The Shield February & March Issue
The Future of Aquinas
“The names and faces will change, but it will continue to be a place where students go to be the best overall person they choose to be.” This is just one quote from this issue’s cover story on the years ahead at Aquinas. Photos by Andrew Schoonover, The Shield. Screenshot of Aquinas from above courtesy of Google Maps.
Volume 30
Staff Members Adviser I Matt Hallauer Editor-In-Chief I Andrew Schoonover Managing Editor I Annie Patton Managing Editor I Grace Mayer Copy Editor I Delaney Smith Senior Reporter I Briley McGreevy Senior Reporter I Emily Raunig
Vo l u m e 3 0
The Shield 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
The Shield
Social Media
t f i s
stashield aquinasgameday Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield stashield stashield
MI S S I ON S TA TEMEN T The Shield is the students’ 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 February & March Issue
CONTENTS
6
12
14
Cover Story: Our Next 30 Years
Profile: Sereena Weledji
Anne Frank
16
18
20
Eating Habits at Aquinas
Effects of Social Media
Crowd Sizes
22
28
30
Understanding the Victim
Social Spread
The 30: Valentine’s Day Pick Up Lines
Photos are courtesy of license-free sources found on Google Images or otherwise cited later in the issue.
What We’re Made of W
Letter from the Editor
hat are we made of? Humans are made of stardust (and some other things). McDonalds, Starbucks, and Walmart could often sum up our country. Saint Thomas Aquinas High School itself is made of brick and cement and some classrooms. But we are so much more. Our Next 30 Years, the cover story for this issue, asked questions to different members of the Aquinas community about our future: What is being done now to make Aquinas better in the future? Who and what influences these decisions? Although our community came up with completely different answers, hope and optimism for the future was found across the board. Eating habits among Aquinas students, the effects of social media on students, and addressing smaller crowd sizes are other topics covered in this issue. Aquinas is home to an amazing community and is bursting with opportunities, with one of the best attributes of Aquinas being that it is always striving to make itself better. These stories aim to do just that by shining a light on issues affecting our community and hopefully alleviating them. Part two of our series of stories on sexual assault is also in the following pages. Delving deeper into the sexual assault topic, we at The Shield hope to find an Aquinas community more
4
The Shield
educated and more aware about the issue because of these stories. Senior Sereena Weledji, who recently scored her one thousandth point while on the basketball team, is featured in this issue. Her leadership, her skill, and her example are each something that should be celebrated at STA. Story after story in this issue, hopefully it becomes clear that what we’re made of at Aquinas is something special. We’ve been at it for 30 years now, and that’s evidence enough that what we’re made of is more than just stardust and cement. No, we’re made of people and events that are dedicated to living out Catholic values, are in it to help others, and practice excellence.
Andrew Schoonover Editor-in-Chief
Community News State wrestling
Aquinas wrestlers sent its largest showing to state ever under Head Coach Eric Akin. Individually, senior Anthoniy Gaona placed third, junior Bret Minor placed third, sophomore Peyton Reeves placed fifth, freshman Johnny Akin placed sixth, and freshman Jared Simma placed second. Out of 32 teams in 5A, the Saints placed eighth as a team. The competition was held in Wichita on Feb. 24.
TurnStyles grows
A new, larger TurnStyles will be opening northeast of 135th & Quivira to replace the Olathe location. Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas also operates nine food pantries, plus emergency assistant centers and resource buses. Catholic Charities increased assistance and counseling 81 percent in the past year alone.
Patton wins at WIN
Aquinas girls who won state championships in the past year attended the Women’s Intersport Network for Kansas City (WIN for KC) luncheon Feb. 9 to celebrate their victories and hear from Ibtihaj Muhammad, one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. Senior Annie Patton received the 2018 Scott Pioi Scholarship. Four Saints teams sent athletes.
National News
School shooting
An expelled student killed 14 students and three adults at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on Valentine’s Day. The shooting has remained a national topic for more than a week as the victims spoke out on guns and school security. CNN hosted a town hall on the topic with survivors, the NRA and Senator Marco Rubio, and President Donald Trump also held a meeting. (The New York Times)
Mirai Naraguru
On Feb. 11, Mirai Narguru became the first US woman to successfully land the triple axel jump at the Olympics and only the third woman in history to do so. Naraguru almost gave up the sport in 2014 after failing to make the Olympic team. Naraguru’s performance helped the US team win the bronze medal. (The New York Times and SBNation)
Greitens indicted
A St. Louis grand jury indicted Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens on Feb. 22 for felony invasion of privacy. He was arrested and released on his own recogizance. Greitens admitted he had an affair with a woman before he was governor, but denies that he threatened to blackmail her. The House Speaker, Republican Todd Richardson, said lawmakers will also be investigating Greitens. (The Kansas City Star)
World News Black Panther’s big open Plane crashes Black Panther has passed $500 million in worldwide box office sales within nine days of its release. The overseas sales pace puts it ahead of other recent Marvel movies, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol., Thor: Ragnarok and Doctor Strange. It’s domestic four-day opening is second only to Star Wars: The Force Awakens. (Deadline)
A Russian plane crashed near Moscow on Feb 11. All 71 people onboard were killed, including three passengers who were under the age of eighteen. A week later, all 65 people onboard an Iranian plane in Iran crashed into mountains near Yasug. It took three days before the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could find the wreck. (CNN)
Rachael Lawler Freelancer
Cape Town’s water
Cape Town, South Africa, is close to running out of water due to a three year long drought. Officials are estimating that on July 9 the city will have to shut off all taps. Citizen efforts to conserve water with dry shampoo, face cloths, and other methods has delayed “Day Zero” by more than 10 weeks. (USA TODAY)
February Issue
5
Our Next 30 Years
As Aquinas celebrates it’s 30th year, what will the next 30 years look like?
