March Issue

CYO Showdown

Moments from the CYO Basketball Showdown on Feb. 10th. From left to right: senior Reid Howard, senior Bethany Ham, junior Will Thompson.

Photos by Madison McMillen, The Shield.

The Shield February & March Issue

Volume 31

Staff Members

Adviser I Matt Hallauer Editor-In-Chief I Madison McMilllen Managing Editor I Deepthi Kailash Copy Editor I Rachael Lawler Senior Reporter I Clare Hernandez Freelancer I Maggie Slaven Freelancer I Kelly Lane

The Shield

Social Media stashield aquinasameday Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield stashield stashield

Vo l u m e 3 1

The Shield Saint Thomas Aquinas high School

M IS S IO N S TA TEMEN T The Shield is the student’s’ voice of Saint Thomas Aquinas High School. Published by students for the good of the whole Aquinas community, The Shield serves as a source of information and as a spark for productive change. Student reporters learn about the world of journalism while practicing ethical, holistic reporting practices. The Shield staff is responsible for the content published, striving to share information accurately, objectively, and completely for all members of the Saint Thomas Aquinas High School community.

ADVER TIS IN G The Shield sells advertisements to help with publication costs. All ads will be subject to the same scrutiny as stories. The Shield will not print any obscenities or any ads promoting products illegal to those under the age of 18. For advertising, please call (913) 319-2418, send an email to mhallauer@stasaints.net, or visit www.stasaints.net/shield

SUB S CR IPTIO N S Subscriptions to The Shield are $3 per issue. Subscriptions can be sent to Saint Thomas Aquinas High School c/o Matt Hallauer. Digital subscriptions are free and sent via email monthly. Orders can be sent to mhallauer@stasaints.net

L ETTER S PO LICY Letters may be accepted by The Shield, provided that they are signed and do not contain libelous statements. The Shield reserves the right to edit the letters for grammar, obscenity, or space consideration, and also reserves the right to not print a letter.

Volume 31 I September Issue

CONTENTS

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10

12

The Role of Responsibility

Spring Break Ideas

Life-Saving Valentines

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16

18

Survey Spread

Saints & Service

Full-Page Photo

20

22

23

“You” Review

Social Spread

Last Look

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The Shield

As students progress through school, motivation often fails to spark responsibility.

Performance in school has large consequences, but how can every student be inspired to care?

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In the Classroom

Students stare at their individual screens in the classroom.

Their devices entail multiple websites, games, and other endeavors. Photo by Deepthi Kailash, the Shield.

ate nights, hours studying, and stressful tests: events such as these are common among students. Many find themselves frantically checking Skyward for the latest updates to their grades. Yet, at the same time, there are students on the opposite end of the spectrum. Some students can often be heard saying that they do not care about their grades. While many understand the necessity of studying to achieve high grades, others seem to dismiss the importance. Where did this gap come from, and how can it be closed?

Though some may propose that poor student achievement is due to a lack of reward, according to a 1996 Masters Theses by Lori Kay Baranek of Grand Valley State University, reward systems in the classroom may actually be part of the problem. As young children, good behavior and habits are consistently rewarded and praised with stickers, treats, glorification, and most notably, grades. These appraisals have good intentions, but Baranek says they are having unintended negative consequences. She says that the student’s interest needs to be the focal point of learning instead of a reward.

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Baranek explains that there are two kinds of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. The former is “the act of completing an activity for the pleasure of doing the activity itself” while the latter is “the act of completing an activity in order to receive some type of reward from another source”. Over the past 70 years, intrinsic motivation has been shown to produce positive behaviors, such as higher levels of interest as well as risk-taking. Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, has been shown to squash interest in an activity as well as miscommunication.

For example, Baranek says, if a student receives a reward for quietly entering the classroom, he only learns that being quiet serves him well. He loses the

meaning and importance of a quiet classroom.

Many schools only reward a small number of students for learning, but these students are most likely intrinsically motivated.

Baranek posits that all classrooms need to allow students options, instruct students on how to set goals, and essentially develop intrinsic motivation in all students. She said that such intrinsic motivation is vital for life-

long learners. However, in an article published by the Dwight Schar College of Education at Ashland University, it is said that a combination of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation is necessary for a positive result.

