DECEMBER 2012
Volume 53, Issue 4
K E E P I N G YO U C OV E R E D
BREEZEWAY B I S H O P K E L L E Y H I G H S C H O O L l 3 9 0 5 S O U T H H U D S O N A V E N U E l T U L S A , O K L A . 7 4 1 3 5 l B K B R E E Z E W AY. C O M
‘Tis The Season C O M E T S C E L E B R AT E C H R I S T M A S
End of the world?
Packing up the Pads
3
15
Are Comets falling for end of world rumors?
Seniors reflect on their time spent on the football field
The Year in Review
16
The Breezeway looks back on this calendar year at BK
Page two l
NEWS
l DECEMBER 2012
A few GIFTS FOR A FEW Angels
Students and faculty donate gifts for the Angel Tree Drive
BY ISABEL DOBRIN This December, toy houses, books, coats and stuffed animals stuffed in trash bags flooded the Chapel to be wrapped, delivered by Catholic Charities and opened by various children around Tulsa on Christmas morning. The annual Angel Tree donation project is underway. Bishop Kelley has been donating to the Angel Tree campaign for five years, specifically sponsoring children and teenagers. “Originally, [Catholic Charities] went to parishes for help. Then about five years ago, I got a phone call about Bishop Kelley participating. When I heard about the program, I thought it was a great idea,” Mrs. Marianne Stich, Campus Minister and coordinator for the project, said. The first year the school participated, 50 children from ages one to 18 received gifts from students and teachers who collected gifts with their first block classes. This year, 75 children from newborn to age 14 will receive presents from all 43 first block classes participating. “Catholic Charities makes it very easy to organize on our end. Each family has a number and each child in that family has a letter. Then they list the child’s name and what they have asked for,” Stich said. Stich then assigns a class and each office with a card of a child to sponsor, the larger classes receiving two, along with his or her age,
clothing size and a wish list of presents. Because of the increased number of children BK is responsible for, other faculty and staff have helped out individually. “There are always a few teachers and staff members who ask for a card for their family. That is always a big help,” Stich said. Each class is responsible for deciding how to collect gifts. Some classes bring in new or gently used items, or pitch in money and send a representative to do the gift shopping. Seniors Maddie Goodgame and Maddey Bender shopped for 3-yearold Aniya, the child sponsored in Mrs. Cynthia Yanik’s first block AP Literature class, who asked for a dollhouse, kitchen set and educational games. “I get a 30 percent discount at Barnes and Noble where I work, so I wanted to go shopping because I would be able to get more presents for her,” Goodgame said. “I think [this project] is a way to practice the values that Kelley is trying to teach us.” After various toys and clothing are collected, each class sends a trash bag full of gifts ready to be wrapped to the chapel where Mrs. Stich prepares them for Catholic Charities. “The chapel on those days is pretty full,” she said. “I think our students are very generous when it comes to helping those who have less than we do. This program [ensures that] what we give goes to those truly in need. Our call as Christians is to share what we have with those who do not have and this project helps us do that.”
Annual aUCTION arrives BY CHRIS WHELAN Donation forms, homeroom moms, and countless class ideas, but where does all this work go? A school-wide effort to raise money and gift donations for the Bishop Kelley Auction inspired students to give more than $136,000 in cash and donations. The Bishop Kelley Auction is an annual three part event that takes place in April. All of the donations collected are auctioned in one of three auctions that are all part of the main event. It consists of an online auction prior to the event, a silent auction conducted on paper and the main live auction. The proceeds go towards three separate causes: aiming to make Bishop Kelley a wireless campus, completing phase two of the new heat and air conditioning system update and providing
tuition assistance to students. The committee is organized by Robin Lewis, Kelley’s advancement event coordinator. She appoints two co-chairs who recruit 50 Bishop Kelley mothers whose jobs are to plan the event for 500 people. The committee decides every detail of the auction from the theme and entertainment to which auction each item is included in. “It’s a major undertaking that is done by an ‘army of volunteers’, otherwise known as ‘parents’.” Lewis said. This “army” works for 9 months organizing an event that brings together the community but also raises funds for Bishop Kelley. The auction chooses a new theme each year. “One year we hired an Elvis impersonator,”
Staff and parents begin to organize annual event Lewis said. “But we cancelled his contract before the auction when we found out he had been arrested.” This year the committee is organizing a Bishop Kelley Corral, transforming the campus into a great western venue free from any rock icon impersonators. Bishop Kelley raised several impressive gifts through the class group donations. Some families contributed vacation homes from places like Teton Springs, Idaho and Crested Butte, Colorado, all the way to the Gulf Shores and Costa Rica. Other donations include hunting trips, tickets to just about any event imaginable and even a ride in a stunt airplane. With such exciting donations, this years auction is anticipated to have great results.
Is it “the end of the world as we know it”? People fall for the common falsities regarding the end of the world BY MATT RADER What would you do on your last day? Go skydiving? Riot? Be with your family? Go to confession? If the 2012 doomsday prediction is true then you might want to give this question a little thought. This prediction majorly stemmed from the Mayan Grand Cycle of Evolution which starts over on Dec. 21, 2012. It is foretold that the completion of the Mayan Calendar brings regeneration of Earth, offering an awakening to all with open hearts and minds. Not only is that suspicious, but Dec. 21 is also the winter solstice. Many doomsday theorists point out that on this winter solstice the sun will be aligned in the center of the Milky Way and that this will contribute to the cataclysm. When the Mayan calendar restarts, a planet discovered by the Sumerians known as Nibiru or Planet X is supposed to collide with earth. Doomsday theorists originally predicted this collision to happen in May of 2003. When humanity survived they changed the date of our doom to Dec. 21 linking it with the cycle of the Mayan calendar. While all of this sounds very scientific, the majority of the info in the prediction is questionable. For example, the original doomsday prediction was made in 1995 by Nancy Lieder who believed she could communicate with extraterrestrials through an implant in her brain. Her implanted communicator told her that she must warn mankind that an object would pass through the solar system causing earth to go though a pole shift due to a change in the earth’s magnetic field. A pole shift essentially would be the world flipping upside down, the north pole would become the south pole. This shift
The BY ELIZABETH THEBAN Justin Bieber Do you have a need for the Biebs? Catch Bieber fever this Jan. 9 with his Believe Tour at the BOK Center after opener Carly Rae Jepson. Perhaps one of them will call you, maybe.
