October 2020 by The Shield (Saint Thomas Aquinas High School)

The Shield October Issue

sÂaints for the win

Senior Maddy Terril runs the touchdown flags with her fellow cheerleaders. Photo courtesy of Megan Whorley (Medallion yearbook staff).

Volume 32 l October Issue Volume 33 Staff Members Adviser I Matt Hallauer

The Shield Saint Thomas Aquinas High School

Editor-in-Chief I Moorea Gailloux Social Media Manager I Hailey Krumm Senior Reporter I Anabelle Goone Senior Reporter I Maria Palazuelos Senior Reporter I Noah Faddis Junior Reporter I Cameron Elias

The Shield

M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T The Shield is the studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; voice of Saint Thomas Aquinas High School. Published by students for the good of the whole Aquinas community, The Shield serves as a source of information and as a spark for productive change. Student reporters learn about the world of journalism while practicing ethical, holistic reporting practices. The Shield staff is responsible for the content published, striving to share information accurately, objectively, and completely for all members of the Saint Thomas Aquinas High School community. ADVE RTI S I N 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 I PT I ON 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 LE TTE R S P OL I CY 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.

Social Media

stashield aquinasgameday Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield stashield

Contents

4 12 20

Falling Into the School Year Letter from the Editor

ow! What a crazy year it has been already! I think everyone agrees that this is not what we envisioned for the year 2020, yet we have faced the challenges with the most resilience. Through quarantine, Zoom classes, and the stay-at-home, our community has changed so much and a student-lead newsource is very critical in a time like this. With that being said, I am very excited to be the Editor-in-Chief for Volume 33 of the Shield and can not wait to see all of things we accomplish this year. I encourage all students and staff to make the most of the experiences we get because we will never know when they can be stripped away from us again. The thoughts that arise when our alarm goes off in the morning is the same feeling we missed back in April when Prom was supposed to occur, and in May when graduation was meant to be in person. “We Will Find a Way” has never been more true to the Aquinas community! This year’s Shield staff showed up to school so grateful to be present with our classmates and not on Zoom. We worked incredibly hard this first month by taking in all

of the lessons in such a short amount of time and I could not be more proud of what we accomplished. In addition, social media manager Hailey Krumm and I restarted the @stashield Instagram and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do! This October issue discusses the importance of the protests and why they are occurring, as well as answers questions students had about the Coronavirus. The typical Aquinas gamedays have been affected by the pandemic so we were sure to cover all the changes that have taken place. In addition, Maria Palazuelos highlights “Quarantine Qualities,” while Erika Moll mentions small businesses inside the STA community! New teachers and the new executive student council members are introduced inside as well and Anabelle Goone dives into why coaches decide to do what they do.

Moorea gailloux Editor-In-Chief

All about� Gameday

The school is allowing fall sports to continue for now, however a gameday attendance policy is enforced now to keep everyone safe.

ur school has been one of few to allow fall sports to play, while others are gradually allowing limited opportunities. Though fall sports have continued, modifications have been made for fall games in order to protect everyone. Sarah Burgess, our Director of Athletics and Activities, describes these changes by being able to fill “20% of our stadium to allow for social distancing and help mitigate risk of spreading COVID.” While each “cheer, dance and band [member gets] two tickets, the football and soccer team receives 3 tickets for their family members” and visiting teams

The Shield

have a capacity of 200 people for immediate family members. Volleyball families are allotted up to five seats for immediate family members as well. Many students have been wondering if they will be able to attend the games this year.

“We obviously want everyone to attend who wants to attend, but we have to limit capacity, and felt the senior class should get first dibs on these.” Sarah Burgess

On September 11th the administration allowed 100 seniors to attend Friday night’s game. “The only negative...was that of the 100 people who signed up, 5 were no shows,” Burgess continues how “unfortunate [this is] as [she is] sure there were 5 seniors who would have loved to come to the game in their place. Don’t sign up if you can’t come to the game!” It was a successful test run as to what may come in the future since Saint Thomas Aquinas has begun contact tracing. If masks continue to be worn, social distancing put into affect, and cases continue to stay lower, the students have a better opportunity to attend.

Team captains of their fall the stay-in-home mandate. They later got approval for practices. sport mention how their “Practices were definitely a team is staying motivated little off for a couple days at the start of the season—players got during this uncertainty. tired and out of breath easier and

ur athletic teams are very grateful for the time they have to play what they love. Seniors Caroline Bien, Mitchell Farrar, and Tommy Hazen discuss how their team is making the most of their opportunities during this pandemic. In the beginning of the typical summer training, teams were unable to practice together due to

positive� Passing

Mitchell Farrar, soccer captain, looks for a pass from his teammates . Sophia Bond is seen warming up for volleyball midpassing! Photos by Michelle Gress.

were a little rusty from not playing for so long—but now the energy is completely back to normal,” volleyball player Caroline Bien explains. In addition, cross country has been affected in different ways by being unable to run all together. Senior Tommy Hazen says they “have to wear a mask for the first quarter mile of every race [and] cheering afterwards for [his] teammates has also been restricted to a degree.” Each team is able to have games right now with a limited amount of fans! Soccer captain Mitchell Farrar describes how the “students bring a certain atmosphere that motivates [everyone] even more while [they] play. Saying that, we still have the same goal to go out and win every game.”

