The Shield September Issue
Bringing It Home
Sophomore Tyron “Tank” Young sprinting to Mill Valley’s 10-yard line. The boys beat Mill Valley, 24 - 13 on Sep. 21st. Photo courtesy of Jasmine Nguyen, The Medallion.
Volume 31
Staff Members Adviser I Matt Hallauer Editor-In-Chief I Madison McMilllen Managing Editor I Deepthi Kailash Copy Editor I Rachael Lawler Senior Reporter I Clare Hernandez Reporter I Anna Deschamp Reporter I Callie Ingram
Vo l u m e 3 1
The Shield Saint Thomas Aquinas high School
Freelancer I Izzy Gurera Freelancer I Megan Kuckelman Freelancer I Maggie Slaven
The Shield
Social Media stashield aquinasameday Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield stashield stashield
MI S S I ON S TA TEMEN T The Shield is the student’s’ 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 TIS 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) 319-2418, send an email to mhallauer@stasaints.net, or visit www.stasaints.net/shield S UB S C R IPTIO 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 mhallauer@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 31 I September Issue
CONTENTS
6
12
14
We Can’t Be the Next Headline
Requirements for Theology Class
Pants Revolution
16
20
22
Summer Adventures
Survey Spread
Then and Now: Aquinas Edition
26
28
30
School Year Stress
Social Spread
Last Look
What’s New? A
Letter from the Editor
quinas has changed. No, I’m not taking about the new Learning Commons or if the lunchroom switched what kind of fries they serve again, I am talking about the community itself. Once more wideeyed freshmen have turned into restless seniors, looking out at the precipice of their future. Once more teachers have come and gone, unable to replace what the other left but ready to make their own mark on the impressionable minds walking the halls. Once more Aquinas has been forced to shed its skin and transform into whatever we decide it will be this year. What’s new? Everything. Our cover story reflects this reality, as our community must learn to cope with the emerging threat of gun violence within American schools. Students and teachers have been faced with questions and possibilities that would have been unthinkable before this era in our society. Once solely a fortress of learning, schools must adapt to become real fortresses as well. Along with “We Can’t Be the Next Headline,” are stories about topics that affect students’ everyday lives. Here area few: Stress can eat away at a teens motivation and drive, but what exactly does this look like? Theology classes, unique to the reality of catholic school kids, present
4
The Shield
issues that other traditional subjects don’t have to worry about. It’s hard to say what the best way to teach something is when the subject matter requires more than just reason, but faith. Pants have made a comeback among Aquinas girls. Backlash after an assembly last school year has turned one of Aquinas’ greatest unspoken rules upside down. Within these stories of change and how we cope with it, is a homage to our beginnings. Old copies of The Shield were unearthed to highlight our evolution as a school. As you read this issue, be aware of the fact that our small but great Saint Thomas Aquinas community is transforming right before your eyes. Let the nostalgia for the good ol’ days be felt, but do not dwell on it; there is too much we have to look forward to.
Madison McMillen Editor-in-Chief
Community News Homecoming Royalty
At the homecoming football game on Sept. 21, seniors Riley Hilger and Avery Higgerson were crowned homecoming king and queen. The students were selected by the student body.
Learning Commons
After the anticipated new library, the learning commons is now open to Aquinas students. You can get your pass for STA period before school on odd days. The learning commons includes whiteboard tables, conference rooms, comfy booths, and more.
National News Florida Lighting
On Florida’s coastline, turtle-friendly lights are being installed in hotels and condos. These new lights will help baby turtles on their treacherous journey from land to sea. (NBC News)
Tiger Woods
On Sept. 23, Tiger Woods won his first PGA tournament since 2013. After this victory, the 42-year-old golfer turned his focus to the Ryder Cup that begins Sept. 28 and runs through Sept. 30. (CNN)
Hurricane Florence
North and South Carolina as well as Virginia were hit by hurricane Florence. With 43 confirmed dead, the flooding is still not over. Citizens are being told to keep their guard up, as the worst of it is still not over. (The News & Observer)
World News Autonomous Tram
The world’s first autonomous tram was launched in Potsdam, Germany. From afar, the tram looks no different from any other, but it is lined with sensors and tools to help it act on its own. (The Guardian)
Typhoon in China
China’s mainland was hit by the Typhoon Mangkhut. The storm has taken at least 56 lives already. Two and a half million people were evacuated from their homes in the providence Guangdong of China. (The Guardian)
September Issue
5
We can't be the next Headline 6
The Shield
With the number of recent school shootings, the debate on gun policy has never been more prevalent.
How do we prevent the next tragedy?
