1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. catholicism

The student newspaper of St. Joseph’s Academy since 1983
the
V O I CE
St. Louis, Missouri ~ February 2014
“The Crystal Ball” this
year’s theme for Evening
with the Angels
By Sarah Thuet
The St. Joseph’s
Academy Auction has
always been a fabulous
affair, and the 2014
auction will be no exception. On Feb. 22, a
night long-anticipated
by parents, teachers,
students, alumni and
friends will finally arrive. This year’s theme
is “The Crystal Ball…
An Evening with the
Angels.” This theme is
sure to bring lots of glitz
and glam with focus colors being a multitude of
shades of blue and gray.
The St. Joseph’s Academy Auction is unique because of its wonderful wait staff,
the SJA students. The National Honor Society members typically head most of the positions, because it is one of four required events, and because they love to be a part of this
wonderful evening. “I am excited to work the auction this year, especially since it will be
my last. I know the NHS girls are up to the task to serving at yet another one of our flawless auctions,” said NHS President Sophie Ojile. “Also, I really love seeing so much
generosity in one place, especially in the portion where scholarships are sponsored. This
just shows yet another
way the St. Joe community comes together to
help each other out.”
Students have already begun selling auction raffle tickets. According to St. Joseph’s
Academy faculty member Emily Mahon, “Raffle ticket sales have had
a very slow start, but as
of now we’re at $15,000
and starting to gain some
momentum. Let’s hope it
keeps up!” The auction
team has high hopes for
the raffle sales. This is a
vital part of the success
of the auction, with the
money going to scholarships, professional development opportunities,
technology updates, and
other various necessities
that tuition itself doesn’t
cover.
The auction has a
wide variety of parts that
come together to make
up this brilliant evening.
The silent auction, dinner, raffles, and live auction all come together to create a memorable evening for all involved. A special twist for
this auction is the emcees for the evening, John Kelly (father of Megan ’15) and Darren
Pang of the St. Louis Blues Broadcast team. Due to the Olympics falling over the auction, the usual busy announcers have generously donated their little bit of open time to
the St. Joe cause.
This auction, although keeping with many of the traditions established, will be
unique from any other. The auction team hopes that it will bring in the biggest donations
yet. It will be a night filled with food, raffles, and fun to benefit the needs of St. Joe.
online at www.stjosephacademy.org
Cast of “12 Angry Women”
remake a classic for the St.
Joe stage Feb. 6-8
By Katie Hayes
On Feb. 6, 7,
and 8 at 7 pm, the St.
Joe community examined the issues of
racism, prejudice, and
the death penalty in its
production of “12 Angry Women.”
A female stage
adaptation of the famous 1957 movie “12
Angry Men,” written
by Reginald Rose, “12
Angry Women” takes
a look at 12 jurors, as
they decide the fate of
a young boy accused
of murdering his father.
Eleven of the jurors believe that he is guilty and are ready to sentence him to death. However, one juror, Juror Number 8, believes that he may be innocent.
“All these people have come forward and said they either saw it, or they heard the
boy do it, and every piece of evidence is stacked up against him. However, it just takes
one person to say that maybe something is amiss. I’m the one that first says there is a
doubt in the trial,” explains junior Shelby Dillender, who played Juror Number 8.
Over the course of the play, the audience watched the jurors overcome the prejudices and personal feelings they hold about the defendant and the case in general.
The play was extremely successful, receiving rave reviews from students, faculty,
and other members of the St. Joe community. However, the cast had to work very hard
to bring the show together. Dillender began rehearsing her role only
three weeks before the play opened, as the original person who was
“The
cast as Juror Number 8 had to drop out of the show.
cast did a
Despite having only a few weeks to perfect her role, Dillender,
GREAT
with the help of the rest of the cast, was able to tackle the challenge.
According to Dillender, “Listening to the show over and over again in
job! It
practice and just reading over it really helped. It was a lot of work, but
provided
my cast-mates were really supportive and helped me through all of it.”
Sophomore Maggie Isaacson, who played Juror Number 4, ad- lots of food
mired Dillender’s tenacity. “As the weeks went on, Shelby really
for thought,
stepped up to the plate and stepped into the role. She did a great job
too!”- Mrs.
and really led the cast,” stated Isaacson.
Director John Vullo enjoyed watching all of the girls dedicate Jane Garvin
their time and effort to pull off an outstanding show. “I loved watching the growth of the actors in the play and seeing how they brought
the lines to life. As they went through the rehearsal process, they started to figure it out
and to realized it’s not just talking back and forth, but there’s actually mental stuff going
on that they have to bring to life to the audience,” said Vullo.
Vullo also felt that this
show gave the St. Joe community an opportunity to view
a different side of the St. Joe
theatre. Vullo explained, “It
gave the audience a wonderful
live theatre experience that’s
something other than a musical. It showed that we can do
more than just musicals here
and that we have a lot of talent
in our girls in terms of acting
ability, as well as singing and
dancing ability.”
Dillender stated, “I hope
they maybe understand that
the thoughts of one person
can make a difference. Listen
to people—don’t make snap
judgments, and think before
you speak.”
Photo by sophomore Bridget Grojean.
Vol. 31, No. 5
Photo by sophomore Bridget Grojean.
News and Views 2
February 2014
New Director of DeFrom the Editor-in-Chief
Voice for the Voiceless velopment, Linda
Holland Decker ‘83
By Stephanie Landgraf
As many busy teenagers tend to do, I wear a lot of
hats. I’m editor-in-chief of the newspaper, I’m a student,
a daughter, a friend, and so much more. There’s just one
more hat that I wear, and I wear it very proudly—I’m a
pilgrim.
I know what you’re thinking; I don’t wear an actual
pilgrim hat and parade around on Thanksgiving. Every
January, I participate in the national March for Life in
Washington, D.C. This year marked my third pilgrimage
with St. Joe. The general itinerary includes a kick off mass
in St. Louis, then boarding the busses for the 18 hour ride
to D.C., a day to tour around the city, mass with Archbishop Carlson, and the
actual march. There’s
something more to this
pilgrimage than getting
out of school and travelling to Washington D. C.
The march takes place
because it protests the
Supreme Court ruling of
Roe v. Wade on Jan. 22,
1973, legalizing abortion
in our country. For fortyone years, the battle has
continued; thousands of
people who are pro-life
come to witness each year. I’m proud that I stand in solidarity with them.
So, why do I keep going back? I’ve been born and
bred a Catholic, and taught that life is sacred from the moment of conception until natural death. We all were made
in God’s image and likeness, and so each life is a gift from
God.
Think about your own life—about the happiest
times, the mornings where the sunrise takes your breath
away, going on vacations, when you rocked out at your
first concert, when you scored your first goal, or when you
met your best friend for the first time. All of us have these
moments in life, and they’ve been given to us, not because
we asked. I never asked to be born, to walk this earth, or
deserve all the things God has given me. I know that no
matter who you are or where you come from, everyone
who is given a chance at life deserves it.
