March Le Journal 2018 by Alison Long

LE JOURNAL NOTRE DAME DE SION HIGH SCHOOL | MARCH 2018 | VOLUME 36

TAKE A HIKE LOCAL HIKING DESTINATIONS REVIEWED

PODCASTS TO LISTEN TO

MEET THE NEW STUCO EXECUTIVES

MASS SHOOTINGS AND THE MEDIA

The Environmental Issue

WASTEFUL THINKING

An in-depth look at climate change and the human ecological footprint

CONTENTS

Seniors Joileeah Worley and Emily Bello read through their lines for the school play.

(Photo by Phylicia Barner-Lewis)

(Photo by Ava Rawson)

(Photo by Dani Rotert)

While doing her Crossfit routine, junior Isabelle Ianni engages in weight-lifting.

Junior Chandler Rawson practices her form for a new track and field event.

ON THE COVER

FEATURES

NEWS

OPINION

Climate change is gaining support as more people become aware of their ecological footprints.........14

Junior Isabelle Ianni discovers her passion for Crossfit.................................08

About the spring play “The Odd Couple” premiering April 20................................05

Get to know lunch ladies Amber Davis and Anna Paradise and their mutual love for food and music.....18

Students plan to attend University of Central Missouri’s annual foreign film festival..........................06

Le Journal staff considers the need for increased United States participation in environmental issues.....10

Junior Tempest Malone reaches State in her third Poetry Out Loud competition.........................22

Meet the new STUCO executive officers for next school year...........................06

WHAT’S ONLINE LEJOURNALLIVE.COM

Potential Hyperloop from Kansas City to St. Louis....07

Greater emphasis should be put on national poverty.....12

Ideas for getting outside this spring............................26

Chemistry teacher and varsity swim coach Kelly Timson’s love for swim.....20

“13 Reasons Why” is a Suicide Template

PHOTO OF THE ISSUE

Soccer Kicks Off With Purple and White Scrimmage

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www.lejournallive.com @lejournallive

Price exceeds value at Lego exhibit in Union Station....24

SPORTS

“Art of the Brick” Lego Exhibit is on display at Union Station until April (Photo by Lily Drouin)

@lejournalsion

Comparing ice cream throughout Kansas City....24

Black Dirt restaurant review...................................25

Get to know the spring sports team captains...........21

@lejournalsion

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Conscientious volunteering abroad....................................13

The addition of javelin poses new opportunities for the track and field team.............21

Students of Sion: Jiho Lee and Su Hyun Park

After defeating St. Teresa’s Academy in the Irish Cup basketball game Feb. 24, senior co-captain Mariah Lynn yells in triumph. The final score was 50-42. (Photo by Paige Ritter)

EDITOR’S INK OUR TIPS

Get fresh air this spring.

t’s fourth quarter, Sion. That’s right, just a few more weeks until the endless warm days of sleeping-in commence. Spring break is behind us and the cold weather is slowly but surely fading away. As the season creeps in, enjoy the festivities that come along with it. Your hard work at the car raffle ticket sales has also earned us a full day off on March 29 before Easter Break. Prom is quickly approaching on the evening of April 7 for all juniors and seniors. The theme is “In Bloom.” The fine arts are flourishing this spring and the music department will be hosting its final concert of the year April 5 at 7 p.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Church. So take a break from homework and cheer on your peers in choir and symphony. This will also be the choir and symphony senior night. The spring play, “The Odd Couple” will be performed at the Rockhurst High School Rose Theatre from April 20 to 22 (pg. 5). And get ready for Fine Arts week from April 23 to 27 featuring a guest artist and the annual fine arts showcase. As the arts impress, spring sports will be in full swing as well, so check out the Storm Schedule (pg. 20) for upcoming games and matches to attend and meet the spring sport captains (pg. 21). The gradually warming weather welcoming the transition into spring also reminds us of the impending concern of global warming. This issue, our staff takes an in-depth look at the importance of sustainability and what it means to live an environmentally-friendly life (pg. 14). We address the necessity of national participation (pg. 10) and throughout the issue, include ways to live and shop sustainably (pg. 26). With the beginning of fourth quarter comes thoughts of the impending year, Sion. Look forward to next year’s school leadership by getting to know your new STUCO executive board: President junior Ava Rawson, Vice President

POST MOVES Sophomore varsity basketball post Kamryn Rogers goes for a layup as St. Teresa’s Academy senior Hailey Coleman attempts to block it. The Storm defeated STA 50-42 Feb. 24. (Photo by Paige Ritter)

1. Go for a walk MARKET MADNESS CHECK OUT LOCAL FARMERS’ MARKETS (pg. 26)

Replace that hour spent in your bed watching Netflix after school with an hour long walk with your favorite pet, sibling, parent or playlist.

2. Study outside Bring a blanket to lay out on and your backpack to study in the closest park or even your own yard. Beware of windy days with loose papers.

3. Open your windows If you aren’t quite comfortable laying out in the open air to study, be sure to open the windows around you while you work to let in healthy, fresh air.

4. Seek out outdoor activities sophomore Paula Sweeny and Secretary freshman Mikayla Gunther (pg. 6). Take a look into the lives of your beloved teachers by learning about a new teacher book club started by Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator Jenny Brown-Howerton (pg. 6) and about the exciting lives of the lunch ladies outside of the cafeteria (pg. 18). Le Journal would also like to correct a mistake made in the previous issue. Sheridan Mirador, who played the prince in “Cinderella” is a sophomore at Center High School, contrary to his published attribution. In these last nine weeks of school, eight for seniors, make the final days of this school year count. This time is going to fly by.

Spend weekends outside. Find farmers’ markets to attend, take a photoshoot with your friends outdoors or eat one meal a day on your back porch. You never know what could spark a new interest or tradition.

5. Attend spring sports Support your classmates and get your fresh air time in by attending lacrosse matches, soccer games and track and field meets this spring.

Sincerely, Lanie & Meg

LE JOURNAL 2017-2018 LE JOURNAL IS THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF NOTRE DAME DE SION HIGH SCHOOL - 10631 WORNALL ROAD - KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64114

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MARCH 2018

NEWS IN BRIEF

PARKLAND, FLORIDA SPACE X LAUNCH

ERIC GREITENS

Seventeen members of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School community were shot and killed by a previous student Feb. 14 in Parkland, Florida. There have been 17 incidents of gunfire in schools this year, according to gun control group Everytown USA. Students from the high school have since spoken out on large public platforms advocating for gun reform laws. “These mass shootings have been happening over and over again. It’s a continuous cycle,” sophomore Jenna Barackman said. “There’s a school shooting, people send out thoughts and prayers, politicians make no reforms, and then it happens again.” (Photo from Tribune News Service)

SpaceX successfully launched its first Falcon Heavy booster Feb. 6 from the same Florida pad used by NASA’s Apollo missions. The company claimed the title for the most powerful rocket. According to Space.com, SpaceX spent nearly $500 million over seven years to enter the heavy-lift market for launching huge satellites and spacecraft off planet Earth. The rocket can carry twice as much payload as its closest competitor at a lower cost. “I think it’s great that space travel is finally opening up to private industry,” senior Gill Cruz said. “The over achievement of this rocket shows the potential for the future.” (Photo from Tribune News Service)

St. Louis grand jurors indicted Missouri Governor Eric Greitens on the charge of invasion of privacy. Greitens, a first-term Republican who is now being urged to resign, is accused of taking a nude photograph without consent. He faces an investigation that could lead to more counts, according to The New York Times. Greitens will face trial May 14 after a St. Louis judge agreed to the date over the objections of prosecutors. “Accountability of elected officials to their constituency is a hallmark of democracy. Without transparency in public sector, our faith erodes in the system,” debate coach and English teacher Jeri Willard said. (Photo from Tribune News Service)

Refuse

WORLDWIDE

UPCOMING & LOCAL MARCH 28

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTION CEREMONY

MARCH 29 - APRIL 2

EASTER BREAK

APRIL 5

SPRING CONCERT

APRIL 7

PROM

APRIL 11 APRIL 14

KAIROS 56

St. Catherine of Siena Church

“In Bloom” Theme

BEFORE YOU RECYCLE

GREEN PACKAGING The fast food company McDonald’s has announced that it hopes to have 100 percent of customer packaging come from renewable, recycled, or certified sources by the year 2025. According to USA Today, McDonald’s said it plans to work with local governments and environmental associations on better packaging designs, new recycling programs and employee and customer education plans to reach these goals. “Consumers truly drive the market and its great that our society is demanding better products for our health and the health of the environment,” AP Environmental Science Teacher Amy Vandenbrul said. (Photo from Tribune News Service)

Say no to things that are harmful to the planet. For example, refuse to use plastic shopping bags.

Reduce Pause and think before you make a purchase and ask yourself if you really need something.

The Trump administration will move its U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May. The embassy will first be set up in an existing U.S. facility in the West Jerusalem neighborhood of Arnona that “will contain office space for the Ambassador and a small staff,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement announcing the plan.

South Africa

Reuse Ditch the disposable and invest in the reusable. Don’t use disposable, single-use plastic bags, straws and water bottles.

Repurpose Find uses for something you may have previously discarded, such as old jam jars.

(Illustrations by McKenna Heegn)

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Jerusalem Embassy

President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, a master tactician who survived a string of corruption scandals during his nearly nine-year presidency, agreed to step down. Cyril Ramaphosa was chosen by Parliament to become the nation’s fifth president since 1994. All have been members of the African National Congress.

Royalty to Wed The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is scheduled May 19 at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in England. The groom, Prince Harry, is a member of the British royal family. The bride, Meghan Markle, is an American actress best known for her role on the TV show “Suits.”

NEWS

“The Odd Couple” Takes the Spotlight As the time comes for the annual play, the theatre department hires a director and works with a smaller cast. BY DANI ROTERT BREAKING NEWS

The theatre department hired Dan O’Connell to direct the school play, “The Odd Couple,” rather than continuing with the tradition of a student directed play. This play also features a smaller cast. “The Odd Couple” is centered around two friends, one sloppy friend named Olive, played by senior Joileeah Worley, and one super clean friend named Florence played by senior Emily Bello. After Florence’s husband kicks her out, Olive invites her to stay in her apartment. The play follows the two friends as they learn to coexist together in Olive’s messy apartment. “This play was a classic when the male version came out,” O’Connell said. “And this female version is very funny too.” After student director and alumna Lucy Bahner directed last year’s play “Rosie the Riveter,” Mulkey decided to change the spring play tradition of having a student director by hiring O’Connell, who has also directed the three of the musicals in the past.

“We don’t have enough experiences to have them direct yet,” Mulkey said. “It really should be someone who can work with us the whole year and learn to direct. We just don’t have the time.” Even though the head director is not a student, junior Jordan Harrison will be working as the assistant director. “Having an assistant director is great because there are so many details and ideas that come up in rehearsal that she keeps track of,” O’Connell said. “It’s nice to bounce ideas off of her too.” Harrison played the queen in the musical “Cinderella,” after transferring and wanting to get involved with the theatre program. Following the musical, she became interested in seeing the other side of the production. “After Cinderella, I knew I wanted to continue within the program because I loved the people who I was working with,” Harrison said. “I also am someone who loves to be busy, and what is better than starting a whole new production.” In addition to there being a new director, the cast is also much smaller than last year’s production. There are only eight characters in the play, six of which are girls. The actresses must learn more lines putting a lot of pressure on each actress, according to Bello. “I enjoy working with the small cast,” O’Connell said. “It’s fun to get to know them and to see how they each grow into their characters.” As the cast and crew continue to get ready for

the play, they are extremely excited to showcase their hard work, according to Harrison. The play will be will be performed at Rockhurst High School this year April 20, 21 and 22. “Everyone on the cast and crew have been working so hard to make this show the best it can possibly be,” Harrison said. “We are all so excited to show our friends and family what we’ve been working on two hours everyday after school.”