tulsa
would cause mass destruction from earthquakes and tidal waves, to volcanic activity due to repositioning of the earth’s crust. If her brain communicator did not send off strong crazy signals then suit up and join the doomsday preppers. To add to that, NASA disproves all of these theories saying that “Many doomsday believers fear the apocalypse — anything from a rogue planet smashing into us to our world spinning end over end. However, the world should expect nothing more next year than the winter solstice, the longest night of the year.” Well known astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson tweets that “end-of-world prophecies for 2012 are hoaxes perpetrated by the scientifically illiterate on the scientifically under-informed.” Furthermore, NASA disapproves any evidence of Nibiru. There is no solid evidence of the planet except for what doomsday theorists pieced together from old Sumerian and Babylonian mythology. Also, the sun aligns itself with the Milky Way two or more times a year so the winter solstice with have nothing special going for it. Most people do not know these facts though, they just think the Mayan calendar is ending and everyone will die. These gullible people are the reason this prediction gets so much publicity. For example, a show called Doomsday Preppers aired this year. This show interviews soon to be survivors of the apocalypse and rates their plans for the cataclysmic fallout. Some will build arks in preparation for a self-proclaimed great flood or underground bunkers to survive large scale dust storms. So be prepared to wake up on Dec. 22nd, and may the odds be ever in your favor.
ticket
Winterfest Is Jack Frost nipping at your nose? It’s time for the fifth annual Winterfest at the BOK Center. Complete with ice skating and horse carriage rides, it brings Christmas to Tulsa. Ice skating cost $10, but is half price Mondays with a can of food, Tuesdays with a book, or Wednesdays with winter clothing. Carriage rides are $10. It will be open through Jan.6. For more information go to www.bokcenter. com.
Jekyll and Hyde Are you a victim of a dual personality? Then you’ll fit right in with the cast of Jekyll and Hyde. When a scientist experiments on The End of the World himself, he releases his inner demons and Will we make it to Dec. 22? See the above becomes a terrifying killer. Based on the article Is it “the end of the world as we know novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, this musical it”? by Matt Rader. is playing at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center Jan. 22 through 27.
UPCOMING EVENTS The Nutcracker Enter a dream world full of dancing mice and sugar plum fairies with the Tulsa Ballet’s Nutcracker. As the Nutcracker Prince fights the evil Mouse King for the young Marie, the Tulsa Symphony plays Tchaikovsky’s score. Follow the action at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center Dec. 22 and 23. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat It’s a musical of Biblical proportions. The story of Joseph is retold through rock songs and dancing. From the creators of “Jesus Christ, Superstar,” this Broadway hit is showing through Dec. 23 at the Tulsa Convention Center.
Senior Boy and girl of the month Seniors honor top classmates for first semester. September
BY TAYLOR HAHN
Isaac Cook and Bailey Chambers
Isaac Cook: “I thought it was pretty cool and exciting, it was pretty humbiling to get too.” Bailey Chambers: “I was very thankful that my classmates felt that I earned something like this, it is a great honor.”
Michael Duke and Claire Kelley
Michael Duke: “I was surprised and humbled. This is a great honor.” Claire Kelley: “I was really surprised and excited that my classmates voted for me.”
December
October
Todd Fernandez and Juanita Torres
November
Georges Habib and Katie Caurso
Todd Fernandez: “I didn’t really think too much of it, but I was excited that my classmates voted for me.”
Georges Habib: “I was in Kansas and my friends texted me. I was so happy and I felt that I was loved by everyone.”
Juanita Torres: “I was super surprised and thrown off. Once I heard I had gotten it with the amazing Todd Fernandez, I jumped with joy because I felt so honored to have gotten it with him.”
Katie Caruso: “It was really exciting and I felt honored to be thought that highly of by my classmates! It is also great to share the month with the wonderful Georges Habib.”
Comets for Coats for Kids BY CHRIS WHELAN Catholic Charities, Yale Cleaners and Trav’s Coats for Kids work each year to provide new or gently used coats for less fortunate families in Tulsa. Yale Cleaners cleans the coats and Coats for Kids gathers and transports them to Catholic Charities. They are then distributed throughout the Tulsa community. This year though Coats for Kids found themselves 40 percent short of the expected collection. This inspired Mr. Gary Oberste and the Bishop Kelley community to step in and help the cause. “We
raised a total of 899 coats,” Mr. O, director of student activities, said. “It was the biggest single donation that Yale Cleaners had ever seen, and we did it in one day.” Since the collections turnout was so generous this year, Mr. Oberste is planning this to be a yearly event, making this year’s the first annual Comets for Coats. “We’ve already scheduled the date for next year,” Mr. Oberste said. With Bishop Kelley’s efforts proven to be effective, Comets for Coats holds promising results for the future.
