February 2024

LeJOURNAL Notre Dame de Sion High School | Volume 46 | February 2024

NEWS: PAGE 4

ON THE COVER: PAGE 14

A&E: PAGE 26

Sion events happening during quarter four

The effects of comeptitive youth sports

Experience the arts across Kansas City

what’s inside 4-5

10-11

6-7

12-13

Storm Forecast News

Down Set Hike Sports

Clear Artistry Feature

Expected to Achieve Staff Editorial

8

14-17

20-21

Kicking the Competition Feature

22

Beauty Standards Opinion

23

Pave the Path Opinion

Beyond the Scoreboard Cover

Embracing Individuality Opinion

9

18-19

24-25

Heard in the Halls/Forging Success

Generation Zzz Opinion

Feature

Dive Dynasty A&E

26-27 KC Arts A&E

LeJOURNAL. 2023 | 2024 LE JOURNAL IS THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF NOTRE DAME DE SION HIGH SCHOOL 10631 WORNALL ROAD, KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64114 MEMBER Missouri Scholastic Press Association National Scholastic Press Association International Quill and Scroll Journalism Educators of Metropoliton Kansas City Missouri Journalism Education Association LETTERS TO THE EDITORS Le Journal accepts letters to the editors in response to published articles. Letters must be signed, verified, and no longer than 200 words.

Letters may be edited for length, grammar, spelling and content. Letters will not be printed if content is obscene, invasive, encouraging disruption of school and/or is libelous.

PRINTER Neal/Settle Printing, Grandview MO

STAFF EDITORIAL POLICY Le Journal is a student-run publication. Published staff editorials express the views of the Le Journal staff.

Signed columns published in Le Journal express the writer’s personal opinion. The content and opinions of Le Journal do not represent the student body, faculty or administration. Content other than editorials, columns, review pieces or personal opinions are written to inform the general public and should remain unbiased.

PRINT CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Ella Alexander Arleth Guevara Lily Wilkin PRINT MANAGING EDITOR Claire Boma WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Genesis Martinez Porras A&E EDITOR Caroline Deacon

2 | LeJournal

Copy Editors Amelia Bedell Ella Satterwhite FEATURES EDITOR Bridget Bendorf NEWS & SPORTS EDITOR Addie Doyle OPINION & EDITORIALS EDITOR Lauren Haggerty REPORTERS MaryKate Lillis Greta Martin Gabriela Swindle

Photo of the issue SHINING STAR Covered in stars and stripes, senior Natalie Stapp performs with STUCO as part of the senior Sion Olympics dance Feb. 23. Stapp has performed for the Sion Dance Team for four years. “After weeks of choreographing and perfecting our STUCO dance,” Stapp said. “I was really looking forward to performing it for the whole school and having our grade hype us up.”

editors’ink H

i everyone, we’ve missed you over break! We’ve been working away in the lab to bring you a wonderfully written and designed issue four.

Along with focusing on our print newsmagazine, we’ve expanded our website and social media presence so when you’re done reading here go over to sionstudentmedia. com to check out some more amazing stories. Make sure your following us on instragram to stay up to date on Sion events and news.

Flip the page to see what’s coming up next in the Sion community, then head on over to pages 6-7 to read about a new spring sport, flag football.

Go to page nine to check out what we’ve re-continued from older Le Journal issues. Now does college seem daunting or do you feel an overwhelming pressure to succeed? Check out this issue’s staff editorial

on pages 12-13 to quell some of those fears. Then turn the page to 14-17 in order to take a deep look at the ethics of teen sports. Some other fun and lighthearted stories in this issue range from how other generations views Generation Z, and the pro’s and con’s of the beauty industry.

Finally, check out some features on some really interesting people by turning to pages 10-11 and reading about how junior Kate Schneeberger brought back Sion’s literary magazine, or check out how the dance team’s been doing throughout their season on pages 20-21.

Without further ado, take some time outside in the warm sunshine and nice weather to flip through the magazine with some friends, and we’ll see you all again in May for our final issue of the year!

With love, Lily, Ella, Arleth

student space Mixing Madness Kate Wren

quintillion different Spossible scramble

ix colors. Six sides. 43

patterns. Senior Kate Wren has been engrossed with Rubik’s Cubes since 2019. She discovered her love for solving them from a brother and sister YouTube channel, and wanted to beat the brothers fastest time.

She did, her quickest time being 18 seconds.

“I started looking up tutorials,” Wren said.

“I bought my first one, and one of my friends could already solve one from that position, so that’s what gave me

some motivation.”

Wren now has 28 Rubik’s cubes, and while she didn’t have an affinity for math, solving them gave her the confidence needed to succeed in higher level math courses.

“After getting into Rubik’s Cubes it gave me a new confidence,” Wren said. “A year after I got into it I asked the administration to let me into higher level math classes because I was like ‘Why is math so easy now’, and it wasn’t easy, I just had confidence.”

PHOTOS SUBMITTED | KATE WREN

on the cover Cover arrangement by Addie Doyle

keep up with us: @sionstudentmedia

PHOTO | CAROLINE WEBER

Use camera to visit sionstudentmedia.com! february 2024 | 3

NEWS.

Deep Dives

their third Sannual spring Deep March ion is hosting

4th-8th

Tri-M C oncert year, the Tri-M concert in the music Groom.

Tri-M students will showcase et ready for the music show of the

their musical talents to their friends and family during an evening show.

Seniors Lucy Wittek and Noelle Bertrand organize and run the show.

As the seniors approach their last concert with Tri M, they prepare their final pieces. “It’s bittersweet knowing this will be the last Tri-M recital after being in the club for six semesters,” Wittek said, “but we know that whoever takes over next year will do an amazing job.”

April

3rd

Dives to introduce students to real world skills and experiences. A variety of courses ranging from sports business to glass art will be offered, as well as travel opportunities. Global Impacts students will travel to Kenya to engage in handson learning for their research projects.

“It is a new experience that not a lot of people can have exposure to,” junior Maeve Glennon said. “I want to savor the moments there and soak in all the things the country has to offer.”

Storm The all-you-need-to-know guide for Sion events during fourth quarter.

Spring Play television series that Twill1950’s be reinterpreted in the

BY GRETA MARTIN REPORTER

he Twilight Zone” was a

spring showing. Performed at Avila University, this play references five episodes of the show with varying plot lines.

The casting for this show is unique due to the multitude of characters, varying from each scene and episode. This gives many students opportunities wracking,” freshman Finley to have larger roles in the Glennon said. “It’s a lot performance. “It’s really nerve to take on freshman year as well as other activities that I’m doing, but it’s a really supportive space and the upperclassmen are super sweet and it’s really welcoming.”

April

12th-14th

4 | LeJournal

Kairos

wrapped into a three Fdayareexcursion where juniors

riendship, peace, and religion

and seniors travel to the Savior Pastoral Center for the Kairos retreat. However due to not enough

.NEWS

Graduation their white gowns holding red Troses to embark on one of their

so it’s not like a huge thing. I don’t get overly emotional about it, but yes, I do miss that. There have definitely been girls over the years last journey’s as a Sion student.

Seniors and their families attend the that I missed once they’re gone.”

Baccalaureate Mass in the morning before heading to the Kauffman Center. During the ceremony, crown bearers present their graduates with a crown of laurels. Four years of hard work pay off when they receive that tiny book with their name on it. Teachers are dressed in their own graduation gowns and watch students celebrate their accomplishments. “I’ve realized a long time ago that it’s just part of the cycle.” math teacher Reynold Middleton said.

“They come and they go. They’re here for four years.

They leave. Yeah, I missed some but I know it’s common, he Class of 2024 gather in

May 23rd

st orecas Foreca

Junior Ring

is signified when the Tsenior class presents the April he passing of the torch

juniors with their Sion ring.

This tradition is celebrated across generations of Sion graduates. Rings are often presented by a senior or a Sion alumna close to the junior. Junior Maddi Carter is having her mom, class of ‘95, present her with her ring. “It feels special because she loves Sion so much.”

Carter said, “It’s something other people won’t get to experience, and I feel lucky and grateful that she wants to give it to me.”

28th

Prom

dancing and a Obazillion pictures,

ne night of music,

CANCELED April 15th-18th

participants signing up, the spring retreat has been canceled. This tradition will continue in the fall with Kairos 67 and will not have student leaders, sign up will only be available for seniors. “Kairos is so hard to describe what it was like because it is so personal,” senior Catherine Knopke said. “For me, it opened my eyes to many different things and allowed me to get so close to the girls in my grade.”

Sion juniors and seniors celebrate as the school year comes to a close.

This year the dance will be hosted at Magnolia at Brookside, and there will be food provided. There are 10 juniors working on the prom committee, organizing everything from decorations, to hiring the DJ. The theme this year is yet to be announced, and it will be decided on by

members of the committee.

“It’s gonna be hard,” junior Sophie Falk said, “getting ready and setting up and doing everything I need to do, also finding a dress, but I’m excited.”