ACTING UP During an after school play rehearsal, seniors Joileeah Worley and Emily Bello practice their lines and block a scene for “The Odd Couple.” (Photo by Dani Rotert)

Debate Finds New Season Success This year has been a year of travel, participation, trophies and medals for debate unlike they have seen before. BY PHYLICIA BARNER-LEWIS REPORTER

Debate has earned an array of new opportunities since English teacher Jeri Willard took over as head coach this year. Before taking this position, Willard had an impressive record of her own. “I was a four year high school competitor and a national qualifier. I coached for 16 years,” Willard said. “I had about 40 national qualifiers and state qualifiers and included a couple of national finalists and two state champions.” In past years, the debate team hadn’t done much traveling. However, this year they branched out to Marquette High School in St. Louis with Rockhurst High School. “I loved that we were able to do some traveling this year and to go St. Louis,” Willard said. “I definitely want to look for some more opportunities where we can find some different places to go.” The Marquette competition was the largest POWERFUL PARLI and most competitive that the team has ever Sophomore attended. Of the 35 schools entered and 81 Elizabeth Finn people in the Dramatic Interpretation event, debates at a senior Anna O’Byrne won. home meet “I didn’t want to have too high of Nov. 8. (Photo by Mimi Wright, expectations. I wanted to advance into the Le Flambeau)

second day so that it wasn’t a pointless trip,” O’Byrne said. “It was such a large competition and I didn’t realize I was skilled enough to beat 81 other varsity competitors. My jaw literally dropped on stage when they announced my name.” O’Byrne has been participating in forensics for five years now. She credits her transfer with helping further her communications career. “I started speaking events and competitions when I was in 7th grade,” O’Byrne said. “When I went to St. Teresa’s Academy, they didn’t have much of a debate team. But luckily I came to Sion and I’ve been involved with [the] debate team after my transfer [sophomore year].” Though Marquette proved to be a pivotal moment in debate this year, Willard doesn’t define the accomplishments as silver or gold. Growing numbers of participants each year is a win to her. “I don’t think that you can necessarily count successes in terms of trophies and medals though we did win several of those,” Willard said. “I think that last year when we would travel particularly to the suburban conference tournaments, there were a lot of times only three or four students went. The Park Hill South and North Kansas City weekend we had 12 students. When we went to Marquette this year we had 15. I definitely felt like that was a success.” Freshman Anna McQueeny doesn’t know if she will participate in debate next year, but said she took a lot away from her experience. “I think the greatest accomplishment I’ve had during this quarter would be conquering my fear of public speaking,” McQueeny said. “I love the team and Mrs. Willard is so much fun and such a good teacher.” Willard has high hopes and goals for next year, but also wants for the girls to focus on being a team. “I would like to continue on our path of success of getting kids out to have as many opportunities to showcase their events as possible and building that sense of community,” Willard said. MARCH 2018

NEWS

Students to Attend Annual Film Festival For the fourth year, students from the French and Spanish departments are submitting foreign films to the film festival in Warrensburg, Missouri. BY KELLY NUGENT WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Submitting a total of 12 foreign films, 11 from CONTENTLY Spanish classes and CANDID one from French IV Seniors Ellie Advanced College Chaffee Credit Program, and Katie both world language Hummel departments look to a camera will travel to the while University of filming their Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Missouri Spanish to participate in the annual film festival April foreign film. 6. Both departments have been attending (Photo by Lexi Smith) and submitting content in the Foreign Film Festival since March of 2015. Through filming, editing and transcribing these videos, students learn vital skills than can’t be taught in a regular classroom setting, according to French teacher Liz Bono. “It’s a multi-dimensional activity,” Bono said. “It let’s them not only use the language, but be able to create a project using technology that they can have forever.” Every year, freshmen, sophomore and nonadvanced placement Spanish classes along with certain French classes are expected to make a group film for the annual festival. These films are started in January and submitted for the festival by early March. Freshman Hannah Borgmeyer, who created her Spanish film with freshmen Shannon Karlin, Mary Elizabeth Amiri and Mattie Mills, doesn’t know what to expect from going to UCM, but is anticipating the new experience. “I’m excited to go but a little nervous of how it’s all going to turn out,” Borgmeyer said. “I’m just glad we were able to finish a film.” In past years, films submitted compete with mutliple schools from both Kansas and Missouri, but typically compete with The Barstow School for first place in all categories. Although awards are nice to recognize hard work, the purpose of these films are to have fun and have the students see a project from the beginning stages of creating a script through editing and polishing the final product, according to Spanish teacher April Schendel. “It gives students a real opportunity to dive into their own interest,” Schendel said. “[The films] can seem kind of daunting, but by the time the final products are there and they start filming, you really see them having a good time.”

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ALL TOGETHER Members of S pose together after the annual freshman mixer Aug. 26. (Photo courtesy of Mariah Lynn)

Get To Know The New Executive Officers Freshman Mikayla Gunther, sophomore Paula Sweeney and junior Ava Rawson were elected to their respective positions on the executive board for Student Council March 2. BY KELLY NUGENT WEB EDITOR IN CHIEF

What are you most excited for next year? “I’m really excited to see what the teachers have to say and see their side of things. I’m excited to have a say in stuff.” Do you have any plans for next year? “For the freshmen, we’re definitely going to work on having more school spirit.”

Executive Secretary Freshman Mikayla Gunther Why did you run for an executive position? “I thought that I should get out of my comfort zone a little. I really like getting involved in the community and I knew it would be a great fit.”

Executive Vice President Sophomore Paula Sweeney

What is your favorite part of Student Council? “My favorite part is actually thinking of really fun things to do like fundraisers and mixers and watching them happening to see how much fun peope are having.”

What are your plans for next year? “I have some new ideas like the Star Wars assembly and I hope to keep up what Carolyn has been doing as President.”

Executive President

What are you looking forward to next year? “I am most excited for having a bigger role in deciding what things like what spirit week will be and the Winter Formal theme.”

Junior Ava Rawson

Executive Position Roles

Secretary

Vice President

President

Takes attendance at STUCO meetings.

Fills in for and acts as the President when needed.

Plans events and leads meetings as well as morning announcements.

NEWS

Potential Hyperloop In Missouri The Missouri Department of Transportation’s proposal in the Hyperloop One global challenge could be transporting people from Kansas City to St. Louis in 23 minutes. BY MOLLY CONWAY REPORTER

Imagine being able to travel from Kansas City to St. Louis in a mere 23 minutes. The Missouri Department of Transportation’s proposal in the Hyperloop One global challenge for the potential building of a bullet train between Kansas City and St. Louis could become a reality by the year 2020. Hyperloop One is a Los Angeles based company that has a mission of transforming transportation through its high speed bullet train system. Hyperloop One sent out a global challenge asking applicants from around the world to justify why their city or region would be a good place for the Hyperloop technology to be implemented. This global challenge appealed to over 100 different countries and received more than 26,000 applicants, ranging from regional groups to universities to private companies. Out of the 35 semifinalists Hyperloop selected, 11 of the teams are from Missouri.

“There are several reasons why I think that Missouri’s application stood out from the other 26,000, one being that it was a very well written and a very well thought out application put together by engineers from MoDOT,” Vice President of Entrepreneurship and Innovation for the Saint Louis Regional Chamber of Commerce and Cofounder of the Missouri Hyperloop Coalition Andrew Smith said. The Missouri Department of Transportation’s application for the 240-mile bullet train route between Kansas City and St. Louis also stood out because of Missouri’s vast natural advantages. Missouri is flat and the route would be straight which would allow Hyperloop to fully utilize the high speeds it is capable of reaching and if the long term goal of Hyperloop is to build a national network of bullet trains, Missouri is the perfect place to start due to its location, according to Smith. “I think the Hyperloop would be a tremendous positive, if we could link Kansas City and St. Louis into a single economic megaregion with over five million people, that would put us in the top 10 economic development regions in the U.S.,” Smith said. The addition of the Hyperloop freight option between Kansas City and St. Louis would simplify traffic

What are the teachers reading? “A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles In 1922 Count Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal. He is sentenced to house arrest in The Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors.

congestion and reduce the amount of happened because it would make trucks commuting back and forth. visiting my sister at SLU so much “Thirty five thousand people a easier and faster,” sophomore Rose day drive between Kansas City and Orrick said. “Right now it takes St. Louis. So say you could get half of about four hours to go see her so we them off the highway, it would make don’t visit her too much so this would the highway—specifically I-70— a lot be really cool.” safer,” a MoDOT spokesperson said. After Missouri became a COMMUTE CALCULATIONS finalist in the contest the Missouri Hyperloop Coalition, a public private partnership, formed to conduct a 340 minutes nine-month $1.5 million feasibility by train study for Hyperloop to look at cost, demand, logic and economic potential. “Within the feasibility study we are holding breakout sessions and 222 minutes going into small working groups,” by car a MoDOT spokesperson said. “There are focus groups for route planning to look at endpoints and where it would specifically start 55 minutes in the metro, economic analysis by plane to look at economic growth and operational costs, and technology to look at power and infrastructure requirements.” Within the next several weeks, 23.1 minutes the Hyperloop team plans to select by Hyperloop three to five of the 11 semifinalist routes to more fully look into. *minutes from Kansas City to St. Louis Traveling at speeds around 600 mph, (information from the Kansas City the Hyperloop would open the door Business Journal) to a whole new world of options on (Illustrations by Molly Conway and where people can live and work. Vecteezy) “I would love it if the Hyperloop

Teachers Start Bookclub Teachers meet once a month in homes for a book club. BY MCKENNA HEEGN SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

A new book club for the teachers was started by Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator Jennifer Brown-Howerton as an opportunity for faculty to have a social outlet outside of a classroom setting. “I really like interacting with teachers in a non-Sion manner, where we aren’t meeting at school, and kind of getting to know each other,” Director of Library and Media Services Jennifer Campbell said. The first meeting was held Feb. 1 at Mission Director Penny Selle’s house, where BrownHowerton and Campbell met with six other teachers: Selle, math teacher Kristi Hilgenfeld, English teacher Melissa Wilcox, English teacher Shawn Watts, history teacher Richard Shrock and theology teacher Polly Holmes. The first book the group read was “Hillbilly Elegy” by J.D.

Vance. It was not a favorite of the group however, according to Brown-Howerton. “I liked how [Hillbilly Elegy] pointed out socio-economic issues in society and it brought a lot of attention to working class issues,” BrownHowerton said. “It wasn’t my favorite book though, it was just okay.” Another teacher who attended the first meeting was Shrock, who was excited to get to talk about the books the club would be reading with other teachers. Shrock has always enjoyed reading since he was little. “I read a lot of history books, modern fiction. I mean the stack of books on my nightstand is just crazy high,” Shrock said. While there were only eight teachers who attended the first meeting, the number of teachers who will attend is expected to increase depending on availability. “I expect we will see more people or different people on the next round just based on who will be free and available to talk about [the book],” Shrock said. The next book the teachers are reading is “A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles. MARCH 2018

FEATURES PUSHING UP AND THROUGH During an after school gym session junior Isabelle Ianni does tricep pushups as part of her workout regimen. (Photo by Ava Rawson)

BUILDING MUSCLE Junior Isabelle Ianni’s life spent in the gym earned her a 51st ranking for the 2017 Crossfit Games in her division.

