November 2017 issue by The Shield (Saint Thomas Aquinas High School)

The Shield November & December Issue

100 State Championships

Volume 30

Staff Members Adviser I Matt Hallauer Editor-In-Chief I Andrew Schoonover Managing Editor I Annie Patton

Vo l u m e 3 0

Managing Editor I Grace Mayer

The Shield

Copy Editor I Delaney Smith Senior Reporter I Briley McGreevy Senior Reporter I Emily Raunig

Saint Thomas Aquinas high School

Senior Reporter I Rachel Raney Reporter I Deepthi Kailash Reporter I Madison McMillen Reporter I Clare Hernandez Freelancer I Rachael Lawler Freelancer I Maggie Slaven

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Social Media

t f i s

stashield aquinasameday Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield stashield stashield

MI S S I ON S TA TEMEN T The Shield is the studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; voice of Saint Thomas Aquinas High School. Published by students for the good of the whole Aquinas community, The Shield serves as a source of information and as a spark for productive change. Student reporters learn about the world of journalism while practicing ethical, holistic reporting practices. The Shield staff is responsible for the content published, striving to share information accurately, objectively, and completely for all members of the Saint Thomas Aquinas High School community. A D V ER TI S IN G 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 S UB S C R I P TIO N S 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 L ETTER S PO LICY 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.

Volume 30 I December & November Issue

CONTENTS

Cover Story: 100 State Titles

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Up with the Wi-Fi

Fall Sports and Activities

The Sound of Music

College Spam

Water Bottle Wrangle

Canned Food Drive

Conquering the Crash and Burn

The 30: Thanksgiving Traditions

Family Stories E

Letter from the Editor

very family has stories that define who they are. Our Catholic family has stories of David beating Goliath and the prodigal son returning. Our American family has stories of Washington crossing the Delaware and World War II heroes. At Saint Thomas Aquinas, our family is no exception. We have stories that define who we are, embody our values, and inspire others. Countless stories and memories of faith, service, excellence, and community have been made at Aquinas in the last 30 years. Our cover story, covering the 100(+) state championships Aquinas has won, highlights an achievement won through hundreds of Saints practicing, sacrificing, and making stories together. A story of outstanding excellence inspired by faith, the Saints reaching 100 banners in just 30 years truly proves what the culture at Aquinas is all about. How Saints practice overcoming adversity is another story that captures how special the Saints family is. Whether it be that one class, that one game, or that one test, Saints are given a variety of opportunities to practice facing

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failure, an inevitable part of life, while at Aquinas. Fall sports and activities striving for excellence are also stories covered in this issue. From a powerful canned food drive to a stunning â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Sound of Musicâ&#x20AC;? performance, so many stories from this year and this month alone are still shaping and proving what the Saint Thomas Aquinas family practices. As you read The Shield, prep for the holiday season, or cram for finals, be inspired by the amazing stories that families of all kinds have to offer. At Saint Thomas Aquinas, powerful and inspiring stories from throughout our community are not too hard to find.

Andrew Schoonover Editor-in-Chief

Community News Some students have been a part of recent food allergy desensitization programs to alleviate extreme allergies to peanuts, sesame, and milk. Abby Kate LaSala, senior, has successfully completed the desensitization process for her peanut allergy. “I did oral immunotherapy (OIT) because I didn’t want to live in constant fear for the rest of my life knowing that if I accidentally ate something I was allergic to I would go into anaphylactic shock and die possibly.” Oral immunotherapy is the process of consuming small amounts of food proteins every day at an increased rate for a four month period until the person is immune to their allergen. “I had to qualify to be admitted to the program,” said LaSala. “There is only so many spots in each practice because it is such an intense study. They took the most allergic kids first and moved down from there.” According to Dr. Detjen, a top allergist at Kenilworth Medical Associates, OIT will soon be adding egg treatments, followed by tree nuts and wheat. This program is available to any kids with severe food allergies and most insurance providers will cover the cost. Though, there are initial charges of about $100 to $400. “I knew that others all over the country had done it with a one hundred percent success rate,” said LaSala.

National News “Stranger Things” fans crashed the Science Museum of Minnesota’s website after trying to buy a sweatshirt worn by main character Dustin Henderson, played by actor Gaten Matarazzo. The museum first began selling the purple sweatshirt featuring a Brontosaurus in the 1980s, the decade in which “Stranger Things” takes place. “The Science Museum is absolutely thrilled to be connected to the “Stranger Things” phenomena here. The characters are interested in science,” SMM Director of Communications Kim Ramsden said. “We’re getting the Science Museum of Minnesota on the map internationally, and we’re just excited to be part of this ride.” The day after season two of the show was released, a check showed 3,700 people in an online waiting list for the $36.95 adult sized sweatshirt just before the site crashed. The site to purchase the sweatshirt is up and running at https://www.smm.org/strangerthings.

Photo courtesy of Netflix

Briley McGreevy Senior Reporter

World News Apple struggled with an iOS 11 software update glitch that turned the letter “I” into “A?” The auto correction comes from a bug in the system and is capable of being temporarily fixed once the user downloads the next available update, which is currently iOS 11.1.2. How to fix if you do not want to download the update: Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement > Type Lowercase > “i” in Phrase and Capital “I” in Shortcut

Photo by Briley McGreevy

November & December Issue

100

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS Saint Thomas Aquinas has won 100 team state championships, with many more to come.

101

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS Saint Thomas Aquinas has won 100 team state championships, with many more to come.

