September 2022

LeJOURNAL

NEWS: PAGE 6

SUMMER CONSTRUCTION AND STEAM INTERNSHIP

ON THE COVER: PAGE 14

GENDER-BASED AND RELATIONSHIP VIOLENCE

FEATURE: PAGE 20

NOTRE DAME DE SION HIGH SCHOOL | VOLUME 45 | SEPTEMBER 2022

SHROCK AND SCHREIBER ULTIMATE FRISBEE

Right Where You Belong Sisterhood Beyond

opinions

Photo of the issue

COLOR THROW KISSES

Pouting her lips out like a blowfish, freshman Rekha Ross snaps a selfie with freshmen Madeline Green, Julie Danda and others after the field day Color Throw Sept. 15. “I had like 10 people come up to me and say, ‘Can I get a picture with you? I literally love you,’” Ross said. “So I was like, ‘Of course,’ and I just put on my little goofy face and they snapped the pictures.”

PHOTO | ZAHRA PARSONS

editors’ ink student space

Hello there! Allow us to introduce ourselves - we are Sophie Gromowsky and Zahra Parsons, and we are beyond excited to be your 20222023 Le Journal editors. We’re looking forward to working with our incredible staff to create a publication that informs you on broader world issues, connects you with your Sion sisters and, above all, creating newsmagazine stories that you will love to read.

In this first issue, you’ll find some of the awesome ways that Sion girls spent their summer. Turn to pages 8-9 to read about junior Kate Wren’s experience backpacking off-the-grid through the Alaskan wilderness. On pages 6 and 7, check out how the summer STEAM interns collaborated with Turner Construction Company to create innovative new spaces for our students to learn.

For some super cool sports stories, dive into the world of

Ultimate Frisbee with Shrock and Schreiber (pg. 20-21).

Then, read about how junior Sophie Hampp balances high-level gymnastics with her heavy school schedule (pg. 24-25).

To see what’s new in movies, music and fashion, check out our recap of all the summer trends on pages 18-19. Then head on over to pages 26-27 to learn about some amazing food trucks from around the Kansas City area. Maybe you’ll find your new favorite place to eat. An enormous amount of time and hard work was put into creating this issue, and it is our goal that you will enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed making it.

We hope that you love this issue and that it makes you excited for all the things to come this school year. Turn the page and let’s get started!

Cheers, Sophie & Zahra

lauren millard

I fell in love with swords from just reading books and watching TV because sword fighting is just really cool.

The first dagger I made was made out of cardboard and it was mediocre.

Then the next summer my dad had some extra plywood so I drew out the sword I wanted and then he cut it with his jigsaw.

I spent a lot of work sanding it down and I got some aluminum foil tape to put on it and that was my first sword.

One of my most recent projects is a four-foot longsword.

I did a lot of research trying to figure out how long it should be and what are the dimensions.

Then I drew it out on a piece of wood and this summer my dad taught me how to use the jigsaw so I cut it out myself.

I’ve got a belt sander and a circular sander and I just sand it down a lot until I get just the general shape.

RIGHT WHERE YOU BELONG

The first week of school was filled with traditions old and new to kick off the start of the school year.

BY MANAGING EDITOR LAUREN SMITH

Sion kicked off the 2022-2023 school year Monday, Aug. 15, with a pep assembly that included teacher dance-offs; cheer, dance team and drumline performances; and the reveal of this year’s theme: Right Where You Belong. Reflecting Sion’s mission, it emphasizes not only traditions, but service and community.

“We often think of orientation as the foundation for the year and so it brings us all back together,” assistant principal Jenny Brown-Howerton said. “And especially this year we talked a lot about building community, especially after COVID, and so it’s just a great launching off point.”

Start-of-year traditions began the week prior to the first day of school on Friday, Aug. 12, when the senior class decorated the freshman lockers. This tradition serves as an opportunity for seniors to welcome the freshmen to their maison, by covering their lockers with decorations ranging from unicorns and Barbie, to dinosaurs with music teacher Elizabeth Mulkey’s face on them.

After all the lockers were decorated, the senior class became the first class to paint their parking spots, an idea that student council president Sophie Gromowsky proposed and worked to develop with administration over

the summer.

“From my perspective, the girl puts together a good proposal. She is organized, she’s thoughtful, she thinks through things,” principal Ellen Carmody said. “That shows when you think through stuff and you come at it from a responsible way it’s easy to say yes.”

On Tuesday, seniors pulled into their newly painted parking spots, and, along with the rest of the school, attended their first full day of classes.

Then, on Wednesday and Thursday, each grade participated in individual activities, designed using feedback from last year’s Community of Belonging interviews.

Each grade spent half a day engaging in class bonding activities, participating in games of capture the chicken, setting goals, and learning school cheers.

The other half of the day consisted of mindset training, led by experts from Getting Smart, to teach the students how to have a growth mindset. This is an important aspect of Sion’s Portrait of a Graduate: how to become a well rounded faithful global citizen.

“In order to really be a person of the world you have to have a free open mind, so that you can experience new things and set forth on a track of peace, justice and love,” Carmody said.

In order to fulfill Sion’s mission of service in style, everyone wore their new Sion Serves t-shirts and went out into the community to serve at a variety of volunteer sites, including Giving the Basics, Scraps KC and TurnStyles Thrift.

Students were separated into groups to serve for the morning or afternoon at a location based on an interest survey they had filled out. Groups also spent time at the Sion Grade School, where they were informed about the history of Sion through interactive learning. This included a tour of the school, learning the school song in the chapel, making cards addressed for Sisters of Sion, and a prayer walk around the campus. The goal of spending time at the grade school was to connect students to the mission of Sion.

“We heard a lot of how we wanted to bring some kind of fun and energy back,’’ Carmody said about the results from the interviews. “Also, opportunities for kids to connect in different ways not just in their classes, but not just with their friends either.”

To finish off the week, the senior class connected Friday morning for the annual senior tailgate, filled with lots of muffins, selfies, and a way for the class to kick off their senior year.

In the afternoon, the seniors officially welcomed the freshman class during the Beanie Ceremony.

Seniors from each maison presented their freshmen with beanies, hats meticulously decorated with their name and a multitude of designs. This helps the school learn their names as they wear them the following week in the halls. Some seniors, like Lauren Millard, brought their freshman year beanies to show off to the school during the ceremony, and to emphasize the importance of tradition.

“I have been planning to make my beanie since I got mine freshman year, ‘’ Millard said. “It was important to me to make something that my freshmen would enjoy, and that they would actually wear. I think they are pretty cool. I was excited to show that I still had my beanie from freshman year.”

At the end of the ceremony, the senior class created a tunnel for the freshmen to run through wearing their beanies. Once the freshmen left, the day ended by passing out of yearbooks- a book filled with all the memories from the last year, and a reminder of all the memories of what is to come this year.

“I think we both wanted it (the first week) to be more interactive, memorable and leave people excited for the year,” Brown-Howerton said. “People were more energized, and that was our goal.”

