Volume 80 Issue 6

DART THE

ST. TERESA’S ACADEMY KANSAS CITY MO | VOLUME 80 ISSUE 6

Writing a Legacy of Diversity

St. Teresa’s Academy has progressed toward furthering diversity and integration since its establishment in 1866. The legacy left behind by former students of color reflect the school’s past and awareness for the future.

2 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

MARCH 11, 2021

DEAR READER, The weather is warm, the birds are chirping — the whispers of Spring are upon us! March brings us many glorious things, such as spring break, sunshine, but most importantly, it brings recognition of women. Women’s History Month is a time where we can celebrate the powerful women throughout history that laid the foundation for what St. Teresa’s Academy has grown since its establishment in 1866.

One of the many women who acted as catalysts in our institution’s history is Sr. Barbara Moore. Our cover story this cycle not only celebrates her legacy, but the importance of students of color in the STA community. Josie Fox and Lauren Brackney walk you through the breadth of impact brought by our amazing affinity groups, director of equity outreach and inclusive education Brianna Walker, as well as the new scholarship established in Sr. Moore’s name.

As previously mentioned, spring break starts in t-minus 24 hours. Sydney Allen takes a look into what spring break looks like this year for students, whether there are travel plans or not,

and how traveling can be done safely. If a staycation is your plan, check out Sydney Waldron’s last look on page 28 with some inspiration for your room — compiled from your fellow classmates!

The Golden Scoop will become a new staple in the Kansas City community, not just for their coffee and ice cream, but also for their commitment to disability inclusive employment. Sophia Rall sat down with the Golden Scoop’s vice president and senior Marie Bruck, who hosted a dress down fundraiser Feb. to benefit the store.

If you’re looking for a new place to drink coffee and hang out with friends over spring break, check out Carmon Baker’s review of Equinox Cafe on the DNO. The cafe is part of Family Tree Nursery, so it has a unique, greenhouse vibe you can’t find anywhere else.

As a tribute to the historic Negro Leagues team, the Kansas City T-Bones have changed their name to the Monarchs. For more background information and a student opinion on the name change, check out Caroline

Hinkebein’s sports feature on page 24.

Whether you check your horoscope every day or you don’t even know your sign, be sure to read Kyra Fieger’s story on astrology and what it means to students. Fieger also talked to the owners of the Aquarius Crystal Store about their extensive knowledge of crystals and chakras.

From the entire staff of the Dart, we hope you have a wonderful spring break. Whether you’re travelling or having a stay-cation, take this time to relax, catch up on hobbies and enjoy the good weather. We’ll see you in issue 7!

Love,

DESIGNED BY RACHEL ROBINSON

04 06 08 09 10 12 14 16

TABLE OF CONTENTS

3

A new kind of KAIROS Star Spotlight: Macy Richardson

Bits & Pieces

16

Choir during COVID-19 Reviews: Boba tea & David Dobrik

30

Zodiac signs & horoscopes Students plan for spring break

Being mean isn’t a hobby Centerspread: Women of color at STA

Creativity is essential I am starstruck with astrology The Kansas City Monarchs The Golden Scoop In my room: self expression through bedroom decor The pets of STA’s faculty and staff

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21 22 23 24 26 28 30

COVER DESIGNED BY LAUREN BRACKNEY | SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM

4

NEWS FEATURE

MARCH 11, 2021

A Different Look Due to COVID-19, all previously scheduled Kairos retreats were cancelled this year. The Kairos coordinators created a different, shorter version of the retreat to give seniors a similar experience.

K

airos, a student-led retreat for juniors and seniors, has been a tradition at STA for the past 25 years. The event typically takes place over a span of three days and two nights at a retreat center offcampus. However, due to COVID-19, both the scheduled spring and fall Kairos trips had been cancelled “We had our reservations at the retreat house where Kairos typically takes place,” Kairos coordinator Greg Harkness said.

“We had planned to do it this year. But we couldn’t do it there, it was impossible. And we couldn’t get space at other ones. And our advisors [MRI Global] were very against the overnight aspect at the beginning of the year.”

Despite these setbacks, Harkness and director of ministry and service Andrea Arredondo worked to create a similar experience which will abide by all safety precautions.

“We really felt that the current seniors deserve it,” Harkness said. “They’re so reasonable and understanding and accommodating young women, and they’re the first class in about 25 years who hasn’t gone to Kairos, so we needed to do something for them, that would make them feel like they have an understanding of the experience.”

This event took place March 1 and 2 on STA campus. It was not overnight, each senior only went one day, and it was open to all seniors who wanted to go.

Both Harkness and Arredondo felt that Kairos was a crucial part of the STA experience, and it had to happen even if it looked different this year.

“It’s a really significant program for students,” Harkness said. “There are certain things that have been cancelled or not rescheduled throughout COVID for safety reasons, and this program has taken a hit

Story and photos by Katie Massman | Sports Editor

because of that, but it’s important enough to us and to the development of our STA students that we need to do it. It needs to be a part of your time here.”

Arredondo believes that despite the changes being implemented, students will not be robbed of the essential Kairos experience.

“We planned the day so that the most essential pieces of Kairos, the most impactful pieces, are there,” Arredondo said. “It is up to our seniors to make the most of it. In the multi-day Kairos, you get a slower build up, and you have more opportunities for reflection, but in this day long Kairos, you’re showing up and you have to be ready to get real and get vulnerable. So what you take away really depends on how you walk in.”

Senior Laura Cowan felt that although there was a lot going on, the day was very impactful.

“I feel like they made the most of the seven hours we had for Kairos even though everyone wishes we were able to have the normal experience,” Cowan said. “The day was packed with what they normally do in four days so it was a lot to take in, but I can’t imagine what it would be like to have the normal experience with how important just one day was for us. I am assuming it would be beneficial to grow even closer and get more comfortable in our setting but what we were able to do was already impactful.”

Kairos is a largely student-led retreat, as past participants lead the lower grade students. Arredondo and Harkness were worried skipping a whole grade may throw off the student leadership aspect.

“We were a little nervous at first when we were interrupted for a year,” Harkness said. “But thankfully there were 12 girls who just happened to go last January, when they were juniors, who will be the ones to

carry it onto the next grade. Those students have really, really grabbed hold of that responsibility.”

Without those seniors willing to lead next year’s group, students would have lost a large part of the retreat experience.

“There’s a reason this retreat program is so good: it’s intentionally designed to be that way,” Harkness said. “It’s exactly what juniors and seniors need. It’s led by students, there’s a student director of the retreat...the adults participate, but in an ideal world it’s a student-to-student retreat.”

Despite all the turmoil brought about by COVID-19, it may have shifted future Kairos plans in a positive direction.

“There’s been a movement for the last 10 or so years to move Kairos from a senior program to a junior program,” Harkness said. “So we have been in that process here at STA, it just takes a long time. In a weird way, if you want to talk about COVID-19 silver linings, this is kind of an upside.”

To move Kairos into a junior program for coming years, the class of 2022 will have the opportunity to go this summer, and the class of 2023 will go in January 2022. As a junior year retreat, Kairos may prove to be more beneficial to classes as a whole.

“One of the things that Kairos does, that’s a wonderful thing, is it necessarily attaches you to your class,” Harkness explained. “You become closer to classmates, meet new people and talk to new people, which is tough when you are at the end of your senior year.”

Cowan believes there are some benefits to have the retreat near the end of senior year.

“The timing of this retreat was good because the day slowed us down, as the second semester has gone by so fast already,” Cowan said. “I do wish we were able to go when we originally planned but what they made up for us was perfect.” B

5

DESIGNED BY JOSIE FOX

NATIONAL NEWS UPDATES Complied by Ali Madden | Social Media Team

NEW YORK New Yorkers rallied against a wave of anti-Asian hate, after Noel Quintana was slashed across the face on the subway. On Feb. 28 supporters rallied in Foley Square. CNN

CALIFORNIA Lady GaGa offers $500,000 for the return of her dogs after a thief stole them and shot her dog walker. NBC News

VIRGINIA The Loudoun County Public Schools District in Ashburn, Virginia decides that it won’t be banning Dr. Seuss’ books after famously stating that they were going to be banning the books in the district.

CNN TEXAS The power is back in Texas, however millions of Texans are still recovering. Local elected leaders and volunteers have come together to fill citizen’s immediate needs for a quicker recovery. The Washington Post ALASKA In mid-Feb. a COVID-19 vaccine clinic in Sitka, Alaska began to vaccinate everyone 16 and older. NPR

HAWAII On Mar. 8 off the coast of Hawaii, a flight instructor and student pilot were rescued by the US Coast Guard after they had ditched their plane when it began to experience engine trouble. ABC News

6 STAR SPOTLIGHT

MARCH 11, 2021

MACY

This past year, junior Macy Richardson has pursued a career in modeling and is working toward her dream career. Richardson talks about how she fell in love with modeling, her dreams and how the industry has affected her.

Story and Photos by Becca Speier | Photo Editor

Junior Macy Richardson poses in front of the Hobbs Building in the West Bottoms Feb. 24. Richardson has recently been looking to sign with an agency and has received multiple offers.