Bishop Kelley goes above and beyond for Catholic Charities
Photo by Mary Grace Stewart
false hope BY MICHAEL DUKE AND MATT RADER
Dec. 7, 2012 began like any other day. It was a Friday, the sky was overcast and there was a sense of uncertainty in the air. This uncertainty turned to fear and excitement at precisely 7:47 a.m., when all but the STC was enveloped in darkness. The blackout was met by a moment of confusion, then chaos erupted amongst some students, joy amongst others. Fear struck the hearts of many Kelley students that were in windowless classes, such as some of the MQP and PC classrooms. “Darkness overcame me like an evil doom,” senior Matt Cyr said. “It felt like the end of the world came 14 days early.” Junior Madeline Hall concurs, saying that “I felt it was the beginning of the end.” Freshman John McAndrews represented the more sensitive students at Kelley that could not handle the blackout. “I started crying,” McAndrews said. Counselor Mrs. Debbie Sparks said she “could not see her hand in front of her own face.”
Students cheered when the halls went dark, but cried when the lights came back
The darkness continued at Kelley well after the opening bell, except for the STC building which remained lit. When it was announced that school would be out at 9 a.m. if the darkness was still present, a wave of hope overtook the students and faculty alike. “I had my whole day planned out already,” sophomore Maddi Hassell said as 9:00 a.m. drew near. Unfortunately at 8:52 a.m., the lights returned to Bishop Kelley and the darkness vanished. “I was eight minutes away from heaven,” sophomore Jack Conklin recalled. An escape from school was narrowly missed, and a new wave of anger overtook the school. The mixed feelings of the morning were too much for some to handle. “I felt like a whale on a beach, trapped in a sea of emotions,” junior Michael Gribben said. Others, such as Coach Steven Trammel, were still too distressed to recall moments from the morning darkness and refused to be questioned for this article. Senior Justin LeJeune experienced an emotional rollercoaster as well, feeling hope when
the blackness came and despair when it left. “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away,” LeJeune said. After their day of freedom was snatched away, anger arose among some of the students. “I wanted to throw chairs until no more chairs were left to be thrown,” freshman Nedda Mandeville said. Mrs. Cynthia Yanik recalls a loud “wail of disappointment” from the students in her classroom. Finally, after the anger subsided, conspiracy theories formed on the origin of the blackout. Theories ranged from terrorism to the ending of the world to a senior prank gone right. “It was either aliens causing a distraction so they could kidnap Arenson, or it was Holland Hall, trying to sabotage our day,” junior Carly Cowen said. Dec. 7 will certainly remain a memorable day for everyone at Bishop Kelley. This day featured emotional highs and lows, but once again Bishop Kelley held strong. “We were lucky to survive this seemingly eternal darkness,” said Cowen.
Page SIX l
OPINION
l December 2012
TRue Meaning of Christmas BY MICHAEL DUKE The weather is getting colder, the days are getting shorter and the first semester of the school year is coming to a close, which means that Christmas is fast approaching. As Christmas season is in full force, it is easy for us to get distracted by the commercial aspect of the holiday. As a society, we concern ourselves too much with shopping and decorating our houses when we should be concerned with celebrating the coming of the Lord and spending valuable time with family and friends. Each year, it seems like Christmas shopping starts earlier and earlier. To get the best deals and discounts, many people camp outside malls and Best Buy’s to ensure they get the items they want. Some of these people spend all of Thanksgiving week camping, and they miss out on Thanksgiving dinner and time with family, just for the newest gadget or gizmo. Gift giving has been an established tradition since the Three Wise Men brought gifts to Jesus, but I doubt that they camped out at Best Buy to get a good deal on the gold, frankincense and myrrh. Although gifts are a Christmas tradition, they should not distract us from what Christmas is all about. Greed unfortunately infests the season; greed for the latest and best items. An iPhone 5 may be able to find every Chinese restaurant in a city, but Jesus is the Lord and savior of all. When asked what the true meaning of
Christmas is, Father Brian O’Brien said that “a great saint once said, ‘God became man so man could become like God.’ At Christmas, we celebrate the Incarnation or the ‘enfleshment’ of God.” This is the true purpose of celebrating Christmas, and I’m sure most of you already knew this. But, how do we celebrate Christmas? Tradition tells us to buy the biggest and best items; the more money spent the better. But Christmas was never intended to be such a commercial holiday, that is just what it has unfortunately become. The key to Christmas is simplicity. Rather This scene from “A Charlie Brown Christmas” reflects the than buying gadgets and gizmos for famvalue of friends and family at Christmas time. ily and friends, give something simple and free. Just give some love! Sure, Halo 4 is a hot commodity this year, but one day that game will no longer be important and what remains? Time spent with family and friends is what truly matters during Christmas; time spent laughing, loving and celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. So forget about all the shopping you think you need to do and don’t worry about that pie for Christmas dinner that you burned, just enjoy the time with your loved ones and be thankful for the birth of our Savior. Just as Linus said in his famous phrase, “that’s what Nativity scenes like this one remind us that the purpose in Christmas is all about Charlie Brown.” celebrating Christmas is to celebrate Jesus’s birth.