6
The Shield
Background courtesy of Pexels.com. Aquinas architectual renderings courtesy of the City of Overland Park, Kansas.
February & March Issue
7
Our Next 30 Years
As Aquinas celebrates it’s 30th year, what will the next 30 years look like?
6
The Shield
Background courtesy of Pexels.com. Aquinas architectual renderings courtesy of the City of Overland Park, Kansas.
February & March Issue
7
A
s Saint Thomas Aquinas turns 30, it has a lot to celebrate from the past. It also has a responsibility to build on that past -- to continue its traditions of faith, excellence, service, and community. Maintaining these traditions, not to mention a 30 year old building, for years to come demands answers to a set of questions: What will Aquinas look like in 30 years? Who will decide the future of the school? What can be done today to create a better tomorrow?
Aquinas’ Neighbors
From a big picture perspective, Aquinas is not alone in answering these questions; it will be continually challenged by other players in the area to stay competitive. St. James Academy and Bishop Miege High School will continue to naturally compete with Aquinas. St. James is growing in numbers: up to 936 students, just 15 under Aquinas. However, while Aquinas has space to add more students, St. James does not have the structural capacity to do the same. While Bishop Miege may be older than Aquinas, it still remains a force to be reckoned with in athletics. But the neighborhood around Miege has also gotten older, affecting the demographics of the school.
8
The Shield
Other high schools offer competition, but their stories provide lessons Aquinas can learn from. Miege used to be similar to Aquinas — the largest high school in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas — but it eventually slowed down. St. James faces problems many high schools face once growing up a bit: such as losing the appeal of new facilities. The area around Aquinas will age with it, similar to Miege’s story. The neighborhoods around Aquinas are low to medium density housing. While in use now, the future of these homes remains left to speculation. Recent construction in the area has largely been retirement-based for the up-and-coming baby boomers. The future of the Aquinas neighborhoods, which will greatly affect Aquinas, will depend on a variety of factors: gentrification, housing costs, the ages of the families living there, and others. (A more detailed map of this can be found on the next page.) Financially, Aquinas is poised to have more control over its future than any other high school in the diocese. Under the fiscal leadership of President Bill Ford, Aquinas has achieved a strong monetary position even throughout the Great Recession. Additionally, the school has been able to add on structurally, whether it be
air-conditioning and a theater in the 1990s or the Aquinas 2020 campaign today. What the Community Thinks Becoming the premiere Catholic high school in the area is hard, but staying at the top is harder. The Aquinas community appears, on paper, prepared to take on and conquer the challenges ahead. When it comes to how members of the community feel about the years ahead, responses are generally optimistic with room for healthy skepticism. President Bill Ford Ford is responsible for big picture changes at Aquinas. When planning for the future, Ford sticks to what he can responsibly predict: the next three to four years. “I don’t try to look out more than four or five years, because those are the numbers I know. We are able to predict pretty closely about where we will be with the class of 2023. But that can be changed. … All the dynamics change. Our challenge is to get as many freshmen in the door as they can because they generally do not leave. That is where it all starts,” Ford said. Some immediate challenges Ford anticipates are the lingering effects of the Great Recession. Some parents decided not to put their children in Catholic grade school in 2008 due to financial concerns,and those students are now in seventh grade. This means that Catholic grade schools, which are the core feeders to Aquinas, will be lower in numbers. All in all, Ford’s philosophy is that the best approach Aquinas can take is to just be itself. “If we know what we are doing, we have resources. We have plans for it. Who are we? How does it fit into our mission?” Ford said. “We are who we are and people come here knowing who we are … I think there are very few people who come here not knowing what the expectations are.”
The Neighborhood Around Aquinas
In the scope of Aquinas’ school history, the neighborhoods in the area have changed and will continue to do so looking forward. Aquinas was placed in a very growing area at the start, but the future of this area depends on a number of factors. Map is courtesy of the City of Overland Park, Kansas.
February & March Issue
9
What do students think?
1 1%
Students are bursting with ideas about the future of the school and how it stacks up now. From the numbers, the student body finds Aquinas to be doing a good job all in all. However, the community should always be striving for improvement. Numbers are from a Shield Survey in early February 1 2%
2 8%
2 3%
ATHLETICS 3 10%
5 56%
4 29%
1 2% 2 1%
5 28%
3 9%
3 25%
5 45%
1 4% 5 18% 2 20%
4 43% 4 37%
ACADEMICS
1 6%
COLLEGE
2 8%
3 23%
4 36%
5 37%
3 17%
SCHOOL SPIRIT
1 1%
FACILITIES
2 9%
5 31%
3 28%
4 32%
Part of being Aquinas means that the school’s future is not only in the hands of school leadership, but also members of the community as well. A tight-knit community at Aquinas as well as its smaller size allow Ford a sense of what the community wants. Ford shared his door is always open for anyone wishing to voice their opinion.
SCHOOL SIZE 4 32%
been the core feeders to the school. Aquinas utilizes The Parent Guild to stay in sync with these schools and build a community of saints among them. According to President Elect John Shaw, Aquinas is dearly loved by many. “Based on the feedback we Parents receive from parents, Aquinas is As the years go on, the desires leading the way in the community in of families and eighth grade students [strong academics, excellent athletic can change. Aquinas gains incoming programs, activities that provide freshmen from numerous schools, growth and leadership opportunities, but there is a group of seven Catholic and most importantly spiritual grade schools that have traditionally growth],” Shaw said. “The Parent Guild actively gives feedback to the administration on ways to shape
10
The Shield
Aquinas and continuously offers the best overall educational experience to Johnson County. … They provide valuable feedback to Dr. Ford and the admissions staff to continue to meet those needs sought by those parents.” Shaw has bright predictions about where Aquinas will be in the next 30 years. Seeing Aquinas continuing to grow in achievements (such as being recognized as a National Blue Ribbon school two more times, having 250 state championships and teaching multitudes of National Merit Finalists) is what Shaw is hoping to see.