SENIOR SELFIE

Seniors Kori Franklin and Alea Fowler pose for a selfie during the senior tailgate in their pink senior polos. The tailgate was kind of a swaggy experience because it was the kickoff of the start of something new,” Franklin said.

PHOTO I CLAIRE BOMA

BEANIE BLAST

Seniors Zoey Marshall, Kaitlyn Miller and Lauren Millard gather together for a photo. They did a runway showing of their own beanies from freshman year at the beginning of this year’s ceremony.

FRESH START

Freshman Evelyn Kiewiet beams as she receives her beanie from the seniors in her maison, officially welcoming her to Sion. My favorite part was my sister and her friend cheeering super loud for me. It just made me feel super good,” Kiewiet said.

SENIOR SPOTS

Senior Reese Chambers and the rest of the senior class became the first class to start the tradition of painting their parking spots on Friday, Aug. 12. “I really enjoyed painting my parking spot because I like that they gave us a chance to be creative with what we were doing, and we were able to all do our own unique thing that was special to us,” Chambers said.

PHOTO | CLAIRE BOMA

PHOTO | LILY WILKIN

PHOTO | ARLETH GUEVERA

FULL STEAM AHEAD

Nine students had participated in a summer internship at Sion in order to learn different aspects of the STEAM field through the construction project.

BY ELLA ALEXANDER REPORTER

Agroup of students, all dressed in neon vests and hard hats, are greeted by the reverberating call of a jackhammer. Dust clouds the room, as shouts from workers echo throughout the construction zone.

Click, click, click. Snaps from a camera capture the interns’ first experience walking through the scaffolding of what will soon be Sion’s new chemistry labs.

Nine students, seniors Eden Davis, Lauren Millard and Chloe Reid, juniors Ella Alexander, Maya Hernandez and Mary-Margaret Perkins, and sophomores Caroline Deacon, Annie Ismert and Becca Houlehan were a part of Sion’s Summer STEAM internship. The internship, led by STEAM director Emilie Lai, focused on giving students experiential learning in the fields of engineering, architecture and marketing.

“We knew that we wanted to get students interested in engineering, as well as the opportunity to see their school being built from start to finish,” Lai said. “But what I wanted to do was really expand the reach in terms of not just engineering students, but how can we get students who are interested in a bunch of different things, to see that something like a build or any sort of experience can be appealing to multiple perspectives and multiple careers.”

The interns met onsite a total of five times during the summer break. Each visit followed a routine.

The interns gathered on Zoom the day before meeting on campus and reviewed expectations and ideas for the following day. After arriving on campus, Turner Construction gave interns a tour of the updated building, explaining the process and challenges of each new stage.

Afterwards, interns connected with one of Turner’s subcontractors and learned a particular trade skill such as pouring concrete, cutting and hanging drywall or cutting studs.

“My favorite part was making the concrete bricks the first visit because then I got to make it and take it home,” Davis said. “Although it was really heavy, it was fun to make.”

Along with learning trade skills, this internship created an opportunity for students interested in marketing and media.

During visits, each intern had an assigned job related to photography, social media or videography. Students alternated positions throughout the internship in order to gain experience in a variety of fields.

After each visit, interns released one social media post and wrote two blogs - one technical blog that described the construction, and one personal blog detailing the experience.

“I do think that there are valuable things you can learn from something like this,”

ATRIUM VIEWS

Senior Eden Davis, junior Mary-Margaret Perkins and sophomores Caroline Deacon and Becca Houlehan peer over the ledge in the new atrium, observing the construction process.

“It is pretty cool to see the progression of construction over time,” Davis said. “It’s something I have never seen before and it makes it extra cool that it is my school.”

PHOTO | SALLY MORROW

Hernandez said. “A lot of people don’t realize how much it takes and how underappreciated construction workers are, and it was awakening for me to see how much effort these people put in, how many hours they put in, and how much time it takes for them to be efficient. I feel like I became more appreciative of people in this field.”

The internship created opportunities to grow intellectually and experiencially. It challenged students adapt to new and unfamiliar environments. The interns learned how to communicate in a professional setting and cultivate an environment focused on communicating and collaborating with peers.

“I feel like I not only learned trade skills that are useful for me, but also life skills, like how to present myself to people,” Hernandez said. “I was able to learn that it’s okay to put myself out there, and it’s not as scary as I thought it would be. I became a little more confident in how I carry myself, and feel like now I push myself outside of my comfort zones.”

HARD HAT HARD HITTERS

While interviewing a Turner construction employee July 9, junior Maya Hernandez takes notes, while sophmore Annie Ismert films the interaction. “I enjoyed talking to people and networking and figuring out people’s stories to find out a lot about who they are,” Hernandez said.

PHOTO | ELLA ALEXANDER

LOOKING FOR

Junior Kate Wren spent her summer adventuring in the Alaskan wilderness

STORY BY COPY EDITOR CLAIRE BOMA AND NEWS & SPORTS EDITOR KATE PETERS

DESIGN BY ADVISOR VALERIE CROOK

Over 4000 miles away from home, junior Kate Wren embarked on the journey of a lifetime: backcountry camping in Alaska. For three weeks in June and July, she hiked, kayaked and lived in the Alaskan wilderness with no connection to the outside world. This trip gave her many opportunities to learn and experience new things.

“I really enjoyed the process of setting up camp,” Wren said. “After hiking for six hours, being able to set up camp, make our food and enjoy the view was like a reward for all the hard work that we did.”

Nothing about the trip was easy. The group hiked and kayaked over five miles every day, carrying with them all of their supplies and belongings. Sometimes treking the land while carrying their own kayaks. They would go into the wilderness for five days at a time, only stopping in towns briefly for supplies.

“Before we went backcountry camping for the week we would always go to Walmart and buy food. We would heat up the store-bought food with water from rivers that we carried with us in a large box,” she said.

Mealtimes were a particularly unique experience for Wren. The campers were all divided into smaller groups, and each group was responsible for one meal every day of the week. Not only did they have to carry and cook their food, but they also had to set up an outdoor kitchen.

“We had to make the kitchen about 50 yards away from the campsite,” Wren said. “We set up this propane stove on a flat surface to cook, and we’d store stuff in bear cans with all of our food and smelly items so the bears couldn’t eat them, and so they would stay away from where we were sleeping.”

Not everything on the trip was enjoyable for Wren, and she struggled a lot due to her inexperience. The weight of supplies combined with the distance and effort needed to travel was particularly difficult, especially with minimal protection from the environment.

“When we kayaked, there was literal ice rushing by us, and the rain gear did not work as waterproof. I was soaking wet,” Wren said. “I was constantly sore, and the mosquitos were torture.”

Another challenge Wren faced during this trip was

the complete absence of technology. She wasn’t even allowed to have her phone for the long plane rides during her trip. Despite the boredom this caused during down time, it allowed for her to connect to nature and other people in a way she never had before.

“Honestly the only thing that really bothered me was not being able to take good pictures,” she said.

