The Dart: Vol 74 Issue 5

the St. Teresa’s Academy Kansas City, Missouri

THE HEARTLAND'S HOMETOWN The Dart goes off the map and uncovers the lesser known sights of Kansas City.

Number of homeless teens rises ›› pg. 4 | Senior to continue dancing in college ›› pg. 27 | Senior ID controversy ›› pg. 28

CONTENTS

the Dart

vol. 74

issue 5

6 February 2015

27

srike a pose | Senior Sophia Hall practices a dance routine at Priscilla and Dana's Dance Studio Jan. 19. photo by SIOBHAN MILLER

18

good eats | Succotash prepares for a breakfast rush the morning of Jan. 17. Succotash is located at 2601 Holmes in Kansas City, Missouri. photo by ANNA HAFNER

news 5 // Kansas City sees rise in homeless teens

star spotlight

8 // Cornell cubed: triplets at STA

reviews

10 // Local cafe offers sandwiches and snow cones

features

12 // Online anonymity helps self-expression

cover story

18 // Kansas City: behind the scenes

2

12

media mania |Freshmen Vanessa Eichholz, from left, Anna O'Byrne and Sophia Brown huddle around their phones together during Activity period. The group of girls played Trivia Crack, scrolled through Instagram and read through texts from the past weekend. photo by KATHERINE MEDIAVILLA

a&e 23 // Karlin Kabaret returns after last year's success

perspectives 24 // Hillary Clinton has power to end prejudice

sports

27 // Senior Sophia Hall plans to dance in college

community

28 // Edited senior IDs receive media attention

last look

30 // STA students share their styles

From the

Editors

The majority of our student body has lived in the Kansas City area since birth.

Unfortunately, some of us have not ventured far from our central locale. In this issue, the Dart introduces readers to several undiscovered, underappreciated treasures of our city.

Our writers and photographers have dug deep to uncover new reader destinations, ranging from eateries to sightseeing spots. Discovering new places in your hometown gives you a greater appreciation for the area, not to mention new hangouts. As you thumb through coverage of these fresh locations, consider checking them out yourself!

As you explore the rest of the issue, refer to the news pages for an update on current events. One such event is the Paris shooting and its effect on freedom of speech rights, something very dear to

us here on the newspaper staff.

For something a little closer to home, yet equally publicized, check out the Dart’s take on the edited student IDs. The issue has blown up with outside media sources, but the Dart goes straight to the STA administration to get the facts. After reading the IDs story as well as staffer Jessie Culver’s opinion piece, take your own stance on the issue and consider sending us your thoughts. Readers are encouraged to post online comments as well as send in letters to the editors. We love to hear from you. As always, enjoy the issue!

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Editors-in-Chief Libby Hyde, CORRECTION: In the Dart Volume 74, Issue 4, the feature on junior Mary Claire ConSiobhan Miller, Emma Willibey nor by breaking local news editor Meredith Mulhern stated Carriage Club started a

high-school hockey team due to many teenagers dropping hockey to play for Shawnee Mission East High School. In fact, Carriage Club began its team due to many teenagers deciding to play hockey for Rockhurst High School. The Dart regrets the error.

Staff List

Adviser Brad Lewis

Copy

Print

Opinion Editor Torie Richardson Sports Editor Leigh Campbell Features Editor Mary Hilliard News Editor Anna Bauman

Projects Coordinator MaryMichael Hough Cultural Correspondent Emma Willibey Breaking Local News Editor Meredith Mulhern Graphics Illustrator Mackenzie O’Guin Page Designers Mary Hilliard, Gloria Cowdin, Anna Bauman, Bridget Jones, MaryMichael Hough, Maggie Knox, Maria Donnelly, Mackenzie O’Guin, Christina Elias, Torie Richardson, Amy O’Leary, Siobhan Miller Staff Writers Linden O’Brien-Williams, Alexandria Davis, Alexandra Frisch, Elsa Feigenbaum, Molly Bird, Helen Wheatley, Clare Kenney, Anna Hafner

Photography

Web Editor Hannah Bredar Print Editor Jessie Culver Journalism Projects Editor Arinna Hoffine Staff Photographers Lauren Zastrow, Meg Thompson, Maddy Medina, Katherine Mediavilla

Web

Copy Editors Audrey Carroll, Madi Winfield Social Media Manager Katherine Green

Dedication

This issue of the Dart is dedicated to Ms. Mary Anne Hoecker, STA’s previous principal of student affairs, who passed away on the morning of Dec. 30. This was after her prolonged battle with breast cancer which was the cause of her retirement from St. Teresa’s. The STA community remembers her and celebrates the many influences she had here.

She will be remembered for her vibrancy and love for all parts of STA life.

the Dart // dartnewsonline.com // 6 February 2015 page design by Gloria Cowdin, cover design by Mary Hilliard

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Editorial Policies

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 world-wide level, unless expressly approved by the administration of St. Teresa's Academy.

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 Catholic doctrine, student safety or illegal behavior.

DartNewsOnline and the Dart will not publish reviews of student work or performances. Personal columns reflect the opinions of the writer, not necessarily the staff or school.

Letters & Reader Interaction Policy

DartNewsOnline and the Dart encourage the community to post comments on the website. Letters to the editors can be sent in the following ways: in person to Brad Lewis in Donnelly room 204; by mail to St. Teresa’s Academy, Attn: Brad Lewis, 5600 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64113; by email to blewis@stteresasacademy.org or to dartpaper@gmail.com. DartNewsOnline and the Dart staff reserve the right to edit or shorten letters for publication.

Comment Policy

DartNewsOnline and the Dart encourage readers to comment on all posts. However, DartNewsOnline and the Dart reserve the right to monitor and edit all comments on DartNewsOnline. Comments that disagree with the editorial policy will not be published.

Photo Use Policy

Photo illustrations are conceptual photos that combine drawing and photography. All photos on the website are free for public use. If a reader is interested in high-quality copies of photos, please email DartNewsOnline at dartpaper@ gmail.com.

Corrections Policy

DartNewsOnline and the Dart will publish corrections as soon as possible after the error is discovered.

4

Bistro Kids requires lunch sign-up form The Bistro Kids lunch program underwent changes at the start of the semester.

here than what happened [there].”

Others believe that adding the order form has improved the lunch program as a whole.

by MADI WINFIELD “A couple months ago, there were mwinfield17@stastars.org Friday pizza rolls [at Bistro], and I STA's Bistro Kids lunch program has couldn’t get any,” senior Sabrina Saleh recently instituted changes in order to said. “I had to wait and wait with a serve enough food for students. whole bunch of other people, and then “Since I started here, knowing how as [Brake] put more out, everybody much food to prepare on a daily basis grabbed some, but I didn’t get any has just kind of been a guessing game,” because they were just completely out Bistro Kids chef Scott Brake said. “There of dough. I think [the Google Form] is were some issues at the beginning good because the quantity of food was of last semester where we had not not right. Now, it is, and I think that’s enough food or way helped out betoo much food.”

We want to make cause I can actually This issue has get a meal.” sure that we prebeen important According to pare enough food. to the Bistro staff Brake, he and — Scott Brake, since an incident in the entire Bistro Bistro Kids chef November, accordteam have made ing to Brake. adjustments to the “We ran out of program when necessary. chicken noodle soup when I made it "[We've had to change] some of in November, and I know there were a the access for students to be able to lot of students who were upset,” Brake sign up [for lunch]," Brake said. "At the said. “It upset me that people who were beginning, they could only just [submit excited to get a good bowl of soup the form] one time; now I believe they weren’t able to get it. We want to make can edit their forms as well. "We’re still sure that we prepare enough food.” monitoring it to make sure that things This semester, Bistro has begun usare still going well." ing a Google Form survey to gauge how Students and staff alike agree that many people will purchase hot lunch the best strategy to prevent similar on a certain day and, subsequently, ordering issues is communication. how much food to make.

"I think what would really benefit “The school approached me last NoBistro is if they got a student’s point of vember and asked if we had any ideas view and asked us what kind of food [about food management] and what would we like," Saleh said. "[It would we could do to know how much food to help] if they give us just a one-time make,” Brake said. “We started the form survey once a year and they said to the from scratch, so there might be some whole student body, ‘What kind of food kinks, but hopefully we’re getting these would you enjoy us making Farm to all worked out.”

Fresh every year?’”

Some students, though appreciaAbove all, Brake and the Bistro team tive of Bistro's efforts, do not like the strive to satisfy students' requests. changes.