“The mission and spirit of Aquinas will be the same. The names and faces will change, but it will continue to be a place where students go to be the best overall person they choose to be,” Shaw said.
Students
Senior and Executive Student Council Officer AbbyKate LaSala offered her own student perspective on the future of Aquinas. “In 30 years, I would hope that Aquinas would be thriving as it has been recently. However, our school building is becoming older… especially in comparison to the brand new Blue Valley and Olathe schools nearby, as well as St. James,” LaSala said. “Hopefully Aquinas 2020 is not where the renovations stop as our school will definitely need a another facelift within 30 years.” LaSala also hopes to see Aquinas traditions stay strong and that new ones come about. When it comes to Aquinas staying competitive, LaSala’s family and her own experiences offer a realistic pulse from the community. Her mom attended Miege when Aquinas first opened, and when deciding on where to attend high school LaSala learned about many of the strengths each school offers. “Along with their successful sports and academic programs, Miege does a lot of things right. SJA is also doing a lot of things right,” LaSala said. “[St. James’] strong focus on faith is attractive to prospective Catholic families. Whoever runs their social media and website does a great job keeping it up-to-date and professional looking. Obviously their building is newer and nicer than STA and Miege. All this being said, I do not think Aquinas should be worried because all three of these schools manage to show success in every area. Obviously I am biased and think Aquinas does everything best, but I still think we, as a educational institution, can learn things from our ‘rivals’.”
technology. Getting used to being number one also offers challenges. “I think we do take a lot for granted … That is something we will have to be guarding against,” Stoecklein said. Assuming that success and great achievements will just happen at Aquinas is dangerous in Stoecklein’s eyes, which is why she appreciates the proactive, practical approach to leadership Aquinas enjoys. Stoecklein is realistically optimistic for the future of Aquinas, has fallen in love with what the school has consistently offered, and has protective skepticism for changes that may not fall into line with the school’s mission. Stoecklein has also seen the Aquinas community stay consistent with so many wonderful elements. Faculty Alumni coming back to the school, Foreign Language Department the school continually being a Chairwoman Lisa Stoecklein has magnet for quality students, and the taught at Aquinas since it opened, attended Aquinas’s mother school St. difference the school has made in the lives of students and families are just Joseph, and is a parent of Aquinas some of the things she loves. students currently. Stoecklein has “One of the beauties of this a hopeful outlook on the future of place is that one person can really Aquinas, but also knows that not all have an impact, whether it is a change is necessarily good change. student or a teacher or even families “Change for changes sake, … For the most part, the stuff we do I am not for,” Stoecklein said. [here] makes sense … The bottom Positive changes that help students line is [answering the questions]: Is and the community are always this good for our students? Will it welcome, but certain drivers of make the community stronger? … I change have left Aquinas worse off am confident that in the future our from her perspective. As our world becomes increasingly dependent on leadership will still be leading us technology for everything, Stoecklein towards that direction,” Stoecklein said. has watched the school suffer Talking about realistic concerns, unforeseen consequences. realizing how much the school has Stoecklein believes that “the accomplished, and continuing to dependence of our society and foster a culture that promotes the our young people” on technology mission of the school should ensure detaches people of all ages from success at Aquinas will continue for each other. While new technology years to come. is not in and of itself a bad change, “I don’t see us going anywhere,” always having a face focused Stoecklein said. on a phone and other screens is something Aquinas and society should guard against. “I hope that we are still kind of countercultural in the future,” Stoecklein said. Though, Stoecklein is healthily skeptical of more than just
In a student survey by The Shield in early February, with 258 responses, students shared their opinions on the future of Aquinas. Based on the results, students on average approve of the school. (A breakdown of these responses can be found on the previous page.) Students expressed many ideas to improve Aquinas: AP classes, seniors being able to leave during lunch, a larger offering of clubs and activities, regular prayer before lunch, more hype for games, and a late start each week were a few of the many proposals. Thinking of these ideas and deciding whether or not these ideas will fit at Aquinas are two different questions, however.
Andrew Schoonover Clare Hernandez Deepthi Kailash
February & March Issue
11
Defining a legacy Basketball has been the focal point of her time at Aquinas, but the success she earned has come at a cost.
Photo by Madison McMillen, The Shield.
F
or many, sports is a defining factor of their high school career, but few can say that they were a team captain with multiple state titles and over 1,000 points scored. Senior Sereena Weledji has done just that, and in the process left quite a mark on the Saint Thomas Aquinas community. With her final basketball season wearing Aquinas colors coming to a close, Weledji took time to reflect on what has gotten her to where she is today. “Basketball has always been a huge part of my life,” Weledji said. “My dad played, my sisters played, my mom didn’t but she has been in the gym with us since we started.” Part of this family legacy are Weledji’s older sisters, Nelly and Tia, Aquinas basketball stars with 907 points and 974 points in their career respectively. Some may see
12
The Shield
an older sibling’s accomplishments and think they need to be just as good or better, bu t Weledji says it is more complicated than that. “We’re differ ent players and my parents always recognized They don’t hold us to [another] sibling’s standards, but at t he same time, to be like her is something that I strive for,” Weledji said. This environment certainly prepared Weledji to be a competitive basketball player, equipping her wit h the right skills and mindset to re ach her goals, not without some obs tacles. Chiefly: the time commitment. During the basketball season , the girls practice for two or more hours every day of the week except Sunday. Sereena practices an extra 15 hours a week outside of the tea m, raking in a whoppi ng 27-30 hours a week. Free time is a rarity, bu t the girls’ passion
for t he sport is what helps them power through their problems. “Everyone has to make sacrifices for different things in their life. At first in high school, I did struggle socially because I did not feel like I was able to spend as much time with my friends as I wanted to because of basketball,” Weledji said. “As you get older though, you realize your circle can only be so big. You do not really need that many close friends I feel like, so people that want to be with you will make sure they’re with you.“ The last few years, Sereena has transformed her struggles and used them to empower her team. As a team captain she says that these obstacles helped her to learn that it is okay to be a leader on the court. “Sereena has been an important part of keeping the Aquinas girls
Sereena would come to her sisters' games when she was about 8 years old. I remember my mom asking Sereena if she was going to be as good as her sisters are and Sereena answered
"Better" -Rick Hetzel
Guarding her territory
Weledji positions herself for a rebound against Blue Valley West Feb. 16. Weledji may set the team record for career rebounds. Photo by Madison McMillen, The Shield.
