The Dart: Vol 73 Issue 6

dart [

volume 73 | issue six | 11 march 2014 st. teresa’s academy | dartnewsonline.com

]

a BLUNT topic

Recent statistics show a spike in teen marijuana use.

Turn to pages 16-19 to find out why the legalization of marijuana in other states has lead to the casual nature of marijuana use among some high school students

Missouri debates death penalty changes ›› pg. 4 | KC LGBT support house ›› pg. 9 | Young the Giant releases lyrically perfect album ›› pg. 20

[CONTENTS] the dart | volume 73 | issue six | 11 march 2014

STICK AND POKE TATTOOS // 12

news

4 // New death penalty bill proposes firing squad in Missouri 5 // Administration adds nurse to staff for 2014-2015 school year 6 // Students compete in Shakespeare speech contest

Senior announced as candidate for national scholarship program

star spotlight

7 // Get to know senior Libby Torres

A&E

14 // Theater department uses historians for winter play for first time

cover story

16 // Marijuana use rises among teens

reviews

20 // Young the Giant’s new album “Mind Over Matter”

2

LGBT SUPPORT // 9

main ed

21 // Marijuana has become too casual of a topic for teens

perspectives

22 // Trying to make prom perfect is too stressful for seniors 23 // Girls should watch professional sports without shame

Barbie on Sports Illustrated cover promotes negative body image

leisure

24 // Students share their most embarrassing STA stories

sports

28 // Athlete of the issue 29 // Scoreboard 30 // Nine class of 2014 seniors sign to play sports in college

the dart | dartnewsonline.com | 11 march 2014

STA VS. SION GAME // 28 cover design by JORDAN BERARDI photos by LAUREN LANGDON and KELLY FLETCHER photo illustration by MARIA DONNELLY

dart OUR STAFF

Editors-in-Chief Sara-Jessica Dilks & Natalie Fitts Adviser Eric Thomas

[ COPY ]

Managing Editor Jordan Berardi News Copy Editor Lindsey Valdiviez Features Copy Editor Emma Willibey Opinion Copy Editor Sabrina Redlingshafer Sports Copy Editor Anna Bauman

[ PHOTOGRAPHY ]

Managing Editor Siobhan Miller Print Photo Editor Adrianna Ohmes Web Photo Editor Hannah Bredar Staff Photographers Jessie Culver, Maria Donnelly, Kelly Fletcher, Julia Hammond, Katie Hornbeck, Anna Kropf

[ PRINT ]

Managing Editor Katie Parkinson Page Designers Jordan Berardi, Madeline Best, Cecilia Butler, Christina Elias, Sara-Jessica Dilks, Natalie Fitts, Cassie Florido, Mary Hilliard, Maddie Knopke, Katie Parkinson, Sabrina Redlingshafer, Emily Wemhoff, Emma Willibey Staff Writers Bridget Jones, Victoria Richardson, Jesse Walker-McGraw

[ WEB ]

FROM THE EDITORS When we realized that the Dart has not covered the topic of marijuana in recent years, we felt we were neglecting an important issue in all generations, but especially ours.

Gloria Cowdin and Leigh Campbell wrote the story on page 16 that focuses on the rising number of teenagers using weed and how that statistic plays out at STA and other local high schools.

Another issue concerning STA students is stick and poke tattooing. Last year, we interviewed one student who practices this style of tattooing, but more students have started doing it. On page 12, Katie Parkinson addresses the increase in

HLY MONSTTION QUE your spring

Managing Editor Anna Leach Web Editors are What reak plans?

Scheduling | Lauren Langdon b Multimedia | Libby Hyde Photography | Hannah Bredar Blogs Editor Gloria Cowdin Standing Features Editor Katherine Green Social Media Manager MaryMichael Hough Briefs/Breaking News Editor Leigh Campbell

popularity of stick and poke tattoos and the concerns some people have regarding them.

Finally, on page 9, Libby Hyde writes about the local LGBT community and the resources (or lack of resources) available to them in Missouri and Kansas. We have been able to cover the LGBT community a lot this year, and this issue is no exception.

As always, be sure to visit DartNewsOnline and share your feedback with us.

—Sara-Jessica Dilks & Natalie Fitts co-editors-in-chief

I’ll be in Gulf Shores, adding to the salty ocean water either with tears of happiness or sorrow after hearing an admission decision from Elon University.

Jordan Berardi

I’m taking a road trip to Branson with my BFFL. Torie Richardson

I’m doing an internship for KCYA and I’m getting paid for it!

Stay home, sleep 14 hours a day, eat copious amounts of Ben & Jerry’s and catch up [on my] TV shows.

Jesse Walker-McGraw

Adrianna Ohmes

page designed by Natalie Fitts

3

news

dart EDITORIAL POLICY Ownership and Sponsorship DartNewsOnline and the Dart are created by the student newspaper staff and are maintained and published by general operating funds of St. Teresa’s Academy, a Catholic institution sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. DartNewsOnline and the Dart will not publish opinions that contradict the teachings and beliefs of the Catholic church, whether on a diocesan or worldwide level.

Editorial Policy The staff of DartNewsOnline and the Dart are subject to prior review by the St. Teresa’s Academy administrative team in circumstances that concern student safety and student illegal behavior. Personal columns reflect the opinions of the writer, not necessarily the staff or school.

Letters & Reader Interaction Policy The Dart and DartNewsOnline encourages the community to post comments on the website. Letters to the editor can be sent in the following ways: in person to Eric Thomas in Donnelly room 205; by mail to St. Teresa’s Academy, Attn: Eric Thomas, 5600 Main Street, Kansas City, Mo 64113; by email to ethomas@stteresasacademy.org or to dartpaper@gmail.com. DartNewsOnline staff and the Dart staff reserve the right to edit or shorten letters for publication.

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Corrections Policy DartNewsOnline will publish corrections to content as soon as possible after the error is discovered. The Dart will print corrections as soon as possible after the error is discovered.

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The great debate: death penalty changes Shortages of lethal drugs prompt lawmakers to consider firing squad

by SARA-JESSICA DILKS co-editor-in-chief

A newly-proposed bill in Missouri calls for the introduction of a “five-person firing squad” as an alternative method to lethal injection and lethal gas for the death penalty, according to a copy of the bill on the Missouri House of Representatives website. This bill, number 1470, is sponsored by Republican Missouri representatives Rick Brattin, who represents central Cass county, and Paul Fitzwater, who represents Iron county and parts of Washington, Wayne, and Reynolds counties.

A December 2013 article by CNN News stated that a shortage in production of lethal injection drugs, namely from European pharmaceutical companies, has resulted in the “declining use of capital punishment in the United States.” In 2013, there were just 39 instances of the death penalty, a ten percent decrease from the previous year.

According to a report by The Columbus Dispatch, the proposition was likely in connection with “opposition to capital punishment by pharmaceutical companies makes it hard to obtain drugs for lethal injections.”

As a result of this, states, including Missouri, have begun looking for alternative execution methods.

Brattin was quoted saying that the execution method of a firing squad is “no less humane than lethal injection.”

The Catholic church, however, does not approve of the death penalty whatsoever; the biblical list of Ten Commandments preaches that “thou shalt not kill.”

An article by The National Catholic Reporter said that last year, Pope Francis attended the Fifth World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Madrid, Spain. At the conference, he called for the abolition of capital punishment, asking for “a lesser punishment” that would allow for “reform of the offender.”

Former STA theology teacher Betsy Hansbrough said that capital punishment is an issue that she “feels very strongly about.” She occasionally communicates with death row inmates, and is a former probation officer for the Jackson County

the dart | dartnewsonline.com | 11 march 2014

Juvenile Court. During her career at the juvenile court, she knew a nine-year-old boy who years later was executed in his twenties for additional crimes. Hansbrough believes that any form of the death penalty, regardless of the method used, is immoral.

“Although some people can’t live among us, I’m not sure why we have to treat them like animals,” Hansbrough said. “[Capital punishment] is the one life issue that’s most easy for us to dismiss, and it’s the one that we must work the hardest to involve ourselves in.”

On the other hand, STA history and government teacher Jacqui Brewer is relatively “on the fence” about both the death penalty in general and the use of a firing squad as an execution method. She said that methods such as a firing squad are not ethically different than the use of lethal injection.

“If you’re someone who is pro-death penalty, [a firing squad] is as quick and humane as anything else, if the [executioners] are properly trained,” Brewer said.

However, Brewer also questioned the U.S. government’s legalization of capital punishment on a broader spectrum.

“They’re using [the death penalty] as if this is the best method to deal with [severe criminals],” Brewer said. “But how can that possibly be the best way?” H

FAST FACTS source: Death Penalty Information Center infographic by SARA-JESSICA DILKS

Missouri and Kansas are two of 32 states that still use the death penalty.

Missouri uses the single drug “pentobarbital” for most lethal injections.

Only three firing squad executions have taken place in the US since 1975.

Missouri currently has 48 inmates on death row.

Administration to employ school nurse STA hires employee to care for students during the 2014-2015 school year

by LINDSEY VALDIVIEZ news copy editor

The STA administration formally announced that Angela Sweeny has been hired as a school nurse for the 2014-2015 school year. STA does not currently have a nurse on staff.

In accordance with the fulfillment of the 2012-2016 strategic plan, STA addressed the need to promote “student wellness and support systems.” According the STA president Nan Bone, the nurse will take care of physical health-related needs as well as mental needs.

“We want to do certainly the regular school nurse kinds of things, but we are also looking for someone who would pick up some wellness Berardi initiatives with things like nutrition, CPR and work with our counseling team,” Bone said. “So if a student is coming to the counselors about an eating disorder for example, the counselor can give them advice, but the nurse can talk about nutrition and what you put into your body.”

Though the location of the future nurse’s office is uncertain, the vacant classroom next to the black box theater seems like the best location to Bone. She also thinks that Sweeny’s job will not be a full-time position, but she would be at school every day.

Administrative assistant Julia Berardi, who currently acts as a health caretaker for students, says having to handle students with medical emergencies at school could make her feel uncomfortable.

“It didn’t really bother me unless it was something big like an allergic reaction and someone needed an ‘epi’ pen,” Berardi said. “That was stressful, or if I needed to call an ambulance.”