Despite all the difficulties she faced, there were many happy moments as well. Wren made many lasting friendships during her time in Alaska. Her extroverted personality helped her to connect with people quickly, and the solitude of the trip gave them a very close bond.

“They become like a second family to you, and share in every moment of this great adventure,” Wren said.

Another exciting and memorable part of the trip for her was seeing all the unique animals of the Alaskan wilderness.

“I enjoyed being able to see all the wildlife,” she said, “When we were kayaking I got to see sea lions. They kept poking their heads up above the water. It was so cool.”

Being able to see such unique species of animals so closely was really exciting for her, although at times it was a little scary, especially when they were trained about bear safety. Fortunately they never encountered any bears, but it was still strange to see certain animals, especially since she’s not used to encountering these animals outside of zoos.

“I got to see a couple of moose, including one with her babies from really close. It was actually really scary but cool too,” she said.

Despite the ups and downs of her journey, the memories from the trip will last her forever. Wren found a new admiration for nature and camping on her journey, and although she is not yet confident in her abilities, she is willing to learn more.

“I learned that I need some toughening up, but also that I need to get outside more and to appreciate the little things,” she said. “To get that secluded into nature, it was a really unique feeling. You don’t get to do that a lot today.”

ALASKA

PHOTOS SUBMITTED | KATE WREN

sisterhood beyond scholarship

Humann’s first scholars celebrate joining the Leadership Council at the high school.

BY ARLETH GUEVARA EDITORIALS EDITOR

The Humann Scholars program welcomed its first class of middle schoolers in June of 2021. Those five young women were the now-freshmen Salem Smith, Gabriela Ceniceros, Alisson Zamudio, Zitlali Piñon and Giana Juarez - all of whom are now part of the Humann Scholars Leadership Council. They plan, prep and lead Saturday and Summer Academies.

“At first when I got into it I didn’t think I was going to make any friends,” Piñon said. “Now I’m best friends with Giana, which we went to different schools back then.”

The summer program is a four week educational camp in June, focused on building sisterhood and a sense of community within Sion. The Saturday academies help middle school scholars prepare for the HSPT. When the scholars move into high school they will automatically be a part of the council as a leader.

“We give them a feel of what Sion’s about, make them feel like they are already part of the community,” sophomore Leadership Council Member Annie Njogu said. “Our job is to make them as strong and independent as they possibly can be.”

Louise Humann, the namesake of the program, set her roots in Sion by inspiring its founding brothers, Theodore and Alphonse Ratisbonne, to center their lives in the word of God. This inspiration led to the start of not only Sion’s mission, but also to the mission of Humann Scholars.

MUSICAL MOTIVATION

Humann Scholar eighth graders sit around the table at the first Saturday Academy meeting Sept. 10. The girls’ first assignment was to make a class playlist to describe their summer. “It was amazing reuniting with everyone, I missed the girls,” middle school scholar Itzel Olivas said. “We did the work, talked, and sang two songs together.”

PHOTOS | ARLETH GUEVARA

“I knew right away that I wanted the program to be named after Louise Humann,” Mission Director Annie Riggs said. “It was really important to her to have diverse students together at Sion. She believed that for her school, of every 10 students, one student will attend for free.”

Recruitment for the first students of Humann Scholars Program started in April 2021.

Female students from Holy Cross or Our Lady of Hope filled out an application, submitted letters of recommendation and completed an interview. The process lasted two months, and only six students from each school were selected.

“When you’re in the program, you feel really welcomed by all the girls,” Piñon said. “I didn’t care to go to private school but when I got into it I realized it was probably one the best choices my parents made.”

Due to Sion’s building construction this summer, this year’s program was moved to Rockhurst High School, where girls were

given a hallway to decorate and use.

“I believe it would have been better for the girls to actually be on site, so they could get the full experience of being in our high school,” Humann Leadership Council junior Imani Cutler said. “We made the best of it. We made sure they had fun and we even decorated the hallways to give them a more Sionian feel.”

The Humann Scholars met for the first time in our own building Saturday, Sept. 10. The Leadership Council is now in the process of preparing next year’s summer program.

Next March, fifth-grade girls from Holy Cross Catholic School and Our Lady of Hope will get the chance to be a part of the Humann Scholars Program and during their three years of middle school the girls will participate in Saturday academies and Summer programs. This will prepare them for the HSPT, but also build confidence, independence, and leadership skills.

“I’m in it for the simple fact to let girls know that you have a special place in the school,” Cutler said. “You can feel like you are in Sion High School even being in seventh grade, you have those friendships, gain those relationships and gain that knowledge.”

Meet the Scholars

Humann Scholars’ newest Leadership Council Members

I’m looking forward to meeting new people and having a good freshman experience.

My favorite thing about Sion is the people, they really do care about you.

So far I’ve enjoyed cheer and trying something I’ve never done before.

I enjoy being in cheer because when I joined I felt accepted.

I play field hockey and I like how it’s similar to soccer.

It’s like a family, like how an older sibling would help out with the younger one, thats how it feels to me. Samantha Guzman-Solis, ‘25

weeding out

WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner was arrested in Russia for bringing cannabis into the country Feb. 17. After arriving at Sheremetyevo International Airport, she was arrested for smuggling 0.702 grams of hashish oil inside two vape pens and held in custody until Aug. 15.

She recieved a sentencing of 9 years in a Russian Penal Colony.

Once the situation was released into the press, major backlash from American celebrities and citizens blasted through social media. The United States government openly opposed Griner’s arrest.

President Joe Biden called it “unlawful” and demanded her release, even going as far as offering a prisoner exchange with a Russian weapons dealer currently held in custody on U.S. soil.

However, activists began pointing out the outcry as special treatment for Griner, since there are hundreds of thousands of prisoners currently incarcerated in the United States for possession of marijuana, and the government has no plans to release them or shorten any sentences.

If the public is outraged that a celebrity athlete is receiving harsh punishment for less than a gram of marijuana, then why isn’t it concerned with the prisoners in our own country behind bars right this moment for the same crime? It is for this reason that

changes should be made to American cannabis laws.

In 2020, 91% of all federal marijuana arrests were for possession alone according to NORML. Possession charges for cannabis can range anywhere from $1,000 fines to three years in prison.

Federal cannabis arrests have decreased rapidly since 2008, however, 350,000 people were still arrested in 2020.

People of color made up 94% of marijuana arrests in 2020, despite there not being significant racial disparity in marajuana usage.

A permanent arrest record greatly affects a person’s life, and the way it disproportionately affects people of color perpetuates systemic poverty and racism. It perpetuates the narrative that people of color are dangerous criminals, and prevents them from obtaining higher education and well paying jobs.

According to the Society of Human Resources Management, 93% of employers screen for criminal history, and may choose not to hire an applicant due to criminal record.

Housing can also be an issue after someone is released from prison. Private rental housing associations have policies against renting to formerly incarcerated persons, and people with drug offenses are ineligible for public housing.

