The Shield
Saint Thomas Aquinas High School | 2015-2016, A Year in Review
WELCOME, FUTURE SAINTS!
In this issue, we review some of the best moments of the 2015-2016 school year. Read about the record breaking canned food drive, new school dodgeball league, and ways to get involved here at Aquinas.
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Photo by The Medallion The girls soccer team wins state. The girls worked hard all season for their victory.
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 Advisor Matt Hallauer
Freelance Reporters Hagan Marozas Rachel Raney 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 monthy. 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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So, You Wanna Be a Saint? It’s a great feeling to call Aquinas home. a letter from the editor If you’re reading this, you’re probably wondering, “Why Aquinas? Why not someplace else?” Well, there are infinite ways answer this question, but we’ll start by showing you some of the greatest moments from the 2015 and 2016 school year. This special edition of The Shield highlights moments such as the record breaking canned food drive, the #NotEvenOne suicide awareness campaign, and the Catholic Clash Dodgeball Tournament. These stories feature the community’s love for giving back. This is one of the many things that students learn here at Aquinas. Also featured in this edition are ways to get involved. The Get Involved spread (p 20, 21) is an all inclusive look at clubs and activities that students enjoy. They include some of the most popular clubs, like Key Club, as well as the newest and smallest clubs, such as the Entrepreneurship club. There truly is something for everyone here at Aquinas. Also included are stories about some of the sports and activities. The Show Choir Must Go On (p 28, 29) is a story about Aquinas’s two show choirs and their climb to a successful season. Saints Smash State (p 24, 25) features the girl’s tennis team and their
road to the state tournament. This issue combines stories from all of last year’s editions of The Shield. This year’s staff worked hard to compile the best from last year. The result is that you see our very best reporting and best design. I’m very excited to work with the new staff this year to make it The Shield’s best yet. This year, Aquinas has a dynamite Executive Student Council, amazing new teachers, and the same wonderful returning staff and students. It has the recipe to shatter expectations and break records again and again. I hope you choose to attend Saint Thomas Aquinas. It has become a place that I can call home--mostly because I’m here more than I’m at my actual home. But wherever you choose to go to high school, just be ready for some of the best years of your life.
Ezri Killeen Editor-in-Chief, The Shield
TABLE OF CONTENTS The Reports page 6// Ahoy! A Record! The 2015 Canned Food Drive broke its own world record. page 8// Dodging for the Basics The Kansas City-area Catholic high schools came together to form a dodgeball tournament benefiting those in need. page 10// Not Even One Students formed the #NotEvenOne campaign to raise suicide awareness. page 12// All Out for Wigs Out The girls at Saint Thomas Aquinas donated their hair to Pantene at the annual Wigs Out ceremony and raised money to benefit those with breast cancer.
The Spreads page 14// Straight Outta
Middle School
Graduated seniors give the freshmen some advice. page 16// 29 Reasons to Go to
Aquinas
As Saint Thomas Aquinas enters its 29th year, it keeps adding reasons to attend. page 18// Social Spread A look at the Saints’ best social media posts of 2015-2016. page 20// Get Involved Saints have more than 60 activities to choose from, including clubs, teams, Bible studies and charity drives.
The Back Pages page 24// Saints Smash State The Aquinas girls tennis team had a successful season and qualified for state. page 26// No Surrender Marianne Michaels has been singing on stages in the Power and Light district since last summer. page 28// The Show Choir
Must Go On
The two show choirs have been gaining speed for the past few years and had a successful season in the spring. page 30// Saint to Study
Abroad
English teacher Kristi Nourie has gotten the opportunity to study at Cambridge in the U.K. page 31// A Year in Pictures We take a last look at the 2015-2016 school year in pictures.