No matter how cold, icy, or snowy it may be, there
will always be a march. Thousands of people will still
show up, eager to have their voices heard. I want to continue my tradition for as long as I can, because I know that
I’m speaking for the truth. Gandhi once said, “It seems to
be as clear as daylight that abortion would be a crime.”
Perhaps in my lifetime, my generation can help our country see this light.
Other than the March for Life, 2014 has kicked off
to a great start! Our winter play, “12 Angry Women,” was
performed masterfully on February 6, 7, and 8. The Auction will be on Saturday February 22nd, which is such a
great way to give to our school. The theme this year is
“The Crystal Ball: An Evening with the Angels”. As Valentine’s Day approaches, STUCO will be selling valentines for 50 cents each, and you can send them to SLUH,
De Smet, Priory, Chaminade, CBC, and other St. Joe girls!
Love is in the air, and it’s making me hungry for some
chocolate. Thank you to all the writers for our fabulous
first issue of 2014!
The Voice
By Mary Catherine Heger
In January, St. Joe welcomed Linda Holland
Decker to the school community. Mrs. Decker’s job
is crucial to the future marketing advancements of St.
Joseph’s Academy. She is very excited to return to
the high school that she attended to improve St. Joe’s
public relations and marketing.
Reader’s Talk
What is your favorite part of the Winter
Olympics?
By Patti O’Brien
Q: What is your job at St. Joe?
A: I am the Director of Development. My job
consists of working with the St. Joe Development
Team in the areas of fundraising, marketing, public
relations, and alumnae relations.
Q: What is your goal for your job?
A: My goal is to get to know the St. Joe community, to continue the strong traditions and values
that attract girls to St. Joe, and to take St. Joe to new
heights within the St. Louis community.
Q: Where did you work before you came to St.
Joe?
A: I worked at St. Francis Medical Center Foundation where I was the Executive Director in Girardeau, MO. Before I was employed by the St. Francis Medical Center Foundation, I worked as the Vice
President of Public Relations, Event Marketing, and
Community Relations at Macy’s Inc., the Interim Media Director at Macy’s Inc., the Media Director at the
May Department Stores Company, the Broadcast Advertising Manager at Famous Barr, and the Manager
RSA at Southwestern Bell.
Q: What do you like about St. Joe?
A: I like the students, the Catholic education that
St. Joe provides, the tradition and values of St. Joseph’s Academy, and St. Joe’s focus on forming wellrounded, values-driven women leaders.
“I would definitely say
that skiing is my favorite winter Olympic
sport.” –Andy Rooney,
Senior
“I enjoy watching the
winter Olympic sport
of luge.” –Carli Luebbert, Junior
The Voice welcomes advertising. Interested parties may contact
The Voice for rates and deadlines at lkelley@stjosephacademy.
org or at 314-394-4127.
“Hockey is my favorite
winter Olympic sport to
watch!” –Sara Krause,
Senior
“I love seeing all of the
winter Olympics sports
where boys are the
participants!” –Sydney
Hurford, Junior
Q: What are you most looking forward to this
year?
A: I am looking forward to accomplishing much
this year. I hope to meet many of the students, the
faculty, and the administration at St. Joe. Also, I look
forward to working with the various members of the
St. Joe staff.
Q: What is your educational background?
A: I graduated from St. Joe in 1983. I attended
college at Southeast Missouri State University in Girardeau, Missouri, where I received a bachelor’s degree in communication and marketing. Also, I went to
the University of Notre Dame where I completed the
Leadership Administration Training Program.
Q: What were you involved in during your
time at St. Joe?
A: I was involved in the theater and the Spanish Club. Additionally, I played field hockey. Also, I
had the main role in the school play The Trouble with
Angels, and I was the Penny Queen candidate for my
freshman class. During my senior year, I received the
award for being the Best All-Round Student.
“I love watching ice
skating.” –Bridget Grojean, Sophomore
“I like watching ice
skating.”
Averie Wade, Freshman
Editor-in-Chief: Stephanie Landgraf
News Editors: Katie Hayes and Mary Catherine Heger
Features Editors: Gaby Berberich and Colleen Dillon
Sports Editors: Charlotte Cordova and Mary O’Neill
Photo Editors: Amanda Blattel and Erica Hearty
Adviser: Liz Kelley and Tim Kohler
The Voice is published monthly during the school year. All
articles and photographs can only be reprinted with the permission of The Voice. The Voice welcomes letters to the editor, but
will not print letters submitted anonymously. The paper also
appears online at www.stjosephacademy.org.
voice
“I love to watch
bobsledding.” –Mrs.
Linda Decker, Director
of Development
“My favorite winter
Olympic sport for sure
is speed skating.”
–Olivia Welch,
Sophomore
“The intense ski jumping is my favorite
Olympic sport.”
Ashley James,
Freshman
“I would have to say
ice skating is my favorite winter Olympic
event.” – Ms. Jennifer
Millikan, librarian
February 2014
News 3
37 Respect Life Club members represented St. Joe at March for Life
voice
By Kate Leahy and Mary Catherine Heger
On Jan. 19 to Jan. 23, 36 St. Joe Angels went to
Washington D.C. on a pilgrimage to attend the annual ProLife March. The girls marched with other individuals from
across the country who were from a wide range of ethnic
and religious backgrounds. Librarian Ms. Millikan, and
Campus Minister and Respect Life Club Moderator, Ms.
Hotop, and parents chaperoned the trip, which was sponsored by the Respect Life Club.
The journey began on Sunday with mass by Bishop
Rice. After mass, they began on the 14 hour bus ride to our
country’s capital. St. Joe traveled with Generation Life, a
group that leads schools and youth groups around St. Lou-
The students also got to see our nation’s capital,
visiting many national monuments, such as the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the World War II
Monument, and the White House. Even though the ground
was covered with three inches of snow, the girls enjoyed
exploring some of our nation’s most treasured attractions.
On Wednesday, Jan. 22, St. Joe participated in the
March for life. Although the temperature was below
freezing, they enjoyed walking to the Capitol building
with over 500,000 other individuals who believe that abortion should be illegal.
“I really think the march succeeded this year in including groups from all backgrounds and faiths, not just
Catholics,” said sophomore and Respect Life Club Officer Lizzie Hayes. ”I saw all kinds of groups at the March.
Atheist groups and protestants groups attended the March.
