State Champs
The Saints players celebrates their first state football championship in the school’s history after defeating WichitaNorthwest 49-28 on Nov. 24. Photo by Jasmine Nguyen, The Medallion.
The Shield November & December Issue
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
M IS S IO N 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. ADVER 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 SUB S CR 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
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God Sent Us Saints
Fall Sports Roundup
Sister Act
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Misbehaving Teens
Survey Spread
Canopoly 2018
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Christmas Gift Guide
Social Spread
Last Look
Letter from the Editor
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nother semester is almost in the books, Saints. Four months of math tests, uniforms and waking up before the sun already under our belts. How does it feel? Technically we still have another four more, but for the time being we have the halfway mark to look forward to. We can see the end, and though we still have a ways to go, it doesn’t seem so far off. In the midst of all the chaos that is finals season, it’s easy to forget what makes our community great, what makes each one of us great. In this issue, we cover adoption and how it is part of the Saint Thomas Aquinas story. Saints opened up and shared their own experiences with the foster care system and adoption, explaining how they were welcomed into the arms of the people they now call family. Now that the giant blue and gold Christmas tree is up in the Commons, the entire school is feeling red and green (too cheesy?). A gift giving guide is
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featured in this issue, with some holiday tips. We also took a look at the naughty and nice list and asked the Aquinas community how they felt about discipline regarding teen misbehavior. Fall is always chock-full of activities, and now that we’re waving the season goodbye, the staff decided to recap some of Aquinas’ autumn highlights with Sister Act, Fall Sports Roundup, and Canopoly 2018. It’s easy to let the pace of the season swept you off your feet and leave you wondering how it’s already January. Don’t let that happen. Live in the moment that is presented to you because it’s the best gift you’ve got. Happy holidays, Saints.
Madison McMillen Editor-in-Chief
Community News Finals Week
As 2018 comes to an end, finals are creeping up. Students are working harder than ever before to hit the magical grades of 86 and 96. Saints will be studying hard to ace the last exams of this year. Finals take place next week, from Dec. 15 to Dec. 18.
NHS Christmas
The annual NHS Christmas project drive is upon us once again. Each STA period has adopted a family, and students will be bringing in gifts and money. Because of the Aquinas students, many families will be able to enjoy a Christmas with gifts that they could not otherwise provide. Gifts include toys for children as well as coats, blankets, and cooking and household supplies.
Stress Less Fest
With finals drawing near, students have been finding themselves extremely stressed out. Counselor Laura Cline helped them cope with a Stress Less Fest. The event included several activities, such as meditating and singing in praise and worship, petting therapy animals, coloring, and more. Pietra Fitness was also present, allowing students to participate in stretching, breathing, and relaxing.
National News George W. Bush Passes at 94 George Bush, the 41st president of the United States and the father of the 43rd, passed away on Nov. 30th. His death came only 8 months after the passing of his wife of 73 years, Barbara Bush. (The New York Times)
Alaskan Oil Access
Advocates for oil drilling advocates have been working to get exploration underway in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. President Trump is on their side, but environmentalists worry about some of the animals, such as polar bears and caribou. The area is 19-million-acres of wilderness. (The New York Times)
Juice or Pine-Sol?
A preschool in Hawaii is reviewing snacks after three children drank small amounts of Pine-Sol, a household cleaning product, instead of apple juice. Inspectors say the assistant accidentally picked up the identically colored Pine-Sol off the cleaning cart. Paramedics were called, but they found no signs of trauma or sickness. (The Associated Press)
World News Trade War Truce
The United States and China have reached a truce in the trade war. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping have called a 90-day truce until March 1. The U.S. postponed a tariff increase on $200 billion in Chinese imports.
The Yellow Vests
After weeks of protests by people wearing yellow safety vests, France has put the country’s planned fuel tax on hold. Antifuel tax protests have created a riot. People have looted stores and burned cars in the protest. The protests resulted in four deaths. Prime Minister Philippe said, “no tax deserves to endanger the unity of the nation.”
500-year-old Skeleton Still Wearing Thigh-High Boots
The skeleton of a man, from about 500 years ago, was discovered in the River Thames in London. His thigh-high leather boots remained mostly intact. 500 years ago, leather was an expensive commodity. Rarely would anyone be buried wearing such an expensive piece of clothing, so experts believe the man’s demise was unplanned.