7

DESIGNED BY BECCA SPEIER

RICHARDSON How did you get into modeling?

I guess I was told that I was really tall a lot, and I never thought of it as a career path until I got older and got really into fashion.

I can model clothes and wear them without creating them. Since I was tall it really just worked to my advantage from there.

How much time do you usually spend per week?

I walk on the treadmill with heels on every night for 30 minutes every night. I also stand in my mirror and shimmy as well as practicing poses. I also watch “America’s Next Top Model” and have one modeling class per week, so I would say I usually spend a decent amount of time on it. If I am not doing homework or hanging out with my friends, this is what I do.

Do you often get nervous before a shoot, and if you do, how do you combat the nerves?

I literally get nervous so much, so I always ask the photographer if I can play my own music so I can get all my heebiejeebies out so I feel more comfortable and in my own element ... I always ask to play Beyoncė.

Do you have certain aspirations or goals related to modeling?

Yes, I want to be on the cover of Vogue!

I feel like everyone has wanted to be on the cover of Vogue. I also want to be in New York or Milan Fashion Week.

How do you prepare for a modeling shoot?

Okay, I have to go to bed early otherwise I will have bags under my eyes. I will get my clothes together, get my nails and hair done the night before. I then go to the Model Board and do sessions with my model coach.

Do you feel that modeling should be based on a person’s image? Why? I think modeling should be on looks, not just being “pretty.” But looks based on what the brand wants to give off. If that makes sense.

How do you feel confident when doing modeling shoots?

Over time I feel like I have grown into it.

My first shoot I had no confidence I was stiff like a brick wall, but during my most recent shoot I was up and dancing, having a blast. It just grew with me and almost happened over night.

Do you see yourself pursuing modeling in the future? If so, how?

Yes, I don’t want to go to college at all, and I hope after high school I can fly out to either LA or New York and just pursue it from there.

Have you signed with an agency?

I haven’t right now, but I am in the works with signing to an LA agency, and I am talking to a Chicago agency right now too. I can technically be with both; LA will be my mother agency, and Chicago will be a sort-of add on.

Have you ever felt like you are “not worthy”? How did you overcome this?

Yes, as someone that struggles with mental health and an eating disorder, it sometimes gets hard to work as a model, but I just keep pushing through knowing I am worthy.

Junior Macy Richardson gazes toward the art murals of the West Bottwoms district Feb. 24. After highscool Richardson is hoping to move to new york city or los angelos to chase her modeling dreams.

Do you ever feel pressured by the industry to look or act a certain way?

I actually had a meeting last year with a Kansas City Agency, and she told me I was a Midwest blonde. I actually then dyed my hair brown, for them, because it was eating me alive and made me feel so bad about myself, even though there was nothing wrong with me having blonde hair. I’ll apply for modeling agencies, and I won’t get calls back because my hip size is too big, so it hurts your self esteem a lot and you don’t get a casting call back. It sucks.

How do you stay confident in your own self-image in a career that is determined by it?

By not comparing myself to others. I know I’m beautiful in my own way, and if there is something that I’m not “good enough” for, I just know that it wasn’t meant to be.

What advice would you give others who are interested in modeling?

Just to put yourself out there and not to listen to what others are saying. I used to have the worst body image, and I had to work past this because my modeling coach told me confidence is key. It really shows in your confidence. Just be yourself and be confident with a ton of energy, and go into it thinking nothing is going to happen.

What advice can you give others about their own self-image?

Do not compare yourself to others. God made you the way you are meant to be and you are perfect just the way you are. B

8 BITS AND PIECES

My life rocks

MARCH 11, 2021

My life sucks

ADELLE QUICK

ERIN CARBERY

“I had to get tested for COVID-19 and I was very afraid and I told my dad to turn the car around and he wouldn’t, but when we got up to the testing site it was not that bad at all, and my dad got me Starbucks.”

“I am really stressed about the fact it’s starting to hit me more that I’m the senior next year, everything went by way too fast and I don’t know if I’m even ready yet.”

DESIGNED BY RACHEL ROBINSON

Choir gets creative

Facing heavy COVID-19 restrictions, music teacher Steve Perry and his students have found innovative ways to keep singing together.

Story by Rachel Robinson | Editor-in-Chief

I

“

’ve heard it said if only all the leaders of the world could come together and sing in a choir together, it would solve some problems,” music teacher Steve Perry said. “Because our focus is on the music and we learn to listen to one another, I think we learn to express that which is difficult to express or impossible to express with just words, through music.”

Perry has been teaching music for 37 years and he believes in the unifying power of what he calls “corporate singing.” This is the first school year in which his students have not been able to practice this by standing together in his classroom and singing. Until Thanksgiving, Perry held classes on the tennis courts behind the Music & Arts building, where his students would social distance and sing wearing special “singing masks.” This proved challenging for Perry as a teacher, especially with his younger students.

“For the freshmen, it was almost impossible to really build skill because we were outside and they couldn’t hear one another and all the things that I would normally do as a teacher, I couldn’t do,” Perry said. “I couldn’t do modeling, they couldn’t see my face because of my mask. I couldn’t see their face because of their mask. And so it was difficult for me to teach the way I normally teach.”

Senior Darcie Hingula is one of Perry’s students and a member of the audition choir, STA Singers. Like Perry, she loves to perform with the other singers because of the sense of unity it creates.

“I think the harmonies just all

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

9

Senior Liv Collet and music teacher Steve Perry go over the sheet music at the front of the auditorium in the Music and Arts building Feb. 24. Together, they had worked on the parts of the song that Collet had questions on. photo by Ali Madden

coming together, even those mini clashes, just really create something,” Hingula said. “There’s some musicality in that, and it’s really special ... We work on creating a lot of unison with our voices, which is really nice and it’s just cool, having a nice choir community.”

Thanks to technology and safety measures taken by the school, all three choirs were able to prepare and perform music for a pre-recorded Christmas concert Dec. 2020. Perry said that an ionization filtration system installed in the auditorium as well as the singing masks have created unique opportunities for the STA choir.

“I know schools who have not sung a note this year and we’re very blessed to have this ability to do what we’re doing,” Perry said.

Last spring, in the beginning of the pandemic, choir members were not allowed to perform together at all and instead opted to record individual vocals and layer them to create a virtual performance. Hingula is grateful that this year, new technology and understanding of the COVID-19 virus has allowed the choir to perform as one again.

“Even though it’s been very hard, going through and trying to find time to really sing, now, luckily, we have some things that have changed,” Hingula said.

“We have ionization filters put into the vents and the system in the auditorium and also in the quiet room, which I think is really nice ... So that’s definitely something that I think has really changed the dynamics.”

Sophomore Emma Hirte agrees that technology and creative thinking have

granted the choir privileges it wouldn’t have had otherwise.

“Without any technology or anything, there’s no way we would have been able to perform,” Hirte said. “You know, [during] the pandemic in 1918, there just would have been no way for us to do anything if we hadn’t had the masks, the filters, the editing and things like that.”

Although Hingula is happy to be performing with her fellow singers again, she still misses having a live audience to perform for. She feels that singing for a virtual audience is not quite the same.

“I think having an audience really brings more life into our performances, just because having someone there being able to watch you and being able to support you and have fun with your songs is a lot more — I don’t know, I think it’s very special to have that,” Hingula said.

Perry also considers his number one goal of this semester to be having a live performance in front of an audience.

“I just want the students to be able to have that experience so they have something to work towards and also they have a fond memory of that interaction between choir and audience because there is an energy that goes back and forth that you don’t get when you do a virtual concert,” Perry said. “It’s that life. It’s like when you go to a live concert, that energy in the room. And as a performer you feel that energy coming from your audience and those are the kinds of experiences that we can’t recreate with technology.” B

10 REVIEWS

battle

MARCH 11, 2021

of the

boba

After trying three boba teas from distinctly different cafes in KC, I have come to the conclusion that boba tea is a perfect sweet drink.

B

oba tea has emerged as the trendy and aesthetic new drink of choice for many teenage girls, myself included. The wide variety of tea flavors, unique taste of boba and chic cafes make for a perfect drink and experience.

So, I set out to try boba teas from three greater Kansas City locations. My expectations were extremely high, but as I drove to the first cafe, I wondered, “Who would win the battle of the boba?”

I soon arrived in Overland Park, at Fat Bee Drinks. I frequent Fat Bee because it is close to my house, and I always enjoy going there. The decor is modern and bright, and the menu always seems to have new items on it. However, I have noticed that their boba teas tend to be very sweet, so I normally customize my drink and get 50% sweetness. I ordered the most popular drink — the Fatbee Milk Tea — with 50% sweetness. The first sip was a perfect blend of smooth milky flavors and tapioca bobas. I normally hate the taste of milk, but the sweetness of the drink offset the milk flavor. The tapioca bobas themself were fresh and chewy. The drink cost $5, and I think this was a reasonable price considering the drink was pretty big and high quality. I was a little tired of the drink by the end of it, but the overall experience was superb. Overall, I would rate the drink and the experience a 4/5.

