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The Shield January 2016 The Ideas Issue
Staff Pages / 2 Letter from the editor / 3 Editorial / 4 WPA needs to Change / 6 A Days are Not Worth It / 8
The Reports
Gallery / 10 2016 and Beyond / 12 So You Want to Be a Nurse / 15 What is CAPS? / 17 The Online Resistance / 19 The Year of the Drone / 21
The Spreads
Driving in Style / 24 This or That / 26 Social Spread / 28 Survey Spread / 30
The Back Pages
A History of Success / 32 The Boyz are Back / 34 Hawks and Saint an Unlikely Friendship / 36 Welcome to Choir / 39 K Macho’s a Review / 42 Icebreakers / 36 Last Look / 38 Calendar / 40
2016...and Beyond!
What to expect in the years ahead. Pg 12
The Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield MISSION STATEMENT The Shield is a newspaper sponsored by Saint Thomas Aquinas High School and produced by its students to provide information, entertainment, and open forum, as well as a learning experience for its staff members. The goal of The Shield’s staff is to meet professional journalism standards. Staff members are responsible for the content of the newspaper and strive to report news accurately, objectively, and completely. The Shield is an open forum for student expression and aims to communicate the concerns of the student body as well as the faculty, staff, and Aquinas community ADVERTISING The Shield sells advertisements to help with publication costs. All ads will be subject to the same scrutiny as stories. The Shield will not print any obscenities or any ads promoting products illegal to those under the age of 18. For advertising, please call (913) 319-2460, send an email to mhallauer@stasaints.net, or visit www.stasaints.net/shield
The Shield Saint Thomas Aquinas High School
11411 Pflumm Road Overland Park, KS 66215 913-319-2460
issue 6 volume 28 Editor-in-Chief Alex Kinnan
Adviser Matt Hallauer
Managing Editor Daniel Petracek
Reporters Annie Gellott Hagan Marozas Ansley Reynolds Seth Walker
SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions to The Shield are $3 per issue. Subscriptions can be sent to Saint Thomas Aquinas High School c/o Matt Hallauer. Digital subscriptions are free and sent via email monthy. Orders can be sent to newspaper@stasaints.net
Senior Editors Ellie Heit Olivia Rode Connor Ragan Alex Wagner
LETTER POLICY Letters may be accepted by The Shield, provided that they are signed and do not contain libelous statements. The Shield reserves the right to edit the letters for grammar, obscenity, or space consideration, and also reserves the right to not print a letter.
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January 2016
You’re Better Off
Countdown
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In three years Aquinas has been through a lot of good. As a person who commonly brings to light things that I feel are unjust at Aquinas (End the ban on cellphones, Page 5) I have to admit something, things have gotten, much better. The past three years have been hectic ones for Aquinas. I mean this in the best way possible. With changes like BYOD, the beginnings of necessary renovations (2016... and Beyond!, Page 7), a turf field and legal quarter-zips, it seems that Aquinas is shining brighter every day. There are many possible explanations for this, but one of the most important; students and teachers are listening to each other. We are doing a better job, and making what we want to see changed known. Teachers are listening in the classroom, making learning environments
Days to WPA
that the students want. Administrators are listening, becoming more in-tune with what students are talking about. In this issue, The Ideas Issue, we are not only looking at what 2016 has in store for us, but also exploring new Ideas (The Digital Resistance, Page 30), future technologies (It’s a Drone Thing, Page 13) and exploding job fields (So You Want to Be a Nurse, Page 4). While things are exponentially better now than just three short years ago, it is important to understand that in order to make Aquinas the best version of itself, we need to continue down this path. We need to have open conversations about issues we have with our teachers and administrators. You’re better off, now keep it that way.
Alex Kinnan Editor-in-Chief The Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield
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48
Days to Spring Break
109 Days to graduation
Suggested Reading
In Wisconsin, Efforts to End Taunting at Games Lead to Claims of Coddling. The New York Times.
Awards
In 2015, The Shield was named a First Class publication by the National Scholastic Press Association with Marks of Distinction for coverage, content, writing and editing.
Recycle
When finished with your Shield, the best thing you can do is recycle it and reduce the demand on the world’s landfills.
On the cover
Photo taken by Michele Gress. Sophomore Angelo Allegri celebrates a close win against St. James, 58-56.
The Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield
End the Ban on Cellphones BY THE SHIELD STAFF
Editorial
Since 2014, Saint Thomas Aquinas students have been able to exercise the use of devices, as long as they abide by the Bring Your Own Device policy. Since the inception of BYOD, The Shield has worked to make students aware of how they will be monitored and disciplined. However, The Shield hasn’t spoken on the major piece of the BYOD policy that is probably one of its biggest failures. This failure is Aquinas’s out-of-date and inconsistent cell phone policy. As it stands today, a student caught with a cell phone anytime anywhere during school hours immediately loses their waiver. The cell phone policy penalties
are its first and biggest injustice. A student who gets a detention still has a waiver. A student who is tardy four days in a row still has a waiver. In some cases, students suspended from school can also keep their waivers. The policy also fails in another big way: most don’t follow it. The use of cellphones in hallways and classrooms comes down to the discretion of the teacher. The Shield suggests administrators allow the use of cellphones in all Aquinas halls and the commons. The use of cellphones in classrooms should officially be up to the discretion of the teacher. Currently teachers find themselves asking students to break school policy, when they ask students to bring
cellphones to class. Finally, the administration should immediately change how students are punished for having a cellphone. The punishment for having a cellphone should follow those of BYOD. Students using devices without a teacher’s approval are disciplined by that teacher, without the removal of a waiver. The same should go for cellphones. This policy is outdated, unfair and unfollowed. The Shield calls on the administration to make these changes in order to make Aquinas the consistent place it ought to be. Do you have a issue you want The Shield to take a stand on? Email us at newspaper@stasaints.net and we may make it our next editorial.
How The Shield Staff Voted This editorial is the opinion of the majority of The Shield Staff. Below is a breakdown of the staff’s opinion on this issue.
