2018 September Le Journal by Alison Long

LE JOURNAL NOTRE DAME DE SION HIGH SCHOOL | SEPTEMBER 2018 | VOLUME 37

Not Enough Hours In The Day

LATE NIGHT NIGHTMARES Analyzing students' busy schedules and the effects of sleep deprivation

APPS TO HELP FALL ASLEEP

ALICIA HERALD KOTARBA: NEW PRESIDENT

SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE WORKPLACE

CONTENTS PHOTO OF THE ISSUE

Several new teachers and staff join the school this year

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Sophomore Anna McQueeny takes the stage as the newest member of a band

Counselors Erika Ellwanger and Karen Phillips have a special connection with their freshmen daughters

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Students do not have the opportunity to get enough sleep Steps need to be taken to stop hazing People should be held accountable for their social media posts even if it means losing their job Social media should not determine who a person is in the workplace

A&E

Junior Brooke Walker has a passion for rock climbing Sion hit with double loss to St. Teresa’s Academy in softball and volleyball games

ON THE COVER

Bird Scooters are the newest mode of transportation in Kansas City

Get to know the new president Alicia Herald Kotarba

SPORTS

WHAT’S ONLINE

Texts falsely linked to sex trafficking

LEJOURNALLIVE.COM

OPINIONS

NEWS

FEATURES

Sophomores Olivia Shively, Anna McQueeny, Madeline Hammett and Avery Brundige throw colored powder on each other during the color run at the end of Field Day Sept. 21. (Photo by Cecilia Mohácsi)

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Late Night Eateries Review Kansas City Irish festival review Tips and tricks to help fall asleep

Sleep is something students never seem to get enough of. Read about why and the effects of sleep deprivation (cover photo illustration Kennedy Wade)

@lejournalsion @lejournalsion www.lejournallive.com Harry Potter Symphony Review

Unpopular Opinion Podcast: Parcks and Recreation vs. The Office

Shake Shack Review

Spirit Week Photo Galleries

@lejournallive

EDITOR’S INK OUR TIPS

Make 2018 your year

1. Find a study nook Whether it be your basement, the library or a Starbucks, finding a place where your study habits thrive is essential. Make sure it is a space you find comfortable in, to scream at your textbook, cry over math homework or rejoice over all your finished assignments.

2. Eat breakfast It is the most important meal of the day and replacing it with coffee or skipping it all together doesn’t change that fact. Take an apple in the car, a spoon of peanut butter on your way out the door or a granola bar on the way to first hour.

3. Do your homework The crushing pressure of homework is like the rocks placed upon the chest of Giles Corey. But you wouldn’t know that if you didn’t do the assigned reading in sophomore English class, from The Crucible, a play in our curriculum by Arthur Miller. Staying on top of your assignments keeps your stress level down and your grades up.

4. Stop missing summer Embrace fall in all its autumnal awesomeness and forget the woes of a summer that scorched us all with it’s high temperatures. Give into fall with its breezy temperatures, pumpkin spice everything and pre-holiday season jitters.

ith the death of summer and the annual rebirth of the back to school season, signaled by lunchboxes and calculators lining the shelves at Target, students everywhere participated in a mass migration into the classroom. This yearly shock of homework and expected class participation leaves even the most well adjusted teenager down for the count. Facing the start of the school year has been admittedly hard. But as the brave Troy Bolton once said, we are all in this together, seven hours a day 181 days a year. Despite this, coming back to school wasn't completely awful either. The Freshmen survived beanie week and you can see a few photos on the back (pg. 28). The dance team and cheer team performed at the first pep assembly of the year. You can't forget about the amazing spirit week we just had and all of the fun costumes everyone came up with. We need to figure out if we are getting enough sleep (pg. 10) and the best way to handle all of our schedules together. Thank goodness for late starts and that extra hour of sleep every week. On nights that sleep escapes you, try some quick remedies (pg. 26-27) to help you hit the hay. If your hunger keeps you up, try one of the three late night eateries we reviewed (pg. 24) whether it be donuts, cookies or burgers, any and all cravings can be indulged.

NIGHT NIGHT STARS Senior Caroline Garrison and senior Savannah Friedebach cheer after Sion wins the point against St. Teresa's Academy volleyball team Sept. 12. Sion lost in two games. (Photo by Stephanie Vince)

When you have time to spare and if live music is your vibe, enjoy sophomore Anna McQueeny singing with the Whips (pg. 18-19). Another must for the start of the school year is a Netflix binge. So be sure to watch Netflix’s new rom-com “To all the boys I’ve Loved Before” (pg. 25). Stop by the counselors this year and you may recognize some of the faces from the photographs that grace their desks as both counselors Erika Ellwanger and Karen Phillips have freshmen daughters walking the halls this year (pg. 22-23). Keep up to date on what's happening this year lejournallive. com with frequent photo galleries, reviews and more. New this year online, listen to our "Unpopular Opinion" podcast as well as our new vlog series covering events around the school and city. Be sure to follow our social media trifecta: snapchat, twitter and instagram. The moral of the story, and the issue, is we don’t know if your getting it, but we all need it. Sion get some sleep! Sincerely, Cecilia & Ava

LE JOURNAL 2018-2019 LE JOURNAL IS THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF NOTRE DAME DE SION HIGH SCHOOL - 10631 WORNALL ROAD - KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64114

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SEPTEMBER 2018

Twenty-two members were inducted into the National Spanish Honor Society and 28 members into the National French Honor Society Thursday Sept. 13 with a candle lighting ceremony. Students recited the National Honor Society oath and then each member was given a rose and a certificate. The induction was followed by a reception of donuts, coffee and orange juice. “The club is only open to juniors and seniors because we think it takes a certain level of cultural understanding and maturity to go out and do service with a community of different customs,” Spanish teacher April Schendel said. Pictured is French inductee junior Bridget Schumm (Photo by Erika Sesler)

SENIOR LOCK-IN The Senior Class had an overnight lock-in Monday Sept. 10 for this year’s senior retreat. From 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, seniors connected as a class through activities, crafts and henna tattoos. This year’s theme, compassion, influenced all the activities for the night. “The idea is to become connected as a class," Campus Minister Stephanie PinoDressman said. "To be one in leadership with the school.” Pictured is senior Safa Khan putting Henna on senior Kendall Rogers. (Photo by Ava Rawson)

CHOIR 9/11 PERFORMANCE For the second year, petit and grand choeurs performed at Mount Olivet Cemetery for the 9/11 ceremony. Twenty girls participated and sang the national anthem as well as a three part harmony. “I think that it is very important to have a group of young people perform there and to understand what happened and educate them on 9/11,” senior Jordan Harrison said. “It is such a cool opportunity to perform for our veterans and have them know our appreciation for their service.” (Photo by Cecilia Mohacsi)

COLIN KAEPERNICK'S NIKE AD Due to the controversy from the Nike Colin Kapernick ad, the College of the Ozarks made the decision to disassociate itself with everything Nike. A statement was released Wednesday Sept. 5 that said, “If Nike is ashamed of America, we are ashamed of them.” Kaepernick is on the face of the ad, which says “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.’’ Kaepernick, former 49ers quarterback, has been seen as a controversial figure since he began kneeling during the national anthem. However since the ad aired, Nike sales have increased by 31 percent according to Time.com. (Photo by MCT Campus)

GET INVOLVED // NEW CLUBS

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETIES

WORLDWIDE

NEWS IN BRIEF

Business Club Presidents: Caroline Boessen and Emily Rine Sponsor: Erika Ellwanger

The Lemon Club President: Kate Vankeirsbilck Sponsor: Katie Durkin

Fashion Club Presidents: Brooke McKee and Dana Kalt Sponsor: Casey Engel

Allied President: Grace Hopewell Sponsor: Jenny Campbell (Illustrations by Katie Fitzgerald)

North Korean Nukes

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is taking steps to conceal North Korea’s nuclear weapon production. Kim said that he is willing to negotiate with the United States regarding prodcution of its nuclear weapons. Trump has let out a stream of hopeful tweets saying, “This is a big and very positive statement from North Korea. Thank you To Chairman Kim.”

Italy’s First Starbucks

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz plans to open the first Starbucks in Italy in late 2018. Located in Milan Italy, this Starbucks plans to be a high-end roastery featuring drinks different from the standard menu. Efforts are being made to accomodate Italy’s coffee cultures to blend with the American brand. Starbucks has over 28,000 locations in 78 countries worldwide, according to Forbes.

Paris Knife Attack

A knife attack in Paris left seven injured Sept 9. The attacker was reported to be walking along the Canal de l'Ourcq charging pedestrians with a knife and iron bar in hand. Two British tourists were among the injured. The attacker was arrested and is reported to be an Afghan national.

UPCOMING AND LOCAL OCT 3

NIGHT OF ONE ACTS NOTRE DAME DE SION HIGH SCHOOL

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OCT 13

ED SHEERAN CONCERT ARROWHEAD STADIUM

OCT 25

FOOD FOR THOUGHT KICK-OFF NOTRE DAME DE SION HIGH SCHOOL

NEWS

Programming Wave of New Thinking BY PAULA SWEENY CO PHOTO-EDITOR

The new computer programming class taught by math teacher, Mac McGory, has brought students together who want to explore the intricacy of technology. With five students enrolled in the class, it has given the girls an advantage to an area of study that hasn’t been available at Sion until this year. “[I want the students to gain] an understanding of what programming is and the basic functions,” McGory said. With his wife is also in the field, McGory believes that Science,

Technology, Engineering, and Math is the path that is becoming more and more popular. Since the 1990s, 2,348,000 more people have jobs in the STEM field, according to a 2011 survey from the National Science Foundation. The students learn to write programs, and as they become more advanced will program games. With learning the basics of technology, designing and building programs and coding, they have already made a number guessing game, online mad libs, and will eventually make an animated game. “I wanted to explore this class because I am really interested in technology/design and understanding, even the basics, of computer technology,” said senior Mia McLey, “this will give me an edge up if I decide to pursue this further in college.” In the short time

that McLey has been in the class she has said that she’s learned so much, not only in terms of technology, but also in different ways of thinking. “Girls are doing some coding and robotics but we wanted to add a more formal class,” Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instructions Ellen Carmody said. Sion has decided to offer this class when they realized that the STEM area was lacking in opportunities. Next semester they will add Computer Aid Drafting and Design. McGory said that this will allow girls to learn more about the basics especially since it is an up and coming career path which has many opportunity for women. “Coding is about trial and amd error and instead of finding an end result,” McLey said. “It’s about finding the steps to get you to that result, that’s the challenging part.”

Individuals in Science and Engineering Occupations in the U.S. 6000 Individuals

New computer class teaches students the basics for an up and coming career path.