Next, I ventured to Gocha 2 in Westport. I had never been to Gocha 2 before, but the vibes were amazing from the moment I opened the door to the moment I walked out. The store is clean and bright. The menu was not as extensive as Fat Bee drinks, which I appreciated because it was not

Story and photos by Sophia Rall | Features Editor

overwhelming. I ordered the House Tea and added tapioca boba. The tapioca bobas from Gocha 2 were the best boba I have ever had. They were perfectly chewy and slightly larger than Fat Bee’s bobas. The sweetness and milky flavors were very similar to Fat Bee’s. I enjoyed the drink very much, but mainly due to the bobas. Overall, I would rate the drink and experience a 5/5.

Next, I ventured to Bruu Cafe on the Plaza. I absolutely loved the decor and overall aesthetic in Bruu. It seems very clean and modern, with bright lighting and white furniture. However, the menu was a little overwhelming, as it had many options and there seemed to be many additions and modifications you could make to the drinks. I ordered the Royal Premium Milk Tea with 50% sweetness and tapioca bobas. The drink was chock full of boba — much more than Fat Bee and Gocha 2. The taste of the bobas really permeated throughout the entire drink, and somewhat overwhelmed the milk flavor. I still enjoyed the drink, but it wasn’t exactly what I expected. Overall, I would rate the drink and experience a 4.5/5.

Three boba drinks later, and I was a little tired of milk tea. I would definitely still recommend Fat Bee, Gocha 2 and Bruu, but the next time I purchase a boba tea, I will branch out and try a new flavor. The great thing about boba cafes is that there are wildly unique drinks, like the Oreo Milk Tea from Fat Bee, Jasmine Cheese Foam Tea from Gocha 2 or the Strawberry Marble Latte from Bruu Cafe. I will definitely continue trying boba in KC, and I might someday decide the winner of the “battle of the boba.” B

AAAAB

AAAAA

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DESIGNED BY SOPHIA RALL

Did you miss him as much as me?

11

After almost a year, David Dobrik is officially back on Youtube. However, I imagine it won’t be the same David that we all know and love. “

A

Story by Lily Sage | Opinion Editor

lright what’s up guys, so Seatgeek influencers. is an amazing app that helps you Dobrik is very prolific on his buy tickets in the easiest way TikTok page and posted many videos possible.” throughout the month of Feb. He does Wait — how did you know exactly not post every day like he used to on what I was talking about? And why did YouTube, but it is still a great way to you know it word for word? If you’re watch Dobrik and his content; it’s like me, then you believe that ex-Vine, almost as if his Vine days are coming YouTube star David Dobrik’s Seatgeek back. Many of these videos have the ad might be the most iconic aspect of same type of feel as his old vines his vlogging career; along with private jet trips to Las Vegas or randomly giving out expensive cars every other video.

Dobrik is a 24-year-old YouTuber who first got his start on Vine, where he had millions of followers. As his follower David Dobrik gifts his best friend, Heath Hussar, count grew, Dobrik decided to a new Lamborghini,April 2019. This thumbnail was focus on growing his YouTube from one of Dobrik’s daily four-minute vlogs that channel in 2015. There was a his fans have not seen in almost a year. photo courtesy of david dobrick on youtube lack of comedic vlog channels on the social media platform, and contain the same content as his YouTube videos: such as creating the and now Dobrik is known for these types of videos; I would even go as far as world’s largest elephant toothpaste in his backyard and random moments to say that he was extremely influential when he hangs out with his friends. in establishing the comical side of If you look at the comments on a YouTube. He would post daily on his multitude of his videos, you’ll see many main channel and a few days on his comments telling Dobrik that the second channel every week. Then the unexpected happened: David posted his short TikTok video would make a great last main channel video of 2020 on April addition to a vlog. As you can tell, not many people are happy with his delay in 24. posting on YouTube. But about a month These past 11 months of no daily ago, Dobrik posted his first YouTube vlogs from Dobrik have been difficult video in almost a year. for me because his videos were a great I remember it very clearly. I was way for me to escape from reality and getting ready to start on my homework to have a quick laugh. Without these videos, fans like myself, have had to flee on Feb. 8, when I saw a notification to other sources of social media in order from YouTube pop up on my phone screen that said “I BOUGHT A NEW to interact with one of their favorite

HOUSE!! (2021).” At first I was going to swipe it out and ignore it until I realized that the person who posted it was THE David Dobrik. I immediately clicked onto the video and was met with the familiar faces of David and his friends, fellow YouTubers Heath Hussar and Zane Hijazi, and they were vlogging like it was any other day—except for the fact that they were walking into Dobrik’s new multimillion dollar mansion.

Throughout the entirety of this video, I felt an overwhelming amount of emotions because of how happy I was to see these videos again, and to have almost all the vlog squad back. There were so many parts that made me laugh until my stomach hurt. One part in particular was when he was showing his friends around the new house and they were all making the funniest commentary, especially Suzy Antonyan. It also doesn’t help that the man’s laugh is so contagious. And of course, it wouldn’t be a David Dobrik vlog unless he gave away a car. Or two.

However, he has not posted a vlog since this video came out.

Even though this last video and his podcast episodes are truly amazing and hilarious, part of me misses the old vlog squad and the old David. I miss having the knowledge that every afternoon I would get to watch an entertaining, short video that would help me feel more relaxed after a long day. B

check out the full review on DartNewsOnline

12 FEATURE

MARCH 11, 2021

FAITH OR

FORTUNE?

ASTROLOGY WILL DECIDE All in the universe is attainable, and by using astrology and focusing on your chakras, you can reach your goals easier.

Readers can use this to start their journey on becoming one with themselves.

Story by Kyra Fieger | Social Media Team Photos by Ellie Buttell | Writer

S

enior Lauren Peters ventured into 2021 around the people she loved, with goals in place, supporters all around her and a determination to grow mindfully.

As the new year progresses, new changes present themselves and for Peters this came in the form of her newfound passion, astrology. She uses it as her main source of energy, finding that it gives back as much as she puts in.

“I got into astrology because it was always something that had been around, and I think recently I became invested in it because I could relate to it,” Peters said. “I personally use it to gauge other people.

That was one of the first questions I asked someone: How do you read other people?

Astrology gauges how you interact with other people and how you interact with yourself.”

According to a poll on @DartsNewsOnline Instagram account, over 70% check their horoscopes daily, whether it be out of interest or as a learning aspect. According to the poll, most of the students have taken

up at least one new hobby or interest as the year advances, one of the most popular ones being astrology. By using astrology, along with crystals and looking into the body’s chakras, people can learn more and become a better version of themselves.

Peters recommends starting slow and easing into astrology, as it can be

overwhelming.

“I would say start with your sun sign and don’t try to overwhelm yourself to all the degrees and houses because even I don’t understand it,” Peters said. “Even if you don’t know other signs it is good to know your friends’ signs.”

An easy way to start the journey into astrology is using the social media app Snapchat. There is a new function where the reader can input their birth time and birth place and the app calculates where all the stars were in the sky when they were born.

From there, the reader can determine their rising, sun and moon signs.

“You may be wondering what the three most important signs are in your chart?” Peters said. “Well those would be your sun, moon and rising signs.

Your sun sign is the one you know most and it’s kind of like your identity, who you most are as a person. Moon is your inner self, your emotions and soul. Like yes I’m a Pisces which means I can be very nice and the mediator, but I secretly have a lot of inner anger because I’m an Aries moon.

Finally, your rising sign is how other people perceive you. There are many other

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DESIGNED BY CLAIRE SMITH A witch is displayed on a horoscope card in Aquarius, surrounded by multiple horoscope and tarot cards. Feb. 23. Horoscopes are used to provide information about the present and predict events in the future.

signs in each person’s birth chart and they mainly have a lot to do with other, more specific, personality traits: confidence, love language, how readers may interact with other people etc.”

There are four houses that include all zodiac signs, earth, water, air and fire; known as the four main elements of Earth.

All four houses are known for certain character traits they have. These traits can be determined by your sun sign, along with which planet was lined up with the sun during the time of your birth. The compatibility of each sign depends on how well their natural elements combined together.

“Water signs are normally perceived as emotional, earth is stubborn, fire signs are fiery, and air signs are intellectual,” Peters said. “Certain houses are known to get along better with some rather than others because different personality traits sometimes just don’t mix. There are exceptions sometimes but for the most part it usually doesn’t workout.”

In order to start your journey, Peters suggests looking into your own chakra in order to help understand your emotions better.

“The chakra chart is basically a rainbow all the way up and by using crystals that correlate with each color you can target what issues in your life you really want to focus on,” Aquarius Crystal Store employee John Aladeen said.

By learning more about crystals, Aquarius employees Aladeen and Angela are happier and more content with their lives.

“It’s really a journey to self discovery,” Aladeen said.

“You ultimately learn more about yourself and know yourself easier and can control all aspects of

your emotions and thoughts. For me personally it has made me happier and I have so much more good luck, everything just runs so much smoother.”

To know the basics about crystals Angela suggested getting a book informing the reader about their properties and limitations. As a beginner, there are certain crystals that are suggested as base line necessities on the journey of self discovery.

“Clear quartz would have to be the one crystal I strongly recommend to all beginners,” Angela said. ”It can be programmed to do basically anything.

Selenite is also used to cleanse crystals.”