YES Change the policy
11 Voted
15
4 Voted
Total Voting Staff Members
4
NO
Keep the policy
January 2016
It’s Time to Suit Up for WPA BY ANSLEY REYNOLDS
The first Opinion ever WPA at Saint Thomas Aquinas started a tradition that remains with the school even today. This long-lasting tradition is to have a costume-themed dance. Sophomore Student Council president Devin Diggs said, “One reason WPA is a costume themed dance is that it makes it less awkward and stressful for the freshman since it is their first dance. Dresses, suits and ties make the dances more serious, so the costumes can help keep it casual and fun.” The Shield sent out a survey asking Aquinas students if they preferred a formal or costume themed dance. Out of the 462 responses, majority favored a formal dance. “I think more people would attend the dance and stay longer if it was taken more seriously. I almost feel like we are dressed up for a football game,” junior Cameron Cota said. We wear uniforms everyday so one of the beauties of a formal dance is being able to show our individual style. Students at Aquinas have multiple opportunities to dress in a theme throughout the year such as sporting events,
homecoming week, etc. Junior Ben Hagenkord said, “Choosing which costume to wear for WPA creates a lot of stress rather than being able to wear a nice shirt and tie. We look silly.”
During costume dances your clothing does not represent who you are, it represents the character you are dressing as. We have limited opportunities at Aquinas to express our individuality and clothing choices due to the dress code, so having to attend a costume-themed dance is almost dreadful. “Every year sophomores throw out the idea of having a formal dance and every year it gets turned down,” said sophomore StuCo member Isabel Woolway. A formal WPA dance would be a welcome change to Saint Thomas Aquinas.
“I think more people would attend the dance and stay longer if it was taken more seriously. I almost feel like we are dressed up for a football game.” Cameron Cota Junior The process of finding and creating your costume is very stressful and time consuming. After all, students will only be wearing this costume once, whereas their dress
or suit can be worn multiple times.
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WPA is the first dance that freshmen get to attend. Costumes only add to the stress that entails with this event. Poll numbers speak for themselves. There is more support for this issue than people originally thought. StuCo needs to listen to the students they serve. Students discuss this hot topic on the next page.
Junior Ansley Reynolds, is a reporter for the Shield. This story was edited by Ellie Heit
The Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield
“No more costumes. I feel like I am at a middle school mixer.”
“I like costumes so people can show off their goofiness.”
Aubrey Evans Junior
Andrew Gilroy Senior
“I would rather have costumes because all the freshman are already stressing about dates and finding a dress would be even more stressful.”
“I would like it to be formal because I hate costumes and having to match the theme. It’s a lot easier to put on a suit.” Mason Howard Junior
Olivia Evans Freshman
“I like the idea of a formal theme because it makes the dance more of an occasion. I like having a reason to go buy a dress. It’s also nice to see the boys dressed up.”
“Personally I love the costumes because it’s a more laid back dance versus having to get all dressed up in nice clothes.”
Christy Rheinberger Senior
Cole Younger Senior
“It’s easier to dress formal than in a theme. You just look a lot better.” Matt Malir Senior 6
January 2016
Time For A Days to Go Away BY SETH WALKER
Opinion
Everyone dreads Mondays at Aquinas. The last thing students want to do after the weekend is to come back to school and attend every class in a rushed and stressful manner. In a recent survey, 59.2 percent of Aquinas students voted to get rid of A days completely, while only 35.7 percent of Aquinas students would want to keep the schedule the same, and only 5.2 percent voted to have more A days. These results are due to, poorly planned and the class periods that are hurried. The lunch periods are overcrowded and the passing periods are not long enough for some students to rush across the school and get to class on time. Classes on A days are 41 minutes shorter than classes on a regular schedule, this requires teachers to rush their lesson plan which can cause students and teachers to fall behind. When asked about A days, freshman teacher Ms. Kennedy’s response was simple, “I don’t like
“I believe that they are pointless days that add more stress on students to complete every assignment for all their classes in a couple days of the week.” Jasper George Junior
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them.” “In my opinion 45 minutes is not enough time to teach the curriculum,” she also said, “If I could change it I would switch off even and odd days on Monday, the only problem with that is that part time teachers would have no set schedule.” The rushed schedule is good for no one, causing students to hurry during class which results in mistakes, and causing them to hurry during passing period. Students must complete homework from all of their classes the night before A days, causing them to be up for hours which results in little sleep. This affects a student’s ability to follow along during such a long and busy school day. Junior Jasper George said, “I believe that they are pointless days that add more stress on students to complete every assignment for all their classes in a couple days of the weekend. If we switched them to a block schedule, students will be less stressed and more productive.”
The Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield
This is also the opinion of the majority of Aquinas students. Therefore, the school should push to get rid of A days and instead replace them with a block schedule, with every Monday alternating between even and odd. Aquinas has experimented with this idea before in years past, putting a two week period into the schedule with
alternating block days on Mondays. The students saw no problems with it and enjoyed it more than A days. The solution is simple, get rid of A days. Junior Seth Walker, @SethWalker3 on Twitter, is a reporter for the Shield. This story was edited by Alex Kinnan
“In my opinion 45 minutes is not enough time to teach the curriculum.” Ms. Kat Kennedy Teacher
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The Reports What’s inside
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The Year Ahead
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So You Want to Be A Nurse?
Why CAPS Works
One Last Dance Senior boys and their moms dance in circle during the annual mother son dance on Jan. 9.
Photo by Kathryn Withers | The Medallion
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Digital Resistance
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It’s a Drone Thing
The Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield
The Year Ahead BY ALEX KINNAN
Aquinas 2020 T
he highly speculated upcoming renovations coming to Aquinas are expected to gain steam this year following last year’s announcement. The University of Saint Mary is scheduled to move out sometime in May according to President Ford, they decided not to renew their lease. “We are moving
Things are just starting to heat up in Aquinas’s biggest renovation plan yet.
forward,” Ford said. Although nothing is official, current design plans are being drawn and will be presented to the board of trustees, then the Archdiocese this spring. The renovations are going to be carried out in phases over a three year period. Some phases will have to be done while students are on break. At the top of the list, and scheduled for phase one, is moving
administrative offices into the previous Saint Mary space, connecting Saint Mary’s and the main building to create a single entrance to the building allowing Aquinas to be more safe and efficient. There are still many parts to Aquinas 2020. According to Ford, large donors are still being secured and once that hurdle is cleared, smaller donation events will be discussed.
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The Reports
Aquinas hasn’t seen a renovation plan of this scale in quite a while. With multiple phases all with the goal of being completed in 2020, multiple sections of the campus are going to be affected and improved. Much of what will be done this summer will be small transitional things like moving signs and reconfiguring networks. Ford added “It’s a lot more than we thought.”
January 2016
Ride KC
After 150 years Kansas City brings streetcars back.
