Photos by Liv Paggiarino On Feb. 7, for the fifth consecutive year, Capital West Christian Church hosted Night to Shine, one of about 720 proms held around the world and sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation. The foundation puts on the events to serve people with special needs who are 14 and older. The foundation...
Photos by Liv Paggiarino On Feb. 21, the Special Learning Center held its annual Moments of Magic fundraiser at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Jefferson City. The event had a cowboy theme this year and featured the story of the Fishers, including Abigail “Abby” Fisher, who has a Dandy-Walker malformation,...
Story by Nina Todea The few days before the annual Cosplacon convention are like the calm before the storm. Organizers have one last chance to take a deep breath. Then, all universes break loose. “By the end of the weekend, we’re all hot and tired and exhausted, but we’re also on cloud nine,”...
Mid-Missouri women are crafting out a space for themselves through cosplay Story by Nina Todea Photos by Liv Paggiarino When 15-year-old London Ortega walked into her welding class that first day in January, she was met with full beards and eyes that seemed to question if she had accidentally stepped...
Photos by Liv Paggiarino On Feb. 15, the American Heart Association held its 29th Annual Mid-Missouri Heart Ball at the Capitol Plaza Hotel. The event, which featured a live auction, honored 17-year-old Greta Hinds as this year’s Heart Star. Hinds was born with a trio of congenital heart defects.
Photos by Liv Paggiarino On Feb. 14, the first Angiepalooza Valentine’s Day Benefit Concert was held at the Capital Bluffs Event Center. The event, which is expected to become an annual concert, featured a romantic dinner with live music in the style of vintage crooners. It also included a silent auction...
Role-playing games see growing female participation Story and photos by India Garrish The sounds of dice rolling and conversations echo over the room. One person sits at each table with a laptop or books, directing a campaign of elves, bird people and centaurs. Each table is filled with men and women,...
Young women gain traction in technology, esports fields Story by Madeleine Leroux Photos by Claire Hassler and Liv Paggiarino When Sarah Long first joined the robotics club at Helias Catholic High School, she knew there would not be anyone else like her there. “It was kind of nerve-wracking when I first...
Central Missouri Renaissance Festival provides creative outlet in family-focused atmosphere Story by Emily Cole Three weekends a year, Johanna Green becomes someone else. Clad in a black top with a red and black lace skirt and jacket, black boots and a golden-blonde wig, with a broom and mug of mead...
By Kerri Morris April is Autism Awareness month, a chance to share information on a topic that many have heard of, but may not fully understand. Autism or ASD, autism spectrum disorder, is a developmental disorder generally characterized by difficulties in communication and social interactions. Autism...
