FEATURE

Ultimate Teachers

FRISBEE FANATIC

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. PHOTO SUBMITTED | CHRIS SCHREIBER

STORY BY MANAGING EDITOR LAUREN SMITH DESIGN BY REPORTER GENESIS MARTINEZ PORRAS Richard Shrock and Chris Schreiber share a passion for Ultimate Frisbee, which they discovered in college and played on numerous teams.

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.”

opinion.. CO$T CONTENT AT A

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.

STORY BY ELLE SIMON WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DESIGN BY PRINT CO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ZAHRA PARSONS

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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

BY LILY WILKIN FEATURES EDITOR Elite Athletes

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.”

featureElite 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

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

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. First up, a truck with the best of both worlds - coffe 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.

SNOW AND ROAST MOBILE CAFE with SHAVED ICE

PHOTO I GENESIS MARTINEZ PORRAS

SUGAR SKULL GRILL

PHOTO I GENESIS MARTINEZ PORRAS

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.

MELT BOX KC

PHOTO | INSTAGRAM, @meltboxkc

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.

which little miss Check out our instagram @Lejournalsion and repost us to let us sion girl are you? BY LAUREN SMITH know which Little Miss Sion Girl you are

MANAGING EDITOR