May 2021: The Senior Issue

volume 39

LeJOURNAL Notre Dame de Sion High School | May 2021

FEATURE: PAGE 19

ON THE COVER: PAGES 10 TO 23

A&E: PAGE 24

SENIORS ALY AND APRILLE AND THEIR STARBUCKS BARISTA JOURNEY

CLASS OF 2021 MEMORIES AND PLANS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL

AFFORDABLE DORM WISHLISTS FOR SENIORS IN THE FALL

what’s inside news and sports

04-05

STUCO Elects, Waitlisting

26-27

Junior and Senior Ring

This or That?

12 15

Senior Stats and Favorites

Kaitlyn Brinkman

13 21

Spring Sport Senior Nights

Sion Edition

features

06 11

Spring Sports vs. St. Teresa’s

interactive

Senior Transfers

18 20

Senior Confessions

24-25

Staff Alumnae Advice

The Coffee Queens

07 08

Legacy-based Admissions

LeJOURNAL. 2020 // 2021 LE JOURNAL IS THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF NOTRE DAME DE SION HIGH SCHOOL - 10631 WORNALL ROAD - KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64114

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

Le Journal accepts letters to the editors in response to published articles. Letters must be signed, verifie, and no longer than 200 words. Letters may be edited for length, grammar, spelling and content. Letters will not be printed if content is obscene, invasive, ecouraging disruption of school and/or is libelous.

PRINTER

Neal/Settle Printing, Grandview MO

02 // LeJournal

PRINT CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Madeline Hammett Avery Brundige

PRINT MANAGING EDITOR

Morgan Herriott

NEWS & SPORTS EDITOR

Kate McCarthy

EDITORIALS EDITOR

Liv Zender

A&E EDITOR Ella Rogge

FEATURES EDITOR

Ava Albracht

PHOTO EDITORS

Kate Conway & Keely Schieffer

WEBSITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Maggie McKinney

video content editor Catherine Crayon

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

Grace Hills

COPY EDITOR

Sofia Aguayo

REPORTERS Brianna Legette Lauren Shaw

Gap Year Stigma

10

She is Beauty, She is Grace

MEMBER

Dorm Room Essentials

opinions

23

Missouri Scholastic Press Association National Scholastic Press Association International Quill and Scroll Journalism Educators of Metropoliton Kansas City Missouri Journalism Education Association

Best of Senior Year

Olivia Overlease

17 19

College Commits

a&e

The Benefits of Test Optional

Photo of SENIOR SEND-OFF

Seniors Catherine Crayon, Maggie McKinney, Kate Conway, Keely Schieffer, Grace Hills, Morgan Herriott, Madeline Hammett and Avery Brundige have been on Le Journal’s staff for two consecutive years and given their skills and effort tirelessly. We would like to dedicate this photo of the issue to our eight senior staffers and thank them for all they have contributed to the staff over these past few years. We are so thankful for you, seniors! You will be missed dearly.

editors’ink D

ear seniors, after four years of studying, tests, quizzes, essays, projects and finals, we have finally made it: May 6 is right around the corner. The end is here and it is bittersweet.

We know our time together hasn’t exactly been like the movies; I don’t remember Troy and Gabriella wearing masks to their senior prom.

Soon, the Class of 2021 will depart and the rest of the school will be left to wander the halls without our wise words to guide you. To the Class of 2022, you will be moving up and stepping into our shoes and we believe in you. To the incoming Class of 2025, have the time of your life. High school isn’t perfect, and sometimes it’s anything but, but soak it all in while you can because you never know what natural disaster might throw your senior year a curveball.

That said, welcome to the infamous senior issue. This issue honors the 97 amazing young women who grew up alongside us these past four years. It focuses on our amazing class and the accomplishments we have made. Pages 10 to 23 feature each senior individually and their after high school plans.

Our senior community is so unique.

Read about Olivia Overlease and her journey to Texas A&M’s nuclear engineering program on page 15. Flip to page 19 to read about Ally Heefner and

Aprille Casteñeda’s life as Starbucks baristas. Finally, turn to page 23 to see all the Graces in the Class of 2021 and learn a bit more about what makes them unique.

For a break from all the senior news (although we aren’t sure why you would ever need a break from this fantastic class, but we are biased), turn to page five to read a bit about the Junior and Senior Ring ceremonies during a pandemic.

We are ecstatic and a bit sentimental to introduce this sixth and final issue of Le Journal to our Sion community.

We hope you enjoy flipping through our pages for the final time as much as we enjoyed designing them.

Our predecessor editors, Kate McCarthy and Sofia Aguayo, still want your feedback for next year. If you have an idea or two, email them at kate.mccarthy@ ndsion.edu & sofia. aguayo@ndsion.edu. We look forward to handing the baton over to Sofia and Kate and trust that they will keep Le Journal creative, inspiring and all about you - our community.

Here we are, signing off for the final time. Thank you for all the memories, support and love that you have given us these past few months. Underclassmen, hold your friends tight and don’t let go, time flies by faster than you know.

Student Space Open Letter: Mary Hudak “My name is Mary Hudak and I have a cousin who hasn’t had the opportunity to attend in person school since the pandemic started. The only group social interaction he gets with his friends and classmates is over Xbox Live and in overcrowded Zoom classes. This is the current situation for thousands of students across the country.

We are incredibly lucky that Sion was able to adapt and innovate so that we would be able to go to school in person this year. So much has changed, yet Sion has worked so hard this year to give the community the amazing experience Sion is known for. Old traditions have been reworked to be safe and new traditions have found their way into our hearts. What the Sion faculty and staff have done this year is nothing short of incredible, yet it seems not everyone is able to see that.

Recently, it has come to my attention that not everyone at Sion is pleased or satisfied with the job that the school has done in making this year as normal and enjoyable as possible. I have seen this in the form of emails, complaints, and even my peers telling me that this year ‘has sucked.’”

Read the rest of Mary’s open letter on Le Journal Live:

See ya later, Le Journal.

Madeline & Avery

keep up with us: @lejournalsion

The Issue

Use camera to visit lejournallive.com!

May 2021 // 03

news

waiting game COVID-19 has had a lasting impact on college admissions and is leaving many students to sweat it out on multiple waitlists.

STORY BY AVERY BRUNDIGE CO EDITOR IN CHIEF

COVID-19 has had numerous effects on college admissions processes this year. Students are applying to noticeably more schools due to the wave of test optional applications and the common inability to visit campuses. This means that many more students will be placed on waitlists, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling.

“More applications for the same number of seats in a college’s freshman class means that most colleges had plummeting admittance rates,” College Counselor Erin Stein said. “But, this also means that there is less predictability with who will actually accept the offer of admission. So, colleges create a waitlist to help them fill their class, should their admitted pool choose not to accept their offer of admission.”

Although college admission teams utilise waitlisting as a tool to allow more students the option of admission, students, such as senior Olivia Shively, have reacted negatively to the inconvenience.

“Either accept us or decline us,” Shively said. “Being waitlisted just makes me feel like I’m not a priority to the college. If they don’t want me, I don’t want them and I’m not going to spend my time waiting for a college that might not even accept me.”

This influx in waitlisting was unprecedented, according to Stein.

Most schools underestimated the huge wave of applications, while others predicted lower numbers. Colgate University, for example, experienced a 102.6% increase in applications, according to their website.

“Mrs. Henning and I attended countless virtual presentations this fall as the colleges tried to predict what this year’s application cycle would look like,” Stein said. “From all these initial discussions, no one seemed to anticipate how the application pools would be impacted by this year: most colleges anticipated lower application numbers, not crazy application inflation like what we’ve seen.”

As the May 1 deadline quickly approaches, many students crave certainty in this wildly uncertain year, according to senior Mary Hudak.

The reality is that everyone on the waitlist is qualified to go there, but there just isn’t room. Often, people wait, agonize, and hope, only to be rejected by a place that they really loved.

Being waitlisted and then rejected makes one feel like they are disposable.

Who Rules The School?

Students elect next year’s student body president, vice president, and secretary. Discussions about the plans and aspirations for next year begin to take place.

STORY & DESIGN BY LIV ZENDER EDITORIAL SECTION EDITOR

O

n March 25 the student body elected next year’s student body president, student body vice president, and student body secretary.

Shortly after each speech was given, the student body voted for their desired candidate via google forms. Election results were announced at the end of the school day and resulted in the following: junior Lauren Ellwanger as student body president, sophomore Sophie Gromowsky as student body vice president, and freshman Sarah Lillis as secretary.

Ellwanger has been vice president for the class of 2022 for the past three years and claims it has been the most formative experience thus far.

“STUCO has been a highlight of my Sion career, I love being involved in all of the STUCO led activities, and seeing behind the scenes,” Ellwanger said.

