Extracurriculars
Participation in an extracurricular is a great way to make connections, have fun and expand your knowledge. Extracurricular meetings take place outside of the school day, so you can join as many of these as you’d like.
Extracurricular Dates 2023-2024
- August 25 – Extracurricular Fair
- September 3 – Extracurricular Registration
- September 21 – Extracurricular Meeting
- November 16 – Extracurricular Meeting
- February 15 – Extracurricular Meeting
Descriptions and Moderators
Affinity Group – Asian – Earl
The Asian Affinity group is for our Asian students and allies at STA to bond and express their experiences in a safe space in order to build strength and pride. It is a place for our students to come together and be more connected to our STA community. We may share and talk about their experiences or focus on working towards a particular mission or goal for the year. Activities vary between meetings and may include movies, games, traditional food, and holiday celebrations. We will work to be more visible and more included in our community and in doing so, enhance our commitment to inclusivity. Equally as important, we will collaborate with different groups at STA in which we will work towards creating equity for all.
Affinity Group – Black Student Coalition
To provide a space for Black students at STA where they challenge their own ideas of what it means to be a student of color on this campus and in the world. Our goal is to Engage, Empower, and Elevate each other while holding informed learning and equity-mindedness as a priority.
Affinity Group – Hispanic – TBA
To promote and offer exposure to the Spanish-speaking world and its rich and diverse cultures. Our goal is to bring a sense of community among the students by offering social activities and cultural awareness.
Campus Ministry – Schultz
Campus Ministry involves any student who desires to enhance the prayer experiences at STA. Some of the ways a student may be involved in this group is planning prayer services, reading at advisory and all-school Masses, creating a slideshow for Masses or prayer services, and/or leading the school in daily prayer over the PA. All students are welcome to participate in Campus Ministry. Ms. Callahan will notify students of different upcoming opportunities and interested students will meet as needed for brainstorming, training, and/or planning meetings.
CSJ Summer Campers – Campus Ministry
Care Care is a super fun extracurricular that allows CSJ Leadership Camp is sponsored by the STA campus ministry in conjunction with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. Students are nominated by the STA faculty or staff. The camp is geared to help the girls discover their untapped leadership abilities, while growing in appreciation of self, others, and God.
Chess Club – Perry
The Chess Club will introduce fellow students at STA to the wonders of chess.
Debate – Stewart
Outside school time is required to participate in a minimum of two interscholastic competitions during the semester. we will touch on the various types of debate, but will concentrate our efforts primarily on parliamentary. Students will develop and refine debate and speaking skills, leadership, teamwork, and cooperation. Students will discuss current events and be expected to argue either side of a given issue. Activities will include group discussions and building skills required to make the student more confident. Students will become better listeners and more accepting of various viewpoints. This is a lifelong skill that will help form our leaders of tomorrow. In debate each student will:
- Explore speech as a competitive skill
- Learn the proper ways to debate in Parliamentary Procedure
- Learn how to structure a successful argument
- Gain confidence in the art of public speaking and argument
- Master the importance of projection, enunciation, rate, volume and pronunciation
- Build a strong sense of team with her partner(s) and class
- Study current events, historical events, and the US government to create argumentative presentation
DECA – Smith
DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.As a DECA member we hope you will experience the thrill of learning about the world of business while participating in community service projects that will impact the community. You will also have the opportunity to travel & compete (win trophies, scholarships, & more)at district, state, & international levels. DECA will help you make friendships that will last a lifetime! All DECA students are encouraged to participate and make this year count by maximizing your momentum in this club! Dues: $25*
- District Membership fees
- State Membership fees
- International Membership fees
- Member Socials
DECA membership dues allows you to participate in DECA activities beyond the classroom. We will continuously hold fundraisers throughout the year to lower the cost of traveling, competing, activities for all members. Earn Diamonds: You can earn diamonds throughout the year through your participation as a DECA member. Some examples of diamonds are joining DECA, attending a social or restaurant kickback night, attending meetings, etc. The benefit of earning diamonds is that it will encourage you to be an active member and you also have the opportunity to earn a graduation honor cords your senior year! The meetings are HIGHLY encouraged but never mandatory.
