his family rarely spoke about mental health. He became more open to these discussions with peers of the same age. The issue of mental health stigmatization in a household, he said, could affect Black students’ willingness to seek support outside of the family. “Older people in the Black community may have a harder time understanding what the younger generation goes through because of the disconnect from issues being on social media."

In-Depth: Barriers to Mental Health Care in Black Communities

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
March 19, 2021
Overcrowding and mass incarceration in prisons and jails was a grave issue prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but now these failures of the criminal justice system can become an unnecessary death sentence. The COVID-19 vaccine is theoretically within arms reach of the incarcerated and detained, so they should not have to lie in wait for impending infection. Inmates’ lives matter, and the correctional facilities they reside in should not be barriers to receiving adequate protection.

The Case to Prioritize Inmates for Vaccine

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
March 19, 2021
Brittany Bagy, LPC, said routinely labelling emotions and having awareness of how emotions are experienced as somatic events are beneficial aspects of mindfulness. “It’s being able to step back and just notice the rising and passing of our own thoughts because thoughts and emotions are fluid, they’re always changing,” Bagy said. “Even in hardship, we can somehow let ourselves know we're doing the best that we can to help us get through it.”

Burnout, Motivation Affects Personal Well-Being, Productivity

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
March 3, 2021
Travis Young, senior, spent time during his 14-day quarantine reading and playing video and card games with his family. As a participant in this study, Young is joining a list of other family members who have opted to participate in studies related to COVID-19, such as vaccine trial research.

RSD Schools Participate in National COVID-19 Study

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
March 2, 2021
The choice for humanity is not whether we shall experience future extreme weather events and catastrophes, but rather what we shall do to lessen the effects of the imminent threat of climate change. Addressing the climate crisis is an enormous task put in everyone’s hands worldwide, and this is the last defining year to not allow any of our efforts to seep through the cracks.

2021: The Last Defining Year Against the Climate Crisis

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
February 17, 2021
Schools have an obligation to prioritize students’ mental and emotional health, affording them equitable access to mental health services and mandatory lessons, events and information, whether or not the student is attending virtually or in-person. RSD and MHS must serve as role models and demonstrate that the importance of students wellbeing outweighs their academic performance, so young people may grow to value the importance of self-preservation and self-care.

Schools Must Offer & Normalize Mental Health Days

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
January 24, 2021
Annika Haas, senior, listens to music and plays violin, along with other instruments, as a creative outlet for mental health. She turns to Spotify Music or her vinyl record player to find songs that represent and elevate her current mood. “I have a lot of anxiety, so especially this year, music has really helped me understand that everything will be alright,” Haas said.

Creative Arts Therapy Affects Mental Health

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
January 24, 2021
America faced one of its darkest days in its history of domestic terrorism Wednesday Jan. 6, as the darkest aspects of society and the Trump presidency were brought out of the shadows and onto Capitol Hill.

Attack on Capitol: Rioters Expose Crumbling American Society

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
January 9, 2021
The nation is running out of time to end federal executions and abolish the death penalty and strive towards a sense of humanity and dignity in the criminal justice system. The legacy of the U.S. is stained by the unprecedented rate of barbaric federal executions onto the imprisoned that are not limited to the "worst of the worst". As a leading country for capital punishment, the U.S. is regressing while over 50 percent of countries that have abolished the death penalty, as stated by Amnesty International, are progressing.

It’s Time to Execute the Death Penalty

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
December 20, 2020
LHS Principal Dr. Calcaterra spoke alongside MHS Principal Dr. Steve Hankins at a RSD Board of Education (BOE) meeting Oct. 22. Dr. Hankins said the MHS administration has prepared for various large-scale issues that could arise in the school and community due to the pandemic in 2021. “Hopefully, we have all our bases covered, but I am also realistic and something new might pop up that we have to address, Dr. Hankins said.

RSD Approves Changes to Second Semester Schedules

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
December 19, 2020
Will Bratton, junior, said in the face of current societal and political division, Americans need to accept and respect each other’s opinions. “We need to go back to our roots and solve things in a civil way, rather than with the aggression that is going on right now.”

