Vol 77 Issue 5 by DartNewsOnline

THE

DART

WHAT LIES BEHIND

THE CLOUD As e-cigarettes and vaping products have amassed a teenage audience, the Dart investigates the health effects.

St. Teresa's Academy | Kansas City, MO | Volume 77, Issue 5

TABLE OF

CONTENTS

2 January 29, 2018

NEWS

Centerspread

4. President Nan Bone announces retirement for 2019

16. A trend towards vaping captures American highschoolers

Star Spotlight

Perspectives

6. Maura and Bridget Graham play 21. Embrace your blemishes 22. Don't call me Jackie Chan the same role in "Blue Stockings" 23. College is gonna be ruff

A&E

9. Students join Calligraphy club as an alternative way of art

Reviews

24. Cheerleading: Flying under the radar

Community

10. FrozeN2 11. Productivity Apps

Features

Sports

26. Concert calendar for the spring

Last look

28. Spotify playlists

ask the dart 12. Girls Who Code comes to STA 14. Students get denied from their 30. What's the best way to get rid of the winter blues? dream schools Cover and back page design by Julia Kerrigan, cover photo by Maggie Hart

LETTER Welcome back, The winter air is as cold as ever, and as you’re trekking through the dismal snow/wind/ice, you try to make light of the fact that you can see your breath. You pull your car keys up to your mouth, aggressively inhale, and blow away “the smoke” from your make believe phix. If you don’t have one, your friend does. It is undeniable that vapes’ presence in teenage culture is massive and only growing. It was first seen as a party trick -- which vape lord had the newest trick for every other party-goer to witness? Since being associated with the few boys who showed off their clunky cigarette-alternative, it’s become a sleeker, trendier, more prominent part of the teenage life. It goes beyond parties -- it’s while driving to school, it’s while sitting in class, it’s while doing your homework. The addiction is certainly there, and it is slapping the (what was supposed to be) non-smoking generation in the face. Flip on through to centerspread for Gabby Staker and Annabelle Meloy’s in depth coverage of this culture of vape and the dangers the teenage generation faces if this fad turns into a lifestyle.

from the e d i to r s

Right now, the biggest buzz in the STA community is STA president Nan Bone’s recent announcement of retirement after the 2019-20 school year. Head on over the page four for a highlight of Bone’s time here and what her retirement plans are. Also check out the video interview with Bone on DartNewsOnline. Looking for new things to do around town this spring? Our Concert Calendar on page 26 will help direct you to the hottest and cheapest concerts around KC for the months of February, March and April. As always, be sure to hit us up on all our social media accounts and DNO! Farewell for now,

2017-2018 Editors-in-Chief Zoe Butler Lily Manning

WEB

Managing Web Editor Katie Gregory Social Media Team Aspen Cherrito, Kailee Ford, Riley McNett Breaking News Editor Trang Nguyen Multimedia Editor Kate Jones

Design Editor Gabby Staker Visual Illustrator Nicole Slocomb Photography Editors Meghan Baker, Anna Louise Sih Page Designers Amy Schaffer, Anna Ronan, Delaney Hupke, Ella Kugler, Ella Norton, Julia Kerrigan, Katie Gregory, Lily Hart, Lily Manning, Margaux Renee, Riley McNett, Zoe Butler

COPY

Features Editor Margaux Renee News Editor Annabelle Meloy Lifestyles Editor Mary Massman Opinion Editor Julia Kerrigan Sports Editor Kendall Lanier Staff Photographers Amy Schaffer, Lucy Hoop, Madeline Loehr, Maggie Hart, Riley McNett Staff Writers Anna Ronan, Aspen Cherrito, Delaney Hupke, Ella Kugler, Ella Norton, Faith Andrews-O’Neal, Gabby Staker, Gabrielle Pesek, Grace Fiorella, Kailee Ford, Kate Jones, Katie Gregory, Katy Rouse, Lily Hart, Lily Manning, Olivia Wirtz, Reagan Penn, Riley McNett, Torri Henry, Trang Nguyen, Zoe Butler Adviser Brad Lewis page design by Riley McNett

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January 29, 2018

Nan bone announces her Retirement Bone will step down after the 2018-2019 school year. Story by Olivia Wirtz Writer Photos compiled by Gabrielle Pesek Writer

s she hung up the phone, she was utterly shocked. After applying for her dream job, she didn’t expect much to come out of it, but her expectations had transformed into reality. Nan Bone, principal of St. Peter’s grade school at the time, received a phone call telling her that she would be the new president of STA. She could not believe that she had the opportunity to lead a school she loves. “My mom was so proud,” Bone said. “My family has a long history of loving STA.” After 11 years as president, Nan Bone will be retiring from her position following the 2018-19 school year. Bone will be staying at STA to oversee the finishing of the Capital Campaign. Biology teacher Mary Montag has been teaching at STA for 19 years and has been serving under Bone for ten years. Montag has come to know and admire Bone, going to her with new ideas that will benefit the students. “She is an incredibly supportive educator. She is so pro-student,” said Montag. “Her attitude towards my ideas is always a smile on her face and a yes because if it's good for the girls then its a yes.” Bone hopes that the new president will have strong roots in education just as she has. The board is looking to begin the search process for a new president sometime after spring

break this year. “The new president should never forget that every single day students come in and need to have that good consistent education experience,” said Montag. “ I think it’s going to be hard to imagine our institution without her (Bone) because of all of the really positive changes and that smile always on her face.” Montag also served under Faith Wilson, the president of STA before Bone.

Her attitude towards my ideas is always a smile on her face and a yes because if it's good for the girls, then it's a yes. - Montag

news

“One of the things that has been so incredibly important about the two presidents that I have served under is that they completely understood St. Teresa’s,” said Montag. “I think Nan Bone being a graduate of STA and having sisters and daughters that have graduated understands the tradition.

THROUGH THE YEARS: NAN BONE

'08

'11

'12

'13

'14

'15

'16

'17

That is what is so important about our institution.” Bone began her position as president of STA in 2007. She had mostly elementary school experience, but she had her superintendent certification. Alumni Emily Vogt was a board member during the time that Bone began her position. Vogt was also board president from 2012-13. According to Vogt, “The core of what the leadership has to focus on are the principles of the people who created this school, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.” “She came into this job with a real vision,” said Vogt. “We were beyond impressed with her ideas to improve STA.” Bone began fundraising and strategically planning for the future. One of her main goals for STA was to build up the endowment fund.

“It was a different campus when I came,” said Bone. “I felt like it was a beautiful campus, it just needed to shine a little bit more.” Not only is Bone an alumni, but her grandmother was a student at STA’s first site, the downtown campus. Her mother, five sisters, and daughters have attended STA as well. Bone sent an email to the STA community announcing her retirement Jan. 18. The email stated that during the board meeting Jan. 10, she announced her intention to retire. She wishes for STA to continue to be the premiere school for women. She believes that STA should always represent the mission and values of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, empower women, and teach students to serve their dear neighbor. “My wish is that this school can be as great as it is for many years to come,”

said Bone. “It has been an honor to serve the STA community as your president.” H

Check out the video interview on DNO page design by Gabrielle Pesek

Star spotlight

Br i dg e t & mau r a graham

Sisters Bridget and Maura Graham are playing the same part in different casts of the next school play, "Blue Stockings." Story by Delaney Hupke Photos by Madeline Loehr Bridget When did you get into theater? Probably fourth grade because I just really liked attention as a child. I did Christian Youth Theater, and I was in "Annie" in [the] chorus, and then I did "Willy Wonka" in grade school. I’ve actually never been in a show before at school. I tried out for the musical freshman year and didn’t make it so I didn’t want to try out for the play. Then I tried out for the play sophomore and junior year and I didn’t make it those years, so this is actually my first STA show. Seniors Maura Graham, left, and Bridget Graham read from a book together Jan. 23..