Fine Arts Boosters – Harman
FAB is an extracurricular that will help create fundraisers to help raise money for the fine arts at STA. We have some ideas that include a cabaret, candy cane grams (like Mean Girls), etc. We will listen to super fun music and have snacks while creating super fun things for STA to be able to do! You do not have to be a part of the Fine Arts to join!
French Honor Society – Monroe
The national French Honor Society – known as Société Honoraire de Français (SHF) – is sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF). Our local Chapter (the Windmoor Chapter) was established by the issuance of Charter #4687 on July 31, 2012. In keeping with its national constitution, the aim of this organization is to stimulate interest in the study of French, to promote high standards of scholarship, to reward scholastic achievements, to create enthusiasm for and an understanding of Francophone cultures, and to promote international friendship. Our chapter is governed by SHF’s National Constitution and by the Local Bylaws of STA’s chapter. Participation is limited to students who have been inducted as members. In accordance with the bylaws, new members will be initiated in the spring semester of College French III and above.
Full STEAM Ahead – Sonnenberg
Full STEAM Ahead is an extracurricular that opens doors for students interested in the STEM/STEAM field. This gathers students together who may have an interest in pursuing any career or academic path in the future that involves Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and/or Math! Here we will brainstorm interesting and exciting paths that were maybe not well known to be a STEAM or STEM path and hopefully steer students into a creative direction involving our STEM/STEAM program here at STA. Alongside Dr. Sonnenberg, we will be able to have access to STEM/STEAM related projects, mentors in the field, speakers (especially alumni), and it will even allow students to have access to becoming a makerspace mentor. This extracurricular is perfect for those looking to pursue the STEM/STEAM certification program. However, it is not a requirement to be pursuing STEM/ STEAM certification. We are looking forward to empowering young women to take risks, be leaders and join the STEAM/STEM community.
Future Business Leaders of America – Stewart/Johnson
Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) is the nation’s largest student business organization with over 215,000 members across the nation. Missouri has the second largest state chapter with 15,000 members. FBLA’s mission is to bring business and education together in a positive working relationship through innovative leadership and career development programs. Locally we support the national goals and mission by conducting workshops and bringing in guest speakers at local meetings. Each Spring the chapter competes in the 50+ competitive events offered by FBLA at the district, state, and national level. We also work to support our national philanthropy the March of Dimes. There are opportunities to network and travel at the National Leadership conference held at different locations each year.
Gateway Reading Program – Warwick
The purpose of the Gateway Reading Program is to promote literature, literacy and reading among high school students in the state of Missouri. Students can choose to read from a list of fun, interesting, topical fiction. If students read two of the books on the list by March 1, they are eligible to vote for their favorite at a pizza party in the Spring. The library at STA has copies of the books on the list and information about the program is on the library’s website and Teams page. At the party students vote for their favorite title and have an opportunity to talk about the books they have read. To sign up, stop by the library or email Ms. Warwick. The Gateway Reading program is self-paced, so you can still participate in a club.
GSA – TBA
Welcome to GSA! Our mission is to decrease discrimination against people due to their sexual orientation, gender identity, race, socioeconomic status or religious beliefs. We raise awareness about the importance of community through education, support, social consciousness, and faith. We believe that students are entitled to respect and should be allowed equal opportunity. We believe that schools need communities, such as this organization, to embrace diversity and raise awareness on how to help others be more respectful and kind.We believe that schools are a safe place in which no student should have to fear harassment or unfair treatment due to their differences. We promote an accepting atmosphere throughout the school by welcoming any and all individuals to participate in this organization. We are committed to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondolet’s mission to “Love the dear neighbor without distinction.”