MHS Students and Staff Reflect on Election Season

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
December 15, 2020
Emily Thompson, french teacher, said the safety of students is her top priority. She became a teacher to support the social-emotional health of every student in-person, which is unachievable during the pandemic. “I am a fairly healthy adult, so I am not as worried about myself as I would be for my other colleges who are substantially older, students with underlying conditions, or students and staff who are on the roulette wheel of being healthy and end up in the hospital,” Thompson said.

MHS Reflects: MO Governor Parson Relaxes School Quarantine Guidelines

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
November 18, 2020
Women of color, especially Black women, uplifted president-elect Joe Biden and vice-president elect Kamala Harris to the White House. However, they cast their ballots with their own safety and support in mind, not with the intent of saving America from the past administration’s destruction. Marginalized groups need to be prioritized on the Biden and Harris’ agenda in return for years of sacrifices when the government’s response was to no avail.

Cautious Optimism: The National Nightmare Is over

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
November 15, 2020
Tyler Ray, senior, said Black Literature offered him the unique outlook of Black figures and history. He said the class hasn’t received much attention during the pandemic because it’s sensitive. “I’m afraid people would get preconceived notions of the class or the idea that it’s hating on white people, which is the farthest thing it’s from,” Ray said. “It’s good not everyone is talking about it, so it can develop and define its own brand.”

Black Literature: Perspectives of Representation of Black History in Education

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
October 28, 2020
As a woman of color, Sen. Kamala Harris was compared to Vice President Mike Pence on her apparent “likeability”. Often, voters take this into consideration in deciding if a woman is a “qualified” leader, rather than solely their accomplishments and agenda. This judgement on behavior and outward femininity is generally more harsh for Black women, experts say.

Vice Presidential Debate: The Reality of Racism isn’t Debatable

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
October 17, 2020
Eboni Barrow, senior, grappled with the amount of student diversity in RSD, and the district’s lack of a formal stand in solidarity with students of color following the protests against racial injustice. “Having colored people in the community, you should care about what’s happening because racism can affect a student in Rockwood,” Barrow said.

In-Depth: Voices of Black Students Enduring Racism, Inequity

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
October 10, 2020
In a protest for George Floyd Wednesday, June 3, a large crowd sat in a moment of silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds to resemble the duration of time former Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on Floyd's neck.

Perspective: In the Wake of George Floyd’s Death, How Do We Create Change?

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
June 13, 2020
Kaliah Rodgers, senior, sits atop her bed, trying to be productive as the effects of the coronavirus pandemic looms over her.

Black Americans Face Disproportionate Effects of COVID-19

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
June 1, 2020
Grace Clutts, senior, took up knitting and painting to improve upon her mental health while during months of physical isolation due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

COVID-19 Pandemic Presents Mental Health Challenges

Lauren Pickett, In-Depth Editor
June 1, 2020
Nicole Licavoli, senior, eats dinner with her older sister Allison, Class of 2017, and her parents Nick and Cindy. Allison said she faced a challenge living far away from home in her first few years of college. “My family is very close,” Allison said. “We keep a family tradition of having dinner together every night. They’ve always supported me and helped me get through tough times.”

Alumni Reflect on the Effects of COVID-19

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
May 25, 2020
Laura Marie Coverstone, language arts teacher, said social media tributes and hashtags, such as #IRunWithMaud, can become therapeutic as they allow individuals to feel connected and to mourn during the COVID-19 pandemic’s stay-at-home orders and social distancing policies. “There are many ways to be heard without physically being present to advocate,” Coverstone said. “A lot of great conversations have been started and letters have been written that may have not been so articulately crafted, if people did not have the time to do so. For once, we have time on our side, and hopefully, we get it right this time.”

Death of Ahmaud Arbery Evokes Reflections and Tributes

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
May 16, 2020
South Base Terminal Manager Alex Gensler (left) and Starr Giammanco, meal distributor, (right) load school buses with boxes of prepared meals for regional distribution.