4000

2000

1990

2000

2010

(Infographic by Paula Sweeny)

Senior Mia McLey listens as math teacher Mac McGory explains how to solve a coding problem. “I’ve learned so much, not only on the computer, but in different ways of thinking,” McLey said. (Photo by Paula Sweeny)

Texts Falsely Linked to Sex Trafficking Teenage girls have been on edge after anonymous “compliment” texts were falsely linked to sex trafficking. BY ERIKA SESLER WEB VIDEO CONTENT EDITOR

Junior Anna Frerker was looking through her text messages and realized she had received one from an unknown number that said “Someone complimented you on IRL! See more here:” with a link to a website of an app. “Some people said it’s part of a sex trafficking group,” Frerker said. “I honestly doubt that’s true, but I don’t know.” The panic quickly spread through social media. Girls were warning other girls to not click the link because their information or location could be retrieved by traffickers. As a result, these rumor posts and comments quickly spread and girls were reposting these warnings to make sure the word was spread to everyone, even though these rumors were false. In actuality, IRL is not associated with sex trafficking. IRL is an app where people can

16% have not received a text

84% have received a text

*According to a survey of 125 students

(Infographic by Erika Sesler)

connect to meet in person. On the website’s mission, it says that IRL aims to solve technology addiction by bringing people together in real life. On the app you are able to invite people who are not on the app, or nominate someone to anonymously compliment them on something they are good at. When someone is nominated, they receive an anonymous text message saying that they have been nominated. In a poll of 50 students, 42 said they had received one of the anonymous texts and eight said they had not. It’s the anonymous nature of the texts that has caused a surge of panic through teenage girls. Director of Technology Services Jason Ketter said that he doesn’t know specifically what apps traffickers use, but the main issue with this site is that it’s yet another opportunity for personal information to be shared online. “When you put your information on social media, you’re telling the world your information,” Ketter said. “One of the ways to keep yourself safe is to not put your personal information on apps.” IRL co-founder and CEO Abraham Shafi responded to the outbreak on social media Aug. 28 where he said that the app does not keep contact information or spam accounts. Shafi also provided a link to their new privacy pledge as well as their FAQ page where they address a lot of recently asked questions about privacy in addition to their privacy pledge. The privacy pledge commits to full transparency on how their data is used and only using data with the users’ consent. They are working on a new feature on the app to come out before the end of 2018 where all the data they collect from a user will be available to see and can be deleted at any time. After receiving multiple

texts herself, freshman Liesl Riffe is doubtful of this feature. “I don’t think that will work very well,” Riffe said. “I don’t think they will really put in that much work.” Even with the new feature on the app, Ketter still suggests that it’s smart to not put personal information on any social media. Once information is online, he said, it never goes away. Ketter also warned that sex traffickers aren’t always stalking people, but rather come across information from a person who willingly put it on an app. “Putting your information out there is a bigger risk than being solicited,” Ketter said.

nkn Som own num See eone com mo ber re: plim ) ent IOS e : dy 2O https o u! 01o Rx ://app le.c And o/ pla roid: h y det .goog ttps:/ l ails / ?id e.com =co / .irl. store/ and a roid pps/

The texts falsely linked to sex trafficking said the person receiving the text was complimented on the app IRL with links to the app store for the iPhone and Android. (Illustration by Erika Sesler)

SEPTEMBER 2018

NEWS

Bird Scooters Migrate to KC A new form of transportation can be found around the city. BY DANI ROTERT CO-PHOTO EDITOR

The California-based company Bird Scooters made their battery-powered motorized scooters available in Kansas City this summer. “We went to the Santa Monica Pier [this summer] and we were dodging people,” senior Caroline Hunter said. “There were a couple of times where I almost ran into people and there were designated no scooters zone that we definitely rode in. But it was so much fun.” They initially placed 100 scooters at the Power and Light District, River Market, Union Station and the historic 18th and Vine Jazz District. However, the no dock format of the scooters has led to their placement in various neighborhoods and other places around the city. In order to ride, users must first download the free Bird app onto their cell phones and connect a credit card to the account. There is a map on the app which allows users to find scooters nearby. The scooters have implanted chips to allow users to find the Birds. There is also a QR code scanner on the app which is used to unlock the scooter and make it ridable. Each scooter costs $1 to unlock and then automatically docks 15 cents every minute, making it cheaper and more accessible than other transportation apps.

After a day of usage, the company hired people to charge the battery of the bird at night for anywhere from $5 and $20. The next morning, the full-battery scooters are left at various drop points around the city called nests. At the nests, the scooters will be picked up and used throughout the day by riders. “I was driving in the Westport and this [person] drives straight in front of us,” senior Kelsey Wilcoxson said. “I know they are on a scooter, but there are cars and the road is for cars.” There has been some controversy with the company over concerns of safety of pedestrians and riders. There are no requirements for helmets with the scooters, but the rider must be at least 18 years old in order to operate the scooter. However, this can be bypassed as long as the person paying is older than 18. Cities like San Francisco and Denver have placed bans on the scooters from riding on their streets. The Country Club Plaza has also placed a ban on the scooters and the entire area is lit up red on the app map which means it’s a 'no fly zone.' Even though there has been controversy surrounding the scooters, Birds are not leaving the area anytime soon. The city reached a deal with the company in August to place up to 500 scooters across the Kansas City area in the upcoming year. With this deal, city officials have already promised Bird that they can place 250 more scooters immediately.

(Photo by Dani Rotert)

New Admissions Team Creates New Shadow Experience Prospective students will receive a new folder and other items during their visit. BY CECILIA MOHÁCSI PRINT CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The traditional shadow folders are being revamped this year with new items inside and shadows will also receive newly designed T-shirts and scrunchies to take home after their visit. Prospective students will receive a folder Shadows will get a Sion scrunchie along with their T-shirts inside their lululemon look alike gift bags.

decorated by their host filled with materials to stay occupied during the day. A new shadow magazine was created with the help of Social Media Coordinator Meg Cowan and includes facts about Sion, a letter from the principal and a 'notes' page as well as coloring pages and word searches. “This year we’re focusing on what makes us different here in Kansas City,” High School Admissions Director Katie Glatz said. This year shadows only shadow student ambassadors instead of freshmen. Each folder has the latest issue of Le Journal for shadows to read.

New Sion notebooks are featured for note taking, journaling or doodling during class.

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The goal of this T-shirt design is to reflect on what makes Sion different: academics, student life, traditions and global interaction, according to Admissions Director Katie Glatz. This “welcome to Sion” book was designed by the admissions team. It includes coloring, word search and fun fact pages.

Every shadow receives colored pencils for their notebook and the pages in the activity book.

NEWS

Introducing the

New Faces

Beginning the new school year, seven new faces joined the school’s faculty and staff. The teachers, counselor and directors pictured below answer questions about their new experience at Sion. BY AVA STOLTZ NEWS & SPORTS EDITOR

Prentiss Earl III Marketing Director

Katie Durkin English Teacher

Katie Glatz Admissions Director

Annie Riggs Mission Director

Lara King Counselor

What is different about Sion compared to other schools? “You got this sisterhood and culture built into your learning.” What made you choose Sion? “Sion is number one.” What are you most looking forward to in this coming year? “Having fun with an amazing community and working hard.”

What made you choose Sion? “The community aspect. And I like the commitment to developing skills outside of academic expectations.” What has been your favorite part so far? “The beanies, which are hilarious and that brings a fun atmosphere that is welcoming all of the girls as freshmen.”

What has been your favorite part so far? “I helped out at graduation, and that was absolutely stunning.” What is different about working at an all-girls school? “The uniforms have really thrown me off to be really honest.” What is one word you would use to describe Sion? “Phenomenal.”

What is different about working at an all-girls school? “It’s just the idea of being surrounded by bright, strong, creative young women.” What is different about Sion compared to other schools? “Our mission is what sets us apart from any other Catholic school, or any other in the whole country.”

What is different about Sion compared to other schools? “I think the atmosphere of Sion is different in that the students here are pretty open and they most of the time feel pretty supported in whatever their opinions are.” What is one word you would use to describe Sion? “Fun.”

Maggie Killian Visual and Performing Arts Teacher

What has been your favorite part so far? “[The seniors] are all really excited about passing on their skills [to the freshmen] and teaching each other.” What are you most looking forward to in this coming year? “I’m already really excited about the fall musical, 'Into the Woods.'"

Caitlyn Wicks Debate Coach

What made you choose Sion? “[I heard] about how hard working the girls are and about the culture of respect and work ethic here.” What are you most looking forward to in this coming year? “I am super looking forward to having the girls go out and participate at tournaments.”

SEPTEMBER 2018

FEATURES

Rooted in Sion Sion welcomes back alumna Alicia Herald Kotarba as the new President