“In the huddle before every game, we try to remind each other how grateful we should be for even getting the opportunity to have a season and play games, even if it is looking a little different.”

how to: be a part of gameday

from home

Halo Livestream: We are lucky to have student broadcasting which livestreams the football games. Check it out at https://stahalo.net/livestream/

Facebook Livestream: Each soccer game gets livestreamed on the Saint Thomas Aquinas Soccer Facebook account. Enojy watching it from the comfort of your own home.

Caroline Bien

Senior Volleyball Player

The new policies were made to protect the athletes and although the rest of the season is never guaranteed, each senior agrees that their team is making the most of each opportunity. “We can’t take anything for granted” (Hazen).

Moorea Gailloux Editor-in-Chief

October Issue

Say hello to stuco! Meet your 2020-2021 StuCo members!

stuco president: ben ferguson Meet your executive Student Council president, Ben Ferguson! Ben is a senior and has been a part of the StuCo family since he was a freshman. He was on class council for his first three years and was the sophomore class president. StuCo actually runs in the Ferguson family. Ben’s older sister was on StuCo when she attended Aquinas and is the reason that Ben started himself. His favorite thing about StuCo is bonding with the other members. He says that “they all share a love for the school and are all on it because they want to make Aquinas [a] better [place].” He is glad that he was able to meet so many other people from

The Shield

different grades that he wouldn’t have known if not for Student Council. Ben’s favorite thing about Aquinas are the little things like singing the alma mater, karaoke at lunch, and yearly picture with Santa. Ben says that “these small things make our school feel like a second home and second family.” Ben is also a part of the football team and NHS.

Executive Member: gabby mazzarese Gabby Mazzarese has been on StuCo all four years of her time at Aquinas. For the last three years she’s been on class council. She joined Student Council her freshman year because she thought “it would be a great way to get to know people and it was an opportunity to get involved with the school.” Gabby’s favorite part of StuCo is the canned food drive. She loves the late night runs with the other StuCo members and thinks, “it’s

awesome to hold a fundraiser [that is] so large and successful.” Gabby’s favorite thing about being a student at Aquinas is the school spirit. She loves the way everyone comes together to support one another’s activities. Gabby is also a part of varsity soccer and cheer, Key Club, Halo, Teens for Life, Spanish Club, varsity soccer manager, and NHS.

October Issue

Executive Member: Maria palazuelos Maria Palazuelos is a senior who has been on StuCo for two years at Aquinas. Her first two years at Aquinas, she didn’t run because she didn’t want to make a speech. Her junior year she decided to run and “realized how much [she] enjoyed it and how special the memories are.” Maria’s favorite part about Student Council is organizing school events. She has a talent for organization and loves planning things for the school. Maria loves working with the other members to plan spectacular dances, mixers and events for the Aquinas students. She loves the relationships she has made with other Student Council representatives from different grades. She also loves how StuCo has “allowed [her] to participate

The Shield

in events and experiences that [she] would not have been able to without being on StuCo.” Her favorite thing about Aquinas is that “everyone wants the best for each other.” The school helps everyone in the school become so successful and that’s what Maria loves best about going to STA. Maria is also a part of NHS, French NHS, French Club and Key Club. She is also a Senior Ambassador as well as the girls’ volleyball manager.

Executive Member: Timmy Novacek Timmy is a junior at STA and it is his third year on StuCo. His first two years, he was class president. Timmy initially joined StuCo because coming to Aquinas, he wanted to make a difference at the school. He loves Student Council because, “[he] can make the school [a] better [place] and continue the Aquinas legacy.” Timmy’s favorite part about StuCo is the canned food drive. He loves how “the whole school comes together for it and [it]

gives off a great sense of unity between friend groups and grades.” Timmy’s favorite thing about being at Aquinas is the community. He says, “even during the pandemic, the [Aquinas] community [found] a way to make the crazy year work and we are continuing to find [ways] to make this year fun.” Timmy is also a part of the bowling team and is an anchor for Halo.

Hailey Krumm Reporter

October Issue

Understanding the Virus

Our nation’s smartest struggle to understand it, but this is what we know.

oronavirus. It is a topic that we have all heard since March, at the beginning of this year, and continue to hear about. With so much information about the virus available to us, it can be hard to understand what exactly the virus is, as well as how it spreads. COVID-19, or the coronavirus, spreads through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person sneezes, coughs, or talks. These droplets can spread to anyone who is in close contact with them (about 6 feet). This 6-foot measurement can be amplified when someone is singing, as, when a study was done by Lund University in Sweden, researchers found that the louder and stronger the song was, the higher the concentration of respiratory droplets. This concentration, however, can be reduced to speaking level when wearing masks. So do masks work? A study done by the New England Journal of Medicine found that hundreds of respiratory droplets were generated when saying a single phrase, but that all of these droplets were blocked when the same phrase was said again with a damp washcloth in front of the mouth. Another study published in Health Affairs found that within five days after 15 states and the District of Columbia mandated masks, the COVID-19 daily growth rate slowed by .9 percentage points when com-

The Shield

pared to five days before the mask mandates. Three weeks later the daily growth rate had slowed by 2 percentage points. The CDC certainly recommends wearing masks and many scientists, such as UCSF epidemiologist George Rutherford,

What masks work? Cloth masks are recommended by the CDC, while also being the most comfortable and most available. N95 masks are only necessary for medical situations. The bottom line is that a mask needs to cover your mouth and nose while also being of comfort to you. What effects of coronavirus have we seen?

agree. “What you want is 100 percent of people to wear masks, but you’ll settle for 80 percent,” Rutherford said, citing a study done by multiple European researchers. This study predicted that if more than 80 percent of the population were to wear masks, it would reduce the spread of COVID-19 more than a strict lockdown.

