Vol 77 issue 8

THE

DART

FIGHTING FOR A VOICE: EXPLORING THE NEW VOICES ACT Student journalists facing possible censorship advocate the Missouri New Voices Act— a proposed bill aimed at granting student publications the full protection of the First Amendment.

St. Teresa's Academy | Kansas City, MO | Volume 77, Issue 8

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TABLE OF

CONTENTS

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2 April 30, 2018

NEWS

4. Police chief makes changes

Star Spotlight 6. Freshman Georgia Winfield organizes Beautiful Lengths

A&E 9. Senior Bella Pichardo turns poetry into music

Reviews 10. Vetements fall/winter 2018 collection 11. Dear Madam President

Features

12. Living the Loose life 14. Students work at school

Centerspread

16. Student journalists fight for their First Amendment rights

Perspectives 21. Feminism should go beyond yourself 22. Don't be embarassed of your grade school emo phase 23. Put your happiness first

Sports 24. The hidden "field" of track and field

Community 26. Oddities and curiosities expo comes to Kansas City

Last look 28. Best summer jobs for students

ask the dart 30. What is the perfect date night in KC?

Cover and back page design by Julia Kerrigan, cover photo by Meghan Baker

LETTER Hello readers (one last time), This issue’s centerspread story hits particularly close to home for us, as the entirety of our high school careers has been overwhelmingly focused on journalism. Margaux Renee and Gabby Staker, two of your 2018-19 EICs, have tackled a tough issue -First Amendment rights for student journalists. As students of a private, Catholic school, no legislation directly impacts us, but it is our belief that we should be taking a lesson from the New Voices Act, a bill proposed to give more rights to student journalists in Missouri.

Most STA students would agree that our administration is generally very open to accepting all ideas and points of view in the classroom, but we enter into more of a gray area when it comes to what is deemed acceptable to cover in our publications. To us, there should be no difference.

Head on over to page nine to learn more about STA’s first ever student production musical, with original music by the vivacious Bella Pichardo, written

by Lily Hart.

For those of you wondering what’s up with the lingering freshmen and sophomores adorned with plastic gloves and spray bottles after school, make your way to page 14, and read Mary Massman’s story over STA’s student

from the e d i to r s

workers.

Finally, the event we have waited all year to send a couple of our brave staffers to: Kansas City’s Oddities and Curiosities Expo. Julia Kerrigan’s story places you right in the middle of this truly odd scene, with equally strange photos from Maggie Hart. Check out page 26 to see for yourself.

Now’s the time for us to part ways.

Readers, we leave you in the good hands of Gabby Staker, Margaux Renee and Julia Kerrigan. You’ll love their work as much as you have (hopefully) loved ours.

To our dear staff: Know that we have been watching you. (We don’t mean to be creepy.) When we first heard that our staff this year would be majority new staffers, we were scared out of our minds. But you never fail to impress us, and as the year has progressed, we’ve seen you all grow in ways that blow us away. Continue to question things.

Continue to be bold. You’ll have our hearts forever.

With love,

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

PRINT

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 Katie Gregory

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news Editorial Policies Ownership and Sponsorship

DartNewsOnline and the Dart are created by the student newpaper staff and are maintained and published by general operating funds of St. Teresa's Academy, a Catholic institution frounded by the Stisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.

DartNewsOnline and the Dart will not publish opinions that contradict the teachings and beliefs of the Catholic church, whether on a diocesan or worldwide level.

There's a New Chief in Town

Editorial Policy

The Staff of DartNewsOnline and the Dart are subject to prior review by the St. Teresa's Academy administrative team in circumstances that concern Catholic doctrine, student safety or illegal behavior. DartNewsOnline and the Dart will not publish reviews of sudent work or performances. Personal columns reflect the opinions of the writer, not necessarily the staff or school.

Letters & Reader Interaction Policy

DartNewsOnline and the Dart encourage the community to post comments on the website. Letters to the editors can be sent in the following ways: in person to Brad Lewis in Donnelly room 204; by mail to St. Teresa's Academy, Attn: Brad Lewis, 5600 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64113; by email to blewis@sttersasacademy.org or to dartpaper@gmail.com. DartNewsOnline and the Dart reserve the right to edit or shorten letters for publication.

Comment Policy

DartNewsOnline and the Dart encourage readers to comment on all posts.

However, DartNewsOnline and the Dart reserve the right to monitor and edit all comments on DartNewsOnline.

Comments that disagree with the editorial policy will not be published.

Photo Use Policy

Photo illustrations are conceptual photos that combine drawing and photography.

All photos on the website are free for public use. If a reader is interested in highquality copies of photos, please email DartNewsOnline at dartpaper@gmail.com.

Corrections policy

DartNewsOnline and the Dart will publish corrections as soon as possible after the error is discovered.

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April 30, 2018

Kansas City Missouri Chief of Police Rick Smith poses in Zahner Lounge Apr. 18. Smith was sworn in as the 45th Chief of Police in August of 2017.

Chief Richard Smith was sworn in August 2017, and has put community relations at the forefront of the department.

Story by Faith Andrews-O'Neal Writer Photo by Amy Schaffer Photographer

I

n the middle of Zahner Lounge, Police Chief Richard Smith looked slightly out of place. Amongst two St. Teresa’s students in their uniforms, and the creme palette of the meeting area, Chief Smith stood out in his navy police uniform, complete with various vibrant medals. Still, he greeted everyone with a firm handshake and a warm smile.

On August 15th, 2017, Smith was sworn in as the 45th Chief of Police of the Kansas City Missouri Police Department. His addition to the police department followed the surprise

retirement of Darryl Forte, who announced his exit in May 2017. Thus began the process to find a new police chief.

“It was long, I’ll tell you that,” Smith said, recalling the selection process, which ran from May to August.

It began with resume submissions, then entailed a phone interview, two in person interviews, a public forum with the remaining candidates and yet another interview. Finally, it came down to Major Richard Smith and Keith Humphrey. It was Smith’s experience in

the Kansas City Police Department that gave him the final edge.

“I think it prepared me very well,” Smith said. “I feel comfortable in my spot. I feel like I'm making good decisions. I don't think I would feel that way if I didn't have those experiences in that background to apply to where I am now.”

His background includes an education at the FBI National Academy, a master’s degree in criminal justice and a seat on the advisory board of Sheffield Place, whose mission is “to empower homeless mothers and their children to heal from their trauma and help them become self-sufficient,” according to its website.

“One of the things I like to say is that, as a chief, all day long, all I do is make decisions,” Smith said. “All those experiences I’ve had in volunteer work, graduate level experience, in the police department, that all helps me to make good decisions.”

It is this experience that has given him an appreciation for the camaraderie prevalent in Kansas City.

“Honestly, I think we’re unique in that the community and the police department gets along much better here than in other cities,” Smith said.

“One of the huge strengths of this police department is our contact with the community.”

There are many options to reinforce this contact, from joining neighborhood groups, to attending forums in which the department interacts with the civilian public. Chief Smith believes that intra-community interaction will increase the already strong relationship between the police and the Kansas City population.

Officer Julie Tomasic, whose daughters freshman Ella Tomasic and junior Mia Tomasic attend St. Teresa’s, echoes this sentiment.

“We have a lot of really good people in all parts of our city and lots of people who like to be helpful and philanthropic and do things to make their neighborhoods and communities a better place,” Tomasic said.

Officer Tomasic has known Chief Smith for years, since her time in the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT)

team, and saw firsthand his leadership abilities before he came into his role as police chief.

“I was new in the squad, the only girl in my SWAT team, and he was tenured in my squad,” Tomasic said. “He was such a peer leader even back then: hardworking, dedicated completely and always trying to do the right thing.”

She has seen first hand the shift in authority from former Chief Forte to Chief Smith and his ability to build on the platforms Forte left in his retirement.

“A lot of people like to come in and fix things that aren’t broken,” Tomasic said. “That’s not [Chief Smith] at all. He’s seeing what he thinks is working, and if he sees something that isn’t working, I’m certain he’ll change it.”