Aquinas opened. From the school’s opening, Ewing had the chance to build the Aquinas programs from the ground up. With boys soccer winning eight state titles in a row and girls soccer winning seven state titles in a row, the Aquinas soccer program and Coach Ewing have substantially helped propel the Aquinas community to 100 banners. “What I most identify with is Coach (Justin) Wrigley’s BAU (Business As Usual slogan): yes, we have high expectations each year, but so what. This is who we are, so don’t shy away from it,” Ewing said. The hard work and sacrifice Ewing has put into forming norms and a culture of success has been embodied by the Aquinas community as a whole. Girls and boys cross country and track coach Justin Wrigley has lead his teams to 16 state titles since his assumption to head coach in 2006. Wrigley came to Aquinas by chance. He himself was a runner at Bishop Miege. After running in college at Kansas State University, he graduated with a “history degree and not much of a plan.” He came across an ad in the newspaper for a coaching position for the Aquinas cross country team. Initially he was intrigued but thought, “anywhere but there.” However, eventually the Miege grad came around. “We were always told over at Miege that out south was just spoiled

hen the girls golf team sunk their final putts of the season, they won more than a state title: they won the hundredth state title in Saint Thomas Aquinas school history. While the girls golf team may have won both the first and hundredth state championships, the Saints community as a whole has reached this achievement through hundreds of games and competitions, thousands of practices, and tens of thousands of dedicated players, coaches, parents, and fans. Aquinas is believed to be the only school to have 100 KSHAA team championships, not counting individual state titles and non-KSHSAA activities. The past 30 years have been full of highs and lows, wins and losses, and memories that last lifetimes. In the first four years of being opened, Aquinas did not win a single state championship. This changed during the 1992-1993 school year, when the Saints won four state championships in just one year. Head boys and girls soccer coach Craig Ewing, who has been at Aquinas since the doors first opened, has not only witnessed Aquinas athletics grow, but has also propelled its success more than any other coach, winning 33 total state titles. After girls golf won the school’s first state championship, Ewing won the next three: boys soccer in November, Scholars Bowl in February, and girls soccer in May. Ewing’s initial coaching experience was formed at Bishop Miege High School before

kids and weaklings and all these ridiculous stereotypes,” Wrigley said. Contrary to those beliefs, the culture that he has seen at this school is unlike any place he has ever been. “Across the board, I’m not just talking cross country and track. I see it with kids in the halls, kids in class, the way they talk to each other with respect,” Wrigley said. Wrigley credits the cross country teams’ rapid success to the 2006 girls and boys teams. “We were worried they would put up some resistance because of the change of regime and [former head cross country coach Greg Wilson] had been the only head coach in school history,” Wrigley said. “But they came with us and as a result they both won state that year.” Following the slew of championships in ‘92-’93, Aquinas athletics as a whole began to take shape. From 1992 to 2005, the school averaged over two state championships per year. While this was a period to be proud of, unprecedented athletic and extracurricular success was just around the corner for the Saints. During the 2006-2007 school year, the Saints won eight state titles (the most, so far, that Aquinas has won in one year). From Fall 2005 to Spring 2011, Aquinas averaged over six state titles per year. Different from the previous peak in state championships, these successes were not focused in just one sport or activity, but the culture of Aquinas athletics as a whole.

Athletic Director Sarah Burgess recognizes the work that it takes to win each and every state championship. We would not “have even one [state title] if [the school] didn’t have great athletes who come from families who raise them to have a great work ethic and can afford them the opportunity to play year round, go to camps, and attend a great school,” Burgess said. Saints who walk the halls of Aquinas live up to the expectations of Aquinas culture. Senior Andrew LeBourveau has won six state championships, tied with Will Cole and Kelly Sweeney for the most in school history. With already four state titles in cross country and two in track and field, he has an opportunity in the spring track and field season to become the most decorated athlete in Aquinas history. (LeBourveau almost became a Miege Stag instead of an Aquinas Saint. After enrolling at Miege, and paying, he decided to switch to Aquinas weeks before the beginning of his freshmen year … not

receiving a refund from Miege). Sweeney, who won two basketball and four soccer titles between 2011 and 2014, is the most decorated female athlete in Aquinas history when it comes to team state titles. What she remembers most about playing for Aquinas is that “every team we played had it out for us because we were Aquinas.” “It was always fun to be the team everyone wanted to beat so badly,” Sweeney said. Golf coach Ryan Best, who coached the girls golf team to the 100th banner, further proves how the unique culture of Aquinas still continues to drive success. With a total of 13 team state titles, Best has the third largest collection of state titles under his belt. “The coaches expect the players to rise to a level of excellence, the players expect to work very hard to step up to the standards of STA athletics,” Best said. “In golf, having confidence is a huge factor for playing well, and a history of success is absolutely an advantage.” The history of success at Aquinas, however, far outreaches just the field of athletics. Ewing realized the effects

of the culture of excellence at Aquinas in 2011. Debate coach Steven DuBois gave his famous “Wall Don’t Lie” speech during the assembly for a debate team state championship … showing the school that success was not limited to athletics. “He spoke for all of Aquinas not just sports, so now when I see The Sound of Music or watch the dance team or the cheerleaders perform or see rugby head to nationals, I see performance at its best, performance that will compare to anything going on anywhere in the country,” Ewing said. A tradition of excellence, a shared desire to reach goals, and a loving, Catholic community have formed a culture of success at Saint Thomas Aquinas. Since the opening of its doors 30 years ago to its 100th state title, the Saints community has proven far more than 100 times that love conquers all.

Annie Patton Andrew Schoonover

By the Numbers

Certain years and time frames stand out in Aquinas athletic history. The following chart displays the total number of team state titles won by category.

Total Boys Girls Co-Ed Sports

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88-89 89-90 90-91 91-92 92-93 93-94 94-95 95-96 96-97 97-98 98-99 99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09 09-10 10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 4A

November & December Issue

Annie Patton Andrew Schoonover

By the Numbers

Certain years and time frames stand out in Aquinas athletic history. The following chart displays the total number of team state titles won by category.