April 19th ILLUSTRATIONS | GRETA MARTIN

Febuary 2024 | 5

DOWN

feature .

S E T

HIKE

With women’s flag football gaining popularity, Sion students Christina Brooks, Siobhan O’Connor and Vivian Kuntz are working towards a first ever Sion team for the incoming spring sports season.

BY A&E EDITOR CAROLINE DEACON

A

s the football spirals downward, she reaches out, her fingers clasping over the leather as the cold bites at her hands and nose.

She runs through the cool breeze, her cheeks red and breath visible, towards the end zone. Touchdown! She hears her name called, letting the claps and cheers envelop her as she closes her eyes. She looks back, grounding herself into reality. Her brothers clap and pull her in, as her imagination fades and her backyard surrounds her once again.

What if it were real? She thinks to herself. And why can’t it be?

Like many Sion girls, junior Christina Brooks spent her childhood surrounded by football, but was always confined to her backyard when it came to the sport. However, this year, Brooks, along with junior Vivian Kuntz and sophomore Siobhan O’Connor, hopes to bring girls’ football to Sion for the first time through a spring flag football team.

“I’ve always grown up watching football because my brother plays it,” Brooks said. “It’s always something I’ve watched and something I’ve wanted to do, so finally, we almost can.”

The idea formed this past November when Brook recalled talking about the Chiefs’ season during study hall. Eventually, the topic of girls’ football arose.

“One day, me, Siobhan, and Vivian

06 | LeJournal

were just talking and it came up,” Brooks said. “My sister plays CYO [Catholic Youth Organization] flag football and she has so much fun. And I thought, ‘We could do that’, I mean, in years past I feel like I’ve gotten Google Forms about if I’d want to play, so we were just like, maybe we should do it.”

However, starting the team has had its obstacles, as spring sports such as track and field, lacrosse, and soccer take up many students’ time in the spring, causing commitment to the team to be difficult to find.

“We went to Pil and talked to her about [the team],” Brooks said. “She needed a list of 20 or something names that would play for sure. And at first, a lot of people signed up, but you can’t play another spring sport, so that eliminated a lot of people.”

After an initial callout to find participants, then many dropouts upon hearing that competing in both flag football and a separate spring sport was not allowed, athletic director Kate Pilgreen was still in need of athletes.

On Jan. 19, a new meeting was held in the weight room, where students from all grades arrived to sign up for the flag football team. Currently, roughly 20 students have signed up for the team, but more students are needed to make the team official.

The team would be run through

Chief’s Flag, a flag football league run

by GEHA and the Chiefs. Registration for the spring league ends Mar. 15, with the season going from Mar. 23 to June 2.

“I’ve seen stories about girls playing flag football pop up,” Brooks said. “I think this is an opportunity for people who aren’t the best at soccer or lacrosse because those are sometimes hard to pick up. It’s almost like everyone’s on the same level. Some of us have more knowledge, but not a lot of girls that I’ve met have ever played flag football.”

Normally, with a six-week-long season, the girls would participate in six practices and six games against other schools. However, as the team is just getting started, finding other teams in the area to play against has proven difficult.

“There’s no designated high school teams around here,” Kuntz said. “So it would be kind of hard to play, but it could be just an inaugural season type of thing. We honestly might end up playing against each other if we have enough people who sign up.”

Although no other private high schools in the area currently offer girls’ flag football teams, Brooks is optimistic looking into the future.

“I know for sure there is a Chiefs’ flag football league and my sister plays

sports

Getting In The Game loved contact sports. In the 4th grade, being able to just prove him wrong felt Fafter really good.” pestering her mom to let her play reshman Nora Babbitt has always

‘Wait, we actually really need her.’ And

tackle football, to no avail, she was allowed on the boy’s flag football team.

“I remember seeing the boys in my grade playing it, and I was like, ‘I’m gonna do that’,” Babbitt said.

Babbitt played flag football through the Chiefs’ team from fourth to seventh grade, and plans to join the new Sion team in the spring. Playing in such a male dominated sport forced Babbitt to overcome many challenges as she faced gender discrimination.

“When I was in fifth grade, I was at tryouts and one of the coaches said, ‘She can’t play. She’s a girl’,” Babbitt said. “And then he realized,

Babbitt played quarterback in fourth and fifth grade, but moved to wide receiver, her favorite position, for the remainder of her time in flag football. She traveled all over the United States for tournaments, winning herself four rings. After learning that Sion was starting a flag football team, Babbitt was quick to sign up.

“I’m really excited,” Babitt said. “I feel like it’s gonna be nice to have a lot of the girls playing a male dominated sport to show girls that we can do things we haven’t ever done before.“ As flag football is new to many Sion girls, Babbitt offered some words of advice to girls hesitant to join the team.

“You honestly just have to power through,” Babbitt said. “If you want to be who you want to be, you gotta do what you want to do. And you really have to prove to yourself and prove to others around you that you can do it. No matter how hard it is.”

PHOTO | CAROLINE DEACON

in a CYO league,” Brooks said. “I feel like maybe if we reached out to other Catholic schools, there would be girls who would want to play.”

Despite the hurdles that starting this team has had, many students recognize the benefits of creating a space for girls’ flag football at Sion.

“It’s a sport that we don’t see enough girls in,” freshman Finley Glennon said.

“And hopefully at Sion, we can get girls interested in flag football and stop seeing it as a ‘boys-only’ sort of thing. There are so many girls out there who want to play football more competitively, and beginning to have these teams is a way for them to pursue their passions and push boundaries.”

Girls’ flag football has begun to skyrocket in the United States in the past decade, and although only eight states have sanctioned it as a high school varsity sport, 22 more are considering it. In addition, according to CBS, through NFL Flag, almost 500,000 girls from ages six to 17 played flag football this past year. From 2014 to 2022, girls in

flag football have increased by 178%, according to PBS. “It’s breaking that stereotype of women not being able to play football or play what is a ‘men’s sport,’” senior Hannah Lange said. “It makes it more empowering to know that women can do this too and we can prove it as well.”

While many students have never played on a flag football team before, and the prospect is still relatively new, Kuntz expresses a positive outlook on the team as it begins to come together.

“It’s new for everyone,” Kuntz said.

“We’ve never had a team so there’s no veterans or anything.

Even though there are upperclassmen, that doesn’t mean they’ve done it before, so everyone’s on the same level.”

ILLUSTRATIONS | CAROLINE DEACON

february 2024 | 07

opinion .

Pave The Path

A constant reliance on gas transportation in the Kansas City area prompts discussion on the benefits of walkable cities.

STORY BY A&E EDITOR CAROLINE DEACON DESIGN BY CO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LILY WILKIN

Y

ou’ve hit snooze on your alarm one too many times this morning, and now school is in less than thirty minutes. As you scramble out the door, you set your favorite morning playlist for your 25 minute transit to school. Whether you get on the highway, or avoid it at all costs, it doesn’t make too much of a difference. Either way, you’re facing a long commute to and from school every day. Although you’ve accepted that you go to a private school, and this is just part of the package, getting to the nearest public high school isn’t a walkable option either. It seems everywhere you need to be, whether it’s work, school, or just hanging out with friends, requires at least some mode of gas-powered transportation. You can’t help but imagine a more walkable world.

In contrast to many other cities, from Boston or New York to Copenhagen, Kansas City (KC) life is almost fully dependent on cars. For most students, especially those whose parents are both working full time, a car is a necessity once you reach 16, simply to get yourself to school. It’s extremely difficult to live without a car in the KC area. Even public transportation isn’t feasible for many without a 10 minute walk to the nearest bus stop, and this isn’t a convenient option for the average commuter.

According to scientists working for Project Drawdown, an environmental project geared towards reversing global warming, a walkable city is classified as a city that “uses planning, design, and density to maximize walking and minimize driving. Emissions decrease as pedestrians take the place of cars.”

Walkable cities benefit both the infrastructure and the individual, with a walking-centered community encouraging physical health and creating a sustainable environment. According to the 2017 United States Report on Walking and Walkable Communities, 43% of people in walkable cities reach their physical fitness goals, compared to only 27% that live in less walkable areas.

8| LeJournal

“[Walkable communities] make it possible for people to interact and enjoy the outdoors,” junior Georgia Gomez said. “If you’re stuck inside all the time because your ability to get to places or have a nice community space is hindered, not only will it affect you physically, it can affect you mentally. I think it’s important to be able to access restaurants, parks, schools and more, so that you can experience a fuller life.”

It’s no secret that fresh air and time outdoors is good for one’s mental health, and in a world of continuous isolation through increasingly virtual interaction, a nature-centered culture has positive impacts on interconnectedness,health, and community. Walking has been shown to raise endorphin levels, lower stress-related cortisol, and improve sleep according to the Congress for New Urbanism. When we are forced to use our individual cars as our primary mode of transport, not only are we isolated from the world around us, we also miss out on opportunities to live a healthier, happier life. Being outside for just 20 minutes on a stroll can boost your overall mood and help relieve intense stress.