The impact of coronavirus has varied internationally, nationally, on the state level, and locally. Based on data from the COVID Tracking Project run by The Atlantic, we know that internationally there have been about 962,266 deaths out of about 31,181,782 positive cases. The US has contributed about 6,852,313 of those cases with about 201,129 deaths. Kansas has had about 54,870 positive cases with exactly 600 deaths. Johnson County has seen 10,4 62 positive cases and 141 deaths.

Can you be infected more than once and what can that mean? Researchers in the Department of Microbiology at Hong Kong University studied a 33-year old man who first caught COVID-19 in March and again caught it in August. When he first caught it in March, he showed symptoms such as a fever, cough, sore throat, and lasting headache. When he caught it again, however, he showed no symptoms. Maria Van Kerkhove, an infectious epidemiologist with the World Health Organization, said “What we are learning about infection is that people develop an immune response.” This means that getting infected has the potential to increase your immunity. It is unclear for how long or to what extent this immunity is. What is clear is that getting infected multiple times is

lung from vaping). If a student tests positive for the coronavirus, the Aquinas protocol, based on the Saint Thomas Aquinas Return to School Plan, is to have that person stay home until they have shown no symptoms for three days following 10 days after the symptoms first arose or the positive test was produced. Those in close contact with

“If someone tests positive, we do our best to contact trace who that person was in close contact for 10 minutes or more and not wearing a mask.” Activities Director Sarah Burgess

Seniors Hailey Krumm and Moorea Gailloux are walking and talking while on the way to their Newspaper class. Even though they were wearing masks, you could still see that they’re happy to be here. Photo by Noah Faddis.

possible. So what does this mean for us? As young people, the majority of us will remain asymptomatic if we contract the coronavirus. The risk here is the people around us, such as our grandparents, immunocompromised people, and those with previous lung damage(i.e. Smokers or people with popcorn

someone who tests positive are required to quarantine for 14 days after the exposure. As we have seen with the couple of known positive cases that we have had, Aquinas is discerning between light contact and heavy contact. Light contact can be understood as being in proximity to an infected individual with your mask on while maintaining a six-foot distance (i.e. Those who sit

around you in class). Heavy contact can be defined as being around an infected individual without your mask on for more than 10 minutes (i.e. Eating lunch). Where is the cure? Presently, the timeline for a coronavirus vaccine is hard to predict, with many leaders saying different things. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Director of the CDC, has said that the vaccine is unlikely to come out by early November but that he is hopeful for its approval by the end of 2020. President Donald Trump has said that we can expect the vaccine as early as October. Vaccines usually take years of research and trials to find the one that works best against any given disease, so the expedition of this vaccine has come to everyone’s surprise. This can be credited to the U.S. government working in conjunction with several large pharmaceutical companies to find a cure, with researchers working 40 different vaccines. No vaccine has been approved for widespread use yet. Ways of creating and distributing these vaccines are already being manufactured preceding approval of their vaccine, making the approval a gamble since denial could come at a huge financial loss. You should always keep good hygiene rules, but it is important now more than ever. Remember to wash your hands, keep six feet apart from other people, and have your mask on whenever you’re with people outside of your household. While we may not feel the effects of the coronavirus, others will, so it is important to keep them in mind.

Noah faddis Reporter

October Issue

QUarantine Qualities As unideal as this pandemic is, it’s good to find the silver linings in bad situations. This is what the students here at Aquinas had to say about about their quarantine experiences. Responses were collected from a Shield survey sent out to all students via email.

What is the most interesting thing that happened to you during quarantine? 1. “I babysat my cousins who live in St. Louis because they couldn’t go to daycare and they wanted a nanny they knew.” -Lorelei Teddy

5. “During the height of the unemployment crisis I got a job at McDonald’s but then I quit two days later.” -Brandon Haynes

2. “I grew and completely changed as a person like completely it’s crazy.” -Makenna Mueller

7. “My dad had to work for like 15 hours a day because we had to lay off a lot of people at the restaurant we own.” -Ziga Lomshek

3. “I got to explore some new interests of mine. I discovered that I have a fondness for writing, it helps me cope with things I am otherwise unable to deal with. It’s an escape from reality, a chance to take a break and express everything and anything. I was also able to see my cousin a lot more. When I’d usually only see them about three times a year. That for me was such a blessing.” -Rease Novotny

8. “My aunt who lives in Georgia was the first doctor to treat the first positive person in her hospital back in March. Two days later she actually got Covid and was out for a week before going back to work.” -Jeannette Townsend 9. “There was $10 on the ground at Walmart. Since there was a lack of people I got $10 for FREE.” -Lawson Montalvo

10. “I watched every episode of the office at least 3 times.” -Isabella Ferraro 11. “I had to drive home from Colorado, after four hours of being there, upon finding out I had been exposed to COVID at work.” -Ella Hoffman 12. “My baby brother was born during quarantine.”-Ashlyn Turner 13. “I learned how to speak more Russian and Macedonian. My grandma is from Yugoslavia and she stayed with us for quarantine so when she would talk to me I had to relearn more of the languages so I could have a conversation.” -Maddy Gaddy