When obtaining first crystals, Aladeen highly recommends that you cleanse them in order to take away all other energies they have previously attracted. There are many ways to cleanse them including but not limited to: saging, soaking in water, leaving in the sunlight or moonlight.

“My favorite way to cleanse my crystals is soaking them in water overnight to pull all the negative energy out of them, only do this as long as they aren’t soluble,” Aladeen said. “A fun fact is that you could even bury them next to a tree, honestly there are infinite ways to cleanse your crystals.”

According to Aladeen, crystals that are in the quartz

John Aladeen, an employee of Aquarius points to his third eye Feb. 23. The third eye is often associated with religious visions of a gate that leads to the inner realm of higher consciousness. photo illustration by Claire smith

family can be cleansed in water, along with crystals that have a harder matter to them.

An easy way to tell whether crystals are real or not is by the temperature of them.

The crystal should be cold to the touch if it hasn’t been in the sun or held for awhile.

When focusing on certain problems in life, Aladeen recommends checking your chakras to see which color chakra matches up with the problem. Then base what crystal is chosen by the color of the chakra.

“Starting from the bottom is the root chakra which is red and it’s all about protection and stability,” Aladeen said.

“Next is orange which means creativity, then comes yellow which is the solar plexus meaning it has to do with all your instincts and actions. After that is green which is your heart chakra and this energy is focused on all your inner personal relationships with others. Blue is the throat chakra, and it’s all about speaking the truth and harmonizing your thoughts with your words. Then comes the third eye which is in the seed of the forehead and it’s all about intuition and hidden knowledge.

Finally is the crown chakra, this has to do with connection to the rest of the universe.

It connects with guides and all guardian angels —seed of divinity— helps with headaches. My main advice is just focus on getting the crystal or stone that harmonizes with one of the colors of the chakras.”

Astrology isn’t for everyone but Peters and Aladeen have found that by learning more about the spirituality of astrology, their lives have improved for the better.

“I wish I knew before that sometimes you have to take what resonates and really run with it, some things don’t add up in your life and that’s ok. Astrology really helped me realize that,” Peters said. B

14 FEATURE

MARCH 11, 2021

Risking Safety for spring break ‘21

Spring break is upon us, and with the pandemic still in our midst, students and faculty share their thoughts on coming back to school and traveling.

Story by Sydney Allen | Photo Editor Graphic by Lauren Brackney | Social Media Team

"

O

verall, I think [flying is] pretty risky,” science teacher Matthew Lewis said.

“Flying anywhere, that just seems like, to me, a bad idea. You're trapped in a small container with a whole bunch of people for so many hours, and we've seen how well everybody wears their masks.”

MUST KEEP

6 FEET APART!

St. Teresa’s Academy, along with every school in the Kansas City area, were forced to close their doors just before spring break 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people still chose to go on their spring break trips that year, to destinations like Mexico or Colorado. Now, with over 29 million cases in the U.S. and 117 million in the world, according to the John Hopkins University live map as of March 8, spring break traveling is risky.

Travelling over the course of the year has been a difficult and growing discussion on social media platforms such as TikTok and Twitter due to the rise and fall of cases. This discussion is popular especially among teenagers, specifically Generation Z and Millenials, as they watch politicians, celebrities and influencers travel both domestically and internationally. Lewis views traveling during spring break as a risk to not only travellers, but the people they come in contact with.

“But right now, [the] caseload where we're at, is about where we were in August of this last year when we were all freaking out,” Lewis said. “And then we had this huge spike recently, a huge spike over the past couple of months of cases and deaths nationally, and we're coming down off of that spike, so we're now back to that level.”

DESIGNED BY SYDNEY ALLEN

where Are you traveling for Spring break?

15

Alternative Coverage by Caroline Hinkebein | Sports Editor * out of 377 people

out of country 2% According to Healthline, COVID-19 case numbers are decreasing after their spike over the winter during Christmas and through the new year. This year's spring break traveling may be easy for most STA students, considering some have already been exposed, contracted and recovered from the virus, or they are going to low risk areas. Recently, senior Morgan Mos traveled to Disney World with her immediate family and friends and has had no issues upon her return.

“I think there is a risk, even going to school or going to the grocery store, but I've evaluated those risks, and I know that I don't personally expose anyone in my household who is at high risk,” Mos said. “I monitor symptoms to make sure I don't have anything before I go out into the world.”

Traveling during this year's spring break also brings to light the fact that some students will return to campus after long trips. As of March 8, the school has not sent any emails to the STA community about guidelines, such as the ones set in at the beginning of the year in the Campus Reopening Plan found on the STA website, for people who may be traveling to a high risk area, or traveling in a high risk way to cities and states that may have more cases than Kansas City.

“I'm not as worried about them coming back from spring break,” Lewis said. “I am worried, of them coming back and spreading it to other students, and those students, families, and putting us into

staying home 86%

out of state 12%

hybrid or virtual. I think a quarantine would be safe and the smart way to go.”

While there is a possibility of COVID-19 being transmitted back to STA students and faculty due to, there are others, such as Mos and Lewis, who believe that the school will still be a safe space after the break. Mos said that it is up to the traveling student to be responsible on their own trip.

“I think that they need to take responsibility and make sure that whatever they're doing is obviously the proper thing to do for coming back to school,” Mos said. “I'm comfortable but I know that some of my fellow students might not be comfortable with people who are in larger groups coming back.”

The CDC recommends that anyone who is traveling on a plane, bus, or any transportation vehicles wear a mask while on and test negative before and after a long trip in an area you may not normally reside in. Sophomore Maya Charlesworth believes that staying home would be a better alternative to traveling.

“I'm a little jealous, but I'm actually okay with staying home because I don't want to risk getting it or risk having my friend get me sick, or anything like that,” Charlesworth said. “I'm pretty happy with it.”

In regards to STA’s return, there will be some students coming back from traveling out of the country, and more traveling out of state according to a poll the Dart ran on @dartnewsonline Instagram Feb. 18. Lewis believed that a negative test or two could

be effective before returning to school and before the trip to keep all parties safe.

Charlesworth and Mos agreed.

“I think that they should get a COVID-19 test after they get back,” Charlesworth said.

“And then, if they are positive, obviously, quarantine. But either get a COVID-19 test or quarantine two weeks.”

Mos confirmed that she and the friends she is traveling with are getting tested before traveling over spring break.

“In my personal opinion, I think if you are traveling to somewhere that has a lot more cases, or is considered a hotspot, that you should get tested afterwards, or if you're traveling from somewhere to another place that doesn't have a lot of cases to get tested before,” Mos said. “I think it's up to the person and also it, depends on different circumstances.”

Traveling is a choice, and in the end, no one has a say in what other people may do over spring break with their own free time.

“I don't really like to show everyone what is going on in my personal life,” Mos said.

“I think that if someone wants to judge me, that's their choice but it's also my choice to travel and my choice to be responsible when I travel.” B

MARCH 11, 2021

Writing a Legacy of

Diversity

St. Teresa’s Academy has progressed toward furthering diversity and integration since its establishment in 1866. The legacy left behind by former students of color reflect the school’s past and awareness for the future to come.

Story by Josie Fox | Opinion Editor and Lauren Brackney | Social Media Team Photos by Sydney Allen | Photo Editor

— Diversity and Inclusion — “

W

hen you don’t have the perspective of the people that you want at your institution, you won’t get what you want at the institution,” Brianna Walker said. “And having somebody in my role, like myself is integral to starting those conversations, bringing that experience, bringing those perspectives to the table.”

Walker, director of equity outreach and inclusive education, has been a part of the STA community for three years. Before working at STA, she worked with St. Louis University and University of MissouriColumbia within their college outreach and diversity programs.

“All of my work has really been geared towards college access, serving the underserved communities, serving diverse

populations in the inner city and urban core and then also working in diversity, equity and inclusion,” Walker said.

Her role is integral to ensure that each student feels welcomed on campus. This helps students of color feel as through their community and culture is represented and appreciated.

“The major thing is just where STA wants to be: STA wants to serve the community that it is housed in, and the community that it is housed is in the heart of the Kansas City area, which means you have to look at the population of Kansas City,” Walker said.

“You have to look at the demographics of Kansas City and then the demographics of the area that we’re in.”

As of 2019, Kansas City, Missouri is 60.9% white, 28.2% African American, 10.6% Hispanic or Latino, 2.7% Asian, 0.4% American Indian and 3.6% two or more races according to census.gov. Walker also

THE CURRENT STUDENT BODY One figure represents 10 students.

Total student body: 609 students.

Use same color key as presented for the line graph above.

7 Native American, 23 Asian, 25 Black, 56 Lationo, 3 Pacific Islander, 0 Multiracial, 551 White

2020-2021

works within admissions and often has parents ask for the demographics at STA. “A breakdown of our student population: white 87%, Asian 3%, Native American 1%, Black 4%, Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander 0.4% and Hispanic or two or more races would be 8%,” Walker said.

According to the school’s website in reference to the admissions process, “St. Teresa’s Academy seeks a diverse student community and admits students without regard to race, color, national or ethnic origin.” This means that students are not disqualified during admission based on those characteristics. However, Walker explains how many schools use bias during admission decisions which can prolong the admission process, especially for students with ethnic-sounding last names.