All of these issues cause non-white communities to face continued poverty.

At this moment in time, possession of marajuana is not a crime in a majority of US states. There are only four states where marijuana is still entirely illegal, including Kansas.

In Kansas, residents could face arrest for carrying any amount of marajuana, the only exception being cannabis in the form of CBD oil with little to no THC or THC variations - a cannabinoid molecule in marajuana that acts as its main psychoactive ingredient.

Some Kansas law enforcement offices have been exploiting their power over shops selling CBD oil.

According to NPR Kansas City, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office raided multiple Topeka cannabis shops in April, claiming that their products were illegal due to the change in law.

These raids were unnecessary, an abuse of power and a waste of tax money.

Events like these frustrate cannabis advocates, especially as many places are currently considering reevaluating their cannabis laws.

Hopefully, marijuana will be completely decriminalized and legalized, and with over 60% of United States voters in support of making cannabis legal, it is possible for that change to come soon.

The stance taken in the above was voted on by 10/10 of the Le Journal staff.

• Serving time for a drug offense

• Serving time for another offense

African Americans are 3.73 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than white people

After the arrest of Brittney Griner, the United States has experienced another wave of cannabis activism. 27.5% of incarcerated persons are serving time for a drug offense as their most serious crime

drug laws

• Legalized

• Medical & Decriminalized

• Medical

• Decriminalized

• CBD with THC Only

• Fully Illegal

Brittney Griner traveled to Russia, like many WNBA stars, to continue playing during her off season. She played for UMMC Ekaterinburg, a Russian women’s basketball team. She was set to earn 1 million USD for the season.

PHOTO | LORIE SHAULL, FLICKR

constant vigilance

BY PRINT CO EDITORS-IN-CHIEF SOPHIE GROMOWSKY AND ZAHRA PARSONS

Head down, feigning a scroll through Instagram to keep up the pretense of “normal girl minding her own business,” she’s actually just keeping her screen lit to dial 9-1-1. Just in case. Muscles tense and occasionally looking over her shoulder, she walks briskly through the dim parking garage. Normally she’d park on the street, as it’s more public. But there weren’t any spaces when she was originally looking a mere few hours ago. Now the area appears basically empty as she climbs the uphill rows of painted lines.

Each shadow that emerges from between parked cars seems like a hulking figure, crouched in hiding, ready to pounce. Her white airpods shine greenish under the speckled fluorescent lighting, but she isn’t listening to music. She must remain alert. She clutches her cross-body bag tightly under her arm. In one hand the iron grip on her cell phone remains, in the other she holds her keys with the point facing out like a weapon. Casually she glances between parked cars, just to make sure no one is hiding there ready to burst out and grab her.

Hearing footsteps, she turns her head to see the outline of a shadowy silhouette. She feels her heart rate increase, pounding rapidly in her chest. A flurry of panicked thoughts rush through her mind.

I should have left a little earlier when there was more sunlight. Is this person actually following me or is his car just parked somewhere nearby? Is there anyone close enough to hear me if I screamed? There was definitely a couple eating ice cream that I passed on my way back. Would they come to help me? Would it be too late?

Clutching her cell phone even tighter and ditching the pretense of faking nonchalance, she quickens her pace in the direction of her car, unlocking it remotely only when she is a few steps away. The way she was inadvertently trained to do in order to prevent someone from having enough time to run to the car and get in it before she got there.

Women around the world are forced to go through life with a heightened sense of caution due to gender-based violence.

ME TOO

Sion students share their experiences of feeling unsafe in public spaces.

“I remember May of 2021 me and my family took a trip down to Florida. While we were there, I think my sister and I got catcalled at least 3 times a day. One time we were just walking to the beach and this big massive truck honked at us and screamed, ‘you look sexy as hell.’ In that moment I felt so weak.”

- Charlotte Zender, 10

“Once I was walking and there was this man who kept taking the turns I was taking and following me from a distance. He gradually got closer so I panicked and knocked on the door of a neighbor and they let me in and my parents picked me up.”

- Anna Millard, 9

“The gym I go to has a lot of adult men and I have been hit on a lot but it’s just kinda scary because when I say no I get stressed that they might get angry and wait for me outside.”

- Sophia Grantham, 11

“One time my friends and I were at Target and the older women came up to us and told us that there were men in the parking lot with walkie talkies looking for girls and that one of them followed us inside.”

- Bridget McDaniel, 12

“I was pumping gas around 8 pm coming back from cheer and a man was following me around QuikTrip and proceeded to ask my age. When I told him I was underage he made a snarky comment. When I walked back to my car I had my keychain in my hand and hurried to lock the doors where the guy followed me out but then I lost him.”

- Gianna Collins, 11

Arelatable experience? Probably, as 108 of 133 Sion students responded yes to our poll question: Have you ever felt unsafe in a public place because of your gender?

And of those 108, 90% of you claimed to have personal precautions that you perform for safety while in public.

But it’s more than dimly lit parking garages. Women might look for subtle or not-so-subtle ways to protect themselves in crowded sunny parks, busy city streets, at workplaces or schoolyards - even inside homes.

The fact is, violence against women takes place everyday in public and private spaces all around the world. It takes many different forms - catcalling, misogyny, verbal aggression, harassment, domestic or sexual abuse, human trafficking - and spans all racial, educational and economic backgrounds, causing women everywhere to go through life with an omnipresent feeling of fear and heightened sense of caution.

The extensive nature of violence against women indicates that it is not a superificial issue, but rather one that holds deep roots within history and society.

Most communities around the world were built with patriarchal philosophies and social norms that push the notion men are superior to women. Long-standing beliefs of male dominance and female devaluation lie at origins of gender-based violence by affecting power relations and emotional connections.

This problem is intersectional--racial, cultural, and socioeconomic preconceptions and differences within history contribute to violence against minority female communities. Because these issues have such deep roots, their effects are still intensely present within current society.

The two most common forms of violence against women are non-partner sexual violence and intimate partner violence, according to the National Organization for Women. Randomized violence, or non-partner violence, is legally categorized into simple assault, aggravated assault and attempted murder.

Women living in the Americas face the highest rates of nonpartner sexual violence, with 11% of women between the ages of 15-49 having been impacted, according to the World Health Organization. Rape and sexual assault are common forms of nonpartner violence, especially against women.

Sexual violence can also take non-physical forms, including catcalls, suggestive staring and sexual comments about a person’s body or appearance. A 2018 survey by Stop Street Harassment published by NPR found that 77% of women have experienced verbal sexual harassment.

For many women, apprehensive feelings towards public settings are ever-present and the need to map out protective precautions has become routine.

The most common precautions found in our poll included carrying pepper spray, checking underneath and in the backseat of cars before getting in, holding out keys in a stabbing manner and constantly scanning surroundings to stay vigilant.

The second form of violence, intimate partner violence (or IPV), is defined by the World Health Organization as “behavior within an intimate relationship that causes physical, sexual or psychological harm.” The term “intimate partner” can refer to either current or former spouses or dating partners.

