The Shield Saint Thomas Aquinas High School | September 2016
What’s inside:
PRESSURES ON STUDENTS High school students face many stresses: from college decisions, to peer pressure, to busy schedules.
Follow The Shield @stashield
Photo by Ezri Killeen | The Shield Senior Molly Watson cheers on the sidelines of a football game. The Saints won the game against Blue Valley North 42-13 on Sep. 8.
The Shield Saint Thomas Aquinas High School
Editor-In-Chief Ezri Killeen
Design Editor Chloe Maher
Managing Editors Becca Haeusser Kat Schartz
Reporters Seth Walker Jake Burkhart Annie Patton Grace Platt Delaney Smith Grace Mayer Briley McGreevy
Social Media Editor Mia Power Copy Editor Maria Scanlan Adviser Matt Hallauer
Freelance Reporters Hagan Marozas Andrew Schoonover
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 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 monthly. Orders can be sent to newspaper@stasaints.net Letters 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. Saint Thomas Aquinas High School 11411 Pflumm Road Overland Park, KS 66215 913-319-2460
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Falling Back Into Place
As fall rolls around, students and staff are getting back into the swing of things. a letter from the editor
What’s up, Saints? After a month back in school, the Aquinas community is falling back into routine. Practices and rehearsals have started, clubs are meeting, students are buried in homework, and we’re all remembering to stash an extra sweatshirt in our lockers. Summer is a nice time of relaxation, but isn’t it great to be home? Since school has started back up, most of The Shield’s staff has been able to meet for first hour every week. We use this time to talk about design, edit stories, and think of ideas for the next issue. As we were sitting in class brainstorming story ideas, I kept pushing the staff. They’d come up with a story idea, and I’d try to push it to the next level. I’d always urge them to ask why, to dig a little deeper than before. “The central dilemma in journalism is that you don’t know what you don’t know.” Bob Woodward said that, and it’s pasted on one of the computers here in the newsroom -- I look at it almost every day. So, as reporters, we have to keep asking questions, keep digging deeper. Then, maybe, we’ll get the whole story. That being said, in the September issue of The Shield, we are bringing you a few of the most impactful stories I’ve ever been a part of.
Starting on page 6, you’ll be able to read a holistic view of the teenage drug culture in Johnson County. We have changed the names of our student sources in this piece in order to get the complete truth from them. This allowed us to give you the complete 360 view of the issue: we heard from students who are involved in drugs, and we heard from law enforcers who deal with abusers on a regular basis. On page 4, you can read opinions from Principal of Student Services Mike Sullivan in a new edition of The Student’s Voice. This impactful story is meant to make the community think and discuss. These things are going on right under our noses, and sometimes we may not even know it. With that, I’ll let you read the issue. It’s been my favorite one yet, but I have a feeling I’ll be saying that about every issue. Have a good weekend, Saints, and keep up the good work.
Ezri Killeen Editor-in-Chief, The Shield
TABLE OF CONTENTS The Reports
The Spreads
page 4// THE STUDENTS’
page 16// Outstanding Saints Several Aquinas students excel in their fields outside of school
VOICE: Forseeable Consequences
This editorial considers the consequences of student drug culture. page 6// FEATURE STORY:
Students and Substances
page 18// Social Spread This month’s best social media posts from the Saints. page 20// AquinasView/
The Shield explores teenage drug culture in Johnson County.
WorldView
page 10// International Saints Six foreign exchange students joined the Aquinas community this year. page 12// Now We’re Stressed
Out
Columns on news happening inside Aquinas as well as the world around it. page 22// Aquinas Etiquette The do’s and don’ts around Aquinas.
Students have extreme schedules these days, and sometimes spend long days at school. Are students overextending themselves?
The Back Pages
page 24// The Fantasy Football
Kickoff
A look at the biggest fantasy football players at Aquinas. page 26// StuCo Shakeup Aquinas’s Student Council has some exciting plans for this year. page 28// The College
Conundrum
A look at college decision trends with insight from college counselor Barb Bruns. page 30// WHAT’S NEXT?
Featuring up and coming clubs
There are several new clubs starting at Aquinas this year.
COUNTDOWNS HOMECOMING : 8 days CANNED FOOD DRIVE: 38 days CHRISTMAS BREAK: 88 days GRADUATION: 230 days
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The Students’ Voice
Foreseeable Consequences BY MIA POWER
S
ince most of us were in elementary school, we have been exposed to the idea that drugs and alcohol are inherently bad. We have been indoctrinated by the D.A.R.E. Program and took an oath to never use illegal substances. But according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 34.9 percent of high school seniors reported using marijuana within the past year and 58.2 percent reported consuming alcohol within the past year. So what changes between the time when drugs and alcohol seem completely abhorrent and the time when they seem to be an accepted part of the culture? The top reasons that students try alcohol and drugs are generally believed to include popular media, e.g., movies, music, and TV shows, boredom, an escape from stress, rebellion, lack of confidence, and of course, peer pressure. For a student dealing with the pressures of high school, it can be all too easy to turn to drugs and alcohol, especially when a friend or sibling is willing to introduce him/her to it. For many high school students, drinking and smoking are synonymous with partying. So the big question is: is it worth it? The short answer: no. Studies show that students in high school and college that drink and/or use illegal drugs spend less time studying and carry lower GPAs. Student Services Principal Mike
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Although some students may see drugs as just a part of high school culture, they come with serious risks.
Sullivan at Saint Thomas Aquinas, said, “[Drugs]can change their whole way of thinking and their life. It can ruin relationships within a family.” Everyone has heard the term “gateway drug,” usually referring to marijuana. And it is true that studies show people who use marijuana are at a greater risk of using, and becoming addicted to, other drugs such as cocaine. Although marijuana users are more likely to try harder drugs than nonmarijuana users, the majority still never do.
“[Drugs] can change their whole way of thinking and their life.” Mike Sullivan Student Services Principal Beyond the negative effects that drugs and alcohol use can have on health and lifestyle, there is always the risk of being caught. The repercussions can ripple beyond receiving MIPs (minor in possessions) and school suspensions. “It can cost kids thousands of dollars in scholarship money,” Sullivan said. “Colleges now put so much money into scholarships that if you got an MIP during the summer when you’re getting
The Students’ Voice
ready to go off to college, there’d be a good chance you would lose that scholarship,” Sullivan said, “I’m not saying that’s automatic... but there is a good chance.” In “Students and Substances,” on Page 6, John talked about his experience with marijuana. While he did not see his marijuana use take negative effects on his grades or relationships, he acknowledged that it can have negative effects when, say, applying for a job. “No matter how much kids accept it, no matter how much you accept it personally, the people that want to give you jobs and let you into college do not accept it and it’s still illegal,” John said. Many jobs require a drug test as a part of the application and screening process. For students who habitually use illegal substances, this means being clean for at least a few weeks in order to pass. Drugs may be increasingly socially accepted and easy for students to access, but that doesn’t mean they’re worth the risk of repercussions. As a part of the Saint Thomas Aquinas community, let’s hold ourselves to higher standards. Senior Mia Power, @miacbpower on Twitter, is the Social Media Editor for The Shield. This Story was edited by Editor-in-Chief Ezri Killeen.
is a series of editorials that will be in every issue of The Shield. The staff will write on one topic an issue.
