May 2022: The Senior Issue

LeJOURNAL

Notre Dame de Sion High School | Volume 44 | May 2022

FEATURE: PAGE 12

SENIOR EMILY JOYCE COMMITS TO CORNELL GYMNASTICS

OPINION: PAGE 9

WHY SENIOR PRIVILEGE NEEDS TO EXIST IN HIGH SCHOOL

A&E: PAGE 26

WHAT TEACHERS LOVE ABOUT THE CLASS OF 2022

During the first ever Cash Raffle Bash, there were several different pep assembly games bring played in the gym, including this first game where students of each class attempted to play the whisper challenge. Junior Addie Hiestand was one of the several students to volunteer to play the game. “I loved the game,” Hiestand said. “I think the assembly was a lot of fun and a great friendly competition. I’d love to do it again next year.”

Photo | Brianna Legette

editors’ ink SENIOR SEND-OFF

Dear Seniors, after four years of hard-work, memories, laughter, studying and lessons in life it is time for the high school chapter of your life to come to a close. Graduation is right around the corner and the end is near.

As bittersweet as this may be, we are excited to share this issue with you in order to commemorate this phenomenal class.

Soon, the class of 2022 will depart and the junior class below us will attain their status as leaders of the school. Before this happens though, we want to let the best class to walk to halls, us of course, have a final goodbye. 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.

So without further adieu, welcome to the senior issue. This issue honors the 62 amazing young women who have grown to be independent, confident, kind leaders of our world. It focuses on our amazing class and the accomplishments we have made. Our senior community is so

unique and you can find countless features within these pages. For instance, on page 12 read about Emily Joyce, a phenomenal student athlete who plans to attend Cornell in the fall to further her gymnastics career. In addition to this, flip to page 22 to see who in our grade has a celebrity doppleganger. If none of these options catch your attention, make your way to page 18 to learn about some of the juiciest confessions from the senior class written by gossip girl herself. We are ecstatic and a bit sentimental to share our final piece of hard work with all of you. We hope you enjoy flipping through and learning more about each and every one of our seniors. These newspapers are so special to us, and we are happy to end on an issue that has such hard work put into it.

Here, we are signing off for the final time. Thank you for all the memories, support and love that you have given us over the years. Remember to make memories and hug your friends tight - time flies when you’re having fun.

See ya later, and goodbye to our pride and joy,

for two consecutive years and given their skills and effort tirelessly. We would like to dedicate this photo of the issue to our six senior staffers and thank them for all of their hard work and creativity that they have contributed to the staff not only this year, but last year as well. We are so thankful for you and we will miss you dearly next year!

Seniors Liv Zender, Brianna Legette, Ava Albracht, Ella Rogge, Sofia Aguayo and Kate McCarthy have been on Le Journal’s staff

HANDS IN THE AIR

Hiestand,

Welch,

DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY

dancing with the dinosaurs

Sion’s upperclassman danced the night away at this year’s prom on March 26.

BY ELLE SIMON FEATURES EDITOR

High heels click against the concrete, dresses sway in the breeze, and the colored glass walls glow in the golden hour light. People’s heads turn to watch young women strut towards the building where the night they have dreamed of for years is awaiting them: prom.

Sion’s upperclassmen attended prom on March 26, 2022 at the Museum at Prairiefire. It was a night to remember as juniors and seniors danced the night away. This year’s prom committee consisted of seniors Katy Gromowsky and Maddison Miller, and juniors Sophie Gromowsky, Addie Hiestand, Lauren Smith, Makaila Traylor, Chloe Welch and Gabel Whittaker, who worked tirelessly to plan everything from decorations to deserts with the help of Spanish teacher April Schendel and college counselor Erin SteinHughes

“We had a wonderful committee this year,” Schendel said. “For the first time, juniors and seniors were invited to be a part of the planning process, and we had an exciting new venue, the Museum at Prairiefire.”

HOLLABACK GIRL

QUEEN OF THE NIGHT

Prom was scheduled to be at the Museum at Prairiefire for the 2020 dance, but was unable to be used as the dance was canceled due to the pandemic. The museum created the perfect venue as its glass covered exterior allowed for the evening light to penetrate onto the dance floor.

The venue was decorated with flowers and softly lit candles to channel the ambiance of this year’s theme: Moonlight Meadow. And was complete with a T-Rex towering over in the corner and a Pterodactyl soaring above the dance floor.

“The whole night was a success, from the ambience and decor to the desserts and music,” Schendel said.

The senior class also voted on prom royalty which was announced at the beginning of the evening. Miller, as well as senior McKenzie Warren received crown royalty, and senior Sofia Aguayo was crowned prom queen.

After the crowning of prom royalty, students flooded the dance floor and danced their hearts out to songs like “The Cupid Shuffle” by Cupid, “What Makes You Beautiful” by One Direction, and “Savage” by Megan Thee Stallion.

“Even though it was a lot of hard work it was so worth it in the end because everyone had a really great time,” Welch said.

Juniors Addie

Chloe

Gabel Whittaker, and Blue Valley North sophomore, Wyatt Beahr dance in a circle at prom.

Sion’s upperclassmen congregate in a circle on the dance floor.

Junior Chrissa Wilburn sings along to the music while having fun on the dance floor.

Prom Queen, senior Sofia Aguayo smiles as she is adorned with her crown.

Photo | Ella Alexander

Photo | Arleth Guevara

Photo | Lily Wilkin

Photo | Arleth Guevara

put a ring on it

The junior class received their Sion rings on April 24 at the annual Junior Ring Ceremony.

BY ELLE SIMON FEATURES EDITOR

The gym is filled with upperclassmen dressed in spring colors and floral dresses. One by one the members of the junior class walk to the front and receive a black box. Inside the box is a symbol of their new position as leaders at Sion: their junior ring.

The annual junior ring ceremony took place on April 24, 2022 in the Sion gym. The ceremony was kicked off with a speech from president Alicia Kotarba and was followed by speeches from senior class president Grace Beelman and junior class president Annie Stevens.

“I wrote it to express my optimism and excitement for the upcoming senior class. They are an incredible group of young women and I am so excited to see what they accomplish next year,” Beelman said. “I am sure they will live up to what it means to be a Sion girl and more.”

Following speeches was the presentation of the rings. Each junior received their ring from a senior to symbolize the passing down of leadership and some juniors were also given their rings from family members, who are alumna.

“When my sister Anna gave me my ring, it helped strengthen our bond because she received her ring at the same point in her life that I’m in now, and that helped me feel closer to her,” junior Carolina O’Byrne said.

After the conclusion of the ceremony with the school song, juniors and their families flooded into the courtyard to take pictures with friends and family.

“My ring is special to me because it means that we are being passed on the responsibility of being a senior and leader of the school next year,” junior Paige Castillo said. “And it means that I am a part of the sisterhood for the rest of my life.”

SISTER SISTER

Junior Brynna Fitzgerald poses with her sister Katie Fitzgerald class of 2020, and senior Lizzy Hoffman after receiving her ring.

RING RING

(From

Juniors Chloe Reid, Katherine Pineda, Annie Stevens, Lauren Stuckmeyer, and Alea Fowler

NEW BLING

(From

Juniors Bridget McDaniel, Claire Shankland, Katherine Porch, and Aleigh Mckelvey

PASSING IT DOWN

(From left to right) Juniors Lauren Millard, Addie Hiestand, Carolina O’Byrne, seniors Tess Tappan, Olivia Mancina, juniors, Chloe Welch, Caroline Dold, and Ella Abiecunas show off their rings.

left to right)

smile for the camera with their rings.

left to right)

show off their new rings.