The article highlights a conundrum within the education system. Many schools only reward a small number of students for learning, but these students are most likely intrinsically motivated.

Still, these students are the ones who receive extrinsic rewards. As a result, the “lower track” students that are likely less intrinsically motivated receive no extrinsic rewards, and the motivation is consequently lost. The writers emphasize the importance of relating academic work to a student’s future

February & March Commentary

Whose Job Is It?

An Aquinas student shares how she stays motivated to do her best work.

Junior Kelly Lane is the Student Council junior class president, a varsity cheerleader, and a member of Key Club, Teens for Life, and French Club.

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Ultimately, motivation has to come from within. As much as teachers might try, no one can force a student to study.

I don’t apply myself as much as I do because someone is forcing me to, but instead, because I pride myself in the quality of my work. It is a relieving feeling to know that even if I get a bad grade, at least I’ve done my very best work, but I have to want to work to that point.

ometimes students aren’t motivated to do their schoolwork because they’ve never seen how it can benefit them in any way.

Personally, I stay motivated to work hard in school not out of fear of punishment from my parents or fear of what my teachers will think, but because of what I know I can achieve. I’ve seen the difference in grades of when I put a lot of effort into studying. No one likes to do badly on a test, but we have no Frankly, I think some students just one to blame but ourselves when we do.

In my opinion, until students start to see don’t care and this usually comes from either a place of frustration or simply the fruits of their efforts they won’t be laziness. I’ve heard people say, “I’m motivated to put in the work.

The motivation to succeed has to come from within.

not studying because I won’t do well anyways.” Not studying will guarantee you won’t do well but sometimes students just get to a point where they feel so defeated. They’ve put in the work before and didn’t get the results they wanted.

All in all, I truly think the motivation to succeed has to come from within.

A teacher can give a student all the tools they need to be successful and sometimes they still won’t use them.

It comes down to the effort you as a student are willing to give. I’ve always been taught that I need to be the best version of myself that I can be. Seeing the results of my hard work is what keeps me motivated to keep doing what I’m doing, so find what works for you.

Kelly Lane Freelancer

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Devices in the Classroom

Senior Claire Lausier shops for clothing. The BYOD program brings education and learning to new levels, but it also turns focus on the teacher to distraction by the device. Photo by Deepthi Kailash, the Shield.

through opportunities in group projects, community service, or even nationally recognized rewards.

Social studies teacher Beth Ingram teaches Honors World History and Honors U.S. Government to sophomores and seniors, respectively. She said that a large part of motivating students relies on the big picture.

“I think most kids want something out of life,” Ingram said. “We have to make them realize that their actions now have consequences later on. Your actions now can prevent you from getting wherever it is that you want to get in life. The path to getting there isn’t something that starts in the future. It starts right now” Ingram also said that it is detrimental to purely focus on grades alone. She said that students who are only focused on their Skyward will not be motivated to complete the work.

“If your end goal is something bigger than [Skyward], you are going to

be more motivated because you know that over time those skills are going to be valuable to you,” Ingram said.

Ingram said that students think of studying mostly like the work done on the day before the test, but studying also involves paying attention in class as well as completing the homework based

“Your actions now can prevent you from getting wherever it is that you want to get in life.”

Beth Ingram on one’s own integrity.

However, one aspect of the classroom that can take away from focus in class is devices. With BYOD, each student has a world of games, websites, and activities that they focus on instead

of the teacher and class. Many teachers, like science department chairman Chris Berger, choose to control students’ device use.

Berger teaches freshman biology and senior anatomy. For his freshman, he mandates that devices must be closed unless a student is writing notes on their device. However, he allows seniors to be on their devices during class, partially because they are seniors and partially because it is an elective class.

Berger also said that he believes only some senior teachers should enforce a policy of allowing device use at many times.

“In a math class, the kids are going to come back in later, and that would make me upset because they are not paying attention during class. In a class like College Biology where it is a lot of studying on your own, you chose to not pay attention,” Berger said.

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Ingram shared a similar view, saying that students should be responsible for their use of technology.

“I could spend more time micromanaging students but instead, I feel like they’re going to learn their lesson when it comes to test time if they’re off task during class,” Ingram said. “A natural consequence of being [off task] on your device is that you are going to get a bad grade.”