“They may ask more questions of that parent, like ‘Why are you interested in this school’ or questions like that that

17

DESIGNED BY CAROLINE HINKEBEIN

make it more difficult,” Walker said. “They have to jump through more hoops, which they wouldn’t ask anybody else that they seemingly wanted to admit. So I think bias occurs way more than discrimination.”

Bias differs from discrimination since it relies on inferred knowledge about a person to decide the next step for their admission process, rather than directly deferring them from the school. In order to correct this, St. Teresa’s Academy and its leaders had to recognize where bias occurred within the admission process.

“I think it was happening this year, and we have done an amazing job of making sure we’ve called it out like when we changed our admissions process this year,”

Walker said. “We wanted to do family meetings, so what we did was when we set up the students with their interviewer, the interviewer didn’t know what school they went to, the interviewer didn’t know their last name, they just knew their first name.

And that was it. And so we did that as a way to eliminate, or try our best to eliminate, any sort of bias that could arise.”

Even though the admission process has changed, the student body remains predominantly white — 87% of the student population. Walker believes that this discrepancy is partially due to the nation’s history.

“It all goes back to history, it always goes back to history and just the legacy of St.

the DEMOGRAPHICS OF STA

Information courtesy of St. Teresa’s Academy administration, self-reported by students.

Graphic by Claire Smith | Editor-in-Chief

PERCENTAGE OUT OF TOTAL STUDENT BODY

16 CENTERSPREAD

100

90

KEY 80

Asian: Black: Latino: Native American: Multiracial: White: Pacific Islander:

10

5

0

2017-2018

2018-2019

2019-2020

2020-2021

ACADEMIC YEAR Lusette Walker, owner of Luse Hair Salon holds up a shirt that reads “Don’t Touch My Hair” Feb. 23. Walker said that the phrase is very common in black culture, and finds it disrespectful when people ask to touch her hair.

Teresa’s,” Walker said. “We look just going down the line, if you think about things like post traumatic slave syndrome, which is this theory that even though slavery happened so long ago, the effects of it still linger on, even today. And when you think about how Black and brown people were not able to be educated with white students back then and once they were able to be educated, that didn’t mean that just because schools were integrated that people felt welcomed and included. Just because they made it a law, that does not change the individual minds of the people in that school.”

STA was founded in 1866 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph, only one year after the end of the Civil War. During this time, persons

18 CENTERSPREAD of color were rarely integrated into white schools. The first African American student was accepted into STA in 1955, nearly 89 years after its opening.

“Part of the reason why you have those schools and neighborhoods in predominantly Black, or historically Black, colleges and universities is because, it wasn’t that we didn’t want to be educated with white people, it was that we didn’t feel welcomed, and white people did not want us to be educated with them,” Walker said.

“So that is what that is, when you ask, ‘why is it still like that’ or ‘how that came to be,’ it’s because it’s a lingering effect.”

— The Sister Barbara Moore Legacy — One of the primary figures of advancing diversity and integration within the Sisters of St. Joseph is Sister Barbara Moore, the first Black CSJ. When she was in grade school, the Archbishop of St. Louis Joseph Ritter spearheaded the integration of Catholic schools in the St. Louis diocese and allowed seniors from St. Joseph — the all Black Catholic high school — to graduate alongside white Catholic high schoolers.

“St. Joseph High School closed, because Cardinal Ritter back in ‘47, desegregated the Catholic schools, and their enrollment continued to decline,” Moore said.

The nationwide desegregation of public schools did not occur until 1954 with the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Supreme Court case.

The desegregation of diocesian schools in St. Louis allowed for Sister Barbara to attend Rosati-Kain High School, where her journey to sisterhood began. In 1955, Sister Barbara became the first Black woman to enter into the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. Throughout her time as a sister, she was active in the civil rights movement of the 1960s and has also worked in healthcare and is now a retired professional nurse.

In honor of Sister Barbara’s accomplishments, St. Teresa’s announced a new scholarship program beginning in the 2021-2022 academic year for incoming Black students: the Sister Barbara Moore

MARCH 11, 2021

Scholarship Program. The program will recruit five incoming students every year, and the scholarship will go toward aiding students in the cost of tuition and other fees such as uniform, lunches and extracurriculars.

The students will also be enrolled in St. Teresa’s STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) program to celebrate Moore’s legacy within the healthcare field. As an inspiring woman of color, Moore will be a keynote speaker at St. Teresa’s annual Women’s Symposium this April.

“It’s not a handout, but a hands up,” Moore said. “You never know what seed would be planted and what enrichment graduates from St. Teresa’s will continue to bring not only to the community, but maybe even to the country, into the world.

So, you give people an opportunity and it can be very enriching not only for them, but also for many for years to come. And that’s my hope that it will be a very positive experience for all concerned and that it will continue.”

— Affinity Groups — Affinity groups have been a critical aspect for students of color to bring people together under a shared culture or nationality in order to advance diversity and integration at St. Teresa’s. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, affinity groups are defined as “a group of people having a common interest or goal or acting together for a specific purpose.”

Senior Marisa Araujo is a co-president of the Hispanic Affinity Group at St. Teresa’s.

Araujo clarified the importance of what affinity groups look like within the school’s community.

“I think, most importantly, it’s just important for us minorities to know that they have a place here and they belong here and they’re not just a diversity card at STA,” Araujo said.

Similarly, senior Ange Dickson who is co-president of Asian Affinity Group, highlighted the excitement that goes into sharing culture with the greater student body outside of affinity groups. In fall 2019, St. Teresa’s hosted an International Day which allowed students of various cultures and national backgrounds the opportunity

to share their identity with the greater student body.

“That was really nice for me to show off my culture,” Dickson said. “Really, the first time I’ve had the opportunity to do that, that I can imagine ever, and I think it would be nice for other people to also get, specifically people of color, to be able to share their experiences with their culture and their knowledge of their culture. I think STA really has the opportunity to foster that, and I hope that it continues to do so.”

Similarly to other affinity groups, the Black Student Coalition gives students of color the opportunity to connect and discuss topics together. For sophomore Lauren Chestnut, it has become an important aspect of her experience at St. Teresa’s.

“It is important to me because I get to relate with other people on campus who deal with the same thing as me,” Chestnut said. “You know it’s like a family in a sense that we all get to come together and just be ourselves.”

Over the past couple of years, the Black Student Coalition has integrated the celebration of Black History Month into St. Teresa’s. The first episode of the Plaid Table Talk was released Feb. 19 as part of their 2021 Black History Month efforts to have discussions about race on campus featuring six different student perspectives.

Black church leaders were also highlighted throughout Black History Month via daily prayer videos in order to raise awareness of people of color within the religious community. Chestnut anticipated that the Black Church Experience event, which took place on Feb. 25, would bring in a lot of different perspectives.

“I’m definitely looking forward to the Black church experience because my family is actually playing a huge role in the service,” Chestnut said. “My mom’s a minister so she’s gonna, like do a sermon, and then my mom has a choir and the choir is my aunt’s and my sister’s so it’s like, all family oriented.”

The events planned for Black History Month by the Black Student Coalition the “Black Hair Experience” hosted by the Black Student Coalition Feb. 23. This event was hosted to educate and inform attendants about the importance of black hair and the culture behind it.

DESIGNED BY CAROLINE HINKEBEIN

encouraged students to come together and share their experiences as a school community.

“I feel like it’s important because we learn so much about, we experience so much of the white history and just kind of, and I’m not trying to sound offensive, the white world that we don’t really get a chance for us to add what we as African Americans have experienced to it,” Chestnut said. “So it’s definitely just a learning experience for everyone and just kind of introducing, you know, people to our space.”

St. Teresa’s Academy has utilized affinity groups, along with the department of equity and inclusion, to bridge the gap of racial and cultural knowledge between students

Lusette Walker, right, stands with her partner in front of their demonstration table Feb. 23. Walker has owned Luse Hair Salon for 12 years and it is located on the corner of Grand Blvd. and 20th St.

A group of Black Student Coalition members and STA president Siabhan May-Washington standing on the steps of Donnelly Hall March 4. STA has recently put in place a scholarship for black students wanting to go in the STEM field.

of color and white students. “[Story telling] widens the world around non people of color because a lot of times Black people, Native Americans, Hispanic students and alike people, we live in our own bubbles a lot of the time, right, and so having all of these things celebrated, especially in a school, is the perfect place to celebrate all these things because it brings everyone out of their bubble,” Walker said.

“It helps everybody celebrate those things together.”

Even though diversity and integration is actively being achieved at St. Teresa’s and has improved since its founding, there is still room to grow. In some cases, access to affinity groups or these safe spaces

19

for minorities has deepened students’ relationship with their racial identity and self.

“When I came here — I mean, it’s a small group, but there are still more — and then just growing to love that part of me. I think STA does a really good job of celebrating that type of stuff,” Araujo said.

“I do think that STA has really gotten me more in touch with my Hispanic identity.”

Students can show support to all students through allyship. An ally is someone that supports equality for any minority group and it can be shown in many different ways. Some allies focus on amplifying minority voices and making a point not to speak for them. Allyship primarily lies in solidarity, whether it’s by protesting, discussion or education.

