Volume 79 Issue 3 by DartNewsOnline

DART

THE

ST. TERESAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ACADEMY|KANSAS CITY, MO VOLUME 79, ISSUE 3

COMBATING THE STIGMA In a study by ScienceDaily, mental health issues have increased significantly in young adults over the last decade, which in part has led to increased conversation in society. The Dart sat down with three Kansas City area high schoolers as well as three medical professionals to explore how they address the widespread mental health struggle with community impact. p.18

2 LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

NOVEMBER 25, 2019

DEAR READER, It’s no secret that teens in our community have faced more than their fair share of loss and trauma, and it’s evident that this is a reflection of a larger issue. Mental health issues have long been associated with teens but slowly we are seeing a destigmatization. Even with our parents’ generation, talk of therapy was seen as something to keep secret and was just whispered to close friends. More than ever, our generation has started to bring the conversation out of the shadows and into the light. Our centerspread feature this cycle, written by Sophia Durone and Aspen Cherrito, dives into how teens in our community defy the stigma around mental illnesses by creating an environment of openness and support. We as a staff agree in our main editorial that our generation has made incredible progress and are well on our way to changing the narrative. However, the conversation has to be productive and result in a positive change as we’ve seen with Rockhurst High School seniors

Christian Taylor and Sam Kidder and STA senior Janie Stevenson. Taylor put together All Hands In KC, an event featuring therapists, speakers and games for attendees, inspired by his own struggles with mental health. Kidder has also taken initiative and started Not Alone KC, a non-profit organization which fundraises for mental health causes. Stevenson makes an active effort to start the conversation with classmates and her community to try to fight the stigma. It is important for us as a student publication to write about important topics that affect us but in a way only we can write it. We hope that you too can see the progress our society has made toward a destigmatization of mental illness. And, if you need help, please feel comfortable to reach out and ask for it. Make sure to check out our Star Spotlight on Sam Amey, a junior who dances nearly six hours a day and plans to shape her higher education and career around it. Excited for interim week? This

year, the program has expanded and students are now able to teach classes, go out into the city and experience fun new opportunities such as rockwall climbing. Bundle up and read Lily Sage’s review of different pumpkin breads to spice up your transition into winter. And, as we go into Thanksgiving break, check out our Last Look where Cara Barone talked with students who have traditions of running with their families over the holidays. As always, keep in touch with us on our social medias, and happy Thanksgiving!

Love,

TABLE OF CONTENTS

04 06 08 10 11 12 14 16

News Feature: Interim week expands Star Spotlight: Sam Amey A&E: Productions genderbend Review: Harriet Review: Pumpkin bread recipes Feature: Cost of standardized testing Feature: Creating Journaling Club Centerspread: Destigmatizing mental health

Perspective: Accurately address climate change Perspective: Youth sports are too competitive Perspective: Don’t be afraid of the news Sports Feature: Equestrian commitments Community: Authentic restaurants in KC Last Look: Holiday race traditions Photo Story: Unleashed Pet Rescue 24 24

What’s New On the DNO

21 22 23 24 26 28 30 31

4 NEWS FEATURE

NOVEMBER 25, 2019

Changes in interim week offer unique opportunities Interim week returns to STA for the second year, but with new changes, such as students proctoring classes. Story by Ella Norton | Design Editor Graphics by Claudia Benge | Sports Editor

fter the two-and-a-half week stretch of winter break, students will return to STA for the second annual interim week Jan. 8 to Jan. 10. During interim week students take either two half-day or one full day course that focuses on a specific subject. “I think experiential education or real-world learning in general is good for students, to do something outside of the classroom that maybe strikes some genuine interest for them,” experiential learning coordinator Kelly Fast said. This year, interim week will have 15 more classes and 30 classes will focus on brand new subjects. Classes this year are taught by students, parents and alumnae as well as teachers and several classes are off-campus or focus on partnerships with community corporations.

“

Attendance is mandatory, but the idea is the experience, not the grade.

“

Kelly Fast

“This year we had those three goals of more corporate community partnerships, more

parent or alumni taught courses and more student taught courses,” Fast said. After last interim

week, Fast sent out a survey and said that most responses came back positive. Students have the opportunity to work with community corporations, such as American Century Investments, Barkely advertising and Digital Innovations. Through the course Women in Finance, students will first learn about the financial field and then job shadow at American Century the last day, attending interviews and panel discussions. “Many of those women are actually alums or parents of STA,” Fast said. “They’ll get to talk to a trader, a fund manager — women that are doing these different roles within the company.”

Fast believes working with these companies can help create partnerships for internships later. “If you already have your foot in a door at an ad agency like Barkley, which is an internationallyrenowned ad agency, the more likely you could secure an internship in college because you already know people there,” Fast said. “Plus, just develop the interest and understand if you want to do that for a living.” Several students are also teaching their own classes this year. Juniors Abby Farmer, Ella Tomasic and Ellie Hatley are teaching a course over film photography, moderated by marketing assistant Kate Dujakovich. “We know a lot of people at STA do disposables [cameras] and I was like, there’s the dark room so it would be pretty fun to do it here,” Farmer said. The film photography class will be a half-day course for three days where students will take pictures, develop them and then present them in front of the interim class for a critique. “I feel like for our class, it can help people gain an appreciation for film photography,” Farmer said.

“With film photography, you really have to be methodical about every single picture you are taking. With digital, it can kind of get lost, which is kind of what I talked about in the description, so a greater appreciation for the art that it is.” Farmer is in Fast’s AP English literature class and said that he opened up the possibility of teaching an interim course to the students. Another junior in Fast’s class, junior Arwen Dickson, is teaching an interim course on performing Shakespeare. Dickson’s class, moderated by English teacher Kate Absher, will focus on Shakespeare as a performed work rather than a written work. “They were written to be plays and they were meant to

“ It’s sort of a unique

experience... it’s not really something I can get somewhere else

“

Arwen DICKSON

be performed, not necessarily read and studied in-depth in class,” Dickson said. “That can sometimes help with understanding context. I know that with kids in my class last year, we read Hamlet and we watched some of the movie in class, and I know it made a lot more sense when they saw it performed.” Dickson believes that teaching her own class can help improve leadership skills. “I don’t know another place where I can just teach a presentation on Shakespeare to my fellow peers.” Farmer believes that if done right, having students teach can improve interim week. “Because interim week is so new, it needs to be done in a formal way, otherwise it will get out of hand,” Farmer said. “I think it could be really awesome because Mr. Fast talked about if you do this, you can put it on your college application. I think it would be really cool to showcase what STA students are doing outside of their classes.”

Some students will also be traveling to Paducah, Ky. during interim week as part of a Research and Design course to see The National Quilting Museum, reflecting Fast’s long term visions for interim week. Fast would like to see more domestic and international travel, interim week become longer and that partnerships with companies continue to grow. “We do so many great things at St. Teresa’s Academy and I think hopefully interim can fit within the existing model and develop an even larger vision for education at STA,” Fast said. B

Student Responses:

How do you feel about Interim Week of 2019? “I’m excited to learn new things that we wouldn’t learn during the school year. I’m taking a cool class named Brain Games and I’m just excited to learn new things we wouldn’t learn during the normal classes.” Elizabeth Schirger, senior

“The one I’m doing is So Do You Want To Start a Business, and it’s something I wouldn’t really take up at any other point so it’s a good experience to try something new.” Savannah Gentry, sophmore

6 STAR SPOTLIGHT

S A M A M E Y Junior Sam Amey has been dancing since she was 3 years old. The Dart sat down with her to discuss her dancing experience and her future in professional dance. Story by Anna Ronan Design Editor

hat is your background in dance? It’s been training in all styles, so like, ballet, modern, jazz, tap, lyrical, everything. I mainly am studying in modern and ballet right now. I’ve been dancing since I was three at a studio in Lee’s Summit called Monica’s, but then I switched over to a studio up north called Priscilla and Dana’s where I currently still dance. I’m with another company that focuses just on modern and ballet which is aside from my studio, that’s called Artists Revealed. Can you tell me more about Artists Revealed? It’s a company outside of our studio. It focuses on modern and ballet mainly, but it’s a preprofessional program. We practice every other day that I don’t have dance at the studio, so I dance all seven days of the week. How do you balance dance and schoolwork? It gets a little difficult sometimes. It’s definitely stressful, especially starting junior year. I have to use my time wisely on free periods or

NOVEMBER 25, 2019

after school, but I’m up pretty late doing schoolwork.