It is easy to point out problems, but difficult to solve them. Senior Research Scientists Katie Rosanbalm and Dr. Desiree W. Murray dubbed the act of motivation and responsibility

as self-regulation and assert that it has been linked to “higher income, better financial planning fewer risk use like substance use and violence, and decreased health costs.” Rosanbalm and Murray say that mentors are critical to adolescents, as they can model skills such as dealing with conflict, help youth learn from mistakes, and structure environments to provide positive discipline. These three acts are a part of co-regulation, a process that eventually leads to self-regulation. Self-regulation interventions have been linked in over 60 studies to improvements in mental health and cognitive regulation.

Essentially, Rosanbalm and Murray say that youth need to be prepared for successful adulthood.

Ingram mentioned a similar point, saying that while grades are important, students need to focus on skills.

“I want you to get a good grade, but I’m more interested in you trying to reach something bigger than that and knowing that this is a stepping point on the way there. I don’t want students to put all their emphasis on the grade itself but instead as a piece in the process,” she said.

Deepthi Kailash Managing Editor

February & March Editorial

How Do We Get There?

Responsibility is a process. Over the four years of high school, it should be phased into the classroom in steps.

As senior ambassadors, National Honor Society members, peer mentors, and simply in general, senior students are supposed to be the role models of the student body. They are expected to demonstrate leadership and responsibility. Yet, how can seniors exude responsibility when they have never had the opportunity to be responsible?

Understandably, freshmen need to be taught responsibility. While adapting to a new environment, teachers should teach them how to take notes, study for tests, and more.

However, by senior year, the “firsts” of high school are largely completed.

Not only have students matured, but they have acclimated to different aspects of high school. No longer can they be coddled; with college coming up the following year, they need to demonstrate independence.

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The Shield

Responsibility is a process. It starts with a direct display and moves to personal action. For this reason, Aquinas should institute a four-year plan for students that phases in responsibility.

Freshman-Level Classes: Teachers should have strict rules in the classroom. Study skills should be heavily encouraged. As students acclimate to all the changes, teachers should provide “second chances” to keep grades up through test corrections, extra credit, or other opportunities.

Sophomore-Level Classes: The reins can and should loosen. By this point in their high school journey, students should know the benefits of studying. They should have learned how to study, and it is no longer the teacher’s responsibility.

Junior-Level Classes: Junior year is a large step ahead of sophomore year. As students begin taking the higher level classes, they are growing older. Teachers should relax with rules in the classroom as students’ responsible habits begin to come from choice rather than force.

Senior-Level Classes: As students finish their last year of high school, they should be preparing for the college scene, one that is dependent on students’ integrity and time management. To promote this, seniors, especially those in college-level classes, should be responsible for their work.

Teachers should stop controlling devices for the most part, as students need to know how to pay attention when no one requires it. Moreover, the second chances need to dissipate.

Deepthi Kailash Managing Editor

February & March Commentary

RESPONSE-ibility Another student provides her proposal to integrate responsible habits into daily life.

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ince childhood, we have been conditioned to think of being responsible as akin to having to do tasks that are the death of fun. However, responsibility is more than that; it is a form of self-improvement, serving as an avenue to reaching your goals and your dreams and becoming who you want to be. It serves as a means to achieve what you want out of life while also avoiding consequences that could lead to a lifetime habit of mediocrity.

If the possibility of a life without purpose scares you, congratulations; you are one step closer to becoming a responsible person. You cannot expect to live a purposeful life if you do not put in the effort. You have to learn how to motivate yourself and do things (like studying) that are tedious but serve as a stepping point to your future.

Responsibility is not always just about school. It can be about becoming the best athlete you can be by going to practices and games or becoming the best artist you can be by taking classes and drawing/painting regularly. There are many different paths you can choose to take, but all of them require both responsibility and effort—which are often fun when you like what you are doing.

First of all, as Baranek’s Master’s Theses states, you cannot rely on external rewards exclusively. Focus on finding topics that interest you, and pursue them wholeheartedly. If you like something, you will be more willing to put in hard work.

From there, learn to set obtainable goals that you genuinely want to achieve. When you set this goal, make sure to spend a few minutes coming up with a strategy of how you are going to reach it—then implement that strategy.