Fun, festivities and family BY ISABEL DOBRIN Lights to hang up. Trees to decorate. Stockings to fill. Shopping to get done. Family to share the burden with. All of these festive activities are an inevitable part of the Christmas season and our lives. But while many of us relax and enjoy the celebration, our parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents and other close family friends are hard at work preparing for the hustle and bustle of the holidays. There’s Christmas dinner to prepare, family members to welcome to town and gifts to wrap and send. As teenagers, many of us forget the amount of effort that our family members put in around this time of year. It’s easy to take for granted the many blessings we have while we’re walking around Rhema with our friends or out shopping to get some good deals. This time of year, however, is when we should be showing our gratitude for the sacrifices our families make for us everyday. Our parents, who provide us with the opportunity to attend a Catholic school and receive a Lasallian education, deserve to be recognized. In the spirit of Christmas, other articles in this issue discuss the
It’s time to celebrate not only the birth of Christ, but the gift of family
importance of kindness and thanksgiving and how you can show your parents or anyone you love how much they mean to you during this special season. “Tis’ the Season to be Kind” on page 14 explains a few simple ways to show appreciation to loved ones, while the article above, “The True Meaning of Christmas,” describes that the unity of family and friends is one of the most important parts of this holiday. This Christmas, I will be doing my best to show extra gratitude to my family for everything they have given me; as this year comes to a close, the reality that this is my last Christmas before I go to college becomes a little scarier. This fact, though, only means that I will be cherishing the time spent with my loved ones even more. But you don’t have to wait until senior year to look back and realize how blessed you truly are. Take the time this Christmas to thank your family for all they do, through words, actions and the gift of your undying affection.
bes t o w b l e ssing s, bypa ss brib ery BY BREEZEWAY STAFF On Wednesday, Dec. 5, Bishop Kelley students were asked to participate in Comets for Coats, a school wide collection to give to Catholic Charities’ program, Coats for Kids. 899 coats were collected among all students and faculty, and in return, the school was rewarded with a free dress day. The question that came to our mind when we reflected on this accomplishment was not about the intent but the reward: why did we need one? As the Breezeway staff thought about what position we were going to take in this editorial, we came to the conclusion that a free dress was necessary for our efforts. When other opportunities to give to the less fortunate come on the announcements, few people pay attention or contribute, but the second someone hears ‘free dress’ everyone starts listening. When we need an incentive to donate, it reflects poorly on us as a Catholic community; we should be doing it out of the kindness of our hearts. Before you roll your eyes and move on to the next headline, we
want you to know that this is not a piece dedicated to condemning our students as uncharitable. There are many students among us who spend their time volunteering and displaying good Catholic ideals; these students should be examples to emulate. Doing more service hours than necessary, going on mission trips, donating more than one coat, or leading retreats, are prime examples of students behaving in a Christ-like manner. Last year we wrote more than 100,000 Christmas cards and this year we collected 899 coats, proving that we are capable of anything when we come together as a community. If more opportunities arise in the future to give to the needy, we should participate wholeheartedly because it is the right thing to do, not because we get something in return. One of Mr. Feilmeier’s most common quotes, “when we do good things, we get good at doing good things,” applies to this idea of unselfish giving. Two claps for us, not because we need the praise, but because we are sharing God’s grace.
CARTOON BY ELIZABETH THEBAN
Breezeway staff
BREEZEWAY BISHOP KELLEY HIGH SCHOOL 3905 SOUTH HUDSON AVENUE TULSA, OKLA. 74135 (918) 627-3390 Ext: 174 B K b r e e z e w ay. c o m
Isabel Dobrin - Editor in Chief Bailey Chambers - Sports Editor Ben Herndon - Online Editor Matt Rader - Photo Editor Mary Grace Stewart - Photo Editor Chris Whelan - Features Editor Taylor Hahn - Staff Writer Jacob Shelton- Staff Writer Michael Duke - Staff Writer Casey Martin - Staff Writer Elizabeth Theban - Staff Writer Max Sanders - Graphic Designer Adviser - Ms. Bailey McBride
Cover photo by ALLISON NEWTON
The Breezeway welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signed, but The Breezeway will withhold names upon request. The Breezeway has the right to accept, reject, or edit any letter at any time and will not run personal attacks. Non-bylined editorials are the opinions held by The Breezeway staff but are not necessarily the opinion of the adviser or administrators. The Breezeway provides an open forum for students and staff and strives to present news in an unbiased and timely fashion. The Breezeway has the right to accept, reject, edit, or cancel any advertisement at any time. Ads which the staff accepts are not an endorsement of the paper, the staff, the adviser, or the administrator. Some material is courtesy of American Society of Newspaper Editors/ MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service.
its shape, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in pecans. Using 2 spoons, drop the divinity onto waxed paper, using 1 spoon to push the candy off the other. This may take a little practice. The technique is to twirl the pushing spoon, making the candy look like the top of a soft serve ice cream. If candy becomes too stiff, add a few drops of hot water. Work fast when making candy. After you spoon the cooked sugar and nuts onto the waxed paper, you’re done. Cool the candies on racks completely. photo credit theorchardsgourmet.com www.bettycrocker.com
Peanut Brittle 1 1/2 tspn baking soda 1 1/2 C sugar 3 Tbsp margarine 1tspn water 1 C water 1 Ib. shelled unroasted 1tspn vanilla 1 C light corn syrup peanuts Heat oven to 200ºF. Butter 2 cookie sheets, and keep warm in oven. Mix baking soda, 1 teaspoon water and the vanilla; reserve. Mix sugar, 1 cup water and the corn syrup in 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, to 240ºF on candy thermometer or until small amount of syrup dropped into very cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from water. Stir in butter and peanuts. Cook, stirring constantly, to 300ºF or until small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water separates into hard, brittle threads. (Watch carefully so mixture does not burn.) Immediately remove from heat. Quickly stir in baking soda mixture until light and foamy. Pour half the candy mixture onto each cookie sheet; quickly spread about 1/4 inch thick. Cool completely, at least 1 hour. Break into pieces. Store in covered photo credit simplyscratch.com www.simplyscratch.com
White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn 8 cups un-buttered popped popcorn, 1 pinch Flaked Sea Salt, 2 {8 ounce} bars of, White Chocolate (chopped), 1/4 cup Ground Candy Canes -For the candy canes: add 12 canes into the bowl of food processor and process them until they are a fine dust. You only need 1/4 cup. -For the popcorn: Start with 6 cups of non-buttered popcorn. -In an extra large mixing bowl add the popcorn, sprinkle with a generous pinch of flaked sea salt and toss. -Add the chopped chocolate into a microwave safe measuring cup and heat slowly until melted and smooth, about 45 seconds to a minute depending. -Pour the melted white chocolate over the popcorn and toss it around until the popcorn is evenly coated. -Sprinkle with a quarter cup of candy cane dust and mix some more. -Spread the popcorn on a lined baking sheet and let the chocolate set up. Cool in fridge for 15-30 minutes. Break apart after.
