2021 Spring Print

Vol. 29, No. 3 St. Louis, Missouri - Spring 2020-2021 sjathevoice.org

2 The Voice: Spring 2020
Table of Contents:
Bring Out the
Self Care!
6-7
Stay Positive
during Exams
9
4-5
How Positive
Are You? Quiz
8
Keeping a
Positive Mindset
the
VOICE
The Voice is published quarterly 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 submited
anonymously. We are also online at sjathevoice.org.
Mission Statement
The duty and mission of The Voice is to share news with the St. Joseph’s Academy community through honest,
unbiased and entertaining reporting. The Voice strives to give St. Joe students a voice through the publication
of student-produced articles and seeks to serve as a forum for free discussion among students. The Voice fosters
the development of students into values-driven women leaders by providing them with opportunities to discern
their own views on issues facing both the school and the larger community.
Editor-in-Chief
Megan Wilcutt
Print Editor
Sophie Gloriod
Digital Editor
Anna Carollo
Print Layout Editor
Lauren Bowers
Digital Layout Editor
Mary Dill
Sports Editor
Grace Becker
Public Relations
Maggie Mays
Social Media Editor
Rosie Johnson
Art Editors
Haley Pruett, Megan Tung, and
Hanna Dressing
Photo Editor
Claire Price
Moderator
Ms. Amy Summers

The Voice: Spring 2020 3
Volunteering at
home during
COVID
11
Club
Happy
14
10
COVID-19
Vaccine
12-13
Can You See
Family and
Friends during
a Pandemic?
15
Spotlight:
Laura
Pennington
A Letter from the Editor
Dear readers,
Undoubtedly, we can all agree 2020 was a rough year. Starting off just as strong as any
other year, 2020 seemed to be going in a positive direction. However, the pandemic struck us all
out of nowhere, leaving everyone to encounter a new unknown. We had to distance ourselves
from those we loved most, adjust to remembering a mask everywhere we went, struggle to figure
out zoom, and so much more. It’s safe to say 2020 made us all lose hope at one point or another.
With this in mind, the staff of The Voice is proud to introduce our first print issue of the new year
surrounding positivity.
Each new year brings endless new possibilities- possibilities to better ourselves, reflect on
our pasts, and bring a little more joy to the world. Throughout this issue, you’ll find articles on
how to keep the revitalization a new year brings in your life always and spread positivity even
in the midst of a pandemic. As we say goodbye to 2020, let’s enter 2021 with a new positive
mindset.
Sincerely,
Megan Wilcutt
Editor-in-Chief ‘21

4 The Voice: Spring 2020
Directions: Choose one answer for each multiple choice question. Add up the amount of points associated
with each question, and find your results!
For the first time all month you have no
homework, and you’re excited to have an
afternoon to yourself. You come home in a
good mood only to hear fighting and to find
your mom is stressed and frustrated. You feel…
+3 Still great! You ignore the negativity.
+2 Still good. You decide to sacrifice some free
time to help around the house
+1 Annoyed. You still do the things you want,
but it isn’t as great as you pictured.
+0 Angry at your family. You give up on your
great afternoon and spend your energy rolling
your eyes and making sassy remarks.
It’s the night before a big math test, and you’ve
gotten every question wrong on the study guide.
It’s too late in the night to ask a friend for help.
You…
+3 Decide to wing it. There are more important
things to life, and you spend the day laughing
with your friends rather than thinking about the
upcoming test.
+2 Get a good night of sleep and go to school
early to ask for help from your teacher.
+1 Keep studying, but it takes a long time
because you’re frustrated and about to cry.
+0 Give up. You wake up crabby and spend the
day complaining about the class and the teacher.
Your friend texts you that they had a terrible day. You most
likely respond with something along the lines of…
+3 “Don’t be upset! You have a lot going for you.”
+2 “I’m so sorry you feel this way. You don’t have to talk
about it, but can I cheer you up with some funny pictures or
ice cream?”
+1 “I’ve been there too. Ugh it stinks. Want to rant?”
+0 “lol same”
St. Joe is playing Cor Jesu in the annual
Funderwear game. Our team loses. Bad. You...
+3 Couldn’t care less! You were here for a good
time with your friends, and you didn’t really care
who won anyway.
+2 Aren’t happy with the outcome, but you still
take the effort to congratulate your Cor Jesu
friends.
+1 You go home in a bad mood, and this lasts
most of the week due to the inescapable posts and
memes from Cor Jesu girls all week.
+0 You are so mad that you wish you hadn’t
gone. The only good part of the game was trash
talking the other team.
A certain global pandemic causes your favorite
events (Mission Week, homecoming, Father
Daughter Dance, sports, musicals, Welcome Week,
etc) to be cancelled or changed. Is it still possible to
have a good year?
+3 Of course! It’s unfair to complain since some
people have it way worse.
+2 I think so. I will make the most of this time with
my friends and family, but it’s okay to get down
every once in a while.
+1 Not really. I’ve gotten used to it, but I still
always think about how I’ll never get those lost
memories back.
+0 Nope. I’ve given up on thinking that any part
of this year can be good.