D
uring the afternoon of Feb. 14th, a gunman brought an AR-15 onto Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s (MSD) campus, pulled the fire alarm, and started a massacre that would unravel the entire country. Videos from that day echo one of the greatest fears for the American education system, “It could never happen here” is now false. With the weight of student lives on their shoulders, educators and lawmakers must decide how to prevent their own schools from becoming the nation’s next tragedy. What was once unimaginable now dominates national conversation as the death toll from mass shootings on school campuses continues to rise. Public outcry over the destruction of innocent lives is universal, but the ideas about how to prevent the next tragedy is not. Politicians and school administrators alike have begun implementing practices that hope to strike the root of the problem and, in the meantime, ensure safety from attacks, but it is no simple task when young lives, freedom, and the Constitution are at stake. Outspoken survivors from the shooting at MSD in February have been some of the loudest voices for change within the debate over gun laws. Their efforts have resulted in the March for Our Lives protests, which drew in around two million
people across the country and sparked public debate over the best course of action in regards to keeping students safe at school (The Washington Post). MSD’s student newspaper, The Eagle Eye, has even published a “manifesto to fix America’s gun laws,” proposing the ban of certain semi-automatic weapons, like the AR-15, the weapon used to kill 17 of their friends and teachers. Do you believe that preventive measures (such as banning semi-automatic weapons that fire high-velocity rounds) will provide more safety to the school?
Yes (53.41%) No (44.18%) Other (2.41%)
Here, the discussion ends and the debate begins for many Americans who are not so sure that the outright ban is constitutional, let alone the solution. Public figures, such as Florida Senator Marco Rubio, have made clear their stance on such measures.
“I’m trying to be clear and honest here: someone who has decided to commit this crime, they will find a way to get the gun to do it,” Rubio said. “It’s also unfair to argue that the reason why people are suffering today is because there’s some great law out there that if we had just passed it, it wouldn’t have happened. It’s not accurate.” This echoes the beliefs of a large portion of the country who do not see weapons as the problem. Within the Aquinas community, senior Luke Boudreau, an avid hunter and competitive shooter, shares a similar line of thinking. “I don’t think you’re going to get anywhere banning semiautomatic weapons,” Boudreau said. “There was another school shooting where it was done with a shotgun and a revolver (referencing the May 18th, 2018 shooting at Sante Fe High School in Sante Fe, Texas where a shotgun and a .38 revolver were used to kill 10).You can wreak the same havoc with a different type of firearm. Banning semiautomatics because of some isolated incidents... I don’t think that’s the answer,” Boudreau said. In a survey sent out by The Shield, 53% of students believed preventative measures, like the banning of semi-automatic or fully automatic guns, would increase school safety, while 44% of students agreed with Boudreau.
September Issue
7
January 22:
A 15-year-old student was shot and wounded in Italy High School in Italy, Texas.
January 23: A 15-year-old student shot 16 people, killing two at Marshall County High School, in Benton, Kentucky.
February 14:
A 19-year-old former student killed 17 students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in Parkland, Florida.
March 20:
Two students were shot before the School Resource Officer shot and killed the student gunman, at Great Mills High School in Lexington, Maryland.
May 11: A 14-year-old student began shooting a semiautomatic rifle. A 15-year-old boy was wounded, at Highland High, in Palmdale California.
May 18: A 17-year old student shot 20, killing 10, at Santa Fe High School, in Santa Fe, Texas.
May 25: A 13-year-old student shot and wounded two, at Noblesville West Middle School, In Noblesville, Indiana.
The above shootings all occurred in 2018. In each incident, a gunman opened fire inside the school.
8
The Shield
#NeverAgain The Never Again movement was started by the survivors of the MSD shooting. The students are speaking out and advocating for change, in a hope that no one else has to suffer through the trauma that they went through. They have petitioned for more background checks and stricter gun laws, refusing to stay silent.