“Our brains need the outdoors to more fully function and live a happier life,” Gomez said. “When you’re constantly inside you lose things like the smell of flowers and rain, the feel of the sun on your face and the sound of birds chirping.

Without these experiences, the world becomes a significantly duller place.”

Walking allows blood flow and circulation through the body, and when incorporated into everyday life, not only are there positive effects on mental health, but people’s physical health is also shown to increase immensely. A 2014 study on walkable cities in California, done by Wesley E. Marshall from the Colorado Dep. of Engineering, found that walkable street networks correlate with lower obesity, asthma, diabetes, and heart disease.

In addition to the immense personal benefits that walkable communities have,

they have also been shown to have many positive impacts on the environment.

Walkable communities have shown to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nearly four tons a year compared to those living in car-dependent areas, minimize suburban sprawl, and improve water management, according to the Congress for New Urbanism.

Unfortunately, the framework of Kansas City is not able to maintain the attributes of a walkable metropolis due to its sprawling nature. Cities in the United Kingdom and Europe tend to be more condensed, creating an atmosphere that supports the infrastructure of a walkable city. Cities like New York, in which homes, offices, and grocery stores are all within a mile of each other, establish an environment where avoiding gas-powered transportation is achievable. In many European cities, biking has had a massive impact, as the architectural design allows for bike transportation through bike highways, and bike lanes on every road.

For example, in Copenhagen, 49% of trips to work and school are via bike.

Although cities like Kansas City were not made with this kind of accessibility in mind, many organizations are working toward a more connected KC. Bike Walk KC advocates to decrease the car dependency of the KC Metropolitan through improving conditions for walking and biking. From advocating for more bike lanes, sidewalks, and trails, to implementing education programs, Bike Walk KC aims to create a more walkable atmosphere in the Kansas City area.

Kansas City may not be a walkable city yet, but change is possible, and with community support, the Kansas City area can become a more walking friendly city in the years to come. It’s not easy to take the harder route, to find ways to travel sustainably, whether that is public transportation, walking, or grabbing a bike, but it brings enormous benefits, both communally and personally.

IT’S BEEN...

heard in the halls

feature

A compilation of funny phrases we’ve heard around the school during third quarter.

BY LILY WILKIN CO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

”

e cats?

ring th ou wate

“Are y

“I just like to

wiggle”

“Ske

chers

“The strange man is everywhere”

“Target str esses me o

ut”

FORGING SUCCESS

has S uper mone Bowl y?”

“All I want for my birthday is Ibuprofen”

BY LILY WILKIN CO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Junior Elwyn Patterson spent the summer at the Missouri Scholars Academy, a prestigious program geared towards creating well rounded students. the dorms as new found friends Ldecompress after a long day of

aughter floats down the halls of

hands-on learning and activities.

Everyone is slightly delirious after multiple classes and meetings, creating an atmosphere that won’t be forgotten.

Junior Elwyn Patterson was hand picked and nominated for the prestigious Missouri Scholars academy (MSA). MSA students are nominated during the second half of their sophomore year and attend the academy the summer before their junior year.

“You have to include either test scores or an IQ and you have to write two essays,” Patterson said. “From there they pick 350 or so Missouri kids to go to Mizzou. You stay in their dorms and you have dedicated majors and minors.”

Students got to choose what they wanted to “major in,” creating an atmosphere of independence.

Patterson chose metalsmithing as her major, while her minor was crime and punishment in medieval London. While the academics were rigorous, that is not at the forefront of Pattersons’ mind when she thinks of MSA.

“What’s really important is the people, and the environment,” Patterson said. “Because they have done a lot to make it a very good environment for a lot of people.

MSA created its own course that all attendees are required to participate in called Core PSD, and

while the academy is tight-lipped about the course, at its core it was designed to help students gain interpersonal skills.

“It was basically all small talk, and I hate small talk,” Patterson said. “But I am now able to small talk, they teach you that kind of stuff.”

While the long hours and challenging coursework proved to be difficult, Patterson’s experience with MSA goes further than only education, she gained skills that will help her succeed further on in life.

“You’re going from morning to night, but it expands the way you think about the world, being surrounded by people who challenge you intellectually, and whom you’ve never seen before,” Patterson said.

“It’s a lot, but it does what it needs to. It pushes your boundaries and expands your horizons into what you think your future could be like.”

PHOTO SUBMITTED | ELWYN PATTERSON

february 2024 | 9

feature .

10 | LeJournal

feature

BE DE LL

cleAr Artistry

IL LU ST RA TI ON

|A

M

EL IA

Junior Kate Schneeberger is working on bringing back Sion’s art and literary magazine Les Vitraux in order to bring more recognition to the artists at Sion.

BY AMELIA BEDELL COPY EDITOR

S

ion’s art program encourages students to express themselves through various mediums, which is exactly what led junior Kate Schneeberger to discover Sion’s old literary magazine.

“Last year they had a creative writing contest and they said that if you won you would be featured in the art and literary magazine,” Schneeberger said.

“I was like, ‘What is this? I’ve never heard of it.’”

Schneeberger researched and found out that the last issue of the literary magazine had been published in 2018. Les Vitraux, which translates to “stained glass” in French, primarily featured student submissions of visual art, poems and short stories.

“I realized it hadn’t come back and then I wanted to bring it back,” Schneeberger said. “At that point I didn’t even care if my stuff was featured in it. I wanted there to be an outlet for people to put out this creative energy.”

Schneeberger has been working with publications advisor Valerie Crook and English teachers Megan DeLaurier and Chrissy Nance to bring the publication back. This has proved to be a challenge because the process of collecting and compiling submissions was not recorded.

“Only old issues were saved, but no ways that they created the magazine,” Schneeberger said. “So we’re going in blind trying to figure out how to do this.”

Her goal is to publish one issue by the end of the school year and establish a legacy of highlighting student and faculty artwork at Sion.

“It’s kind of daunting,” Schneeberger said. “Going into junior year I thought that I was going to have a lot of work

and I would be too busy to join a publication like yearbook or Le Journal. But now I’m creating my own publication basically from the ground up.”

Since there is no one in the arts department with experience in creating Les Vitraux, Schneeburger can shape the magazine in new ways.

For example, she wants to move the magazine from being purely literary and include space to highlight all of the artists at Sion.

“I kind of want to make it more of a literary and art magazine, more than just poetry,” Schneeberger said.

“I want to make it more than what it was then.”

“

I wanted there to be an outlet for people to put out this creative energy.”

Kate Schneeberger Schneeberger encourages anyone from the Sion community to send in their creative projects, whatever form those may take.

The magazine will accept art of all mediums, whether that’s photography, sculpture, or even fashion.

“It’s up to the students and faculty to know what they want to submit. They get to choose that, and we have to mold [Les Vitraux] to that,” Schneeberger said. “We are simply adding a theme and a background and making it look pretty, but it’s all the faculty and students’ work that we’re showing off.”

Les Vitraux currently offers two options for students and faculty submitting their works to the

publication; they can choose to put their name on the art or publish it anonymously.

“A name attached to the art,” Schneeberger said. “That’s so permanent, and that’s yours, but if you’re scared you can definitely submit it anonymously.”

The option for anonymous submissions can help artists who are less confident experience the feeling of having a work published without the pressure of everyone knowing about it.

“I think a lot of times, at least in my case, I wanted my art to be known. And I never thought that could be possible,” Schneeberger said. “But now with this I can get my art out into the world.”

It can be difficult for students to find ways to express their creativity in school, especially as they grow older and take more technical, rigorous classes. Nance says the creation of a new space for artistic expression in the form of a publication will be a great addition to the community.

“The purpose of having a literary magazine is to have a place where we can appreciate creative writing and a space for our girls that are creative writers and artists to express themselves and to share those talents,” Nance said. “And I think that’s unique to have at the high school level.”

Art is often an extremely personal thing, so its meaning often varies for each individual.

Schneeberger hopes to create a literary magazine that can resonate with anyone who reads it.

“Art is a big way of expression and it’s very underrepresented,” Schneeberger said. “I think this could show more of what the arts are capable of in the human experience.”

February 2024 | 11

Staff Editorial.

expected to achieve With some universities rejecting over 96% of their applicants, the pressure of college has become become more substantial throughout the past decade.

Students are racing to meet societal expectations and pressure, while others are breaking through traditional norms.

12 | LeJournal

P

Staff Editorial

ut yourself in the shoes of an almost-senior graduate. You have made your college decision, threaded the needle of finding the perfect college fit, and feel like you will thrive socially and academically at this university.

You open your phone to the class Instagram announcing where your peers are attending college; Vanderbilt, the University of Chicago, and the University of Missouri Kansas City’s six-year Medical program. The different hues of blue, red, and yellow flash across your eyes as you curiously scroll.