Girls Who Code – Montag
The mission of Girls Who Code is to close the gender gap in technology and to change the image of what a programmer looks like and does. Girls Who Code believes that a diverse ability, culture, identity, and opinion makes our club stronger. Girls Who Code is a national program that meets weekly when possible. The club is set up for collaboration or individual projects following a design thinking problem solving model. The STA GWC follows the agenda and meetings set by the national organization for 6-12th grade students. We believe being brave is about being resilient, ambitious and persistent. All programming and coding abilities are welcome.
G.I.V.E. (Get Involved. Value Everyone) – Sirridge
Mission Statement – To help students recognize the importance of helping the dear neighbor and to create a lifelong love of giving back. G.I.V..E is an extracurricular created to instill and foster a love of service within students at STA, while offering service opportunities and projects for its members. Those who sign up can volunteer as much or little as they want, and for a wide variety of diverse service to both the community and STA. G.I.V.E. stands for “Get Involved. Value Everyone.” With this name, we hope to give our services to others and respect the dignity of all individuals.
Greek Club – Blake
The club will schedule activities for the purpose of spreading the culture of Greek while learning about traditions, culture, and practicing traditions while spreading knowledge of the culture.
Interfaith Alliance – Henson
Interfaith alliance would work to connect students of different religions in a lighthearted, fun, and educational way. Not only would this extracurricular include fun activities such as making and sampling traditional foods from different religions and acknowledging different religious holidays, but it would also be a great way to educate students about different religions.
Junior Board – TBA
Junior Board is an educational, service-based program that educates students about the non-profit industry. It provides students with an opportunity to dedicate time and research to learning about a single organization with the goal of creating an effective presentation. Junior Board’s goal is to educate youth on how to improve the community through philanthropic means, meanwhile building teamwork and public speaking skills.
Junior Classical League (Latin Club) – Clark
The Junior Classical League (JCL) is the largest classical organization in the world today with over 50,000 members. It is second only to the Boy Scouts. Its purpose is to encourage an interest in the language, literature and culture of the ancient Greeks and Romans. The STA JCL holds monthly meetings in Mr. Clark’s room. JCL members also attend and compete in the Missouri JCL (MOJCL) State Convention in April and the National JCL (NJCL) convention (a week-long convention on a college campus) in July.
Math Team – Fietsam/Toma
The STA Math Team includes students of all levels from Algebra I to Calculus. We compete in local, state, and national competitions throughout the school year, with most opportunities taking place during the Fall Semester. All students are welcome to join and attend any of the competitions. There are several competitions that take place during the school day, on campus, typically during LEAD time to reduce absences from class. Other competitions can occur over the weekend, usually a half day on a Saturday. Students are able to place and earn medals or plaques for individual or team events. Some of these Saturday meets allow for the opportunity to qualify for the State Competition, which takes place in Columbia, Missouri. We have had students attend State, as well as make it to the next level of Sectionals. Math Team does not meet on club days; therefore, students can still also join a club. Math Team is a great option for students who thoroughly enjoy math and like taking on a challenge. We will communicate meeting and competition dates through our Teams page. Use code kkjbzu1 to join our Teams page.
Mock Trial – Shump
Students will be divided into two teams and given a case to work. The teams will distribute roles to each member (opening statements, witnesses, cross examination attorney, etc.) and will be given time to prepare your strategy as a team. On the next club day, teams will compete by earning points for the quality of your arguments, ability to cross examine witnesses, and use the information available to you. Winners will be decided by a judge and potentially a small jury depending on the size of the case.
Model UN – Shump
Model UN is an international organization which fosters empathy, collaboration and problem solving in conference settings which mirror the actual deliberative bodies of the United Nations. In this club, students will learn about the origins and history of the UN and prepare for attendance in potentially one conference in both fall and spring semesters. Students will be assigned a delegation which they have to represent accurately as the various committees work together to create resolutions on actual issues brought before the UN.