Photo| Carolina O’Byrne

Photo| Aleigh Mckelvey

Photo| Annie Stevens

Photo| Izzy DeConink

straight into spring sports

BY BRIANNA LEGETTE A&E EDITOR

Freshman

Photo | Brianna Legette

TRACK AND FIELD sports

This season, track and field have lots of freshman newcomers on the team.

“I’m really happy with what our team has done so far and we’re all just supporting each other. I think that’s something that we’ve done a lot better this season than last season.” senior Lauren Shaw said.

With the team’s meets, Shaw has expressed that they are easing into harder workouts as the season goes on. She feels like the team is progressing in the right direction. Shaw is also easing into bonding with the new freshman on the team.

“Since there’s only two seniors on the team, I barely see them at practices since we all do different events, so we practice different things. I’ve really been able to reach out and talk to the freshmen and sophomores and I normally wouldn’t during the school days.” Shaw said.

While the teams are seeking to bond, with it being the last season of the year, they await updates on their senior night. When asked, Shaw didn’t know when that would happen. She hopes like last year it would just be after practice.

“I’m hoping we can partner with soccer senior night and lacrosse senior night so we can at least kind of have a crowd. That’s to be determined,” Shaw said.

Even though there is no word about track and field senior night, Shaw continues to trudge on with the season.

“I just always liked to run, like I did middle school track and at a young age.” Shaw said. “I like[d] when we need to run the mile. I kind of looked forward to it.”

Sophomore Sophie Saxton explains that she likes being on track and field because she works out different muscles with her throwing, also because she feels that she is not a natural runner. She also loves just being on the team and playing with her teammates. But as Shaw is a senior, she won’t be playing on a Sion high school team in a few months.

“It’s bittersweet, but I’ve made a lot of good memories here,” Shaw said. “It’s sentimental because I probably won’t be playing a sport in college unless it’s intramural sports.”

Shaw also has advice for the freshmen. She wants girls to participate in things that Sion has to offer in and outside of school-oriented activities. She wants people to get involved in clubs, etc.

“Get involved in sports your freshman year because that’s how I’ve met most of my friends, from sports. Work hard and always support your teammates because they’ll be there for you when you race,” Shaw said

LACROSSE

Same as the other spring sports, the soccer team this spring has introduced new freshmen onto the team, as they collect their wins and losses.

“[My favorite part] is definitely being able to get to know my upperclassmen teammates and also the new coach.” Freshman Mary Kate Lillis said.

As a freshman, who has only played club soccer her whole life and since she was three, transitioning from that setting to a high school setting has been different for her.

“It’s been hard, especially at the varsity level. It’s a big commitment as a freshman, you’re also under a lot of pressure, but I’ve been able to handle it because I kind of expected it.” Lillis said.

This season’s soccer team is young, with only two seniors four juniors. Freshman Aubrey Nichols thinks that the fact that the team has so few upperclassmen and so many underclassmen can be a disservice to the team.

“It’s hard to play with such young [players] because other teams have all these older players that are stronger. They are more developed and technically developed with soccer skills because they’ve been playing for longer,” Nichols said.

Lillis expressed that they have really come together as a team and bonded. She feels that spirit is an important factor in winning the games that they are winning.

“Soccer is just a kind of sport where I felt kind of the [freedom] there even though there’s no pressure to play in college.” Lillis said.

Overall the season has had its wins and losses, but the team is making improvements.They are looking forward to continuing on with the season and truly getting to know their teammates.

Lacrosse has had only a few games, but with the new coaches, players hope to score some wins in their next games across the season.

“[We] started off with a rough patch, but we’re still learning. I feel like it’ll get better over time.” one of the two seniors on the lacrosse team, Maddie Haukap said.

Players who were interviewed took notice of how on the team, there are a lot of new freshmen. The team itself has not had a lot of time to play and gain experience, especially with COVID interfering with past seasons.

“We have a really young and inexperienced team, but that just means that every day we’re getting a lot better. I like seeing that happen.” senior Sophia Ong said.

Overall, according to Haukap, the team is still learning, and still getting used to each other, but as a senior she recognizes that this is her last season at Sion and with this team.

“I feel like whenever you’re a freshman, you always can’t wait til your senior year, and senior nights and everything. But it’s also kind of sad because you realize you’re not going to play that sport again without it being fun.” Haukap said.

With Ong and Haukap being seniors, their feelings are a bit bittersweet as it is their last season. Ong explains that she felt that it’s crazy being one of the oldest players on the team, but she likes it. It feels surreal to them.

“It’s kind of surreal that this is the final year. Everything moves so fast. I’m loving it so far.” Ong said.

Haukap expresses that she just wants future underclassmen to give it a shot. There’s nothing that could go wrong. Ong explains that she wants them to appreciate everything, because it won’t last forever.

“Join as many sports as you can and appreciate every moment of it. Even the practices that you don’t want to be at because one day you’re going to be a senior and wish you could go back,” Ong said.

JAM-PACKED JUNIOR YEAR

JAM-PACKED JUNIOR YEAR

Junior year is commonly known as the most stressful year in a person’s high school career.

BY MEGAN KELLEY NEWS AND SPORTS EDITOR

The addition of advanced placement classes, new extracurricular activities, tests to prepare for college and starting the college search marks junior year as the most stressful year in high school.

In their junior year, many students pick up a harder course load, such as AP classes. Many students choose to take these courses because junior year is the last full year of grades shown on the high school transcript that is included in a college application. Universities take the advanced course load into consideration during the admissions process and when they are looking to give out scholarships.

With the extensive course load that junior year entails, it is harder for students to not burn out. When someone burns out, it is harder to perform and achieve the grades they want, which can, in turn,

increase stress.

Along with an intense course load, more extracurriculars are added during junior year. At Sion, junior year is the first year that a student can join a publication, take on a leadership role within a club or organization, and have free reign with their class choices. Most students also search for jobs, as well as other resume-boosting opportunities, including volunteer service, internships, and passions to pursue. These commitments are added onto the pile of stress and can quickly fill the calendars.

Outside of the classroom, junior year is a busy time for high school athletes, as well. This is the first year that some students compete at the varsity level, and have the opportunity to captain a team. Athletes looking to participate at the collegiate level must compete in ID camps and matches, create highlight reels, reach

out to coaches, and excel at their sport. Many students receive the bulk of their offers during junior year, and as a result, have an added pressure to narrow down their list of options.

Additionally, juniors experience the most important stages of standardized testing. Students can decide to take the ACT or the SAT. Most colleges have started to change the application process to test optional, however, Sion still requires juniors and seniors to take the tests. Regardless of whether or not the college is test optional, it can still play a role in scholarship assignments.

Junior year is rightfuly known as the most stressful year in high school. It is harder for students to stay on top of homework, extracurriculars, standardized testing and work. Though the stress of senior year is high, junior year is more stressful.

STORM OF SENIOR STRESS STORM OF SENIOR STRESS

The college process, leadership roles in extracurricular endeavors and final projects combine to create the perfect storm for stress during senior year.

BY AVA ALBRACHT WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

No year of high school is free from stress. Every year poses a series of challenges that students must learn to navigate primarily alone. That being said, senior year is, in my opinion, is much more challenging than junior year.

There is a common argument that junior year can be, due to the excessive course load that often falls upon students at this time. Some seniors opt for a lighter course load, which can help reduce their stress. However, this is not the case for many seniors, namely those attending a college preparatory school such as Sion. Even when opting for less advanced classes, there are still plenty of senior responsibilities that occupy that extra time that might be spent doing homework.