The Reports
Aiming for Gold
Photo by Ezri Killeen | The Shield Seniors Jack Marshall and Reed Walker watch Lee Davis throw a frisbee. Marshall won the STA Throwdown disc golf tournament on August 27.
Students and Substances Many students in Johnson County are using drugs, and have created a culture of drug acceptance. BY KAT SCHARTZ Saint Thomas Aquinas is known for excellence in academics, activities, service, and faith, but even in this sheltered and religiously-centered environment, there is a culture of drug use and acceptance. One of the greatest confounding issues that come with drug use is that the demographics cannot put users into one box. Sara, an anonymous source for The Shield, is an athlete, both inside and out of Aquinas, and has an affinity for the arts. John, an anonymous source for The Shield from a Johnson County public school, is a varsity athlete, has been on honor roll all of his four years in high school, has a high ranking position in his school’s National Honors Society, is a drum major in his school’s band, is in History Club, Competitive Math Club, has a 4.4 GPA, two jobs, and copious amounts of community service hours. Both are going to college next year, have great aspirations for life, and have smoked an abundance of marijuana. These two are not the stereotypical druggie burnouts who are so often the only ones associated with substance abuse. There is a wide variety of drug use among students in every grade, every clique, every background, and every city. There is no way to definitively know based off stereotypes who is using substances and who isn’t; the only way to truly know would be through a drug test.
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The introduction to illegal substances also varies from user to user. Friends, family, or even random people at parties can be the spark to ignite a student’s substance abuse. Sara began smoking marijuana regularly her sophomore year. “My ex-boyfriend was a big stoner and I always really wanted to try it,” Sara said. “There are a select few at Aquinas who smoke because they love weed, and then there are the majority of people who smoke because they think it’s cool, and it’s a phase they’ll break out of,” she said.
“I smoked for the first time at a Boy Scout camp, that was the summer before my sophomore year.” John Anonymous source for The Shield
John also began smoking weed as a sophomore. “I smoked for the first time at a Boy Scout camp, that was the summer before my sophomore year. I have a sister that smoked, which made it, one, someone who was available to smoke with, two, a place to get it, and three, a sense that it was OK. The other thing that really made it take off was that I introduced some of my friends to it, so where there may have been a lack of smoking
buddies before, I made them. I think really that allowed it to flourish. No one really wants to smoke alone; that’s when you start to realize what you’re doing and that you don’t really like it.” Aquinas students have indicated an acceptance of students who use drugs. In a survey of Aquinas students, to which 191 students replied, the question “would you end a friendship over substance abuse?” was posed. Students saying they would end a friendship only represent 36 percent of the student body, 50 percent of the students gave a definite no, and 14 percent said that it would depend on the situation. Well over half the school would not cut off a friend due to their choices with illegal substances; this indicates a trend that can be felt throughout Johnson County- drug acceptance in the youth. John weighed in on the culture of acceptance he’s experienced as an individual who not only uses marijuana recreationally, but also advocates for its legalization. “At Boys State, which is where you meet some of the best and brightest from the state that have aspirations in government and public office, the first thing we did, the first bill that passed, was the legalization of recreational marijuana. “You have some of the best kids in the state advocating for it, though for all the people in favor of it, there are lot of people who would never partake in it personally. “In terms of whether or not drug
use is OK morally? I would say it’s still very split.” John continued, “I think in Johnson County, in term of the kids in our age range, it is so rare to find someone who is vehemently against marijuana use.” John attributes much of the culture of drug acceptance to other cultures we belong to. From schools to music scenes, drugs are pervasive, and many people have become desensitized to the shock that used to come with the mention of these illicit substances. “Really, there are two big musical groups that accept marijuana that you can split most Johnson County kids into. One is popular music, which right now is lumped in with hip hop. That group is very accepting of marijuana. It’s the same thing with the alternative crowd, also very accepting of marijuana. It’s part of that culture.” When asked about Aquinas students’ substance abuse acceptance, Sara said, “I wouldn’t say Aquinas accepts drugs, they only accept weed and alcohol. They’re more accepting of stoners than anything.” According to John, a more telltale sign of drug acceptance comes through the question of Adderall use among students who don’t have prescriptions. “If you wanted to really get a feel for what kids think about drug use, I would say see honestly who is using Adderall. There are plenty of people out there who would hands down do it. I think there’s little stigma behind that, especially because it’s not super psychoactive.” For this culture of acceptance to exist, there must be those who do use substances further than prescription performance enhancement drugs. According to Sergeant Brian Wessling, a former school resource officer for Olathe South, “the school district puts out an anonymous study asking different questions about alcohol and drug use. It’s all confidential, so the hope is the kids are honest because the
school district uses it to address these issues.” This study, called the Johnson County Snapshot, is produced by an organization called Communities that Care. Its most recent data published comes from 2014.
“Rich kids do LSD, that’s what I’ve learned. “ John anonymous source for The Shield The average age of a Johnson County student when they took their first drink of alcohol was 13.67, their first cigarette at 13.6, and their first experience with marijuana at 14.38. In comparison the numbers for the state of Kansas were 13.24, 13, and 13.95 respectively. This indication of age of marijuana use beginning, which is generally the gateway drug for most students, does on average start at the end of freshman or the beginning of sophomore year. Additionally, in Johnson County, the study reports that 9.79 percent of students had smoked marijuana within
the past 30 days, and 8.42 percent in the state of Kansas. In JoCo, 23.28 percent said they could “very easily” acquire marijuana, and 21.07 percent said the same in the state of Kansas. 48.85 percent said that someone smoking in their JoCo neighborhood would be caught by police, while 52.96 percent of people in the state of Kansas agreed. When asked about substance use at Aquinas, Sara said, “It’s easier to guess who hasn’t. I think everyone’s tried smoking or drinking once, so it’s probably around 90 percent. That goes for everyone except freshmen. It all starts sophomore year really.” According to the survey of Aquinas students, 45 percent said they did not know a single person they could purchase drugs from. However the rest of students who replied do know dealers. 35 percent said they knew between one and three, 9 percent said they knew between four and six, and 11 percent said they knew over seven. Both Sara and John say that they have well over ten people they could reliably purchase drugs from, specifically marijuana and alcohol. School Resource Officer Ken Ufford also identified these substances as the most common in Aquinas’ drug culture.