One of the major focuses of Forte’s time as Chief of Police was community outreach, a theme Tomasic says has been a pillar of the department since Chief Jim Corwin, the predecessor to Forte. “[Smith] is really picking up that same ball and running with it,” Tomasic said. “He seems to really understand the importance of partnerships with the community. Fixing our crime problem is going to take a team of the community and police together, and he knows that same thing.”

The crime problem to which Tomasic is referring is a prevalent one. According to the Kansas City Star, the homicide rate in 30 of the country’s largest cities dropped over five percent in 2017.

Kansas City’s, however, increased almost 20.

Chief Smith is working to combat violent crimes in a variety of ways.

“There’s a forensics gun program that we’re working on. We’ve upped the tip amount for homicide and we might up it again,” Smith said. “I don’t think there’s a single approach that’s going to change homicides because if anyone had [developed one], they’d be at Harvard making a million dollars.”

Smith emphasized the importance of community and communication in combating these crimes as well.

“We've doubled the number of community interaction officers, which is our officers assigned to the station

whose job is to communicate with businesses, neighborhoods, community groups,” Smith said. “We've doubled up on that effort, but it will take some time.”

In tumultuous times such as these, with the Black Lives Matter movement in full swing, tensions are high at times between people living in urban cores and the police. Smith believes that finding commonalities between the two groups is key to keeping the peace.

“We're trying to live here as a society, all of us in Kansas City, and we all want the same things, “Smith said. “We all want to go out and play.

We all want to be safe. We all want to go across town and not have to worry about our safety.”

The importance of building a more diverse force also plays a role in community relations. Currently, the police force is 12 percent black, 5 percent hispanic and 15 percent female.

“We're way behind compared to the general population," Smith said.

Since becoming chief, I've sent our commanders out to all their old colleges or anywhere they have a relationship with; whether they went to school there, or just attended for short bit or their family, to try and go there and recruit."

Smith wants the community to take an active role, not just in neighborhood groups, but in joining the force as well.

“I think police work is a noble career.

You come from the frame of mind that we're trying to do the right thing for the right people,” Smith said. “That doesn't always pan out right. Sometimes someone goes to jail. But it's in the spirit of helping somebody else. It's not because we want to inflict some sort of power or position over somebody. It's because this is a needed thing to help someone get relief, and that's what we do.” H

page design by Gabrielle Pesek

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Star spotlight

Georgia Winfield Freshman Georgia Winfield organized the Pantene Beautiful Lengths hair cut and donation in honor of her sister who lost her hair to cancer.

Story by Kailee Ford Writer Photo by Trang Nguyen Breaking News Editor

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April 30, 2018

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ow did you find out about this hair drive?

My sister was diagnosed with cancer in 2013 and St. Teresa’s Academy hosted an event similar to this [one]. It’s been about four years, so I thought it would be a good time since there’s a whole new group of girls to do it [with] again.

then I got some emails from girls saying that they were a very found dishonest organization. I did some research and [I out that] they made the girls receiving the wigs pay for them. Before I was emailed about this, I looked at their website and it didn’t say anything about this. So I switched to Pantene.

Why did you choose to do this?

It’s really important to me because my sister lost all her hair, but she didn’t opt to have a wig. But, I know that there are a lot of other people who would [want to have a wig]. I think it’s really important for them to feel supported. Then, when my dad was diagnosed with cancer this August, it really opened my eyes to see that it’s affecting so many different people. I feel like those people and their families need to feel supported during these times.

What was it like organizing this big of an event that is very important to you?

It seemed really intimidating at first, especially as a freshman, because coming in [to STA] I only knew freshmen. I feel like I still am that way, but I think it’s important to get the whole school involved in an event like this. I realized as I kept going with different people I met, it became easier.

I know that Locks for Love does hair donations, but why did you do it with Pantene Beautiful Lengths?

I actually decided to do Locks for Love first because they allowed dyed hair. But

What do your parents think about you doing this?

They completely support me and they think it’s a great idea. I’m so glad to have parents who have been helping me out. My mom works for a non-profit and she has been helping me write emails. I’m just so glad I have the parents I do. H

Freshman Georgia Winfield determines the $100 Lulu Lemon gift card winner at the raffle in the auditorium April 19. Winfield decided to donate to Pantene Beautiful Lengths rather than other organizations because they give hair to cancer patients for free.

page design by Riley McNett

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bits and pieces

PHOTO OF THE ISSUE Photo by Gabrielle Pesek The Dart chooses a staffer's photo to be featured each month.

My life sucks

Senior Sophie Bunch takes a face full of yellow powder at the annual Color Throw and Walk of Fame April 20.

My life rocks

Compiled by Kendall Lanier | Writer “I got a ticket for running a red light that was $250. Then a few weeks later I got pulled over on Ward Parkway for speeding. I have to take a driving safety class and the best part is my dad doesn’t know about the second ticket, so ‘Hey Dad. Hope you don’t see this.'"

-Camille Goodwin, senior

In the NEws Kansas City A Kansas City firefighter charged with battery, assault and disorderly conduct is back at his job after being suspended for a racist rant in February. Terrence Jeremy Skeen, 42, is pleading not guilty to the charges.

He is accused of yelling racial slurs at a 3-year-old and threatening to shoot the child at an Overland Park Hooters in early 2018. The child was at the restaurant with his family for a birthday party when Skeen allegedly spit on the child, cursed at the family and threatened to shoot the child.

8 page design by Gabby Staker

“It’s always been a dream of mine to go to Iceland, and my family just planned a trip to go there this summer.”

-Jane Kincaid, junior

Each month, the Dart compiles local, national and world news.

by Katie Gregory | Managing Web Editor

United states Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has announced plans to introduce legislation to decriminalize marijuana on the federal level.

Marijuana is currently considered a schedule one drug on the federal level, effectively grouped with substances like cocaine and heroin.

Decriminalizing marijuana on the federal level would allow individual states to decide how to treat the drug.

Currently, recreational marijuana use is legal in nine states and medical marijuana use is legal in another 29.

World Riots have broken out across the Central American nation of Nicaragua, leading the US State Department to pull their employees out of the country. The riots were sparked after Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega approved a plan to raise workers’ contributions to help fund the country’s failing pension system.

The problem was further exacerbated after Ortega called in the national Army to help quell disturbances. Since the beginning of the riots, Ortega has dropped the pension plan.

A&E

'emily'

takes the mic Senior Bella Pichardo directs and stars in "Emily," the first musical to be created for Student Productions Story by Lily Hart | Page Designer Photo by Anna Louise Sih | Photo Editor

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ella Pichardo grew up watching American Idol, following the likes of Simon Cowell, Jennifer Lopez and Paula Abdul making or breaking the dreams of aspiring singers. She grew up singing along to her dad’s cheesy music in the car. All of this combined with her dramatic personality made Pichardo fall in love with music at a young age.

Now, Pichardo is writing STA’s first student-produced musical, ‘Emily.’

She has been working on this project since November and it is based off the American poet’s life, using her own words set to Pichardo’s original music.

STA’s annual Student Productions help seniors to carry out their plays by allowing them to host auditions and rehearsals, and finally to put on their plays, or now, musicals.

“The musical shows where certain poems she wrote would fall within the timeline of her life,” Pichardo said. “I think a big misconception about Emily Dickinson is that she just didn’t do anything. By the end of the show, it will create a timeline of her life.”

Pichardo chose the cabaret-style to relay the relatability of Dickinson’s work, as well as the impact it had. “[The cast members] are all playing ourselves singing the words of Emily Dickinson, showing how truly relatable

Senior Bella Pichardo stands on the side of the stage as she watches sophomore CeCe Wacht rehearse a song from Pichardo’s self-written musical, “Emily,” during a tech rehearsal April 21.

“Emily” is a musical about poet Emily Dickinson and features Dickinson’s poetry in the music.

her words are, even all these years later,” Pichardo said. “Emily Dickinson is one of the original American poets who can’t be scraped by. I think she’s so important and that all of us can find a part of ourselves in these beautiful words that she left behind for us.”

