The Shield Saint Thomas Aquinas High School | March 2017
What’s inside:
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
The community falls under the stress of expectations as they strive to fit in, to break records, and to please the student body.
Photo by Emily Conard | The Medallion Sophomore Reid Howard dances with senior Alexandra Stry at WPA on Feb. 11. “WPA is so fun!” Stry said. “I love dancing, so I didn’t stop!”
Follow The Shield @stashield
The Shield Saint Thomas Aquinas High School
Editor-In-Chief Ezri Killeen Managing Editors Becca Haeusser Kat Schartz Social Media Editor Mia Power Copy Editor Maria Scanlan Adviser Matt Hallauer
Reporters Seth Walker Jake Burkhart Annie Patton Grace Platt Delaney Smith Grace Mayer Briley McGreevy Andy Schoonover Emily Raunig Freelance Reporters Rachel Raney Annie Toussaint
Mission Statement The Shield is a newspaper sponsored by Saint Thomas Aquinas High School and produced by its students to provide information, entertainment, and open forum, as well as a learning experience for its staff members. The goal of The Shield’s staff is to meet professional journalism standards. Staff members are responsible for the content of the newspaper and strive to report news accurately, objectively, and completely. The Shield is an open forum for student expression and aims to communicate the concerns of the student body as well as the faculty, staff, and Aquinas community.
Advertising The Shield sells advertisements to help with publication costs. All ads will be subject to the same scrutiny as stories. The Shield will not print any obscenities or any ads promoting products illegal to those under the age of 18. For advertising, please call (913) 319-2460, send an email to mhallauer@ stasaints.net, or visit www.stasaints.net/shield Subscriptions Subscriptions to The Shield are $3 per issue. Subscriptions can be sent to Saint Thomas Aquinas High School c/o Matt Hallauer. Digital subscriptions are free and sent via email monthly. Orders can be sent to newspaper@stasaints.net Letters Policy 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. Saint Thomas Aquinas High School 11411 Pflumm Road Overland Park, KS 66215 913-319-2460
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So Close Yet So Far The staff invites you to read the last routine edition of the year. a letter from the editor
Hey, Saints! Hey, what? Are you ready? For what? For the last regular edition of The Shield! That’s right, Saints. You are about to embark on reading the last regular edition of The Shield for the 2016-2017 school year. This staff has put out 7 issues for the community this year, and all that’s left is one last Senior Issue. So, we aren’t done yet, but it is nearing the end of an era for the seniors on staff. This past month has been crazy. I, for one, haven’t been away from Aquinas for more than 12 hours at a time, and I know I’m not alone. State swim, Dinner Theatre, monumental basketball games, forensics tournaments-- they’ve kept us all busy. And they’ll continue to for the rest of the year. Thank you for the amazing reception of our last issue; the February edition was filed with dark and controversial subjects, but the community, as always, was very welcoming. I will never stop being grateful for the warmth that the school extends to this publication. At The Shield, we decided to end our run with a bang. I am so excited for you all to read some of the stories in this issue. To kick it off, junior reporter Andrew Schoonover has written an editorial on the lack of lights in the parking lot. The darkness
has become an issue of concern for students and parents alike, as students often must walk to their cars late at night. Read the story on page 4. This issue also confronts the controversy of racism at Aquinas. Although most of the community never thinks of it as a problem, some students have spoken up. Hear from the students who feel strongly about this issue and read the opinions that came from our most recent survey on page 6. Junior reporter Grace Mayer tackled the tricky subject of rumors for this issue. Her article (page 8) not only documents one of the most widespread rumors that swept Aquinas this fall, but also takes a look at the science behind gossip; it is a habit that goes deeper than just the surface. I hope this second-to-last issue of The Shield serves you well. We have worked hard to make it one to remember. See you next time, for the last time.
Ezri Killeen Editor-in-Chief, The Shield
TABLE OF CONTENTS The Spreads
The Reports
page 14// Social Spread This month’s best social media posts from the Saints.
page 4// THE STUDENTS’ VOICE: Let There Be Light The Shield addresses the absence of good lighting in Aquinas’s dark parking lots.
page 6// FEATURE STORY: Racism at Aquinas Although not commonly thought of as a problem, racism and prejudice exist within the walls of Aquinas. page 8// Rumor Has It Rumors can spread like wildfire in a high school setting; this report studies the science behind them. page 10// The Other Pressures in High School Peer pressure is prevalent in high school and can cause students to partake in activities the otherwise may not.
page 16// Aquinas Travel A look at the many travel opportunities Aquinas provides. page 18// AquinasView/ WorldView Articles on news
happening inside Aquinas as well as the world around it.