11-15 Somewhat Optimistic
Congratulations! Your ability
to be unbothered by life’s
obstacles and maintain
a positive outlook is very
admirable. However, we
are here to grow, so I will
offer some advice. I would
consider myself a very
positive person as well,
and I know that it can be
exhausting sometimes.
Make sure you are taking
time to take care of
yourself. A great start
is acknowledging your
feelings of sadness or
disappointment rather than
pushing them away. Look
back to the quiz questions
and compare the first
answers to the second.
Sometimes pretending like
everything is okay when
it isn’t will end up actually
causing some harm to
yourself and others.
5-10 Somewhere in the Middle
While your results may seem
vague, the average person
would likely have similar
answers to yours. I think it
is very good that you tend
to be somewhat balanced in
terms of your mindset, but
we all know places where we
could grow. A good balanced
mindset causes us to feel free
because both complaining
and faking happiness requires
unnecessary energy. Think of
a frustrating situation you are
facing right now (COVID is a
great start), and consider how
you could approach it with a
more balanced mindset.
0-4 Somewhat The Voice: Pessimistic Spring 2020 5
If you’re familiar with characters
such as Squidward, Charlie
Brown, Stanley Hudson, Eeyore,
or Oscar the Grouch, you are
probably aware that pessimistic
characters are often hilarious,
and in my opinion, adorable
(especially Eeyore). We wouldn’t
want them any other way. While
all personalities are unique,
a positive mindset is actually
something that each person can
have control of. My advice is to
think about how much energy
you invest into complaining and
considering if this could possibly
be bringing you or others down.
I’m not going to pretend that
I know or understand your
situation, but I do think that each
of us can find our own ways
to achieve happiness, and it
doesn’t have to look the same
for everyone. I encourage you to
read more of this issue for ideas
of how you can accomplish this.
As you can see, the best answer wasn’t always the
most ‘positive’ one. If you’ve ever seen the movie Inside
Out, you know that the sad moments in life need to be
appreciated just as much as the happy ones. No matter
what your results were, don’t feel ashamed to experience
sadness or frustration here and there. We aren’t meant to
be happy all of the time; we’re not robots! However, I hope
that each of you are able to encounter people, activities,
and life experiences that bring you enough joy to make up
for the tough parts. We’ve got this.