Bone and Berardi both said having a registered nurse on staff will make parents feel more comfortable, especially those of students with serious illnesses or medical emergencies. Additionally, Berardi said she will feel less stressed with having to juggle her administrative duties and taking care of sick students.

poppin’ pills | Senior Abby Dearth pulls out Tums from a cabinet in Julia Berardi’s office Feb. 14 in the M&A Building.

the medicine cabinet | Senior Abby Dearth pulls out Tums from a cabinet in Julia Berardi’s office Feb. 14 in the M&A Building. photo by KATIE HORNBECK

“I think having a trained person is a good idea,” Berard said. “I’ll feel like I can get my work done during the day, whereas now it is sometimes hard to keep up with sick people and calling parents and waiting on parents to pick their kids up.”

Junior Madeline Mullen, who has celiac disease, appreciates that STA has hired a school nurse, but does not think that students’ regular day will be impacted at all.

“As a student with frequent medical issues I’m glad to see STA is hiring a nurse,” Mullen said. “However, I don’t think it will effect me or the average student on a daily basis. But it will be nice to know if I

am sick, I have more than ibuprofen at my dispense and can get medicine that might prevent me from needing to go home.”

According to Bone, in interviewing candidates for the school nurse position, she looked for someone who is both knowledgeable in the health area and welcoming to students’ personal issues.

“We were looking for someone who had a vision, since it is a brand-new position at STA,” Bone said. “Like how would you make a relationship with students and build upon all the things from our background to what you could offer our students.” H page designed by Christina Elias

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news

Senior becomes Presidental Scholars candidate

Shelby Hawkins qualified for program was created in 1964 a program recognizing the top by Executive Order of the President. The goal of this 3,000 high school students

by KATIE PARKINSON managing editor of print

Senior Shelby Hawkins was recently announced as a candidate for the United States Presidential Scholars program.

Hawkins is one of 3000 candidates for the academic portion of the scholarship. Students are chosen based off of their SAT or ACT test scores, according to a Department of Education fact sheet. In addition, about 20 students are chosen based on artistic performance in visual arts, performing arts and creative writing.

The Presidential Scholars

said it was important that I fill everything out.”

According to Hawkins, for the appliprogram is to “honor some cation, she of the nation’s most distinguished graduating high school has to write essays seniors.”

According to Hawkins, she about somedid not realize the significance thing that is meaningful of the award originally. to her, a “I received a letter in the mail from the US Department teacher that Hawkins has been of Education, and my mom significant to her learning exjust handed it to me and asked me to take it to [college perience, and answer short-ancounselor] Mrs. [Debi] Hudson swer questions about a variety because we weren’t sure if it of topics.

Candidates are then evaluwas a legitimate program,” Hawkins said. “[Mrs. Hudson] ated based on their “academic achievements, personal started laughing and said characteristics, leadership and it was definitely legit. She showed me the website, and service activities, and the qual-

ity and content of their essay,” according to the fact sheet.

Approximately 500 students will advance to semifinalist status, and out of these, up to 121 Academic Scholars and 20 Arts Scholars will be selected.

If Hawkins becomes a Presidential Scholar, she will go on an expense-paid trip to Washington D.C. in June and attend a special ceremony sponsored by the White House.

“I would be really proud to be a US Presidential Scholar,” Hawkins said. “Mrs. Hudson told me the last STA student with this opportunity was Paige Wendland, who I really looked up to, so I’m really excited to share the same recognition.” H

Student joins city-wide Shakespeare contest Emma Mullen represented STA at annual drama showdown

“I’ve been reading and performing Shakespeare since I was 10,” Mullen said. “I’m pretty familiar with his ways.”

by EMMA WILLIBEY Mullen, who also advanced to the city page designer and features copy editor contest two years ago, said its standards Senior Emma Mullen participated but did are comparatively rigorous. According to not advance in the city-level English-Speak- Absher, the city competition draws about 20 schools and requires students memorize an ing Union National Shakespeare Compeadditional sonnet. tition at the Coterie Theatre Feb. 16 after “You’re ushered onstage and there’s winning STA’s round Jan. 30. another person who’s on deck and waits for English teacher Kate Absher, former you to perform,” Mullen said. “It’s almost like Heart of America Shakespeare Festival an assembly line.” director Kara Armstrong and social studies While Mullen said the contest’s pace was teacher Alicia Stewart selected sophomore Jesse-Walker McGraw as alternate and junior disorienting, Absher said overcoming Shakespeare’s “intimidation factor” is the students’ Katie Hanson as a third-place contestant.

the NEWS FEED in the world

Violent protests erupted in Ukraine hours after the government declared a truce. According to the head of the protesters’ medical service, 100 people died and 500 were injured in the fighting Feb. 20. The protests stem from President Viktor Yanukovych signing a trade deal with Russia in November. It is unclear why the truce did not stand.

6

greatest struggle. Girls unable to relate to Shakespeare may deliver monologues that lack conviction, Absher said.

“I think sometimes we think of Shakespeare as being this really romantic heightened language, but, like, most of what he said in his writing is something that you could say now,” Absher said.

Hanson agreed the key to success is finding a resonant passage.

“The biggest thing is, ‘Do you like the monologue?’” Hanson said. “’Do you have a passion for this monologue?’ You have to be willing to spend the time digging into those words and figuring out what you’re trying to convey to your audience.” H

The Dart compiled summaries of events happening around the world compiled by LEIGH CAMPBELL

in the u.s.

A convenience store in northern California sold a winning $425 million powerball ticket Feb. 19. The jackpot marks the sixth largest in United States history. No one has claimed the money yet.

the dart | dartnewsonline.com | 11 march 2014

in missouri

Middle school football coach Craig Michael Wood has been charged with 10-year -old Hailey Owen’s kidnapping and murder in Springfield.

Wood faces charges of first-degree murder, armed criminal action and child kidnapping after Owen’s body was found in his home.

in kansas city

The City Council will consider a proposed lease agreement that would unite aviation official and the eight airlines serving Kansas City to collaborate over the next two years on plans for airport terminal improvements.

The proposal serves as a solution to a year long debate over whether or not to construct a new terminal at the Kansas City International Airport.

star spotlight

LIBBY

TORRES

Each issue, the Dart interviews one STA student who stands out. Here, senior Libby Torres talks about what she loves and why she loves it. by NATALIE FITTS | co-editor-in-chief On her style: “Sartorial elegance...I’m kidding. But really, I don’t really think of my style in terms of a specific description—I just buy what I like.”

On where she spends most of her free time: “I spend most of my free time either working at Indigo Wild or wandering around the Nelson [Atkins Museum of Art], getting yelled at by security guards for being too close to the paintings.

I’m genuinely not trying to instigate a major art heist, I just like seeing the brushstrokes up close. I feel like it helps me connect to the work and artist more profoundly.”

On her favorite STA classes: “I think accelerated world lit sophomore year was definitely a highlight. I’d also like to give a shout out to my improv class last year—that was a beautifully terrifying experience.”

On her favorite movies: “It’s also really hard for me to pick my favorite movie, but some of my favorite directors are Quentin Tarantino, Sofia Coppola, David Lynch and Wes Anderson. And I think ‘Trainspotting’ is one of the best films ever made.”

On her favorite musical artists: “Some musical artists I’ve been enjoying lately are M.I.A., King Krule, Neutral Milk Hotel and DIIV. And David Bowie, always.”

On her celebrity crush: “Anyone who knows me knows that I’m completely obsessed with Aaron Paul from ‘Breaking Bad.’ He’s adorable, even when he’s playing a troubled addict trying to run a meth lab and simultaneously come to terms with his own morality.”

On what she wants to do in the future: “I really want to do something with writing when I get older. I haven’t quite On her favorite book: decided if that’s going to be through “It’s really hard for me to pick my favorite novels or some other medium like book—I feel like I’m picking my favorite screenwriting, but with any luck, I’ll be child or something. But I always love any- able to make a career out of something thing by David Sedaris, and the last book I love.”

I read that I really enjoyed was probably ‘Cat’s Cradle’ by Kurt Vonnegut.”

On her favorite TV shows: “My favorite TV show of all time has got to be ‘Twin Peaks.’ It was this really surreal murder-mystery show that aired in the 90s and is about as perfect as it sounds. Other [than] that, I absolutely love ‘Breaking Bad,’ and HBO’s ‘True Detective’ is really great, too.”

photo by HANNAH BREDAR pages designed by Christina Elias & Jordan Berardi

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bits & pieces instagrams

OF THE ISSUE

Each issue, the Dart chooses the best Instagrams from STA students. This month’s theme was family compiled by SIOBHAN MILLER

PHOTO OF THE ISSUE

rockin’ around | Juniors Ann Campbell, from left, Hayden Lee and senior Molly Laird hold hands as they dance in a circle during the Dance-a-thon Feb. 8. The Dance-a-thon was a senior fundraiser with the theme of “70s Rave.” photo by HANNAH BREDAR

or

HOT NOT? The latest trends and non-trends in pop culture today, as voted on by the Dart staff

compiled by CHRISTINA ELIAS

NOT

Here are the most relatable, humorous and original tweets from STA students, chosen by the Dart staff.

Don’t forget to follow @dartnewsonline on Twitter.

compiled by LINDSEY VALDIVIEZ 2 Mar

snow day after the oscars the hollywood gods are alive and well #blessed “The Hunger Games”

“Divergent”

Sydney Campo @sydney_campo

18 Feb

darcy sullivan @dmsulliva

2 Mar

TV SHOW

“The Lord of the Rings”

molly corless @hot_tamolly618

2 Mar

Erin Farmer @Farm_Vill

2 Mar

Ya I am equating the super bowl and the oscars. no one can/will be better than beyonce, no can/will be better than ellen Prom dress shopping off the red carpet #Oscars

Meg Sweeny @mcsweeny8358

2 Mar

is this the academy awards or the gravity awards?