A Lifetime Habit of Mediocrity

The actions that students take now have impacts on the future. A purposeful future means putting in the effort now. Comic drawn by Clare Hernandez, the Shield.

In addition to this, a major component of being responsible is time management and scheduling. All this entails is taking a few minutes out of your Sunday night to figure out when you are busy (i.e. when you have work, sports, etc) or have a test or project.

Write it down and set a time for when you are going to study or work on a project, so you are not cramming everything in at the last minute. Make sure to give yourself some time to relax; otherwise, you will never be able to keep up with everything. Life is all about balance—and so is responsibility.

Focus on developing these skills and the self-regulation will become natural, and

according to Senior Research Scientists Katie Rosanbalm and Dr. Desiree W. Murray, improve mental health and cognitive regulation.

Life becomes so much easier when you deal with your responsibilities.

After all, the problem with running from everything is that eventually, it does catch up to you.

Rachael Lawler Copy Editor

February & March Issue

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SPRING BREAK STAYCATION Have a

car, but

nowher e to go

Mini road trip Topeka - state capitol tour Stop at a restaurant you have never been to before Atchison - said to be haunted, visit some attractions!

Nelson-Atkins Museum After you take a tour, head out through the back entrance. It links up to the plaza to get some shopping done!

Grab your phone and get filming Make a music video or set up a photo shoot.

Geocaching Download the app to begin your tresure hunt. Explore your local area, or try it out when you drive somewhere. Be careful!

Go thrift shopping Try out lots of stores!

Find a new coffee or tea shop It can be a new hang our spot for you and your friends or a place to do homework.

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The Shield

?

Movies Movie theaters are fun, but try to see if there are any drive in movie theaters that are open. Get some blankets, pillows, snacks, drinks, and watch your movie under the stars.

Stargazing Speaking of stars - turn on some music and look at the sky.

Animals Visit a pet store or animal shelter.

Hide and Go Seek Play this in a Walmart, Ikea, or some other large store. The more people, the better.

Farmers Market Get some fresh foods and have a picnic.

Clare Hernandez Senior Reporter

... Or no car? No problem.

Phone = camera There are more interesting locations within walking distance than you realize.

Make a music video or set up a photo shoot.

Dance Learn some specific moves, or learn the choreography to your favorite song.

YouTube has a ton of dance videos, If you are feeling ambitious, don’t look up the tutorial, just keep dancing along until you can do it!

Get cookin’ Cook or bake something new! There’s recipes online and supplies in your cabinets.

Pokemon Go The more hyped you get about it with a group of friends the more fun it is.

Read What’s that book you have wanted to read but you didn’t have time to?

Read it.

Rearrange your room This seems pretty self explanatory.

Draw And don’t say, “But School Newspaper, I don’t know how to draw!!!” There’s no right way to do art. Do what feels right, or follow tutorials.

Make up a game This sounds really childish, but what’s wrong with that? Make a board game or an athletic game. A few I have made myself include Throwing Stuff at Stuff, which is where you throw a Frisbee and everyone else tries to hit it out of the air with bean bags, and Dodge-Hocket-Ball, which is a mix of dodge ball, baseball, soccer, hockey, golf, and probably a few more sports.

Take a nostalgia trip Head to Miniclip.com, AddictingGames. com, Poptropica.com, etc.

Watch an entire movie series Make your room or living room a movie theater filled with blankets, drinks, and snacks, and get ready to not move for several hours.

Wikipedia game Head to Wikipedia.com and select a random article. By only clicking the links provided in the article, try to get on as different of a topic as possible within five clicks.

Google Maps Head to Google Maps and drop yourself at a random location in any country. Go into the first person view, as if you were walking around the area, and try to find an airport to “escape.”

Explore the App Store Find your new favorite game.

February Issue

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Life-Saving Valentines

This Valentine’s Day, Saints gave something with a little more heart.

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alentine’s Day at Saint Thomas Aquinas took a charitable twist this year as 130 students volunteered to give something a little more personal than conversation hearts or homemade cards – they gave their blood.

Partnered with the Community Blood Center (CBC), the National Honor Society’s (NHS) annual blood drive does more than just change lives, it saves lives.

For seniors and student coordinators Meg Raemakers and Hannah Stompoly, organizing such an event was a rewarding but challenging first for them.