Total Boys Girls Co-Ed Sports

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88-89 89-90 90-91 91-92 92-93 93-94 94-95 95-96 96-97 97-98 98-99 99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09 09-10 10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 4A

November & December Issue

#100 GIRLS GOLF

Girls golf has always had the first state tournament on the calendar, but this year the girls were after more than just a state title. The girls were determined to get the 100th state title. “From the beginning of the season, we always talked about how it would be really cool to win the 100th banner,” freshman varsity golf player Brooke King said. This long term goal paid off for the team, as they excelled throughout their season as a whole. Starting off the year strong, the Lady Saints finished in first place at their first tournament, and never placed lower than third throughout the season.

The 2017 state tournament came down to Saint Thomas Aquinas and Andover High School. Sophomore Elise Handley put up a score of 95. Sophomore Melanie Valle followed her with a score of 91. Freshman Brooke King and Jaclyn Koziol shot 87 and 86, placing 9th and 10th. Senior Annie Patton beat her Andover counterpart by 10 strokes with a score of 83 placing 5th overall. Sophomore Maggie King finished up the tournament with a score of 80, placing 3rd. The team won with a score of 336, beating the second place Andover by 13 strokes.

Annie Patton Managing Editor Photo by Katie Kinnan. The girls golf team hugs after finishing their state championship. They traveled to Emporia to play.

#101 BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

The Saint Thomas Aquinas boys cross country team finished their season with a state championship continuing their four year winning streak. Led by senior captains Jacob Cofer, Andrew LeBourveau, Luke Lee, David McCanna and Nick Whiteside, they had a very successful, dominant season. The team placed first in four of their races. They won the EKL title to

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propel them on towards their state victory. Junior Ethan Marshall’s time of 15:38 was the fastest of any runner in the state. Junior Reece Jones placed 5th followed by Senior Jacob Cofer who placed 13th. Coming in 25th and 30th were junior Aiden Higgerson and senior David McCanna. Junior Jackson Mallot and Andrew LeBourveau

took 33rd and 40th out of 103 total runners. Looking into the future, head cross country coach Justin Wrigley said, “winning never satisfies your desire to keep winning. The hope is that we will continue to compete at a high level and produce results that we are proud of.”

Photo by Kathleen Ayers The boys take off from the starting line of the state meet. The cross country team finished all within the top 4o runners.

November & December Issue

What's Up with the

wi-fi

The Aquinas Wi-Fi has been under pressure since it’s conception.

ince BYOD’s launch almost four years ago, laptops and tablets have become almost as essential as textbooks in the academic lives of students. But as more and more teachers opt to go paperless, trading in physical books and worksheets for their online counterparts, the school’s technology has faced new problems in ensuring its own usability. Wi-Fi connection has been one of the most talked about issues in recent years. In a survey done by The Shield, 55% of responses said that poor to no connection to the Wi-Fi has affected their in-class activities. “Teachers can’t present information to us; if there’s an in-class writing assignment and Google Docs has to keep reconnecting, it prohibits me from getting my work

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done in time,” senior Sophie Swearingen said. The school has been trying to fight this problem for years, but with each expansion of the network, student usage just inflates to meet it. Two years ago bandwidth was doubled from 50 gigabytes to 100 gigabytes, but as the semester went on it proved to be not enough. In an interview with The Shield last January, technology and social studies department head David Shriver said that there would be a full analysis of the Wi-Fi and that over the summer it would be expanded once more for hopefully the last time. “Unless there is an unanticipated problem, it will be all we need,” Shriver said. Doubled again, now to a whopping 200 GB, student

usage has already expanded to hit the maximum limit. “It’s like a water pipe,” technology teacher Al Miner said. “When all of the pressure in the pipe is going to one sink, that sink is going to get a great flow. When you’ve got 30 sinks all going at the same time, maybe you’ll have decent pressure,

“The volume just gets pretty ridiculous.” Al Miner but when you’ve got 300 sinks all trying to get water at the same time, you’ll get a dribble out of each one.” Both Miner and Shriver cite students doing what they should not as the main reason that the Wi-Fi is under so

much strain. “There was someone the other day who was using three GB to download iTunes stuff,” Shriver said. “Now I can block them from doing that, but it speaks to the root of the problem.” Students’ evergrowing demand for the internet isn’t always about getting homework done. STA period is full of kids scrolling through social media sites or playing video games, both of which are large contributors to the sky-high internet usage. “If what people were trying to get to were just text and image web pages from 10 years ago, we would never run out,” Miner said, “but now web pages having moving ads on them and interactive web applications that run whether you ask them to or not The volume just gets pretty ridiculous.” Not only does this issue prove to be a problem

for Aquinas teachers can from poor On top

students, also suffer Wi-Fi. of their own network being overwhelmed, the new technologies that are always appearing in classrooms can come with their own problems that are only exacerbated by the slow connection. In the same Shield survey, students pointed out that all of these factors combine to form unfortunate but not uncommon situations. “Teachers try to show our classes a video, and it is choppy and really hard to understand,” senior Andrew Cunningham said. That is if it ever even loads in the first place. “In government class our teacher’s Wi-Fi often doesn’t work and all her class activities require it, so sometimes we have to just sit and wait for it,” senior Julia Budetti said. The internet is one of the most useful resources students

and teachers can have access to, but how it is used may need to change. The most beneficial thing that those in the Aquinas community can do is restrict their internet usage to strictly schoolwork. Cutting out the unnecessary, like YouTube and Flappy Golf, may be inconvenient, but for those who are actually using the technology for its intended purpose, it can mean better connection for when they need it most.

Madison McMillen Junior Reporter

Data comes from an online survey conducted by The Shield in November.

November & December Issue

Fall Sports in Review Sports that did not win a state title still had productive seasons.