Walker suggests that the first step students should take toward allyship is educating themselves.

“It’s not only support, it’s also educating yourself to support better,” Walker said. “So there’s so many different things that you can do without having to be in the front line or having to ask anybody, ‘how can I support?’ Educating yourself is supporting.” B

20 MAIN EDITORIAL

MARCH 11, 2021

We Need to do More to Encourage Diversity on Campus

Encouraging diversity and integration is an ongoing struggle for change, especially in private schools such as STA. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the percentage of African American students at private schools is typically in the range of 6 - 10%. This statistic can lead to underrepresentation for minority groups and struggles with diversity because majority groups could overshadow them. The Dart staff believes that there has been major change and improvement over the past few years, such as more open conversations and more efforts towards integration, but there is still more to do.

The addition of events like the Plaid Table Talk and all-school events like watching documentaries or “The Hate U Give” have been crucial to the improved diversity and the understanding we have of other races. The Harvard Graduate School of Education has done studies that conclude that starting these discussions of race is an important first step to getting everyone involved in the process of making our communities a more diverse place.

The more people that are involved in these discussions, the more they are able to help make a change in the world. Discussions between students, especially about important topics like race and inclusion should involve people from all races and economic backgrounds to incorporate all ideas. The Plaid Table Talk demonstrated this well, with both African American and Caucasian students voicing their different opinions. Diversity like this in discussions will lead to the best possible solutions for everyone involved.

In order to get as many people as

possible involved in these discussions, it may be necessary for school administrators to get involved and make them mandatory.

Often the discussions going on may have a smaller range of students actively participating in them, so making events mandatory could increase involvement and open students up to issues that they may not have been aware of. STA has done this by having school-wide events during the day or setting aside extra days for things like watching documentaries such as “True Justice” or movies with important messages. The Dart staff believes that to make these events more meaningful, we need to find ways to relate the issues to each student personally so they have a reason to actively participate. The hope would be that students would then want to get involved because they were passionate about the issues and have ideas about ways to make improvements that would benefit the community.

STA has been focusing on becoming more diverse and integrated, such as with the new Sister Barbara Moore Scholarship opportunity available for African American students interested in the STEAM program. However, many of the problems stem from much deeper issues and divides. Students from low-income backgrounds and minority races are vastly underrepresented at private schools throughout the country. African American and Hispanic students make up about 25% of the student population of public schools, but make up only about 10% of the population of private schools, according to The Civil Rights Project. This difference in numbers could be a result of the schools

RIGHT ON TARGET

Freshman Fiona Fitzgerald “I think, over the past few years especially, STA has gotten better about having conversations about diversity and inclusion. However, we still have a long way to go before people feel fully welcome and heard, and we can get there by teachers and administration using their platforms to educate students and providing more resources on the topic.”

nearby that feed into schools like STA. The majority of grade schools surrounding the STA area are private, Catholic schools with a predominantly white student population.

The lack of diversity in these schools could lend to the lack of diversity in much larger private schools.

The Dart staff believes that teachers with the platform to educate about racism and diversity should use it. Teachers in literature or history have the opportunity to teach race through novels or historical events. The organization Learning for Justice conducted studies and found that many teachers believe that ignoring race, becoming colorblind, gets rid of the problem. The organization believes accepting that race and racism may still be involved in school life is very important to educating all students and adults. This education relating to specific subjects can help resonate with students in a more personal way and motivate them to move and ask for change. The Dart staff believes that some STA teachers have done good work in incorporating these things into their lessons, such as social studies teacher Anne Papineau incorporating current events into her curriculum and English teacher Stephen Himes dealing with tough topics when discussing the novels and plays his classes read.

Diversity has a different meaning for everyone depending on their background and beliefs. Thus, we may never fulfill everyone’s ideas diversity, but it’s essential that we are trying the best we can to make a place where each person feels included and represented. STA has taken some crucial measures to improve diversity, but there is still much more work to be done.

12/16 staffers agree

Junior Lucy Wade “I think one of the most essential steps to working on our diversity is being able to hear from students themselves. Events such as the Plaid Table Talk are a step in the right direction, as they allow us to hear the perspectives of STA students who come from all different backgrounds.”

DESIGNED BY SYDNEY WALDRON

PERSPECTIVES

21

To the people who are bullies for fun: grow up People who think that making fun of innocent comforts others enjoy is a quirky personality trait should, and I say this with utmost respect, try some self-reflection.

Story by Grace Ashley | Multimedia Editor

I

love Twitter. Most days, I can spend about an hour scrolling through my timeline just to see what some of my friends have been saying or maybe something funny. It is a genuine highlight for me. However, there is a specific type of tweet that I tend to come across on a semiregular basis that always leaves me in need of some kind of mild anger management— maybe a breathing exercise or squeezing the stress ball I always have sitting at my desk.

Every single time I see one I contemplate deleting Twitter altogether. While the tweets come from different accounts, they always follow nearly the same unoriginal format: “I like to make fun of what other people enjoy because it’s fun for me.”

Every single time I see something like this, my head feels like it is going to explode. Why? What is the reason? What about making people feel bad about things that bring them comfort brings you joy?

Are they doing anything to you that is inherently harmful? Is what they enjoy problematic? Ask yourself those questions.

Ask them.

Listen, I get that people will have conflicting opinions. Maybe you don’t like a show that someone else does. Maybe you actually hate a show passionately because the acting is bad and the writing is atrocious. That is a justified opinion and is absolutely fine. What is not fine is belittling a person for enjoying something you don’t.

For example, we can look at how teenage girls are completely ripped to shreds if they like anything. You like action movies? That’s so stupid, tell me every single fact about action movies or you just watch them for attention. You wear makeup? Wow, you must hate yourself and need it to feel pretty.

That’s the only reason a teenage girl would wear it—there’s no way it can just be for casual enjoyment. I see comments like this every single day, and yet no one is really saying anything to combat this behavior.

In my opinion, hating on things people enjoy does not make you cool. It does not make you trendy or quirky; it makes you a bully. The world doesn’t revolve around what you think is stupid or lame, nor does anyone want to hear you tear down other people for enjoying harmless things that make them happy. No one asked for your thoughts. All that this does is spread hate and cruelty that’s just so unnecessary.

Of course, there are times when criticism is a necessity—especially as some people try to popularize problematic content like pedophilia, racism and sexual assault, among other things. These are instances where people should be taken down a notch (or 10) because the things they are promoting are harmful and spread hate.

Content like this will romanticize behavior that is or should be illegal, such as preying on children or sexualizing entire cultures, which is obviously inexcusable.

Through criticizing problematic content, people learn more about what they should and should not enable in the media. This kind of content needs to be taken out of everyday enjoyment because it promotes toxicity, and saying that to those who either consume or create the content could educate them on why the subject matter is not acceptable. This promotes positive change that could help people.

But bullying someone for reading some fluffy slow-burn fanfiction, watching a show they like or enjoying a series that you would consider lame is a completely different story. As long as what people

enjoy doesn’t perpetuate hate or prejudice, show some respect for what brings them comfort. Especially considering how you don’t know how much comfort that thing could bring them.

Why do you care if someone can’t stop talking about something? Why can’t they just be happy to talk about something they are passionate about? It takes so little effort to sit there and listen or maybe ask some questions about what they’re saying. There is no need to tell them to shut up. Why can’t they listen to that one song over and over again if it makes them feel at ease? It’s literally not your problem.

Learning to respect people and their interests is part of growing up and becoming emotionally mature. Those who bring down others for the sake of it need to stop making fun of people for attaching themselves to content that makes them happy or brings them solace. I think that these people need to take a look at themselves and understand that what they are doing is wrong and, quite frankly, embarrassing.

If you don’t enjoy something, that is absolutely fine. But I don’t see the point in attacking peoples’ interests just to tear them down, especially considering the things that they enjoy could be the only things that bring them comfort. Next time you look at someone and consider making fun of them for something harmless that they like, maybe try some self-reflection first. Learn some respect; it’s not hard. B

22 PERSPECTIVES

MARCH 11, 2021

Creativity is an essential industry It’s time that artists and creatives get the appreciation and support they deserve for the contributions they make to the world and to our daily lives.

Story by Rachel Robinson | Editor-in-Chief

A

rt is what makes life interesting. It’s what you listen to on your morning commute, what’s on your bookshelf and your wall and what fills your evenings with episode after episode after episode. It has evolved and taken on new forms over time, but throughout the course of human history, we have relied on creativity to fulfill us and connect with each other. When you put that into perspective, the way society treats creatives starts to look very strange.

The starving artist. The unemployed writer. The actor that chases auditions and waitresses instead of getting a “real” job.

They’re worn out stereotypes, but they reveal the difficulty of working in the arts.

It’s difficult for artists to support themselves without an alternative source of income, which means that it’s basically impossible to work creatively full-time. This is true for virtually all forms of freelance art and for many theater and dance companies too, but it would never happen in a STEM field. No one would ask a nurse or an engineer to work part time at Starbucks to pay their bills, and you may be saying to yourself, “Well, yeah, that’s because they’re important jobs.” But why is creativity less important? On a macro level, art and culture directly generates billions of dollars of revenue for cities every year and creates even more indirectly by attracting tourists.