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Junior Morgan Ramsey smiles for the camera as she enjoys the scenery. Ramsey is pictured alongside her younger sister Molly at the creek at Ironwoods Park when she was in first grade. Photo courtesy of Ramsey.
Adoption is more than the plot of a movie. Adoption is the story of a person’s life and has blessed Saint Thomas Aquinas with saints that we may have never met otherwise.
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doption has always been a part of human existence. From the adoption of boys in ancient Rome (including the first Roman emperor) to the orphanages in early nineteenth century urban America, adoption has always been a legitimate route for families to expand. Likewise, stories of plucky orphans and adoptees have been an integral part of popular culture for well over a century, from Anne of Green Gables to the curly-haired Annie to even the recently released film Instant Family. However, there are many untold stories of adoption. There are three main kinds of adoption: open, closed, and semi-open. In an open adoption, children, birth parents, and adoptive parents continue to foster a relationship after the adoption. In this case, the birth mother meets and chooses the adoptive family before the birth.
A Day with Dad.
Jessica and Jennifer Alonso pose for a photo with their biological father. They shared this fun day in the sun back in 2003. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Alonso.
Because of this, an open adoption can provide a sense of control for the biological parents. Not only are they able to choose the adoptive family, but they also are able to continue a relationship with their child. The adopted child is also able to receive a clear answer as to why they were adopted at all. In a closed adoption, however, there is no contact between the adoptive family and birth family. Hopeful people put their names on a list and will be contacted by a social worker if there is a match. Most likely, adoptive parents
will have little information on where the child came from. By choosing this route, birth parents can receive a sense of closure as well as privacy, since their identity is hidden from the adoptive parents. The adopted child could also avoid the fuzzy boundaries and questions over who their “real� family is. Moreover, if the birth family is unstable in any way, the child will be protected from it. The median between the open and closed adoption processes is known as semi-open, or mediated, adoption.
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Birth mothers may sometimes want to maintain a relationship, but not to the degree of an open adoption. Through this form of adoption, the adoptive family and birth family communicate through a mediator, usually an adoption agency. Types of contact transmitted through an agency may include photos and letters as well as emails. In a semi-open adoption, birth parents can still keep a sense of control, as in an open adoption, while also harboring the privacy that comes with a closed adoption. The adopted child can similarly gain an answer as to why they were adopted. In recent years, this process seems to have become a
Family
Ties
much more common choice. According to American Family Media, since 2012, 95% of adoptions allow for some form of contact between the birth and adoptive families, at least 40% of which are estimated to be semi-open Adoption itself is a vast and varied topic. After all, according to the Adoption Network, there are seven million adopted Americans, 1.5 million of them being children. There is an average of 140,000 children being adopted each year. Still, though millions of people are adopted, each and every story varies. Even within the Aquinas community, adoption stories are all unique.
On June 11, 2001, Mary and Joseph Schell got the call that they had been waiting for a year, and the day was finally here. After getting the call, they had only one day to travel to Hayes, Kansas, or they would miss their chance of a lifetime. The two of them and their three-year-old daughter arrived in Hayes; when they left, there was another child in the car with them: senior Jennifer Schell, who was adopted when she was only three days old. Schell was adopted through a semi-open process, and while her birth mom wanted to receive pictures and be updated, she didn’t want to meet Schell. However, Schell’s older sister was
The Differences Between Foster Care & Adoption
Although both foster care and adoption involve opening both home and heart to children, the methods each system utilizes are very
ADOPTION
The adoptive parents will take the child in as their own, oftentimes with some form of contact with a biological parent (level of communication between the parties depends entirely on the situation). The adoptive parents receive both legal rights and total custody of the child once the adoption process has been completed. Along with this, the adoptive parents have full responsibility for the child, which includes paying any expenses out of pocket and making important decisions about the wellbeing of the child. Once adopted, children have a permanent home with their adoptive families.
FOSTER CARE
Parents take care of children who have been placed in the foster care system (often due to their previous living environments). Although the child lives with the foster family, the biological parent(s) usually still have the rights for the child, but these rights are controlled by the state. Foster parents often receive some form of payment from the government to help cover the expenses of raising the child. The foster care placement system has no specific time limit; children can stay with families for as short as a week or many years. Information is from Pathway Family Services,
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“I had a good foster care experience. I know a lot of people have really bad stories and that’s something I think we should fix: the foster care system.”