6 January 29, 2018

What made you decide to try out for this play? I do really like theater, even each time I’m cut, I’m on crew. This is actually the one show I was considering not going out for because I’ve never made it before. But, I decided to try it out because I felt like I would regret not trying one last time. Since you and your sister are playing the same role and are double cast, is this show different or special in a way? I think that it’s really cool just because she's my sister so we can practice together. I wasn’t expecting for us to get the same part but I think it's cool because we both have different interpretations of the characters, and I think it will be cool for people to be able to see how it is different, especially since Maura and I look so much alike.

Do you ever experience any sisterly competition? Oh yeah, I know how people are and I am expecting the day after both our shows people are going to be like, ‘Which one did you think was better?’ Part of me wants [people] to be like ‘Oh, I thought Bridget was better’, but Maura is a really good actress, and she's been in all the St. Teresa's shows and all the Rockhurst shows, so I'm trying very consciously not to compare ourselves. Maura is a really good actress, and she's been in all the St. Teresa shows and all the Rockhurst shows, so I'm trying very consciously not to compare ourselves.

Since your sister has had other roles, is she doing anything to help you prepare? Yeah, she's really getting on me about memorizing lines, she's just worried for me because I've never done it before. Last night she was like, "You really need to go memorize your lines because if you don’t start right now, you're never going to memorize them." So she is definitely giving me tips about things I wouldn’t know about.

Has this changed your relationship with your sister? Has it brought you closer? Kind of, because Maura and I are really close anyway. When they first sent out the list, Maura and I were walking out of church together, so she showed it to me. She didn’t say anything to me, I just saw my name under Tess, and that was the part that Maura wanted. I didn’t know it was double cast yet so I was like ‘Oh my gosh, I’m going to have to drop out of the show,’ because Maura would be so upset. I was really excited when I found out we were both [playing the part]. I guess [it didn’t bring us closer] but it’s just like another thing to bond over because a lot of times driving back from her solo we will talk about the character and stuff like that.

Maura When did you first get into theater? My earliest memory of really getting in to theater was when I saw a CYT [Christian Youth Theater] production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," which is the cheesiest show that ever exists and I know every word to it. I think I was in the second grade, so I would’ve been around eight. What was it like when you found out you both got the part? The moment we found out, me and my sister were actually out, it was just the two of us. We were at mass, we were going to go see a movie afterwards. I pulled out my phone; I wanted to be really casual about it because if me or Bridget didn't get it, I didn’t want to be sobbing or something. So I’m pulling out my

Seniors Maura Graham, from left, and Bridget Graham chat before play rehearsals Jan. 17.

phone, pull up the email and the first thing I see - and I kinda knew she was going to be double cast so I see the email. The first thing I see was that I got Tess, and I see Tess - Maura Graham and Bridget Graham. It was a humbling experience. Is having your sister play the same role as you any different than the other plays you were in? I see it and it’s another thing I’m going to be sharing with my sister. But honestly, it sounds weird, but it’s something I still think about a lot. My first thought was I was so excited to share this character with her and finally get to share doing a show with her. I think it’s going to be so interesting because we talk about it all the time. We think about Tess and our Tess’ are very different. I could look at it a little bitterly, like another thing I have to share with my sister, but I’m also super excited as it’s one more thing we share. Do you feel any sisterly competition? I feel like there’s got to be competition. It’s the nature...this is my 2nd show that has been double cast. I was double cast last year and the year before. It was all different casts, as it was one act, but I think with any sort of thing like that there is always a little bit of an element of competition, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I think it pushes us to try new things because you don’t want to be the same as the other cast

and you want to go above and beyond. And especially with my sister, I think sisters are a lot of times competitive. I want to be pushed to be better, but also it’s refreshing. Has this changed your relationship with your sister in any way? I don't think it’s really changed our relationship that much. We have always been really close, so I'm very used to sharing most things with her, so this is just one more thing. I love watching how differently we interpret the same character, and working together with her on building and developing who Tess is. Especially since we're probably both going to different colleges this year, I like to think after a lifetime of sharing everything, this is just one last thing I get to share with my sister and best friend. Have you always had a love for theater? My 8th grade year my teacher decided to do an all student produced and acted version of "Schoolhouse Rock" and he knew I loved theater so he had me direct it. It was the worst experience ever, and after that I was like ‘I'm quitting theater, I’m never doing it again’. But then I got to high school and the first show was the musical "Into the Woods" and I was looking for a place here, so I decided to try out. I tried out and I didn't get in. and I'm like ‘I hate theater, I’m never doing it again’. So I swore off theater again, then I heard they were doing "A Midsummer Night’ Hs page design by Katie Gregory

bits and pieces

PHOTO OF THE ISSUE

Photo by Anna Louise Sih

The Dart chooses a staffer's photo to be featured each month.

Sophomore Grace Kauten plays defense against a player from Saint Thomas Aquinas High School Jan. 10. Kautan is a member of the varsity basketball team.

My life sucks

My life rocks

Compiled by Ella Norton | Page Designer

"I almost passed out in Biology. I had this tingly feeling everywhere in my body and I got a sudden headache. I looked to the girl who was across from me and she started freaking out. I didn’t know what to do so Ms. Montag walked me down to the office." - Marisa Arujo, freshman

In the NEws Kansas City Kansas City officials will continue to plan for a southern streetcar expansion, despite a citywide vote prohibiting them from doing so. The vote, held in early August 2017, prohibited city officials from constructing, or even planning to construct a streetcar expansion without first gaining citywide voter approval. However, city council recently voted to amend the ordinance passed by voters to allow city officials to make construction plans but not act on them.

January 29, 2018

"My volleyball team was playing against the number one team in the tournament and we beat them. I’ve had a lot of tournaments lately and we’ve been doing really well so I’m really excited about the future." -Grace Pence, sophomore

Each month, the Dart compiles local, national and world news. by Katie Gregory | Managing Editor of Web

United states Former USA gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar has been accused of sexual abuse by over 140 women. Alleged victims of Nassar say that the abuse has gone back as far as 1998. Some of those 140 include members of the 2012 and 2016 USA gymnastics teams, including Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney and Simone Biles. The accusations began in June 2015 but have gained more widespread attention after many other men in various fields have also been accused of sexual violence.

World Saudi Arabia will be depositing $2 billion into Yemen’s central bank to help stabilize the failing economy of the Middle Eastern nation. The move comes after three years of war and United Nations estimates that 8.4 million people living in Yemen are just “a step away” from famine. The value of the Yemeni currency, the rial, has dropped from 215 to the dollar in early 2015, when the Yemeni civil war began, to 500 to the dollar in January 2018. This newest cash infusion will make a total of $3 billion given to Yemen by Saudi Arabia.

A&E

The new calligraphy club, starting this semester, welcomes students interested in calligraphy of all levels. Story by Mary Massman Lifestyles Editor Photos by Anna Ronan Page Designer

s the activity bell rings, a group of juniors walk toward room D007, where pens, markers and paper sit on desks. As they take their seats, junior Isabelle Fleming prepares to lead the first ever calligraphy club meeting. Calligraphy, also known as decorative handwriting, has been one of Fleming’s hobbies for years. She got the idea of turning her love of the art into an extracurricular while she was sitting in graphic design class in early December. “I was just thinking one day about how much I like to do calligraphy and I know other people are interested in it,” Fleming said. “I wished there was a way that we could all share ideas and

Junior Isabelle Fleming writes in her calligraphy notebook Jan. 16.