IPV can manifest as physical violence, sexual violence, stalking or psychological aggression. More than 1 in 3 women will in the United States will experience rape, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

Intimate partner violence is classified as a significant public health issue by the CDC, as 35% of female survivors experience some form of IPV related injury.

Intimate partner violence starts at a young age; one in four women first experience IPV prior to the age of 18, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. When intimate partner violence occurs in teenagers, it is known as teen dating violence.

The CDC’s 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that in

the 12 months prior to the survey, 1 in 12 teens had experienced physical violence and 1 in 12 teens had experienced sexual violence within a dating relationship. The study found elevated rates among female populations, making statistics like this heavily pertinent to our all-girls student body.

“It was a situation where I was uncomfortable with what the other person wanted me to do, and they didn’t really prioritize my wants or needs, just their own. I was forced into doing something that I didn’t want to do” a student, who wished to remain anonymous, said. “It’s really made me struggle with having trust in people. It has made me nervous for relationships in the future, and made me have higher boundaries. It made me have attachment issues because I was very attached to the person, so it’s weird to be in a situation where you miss someone even though they messed you up.”

Teen girls are particularly vulnerable to abusive relationships due to a lack of experience in romantic partnerships and lower levels of self esteem compared to male populations.

Teenage girls enter into relationships lacking not only prior romantic experience, but also proper education as to what qualifies as an unhealthy relationship and how to recognize signs of abuse.

Most young women also experience issues with self-esteem during their high school years. 78% of high school aged women say that they are unhappy with their bodies by the time they reach 18, according to Psychology Today.

Low views that women might have of their own self-worth, as well as other factors such as extensive attachment, lack of experience or dating knowledge, and affirmation or validation received from a partner, can lead to the formation of unhealthy and abusive relationships.

“As a young woman in a relationship, ignoring red flags such as your friends don’t like the person you’re with, your parents don’t like that person either, you shouldn’t ignore that and say, ‘Oh, they just don’t know him,’’” an anonymous teacher said. “If your friend is coming and saying ‘I don’t like how he treats you, I don’t like how he talks to you,’ that is a huge red flag that should not be ignored.”

Undergoing violence in any setting is a traumatic experience, the damaging effects of which can impact many areas of women’s lives including their physical and mental health, as well as their

relationships.

Experiencing violence places women at a higher risk for mental health problems including depression, stress or anxiety disorders, sleep difficulties and eating disorders, according to the World Health Organization.

A 2013 study published by the American Psychological Association also found that experiencing attempted or completed sexual assault typically had negative effects on women’s relationships with intimate partners, friends and their families.

Though these responses are common, every survivor reacts to and processes their experience differently. Fortunately, there are an abundance of resources that are available to women to assist them in coping and working towards healing in the aftermath of violence.

Many women find therapy to be a very valuable resource in helping them to process their experiences with violence. There are many mental health professionals who are trained specifically to help women work through their emotions and create individualized plans for healing in the wake of experiencing sexual assault or domestic violence.

MOCSA is Kansas City-based organization that provides free counseling services to victims of sexual violence to ensure that all survivors have access to mental health treatment regardless of their economic background.

For those who may not yet feel comfortable discussing their experiences face-to-face, there are many hotlines that allow callers to talk to a trained operator. Anti-sexual-violence association RAINN has both an online and telephone option which provide crisis counseling support anonymously from a trained staff member.

There are also habits that women can incorporate into their everyday lives to help in the healing process, according to Good Therapy. Because physical and mental health are directly linked, implementing a daily routine to ensure a proper amount of sleep and nutrition can be beneficial to overall wellness. Many professionals also recommend activities that can serve as an outlet for emotions, such as journalling, exercise or creating art.

“Do not hesitate to reach out because no one is going to judge you,” an anonymous teacher said. “People are here to help.”

stun gun birdie alarm pepper spray stabby kitty

What It Does:

Stun guns deliver an electric current upon contact which immobilizes an attacker by momentarily disabling muscle control.

Where To Buy: $9.99 on Amazon

*must be 18 to purchase

What It Does: The Birdie Alarm has a loud alarm and flasing strobe light designed to deter an attacker and draw the attention of bystanders.

Where To Buy: $29.95 on Amazon

What It Does: Pepper spray incapacitates an attacker by causing burning, pain and tears when it comes into contact with the person’s eyes.

Where To Buy: $9.99 on Amazon

*must be 18 to purchase

What It Does: Cat self-defense keychains are worn on fingers in a similar manner to brass knuckes and are used to sharpen a punch.

Where To Buy: $19.90 on Amazon

In Summer

A break down of all the things in style in summer 2022.

BY ELLE SIMON WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

top gun maverick

When you bought your ticket for “Top Gun: Maverick” you could practically hear the rocker theme song pumping you up before you got to your seat, even 36 years after the original release. The long awaited sequel soared into theaters and became the movie of the summer. The story follows Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) as he sets out to teach the next generation of Top Gun graduates for an upcoming mission, including the son of his late best friend. Miles Teller plays Rooster, both a clever nod to his father’s call sign and a note on his personality.

lululemon’s scuba hoodie and belt bag

This (hopeful) future Lululemon employee would be eternally grateful if the Lululemon Scuba Half-Zip Hoodie on her Christmas list would be gifted to her. It’s the perfect lightweight jacket to throw on over the sonic pink workout set (that I don’t own either). But, the Everywhere Belt Bag is one of my personal favorites. I know it looks small but, let me tell you, it’s roomy; the fashionable fanny pack holds all my essentials on my hot girl walks.

hot girl walks

Airpods in, playlist blasting, Belt Bag on, and dogs tugging my arm off. Like many others, Hot Girl Walks have become one of my favorite ways to move my body. It’s a great way to get some fresh air and experience my neighborhood. Invite your friends and get a two for one bonus: a chitchat and great exercise. Or spend some quality time with your pups, and give them a nice long walk.

BEREAL

When that two minute warning pops up, you know it’s BeReal time. This new form of social media took over the internet this summer. It encouraged users to “be real” and post a picture of whatever they are doing at that exact moment. BeReal contradicts traditional social media’s value of sharing the picture perfect parts of life. BeReal is a fun and unconventional way of sharing your daily life.

oh, the horror

Students anonymously submitted their summer job horror stories.

I’m a server/host, and one time this man ordered a green curry and pad Thai online. Someone accidentally gave him yellow curry, and he called back and started yelling at me that someone in his family was gonna go hungry that night. He came back to the restaurant and we had to give him the green and yellow curry for free.

I still work there, so not really a horror story, but I was chased into work at six in the morning by a lady at the bus stop. I have also been bit and attacked multiple times by dogs.