The Back Pages page 22// New Generation of Music No matter personal
preference, music affects a person’s life in many ways. page 24// Noah Green Junior Noah Green is a nationally ranked runner with a strong work ethic. page 26// Where Does Your Tuition Go? A look at how Aquinas divides money to fund different programs. page 28// The StuCo Bunch StuCo officers at Aquinas work hard for the community and have fun doing it. page 30// WHAT’S NEXT? Reaching 100 Banners As the walls of the main gym fill up, Aquinas is close to holding 100 state titles.
COUNTDOWNS SPRING BREAK: 7 days PROM: 29 days EASTER: 44 days GRADUATION: 68 days
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The Students’ Voice
Let There Be Light Sharing concern over the issue of parking lot lighting. Shining students, a fiery faith life, and a bright future ahead are just some of the many blessing of the Saint Thomas Aquinas community. However, one part of Aquinas has always been left in the dark: the parking lot. In order to address the concerns rooted in these dark spots, the addition of lighting to the Aquinas parking lots has been placed in the Aquinas 2020 plans. However, these plans have been slated for a period later in the project timeline. In line with the priority of safety for students, the plans for parking lot lighting should be made a priority included in Aquinas 2020 and included promptly in construction plans. Some Aquinas students and faculty members are at the building from before the sun rises until long after the sun sets during the winter months. Sports practices, show performances, and other demanding student activities leave many students walking to their cars at night alone. The Aquinas community has been blessed by not having an incident in its parking lot due to lighting; however, the threat still looms ominously in the shadows of a potential hazard to student safety. Junior Claire Deschamp is an avid member of the Aquinas choir program and has spent many black nights and mornings at Aquinas preparing for a performance or practicing during zero hour. Regarding the threat to Aquinas students while walking in the parking lot, “I can understand why they would feel unsafe” said Deschamp. With tragedies such
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BY ANDREW SCHOONOVER
as Kelsey Smith and the constant threat of abductions, this concern should not be taken lightly. Even in an area where safety is often taken for granted, the Aquinas community cannot afford to be reactionary when it comes to safety. Another misfortune that could result of inadequate lighting is an automobile accident. “Even with headlights on, it’s still very difficult sometimes to see exactly where the road is and where you are going, which is a real danger” said Deschamp. Students are already distracted by their cell phones and music-- inadequate lighting only makes the chances of an accident more likely. Principal of Student Services Mike Sullivan said that the school is always very concerned about student safety and security. Despite this priority, recent construction projects have been a roadblock to the current situation in the parking lot. Although construction projects as Aquinas 2020 are notoriously complex and tedious, prioritizing the installment of parking lot lighting would help bring light to an issue that has been in the dark too long at Aquinas. As a Saint Thomas Aquinas community that looks out for each other and has a priority of safety, it is in the school’s best interest to expedite the installation of the parking lot lighting and further brighten the future ahead. Junior Andrew Schoonover is a reporter for The Shield. This story was edited by Managing Editor Becca Haeusser.
Twisting Teachers
Photo by Morgan Taylor| The Medallion Spirit Shop manager Serena Price dances during the teacher performance at the talent show on February 22. The performance was led by English teacher Susan Dillingham singing and choreographed by theology teacher Megan Faries.
The Reports
Racism at Aquinas rac·ism, noun: a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race; racial prejudice or discrimination. In recent years, racism and race relations have become a hot button issue nationally, but are they present within the walls of Aquinas? In a survey of Saint Thomas Aquinas Students to which 388 responded, 63 percent of students said they have witnessed racism, against them or another student, within the classroom. However, 60 percent of survey respondents don’t think racism is a problem. Further 11 percent said that it isn’t a problem but people think it is. Survey respondents offered further opinions including gripes about reverse racism (racism against white people), comments about teachers using racial slurs or treating students of different ethnicities differently, explanations that racism exists mostly as jokes between
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Students weigh in on prejudice they see at school. BY GRACE PLATT
friends, and discussion of how race is a non-issue within Aquinas. 32 percent of students said they saw racism coming more from students, 10 percent said from teachers, and 17 percent saw it coming from both. The Shield reached out to students of color for their perspective on the issues of race, and those who responded have their thoughts printed bellow.
