Le Journal December 2014

LeJournal

During the holiday season, take a look at some different religious beliefs.

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A STUDENT PUBLICATION OF NOTRE DAME de SION

10631 WORNALL ROAD, KANSAS CITY, MO 64114

VOLUME 33 ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2014

INSIDE THE ISSUE news 4

Senior team Rose Puthamana and Zoya Khan are currently undefeated.

Apple Pay 5

a&e

sports

Debate

Chris Christie and Ebola quarantines Virgin Galactic

New commercial space shuttle fails test run.

editorials/opinion

10

Freshmen bring promising future to basketball team.

11

Kelly Timson

features 12

Mary Helen Guastello

14

Michaela Henne

16

8 College Basketball

9 Being an Only Child at Home Political ads manipulate information to sway voters

Senior talks about her father being in the military

Aree Tomes

20

Religious Diversity

22

Kirk Bray

Junior shares her experience of getting the lead in the musical.

EDITORIAL EDITOR Sydney Daniels ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Meghan Kearney

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Photo Essay

Teachers share their favorite holiday recipes.

REbeL Balloon Release By: Ellie Stingley

SION

Corrinne Willems, sophomore What is your favorite color and why?

MEMBER

NEWS EDITOR Ellie Schwartz

Holidays

HUMANS OF

Missouri Interscholastic Press Association National Scholastic Press Association International Quill and Scroll Journalism Educators of Metropolitan Kansas City

WEBSITE MANAGING EDITOR Chioma Okuagu

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Hairstyle options for Winter Formal or a night out with friends.

Latin and World History teacher connects his travels to the classroom.

LeJournal 2014-2015

PRINT MANAGING EDITOR Mary B. Freeman

Fashion

Students and a teacher share different religious views.

Le Journal is the official student publication of Notre Dame de Sion High School 10631 Wornall Road Kansas City, Missouri 64114

CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Sarah Harris Ellie Stingley

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Cover Photo

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Academic Pressures

The differences of acedemic expectations for our generation.

Katie Andrews

Reviews on the new movies ‘Mockingjay’ and ‘Beyond the Lights.’

Review on the new social media app Ello

Junior gains confidence through rowing.

Senior signs to play tennis at Creighton University.

Media Reviews

App Review

Trying out for swim team

Gun Control

The attraction a successful team brings to universities.

New teacher and swim coach

Sydney Manning’s Column

6 Staff Editorial 7 Gay Marriage

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Cobalt blue, because it reminds me of tiger eyes.

SPORTS EDITOR Madison Heide FEATURE EDITOR Anna Schroer

Chandi Marsh, junior What is your favorite color and why?

Purple, because it reminds me of royalty and we are all queens.

PHOTO AND SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Sydney Manning LAYOUT EDITOR Georgia Evans

What is your favorite color and why?

REPORTERS Chloe Barrett Alex D’Alesio Selena Hunter Anna Ciani Sophie Nedelco

Reagan Amato, freshman

Rachel Ergovich Natalie Sopyla Laney Ulowetz Sara Watkins Aubrey Makar

Pink-orange, because it reminds me of a sunset.

For full interviews go to lejournallive.com

THE EDITORS’ INK

BY SARAH HARRIS AND ELLIE STINGLEY CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

T

is the season. The season to overindulge in holiday cookies. The season for Christmas tree decorating and menorah lighting. And the season for finals and all the stress that comes along with finishing the first semester. But before the first semester ends we have winter formal to attend and finals to take. For tips for finals see page 5 and for Winter Formal hair ideas refer to page 27.

We know the planning of Winter Formal can be overwhelming, but as seasoned veterans we can tell you that the one night isn’t worth the group drama, afterparty debacles and the frantic dress searching. Freshmen: We know that having your first high school dance can seem intimidating, but remember that it is meant to be a fun night.

The night will be what you make of it. Seniors: This is our last Winter Formal, so let’s carpe diem and be thankful that there is no way it could be as awkward as freshman year.

After the last song at the dance plays and the after parties are over, we have to snap back into reality and start preparing for finals. The dreaded final exams. Freshmen, we know this can also be daunting, but try not to freak yourself out. Yes, final exams are important and you should definitely not wait until the day before to start studying but we can promise you that the world will keep spinning after Mrs. Dreas’ Algebra I final. And when we all finally walk out of that last first semester final, we can sigh from relief of knowing that we have survived half of the school year. And spring break

is only three months away.

Then the time will come for that glorious 19Day break. The break where holiday cookies are in no short supply and eggnog is abundant. For most the break includes celebrating one of the biggest days of the year: Christmas. However, everyone doesn’t participate in the holiday or see it as a religious day. As we are taught here at Sion, there are countless religions each with their own significant holidays and ways to celebrate.

Students and teachers have often been open about their different beliefs (see pages 20-21).

And after all the presents are unwrapped and the Christmas music stops playing, it will be time to ring in the new year. In 2015: the Freshman Class will finish their first year of high school, the Sophomore Class will become upperclassmen, the Junior Class will receive their class rings and attend their first prom, the Senior Class will graduate. Whether your New Year’s resolution is to hit the gym or raise that AP Calculus grade, be sure to bring the good from 2014 and leave the bad behind.

Yes, there will be important tests and projects in these last few weeks until Christmas break, but we must try not to drive ourselves insane. Plan ahead and work your hardest knowing that should be enough. Don’t overwork yourself because stressing too much will only hurt you in the long run. We have arrived at the final stretch and only three more weeks are required of us before we can finally relax and unwind for the holiday season.

After all...’ Tis the season.

Sayonara Sion, Sellie

Photo of the Issue Freshman Meg Travis places a piece of red tissue paper through the wire wall at the Thanksgiving prayer service Nov. 18, reflecting on what she is thankful for. The red tissue paper represented life, green represented faith and purple represented family and friends. “[The service] honored our code of interfaith and it was nice to have unity with all the racial prejudices going on,” Travis said. (Photo

by Laney Ulowetz)

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iPad Air 2 Target $499 with a complimentary $140 gift card

Playstation 4 Target, Walmart or Best Buy $399.99 with console and two games

Xbox One Target $349 with $50 gift card

TRENDING //

Top Black Friday Items

TRENDING

NEWS IN BRIEF

FERGUSON //

The non-indictment verdict by the grand jury in Ferguson, Missouri led to more rioting and violence in the town. The decision was released on Monday Nov. 24.

DEBATE // Seniors Rose Puthumana and Zoya Khan have not lost a Debate and Forensic league tournament this season.

COMET LANDING // The Philae

lander took 7 hours to land on a 317-million-mile away comet, bouncing back up twice before landing off target. It sent data back to the European Space Agency before its batteries died.

APPLE PAY // Apple introduces its newest innovation that allows users to securely pay using their credit or debit cards on their iOS 8 updated iPhones and iPads.

BILL COSBY // Women have

come forward with allegations that Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted them in incidences dating back to the 1970s.

FINALS As finals loom students are anxious yet prepared.

“I’m nervous for finals but at the same time I think I have a good grip on what I need to do to get a good grade,” junior Grace Lesniewski said.

The finals schedule this semester is Monday: history and electives; Tuesday: world languages; Wednesday: math; Thursday: English and science.

NOW THEN

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Panasonic 50” 1080p LED HDTV Best Buy $199.99 (Photos by Chloe Barrett)

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Sion gathered a total of 10 tons 568 pounds of canned goods during the Food for Thought competition starting on Oct. 16 and ending Nov. 17. The cans were donated to the Redemptorist Social Services Center and will stock their food pantry for the upcoming year. Class totals were freshman: 1 ton, 518 pounds; juniors: 1 ton 867 pounds; sophomores: 2 tons 14 pounds; and seniors: 5 tons 169 pounds.

DEBATE

BY MARY B. FREEMAN MANAGING EDITOR

Debate has been taking competitions by storm. According to Debate and Forensics team coach Kristin Pennock, seniors Zoya Khan and Rosemary Puthumana are undefeated this season in the debate league. “[Debate] makes you think quickly. It is good at helping you learn to analyze every part of an issue because you don’t get to pick your side,” Puthumana said. “It’s really exciting [that we are undefeated] I hope we can continue undefeated the rest of the year.”

According to Pennock, a good debater possesses confidence, intellectual curiosity, strength of speech and the ability to think quickly. She believes Khan and Puthmana possess these qualities.

“Individually they are both strong speakers, and they happen to complement their speaking styles very well,” Pennock said. “Rose is good at making sure that everything that needs to be brought up is brought up and Zoya brings a lot of passion to what she does.”

APPLE PAY

BY ELLIE STINGLEY CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The teenager groans in disappointment.

She forgot her wallet. The J.Crew sweater will have to wait.

The mom sighs from exhaustion at the memory of her credit card sitting on her kitchen table. The long wait in the HyVee checkout line was a waste.

These problems disappear with Apple’s latest invention: Apple Pay. With an iPhone 6, iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 3 users can forget their wallets and pay with the touch of a button.

To use Apple Pay, devices must have the iOS 8 update, according to apple.com. To ensure security, the actual credit or debit card numbers are not used. Apple Pay assigns each card a specific Device Account Number, which is then stored in the device. The Device Account Number and a transaction security code are used to process each purchase. This allows card numbers to remain inaccessible by the merchant.

“With [Apple Pay] you wouldn’t have to worry about forgetting your credit card if you can just pay for things with your phone,” junior Rachael Beck said.

Along with this program, Apple continues to amaze users such as sophomore Lily Coit with their creativity.

“It’s kind of daunting that Apple seems to be making every technological innovation there is,” Coit said. “[but] I think they’re using their company well.”

First the iPod and iPhone. Then the iPad and Apple Watch. And now Apple Pay. With this innovation, the defeat that comes from leaving the credit card on the kitchen table disappears.