Pichardo tries to make her pieces relevant, a common theme that runs throughout much of Pichardo’s original pieces. Her song called “The Only One,” performed at Creative Grounds, was about wanting to get out of Kansas City and into “the real world.”

“I like to channel life experiences into what I’m doing, even if I’m not using my own words,” Pichardo said. “I like to try and choose things that I can relate to or that someone else could relate to and tell a story with what I’m writing.”

At auditions, ten to twelve girls auditioned for the musical, with five being chosen. Among the five is junior Lauren Daugherty, who has worked with Pichardo on musicals in the past, but never in this particular environment.

“It’s different because it is directed by a student and also the main character is the director,” Daugherty said. “It’s cool and interesting to see a student step into that role.”

Cast members have been finding

it challenging to find time to rehearse with everyone’s busy schedules.

Despite this, both Pichardo and Daugherty have confidence in the musical’s success at Student Productions.

“I definitely picked people who have a great initiative to do what they need to do,” Pichardo said, referring to her cast. “I think they’re not going to go on stage if they’re not confident in what they’re doing.”

Despite a few setbacks in scheduling, Daugherty believes that Pichardo’s character and determination will set them up for success.

“I’ve worked with [Pichardo] before in similar environments, and I think she’ll do a really great job,” Daugherty said. “She knows what she wants and so I think she’ll be able to give us that.”

Pichardo will be continuing her musical career at Loyola University New Orleans. As for her musical, she hopes the audience can feel everything she has put into its creation.

“I hope that it comes across the way I’ve been hearing it and seeing it this whole time,” Pichardo said. “I hope everyone can love Emily Dickinson a little bit as much as I do.” H page design by Lily Hart

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Reviews

"DEAR MADAM PRESIDENT" is for Changemakers and Peacekeepers alike In her new “Open Letter To The Women Who Will Run The World,” Jennifer Palmieri gives advice to girls and women alike about how they can effectively run for office in today’s society.

Story by Kate Jones Multimedia Editor

HHHH

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sually when I read anything that has to do with politics I am left feeling downtrodden and even hopeless about the future of our country.

However, when I dove into Jennifer Palmieri’s new book I was left with a different outcome. "Dear Madam President" left a refreshingly good taste in my mouth as soon as I finished reading it. The idea behind this book is “An Open Letter to the Women Who Will Run the World.”

The author, Jennifer Palmieri, has gathered advice from her many years of working in the white house for the Clinton and the Obama Presidency, she also ran the 2016 Hillary Clinton Campaign. Palmieri offers a personal narrative about what she discovered during and after the 2016 presidential election. Her informal style of weaving in advice after personal narrative makes the book extremely easy to read.

I am a huge fan of politics, feminism and Hillary Clinton: three things that the entire book is based on. Even if you’re not a fan of these

10 April 30, 2018

things, every women, in fact every person, would get something from reading this book.

When I first started reading this book I felt unsettled, because I thought that reading a book about something that happened in the past couldn’t change anything. But as I read I realized how important it is to review and learn from the events that occured over the election.

This book portrays political figures, especially Hillary Clinton, in a more humane light. I think that we tend to dehumanize politicians, especially when they’re women.

We ignore the person behind the campaign and focus more on their image.

Yes, Palmieri is biased, and the content is definitely geared towards the more liberal reader.

The advice that Palmieri gives the reader is actually really useful; not only for women pursuing politics but also for women who are trying to be successful and create good and lasting change in the world

today. This book definitely isn’t life changing, but it does give an insightful and subjective outlook on the outcome of the 2016 election.

Something that struck me the most throughout the book that as women, we have to create our own new path for leadership in America. It is not enough for us to try and play catch up with the men who have been taking the reigns of our country in their hands for, well the entirety of the history of the United States. Yes, we as women in America have made great strides but we still have a long way to go.

This book gives me much needed hope for the future of American Politics, as Palmieri said, “Women aren’t just running for office in record numbers, they are winning in record numbers too.

In the worlds of art, politics and business, women aren’t following anyone’s rules - they are creating their own game.” This is how women are changing the world.H

THE ELEPHANT ON THE RUNWAY Designer brand Vetements showed off their fall/winter 2018-19 collection, titled "The Elephant in the Room" in January.

Story by Anna Ronan Page Designer

HHH

S

ince their first collection in 2015, the sort of “ironically authentic ” designer brand Vetements has put out a number of social media-breaking pieces in their collection, such as the classic sock boots, the collaboration with German shipping company DHL and the hip-high boots that Rihanna, Kendall Jenner and Dua Lipa wore.

That is not all that Vetements is known for. They are constantly raved about for breaking fashion rules and putting out pieces that would generally be considered crazy and outlandish. I myself have never seen anybody rock an article of clothing from Vetements on the street, but that’s the whole point of their company: street style mixed with avantgarde themes.

I generally like the pieces that Vetements puts out and think they’re brave and interesting (even if I would probably never wear them). However, with the Fall/Winter 2018 collection that dropped in January of this year, I was confused by creative designer Demna Gvasalia’s work.

According to the Vetements official website, the collection was called “The Elephant in the Room.” And the name was fitting for the collection- it stood

out in a way that Vetements normally doesn’t.

When I first watched the runway show, which took place at the Paul Bert Serpette market outside Paris January 19, I was a bit taken aback at just how dark and, frankly, boring it was. I saw a lot of brown and wine-colored hues, and a ton of layering. While it is a fall/ winter collection, I think that Vetements could have broken the stigma that all cold-weather clothes have to be darker colors. The theme was all very similar as well, I didn’t see many patterns, and the ones that I did see were fairly subtle.

The show itself didn’t really give me Vetements vibes. When I think of Vetements, I think of bright colors, sleeves that are just a bit too long and collaborations with out-of-place brands such as DHL or sportswear company Umbro. This collection reminds me more of something that other companies would put out, such as Yves Saint Laurent or Burberry.

Everything that the models were wearing were very business-formal, but it still had its normal street-style type looks mixed in as well. I saw mostly dark colored articles, and a lot of brown and tan. I wasn’t a huge fan of all the

models having printed scarves as the standout piece of their look.

However, with my overall doubts on the collection, there were some things that I really did enjoy in it.

According to Vetements, Gvasalia took to a local elementary school to get drawings from Kindergarteners about what they believe the “elephant in the room” looks like and put their drawings on t-shirts.

I was also a fan of the shoes in the collection. The ones that stood out to me the most were a pair of red knee high boots that had a print that looked like a wax stamp print on them and a new pair of slides to add to their collection.

One of the things that I am consistently impressed with is the choice of models.

Vetements has always done an exceptional job of hiring models that are not only diverse in race, but also in age and gender expression.

This collection was a confusing one for me. I was impressed with some pieces, but I was also skeptical. Vetements, I would stick to your street-style type collections, because the more fancy clothes in this one just didn’t spark my interest the way that your $1,000 hoodies do. H

page design by Anna Ronan

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features

living the loose life Loose Park attracts a variety of people thanks to its open space.

The Dart investigates the park's popularity and the activities that people do at the park.

Story by Ella Norton Writer Photo by Meghan Baker Photo Editor

The sun shines over Loose Park April 22.

Recently, Loose Park has been known as a hangout spot for teenagers.

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April 30, 2018

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MKC student Max Nulan pulls up to Loose Park in his car with loud music playing and a couple of friends. They’ll stay for awhile, sometimes getting out to sit on the grass. This is normal for Nulan, as he visits the park often. He goes so much that some people have dubbed him the “king” of Loose Park.

"I didn't even know I was the king of Loose Park; I thought I was just a normal Loose Park goer, like everyone else," Nulan said. "I do go at least once a day. Not to always hang out there, but I at least pass through it. I could see why people would say I’m king, but I'm not a king."

Loose Park, which was founded in 1927 by Ella Loose, is a 75 acre park located on Wornall and 52nd street. The park is open year long but Nulan said his favorite time to visit is summertime.

“It's beautiful,” Nulan said. “It's spring so the grass is green. It's terrible in the winter; people still go, but summer and the spring are the only time you should go.”