Do you think your love for dance outweighs the stress you feel? Dance can definitely be therapeutic in a way. When you get exhausted or if anything is happening in life, it’s a way to express those emotions. But it definitely can all get very overwhelming — dancing 24/7 can wear me out. It’s nice to just do something non-dance related on the weekends, it helps me keep my love for dance and not get too overwhelmed with it.

24/7 doing things, it’s more of a vulnerable environment. You tend to get closer to those people. Dance is just a completely different environment, it’s more liberal and different. What are your dreams for dance in your future? I have always wanted to move to New York, and I want to dance there and do concert dance. I want to perform with modern companies and, hopefully, going to college there. B

What do you think motivates you to put so much work into your dancing? Ever since I was little I knew it was something that I wanted to do for my future, and seeing other dancers have inspired me so that’s definitely what’s motivated me to keep going and keep trying. Do you feel like your school community and your dance community are different? Both are definitely more structured in their preparing you for competitions rather than performing at concerts or stuff like that, but I definitely would say that dance team is a little more laid back than our studio is. Not that dance team isn’t serious, it’s just for high school. Dance team is more for fun for me and for the social aspect of school. I think dance friends have always been closer to me, because growing up with them and being with people

Junior Sam Amey hits a resting position Nov. 1. Amey works with her choreographers to experiment with unconventional movement, creating a unique routine. photo by Amy Schaffer

Check out the full photo gallery on DNO

8 BITS & PIECES

IN THE NEWS

global

national local

Compiled by Mary Massman | BNS Editor Kansas City voters decided to change Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard back to The Paseo by an overwhelming margin Nov. 5. This 10-mile thoroughfare on Kansas City’s East Side was called Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard for nine months following a City Council January decision.

What is your favorite traditonal Thanksgiving food?

Mashed Potatoes 44%

New government figures show more than 2,000 people have been diagnosed with vaping illnesses in the still- unsolved U.S. outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there were 2,051 reported confirmed and probable cases Nov. 7. Illnesses have occurred in every state but Alaska and 40 people in 24 states have died.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service reported Nov. 5 that last month’s global average temperature made it the hottest October ever recorded, slightly warmer than October 2015. Researchers with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association say 2019 will be among the top five hottest years on record, likely coming in second behind 2016.

Pumpkin Pie 26%

Stuffing 26% Compiled by Lily Sage| Writer

PHOTO OF THE ISSUE:

Each month, the Dart chooses a staffer’s photo to be featured. photo by Lilly Frisch | Writer

Junior Liv Collet collapses into the arms of senior Sheridan Mirador after their characters perform a dance routine Nov. 8. Their characters, Princess Winnifred and Prince Dauntless, play love interests who struggle to convince the queen to let them marry. play love interests who struggle to convince the queen to let them marry.

Talent over gender

Theater teacher Shana Prentiss discusses the role gender plays in modern theater. Story by Rachel Robinson Opinion Editor

he lights of the auditorium rise on sophomore Molly Symmonds, dressed in men’s clothes as she begins to play a lute and sing a short song, setting the scene of the story. As the curtain rises, junior Grace Patenaude can be seen sitting regally on her throne. Patenaude does not play a queen or a princess, but a king. Symmonds and Patenaude were in STA’s fall performance, “Once Upon a Mattress.” The musical humorously mimics the fairytale, “The Princess and the Pea.” When casting Patenaude as King Sextimus, the father of the protagonist, drama teacher Shana Prentiss considered her unique talent which made her perfect for the role, not her gender. “I needed somebody who could do physical comedy, which is why I chose Grace for that role because I knew that she could pull it off,” Prentiss said. “So that’s really the deciding factor. It wasn’t really that I looked at any of these girls and went ‘Yes, they can be boys.’ It was ‘Yes, she has what I need for this men’s role.’” Although Patenaude felt challenged by this role, it is not because the character is a man. In the show, King Sextimus is put under a spell which forces him to mime everything he says. So, while Patenaude is delivering her lines and singing her songs, she is also acting her words out in a comical way. “I’ve always only ever thought about the character more so than

whether it’s a man or woman — that just never really mattered too much to me,” Patenaude said. “I feel like what improves my acting skills the most is, like, the complexity of the character more so than the gender.” Symmonds also plays someone of a different gender. The script itself does not specify the gender of her character, the minstrel, but she and Prentiss interpreted them as a more masculine figure. For Symmonds, the gender swapping does challenge her because it means consciously switching her body language to accurately portray her character. “It made me think more about what I look like and just made me be more conscious of it,” Symmonds said. “There are some parts where I kind of have to think about how I stand and if I put my hands on my hips, I have to put them lower instead of just how I normally act.” Prentiss believes that for female actresses, casting them in male roles challenges them by allowing them to access the historically significant roles that were often not written for women. “There’s a lot more character development to the male characters than there are to the female,” Prentiss said. “So obviously, for a woman to play Lady Macbeth, it is a pretty great role. But even there, there are all kinds of holes, there’s all kinds of information that’s missing, as opposed to playing Macbeth where you’ve got this whole wealth of history and

Junior Grace Patenaude smiles during the finale of “Once Upon a Mattress” Nov. 5. Patenaude played King Sextimus, a character who did not have lines until the last Scene. photo by Katie Massman

A&E

information there to play.” By giving roles to the actor best suited to them without regard to gender, Prentiss hopes to shed light on the trivial nature of gender as a social construct. “I just think we’re starting to see a trend in theater where people are starting to realize this whole gender thing is just kind of dumb,” Prentiss said. “And I think that’s a positive thing because I think it’s just sort of leading to that idea that gender is made up. To me, it’s the most obvious thing in the world to play with that and to just let the right actor play the role and don’t worry about their gender.” B

10 REVIEWS

NOVEMBER 25, 2019

The time for autumn, the time for pumpkin

The season of fall is upon us, and that means it is time to eat as many fall desserts as possible. Two different slices of the same dessert, one homemade and the other from Starbucks, are put to the ultimate test.