Serena Weledji
There is racism at Aquinas, but I think racism exist everywhere. It is a problem because it prejudices a person, a group of people, or a race for something they cannot control and it encourages shame and selfconsciousness. It includes derogatory comments or thoughts about any race or the feeling that any race is inferior or superior to another. Most times, racist comments, unless extremely blatant, aren’t recognized by the naked ear. Because racism is so accepted and expected in today’s society, you wouldn’t notice it if you didn’t listen for it. Nonetheless, this does not make it any more OK. I don’t think racism comes from
one group of people; it really comes from everyone. People of all races at some point will say something that stereotypes or judges another person for their race. And although this is very significant, it proves to be more of a problem, when one is physically/ socially affected by these comments/ thoughts. For example, two men may go into a company to be interviewed for a job and if one of the men has more experience/knowledge that would help him perform better than the other man at the job but this man with the higher caliber is Mexican and the other man is Caucasian or something, the Caucasian man, if the interviewer is subconsciously racist, will be chosen for the job. It only lives on today because we let it. “Race” was originally invented to divide people and unfortunately, it has worked so well to the point where today people are killed because of it. I think today, racism happens because of many reasons: upbringing, insecurity, peer pressure, fear, etc. It really just depends on the situation. When I used to listen to the news and see these examples of racism, I would get upset. But now I have matured a little bit to realize that these things happen; bad things (will) happen. Getting upset won’t change anything
and crying won’t change anything either, so instead, I embrace it. I have learned to love my heritage and show the people around me that I a huge part of me that I am so very proud of. And in doing such, I think I have changed the way a lot of people think about my race and the stereotypes it carries and other races as well as their respective stereotypes. Despite this, I do fail at not judging others for things they can not change at times. So, no, I’m not perfect at reacting to race and racism all the time. Yes, I realize that I am not the same skin color of most of the people at my school. And yes, I do realize and embrace the fact that I am a minority. But (although this sounds cheesy), in regards to His love, we are all more or less the “same color” in God’s eyes.
Katrina Nguyen
Personally, I do not think racism is as big of problem here at Aquinas. Yeah, I see it here and there, but I do not think they know when they’re being racist. It isn’t that they’re intentionally trying to be racist, they just do not know when they are. They’re not bad people, they just do not know. No one is intentionally trying to hurt my feelings. But when you make the subtle jokes, mention the stereotypes, or make fun of the accents, yeah, sure it may not be directly towards me, but it hurts to know that they could be making fun of my friends or family. Things that I’ve seen at Aquinas include: -Stereotypes: Getting a good grade because they’re Asian -Accents: This is a big one that students and even teachers do. Broken english isn’t something you
imitate to intentionally make someone laugh. They’re trying to talk to you in the language that you know and it may not be perfect, but they’re trying and making fun of them shows some ignorance. I don’t have broken english, but my mom does and the anger and frustration you see in her when she’s trying to talk to someone with that type of ignorance is so infuriating to hear about. And it may not bother them but it bothers me and it’s pretty shocking to see a teacher do it in front of their class. One time a student even mentioned it. It’s just so unnecessary and disrespectful. What I usually do? I sit there and don’t say anything. As much as it angers me there’s nothing I can really do because some people just do not understand. When they’re making jokes and I’m there it gets awkward even when I’m just sitting there minding my own business. Because even if I do say something it’s not going to stop them from doing it elsewhere when they’re talking to their friends or family. We live in a predominantly white city and go to a predominately white school, they know it’s wrong and they’ll tell you what you want to hear but, deep down, there is no changing what they already believe no matter how many times you tell them it’s wrong. I was born and raised in city that found diversity important. I’m not saying racism wasn’t there, but it wasn’t something I worried or thought about on a daily basis. So moving to Kansas, I was a little shocked to see what I’ve seen and how often I have seen it. I realized moving here I think more about it. For example, did I get this because of my
race, do people think I get the grades I get because of my race, does that teacher Kansas. And I have been open about it to other students and they sometimes can see where I’m coming from. I know the people here aren’t bad people, but if they’re going to make fun of my race, have the courtesy to not do it in front of my face.
Noah Green
I think there are aspects of racism at all schools, but being that Aquinas has a great amount of Caucasian students, there could definitely be moments where racism occurs. I feel racism comes more from the students because they think they are more superior than others. Even though it might occur with some teachers as well, I think the students have a bigger group of people that think that way; there are often jokes made about minorities that aren’t necessarily factual. Whenever I hear racial slurs or jokes, I personally have a problem with it, so I call the individual out on it and educate them with facts. I see racism as being passed down through generations and it depends on how one is raised. There are many people in the world that feel they are more superior than others, so it’s a pull and tug of people from different backgrounds for power, rather than working together to uplift one another. Grace Platt is a reporter for The Shield. This story was edited by Managing Editor Becca Haeusser.