basketball tradition going through her hard work and commitment to her team and school,” Rick Hetzel, Aquinas girls basketball coach of 20 years, said. She has been a fixed point on a team that is constantly changing, but no less a family than any other. “Each year we don’t really [lose] or gain too many people, it’s pretty much still the same team but the dynamic changes every season. It has been really awesome though, this year has probably been the best. Our team chemistry has been really amazing,” Weledji said. Basketball is not the only thing that Sereena is passionate about. Sewing, dancing, and music are all creative outlets that Weledji says helps her de-stress. Ukulele is one such talent, and while she may not be rushing to show anyone her skills on the instrument, she says that when she plays it she “feel[s] like a rockstar.” Some favorites of hers include ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole and ‘Lava’ , the musical Pixar short that was released alongside Inside Out in 2014. With only a few months left until the end of her high school career, distractions have not
helped put her graduation jitters at ease. “It’s scary because I look at the freshmen and realize the only memories I have of my underclassmen years are pictures. It’s all slowly fading away more and more,” Weledji said. “I’m super excited for college but at the same time, I’m never going to be a student at Aquinas ever again. In middle school and high school, you’re still at home, you still live with your parents, you know most people at school, but college is a whole new deal.” Sereena may be excited to start this new chapter of her life but saying goodbye to the school that has given her so much is a very bitter-sweet experience. “Aquinas was a home for me. Because of my sisters I knew the great academics, the amazing teachers, and the awesome school spirit but I found out for myself how great it was being part of the community,” Weledji said.
Madison McMillen Junior Reporter
February & March Issue
13
The Diary of Anne Frank “The Diary of Anne Frank” was brought to the Aquinas stage.
The cast of “The Diary of Anne Frank.” Photo courtesy of Rachel Raney.
“The Diary of Anne Frank” cast members meet with Holocaust survivor Sonia Warshawski. The students also went to see “Big Sonia,”a documentary about her life. Photo courtesy of senior Rachel Raney.
14
The Shield
The play “The Diary of Anne Frank” hit the Saint Thomas Aquinas stage on February 15, 16, and 17. Adapted from the real diary of Holocaust victim Anne Frank, the play follows Anne and her family as they spend years in hiding from the Nazis. Junior Hannah Stompoly played the role of Anne Frank. As a serious play, this play presented challenges that some of the more whimsical plays of the past didn’t encounter. The actors were tasked with portraying a range of emotions while on stage. According to Stompoly, the most difficult scene to act was “the scene where Mr Dussel moved in and told us all about what was happening outside. I had to draw from real experiences in order to convey emotion on stage.” Another challenged the cast faced was portraying the characters and their Jewish faith accurately. While the Aquinas theater department has done dramatic plays in the past, the cast took some extra steps to prepare for this production that they haven’t before taken, according to Stompoly. “We had two girls who are of the Jewish religion come in and educate us on the Jewish culture and Hanukkah traditions,” Stompoly said. The cast also went to see the film “Big Sonia” and went to see Sonia Warshawski, a Holocaust survivor, speak at Cure of Ars parish.
NHS Blood Drive Success The Aquinas community comes together to donte blood. The annual National Honors Society blood drive was a success, with 153 units of blood being collected, an increase from the 130 units collected in last year’s drive. The blood drive occured on February 1st, during Catholic Schools Week. The drive benefits the Community Blood Center, which relies solely on volunteer blood donors to meet the needs of 60 hospitals throughout Missouri and Kansas. Senior Kat Miller was one of many students to donate blood this year. “I choose to donate because it gives me a way to help others who can’t help themselves,” Miller said. “The experience is great. I don’t mind needles, so that helps, but the whole time I’m just thinking of where my blood will go and who it will help. Plus the snacks afterwards are pretty great.” If students want to donate blood with the Community Blood Center, they can sign up at http://savealifenow.org/ donate-blood/.
Rush ns atio Alter
Senior Cat Simmons donates blood. The blood drive collected 153 units of blood. Photo by Jerrien O’Dwyer, the Medallion.
Delaney Smith Copy Editor
Mona’s
ALTERATIONS & CLEANERS
February & March Issue
15
Healthy and Not-SoHealthy Eating Habits At Aquinas
A quick look on the eating habits of students at Saint Thomas Aquinas
Students at Saint Thomas Aquinas High School are familiar with squeezing past students in the cafteria, focusing on the many food options in front of them. Then try to quickly find the best food that they can eat while they study for a test, or that will help them to have enough energy to workout after school. Eating habits are very important to students and are often brushed off because the thought of school is on their mind. Or they’re dwelled on by others, creating eating disorders. Eating a balanced meal is one of the most important things for growing teenagers. Bad eating habits are something a lot of Aquinas students brush off because they are stressed about school. A major meal students skip is breakfast. It is hard when a student is rushing out the door to remember to eat a well balanced meal. But Dr. Kathleen M. Zelman says, “Eating breakfast is important for everyone, but is especially so for children and adolescents. According to the American Dietetic Association, children who eat breakfast perform better in the classroom and on the playground, with better concentration, problem-solving skills, and eye-hand coordination.” Lunch is the main meal Aquinas provides for their students.