HOMECOMING: October 1st CANNED FOOD DRIVE: October 31st-Nov 4th PROM: April 1st GRADUATION: May 10th
2015-2016 In Review | Page 3 g
AhoY! A Record!! BY ELLIE HEIT, ANNIE GELLOT AND ALEX KINNAN
St. Thomas Aquinas beats their own national can collecting record by donating 177,801 cans. Another year, another canned food drive; or so one might think.This year’s Canniribbean Food Drive set records that future classes can only dream of beating. The theme has been an idea since 2012, and this year, StuCo finally made it a reality. The freshmen stepped up and beat the previous record. “Ordering a pallet and a half of ramen helped push us to break the record in the end,” freshman Danny Vail said. One of the freshmen’s main method of gathering cans was through fundraising. “We had a 10/10 party where you could bring in 10 dollars or 10 cans to get in,” freshman Greta Bins said. “The turnout was around 45 people.” While the freshmen did well, the sophomores stepped up, almost beating the juniors. They were in second place for most of the week. “It felt really good. Our goal was to not only to beat the freshmen, but to compete with the juniors,” sophomore Mary Claire Halpin said. They had fewer funds than the upper grades, but spent their money wisely and ef ciently. Sophomore Jack Shaw liked the bagging method the best. “Bagging is more ef cient, gets more cans, and is easier to do,” Shaw said. “We strategized our money pretty well, and saved money for the end of the week in case the juniors pulled back up.” While they planned for the juniors to come back, the sophomores were beaten by a mere 300 cans. “Our goal was 30,000 cans and we fell a little bit short of that,” said sophomore Katie Hill. “The juniors did a really
good job planning.” The juniors were happy to win second place, after spending all week giving a poor effort to the total number. “We stepped up our game towards the end of the week, but had a really bad start,” junior Kayla Gunderman said. It was almost a repeat of last year. In the 2014 canned food drive, the sophomores were almost beaten by the freshmen. As sophomores, they came through at the last minute, only beating the freshmen by points, while the freshmen had more cans. The juniors have already begun strategizing for next year. “I hope to individually talk to the parents and email them,” said Gunderman. “In the end, that is the deciding factor of what grade will win over another.”
“Its pretty crazy what we did, probably one of the best feelings I have ever had.”
Nicole Riggs Senior Student Council Member
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point breakdown The seniors almost doubled last year’s senior record, and were the main contributors to the drive. “The Class of 2015 did not think we could do this, so we knew we had to.” said senior Amanda Sobek. They also strived to get parents involved to donate. Their main parent donors were the Bukatys and the Cosentinos. “They gave us advice, and competed against each other because this will be their last year to donate.” Sobek said. While most of the Executive Stuco are seniors, they did everything possible to get every grade to rise to the occasion. “It wasn’t just one big donation that got us through,” senior Executive council member Nicole Riggs said. “It was just every single family giving a little bit and it added up really quickly.” Though StuCo seniors are excited for underclassmen for next year, they will miss this time honored tradition. “We were at out locker literally about to cry because canned food drive was over forever,” Riggs said. “It’s just so weird that it’s over, because there’s so much work that you put into it.” This story was designed by Design Editor Chloe Maher.
FRESHMEN CANS: 18,603 POINTS: 39,134 “We need to focus on getting people excited next year.” Greta Bins
SOPHOMORES CANS: 22,380 POINTS: 67,999
JUNIORS CANS: 22,567 POINTS: 87,297 “We stepped up our game towards the end of the week.” Kayla Gunderman
SENIORS CANS: 114,251 POINTS: 249,784
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Dodging for the Basics
Students dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge in competition against rival schools. BY DANIEL PETRACEK
The first ever Catholic Clash Dodgeball Tournament proved to be a huge success, raising funds for “Giving the Basics” and providing competitive students a chance for dodgeball glory. Executive Student Council President and senior Isabel Kemp said she came up with the idea of having a dodgeball tournament for a good cause while at StuCo camp over the summer. It seemed like a brilliant idea. As senior class officer Christopher Schilling said, “Everyone loves a dodgeball tournament.” The timing with Catholic Schools Week and the “Giving the Basics” drive made it perfect. Although it was planned fairly last minute, both St. James Academy and Bishop Miege were very excited to play dodgeball against their rival schools. Entering in the tournament cost $40 for an eight-person team, making it only $5 per individual. Each team was required to have four boys and four girls. More than 30 teams competed among the three schools, but only the top two from each school played in the double-elimination championship tournament,
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held in the Aquinas main gym on Thursday, February 11. The prelims were held the week before during Catholic Schools Week. The dodgeball tournament, which also
charged $3 to watch the championship tournament, over $1,600 was raised for “Giving the Basics,” according to Kemp. Schilling said, “After the tournament’s success,
we plan on doing the event every year.” Kemp shares the same vision, and StuCo is hoping to make the championship game coincide with Catholic Schools Week in the future.
Photo by Alex Wagner | The Shield Senior Parker Swanson (front) throws a laser, while senior teammate Sam Clark (back) dodges an opponent’s ball. Their team, the Dodgefathers, did not lose a single game in the championship tournament.