Everyone was included,”
Respect Life Club Moderator and Campus Minister
Ms. Anna Hotop said, “I was so pleased with the March
for Life and the amount of SJA Angels we had both at
home and in DC that truly stand in defense of those that
cannot defend themselves. Through different forms of
programming and the march itself, I think that many eyes
Mollie Hiller, Allison Schaefer, Emma Welge, and Quinn
Williamson
Ms. Hotop, club moderator, with officers Lizzie Hayes
‘16, Julia Missel ‘14, Addison Jaudes ‘15, Kate Leahy
‘15, and Stephanie Landgraf ‘14
is in the pilgrimage to D.C. As a part of Generation Life,
the girls participated in many religious activities throughout the week with other St. Louis students, including mass,
confession, and music. Generation Life also provided
many interesting and inspirational speakers, including a
former abortion clinic worker. Junior Respect Life Club
Officer Addie Jaudes said, “I really enjoyed hearing the
personal testimony of the former abortion clinic worker,
because her speech allowed me to recognize the true horrors of abortion. Thus, it reconfirmed for me why abortion
is unethical.”
photo by Addison Jaudes ‘15
St. Joseph’s Academy celebrates
250 years of STL
By Ellen Modglin
Recently, the public
voted St. Joseph’s Academy a
St. Louis landmark in stl250’s
Cakeway to the West project. The Cakeway to the West
project is just one of the many
events that stl250 has organized in celebration of St. Louis’ 250th birthday in 2014. The
Cakeway to the West project is
specifically designed to highlight and honor St. Louis’ most
iconic locations.
The public voted online
to determine the first 50 location of the cakes, and stl250
will determine 200 other sites
that will receive cakes.
Photo courtesy of KSDK
These places will include
landmark sites, local favorites, places of heritage and
culture, parks, and venues
that showcase innovation.
Student Council organized
a voting campaign to get
St. Joe on the leaderboard.
Student Council President
Katie Hayes explained,“I
thought it would be a great
opportunity to get St. Joe’s
name out there and be recognized for our innovation.
We are the only high school
on the whole list!”
The cakes will be
four-foot tall and fiberglass, and each cake will be
personalized by local artists to match the location of
the cake. The cake will be
professionally installed at
SJA around the time of St.
Louis’s official anniversary
weekend, Feb. 14 to 16.
The cakes will all be
featured in an interactive
app where visitors can learn
more about each location.
Users will even be able to
“check in” at each location and be awarded points.
Scoring more points makes
participants eligible to win
prizes, with drawings in
June and December. The
organizers of the Cakeway
to the West project hope
that the app will spark a
region-wide scavenger
hunt that will encourage people to learn more
about all the great sites in
St. Louis.
Other events sponsored by stl250 include
Burnin’ Love, a Valentine’s Day celebration on
Art Hill in Forest Park,
and St. Louis’ Biggest
Birthday Ball at the Missouri History Museum
on February 16. More
information about these
events and the Cakeway
to the West campaign
can be found at www.
stl250.org.
were open to the importance of all respect life issues with
no limitations. I think that the great group of girls that
were able to attend the trip came back with much excitement and passion and are more aware of the profound impact that they can make on the world in all that they choose
to do. It was an inspiring trip and I feel privileged to have
been a witness to it.”
Over half a million people stood on the cold streets
of Washington D.C. and marched for abortion to be illegal
in the United States, and St. Joe is proud to have sent many
values-driven women leaders to be a part of that movement.
The Olympics celebrate a global
community despite threats
By Carli Luebbert and Rossella
Gabrielle
February 7, 2014 marked the start
of the 22nd Olympic Winter Games in Sochi,
Russia. The games will run from February
7th to February 23rd, and will exhibit winter
games such as, but not limited to, alpine
skiing, bobsleigh, curling, figure skating,
luge, curling, speed skating, ski jumping,
and snowboarding.
Some of the most popular American
athletes are Shaun White (snowboard),
Lolo Jones (bobsled), and Patrick Kane
(hockey). In addition to these athletes,
Sarah Hendrickson, a 19 year old from Salt
Lake City, Utah, is expected to do well
in the women’s ski jump, despite having
knee surgery last year. If she is feeling well
enough to compete, her main rival will be the
17-year-old Japanese star Sarah Takanshi.
Other up and coming Olympians to watch
out for are Tucker West in men’s luge and
Amanda Kessel in women’s ice hockey.
One can watch these amazing
athletes during the 2014 Winter Games on
NBC sports, starting February 7th with the
opening ceremony. To give an overview, the
opening ceremony includes the presentation
of each country competing in the Olympics,
as well as the lighting of the 2014 Winter
Olympic torch. Some of you may be asking
what the Americans will be wearing as the
walk across stage during this ceremony.
Well, nothing less than Ralph Lauren of
course. Ralph Lauren will be selling the
American Olympic Games cardigan to the
public for $595.00 All profits will go to the
U.S. Olympic Committee.
When asked about the upcoming
Olympic Winter games, sophomore Bridget
Grojean responds: “I will probably be
watching it on TV with my family. My
favorite winter Olympic sport is probably
figure skating, and I like to watch the
Olympic Winter sports more than the
summer, because they are less main-stream.”
Junior Madison Alexander says, “We
usually watch the Olympics as a family,
and my favorite sports to watch are skiing
and hockey.” Junior Kate Leahy remarks,
“I will be watching the Olympics with my
sister Jenna, and I like watching the duet ice
skating.”
Besides the athletes and festivities,
Sochi has been on the news recently because
of terrorism threats against the city and the
Games. Why is everyone so concerned over
the potential terroristic threats in Sochi? An
answer can be found in Sochi’s proximity
to Caucasus separatists to the north who for
years have waged a war of independence
against Russia. Recent bombings in nearby
Volgograd have experts on high alert. Some
question holding the Winter Games in close
proximity to those who have vowed to fight
Russia to the death.
Sister Pauline comments on the
terrorism topic in the upcoming games: “I
fear the terrorists will try to do something.
Russia has promised nothing will happen,
and the US is at its defense. I hope everyone
stays safe, and I will be praying for them.”
Mr. Cummings, head of the Social Studies
departments, says, “I think the terrorist threat
is valid, but if we live our life according
to what terrorists are going to do, then
they are winning. I think we should go
and display the best precautions we can
both governmentally and individually.”
Regardless of the terrorism threats, the 2014
Olympic Games will be a wonderful way to
unite the world and its athletes.
News 4 February 2014
Nine new courses added to next year’s curriculum
By Emmie Morrison
As registration time quickly approaches, students are considering the
many course options for the 2014-2015
school year. Freshmen, sophomores, and
juniors are meeting with their guidance
counselors to create and review their fouryear plans. The information meetings for
how to register on NetClassroom will be
Feb. 12 for freshmen and Feb. 13 for sophomores and juniors. Registration on NetClassroom will open on Feb. 17 and will
close on Feb. 26.
Students have much to look forward
to next year with nine new classes available: Entrepreneurship, Honors Voice of
Human Rights, Survey of Irish Literature,
Instrumental Ensemble, Performance and
Choreography, Introduction to Java, Yoga/
Pilates, Engineering Methods, and East
Asian Studies. These classes will provide
the girls with even greater opportunities to
partake in, allowing them to create a wellrounded, enriching curriculum for themselves.
East Asian Studies, a course offered
by the World Language Department taught
in English, will cover many different issues that relate to North Korea, South Korea, Japan, and China.