One of the most time-consuming endeavors that seniors participate in is the process of college applications. Deciding where to apply is the first, and likely the easiest step, but beyond that, college applications demand a large portion of senior students’ time. Depending on what type of school you apply to, it can

take anywhere from a single day to over five months to hear back. Senior Grace Beelman applied to many colleges, most of which she had to wait months to hear back from. Beelman felt pressure internally during this waiting period to live up to her own expectations and those of her peers as well.

“Having your peers know where you’re applying and having that stress of disappointing them is pretty hard to deal with, too,” Beelman said. College preparation is not the only thing that makes senior year the most stressful. There are also many responsibilities that come with being the oldest class on campus. If you are involved in extracurricular activities, as many Sion students are, you may now have a leadership role. This could mean planning club periods, team dinners, or helping to direct a fine arts event. These commitments, while enjoyable, take a lot of thought and preparation in order to keep up the tradition of excellence in any extracurricular endeavor it may be. As

student body president and co-captain of the softball team, senior Lauren Ellwanger puts the extra hours in every week adding to her course load.

“My leadership roles have added to my stress, but I don’t regret it because I like [my extracurricular activities] and I feel a sense of accomplishment from completing projects after they are done,” Ellwanger said.

Finally, as a senior, there are many last minute deadlines that must be met, such as senior service projects, finals, AP exams, and college decisions. Senioritis is real, no matter how motivated or organized you are in the first three years of high school, it catches up to you, and makes doing these tasks all the more painstaking.

Senior year is one to remember, full of many lasts and goodbyes which make the pressure on these events more stressful. Even so, it is important to enjoy these last few months with the girls you have grown to know and love and let joy and excitement override the stress.

In Support of Seniority

Seniority is not merely a high school dynamic that establishes superiority among the classes; it is a model for how real life institutions function- those with experience have privilege over the newbies.

BY SOFIA AGUAYO PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Every highschooler looks forward to the day they can finally call senior privileges.

Starting on the first day of high school, freshmen are banished to the worst spots in the crowd, the back of the sports buses, and are told to do all the tasks that no one wants to do, such as fill up the water jugs or roll up the cheer mats. Basically, freshmen are put in their place being the new people around the school, and this has been the precedent for decades.

The question that most freshmen wonder, and something I definitely wondered as a freshman is, “Why? What is seniority and why do we have this structure in place?” The answer to this question has to do with everything else high school aims to do for students: prepare them for the working world.

It is understandable that senior privilege can be frustrating for underclassmen, namely the freshmen, however, it reflects the way that the working world functions. While inconvenient, it is something that every class must endure as they work their way through high school, and similarly, as they move up the ranks in their career.

While the concept of seniority may be more obvious in high school because of the named ranks students have (freshman, sophomore, etc.), this concept is more prevalent in society than most people would imagine. In most businesses, offices and schools, people who have committed years to the profession receive more benefits.

According to Chron, “When loyal employees stick around, an organization has to spend less time and money on hiring and recruiting and benefits from a more knowledgeable workforce.” Because of this, tenured employees often receive many more benefits than other newer employees because the corporation knows that they can trust them and that they are dedicated workers. School systems are common corporations that often use this type of system to keep their best employees long term. Chron states that “schools typically use tenure systems to reward employees who commit to excellence in research and teaching for an extended period.” This model encourages teachers and faculty members to commit to working there for extended periods of time, thus providing the school with a security of workers.

With all of these concepts in mind, it is important to remember that being the “newbies” of a group or organization can also serve as a bonding experience. For example, the extravagant beanies that the Sion freshmen wear at the beginning of the year not only designate them as the newcomers of the community, but they are an easy conversation starter for them to get to know each other at a time where new connections are key.

While it is true that seniority can get out of hand at certain schools or institutions without proper regulations put in place, it is a model that will continue throughout people’s lives that everyone, no matter if they feel like it will never come, will get to experience from the top.

Photo | Pixabay/Pexels

TIME FLIES WHEN YOU’RE HAVING FUN

A highlight reel of some of the year’s most memorable moments for the Class of 2022.

BY SOPHIE GROMOWSKY SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

SENIOR TAILGATE

“It was a great way for us to just hang out and celebrate the fact that we’d made it to senior year as a class before the stress of senior year had hit.”

-Anna Baklanov

“I loved the fun tropical theme, taking pictures with my friends, and of course, the morning breakfast, it was delicious!” -

Lydia Poe

COLOR THROW

“My favorite part of the day was hanging out with my friends while getting colorful. In a way participating in the color throw this year was different because it was our last one and knowing that we won’t be able to do it again at Sion hits hard.“ - Juliana

Nelsen

“Experiencing field day as a senior felt a little different. I was just trying to live in the moment, enjoy that time with my friends and soak it all in since it’s my last one.”

- Paige Dernier

MOTHER-DAUGHTER BRUNCH

“My favorite part was definitely just sitting with my friends and the moms just eating and talking. It was definitely a really relaxing meal and I enjoyed that! I also loved that my mom and I got to choose our own song to walk down the runway with because that made it even more memorable.” -

Sam Phillips

“It was a super special day because only seniors get to participate in it and we had been looking forward to it for a long time.” - Elise

Stringer

SENIOR PROM

“My favorite part of prom was dancing with all my friends in the center of the ‘dance circle’ of people. The night was extra special as I made sure to enjoy and appreciate every moment. I got to spend my evening with my best friends and I couldn’t ask for a better time!” -

Lizzy Hoffman

“Since we didn’t have a prom last year, it made this one so much more special - this night was one of the last nights we would have all together.” -

Mckenzie Warren

FATHER-DAUGHTER DANCE

“It was definitely bittersweet being a part of the serenade after watching it for so many years. My dad and I were both realizing our time together was coming to an end, which made it a sad and beautiful experience.”

- Tess Tappan

“I felt very sentimental during both serenades because me and my dad are so close and it makes me sad to think I won’t see him everyday next year.” -

Sophia McClure

Sofia Aguayo

THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO

Favorite Sion memory?

Performing our final stuco dance at our senior Sion Olympics after weeks and weeks of practicing

Favorite place at Sion?

The musty yet cozy publab, specifically my own desktop

A moment you want to relive?

Being crowned prom queen

Grace Beel,man

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES

Funniest Sion memory?

Hiding in the NGS bathroom from our track coach, Gary

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

Dr. Williams, she would have answers to all of my problems

A moment you want to relive?

My experience at Kairos

Senior Stats

Do you live in Kansas or Missouri?

What polo color do you prefer?

AVA ALBRACHT

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

Kram, I would never be without existential conversations

A moment you want to relive?

Getting second at ILCs and swimming my fastest time in the 100 fly

Favorite place at Sion?

The south six

Vivi Calderon

UNDECIDED

Funniest Pink Slip?

Multiple pink slips for talking when I wasn’t talking in freshman year

Favorite Sion Memory?

Hispanic Heritage Month celebration

What you will miss the most about Sion?

How small it is

Olivia ANGLES

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS

What you will miss the most about Sion?

My friends and all the amazing people

I met

Finals horror story?

Forgetting my calculator for algebra 2 honors second semester

Favorite place at Sion?

Counselors office, duh

Lendsey Cardenas

METRO COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Funniest Pink Slip

Getting caught by Brown wearing the same pants and jacket

Final Horror Story

When I studied for the wrong final What teacher would you take to college?

Mrs. Moore, she gives really good advice

Do you know all the lyrics to the school song?

Are you going to play intramural sports?

Anna Baklanov

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS

Funniest Sion memory?

Watching Mid somersault during kickball still is at the top of my list

Funniest pink slip

Bray gave me a fake one where i did everything wrong

A moment you want to relive?

First seniors rock the house

Maggie Carpenter

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS

Finals horror story?

Freshman year my sister told me no one ever studied for finals, so I didn’t and I failed them all

Funniest Sion memory?