Average age of Johnson County Student
Average age of Kansas Student
First time using marijuana
14.38
13.95
First time drinking alcohol
13.67
13.24
First time smoking tobacoo
13.6
13
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“The main things we see are marijuana and alcohol,” Ufford said. These substances with high visibility in Johnson County culture are easily accessible and relatively cheap, contributing greatly to their prevalence. Many students find these substances to be within their price range. The price of a couple of bottles of alcohol or a gram of marijuana is comparable to a movie ticket and snacks. However, drug culture in Johnson County is not composed entirely of these cheap, easily accessible substances. The drug cultures of every school in the county can vary greatly. Both Sara’s and John’s drug use have brought them into the drug cultures of area high schools. Based on their experience with these different
Illustration courtesy of Emma Wolf
John in his ROTC uniform. He plans to join next year as a freshman in college. (Adviser’s note: The illustrator does not know the anonymous sources or their appearance. Just as John and Sara are pseudonyms, so are the illustrations.)
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environments, they weighed in on the differences between the districts. Sara said, “Shawnee Mission students do a lot more hardcore drugs, and Aquinas is more into the little gateway drugs like weed and alcohol. That is pretty much all Aquinas kids do.” John gave his perspective. “Rich kids do LSD, that’s what I’ve learned. There’s a different culture in general between the three districts and with that comes a different drug culture.” “Blue Valley is definitely more highbrow,” John said, “just in general they are higher on the socioeconomic ladder, I definitely get the sense that the drug culture there is rich kids doing drugs with their daddy’s money.” “From what I see, Olathe is pretty relaxed. There’s not a whole lot of people trying to kill each other [over drugs]. It’s a soft spot, it’s right in the middle where they’re not super soft rich kids but they’re also not hard. We’re not inner city, there’s not a huge drug trade going on, it’s over 90 percent weed. Not many people are going further than weed.” The use and acceptance of illegal substances is also not consistent across the board. When it comes to harder drugs such as cocaine, heroine, or meth, the story changes. Aquinas is not affected as severely as other schools by these less common and more dangerous drugs. Ufford commented on a specific drug causing issues nationwide, and what it means for Aquinas. “A lot of what we’re seeing more and more of is heroin use in teenagers. Oxycodone is prescribed so much now, and the abuse of heroin has been rising steadily because it can give a similar effect when the prescription runs out. But, I don’t think that’s a problem here; that’s not what I’ve seen.” Sara said, “At Aquinas, I know people who have done acid and cocaine; I’ve even heard of people doing DMT.” John’s experience outside of the
Illustration courtesy of Emma Wolf
Sara smokes weed for the first time with her boyfriend. She was 15. Aquinas community with harder drug use also illustrates this. “In terms of actually harder drugs, I know a couple of people who have gotten mixed up with cocaine, and you just don’t mess with that. I know two people, one of which dropped out of high school; the other is basically selling drugs out of his parent’s basement.” Substances being used besides alcohol and marijuana are outside the realm of what is expected, and the students using substances are as well. John said, “The burnouts and the dropout are honestly going to try everything, but the group that people forget about is the people who won’t get caught, or the people that you wouldn’t know do drugs. These are the same people who are using Adderall to boost
test scores. “I’ll be honest I’ve seen hallucinogens a lot within my friend group, and their use comes down to a lot of the same reasons people smoke pot. These are people who are pretty intellectual; they’re doing it for the psychological aspect of it, not because it makes them feel good necessarily.” With students’ use of these heavier drugs, as well as the more common substances of marijuana and alcohol, there is an active effort to fight against the culture of drug use. Adults are not naïve to the experience of peer pressure as an introduction to drug use for teens, and some are active in the fight against drug use and peer pressure. Wessling said, “I’m a firm believer that some kids are going to use drugs just because they hang around other kids who use drugs; it’s done by peer pressure.” Both officers agree that the way to reduce drug use in students is through open and honest communication. Wessling said, “I think we need to focus on the future consequences of drug use at a young age. Narcotics
use in high school can keep you from a law enforcement job or becoming a doctor. I don’t think a lot of students understand that, which is why an open dialogue is so important. That’s our responsibility, to let them know there are consequences.”
“I’m a firm believer that some kids are going to use drugs just because they hang around other kids who use drugs; it’s done by peer pressure.” Brian Wessling Olathe Police Sergeant Even some of drug’s biggest advocates have decided to forgo drug use because of the consequences. John weighed the pros and cons, and he decided to quit. “The negatives ended up outweighing the positives. I don’t think
I ended up labeling pot bad; I ended up labeling it as not being worth it, not being worth the trouble that it really causes. There were points where I was slightly worried about my usage, and there were a lot of times I told myself I was going to quit and then I did not. Part of it is I just wanted to stop; the other thing is I’m seeking an ROTC scholarship. When you get on campus you get drug tested and I don’t want to be smoking pot up until the last minute I can because it’s going to show up on a drug test. It’s not smart.” Though drug use is accepted throughout JoCo, for many, the consequences may end up outweighing the positives students perceive. Accidental overdoses, MIPs, MICs, and losses of scholarships are all potential consequences for students who choose to indulge. Yet, the culture of drug use and acceptance persist. Senior Kat Schartz, @KatSchartz on Twitter, is a managing editor for The Shield. This Story was edited by Managing Editor Becca Haeusser. Names of sources have been changed for anonymity.
Illustration courtesy of Emma Wolf.
John smokes for the first time at Boy Scout Camp. He was an incoming sophomore at a Johnson County public school.
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International Saints Taiwan
Six foreign exchange students have joined the Aquinas community. BY BECCA HAEUSSER
73,000 international high arrived,” Cristina Maytorena, a senior from Mexico, said, school students came to study “the US has so many cultures, it’s not only one, and to in the United States this year and be honest, I love that. I love how everyone respects other Saint Thomas Aquinas is hosting cultures and that you get to know more than one culture in six of them. the same place.” Students come to the United For Pearl Su, a sophomore from Taiwan, even the States for diversity within the Aquinas hallways many reasons. has been a shock. “When I walk “When I walk down the down the hallway,” Su said, “I am so The International Student Exchange hallway, I am so surprised surprised that every student in school Program’s website has a different color of hair.” that every student in encourages students The color of students’ hair isn’t to “get excited about school has a different color the only contrast between Aquinas and attending a typical foreign schools. of hair.” American high school Sophomore Signe Rosendal from where there are a Denmark said, “The school is very Pearl Su million and one activities different from what I’m used to. You in which to get involved– don’t have one specific class, you Sophomore in addition to studying, of have many classes and there are course. You may be able to a lot of people.” play in a band, become a cheerleader, act in a school The amount of homework has play, run for student government, study art, join a also shocked some of the students. debating club, write for the school newspaper, or play a wide variety of school sports, including basketball and football ‘American’ style.” Director of Admissions Diane Pyle said, “they really want to come here and experience the team sports in high school. They don’t have organized dances like our prom or American football games on Friday night. They want to leave home for a year and find out what another country is like, find out what it is like to be an American.” Most exchange students come to improve their English and learn about the American culture. “There is this one thing I noticed since the day I
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China
Norway Rosendal said, “I only do 20 minutes of homework a night in Denmark, and here I have like three hours.” “Back home I only had homework in two classes, and one of them wasn’t even required,” Senior Haakon Aandstad from Norway said. “We still were always expected to work with the class in school and read for the test though.” On top of the added homework, they are learning everything in their second language. “They have to think and speak in English all the time,” Pyle said. “I know they have trouble in math because they might be really good in math, but the concept in their home language might be worded differently in English.” Despite the rigorous academic challenges at Aquinas, the community of Saints continues to draw international students. There are two different ways to become an exchange student at Aquinas. “We have two different programs,” Pyle said. “Students who come with a J-1 visa and can stay for one year and students with F-1 visas who can stay until they graduate.” Although they leave their families for at least ten months, most students
“I like the fact that everyone is there for you and that everyone is always so happy. I also love going to the games and Harambe’s snapchat filter.”