It is overwhelming, the feelings of jealousy and comparison that arise as you place your college decision side by side with the prestigious choices of your classmates. You begin to ask yourself the question, “Do my accomplishments even compare to those of my classmates?”

Many teenagers today don’t consider college acceptance an achievement, instead it is an expectation set by parents and high schools to obtain a higher education.

This doesn’t come from just any college, but one with accredited programs and unique majors that will set you apart from the crowd.

Renowned universities like Stanford rejected almost 96% of its applicants.

These universities’ minuscule acceptance rates leave high achieving students feeling as if they aren’t capable of being successful, because for the past four years of their life they measured success in their acceptance to selective schools.

Now even typically less selective colleges have been harder to attend.

Out of state selective rates can be harder to get into. For example, Texas Christian University’s acceptance rate is 56.1%, but 40% of the student population is from the state of Texas.

These expectations only burden students more as colleges are increasing selectiveness. There is now extra pressure on students.

High schoolers are doing more extracurriculars and striving to stand out in the admissions process. And with college on a pedestal, families feel the need to spend extra money on ACT tutors, resume classes, and essay coaches.

“I think this gives students the idea that they simply aren’t good enough,” Junior Mary Schumm said. “In the grand scheme of life, what college you go to doesn’t define you or who you are.”

This major comparison can stem from increased social media presence over the past decade that has also helped fabricate this frenzy of namebrand colleges meaning more than college itself. It created an environment where students regularly compare themselves to others achievements and feel judged for the university they post online.

“There is an aesthetic aspect to prestigious universities,” senior Kate Wren said. “People post their viral college decisions and reactions, stuff like that did not exist before YouTube so in that regard, the Ivy [League] Hype has inflated.”

With all the low admission rates, comparison, and expectations comes a question, “What about the students who simply cant afford to go to college, or want to take a different path?”

The pressure and craze stemming from the college admissions process is truthfully anxiety inducing, especially for families who can’t afford prestigious universities. According to NBC News the proportion of students going to college right after highschool is down 6% in the past year due to the expense of universities.

“I think kids who grow up more wealthy forget that not everyone goes to college, so they just assume everyone’s going and it comes off as incredibly entitled,” senior Suzanne Sade said. “Space needs to be made for people who don’t want to go to college right after high school instead of being judged or completely disregarded.”

Not only can not everyone afford college, but multiple students are taking different paths. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 61% of students attend college right out of high school. This percentage has gotten smaller and smaller in the past decade as many students are revolting against the traditional college path and societal expectation.

“In the past decade, I can say that I have seen more and more students who take a gap year or decide to do a different path than the typical college route,” college counselor Heather Henning said. “If anything I would say students are more aware that they can push back on those regular standards with life after high school.”

But despite the increase in pushback from students many students are still choosing the typical college route.

“I feel like society puts an insane amount of pressure on teens to follow a certain timeline and path,” Schumm said. “I also feel like this goes hand in hand with prestigious colleges, my opinion is that everyone should just do what truly makes them happy no matter the timeline or college.”

This editorial reflects the views of the Le Journal Staff. 11 out of 13 voted in favor of this editorial.

A PURPOSEFUL PERSPECTIVE been working at Sion for nine years and

College counselor Heather Henning has

eather Henning has been

Sion for nine years. She has seen thousands of different juniors and seniors run through hundreds of different college paths, and she reflects on how after highschool plans have shifted throughout the decade.

“In the past decade, I can say that I have seen more and more students who take a gap year or decide to do a different path than the typical college route,” college

counselor Henning said. “If anything I would say students are more aware that they can push back on those regular standards with life after high school.”

Henning gives her best piece of advice to juniors and seniors going through the college search.

“I would say just do whatever fits best to your life and your plan, every student is unique and different so every path is different.”

has advised juniors and seniors through the college process.

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INFORMATION ACCORDING TO NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION

February 2024 | 13

Beyond

cover story .

BY NEWS EDITOR ADDIE DOYLE, FEATURES EDITOR BRIDGET BENDORF, AND OPINION/EDITORIALS EDITOR LAUREN HAGGERTY

THE SCOREBOARD

The leap from youth sports to competitive teams is an impactful moment in adolescents’ lives. There is a new level of pressure, balance and affordability to tackle, which makes people wonder if competitive youth sports are worth it.

T

hink back to the memories from your childhood sports teams. Your first pair of cleats, picking dandelions in the outfield or getting ice cream after games. How have these core memories impacted your life today? Throughout the years, as pressures begin to build and the memories start to fade, it is easy to forget why you started your sport in the first place. However, love for the sport, teammates, and dedication can make it worth it.

When it comes to youth sports there are two types of kids: the kids who just want practice to be over, and the kids who count down the days until the next one.

The kids who love their sport are mostly those that love the feeling of success and validation they get from it.

“One memory I have from my childhood of dance is when me and Livvy

14 | LeJournal

[Cavaliere] won a giant trophy for getting first in our duet at Nationals,” junior Stella McClure said. “I was so young so the giant trophy seemed like the biggest deal in the world to me.”

For others, sports are a great opportunity to meet people and push themselves out of their everyday bubble.

This allows athletes to develop close bonds with their teammates, and the sport becomes increasingly more enjoyable.

“The person I used to be with when I scored a goal or who I got my assists from was always my best friend Kylie,” freshman Ky Potts said.

Most children play more than one sport growing up, so they can get a feel for where their talents shine through. This is a great way for kids who love sports to learn new skills, meet even more people, and do what they love most.

“My mom always told me to never put all my eggs in one basket,” junior Ava Lynn said. “I did multiple sports growing up, and I am so grateful I had those opportunities to do it because I never felt like I was missing out. I loved being able to try everything.”

Oftentimes when kids narrow in on the sport they want to pursue competitively they dedicate their teenage years, free time and energy into it. The time they spent in their preadolescence developing skills only benefits them as they grow older.

“A core memory was definitely winning dance team nationals my freshman year, and nothing can explain how I felt the second I knew we had won,” McClure said.

“I’ll never forget that moment because it just showed how our hard work paid off.”

On the other hand, dedicating all

cover story

GRAPHIC | BRIDGET BENDORF energy to a narrow pursuit of one sport can lead to burn out, causing athletes to ultimately give up and pursue something else. Youth sports at the competitive level are a time commitment as well as a financial one. Many families do not have the resources available to help their child progress in a sport. And for some families there might not be access to local facilities or teams that are able to help that child further their career in that sport.

“I used to love soccer and I was competitive in it for 10 years,” Potts said.

“But in Lee’s Summit I couldn’t find a club I really liked so I stopped.”

Pressures on Performance their children. When it comes to sports, Ptheir desire for success may put pressure arents naturally want what’s best for

onto their kids. Whether it’s a top national club team or a division one athletic

scholarship, parents sometimes get carried away when rooting for their kids. This built up pressure to be perfect, can cause burnout and anxiety for young kids.

“I used to feel a lot of pressure in basketball when I was younger because my dad coaches basketball and he used to play when he was younger too,” Potts said. “I would think to myself, ‘If I don’t do good he is going to be disappointed in me.’”

In an interview with Detroit Free Press, Executive Director of the Positive Coaching Alliance Jason Sacks stated that 70% of children drop out of their sport by the age of 13 largely because of parental pressure.

Many parents played sports growing up and subconsciously try to live vicariously through their children and their athletic careers, by trying to help their child achieve what they were unable to do in their childhoods.

“My dad played tennis from a really young age and my mom played when she got older, and she made all my siblings play,” junior Kate Spenceri said. ”Then I kind of stopped liking it, but they told me to keep trying.”

However, these built up expectations can drive young athletes to obtain those high goals set by themselves or their parents. Someone might hate their sport in the beginning, but when their parents force them to continue, the child could discover their newfound passion and be grateful for the encouragement and discipline instilled in them by their parents.

“From eighth grade to 10th grade I was playing two years older in club soccer,” senior Sophia Grantham said. “I felt like I had a lot to live up to, which made me play better and work harder.”

This mentality of not being good enough is a difficult facet to youth sports.

It’s hard to navigate the pressures of needing to be the best or the strongest.

This can drain kids’ energy and confidence, or perhaps it can help them persevere.

Some kids require healthy competition and moderate obstacles to inspire and challenge themselves to consistently become the best athlete they can be.

“Whenever I had a solo growing up I

February 2024 | 15

cover story .

would always beat myself up if I didn’t do very well,” McClure said. “Even though I’ve gotten better at not putting pressure on myself, it’s still hard to feel like you haven’t let down your team if you make one little mistake.”

It’s difficult to maintain the mentality of getting better and growing as an athlete when there is constant negative pressure from competitive parents or coaches.

For some, this can fade their love for the sport, but for others it can help them find the love for their sport.