I watched some kid’s dad tell him to pee in the pool. Then the kid and his two siblings proceeded to sprint around the pool deck, even after we told them to stop like 50 times.

going coastal

The coastal granddaughter aesthetic took over as the style of the summer, popularized on TikTok by fashion creator Matilda Djerf. Characterized by knit sweaters, blue striped polo shirts and flowy maxi dresses, this style finds its origins in summers spent in Cape Cod or the Hamptons. It pulls inspiration from the put together, classy grandmother with a massive coastal home and blue and white dishware in her kitchen.

elvis harry’s House

Oh Harry Styles, I can’t ever get you off my mind! Literally. The songs from Styles’ third studio album, “Harry’s House,” play through my mind on constant repeat. The phenomenal album was crafted during the 2020 lock down, and finished right before the start of the long awaited Love on Tour in the US; can you imagine how much I would have freaked out if I knew that there was an album sitting on a hard drive while I was having the time of my life at LOT St. Paul.

“If you’re looking for trouble, you came to the right place.” Director Baz Luhurmann’s Elvis Presley biopic was another highly anticipated film. Telling the story of Presley’s life through the perspective of his manager Tom Parker (Tom Hanks), the scenes cut back and forth through time, which made it difficult for some viewers to follow. Despite this artistic choice, Austin Butler shines as Elvis, delivering a stellar performance as the “King of Rock N’ Roll.”

One time this guy that I hate came in while I was making sandwiches, and he definitely recognized me. He was making it super obvious that he knew me, while I was trying to avoid serving him. The next guy after that was a creepy old man who whispered something really inappropriate to me over the counter. I was like, “Okay I’m done”, and proceeded to hide in the kitchen for the rest of my shift.

I was the only person to file an incident report the entirety of last summer. It was the first day at work, and I was walking by the pool, when I saw something fall into it from out of the sky. At first I thought it was a pine cone or piece of mulch, but it started moving! It was a baby mole that had been dropped by a bird. I did my best to get it out of the pool and it kept wriggling out of my hands. When I had finally got it in my grasp, it bit me and drew blood! I dropped it and it just looked at me. I picked it up again and while it kept wriggling, I made sure it couldn’t bite me again. I released the little dude in the bushes. I ended up having to file an incident report because I was injured during the ordeal. I almost had to get a tetanus shot! Luckily everyone, mole included, ended up perfectly fine.

Ultimate Teachers

Chris Schreiber focuses on the disc after a pass while playing in an Ultimate Frisbee tournament for his club team Sept. 10. This tournament was local and his team, KC United, took home first place.

FRISBEE FANATIC

PHOTO SUBMITTED | CHRIS SCHREIBER

STORY BY MANAGING EDITOR LAUREN SMITH

DESIGN BY REPORTER GENESIS MARTINEZ PORRAS

Richard Shrock and Chris Schreiber have a lot in common - both come to school everyday in a standard button up and khakis, both teach history and both love the game of Ultimate Frisbee. Shrock serves as Schreiber’s teaching mentor, but he knows that Schreiber could beat him in an Ultimate matchup anyday. Although the sport has grown and evolved in the years since Shrock was a collegiate player, he and Schreiber have had the shared experience of finding competition and community through Ultimate Frisbee.

In high school, Richard Shrock hated sports. He went to a big school where sports were everything, but instead chose to get involved with theater and orchestra, rather than the cliquey teams of football and basketball. But that all changed when he went to Grinnell College, a small liberal arts school in Iowa, and discovered the sport of Ultimate Frisbee, which he would play for the next 27 years.

“I had never heard of Ultimate Frisbee until I was in college,’’ Shrock said. “It was kind of a hippie school, and at that time it was kind of a hippie sport. And so everyone that played sort of had to learn and I really liked it.”

He discovered the world of sports, and realized he liked it. He played on the club Ultimate Frisbee team called the “Grinnelephants.” He enjoyed it, especially the community aspect of trying something new and having fun with it. By putting aside his preconceived notions about sports, he realized that they actually aren’t hard to pick up.

“We had a weird little celebration thing we did where we walked like an elephant,” Shrock said. “You put your hand back through your legs and the person behind you grabbed your hand like it’s their trunk.”

He played on his club team throughout the school year at Grinnell and over the summer, where they would travel around Iowa and the country to compete. He loved the experience of it, even though his teams weren’t very good. After graduation he continued to play, joining a club team in Wisconsin. Then, when he went to graduate school at the University of North Carolina, he ended up playing collegiate Ultimate Frisbee for two years.

“The year after I left, they won the national championship,” Shrock said. “So you know they weren’t going to win it with me, but it was a good squad.”

Like Shrock, Ultimate fanatic Chris Schreiber also discovered his passion for Ultimate Frisbee in college at the University of Kansas. During the first week of school his roommate, Jordan, who had played in high school, dragged him to his first Ultimate practice. He hasn’t stopped playing since.

“It was really fun, and so I stuck with it,” Schreiber said. “It was funny because my roommate didn’t think the first practice was competitive enough for him, and so I dragged him to the next practice.”

Schreiber played all four years at KU on the men’s team, the HorrorZontals. After graduating he became a coach for the team, where he was able to pass on his experience and give a new team of students a chance to discover all that Ultimate has to offer. His coaching came to an end once he moved back to Kansas City, but he continued to pursue Ultimate by joining a club team. Kansas City has a small “Ultimate Community,” as he refers to it, so they travel around the country to compete in tournaments. He currently plays on a co-ed team called United, where he plays with a variety of people from different age groups.

“What I’ve gained is I’ve got to see the country, so you get kind of an excuse to explore new spots. And then play frisbee, which is fun. I did learn how to have good work-life balance, and be proactive with my work,” Schreiber said.

Shrock also found a club team to play on once he moved to Kansas City, which was a great way for him to make friends to make the move easier. The team, named Nucleus, traveled all around the country in their radioactive green uniforms playing in tournaments.

“We bought an RV, ‘’ Shrock said. “Somebody like a K-State booster had an old RV and it was purple with a huge wildcat on the side, but we bought it super cheap. And then we would pull up to tournaments in this huge RV.”

After playing from the time he was 18 years old until he was about 45, Shrock decided to hang up his cleats. He is amazed by how Ultimate has evolved since he was first introduced to the game. Recently he tried to get back into the sport, but he didn’t understand the strategies and lingo they were talking about, something Schreiber doesn’t think twice about.

“There’s always something new to do,” Schreiber said. “There’s all these different throws. You’re always challenging yourself to try new things.”

Richard Shrock and Chris Schreiber share a passion for Ultimate Frisbee, which they discovered in college and played on numerous teams.

CONTENT AT A CO$T

Since its creation in 1996, the internet has captivated the world with endless possibilities. The development of social media was an important one, as it allowed people to better connect with one another.

However, in recent years, using social media as a source of income has become dangerously popularized. What used to be a place to share Friday night candids turned into a monetary competition with negative outcomes.

Influencers share their talents, interests, hobbies and lives while making money by gaining a following and having large amounts of interaction with their content. Sounds harmless, right? Wrong.

In order to keep a steady source of income from their content, creators can go to dangerous lengths. They create rigid schedules and marketing plans, and will do whatever it takes to get views, no matter the cost.