”I would assume that most kids who open fire in schools buy [guns] illegally... so banning them wouldn’t stop [it],” said one Aquinas student. Some gun violence researchers would agree with this, as majority opinion is that no law can eliminate the risk of mass shootings, which are unpredictable and represent a small minority of gun homicides over all. The only aspects we can change are the likelihood of such events and how many people are affected by them. This is where gun policy comes into play. In a survey conducted by the New York Times, dozens of researchers in criminology, law and public health were asked to assess a range of policies often proposed to prevent gun deaths. According to expert opinion, the most effective measures to prevent such slaughters were prohibiting the sale of guns to anyone convicted of a violent crime, expanding background checks on gun purchasers, and most controversial of them all, banning all semi-automatic weapons. The problem arises when we look at the restrictions on sample size that gun violence researchers have to work with, specifically school shootings. While more prevalent than ever, the relatively small amount of gun violence involving mass attacks on schools does not allow for large amounts of data, let alone enough to
properly determine patterns of violence and ways in which to stop it. In the era of school shootings, all the public has to determine the best course of action is the information from recent events, with little to no scientific proof to back them up, especially when testing means waiting for the next attack. In the meantime, Americans are trying their best to defeat a beast they know relatively nothing about. Another proposed measure of protection was put forward by President Donald Trump. In a speech just a week after the MSD shooting, Trump voiced his support to arm teachers with guns. “We have to harden our schools, not soften them. A gunfree zone, to a killer or somebody who wants to be a killer, that’s like going in for the ice cream,” Trump said. “It’s like ‘here I am, take me.’” Trump’s proposition has faced strong criticism from many lawmakers and teachers across the country. Fourth grade teacher Abbey Clements was a teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary School for 14 years, including 2012, the year of the deadly shooting. During those terrifying minutes, she was sitting with her students, trying to keep them calm as gunshots rang throughout the building. She said that even if she was armed, she would never have left her students. “Had school employees been
“My school is being shot up” Massacre aT Marjory stoneman douglas
Texas school becomes latest casualty
Kentucky School Shooting
‘Overwhelming grief’: 8 students, 2 teachers killed
“The next generation will never have to worry about this.” Emma Gonzalez, parkland survivor
18 Injured
“It was like a war zone”
17 Killed in Florida Mass Shooting
Two Dead
The above headlines are taken from CNN, USA Today, NBC News, The Tampa Bay Times, Sun Sentinel, and the Miami Herald. The headlines describe school shootings in Florida, Connecticut, Texas, and Kentucky. All the shootings happened in 2018. Infographic by Deepthi Kailash.
September Issue
9
carrying guns at Sandy Hook School, it would NOT have made us or our students any safer. In fact, it very well may have made things even worse,” Clements wrote in an article for ELLE. “It’s completely unrealistic—ludicrous even—to think an educator with a gun would have been able to navigate all of this in such a short period of time and take down the gunman.” In an anonymous survey sent by The Shield to Aquinas teachers, 29 of the 38 that responded said that they would not feel comfortable with a weapon. Many mentioned they would not trust themselves with a weapon, while others said they would appreciate having a gun as a measure of defense. Proponents for the idea of arming teachers say that there needs to be a measure of safety in the classroom, saying “the only person who can stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” Kansas law already allows teachers to carry guns in the classroom, a law that has been in effect since 2013. The roadblock is insurance companies; insurance providers refuse to give coverage to schools that arm their teachers (The Washington Post). Still, some Kansans have been fighting back. Military veteran and Wichita teacher Joseph Clay supports Trump’s notion. “It is because of the love that I carry for each and every one of the children under my care that I seek to dispose this notion that concealed carry is not an answer,” Clay said, “when in fact I believe it to be the best option to prevent a horrific situation.” On the other side of the issue is theology teacher Leo Brown, military veteran and theology teacher. In a recent student survey conducted by The Shield, 62%
10
The Shield
From left to right, English teacher Susan Dillingham, Junior Morgan Ramsey and Junior Isabelle Mohr pose at the March for Our Lives. The movement was started by students, and 2 million people across the country participated. Photo provided by Morgan Ramsey.
said they do not believe arming teachers would provide more safety, and those on the fence said it was reliant on the “right people with the right training.” For many, that meant Brown, an Air Force reserve member with firearm experience and 21 years of service under his belt. However, Brown himself is against such measures. “I get the intent for [arming teachers]. ‘The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,’ but to me that is fraught with potential problems. You’ve now introduced a deadly weapon into a classroom
for the school day,” Brown said. “Have you ever lost anything or misplaced anything? People make mistakes and I don’t want that responsibility as a teacher. I had to carry a pistol when I was deployed in 2014 and that was a constant strain. What if somebody jumped on a teacher and said here’s my chance? There’s better ways. We have Officer Ufford, and I am not going to vote for arming teachers.” What are schools supposed to do if the government is out on what gun laws are effective and even their most qualified teachers
So what should students do? If you are concerned, no matter how small it seems, contact a teacher or administrator right away. Self-imposed isolation, suggestive posts on social media, and outright remarks about planned atttacks of violence are all major warning signs. They may seem obvious, but that is just it; no one thinks it could happen until it does. The response from states like Kansas has been to increase the number of lockdown drills a school must do within a year. The passing of House Substitute for Senate Bill 109 amended the Kansas law regarding emergency drills, now requiring that all public and private school institutions conduct four fire drills, three tornado drills, and nine crisis drills “that shall include, but not be limited to, intruder response drills and lockdown drills.” Along with increased practice, Saint Thomas Aquinas has, like many other schools, decided to fortify their exterior and re-enforce places that could be potential access points for intruders. The previously separated Saint Mary’s building and Aquinas main building required that doors to enter the campus were unlocked for the 30 minutes of passing periods each day. Now the new hallway connecting the two structures has made the need for unlocked doors obsolete, lessening accessibility for potential attackers.