Nulan has been going to the park ever since his parents took him as a child and he continues to go with his friends now that he’s in college.

"Maybe we are too old for this and we need to get real jobs and stuff, but it's what we are doing right now while we are in college," Nulan said.

Nulan showed the park to his fellow classmate, Nathan Muehe, who said he wasn’t surprised that his friend was given the title.

"I would say I see Max there a lot, so honestly, I would probably say he is the king of Loose Park," Muehe said.

High school student Jake* also visits the park often. He generally goes to a tree at the southern corner of Loose Park. It's his favorite tree, a pine tree with low hanging branches. He uses it to climb, relax and even do flips off of.

Whilst Jake said he goes there to skate, do parkour and hang out with friends, more recently he said he goes alone.

"I just needed a space out of the house where I could relax and clear my mind and Loose Park seemed like the place to do that," Jake said.

"I've been going there forever for the

park itself so it was an obvious choice because it's huge and dark."

With its big open space, many trees and what STA student Alice* called, "hiding spots," Loose Park attracts many young people.

"I think the culture of Loose Park consists of high schoolers to early college kids and it's all different types of people," Alice said. "It's gay and straight, it's black and white and it's an all-inclusive community.”

Alice thinks that so many teenagers choose Loose Park over other parks because of its location.

"I think it's just being young and being in high school," Alice said.

"We have a lot of local campuses so everyone believed it to be a safe hotspot to go to with your friends.

When you're at Loose, you always see someone you know."

Alice said that she thinks her parents know that young people use the park to hide activities but they don’t ever believe it’s her age group.

"I think my parents know what kind of activity goes down there and I think they realize what people do there but I'm always smart about it," Alice said. “They know what's up but I think people of the community think it's always older kids."

Alex Lepper, a Kansas City police officer, said that the main issue that gets called in at Loose Park is people who are there after dark.

"The park closes after dark and during the hours of darkness you aren't supposed to be up there," Lepper said. "At night, generally, people are in bed and are winding down so it's not a place that is meant to have parties. There are places that are designated for partying and having a good time and the park's not the place for that."

Lepper said that crime can happen at any public park because there are opportunities there.

"There are some parks that attract more than others based on location and reputation, but I would say there is some type of criminal activity in every park," Lepper said. "Cars are parked there, sometimes people will leave things unattended, valuables, so you have some break ins. Sometimes

parks attract strange people."

Lepper himself is a Kansas City native and said he's been going there since forever and continues to take his family there now.

"My wife loves the Rose Garden and I like to go there with my family," Lepper said. "It's a beautiful place. It's well laid out, it has a great track for walking and running, great playground, the Rose Garden. I have no problems going there, but I'm not going to go there after dark."

Steve Stroade has lived in his current house with his family for a little over four years. Their house is close to the park, but not directly on it: a choice he and his family deliberately made.

"Living too close to the park, there's more traffic and more people around and in the summer there's more parties in the park late at night," Stroade said. "I chose to not buy a house right across from the park but living this close worked out well for us."

Stroade believes that Loose Park is so popular since there's many people who live in high-density housing who want to enjoy the outdoors.

"People love outdoor activities," Stroade said. "I think that's the same with every city that I've been to, you see people really enjoying the park.”

Stroade said that it's different for the people who live around the park because they generally have outdoor space around their house which may not be the case for everyone who goes.

"This is a little unique [because] in this neighborhood, people who live around here have homes and yards,” Stroade said. “But I bet there's a lot of people who enjoy the park who don't have outdoor space that they can really enjoy. You can look out of the distance of [Loose] Park and see the tall buildings and the Walnut Condominiums. It's a cool city park feeling." H *Names of students who wish to be left anonymous have been changed.

page design by Anna Louise Sih

13

Features

students are

Sophomore Aria Utt cleans a door handle on the entrance to Windmoor April 6

Taking Care of Business Students employed by STA explain the special dynamics of working where they go to school.

Story by Mary Massman Lifestyles Editor Photos by Olivia Wirtz Photographer

T

he bell rings, signaling the end of ninth period, and there is an instant rush towards the door.

Students race up to advisory, pour out of the buildings and hightail it to their cars. After a long day of school, there is usually one thought on their minds: finally getting to go home.

Freshman Katie Riffle takes a different route. After she checks out of advisory she stops at Windmoor, where she is joined by a group of students eating, chatting and preparing to go

14

April 30, 2018

right back to the STA classrooms. She picks up her supplies and begins to walk to the auditorium, where she will spend her next hour polishing brass.

“It's a good way to kind of ease out of school,” Riffle said. “You're working and then you just kind of relax. When I'm polishing brass, I'm just polishing brass, nothing interesting, so it's kind of a time where I can just reset.”

Riffle is one of the freshmen and sophomore students who work at STA for an hour after school. She heard about the job opportunity from one of her friends, and decided to start working after cross country season ended. Riffle began the job only recognizing a few faces and unsure as to what it entailed.

“My first time coming in I thought it would be really serious so I was trying to really follow the rules, but then after a while I realized that it was really relaxed,” Riffle said.

“When I come in, it's really fun,

everyone's talking with each other and joking around.”

The laid back atmosphere of the job is what made sophomore Kristen Ford want to work for another year. Ford admits that although a different job could maybe get her extra hours and more cash, the familiarity and people of STA outweighs a standard afterschool job.

“I mainly did it last year because my mom couldn't pick [me] up,” Ford said.

“But I continued it because it's a good chance to just talk to people that you don't see at school or during classes.

I feel like the environment there is probably better than an actual job.”

The flexibility of the job is one aspect in particular that students value.

Since the students get paid by the day, they are able to come for shortened time periods or cancel their shifts fairly easily. Sophomore Aria Utt, who began working this year, attributes this

Sophomore Kristen Ford vacuums the floor in Windmoor April 6.

Freshman Mara Kugler cleans a whiteboard in social studies teacher Andrew Meyer’s classroom April 6.

adaptability to operations manager Gil Mont.

“He always makes sure that we're comfortable with what we're doing,” Utt said. “Sometimes it can be a little annoying for people if they don't want to stay after school because school can be tiring. There are some days where you just need to go home and you can.”

Riffle agrees that Mont is able to foster a low-stress work experience for the students.

“There’s no tension at all,” Riffle said.

“He tries to make the job fun. Around Christmas, there was one time that Gil brought us all popcorn.”

Ford feels that most people would have a much better time than they might think working at STA. She explains that because most people

simply don’t know about after school jobs or would prefer to work somewhere outside of school, they’re surprised to hear about where she works.

“I think it’s just weird because when people see you working they're kind of like, 'Why?' They probably think it's a punishment or something,” Ford said.

“It's weird when people watch you work and you're just kind of like 'Okay, stop looking at me'.”

Riffle also recalls receiving some questioning looks from people passing by. However, there are still some unexpected perks to being around school after hours.

“It's kind of fun because you can see the people in the auditorium

preparing for the plays,” Riffle said.

“I've memorized the first part of 'Blue Stockings' because I heard it so often.”

Through scraping gum under tables with nothing but gloves, rearranging teachers’ classrooms according to a specific layout or taking trips to the vending machines, Riffle feels she has gotten closer with girls she may never have met if she hadn’t started working at STA. “It might be a little bit awkward at first, but because it's team building activities, you're working together,” Riffle said. “So it really helps create a bond pretty fast.” H

Keeping it Clean Recycling Window cleaning

sweeping

Bronze work

Students workers help with many different jobs after school hours. The Dart compiled a list of some of their responsibilities.

Compiled by Lily Manning Editor in Chief

page design by Ella Norton

15

centerspread

fighting to be heard: exploring the new voices act Story by Gabby Staker | Design Editor Margaux Renee | Features Editor Alternative coverage by Katie Gregory

Managing Editor of Web Student journalists facing possible censorship advocate the Missouri New Voices Act-- a proposed bill aimed at granting student publications the full protection of the First Amendment.

16 April 30, 2018

I

t’s a newspaper nerd’s worst nightmare.