RSD Community Lends Helping Hand to Students and Families

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
May 7, 2020
Living an active life outside of school, Victoire Lehee said some of her favorite pastimes are hiking, running, and horse riding. She has ridden horses for about seven years and finds time to practice primarily on the weekends. In Switzerland, Lehee said she focused on her horse jumping skills. Now living in the U.S., she was able to find a new barn where she mostly works on dressage. She sits atop her horse, Lingotton, pictured above. “Horse riding teaches me perseverance because sometimes the horse doesn't want to do things, and you can’t be angry, so I think I learned patience too,” Lehee said. “When we’re together, I feel like the horse understands me, and you don’t even have to talk.”

A Journey From Another Hemisphere: EL Students Share Their Stories

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
May 3, 2020
After the joint decision to close many major St. Louis County and City schools March 15, Superintendent Dr. Mark Miles compiled an individual message to the RSD community.

Q&A: Dr. Mark Miles Discusses RSD COVID-19 Action

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
March 19, 2020
This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. The coronavirus outbreak was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) March 11. Coronavirus cases are now confirmed in all 50 U.S. states and D.C., as reported by the Washington Post. The death toll in the United States from coronavirus now exceeds 100, and there are more than 6,200 confirmed cases in the U.S., according to the John Hopkins University data dashboard.

RSD Extends School Closure Due to COVID-19

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
March 17, 2020
Sriharsha Guduguntla, junior, presents his trophy and stands with Viktor Hamburger Professor of Biology Dr. Erik Herzog, an organizer of the St. Louis Area Brain Bee at Washington University. Guduguntla said he will be working alongside Dr. Herzog in his internship at WashU for a laboratory research topic of choice. "I'm definitely interested in studying neurodegenerative disorders, stem-cells therapy, cancer, metabolism, and how all those fields interact, which is the coolest part."

Student Wins St. Louis Area Brain Bee

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
March 12, 2020
The name plate of Freshman Principal Keena Moore is atop a paper presenting Shirley Chisholm, the first African American U.S. Congresswoman. Both Moore and the paper demonstrate a lack of full representation in MHS as Moore is one of two African American faculty members in a high school of 2,250 students, and Chisholm's paper is one of a couple scarce posters scattered around a three-story building. This is how MHS carried out black history month.

Black History Month: How Silence Spoke Louder Than Words

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
March 4, 2020
Boarding the bus, juniors Nykieta Alexander, Aliyah Edwards, Amber Smith and senior Kaliah Rodgers prepare to depart from a tour of Spelman University and Morehouse University. Members of the Marquette Academic Cultural Club (MACC), alongside students from Kirkwood and Webster Groves, attended a college trip in Atlanta to tour local universities, dine at local eateries and meet new people from February 13-18.

Photo Gallery: MACC Travels to Atlanta for College Trip

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
March 2, 2020
“My favorite book was probably ‘Nyxia’ because they kept introducing new plot twists, and it had good character development. The book had a good conflict-resolution, and there was a lot of action throughout the book,” Dhruv Bansal, freshman, said.

Speak Out: Discussing Favorite Gateway Books

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
February 21, 2020
Andy Oitker, junior, tries to stay focused while he works on an in-class assignment. Trying to stay afloat after his parents divorce, he said he has become more mature and independent, often doing his homework without assistance, completing chores around the house, and making his own meals. "I'd say my grades have improved since I've gotten this past me," Oitker said. "I have more time to do homework, and I'm more focused because it's one less thing in the back of my mind all the time. Overall, I'm ready to do more."

Parental Divorce Affects Student Life

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
February 21, 2020
More than 10,000 people from Union Station on Market Street at the Women’s March on St. Louis march displaying signs with a variety of women empowerment sayings Jan. 21, 2017. The movement has taken place every year since placing emphasis on voter registration.