BY AVA RAWSON REPORTER

ibrant, bouncing music mix with the sound of weights hitting the floor, engulfing her as she pushes herself six days a

week. Since eighth grade, junior Isabelle Ianni has been taking the road less traveled, leading her “I think it’s straight to the 20/20 gym in Prairie really cool to see CrossFit Village, Kansas. Her work strong women in and outside of the gym just being led her to a 2017 overall themselves and world ranking in her age division. Currently, embracing what Ianni placed 51st in the their bodies can world. She has also been do.” the top competitor in the of Kansas for three -Junior Isabelle state years, according to the Ianni official CrossFit Open leaderboards. “I work a lot on building strength, so a lot of lifting and accessory work and then ramping up for the CrossFit open, that once a year competition,” Ianni said. “My coach will start giving me a lot more conditioning and we will make sure that the CrossFit gymnastics movements that I have to do I am able to cycle. Everything picks up and you are in your most fit state at that point in the year so you can compete.” Ianni’s interest for CrossFit first peaked upon seeing everyone doing different high intensity workouts together

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at the gym. She looked into different CrossFit athletes’ stories and was drawn to a fitness regimen made up of the different styles of training based on aspects of weightlifting, running, gymnastics, rowing and more. One of the first athletes that she looked into was Lauren Fisher, a CrossFit athlete who also started at a young age and made it to the CrossFit games. Ianni was able to meet Fisher when she attended the CrossFit games in Madison, Wisconsin this past summer. “The female CrossFit games athletes are really inspiring to me because I think it’s really cool to see strong women just being themselves and embracing what their bodies can do,” Ianni said. Apart from being a one of the top 100 CrossFit Athletes in the world for the 1617 bracket, Ianni has had the opportunity to watch the athletes she has trained with compete in the CrossFit games. Ianni traveled to the games with her mom, Maria Ianni, who loved to see how happy Ianni was while at the games. “To actually see them in person and how strong and fit they are was just amazing, and it was super inspirational and motivating to her,” Maria said. “It was just fun to see how excited she was about all of it.” Just as a mom, it gave me so much joy just seeing how happy it made her, and how excited [she was] about it all.” She has had the opportunity to work with acclaimed athletes she’s seen compete through athlete camps. At training camps, athletes have the opportunity to train with different coaches, learn about nutrition and work on their technique. Ianni has trained with Sam Dancer, who is currently ranked 14th in the world and has met many CrossFit athletes at the CrossFit games. When in the stadium at the Crossfit games every spectator can feel the energy

FEATURES

E AND CONFIDENCE radiating down from both the athletes competing and everyone in the audience willing them forward, according to Ianni. “It was so awesome to be there because when you see it on TV nothing can compare to what it looks like in real life,” Ianni said. “Just being so close to all the athletes that I look up to and am really inspired by is really motivating. I want to be there, and want to be one of those athletes” Ianni jumped from a kids CrossFit class to join the adults when she was 15. Going from a class of her peers to one filled with incredibly inshape CrossFitters who are twice her age was more than a little frightening at first. Now, the atmosphere in the gym is nothing but one big, welcoming family, cracking jokes and pushing each other to be their best, according to Ianni. “When I went to a new gym, it was just me in this class with all these super fit adults, so it was kind of intimidating at first,” Ianni said. “But everyone there is super nice and I feel really comfortable around everyone now and they don’t really treat me like I am a kid anymore.” Between going to the gym and attending school, finding time for school responsibilities proves difficult. Prioritizing and time management are how she juggles homework and fitness. Her main solution is getting ahead on homework and by doing the majority of her assigned homework during school. Sleep is also a big factor in her wellness routine, with all the early morning training sessions made possible by avoiding late nights, according to her sister, Matia Ianni. “Honestly it can be kind of hard, sometimes it is just making sure you know what your priorities are. So for me if it is starting to get late and I still have work to

do but I know that I am going to be getting up really really early to go to the gym sometimes I will just go to bed and then do my homework in the morning,” Ianni said. “I just kind of like prioritizing, sometimes on the weekends I will work ahead for the week.” Ianni visited a nutritionist and switched from a paleo diet to a diet more catered for her training needs. She now focuses on eating food with enough carbs to sustain her energy output. But now Ianni avoids foods that would lead to a sugar crash. “For the amount I was training and the intensity I wasn’t getting enough carbs,” Ianni said. “I have a nutrition coach and she gives me numbers for protein, fat, carbs, so I still eat really clean.” The family started incorporating different aspects of nutrition after Ianni’s mom participated in nutrition challenges through CrossFit. Eating a diet focused on non-processed foods has made the whole family have an appreciation for what they put in their bodies according to Maria. Ianni spreads her zeal for fitness with her entire family who all participate in active lifestyles in and outside of the gym. With family activities such as training sessions with acclaimed CrossFit athletes such as Jenna Dancer and Dancer on family road trips, they show their commitment to fitness and support of Ianni. The family fitness trend doesn’t stop there, though. Ianni and her dad Bruce Ianni get to work out together, according to Ianni. Everyone in the family is active whether it be though CrossFit or other activities. But for Ianni it is clear that CrossFit is her passion. “They encourage us to try to find new things,” Matia said. “I can tell that it’s her passion.”

DO YOU EVEN LIFT? While in the gym, Ianni practices her form in preparation for the Crossfit Open. “I work a lot on building strength, so it’s a lot of lifting and accessory work and then ramping up for the CrossFit Open,” Ianni said. (Photo by Ava Rawson)

MARCH 2018

STAFF EDITORIAL

A World Without Waste Begins with US The United States as a country is not conscientious enough about the environmental impacts of its common lifestyle and should be doing more in the name of conservation.

ipping from that plastic straw, leaving that leaky faucet unrepaired or turning a nose up to that banana that has supposedly gone too brown all seems to occur without a second thought. With this comes the mentality that one person, one action can’t make a significant detriment to the environment. But if this is the outlook of an entire nation, it morphs into one gargantuan carbon footprint. With the rise of a disposable and high-standard culture, the United States is foreseeably on the road to a major conservational problem if people’s lifestyle habits are not readily mended. One major roadblock that has undermined the effectiveness of many ecological issues is the politicization and gradual divisiveness of environmental issues such as climate change. These topics used to be much more bipartisan, and it wasn’t a matter of if they existed, but of how best to approach combating them, according to Time. The United States is fairly unique in its manipulation of these issues into the political agenda in comparison to a number of other developed countries that take problems presented by concerns such as climate change much more seriously, according to CBS News. The growing controversy in these environmental discussions has led to a stagnancy in the passage of any conservational legislation and has given rise to a startling number of Americans questioning the validity of scientific research pertaining to climate change, according to Time. A poll conducted by CBS News and the New York Times found that only 72 percent of Democrats and 32 percent of Republicans believe global warming is caused by human activity. The bleak possibility of national cooperation to take the proper measures toward becoming more environmentally cautious is coupled by the high standard of American living, especially in terms of food, that has led

to an increase in the annual stockpiles of waste in the United States. This growing selectiveness in the realm of food has opened way to a “camera cuisine” phenomenon. People are becoming obsessed about the aesthetics of what is on their plates and raising a standard of acceptance to that of being flawless enough to potentially be put on social media, according to The Atlantic. This infatuation with perfect food has made the general public more discriminatory in the grocery stores, leaving behind produce that, other than being slightly browned, blemished or disfigured, would be perfectly edible. This trend has resulted in over 50 percent, or 60 million tons, of produce in the United States being wasted every year. Now this discarded food is becoming the single largest resident in landfills, according to The Atlantic. The unsustainable national standard of living is even further exacerbated by the expanding fixation with cheap and disposable products. This incessant desire for the newest trend and overall disregard for the old has led to a market of expendability and wastefulness, according to US News. One industry that has exploited this call for fast and cheap products is that of textiles, which has embraced a “fast fashion” mentality. It capitalizes on inexpensive foreign labor and unsustainable environmental practices, according to US News. This practice of low-quality clothing encourages a dangerous disposability where items are worn once or twice and then thrown out, only to continue the process. This throwaway culture is further compounded by the staggering amounts of plastic bottles that are bought and disposed each year and the lack of regard for the global consequences. Worldwide, over 1 million plastic bottles are purchased per minute, but only nine percent of those bottles are actually recycled, according to Forbes. A larger presented problem by these kinds of recyclable yet wasted products is the materials they are manufactured with. A significant percentage of plastic bottles is created with polyethylene terephthalate, a recyclable material that, when thrown out, can take over 400 years to decompose. If the demand for plastic bottles continues to rise, as projections show, by 2050 oceans will contain more weight in plastic than fish, according to Forbes.

SUSTAINABLE STUDENTS

40.7% would

throw away produce if it was blemished but still edible

85.5% believe

Americans should be required to recycle or compost *based on a poll of 172 students (Illustrations by Meg Travis)

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This startling and unsustainable society that U.S. citizens have instituted has become quite a mountain, but not completely unclimbable yet. In order for these destructive trends to slow down, and potentially even reverse, there must be a widespread call for national and global cooperation and a renewed belief in the power of individual action. It takes the culmination of singular environmental disregards to expedite the deterioration of our global home. But with that could also be the culmination of singular environmental consciousness to preserve Earth and guarantee a prosperous planet for future generations. All it needs to start is that purchase of a reusable straw, that repair to the leaky faucet, and a bite from that blemished banana. This editorial reflects the views of the Le Journal Staff. Twenty-six out of twentysix staff members voted in favor of this editorial.

OPINION

Generation Z: The Generation of Change Common experiences of Generation Z create values that allow members to make a significant positive change in the country and world in the future. (Photo from MCT Campus)

Turn Off the Orange Noise article from every major new source, from The New York Times to Fox News. News shows filled air time discussing and print outlets spent all their ink on Former FBI Director Michael Flynn pleading guilty to lying to the FBI during the Russia Investigation and a tweet from BY PAIGE RITTER Trump relating to the breaking scandal CO-PHOTO EDITOR Friday Dec. 1, according to the CNN. Meanwhile the Republican dominated Senate took this diversion from public eye Think back. Way back. To what seems like years ago. To when the average to pass, 51-49, a dramatic Tax Bill at 2 a.m. Saturday Dec. 2, according to the New American thought politics was boring. York Times. To when the President of the United The Tax Bill had undergone recent States behaved better than cast members revisions, but was passed by Republican of Jersey Shore. To when the inescapable orange-noise of President Donald Trump’s lawmakers despite the feeble outcries for them to maybe read the legislation. tweets, scandals and other outrageous The bill includes $1.5 billion in tax cuts, behavior wasn’t deafening every media maintained and even trimmed minimum outlet. taxes on corporations, and opened the Despite the constant stream of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska unfiltered #fakenews and covfefe, to gas and oil drilling, according to The American citizens seem to be more New York Times. uninformed about actual actions and The Trump administration’s and the policies the government is taking now POTUS himself ’s tweets are the opiate of more than ever. Instead, they are all the people, leaving Congress unattended caught up on the show called the “White House,” drowning out everything else. The just long enough to pass legislation most outrageous tweets of Trump have become haven’t even read. The American people aren’t even given the information to care the constant orange-noise of American until it is too late. democracy and news. Not one politician The reactionary media coverage of or news outlet is turning it off. As a Trump is like that of an unpredictable result, the actual work done in the “White celebrity in a tabloid. Nothing can be House” is just a vague idea to Americans. predicted, nor the future thought out “Shame for Trump is like spinach because the latest scandal or mind for Popeye, it only makes him stronger,” boggling comment overflows the public’s Saturday Night Live Weekend Update threshold for news. Trump’s brazen host Colin Jost said in a December 2017 behavior is constantly reported on, episode. Whether it is supporting alleged molesters in Senate races, affairs with porn normalizing it and numbing the public. No one cares anymore. An affair with a stars or ill-thought out tweets targeting porn star, accusations of colluding with North Korea, Trump thrives on the shower of media attention after each stunt. Russia and threatening nuclear war are But only the stunts they want to focus on. one in the same now. The deafening orange noise needs When Trump tweeted “will they to be turned off. Trump behaves like an terminate low ratings Joe Scarborough based on the ‘unsolved mystery’ that took inappropriate child, but that is no longer news. It’s time the public stops allowing place in Florida years ago? Investigate,” tabloid trash to pass as political news. For accusing MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough the free press to really do its job, to check of murder via tweet, the media barely democracy, Americans must know what acknowledged it in November 2017. the democratic institutions are doing, not Meanwhile the ridiculously trivial tweeting. “covfefe” tweet prompted at least one

The public needs to know what the current administration is making into law, not what they tweet.