English teacher Liz Kelley will teach
the new class Survey of Irish Literature
during the summer and the 2014-2015
school year. “I have always been in love
with Ireland. I visited there in 2007,” explained Ms. Kelley. “I love all their mythologies and poetry, so I decided I wanted
to bring that love of Ireland to St. Joe.”
Three new classes are being added
to the Fine Arts Department: Instrumental Ensemble, Performance and Choreography, and Yoga and Pilates. Instrumental Ensemble is a zero-hour class that will
meet two times each week and will give
musicians an opportunity to play with other student musicians and to perform several times throughout the year. In the dance
department, Performance and Choreography is a class for intermediate to advanced
dancers. “It’s for girls that want to learn
the art of creating dances. We learn stepby-step how to utilize specific tools to create dances,” explained dance teacher Nikki
Talent. “These dances will be part of the
Spring Performance.” Ms. Talent will also
teach the Yoga and Pilates class, as she is
currently working on her 200 hour yoga
teacher certification.
The science department will be adding a new Engineering Methods class,
taught by Ms. Haddock. “It’s an engineering-based class but using computers and
online sources, more than the engineering
design applications class downstairs,” said
Haddock.
With so many interesting new classes, students may wish they had more room
in their schedules. Fortunately, St. Joe girls
have many opportunities to take zero-hour
and summer school classes. This year, the
summer school curriculum has been expanded to include four additional classes:
Survey of Irish Literature, Dance I, Dance
II, and Psychology. According to Jennifer
By Maggie Schwarz
The excitement and anticipation for
the New York City-themed Sophomore
Dance was indescribable on the second
floor on Jan. 31. The smell of spray tans
and loud chatter of dresses, dates, and dinner parties filled the hall as the girls grew
increasingly excited for a night they would
never forget.
After looking forward to this event
since freshmen year, the sophomores enjoyed attending their very first St. Joe
dance. Lizzie Hayes said, “The dance was
so much fun! It was so great to dance all
night with my friends and meet everyone’s
date!”
The class officers took much time
and effort in hand-picking the theme “New
York, New York” to ensure a memorable
and unique night. Class President Patti
O’Brien explained, “New York is timeless
and chic. It also gives us the opportunities
to use interesting decorations, like New
York City street signs and Broadway playbills. We’re having a lot of fun making this
a really classy and special night.”
“There are shimmering, metallic
gold stars all around the gym and commons, as well as other New York Citystyled posters and cardboard cutouts. We
have many strings of lights to light up the
gym,” said the Sophomore Class Moderator Ms. Hackman. Hackman and the class
officers worked tirelessly to ensure that the
dance would be memorable.
One of the main focuses of the
sophomores in the weeks leading to the
dance was finding the perfect dress. Girls
borrowed, reused, and bought an array of
outfits in many different colors and styles.
voice
Counselor Cely Kaup goes through freshmen four year plans and what St. Joe has to offer. Left to right: Ellie Prosperi, Mrs. Kaup, Megan Sties, Marissa O’Malley, and Taylor
Rowland
Millikan, who serves as Director of Summer Programs, “Summer classes are a great
way to take something you don’t have time
for during the school year or give you
some flexibility in your schedule.”
The summer school and zero-hour
personal finance classes are unique in that
they meet two days each week and have
online work the other three days. According to Business teacher Mary Jackson, this
system “gives students an introduction to
online learning before they reach college.”
The summer school psychology class
also offers many unique opportunities for
seniors. Social studies teacher Jane Garvin,
who will be the instructor for the summer
psychology course, says that the summer
school psychology class will allow students to take several additional field trips
so that they can see first-hand what they
learn in the classroom.
With so many course offerings, it can
be hard to choose which classes to take.
According to Principal Dr. Diane Cooper, “Students should think about what
academic goals each person has, to discuss
any concerns with their parents or counselor or both, to think about what will be
best for them for college and career, to not
overload, . . . and to take something because they want to learn about it.”
Sophomore class gets their groove on at NYC themed dance
Lauren Bequette is recipient of
Archbishop May Award
Photo by Amy Nichols Photography
Courtesy of Ms. Anna Hotop
Congratulations to Lauren Bequette as the recipient of the
Archbishop May Service Award.
Lauren’s commitment to service
around the school and in the St. Louis community sets her apart as someone who has responded to our call
at St. Joseph’s Academy to “serve
the Dear Neighbor without distinction”. Service involvement includes
Student Council Executive Officer,
Angel Outreach Officer, Beta Chi Pi
Officer, and much more. Lauren effortlessly blends service and leadership, which is a quality that makes
her unique. It is clear to anyone who
has met Lauren that she strives to
bring Christ to others in all that she
does. And it is in watching Lauren
serve with her smile and bubbly personality that those around her learn
of God’s love for them. Lauren is a
gift to all around her.
According to sophomore Emma
Carrow, “My dress was black with a
leather skirt and sheer long sleeves.
My dress truly embodies the theme,
because I purchased it while I was
in New York City!”
Sophomore Bridget Dillon
stated, “My attire for the evening
was a draping navy dress with a
criss-crossed back.”
Nevertheless, the angels all
looked exceptional, classy, and
metropolitan. They had a great
time dancing the night away in New
York City style.
Right: Jen Martin danced the night
away at Sophomore Dance Fri.
Jan. 31
MLK Model of Justice Award
granted to Clare Hannick
Courtesy of Clare
Hannick, Ms. Ann
Hammer, and Mrs.
Jen Sudekum
Congratulations to senior Clare
Hannick on receiving the Martin Luther
King Model of Justice
Award. This award
recognizes 31 area
high school students
committed to serving
humanity in the broader community. These
students have made
justice a central part of
their lives and desire
photo by Theresa Orozco, OSSM
to change social structures so that all women,
men and children will experience true freedom and equality. Clare has served as
president of the Student Affairs Board, led Kairos #31, helped rebuild houses on the
New Orleans mission trip, and much more. Archbishop Carlson presented the award
to her following a celebratory mass on Sunday, January 19 at the Cathedral Basilica.
February 2014
News 5
Sr. Barbara, CSJ, speaks about race relations and life as a sister
voice
By Stephanie Landgraf
St. Joseph and one of the board members, spoke to the St. Joe community about
her life in the1960’s and as a CSJ. The assembly began with a video of the protest
that Sr. Barbara took part in. She was a part
of a peaceful protest in Selma, Alabama,
where civil rights activists marched from a
small Selma chapel to the courthouse. After
this march was Bloody Sunday, a grander
march from Selma to Montgomery. Wearing a colorful Ghanaian scarf, she talked
to the students and faculty about her early
life experiencing segregation and then integration, her participation in the march in
Selma, and her career as a CSJ working in
various places around the world.
Q: What was your family like?
I have an older brother, and he lives in
Kansas City now. My parents divorced—
my father moved to L.A. and he actually
converted [to Catholicism] but then died at
a young age. My mother remarried, and so
I have one sister and three brothers, two of
which are twins. I’m old enough to be their
mother! But my mother always taught us
that education was important. She was a licensed beautician and then went to school
and became a licensed practical nurse.