“When I was four or five I played recreational soccer, and I hated every minute of it and I wanted to quit. My sisters both told me no and that I wasn’t allowed to so I kept playing and going and now I still play today,” sophomore Nora Conway said. “I am so glad that they didn’t let me quit because that’s the only sport that I keep with year round still to this day.”

The push and grit of continuing a sport can make young adults love their sports even more. It becomes a safe place and a therapeutic outlet. It’s something that is consistent and physical that can ease the many stresses of being

16 | LeJournal

a teenager.

“I feel like dancing helped mental health because it was very freeing,” sophomore Addison Warn said. “It was a place where I could go with my friends and do a sport that I love.”

A Balancing Act competitive sports, the practices get far Amore intensive, and athletes must learn s adolescents transition into

to balance busy schedules. Having longer practice times as school becomes more rigorous, leads to more time carved out of a student’s schedule despite increasingly challenging assignments.

“I make sure I’m really organized and plan ahead every night. If I have dive and cheer the next day, I pack a bag and get all of my homework done.” sophomore Naya Narciso said. “It is really not too crazy, I just see it as making me stronger.”

Balancing these two aspects of life can make it nearly impossible to attend social events or have free time. For many athletes, practicing instead of attending a friend’s birthday party, or even missing

homecoming dinner because you had a tournament that day are normal challenges. Too often, young athletes have to prioritize their sports over their social life.

“Balancing sports is definitely hard because I do cheer in the fall and then I do club volleyball along with lacrosse in the spring,” Warn said. “Juggling everything is definitely a task because it feels like I don’t have time to prioritize myself, homework, or my social life. It can take a toll on you.”

For some young athletes, the lack of free time is overly draining and can feel like a never ending cycle. Sports practices can be so exhaustive at competitive levels that other aspects of life may be left in the dirt. On the contrary, some athletes see this time obligation as necessary to improve their future,even at the cost of missing those moments in highschool.

Perspective and mindset are a huge part of the continuation of a singular sport.

“I’ve missed out on hangouts with friends or family dinners. Sometimes I get upset that I have to miss things,” McClure said. “I just remember that dance could be a part of my future and that’s more

cover story

important than just one hangout with my friends.”

One competitive sport is already a lot of work, but two competitive sports takes double the commitment. Rushing between practices and competitions can be near impossible to balance.

“Cheer practice is usually two hours, and some nights I am late to dive because I come straight from cheer,” Narciso said. “I also have to leave dive early sometimes.”

Every competitive team wants to succeed, therefore they want to put in the hours it takes to perfect their techniques. Focusing on nailing two different sports’ skills means a competition for time. Athletes struggle with the conundrum of which practice to go to, when to fit in time for friends, and which game days are most important.

Highly competitive teams also have strict rules that team members need to abide by, in terms of practice attendance.

“Sometimes we get scheduled for an extra practice, and I have to miss whatever I may have had scheduled for that day, even dive meets,” Narciso said.

“I had to miss whatever I had planned no matter what, so winning [Cheer] Worlds

made all the extra practices worth it.”

Sports may push young-athletes to minimize procrastination and improve time management skills. When people need to prepare for so many different events and overlapping schedules, they begin to find their routines and what works for them.

“When I got to high school it was a lot harder because I had more stuff to complete in little free time,” McClure said. “I think that now as a junior I have learned to plan things around my dance schedule.”

Athletes also establish an extensive social network through their teammates and competitors. The portion of time they spend with their team creates unwavering bonds throughout the group and makes for lifelong friendships. Competitors also become friends through frequent games and extracurricular programs.

“I definitely still figure out a way to hang out with my school friends,” Narciso said. “But I’d say my cheer friends are pretty much my family since we’ve all been doing it for so long.”

Worth the Work McClure, they feel that their effort and Ahours have been worth it. Their sweat ccording to Narciso, Potts and

and dedication has created a better, stronger, future. The memories and achievements that come from years on a team make for a great compensation of the time they have dedicated.

“My favorite memory from cheer was winning Worlds,” Narciso said. “It was crazy because we didn’t expect to win and all of our hard work finally paid off.”

It’s not always easy to decide if the consistent effort is worth it. There are ups and downs, and those can lead to questions about the meaning of it all.

Athletes question if dedicating a major part of their lives to their sport is worth it. When things get hard, think about the reason you choose to do it.

“Sometimes I don’t think it’s worth it, but then other times I know it definitely is. I can’t imagine my life without cheer and dive,” Narciso said. “I definitely think it’s worth it because of the friends I have made, things I have learned, and everything that has come out of it.”

GRAPHIC | BRIDGET BENDORF

February 2024 | 17

OPINION.

Generation z z z z

zz

The criticisms of Generation Z’s work ethic fail to acknowledge the challenges Gen Z faces and damage inter-generational relationships.

BY ELLA SATTERWHITE COPY EDITOR

W

aking up early in the morning to complete the last pieces of homework from the day before, driving to school on the icy roads, sitting through classes and tests, going to sports practices, rehearsals or after-school jobs. The daily activities of a high schooler are numerous and diverse.

One thing they are certainly not, however, is idle.

The propensity of older generations to call those who come after them lazy is not new. Everyone has heard the infamous grandparent story of trekking uphill through the snow to school and how much harder they needed to work.

However, recently, it has been taken too far.

Across social media and dinner tables, Gen Z high schoolers, college students, and workers have gritted their teeth as they are lectured on all of the ways in which they are lazy. Complaints of “the lazy generation” seem to appear in people’s feeds every few minutes.

Not only are there obvious issues with characterizing an entire generation as lazy, but the characterization is hardly true. By falsely characterizing the entire age group, older generations simply insult and alienate a generation already struggling with mental health and connecting to the world around them.

“It’s unfair to characterize an entire generation as lazy. It discredits all the people who aren’t,” junior Brooke Petro said. “There’s not going to be one type of person, that’s not how people work. So it’s unfair to give that characteristic to the whole generation.”

To claim that an entire age group falls under one umbrella will inevitably narrow the public perception of that generation. By engaging in generalizing labels, we allow ourselves to become less complex people. In an era where so much information is presented to us at every moment, it is imperative that we use that information to broaden our understanding instead of narrowing it.

Beyond the repercussions of

18 | LeJournal

generalizations, this particular stereotype is far from accurate. While our generation does appreciate pastimes that previous generations did not, such as browsing social media or playing video games, the change in the nature of the pastime does not indicate more time for them.

Instead, it simply showcases only one side of the experience of children to older adult audiences.

“People in our generation could post things from a pretty young age, so older people have been able to see our entire childhood,” Petro said. “And because we’ve posted our high school years and middle school and even early college years of being young people, they assume that that’s what we’re going to be like forever, because that’s what they’ve been seeing of us all over the place.”

In the past, an average adult would only be regularly exposed to children if they were family members, however, with the technology available, adults are now exposed to snapshots of the everyday lives of kids. Adults can then overanalyze these small portions of children’s lives, creating a false impression of laziness.

Posts about hours of homework or the difficulties of finding time to relax are not the usual topics chosen to discuss online.

Instead, the majority of adults see videos about dances, makeup, video games, or other pastimes.

Additional arguments that technology leads to laziness by making things easier ignore the increased workload such ease provides. When technology makes finding a source easier, teachers simply require more sources or give less time. Technology can also prevent kids from ever having time off, with snow days turning into virtual work days and teenagers checking their emails and completing homework even over breaks.

“It’s very invalidating, especially because I feel like it’s spurred a lot by the technology we have right now,” sophomore Heidi Nance said. “Like ‘You’re always on your phone.’ And that comes with just as many hardships

as it does newfound ease. So it’s really invalidating to the new problems that are posed by having all that technology, there’s just so many more things going faster than you can try to keep up.”

Outside of high school, older members of Generation Z entering the workforce are also battling the reputation of laziness. Despite this stereotype, statistics reveal that Gen Z is working hard to find success. According to Visual Capitalist, Gen Z makes up 15% of the workforce in the U.S. and U.K., with the number expected to rise to 31% by 2031, with only millennials taking up a larger share.

Even teenagers are entering the labor force, with the Labor Department reporting that 37% of 16- to 19-yearolds are either holding or looking for a job, which is the highest rate since 2009. At Sion, 32 out of 49 respondents (65.3%) indicated they held a job or had held a job. In fact, except for during the 2020 pandemic, Generation Z has had an upward trend in employed teenagers after the dip in 2000–2010 caused

by Millennials. According to the Pew Research Center, all of this is on top of twice as much time spent on homework when compared to the mid-1990s.

Other claims about teens not working as hard at jobs are also false. While there is a marked difference in attitude towards climbing corporate ladders and sticking around in toxic work environments, Gen Z has determined a different method of hard work. 62% of Gen Z workers reported on a survey published by Visual Capitalist that they were actively or passively looking for a new job.

Those in Gen Z are also more likely than any other age group to have two jobs. A report by Deloitte that surveyed people around the world stated that among Gen Z workers, 46% had either a full-time or part-time job on top of their primary occupations. Millennials also

OPINION

often held two jobs, with 37% of survey respondents having multiple jobs.