BY CATHERINE FRERKER SPORTS EDITOR

To Generation Z, the world can seem like a pretty rough place, but that doesn’t mean that they’ve given up on making it better. In 2017, there were 346 mass shootings in the United States, according to Gun Violence Archive. Oceans are rising at the fastest rate in 2,000 years. Two-thirds of the Great Barrier Reef has been damaged because of coral bleaching and rising ocean temperatures. And more greenhouse gases are in the atmosphere now than at any other time in human history, according to Wired. But this generation is more concerned about money than others, according to the Center for Generational Kinetics, which is not surprising because of the Great Recession of 2008 and the public discussion of college debt. These negative experiences actually create strengths in members of Generation Z, setting them apart from Millennials. Growing up during the recession made the new generation realistic, pragmatic and hardworking. They are smarter about money, less likely to follow ads and more likely to avoid debt at all costs than Millennials, according to Huffington Post. They are also ambitious—55 percent more likely to want to start a business. Generation Z will be less likely to be thrown off or disillusioned by challenges of the real world or “adulting,” as many claim Millennials have been. In recent years, prominent politicians on a national and state level have suffered low approval ratings. To solve the country’s problems with the environment, mass shootings, terrorism, paying for college, and whatever else Generation Z deems important, they will be the ones to step up and make a change. Sixty percent of Generation Z surveyed said that “having an impact on the world” will be important to them in their jobs. But only 39 percent of Millennials said that was important during the same age range. Despite the challenges they face, Generation Z has all the tools necessary to become the leaders of the future. They are the first true digital natives, never knowing life without the Internet. With this tool, they have the world at their fingertips and endless ways to connect and contribute. They are the most diverse generation yet and are predicted to be the most accepting. So they will not hesitate to discuss important issues and be innovative in their solutions. Every high schooler is a member of Generation Z. Each student has all the advantages of growing up with almost unlimited access to information and more ways to communicate than ever before. Students are the future, and they should take these advantages along with strengths from the disadvantages and run with them. Soon they must step up to be the leaders of the future.

TRY GALS In the latest episode of Try Gals, junior Kaitlin Jones and seniors Phylicia BarnerLewis Kelly Nugent and Anna Tomka try the whisper challenge, where each try gal reads lips while listening to loud music. (Photo by McKenna Heegn)

MARCH 2018

OPINION

Headcounts Influence Headlines The continuity of extreme gun violence and mass shootings in the United States goes underreported by the short media cycles of today. BY KAITLIN JONES FEATURES EDITOR

In Benton, Kentucky there were 20. In Melcroft, Pennsylvania there were five. In Cleveland, Ohio there were six. These are three injury and death counts of the over 28 mass shootings in just the first six weeks of the year, according to the

guns are sold in America without a background check

Gun Violence Archive. Many of these attacks go unreported in the rapidly renewing media cycle, lately filled with presidential conspiracies and nuclear warfare crises. The most recent mass shooting with major media coverage was the Parkland, Florida school shooting Feb. 14. Slowly but surely, the other 27 examples of this horrific scene and reason for advocacy in 2018 started to fall through the cracks. If media outlets continue to overcast this issue with tabloid worthy “news,” many will cease to understand society’s problem with guns and the ever-growing headcount. The Columbine shooting was covered head to toe with 24-hour news coverage that changed the way America defines “mass shooting.” The preventative measures such as active shooter handbooks and heightened security within public areas have also increased over the past decade, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. However, nothing fixes the problem. No one focuses on the horrors long enough to ultimately affect change. Sandy Hook, Orlando, Dallas, Sutherland Springs and Las Vegas lived the inevitable story of intense media coverage for a week or two. Now, they are one of the dozens of historical events that momentarily affected a culture, with no long-lasting change or

318

Americans are shot in murders, assaults, suicides & suicide attempts, unintentional shootings, and police intervention every day

1.7million children live in a home with an unlocked, loaded gun

2,360

mass shootings this year, as of March 2

deaths due to gun violence in 2018

children and teens die to gun violence every day

armed teacheres per school in proposed Florida Gun Bill

2/3 12 LE JOURNAL

reform to fix the problem that created it: gun violence. The rising number of these events, in 2017 alone, has generated a huge debate within America. Including two of the five largest mass shootings in United States’ history happening within two months of each other, according to CNN. Yet, the higher the body count the bigger the headline, while dozens of others go largely unreported. This desensitization if anything has caused more problems in the past decade. The lack of reporting has caused many to believe violence eradicated. This ignorance creates a bubble, in the same way many thought racism no longer existed because the Civil Rights Movement or police brutality weren’t making national headlines. It seems like a surprise every time a mass shooting occurs. New media cycle, new conversation about a solution, panel after panel and no progress is made. Even though there is a second amendment, the first amendment’s power stands stronger than ever. The voice of a generation groomed in gun violence is being heard through national school walkouts throughout the month of March. The best solution to the violence is this type of advocacy. Now more than ever are young adults are speaking up for what they believe in, spurred on by the 17 victims of the Parkland, Florida shooting. Now the focus is finally on the victims, and not the perpetrators. Keeping the problem in the news forces constant coverage instead of being overshadowed by the claims of porn stars and Kardashian newborns.

Florida voters support assault weapon ban

All statistics according to Gun Violence Archives, the Brady Campaign, and the New York Times (Illustrations and design by Paige Ritter)

OPINION STREET LIFE Homeless men in Los Angeles, California complete daily tasks. (Photos from MCT Campus)

Land of the Free...and the Poor Poverty in the United States is overshadowed by the poverty of third-world countries, but remains a growing problem that needs to be addressed. BY TAYLOR PITZL A&E EDITOR

The United Nations sent a representative to investigate extreme poverty in the United States in December. Although the United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, they found that more than 40 million Americans were living below the poverty line and almost half of those in deep poverty, defined as earning an annual income lower than half of the poverty threshold. Poverty has been steadily growing in the United States since the 1996 welfare reform, according to the Washington Post. Although the economy has been growing and with it, the median income, which increased another 3.2 percent from 2016 to 2017, the most disadvantaged have been left behind. With sewage running back into their house, little food, and no access to affordable health care, these people face unthinkable conditions, similar to those of a third-world country. People are increasingly concerned with poverty abroad, which is a worthy and necessary cause. However, people living in poverty in the United States also need help and support. Poverty is not just across borders or oceans, it is right here in our own backyard. Living conditions below the poverty line in the U.S. are horrific. Some even go without working sewage systems, contributing to the return of the parasite hookworm, according to The Guardian. The parasite normally only found in developing countries with limited sanitation was discovered in rural Alabama, according to The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Hookworm causes iron deficiency, impaired cognitive function and malnutrition. This

reemergence demonstrates the severity of the problem of poverty in the United States. Forty-one million Americans struggle with hunger, more than 18 percent of which are children, according to Feeding America. Hunger and obesity rates continually rise among poorer demographics as healthier food prices remain high. This is similar to trends occuring in the developing nations of Mexico and Indonesia whose poorer populations also do not have access to healthy food leading to malnutrition. Though free and reduced meals through schools have helped, much more still needs to be done to alleviate this worry. In order to halt and reverse the trend of growing poverty in the United States, steps need to be taken to empower people living in poverty to improve their situations. More opportunities for higher-education and job training. A higher level of education can lead to higher paying jobs, helping to establish better economic security. In addition to this, the amount of well-paying jobs should be increased. Many people living under the poverty line are employed but are unable to support themselves with their salary. Additional support to people below the poverty line searching for work needs to be established. Affordable, adequate childcare needs to be accessible. Fifty percent of single parent families live in poverty. These parents desperately need more affordable childcare allowing them to get full time jobs. As one of the wealthiest countries in the world, the high rate of poverty in the United States is completely unacceptable. As a country, we need to recognize this problem and move to fix it. To truly provide “liberty and justice for all,” we need to dedicate resources and time to end extreme poverty.

Voluntourism: The Feel-Good Evil Though there are good intentions backing their actions, mission teams are frequently unaware of the socioeconomic damage they can cause. BY LANIE JONES PRINT CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Each year, thousands of mission and service trips are taken to countless countries around the world, many of which are povertystricken with struggling economies. Hundreds of participants take supplies and toys to their destinations, but unknowingly make a larger impact than simply building wells and chicken coops for a week. Little do they know, those few days can have a more detrimental effect on communities and their economies. While teams have good intentions in helping the local people, their actions can cause more problems than they foresee. For example, a group spending a week building a school prohibits local construction workers from receiving a job. In turn, this obviously means they don’t take home a paycheck, which leads them to struggle to provide for their family. The same goes for tasks such as painting structures or any other similar jobs. To better impact and help these communities, it’s best to support or volunteer with organizations who are familiar with the area, know their needs well and prioritize the well-being of its people. Many times, visitors are shamed for taking the time to shop locally while spending time in a foreign place. However, investing in businesses, artisans and other sellers is a rather beneficial way to support the local economy. Rather than focusing complete time and energy on a project, volunteers should indulge in leisure to purchase items from those who are making a living off of their products. Cultural immersion is an important part of making a difference in communities. From personal experience, teams form stronger, more influential bonds with locals when they invest in the community they visit. Another common act for volunteers is to bring toys or old clothes to their destination. Soon, young children are running around wearing tattered clothes donated from those who are too embarrassed to wear that 2007 concert t-shirt. While this may seem to be beneficial to those they’re serving, the act can put a strain on local productions. Bringing a surplus of items that can be purchased in the location visited has the ability to put locals out of business, similar to volunteers doing work that can be successfully accomplished by local laborers. Though it’s a great thought and incredibly sweet, it can put a damper on business. Additionally, the motives of volunteers can come into question when service trips seem to be more of a vacation. When social media feeds are filled with photos of young, starving children in horrible living conditions, it’s often a reality the photographer has no concept of. Following this post, one may snap picture sipping smoothies on the beach. No, going to the beach or a cool market is not a “bad” by any means. The issue arises when people are intrinsically motivated by the prospect of posting photos of a struggling nation to say “look at me volunteering with these starving kids!” It’s not meant to pass judgment, but there is a right and a wrong way to go about these trip While volunteering abroad is not a bad thing, participants should be more conscious of the decisions they make, taking the repercussions into consideration beforehand. Shop to support the economy of the places visited, and be aware of physical labor putting local builders or artisans out of business. It’s important to support locals in these places, which will better the communities that volunteers are working in, not destroy.

MARCH 2018

COVER STORY

WASTEFUL

he issue of climate change has been one of increasing importance in mainstream media over the past few decades. However, in recent years, a new emphasis has been placed on the situation. Images of sea levels rising, polar bears stranded on melting ice caps and smog billowing from industrial centers have been seen through scenes on TV, in the classroom and online. It can be daunting to come to terms with the fact that the planet is changing, and that it is in danger, but it is critically important that those with the resources to make a difference try to in any way they can. Blocking out the static of politics aside, it is important to learn the facts about climate change. Knowing the basic terms used to describe climate change will help facilitate discussion about ways to create change.

CLIMATE VOCABULARY

Climate change is the term which describes a change in global or regional patterns, according to NASA. For centuries scientists have tracked the periods of warming and cooling which the planet has undergone. Climatologists identify five

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distinct periods, according to History.com. These periods allowed for agricultural development, the movement of people and animals around the globe and other historically significant events in the development of the planet as it is known today. Many people speculate that recent climate trends reflect another period of natural warming and that human activity has nothing to do with climate change. Only 52 percent of Americans believe that climate change is caused by human activities, according to a Yale Climate Communication study from 2016. However, Earth-orbiting satellites, ice cores in the Arctic and other new technologies have enabled scientists to collect data which reveals the truth. In 1900, approximately 500 million metric tons of carbon were emitted, compared to in 2014 nearly 10 thousand-million metric tons were emitted, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. This number is only increasing. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, meaning that once it is released it becomes trapped in the atmosphere which in turn warms the Earth. A second important term to know is

ecological footprint. An ecological footprint reflects the impact a person or community has on the environment, expressed as the amount of land required to sustain their use of natural resources, according to the Global Footprint Network. Someone’s ecological footprint is influenced by the clothes they buy, their diet, their commute and the sustainability of their home. The average American’s ecological footprint is 8.6 global hectares per capita, according to the Global Footprint Network. If every person on the planet lived like the average American, it would take 8.6 Earths to sustain the Earth’s population indefinitely. “Every time I give the Ecological Footprint quiz people are just astounded because Sion and the United States in general doesn’t realize how big our footprint is,” science teacher Kaci Flippo said. “We don’t realize how much it takes to ship our food in, ship our oil in and even just the fact that all the products we use come from so many different places.”