That’s how she supported us.
Q: What was life like growing up in Alabama and then moving to St. Louis?
reading. He brought her more religious
books, encouraging her to consider the
faith. Also The Helpers of the Holy Souls
sisters , who lived right there in our neighborhood, lived off Washington and would
come over to the church and help us with
religious education, girl scouts, and other
activities. Mother St. Flore, one of the
sisters, would pass out holy cards on the
street corner. I call that “real evangelization.” Then, when I was a freshman in high
school, we moved to St. Mark’s parish, and
that was the parish where I entered [the sisterhood].
Q: What work did you do in Africa?
My first time I worked in Africa was in
Ghana and Togo in 1975. In 1999, I worked
in South Africa, in Capetown and Pretoria.
Then in 2008, I went to Uganda and Kenya. I was able to go to the mission located
in Gulu, which is a pregnancy health center. I also work with other sisters from the
St. Louis area in microfinancing. We raise
money so people (in Africa) can get themselves out of poverty.
Alex Harris, Sister Barbara, and Caitlin Canupp
I lived in Alabama for a short time, I
hadn’t really started school yet, but when
we moved to St. Louis, I was about six
years old. We’d come back to Alabama
to visit family. We went to an elementary
school, and they’d have time release for
our religious education classes, whatever
your faith tradition was. We used to go to
Lutheran, because that was nearest to our
school. But when we’d go to the movies,
you knew you’d be going up to the balcony. And when we’d go out to eat, which
we did on occasion as a family, we’d go to
restaurants in our own neighborhoods. My
environment was kind of contained, but
I had a happy childhood. My church was
right across the street, and I was a Baptist
at the time.
Q: What kind of influence did you have
that made your family convert to Catholicism?
My mother influenced our conversion.
One time, she was hospitalized and when
the chaplain (at the hospital) came by, he
saw some of the religious books she was
Q: Any advice you’d like to give to the
student body?
I think you all have a wonderful opportunity here and you all take advantage of that.
Your parents sacrifice so much to give you
this kind of education. So if you are true
to the mission first of Jesus, and what [the
Catholic Schools Week celebrates a community of faith, knowledge,
and service
By Colleen Dillon
St. Joseph’s Academy began
Catholic Schools Week on January 24 with
an all school mass celebrated by Bishop
Rice and with music provided by Karl
Zimmerman. Throughout the mass, Bishop
Rice reminded the gathered students and
faculty of this year’s theme, “Catholic
schools: communities of faith, knowledge,
and service.”
Throughout the remainder of
the week, the St. Joe Campus Ministry
scheduled several events to help the students
and faculty celebrate the week. On Tuesday,
the halls of St. Joe looked like a blast from
the past as the students dressed in the clothes
that they wore to grade school. The different
plaid jumpers, plaid skirts, and school
sweatshirts represent the various places St.
Joe students previously attended but now
represent the St. Joe student body.
Students also tested their Catholic
school’s week knowledge by answering
trivia questions about St. Louis area Catholic
high schools. To further celebrate the
community of Catholic schools in St. Louis,
several schools joined together to display
artwork. On Thursday morning, students
gathered for prayer service to pray for the
students, faculty, and supporters of Catholic
schools throughout the
world. St. Joe also lived
out the service aspect of
Catholic schools by writing
valentines to the residents
at Nazareth Living Center.
St. Joe ended the week with
cupcakes provided by Campus Ministry.
Senior Sarah Kochanski remarks, “This
week reminded me about what makes
our community special, and it was fun to
participate in all the activities.”
Although the week consisted of
many celebrations and fun activities, the true
meaning of Catholic School’s week remains
the same. As Bishop Rice mentioned in his
homily, Catholic schools teach students
more than just lessons and knowledge.
Catholic schools instill beliefs and ideas
used by students for their whole lives.
Roving Reporter
Who is your dream date?
By Amanda Blattel
“Olympian Anna Willard.”—Mr. Yane
“My dad.”—Ms. Kassler
“My husband.”—Mrs. Bisch
“Myself.”— Senior Lauryn Nicoletti
“Chris Pine.”—Senior Blake Rozniak
“My non-existent boyfriend.” -Senior Laura Michenfelder
“Logan Lerman.”—Junior Claudia Guerrero
“Orlando Bloom.”—Junior Christa Waterwiese
“Ian Somerhalder.”—Junior Monica Fishering
“Seth MacFarlane.”—Junior Bridget Berstein
“Zac Efron.”—Sophomore Gabby Sabat
“Vladmir Tarasenko.”- Sophomore Elizabeth Hamilton
“Josh Hutcherson.”— Sophomore Maggie Issacson
“Zac Erfron.”— Freshman Emily Meier
“Luke Bryan.”—Freshman Kirsten Bourbon
“Harry Styles.”—Freshman Anissa Bernardez
Features 6 February 2014
voice
Concert Review
Bastille storms the pageant, and Phoenix lights up
the stage
Review and photos by Andie Rooney
Up and coming artist, Bastille, most popularly
known for their single “Pompeii”, teamed up with the
natives of Versailles, France, Phoenix and split the show
at The Pageant. Bastille performed first with crazy energy
and thick British accents. Starting off their set list was Bad
Blood, the title of their 2013 album, which immediately got
the crowd energized. They moved into other songs off of
their album such as Things We Lost in the Fire, Overjoyed,
and Icarus. During one of their songs, Flaws, lead vocalist
Dan Smith came off of the stage, pushed through the crowd,
and danced and sang with the audience. With the crowd
already excited and enthused, Bastille led straight into their
most popular song, Pompeii. During this song, Smith banged
the drum to the beat and had the whole crowd singing the
newly discovered song. After Bastille finished, the bar
was set high for foreign band, Phoenix. Before Phoenix
even made it on the stage, their light show and backdrops
predicted how the rest of the night would go: full of energy,
dancing, and hoarse vocal chords the morning after. They
opened with Entertainment from the 2013 album, Bankrupt!
Being from Versailles, during their instrumental, Love like
a Sunset Part II, the band stepped off of the stage, while
raising lights slowly began to shine on the faces of the
crowd, modeling those of a sunset. A video
began of a car driving through Paris, seeing
all of the main attractions and leading up to
the Arc De Triomphe. Being with my two
roommates from the Europe trip to Paris this
summer, Kelsey Thompson and Gabrielle
Bucchino, this was a special moment for all
three of us. They continued with their set list,
and during one of their most popular song s
1901, lead singer Thomas Mars, completely
invested in the song, dove right into the
crowd. As we were passing him around
and trying to get back to the stage, he stood
on the hands of the people in the crowd as
he continued singing. Finally back on the
stage, Phoenix officially ended with their
last encore song, as well as their opening
song, Entertainment. After the show, we waited around in
the pit and were handed the set list from the show, written
on the set list was “merci” from the band and an Instagram
account to whoever found the set list. This venue was perfect
for the two bands because of the energy both bands put off
and infixed into the crowd. The two bands were perfectly
matched up for touring together and played off of each other
perfectly. Their genres of music were very similar, but at the
same time had different ways of portraying their songs. Although Bastille is already climbing the charts,
touring with an experienced band like Phoenix set them over
the edge for their notoriety. Leaving the show, the feelings
were mutual among the people who had just experienced this
show. It had just begun snowing, and people were running
around and throwing snow at random strangers. The crowd
was still energized, enthused, and completely blown away
by the show both bands put on for St. Louis.