Jennifer Alonso
adopted through an open adoption, and she used to meet up with her birth mom regularly. Initially, this proved difficult. “We are always seeing [my sister’s] biological family. It used to bother me. As a kid, I would see my sister meeting her birth family and that was something I wanted.” In regards to her biological family, Schell said she has thought about meeting them, but probably wouldn’t want to anymore. “I already have a family. I don’t need to meet them because I don’t even know who they are. I’m just related to them by blood.” Schell also said that her feelings of rejection have largely evaporated, simply due to time. “I realized that family runs deeper than blood,” Schell said. Junior Morgan Ramsey was also adopted through a semi-open process. Ramsey was born to a single mother living in Las Vegas, Nevada, who decided to go with the adoption route so Ramsey would have a father and a better support system. When Ramsey was less than a month old, her parents drove up from California to adopt her before eventually moving to Kansas. Ramsey said the option to meet her birth mother has always been open. She and her parents think it may be the time to meet either this year or next year. Ramsey said she does not know her biological family’s health history, but her adoption has not been mostly negative. “I like knowing that there are people out there that look like me and have the same mannerisms as me,” Ramsey said. “It’s like having a little surprise for later in life.” On the other hand, senior Olivia Boster was adopted through an open adoption process. Her birth mother had previously met her adoptive parents and ended up choosing the two of them to adopt her child, who had yet to be born. Olivia’s adoptive parents were even in the hospital room when she was born. Olivia also has two siblings who are twins: seniors Emily and Ben Boster. Olivia has been thankful that her parents
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Adoption S tat i s t i c s 1/25 US families have an adopted child.
About 7 million Americans are adopted. Around 140,000 children are adopted by American families each year.
More than 1/3 of American families have considered adoption. There are 1.5 million adopted children living in the United States.
1/50 children are adopted in the United States. 10
Statistics from Adoption Network Infographic by Rachael Lawler
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Olivia said that though other kids used to point out her differences from her siblings when she was younger, that has decreased substantially. “Since I’ve always known about my adoption, I’ve accepted it as part of who I am,” Olivia said. “I don’t know how many people can say they have two families that care about them.” Senior Jennifer Alonso was also adopted through an open adoption process, although her situation has been especially unique because for the first few years of her life, she was in the foster care system. “I was adopted when I was 6 years old by my foster parents [who had taken care of me] since I was 2 years old,” Alonso said. “My mother died when I was five. And then my father died when I was 10.” Alonso had contact with both of her parents while growing up in foster care and even after she was adopted. Because of her age, she did not know her mother very well, but she visited her father often. She still tries to visit (that town) to see people about once a month. “I still have family down there and the people that fostered me are there. We would also do that when my father was alive,” Alonso said.
Deepthi Kailash Managing Editor
“I realized that family runs deeper than blood.” Jennifer Schell
Rachael Lawler Copy Editor
Clare Hernandez Senior Reporter
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Fall = Four More
The Saints had one of the most successful seasons in school history, as the Class of 2019 fights to be considered the best-ever.
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all means spending Friday nights under the lights cheering the Saints on to victory. It means countless practices, constant team dinners, and not enough sleep. The student-athletes at Saint Thomas Aquinas make it look easy to the rest of the state. The girls golf team swung a second straight state title and eighth in 12 seasons. Both cross country teams swept the competition, for nine titles in five seasons. The volleyball team earned another regional title, and took second at state. The boys soccer proved themselves to be a tough team stacked with 12 seniors. The girls tennis team placed second at regionals and made another trip to state. To finish off fall, the football team brought home the program’s first-ever state title.
state title last fall, the girls knew they had a target on their backs. But they wanted another state title. After winning regionals and qualifying for state, these six were ready. After a close battle with Andover, the Saints won by eight strokes. “When we found out we won the tournament, we were so excited to know that we would return to Aquinas bringing home another state championship,” Maggie King said.