“STUCO has taught me a lot about hard work and to take pride in my school.”

Since COVID-19 put a halt to many cherished traditions, one of the main goals of all three elected officials is to bring back school spirit and a certain level of normalcy. Along with continuing these beloved rituals, the STUCO board is going to bring

04 // LeJournal

some new ideas to the table. One of these proposals includes planting trees around the school ground. More than anything, Lillis sees the importance of regularly involving her fellow peers in the decision-making involved with being on STUCO. “One goal of mine is to continue working with the girls to make the school better. I want to reach out to people more and hear their wants and needs,” Lillis said. “I’m going to continue working with others to achieve what’s best for everyone.”

As elections for the rest of the STUCO board wrap up and which candidates will be representing each grade is determined, the excitement and energy regarding next year’s plans continue to increase and take form. Along with the three student body representatives, students go on to elect a class president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, two SAC representatives, and four class representatives, per grade.

Gromowsky has high hopes next year, including transitioning the school back to a more normal state.

“Starting to get things back to feeling as normal as possible is definitely the priority for next year,” Gromowsky said. “I hope that as more students are able to be vaccinated and Covid guidelines start to ease up we’re able to start bringing back dances, all-school assemblies, and other traditions.”

Lauren Ellwanger: Student Body President

Goals:

Plant trees around the school and bring back school spirit

Sophie Gromowsky: Student Body Vice President

Goals:

Bring back dances, all school assemblies, and other traditions

SaraH lillis:

Student Body Vice President

Goals:

Listen to and collaborate with the student body their goals

news

Junior Ring

but make it senior year

The junior ring ceremonies take place on April 11 for the class of 2021 and May 2 for the class of 2022. This ceremony is highly anticipated and an extremely cherished tradition.

STORY & DESIGN BY LIV ZENDER EDITORIAL SECTION EDITOR

T

he Notre Dame de Sion junior ring was designed by Cartier in France in 1927 and has been a cherished tradition ever since. Students receive their ring in May through a ceremony that is based around an alumnus, who is generally a family member, close friend, teammate, or teacher, presenting each member of the junior class with their ring.

The ring is presented in a box and is cast in gold with six pearls embedded within the Sion insignia, a sign that unites all members of the community from around the world. This dressy/casual event is meant to signify the transfer of school leadership from the current senior class to the current junior class. This ceremony is known as one of the most anticipated and most cherished traditions that take place throughout the year. According to Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction Ellen Carmody, this ring ceremony means more than just the passing of leadership.

“Rings have long been an outward sign of fidelity and promise,” Carmody said. “What I personally love about Sion’s Junior Ring Ceremony it that it time we set aside where the past and future coalesce and we recommit ourselves to the Sion community & mission ” Much like every other tradition this year, there are many differences compared to the usual ring ceremony. Last year’s

Strike a pose

junior ring ceremony was canceled since it was set to take place at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. There are four ceremonies were planned for this year. Two for the current senior class whose original ceremony was canceled and two for the current junior class. Each student chose between two different time slots, 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

The ceremony will be quick, with a short reception consisting of the iconic Sion cookies and group pictures. Senior Elicia Baranowski believes that the most disappointing part about last year’s ceremony being canceled was the uncertainty of whether it would be rescheduled or not.

“My sister was supposed to surprise me with it so we were both disappointed when it got canceled,” Baranowski said. “Even though it was a year late I was happy to experience the tradition.”

Juniors are also preparing for their ring ceremony, set to take place on May 2. Siblings, cousins, close friends, and teachers, who are also alumnus, have been asked to attend, nail appointments have been made, dresses ordered, and the anticipation continues to grow. The class of 2022 is lucky enough to have their ceremony on time, just like any other year. The ceremony will be almost identical to the class of 2021’s ceremony, with the alumnus presenting each student with their ring, and a reception consisting of pictures and Sion cookies right after. Junior Kate Lovick is excited to receive her ring because it kicks off a year of meaningful and memorable traditions.

“The junior ring ceremony is important to me because getting to wear a ring from a school that is important to me is very special,” Lovick said. “Next year I am excited for senior nights and getting to wear my junior ring at school.”

Ringing It In (below)

NOw Presenting...

(right)

Seniors Brynna Dow, Keely Schieffer, Kate Conway, Mikayla Gunther, Ruby Wright, Lindsey Dougherty, Audrey O’Brien, and Julia Hughes pose their parents take pictures. (Photo by Liv Zender)

(right)

Almun Hannah Sue Kennish takes a photo of senior Pritika Manna and alumna Cara Hiatt. (Photo by Liv Zender)

Senior Julia Hughes recieves her ring from alumna Erin Markowicz.

(Photo by Liv Zender)

Put a Ring on It

This Magic

Senior Raj Velakaturi snaps pictures of senior Kathryn Sade and alumna Cara Hiatt featuring their class rings. (Photo

by Liv Zender)

Senior Aly Heefner gathers with her family after the senior ring ceremony.

(Photo by Liv Zender)

(left)

Moment (left)

May 2021 // 05

Sports

SPORTING

SION

Track, Soccer and Lacrosse teams take on rival school St. Teresa’s Academy.

BY ELLA ROGGE A&E EDITOR

W

Ready? Set. Go!

Freshman Emerson Shelton competes in 100 meter dash at Grand View High School on Friday April 23.

Senior Night Sadness

Senior Abbie Wagner recieves flowers from junior Grace Townsend on Senior Night Tuesday April 20.

hether it is racing on the track or competing on the field, the Sion vs. St. Teresa’s Academy rivalry is well known by every student. The focus is no longer to win but to beat STA, not maliciously, but a push to do better than friends at the opposing school.

“I have some friends at STA so the rivalry is really more of a friendly competition type atmosphere for me.” senior Track captain Oliva Overlease said. “I’m pretty competitive by nature, and competing against people I know heightens that a little bit more.”

On Tuesday, March 30 track placed 2nd overall in the STA track meet, even though it was the first meet of the season and around half of the team was quarantined.

It was a learning experience for throwers, according to junior Maddison Miller, as they were able to observe proper throwing form, and a lot of the runners were able to exceed their personal records.

“I think there’s value in having a Sion vs STA meet because it adds a little bit more of the competitive nature into meets that you don’t always get when the schools you’re competing against aren’t your rivals.”

Overlease said. “It pushes the team a little bit harder than normal.”

Soccer is scheduled to play STA on Tuesday May 4 at STA. The athletes are looking forward to an intense game against their rivals and leaving with no hard feelings.

“I look forward to the anticipation it brings and it being over so I get to see all my friends from STA” senior Clara Banes said.

Lacrosse played STA on Tuesday April 20 at STA where varsity went back and forth in tying and winning but lost 9-12 in a close game. The junior varsity played strongly in the first half but ended up losing 4-10 after a hard fight.

“I would say the game was a little disappointing because neither team won,” senior Emma Aguayo said.

“The varsity game was so close and the JV team was strong in the first half.”

The Sion vs. STA games are considered as a staple of the Sion experience whether competing or watching, according to Aguayo. Even when the team loses, the game is always a fun experience and athletes look forward to it all season.

“It’s fun to play with girls from STA that we are friends with in such a competitive game,” Banes said, “because no matter what the score we all get to say hello at the end with no hard feelings.”

Scream & Shout 06 // LeJournal

The lacrosse team chants following their huddle as they prepare to get back on the field.

opinion

lose the

LEGACY ADMISSIONS

Legacy admissions are wholly unnecessary, and are detrimental to the college admissions process.

BY MAGGIE MCKINNEY WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Standing out to a college admissions committee is an increasingly tall order. Hundreds of factors impact a student’s admissions outcome, including standardized test scores, extracurricular activities and in some cases, a familial connection to the school. Known as “legacy admissions”, many elite schools favorably take into account an applicant’s family connection with an alum, or alumni, when making their decision, particularly when the alum has donated money to the institution. This is an unfair advantage to a large percentage of applicants, especially first generation college students or students from families with financial stress.

Legacy-based admissions is discriminatory and outdated, and it needs to be abolished.

“Legacies,” in the terms of college admissions, are applicants and students who have had a close relative or string of close relatives attend the school in question. These applicants have a much higher rate of admittance in the case of many elite private universities, particularly if their family has donated money to the school. According to the Harvard Crimson, Harvard University’s studentrun newspaper, 36% of the Class of 2022 are legacy students. While legacy status is not the only factor of consideration in the college admissions process, it gives students that may be less qualified an advantage over those without familial connections to the school.

Legacy admissions give too much of an unfair advantage to students who may otherwise be a mediocre candidate. In 2011, a Harvard researcher who studied 30 of

the nation’s most selective schools found that all legacy applicants had a 23% higher probability of admission, while “primary legacy” students (those with a parent who attended the school as an undergraduate, rather than, say, a grandparent or aunt) had a 45% higher probability of admission.