Junior Isabelle Fleming writes the phrase “The best is yet to come” in calligraphy Jan. 16. Fleming is the president of Calligraphy Club.

do it together.” Once she had the idea to start the club, she proposed the idea to social studies teacher Anne Papineau, who runs an embroidery shop online and often does calligraphy. Papineau was happy to help out with the club and hopes to help teach members how to do calligraphy. “In today's world we're so rushed and it's nice to hearken back to those days of lettering being almost a form of art,” Papineau said. “It'll be different than anything I've done with students. I don't usually do any art form clubs.” Fleming sent out a Google form to the junior class to gage interest in the club, and was surprised to see about 30 responses. However, Fleming and Papineau both agreed on limiting the club to just juniors this

year because Papineau’s room had reached max capacity. Club officer and junior Lauren Daugherty shares Fleming and Papineau’s love of calligraphy and feels that they will be able to accomodate any skill level in this club. “For our first meeting we talked about teaching the other members some basic lettering,” Daugherty said. “It's not a requirement to know how to do calligraphy to be in the club, but having an interest in doing it is.” Fleming agrees that she does not want to limit the club to high skill level. She considers this semester a trial run, and cannot wait to share calligraphy with people who are passionate about it. “I feel like there are so many opportunities for this club to do things,” Fleming said “Mrs. Papineau told me that we could design the Junior Ring invitations, which I think would be super cool. There's so much potential for it. H page design by Ella Norton

Reviews

download efficiency with these productivity apps

With the beginning of second semester comes a new wave of motivation. Story by Julia Kerrigan Opinion Editor

f I’m going to have a productive week, I need a good to do list. While I typically stick to a sheet of steno paper, I decided to review three of the top recommended productivity apps on the App Store.

shining sun spun around as if to say “good job, you did it!” A large drawback of this app is that it is not compatible with our school email, which is what I need organized the most. Additionally, it is only compatible with Gmail.

myHomework HHHH

Wunderlist HH

Google Inbox HHHHH

Opening my email can be one of the most stress inducing parts of my day. Instead of it being a concise list of things to do, it feels like a mess of obligations, spam and college emails I never signed up for. It’s maddening. Immediately after downloading Google Inbox, I felt a wave of productivity rush over me. The familiar primary colors of Google seemed to say “Here we are. Go forth and plan your week.” I might have shed a few tears of joy when a concise list of the important dates and times stored in my inbox popped up, but that’s not the point. When I had completed a reminder or was done with an email, I could swipe it to the side and it would disappear (though still remain in my normal email). If I really, really didn’t want to plan that eye appointment, I could swipe the opposite direction and snooze it for the next weekend. When all my tasks had been swept aside or snoozed, a little graphic of a

10 January 29, 2018

Wunderlist was the most mediocre app I have ever downloaded onto my aging iPhone 5. I might as well just use a rock and a piece of chalk rather than bother with Wunderlist. It had some endearing qualities, like some customizable backgrounds and the ability to “star” certain pressing tasks, but that’s pretty much it. I made a few lists with this app for some calls I needed to make and the work I needed to do before I left town, but the gentle tap needed to mark a task as “completed” was not satisfying compared to the decisive slash of pencil on paper, and the loud ping the desktop version emitted caused me to stare at my screen for 30 seconds to process exactly what had just happened to my ears. Am I being too demanding of this app? Maybe so. But if I already have the pre-downloaded reminders app on my phone or, even simpler, a slip of paper, why even bother taking up the space on my phone? My experience with Wunderlist didn’t have a positive or negative impact on my productivity levels. If what you’re looking for is a basic to-do list app, then this is the one for you.

For a week last year, I couldn’t find my planner anywhere. Monday, I panicked. Tuesday, I began to spiral and sunk to the level of using a sticky note to keep track of my assignments. By Thursday I had resigned myself to the fact that I would never truly be an organized student again. I found my planner on Friday, but that’s not the point. The point is that I probably could have avoided this if I had been using the sleek and efficient myHomework app. First, myHomework had me enter in all of my courses and the periods during which they take place. While the set-up process was tedious, I think it was really worth it to have all of the classes in order so that I could enter in assignments and prioritize them by what I have first the next day. Better yet, you can customize the color for each class, an essential for anyone who is a diehard plastic folder color-coder such as myself. However, most teachers don’t exactly appreciate their students whipping out their phones during class right after they’ve been assigned something. Luckily, this app includes a desktop edition that is available on the Surface Pro and syncs to your phone so that you never forget about an assignment. The one feature this app was lacking in was its push notifications, which were not persistent for dates that I had entered in and only appeared on my drop down menu, not the main screen of my phone. H

FRozen is not 2

that cool

When in doubt, just have some normal dessert. Nitrogen ice cream is not worth the hype. Story by Grace Fiorella Writer HH

ight when I walked in the place, I saw exactly what I expected: a handful of teens with smoke pouring out of their mouths. Alright, apologies. If you are reading this, you are probably already confused. I will back it up just little bit. So, it all started after seeing multiple videos on Instagram of people trying the nitrogen gas ice cream; I thought why not try it myself, because it does look pretty cool. This new placed called “FrozeN2” just opened up in Olathe, so I decided to take a little road trip and see what's so great about this particular ice cream compared to regular. For starters, I was already a little confused when I arrived to the place. There were two different lines: one for dragon breath and the other for ice cream/cookie dough. I am a little indecisive, especially when it comes to my food. I told myself I had to get both because the dragon breath is what I see all the videos about on social media, and the cookie dough just sounded delicious. I honestly just have one question for people that like to spend their money and get this all the time: why? Sure, it looks cool, like you're smoking out of food, but it doesn't even taste good. Honestly, go to your local grocery store and just get a box of rice puffs. That's what it tasted like. Trust me, you’ll save money and practically have the same thing, so it's a win-win situation. After being pretty disappointed with the dragon breath, I decided to move on and dig into the good stuff. I walked over to the ice cream line, excitedly waiting and hoping that it wouldn’t be anything like that rice I decided to pay for. I will admit, while waiting in line I

started thinking of the nearest places you could get some ice cream faster. It turned out the ice cream tasted pretty great. The ice cream had cookie dough and brownie, which made it thick and rich. They put a satisfying amount, so I had just enough to make me happy, maybe even a little too much. It was worth it though because at least I got to walk out of there feeling somewhat satisfied and I got my chocolate for the day. I sure love my chocolate. Would I go back? Honestly, I probably wouldn't. If I did, it definitely would not be for the dragon breath, but maybe for the ice-cream. Was it worth all the social media hype? Definitely not. I personally like dessert that actually tastes like something. I guess if you are into smoke coming out of little cereal balls, then sure, this is your place. But, I just found that overrated and would rather just have some normal dessert, preferably with chocolate in it. Yes, the ice cream did have chocolate in it but it didn’t really cut it for me. Anyway, I will just help you guys give out again by telling you to go this lovely place called McDonald’s. And for the cookie dough, go make a batch at home. If you not much of baker, then just make another stop at your local grocery store. Not only will you be getting your rice puffs, but you can get some delicious premade cookie dough. Most likely it will still be cheaper and better, so it’s just another win-win situation for yourself. H