Maria Palazuelos Reporter

What is one good thing that happened during quarantine? 1. “Getting to spend more time with family.” -Brooke Kish 2. “I was very happy. I was in shock, never thought it would happen in my life but it did.” -Gretta Hauk 3. “I got to spend time working on myself.” -Grace Lucas 4. “I am now better educated and a better person than I was before.” -Makenna Mueller 5. “I had time to take a break from all the usual chaos of sports and school, all the activities that were keeping me preoccupied. Time often slips through my fingers so easily I rarely have a chance to reflect on what I had done that day, all

The Shield

the gifts that I have been given, the good, the bad, and everything in between. We’re always so busy that we forget to set aside time to enjoy life’s little moments. Quarantine has opened my eyes to look at my life from a new perspective and filter.” -Rease Novotny

9. “Everyone is excited to do all the things we weren’t allowed to do beforehand.” -Tatum McMurry

6. “It made me realize how valuable the friendships I have are and how much I take for granted the time I get to spend with my friends.” -Amber Burns

11. “I learned how to be happy with myself and I actually gained self confidence.” -Jillian Vervynck

7. “I realized how much I value going to school.” -Elizabeth Morrissey

12. “Learning what it’s like to be creative and think of how to do things when in a weird situation.” -Jeannette Townsend

8. “I’ve gotten to see everyday things in perspective as more special now. I don’t take anything for granted.” -Anna Stoll

10. “I learned more about myself then I think I would have been able to at any other point in time.” -Brandon Haynes

13. “My dad travels a lot so I got to spend way more time with him than I usually do.” - Zoe Demand

The Art of Enterprise In awe of acrylic Although watercolors are her favorite, Rhodus has recently loved working with acrylic paint on canvas.

Junior Abigail Rhodus built a successful business through her lifelong passion.

A rt is her gift, her passion, and now, her business as well.

Brush stroke of genius

This self portrait that Abigail fabricated during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic perfectly encapsulates her talent and ingenuity.

custom creations

Looking to purchase one of Abigail’s paintings? Visit her instagram account @marigoldpaints, and keep an eye out for future art fairs, and a soon to be Etsy account.

Erika Moll Reporter

Abigail Rhodus, a junior at STA, is painting her way into the world of entrepeneurship one brush stroke at a time. “I don’t stress much about school, life, or any problems when I’m doing art,” said Rhodus, who explains the artistic process as nothing short of theraputic. Although she’s been an avid artist her entire life, Abigail is fairly new to the business world. However, the talent, creativity, and individuality she pours into her work has certainly earned her major recognition in our community. “The most exciting part,” according to Rhodus, “was winning an award at the Archbishop’s Invitational.” Rapidly gaining fame and support, it’s shocking that her growing business is only three months old. It all began this summer with an instagram account, and an art booth. Abigail was looking to sell and showcase her talent--and that she did! Her art booth was wildly

sucessful--and the funds earned went straight back into her buisiness, her art in popular demand ever since. Rhodus primarily sells her art via her instagram account, although she’s made quite a few sales on Facebook as well. On top of that, Abigail highly recommends new entrepreneurs to open an Esty account, which she also plans to do so in the near future. Abigail’s innovation and ability can only be matched by her versatility. She is often commisioned to create custom works, and does so with flair and sophistication. Although her artwork sells quickly, Rhodus is planning to offer selection and availibility to her customers by creating “ten pieces, and posting them all in a week or ten days.” As its splash of color in the local scene keeps growing, make sure to keep an eye out for Abigail’s masterpieces on instagram, around the community, and eventually in the Louvre.

October Issue

social spread

The Shield

Survey Spread How old is too old to trick-or-treat?

What was your favorite Halloween costume as a kid?

The Progressive boxZach Meyer “A 19th Century English Lady”Sophia McCurdy

Top Results for Favorite Halloween Movie: 19.1%

Dr.PhilAshley Newcomer

“My mom’s boyfriend Tom”Aidan Brooks

“Abe Lincoln”Nathan Tai October Issue

Welcome to Aquinas We are very excited to see some new faces on the Aquinas staff this year. Let’s get to know them a little bit and give them a very warm welcome! Paul Fallon - President

1. Tell us a little about yourself. “I attended Catholic schools from grade one through twelve, in New Jersey. After graduating, the family moved to Wheaton, Illinois. I attended a junior college - the College of DuPage, to save money. I worked full-time as an undercover store cop - catching shoplifters and dishonest employees. While in Wheaton, I transferred to the Univ. of Illinois, Chicago, and received a BA in Psychology. Upon graduation, I accepted a commission in the U. S. Marine Corps. After deploying to Europe and doing other jobs as a Marine Officer, I entered the teaching profession and went from substitute teacher to Superintendent over the next years.” 2. Why were you interested in Aquinas? “STA’s potential compelled me to pursue and accept the President position. You have earned a great reputation in the region and beyond. With that strong base, I envision getting the conditions right for students and faculty to excel. I also see a unique niche in becoming the region’s premier student-leader development school. With regard to what I like about STA, everyone is nice. When I look at people, I do not see the surface. I seek and find Christ in everyone. I see Him in each of you. Now, I have to invite you to find Him in yourself and then in each other.” 3. Is there anything you are looking forward to in particular this year? “Normally, the first year is about observing and listening. I did some of that before I came. I answered student questions, in a survey that 334 of you, your parents, our faculty, and alums responded to. I keep an ‘open door’ policy to remain accessible to students... that means you can stop in just to chat or bring me some ideas. I look forward to facilitating leadership seminars starting second semester. No one else in the country is doing this!”