Mexico
Cristina Maytorena Senior
Denmark
fall in love with their host families and Aquinas. “We really haven’t had any problems with kids being homesick because they are so happy here,” Pyle said. “They love their families and their host siblings.” The students at Aquinas also make
the transition easy. “I like the fact that everyone is there for you and that everyone is always so happy,” Maytorena said. “I also love going to the games and Harambe’s snapchat filter.” Most of the success of the transition lies within the foreign exchange students themselves, though. “I think the word is brave or courageous, that they think that they can come here and be here for ten months and not miss their families,” Pyle said. “We are always looking for host families. If anyone is interested in hosting, the should let us know because we always need host families. It’s hard to find families.” Senior Becca Haeusser, becca_haeusser on Instagram, is a Managing Editor for The Shield. This story was edited by Delaney Smith.
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Now We’re Stressed Out Demands of balancing school, sports, and activities takes a toll on students at Aquinas. BY BRILEY MCGREEVY AND GRACE PLATT Finding a way to balance school life, social life, and everything outside of class has always been a struggle for students everywhere. Sports, clubs, and other extracurricular activities reduce the amount of time students are able to do their homework. Being involved in any activity requires time, and some take up more than others. “Students doing activities outside of school don’t get very much time to do homework. Especially if they have a job,” said junior Gina Rousselo. After class, Rousselo regularly attends rehearsal for the musical until 5 p.m. and heads straight to work from 5:15 to 11 p.m. Leaving her with an occasional hour or two of homework to do after that. Rousselo goes to bed roughly around 1 or 2 a.m. every night.
“I get home around 8 p.m. and try to find time to shower, eat and do homework; sometimes it’s just too much for me.”
Sophomore McKenna Neef also spends a lot of time at Aquinas. She is involved in theater and choir, which call for long practices and rehearsals. She says that the biggest struggle with it is “fitting all the rehearsals and performances into her schedule.” Because of how long she is at school, she often has to miss things she usually attends like hanging out with people outside of choir and dance classes. The Saint Thomas Aquinas football team has mandatory weights every morning starting at 6 a.m. and ending just before class begins. After school, they have an eduring two and a half hour practice. “I get up at 5:30 a.m. every day for weights, then attend all my classes and go to practice after,” junior Anthony Gaona said. “I get home around 8 p.m. and try to find time to shower, eat and do homework; sometimes it’s just too much for me.”
Anthony Gaona
Senior Jack Marshall is involved in two sports at Saint Thomas Aquinas in the fall. He plays soccer and runs cross country. Because of this, he spends most of his free time at the practices, games, and meets. “Academics is always the first responsibility, then activities, then the social life. I just take every day one step at a time and complete as much as possible,” he said. Marshall believes students who manage their time well should not have an issue with completing their homework.
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Photo by Briley McGreevy | The Shield Sophomore Olivia Boster fills out her planner with her schedule and after school activities.
Aquinas has always valued sports and pursued excellence in the gym and on the field. Long, arduous hours of drills and lifting often leaves Gaona stressed with mountains of homework and studying to do. “How are students expected to perform well on and off the field if they don’t get the proper amount of time to rest, work on school work, and spend time with their families?” said Rousselo, when asked about her thoughts on the football team’s limited free time. However, sports can also be large stress relievers. After a seemingly endless day, some student athletes find comfort in practice after school. “Football definitely decreases my stress levels. I look forward to practice to let everything out and forget about the long school day,” Gaona said.
Anthony Gaona Junior
5:00 a.m. 6:00 a.m. 7:00 a.m.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), a study done over the performance level of students playing sports shows that playing a sport is effective with “reducing fatigue and improving alertness and concentration,” which can be extremely beneficial when stress has taken over a student’s mood and focus levels. Prioritizing school first, having good time management skills, being organized and playing sports are all beneficial ways to relieve stress and deal with school Juniors Briley McGreevy and Grace Platt are reporters for The Shield. This story was edited by Copy Editor Maria Scanlan.
Gina Rousselo Junior
Wake Up Weights
6:00 a.m. - 7:30 a.m.
Wake Up
School
School
8:00 a.m.
8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. 3:30 p.m. 5:00 p.m.
Football Practice 3:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Go to Work
8:00 p.m.
11:30 a.m.
Attend Rehearsal
Homework/Shower/Eat 8:15 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
5:15 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Homework/Shower/Eat 11:15 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.
September 2016 | Page 13 g
Advice from Students “See if you can give up a few things you don’t really need to do to give your schedule a little more room to get homework done.” -Emma Wilkerson Sophomore
“Don’t overwhelm yourself. Figure out how much you can handle and don’t feel pressured to do everything. Do things one at a time and stay organized.” -Oscar Garcia Senior
“Invest in a big planner and write everyday out from the morning to the -Amira Alani evening.” Junior
“Constantly check to see what you need to do and what you have -Ashley Owens done.” Junior
“Take advantage of STA period, write a schedule and keep it. Worry about earning a 96 not a 100 or in some classes earning a -Kat Schartz 86 not a 96.” Senior
The Spreads
Ready, Set, Run
Photo by The Medallion The boys cross country C team starts their race at the Greg Wilson Classic. The boys started their season strong.
