Volume 76, issue 7

THE

DART

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWS SOURCE OF ST. TERESA'S ACADEMY | KANSAS CITY, MO

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P. 28 FIVE DIFFERENT OUTDOORSY ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR SPRING

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P. 12 THE LOST ART OF READING

FUNDING FUNDAMENTALS: HOW DO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS DIFFER? Discrepancies in school funding cause differences between public, private and charter schools, but what changes need to occur to bring about more monetary equality?

CONTENTS

4. THE DART RECAPS THE PAST MONTH AT STA WITH NEWS IN BRIEF 6. RENOVATED BLOCH GALLERIES AT NELSON ARE NOW OPEN

FRANCINE VAUGHN COMPETES IN GYMNASTICS

10. URBAN CAFE BRINGS A FRESH FEEL TO TROOST AVENUE 12. AVID READERS SHARE WHY THEY CONTINUE READING AS A HOBBY 14. STUDENTS COMPETE IN PAGEANTS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL

8 EXPLORING FUNDING FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS

21. COLUMN: POLITICAL ISSUES SHOULD NOT BE AVOIDED

ON THE COVER

22. COLUMN: A LOVE LETTER TO MY CHEMISTRY CLASS

23. COLUMN: A TEENAGER'S PERSPECTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA 24. MAURA GRAHAM SHARES HER LOVE OF SHAKESPEARE

16 THINGS TO DO THIS SPRING

25. BROOKSIDE SOCCER GIVES NONATHLETES A CHANCE

28. SPRING CONCERT CALENDAR

30 Cover design by Linden O'Brien-Williams, photo by Cassie Hayes; Backpage design by Gwyn Doran March 31, 2017

Letter

FROM THE EDITORS

THE STAFF 2016-2017

Adviser Brad Lewis Editors-in-Chief Linden O'Brien Williams Helen Wheatley

WEB

Managing Web Editor Madi Winfield Scheduling Editor Katie Gregory Social Media Editor Anna Louise Sih Social Media Team Member Kate Jones Breaking News Editor Victoria Cahoon Multimedia Editor Alex Davis

EXPLORING FUNDING FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Hello there reader!

When you flip through the freshly inked pages of this sacred thing we call the Dart, there might be something missing that you see in most other publications -- advertisements. And do you know why we don’t have advertisements? That’s right, dear reader, it’s all in the funding… And our funding is that of a private institution. Hopefully, you’re intrigued -- well, lucky for you, the centerspread this month explores the topic of funding of public versus private schools. Read Madi Winfield’s centerspread to learn more about why funding differs and how that affects the schools in the area.

Flip back to our STA news pages to read about a couple relevant and prominent events from the past month at our school, along with an exploration of how the language department has changed its standardized testing procedures and requirements this year.

Next, read Anne Claire Tangen’s story about renovations to the Bloch Gallery at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art to find out a little more about what’s going on in the KC community.

On our features pages, we, the newspaper, decided to look into the lost art of reading, and writer Gabby Staker explored all the facets in her feature. Also

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on our features pages is an intriguing look into the life of a high school pageant girl -- what’s it like? What does it take? Read Isabel Shorter’s story to find out.

Don’t forget to peruse our coverage of the local teenagers involved in recreational soccer, still, even in high school, on our sports pages, along with a little snippet on each of our spring sports.

If you’re feeling outdoorsy, we even have a guide to some novel activities you could try this spring.

As always, don’t forget to check out DartNewsOnline and we hope you enjoy the issue!

With love,

Managing Print Editor Mackenzie O'Guin Visual Illustrator Ellie Grever Photography Editors Cassie Hayes, Paige Powell Page Designers Maureen Burns, Zoë Butler, Gwyn Doran, Ellie Grever, Hannah Jirousek, Julia Kerrigan, Lily Manning, Gabby Mesa, Claire Molloy, Linden O'BrienWilliams, Mackenzie O'Guin, Margaux Renee, Gabby Staker, Helen Wheatley, Madi Winfield

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Features Editor Zoë Butler News Editor Lily Manning Lifestyles Editor Claire Molloy Opinion Editor Gwyn Doran Sports Editor Katie Donnellan Staff Photographers Gabby Ayala, Meghan Baker, Helen Krause, Gabby Martinez, Meggie Mayer, Riley McNett, Anna Kate Powell, Sophie Sakoulas, Catherine Ebbits Staff Writers Cece Curran, Alex Frisch, Annabelle Meloy, Katie Mulhern, Margaux Renee, Isabel Shorter, Sophy Silva, Anne Claire Tangen, Natalie Telep, Lucy Whittaker

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page design by Zoe Butler

STA NEWS

Editorial Policies Ownership and Sponsorship

DartNewsOnline and the Dart are created by the student newspaper staff and are maintained and published by general operating funds of St. Teresa’s Academy, a Catholic institution sponsored by the Sisters 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 world-wide level.

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 student 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@stteresasacademy.org or to dartpaper@gmail.com. DartNewsOnline and the Dart staff 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.

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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 high-quality 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.

News in brief STA CHOIR HOSTSFOR SPRING CONCERT Story by Gabby Staker | Page Designer

Directed by STA Director of Choirs Steve Perry, accompanied

by Robert Pherigo and led by choir council captains Rose Genaris and Libby Terril, the STA choir showcased select pieces Mar. 21.

As part of a send off to the District Large Group Contest Festival Mar. 25, the Concert Choir, STA Chorale and STA Singers put on the Spring Concert Mar. 21 from 7:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The songs were diverse in origin, from a traditional African-American spiritual to a 19th century Quaker hymn and a Serbian folk song. Concert Choir, composed of freshmen,Bowling sang "Shine on Father-Daughter Me," arranged by Rollo Dilworth, followed by the STA Chorale and STA Singers' performances of Gwyneth Walker's "How Can I Keep from Singing?" and Eric Whitacre's "Five Hebrew Love Songs".

The concert ended with a mass concert where all three choirs joined in together for two pieces: David Brunner's "O Music," and Ilija Rajkovič's "Makedonsko devojče."

The auditorium was crowded with

parents, teachers and classmates listening to the sonorous harmonies of the singers, accompanied at times by piano, accordion, violin, cello, djembe and tambourine.

Seniors Rose Genaris and Libby Terril are co-captains of the choir council this year, in charge of organizing Creative Grounds, planning each concert, creating a script and decorating the stage according to the season.

“These next few concerts are going to be a tad bit emotional because I’m coming to a close of my whole chorale career here at STA,” Genaris said, reflecting back on her time with the chorale. “It’s been a great four years, but they’ve flown and so the realization that they’re almost over is kind of hard… It’s changed me as a person.” H

1 TWO WINNERS CHOSEN FOR SERVICE AWARD

Story by Margaux Renee | Page Designer Photo by Cassie Hayes | Photo Editor

The annual Mother Evelyn O'Neill award ceremony was held March 7 in the Goppert Center. Senior Eilis Leptien and junior Gabrielle Pesek were chosen as 2017's co-winners.

The Mother Evelyn O’Neill ceremony is held annually to honor one STA student and one prominent community member with the prestigious award. Speaker Paige O’Connor explored the importance of granting everyone the dignity of food and education. She was chosen for the award based on her activism in education and work with young adults.

Junior Gabrielle Pesek and Eilis Leptien were selected as co-winners for their devotion to service.H

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STA president Nan Bone introduces award finalists at the Mother Evelyn O'Neill award ceremony March 7.

Finalists, from left, senior Eilis Leptien, junior Gabrielle Pesek, senior Lizy Hagan, junior Emma Boxx, freshman Faith Andrews-O'Neal and junior Claire Witt.

Sophomores Maggie Vasquez and Sasha Blair prepare before the taking National Spanish Exam. The test was administered March 23 and 24 during Spanish classes.

National Spanish Exam will no longer be administered to all students Story and photo by Hannah Jirousek | Page Designer

The competitive nature of the National Spanish Exam has prompted changes to the Language Department’s use of the test.

The beginning of second semester brings a fresh grade book, a new schedule and inevitably another round of the national language exams. This year, new changes are being instituted to the way the Language Department administers the Spanish national language exams.

Julia Gargallo, co-chair of the Language Department, believes it is important to distinguish the competitive nature of the National Spanish Exam.

“The national exams are not standardized tests, they are not tests like the SAT or ACT,” Gargallo said. “The national language exams are contests created by teacher associations.”

The competitive nature of the exams makes it difficult to accurately measure

students’ scores as a national exam would. Some schools have every student take their respective language exam as opposed to other schools testing only those students with the highest scores. “[The Language Department] decided that it was in the best interest of the students not to test everybody,” Gargallo said.

Due to the diverse range of test takers, the content of national language examdoesn’t always correspond to or even include material from the STA curriculum.

“Sometimes the St. Teresa’s curriculum that follows the textbook and the content of the contest is not the same,” Gargallo said. “The Spanish teachers feel that it is better for our page design by Margaux Renee

students to stay with our curriculum than to change our curriculum so we could just perform well in the contest.”

Though the exam is beneficial to students’ practice of the language and offers opportunities to win awards with high scores, the additional testing can strain students.

“I believe that we don’t gain anything from giving extra exams to the students,” Gargallo said. “I think it was totally unnecessary stress.”