“I had never done anything like this before. I participated in other NHS drives like the school supplies drive, but I’ve never been in charge of anything this big,” Stompoly said.

The two, along with NHS supervisor and science department chairman Chris

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Berger and CBC coordinator Kira Harsh, sat down at the beginning of this semester to layout plans for the upcoming drive. “[The four of us] had a meeting back in early January about what we really need to do in order to promote it and what it was going to take. From there we really took off with getting the word out -- we hung posters around school, put things on people’s lockers, and then we started lunch sign ups about two weeks ago.”

That is when their first obstacle reared its ugly head. Snow day after snow day started chipping away at crucial lunch sign-up opportunities, time that the team could not make up for. Hours of potentially getting the word out, collecting permission slips, or convincing individual students to donate were lost to a record number of snow days within the past four years.

Their second hurdle – fear.

Valentine’s Day may be all about showing others you care, but when that gesture involves sticking needles

Many lives were saved on February 14th because Aquinas students aren’t afraid “to be the one.”

in your arms to more or less harvest your blood, it is difficult to convince people to join in, even if you bribe them with free refreshments once it is over.

“We are constantly fighting kids being afraid of needles. You will get these really small girls that want to donate, but don’t meet the requirements, and then you have these big sports guys that aren’t afraid to hit each other that won’t even consider it,” Berger said.

Without fail, such fears seem to be a constant when trying to organize such a drive. Stompoly said her way to combat this mindset was to remind students that their small uncomfortable sacrifice results in something much greater than momentary displeasure.

“There’s always those people who are like ‘Boo, I’m too scared! I don’t like needles!’ It’s just funny because

64

were first time donors

I’m like ‘No one likes needles!’ I know it sucks and it might be uncomfortable right now but you’re saving three people’s lives and to me, that’s worth it,” Stompoly said.

After a month of planning and hours upon hours of effort being thrown into making sure the drive ran smoothly, the day was finally here.

This is what they had faced constant weather delays and squeemish students for -- they were ready to change some lives.

“When Blood Drive day was here, everyone worked together to get the equipment set up and we were underway at 8 o’clock sharp,” Raemakers said.

Soon enough the scheduled flow of students began and with each passing hour, the organizers were accumulating units of life-giving blood.

Just as quickly as it began, the drive was over. Out of the 130 people that signed up to donate, 99 were able to successfully give blood -- the other 31 being turned away because of failure to meet requirements regarding low iron levels, weight, vaccine history, etc.

“Honestly from my observations of the day, this blood drive was a complete success,” Raemakers said. “We may have been lower on numbers than previous years, but the smiles after people successfully donated make up for it. It’s incredible how teenagers can come together for such an amazing, life-changing cause.

Many lives were saved on February 14th because Aquinas students aren’t afraid ‘to be the one.’”

Madison McMillen Editor-in-Chief

130 109

students registered to give blood

total units collected

February & March Issue

13

Survey Spread The ultimate Valentine’s Day candy is....

55.9%

Chocolate

Numbers come from the 382 students who submitted a response to The Shield survey sent out on February 13.

Is Valentine’s Day a sham?

I’m indifferent, I just like the cheap chocolate afterwards.

33.4%

Probably, but I still like to celebrate it.

46.2%

Yes, it was made up by card companies!

11.7% No, it’s a real holiday and no-one can tell me otherwise.

8.8%

Some Saints’ Spring Break destinations...

Panama City, Panama Branson, Missouri Vail, Colorado 14

The Shield

Montréal, Canada Rome, Italy

What is the absolute best holiday?

By popular vote...

Christmas

You get almost as much candy as Halloween, you eat as much if not more than Thanksgiving, plus you get presents and good, quality family time. I think it’s just the all around best holiday.

- sophomore Zacharie Deery

Honorable Mentions:

Halloween

Celebration of the Yule Lads

The 4th of July February & March Issue

15

Saints & Service Giving back to the community is a part of Saint Thomas Aquinas tradition. Here are a few of the ways that Saints have spread their love through service.

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aint Thomas Aquinas is a school founded on four core values: Faith, Excellence, Service, and Community. While each of these values is equally important, it is no secret that the school puts special emphasis on the third of these, service, as it seeks to develop “responsible citizens guided by Catholic values, ” as stated in its mission statement.

Aquinas attempts to foster the value of service in its students through yearly required service hours.