OUTSTANDING SAINTS Saint Thomas Aquinas students excel in their sports and activities outside of school. BY JAKE BURKHART
The Saint Thomas Aquinas community prides itself on different things, including the excellence of their students. There are many students who are talented at diverse activities and sports, but few who standout outside of Aquinas. These students are considered to be the best in different sports and activities; they are committed and successful in what they do. Junior Cam McMillan plays as a shortstop for a club team, Building Champions, and plays for showcase teams who travel around the country. He verbally committed to Vanderbilt University the summer after his freshman year. McMillan represented the Midwest region last summer when he played for the Chicago White Sox area code underclass team. The PG underclass All-American was McMillan, and he also played for the national team in San Diego. “My parents are my biggest supporters and have always done their best to provide me the opportunity to play baseball,” McMillan said, “long talks with Coach Tim Corbin about being advised to not lose who you are as a person in the process and the importance
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of being comfortable in your own skin, and just being yourself then baseball will take care of itself” has helped him become a success. Junior Colin Innes plays soccer for Sporting KC’s academy team as a center midfielder. In 2015, Innes’s team won the under-15 national championship. “I hope to eventually play professionally in Europe and for Sporting KC,” Innes said. Helping him along the way is his family, and his coach, Jon Parry. Mallory LeNeave is a club gymnast who trains with Xtreme Gymnastics. Mallory’s favorite and best event is the high bar, on which she placed 6th in at nationals last year. She is talking to four colleges, and has three full-ride scholarship offers. Every day when Mallory leaves Aquinas around 1:20, she heads to a club gym in Lee Summit to practice for fourand-a-half hours. “It has become a routine, I’ve been doing it since seventh grade,” LeNeave said. To make up for her missed school work and credits, LeNeave takes summer school and online classes.
Photos courtesy of Mallory LeNeave and Colin Innes.
Top: LeNeave leaps during a routine. Above: Innes heads a pass for Sporting.
Junior Gretchen Beachner is an equestrian also known as a horseback rider. “It’s all I’ve ever really known in my life,” Beachner said. Gretchen rides in an English style, which is more disciplined compared to other styles. Her 1500-2000 pound teammate is her horse named that Gretchen controls. “At just about every show I go to, I am champion of my division,” Beachner said. Gretchen rides against 25 other people at different times in shows. She placed 10th overall for the whole year in her competitive division, which is a difficult feat. “Being only 16 years old while doing this, makes me relieved to know that hard work pays off. My horse and I, Amber, have been working and training together for almost five years. I wouldn’t trade our time together for anything in the world,” Beachner said. Although she doesn’t want to ride for college teams, Gretchen says that horses will always be apart of her life, no matter what. Beachner’s parents and trainer have helped her become the successful rider that she is today. Freshman Elise Handley loves to sing all different types of music. Her favorite song to sing would either be a ballad or “Jolene” by Dolly Parton. Elise also has been playing the piano for four years. “I have always had a passion for music as long as I can remember,” Handley said, “I started singing when I learned how to talk, but started lessons at age nine.” It is her dream to pursue a career in the music industry. She sings at weddings and at mass every Sunday.
Handley will be singing at the LLS Light the Night Walk to cure leukemia and lymphoma on September 30th and at the Dash for Dyslexia 5k on October 2nd. Handley looks up to Taylor Swift as one of her role models. “She was so successful at such a young age, she has produced multiple successful albums, and has won lots of awards for her music.” Handley said. “My parents have definitely supported me through everything. My voice coach, Bridget Taylor, has taught me a lot and continues to teach me everyday in music,” Handley said. Her voice coach has helped her become the best version of herself. These saints have excelled in their activities. They have won competitions, national championships, they have college scholarships. The list goes on and on. These students excel and exemplify what it means to be a saint. Junior Jake Burkhart is a reporter for The Shield. This story was edited by Copy Editor Maria Scanlan and designed by Design Editor Chloe Maher.
Photos courtesy of Cam McMillan, Elise Handley and Gretchen Beachner
Above, Beachner leaps with her horse, Amber. Below, Handley practices piano. Left, McMillan plays for his team, Area Code.
September 2016 | Page 17g
The Social Spread
Instagram Grayson Smith @graysonsmith12 No wonder we’re called the saints.. cause going to aquinas is like heaven Twitter Justin Alpough @Justinalpough Never sleep on the Chiefs! #ChiefsKingdom
Twitter Andy Carta @AndyCarta Game day
Twitter Jenna Steichen @jsteich_22 When you miss 3 days of school...
Twitter Kenny Gavin @kennygavin9 cross country boys
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Instagram Riley Ebert @rileyebert Kansas City natives and we all a little coo-coo (for sunflowers )
Grinter Farms Instagram Annie Rokusek @_annierokusek state
See any posts worth putting in The Shield? DM them to us @stashield on Twitter or Instagram!
Instagram Jade Steffensmeier @jadesteff Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow, it’s what the sunflowers do Twitter Devin Diggs @dtdiggs ugh so nervous about what to wear on the first day of school all the options are overwhelming
Twitter Aubrey Evans @aubrey_evans I’m sure your mothers are so proud! Go saints @AndyCarta @Jschnieders17 @the_real_downey
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September 2016 | Page 19 g
AquinasView A series of columns ranging from
An Extra Hour
The Aquinas students will be getting a few extra hours to snooze before class this year. Frequent 9 a.m. starts have been introduced into the schedule this year. Previous to this school year, late starts happened only a few times a semester. This year, they are as frequent as once a month, with only a few exceptions. The late starts are not only an opportunity for the students to sleep an extra hour; the intent of the extra hour is to give teachers a time to collaborate. The teachers will be able to talk to their peers about teaching techniques and what students respond best to. Math teacher Kat Kennedy was able to use the collaboration time to her advantage. Kennedy said that it gave her time before school for all the Algebra I teachers to get together and talk rather than meeting after school. This keeps the after school time open for meeting with students. Math teacher Lisa Andrews agreed with Kennedy. She said it gave her time to write tests and otherwise coact with her fellow math teachers. All in all, it seems a win-win for the entire Aquinas community. The teachers now have a set time to get together, and the students can hit the snooze button a couple more times.
news around Aquinas to news around the world.
Quotable Memories The 2017 edition of The Medallion will be trying something new this year. Senior quotes will now be included in the yearbook. The quotes are both funny and sentimental. They range from something a Twitter personality wrote to quotes by novelists, or even just a quote from the student themselves. “What gave me the idea was looking at other yearbooks and seeing those funny senior quote accounts on Twitter,” Medallion Editor-in-Chief Kathryn Withers said. According to Withers, most seniors are submitting funny quotes, although some are submitting more serious ones. “The funny ones are cool to see because sometimes they really relate to the person’s personality,” Withers said. Withers’s hope for the senior quotes is that they will be something nostalgic for students to look back on. “I hope that people look back in 10 years or so from now and say ‘Oh my gosh, that’s totally something he would say,’ or ‘That’s totally what she was like in high school,’” Withers said.