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The Other Pressures of High School
Going in depth about the different pressures that high school students feel. BY EMILY RAUNIG
Every student, before going into high school, is told not to drink or do drugs. They’re told this over and over again; while this is true, the importance of making the right friends, or being content with what they have is not as often emphasized. The pressures in high school to have a certain group of friends can be less severe, but much easier to cave into. A typical freshman fear is meeting new friends in high school. Walking into a new a school with students four year older than them can be terrifying. This makes it really easy to stick with the first person that talks to them. “People are pressured to act differently around different friends.” Freshman Gabe Kraft said. A lot students also feel like they
always need someone by them at all times. Kraft said, “I feel like I have to always talk to people no matter what mood I’m in and help them with their problems.” Some students also feel like they need to agree with their friends when they complain about
“I feel like I have to always talk to people no matter what mood I’m in and help them with problems.”
10.4% of students feel like they need to attend a certain college.
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Gabe Kraft Freshman school, life, or when they’re tired. When someone says “I’m going to do so bad on this test” or “I’m done with school” a lot of students tend to agree with them even if they feel like they prepared well for a test or if they’re having a good day. Although this isn’t the biggest deal in high
40.4% students feel like they need to dress a certain way. school, it can make a student’s day worse when they constantly agree that they are having a bad day. Making the friends in high school who make bad decisions is a main reason why most students make the wrong decisions. According to The Canadian Lung Association, “my friends smoke” and “I thought it was cool” are two of the main reasons kids between the ages of 12 and 17 start smoking. According to Teen Help, someone’s friend can be a big reason why they drink. “A teen that has peers that participate in underage drinking and parents that also abuse drugs or alcohol are much more likely to choose to join in th underage drinking with his/her peers. The friend group someone has
Statistics taken from 370 students Although there are who responded to a survey via email. pressures their whole grade, it’s easier to to fit in in high know who they get along with the school, there are best. Bacon said “my anxiety has multiple ways to gone way down since freshman year avoid them, too. since people come up and talk to Some people me and I have a lunch table to sit at said that they and I talk more. And I know about avoid peer pressure in high school everyone in our grade now.” by making good friends and staying Students find it easier to talk to people they’ve known for a few “I feel like to fit in I have years. Peer pressure definitely still exists junior and senior year; but as to wear some brand clothes, students figure out their own morals such as Lulu Lemon and in high school, it’s easier to tell
44.6% of students feel like they need to cheat in high school.
not only could pressure them with drinking, but other pressures such as the clothes they choose to wear. Many students at Aquinas admit that they feel like they need to wear name brand clothes, such as Nike. Freshman Sarah Holland said “I feel like to fit in I have to wear some brand clothes, such as Lululemon and Patagonia.” Even if the clothes are not necessarily something the person likes, they tend to want to wear the brand. The pressure to wear name brand clothes could be higher, but because students have to wear uniforms at school, some people don’t really care. Junior Rebecca Bacon said, “I sometimes feel pressured to wear a certain brand, but only with shoes since we all wear uniforms.”
Patagonia.”
Sarah Holland Freshman
41.9% of
true to themselves. students Bacon said, “You don’t need a group feel like to have friends in the need to school. You need to value yourself complain. before you value others.” The first year of high school seems like it is the hardest for most people. Most students go into high school leaving life long friends and 52.1% of their to meet new people. It’s students hard to leave negative feel like people freshman year because students don’t they have to deal with a lot of need to pressure in grade school. As people grow in have a high school peer pressure certain can be easier to avoid. body type. As people make new friends and get to know
someone no. Although students are pressured to do drink and do drugs in high school, students everywhere are also pressured to have a certain group of friends, wear certain clothing, or even have a negative view on school. Junior Emily Raunig, @ERaunig on Twitter, is a reporter for The Shield. This story was edited by Managing Editor Becca Haeusser.
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The Social Spread Instagram Cami Stanghor @cstang_ I’m never leaving dt
Twitter Maggie Young @MaggieYoung5199 “how’s ur 2017?”
Twitter Lindsay Cox @lcox019 me: i’m over it, boys are stupid boy: hey me:
Twitter Becca Herbig @becaherbs “How’s second semester going ??”
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Twitter Gina Rousello @GinaR_21 just casually taking a look through my old pictures...
Instagram Devin Diggs @devin.diggs Houston, we had no problems
See any posts worth putting in The Shield? DM them to us @stashield on Twitter or Instagram!
Twitter Noah Pudenz @NoahPudenz Roses are red Violets are blue A 15 point lead Miege blew
Instagram Grayson Dunst @gcdunst when u have wpa at 8 and have to take over the galaxy at 8:30 #freshmennaenae
Twitter STA Girls Basketball @STAsaintsgbball Game time at Aquinas, student theme is empty seats to start Instagram Kyndal Park @kyndalpark Bffs are out of this world
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AquinasView A series of articles ranging from Blood drive sets record
news around Aquinas to news around the world.