And the anticipation of the next Apple creation grows in its vast community of users.

Mandatory Quarantine The effectiveness of quarantines in New York and New Jersey are being questioned because of recent restrictions.

BY CHLOE BARRETT REPORTER As the threat of an American Ebola outbreak looms overhead, American leaders are in a quandary over what measures should be taken to curtail the fear that has been building up.

Among the initiatives taken to protect the public from the spread of Ebola is a mandatory quarantine. New York and New Jersey are at the front of the controversy surrounding this step.

New York and New Jersey governors Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie announced a law mandating a quarantine for health workers arriving in JFK International or Newark Liberty International airports from Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone and who had contact with Ebola.

The first healthcare worker to be put under this law was Kaci Hickox, a nurse who returned from treating Ebola patients in Sierra Leone. After arriving in Newark airport in New Jersey, she was measured to have a 103 degree fever and was put into isolation in University Hospital in Newark.

She tested negative for Ebola but was still required to complete the mandatory 21 days of isolation.

Hickox has spoken out against her treatment and plans to file a civil lawsuit.

However, forced quarantines are legal under

the Public Health Service Act, which gives the Secretary of Health and Human Services the right to take measures to prevent and control the spread of communicable, or infectious diseases such as Ebola. This authority has been delegated to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is allowed to apprehend, detain and examine anyone arriving to the United States or traveling between states if they are suspected of a communicable disease.

The measure to enforce quarantines for those in contact with Ebola has not been endorsed by the CDC. According to the Wall Street Journal, the CDC is calling for voluntary quarantines only.

But New Jersey governor Chris Christie said in the Washington Times that he does not regret his decision. He said it’s his job to protect all of the public, not a single person.

The effectiveness of a mandatory quarantine has been questioned because its loopholes make it easy to get around. Healthcare workers have to identify themselves as having been in contact with Ebola and only have to be quarantined if they go through JFK or Newark airports, making it easy to slip through the cracks to avoid an unwarranted quarantine if a healthcare worker knew it was unnecessary.

In addition, the forced quarantines have been accused of being a political ploy by both governors to gain support from a panicked public. Both Christie and Cuomo had elections coming up and a mandatory quarantine law could secure votes from people who want to feel safe from the disease.

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Finals Study Tips

1. STUDY GUIDES

Create a study guide for each class to know what you need for the final.

Include definitions, formulas and acronyms to memorize information.

2. COLOR CODE

Color-coded notes help the brain recognize patterns. Use one color for each section of information.

3. SLEEP

A teenager needs nine hours of sleep.

According to harrishealth.org, sleep improves memory and ability to perform well on tests.

4. SCHEDULE

Study schedules help to manage time effiency. Make a schedule with time windows for each subject.

Virgin Galactic Test Flight Fails The commercial spacecraft crashed immediately after test launch, resulting in the death of co-pilot Michael Alsbury.

BY MADISON HEIDE SPORTS EDITOR Wreckage from SpaceshipTwo was found scattered across the Mojave Desert. Some debris was 35 miles away from the main crash site (Photo by MCT Campus).

Traveling 761 miles per hour, head flattened against the seat, the jet slowly begins to accelerate and the spaceship heads toward space. But the recreational space flight that was supposed to

ferry wealthy tourists into suborbital space crashed during a test run in the Mojave Desert. The 39-yearold co-pilot Michael Alsbury died in the crash.

While Alsbury was killed in the accident, Peter Siebold, the pilot, miraculously survived the 10 mile drop to earth while unconscious, sustaining an injured shoulder and other minor injuries. When interviewed by the Daily Mail, Siebold understood how lucky he was to survive the horrific crash, considering the extremely low temperature, lack of oxygen and powerful amounts of air pressure at such a high altitude. It was also by chance that he was thrown from the aircraft and that the parachute deployed on its own.

The company is having difficulty figuring out what caused the explosion. Initially, it was thought to have been a fuel problem because this was the first time a new type of plastic-based fuel was used.

And although it may be up to a year until the cause of the crash is officially determined, some of the recent findings seem to indicate pilot malfunction.

Recent investigations found no evidence of engine failure, fire or explosion, but instead discovered that the late Alsbury may have performed the braking maneuver too soon

resulting in the crash that led to his death. The braking action, if done too early, can cause the rocket to breakup. It is supposed to be deployed when the plane enters the atmosphere but was deployed much earlier, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

Despite the recent understandings of pilot error, the crash has created a minor setback for the company, who had hoped to begin flights as early as next year. Many prospective passengers had already signed up for the tours, which at the time were ranging in price from $100,000 to $200,000. Now some passengers are demanding their money back.

But Virgin Galactic is not letting this tragedy stop them from moving forward. Plans to build a new SpaceShipTwo are already in place, and although this may have pushed back the takeoff date, their main priority is ensuring safety for future flights.

George Whitesides, CEO of Virgin Galactic wrote a statement following the death of Alsbury, saying, “The future rests in many ways on hard days like this, but we believe we owe it to the team, that has been working so hard on this endeavour, to understand this and to move forward.”

LE JOURNAL ISSUE 3

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OPINION

Pulling the Trigger on Gun THIS EDITORIAL REPRESENTS THE VIEW OF THE LE JOURNAL STAFF. THIRTEEN OUT OF 21 VOTED IN SUPPORT OF THIS VIEW.

In the wake of increased gunrelated violence, many people are calling for change.

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The students at MarysvillePilchuk high school in Marysville, Washington, had seen the news and performed lockdown drills.

Oct. 24, was a day like any other day. Or so they thought. A drill like any other drill. At least until the gunshots were heard, according to a New York Times article.

Fourteen-year-old Jaylen Fryberg opened fire at 10:39 a.m. He used his relative’s .40-caliber handgun, to shoot and kill three people, two of whom were his cousins, according to Fox News.com.

One month prior in Kansas City, students sat in their desks just going about their usual routine. It was just like any other September. Loads of homework. Stress about upcoming assignments. The familiar ache in the muscles of athletes as the sweltering afternoon sports practices loomed in the backs of their minds. As usual, students had daydreams peppered by fleeting images of past summer fun.

They were blissfully unaware of the events that would soon take place in their very own backyard.

A man entered the Woodbridge neighborhood of South Kansas City on Sept.

2. He proceeded to shoot five people, three of whom died at the scene. The other two passed away a week later from their injuries.

It was evident as the news swept through the halls, that many students were in shock; a large majority lived in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Sion itself is only 2.7 miles away from Woodbridge. As Athletic Director Reynold Middleton interrupted the after school bustle of girls preparing for

practice, a silent hush canvassed the New Grande Salle. He explained that outdoor practices were cancelled due to safety concerns. Many faces broke into grins that quickly turned sour upon the realization that people lost their lives in exchange for the students’ night off.

This wasn’t the first time that gun violence rocked Kansas City. On April 13, three people were shot and killed by a gunman: two at the Jewish Community Center’s KC Superstar audition, one at the Village Shalom Retirement Community.

And the list goes on. Sandy Hook. Aurora. Fort Hood. Sound familiar? These are all mass murders that occurred throughout the country in the past two years. Between 1982 and 2012, 49 out of the 62 mass shootings were perpetrated using legal weapons. Half of all of the shooters used assault weapons or high capacity magazines according to guncontrolfacts.org.

There is a direct correlation between gun availability and mass shootings - gun ownership in the United States is the highest in the world. We are more heavily armed than the Russians, the Chinese and the Pakistanis according to guncontrolfacts. org.

Our second amendment is “A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”

In 1791 when the Constitution was drafted, there was still disillusionment with the federal government. Many of the states were preoccupied with the threat of a British invasion. Therefore, the second amendment was created to ensure that citizens would be able to bear arms against the government if it did not protect their civil liberties.

In 1939 the amendment was required to be interpreted and applied with regards to its “purpose of rendering effective Militia” by the Supreme Court.

In 2008, the amendment was yet again redefined under the scope of self-defense in one’s own home. Self defense in one’s own home does not require high-capacity magazines and machine guns. Unfortunately, these very weapons are readily available to any trigger happy person who meets a few brief requirements. They vary by state, but generally, the buyer must be a current citizen of the United States, can not have been convicted of domestic violence, can not be a fugitive and can not be currently committed to a mental institution at the time of purchase, according to a Washington Post article.

It is the gun that kills people. The people who made the deadly weapons available to them are the ones to blame. Elliot Rodger, the gunman from the Isla Vista shootings in May, had three handguns and more than 400 rounds of unused ammunition that remained in his car. Rodger killed himself before he could deplete the rest of his stockpile.

Every single one of Rodger’s guns and all of his rounds were purchased legally, according to an

OPINION

Control article on CNN.com.

Those who are truly mentally ill and who suffer from psychosis are not responsible for their actions.

The mentally ill often end up as targets for those who refuse to acknowledge that the availability of a firearm was a factor in their actions. Of the mass shootings between 2009 and 2013, in 57 percent of the cases there was a strong correlation between young males of lower socioeconomic status with histories of domestic violence. Only 11 percent of cases that involved a gunman had mental health issues according to an analysis by the National Coalition of Mayors Against Illegal Guns.

The United States doesn’t have a monopoly on crazy people, so why is it that we suffer from more gun violence than any other developed country?

Sixty percent of all U.S. homicides occur using a firearm, which is the 26th-highest rate in the world, according to the Washington Post Dec. 14 article. So the U.S. allows violent behavior with guns through its policies and lack of restrictions on stockpiles of ammunition, according to a 2013 New York Times article.

We should look towards the Australian precedent. Australia, like us, practiced similar regulations on firearms until a tragedy forced them to employ rapid, new gun violence prevention techniques.