Photo courtesy of Yelp

page design by Gabby Staker

features

cracking the code: cultivating the idea of women in technology

University next fall to study Computer Science in with hopes of becoming a programmer or developer after college. [quote about why she got involved with Girls Who Code] According to their website, Girls Who Code is a national nonprofit organization focused on closing the gender gap in technology. Rooted in the belief that computing skills are vital in today’s job market, Girls Who Story by Lily Manning Code unites girls across the country to work towards solving world problems Editor-in-Chief through a passion of technology. Science teacher Mary Montag was oming into St. Teresa’s, she inspired to bring Girls Who Code to knew she wanted to explore STA after attending the International Computer Science. In grade Society for Technology in Education school she had first been introduced conference where Reshma Saujani, to Scratch, and loved the logic and founder of the Girls Who Code, was neatness of it that meshed with her organization-oriented mind. So when the keynote speaker. Montag had previously moderated Science Quiz senior Charlotte Sturr saw she could Bowl, a school organization where take Intro to Programming as an girls would be quizzed on their science elective her freshman year, she was knowledge, when she started teaching excited for the opportunity to learn more about Python and Java and the at St. Teresa’s 19 years ago. She found that the club required girls “just to sit language of code. and spit back facts”, but in the past Unfortunately, after this class her few years, Montag realized that way of freshman year, there were few other learning needed to change. coding experiences offered to Sturr “I began to realize that’s not how until later in her high school career. you learn science anymore,” Montag When STA started their Robotics said. “That’s not what I want to team, implemented more computer encourage. I don't teach that way; I science courses and launched Girls don't encourage my students that Who Code, Sturr jumped at the way, none of us do. It is truly about chance to get involved. [being] hands on.” “I’ve always liked coding,” Sturr Montag has seen a more dramatic said. “[STA] didn’t really have more shift to this “hands on approach” in [computer science] classes, but I her last 10 years of teaching. Instead always wanted more experience, so when these opportunities came along, of fact-based learning, there has been more of a push towards hands I got involved.” on problem solving, which is at the Sturr plans to attend Webster foundation of Girls Who Code.

Introduced to STA this year, Girls Who Code is teaching girls techonology skills while giving them an outlet to solve world problems. The organization is part of a recent push in computer science initiatives at St. Teresa's.

12 January 29, 2018

“I have a group of nine young women,” Montag said. “I have freshman, I have sophomores and I have seniors. These are girls who solve a problem of their choice through computer science.” The problems the participants solve is completely up to them; Montag says one group is creating an app that will assist children in building their own gardens. Another group is creating a resource that will assist teenagers, who have less guided college support in their school in the college process. They take these problems and learn how to build technology to solve them. “[They don’t learn] just the basics, like MIT Scratch where you are dragging blocks that represent probably a half page of coding language,” Montag said. “But they are literally building it from scratch, from square zero.” Girls Who Code has come at a time where STA has seen an influx of computer science courses, and this has been an encouragement to many, including Sturr. “[My] freshman year, [STA] really only had Intro to Programming, and after that I didn’t really know what else to do,” Sturr said. “It’s really nice now because I can see that they have a lot more classes that really have a path for if you really want to go into that.” But part of increasing the number who join these clubs and classes is nurturing women in their learning. Montag explains that through research, it has been proven that around the age of 10, girls’ enthusiasm for learning tends to drop lower than that of boys. “[This is] one of the things we feel so strongly about at St. Teresa’s in

Senior Charlotte Sturr codes on her computer Jan. 16. Sturr codes for the robotics team and is apart of Girls Who Code club. photo by Riley McNett

our single sex education, it’s that [here] is where you can continue to nurture [enthusiasm],”

Montag said. But nurturing also means cultivating the idea of women in science fields and helping girls see “somebody who looks like you”, something Montag makes an effort to promote in her classes and in Girls Who Code. She blames the “Imposter Syndrome” for discouraging women in science. “You will walk into a room -- I know as a student I felt it and I know sometimes as an adult I feel it -- where you think everybody in the room knows more than you do,” Montag said. “We walk in with that, we walk in already with a security that may or may not be true.” But Montag explains that a lot of

the upper level computer science courses can be difficult, which can be discouraging to some. She believes this is a “systemic problem”, and college admissions needs to ask more to accommodate this. “I’m hoping that the next step makes this easier by your college admissions looking at ‘okay she got an 85 percent, but what class was it? ...What class was that? What's the rigor of that class?’,” Montag said. Montag believes that the key to learning is challenging yourself, and through girls realizing this, more will enroll in these difficult classes. “You need to challenge yourself and I think a lot of that is intimidating,” Montag said. “In some of the hardest classes I ever had I got low B’s high C’s in and I learned so much, but you have to be okay with that. That’s realizing I’m good at school, but I am also good at learning.” H

The gender gap in computing is expanding Female Computer Scientists:

IN 1995:

37% In 2017: 24% by 2027: 22%

Alternative coverage compiled by Zoe Butler page design by Margaux Renee

Features

ACCESS DENIED: REJECTION AND DEFERRAL FROM COLLEGES The Dart investigates what seniors go through when facing rejection or deferral from selective colleges. Story by Kailee Ford Twitter Editor and Katy Rouse | Writer Photos by Lucy Hoop Photographer

enior Ava* woke up one morning to an email from the University of Notre Dame regarding her application status. Too nervous to click open the email, Ava waited many hours before she finally worked up the courage to read it. Not seeing the “Congratulations” message she hoped for, her heart sank as they explained what her deferral from the university meant. Notre Dame is among some of the most selective schools in the United States, with an acceptance rate of 18.7 percent in 2016, and being deferred from a college happens when people apply Early Action or Early Decision and the admissions decision is postponed to be reviewed with the Regular Decision pool of applicants. Ava had wanted to attend Notre Dame ever since she visited the summer before, the school’s academics and Catholic views drawing her in. She applied to other colleges, but Notre Dame remained her first choice throughout the rest of her college search. “When I visited [the university] I thought ‘Wow, this is amazing,’” Ava said. “It really felt like home.” Ava was eager to go to Notre Dame, but she was still nervous about whether

14 January 29, 2018

or not she would be accepted. While waiting for a response back from the school, it was hard not to think of the negative side of applying to college. “I was thinking too much about being deferred rather than being denied because [being deferred would] be worse,” Ava said. “I was trying not to think about it and to just put my best foot out there.” During the college admissions process, recruiters and admissions officers are the beginning of the application process. University of Missouri-Kansas City senior

enrollment advisor Cameron Young travels around Missouri recruiting students for UMKC. Young helps make sure that a student who wishes to apply to UMKC has all their information ready so that admissions can make a decision about their application. Young also said that one of the major factors to ensuring college acceptance is keeping up in school. “One of the main factors [between acceptance and denial] is keeping your grades up,” Young wrote. “[Because of

FACT OF THE MATTER Selective colleges across the United States have different admissions numbers that vary every year. Alternative Coverage by Lily Hart Page Designer

Brown University** 32,390 applicants 3,015 accepted 9.3% admission rate brown.edu

Vanderbilt University 31,462 applicants 3,415 admitted 10% admission rate

vanderbilt.edu

Rice University

that] you will be in a very good position once you apply.” Although many college applicants get deferred, just as many are denied. At elite and selective universities, up to 90 percent or more applicants are rejected. When senior Maggie Prim found out she was denied from Rice University, she was shocked. Prim never really considered Rice University, but her parents pushed her to at least apply. In the end, she applied for the university with some hope of going. “When we visited I actually really loved it,” Prim said. “The campus is amazing and really cool. I got to sit in on some classes and I really enjoyed it.” Prim was hoping for a yes from Rice, but because of the low acceptance rate, her chances weren’t looking great. Despite the possibility of a denial, she

kept her head held high while waiting for the college to respond to her application. “I really did feel like I put my best foot forward and represented myself as best I could,” Prim said. “I thought that maybe since I did feel so confident in who I had presented myself as that there was

18,063 applicants 2,864 admitted 15.8% admission rate rice.edu

University of Notre Dame 19,566 applicants 3,700 admitted 16.3% admission rate

nd.edu

university of michigan 59,861 applicants 15,874 admitted 26.5% admission rate

umich.edu

*for 2017 **for the class of 2020

a chance I could get in.” After a long time of waiting, Prim received Rice’s response regarding her application. Denied. Prim said that her rejection said that Rice wasn’t the right place for her. Being denied gave her a different perspective on the application process. “They didn’t deny me to be mean. They did it because that wasn’t the right school for me,” Prim said. “The application process is about finding the right place for you.” The day she was rejected, she was

sad about it for the rest of the day, but the next morning she told herself that she would find the right place somewhere else. “The fact that I got denied isn’t the worst thing in the world,” Prim said. “It’s like a door closing that I wasn’t supposed to go into.” H *the name of this student has been changed for privacy concerns.

page design by Zoe Butler

centerspread

vaping:

blowing into the unknown

As e-cigarettes and vaping products have amassed a teenage audience, the Dart investigates its health consequences and attractiveness.