America Votes As election season grows shorter, they stakes will get higher.
Photo courtesy KCATA
One of the three streetcars that will glide through downtown Kansas City this spring.
A
fter nearly two years of road construction, the two mile downtown streetcar line will open this spring. The line runs on a loop from Union Station to the River Market. It features 16 platform stops, including popular destinations such as, the Crossroads art district, the Power and Light district and the Kauffman Center for performing arts. Streetcars will arrive every 10 minutes with parking located along the route. According the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, the service with be free to residents and tourists alike. The streetcar line is the KCATA’s first step into making the Kansas City Metropolitan Area a more friendly public transportation place. Construction started in 2014, after the KCATA was able to secure funding.
The construction process consisted of Main street being outfitted with rails, platforms and utilities from Union Station to River Market.
Streetcar quick Facts Monday – Thursday: 6:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m. Friday: 6:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. Saturday: 7:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. Sunday – 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. • 16 stops • Parking located along route, garages located at Union Station. • Free • 150 riders per vehicle • Free Wi-Fi
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The Reports
T
he 2016 election is going to start getting serious, the Iowa Caucus and the New Hampshire primary are two of the most important victories
and the candidates can achieve leading to the Republican, Democratic Conventions in the summer. Once the two candidates are chosen, In the fall of 2016, which features a series of debates that will lead up to the November 8th election day.
The Path to the White House • • • • • • • • • • •
2/1 Iowa Caucus 2/9 New Hampshire Primary 3/ 5 Kansas Caucus 7/18 Republican National Committee 7/25 Democratic National Committee 9/29 1st Presidential Debate 10/4 Vice Presidential Debate 10/9 2nd Presidential Debate 10/19 3rd Presidential Debate 11/8 Election Day 1/20/17 Inauguration Day
The Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield
South America’s first games is set in the beautiful Rio de Janeiro.
olympics 2016 T
he first ever Olympics in South America will open their doors in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on August 5th 2016. The games are expected to attract over 10,000 athletes from 206 countries. Their will be 42 sporting events over
17 days, with Golf and Rugby returning after 112 and 92 years respectively. The games are spread around four regions of Rio. Nearly four million tickets will be under $30.
Friday, Aug. 5 Opening Ceremony
Schedule Highlights
Soccer
Photo courtesy | Rio Olympics 2016
Official Rio Olympic Mascots. Vinicus (left) is the Olympic Games mascot, a mixture of all \the Brazilian animals. Tom (right) the Paralympic Games mascot, a magical creature, a fusion of all the plants in the Brazilian forests.
Saturday, Aug. 6 Day 1 & Sunday, Aug. 7 Day 2 Gymnastics Swimming
Thursday, Aug. 11 Day 6
Saturday, Aug. 13 Day 8
Judo Gymnastics Rugby Swimming
Tennis Rowing Track & Field Swimming
Saturday, Aug. 20 Day 15
Sunday, Aug. 21 Day 16
Golf Triathlon Basketball Diving Soccer Track & Field Volleyball
Track & Field Volleyball Boxing Basketball Closing Ceremony
Senior Alex Kinnan, @alexkinnan on Twitter, is the Shield’s Editor-in-Chief. This story was edited by Ellie Heit
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The Reports
January 2016
So You Want To Be A Nurse...
According to The Shield’s recent survey, almost 20 percent of Aquinas students are pursuing a future in nursing. BY ELLIE HEIT Nursing has quickly become the most popular future profession of Saints. While it has been harder for college graduates to get jobs, nursing is a definite way to insure that future graduates will be employed. Of those who took The Shield’s January survey, 81 of Aquinas students wished to become active in this field. In 2013, the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Projections showed nursing as one of the fastest growing jobs, predicted through 2022. The amount of job openings will reach around one million by that time. However, in the Kansas City area, the amount of nurses applying to local hospitals is decreasing. “There has been a decrease in the number of nurses applying for positions at the hospital,” said Menorah Medical Center’s Chief Nursing Officer Nan Whalen. “This is due in part to the lack of nursing programs and the difficulty of recruiting nursing instructors.” Whalen also commented on the change in the quality of nurses. “Today’s nurses are very highly educated,” Whalen said. Even though they aren’t working 50 plus hours a week, she points out, today’s nurses still deeply care about providing competent, compassionate care to people. Senior Lexi Stukel has already been preparing for her future. “Nursing is something that I’ve always been interested in,” Stukel said. “When I was little I would play with my mom’s stethoscope and other play nurse items and I would use my stuffed animals as my patients.”
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Stukel participates in the CAPs program, where she learns basic skills such as drawing blood, giving IVs, and other techniques. “I had a friend who did CAPS his junior year and it sounded really cool,” Stukel said. “I was also looking to get my CNA (Certified Nursing Assistance) over the summer, but then found out I could get it through CAPS so I immediately jumped on the opportunity.” While the CAPS program isn’t necessary to fulfill the requirements of being a nurse, it helps to learn professionalism in the workplace and give a student an edge.
The Reports
81 of 468 students polled were interested in becoming a nurse.
The Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield
19% Expected increase in RNs from 2013 to 2022
Photo courtesy of Lexi Stukel
Seniors Lexi Stukel, Cyrena Colgan, Emily Everhart, Annie Washburn and Maggie Martin get ready for a simulation surgery. These seniors took part in the CAPS program last semester. “Specifically in my medical class, we talk a lot about patient care and how the patient should be the focus of your attention,” Stukel said. This program gives students a sturdy advantage, especially considering the heavy amount of competion during the process of getting in to nursing school. According to a study by the American Association of Colleges
of Nurses, over 68,000 qualified applicants are rejected from nursing school, simply because of lack of space. While this fact might be scary, freshman Claire Alpough isn’t concerned about this statistic. “I’ve always wanted to be a nurse, ever since my dad worked at Children’s Mercy,” Alpough said. Alpough plans to become a nurse in the maternity ward. This seems to be one of the
most competitive sectors of nursing, as compared to hospice and care for the elderly. “It’ll be tough,” Alpough said. “But it will be really good when I finally accomplish it.” While there will be a boost in jobs for nursing, many of those jobs are due to the upcoming retirement of many baby boomerspeople born in the 15 years after World War II. Despite the numerous obstacles, becoming a
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The Reports
Registered Nurse is one of the only jobs that is garanteed to make a difference and provide job security. “Nursing is truly one of the most fulfilling and satisfying careers,” Whalen said. “Every day, I get to see the difference we make in [the] patients’ and families’ lives. Senior Ellie Heit, @eheit0 on Twitter, is the Shield’s Copy Editor. This story was edited by Olivia Rode.