In 1996, an Australian shooter killed 35 people in the seaside resort of Port Arthur with his semiautomatic rifle. Immediately after, the Australian prime minister banned assault rifles, restricted gun licensing and created national gun registration standards. He also used government funds to buy back the 650,000 assault weapons in circulation according to a 2012 article from ABC news.

In the past 18 years, the risk of dying from a gunshot in Australia has plummeted over 50 percent. The national homicide rate is one-thirtieth of that in the United States. Not a single mass shooting has occurred since the ‘96 Port Arthur Massacre, according to a 2012 article from ABC news.

Bullet control combined with gun control is the most effective way to curb gun violence, according to an article in the New York Times. The president has urged for more stringent restrictions on guns. These will include background checks on gun sales, reinstating an assault weapons ban, barring high-capacity ammunition magazines and armor-piercing bullets, new gun trafficking laws and more access to mental health institutions, according to an ABC article.

Tomorrow is a new day. Life will go on.

Students will continue their normal routines, but with one exception. In the back of their minds, just out of reach, there will always be the fear of a possible shooting planted in their brains. Fear of an intruder. Fear of death. Fear of not knowing when they are safe. The only way to eradicate that fear is to take away the cause. Guns.

Gay marriage currently legalized

Map by Anna Ciani

Gay Marriage: Let’s Cut the Cake Same-sex marriage in politics and in society is slowly changing.

BY ANNA SCHROER FEATURES EDITOR The cake is cut. Ringlets of white icing dance in twirls around the sides framing in the flattened buttercream icing. The guests have been served plates of chicken and salmon, the menu composed years in advance. The toasts have been made. Tears of elation were shed. The now married couple has been waiting for this moment for years. They were uncertain if they would ever have the chance to legally get married.

For the past five years the issue of same sex marriage has been a prominent topic, or more like argument, in politics. Politicians and citizens alike have argued whether people of the same-sex should be able to get married, trying to decide the relationship status of people they don’t even know.

Though the aversion some people have towards this topic still exists by way of court, popular vote and by state legislature, 33 states now legally allow same-sex marriage. Soon maybe the rest of the 17 states that still ban it will reevaluate their views.

Times are changing and the country has bigger things to worry about than to question of how a “traditional” couple is defined.

For years the Catholic church has stood against the topic of same-sex politics. This more traditional view associated with the Vatican was blown out of the water when in his recent statement Pope Francis issued a more progressive document that “used more welcoming language when discussing homosexuality and its place in the Church,” according to BBC news. Though the Catholic church still recognizes marriage as between a man and a woman, this statement is looking up towards a more progressive future with the Pope signalling “that he could see the Catholic church tolerating

some forms of same-sex civil unions - though not marriage - when it comes to situations such as medical care and property for gay couples.”

The real question that should be asked is why someone else’s marital status matters to anybody else. Let’s set up a scene. There is a man walking down the street hand in hand with another man, they are both helping each other push a stroller that holds their child that they fought so hard to adopt. But this family can’t file jointly for taxes, have inheritance rights, the right to make medical decisions if their spouse is incapacitated, visit the other person in the ICU in a medical emergency, be required to pay child support, be on the other spouse’s insurance, have the right to property division in case of divorce or be recognized by the state as a married couple. These rights are granted to married couples.

Though this couple may have a house together, a child together and a love for each other they are not legally married. So for now they are waiting for the day when they can be legally joined in marriage together.

Slowly, times are changing. Since October, 14 states have legalized same-sex marriage. In other states such as Kansas and Missouri standing gay marriage bans are being overturned by the Supreme Court calling such bans indefensible. On Nov. 11 the ban in Kansas was overturned. Samesex couples in the state are now able to be legally married, but Senator Sam Brownback is ready to fight back.

“I swore an oath to support the Constitution of the State of Kansas,” Brownback said in a statement in response to his opposition of gay marriage.

Love is love. Society and politics discriminate based on one’s sexual orientation and it is frankly something that should be in the past. We should let any couple, no matter if they are straight, gay, lesbian or bisexual finally cut a cake at their legalized weddings.

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ISSUE 3

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OPINION

PRESSURE THROUGH THE GENERATIONS The academic pressures that our generation experiences differ from those our parents experienced.

BY ELLIE STINGLEY CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

bizarre to them. Let’s just say when they tell me I need more sleep, I laugh. Often times a choice must be made between sleeping or finishing school work to attain the desired GPA. One thing that seems to define our generation is academic pressure and pressure to succeed in the real world. This pressure is thrusted upon us immediately as we enter high school, if not before. Earn perfect grades in high school. Get an exceptional score on the ACT. Attend a high-level college. And once you get there, earn a respected

I sit on the stool at our kitchen counter with a thud and sigh from fatigue. I close my laptop out of defeat and start watching my mom prepare dinner at the stove. Taking note of my tired body language, she asks me what’s wrong.

Rubbing my exhausted eyes, I tell her about the seemingly endless struggle of my research paper for English class.

As much as I hate to admit it, I begin complaining.

My mom then reminds me of how different her day-to-day struggles were at my age. When she was in high school, research papers meant going to the library and finding the perfect book among thousands. She couldn’t turn to Google.

My mom was right. For one thing, I’m lucky to have the opportunity to even have English class and access to something as amazing as the Internet.

And I would rather be tired from looking at a computer screen than from wandering a library, searching for the (Cartoon by Elizabeth Arroyo) perfect source.

But something my mom also pointed out was the academic pressure she sees degree. And finally, land the perfect, high-paying inflicted on our generation. Both she and my dad job in our poor economy. Our generation strives have agreed that my backpack’s load every night is to fulfill these expectations as adults and the much heavier than they carried around the halls of media inform us that flawless report cards and an high school. And the amount of obsessive studying acceptance letter from a prestigious university are teenagers endure during the school week seems the keys to success.

With these pressures to succeed come piles of schoolwork. This leads to endless nights of studying, memorizing and perfecting the knowledge necessary to score an A. At Sion, this stress to achieve is magnified and students are held to an academic standard the previous generation didn’t necessarily experience.

This obsession with being the best comes with health problems some ignore. In addition to limited sleep, high concern to reach society’s standards has caused a spike in anxiety and high blood pressure in teenagers, according to emaxhealth.com. Holding our generation up to high academic standards is fantastic and can lead to remarkable leaders of tomorrow. But if those standards are drilled so deeply into our minds, we may crack under the pressure and the expectations of a promising future will be unattainable.

Yes, our generation has a high expectation of success and that can lead to problems of its own. However, it is important to remember how the generations before us struggled just as much if not more than we do. Technology has made our lives 10 times faster and it’s hard for many of us to believe there was ever a time before Google or wifi.

None of us have to worry about being drafted into the war. We girls are given the opportunity to attend school and don’t have to depend on marrying rich to live a comfortable life. Our generation does not have it the worst.

It’s a new generation, new blessings, new curses. And it is our job to discover a way to turn these curses and obsessions with making the perfect life into motivation for a better future, one that we can call our own.

THE FATE IS IN THE COURT

College sports actually add to the appeal of the school.

BY SARA WATKINS REPORTER

College basketball can either make or break a school. It can give a school the confidence to build up their team, or it can break down the school, become a money-sucking vacuum and discourage students and players. But when a team is great, the greatness spreads throughout the entire city.

There is a sense of legacy that comes along with a great sports team. Kansas, for example, the players graduate, the coaches come and go, but the team aspect hasn’t changed. In 2009, the year after they won the National Championship, the team lost seven players. Despite losing some of their most important players, the team still managed to win their fifth Big 12 Conference Championship, proving it is not just the players. It is more.

The love for the team and the town never went

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away. Six years later, Lawrence is still one of the most desirable college towns in America according to bestcollegereviews.com, and was voted the best college basketball arena by athlonsports.com. I have never met a person that walked into the doors of Allen Fieldhouse and came out not loving it, no matter what school they pledge their allegiance to.

I was born and raised a KU fan, but that is not why I am in love with it. In my opinion, the school is one of the most beautiful places in the world. The fieldhouse has an atmosphere that no one could ever imagine without experiencing it first hand. Some people attribute the atmosphere to the fact that the arena is considerably small, some attribute it to the fact that the student section takes up almost half of the crowd seating, but it is more.

Nothing but goosebumps and smiles. That is all that happens when I am in the ‘Phog’. There is nothing like the screams that occur when the players storm out onto the court. The newspapers that are thrusted in the air when the visitor team runs out. At last, a shower of confetti is thrown into

the air to welcome our home team back, ready to play and ready to show their school what they are here for.

I think that sports in college are played not just for the students, or for the alumnae, or even just for the players. Sports are played for the school.

College sports are played for all of these elements, and the community that supports them, and cheers for the them every step of the way.

It is known as the Flutie effect, when a school succeeds in a sport, everything changes for the town it encompasses. In 2008 when the Jayhawks won the National Championship in men’s basketball, the town of Lawrence skyrocketed in all aspects. Businesses grew, the school became more appealing to future college students, and the basketball team gained more devoted fans, and those fans who already loved them only deepened their love.

It is not just the team that attracts the love of the city, it’s not just the coaching, or the mascot, or the success of the team. It is all of it combined.

OPINION

Last Kid Standing

(Cartoon by Elizabeth Arroyo)

Senior Ellie Stingley adapts to life as the only child at home after her sister leaves for college.

The Naked Truth Political ads use scandals and fears to divert voters’ attention from important issues.

BY ELLIE SCHWARTZ NEWS EDITOR Approaching the Nov. 4 election, a political ad plastered who appeared to be Kansas State Representative Kevin Yoder cannonballing nearly naked across voters’ televisions. The staged footage, imitating his nude swim in the Sea of Galilee, played before dissatisfied Kansans, deplored Yoder’s lack of clothing and paralleled it to his “stingy” funding.