A provocative story is pitched and a dutiful young journalist decides to run with it. Like any good writer, she starts with research. Articles lead to deposition transcripts, contact lists and anything she can find that’s public record. Her eyes are glassed-over, glowing in the glare of the computer screen; they’re stinging with fatigue. It may be Friday night but she’s committed. Entranced, even. She knows this story has to be told.

The turn around is quick and after a week of interviews, drafts and neglected homework, she finally submits her story.

But it’s too controversial. She might create a discussion too scandalous for the community to hear, and that’s too

great of a risk. All of her work, time and passion is scrapped.

Teresian co-editor-in-chief Maura Graham, finds instances of censorship like this to be “heartbreaking.” “[Student journalists] put so much work into it and no one’s ever going to see it,” Graham said, attempting to explain the emotions at play when a story is pulled.

For Graham, high school publications should be by and for the students.

“In doing that, it has to be true to the students themselves,” Graham said.

She describes a division between the perspectives of students and administrations.

“I do believe there needs to be a line between ‘this is not an advertisement for the school’ [and] ‘this is a message and something written and produced for the students,’” Graham said.

Graham however, acknowledges a persisting stereotype in high school journalism. Stories about drinking and drugs often adorn brightly colored front pages of newspapers, foreshadowing off-color reporting informed by anonymous sources.

“It is tempting to be edgy for edginess’ sake,” Graham said.

But at STA, “most of the time it’s a message,” according to Graham.

Even with more thematic elements, Graham feels that the purpose of the yearbook is to tell the story of the year:

the good and the bad.

“It’s just being honest,” Graham said.

In some schools, however, the question of whose story gets told is answered solely by their administration.

In Missouri, this question is answered at the state level by the 1988 landmark Supreme Court case, Hazelwood v.

Kuhlmeier.

Though students from Hazelwood East High School in St. Louis County, Missouri, fought against the censorship of two articles deemed “inappropriate” by their principal, the Supreme Court ruled against them, citing the administration’s “legitimate pedagogical concerns.”

In a 5-3 ruling, the Court reversed the 1969 Tinker v. Des Moines precedent that students in public schools do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.”

After Hazelwood, student publications at public schools were afforded a lower level of First Amendment protections, except those in states that moved to overturn the ruling with their own laws.

In the four decades since, six states, including Kansas, have passed free expression laws, and in 2015, Jamestown University journalism professor Steven Listopad launched a state-by-state campaign to expand students’ First Amendment rights called

the New Voices Movement.

Though the specific bill varies by state, the goal of New Voices is the same everywhere: “to pass anticensorship legislation that will grant extra protections to student journalists,” according to the campaign’s official website.

So far, advocates have succeeded in enacting anti-Hazelwood legislation in 15 states, and the push for pending legislation continues in New York, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Missouri.

Bob Bergland, a 20-year adviser of Missouri Western State University’s Griffon News, was moved after hearing Listopad speak at the “Walter Cronkite Conference on Media Ethics and Integrity” and was among the first to bring the movement to Missouri.

“If we want our youth to vote, to be civically engaged, to be knowledgeable and passionate members of our society, then we need to have them exercising their rights in high school,” he wrote in an essay for the Grassroots Editor. “When they are trained not to question authority, when they are trained to be PR hacks and tools of the administration to promote the agenda of those in power, we are not preparing them to be citizens in a democracy.”

Under the leadership of Bergland and sponsorship of Rep. Kevin Corlew, the Walter Cronkite New Voices Act page design by Lily Manning

17

is currently approaching a vote in the Missouri Senate for the third time. Upon each attempt, it has passed easily in the House but never reached a Senate vote -- once due to concerns about advisers not being protected and once because of “filibusters and infighting,” Bergland said.

Camille Baker, one of the editorsin-chief of The Kirkwood Call, the student newspaper at Kirkwood High School just outside of St. Louis, testified in January of 2018 and returned March 27 to speak in front of the Senate Education Committee.

“It was intimidating,” Baker said.

“But something that is so imperative to do, to stand up.”

During both of her testimonies, Baker worked to highlight the perspective of the high school journalist. In March, though, her message was largely the same save for details about the recent mass shooting in Parkland, Fla. and the young activists it produced.

“When these amazing young activists start speaking out, the platform they use is journalism and they use the voices on their staffs, and the Eagle Eye staff [at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School], I know has done a lot,” Baker said.

The New Voices movement has also lent Baker’s voice to advocacy.

In the future, she wants to continue speaking about issues relevant to

18 April 30, 2018

student journalists.

“I think that people are starting to realize the importance of student journalists and starting to take us seriously,” Baker said.

According to Baker, even though the New Voices Act is a step in the right direction for journalism, advocating for it has been difficult.

Missouri House Bill 441 section 171.200 states that a school district cannot authorize any prior restraint of any school-sponsored media unless it is deemed libelous or slanderous, constitutes an unwarranted invasion of privacy or violates the law.

This list of exceptions has been recently amended to include anything that “so incites students as to create a clear and present danger of the commission of an unlawful act, the violation of school district policy, or the material and substantial disruption of the orderly operation of the school.”

“Well what does that mean, you know?” Baker said. “You could write a controversial article and it could be disrupting people in class that don’t agree with it. Does that mean it’s unethical?”

For Baker and others, these changes are known as “killer

amendments” because of how they weaken the bill. This is the form of opposition New Voices advocates are facing in Missouri.

“There's just always the old-school people who assume that only libel and slander are going to come from giving this First Amendment power to students,” Baker said, explaining why the bill continues to be “watered down.”

Baker attributes the attempt at weakening the bill to the Missouri School Board Association.

“I know that they have been responsible for demands to change the language of the bill,” Baker said.

Despite the fact that Missouri’s New Voices bill is significantly less powerful than those of Kansas, Iowa and Arkansas, Baker, her adviser and her staff aren’t going to let up.

“Student journalists are going to keep pushing,” Baker said.

However, the New Voices bill only pertains to public university, high school and middle school publications. If approved in the Senate, its blanket of protection would not extend to private schools, especially religiously-affiliated institutions like STA. Bergland believes adding a provision to cover private schools would hijack the current bill’s chances of passing. But, he says, the New Voices Act could help set a precedent for private schools to follow.

Yet adhering to those laws in a Catholic school would be a risk, according to STA president Nan Bone.

“We’re very willing to work with [the Dart and

Teresian] to say ‘If you’re going to write a story that could be questionable, please show both sides of the story,’ because we are a Catholic school,” Bone said.

“We follow the mission of the bishop, and so we want to make sure that we’re always following Catholic doctrine.”

Current policies in the STA handbook stipulate that teachers and administrators “reserve the right to decide the appropriateness of any artwork, drama presentation, poem, journalism, or literature for display, publication or performance.”

Because the school is owned and sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, “any work that is graphic in a sexual or violent manner, that promotes the use of drugs or alcohol, or that is incompatible with the values and philosophy of the school will not be exhibited, published or performed,” the handbook reads.

Bone estimates that when STA publications approach

administration with controversial stories, 90 percent of the time they are allowed. The 10 percent that are axed contain content that “would be questionable with Catholic doctrine or with the mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph,” she said.

Bergland believes that in schools with more conservative administrations, student journalists are forced to choose to cover only the minute details of

academia: new course offerings, football game scores, award ceremonies.

“For any of those students who want to be journalists, [censorship] kills their passion,” Bergland said. “It kills it. It hurts their education, because they’re not covering the types of stories that they might be covering as a journalist in college and the real world.”

He maintains that the most serious consequence of censorship is that it leads to complacency among student journalists. When their ideas are shot down, students stop thinking that way, preemptively keeping their mouths shut.

“You have this self-censorship going on, and that in some ways, is even more insidious than the censorship itself,” Bergland said.H

mapping Mapping it Out it out

Alternative coverage by Lily Hart | Page Designer

new voices legislation passed new voices legislation pending no new voices legislation enacted according to newvoicesus.com

page design by Lily Manning

19

main ed

empowering women means empowering speech Refusing certain journalistic freedoms contradicts STA’s reputation for empowering young women.