Girls Tennis After battling tough competition in the EKL, the girls tennis team was prepared to take on regionals. Competing as a team, the girls took second overall with senior Nelle Black placing 4th in singles, senior Bridget Hanrahan and sophomore Abigail Dunn placing 3rd in doubles, and freshman Sarah Gay and sophomore Morgan Derley placing 5th in Girls Golf doubles. This was no individual effort Eighteen holes, six girls, and and every girl played a part in their another state title for the second well-deserved second place finish. year in a row. This talented group State proved to be full of of golfers were comprised of sophomores Jaclyn Koziol and Brooke talented players and tough teams. They might not have finished where King, juniors Elise Handley, Maggie they wanted, but the devotion and King, and Melanie Valle, and lone commitment of this team showed senior Maggie Grosdidier. every match. After winning the school’s 100th
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Boys Cross Country Five years means five straight state titles for boys cross country. This group knew the competition was going to be tough after losing many senior leaders from the 2017 season. Many guys stepped up to the challenge this season, proving their hunger for another championship. Senior Ethan Marshall was the fastest boy in the state for the second year in a row. He is proud to be a part of this special program. “I’m excited to be part of an incredible dynasty,” Marshall said. Following Marshall was cocaptain Luke Godard in 12th place, freshman Logan Seger in 14th, junior Aidan Higgerson in 17th, senior Keegan Staats in 30th, senior Jack Hilton in 41st, and sophomore Tommy Hazen in 68th. Girls Cross Country This girls cross country team only lost one senior from the 2017 state team, so the team dynamic was already very strong. The girls were hungry for a championship after placing third last year, which broke a five-year winning streak. With rival St. James reloaded, they knew it would be tough. Led by senior Olivia
Sovereign, who placed third, the Saints reclaimed the title. “The team this year overcame the odds against us and we won a state title that nobody expected us to win,” Sovereign said. The senior was followed by junior Allison Strathman in ninth, senior Emily Gunderman in 14th, sophomore Ellie Ward in 18th, senior captain Kate Cox in 34th, junior Katie Muckerman in 44th, and freshman Alexis Huddin in 81st.
26-24 in overtime of the first match, won the second match 25-20, and then played an epic third match. Matches end when one team reaches 25, but only if they have a two-point lead. The Thunder and Saints kept it close way past 25 until the Saints finally lost 34-32.
state, they finally clinched a title Aquinas had been missing. After last year’s heartbreaking loss to Bishop Carroll in the championship, the hype following this team was ubiquitous. They lived up to it. They finished the regular season undefeated (with an average margin of victory of four touchdowns) Boys Soccer and EKL champions, then cruised With a record of 13-6, the boys through the playoffs with an average soccer team had another great year. margin of victory of six touchdowns. The 2018 squad included 12 seniors After beating the Olathe West Owls, who proved to be a large part of the they found themselves in the same Volleyball successful season. position they were last year. The Saints volleyball team made “This gave us much more But this time it was different. another trip to state and brought experience within the lineup and This time the Saints won a title the home a second place title. Their allowing us to have great team program had been aiming toward for devotion and hard work paid off chemistry,” senior Matthew Carta said. decades. Led by a strong senior class, ending the season with a year to be With the abundance of the Saints ended their undefeated proud of. Their roster included 11 experienced players, the 2018 season season by beating Wichita Northwest players, with three young but very was a highly anticipated one. Senior 49-28 after building a big lead early. strong girls. Freshman Ava Martin Jack Mason lead the Saints in goals made a huge impact her first year, from the front line with eight, and Best Class Ever? followed by sophomores Caroline senior PJ Garcia and junior Shae Wirt The Class of 2019 has been apart Bien and Tyler Cullor. Five juniors only allowed 19 goals in 19 games. of 21 state titles, something no other on the squad included Caroline The Saints dominated the first high school class in Kansas can claim. Zabroske, Bridget Devers, Gianna round of playoffs, defeating Seaman But seven other graduating classes at Giarraputo, Annie Rokusek and 6-0 and Pittsburg 6-0. Aquinas can claim even more: Lauren McEnroe. The senior class was The next game proved to be represented by Catie Little, Emma the toughest. The Saints took on • 26: Class of 2010 Van Pelt and Jakaila Morgan. the Timberwolves of Blue Valley • 25: Class of 2009 and 2011 The bonds shared between these Southwest in the state quarterfinals. • 24: Class of 2008 girls showed wherever they went and After a great goal from Jacob Colling • 22: Class of 2012, 2017, 2018 wherever they played. to put the Saints ahead, the boys • 21: Class of 2013, 2016, 2019 “We had amazing team lost 4-1. It turned out to be the chemistry which helped us on the Timberwolves’ toughest challenge for The record for most titles in a court to communicate and run new the title, as they finished their season year is eight, set by the Class of 2007. plays,” Bien said. with two easy victories to win state. The Saints have eight winter sports They brought this positive and nine spring sports remaining. energy all the way to Topeka, where Football they found themselves in the 5A Thirty years later, Aquinas can state championship for the second finally say they are 5A football state consecutive year, and 10th time in 13 champions. After years of always Reporter years. Facing St. James, the girls lost being one of the best teams in the
Callie Ingram
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Sister Act
A new musical hit the Aquinas stage this fall.