Pope Francis achieves SJA’s Academy Awards
much during first year By ColleenOnDillon
March 2, 2014, the stars will gather to celebrate the 86th Academy Awards. During the ceremony, the winners
AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca
By Mary Weiss and Mary Catherine Heger
This March will mark the one year anniversary of
the beginning of Pope Francis’s papacy. This past year, Pope
Francis has majorly changed the perception of the Catholic
Church. He has accomplished much in the past year serving
as the Pope. His impact on the world was so immense that
in 2013, he was named as Time Magazine’s Person of the
Year.
From the day that Pope Francis was elected pope,
he performed some untraditional yet outstanding actions.
Francis is a very simple man who does not wear all of the
fancy, expensive vestments that past popes normally wore.
He is content living a simple life, which is an extremely
different way in which people today live. For instance,
instead of wearing the traditional red leather papal shoes,
he has decided to wear casual black ones.
Also, Pope Francis did not move into the Papal
Palace. Rather, he lives in a small suite in the Vatican Hotel
and has no domestic staff. Additionally, he is rumored to
sneak out in the middle of the night in disguise to minister
to the poor.
Another way that the Pope is unique from the
previous popes is his belief on gay and lesbian individuals.
In his famous statement, “If someone is gay and seeks the
Lord with good will,
who am I to judge?,”
he expresses his
opinion that God is
the only person who
has the right to judge
the morality of gay
and lesbian people.
His statements on
homosexuality and
other controversial
topics have helped
him to become more
respected and liked by Catholics and people of many other
faiths around the world.
Students and faculty alike admire the Pope and his
selfless actions. “I like the new pope. I think that he has done
a great job in trying to reach out to the youth and engage
them in the faith,” said Junior Elizabeth Egan. “I love what
he is trying to teach us through his actions. I think that if
we watch him closely, we can all learn important messages
about living lives of humbleness and unconditional love.”
Theology teacher Connie Postal also finds
Francis’s actions refreshing. “I follow him on Facebook.
I think the things I love most about him is that he is so
inclusive. Instead of pushing people away from the church
he has brought more people together. He doesn’t just talk
the talk; the Pope actually walks the walk,” she said.
Pope Francis’ main focus in life is to not only assist the
impoverished but everyone in the world. He truly embodies
the Jesuit motto: “For the greater glory of God.”
of 25 different categories, ranging from best picture to best costume designs, will receive their Oscar. The winners are
chosen by the 6,000 members of the Academy using a secret ballot. While the Academy in Hollywood votes, St. Joseph’s
Academy also voted on their favorite picks. After looking at the following results, tune in on March 2 to see which
Academy you agree with. Do you think the students of St. Joseph’s Academy or the members of the Academy made the
right choice? And the winners are . . .
Best Picture
Best Actor in a
Leading Role
Best Actress in a
Leading Role
The Wolf of Wall Street
12 Years a Slave
Philomena
Nebraska
Gravity
Dallas Buyers Club
Captain Phillips
Leonardo DiCaprio (The
Wolf of Wall Street)
Matthew McConaughey
(Dallas Buyers Club)
Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years
a Slave)
Bruce Dern (Nebraska)
Christian Bale (American
Hustle)
Sandra Bullock (Gravity)
Judi Dench (Philomena)
Meryl Streep
(August Osage County)
Cate Blanchett
(Blue Jasmine)
Amy Adams
(American Hustle)
American Hustle
Funderwear: both teams achieve victory
By Molly McKeon
In this year’s 10th annual Funderwear competition, both
St. Joe and Cor Jesu raised over 15,000 pairs of socks
and underwear which, were donated to the Saint Patrick’s
Center. Cor Jesu’s undergarment total staggered above St.
Joe’s, but we won all the basketball games.
In the teacher’s shootout, Ms. Kassler, Ms. Hotop, Mr.
Yane and Mrs. Rocco kindly volunteered and decimated Cor
Jesu’s teacher team. When asked in an interview about how
she thought the knockout round went, Ms. Kassler simple
replied “It was amazing we won!” She adds, “My favorite
part was winning and when the students rushed onto the
court which was fun.”
St. Joe basketball players did a phenomenal job at their
games. Although we lost the totals of socks and underwear
St.Joe had many dedicated girls pitch in to make the night
a success, both on the court and off the court.
Other than winning the basketball games and the teacher
shootout, freshman Bridget McLaughlin said “I liked seeing
my friends from Cor Jesu and just hanging out with all my
friends and cheering.” There was a great turnout from both
schools and everyone at the games was so enthusiastic and
into the cheers. Not only did we get to enjoy a friendly game
of basketball but we helped out a great charity.
The St. Patrick’s Center helps the homeless people in
Missouri by providing shelter and health assistance to
them. Those socks and underwear you brought in really
help those people that don’t have warm clothes or a house.
The Funderwear game raises enough socks and underwear
to last St. Patrick’s Center for the entire year!
Next year hopefully we can bring in even more pairs of
socks and underwear so we can finally beat Cor Jesu but,
more importantly, we will be able to help out more poor
and homeless people.
Photo courtesy of St. Patrick’s Center
February 2014
Movie review
Fangirl is not what it seems at first
Disney attempts to convince P.L. Travers to give him
the film rights to Mary Poppins. Image courtesy of
theguardian.com
very good. Eventually, she and that is why Mrs. Travers
gives in and relinquishes the did not want to change
them. I did enjoy seeing the
film rights to Walt Disney.
At the beginning inspiration for Mary Poppins
of this movie, I did not in Mrs. Travers’ flashbacks
like the character of Mrs. throughout the movie. I also
Travers. She was very liked the character of Walt
stingy and stuck up. She Disney. He was a very happy
was also very rude to most and kind character.
of the characters that she My favorite
encountered throughout the aspect of this movie was
movie. Mrs. Travers was the powerful message it
not open to changing or contained: to let the past
compromising on any of the go. This message is clearly
details of the film adaptation apparent in Mrs. Travers as
of Mary Poppins. Later on she sets her painful childhood
in the movie, I began to see aside and lets Disney use
why she was this way.
her story. Overall, I think
First, she had a difficult that Saving Mr. Banks is
childhood because her father a humorous, entertaining,
was a drunk and her family and heart-warming movie. I
was very poor. Second, all would definitely recommend
of the characters from Mary this movie to anyone.
Poppins came from her life,
Galentine’s Day trending
can all just be ourselves! I’m excited for
this Galentine’s Day and the ones coming
up.” Every year women across the United
States leave their boyfriends and husbands
for the day or night and go out with friends
to have some fun!