92.4%

BY ALLIE DIERKS A&E EDITOR

It’s a grade most students despise. So close to an of her energy and positivity, according to junior Student Advisory Council A. So sad to see on a report card, especially in member Brie Bowes. SAC was given an opportunity to be involved in the math teacher Reynold Middleton’s infamous board’s decision last year by being a part of the interviewing process and Honors Algebra II class. She begged Middleton to bump the percentage up giving opinions on each candidate. only a tenth of a point. Yet three times, he refused. She attempted to bargain “Mrs. Herald Kotarba is so energetic. She was so excited to be talking with him, offering to clean his blackboards or tutor the freshmen. But he about the possibility of being our president,” Bowes said. “She knew Sion didn’t budge. personally through her experiences, and she had so many different ways to Little did he know that 16 years later, she would be back as his boss. improve and contribute to our school.” New President Alicia Herald Kotarba '02 was enrolled in Middleton's Herlad Kotaraba said she is humbled to come back in this capacity, Algebra class during her high school career. She walked through these same though she never thought she would be back or in education at all. After hallways, and sat in the same uncomfortable desks day after day. college, she was planning on continuing into law school. However, someone “Some things have changed, but more has probably stayed the same,” asked her why she wanted to be a lawyer, and when she was unable to answer Herald Kotarba said. “It’s still all about hardcore that question logically, she went into teaching to decide academics, friendships, the smiles in the hallway if she really wanted to pursue a career in law. “I don’t know what I thought and how close you all are with the teachers. All of Middleton, who taught Herald Kotarba both she would be doing,” that reminds me of what it used to be.” sophomore and junior year, knew there were great She continued on in her studies at Loyola things in her future. Middleton said. “But I knew Marymount University and Washington University “I don’t know what I thought she would be doing,” she would be successful at in St. Louis. After graduation, she began gaining Middleton said. “But I knew she would be successful whatever she wanted to do.” experience in the world of education as well as in at whatever she wanted to do.” the business field. And now she is back and ready The new job isn’t the only change in Herald to take on this new challenge in these same hallways. Kotarba’s life. She welcomed her first child, Alex, May 31. Not only is the president title new to Herald Kotarba, it is new to the “We are still learning to sleep,” Herald Kotarba said. “The night is the community. Previous presidents were known as the “Head of School.” With time he decides to be most cooey and cute, but he is so awesome. I could this new title, Herald Kotarba focuses on working in the marketing and show you plenty of pictures.” fundraising aspects of the grade and high schools, while the principals will be Herald Kotarba was the captain of the State Championship winning in charge of running the schools' day to day activities. basketball and volleyball teams, a member of National Honors Society, an “It’s not just a difference of a title. It is a difference of expectations that honors student and a leader in her class, according to alumna and classmate the board has set. In the president-principal model, we have really awesome Megan Doyle '02. autonomous principals that can run the day to day academics and operations “Alicia was a very hard worker but always reminded us the importance of the school,” Herald Kotarba said. “My job will be more externally of fun. She managed to make honors classes look easy by remaining positive,” focused—going out and helping to raise awareness and funds to support Sion Doyle said. “Alicia was modest in her over achievements which made her in the future.” approachable to her peers. She set the bar high for our class, and we all Herald Kotarba has been a teacher, an executive director of Teach for readily took on the challenge." America, a senior executive for Frontline Education, an innovation educator Herald Kotarba said she valued the friendships and connections she with the Kauffman Foundation and founder and CEO of myEDmatch.com, a made with her peers and classmates the most. She has hopes for continuing website that helps educators find schools right for them. According to Herald these connections into the future and helping restore these qualities to its full Kotarba, she is confident that she will be able to incorporate all her previous glory, according to Herald Kotarba. jobs into her new role. “The friendships that I’ve made are what I remember the most. It is so “I know the world of education and academics from having been active and a part of everyday of my life now,” Herald Kotarba said. “It wasn’t a teacher. When I had my own company, it was all about marketing, so as if you had one clique and you didn’t make friends out of that one group. knowing how to get the word out and building the brand,” Herald Kotarba An athlete, someone from the newspaper, and someone in the play could all said. “I’ve done board management, so now reporting to a board, should be be dear friends. Playing on the JV team and having the class president stop helpful as well.” by to support or making sure to support the plays. Those are the moments I Herald Kotarba stood out from the other presidential candidates because remember the most.”

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FEATURES Madame President With this new role, Alicia Herald Kotarba has been able to relive many high school memories such as being able to put the letterman jacket back on. (Photo by Allie Dierks)

Forever Friends (Far left) Alumnae Lucy Feierabend, Julie Ptacek, Ali Lind, President Alicia Herald Kotarba, and Annie Anderson pose on campus during their high school years. (Photo submitted by Alicia Herald Kotarba) Transormation Tuesday (Middle) Back in her high school years, Alicia Herald Kotarba wears her letterman jacket. The jacket, photos and other high school memorabilia are on display in the Commons. (Photo submitted by Alicia Herald Kotarba) Memories for a Lifetime (Left) During a normal school day, Alicia Herald Kotarba smiles with alumna Molly White in the old school uniforms. This isn’t the only thing that has changed according to Kotarba. “The uniforms are different, you don’t have to tuck in your shirts anymore, you have air conditioning and you have a new gym. But overall more is probably the same.” (Photo submitted byAlicia Herald Kotarba) SEPTEMBER 2018

STAFF EDITORIAL

(Photo By Maleah Downton)

Busy Schedules Mean INSUFFICIENT SLEEP High school students across the country suffer from insufficient sleep due to their immense and overbooked schedules. Change needs to be made as sleep deprivation is harmful to students.

FAST FACTS

9hrs

of sleep per night

(According to CDC)

60%%

of students are in school activities (According to US Census Bureau)

20hrs of home

work per week

(According to UOPX)

1 in 4

teens work after school

(According to US Census)

Vectors by Vecteezy

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ork at five, essay due at midnight, volleyball game on Monday, Pre-Calculus test on Tuesday, tutoring on Wednesday, volunteering at the hospital on Friday and bucket loads of homework everyday in between. High school students across the country endure a rigorous schedule from sports, clubs, homework, jobs, volunteering and other extracurricular activities. This constant state of “things to do,” leads to many sleepless nights. Among the current generation of teens, sleep deprivation has become a pressing issue. Due to these overbooked schedules, students are unable to receive the sufficient amount of sleep. Teachers assign, on average, 3.5 hours of homework per week, according to the University of Phoenix’s poll. High school students typically have five to seven class periods per day, amounting to a monstrous workload of over 20 hours of homework per week. On top of the immense school workload, students’ participation in extracurricular activities snowballs their busy schedules. Six out of 10 children ages 6-17 participate in after school activities, according to U.S. Census Bureau. From kindergarten to senior year of high school, participation in extracurricular activities have been ingrained upon student lifestyles. For high school students, extracurricular activities are their top priority. The emphasis on building a solid college resume encourages students to invest their time in their outside activities. Extracurricular activities have taken precedence. Participating in these extracurricular activities can affect a student’s sleep. Students with more extracurricular activities sleep the least amount of hours each night, according to a study completed by Medium. The need to sleep versus the need for students to be involved is often a difficult choice for students. On the high school level, nationwide, 72.7 percent of students experience short sleep duration, less than seven hours of sleep, according to Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The average is 65.6 percent for freshmen, 71.7 percent for sophomores, 77.1 percent for juniors and 77.6 percent for seniors, according to the CDC. Yet adolescents on average are supposed to maintain at least nine hours of sleep per night, according to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital. With the majority of high school students suffering from lack of sleep, the question as to how this is affecting school performance as a whole begs an answer. Insufficient sleep is connected to a student’s mood and behavior. Sleep deprivation results in an increased risk for injury,

inability to self-regulate, substance use, risky behavior and a possible trigger for mental illness, according to the Child Mind Institute. This impact on students’ moods then transfers to the way their brain is able to process information, affecting their ability to learn. Sleep deprivation is linked to deficits in executive function, according to Julie Boergers Ph.D., affecting students’ organizational skills, memory, and their ability to apply and maintain effort. So sleep and academic performance have direct correlation. The time in which students go to sleep on weekdays has a significant effect on their GPA. Students who go to bed earlier are more likely to get a higher GPA, according to the European Sleep Research Society. However, going to bed early isn’t an easy task when students’ time and attention are needed elsewhere. A solution to this pressing issue is instituting later start times for high schools. Waking up early to get to school at 7 a.m. or 8 a.m. isn’t natural for adolescents’ bodies. With later start times, students are able to rest more and wake up without interrupting their natural alarm clocks. High schools with an 8:30 a.m. or later start time, allow more than 60 percent of students to get at least eight hours of sleep per night, according to a study at the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement. Implementing later start times helps students obtain sufficient sleep and also influences the number of tardies and absences for schools. A CDC funded study found that absences and tardiness decreased significantly in all grades 9-12 in schools who instituted start times of 8:35 and 8:55 a.m. In one district there was a massive 66 percent drop in tardiness. With students across the nation suffering from insufficient sleep, taking action and steps towards later school start times provides long term benefits to students in regards to their wellbeing as it sets students up to be in the very best state of mind. Sleep deprivation in high school students is real. It is affecting students by the masses throughout the country as their busy schedules continually plague their ability to rest. Action needs to be taken. Students can no longer be superman. They can’t do everything. Taking on so much work and activities is far too strenuous to their health. Both students and schools need to make a change to fix the issue at hand. Schools should take lead by instituting later school start times as it is the next step for positive change.

72.2% of students

nationwide suffer from lack of sleep

This editorial reflects the views of the Le Journal Staff. Nineteen out of 19 staff members voted in favor of this editorial.

OPINION

Hazing Is Inexcusable Rites of passage are a dangerous practice that should be stopped. BY TAYLOR PITZL WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

When students are returning to school, trying out for sports teams, and joining clubs and organizations, they should be worried about homework and other distractions of youth. Not hazing. StopHazing.org defines hazing as “Any activity expected of someone joining or participating in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers them regardless of a person’s willingness to participate.” Hazing preys on vulnerable people to force them to embarrass or even harm themselves. The purpose of hazing is to put freshmen or new members “in their place” and to force them to prove themselves before joining

an organization, team or other group. The power dynamics at play with senior members preying on new recruits, puts members in a vulnerable position. Many people in this position feel unable or are scared to refuse to complete a task. This can easily turn disastrous. One of the most recent examples of hazing gone wrong is the death of a Penn State pledge at Beta Theta Pi fraternity last year. After excessive drinking forced, or at least encouraged, by his fellow fraternity members, he fell down a flight of stairs and hit his head. None of the boys sought help or called emergency services for the next 12 hours, according to The Atlantic. The tragedy at Penn State occurred in spite of bans on hazing both on campus and in the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. But this is not an isolated event. While many campuses, teams and organizations proclaim that they have bans on hazing, it is still

widespread. The main reason the bans are ineffective is that hazing events are rarely reported. Ninety-five percent of students who experience hazing do not report to campus officials, according to a study conducted by the University of Maine. Hazing is harmful to students involved. Some may justify hazing saying it helps bring the group together and makes teammates and members closer. However, there are safer and more enjoyable ways to bond that do not have negative consequences. Seventy-one percent of students who have been hazed have suffered negative consequences such as post traumatic stress disorder or emotional instability, according to HazingPrevention.org. The only guaranteed way to stop hazing is for senior members to take a stand and refuse to subject younger members to this practice.

Pennsylvania State Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman introduced an anti-hazing legislation after the death of Timothy Piazza on Friday, March 23. (Photo by MCT Campus)

In order to stop hazing, rules and laws must be strictly enforced and stiff penalties must be levied upon anyone who ignores them. Educational programs should teach students what hazing is and where they can report it. In addition, students, teammates, fraternities and sororities must take responsibility to stop hazing and to treat their younger counterparts with dignity and compassion. Only then will the cycle be broken.