“S
ister Act: A Divine Musical Comedy”, may have been put on by the theater department early last month, Nov. 1-4, but it was a show that those who attended and performed in will be hard-pressed to forget. Every aspect of the show, from the cast, led by the talented Maddie Charles, to the beautiful set, put together by the Stagecraft class, to the costumes, played an important part in creating a show that a great deal of those who took it in said was the best they have seen on the Aquinas stage. Junior Alejandra Fernandez Rio said, “[It] is really awesome seeing your friends and classmates working hard and performing a show like that.” As for the seniors in the cast and backstage crew, the fact that this was their last appearance in an Aquinas production holds a special place in their hearts. Senior Alex Rice, who was in charge of sound on the crew, said, “This was for most of us our last show and we did everything in our power to make it a great one.” Senior Margaret Ahearn agrees, “I have never experienced anything like that while doing a show anywhere and have never felt more close to a cast as well.”
Anna Deschamp Reporter
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Divine Deloris
Maddie Charles, along with Amy Gassel, leads the nuns in performing one of the show’s hit numbers. The musical is about a disco diva who ends up at convent after being placed in protective custody. Photo by Kaitlyn Woike, The Medallion
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November & December Opinion
M I S B E H AV I N G
TEENS
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It is a story we have all heard before - a teenager looking for some independence finds trouble instead. So what happens next? Wary adults seem all too ready to dole out whatever punishment they see fit, but is that really the right way to ensure that misbehavior stops there? In some cases, yes. Minor infractions are a part of everyday life and they may not signal anything worth distressing over -- dress code violations, tardies, etc. Often these actions result in detentions or lost waivers, mild consequences that fit the degree of the disobedience. In a Shield survey sent out last month, teens were able to offer up their opinions about this form of discipline and many agreed with it, one student even remarked their desire for “more serious” consequences. This position of rules and punishment being the best way to
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encourage proper behavior was not shared by all, as the other leading answer supported a call for more awards and incentives. This discord highlights the main problem with asking how to encourage good behavior across the board: all teens are different, and what works for one may not work for another. There is no hard and fast rule for teen misbehavior and it is a conundrum shared by schools and parents alike. “I guess it all depends on what happened,” guidance counselor Laura Cline said. “If it’s breaking a school rule then people need to be held accountable for that. There needs to be flexibility with how things are handled and I think we do a pretty good job of that, but if you don’t have accountability, you have chaos.” Cline’s years of experience counseling high school students has given her a deeper
understanding of what makes teens rebel against the rules that are intended to help them. “I think it is about independence. They’re feeling more and more confident about bucking the system and trying to rebel a little bit. We also know in terms of brain development, the cortex, responsible for rational decision making, is not fully
“If you don’t have accountability, you have chaos.” Laura Cline developed yet. Also teens are trying out new roles in their life, figuring out where they belong and what they believe.”