Paul Fallon

Dr. Paul Fallon is experienced in many areas. He’s been involved in things rom a Marine to a pilot to a school president. Photo by Saint Thomas Aquinas.

Larry Greytak - Science Teacher

1. Tell us a little about yourself. “I grew up in Montana on a farm 4 miles from Canada. I graduated from Montana State University in engineering and began my career in Wichita. I was an engineer then a real commercial estate agent then a teacher then an engineer again, and now teacher again! I am married, have 2 adult sons, and no pets! I’m new to the KC area and I’m looking forward to exploring more bike paths.” 2. Why were you interested in Aquinas? “I taught chemistry at Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic HS in Wichita for 9 years but I love being back in a spiritually based learning environment - and STA kids are uplifting and inspiring. Also, Big Mo is a very nice man and we have a good X country team, I hear.”

Larry Greytak

Greytak is a very experienced man in many areas as well. If you ever need help in engineering, real commercial estate, or science, he can probably help you out. Photo from Larry Greytak.

The Shield

3. Is there anything you are looking forward to in particular this year? “Seeing my students’ faces and Christmas break. Did I say that out loud?”

Karen Frederick - Attendance

1. Tell us a little about yourself. “I grew up in Great Bend, KS and I am the youngest of 10 children. I moved to the Kansas City area after college and I worked as an accountant in the mutual fund industry, until we had children and then I was blessed to stay home with them until I started here at Aquinas. I have been married for 32 years to my husband Terry and we have three sons, who all graduated from Aquinas, Jason (15), Will (17) and Jarod (20). We also have two Westies, Scout and Phoebe and a cat, Callie.” 2. Why were you interested in Aquinas? “Since Jarod was graduating I decided I wanted to get back into the workforce. While the boys were young I did many volunteer activities for them in their schools, scouts and teaching SOR classes. Coming back into the workforce, I wanted to go somewhere that shared the same values I have. I was very fortunate and blessed that there was an opening at Aquinas. Aquinas is like a second family, where people care about each other. Everyone is very nice and helpful. I look forward to getting to know more people and I hope this is a good year for everyone.”

Karen Frederick

Born and rasied in Great Bend, KS, Frederick chose to make the move to KC after college. She started off as an accountant and will now join us in the attendance office. Photo by Saint Thomas Aquinas.

3. Is there anything you are looking forward to in particular this year? “I am looking forward to meeting new people this year.”

Kristal Shanahan - English Teacher

1. Tell us a little about yourself. “I taught at Holy Trinity for 6 years; reading and English. Before that I was a substitute teacher for two local school districts for five years. I liked the flexibility to spend more time with my daughters when they were younger while substitute teaching and going to graduate school (Rockhurst University). My husband Matt works at Burns & McDonnell in the Environmental division. My oldest daughter Allison is a photography student at KU and creating a wonderful portfolio of work through her photography work in weddings, senior pictures, family photos, and friend photo shoots. My other daughter Erin is an 8th grader in Olathe. She’s had much academic success in her education. She’s in choir and has a beautiful voice. I’m trying to convince her to join STA next year, fingers-crossed! I’m proud of my family and my daughters’ accomplishments.” 2. Why were you interested in Aquinas? “I was interested in St. Thomas Aquinas because I wanted to teach at a high school or collegiate level. When presented with the possibility, I jumped at the opportunity to continue to teach in a Catholic school environment with a fun infectious atmosphere! My experience here has been positive and I’m happy beyond measure to join the STA family!” 3. Is there anything you are looking forward to in particular this year? “I always look forward to seeing my previous Holy Trinity students, I think of them as my students for life, and that goes for all students now and in the future. I love the energy here at STA, the students and staff are so friendly and I look forward to getting to know everyone better this year. Attending Kristal SHanahan sporting events, musicals, choir performances are something I look forward Holy Trinity people will recognize Shanahan. She to this year and in years to come.” worked there for 6 years but decided she wanted to teach at a high school or collegiate level. Photo by Kristal Shanahan.

October Issue

Claire Smeltzer - English Teacher

1. Tell us a little about yourself. “I was born and raised in KC. I went to Miege for high school and Benedictine College for my undergrad. In high school, I was a lifeguard for the Prairie Village Pool. While I was in college, I taught a cooking class through the Shawnee Mission School District’s Summer Enrichment Program. I was teaching kids age 6-11 how to make everything from chocolate chip cookies to ratatouille! I went home almost everyday with flour in my hair, but I still had a lot of fun! Before coming to Aquinas, I taught juniors and freshmen at St. Teresa’s Academy. So I made the hop from one STA to another! “ 2. Why were you interested in Aqunias? “Even as a stag, I always had a great impression of Aquinas. The students seemed to be intelligent and kind individuals who really care about their school. Now that I’m here, I can confirm that my first impression was correct!”

CLaire Smeltzer

From a Stag to a Saint! Smeltzer attended Miege for high school, taught at St. Teresa’s, and is now joining us at Aquinas. Photo by Claire Smeltzer.

3. Is there anything you are looking forward to in particular this year? “I am excited to discuss literature with my seniors and sophomores! For my seniors, I am excited for the mystery unit where we will read Murder on the Orient Express. For my sophomores, I’m especially excited to discuss Oedipus Rex with them as it is one of my favorite plays!”