This is especially unfair to first-generation college students, as they have never even had the option of applying to a school their parents went to. There is no excuse for a well-qualified outstanding student to lose a spot at their dream school to a less-thanextraordinary candidate that happened to have parents that donated to the alumni fund. While this isn’t to say that all legacy applicants are average or unqualified, it sets a clear precedent that no matter how spectacular an applicant is, family ties are the most important factor in the end.

Schools that do not consider legacy status in admissions continue to thrive all over the world. The United States is generally a global outlier when it comes to this issue, for example, elite and historic institutions like Oxford University and Cambridge University in the United Kingdom stopped considering legacy status decades ago. Even domestically, top schools like the University of Georgia, Texas A&M University, Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and even the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are legacy-blind and continue to produce successful and diverse graduating classes. Legacy admissions are not a measure of a student’s academic potential and are overall an unnecessary factor.

Some argue that keeping legacy-based admissions makes financial sense for institutions, particularly private colleges that receive no federal funding. Families with the means to donate libraries or new science labs or scholarships surely deserve preferential treatment for their dedication to the university, right? Might as well admit the student with the last name that matches the business school’s name to encourage future donations, right?

But just because legacy admissions make financial sense to the institution doesn’t

mean it makes sense to other applicants.

College should be a place to access new opportunities, make new connections and prepare oneself to find success through one’s own means. Rewarding candidates for their legacy status perpetuates a cycle of success the applicant was already a part of. It is unfair to deny another student an opportunity for that prosperity in life.

Legacy admissions make it harder for underprivileged students to seek higher education that would drastically improve their lives. Most professional jobs in the world today require at least a bachelor’s degree, with more and more preferring a candidate with a master’s degree, a PhD or some other form of post-undergraduate education. By admitting a legacy student coming from privilege and wealth over, say, a first generation college student coming from a lower socioeconomic background, a college is denying that student a chance to receive a life-changing education that would allow them to help themselves and their family financially. Colleges have professional resources, professors that have experienced their field first hand and alumni connections that help students thrive once they graduate and enter the postgraduate field. These are resources a student cannot get outside of college, and these resources are vital to a firstgeneration student with no prior academic experience. To deny a student that desperately needs those aids to succeed in favor of a student who likely is already well off and has plenty of familial connections, is simply put, cruel.

There is no question- legacy based admissions are outdated, discriminatory and wholly unnecessary. The dated practice bars many qualified applicants from a spot at top schools, and prevents universities from having a more diverse class in terms of race, socioeconomic status, background, and more. It’s time to abolish the practice as a whole. The world is a more diverse and accessible place than it was when the practice became the norm, and college admissions should reflect that.

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implement standardized testing solely because colleges still place a heavy emphasis on them.

A common rebuttal to eliminating standardized testing to get into colleges is the classic “it helps lowerMADELINE HAMMETT income students be recognized.”

CO-PRINT-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Theresa Hernadez of HuffPost argues the opposite- it hurts them.

Standardized tests have historically esting has been a method that been used to exclude students based determines the knowledge of on social identities such as race, students for decades. As time has socioeconomic status, and religion. gone on, standardized testing has proven to be unreliable and difficult to Not only that, but tests are clearly predict. It is an inaccurate portrayal of more predictable of demographic a student’s true potential. While there rather than skill set. “The results of a standardized exam may represent are some positives to standardized the product of months of preparation, testing - like helping low-income students be recognized - the negatives but ultimately, the numerical score still only represents an individual’s outweigh the positives dramatically. performance on a given day,” Even before the global pandemic according to Daily Collegian. The use took the lives of thousands and put college plans on hold, higher education of standardized testing, even only as facilities were questioning the integrity one of many factors in admissions decisions, perpetuates inequality. of standardized tests. Standardized tests were designed to help low-income Standardized testing does the opposite students have an equal opportunity to of its original intent. Standardized show their skill despite potentially not testing has to go.

While few great things have come having school resources to take AP classes, according to Valerie Strauss of out of the pandemic, one is lenient test requirements. Schools began to The Washington Post. The problem is, go test optional more and more every now money has become a power play year, but the impact of the pandemic for standardized testing. The more money, the more tutoring and the more forcing cancelled test times and slow tutoring the higher the test score. This score receival forced universities to completely removes leverage from low- temporarily become test optional for the year. Schools from Ivy League income students and places it right Institutions to large state schools have back in the hands of the advantaged. chosen to be test optional and are The current education system letting it stick through 2024, according incurs many negative impacts as a to the New York Times. result of standardized testing. These This has to stay. Test optional impacts include but are not limited must become the normal. Equality to loss of critical thinking skills, starts at the beginning, in education heightened classroom stress levels, and if universities can begin looking poor-quality educational instruction, at unweighted GPA’s in the context of and high teacher turnover rates, according to the Public School Review. course offerings then they will be able to see a student’s potential for Why would high schools success much better than any across the country continue numbered test score could to implement required ever show. Student skill testing when it has proven cannot be measured in four to damage classroom hours but it will be more learning? The answer is accurately seen they wouldn’t. High through a schools still transcript of d a d A d b b Aba b c four years.

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The pandemic has presented the perfect opportunites for universities to transition to test optional for good.

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b re a k s the Seniors shouldn’t feel the stigma of attending a traditional university.

BY CATHERINE CRAYON VIDEO CONTENT EDITOR

I

n a year filled with so much uncertainty, the stigma of taking a gap year only seems to be growing. The appeal of traditional university education has declined while alternative schooling or opportunities has risen. A gap year allows for an increased sense of independence and time to dip their toe into the pool of adulthood.

From the moment they step into the classroom in the fall, one of the first questions seniors are asked is, “What are you majoring in?” According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, about 80% of college students switch their major and the typical college student will change their major at least three times. In a year like none of us have experienced, no students should be chastised for their uncertainty. High school seniors these past two years were taken from traditional school and left trying to decide the course of their next four years. Now more than ever, taking a year to collect yourself and allow the world to return a sense of normalcy shouldn’t be looked down upon or criticized.

A gap year could offer students the chance to find internships in their field of interest or explore job opportunities. Before deciding what to focus your post-high school education on, taking the year to gain experience at a local internship or volunteering at a nonprofit is a healthy and productive way to gain more independence in comparison to high school. Taking the time to explore something that peaks your interest is an exciting way to focus yourself on finding the correct path to major in. You gain true career experience that most college freshmen wouldn’t get.

Many people also use time during their gap year to travel the world and participate in mission trips. Organizations like “The World Race: Gap Year” takes you to three different countries in nine months with other people your age. If possible, graduating seniors can also take time to travel around the country, visiting spots they wouldn’t otherwise have time to see.

Gap years are also extremely helpful if you are planning on applying for financial aid during college. A gap year also gives students more time to collect the money they need to further their education. Making money doing something you love, without the stress of finishing high school, can be extremely satisfying.

This past year has been anything but typical. With a global pandemic ravaging the country alongside the climate crisis and a push for social justice, taking the next year to gather your bearings and collect your thoughts before advancing your education is something I find very admirable. It’s not something that deserves criticism because in the end, it all depends on the individual student.

opinion

t i g m a May 2021 // 09

seniors

Shannon Karlin Olivia Shively

Lindsey Dougherty

Mary Hudak

This year was not what it was expected to be, but the senior class of 2021 made the most of it. Here are some of the best memories made this year.

Keely Schieffer Kate Conway Mikayla Gunther Audrey O’Brien

Kathryn Sade

Sophie Henkle Mason Lewis Sharon Kramschuster Brynna Dow

Pritika Manna

Abby DeLong Dillan Elmquist Mary Hudak Mattie Mills

Emily Weians Grace Steyer

10 // LeJournal

Sharon Kramschuster

seniors Favorite Sion memory

Going to Australia on the exchange program.

Neuroscience

What teacher would you take with you to college and why?

Funniest Sion memory Timson having her kids hidden in the closet in the chem room.

Señora Gomez because she is so funny and can always make me laugh.

Emma Aguayo Aguayo

Plans after high school

Attending Creighton University

What is your political affiliation?

What are you majoring in in college?

Megan Aldaco

Plans after high school

40% democratic

34%

independent 18% Republican

Attending John Hopkins University

4%

do not care

Favorite Sion memory

Funniest Sion memory

Hearing Kendall Roger’s speech about her experiences as a young Black woman.

Any conversation Emily Bukaty, Mr. Shrock, and I had junior year in APUSH

The moment you want to relive

Sophia Allen

Winter Formal 2019, where I met my besties 4 lyfe (shout out to Tight Knit Group!)