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photo credit www.food.com
Almond Press Cookies 1 cup shortening 1/8 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1 egg 1 teaspoon almond extract 2 1/4 cups sifted flour food coloring Cream shortening, adding sugar in gradually. Add unbeaten egg, sift dry ingredients, flavoring and a few drops of food coloring. Mix Well. Fill cookie press. Form cookies on ungreased cookie sheets using the tree plate. Decorate with tiny multi-colored sprinkles. Bake at 400°F for 6-8 minutes. Cool just slightly and remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. (If you wait too long, they will break when you try to move them.).
ment or waxed paper and place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes or until firm. Remove from cookie sheet and break into pieces (like peanut brittle.)
photo credit moxieq.com www.foodnetwork.com
Dreamy Creamy Hot Chocolate
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened 1/8 tspn salt condensed milk 6 1/2 C hot water 1/2 C unsweetened cocoa Mini Marshmallows 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract In a large saucepan, combine sweetened condensed milk, cocoa, vanilla and salt; mix well. Over medium heat, slowly stir in water; heat through, stirring occasionally. DO NOT BOIL. Top with marshmallows, if desired.
photo credit tidymom.net www.allrecipes.com
Apple Cider 1 (64 fluid ounce) bottle apple cider 3 cinnamon sticks 1 teaspoon whole allspice 1 teaspoon whole cloves
In a slow cooker, combine apple cider and cinnamon sticks. Wrap allspice and cloves in a small piece of cheesecloth, and add to pot. Stir in brown sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, and keep warm.
photo credit cookeatshare.com
White Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Sticks 1 package of pretzel rods,1 package of white chocoloate almond bark, assortment of sprinkles
Melt white chocolate. Dip one pretzel rod into white chocolate with about 1/2 to 2/3 completely covered with white chocolate. Let excess chocolate drizzle off and place on wax paper. While it is still wet sprinkle sprinkles over the chocolate and let dry.
treetopia.com
www.marthastewart.com photo credit www.myrecipes.com
Gingerbread Cookies 7 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate powder 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter 1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup dark-brown sugar, packed 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa 1/2 cup granulated sugar -Line two baking sheets with parchment. Chop chocolate into 1/4-inch chunks. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa. -In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and grated ginger until whitened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined. -In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in 1 1/2 teaspoons boiling water. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking-soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 1 inch thick; seal with wrap; refrigerate until firm, 2 hours. -Heat oven to 325 degrees. Roll dough into 1 1/2- inch balls; place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Roll in granulated sugar. Bake until the surfaces crack slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool.
ouritaliankitchen.blogspot.com
photo credit www.ouritialiankitchen.blogspot.com
Swirl Sugar Cookies
photo credit blog.patsyterrell.com www.foodnetwork.com
2 cups flour, possibly a few more tbsp, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 2/3 cup unsifted powdered sugar, 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp of any food coloring (and/or any desired extra extracts), 1 1/2 cup holiday sprinkles -In mixer combing flour, baking powder, salt and sugar until well blended. -Continue mixing while adding in butter and vanilla extract -Remove dough and divide into two equal parts. Place one section of dough back into the mixer and add food coloring. -Seperately, roll out each section of dough between two sheets of wax paper until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Place onto a cookies sheet and refridgerate for two hours. -Once firm enough, remove the top sheets of wax paper. When each color of dough is stacked on top of one another press edges to seal together. Trim the edges of the dough to allow for straight edges. On cookie sheet spread out sprinkles. Roll the dough into a log shape. Roll “log of dough over the sprinkles. Slice dough into slice each about a 1/4 inch thick. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Divinity
4 cups sugar, 1 cup white corn syrup, 3/4 cup cold water, 3 egg whites, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla, 2 cups chopped pecans In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir only until sugar has dissolved. Do not stir after this point. Cook syrup mixture until it reaches 250 degrees F on a candy thermometer, bringing it to a hard ball stage. While the syrup is cooking, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Once the sugar mixture reaches 250 degrees F, carefully pour a steady stream of syrup into the stiffly beaten egg whites, beating constantly at high speed. Add the vanilla and continue to beat until mixture holds
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3 cups Wheat Chex square cereal 2 cups Rice Chex square cereal 1-1/2 cups peanuts 1-1/2 cups small pretzel rods
Crushed candy canes, to yield 1 cup, 2 pounds white chocolate, peppermint flavorings, optional Place candy canes in a plastic bag and hammer into 1/4-inch chunks or smaller. Melt the chocolate. Combine candy cane chunks with chocolate (add peppermint flavoring at this point.) Pour mixture onto a cookie sheet layered with parch-
Paula Deen’s Peppermint Bark
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photo credit cathiefilian.blogspot.com
1 pound fine-quality milk chocolate (chopped), 1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, 3/4 teaspoon salt Line bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or wax paper. Heat all ingredients in a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Pour into baking pan and chill, uncovered, until firm, about 4 hours. Run a knife around edges of pan and invert fudge onto a work surface. Remove parchment and cut fudge into 1-inch squares. Serve chilled.