Denise Whelan - Associate Campus Minister

1. Tell us a little about yourself. “I was born in Kansas City, but moved to St. Louis when I was five. So I grew up in St. Louis right by Six Flags. I have three siblings. My sister is 3 years younger and I have identical twin brothers who are three years older. For college, I went to Rockhurst for a year, Benedictine for a year and a half, then took a semester off and lived at a mission in San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala, before returning to college at the University of MissouriColumbia. After college, I worked for Catholic Mission trips for a short time before moving back to Guatemala for two and a half months. I then returned and worked in a professional theatre for a short time before becoming the Youth Minister and Coordinator of Religious Education at a small church in Palmyra Missouri. After being there for three years, I decided I wanted to be closer to family and moved to Kansas City and started as the Director of Youth Ministry at St. James in Liberty, MO.” 2. Why were you interested in Aquinas? “I was interested in the position at Aquinas, because I loved the idea of getting to be in schools with youth. I have been working with youth for almost a decade and was really excited about the opportunity to be in schools with them. I also love the idea of getting to spread faith throughout the school. I love the positive energy Aquinas has. I am loving learning about the students and the staff.” 3. Is there anything you are looking forward to in particular this year? “This year is a crazy year. I am excited about what creative ideas we can come up with to serve the school in Campus Ministry. This year is not going to look like normal years since we are in a pandemic, however, that just means we will have to get creative. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for us this year.”

The Shield

Denise Whelan

We’ve gained a new Associate Campus Minister and a new furry friend! Whelan is very excited to be working with the youth here at Aquinas. Photo by Maria Palazuelos.

Bryan Thelen - Latin Teacher

1. Tell us a little about yourself. “I went to Aquinas and graduated in 2008. I just married my wife, Katie, on September 12. We met in undergrad at KU through mutual friends at the St. Lawrence Center. We did not start dating until after I left seminary after the fall semester in 2018. I taught German at Aquinas from 2012-2018, and I left when I decided to try out seminary.” 2. Why were you interested in Aquinas? “After I realized I was not called to the priesthood, I wanted to return to teaching. Aquinas did not have any openings last year, so I taught Theology at Bishop Ward. It was a good experience, but I realized that Ward was not the greatest fit for me. I found out Aquinas had an opening for Latin and that is when I decided to try and return. I love the determination of the students and faculty to excel in all different facets of life. The community is really great, and I enjoy being part of a group of people who strives to be their best! I also am an assistant coach for cross country and I love working with the athletes and watching them grow in grit and success.” 3. Is there anything you are looking forward to in particular this year? “I am really enjoying being back in the classroom.”

FUN FACTS: Paul Fallon 1. He has never missed a day of school in 30 years. 2. He loves to fly and has flown over STA to take aerial shots. 3. He has coached many sports, basketball being the main one. He explained, “I am a fundamentals coach - no ‘streetball’ allowed. So, if you want to build your fundamental game, let’s head for the gym. Don’t be surprised if I make you shoot from inside a big refrigerator cardboard box - using shooting side alignment to get a better angle and not get packed.” Larry Greytak 1. Farthest north / south traveled: North Pole, Alaska / Bogota, Colombia 2. Best Concert: Neil Diamond 3. Developing Super Power: Reading minds...but not quite there yet.

Karen Frederick 1. She likes to cross stitch. 2. She likes to read. She is currently reading Brandon Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archive. 3. She is a classically trained vocalist. She was in the chorus of few musicals at Theater in the Park in the mid-90’s. Kristal Shanahan 1. In 1991, she marched in the Fiesta Bowl Parade which was televised. She marched as a member of the color guard team from high school. 2. About seven years ago she met former Chiefs football player Will Shields at a charity event. 3. She’s also met amazing authors at the annual National Council Teachers of English Convention. Erin Gruwell, Neal Schusterman, Kwame Alexander, Lori Halse Anderson, and James Dashner to name a few. Claire Smeltzer 1. She was a synchronized swimmer at the Prairie Village pool. 2. Her favorite book is The Godfather. 3. She started listening to Christmas music on September 1st.

Mr. Thelen

Mr. Thelen has returned! He is very excited to be back in the community and back in the classroom.. Photo by Mr. Thelen.

Denise Whelan 1. She has broken all of her fingers at least twice. 2. She lived in Guatemala. 3. She has a giant dog who is trained to work with high school students. He comes to school with her some days. 4. BONUS: All of her siblings met their spouses on tinder. Bryan Thelen 1. In addition to the seminary, he also tried out religious life with two different religious communities. 2. Both of his siblings also graduated from Aquinas and his parents went to St. Joseph High School. 3. He’s a “pretty terrible sports fan.” He went to KU and attended zero basketball games as a student. His wife and him, however, have attended two since they started dating, and they’ve enjoyed them a lot!