January 2016
The CAPS Difference The Blue Valley’s Schools’ Center for Advanced Professional Studies, otherwise known as CAPS, is the program that enables Aquinas students that live in Blue Valley to begin experiencing a career. CAPS is known for their professional connections and a curriculum that puts students straight into the workplace. Students can do field research, work with cutting-edge technologies, and gain internships with top employers. “The connections you make here is the best part of it. I have met so many business people in the Kansas city area. I have an internship with Cerner because of this program. I have done so many things that I could not have done if I had stayed at Aquinas,” said senior Laney Zabroske. “My teacher also pushed me to apply for an award in aspirations in computing and I won. This program pushes you in ways you thought was not possible. You learn that you don’t have to be an adult to work on your career.” The CAPS program has six strands and 26 courses total. From bioscience and medicine
BY ANNIE GELLOTT
to film making and engineering, CAPS has a wide variety of programs to
CAPS in the morning. This can be a problem because some programs are only
Photo by Annie Gellott The Shield The CAPS building at the Blue Valley Headquarters.
give as many students as possible a chance to get a head-start in their career. Every program meets for
offered in the afternoon. This can sometimes cause Aquinas/CAPS students to rearrange their schedules,
“This program pushes you in ways you thought was not possible.” Laney Zabroske Senior three hours, five days a week for a semester. They offer a morning and afternoon session. Depending on which program the student takes, CAPS offers high school elective credits and college credit. Due to scheduling issues, Aquinas encourages students to do
take online courses, or even summer classes, in order to complete their required credits. Senior Luke Curran, who was in the Technology Solutions program for three semesters said, “It was pretty difficult to fit it in my schedule. After my first semester, I had
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The Reports
to rework my graduation requirements with Mrs. Castinado and I have had to take online classes to fit it in my schedule. Mrs. Castinado did a great job keeping my schedule organized and allowing me to still graduate with the credits I needed.” At Aquinas, the CAPS program is gaining popularity, with 115 students showing an interest. Every student interviewed said they would recommend CAPS to underclassmen. However, not everyone can do CAPS. In order to enroll, you must be a resident of Blue Valley, an incoming junior or senior, and provide your own transportation. With course selections right around the corner, students interested in CAPS should begin looking into their program. CAPS fills on a first-come, firstserve basis. Students are encouraged to contact Mrs. Castinado to discuss fitting CAPS into their schedule. Junior Annie Gellott, @anniegellott on Twitter, is a reporter for The Shield. This story was edited by Alex Kinnan.
The Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield
From CAPS Alumni... Technology Solutions
Foundations of Medicine 1 & 2
“CAPS connects you with professionals in the industry in which you have interest. I was connected with a startup company in downtown Kansas City called X-Lab and I interned for them over the summer. I am now working for them part-time and I will soon be working with their artificial intelligence team which is my dream. “
“I have most benefited by earning hands on experience in the field I want to go into. CAPS has allowed me to learn in a different and new way that is more beneficial for my career ahead!” Annie Washburn Senior
Luke Curran Senior
Technology Solutions: Computer Programming
Global Food Industry
“Not only to you get to bake/cook about once a week, but you get to write a business plan, cook with a professional chef, do bioscience collaborations every Wednesday and Tuesday, and work with other branches of CAPS when developing your product for your business. Laila Carter Senior
“You actually get to spend school time doing something you love.” Laney Zabroske Senior
Foundations of Medicine & Teacher Education
“CAPS has helped me to become more independent and take learning a step further.”
Technology Solutions
“It is not your standard, boring school.”
Maggie Martin Senior
Luke Curran Senior 18
The Reports
January 2016
The Online Resistance
This new online era certainly has its advantages. “One nice thing about it is they can constantly update it as new information is gathered or added, and it shows up immediately for the students using them as opposed to having to wait several years for a new textbook to be purchased,” Moss said. In addition to that, the students don’t have to worry about carrying around a bulky textbook wherever they go. It’s always at available on their device. “It’s pretty hard for [a student] to say, ‘Well, I forgot to take my textbook home’... I can be pretty assured that students always have BY EZRI KILLEEN access to whatever it is that we’re “Some [publishers] offer the online looking for,” science teacher Joseph version [of textbooks] for a very small fee Orrick said. The new influx of online if you buy the hardcover version as well,” textbooks and “paperless” English teacher Craig Ewing Moss said. classrooms at Saint Thomas also weighed in on some of the Aquinas has been met with upsides. He mentioned that the mixed reactions, to the online textbooks, as surprise of many. well as “paperless” In recent years, classrooms like his, are Aquinas students and more environmentally faculty have been gaining friendly and prepare access to a whole new students for learning spectrum of educational beyond Aquinas. Ewing Photo found on web. tools including online started his “paperless” The logo for Pearson. This publishing company is one of classroom three years ago textbooks. Students, the companies Aquinas uses for online textbooks. when he did beta testing especially seniors, can agree that the number of for the school, and he has these online tools they use preferred it ever since. in classes has increased since But students aren’t so “I am not a huge fan of they were freshman. convinced that the pros outweigh the e-texts. I’ve spoken with cons. Students polled in The Shield’s The reason? Obviously, technology these days is more numerous students about survey this month were divided sophisticated than it used to 65 to 35 percent, with the majority it, and they also indicate be, and Aquinas’s recent Bring preferring physical textbooks over they prefer a non-digital Your Own Device has only online textbooks. encouraged more technology use “I am not a huge fan of e-texts. text.” in classes. But the main reason I’ve spoken with numerous students might be that the publishers of about it, and they also indicate they Craig Moss textbooks are starting to move in prefer a non-digital text,” Moss said. Academic Principal an online direction, according to In personal interviews, common Academic Principal Craig Moss. responses to why students dislike online books was that they were hard 19 to use.
Despite the conveniences promised by online textbooks, students are resistant to the change.
The Reports
The Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield “Online books are impossible to find different pages. Physical books are easier to read, in general,” sophomore Meg Goza said. Another complaint was that online textbooks aren’t as easy to access as some might think. When students don’t have Internet connection, the online books are inaccessible. “A lot of time I’m traveling or somewhere away from my house and I can’t use an online textbook,” junior Emily Conard said.