16
The Shield
While a lot of them will be conversing and eating, some are working hard to get work done for their classes. But skipping a meal is more damaging than we think. According to diabetes researchers at the National Institute on Aging “Skipping meals during the day and eating one large meal in the evening [results] in potentially
so he requires more calories and protein than normal people. “The days that I wrestle, I keep it to fruits and protein. I usually have 4-5 apples on the days I wrestle and a lot of beef jerky and cashews. Those really make me feel good and keep me at a good weight when I have to weigh in a second time on the same day”said Gaona. An average person requires a healthy 2,000 calories a day. But working out and other factors can change that number. Junior Kate Specken, however, usually eats 1,500 calories per day. “During the weekdays, I don’t have much time for breakfast, so usually I have something with protein and a little bit of natural sugar to keep risky metabolic changes. The meal me going. For lunch, I usually have skippers had elevated fasting glucose some lean meat with nuts, a fruit, and levels and a delayed.” When we skip a vegetable.” Balancing school and meals we gain more weight because having healthy food habits can be a our body starts to conserve fat when struggle for a lot of students. Usually it thinks we won’t have another meal choosing school work is a top priority for awhile. Senior Noah Schnieders and eating the right foods are pushed says “I don’t normally have time to to the side. eat breakfast anyway, but sometimes Because most students are I do skip lunch if I have to finish an focused on school work, it’s not assignment for the next class.” uncommon to see students eating Athletes at Aquinas have little or nothing during lunch. But different meal needs than other instead of students not worrying people. Senior Anthony Gaona has about food, there are some who to keep a specific weight for wrestling stress about their calorie intake.
“But sometimes I do skip lunch if I have to finish an assignment for the next class.” Noah Schnieders
People from the ages of 14 and 25 are the most prone to developing an eating disorder. According to Anorexia and Bulimia Care Eating disorders, a hotline for people with eating disorders, disorders are also becoming more and more common in children. Anorexia nervosa in particular, can start in very young children, and some treatment centers in the UK now admit children as young as seven years old. Bulimia and other eating disorders can also occur in younger children, although this is much less common than anorexia. Symtoms are usually not eating in front of others, obsessively checking weight, and more. Eating disorders usually stem from problems in someone’s life, weight is usually the only thing they feel like they can control. Senior Claire L’Esperance says “I feel in control when I eat less, in a twisted way that you can’t really understand unless you’ve had an eating disorder.” Eating disorders can be very common nowadays and they come on slowly, until one day it becomes obvious that it’s consuming one’s life. L’Esperance says “I didn’t realize it was an illness until my weight and
my body was the first thing I thought about when I woke up and the last thing I thought about before I went to bed. I acknowledge that my eating disorder is dangerous, but I would not be voluntarily in treatment if it weren’t for my parents. It was a mutual agreement, but it’s not as simple as deciding to get help.” It’s sometimes hard to notice if someone has an eating disorder at school especially if it’s not someone close to the person. It’s a touchy subject and many students don’t want to start a rumor on accident by telling anyone. Bad eating habits are overall unintentional by Aquinas students but it’s important to be aware of students who have symptoms of eating disorders. Help is required for people with eating disorders and making them feel loved and comfortable is very important. Eating regular meals is more beneficial for students who put education over food. It gives them enough energy to do well on that certain test or presentation. Making more time to eat a balanced meal is better for the long run.
Photos are courtesy of copyright free sources from Google Images.
Emily Raunig Senior Reporter
February&March Issue
17
The Generation Raised Alongside the Boom of the Smartphone Study links smartphones to depression in teenagers.
E
very student at Aquinas, from freshmen to seniors, have grown up with smartphones being a part of their lives. Although it is common to hear criticism and judgement over the excessive use of smartphones within the younger generations, no one can escape the reality of social media playing a role in adolescents’ lives. A balance of media is needed in ensuring healthy relationships and proper time management. With many students at Aquinas, it is very normal to use a phone every day. Being told constantly to put your phone away will presumably not affect teenagers considering it is almost natural to them. Finding alternative ways to put the screen down and finding meaning in life is vital in creating the right balance between real life and social media. The connection that young people have to their phones can release extreme amounts of dopamine in the brain causing over-investment and consumption with the screens. Because young people are some of the heaviest users of social networking, it can desensitize them to situations in real life. When they were teens, parents did not have cell phones to scroll through Twitter and read about mass shootings, suicides,
18
The Shield
drug and alcohol abuse, etc.. They sat down on the couch and heard the news from their own parents or the family television; this allowed a time frame in between to register the event and emotionally manage the information — rather than just continue scrolling on Twitter in their room late at night. Many parents received reassurance that everything was going to be okay, as opposed to a teenager internalizing the situation and continuing to browse the web. “When I find myself becoming depressed over things I see on my phone, that’s when I know it is time to take a break and put away my phone,” said senior Katie Bever. “I still text my friends and parents, but all the apps we have can often have a negative affect on teenagers, especially those struggling with mental disorders.” Depression and anxiety in teens has spiked since the introduction of the smartphone. Several studies have connected suicidal thoughts to large amounts of time on social media. Between 2010 and 2016, the number of adolescents who experienced at least one major depressive episode increased by 60 percent, according to a nationwide survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Those years are generally the time
Briley McGreevy Senior Reporter
frame that the current generation at Aquinas had been introduced to owning and using a phone daily.