Preventing gun violence in schools may require fortifying the interior of the community too. “I’d say that there have been definite concerted efforts over the past seven or eight years to push the idea of community so much more than we did when I was first here. It’s much more palpable now and I think it counteracts loner tendencies or feelings of entitlement,” English teacher Susan Dillingham said. According to a report by the Department of Homeland Security, there is no profile for a school shooter, but there are still things to look out for. Students and teachers might have more power than they think when it comes to prevention in their day to day life. “It takes it takes a village. If there’s a kid that’s having so many problems that they’re thinking the best idea is to shoot a bunch of people, that’s sad too. That person needs our help so as to not ruin their own life by ruining [the lives of others]. That’s what we are as a community, we have the power to do it,” Dillingham said.
The era of school shootings, born during the Columbine massacre in 1999, is coming into adulthood. The increasing normalcy of headlines blaring the body count of a new attack have begun to root itself in the American psyche as commonplace, but the leaders of our communities are fighting against that narrative. Those who are not ready accept this as the new normal are using their power to keep their students and teachers safe another day. Tragedy is inevitable, but our complacency is not, and as long as a genuine effort to solve this problem is alive, there is hope. Just acknowledging the problem means something. We will not let ourselves become the next headline, at least not without a fight.
Madison McMillen Editor-in-Chief
Deepthi Kailash Managing Editor
September Issue
11
Requirements of Theology Class Are eight semesters of the subject and graded work what is best for the student?
T
heology classes are a given at Catholic high schools. Many students do not question the archdiocesan requirements for the curriculum, why Saint Thomas Aquinas requires eight semesters of the subject, or why tests and other assignments are entered into the gradebook. Theology classes are different from the other subjects taught at Aquinas in that they explore very personal beliefs that cannot always be condensed into a factual question on a test. Many students prefer the laid-back discussions that are, in their opinion, better for improving a faith life. And for a subject about something they are unfamiliar with, a religion virtually foreign to them, non-Catholic students have a different perspective on what these classes are like for them. The Archdiocese’s school Handbook states that in all of the schools under their administration, religion must be taught, “with the same seriousness and the same rigor as other disciplines.” The Handbook does not state the required courses or number of credits high school students must take. Theology department head Ryan Best believes all four years of classes are beneficial to the
12
The Shield
Memorization of the vocabulary and ideas found in classroom textbooks are a large part of tests in theology classes. Photo by Anna Deschamp.
student, and said, “If a student learned every single possible thing about every theology class they took in four years, I would guess that they might have gained about 10 percent of the overall knowledge of Catholic theology.” In keeping with the same rigor of other academic classes at the school, per the Archdiocese’s rules, Aquinas theology is taken for a grade. But it is hard to know if there are assignments in which students are penalized academically for their beliefs. Best often uses a rubric, one
that might even be as simple as giving credit to students for really reflecting on a certain topic and writing their thoughts. However, assignments that ask about the student’s personal faith life can be challenging to complete, for believers and non-believers alike. From the 256 answers given, around 83 percent of students who responded to the Shield’s survey said they had exaggerated their religious practices or beliefs on a paper for theology class. The reasoning behind this could be fear of being punished academically
for their personal choices, or fear of admitting the truth about their current faith life to other classmates or their teacher. Students were asked what they would like to change about current theology classes on the Shield survey. Graded tests and homework assignments were a common answer, with students preferring more open class discussion and debates about current issues, which many theology teachers employ along with the graded work.
“Tests are definitely more challenging because I don’t know as much as the Catholic students do.”
choosing it for yourselves, and having the four years but having other electives out there ... if you wanted to take a class on Mary, you could do that, ”she said. In the matter of non-Catholic students, the religious material can be substantially more difficult. Junior Kari Holzrichter, who is Methodist, said, “Tests are definitely more challenging because I don’t know as much as the Catholic students do.” Holzrichter sometimes feels out of place when discussing theological issues in the class, but she likes “seeing the differences and similarities in the religions.” Theology classes are similar to other classes because of what the Archdiocese requires, yet
different because the subject matter is so personal and subjective based on the individual student’s experience. Striking the balance between the students’ wants and the curriculum will be no easy task, yet through collaboration and communication the Saints community will find a way.