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY The girls cross country team had their work cut out for them this season. After losing valuable runners last year, head coach Justin Wrigley’s main focus was getting the girls ready to run at state, some of them for the first time. Not only was the team having to work harder, but the competition also added on to the challenge. “The competition in our league and at state was much stronger this

year than in years past,” Wrigley said. “Mill Valley, St. James, Blue Valley North and Blue Valley West all had some of the best female runners in the state.” Despite the obstacles, the team’s hard work paid off. The girls

finished fourth in their league, third at regionals, and third at state, with junior Olivia Sovereign finishing as the state champion. “After winning state five years in a row, some would look at third as a disappointment, but I am incredibly proud of the girls’ accomplishment,” Wrigley said. “This was the twelfth year in a row that the girls team has finished in the top three at state and that’s pretty remarkable.” Photo by Kathleen Ayers, The Medallion

BOYS SOCCER Partway through the season, the Saint Thomas Aquinas boys soccer team was 6-3-2 and had only outright won half of their league games. But then the Saints went on a tear. They won seven of their next eight games, including overtime thrillers against Blue Valley on Senior Night and against Rockhurst, and fought their way to their 26th regional title and a trip back to the

state tournament. The season ended with losses to Bishop Carroll and Kapaun Mt. Carmel, placing the team fourth in the state for the first time in the program’s history. Head coach Craig Ewing said his favorite moments from the season were defeating Dodge City, who was ranked fourth in the nation, and reaching the finals of the Go 4 the Goal Fall Classic in Iowa.

“We were in the highest bracket,” Ewing said. “That was tremendous to get to the finals.” Ewing also showed his appreciation for this year’s players and how they will have an effect on upcoming seasons. “These guys kind of set the tone for some success in the future, and I thought they had a good year,” Ewing said. Photo by Lily Abadir, The Medallion

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Rachel Raney Senior Reporter The Saint Thomas Aquinas girls volleyball team ended the season with a 29-15 record, and their battle to state finals was a tough process. “Starting the season, we were really inexperienced,” head volleyball coach Sarah Cretors said, “and so I knew that we had a lot of growth that we needed to do by the end of the season. We kind of started with ups and downs and then at the end of the year they took off

VOLLEYBALL and just started playing really well.” According to Cretors, the biggest challenge the team faced was at sub-state. After a close game against Blue Valley Southwest, the Saints played DeSoto, who had only lost three times. After winning against DeSoto, the Saints went to State. In their pool were Bishop Carroll, Newton and St. James. In order to move on to the semifinals, Aquinas had to be one of

the top two teams out of the four. After beating Bishop Carroll and Newton, Aquinas moved on to win against Lansing in the semifinals. “They played really hard and we won that fairly easily. I think we just took Lansing out of their game,” Cretors said. After losing to St. James in the finals, Aquinas ended the season placing second in the state of Kansas.

Photo by Katie Bousum, The Medallion

CHEER Tryouts in May, camp in June, practices in July, and many school events after keep the cheer team busy throughout a majority of the year. Every year for the cheer team has been busy with pep rallies, Friday night lights, and much more. This year, however, offered even more. The Saint Thomas Aquinas cheer team competed in the first-ever state competition offered by KSHSAA. The competition at the Blue Valley Southwest Showcase and performing Photo by Maggie Gould The Medallion

This season, long practices and dedicated players paid off for the Saint Thomas Aquinas football team. The boys ended the year by placing second in the state of Kansas. According to senior Adam Davis, who played strong safety, this was one of the most successful seasons in Saints football history. The Saints won against rival Mill Valley High School in the sub-state game with a score of 55-21. After

throughout the school year allowed the team to further practice their routines. Aquinas cheer sent a selected group of 30 cheerleaders to the state competition in Topeka. “With all the unknown of never having a state competition, it is an honor to be able to say we got State Runner Up the first year of the competition being held,” head cheer coach Halie Barnes said. “I have never seen a group of girls want this

more; it was an incredible moment as their coach. At the end of the day the girls wanted a banner and a plaque to bring home to Aquinas, and they accomplished that the first year.” Looking forward, the cheer team will continue their routine of performing at basketball games and other events throughout the year. In January, the team will attend the NCA High School Nationals cheer competition in Dallas.

FOOTBALL losing to Mill Valley the previous year, to the team, this game was personal. “After losing last year by one (point), it was time to show the Jaguars who was the best team,” Davis said. The win against Mill Valley sent the Saints to the state championship game, where they lost to Bishop Carroll High School with a score of 38-28.

“It was tough (I’m) not going to lie. Everyone had high hopes going into the game,” Davis said. According to Davis, while the loss was hard at first, the team was proud of all they had accomplished throughout the season. “These guys have worked hard, set high goals, and I am proud of them,” head coach Randy Dreiling said.

Photo by Maggie Gould, The Medallion

November & December Issue

The Sound of Music The Saint Thomas Aquinas theater department did its own Delaney Smith take on a classic musical. Copy Editor The evening of Thursday, November 2, was the opening night of Saint Thomas Aquinas’ production of the musical “The Sound of Music.” The audience was greeted outside the theater by a concession stand selling hot pretzels and bonbons, then shuffled into their seats in a packed theater. The lights dimmed. Stage Manager senior Gina Rousselo stepped onto the stage and started the show with a prayer. The lights again dimmed as a flock of nuns carrying candles filed onto the stage, singing hauntingly beautiful music. Suddenly, Maria, played by senior Claire L’Esperance, bursts through the back doors, a basket of flowers in hand. Maria is no easy role to play. From having to sing incredibly challenging songs to portraying a range of emotions to inevitably having their performance compared to the legendary Julie Andrews, whoever plays Maria faces a challenge. But when Claire L’Esperance took center

stage to belt out her rendition of “The Sound of Music,” it was clear that she was up for the challenge. “The most difficult part of playing Maria was probably trying to channel a new version of the role, and to create a character that people would like,” L’Esperance said. “Everyone knows the incomparable Julie Andrews as Maria, and it’s hard to follow up her perfection.”