COVER STORY

Climate change is being talked about - and debated - more than ever as people consider the ways their actions influence the planet and the changes they can adapt to in order to help save it.

THINKING

BY CO-PHOTO EDITOR MADISEN HANE, EDITORIAL EDITOR CECILIA MOHÁCSI AND REPORTER SYDNEY SAN AGUSTIN

with their natural ability to renew them. Achieving healthy sustainability is what will help reverse the effects of climate change. Ecological footprints reveal important trends about the ways human activities influence the planet. Tracking this data reveals staggering truths about the toll the developed world takes on the planet’s resources. The average Australian’s footprint is 9.3 GHA and the average Saudi Arabian’s footprint is 5.6 GHA. It is clear that millions of people live well beyond the capacity of the Earth’s ability to renew its resources. This is a factor contributing to climate change. Finally, a third important term to know is sustainability. Sustainability is the ability for the Earth to replenish its natural resources as all living beings naturally deplete these resources, according to the EPA. Sustainability is the principle that guides environmentalism and attitudes towards environmentalism. The ultimate goal of sustainability is to balance human use of resources

WASTING AWAY Throwing something in the trash might not seem like a big deal, but when everyone in the world keeps throwing things away, it begins to add up. Most of the population’s waste comes from food, water, clothing and plastic, according to the EPA. Globally, people throw out 1.3 tons of food every year. This is about one third of the food produced around the world. The United States alone wastes over $160 billion in food a year, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. “Agriculture is horrible for the environment, animals, and biodiversity in general but obviously it has to be done to feed humanity,” environmental science teacher Amy Vandenbrul said. “I think about all of these issues when I see students mindlessly throwing away an entire apple after

lunch or when a full lunch is mindlessly left in my classroom and goes to waste. After all of the environmental damage that was caused to grow that apple, pig, or cow we simply throw it away. Other humans are literally starving to death and here I sit observing dozens get thrown away on a daily basis.” Wasting food not only wastes the actual food itself but all the resources that go into putting it on a plate. Land, water, fertilizers, labor and transportation all contribute to the final product. To cut back on wasting food, the Natural Resource Defense Council recommends that the average consumer changes her mindset when it comes to buying and eating food. The NRDC suggests eating items in the refrigerator that are about to go bad, even if this means having breakfast for dinner and vice versa. They also recommend planning out meals and freezing food that’s about to go bad. One in eight Americans struggle to put food on the table, according to the NRDC. With 40 percent of food going to waste in the United States, it is clear that food waste reflects not only an environmental problem but a socio-economic crisis in this ...Story continued on page 16

MARCH 2018

COVER STORY

...Story continued from page 15

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country, too. “We do have a lot of food waste. One of the reasons is because we tend to over pack our lunches and over fill our plates,” Flippo said. “People want the options but just end up throwing everything else away because it’s too much. We could try sharing more or taking only what we can eat.” Similarly to food waste, there is waste involved in the clothing industry. Huge amounts of space are required to produce clothing in factories and to store products in warehouses. In the United States over 16 million tons of clothing waste is produced every year. Of this, a mere 2.62 million tons is recycled, according to the EPA. This discrepancy of waste has become known as “fast fashion.” Think Forever 21, H&M and Target; these companies put an emphasis on producing products that are Look at your cheap and trendy so that they reach life critically the consumer before and examine competitors. Because of the low cost of these where waste clothes, people are is created more inclined to throw and actually them away and buy more. do something “We buy from about it. stores that use sweatshop labor where - senior Emma Cosner children and adults are working in unsafe conditions with a salary that they are unable to support themselves or their family on,” senior Emma Cosner said. “Thinking about the item’s product life is cycle is crucial. We have to consider the production of fabrics, transportation, labor and pollution that went into making it.” Cotton is the most common fiber used to

”

make clothing, according to the World Research Institute. It requires 1,700 liters of water to create one cotton shirt. This is equivalent to two and a half years of drinking water for one person, according to the WRI. Clothing made of synthetic materials require less water and land than cotton, but more greenhouse gases are produced. For example, a cotton shirt produces 4.6 pounds of carbon while a polyester shirt produces 12.1 pounds, according to the WRI.

“Fast fashion has a huge ecological footprint. People don’t realize what goes into making clothing ‘cheap, trendy and convenient’ and the amount of damage that occurs to the earth when you throw these clothing items away,” senior Morgan Hickman said.

PLASTIC WORLD

Globally, 300 millions tons of plastic are produced every year according to the New York Times. The waste that is produced from this plastic consumes the world’s landfills and oceans. Plastic is everywhere- from wrappers on candy bars to the microplastics found in cosmetics. Because plastic is found in everything, it gets thrown away all the time. Plastic does not decompose well because it is made of materials which were meant to last forever. However, 33 percent of the world’s plastic is used only once before it is thrown away, according to the Plastic

BEFORE NOON...

A look at some of the daily choices students make which influence their ecological footprint. (171 student responses)

6:30 A.M.

Shower seven or more times per week

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Pollution Coalition. This is called single-use plastic. “Our plastic consumption is way out of hand in the first place. Numerous pollutants are generated during plastic production and our landfills are filling up rapidly,” Vandenbrul said. “Recycling is a problem because it is very energy intensive in the first place, but also because much of what we think will be recycled isn’t.” Straws, disposable silverware, plastic bags, styrofoam take out boxes, plastic water bottles and more are all forms of single-use plastic that people use on a regular basis. These items, after only being used once, will end up either in a landfill Landfill or the ocean. In Forest both places this is Transportation a problem because Crop Land plastic isn’t Grazing Land biodegradable- it only gets broken Built-up Land down into smaller Fishing Grounds and smaller pieces and ends up spoiling food chains, water sources, wildlife and ecosystems. “Single use plastic defies all principles of sustainability. Anyone can reduce their single use plastic. It’s easy to look at pictures of overflowing landfills and feel sad, but true testament to valuing the health of the earth must be translated through your actions,” Cosner said. “Look at your life critically and examine where waste is created and actually do something about it. Conscious consumerism is not only important but paramount if we want to leave the next generation with a surviving planet.” Over 12.7 million metric tons of plastic debris ends up in the oceans, according to ScienceMag. org. This plastic endangers fish, sea turtles and seabirds who often mistake it for floating food. Plastic is not digestible, which is why approximately 1 million seabirds die from plastic ingestion every year, according to OceanCrusaders. Drink from a reusable water bottle

Use Tupperware containers to pack lunch

122

159

7:20 A.M.

10:30 A.M.

7:15 A.M.

7:30 A.M.

Pack their lunch in a reusable bag

Drive by themselves to school

105

12:00 P.M.

122

Use plastic utensils in the cafeteria

COVER STORY

food breaks down, its nutrients are released into the soil which in turn makes the soil more rich and arable, according to the EPA. Not only does composting help the soil, it also helps the air by reducing methane emissions from landfills caused by discarded food. It’s also important to try to reduce waste outside of what is put into landfills. Water is wasted in huge quantities in agriculture, specifically in the meat industry. It takes about 2,400 gallons of water to produce one pound of meat, according to PETA. To make one day’s worth of meals for a typical meat eater, 4,000 gallons of water are needed compared to 300 gallons for a typical vegan. This doesn’t mean everyone needs to go vegan overnight, but by simply skipping one pound of meat one could save more water than not showering for six months. The doctor’s recommended amount of meat varies with each individual’s lifestyle and weight, however if each WAYS TO SAVE With all of the environmental problems in the person to were simply eat a safe amount of meat it would be more sustainable. world, it can seem impossible to actually “I am a pescatarian, so I only eat make a change. However, “saving fish and seafood because it’s better the earth” and becoming more for the environment and I feel like mindful of the environment it’s a better alternative than eating doesn’t have to be a drastic meat,” junior Sarah White said. change in one’s life. There are There are also a number of many simple alternatives that conservation and environmental Le Journal staff’s average can decrease the ecological ecological footprint, according to groups working in the Kansas footprint humankind has one City area to help combat some footprintcalculator.org person at a time. of these issues. One such group One way to help reduce is the Heartland Conservation waste is by thrifting. Buying Alliance. second hand items helps to reduce “At the Heartland Conservation the amount of textile waste in the world Alliance we are a group of diverse stakeholders that caused by fast fashion. Not only does thrifting work to conserve land in urban areas,” Education repurpose used items, they are usually low priced and Outreach Coordinator Ayana Curran-Howes so they won’t break the bank. said. “We want to connect communities to the Many thrift stores use their profits to create land and work with our partners to strengthen job opportunities or support charities, so thrifting the conservation community in Kansas City as a also gives back to the community. With several whole.” local thrift stores as well as online sites, second Forty percent of adults globally know little hand shopping is especially accessible. or nothing about climate change, according to a Savers, a national thrift store chain’s mission 2015 Washington Post article. Heartland engages statement focuses on reducing waste and uplifting with more than 15 partners to bring conservation communities at the same time. Savers also education to schools around the metro and to helps more than 120 nonprofit organizations by facilitate Blue River watershed cleanup efforts. reimbursing them for donated goods. “I am surrounded by people a lot older than Instead of constantly buying and throwing me so I’ve realized not everyone knows everything away plastic bags, plastic utensils and plastic but that if you put yourself out there and are water bottles, consumers can invest in reusable confident, you are able to articulate your mission tupperware and bottles. By making a habit of being reusable, it is possible to reduce or eliminate and get people engaged and people are more reliance on single use plastic and thus landfills and receptive,” Curran-Howes said. The ecological footprint left by today’s oceans are less affected. common practices is large and complex. Many “Some people will grab a plastic fork even factors contribute to the impact we leave on the though there’s a metal one right there just because planet and it takes time to understand, but with they can. They don’t think about it. That’s one spot recent environmental movements a new awareness we could really cut down on,” Flippo said. has been brought to environmentalism. Small When addressing food waste, composting changes can make a huge difference to the planet is a simple way to help eliminate filling landfills and ultimately make it a greener place to live in the while also give back to the environment. As the future. org.

However, the majority of plastic in the ocean is what is known as microplastic. Microplastic are small pieces of plastic which are less than five millimeters long, according to the National Ocean Service. When ingested, the chemical toxins in microplastic leach into the immune systems of animals. These pollutants are bioaccumulative, which means the amount of toxins magnifies as one moves up the food chain. This means that even if an animal doesn’t directly consume plastic, it can still absorb the chemicals simply by eating normal prey. “We know that this microplastic is in the water and new research shows that it is accumulating in organisms, including food sources for humans,” Vandenbrul said. “We have created a situation where we are even eating our own plastic.”

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EARTHS

GO GREEN SCREEN For more information on specific topics, Le Journal suggests these documentaries available on Netflix. (Photos from Netflix)

The True Cost Find out the ethical and environmental issues with fast fashion.

Cowspiracy The cattle industry is exposed with udder-ly disturbing facts about its impact.

Before The Flood Leonardo DiCaprio discusses what affects climate change and some possible solutions.

Sustainable Farmers help pioneer the sustainable food movement in the agriculture industry.

A Plastic Ocean Learn about the startling amounts of plastic pollution the oceans are drowning in.

Chasing Coral Light is shed on coral bleaching as it is caused by climate change.