Emily Conard and Grace Mitchell lead the blood drive to collect 130 units of blood. This year on February 3rd, St. Thomas Aquinas hosted its annual Blood Drive. The event was put on by National Honors Society run by seniors Emily Conard and Grace Mitchell. Chris Berger and Matt Hallauer are also credited with helping run the Blood Drive. This year students donated 130 units of blood to aid others who need it. According to Mitchell, “about 30 percent of high schoolers get deferred (turned away), and we had 120/160 kids donate, which is 75 percent, so better than average”. Both Conard and Mitchell stress the importance of giving blood. “It is important that we introduce students to many different ways to help people, since as Catholics that is what we believe in, helping others” Conard said, “a lot of us at Aquinas claim to be prolife. We need to get away from the idea that we are only fighting for babies in the womb. Pro-life means supporting people in all stages of life from conception to natural death. With these blood donations, we are saving lives. We are saving kids who have cancer and adults who were in serious car accidents. We are saving all kinds of people all over.”
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Former teacher fighting cancer Former science teacher Julianna Hendricks battles stage four lung cancer. Many students at St. Thomas Aquinas know former science teacher, Julianna Hendricks. At the end of last school year, Hendricks left the Aquinas community to move to Colorado. On January 27, Hendricks received life-changing news. Hendricks was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. English teacher and friend of Hendricks, Mrs. McCarthy states, “the cancer has spread not only to her lungs, but her brain and bones.” Hendricks asks that you please pray for her. Hendricks “just completed a radiation treatment focusing on her brain and will start chemotherapy in the near future” according to McCarthy. Hendricks is said to be in good spirits and optimistic.
WorldView BY ANNIE TOUSSAINT
The Twin Trend After Beyonce’s twin announcement, two more celebrity couples also announced that they are expecting twins. Beyonce broke the internet with photos from her pregnancy photo shoot on Instagram on February 1. The Carters are very excited for the twins, ““We would like to share our love and happiness. We have been blessed two times over” Beyonce tweeted. Several Beyonce fans claim this is the best thing to happen so far in 2017. Since the news broke of the Carters twins on the way, many other celebrities are also announcing that they too are expecting twins. Famous Singer, Madonna, announced shortly after Beyonce, that she too will be having twins in her life. Madonna recently adopted two twin girls from Mawali, Mercy James and David. Actor George Clooney and his wife Amal, also are expecting twins. 2017 is officially turning into the year of the twins.
Millennial Drivers are the Worst Studies have shown that teenage drivers are the most dangerous drivers on the roads. No, it’s not just your parents talking. Millennial drivers are found to be the most dangerous age group on the road according to a previous study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The Foundation for Traffic Safety found 88% of drivers 19- to 24-years-old acknowledged engaging in risky behavior such as texting while driving, running red lights or speeding during the previous month. In a study of 2,511 drivers by market research firm GfK , reported that Millennials acknowledged typing or sending a text or email while driving at nearly twice the rate of other drivers (59.3% to 31.4%). Many habits that Millennials have while driving seem acceptable to them, like driving 10 miles over the speed limit, and running red lights. In 2015, the number of traffic related deaths increased by 7%, the largest percentage jump in five decades.
Nordstrom drops Ivanka Several department stores have dropped designer Ivanka Trump because of poor sales due to boycotts of Trump’s businesses. Major retailers Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom have recently dropped designer, Ivanka Trump, from all of their stores. Since the election, it is reported that the numbers of the Ivanka Trump clothing and shoe lines have been rapidly dropping. Nordstrom claims there were no political motives involved in the making of the decision. Luxury retail stores where Trumps products are carried reported that the decision was made based on the fact that the quality of the brand had been questioned on the national stage, and customers are not purchasing the product. President Trump took to Twitter to defend his daughter, writing “My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is a great person -- always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!”
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New Generation of Music Music influences both culture and the emotional state of students at Aquinas.
BY BRILEY MCGREEVY For some students, STA Period would be nothing without a good pair of headphones. Music today is easier than ever to access. With anyone being able to live stream relatively any song at any time, music has become a large part of student’s lives. “I listen to music constantly,” junior Claire L’Esperance said. “I have multiple earbuds in different places for me ready to use and my Spotify tab is always up and running.” For many Aquinas students, music is able to transform their mood and influence their behavior as well. In a study that showed how music affects the brain, published by Daniel Levitin at McGill University in Montreal, it is proven that music reduces anxiety and can raise levels of serotonin in the brain tremendously.