Students who scored 50% or higher on the Spanish practice exam took the National Spanish Exam March 23 and 24 during their Spanish class.H

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LOCAL NEWS

RENOVATED BLOCH GALLARIES NOW OPEN AT NELSON-ATKINS MUSEUM Story and Photos by Anne Claire Tangen | Writer

The Bloch galleries at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art are now open to the public.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art unveiled its newly renovated Bloch galleries March 11 and 12. The Bloch galleries contain the majority of the Nelson’s Impressionist and PostImpressionist art. Promised to the museum in 2010 by the Bloch family, the 29 works of art include pieces by Van Gogh, Manet, Picasso, Matisse and other artists. After a $12 million gift donated by the Henry and Marion Bloch Family Foundation in 2015, the Bloch Collection was secured permanently in the museum’s current collection of European art.

The Nelson’s Media Relations and Video Production Manager Kathleen Leighton further explained the reason for the renovation as the museum’s desire to have “a wonderful place to show [Henry and Marion Bloch’s] gift of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art.”

“With the generous donation of 12 million dollars from the Bloch Family Foundation,” Leighton said, “we were able to renovate one-quarter of the plaza area of the museum and in that way integrate the Bloch collection with the museum’s existing collection in order to show the public this art in the most beautiful way possible.”

Designed by Kansas City-based BNIM Architects, the renovation adds more than 220 feet of wall space to the

1 existing Bloch building. The galleries will feature new technology that can recreate the settings in which the impressionists painted their works.

“The galleries have many technical elements that are cutting edge,” Leighton said.

New sound and lighting systems create noises and light the paintings to make it seem as though the visitor was standing outside as the impressionists

were painting their masterpieces. The Nelson is the second museum in the country to have a geo-positioning app, Detour, which tells a story about any painting in the gallery as you stand in front of it.

Other new features to the gallery include guided and podcast-style audio tours, a touchscreen interactive that allows visitors to zoom in on the ultra-high resolution images of the

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the NEWS FEED

by Katie Gregory | Scheduling Editor of Web

Each issue, the Dart highlights groundbreaking events in the world, US, Missouri and KC.

in the world A famine has struck the African nation of Somalia, resulting in a food and water shortage that threatens the lives of thousands of people.

the u.s.

Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois have developed the Oleo Sponge, a reusable sponge that soaks up oil and petroleum products from water. Though the invention is still in its’ testing stages, the sponge has the potential to be of big help in cleaning up the Earth’s oceans, as both the oil and the sponge itself are reusable.

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missouri

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3 masterpieces, iPad-based learning guides and many more new innovations.

The galleries are open during regular museum hours and admission is always free. Upcoming events specific to the Bloch galleries include Behind the SEEN: Making of the Bloch Galleries March 30, from 6-7 p.m., Art Tasting with Julian Zugazagoitia, CEO and Director of the museum, April 27 from 6-7 p.m. and more events listed on the Nelson-Atkins website. H

1. The front of the Nelson Atkins Museum sports signs for the Bloch Galleries. The Bloch Galleries were opened to the public March 11 and 12.

2. The Bloch Building Museum Entrance is located on the front side of the Bloch Building. This year, the Bloch Building is celebrating it’s 10th anniversary.

3. The flowers on the trees in front of the Bloch Building begin to bloom.

The Bloch Building houses the Bloch Galleries, which are on display after almost a year of being under renovation for almost a year.

page design by Gabby Mesa

U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs has deferred ruling on Missouri abortion regulations. The proposed rules would require Missouri doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, as well as require abortion clinics to meet hospital-like standards for outpatient surgery.

Planned Parenthood argues that this restricts the right to choose by forcing abortion clinics to shut down, while the State of Missouri argues that blocking the laws will endanger the lives of those who are having abortions performed.

kansas city A massive fire in Overland Park damaged 22 homes and injured 3 firefighters on March 20. The multialarm fire broke out and spread quickly, eventually leading to firefighters from four departments helping contain the flames. Three firefighters were injured on duty, but all were quickly transported to an area hospital and are considered to be in fair condition.

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STAR SPOTLIGHT

Francine vaughn STA sophomore Francine Vaughn discusses her life as a competitive gymnast.

Where do you practice? Do you like it there?

I practice at Eagles Gymnastics. I go Monday through Thursday for four hours and Saturday for four hours.

Then, I don’t have practice Friday or Sundays, but sometimes will go in extra Friday. So it just depends. I really like it there.

Story by Katie Mulhern | Writer Photo by Gabby Martinez Photographer

Favorite apparatus?

It kinda depends, it changes. It’s usually either floor or beam.

How did you get started in gymnastics?

I’ve done it forever. Probably since I was two.

Do you see yourself having a future career in gymnastics?

I don’t want to go to the Olympics or anything, but I want to do it in college. I haven’t really thought about any specific colleges I want to compete at. Just wherever.

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Is it hard to balance school work and gymnastics?

It’s hard when I miss a lot of school.

In February I think I missed about 11 days overall, which is about half the month. We have to travel because I compete Friday mornings, and we go to places like Colorado or Chicago, those are two places I went this year.

Coming up,I’m going to State, then after that I have regionals and I might make Westerns.

Who is your biggest role model in gymnastics?

I look up to older team mates and girls who graduated. Obviously the girls in the olympics, because that’s cool, but not a specific person. H

THE MONTHLY QUESTION

by Margaux Renee | Page Designer

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM JOB AND WHY? "My dream job is an endocrinologist because I think that it’s really interesting

“I want to be a bio-engineer and do cell and tissue engineering to make organs.

to be that type of doctor and it makes

It’s a field with a lot of opportunity for

good money."

growth and can make a lot of difference."

Anne Chapman, freshman

- Elsa Feigenbaum, senior

"My dream job is to be a graphic designer because I’m really passionate about graphic design and I love using

It’s what my mom does and I’d like to be

Illustrator and creating."

- Natalie Barber, sophomore

my own boss."

- Brooke Eldridge, sophomore

BITS & PIECES

I N S TA G R A M S OF THE ISSUE

by Claire Molloy Lifestyles Editor

This month's theme: Spring Break

"My dream job is to be an entrepreneur.

MY LIFE SUCKS / MY LIFE ROCKS

by Claire Molloy | Lifestyles Editor “I went to take the ACT a couple weeks ago. It was my first one, and I felt really confident and energized. I got through the reading and math section... Once I came back from my snack break, the teacher kicked me out because she said I filled in a bubble after time was called.

I think I am the first person to get kicked out of the ACT. Sixty dollars gone to waste."

- Junior Audrey Davis

THAT'S WHAT

SHE SAID

Each issue, the Dart shares entertaining student tweets.

“So my dad and older sister sent me a picture of this puppy they were looking at while I was at school, which they do sometimes while out running errands. And then my dad decided to get it. She’s a shih tzu poodle, and I got to just come home and play with her.”

- Junior Camille Goodwin

Sophomore Olivia Swinney (@olivia_swineey) “the more i watch series of unfortunate events, the closer i come to realizing that lemony snicket more

compiled by Zoe Butler Features Editor

def wrote my life story.”

Sophomore Lizzie Concannon (@lizzieconcannon) “My dog just got my computer charger

Sophomore Kari Flynn (@kari_flynn) “‘You know you’re going to run fast [this weekend] when you get two speeding tickets’ -@miaschloeggs #staxc”

stuck in his flab and unplugged it and dragged it along as he tried to walk away” Sophomore Kari Flynn (@kari_flynn) “Does anyone else play solitaire in geometry class cause like that me right now”

@izzy_fitz: Day 1 with the awesome @cydchib Location: Paris, France

Sophomore Reilly Donnelly (@reillyadonn) “Are you taking any trips this summer?

Why yes I’ll be taking a trip down the stairs every day to go to the fridge” page design by Mackenzie O'Guin

@Liv_davidson_54: Didya know sand is just tiny tiny rocks?

Location: Mead’s Bay

@reilly.jae: fun fact: in order to use the train in chicago, its best to first figure out where you are supposed to get off.

Location: Chicago, Illinois

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REVIEWS

Urban Cafe urbanizes Troost Avenue Story and photos by Alex Davis | Multimedia Editor

The recent opening of Urban Cafe is impressionable: locally grown and fresh menu items at an affordable cost, located on one of the city’s greatest divides. But, is the hype worth it?

HHHHH When I first passed Urban Cafe on my way home from school, I was a little more than surprised to say the least. At first glance, its unassuming front is nothing out of the ordinary and quite cute. However, it’s not often that I see new locations open up on such an infamous street: Troost Avenue. Often seen as a barren divide within Kansas City, Troost Avenue has accumulated a less than favorable reputation throughout the years.

Skittish parents tell their children to stay away from the surrounding area, whereas people such as myself traverse down its path every single day without much trouble. So, when I finally noticed Urban Cafe, I couldn’t be more shocked -- and intrigued.

I set my sights on the little restaurant soon after with a goal in mind: to pay a visit and see what it had to offer. And, I’ll admit, I set my expectations pretty high. What made this place so special? And furthermore, would it mark the turning of a new leaf for Troost Avenue for the better? There was really only one way to find out, but before I went I decided to do a little research on the spot.

Urban Cafe opened its doors at the beginning of this year thanks to Justin and Rashaun Clark. The intention behind Urban Cafe is to serve the surrounding community fresh, healthy, locally grown seasonal

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Urban Cafe recently opened on 41st and Troost serving breakfast and lunch only. The restaurant serves menu items made with locally sourced and organic ingredients. Located in the Historic Manhiem Park district. Photo courtesy of Jenny Vergara of Feast Magazine

menu items -- a first of its kind on Troost.