T

he bell rings; it’s my first period class freshman year. It already seems so grown-up with its swivel chairs and lined-up Mac computers, but when we start diving into intense topics our general grade school classes wouldn’t dare touch is when I knew I was a part of something real. It was the beginning of being taken seriously as a young adult: a real person with real ideas, thoughts and stories to tell.

But we had to learn the rules before we could let our creativity get the best of us. We spent an entire semester studying ethics, publication style, libel, nut grafs, being tested and questioned over and over about how much information we were retaining. It was liberating to be able to go into an in depth conversation about the ethics of “Deep Throat” as an anonymous source for the stories surrounding the Watergate scandal or to be able to identify when a story is being written for the sake of writing it, not for any real purpose.

During this year, I felt myself expanding and growing more confident than I had ever felt in my capabilities, fulfilling the many advertisements

put out by our school, boasting of the Voices Act is a recent bill proposed “confident, empowered young women.” to give public high schools the right But then things got more to publish content without prior complicated. review from high school or college administration. Of course, this would This year is the first year a “Publications Advisory Board” is in only apply to public schools, but that doesn’t mean it can’t set a standard for existence. The board consists of the journalism adviser, STA’s president, all schools: private, public or otherwise.

STA’s principal of student affairs, STA’s For many public, school-wide academic principal and the director of standards, private schools try and top campus ministry. it, carrying the reputation that they are Their role is to examine each “above the standard.” Why would this piece of content that STA’s student be any different? Why would private journalists intend on publishing for schools keep an outdated policy if either the yearbook or newspaper. public schools are moving in a different With no set-in-stone parameters from direction? Unless there are potential the administration, journalists run the legal issues that could harm the school, risk of self-censoring, anticipating the there should be no excuse to limit censorship from the administration, and journalistic freedoms. preventing potentially important stories We’re living in an age where from being covered. journalism’s reputation means little.

This year I was forced to second News can hardly be trusted, relying on guess one of STA’s core principles. several rounds of verification. The only How can this school want me to feel way to reverse this trend is to produce empowered if they don’t trust my more quality journalism, which can only judgement when it comes to what I happen when certain freedoms are think would be important to cover? granted, even at the most But now is a time of change in the novice level.H world of student journalism, at least for public schools in Missouri. The New 26/29 staffers voted in agreement.

Right on Target

Compiled by Kailee Ford | Writer

The Dart asked students, "Does the image that private schools want to uphold limit journalistic free speech?" junior maureen burns " I would say that a private school likely looks at all sides of potential outcomes from publishing a story and one of those sides is probably the image of the school. While the school has the right to do so because we signed up for a private school, I believe that the students should always come first."

20 April 30, 2018

Senior victoria cahoon "There are things they might not want to see published, but they don't want to silence the publications completely.

In reality, for students who will continue in journalism, they will have more opportunities to write and exercise their right to freedom of speech and I believe that STA wants them to practice that before graduating.."

perspectives

01

global feminism needs american voices

Story by Margaux Renee Features Editor We, as women, need to focus our efforts on what's most urgent.

S

he knew it would be bitter cold that day so she pulled on her warmest pair of socks. Next came her blue skinny jeans and her favorite top- a white t-shirt with the word “feminist” scrawled across the chest in bolded capital letters. The finishing touches included throwing on her puffy coat, flattening her hair under a baby pink cat ear hat and finally, lacing up her black converse before she walked out the door. She was ready for the Women's March.

Three brisk hours of singing and chanting came to an end as she returned home to a roof over her head and food on the table. But her “activism” ends there. Her princess Leia inspired sign collects dust in her closet as her feminism becomes more about Instagram captions than altruism. This is not feminism. This is willful ignorance.

This is the blatant disregard of the more brutal realities faced by women around the world.

Today, over 125 million women and girls have been forced to undergo a process known as female genital mutilation, or FGM, according to UNICEF. This is a process in which a girl’s external genitals are mutilated by partial to full removal and sometimes even pricking or cauterization. This ancient practice, typically done without any form of anesthesia to girls as old as 15, has untold effects. Countless women in Africa and the Middle East have suffered from recurring infections, kidney failure, infertility and the complete destruction of their sexual lives. Most notably,

during the procedure, girls will often hemorrhage, leaving them dead before the end of the procedure.

FGM kills.

This is similar to a process that’s faced by young Cameroonian girls: breast ironing. In remote villages, girls’ natural development is thwarted by burning stones or tightly fastened bands.

What is most haunting about this brutal process is the reasoning behind it. Mothers will iron their daughters’ breasts in order to make them less desirable in the eyes of men and therefore less likely to raped or assaulted. It has been known to cause cysts, breast cancer and not to mention, unbearable pain in the moment. Breast ironing kills.

These are just two examples of the systemic, deadly violence that women face around the world today. They’re in the company of acid throwing, human trafficking and honor killings.

These are all the products of an infinitely complex network of cultures with their own societal norms bound by a deeply entrenched system of patriarchy. Though this system persists all around the world, women in poverty and women of color bear the brunt of its negative effects.

When we consider the global context, we as American women live in luxury. We have the privilege to march and make signs without the worry of irrevocably damaging our family’s reputation. If we continue aimlessly marching without acknowledging the need for feminism on a global scale, we are not feminists, we are hypocrites.

Instead of supporting oppressive companies like Forever XXI, who produces feminist t-shirts in sweatshops, we could donate to antiFGM charities. It is necessary that we use our privilege to work to liberate all women. But there is no way this can be accomplished without sensitivity. It’s insensitive to say “free the nipple” and claim to be oppressed by a bra when ten year old girls are tortured with burning stones in order to be assured safety.

This is not to say that we shouldn’t make progress in the West. This isn’t a knock on the Women’s March.

This is by no means me discounting #MeToo. This is simply a call to my fellow feminists to recognize that women elsewhere need change more desperately. Our issues are just as valid but they are not at as urgent. Little girls’ lives are on the line. H

page design by Zoe Butler

21

it's just a phase, mom

02

You should never be ashamed of your emo phase, in fact, you should embrace it.

Story by Anna Ronan Page Designer

W

hen most people think of the word “emo” they think of black eyeliner, music by bands like My Chemical Romance or Twenty One Pilots, or shopping at stores like Hot Topic. Most of the time, those thoughts are fairly accurate, but everyone seems to try and block their emo phase out of their mind.

I was the same. My emo phase took place all through middle school. I will admit, for at least a few months of freshman year I desperately wanted to rid my mind of any thoughts of my former emo phase.

Here’s the deal: your emo phase isn’t something to be ashamed of. It’s just another point in your life, no matter how cringe-worthy it was.

Let’s start with the music. Just like most other emo middle schoolers, I only listened to the “Holy Trinity” of emo music- My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, and Panic! At the Disco (sometimes I would listen to 21 Pilots or All Time Low, but it was mostly those three). I still shudder at the sound of a single G note on the piano, and I will forever mourn the day that basically everyone left Panic! At the Disco. I will never understand what Patrick Stump was singing in the iconic “Sugar We’re Goin’ Down” or what the point of the “Guns for Hands” music video by Twenty One Pilots is.

Even though all of these bands and songs are getting older by the day, their songs will always remind me of simpler times.

I remember a time in art class, when

22 April 30, 2018

I was trying to be moody by putting my earbuds in and blasting music while painting something that was probably really terrible. I had failed to notice that I had actually put my earbuds in the wrong ears, so the actual part playing music was facing outwards, not into my ears. And, sure enough, Bring Me To Life by Evanescence was blasting out so everyone in the room could hear it.

Thankfully, the girl sitting across from me told me before I could even finish the first chorus.

When it comes to fashion, I never fully dove in. Sure, I have countless t-shirts from Hot Topic and I wore those terrible rubber wristbands that had band names on them like everyone else. The two big steps that I never took were the iconic emo haircut and the makeup. I didn’t dive into makeup until high school, but I remember my friend once putting an ungodly amount of eyeliner around my eyes and convincing me I looked cool.