Charlotte’s Web There’s a new kid at school, and she has made her home in the Aquinas courtyard. If you were to look out the window next to the statue of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Hello Hallway, you would see a giant spider: Charlotte. The arachnid has been dubbed Charlotte after the title character in the popular children’s novel, Charlotte’s Web. Above her web, on the inside of the window, there is a sign that reads, “Have you met Charlotte?” with a quote from the novel by E.B. White. Science teacher Chuck Hammons believes Charlotte is a Black and Yellow Argiope Spider. These spiders, are common orb web spiders, meaning they spin their webs in circular patterns. These kinds of spiders commonly live in gardens and fields. The female is typically much larger than the male, growing up to an inch and a half long. Luckily for the Aquinas community, Charlotte is utterly harmless. In fact, she does a lot of good by consuming pesky insects such as flies and mosquitos. After laying eggs in the fall, the female Argiope Spiders die, and the offspring emerge in the spring. So, although Charlotte may not be with us much longer, her children may be visible in the spring. Say hi to Charlotte before she is gone by stopping by Hello Hallway.
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WorldView BY EZRI KILLEEN
Mysterious Clowns Clowns have been haunting the woods of Greenville County, South Carolina. In August, reports began filing into the local sheriff’s office of strange people beckoning kids into dark woods. Except these weren’t just creepy men or women; these were clowns, allegedly telling kids to come into the woods with them. According to the kids, they would sometimes be bribed with money and told to come to a small house deep in the wood. It started to extend to adults, too. One woman said she saw a large clown waving back to her under a street lamp. In all of the instances, the reporters have refused to give their names to the police. Although the house in the woods was found, no clown was found, and no sightings have been confirmed by police. Weeks later and almost 200 miles away, a town in North Carolina was reported as having clown sightings as well. Police were unable to find evidence of these sightings. Meanwhile, real clowns are reacting to the mass hysteria sweeping the towns. Professional clown Mike Becvar wrote to the New York Times about the incidents, saying “I wonder how the reporting on the story would go if instead of clowns, people were dressing up as aliens, witches, zombies or doctors? What if they were wearing hospital scrubs, lab coats and a stethoscope around their neck. Would the news report that doctors were hiding in the woods trying to lure kids with candy?” None of the sightings have been confirmed, although local police are still investigating the situations.
Samsung’s Exploding Problem Samsung has urged Samsung users to stop using their Galaxy phones after Galaxy Note 7s started spontaneously combusting. The problem is the phone’s lithium-ion batteries, which are prone to exploding. Although the products are just several weeks old, Samsung and the C.P.S.C.--the nation’s main product safety committee-- are readying a recall of nearly two and a half million phones. This will be the largest voluntary recall from Samsung. Although the products have not been officially recalled yet, the company is still urging users to power them off and stop use. All major cell phone carriers have been instructed to help consumers exchange the phones. The Federal Aviation Administration has “strongly” advised plane passengers to not use the phones aboard aircrafts. The recall comes at a dismal time for Samsung, as Apple just announced the plans for their new iPhone 7, which will launch late in September. It is unclear whether Samsung will offer refunds to customers not wanting replacement phones from the company.
Saint of Gutters On September 4, 2016, Mother Teresa was canonized a saint. Pope Francis delivered the canonization mass on that Sunday morning, declaring Saint Teresa “saint of gutters.” During his homily, Francis implored the hoards of people to let her “be your model of holiness.” At the end of his talk, Pope Francis admitted that some may find it hard to abandon her old name for this saintly one. “With great spontaneity,” he said, “I think we will continue to call her Mother Teresa.” Afterwards, prayers were said in a number of languages, including Teresa’s native tongue: Albain. Hundreds of homeless people were given the opportunity to attend the event. They were bussed in and given seats at the Vatican mass, and served lunch by nuns afterwards.
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DO’S 1. Always microwave your cookie
DON’TS 1. Don’t talk in the middle of the hallway
2. Take turns in the parking lot 3. Use the right side door
2. Don’t microwave one thing at a time
4. Keep your locker open for your partner
3. Don’t talk during announcements
5. Park in the correct parking lot
4. Don’t lose nose-goes at lunch and then not clean the table
6. Freshman eat last at team dinners
How long do you microwave the lunchroom’s cookies?
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When should you ask your date to Homecoming?
The Back Pages
Going for the Kill Photo by Ellie Thompson | The Medallion Senior Bridget Doherty watches freshman Caroline Zabroske get ready to spike the ball. The girls won their match against St. James at the Time Warner Cable Volleyball Slam.
The Fantasy Football Kickoff
Aquinas’ very own Fantasy Football experts tell you everything you need to know about the upcomiong season. BY SETH WALKER
Last week the Carolina Panthers kicked off against the Denver Broncos, which for many NFL fans marked the start of Fantasy Football. In honor of Fantasy Football, The Shield asked for advice from some of Aquinas’ top Fantasy Football experts, as voted on by their peers. Fantasy Football is a competition where players create their own imaginary football teams by drafting players from the NFL and then score points based on the player’s actual performance. Generally, players play with their team in a league made up of friends, and the winner of the league gets a prize, usually cash. The amount of money Saints put into it varies anywhere from five dollars, like senior Lindsay Schaller and government teacher John Rost, to one-hundred dollars, like senior John Schnieders. When asked who fantasy players should take, the common consensus among the experts was that Antonio Brown was by far the best wide receiver and all-around player to have on your team. Brown brought in 243 points for his fantasy owners last season and is expected to bring in many more this season after signing a four million dollar contract with the Steelers. “Antonio Brown, in my opinion, is the best offensive player in
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the league and is uncoverable by any defensive backs, he’s a must have for your team,” senior Fantasy Football enthusiast Alex Stilley said. Senior Jack Marshall weighed in on the advice, saying he believed Jared Cook of the Green Bay Packers was going to be the top “sleeper pick” in this year’s Fantasy Football drafts. “I believe Jared Cook is the perfect sleeper pick because the Packers have needed a consistent tight end like him for a long time. He’s a huge red zone target with the potential to catch touchdowns left and right,” Jack said. Sophomore Ethan Marshall offered some advice for Saints who are in multiple leagues. “Being in three leagues, I realize that you have to watch the waiver wire all the time because there are always some hidden gems waiting to be picked up,” Ethan said. The waiver wire is a place where all the players who are not on someone in your league’s team sit. If a player has a good week, you’re allowed to pick him up off waivers and put him on your team. Ethan also advised trading with other teams to get better players. “I tricked my friend,” Ethan said “by trading him Calvin Johnson, who retired, for Jamaal Charles, one of the best running backs in the league.” Fantasy Football can range from a fun game to a serious competition with some major money on the line. Regardless, draft well Saints. Senior Seth Walker, @SethWalker3 on Twitter, is a reporter for The Shield. This story was edited by Managing Editor Becca Haeusser.