Classic Milk Chocolate Fudge
photo credit www.homecookingadventure.com www.epicurious.com
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Melt butter in a shallow pan. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, and garlic salt (not garlic powder). Add Wheat Chex, Rice Chex, nuts (peanuts, pecans or cashews), and pretzel rods. Mix until all pieces are coated with the butter mixture. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
1/2 cup butter or margarine 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1-1/4 teaspoons seasoned salt 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Christmas Party Chex Mix
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photo credit wwww.momswhothink.com
of
TREATS CHRISTMAS
The
Page ten l
FEATURE
l December 2012
Oh Baby, It’s Cold Outside
What BK students enjoy spending their time doing when the weather is too cold to go outside
BY MARY GRACE STEWART When the weather causes piercing wind chills and hills of snow and ice, people usually tend to stay inside to keep out of the cold. If putting on layers after layers of clothes just to go outside isn’t your thing, then what do you do while staying inside? For many, the first thing that comes to mind is sitting by the fire with a warm cup of hot chocolate. But before making plans to stay inside, how cold is too cold? “Anytime there is enough snow on the ground that it becomes a hassle to get out of the driveway,” said Senior Katie Mullins. “5 degrees,” said Sophomore Matthew Fleske, who outdid us all and has proven to be able to bear the cold weather a lot better than most students. The weather has been known to be severe in the past, so most students at BK aren’t rookies when it comes to finding indoor activities. For many students, the ideal thing to do would be to watch a movie and chill out with friends or family. “My brothers and I can have a lot of fun together thinking of games to play and new things to do. We can always find a way to have fun,
but sometimes we get in a little trouble for being too rough or rowdy,” said senior Gabe Dowdell. “I would probably watch TV or something,” said senior David Hayes. “I don’t know, there’s not really much to do.” It’s always fun to be with family and totally inhabit your home for the holidays with the ones you love. But sometimes, being with the family can be overwhelming. “I don’t like being cooped up with them for too long,” said sophomore Taylor Emery.
Christmas Traditions
All of us know who Santa Claus Christmas would not be is, but do we know where the complete without a Christmas tree legend of Santa came from? in the house, but why is this tree Santa Claus was originally so special? The Christmas trees are known as none other than Saint typically evergreen trees, which are Nicholas. Saint Nicholas was a a symbol of rebirth and life in the very generous man who wanted dead of winter. For Christians, this to help people out, but without can remind us of Jesus and Heaven being praised for it. From his where we all have everlasting life love of helping people, Saint with God. Nicholas was known for giving Photo by: empowernetwork.com gifts anonymously to people. Photo by: highcountryjourney.com
The origins of all the Christmas traditions we know and love
Have you ever wondered why You know Dasher and Dancer, we hang up stockings over the but do you know how Santa got fireplace for Santa to put gifts his reindeer? Reindeer are able to in? Well the story behind it handle extreme cases of hot and starts with a father with his three cold, being able to handle any daughters. The daughters were not weather that they encounter on able to marry because the father their journey. Reindeer are also did not have enough money to very strong, so with all of them arrange their dowries. When Saint working together they would Nicholas heard about their be able to carry Santa’s sleigh all situation, he wanted to help them. around the world. One night, Saint Nicholas saw Photo by: mydeco.com the three girls stockings over the fireplace to dry. Saint Nicholas took three money bags and put one into each stocking. BY TAYLOR HAHN Photo by: http://waldo.villagesoup.com
Giving the Gift of Christmas Christmas gifts for your friends that won’t break the bank! BY CASEY MARTIN
A Mixed-Tape
Jar of Joy
http://swerveevents.com
For your food loving friends, make an ingredient jar by putting the dry ingredients of your favorite baked good recipe into a mason jar and tape the recipe to the jar. BAM- you have a thoughtful gift that didn’t break the bank!
http://www.bbc.co.uk
A nice note
A homemade CD is the perfect go-to gift for friends. It’s cheap, easy and personal. Put songs on it that remind you of the person you’re giving the gift to. If you want to go the extra mile, you can decorate and personalize the CD and case.
Cup O Candy
Everyone loves reuseable cupsfill them with Christmas candy and you have a very sweet gift to give your friends! If you want to go the extra mile you can decorate the cup with sharpies to give the gift a personal touch!
www.target.com
http://s7d5.scene7.com
Starbucks
You don’t have to go out and buy things to show someone you care about them. You can wish them a Merry Christmas by simply writing a note to tell them you care and to have a very Merry Christmas!
For some, Starbucks is a necesity to get through high school life. Get your friend a starbucks gift card and make it extra special by buying a reuseable starbucks cup and filling it with candy in addition to the gift card!
A Personal Picture
For your manlier friends...
Spread some Christmas spirit with a Bass Pro Shop gift card attached to a bag of gummy worms to look like bait! A very clever way to wish your manly friend a Merry Christmas!
For a thoughtful and personal gift, find a picture of you and the gift receiver and put it in a cute picture frame. If you want to go the extrta mile, you can even decorate a plain frame with personal touches!
www.blonde20.com
lights on lights on lights Tulsa and Student Homes Make Spirits Bright This Christmas BY JACOB SHELTON
Rhema Bible College in Broken Arrow:
Rhema offers the largest display of Christmas lights in Tulsa and the surrounding areas. The plethora of lights at Rhema includes reindeer, trees, penguins, Santa, polar bears and almost anything you can imagine! The almost two million lights create a paradisiacal experience which captivates and enthralls people of all ages.
Garden Glow at Philbrook:
Utica Square at 21st between Utica Winterfest at 3rd and Frisco: Winterfest contains one of the largest Christand Yorktown:
Utica Square offers 175 trees, all decorated with bright, twinkling lights. When people are done meandering around Utica Square, they can partake in some delicious hot chocolate and go to Santa Claus’ shack to sit on Santa’s lap.