Teenage rebellion is as old as time. The methods adults used to stop it are sometimes just as antiquated. The Aquinas community weighs in on the most effective ways to help teens choose well. Adolescence is tumultuous and schools aim to guide their students through it. How schools try to do that has evolved alongside the culture, with preemptive measures that focus more on incentive being the current trend. Positive Behavior Support (PBS) has been adopted by Aquinas in the past few years, encouraging faculty to recognize good behavior. “I’m a real believer in PBS, the research shows for it,” Principal Mike Sullivan said. As one of the main people that deal with discipline at Aquinas, Sullivan has encouraged the usage of this new form of behavior management. “The idea being that if I see a kid doing something good,” compliment them, Sullivan said. “Find good things and show them that’s what good behavior
is, like holding the door open for someone. Another example was our rewards in the office, it used to be that if a kid brought in a lost and found item instead of keeping it for themselves, they’d get a reward. Granted it was small, but the idea is still the same: encourage good behavior through encouraging the kids who do it,” “Ah, the magic question. How do we get kids to do what they’re supposed to do?” Sullivan said. I think it starts before any student arrives at Aquinas. The effect of those around teens may be the most effective way to stop and prevent misbehavior. Having good role models - mentors, coaches, teachers, etc. showing kids the right way is extremely important,” Sullivan has been with Aquinas since its beginning in 1988, and he emphasizes the role that adults have in influencing
kids’ behavior. In his opinion, the relationships that teens have with those older than them is formative in how they respond to certain situations. Teens are able to learn from the experiences of those they look up to and then decide for themselves how to act. Whether that effect is positive or negative depends on the adult. “It is a part of life, we all make bad decisions sometimes and those come with consequences. That being said, one of the greatest things about our Catholic faith is that we have already been forgiven,“ Sullivan said.
Madison McMillen Editor-in-Chief
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November & December Editorial
Rest in Pass/Fail S
aint Thomas Aquinas High School has seen its fair share of changes since first opening its doors in 1988. As students currently enrolled at Aquinas, we are lucky enough to be in the middle of what is arguably one of the most monumental transformations in its history. With the school still bustling with excitement over the renovation of the library and the updated weights room, it is easy for students to overlook what we have lost within all the commotion: the pass/fail privilege. Before its eradication this year, pass/fail served as a senior right of passage. It allowed each senior to select one non-required course per semester to be considered an elective course for graduation requirements. A 76% or above in their pass/fail class meant that they passed and the grade they received would not be put into the grade book. If they scored below a 76%, they lost the privilege.
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The reasoning for taking away pass/fail was that it was timeconsuming for Aquinas staff to manually calculate GPAs and it was not making a significant difference on student GPAs. Also, pass/fail students were not working as hard and that was impacting students who were taking the class for a grade. While some might argue that pass/fail was useless to seniors who consistently received high grades or were enrolled in college courses, but they are greatly mistaken. Students who regularly achieve higher marks in school are able to take more challenging courses during their senior year without fear of deflating their grade point average. A bad GPA could lead to the student missing out on college scholarships or losing their spot in the National Honors Society.
An alleviated workload also allows for seniors to be more present in their final year at Aquinas. They, in turn, have more opportunity to participate in sporting events, theatre productions, and class organized activities than in previous years. What I struggle to comprehend is what taking away the pass/fail did to benefit the senior class. If given a pass/ fail, I most likely would have taken a more challenging math class. Or I might have even taken Anatomy, a subject that has always interested me but I’m not sure I have the knack for. With the pass/fail under my belt I would not have to worry, to a degree, about being unable to tell the difference between a radius and an ulna. I implore administration to reconsider their decision for the sake of future generations of Saints.
Maggie Slaven Freelancer
Canned Food Drive S
aint Thomas Aquinas’ annual Canned Food Drive is a point of pride for the community. Now a tradition that has come to exemplify the core values that the school was built upon, it’s transformed into a yearly quest for students to break records -- ones that they set themselves. For one week out of the year, the school is turned into a warehouse for pallets upon pallets of canned goods. And behind the madness of incoming cans of corn or boxes of off-brand mac-and-cheese are the people who oversee every aspect of this event, Aquinas’ very own Student Council. Orchestrated with a familiar dexterity, the wisdom these elected student officers have gained from experience never really prepares them for what is to come. Senior Student Council Executive Greta Bins might know this better than anyone. After four years of participating in student government, Bins helped conduct her final canned food drive at Aquinas this past November. “You can always plan more, you know?” Bins said.
Last minute donations and the unpredictability of the student body can cause for canned food chaos, and that’s why the council begins their preparations weeks in advance, mainly just “getting the word out.” For StuCo though, the real work lies in the counting and collecting from the moment the drive actually kicks off. “Freshman year I was really worried about missing the first two hours of my day because there were just so many individual cans to count,” Bins said. ”That’s always part of the canned food drive experience to a certain degree. Beyond that though there is a lot of reaching out to donors and setting up orders directly with grocers. I know for me this year working with seniors, who as a class donate more on average, there was a lot to do --taking care of surprise donations, tracking down possible donors, sending emails.” Thankfully their hard work has paid off and in the last seven years alone, the Saint Thomas Aquinas community has raised over 856,000 cans for Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas.