Story by Lily Sage | Writer

h, fall! The time of year when If I had not known it was my whole house a delightful scent, we eat way too much food, “Pumpkin Bread” I would not have which brought back my favorite especially desserts. This is associated it with fall because of feeling that was lost at Starbucks one of the many reasons why fall is how little it smelled of pumpkin. earlier that day. However, once my favorite time of year. I’m ready Once I finally tried a bite, I realized I took my first bite, I immediately to review two different versions why many people rave over it. I thought “Where is the pumpkin?” I of a seasonal favorite of mine, could taste the cinnamon and could easily taste the spices I used, pumpkin bread. Ever since I can nutmeg, which definitely reminded but I could not taste the main remember, baking has been me of fall, but the bread ingredient. Which was not the a huge part of my life. So was slightly dry. And I best, since it is a “Pumpkin Bread” when the opportunity could taste the main recipe. The end product had STARBUCKS aaabb arose to write about ingredient, the made me slightly disappointed seasonal recipes, pumpkin, even because of how good it smells in I knew I had to though it did not my house, because I tend to think throw a bread of smell too much that homemade is better than my own into the like pumpkin. pre-made. I also liked the streusel competition. Overall, I on top more than the pumpkin My first thought would give seeds. The bread was also a better was to find this the Starbucks texture than Starbucks’ because quintessential fall pre-made bread it did not become very dry very dish at an all-around a 3.5/5 for giving quickly. For the homemade favorite, Starbucks. me a delicious, yet recipe, I would rate it a 3.5/5 as According to friedcoffee. sometimes hard to eat, well, for a perfectly spiced, but com, the coffee shop could piece of pumpkin bread. pumpkinless, piece of bread. be considered one of the most My second spot was my good Since many people are known in the nation, and it’s easily old kitchen. I love to bake rushed and stressed, just like accessible. Starbucks’ pumpkin so I decided to try my me, during this time HOMEMADE aaabb bread has pumpkin seeds on top hand at making of year, if you are and I have never tried their version pumpkin bread. I needing a slice of of the dessert before so I was wasn’t sure how it pumpkin bread quite excited. I was most excited was going to turn immediately since it’s fall time, and this is a fall out since I baked I would go to inspired dessert. it with my friend, Starbucks. Overall, Whenever restaurants and but I decided they both have coffee shops put out their fallto look up their pros and inspired recipes, I have this warm, random pumpkin cons. I personally fuzzy feeling as I see these dishes. bread recipes on prefer homemade I had this feeling walking into Google anyway. desserts over Starbucks and as I ordered the The recipe I used was Starbucks’ only because bread, along with an iced coffee butternutbakeryblog. you don’t have to make an of course. When I first ordered the com and this one had unnecessary drive as well as you pre-made bread, and saw it for streusel, which is a mixture of flour, know what is in it since you made the first time I lost the fall feeling butter and sugar, and goes on top it. But I can’t speak for you, so… I had walking into the Starbucks of baked goods. this leaves it up to you to decide because of how mediocre it Let me just say, it smelled which pumpkin bread fits bto your smelled and looked. delicious while it was baking, giving warm, fuzzy fall feeling!

“ H A R R I E T : ”

A misconstruance of fabled history The “Harriet” movie takes a story that symbolizes black womanhood, and twists it in a way that fits a cinematic agenda. Story by Faith Andrews- O’Neal| Opinion Editor

had an issue starting this, because of the emotions this movie evoked. At first, I thought I’d start witty, something like “There were two choices: me choosing Vanilla Diet Coke, and the creators inventing a black bounty hunter in a story that had no need.” Then I imagined that I would start with something poetic, like the blue-tinted plantation that opens the movie. Neither seemed to encapsulate what the“Harriet” movie made me feel. Black stories deserve to be told. We are rich in culture and stories and experiences. Therein lies the issue of “Harriet”. The story of Harriet Tubman resonates with people everywhere, especially black women. She is a symbol of all we should hope to be: impassioned, resilient and willing to risk her life for those in need. This portrayal did not do her justice. We all know the story of Harriet Tubman (I hope). She escaped slavery alone and went on to be one of the most successful conductors of the Underground Railroad, never losing a single slave. Then, she worked with a team of black Union soldiers to free over 700 slaves in the Combahee River Raid, one of the only army raids to ever be led by a woman. Long story short, this woman is a pillar of black history. There are ample Black Americans who could have played this role (see: Viola Davis, whose casting was rumored for this very role). The idea of Harriet Tubman being played by a woman who is not a descendant of American slavery was disconcerting to begin with. Her past in ridiculing Black Americans and differentiating herself from American Black

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people made it abundantly clear that she is the wrong person for this role. The team behind “Harriet” was gratuitous at best, and negligent at worst, as seen by the invention of a Black bounty hunter/slave catcher. There is no historical evidence of such a man. Instead, creative liberties were taken, and a Black villain was pulled out of thin air in a movie about a woman whose entire life and legacy uplifts black people. When the white slave owner played by Joe Alwyn killed him, saving Harriet, I felt a brief second of relief, then horror. Why should I sit in this movie, glad at this Black death at the hands of an oppressor? Why would they make me feel that way? I did not need their fabricated characters. The source material was rich enough on its own. By inserting formulaic tropes known in biopics (a malevolent villain, a humanized oppressor, etc.), the team behind “Harriet” told me that they did not find her story interesting enough on its own. I left the theater feeling many things. Angry, because of an opportunity wasted. Tired, because watching black bodies hunted down is draining. Invigorated still, because the story of Harriet Tubman is Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service

too powerful to be overshadowed even by poor use of creative license. I give the movie 2 out of 5 stars. One, because for all her controversy, Cynthia Erivo’s rendition of Harriet was impassioned and fully present. Two, because of Harret Tubman’s legacy. Seeing Harriet Tubman ride off into the sunset on a white horse may have felt like 17,000 archetypical movie tropes at once, but it is always good to see the Black woman win. This movie made me hold Harriet Tubman closer to my heart, out of admiration for her craft and a sense of newfound protection. There is great freedom in truth. Harriet Tubman b risked everything for freedom.

12 FEATURE

The price of standardized testing NOVEMBER 25, 2019

The expenses of ACT and SAT prep classes may benefit wealthier students. Story by Katie Massman | Social Media Editor Photo illustrations by Lily Hart | Editor-in-Chief

ost students, particularly juniors and seniors, know the drill- take the SAT or ACT, and if you aren’t satisfied with your score, take it again, and again...maybe you take some classes or get a tutor along the way. But this urgency to raise test scores quickly adds up. Each standardized test costs roughly around $50, and classes and tutors can be as expensive as $600. So what does this mean for students who may not be able to readily give up that much money for a test? How are these tests an accurate way of judging a student’s readiness for college if money is such a big factor?

“

Both the SAT and ACT are not very good predictors of how well you will do in college, but they’re pretty good measures of accumulated opportunity

educationally beneficial. Public Education Director of FairTest Robert Schaeffer strongly believes that income is a big factor in standardized test scores. “Both the SAT and ACT are not very good predictors of how well you will do in college, but they’re pretty good measures of accumulated opportunity,” Schaeffer said. Data collected by the College Board a few years ago supports Schaeffer’s claim, finding that students from families earning more than $200,000 a year average a combined score of 1,714, while students from families earning under $20,000 a year average a combined score of 1,326. “Whether broken down by test-

takers’ race, parental education or household income, average SAT scores of students from historically disenfranchised groups fell further behind their classmates from more privileged families,” Schaeffer accredits the higher scores to the fact that students from higher income families having much more opportunities for extra help. “[Many kids who get higher scores] have had the opportunity to go to a good school, grew up in homes where there are lots of books and an academic environment, get involved in summer programs that help them grow intellectually and even have their parents essentially buy them entire scores by paying for

Robert Schaeffer public education director of fairTest

“

Fair test is a non-profit organization that works to end the misuses and flaws of standardized testing and to ensure that evaluation of students, teachers and schools is fair, open, valid and Junior Adie Zahner flips through an SAT practice test Nov. 6. Zahner participated in SAT math and English prep courses through STA. photo illustration by Lily Hart

Students who take the PSAT twice (once junior year and once before) score 203 points higher than students who don’t take the PSAT.

Math scores chage the least through all incomes compared to other test

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Since 2013, students whose families income were $80,000 or more have slightly increased, and students whose families income was less than $80,000 slightly decreased, widening the achievment gap.