What The Shield Staff Thinks Pro-Physical Books: 13 Pro-Online Books: 1
“Online books are impossible to find different pages. Physical books are easier to read, in general.” Meg Goza Sophomore
Junior Ezri Killeen, @e_claire17 on Twitter, is a freelance reporter for The Shield. This story was edited by Editor-InChief Alex Kinnan.
What The Students Think ld wou l ents stud physica % of se 65.5 r only u ks. e rath textboo
The same goes for assignments on the same platform. Junior Georgia Stevens said, “If you’re on Wi-Fi and somehow your Wi-Fi crashes then your whole assignment is gone, and then you have to redo [it].” However, there is less resistance to online textbooks among freshmen. In recent years, middle schools, both public and some Catholic, started using online textbooks. Some freshmen are accustomed to the platform, and prefer it over physical books. “You don’t have to carry all the weight [of a physical textbook] around [with online books,]” freshman Hallie Klanke said. Of course, these online textbooks are in their very early stages. “In their current configuration, most e-texts are not much more than PDFs of the actual book,” Moss said. With time, the online books will hopefully improve enough that students prefer them over physical textbooks. As it is, the benefits of online books and assignments are undeniable - but so are the disadvantages.
35.5% of students would rather only use online textbooks.
Statistics were taken from The Shield’s January survey.
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The Reports
January 2016
It’s a Drone Thing BY LUKE DOHERTY
“He is holding a gun; a shotgun to be exact. The man lifts up the gun, aiming down the object, and pulls the trigger.”
Photo courtesy of Ed Schipul via Flickr Creative Commons
The sun has almost set as you’re walking home in Bullitt County, Kentucky. Not too sure as to where you are, you decide not to worry. All of a sudden, a white flying object wizzes by your head. You become dazed, confused, and unaware of what just happened. As you frantically look around for the culprit, you realize it is a drone. Why a drone? You’ve never seen a drone in real life. It flies onto the front yard of the neighboring house and an old man comes running out of the house, with an emotion you couldn’t quite put together. But one thing you can tell for sure, almost right away, is that he is holding a gun; a shotgun to be exact. The man lifts up the gun, aiming down the object, and pulls the trigger. You flinch, not expecting such a noise, and the drone, about 15 feet away, bursts into tiny pieces. Four men, the pilots of the drone, run towards the old man’s yard. Screaming and shouting, the men are clearly upset that their drone was destroyed. But before the four men can cross the sidewalk, the old man utters, “If you
cross my sidewalk, there’s gonna be another shooting.” This real account was brought to the public eye this past November. The four men took their dispute to Bullitt County District Court in Kentucky. In an attempt to sue for their $800 drone that was shot down, the old man, William Merideth, defended himself by saying he had a civil right to shoot down
“I think they are really cool, my brother has one! But they’re also super dangerous if you don’t know how to work them.” Abbie Meyer Senior the drone as an invasion of privacy. After a very brief 20 minutes of court time, the judge dismissed this case, declaring that this was an invasion of privacy; the man had a right to such action in this event. However, that wasn’t the end of the debate.
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The Reports
Saint Thomas Aquinas Academic Principal, Craig Moss, said on the topic of drone restrictions and drone likeability “Because of the ‘new-ness’ of the drone craze, I think everyone is still trying to figure out regulations and restrictions that make sense for the civilian population. That said, I am all for as few restrictions as possible. Someone is going to do something stupid, though, and my guess would be that flying drones is going to be fraught with regulations and paperwork.” Moss said that Americans have a right to fly these drones, and shouldn’t be taken away by the hands of the government. Many other Americans believe the same. On a broader spectrum, dozens of other countries have their own opinions on drones as well. A recent poll of 45 major countries shows a nearly unanimous vote towards the opposition of military drones. 42 of the countries showed a strong majority vote against drones; the three that approved the use of military drones were the United States, Israel, and Kenya.
The Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield The overall opposition of military drones seems to be increasing as well, with Kenya split almost in half. Drones in the United States have an unusual likeability. They give the American public a sense of accomplishment, and a futuristic feeling the public only longs to create. The year of the drone is a dream, but also a nightmare. With this, the American public has a responsibility to not only reassure the safety of Americans, but also their privacy. Without making these drones illegal, restrictions on such technology seem implied. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposal Data Collected from The Shield’s January Survey offers safety rules...It also woman’s window. With reasonable areas are off limits. Without making addresses height restrictions, restrictions on drones, such as them illegal, there many things that operator certification, optional a possible license for a drone can be done to ensure the safety use of a visual observer, aircraft over a certain size, a restriction and privacy of Americans. registration and marking, and on camera size, and possibly city Senior Luke Doherty, operational limits. @lukedoherty13 on Twitter, is a The American public is simply too new to this machinery “I am all for as few restrictions as freelancer for The Shield. This story was edited by Alex Kinnan. and know too little about the possible. Someone is going to do possibilities a drone can have. One something stupid, though, and my case in Los Angeles of a woman guess would be that flying drones proved this. As she was changing is going to be fraught with regulain her hotel room in the city, a drone slowly rose to her window. tions and paperwork.” Because she was afraid and confused, she called the police. Craig Moss What else is an invasion Saint Thomas Aquinas Academic of privacy if this isn’t? It was almost too easy for the pilot of Principal the drone to simply rise to the
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The Reports
The Spreads What’s inside
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Driving in Style
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This or That
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Social Spread
Driving in Style Senior Michael Lynch’s 2012 Ford Mustang V6 Photo by Daniel Petracek The Shield
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Survey Spread
Driving in Style BY DANIEL PETRACEK
CAR: 1970 CHEVROLET C20 CAMPER SPECIAL Car Name: Stella
HOW I got it: I BOUGHT HER JUNE 8, 2014 IN HARRISOnville, Missouri from a guy named Jim who had an ad on Craigslist. Favorite Feature: I installed a PA system which is basically a speaker that I can use to talk to people.
Hunter Brown, SENIOR
Interesting Story: My friends and I were at Sonic sitting in the bed of the truck hanging out. Someone took a Snapchat story and in the window of my truck was a face that looked like a ghost. It was pretty creepy but it’s been a chill ghost so far. It can be found: backed into its spot in senior lot on the right side when you pull into the school
Photo courtesy of Hunter Brown
Wyatt Keena, Sophomore
Photo courtesy of Wyatt Keena
CAR: 1978 Ford Bronco Custom Car Name: Billy HOW I got it: I got it from a family friend in September. Favorite Features: It looks and sounds cool. It is a stick shift and the back comes off. It also has a tailgate with a rear window that rolls down. It can be found: parked on the far side of sophomore lot by the houses CAR: 2012 Ford Mustang V6 Car Name: Big Blue HOW I got it: I got it a little more than a year ago at Bob Allen Ford. I saw it in the parking lot and said, “I’m gonna get that car.” Photo by Daniel Petracek | The Shield
Favorite Feature: It’s pretty fast, but it isn’t extremely loud like the V8’s. It’s a much more mellow ride.