Number One Club – Gaejewski
The #1 Club is a club for freshmen who are the only students from their grade school class to attend St. Teresa’s Academy. The club provides these new students the opportunity to meet and get to know other students who may not have any previous friendships or acquaintances with classmates at the start of their St. Teresa’s Academy experience. The #1 Club has weekly lunch meetings throughout the fall semester and meets monthly during the spring semester. The moderator coordinates, attends and facilitates all meetings.
Philosophy of Mugs – Banister
Philosophy of Mugs is a small community of students who are passionate about interesting philosophical, spiritual, psychological, theological, and sociological ideas. Members meet to present, discuss, and interact with interesting philosophical topics, as guided by designated leaders from the club for each meeting. Philosophy of Mugs is an extracurricular that meets about once per month; it does not meet during club days.
Powerlifting – Kogge
Powerlifting is a new athletic team that STA is putting together. The sport of powerlifting consists of three main lifts: the back squat, the bench press, and the barbell deadlift. This extracurricular is a meeting place for athletes interested in competing in the sport of powerlifting. Since it is not a MSHAA sanctioned sport, participation in powerlifting will not interfere with your participation in another sport. Being a member of the STA Powerlifting Team will require practices outside of the extracurricular meeting time with the hope of competing in at least 1-2 meets throughout the academic year. This is our inaugural year and we are welcoming lifters of all shapes, sizes, and experience levels. The goal of powerlifting is to compete against yourself and your previous numbers, performances, and notions of what you are capable of as an athlete. Welcome to the team!
Relay for Life – Warner
Relay for Life is a student-led event that fundraises for the American Cancer Society (ACS). Students prepare throughout the school year by planning all aspects of the event, reaching out to businesses and families in the STA and surrounding KC community, raising awareness over social media, and working closely with the ACS to host a successful event. STA’s first Relay for Life, hosted in March 2020, was a 12-hour, overnight event that raised $45,000 for the ACS and hosted over 200 students. This event consisted of fun events and activities – such as Miss Relay modeling competition, raffles, Yoga Nidra, Just Dance, and various games and competitions – and also focused on the needs of those affected by cancer in the form of a ceremony, luminaria lighting, Survivor Walk, and more. Students are currently working creatively with the ACS to plan an event that can benefit the ACS in a crucial time in history because cancer does not stop for a pandemic.
Robotics – Nelson/Schmittgens
Robotics involves building, programming, and competing with a robot in a game that changes yearly. No prior experience necessary! Building occurs in STA’s makerspace. Then, students will both program the robot to perform autonomous tasks and learn to drive the robot using a controller. This year, the competition will be in-house, with students individually creating small robots to play against each other.
Science Olympiad – Sonnenberg
Science Olympiad is an extracurricular focused on STEM-based competitions. Individuals will compete in STEM fields including earth science, biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering. Science Olympiad members will explore various STEM activities and careers, learn to work as a team, practice critical thinking skills, and channel their creativity and personal interests.
Sources of Strength – Johnson/Stranz/Walker/Prentiss
Sources of Strength is a strength-based, comprehensive wellness program that focuses on suicide prevention but impacts other issues such as substance abuse and violence. The program is based on a relational connections model that uses teams of Peer Leaders mentored by Adult Advisors to change peer social norms about help seeking and encourages students to individually assess and develop strengths in their life. Sources of Strength is most often implemented as a school-based program in middle school, high school, or college. It promotes and focuses on connectivity, school bonding, peer-adult partnerships, and help seeking behaviors. Sources of Strength Peer Leaders are a diverse group of individuals who leverage their personal and collective leadership qualities as well as their social influence in leading the charge in norming and culture change campaigns using strength-based messages to impact multiple issues including suicide. Trained peer leaders use their network of friends to:
- Have one-on-one conversations.
- Develop a Hope, Help, Strength messages using local faces and voices.