MARCH 2018

FEATURES

The Faces Behind the Food Lunch ladies Amber Davis and Anna Paradise share a friendship, passion for food and appreciation of music. BY ANNA TOMKA PRINT MANAGING EDITOR

SERVICE WITH A SMILE Lunch ladies Amber Davis and Anna Paradise pose together after serving lunch in the school cafeteria. (Photo by Anna Tomka)

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FEATURES

s students saunter into school early each morning, the cafeteria is brought to life by a speaker in the kitchen playing boisterous music from a plethora of diverse genres. Mouthwatering scents flood the room and hint passers by that fresh food is starting to be prepared. Lunch ladies Anna Paradise and Amber Davis are responsible for the lively tunes as well as the savory aromas that travel out the cafeteria doors and into the crowded halls. Davis and Paradise are known for their culinary skills, but many are unaware of their tight bond outside of school and taste for music. The close-knit pair never encounter the same, unchallenging day. Two to three times a week, Davis and Paradise unload around six to seven hundred dollars worth of food from Restaurant Depot. They work side-by-side to distribute about 100 meals every day, and the two do their best to provide the freshest ingredients for their consumers by seeking out distributors who work closely with local farms. Davis and Paradise enjoy traveling to the River Market on Sundays together to search for new healthy and local food options. “We want to teach kids to eat healthier and branch out. When I was in college, I was never prepared to make those smart choices when it came to eating,” Davis said. “No one prepares you guys to be on your own. We want to teach girls things like how simply adding olive oil on broccoli can make it just as tasty as an Easy Mac while remaining much more nutritious.” Educating students about the importance of their food choices means a lot to the pair of women, who strive to cook as organically as possible, especially in the springtime. McGonigle’s Market often supplies their meat, and Farm To Market Bread Co their bread. In addition to Restaurant Depot, Whole Foods and Natural Grocers are two of their other favorite grocery stores to shop at. All this hard work to provide quality meals pays off when they view the students finishing their food. “Our Instagram is @lunchladiezofsion and our Snapchat is @lunchladiez. We love receiving feedback on our food and listening to what the students don’t like or do like,” Paradise said. “Please don’t be afraid to come up to us and tell us what you think of the food. We want to know if you guys like the food the most.” The two created social media platforms to give students the chance to see behind the scenes action. They show what kind of work is involved in their cooking process. Paradise often posts Snapchat stories of soup recipes and the steps to produce them. Davis uses Instagram and Snapchat to share videos of them being themselves: singing, dancing and joking around. “I really enjoy how real they are with us, and they talk to us like we’re their peers,” senior Mary Evans said. “Everyday, when I get my lunch, I’ll manage to fit in a dance or two to the songs they play. They don’t just feed me, but they give me confidence to be myself by posting their hilarious videos and pictures.” Paradise and Davis have unique origin stories when it comes to how their passion for cooking surfaced. Davis grew up with her mother’s terrible cooking, which ultimately drove her to teach herself how to cook not only for her, but for others too. She was also inspired by the Food Network that always played on her television, and professional chefs such as Anthony Bourdain. Davis worked from the bottom of the food chain until she was asked to take over running the kitchen of a restaurant in downtown Kansas City called Milwaukee Delicatessen. “Taking over that restaurant taught me that I never wanted to be in charge of another one again. Once you own your own kitchen, you don’t have much of a life after that,”

Davis said. “Sion gives us more freedom.” Contrastingly, Paradise grew up alongside a family of talented cooks to learn and grow from. Her brother, Thomas Paradise, is a chef at BŌRU Ramen Bar in Kansas City and her sister, Elizabeth Paradise, is also a pastry chef at Story Restaurant in Prairie Village. Paradise works with her brother at Boru Ramen Bar and at Room 39. She participated in a lot of food-related side jobs where she learned from people more knowledgeable about food. As she worked these jobs, she realized cooking was a hobby she had a zest for. “My family just has a background with food. I worked with food photography a little, and I read cookbooks like novels at home growing up,” Paradise said. “The Food Network was also my go-to show in high school.” Music plays a crucial role in both Davis and Paradise’s lives, and it is something that they consistently bond over together. Both grew up loving boy bands such as NSYNC and Backstreet Boys. The duo are also musically gifted, Paradise playing the piano and Davis playing the ukulele. Their adoration of music is reflected through the songs that play continuously while they work. “We listen to all different kinds of music and have the same taste,” Paradise said. “Except Amber likes songs from musicals and I don’t. She also hates my classical choir music.” In Davis’ free time, she cooks for concerts, works backstage catering and ensures dressing rooms are completely stocked for performing artists. Davis has worked backstage for Chance the Rapper, G-Eazy, Guns N’ Roses and plans to assist Post Malone this summer. “I love music so being backstage at concerts is surreal. I worked for the Beach Boys, and I remember the conversation they had about how music just isn’t the same anymore with artists like Kanye,” Davis said. “I love listening to older musician’s conversations.” Paradise utilizes her own free time to travel to foreign places while continuing to explore her fascination with food. Spain, France and Portugal are among her favorite destinations she has journeyed to. Paradise plans to travel to Paris for a second time later this year, since the city contains her favorite foods. In addition, Paradise cooked for a retreat in Hawaii where she had the chance to encounter island life and live up close and personal with nature. World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms is a worldwide association that encourages these educational retreats, which Paradise is familiar with. “WWOOF is a program that allows you to do great things anywhere,” Paradise said. “I was able to learn a lot about local Hawaiian ingredients while living in a yurt among the wildlife.” Working in the lunch room has been a notable experience in itself for Davis and Paradise, who rarely spent time around high school students beforehand. The pair takes pleasure in educating the community about nutrition and working towards providing IN HER ELEMENT (top) new food options in the future. Overall, Anna Paradise cooks at Green Dirt Farm the students are their favorite part about for Room 39. (Photo submitted by Anna the school, according to Davis. Paradise) “I enjoy how small the school is and BETTER TOGETHER (bottom) how every girl is comfortable in her own Anna Paradise and Amber Davis take a skin,” Paradise said. “The best part of our selfie at the River Market shopping for ingredients. (Photo submitted by Anna job is being able to watch all of you girls Paradise) grow.”

“I enjoy how small the school is and how every girl is comfortable in her own skin,” Paradise said. “The best part of our job is being able to watch all of you girls grow.”

MARCH 2018

SPORTS IN BRIEF

WINTER OLYMPICS

SWIM SUCCESS

The 2018 Winter Olympics were held in Pyeongchang, South Korea from Feb. 7 to the 25. The U.S. team finished in 4th with 9 gold, 8 silver and 6 bronze medals. This is the lowest medal count in the Winter Olympics for the U.S. since 1998. The U.S. boasted the youngest ever female to win an Olympic snowboarding medal, 17-year-old snowboarder, Chloe Kim, pictured above. “The Olympics are fun,” senior Ally Crumb said. “My favorite part was watching curling with my mom.” (Photo by MCT Campus)

Swim team finished 15th out of the 90 teams competing at the State competition Feb. 15 and 16 at St. Peters Recreational Center in St. Peters, Missouri. Senior Sammie Nesslein earned a 6th place medal and sophomore Caroline Knopke earned a 3rd place medal. “It was a great bonding experience,” sophomore swim team member Caroline Ehren said. “Especially getting to know the seniors.” (Photo by Ana Pendergast)

SION OLYMPICS

Seniors won gold, the juniors took silver, and the sophomores finished with bronze at the 2018 Sion Olympics held March 2. The freshmen represented Brazil, the sophomores were Fiji, the juniors were Sweden, and the seniors were the United States. The hallway decorating contest was won by the junior class who utilized a viking theme. “It was really cool to be in one of the opening acts to hype up our grade for all the competition and just having fun,” sophomore Emily Rine said. (Photo by Reagan Amato)

9-PEAT CHAMPS For the ninth year in a row, dance team won the title of State Champions. The dance team competed against teams from all over Missouri Feb. 24 and 25, with 95 teams at State and 16 in their division, for the distinction. “We were really close to not getting state champs this year,” senior dance team member Alyssa Bolton said. “When they announced our name everyone was really excited.” (Photo by Ava Rawson)

Timson Stays Dedicated to Swim STORM SCHEDULE *MARCH 26-28 VARSITY SOCCER GAME MO-KAN TOURNAMENT @AQUINAS

*MARCH 26

CHEER TEAM TRYOUTS NEW GRANDE SALLE

*APRIL 17-19

DANCE TEAM TRYOUT WORKSHOP

*APRIL 11

JV SOCCER GAME HOME VS. LUTHERAN SOUTH

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After years of swimming competitively, science teacher Kelly Timson continues to dedicate her time to the sport. BY REAGAN AMATO REPORTER

Since the age of 6, swim coach and chemistry teacher Kelly Timson has been dedicated to the sport of swimming. After competing through both high school and college, Timson decided to transition to coach. In high school, Timson’s summer job was teaching people how to swim in her backyard pool. Then the long distance, freestyle swimmer made her way to college, competing at a national level for Iowa State University. Upon graduation, Timson was pulled back into coaching, serving as both an assistant and head coach in Chicago. When she moved to Kansas City, she ended up finding a job as both a teacher and coach at Sion. “Mrs. Ellwanger was a sorority sister of mine in college, so I contacted her when we were moving here and she said ‘Hey, actually, we need a swim coach’ so, that’s how I ended up here,” Timson said. As a coach, Timson has found inspiration in her own former high school swim coach. “He was influential just to me as a person, teaching me about hard work and dedication and things like that,” Timson said. “He also mentored me a lot through my early days of coaching.” To the girls that she coaches, Timson inspires them in the same way her high school coach did her. She provides one of the best experiences possible for her swimmers, according to sophomore Grace Parrott.

“She is the most encouraging and motivational coach,” Parrott said. Timson also serves as a model of leadership for the swimmers and provides an atmosphere that even club swimmers have been unable to find before, according to senior swim co-captain Ellie Magsamen. “She’s helped me learn how to be a better leader. I never really got that from my club team,” Magsamen said. “She includes me on most decision making and through her example I’ve been able to lead others.” Swim ended up placing 15th at State, a leap from the previous year’s finish. For Timson, watching the girls grow as both athletes and human beings is her favorite part of being a coach. “Seeing the swimmers improve from their freshman year to their senior year, not just in the swimming pool, but just seeing their maturity and leadership skills develop is really fun,” Timson said. TEACHER THROWBACK Swim Coach Kelly Timson, pictured with her teammates at the 1995 Illinois State swim meet, won the 400 freestyle relay. (Photo submitted by Kelly Timson)

Javelin was introduced to all Missouri high schools in 2015. but this season will be the team’s first competing in the event. BY PHYLICIA BARNER-LEWIS REPORTER

Do you have any pre-game rituals? I usually stretch while listening to my specific running playlist

HANA VISESIO, 12 What is the best part of competing? When the shot put leaves your hand and you know it was a good throw What one word describes you as a leader? Sassy

ELLA ANSTOETTER, 12 What is your position on the team? High jump What is the best part of competing? The teams have fun even though it’s intense

CHIGOZIE OKUAGU, 12 Do you have any pre-game rituals? If I am feeling extra nervous, sometimes I’ll say a quick prayer What one word describes you as a leader? Encouraging

AIDAN McENERNEY, 12 What is your position on the team? Attack What is the best part of competing? I think the best part of competing is putting your 100% into the game

SARAH TOTTA, 12 What one word describes you as a leader? Dedicated What is the best part of competing? Getting to play alongside some of the best people I’ve ever known

LACROSSE

MARIAH LYNN, 12 What one word describes you as a leader? Passionate Do you have any pre-game rituals? At home games, we listen to music and write who we dedicate the game to

AFTON FENNEWALD, 12 What are your goals and hopes for this season? Get back to state What is one word describes you as a leader? Competitive

GABBY GRIMALDI, 11

SOCCER

Track & Field is beginning to introduce the javelin throw and is deciding on who will be competing. The throwing coach Joe Allen is having all of the throwers practice javelin but plans to have five or six girls compete. “I’d like to see a lot of girls try the javelin but so far it’s the twins [juniors Chandler and Ava Rawson] that have shown the most interest and natural ability,” Allen said. Rawson is one of the first few girls to begin her training at practices and wants to throw in meets. “I would say the hardest part about throwing is trying not to revert back to how I would want to throw a softball,” Rawson said. “I think it helps that I played softball before, but it is hard to break those old habits.” In the previous season, Rawson ran the 100 meter, 200 meter and was a part of the 200 meter relay but took a liking to the idea of throwing javelin. “I have wanted to throw javelin since I knew it was an event,” Rawson said “You can’t help [but] feel powerful while walking around and throwing a spear into an open field.” Javelin came about when the Missouri State High School Activities Association added the event in 2015, according to Head Coach Cody Buhrmeister. “At first there were some concerns as to where and how we would practice the event for safety reasons,” Buhrmeister said. “After some discussion we decided to have the event for this upcoming season.” Buhrmeister is entering his fifth year as a track coach, now the acting head coach. He has no doubt that the girls will work hard in the new event. “The girls have great attitudes,” Buhrmeister said. “I love seeing them work hard throughout the season and reaching for success and I love seeing their faces when they do have success. It is an awesome thing to see from a coach’s perspective.” Allen has already started training and peer practice for all of the throwers so they know how to throw a javelin properly and safely. “So far we’ve been working, almost exclusively, with soft tipped practice javelins,” Allen said. “It’s much safer while the girls learn to make it fly. Most importantly, it reduces the likelihood that the coach will be impaled.” Buhrmeister has high hopes even though competition will be fierce, since some schools took up javelin as soon as it was allowed in 2015. “My hopes for the season are to learn quickly and be as competitive in the event and build for the future. Our girls will be a little behind in technique and experience but we feel confident we can be competitive at any meet we participate in,” Buhrmeister said. “Any success we have this year will be a bonus. We have to start somewhere so we can only go up.”

