NEWS
Student Council Puts Extra Emphasis on Service STUCO hopes to put an extra emphasis on service for the school year. BY REPORTER ANNIE SCHORGL AND NEWS EDITOR MEG TRAVIS
STUCO is working to more fully incorporate community service and giving back this year through fundraisers and drives, according to senior and student body president Carolyn Dickey. “We are having such an emphasis because I felt like in the past, service has not been that big of an aspect of STUCO,” Dickey said. “We have not figured out all the final details on what service we will be doing this year, but we hope to have several all-student service projects this year.” STUCO has decided to bring a greater effort to such projects in an effort to be a better example to the school in which it is serving and encourage a greater across-theboard participation in aid to the
on the annual Sock-it-to-Poverty community, according to junior clothing drive, according to STUCO STUCO member Lilly Concannon. sponsor Jenny Brown-Howerton “Every year, one of STUCO’s “It is a maison competition to expectations for members is to lead by example for their class,” bring in new socks and underwear Concannon said. “One of the ways we for Redemptorist Social Services,” Brown-Howerton said. want to be an example to the school In addition to breakfast [this year] is by doing service and fundraisers and a giving back.” STUCO has greater awareness about the less already put this fortunate, STUCO initiative into action through its is also planning to implement more 2nd annual waffle service trips and breakfast held Sept. drives to assist 1 to raise money local charities and for the victims organizations, of recent natural according to disasters. Concannon. “Our priest, “STUCO is also Father Warris, - STUCO Executive planning a trip to challenged us last Giving the Basics,” year to raise money President Carolyn Dickey Brown-Howerton to help this girl said. “But I don’t know that it’s more from El Salvador to school. Now, we of a priority this year. We try to focus are raising money for a Hurricane on [service] every year as it is a huge Harvey Relief Fund,” junior class part of Sion’s Mission.” president Sarah Tappan said. Overall, members of STUCO Currently, STUCO is working
“We hope to have several all-student service projects this year.”
hope that implementing more service initiatives will get the student body more involved in the Kansas City community, according to Dickey. “It has definitely made me think, ‘Okay, I should be doing something right now but I’m not doing it.’ I just constantly feel like there’s more I can be doing,” Dickey said. Other than service, STUCO will still continue to have their monthly video updates, Sion Olympics and various other events typically hosted by STUCO throughout the school year. “I think we are going to have a really good STUCO this year, and the seniors are already doing a good job,” Tappan said. Dickey is ecstatic to bring more service to STUCO’S mission, and she feels like the council and community will benefit from this. “It feels really good to represent my school,” Dickey said “It’s going to be a great year.”
Costume Design Class Prepares Students For Future Careers The new zero hour costume class teaches students the ins and outs of costume design.
With over 50 years of theater experience, set and costume design teacher Laura L. Burkhart has a long background in costume design and the skills of the class. She has worked at many of the BY ANA PENDERGAST major Kansas City theater companies, including REPORTER the Coterie, Kansas City Repertory Theater, the Kansas City Ballet, Starlight and the Kansas City Before most girls have even woken up, Symphony. four juniors are beginning their new costume “I started theater when I was 12. My twin design class. On sister desperately wanted to be an actress,” Mondays, Tuesdays and Burkhart said. “We had a semi-professional Thursdays, students community theater in my hometown, so I learned come in at 7 a.m. to under a technical crew when I was 12.” begin class and work Students earn .5 fine art credits for each until the warning bell. semester they participate in the class. The costume “I really love design class prepares students for future careers everyone in [the class],” in theater, which is exactly the path junior Kate junior MK Shevlin Hopewell hopes to follow. She hopes that this said. “It’s really relaxing class will help her pursue her passion. and a good way to start “I want to further my knowledge in the day.” Illustration by McKenna Heegn costuming and how to make clothes, because that The costume is an interest of mine right now,” Hopewell said. class will also be creating costumes for school “Knitting, I think would be very helpful for me, productions. This year’s musical “Cinderella,” will because I need to use my hands a lot. When I’m have costumes designed and made by the class. The fairy godmother’s skirt will be one of the class’ watching TV or listening to a podcast, I need to do something with my hands.” top projects. For others like Shevlin and junior Mary “We have some pretty interesting ideas to Anne Duff, costume design is their passion but bring to ‘Cinderella’,” Shevlin said. “A bit more modern.”
not a career path. However Duff said the skills they are learning will be able to help the students no matter what. “I don’t see myself pursuing a career in theater,” Duff said. “But I’ll be able to take the skills I’m learning in the class with me to whatever I end up doing.” Burkhart said she wishes to pass her love of theater to her students through the new class. With projects like crocheting, dyeing, wig making and mask making, students will learn the world of costume design. Expertise isn’t the only thing Burkhart shares with her students. While working on projects Burkhart shares all her experience of working in theater with the students. “Whatever I can do to learn about technical theater is the best way to do it,” Hopewell said. “Laura, the teacher, knows how to do lights, how to do costumes, how to do paint, how to build, how to manage and that makes everything a lot easier.” For Burkhart, all of it’s more than a job. Theater has always had an important role in her life. During hard times, Burkhart used theater to pull herself up. “Theater saved my life,” Burkhart said. “I wouldn’t be here without theater.”
SEPTEMBER 2017
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