“All the apps we have can often have a negative affect... especially those struggling with mental disorders.” Katie Bever So what is causing the spike in depression and anxiety today? Dr. Laurie Heap M.D. is a professional speaker and researcher on the medicine, psychology, and neuroscience on well-being, happiness, love, and physical fitness of people everyday. She began a program called THRIVE! in 2012 with a small group of women in order to spread her research and create discussion among teens as well as adults. In February of 2015, Dr. Heap met with the New York Times’ best selling author Dr. Daniel Siegel, who affirmed that her research was an original inquiry into these issues belonging to many teenagers who struggle with their mental health. “We are using supernormal
to alleviate distressed states of mind,” said Dr. Heap, “the two problems with this is that the dopamine desensitization equals a spiral downward and a loss of enjoyment in simple daily activities and social interactions that are meant to give us joy and satisfaction. [It] hijacks time we could spend doing meaningful and productive activities or fostering real interpersonal relationships.” Dopamine is a feel-good chemical in the brain that drives people toward feelings of excitement, alleviation, or a temporary “high” for their bodies. After dopamine peaks, it crashes in the brain. During the crash, mood and feelings are affected. According to THRIVE! statistics, people often get irritated, angry, worried, restless, or sad and depressed. People get into an “I’m bored” funk because the brain can only focus on getting more dopamine. Many hashtags, apps, and messages act as supernormal stimuli for teenagers today. Scrolling through Tumblr may help a young person find an outlet for internalized issues with relatable quotes or images, but it does not provide an in-person conversation
or any direct help they may need at the time. “Social media can be emotionally draining,” said Bever. “All over instagram are pictures of skinny and beautiful men and women that people often compare themselves to. They then often believe [that] they need to look like that which causes a cycle of what can be putting yourself down, hating yourself, distorted self image, eating disorders, and so on.” Students often use supernormal stimuli as one of the mental defenses to compensate for partial meaning. Opening up Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, or another social media platform when a person is distressed takes their mind off of an issue at hand temporarily. Dr. Heap suggests creating a frame of mind remote of the stress. That increases resilience, so that when stress arises people have the social networks and mental strength to deal with it productively — resulting in perspective given by meaning, long term goals, and self regulation. Having days where a person can find the self-discipline to give up their phone every once in a while can even out their dopamine levels.
“I can’t say for sure why people seek less help, said senior Maggie Essmyer, “I think it could be because we live in a society where people grow to be more and more independent at younger ages and many people think they can do it on their own. I think [that] there are many teenagers that suffer every day and are not getting proper help or treatment for whatever reason.” Finding meaning and purpose in life, driving around with a friend, speaking to a family member or teacher about a situation, or going to the gym or for a walk are all ways to put the phone down and possibly release dopamine in a more positive, productive way. Every student has a different way of dealing with bad situations or feelings, but finding the correct and best way for them to deal with it is important. Pulling up a social media app when a person is upset, rather than having a conversation and seeking advice or help, only temporarily takes those feelings away. Although, not all social media is bad for mental health. Balancing screen time and interpersonal face-to-face conversation is vital in creating a sense of willpower and being happy.
Nina Langton at her dormatory in Mass. Photo taken in October 2017 by Raina Matar.
February & March Issue
19
Editorial: Size Matters
Crowd sizes at Aquinas have been on the down turn.
The girls basketball team prepares to tip-off in their game against Blue Valley West. Five students were in the cheering section at the start of the game. Photo by Annie Patton
20
The Shield
“V
ery exciting game for the empty student section,” the girls basketball team tweeted on Jan. 31. And before a rivalry game with Bishop Miege on Jan. 2, the team responded to StuCo’s announcement that the game theme was jerseys. “That’s jerseys, not the ‘Empty Seats’ theme that started our game last year vs. Miege.” The account has addressed a constant problem: low fan support at games. Athletic Director Sarah Burgess said, “[The boys basketball team] was in the finals of our tournament. We haven’t won our tournament in ten years and nobody was there.” The Aquinas culture needs to be revamped to encourage increased fan support of the athletics teams. Senior girls basketball player Sereena Weledji said, “Overall, I think Aquinas has been lacking in school spirit for everything.” According to her, on average, less than 10 students will attend the girls basketball games, and the number increases only slightly for the boys team. This is embarrassing for the school and
hurts its reputation. We want a school that can boast of its huge cheering sections. Athletic Director Sarah Burgess said that Aquinas games used to generate “serious crowds.” “We used to have to lock the doors because it was past fire code,” she said. A lack of school spirit could impact Aquinas enrollment negatively. School spirit is a factor that incoming students judge their potential school options on. Why would they choose Aquinas when they could get a more supportive community at Bishop Miege or St. James? This especially pertains to incoming athletes. A recent tweet by the Oak Park High School Twitter account showed a teacher fan section, cheering on their local team while holding up handmade signs. Our culture of support needs to be just as active at the top with the teachers and the administration which would in turn trickle down to the students. This would consequently lead to a tighter knit community. Athletic fan participation is
not solely dependent upon the students that turn out, but the wider community as a whole. Burgess, however, said, “Between jobs, working out for their other sports, and studying for the ACT, students are drawn in so many different directions nowadays.” And in a recent poll by The Shield 48 percent of students thought our current fan participation levels were good. Almost half of our student body does not believe there is anything lacking in our current status quo. Creating a culture of fan participation and involvement is not going to happen overnight. For the upcoming year, the junior class has to step up to the plate. They will be the new school leaders in less than three months. Juniors need to start turning out to games, leading chants and setting a tone, now. If from the moment they begin their senior year, they create a culture that thrives on undeniable, contagious school spirit, it will become the new norm.