“All three schools have a ‘Giving the Basics’ drive during the Catholic Schools Week, so it would be a very fitting time,” Kemp said. “We hope to continue supporting ‘Giving the Basics’ and all that they do while having a little fun at the same time!” As for the actual tournament action, 15 Saints teams participated, and the overall winning team, the “Dodgefathers,” was from Aquinas. The team consisted of seniors Sam Clark, Grant Elias, Ryan Foley, Meghan Kindel, Matthew Malir, Morgan McEnroe, Christy Rheinberger, Kate Ross, and James Cosentino and Parker Swanson who replaced the absent Foley and Malir in the championship tournament. Rheinberger said she would definitely play again next year if she could. “My favorite part was having the fans there being obnoxious.” The team’s strategy was to play defensively once it got an opposing player out. This was important, considering the time limit placed on each game.
Photo by Ellie Thompson | The Medallion The Dodgefathers celebrate their victory with classmates. They defeated Bishop Miege’s “Team Nasty” in the championship game.
When asked about his favorite part of the tournament, Clark said, “Coming back from the loser’s bracket.” The team had lost its very first game in the prelims, but was able to battle back and be one of the two teams to represent Aquinas in the championship tournament, in which the Dodgefathers went undefeated. “The feeling of being the first ever dodgeball champions was crazy,” Rheinberger said. “The huge celebration and mosh pit made it that much better. One of the greatest feelings ever.” On the victory, Clark said, It felt right.” The Catholic Clash Dodgeball Tournament is expected to stay and StuCo is hoping for even more students to compete in the years coming. This story was designed by Junior Delaney Smith.
Photo courtesy of Michele Gress. The Dodgefathers hold up the championship trophy. The team was the first ever to win the “Giving the Basics” tournament.
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Not Even One The students of Saint Thomas Aquinas raise awareness for teen suicide.
BY BECCA HAUSSER
Photo by Mary K McCanna | The Medallion The Saints support the #notevenone movement.
During National Suicide Awareness week, seven students All seven students helped write the script and were filmed in decided that they wouldn’t let even one the video, along with sophomores Meg more suicide happen. Goza and Devin Diggs. They spent “Being part of the video, writing hours at Panera, all giving their input Abbie Gartland, Elizabeth Roth, Kayla Cline, Kate Schartz, Maria the script, devling deeper into and discussing the best way to spread Scanlan, Kenna Flood and Jared Flood this message. the disquieting statistics on teen took a stand against the second leading Senior Elizabeth Roth said, “We cause of teen death in the United States. focused on the script, what we wanted suicide, all of it has made me Last spring, Sherri Balmer, the to be said and how we wanted to say it.” become more aware of the stigma Their video has started a director of communications and around suicide.” marketing for Marillac, approached movement. Fox 4 News wrote a story these students and asked if they would on these students and has been playing be interested in helping to create a video their video. Other local schools have Maria Scanlan also asked these students to present the to raise suicide awareness. Junior Senior Abbie Gartland said, “Prior video, hoping that it will create a lasting to this project, I was very unaware of how many lives suicide impact on the community. “I’ve always taken suicide very seriously,” Junior Maria affected.”
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Scanlan said, “But being part of the video, writing the script, delving deeper into the disquieting statistics on teen suicide, all of it has made me become more aware of the stigma that surround suicide.” The students also came up with the slogan, “Not Even One.” They have been encouraging teens to use #notevenone on social media to help spread the message that those who are suffering from depression are not alone.
“Even if it helps one person, the what we’ve done is worth it.” Kate Schartz Junior
Photo by Mary K McCanna | The Medallion Saint Thomas Aquinas students recieve check at the Not Even One assembly.
Junior Kate Schartz said, “Even if it helps one person, then what we’ve done is worth it.” Scanlan said, “Every person in our community is talented, multifaceted, and absolutely worthy of love and happiness. We all will go through a very difficult time in our lives, so it is up to us as a community to help each other through our hardships. No one deserves to carry their burdens alone.” This story was formatted by junior Grace Platt.
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All Out for Wigs Out Students continue showing their support for those struggling with cancer. BY ANSLEY REYNOLDS
Photo courtesy of Michele Gress.