Failure to meet said requirements means failure to graduate as they are counted for one credit of the school’s graduation requirements.

The mandatory hours vary by grade as freshman and sophomores are required to perform twenty hours of service while juniors and seniors perform thirty. Of these hours, the majority must be Corporal Works of Mercy.

These works of mercy can include feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, giving drink to the thirsty, visiting those in prison, clothing the naked, burying the dead, and sheltering the homeless. Obviously, some of these works of mercy- for example burying the dead- are out of the reach of the average Aquinas student.

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The Shield

So, how do students meet these standards of service set by the school while at the same time balancing academics, extracurriculars, and social lives?

For some students, it’s simple, as the school practically hands out service hour opportunities through, sometimes costly, mission trips and clubs.

Each year the school offers a mission trip opportunity for the Sophomores and Juniors over spring break. This year the Sophomores attending will head to Mobile, Alabama for five days and the Juniors to Leesburg, Florida for six. The groups will earn their service hours and then some working on various work sites and helping the community at their respected location.

For students who are unable to take a full week out of their busy schedules to devote to service, Aquinas’s Key Club, moderated by Mrs. Dillingham (check title), is a fantastic option. Dillingham sees the required community service as not only important to our faith but to our humanity as well.

“I had to do the same thing when I was in high school, but I don’t think I felt the joy of it until I became the (Key

Club) moderator,” says Dillingham, who seeks to share her joy of service with Aquinas students.

“Our entire focus is corporal. We have made an effort over the years to do projects where they (students) are working directly with people, truly doing what the corporal work intended,” she says.

The club provides exciting service opportunities such as working with Special Olympics athletes, making meals at Ronald McDonald House, and participating in the Extreme Yard Rake-over, where students go out and rake leaves for the elderly in the community.

“I have kids who have truly fallen in love with our projects,” she says.

The Key Club has around 150 members and has completed over 1,200 hours of service since last March.

The club, however, only accounts for under a fourth of the student body and is not the only organized group at Aquinas to offer service opportunities.

Teens for Life also offers many service opportunities to its members.

Through the club, students are given the opportunity to participate in various events such as the Rosemary Maher Walk for Life, the Pro-Life rally in Topeka, the 40 Days for Life Prayer

Campaign, and the March for Life in Washington DC. The club also works closely with Advice and Aid Pregnancy Center. This connection is one that senior Catie Little utilizes when fulfilling her hours.

“Every year I volunteer at advice and aid around Christmas time to help wrap presents for the expecting mothers that come through,” said Little.

Teens for Life also provides the organization with babysitters to watch new mother’s children while they take nighttime classes.

“I love this service opportunity,” said Little. “It is so beautiful to be in a place that is so accepting of life.”

Aquinas sports teams and choirs have also been known to work together to achieve their service hours.

Over winter break, the girls lacrosse team volunteered to bag groceries and carry bags to cars at HyVee during the Christmas rush.

Saints also perform many great acts of service apart from those offered

by Aquinas Clubs and organized groups. Saturdays spent with theology

teacher Mary Ann Hilgers at TurnStyles are a staple for some students looking to knock out their hours. Many students volunteer in nursing homes, after-school care programs, and food kitchens.

Maggie Slaven Freelancer

February & March Issue

15

You Got It, Coach

Senior Brent Jones shares a passing exchange with his coach, fellow senior Max McElroy, at the CYO Basketball Showdown on Feb. 10th. The “Elite Squad� competed against 9 other boys teams to become semi-finalists. Photo

by Madison McMillen, The Shield.

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February & March Issue

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he modern-day boogie man is no longer hiding under your bed, instead he inhabits a part of your life that cannot be evaded by simply pulling the sheets over your head. Our less technologically literate parents warned us about him, reminding us that with each keystroke we were inviting a monster into our domain – the online stalker.

YOU is a deliciously enjoyable reminder of this, both mockingly self-aware and eerily realistic. The 10-episode first season is centered around Joe Goldberg, a handsome, vaguely hipster-ish bookstore manager who falls for the beautiful and witty Guinevere Beck. Within the first five minutes of the pilot, we see these two hit it off with the most telling line of the whole season, “at the end of the day, people really are just disappointing, aren’t they?”