6 The Voice: Spring 2020
Bring Out the Self-care!
By Lizzie Balestreri
Art by Haley Pruett
Self-care is something that every individual can partake in, and can be
completely freeing of one’s mind and one’s wallet. Now is the perfect time to get
started on activities since the new year has just begun.
One form is self-care for the mind. This means that working on the mindset and
perception of different experiences. Working on the mind is a great way to start the
entire process of self-care.
Junior Sam Stryker introduces and supports this idea.
“I would say that care, in any form, definitely begins with a clear mind; no
matter how many face masks you do, it will never truly improve yourself. You have to
start with the inside and work outwards,” Sam said.
Some ways to help improve one’s self-care for the mind include things such as
reading. Starting a new book or book series will help ease your mind while working
the brain at the same time. Painting, drawing,
sketching, and any other art form one desires is a
great way to put the mind at ease. Art sharpens
the mind through conceptual visualization,
implementation, and boosts memory skills.
Additionally, nature provides the perfect
setting to rest. Watching the sunrise or sunset
can assist one in the presence of God. Getting
a glimpse of beautiful skies is a great way to
appreciate God and his greatness. Junior Grace
Dutch shares how she spends her mornings doing
such.
“Every morning, I wake up just in time to
see the sunrise and it relaxes me so that I am
prepared for the day and face things with a calm
and relaxed head on my shoulders,” Grace said.
Lizzie indulges in self-care by sitting
back and reading a good book while
listening to music and having a lit
candle.
Photo by Lizzie Balestreri

The Voice: Spring 2020 7
Lizzie indulges in another
form of self-care through the
use of face masks.
Photo by Lizzie Balestreri
Another form of self-care is to be
with others. Spending time with loved
ones helps one have lower levels of
cortisol, the stress-causing hormone, and
an increase in oxytocin and dopamine
levels, increasing one’s mood. There are
many ways to spend time with loved ones. One example of a way to spend with loved
ones is by having family dinners or family game nights.
Just as spending time with family is important, so is spending time with friends.
Having sleepovers, going for drives, going out to go shopping, or get food can really
boost one’s mood, as long as you stay Covid safe. Having picnics is another great way
to pass time with friends.
Another form of self-care is exercise and diet. Exercising and dieting is not
to “be skinny” or to “look better.” Exercising and dieting are for one’s health and
nutrition. Exercising occasionally is great to keep one’s body healthy and strong, as
is paying attention to one’s diet as well. Paying attention to what is eaten every day
is not all how the media perceives it. Acknowledging what you eat is important to
understand to include multiple food groups to keep the body balanced.
A great way to include exercise into one’s routine is to go for a hike or bike ride
with friends, family, or alone. It is a great way to get fresh air while spending time
with loved ones, while exercising the body. Stretching and performing body-weight
exercises are simple and easy ways to exercise at home at any time of the day.
Another thing to do to aid in self-care for the mind is to simply write a list of ten
things to be grateful for, and appreciate the good in life
The best way to healthily indulge in self-care is to improve care for the mind,
spending time with loved ones, and exercising the body. The best way to feel and
see results from such self-care is to participate in each form. Self-care is all about
making improvements to oneself in order to become the best version of oneself. It is
not about becoming better than anyone else, instead it is about loving oneself and
becoming comfortable in one’s own skin.
The best way to feel and see results from
such self-care is to participate in each form.

8 The Voice: Spring 2020
Covid-19 has made the
entire world’s spirits get down.
The year 2021 came with high
spirits and hopes for good things
to come; however, as the year has
gone on, it seems like the curse
of 2020 has carried over. From
delayed vaccines to the freezing
temperatures, good times feel
farther away than ever. Despite
all this, good things are still going
on in the world. The first step to
seeing the good (and doing good)
is having a positive mindset.
This does not have to be done
through giant actions, a positive
mindset can grow from
the simplest, and kindest,
actions.
The easiest
way to stay positive is
to make a list of all of
the good things going on in life.
They do not have to be the best
things in the world, but anything
that brings joy to the day-to-day
life. For example, one’s list may
include getting Starbucks in the
morning or seeing a friend in
the hallway between classes. A
list could also touch on larger
things, like your mom or
dad making your favorite
meal for dinner or your
favorite artist releasing new
music.
Positivity can also come
from those surrounding you.
Being around people who spread
love and joy make the days so
much brighter. Taking time to
ask friends and family what
the best part of their day can
make your own spirits rise.
Ms. Hailey Meersman, a
math teacher at St. Joe, loves
to be around students when
she feels her mood drop.
“If I’m getting stressed
out, I like to take a break for
a few minutes and just talk to
students. They always have
something funny to say which
puts me in a good mood
and reminds me how lucky
I am to work with
such great people,”
Ms. Meersman
said. “I also like
Senior
Rosie Schibig
and Ms. Meersman
smiling behind their
masks while listening
to music during a free
period.
Photo by
Sophie Gloriod
to sometimes play music in the
hallways because once one girl starts
singing along, it spreads to others
and puts people in a better mood.”
In order to keep a positive
mindset, it is important to take care
of the body as well. Drinking water,
eating food that not only
gives the body fuel but also
joy, and getting fresh air are
all important components to
staying positive.
Sophomore Lily Pingleton
understands that positivity comes
from taking care of one’s mind and
body.
“Whenever I feel stressed, I
turn on some of my favorite music
and have a dance party. Not only
does it brighten my mood, but it
gets me up and moving around” Lily
said.
Keeping your mind occupied
helps joy grow. Finding a hobby that
you love is another important factor
to positivity during these times. It
does not have to be something you
are already great at. Instead, try to
develop a skill in something
new. Test your hand at baking,
painting, or even knitting.
Hobbies keep the mind
occupied while relieving stress
and raising serotonin levels.
A positive mindset can
be hard to keep these days. The
world seems like it is out to get
all the good. However, there still
are so many things to be grateful
for. The best way to start to get a
positive attitude is to look for GOGs
everywhere. Once you find the little
things that bring you joy, it will be
easier (and more fun) to spread joy
to those around you.