"The students don’t really tell me a “My grade school tried to do that orlot of feedback," Brake said. "So if there dering before thing [for hot lunch], and was a way that students wanted to give it didn’t work at all, honestly,” freshman Bistro a bit of feedback, that would Olivia Matlock said. “We tried to order always be welcomed."H for the whole month. Nobody did it and it didn’t work. I don’t think it’s any better

“

“

news

Paris shootings spark global debates on free speech

Killings in Paris, France, led to international disputes on the limits of free speech.

by ALEXANDRIA DAVIS adavis17@stastars.org

The Charlie Hebdo magazine shootings Jan. 7 in Paris, France marked a day of mourning and remembrance for many. Two Islamic extremists shot and killed members of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, as well as two officers and several others. Charlie Hebdo is known for its provocative satire on political and worldwide issues. One instance includes the magazine’s multiple depictions of the Muslim prophet Muhammad, who in the Islamic religion is not supposed to be shown in drawings or images. Islamic extremists, who are confirmed to have ties with al Qaeda and ISIS in an article by CNN, retaliated against Charlie Hebdo by killing those who created the material.

These shootings created a chain reaction of events. More killings, marches, rallies and international news coverage are just some of the products of the incident. Along with all of these occurrences, debates have begun about the

the NEWS FEED

by LINDEN O'BRIEN-WILLIAMS lobrienwilliams17@stastars.org

limitations of free speech. Freedom of speech allows for individuals to freely express their opinions and personal views, a right that some believe is key to most journalistic content, including Charlie Hebdo’s content.

“Why is freedom to publish, freedom to speak, absolute?” CBS news reporter Scott Pelley asks in an article about the Paris attacks. “Because there is no democracy without journalism. Silence is the end of freedom.”

But, how far is too far? Some debaters say that Charlie Hebdo went too far and that its offensive material was the reason why the shootings happened in the first place. Others say that the workers of Charlie Hebdo have a right to publish whatever they want and are well aware of possible outcomes. In 2006 and 2007, Charlie Hebdo was sued by several Muslim groups. However, they were cleared from charges and was allowed to continue publishing.

Pope Francis made a statement on the matter.

“To kill in the name of God is an aberration," Francis said.

However, he said that it also isn’t

right to deliberately provoke individuals by belittling their religion and that free speech has its limits. H

protesting paris | Sacramento Muslim's from throughout the region, including Javaid Iqbal, center, hold a peace rally for the victims of the Paris terrorist attacks Jan. 9 in Sacramento, California. photo courtesy of MCT CAMPUS

Each issue, the Dart highlights groundbreaking events in the world, US, Missouri and KC.

in the world

in the u.s.

in kansas

in kansas city

Jan. 27 marked the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Holocaust survivors from the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland, which witnessed the killing of around one million Jews. Many leaders from around the world flocked to the site for the ceremony. Joining them were around 300 survivors from the concentration camp.

Guantanamo Bay detainee Mohamedou Slahi is releasing a book detailing his torture in the U.S. Guantanamo Bay prison.

His account depicts abuse, long days in isolation and food deprivation. His lawyers took nearly 7 years to get the book published and are hoping Slahi’s accounts will persuade authorities to release him.

This week, the Kansas Coalition Against the Death Penalty announced their plan to call for Kansas to repeal the Death Penalty.

Governor Sam Brownback, however, is pro-life but supports the death penalty in certain situations, which presents an obstacle for the anti-death penalty activists.

The Kansas City Royals secured a 30-second local time slot for a commercial during the Super Bowl Feb. 1. The commercial featured projections of the players on Kansas City landmarks such as the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and Union Station. The ad revealed the 2015 season slogan, “Forever Royal."

the Dart // dartnewsonline.com // 6 February 2015 page design by Anna Bauman

5

news

Rise in homeless adolesencents increases demand for help

by EMMA WILLIBEY ewillibey15@stastars.org

Last summer, senior Jessica Favrow volunteered at an open house for Sheffield Place, an agency providing residential services to homeless women and their children. A staff member had asked Favrow and a resident to prepare a salad using vegetables from the garden. As Favrow and the resident cut vegetables, they started laughing.

Neither girl could recognize the vegetables, much less know the methods for preparing them.

“We were, like, lost together with what we were doing,” Favrow said.

According to Favrow, the woman revealed no signs of “a rough life.”

She was a Sheffield Place resident and Favrow was a volunteer, but both responded to the situation identically.

Through Sheffield Place, Favrow said she realized the unpredictability of homelessness.

“Stuff happens,” Favrow said. “[But], if you’re willing to accept the helping hand, then you can find [help].”

According to a report published by the National Center on Family Homelessness last November, nationwide youth homelessness has peaked in recent years, with one in 30 children homeless. In addition, data from the University of Missouri Institute of Public Policy shows increases in Jackson County’s homeless youth population.

For the 2008 to 2009 school year, about 2,000 homeless teens attended public school in Jackson County; for the 2012 to 2013 school year, this number nearly doubled.

“Some of [the rise is] tied to the

economy,” Lynn Durbin, director of Steppingstone, a transitional living program for homeless adolescents, said. “[The late-2000s ‘Great Recession’] put more stress on families and communities.”

Similar trends have occurred outside the urban core. According to the University of Missouri’s data, the number of homeless youth in Johnson County also doubled from 576 in 2008 to 2009 to 1,240 in 2012 to 2013. Ac-

“

6

No kid wants to be . . . the kid at school that has the social worker come into their parentteacher conferences.

— Lynn Durbin, director of Steppingstone

“

After years in makeshift homes, youths build their futures using social services.

cording to Leigh Anne Neal, associate superintendent for communications for the Shawnee Mission School District, 349 of the district’s estimated 27,509 students “lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence,” which the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act defines as “homeless.”

72 of these 349 students are “unaccompanied youth” who not only lack a fixed residence, but also are not in a parent or guardian’s custody. In the Shawnee Mission School District, this involves circumstances such as deportation or incarceration affecting one or both parents.

In such cases, a youth may enter foster care, which transfers individuals from unsafe homes into licensed homes or facilities. Between 2012 and 2013, the number of homeless youths in Jackson County aging out of foster care rose from 36 to 70, as the University of Missouri’s data shows. Missouri’s foster-care children “age out” at 21 years old, and more youths leaving state custody has fueled more reliance on Steppingstone, Durbin said. “[The rise in youths aging out of foster care] gives us more referrals [from the state] and more demand for services as [youths are] trying to move into independent living,” Durbin said.

While half of Steppingstone’s residents arrive by state referral, the other half are runaways, Durbin said.

An intake helps these individuals obtain the essential documents, like birth certificates and social security cards, to enter Steppingstone. However, costliness limits Steppingstone’s acceptance of private referrals.

“There is a waiting list,” Durbin said.

“We have the capacity to make as many state-custody kids as we can because the state gives us money [to provide services for these kids]. Private referrals you have to pay for on your own.”

Once admitted to Steppingstone, whose housing includes two oncampus buildings in Raytown and two nearby apartments, youths define their educational or career-oriented goals.

From attending community college to learning a certain trade, these goals dictate the adolescents’ lifestyles, Durbin said.

“They send out a lot of applications, as many as 15 in a week,” Durbin said.

“We expect them to get a job within the first few weeks they’re out of Stepping

stone."

According to Durbin, the adolescents’ individualized priorities lead to individualized schedules, with some youths working during afternoon shifts, others performing overnight shifts and others attending high school. Between these periods, each adolescent learns independent-living skills from a case manager or another staffer.

“Maybe over dinner the staff person will tell [the adolescent] what is going to be prepared for dinner; they may teach [the adolescent] a particular recipe,” Durbin said. “Or, [the staff person] may sit down with [the adolescent] and help them fill out some job applications [or] set up a checking account.”

According to Durbin, such activities are necessary to those shuffled between foster homes for years. “[Homeless adolescents] don’t want adults telling them what to do,” Durbin said. “So what we do is we allow them, empower them to make their own decisions. In many cases, they haven’t had the opportunity to make their own decisions.”

In the Shawnee Mission School District, the resolution to challenge homeless students also prevails. According to Neal, the district waives school fees for these youths, also offering night classes, online classes and summer classes to encourage graduation. In addition, the district assists college-bound

students with the Free Application for Student Financial Aid (FAFSA).

Above all, these services allow homeless youths to feel secure in their futures, Durbin said.

“No kid wants to be in the custody of the state,” Durbin said. “They don’t want to be the kid at school that has the social worker come into their parentteacher conferences. They want some normalcy and some stability.”

However, those who have endured trauma cannot enjoy independence without accepting the responsibilities, Favrow said.

“Sheffield Place only has so much space,” Favrow said. “You have to be willing to accept [the guidelines].” H

numbers

610,042 33%

Statistics about homelessness in the United States.

nied American youths were homeless on a given night in 2013.

by the

by EMMA WILLIBEY ewillibey15@stastars.org

Americans were homeless on a given night in January 2013.

were under 24 years old. In addition,

46,924 87%

unaccompaof these

youths were between 18 and 24 years old. source: 2013 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress

Steppingstone, a program for homeless, follows a transitioning regiment.