Michael Lynch, Senior
Interesting Story: I was walking up to my car in a parking lot and argued with a guy who thought it was his! Turns out he had the exact same car a little further down the parking lot.
The Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield
The Survey Spread Who is the Saints’ biggest rival? (Not including St. James)
News Bites
447
Enrollment in 1988 (Saint Thomas Aquinas’ inaugural year)
976 Current enrollment
$1,600,000,000
Powerball jackpot announced January 13th (kslottery.com)
25/1
Royals’ odds of winning 2016 World Series (Vegas Insider)
Bishop Carroll Bishop Miege - 60% Bishop Carroll - 4.3% Bishop Miege Blue Valley Blue Valley North Blue Valley Northwest Blue Valley Southwest Blue Valley West Gardner-‐Edgerton Blue Valley - 2% Rockhurst Blue Valley Southwest - 2% Mill Valley Other Blue Valley Northwest - 2% Rockhurst - 11.6% Blue Valley West - 0.4 % Gardener - 0.6% Mill Valley - 15.8% Blue Valley North - 0.8% Other- 0.4%
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The Spreads
30% Fall in Chipotle’s stock value due to reports of E. Coli (Bloomberg)
BY CONNOR RAGAN
The Back Pages What’s inside 32
Girl’s Basketball
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Boy’s Basketball
Photo courtesy of Michele Gress
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Just Keep Swimming
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The Back Pages
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Welcome to Show Choir
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The Food Review
The Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield
A History of Success
For 21 years in a row, the Aquinas girls’ basketball team has gone to state, and they don’t plan on backing down any time soon. BY BECCA HAEUSSER
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the Back pages
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January 2016
uccess is at the heart of the girls’ basketball team. It is a tradition that has been a part of the team for as long as anyone can remember. “We have a reputation to uphold and it keeps us motivated to work hard everyday,” junior Jenna Steichen said. This year, the odds have been stacked against the team. Photo by Becca Haeusser | The Shield “In the off-season, we lost Junior Nicole Corrigan goes to the basket both our returning starting point on a fast break. This season she has been guard Rhyann Fisher to a torn a valuable point guard for the team. ACL and returning letter winner Jenna Steichen to the same injury,” Head Girls Basketball Coach Rick Hetzel said. “Rhyann and Jenna were “Our team is really close and both going to be huge players we support each other well.” on the team with a lot of playing time,” sophomore team captain Sereena Weledji said. “Our Sereena Weledji team has had overcome that. Sophomore It’s been hard but I think we have been doing a great job. Rhyann and Jenna are always there for us, though, and that has been nice.” The team this year consists mainly of underclassmen. Made up of one senior, one junior, nine sophomores, and four freshmen, the team is still determined to uphold the tradition of success. And so far this year, they have been doing exactly that. The team has a winning 6-3 record. Photos on previous page by Becca Haeusser
The Lady Saints played Bishop Miege on January 14. They battled hard but lost 49-43.
Photo by Becca Haeusser | The Shield
Freshman Alayna Townsell goes in for a lay-up. She has started varsity for the majority of the season.
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Weledji said, “Our team is really close and we support each other well. I think our team chemistry has improved a lot throughout the season thus far.” The girls’ team goal for this season is to get as far as they can in the state tournament. Hetzel elaborated on some other major goals. “Team goals are always to improve each day and view the next game as the most important game you will play because it is your next game.” Fisher said, “The season so far has been tough but if we play as a team it will turn out well in the end.” Despite adversity and setbacks, this girls team is determined to continue to succeed. One way that the student body can help is by showing up to the girls’ games and cheering. “We could use some fans! Fans are very much appreciated and we could use the extra energy to get us pumped,” Fisher said. Steichen said, “I would really encourage fans to get into the game because it is way more fun to play when there is energy in the gym.” The Lady Saints face tough competitor Blue Valley on January 25 at 7, they are hoping to secure a 7-3 record. Junior Becca Haeusser is a freelance reporter for The Shield. This story was edited by Ellie Heit.
The Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield
The Boyz are Back In Town
The season has started with a 6-3 record for the Aquinas boys basketball team. BY BECCA HAEUSSER
Photo by Becca Haeusser | The Shield
The boys’ basketball team huddles up before the Miege game. They later lost 45-39.
in Assistant Coach John Rost’s room. “So far this team’s best trait Senior team captain Matthew is their desire to succeed,” Boys’ Navickas said, “We get some good Basketball Head Coach Sean Reilly said. “We are not very pretty at times, team bonding with disco parties before practice.” but the players’ effort The team’s and unselfishness “Pretty much whatever favorite pump up has been a joy to be team you put in front of song is When I was part of.” Senior team us, we will beat them.” Your Man by Bruno Mars. Apparently, captain Karter this song helps them Odermann said, “I John Schnieders to focus on the game think we have had Junior at hand. pretty good start to The team is definitely focused the year but we need to improve on success. Every player that was offensively. We have been playing interviewed stated that their team pretty unselfishly.” goal was to bring home the first boys’ This team seems to have an basketball state championship in unbreakable bond. The majority of the team spends STA period together school history.
Junior Jack Boedeker said, “We like to take it one game at a time. We see every game we play as the biggest game of the season.” “Honestly my goal for this team is to be the best possible team it can be come the end of February,” Reilly said. “If we keep improving, the wins will take care of themselves.” Confidence does not seem to be a problem for this team. Junior John Schnieders said, “Pretty much whatever team you put in front of us, we will beat them.” The highlight of the season thus far has been beating St. James, according to most of the team. “It has been rewarding knowing that there is no quit in these guys. They make plays at critical times,” Reilly said. And as Boedeker bluntly stated, “We might not be the best team in the EKL, but we have the best hair.”
Photo by Becca Haeusser | The Shield
The team sings the Alma Mater after the Miege game.
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Junior Becca Haeusser is a freelance reporter for The Shield. This story was edited by Ellie Heit.