A quick glance at their menu online confirms this: a variety of sandwiches and sandwich wraps, salads, parfaits and breakfast foods accompanied with numerous blended coffee drinks, smoothies and teas. The restaurant even offers vegan and vegetarian options, which is a nice and refreshing touch.

And the best part? Everything is affordable, with their most expensive item coming at a whopping $7.50 (both the Chicken Philly Sandwich and the Porkbelly Sandwich). Even their coffee prices compete with cheaper costs than iconic Starbucks drinks.

After reading other reviews and articles, it was time I finally saw the place for myself. I soon found myself getting out of bed a littler earlier than I usually do, 6:40 a.m. Urban Cafe advertises specialty early bird breakfast in the morning, and I figured why not grab a coffee to go as well?

My initial reaction to Urban Cafe was pretty spot on: its simplistic yet rustic March 31, 2017

interior is warm and inviting. Hanging lights and potted plants also added to the organic atmosphere as well. The space itself was more open than I imagined it to be, which was a plus. Taking up one side of a wall is a massive chalk board listing all of their menu items in neat, cursive and colorful writing. I placed an order for a Bacon Egg Cheese Sandwich, $4.19, and a Mocha drink, $3.25, and waited patiently at a table. When my food arrived, I was more than excited to eat.

My sandwich tasted amazing, my coffee smelled amazing, the atmosphere was amazing, what more could I ask for?

All in all, Urban Cafe without a doubt exceeded all of my expectations. The up and coming restaurant is not only promising but has a bright future in store, shining a progressive light in an area that needs much love and attention. The Urban Cafe is a step in the right direction for giving Troost a welcoming spotlight, all the while providing delicious food and drinks for everyone. H

Santa Clarita Diet May be Hard to Digest Story by Annabelle Meloy | Writer

Netflix's newest show brings a grossly comedic twist to Netflix, but it may not be for everyone.

HHH One of the most recent shows on Netflix, Santa Clarita Diet, has caught the attention of many, not only with its grotesque ads but a unique horrorcomedy premise.

When I first heard about the show, I thought it was maybe a quirky comedy about vampires in California while others thought it was maybe a healthy dieting show, but the actual basis of the show is even more bizarre.

Sheila and her husband, Joel, played

by Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, suddenly have their world turned around as Sheila catches a virus that makes her crave human flesh for food, turning her into a zombie with a human appearance. Her illness makes it impossible for normal food to taste the same anymore, and she and her husband have no idea how she could

have caught it.

She becomes diagnosed by her teenage neighbor Eric who happens to be into sci-fi. Their neighborhood is placed in a white suburban area of California, clearly using the stereotype of the “perfect family” with a dark background.

Sheila and Joel hide their own secret as they become killers, believing it’s their only way to stop Sheila’s hunger.

In almost every episode, she and her husband take the life of a dangerous human being who has committed unforgivable crimes. Their indifference toward every crime is almost as comical as they bicker over how to deal with their actions like a normal couple arguing over what song they want on the radio.

Their family is given hope for a cure after Joel finds an old picture in a store depicting the same process Sheila had gone through, but the ingredients for the cure are extremely hard to find.

Their 16-year-old daughter, Abby, is not even phased by what they have done, making the show that much creepier.

The writers of the show were definitely going for a comedic mood, but it’s

Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant star in Santa Clarita Diet as a married couple searching to quench a strange flesh eating diet. The show premiered on Feb. 3 and captivated fans with its extreme premise.

hard to laugh when their family makes split-second decisions about who they should kill and when there are scenes of someone digging into fake yet authentic looking flesh that makes your skin crawl.

This show will guarantee to make your stomach queasy and give you some of the creeps along with it. You’ll find a few laughs every so often, but it’s definitely not worth it to sit through images of decaying bodies on screen.

The main thing I would warn people about is it would be a big mistake to be eating while watching this show. H

genessee Royale Serves up success Story by Katie Donnellan Sports Editor

Genessee Royale combines granola and Old Western.

HHHHH The restaurant screamed farm to table without being overly crunchy and earthy.

The inside was filled with mismatched furniture, mirrors and vases acting as glasses of water. Waitresses donned simple yet hip attire.

The repurposed space was converted from gas station to hip, bright red foodie stop about 6 years ago. Located in the Stockyards District of the West Bottoms, Genessee Royale used to be the main attraction of Genessee Street but now compliments five other restaurants. The restaurant hosts a steady flow, often requiring a wait list, from open until close.

I sat outside in front of the restaurant covered by an awning. I ordered the Stockyards Plate - your classic egg, meat, potatoes and toast breakfast with some pretty fruit. Eggs over easy were cooked just right and complimented the thick wheaty toast with butter and jelly. The potatoes were mini whole potatoes with some salt and pepper.

The plate appeared designed to fit with the furnishings, fancy but mismatched.

The various fresh fruits placed throughout the plate were placed randomly like the plush armchairs throughout the restaurant.

The portions do not appear large but are very filling. The hearty toast and thick cut bacon make up in density what they do not have in quantity.

While I ate I enjoyed the contrast of the fresh air and concrete outside and the plush inside available to me through the page design by Hannah Jirousek

open garage doors. The chatter of the sophisticated people dining transported the former farm town to Europe.

I was transported back to the Midwest with my check, which arrived on a cardboard backing with a cow and pastures. The restaurant balanced farm and foodie with the plush furnishing, hip dress and sophisticated customers and the freshness of the food with mini farm town details.

Following brunch, I was able to walk less than a half mile to antique in the West Bottoms. Located just south of 670 and slightly west of downtown, Genessee Royale offers easy access to those all around the city.

Overall, Genessee Royale is one of my favorite stops for brunch. The freshness, friendliness and convenience make it hard to compete with. H

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FEATURES

HERE'S TO THE DREAMERS, The Teachers, The Readers Story by Gabby Staker | Writer Photos by Meghan Baker | Photographer

High school students' emphasis on reading is decreasing. What do teachers think about having textbooks online? Do they notice their students reading less than they did before?

A worn copy of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix rests idly beside her bed, fat with dog-eared corners and a cracked spine that reveals years of gentle love. A stack of paperbacks waiting to be read sits on her desk, but they’ll have been explored by the end of the month.

At 3:20 p.m., STA sophomore Ellery Stubbers sets her backpack down in the corner of her mudroom and opens up a book from the top of the stack. She reads for about half an hour and then begins her homework around 4 p.m.

After everything’s been read and printed and scrawled over for school, she’ll pick her book back up again and read while TV shows banter in the background for another two hours or until the night is over.

Stubbers averages about two or three books a week. In the dominated world of high school, she’s among a small population who read for pleasure. But she’s not alone.

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STA librarian of 18 years Jackie Hershewe is moderator of the STA Book Club and has been passionate about books since visiting the library as a little girl. A member of the oligarchy that runs Hershewe’s club, junior Charlotte Sturr makes time for reading whenever she can, carrying on a family tradition. English teacher Kelly Fast grew up going to the library near his parents’ office every day after school and has allowed that passion to continue shaping his life and hobbies, especially with exploring the classics. The seekers, the contemplators, the dreamers and the teachers are the readers.

“I started reading when I was a kid and I just really got into it,” Sturr said. “My family also loves reading, so it’s just kind of something that started up young.”

She and her sister share overflowing bookcases. Her parents recently bought two new bookcases to make a nook upstairs. Practically everyone in her family has their library card numbers memorized. And she knows her own books so well that if she’s wanting Jane Austen or Agatha Christie, she knows exactly where to look in the stacks under beds and containers in the basement.

One of the main reasons Sturr reads is because it allows her to jump into another world.

“When I read, I can’t hear anything around me,” Sturr said. “Sometimes when I’m in a loud classroom, I just start reading and someone will talk to me and I won’t hear it. I just lose track of time.”

Sturr makes time for one or two books a month, depending on how busy her schedule is, and prefers reading over March 31, 2017

Librarian Jackie Hershewe, left, and junior Charlotte Sturr discuss books in the library.

watching television.

“Reading has inspired me to think differently,” Sturr said. “Some books have to do with political situations - science fiction and all that - and you kind of look at things in different ways throughout life.

A lot of reading shapes who I am. When you’ve been reading for a while, it’s kind of who you are.”

Both Sturr and Stubbers echo similar sentiments about using the public library: they typically loan out books they haven’t read before and only buy their favorites from a bookseller. Stubbers even uses an online library overdrive that operates much like a physical public library to check out books on her Kindle.

“If I know a book that I really, really am going to like, and I really want, then I’ll buy it,” Stubbers said. “But if it’s a book that I’m not sure I’ll be completely able to finish, then I have an online library and I’ll get it on there.”

English teacher Kelly Fast also fostered his love of reading at the library, where he would spend at least an hour every day after school while his parents worked.

He often reads classics by authors like James Joyce and Faulkner, but he pauses when he has to name his favorite. When he was in high school, it was Joseph Heller’s Catch 22. Now he regularly reads Dante’s Divine Comedy, “a different kind of favorite.”