Packing A Punch: Why Self-Defense Is Essential Educating girls about self-defense is needed as more young women are targets of violent crimes. BY JENNA BARACKMAN REPORTER

Violence and abuse are not abstract concepts or something that should be looked at with a ‘that won’t happen to me’ state of mind. Violence is real. In July, 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts went missing while on her evening, routine jog. She was found with multiple stab wounds, her body buried in a corn field near the University of Iowa. In 2002, 19-year-old Ali Kemp was murdered at a local Leawood pool while working as a lifeguard. In 2007, 17-year old Kara Kopetsky and, in 2016, 21-year-old Jessica Runions were both murdered in Belton, Missouri after being tortured and killed by the same perpetrator. Women's self-defense education needs to be a priority, and the best place is in high schools across the country. High schoolers are preparing for college,

1 in 3

high schoolers will experience

sexual abuse or

physical assault

what’s commonly known as the “hunting ground,” where two-thirds of students experience sexual harassment according to the National Violence Research Center. Female college students, specifically ages 18-24, are also three times more likely to experience sexual violence, making young women the most vulnerable to sexual abuse than any other group of people. Self-defense is of the utmost importance. Self-defense classes offer more than just the physical skills necessary for defending oneself. Learning self-defense also boosts self-esteem and brings about an overall positive attitude, something that teenage girls often lack, according to a study done by Washington University. Classes like this can also significantly reduce anxiety in teenagers, according to Psychology Today. Not only does self-defense increase the physical capability of a victim, but it can also significantly reduce stress levels in all aspects of a student’s life. In addition, self-defense classes are also not too physically demanding and can be taken by almost anyone. In fact, lessons are offered to anyone from inexperienced to advanced skill sets and utilize

Every minute,

24 people

are physically or sexually

assaulted

small actions that don’t require much skill or strength. But these actions can create a huge amount of damage against an attacker. In 2014, The Ali Kemp Educational Foundation taught a self-defense course in the gym, charging $18-$20 per student, according to Principal Natalie McDonough. This needs to happen again. Time is not a concern. There is plenty of time for a self-defense class. We frequently host guest speakers who give presentations on topics like stress and sexual assault during class meetings, maison time and study halls. Some of this time could be used for self-defense training. It is also relevant to the curriculum and school because abuse can affect how a victim performs in school. High school students who have been physically hurt on purpose by their partner earned grades of C and D twice as often, according to Break the Cycle. So, really, self-defense has everything to do with academics and performance in school. And though class time is valuable, teaching skills that could potentially save a victim from an attacker is just as valuable.

120 million

girls worldwide will experience rape or sexual battery according to UN Women

according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline

according to Break the Cycle

SEPTEMBER 2018

OPINION

Social Media:Truth or PRO BY DANI ROTERT CO-PHOTO EDITOR

lmost everyone has posted something on social media in the past that they completely regret. Whether that be from when they were ignorant and uninformed or a recent mistake that they decided to share with the world via the Internet, we all have skeletons in the closet that we hide. As our world becomes increasingly centered around technology, there has been an endless amount of times where people have been either fired or publicly shamed for their past on the Internet. There is nowhere to hide with the Internet and every shameful comment, lie or embarrassing photo will end up coming out sooner or later. The truth of the matter is that these actions need to be punished and the behavior shown within these posts on social media cannot be tolerated by our society. People have the freedom of speech which allows them to share their ideas and thoughts on the Internet through their social media. However, a company also has complete reign on what they want to have represent themselves and their brand. This includes the employees they have hired or potential employees and how they represent themselves on the Internet. It is the company's right and duty to make sure their employees do not have anything on their Facebooks or Instagrams that could come back and inadequately represent the companies, leading to a potentially enormous scandal. This has been seen numerous times with large companies firing employees for a post, like or comment put on their social media for the whole world to view. A notable example of this is the case of former Public Relations Executive of IAC Justine Sacco. While heading on a trip to South Africa, she tweeted, “Going to Africa. Hope I don’t get AIDS. Just kidding. I’m white!” Without her knowledge, her tweet had gained substantial traction on Twitter which caused her employer to see the

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offensive tweet. Before she even landed in Africa, Sacco was fired. There is no reason for companies to stand behind ignorant statements such as Sacco and should in turn fire those whom can only seem to use the Internet to spread hatred. There needs to be repercussions for racism and bigotry on the Internet. If nothing is done over these posts, then nothing in our society can change. In order to get individuals to understand that their jokes are offensive, there needs to be some backlash other than a couple of comments. People need to learn that they cannot just hide behind their screens and say hateful things. The only way to truly make others see this is to have real-life consequences for those who decide to spread hatred on the Internet. As employees’ pasts are important to search through, it is also important to search through the past of those in the spotlight - celebrities. Searching through celebrities’ past for drama is not a new thing. However, it is becoming more and more prevalent today. With the Black Lives Matter and the Me Too movements, celebrities have found it harder to hide from their social media past. In July, James Gunn was fired from directing the third volume of “The Guardians of the Galaxy” series due to rape jokes he posted on twitter. It is very important for these celebrities and other people of influence in our world to be held to the same standards as the everyday citizen, especially when it comes to social media. If young impressionable children see their favorite actor or singer posting something inappropriate then they will begin to believe that it is okay for them to say these things continuing the cycle of harmful language. The only way to truly keep the past from haunting the future is to post things that spread positivity instead of hate. Be proud of your portrayal on social media and you will never be caught up in a major scandal or have your dream job slip through your fingers over something posted just five years before.

From the Students' Point of View... "You're representing yourself and your workplace on social media. A racial slur or sexist comment online is no more acceptable than saying it out loud in the workplace." -senior Anna Nastasi

OPINION

r Just Mistakes

After recent viral posts, students debate if an employee's future should be determined by their past posts.

CON BY ERIKA SESLER WEB VIDEO CONTENT EDITOR

S "I don't think that what you put online should affect your employment because you can be one person around your friends and a whole different person in your work place." -sophomore Olivia Shively

"Social Media is a way to express yourself, but sometimes can be misinterpreted and manipulated for the better, or for the worst." - junior Maya Bair

ocial media has become a huge influencer in everything people do. If something happens, they want to put it on their Snapchat story. If someone goes somewhere or is hanging out with friends, they want to post it on Instagram or Facebook. Sometimes when a person posts you don’t really think about how someone could take it the wrong way, or how it could impact you later. Yet, companies feel that when someone posts something they think is wrong, they should take the most extreme route of consequence: firing them. It is excessive to fire people for things that they post on their social media profiles. Social media platforms are private companies, and can censor what people post on their websites as they see fit, according to Executive Director of the First Amendment Center Lana Nott. Most social media websites like Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram have strict rules on what will not be tolerated. For example, Snapchat says in its terms of use “Do not bother or make other people feel bad on purpose,” and there are no exceptions or limitations to this policy. If the website does not deem a post inappropriate, then the company shouldn’t make such big deal out of it. Some people just don’t understand that the statement or picture they shared was inappropriate, so firing them isn’t the correct way to handle it. A woman, identified only as Naomi H., lost her NASA internship in August because she tweeted something with profanity. People swear all the time in person, but as soon as it’s put on the Internet, people want to criticize it. The woman was talking directly to a fellow intern, but he wrote in a blog post later that he wasn’t offended by it and knew that she was joking. In situations like this, the public or others who aren’t directly affected love to give their input even though they have nothing to do with it. The woman’s superiors read her colleague’s blog post, and she ended up getting her internship back. In this day and age, people have to be careful on social media in consideration of their future. Colleges, possible jobs, sororities and fraternities carefully examine our social media. Before people had the ability to look others up on the Internet, the only resources they had were the people themselves. Now, if they find something they didn’t like on a person’s social media, they can judge and turn a probable candidate down just because they have new resources. It’s unfair and doesn’t allow some people the same opportunities they deserved

because the Internet and social media allow people to look deeper into our lives. Most adults who have matured know that just because you did one bad thing on the Internet doesn’t mean you are like that all the time. If someone posts something on social media that doesn’t apply to their job or affect anyone that they work with or work for, then they should be allowed to say what they want. People are allowed to say whatever they want until the social media platform decides it is inappropriate and goes against their terms of use. If the post is not censored, then a company does not have the right to fire the person who posted it. If there is no correlation to the company in any way in the post, they most definitely do not have the right to fire them. Sometimes people say things in person and they aren’t fired, so they should not be fired over a tweet or a post that says the same thing they could have said out loud and wouldn’t have been punished for. Of course it is not always appropriate to post certain things, but the companies should discuss their reasoning about wanting the post deleted with the person who put it out there on their social media. Then it allows them to have a civil conversation about it, and they may even convince the person that they should take the post down which solves the whole issue to begin with. The person who posted it might even learn why the post was inappropriate, which would prevent them from posting other bad posts in the future. In the instance of Lindsey Stone, who posted a picture of herself in front of an Arlington National Cemetery sign pretending to scream, if she had talked to someone about why it was offensive or if her boss had had a conversation about how he believed it would not benefit her, I believe she would have taken it down. If NASA had talked to the woman about why her tweet was inappropriate or asked her to take out the other NASA intern in the tweet, she could have kept the internship for the whole time instead of losing it and then getting it back because of a misunderstanding. All of these could have been solved with an informative conversation instead of firing them, and the context of the post could have been explained. If Stone was able to explain the context of her photo, she may not have been fired. There is always more to the story, and social media takes that away. With having conversations, people become more informed and allow everyone to be on the same page. SEPTEMBER 2018

COVER STORY

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Late Night Nightmares Students suffer from sleep deprivation due to overbooked schedules and technology. BY WEB MANAGING EDITOR ANA PENDERGAST AND REPORTER GRACE PARROT DESIGN BY REPORTER KENNEDY WADE

COVER STORY

of them are not getting nine hours of sleep.” The harmful symptoms of sleep deprivation affect a student’s mental, emotional and physical health. Sleep deprivation often leads to a multitude of health problems ranging from weight gain to fatigue and memory loss. Students who don’t get the recommended amount of sleep typically have a harder time focusing in school, leading to decreased performance according to Perry. Sleep deprivation can also lead to larger medical problems. High schoolers are often unaware of these harmful effects. “If you’re sleep deprived, every cell in your body is impacted by that,” Perry said. “It impacts your overall health on a cellular level.”