“A lazy generation wouldn’t be destroying themselves for competitive college admissions. We’ve been told that the only way to get a good job is to go to a good university and get a sensible degree,” junior Elwyn Patterson said. “Even if you get that

degree, it turns out that everyone else has one too, and it is no longer an advantage.

So many are stuck with a huge amount of student debt in a crumbling economy.”

Not only is the phrase false, it cannot be dismissed as a mere joke or something unimportant.

The media that people are exposed to impacts their worldviews and perceptions of themselves. In a generation fraught with mental health issues, demeaning comments on work ethic are the last thing we need from those in the generations before us.

While generational gaps are a constant, insults and derision only separate us further. Somehow, it feels

as if despite, or maybe because of, the myriad of information sources available for connection, we manage to become less connected and more quick to blame.

When role models are replaced with critics, we lose essential contacts and sources for growth. Now, whenever we enter a new space, we must actively fight against the perception that we won’t work hard.

“I think it definitely makes us feel a little alienated to a point because if the people we’re supposed to be looking up to are calling us lazy and inadequate, then who are we supposed to look up to?” Petro said. “If they’re just going to assume that we’re less quality people or have a worse work ethic than they did, what do we do with that? Who do we look up to if they’re just going to insult us from day one?”

ILLUSTRATIONS | ELLA SATTERWHITE

February 2024 | 19

Feature.

kicking the

Competition A

s the tick of the clock fades into the background, Sion’s dance team holds their ending pose, breathless, on the Universal Dance Association (UDA) national stage. Cheers arise from the audience as the dance team exits, marking the end of their competition. Later that evening, Feb. 2, it was announced that Sion’s dance team placed second in the nation with their kick routine. Unlike more traditional dances, this routine emphasizes emotion.

The “music” was the voice of a man talking about time and its passing and in the

background soft instrumental music accompanied the winding and ticking of a clock.

“The kick routine was a challenge for our team because we weren’t used to having such a serious dance,” sophomore Zoey Chambers said. “But it was good for us because now we know we can do it, and in the future can dive into stuff like it.”

Sion dance team competes in three categories; pom, kick, and gameday (which was added in 2022-2023). They have been

BY ELLA ALEXANDER CO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

participating in the UDA National Competition in Orlando, Florida for the past 20 years and placed first with their kick routine in the 2020-2021 and 20212022 seasons.

“I think the pressure that comes with it is one of the hardest parts about being on such a competitive dance team,” senior Livvy Cavaliere said.

“We hold such a high standard, like my freshman year we were 13-time state champions and it was scary to think that my year would be the one to break that streak.”

While the dance team is considered a winter sport, their season starts in April with tryouts and lasts through the year until March. At the beginning of their season, the team attends UDA dance camp. The camp is a time spent learning three dances and bonding with the team.

“I love camp, it is so fun. Getting to bond with my teammates and seeing all the freshmen’s personalities come out is my favorite part,” Zoey Chambers said. “You just get to dance with all your friends in such a fun environment where everyone is positive.”

The summer practices are used to work on technique and build a foundation for the remainder of the year which is spent preparing for competitions. Sion’s dance team competes in four different competitions throughout the year. There is the KC Classic, Chicagoland, UDA nationals, and then State. Leading up to nationals the team spends their evenings cleaning and perfecting all three of their dances and will come in early in the morning to continue. This year they performed their routine for family and friends the weekend before flying to Florida.

Having a nationals showcase precompetition is something we didn’t do last year, and we want our girls to have the opportunity to practice in

ALL OTHER PHOTOS | ELLA ALEXANDER COMPETITION PHOTOS | UNIVERSAL DANCE ASSOCIATION

20 | LeJournal

Sion’s dance team wraps up their season after placing second in the Universal Dance Association’s National Competition in kick, performing at the KC Comets game and attending the Missouri State Competiton.

front of people,” dance coach Madison Pincombe said. “They perform very differently in front of a crowd than they do for us and we think it will be very successful and helpful and something we will continue doing.”

Among pre-competition traditions is the “Mickey Breakfast.” The dance moms prepare a small gift bag and breakfast spread before practice. The dancers all get matching Mickey Mouse ears and enjoy a light meal together.

Afterwards the dance team left for nationals on Jan. 30, flying to Orlando with their families. While in Orlando the team explored Disney World together.

“It’s just so much fun going to Disney as a team because while we have a lot of fun moments during the season, most of it is hard work and trying to reach our goals,” junior Elizabeth Danda said. “But then going to Disney World is letting loose and just having fun as a team and not worrying about anything. It’s just so fun, and getting to go on the rides with the people you love and love having fun with just makes the experience ten times better.”

Attending UDA nationals is an expansive week-long experience ranging from walking around Disney World to sweating through last-minute practices.

They make final revisions until the grand performance, when the team’s dedication and hard work culminates in a two minute performance.

“It’s been pretty hard preparing for nationals but it’s a good experience because you get to see all the work you put in,” freshman Channing Chambers said. “The other day Maya [Neenan] sent us a video of us doing the dance the first time we learned it vs now and the difference between the two is so grand because you can see how much we put in the work and how we were able to fix some of the mistakes we were making.”

Feature

OUT OF THIS WORLD PERFORMANCE Dance team performed their game day routine at the Kansas City Comets’ halftime Feb. 11.

BY ELLA ALEXANDER CO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF hue matching the turf as Sion’s dance Tteam walks to the edge of the arena

he bright lights are replaced by a blue

dressed in their game day routine outfit. With over 4,600 people watching they take their places as the music blares over the speaker at the Cable Dahmer Arena.

Sion’s dance team performed during the Kansas City Comets’ halftime on Feb. 11 followed by the Comet’s cheerleaders. The Comets are Kansas City’s indoor soccer team and often promote community involvement by allowing different groups and schools to participate in gameday activities.

leaving

legacies

class of 96’ enrolled her Adaughter Livvy Cavaliere lumna Beth Cavaliere,

in dance classes when she was two years old.

“My mom was on the [Sion] dance team so whenever I was little she would say ‘you are going to Sion and you are going to be the first legacy on the dance team.’ So that’s what I did,” Livvy Cavaliere said.

“I’ve been dancing since then and while I’ve had some rough patches with dance, but something about dancing makes me feel like me. It’s such a space for me to be myself and I don’t have to worry about life or anything.

Livvy

So we were actually approached by somebody who works with the Comets to do a performance during halftime,” dance team coach Lexi Pardee said.

“It is nice because the school gets to promote the performance so it’s a good marketing opportunity for the school and for our team and it’s fun to just be involved in the community and have a community presence.”

This is the first time that Sion’s dance team has performed in a professional arena bar Sion, Rockhurst and at competitions.

“Performing at the game was such a cool experience because we had never done something like that before,” senior Maya Neenan said. “It was super low stress and a great way to genuinely enjoy dancing with my team without all the nerves that come with the other performances that we do. It was also our last time doing our gameday routine so it was a nice way to finish it out on a good note.”

Sion’s dance team contains many familial bonds, with sisters joing the team together and the first mother daughter legacy.

Cavaliere is the first legacy on Sion’s dance team, however she is not the only dance team member connected via family.

Junior Elizabeth Danda spent her childhood looking forward to joining the Sion dance team and was followed onto the roster by her younger sister Julie Danda.

“I like dancing at Sion together because we have been used to it having done studio dance together,” Julie Danda said. “And it’s fun because you can talk about the dances and practice and

stretch together at home.”

Another sister duo on the team is junior Zoey Chambers and freshman Channing Chambers whose oldest sister Reese Chambers was captain of the dance team before graduating in 2023.

“It’s super fun dancing with Zoey,” Channing Chambers said. “Even though she’s my sister and she can be hard on me it’s nice because I know she will always be with me and I can go to her with questions. I just like having her there.”

February 2024 | 21

A&E

Beauty Standards Generation Z and Generation Alpha are being negatively Lately, effected by social you may have media. noticed

BY GABRIELA SWINDLE quite a few REPORTER tween girls strolling the streets sporting Lululemon crossbody bags, clutching their Stanley cups in one hand while a Sephora makeup bag dangles from their wrist.

Younger kids have seen the things that the older generations are doing, and have started taking part in these activities. With the rise of social media usage by young kids, the influence of adults has begun to heavily impact young girls’ desires, changing Christmas wish lists from Barbies and American Girl Dolls to youth serums and tinted moisturizers.

The early engagement of 10-year-olds in using adultoriented makeup and products has had a profound impact on society, and the development of rudeness and entitlement. With these minors absorbing all this media we’ve seen the outcome firsthand.

Kids are throwing fits with their parents in stores about not getting their expensive skin. Influencers telling minors that they need all the expensive name brands and saying “you need to start young” to age well.

Just drink water.

“Kids absorb so much media,” junior Kate Schneeberger said.”