“I think that reading makes you more empathetic,” Fast said. “Even in fiction, you can come to understand characters and situations and it makes you, in life, more empathetic to other people and

their situations. I think in school, the more you read outside of class, the easier the books we read in class are, the better your vocabulary, the better writer you are.”

Hershewe shares Fast’s views on the intellectual benefits of reading.

“Reading for pleasure does have some benefits as far as improving your vocabulary and your understanding of other people and world issues,” Hershewe said. “There’s unseen benefits from not just the pleasure of reading and the story, but you broaden your horizons.”

Fast hopes that his students can fall in love with reading.

“I wish all students read more,” Fast said. “I think it’s good for them. It’s always sad to hear when students say they don’t read anything but books for school, or that they don’t even really read those.”

For students who would like to be more engaged in reading for pleasure, Hershewe believes that it’s a matter of creating a time frame, establishing a habit and finding an engaging book.

“Reading a book that you don’t like will never help you decide that you want to read, but if you can find a book [where] the storyline really speaks to you and is something that you like, then you’ll make time,” Hershewe said. “Whether it’s just asking for suggestions from your friends and finding something that is compatible with what you like, I think that’s a good way to start the habit.”H

readers' rhythm: An inside look on STA readers' habits Alternative Coverage by Katie Gregory Scheduling Editor of Web Sophomore Ellery Stubbers • • • •

•

Spends about two hours a night reading, sometimes finishes two or three books a week Reads a lot of things at the same time Enjoys sci-fi fantasy Says “As far as classes, I don’t like the books. I usually just don’t like the books that we’ll read for those, but for the books that I read for myself.”

Often loans books from her Kindle's online library for three weeks. It functions like a physical library, where there’s only a certain number of people who can check out a book at a time. It’s an overdrive accessed through using a library card.

STA librarian Jackie Hershewe • • • •

English teacher Kelly Fast •

• •

Favorite book "changes"; when he was in high school, it was Joseph Heller’s Catch 22. Now he regularly reads Dante’s Divine Comedy Mostly finds himself reading classics.

His parents' office was by a library; he "would walk down to the library and spend an hour or hour and a half there.”

Sophomore Charlotte Sturr • • •

Librarian for 35 years, 18 spent at • STA (since 1999) Moderator of the STA Book Club Favorite genres are historical fiction, time travel, mystery Usually reads at least 30 minutes a day

Reads one or two books per month on average Reading Free to Fall by Lauren Miller right now for Gateway Readers One of the four presidents of Book Club. “It’s an oligarchy” with Amelia Schulte, Megan Warnecke, and Helena James Favorite genre: mystery.H

A History of our written history The history of books and written stories began in Mesopotamia in the 3rd millennium.

During this time period, books were short stories written down on clay tablets.

In Ancient Egypt, papyrus instead of clay gained popularity. To use papyrus required a long series of steps, but this routine was honed from perhaps as early as the First Dynasty.

Illustration by Ellie Grever Visual Illustrator Page Design by Ellie Grever

13

FEATURES

Sophomore Erris Pierson passes out cards during a parade for National All-American Miss. Pierson participates in many pageants such as National All-American Miss. photo courtesy of Erris Pierson

Tartan and tiaras: An inside look into the world of pageantry Story by Isabel Shorter | Writer Photos by Paige Powell Photo Editor

Freshman Liv Richardson and sophomore Erris Pierson train with persistence to be a part of the pageant culture.

She stood still on the stage, in shock and unknowing of whether she should cry or scream. She cried. Sophomore Erris Pierson had won All American, a leading title in her very first National Pageant and only her second all around pageant.

“So many people were looking at me and I was thinking, ‘How do I react to this? Do I cry even though my cry-face is ugly, or do I scream, jump up and down and look crazy?’” Pierson

14

said.

After seemingly embarrassing herself with unexpected tears, Pierson had to immediately answer questions in an interview that she was not prepared for.

She wasn’t expecting to win, but she won anyway.

As freshman Olivia Richardson said, who also participates in pageants, “It’s kind of like a gamble.”

This gamble, is a competition where girls walk on stage in extravagant dresses in hopes of winning money and a title. But those aren’t the only perks of the pageant culture. It can also help the competitors grow.

“You meet so many people and you learn so many things about yourself, who you are and about other people and how they act, that you just feel more confident.," Richardson said.

March 31, 2017

Though the pageants that the two students participate in are life changing experiences, they do come with a price.

Richardson explained that yes, pageants can cost over one thousand dollars, but “hopefully if you win, you’ll get that money back and it’ll be fine.”

In Pierson’s case, she did win that money back at the National All-American Miss Pageant. It was a gamble, but she was willing to make the first move.

Going into pageant culture, Pierson and Richardson were aware that it would take a lot of money, work and persistence, but those were obstacles they were both excited to face.

“It’s the price you have to pay,” Richardson said.

For both girls, money wasn’t the biggest issue when it came to pageantry, because they hoped to win that money back at some point. In Richardson’s case, the amount of work put into the job was more of an obstacle.

“It’s a hobby for some, but I think of it more as a job,” Richardson said. “I train hard. I have to at least practice every 20 hours for an upcoming pageant.”

In Pierson’s case, pageantry is less of a job and more of a hobby.

“I sometimes don’t have to train for it, I just go and have fun,” Pierson said.

Pageants, being competitions that these teenage girls have to train accordingly for, also come with perks.

In Pierson’s case, she believes the biggest perk is the kids.

“I really wanted to do something for kids with cancer, so when I won my title I started my own initiative called Jonah and the Whale Initiative,” Pierson said. “I raised so much money and did so many things to help kids with cancer.”

Purely through winning a title at a pageant, Pierson received the opportunity to start this initiative which raised money for kids with Neuroblastoma Cancer within the nerves.

“There’s only 30 percent chance of a good outcome, so usually it kills kids before they reach the age of five,” Pierson said. “And it was my goal to raise money for this one boy named Jonah, who is battling cancer right now.”

The biggest perk for Richardson is being given opportunities through winning a pageant title.

“You volunteer, you make all these relationships, and I think that’s the best part,” Richardson said. “The title gives so many opportunities that I would never

have gotten to Nationals and California without. I’ve met lawmakers, I’ve gone so many places and I’ve volunteered so many places.”

According to Richardson, though both young pageant competitors were involved in order to gain opportunities to serve and meet others, “some people are just there for the money.”

“I wouldn’t say that everybody is great, I wouldn’t say that everybody is nice, but I would say there are some amazing people there who want to help their community and make a change," Richardson said.

Pierson, being one of the contestants who made a difference with her initiative, also participated in pageants to benefit herself, not just others.

“It helps you gain more confidence,” Pierson said.

She believes that if anyone wants to better themselves and build confidence, pageantry could be a great approach.

Richardson agrees that pageantry can help build confidence, however it’s not for everyone.

“I want the title to make a better community but some people don’t understand the work that goes into it, Richardson said. “If you’re not willing to work, then it’s not for you.”

Pierson and Richardson are two young women that are willing to work for the title and the opportunities that the pageant system provides for them, and they believe it’s important to keep in mind how one can use pageantry to the best of their abilities.

“If you want to do pageants, do it, don’t stray away from it,” Pierson said. H

Sophomore Erris Pierson speaks at the National American Miss pageant. National American Miss is one of many pageants that Pierson participates in. photo courtesy of Erris Pierson Freshman Liv Richardson poses with her Young American Pre-teen Miss Midwest sash.

Richardson participates in numerous pageants year-round. photo courtesy of Liv Richardson

The Price tag of pageantry

Pageantry is an expensive undertaking, with many elements. The Dart compiled approximates for the cost of the pageant essentials. Data courtesy of International Business Times. Alternative coverage by Julia Kerrigan | Writer

2.5 million girls compete in more than 100,000 beauty pageants each year $300 $500 $100 72% $250 $75 $200

Entry fee can range from

to

of contestants hire a pageant coach at a cost of

or more an hour

an hour,

The cost of hair and makeup is about

a spray tan is

and a wig or extensions is

page design by Maureen Burns

15

CENTERSPREAD

FUNDING FUNDAMENTALS Discrepancies in school funding cause massive differences between public, private and charter schools, but what changes need to occur to bring about more monetary equality?

Story by Madi Winfield | Managing Editor of Web Photo illustration by Linden O'Brien-Williams | Editor-in-Chief

P

rivate schools: a specialized haven for the best and brightest, or an expensive, holier-than-thou bubble of likemindedness?

Public schools: a low-cost, highreward option for those who cannot afford anything else, or an underfunded, overreaching puzzle of risks and regulations?

Charter schools: the perfect solution for those championing school choice, or an unnecessary blight that takes resources away from the places and programs that need it?

On a basic level, much of the differences between public, charter and private schools come down to funding - not only how much money is received, but where it comes from, where it goes and how it shapes the education of its students.

GETTING MONEY: PRIVATE SCHOOLS Private school funding comes from two primary sources: tuition

16

and fundraising. These opportunities for donation range from bake sales and car washes to galas and golf tournaments.

For example, the Academy 150 Auction & Gala, held by St. Teresa’s Academy this November to help fundraise for financial aid and endowment, raised over $1 million.

But, funds from donations pale compared to tuition. Tuition makes up 80 to 90 percent of a private school’s revenue, according to Kansas City Christian School head of school Bill Glotzbach and STA finance director Kathy Rohr. Average cost of attendance for the top private schools in the Kansas City area, as determined by user rankings on Niche, is $13,504 per student. At STA, for example, the school charges over $8.2 million a year for tuition alone.