Anna Deschamp Reporter
Number of Students Who Have Exaggerated Their Faith on Theology Assignments
Kari Holzrichter Theology teacher Mary Ann Zande also loves the open discussion aspect of teaching theology, as opposed to the many other subjects she has taught, including but not limited to World History, American History, and Sociology. Through open discussions and stories, Zande said, “We [as teachers] really get to work with kids, with emotions, and see their faith growth, which is what we are all supposed to be about here.” Zande said it would be interesting if more students got to choose their own electives, not just seniors, to make theology more individualized. “I’d love to see you guys take more classes as electives,
Yes, sometimes (35.90%) No (17.20%)
Yes, rarely (18%) Yes, often (28.90%)
The survey was conducted by The Shield. The results are from a sample size of 256 students.
September Issue
13
Pants: A New Normal?
This semester, more and more girls have started to wear pants.
A
lot is said about the skirts at Aquinas: they are too cold, long, loose, tight. But most of all, it seems that the first word that is expressed about them is that they are too short. Essentially, it is their first descriptor. So much so that there was an assembly held last year for all the female Aquinas students in which they were chastised for their skirt length and informed of a change in uniform policy. This event sparked the catalyst for what is now known as Pants Thursday. Pants Thursday originated from a group chat of the senior girls and has come to represent a way “to wear something that we were allowed to wear and to not be afraid of [wearing] what used to be abnormal” in the words of senior Sofia Urquiza. In the past few years, wearing pants at Aquinas has definitely not been in vogue. Kelli Hamilton, who had been wearing pants before the assembly and subsequent emergence of a pants subculture, discussed how people “never said anything to my face, but I heard things in the hallway and I got a lot of weird looks, but it was like “these are
14
The Shield
comfortable so deal with it.” Even now, there is still some judgment regarding girls wearing pants as Maggie Herr put it, saying “I’ve had people ask me, ‘why are you wearing pants?’ and I’ve gotten some looks, but it’s become a lot less common as the weeks have gone on. Mostly [it has been] underclassmen, but [that’s because they didn’t know about Pants Thursday].”
“[The school] picks and chooses when they want to enforce the uniform policy.” Trezure Barnett But as they have started to wear pants, many of the girls have been surprised by some of the benefits it offers. Trezure Barnett discussed how “it turns out [that pants] are way more comfortable and [how she likes] them a lot more [because they help with how cold the school is]” along with how “girls are encouraging each other to wear pants together.
It’s more of a community thing [as opposed to a judgmental thing]. We really bonded over [it].” Likewise, Hamilton commented how she loves “the pants better than the skirt! If I’m doing anything, I don’t have to worry about anyone looking up my skirt, I can do what I want, and I’m a lot more confident. It’s also ridiculously cold in this building.” However, many of the girls have noticed that double standards continue to persist when they wear pants. For example, teachers will tell them to not wear pants again with no explanation, that their pants are too tight, or that they do not meet the specified guidelines (despite the fact that many of the girls expressly went through the handbook and found that the only requirement was the pants had to be docker style and navy blue or khaki in color, with no mention of tightness). This is thrown in sharper contrast with the boys, who do not get reprimanded to the same extent for tight pants, not wearing a belt, or wearing sagging pants. This is not to say that boys don’t get uniform violations, but it
All Smiles Here
Senior Sofie Urquiza is wearing pants!. She has been doing so all year. Photo by Rachael Lawler.
is not nearly to the same extent as girls. That is where the main issue lies. Many of the girls would not mind a strict uniform policy if both genders were treated equally in terms of strictness. It’s more the principle of everything that made me upset. An example of this is when Trezure “started wearing pants and [she] got called out for [her] pants not being the right kind or being too tight or something like that and [she thought] ‘the guys wear tight pants all the time and no one says anything and calls them out for it, but when I do it, it’s a problem.’ Kelli, Sofie, and Maggie agreed with Trezure about the idea that a double standard exists in regards to the uniform policy. Maggie even brought up how she thinks “that having a uniform
comes with rules, but the way that you present the rules to both genders leaves an impact on the students. When you present a uniform, you have to treat both genders equally, you can’t just have really strict rules for the girls and then have pretty laid-back rules for the guys.” This is what made many of the girls choose to wear pants: to try something different that changed the rules. One thing that has become clear is that Pants Thursday has helped all the girls grow closer. There is so much positivity surrounding the idea; girls encourage each other to wear pants and to be in it together. Some people may think of Pants Thursday as a revolution, but it is not that. More than anything, it’s a transformation that has
slowly started to take over the school. One that has a core message of support and understanding, of letting girls know that they do not have to squeeze into a narrow box that has been created for them.
Rachael Lawler Copy Editor
September Issue
15
Soccer is a Universal Sport
Over break, one of Aquinas’s very own traveled to Europe for the sporting experience of a lifetime.