Lights at the Blue Whale on Route 66:
mas trees in Oklahoma dressed with more than 35,000 lights. After looking at the behemoth of a Christmas tree, people have the opportunity to ice skate outdoors, provided the weather cooperates. Another entertaining event to partake in is a horse-drawn carriage ride through the streets of downtown.
Holiday Lights on the Hill:
The gardens are covered in thousands of lights at Yes, we know the whale is creepy, but do not let Chandler Park, located west of the Arkansas Philbrook Museum. Philbrook is located between that scare you away. The Blue Whale has been river, will have horse-drawn carriage rides, Peoria and Lewis, 31st and 21st. The event will be the only whale in Tulsa for a long time and is Santa, and of course, Christmas lights. It is a open from now until Dec. 29th. a great place to see lights. The Blue Whale is fun way to spend an evening and get into the located in Catoosa. Christmas spirit. The lights will be on from now until Dec. 25th.
BY BEN HERNDON
Student Lights Matt Juliano, senior:
Matt Juliano spends two days perfecting his Christmas lights each year. “We put up so many lights because it’s fun to be festive around the holidays and our next door neighbors put up just as many so we try to make it a competition,” Juliano said. “We try to add more and more every year, so if the world doesn’t end this year it’s going to be really awesome,” Juliano said.
Hannah Shelton, Freshman: It takes Hannah and her family three days to finish their lights. They put up so many lights “so Santa doesn’t miss our house and we want other people to enjoy our lights,” Shelton said. Christmas is a busy time “but it’s worth all the effort in the end,” Shelton said.
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ENTERTAINMENT
Order up
l december 2012
El Rio Verde, authentic Mexican restaurant located in downtown Tulsa, which became famous for their wet burrito
BY BEN HERNDON Looking to break the monotony of eating at the same restaurant every week? Look no further. El Rio Verde, located at 38 North Trenton Avenue, provides a new and unique atmosphere compared to more popular Mexican restaurants. El Rio Verde opened fourteen years ago in 1998 and has been family owned and operated ever since. The aspect of being family owned adds to the restaurant’s character. El Rio Verde offers a menu full of traditional Mexican cuisine; however, the wet burrito is the dish that made the restaurant famous among so many happy customers. The wet burrito is served with copious amounts of any choice of meat, veggies and cheese. Sour cream and guacamole are placed on top and salsa is poured on and around the burrito to create the “wet” name. The menu also contains the restaurant’s own unique twists to some basic Mexican platters. The variety of food is only one reason that customers keep coming back to try more and more food. While the wet burrito is what made El Rio Verde famous, the rest of their menu offers just as much. The inside of the restaurant provides a safe respite from the surrounding areas. On the tables of El Rio Verde lie variegated and festive
table cloths which add to the personality of the restaurant. Customers can also sit at the counter, while watching their favorite sports games. Final Verdict: El Rio Verde is a good substitution for any other Mexican restaurants if you do not mind the downtown location. Their signature dish, the wet burrito, is just as delicious as its rivals, the burritos of Qdoba and Chipotle. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who is seeking a new place to eat, or anyone who loves Mexican food.
Left: El Rio Verde’s famous wet burrito. The Breezeway staff enjoyed their signature dish. Right: The Breezeway staff also ordered the chicken quesadilla which is loved by many.
21st Century Santa BY MARY GRACE STEWART Over the many years of the tradition of Santa Claus, many have never considered the fact that his image may have evolved. In modern day society, hipster is the new thing. So why wouldn’t Santa sort mail on an iPad, or wear a cardigan and combat boots? When drinking coffee does he order a non-fat latte with a double shot of espresso from Starbucks with his ray ban sunglasses on?
Or Maybe He...
-tweets -uses solar power for his sleigh -is eco-friendly -owns an iPhone -eats vegan cookies -has a tattoo -uses amazon for shipping
-feeds his reindeer organic food -uses weight watchers -taps phones or uses tracking to find out if youre naughty or nice -has sponsors from major corporations -gets ideas from pinterest
Santa in training
ILLUSTRATION BY ELIZABETH THEBAN
BY ELIZABETH THEBAN
‘tis the season to be kind How to spread Christmas cheer through random acts of kindness BY CASEY MARTIN
A gift for the Mailman
Mailmen and women deliver their mail every day and often get left out when it comes to Christmas gift giving. During this Christmas season, leave a box of Girlscout cookies in the mailbox so that your mailman will get a sweet surprise!
Sweets for the Every Day Hero
Firefighters and police officers put their lives on the line for our safety every day. Give the gift of kindness this Holiday season and make some tasty treats and deliver them to these brave men and women!
Lend a Helping Hand
You don’t need to stray too far from home to give a random act of kindness. Give back to the people in your life! Anything from a simple note telling them you love them to just cleaning up around the house can be an act of kindness for someone in your family.
http://maggiesdesserts.files.wordpress.com
ticketstogiggles.blogspot.com
Helping Your Elders
There are many people that have no one to be with this Christmas season. Simply going to a nursing home and talking or reading to people in these homes can brighten their season! People often forget about the elderly during the Christmas season and taking them a simple balnket and some Christmas spirit is sure to brighten their spirits!