"The Weekly What" is a current events blog by junior Audrey Carroll that "narrows news items into simple, understandable segments with slightly editorial comments."

source: everychildshope.org graphic by EMMA WILLIBEY

the Dart // dartnewsonline.com // 6 February 2015 page design by Bridget Jones

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star spotlight / bits & pieces

What’s it like to be a triplet ?

"I feel like being a triplet isn’t different than any other," Mary said. "I’m just glad they’re here with me."

At what times have you been most glad to be a triplet?

"When going to new place when you don’t know anyone," Lily said.

"It's nice to always know someone at every new place," Charlie said. "As kids we were never bored."

Did you guys ever do sports together?

"When we were younger we went back and forth between soccer, basketball, track and gymnastics," Charlie said. "We don’t play any sports anymore, but it was always really fun because we’d all be on the same team."

What’s one of the best parts of having a fellow triplet at school with you?

"If you forget a textbook, you always have another that you can borrow," Charlie said.

"Charlie is the only one who forgets textbooks," Mary said. "I don't think being a triplet at STA is different from being a triplet at any other school."

What’s it like to have a foreign exchange student, Nozomi Takemura?

"It’s busy, but we pair up for chores," Lily said. "It’s like having another sister. It’s really fun."

"Having an exchange is absolutely great," Charlie said. "Instead of usually doing chores on our own, we split them up into pairs, which is nice." "[Takemura] is like another sister to all of us, so it's like we are quads instead of triplets," Mary said.

Did you all choose STA from the start?

"Before shadowing, Mary and I thought we wanted to go to STA, but Lily wanted to go to [Notre Dame de Sion High School]," Charlie said. "After we all shadowed, though, we all decided together that we wanted to go to STA."

Do people confuse your names often?

“Definitely, all the time," Lily said. "It’s awkward to explain− not really for me, but it’s awkward for them."

“I feel bad for [those people]," Charlie said.

“One time at camp, [counselors] had Charlie’s name instead of mine,” Mary said.

“When I took a summer class, [the teacher] had Charlie’s name twice," Lily said.

THE CORNELL

Sophomores Lily, Mary and Charlie Cornell discuss what it's like to be triplets.

by ALEXANDRA FRISCH, photo by MADDY MEDINA afrisch15@stastars.org, mmedina16@stastars.org

8

TRIPLETS

Instagrams OF THE ISSUE Each issue, the Dart highlights students’ Instagrams.

This month’s theme: hometown.

by LAUREN ZASTROW lzastrow15@stastars.org

PHOTO OF THE ISSUE that's our senior |Senior Anne Marie Fiorella celebrates with classmates after the STA basketball team defeated rival Notre Dame de Sion Feb 26. Fiorella was honored at the game for senior night. photo by SIOBHAN MILLER

My life sucks // My life rocks Here, a student shares a moment that really made her cringe.

Here, a student shares an especially exciting experience.

by ANNA HAFNER ahafner16@stastars.org

by ANNA HAFNER ahafner16@stastars.org

My life sucks

My life rocks

“I asked for a car for Christmas, and my parents gave me a Hot Wheels in my stocking. They said, ‘You asked for a car for Christmas.’ I got lots of other little car gifts like little books and bumper stickers all leading up to the Hot Wheels. It was a pretty big disappointment.”

-Maggie O’Neill, junior

“I competed in the Public Speaking event at FBLA districts Jan. 31 and won first place as a freshman. I am excited that I get to move on to the State competition and leadership conference in Springfield this April.”

-Sarah Schaefer, freshman

That’s what

she said

Each issue, the Dart shares entertaining student tweets.

by KATHERINE MEDIAVILLA kmediavilla16@stastars.org

Freshman Emilie Blanck @emilblanck If Jeff Zimmerman could fix personalities like he fixes netbooks the world would be a better place Sophomore Paige Powell @paigeepowelll Jimmy Johns denied my employment application. I have lost all hope for the future

Photo by junior Eleanor Lueke @eleanorlueke

Photo by freshman Monica Looney @looneytoons_99

Photo by junior Gabby Keller @gabbykella

Next theme:

school spirit

#dartnewsonline

Sophomore Samantha Panis @Samanthapanis Throat about as raw as that sion meat

the Dart // dartnewsonline.com // 6 February 2015 page design by MaryMichael Hough

9

reviews

Try Little Freshie for a fresh switch HHHH

Westside café offers quirky, healthy alternatives.

by LINDEN O'BRIEN-WILLIAMS lobrienwilliams17@stastars.org

Having heard about Little Freshie from a friend, I wasn’t sure what to expect as I walked up to the rusticlooking location on the Westside. Even toward closing time on a Wednesday night, there was still a flow of happy customers. As soon as I opened the door, I was greeted with a welcoming smile and directed to take a look at the blackboard menu.

Little Freshie is a soda/coffee shop combination. Before Little Freshie secured its vintage-looking storefront on 17th Street, it started with Fresher than Fresh, a snow cone truck stationed on the Westside. It has been at the present location since May 2012. With the addition of a kitchen, Little Freshie was able to start serving sandwiches, snacks and coffee in addition to its signature snow cones.

I wanted to make sure I ordered a snow cone, since that’s where it all started, so I read over the chalkboard to get an idea of which to order. For snow cones and sodas, there is a selection of unique flavors (lemon prickly pear, blackberry lavender) to choose from. In addition to having refreshingly different flavors, Little Freshie uses natural ingredients. The taste was much more flavorful than any artificially-flavored snow

a little more about

by ALEXANDRIA DAVIS adavis17@stastars.org

10

cone I’ve had before, and it made for a great light snack.

Still in need of an after-school snack, I decided to take a look at the sandwich menu. Little Freshie serves a variety of sandwiches, made fresh each morning.

Though there is quite a selection, it’s first come, first serve: when the staff runs out of ingredients chillin' out | Little Freshie started with snow cones and is now for a certain sandwich, you’ll have to known for their unique soda and snow cone flavors. photo by LINDEN O'BRIEN-WILLIAMS wait until the next or tea - I much prefer a cold, fruity drink day for another - I did try the “Honeybee” macaroon from fresh batch. The roast beef sandwich I Au Bon Macaron. Again, the macaroon ordered was filling but light. With roast was light and healthy-tasting, some sort beef, sharp white cheddar and greens of nut combination. The Honeybee was all served on a Farm to Market pretzel a nice way to top off my Little Freshie bun, I felt healthy while eating and I was snack. able to support another local business.

With costs comparable to the RoastAs a small, local business, Little Freshie has many unique traits and sup- erie or other local cafés, Little Freshie is able to attract other Westside shop ports other small businesses. On a reworkers, after-work customers, families furbished but gritty-looking shelf, there and couples. The friendly and quick are many products from other small service is sure to attract many. The open, businesses, including coffee grounds and saltwater, all for sale. The shelf itself vintage-looking vibe only adds to the atmosphere, ensuring a great experience adds to the charming vibe in the café. every time. Next time you find yourself In addition to the sodas, snow cones craving a quick, healthy snack, give this and sandwiches, Little Freshie offers place a try for a change of scenery. H coffee, tea and cute baked goods each day as well. While I didn’t go for coffee

when:

8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tuesday through Saturday where: 811 West 17th Street Kansas City, Missouri 64108

Filling Station rivals other coffee shops HHH

The Filling Station is satisfactory but not a worthy adversary for other cafés.

by AUDREY CARROLL acarroll16@stastars.org

Tomato Basil Salad $8 For a coffee house, this place had amazing salads. The price almost kept me away from ordering it, but as soon as I took my first bite, I knew it was worth it. The dish is made with fresh tomato, basil and spinach and is topped with balsamic dressing and mozzarella cheese. The fresh greens were refreshing to the palate, and the mozzarella was added in the perfect

amount to compensate for all the “healthy stuff.” It was very delicious. I would recommend this item and I look forward to trying the Filling Station’s other salads.

Mocha Coffee $5 The Filling Station uses coffee from Oddly Correct, which I had never tried before. The mocha I ordered was chocolatey and delicious, but I have to say I still like The Roasterie’s coffee better. If you like strong, rich coffee like me, then you may not like the Mocha Coffee from the Filling Station, which is lighter.

Chocolate Croissant $4.50 As a regular chocolate-croissant

eater, I thought the price of this item was pretty reasonable. The Filling Station has freshly-baked baked goods, and the croissant was fairly good. The ratio of chocolate to croissant was perfect; however, I found the pastry to be almost too flaky and dry. I wouldn’t say that the croissant was absolutely the most delicious part of my meal; it was just an average item.

Overall, The Filling Station was satisfactory. This is a top-notch coffee shack, but not as good as some other local KC places. The old gas-station aesthetic is interesting, and the overall atmosphere is warm and inviting. I would recommend going here, but don’t expect to love it as much as Broadway Café or The Roasterie.

The Flaming Lips poorly modernize classic album HH

Beatles cover album is a poor tribute to iconic band.

by HELEN WHEATLEY hwheatley17@stastars.org

As the era of rock and roll quickly approached in the '50s and '60s, young people began to think of these new sounds as “music for us, not our parents.” The most influential band of the time was The Beatles, pushing boundaries as they spread the gospel of love and electric guitar around the world.