There are many ways people can
celebrate Galentine’s Day. Radetic states,
“I’m throwing a sleepover with a ton of
friends! We’re going to eat and watch
chick flicks and just have fun!” Whether it
involves hosting a breakfast or just a small
gathering, Galentine’s Day is a great time
to have fun with all your friends! Senior
Amy Pfeffer states, “A day hanging with
your best girlfriends can be so much fun
and you never know what you end up
doing.”
Any way you slice it, Galnetine’s
day is a great opportunity to have fun
and catch up with best friends without
involving any boys.
Image courtesy of hercampus.com
By Kristen Weber
A day for “ladies celebrating
ladies,” Galentine’s Day is all about
friendship. It’s a day, February 13th, where
you gather all your favorite ladies and
revel in your epic (lady) broships. While
there are holidays set aside to honor family
members and significant others, there are
not any official holidays that celebrate
friendship, unless Halloween counts, but
that’s really just a candy holiday. So why
not celebrate your gal (or guy) pals today
with some waffles, whipped cream, and
hand-embroidered pillows?
February 13th is a day when
you assure yourself that yes, it is okay
to be single. On Galentine’s Day, your
relationship status is not important. The
only thing that matters is your ability to be
a friend. Freshman Sophie Radetic says, “I
love Galentine’s day, because I get to hang
out with my friends who may or may not
be guy obsessed, and we
Features 7
Book review
Saving Mr. Banks saves fond
Disney memories
Reviewed by Sophia
Marcinkiewicz
Saving Mr. Banks is a
compelling movie about the making
of the film Mary Poppins. The cast
of this movie includes, Tom
Hanks as Walt Disney and Emma
Thompson as Pamela Travers. In
this movie, Walt Disney fights to
receive the rights to make a film
adaptation of P.L. Travers’ book,
Mary Poppins. However, Travers
is the author of Mary Poppins and
does not want her book to become
a movie. After twenty years, Mrs.
Travers finally decides to discuss
the film rights with Walt Disney
due to her need for money.
Throughout the movie,
she relentlessly rejects most of
Walt Disney’s playful and childish
ideas because they are not what she
had envisioned while writing Mary
Poppins. Disney struggles to
help Mrs. Travers see that
filmmaking is very different from
writing a book, but she will not
budge. She cannot accept any
differences between the book and
the movie.
Part of Mrs. Travers’
refusal towards changing her story
into a movie is that most of the
characters in her story come from
her childhood. Throughout the
movie, she has flashbacks about
her childhood struggles with her
parents and with money. After many
sessions revising the
script with the script team at Disney,
she begins to realize that Walt
Disney’s ideas are actually
Reviewed by Nora Salmon
I held out on this book, I really did.
The description on the inside of the dust
jacket made me cringe: the main character,
Cather, is an avid fan of Simon Snow, a
fictional character in a wizardry world that
was probably written as close to Harry Potter
as Rowell could get without infringing
copyright.
Cather, however, isn’t a “read the
books and watch the movies” kind of fan;
she’s not even a “dress up for premiere
night” kind of fan. She is a fangirl, someone
who envelops herself in Simon Snow’s
world, expanding it, building upon it, and
finding a niche in it for herself by writing
fan fiction, so, basically, she has a Tumblr
with 20,000 followers or so.
Cather spends her days wrapped up
in Simon Snow’s wizarding world, writing
her own stories based on the stories the
original author told; the only difference is
that she changes the plot a bit. Specifically,
she makes Simon gay for his best friend.
The book, though, is actually really
good. Rather than painting Cather as a onedimensional sort of girl obsessed solely
with Simon, Rowell characterized Cather
as smart, rational, and struggling to find
her own writing voice outside of the world
of Simon Snow. The scope of the novel is
wide enough to include Cather’s struggles
with her twin sister, Wren, who cuts ties with
Image courtesy of rainbowrowell.com
voice
Cather as they both begin college; Cather’s
blossoming friendship with her first college
roommate; her first love, betrayal, et cetera;
and her dad, who struggles with bipolar
disorder, among other things.
It’s a quick read, interspersed
with the fanfiction Cather has written,
and excerpts from the Simon Snow books
themselves (a creation of Rowell’s own
mind, but believable enough for the premise
of the novel). I’d say, if you like to read or
write, enjoy a protagonist who is as shy
as they are smart, and/or have a Tumblr
dedicated to a BBC show, you’ll enjoy this
book. I sure did.
Student teachers teach and learn
By Careen Ghazal-Albar
As this winter semester commenced,
St. Joe students will notice that the faculty
has grown slightly. But who are these new
additions? This semester, St. Joseph’s
Academy welcomes three student teachers,
Mr. Michael Rothman, Miss Rachel
Cox, and Miss Kristin Milligan, who are
coming to observe and teach classes at the
Academy in preparation for their future
jobs in education.
Michael Rathmann of Webster
University teaches sophomore World
History, AP/ACC American History, and
AP/ACC European History with Mr.
Mr. Cummings and Mr. Rathmann
Cummings this semester. A major in
education with an emphasis in history,
Mr. Rothman intends to continue teaching
history classes in St. Louis, but until then,
he plans to remain at St. Joe until May. Mr.
Rothman states that he loves teaching at St.
Joe, noting that he thinks St. Joe is a great
community and adding that the experience
reminds him of his own high school days
at SLUH.
The science department is
welcoming student teacher Rachel Cox,
an undergraduate of Mizzou and current
graduate student at Missouri Baptist. As
a Biology major, Miss Cox is working
on her master’s degree in Teaching and is
helping Mrs. Bisch teach seniors’ Honors
Anatomy and Physiology and freshmen’s
Introduction to Chemistry. When asked
about her teaching experience at St. Joe,
Miss Cox has only good things to say:
Ms. Cox and Mrs. Bisch
“All the girls here are nice.” Teaching
freshman has been a unique experience
for her, gushing, “They’re so great.
They’re challenging me because they’re
so inquisitive and they’re always asking
questions.” Miss Cox will only be staying
at St. Joe until February 28th, but she
has big plans ahead, listing California,
Chicago, or Texas as places she would
love to work.
The English department has also
gained a Webster University student
Kristin Milligan, who is helping teach
Mrs. Richardson’s sophomore American
literature until May 9th. Miss Milligan
graduates on May 10th with a double major
in English and Secondary Education and
a minor in Photography. She has applied
for an internship at Swarthmore College
in Pennsylvania to run the college’s
writing program. While she remains at St.
Joe, however, she states that she adores
teaching the girls here: “The instant I
walked through the doors I felt welcomed.
The first time I taught, Mrs. Richardson
introduced me to the class, and they
clapped for me.”
Ms. Milligan and Mrs. Richardson
Sports 8 February 2014 Racquetball team putting in work Just keep swimming
for a successful season
(and diving!)