Anything from Kram’s class junior year

Favorite place at Sion?

Probably the south six

Are you rooming with someone you know?

4LYFERS

Several seniors have been classmates with one another since grade school, and have continued their friendships up until their last year at Sion.

BY ZAHRA PARSONS EDITORIALS EDITOR

Bella Cherry

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY

Hardest class you took Intro College Algebra

Favorite Sion memory

Talking with my favorite teachers on the daily.

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

Dr. Williams because who wouldn’t take her? She is the best and outgoing.

Bridgette Conner

UNIVERSITY OF LOYOLA CHICAGO

Hardest class you took Algebra 1 H

Funniest Sion memory?

On the Big Bend deep dive we were camping the last night and the wind was pretty strong but we ignored it. Later that night everyone’s tents started collapsing and we had to evacuate because we were in a wind tunnel. The sand blowing in our faces was unforgettable. Dust Bowl 2022

Taylor Crouch

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

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

Hilg, she is the best and understands math

Funniest Sion memory

The masked singer teacher performances last year.

Favorite place at Sion

Ms. Engels classroom.

Paige Dernier

TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY

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

Durkin because she is always there for you and she gives great hugs.

Finals horror story

I went to a concert the night before my AP world history final sophomore year and fell asleep during the DBQ.

Hardest class you took APUSH because of Brow-How

Addi Diaz

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS

Funniest pink slip?

Wearing shoes with pink stripes on them

Funniest Sion memory?

Watching Brown-Howerton try to kill wasps during APUSH

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

Ms. Lai because she is my favorite human being ever and also she would be here for the college gossip

Mia Eakins

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

Funniest pink slip?

I said a bad word in Lamp’s class freshman year because I was watching a scary movie on my laptop and got scared!

Favorite Sion memory? Junior ring and freshman year soccer

Funniest Sion memory?

Having psychology in the library junior year with the seniors

Lauren Ellwanger

SIMPSON COLLEGE

Advice to your freshman self?

Lean into discomfort and don’t be scared to be friends with people outside of your circle

A moment you want to relive?

First time the class of 2022 did the “seniors rock the house” chant. What you will miss most about Sion?

Having my mom at school with me.

JUMPING FOR JOYCE

Senior Emily Joyce committed to compete in the gymnastics program at Cornell University.

BY ZAHRA PARSONS EDITORIALS EDITOR

While the effects of senioritis plague class of 2022 students across the country, many student-athletes are preparing to begin an arguably-even more grueling experience: training for their first year of collegiate athletics, which, for most sports, begins in the summer. One such person is senior Emily Joyce, who will compete as a member of Cornell gymnastics team, an NCAA Division I team. Joyce officially signed to the team on Nov. 10, 2021, after enduring the recruiting process.

Joyce has been doing gymnastics since she was two years old, and spends anywhere from 20 to 25 hours a week training. She currently competes at level 10, and is preparing for her first season of collegiate gymnastics at Cornell University.

“Ever since I started competing at higher levels, the big girls at our gym would commit to their college and we would have signing ceremonies, and the thought was always in the back of my head,” she said. “But around the end of my sophomore year, I made the decision that this was something I wanted to do, and it was then that I really started making a list and sending emails and kind of starting the whole process.”

In addition to finding a fit for her sport, academics played a large role in narrowing down her college search. She has earned summa cum laude and top scholar honors throughout the entirety of her high school career, and became a National Merit semifinalist, scoring in the top 1 percent on her PSAT.

After doing visits at schools across the country, and forming relationships with coaches and advisors, she began to form a concise list of schools that she was seriously considering, in order to narrow down her search.

Angelina Ferarra

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

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

I would bring Kram to college with me because I feel like he gives the best advice and adds some comic relief.

Funniest Sion memory?

Wiping out in PE freshman year.

Hardest class you took?

Pre-Calc Honors with Mid

“I had a few reach schools, a few that I was pretty confident about, and then a couple of safeties,” Joyce said. “What ended up happening, was that I went to a few camps over the summer, and it got down to William & Mary, and then Cornell. I sat on my offer from William & Mary for a while, but then I got that offer from Cornell, and I made that decision within about two days.”

The Division I Women’s Gymnastics competition season runs for four months at the beginning of the year, culminating in a championship in mid-April. Cornell

University is currently ranked fourth in its NCAA Division I conference, and is nearing the end of a highly successful season in the Northeast GEC.

“I’m really excited to be a part of this team,” Joyce said. “I’m looking forward to just being a part of the culture and to be able to perform in college, on a bigger stage, and be a contributor and be part of a team.”

Committing to collegiate athletics is no easy feat, as, according to NCAA statistics, only 7% of high school athletes play in college, and only 2% play in

Who Run the World? GIRLS!

Lydia Poe is the only senior of the class of 2022 who is attending an all women’s college, and is heading to St. Mary’s College.

I’m going to St. Mary’s College. It is a very strong liberal arts college, but it also has a great emphasis on science. They have a super great campus life and community that I just loved. For me, it wasn’t so much about choosing an all women’s college. It was more about having the big university quite literally right across the street, the University of Notre Dame and then having a small retreat college that I could just go back to after the game day or something. It’s just the best of both worlds. You have th[ose] big university parks with the social life and the clubs and the activities or you also had St. Mary’s College. It’s one big sorority. St. Mary’s does a great job of catering to women’s specific

activities like stress free week or they have this big emphasis on breakfast for dinner or a sleepover. And honestly, it’s a beautiful campus.Everybody there is so sweet and really genuine. I really do appreciate it. They really put the emphasis on being a girl, mostly focus[ing] on education and educating young women to think as a whole. You’re able to really cater your own education. I think it’s super cool. I do have a high respect for universities that take the time to rather not educate students to memorize and spit up information, but to truly form their own opinions, back him up and compare them to other people so that everybody grows that way people can actually think for themselves.

Phillips VS.

I think it’s funny that we have the same last name. It is a pretty common last name, but at my old school I didn’t know anyone else in my grade with the same last name. When I was a freshman, people would ask if we were twins and it was funny because I would always say, “No, Carmen and I aren’t twins,” but I actually do have a twin brother. Now people know that we aren’t actually related at all. Some teachers used to think that Carmen was actually my mom’s daughter, not me.

Sam Phillips

It’s interesting having the same last name when we’re not related because people sometimes assume we are related or they assume that I am Mrs. Phillips, the counselor’s daughter. I remember freshman year when people heard my last name they would always assume I was Mrs. Phillips’ daughter and were confused when I told them I was not.

Carmen Phillips

WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

Favorite Place at Sion?

The library

Most Proud of Accomplishing

These Past Four Years?

I’m most proud of how hard I’ve worked academically and how I’ve grown and matured over the last four years.

Funniest Sion Memory?

Mr. Lampen singing “My lipgloss is poppin’” randomly during class.

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

Funniest Sion Memory?

Color Run my senior year

Hardest Class You Took?

American Government Favorite Sion Memory?

Playing softball this year and also the Cobra marching band coming to play for us.

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

Funniest Pink Slip?

Standing 3 ft apart outside instead of 6 ft What Teacher Would You Take to Sion and Why?

Mrs. Holmes just because I feel like it would be so fun.

Finals Horror Story?

Switched up which finals were on which days

Lizzy Hoffman

UNIVERSITY OF DENVER

Favorite Sion Memory?

Getting Funyuns everyday during Shrock’s World History class.

Advice to Freshman Self?

Your closest friends are not in the first friend group you find.

The Moment You Want to Relive?

Solo dancing in the hype circle at prom

Tyra Frazier

Katy Gromowsky

Maddie Haukap

IMAN hollins

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

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

Branching out and talking to more people

Advice to your freshman self?