The Voice: Spring 2020 9
Communicate:
Your teachers, friends and family want to help you. Talk to
them about your highs, and lows and let them know how
you’re feeling! Plus, listing your assignments verbally helps you
remember and organize!
Vision Boards:
Allow yourself to get excited about the things that inspire you!
Mood boards are a great way to remind oneself of the bigger
picture, and to get some perspective on what you’re really
working toward.
Change of Scenery:
Move around! Staying in one place, no matter how perfect,
can be dull and monotonous. To avoid blending your days,
time, and study habits blending together, choose a few
different places that inspire you, and rotate.
Procrastination:
Try not to let your work pile up and consume you. Prepare in
advance for big assessments and assignments, and organize
early. Doing a little bit of work everyday, and gradually
building up to big assignments will decrease your stress, and
allow you to prepare better.
Forget to Recharge:
You’re human too! Don’t forget to eat, hydrate, and sleep
because, in the long run, keeping up with your physical needs
is more important than a late assignment. Don’t sacrifice your
needs to play catch up on work.
Forget about your Mental Health:
Your mental health is just as important as your physical
health. Once again, you don’t have to sacrifice your emotional
well-being to keep up in school. Communicate with your
teachers, and be cautious of slipping. You are valid, loved and
important regardless of your grades, scores, or assignments.
1-800-273-TALK for Mental Health Crisis

10 The Voice: Spring 2020
Since mid-January, the COVID-19 vaccine
has been made available for Phase 1B tiers 1 and 2
Missouri residents. This means that healthcare workers,
first responders, government employees, anyone
over 65 years of age, and any adult with underlying
conditions are eligible for the vaccine.
The state of Missouri is still determining
when tier 3 residents will be allowed to receive the
vaccine. Among the tier 3 residents include teachers,
faculty, and staff at private, public, and K-12 non-profit
schools. As the state of Missouri continues to quickly
continue down the tiers, many students and teachers are
wondering what will happen for them when the vaccine
will become available for them.
Ms. Karen Davis, Principal of Academic Affairs,
has been working very hard to keep St. Joe safe during
the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“We have registered our school as an
organization to be vaccinated when possible,” Ms.
Davis said.
Sophomore Brynley Wall is patiently waiting
for the day when the COVID-19 vaccine becomes
available for students.
“Eventually I would like to get the vaccine so I
can return to a somewhat normal life filled with many
fun activities, but the people who need it more than me
should be able to get it before I do,” Brynley said.
Aluma Hannah Pingleton who graduated from
St. Joe in 2014 is now a nurse at Mercy Hospital. She
recently got her second round of the vaccine, and has
much to say about it.
“I chose to get the vaccine to protect the people
I love,” Hannah said. “If we want life to get back to
normal, we have to take certain measures to defend
ourselves against the virus: masks, social distancing,
and getting the vaccine.”
As the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available
to more people, consider the benefits this new
technology offers. If you have any questions about the
vaccine or the availability of the vaccine, reach out to
a healthcare professional or visit St. Louis Missouri’s
Government website for more information. With
vaccination plans rolling out, remember to mask up,
socially distance, stay home if you’re sick, and stay
positive.
Seniors. Ella
and Grace
Kertz pose
with their
vaccine cards.