The economy of cities like New York and Chicago would collapse without the arts.

Art can also improve mental health.

In a COVID-19 social study conducted in the UK, it was shown that people who spent 30 minutes or more engaging in arts activities — listening to music, reading

books or drawing — reported lower rates of depression and anxiety than those who did not. Creativity might not be essential to physical health, but the COVID-19 pandemic has also been a mental health crisis.

Last spring, about a month into the pandemic, I wrote a column about how reading books made me happy when I was isolated from my friends and family.

After 10 more months of living under social distancing guidelines, maintaining my mental health has become difficult, but books and music have gotten me through it. It’s easy to underestimate the power of having something to do, something to think about, something to remind you of what you love about being alive. When face-toface human connection isn’t a possibility, a good song or a paragraph that resonates has the power to do that like nothing else.

The National Endowment for the Arts is a federal agency that provides public funding to arts organizations and individuals. They give out thousands of grants every year to theater companies, visual artists and creative writers among others. During his term, President Trump tried repeatedly to eliminate the NEA entirely, which would have been catastrophic for local and national public arts programs. The arts have taken a big hit from the pandemic and although Trump never succeeded in doing away with the NEA, the arts are more underfunded than ever.

As part of the CARES Act, a $2 trillion relief bill that was passed last summer,

the NEA was given $75 million. This may seem like a lot, but considering the volume of organizations that need funding to survive, it’s not enough.

According to an NPR story, more than 3,100 organizations applied for relief, the total cost of which would have been $157 million. Compared to the total sum of the budget, that $82 million would have been nothing to the government, but life-changing to thousands of artists, performers and writers.

As much as I would like to be in charge of the national arts budget, I am not, but there are other small ways that I as a teenager can support the arts and you can too. Rolling Stone has a list of ways to help independent musicians right now, a few of which are buying virtual concert tickets and donating to charities like the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, which has been helping musicians with basic living expenses since 1993.

Also, if you see a piece of art you like on social media, find out who the artist is and see if they have an online shop!

In terms of long-term action that is also free, vote for structural change that would benefit the arts in local and national elections. And next time you find joy in a poem or a painting, take a moment to appreciate that feeling and remember that art is essential. B

23

DESIGNED BY SYDNEY WALDRON

I am starstruck by astrology I deeply believe in the power that the zodiac signs have, and how they have shaped my own personality. Astrology has become a daily part of my routine, and I feel incomplete without it.

Story by Becca Speier | Photo Editor

A

high pitched ringing sound goes off, and I groggily turn over reaching for my phone to turn off the alarm. As I begin to slightly open my eyes, I type in my password and scroll to the second page of apps on my phone. I click on the app that gives me my daily horoscope.

It has become a daily need to read my horoscope so I can find out what I should be expecting for the day. I find it calming to get a semi-hint at what the universe has aligned for me. Considering I am a person with higher anxiety and someone who loves to plan, this allows me to focus more on what I should be accomplishing for my day and how to go about it.

When I checked my horoscope on the night of the February 27 full moon, it said that I would feel overwhelmed later in the week and that I would need to stay on top of my assignments otherwise they would pile up. As the week progressed I forgot about this, and I did get busier, eventually feeling very overwhelmed. However, I felt a sense of comfort in knowing that the stars had fulfilled what was aligned for me in the week. Oftentimes I take it day-byday, letting the universe play out what was meant to be for me.

During this past year, reading my horoscope and learning more about my sign has become increasingly important due to the increased my profound free time COVID-19 has brought. Checking my horoscope gives me that sense of security that I can know a little bit about

my future. My sun sign is a Sagittarius, and I have found myself noticing more and more when I relate to it. I have grown into my Sagittarius attributes. Sagittarius individuals are known for their outgoing, honest personality, that strive for their own need for freedom — they are the definition of a fire sign.

As I have grown and matured, I have realized I need more freedom in life, and I don’t like being tied down; I need to have the freedom of being unable to explore and find my own path. I also have classified myself as more of an extrovert that enjoys being around people. These attributes are in direct correlation to being a Sagittarius which is such an essential part of me that fuels my personality and mindset.

Astrology is one of the best tools used to truly find yourself and what you value. I have discovered so much about why I react a certain way or how I perceive a situation and it’s all due to my astrological signs. As I think about college and the possibilities of where I want to attend, I know I want to travel far away and explore, which is a direct connection to my zodiac sign that is ruled by the optimistic Jupiter planet.

Many people doubt that the stars have an aligned plan for you, but I genuinely believe that this is true. I believe that the relation to a person’s birthday has a connection to the planets that can affect their actions.

Personally, when I was born and given the sign as a Sagittarius, I believe that I have grown into my attributes. The universe helps shape and form a person based on

underlying aspects of their zodiac. In my eyes this perfectly explains why some people are shy, others are outgoing, etc.

Diving into the world of horoscopes and astrology is also something that creates a connection between people. Almost every day as I walk through the hallways, I usually hear a student mention their horoscope. It is almost like a transition between people that allows them to feel more apart from each other. It is an opening line to their friendship that seems so miniscule, but can add so much more knowledge about the person than before.

The Sun tells society who you are supposed to be and creates a guiding path on the yang principle in our lives: the light and creativity. It fuels our passion in the world. Which is the exact reason I feel that it is so important for everyone to develop an attachment to their astrological sign. B

MARCH 11, 2021

24 SPORTS FEATURE

The Monarchs

The Kansas City T-Bones baseball team is renamed the Kansas City Monarchs to honor the team that played in the Negro Leagues after reaching an agreement with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

Story by Caroline Hinkebein | Sports Team & Photos by Carmon Baker |Web Editor

The sun sets over a T-Bone's baseball game in 2004. The T-Bones were established in Kansas City in 2003 and will change their name to "Monarchs" for the 2021 season. photo courtesy of Wikimedia

“

T

here are those who will say that the Kansas City Monarchs were the New York Yankees of the Negro Leagues, but there are others who will say that the New York Yankees were the Kansas City Monarchs of the major leagues—they were that good,” President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Bob Kendrick said.

The Kansas City Monarchs had the longest-lasting franchise in baseball’s Negro League’s history. The Monarchs have a rich history, kept in the world’s only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of African-American baseball, and its profound impact on the social advancements of America, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri.

“The story of the Negro Leagues could have only happened in America,” Kendrick said. “It is anchored in the ugliness of American segregation, a horrible chapter in this country’s history. But out of segregation rose this wonderful story of triumph and conquest. And it’s all based on one small, simple principle. If you won’t let me play with you in the major leagues, then I’ll just create a league of my own.”

The Monarchs were one of the original eight teams that established the Negro National League in 1920. They were owned

by James Leslie Wilkinson—affectionately known as Wilkie. Wilkie was the only white owner of the original eight Negro League franchises.

“Wilkinson would bring the Kansas City Monarchs into the fold, and the Monarchs would go on to become one of the greatest baseball franchises not in black baseball

history, but in baseball history,” Kendrick said.

“One losing season, in their almost 40year existence in the Negro Leagues, sent more players to the Major Leagues than any other Negor League franchise, they were an absolute model organization. And I say this with no disrespect to my beloved Kansas City Royals, the Kansas City Monarchs are still the greatest baseball franchise this city has ever seen.”

The Kansas City Monarchs hold such a powerful history in our community. It was due to this that when the owner of the former Kansas City T-Bones, Mark Brandmeyer, came to Kendrick with the idea of rebranding to the Monarchs, he was a bit hesitant.

“The monarchs is our, that’s our baby,” Kendrick said.

Kendrick’s perspective began to switch as he got to know and trust Brandmeyer and consider all the opportunities this partnership could provide the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

“It really started to shift because the realization that I came to was as a museum and particularly a history museum, and a cultural institution like ours, the challenge is how do you create relevancy?” Kendrick said. “Negro Leagues baseball hadn’t been played in over 60 years. And the opportunity to bring this brand back to light now creates relevancy. That’s what you want to have.”

Second Baseman Jackie Robinson smiles in his Kansas City Monarchs jersey in 1945. Robinson played for the Monarchs before becoming the first African-American to play in Major League Baseball. photo courtesy of Wikimedia

To Kendrick, the most important part of all of this is to make sure people have access to the story.

“Since we started this thing, that’s one of the reasons why we built traveling exhibitions, to take this story on the road,” Kendrick said. “We needed people to have access to the story. I don’t think there was ever a time that people didn’t want to know about the history of the Negro Leagues they just didn’t have any way to do so, it’s not in the pages of American history books. And so we needed to provide that access.”

Check out the entire story on DartNewsOnline

DESIGNED BY SOPHIA RALL

SPORTS UPDATES

25

What you missed in sports.....

National Sports News

photo courtesy of Wikimedia

photo courtesy of Wikimedia

March Madness According to NCAA.com, Selection Sunday for the March Madness tournament will occur on Mar. 14. The first round of the tournament starts on Mar. 19, with the championship game set for April 5. Most of the tournament’s games will be played in Indiana, primarily Indianapolis. Because most of the games are being played in the same location this year, there will be changes to the typical bracket. It will be filled using the “S-curve,” meaning teams will be placed based solely on ranking, while normally geography is a consideration as well.