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For junior Raina Miyake, music is a way for her to go deeper than just talking and really magnifies any emotion. “If you’re at a party you don’t usually hear acoustic music, you hear songs that pump you up with good bass and a beat you can dance to. Music can change the vibe of a whole room.” Whether it is Spotify, SoundCloud, Apple Music, Pandora, YouTube, or another form of streaming songs, teenagers find themselves constantly listening in and figuring out their own taste in music. For sophomore Anthony Young, his music taste changes with what he is feeling. “I can’t listen to Frank Ocean, but if I’m in my feels Frank Ocean fits the mood perfectly,” said Young. “I listen to mostly Rap, Hip-Hop, and R&B: Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Rae Sremmurd, Kanye West, Migos, and Ugly God just to name a few.”
For most students, the people they surround themselves with usually tend to listen to the same types of songs.
“I can’t listen to Frank Ocean, but if I’m in my feels Frank Ocean fits the mood perfectly.” Anthony Young sophomore “When we are going out to dinner or something we always know what to play because we are all into similar songs to get us excited,” said senior Grayson Dunst. “We listen to songs by people like Kesha, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Gwen Stefani, and of course Meghan Trainor’s ‘Me Too.’” Music as a way of bringing people together has been shown to be impactful when dealing with high school relationships and problems. In a study conducted by researchers at Durham University, they found that there is a wide spectrum of responses to sad or slow songs. Pleasure, comfort, and pain were three distinctive responses with the 2,436 people that were studied in listening to sad music while feeling down. According to the researchers, often these feelings were brought up by happy or sad memories recalled by the
For L’Esperance, she listens to mostly alternative and feels like her music gives off empowering or influential messages. Her favorites include Alt-j, Nirvana, Twenty One Pilots, The Beatles, David Bowie, Panic at The Disco, Elvis Presley, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, SIA, and musicals such as Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, and Hamilton. Her music empowers her and gives her a certain outlet or thing to relate to when she feels a certain way. Artists in this day and age have an extremely influential platform with young people constantly listening to what they have to say. With music being one of the biggest growing industries of today, it is common to find political opinion or bridge to racial boundaries in songs. “It is a good outlet and connects me back to my roots,” said sophomore Javier Derritt. Why culture, not race, determines taste in music is commonly overlooked with artists today talking about more and more controversial issues in their music.
“A catchy beat to a lyric replays in our minds, this inspires ideas whether they’re good or bad,” said L’Esperance. “Music focuses more on recent social issues, like racial injustices, bullying, depression, and inequalities. It lifts people in those situations up.” For Dunst, he thinks music can be so repetitive that some people forget just how severe issues in songs really are. “We hear things about violence and sexual references occasionally and I feel that it desensitizes people to those kinds of issues.” This shows that, for many students, music is a lot more than a mood booster. It can be a behavioral standard for some and for others, a large political divide. “Just look at this year’s election, with Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Madonna, YG, and many others coming out in support of a candidate. YG even made a chart-topping song about one of the candidates. Kanye coming out and saying he was going to run for president in 2020 was big because it shows the power of music,” said Young.
Do you think music affects youth culture?
Music today is becoming more than just a song. For Aquinas students, music
“Music focuses on more recent social issues, like racial injustices, bullying, depression, and inequalities. It lifts people in those situations up.” Claire L’Esperance junior
as an outlet and safe-spot creates a sense of calmness and, for many, less stressful school days. Artists have impacted many young people by setting the standard for beliefs and morals through their lyrics. Junior Briley McGreevy, @brileymcgreevy on Twitter, is a reporter for The Shield. This story was edited by Managing Editor Becca Haeusser.
What form of music streaming do you most use?
Based on a survey with 370 responses.
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Getting to Know Noah
Favorite Movie? Hercules
Favorite class? Science
Favorite artitst/musician? I don’t have one
If you could have dinner with any four people in the world who would it be? Barack Obama, Rihanna, Omar McLeod (a Jamaican hurdler), and Allyson Felix (an American sprinter)
Favorite food? Fried rice from Sake Lounge Favorite color? Black
If you could visit any place in the world where would you go? Fiji, because it’s tropical and warm
Hobby Listening to music Fun fact I have lived in five different states
Do have any rituals you do before a race? I always do the same warmup getting into the blocks
Photo courtesy of MileSplitKS
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Junior Noah Green jumps over a hurdle during the 60-meter hurdles race at the Lance Lenard Memorial Indoor Track Meet in Manhattan, KS. Green took first in the event with a time of 7.99 seconds.