A Saint Thomas Aquinas Student prepares to cut her hair in the 2013 Wigs Out Ceremony. Our hair is a tangible piece of ourselves that we see every time we look in the mirror and feel everytime we touch our heads. Year by year as we grow, our hair grows with us. The beauty of hair is often overlooked as it gives us the ability to express ourselves, our gender, our style and in a way, who we are as individuals. Unfortunately, there are boys and girls out there suffering with illnesses that take this gift away from them, but what if by donating eight inches of our hair, we could give that gift back to someone who needs it. Saint Thomas Aquinas offers students the opportunity to help girls feel like women once again. It all started when performing arts teacher, Kim Harrison, decided she wanted to cut her
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hair in honor of her nephew who was struggling with cancer. “I started asking around to girls in my classes to see if they would be interested in cutting their hair with me and I thought maybe I would get eight to ten people after school but then I got 60,” said Mrs. Harrison. Proceeding that year, wigs out at Aquinas was born. Throughout the years we have made 825 hair donations. When someone you know is diagnosed with cancer, you may think their biggest concern is that they have a life threatening illness. However, most cancer patients report the fear of losing their hair as the most upsetting part of their cancer treatment. Losing your hair is an inescapable sign that everything in your life is changing.
Every student has their own reason for donating to wigs out. Some girls donate simply because it’s a good cause and others donate in memory of friends or family members. “Both of my sisters have donated so I wanted to keep the tradition going, especially since my grandma died of breast cancer. Giving something not everyone can do is touching,” said freshman, Olivia Oddo. There are great expectations for girls donating to Wigs Out this year. Each year more and more pony tails are cut off to give hope to those fighting cancer. This story was designed by Managing Editor Becca Haeusser, becca_haeusser on Instagram.
Service at Aquinas
Photo by The Medallion Juniors Marcus Meyer and Jimmy Lambrechts help with landscaping during the junior mission trip to Alabama.
The Spreads
home o g r o d r “Go ha g up for n i s s e r d when themes.” need S a c i n o -M
MIDDLE SCHOOL Listen up, freshmen. Here’s some senior advice on how to make the best of your time on the streets (in the halls) of Aquinas.
“Don’t eat lu the bathr nch in oom. The re’s plenty of people to sit with. Bes ides, that ’s gross.” -Lucas H ill
BY DANIEL PETRACEK
“If you fa il to prepare f or c then you’r lass, e already p rep yourself t aring o fa -Hunter B il.” rown
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“Study for biology tests.” -Sarah Bruegge
“Smile and say ‘hello’ to people because it can go a long way.” -Molly Drew
“Get in shape because going up and down the stairs is brutal.” -Rhyann Fisher
“Get good grades while it’s easy.” -John Viso
“Branch o ut and ma ke many frie ndships as as possible because th e years go by faster than you t hink.” -Monica S need “Don’t be afraid to try new things and meet new people.” -Grant Elias
“Buy all t he cookies you can be fore the price goes up. -Kelli O’D ” onnell
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions in class or about any clubs or sports.” -George Jurgensmeyer
“Get to know the lunch ladies.” -Jacob Leikam
s with e i k o o c r “Eat you a spoon.” lling i h c S r e h -Christop
“Don’t wor ry about mes sing up or bein g awkward because everyone i s in the same b oat as you.” -Jenni Ng yuyen
“Make friends with some upperclassmen.” -Zach Pfeifer u o Y . eople t “Talk to p d cheer h n g a i s m e o m h a ww the g never kno your best Go to all “ ff.” ing o e d b a f e o h d r n u e yo laven S e t a ” . K d n y e r fri -Ma t t a -Justin M “There’s n o better w “Just do w ay to m a hat makes ke new fri ends than you happy and get involv to you’re bou ed in club nd to find some s or sports.” one that e njoys the same thin -Andrew L gs.” avery -Abby Mc Cormick 2015-2016 In Review | Page 15 g
The Social Spread The best of social media from the 2015-2016 school year
Twitter Madison Janky @mjank0 Saints soccer does it again. Couldn’t have done it without all these people by my side
Twitter Justin Wrigley @CoachWrigley Another year has come and gone and nobody has signed up for my pre-prom dance lessons #disappointed Twitter Devin Diggs @dtdiggs send me a candy gram so I know it’s real
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Instagram Sean Benson @bean_senson This picture suits us well
Twitter Jack Shaw @jack_shaw6 Is it Christmas break yet? (on August 17)
Twitter Maddie Charles @maddiencharles Too much homework, not enough time
Twitter Marie Schell @mschell16 If Leo can finally win an Oscar you can text back
Twitter Mary Sesti @sesticani After math test: On this paper Write your name, how you think you did, and something you want me to know about you
Instagram Jack Lind @jaglind All cans on deck
Twitter Steve DuBois @Twitlysium Can’t spell “Meltdowns” without M-E-T-S. #TakeTheCrown
Twitter Nina Ricci @Ninaricci_ I was Steve Harvey’d today
Twitter Nicole Riggs @lil_RIGGSY 177,801 cans. A new national record. Great job saints
Twitter Maggie Sieben @msiebs37 “could you put your hand a little lower? ...lower...lower... perfect.”