The most pivotal album of their career is typically regarded as "Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band."

Released in 1967, it is considered the best album of all time by Rolling Stone.

Although many artists have covered The Beatles, none have done it quite like American psychedelic rock band The Flaming Lips in their 2014 release of "With a Little Help from My Fwends."

The Flaming Lips’ album, a track by

track cover of "Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band," features artists such as Miley Cyrus, Tegan and Sara and Phantogram. From start to finish, "With a Little Help from My Fwends" is mediocre at best. We can assume the album was supposed to sound extra psychedelic, but the sounds are so overly-electronic that it becomes hard to discern one layer of sound from the next. With drastic tempo changes and a lack of substantial instruments, "With a Little Help from My Fwends" leaves the listener in a sort of electronic stupor.

The lyrics on the second track, “With a Little Help from My Friends," which state, “I’ll try not to sing out of key,” are ironic because of the excessive amount of autotune used throughout the verse.

At times, like during “Getting Better”, one wonders if what you’re hearing is actually singing. The deep, electronic buzz is a far cry from the background vocals of the crooning Beatles on the original track. Many songs, like “When

I’m Sixty Four," are nearly unrecognizable as originally Beatles songs.

A cover is supposed to be a different variation of an original song, but the covers on "With a Little Help from My Fwends" are more noise than music.

Although many Beatles purists will be offended by this album, there are a few notable highlights. Miley Cyrus’ chilly vocals on “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and the synth on “Within You Without You," a nice tribute to an originally psychedelic song, make up for some lost ground on other tracks.

“A Day in the Life," with Cyrus as well, is a nice finish to the album, balancing modern day sounds while staying true to the classic song. Had the entire album been done in the style of this last track, perhaps "With a Little Help from My Fwends" could have been saved.

Instead, the rock and roll excitement felt around the world in the sixties was lost in this overdone tribute to the legendary Beatles. H

the Dart // dartnewsonline.com // 6 February 2015 page design by Mackenzie O'Guin

11

features

Sharing with Strangers Teens use online anonymity to feel private in public.

by GLORIA COWDIN gcowdin15@stastars.org

twitter talk | Sophomore Sarah Cozad holds up her phone displaying her Twitter feed. Cozad was recently a target of a fake twitter account which has changed her views on social media. photo by KAT MEDIAVILLA

12

Twitter vs.

Tumblr

compiled by LINDEN O'BRIEN-WILLIAMS lobrienwilliams17@stastars. org

D

ark and brooding, cheery and positive, opinionated, mellow, male, female, young or old. Online, people can assume any role. Many teens express themselves through a multitude of social media platforms such as Twitter and Tumblr.

Senior Abbey Curran is a frequent Tumblr user with nearly 1,000 followers who are almost all strangers. It is not unusual for Curran to contact a new blogger whose posts she finds interesting. After discovering a new blog early last year, Curran noticed that the blogger’s profile picture seemed familiar, so she messaged the girl and told her so. They exchanged messages and that was that. Until they ran into each other at school.

“All of a sudden I came to the realization when I was walking in the hall and saw [senior Cecelia Zanone’s] face. I was like, ‘Oh my god, it’s you!’” Curran said. “It was so weird.”

This scenario was possi-

67% Tumblr

30% Twitter

ble because of the anonymwith “tweets” or “retweets” of ity Tumblr provides. People 140 characters or less that who might never interact may contain writing, photos offline make connections on- or videos. Similarly, Tumblr is line because of the pseudoa blogging platform for perprivacy of social media. The sonal or business use, where flipside of Tumblr, where users can post or repost any Curran says there is “more length of texts, videos, audio freedom” to express oneself, recordings or photo albums. is Twitter, where many users The most significant difcreate ferences probetween Don't believe files to Twitter display and Tumeverything you see how blr are on the Internet. they the roles — Sarah Cozad, want of followsophomore to be ers and seen by the social peers. stigmas Today, 95 percent of surrounding the content of teens use the internet and posts. On the Twitter app, 92 percent post their real users can see the number of name on whichever profile followers another user has. they use most often, acThis feature is not available cording to data collected on Tumblr, making it difficult

by Evan Wexler for PBS for blog users to rank the FRONTLINE. Additionally, popularity of other blogs.

81 percent of online teens It is commonplace on use some kind of social Tumblr for users to share media according to the Pew opinions or post personal Research Center. text posts, which are then Twitter is a news feed of reblogged or “liked” by any sorts, constantly updated number of anonymous Tum-

“

“

The Dart found what social media platforms STA students feel most comfortable sharing their opinions on.

3% Both

blr users.

According to sophomore Haille Fritz, who has both Twitter and Tumblr accounts, it is the anonymity of Tumblr that instills confidence in its users.

“Tumblr is way more personal [than Twitter],” Fritz said. “[I post] things I likepictures and everything-and I will voice my opinion if I’m against something.”

Curran also cited times she has defended posts that received negative comments or replied in a “sassy” way to negative posts. Curran agreed that the anonymity of Tumblr is the reason behind this outspokenness.

“I guess the people I do know that follow me I don’t know that well,” Curran said. “It’s basically over 900 people I don’t know. I won’t see people [who follow me] at school the next day.”

Conversely, Twitter users expect other Twitter users to primarily post funny quips about their day or quick opinions on current news, according to Curran.

the Dart // dartnewsonline.com // 6 February 2015 page design by Maggie Knox

13

features “I think you need to be funny or dramatically entertaining [on Twitter],” Curran said. “[A Twitter post] needs to have a funnier meaning. The people I follow have posts that are all funny, so it makes me want to post funny things.”

According to Fritz, opinionated posts tend to receive backlash.

“I will almost never post my opinion on Twitter in case I start a fight,” Fritz said.

Although it is common for individuals to identify themselves on Twitter, there are also many anonymous accounts. These accounts are usually large-scale and pertain to a certain topic or celebrity. Because most individuals can be searched by name on Twitter, a feature unavailable on Tumblr, anonymous accounts can easily target a community or person.

Sophomore Sarah Cozad experienced the negative end of online anonymity over Christmas break. An anonymous user created an account, “@ sarahzaddyfat”, as a parody of Cozad’s Twitter account, “@sarahzaddy." The account followed many of Cozad’s followers and posted mean-spirited Tweets about Cozad and her friends.

“At first, the account really had a toll on me personally,” Cozad said.

However, people across Twitter immediately rallied behind Cozad and reported the account to Twitter, according to Cozad.

“I got texts from so many people I don’t even know and people were Tweeting about it and replying to the [the account] and

14

reporting it,” Cozad said. “People I had never even talked to or ever met.”

Although Curran’s and Cozad’s experiences were highly different, both relied on the power of online anonymity. According to Cozad, it is important to remember that an entire

photo illustration by KAT MEDIAVILLA kmediavilla16@stastars.org

world exists beyond the anonymity found online.

“Don’t believe everything you see on the Internet, like stuff that people say about you,” Cozad said. “It’s one against so many other people that what [anonymous users] say doesn’t really matter that much”. H

2.

1.

Who let the

DOGS out?

3.

1. going for the lay-up| Sophomore Tess Rellihan splits two Notre Dame de Sion as she drives to the basket. STA defeated Sion 57-43 on Jan. 26.

2. bonds of sisterhood| Varsity basketball players link arms to prepare for the rival game against Sion on Jan. 26.

3. shout it out| The STA student section competes against the Sion student section during the rivalry game Jan. 26. Hundreds of STA and Sion students cheered during the annual Senior Night rivalry game. photos by SIOBHAN MILLER and JESSIE CULVER

the Dart // dartnewsonline.com // 6 February 2015 pages designed by Maggie Knox and Maria Donnelly

15

features 3.

1.

2.

story by HELEN WHEATLEY and ELSA FEIGENBAUM hwheatley17@stastars.org and efeigenbaum17@ stastars.org

The STA rivalry basketball game against Sion took place Jan. 26 with each team decked out in costume.

The air surrounding her is hot as she screams at the top of her lungs, squeezed tightly between her STA sisters. Her face feels cool beneath the thick black and white face paint, resembling the spots of a Dalmatian.

The crowd is ecstatic. They cheer as the STA varsity basketball team fights for victory over their rivals.

The long standing relationship

16

between STA and Notre Dame de Sion High School has become a source of competition between the two all-girls schools. Strongly apparent through the schools’ motivation for excellence in sports and academics, this rivalry encouraged spirit and healthy competition at the annual basketball game Jan. 26. According to Sion sophomore Elsa Brundige, there have been very few times where she’s “seen people take the [rivalry] too far.”

Like many previous years, the schools came ready for competition, dressed in elaborate themes. STA

sported their 101 Dalmatian attire, complete with socks and pigtails for ears. Spirit Club president Elaine Kerr dressed as the movie’s villain, Cruella de Vil. Sion rivaled STA with a "daycare" theme, clad in onesies and binkies.