Annie Patton
Managing Editor
February Issue
21
Part 2
Understanding the Victim In the second part of the sexual assault series, the victim becomes the central focus. Sexual Assault is a traumatic experience, the mind and body react a certain way to protect the victim during and after an assault. This natural reaction often prevents victims from fighting back, which factors in to victim-shaming. This article discusses this and provides resources to help victims and their families. Grace Mayer
Managing Editor
Rachel Raney Senior Reporter
22
The Shield
While some victims of sexual assault bravely come forward, the fear of victimblaming (when the prosecutor is considered responsible for the actions forced upon him or her) prevents many sufferers from speaking up. “The shame and the blame are huge,” Saint Thomas Aquinas counselor Laura Cline said. Some fear that coming forward means losing what remains of their privacy: their stories are reported on, prosecuted, turned against them, and denied. They risk their accusations being dismissed as a moneyploy, a cry for attention, or completely fabricated. They also worry that it can be a burden for their own relationships. But sometimes taking the risk of coming forward, results in justice. The recent court case regarding the Olympic doctor Larry Nassar is one example. After facing 130 accusations of molestation, he is serving 40 to 170 yeras in prison. Victim-blaming led to these fears and discouraged so many men and women from admitting what happened to them. It is an effective way for perpetrators to keep sexual assault under wraps and silence victims. The silence amassed, putting up a curtain that hid the alter-ego of perpetrators. This cultural backlash against victims allowed sexual violence to persist, and for the perpetrators to continue committing their crimes for years. That curtain was finally pushed aside. “Especially with the ‘MeToo’ movement and ‘TimesUp’ movement, more people are coming forward and saying this happened,” Cline said. These movements were founded on female vocalization, inspiring all to share their stories –mostly females sharing their encounters with males. Though there is now a platform for victims to voice their experiences, it’s still hard for some to come forward.
“It’s hard for anyone to [reach out for help],” Cline said. Instead, some victims decide to cope by keeping their assault a secret well into their adulthood. Sometimes they bury the assault in their minds until a trigger resurfaces the memory. This further damages a victim’s already delicate emotional state. Shame harbors internally within the victim. They succumb to guilt, confusion, and humiliation for being taken advantage of and for their inability to prevent the attack from happening to them. The questions often posed to victims of sexual violence are why did they not fight back? Why didn’t they say no? These questions uphold the assumptions that victims maintain their ability to speak up when they are sexually assaulted. These questions don’t take into account that it might not have been the victim’s choice to stay still and silent, rather it was the effects of trauma paralyzing their bodies that prevented them. Victim-shaming deems the victim is guilty for not fighting back, yet their body does not allow them to; it shuts down instead. This is a survival response the human brain adopts if engulfed by the shock of a traumatic event – like sexual assault. Every victim is different and every case inhibits different reactions; “freezing,” or shutting down, is just one. Rene McCreary, Director of Counseling at the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA), believes this is the most common reaction among assault victims. “Most people are likely to freeze or shut their brain systems down,” McCreary said. “[In cases of sexual assault] a
person’s heart rate gets lower; their brain activity gets lower.” According to the Arkansas Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ACASA), the section of the brain called the amygdala, which is responsible for fear recognition, senses panic. In response, it takes action to protect the mind and body by going into survival mode. The amygdala starts a chain reaction of signals in the brain, flooding it with high levels of catecholamine hormones. When a normal level of these hormones are produced, they spark a fight-or-flight response. However, extremely traumatic circumstances solicit the production of unusually
“The shame and blame are huge.” Laura Cline Counselor high amounts of catecholamine, impairing the victim’s rationality and making it difficult for him or her to devise a plan of escape or attack. Fight-or-flight is no longer an option. Corticosteroids, another hormone mass-produced, decrease the victim’s energy levels, prompting the next response called tonic immobility. A full-body shutdown takes over the victim. The mind and body are blocked from normal receptors, and the victim is temporarily paralyzed –physically and verbally. Along with an increase in these two hormones, the brain releases yet another hormone: opiates. This acts as a natural morphine, blocking physical and emotional pain during assault. It can even impart lasting effects
Statistics found from RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization.
February & March Issue
23
and 33 percent experience symptoms of PTSD on the victim post-assault; the victim’s during the nine months after the rape. Also, 33 communication can be stunted emotionally, percent of women who are raped contemplate made monotone and detached. suicide and 13 percent attempt suicide. When someone becomes a survivor of “It’s hard to trust; it’s hard to feel safe. sexual violence, the effects mentally are similar to those of a car crash victim. A car crash victim Families go through a lot of guilt, [and] there’s anger that it happened to their child,” Cline can be inflicted with anxiety, depression, and said. fears of cars, driving, or riding as a passenger. Cline has experience when it comes to When a person becomes a victim of sexual sexual assault victims due to violence –no matter the her work at Aquinas and her intensity of the situation, from unsolicited photos to “Most people are likely own private practice counseling groping to rape– they are to freeze or shut their victims. For younger victims, the trauma of sexual assault left with similar short-term brain systems down.” negatively effects their time at and long-term effects. school. “There can be people “Sometimes they’re who [are] very disabled Rene McCreary reliving the terror [because] by post-traumatic stress Director of Couseling at they get triggered. It makes disorder (PTSD) as a MOCSA it much harder for them to result of sexual assault,” focus on their studies. Grades, McCreary said. McCreary also confirmed other symptoms, such as friendships, future relationships can be part of what’s damaged too,” Cline said. depression, anxiety, flashbacks, and sleep For victims of sexual assault, there are disturbances, effect victims short-term and many resources available to get advice and long-term. counseling. Organizations like MOCSA offer The Rape, Abuse & Incest National many services, from hospital advocacy to legal Network (RAINN) website says of women who advocacy if a victim decides to go to report are raped, 94 percent experience symptoms their assault. MOCSA also has an attorney that of PTSD during the two weeks after the rape, Advertisement
Statistics found from RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization.