Round 1 Draft Board
Who fared best in week one? Points Scored
Mr. Rost
Aubrey
VS W 0 12
La’Veon Bell
Lindsay
Ezekiel Elliott
VS W 11 22
VS W 4 20
Todd Gurley
Cam Newton
Jack
Ethan
W VS
24
Madison
Antonio Brown
John Julio Jones
David
Aaron Rodgers
Mr. Blaise
0 Rob Gronkowski
Alex
W VS
7 Odell Beckham Jr.
3 Adrian Peterson
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StuCo Shake-Up
The Executive StuCo members provide insight on their plans for this school year. BY GRACE MAYER semester. A new school year, a new Executive StuCo, and a new With class competition points on the line, “it’ll be a mission for Aquinas. This year’s executive members are Devin bloodbath,” McCormick said. Diggs, Itsy McCormick, Michael Porter, and Lindsay Schaller. “We wanted to get a different crowd of people involved They don’t just want to make Aquinas a better place; they want through the video game tournament, as some people may the Saints to want to come to school. not enjoy Homecoming, Spring Olympics, or other events,” “We want to make school a more enjoyable place to be Diggs said. These are just some of the “fun event(s) we think during the week,” Executive StuCo member Devin Diggs said. will help unite the whole school by getting In order to do that, StuCo has come up with everyone involved with some friendly new events and ideas for the school year. “It’ll be a bloodbath.” competition,” Diggs said. “Our StuCo is really vibing with “Fun announcements in the morning, one another. Everyone is very positive, more smaller pep assemblies, Catholic supportive, and open to new ideas,” said Itsy McCormick Schools Week karaoke and bingo, and Executive StuCo member Lindsay Schaller. Executive StuCo President mixers,” are just a few of the ideas StuCo is “Whenever we do have a task to planning for this year, Diggs said. accomplish, it doesn’t feel like work but Executive StuCo member Michael Porter just like a group of friends having a good also added that “some smaller changes with time,” said Diggs. Valentine’s Day activities” will be made this year. “We aren’t changing the dynamic of the council at all McCormick added that one of StuCo’s goals this year is to because last year worked out so well,” Executive StuCo recognize academic scholars more often. president Itsy McCormick said. “We want our top students to feel like they are just as They, however, will be increasing opportunities for class important as our top athletes,” Diggs said. competition points. Class competition points are earned throughout the year Not everyone at Aquinas is a varsity athlete, so StuCo for specific events, and StuCo has just added a few more wants to ensure those who are studs in the classroom get just as opportunities to earn that day off. A video game tournament much recognition. and March Madness bracket competition will begin second “We are also hoping to add some sort of academic
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known saying around school, and many people would say it This goal, along with breaking the canned food drive before they were about to undertake a task.” record, amping up teacher appreciation, and making Last year’s girls soccer team used this phrase during homecoming week as fun as possible, are just a few things their offseason. StuCo members Diggs StuCo strives to excel at this year. and McCormick agreed they liked how the A mission revolving around uniting “Executive StuCo members theme could be personalized by finding and Aquinas is StuCo’s top priority. “I hope everyone feels important and share a great enthusiasm embracing each individual’s ‘it’. Schaller said, “It’s simple, applicable, welcome when they walk through the for this school, and it’s and it rolls off the tongue nicely, so we doors of Aquinas. I hope that Aquinas is contagious.” stuck with it.” a place people want to be,” McCormick The three-word theme is also said. accompanied by Bible verse 1 Corinthians StuCo wants to create an Itsy McCormick 10:31, “Whatever you do, do it all for the environment where students feel Executive StuCo President glory of God.” So whatever that ‘it’ may be, welcome and establish a better sense Aquinas chooses this year to truly embrace of community. By setting up events it. for students to look forward to and continuing to lend a smile, they hope to achieve this goal. Junior Grace Mayer, is a reporter for The Shield. McCormick said, “executive StuCo members share a great This story was edited by Copy Editor Maria enthusiasm for this school, and it’s contagious.” Scanlan. This isn’t the first time this year’s theme ‘Let’s Get It,’ has been heard around Aquinas. Porter said, “It was already a well
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#BeAGorilla September 2016 | Page 27 g
The College Conundrum
For high school seniors across the nation, the college admissions process is increasing in both its importance and challenges. Especially in a time of transition for students, applying to selective colleges is comparable to taking another course or a part-time job. Polishing the resume, raising ACT scores, and writing the perfect essay are stress enough for students--not to include the stack of homework assigned on a daily basis. At Saint Thomas Aquinas, the stress caused by the college admissions season has always been present. Likewise, the process has continued to affect students of younger grades as well. Despite the massive challenge the college admissions process presents, there are steps students can take prior to their junior and senior years. Senior Keshav Kailash, a Student Council representative, said all of his classes since sophomore year have been geared toward college. In spite of these efforts, Kailash said he wished he would have done even more during this time frame. “I wish I had made a list of 20
The college admissions processes for Aquinas students BY ANDREW SCHOONOVER
colleges and set my sights on those.” said Kailash. Kailash said that he would have also wished to pick a major and perhaps even a minor earlier. If he would have added the factor of working for a goal throughout his high school career, his college acceptance season would not be as stressful. If he would have had something to look ahead to while working, the work could have been more effective. Another step students can take while going through the college admissions process is simply knowing what colleges are looking for in a student. Matthew Malir is a graduate of the Aquinas class of 2016 and is now a Freshman at the University of Notre Dame. Through his experience, Malir shared that colleges are not looking for good students, but good people as well. Traditionally, superior grades and an extensive resume would have gotten any student into the college of their dreams. In recent years, this has all changed. “My advice is to create a holistic application—that is, to present the best side of yourself in every aspect,” said Malir.
Malir has witnessed students far more academically qualified than him get rejected to their dream college. “I can only imagine this ordeal has something to do with extracurriculars and the essays” said Malir. Colleges are looking for people who are genuinely good people and who enjoy doing the activities they did in high school. Perhaps the most crucial step in the college admissions process is to not let it consume you. Barb Bruns, College Counselor at Aquinas, has a career of college admissions behind her. Of her vast number of duties, her main priority for Bruns is to get kids aware of the timeline happening around them. Despite the beginning of senior year being extremely hectic, Bruns said to not let family and media distract you. Bruns shared that there are so many resources out there to stay organized, especially College Family Connection, that missing a deadline is a very hard thing to do. Bruns is a self described big picture person and has a simple, positive philosophy about college admissions.“It will be fine.” Junior Andrew Schoonover is a Freelancer Reporter for The Shield. This story was edited by reporter Annie Patton.
TOP COLLEGE PICKS:
Log into College Family Connection to find a map of Top Colleges picked by Aquinas students.