“The fact that it was an almost universally recognized show was the source of a whole lot of stress.” Thomas Kennedy Captain Georg Von Trapp With the movie “The Sound of Music“ being so widely known and well loved, L’Esperance was

Junior McKenna Neef, senior Matt Andrews, and senior Thomas Kennedy make a toast as they finish a musical number. The three played the roles of Elsa Schrader, Max Detweiller, and Captain Georg Von Trapp. Photo by Katie Kinnan, The Medallion.

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not alone in this issue. Senior Thomas Kennedy, who played the role of Captain Georg Von Trapp, encountered the same struggle. “The hardest part of this show, for me, was trying to find the right balance between creating my own version of the Captain and evoking the feel of Christopher Plummer’s portrayal in the movie,” Kennedy said. Because “The Sound of Music” is so widely known, the actors knew that any flaws in their performances would show. That meant that cast was subject to three hour or longer daily rehearsals, from September to November, in order to perfect their performances. “This was the biggest work load I’ve ever had to take on for a show,” Kennedy said. “The fact that it was an almost universally recognized show was the source of a whole lot of stress.” Every theater production has its own unique obstacles, and “The Sound of Music” was no exception: four child actors were brought in to play the parts of the youngest Von Trapp children. While working with the kids could have created more obstacles, they proved to be a great addition to the show. “[Working with the kids] was a lot less hassle then I thought it would be. The kids, for the most part, were great and took responsibility for their roles on the stage and off the stage,” senior Greg Gwynn, who played the role of Franz, said. For Kennedy and L’Esperance, who played the child actors’ onstage parents, saying goodbye to them was difficult.

The Von Trapp family closes the show with their final musical numbers. Photo by Katie Kinnan, The Medallion.

“I became very possessive of my children over the course of the show, and I am still trying to cope with them leaving,” Kennedy said. “The part that made me cry the most when the show ended was seeing them really upset that they not only had to adjust to not coming into rehearsals everyday, but also saying goodbye to their fellow child actors,” L’Esperance said. “It was really hard to see them go, they’re all so sweet!” Before going on stage, the theater department has its own preshow rituals, which include warming up their voices together and saying a prayer. “As a cast, we all warm up together as (music teacher Joe) Heidesch plays on the piano. It’s really fun to sing with everybody and it gets the energy up for the show,” L’Esperance said. While this time may be nerve wracking for the actors, it is especially stressful for stage manager Gina Rousselo, who is responsible for running the show from behind the scenes. “Once I’m in showtime mode I kinda lose all control, and I start yelling at people. Sometimes that’s the only thing that would get people moving,” Rousselo said. “I would have people come up afterwards and ask if I was upset with them, but I just

Mother Abbess, played by junior Maddie Charles, and nuns Anna Simmons, Maggie McCabe, Magdalene Slaven, and Lily Sykora sing at the opening of the show. Photo by Katie Kinnan, The Medallion.

get a little crazy.” With all the stress and hardwork that went into creating it, the show ended up being incredibly successful, with multiple of the shows selling out. While saying farewell to this show was hard for everyone, it was especially difficult for the seniors, for whom this was their last musical on the Aquinas stage. “I will miss the people most. I have made my closest friends through the theater and music

departments, and having to leave them is still a thought I keep from entering my mind. While the thrill of performing and sharing my passions is incredibly rewarding, the whole experience would be meaningless without friends to act alongside,” Kennedy said. “The talent [in this show] was absolutely amazing, and, being a senior, it was my last one,” Rousselo said. “This show will always hold a very special space in my heart.”

November & December Issue

COLLEGE

SPAM

Colleges are trying to reach as many high school students as they can, but are students paying attention?

Photo by Deepthi Kailash. Colleges are sending out information to any student they can reach. Thses pamphlets are some of the 183 total saved by senior Rachel Raney.

amphlets bursting with color. Emails offering exclusive guides and scholarships. Colleges are experts at giving high school students a sense of belonging. With around 20 million students across the country looking for their perfect fit, admissions officers look to capture the attention of anyone they can.

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Every single email seems personal and specific to each studentâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; however, it is the opposite. According to the College Board, when taking the PSAT, SAT, or an AP test, students are given the option to give an email address to The College Board and take part in the Student Search Service. Depending on the

test, information such as major, GPA, geographical location, ethnicity, and email address will essentially be sold to several colleges and universities. Colleges also receive a range or percentile of each studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s test score. The actual test scores, phone number, and social security number will never be shared.

Almost 1,700 schools participate in the program. If a student opts into this program, any one of these schools has the ability to view the provided information. Schools look at geographical location, intended major, and more to decide whether a student should receive more information. For example, colleges can choose a specific range of zip codes and choose a percentile of test scores, and they will be able to see all the students that fit the criteria. If a student could be a possible fit, colleges send information about campus life, scholarships, majors, and more. Colleges also receive student information with a similar program through the ACT. However, the process isn’t as personal as some might think. According to college counselor Barb Bruns, the primary reason for why colleges send out so much information is simply marketing. “They want to always be in front of the student. They want their name out there,” Bruns said. There is no limit to how much information colleges can send to each student, and the amount of information can be overwhelming; it’s important to sort through everything and stay organized. Bruns recommends a three-part system. Organize all the emails and brochures into three piles: recycle, look at later, and keepers. A key to staying organized throughout the process is to have a dedicated college email. “I really advise students to early-on set up a separate email account just for college,” Bruns said. “You don’t want it to interfere

with the things you need for school, social, shopping, or anything else. Set up a separate college account, and maybe your parents can have access to it as well.” Another important aspect of emails is the sender itself. Many colleges go through a marketing firm to send out the information. Many times, the sender of the email may not be the college, but just that marketing agency. When clicking on the email, it is important to check the sender and make sure everything is safe. These send-outs from colleges