16 January 29, 2018

Story by Gabby Staker | Design Editor Annabelle Meloy | News Editor Photo by Maggie Hart | Photographer

llie* found herself sitting in his gray minivan at some point she can vaguely remember from her sophomore year. He was a friend of hers -- an older friend. He offered her his e-cigarette. She hesitantly accepted. It wasn’t something she was particularly interested in doing, but she wanted to impress him. She had smoked real cigarettes before, but the e-cig was different. It was physical. Each hit was highly concentrated with nicotine that left her dizzy and her body feeling light. It wasn’t an enjoyable buzz, but an addicting one; one that trapped her and shook her when she tried to stop. “That’s how it started,” she said. She was consumed with paranoia that she would be caught and her parents would find out, but she had to do it at school to avoid the shaking and the headaches. She needed it to get through the day. “It was like getting caught was less important than just dealing with the side effects of withdrawal,” Allie said. “I felt like I had to do it… because not doing it wasn’t necessarily painful, but it was really difficult.” She knew that she needed to stop. “I knew the whole time, but at one point I just kind of didn’t care,” Allie said. “But then I started to realize that it was taking a toll on my body, and I would get out of breath really easily.” The first electronic cigarettes were patented in 1963 by a man named Herbert A. Gilbert, but his idea was largely ignored until 2003 when Hon Lik, a Chinese researcher, invented the modern vapor product people use today. Lik’s goal in creating a vapor product was to curb his own cigarette addiction and to save others from lung cancer which his own father passed away from. His model from 2003 has been modified over the years to make it sleeker and smaller for users, eventually leading to what teens use today. Today, vape pens are fairly simple and comprised of three main parts: an E-liquid cartridge to create the actual vapor, an atomizer which heats the product and a battery to charge the atomizer. New systems for vaping have developed among the growing number

of users such as vaping pods. Teens have begun to use pods called Juul and Phix. The Juul vaporizer resembles a flash drive, making it easier for students to conceal at school. Different flavors ranging from fruity flavors like mango to creme brulee can be added to the E-liquid or E-juice in the Juul to create a more appealing smell while vaping. Phix pods are taller, diamondshaped and contain five different flavors from the Juul pod including strawberry, spearmint, ice tobacco and butterscotch. In response to these flavor additives, authority figures around STA have been more aware of strong scents around the school to talk with students about trying to stop. Theology teacher Jennifer Greene believes coaching someone through their choices is the best way to help. “You have to figure out the currency of the teenager you’re talking to, meaning what’s the value that’s going to click,” Greene said. “Maybe for the athlete, it’s the athleticism, maybe it’s the fear of getting in trouble, maybe it’s the future at college, or maybe tying it to [something like], ‘Did you have somebody die of lung cancer?’ Somehow, you have to make a connection between their experience and a consequence.” Traditional cigarettes spark a combustion of chemicals when lit and release nicotine directly into the smoker’s bloodstream through the lungs, building up tar and causing lung cancer. Addiction sets in with the release of dopamine in the brain, a chemical that is associated with pleasure. That combustion process does not occur when vaping, but instead, the products are aerosolized, and the user still feels the effects of smoking without the damaging impact of smoke inhalation. Although smoke inhalation has been eliminated in the process, the effects of vaping have become harder to define. Results have been extreme one way or the other from much healthier than cigarettes to extremely dangerous according to a study on vaping done by Jessica Pepper, PhD, from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health.

“You’ve got one study that says e-cigarettes have one-tenth to one five-hundredth of the amount of chemicals that are in cigarettes, but you’ve got [another] publication that came out that says certain e-cigarettes, used in a certain kind of way, can produce as much formaldehyde as a regular cigarette,” Pepper said in a 2014 study. Regardless of the unknowns, many teens choose vaping as a better option as they believe it’s healthier and less addictive than cigarettes. However, Greene believes there is no way for students to know the actual effects of vaping. “Nobody can really agree on what it is, nobody can agree what’s being done, nobody can agree on the level of nicotine or addiction,” Greene said. “So you just have a lot of kids doing something that they think looks cool, but they really don’t know the effects of it, and that’s what’s concerning both as a teacher and as a parent.” Despite chemical additives, more than 3 million teens across the United States vape consistently, and they are seven times more likely to transition to regular cigarettes later on in life according to a 2017 study done by Krysten W. Bold, PhD, from the Department of Psychiatry at Yale University’s School of Medicine. The number of teenagers across the country who use vape pens or e-cigarettes has only continued to grow in the past years, and there is no evidence that it will slow down anytime in the near future. With more teens starting to vape, the e-cigarette industry is expected to grow 24 percent per year through the end of 2018, according to a Feb. 2017 article from the Huffington Post. Perhaps the most prevailing argument supporting why usage of e-cigarettes has grown reverts to its original purpose: curbing cigarette addiction. It’s what the California Department of Public Health calls, “harm reduction,” or determining whether the known effects of vaping are less detrimental to health than natural cigarettes. For Shawnee Mission East student Sam*, the answer is simple and clear. page design by Lily Manning

Sam chewed tobacco until his friends encouraged him to hit an e-cig for the first time. He stopped dipping and started vaping-- he then employed the same strategy to help his dad stop smoking cigarettes. “It’s a healthier alternative to smoking cigarettes,” Sam said. “And it doesn’t leave that smell on your clothes. You can do it almost anywhere and it’s just healthier. There’s just two bad chemicals in it and they aren’t even that bad.” Vaping has largely made its entrance into the high school party scene, but according to Allie teens are still divided on its attractiveness. “Before [I started] I always thought vaping was super uncool,” she said. “And there’s kind of that stigma that surrounds it, where I feel like there’s two different cultures: people who think vaping is really cool and people who think it’s really stupid.” Part of the reason Allie continued using e-cigarettes was the influence of her friends. “I think, just from what I’ve noticed with the people around me, is that more

and more people are starting to use it,” she said. “More and more technologies are being developed. I think it’ll be around for a while.” For many students using vaping products, the effects they feel can be varied in intensity and unique to their experience. “It’s a very physical feeling when you’re using an e-cigarette, especially one with a high nicotine concentration,” Allie said. “It’s a physical thing, and so how it affects each person is really different.” While an interest for vaping has grown in younger generations over the last decade, opposition has grown with it from older age groups, especially those in the medical field. Dr. Marion Pierson has worked as a pediatrician in Kansas City for the past twenty years of her career, where she has daily conversations with kids and teenagers about cigarette, e-cigarette, hookah, marijuana and prescription drug usage. “There are lots of things about our health that we cannot control,” Pierson

said. “But then there’s things in our lives that we can control that affect our health.” Pierson has had experiences with younger patients where she’s been able to counsel them on the things they can control. Once an eleven-year-old patient asked Pierson if there was a way to vape that would be healthy for him. “He must have gone, ‘Well maybe there’s some way I can engage in something that is obviously seen in a way that must be harmful,’ Pierson said. “And so we had a pretty frank conversation, and I said, ‘There isn’t a way to vape without it being harmful.’” Contrary to teenage perceptions of vaping as a healthier and less-addictive alternative to other smoking products, authority figures like Pierson argue that vaping can be just as detrimental as regular cigarettes. “Sometimes companies actually power pack more chemicals and more nicotine concentration in that seemingly attractive, pretty little Juul pen,” Pierson said. Her ideas about the attractiveness of

taking it in Vaping is on the rise among teenagers and young adults, accpording to the Centers for Disease Control and the U.S. Surgeon General. Below are more facts the Dart has compiled. Alternative Coverage compiled by Lily Manning | Editor-in-Chief