YOU wastes no time in showing you how true this is. Handsome Goldberg is a deeply disturbed sociopath who uses social media as a way to stalk and control the lives of those around him. Witty Beck is incessant liar and a narcissist who surrounds herself with friends and lovers that all remind you of the most pretentious, green-smoothie drinking, trust-fund having, neo-liberal postfeminist Marxist person you know.

It is all a sham, says YOU, but it is fun.

Beck plasters her social media with the cute, irreverent, yoga-loving persona she wishes she could be, and it is through this that she leaves the door wide open for a man like Joe Goldberg to enter. Cue our parents’ worst nightmare – except replace

the greasy middle age guy that wants to steal their children with an outwardly charismatic 20-something who has an affinity for meatball subs.

The episodes fly by thanks to a storyline that has you pondering another aspect of the same question for the entirety of the season. Watch as the main character takes his young neighbor -- the sweet, bookish Paco -- to get milkshakes when his drug-addicted mom and her abusive boyfriend are too busy fighting to make dinner: then see the same man smash someone in the head with a sledgehammer and stuff them into a glass box in the middle of the forbidden dungeon underneath Goldberg’s bookstore.

The story leaves you questioning which side, if any, is an act for Goldberg or if he might have a heart after all. That is until the next scene sweeps you up in the drama once more and you are left with more questions than you have answers.

YOU is a take on the image of the stalker that paints a newer, younger, and somehow more sinister version of the character you thought you knew. Fastpaced and fun, it keeps you on your toes and maybe makes you think twice about all those internet safety precautions your parents warned you about.

Madison McMillen

Editor-in-Chief

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YOU

Fast-paced and fun, “You” is your next TV obsession in more ways than one.

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YOU

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Aquinas Basketball Blowout Student CYO teams competed for the title of champion at the second annual Gina Rousselo Classic.

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On Sunday, February 10th, the sounds of squeaky sneakers and excited fans filled the Saint Thomas Aquinas gym as the Gina Rousselo Classic returned for its second year.

The showdown featured a total of 13 teams going head to head in the name of CYO basketball victory.

“We made it a goal to recreate the triumph of the first annual Gina Rousselo Classic,”said senior Max Seibolt, the showdown’s coordinator and a Student Council executive.“People were very excited both before and during this event and we, as planners of the event, couldn’t let them down.”

The initial success came after then-senior Gina Rousselo proposed to create something that took a beloved student pastime and put an

Aquinas twist on it. Her determination and effort eventually turned into a CYO basketball tournament aimed at getting kids involved and having fun.

The pressure was on for this year’s StuCo to meet the expectations set by last year’s amazing event – and they delivered, “The event was well planned,” science teacher and then StuCo moderator Chuck Hammons said.

And with the help of a small army, the second annual Gina Rousselo Classic went off without a hitch.The 13 original teams were knocked down to just two champions: The Honey Badgers for the boys and the Awesome Bousums for the girls. The massive trophy that sat near the announcer area all night was finally awarded to them after the four-hour

competition, though it was not to be taken home and the teams settled for a nice photo-op instead.

“StuCo strives to find ways to get more people involved in activities and we are always looking for new ideas.

Love it when new events take off and people jump in and make them even better. The ‘Gina’ is on the StuCo calendar and we will look forward to many more Showdowns,“ Hammons said.

Madison McMillen

Editor-in-Chief

February & March Issue

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3 2 1. WPA-goers in full swing on Saturday, Feb. 9.

The theme was 80's in Aspen. Photo courtesy of Michele Gress.

2. Senior Lydia Kidder takes the stage on the opening night of the play, "You Can't Take it With You." Photo courtesy of Michele Gress.

3. Senior Paul Bourk cheers at the CYO Showdown.

On Feb. 10, CYO teams from the Aquinas community battled for victory. Photo courtesy of Madison McMillen, The Shield.

4. Seniors Jack Gabel and Zac Genilo high-five at the boys' basketball game on Feb. 22. The boys beat Blue Valley North. Photo courtesy of Michele Gress.

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January Issue

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The Shield Volume 31

The Students’ Voice of Saint Thomas Aquinas High School 11411 Pflumm Road Overland Park, Kansas 66210 (913) 345-1411 stashield stashield stashield aquinasgameday Saint Thomas Aquinas Shield

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