The Voice: Spring 2020 11
In the midst of COVID-19, service is still a necessity within the community, from tutoring toddlers to socializing with
seniors. Although at-home service requires greater technology and creativity than before the pandemic, volunteer work remains not
only possible in the midst of social distancing, but also beneficial to the volunteers as well as those receiving the service. While many
organizations have found ways to virtually continue their services, there are also individual volunteer activities that can contribute to
the betterment of the community using personal talent, interest, and social media platforms.
Sewing masks for those in need
By making masks for those in the community, this personal act can have a direct and rapid effect on the health and wellbeing
of individuals. While the pandemic continues to affect the world today, there is a constant need for reusable masks for those in
at-risk environments, whether that consist of a job or an overall population. Plenty of tutorials exist via YouTube or Google, and
organizations who receive mask donations can be found with a simple internet search. Through this act of service, teenagers and
young adults receive a newfound social awareness of those who are most at-risk or who live in an extremely at-risk environment.
Becoming a virtual tutor
In terms of the St. Joe community, tutoring as service allows students the opportunity to use their valuable education for
the greater good. Additionally, clubs and organizations at St. Joe such as National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and several other
honor societies require tutoring service hours. A great way to get involved as a tutor is to create a personal flyer that parents and
students can post on social media in order to get public attention. Virtual tutoring may appear more difficult than in-person tutoring;
although, with time, it will undoubtedly get easier. Additionally, while contact still occurs through a screen, by actually speaking to
someone, a tutor gains better social skills, whether that be with a child or with a child’s parents.
Creatively fundraising and donating to those in need
While fundraising may appear difficult at this time due to many unexpected financial problems as a result of COVID-19, it is
important to remember that even the smallest contribution can help. In fact, with high numbers willing to donate, the smallest money
donations combine to form extreme values that can benefit a large number of people in need.
A perfect example of fundraising and donating involves senior Taylor Polcyn, who reached out and encouraged her 368.8K Tik Tok
followers to raise money for homeless shelters that were in serious need of food donations.
“My followers donate ‘gifts’ when I livestream to simply just be generous. I wasn’t necessarily doing anything to earn this
money, so I felt guilty keeping it all to myself, and I wanted to help people that really needed it. That’s where the idea came from.
Also, many of the Tik Toks that I post reflect positive Christian values, so as a result, many of my followers have really kind hearts!
They have been super generous, and this definitely isn’t all me! I’m super grateful for them, and I’m so blessed to even have this
platform to begin with,” Taylor said.
In this way, Taylor uses her social media platform for the good of society as well as a form of service.
Making blankets
This service activity can actually be done with friends, as long as social distancing is maintained. Additionally, it is simple.
All that is needed is felt and scissors. Buy two large pieces of felt as any local fabric store, such as Hobby Lobby. Then, lay the two
pieces on top of one another, so that they are perfectly aligned. With scissors, simply cut about two to three inch strips along all the
edges about one inch apart from one another. Afterwards, tie one felt strip to the other felt strip aligned with it, so that a knot forms.
Continue to make knots around the entire felt sheet, and a blanket forms in the end. (See photo above by Anna Carollo)
Senior Ella Kertz, who plays club soccer and varsity soccer, at St. Joe reflects on this service activity she performed with her club
soccer team.
“As part of our service commitment for my soccer club, we all spread out in a massive room and individually made blankets
out of felt. We socialized at a distance and played music, which made the service very enjoyable,” explained Ella.
This form of service is a simple and fun way to help out those less fortunate. In regards to the winter, these blankets can be
especially useful to the homeless, who have nowhere warm to go during winter months.
In these four ways, it is not only a simple way to receive service hours during this time of physical interactive uncertainty, but
also it is impactful for the greater good of the community. Whether performing these acts of service alone through tutoring or getting
a group together for a socially distanced hour of blanket making, service is not only possible at home, but also it is entertaining and
rewarding.