3 in 10 e-cigarette users will start smoking within ten months

18 January 29, 2018

the Juul pen are backed by a CDC report estimating that more than 18 million (7 in 10) US middle and high school youth were exposed to e-cigarette advertisements in 2014 alone. Truth Initiative, an organization responsible for much of the research and campaigns against tobacco usage in the United States, assessed the unrestricted marketing environment for e-cigarettes in 2014 and its impact among 13 to 21 year olds. They found that five main e-cigarette brands controlled 95% of the market and were all owned by Big Tobacco companies: blu, MarkTen, NJOY, Vuse and Fin. Those brands spent $75.7 million in 2013 and $115.3 million in 2014-- a price increase of nearly $40 million. Their advertisements are featured in print magazines such as Rolling Stone, ESPN the Magazine and Sports Illustrated, and range from blu’s “Clearly ahead of the pack” slogan to Fin’s “Welcome back.” Greene likens the new marketing of e-cigarettes to a wave of cigarette advertisements back

in the 1950’s and 60’s. “You make that jump, and you can clearly see like cigarettes at the time, they’re exploiting teenagers,” she said. “And they’re aiming it towards teenagers so they get them hooked.” Cigarettes did the same thing. They targeted teenagers, they sent them to the military to soldiers in wars, and they would get them addicted. So they just follow the money.” Pierson echoed Greene’s point, and believes that vaping can lead teenagers deeper into harder drug usage and addiction. “People start at that entry level, thinking, well maybe this isn’t so bad,” she said. “But the truth is, that opens the door for a lot of people, when they didn’t even intend on going somewhere else with it.” The door had opened for Allie that day in that grey minivan. It took being caught at school for her to finally shut it.H *Names of students who wish to be left anonymous have been changed.

lead

nicotine

l diacety

c gly

erin

lycol

eneg propyl nickel tin

consumers often don't know what is in their vape, but these are a few of the chemicals inside. page design by Lily Manning

main ed

from smoking to vaping: a shift in addiction

As vaping becomes more and more common, its effects may be harmful.

aping is the lightning fast growing phenomenon in today’s culture, especially in today’s youth. Vaping is sometimes blown off as “not as bad as smoking a cigarette” but as vaping becomes increasingly more common, there can be severe consequences later. Teenagers today grew up in a culture where they were told the harsh effects of smoking, tobacco and nicotine. The information given to the students was meant to scare people away from smoking. Black lungs were passed around groups of young students to show the consequences of smoking, and television commercials of people who could barely talk were shown. Students were taught to be scared of smoking and its effects, and it seemed to be working. This generation of students was thought to be the generation to stop smoking.

However, when e-cigarettes were introduced about 10 years ago, they were displayed to be a safer alternative to smoking a cigarette. With the introduction of e-cigarettes came the removal of the fear that was instilled by all of the anti-cigarette campaigns. The generation went from being afraid of smoking and its effects, to the thought that e-cigarettes were safe. According to “Before You Vape,” an article by NBC, e-cigarettes were introduced to the United States in 2006, with the hope that they would replace tobacco smoking and help decrease the 160,000 lung cancer deaths associated with cigarettes. However, formaldehyde, a cancer causing chemical, is 15 times more likely to be found in e-cigarettes than a regular cigarette. Because vaping is relatively new, there are several unknown and

Right on Target

unanswered questions about the long term effects of vaping. According to an article by Science News for Students by Lindsey Konkel, students as young as 12 are more likely to vape, under the impression that it doesn’t come with any health risks. But since vaping contains and delivers nicotine, it will have an impact on the body. With the limited knowledge of the effects of vaping, it is hard to tell if there will be consequences. However, studies are already showing short-term effects from vaping. Teens are developing “smoker’s cough” and bloody sores. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, teens who vape are seven times more likely to smoke a cigarette. While we may not know if vaping directly causes harmful consequences, the indirect consequences are harmful.H

28/30 staffers voted in agreement.

The Dart asked students, "Do you think vaping leads to negative consequences?" Compiled by Torri Henry | Writer Freshman Kayla Smocks

20 January 29, 2018

"No, I don’t think it has negative consequences because I haven’t seen anyone with negative symptoms from it. Even for the people I know who do it everyday, they're fine, they get good grades, and I haven’t seen anything bad come out of it yet."

Junior Kit mohajir "I think that for people who periodically vape, it doesn't truly affect the health or instigate addiction, but once people start vaping everyday, or bringing vapes to school, it causes a problem with that person and it doesn't only affect health, but it affects work and grades."

perspectives

End the acne animosity, embrace your blemishes Unlearning what acne product ads have taught me is the key to being happy in the skin I'm in. Story by Julia Kerrigan Opinion Editor

scan of my bright pink and orange tiled bathroom will reveal lots of evidence of my seemingly all important struggle with my acne. Sitting dismally in a basket on the sink you will find Benzoyl Peroxide face wash to dry out my face, prescription Clindamycin to treat infection, a variety of toners that have all failed and a few exfoliants that irritate my face to no end. It feels impossible to not have all these products when mainstream media throws them in my face, not just through advertisements, but with expectations for glowing, dewy and above-all-else clear skin. There have been a few times I looked myself dead in the eye in the middle of a way too complex face routine and asked myself why I even cared so much. They’re just red splotches? But each time, I went back to applying whatever new product I was trying out that time around. Until the other day when an ad on TV made me stop in my tracks on my way through the living room. “Acne is ugly,” said the enthused narrator as a young girl stared at her face in anguish, pointing at all the inflamed spots. Alarms started blaring in my head. My eyes widened. I feel this way about my skin because the brands selling me the products I desperately buy have showed me girls agonizing over their acne, hiding their faces and rubbing in products with questionable chemicals. I hate my skin because I have been taught to hate my skin. As I worked through this epiphany

of epic proportions, the girl in the ad splashes water onto her face with reckless abandon and smiles into the mirror at her dewy skin. The ad goes on to preach about the confidence clear skin provides, and details the two simple payments of $19.99. If you grew up watching any TV aimed at preteens, you definitely saw an ad like that every commercial break. Every configuration follows the same basic formula, which is “acne=sadness, no acne=happiness and our product=no acne. Transitive property says our product=happiness, so go ahead and stuff our pockets, you insecure and fragile teenager.” I’m over it. I’m not going to act like having clear skin wouldn’t change the way I think about myself, or like I’m going to ditch all of my efforts to keep my face as clear as possible. I still scroll through those threads on Twitter that throw out different products (even though it’s always witch hazel, water and aloe, come on people, show me something new), and I’m still going to apply all my weird oils and masks and aim to drink

more water. But, I’ve decided I’m worth more than whatever has popped up onto my face, and my face is worth more than constantly drowning it in products that will probably make my skin turn green in a decade or two. I can try to clear up my face, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to feel good about it in the moment. Realizing that I feel the way I do about my skin was because of big name companies whose only concerns are money, not the sore spot that I need to get rid of before some event, is a big step for me in a process of loving myself despite any opinion anyone has about my physical appearance. If working toward clear skin makes you truly happy, then go for it. If the constant battle against cystic and hormonal acne is tiring you out and taking a break from the creams, toners and exfoliants is what will make you happy, then by all means, join me in caring just a little less about what skin product companies have to say and caring more about what my body is telling me. H page design by Delaney Hupke