Plans after high school

Attending Texas Christian University

Which state do you live in?

63%KS

Funniest Sion memory

37% MO

Any class, sports game, or school event with Gabby Gaither.

Mary Mary Elizabeth Elizabeth

Amiri

Plans after high school Attending Columbia University in the city of New York.

Do you plan on joining a sorority?

27% maybe

46% yes

29% no

XΔΩ Funniest Sion memory

Funniest pink slip

When cheer was performing at Rockhurst basketball sophomore year and Anna Gordon fell walking backwards.

Lied to Shrock- told him I was going to bathroom and went to vending machine.

The moment you want to relive

Finals horror story

Bella Aquino

Bray made a really small final and half of it was crossword puzzles and I still failed it.

Plans after high school

Attending the University of Kansas

Clara Banes

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Getting to see all my best friends everyday.

I brought a blue sticky hand to Apush and Morgan started to throw it up in the air and eventually it hit the ceiling and stuck.

What teacher would you take to college and why?

Plans after high school

Attending Iowa State University

Hannah Borgemey Borgemeyer

Funniest Sion memory

Attending St. Louis Univeristy

24% Junior Year 11% Sophomore Year

Do you prefer the ACT or the SAT SAT? 83% ACT 17% SAT

52% no

Plans after high school

Attending Fontbonne University to play softball

I’ve never been more proud of anything in my life than my time on Le Journal.

What will you miss the most about Sion?

Plans after high school

Senora Gomez so she can help me study and then go to fiestas with me.

What are you most proud of accomplishing?

Faculty dance team performing at the pep rally

Saying hi to everyone in the hallways and knowing most people when walking to class.

49% Senior Year

What will you miss the most about sion

Funniest Sion memory

Katelyn Katelyn Brinkman Brinkman

Plans after high school

Attending the University of Arkansas

Which was your favorite year?

16% Freshman Year

What are you majoring in in college?

Elicia Baranows Baranowski

Finding out I made varsity freshman year and getting a huge hug from Katelyn Brinkman.

48% yes

Do you know all the words to the school song?

Top lunch checkout destinations Chick-fil-A

Chipotle

What will you miss the most about Sion?

Avery Brundige Brundige

I will miss the musty publications lab and all of its occupants.

Panera

Home Chick-fil-A

Chipotle

Plans after high school Attending Colgate Univeristy

Panera

Home

May 2021 // 11

seniors

COMING FULL

CIRCLE

Senior Katelyn Brinkman returns to her high school soccer team after two years of club.

BY KEELY SCHIEFFER CO PHOTO EDITOR

“Freshman Katelyn Brinkman” blares through the stadium. The young freshman runs down the sideline high fiving all of her teammates. She makes her way onto the field and prepares herself for her high school soccer debut. The referee blows the whistle and her soccer career begins.

“I was super nervous my first game because it was mostly seniors,” Brinkman said. “But as the season went on I became much more comfortable and loved the aspect of the team.

After making varsity soccer her freshman year, Brinkman seized every opportunity on the field. Once her freshman soccer season came to a close, she was faced with a difficult decision. She was given the option to stick with high school soccer or play for her club Development Academy (DA) which prohibits her from playing high school sports.

“The decision to play high school soccer this year was made easier when her club team joined a new league that allowed girls the option to play and represent their high school,” mother Kristie Brinkman said. “Her positive experience made the decision to play for Sion pretty simple.”

Ultimately, Brinkman decided to play for the DA soccer team. She

12 // LeJournal

played top-notch teams across the country for the duration of her sophomore and junior year. Intense practices, competitive games and loads of traveling became a part of her routine as a DA player. This level of intensity allowed her to improve on the little things and to grow as a player according to Brinkman.

“Playing for DA was super intense,” Brinkman said. “But it provided the competition I need in both games and practices for me to mature on and off the field.”

At the end of Brinkman’s junior year, the DA program announced its official closure starting her senior year. Yet again, Brinkman was unsure of where she would go next, but all arrows pointed back to one spot: her high school soccer team.

“Even though we had a quality side before the season started,” soccer coach Doug McLagan. “Adding Katleyn Brinkman was the icing on the cake.”

Now, Brinkman comes full circle back to where she started. She is a senior on her high school soccer team, playing the same position as she played freshman year as well. She is currently closing out her senior year back where it all began, representing her school colors.

“I was super excited when I found out I could return to high school soccer,” Brinkman said.

“Especially being able to play and be with all of my fellow seniors.”

Moment you want to relive?

The week before covid shut down the school.

Funniest pink slip?

Emily Bukaty

McGory gave me a pink slip because I left my phone in the bathroom and had to leave class to get it.

Plans after high school?

Iowa State University

Finals horror story?

Never studying freshmen year, died!

Teacher to take to college?

Ms. Watts because she will keep me in check.

Heaven Butler

Plans after high school?

University of Missouri and then Howard University.

Finals Horror Story?

I messed up the schedule and got up at 5am to study for the wrong final.

Funniest Pink Slip?

Not wearing a sweater at mass... but I wore my sweater to mass.

Callie Callie Cameron Cameron

Plans After High School?

Texas Christian University

Favorite Sion Memory?

Pino randomly coming up to my friends and I during lunch asking to take a picture.

Teacher to Take to College?

Aprille Castañeda

Kram, so I can rant to him about random things and have someone match my energy.

Plans After High School?

Avila University

Funniest Pink Slip?

I got a pink slip on a out of uniform day.

What Will you Miss the Most?

The amazing girls i have met along the way.

Maggie Maggie Chaffee Chaffee

Plans After High School?

University of Missouri

seniors Funniest Sion memory?

Coach McLagan calling me Beth Christopherson instead of Betty Christianson.

Soccer

Advice to freshman self?

Don’t go to St. Teresa’s.

Betty Betty Christianson Christianson

The soccer team celebrated their seniors on April 20. They honored their 16 seniors and their parents for their commitment to the team. Soccer defeated Academy Lafeyette and the score was 8-0.

(Photo sumbited by Jason McClure)

Plans After High School?

Colorado State University

Funniest pink slip?

Never got one.

Advice to freshman self?

Really believe it when people say the next four years will go by so fast.

Jadon Clarkson CLarkson

Plans after high school?

Drake University

Clara Banes

“It was really exciting to get to play a game with all seniors on the field,” senior Clara Banes said. “It made the game more special and I know all the senior will always remember it.”

(Photo sumbited by Jason McClure)

Funniest Sion memory?

It was my first year in robotics and we were about to leave for a meet when our robot broke.

Abbie Wagner

Finals horror story?

Ana Colliton Colliton

”I’m so glad even with COVID-19 we got our senior night,” senior Abbie Wagner said. “It was a good way to make the season and senior year feel normal which we all really appreciated since it’s been a crazy year.”

(Photo sumbited byJason McClure)

I accidentally forgot my giant eraser on the day of my first Mid-Final.

Plans after high school?

St. Olaf College

Funniest sion memory?

Almost getting a concussion during a pep rally relay.

Teacher to take to college?

Mrs. Cox because I love talking with her and she could help me write essays.

Lia Concannon Concannon

Plans After High School?

University of Central Missouri

Funniest pink slip?

Mrs. Hull gave me a pink slip sophomore year because I was “missing” when I was in fact just in the bathroom.

Teacher to take to college?

Kate Conway Conway

Pino because she would keep me sane.

Plans After High School?

University of Nebraska Lincoln

Mason Lewis “Senior night is so fun because it feels like a huge celebration and I loved seeing everyone come out to support all of the seniors,” senior Mason Lewis said.

“Having so many seniors involved in soccer really makes it feel like we are one big family on the field.”

(Photo sumbited by Jason McClure)

senior night

May 2021 // 13

seniors

Catherine Catherine Crayon Crayon

Anna Donnelly Donnelly

Funniest Pink Slip

Teacher You Would Take

Teacher You Would Take

Taking Dunkin’ into Mcgory’s class two days in a row.

Mid because we have the same sense of humor.

Mrs. King. That woman is my best friend.

Finals Horror Story

Favorite Memory

Advice to Freshman Self

Memorizing “Feeling Myself” by Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé instead of studying.

Running in the state championship for cross country.

Just stay focused, love!

Take a breath and don’t get overwhelmed.

Plans After High School

Studying journalism at the University of Missouri.

Abby DeLong

Funniest Memory The dunk tank and activities on field day.

Funniest Memory

Teacher You Would Take

Funniest Memory

I fell down the stairs to the field at soccer camp freshmen year.

Madame Bono because she’s the sweetest and most thoughtful person.

Racing Mid in an obstacle course and him falling on top of me.

Plans After High School Studying psychology at the University of Arkansas.