However, the amount that private schools actually make from attendance costs is significantly lessened by the presence of scholarships and financial March 31, 2017

aid. This money is paid out by the schools to help high-achieving or lowincome students attend their institution.

Fundraising and financial aid are not mutually exclusive, though. In fact, a large fund called an endowment, “which is like a big savings account” according to Rohr, regularly receives contributions from alumnae and other donors. This fund usually begins with a large contribution from a singular donor or group of donors, but is added to incrementally, often through fundraisers. The interest made by the account is removed annually and used, at least at STA, to assist in financial aid and scholarships.

“It helps to bridge the gap between the actual cost of educating a student and the cost of tuition,” Rohr said. “You want to try to help make it more affordable.”

This gap is vital to bridge for all public schools. Glotzbach believes the biggest challenge in funding is enrollment: keeping a steady stream of students

BY THE NUMBERS The Dart compiled statistics about high schools in the Kansas City area.

Alternative coverage by Anna Louise Sih | Writer

25

PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOLS

14,858 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOLS flowing into the school while minimizing the number of students, and thus the tuition money, lost to dropout or transfer.

“Our end goal is that we bring in enough revenue to cover the expenses to run the operations of the school plus advance education in strategic ways,” Glotzbach said. “If you take the total revenue and subtract all those expenses, then you would end up with either zero at the bottom or some positive number.”

GETTING MONEY: PUBLIC SCHOOLS Each year, public schools receive a budget, or a set amount of money determined by their state’s funding formula. The main components of this determination in Missouri are the school’s daily attendance, the cost of living in a particular district, the district’s funding through local taxes, and the average spending of district schools that meet adequacy standards. Kansas’ formula, however, takes somewhat

simpler measures into account, factoring in only the “base state aid per pupil,” or BSAPP, enrollment adjustments from year to year, and local education funding.

A state provides many stipulations within its bureaucracy to prevent the overfunding of schools, one of which involves this funding formula. The implementation of this formula is up to state legislature.

“The problem with the formula is the state still does not fully fund the formula,” deputy superintendent of Hogan Preparatory Academy Dr. Jason Beavers said. “The [state] executive branch will come in when they try and balance the budget... and they’ll cut the formula. So they’ll come out and they’ll say, ‘We’re going to cut the formula funding by 10 percent.’ So you may put in the numbers and it comes back and says [that] you get a million dollars, but the state’s already told you, ‘We’re going to give you 10 percent less of whatever the formula page design by Mackenzie O'Guin

73

PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS

42,978 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS

17

CENTERSPREAD says,’ so now you’re down to $900,000.

That’s a really simple example, but that’s the current state of school funding for public schools.”

Another funding limitation stems from a seemingly helpful program: state lotteries. Lottery revenue, once estimated, is equivalently removed from previously allocated education funds, ultimately creating a zero-sum game for education.

“I’ve been an educator my entire life, and my own mother, who I love to death - I still remember five, six, seven years ago, she was [saying], ‘Can you believe schools aren’t doing everything? They get all that money from the lottery,’” Beavers said. “And I’m thinking, ‘This is my own mother! And she doesn’t even know!’”

“The money that’s left over, I have to work with to support all of our other programs in the school,” Meisenheimer said. “We spend approximately $30,000 on professional development for teachers. Graduation - we spend about $15,000 for graduation ceremonies.

And then I also cover things like debate, DECA [and] FBLA whenever they go to competitions.”

USING MONEY: PRIVATE SCHOOLS Private schools often have tougher hoops to jump through when distributing their funds. At Kansas City Christian, a parent-owned private school, the budget is formulated with an subcommittee within the elected board of directors, then sent to parents for review. This USING MONEY: PUBLIC SCHOOLS group is legally called The Association Once the funding process is complete, and currently consists of 11 parents both public and private schools rely on who, according to KCC, “provide direct an operating budget to determine where oversight for the Head of School, who is money is spent. then tasked with managing [the school’s] After being calculated by the funding academic and student life systems.” formula, the money for all public district “Our Association of parents can see the schools is given to a central office, who budget and ask questions to see how this then distributes it amongst the schools. can implicate them as individuals when For Lee’s Summit North High School it comes times for them to pay tuition for principal Jeff Meisenheimer, this money the next school year,” Glotzbach said. is given as a yearly building budget, of Once a budget is approved by the which he then has full control. necessary groups, it comes time for “Whatever’s left at the end of the year is implementation. siphoned back to the district, and then we “The operating expenses come from... start over again [July 1],” Meisenheimer our strategic plan, which is ‘How do we said. want to improve our school this coming This money is them disbursed by yet year?’ and ‘How do we maintain what another formula, this one created by the we’re already doing?’” Glotzbach said. individual school and its lead teachers, This plan is discussed with or department heads. At Lee’s Summit administration about department heads, North, for example, each department similar to the public school strategy. receives an annually-recalibrated “The budget involves [STA president] percentage of the building budget.

Nan Bone, [principal of academic affairs] According to Meisenheimer, not all their Barb McCormick and [principal of funding is given out equally, particularly student affairs] Liz Baker, to the extent due to each department’s resources. that [McCormick] determines how many “For instance, science and art have teachers we might need,” Rohr said. “We two of the biggest budgets in the get input from every department, actually. school because they have the most [Facilities manager Lloyd] Van Houtan consumables throughout the year,” would know how much we need to spend Meisenheimer said. “So they need a lot of in repairs and maintenance. [Athletic money, while my math department does director Mark] Hough - we get numbers not have a big budget because they don’t from him for athletics. And our biggest need as much.” expense by far is salaries, paying all the Total funding for each subject does teachers and staff. So the administration not reach 100 percent of the building reviews staff needs.” budget, though, as money is set aside for recurring expenses THE INEQUALITY OF PUBLIC FUNDING throughout the year.

But, the big question is, if each school

18

March 31, 2017

gets what’s due to them, why do some schools consistently outperform others?

Is the funding model inherently unequal, or are the schools?

Beavers believes this inequality is brought about by poor policy, currently being exacerbated and popularized

by Betsy DeVos, the new Secretary of Education under President Trump. DeVos is a proponent of school choice who believes students should not be “trapped in failing schools” and plans on offering partial tuition vouchers to help pay for private, charter or home schooling.

“I will go with fact,” Beavers said.

“This is [as an] unemotional deputy superintendent. I will go with fact. And the fact is, I’ve never seen [anyone] with less practical school experience confirmed to be the Secretary of Education in my life. I’ve never seen any proposal that she has made on substance that empirically and significantly had improved student achievement. Not at all.”

Beavers, along with many teachers from public and private education, believe DeVos to be unfit for her Cabinet position.

“I’ve heard so many people, friends on Facebook saying she shouldn’t be in there, she doesn’t know about certain things,” STA math teacher Mary Fisher said. “Not necessarily education, but she doesn’t know how to state a sentence in proper English. Does this make a good Secretary of Education?”

DeVos, who was confirmed as Secretary of Education Feb. 7 with a tie-breaking vote from Vice President Mike Pence, is certainly not alone in her support of the voucher system. Annie Hart, a senior who attended Holiday Montessori for her first nine and a half years of education, believes very strongly in the right for students and parents to have greater choice when it comes to learning institutions.

“I like to take Southwest High School as an example,” Hart wrote. “Back in the day, Southwest was a highly ranked, college prep, amazingly facilitated school. Now, not so much. So what happens to all of the children in the Southwest area who were supposed to attend Southwest, but no longer can because it [was] not a suitable education?”

Beavers, who works for a public charter school, sees a vast number of problems “which nobody’s talking about,” ranging from the voucher amount offered by the

Public School Spending 2010 to 2011 in the United States

The Dart explores what public schools in the United States spent their government funding on.

state to the logistics of transportation.

He foresees these proposed changes leading to higher resource limitations for both public and private schools.

“At the end of the day, there are only so many desks at Pembroke or whatever school you want to pick,” Beavers said.

“So if everyone at the failing school decides... ‘We’re all going to one of these really high-performing school districts,’ at some point there’s going to have to be some measure, which nobody’s talking about, when you start telling people no.”

In Beavers’ hypothetical illustrative example, the state of Missouri would fund all but $10,000 of the tuition to a private school with a partial voucher.

Even a dual-income household working two minimum-wage jobs, he states, would not be able to afford this remaining $10,000, which then “becomes a brand-new dual-education system.”

Alternative coverage by Anne Claire Tangen | Writer

“I can tell you the people who can come up with $10,000 to send their kid to a private school is people like me, people who make a decent wage,” Beavers said.

“So yeah, give me that voucher, I’ll pull my kid out of the public school, I’ll take that voucher, I’ll write my $10,000 check, I’ll put them into the private school - now guess what? Because my kid’s not in the public school anymore, now my kid is not in the formula anymore. That public school, which was already in trouble, is now receiving even less money. And we are in fact subsidizing private schools with that $7,000 voucher that a poor person could never take advantage of.”

Hart, however, sees school vouchers as a necessary refund of sorts to taxpaying parents, rather than a subsidy or private or religious institutions.