Before sixth grade, I bought a pair of black high top Converse shoes that I loved, and still love, very dearly. They symbolized my emo phase because they were black, just like what I thought my soul looked like at the time. I wore them literally every day for three and a half years straight, until they actually started falling apart. To this day you can see about half of my sock while wearing them, and the laces are also missing a good portion off the top.

And the hair, oh, the hair. If you were on tumblr.com during your emo phase, you probably found pictures of

girls with extreme layers, cheetah print extensions, and roots teased to no end.

Oh, how desperately I wanted to be like that. Thankfully, I was too nervous to ask my parents, so I never had to walk around like that outside.

In sixth and seventh grade, I had a friend who was a horrible influence on me.. Looking back on it now, she was mean and probably hated me, but she had the coolest hair in my opinion. It was layered, it was slightly pink, and it was everything I could have ever wanted.

Desperately wanting that haircut, I went into the bathroom one night and decided to cut myself some bangs.

While normal people would just take a small section, I decided to cut an entire chunk off the side of my head.

That “haircut” was so bad that I actually ended up cutting all of my hair off in eighth grade to even it back out.

As lyrical genius Patrick Stump once said, “Thanks for the memories, even though they weren't so great.” Even if they weren’t so great, the emo part of your life will always be there. Try to embrace it, show yourself that it really was a great period of music and selfdiscovery. So, yes, Patrick, thanks for the memories. H

coming to terms with moving on

03

This world has more to offer than one thing you have done your whole life.

Story by Kendall Lanier Sports Editor besides school was too much for it to

L

ife is filled with so much to offer that most of us will never have the chance to experience. Once we find something we love, we focus only on that and nothing else. Our mind becomes tunnel visioned and we don’t expand it for anything else.

I have been a ballet dancer my entire life. I trained six days a week for about three to four hours a night. It took me to places like New York for a whole summer and to Chicago. I loved it and was always doing it, I began to miss out on certain things. Once I got to high school, it became harder for me to manage school and dance, I was exhausted all of the time and found myself missing a lot of practices because there were high school events that I did not want to miss out on.

At the end of my freshman year, I almost stopped dancing. However I knew I had come this far in my dance career and worked so hard that I couldn’t just stop, so I continued in to my sophomore year. About halfway through the year I realized I didn’t want to dance in college so I was just doing it for my own enjoyment. But spending more time at dance than anywhere else

just be for fun. I realized I wasn’t doing it for myself.

I dreaded going more and more everyday but I knew I couldn’t quit because this is what I’ve always done. I would lay in bed at night thinking about what else I would do with my time if I wasn’t dancing, and I couldn’t think of anything. That was the moment I realized I didn’t want to be so attached to dance that I couldn’t think of anything else to do with my life.

I felt trapped, like dancing was all I had. But, I knew I was so much more than that. I knew I had the ability to excel in other activities that I had never tried.

I realized I was doing it for other people. I loved the reaction I received from my peers or adults when I told them how much time I put into dance and how intense it is. They were so impressed and instantly gained a high respect for me. I felt honored to know people knew I was a hardworking and determined person without really even knowing me.

For the rest of that semester and summer it was a constant battle with myself whether to quit dance or not.

Although I loved it, it was all I did with my life. I never had the option to do anything besides dance.

I was wasting my precious life on something I wasn’t truly passionate about After months of battling, I decided to take the risk. I didn’t know what not dancing everyday would bring me but I knew I would be happier. I didn’t have to keep doing something just because it was all I ever knew.

Months later, looking back on one of the biggest decisions of my life, I am happier than I have ever been and I have opened myself up to new things that I would never even think of. I still dance here and there, but I have more time for myself and other interests. ` Because I took a risk and decided not to be stuck in one place my whole life, I have grown as a person and learned that you are not obligated to do something just because you have done it for years and have put countless hours into it. It took me three years to finally realize you have the ability to change your life and do something different at any point. H

check out columns on dno embracing empathy by Kate Jones

faith on the ballot by Gabby Staker

an open letter to my mom by Meghan Baker page design by Zoe Butler

23

sports feature

Sophomore Grace Decker boosts herself off a platform to jump over the pole April 11. It is Decker’s first year high jumping. photo by Torri Henry

Forgotten Field EVENTs Field events, such as pole vault, high jump, triple jump and long jump, are many times track and field athletes favorite events.

Story by Delaney Hupke Writer Photos by Torri Henry Writer

S

ophomore Grace Decker steps out onto the track and surveys the scene. She sees runners lining up on the starting line.

As she walks past the track and onto the field, she gets a warm feeling in her heart and knows that this is where she wants to be. Decker knows that field events may sometimes be forgotten, but she doesn’t think they are any less important.

“Field events are a really important part of track, and I may be partial, but you can’t really have track and field without field,” Decker said.

Decker has been doing track and field since fifth grade.

24 April 24, 2018

“When I was younger, I wanted to do track and field because all my friends were doing it,” Decker said. “I ended up liking it a lot.”

She continued her journey in high school for the social aspect, but now she is trying new events and coming out of her comfort zone.

“This year I started doing the high jump, and I love it,” Decker said. “It is really different than [the triple jump] and I am enjoying the challenge.”

Decker does the triple jump and the high jump, two events that use very different techniques.

“When I first started, it was hard because I had been triple jumping so much and high jumping was so different,” Decker said.

Pole vaulter Annabelle Cusumano started track and field her sophomore year because she needed a P.E. credit, but stuck with it because of her love for the sport.

“I'd heard that gymnasts have an easier time transitioning to pole vault so I decided to try it and ended up loving it,” Cusumano said.

Unlike Decker, pole vault is the only

event Cusumano does.

“I really like it because I can focus all of my time and energy onto that one event,” Cusumano said.

Cusumano works alongside her coach, Mark Hough, doing drills, event specific exercises and other things to prepare for the competitions.

“Some days are really long where we take full jumps most of the time,” Cusumano said. “Some days we do drills and some running. It usually depends on what the weather's like and whether or not there's a meet coming up soon.”

In previous years, pole vault has been more separate from the rest of the team, warming up by themselves and practicing on their own. This year, they are making an effort to be a bigger part of the team by warming up with the team.

Freshman Lauren North has been doing track and field for five years.

“I do the 100m dash, 200m dash, 4x100m relay, 4x200m relay and the long jump,” North said. "I first started in fourth grade, and then I continued it after that.”

Sophomore Delaney Hupke takes her approach for high jump April 11. Few girls do high jump for the track and field team. photo by Torri Henry

North enjoys the multiple opportunities she gets in her field events rather than the single chance she gets when running track events.

“I like long jump more because you almost always have three times to perfect your jump, and to get better,” North said.

She did not have such an appreciation for long jumping from the beginning though.

“It was not really something I had

Freshman Lauren North jumps of the board and into the pit at practice April 11. Long jump is North’s favorite event. photo by Torri Henry.

always wanted to do, but one of my coaches at the time made me try it, so I continued with it,” North said.

Although field events may be just as important as the running events, North feels like they are less stressful.

“You get more of a chance to perfect your jump or throw,” North said.

Decker also feels like field events are less competitive than running events, but for a different reason.

“In the running events, you are

running right next to the other runners, but in field events you don’t jump or throw right next to your opponents, so you can’t compare,” Decker said.

For North, field events are a sweet escape from all the pressure that comes from running events.

“I am more comfortable because I can focus more on myself,” North said. “Flying through the air gives me a liberating feeling, like nothing can touch me and I’m on top of the world.” H

Alternative Coverage by Delaney Hupke | Writer

SCHOOL RECORDS EVENT

NAME

RECORD

YEAR

HIGH JUMP

DELANEY HUPKE

5’6”

2018

POLE VAULT

ANNA GIGLIOTTI

11’0”

2010

LONG JUMP

LEAH NORTH

17’11”

2018

TRIPLE JUMP

GIGGY REARDON

37’1.75”

2014

DISCUS

BAILEY WHITEHEAD

106’11”

2014

SHOT PUT

HAILEY COLEMAN

37’10”

2017

JAVELIN

NATALIE HULL

126’0”

2017 page design by Ella Kugler

25

Community

People flock to the kci expo center for curious and odd vendors

This traveling exposition, the first of its kind, hosted vendors selling unconventional taxidermy, macabre art and unusual jewelry. After Kansas City, the exposition moves on to five more cities.