Lindsey Lindsey Dougherty Dougherty

Plans After High School

Favorite Memory

Teacher You Would Take

Laila Foy

Plans After High School Creighton University

Funniest Pink Slip

Advice to Freshman Self

I didn’t bring scissors to Stewart’s class.

Talk to everyone, you only get four years with them!

Plans After High School University of Arizona

Beating STA junior year in basketball twice and winning the Irish Cup.

Teacher You Would Take

Ms. Lai, my favorite teacher, is honestly the best. She helps out through hard times.

Dr. Hersh because she is the sweetest person alive and I need her organizational skills.

Gabby Gaither Gaither

Plans After High School Studying marine biology at University of San Diego.

Favorite Memory Receiving my Sion ring.

Favorite Memory

Proudest Accomplishment

Funniest Memory

Taking trips to Saint Louis with the lacrosse team.

Being a part of the golf team that was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

Singing and dancing with my friends at field day last year.

Plans After High School Studying engineering at the University of Arkanas.

Caroline Caroline Giocondo Giocondo

Proudest Accomplishment

Funniest Pink Slip

Plans After High School

Daniela Gomez

Emma Grojean Grojean

Plans After High School Studying economics.

Funniest Memory

Enjoy it all, it does go fast and you never know what the year is going to bring.

Not a pink slip, but I got a detention for getting to school at 8:46.

Fashion Merchandising at Oklahoma State University.

Plans After High School

Playing DII golf at Regis University.

Advice to Freshman Self

Getting into every school I applied to.

14 // LeJournal

Brynna Brynna Dow

Advice to Freshman Self

Teacher You Would Take

Honors college at the University of Arizona

Plans After High School Studying nursing at the University of Arizona.

Finals Horror Story A quizlet I spent four hours making got deleted.

Be yourself. Meet new friends. Get involved. Try something new. Have fun.

Ms. Engel. She keeps me grounded and her cookies are the best.

Anna Gordon

Plans After High School Studying applied food studies at the Culinary Institute of America.

Finals Horror Story

Proudest Accomplishment

Tori Galligani Galligani

Grace Dobbels

I was running late and didn’t bring my computer for an online exam.

Maintaining above a 4.0 GPA my entire high school career.

Dillan Elmquist Elmquist

Plans After High School

Studying Dentistry at the University of MissouriKansas City.

Mrs. Timson falling and throwing her La Croix.

Funniest Memory

What You Will Miss

A bird flew into the school at Open House and Mrs. Carmody and I had to go look for it.

Seeing my friends in the halls everyday and events like FFT & Sion Olympics.

Plans After High School

Business Management and Theology at Franciscan University.

Mikayla Mikayla Gunther Gunther

Plans After High School Studying nursing at Texas Christian University.

seniors

Finals Horror Story I studied for three weeks for Mid’s final and still got a 55%.

Madeline Madeline Hammett

Plans After High School

Environmental studies and international affairs at the University of Denver.

Advice to Freshman Self

Don’t care about friend groups and focus on people that make you happy

Favorite Sion Memory

Aly Heefner

When the fire truck came during field day and sprayed everyone with water.

Plans After High School

Gap year and pilots license

Funniest Pink Slip My ankles were showing below my leggings.

Favorite Memory Decorating the library with my rubber ducks.

Sophie Sophiie Henkle

Plans After High School Studying forensic science at Saint Louis University.

Aggieville

Road to

Funniest Memory Storm Stomp as the Jake Paulers.

Senior Olivia Overlease accepted a full ride scholarship to Texas A&M University.

BY MORGAN HERRIOTT PRINT MANAGING EDITOR

A

s she walked by the Kyle Stadium at Texas A&M University, senior Olivia Overlease noticed a building displayed with the school’s core values. Excellence, Integrity, Leadership, Loyalty, Respect and Selfless Service. After being surrounded by students and faculty who were warm and welcoming, everything fell into place.

“The core values pushed me over the edge in wanting to attend Texas A&M,” Overlease said. “It’s obvious as you walk around campus that everyone connected to A&M is proud to be.”

Overlease’s scholarship, the Craig and Galen Brown Foundation scholarship, has an impressive reputation. Only .18% of Texas A&M students were even considered for the scholarship this year, and less than half of those who applied actually ended up receiving the scholarship. After an informational meeting and an interview, Overlease would later get the news that she was one of those recepients. On a conference call with her parents and Craig Brown, it was clear that Brown was proud to offer Overlease the scholarship.

“One of the things I love about the scholarship is that we aren’t just being

handed money, we’re being invested in,” Overlease said. “Craig Brown will periodically fly into College Station to meet with his scholars and chat with them about what’s going on in their lives and remember for the next time. It’s really amazing.”

Overlease’s determination and work ethic has always set her apart. Her parents, Robbie and Julie Overlease, are hopeful that Texas A&M will be a place for her to thrive and develop in multifaceted ways.

“Olivia gives all of her pursuits her best effort and sets far-reaching goals for herself, which is admirable,” Julie said.

“She also possesses the integrity, selfconfidence and leadership necessary to succeed at A&M and in her future career.”

Texas A&M is a great environment to thrive in academics, as the community encourages students to work together and be the best in their respective fields, according to Overlease.

“Olivia demonstrates diligence, perseverance, a willingness to take chances, and she’s unafraid of failure,” Robbie said. “I hope she finds out how she can best use her gifts in a meaningful way.”

Overlease anticipates attending a university with a community full of pride, and knows that Texas A&M will be the best place for her to thrive.

“There’s so many different options for me, which is amazing,” Overlease said. “I’m also super excited to get out of Kansas City and experience College Station, Texas and meet new people.”

Funniest Memory Getting mistaken for Berenice or having my name mispronounced.

3

Proudest Accomplishment

My involvement in groups that revolve around helping minorities.

Gemma Hernandez Hernandez

Plans After High School

Studying elementary education at Rockhurst University.

Moment You Want to Relive

Taking first place at my first ever debate tournament junior year.

Advice to Freshman Self Take nothing for granted, the next four years will go by faster than you could ever imagine.

Morgan Herriott Herriott

Plans After High School

Biology on a pre-med track at the University of South Carolina.

1

2

1. Gig ‘Em

One aspect of the Texas A&M community Overlease anticipates is the pride in both sports and academics.

Every person connected to Texas A&M is proud to be there, according to Overlease.

2. Path to Engineering

Overlease poses in front of the AI Engineering Building at Texas A&M University. She will be majoring in nuclear engineering.

3. Future Aggie

There are a multitude of opportunities activities for Overlease to get involved and thrive in at Texas A&M. It will be an amazing environment where she will be pushed and encouraged, according to Overlease.

May 2021 // 15

seniors Funniest pink slip?

What teacher would you take to college and why?

Bray because he knows a little bit about everything.

Grace Grace Hill Hill

What are your post-high school plans?

I will be attending the University of Tulsa.

Grace Grace Hills Hills

Kenyon University.

Julia Julia Hughes Hughes

Favorite Sion memory?

Mady Jenkins Jenkins

Loyola University Chicago

shannon Shannon Karlin Karlin

16 // LeJournal

Going to Mizzou.

Lia Lia Johnson Johnson

What are your post-high school plans?

I’m playing D1 basketball at Cal Poly.

What teacher would you take to college and why?

My dad because I ask him for advice about almost everything.

Sharon kramschuster kramschuster

I’m planning to attend University of Saint Mary for college and softball.

Beating Pembroke in field hockey by penalty strokes in our last game of my senior season.

Finals horror story?

Going to Rhodes College.

What are your post-high school plans?

The moment you want to relive?

I cried 42 times the week of first semester finals junior year. Finals have never been my thing.

What are your post-high school plans?

I’m going to Rhodes College and playing golf.

Favorite Sion memory?

Paterson’s class my freshman year, I miss her everyday

Mia Legato Legato

What are your post-high school plans?

All of the games and drumline performances.

Favorite Sion memory?

Finals horror story?

What are your post-high school plans?

Throwing paper at Kram while he’s blocking it with the Bible.

The first day of finals I left my phone in my pocket and almost took it out because I wasn’t paying attention to the announcements.

Cox because she would be able to keep me on task but she would also know how to have fun

Haley langle

College at TCU

University of WisconsinMadison

Funniest Sion memory?

Finals horror story?

What teacher would you take to college and why?

Woke up with a migraine on the testing day and couldn’t take any finals and had to make them all up.

What are your post-high school plans?

What are your post-high school plans?

Funniest pink slip?

The people. It’s like a little family here.

Funniest pink slip?

Josie Josie Kaine Kaine

My calculator died right before the final and I had to take batteries from a teacher’s TV remote.

Keeping my GPA above a 4.0 all four years

Wearing slippers to school.

What will you miss most about Sion?

Funniest Sion memory?

What are your post-high school plans?