“Set up a separate college account.” Barb Bruns can be great ways to be introduced to a university, but it is essential to do all the research about every university. Each email or brochure will not tell you everything you need to know. It is important to look on the college’s website and visit the college before making a decision. According to an survey sent out by The Shield, 20.8% of respondents would prefer if all colleges sent out multiple emails and brochures. A primary reason for why not all colleges will send out so much information is money. Additionally, colleges try to target certain demographics. “If you’re in New Jersey and 85% of your students come from a 200 mile radius, you probably won’t

request people from Oregon,” Bruns said. “It’s managing where you want to target.” It is possible to unsubscribe from these college emails. However, Bruns said, not many students are doing this. According to the survey, 43.2% of respondents said they do not unsubscribe from any emails. If a student wishes to no longer receive information from a college, all he/she has to do is scroll to the bottom of any email sent by the college and click on a designated unsubscribe link. A new tab will open giving more information. Sometimes, a student may be asked if they are absolutely sure that they want to opt out of these emails and “exclusive” information, which, according to Bruns, is to invoke guilt. However, by unsubscribing to any of these emails, students will not be missing out on any exclusive content. All information will still be available on college websites. The bottom line is that college emails and brochures can be useful, but it is crucial to use these tools as a way to be introduced to a college, and an invitation to do further research about the college through a truly legitimate source, such as the college’s website itself. With more than 2,500 colleges and universities in the United States, every single one of the 20 million students will be able to find their place to belong.

Deepthi Kailash Reporter

November & December Issue

The Waterbottle Wrangle Students and teachers grapple with the water bottle policy at Saint Thomas Aquinas.

he rule forbidding water bottles has left hundreds of students distraught, dehydrated, and distracted. However, there are two sides to every story. Theology teacher Mary Ann Zande has watched the use of water bottles fluctuate throughout the years. “Years ago, students were never allowed to have food or water in the halls, never mind the classroom.,“ Zande said. A few years back, during a particularly hot start to the school year and scorching afternoon temperatures, the athletic office realized we needed to keep the athletes hydrated during the day. Thus, those participating in outdoor activities/sports were allowed to have water bottles in the classroom for a two or three week period when temperatures were in the 100s.” “Somewhere along the way, this evolved into everyone having them and then the last few years, year round. Not only has it evolved to year round, but also we now have mocha frappuccinos, caramel lattes and Red Bulls making their way into many classrooms. We are a school, not a Scooters or a Starbucks,” Zande said. The school administration never announced the reason for the sudden crack down on water bottles, but this has technically always been a rule. This does not confirm the rumor that students have been found with alcohol in their water bottles. “I do not think this ban has as much to do with keeping kids from

The Shield

sneaking in alcohol, although that would be a good enough reason in my book, as it does with the reason it was allowed in the first place hydration during extended times of extreme heat,” Zande said. Many students have shared concern about not being hydrated for sports and other activities. Several students who sing for Aquinas said that not drinking enough water can damage their vocal cords. Doctor Ronald Scherer, a professor at Bowling Green State University who is renowned for his research on acoustics of the human vocal tract, said, “If you are not well-hydrated, the vocal folds can become irritated more quickly, leading to redness and swelling. For physicians, this is called a ‘predisposing condition’ – leading more easily to vocal fold changes and issues.” Whether the activity is in the heat or cold, the body needs to stay hydrated to perform well. Zande said, “Personally, for me, the water bottles have become a distraction in the classroom. I am tired of them being knocked over or crinkling during class.” On the flip side of this, another student from The Shield survey said, “It distracts me because instead of just being able to just grab a sip of water, I have to walk out of the classroom to get a drink.” Hundreds of students shared that they have resorted to not drinking as much water because, compared to how it so recently

was, it has become more of an inconvenience. Most health issues due to mild dehydration aren’t critically distracting on their own, but there are students who have preexisting medical needs which have made not being well hydrated a struggle. Junior Katie Hillyer said, “I have chronic migraines and so I really need to stay hydrated throughout the day to lessen the pain of them. [Not] having a water bottle in class does not help that at all because there’s only so much time in passing periods to get water and to fill up my water bottle. We’re not always allowed to leave class so it’s hard to drink enough. I never ask [to leave during class to get a drink], because I know the answer will always be no.” German teacher Bryan Thelen said, “I’d be happy to see a rule put into place where clear water bottles with a screw-on lid were allowed.” Although there are reasonable arguments for both sides, a compromise like this may be able to ease some of the tension and help students stay hydrated while also helping teachers keep their students in the classroom ready to learn.

Clare Hernandez Reporter

How do students feel about the enforcement? Has not having a water bottle in class led to any health issues?

Have you needed to get a doctorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note for a water bottle due to these issues?

November & December Issue

Miner Gets Resourceful

l Miner, technology teacher at Aquinas, is figuring out a new way to charge his phone. Utilizing the wind and air pressure between his room and the hallway, four fans will collect this energy and charge his phone. “Wind power is something we have access to. Our school is on the highest point of Johnson County. If you position little fans in the school we can collect quite a bit of energy,” Miner said. Miner will be able to convert his room’s air pressure into about five volts of energy. That means four fans are needed to charge a phone.

Despite the potential the fans have for charging phones, “They’re not powerful enough to charge a computer,” Miner said. Miner has not told many people about his idea yet, but once it takes hold, it is sure to be a hit. When Miner does bring this idea to life at Aquinas, the whole community will benefit from it. It may just be one phone now, but there are other rooms and parts of Aquinas where this idea could become reality as well. Fan by fan and phone by phone, Miner is embodying the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the Saints community.