“How frustrating is it for parents paying for private schools?” Hart wrote. “They page design by Mackenzie O'Guin

have already been paying for public schools in taxes for their entire lives, and now, when their child is ready to start school, the public school system is not good enough. So they have to pay an insane amount in tuition for a school they never intended to send their child to in the first place? This is paying for education twice.”

Even so, Fisher and Hart, both proponents of the voucher system, admit that is not ideal and should only be a “temporary fix,” according to Hart.

“It would only be in place until we could get all of our school systems up to standard,” Hart wrote.

“I’d like people to have a chance to send their kids to a better school, even if they don’t have the money,” Fisher agreed. “You’re blessed to be able to come here... But I just don’t know if the voucher is the right way.” H

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MAIN ED

devos' educational plan needs work, but could save troubled educational system

The national school system is undergoing reconstruction, but there’s a chance the new Secretary of Education’s voucher system can salvage it.

A

s our new secretary of education Betsy DeVos settles into her office, her upcoming plan for the educational system is to put in place a system for partial tuition vouchers, where public funds are made available to help pay for students to go to a private school.

But, if every family in the U.S. uses a voucher plan, would it not only drain where the money comes from, but also the public schools? Is this only a applying a bandage to the problem at hand?

In May of 2016, according to the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, Missouri had not provided any financial assistance to parents wanting to send their children to private school instead of public schools. There are currently 14 states who have a certain type of voucher

system in place, but it would be DeVos’ goals to bring a uniform voucher system in the place of the system that the U.S. currently has.

What is undeniable about the current state of our educational system is that change is essential, and change must happen soon.

Students are not currently prepared for collegiate education, and are often denied even an adequate secondary education. The question, however, is whether Devos’ change is the change that we need.

If this system does come to pass, private schools will be flooded with students originally from public schools. While this could help students prepare for college classes and could be a potentially more academically rigorous system than their public school education, the private schools

will get over flooded with students and limit the resources already present.

Once the students do leave their previous school for a private school, the funding given to their public school ultimately goes down, constricting the budget already given to the public school even more.

While this may create a goal for some of the public schools to improve their current reputation, they should be given this encouragement in a different way. With the threat of losing all their students for a deal, it replaces an unfair advantage to private schools that they might not need in the end.

Education is a part of our foundation, it makes us who we are.

The solution DeVos has given is a step in the right direction but not the leap in education that we need. H

0 editors voted in agreement with the main ed.

5 editors voted in disagreement with the main ed.

4 editors were absent.

20 March 31, 2017

PERSPECTIVES

WE HAVE CHEMISTRY: A LOVE LETTER TO MY CHEM CLASS Story by Claire Molloy | Lifestyles Editor

I never thought I was going to like this class as much as I do. It has been an incredible opportunity to mix things up and meet new people.

Dear Rietbrock section 4 honors chemistry class, I am just going to come right out and say it. I love you guys. I honestly do. I’ll admit that at first, I was kind of nervous to be in a class of sophomores because I didn’t know too many of you. But it has honestly been one of the best experiences I have had at STA yet. I can always count on you to make me laugh, and I am so happy that I have all of you in my life.

Like I said before, at the beginning of the year, I was unsure about how I would do in a class comprised mostly of sophomores.

I thought it would be weird to be in a class with a different grade, especially a younger one. I thought I would never be able to really talk to you guys about anything other

than school stuff because I wouldn’t really know who you were talking about (this part really worried me, because I have always been a big talker). But, boy, was I wrong.

You guys were all so nice, funny and welcoming. I have always felt comfortable telling you guys things and joking around with you. And, I truly love all of the strange yet funny stories you guys tell. There is usually something about Liv Davison’s family and a story about how Julia Kerrigan was a really smart kid. Those, along with Julia bringing up my seventh grade Instagram account (it’s still out there, by the way) and her love of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, make up a good chunk of conversation in that class.

I love my class, but the room is another story. The thing about Rietbrock’s room is that it’s always way too hot. I’d like to thank the other girls in my class for never judging my when I whip out my fold up giraffe fan I got from the zoo. But the best part isn’t that they are accepting, but they embrace it. Liv has asked to use it on many occasions.

I realize that I have made it seem like this class is a social hour, but it’s

not, I promise. We talk about chemistry all the time, but we also don’t like to restrict ourselves to just this one area of science. We always talk about the newest discoveries of planets, continents (the one under New Zealand) and colors (the blackest black ever). But the best part of this is that Mrs. Rietbrock allows us to do so - to a point of course - and she never gets mad when we get a little off topic.

And as much as I do love the people who make up my class, we would be nowhere if it weren’t for Mrs. Rietbrock being so open to discussion and excited to learn things herself.

If you aren’t in my class, you probably don’t care about this letter, and if you are, you already know this stuff. But, I do want to make one suggestion to anyone who reads this. If you want to do something, anything, but are nervous about it, give it a go. You never know what might come of it. For example, I met some of my favorite people in the school by taking a class I wouldn’t have if I listened to my doubt.

Love, Claire H

OTHER COLUMNS ONLINE THIS MONTH down with double standards

by Hannah Jirousek | Page Designer

now is not the time I love my imperfections to blame the media

by Gwyn Doran | Opinion Editor

page design by Julia Kerrigan

By Helen Wheatley | Editor-in-Chief

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PERSPECTIVES

WE CAN'T AFFORD TO TUNE OUT POLITICS Story by Julia Kerrigan Page Designer

Recently, it has become harder to catch a break from all the political discussion.

This isn't a bad thing.

People across the country gather in living rooms surrounded by friends, tortilla chips and cushy sofas. Their eyes are glued to the Super Bowl, to the Oscars, to whatever entertainment is on tonight. They groan collectively as it looks like a speech or commercial is about to “get political.” Within the same country, a Puerto Rican family’s car is being vandalized with the words “Go home,” and “Make America White Again” has been scrawled across a baseball dugout.

Don’t we deserve a break from thinking about all this political turmoil?

The answer is no, not until we can find a way to make the situation better.

For the victims of these hate crimes, there is no break from thinking about the injustice and oppression they are facing in America.

I have to admit that I didn’t watch the Super Bowl, but DVR'd it and fast forwarded through the game so I could watch the ads, like a truly resourceful American. This year offered the same generally meaningless 30 second snippets as past years, but some had political tones that were hard to miss.

Overall, they were well produced, moving and had good messages about unity. Not everyone agreed. Fox News host Todd Starnes felt as if the ads meant to “crack American patriots over the head with a political 2x4.” Those who felt entitled to their football

22

game had now been force fed a political message, and they were not happy about it.

Within the first month after the election, there were 1,094 bias related incidents according to Southern Poverty Law Center.

These have ranged from anti-Semitic graffiti to Islamaphobic verbal attacks. Lots of minorities feel unsafe to live freely in America, a result of people going against the values that began our country.

Political discourses have always been a central part of our media, but recently they seem particularly inescapable. I’ve realized that I shouldn’t be trying to avoid them because they make me sad or angry, but instead become informed on them in order to help make a change.

Yes, keeping up with every executive order and hate crime in the community can become exhausting, depressing even. But for the people falling victim to acts such as the man who came to Manhattan with the intention of killing black men, these aren’t just headlines you scroll by while on Twitter: it’s reality. Slipping into ignorance about the current state of the country and the world is a privilege, but a dangerous one that shouldn’t be encouraged. It undermines the privilege of access to uncensored media.

Not all the news is grim, though.

Recently, it seems more people than ever have been inspired to become politically active. This is best shown by the women’s marches across America, which brought out an estimated four million supporters.

Some of these people have been politically inactive for most of their lives and feel compelled to act by the alarming treatment of the oppressed people in this country.

A common complaint is that people need to stay in their lanes and not “play” March 31, 2017

politics, like it’s some exclusive club that only certain people are allowed to know about and keep up with. The truth is that in a democracy, everyone should have a say in the political situation. That includes students, celebrities and yes, even the people behind the ads at the Super Bowl.

As Americans, we have the right and responsibility to speak our minds.

I can understand why it’s annoying to have politics on the radar while you’re trying to relax, but the situation in America is not something that can be ignored, no matter your political alignment. The only way the constant barrage of politics is going to ease up is if we work together to make sure the system is protecting everyone. It’s going to take a lot more than just facing a camera and saying “stop it” on national television, as Trump did.

What can you do to help? First, stay informed. Choose a news source that you trust and make sure you’re staying up to date. It’s easy to fall victim to fake news and alternative facts, but avoiding them (and even better, discrediting them) is very important. The second is to act on what you've learned when you go out into society by volunteering, attending protests and calling representatives. I’m planning to make more of an effort on all of these things.

By flipping the channel the second politics come into play, we send the message that we don’t care about the people oppressed by the current systems.

In order to really make changes for the better, we must stay alert and take action when we see injustice. It may not be our own personal reality, but it brings us one step closer to becoming a more just society. H

SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOT AS BAD AS ADULTS THINK Story by Maureen Burns Page Designer

Adults are always sharing their opinion about social media, but no one ever asks how teens feel.

“You spend too much time on your phone. Stop checking Instagram.

Is something on that phone more interesting than me? Why do you keep taking selfies? Social media is ruining your generation.”

Adults love to tell me how social media is ruining my life, but hardly ever do I hear a teenager's perspective on it.

From my perspective, social media has pros and cons.