22 | LeJournal

When we were younger we watched YouTube, or I did at least, and [I] wanted all of the toys I saw. Kids are looking up to these influencers on TikTok doing these skincare routines and wanting to be like them.

Kids have always wanted to have the things in the media that they see, it has just changed from slime and toys to skincare and Makeup” Women in their late twenties and beyond often strive to maintain a youthful appearance, while younger girls may want to look older and more mature. Our desires and perceptions of beauty can vary greatly depending on our age and life experiences. Kids are feeling more pressure with social media to try and “fit in” with teens and adults in a way they never had before.

“Preteens don’t have a third space where they can go and be kids. We had things that helped us transition from kids to teens like Justice,” Schneeberger said.

“That was a place where makeup and accessories were still slightly childish.

Another reason for kids growing up is because of COVID-19 playing a role in their developmental years.

They couldn’t socialize with people and were staring at a screen for most of their day.”

While Generation Z recalls collecting Rainbow Loom, Shopkins, Slime, and Silly bands, Generation Alpha has become obsessed with the newest expensive makeup and skincare, Stanley water cups, and designer bags.

With the influence of social media, girls nowadays strive to grow up faster by buying products from brands like Drunk Elephant and Fenty Beauty, which can be harmful to young skin over time. These products, initially created for adult women, can cause dryness, itchiness, redness and irritation to young people’s skin. It can permanently harm the skin’s

barrier and structure, causing it to be more sensitive to even water.

“I think parents are to blame a lot for that.” freshman Itzel Olivas said, ”When I was ten I was playing outside, but now, a kid gets handed an iPad and they see all these trends on TikTok and see what’s trending and want to follow those trends.”

With the recent destruction of test products by these kids at Sephora, the company is considering discontinuing samples usually available in-store.

These young girls need to learn how to behave in a respectable manner by not mixing skincare and makeup or opening new makeup packages and using them only to leave them on the shelf. Either Sephora needs to enforce an age restriction, or they need to be supervised and have to pay for the products they destroy.

“I was running to get the last thing of my Nars bronzer,” junior Charlotte Zender Said. “This child ran in front of me and bumped into me and grabbed it and I just stood there in shock and contemplated crying because why does this 10-year-old need bronzer?”

Kids these days are missing out on the joys of being a kid and not an adult. The trends involve a premature engagement in adult-oriented activities, such as using makeup and skincare products, carrying designer bags, and imitating influencers on platforms like TikTok. Overall, the loss of traditional childhood experiences and the pressure on kids to grow up quickly is leaving a profound negative impact on children, and changes need to be made to protect childhood innocence.

PHOTO | GABRIELA SWINDLE

A&E

EMBRACING INDIVIDUALITY

You only ever hear about the negative implications of social media, but the reality is that it allows for teenagers and young women to connect with people and themselves in a creative and individual way.

BY LILY WILKIN CO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

S

itting cross legged on the soft carpeted floor in front of the mirror, the soft rambling of the makeup tutorial plays in the background, while you loosely follow the instructions. You feel relaxed as you bring the makeup brush to your eye. For you, makeup is a way to embrace your creativity and express yourself without judgment.

While social media has a bad reputation for being demotivating, toxic and enabling insecurities, the influx of individuality and the opportunity to be artistic, and most importantly yourself, is readily available.

Women tend to struggle most with self acceptance and self-love in their teens. According to a National Organization for Women (NOW) study, 50% of teens are “self conscious about their bodies.”

“Social media can be hard to conceptualize with creativity since it is known for its negative impacts on mental health,” Senior Maya Hernandez said. “But it allows teens to share makeup looks with a wider audience, and connects them with others who share similar interests and passions.”

People generally tend to look at, and notice the bad aspects of anything, therefore showing social media in a negative light. The cons are constantly talked about and teens are warned against using social media because of its negative effects. But everyone leaves out the pros, and the ability social media has to create a greater sense of community and togetherness that some teens might not have anywhere else.

The beauty and makeup side of social media can provide teenagers with community, inspiration, and a controlled environment for practice and growth. Because you don’t need to leave your house to explore social media, you can stay in areas you feel

ILLUSTRATIONS | LILY WILKIN comfortable physically while exploring new facets of artistry and imagination.

Creativity is vital to teenagers’ growth. According to the National Youth Council of Ireland, it allows them to “absorb knowledge more easily and makes processing learning more efficient.”

Makeup is a perfect aspect for teenagers to explore this, there are many different forms of makeup, from everyday looks to more complicated special effects looks. But they all have artistry in common. Makeup can let teens embrace their own artistry and discover new passions and talents from their own home.

“Creativity allows us to think outside the box, problem-solve, and bring joy and innovation to our lives,” Hernandez said. “It is important because it allows teens to express themselves in a way that is authentic to them, a makeup trend can circle the internet but everyone who recreates it has the ability to put their own personal spin on it.”

Not only does beauty and makeup allow for greater creativity, it can help teenagers find confidence and self love. By seeing others embrace themselves and who they are, teenagers can begin to become more comfortable with themselves and their own passions.

Like any other influencer, beauty and makeup creators can be motivational role models. The diversity of content available online also allows people to see people who are similar to them succeed, which is extremely important. In fact, GallupAmazon data reveals that mentors with an appearance or life path comparable to the mentee make a larger impact.

The possible positivity of social media allows insecurities to be normalized, which is a vital step in teenagers’ and young womens’ mental health and self-love journeys.

It enables people to embrace their insecurities by seeing someone embody it in a positive way.

According to a 2008 Dove SelfEsteem project, seven in 10 girls believe they are not good enough in ways such as their looks, performance in school, and their relationships with their families. Based on these findings the Polaris Teen Center conducted their own analysis, in which they found that experimenting with makeup can help ease teens’ depression and give them “a more lasting sense of identity.”

“Social media can be a great thing, because it can be very body positive and make people feel better about their insecurities,” freshman Jae High said. “And people can get the inspiration they need to feel more confident about themselves.”

Being yourself and feeling comfortable enough to express yourself to the outside world is never an easy feat, but by normalizing every body, skin color and skin type, more and more people will feel comfortable in their own body.

While social media, specifically the beauty aspect, has an extensive list of negatives, and it can be a toxic place for young women, it can also create a space for young girls to figure out who they are, and who they want to be. It can allow them to embrace their creativity and find role models that look like them, whereas in their day-to-day lives they might not have that exposure to diversity.

“Social media has allowed a space for talented makeup artists to show makeup looks to a larger number of people, and you’re able to see cool looks that obviously take talent.” junior Georgia Gomez said. “When you see this talent, it seems more like art than the original simple makeup looks that most do on a daily basis.”

February 2024 | 23

feature .

Dive Dynasty

Senior Catherine Knopke shares in a diving dynasty by not only participating in dive all four years like Sion alum Caroline Knopke, but also being coached

by Caroline Knopke and brother David Knopke.

BY ARLETH GUEVARA CO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

T

aking a deep breath, eyes focused Junior Olympic diver,” David Knopke having the most talented and on the water before her, senior said. “Diving is just about all I know.” successful athletes to the best coaches Catherine Knopke steps to the Yet, it was never his original alongside me,” Caroline Knopke said. edge of the diving board before intention to stay this long.

“Being able to coach with my brother jumping and diving backwards into the “I had heard there was an opening David and learn even more from him water. She holds her breath before for the dive coach position for the has been a wonderful experience that I emerging. The sound of cheers and 2021 season. I applied not only to will never forget.” applause reaches her ears. She can get back into coaching, but also to This is Catherine Knopke’s last hear her older siblings yell her name, have a chance to coach my sister, year at Sion. Not only is she saying her siblings who are also her coaches. Catherine,” David Knopke said. “I had goodbye to Sion diving, but also to “I graduated from Sion in 2020,” initially planned on coaching for one being coached by her siblings. assistant coach Caroline Knopke “I am so grateful to have been said. “I wanted the opportunity to coached by my sister and brother. coach my little sister and help her Growing up they were my role models improve her diving skills further.” not only in life but with diving,” Catherine Knopke has been Catherine Knopke said. “Being the last diving since she was five, largely year I was sad to not only finish my influenced by her older siblings diving career but to not have them as dive coaches David Knopke and my coaches anymore.”

Caroline Knopke.

Catherine Knopke finished her “I started when I was five.

Sion Dive career at the Missouri State I would watch them [David and competition Feb 15. She placed 4th.

Caroline], and I just knew I wanted “When going up to my last dive to dive,” Catherine Knopke said. “I at state, all I could think about was wanted to be like them.” them,” Catherine Knopke said “I was Being coached by a sibling so sad that it had come to an end but brings its own set of potential I am so lucky to have been able to go differences. through high school diving with them.