12 The Voice: Spring 2020
With the COVID-19 pandemic going strong for nearly a year now, it has been
difficult for everyone to get to see their family and friends. It simply isn’t safe to see
anyone for fear that someone may unknowingly have the virus and spread it to others,
but luckily there are some ways that you can see loved ones with minimal risk of getting
yourself or someone else sick.
Throughout this year, technology has become people’s
best friend, as it is one of the only ways anyone could safely
communicate with each other. While ZOOM has been
popular for schools to use in order to teach while at
home, it can also be used to have big group calls
with family and friends who you can’t visit.
Mrs. Diane Everitt, a theology teacher here at
St. Joe, Zooms with her friend group from
her SJA class of 1982.
Mrs. Everitt said, “We are fortunate
enough to have two doctors, a nurse
practitioner, and a nurse who help us
keep up to date on COVID from the
medical perspective. It has been a great
way to stay connected and support each
other during this challenging time.”
As long as you can explain how it
works to the family member who may need
help setting it up, you are good to go. For
smaller calls, you can use a video chat feature
of different phones. It may be difficult if the two
parties have different brands of phone, but if you
do, then it’s an easy way to have a “face-to-face”
conversation. Even having a simple text conversation is
better than not being able to talk to someone at all. While
technology may be difficult for some people, it is currently one of
the safest ways to talk to those you care about.

The Voice: Spring 2020 13
If you do end up trying to see family in person, make sure you follow safety
guidelines in order to keep everyone safe. Keep six feet apart from those you are with
and make sure you keep your mask on and worn properly. Remember to wash your
hands and keep hand sanitizer with you. Seeing family and friends is important, but so is
making sure you are doing everything you can to prevent yourself and others from
getting COVID. Sophomore Mia Thompson and her family, who had seen
relatives over the holidays, made sure they did everything they could
to make sure everyone stays safe.
“When my family went out of town to visit relatives
over the holidays, my family went to a hotel while my
grandparents stayed at their house, when usually,
we also stay at their house. When we got together,
it was always outside and we wore masks and
stayed socially distanced the entire time. It was
a lot of fun getting to see everyone, even if we
couldn’t be very close,” said Mia.
One thing we all have to remember
though, is that while visiting family and
friends that we haven’t seen in a while
is tempting, the fastest way COVID is
spreading, is through these gatherings. There
have been many cases where one family
member has already with a bigger group of
people and ends up being asymptomatic, not
realizing they are sick and then they go to family
gathering and spread it to everyone there. COVID
can be spread to others so easily and quickly, meaning
we have to take any and all precautions possible.Stay
safe and healthy should be everyone’s priority right now. If
we all do our part in staying socially distanced and wearing a
mask, this pandemic will be over so much sooner, and we can go
back to see people normally, which is our ultimate goal. Have fun but
stay safe.