Crude suggestions have become fair game in catching voters’ attention. With dramatized voices and vocabulary, the ad resembled the “Two Minutes Hate” from George Orwell’s “1989” more closely than a substantial criticism.

Ads from both parties manipulate information, using sensational scandals instead of addressing the issues. And their questionable sources of funding also detract from their credibility.

The sources of funding for political ads don’t have voters’ best interests in mind yet heavily influence elections. Thirty to 50 percent of all money raised is used on negative campaign ads, according to a research compilation from the Journal of Advertising. Since most donors expect favors in return for donations upon their candidate’s election, their primary goal is to sway voters.

The amount of negative political ads used in the 2012 presidential election increased more than 30 percent since the 2000 election, according to a research paper published by Erika Fowler. This influx of ads comes from the selfish motivations of donors. As a result, money influences elections that should be based on ideology.

Political ads often avoid the issues voters should focus on. In the primary United States Senate race, candidate Dr. Milton Wolf ’s ad showed him as a radiologist in scrubs, walking the hospital halls as pleasant music played. In reality, Wolf ’s experience as a doctor didn’t increase his potential

as a senator. The ad avoided concrete stances and beliefs just as the ad criticizing Yoder exacerbated a scandal that had no real effect on Kansas. In a time of such unprecedented partisanship regarding issues such as gun control and gay marriage, voters need accurate information regarding policy, not skinny-dipping or a candidate’s irrelevant day job, to make informed decisions.

Ads are meant to scare voters, to produce a hateful reaction toward the candidate portrayed, according to David Jaffe, Dean of Lynn University’s College of International Communication.

Therefore, ads deliberately avoid the important issues and build fear in the political system, which causes voters to make uninformed decisions.

The extent that voters and, as a result, elections are manipulated by these ads is staggering. In a study done by the University of Texas and University of Notre Dame, participants were shown one negative and one positive campaign ad against both candidates before recording their updated preference. Fourteen percent of voters rejected their originally preferred candidate after watching the negative ad. There was minimal movement when shown the positive ad. Fourteen percent of voters, enough to decisively sway elections, are regularly swayed by scandals designed to scare them every time a negative ad is released.

While it’s nearly impossible to avoid political ads, voters can control what information they use to make decisions. Examining voting records, ideological standings and debates is the only way to make informed decisions when voting.

Since campaigns and donors avoid real issues, voters must address them on their own. Reliable information does exist but not on the television approaching election day.

While the sources and messages of political ads are nearly as frightening as the ads themselves, voters can and should actively inform themselves through other means. The next time a politician appears naked on a TV screen, voters must take control and ask themselves, ‘Why should this influence my decision?’

BY ELLIE STINGLEY CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF After trying on countless outfits without satisfaction, I walked down the hall and knocked on my sister Sarah’s door for help. She was always my hero in such situations.

“You know, I won’t be able to help you with this every weekend once I’m at college,” Sarah said.

I suddenly realized how different everyday life would be without her.

Sarah and I are four years apart, which means she left for college as soon as I entered high school.

During the months leading up to that first day without her, I assumed the only things that would change were not being able to ask for her fashion advice and not having someone with whom I could laugh at our quirky parents. Boy, was I wrong.

Since Sarah and I are the only kids in the family, her departure for college left me as the only child at home. In other words, I am the only child over which my parents have complete authority.

The spotlight is on me. Yay. I’m not saying my parents don’t have lives or other things to do, but when they suddenly went from two kids to one, all of the attention shifted toward yours truly.

This may sound like a good thing, which is sometimes the case. However, as a teenager looking for more freedom in high school, the new abundance of attention isn’t always welcomed.

When I come home from school, I am greeted by millions of questions about every detail of my day.

And every time I decide to hang out with friends, another million questions follow the request for permission to go to a friend’s house. I’m not saying I don’t appreciate that my parents care enough about me to ask all these questions. But a little breathing room is sometimes necessary to avoid suffocation.

Another aspect of being the only child at home involves one thing we all hate: chores. Without a partner with whom I can divide the chores, the list of assignments including laundry, dishes and vacuuming is conveniently given to me. I can no longer only empty the bottom rack of the dishwasher or alternate weeks to vacuum.

Sarah’s leaving for college has meant more than a spare bedroom and wardrobe struggles.

I’ve realized that having someone to fight with, something I always disliked, also means having someone to experience things with. And sometimes that just means being able to divide chores or endure the somewhat suffocating parental attention.

Through the past three years of being the only child at home, however, I have come to know my parents in more ways than I thought possible, which is something I’m grateful for. Yes, the unlimited attention can be overwhelming, but I know it is because they care. And when Sarah comes home to visit, it gives me more laughable stories to tell her about our sometimes crazy parents.

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SPORTS

Franchise Freshmen The basketball team has high hopes for the season and looks to talented freshmen to help achieve those goals.

BY RACHEL ERGOVICH REPORTER After four long days of basketball tryouts, the wait was finally over. The girls trying out for the basketball team would finally know if they made the JV or Varsity team. Butterflies fluttered in the stomachs of some girls as they anxiously awaited the news. Many of the girls heard good news, especially for a large number of freshmen.

Freshmen Amaya Adams and Sarah Totta are on varsity. While, Meghan Frerking, Afton Fennewald, Maddie Young and Mariah Lynn are on JV. Many of the freshmen have played basketball from a young age, and most of them have also played on competitive teams. Adams, Totta, Frerking, Fennewald and Lynn all play on the same competitive team, Boost Impact, and even though they aren’t an official Amateur Athletic Union team, they compete in AAU tournaments.

They feel that their experience playing together will benefit them during the high school season because they know how each other plays and they feel that it will relieve some pressure when it comes to the chemistry aspect of the game.

“We know what [the other girls are] going to do before they do it,” Adams said.

Junior Camille Keane believes that the freshmen will have a major impact this year. She isn’t sure how many will play on varsity because of their inexperience in high school games, but she thinks that they could be assets to the team. The

freshmen’s talents will help to add depth to the team, especially on the bench, something that was lacking from the team last year. Keane said that last year’s team often relied on one person to score points and step up in important moments.

“Last year we weren’t as deep of a team talentwise, and we would have a couple of players playing most of the game for varsity,” Keane said. “[This year] it’s going to be more of a team effort.”

Head Coach Jared Pitts also believes that the freshmen will have a positive impact on the team because they are very competitive and have played basketball for many years. He thinks that they will have significant roles on the team as they begin playing games and that they will all have the opportunity to have a considerable amount of playing time. Even though the team is shorter than last year’s team, they make up for that in their quickness.

“I think we’ll be able to get up and down the floor and apply a little bit more pressure than we have in years past,” Pitts said. “I think we’ll end up having a very good season because of it.”

The girls and coaches all share common goals for the season, the largest of which is winning the state championship. Other than state, the biggest point of emphasis will be on improving their abilities as basketball players. Even though they want to improve individually the biggest focus is improving as a team and becoming more competitive as a group, both in practice and in games.

“Our goal for every year is to win state,” Pitts said. “But most importantly I think it’s for the girls to have a great experience playing basketball, having fun while they do it but also being as competitive and prepared as we can [be for] each and every game.”

AMAYA

ADAMS

“I’m looking forward to uniting and playing as one.”

AFTON

FENNEWALD

“I’m looking forward to having a good season and improving.”

MEGHAN

FRERKING

“I’m looking forward to playing in the STA games.”

MARIAH

LYNN

“I’m looking forward to gaining experience in a high school setting.”

SARAH

TOTTA

“I’m looking forward to having fun with all my friends.”

MADDIE

YOUNG

From left to right: freshmen Meghan Frerking, Afton Fennewald, Maddie Young, Mariah Lynn, Amaya Adams and Sarah Totta. Before practice the girls stood waiting for team pictures, each excited for the season to finally start. (Photo by Rachel Ergovich)

“I’m looking forward to get to know the upper classmen.”

(Photos by Madison Heide)

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SPORTS

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After recently relocating to Kansas City, Kelly Timson hopes to make an impact at Sion through the swim team.

BY MEGHAN KEARNEY A & E EDITOR

She walks into the room. The lights are dim and water spills over the tiled edges of the pool. The unfamiliar space surrenders every step she enters, as if it is one step further into the unknown. The familiar scent of chlorine fills chemistry teacher and swim coach Kelly Timson’s nostrils. She thinks back to her memories of swimming in college at Iowa State and the high school where she used to coach for 12 years, wondering how different Sion is compared to Glenbrook South High School in Chicago. There she led her team to a fourth place finish in 2013 as well as seven individual state titles and three state relays titles.

“All the school records were broken. We placed fourth at state one year and have won many state individual and relays titles,” Timson said.

This summer, Timson and her family packed up their belongings and loaded them in a moving van. They said goodbye to their friends and family and said hello to the their new home in Kansas City due to her husband’s job relocation.

Counselor Erika Ellwanger informed her of a part-time job as a chemistry teacher. Originally Timson was not going to teach, but a phone call from Associate Head of School for Curriculum and Instruction Steven Turner changed her mind.

“He told me about the part-time position and was also asking for someone to be a swim coach,” Timson said. “I thought it was so weird that there were openings in both chemistry and as a swim

Coach Kelly Timson asks freshman Ellie Magsamen to lead the team cheer. (Photo by Meghan Kearney)

coach. It was meant to be.”

This year Timson hopes to make a mark at the state meet. She wants to help her athletes achieve personal best times while also learning to become better teammates and good sports.

“Coach Timson is a passionate coach who has a lot in store for the swim team. She wants those who she coaches to succeed in all that they do,” senior and co-captain of the swim team Katherine Glaser said.