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2015-2016 In Review | Page 19 g
Get Involved
Aquinas has more than 60 activities, and students add more every year.
Art National Honor Society Back to School Mixer Baseball Basketball Big Sis, Lil Sis Blood Drive Book Club Brigade Band Canned Food Drive Catholic Athletes for Christ Cheer Chess Club Choir Christian Outreach Christmas Gift Drive Cross Country Daily Mass Daily Rosary Decade Dance Team Dead Poets Society
Above: Saints protest abortion laws at the March for Life in Washington, D.C. The march, led by the Teens for Life Club, occurs every year in D.C. and Topeka. Below: Students celebrate USA Day at a football game. Every game has a different theme.
Debate Drama Environmental Defense League Father-Daughter Dance Football Forensics French Club Freshman Academy Awards Dance German Club
Gold Zone Golf Hammock Club (Bible Study) Homecoming International Thespian Society Japanese Club Jazz Band Journey (Bible Study) Kairos Key Club Lacrosse Magazine Math Club Mother-Son Dance National Honor Society Newspaper Peer Helpers Peer Mentors Peer Tutors Quill & Scroll Journalism Honor Society Rugby Scholars Bowl School Supply Drive Senior Ambassadors Snowman Mixer Soccer
Left: Saints donate their hair at the Wigs Out ceremony so cancer patients can have wigs. The ceremony occurs every spring. Right: Saints in the musical pose after a performance. The theater department has a musical, a play and other productions every year.
Softball Spanish Club Spirit Club Spring Break Mission Trips & Pilgrimage St. Albert Science Club STAPLES Student Council Swim & Dive Teens for Life Tennis Theater Throwdown (Disc Golf) Track & Field Volleyball Wigs Out WPA Wrestling Yearbook To see all of the club Twitter accounts, visit twitter.com/STAshield/following To see all of the team Twitter accounts, visit twitter.com/AquinasGameday/following
Saints Smash State Girls Tennis finishes the season strong BY EZRI KILLEEN
F
rom the first day of tryouts in August The girls worked hard and watching and rooting for the girls. When to the state tournament in October, continued to play this way through Root and Petty came off the court, she the Saints tennis team has stuck together August and September, until it was was there to greet them. through it all. finally the end of the season for the Petty however, wasn’t immediately Let’s set the scene of the first day of majority of the girls. But not all of them aware of her State qualification. “We tryouts: August 17. It’s an inevitably hot were done; six girls were headed to came off the court and we had won, and and sunny day, but the girls show up and Regionals. we didn’t really know the standings,” play their hearts out. Several days later, They had a week of practice to Petty said. When Burgess congratulated the 2015 girls tennis team is finalized. themselves before heading to Mill her and told her they were going to On it are 31 players: 11 seniors, seven Valley. The outcome was incredible: state, Petty misheard her and took it as a juniors, six sophomores, and seven four girls qualified for state-- two question. Burgess then reiterated the fact freshmen. singles players and a doubles team-- and that they were going to State, The coaches are the same to which Petty’s reaction was as previous years: Petra Shinn sheer surprise. “I was like ‘Oh, and Laura Thompson. Shinn has cool,’” Petty said. headed the girls varsity team for In fact, neither one of two years, previously assisting the partners knew they had coach David Shriver for four qualified for state when years. Thompson has worked they walked off the court. with the junior varsity team for To qualify, the girls had to three years. win their first two matches. But this year was different However, Root was under the from the others. As the season impression that they had to went on, it became clear that the win more. “My dad walked team was performing better than up to me and was just like, ever. ‘You’re going to State!’ and “The biggest difference I was just like ‘Oh, really?’” from the other years was that we Root said. had seven freshmen come to the Meanwhile, the other tennis team who all had good girls were still hard at work. tennis skills. Four of the seven Sophomore Taylor Smart received varsity letters at [the] played singles. Her last match banquet,” Shinn said. lasted three hours before she This made for an overall took the win. “It was kind Photo courtesy of Michele Gress. deeper and better team, of surreal [finding out that Senior Megan Root serves in a state game against BVSW. I qualified] because I wasn’t especially on the Junior Varsity side. The team won four of their seven the doubles team of junior Megan Root really expecting to go to state. I was duals, and while they still lost to some and senior Sarah Petty were awarded really excited,” Smart said. She also of the more challenging teams, the second place. went on to say that her favorite memory outcomes of the matches were much Activities Director Sarah Burgess from the season would be this three less lopsided than in previous years. had been cheering the team on all day, hour match because both she and her