The Writing section scores vary the most by famliy income. Alternative coverage by Cara Barone

intensive test prep.” Even without extra help, STA’s college counselor Abigail Jelavich believes students do better simply by taking the test again. “Even without test prep, I think there can be a benefit to being able to take the test more than once because your more comfortable, and you’ve seen the test design. But it does cost money to take it multiple times, that is for sure a reality,” Jelavich said. Another benefit that wealthier students have is being able to afford prep classes or a personal tutor. “You can spend $1,000 and see scores increase by 150 points or more, or spend $10,000-100,000, as some families do, to boost their scores by evermore,” Schaeffer said. “It’s definitely not a level playing field when financial resources can be used to obtain higher scores.” However, expensive test prep is not the only way to prepare for standardized tests. The first thing Jelavich recommends to students who want to raise their score is not to enroll in a class, but rather look at the online tools available. Companies like Khan Academy

and Kaplan are beginning to see and act upon the urgent need for more accessible test prep, and now offer free ACT and SAT practice tests online. “That’s one thing I want to stress, or would hope that is being stressed is yes, you could obviously spend money on test prep if you have the money and the means to, but there are many free resources online that also help with exams,” Jelavich said. While there are prep options available online, senior Sydney Lystad believes students may not receive the same personalized, intimate connection they would if they had a tutor. “I think having a tutor improved my score more than online test prep would have because it was good one-on-one time to practice specifically what I needed to work on,” Lystad said. Jelavich, along with colleges, test prep companies, and other high school counselors, knows there is research that standardized tests inherently benefit some and not others. Because of this knowledge, they “try to do many things to increase access so that differences in socio-

economics are not a factor or are less of a factor in terms of paying,” Jelavich said. “This year, the college board has tried to encourage colleges to look at test scores in context because they know that a 650 in a wealthy suburb is not the same thing as a 650 obtained by a kid who went to an inner city high school, or to school on a native american reservation, etc,” Shaeffer said. “The numbers are the same but they mean something different.” And many colleges are so determined to eliminate this socio-economic factor that they are eliminating standardized tests from their application entirely. On fairtest.org, there’s a list of 1,050 colleges and universities that don’t require a submission of test scores, such as University of Chicago and University of Rochester. “More than half of the top liberal arts colleges in the country are now test optional. They tell you that you can apply without test scores and will treat you the same way as any other applicant. They don’t need test scores to make good admissions decisions,” Shaeffer said. B

FEATURE

NOVEMBER 25, 2019

Journaling Club Revitilizes Reflection With the rising popularity of journaling among students, Journaling Club aims to create a space for them to further explore how written reflection can evoke self-awareness.

Story by Mary Massman | BNS and News Editor

unior Georgia Winfield sits down at the beginning of June to sketch exactly 30 hexagons of honeycomb in a graph ruled journal. She then colors each honeycomb with a distinct combination of nine various shades every day, each corresponding to a different mood of hers. When she finally sets down her marker on the last day of the month, she can analyze her journal in full: the exact percentage of the days in June she felt happy, sad, angry, annoyed, productive, lazy, exhausted, stressed or content. “Journaling definitely helps keep me on track,” Winfield said. “It helps you to figure out what is causing change. For me, it’s helpful to reflect on that and be able to look back and realize what correlations there are in my life.” Winfield journals every day, using her notebook to record her thoughts and track her feelings. It was her passion for journaling,

Journaling 15-20 minutes everyday over time can reduce your blood pressure and improve liver function.

Photos by Becca Speier | Photo Editor

along with the growing popularity of the activity among students, that inspired her to create a school space for those who journaled to meet. Last February, she suggested the idea of a journaling club to junior Abby Farmer, whose own journaling inspired Winfield to pick it up. “I’d see people talk about their bullet journals, like, ‘Oh my gosh, you did this spread,’” Farmer said. “We wanted to share our ideas about it with other people. We were kind of thinking of a little book club, for journaling.” After enlisting the help of English teacher Kelly Finn as their moderator, Farmer and Winfield started a Journaling Club

Fast Facts Alternative Coverage by Lauren Brackney | Writer

Instagram page over the summer, and began posting pictures of their own journals to promote the activity. When sophomore Lucy Wade came across the Instagram page, she followed it to help guide her own journaling, and she ultimately decided to enroll at the club fair. Now that Wade is a part of Journaling Club, she is able to explore more writing styles and keep up with the hobby more frequently. “I didn’t really know what to do, but then I joined Journaling Club and they gave us ideas, so now I do it,” Wade said. “At the beginning of the month, I look on Pinterest or the Journaling Club — on their Instagram, they always have stuff.” Wade gravitates toward bullet journaling, which for her, involves both what she accomplished during the day and assignments she needs to complete, with

Ryder Carroll created bullet journaling as a way to cope with his learning disabilities. He shares his journaling methods to help others improve their focus and organization. He wrote the book The Bullet Journal Method.

Information compiled from Bullet Journal Website and Intermountain Healthcare

Journaling has been shown to improve memory capacity as well as memory and comprehension.

reflections every couple days. Journaling styles among students in the club differ and both Farmer and Winfield hope to show a wide variety of journaling in the club. They believe there is something for everyone. “You can’t really mess up, it’s just whatever works for you,” Farmer said. “Don’t try to do what other people tell you to do. For me, doing a habit tracker every day was too much.” Farmer and Winfield switch off meetings to lead because they have diverse strengths when it comes to journaling. While Winfield led the bullet journaling meeting, Farmer led the diary journaling meeting. Farmer calls her journal a “catch all,” a place to carry her art, gratitude and thoughts. “It’s a creative outlet so that helps me just de stress a little bit,” Farmer said. “[Winfield] does trackers and it’s more organized and mine’s just more like random and freeform. It helps me reflect on my day and feel a sense of closure from what I did that day.”

Although their styles of journaling differ, both Winfield and Farmer agree that through the emphasis on expression, journaling is beneficial for selfawareness. According to The University of Rochester Medical Center, journaling can help you reduce stress, manage anxiety and cope with depression. Winfield and Farmer recommend self-care and gratitude journaling, which was the topic of their October club meeting, to become more conscious of mental health. This type of journaling involves listing facets of your life that you are grateful for and recording how you are feeling emotionally. “If I’m having a rough time, I do a lot more gratitude journaling, which makes me think school is hard, life is hard right now, but there are so many things to be thankful for,” Winfield said. “I’ll look back on those things and be like, not everything is bad right now, there are things I should be thankful for.” Farmer hopes in the future that

Student Journals

they can make the club more engaging. The club’s leaders present a new type of journaling during the first activity period of each meeting, then let the members try it out and share. “I want it to become a closeknit thing where we all share everything we’re doing, and it’s less Georgia and I leading it and more people sharing with each other,” Farmer said. “I think that would be a goal for us, getting people to really participate with social media.” Although the different journaling styles are new to many of the members when they join the club, one challenge Winfield sees for the future is ensuring that the club keeps offering members new ways of journaling. Farmer and Winfield both want journaling to help students continually find ways to express themselves. “It’s just important to sit down and think, you know, I don’t want to just be doing this to say I journal,” Winfield said. “How is this going to help me in my life?” B

NOVEMBER 25, 2019

Senior Janey Stevenson reacts to the negative impact of mental health issues in the community Nov. 12. Steveson has been open when talking about her struggles with mental health and advocates for others who are struggling.

Rockhurst High School senior Christian Taylor sits in Ward Parkway Center Nov. 20. Taylor organized the event, All Hands In KC, to promote teen’s awarity of mental health education.

Rockhurst High School senior Sam Kidder sits outside of Starbucks Nov. 12. Kidder has taken action in the community and has started his own non-profit called Not Alone KC.