“Teen Wolf”

photo by sophomore Katherine Green “Tbt to when I got to see this rathcet girl whenever I wanted #dartnewsonline” @katherineg17

Is it just me or have announcements gotten excrutiatingly longer and more complicated If Ellen gave me pizza I’d cry

“Harry Potter”

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that’s what SHE SAID

Kiley O’Toole @kileyzatoole

SERIES

TRILOGY

HOT

photo by junior Maddie Thompson “Eyyyyyyy” @maddog_thompsy

“Vampire Diaries”

the dart | dartnewsonline.com | 11 march 2014

photo by junior Elaine Kerr “Thankful for my candid family” @ekerr30

NEXT MONTH’S INSTAGRAM CONTEST THEME:

Throwback

hashtag your photos #dartnewsonline

features

same love | Felicia Kyle sits in the lobby of LikeMe Lighthouse, where she volunteers every Sunday. Kyle has been involved with the LGBT community at the Lighthouse since it’s beginning four years ago. photo by LAUREN LANGDON

somewhere over the

RAINBOW

by LIBBY HYDE | multimedia web editor

f

According to the Human Rights Campaign 2013 Municipal Equality Index Scorecard, Kansas City, Mo. scored a 100 out of 100 on the issue of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender friendliness, while Kansas City, Kan. scored a 0. Why is there such a disparity between the two? elicia Kyle is a board member

bridge that gap. Though her role in the

and regular volunteer at a local

“big picture” is small, Kyle said, she has

community center for lesbian, gay, experienced firsthand the positive effects bisexual and transgender people.

Every Sunday, she sits patiently

of having an LGBT center in the area.

“I really, truly believe that if you under-

at the front desk of LikeMe Lighthouse,

stand that the world is bigger, and that

waiting to let visitors into the center.

there are a lot of folks out there, its easier

The Lighthouse’s main goal, according to ask, ‘Why can’t we all get along?’” Kyle to Kyle, is to provide a place for people

said. “The division between Kansas and

to come, meet someone like them, and

Missouri—really, who knew?”

pages designed by Mary Hilliard & Katie Parkinson

9

features

talk to me | LikeMe Lighthouse volunteer and board member Felicia Kyle talks about the impact she has personally seen occur through people who visit the facility. LikeMe is one of several LGBT friendly organizations in Missouri. photo by LAUREN LANGDON

I

n a study published in 2013 by the Human Rights Campaign, cities were rated based on laws, policies, services of municipalities and the inclusion of LGBT people that live in each city.

Cities were assigned a score out of 100 based on their LGBT friendliness. The study rated 291 cities from every state in the nation representing over 77 million Americans.

Kansas City, Mo. received a score of 100, while Kansas City, Kan. received a score of 0.

Kyle was not shocked by the statistics. When she was 14 years old, she moved from St. Louis, Mo. to Olathe, Kan. As a young girl, she was surprised at the amount of diversity that she experienced in St. Louis which she did not

NUMBERS 17 by the

LGBT library | Felicia Kyle looks through one of the books in LikeMe’s unique LGBT related library. photo by LAUREN LANGDON

seem to find in Kansas.

“Maybe it was just me, and I was only 14, but there was a sense of separation [in Kansas],” Kyle said. “There was no mix. I was stunned at the cultural difference between St. Louis and Kansas City, Kan. If you don’t know about [people] different from you, you just have unanswered questions or ignorance.”

Kyle said she could not think of an LGBT center on the Kansas side of Kansas City, other than Gay-Straight Alliances (GSA) or other programs run through schools. Similarly, senior Katie Crow, an active member in the LGBT community, could name at least five LGBT centers on the Missouri side, yet not any on the Kansas side.

Given STA’s location and that stu-

states have legalized gay marriage.

pose gay marriage.

3.3

3.7

47

dents attend from both sides of the state line, this issue hits close to home for many students.

Kansas lawmakers have recently been in national news for attempting to pass a bill that allows businesses, hotels and restaurants to refuse service to gay couples based on religious beliefs. The bill passed through the House of Representatives and will now go to the Kansas Senate. It has caused controversy on a national scale, some sources quoted in the International Business Times going as far as to say that it encourages people to “condone open discrimination.”

“Why are we excluding anybody for any reason?” Kyle said. “Unless you try to hit me in the head, I want you to be a part of the family. I just do, no matter my

percent of American citizens strongly op-

percent of Kansans identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgen-

The Dart compiled some statistics der, while percent of Missouri residents identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgenabout lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender demographics and der. According to a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, percent of the rules in the United States.

2010

20

, the national act, Don’t

compiled by LIBBY HYDE

population is attracted to people of their own gender. In

source: Human Rights Campaign and Lambda Legal

Ask, Don’t Tell, which prohibited gay and lesbian men and women from serving openly in the miliary, was repealed.

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the dart | dartnewsonline.com | 11 march 2014

information station | LikeMe Lighthouse displays a variety of brochures and business cards by their entrance located at 3909 Main, Kansas City, Mo. The Lighthouse is open seven days a week in the afternoons. photo by LAUREN LANGDON

religion or political feelings.”

According to the Human Rights Campaign, Kansas City, Mo. is also one of at least 190 cities and counties in the US that prohibit employment discrimination based on gender identity in public and private jobs.

Crow was not surprised by the large gap between Kansas’ and Missouri’s scores on the Human Rights Campaign’s study. Some speculate that the lack of resources on the Kansas side is correlated to citizens’ lack of support for the LGBT community, according to Crow. Crow also said Missouri may have more resources because it has more of a diverse population. Kyle agreed, also saying that there may be a lack of leadership on the Kansas side.

how we

The lack of need, however, Kyle said, is not the problem.

“There is less of a mix of urban diversity in Kansas,” Kyle said. “Kansas for the longest time was farming, and in all fairness, it’s not that they are less able to be accepting, but there is just less urban diversity.”

However, others stated that the reason Kansas City, Missouri has more resources is because it has a longer history of the LGBT rights movement.

One of the first activism groups in the US was in Missouri. It inspired the name of the Phoenix Leadership Team.

A group that Crow is involved in, EQUAL (Empowering Queer Activists and Leaders), is a branch off of that.

Gay rights history traces back in

RANK

Missouri, but not in Kansas.

For people in the LGBT community in Kansas City, Mo., there are many resources, according to Kyle. Places like Lighthouse, Phoenix Leadership Team and EQUAL provide resources such as group discussions for people struggling with sexuality.

Kyle sees the divide of Kansas City, commenting that “you can’t read the book if you can’t find it, you can’t go to the party if you’re not invited. It’s just that simple: [resources are] just not provided.”

Kyle said in a perfect world there would be more LGBT resources in the Kansas area too, but in a perfect world, these resources also would not be necessary. H

Kan.

Mo.

How are Kansas and Missouri ranked in terms of LGBT friendliness? The Dart looked at the Human Rights Campaign 2013 Municipal Equality Index Scorecard to find out. The lighter colors represent the available points each state could obtain per category, while the darker colors represent the points received.

non-discrimination relationship recognition municipality as employer services and programs law enforcement relationship with LGBT Community

infographic by LAUREN LANGDON source: Human Rights Campaign

safe haven | Founded in 2010, LikeMe Lighthouse is supportive of those in the LGBT community. photo by LAUREN LANGDON

bonus points 30

25

20

15

10

5

0

0

5

10

15

20

page designed by Katie Parkinson

25

30

11

features

k c i t s

& POKE

by KATIE PARKINSON managing editor of print

photos by MARIA DONNELLY staff photographer

An increasing number of STA students are giving each other stick-and-poke tattoos because of their sentimentality

12

the dart | dartnewsonline.com | 11 march 2014

J

uniors Arinna Hoffine, Willa Knight and their friends have (almost) permanent souvenirs of their time at last year’s Sept. 7 MGMT concert.

After the show, Hoffine took out a bottle of India ink, wiped a needle with hydrogen peroxide, burned it with a lighter, then wiped it with hydrogen peroxide one more time. She dipped the needle in the ink and tatooed the first girl in the group.

These kind of homemade tattoos are known as stick and pokes, and they are becoming increasingly popular at STA. According to a poll given to 100 STA students, 12 percent of students had one or more stick-and-poke tattoos, while last school year only 4 percent of students had them.

Why the increase in popularity?

According to senior Katy Wonder, who has two professional tattoos and has attempted multiple stick-and-pokes in the past, tattoos in general are rising in popularity.

“I think people are starting to regard tattoos a little less harshly,” Wonder said.

“They’re becoming more mainstream.”

According to Hoffine, who has three stick-and-pokes, she and her friends were inspired to tattoo themselves after seeing others do it.

“We looked up how to tattoo, and we were like, ‘That’s easy enough,’” Hoffine said.

“We weren’t the first [to tattoo ourselves], but after we did ours, a lot of people tried. I think they wanted a tattoo and after they saw [from us] how easy it is, it was like, ‘They can do it. We’re fine.’”

However, despite the growing trend of stick-and-pokes, professional tattoo artist Devan Sisemore of Inkubus Tattoo advises against doing them.

“Stick and pokes are absolutely more dangerous [than tattoos done professionally], especially if teens aren’t using proper sterilization,” Sisemore said. “You also have to be very careful of what ink you’re using.

Even India ink has a lot of lead in it, which can be dangerous.”

Fellow tattoo artist Justin Brown recommended teens wait until they turn 18 years old to get a professional tattoo. “[Stick-and-poke tattoos] aren’t sanitary,” Brown said. “All it takes is one poke [to get an infection].”

According to Knight, who has two stick and pokes, when her friends tattoo each other, they take precautions such as sterilizing the needle and the skin and not sharing needles or ink.

because it shows how much you put into it “I think you’re less likely to get an infecand how sentimental it is to you,” she said. tion if you take all the safety precautions,” A second anonymous junior agreed, Knight said.

However, Wonder agreed that trusting an saying, “I just like how stick and pokes look amateur sterilization procedure can be risky. better.”

According to Hoffine, stick-and-pokes “The sterilization for [stick-and-pokes] is just really sketchy,” Wonder said. “I attempt- are more personal and also serve as a ed a couple stick and pokes before I turned “small form of rebellion.”

“You know when you’re this young, 18, on myself and somebody else, and they you’re trying to do thing that make you were all complete failures. A lot of blood was excited, and I don’t think that’s a big deal,” involved, and I don’t know Hoffine said. “You’re not putif I just did it wrong, but I ting anyone in danger.” think I’m over [stick and Wonder agreed, saying she pokes].”