Chill out it’s not that serious

A moment you want to relive?

The quarter finals game against Odessa when we found out we were going to state

from the ART HEART

BY SOFIA AGUAYO PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Senior Elizabeth Nordhus expresses her passion for art through winning several art awards and planning on continuing her passion through and beyond college.

marin ismert

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

Advice to your freshman self?

Don’t worry about where you are, you’ll find your way

Favorite Sion memory?

Taking pics in photo club with Sofia Aguayo my new bestie and us loving the pics - also playing field hockey

Funniest pink slip?

Not more than 3 feet away from someone with masks down outside

emily joyce

CORNELL UNIVERSITY

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

Kram because he hands down has the best advice for any situation

Funniest Sion memory?

Every day in AP Calc

Favorite Sion memory?

When Shrock put all of our faces on the harry potter characters in freshman year world history

brianna legette

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

A moment you want to relive?

Bounce-house races at field day. I want redemption for losing TWICE on those races. The universe was against me that day.

What you will miss the most about Sion?

My friends. I love you all so much.

Favorite Sion memory?

When I met my best friend in PE class. U da best BFF ever!

Placing her paints and brushes on the dedicated artwork table in her basement, senior Elizabeth Nordhus envisions where her brushes will take her. Since toddlerhood, Nordhus has found her passion and meaning for life in all things art. From finger painting and crayons to more complex mediums, Nordhus fills her days with learning about art and improving her own skills.

“For me it’s a reason to get up out of bed in the morning,” Nordhus said. “Before art, I always kind of felt like I was going through the motions of living, but it gave me a solid goal to work towards. The whole process really just added a ton of meaning to my life.”

To continuously expand her art techniques and style, Nordhus enrolled herself in almost every single art class Sion offers. She has taken every art class except for Photography II. Over the last four years of being so involved in the art department, she has developed a strong relationship with art teacher Liz Smith, who has worked alongside Nordhus teaching her the skills she needs to know to continue improving her work.

“She’s definitely grown in her confidence in her work,” Smith said. “She’ll always go the extra step to find out things that she doesn’t know or techniques that she isn’t fully understanding. She’s very motivated and curious about a lot of different things in art which I think makes her really, really strong in what she does.”

Recently, Nordhus’s most-used medium is watercolor, which she used to create many of her award-winning paintings entered into the Scholastic Art Awards competition which, according to the website, is “the nation’s longestrunning, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens.” The program judges by region and gives prestigious awards to very few contestants from each

region. Nordhus could not believe it when she won three gold key awards and one silver key for the Midwest region.

“I submitted those and I thought it would be a good learning opportunity, and then I woke up at 4 a.m. just randomly and I saw that I got it and I was like ‘Oh my God’ and I told my mom,” Nordhus said. “I don’t even know where that came from.”

Nordhus plans on incorporating art into her future career. She has brainstormed several different career options, including a Masters in Fine Arts and becoming an art professor, becoming an art director, a marketing director, or going into product design.

“I really am just going to go for understanding more of the business side and design perspective and see what I can get with that.”

After a rigorous application process to Washington University in St. Louis, where she submitted 10 to 20 pieces of her best work, Nordhus was overjoyed when she received her letter officially accepting her into the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts.

“WashU was my dream school because it was the first place where I’ve ever felt like I instantly fit into a community just the way I was,”

Nordhus said. “I felt like if I got lucky enough to get the chance to go there that I would be empowered to succeed by the people there.”

Although the career she will pursue after graduating from the art program is still unclear to her, Nordhus’s mother, Kathleen Nordhus, believes that the impact that art has had on Nordhus’s life will continue to empower her.

“I believe that she truly has an innate and natural talent,” Kathleen said. “She and I have discussed it before and when she gets in the ‘zone’ it just flows out of her. Art is simply part of her soul and in the thread of her being.”

Photos submitted | Elizabeth Nordhus

Kate Lovick

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA

What teacher would you take with you to college?

Kram - love him

Favorite Sion Memory

Freshman year color run

Finals Horror Story

Sitting next to someone who was cheating

OLIVIA MANCINA

ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY

Funniest Pink Slip

I have not gotten one but I want one, particularly for wearing my Greta Van Fleet jacket when I should not be wearing it Words of wisdom

Do. Not. Base. Equate. Your. Worth. With. Your. Grades. Give yourself some more grace! Favorite Place at Sion

The music room or absolutely anywhere outside. Also the commons!

Avery Marsden

GAP YEAR

What will you miss the most?

I will miss the community and the fact that everyone has a place here, whether they like it or not.

What teacher would you take with you to college?

Mrs. Lai because she is as much of a friend as she is a mentor.

Advice to underclassmen

Don’t be afraid to say what you think; asking for forgiveness is easier than asking for permission.

Kate McCarthy

CLEMSON UNIVERSITY

What will you miss the most about Sion?

My friends and the funny moments we share everyday

Advice to your freshman self

Don’t be afraid to try new things, you’ll never know what you’ll learn to love

Funniest Sion memory

Everyday in AP Calc

Sophia McClure

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

A moment you want to relive STA basketball game freshman year, I have never seen so many people pack the stands and cheer so much

Funniest Sion Memory

The masked singer event

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

Becoming my own person who can think for myself

Kamryn McKibben

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY

Advice for application process

Use the same college essay for each school

Favorite Sion memory

Sophmore year 3rd hour study hall with Isabella

What teacher would you take with you to college?

Mrs. Durkin and Dr. Williams because they are always there for me and hype me up

Marie Messerli

KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY

Funniest pink slip

Making a tiktok in Brays room

Favorite place at Sion

The Robotics room

What teacher would you take with you?

I would take Ms. Humprey because she is fun!

Maddison Miller

DRAKE UNIVERSITY

A moment you want to relive

Getting my freshman beanie What teacher would you take with you?

Pino because she bring such a calming person and is an amazing listener. She also is the best hype women ever!

Funniest Sion memory

When the school got firefighters to spray us with weird smelling water.

Juliana Nelson

KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY

Funniest Sion memory

Lamp’s class. No further explanation needed.

What will you miss most about Sion?

My friends. They made my Sion experience what it is today.

Finals Horror Story

Miss Lai telling me that I didn’t submit my Chemistry final online.

Elizabeth Nordhus

WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

Favorite place at Sion

The big art room

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

Winning scholastic art awards

Hardest class you took AP English Literature IV

Julia Norman

UNDECIDED

Funniest Sion memory

Being accused of stealing someone’s water bottle

Favorite place at Sion

The counselor’s office

A moment you want to relive

Dance team Nationals 2020

Sophia Ong

KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY

Favorite book you had to read

To be honest, I never read a full book for English Funniest pink slip

Talking during mass even though I wasn’t talking

What teacher would you bring with you to college?

Madame Bono because she would constantly remind me to get outside and get off my phone.

ASSASSINS KNOCKOUT

SENIORS

BY KATE MCCARTHY PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The seniors played their yearly game of assains this past month. Check out this bracket to see the proccess and winners.

= successful = eliminated via kill = eliminated via not killing = revived

ROUND ONE

carmen phillips

maddie haukap sam phillips

emily joyce angelina ferrara madison miller

lydia poe sophia ong

abby thornhill

kate lovick sophia totta taylor crouch

cate vanhoecke katy gromowsky

sabrina ross

addi diaz

olivia angles

sophia mcclure

grace townsend

grace beelman

maggie carpenter

marin ismert

sofia aguayo lauren ellwanger

ashley ulowetz julia norman ava albracht ella rogge

kate mccarthy

ROUND TWO

carmen phillips

lauren ellwanger

elise stringer

grace beelman

abby thornhill

grace townsend

ROUND THREE

carmen phillips

lauren ellwanger

kate mccarthy

liv zender carmen phillips

katy gromowsky

sam phillips

taylor crouch

sam phillips

katy gromowsky

carmen phillips

elise stringer

addi diaz

sabrina ross

kate mccarthy

carmen phillips

WINNERS

sam phillips

lauren ellwanger

carmen phillips

gossip girl

to LeJournal’s senior issue where your seniors exposed their deepest Sion secrets and funny confessions.