IT'S 6:20 A.M. Junior Olivia Townsend rolls over to silence the opening ringtone, waking her out of her six hours of sleep. Waking up as she OVERSTRETCHED STUDENTS stretches and rubs her eyes, she gets ready for the school day. She grabs her load of stuff for swim team and dance team that afternoon. A multitude of obstacles stand in the way of getting enough sleep. Throughout the day, Townsend battles tiredness and perseveres Technology and social media often consume students' attention. Even the through her various honors and advanced placement courses. Once the light emitted from screens makes it harder to sleep. Pressure from school saving 3:10 p.m. bell rings, while various students scramble home to begin a and extracurricular activities causes many students to stay up late and wake few hour Netflix break, is when Townsend really gets to work. up early, resulting in little sleep. Attempting to build a perfect resumé to Working as efficiently as possible Townsend gets as much homework become the ideal college applicant can start before a student even begins done as possible before 4:45 p.m. Then it's off to swim practice at the high school. Students may even become involved in activities that will look YMCA. As Townsend, who placed at State in the 50m good on resumés, rather than what they are truly passionate freestyle, swims through her sets, she constantly checks about. “We can’t all do it the clock on the wall. She crawls out of the pool to “We can’t all do it all,” Guidance Counselor Karen all,” Phillips said. “So begin the sprint back to Sion for a 7-9:45 p.m. dance Phillips said. “So sometimes I think you have to be realistic sometimes I think you practice. Then finally she comes home for some dinner about you and you’re particular individual life and not what at 10:15 p.m. She wraps up her homework to finally other people may be doing.” have to be realistic goes to bed at 11:30 p.m. A major time commitment is athletics. Fifty-five about you and you’re “It takes a lot of sleep and concentration to percent of high schoolers participate in athletics, according particular individual balance it all,” Townsend said. “Thankfully I have my to U.S. News and World Report. Athletic Director Kate life and not what other teachers, friends and my family to really just help keep Pilgreen estimates that around 65 percent of students are people may be doing.” me motivated and to put my best effort into whatever involved in sports. Between practices and game times, I do.” students have to figure a way to fit everything into their Lack of sleep plagues high school students across schedules. the country. The national average is seven hours per night. But a school “Swim and dance obviously take a lot of time,” Townsend said. “But survey of 75 students showed that 55 percent get four to six hours of sleep. both make me really happy. With competition mode for dance and State for Teenagers regularly sacrifice their mental and physical health attempting swim and finals it can be a lot.” to be a straight A student who is also involved in extracurriculars, But athletics aren’t the only extracurricular that fill up a student's volunteering and other resumé builders. timetable. Competitive academic clubs like Debate also take much needed The amount of sleep each person needs varies, but children and young time. In addition to practices and preparing cases and forensic pieces, adults often need more in order to stay awake and alert. In order to be fully students can spend up to 12 hours at a debate tournament in one weekend. rested, students need between eight and nine hours of sleep, according to “It’s a challenge to balance school, debate and other activities, but I Dr. Galyn Perry, a sleep specialist at Children’s Mercy Hospital. think it’s good preparation for the real world,” sophomore Rajitha Velakturi “Adolescents need nine hours of sleep,” Perry said. “I suspect that most Story continued on Page 16... said.

SEPTEMBER 2018

COVER STORY ...Continued from Page 15

During tech week for the annual play and musical, students involved may not even get home until 9 p.m. Senior Tess Prusa said that tech week is usually very stressful. Although it depends on the show, she said they have stayed as late as 11:30 p.m. for "Sister Act." "We are very lucky that most of our teachers are understanding and very excited to see the show," Prusa said. "They are open to the reality that we don't have time to do homework." An additional struggle is balancing work and school. The average American teenager works 17 hours a week or about three hours a day, according to the Federal Highway Association. Junior Elyse Maker works at the Brookside Toy and Science store. “I generally work about 16 hours a week and get about four and a half hours of sleep a night,” Maker said. “It can be challenging to focus in class sometimes. But after a while you learn to manage.” At some point it becomes simply impossible to maintain it all and get a full nine hours of sleep. Coupled with the stress of these activities, sleep deprivation makes it harder for students to excel in what they have dedicated themselves to. “I would not blame the schools. I think people in general have to take responsibility for their actions and inactions,” Pulmonologist Dr. Steven Hull said. “As a student and as a parent you have to make some choices and you can’t be all things to all people.” A lack of sleep may be harmful to a student’s academic performance. When a student stays up late to study it is less effective because sleep deprivation causes a decrease in memory, judgment capabilities and focus, according to a study by Johns Hopkins’s sleep researcher Patrick Finan. “Memory is consolidated during REM sleep which makes students less likely to retain the information,” Pulmonologist Dr. Jeff Graff said. But teenagers often stay up late to maintain that perfect GPA after a day full of activities. Sleep is the one thing that gets sacrificed. However, this is often counterintuitive. Sleep improves a high schooler’s ability to perform well academically. Going to bed earlier, rather than

later, can be more beneficial to a teenager. “I tell students to study the night before, the night before the test, and review for no more than an hour the night of,” Psychology teacher Linda Blasdel said. “Because if you are sleep deprived you won’t do as well and are more prone to being anxious.” Beginning freshman year, students look toward building the perfect resumé. Many colleges look for well-rounded students; one’s that excel academically, are leaders in their extracurriculars, have high test scores and students who volunteer and make an impact in their community. Students must adapt to these pressures by focusing on their passions, rather than trying to become the best at everything, and sacrificing their sleep as they do so. “If you say I was up till 11 doing homework, maybe you didn’t start until 9 because of practice or student ambassadors or the 400 other things you may do, “Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction Ellen Carmody said. “So I do think we need to look at the lives our students lead and we want them to be fulfilled in a lot of different areas.”

TECHNOLOGY IN THE BEDROOM Technology is also a leading cause of sleep deprivation. Not only are phones and computers a distraction for students, but they also emit light that interferes with circadian rhythms, the body’s natural sleep clock. Removing screens from the bedroom, and not looking at them an hour before bed can dramatically improve a student’s sleep. However, students stay up late on social media, preventing them from getting to sleep on time. “The majority of the problem is students not getting to bed on time.” Graff said. "Kids can do a better job of putting the phone away before bed.” Teenagers also have the unique struggle of physiological changes. As the body matures,

SCHEDULES AT A GLANCE

12-4 AM 5 AM 6AM 7AM 8-3 4 PM 5 PM 6 PM 7 PM 8 PM 9 PM 10 PM 11 PM

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OLIVIA OVERLEASE

OLIVIA TOWNSEND

MAGGIE CARR

SOPHOMORE

JUNIOR

SENIOR

Sleep Sleep Wake Up Go to School School Field Hockey Field Hockey Shower/ Homework Homework Dinner Homework Sleep Sleep

Sleep Sleep Wake Up Go to School School Homework Swim Swim Swim/ Dance Dance Dance/ Dinner Homework Homework

Sleep/ Wake Up Get Ready Ice Skate Go to School School Field Hockey Field Hockey Homework Skate or Volunteer Skate or Volunteer Homework Homework Sleep

the circadian rhythm changes, affecting energy levels throughout the day. The brain sends signals to the body telling it to stay up later, adding to the numerous reasons a student already has for staying up late. Waking up in time for class and maintaining a healthy sleep schedule is unrealistic for many students. “There’s a normal tendency for students to have a natural sleep clock that tells them to stay up late and wake up late,” Graff said. “But it’s unrealistic for most high school students.” While staying up late, students often go on their phone to unwind. The average teenager spends upwards of nine hours a day on their phone, according to the Washington Post. Most students check Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter before going to bed. “For anyone who is having trouble falling asleep at night, the first thing I tell them is to put their phone or laptop away an hour before they go to sleep,” Hull said. By not using phones before bed, teenagers are less likely to stay up later and will fall asleep easier. However, most find it hard to disconnect from social media and friends. Over 57 percent of students spend over 30 minutes on their phone before bed, according to a survey of 75 students. Students can increase the amount of sleep they get by simply putting their phones away. Junior Maya Bair spends two to three hours on her phone before sleeping. “I think it’s hard to disconnect from people and conversations which is why we’re always up so late,” Bair said. Not only do these distractions keep students up, but so does the technology itself. The blue light that is emitted from phone screens tricks the human body into believing that it is day rather than night, disrupting the circadian rhythm. These disturbances in the circadian rhythm not only make it harder to fall asleep, but also affect the body throughout the day. Therefore, many students are less energized, focused and unable to perform at high level. “Biologically, your body wants to stay awake. With early school start times, it’s a real struggle,” Perry said. “Not only are you trying to deal with getting your homework done, and not getting distracted and not staying on your cell phone or your electronics once you get in bed, but your body is saying you need to stay up later.”

EFFECTS OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION When a teenager doesn’t get enough sleep their hormones become imbalanced. Cortisol, a stress producing hormone, is overproduced when a person is sleep deprived to keep them awake. When cortisol is overproduced the body suffers physically, putting high schoolers at an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, weight gain, decreased bone and muscle density and lowered immunity. Sleep deprivation can also lead to gastrointestinal issues such as irritable bowel syndrome and other problems. “If you don’t get enough sleep there can be

COVER STORY

issues with weight gain,” Perry said. “People who However, these can cause more harm than good. don’t get enough sleep in general have GI issues.” Even if it feels good, it can cause problems later. Lack of sleep weakens the immune system. “I feel good as long as it’s not too long,” A study in the Netherlands and the U.K. show senior Emma Cruciani said. “If I accidentally that the biggest effects were take a four hour nap, I get even seen on the white blood cells, more stressed and I’m up till 2 “Not sleeping doing my homework.” which are responsible for is very fighting infection. Naps during the day can make “Many people get sick counterproductive. students feel more energized, during finals, and lots of The risk of driving however they also make it harder people say it’s that time of the go to bed at night. The brain when you’re sleep to year, when in reality its lack works hard to catch up on the sleep deprived going that is missed, so people usually of sleep,” Blasdel said. to school in the can catch up within about 28 hours People who are sleep deprived are also more likely morning with according to Perry. When you take to be in accidents. Falling traffic is greater a nap during the day to catch up on asleep at the wheel is more your body believes it doesn’t due to delayed sleep, likely when people are sleep need to sleep at night. This reversal response times.” of day and night alters the circadian deprived. Over 6,000 car Perry said. rhythm, making it harder to go to crashes a year are caused by a lack of sleep, which causes bed. delayed judgment increasing “If you stay up all night and the risk of accidents according to Johns Hopkins. sleep during the day and you keep doing that Students who get five to six hours of sleep a then you’ll actually flip the clock,” Perry said. night are twice as likely to get in a car wreck as How much sleep do you get? someone who got eight hours according to NPR. “Not sleeping is very counterproductive,” Perry said. “The risk of driving when you’re sleep 12% get deprived going to school in the morning with over 8 traffic is greater due to delayed response times.” Sleep deprivation also affects student’s mood and emotional health. Teenagers who don’t 55% get 2% get less sleep as much are at a greater risk of depression than 3 6-8 hours and anxiety. High schoolers often become more 31% get 4-6 stressed due to a lack of sleep. hours “Sleep deprivation can make you more irritable,” Graff said. “It leads to low energy and fatigue, as well.”

SLEEPING SOLUTIONS In addition to reducing the use of technology at night, students can help themselves get more sleep in other ways. In order to improve their sleep patterns, students must prioritize sleep. Even if teenagers feel they are functioning with little sleep, it can still have a harmful effect on them. “We don’t prioritize sleep. If people understand the significance of sleep deficiency, of not getting enough sleep, I think that would make a difference,” Perry said. “People think they can function adequately without sleep, and then they diminish the importance of sleep.” For most teenagers, going to bed earlier is simply not going to happen. The change students must take begins with putting phones and other electronics away to focus on sleep. Many students who are sleep deprived don’t see a problem with it because they feel they are still functioning on at a high level, but they are not. Naps and caffeine are common tools used by high schoolers to combat fatigue from a lack of sleep.

How long do you use your phone before bed? 11% Don’t

32% said less than 30 minutes

29% said over one hour

28% between 30 minutes and one hour

Do you take sleep medication?