“Sion likes to make fun of STA because of how much free time you guys have… kind of calling you guys a daycare,” Brundige said. “I think we both like to have themes that make fun of each other.”

STA co-moderator of Spirit Club Anne Papineau says the idea for STA’s theme was simple.

4.

5.

6.

photos by JESSIE CULVER and SIOBHAN MILLER jculver15@stastars.org and smiller15@ stastars.org

“We wanted the whole school to feel like they could participate because we knew this was going to be such a big event… We wanted to make sure it was super easy for people to join in on the theme,” Papineau said.

The game ended with a victory for STA, adding basketball to the list of all but three sports that have defeated Sion in the past year, according to athletic director Mark Hough. Although the rivalry lives on, both schools maintain friendships. H

1. jumping and screaming| Juniors Maddy Russell, left, and Rachel Skeens celebrate after the STA win. STA students rush the court after the basketball team preforms a dance for the two seniors participating in basketball.

2. hands in the air|Seniors Carson Beineman, left, and AnnaMarie Fiorella sits in front of the team bleachers before a surprise given by members of the basketball team. The players performed an original dance to celebrate the senior's commitment to the team.

3. first let me take a selfie|The student section gets in junior Maya Charles' selfie at the Sion versus STA game.

4. jumping for joy| Junior Rachel Allard jumps during her introduction at the Sion vs STA game Jan. 26.

5. #1 fan| Senior Sam Smith supports her fellow senior, AnnaMarie Fiorella, on senior night, Jan. 26. Fiorella is the only senior on the STA basketball team.

6. floppy ears| Senior Maggie Hutchison lies on the ground as she watches the basketball game. photos by SIOBHAN MILLER and JESSIE CULVER

the Dart // dartnewsonline.com // 6 February 2015 page design by Maria Donnelly

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cover story

City Hall Observation Deck

414 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Mo. The Kansas City, Missouri City Hall stands as the third tallest building in the city and one of the tallest city halls in the country. At 30 stories, the building required 22 months of construction and is “most notable for its art deco details and ornamentation,” according to the Missouri Division of Tourism.

From the lobby, take the elevator to the 28th floor and take a flight of stairs from there to the roof. The open observation area goes around the entire parameter of the roof.

According to Kansas City Attractions, the only aerial view of Kansas City better than this is one is from an airplane. This 360 degree view allows you to observe all of downtown Kansas City and its surrounding areas at a glance.

home grown | The Westside Local iconic red and green building rests during the cool morning of Jan. 17. The Westside Local focuses on “Farm-to-Table ideology.” photo by ANNA HAFNER

The Westside Local

1663 Summit Street, Kansas City, Mo. Located on the west side of Kansas City, this small cafe supports many local farms and businesses in order “to bring [customers] the freshest ingredients and dining experience possible, farm-to-table” according to their website. Popular dishes include the special Grilled Cheese with tomato soup and Fall Quinoa. “[Westside Local] has such a cool atmosphere and it doesn’t seem like a typical [Kansas City] place,” junior Mary Campbell said.

According to employee Manya Honig, the kale salad is the most popular item on the menu.

“It represents everything [Westside Local] is about,” Honig said. “It represents going green and a

18

midwestern flair.”

Honig, who has been an employee for three years, believes the restaurant is very accessible.

“We’ve got anything from locally raised beef burgers to a hearty mac-and-cheese or many vegan options,” Honig said.

According to Honig, Westside Local is a great place for anyone.

“I really feel like any age range would feel comfortable here and any dietary choice would also feel comfortable here,” Honig said. “The atmosphere really balances between being elegant and classy and being really kind of comfortable and homey and down to earth.”

M AP

off the

The Dart explores and showcases Kansas City's hidden locations. story by MARYMICHAEL HOUGH mhough16@stastars.org

Kaw Point

50

40

HIDDEN GEMS

30

The Dart surveyed the student body to determine20 how well-known the following locations are.

Of the 83 girls surveyed, almost half had been to none of the locations profiled.

10

compiled by GLORIA COWDIN gcowdin15@stastars.org

0

the westside local 13% 8% kaw point riverfront heritage trail 16% 8% city hall observation deck succotash 20% the local pig 12% jaegers subsurface 24% paintball 7% maze craze none 49%

H

1 River City Drive, Kansas City, Kan. Lewis and Clark’s expedition arrived at Kaw Point on June 26, 1804. Now, Kaw Point contains a view of the downtown skyline and direct access to the meeting place of the Kansas River and Missouri River.

According to the Kaw Point website, “The Point itself remains in a natural state with beautiful wooded trails, wildflowers and wildlife."

The park contains an amphitheatre for special events and the Lewis and Clark Heritage Trail. The park also offers an education pavilion where you can learn more about Lewis and Clark, their expedition and their time at Kaw Point.

the Dart // dartnewsonline.com // 6 February 2015 page design by Christina Elias

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cover story

Maze Craze

8610 N. Dixson Avenue, Kansas City, Mo. The Maze Craze, located in the Zona Rosa shopping district, offers customers a 1,200 square foot Mirror Maze which contains 74 mirrors and takes 5 to 10 minutes to go through.The 200 square foot Laser Maze takes about two minutes per turn and participants are invited to compete for the fastest times of the week.

According to employee Kelsey Langworth, these names and times are put on display. Seven minute Laser Tag games are also offered in a 1,800 square foot arena. According to their website, The Maze Craze has great entertainment for all ages.

“I see so many different kinds of people come through [Maze Craze],” Langworth said. “I know I’m biased, but everyone always seems to really enjoy the different mazes and most customer find themselves returning and spreading our information to friends.”

Langworth believes that STA girls would enjoy Maze Craze because of its atmosphere and activities.

“I mean, I know when I was in high school we would all look forward to the weekends, but then end up doing the same old, usual activities,” Langworth said. “I feel like this is a great way for friends to just let loose and have fun.”

Succotash

now serving | The bar at Succotash serves customers the morning of Jan. 17. Succotash offers unique food and drink options, such as delicious freshsqueezed orange juice. photo by ANNA HAFNER

20

2601 Holmes Street, Kansas City, Mo. According to their website, Succotash “strives to bring customers the best possible product at a consistently fair price.” Succotash supports local farmers and vendors while serving “hearty American breakfast and lunch,” according to employee Steve Emerson.

“We like to think of ourselves as vegan-friendly and kid-friendly,” Emerson said. “[Succotash] really gives off more of a hip and quirky vibe, even the paintings on our walls aren’t really what you would find at your average breakfast place.”

According to Emerson, popular items on the menu include “The Kitchen Sink” and anything from their full-service juice bar.

“The giant slices of rainbow cake also draw a lot of attention and applause from most of our customers,” Emerson said.“We’ve got anything from locally raised beef burgers to a hearty mac-andcheese or many vegan options,” Honig said.

According to Honig, Westside Local is a great place for anyone.

“I really feel like any age range would feel comfortable here and any dietary choice would also feel comfortable here,” Honig said. “The atmosphere really balances between being elegant and classy and being really kind of comfortable and homey and down to earth.”

Riverfront Heritage Trail

The Riverfront Heritage Trail is a 15 mile trail available to walkers and bikers. It begins at the riverfront and “winds through the oldest and most historic parts of bi-state Kansas City,” according to its website.

Popular locations to access the trail include Berkley Riverfront Park, the City Market, Westside Neighborhood and James Street in the West Bottoms. Riverfront Heritage Trail connects popular commercial and retail activities and destination.

This trail system links the central business district of Kansas City, Missouri, the River Market and Richard L. Berkley Riverfront Park to Quality Hill, the Westside, the West Bottoms, Strawberry Hill and downtown Kansas City, Kansas. According to the Kansas City Port Authority, the Riverfront Heritage Trail has “expanded the notion of art in public places by installing pieces as part of its mission of urban design.”

The Local Pig

2618 Guinotte Avenue, Kansas City, Mo. With two locations, one in Westport and one in the East Bottoms, The Local Pig offers a wide selection of steaks, roasts, chops, sausages and burgers from happy cows, pigs, chickens, lambs and goats, according to their website. The restaurant also offers special hands-on classes in all aspects of butchering.

According to assistant general manager Lindsey Personett, the Local Pig is a locally sourced butcher shop.

“We are getting our meat from within 100 miles, so these are your neighborhood farmers. [All of our meats] are all completely chemical free and naturally fed,” Personett said. “This is literally just clean eating. We butcher all the animals ourselves and we make everything from scratch. So, basically, we know exactly what goes into everything and we’re a pretty small company; everything is hands on.”

Personett would recommend the charcuterie, brunch or lamb pot pie to any customer. According to Personett, the butchering classes offered are what sets the Local Pig apart from other businesses. They offer classes in sausage making, charcuterie and butchering whole hogs, lambs and whole cows.