COMBATING THE STIGMA: TEENS ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH

Content Warning: This story includes discussion of mental health disorders. Reader discretion is advised. According to a national survey on Drug Use and Health which polled 200,000 youths aged 12-17, “the rate of individuals reporting symptoms consistent with major depression… increased 52%” from 2005 to 2017. Clinical psychologist Larry Neiters, who has practiced in the Kansas City area for 44 years, believes this rise may be due to increased usage of social media can be linked to mental health disorders. Additionally, after graduating from St. Teresa’s Academy and pursuing a psychology degree, marriage and family therapist associate Caroline Saia believes certain people are predisposed to mental health disorders due to their genetics, and their family environments can increase this risk. Licensed family therapist Ashlie Lester agrees and has noticed the U.S. legal policies regarding mental health can affect how society treats those who are struggling and further perpetuate mental illness since starting her work in 2004. To combat the effects of mental disorders on youth, teenagers across the country promote mental health education and aim to raise money for causes such as suicide prevention. The Dart sat down with three Kansas City high schoolers to explore how they address the widespread mental health struggle with community impact. Story by Sophia Durone | Features Editor and Aspen Cherrito | Multimedia Editor Alternative Coverage by Iris Roddy | Writer Photos by Becca Speier | Photo Editor

group of newly acquainted teenagers huddled around heaters on the rooftop of Chicken and Pickle for All Hands In KC Nov. 3. Chatting about their past weekends and the results of the pickleball tournament earlier in the evening, the high schoolers quickly finished their conversations as therapist Julia Harkleroad grasped the microphone. “Something that I’ve been waiting for is the teens in the community to step up and make their mark,” Harkleroad said. “To not wait for the adults to do it.” In May 2019, Rockhurst High School senior Christian Taylor began planning All Hands In KC, an event in the fall promoting mental health education and raising money for suicide prevention. Taylor believes his fundraiser helped others like himself who have struggled with their mental health, affirming it was an event “for teens, by teens.” “I put it together primarily because I’ve had some of these feelings [of struggle] before in middle school,” Taylor said. “A lot of people have these all the time and I feel like there’s not enough being done that teens can relate to.” Taylor believes the Kansas City community has wanted an event like his for years. “The general reaction is, ‘Wow, I’ve been looking for something like this to be put together, I just haven’t had the motivation or didn’t know where to start,’” Taylor said. According to Taylor, education about mental health is vital for adolescents and teenagers today. Yet according to Education Dive, Virginia, Florida and New York are currently the only states with mandated mental health education for K-12 students. Due

to such statistics, Taylor interviewed therapists and activists across Kansas City for his event, choosing those he believed would provide the most beneficial information when addressing mental health struggle. “When someone texts you and says, ‘Hey, I’m struggling,’ a lot of us don’t know how to respond,” Taylor said. “We need to be prepared on how to respond because at the end of the day, we could be helping to save those peoples’ lives.” Along with preparing the public for situations such as Taylor’s, clinical psychologist Larry Neiters believes that educating the community on mental health issues can promote its destigmatization. “Education is going to presumably create a greater deal of empathy and compassion where people can feel their suffering along with somebody else,” Neiters said. “I think education is paramount because if [society] understands, [those who are struggling] realize they have a lot of helpful directions.” Neiters also believes facilitating open discussions surrounding wellbeing is beneficial for everyone involved. “A lot of those who are suffering are really needing to unload and needing an open ear without judgment,” Neiters said. “What needs to come through is, ‘I care about you.’” Senior Janey Stevenson thinks conversations about mental health should be casual, so she often initiates mental health discussions with her peers and community members. “I am always really open and honest with people — everyone around me, whether they’re my close friend or not,” Stevenson said. “I hate the stigma around

mental health being like it’s such a personal thing and [you should] handle it on your own. I’ve always believed that keeping yourself healthy is primarily an individual thing, but it’s a group effort.” These conversations do not always come easily. “Naturally, with my peers and my friends, it’s a little bit harder to get under the surface just because we’re all in this very vulnerable spot of being in high school where mental illness is becoming a very real thing,” Stevenson said. After personally struggling with her mental health, Stevenson believes reaching out is the first

“

We need to be prepared on how to respond because at the end of the day, we could be helping to save those peoples’ lives.

“

16 CENTERSPREAD

Christian Taylor

step to healing. “You have to be 100% comfortable with being vulnerable,” Stevenson said. “Being able to say you’re struggling, and it feels like there’s no way out — it’s okay to say that and embrace that.” However, marriage and family therapist associate Caroline Saia notices how mental health struggle can feel isolating. “I think one of the first things we do when we encounter these struggles is ask, ‘Why am I the weird one who has this problem? No one else is like me,’” Saia said. “I heard that a lot in therapy —

NOVEMBER 25, 2019

While she thinks mental health is not entirely destigmatized, Lester believes that society is on the path toward positive change. “Some of our treatments have gotten better because our understanding of mental health

“

Being able to say you’re struggling and it feels like there’s no way out — it’s okay to say that and embrace that.

“

a lot of criticism and self-loathing. You are not alone.” Along with education, Saia believes an improved vocabulary will enhance discussions surrounding mental health after a crisis. “I especially notice when I say things like, ‘Oh my god, this is so awful I want to kill myself,’” Saia said. “Things like that, I need to have a respect that [suicide] is a really real, serious thing.” Licensed family therapist Ashlie Lester thinks a change in language, like Saia’s, is also necessary when diagnosing mental health disorders. “We are going to have to come up with more words to differentiate a diagnosed anxiety disorder and feeling anxious,” Lester said. “I think we’re going to come up with a different word when it’s to a clinical level and impeding your functioning.”

Janey Stevenson

has gotten better,” Lester said. “More people are willing to talk

Half of all mental illnesses begin by age 14 and three-quarters begin by age 24. 1 in 5 teens in the U.S. has a diagnosable mental health disorder. Over 78% of teens with depression received treatment in 2018.

about what’s going on, more people are willing to get help.” With intentions to abolish the stigma surrounding mental health, Rockhurst High School senior Sam Kidder created Not Alone KC, a non-profit organization that fundraises for mental health causes, starting in May 2018. In founding his organization, Kidder hoped to increase accessibility to mental health resources. “Mental health has always been a part of my life,” Kidder said. “I spent some time looking for something in KC I could be a part of, and there was nothing that I really wanted so I thought this was the best way to do it.” According to Kidder, his organization not only helps others but himself in confronting his mental health struggles. “I thought that there wasn’t enough communication between people that were struggling,”

TEENS TREATING MENTAL HEALTH

In recent years, the number of teens reporting and treating their mental health symptoms has dramatically increased. Alternative Coverage by Iris Roddy | Writer

Kidder said. “I found that helping people have an open dialogue, sort of spreading the awareness, is therapeutic in itself.” Not Alone KC additionally encourages a safe space for high schoolers struggling with mental disorders. “We work to make it as easy as possible for youth to have the conversation,” Kidder said. “No matter with peers, parents or doctors.” Kidder also believes mental health should be an every day topic of discussion. “In an ideal world, speaking about mental health should be the same as speaking about any physical illness,” Kidder said. “I think it’s harder since you can’t see it.” According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, only “50.6% of U.S. youth aged 6-17 with a mental health disorder received treatment in 2016.” Since

Roughly 53% of teens with behavioral disorders received treatment in 2018. Nearly 60% of teens with anxiety disorders received treatment in 2018.

7.7 million youth are categorized as experiencing mental illness in a singular year, this percentage leaves roughly 3.8 million people without treatment. Kidder believes organizations such as his own can combat this number. “I think that if you are going to teach kids that coming forward — not even in a big way, just to their family or doctor — can make such a positive impact on their life,” Kidder said. “Mental health doesn’t have to be what defines them.” Taylor emphasized this principle at All Hands In KC, hoping that through his event, those struggling recognized they are not alone in their journeys to mental well-being. “We need to know that it’s okay to let go and be emotional every once in a while, and know that everybody goes through hard times in their lives — you have to accept that, recognize it and look forward to it,” Taylor said.