T
his summer, junior Moira Kelley had the opportunity to go to Lyon, France to play with the France Lyonnais Women’s Academy Team. Kelley clinched 1 of only 32 spots available for the training. Playing soccer since 3 years old, Kelley describes how rewarding this experience was for her: “I love the sport. I know it’s something I can pursue because I have a talent so that pushes me” Kelley started her competitive soccer career at Sporting Blue Valley’s competitive team. At age 9, she switched to Legends competitive team where she attributes developing her footskills. By 13, she moved back to Sporting Blue Valley for their ECNL team. Her sophomore year of high school, Kelley joined Sporting’s DA team. This kept her from being eligible to play Aquinas soccer, but allowed her to play at a competitive level with colleges actively scouting her. Playing for the DA worked its magic, and Kelley committed to play soccer at KU September 3rd, 2017 as only a sophomore. The Sporting DA team gives their players many opportunities, however, it is not all fun and games. Kelley has been working very hard to succeed in soccer. With practices every week day except Fridays and up to 2 games per weekend, Kelley spends a majority of her time on the pitch. The hard work Kelley puts into developing her play clearly shows. This is why she was chosen by her club to go to France this
16
The Shield
summer. She flew from New York to France with the other 31 girls who she had never met before. The girls came from all over the US: Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Georgia and Virginia to name a few. At first it was scary for her because her parents were not going, but she quickly made friends with the other players. Once the players arrived in France, they had the opportunity to meet the Lyonnais Men and Women’s professional teams. Kelley worked with the women’s academy team in trainings 1-2 times a day. When she was not hard at work, Kelley went sightseeing and shopping with the other girls. Kelley and her new teammates played a game against France women’s professional D2 team in the middle of the week. They had another opportunity to show their new skills against the girl’s academy team and won! Kelley notes, “not knowing each other and having to adapt to playing styles it was cool to be able to say we beat them after [the women’s academy team] had been training all summer.” Some of Kelley’s favorite parts of her time in France include learning a style of play different from her own, training at the academy team’s level of play and meeting the girls. The girls Kelley played with were from all over, but were able to find common ground in their love for soccer. Some of the girls are in Kelley’s DA league, so they will be playing again but not as teammates.
Kelley is unsure where soccer will take her in the future. She isn’t sure if college will be the end of her soccer playing career but she will, “cross that bridge when it comes.” She was very grateful and honored to have this opportunity, knows she will use the skills she learned in France to develop her play here in Kansas. And who knows, maybe will we see Kelley’s name on our TVs someday.
New Friends
Kelley posing with a teammate during practice. Befriending the girls she met during her time in France was one of Kelley’s favorite parts. Photo courtesy of Kelley.
The New Aquinas F
rom the new fitness center, the innovation lab, the connection to St. Mary’s and the new security systems, the scenery around Aquinas has been changing. And the construction signs are endless. The 2020 Campaign, a $6.5 million plan, is currently in Phase 2. Exciting improvements such as the upstairs bathrooms, the trophy hallway and P.E. wing have been completed. Possibly the biggest renovation of Phase 2 is the Library to Learning Commons. With moving furniture, whiteboard tables, conference rooms, booth areas, the room is hardly recognizable. And it’s not over
yet. Big chandeliers and windows are still scheduled to be put in. President Dr. Ford describes the Learning Commons as, “somethin’ fresh, somethin’ new.” He wants the Learning Commons to be a collaborative space, something far off from a “Princeton or Harry Potter library.” It’s more than a library to him, everything can move to the needs of the students. Dr. Ford wants the needs of the students to be met with all these renovations. In regards to the bathrooms, Dr. Ford described them as “grody” and needed to be fixed. His favorite part is the Learning Commons and Innovation Lab because he thinks
these will benefit the students the most. Dr. Ford thinks the students of Aquinas should be most excited about the Learning Commons. It is a great environment to work. Instead of going and, “grabbing a round table in the commons,” as he puts it, the Learning Commons offers a unique variety of studying places. The Learning Commons is all about the connectivity of our Aquinas Community.
Summer Missionary T
his summer, sophomore Aj Rodriguez had the incredible experience of going to Cuba for mission work. He went with his mom for about a week, both being mission work rookies. His mom chose Cuba because it is very isolated but close to the US. They flew from Kansas to Miami, Florida and then from Miami to Cuba. The trip from Miami to Cuba was only about 40 minutes. When Aj and his mom arrived, they noticed how outdated Cuba was in comparison to Kansas. It is a totally different environment. The average income
is $13 a month. Aj and his mom stayed at different people’s houses through Airbnb. During the day they went out into Cuba with clothes and food to give to the people. Aj and his mom did not volunteer through any organization, they bought the clothes and food themselves to give to the people in need. This mission work experience was very life changing for Aj and his mom. With the atmosphere being so different, he was very grateful for the life he has. Aj thinks he will probably do mission work again. One
thing he wants everyone to know about Cuba and mission work is, “The life is so different. No wifi, no nothing. You’re a different person.”