Story and Alternative Coverage by Julia Kerrigan | Opinion Editor Photos by Maggie Hart | Photographer

A

line wound around the KCI Expo Center, through the parking lot, and up the side of the center on April 3 for a curious event. People decked out in anything from platform boots with bat wings attached to elf ears waited patiently in line to buy their $5 ticket and be admitted to the Oddities and Curiosities Expo.

“It’s really cool, once you get in,” a man said excitedly as he left the center with a spider hat on his head.

Hundreds came out to the Oddities and Curiosities Expo, the first traveling event of its kind, which is set to hit seven cities this year, according to the website.

West Everts, 19, stands in line for over an hour waiting to get in. She is dressed in black from head to toe, with black lipstick to match. She doesn’t know exactly what to expect, but she hopes to buy some animal bones for her collection that she’s been curating

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April 30, 2018

for around two years.

She fiddles with her necklace, a metal pendant in the shape of a cow skull, and explains the importance of ethically-sourced bones in “Vulture Culture,” the community of people who scavenge animal bones, pelts and other animal remains. Vendors were required to only offer ethically sourced bones for sale in order to host a booth.

“I would never buy bones from anyone that I think might have had something to do with the way the animal passed,” Everts said. “The way that I scavenge them, I get roadkill and things like that. There’s a lot by where I live because I live next to a highway.”

The official website reads, “Our vendors gather their remains and make them beautiful again in all kinds of different ways."

Inside the Expo Center, aisles of these vendors attract customers.

Filmmaker Greg Chaffee is stationed

Expo attendees line up outside while waiting to enter March 31. The line wrapped around the block.

in a booth of his own, with a red-tailed boa wrapped around his middle, which Chaffee introduces as “Diva.” It is named so because it is a special variant of red-tailed boa. A young girl is tapping on the glass case of a yellow Burmese python, and small rats run around in the plastic boxes at Chaffee’s feet. While he planned to just walk around the expo with his snake, he was given a booth.

Just up and across one aisle, Andrea Marks and Ami Boyer stand in front of their wares and a “Dainty Doll Heads” sign. Among the items available for sale are rings made from doll heads and terrariums featuring turkey skulls and butterflies made from feathers. This was Marks and Boyer’s first convention, and they planned their booth, products and signage in just two weeks.

Other stations, such as the Black Moth, have been in the business of oddities for a while longer. Its owner, Maris Blanchard, is a full-time high

Bones are sold at various booths at the expo March 31. The expo advertised that all bones are ethically sourced.

school art teacher. Shoppers stop by her booth, running their hands over smooth quartz she has up for sale and inquiring about the prices of a life-like taxidermied chick. After making a sale, Blanchard places the money in one of three pouches around her neck, all made from toads.

Blanchard did the expo in Tulsa, but felt that the Kansas City show was four or five times as big. While she is new to the oddity show scene, Blanchard is involved in the haunted house industry, and had just returned from a six-day Halloween show, the biggest in North America.

Her typical customer?

“Anyone that considers themselves not normal,” Blanchard said. “I go to a lot of tattoo conventions, Halloween conventions, horror conventions. Where the weirdos are.”

Liz Taylor is self proclaimed as one of those people looking for odd things to acquire. When she became interested in taxidermy four years ago, she was unable to find any pieces that matched her taste. Taylor opened her own store, Flawed Fox Creations, and began making her own pieces. On her booth are squirrels dressed in Victorian style crowns and set into ornate photo

WHAT ARE WET SPECIMENS?

1.

2.

A subject is preserved in formaldehyde The subject is then moved permenantly into a 70% Isopropyl alcohol solution

Mr. Crispy, a performer at the expo, displays money stuck to his chest March 31. Crispy was one of many performers at the expo.

frames, as if they are returning from afternoon tea instead of being roadkill.

Taylor uses anything from British Royalty to Victorian Era fashion as inspiration for her pieces.

An hour later into the Expo, Everts has picked up a couple of items. She carefully unwraps a plastic bag to reveal a mandible, and pulls some incense out of her purse, which she bought from a card-reader.

“I liked that this particular mandible had a tint of red, because some of the others had been bleached,” Everts said.

The Expo also hosted performers, such as the Crispy Family Carnival. Its lead, who goes by Mr. Crispy, stands by the stage after an act in a black top hat and red and white striped suit. His group does all the traditional midway acts, such as sword swallowing, fireeating, and lying on a bed of nails. He lists them off as if they are a simple grocery list.

He has been following the expo since it was in Tulsa, putting smiles on the faces of the crowd. For Crispy, that is what makes an act successful.

“These are amazing events with one of a kind acts, one of a kind art. It’s an unbelievable event, unlike anything else out there,” Crispy said. H page design by Amy Schaffer

27

lAST LOOK

the Best summer jobs in kansas city

AMC Theaters ^

Crew at various movie theatres; cleaning the theaters after movies.

Pay: Minimum wage Age: 16+ Apply: amctheatres.com

Hyvee > Grocery bagger Pay: Minimum wage Age: 16+ Apply: hy-vee.com/careers/

The Dart compiled a list of available jobs at businesses across the Kansas City metro.

Story by Aspen Cherrito Social Media Editor Photos by Madeline Loehr Photographer

Jewish community center Summer camp counselors Pay: $7.50/hr Age: 16-17 Apply: Jcamp.kc.org

28 April 30, 2018

KCYA Summer internship Pay: Minimum wage Age: 16+ Apply: Attach a resume and include a reference to karmstronge@kcya.org

Sweet and Simple <

Making drinks such as boba tea and serving sweets Pay: $8/hr Age: 16+ Apply: Attach a resume to sweetandsimplebks@ gmail.com

Woodside <

Making smoothies and selling products at the Earthbar Pay: $9/hr plus tips Age: 15+ Apply: clubwoodside.com

Indigo Wild <

Cutting and packaging soap Pay: Minimum wage Age: 16+ Apply: contact Nancy at 816-285-4215

Worlds of Fun

Merchandise supervisor or ride starter Pay: Minimum wage Age: 15+ Apply: jobs.cedarfair. com/our-parks/worldsof-fun/

page design by Gabby Staker

29

ask the dart

What is the perfect

date night in KC? Each month, students submit their questions to the Dart, and we choose one to answer.

Story by Katy Rouse Writer Illustration by Margaux Renee Features Editor

E

veryone can have a different image of a perfect date night.

Whether you’re going out with your friends or going out on a romantic night, having a date night doesn’t need to be expensive to be fun.

My idea of a perfect date night is going out to eat and then going bowling or seeing a movie afterwards. If you love unhealthy food like me, then going to a place like Noodles and Company or Five Guys will satisfy your cravings. But if you feel like sitting down somewhere, try Jalapenos or Red Door Grill.

Bowling can be fun whether it's with your best friend, boyfriend or girlfriend.

Even if you’re bad at bowling, you can still have a fun time, even if it’s because

everyone is laughing when you can’t manage to knock over a single pin.

If bowling isn’t your cup of tea, then dinner and a movie is a classic date choice. If you want to easily combine dinner and a movie, go down to Standees Theater in Prairie Village.

They offer standard movie snacks like popcorn and candy, but also dinner foods like filet mignon, grilled cheese or salad.

Not only are these activities entertaining, but they are also affordable. I know affordability is a huge factor in what I’m going to do on a night out. Only spending about $20 on food and entertainment is reassuring, and can still bring you a memorable night. H

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30 page design by Margaux Renee

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on the DNO Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happening on DartNewsOnline

prom Gallery by Maggie Hart and Maddie Loehr

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Column by Gabby Staker

Walk of Fame Gallery by Maggie Hart and Gabrielle Pesek

Royal Wedding

Janelle Monae album review Story by Katie Gregory

Podcast by Annabelle Meloy page design by Gabrielle Pesek

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