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opponent were fighting hard. Senior singles player Ryan Grawe was the last to qualify for state, finishing in fourth place at Regionals. She won her first two matches, which automatically qualified her for State. “Just that feeling [of knowing I was going to state] was so great… It was a hard day, and I knew I had even harder
“It was kind of surreal [finding out that I qualified] because I wasn’t really expecting to go to state. I was really excited.” Taylor Smart Junior matches to come, but it was just was going to state] was so great… It was a hard day, and I knew I had even harder matches to come, but it was just kind of a comfort knowing that I made it to the final step of my final season…” Grawe said. And so, with the conclusion of Regionals, the four girls headed to State the next weekend. The day was full of hard work for the team. State was two days, October 16 and 17, both at The Valley Center, which made for a long day. Unfortunately, the none of the girls moved on to the second day of State and placed at the state tournament, although Petty and Root won one of their matches. “[State] is very intense because you know there are people there that are like ‘I am going to win State,’” Petty said. Nevertheless, the team had a great time at the tournament accompanied by parents, coaches, and one of their teammates. Multiple girls mentioned a ceremony at the beginning of the state tournament, in which each player was individually announced and honored in front of all the players and coaches, as being one of the best parts of the experience. Although the outcome of the state tournament could have been better, the coaches are optimistic about future seasons. “With this really young team we have some potential for the years to come to build a stronger and more competitive team,” Shinn said.
Photo courtesy of Michele Gress. Junior Taylor Smart returns a ball in a state game aginst BVSW
“Just the feeling [of knowing I was going to state] was so great...It was a hard day, and I knew I had even harder matches to come, but it was kind of a comfort knowing that I made it to the final step of my final season...” Ryan Grawe Senior
This story was designed by reporter Jake Burkhart. Photo courtesy of Michele Gress. Sarah Petty returns a ball in a state game aginst BVSW
2015-2016 in Review | Page 25 g
No Surrender
Marianne Michaels has spent the summer on the country stage and she’s not finished yet BY BECCA HAEUSSER Photo courtesy of Marianne Michaels Michaels opening for the Dan and Shay Concert on June 18. She was excited to perform at her first concert.
S
enior Marianne Michaels started her career singing Taylor Swift songs for her grade school talent shows, and is now an artist on iTunes. While performing for her grade school, Michaels realized that music was something she was passionate about. “My eighth grade year, my dad brought in his friends and we actually had a full band. That was probably the starting moment when I was like, this is actually really cool,” Michaels said. After realizing that she really enjoyed singing as a hobby, Michaels started singing backup for her father’s cover band, Buck Rodgers. They sang four or five songs a night, performing once every couple of months at Barley’s Brewhaus and twice at the Kansas City Power & Light District. It wasn’t long before she started writing with her father, John Michaels. “We wrote several songs just letting her learn to find her voice,” John Michaels said. “Every time she writes or performs, she takes a step forward.” Michaels’ current single, “No Surrender,” is on iTunes. She is mastering two more songs that will be on iTunes this fall. “No Surrender is like my baby. That song has really helped me find myself,
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“No Surrender is like my baby. That song has really helped me find myself.” Marianne Michaels Senior
and hearing it come to life was a dream come true,” said Michaels. Michaels first performed by herself on May 10, 2015, at the Power & Light District. John Michaels, who is also Marianne’s manager, was amazed by how well she did during her first performance in front of a large crowd. “Knowing that the Brett Eldredge show was her first show taking the lead, I was amazed at how comfortable she was
Photo courtesy of Marianne Michaels Michaels performs for a large crowd at the Power & Light District. This was her second time performing at the Power & Light District.