Life as the token Asian girl I am more than the Chinese stereotype, but here's what it's like to be treated otherwise. Story by Amy Schaffer Photographer

lright class, who wants to do England?” my third grade teacher asked. Half the kids sitting around me raised their hands. My nine-year-old self was excited to be assigned my first social studies project on a country of my choice. I was hoping to be the first one to raise my hand for New Zealand. “Great, now who wants China?” A second passed, then another. No one raised their hand. For a split second, I thought I saw my teacher’s eyes dart to me. My classmates turned to face me, waiting expectantly for my answer. When I gave no response, the other quiet Asian girl sitting across the room said she’d take it. This was a classic scenario Asians are far too familiar with. From that day in third grade on, I’ve noticed the way people expect me to be or not to be as the token Asian girl. I must want to be a doctor, I must speak Mandarin, I must know some karate moves, right? Little do they know that math is my worst subject, I’ve never tried eating dog and Mulan is not my favorite Disney princess. I started noticing that my parents, like any good adoptive parents, would constantly try to expose me to my culture. They would take me to see lion dances, watch dragon boat races on the Plaza and eat at Bo Ling’s at least once a week. While I appreciated being around other Chinese folk, it felt forced, like I was required to enjoy the activities around me simply because I was born

in China. I knew that these activities would only feed into the stereotypes I had already been handed by the world. Even though a decade has passed and the stereotypes I’m faced with have decreased, I am still confronted with racist remarks, assumptions and jokes today. A teacher might call me by another Asian girl’s name even though there’s only a few of us in a predominantly Caucasian school. I am looked to if we are discussing current events in class and I am expected to recount everything from China’s point of view. Multiple times I have had to hear that “my people” fabricated the hoax scientifically known as “global warming” with their “fake news.” Every race has its own stereotypes, and with those stereotypes come racist remarks. For some reason, racist remarks against Asians are more acceptable to throw around than ones against whites or blacks. If a black man with an Algerian accent were to be speaking on the news for some reason, no one would laugh or make a joke about “running with elephants” because it’s offensive. However if an Asian man with a Chinese accent were to make an appearance on television, he would be the center of the laughing stock, people trying to replicate his accent and cracking the classic, “His parents dropped a pan down the stairs and named him Ching Chong

after the sound.” Part of the issue feeding into the stereotypes Asian-Americans face today is the lack of representation in the media. Many roles written for Asian actors in Blockbuster movies are taken by white actors who might bring in more revenue. The parts left for actual Asian actors are either the sidekick best friend killed off in battle within the first five minutes, the awkward nerdy math genius that makes bizarre comments now and then or the exotic bikinisporting chick hanging on the shoulder of the criminal billionaire. I hate to break it to the world, but I am none of these things. God did not give me yellow-toned skin, black hair and small eyes to be reduced to anime, dumplings and Jackie Chan. As I’ve grown older I’ve become more motivated to actually speak out against the image I’m seen as daily, and I hope to help my peers understand the situation. My skin color may not be as much of a contrast to my black friends’, but I still face racial issues that shouldn’t exist in 2018. H

MORE COLUMNS ON DNO Not so Killer Whales Story by Madeline Loehr | Writer

22 January 29, 2018

Why you should take the leap Story by Ella Kugler | Writer

How will I tell my dogs that I'm going to college? Will my dogs miss me as much as I will miss them when I leave for college? Story by Anna Louise Sih Photo Editor

n a few months when I’m going to college, how will I tell my dogs that I won't be living with them anymore? Mom and Dad, sorry, I love you, but I think I might miss the dogs more than I’ll miss you two. That’s not to say that I won’t miss you, but they’re dogs. They don’t understand what I’m saying. They won’t know if I’m ever going to come back, or if I do, when that will be, or where I’ve been, or why I’ve been gone for so long. I wish my dogs could understand what I say, because I have a lot that I want to tell them. To my dogs: When I’m gone, I’ll miss you more than any rational person would miss their own pets. Whatever, I guess that makes me an irrational person. It’s already hard enough to leave you two every morning for just eight hours. I don't know howl we will deal with being separated for months. You two can barely stand to be more than 10 feet away from me. In fact, I can't remember the last time I didn’t hear you two sticking your paws under my bedroom door, trying to get me to open the door, even though it’s well past midnight and we all should have been

asleep quite some time ago. Humphrey, you may be the most paranoid dog I’ve ever met, but try not to freak out too much about me not being home. Three months is a long time for me, and an even longer time for you, but the three months we’re apart will fly by. Hopefully while I’m gone, you’ll stop doing that weird thing where you scratch up my bedroom door trying to get me to let you inside. Nellie Boo, you can sleep on my bed while I’m gone, even though you already do that whenever I’m not home. I won’t get mad at you for doing it this time, though, no matter how weird it is to come home and find you lying on top of my bed, or how gross you are, because you’re a dog. I’ll be sure to make Mom leave my door open so that you don’t have to force your paws under the door to get my attention, because I won’t be there to open the door for you.

If I could pack you two up and take y’all to college, I would. I don’t know how much you two would like being stuck in a suitcase while embarking on my next journey, but I’m sure we’d figure it out. Unfortunately, that’s not possible, and neither is directly telling you two any of this. I’m sure my dogs will understand eventually that I won’t be coming home for a while, but when? I don’t know where I’m going to end up in August, or how far away we will be from each other, but when the big day rolls around and it’s time for me to leave, leaving my dogs will be the hardest part. It’ll be hard not spending the few months I have left in Kansas City by dwelling on leaving them soon, but I’ll have to learn to embrace the time I have left with them. H

the charm of internet comedy is its absurdity

For girls or for God?

Story by Faith Andrews O'Neal | Writer

Story by Trang Nguyen | Breaking News Editor page design by Delaney Hupke

sports feature

flying under the radar: cheerleading as an intense sport The Dart takes a look into cheerleaders' lifestyles and their fight for cheerleading to be seen as a legitimate sport. Story by Lily Hart | Writer Photos compiled by Anna Louise Sih | Photo Editor

24 January 29, 2018

ifty anxious girls stared at the TV at the cheerleading World Championship in Orlando, Florida. The ESPN broadcast was announcing the ten finalist teams that had been chosen after preliminaries. It was the moment they had been waiting for. The room burst into noise as the girls went crazy. Fierce Five had made it to the finals in the World Championship, and all their hard work had paid off. Junior Savannah James has been a competitive cheerleader with KC Cheer since she was in 6th grade, and is currently on a level five team. Kansas City cheer has 11 full-year competitive teams and has competed in Worlds annually since 2006, according to their website. Although some not consider cheerleading a ‘real sport,’ both James and freshman Merideth O’Donnell argue that it is. James says that since cheer is not very popular in the midwest, she understands that people will not think twice about it. “The time commitment and amount of athleticism you need to be able to do it -- that’s what makes it a sport,” James said. O’Donnell clarifies the difference between gymnastics or dance. “It’s definitely a team sport because you need the whole team for one practice

to work. Just with stunts having two people in them, if you miss one person then that whole stunt group can’t work,” O’Donnell said. James describes her relationship with her team, Fierce Five. “It’s like we’re a family and we all try and get together as much as possible and go out to dinners, but it’s definitely more competitive than the team I was on last year. We all just want to win. Team first, friends second,” James said. For O’Donnell, the time commitment of cheerleading made it hard for her to continue after starting high school. “I was at practice two to five times a week,” O’Donnell said, “I would be at cheer competitions that were either one or two days and they were about nine hours a day. Every other weekend I was either in town or out of town [for competitions] and it was just too much.” O’Donnell quit competitive cheerleading last year and now does cross country, a school sport that she is able to balance with her school work. “I’ve thought about [returning to cheerleading] a lot,” O’Donnell said, “Because it was a huge part of my life for so long, but it totally depends on if I stay with cross country and if school gets easier over time.” According to O’Donnell, competitive cheerleading does not take school into account when scheduling, unlike