Megan Kuckelman Freelancer
September Issue
17
18
The Shield
Halo News
Senior Will Strout and junior Katie Venteicher are practicing for their first broadcast during STA period. Halo is the newest club at Aquinas for students interested in journalism. Photo by Madison McMillen, The Shield.
September Issue
19
s’
Do students like the new Learning Commons?
“Johnny, Johnny...”
20
20
The Shield The Shield
s’
s’
Maggie Slaven Freelancer
September Issue
21
Aquinas: The 90’s & Now
A trip into The Shield archives shows how Aquinas has changed over the years.
B
ack in the 90’s when Kairos was first introduced, it was not nearly as big of a deal as it is now. Today, Kairos is one of the most memorable parts of high school for those who attend. It has been kept a secret throughout the years, yet talked about just enough by those who wear the iconic cross around their neck to keep the tradition going, the mystery retreat drawing students in. Saint Thomas Aquinas has gone from sending a mere six students on the retreat to over half of the senior class every year. This year, according to Director of Spiritual Development Sarah Cretors, there are 170 seniors signed up. This simple retreat has become an ongoing tradition and a way for the whole grade to create lasting bonds and friendships before heading off to college.
I
nternet Traps Teens in its Web is not a title we would see in today’s Shield. Over a short span, the school has gone from being cautious of the internet to setting up its own BYOD system so that every student can have a laptop or tablet of some kind for school. Moreover, we have computer classes and laptops from the library that students are allowed to borrow. We access important information like school events and our grades online through our own website, a drastic change compared to where we were technologically, just about a decade ago.
22
The Shield
W
hen Aquinas had far more students than the Archdiocese had originally anticipated, the Saint Mary addition was built. Finished by September 1998, St. Mary’s has since had a hallway built to connect it to the main building, a name change to “the 140 hallway,” or just “the offices.” With the Aquinas 2020 renovations, it now has the main office, the counseling offices, and the new physics rooms.
P
reparation for the ACT is still as important as ever. Today, we get post cards and emails reminding us to sign up for ACT preparation before we sit down and take the actual test. The only difference today is that there are now ways to prepare for the ACT without needing to sign up and pay for classes, as there are some sites that provide ACT practice questions for free.
P
ieces made its debut 20 years ago, and it is still running as strong as ever. Hundreds of students cycle through the school over the years, yet the amount of creativity and original content submitted has stayed consistent. There are many more photography related submissions now that digital cameras are so common as opposed to the first Pieces magazine, since, back then, it took a lot more to take a photo than pulling out your smartphone or technologically advanced digital camera.
September Issue
23
A
n argument almost as old as the school itself, community members have been bickering about how and to whom Aquinas funds should be alloted to for decades. Some community members would prefer that more be spent on the theatre program or show choir, while others think that it would be better spent on football or the like. Either way, the people in charge of the money at Aquinas are in a lose-lose situation. The bright side for Dr. Ford is that he is probably used to it by now.
F
rom skirt length to Pants Thursday, talk of uniforms has been going on since the dawn of private schools. Despite the rules put in place, it is hard not to question some of them, no matter how long and constant that rule has been. At the very least, this does show how the Saints are not afraid to stand up for what they believe in, even for something as trivial as uniforms.
T
he struggle is real, Saints. As we have seen, a lot can change throughout the years, but the same things stress out grade after grade. From learning foreign language conjugations to a never ending pile of homework to parents that love us dearly but cannot seem to understand how much pressure they put on us, we all worry about the same things. At least we know that if the classes before us handled this, then we can too.
24
The Shield
F
reshmen today will never know what it is like to hear Mr. Wilson yelling down the hall through a megaphone or what it is like to get stopped as you are rushing to a class because your shirt is untucked. A Latin teacher who arguably gave some of the hardest notes and tests taken in Freshman year and an esteemed cross country coach, he has been a respected figure in the school. As shown to the right, he was the first teacher to have a race officially named after him. Wilson has served Aquinas since its beginning in 1987 before retiring in May 2017. He has and will forever be a memorable piece of Aquinas history.
T
he 90’s were a much simpler time. Currently, The Shield needs to put most of the surveys on anonymous to get responses, and even then, usually only half of the school replies to them. Back then, Saints said sweet and embarrassing things proudly with a picture to their name just so everyone knows exactly who they are.
Clare Hernandez Senior Reporter
September Issue
25
School Year Stress The start of the school year for students means homework, tests, and stress!