Photo courtesy of Marianne Michaels Michaels waves to the audience at her performance on June 18th. She had her first major performance at the Power and Light District.
in front of 5,000 people. The greatest get to write, record and perform together. Some dads take their kids fishing, or they part about Marianne is that she is what run marathons together. Marianne and I she is. Being comfortable is easy when just happen to love music, and this is all you’re not faking it,” John Michaels said. just a byproduct of doing something we Marianne certainly doesn’t fake it. love,” John Michaels The crowds were on said. their feet on June 18, Michaels hopes the night of the Dan “The second the band to continue to perform and Shay concert. starts playing, all the and share her love of “It is an nerves wash away.” music with the world. indescribable feeling, but to get close I Michaels said, “I have sung for as long as I would definitely Marianne Michaels can remember, although say that I am almost Senior now instead of the overwhelmed in a shower, it’s in front good way!” Michaels of roughly 5,000 to said when asked how 6,000 people! I love it it felt to perform. because it has always “I’m always really been a part of who I am.” nervous and quiet before I go on, but the second the band starts playing, all the This story was designed by Junior Grace nerves wash away.” She has performed twice at the Power Mayer. & Light District and a couple other times at various venues. Her father has helped her write songs, get the band together, and find places for Michaels to sing. “I don’t see myself as a manager. We
Photo courtesy of Nate Aholt Photography
Photo courtesy of Marianne Michaels
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The Show Choir Must Go On The Saint Thomas Aquinas show choirs have been preparing all year for the upcomng competition season and are ready to bring home some hardware. BY MIA POWER 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 between 15 and 30 minutes, to set up, perform, and get everything off the stage.
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The groups are scored by a panel of judges on skills including choreography, vocals, and stage presence. The highest scoring groups qualify for finals, where they perform again and compete for first place overall.
“The quality of their performances has increased dramatically.” Joe Heidesch Vocal Music Teacher Senior dance captain Maggie Martin, who has been a part of the Swingin’ Saints for four years, said she enjoys competitions because “It’s really fun to get show off all of your hard work. It’s also really cool to follow all of the choirs that have been around for a while that have incredible shows every year.” The results of those competitions can be seen in the form of numerous trophies and plaques displayed in the music room at Aquinas. The Swingin’ Saints have made finals three times at Northwest Missouri State. They have
placed second in their division twice. Last year, the Saintsations placed second in their division at a competition in Omaha. Recently the two groups competed at the Heart of America Invitational. The Saintsations placed second in their division while the Swingin’ Saints placed third in theirs. Junior Ezri Killeen won the award for Outstanding Female Vocalist for her solo in the song “Fire and Ice.” All that hardware does not come without hard work, though. While the competition season only lasts a few months, show choir is a year-round commitment for the students involved. Auditions are in the spring for the two groups. Then in July, they attend a week long camp where they learn all of the music for their set and the choreography for two or three songs. The Swingin’ Saints meet as a zero hour and the Saintsations meet as a regular class. They also meet outside of school about once a week all year and three times a week around competition season. “The season for show choir is year round,” said Junior dance captain Jaden Castinado. He has been a part of the
Photo courtesy of Michele Gress.
The Swinging Saints Show Choir nears the end of their opener. Their season began with an updated version of Frozen by Madona.
Swingin’ Saints for three years. When show choir first began at Aquinas, the Swingin’ Saints had only 12 students. Now they have 42. Last year a new group was added, the Saintsations, who now have 23 members. Vocal music teacher Joe Heidesch, who directs both groups, said that in addition to the growth in numbers, “the quality of their performances has increased dramatically.” Martin said that in her time at Aquinas she has seen a change in mentality “from a casual extracurricular to a competitive groups.” 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 win, but we are shooting for finals right now.”
“This year we really have to focus on the little things.” Maggie Martin Senior Dance Captain
the same dance moves,” Martin said. She said those seemingly minor details “could give us the points 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 be the best Show Choir in the area, and the country, which can happen with the talent at this school.” This story was designed by Managing Editor Kat Schartz.