Kansas City Athletic Cheer's competitive team competes at JAMZ Nationals. photo courtesy of Gigi Mullins

school-affiliated sports. “In their minds, cheer comes first and that’s just how it is,” O’Donnell said. Senior Gigi Mullins started with cheerleading five years ago with Kansas City Athletic Cheer, after switching from a career in gymnastics. She has managed to balance school, cheerleading and a job. “I would say I still have time for school,” Mullins said, “But for other things it takes away most of my time. I work at KCAC, so I’m always there-- I coach the younger teams.” She notices a drop in participation after girls begin high school. “As people get older, they start to quit because it’s taking up too much of their time,” Mullins said. As a senior, this will likely be Mullins’ last year as a competitive cheerleader. She has been considering participating in college cheerleading, but says she most likely will not, considering her background in competitive cheerleading. “Since I’ve never done high school cheer, it’s pretty different,” Mullins said. She will miss cheerleading, having done it for so much of her life. “It’s going to be weird having free time,” Mullins said The competition season is January through May for James, and during this season, she practices 4 days a week,

plus competitions on the weekend. This results in a lot of missed school due to traveling. “Sometimes I miss a lot [of school] during competition season,” James said, “I miss a lot of Fridays and mondays if I’m traveling on Monday and then sometimes I’ll get home really late.” Getting ready for competition is no small task. In addition to having to stretch and warm up, hair and makeup takes up just as much time. “Hair and makeup takes forever- I’d say around two hours,” O’Donnell said, “And then, you meet your team about two hours before you go in to perform and you get ready, you stretch, you get everything warmed up.” After all of this, the actual performance, which had been in the works all year, lasts two minutes and thirty seconds. “It’s a lot of getting ready for a short period of time [of performing],” O’Donnell laughed, “but I love it.” James and the Fierce Five Team received a full paid bid and are going to Worlds again this year. “A lot of people think we have a really good shot of winning which would be so exciting because no one from the midwest has ever won before,” James said, “It would be KC Cheer’s first Worlds win and it would just be so exciting.” H

page design by Anna Louise Sih

Community

KC Concert Calendar Many concerts are coming to Kansas City in the next few months. Below is a list of many of the artists and their concert information. Story by Ella Norton | Page Designer Photos compiled by Gabrielle Pesek | Writer

February 5 7 11

MĂ&#x2DC; and Cashmere Cat The Truman Tickets start at $26 Tyler, the Creator The Midland Tickets start at $39.50 Jacob Sartorius The Truman Tickets start at $29.50 Poppy The Granada Tickets start at $18 Brad Paisley Sprint Center Tickets starts at $29.99 A Day to Remember The Midland Tickets start at $49.50 Lee Brice The Midland Tickets start at $38 Judah and the lion The Uptown Theater Tickets start at $25 Steve Aoki with Desiigner The Uptown Theater Tickets start at $33 COIN The Truman Tickets start at $20

16 22 23 24 25 28

January 29, 2018

March 3 4 7 15 17 19

Lorde Sprint Center Tickets start at $39.50 AWOLNATION The Midland Tickets start at $31.25 Phillip Phillips The Truman Tickets start at $25 P!Nk Sprint Center Tickets start at $62. 45 Miranda Lambert Sprint Center Tickets start at $59.75 Eagles Sprint Center Tickets start at $99.50

April 11 19 25

AJR The Truman Tickets start at $18 Wild child The Bottleneck Tickets start at $13 Odesza Providence Medical Center Amphitheater Tickets start at $39.50

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lAST LOOK

DART SPOTIFY PL YLISTS throwback thursday This playlist is a collection of rock and pop songs from the early 2000s. It features artists such as Justin Bieber, The Jonas Brothers and Britney Spears.

life according to the middle child This playlist is based off of Senior Kate Jones' blog on dartnewsonline, Life According to the Middle Child. It features vintage and nostalgic songs by artists like the Beatles and ABBA.

28 January 29, 2018

this is: ella norton This playlist, created by staffer Ella Norton, features artists from many different genres ranging from indie to French pop. Many of the songs on the playlist have an 80s influence and a couple of the songs are from older albums, such as Corrine Bailey Rae's self titled album.

this is: Aspen cherrito This playlist, created by staffer Aspen Cherrito, features genres ranging from indie-pop, to alterntive, to rap. It is a playlist that has modern music influences while still holding a vintage vibe. It features artists such as The Wombats, Charli XCX and Lorde.

ask the dart

What's the best way to get rid oF the winter blues? Each month, the Dart chooses a student-submitted question to answer. Story by Ella Kugler | Writer Illustration by Kate Jones | Multimedia Editor Page Design by Amy Schaffer | Photographer

o be completely honest with you, dear reader, I’ve never been one affected by the winter blues, but I know of it all too well. It can be one of two things: either you’re less social and more pessimistic come winter-time, or you’re pretty down more often than not. So what’s the best and most effective way to get rid of your winter blues? Well, that’s simple. All you have to do is follow these steps. If you think about it, what your body starts to lack when it becomes winter is sunlight. Basically, what happens is your body’s sunlight patterns change, which in turn affects your circadian rhythms (your body’s clock). Put more simply, your mood can change, it may be harder to fall asleep and you can also experience a lack of appetite. It may seem taxing at first, but the easiest thing you can do is get more sunlight. I know that it’s tempting to bundle up and stay inside when it’s so cold out (especially now), but even going outside for 10 minutes (or longer) a day after school can help you. If you have a dog, try taking them for a walk. My dogs get cold paws, so we got them “dog booties” and they are the cutest thing ever. If you really don’t have time

to do this, then work in a room where there’s a lot of sunlight. Exposing your body to the natural sunlight it’s lacking will lift your mood and wake you up. Some other options you have are: working out, hanging out with friends, family or pets more often and consuming less sugar. Working out will allow your body to naturally release endorphins, which will make you happier and relieve some stress. If you hate working out like I do, then taking a walk can relieve stress, get you fresh air, sunlight and you’ll have done something active. Basically you’ll be in a better mood, or at least relaxed for a while. Finally, pets and sugar. Sugar can worsen anxiety and affect your ability to cope with stress and sadness, so try eating less sugar-filled delights and more greens (everyone’s worst

nightmare, I know, but it will help). And, for the two remaining solutions (*drumroll*)! Try to be around friends, family or pets more often. If your family wants to watch a movie or show, then spend time with them, even for a little bit. You can do work when you’re with them. As for friends and pets, if you have some free time, maybe go somewhere with a friend to get food (I love Panera’s mac and cheese). I have six pets, but I usually just have one dog or cat with me while I’m doing schoolwork. Your winter blues are only temporary, so don’t stress too much! While you count down the days to your vacation getaway, try enjoying yourself! You won’t regret it. H * Disclaimer: If you suffer from serious and continuous depressive symptoms, please contact a healthcare provider to discuss your condition. For more information, head to the National Institute of Mental Health website.

30 January 29, 2018

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on the DNO Women's mARCH GALLERY Here’s what’s happening on Dart News Online

For girls or for god?

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Column by Trang Nguyen

Video by Amy Schaffer 2017: tHE GOOD AND BAD

Electives Fair GALLERY Photos by Torri Henry

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