While mental disorder is not a voluntary battle, Stevenson agrees teenagers and adults alike must anticipate struggle by directly confronting negative feelings with reflection of their impacts on the self. “There are choices, you can be happy, sad, in the middle — you have to create it for yourself,” Stevenson said. Taylor believes that high schoolers’ agency to create community-wide change surrounding mental health extends beyond promoting individual growth, which is something he saw through All Hands In KC. “I absolutely believe there’s a stigma, but I think us teens can change that,’’ Taylor said. “We just have to take the first step.” B National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

20 MAIN EDITORIAL

Can one generation’s actions transform the stigma behind mental health?

ccording to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in 5 youth and young adults are living with mental illness. This equates to 20%, or in terms of our school, approximately 120 out of 600. Within our relatively short lives, we have seen the discussion of our mental health become increasingly common in daily conversation. In a free period, one might hear a student telling another about something profound their therapist told them. During lunch, a student may discuss how the recalibration of their prescription is helping them with a clearer worldview, or better state of mind. If you were to ask your parents about their experiences in school, the answer is most likely very different. According to Health Affairs, mental illness is better understood and less stigmatized, and services are more commonly used within the last 25 years. In our lifetimes, there has been a shift in the way we view and discuss mental health. The Dart staff agrees that the actions of one generation can transform the stigma surrounding mental health. It is imperative to note that “one generation” does not imply

that Generation Z must shoulder this burden alone. However, within the timespan of one generation (that being our own), this change is vast and continues to progress as we age. We must depend on resources such as mental health professionals, counselors and trusted adults as we explore what mental health means to us. It is necessary that we utilize this change in a manner that is productive and conducive to the progress of society at large. We are the first generation to have spent our formative years with smart technology at our fingertips. We had iPads in middle school, and spent high school ranting about our days on “finstas.” We have access to the world in all its chaos and emotion. As a result, the discussion around mental health has become more accessible than ever. All one must do is post a tweet or send out a Snapchat story depicting how and why today made you feel like you were having a panic attack. This has sparked a hyper-awareness of mental health issues. While that can lead to discourse and destigmatization, it can be harmful to those grappling with their own mental health.

RIGHT ON TARGET

Caroline Willis, Senior “I believe that, at least in this community, we have grown more empathetic and more aware of mental health issues that our parents’ generations were. I think that it’s one of the most important things that we need to destigmatize, but the specific circumstances in which we’ve been able to accomplish that are really unfortunate.”

This discourse is helpful in destigmatization. By normalizing the conversation, it creates avenues for other young people to discuss their mental health. However, at times, the oversaturation of negative conversations involving mental health can be triggering. Being inundated with cries for help and shouts into the abyss can be harmful to anyone. However, when exacerbated by mental illness, an environment meant as a safe space can become toxic. Mental illness has become part of our daily lives, directly and indirectly. Being able to discuss these issues is a sign of progress, but we cannot stop there. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, contact a trusted adult to get the help you need. That could be a parent, teacher, principal, coach or counselor. You can reach the national suicide hotline at 1-800273-8255. As a society, we have made great strides in reducing the stigma surrounding mental health. However, there is work to be done in lessening that stigma in a way that helps those struggling. B 22/24 staffers agree

Erin Carbery, Sophomore

“I honestly think that yeah, we’re trying to get all these events and show all these other generations that we can do one simple thing to impact so many others.”

PERSPECTIVES

Important issues demand accurate language The language that the media uses in reference to the issues we face today needs to reflect their urgency and importance, even if it is polarizing. This is especially true for the climate crisis. Story by Lily Hart Editor-in-Chief

n 2019 The Guardian, a British daily newspaper, not only made an environmental pledge, but made six changes regarding climate to its style guide. (This is their standards for writing, editing and language usage.) Their first new rule? “Climate crisis” would replace “climate change.” Paul Chadwick, The Guardian’s readers’ editor said, “the urgency of climate crisis needed robust new language to describe it.” This is not just a boring policy change to dismiss as unimportant; this is a significant step forward with huge implications. The language we use to describe the issues we face shapes the way we act on them. The Guardian took this idea and ran with it. Important issues, like the climate crisis, require the media to use accurate and precise language so that the public understands its gravity, even if it is polarizing. As long as the main idea gets across, word choice is often overlooked as trivial or unimportant.

This is a dangerous assumption. Take “climate sceptics” for example. When we see or hear “climate sceptic” we can all understand that it refers to those who deny that climate change is happening. Then why don’t we say “climate deniers?” The Guardian addressed this as well. To be a sceptic is to doubt an idea in search of the truth, but in this context, “climate sceptics” are not sceptical about the phenomenon of global warming. They fully deny it and its predicted disastrous effects on the earth. Thus, their second new rule to change “sceptic” to “denier. These are the kind of steps we need to take. Even though “denier” has a harsher connotation, it is technically more accurate and should be considered the correct word to use. If used to its full capacity, language can increase the sense of urgency that written pieces or speeches carry when they touch on this issue. Changing some of the words we use is not unheard of or impossible to do. Remember our exclusive usage of “global warming” phase? “Climate change” has practically replaced it and is widely accepted today as the most accurate term for the process the earth is undergoing. According to dictionary.com, the term, “global warming,” caused the misconception that the only repercussion of continuing to release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere would be that there

won’t be winters anymore. Climate change takes the idea of global warming and expands on its long term effects on the climate such as the melting of the polar ice caps, extremities of cold, droughts, fires and storms. Even more than individuals, the media must consider the language they are using because that’s what the public turns to first for their information. If they can change the way they talk about the climate crisis to a more specific, streamlined and accurate way, then people will follow suit. Language is how we think, speak and communicate — we internalize the words in all of their meaning, connotation and context. If language changes, our thoughts and actions will change. But, it has to start in the media. Like The Guardian, we all need to reframe the way we use language surrounding the climate crisis. It is not just a slow global heating process where we will no longer have winters. It is a critical turning point for the human race — a time to decide whether we’re serious about saving our planet or let our own apathy, greed and disinterestedness destroy us. Our language needs to reflect this urgency in accurate terms so that our actions can as well. B

22 PERSPECTIVES

NOVEMBER 25, 2019

Youth sports have become too competitive The values cultivated by youth sports are often missed out on due to their highly competitive culture. Story by Sophia Rall Page designer

t’s a summer evening in 2011 and I am 7 years old. My family has just finished eating dinner, and my older brothers and I head to the backyard. For the next two hours, my brothers teach me how to kick a ball with the inside of my foot and dribble. Around the same time, I began to play recreational soccer with girls from my school. We practiced just once a week — I’m not sure if you could even call it soccer practice though, because we spent most of our time doing somersaults and cartwheels. Nevertheless, I learned how to play soccer, and I began to love the beautiful game. Fast forward to 2019, and I’m on a competitive soccer team that practices 4-5 times a week. I rarely have time to kick around in the backyard, and instead lift weights and run sprints at a training center. I still love soccer, but I miss the spontaneity of pick-up games with my friends and kicking the ball around with my brothers. Learning to play soccer in such a fun environment fostered my love of the game, but many people do not have

the same experiences. Unfortunately, youth sports have increasingly become more competitive and less accessible. I believe youth sports should be about fostering sportsmanship and love of the game, but they have instead evolved into a highly competitive world. Playing youth sports is supposed to teach children teamwork, leadership, communication and sportsmanship. The values cultivated by youth sports can benefit people for their entire lives. Personally, I learned how to be a good teammate and motivate others from youth soccer. I still use these skills, not only in soccer but at school. Such benefits can be missed out on, though, when parents and coaches place too much pressure on players and make sports hyper competitive. With rising college costs, many parents pressure their children to play sports in hope of a college athletic scholarship. This is very unlikely, though, as only 2% of high school athletes earn college scholarships according to the National Collegiate Athletics Association. Still, many parents and coaches encourage players to practice several times a week, play competitive sports from a young age and specialize in one sport. This overwhelming pressure from parents and coaches can result in players quitting sports, as youth soccer participation has declined 7% among 6-18 year olds according

to the Aspen Institute. Thus, children are completely missing out on the teamwork and leadership that sports can teach. As youth sports have become more competitive, they have also become less accessible. The rise of competitive travel teams and expensive equipment has made youth sports “pay to play,” which excludes lower socioeconomic demographics. In fact, American families with $100,000 or more in annual income provide nearly 35% of youth soccer players, while families with $25,000 or less in annual income provide 11% of players, according to The New York Times. Understandably, families cannot afford the expensive fees, as club soccer can cost upwards of $5,000 a year. Many children miss out on a myriad of benefits from youth sports, simply because their parents cannot pay for them to play. I am very thankful for the privilege of playing youth sports and am sad that many children will not play. I credit my continued participation in competitive soccer to the stressfree environment I learned to play in. After all, I don’t remember the goals I scored at a 1st grade recreational soccer game or the amazing pass I made in a 4th grade competitive game. I remember the hard work, but more importantly, the fun I had in youth soccer. B