“I’d like to say there isn’t a It made the sport ten times more difference in how I coach my sister meaningful having them on the pool versus the other athletes, but I’d deck with me.” be lying to myself,” David Knopke Although she is not continuing said. “With Catherine, I can be a bit PHOTO SUMBITTED | CATHERINE KNOPKE to competitive dive in college, more demanding because she grew up season and handing the coaching she hopes to follow in her siblings’ diving with me.” responsibilities over to my other sister, footsteps and coach.

David Knopke has been coaching Caroline, since she is a Sion alum. But “I definitely want to do at Sion for three years.

I find myself still coaching for my third intramurals, but I am ready to be done “I dove for 13 years, 12 of those year now.” with competitive diving,” Catherine years in the Country Club Swim For Caroline Knopke, this is her Knopke said. “I also can’t wait to start Association of Kansas City (CCSAKC) second year coaching at Sion. coaching.” league, while also four at Rockhurst “I have had a very positive High School, and nine as a competitive experience coaching at Sion, from

24 | LeJournal

feature

4

FOR

FOUR

Sion dive team recieved highest score since 2012 at the Missouri State Competition.

BY ARLETH GUEVARA CO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

St. Peters Rec Plex near myself before I went was that OSt.toLouis I’ve got it and I’ll be fine, then for the Missouri n Feb 15. Sion Dive traveled

to one of my dives. All I told

I ended up in fourth,” Knopke State Dive Competition. All four varsity divers qualified for said.

All varsity divers also state this year. podiumed at state, making it “State was so much fun, the first time all varsity divers and everyone did amazing!” senior Catherine Knopke said. placed at state. Sophomore “We were the only team with Naya Narciso placed second, Knopke placed fourth, senior all four varsity divers diving, Jane Lehman recieved which is the max that third, and senior Maggie can dive at state.”

Axtell recieved eighth The Missouri place. state dive “I was so grateful competition lasted to be there as the four roughly five hours, of us, since we all went with each diver to state last year,” Knopke doing eleven said.“We have a bond of all dives each. through those high-intensity “To be moments of diving.” honest I was PHOTO SUBMITTED | DAVID KNOPKE a little worried when it came

Making A Splash

PHOTO | SOPHIA GRANTHAM Knopke Readying herself, senior Catherine g a reverse gets in position before performin age of five. dive. Knopke started diving at the I don’t even “I’ve been diving for so long that said. think about it, I just go.” Knopke

february 2024 | 25

A&E.

arts

KC A Sion girl’s guide to the arts around Kansas City.

BY CLAIRE BOMA MANAGING EDITOR

american jazz museum

permanent collection that makes

ocated on 18th and Vine in

LKansas City, the American Jazz its mark, detailing the history Museum explores the rich history of Kansas City’s jazz scene and the significance of jazz music in our country.

The museum features many traveling exhibits of famous jazz musicians, but it’s their

sion review: 3.7/5 “I went in middle school with my jazz club, it was really fun! I loved the design and cool lights, they had a lot of interactive pieces and fun music playing as you go thoroughout the museum. They also do a lot around the community of 18th and Vine and celebrations for Juneteenth which is really cool.”

- Mary Margaret Perkins ‘24

upcoming events: Opera Dives Deep: Romeo and Juliet From Page to Stage ................. March 5

and heroes of the jazz scene in Kansas City, and how the African American community impacted our city during a time of segregation and racial oppression.

In addition to visiting the museum collections, the historic Gem Theater and The Blue Room are available for tours, community events and performances.

The Museum is also home to the Kansas City Jazz Academy, where middle and high school students may receive instruction on jazz instrumentals and vocals outside of the traditional music taught in school programs.

Scan Here

For the American Jazz Museum website

Roméo et Juliette ............ March 9 - 17 The Herberdahsher Prince ................................... April 6 - 23 Lyric Opera Ball: A Toast to Opera .......................... April 20 Journey to Valhalla ............... May 3 - 5

lyric opera of kansas city

Scan Here

To buy tickets at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City.

Tonly professional opera organization

he Lyric Opera of Kansas City is the

Michael and Ginger Frost Production Arts Building for their puppet shows. in the area, and in addition The opera also offers a variety of educational opportunities for both to producing numerous high-quality performances students and other members of each year, they dedicate the community. extra time to music and One such opportunity is the community education. student dress rehearsals, where schools are invited to watch the final dress The Lyric Opera performs in two rehearsal of each show for only $6.00. locations, the The opera also sends educational curriculums related to the performance Kauffman Center For Performing to teachers prior to the performance to Arts for their ensure understanding and learning. mainstage As traditional Italian operas may not operas be everyone’s cup of tea, the company and the also puts on productions of popular musicals or contemporary operatic shows, creating a space nearly everyone can enjoy.

ILLUSTRATIONS | CLAIRE BOMA

26 | LeJournal

sion reviews: 4/5 “The Lyric Opera is a wonderful company, who put on very high quality productions. I’ll be honest, I don’t really understand opera (and not just because it’s often in another language) but I think that even what I haven’t understood I knew to be very high quality.”

- Elwyn Patterson ‘25 “I try to take our choir and orchestra every year. There are lots of things I love about the opera, but the main thing is that it lets people branch out and try something they normally wouldn’t. There’s a full pit which is really nice for our orchestra students, and vocally opera is really phenomenal.”

- Music Teacher Elizabeth Mulkey

A&E

crossroads arts district

sion reviews:

community located Tin athevibrant heart of downtown Kansas

“I don’t have many spots I frequent, but I love going down there every once in awhile and just wandering.”

- Finley Glennon ‘27

he Crossroads Arts District is

City with various forms of events, shops and entertainment.

One of the most popular events in the arts district, and in all of Kansas City, is First Fridays.

Thousands of people flock the streets to view street murals, buy from vendors, visit art galleries, eat at local restaurants and participate in creative activities.

Even when the streets aren’t buzzing with Kansas Citians on the first Friday of each month, there is plenty to be done in the arts district. From watching a show at The Bird Comedy Theater

to visiting the exhibits in Union Station, there is never a lack of entertainment opportunities.

There are also many permanent art galleries or street displays that people can enjoy as they stroll through the Crossroads.

Many educational opportunities are available in the arts district where anyone can participate in art classes, attend seminars and learn about what it takes to become an artist and hone their craft.

Unique events occur almost daily, so hop on the streetcar and take a peek at the excitement the crossroads arts district has to offer.

3.7/5

“I thought it was interesting to see all the different types of art, and how art can inspire people.”

- Valeria Carignan ‘27

upcoming events: First Friday ................................................................................. March 1 The Irish Tenors @Kauffman ................................................. March 6 Bruce Hornsby & yMusic present BrhyM @ Kauffman ................................................................................. March 14 Truck Noises @The Bird Comedy Theater ......................... March 15 Truth in Comedy @Firehouse Gallery #8 .......................... March 16 The House @The Bird Comedy Theater ............................. March 16 Kansas City Ballet: “New Moves” @Frost Studio Theater ............................................................... March 21 - 24

current exhibits & galleries: Monet and his Modern Legacy ............................................ Ends March 10

Scan Here

For the Crossroads Arts District website.

Glamorous Women ........................... Ends May 19

Scan Here

Drip Splatter Wash: An Exploration of Watercolor and Technique .................................. Ends June 9

For the NelsonAtkins Museum website.

upcoming events:

nelson-atkins museum of art

Museum of Art is TKansas City’s largest art he Nelson-Atkins

museum, and boasts a wide variety of exhibits, activities and community programs.

Current exhibitions at the Nelson include “Glamorous Women: Gender and Fashion in Chinese Art” and “Luxury and Passion: Inventing French Porcelain”, as well as their permanent sculpture garden.

Both children and adults can participate in studio art classes at the Nelson-Atkins. There are free weekend classes for children July through October, and low-sensory activities every morning before opening for those with autism or other sensory issues.

In addition, The Nelson-Atkins museum has a teen council, whose mission is to increase teen involvement at

Native American Cultural Performances ............................................ March 3 Passport to India Cultural Performance ................................................April 21

the museum through interesting planned events like a fashion show and open mic night.

sion reviews: 4/5 “It is a very high quality museum with a lot of important cultural significance to the KC area. It is very pretty and they have interesting exhibits. I took a ceramics class that was really fun, and a printmaking class with my family. We still have the art hanging on the wall. The classes are very high quality and it makes you feel very fancy.”

- Elwyn Patterson ‘25

FEBRUARY 2024 | 27

What Are

SEASON YOU

BY GENESIS MARTINEZ PORRAS WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

What’s your go-to drink?

HOT

Favorite hot drink?

Which night would you prefer?

COZY NIGHT IN You are...

NIGHT OWL

FUN NIGHT OUT

You are...

WINTER

ICED TEA

LEMONDADE

What color palette would you prefer?

EARLY BIRD

What snack would you pick?

COOKIES

FALL

Favorite cold drink?

Early bird or night owl?

COFFEE

HOT CHOCOLATE

COLD

COOL TONES

WARM TONES You are...

FRUIT

You are...

SUMMER

SPRING