Personal Goals for this Season January 2016
“My goal is to beat St. James... Oh wait.” Jack Boedeker Junior
“My goal is to try to make myself and my teammates better everyday.” Kenny Gavin Sophomore
“My goal is to win a state championship.” Karter Odermann Senior
“My goal is to break the single season scoring record in half the games.”
“I would like to get my bench max up to 200 pounds.” John Schnieders Junior
“My goal is to get better everyday as the season goes on in order to help the team win.” Joe Rost Freshman
“My goal is to hang a state banner in the gym.” Connor Cross Junior
Mike D’Amore Junior
“My personal goal is to bench 300 pounds by the end of the season.” Nick Bulleigh Junior
“My personal goal is a 360 between the legs windmill dunk.” Matthew Navickas Senior
“My goal for the season is to dunk in a game.” Ben Hagenkord Junior
“My personal goal is to improve my shooting percentage.” Angelo Allegri Junior
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The Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield
Hawks and Saints: An Unlikely Friendship BY ALEX WAGNER
Photo by Alex Wagner
Sophomore Isaiah Elsener swims the butterfly during the Blue Valley Northwest Triangular Jan. 8. For the past two years the boys swim team has not only shared the same facilities with Olathe East, but have also shared the same coach. David Youker, with 24 years of coaching experience, is the head coach of both the Saint Thomas Aquinas and the Olathe East swim teams. Youker also advises the second-year Aquinas head swim coach, Samantha Donald, about taking on more responsibility with managing the swim team. What that entails is all the behind the scenes things that a head coach does that goes unseen by parents, athletes and fans.
Donald is trying to learn as much as she can this season, so she can be a better coach for the boys and girls teams and help eventually break away from East. That is the goal for the boys team in the next
low numbers, so having the Olathe East squad has made for a healthier environment. All the boys from each school get along with each other. The boys are not only making friendships, but are also
“It’s tough to have a team of 11. If one person is gone, all the sudden you’re down a couple numbers.” Samantha Donald Head Swim Coach few years. If the Saints swim team was on their own, they would have a team of 11 boys. Donald said it is hard to form a teamlike atmosphere with
making a team-like bond. For the current seniors, they have experienced major changes: Three different head coaches, different training styles and a partnership with Olathe
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Back Pages
East due to low numbers One of the characteristics senior captain Sam Clark has seen throughout his time swimming is that freshman year he swam and the team would not really care how he did because the culture of the team was all wrong. They had people who did not care and took swim as a joke. The program was not in a good place three years ago. That was one of the major reasons the team decided on the partnership. At the time the team had six boys and was still renting facilities. However to those six boys, swimming was very important.
So instead of cutting the program, the athletes’ parents and Activities Director Sarah Burgess discussed options they could do for the boys. After much discussion, the final decision was a partnership with East. “Coach Youker is very passionate about the sport… He likes the sport so much that he did not want our (Aquinas) program to die either, and he was willing to take it on,” Burgess said. The partnership happened right before the beginning of last year’s season. The changed has worked out well for the Aquinas swim team. “Since we have joined Olathe East, every race there will be people
January 2016
cheering you on,” said Clark. He went on to say that it is not just Aquinas people who are cheering him on. Everyone on both teams cares
“It was the best swim related decision that could of been made by the school.” Derek Ecklund Senior and wants each other to succeed. The bond that has been made with East the last two seasons has been shown at meets, when the boys from both
Photo by Alex Wagner
schools cheer for each other. “We cheer for them as much as we cheer for our own guys,” senior captain Derek Ecklund said. Cheering for each other continues to build the relationship both teams have created. It has made for a more competitive environment and made a sense of family. It has even changed the culture back to the way the swim team had always wanted it. But the goal for the team is to eventually break away from East and be back on their own. Senior Alex Wagner is a senior editor for the Shield. This story was edited by Alex Kinnan.
Coaches David Youker (left) and Samantha Donald (right) look down at their schedule before the meet starts.
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Back Pages
Photos by Alex Wagner
The Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield
left to right Senior Sam Clark swims the breaststroke at BVNW. The Saints get ready to swim in the medley relay at BVNW. Senior Derek Ecklund talks to coach Samantha Donald after a race at BVNW.
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Back Pages
January 2016
The Show Choir Must Go On BY MIA POWER
The Saint Thomas Aquinas show choirs have been preparing all year for the upcoming competition season and are ready to bring home some hardware Show choir has been around since the beginning of the school and since that time the program has grown and evolved into two highly competitive groups. Despite the impressive recent improvements in both numbers and quality, 83% of Aquinas students said they had not seen show choir perform in the past year. So, what are they missing? Show choir is different from other choirs because it involves dancing, costumes and sometimes sets in addition to singing. Saint Thomas Aquinas currently has two show choirs, the Saintsations, an all girls group, and the Swingin’ Saints, a coed group. The show choir competition season usually runs from late January through the beginning of March, with competitions in Missouri, Nebraska, and Iowa. Schools from all around the Midwest come to compete by performing their set for the year. A set consists of at least four songs, one of them being a ballad to show off the group’s vocal ability. At the competition, each group is allotted an amount of time, usually
Mia Power | The Shield
Spinning With A Smile. Freshman Lauren Welch twirls during the Saintsations’ second song of their set. between 15 and 30 minutes, to set Martin, who has been a part of the up, perform, and get everything off Swingin’ Saints for four years, said the stage. she enjoys competitions because The groups are scored by “It’s really fun to get show off all of a panel of judges on skills including your hard work. It’s also really cool choreography, vocals, and stage to follow all of the choirs that have presence. The highest scoring been around for a while that have groups qualify for finals, where they incredible shows every year.” perform again and compete for first The results of those competitions place overall. can be seen in the form of numerous Senior dance captain Maggie trophies and plaques displayed in
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The Back Pages
The Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield
the SaintSations were added. The the competition Saintsations now have 23 members. season only Vocal music teacher Joe lasts a few Heidesch, who directs both groups, months, show choir is a year-round “The quality of commitment for their performances the students involved. has increased Auditions dramatically.” are in the spring for the two groups. Then in Joe Heidesch July, they attend Vocal music teacher a week long camp where Mia Power | The Shield they learn all of Dance Break. The Swingin’ Saints dance during their the music for their set opener, “Frozen.” said that in addition to the growth and the choreography the music room at Aquinas. The in numbers, “The quality of their for two or three songs. Swingin’ Saints have made finals performances has increased The Swingin’ Saints meet as a three times at Northwest Missouri dramatically.” zero hour and the Saintsations meet State. They have placed second in Martin said that in her as a regular class. their division twice. Last year, the They also meet outside of school time at Aquinas she has seen a about once a week all year and three change in mentality “from a casual extracurricular to a competitive times a week around competition “The season for show group.” season. choir is year-round.” “The season for show choir is year round,” Jaden Castinado said Junior dance Junior captain Jaden Castinado. He has been a part of the Swingin’ Saintsations placed second in their Saints for three division at a competition in Omaha. years. Recently the two groups competed at When the Heart of America Invitational. show choir The Saintsations placed second first began at in their division while the Swingin’ Aquinas, the Saints placed third in theirs. Swingin’ Saints Junior Ezri Killeen won the award had only 12 for Outstanding Female Vocalist for students. Now Mia Power | The Shield her solo in the song “Fire and Ice.” they have 42. Forget About the Boy. The Saintsations dance during their All that hardware does not come Last year opener, “Forget About the Boy.” without hard work, though. While
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The Back Pages
January 2016
“The ultimate goal is to be the best show choir in the area, and the country.” Joe Heidesch Vocal music teacher Mia Power | The Shield
Sing Your Heart Out. Junior Grace Spaniol sings during the Swingin’ Saints’ ballad, “Fire.” The ballad is meant to show off the groups vocal ability. extracurricular to a competitive group.” Castinado said that one of the group’s goals this year is to qualify for finals at their competitions. He said, “We would love to
that knock us in or out of the rankings for finals.” Heidesch is focused on continuing to improve and make positive steps. As for long term goals, he said, “The ultimate goal is to
You’re doing the work. Are you getting the credit?