BY PRISCILLAH GICHARU REPORTER

Track & Field Introduces Javelin

MARY KATHRYN BARRETT, 12

TRACK

LEARNING TO FLY After warm ups, junior Chandler Rawson throws a practice javelin. (Photo by Phylicia Barner-Lewis)

Meet the Spring Sports Captains

SPORTS

What is the best part of competing? Getting to see all your hard work pay off What is your position on the team? Center middle

MARCH 2018

FEATURES

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STEADFAST SUPPORT (left) Junior Tempest Malone poses for a picture with her family after winning the Regional Poetry Out Loud competition at the Lucille Blueford Library Feb. 10. (Photo submitted by Casey Engel) A DIGITAL VOICE (far left) Along with expressing emotions through poetry junior Tempest Malone uses the online arts publication The Siren to pursue art as another passion. (Photo submitted by Tempest Malone)

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FEATURES

MORE THAN WORDS

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Junior Tempest Malone found a passion in expressing emotions through spoken word and original poems, while advancing to State in the Poetry Out Loud competition. BY OLIVIA DOPHEIDE WEB MANAGING EDITOR

pringing alive, words bounced around the conference room at the Lucille Blueford Library. Energized by emotion, they emerged from the microphone and echoed their message around. Urged on by a soft voice, they were filled with intensity and passion. Those powerful words had junior Tempest Malone to thank. Standing in front of the microphone and filling the room with intensity, Malone continued to articulate her chosen poems in her third Poetry Out Loud competition. This time it was the Kansas City area regionals, which led to her advancing to the State competition. Similarly, four years ago in middle school, Malone was sitting in a creative writing class at the Writer’s Place amongst other peers about to share an original poem. Chosen as one of three participants to share their writing piece at the end of the time, she discovered a new love for expressing her emotions and thoughts through poetry. “It showed me that sharing poetry and exposing yourself isn’t as scary as you think it is,” Malone said. Continuing her love of writing and poetry into high school, Malone was introduced to the Poetry Out Loud annual competition by English Curriculum Coordinator and teacher Casey Engel. Having experience with poetry, Malone saw this competition as an opportunity to grow her relationship with poetry. “She adds empathy [to the poem], she makes each poem really three dimensional,” Engel said. “She makes each poem into its own story.” Poetry serves as a way for her to analyze the intentions of the author and express them according to her own feelings. She uses these skills while picking her poems to perform at Poetry Out Loud. Malone must choose one pre-twentieth century poem and one poem under twenty five lines. Spending about a month to prepare her performance, she practices about once a week until a week leading up to the competition. “Every time before I perform I get really nervous and get scared that I’ll forget my poem, but because I’ve practiced them so many times, when I get up there it all goes how I want it to,” Malone said. “I get into my zone.” Malone sees poetry as a means for expressing emotions. Along with reading and listening to poetry and literature, she writes her own poems. Writing exactly as she feels, Malone’s poems range from meticulously crafted drafts to informal writing that capture the moment’s mood. She tends to focus on dramatic poems or ones with a common theme of love. “I usually write when I just feel like I need to say something or something I feel passionate about or something that’s just sticking to my mind. It just comes

to me,” Malone said. Malone attended a National Public Radio workshop during her freshman year where she listened to local speakers, then later participated in a corresponding workshop which held classes and provided assistance for students in their own writing. Advisors from the workshop later chose Malone to perform her poetry in front of the attendees. She also shares her poetry through other artwork on The Siren, the online literary and arts magazine guided by Director of High School Library and Media Services Jenny Campbell, incorporating another self-taught passion: painting. “She consistently challenges herself,” Campbell said. “There’s never a questioning of her own abilities. Along with various workshops, Malone uses her poetry to connect with the community. Her family reached out to Swope Ridge Geriatric Center nursing home to get involved, where they now hold events for the residents and she performs poetry. Malone forms connections with the audience through spoken word and the emotions that come with it. “I think poetry has a way of letting people say things without saying them head on. They express things in [a] way that more people can understand,” Malone said. “I think that poetry can be interpreted so many different ways. It’s not the same for everyone.” Her spoken word performances channel emotions that are mature for the typical high school student, according to Engel. Malone performs the poem as though she wrote it, something Engel credits to the personal connection Malone creates with the literature. “She has a depth that few people her age has. She has an emotional register that really just makes her poetry truly come to life,” Engel said. Malone advanced to the state competition in Jefferson City this year, the farthest she has gone throughout her three competitions. Performing “And Soul” by Eavan Boulan, “Idea 61” by Michael Drayton and “Beautiful Wreckage” by W.D. Ehrhart, Malone advanced to this competition after competing against nine other students. The state competition was held March 7-8. “There’s always a few real serious contenders and Tempest is one of them,” Engel said. Although the majority of Malone’s poem composition and practice takes place outside of school. Malone has also shared her original poems through the literary magazine Les Vitraux, and plans to continue to share her passion for literary expression. “I want to make sure that poetry stays a consistent part in my life,” Malone said.

MARCH 2018

A&E LEGO LANDSLIDE The piece “Yellow” by Nathan Sawaya is one of the final exhibits shown at “The Art of the Brick.” (Photo by Lily Drouin)

Lego Exhibit is Not

Worth the Price

“The Art of the Brick” comes to Kansas City in an overpriced exhibit. BY LILY DROUIN REPORTER

A new exhibit on display at Union Station and it is all about a favorite childhood toy: legos. Artist Nathan Sawaya loved Legos from a young age and transformed his love of building into his dream job. A wave of nostalgia comes with buying a ticket, knowing visitors are about to relive their childhoods. Sadly, the price of nostalgia should be cheaper. The Art of the Brick exhibit is a collection of famous monuments, paintings and sculptures recreated with Legos as well as Sawaya’s own creations. He recreated the painting “Scream” and created a T-Rex using 80,000 Legos. Just like with every Union Station exhibit, visitors have to watch a video before entering the actual exhibit. The video is about the life of Sawaya and how his dreams “all started with one brick.” When visitors walk into the exhibit, they are met with multiple recreations including the famous “American Gothic” painting and The Great Sphinx. Each masterpiece is created with appreciable effort for viewers to admire. Throughout the exhibit there are various rooms, each with a different theme to match the sculptures. The themes are “An Artist’s Studio,” “Metamorphosis,” “The Human Structure,” “Darkness” and “A Long Time Ago.” During the exhibit walkthrough, visitors feel the emotions radiating from the structures on display, especially in “The Human Structure” room. While walking through this room, people can feel the different human emotions such as happiness, anxiousness and pain. Even though the creations were delicate and eyecatching, there is something missing for the admission price to be so expensive. The Art of the Brick will be at Union Station until March 28. Exhibit workers recommend spending at least an hour touring to take in the full experience. Although the Legos are colorful and unique, the exhibit is not worth the $15.95 admission price for visitors who are 13+. While it may be fun to feel the nostalgia of seeing a favorite childhood toy, it would not be worth it to pay the expensive price to do so. The price could increase $5 with the price of parking as well. If one is looking for a cheap place to go, this is not the place. Perhaps seeing a movie would be cheaper and more worthwhile.

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Scooping Up KC Ice Cream Local ice cream stores are serving fresher and more locally sourced ingredients and offering new vast varieties of flavors. BY MELISSA KOPPERS REPORTER

Traditional ice cream stores step aside because a fresh twist is changing the game in the ice cream world. Glacé Artisan Ice Cream, Betty Rae’s Ice Cream and Westport Ice Cream Bakery are all offering unique ways to create an unconventional atmosphere, ingredients and service. Glacé Artisan Ice Cream, well known for their vast variety of flavors, brings natural ingredients from local farms in the Midwest. Not only are the flavors ever changing but most of the options are vegan and gluten free at all locations. Glacé is small and has a welcoming environment, but should be avoided by large groups because of limited seating and little parking. Located near the Country Club Plaza at 4960 Main St., parking is hard to find. A customer favorite is the flavor Christopher Elbow Dark Chocolate, which is named after Glacé’s founder and Kansas City’s famous chocolatier. With its creamy and fresh texture, visitors will want more than one scoop. After experiencing Elbow’s chocolate in his ice cream customers will be tempted to buy his signature chocolates on the way out. Even with the seemingly generic flavors every ice cream shop has, Glacé adds its own personal touch. The Madagascar Vanilla is unlike any other. Glacé is different from all others shops and changes its flavors every week. Glacé prices for two scoops are $3.75 and $4.75 for three scoops. Unlike Glacé, Westport Ice Cream Bakery offers brownies, cookies, shakes, floats, soda and handcrafted ice cream. It is a great place to bring a big group of friends because there will be something for everyone. However, there aren’t many vegan and gluten free options especially in the winter. With its bar-like seating and much more parking and indoor space, the trip will be less stressful. Westport Ice Cream Bakery is tucked in a strip of businesses at 4120 Pennsylvania Ave. The strawberry watermelon ice cream with a colored candy cone, a bowl made out of different types of candy, is very tasty for a sample or to share with a friend. However,

taste overpowers everything after a few bites and the cone is bland and difficult to eat. The vanilla bean and M&M ice cream has little to distinguish itself from store bought flavors. If customers are feeling adventurous and are into unique flavors, the Ghost Pepper ice cream is not too spicy and first tastes like chocolate, but will be hit with the heat after a few seconds. Overall the atmosphere is vibrant and retro and customers are welcomed by a friendly staff. Westport offers a huge variety of portions and prices $3.93 for one scoop and $4.91 for 2, but also offers pints, quarts and gallons to take home. When entering Betty Rae’s Ice Cream, customers are welcomed by a spacious and cozy, kid-friendly atmosphere. Located at 7140 Wornall Rd., it is a popular spot for teenagers and children because of the close proximity to several schools. Betty Rae’s offers something that both Glacé and Westport didn’t have: many local artists work on the walls and crayons and coloring activities and spots for kids. This shop has the most seating out of all the shops. Betty Rae’s offers a big variety of treats other than ice cream like Westport. They offer 24 homemade flavors and cones and features ice cream with a unique taste like nothing customers can get at the store similar to Glacé. Don’t leave without getting the cookies and cream ice cream in their homemade waffle cone. Betty Rae’s prices range from $2.75 for a single scoop, $3.75 for a big scoop, and $4.75 for 2 scoops for two scoops. Betty Rae’s is the best option for every walk of life because of the welcoming environment, freshest ingredients and wide range of possibilities makes everyone feel at home right when they enter. It’s hard to find flaws in Betty Rae’s unlike the other ice cream shops. Overall customers can’t go wrong visiting any of the ice cream shops and will find something new and different at each destination. KC ICE CREAM Betty Rae’s feature artwork from local artist, such as this ice cream cone with the Kansas City skyline atop. (Photo by Melissa Koppers)