Photo courtesy of Al Miner

A Giving Canned Food Drive M

ost Aquinas students felt the rush of canned food drive week: walking into the commons in the morning, music playing, and students (not just on student council) helping sort cans. This year was a bit different then every year, without certain resources Saints were at a bit of a disadvantage. “Something different this year was that we did not really have any big donors, so most of the cans that came in this year were from students and not funds from adults and big businesses,” Sophomore Stuco representative Caroline Zabroske said. The Saints goal for the end of the week was 200,000 cans. When the results for Tuesday came in, only

The Shield

10,000 cans, Halpin said she started to panic. “I should have never doubted what the Saint Thomas Aquinas community could do,” Halpin said. With constant pep talks from English and theology teacher Phil Farnan and student council students, the student body began taking it more seriously. Going canning, asking for donations, shopping for cans, and getting all the cans from their house, the can numbers finally started to go up. “This year, it was parents and students giving what money they could. It was students spending hours bagging and canning. It was students filling their cars with cans. It was the senior football boys

volunteering to let me stuff their cars with cans so we didn’t have to pay for a delivery truck. We really fought together this year and it was 100% due to everyone participating rather than just a select few,” Halpin said. While Aquinas couldn’t get as many cans without its student body, a major factor of Aquinas’s success was due to student council members. Every morning before school they helped bring in cans, missed their first hour to sort them and count them all. In total, Aquinas collected over 118,000 cans. While the school record was not broken, hundreds of people will be fed by the Saints community.

Preparing Saints for the Future M

any juniors and seniors at Saint Thomas Aquinas are familiar with booking an appointment with college counselor Barb Bruns to talk about college. Any student at Aquinas that has worked with Barb Bruns can say that she is one of the busiest people in the building: from helping seniors pick the right college, to encouraging juniors to keep their grades up, and doing much more. She is always on the move. Bruns has been working at Aquinas since 1998, and the seniors this year will be her twentieth class. Before Aquinas, she worked as a college administrator at Parkhill High School. Bruns has been working with high school students for a long time, but still enjoys her work. At home she writes the majority of college recommendations in the fall. “The role of the letters are to provide a big picture of the student. I get to know the student and I find their strength,” Bruns said.

Even if she doesn’t know the student, she goes out of her way to personally get to know them a little better. “She calmed my mom and I’s nerves down and she dedicates all her time to help us push our way to college by making a website full of helpful resources and scholarships.” When she is not working, Bruns enjoys “spending time with my three grandchildren or my daughters.” Even though she cherishes free time, her summer isn’t always relaxing. She says she uses the summer to write a lot of student recommendations. “Each recommendation takes about an hour and a half to write, then I’ll proof read it in the morning,” Bruns said. Bruns often travels for work as well. She has traveled to Boston, Dallas, Pennsylvania, Phoenix, Florida, and other places to visit colleges. She has also visited a boot camp for a week in San Diego, where she was treated as if she was going into the military. She usually hangs out

Photo courtesy of Saint Thomas Aquinas website with the academic advisors from Rockhurst High School and Saint Theresa’s Academy High School while traveling. Barb Bruns prioritizes the students over everything else. She spends a lot of her time traveling to colleges around the U.S., writing letters of recommendation, and just getting to know the students. “My favorite part of the job is helping students create and realize realistic goals. I’m never going to knock down anyone’s dream, but I want them to realize reality,” Bruns said. Her main goal is to find students the right school where they will succeed, helping Saints succeed for the rest of their lives.

Sisters Full of Spirit T

he iconic “GAMEDAY” sign displayed often this past Fall would not have been possible without the intense school spirit of two sisters. Mary Clare and Maggie Halpin wake up early every home game at Saint Thomas Aquinas to put up the “GAMEDAY” sign. “We get there anywhere between 6:30 and 7:00. It all depends on what kind of condition the sign is in, how high the wind is, etc. We want the football boys to be able to see it as they come into school, and then we like to go to Mass afterwards,” Mary Clare said. The Halpins also make many signs for StuCo and fat heads for rugby. “The GAMEDAY sign took about seven to eight hours to make and the other signs can take anywhere from 30 minutes to four to five hours.” Mary Clare said.

Photo courtesy of Mary Clare Halpin The sisters bursting with Maggie and Mary Clare are spending the majority of gamedays school spirit continue keep at Aquinas. Getting to school at supporting Aquinas and doing whatever they can to make the 6:30 a.m. to taking the sign down after the games, they come to community better. They want to make it easy for every Saint school from before the sun is up and leave after it is down. take pride in school activities The Halpins take down the signs throughout high school. And, so other teams can’t damage them. of course, they want to make “The last GAMEDAY sign was everyone glad to be here this taken by students from Mill Valley school year. and crushed, and teams continue to poke holes and kick the signs. We’d love to leave it up until after the game, but taking it down after Senior Reporter school helps with the damage it takes from teams and also weather,” Mary Clare said. November & December Issue

Emily Raunig

Insights on Saints social media

The Social Spread Briley McGreevy Emily Raunig

posts around and outside

of Aquinas.

Want your posts, Snapchats, or Tweets featured in The Shield? C ont ac t @ B rile y M c g re e v y or @ ER a u n ig o n T w it t e r.

The Shield

November & December Issue

Insights on Saints social media

The Social Spread Briley McGreevy Emily Raunig

posts around and outside

of Aquinas.

Want your posts, Snapchats, or Tweets featured in The Shield? C ont ac t @ B rile y M c g re e v y or @ ER a u n ig o n T w it t e r.