Not only does Timson have the responsibility of coaching for the swim team, but also balancing teaching and taking care of her family. Because she only teaches three hours of chemistry, it is easier to take her daughter to and from school.

“In the past it has been difficult to balance the family, but I have a supportive husband who helps

take care of the children during swim practice,” Timson said.

Students not only have to become accustomed to Timson as a new coach but also as a new teacher.

For junior and swim team member, Erin Mills, she is able to interact with Timson both in the classroom and on the pool deck.

“In the classroom, she helps the us understand what we are learning, and I can see that on the pool deck. She really teaches how to do a stroke better, how to make your time and how to push yourself,” Mills said.

As she inhales the fumes of the chlorine, the unfamiliar space suddenly becomes familiar.

Timson is not in Chicago anymore, but instead, Kansas City. This unknown world has become a place she now calls home.

The Newest Kid on the Swimming Block Staffer takes the plunge during the rigorous swim team practices.

BY SYDNEY MANNING SPORTS COLUMNIST

T

he northern wind pierced my bare toes and billowed my dress. I ran from Swimwear Solution to my car, and immediately blasted the heat. After work, I usually go home to relax, but not today.

I dreaded going back into the cold air, but I was pumped for my “swim tryout.”

I arrived at the Red Bridge YMCA and watched the Sion swim team practice before my tryout. My younger brother, Reece, swims for the Blazers, so this wasn’t my first time around a swimming pool.

Swim team manager Aubrey Horstmeier was holding a board with lots of numbers written on it.

It looked like gibberish to me, but I later discovered it was the workout for the day and the team had been swimming almost non stop for an hour and

a half. Le Journal staffer Meghan Kearney who would be my “coach” was in the pool.

Something that made me hesitant to start swimming was that I am terrified of drains. When I was little, my mom would carry around scissors in our pool bag in case one of my sisters or I got our hair caught on the pool drain or in a hot tub jet. Additionally, I hate the cold. Cold weather, cold things (especially ice), etc. For that reason, I was not excited to get in a cold pool when it was only 20 degrees outside.

You know how when dogs get in the water for the first time, they just instinctively know how to swim? It’s not very graceful, but they just flail around until they make it to the shore. That’s exactly what I looked like when Kearney told me to swim a “25 free”. After I painstakingly made it across the pool the first time, she made me do it again. At that point I had swam a total of 50 meters, and my legs were on fire. They hurt more than I had ever experienced. After I got out of the water, everything quickly cramped up. It felt like the inside of my thighs were expanding and everything was going to pop out of my skin. During my short

freak out, Kearney and senior Katherine Glaser were watching me, probably in shock that a human being could be so unathletic.

I swam a few more laps, and it got harder each time. This was partially because I fell down the stairs in July at a college visit and my ankle never fully recovered. Also partially because Kearney kept laughing at me, which lead to me laughing and splashing water into my open mouth, all while trying to swim. We decided to stop swimming, and transitioned into taking underwater selfies.

Once we got out of pool, I had to take a few pictures in my swimcap by the “Rockhurst Swim and Dive” sign, and was then on my way, back into the cold air.

I learned a lot from my night at swim practice; mostly that swimming is hard and my childhood fear of pool drains has not subsided. But one thing I’ll remember about that night was how much fun I had regardless of my struggle. And, how well I rock a one piece and swim cap. Quick shoutout to the Sion swimmers - what you do is miraculous. I wish you all a great season, hours of rest and endless post practice Chipotle.

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Guastello Row

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ws to the Occasion Junior Mary Helen Guastello has found confidence in herself after discovering her voice as a coxswain for the Kansas City Rowing Club.

PHOTO AND STORY BY LANEY ULOWETZ REPORTER

T

he water glistens while oars stroke the glassy sheet in perfect rhythm.

Swish. Swoosh. Splash. The sky paints yellow and orange as the sun continues to rise over the lake. It is the start to a long day. The regatta has begun.

Junior Mary Helen Guastello has taken up rowing. About two years ago she started off learning the basic techniques and began as a rower. Over time her skills developed to align with the position of a coxswain, steering the boat and keeping the rowers in sync.

Her position requires an abundance of background knowledge and understanding of the sport. Guastello holds her team together and keeps the order, so she must be in control at all times. Her role is unique because she takes responsibility for the team and must assert herself.

“You have to build up this voice inside of you and have to separate yourself because you’re telling these people what to do, but you want to be motivational towards them,” Guastello said.

Shy and reserved, Guastello did not seem to fit the criteria of a typical coxswain given how chaotic the boat can be. After getting a new coach and being brought down from varsity, Guastello realized she needed to work harder to get the results she wanted. She proved herself worthy as a coxswain, working hard, doing research on the position and working on self discovery.

“I had to build up the confidence to think ‘I can do this, I deserve it just as

much as everyone else,’” Guastello said.

Guastello used the internet to learn about what a coxswain does and how to do it right. She also observed other coxswains and took in how each has a different style. Her gatherings led her to the conclusion that she would have to be a different person on the water to take charge and gain respect from her rowers. Her hard work paid off because she has found not only a love for rowing, but confidence.

“It’s nice to see her so passionate about something,” Guastello’s friend, junior Elizabeth Burnham said.

There is immense pressure in rowing and the commitment is extremely taxing. Practices are two hours a day, five days a week. Day long regattas on the weekends. And for Guastello, they begin an hour earlier as she meets with the other coxswains to strategize the course. The sport requires dedication, but it pays off in the end according to Guastello.

Rowing is a very rewarding sport, partly because it is so team oriented.

The crew depends on each other and puts total trust in one another to do their part. For that reason, the relationships you make as a rower are strong both on and off the water, according to Guastello.

The sun sets over the lake as the boats are brought in. All the hard work and long days of practice have led up to this moment. The water sits silently.

The regatta has come to a close.

“You have to build up this voice inside of you.”

-junior Mary Helen Guastello

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13

Henne Swings from

State to College

After winning the doubles Missouri State Championship, senior Michaela Henne commits to playing college tennis at Creighton University.

BY SARAH HARRIS CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

T

he black oil pen whisks over the paper. Carefully she constructs the letters of her name. One stroke after the other will mean the permanence of her decision. It will stick with her for the next four years of her life.

Glancing at the paper, she is unaware of the reactions around her.

Pictures snapping, family watching and her mother wiping her tear-stricken eyes.

The next day her sandy blond hair bounces in her ponytail. She holds her laptop and books close to her chest as if to prevent them from dropping.

Walking down the senior hallway, it is hard to miss senior Michaela Henne’s bright eyes and infectious smile. Her dainty voice and easy-going stature make her a stand-out in her class, but tennis is what got her the gold.

Henne and her doubles partner sophomore Margo Gerke took home gold medals at the 2A Individual Doubles State Tournament in Springfield, Missouri. The duo played their last match against a team from Lee’s Summit North High School that had beaten them earlier in the season.

“The people that we played in the final, we had played them twice before that, and we lost to them once and had beaten them once,” Henne said.

The girls were nervous, but as a senior Henne had to step up to the challenge. Going into the final match the duo had only lost two matches together all season; one was to Lee’s Summit North.

As the match began Henne and Gerke had a strategy to win. After a pep talk with their coaches they were ready to win. And they did.

“It meant a lot to win state with Michaela especially because it was her senior year,” Gerke said. “She had placed before in State for the last four years, so it was exciting to finally be able to win it for her last year.”

Although this will not be Henne’s last match of her tennis career, she has to finish out her regular season for competitive tennis and announce a big decision.

14LE JOURNAL ISSUE 3

“I decided to sign with Creighton, and that will start the next chapter of my tennis next fall,” Henne said.

But the choice didn’t come easily. Although she enjoyed her campus visit and admired the city of Omaha, originally Henne had her heart set on another school.

If someone would have asked her at the beginning of the year where she was going to college she would likely have responded Southern Illinois University Carbondale. After taking an official visit in August with the promise of a full-ride scholarship, Henne had made up her mind to become a Saluki, but when she called the coach of SIU the offer didn’t seem so promising anymore.

“She said ‘I don’t want to commit anyone until I have all of the recruits come,’” Henne said.

Though Henne was still confident in the school, her mother had noticed a cautionary flag. She urged her to look at other schools and reconsider her decision. She looked at other schools but always in the back of her mind was that she would be attending SIU next year. Until the rules changed.

When one of her friends went on an official visit she signed with the school the next day. The coach then signed a foreign player for the next year leaving only one scholarship left. A scholarship she wanted to save for the spring to possibly give out to a walk on.

“I was so mad at her for stringing me along for basically two and a half months,” Henne said.

Although her plans changed Henne has been able to find a new place to play. A place that she and her friends think is the best choice for her.

As she sits at the table with the pen in her hand surrounded by her family, friends and coaches, she is signing her future. With each stroke of ink she becomes more foreseeable as a Bluejay tennis player. A future that wasn’t always solidified, but never fleeting.

1

2

1. Senior Michaela Henne signs a letter of intent to play Divison I tennis at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.

2. Junior Tess Pereira and freshmen Lanie Jones and Catherine Henne congratulate senior Michaela Henne after she signed her letter of intent.

3. Sharing a few words about their friendship, senior Madeleine Campbell hugged senior Michaela Henne during the signing ceremony.

(Photos by Sarah Harris)

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The Flag of Her

Senior Katie Andrews holds her great-grandfather’s WWI helmet while her dad, Colonel Phil Andrews, holds his helmet from his recent deployment in Iraq. (Photo by Sydney Daniels)

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Father

H

er dad left on father’s day. After he caught his flight, her sister left for college. Then her mom left for work.

Everyone left.