Paying attention doesn’t have to be scary Following the news can make current events less scary in a time when many people are afraid to be informed. Story by Rachel Robinson Opinion editor

would really like to be able to say that I read the news every day. I read briefings while I’m waiting to get coffee on some mornings, I listen to NPR podcasts when I’m driving home in a good mood and I read New York Times opinion pieces when I have extra time on the weekends. These are small things and I don’t do them every day. However, I try to be as consistent as possible and I always make sure to use reliable sources. When I get out of this routine and don’t follow the news myself, I still hear it one way or another. If it’s not from an actual article, I see the headline out of context on my Twitter timeline or I hear it filtered through the perspective of my friends who are biased. In today’s political climate, I often hear people say that they can’t follow the news because it is too scary and depressing. That is only true if you’re getting your news inconsistently and from unreliable sources or taking sensationalism at face value. In my experience, the news is not the problem, but the solution to being

scared of current events. It cannot be denied that hearing brief descriptions of wildly complicated situations can be downright depressing. For example, I first heard about President Trump’s threat to cut federal funding for containing California’s wildfires from a New York Times headline on my Twitter timeline reading, “Trump Stymies California Climate Efforts Even as State Burns.” That is a pretty desolate statement to read out of context. However, upon doing a quick Google search on the issue, I found a Washington Post article that clarifies that Trump likely does not have the authority to do that. It’s still scary that he made a threat like that at all, but knowing the facts makes it much less so. There are two sides to every issue and it is impossible to summarize them both in a headline or a quick recap. Not only is following the news important, but it is very accessible. There are so many mediums through which you can receive the news and almost all of them are either free or very cheap. A basic subscription to the New York Times costs $2 per month. The Kansas City Star is a onetime fee of $9.99. If you’re a fan of podcasts and audiobooks, try listening to NPR during your daily commute, which is free for anyone with a radio or the app. If you prefer to read the news, but don’t have time for lengthy

think-pieces, the New York Times emails a Morning Briefing of the most important issues from the previous day that can be read in two minutes or less. The emails include links to full articles and The Times provides 10 free per month. Even news stations can come with no cost attached if you watch the news segments most stations post on YouTube. Whatever your preferred way of accessing the news, make sure you are taking advantage of it. Being informed is the key to feeling safe and not panicking over sensationalism. Especially with complex ongoing events like the current impeachment proceedings, it is so easy to be deceived by hearsay and misleading language. Avoiding the news altogether is impossible so you may as well learn about it in its truest and most complete forms. If you want to take an extra step in following and supporting the news, subscribe to a newspaper or donate to your local NPR station. If not, read the news… or watch it or listen to it. Even if it’s not every day, putting in the time to understand the world around you is always worth it because the alternative is being afraid. B

24 SPORTS FEATURE

NOVEMBER 25, 2019

McCasland poses for her Senior Photos with her horses.She has been riding horses for 12 years. photo courtesy of Daniella McCasland

Commitment to the Riding Community Equestrianism allows riders to learn responsibility at a young age and fosters dedication to one thing. Story and photos by Tess Jones Social Media Editor

s junior Zoey Ford, gets ready to head out to the stables for her riding practice, she knows that she won’t be able to prepare start her pile of homework until after 8:00 p.m. For senior Daniella McCasland, she dedicates the majority of her time riding instead of toward the typical high school experiences. “It’s been hard to balance school and riding — so I haven’t really had time to participate in out of school activities,”McCasland said. The time the girls spend dedicated to riding is usually when they would be able to do outside of school activities, or participating in school traditions at STA, such as

Sion games. “Well, it is hard because if I do riding I can’t do any other STA sports or really anything that involves activities out of school every day,” Ford said. Riders like Ford practice at least three days a week and girls like senior Anna Swanson work on top of that to afford to ride. “I work to pay for all of [the horse’s] vet bills because he likes to get hurt and also the normal cost it comes with owning a horse,” Swanson said “I work 27-30 hours a week to help afford my horse.” To continue riding through high school many riders like Swanson, who own their horse, work one or two jobs to pay for the bills of the horse. Riding is not only expensive, it also involved a lot of time and dedication according to Swanson.

“It takes up a lot of my schedule, any of my free time goes towards going out to the barn, the only time I have for social settings is at night on the weekends,” Swanson said. For Ford the dedication is not only for the love of the sport but also to be able to ride for a university. “I’m looking to be on an equestrian team in college, so I’m looking to be as advanced as I can,” Ford said. Even though riders aren’t able to spend a lot of time outside of school, they continue to ride because of the bond they create. The bond between a rider and their horse is like no other. “You have to trust your horse and trust that they trust you,” Ford said.

Swanson trots through the arena as her warm up Nov. 17. Bentley and Swanson trot around the arena a couple times before starting the main part of practice.

Saddle

Saddle pad

Halter

Equestrian

Equipment

Equestrians have multiple kinds of gear that go on the horse used for riding and showing horses.

According to Ford, the horses need to know that you are going to treat them well and you have to be able to trust that they will listen to your commands, unlike in other sports. Swanson compared riding to walking your dog. “You get to workout but also hangout and create a bond with him,” she said. According to Swanson, being a rider requires you to be more responsible because you have to make sure you are safe and that your horse is as well. “It teaches a lot of responsibility because you are in charge of the well being of an animal and the health of an animal, while simultaneously competing competitively,” Swanson said. Swanson has been riding since she was in 4th grade, and she

Reigns

Stirrups

Information compiled from Horsz.com

Alternative Coverage by Anna Ronan | Design Editor

Girth

believes that if she didn’t ride she would not be as responsible as she is now. “If I didn’t have to take care of my horse the way that I do, I wouldn’t be working as much as I do and I wouldn’t be as responsible as I am,” Swanson said. McCasland’s parents had their daughter ride horses to lessen their fear of horses, while also trying to foster more responsibility. “My parents didn’t want me to be afraid of horses, so they paid to let me have lessons,” McCasland said. Riding fosters unbreakable bonds and responsibility that allow the girls to continue riding throughout college. For some like Ford, riding for a university is the goal while for others like Swanson riding will remain as a hobby.

“I definitely do want to continue riding in college, I probably won’t do it as much as I do now, but I’m planning on taking [the horse] to Manhattan with me at the end of the summer,” Swanson said. For riders like Swanson, riding allowed for new opportunities to grow. Swanson learned through riding that she loves taking care of animals, and is now planning on going to Kansas State University veterinary program. For Riders like Swanson, Mccasland and Ford, riding is more than a sport, it is how they have learned responsibility and dedication. “It teaches, especially for kids and for teenagers especially, it teaches a lot of responsibility,” Swanson said. B

26 COMMUNITY

NOVEMBER 25, 2019

Food Served from the Heart

Katrin Hueser, co-owner of German restaurant Affäre, reads order tickets under the food window on Nov. 11. Heuser co-owns the restaurant with her husband, Martin Hueser.