How many students have thinks it is fine that stick and Although none of stick-and-poke tattoos? pokes are becoming popular. the tattoos on Hoffine’s “It’s just one of those friends have gotten phases you go through, but infected, Hoffine said one on the other hand, you don’t of hers took an abnormally want a phase tattooed on long time to heal. yourself for the rest of your life, “I was scared,” Hoffine so I think [potential regrets are] Freshmen said. “It scabbed over, and something that needs to be it hurt more than it should regarded more highly,” Wonder have, and I jokingly got said. mad at my friend who did However, Knight said one-of it, and I was like, ‘Oh, God, the aspects she likes best have stick-and-poke tattoo I’m gonna die.’” about stick-and-pokes is that But according to have no tattoo they represent certain events Sisemore, health risks have professional tattoo and times and bring back aren’t the only drawbacks memories. to stick-and-pokes. The “I’m going to be 18 soon, quality is also more likely and I would get a professional to be uneven, and the tattattoo, but with something too can eventually fade if like the stick and poke, you Juniors the ink is not reaching the remember something like the right layer of the dermis. fun concert and then [tattooing “With professionals, each other] afterwards,” Knight we know exactly how said. “There’s a story behind it.” far down to go, where Knight’s friends agreed, *50 students per grade polled stick-and-pokes are guess however, that one of the more work,” Sisemore said. negative sides to stick-and“They’re never at a constant level of the pokes is that they are more painful than dermis, so there’s blowouts and shallows.” professional tattoos.

Blowouts occur when the ink goes too “I would say the pain is a three or four far through the dermis and travels through [out of ten], unless you hit a nerve, then I’d the limbo space between muscle and skin, say it’s a nine,” Knight said. which causes what tattoo artists call an Overall, though, Hoffine and Knight’s “underbruise” because it looks like a bruise, friends agreed the pros outweigh the cons but never goes away. On the opposite end, when it comes to stick-and-pokes, but they shallows occur when the ink doesn’t go in realize not everyone is accepting of the far enough. tattoos.

According to Knight, you can feel when “My mom has tattoos, but she thinks the needle breaks the right layer of skin, and stick-and-pokes are stupid, and that I should it is sometimes accompanied by a popping wait,” the second anonymous junior said. sound.

Similarly, the first anonymous junior said An anonymous junior said that while her parents outright disapprove and she stick-and-pokes clearly have a different look hides her tattoos with socks. than professional tattoos, she considers this “I don’t think I would ever regret [getting a a positive thing.

“I think that’s cool that they look different stick-and-poke] though,” she said. H

inked

page designed by Emily Wemhoff

13

A&E

Winter play ‘Quality Street’ adds

Students offer to improve the way STA productions represent time periods

by SABRINA REDLINGSHAFER opinion copy editor

Fine arts teacher Shana Prentiss was pleasantly surprised when she scrolled through about 20 responses to a request for historical researchers for the winter play “Quality Street.”

“I was just so surprised how many students were like, ‘I would love to do this!’” Prentiss said.

After taking a dramaturgy class last summer for her Masters program through the University of Houston, Prentiss decided to apply her learning to the winter play and asked students if they were interested.

“A dramaturg is basically a historian,” Prentiss said. “It is their responsibility to do any sort of research for historical content, social norms for the production. They sort of become an expert.”

The Napoleonic era in “Quality Street” provided the opportunity to bring dramaturgy to STA. “I learned about [using

In drama, histories replay themselves

dramarama | Senior Jamie Seibert, from left, senior Katie Holt, sophomore Moira White, sophomore Sarah Wunder and fine arts teacher Shana Prentiss pose before Prentiss’s classroom. This year the production “Quality Street” used dramaturgs for the first time. Sophomore Chandler Rowley was also a dramaturg, but is not pictured. photo by KELLY FLETCHER

gossip girls | Senior Gabby Ferro, left, and junior Madalyn Schulte chat during dress rehearsal for STA’s production “Quality Street” Feb. 12. The play ran Feb. 13-15. photo by ADRIANNA OHMES

FALL 2010

SPRING 2011

FALL 2011

“Honk!”

Modern-day countryside

“Taming of the Shrew” Renaissance Italy

“Curtains” 1950s Boston, Mass.

STA plays explore varied historical backgrounds photos by KEITH GARD

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playing on the heartstrings | Rockhurst High School junior Ronnie Rice, left, and senior Gabby Ferro converse during dress rehearsal for STA’s production “Quality Street” Feb. 12. The play occurs in early-1800s Napoleonic England. photo by ADRIANNA OHMES

the dart | dartnewsonline.com | 11 march 2014

dramaturgs for historical research

Prentiss ended up dramaturgs] and have to choosing five dramaturgs provide information for a whom she could depend on portfolio that I’m doing,” because of their work ethic: Prentiss said. “So, ‘Quality sophomores Moira White, Street’ was kind of the perfect Chandler Rowley and Sarah production to do, since it Wunder, as well as seniors was a historical-type period Jamie Seibert and Holt. and has lots of history that Prentiss split the needed students would maybe not be information into five categofamiliar with.” ries, a student per category.

Students seized the The categories included chance to be a dramaturg the Napoleonic War, social upon seeing the application etiquette, on the marriage Moodle and home I was stunned at the page. number of students really courting, costumes “I was interested [in and hair stunned dramaturgy]. and the at the playnum— Shana Prentiss wright, ber of J.M. Barstudents rie. Seibert did most of her really interested because the research side is not my strong research on the playwright online. suit, especially the history,” “I researched J.M. Barrie’s Prentiss said. life,” Seibert said. “This Senior Katie Holt was required a few hours of reinterested in researching the search over a couple of days.” specific time period the play Holt observed social is set in. etiquette of the era through “I signed up to be a dramamovies, as well as through turg because it involved a lot of research, which I love, and I prior knowledge.

“I happened to know a lot happen to be really interested about that time period, so in early 1800s-era Britain,” research was pretty easy for Holt said.

“

“

me,” Holt said. “All I had to do was find sources and confirm some stuff about etiquette, mostly using JSTOR and A&E movies, which tend to be pretty historically accurate.”

After the rehearsal period, the dramaturgs came in to answer the cast’s questions.

Though there was not one specific topic Prentiss labeled as most important to the play, she said she reviewed social etiquette with the cast.

“We definitely talked a lot

about the social aspects, like how to interact with a man, how to shake hands, bowing and when people enter and exit the room,” Prentiss said.

“Physical movement and reading about courtship was really interesting.”

Prentiss said she will consider incorporating dramaturgs in the future, depending on the play or musical.

“I definitely see us [using dramaturgs] again,” Prentiss said. H

Putting acting into words free up space on their shelves, save costs, and provide greater levels of access to more content.” compiled by SABRINA REDLING3. “Napoleonic era” SHAFER and EMMA WILLIBEY History Today: “Period 1. “Dramaturg” associated with the time of Senior Jamie Seibert: Napoleon Bonaparte (1769“A dramaturg is a theater 1821). In 1799, with the aid of historian who researches the his brother Lucian Bonaparte time period and any informa- and Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès, tion that can aid the perforhe overthrew the Directory.” mance/actors/director.”

4. “Napoleonic War” 2. “JSTOR” Encyclopedia Britannica: JSTOR’s website: “JSTOR “[S]eries of wars between 1792 is a shared digital library and 1815 that ranged France created in 1995 to help uniagainst shifting alliances of versity and college libraries other European powers.” H

Students and web resources define terms from the article

SPRING 2012

FALL 2012

SPRING 2013

FALL 2013

“Dancing at Lughnasa” 1930s Ireland

“Little Shop of Horrors” 1960s Skid Row, NY

“Almost, Maine” Modern-day Maine

“Urinetown” Dystopian city

page designed by Emma Willibey

15

cover story

a boost in

Recent national statistics show a spike in marijuana use amongst high schoolers.

What is the cause of this increased drug use and where are teenagers getting these drugs?

16

An increasingly relaxed perception classman had stolen their money, she of marijuana has corresponded with returned with 3 grams of marijuana. a rise in its use, according to a poll by The four students walked 15 the National Institute on Drug Abuse. minutes to a large drainage tunnel, Marijuana use among high school where they decided it would be safe seniors has increased from 19.4 perto smoke. They used the light from cent of teens using it monthly in 2008 their phones to guide the way inside, to 22.7 percent in 2013, according to avoiding water that trickled down the the same poll. middle of the tunnel. When they were In November 2012, voters in Coloready to smoke, the students’ fingers rado and Washington were almost passed initiatives that too numb from I think [legalization] legalized recreational the cold to use changes people’s marijuana. These a lighter. mindset about it ... legalizations have Two of the they think it must contributed to an students had not be as bad. increasingly relaxed smoked mar—anonymous student attitude among teens ijuana before about the drug and and showed its effects, according to the New York the other two how to use the pipe.

Times.

One of the students recalled endurAn STA student, who wished to ing the cold, the long wait and the remain anonymous because smoking anxiety for this moment. All to satisfy marijuana is illegal, said that the ina nagging curiosity of what smoking creased popularity has corresponded marijuana was really like. with marijuana legalization.

They, like thousands of high “I think [marijuana is] more comschoolers in the Kansas City area, mon, especially with people seeing said they do not perceive marijuana that it’s being legalized in states,” the as a detrimental substance, but as a anonymous student said. “I think recreation.

the dart | dartnewsonline.com | 11 march 2014

“

“

F

our local teens recall loitering outside the Hen House Market at Corinth Square in Prairie Village.

Coats provided little protection against the bitter January wind. At one point, the four students from Pembroke Hill School escaped the cold by wandering inside Hen House. An upperclassman from their school was over an hour late.

They were waiting for her to sell them marijuana.

Finally, when they had almost given up, she arrived. They were expecting a simple transaction, but the upperclassman did not have the marijuana.

She asked for their money first and claimed she would bring them the drugs soon.

After the underclassmen, who wished to remain anonymous for legal reasons, spent 30 minutes worrying that the upper-

by LEIGH CAMPBELL and GLORIA COWDIN breaking news editor and blogs editor

photo illustration by JESSIE CULVER and LAUREN LANGDON staff photographer and web editor of scheduling page designed by Sara-Jessica Dilks

17

cover story the truth

The following graphics detail recent statistics about American marijuana use, according to several different articles published by The New York Times.

HAVE YOU SMOKED WEED IN THE PAST MONTH?

12%

8th graders said YES

36%

12th graders said YES 1 out of every 15 high school students smokes marijuana almost on a daily basis.

DO YOU VIEW MARIJUANA AS HARMFUL?

2012

55%

of 12th graders said NO in 2012

2013

60%

of 12th graders said NO in 2013

DO YOU USE MARIJUANA?