A
fter a long summer break full of freedom and relaxation, school is the last thing students want to think about. The idea of returning to studying, tests, finals, and homework all bring up one emotion. Stress! School is notorious for bringing out the stress in all of us. Whether we handle it like pros or resort to losing our minds, everyone deals with it differently. Finding a balance between school and extracurricular activities proves to be very difficult for many of us. The high pressure on teens can bring on more stress than some know how to deal with. Surprisingly, even things that happen to us as children can contribute to how we handle challenging situations later in life. “Excess stress in early life - even in the womb - can ‘get under the skin’ to affect how the brain is wired as well as how genes are expressed” said Dr. Daniel P. Keating of the University of Michigan. A rare condition called Stress Dysregulation Syndrome can be detrimental to those who experience adversity from an early age. It can cause these kids to suffer socially and academically during school. They end up having more difficulty finding a positive learning environment and a motivation to go to school. Luckily this severe condition is rare, but the
26
The Shield
rest of us still need to understand how to cope with our anxieties. Rigorous studies and important decisions regarding our futures are both contributing factors to teen stress levels. We experience this through both mental and physical symptoms of stress. Common signs are getting anxious, feeling tired, procrastinating, and having negative thoughts. Everyone is unique and will experience different symptoms, but there are many ways to relieve this pressure. Working out is one of the most effective coping mechanisms. Getting physical activity can not only take your mind off things, but is so vital to the body’s overall health. Another important factor is sleep. It can be hard to get adequate shut-eye when schedules are so hectic. Ideally, teens are recommended 8-9 hours of sleep per night. Most are getting much less. Sleep is key for emotional and physical well-being, and can attribute to stress levels. When you’re happy and in a good state of mind, you can get a good perspective on how to deal with stress when it starts to settle in. As students of a tough, private high-school, how do we handle stress? 93 percent of students surveyed at Aquinas say they feel the general idea of school brings a certain kind of stress.
Without even beginning class, just walking through the doors makes some heart rates rise. From the loads of homework, to the teachers, many factors play a role in the stressful lives of teenagers. A majority of students say they worry most about quizzes, tests, presentations, homework, and teachers. When encountering these situations, there are lots of different ways STA students deal with it. Some sleep it off, while others say they take to Netflix to relax. Lots also listen to music to calm down. As a counselor at STA, Mrs. Cline knows what students stress about and how to help them deal with it. Around finals time is when the most kids seek the guidance of a counselor. She recommends finding what makes you happy,
and surrounding yourself with people you want to socialize with. Keeping emotions locked inside is never beneficial to yourself or your peers. There are always ways to relieve stress, but it just varies from person to person. Everyone just needs to find their best way to take a break and relax. Finding the best balance with school and our social lives is a challenge as well. School does not help relieve our stress levels. A study from the Washington Post states that the classroom environment can be harmful to students willingness to learn. If they are in a school lacking certain materials needed for their studies, the stress of educators can wear off onto their students. Their results proved that stress negatively affects how children learn. Schools are continuously
making improvements to give students a break. Local Blue Valley Schools have recently extended their lunch hours to give students time to socialize and do schoolwork. Olathe West has lots of new and unique learning environments in hopes to improve the desire to learn for students. Even here at STA, strides are being made towards helping the well-being of students.
Callie Ingram Reporter
college homework tests Anxiety
STRESS
school pressure
parents
quizzes
Open House Issue
27
The Social Spread Rachael Lawler Copy Editor
28
The Shield
Insights on Saints social media posts around and outside of Aquinas.
Want your posts, Snapchats, or Tweets featured in The Shield? Co ntac t r l aw l er 2 0@s tas aints. net.
September Issue
29
Last Look
September 2018
2
30
1 The Shield
3
5
44
1. An Aquinas player is moments away from what could either be another fumble or the teams next touchdown. Photo by Jasmine Nguyen, The Medallion. 2. Freshmen work together on decorating for their Medieval themed hallway. Photo by Madison McMillen, The Shield. 3. Senior Joe Dotterweich walking an incoming freshman down the red carpet. Photo by Madison McMillen, The Shield. 4. Seniors Avery Higgerson and Riley Hilger are crowned 2018 Homecoming King and Queen. Photo courtesy of Jasmine Nguyen, The Medallion. 5. Senior Tommy Tholen leads an incoming freshman down the red carpet. Photo by Madison McMillen, The Shield.
September Issue
31
The Shield Volume 31
The Students’ Voice of Saint Thomas Aquinas High School 11411 Pflumm Road Overland Park, Kansas 66210 (913) 345-1411 stashield stashield stashield aquinasgameday Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield
mhallauer@stasaints.net