The efforts made by content creators are too extensive, and not worth the risk they place on themselves and their loved ones.

All moms love to make the occasional typo-ridden, blurry Facebook post about their kid, but mommy “vloggers” take it to a new level. They gain views and likes by posting pictures and videos of their kids, often embarrassing or tantalizing.

Engagement with their posts is what makes the money, and the extremes mommy bloggers will go to for this engagement has been under scrutiny in recent years.

Going beyond a simple “cute photo for Facebook,” mommy bloggers post about their children’s lives in greater detail than we post about our own.

Not only is this problematic due to the ridiculous things these parents put their children through for views, but it is also dangerous due to the overabundance of child predators that exist within these forums and have easy access to this content. Additionally, young children are unable to consent to having their most vulnerable moments plastered across the internet

One prominent example is the family known on YouTube as “8 Passengers.”

The mother, Ruby Franke, shares her child punishments on the YouTube channel, which gains traction due to criticisms from viewers, largely reinforcing the idea that on some level, all press is good press.

Her biggest scandal came when her son admitted that he had his own bedroom taken away for seven months, sparking rumors of neglect and abuse. Eventually, CPS was called to their home to investigate the kids’ living situation.

Mommy vloggers aren’t the only ones guilty of doing crazy things for views, though. Former MMA fighter Andrew Tate posts his podcast, where he shares some of his brutally and dangerously misogynistic ideations.

Tate, who is currently under federal investigation for sex trafficking, passes these ideas onto impressionable boys and men, and the effects are noticeable in the ways that they interact with their female counterparts.

Instances of dangerous behavior in schools have stemmed from Tate’s ability to influence teenage boys with his ideas. Tate has recently been banned from all major social media platforms due to his misogynistic and violent statements. The banning of Tate from platforms did not come soon enough.

TikTok has “done little to limit Tate’s spread or ban the accounts responsible. Instead, it has propelled him into mainstream media – allowing clips of him to proliferate, and actively promoting them to young users,” according to “The Guardian.”

The internet also acts as a supportive forum for stupidity to shine, and one of the brightest examples is YouTuber Jake Paul. Paul is the perfect portrayal of how money and fame prompts dangerous and dumb things on the web.

He, as well as other popular Youtubers, promote trends such as the Tide Pod challenge and the game Chubby Bunny. Each blew up on the internet simply because they were so ridiculous, that people talked about them enough for them to gain traction.

As long as the promise of money and fame exists, people will continue to take it too far to promote their content and get views. The idea of being famous or rich clouds judgment and gives people a false sense of invincibility.

Internet fame has turned social media into the breeding ground of problematic people, scandals and ideas. The internet can be a force for good sometimes, but the next time you hit that explore page, look at what’s really behind it.

STORY BY ELLE SIMON WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

DESIGN BY PRINT CO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ZAHRA PARSONS

Content creators and internet influencers have transformed their livelihoods into a source of income. However, the fame and money cause some to take it too far.

hands on HANDS OFF

AP learning vs experiential learning: the pros and cons.

STORY BY FEATURE EDITOR LILY WILKIN DESIGN BY REPORTER ELLA ALEXANDER

APclasses cause a lot of discourse throughout the education system, and derive mixed feelings from students, as some prefer the interactivity of experiential learning. While the boost they bring to your GPA is beneficial, the stiff and rigorous CollegeBoard agendas allow for little flexibility within the AP curriculum.

Here at Sion, much discussion has occurred within the administration on whether AP classes benefit the student body.

Changes made to Sion’s course offerings for the 20222023 school year included cutting 3 AP classes: AP Language and Composition, AP Environmental Science and AP US Government and Politics. Principal Ellen Carmody said that having more experiential classes gave students “transferable skills,” meaning that the student body gains the ability to use reasoning to figure out complex ideas on their own, and not rely on memorized knowledge they will likely soon forget.

I believe that this decision is the correct one, because the skills you learn are important in the long run, and solely focusing on your GPA can create a lot of unnecessary stress.

hands-on, gain trade skills and learn how to communicate professionally.

Taking an AP class can significantly raise your GPA, however, as we shift away from a conventional style of learning, it should become less of a concern. When schools look to accept a student they want to know the student took the most rigorous courses available to them, but if the AP class is not available then it won’t affect your chances at getting in. Colleges look to see that you try your hardest, and they make sure you can communicate and use reasoning to come to conclusions.

However, Sion is taking a more experiential approach to its curriculum. With more Deep Dive opportunities and new classes that have an experiential center, like the Global Impacts Microschool, Sion students have the opportunity to go out into the world, create connections, and gain the skills necessary to grow into the best person they can become. I believe the student body benefits from this. It creates so many opportunities you can’t find anywhere else. Students gain real life experience, which is something you cannot teach in a classroom or take tests about. Another benefit with experintial classes is the lack of pressure to perform in order to improve your GPA. If students focus on building skills that they can use in multiple aspects of their learning career, instead of focusing on testing, then having the highest GPA is irrelevant.

Going into college with skills that help in life will create the ability for students to make the best of their academic experience. With experiential learning, students get more opportunities to work

But how does this work in practice? From my experience, I spent an entire year learning a lot of information to get college credit only to forget a majority of it after taking the exam. Some colleges won’t even accept AP credits at all. Experiential learning gives all students the opportunity to show colleges that they know how to create effective conversations and solve problems efficiently. Experiential learning gives you the opportunity to create a metaphorical toolbox that has many of the skills you need in the future.

BY LILY WILKIN FEATURES EDITOR

At the young age of five, junior Sophie Hampp sat in front of her family computer, staring starstruck at the floor mats, balance beam and uneven bars at the place she would one day call home. She found the number in the phonebook and made a call that would change her life.

“The gym was huge and had so much equipment,” Hampp said. “I just knew I wanted to do gymnastics there.”

Hampp currently trains at GAGE gymnastics, which focuses on national and olympic level gymnastics. She dedicates a majority of her life to her rigorous gymnastics schedule. She leaves school around noon everyday so she can get food before practice and make the 30 minute drive to the gym. She then practices for six hours a day; one hour is spent on warmup and stretching, the next hour to an hour and a half is spent on her first event, either beam or bars, and then they switch. She then does either floor or vault for 45 minutes, then finally her and her team does 20 minutes of strength training and that’s when she can finally make the hour long drive home.

“The hardest part of balancing all of my classes is keeping up on work, and usually I have to dedicate my Saturdays to finishing work,” Hampp said.

Hampp moved here from Omaha, Nebraska when she was 11 only for gymnastics. Hampp wants to go elite, and is on track to do so this year. Hampp lived with her aunt during her time alone, and had to move from her aunt’s house in Missouri, to a house in Kansas when her family joined her, this made keeping a schedule difficult.While she was living with her aunt, she found stability within her team. They treated each other like siblings, while there was some conflict, they were always there for each other. At first when she moved, she moved alone, and was alone for 6 months before her family joined her. Her and her family uprooted their lives so she could practice with the best of the best, and that was successful.