Sexual Assault Hotlines and Counseling Resources MOCSA
24-hour Crisis Line in Kansas:
(913) 642.0233 24-hour Crisis Line in Missouri:
(816) 531.0233 can help victims obtain a restraining order. McCreary said, “We also go out to schools, and we reach around 60 thousand individuals in the metropolitan area with information about prevention of sexual abuse and assault.” Cline also directs victims of sexual assault to resources and services, including MOCSA. “MOCSA’s a wonderful resource, and I would encourage anyone who’s suffered a sexual assault to call MOCSA because they will support you through the whole process,” said Cline. For students affected by sexual violence, Aquinas’ main goal is to ensure the student is getting the help they need. The school understands that other things come first now for the student, like counseling sessions. Cline said, “When a student comes to us, there are different ways we might support them. One of those is looking at the academic load they’re carrying. Since their focus is off, maybe they need teacher notes because they’re missing a lot of what’s going on in class.” Another crucial resource for victims of sexual violence is their loved ones. McCreary said it is important for friends and family members to listen to the victim and give them support. “I think the number one thing is just to let the victim know you believe them,” McCreary said. “Letting them know that you’re sorry that it happened to them.” Cline agrees, “It’s going to make them feel better by you just listening, empathizing, and asking if you can go with them to find an adult to get them help.” “There can be healing and people can go on to lead very normal lives. It doesn’t have to define who they are,” Cline said.
RAINN
800.656.HOPE (4673)
SAFEHOME
888.432.4300
KC Metro Domestic Violence Hotline
(816) 468.5463
February & March Issue
25
Numbers come from the 339 students who submitted a response to The Shield survey sent out on February 12.
26
The Shield
Rachel Raney Senior Reporter
February & March Issue
27
The Social Spread Briley McGreevy Emily Raunig
28
The Shield
i
Insights on Saints social media posts around and outside
s
of Aquinas.
t
Want your posts, Snapchats, or Tweets featured in The Shield? Co ntac t @ BrileyMc greevy o r @ ERaunig o n Tw itter. February and March Issue
29
The 30
Rachael Lawler Freelancer
Best Pick Up Lines
If you don’t appreciate a good pick up lime, then you’re heartless. 1.) Are you a fruit, because honeydew you know how fine you are? 2.) Are you a parking ticket? Because you have fine written all over you. 3.) Are you Netflix? Because I could watch you for hours. 4.) Four plus four equals eight, but you plus me equals fate. 5.) They say Disneyland is the happiest place on earth, well apparently no one has ever been standing next to you. 6.) On a scale of 1 to 10, you’re a 9 and I’m the 1 you need. 7.) Are you a loan? Because you got my interest. 8.) Hey girl, I just added you on Facebook. We’re becoming the best of friends. 9.) Hey girl, what’s your sine? It must be pi/2 because you’re the 1. 10.) Let me sell you an indulgence because it’s a sin to look as good as you do. 11.) Go up to someone with a bunch of limes. Drop the limes again and again while struggling to pick them up. Then, look up at them and say, “Sorry I’m really bad at pick up limes.” Then, you marry them. 12.) Roses are red violets are blue, I can’t rhyme but can I date you? 13.) Are you made up of oxygen and potassium? Because you’re OK. Just OK. average really. 14.) If you were a pirate, would you keep your parrot on this shoulder or this shoulder? *casually puts arm around shoulder* 15.) Our bond will be stronger than Aquinas’ Wi-Fi. 16.) I play fortnite. 17.) “Hey can you hold this?” *grabs hand and continues to hold hand* 18.) Baby, you must be a be a broom cause you just swept me off my feet. 19.) Are you a tower? Because eiffel for you. 20.) How you doin? -Joey 21.) Are your legs tired? Because you’ve been running through my mind all day. 22.) Call me Ariel because I want to be a part of your world. 23.) You wanna know what’s the best thing in my life? It’s the first word of the previous sentence. 24) If you were words on a page, you’d be what they call fine print. 25.) In a roomful of art, I would still stare at you. 26.) Kiss me if I’m wrong, but dinosaurs still exist right? 27.) You look a lot like my next boyfriend/girlfriend. 28.) So I’ve heard you like water. Good, you already like 70% of me. 29.) Here you go, hot tea. Because that’s what you are: a hottie. 30.) Hey girl, you could spam me all night and I still wouldn’t unsubscribe.
30
The Shield
This list was inspired from ideas from The Shield survey, The Shield staff, Google, and Rachael Lawler
Last Look 1
1. Students form a dance circle. Photo by Katerina Miller, The Medallion. 2. Seniors enjoy their last WPA dance. Photo by Alayna Law, The Medallion. 3. Seniors Nicole McEnroe and Jenna Vickers dance at WPA. Photo by Katerina Miller, The Medallion. 4. Junior Kate Cox and sophomore Claire Cox pose for a photo. Photo by Katerina Miller, The Medallion.
WPA 2018
1
2
3
2
3
4 4 February & March Issue
31
The Shield Volume 30
The Students’ Voice of Saint Thomas Aquinas High School-- a catalyst of positive change, inspired by Catholic values applied in a dynamic way.
stashield
s stashield i stashield t aquinasgameday Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield
f
11411 Pflumm Road Overland Park, Kansas 66210 (913) 319-2400 newspaper@stasaints.net