Maria Palazuelos Reporter

October Issue

I Can t Breathe

Picture by alum Mike Zingg

The Shield

8 MINUTES AND 46 SECONDS

How the protests about Black Lives Matter affected our world and our community.

t only took 8 minutes and 46 seconds to ignite a movement, a botched search warrant to end a life, a plastic bag to suffocate America, and 7 gunshots to take someone’s right to walk. Footage of a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, enraged the nation. According to police reports, Mr. Floyd was arrested for allegedly paying with a fake twenty-dollar bill at a local grocery store. After the death of George Floyd, old and new cases of police brutality caught America’s attention. Breonna Taylor was shot and killed when police came on a “no-knock” search warrant to her apartment. According to BBC news, the police were called at night to search in an apartment for drugs and suspected that Ms. Taylor’s ex-boyfriend used the apartment as a place to sell drugs. No drugs were found according to the police accounts. According to the police officers’ claims, they announced themselves before breaking the door open. Taylor’s boyfriend, however, allegedly did not hear their announcement and fired through the door, wounding a police officer. The police shot several times into the apartment, killing Ms. Taylor. Another report surfaced on national news from Kenosha, Wisconsin, about the paralyzing of Jacob Blake, an African American, who was shot seven times in the back on his way into his car. According to USA Today, the police believed he had a knife, but the

Speaking Loud for all to hear

Mayor Quinton Lucas speaking at protests. He spoke about the need to spread message BLM in our city. Photo by alum Mike Zingg. video does not make it conclusive enough to support the claim that he had a knife in his hands. The shocking deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Daniel Prude, and many more that are left to the bye-and-bye have summoned Americans to go out and get into what the late civil rights leader John Lewis called “good trouble.” Our nation was filled with many peaceful protests that advocated for the rights of our neighbors, but soon some protests turned into chaos.

Violence raged in the streets and the deployment of federal forces in our cities overshadowed the message that black lives matter. Clashes with police and the prosecution of officers are contributing factors to violent protests. Shockingly, a white seventeen-year-old boy strolled through the streets of Kenosha, Wisconsin, in the sight of police and shot two innocent protestors with a military-style semi-automatic weapon. How can this happen?

October October Issue

fighting for justice

People peaceful protesting out in Kansas City, MO. They were protesting for BLM and the fight against racial inequality. Photo by alum Mike Zingg.

Within our Aquinas community, students speak of how they feel.

ith the recent protests hitting the news, it is important to see how our world will influence us here in our Aquinas community. During this unprecedented time, it is important to understand the student’s perspective on the matter and whether or not it is important to discuss the protests in the classroom. When asked about her views and opinions on the Black Lives Matter protests, freshman Isabella Ferraro and senior Ava Budetti, both support the message of Black Lives Matter. Isabella said she feels that she should get involved since the movement is a part of her generation, but she doesn’t approve “of the violent rioting because that’s fighting violence with violence.” Senior Ava Budetti was

The Shield

actually in Louisville when protests There were broken windows in the over the death of Breonna Taylor were downtown area and there was graffiti beginning. all over the place the next day. According to Budetti, there She states that she believes were both peaceful and non-peaceful that the peaceful protests are protests where people walked on important but also thinks some of the the streets praying and chanting but non-peaceful protests are really going people also rioted. to be what changes things. She does not “see a reason why people would care more about broken windows and graffiti than people of color being killed and oppressed.” Both Isabella and Ava agreed that it is important that Aquinas should talk about the protests since it is a big event going on right now and make it clear that they are for Ava Budetti equality.

“It was one of those moments where you could feel the emotion in the air.”

How are teachers dealing with the Black Lives Matter movement?

arah Ikenberry, our head varsity volleyball coach and the Director of Spiritual Development, said she thinks allowing space for students and players to have open dialogue about race is important.

“Teachers and coaches can’t be scared to address these topics or shy away from conversations.” Sarah Ikenberry She believes that change needs to happen in the United States but not through violence.

English teacher Andrew Lee, who attended an anti-bullying class over the summer, said that his goals regarding bullying revolve around our academic campus rather than the public environment. He respects free speech and the right to protest since they are both important components to our democracy. Theology teacher Sonya Salazar said she has talked about the protests with her own children and went to a protest over racial injustice. According to Mrs. Salazar, Aquinas helped the faculty address public bias in the classroom by having “an implicit bias training during the Professional Development days before school started.”

Mrs. Salazar is incorporating a whole class unit in her classroom about the topic of racial justice taught from the perspective of the Catholic Church.

“We must speak out against injustice peacefully and powerfully.” Sonya Salazar

Cameron Elias Reporter

Black Lives Matter

Photo that respresents the effort to spreead the message of BLM through love. Photo by Alisa Wismer.

October Issue

Our

WE LOVE

COACHES

And Aquinas coaches love coaching, even during a difficult, tumultous season.

s a senior, you begin thinking about what you want to be when you grow up. You start looking around to people you admire. For many people, they look up to their coaches. The coaches at Aquinas all truly have a passion for coaching. So if you think you might share the same passion as your favorite coach, you might consider becoming one yourself.

Ikenberry

Director of Spiritual Development Sarah Ikenberry’s love for volleyball started when she was young. She played volleyball at Aquinas and even won the program’s first state championship in 1995. She decided not to play in college, but found that she was still missing something. When her younger sister needed a club coach, she offered to coach - the rest is history. Now she’s been coaching for more than 20 years and has loved every second of it. “Building relationships with my players is the most rewarding part for me,” Ikenberry said. “Seeing them grow as players, but also as people. I stay in contact with many former players.” This season obviously looks a little different for the players and coaches. Ikenberry is working to keep the positivity and motivation high. “Taking every practice and game as a gift. A number of different times we didn’t think we would have a season, so just working hard and trying to improve with the time we get in the gym is something to celebrate.”

The Shield

warm up pep talk

Coach Ikenberry gives the varsity volleyball team a pep talk before they play Washburn Rural at St. James. The Saints have climbed to a No. 7 national ranking. Photo by Michelle Gress

“Taking every practice and game as a gift...Just working hard and trying to improve with the time we get in the gym is something to celebrate.” Sarah Ikenberry

state smiles

The 2019 Saints girls golf team are recognized at halftime of a 2019 football game for winning a third straight state championship. Coach Best has led the boys and girls golf teams to 16 state championships. Photo courtesy of Michelle Gress.