32% use melatonin

“And that’s really hard to fix.” Reducing stress positively impacts sleep. Students can reduce stress by exercising, doing yoga, and reducing caffeine intake. Many teenagers use caffeine to stay awake during the day, however it ultimately makes it harder to sleep at night. “I really can’t get through many school days without coffee. I literally fall asleep in class without it,” junior Bridget Schumm said. In cases where students find it increasingly difficult to fall asleep, teenagers also use overthe-counter sleep medications. Melatonin, the most common, can temporarily help high schoolers fall asleep. However, melatonin is not always powerful enough and many develop tolerances to it over time, according to Perry. “I’ve been taking melatonin for about three months,” sophomore Kate Conway said. “I have anxiety with sleeping so it helps calm me down and all that.” Later start times for schools would also improve students’ sleeping habits. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Medical Association and the Centers for Disease Control all recommend later start times for teenagers. The AAP “Personally, I recommends that schools start no would love to earlier than 8:30 see an 8:30 a.m.. However, in order for later starts a.m. start every to have an impact, day,” Carmody high schoolers said. “We can must be responsible say not only enough go to sleep earlier rather than do we know stay up later. how to educate “I don’t them, but think the schools also we know themselves are harmful other than their social, the fact they do emotional start too early,” Hull needs.” said. “I support the legislation out in California. There is definite supporting research that if children go to school later they do better.” Late starts would also need to be implemented throughout other schools in order for them to become a reality, according to Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction Ellen Carmody. Inconsistent start and end times would cause students to repeatedly have to miss class time in order to attend games since other schools would get out much earlier. “Personally, I would love to see an 8:30 a.m. start every day,” Carmody said. “We can say not only do we know how to educate them, but also we know their social, emotional needs.”

3% use other 65% said no

-Results from student survey

SEPTEMBER 2018

FEATURES

Queen of The Whip Sophomore Anna McQueeny finds a new side of herself after joining a band called The Whips and helped them win in the semi-finals of the Roxy Battle of the Bands Competition. BY SELA KINCAID REPORTER

tepping onto a half-lit stage with vibrant lights pointing to random spots on the stage all around her, sophomore Anna McQueeny takes a few steps towards her mic, takes a deep breath and begins singing in front of a cheering crowd for only the second time in her life. With every song, McQueeny gets more and more comfortable jumping up and down and swinging her arms around. The crowd mimics her, singing and jumping to the beat. McQueeny can’t stop smiling, realizing how fun it can be to try new things. “I’m onstage, singing with a band and it just clicked and everything just flowed,” McQueeny said. “The guys are super cool and make me feel more confident.” McQueeny had only sang with her band, The Whips, once before in the semi-finals of Battle of the Bands at The Roxy, where they won. This allowed McQueeny to advance into the final competition, Aug. 31, at Roxy Bar. The Whips are an Indie-Rock, alternative band. Their style is influenced off of Red Hot Chilli Peppers and The Eagles. They showcased seven songs, including McQueeny singing “Redbone” by Childish Gambino and a duet of “One of these Nights” by The Eagles with Shawnee Mission East junior and lead singer, Aidan Connelly. But The Whips did not win the last competition and have yet to make plans for a future show. “I’ve never been in anything like a band before,” McQueeny said. “I have only been in musical theatre [for one year]. That was it.” McQueeny met The Whips on a Tuesday, three days before her first competition with them that Friday. McQueeny was looking at a new exciting chapter in her high school life. Not only was it McQueeny’s first time on stage singing, but it was her parent’s first time watching her perform in front of an audience. “Her dad and I were halfway giggling and halfway crying because we were so proud of her,” McQueeny’s mother, Julie McQueeny said. “It goes to show you, you can never try too many new things. She’s a good example for that, even if it’s just for me.” Sophomore Addie Vance was the first to tell McQueeny about The Whips. They needed a fill-in lead singer because Connelly was not able to make it to the competition. McQueeny wanted to see if she could take the open spot, sending the band a video of her singing “Redbone.” McQueeny anxiously and continuously re-sang “Redbone” until she was satisfied with it. “I did it like three different times, I just kept redoing it for a bit, because I was really nervous,” McQueeny said. She said letting someone else hear her sing for the first time, and doing it by sending a video to a group of strangers, was not an easy thing

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to do. The Whips were excited to see if she could be a new addition and the band quickly choose to add McQueeny. “The first time we heard her sing was when she sent us a video of herself singing ‘Redbone’ and she could hit all of those notes. That’s when we got excited to see what she could do,” SME senior, Max Indiveri said. The Whips include Connelly as lead singer, McQueeny as supporting singer, Indiveri on piano and guitar, SME junior Miles Patterson on drums, SME junior Vincent Lee on guitar, and SME junior Quinn Cosgrove on bass. The contest consisted of two rounds and audience members voted for the winner. “It was pretty crazy, but a good surprise,” Julie said, after McQueeny joined the band officially on Aug. 17. McQueeny was not originally planning on becoming a part of the band long-term. She originally just auditioned to perform once and call it a day. But the parents of a fellow band member encouraged McQueeny to become a part of the group. So for now, she decided to go with it to see where it will take her. They said she was a natural from her first performance, with no fear when on stage. In her own bubble of music, McQueeny is able to show people what she can do. “It was more a fun thing than a scary thing,” McQueeny said. “We just shake it all out, get loose and then go on.” The Whips have opened up a new part of McQueeny’s life, and it continues to intrigue her. Outside of her studies, outside of her sports and making her way into drama and the arts, McQueeny has gone full circle. She said she never thought she would end up in a band when she was little. Now, she showcases her talent with ease on stage with The Whips. “I felt cool,” McQueeny said, “ you know it just felt super cool.”

FEATURES

Sophomore Anna McQueeny belts out “Redbone” by Childish Gambino while onstage at The Roxy with The Whips. (Photo by Sela Kincaid)

SEPTEMBER 2018

SPORTS IN BRIEF GOLF TEAM OF THE WEEK Hy-Vee announced Sion’s golf team as team of the week Sept. 10 for their hard work and sportsmanship. The team and award was highlighted on Fox 4 news. “Everyone on the team works so hard, but it’s not just the scores, it’s the team chemistry also,” junior Helen Willis said. The team recently took second in their Mo-Kan Golf Invitational tournament at Blue Hills Country Club as well as first place at the Richmond Girls Golf Invitational. (Photo by Stephanie Vince)

SOFTBALL SENIORITY The softball team had their senior night Sept. 18 before their game against Benton High School to honor the commitment of seniors Kaitlin Jones, Lydia Parsa and Dani Rotert to the team. Each senior presented flowers to their parents and shared their favorite memory of being on the team as well as advice for other players. The Storm suffered a 0-6 loss. “It’s a really nice tradition, everyone feels included,” junior and varsity softball player Brooke Walker said. “It helps send off the seniors and always remember the softball team.” (Photo by Sela Kincaid)

FRESHMEN FIELD HOCKEY Field Hockey made cuts for the first time after over 50 students tried out for field hockey this fall. Seventeen freshmen tried out which is roughly a fourth of the freshmen class.. The ideal team size is about 36, according to head coach Gwyn Savage. This year’s team includes 12 freshman, 12 sophomores, six juniors and six seniors. “It was a logistical issue mostly. First thing there’s just too many,” Savage said. “We cannot coach the situation and the quality wise.” (Photo by Ana Pendergast )

CROSS COUNTRY The cross country team took second place at the Blue Springs invitational meet Sept. 15 with a total of 45 points. Junior Lily Henkle led the school and finished second place with a personal best time of 21:59. “The meet went really well. After the race everyone felt really good and confident about how they ran," Henkle said. "At the beginning of the season we were all in really bad shape, but we’ve progressively gotten stronger." (Photo by Sela Kincaid)

Life's a Climb Junior Brooke Walker pursues her passion in rock climbing BY KATIE FITZGERALD REPORTER

Standing on the ground looking up at a rock 60 times her own height, junior Brooke Walker takes a deep breath and begins her trek upward, finding little to hold on to on the flat stone. Soon, adrenaline begins to kick in and she finds herself switching between ropes with ease and confidence. Before she knows it, she is standing on the top of a 300 foot rock, looking out over Yosemite National Park in California and looking down on her biggest accomplishment yet. “Yosemite was definitely the hardest climb of my life," Walker said. "The feeling of propelling down from the top and looking around at the view and the rock you just climbed is amazing." From low to high elevations, gentle to steep slopes, flat to sharp rocks, Walker has climbed it all. Walker said that Yosemite was by far her favorite climb and it was great to have her whole family beside her, who she said has always had a big role in rock climbing. Walker has been pursuing this hobby since the age of 4 when her family urged her to begin rock climbing with them. “I was sort of born into the rock climbing life,” Walker said. “My brother and I used to have full

(Photo submitted by Brooke Walker) body harnesses. And if a climb got too hard my dad would just pull us up the wall.” Walker tries to get into the gym as often as possible to practice before her family can take their next weekend climbing adventure. As kids, her dad built a mini wall in their basement to teach her on. Walker still uses it to create and practice new routes. “We built the wall to stay in shape for climbing during the winter months, and to help the kids learn more technical moves,” Walker’s father Mike Walker said. Walker said her next goal in the sport is to accomplish lead climbing, a technique where the lead climber works with a belayer, the person on the ground monitoring her climb, through joining ropes in different hooks. She said she loves the thrill of climbing and the way it brings her family together. “We use it as a way to bring adventure into our weekend getaways, or just an excuse to get away. It’s a great excuse to go to some beautiful places,” Walker’s mother Laurie Walker said.