14 The Voice: Spring 2020
CLUB
highlighting the
importance of high
school mental
Health
art by hanna dressing
and lauren bowers
Any high school student will admit
to moments of academic stress, comparisons
of body image, or pressure in the midst of a
global pandemic. This pressure and stress in
high school builds up over the course of four
years and can continue when deciding on a
college. Club Happy was made just for that
reason: to keep a positive atmosphere among
students in a sometimes stressful situation.
Overall, it is a place of optimism and utter
enjoyment that hopefully spreads from its
members to the entirety of the school.
Club Happy was created in the 2019-
2020 school by three current seniors: Megan
Wilcutt, Lily Bayer, and Grace Kinzel. Clearly
with the uncertainty and unexpectedness of
COVID-19, the invention of Club Happy acts
as a great influencer and reminder of the good
things in life whether that be making the most
of free time or creating an organized routine
during the stressful school year as a way of
relaxation and order, as life slowly returns to
normal.
Specifically, senior Grace Kertz, who
has been a member of Club Happy since last
year, discusses how Club Happy assists with
her stressful workload.
“It is a very stress-free club, and
overall, it is just a welcoming environment.
The leaders do a great job to make sure that
each meeting is engaging. Sometimes the
leaders bring food, which is always fun,”
Grace said.
The three coordinators created the
club as a way to shed light on mental health
issues in hopes of brightening other students’
day. Although this club in no way is therapy
or a support group, Club Happy discusses
ideas including: stress, anxiety, personal
enjoyment, and solutions to de-stress. The
club welcomes anyone and everyone. The
idea is to engage in a personal growth
mindset in high school to help prepare
students for their life after they leave St. Joe,
especially in college and beyond. The club
normally provides breakfast, activities, and
music before school on the first and third
Friday morning of every month from 8-8:30
in order to start the day off right.
Co-president Lily Bayer was one
creator of the club after noticing that the
St. Joe needed a club to lessen stress in a
normally stressful environment. She helps
come up with activities and discussion topics
for meetings.
“We make motivational posters, play
bingo, provide study tips for school, and
even bring in guest speakers,” Lily explains.
Altogether, Club Happy propels
positivity among St. Joe students. While
high school can be stressful at times as well
as the busyness of daily life, this club acts
as a reminder to slow down, enjoy life, and
make the most of every day.

The Voice: Spring 2020 15
St. Joe emphasizes the importance of
making a profound impact in the world in their
students’ post-graduation, and Lara Pennington
is one alumna doing just that. Lara graduated
from St. Joe in 2004, leaving St. Joe to receive
undergraduate and graduate degrees from St.
Louis University. From there, she went on to
pursue her passion of leaving a positive impact
on others through social work and working in the
mental health field.
The first 12 years after her education,
Lara’s career focused on mental illness and
addiction, specifically with women and families.
Working at the Queen of Peace Center, a part of
Catholic charities network, she helped women
and their families overcome their mental struggle
with addiction.
“The women at the Queen of
Peace Center had a lifetime of trauma,
and homelessness and poverty and limited
educational experiences and we were intervening.
It was hard work and took a toll on me. So then, I
really wanted to switch gears and focus more on
preventive interventions,” Lara said.
She did just that and jumped into the
second part of her career focused on prevention.
Part of this work involved figuring out how to
reach people struggling earlier on and provide
them with the resources and tools to better cope
with stress. The most recent three years, Lara
has specifically targeted preventive health and
well-being through education and direct service.
Currently, she works At Palm Health where
she is a coach working with clients directly to
identify their goals and create a plan of action to
accomplish such goals.
“A lot of the people we serve there
experience a lot of stress and stress takes a pretty
significant toll on the mind and body. So, working
with clients to help them identify their sources
of stress, how their stress shows up, and helping
them learn techniques to reduce their stress, and
to establish goals to ultimately live the life they
want to live,” Lara said.
On top of that, Pennington also works
at the nonprofit Anthropedia, where she is
the Director of Community Engagement. The
organization promotes health and well-being
primarily through education by working with
other nonprofits, schools, and organizations to
implement their educational resources. Lastly,
Lara works at the nonprofit Mental Health of
America where she does wellness seminars. St.
Joe played a pivotal role for her career path,
introducing to her the idea of caring for one’s
well-being.
“I went to Catholic schools my whole life,
so I’ve always really understood the importance
of health from all of its perspectives: physical
health, psychological and emotional health and
spiritual health. Health is really the intersection
of those three things. Growing up in catholic
schools and particularly at St. Joe, we were given
opportunities to nurture all aspects of our health,
in particular our spiritual health. What gives you
meaning and knowing that you are sacred and
connected to something larger, that sense of faith
gave me the hope and the courage to continue
when life is difficult,” Lara explained
Lara Pennington truly acts as a model
of how to take everything St. Joe promotes and
uses it to make their own unique impact. As she
touches the lives of all her clients, Lara truly is
making the world a better place.