By Sydney Bozzi and Nicole Porter
In the midst of their season, The St. Joseph’s Academy racquetball team is vigorously
preparing for state and nationals, which are coming up in February. Junior Claire Hibbard, who is on JV, has high hopes for her team, “We all want to bring some state titles
back to St. Joe. We’ve done well in the past and we want to keep the momentum going.”
Even though there have been rough games, the team has come closer together throughout the season and that has helped their playing. Varsity Senior, Sophie Ojile says, “The
season has been going great! We have all been having so much fun, but still are improving each time we play. We have been focusing a lot on improving the small things, such
as cleaning up our shots, using the walls, and making our serves more difficult to return.”
This dedication and bond between players has helped them improve tremendously.
The team would not be where it is today without coaches, Cindy Burman and Lauren
Talleur.
They are both St. Joe alumna and formal national champions. Claire Hibbard has the
best of both worlds when it comes to her coaches, “Cindy keeps us in line and makes us
practice, because God knows we need it, and Lauren is the coach that makes you feel better after a hard loss. Both are great coaches.”
So what is coming up for
the team? Junior Kate Leahy,
who is on varsity four, says:
“There is a varsity singles
tournament soon and that we
are all excited for!” They will
play schools from around the
St. Louis area to see who will
go to state and nationals. The
team looks forward to playing Cor Jesu Academy. They
are one of the best teams St.
Joe plays and have won nationals he last two years.
Overall, the St. Joseph’s
Academy racquetball team
is working hard and looking forward to ending their
season with many wins. As it
is Sophie Ojile’s last season,
she says, “My goal for the
rest of the season is to have
fun and enjoy the last few
weeks of the season!” It shall
be interesting to see what is
in store for the team the rest
of the season.
By Caroline Zupan
We’re playin’ basketball
By Mary O’Neill
While St. Joe is well known
for their outstanding athletic ability,
many girls are competing outside of
school in sports that aren’t sponsored
by St. Joe. Junior Elisabeth Lowe is
a prime example. She practices six
times a week, whether on her own
or at practice with her team. Her
accomplishments are not broadcast to
the school on morning announcements,
yet her achievements are just as worthy
as any other sports team here at St. Joe
that just beat a rival
school.
It all began ten years ago,
when Elisabeth was six. She decided
to take up a learn to skate class.
When she was nine years old, Lowe
was introduced to a synchronized
skating by a friend and it stuck. She
now skates for Metro Edge Figure
Skating Club, and competes with the
synchronized skating program at St.
Louis Synergy. She is on their novice
team, the second best.
Training for Lowe includes
on and off ice. On ice includes
running through formations and
routines, and off-ice they work
on facial expressions as well as
choreography. Lowe explains her
practice schedule, saying, “When I
practice on my own I normally practice
for about an hour. Practices with the team
are usually one hour on ice and on off, and
then Saturday Practices are normally two
to two and a half hours.”
They have also just begun
cardio training off-ice, because they
have Nationals coming up in Colorado,
where there is not as much air. To get to
By Charlotte Cordova
St. Joe’s Varsity Basketball team is dribbling up some wins this season. In mid
January the team really came together.
This unity has showed in the results of
the games. The team has reveled in wins
against Wentzville Holt High School on
January 14th, Cor Jesu Academy on January 15th, Bloom Township on January 18,
and Helias on January 29th.
The team agrees that this season has
been one of rebuilding and the team is determined to succeed. Senior Natalie Sims
has been satisfied with the season thus far.
She says, “We have figured out how to use
our size disadvantage to our advantage.”
Sims continued on to clarify that the team
has a much shorter team than last year. The
girls seem to be compensating for this with
shooting
The Varsity team has not only played
teams from the Missouri Area but they
The Basketball team in Naples, Florida
have traveled abroad this season. Sims
says, “My favorite part of the season was
going to Naples. We got a lot closer as a
team and even though we lost our games,
we got better as a team playing the good
competition and had a great time on the
beach!”
Upcoming games where the team will
play some tough competition are coming
up later in February. On the 18 is a game
against Miller Career Academy. On February 20th St. Joe plays against Incarnate
Word whose team is currently ranked number two in the nation. Sims says, “Playing
such a good team will help our team become better.”
The girls also look forward to their
games against St. Dominics on the 25th
and Visitation Academy on the 28th. The
team is confident they can win these upcoming games.
voice
Despite the frigid
outdoor temperatures, many
St. Joe girls find themselves
spending their afternoons
poolside this winter. Monday
through Friday after school, the
Swim & Dive team journeys
to Chaminade High School
for extensive practices. They
are working towards State
Championships, for which
Coach Khannie Dastgah has
high hopes, stating, “ The girls
can definitely meet these goals.”
The team has plenty
of seasoned veterans, such as
Grayson Ram (’15) and Charlotte Cordova (’14), as well as several promising freshmen,
including Anna Miller, Anna Davis, and Tatum Schieber. The girls’ season is off to a great
start, with an undefeated record.
The team has one dual meet left against Nerinx Hall and Conference before facing
Missouri’s finest at the State Championships the weekend of February 21stMiller, who
competes year-round with Rockwood Swim Club, looks forward to her first State meet,
she sets her sights on winning her best event, the 50 freestyle. Miller spends much of her
free time in the pool, and admits that the demands of the sport can be “stressful to balance,
but worth it for the great bonds our team has formed.”
As the team trains, travels, and competes, they spend many hours each week together,
encouraging close friendships.
“It’s a great group of girls,”
says senior Grace Stiegemeyer,
a four-year state qualifier who
is diligently preparing for her
last year at Championships. The
team’s outstanding record in
previous years at State bodes well
for the future and the infusion of
new talent positions them well
for this year. Only time will tell if
Coach Khannie’s predictions will
come true, but St. Joe swimmers
and divers are doing everything
in their power to make it happen.
Seniors Grace Stiegemeyer and Charlotte Cordova
Lowe makes great strides on ice
Nationals, Lowe competed in Michigan,
Wisconsin, as well as Chicago for Sectionals.
She competes both as a team and
individually, with her team consisting of
sixteen other performers. Lowe explains,
“I compete as a team, like 16 skaters, in big
blocks and lines and formations. We don’t
do a lot of jumps but we do a lot of turns
and footwork.”
Lowe states, “I have a coach for
individual, private lessons, We usually work
on freestyle—jumps and spins, ice dancing,
which is like ballroom dancing, and then we
have two coaches for our synchro team.”
Carpool of the
Month
By Colleen Dillon
Senior Abigail Ohlms, driver; sophomore Madeline Ohlms; sophomore
Rachel Belloli; and sophomore Kathleen
Sullivan
Car: grey Honda Accord.
Route: Woodlawn Ave to Kathleen’s
house then left on Manchester to Rachel’s neighborhood and then right on
Lindbergh to St. Joe.
The music is normally whatever Madeline wants.
Anecdotes: getting a ticket the first time
Abigail picked everyone up this year and
calling Kathleen every day because she
is sleeping.
One tradition is getting Chick-fil-a after
we drop off Rachel and Kathleen.