(AMERICANS OVER 12 YEARS)

2007: 5.8%

of Americans said YES

2012: 7.3%

of Americans said YES

IF SO, AT WHAT AGE DID YOU START USING IT?

about 53% said between the ages of

12 and 17 infographic by SARA-JESSICA DILKS

18

teen marijuana use is

LIGHTING UP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

Another Kansas City teen said she [legalization] changes people’s mindset smokes marijuana six to seven days about it, maybe. And when they know that a week and has been smoking since it’s legal, they think it must not be as bad seventh grade. She requested to remain as people say it is.” anonymous because smoking marijuana According to STA junior Arinna Hoffine, is illegal. She agreed that marijuana is a many high schoolers believe using marigateway drug. juana is necessary to have a good time.

“If I had never smoked weed, I wouldn’t “I think [high schoolers] have this idea have ever tried shrooms,” she said, that you can’t have fun without [marijuareferring to Psilocybin mushrooms, which na],” Hoffine said. “I think people who use can cause mind-altering hallucinations. substances a lot, especially on weekends “There are friends I have that, since they’ve or before you go out with friends, [they] smoked, they want to do get it in [their] head cocaine and stuff.” that it is not fun If I had never However, many people unless you are smoked weed, disagree that marijuana doing something I wouldn’t is a “gateway drug.” A illegal. I think it is have ever tried Shawnee Mission East kind of annoying.”

High School student, The criminalshrooms. who requested to remain ization and then — anonymous Kansas City teen anonymous because he partial legalization smokes marijuana illegally, of marijuana in said that it is circumstance, not marijuana, the United States have both occurred within the last 65 years. In 1951, Congress that causes users to try different drugs.

“I don’t think [marijuana] is a gateway passed the Boggs Act, which established drug,” he said. “I think being involved with Cannabis as a narcotic and provided shady drug dealers, that’s the real gateminimum sentences to marijuana-related way. That can be avoided with legalization. offenses. After continued widespread use If you grow up in a society where you can in the 1960s, Congress passed the Cononly get marijuana from drug dealers who trolled Substances Act in 1970. The act are involved with a lot of other stuff…that’s classified marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug the real gateway.” categorized in the same group as heroin According to the New York Times, the and LSD, according to the article “State psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, medical Marijuana laws: Understanding delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, has the laws and their limitations” published in “tripled since the 1990s.” This increase the the Journal of Health Policy in 2002. has raised concerns that marijuana could After these federal regulation changes, affect high schoolers’ brain development.

16 states decriminalized personal use of If this is the case, then easier access to marijuana in the late 1970s and 80s, makthe drug could prove detrimental. ing it a more minor offense similar to a These concerns were addressed when traffic ticket. By 1996, California legalized the consumption of marijuana for medical Colorado and Washington placed age restrictions on recreational marijuana - only purposes. Since California’s legalization of those 21 years or older can purchase marmedical marijuana, 18 other jurisdictions ijuana. However, Denver decriminalized have followed suit. pot for people between ages 18 and 21; if Marijuana is commonly referred to as caught they will only face fines instead of a “gateway drug” by those who oppose jail time, according to CNN. its legalization. These people believe As a result, according to one of the marijuana encourages users to try more addictive drugs, such as cocaine, heroin or previously mentioned anonymous STA students, many high schoolers’ marijuana methamphetamines.

the dart | dartnewsonline.com | 11 march 2014

“

“

weeding out

compiled by LAUREN LANGDON | web editor

is grown in Colorado. This student’s own dealer buys marijuana smuggled in from Colorado.

“I know the person I buy from,” she said. “He buys it from someone else who smuggles it in from Colorado. He cuts open a part of his [car] door and puts [in] a huge thing of weed and then seals it back up so it doesn’t look like anything’s there.

Then he just drives from Colorado to Kansas City.”

A different anonymous STA student believes Colorado and Washington’s legalizations have increased the popularity of marijuana and, subsequently, the expectation and pressure for high schoolers to try it.

“Now, [marijuana is] becoming so popular that everyone’s doing it,” she said. “I think there’s more peer pressure for older girls like seniors and juniors because it’s like, ‘Oh, you got through high school and you haven’t

weed-tionary

smoked yet.’”

The anonymous Shawnee Mission East student denied any role peer pressure might have played in his drug habits despite close family acceptance and use of marijuana.

“It wasn’t peer pressure,” he said.

“I was like, ‘Oh, these are really smart people. If they’re doing it and they’re doing fine, then I don’t see why I shouldn’t.’ I was never pressured, though.”

So why is teen marijuana use rising?

Some argue that peer pressure is a large factor. Others say that Colorado and Washington legalizations are the main reason. However, most agree that as the perception of marijuana continues to relax, and if legalizations become more common, teen use will continue to rise.

HEALTHY GREENS

The Dart asked about 75 STA students what slang terms they have heard to refer to marijuana. Here is a selection of the most common contributions. compiled by GLORIA COWDIN

cannabis kush pot grass dope reeferdank spliff janey ganja bud weed herb THC maryjane hash

Medical marijuana is currently legal in 20 states and the District of Columbia. However, it is still illegal under US federal law.

1.

2.

3.

1. Trim manager Sevastian Marquez hangs medical marijuana on a drying rack in Denver, Colo. May 16, 2013. 2. Glass jars that contain samples of medical marijuana at Canna Care in Sacramento, Calif. 3. Jenna, 14, uses medical marijuana to control her frequent convulsions. photos courtesy of MCT CAMPUS

SHOULD MARIJUANA BE LEGALIZED?

55% of Americans said yes

teenagers’ use of marijuana is increasing, while their use of alcohol and almost every other drug is decreasing

smoking weed is more popular than smoking cigarettes for 10th graders

page designed by Sara-Jessica Dilks

19

reviews

New album, same art

by JORDAN BERARDI managing copy editor

Young the Giant, an American indie rock band released their second album, “Mind Over Matter” on Jan. 21. Lyrically, the album is poetically brilliant. Each of the thirteen songs recorded brings seemingly unconnected phrases together to create a message that could be interpreted several different ways.

Here is a select track review of the band’s most recent lyrical genius and how one listener interpreted the words: “Anagram”: This upbeat melody is accompanied with lyrics describing a man seeing a relationship as temporary and stale as he feels it come to an end. The third verse is the first time this is made explicit, as he talks of “rolling the dice” one more time, but still anticipating nothing will change and therefore it will break.

Favorite lyric: A stain in the light of your eyes/I’ll see you another time “It’s About Time”: The track starts off with an aggressive tone which matches its edgy, dark lyrics. Each verse alludes to guns and a terrifying whisper accompanies the electric metal sound and repeats “pistols.” This track left me confused and on-edge.

Least favorite lyric: Everybody has/needs, wants, a cold gun “Crystallized”: Taking less of an interpretive stance, the

20

lyrics to this track are obviously describing a loving relationship. Veering from the typical love ballad, Young the Giant creates a sense of urgency in the relationship portrayed, making the listener automatically root for them.

Favorite lyric: Come outside/The rays are shining bright “Mind Over Matter”: The namesake of the album is catchy and a song listeners will want to listen to on repeat.

It is from the point of view of a “young man” who is “built to fall”, bound to mess up. He is essentially begging his love to stand beside him as he makes w life mistakes. It’s heartbreaking, but simply because it is a stream-of-conscious from a tragic hero.

Favorite lyric: And when the seasons change, will you stand by me/Cause I’m a young man built to fall “Firelight”: This is the first soft, acoustic melody of the album and it comes at the perfect time. It is a love song about a man falling so in love he actually believes he has died because nothing on earth could be so heavenly. This is my favorite track on the album because of its sweet melody and poetically beautiful lyrics.

Favorite lyric: And the rain begin to shower/Cover me in blue/In the wild watchman’s tower/Your perfect monsoon “Camera”: This track is another tragic love song with a slow melody to start, and a quickening sound toward the end. It describes a failed love where the man does everything wrong and he can’t seem to find the right things to do which made the one he loves fall for him in the first place.

This song seems to come at an odd time in the album, however it tells a admirable tale.

the dart | dartnewsonline.com | 11 march 2014

Favorite lyric: I’m free of all the shadows that follow me/ Of all the branches up to break “In My Home”: The lyrics accompanying this upbeat tune make me feel at home as a teenager. It is a hodge-podge of stanzas singing of freedom, stars and dreams. It is definitely a track that will make listeners happy. It could easily be attached to the freedom of high school, which, after leaving is often described as “home.” It is a definite highlight of “Mind Over Matter.”

Favorite lyric: Yeah we sleep in cars/Oh so far from home/Watch the sun go down/On the open road/I’ve been searching for this part of my life “Teachers”: This is another admirable song which binds upbeat music with incredible lyrics. This song tells the story of someone who has lost their way since leaving their hometown. It seems to speak of addiction and temptation in the most literal sense. It’s definitely a song that will leave you drumming on your steering wheel while driving.

Favorite lyric: And I know it’s hard to be sane/Temptation is so friendly/I need this release now/I find I can’t stop dreaming “Paralysis”: This is a heartbreaking tale of feeling helpless and simply “paralyzed” by sadness. Though the melody doesn’t match the lyrics, the lyrics explicitly lay down a tale of feeling so much pain that it turns into feeling almost nothing at all. The emotion in this song is so authentic and real that it leaves the listener feeling personally invested in the emotions of the singer.

Favorite lyric: I only thought you were crying from laughter/ Saving myself from the mouth of a monster

short & sweet

The Monuments Men

Starring: George Clooney, Matt Damon

HHHHH

by MADELINE BEST page designer

“The Monuments Men,” based on the true story of a World War II platoon composed of art historians and museum curators sent to find and return stolen artwork taken by the Nazi’s under FDR’s direction, lived up to the high expectations it had before entering theaters.The movie, which acted as more of a summary only scratching the surface of this true story, was fast paced keeping the viewer’s attention the entire time. With bits of dry humor thrown in as well, the movie kept a balance of suspenseful action while allowing you to laugh a little throughout. Overall, I recommend it to anyone interested in history, art, or just want to see an awesome movie.

FrontBack Free in the App Store HHHHH

by SABRINA Redlingshafer page designer

The concept: every picture has two sides. One side being the focal point of the picture, and the other: the photographer behind the camera. The application “Frontback” allows a user to take a dual photo, with the top half being what your back-facing camera sees—a group of friends, your dog, a band at a concert—and the bottom half is the phone’s front, or usually selfie, camera. The two frames connect the photographer’s view to the photographer him/herself.