BY ELLA ROGGE MANAGING EDITOR

E-blast ‘22

Hey Sion Sisters, Gossip Girl here..

“I completed 36 levels of Gardenscapes during a single APUSH class.”

“My pants ripped at dance practice and I had to take some old basketball shorts out of the shopping cart in the locker room.”

“I’ve been wearing black joggers instead of leggings under my skirt every day this year.”

“My cousin and I were bored during quarantine sophomore year, so I sent her the French Class Zoom link to attend class for fun. The entire class was thoroughly freaked out, but the boredom was solved. (I’m so sorry, Madame)”

“I would doordash food to my car basically everyday junior year.”

“Sometimes during the middle of class you can sneak into the teachers’ lounge and take their food.”

I don’t think I’ve ever done a math assignment in all four years when assigned from the book.”

“I’ve purposely skipped the Thanksgiving Interfaith Prayer Service every single year to go get coffee with my mom instead.”

“I’ve stolen a considerable amount of utiensils from the cafeteria.”

“During a math block class one time I downloaded and played Fortnite for the entirety of the class and then deleted it immediately after.”

“I would take the protein bars from the Athletic Training office freshman year.”

“I made my mom call in for me all the time because for the most random reasons. It ranged from cramps to spring allergy overhaul. When I legitimately had an allergic reaction to a new vitamin and threw up on the way to school, Sion made me go home even though I was totally fine afterwards.”

“My friend and I broke the couch in the counselor’s office making a video and they had to get rid of it.”

“During freshman year tryouts me and a teammate drug a gatorade waterjug down the hallway instead of carrying it and scraped the newly waxed floor (you can still see the scrape today).”

You know you love me,

Xo Xo Gossip Girl

CARMEN PHILLIPS

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

Favorite Sion lunch?

The freshman year french toast. Funniest Sion memory?

Ava tripping in her can Louboutins during the Food for Thought skit. What are you most proud of? Winning back-to-back state and national championships.

LIESL RIFFE

VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY

Funniest pink slip? I’ve never gotten a pink slip but I had detention on my birthday for being tardy.

What teacher would you bring? Hilg, I don’t know how else I’ll get through math.

Finals Horror Story? I skipped my English final to go to a concert, took it on the makeup day and failed it.

SAM PHILLIPS

CREIGHTON COLLEGE

Favorite Sion Memory?

Being in the stands for the Sion vs. STA basketball games

Advice for applying to college?

Go to the workshops the college counselors have in the summer

What are you most proud of?

I am most proud of the best friends that I have made here at Sion.

KAT RIGGS

UNDECIDED

Funniest Sion memory?

Mrs. Paterson and Mr. Shrock throwing stress balls at eachother freshman year.

Favorite place at Sion?

The chapel

What will you miss most?

Going to school with my mom and sister

LYDIA POE

SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE

Funniest Sion memory?

When Madame Bono turned the wrong way on a one way street downtown and everyone started screaming.

Favorite place at Sion? Room 23. It’s been my classroom, cafeteria, Walmart, and nap zone for all four years.

Favorite Sion meal? French dip sandwich.

ELLA ROGGE

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

Favorite Sion memory?

Watching Mid absolutely eat it while palying kickball.

Favorite place in Sion?

The Robotic’s room tree house. What teacher would you bring? Senora Gomez because she gives the best hugs.

CAROLINE RENNER

UNDECIDED

Funniest Sion memory?

Passing out in Mrs. Engel’s class TWICE in a row and then having an ambulance called.

Advice to your freshman self. Lose the bows! Who did you think you were, Jojo Siwa?

Favorite Sion meal?

I don’t eat the school food, I’m too picky.

SABRINA ROSS

KANSAS CITY ART INSTITUTE

Funniest memory?

Playing hungry hungry hippos during an assembly.

Favorite place at Sion? The counselor’s office

The moment you want to relive.

My first day at Sion.

Lauren Shaw

SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY

Funniest Pink Slip

Shrock gave me one freshman year for watching The Office instead of writing an essay. At the end of 7th hour.

Favorite Sion Memory

Singing the school song in the stands when the basketball team won vs STA.

Favorite Place at Sion

The courtyard.

SWITCHING TO SION

Six senior students reflect on their experiences of transferring into Sion.

BY SOPHIE GROMOWSKY SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

For most students, the Sion experience began when they pulled on their purple polos the very first day of their freshman year - but for the six senior students who transferred into Sion, it started off a little differently. Maggie Carpenter, Addi Diaz, Avery Marsden, Caroline Renner, Sabrina Ross and Anna Wilder attended several different high schools, both public and private, as well as homeschool, before ultimately deciding to make the switch to Sion.

Anna Sheedy

ELMHURST UNIVERSITY

What teacher would you take to college and why?

Mrs. Holmes because she gives the best advice and is so sweet.

A moment you want to relive

Winning our game against Odessa to go to state in volleyball this year.

Advice to your freshman self

Wear something else.

A variety of factors drove the transfer students to start searching for new schools to continue their education. Wilder said that response to the Covid-19 pandemic was a large part of her decision. Her former school, Olathe West had adopted a system of hybrid learning, while Sion was fully in-person, which drew her in. The smaller, all-girls community was attractive to Renner, who spent the first three months of her freshman year at St. Teresa’s Academy before switching to homeschooling for the remainder of the school year.

“I really wanted all-girls because boys are very difficult to get along with,” Renner said. “I just felt like it was more serious. And also it was really small and I really liked that.”

Clara Stribling

TRUMAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Why did you choose your college?

Good programs and the wellness center person was feeding the squirrels both times I visited. A moment you want to relive Softball. All of it basically.

Elise Stringer

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

What you will miss the most about Sion

All my best friends in one place. Why did you choose your college?

I loved the campus and the SEC vibe without being far from home.

Favorite place at Sion Commons

Most of the girls spent a shadow day at Sion in order to help them decide if it would be the right fit for them. Ross recalled sitting in on an English class and thinking about how cool it was that the class was discussing women’s leadership in the book they were reading. Having attended co-ed school her entire life, she had never encountered an education specifically geared towards women. Diaz and Marsden, however, did not have a shadow day and experienced their first school day at Sion after they had already made the decision to transfer.

“I toured and I met Brie Bowes and she talked to me for like 30 minutes and I was like, ‘yeah, this is the place, this girl’s awesome,” Diaz said. “That was the last day before winter break and I started the day after winter break so it was really fast.”

After transferring, taking part in classes and extracurricular activities helped the girls to make friends and start to get involved in the community. Hoping to meet some more girls from her grade, Carpenter joined the cheer team when she came to Sion at the beginning of her sophomore year. She

ended up being the only sophomore on the team, but developed friendships with several seniors who she still talks to today. Marsden was immediately drawn to Scream Team, and joining the club led her to make some of her first friends at Sion.

“I had never heard of a school having anything like Scream Team so I thought it was really cool,” Marsden said. “I joined that and I met some people from my current friend group. We went to a basketball game or something together and that was kind of the start of me being able to find my friends here.”