“This year we have really focused on mastering the little things in our show like the dynamics of the vocals and making sure everyone is doing exactly
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Saint to Study Abroad The seniors aren’t the only ones going off to college next year. BY KAT SCHARTZ There will be one less familiar face in SMC during the 2016-2017 school year. Saint Thomas Aquinas English teacher Kristi Nourie is leaving the halls oif Aquinas for the University of Cambridge to earn her Master of Philosophy degree, the first step toward earning a PhD. However, this is not the last year Nourie will tach at Aquinas. “I will be back for the 2017-18 school year,” Nourie said. “There is a required one year break between the first year of the program and the following three years. It’s entirely possible that a person could finish the first year of the program and not be accepted to the last three. You go through the first year of the program and get a much better feel for what conducting original research would look like and decide that’s not for you.” The departure of Naurie and English Department Chairwoman Sue Waters will bring change in the Saint Thomas Aquinas English department. Prince of Peace eighth grade English teacher Andrew Lee has been hired to teach Honors English IV in the upcoming school year. With regard to a replacement for herself, Nourie said, “It is my understanding that they are looking to hire a second teacher, but I do not know that the administration has committed itself to hiring a second person.” Nourie has been looking at going back to school for three to four years, but she could never seem to find the one program that really stood out and
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appealed to her. She decided in the summer of 2015 that it was time, and she began her application to Cambridge in early September. Nourie said, “I thought, worst thing that can happen is they take my $75 application fee and they tell me
“I have chosen the educational leadership and school improvement track. What I liked about Cambridge was that within the track they accepted teachers, it wasn’t just an administrative track.” Kristi Nourie English teacher no. I can live with that.” She heard back from the university on December 15, informing her she made it rhough the first round of the application process. She was asked to write a critique over a twelve-page article and submit two other pieces of writing within seven days. “That was during the week of finals. So I had to write finasls, and there was a Star Wars marathon at school that Saturday that my husband and I had already made a date to come see,” Nourie said, “I’d also never written an article critique before, and I had
no idea what that was going to look like. So there was not a lot of sleeping that week, but I got everything done.” On February 1, Nourie recieved an email inviting her to an interview, which would take place on February 11 over Skype in the SMC conference room. One week later February 18, she had been accepte4d to the program. “I have chosen the educational leadership and school improvement track. What I liked about Cambridge was that withing the track they accepted teachers, it wasn’t just an administrative track.” Nourie explained. “I have no interest in being in adminitrator. That is so far out of my realm. But I believe strongly that teachers are leaders within their schools, withing the communities they create within their hallways, and we need to work more. We need to work together to create those communities and foster that leadership.” Nourie’s future as an educator is bright. “I don’t have any reason not to want to be at Aquinas and continue teaching. But, if I were to leave, I would want to go to a university and work with early career teachers and people who are studying to become teachers. I would want to be the methods teacher for English, or be a literacy instructor, as my master’s degree is in literacy studies and I work a lot with reading.” This story was designed and written by Managing Editor Kat Schartz.
Photo by Kathryn Withers | The Medallion The varsity baseball team finishes their game at Kauffman Stadium. The team won the state championship later in the season. Photo courtesy of Michele Gress. The Homecoming Court poses for their annual photo shoot. Ten seniors are nominated by their peers to be on the court.
A Year in Pictures A look at this past year in pictures
Photo courtesy of Michele Gress. Father Mathew Nagel celebrates the first mass of the school year. Each year, the school year begins with the Mass of the Holy Spirit.
Photo by Emily Conard| The Medallion Sophomore Meg Goza performs a number in the musical, Once on this Island. The theater department performs a number of shows each year.
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2016/2017 School Year Event Calendar 8/15- First day of Fall Practices
1/31- Feast of Saint Thomas Aquinas
8/16- First day of school
2/11- WPA
8/21- 2020 Freshman Class Picnic
2/18- Dinner Theater
8/26- Varsity Soccer vs St. James
3/10- Spring Break
8/27- Volleyball vs St. James
4/1- Prom
9/2- V Football vs Gardner Edgerton
4/7 Wigs Out Assembly
9/16- Varsity Football vs Miege
4/7- V Soccer Pink Out Game
10/1- Homecoming Dance
4/16- Easter
10/10- Open House
4/29- Father Daughter Dance
11/3- School Musical: Shrek
4/30- Saints Walk for Life
11/12- Exravaganza
5/4- Senior Mass
1/26- Winter Play: Radium Girls
5/9- Baccalaureate Mass
1/27- March for Life
5/10- Graduation
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