BY ALI SWEE Editor-in-Chief
Long gone are the days of the beanie topped heads, that infamously awkward freshman mixer (boys on one side, girls on the other, anyone?), and new teachers, faces and hallways. This is our senior year, class of 2012. For myself and 98 other girls, it’s the beginning of endless trips to US Toy to perfect our beanies, our senior prom, and saying goodbye to our beloved teachers, friends and everything we’ve come to know and love about Sion. Hold up. For those of you who aren’t graduating on May 24th, 2012 (yes, already marked on my calendar), for those of you who have no clue what a socratic seminar or radical egalitarian peasant community is, for those of you who just started this amazingly incredible, exhausting, rewarding, crazy, fun, memorable journey: welcome! As a freshman, everyone tells you how quickly your four years go. And I solemnly swear, as an official senior, it goes fast. Way too fast. Savor every awkward moment of freshman year, because it’s the only year you can get away with wearing makeup to school, straightening your ponytail (guilty as charged), searching for weebeasties in Mrs. Norberg’s class, spending Friday nights
FEBRUARY 2009 The Evolution of a Student: A Reflection on Four Years at Town Center, and bringing a date to fall dance while going stag to winter formal (for more awkward freshman year mixer stories, check out page 9). Then, there’s Sophomore year. The year you actually invite a boy who’s NOT ‘the younger brother of your best friend’s older brother who goes to KU’ aka someone you’ve never spoken too. The year of barely passing your driver’s test and driving to your friend’s house for the first time. The year of cramming for theorem quizzes in Commons and those awful 12-step proofs. The year of venturing all the way to the outskirts of Kansas City, to recycle in freezing 10 degree weather for 5 points of extra credit for Miss Amy’s Environmental Science class. Junior year brings stress, tons of memories, traditions, milestones, and more stress. A year
Seniors rock the house. Flash mobbing blue and white. That dreaded ‘Second Time around’ paper. Bookmarking the Common App website. Hanging around (stalking, what?) Mrs. Stein’s office, way too much. (get to know more about Mrs. Stein on page 16 ). STA vs. Sion powderpuff game. Storming the hallways on your last day of classes. Graduating in floor-length white dresses, crown atop your head, surrounded by your 98 Sion sisters. A slow progression of becoming comfortable in your own skin. From the days of spending hours to get ready for your appearance at the Rockhurst game, to wearing a dress to blue white, your four years at Sion will teach more than just Avagardo’s number and the effects of Justinian and Theodora’s rule. One day, you’ll look around, and realize you’re surrounded by the people who truly inspire you. Looking back as a senior, you see the evolution you’ve made. It seems like only yesterday, I was that (extremely) awkward freshman, complete with a bob hair cut and braces. It seems like only yesterday, we were ‘crossing the threshold’ (the first time). It seems like only yesterday, I carried my Vera Bradley lunchbox to my peer minister circle, every Friday, occupied by exactly 48 minutes of awkward silence as our poor peer ministers begged us, just one of us, to talk. And now, four years later, we’ve crossed the threshold (four times now, but who’s counting?). We are the peer ministers, we are the leaders, and we are the seniors.. Four years of laughter, shared secrets, friendships, fear, motivation and determination, you’ll find yourself wishing you could have every awkward moment of freshman year back. Soon enough, years become months, the HSPT becomes the ACT, freshmen become seniors, mixers become prom, convocation becomes graduation and suddenly, years of wishing becomes those few moments of living.
“One day, you’ll look around, and realize you’re surrounded by the people who truly inspire you.” -Ali Swee full of tears after seeing the first page of the science section of the ACT, hours studying for your double Mid tests, speeding tickets and first fender benders, your first R-rated movie, commonplace journal entries, duck and cover in APUSH, stressing over prom committee, learning that REPC isn’t just a school district, the coming of age ring ceremony, and experiences of new cultures while traveling across the world to France, Chile and Australia (for more on the Sion exchange program, see page 6). And that quickly, you’re a senior. Suddenly, everything which was once in slow motion, seems to fast forward. Everything becomes your first “last.” A rite of passage into the senior parking lot. Your long-awaited senior-ity. The secrets of KAIROS. Two hours of AP English homework combined with three hours of Euro.
Letters to the Editor
Le Journal welcomes letters submitted by readers. The staff reserves the right to edit length and minor grammatical errors, but the letter’s message will not be altered. The staff reserves the right to review letters and edit material that is inappropriate. Libelous, slanderous, or obscene letters will not be printed. Letters must be signed.
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is the official publication of Notre Dame de Sion High School 10631 Wornall Rd., Kansas City, MO 64114. Member Missouri Interscholastic Press Assoc. National Scholastic Press Assoc. Columbia Scholastic Press Assoc.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ali Swee FEATURES EDITOR Maura Eveld A&E EDITOR Delaney Bates
MANAGING EDITOR Taylor Escher
LAYOUT/DESIGN EDITOR EDITORIAL/NEWS EDITOR Emma Eveld Elizabeth Gianino SPORTS EDITOR Audrey Saracini
PHOTO EDITOR Lucy Gasal
PUBLICATIONS BOARD Michelle Olson Kay Walkup
ADVISER Alison Long
WEB-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Katie Mahoney
Ali Swee Taylor Escher
Melissa Wilcox Penny Selle
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Emily DeCoursey REPORTERS Emma Grojean, Laura Travis, Victoria Kenner, Sarah Holland, Meg Cowan , Shannon Laird
Jane McCormack Carole Wall-Simmons
International Quill and Scroll
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