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Farewell to Field Hockey The Saint Thomas Aquinas field hockey team will no longer be “sticking” together. BY DELANEY SMITH For the first time in eight years, Saint Thomas Aquinas will not have a field hockey team. The program, which was started in 2008, is ending due to a lack of available coaches and players. Social studies teacher Terry Droge, who coached the sport from 2011 to 2015, said the biggest obstacle the team had to overcome was that in the state of Kansas, field hockey is classified as a club. “Building excitement, energy, and awareness for the sport and the program was always a challenge because so few people knew about it,” Droge said. The Aquinas field hockey team was one of three high school teams in the Kansas City area, with their only competitors being Notre Dame de Sion and Pembrook Hill School. Because field hockey is such an uncommon sport in Kansas, very few girls joined the team with experience in the sport. When he took the position as head coach, Droge was also new to field hockey. “I had no prior experience with the
sport, but it looked like a lot of fun so I decided to take a chance on the club,” Droge said. Along with small numbers and little experience, the team had other challenges. Finding a place to practice was a big problem for the team, who often practiced on the hill outside of SMC or in the senior parking lot. Another problem the team faced was hosting home games.
“Building excitement, energy and awareness for the sport and the program was always a challenge because so few people knew about it.” Terry Droge Former field hockey coach “The home games kept getting pushed to later and later times and it made it difficult for some people to make it to the games,” Droge said. But through these challenges, the team was able to develop a strong sense of community. Most players on the team played both JV and Varsity. This allowed upper and underclassmen to play on the same team. “The best part about the sport was the people I got to know.
Photo by Cami Stangohr| The Medallion Senior Sophia Ayers dives for a ball. The field hockey team played Notre Dame de Sion, one of their two competitors.
What I found unique was that no matter how hard a practice or game was turning out to be, everyone was still really happy and positive to be at the game or the practice,” sophomore Catriona Baughman said. The field hockey team did not host tryouts, so the team consisted of a very diverse group of girls. “There were always a lot of fun and interesting students on the team. It was nice to have a mix of really athletic people thrown in with people who had never been on a sports team before,” Droge said. Senior Georgia Stevens was a part of the team for two years. “Getting to see people from other grades and catching up with them... it was good to have a chat with a person that you wouldn’t usually talk to,” Stevens said. Among other team building activities, the field hockey team took an annual trip to Tulsa. During the two-day trip, the team played two games against a Tulsa school and went out to a nice dinner. “I look back and smile when I think about the road trips to Tulsa. It was an awesome adventure and one of the events that all members of the team looked forward to doing,” Droge said. Overall, Droge said his experience coaching field hockey was “‘funtastic’ because I had numerous moments and memories with field hockey that were fun and it was a fantastic experience during my time as the coach.” Junior Delaney Smith is a reporter for The Shield. This story was edited by Editor-In-Chief Ezri Killeen.
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What’s Next?
Up and Coming Clubs
Model UN is a simulation of the actual United Nations. Students compete to pass resolutions to solve global issues. Students are assigned different countries to represent. Last year, Saint Thomas Aquinas went to multiple competitions. “It’s not time consuming at all, it’s kind of a fun little extra thing to do if you want to skip a day of school, or get to know new people or tell your parents you did this thing at school,” said senior Oscar Garcia, “the social aspect is fun and you get to learn new things without much work.”
Hammock and Need God
Come hang out with the Hammock Club. This is the club’s first year. “Its purpose is for people to come hang out with friends and study the Bible,” senior Emily Feuerborn said. The meetings will be one to two hours long and will be hosted in parks around the area. However, when it gets cold, they will find somewhere to hang up their hammocks inside. Senior Skylar Bird said, “It provides a fun environment where you can hammock, relax, and better If you’ve ever dreamed of suiting up for the Mathget to know those around letes and saying, “the limit does not exist,” here’s your you.” chance. The Competitive Math Club is here. “It’s a lot of fun. You solve problems and interact with other people,” said senior Hugh O’Reilly. “ The club meets about every two weeks for practices to prepare for competitions. The club will have one to two competitions this semester, but more as the year goes on. Then we have a state competition.” To join, no specific level of math is required. All are welcome. Get ready to channel your inner Cady.
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These six new clubs have been established at Aquinas within the past year.
Shoutout to all junior and senior girls, this one is just for you. Thrive is a club dedicated to teaching about BY ANNIE PATTON what makes people happy and successful. Dr. Laurie Heap brought her program to Saint Thomas Aquinas. “We talk about will-power and goal setting, and she gives you concrete things you can do to basically achieve your goals,” senior Grace Mitchell said “Each meeting we will have a different topic. The first one she basically explains the purpose. It’s the best because you go and she incorporates a lot of science into it.” Listen to the announcements to hear when meetings are scheduled. They occur about once every one to two months in SMC during STA period. “It’s a lot of fun and I think every junior and senior girl should be in it,” Mitchell said. The Journey is coming to Saint Thomas Aquinas. Kicking off on September 14, this club’s goal is “for kids to talk about their relationship with Christ through scripture and conversation,” said junior Andrew Cunningham. “We are going to go over the readings for the upcoming Sunday. We’ll talk about them, go over them and if the conversation leads to something fun then we’ll talk about that.” The club will meet every Wednesday during STA period three. “This is a different opportunity that students can grow in their faith,” said club moderator Sarah If you want to learn how to be a successful business Cretors. She also said there may owner, join the Entrepreneurship Club. “Its goal is to possibly be donuts. provide students with the necessary resources to start their own business,” senior Josh Bethel said. Meetings are held in club moderator Lauren Debaun’s room every Friday during STA period two and three. “Initially members are required to bring a new idea to the club. We would narrow it down to the top three ideas and form teams that would execute an idea and write business and marketing strategies,” said Bethel. “Hopefully everyone who signs up is interested in starting their own business and hopefully they have the opportunity to execute an idea that they are actually interested in.”
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September-October 2016 Event Calendar 10/11 - V. Volleyball Dual vs. Blue Valley Southwest
9/24- Rim Rock XC 9/26- No School 9/30- Homecoming Mass/Tailgate/ Assembly
10/13 - EKL XC Championships 10/13 - V. Soccer vs. Blue Valley West
9/30- V. Football vs. Mill Valley
10/14 - Grandparent’s Day Mass
10/1- Homecoming Dance
10/14 - V. Football vs. BV Southwest
10/4 - Fall Band Concert
10/15 - V. Soccer vs. Olathe East
10/5 - Fall Choral Concert
10/17 - No School
10/6 - V. Soccer vs. Blue Valley
10/18 - Noon Dismissal for testing
10/7 - V. Football vs. St. James
10/19 - Noon Dismissal for testing
10/8 - Jesse James Park XC
10/21 - V. Football vs. Blue Valley
10/10 - No School
10/22 - October ACT
10/11 - Play auditions for “Radium Girls”
10/25 - 9:00 am Start
The Shield