The Shield

November & December Issue

Conquering the Crash and Burn Adopting resilience proves to be a difficulty for high school students when faced with failure.

ust a quick glance around Saint Thomas Aquinas’ main gym leaves any passerby walking away with an impression that failure isn’t naturally associated with the Saint Thomas Aquinas name. The Aquinas brand is to be a Saint – a motto further enhancing the idea that everyone at Aquinas, not just students, is setup for excellence: excellence in the classroom; excellence on the field or on the court; excellence in relationships; excellence in faith. But with such high standards to maintain, are students prepared with the knowledge and attitude to face failure? Is resilience more than just a concept implemented in high schools? Is it actually being taught? And if so, how? The Shield staff agreed on defining resilience as being the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. In the scenario of a high school student, maintaining resilience is the ability to bounce back from failure, but what defines failure expands further than just a “pass” or “fail” in the grade book. Aquinas is where students spend the majority of their time with fiveday school weeks, seven-hour days, and supplemental activities that fall hours before and/or after the school day even starts. Yet when students were asked in The Shield survey in November, whether or not high schools actually taught resilience, over half of the 431 responses chose “no” as their answer. Academic Principal Craig Moss agrees that Aquinas is not doing enough to teach students resilience,

The Shield

but that we are doing as much as any other high school. A reason for this, Moss believes, is that Aquinas has established an environment that is not openly accepting of failure, even though this is a challenge every student will eventually run into. “You encounter failure when you push yourself to your limits,” Moss said. “You can be a state champion, but you’re still going to encounter failure along the way.” Fearing failure is not unique to Aquinas students though. “It’s not as much an Aquinas thing as it is a societal thing,” Moss said. This does not mean students are lacking in determination or grit, rather that students are not growing in resilience within the time they are at school. Academic counselor Deb Castinado believes resilience within students might be mainly garnered from a different source, one outside of school. “I think part of us have [resilience] innately in us, because of struggles or because of what [we’ve] been taught at home. So that’s partially taught, partially innate,” Castinado said. The steps Aquinas takes to implement resilience and independence within their students might not be noticeable by the students, but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking. Applying resilience becomes more noticeable for prospective college students within the senior classes at Aquinas, as it’s these students’ job to request certain materials for applications, to schedule meetings with college counselor Barb Bruns, and to be

aware of college deadlines. “When Mrs. Bruns works with students for college, parents can’t ask for transcripts. Kids have to ask for transcripts. We want the kids to walk in here,” Castinado said. This process is meant to put the student first, so parents aren’t able to assume control. Part of building resilience in students is encouraging parents to take a step back, but it’s a two-way street, the responsibilities of parents and kids. “Until kids push through, parents are going to keep hovering over you. Until parents pull back, their kids won’t think on their own,” Castinado said. Castinado believes parents don’t pull back, though, because they are afraid to watch their kids crash and burn. “Some kids have to learn the hard way and fail something, and get natural consequences. Some kids have parents who do everything to help them and are overly involved. Those kids keep going because their parents are there, and then when their parents are gone, they crumble,” Castinado said. “The more parents pull back, and guide their kids, but not be overly involved, then the kids learn to do it themselves,” Castinado said. Allowing kids to endure through their failures, though it may be difficult for parents, holds the power to better their kids overall. It gives students the opportunity to learn from their mistakes, and ultimately to bounce back with more determination. It allows them to develop resilience.

Grace Mayer

Managing Editor

Retake the test/

54.4% 45.6%

November & December Issue

Numbers come from the 212 students who submitted a response to The Shield survey sent out on November 13.

The Shield

Rachel Raney Rachel Raney Senior Reporter Senior Reporter

November Issue November & December Issue

29 29

The 30

Unique (or funny) Thanksgiving traditions... 1. We have Thanksgiving lunch 2. Wrestling in the living room

11. We play just dance and Mario Cart after dinner 12. Run a 5k

3. We go on a “turkey hunt” where

13. Decorate for Christmas all day

instead of dinner

all our cousins and aunts and uncles bundle up and walk this trail out in the middle of nowhere. We climb up the side of a hill that is not meant to be climbed and play a football game

4. A thanksgiving walk after dinner before dessert

5. We have an air hockey

championship and write what we are thankful on leaves ... we have leaves from 1990 6. Grandma messes up the potato salad

7. Fight with the in-laws 8. Big game of Ghost in the

Graveyard with the cousins on the farm

9. Black Friday shopping at Walmart (we don’t actually buy anything, we just pretend to) 10. We scream “HAM HAM HAM HAM...” because my aunt brought ham one day and she kept asking if everyone was going to eat the ham

14. We play a Turkey Bowl every year. 15. Our Thanksgivings are so big that we rent out a bar in Wlado to host it 16. We all nap together in the basement after we eat 17. Have a big breakfast 18. Wake up early to watch the parade 19. We don’t have ham 20. We play a giant, group version of charades that my family invented

21. Flip cup 22. Pick names for secret santa 23. We eat salmon instead of turkey 24. We celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas together 25. The “polar plunge”—basically we jump in the lake in the freezing cold for a dollar 26. Friendsgiving 27. Have an inflatable turkey that we put in

the front yard 28. My neighbor eats shark instead of turkey

29. We glue feathers on our body and run around Kansas City Squealing at people 30. Impersonations of our family members

Briley McGreevy Senior Reporter

The Shield

1. Seniors Noah Pudenz and Andrew Cunningham carry cans into the school. The seniors brought in the most cans of all the classes. Photo by Alayna Law, The Medallion. 2. Senior Claire L’Esperance sings to the Von Trapp children in the school musical “The Sound of Music.” L’Esperance played the role of Maria. Photo by Katie Kinnan, The Medallion. 3. Seniors Kristen Malir and Katherine Pyle assist with the canned food drive. The school collected over 118,000 cans this year. Photo by Alayna Law, The Medallion. 4. Senior Maria Schmeer plays her flute. Schmeer was a member of the orchestra in “The Sound of Music.” Photo by Katie Kinnan, The Medallion. 5. Freshmen Scotty Strout and Gabby Mazzarese stack cans. The 2017 canned food drive set Aquinas’s 3rd highest record for total number of cans collected. Photo by Alayna Law, The Medallion.

1 Last Look

November 2017

3 4 55

November &November December Issue Issue

The Shield Volume 30

The Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Voice of Saint Thomas Aquinas High School 11411 Pflumm Road Overland Park, Kansas 66210 (913) 345-1411 stashield

s stashield i stashield t aquinasgameday Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield

newspaper@stasaints.net

Photos on the front cover are courtesy of stasaints.net