STORM SCHEDULE SEPT 29

CROSS COUNTRY KC METRO MEET AT RAYMORE-PECULIAR HIGH SCHOOL 8:00AM

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OCT 1

GOLF DISTRICTS MONDAY AT FRED ARBANAS GOLF COURSE

OCT 5

VARSITY HOME VOLLEYBALL VS LEE'S SUMMIT NORTH HIGH SCHOOL AT 6:00PM

SPORTS PLAYING HARDBALL (left) Junior Maya Bair windsdown a pitch while playing at the St. Teresa's Acadmey game Sept. 12. (Photo by Ana Pendergast)

STORM WATCH IN FULL EFFECT (below) Students in the Storm Watch section throw their arms up as the Scream Team leads them in the rollercoaster cheer at the volleyball match against St. Teresa's Academy Sept. 12. (Photo by Cecilia Mohacsi)

THE STORM GOES DOWN FIGHTING The annual Varsity volleyball and softball games resulted in two hard fought losses Sept. 12. BY KAITLIN LYMAN REPORTER

The annual rivalry games against St. Teresa's Academy Wednesday Sept. 12, led to losses for both softball and volleyball. Softball ended with a score of 18-1 and volleyball 2-0. The night started with a theme of 'Night Night, Stars' where students filled the stands wearing pajamas, robes, slippers and sleeping masks. Then the volleyball team took the court prepared to put up a fight. “I think that we definitely took a step forward,” varsity co-captain Liz Jacobs said. “But at the same time we didn’t play as we could have. But we’re improving and learning from it.” Starting on the home side with the Storm Watch student section, the crowd erupted with upbeat chants and cheering for every play, even if they lost the point. “Definitely towards the second set we got down and lost our confidence,” junior Olivia Martin said. “But since the crowd was so big and loud it brought us back up.” In the middle of the first set sophomore Brynna Dow served a well-placed ace, pulling the team out of a rut, after missing her serve at her last attempt. “I think that was a really big moment for me because we were playing STA and they're a tough team,” Dow said. “It really boosted the energy of the team and we were able

to get more courage.” Martin also had an ace for the night. Other highlights from the loss included the highest hitting efficiency by junior Marigrace Bishop. Jacobs had the most kills, three, and also had the highest number of digs with nine. The team had a total of 28 digs for the match. The team has been going into practice knowing what needed improvement in order to win their next game, according to sophomore Julia Hughes. The loss was hard but it made the team stronger. “The final result of the game was definitely a let down,” Hughes said. “But it made us hungry for the our next matches against other talented teams.” The softball, game ended with a final tally of 18-1 in the fifth inning. The team delivered a few great plays to take away from their loss, including the defensive play of the night by junior Brooke Walker. “Brooke Walker turned in the defensive gem of the day by robbing a homer from a batter in the first inning,” Varsity coach Micheal Dryer said. By the end of the third inning, the Stars led 15-0. However, the game picked up in the fourth inning when the team broke through the STA pitcher to get the first run hit in by sophomore Hannah Borgmeyer. Following the fourth inning, the team didn’t score any more runs, with problems on the field arising from a lack of urgency according to sophomore Sharon Kramschuster. “Our team is a work in progress,” Dryer said. “While the final score was difficult to swallow, the girls and coaches always enjoy the challenge.”

SERVING UP A STORM (left middle) Sophomore Brynna Dow serves in the first set against St. Teresa's Academy Sept. 12. (Photo by Molly Conway)

STORMING THE COURT (left) Senior Savannah Friedebach, junior Liz Jacobs, junior Olivia Martin and sophomore Brynna Dow celebrate after a scored point in the first set of the volleyball match against St. Teresa's Academy Sept. 12. (Photo by Kaitlin Lyman)

SEPTEMBER 2018

FEATURES

WHAT A The apples don’t fall too far from the tree with freshmen Samantha Phillips and Lauren Ellwanger whose moms are counselors at Sion. BY KAMRYN ROGERS FEATURES EDITOR

hether it’s bad day, a kink in a schedule, or simply needing someone to talk to, students turn to counselors Erika Ellwanger and Karen Phillips. But freshmen Lauren Ellwanger and Samantha Phillips turn to their moms. The Phillips and Ellwanger mother-daughter duos actually met 10 years ago while playing on the same kindergarten Great American Basketball League team. Coincidentally, their moms also started their first year working at Sion together. But even though their mothers were colleagues, Samantha and Lauren lost connection after a season of trotting up and down the glossy hardwood courts. It was only after Samantha and Lauren both decided on Sion as their high schools last year that they reconnected. “I’m glad that we reconnected because we have become really good friends,” Samantha said. “It’s nice to always have someone to talk to especially throughout high school.” A flurry of texts messages soon began about their shared interests of softball, their fascination with actor Noah Centineo and the fact that their moms are counselors at their high school. Both Samantha and Lauren said that their moms were a big influence on their decision to come to Sion. “My mom was a huge factor,” Lauren said. “But I also just knew that Sion was a really great school and after shadowing I was like ‘I definitely want to go here’.” Ellwanger thought that the school would be a better fit for her daughter and provide more opportunities than public school would. Alumna Phillips on the other hand, was indifferent to where Samantha decided to go to school and told her daughter she would support her regardless of what she picked. “It was Samantha’s choice,” Phillips said. “She shadowed and had spent a lot of time here and she loved it.” Samantha and Lauren both admit it’s an adjustment to be so close to their mothers during the school day. There are always eyes that turn towards them when Ellwanger and Phillips occasionally pop-in to their religion classes to give guidance counseling to the freshmen class. Or those awkward encounters with their moms while strolling in the hallways with their newfound friends leaves them flashing a blushing smile. But overall, both Samantha and Lauren are grateful to have their moms at school with them.

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pair

“Honestly, I thought it was going to be weird,” Lauren said. “But I kind of love it.” Phillips and Ellwanger agree that having their daughters at school with them is a learning process. Besides the gratifying carpools to and from school, they don’t see their daughters too much during the day, according to Phillips. But when they do run into their daughters, they’re not always showing the ecstatic reaction that their moms hope for. “Sometimes we get eyes rolled at us,” Ellwanger said. “But we love having them here.” Lauren and Samantha are both looking forward to the new opportunities and freedom that high school has to offer. Similarly, their moms are optimistic that they will be open to new experiences. Phillips in particular hopes that Samantha will create many memories while at Sion. “I hope she loves all the traditions,” Phillips said, “that’s a connection from my high school years to hers.”

Like Mother Like Daughter Freshman Samantha Phillips and Counsleor Karen Phillips say they have enjoyed their first month at Sion together. (Photo by Kamryn Rogers)

FEATURES Radiant Royals (far left) Erika Ellwanger and Karen Phillips cheer on the Royals during a game. (Photo submitted by Karen Phillips) Softball Smiles (left) Samantha Phillips and Lauren Ellwanger take a selfie after a softball game. (Photo submitted by Lauren Ellwanger)

Two Peas in a Pod Freshman Lauren Ellwanger and Counselor Erika Ellwanger say they have enjoyed their first month together at Sion. (Photo by Kamryn Rogers)

SEPTEMBER 2018

A&E

Midnight Snacks of Your Dreams BY MOLLY CONWAY PRINT MANAGING EDITOR

Take a look at three of the late night eateries found throughout Kansas City. Whether you are looking for a late night snack, early morning breakfast or mid-day treat, Insomnia Cookies, Town-Topic Hamburger and Hurts Donuts and their early morning and late night hours are all worth checking out. (Photos by Molly Conway) Indicates store hours Indicates eateries most popular item

Indicates average price range of eateries most popular item

HURTS DONUT COMPANY

TOWN-TOPIC HAMBURGERS

INSOMNIA COOKIES

8809 State Line Rd, Kansas City, MO 64114

2021 Broadway Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64108

505 Westport Rd, Kansas City, MO 64111

RATING //

24 hours

$$ 1.20-2.50

$$ 3.10-8.50

Slim Shady donut

Upon walking into Hurts Donuts, customers are greeted with the sweet smell of delicious donuts. The new donut hotspot’s grand opening took place at 5 a.m. Aug. 15 at the Ward Parkway shopping center. With a selection of over 25 different kinds of unique flavored donuts, whether customers are looking for something fruity or chocolatey, Hurts Donuts has it all. The crowd favorite Slim Shady donut is a chocolate cake donut with a fluffy vanilla buttercream frosting with multicolored mini M&M’s sprinkled on top. Another favorite, The Fred Flintstone, is a vanilla cake donut with a vanilla buttercream frosting with Fruity Pebbles cereal on top. The Fruity Pebbles add a nice fruity crunch to the donut. Not only does Hurts Donuts offer freshly baked donuts, but they also serve maple bacon, $3, apple fritter, $3.50, cinnamon rolls, $5, and donut milkshakes, $6. Hurts Donuts provides customers with an entertaining and lively environment. Customers can watch behind the counter the donuts being freshly made and uniquely decorated, providing entertainment for young children. Hurts Donuts offers delicious treats and a fun experience to people of all ages.

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Cheeseburger

With no more than 18 spots to sit at in the entire diner, inside of Town-Topic Hamburger is noisy and claustrophobic, providing customers with a lively dining environment. Whether in search of an early morning country style breakfast, afternoon lunch or late night snack, Town Topic has it all. Open 24 hours a day, Town Topic offers a full breakfast menu and a combined lunch and dinner menu. The breakfast menu includes eggs, French toast, hot cakes, cinnamon rolls, biscuits and gravy, all with the choice of bacon, sausage, or ham. The items range in price from $1.25 to $5.75. The most popular breakfast item is the biscuits and gravy, which is served from 5 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., and is freshly made each day. The lunch and dinner menu is divided into two main sections: sandwiches and hamburgers. Different types of sandwiches include the patty melt, grilled cheese and BLT, and range in price from $2.75 to $5.80. With the hamburgers, you have the option of a single, double or triple with the option of adding cheese on top. Burgers range in price from $3.10 to $7.60. The burgers are far better than Winstead’s, McDonalds, or any other local fast food style hamburger restaurant, and are definitely worth checking out.

9 a.m. - 3 a.m.

$$ 1.60-5.90 Bigwich chocolate chunk cookie

Whether in search for a late night study snack, ice cream on a hot afternoon, or a warm cookie on a cold day, Insomnia Cookies is the place to go. Insomnia Cookies offers a full menu of cookies, cookie cakes, cookie sandwiches, brownies and ice cream. They offer over thirteen different kinds of cookies, including peanut butter chip, snickerdoodle, white chocolate macadamia, chocolate peanut butter cup and the crowd favorite chocolate chunk, all ranging from $1.60 to $3.20 in price. One of Insomnia Cookies’ most popular items is the bigwich cookie, which for $5.90 is the customer’s choice of any 2 warm cookies with a layer of white buttercream frosting in the middle. Although the calorie count was high, the bigwich was a delicious and filling treat. Insomnia Cookie also serves ice cream which ranges in price from $3.90 to $12.80 and includes flavors such as birthday cake, black cherry, and cookies ‘n cream. Insomnia Cookies provides customers with a quiet and calm environment and is located in both Westport and the Kansas City Power & Light District. One of the main draws to Insomnia Cookies is that they are open til 3 a.m. and deliver warm delicious cookies right to your doorstep for an extra $2.99.