It was hard being home alone because there was nothing to distract her from her father’s absence. It was worse than second grade because she had a better understanding of what was happening. The added stress of high school didn’t do much to alleviate the burden. It was all she could think about. Her dad was gone. He was off in an obscure place that she had only seen on a map. She didn’t know when he’d return. She didn’t know if he’d return.

Senior Katie Andrews is the daughter of Colonel Phil Andrews, who has been in the military for the past 30 years. In 1998, Colonel traveled to Bosnia as part of the NATO peacekeeping force. Andrews was less than a year old when her dad was first deployed.

“Katie was nine months old when I left. She did not know who I was when I returned and was scared of me at first. Here was this stranger in her house and she didn't know what to make of it,” Colonel Andrews said. “It took several months for her to warm up to me.”

However, Andrews doesn’t remember her dad’s absence in her earlier years. It wasn’t until second grade when he was deployed for a second time that she really started to understand her father’s occupation. It was hard for the 8 year old to wrap her mind around.

No longer was his job the place where she played in the sandboxes. The sandboxes filled with plastic GI Joe figurine toys. Those very “toys” Andrews would later come to realize, were

Senior Katie Andrews shares her experience of life with a parent who serves in the military.

LAYOUT AND STORY BY SYDNEY DANIELS EDITORIAL EDITOR

actually army figurines used to strategize while the sandboxes were models of the arid terrain of the Middle East. No longer was it simply her dad’s job in Belton, Missouri. It became the obscure thing that took him away for seven months and carted him off to the faraway land of Iraq. It was the obscure entity that removed him from her life, with the exception of phone calls, she hardly had contact with their dad.

Seven months later he came home and everything was business as usual. They fell back into a routine, Colonel left monthly to go to

Megan Mckenzie, Andrew’s cousin said.

Andrews’ grandfather served in World War II and her uncle in the Korean war, the lessons they learned were passed down to her father who passed them down to Andrews and her sister.

“He’s really taught my sister and I to respect everybody above [us],” Andrews said. “Teachers, sisters, coaches, our parents, he really taught us the value of if you have a job to do, get it done first and get it done right.”

As for Andrew’s potential service herself? It is all up in the air. She is looking into the Reserved Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs at a number of universities but has not made a decision. Regardless, her father has instilled an unwavering sense of pride and honor for her country that will never dim no matter where she chooses to attend school next fall.

“It has been my privilege to serve our great country. I will never forget the people I have served with in good times and bad,” Colonel said. “Those who have honorably served, either in war or peace, are part of an exclusive club and are the type of people I like to hang out with. Young or old we all have something in common.”

Every veterans day, the Andrews family celebrates in their typical fashion, which features either a trip to the WWI museum or a baseball game. Usually their family takes a few hours out of their day to reflect in reverence on all that the military signifies both for their family and the country as a whole. It is a quiet reminder of the lives that were traded for our freedom.

She is the girl who rows. She is a national merit semifinalist. She is the girl who embodies the sciences. She is the aspiring psychologist. She is the girl who has lived the army life for 18 years.

“It was kind of taboo, they would treat you differently, they assume you don’t want to talk about it, but sometimes you do.” -Katie Andrews, senior Chicago for army reserves training and during the week worked at the Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL) in Leavenworth, Kansas.

Life for third grade Andrews, was normal from then on. Her dad had a civilian job so there was no need for the spontaneous moves that usually accompany military lives. Everything was going fine at least until sophomore year when her dad decided to return to active duty to access the benefits of the GI Bill.

“It was hard because people knew that my dad was deployed but didn't really want to talk about it,” Andrews said. “It was kind of taboo, they would treat you differently, they assume you don't want to talk about it but sometimes you do.”

Sophomore year was hard for the entire family because of Colonel Andrew’s long absence, senior

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After scoring a lead role in the upcoming production of “Suessical,” junior Aree Tomes learns to balance school with her busy rehearsal schedule. “It’s a lot of work, but it all pays off,” Tomes said. (Photo by Natalie Sopyla)

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Hats off to Tomes Junior Aree Tomes takes on the lead role as the Cat in the Hat in the upcoming musical production of “Seussical.”

BY NATALIE SOPYLA REPORTER

A

ll their lives, actors wait for this moment.

Hours spent at the piano, learning the notes, belting out the lyrics over and over. Nights spent in front of the mirror, singing and smiling, turning on the charm for their reflections, an audience of one.

All of this preparation and hard work all leads up to one thing: the audition. The dreaded “A” word in theater. It’s the only chance performers have to show what they’ve got, to prove that they are what the directors are looking for. They want this. They’re ready.

For junior Aree Tomes, this was not the case when she auditioned for Sion’s production of “Seussical: The Musical.” Tomes was not ready for her audition. In fact, she wasn’t even planning on auditioning at all. Nervous about entering into a commitment that she knew would take up a lot of time, on top of her junior year course load, Tomes called her mother.

On the other side of the line, Tomes’ mother, Kenda, was shocked when she heard her daughter would not be auditioning. From a young age, Tomes had been participating in all types of performance art from acrobatics to theater, and hearing that her daughter was giving up something that she loved disappointed her. Yet she also understood Tomes’ nervousness.

“Aree loves people, but does not want to make a mistake,” Kenda said. “Acting means taking a lot of risks. To do it takes a lot of confidence. So we have tried to be supportive when Aree has put herself out there."

Not knowing what to expect, Tomes nervously entered the music room to perform her audition song, “Put on a Happy Face” from the musical

“Bye Bye Birdie” for the judges. She was pleasantly surprised to find that her audition went better than she had expected; good enough to land her a callback, and later, to her surprise, the role of The Cat in the Hat. She had earned herself the lead role.

The day the cast list came out, Tomes was hanging out in English teacher Melissa Wilcox’s room. All of a sudden, she heard shrieks and screaming coming from the auditorium down the hall. When Tomes went to investigate, she found junior Olivia Neal and senior Lena Kincaid huddled outside the music room.

“I just started walking down the hall and everyone rushed towards me. They were all frantically talking so I didn’t know what they were saying,” Tomes said. “And then they just said ‘Congratulations on getting Cat in the Hat.’” Tomes credits her mother for giving her the motivation to go through with the audition because if she hadn’t, she would not have gotten the lead, or any role at all.

“She just was really encouraging and reminded me of how much I loved performing,” Tomes said.

“This motivated me to go for it.”

Director Elizabeth Mulkey says that she chose Tomes for the role because she displayed a certain ironic quality in her audition that was very much catlike and fit the personality of the role of the Cat in the Hat. “[The Cat] has to be playful and kind of mean, but not really,” Mulkey said. “She’s an oxymoron in a way, and [Aree] really showed us that in her audition.”

Tomes knew that having a lead role would mean a lot of work for the next few months, rehearsing almost every day. This was soon proven when the first rehearsal rolled around. With extra lines to memorize, more solos to learn as well as chorus parts, Tomes found herself struggling with the task of memorizing so many things. It’s no wonder, Tomes began to feel the pressure. Mulkey herself often notices the effects that this has on Tomes.

“When she doesn’t know a song, she’s a little unsure at first, and [is] kind of timid and struggles

with trying new things,” Mulkey said. “But then once she really understands a scene, she’s right on, and can really let go.”

Yet senior Anna Redmond, who plays Jojo, praises Tomes for her hard work and preparedness for each rehearsal.

“She knows a lot more of her lines than I do and is very prepared,” Redmond said.

At the end of the day, the more lighthearted moments are the ones that really matter to Tomes.

Within the whimsical setting of the Jungle of Nool, Tomes enjoys the random moments when she is able to let loose, both in and out of character.

The smaller size of the cast makes it easy to establish a certain camaraderie, and this tightly knit bond is one of the things that Tomes enjoys the most. “[My favorite part of the rehearsal process] is just dancing and messing around,” Tomes said.

“We take it seriously, but then there’s those little moments where we can just let loose and add some of our own character to the role we’re playing.”

It is the strong social connections that Tomes has been able to form that has been another important advantage of being a lead.

“You get to be more interactive with other people in the cast,” Tomes said. “You make new friends since you are all working hard and you’re all in the same position.”

Tomes’ outgoing nature and ability to submerge herself in a character are the traits that ultimately led her to this role. Her passion and excitement for rehearsals motivate others to do their best,” Neal said, who plays Mayzie.

“Aree’s always loud and excited and really gets pumped about everything,” said Neal. “She’s always trying new moves and gets us into the groove of being in character.”

For Tomes, having a big personality means that she has a natural inclination towards performing. Her love and appreciation for acting, dancing, singing and theater is what she constantly gravitates towards.

“Theater and performances are just something that puts all of [these] things together,” Tomes said.

“It’s a perfect combination.”

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Interfaith Club Sponsor April Schendel, junior Guthrie Kimball and senior Lena Kincaid each have distinct religious perspectives, but maintain respect for those different from their own.

(Photo by Alex D’Alesio)

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Diversity

Decks the Halls Two students and a faculty member embrace their unique religious values.

A

BY ALEX D’ALESIO REPORTER

s junior Guthrie Kimball fills in the repetitive PSAT bubbles regarding religious preference, her eyes quickly scroll past Roman Catholic. Her yellow Ticonderoga pencil finds a home in the bubble that aligns with the words “no preference.”

Although the soft-spoken, dusty blonde celebrates Christmas like most conventional Catholics by attending Mass with her family, she doesn’t want people to exclusively identify her as Catholic.

“I identify with the principles of a religion more so than identifying solely with that religion,” Kimball said.

Growing up, Kimball found and nurtured her organic perspective on religion by deciding with her mother that associating with certain principles of a faith defined her beliefs to a greater extent than going to Mass did.