Running for Records Already a Kansas state record holder, junior Noah Green prepares for his first track season as a Saint. BY MIA POWER The Saint Thomas Aquinas boys’ track team will be adding a new junior transfer this season: Noah Green. Green transferred to Aquinas this year from Blue Valley Southwest for multiple reasons, and the successful track program at Aquinas was undeniably one of them. The team was the KSHSAA 5A State Champion last year and is looking to defend that title this upcoming season. While having a good track program was certainly a draw for Green, it was not the primary reason he transferred. “I felt like Southwest just wasn’t really the right place for me,” he said. Green was named the Gatorade State Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year following his 2016 season. “I’m just trying to During that season, he took first in the 110-meter carry on the legacy.” hurdles and the 300-meter hurdles at the state meet, and Noah Green anchored Southwest’s 4x400 junior relay, which also took first. The Timberwolves placed second overall at state to Aquinas. Green has been running track since he was six years old, but track has always run in his blood. “I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps,” Green said His father ran track for Baylor when he was younger; “I’m just trying to carry on the legacy.” His favorite event is the 110-meter hurdles. Photo by Katrina Nugyen / The Medallion “It’s short enough that you don’t get tired after it,” Green Green bursts from the starting line at the Greg Wilson Classic said. cross country meet in September. Green ran for part of the cross Hurdle events have always been his favorites. country season to get ready for indoor track season. “[Hurdles are] really technical so you don’t have to be fastest one to win,” Green said. Saturday and has meets almost every weekend. He holds the KSHSAA 5A state meet record in the event, In January, Green achieved a personal record in the with a time of 13.98 seconds. The Aquinas record for any meet 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.90 seconds, earning himself is 15.3 seconds, set by Mike Koenig in 2002. the No. 6 spot in national rankings for the event. In addition to the outdoor track season, Green also runs Senior Mia Power is the Social Media Editor for The Shield. indoors from September through March with Kansas City Flyers, a club team. There, he practices from Monday through This Story was edited by Managing Editor Becca Haeusser.
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Where Does Your Tuition Go?
The Aquinas administration works hard to provide funding for the various programs within its walls. BY RACHEL RANEY
Running a high school takes a considerable amount of work, especially when it comes to money. While public schools are funded by taxes, private schools must find other ways to maintain their budget. Saint Thomas Aquinas, like most private schools, relies mostly on tuition money. Extravaganza and donations from local parishes are also main contributors to the Aquinas budget. Once these donations go into the Aquinas budget, it is up to President Bill Ford to distribute it to the school’s different departments. While most of Aquinas’s budget goes towards paying teachers and staff, a large portion also goes towards utilities and keeping the building in good condition. “We have 30 years in this building so [the cost] is a lot more than it was 20 years ago,” said Ford. “We have a budget of considerable sum for things that could go wrong.” For example, a recent visit from the fire marshal led to Ford unexpectedly having to spend around $7,000 on magnets for the commons doors. With all the money spent on running the building, there is only about 15 percent left of the original budget. This 15 percent is where Ford has to make some tough decisions. Every spring, each department is asked to submit a budget to Ford. This includes each individual classroom, the performing arts department, and the activities department. Each group submits a budget listing their needs and
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their wants, including every sport. The sport budgets, unlike the performing arts and classroom budgets, are first submitted to Activities Director Sarah Burgess. They are then sent to Ford to be approved. The budgets vary in amount because each department has different needs and requirements.
“Typically Dr. Ford is very generous around here. If you need it, you get it.” Sarah Burgess Activities Director “You can’t compare program to program,” Burgess said. “For example, football is around a $33,000 budget, and a football helmet costs almost $400 now. So, if you’ve got 150 football players and you put them each in a $400 helmet, you can see that it’s completely different than outfitting the tennis team in a $30 tennis dress.” Athletic uniforms are a huge part of the activities budget. Not every sport can get brand new uniforms each year, so the old ones are cycled down to the JV and C teams. Spirit wear is another story. Any athletic clothes that the students take home, or the school would not want back, are considered “soft goods.” This includes things like spirit
shirts and socks. “Soft goods” are paid for by the student athletes, so as long as the coaches are diligent in collecting money from their players, it does not come out of the activities budget. The performing arts department has a slightly different system. Performing Arts Department Chairwoman Kim Spillman and music teacher Joe Heidesch share the production’s budget, but also have their own classroom budget, which goes towards essentials like forensics binders and the rights to music and scripts. The production’s budget goes mainly towards the fall musical and other main stage plays. There many aspects to school productions, so the price can add up. “We have to pay for wigs, makeup, mike tape, cotton balls, basically everything we need,” Spillman said. “The biggest [expense] is definitely paying people.” Out of every Aquinas production, the musical is the most expensive. This year’s musical, Shrek, was no exception. Just the rights to the script were $3,500. The costumes were another huge expense. Shrek’s hood alone cost $150. “Shrek was about $14,000, but we made about $15,000.” Spillman said. “We had to charge more for admission in order to pay for the show.” According to Spillman, as long as the performing arts does not spend more than they make, Ford approves the expenses.