The 2018 Canopoly drive contributed 96,000 cans to that total. Bins said this success can be contributed to a lot of different things but the difference lies in the individual efforts of students. “[It’s] the kids going out and bagging and canning. Yes donations are so valuable, but I don’t think people realize how many cans they can get by putting in the work. You can leave 30 bags on 30 door steps and three days later pick them all up. You don’t even have to talk to anyone. It’s efficient but you are still putting in the work and doing something for someone else,” Bins said.
Madison McMillen Editor-in-Chief
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Rocking Out
English teacher Andrew Lee jamming with an electric guitar at a Rock Band meeting, Nov. 12th. Lee started the new club as “a way for students to get together, experiment with music, and see what they can come up with�. Photo by Madison McMillen, The Shield.
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Groan-Worthy
Jokes
Theme: Mathematics
Math puns are the first sine of madness.
3 3
=
=
9 27 sin(gerine)
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cos(gerine)
=
What do you call a number that can’t keep still? A roamin’ numeral.
What is a bird’s favorite type of math? Owl-gebra. Why do mathematicians like parks? Because of all the natural logs.
Did you hear about the mathematician who’s afraid of negative numbers? He’ll stop at nothing to avoid them. Infinitely many mathematicians walk into a bar.
The first says, “I’ll have a beer. The second says, “I’ll have half a beer.” The third says, “I’ll have a quarter of a beer.” Before anyone else can speak, the bartender fills up exactly two glasses of beer and serves them, saying,“Come on now, learn your limits.” *Explanation: In the harmonic series, which is 1+1/2+1/3+1/4+1/5...1/n all the way to infinity, the sum converges to two.
How do you do math in your head? Use imaginary numbers.
Math is a part of nature. Especially geometree.
*Jokes are taken from: a Reader’s Digest article by Brandon Specktor and Molly Pennington; a Sporcle quiz by user kagomeshuko; an eNotes blog by Nick T; artist David Ritgenthaler; and Pinterest user mahoneye19.
Why should you never talk to pi? He will go on forever.
November & December Issue
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Christmas Gifts
Don’t know what gift to give or what to ask for? The Shield has you covered.
MOM AND DAD
Mom
Dad
Candles Jewelry
Wallet Sports Tickets
No money? Make a coupon book! Any parent would appreciate getting to cash in a coupon for a few chores.
HOLIDAY TIP! Etsy is a great website to visit if you’re looking for personalized gifts. Make sure to order in advance, customized items take longer to make!
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The Shield
STOCKING STUFFERS Candy Gum Gift Cards: Chik-fil-a, McDonald’s, Chipotle, Starbucks, Target, Amazon, iTunes, etc.
WHAT STUDENTS WANT Most Requested: Money
Morphe x James Charles: The Artistry Palette
Everything Apple: AirPods MacBook Apple Watch iPhone 10
DON’T FORGET YOUR PETS!
Toys Homemade treats- Google some recipes Non-homemade treats- Check out Three Dog Bakery at one of their three locations: Leawood, Overland Park, or the Plaza
Anna Deschamp Reporter
November & December Issue
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The Social Spread Callie Ingram Reporter
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The Shield
Insights on Saints social media posts around and outside of Aquinas.
“DEATH IS IMMINENT! THE DAY OF RECKONING IS UPON US!”
Want your posts, Snapchats, or tweets featured in The Shield? Contact cingram20@stasaints.net. November & December Issue
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Last Look
November & December 2018
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1. The football team gathers on the field after the big game at Pittsburg State. The team won the state championship on Nov. 24. Photo courtesy of Jasmine Nguyen, the Medallion. 2. The boys and girls cross country teams smile for the camera. Both teams won the state championship this year. Photo courtesy of Katie Kinnan, the Medallion. 3. Social studies teacher John Rost carries in cans of peaches for the annual canned food drive. Photo courtesy of Maddie Huigens, the Medallion. 4. On a chilly Thursday night, StuCo hosted a bonfire on the practice soccer field. Students bundled up and gathered around the fire with hot chocolate. Photo by Clare Hernandez, the Shield.
November & December Issue
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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