“As I got older and started thinking more about religion and God, I started wondering why church was so important when an individual can be just as faithful whether they attend church or not,” Kimball said.

However, since she does identify with the principles of Catholicism, Kimball still participates by praying and taking communion.

Senior Lena Kincaid, similarly, takes a unique stance on religion. Unlike Kimball, however, Kincaid does not associate holidays, such as Christmas, with a particular religion.

“I view holidays as celebrations that are opportunities to cherish and express love towards family and friends,” Kincaid said. “Because of this, during holidays, I try very hard to be respectful of the traditions and beliefs of others.”

Although Kincaid attended private, Catholic

schools her entire life, she doesn’t think that she will ever be able to fully participate in organized religion, as she is unwilling to attend Mass regularly.

But she enjoys contributing through choir.

Since she grew up attending Mass with her Catholic grandparents, Kincaid admits that Catholicism has influenced her life to some extent, imbuing in her the values of service.

However, what she believes is most central to religion is the self, an idea stemming from her parents’ encouragement to invest herself in

Club Sponsor April Schendel can relate very well.

“I think being the Interfaith [Club] Sponsor has cemented my beliefs,” Schendel said. “It’s made me realize that every faith has a perspective, and I really believe there’s some truth to all of them.”

For the majority of her life, though, the upbeat and energetic sponsor did not associate with a specific belief system. However, after the passing of her grandmother, the then 22-yearold began visiting her grandfather about once a week, engaging in deep conversations. Eventually, when the conversation transitioned to the topic of religion, Schendel expressed her belief that religion was unique and distinguished according to every individual person.

“Spoken like a true unitarian,” Schendel’s grandfather said.

And that marked the end of Schendel’s status of being “nameless.” She adopted the faith of Unitarian Universalism, because its principles, based on the uniqueness of every person, align perfectly with her values.

“There is a major emphasis on a personal relationship with God,” Schendel said.

“Whether that means you have to pray or read science fiction, however you get to God is the best way to get there, if you even want to [get to God].”

Since the belief system is open to secular values, Schendel, though she attends a Methodist church with her mother, focuses on the cultural aspects of holidays rather than the religious ones.

The slightest, most trivial thing such as filling in one single bubble could give insight into a world of beliefs. Or the fact that one conversation could give foundation to one’s entire ideology. Diversity decks the halls; it is just everyone’s choice to see it.

“Being the Interfaith Club Sponsor has cemented my beliefs.

It’s made me realize that every faith has a perspective, and I really believe there’s some truth to all of them.”

- Spanish teacher April Schendel a faith that reflects her own virtues. Therefore, she describes her beliefs as “introspective” and “common sense-oriented.”

“I believe that my goals and morals should be based on my feelings and experiences,” Kincaid said.

After reflecting on the impact that going to an interfaith school has had on their lives, both she and Kimball relayed that Sion has instilled in them a unique perspective. It’s allowed them insight into a diversity of faiths, something to which Interfaith

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Hello, my name is New world history and Latin teacher brings a fresh outlook to his students from his love of the arts and his experiences of numerous other cultures.

BY SOPHIE NEDELCO REPORTER

B

ackpacks slung over one shoulder. Books spilling out of tightly folded arms. Freshman hallway crowds with rushed students. Filing into room 215, they plop down in their desks, pulling out sheets of completed homework. Immediately left of the doorway is world history and Latin teacher, Kirk Bray.

With a quiet disposition, inky black hair and gray-blue eyes, he sits at the small desk in the cramped room. A tidily packed chestnut satchel leans against the wall, and only two stacked textbooks clutter the desk. In a neatly pressed lilac checkered button-down and gray slacks, Bray gets up and laughs as he hears students debating over whether Christmas music should be allowed in November.

In front of the whiteboard asking and answering the students’ questions, he scribbles notes with a black Expo marker. His quick, mild voice calls on students while he spins a globe to point out specific countries.

“In class, I want them to be able to ask anything. I don’t want them to feel like it’s a strict set of ‘they can only think about this.’ I want to make connections to everything,” Bray said.

He continues to ask the students why it seems that every country is named Guyana or Guinea. Allowing them to contemplate and guess the answer, they offer seemingly valid reasons, but none can pinpoint the answer Bray is looking for.

“It’s just a coincidence,” Bray says casually.

“Nobody knows.”

The students laugh at the trick question as Bray goes on to explain why those in Papua New Guinea couldn’t build muscle back up because of their low protein diet. Five minutes in, this class has taken a twist to become not only a world history, but a biology lesson.

“I always try to use other classes. Especially with history, all the other subjects are relevant. I love it when they’re learning something in another class that fits, and I try to base the lesson off that if I can,” Bray said.

According to freshman Ellie Magsamen, Bray involves the whole class so that everyone is paying attention. Class discussions provide different angles for the topics they cover.

Bray continues to spin the vibrant globe to point out Papua New Guinea.

But as his finger reaches the tiny country north of Australia, it also passes over 20 other countries he’s been to.

Turkey, Sweden, Egypt, Greece, Tunisia, Switzerland, Mexico and Syria.

Name a country; Bray’s been there. Such opportunities for travel arose on many

weekends when Bray was a college student studying abroad for a year in Rome.

Students would take an Irish low-cost airline, Ryanair, to spend a quick couple days exploring other countries. The impact his travels had on his life didn’t hit him until later, after he was back in the United States.

“Seeing different cultures gives you the opportunity to pick the best out of all of them and leave the worst behind, and it shows you what you can’t live with and what you can’t live without,” Bray said. “The things about your own culture that you miss, you don’t really notice those. You take them for granted until you are without them.”

Bray connects his worldly experiences with his attitude towards being an educator. He says travel challenges your current worldviews and the way you do things when you otherwise might not bother to question them or attempt to change.

“You learn that not everyone is the same. In the classroom I think it’s important to see where individual students are at and not just assume they’re all at the same place. Treating everyone as individuals and not as a group is something you learn as you travel to different places,” Bray said.

With his many expeditions, Bray developed a wide range of knowledge applicable to class discussions in both his history and Latin classes.

“He’s so knowledgeable about the whole Roman Empire and life and culture of the Romans, more than just the Latin language,” junior Katie Pendergast said.

Having studied both Arabic and Ancient Greek as well as Latin for a few years while at the University of Kansas, Bray has a knack for picking up languages. He also learned Italian while staying in Rome and five years later, caught on to some French while living in Canada for six months.

“It wasn’t just learning Latin that hooked me on classical languages. It was the literature that survives in Latin,” Bray said. “The things that are written in Latin are amazingly profound. It’s why we keep it around for 2,000 years.”

A lover of all things classic, Bray also cooks and takes full advantage of the arts here in Kansas City. Most of his favorite meals derive from Italy and India, and he is often found in the kitchen mixing up different pastas or curries.

Every so often, Bray will pay a visit to enjoy the opera, symphony and ballet.

He shares the same views towards classical music as he does towards classical literature.

“A pop song rarely expresses more than one emotion. But with classical music, especially in a longer production, you get a range of emotions, and you can build up something that’s larger in scale,” Bray said.

Something that’s larger in scale. The bigger picture. Bray continues to stand in front of his students as the bell signals the end of class. They file back out the door, books spilling out of tightly folded arms and backpacks slung over one shoulder. They leave with the knowledge of not just another history lesson, but with bits of Bray’s cultural understandings.

“Treating everyone as individuals and not as a group is something you learn as you travel to different places.”

-Kirk Bray, teacher

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Latin teacher Kirk Bray enjoys all the arts that Kansas City has to offer at the Kauffman Center for Performing Arts. Although he didn’t like classical music when he was younger, he did enjoy The Nuckcracker Suite Ballet, and his parents even bought him the score. (Photo by Sophie Nedelco)

Bray’s Top 5

Travel Destinations: 1. London 2. Venice 3. New York 4. San Francisco 5. Istanbul

Classical/Opera Composers:

Favorite Recipes:

1. Ralph Vaughan Williams 2. George Gershwin 3. Aaron Copland 4. Giacomo Puccini 5. Giuseppe Verdi

1. Masala Curry with Tofu 2. Milanese Risotto 3. Eggplant Parmesan 4. Salvadoran Potato Enchiladas 5. Lentil Stew LE JOURNAL

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Katniss Everdeen, played by Jennifer Lawrence, accepts her role as the Mockingjay by visiting a refugee hospital in District 8 (Photo courtesy Lionsgate).

Saying ‘Ello’ to Clutter-free The new social media site Ello introduces simplicity, beauty and easy control to its users, despite being in its early stages.

BY ELLIE SCHWARTZ NEWS EDITOR

For most, scrolling through a Facebook newsfeed has turned into a sorting session of advertisements and updates of ‘friends’ one might have never met all in order to find one or two relevant posts. Every like, click and friend made is recorded and sold to advertisers.

Users become pawns in a ruthless marketing game.

Contrastingly, the new social media site Ello rebels against the advertisements, clutter and money made off of users, embracing control over updates and an ad-free interface and simplicity instead.

Before becoming a part of the growing network, potential users sign a manifesto rallying against ads and user manipulation on other sites

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and request an invitation to join by e-mail. Since Ello is still in “beta form,” computer talk for still developing, invitations go out in small groups and can take a while to receive. Being in beta form also means that there are few users and few ways of organizing posts on Ello.

While Facebook brags about its worldwide community and ability to see what every person in one’s life is doing, the Ello community is small by choice and focuses on sharing one’s life with a smaller community in an aesthetically pleasing way. Ello users follow each other and group the users they follow into two categories: “Friends” and “Noise.” Best friends and favorite celebrities go in the “Friends” category, while the girl at camp four years ago and the third cousin that posts pictures of every cup of coffee he drinks go in the “Noise” category. That way, users only see what they want to see.