Though this application promotes selfies, it’s an effective way to use both cameras and fully capture any moment.

“It’s you. It’s a moment. It’s kind of like a check-in with an image,” Frontback cofounder and CEO Frédéric della Faille said.

editorial

editorial cartoon by MARY GRACE MASCHLER

Consider the dangerous effects of marijuana The staff editorial reflects the views of the Dart editorial board.

“Everyone is doing it.” “It’s a safe drug.” “It won’t do anything to me.”

Marijuana use has become a casual topic in the United States.

With the legalization of the drug in two states, people everywhere are showing less disapproval of marijuana use. The percentage of American high school students who smoke marijuana is slowly rising, while the use of alcohol and almost every other drug is falling. However, even though it has become casual, there are plenty of misconceptions about marijuana.

“Everyone is doing it.” Although it sometimes feels as if everyone around you is making unhealthy decisions, roughly 9.6 percent of high schoolers have used marijuana in the past month, according to a study from the National Institute of Drug Abuse. There has been an increase in recent years, but this still does not mean “everyone is doing it.” There is

no need to give in to peer pressure, when about nine out of 10 of your friends are not using it.

“It’s a safe drug.” According to the same study, about 60 percent of high school seniors said they did not view regular marijuana use as harmful, up from about 55 percent last year. However, teenagers often do not know about the lasting effects

[

4 of 7 editors voted in support of this editorial

]

on thinking and memory that marijuana causes. Marijuana smoke is also an irritant to the lungs and can cause much of the same respiratory problems experienced by tobacco smokers. Associations have also been found between marijuana use and other mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, suicidal

thoughts and personality disturbances, including a lack of motivation.

“It won’t do anything to me.” We hear all the time about how marijuana is a gateway drug, yet hardly anyone listens. Contrary to common belief, marijuana is addictive. Estimates from research by the National Institute on Drug Abuse suggests that about nine percent of users become addicted to marijuana; this number increases among those who start young to about 17 percent.

Marijuana can also cause problems in daily life. Heavy marijuana users generally report lower life satisfaction, poorer mental and physical health, more relationship problems, and less academic and career success.

Before you make assumptions, learn the facts about marijuana.

Next time you are pressured and facing a decision, consider the harmful effects. H

right on Do you think marijuana is a negative issue among teens?

“No, because I “Yes, because it “Yeah, because TARGET don’t think very has become more marijuana can have Each issue, the Dart asks three people their views on the main editorial

many people smoke.”

senior Morgan Marso

available to people of all ages.”

junior SaraJane McQuaid

bad effects.”

sophomore Kaie Donaldson page designed by Sabrina Redlingshafer

21

perspectives

Pressure to spend a lot on a is too much

PERFECT PROM

According to senior Kristin Teahan, prom is like the last big hurrah of high school.

“Prom is like, the thing,” Teahan said.

“It’s the last major dance for seniors, so there’s this pressure to make it perfect because it’s the last chance you’re going

by KATIE PARKINSON to have to bond together.” managing editor of print Senior Beth Mitchell emphasized the cost aspect of the dance.

Clearly prom is expensive, and over “I have one dress for two dances, the years, it has become a big affair. and I feel like there’s a lot of pressure Prom, short for promenade, originated to because you look at all of the other in the late 19th century. However, what dresses (especially now that we have started as a simple co-ed banquet, has that Facebook page) but at the same become a commercialized event that pressures teenagers into spending more time, I don’t feel like I’m going to spend thousands of dollars on one night,” and more money in order to have the Mitchell said. “perfect” prom experience.

This Facebook page, where STA In 2013, a Visa survey found the average family spends about $1,139 on seniors can post photos of their dresses, was created Feb.4. The goal of this page prom, which was a 5 percent increase is to help prevent dress duplicates and from 2012. In general, people in the just see everyone else’s picks. northeast spend about $1,528, while Senior Melissa Le said that while this those in the Midwest spend about $722 page has some benefits, she doesn’t feel on average. Regardless, this is still a ridiculous amount of money for one night it’s a crucial part of the prom experience.

“It’s nice to have a page like this of dancing and dinner. available to ask for advice on a certain When asked why there is so much dress you are unsure about, but overall, I pressure surrounding this one dance, don’t think it’s really necessary to have,” STA seniors had different answers:

Le said.

From unique dresses to extravagant prom-posals, every aspect of prom has been blown out of proportion in recent years. What started out of a fun night for seniors has been turned into a (literal) parade of expensive dresses and unnecessary pomp and circumstance.

This starts with pre-prom, a ritual where seniors and their dates walk across the STA stage to be announced. Then it continues into the actual dinner and dance, and finally after-parties.

According to senior Fabiola Gutierrez, part of what makes prom such a big deal at STA is that it is a one-time high school experience, whereas at other schools, juniors are also allowed to attend.

Regardless, rather than feeling the need to spend hundreds of dollars on one night, we should enjoy and celebrate this last dance with friends and recognize that no matter what our dress looks like, or whether or not we have a date or arrive in a limo, prom will be a fun experience.

Because here’s the real price of prom —experiencing a memorable night with friends regardless of cost: priceless. H

the price OF PROM

Listed prices are average amounts of money a typical girl will spend on prom, according to Prom Girl’s website.

Dress: $100-$400

Many seniors began shopping for their dress and created a Facebook page to share in mid-February.

Boutonnière: $10-$20

Needham Floral is a popular place for STA girls to buy their date’s flowers.

22

Tickets: $50-$250

Ticket prices depend on how much money the senior class fundraises throughout their four years.

Hair, Nails, Makeup: $30-$275

the dart | dartnewsonline.com | 11 march 2014

While some girls do their own, many go to stores such as Macy’s and MAC to get their makeup professionally done.

Limousine: $200-$500

Limousines and buses are popular because of easy transportation to STA and then to Uptown Theatre.

Girls should watch pro sports without shame ing sports myself, as well as having two brothers, encouraged me to start watching the pros and elite college players. I guess you could say I empathize with other athletes. I know what it’s like to win an amazing game and to experience crushing defeat. There is

by EMILY WEMHOFF something about watching the thrilling page designer rivalries and intense battles between individuals and teams that keeps me Wake up. Get ready for school. Eat breakfast. Watch Sportscenter. Receive enthralled.

ESPN phone updates throughout the entire day. Come home only to watch Sports will highlights of a college basketball game, teach you life read the sports section of the Kansas skills beyond City Star to catch up on Chiefs and Royathleticism. als news, fit in some homework, head to practice and call it a day.

Just playing sports is not enough.

Yeah, I’m a girl and yeah, I like to follow professional and college sports. I have to watch more of them everyday, know everything about anything I have always been surrounded by sports. I have played basketball, soccer, athletic and talk about them to anyone softball and swim team in the past and who will listen. Most of the time, these listeners are not STA girls. I know most currently, I play volleyball. For me, it’s of you, but not all, don’t really watch hard to remember not playing a sport.

SportsCenter or know who is on the Some of my greatest memories have come from the camaraderie, friendship Royals roster or care about who won the KU game last night. That’s why I’m and leadership I have learned from giving you a challenge. sports throughout the years. CompetMy first challenge to STA girls is to ing has become my way of life. Play-

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go out and participate in a sport. I can tell you from firsthand experience that sports will teach you life skills beyond athleticism. Being on a team forces you to trust your teammates, work together and look past things that make you different. You also learn to deal with disappointment. In reality, not everyone can win every game. We are faced with challenges; sometimes we rise above them, sometimes we cannot. We have to learn to accept what is realistic and celebrate the moments when we succeed. It does not even have to be a super competitive team. Play Brookside soccer with your friends, make a CYO basketball team, maybe even organize a badminton tournament.

My second challenge is to slowly start paying attention to a professional or college sport or two, pick a team or player to follow, and watch what happens. The first step for some of you may be learning what basketball actually is and that it involves dribbling a ball down a court. I want you to take a break from “The Bachelor” and watch some real-life competition. After you do this, who knows, maybe that competitive fire in you will come out. H

Sports Illustrated Barbie doll is unrealistic stomach. The models on the cover are supposed to be real women, not a children’s toy.

This puts pressure on young women and girls to be “perfect.”

This idea of perfect is unhealthy and disturbing. Just look at Barbie. She is taller and skinnier than the average person.

Artist Nickolay Lamm demonstrated the extreme difference between an average 19-year old and Barbie by creating his own average Barbie. Placing the two next to each other made the Barbie doll seem almost alien-like.

These representations have a bigger impact on young girls than most think. They are the body image young girls play with, which creates a disturbing view of women’s body figures to girls of all ages. H page designed by Sabrina Redlingshafer

23 23

photo courtesy of MCT CAMPUS

is saying that Barbie is not sorry for her unrealistic body image, in fact, she is flaunting it.

The cover will even say “the doll that started it all.” Started what? Eating disorders and the need for too much plastic surgery? Barbie is so unrealistic

by MARIA DONNELLY that if she was a real person, she staff photographer would have to crawl because her A cover of Sports Illustrated has feet and ankles are so small that she could not hold her weight. been released for the 50th AnniIf young girls play with these versary of the Swimsuit Edition, dolls and think Barbie is what the and the model on the cover is... ideal woman looks like, then why wait for it...Barbie. Your eyes are are they even sold? Putting Barbie not deceiving you. You just read on a cover of the Sports Illustrated that the Barbie doll is on a cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Swimsuit Edition only emphasizes what men want: a fake-looking Edition. woman.

The children’s doll, Barbie, is There are only 1,000 issues going to be on the cover in a campaign called “#unapologetic.” This with Barbie on the cover, but it still leaves a negative feeling in my

leisure

EMBARRASSING MOMENTS

UNCOVERED photos by ANNA KROPF staff photographer stories by MARY HILLIARD page designer

We have all had moments like these at STA, whether it was falling down the stairs during morning rush hour, calling a teacher the wrong name or bumping into that one senior that absolutely terrifies you. Here are some students’ most cringe-worthy moments

Katie Daniels: that’s not my name When senior Katie Daniels was in the eighth grade, her school, Our Lady of Presentation, held a Knights of Columbus essay contest. They announced the winners during an all-school assembly, and said “Katie—.” Daniels

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the dart | dartnewsonline.com | 11 march 2014

stood up and started high fiving her classmates, thinking the announcer had said Daniels. But then a teacher came up to her and told her “Sit down, wrong Katie,” with the entire school staring at her. H

Clare Kenney: trashcan trouble It was Frosh Fest 2012. Sophomore Clare Kenney (pictured right) and the rest of Rueschhoff advisory paraded out onto the gym floor dressed as characters from “Sesame Street.”