Matia Ianni

Finals horror story?

When my friends all burst out scream-laughing super loud and the whole cafeteria stopped to look at us.

Taking my phone out of my bag for one second during Paterson’s biology class.

University of Kansas.

What are you most proud of accomplishing?

Mr. Conaghan wearing a LuluLemon tag I gave him instead of his teacher name tag for half a semester.

The countless hours I’ve spent in the lab with the robotics team.

Washington University in St. Louis

What are your post-high school plans?

Mizzou

Mrs. Engel because she would provide a positive presence and she’s super wise.

Funniest Sion memory?

Funniest Sion memory?

Nicole Jackson

Señora Gomez because she is so educated in the medical field and she is such a happy free spirited person.

What are your post-high school plans?

What teacher would you take to college and why?

What teacher would you take to college and why?

The TAPS officer asking if our robot shot lasers.

What are your post-high school plans?

University of Kansas honors program

Diana Diana Hisle Hisle

Chopping off Maggie’s hair for pony up.

Moment you want to relive?

What are your post-high school plans?

What are your post-high school plans?

My skirt was “the shortest in the entire school” -Koehler.

Funniest Sion memory?

Favorite place at Sion?

MARY HUDAK

Funniest pink slip?

I got a 53% on my Spanish final freshman year. I thought it would be like middle school finals.

The hallways because I get to say hello.

When I won two awards at the Sion award ceremony my freshman year, not because I won the awards, because that was the moment it clicked for me that my classmates loved me for being me.

I would take Mrs. King because she is the reason I am going to graduate.

Finals horror story?

Finals horror story?

I sat in an empty room thinking it was the right one until 1 minute before the final started.

What teacher would you take to college and why?

Freshman year I got a pink slip for giving people high fives after they got communion.

Funniest Sion memory?

Mason Mason Lewis Lewis

Blaming everything Mr. Schreiber does on the fact that he’s a Virgo.

What are your post-high school plans?

Dayton University.

seniors

TO AND FROM SION

Four seniors who transfered in reflect on their journey to Sion.

S I O N S I O N

MILL VALLEY

- Grace A. Riley

“I transferred from Pembroke Hill to Sion junior year. My older sister went to Sion and loved it, so when I decided I wanted to leave Pembroke, Sion made sense.

The community of students and teachers at Sion are what makes the school so special.”

S I O N

PEMBROKE

PEMBROKE

“I transferred from Mill Valley and I decided to transfer to Sion because of the community, academics, and connections. I chose Sion because it fit the most with how I wanted my high school experience to be.”

S I O N

- Mady Jenkins

“I transferred from Shawnee Mission East my junior year and I decided to transfer to Sion because I was looking for a more community based experience and Sion looked like the best possible option.”

EAST

- Lauren McDougald EAST

SION

SION

“I transferred from St. Teresa’s my senior year. I transfered because I loved the energy the people and here, it felt more like a family than a school.”

ST. TERESA’S

ST. TERESA’S

S I O N

- Betty Christianson SION

May 2021 // 17

seniors

C

NF e s

SI O Ns

Advice to your freshman self Live a little and fear less.

BY: KATE MCCARTHY NEWS & SPORTS EDITOR

As seniors leave the school, they confess their old mishaps and funny stories throughout their highschool years.

closet closet child child

Favorite Sion memory

katherine katherine Lillis

One time freshman year my friend and I thought it would be funny to put a kindness rock from whatever that maison activity was on a toilet and I’m pretty sure somehow it got flushed away…

pritika pritika manna

Michigan State University

Advice you would give to underclassmen about the application process for colleges It’s not as stressful as it seems

lulu mathews mathews

What you will miss the most about Sion

What teacher would you take with you to college?

Mr. Earl because he would be my hype man and help me connect to literally anyone.

AP Spanish. I love Señora Schendel though. She makes it all worth it.

George Washington University

Hannah McGraw McGraw

Favorite quarantine activity

colorful escape escape

What are your post-high school plans?

Drury University

What teacher would you take with you to college?

Kram because you can’t get bored in his class

Anna McQueeney McQueeney

The moment you want to relive

What are you most proud of accomplishing these past 4 years

Give me Gonzalez, Koehler, and Selle and we would rule the campus

Loyola University Chicago

University of Kansas

Finals horror story

What teacher would you take with you to college?

What are your post-high school plans?

What are your post-high school plans?

Sleeping during a test I knew I would fail...I did

Traveling through Europe

Cirese mendolia mendolia

Colorado State University

Finals horror story

Advice to your freshman self

Lauren McDougald McDougald

What are your post-high school plans?

I’ve forgotten pencils at least four of the times we’ve taken finals

Painting records

I would advise my freshman self to live in the moment and not worry about what people think of you.

University of Arizona

Funniest pink slip

Hardest class you took

What are your post-high school plans?

What are your post-high school plans?

Chewing gum under my mask

The teachers. They’re all my shawdys.

Maggie McKinney McKinney

Rockhurt University

Funniest Sion memory

I would take Mrs. Durkin because we are great friends and love to gossip

What are your post-high school plans?

What are your post-high school plans?

Too many to name

What teacher would you take with you to college?

Sophomore year during the color run I was able to escape school and left by managing to find someone to unlock the room with my keys and then managing to hide from the front office in order to leave (this was before taps).

18 // LeJournal

Creighton University

maddie malone

Favorite Sion memory

musical pipes pipes

I was in bathroom changing for soccer in one of those tiny stalls holding my airpods. The toilet automatically flushes when you’re trying to change, so one minute I was trying to change and the next minute the toilet flushed and I could literally not find my airpods anywhere. I looked everywhere, but I haven’t found them to this day. They’re definitely in the Sion sewer...

What are your post-high school plans?

Dance team winning state.

Watching the “Thank U, Next” music video in honors chemistry

illegal parking parking

rocky plumbing

The moment you want to relive

Creating a rap about genetic mutation for freshman biology.

Spirit week junior year I came dressed as a soccer mom and was carrying a fake baby around all day. I hid it in Mrs. Moore’s closet, and I’m pretty sure she still doesn’t know it’s there.

One day during my lunch study hall, I was feeling rather risky and I decided to wait a while before leaving my house.

The math added up perfectly in my head, but I guess I wasn’t considering that my parking spot is at least a minute-long walk to the front doors. I pulled into the parking lot and knew that wasn’t going to work, so I parked in the visitor’s lot and checked in as the bell was ringing. For the rest of the day I was really nervous that someone was going to see my car parked there, but no one ever said anything so I have since parked there multiple times out of pure convenience.

Finals horror story I forgot to bring my laptop to an online final.

Getting through high school is my success

Berenice mendoza

What are your post-high school plans?

Rockhurst University

seniors

Coffee Girls

Funniest Pink Slip

Refusing to take a vocab quiz in freshman Spanish

Favorite School Year?

Sophomore Year

Plans after High School?

Paxton Paxton Misemer Misemer

I will be attending UCLA next year, and I also want to travel abroad. I think I want to take a gap year between college and law school to find what social justice issues I’m passionate about.

ACT or SAT? ACT

Favorite School Year?

Every single one of the musicals and plays

Plans After High School?

Mattie Mattie Mills Mills

I plan on going to college most likey at Drake University.

Funniest Sion Memory

Asking Kram every class to watch the ending of The Matrix

Favorite School Year?

Senior Year

Plans After High School?

Annabelle Annabelle Miller Miller

I plan to play soccer at Wesleyan University, and hopefully find a job that I love.

Miss the most?

Staff and maintenance team

Favorite School Year?

Junior Year

Plans After High School?

Queralh Queralh Mora Cuevas MoraCuevas

Moving to Leon, Guanajuato in Mexico. Going to De La Salle de Bajio University to study Veterinary Medicine.

ACT or SAT? ACT

Favorite School Year?

Junior Year

Plans After High School?

Delaney Delaney Minor Minor

I plan to attend the University of Arkansas in the fall.

Seniors Aly Heefner and Aprille Castañeda both work at Starbucks in their free time.

BY BRIANNA LEGETTE REPORTER

S

enior Aprille Castañeda works at the Starbucks inside Hen House on West 83rd in Lenexa. Castañeda first started working there in August of 2020 and works there three days a week after school and on weekends. She describes working at Starbucks as demanding; however, her coworkers make working more fun and enjoyable.

“It’s extremely fast-paced and it wasn’t something I was used to,” Castañeda said. “You have to have people skills and a lot of patience.”

People really like their coffee and if you don’t get it to them in a timely manner, customers get upset.

Additionally, masks make it harder for Castañeda to hear customer’s orders.

“You kind of play a guessing game, because people don’t like repeating themselves,” Castañeda said. “You have to assume what they want.”