Ello’s other major draw lies in its aesthetic.

Everything aside from pictures is black and white, all text in a simple serif font. Explanations are clear and to-the-point, and there is, as promised, no clutter to be found. On a simple white background,

Ello’s plain logo matches its simplistic design overall. (Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons) text posts and pictures are the main focus, unobstructed by ads or complicated tabs. Ello is truly a platform to share one’s life, not advance hidden marketing agendas.

Overall, while Ello is still developing, its charm lies in its simplicity and easy use. For those craving freedom from advertisements and excess friends, they are likely to imitate the Ello logo: a simple smiley face.

MOCKINGJAY RISES Katniss Everdeen fights to keep hope alive both in Panem and within herself during the third film installment of the “Hunger Games” series.

BY MARY B. FREEMAN MANAGING EDITOR

Her voice is not just a sound, but a flame. A fire that burns throughout Panem, catching through the forests and the hills. It reaches the heart of every citizen of the now 11 districts of Panem, urging them to rebel. Because according to Katniss Everdeen in “Mockingjay”, the third installment of the Hunger Games film series, a dangerous fire is catching. And if the rebels burn, so will the oppressive Capitol. In this movie full of fear, chivalry and spirit, the fire will also catch inside you.

Immediately there’s a sense of despair as the movie opens with Everdeen rocking back and forth in a dark corner of District 13, reminding herself who she is over and over again. Eventually dragged away to a hospital room, it is evident that the games have left her broken. Without the man she loves, Peeta Mellark, the audience is left wondering if she will ever be whole again.

Despite her shattered mind and heart Everdeen finds the strength to continue as the Mockingjay, a symbol of hope for the rebellion against the Capitol. Throughout this journey she learns of the horrible things the Capitol has done. From witnessing Everdeen crawl over the skeletal remains of the people she once called her fellow citizens of District 12 to seeing the bombing of a recovering hospital, you will be as determined to do whatever it takes to combat the capitol as Everdeen.

Everdeen’s efforts are proven successful as visions are shown of various districts performing several forms of rebellion against the Capitol in the name

of their mockingjay. Even though they lose countless lives as they perform these rebellions. Yet it is no wonder that Everdeen’s public service announcements to the people of Panem make them want to fight back. Her speeches are powerful, a brilliant example of how one person can change the world. When watching them you will to want to stand up and join the cause.

Behind the scenes what is truly at the forefront of Everdeen’s mind is Mellark. Captured by the Capitol in the second installment of the Hunger Games series, “Catching Fire,” he now constantly broadcasts his own public service announcements urging the rebels to stop fighting, combating all of Everdeen’s efforts to keep hope and strength alive in the districts. Everdeen is convinced that he is being tortured into doing the Capitol’s bidding. Your heart will break alongside Everdeen’s as the raw pain she feels for him becomes evident throughout the film.

Jennifer Lawrence delivers a flawless performance as the battered yet strong Katniss Everdeen. For those who have read Mockingjay, be aware that the movie does not stray from the plotline of the book. For those who are still unaware of what transpires in the movie, prepare yourself. “Mockingjay” daringly strays from the normal heartbreak to a love that is torturous. It moves from mere action and adventure to a new level of haunting desperation, passion and inspiration. “Mockingjay” is a must-see.

“Mockingjay Part II”, the final film in the “Hunger Games” movie series is scheduled to come out in theaters on Nov. 20 of next year. With a cast and storyline like this, I am confident that it will be another blockbuster. These movies no longer serve as only entertainment, but inspiration.

Fire is catching in Panem. Everdeen strongly supports the mantra that is expressed with all the hearts and souls of the rebels: they will never give up, they will never give in. But of course, then there’s Peeta.

“Beyond the Lights” Goes Beyond a Chick Flick The new movie stays away from the cliché plot of the typical romance movie by addressing real life relationship problems.

BY SARA WATKINS REPORTER

Teenage girls in today’s society struggle with the insecurities that the media and celebrities create. The pressure to always be skinny, beautiful and desirable is overwhelming and pushes some people to the limit.

In the new movie “Beyond the Lights,” directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, famous popstar Noni is pushed too far, and her career and life unexpectedly fall into the hands of a young police officer, Kaz. The movie is a perfect example of the tough decisions that women are forced to make to conform to society’s ideal woman.

The movie starts out with a rich spoiled pop star’s “cry for help,” but soon after, it becomes obvious that she has a life that no one would imagine.

Through her relationship with Kaz, Noni transitions from a pop star making all the wrong choices, to someone wanting to show the capability of women and how they can succeed.

Main characters Kaz (Nate Parker) and Noni (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) appear together in a press conference. (Photo courtesy iMDB) The movie allows viewers to step into the shoes of a superstar with the pressures of today’s world. The popstar must overcome the hardships of her mother always pushing her to be more. Along with the pressure of women to become the “sex object” that many in Hollywood see her as. When she meets Kaz, a young police officer looking for a career in politics, she is vulnerable and in a state of confusion. Right then Kaz and Noni form a bond, seeing each other for more than just what the media labels them.

In the movie, the romantic plot line will teach

the viewers perseverance. Viewers will fall in love with the intimate relationship between Noni and Kaz and the constant emotional ups and downs of the characters.

As the movie progresses, viewers uncover that it is more than the typical boy meets girl story.

The movie focuses on current issues: body image, abusive relationships and fear to express who you really are. The relationship gives them a place to be themselves and shut out the rest of the world and what they think of them.

Kaz and Noni attract the love of the viewers because everyone has different quirks and aspirations that make them not want to fit into the mold of society. As Kaz and Noni learn more about how they will go on and make their dreams come true, all while staying true to who they are and what they believe in, so does the audience.

By the end of the movie viewers will be on the edge of their seats waiting to see what would come from the spark between Noni and Kaz. Viewers will be curious to see if Noni will defy her mother, and what the media constantly pushes her to do.

“Beyond the Lights” gives viewers an entertaining and suspenseful two hours, while also allowing them to escape into the life of a celebrity, and enjoy an entertaining love saga.

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winterformal’sbesthair

T 400 likes winterformal’sbesthair Freshman Ann Huff, sophomore Paige Dussold, junior Olivia

Garrison and senior Elizabeth Herbert show off their hairstyles for Winter Formal. This year’s trends include a high-ponytail up-do, a middle part and a half-up ponytail.

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Home cooking for the

Holidays PHOTO AND DESIGN BY ANNA SCHROER FEATURES EDITOR

Kirk Bray’s Masala Curry Paste

Start by heating 5 Tbsp olive oil on high in a large pan until hot. Then add ½ chopped onion until

browned. Turn the heat down to medium and add 3 cloves garlic, 2 Tbsp chopped ginger, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp turmeric and cook for 1 min. Turn heat down to low and add 1 cup chopped tomatoes and stir, then add 1 tsp cinnamon, 4 tsp roasted coriander and 3 tsp chili powder.

Let cook 10-15 min. until the color deepens. Turn the heat off and add 1 tsp garam masala and 1 tsp salt. Add chicken, tofu, fish or any meat of choice immediately and saute until done.

Store in freezer or refrigerator until served.

(Bray is a World History/Latin teacher)

Melissa Wilcox’s Veggie Pot Pie

Start by preheating your oven to 372 degrees. To make the filling heat in a large saucepan 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat add 1 large finely chopped onion, 1 ½ large carrots finely chopped, 1 large stalk celery finely chopped and cook until veggies become soft, about 7-10 min.

Add 2 cloves minced garlic and cook 1 min. longer and add about 4 cups thinly sliced swiss chard leaves and cook until wilted and transfer to a different bowl and set aside. To make sauce wipe out the large saucepan and melt over medium heat 3 ½ Tbsp butter then add 3 ½ Tbsp all purpose flour and whisk together until combined. Continue to cook for 2 more min. Continuously stirring whisk in one ladle at a time 3 ¼ cups low sodium vegetable broth, stirring the whole time bring mixture to a boil and then reduce to simmer. Cook until sauce is thickened, or about 10 min. then stir in 2 cups cooked and drained white beans and vegetables.

Season with salt and pepper as needed. Pour into a 9 by 13 inch pan and cover with desired pie crust and bake for 30 to 35 min or until filling is bubbling.

(Wilcox is an Honors/AP English teacher) (Recipie from The Smitten Kitchen by Deb Perelman)

Kaci Flippo’s Custard Start by separating 2 egg yolks from egg whites and keep both for later at room temperature. In a large saucepan dissolve ½ cup sugar in ½ cup milk at medium heat. Whisk yolks into milk and sugar mixture until boils then remove from heat. Pour in a separate bowl 1 envelope of unflavored gelatin into ½ cup cold water and stir until dissolved. Add dissolved gelatin to hot custard whisking constantly. Add 1 tsp vanilla and stir. Allow to cool to room temperature while starting on crust. For the crust crush 1 package of graham crackers and put into bowl adding 4 Tbsp melted butter and 4 Tbsp brown sugar and mix. Pour ½ the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of a 9x9 inch pan and pour the finished custard over the crust then top with the remaining graham cracker mixture. Put into refrigerator ready to serve.

(Flippo teaches various courses in the Science Department)

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being thankful being for thankful for

YOU

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1. Students released balloons after school during REbeL’s Be Thankful Week. They wrote down their insecurities and tied them to the end of the balloons before letting them go. (Photo by Laney Ulowetz) 2. After releasing their insecurities in the peace garden, freshmen Maddie Young, Melissa Hamilton and Olivia Dopheide celebrate as the balloons float away. (Photo by Sophie Nedelco) 3. Junior Delaney Dorman writes down something she is thankful for about herself during lunch as a part of REbeL’s Be Thankful Week. (Photo by Laney Ulowetz)