“I was [dressed as] Oscar [the Grouch] and I didn’t realize that the trash can was

that small and that I was that big,” Kenney said. “So, I got in the trash can, and my knees were, like, in the sides of it and I couldn’t get out after we did our skit. I couldn’t get out in front of the whole entire school, and it was really embarrassing, and I had to get wheeled out.” H

Claire Finn: blood drive blues On Feb. 14, STA hosted a blood drive for the Community Blood Center. Sophomore Claire Finn signed up to donate, and arrived on time for her appointment.

She completed the survey, had her finger pricked to check her hemoglobin levels and was getting her blood pressure taken, the final step before giving blood.

“I was having my blood pressure taken...and I blacked out and then threw up, like, before I’d even had my blood taken,” Finn said. “So that was so embarrassing and there were, like, seniors getting their blood taken and they could see me…and I didn’t even get my blood taken, just my blood pressure.” H

Rachel Alexander: gym class confusion On freshman Rachel Alexander’s first gym class at STA, the class was in the weight room. Alexander went onto the reverse crunch machine. She put her legs under the two bars and prepared pull herself up from a 90-degree angle to a 180-degree angle.

“I flipped over and I fell,” Alenxander said. “I [used that machine] and I lost bal-

ance and I flipped over and I hit my head on like a table…so then my grandparents had to come pick me up and I had to be wheeled out in like a wheelchair because I couldn’t walk…and then the next few weeks I went up to people like, ‘Did you hear about that girl who flipped over that machine in gym?’ but I never said it was me.” H

Annie Tuttle: tumbling Sophomore Annie Tuttle had an “awkward” encounter with English teacher Steve Himes while going to get a drink of water. “[Sophomore] Andie Round and I were

walking from [theology teacher] Mrs. Good’s room to get a drink and Mr. Himes was coming around the corner,” Tuttle said. “[Round and I] were running and I ran into [Himes] and fell on the floor.” H

Lauren Zastrow: birthday blunder On junior Lauren Zastrow’s 16th birthday, her friends had decorated her car.

“My friends had, like, written all over my car like ‘sweet sixteen’ and stuff,” Zastrow said. “I hit some girl in the

parking lot and all the wiper fluid started coming out [of my car] and everyone was just like, ‘It’s her birthday...and she got in a wreck’ and it was just, like, embarrassing.” H page designed by Cecilia Butler

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community

Folk organization finds “fiddle ground” in Kansas City

Upon relocating to Kansas City, folk music institution uses global connections to promote local musical talent

by EMMA WILLIBEY page designer

Gibson guitars and paintings of jazz musicians like Robert Johnson cram a shop across the River Market courtyard. “[People] think, ‘Oh, it’s a music store,’ but it’s really so much more,” membership manager Jerod Rivers said.

Music and dance organization Folk Alliance International (FAI) relocated to Kansas City from Memphis, Tenn. last August. Executive director and South by Southwest Music Festival co-founder Louis Meyers said FAI’s headquarters doubles as the Folk Store, which hosts monthly workshops in areas like bluegrass and ukulele. “[FAI] wanted a way to have direct interaction with the local community,” Meyers said.

A former record-label manager, Meyers said he has followed Kansas City music about 25 years. While Meyers said FAI appreciated Kansas City’s folk-inclined radio stations, practical matters influenced the organization’s move. “[Kansas City] fit the criteria that we had set out,” Meyers said. “All the obvious things: middle of the country, accessibility. There was nobody here really doing what [FAI does].”

The primary function of FAI’s location is hosting the group’s annual conference, which occurred at the Westin Crown Center Feb. 19-23.

Apart from uniting artists and agents, the event acquainted guests with Kansas City’s musical lineage, according to panel coordinator and fiddler Betse Ellis.

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folk front | The Folk Store is open Tuesday thru Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Kansas City River Market. photo by BRIDGET JONES

“We have some cool programs—or panels, rather— that relate to Kansas City specifically,” Ellis said. “It’s a great opportunity to show people what [the city is] all about.”

In addition to educating travelers, FAI desires to awaken Kansas Citians to the community. According to Rivers, the Folk Store’s Missouri Arts Council-sponsored sessions invite all levels of musicians to jam alongside groups like the Kansas City Ukesters.

According to Meyers, FAI prioritizes youth interest.

“My first thought [about FAI was], ‘Wow, there’s lots of old people,’” Meyers said. “[But] I don’t think there is a stereotypical folk audience at this point in time.”

According to Meyers, after the 1960s folk renaissance that spawned songwriters like Bob Dylan, bands like the Byrds melded the genre into pop. Now, artists like

the dart | dartnewsonline.com | 11 march 2014

strummin’ a song | A sculpture sits in the window of the Folk Alliance Store located near the River Market. The store is the new headquarters of the Folk Alliance. photo by BRIDGET JONES

Mumford & Sons have restored folk through traditional instruments while attracting adolescents. According to Meyers, the revival has provided FAI a sturdy following and increased banjo sales.

At the Folk Store, tag-free instruments allow customers to pluck items from the walls.

Since the store’s consign-

ment approach ensures each instrument is unique, people can spend hours examining the models. “[The Folk Store is] like church,” Rivers said. “You’ve got the members who come every week, but they bring their friends, they bring their family and they expand the community.” H

Forty-eight hour crime spree hits Plaza With neighborhood crime on the rise, local families take precaution to prevent theft

by KATHERINE GREEN staff writer

Walking two blocks to a friend’s house, Rockhurst High School juniors Jack Hodes and Andrew Herring were not expecting to be mugged Jan. 24.

According to Hodes, he and Herring were right in front of the friend Rockhurst junior Billy Hodes’ house when Herring pulled out his phone to call Billy to say he and Jack were there.

Jack said two cars pulled up and stopped. He remembers about 10 people jumping out and telling the juniors to get down on the ground in front of Billy’s house on 58th Street.

Herring and Jack were told to empty their pockets, which had their phones and wallets in them.

“I was too much in shock to have any thoughts,” Jack said.

One of the men then held a gun to Jack’s head, demanding the passcode to his iPhone.

After taking their wallets and phones, the men left, and the two juniors sprinted inside the house. No one was in the kitchen, so they ran inside and called the police, who arrived soon. Following the muggings, Jack recently had to go into the police department to see a suspect lineup. At the station, Jack was shown pictures of suspects from different muggings.

Around seven other muggings occurred that night in Brookside, according to Jack. A few days prior to this, south of the Plaza, a string of armed robberies happened in a 48-hour time span, according to 41 Action News. From Jan. 21 - 23, nine separate incidents of armed robberies had been reported. These incidents

occurred from 58th Street and Ward Parkway to the Westport area.

Along with Jack and Herring, others in the STA community have been targeted in the Brookside area. Sophomore Maggie Hodes, Billy’s sister and Jack’s cousin, has already been a victim of burglary. In the beginning of this school year, Maggie said her family’s tires were stolen off its car at night while the car was parked within the Hodes’ gated property in Brookside.

“I mean, I feel safe,” Maggie said, “I’ve always felt safe in my neighborhood. When things like this happen, it just reminds me that there’s going to be crime anywhere. No matter where you live, there’s always going to be crime.”

In the Kansas City, Mo. area in 2012, 1,645 robberies, 6,931 burglaries, 15,094 larceny/ theft and 3,574 motor vehicle theft incidents occurred, according to the Kansas City Police Department. However, the nine incidents that recently happened gained more media coverage.

Terry Finn is a retired Kansas City Police Department officer. He said that crime sprees like the recent ones appear to have increased due to the recent coverage of armed robberies and ongoing burglaries.

However, he said these sprees occur on a “semi- regular basis.”

According to KCPD Metro Patrol Station Sergeant Kevin Kilkenny, these sprees happen about once or twice a year.

“The more sensational [the crime] sounds, the more they’ll publish it,” Finn said.

Although the muggers have not been caught, according

to Kilkenny, there are three subjects involved and the police assume it is the same three men carrying out the other burglaries.

When it comes to finding those who commit crime sprees such as these, police look at the patterns offered, such at the similar types of crime and the places they take place, according to Kilkenny. If an area falls victim to repeated crime sprees, more police may patrol the area.

With the Brookside area continuing to fall victim to burglaries, Kilkenny Hodes says it is the “great nosy neighbors” that help catch these suspects. Some neighbors have actually taken pictures of the suspects’ cars, helping track where the suspects may be. Although the burglars are stealing cars, committing the crimes, and then dumping the stolen cars elsewhere, the reports of the suspects’ whereabouts still help the investigation, according to Kilkenny.

Even though the police have not caught the suspects who mugged Hodes or Herring, some crimes can be prevented.

Kilkenny calls burglary a “crime of opportunity.”

“The best thing to do is try to not put yourself in a situation where [crime] could happen,” Finn said. “If something like that happens, stay calm and pay attention to the person or vehicles that they are in to help get a description for the police.” H

So you’ve been robbed A step-by-step guide of what to do if you’ve been robbed compiled by MADELINE BEST page designer

1. Call 911 to report stolen property and crime.

2. If you believe the burglars might still be lurking, stay somewhere safe while you wait for the police to arrive.

3. Report an insurance claim in the first 24 hours.

4. Do not touch or move items in your car or home— police may photograph the crime scene or dust for fingerprints.

5. Install a security system or change the locks of your house.

6. Consider taking selfdefense classes. source: www.tlc.com

What would you do?

The Dart asked students how they would react to being robbed

Maggie McClain

“I would just be shocked.

I feel like I would just stand there not knowing what to do.”

“Honestly, I would laugh, thinking it was one of my friends.”

Maggie Herrington

page designed by Madeline Best

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sports

Stars lose to Storm on

ATHLETE of the

ISSUE compiled by LIBBY HYDE multimedia web editor

Senior Kennedy Reller is one of three divers on the STA varsity dive team. Reller broke the six meter-dive record at the STA vs. Sion meet Jan. 28 with a score of 199.9 points. She also earned fifth place at the Independent League Championship meet Feb. 12 at Bridger Middle School.