Several girls said that the experience of having attended different schools prior to Sion has given them a unique point of view that their other classmates do not have. Renner said that her time at her previous school as well as the process of transferring has helped her to gain a lot of perspective that helps her to stay positive. Carpenter said that her experiences with teachers at her public school makes it clear to her how much the teachers at Sion really care and how much effort they put in. Each expressed happiness with their decision to transfer and gratitude for the time in their high school years that they have spent here.

“Coming to Sion is truly the best decision that I have ever made for me and just in general,” Ross said. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Sion has set me up with some great opportunities and really prepared me to go off to college soon.”

The transformations of various seniors from freshman year to senior year.

BY KATE MCCARTHY PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

LIESL RIFFE KATE MCCARTHY TESS TAPPAN SOPHIA MCCLURE

EMMA TITUS TAYLOR CROUCH

TESS TAPPAN

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS

Funniest Sion memory

Making Mulkey memes during the Sound of Music Musical

Favorite place at Sion

The bed in the music room (RIP)

Advice to your freshman self

You’re awesome- never let anyone tell you otherwise

ABBY THORNHILL

UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA

Funniest Sion Memory

Not having a skirt the first day of freshman year.

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

Mrs. Moore because she seems like she knows how to bust a move

The moment you want to relive

All of it.

EMMA TITUS

EMPORIA STATE UNIVERSITY

What will you miss the most about Sion?

The teachers

Advice to your freshman self

Procrastination is just not worth it

Favorite place at Sion

The tall table by the window in the NGS

SOPHIA TOTTA

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

Funniest Sion memory

All of Schreiber’s 7th hour psychology class

What you will miss the most about Sion?

Dance Team

Advice to your freshman self

You are more than the things that have happened to you. Don’t be ashamed of your story, one day it will help and inspire others!

Words of Wisdom From

the senior class

Words of wisdom for underclassmen from the class of 2022.

“Try everything. Do the sports that you want and have a great time. Do things you’ve never thought of doing and go for it. High school goes so fast, so do everything.”

- katy gromowsky, 22’

“Don’t be afraid to say what you think; asking for permission is easier than asking for forgiveness but it’s not always as meaningful.”

- avery marsden, 22’

“Be friends with everyone”

- bridgette connor and grace townsend, 22’

“Open yourself up to new possibilities and friend groups.”

- isabella cherry, 22’

“Don’t stand in the middle of the hallway.”

- juliana nelson, 22’

“Life is too short to constantly be at battle with your mind and body! And don’t spend your time comparing yourself to others, you are beautiful the way you are.”

- sophia totta, 22’

-

“It’s okay to ask for help, especially when it comes to your mental health.”

- iman hollins, 22’

- sam phillips, 22’

“Enjoy all of the little traditions that Sion has.”

“Make friends with people outside of your friend group and to make friends with people in different grades.”

- anna sheedy, 22’

“You’re worth more than your grades, seriously.”

- kat riggs, 22’

“Cherish the time you have and don’t wish it away.”

- ashley ulowetz, 22’

“Always have a computer charger.”

- juliana vergara, 22’

Build relationships with your teachers! You never know when you will need their help with a letter of recommendation or other things.”

emily joyce, 22’

High school is all about growth! There will be ups and downs but stay true to yourself. Do what you love even if it stands out from the crowd.”

- sabrina ross, 22’

If it is outside of your comfort zone then you will get the best rewards of pushing yourself. you never know what your passions will become.”

- anna baklanov, 22’

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Spot the difference between these seniors and their celebrity look-a-likes.

BY ELLA ROGGE MANAGING EDITOR

GRACE TOWNSEND

UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA

Funniest pink slip? I got a pink slip for raising my hand in Bray’s class and when I went back to dispute it he just said “It was already sent in”. What teacher would you bring? Dr. Williams because I know she can hang.

What are you most proud of? Finding confident in myself here.

ASHLEY ULOWETZ

OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

Finals Horror Story? Freshman year my car got broken into the morning of my last final, there was glass everywhere.

Favorite Sion memory? Having both my sister and mom pass my junior ring to me.

Moment you want to relive. Sophomore year color throw.

ELYSSA VALLES

ROCKHURST UNIVERSITY

Why did you choose your college? I didn’t want to be apart from my family. My sister and my friends attend there, so I just knew.

Favorite Sion memory? Getting to school and then getting dismissed because it was snowing.

Favorite place in Sion? The Commons.

CATE VAN HOECKE

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

Funniest pink slip? I pulled a flip phone out of my backpack and Lamp gave me a pink slip for it.

Moment you want to relive?

Swim team bus rides.

Finals horror story? Answering Bono’s essay questions by writing English words but making them sound French.

GRACE TOWNSEND

PARIS HILTON

SOFIA AGUAYO SOPHIA TOTTA

TESS TAPPAN KATE LOVICK MADDIE HAUKAP

OLIVIA RODRIGO LUCY HALE

EMMA STONE TAYLOR SWIFT REECE WITHERSPOON

Photo submitted by Grace Townsend

Photo submitted by Sofia Aguayo

Photo submitted by Sophia Totta

Photo submitted by Tess Tappan

Photo submitted by Kate Lovick

Photo submitted by Maddie Haukap

Celebrity Photos | FLCKR

seniors.

Juliana Vergara

LOYOLA UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

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

Durkin so she can remind me to prioritize myself when I get stressed.

Favorite place at Sion?

The Publab Hardest class you took?

AP Biology

Kenzie Warren

OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY

Favorite senior tradition? The colored polos

Funniest pink slip?

Didn’t bring a book to class. Why did you choose your college?

I just loved the diversity and the community. It’s also in a very diverse town and beautiful area.

Anna Wilder

ECKERD COLLEGE

Funniest sion memory?

Pil driving the soccer team to the STA game

Finals horror story?

Almost running out of gas l because I I forgot to get it the night before. Got there one minute before it started. Moment you want to relive?

Junior Ring

Isabella Wilson

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS

What you will miss the most about Sion?

My teachers

Why did you choose your college?

I wanted to go to school near home and I have family that went to KU.

Favorite school year?

Junior year

Audrey wohletz

UNIVERSITY OF MARY BISMARK

What are you planning on majoring in?

Philosophy

Favorite Sion Memory

Junior Ring or Shadow Day

Favorite English book you had to read

Educated by Tara Westover

MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY

What are you planning on majoring in?

Cell Biology and Neuroscience

What year was most stressful?

Definitely senior year. Why did you choose your college?

I love the natural beauty everywhere.

CONFUSION WITH SOPHIAS

BY LIV ZENDER WEB

For seniors, Sofia Aguayo, Sophia McClure, Sophia Ong, and Sophia Totta, the daily of confusion of which Sofia/Sophia is being called on leaves them unfazed. For the past four years, as members of a graduating class of only 60 people, the four Sofia/ Sophias have had many classes and extracurriculars together. Over time, the four of them adjusted, and now clarifying which Sofia/Sophia is being referred to is just a part of the days in and days out of everyday life.

Throughout the years there have been many occasions where theres not one, but sometimes two, three or four of the Sofia/Sophias in one class. For example, Ong, McClure, and Aguayo have been in the same math class all four years at Sion. Additionally, McClure and Totta have been in school together since kindergarten, and the confusion has been following them around ever since.

“I have definitely dealt with confusion involving my name,” McClure said. “Some people would spell it with an f or they would think i’m a different Sophia.”

The name Sofia/Sophia comes with many nicknames, and while none of the

Sofia/Sophias consistently go by one of these nicknames in class, they each still have a couple casual nicknames. As stated by each McClure, Totta, Ong, and Aguayo, some nicknames are loved and some are hated. Ong’s two main nicknames are Soph, which is approved by her, and Phia, which her friends originally called her to bother her, but has since stuck. Similarly, McClure has gone by Sophie, which she hated, Soph, which she loves, and Soph Dog, and an old nickname created during her grade school soccer days.