A&E

Black Dirt Needs Some Work The newly anticipated restaurant fails to satisfy with the food and price. BY GRACIE ROBERTS REPORTER

Black Dirt, the long awaited restaurant, finally opened Jan. 19, yet does not fulfill the hype with its disappointing dishes and steep prices. However, the restaurant’s atmosphere and prime location attracts all kinds of customers. James Beard-nominated owner Jonathan Justus opened Black Dirt in the South Plaza on 5070 Main Street. In addition, he also owns a popular restaurant in Smithville called Justus Drugstore. Justus was inspired by his work in a Parisian restaurant with the concept of having no more than five elements. He ended up bringing that into his work and cooking at Black Dirt, aiming towards items of three to five elements, meaning the dishes served at the restaurants would only have three to five components to that specific dish. The menu is broken into four categories: small plates cold, small plates warm, small plates cold and warm, and larger plates. As for dessert, of course there is also a menu for those with a sweet-tooth. Bar snacks are also available for those who take advantage of the bar area for those who are simply hungry and need a snack before their meal is served. One of the most popular cold plates is the “Missouri Caesar,” at a price of $10.50. It is not the typical caesar salad as the lettuce is first char-broiled and paired with cubes of fried catfish that take the place of croutons. The salad is also served with a trout based dressing instead of the typical anchovy dressing. Different and unique? Absolutely. But for those true caesar salad fans out there, it might not be their cup of tea. A few other “unique” menu items involve gizzards, duck, pigtail and duck eggs. Don’t worry though, for

the more classic customers they offer a mean fried chicken using local Kansas City “Campolindo Farm” chicken. Another cool and distinct factor of the restaurant is that they support local businesses ranging from Campolindo, Westover Farms and FEATURED Shatto. If one believes in supporting local MEALS: businesses, they should give the restaurant FRIED CHICKEN a try. $24 From a price standpoint, small plates are at a $10 price point and large plates go up to $70. For those on a budget, it is MILK PRAISED recommended to stick to the small and BERKSHIRE PORK warm plates or the wallet will be sorry. $22, gluten free However, atmosphere of a restaurant is a crucial factor and Black Dirt provides DAILY STEAK FROM a sense of friendliness and liveliness. VALLEY OAKS FARM Inside, the place was very clean and well put together. The outside of the $24, gluten free restaurant was open and the sign was well-lit with bright green, that will surely BARLEY AND ALLIUMS attract customers. The restaurant is also $22, vegan in a popular area: South Plaza. SundayThursday, they open at 4 p.m. and seat until 10 p.m., and Friday-Saturday they open at 4 p.m. and seat until 11 p.m. With the times being a bit different than most places, it ends up as an inconvenience. The bottom line is that Black Dirt is definitely unique but not exactly as exciting as Kansas City locals had hoped.

Popular Podcasts: What to Listen to

Podcasts offer a range of topics to listen to while driving, working or just relaxing. All podcasts included can be found on the Apple podcast app. (Photos from Tune in, NPR, Ted Talks, BeSheroic and theSkimm.) BY ANA PENDERGAST REPORTER

The Daily Time: 21 to 28 minutes Frequency: Every Wednesday “The Daily” is a longer podcast, giving more detailed news stories. It is best for in-depth reporting on news topics or for only a few, more detailed stories rather several shorter stories. “The Daily” is hosted by journalist Michael Barbaro.

Ted Talks Daily Time: 7 to 16 minutes Frequency: Daily Just like Ted Talks videos, the podcasts offer intriguing ideas to see learning in a new light. The format was clearly meant for a video, so often times the speaker refers to a visual that is unavailable to listeners. The podcast is easy to listen to during down time without being too long.

Skimm’d from the Couch

The Sheroic Podcast

Time: 22 to 28 minutes Frequency: Every Wednesday

Time: 60 minutes Frequency: Every Wednesday*

Skimm’d from The Couch explores the career paths of successful women. It shows the nitty-gritty of being a woman in today’s business world and the challenges they face. “Skimm’d from The Couch” is hosted by Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg.

NPR Up First Time: 13 to 15 minutes Frequency: Daily NPR’s Up First gives detailed news stories with guest speakers who are experts in the subjects. Three to four news stories for each podcast inform the listener on both American and foreign news. “NPR Up First” is hosted by David Greene, Rachel Martin and Steve Inskeep.

“The Sheroic Podcast,” hosted by entrepreneurs Cassey Ho and Lisa Bilyeu, covers topics relating to success, ranging from body image to being a “she boss.” *“The Sheroic Podcast” is not in season, but all episodes can be found on the Apple podcast app.

MARCH 2018

A&E

FUEL UP & GO OUT

MARKET MADNESS City Market

Brookside Farmers Market

The weather is warming up and spring fever is setting in. Here is the ultimate guide to making the most of the season and re-acclimating to the outdoors after a long, cold winter. Get out and about in Kansas City to find the freshest food at the farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; market, or take a hike to put all that energy to work. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to pack all the outdoor essentials, and maybe splurge on a nice locally sourced dinner to end the perfect Spring day.

Overland Park Farmers Market

(Map and icons by Mapme)

WHAT TO BRING Reusable Shopping Bag Phone or Camera to capture the memories

BY EMMA MILLER AND GRACIE ROBERTS REPORTERS

Cash to buy local products

Favorite pair of sunglasses

Water Bottle Sunscreen

FARM to TABLE Room 39

26 LE JOURNAL

10561 Mission Rd, Leawood, KS 66206

Westside Local

1663 Summit St, Kansas City, MO 64108

Room 39 is a farm to table breakfast and brunch restaurant located in Mission Farms and open Monday through Saturday from 7am to 3pm. (Photo by Molly Conway)

The Westside Local provides a unique, locally sourced dining experience. This restaurant is open Saturday and weekdays for lunch and dinner, Sunday during brunch time and closed Monday. (Photo by Sydney San Agustin)

A&E

KC TRAILS HIKING GUIDE strawberries corn

Itching for a way to reconnect with nature and get some exercise this spring? Look no further than the trails of the Kansas City metro area. BY MEG SCHWARTZ PRINT CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Spring Season PRODUCE spinach

green beans

broccoli

honeydew

EATING LOCAL AND IN SEASON From March to May, corn, strawberries, spinach, honeydew, broccoli, green beans and a plethora of other fruits and vegetables will be in season. Right now is the peak time to purchase these food that will be easy to find in farmers’ markets and grocery stores. Purchasing produce during its prime season will result in better flavor and could be cheaper especially during an abundant season. As well as nutrition benefits, eating in season is better for the environment because the products are most likely locally grown. Spending an afternoon on the hunt for the city’s freshest produce can be a captivating outing for friends and family. And what’s a better way to welcome Spring than reaping the season’s harvest? (Graphics by Emma Miller and Vecteezy)

FEATURED ON

Café Gratitude

333 Southwest Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64108

LE JOURNAL LIVE SYD’S LOCAL EATS FOOD BLOG

$$ Café Gratitude is both vegan and locally sourced. The restaurant focuses on giving back to the community and is open 11am to 10pm on weekdays and has different hours on the weekend. (Photo by Madisen Hane)

Want a lot of options? SHAWNEE MISSION PARK 7900 Renner Road Shawnee, Kansas Difficulty:

Shawnee Mission Park contains several trails varying from 1.1 to 4.6 miles. These trails allow visitors ample room to hike, bike or even to ride horses. The trails at Shawnee Mission Park vary in difficulty and offer many choices for the avid hiker. Some of the trails are paved while others are rougher. In spite of its central Lenexa location, the park feels secluded and the trails are scenic.

Want to feel like you are out of town? PARKVILLE NATURE SANCTUARY 100 E 12th Street Parkville, Missouri Difficulty:

With five short trails ranging from .1 miles to 1.5 miles, Parkville Nature Sanctuary offers the perfect stop for a short but rewarding hike in beautiful scenery. The sanctuary boasts a waterfall, located on the Old Kate Trail as well as large number of butterflies in warm weather. The longest trail, White Tail Trail is appealing to the adventurous hiker, with rough and steep terrain reminiscent in hikes found in Colorado or California. All of the trails share a trailhead, so completing all five trails in one visit is simple. Be warned, no pets or vehicles with wheels are permitted at Parkville Nature Sanctuary.

Want to make your own trail? JERRY SMITH PARK 139th and Holmes Kansas City, Missouri Difficulty:

Three-hundred and sixty acres of natural prairie, the Jerry Smith Park is a haven of woodland, open fields, native plants and wildlife. Although the park includes a two-mile trail loop from the entrance parking lot, be aware that the trail is very easy to lose at certain points in the midst of rugged brush. Experienced explorers with a keen sense of direction will do best at Jerry Smith Park. Horses and pets are welcome to roam the natural prairie. Visitors may stumble upon attractions such as an old abandoned house or the park’s three-acre lake. MARCH 2018

SION OLYMPICS

1. FIERCE AND FIRST On the front row, seniors Melissa Hamilton and Haley Ulowetz and the senior class cheer on their classmate after winning the musical chair competition. “We were still on a high from the dance, so that energy continued into the other competitions,” Ulowetz said. “I couldn’t have imagined ending my STUCO career any other way.” (Photo by Paige Ritter)

5. 5. WHIPPED CREAM SMILE Freshman Gabby Gaither laughs after being covered in whipped cream by Athletic Director Kate Pilgreen during the Student vs. Teachers Olympics trivia game. Gaither answered a question wrong, resulting in the “pie” in her face. “I was happy I got to partake in a whole school event that ended up being really fun,” Gaither said. (Photo by Phylicia Barner-Lewis)

2. LIGHTS OUT During a game of blindfolded musical chairs, senior Joileeah Worley reaches out for a chair while crawling on the ground. Worley ended up being eliminated from the game before senior Jameson Tobin won. “Looking back at the videos I was kind of mad at myself,” Worley said. “There would be a few times where I’d be right next to a good chair and then turn around and go the opposite direction.” (Photo by Paige Ritter)

6. TRICKY, TRICKY During the senior STUCO dance, senior Sarah Totta holds up senior Mary Evans while the rest of the senior STUCO members react in the background. The seniors earned the highest score in the dance and the gold medal in Sion Olympics. “We were very excited to perform it together, and just have a good last experience,” Evans said. (Photo by Lanie Jones)

3. GAME FACE While playing a game of Tug of War alongside her fellow

representatives (left to right) senior Mary Evans, junior Ava Rawson, freshman Katelyn Brinkman, sophomore Brie Bowes, senior Haley Ulowetz, sophomore Kamryn Rogers, junior Gretta Allen, senior Chigozie Okuagu and freshman Maggie McKinney perform their dances to earn points for their resepective country. (Photos by Paige Ritter)

teammates during Sion Olympics, sophomore Tehya Frederick pulls the rope strenuously. The sophomores came in third at the Olympics Friday, March 2. “It was definitely awkward standing in front of the school to pull a rope, but I felt supported by my class even more because of it,” Frederick said. (Photo by Paige Ritter)

4. SCOOTER STYLE For her leg of the relay race, sophomore Holly Frey tries to hold a basketball between her legs while scooting across the gym. Other events in the relay included crab-walking, head-knees-and-toes, free-throws and a scavenger hunt in the student sections. “It was hard for my first even but overall it ended up being really fun,” Frey said. (Photo by Paige Ritter)

28 MARCH 2018

7. STUCO SERENADES During the annual Sion Olympics Friday March 2, STUCO