I hardly ever post on Instagram, because it’s too much work. I have to come up with a clever caption, and then I obsessively check for likes for the rest of the day. Sometimes I take super cute pictures that I want to show people, but the anxiety of everything that goes into that is too much. I know I’m not the only one who, when it comes time to post something on “the 'Gram”, has to go to your group chat. You need your friends’ confirmation of the picture, then you need to get some advice on the caption.

If after all that you actually post it, they better go like it RIGHT NOW. In my opinion, that’s just too much. However, some girls go through the trouble, and I’m glad they do, because I really like seeing the pictures. This leads to my next problem: I never post anything, but I am checking Instagram two to three times a

day. I can admit that’s ridiculous, but if I can admit it, why do I keep checking?

It is time to acknowledge the purpose of finstas. I understand they are “fake instagrams”, where you post your real, unfiltered life, but WHY? I don’t have one, but I follow several finsta accounts, and they are hilarious. However, I don’t understand why you need a second account to be your actual self. The majority of finstas I follow have really funny posts and to be honest I wish I could be that clever and open. At the same time I can’t figure out why everyone can’t see the unfiltered you.

I’ve been pretty clear that I’m horrible at keeping up with social media, and I’m in a minority on this, but even some people who have finstas don’t understand why they have two accounts.

If we are all being honest, the real purpose of finstas and rinstas is the ability to manipulate other people’s perception of us and our lives. Our “true” friends that are allowed to follow our finstas get to see what we really want to post, and when we want to show off that super edited, over exaggerated moment of our life, everyone else gets to see it.

I understand the pressure behind this mindset, and I absolutely participate in it.

Can we all admit Snapchat streaks are stupid? I hear girls saying how stupid they are all the time, but for some reason everyone still obsesses over them. I don’t know if it’s a sign of long lasting friendship, or if it just happened and then you don’t want to give it up. I really like Snapchat because it is a good, pressurepage design by Julia Kerrigan

free way to casually talk to people you may have otherwise lost touch with. I feel this is especially true with some of my friends from grade school. So Snapchat, I will give you that, but the pressure to keep streaks has ruined my appreciation.

I agree with the common adult perspective that we are on social media too much, but I imagine our definitions of “too much” are different. I think spending time on social media is actually important in keeping in touch with people you wouldn’t have otherwise. However, the time spent on keeping appearances up on these accounts is what is “too much”.

From this teenager’s perspective: if you can keep up with social media, please do, because even though I find it too difficult to contribute, I really enjoy seeing your content. To all other people like me who like staying in touch with people, but are exhausted by the process and pressure, you are not alone. To all adults, yes, it is time consuming, but we could be doing a lot worse things than checking our phones trying to be social.

As far as making a change goes, I challenge myself to participate more on social media, and be more natural in my posts. I challenge all of you who are good at keeping up with your accounts to be more natural as well and take a break sometimes, especially if you find yourself being too wrapped in the superficial side of it. I challenge everyone to explain to adults why social media isn’t as bad as they think, but also acknowledge its faults. H

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A&E

Shakespeare Enthusiast:

Maura Graham Story by Maureen Burns Page Designer Photo by Helen Wheatley

Junior Maura Graham gives insight into her world of Shakespeare and what she loves about it.

How did you get interested in Shakespeare?

"I sort of got introduced to Shakespeare on accident. When I was younger, I really hated Shakespeare.

When I was in fifth grade and my brother was in high school, he was reading Romeo and Juliet for class and I thought I was the smartest person alive and so I was like smart people read Shakespeare.

So, I tried to read it and didn’t understand any of it because I was in the fifth grade, so I decided Shakespeare was dumb and I hated it. I had an irrational hatred for him, because I didn’t understand him for a long time, and then my freshman year we read Taming of the Shrew in my Advanced English class and I really liked it. I begrudgingly was like, "Ok Shakespeare is fine, whatever."

Then, the play my freshman year happened to be a Midsummer Night's Dream, and I auditioned for it because I love theater. That is when I kind of fell in love with Shakespeare and it has been pretty downhill ever since."

into the world that Shakespeare is so malleable. It’s not static, and you can do so much with it. I think people are really inspired to do that more with Shakespeare than any other text. They can really make what they want out of it because Shakespeare is very vague in his language. A lot of his language can be set in any time period."

in this Shakespeare competition through STA. I had to memorize a soliloquy and I did one from Midsummer Night's Dream.

I did Helena's monologue from it, and I won the STA competition and went onto the city one, which I did not win. Mrs. Absher kind of forced me to do it, but I really enjoyed. Then I did the same thing this year."

Was there a certain person who specifically exposed you to your love of Shakespeare?

"Obviously, Mrs. Prentiss was a really big influence on making Shakespeare something that’s like not something that old men are into. She described it in such a contemporary way. Before, I was llike, "Oh these characters are like the image of Hamlet speaking these long soliloquies (which is ridiculous because Hamlet is like the biggest loser in Shakespeare and his life is such a mess). Also, in Midsummer, we decided a little bit in that instead of basing it in ancient Athens we were going to make it in a summer camp in the 1980s. That really brought me

When did you start to compete?

"My sophomore year in speech class, we had to write about something that defines us, and after I finished Midsummer, I started doing plays at Rockhurst High School, and the very next play I was in just so happened to be Macbeth and I played a witch in that and it was so fun. I don’t even know how to explain Macbeth, it was crazy. So, I had been in two Shakespeare shows and that had become, almost by accident, all of the theater that I had done. We had to write about something that defines us and I was very much in a Shakespeare mode. I wrote about how much I loved Shakespeare and Mrs. Absher was my teacher and told me I had to compete

What is your favorite character that you have played thus far?

"In Midsummer, I played a fairy which is super fun, but I understudied for Puck.

Puck is like my favorite person ever, and I need to do Midsummer again because I love Puck. The person who played Puck was so amazing, and she taught me a lot about Shakespeare, because she was super into Shakespeare as well. So, it is definitely Puck for the person I’ve understudied. For a person I have actually played, it would be a witch from Macbeth.

The witches are so creepy. The way I got to play with it was different than any other role I’d ever played and I really liked that because I got out of being my usual self." H

24

Junior Maura Graham gazes at a prop skull used in STA productions, reminiscient of Hamlet's confrontation of daeth in the famous play of the same name.

page design by Claire Molloy

SPORTS IN BRIEF:

LACROSSE, SOCCER AND TRACK

SPORTS

The Dart compiled updates about the beginning of lacrosse, soccer and track season.

LACROSSE TEAM PLAYS FIRST GAME OF SEASON

by Katie Gregory | Scheduling Editor of Web photo by Margaux Renee | Page Designer

Juniors Sloane Smith and Olivia Matlock practice lacrosse during the first week of practice Mar. 7.

The St. Teresa's lacrosse teams played their first games of the season Tuesday, March 28. Junior Varsity played at 6 p.m. and Varsity at 7:30 p.m.

The games were against Lee's Summit High School's JV and Varsity teams at Lee's Summit. See DartNewsOnline for updated scores.

According to sophomore Varsity player Aryanna Wyatt, the teams have undergone a few changes this year.

"This year, we have a lot of freshmen," said Wyatt, "whereas last year we had

people going back and forth between the two teams because we didn't have enough players."

Junior Claire Witt is playing lacrosse for her second year at STA and was JV captain for the game.

She echoed Wyatt's feelings about the dynamics of the team, as all but three players on JV are freshmen.

"It's exciting for me because I love playing," Witt said. "and [exciting] for the freshmen because it's kind of their team."

SOCCER TEAMS KICK OFF THE FIRST FEW GAMES

by Gabby Staker | Writer,

Senior forward Tess Rellihan passes the ball in a game on Mar. 24.

photo by Gwyn Doran | Opinion Editor

Soccer season began the week of February 28, and Varsity played its first game Thursday, March 23 against Smithville High School. They celebrated a 4-0 victory with two goals by Tess Rellihan, one by Lily Farkas and one by Macy Trujillo.

Sophomore Paloma Solorio is a midfielder and forward in her first full year on Varsity.

"It was a good way to start the season with a win and we're excited to improve our game," Solorio said.

They lost 2-1 Friday, March 24 at home against Webster Groves High School in the pouring rain.

Junior Varsity played their first game Thursday at 5 p.m, beating the Smithville JV team 8-0.

"I'm proud of the way we played and are excited for what the season has to come," sophomore Alex Dalecky said.

They lost, however, to Shawnee Mission East Monday, March 27, 3-0.

The C-team lost 3-0 to Bishop Miege High School on Monday, March 27.

TRACK SEASON OFF AND RUNNING

by Sophy Silva | Writer

Senior Lauren McCann and junior Sarah Schaefer warm up on Mar. 7.

photo by Margaux Renee | Page Designer

Track season has officially started and athletes are training for upcoming meets.

Athletes must commit to several hours of practice a week, in order to prepare for what the season brings ahead.

Senior Elsa Feigenbaum is a pole vaulter for the team. Feigenbaum explained that practices have tested her time management skills with schoolwork and sports. “It was difficult to balance my course load at first, but now I am used to it,” Feigenbaum said.

Junior Mia Schloegel is a long distance page design by Gabby Staker

runner on the track team. She commits to swim and dive as well as track, which she says helps her to be prepared for when the season starts. “Playing a sport before the season begins helps me to be ready for track,” Schloegel said.

Schloegel and Feigenbaum explained that the team is working hard to prepare for state championships this year, as well as the rest of the season.