Women’s March & Feminism

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
February 12, 2020
Mary Olubogun, senior, speaks with Amy Walters, Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center volunteer, while she bandages her arm with Adria Martin, sophomore, alongside her. Olubogun said she liked the addition of the free t-shirt and later reflected on her motivation to donate these past years. “There are people that need blood, and it’s cool, even if it’s a little tiny bit, to help them out,” Olubogun said. “I like that we keep getting the opportunity to help the community as a school is really cool and interesting.”

Photo Gallery: Blood Drive

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
February 6, 2020
More than 10,000 people from Union Station on Market Street at the Women’s March on St. Louis march displaying signs with a variety of women empowerment sayings Jan. 21, 2017. The movement has taken place every year since placing emphasis on voter registration.

Women’s March & Feminism: “Separate But Equal”

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
January 24, 2020
Four of the nine gift wrapping alternatives are presented. Each item only required items from around the house such as a old t-shirt, a potato chip bag, a newspaper page and chopsticks.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Eco-Friendly Gift Wrapping

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
December 14, 2019
Kristen Holness, junior, said there is a lot of Indian influence in her food and a heavy use of spices.

[Photo] Kristen Holness, junior

December 6, 2019
Damira Kulzhanbekova, junior, identifies as Kazakh and moved from Russia two years ago.

[Photo] Damira Kulzhanbekova, junior

December 6, 2019
Abby Grace, senior, waters a variety of herbs and green on her deck. Grace's family started gardening last year and have since incorporated their harvest into their diet. "The whole problem is everyone has that negative mentality sometimes that they can't make an impact, but the best way to get around that is to make changes in your own life," Grace said.

Environmental Concerns Provoke Action

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
December 6, 2019
A variety of side dishes are common in Korean culture.

You Are What You Eat

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
December 6, 2019
Monica Bremer, spanish teacher, grew up in Panama until she was about 17 years old.

[Photo] Monica Bremer, spanish teacher

December 6, 2019
Eunice Heo, junior, eats Korean food with her family.

[Photo] Eunice Heo, junior

December 6, 2019
Layla Torgoley, guidance counselor, describes the content on her November "Career Readiness" toilet talk poster. Torgoley developed this idea from other counselors on social media and from her graduate, UMSL.

Lessons in the Lavatory With New Guidance Counselor

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
November 19, 2019
From 2012 to 2018, the voices of Sandy Hook families have been silenced. They were shut down because of the NRA's anti-gun control views, which overpowered their search for justice and fueled the gun industry. As of 2019, the Supreme Court allowed their suit against Remington Arms to continue by denying Remington's appeal. They may now make their case, legally.

Sandy Hook Lawsuit Is A Critical Victory

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
November 19, 2019
The school environment is transitioning to allow for open discussion and action with social issues. Instead of confining student expression and development through traditional teaching, schools should show their commitment to helping students with the issues of their generation. In this way, it will make a more colorful, progressive, and safe place.

Schools Must Be Agents of Change

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
November 13, 2019
M4MH members left to right are senior Zach Streicher, junior Laura Dorris, and senior Annie Getts. Club members took additional time outside of Flex meetings to design inspirational posters to be displayed in bathroom stalls this month. The students spent time playing music, coloring their posters, and enjoying each other's company. “So far our meetings have been very educational, and this is much more interactive for everyone," Getts said.

Mustang 4 Mental Health: Suicide Prevention And Awareness Efforts

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
November 8, 2019
Various universities are traveling to visit MHS this year.

Colleges Visit During Flex Time

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
October 1, 2019
The Production Room uses up to four boxes of paper in one day, which is 16,000 sheets. Additionally, the Library can use up 1,000 sheets of paper whenever necessary. 

How Many Trees on Average does MHS use in One Week through Paper Copies?

Lauren Pickett, Staff Reporter
September 13, 2019
Student-Athletes Balance Academics with Athletics

Student-Athletes Balance Academics with Athletics

Jailon Lyons, Lauren Pickett, Asia-Breiona Green, and Jordyn Reid
April 26, 2019
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