- Present peer-to-peer presentations
Spanish Honor Society (Sociedad Hispánica Honorífica) – Haroian
The Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (SHH) is an honor society for high school students enrolled in Spanish and is sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP). The purpose of the society is to recognize high achievement of high school students in the Spanish language and to promote a continuing interest in Hispanic studies and serving the Hispanic communities within the metro area.
Spirituality in Literature – Shump
Spirituality in Literature will meet to read or reread and discuss young adult and contemporary literature that exhibits a spiritual or sacramental element within these fictional worlds. The works of authors like Holly Black, Madeleine L’Engle, C.S. Lewis, Flannery O’Connor, J.K. Rowling, J.R.R. Tolkien will likely be explored in this group.
STA Ambassadors – Couchonnal
This student admissions leadership team works closely with the Admissions Office to introduce STA to prospective families. These students practice public and conversational speaking skills, work with STA’s reimagined shadow visits and to represent the school at high school fairs and open houses.The STA-Team includes Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors who are nominated by faculty & staff.
STA Green Team – Finn/Holmes
Students, parents, alumnae, and community members will partner to brainstorm, prioritize and develop a plan to support the sustainability of a vibrant academy, one of our core strategic plan pillars. Together, we will empower our 21st-century STA learners to problem-solve and create solutions.
Stars and Crafts – Schmittgens
This club makes crafts and handmade items to sell and help students start their own businesses. For fundraisers, we donate art supplies to Children’s Mercy/St. Jude and make hats for them.
Stars for KC – Haroian
This extracurricular focuses on planning a collective community action in collaboration with other schools in the KC metro. We will also celebrate local KC culture through food.
During the first few club meetings at STA, members will identify some of the most prevalent issues we see in our community (e.g. climate change or homelessness). This will also be taking place at other participating schools. After these meetings, two officers from every school will meet (most likely virtually) and decide on one issue we will help to solve through our collective action.
From then on, we will use meetings to brainstorm and plan for this campaign, which will take place in the spring semester. Officers will also have meetings to determine the final decisions for the action. It could be a competition, volunteering project, fundraiser, etc. but what will be special about it is that multiple schools will take part in it, therefore boosting the impact on our community. Some meetings may also just be fun, where we talk about events coming up in KC and eating food from local restaurants.
Stars for Life – Schultz
Stars for Life is a student-led group that exists to support loving, respectful, educational, and prayerful discussions on pro-life issues within the STA community. We focus specifically on the death penalty, abortion, and euthanasia. Our group approaches these issues from the perspective that every life is valuable and sacred. We evaluate secular and faith-based arguments dealing with our focus issues. We meet once a month. Everyone is welcome!
Stars for Literacy – Taber
Stars for Literacy promote reading in youth in Kansas City. From book drives for local elementary schools.
Stars for Sustainability – TBA
Bringing the STA school and community closer to nature and protecting our environment and planet, this club will encourage girls to ask questions about the products they’re using and light passions for environmental justice.
Stars for Women’s Rights – TBA
The mission of Stars for Women’s Rights is to raise awareness about women’s rights issues occurring within the United States as well as globally. Topics such as education, representation, and job discrimination will be discussed during meetings.
STEM/STEAM Careers | Full STEAM Ahead – Sonnenberg
Full STEAM Ahead is an extracurricular that opens doors for students interested in the STEM/STEAM field. This gathers students together who may have an interest in pursuing any career or academic path in the future that involves Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and/or Math! Here we will brainstorm interesting and exciting paths that were maybe not well known to be a STEAM or STEM path and hopefully steer students into a creative direction involving our STEM/STEAM program here at STA. Alongside Dr. Sonnenberg, we will be able to have access to STEM/STEAM related projects, mentors in the field, speakers (especially alumni), and it will even allow students to have access to becoming a makerspace mentor (coming soon). This extra curricular is perfect for those looking to pursue the STEM/STEAM certification program. However, it is not a requirement to be pursuing STEM/ STEAM certification.We are looking forward to empowering young women to take risks, be leaders and join the STEAM/STEM community!