“Basically what we are told is we have to make what we spend.” Spillman said. “Most theaters don’t make money because theater is so expensive. At best, we break even.” A great deal of planning goes into the financial aspect of high school. Thankfully, Aquinas has Ford. “Typically Dr. Ford is very generous around here. If you need it you get it.” Burgess said. Even with a limited budget, Ford manages to meet the needs of every department. From school musicals to Friday night football games, Ford ensures all the fun activities high school is known for are able to continue and prosper at Aquinas. Junior Rachel Raney is a reporter for The Shield. This story was edited by Managing Editor Becca Haeusser.
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The StuCo Bunch
BY ANNIE PATTON
Dance themes, T-shirts, DJs, lunchroom food, uniform policies, Spring Olympics, canned food drive, class points: StuCo has heard it all. There seems to be a constant flood of criticism aimed at the representatives of Student Council. Sometimes the topics under fire are not even within their control. “People ask us what we even do,” senior Dugan Hult said. Although some may believe otherwise, being on StuCo requires a great deal of effort and dedication. “I wish [the student body] knew how much effort we put in to make the school year a great one,” junior Abby Kate LaSala said. StuCo said some of the most challenging events to put on are canned food drive and Spring Olympics. When it comes to Spring Olympics, “when we are picking teams, people get really upset,” junior StuCo member Katherine Pyle said. “It’s also annoying when everyone thinks we should win class competition when StuCo [members] are the only people participating.” However, many of the StuCo reps
consider not having an STA Period to be the hardest part. StuCo moderator Jim Halling said “Especially for the officers and the presidents, they have to figure out how to delegate. Different groups are better at it than others,” said Halling. A normal meeting, Halling said, would start off with a discussion about events that are coming up. Then, they split into subcommittees to complete
“It’s not as competitive as it used to be, either. We are all really good friends .” Itsy McCormick their work. At the end, if they are free, they are then allowed to work on homework. It depends on the time of year. During the fall, there is a lot more structure to the meetings due to the canned food drive and homecoming. Within StuCo there is a friendly competition between the classes. Junior StuCo member Devin Diggs said, “It
really peaked [during] canned food drive, since then it’s been cooperative.” Sophomore Jackson Mallot said their biggest disagreement was between the sophomores and the upperclassmen regarding the scoring and points during the canned food drive. Things, though, did eventually settle down. “We are good now,” said Senior Katelyn Heying. “It’s not as competitive as it used to be, either. We are all really good friends,” said student body president Elizabeth McCormick Being on Student Council, however, is not just work and no play. StuCo said they have a lot of fun together. Heying said her favorite part was the “throwing of the Ramen” on the final day of the 2016 Canned Food Drive. One of McCormick’s favorite memories was her Junior year homecoming skit. LaSala said, “Our Twitter is fun. Everybody should follow this year’s StuCo to keep updated about class events.” Junior Annie Patton @APatton_14 on Twitter, is a reporter for The Shield. This story was edited by Managing Editor Becca Haeusser.
“I love calculus with all my heart. All I want to do with my life is solve
Senior Ezri Killeen, @e_claire17 on Twitter, is the Editor-In-Chief for The Shield. This Story was edited by Managing Editor Becca Haeusser.
March 2017 Event Calendar 3/3 - Girls Basketball Sub State Championship 3/3 - State Bowling 3/4 - Boys Basketball Sub State Championship 3/4 - Viking Cup Show Choir Competition 3/9 - Blue and Gold Soccer Scrimmage
3/30 - Varsity Baseball vs. BVNW 3/31 - Noon Dismissal 4/1 - Varsity Track and Field Shawnee Mission South Relays 4/1 - Varsity Soccer MO KAN Tournament 4/1 - Prom at Uptown Theater 4/3 - Varsity Baseball vs. BVSW
3/10 - Spring Break Begins
4/3 - Cheer Tryouts
3/21 - Basketball Blowout
4/4 - Varsity Softball vs. BVSW
3/27 - 2:25 Dismissal
4/5 - 9:00 Start
3/28 - Varsity Softball @ BVNW
4/5 - Varsity Track and Field @ Hayden
3/29 - 2:25 Dismissal
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