According to Reller, each dive is scored out of ten and then those scores are added together and multiplied by the dive’s degree of difficulty to calculate the final score.

Reller has been diving for two years for the STA dive team. According to Reller, the most challenging thing about diving is attempting new dives.

“Doing new [dives] that you haven’t done before is kind of scary at first,” Reller said.

Diving requires two hours of practice everyday after school from mid-November until the end of February.

With only three members on varsity, divers spend a lot of time with each other. Reller enjoys the team bonding aspect of the sport.

“We have a ton of time together so we get to know each other really well,” Reller said. “I like the people on the team and hanging out with them.” H

divin’ in | Kennedy Reller prepares for her dive at practice. Reller is one of three divers for STA. photo by JULIA HAMMOND

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to the bucket | Freshman Tess Rellihan drives to the basket against several Sion players during the third STA vs. Sion game of the season Feb. 27 in Goppert Center. Rellihan had 8 points for the Stars. photo by KATIE HORNBECK

The Stars fall to Sion in the final match up of the season for Irish Cup

“At first it was emotional, but I knew she was there for me the whole game looking over us,” Eleanor said. “It motivated me to

by CASSIE FLORIDO play like she would, which is with heart and page designer passion. I wouldn’t expect anything less The STA varsity basketball team lost to from Becca, and honoring her and her love for the game was amazing.”

Notre Dame de Sion 64 - 47 Feb. 27 in the Head coach Megan Nyquist said that Goppert Center. This marked the third time the emotion of the night translated into the the Storm defeated the Stars this season, clinching the Irish Cup. Each year, the Irish team’s play in the beginning of the game.

“I think the combination of it being a Cup is awarded to the winning school of Sion game, being senior night, retiring the annual STA vs. Sion match-ups.

The game was broadcast live on Metro Becca’s jersey and being on TV there were a lot of emotions and you could definitely Sports. see that in the first quarter, from both sides, The team also celebrated senior night and that’s why I think it was a low scoring and held a ceremony to retire Becca game,” Nyquist said.

Lueke’s jersey number. Becca, last year’s The Stars started the first quarter basketball team captain, died in December scoreless until the 1:55 mark when senior in a car accident.

Maggie Herrington completed the old-fashSophomore Eleanor Lueke, Becca Lueke’s younger sister, said this night meant a ioned three point play as she drove to the basket and drew a foul. lot to her family and the team.

The Stars ended the first quarter trailing “STA has been so supportive these past the Storm 7-3. months and it was awesome to see how In the second quarter, led by back to much respect everyone has for Becca,” Eleanor said. “It really reminded [the team] back three pointers from Herrington and how much of a great leader she was for us Eleanor, the Stars went on a scoring run. At the half the Stars were down by one, trailing last year. She led the team and everyone 16-15. looked up to her.”

However, in the third quarter, the Storm, Eleanor, who led the Stars with 16 points scoring 5 three-pointers were able to gain against Sion, said that retiring Becca’s a strong lead on the Stars. The Storm number gave her motivation to play.

the dart | dartnewsonline.com | 11 march 2014

emotional senior night

STAR SCORES

2.

compiled by CASSIE FLORIDO page designer

Basketball (10-15) • • • •

3.

• • •

defeats Ursaline Academy 55-51 loses to Incarnate Word 66-26 loses to Metro Academy 42-38 loses to St. James Academy 56-45 defeats Shawnee Heights 63-50 loses to Sion 64-57 defeats Raymore-Peculiar 52-43

Swim & Dive 1. finished the third quarter up by 12, leading 39-27.

Despite late efforts from Eleanor and freshman Tess Rellihan the Stars lost 64-47.

Herrington said that despite losing, the team still played hard.

“I know how badly everyone wanted to win, but there were just points in the game where we were inconsistent and let them go on runs,” Herrington said.

According to Nyquist, the team played great defense throughout the game, but Sion hit shots and there was nothing the team could do about it.

On March 3, the Stars, the number two seed in the Class 5, District 16 tournament, defeated Raymore-Peculiar High School 52-43 to advance to the District finals. The Stars faced top seeded Lee Summit West High School on March 7 in hopes of clinching the District title. H

STA Points Turnovers Rebounds Steals Blocks 3 Pointers

57 21 26 11 1 4

VS.

SION 64 15 25 15 4 8

4.

1. St. Teresa’s fans scream as they get on camera at the STA vs. Sion game Feb. 27. The game was televised live on Metro Sports.

2. Michael Lueke, left, sits next to his sister, Allie Lueke at the game. At halftime, Becca Lueke’s number, 11, was retired making Lueke the first member of the STA hall of fame.

3. Head varsity basketball coach Megan Nyquist hugs basketball parent Leslie Bullington during the STA basketball senior night ceremony held before the game Feb. 27 in Goppert Center. Leslie was accompanying her daughter senior Grace Bullington.

4. Sophomore Ryan Wilkins runs past Notre Dame de Sion players Kristen Murphy, left, and Camille Keane, right, as she drives to the basket. photos by KATIE HORNBECK & KELLY FLETCHER

Independent League Championships: • the Stars finished first at ILCs with a score of 210 points • the 200 Medley relay team finished second • Katie Hornbeck finished first in the 200 Freestyle • Andie Round finished first in the 50 Freestyle • Fee Pauwels finished third in the 100 Butterfly • Andie Round finished first in the 100 Freestyle • Darby Pedersen finished third in the 500 Freestyle • the 200 Freestyle Medley relay team finished first • Gretchen Scholegel finished second in the 100 Backstroke • The 400 Freestyle Relay team finished first State: • the Stars finished 17th at State with 28.5 team points • Andie Round finished fourth in the 50 Freestyle • Andie Round finished fifth in the 100 Freestyle

Dance •

finished 4th in Jazz at State

page designed by Cassie Florido

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sports

Nine seniors commit to college athletics

A record number of STA athletes participate in national signing day

by MARYMICHAEL HOUGH social media manager

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TO THE NEXT LEVEL The athletes are listed below in order of how they appear from left to right in the photo above. compiled by ANNA BAUMAN

Lacrosse Molly Woolery: Bard College Maggie Allen: Carthage College Equestrian Lindsey Valdiviez: Baylor University

Soccer Lizzie Luallin: University of Oklahoma Mallory Radtke: Rice University Cristina DeZeeuw: Vanderbilt University Savannah Trujillo: University of Missouri Volleyball Emily Wemhoff: Cornell University Anna Kropf: Duke University

Trujillo is “honored” to be a part of the careers, according to Hough. biggest signing class at STA. Senior Savannah Trujillo has been play“It’s really cool just to know that this ing soccer since kindergarten. The Univergroup of girls is so determined and good sity of Missouri approached her when she enough at what they do to be able to play was going into her freshman year.

According to Trujillo, colleges notice not sports in college,” Trujillo said.

Wemhoff agrees that her classmates are only athleticism, but also those willing to talented but also attributes work hard outside of their success to the athletpractices and games.

I think [the number of ic department.

“It’s really what athletes signing] shows “I think [being a part of you put in during the the caliber of athlete the biggest recruiting class off-season or what that we have [at STA]. in the history of STA] is just you put in when other — Mark Hough a testament to how much people are just sitting our athletic program is growing, changing on the couch at home,” Trujillo said. “What and becoming better,” Wemhoff said. you put into it, you get out.”

According to Hough, the athletic departSenior Emily Wemhoff has committed to play volleyball at Cornell University in Ithaca, ment is expecting success among STA New York. Wemhoff also believes that being athletes to continue.

“Nine is a pretty big number,” Hough said. noticed by colleges takes “a lot of self-moti“But, I mean, this group finished up and the vation.” new wave is coming in, getting their letters “A lot of times the athletes that make it to the next level are the ones who wanted to and starting to look at schools and soon will get there more than others,” Wemhoff said. decide where to go.” H

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The class of 2014 has the largest number of students in STA history commiting to college athletics. Nine athletes signed National Letters of Intent Feb. 5 as part of National Signing Day 2014.

The athletes signing included two for volleyball, four for soccer, two for lacrosse and one for equestrian. These athletes have signed to schools such as Cornell University, Duke University, Vanderbilt University, the University of Oklahoma, Rice University, the University of Missouri, Bard College, Carthage College and Baylor University.

“I think [the number of athletes signing] shows the caliber of athlete that we have [at STA],” athletic director Mark Hough said. “We have more and more athletes and they are getting spread out among sports.”

According to information collected by the Kansas City Star, the average number of female athletes signed at one school is 3.2. In Missouri, 188 high school female athletes signed to play college sports.

According to Hough, the number of signers was expected to increase slightly from the past average of “anywhere between two and five” after the addition of lacrosse in 2011.

“Adding more sports and having more levels helps [raise the number of signers] but mainly the more competitive our teams are becoming from year to year as a whole,” Hough said.

According to Hough, the number of athletes signing has also increased because colleges are approaching STA athletes after noticing their academic strengths.

“Already being a college-prep environment, [colleges] know that [the athletes’] grades are legitimate and their grades are good and that they are ready for the academics in college,” Hough said.

According to Hough, colleges are no longer just watching athletes’ “highlights,” or short clips from games. They are instead watching entire games. College scouts are also beginning to recognize and approach athletes earlier in their

K A E R B G N I R SP do’s & don’ts

last look

by MARY HILLIARD writer photos by MARIA DONNELLY staff photographer

over-pack

don’t do

double-knot your swimsuit

bring sunscreen (and use it)

do

do

charge your phone daily trash your hotel

don’t

’t n o d

nt to ruin // wear bring clothes you don’t wa anywhere without uncomfortable shoes // go e the entire trip a friend // be on your phon

do

keep track of your valuables // take lots of pictures // stay hydrated // have fun // try new things pages designed by Cassie Florido & Maddie Knopke

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in the www.dartnewsonline.com

Dancea-thon

photos by SIOBAHN MILLER

The class of 2014 held STA’s first dance-a-thon Feb. 8 to raise money for their prom and graduation.

See the entire gallery at dartnewsonline.com

Quality Street photos by ADRIHANNA OHMES

STA’s winter play, Quality Street, opened Feb. 13. Set in England in the 1800s, the story follows two sisters and their neighbors’ antics. See the entire gallery at dartnewsonline.com

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the dart | dartnewsonline.com | 11 march 2014

page designed by Maddie Knopke