“Personally, I just hope to have a fun season and to go back to state for my last year,” Feigenbaum said.

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SPORTS

SUNDAYS ARE FOR SOCCER: BROOKSIDE RECREATIONAL LEAGUE KICKS OFF Story by Gabby Mesa | Page Designer Photos by Meghan Baker | Photographer

Freshmen Rose Ammatelli, left, and Phoebe Burke celebrate on the field at Brookside Soccer Village Mar. 26.

STA athletes of all levels take advantage of the opportunity to play co-ed recreational soccer through the Brookside Soccer league.

The recent state titles hanging in the gym would suggest that STA is home to some of the best competitive soccer players in the state. But what about the Stars that play recreational soccer? In the same way that some of our stars shoot for different hoops by playing CYO basketball, some shoot for different goals by playing Brookside Soccer.

Brookside Soccer Club is a recreational league that serves Kansas City area kids and

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teens. Kids ages 3-18 are eligible for participation. Senior Abigail Rose began playing Brookside soccer when she was 4 years old, but has since played for club teams and STA. “My senior year, I decided to play Brookside again as a fun way to end the school year." Rose wrote. “Brookside soccer has been a fun time to play noncompetitive with friends. I work hard for both Brookside and STA, but there is not as big of a commitment with Brookside versus competitively.”

One part of the Brookside Soccer experience that is much more low commitment is the practices. The state title-holding Stars practice at least five days a week, but those that play for Brookside take it down a notch. Rose’s team only holds practices one to two March 31, 2017

times a week.

Sophomores Erris Pierson and Olivia Williams play together on a team that doesn't ever practice. Williams, who played for STA last year, explains how Brookside can be the ideal choice for someone with a busy schedule.

“I like Brookside because you have more free time,” Williams said. “I have a job so it allows me to keep my job and still be able to play soccer.”

Senior Emma Swinney is also a part of a Brookside soccer team that decided to bypass practicing. Instead of being a full-time player, Swinney serves as a “soccer mom.”

“I am a 'soccer mom' and a sub!”

Swinney wrote. “The soccer mom for my team is someone who brings snacks and goes and cheers on the players, and will

Rockhurst Junior Connor Redmond, left, and STA sophomore Mia Tomasic fight for the ball at Brookside Soccer Village on Mar. 26.

Juniors Maeve Madden, left, and Mary Kate Armstrong smile while playing at Brookside Soccer Village Mar. 26.

Junior Mary Kate Armstrong attempts to score on Rockhurst freshman Logan Hoss at Brookside Soccer Village Mar. 26.

sub in as a player if we need an extra.”

Swinney says that she admires the Swope Park Soccer Complex and enjoys being out in the sun. This has made her a frequent visitor of the park for years.

“This is my first year playing Brookside Soccer in high school, but I played in grade school for about three or four years,” Swinney wrote. “I have little brothers who play every year too so I'm at the soccer fields often watching games.”

Like Swinney, many current players participated in Brookside Soccer in grade school. Sophomore Lily Altenhofen first began playing for Brookside Soccer at 6 years old.

“I played every fall and spring until eighth grade. In the beginning we were just learning how to kick a ball and run

in a straight line,” Altenhofen said with a laugh. “But, around fourth grade it got a little bit competitive.”

Although a lot of people love playing Brookside Soccer, fourth grade level competitiveness isn’t right for everyone.

When freshman year rolled around, Altenhofen decided to take the leap and try out for STA’s team.

“I just wanted to be more competitive and play for my school," Altenhofen said.

"There wasn’t really anyone else I could think to play for.”

For Sophomore Erris Pierson, a laid back, non-competitive team is the way to go. She explains how it can be even better when you’re playing with your friends. Since high school teams are coed, they can include students from any area high schools. page design by Gabby Staker

“Brookside is better because its just a bunch of friends going out there and having fun. You literally just go out there and laugh the whole time.” Pierson said.

Pierson, who runs competitive track and plays club volleyball, explains how relaxed the Brookside soccer experience is. She even compares it to her time playing CYO basketball.

“Non-competitive sports are fun because if I lose I'm just like, well I just took an "L." Why not just bounce back next week?” Pierson said. H

27

COMMUNITY

KC CONCERT CALENDAR Story by Lucy Whittaker | Writer Photos by Gabby Ayala | Photographer

Countless artists are coming to Kansas City to perform in the coming months. Below is a calendar showing some of the upcoming events.

1

Gnash 2 at the Midland

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4

5

6

9

10

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12

Chance 13 the Rapper at Providence Medical Center Amphitheater

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17 The Chainsmokers at the Sprint Center

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25

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MAY 7

8

14

Travis Scott 15 at the Uptown Theater

The 1975 at Starlight Theater

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28

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Red Hot Chili Peppers at the Sprint Center

Photos across calendar courtesy of Tribune News Service

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March 31, 2017

Throughout the Spring and Summer the Sprint Center is holding over twenty events. John Mayer is a singersongwriter that will perform in April.

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2

3

JUNE 6

7

8

9

13

14

15

Portugal 16 The Man at the Midland

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27

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30

4

5

11

12

18

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John Legend at Starlight Theater

Ed Sheeran at the Sprint Center

page design by Lily Manning

10

Glass Animals at Providence Medical Center Amphitheater

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LAST LOOK

5 OUTDOORSY THINGS TO DO THIS SPRING 3 2

Story by Natalie Telep | Writer Photos by Anna Louise Sih Social Media Editor

The weather is getting nicer, and the cold months of winter are over. The flowers and trees are budding, and cool spring breezes drift through the air. As spring begins, the beauty of new life draws us outside. What better way to enjoy the beginning of spring than to try some outdoorsy activities?

1

PICK STRAWBERRIES

The overpowering smell of ripe strawberries is one of the best scents in the world. Even if they’re in a plastic box at the grocery store, they still smell amazing. However, they smell even better if you pick them yourself. There are a few strawberry farms around the Kansas City area that have a pickyour-own-strawberries option. You are handed a box and sent into the rows and rows of leafy plants to gather delicious strawberries. Spanish Garden Berry Farm is a great peach and strawberry farm in Platte City, Missouri. However, it is only open from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. A weekend strawberry picking trip would be perfect. Another option is the Berry Patch, located in Cleveland, Missouri. It has a wide variety of berries on offer, including blackberries and blueberries in addition to strawberries.

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HIKE A LONG DISTANCE TRAIL

Now that the weather is nicer, it is easier to get in some exercise. A lowintensity exercise to try this spring is hiking. Several parks in the Kansas City Area feature hiking trails with beginner and advanced levels of difficulty. Swope Park has a 13 and a half mile trail that has some great views. From limestone bluffs to leafy canopies, this trail has it all.

Shawnee Mission Park also has several hiking trails mostly between two and four miles long. Hiking doesn’t require much gear. All you need are a pair of sturdy boots or shoes, a backpack with snacks and a water bottle, and a hiking stick (optional). Other trail ideas include equestrian trails and bike trails.

PLANT SOMETHING

Spring is a great time to plant a tree in your backyard. The weather will be nice all the way into summer, so your tree will have time to begin growing. The best trees to plant are Dogwood, Tulip, and Eastern Redbud. Maple trees, either silver or sugar, are great shade-providing trees, but they will grow to be huge. You can buy saplings at your local garden store or even the plant section of a hardware store.

A kite is launched into the wind at Loose Park during dusk.

March 31, 2017

4

VISIT A LOCAL FARMER'S MARKET

Supporting local farmers is not only economical, it’s healthy. Eating organic food is great for you, and farmer’s markets have high quality and delicious fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy. In Brookside, there is a weekly farmer’s market in the parking lot of Border Star Elementary. Farmers set up white tents and sell their produce, starting around 8 a.m. on Sundays. The market is open until around 3 p.m., when farmers begin to pack up their produce. Some of the items sold at the farmer’s market include celery, broccoli, homemade soaps, baked goods, organic facial cleansers, apples and jewelry. Another farmer’s market in Kansas City is in the River Market. It is much larger than the Brookside market, and there is a wider variety of food. Not only are there tents and booths, but the whole market is surrounded by several different shops and restaurants. It is also open on Sunday around 8 a.m. Prices are very reasonable, especially on produce like fruits and vegetables.

5

PICK AND PRESS FLOWERS

Pressing flowers is an artistic way of preserving beautiful flowers for a long time.

1. First, choose a flower that you want to press. Flat flowers like daisies are easiest, but thicker flowers can be cut down the middle. Cut the stem of the flower, making sure to trim any leaves that grow too close to the bottom of the stem.

2. Put the flower in a vase of water

with a teaspoon of sugar immediately.

This will prevent the growth of bacteria and possible decay of the flower.

3. Find a thick book and open it to a

middle page. Then, put one sheet of tissue paper or facial tissue on either page. Lay your flower down between the pages and shut the book. Stack other heavy books on top of the book.

4. Be sure to change the paper daily

to continue the drying process. After two or three weeks, the flower will be dry. Use tweezers to gently extract the flower from between the pages.

A girl reaches for a lime in a fruit stand at the Kansas City River Market.

page design by Helen Wheatley

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KARLIN KABARET GALLERY BY CASSIE HAYES DARTTUBE HIGH SCHOOL BAND "OF A LILAC" HAS HEART AND SOUL VIDEO BY KATE JONES

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