Personett believes that the sense of community attracts people to The Local Pig. “We genuinely care about our customers here in Kansas City and they really do give that back,” Personett said. “We are a local business that serves the locals.”

sooey | The Local Pig is a butcher shop located in the West Bottoms.

The shop offers different meats, and people from all over Kansas City come to enjoy lunch from the food truck Pigwich parked outside. photo by AMY O'LEARY

the Dart // dartnewsonline.com // 6 February 2015 page design by Christina Elias

21

cartoon by ARINNA HOFFINE

main ed / a&e

Don't lose sight of what makes KC great Kansas City has so much to offer—don’t take it for granted I was talking to some friends during a free period recently and the topic of Kansas City came up.

“I’m definitely not coming back here after college,” one girl stated with absolute certainty. Others agreed.

“Why not?” I asked.

“It’s too small,” one said. “I’m going to live in New York City–it’s more my style.”

“There’s nothing new to do here,” agreed another. “I just find myself visiting the same few places over and over again.”

“I don’t want to be another suburban cliche,” a third responded. “Growing up here, moving back after college, getting married, buying a house in the suburbs, sending our kids to the schools we went to… It’s fine for

right on

TARGET

some people, but not for me.”

It’s completely acceptable to want to move on from your hometown and live somewhere else. But while we are living here, we might as well get as much out of it as possible.

We all know the staples, the go-to

]

places of KC. Winstead’s, Kauffman Stadium, The Roasterie, Crown Center, Jack Stack, the Country Club Plaza… The list goes on and on. Those are the things we’re famous for: jazz, barbecue, shopping and baseball. But there is so much more to Kansas City than the stereotypes.

What is your favorite part about Kansas City?

The Dart asked students their opinion of the main editorial. compiled by MADI WINFIELD mwinfield17@stastars.org

22

[

5 of 5 editors voted in support of this editorial

Kansas City is overflowing with undiscovered gems. You have to hunt for these remarkably unique attractions. All they require is a bit of trial and error, an adventurous spirit –and maybe some gas money.

But once you take that first bite of an all-organic snack wrap at YJ's, or feel the pure adrenalin wash over you during a paintball game at Jaegers, or have your breath taken away by the awe-inspiring view at the City Hall Observation Deck, you'll know the search was worth it.

We are the City of Fountains, the Paris of the Plains, the Heart of America. And if we ignore all that is around us just because of wanderlust restlessness or boredom, we are doing a terrible disservice to this city we call home. H

Anna O'Byrne freshman

"The barbecue and the food. It’s a huge variety because we’re in the middle of the country and we get so much food."

Tess Rellihan sophomore

"I like how there’s different weather. You get snow, hot weather, cool weather . . . You get a little bit of everything."

Hayle Brown senior

"My favorite part of Kansas City is the diversity.

There’s a lot of different people here: artsy people, preppy people and [people of all races]."

COME TO The Kabaret

STA's second annual Karlin Kabaret showcases students' musical talent

by AUDREY CARROLL acarroll16@stastars.org

CAST LIST The Stories We Tell compiled by MAGGIE KNOX

Humor, great music and an inspiring message.

These are the main ingredients that help make Karlin Kabaret the success that it is, according to junior and cast member Lily Cosgrove.

According to director Steven Karlin, the turnout and positive feedback of last year’s show helped play a role in the guaranteed continuation of the annual event. “[The show] ended up being kind of packed last year so we decided to add two dates this year, which are March 6th and 7th,” Karlin said.

While many may be familiar with the musical style of a show, a cabaret is different, according to Karlin. “[A cabaret] is more of a song cycle where there are different styles and the songs may be from different shows,” Karlin said. “There’s not an overarching plot, it’s more of a series of songs that are its own entity.”

This year’s Karlin Kabaret features the work of composers Ahrens and Flaherty, who have worked on productions such as Anastasia, Seussical the Musical and Rocky on Broadway.

Never heard of them? That is because Karlin chooses lesser known composers when looking for potential material for the show.

“My goal is for cast members and audience members to get exposure to composers whose music is just as great as mainstream composers, but their work is just lesser known,” Karlin said.

Learning the chorus numbers to these composers’ songs is one of Cosgrove’s favorite parts of participating in Karlin Kabaret. “[The cast] gets to contribute to these awesome harmonies and really start to deliver an incredible message to the audience,” Cosgrove said.

Being able to deliver this message well is an important criteria for those auditioning for the Karlin Kabaret, according to Karlin.

“I look for the acting that goes along with [the singing] and telling a story with the song, as opposed to just singing a really pretty song and not including the development behind it,” Karlin said.

Not only is the message of the show unique to Karlin Kabaret, but this year instead of charging admission for attendance there will be an alternative method, according to Karlin.

“We’re actually doing [Karlin Kabaret] in conjunction with a book drive, so we will be collecting books instead of charging admission,” Karlin said.

“We’re just asking that students bring a book that they can donate.”

With a talented cast and director and an acclaimed score, the Karlin Kabaret aims to please and will rightfully succeed at doing so.

Be sure to attend both performances March 6 and 7 at STA. H

St. Teresa's:

Maggie Hutchison Connor Hodes Hayley Burgess Hillary Talken Monica Stanley Lily Cosgrove Rockhurst:

Jed Rellihan Trevor Weinrich Aaron Brown Vincent Bockwinkel

kickin' it with Karlin | Sophomore Molly Muehlebach auditions for Karlin Kabaret. For auditions, men were asked to sing in an Irish accent, and women were asked to sing in an Irish or French accent. photo by JESSIE CULVER

the Dart // dartnewsonline.com // 6 February 2015 pages designed by Christina Elias and Mackenzie O'Guin

23

perspectives

Hillary Clinton holds opportunity to

s h a t t e r stereotypes

eight years later will warrant a second prejudice: Rush Limbaugh, anchor of what he describes as an “insult radio” show, remarked, “Will this country actually want to watch a woman get older before their eyes on a daily basis?” As Fox News Contributor Erick Erickson put it, “She’s going to be old. I don’t know how far back they can pull

by HELEN WHEATLEY her face.” hwheatley17@stastars.org Clinton will be on the bitter receiving The “will she, won’t she” speculation end of both sexism and ageism. She of her possible presidential campaign will be 69 by the time she is sworn has rumbled on since the former into the presidency, still younger than secretary of state lost the Democratic Ronald Reagan, who was nearly 70 nomination to Barack Obama in 2008. when taking the inaugural oath. While Within the next couple of months she age surfaced briefly as an issue in will have to put this speculation to rest Reagan’s re-election campaign at age and decide whether or not she will run 74, the problems concerned his health for office in 2016. rather than the state of his face.

Hillary Clinton faces many obstacles, Our culture is teeming with the most obvious of which is the contrasting principles. Signs of age in customary sexist question: Can a older men seem to confer wisdom. woman be strong enough to serve as Were Hugh Hefner a woman, society commander-in-chief of the strongest would be shocked. Men who age are military power on Earth? distinguished, whereas many consider If Clinton had a predictable sexism signs of aging in women offensive; the to overcome in 2008, her campaign

phrase “old woman” is used as an insult.

Clinton served as secretary of state and first lady for many years, yet we deem her inadequate because of her age and gender. An old woman is considered helpless, pitiful, and incapable of the things men are praised for doing as they age.

The nation looks to their president as a leader and protector; it will be a challenge for many American people to see Clinton in such a light.

This is what she has to overcome.

However, it also means greater change is possible. If Clinton runs a stronger campaign and wins the election, she will not only shatter the obvious glass ceiling of gender.

By winning the most powerful office in the world, she will rewrite a prejudice etched deeply in the human subconscious.

If Clinton wins, “old woman” will no longer be an insult: it will describe the most powerful person in the world. H

Underclassman courses deserve more credit

by LEIGH CAMPBELL lcampbell15@stastars.org

During the first week of school senior year, the arduous college process is kicked off at STA’s college night. That night, each senior is given a copy of their transcript.

For many, grimaces could be seen looking at freshman year grades.

24

For those like myself, I was left asking “what the heck was I doing freshmen year?” My grades were not bad, they just were not great. However, they would be a whole lot better if advanced classes freshmen and sophomore year were given the 5% weight that junior and senior honors classes have.

Why are the difficult underclassman classes not worth the same as classes taken junior and senior year?

In my experience, it is true that the subject matter in junior and senior level honor courses is more difficult.

However, freshmen and sophomores are progressing to be able to handle that course work. In turn, what may be seem easy for seniors, was difficult for underclassmen.

As a consequence of the unweighted GPA as an underclassman, many students’ GPAs are not what they could be.

In addition, for many, it takes the first two years of high school to get settled in, learn how to study, and get solid grades. Consequently, it is at this time that students are more likely in need of the extra five percent in advanced courses.