Her least favorite thing about working at Starbucks are the customers, especially with COVID-19 and a lot of people not following social distancing or mask-wearing guidelines.

“It’s been worse than I expected,” Castañeda said. “We have masks placed in our bathrooms, specifically for people who come in without one. And we also have markers placed so they stand in line and no one listens to them.”

Castañeda and her co-workers often tell people to back up because they aren’t socially distanced from the counter. They can refuse service to people who don’t have a mask on, which can get ugly at times.

The barista’s favorite thing about working at Starbucks is the free food and drinks as well as her relationship with her co-workers. She loves the bacon, gouda and egg sandwich and washing it down with a brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso. Castañeda gets along very well with her co-workers. They make her laugh the entire shift, and she feels that her fellow employees make all the hard work worth her time.

“They’re really easy-going,” Castañeda said. “I don’t have to worry about talking to other people. We joke around a lot.”

Another Starbucks senior, Aly Heefner, works at the 135th and Briar, Leawood location. Heefner started working there Nov. 2019; she works there after school from Wednesday through Saturday. She describes working there as busy and hectic.

“My store is one of the busiest in the district,” Heefner said. “It gets wild, but I love working there, it’s really fun.”

Even though the store is busy, Heefner’s shift is right after school - not a prime coffee ordering time. Most of her shifts are casual, but Heefner’s least favorite thing about working at Starbucks is experiencing a rush and trying to get things done after all the stress. Working together with coworkers is the key to getting everything done in Heefner’s opinion.

“The really stressful part is when we’re understaffed,” Heefner said.

Unlike Castaneda, Heefner’s favorite part is talking to the customers.

“You never know who you’re going to meet,” Heefner said. “There’s always a lot of odd people that come through and you make a lot of connections.”

Her time at Starbucks has gotten out of Heefner out of her comfort zone and she feels she has become more friendly.

Heefner believes working with customers helps with interpersonal skills. She feels the same appreciation for her co-workers as Castaneda.

“I’ve made a lot of good friends at work,” Heefner said. “You’re always going to have differences with your co-workers, but it’s really easy to work it out.”

Heefner’s loves the London Fog Tea Latte, and her favorite food on the menu matches Castañeda’s.

May 2021 // 19

seniors

THE BEST OF SENIOR YEAR

BY AVA ALBRACHT FEATURES EDITOR

Traditions are what make senior year special; these are just a few of your senior class’s favorites.

Teacher to take to college

Senora Gomez because she is the funniest and most caring teacher I have had

Advice to Freshmen

AVERI MYRICK MYRICK

1. Seniors Rock the House The beloved tradition of seniors storming the court after any given game or assembly boosts the spirit of not only the seniors but any onlookers as well. There is nothing better than being surrounded by classmates and friends cheering each other on. It is no wonder this came in first place.

2. Signing Shirts After high school, memories of classmates and teachers may fade. However, signing each other’s polos is a perfect reminder of the people you spent four of the most formative years of your life with. This special senior tradition is not a mere moment in the scheme of life, it lasts forever.

3. Senior Polos Walking down the halls, any underclassmen recognizes the colored senior polos as a symbol of authority. The polos also highlight students who know what they are doing and can give advice or help with anything no matter how small. Senior polos are a well-deserved reward for the three grueling years of rigorous academics and time-consuming activities that Sion students tend to undertake which makes them so special.

6. Assassins Playing assassins is like being on a roller coaster of emotions: fear of being hit, exhilaration when you finally hit your target and exhaustion when you wait for your target for hours. Assassins is an entertaining way to get your mind off of the stress of college applications and school and just play like a kid again.

20 // LeJournal

Plans for next year Attending the University of Missouri

Funniest Pink Slip Shrock gave me one because I left class one minute early to go to lunch

Advice to Freshmen Make as many friends as possible!!

AUDREY AUDREY O’BRIEN O’BRIEN

Plans after High School Attending Dartmouth College

What are you most proud of

Not failing a class

Funniest Pink Slip For wearing different colored socks

OLIVIA POPE

4. Senior Skip Day Who doesn’t want a day-off of school with no concerns about making up missed work? Senior skip day is a memorable way to finish the year off strong with friends and peers. Students look forward to it freshman to senior year and even the teachers are in on it.

5. Last Sion Olympics Dressing up in red, white and blue, seniors get to dress up and decorate the hallways as America, a coveted position. Sion Olympics and the games are a fun way to bond with the rest of your maison especially for seniors who get to be the leaders of their maisons.

The best part of Sion Olympics, however, is the dances.

As a senior, you get to watch the underclassmen and remember how rough your dances were and get to boast the best dance of all the grades.

Don’t worry too much about friends, you will find them eventually

Plans after High School Attending the University of Kansas

Funniest Memory Bray tripping over everything and getting into really off topic discussions

in Latin.

Favorite Place at Sion The track

OLIVIA OVERLEASE OVERLEASE

Plans after high school Attending Texas A&M

Funniest Sion Memory Dunking Mid in the dunk tank at field day.

What are you most proud of

Getting over a 4.0 cumulative GPA.

JANE OLTJEN

Plans after High School Attending Kansas State University

TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL Nine seniors are committed to playing collegiate sports next year.

seniors

HANNAH BORGEMEYER Playing softball at Fontbonne University.

“My favorite softball memory ever was throwing my perfect game because within that perfect game, I had a three pitch inning. ”

MEGAN PROPECK

CAROLINE GIOCONDO

Playing golf at the University of Virginia.

Playing golf at Regis University.

“My best memory playing golf for Sion was definitely our state championships. This year especially was really special with it being my last year. Finishing with one of my best rounds and breaking the all-time state record was the best way to finish.”

“My love for the atmosphere of the golf team and being a part of a tight knit family with teammates who become best friends is what made me want to play golf in college.”

LIA JOHNSON

SHANNON KARLIN

Playing golf at Rhodes College.

Playing basketball at California Polytechnic State University.

“What made me want to play golf in college was my dream of being a collegiate athlete but also working towards something more than myself with a team that supports me.”

“Playing college basketball has been one of my dreams since grade school. Basketball has always been one of my passions and I was really inspired by two of my brothers that played college football to keep working to achieve my goal.”

SHARON KRAMSCHUSTER

KATELYN BRINKMAN

Playing softball at University of Saint Mary.

Playing soccer at Saint Louis University.

“I wanted to play softball in college because I will enter into the new school year with a team behind my back, and I will have the opportunity to reach my full potential.”

“I am most excited for playing for some of the most amazing and supportive coaches alongside teammates who have the same passion for the game and winning as I do.”

KENNEDY RUARK

ANNABELLE MILLER

Playing soccer at Creighton University.

Playing soccer at Wesleyan University.

“Soccer is such an important part of my life and who I am and I’m not ready to be done with it and I’m so excited to take it to another level and really push myself and grow as a player.”

“Playing soccer in college is giving me the opportunity of a lifetime to go to a phenomenal school that I would never have thought possible to get into without it. It has always been a passion of mine, and I want to play it for as long as I possibly can.”

May 2021 // 21

seniors Advice to your freshman self?

Actually try to learn your Spanish vocabulary, you’ll need it.

Winning state for Sion in golf.

Plans after high school?

Playing golf at the University of Virginia.

Jaden Jaden Runchey Runchey

Plans after high school?

Missouri Southern State University

Favorite Sion memory?

Finals horror story?

Finals horror story?

I forgot my calculator to my math final.

I forgot my calculator for a calculus exam, I had to have my dad race to the school with it before it started.

Plans after high school?

Creighton University

Kathryn Kathryn Sade Sade

Plans after high school?

Drake University

Keely Schieffer Schieffer

Olivia Olivia Shively Shively

The color run every year.

Favorite Sion memory?

Plans after high school?

University of Arkansas

Olivia Olivia Valles Valles

Mrs. Cox because she is like a mom but also has a crazy side that would be hilarious in college.

Plans after high school?

Creighton University

Favorite Sion memory?

Finals horror story?

Addie Addie Vance Vance

Advice you would give to your freshman self:

Favorite Sion memory?

Plans after high school?

JCCC over the summer and then the University of Kansas.

Plans after high school?

Undecided

Creating Lemon Club and the legacy I am hoping it will leave in the school.

Reach out to people you aren’t close to because one might become your bestie now instead of later.

Abbie Sinow

My friends and I stayed up until three completing an 80-problem study guide the night before our math final.

What are you most proud of accomplishing these past 4 years?

Seniors rock the house

My first Sion vs STA basketball game where we walked from the cafeteria to the gym yelling sion chants.

Plans after high school?

Rockhurst University

The fall festival freshman year the friday after spirit week.

Favorite senior tradition?

Hardest class you took?

Geometry

Playing soccer at Creighton University

Advice to your freshman self?