A&E

To All the Rom-Coms I’ve Loved Before, This is the One New Netflix original is a refreshing take on modern teen romance. BY CECILIA MOHACSI PRINT CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF

From “The Kissing Booth” in May to “Set It Up” in June, Netflix has been on a roll with popular romantic comedies. But they aren’t finished yet. Netflix’s latest rom-com “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” is as equally charming as it is entertaining, and it’s sure to melt the hearts of viewers. “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,” released Aug. 17, is a refreshing take on modern teen romance. Based on the 2014 young adult novel by Jenny Han, it follows the love story between Lara Jean Covey played by Lana Condor and Peter Kavinsky played by Noah Centineo. Lara Jean would rather read romance novels than confess her feelings to crushes. But that’s what happens when her secret love letters get sent out, and her quiet life changes significantly. She and Peter team up in a fake relationship to make his ex jealous and help Lara Jean throw off the other letter recipients. What starts out as an innocent, undercover plan with Lara Jean’s rule of no kissing and Peter sending love notes, eventually gets complicated. Beyond the plot of the love story, Lara Jean’s life is something people of all ages, specifically high school students, can relate with. From the stresses

about driving and everyday life at school to changing relationships with her family as she copes with her older sister leaving for college and having a feisty little sister interfering, she is the typical high school student. Also, both Lara Jean and Peter are missing a parent after her mom died and his dad left after a divorce. This connects them, and they help each other talk about their emotions. Lara Jean and Peter’s relationship did not form without problems, but that’s what makes this movie more realistic. It is not the classic love at first sight or Cinderella story. The audience sees them grow together and work towards something real, falling in love with the characters along the way. A unique aspect of “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” is that Lara Jean’s character was written specifically for an Asian-American actress, which is still not typically seen on today’s screens. But it does follow in the footsteps of rom-com "Crazy Rich Asians," an all-Asian cast, which also premiered in August. “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” charms viewers from the start, and it’s worth re-watching a second or even a third time. (Photo by MCT Campus)

IRISH FEST THE BEST OH YES Upon entering Crown The Irish Festival on labor day Center, the sight of green weekend was hotter than a water flowing from the meat pie and twice as good. fountains on either side of the

BY AVA RAWSON PRINT CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF

entrance served as a greeting. People were pouring in from every direction, funneling into the ticketbooth and out into the gated festival ground. There were white tents as scattered around Crown Center’s paths and parkways with food everywhere you looked and music coming from every direction. The first sight that greeted you after entering into the festival was one of the largest and

grandest tents behind the inlaid water feature of Crown Center. Inside were vendors selling history. Whether it be through ironic sayings plastered onto green shirts, jewelry, blessings or kilts, every booth inside the tent had something with a story. With over 40 vendors, half bringing the grand tent, and the other on the perimeter selling food from the open windows of trucks and over the counter of makeshift stands. Once tuckered out by walking through the maze filled with Rugby jerseys and herb filled candles, nothing hits the spot like a traditional meat pie. These portable pockets of meaty goodness are a perfect combination of the flakey pie pastry, slightly softened by the juice from the meat and the hearty. If meat

(Photo by Ava Rawson) (Photo by Ava Rawson)

pies don’t float your boat then there is always shepard’s pie, a meat pie with less meat and more potatoes, with some peas and carrots thrown in for good measure. In addition to the shopping and the eating there were ten stages and all were in use with different performers, dancers, musicians, puppeteers and many more but all Irish, all the time. The highlights were the Red Hot Chili Pipers, if not for their music than for their ingenious name. It seemed as though there was always music playing whether it be in the distance or right on top of you, the sounds of the electrifying and shrill call of bagpipes or modern musicians strumming gently on guitars singing a twist on classic Irish ballads. There was never a moment of silence, only good old Irish fun.

SEPTEMBER 2018

A&E

Early to Bed, Early Students have trouble getting to sleep and then staying awake throughout the day due to many factors. Don’t sleep on these quality tips. WRITTEN AND DESIGNED BY KENNEDY WADE, REPORTER

Hydrate or Diedrate

After waking up, chances are that you’re going to be dehydrated. Being dehydrated can add to your feeling of tiredness, as well as leaving you feeling lethargic for the day. Drinking a glass of water after waking up with breakfast or grabbing a bottle of water on your way to school can increase your alertness energy, with the bonus of being good for your body and brain. Continue drinking water throughout the day to keep your energy levels up. A splash of cold water on the face will also help perk you up in the morning, with the added bonus of being good for your skin.

You Snooze, You Lose

Silencing your alarm for an extra few minutes of sleep is tempting, but it’s not going to make you feel more rested. Your body needs time to wake up in the morning, and going back to sleep will make this process take longer. Your internal clock gets more and more confused each time the alarm goes off, because it doesn’t know if you should be awake or not. The tired and foggy feeling that comes with dipping in and out of sleep in the morning is called sleep inertia, and it can last for hours, leaving you feeling out of it all day. When your alarm goes off, the best thing you can do is get up and move around, allowing yourself to fully wake up and shake off that last bit of grogginess. Ignoring your alarm can also leave you feeling tired later into the night, making it harder to go asleep each night.

AM Drink Caffeine an Hour after You Awake Energizing Drinks

Caribou Coffee’s “Sea Salt Caramel” iced coffee $3.09 at Target

Tazo Chai’s “Classic Latte” chai tea $3.29 at Target

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Grabbing a coffee first thing in the morning is a habit in which 64 percent of Americans partake, according to Reuters. But it’s a habit we should break. Drinking caffeine early in the morning interferes with your body’s cortisol production, a hormone that helps you feel awake. In the morning, your body already has high levels of cortisol, which caffeine interferes with. This can lead to your body becoming dependent on caffeine in the morning as it begins to make less and less cortisol. The more caffeine you drink, the higher your tolerance to it becomes, which makes you need more to feel awake. The best time of day to have a coffee? About an hour after you wake up, when cortisol levels naturally decrease.

Let’s Get Physical

Right after you wake up, drag yourself out of bed and start stretching. Moving around will let your body know that it’s time to be awake, and once you get up you begin to feel more and more awake. The stretching will also help oxygen flow throughout your body, which will increase alertness. Exercising in the morning can help improve your metabolism throughout the day, as well as increase your mental energy and get rid of the brain fog you feel when you get up in the morning. Head rolls, downward dog, and the cat-cow position are said to be especially helpful, and are a quick, easy exercise that takes less than five minutes.

Eat a Full Breakfast

Even if you’re not hungry, you should still eat a full breakfast in the morning - there’s a reason why it’s called the most important meal of the day. Your body needs food for energy, and forgoing your morning meal will leave you feeling tired throughout the entire day. A quick breakfast, even if it’s on the go, will greatly boost your energy during the day. A balanced, healthy breakfast is especially helpful. Protein is the most important energy source, so eggs, nuts, or even a protein shake are great fuel for the rest of the day. Getting into the habit of eating a healthy breakfast will help you stay awake for the rest of the day. (Illustrations and Photos by Kennedy Wade)

A&E

to Rise

Avoid Caffeine at Night

Unplug before bed

Using your phone during the day is great, but when you’re in bed, put your phone away. It might be tempting to fire off a few quick texts, but it’s easy to end up scrolling through your Instagram feed or watching Netflix until midnight. In addition to that, the light from your phone screen can leave you feeling more awake. Instead, shut your phone off, turn on do not disturb mode, or leave it charging somewhere else in the room to get rid of the urge to check your phone entirely. Save the binge watching for another day and focus on getting some shut-eye.

Whether you’re chugging Redbulls for a late night study session or just drinking a coffee with dinner, having caffeine before you go to sleep will always leave you wide awake when you should be sleeping. A high level of caffeine can drastically effect your sleep schedule, leading you to be unable to sleep when you really need to. Caffeine’s effects can last for up to four to six hours, so it’s a safe bet to avoid it during the evening. If you’re really craving a hot beverage, chamomile, valerian root and other caffeine-free herbal teas are known to help people get to sleep.

Night time Teas

Traditional Medicinals “Nighty Night” tea $5.29 on website

Don’t watch the clock

If you’re trying to go to sleep on time, don’t watch the clock. Seeing the hours go by only makes you more anxious over the amount of rest you’re getting, making it even harder to get to sleep. After setting your alarm, turn it away from you so that you can’t see the time. Have you ever noticed how sometimes you’ll wake up before your alarm goes off? That’s because your brain has gotten used to waking up at this time. Checking the clock can make your brain think you need to be awake later, and can lead to you waking up several times during the night, or just not going to sleep. As much as you might want to know how much longer you have until the morning, it’s not worth losing a night of sleep over.

PM PM

Yogi “Bedtime” tea $3.99 at Target

Apps To Help You Fall Asleep It’s Aromatherapeutic

Aromatherapy, specifically with lavender essential oil, is proven to help increase the quality of sleep you get. Splurge on an essential oil diffuser from Aromasense or Innagear, light some incense or candles, or even dilute it and put it on your skin to relieve anxiety and make you more tired. If lavender really isn’t your forte, try ylangylang (a more fruity scent), or Vetiver (more earthy). They might not knock you out right away, but at the very least they’re calming and will help put you to sleep just a little bit faster.

Say No to Naps

This tip is pretty self explanatory, but easier said then done. Sometimes, when you get home, the only thing you want to do is nap, and that's okay! In moderation, of course. Short 10-20 minute power naps can actually be beneficial and leave you feeling refreshed, and have no impact on your sleep schedule. However, naps that last over an hour will leave you feeling groggy and worse than before, with the unfortunate consequence of leaving you less tired at night. This can mess up your sleep schedule, which means you have to take more naps. If you really need a quick energy boost, grab a coffee.

White Noise This app comes with different sounds like a fan, outdoors or ocean waves. You can also set a timer for how long you want the sound to last.

Calm Calm is a meditation app for sleep, lowering stress. It includes breathing exercises, sleep stories and relaxing music. You can choose the length of each guided meditation session.

Headspace Headspace is a meditation app that has categories for managing anxiety, sleep, focus and many more. There are multiple sessions in each pack that you can choose the length for.

SEPTEMBER 2018

FRESHMEN FIRSTS

The class of 2022 jumped into the new school year with the Freshmen Mixer, Beanie Week and Spirit Week.

28 SEPTEMBER 2018

1. We Love Our Freshmen: After receiving their beanies, freshmen Katie Gromowsky and Lauren Ellwanger watch the other freshmen receive theirs. "It was a very fun, interesting week for sure," Gromoswsky said. (Photo by Molly Conway) 2. Boys Boys Boys: Freshmen Mia Eakins, Olivia Angles and Kate Accardo dressed as boys for Notre Dame de Sion school for boys day during Spirit Week Monday Sept. 17. 3. Mixin’ It Up: St. Teresa’s Academy freshman Rebecca Hoff and freshmen Emily Joyce and Elizabeth Nordhus dance together at the Freshmen Mixer. "It was a great way to get to know other freshmen at STA and Rockhurst," Joyce said. (Photo by Grace Parrott) 4. Shark Week: Freshman Carmen Phillips wears her beanie during passing period. "I thought it was really fun and comfortable to wear," Phillips said. (Photo by Paula Sweeny) 5. Dancing Queens: Freshmen Grace Power and Emma Titus dance during the Freshmen Mixer Aug. 25. "It was nice to have something with the other freshmen at the beginning of the year to get to know everyone," Titus said. (Photo by Grace Parrott)