If the administration feels that underclassman classes do not merit weight, then shouldn’t we be taken a look at our curriculum? Are our classes not difficult enough for underclassmen? Maybe we should look into offering more AP classes to underclassmen as well if that is the case. H

A complaint (about complaining)

by BRIDGET JONES bjones16@stastars.org

As students attending a prestigious private school in a nice city in the United States of America, we here at STA sure do complain a lot. Whether it’s Bistro Kids, teachers, the weather or the iPhone update making your phone a few seconds slower, you can walk across the quad during passing period and hear girls complaining about any and everything, no matter how big or small.

First of all, I want to confirm that I am not trying to point fingers, I, too, complain about things that really shouldn’t be complained about. I, too, complain about the weather. We get it, the weather in Kansas City is ridiculous, it’s warm and sunny one day, then cold and gloomy the next.

But there is literally not one thing that can be done to change the weather situation. So why do we complain about it every chance we get?

I’m not saying that we should all quit complaining cold turkey, because then we would all complain about the lack of complaining in our society. I’m just saying that we should all try to wake up each morning and think of three things we are grateful for. You, reading this, do it right now. Think of three things you are grateful for. For me it’s my best friends, my family and the fact that summer is less than a semester away.

When you think of something that just really grinds your gears, don’t let one negative thing come out of your mouth. Instead, just think of how fortunate you are to attend STA with great students and try to avoid spewing out complaints about the small things in life and start focusing on the positive. H

Countdown to

Summer

Nothing will ever beat the old

by LEIGH CAMPBELL lcampbell15@stastars.org

On the cusp of Spring (and then Summer!) it feels as though school might never end. And for seniors, the anticipation for graduation is growing every day; senioritis is even more contagious than that lice infestation last semester.

For me, there is comfort in knowing what lies ahead. So, I am going to outline the small amount of school we really have left to conquer!

Freshmen and sophomores, you only have 61 days of school left (excluding finals). Juniors, you only have 56 days left (excluding service week and finals). And seniors have a mere 45 days left (excluding service week and finals).

To put these numbers in perspective, I did a little math. The average STA student has only 54 days left of school, about 14.79 percent of a year.

Days in a year Days left of school

These 54 days correspond to approximately 378 hours left of school; in comparison, the average person spends about

13,140 hours

in the bathroom in a lifetime.

We have about 22,680 minutes left in school. This may seem overwhelming, but in a year there are 525,600 minutes.

So, with that I leave you to ponder the little time we have left. Make the most of it. H

by KAT MEDIAVILLA kmediavilla16@stastars.org

Before we shook it up in Chicago or had dogs with blogs, there was much more meaning and purpose behind the shows of the beloved Disney Channel. Nowadays, I can’t flip past the channel without scoffing at the mess that it has become.

Back in my day, I was inspired by the awnry and imaginative Lewis Stevens, instilled with the confidence, spunk and loyalty of Raven Baxter and captivated by the charm and intelligence of Phil Diffy from the Future.

However, once I hit my “tween”aged years, shows such as the Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Hannah Montana and Wizards of Waverly Place appeared. As entertaining as they were, it’s my belief that this catalyzed the downfall of Disney Channel. Sure, they all contained their morals and lessons, yet who could deny that Zack and Cody, Hannah/Miley and Alex Russo were all pretty lippy and defiant towards their poor parent(s), teachers and lobby attendants? A few years pass, and now the adolescent generation is left with nothing but shows such as Dog with a Blog, Shake it Up and Girl Meets World (this show still gives me a small ray of hope for the future). Now, I’m not the avid Disney watcher that I used to be, but from what I have seen of these shows, I can honestly say that I wouldn’t let my future kids watch them.

However, I would like to thank the old Disney Channel for the many laughter filled sleepovers, comedy filled summer days and a lifetime of wonderful memories. H

the Dart // dartnewsonline.com // 6 February 2015 page design by Torie Richardson

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sports

NO PAIN NO GAIN 1. work hard, play hard | Senior Grace Wilmot works out on average five times a week. She prefers taking workout classes with friends or working out alone at home. photo by ARINNA HOFFINE

Two students showcase their workout routines outside of sports and STA.

2. push it | A woman does a rep of push-ups during her Title Boxing class during the afternoon Jan. 16. photo by ARINNA HOFFINE

by CHRISTINA ELIAS celias15@stastars.org

3. strike a pose | Junior Emily O'Neill's trainer, Andre Huskey, helps her stay strong and fit during her workout. photo courtesy of EMILY O'NEILL 4. kiai! | Students and teachers participate in the Asian Culture Club sponsored tai chi lesson in the gym Jan. 23. photo by ARINNA HOFFINE

2.

1.

For senior Grace Wilmot, exercising is a necessary part of her everyday routine.

Wilmot alternates between different types of exercise, she said, and has participated in everything from STA soccer, track and summer conditioning to CrossFit and yoga classes. Mostly, she said, she prefers to work out at home.

“All of the classes I’ve done, I’ve done with a friend,” Wilmot said. “Like boxing, [which] I did with Mary [Burke] and Willa [Knight]. At home, I just work out on my own. . . . I have a jump box . . . it’s just like a wooden box that you jump on.”

Wilmot makes a point to exercise most days of the

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week.

“It depends on the week,” Wilmot said. “An average of five times a week. Right after I nanny, I usually go home, and I usually only work out for 30 minutes to an hour.

If I don’t work out, I usually feel crappy, and I can’t get anything else done.”

For Wilmot, exercise serves as a way to stay in shape and relieve stress and aggression.

“It helps you throughout the day for sure,” Wilmot said. “I just feel better about everything. It makes me more positive . . . it releases endorphins and it just makes me feel good, and I can focus more afterward.”

3.

Junior Emily O’Neill’s family has a unique tradition: she, her father and her mother get up at 5 a.m. three days a week to work out at F3 Fitness in Brookside.

“My aunt started doing it, and then my dad started doing it, like, a couple years ago,” O’Neill said. “I’ve been doing it for like a year and a half, [because] my dad wanted me to do it with him."

O’Neill is on STA’s tennis team but does not participate in any conditioning or exercise classes after school.

Instead, she goes home from school and immediately does her homework so she can be in bed early, ready to wake up at 4:30 a.m. and work out at 5 a.m.

“It’s nice going to bed early, but then you have to get up early,” O’Neill said. “It gets easier as I do it more often.”

According to O’Neill, working out so early is a way to kickstart the rest of her day.

4.

“I actually have more energy throughout the day because it gets my day started, and it’s made me want to eat healthier, too, because if I eat dinner like a Chipotle burrito, then in the morning, I’ll feel that,” O’Neill said.

These regular workouts also serve to relieve some of O’Neill’s stress, she said.

“It does actually help with stress because getting my homework done by 5 [p.m.] or something makes me more relaxed throughout the day,” O’Neill explained. “I feel like I can kind of just watch a movie or something until I’m ready to go to bed.”

O’Neill said that she would recommend F3 Fitness to other people.

“I feel like people would like it once they start,” O’Neill said. “It’s hard in the beginning. I’ve tried to ask my friends if they wanted to go, but they’re like, ‘There is no way I’m doing that.’” H

Senior continues dance in college kick it | Senior Sophia Hall practices her solo routine Jan. 19. photo by SIOBHAN MILLER

Sophia Hall plans to pursue her passion for performing after leaving STA.

by MARYMICHAEL HOUGH mhough16@stastars.org

Senior Sophia Hall has begun the college dance audition process. Hall is attending auditions at Park University in Pittsburgh, The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City, New York University in New York City, Marymount Manhattan in New York City, Pace University in New York City and the Conservatory at UMKC. Sophia started dancing at the age of three when her mom put her in classes at her studio. According to Sophia’s mom, Joni Hall, she was introduced to dance years prior to her first experience in a studio.

"She has been coming with me to the studio since before she was born and I would drag her to everything, so she just loved it and she wanted to be part of it,” Joni said.

Joni danced professionally for the Kansas City Ballet for four years and has been teaching at Priscilla and Dana’s Dance Studio for 23 years.

According to Sophia, although she would have discovered dance no matter what, her mother’s background lead to the studio earlier in her life.

"Well, I think at such a young age I just found a passion for it, and that was different that I had something that I loved so much when I was five.”

Sophia said.

take it back now y'all | Senior Sophia Hall dances at a private lesson with her mother at Priscilla and Dana's Dance Studio Jan. 19. photo by SIOBHAN MILLER

According to Sophia, before auditioning, she first had to be accepted into the college based on admission standards. At the auditions, she is taught ballet, modern technique, and jazz combinations. After a cut is made, if asked back, she is given a chance to perform a solo and be interviewed.

"My very first audition was pretty scary, just because I had no idea what to expect and it's kind of intimidating,” Sophia said. “So it's kind of scary to begin with, but then you get your feet underneath you.”

According to Sophia, her college experience will be different from other STA students because she will have to balance classes and academics with rehearsals. She claims that her goals, however, seem to be similar to many other college students.