Kansas City NWSL starts strong According to their official website, the Kansas City NWSL team won their first exhibition game against the Orlando Pride March 3. The final score was 1-0 and the game was played at Sylvan Lake Park fields.

Kansas City’s only goal was scored after 59 minutes of play. The team will play in the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup beginning April 9, and their first regular season game is May 15. Season ticket deposits are currently open for fans.

NFL hires Maia Chaka According to ESPN, the NFL has hired Mai Chaka as an official starting in the 2021 season. Chaka will be the first Black woman to be an on-field official in the league. She has been involved in the NFL’s officiating development program since 2014 and has finally received a promotion. As of March 5, the complete list of NFL officials for 2021 has not yet been published.

Athlete of the issue

Emma Hiss

photo courtesy of Wikimedia

Coming up MARCH

23

JV Track Meet

MARCH

25

Varsity Soccer game vs. Liberty High School

MARCH

27

Varsity Track Meet

Sophomore Emma Hiss started her sophomore year as a first time varsity athlete for the St. Teresa’s basketball team. “I couldn’t be more excited for this experience to represent St Teresa’s,” Hiss said. Being one of the younger ones on the team could be intimidating to some, but Hiss comes at the challenge with full force. “I’m not only getting the opportunity to meet new people, but I’m also learning from this experience.

Balancing academics and sports can be challenging, but by staying focused and putting in the work I can be prepared

and ready for every practice and game,” Hiss said.

MARCH 11, 2021

26 COMMUNITY

What’s the

scoop?

The Golden Scoop is an ice cream and coffee shop employing individuals with developmental disabilities.

Story by Sophia Rall | Features Editor Photos by Mara Callahan | Lifestyles Editor “

I

just think there’s something to be said for when you grow up or if you have a lot of exposure to somebody who’s different than you are,” The Golden Scoop vice president and Director of Marketing, Culinary and Creative Michelle Reeves said.

“I think you learn to be kinder. I think you learn to be more inclusive of people.”

Reeves has been an integral part of creating The Golden Scoop, an ice cream and coffee shop located in Leawood that is set to open this spring. The shop will hire individuals with developmental disabilities, called Super Scoopers. Since the store has not opened yet, it is currently raising funds for operating. Senior Marie Bruck held a fundraiser at STA and raised over $800. The funds will go toward paying Super Scoopers, equipment and day-to-day operations.

In order to be inclusive in every aspect of The Golden Scoop, Reeves works directly with the Super Scoopers to develop the ice cream flavors.

“Each month we have a Super Scooper of the month, and they get to work with

me and create an ice cream flavor based on the things that they love,” Reeves said. “And with that, they get to market it and they get to name it. They get to do social media posts and blog on our website about it. They get to promote it when people come into the store. And then the coolest thing that we’re doing that we’re excited about is that, “I just think there’s something to be said for when you grow up or if you have a lot of exposure to somebody who’s different than you are.”

Michelle Reeves

we’ll actually have like a discount code. And so, if their friends and family come in and they say like Charlie 10, then they get 10% off their purchase.”

Involving the Super Scoopers goes far beyond developing the ice cream, though.

The Golden Scoop also purchased a coffee machine and other equipment so the Super Scoopers could be involved in every aspect of the store.

“They’ll be working the coffee machines, they’ll be working the registers, they’ll be merchandising the store and of course they’ll be baking and cooking,” Reeves said.

“So we really love the idea that in a shift, in a four hour shift or however long their shift is, if they want to do six different jobs that day they can.”

Reeves hopes that The Golden Scoop offers opportunities to individuals with developmental disabilities, as well as change misconceptions about those individuals.

“I’m excited for the community to see how skilled our staff is,” Reeves said. “I

27

DESIGNED BY GRACE ASHLEY

From left, Super Scoopers Paige, Charlie, senior Marie Bruck, and Super Scooper Thomas pose inside the Golden Scoop Feb. 23. Each of the Super Scoopers attended Johnson County Community College and are excited to start working at the Golden Scoop.

think the misconception is that if you have developmental disabilities and whether that’s autism or Williams Syndrome or Down syndrome, you’re really not capable of doing a task. The unemployment rates are like 80% for individuals with developmental disabilities, which is heartbreaking. But what we have found is that when they do get jobs, you know, often it’s kind of you’re doing the same thing all day long, or it’s janitorial or sweatshop based work. What I don’t think people realize is how talented [they are], and they really bring a very valuable skill set to a work environment. We’re hoping that, first of all, everyone comes in and just falls in love with them (which they will), but we’re really hoping that other businesses see what we’re doing and decide to hire somebody with a developmental disability because

they know that they can do the job.”

Bruck has helped with fundraising events and plans to volunteer once the store opens.

“Since they haven’t opened, I have been going to their fundraisers,” Bruck said. “I went to one of their first fundraisers and helped out there. What they mainly need is someone to spread the word so I’ve been trying to spread the word about what it is and their mission. I actually just filled out my volunteer application a couple of days ago, since you can apply to volunteer now.”

Bruck has felt called to organizations helping individuals with developmental disabilities since volunteering at the Down Syndrome Guild her sophomore year.

“I started volunteering there, and I just fell in love with the community and the people there,” Bruck said. “I just wanted to

do anything I could to help. It became a part of who I am since I started volunteering with the disability community, and I want to do something with them when I’m older.”

Reeves was inspired to work with individuals with disabilities by her neighbor, Teresa. “[My family] lived next door to a girl with Down Syndrome when we lived in Houston for 12 years and, honestly, being around Teresa made my kids better kids,” Reeves said.

Super Scooper Paige is excited for the store to open because she enjoys serving snacks and coffee. “[I’m excited for] having a space where the Super Scoopers get to perform with their different talents,” Paige said. B

Senior Marie Bruck listens to Super Scooper Paige inside the Golden Scoop Feb. 23. Bruck held a fundraiser at STA raising money for The Golden Scoop and raised over $800.

28 LAST LOOK

MARCH 11, 2021

HERE’S THE

DESIGNED BY SYDNEY WALDRON

In My Room

29

Bedrooms are place where people wake up in the morning, fall asleep at night,and spend some of their freetime. Bedrooms are a place that tennagers can make their own. The Dart took a look at how teenagers decoracte their room.

78% Of students hang posters in their bedroom

Story and graphics by Sydney Waldron | Design Editor

What does your room mean to you?

Audrey Wood “My room is my safe space. It’s the place that really reflects who I am as a person and it’s what feels familiar.”

42%

of students hang records on their wall

Lauren Peters “My room is where I can express myself and get a break from stress. It’s a safe place for me to enjoy myself but also share with others.”

37%

Tess Jones “My room is my safe space for me and my friends.”

Of students have vines in their room

67% Of students have hanging lights in their room

*Out of 70 students

Check out “In My Room” Playlist on the DNO with songs submitted by you

30 PHOTO ESSAY

MARCH 11, 2021

Teachers’ Pets A look at teachers’ animals, from dogs to cats to rabbits.

Photos by Carmon Baker | Web Editor

Science teacher maddie Watts gives her dog Winston a belly rub in the Quad March 3. According to Watts, she wanted a French bulldog for a very long time before getting Winston, but had to be careful about where she adopted him because of concerns of health issues.

College counselor abigail Jelavich sits on a bench with her dog Hugo March 3. Jelavich also has another dog, Elphaba, who is an Australian Shepherd mix.

For More photos, check out dartnewsonline Attendance officer Allison Wilson’s dog Elvis jumps up to her “walk” command March 3. Wilson refers to Elvis as a “trickster dog.”

Science teacher MAtthew Lewis’ dog Chorizo plays dead as Lewis points a finger gun at him in the Quad March 3. Lewis and his wife rescued Chorizo from a shelter.

THE DART STAFF

31

2020-2021

ADVISOR Riley Cowing

COPY

WEB

OPINION EDITORS Josie Fox, Lily Sage

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Grace Ashley

DESIGN EDITOR Sydney Waldron

LIFESTYLES EDITOR Mara Callahan

BREAKING NEWS EDITOR Lucy Doerflinger

PAGE DESIGNERS Rebecca Speier, Sophia Rall, Lauren Brackney, Carmon Baker, Sydney Allen, Grace Ashley, Caroline Hinkebein, Josie Fox, Claire Smith, Rachel Robinson, Sydney Waldron

SPORTS EDITORS Katie Massman, Caroline Hinkebein

SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM Ali Madden, Lauren Brackney, Kyra Fieger

FEATURES EDITOR Sophia Rall

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Claire Smith, Rachel Robinson

PRINT

WEB EDITOR Carmon Baker

STAFF WRITERS Ellie Buttell

PHOTO EDITORS Syndey Allen, Rebecca Speier

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ON THE DNO Check out online exclusive stories, galleries and more at www.dartnewsonline.com

Pineapples and Friendship by Mara Callahan & Lucy Doerflinger

Oscars Predictions by Grace Ashley

“Caffeine and Chlorophyll:” Cafe Equinox provides the perfect environment by Carmon Baker

Protests Heard Around the World by Josie Fox

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