“Soph is my most common nickname but lately my friends have been calling me ‘Phia’ because they know it annoys me,” Ong said. “Now it has stuck and I still don’t know how to feel about it.”

As Ong, McClure, Totta, and Aguayo have spent the past four years bonding over having the same name, their time as “the four Sofia/Sophias” is coming to an end with all four headed off to different colleges. Even with more distance between them than ever, the four Sofia/Sophias won’t forget their high school experience or each other.

Olivia Zender

Of the 62 students in the graduating class of 22, four are named Sophia or Sofia.

EDITOR-IN-cHIEF

Dont’s college

Invest in comfortable shoes. You will be walking all around campus on a daily basis.

Have layering items. It may be hot outside walking around campus, but once you get to class it will be chilly as soon as you are in the AC blasted classroom.

Talk to your professors. Even if your class is big it’s important to make an effort to establish a relationship and you never know when it will come in handy…future jobs.

Make friends in your classes, and get to know the people around you. Forming relationships will help you in all aspects of life.

Get involved with academic clubs and other extracurricular activities for fun.

Explore campus! Get to know the campus, and you may find a new study spot.

Try to establish some sort of routine. Each day is filled with fun unexpected activities, but a schedule will help keep you sane and get things done.

Make time for yourself! Whether that’s going to the gym, journaling, or heading to bed early. College is a stressful time, and it’s important to take care of yourself.

Call your friends and family often! Even if it’s just on your way to class it can help ground you to talk to someone that you really know, especially in the first weeks.

Ask questions whether that be to your professor or your RA! You will always be glad you asked!

Do’s college checklist

Let yourself fall into bad habits because once you start it’s hard to stop. Buying a coffee on the way to class is good every once in a while, but if it’s an everyday task then it will drain your bank account.

Be shy. It’s important to be yourself, and push yourself out of your comfort zone.

Judge others. You will be exposed to so many people from different backgrounds and it’s important to respect everyone for who they are.

Get behind on schoolwork. Make sure you stay on top of your assignments, and go to class! You can stay organized with a planner or a google calendar.

Be afraid to ask for help. College is hard, especially freshman year, so get help when you need it.

Forget to take advantage of the dining hall. It’s a reliable way to get nutrients and sustenance.

Say no just because you have never done something before. So when you have the opportunity to try something new do it! While maintaining your personal safety of course.

Only be friends with those you know from high school and those you already know. Branch out and meet new people!

Neglect the things that are important to you like exercise or relationships with friends. Make sure you are staying true to yourself and prioritize relationships.

In order to ensure that you are the most prepared for your start of college use your time throughout the summer to plan out your agenda of all you have to do before you leave. This list will help you make sure you have everything ready and are prepared to start off the school year successful and less stressful. Make sure you are buying practical items and accessories for your dorm room that will be functional and won’t take up too much space. Keep in mind that typically you will only be in the dorms for a year.

Communicate with your roommate and get to know them throughout the summer often, so it’s less awkward when you move in. Look at your college dorm’s website to see all the items you can not bring and all the items you can bring then make a combined list with your future roomie or roomies of all that you want to bring.

Save your money girl! As much as you want to enjoy your last summer before college try to make as much money as you can. Start budgeting and saving practices throughout the summer, so it becomes a habit once you are on campus.

Learn any necessary life skills over the summer. Such as learning how to do your own laundry, cooking for yourself, or even how to change a tire.

Start packing ahead of time and think through how each item of clothing can be worn in different scenarios.

* Input provided by Sion Alumni

Dorm Room Of Your Dreams

Navigating graduation and the start of college is tough, but here are some tips for grad gifts, dorm room design, and how to prepare for college.

BY LAUREN SMITH COPY EDITOR

Want to have a dorm that you love just as much as you love your room at home, and live out your Pottery Barn Teen dreams. I have got you covered! In order to design and decorate your dorm the most practical as well as aesthetic way you can. Make sure you pick a scheme, and try to stick to it. Whether that’s a color scheme that you and your roommate agree upon, or even just a continuation of the colors of your bedroom at home, make sure the colors go together well. Once you and your roommate, if that is what you want to do, have agreed on a color scheme make sure you both pick a variety of items in the different shades. Making sure to tie in different shades of the same color and tie in different colors and textures ensure that your color scheme pops. The tricky part is to make sure it all ties together and nothing is too overpowering. A way to avoid this is to not have bright colors being the main focal point, and instead opt for lighter colors. By picking neutral colors you can more easily bring them with you throughout college and future living spaces.

In addition to color schemes you need to make sure that your design is minimal, and that you have a range of decor that fits with your scheme besides your bedding. A good way to incorporate more decor and an array of colors is through wall art. Art prints are a great option for your dorm because they don’t need to be hung in a frame, but look classy being taped to the wall, closet door, or even propped up against a shelf. You can find many sets very inexpensively online or at my favorite place for prints- World Market. Though artwork isn’t always what comes to mind when you think of dorm decor it can really add a nice touch to your dorm. Wall prints with a combination of

Good Gifts For Grads

framed photos of you and your friends and family either on your desk or your shelves will add some personality to your room, while still looking adorable. Another way to add some pizzazz to your room is lighting. Dorm lights are generally boring and not very bright. Consider buying fun lighting like fairy lights, or a salt lamp. Which will provide you with a variety of lights for reading and studying at night. With this combination of lighting and art you are sure to make your dorm feels just as cozy as home.

The last key concept to keep in mind while decorating the dorm of your dreams is practicality, and to make sure the decor can be easily brought to places you live in the following years. You can still buy useful items for your dorm while maintaining your aesthetic. Finding cute bins to store on the shelves of your dorm to store your items, or baskets on top of your fridge to store your snacks can not only help you keep away the clutter, but add more of a variety in decor. When shopping for essentials such as laundry hampers make sure that they aren’t too colorful in order to tie in with the other colors. For example, if I were to get bins to match my light pink, orange, and floral scheme I would stick to a cream or beige color. To stay practical, it’s important to see what you have at home first to avoid buying all new things, and make sure the items that you get are gonna last after your freshman year.

In order to make sure that your dorm room lives up to your expectations and pinterest board make sure to establish a design. Then shop in your set scheme, buy a variety of decor, keep it simple and practical, but most importantly make it a space you are drawn to be in to study, not just to nap.

As much as you would love to get your recent high school grad a monogrammed cup with her initials on it, chances are someone else had the same idea, and she probably already owns one. The key to picking out the perfect gift for your closest grad is practicality. Ask yourself is this practical for someone living in a small freshman dorm or in a room of a sorority? If so then it’s perfect. Think of ideas for the special grad in your life that is unique and that they can use, but the ultimate task is something that can be easily stored.

Gift Ideas:

Tools and first aid kit to have in the dorm in case of emergency. Lap tray for books or laptop for studying in your bed.

KC items to remind them of home such as cute shirts or KC mug. Cash and gift cards to their favorite restaurants, coffee shops, or to gas stations for those trips home.

Cute room decor items: pictures in frames, wall art and fun lights.

Organizational items that help save space like desk storage and a jewelry organizer. You could even put your gift in a cute bin!

Big towels & towel wraps for that awkward walk from your room to a communal bathroom.

From Teachers, To the class of 2022 From Teachers, To the class of 2022

As seniors embark on the next chapter of their lives, some of Sion’s most iconic teachers and administrators give their advice on how to handle the journey.

BY LIV ZENDER WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Carmody

OUR TEACHERS

THEN AND NOW

valerie crook

A lot can change in five, ten, or twenty years. Take a look to find out what our teachers looked like in high school.

BY LIV ZENDER WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

hilgenfeld

class of 2022