"I think my goal is to be the most well-rounded that I can be,” Sophia said. “All of the programs that I'm looking at really train you for anything, so I'll be able to take whatever job comes at me.”

According to Joni, Sophia will be successful in her dancing because of her desire and passion.

“I believe she has the talent for it,” Joni said. “I'm biased, but I do believe that she has the drive to push her and not take no for an answer. In this business there are so many nos, but you just have to hang on and know that there is a yes right around the corner.”

According to Sophia, being away at college and not having Joni close will prove to be difficult to adapt, but she’s looking forward to strengthening their relationship.

"It's going to be weird not having her as my teacher,” Sophia said. “But it's going to be really fun to be able to share our experiences with each other. She's going to be as excited as I am about all my classes and the things I'm getting to do.”

Joni agrees with Sophia and is excited for have Sophia teach her new things that she can then pass on to her students.

"I hope our relationship will get stronger,” Joni said. “I can't wait to learn from her. I can't wait for her to come back from wherever she is and teach me more." H

the Dart // dartnewsonline.com // 6 February 2015 page design by Amy O'Leary

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community

Identification Alteration After students received heavily photoshopped IDs, they spoke out against the manipulation.

by LIBBY HYDE, JESSIE CULVER lhyde15@stastars.org, jculver15@stastars.org

It all started with a post on senior Zoe Royer’s Reddit blog.

From there it escalated into international news coverage of her photoshopped student identification card.

“I thought it would be interesting for [Reddit users] to see that [photoshop issues] are actually happening,” Royer said. “I didn’t think my post was going to get this big.”

When Royer received her ID, like many other seniors, she was surprised to find a foreign face. As Zoe wrote in her original Reddit post, she looked like “a prettier twin sister,” evident with face smoothing, skin and lip recoloring, eyebrow reshaping and face thinning.

Within 24 hours of Royer’s original post on Reddit, media sources, such as Jezebel, Cosmopolitan and Fox News, began their own coverage. Many of these outlets attempted to contact Royer and to find the name of the school, which had not been released in the original

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Reddit post.

Royer expressed frustration towards the inflammatory coverage from outside sources.

While some articles held the correct information, others posted accusatory headlines targeting the administration rather than DeCloud Studios, who has since taken responsibility for the mishap in an article in the Kansas City Star.

“I was just really angry because there wasn’t anything I could do to make them change the titles,” Royer said.

While Royer’s story about her retouched photo received extensive media coverage, many other seniors in the class of 2015 received similar editing.

Since all of this media attention, STA president Nan Bone has requested that Royer and other students direct requested interviews to the administration instead of talking to reporters.

“They’re now having to fix the publicity of the school,” Royer said.

“Even though everything I have said to the media

about the school has been positive, [Bone] asked me because of publicity reasons. It kind of made me upset because it kind of felt like she was blaming me about the negative attention the school was getting.”

Bone has since explained her request that students not take interviews.

“I can’t guarantee that 600 students know the facts,” Bone said. “That’s why I said we have somebody here that is in communications that has checked the facts. So it’s better if we give them the facts. When Fox News said that the students wouldn’t talk to them, I said, ‘Well we have great girls, they usually do what they’re told.’ It’s not that you girls wouldn’t do brilliantly anyway, it’s just that we can’t guarantee that you all have the facts right.”

Since giving those interviews, Bone has confirmed with DeCloud Studios that the student IDs were sent through an automatic retouching system. DeCloud declined to comment.

Senior Lindsay Roush, the yearbook photo editor from Mill Valley High School, said her school experienced similar problems with seniors’ photos from DeCloud.

“It was crazy, almost, that each senior’s photo was unrecognizable,” Roush commented about senior photos given to the student staff to be used in the yearbook.

Roush said a representative from DeCloud admitted it was on part of DeCloud but did not comment on how the situation happened.

Roush said the most noticeable changes in her own photo were a fattened upper lip, slimmed face, added eye makeup and darkened hair.

“I didn’t notice how weird I looked until one of my friends walked by my computer and asked if I was looking at the photo of a new student they hadn’t recognized,” Roush said.

Mill Valley seniors were all given new unedited IDs and assured that those would be used in the yearbook. STA has done the same.

Royer, who has now stopped giving interviews to outside news sources, wanted to remind students that the whole point of this media scrutiny came from a place of emphasis on the importance of positive body image.

“The one thing I want students to remember is how all of the seniors reacted,” Royer said. “It was really powerful to see all of these young women look at their photos and see that’s not me and that’s not what I want to look like. People wanted to be remembered for who they are and not photoshopped. All these girls wanted to be themselves.” H

Check out another viewpoint Staffer Jessie Culver defends DeCloud Studios. of a twoEditing photos seems like the norm for teenagers. Whether it’s whitening teeth, removing blemishes or adding a filter, we are constantly altering pictures. But, what if someone else edited a photo of you beyond the point of recognition?

STA seniors became outraged when they realized that their senior portraits had been heavily edited.

The immediate reaction was to blame the photo company, DeCloud Studios, the clear source of fault. From a photographer’s point of view, I believe that it was an honest mistake.

Being a photo editor myself, I know the details of altering photos. To adjust colors and brightness, it takes a few minutes. But the process of changing someone’s physical characteristics, could take up to an hour. With the mass quantity of people in our grade, this entire process would take days. DeCloud is a very popular photo company and wouldn’t have enough time to edit every STA student’s photo.

Don’t get me wrong, when I saw certain drastically changed student IDs, I was livid they would even consider making these edits. Yet, as I began to analyze the photos, I noticed they all seemed to fit a certain proportion.

DeCloud stated that it was an automated program that changed the seniors’

faces, and I came to accept this explanation.

The question “Why would DeCloud do this?” should transform into, “Why does a photo program like this even exist?”

I completely understand the blemish removal option. I don’t want those faults in my photos, and I’m sure other teenagers would agree. But the issue goes beyond fixing a stray hair or pimple, rather changing the shapes of faces and “correcting” complexions.

In our empowered, accepting generation, it disgusts me that someone actually created this editing program. At STA, we are in a bubble in which all members support each other and our differences. That is why these alterations came as such a shock to students.

The question that resonates in my mind is, “Why would they choose this option?” I would have to blame modern society’s pressure on women to be perfect and beautiful.

DeCloud was not intending to say we are not up to society’s standards.

They honestly just hit the wrong button, which led to the uproar created by students but mostly the media.

Yes, DeCloud made a mistake, but don’t we all? Instead of blaming DeCloud for misusing the program, we should focus on improving standards of beauty so programs like this, and the drama caused by them, will cease to exist in our society. H

photo flop | Senior Anna Huber's IDs compared before and after the editing process. photo courtesy of ANNA HUBER

THAT'S WHAT 57% KIND OF 40% NO 3% YES

we said The Dart surveyed the student body to determine their take on the situation.

by CHRISTINA ELIAS celias15@stastars.org

Was your picture noticably photoshopped?

60% NO 40% YES

Did the photoshopped IDs upset you?

87% KIND OF 3% NO 10% YES

Were you surprised by the media attention?

the Dart // dartnewsonline.com // 6 February 2014 page design by Siobhan Miller

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last look

Style at STA The Dart asked a student from each grade to describe their style.

— Natalie Behnen, senior

ell

ew or j

junyi le: Cool : Major thrift

“

“

[At school], I wear fun tights, and my favorite jacket I wear is my jean jacket, because it's not a sweatshirt, so I can wear it with my uniform.

n alle

story by Torie Richardson vrichardson16@stastars.org photos by Jessie Culver jculver15@stastars.org

t e My S ite Stor r o v Fa

sophomo molly bure rns My Style : Preppy

Favorite

senior natalie behnen My Style: Boho Chic Favorite Store: Free People

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freshm an em ma an ielak

My St yle: Co m Favor ite Sto fortable re: lulu lemon

Store: G

ap

searching for STA Try to find the following words in this STA edition of a word search puzzle.

graphic by Anna Bauman | abauman15@stastars.org

the Dart // dartnewsonline.com // 12 December 2014 page design by Katherine Green

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In the Humans of STA Take a look at the current coverage on DartNewsOnline

STA Remembers Mary Anne Hoecker

remembering a friend| Theology teacher Robin Good reads Hoecker's favorite prayers. Good was a close friend of Hoecker. photo by MADDY MEDINA

sisterhood shows |Senior Monica Stanley, left, embraces senior Micah Welch. Both girls performed "Ave Maria" duing the memorial service Jan. 14. photo by SIOBHAN MILLER

joyful noise | The STA Singers, directed by choir teacher Greg Monsma, sing at Mary Anne Hoecker's memorial Jan. 14. The whole school, as well as parents and alumnae, attended a memorial service for the former principal. Hoecker often went to the choral room to hear the choir rehearse. photo by MADDY MEDINA

the Dart // dartnewsonline.com // 6 February 2015 page design by Mary Hilliard

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