You may know Coach Ryan Best as the teacher who raps at every state assembly when golf wins a state championship, but he is also the theology department chairman. He was known in high school and college as a superb basketball player, but he also had a talent for playing golf. He would have never discovered his golf talent if one of his friends had not talked him into playing. Best had an amazing basketball coach, Coach Meseke, that inspired him, “to be a coach and use sports to work hard, reach goals, be a great team player, etc.” However he found a love for golf as a sport because it has a great mental aspect and it had a way of teaching you

“I love seeing players reach their goals and have the confidence to play their best at the highest stage and level. They see how all the hard work and practice helps them be the best version of themselves they can be.”

Coach Best life lessons. Ever since he’s gotten out of college, he’s been coaching. He’s been a coach at Aquinas since 1997. “I love seeing players reach their goals and have the confidence to play their best at the highest stage and level,” Best said. “They see how all the hard work and practice helps them be the best version of themselves they can be.” Best’s teams have spent a lot of time on the highest stages. In the last 18

years, his teams have won state 16 times and placed 2nd another seven times. With all of the extra stress and anxiety due to COVID this year, he is relying on his faith, family, and community. “Sports are an important part of my life, but in a way sports can be a place to show my faith, a 2nd family, and a part of a larger community that helps each other in tough times.”

October Issue

Wrigley Many students know Coach Justin Wrigley as a substitute teacher, but more than a hundred Saints know him as the head coach for boys and girls cross country and track and field. Wrigley has always had a passion for running. He ran in high school at Bishop Meige and in college at Kansas State. He had never really given any thought about becoming a coach. After his running career ended with injury and disappointment, he decided to take a break from running. It wasn’t until he saw an ad in summer 2001 that Aquinas was looking for an assistant coach that he considered coaching. Never did he picture what would happen next. Everything changed for him at Aquinas. “I met Greg Wilson, the STA legend and head cross country coach. The day I met him I was immediately inspired and started to believe this was something I would want to do forever.” Now he’s in his 20th year coaching cross country and is loving every second of it. Wrigley loves watching the kids grow up before his eyes. “When you work with distance runners you get most of them for cross country and track, and so many will also run all summer and winter. You have these kids in your lives almost every day for four years and you watch them get bigger, stronger, faster, more confident and more social. Many of them grow up from shy little freshmen into strong, confident, independent seniors.” Coach Wrigley knows how important it is for kids to be able to play sports, especially during a pandemic. He hopes that this fall, he can provide a safe opportunity to the runners of STA so that they have a place to go to have fun, stability, socialization, exercise, and of course a little competition. “Being able to work with the kids every day again has brought a significant amount of joy back in my life and I hope that the kids feel the same way about being back together again.”

The Shield

Group huddle!

Coach Wrigley chats to the girls cross country team before the 2019 Greg Wilson Classic. The Classic was canceled this year along with many other of the most prestigious meets on the schedule, but the Saints are still fighting for a 5A State title. Photo by Michelle Gress.

beat the stags

Coach Randy Dreiling instructs his team during a timeout. The Saints defeated rival Bishop Miege 41-35 in their second game of the season. Dreiling has been a head football coach for 30 years. Photo courtesy of Michele Gress.

Dreiling

Many know Coach Randy Dreiling as the head coach of our very popular football team. Our football team would not be the great team it is without the work ethic, drive, and motivation that Dreiling instills in his athletes. Dreiling knows how to coach high school football so well because he was in their shoes. In high school, he played as quarterback and linebacker, giving him insight to how multiple positions function.

“Just hope and pray that these guys get to finish the season.” Randy Dreiling He loves football so much that he never had a doubt in his mind that he would be a coach. In fact, he’s been a coach since 1983 and even coached some of his current players’ dads when he was in college. The reason he works so hard is to

get to see the average athletes become great players. It’s a true testament to his coaching ability to see how much the players progress from freshman to senior year. This year poses a struggle for fall sports. The rules and stipulations to get to play can change every week. With such an unofficial season, Dreiling said all that is left to do is “Just hope and pray that these guys get to finish the season.” Especially for all of the senior athletes who want to finish their senior year on a strong note.

Ewing

Coach Craig Ewing, now retired as an English teacher, is the head boys soccer coach. Ewing found soccer in a different way than most others. His high school didn’t have soccer as a sport, so he didn’t really know much about it until he discovered soccer as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala. He has always loved sports. He “played many, and loves putting a team together and

seeing it get better.” So that’s why it is no surprise that he’s been coaching for 39 years, 33 of those years being at Aquinas. Ewing loves being a coach because he gets to see his team come together to reach their goals and it’s truly a blessing to watch. This summer to get them ready for

“Played many [sports]

and loves putting a team together and seeing it get better.”

Craig Ewing the fall season, they were able to play in some tournaments and even get to have a summer league. Not even COVID can stop them from playing. Ewing said that his players have been so good at following all the protocols to ensure that they’ll get to play this season. The theme that the soccer players chose is “Strictly Business” and the whole boys soccer department has handled things in such a business-like manner.

October Issue

Last look Photo by Emma Brooks (Medallion yearbook staff)

Photo by Sarah Anliker (Medallion yearbook staff)

Photo by Michele Gress

Photo by Sarah Anliker Photo by Kate Marshall (Medallion yearbook staff)