“This year we have to really focus on the little things.”
When it comes to higher education, JCCC delivers more for your money.
Maggie Martin Senior win, but we are shooting for finals right now.” “This year we have really focused on mastering the little things in our show like the dynamics of the vocals and making sure everyone’s doing exactly the same dance moves,” Martin said. She said those seemingly minor details “could give us the points
be the best Show Choir in the area, and the country, which can happen with the talent at this school.” Junior Mia Power, @ miacbpower on Twitter, is a freelance reporter for the Shield. This story was edited by Ellie Heit.
Save money on four-year university tuition with college credits in high school. High school students now can earn more than 24 college credits through College Now! Sign up for College Now classes this spring! See your school counselor for details, visit jccc.edu/collegenow or call 913-259-7447.
12345 College Blvd. | Overland Park, KS 66210
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The Back Pages
The Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield
Purchase the Guacamole First-rate food, friendly faces and fun for the whole family. BY OLIVIA RODE K Macho’s is a family-owned, local, Mexican restaurant with absolutely delicious guacamole. Enough said right? One would think so, but despite having large portions, awesome food, and a festive atmosphere, K Macho’s is on the pricey side. Despite this major pitfall, if you’re willing to break the bank, this cantina is the one for you. After quickly being seated upon arrival, I immediately ordered
the guacamole appetizer. Before the guacamole was gone, I looked up to find that the restaurant was completely full. Apparently, K Macho’s was the place to be on a Wednesday night. That, or the restaurant was a very popular dining option. I chose to believe the second. Me and my friend both got large plates absolutely full of authentic, classic, Mexican food and devoured every bite. The service
was sure to get it there fast too. Price wise, K Macho’s is less than desirable. However, the owners are doing everything else right. The restaurant offers a family friendly atmosphere with delicious food. They even make the tortillas in front of you if you venture towards the back of the restaurant. So, even though I spent much more than I had planned, I know I’ll be returning to this
Shield Scale 1-Terrible 2- Poor 3- Average 4- Good 5- Great
Overall Score- 4.5 SHIELDS
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The Back Pages
Olathe located gem even if it’s just for a bite of guacamole. Address: 11741 Metcalf Ave, Overland Park, KS 66210 1229 E Santa Fe St, Olathe, KS 66061 Hours: 11am-10pm Senior Olivia Rode @OliviaRode on Twitter, is the Shield’s Social Media and Back Pages editor. This story was edited by Ellie Heit.
January 2016
The Food Review
Photo by Olivia Rode | The Shield
Above: A Chicken Enchilada with black beans and rice. Below: Chicken Taquitos with Guacamole, beans, and rice.
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The Back Pages
The Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield
The Icebreaker
Angelo Allegri Find out more about your varsity center on the men’s basketball team
What is your pump up song before a game? Power- Young Thug
If you had won the Powerball, and had a billion dollars, what would you do with it? After giving it a bit of thought, Angelo decided he would give back to the needy, help the homeless, and fund anti abortion groups, but not before his teammates could chime in with, “he’d get his own private weight room, and basketball gym.”
Who is your role model? Coach rost for sure. He is a great guy. I’m sure everyone is wondering... What is that thing you wear on your face during the games? I broke my nose running into Kenny Gavin’s head during practice. The face gear protected it from further injury.
What is your favorite DJ Khaled phrase? Bless up. What is another hobby you love to do other than basketball? Basketball is my main thing, but every once in awhile I love a good book.
Becca Haeusser | The Shield
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The Back Pages
Senior Olivia Rode, @OliviaRode on Twitter, is the Shield’s Back Page editor and Social Media Editor. This story was edited by Ellie Heit.
“The boys are back in town. Spread the word.� -The Boyz Photo by Michele Gress | The Shield
The varsity boys jog into the gym before a home game.
The Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield
Last Look Mother-Son Dance
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1.) Boys of all ages storm the dance floor as the mothers stand by, watching the chaos. 2.) Senior C.J. Perez enjoys a slow, personal dance with his mother. Toward the end of the night, seniors have one final dance with their mothers. 3.) Seniors Wayne Regan (green) and Tanner Hughes (blue) get into the YMCA dance. Photos courtesy of Kathryn Withers
January/February 2016 Our Top Five Games Of The Month
Saturday 1/23 Boys Swim @ Blue Valley Southwest, 9 am Monday 1/25 Varsity Bowling @ Park Lanes, 3 pm Friday 1/29 Varsity Boys Basketball @ home, 7 pm vs. Blue Valley West Sunday 1/30 Varsity Wrestling @ Warrensburg, 9 am Friday 2/5 Our Game of the Issue Varsity Girls Basketball @ home , 6 pm vs. Blue Valley North West
The Students’ Voice
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