“She’s very determined and resilient, and I love that about her,” Hampp’s mother Trudy Rodgers said.

Hampp has become a level 9 gymnast, and almost an elite because she has put her all into it.

May 10-15, 2022 she competed at nationals, and this was her first time competing after a serious injury. When Hampp was 13 she had 2 stress fractures in her back, and went through extensive and difficult physical therapy to get healthy again so she could compete.She was so determined to go back, because she wanted to show her team and coaches that she was strong enough. When she came back Hampp placed 4th on beam at nationals, and had the “best floor of her life,” according to Rodgers.

“It felt amazing to be able to compete and do well, especially because I was able to prove to myself and my coaches that I can come back, even after many injuries,” Hampp said.

Hampp’s hard work in her gymnastics career has transferred into other areas of her life as well.. Hampp is in rigorous classes during the school day,leaving little time for her homework. Which is a large course load from her insane schedule of classes. She isn’t scared of confrontation, after having to advocate for herself at such a young age when she first moved here. This skill has transferred into her everyday life by being able to have open conversations easily with her teacher. She has had tremendous growth from when she first started, and her family has seen that.

“Getting to go on official college visits, and listen to the coaches talk about how much they want you is definitely a big part of what makes it all worth it,” Hampp said.

Hampp has been dedicated to gymnastics from such a young age, and has faced difficult injuries, but none of that has stopped her. She still continues to work for her goals, and so far it has paid off. Hampp has already gotten an official college visit to Denver University, and is working to make the elite team this year. For Hampp, seeing her hard work pay off for is so rewarding and is what makes the long nights and early mornings worth it.

“You can’t start taking to college recruiters until Junior year, and during that time your’re not getting much recognition because I go to an elite level gym,” Hampp said. “So now everybody is trying to talk to you, and I am finally getting that recognition and it makes it all worth it.”

Junior Sophie Hampp has been a gymnast since the age of five, and has dedicated everything to the sport since then.

Athletes

PICTURE PERFECT

Hampp and the rest of her team pose for an end-of-season photo together May 25, 2022. Photo | GAGE Gymnastics

FOOD TRUCK FRENZY

BY GENESIS MARTINEZ PORRAS REPORTER

The Kansas City Area has quite a few famous food trucks gaining traction: Sugar Skull Grill, Snow & Roast Mobile Cafe with Shaved Ice, and Melt Box KC, just to name a few. This reporter is an expert on food service small businesses. I have experience working at my family-owned food stand El de Los Philly’s, where I have learned customer service, quick change, and the average wait time to receive food - even during a rush.

All this, plus my general enthusiam towards tasting awesome flavors, made me the best reporter for the job.

My review scales each truck out of five thumbs up. I include the taste of the food, cost of items and customer service. Kind, smiling workers go a long way with me.

I hoped to find some epic food that was served politely, without a burn through my wallet.

All the places surpassed my expectations. Lines were long but the employees running the windows did their best to help everyone quickly. They were super polite and smiled a lot. The prices were all under $20, making it all affordable and worth it in my book.

SNOW AND ROAST MOBILE CAFE with SHAVED ICE

First up, a truck with the best of both worldscoffe and shaved ice.

Founded in 2020 by Jasmine Varela, who purchased the truck off of her friends, Varela saw the potential for a fun mobile coffee cafe that also sells shaved ice, so it’s popular at any season.

In addition to the classic flavors like cherry and blue raspberry, the truck also offers unique flavors like Horchata - which is a traditional Mexican drink that’s milky and cinnamon in flavor.

The coffees are amazing, with obvious flavors to add like vanilla bean, as well as more untraditional flavors. If you got Horchata shaved ice, you should try your coffee as a Horchata, too.

Snow and Roast also has the super cool option to order the “Adventure.” Essentially, the baristas surprise you with any type of shaved ice or coffee beverage, and you go with it. You may request that certain flavors aren’t used if you are allergic or simply can’t stand blueberry for some reason.

I ordered a shaved ice mangonada which is mango with chamoy (a fruity tamarind-flavored liquidpaste) with tajin (a spicy chili lime powder).

It was amazing and it was affordable. The cups are biodegradable and they have reusable straws for purchase.

I definitely recommend ordering the Adventure for a good surprise. My order took maybe three minutes at most. The owners who run the truck were very bubbly and charismatic.

This truck is the perfect place for a special summer drink or a cozy coffee morning on the weekend.

A tour of Kansas City food trucks with Genesis Martinez Porras.

PHOTO I GENESIS MARTINEZ PORRAS

SUGAR SKULL GRILL

MELT BOX KC

Sugar Skull Grill owned by Richardo Franco has been on the road for two years serving delicious blue corn tortilla tacos. Franco features a family Agua de Horchata recipe, which we’ve already learned from Snow and Roast, is a sweet mexican drink made with rice, milk and cinnamon.

Franco grew up in Chicago, and uses that influence to bring different flavors to the Asada, Al pastor, and Chicken tacos. But he wanted to add a different “wow factor” to his taco truck. So, what about blue tortillas?

Corn used to make tortillas is actually a reddish-blue color before being modified to a yellow-white color for grocery stores. So by not over processing the tortillas, Franco gave his truck a splashy new vibe.

I bought an order of four tacos: two asada, one Al pastor and one agua de horchata.

The tacos de Al pastor and asada had a nice savory flavor and were seasoned to perfection, not too salty.

The flavor of the sauce was the perfect amount of spice and creamy texture. It was truly balanced.

The horchata was fabulous, and tasted like the one my grandma makes whenever the family gets together. It is authentic and has the perfect amount of cinnamon and sugar so that it doesn’t taste just like a mouthful of sugar (which I’ve experienced quite a few times).

I did have to wait about 10 minutes because there were a few people in front of me in line, but it was totally worth the wait. The customer service was incredible as well - the person who took my order was so polite and seemed happy to help me.

The Melt Box KC is somewhere I found truly unique. Micheal Mullally and Dylan Walhlen have owned the truck since fall of 2017. They started it as a high school job, and worked their way up to owning the truck. It started with their love of ice cream. They wanted a job that would have ice cream and serving customers.

I personally haven’t found a place that sells something like a Melt Monster. It’s their free form sweet bun cut in half with your choice of their 30+ ice cream flavor options that gets warm pressed/ sealed. Then, you can top it with your choice of their six sauces and 20 toppings.

You can make one filled with Loaded French Toast and top it with marshmallow fluff and cinnamon toast crunch, or anything your heart may desire.

They also sell the ice cream in cups with the syrup and topping choices they offer. It’s definitely worth your money.

I got a Melt Monster with peanut butter cup ice cream. It was topped with chocolate sauce and Kit Kat pieces. It was one of the best deserts I’ve ever had. The ice cream was so cold and paired great with the warm bun.

PHOTO | INSTAGRAM, @meltboxkc

PHOTO I GENESIS MARTINEZ PORRAS

which little miss sion girl are you?

BY LAUREN SMITH MANAGING EDITOR