What teacher would you take to college with you and why?

Chewing Gum in Mr. McGory’s class.

Plans after high school?

Funniest pink slip?

Forgetting my scissors to Mrs. Stewart’s class.

Hardest class you took?

Funniest Pink Slip?

Plans after high school?

University of Arkansas

When Elvis played at our lunch.

Algebra II Honors with Mid.

Learning how to make homemade pasta.

Creighton University

Undecided

Violet Tumlin

Don’t cut your hair in pony up.

Favorite quarantine activity?

Plans after high school?

Plans after high school?

Finals horror story?

Any and every final is a horror story for me.

Funniest Sion memory?

Favorite place at Sion?

22 // LeJournal

Grace Grace Steyer Steyer

Seeing the Dance/Cheer Teams and Marching Band perform in pep assemblies!

The library with Mr. Shrock and Mr. Schrieber.

Kennedy Kennedy Ruark Ruark

Plans after high school?

University of Arkansas

Pil during halloween and Christmas jumping out at people.

Senior spring break

Grace Grace J. Riley

Señora Gonzales so I have someone to tell all my drama to and to be there for me whenever.

Dance team getting to perform at the pep assembelies.

The moment you want to relive?

Grace A. Grace Riley

Funniest pink slip?

Running down the hallway away from Lamp because of my shoes freshman year.

Funniest Sion memory?

Favorite Sion memory?

Kaitlyn Kaitlyn Quinn quinn

Favorite Sion memory?

Traveling to Ireland my junior year.

What teacher would you take to college with you and why?

A moment you want to relive?

Megan Propeck Propeck

Favorite Sion memory?

Doing the food for thought skit sophomore year.

Favorite place at Sion?

Kate Vankeirsbilck Vankeirsbilck

Kram’s classroom because that has become my therapy office while at school.

Plans after high school?

University of Kansas

seniors Favorite place at Sion?

The moment you want to relive?

The Grotto

Our first “Seniors Rock the House”

What teacher would you take with you to college and why?

Rajitha Rajitha Velakaturi Velakaturi

Mr. Shrock because we have really awesome conversations about history.

Plans after high school?

Creighton University

Favorite place at Sion?

Top of the stairs in NGS on the blue chairs.

Abbie Wagner Wagner

Plans after high school?

University of Arkansas

Finals horror story?

Finals horror story?

Ruby Wright

I wrote about the wrong topic for my english final essay freshman year.

Plans after high school?

University of Missouri

Zoe Zorn

My computer broke the night before my AP Euro final and the final was online.

Plans after high school?

College of Charleston

she is beauty

Funiest pink slip?

Mrs. Selle giving me a pink slip for making a Tik Toks on chairs in the Library.

Funniest Sion memory?

All of Brie Bowes’ dance parties before lacrosse games.

she is grace While there are six students with the name “Grace” in the Class of 2021, what’s even more unusual is that two pairs have nearly identical full names.

BY LAUREN SHAW REPORTER

Funniest Sion memory?

When the priest told us to ask our parents about when we were conceived.

Finals horror story?

Riley Weaver Weaver

Watching all eight seasons of Game of Thrones the month before finals.

Plans affter high school?

Smith College

Advice to your freshman self?

Sometimes studying less is more beneficial than staying up all night.

Funniest Sion memory?

Emily Weians

When Morgan Herriott almost died because there was a metal hook in her soup.

Plans after high school?

Marquette University

Favorite Sion memory?

My first Sion Olympics.

Finals horror story?

For finals my freshman year I was so nervous I accidentally left my binder at home, but I got to school two hours early.

Kyra Kyra Wilburn Wilburn

Plans after high school?

Undecided

A social media coordinator, a chef, a saxophone player, a bread baker, a national merit scholar and a pennyboarder.

With a range of diverse hobbies, one common feature between these girls is that they all do it with grace. As if six “Graces” in the grade wasn’t confusing enough for other students and faculty, two pairs of girls have extremely similar full names.

Seniors Grace A. Riley and Grace J. Riley have experienced lots of confusion surrounding their names, due to the fact that the only difference between their names is their middle names. Over the past four years, they have received many emails meant for the other.

“Oh yeah, she gets a lot of my emails,” Grace A. Riley said. “She just forwards them to me now and texts me like, ‘Hey this is for you.’”

As the second pair with extremely similar names, Grace Hill and Grace Hills are only told apart from an absence of a letter at the end of Hill’s last name. Teachers have often made the mistake of switching the two up. Mr. Ketter once congratulated Hills for winning the heart of gold service award while Hill was the actual winner. Another time, Mr. Shrock accidentally sent a pink slip to Grace Hill that was actually meant for Grace Hills.

“A lot of times one of us will be called to the front office but both of us will show up, only to be told that we’re the wrong Grace,” Hill said.

Although they don’t have identical names, Seniors Grace Dobbels and Grace Steyer present entertaining and lighthearted childhood nicknames they were used to being called when they were younger.

“A nickname I can think of is ‘Grape’,” Dobbels said. “There was a time when I was a kid that I would literally only eat grapes, and it sounds similar to ‘Grace.’”

Steyer recalls that her older brothers would call her “Cha-Cha” as a child.

“It was as a joke, as when I was little I asked what I wanted to be called so they just keep it going,” Steyer said.

May 2021 // 23

A&E

WORDS OF WISDOM

from last year’s staff

Last years Le Journal staff passes along a few pieces of advice and memories to the class of 2021.

BY KATE CONWAY CO-PHOTO EDITOR

QQ:

What do you miss the most about Sion and newspaper staff?

Ava Stoltz: QQ:

“The small community and knowing everyone cared about each other, also late nights in the newspaper room were the best.”

What is your best advice for the graduating senior class?

Kamryn Rogers:

“Not really advice but just because you guys probably don’t hear this enough: Seniors, I’m so proud of you. You are all so amazing and I wish each and every one of you the best of luck in all your future endeavors!”

QQ:

What is something you wish you would’ve known before college?

Kaitlin Lyman:

QQ:

“Don’t stress if you don’t find your people right away. Just think about yourself freshman year at Sion compared to senior year at Sion. It’s the same thing, in the end everything will fall into place.”

What is your best advice for freshman year of college?

Paula Sweeny: QQ:

What is something you wish you had known going into college?

Emma Hutchin: QQ: Check out the 2019-2020 staff’s issues at https://issuu.com/lejou?issue 24 // LeJournal

“Don’t put yourself in a box! Try new things, get involved in different clubs and events, and be open minded!!”

“It’s okay to make mistakes! College is all about finding yourself and figuring out what you want to do with your life. Change your major and change it again! Nothing is stopping you from pursuing what interests you.”

What do you miss the most about staff?

Sela Kincaid:

“Everything... the stories, staff family, food, just the craziness”

Mini Fridge Every dorm room would be incomplete without a mini fridge that you can fill with food, drinks, snacks, and more.

Dorm Room Essentials

A&E

BY KATE CONWAY CO-PHOTO EDITOR

Sleep Mask

Coffee Maker

To block out roommate distractions or light while trying to sleep, a sleep mask is a staple to have in your room.

In an effort to save money by not going to coffee shops, a mini coffee to have in the dorms is a lifesaver.

Shower Flip Flops Shower flip flops are a must have for communal showers .

Robe Having a robe to stay cozy especially after showering is a college must have.

Photo Wall

Reading Light

A photo wall is the perfect way to make the boring walls in your room look better and have memories to look at.

A reading light is perfect for late night studying or reading in order to not disturb your roommate.

where to shop

Amazon Amazon is the perfect spot to find a cheaper variety of decor, bedding, and college life staples.

Target With quick delivery and a wide variety of option Target is an essential stop on the college shopping front.

Urban Outfitters Although it can be over-priced, Urban Outfitters has trendy and unique bedding and decor.

AT Home If you are looking for cute storage and other ways to keep your room clean At Home is an affordable store to check out.

May 2021 // 25

A&E

This or That?

Do you prefer the new or old sion cookies?

New!

Old!

Do you eat hot lunch or lunch from home?

Hot!

From Home!

How many skirts do you own?

What’s your favorite polo color?

Purple!

White!

Teal!

If I could, I would relive My favorite year of high school was Chips or an Apple?

Chips

Apple

Who was your first friend at Sion? How did you meet?

Favorite teacher?

Favorite class?

26 // LeJournal

A&E

Favorite high school memory?

Starbucks or Dunkin?

Starbucks, ofc!

Dunkin, duh!

What’s your coffee order?

Apple Music or

Spotify?

How many pink slips have you gotten? How did you get them?

Do you roll your skirt?

How do you like to learn?

Yes

No

In person

Sometimes Virtual

Have your friends write you notes!

May 2021 // 27

CLASS OF 2021