Within the Kansas City area lies stories and traditions held by authentic, family owned restaurants who have built themselves through generations. While some flourish others struggle, but all remain true to their family values. ender love and care is a valuable ingredient in making true food; food that has a history and a purpose when served to its customers. Often this value is overlooked as restaurants expand into chains — when quantity trumps quality. Family owned restaurants are in a unique position that emphasizing family values means maintaining this love and care for their craft. Kansas City is a growing community of local arts, businesses and restaurants. Many of these restaurants feature a variety of ethnic dishes, from authentic German to Pan-Asian cuisine. Kansas City offers a small, fostering community that encourages localized growth. The movement

“Keep Brookside Local” is an example of this value being put to the test. The “family owned,” localized trend is seen throughout KCMO, but each restaurant comes with its own struggles. The crossroads feature a multitude of restaurants such as this, including Affarë off of Main St.. Martin Heuser is the head chef and owner of Affarë, where he features traditional German cuisine from his childhood in Germany. He has been serving the Kansas City area for about 12 years and has found a unique place within the Kansas City food community. But this stark difference in cultural food compared to the chain restaurants of the area can be a challenge for Heuser.

“I don’t think I get my fair share in the city because I’m different, but I want to be different,” Heuser said.

“I have no intention to

copy any other Kansas City menu because this is not what I am. We haven’t been doing it to be different and I think we do a very good job of it. It’s very true food. Martin Heuser

“

Story by Claire Smith|Design Editor. Photos by Beatrice Curry|Writer

“He was the general manager of The Well in Waldo for a long, long time,” Reyes said. “Eventually he was like ‘I want to be able to do what I want to do for my own restaurant.’ So he got one, and he was very happy about it because he’s always wanted to have one ever since he was dating my mom in the early 2000s.” Starting a new family business can be tough; long hours and financials can have an affect on family dynamics. “We have learned to get used to his hours; he works from 9 a.m. to he usually gets home around 10 or 9:30 so I don’t really see him as much,” Reyes said. “Money wise I feel like we’re still in debt with [starting the restaurant] and it’s changed but we’ve gotten used to the change already. It was a very, very light change.” Despite the challenges that opening a new business can bring, Reyes acknowledges the unique rewards that having a restaurant can provide for a family and community.

“It brings the family together,” Reyes said. “We’ve had a lot of events there [Burger State]. We were wanting to do some family events there just because it’s a nice place to have like a bunch of people at once. We’ve had a lot more family gatherings and just gatherings of people together.” Putting passion and care into developing a self developed business is a huge aspect to success. Ng advises the youth of today to put that same energy into any career pursued in life. “Put time and passion into it and you will make it,” Ng said. “My suggestion for the young people is that they’re not just looking for something that is the best because I feel like nothing is best. Look for something to keep them interested; find what they want to do and make it happen.”

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1.6 MIll i

91%

new jobs offered through restaurants by 2029

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of restaurants expect profts to increase in 2019

Information compiled from Restaurant.org and Toast Tab

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Sticking to the roots of German culture is a priority for Heuser and his menu choices. He finds that remaining true to a family identity keeps regulars coming back, which is more rewarding for him and his family. “[Customers] instead of going to corporate restaurants [they] would rather come here, because staff knows everybody by name,” Heuser said. “I think that’s important.” Emphasizing family values within the staff and the customers is what Farling Ng, the regional owner, says helps maintain the success of the Asian cuisine restaurant Bo Lings. “Staff will like to come into work every shift with smiling [faces] and it’s like a big family,” Ng said. “I think this is our mission because it’s rare to have to work in a place that you enjoy and you don’t look at it as a job. You will really enjoy it, and you feel that when you go into your work or you come to dining; that you’re looking forward to it.” Bo Lings has been serving the Kansas City community for a long time and have established themselves as a successful institution. With multiple locations across Kansas and Missouri area, owning a restaurant has become more than a business; it’s a way of life. “It’s a lifestyle we’ve been apart of since 1981; today we start Bo Ling’s like almost 40 years so it’s become a lifestyle is not just a business,” Ng said. “We started like a small restaurant and now we have six locations. And we have built up three generations with customers, with staff, so it’s just like a big family to us.” Freshman Isabel Reyes says that her dad has always wanted to open his own place, and he made that dream possible this year. Reyes’ dad, Raymon Reyes, has owned Burger State off of 89th and Wornall since January. Her dad has worked in the restaurant business for a long time, and was finally given the opportunity to pursue his own passions.

28 LAST LOOK

NOVEMBER 25, 2019

the schloegel cousins make their way to the beginning of the kc turkey trot with a cord tied around their waists. each year they meet at the starbucks across the street and head to the start together. photo courtesy of elle schloegel

Racing runs in the blood for holiday runners For some STA families, running together in races such as the Turkey Trot is a holiday tradition.

Story by Cara Barone | Writer Photos compiled by Lily Hart | Editor-In-Chief

or sophomore Lilly Hupke and senior Delaney Hupke, racing runs in the family. They are both on the cross country and track teams at STA, so they practice together daily. According to Lilly, the common love for running fosters many of their dinner conversations, friendly competition and togetherness in the family. The Hupkes run in the Turkey Trot, a tradition that Lilly looks forward to every year. The Turkey Trot is an eight or five kilometer long run and walk that takes place in Arrowhead Stadium every Thanksgiving. According to Lilly, when she runs alongside her family, it is more relaxed than running for team sports, and her family’s company helps make the running feel easier. Junior Victoria Scheuer’s family has a tradition of participating in runDisney races, which are put on by the Walt Disney Company. Scheuer has attended these races, usually 10 kilometers long or a half

marathon, at both Disneyland and Disney World. The tradition originally started with her aunt. “A few years ago when my aunt got diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and so she wanted to run a half marathon to show her doctor and all the other MS patients that you still could have an active lifestyle even with it,” Scheuer said. “So she invited my mom to run with her, and my mom was like, ‘this is pretty cool,’ and so she invited our family to go and it’s just become kind of like a tradition.” Now the Scheuers run one or two Disney races in either Florida or California every year because of the event’s positive energy, and run in many other races including some holiday ones for the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving. According to Scheuer, running alongside her family helps to keep from being overly self-critical and allows the family to bond.

“I think my favorite part is how close it’s allowed us to be,” Scheuer said. Senior Elle Schloegel and sophomore Sarah Schloegel, who run on STA’s cross country team, never chose to start running. Their parents, who also ran cross country in high school, made the decision for them, but Elle and Sarah say they’re grateful. “I think that I would not have done it if it weren’t for them, but I’m very grateful that they made us do it because [it’s]... like a challenge that you didn’t know that you could do,” Elle said. Their family’s running tradition encourages them to spend more time together and also includes many extended family members. The Schloegels run in holiday races for Father’s Day and the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot. “[Finishing the race] hurts, but inside you feel great like you did something, like your body did it,” Sarah said. B

29 the hupke family poses for a photo after they ran the turkey trot race in kc last year. photo courtesy of lilly hupke

mia schloegel, from left, bebee schloegel and matt schloegel pose for a photo this summer at a triathlon. the schloegel parents passed on their love for running to their daughters. photo courtesy of elle schloegel

30 PHOTO ESSAY

A look inside Unleashed Pet Rescue

Unleashed is a no-kill, non-profit animal shelter in Mission, Ks. that offers rescue and adoption services to various cats and dogs. Photos by Carmon Baker | Web Editor

A volunteer laughs while taking a break from volunteering. Like Barnett, she was at Unleashed to help walk and socialize dogs.

A cat named “Anoshka” attempts to climb on junior Juliet Barnett’s head. Barnett volunteers at Unleashed almost every weekend.

A row of dog collars hangs in the Unleashed lobby. According to their website, Unleashed is a no-kill, non-profit animal shelter in Mission, Ks.

A cat relaxes in the sun at Unleashed Oct. 25. According to their website, Unleashed rescues approximately 5,000 animals a year through their foster families.

A volunteer offers a dog a treat outside of Unleashed. In addition to being a shelter, Unleashed also offers outreach programs that focus on quality pet care.

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