Student Government Association – McCormick
The Student Government Association (SGA) is dedicated to encouraging a collaborative student-administration dialogue in order to guarantee that the student body’s voices will be effectively heard. The governing body empowers the voice of St. Teresa’s Academy students by serving as the liaison between students and the faculty , staff and administration. They are charged with listening to stakeholders, thinking critically, and being innovative problem solvers.
Membership involves nominations and appointments. Freshman may self nominate and/or be appointed by the administration during their spring semester. Administration invites all class officers of each grade to become members. Members remain participants of the association unless the administration removes them or they no longer wish to participate. Meetings are held monthly. Members are allocated leadership roles within the association.
Students Teaching Finance – Smith
TBD
Tabletop RPG Club – Banister
The Tabletop RPG Club is an extracurricular for students interested in playing a cooperative tabletop roleplaying game. Students will create their own characters and backstories, and then use those characters to adventure in a fictional world led by the game master. There is a high focus on teamwork, problem-solving, creativity, and quick thinking to pass challenges and have fun while doing so!
True Crime – Grogan
The vision of this extracurricular is to spread awareness to our student body of how violence travels into safe spaces, and how to avoid and protect yourself from a dangerous situation. We hear about statistics of violence and crime but this will actually go into cases in those statistics, to bring victim’s stories to light and humanize them. During the sessions, we will be talking through a case. We will also host fundraisers and use that money to donate to victim’s family’s organizations.
Ukulele Club – Perry
The STA Ukulele Club is a student-led group that meets once a month. Girls bring their own ukulele and join in on fun and fellowship as they improve their ukulele-playing technique and increase their understanding of chord progressions and group-playing skills. No prior experience with ukulele is required.
UNICEF – Fisher
UNICEF is a special program of the United Nations devoted to aiding national efforts to improve the health, nutrition, education, and general welfare of children. As a part of STA’s Stars for UNICEF you will help fundraise and advocate for the rights of children abroad as well as in the Kansas City Metro Area. A yearly fundraiser will be held by UNICEF to raise awareness and donations for children in developing countries. We hold monthly meetings in which we will plan the fundraiser as well as educate ourselves on the problems that occur worldwide. Along with a fundraiser we will volunteer in our community to better the lives of children in Kansas City.Yoga & Meditation – FinnThe yoga and meditation extracurricular offers students the opportunity to learn movement and breathing techniques to encourage mindfulness. Students will work together to share the responsibilities of leading mindfulness activities. If you’re interested in bringing more Zen moments into your life, please join us. We will have opportunities for student leadership of mindfulness and movement activities.
Windmoor Collective – Schultz
Students in Windmoor Collective engage our student body in beautiful music at our STA Masses. These students meet every Monday Activity 1 to rehearse in the St. Joseph Chapel (you do not have to commit to every single Monday in order to be in WC). In-school service hours are awarded to students if desired. There are no auditions. All singers and musicians are welcome! Windmoor Collective is the group formerly called Praise Band.
Windmoor Literary Magazine – Earl
This group is a staff composed of freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors. We work to compile an interesting and diverse library of student writing and art, that we then turn into St. Teresa’s Academy Literary Magazine. This book, produced annually, is a wonderful showcase of STA’s artistic and literary abilities. All Indesign experience — none to advanced — is welcome. We meet a couple Saturdays in February and in March to create the theme, layout and design of the magazine, then distribute to the school on Class Day.
Yoga & Meditation – Finn
This extracurricular offers students the opportunity to learn movement and breathing techniques to encourage mindfulness. Students will work together to share the responsibilities of leading mindfulness activities. If you’re interested in bringing more Zen moments into your life, please join us! We will have opportunities for student leadership of mindfulness and movement activities.