“Never get tired of doing little things for others, sometimes those little things occupy the biggest parts of their hearts.”
http://resources2.news.com
Sending Care Overseas
Adopt a soldier over seas as a pen pal! Many men and women over seas will not be with their families this Christmas. Soldiers over seas would love a care package or even just a note wishing them Merry Christmas! Send some holiday cheer to the men and women that fight for our freedom!
http://i.huffpost.com
Gifts for Charity
Make flyers asking people in your neightborhood to give to a local charity of your choice. Have them drop off things like coats, diapers, stuffed animals, or canned foods at your house and then you can deliver the goods to the charity!
http://cdn.aarp.net
A Little Generosity
Take a box of coloring books and crayons to a hospital to put in a waiting room or a play room for patients. Hospitals can be stressful and boring, so giving kids something to get their minds off of why they are at the hospital can do a world of good. http://www.ghschildrens.org
http://0.tqn.com
A Thank You
We have so many people in our lives that do so much for us. Write a note to someone that has made a difference in your life and let them know how much you appreciate them. Just a simple note can make a big difference in someone’s day!
http://upload.wikimedia.org
Volunteer!
At Bishop Kelley we are required to volunteer for 25 hours a year, but how many of us truly get into the spirit when we do it? This Christmas season, volunteer somewhere that means something to you and experience the spirit of giving first-hand! Christmas is the best time to do something for someone selflessly.
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SPORTS
PAcking up the Pads BY BAILEY CHAMBERS Taking off the jersey, the pads, the tape and the helmet for the very last time will be a feeling many senior football players won’t forget. Practicing every week since the beginning of summer, each player of the Bishop Kelley football team was willing to sacrifice not only the majority of his time but even his physical health. No matter the cost, with the type of bond a team like this shares, nothing mattered when it came to helping his team succeed. “I really just wanted to play to the best of my ability so I could help everyone else,” senior Zach Washington said. However, the year began with a few losses to the start to the season. It didn’t take long before the Comets found their groove and finished strong with a 9-3 record. “[We struggled with] injuries early, but came back and stayed healthy through the end of the season,” head coach JJ Tappana said.
l December 2012
Seniors reflect on their time on the football field and their success this season
Fortunately, these injuries didn’t hold the team back from any goals they had set. “My goals stayed the same throughout the season; come back from my injury... [and] win district,” senior Ellis Powell said. Likewise, Zach Washington said he “kept short-term goals, that way the season will seem that much longer...I wanted to prove that our team coud be the best in 5A.” The comets did just that. They brought home the title of 5A District Champions which has not been done since 2009 with a win against Memorial High School. Making history, this was the first time any Bishop Kelley football team had won this title on home turf. Despite the amount of miles traveled to places such as Shawnee, Mcalester, Oklahoma City and Durant, the momentum of the Comets never stopped. “I tried to take every week one practice and one game at a time,” Washington said. Following this great momentum came
much success to the team. For senior Cody Davis, his greatest accomplishment was “[their] goal line stand to win against McAlister, I’ll never forget the fight I saw in my boys that game.” Along with many others, these accomplishments didn’t come easy. Bringing such success to the team took perseverance and a mind set that comes from one team having one goal. Under the fantastic leadership of the seniors these young men displayed “a positive attitude and showed respect to their underclassmen” on and off the field, Coach Tappana said. There will always be an unparalleled brotherhood that will be shared far beyond the two end zones of a football field. For some, this brotherhood started before they realized just where this journey would take them. “I am going to miss the feeling of sharing the field with kids I’ve played with since I was 6.” Davis said.
Battle for the Crown
Bishop Kelley’s annual boys volleyball tournament: King of the Court
King of the Court is the counter to powderpuff. All grades were invited to make teams and compete against their fellow classmates. King of the Court is an opportunity to show off the skills that the girl volleyball coaches taught their teams over the 6,048,000 seconds of preparation for the big tournament. The teams are taught the basics of volleyball by their coach. One such coach, senior Kim Claybaugh, put a lot of time and effort into preparing her team for the tournament. “I didn’t know how the boys would do, but now that we have practiced they have shown me that they can work together and have really embraced the sport,” Claybaugh, the coach of Some Spike it Hot, said. Ten teams played in the tournament: The Swans, Team East vs. West, GB, All American Rejects, Number One Direction, Hotties FTW, Team Tropics, Some Spike it Hot, The Dream Team and the Wanna Bieber’s. Senior Anthony Molinar, a member of team Some Spike it Hot, started preparing for the tournament “around three years ago, that is when we all got our matching tattoos,” Molinar said. Some of the teams implemented intense practice regiments to reach maximum fitness. “We have had practice at least once a week and we are working on two-a-days now, along with a rigorous lifting schedule,” Molinar said. Also, senior Michael Bookout, a member of team Some Spike it Hot, believes that “one practice is enough for greatness... We are like the American team who plays the Chinese ping pong team, everyone knows we will lose, but we are American,” Bookout said.
The competition was exceptional this year and many teams thought that their team was the best. “Our team is the best out there, not because we are good at volleyball, but because we all work together and use our talents to make the perfect team,” member of team GB, senior Sam Stephan, said. The teams were inspired by the girls sixth straight state championship and their commitment to the sport. Tournament Champs: “Just to be in the same uniform The Wanna Beibers as a state champion gives us the motivation to wear shorter shorts, and to work twice as hard as we normally would,” sophomore Colton Cameron, member of team The Wanna Biebers, said. The Wanna Biebers wore spandex and Kelley jerseys in the spirit of the tournament. The tournament came down to The Wanna Biebers and The Dream Team in the finals. The battle for the crown was fierce, but in the end, only The Wanna Biebers prevailed.
2012 Year in Review BY MICHAEL DUKE
january
February
Catholic Schools Week
March
“Annie” Musical
Kansas City Mission Trip
May
June
Coach Jerri Berna
Maddie Young
Brother Richard
Brother Richard
Prom
Summer School
Isabel Dobrin
July
Construction of Track
Isabel Dobrin
Graduation
Brother Richard
April
August
First Pep Rally
September
Rise of the Crickets
Photo by Gracie Taylor
October
Volleyball 6A State Champions
November
Football Playoff Run
December
King of the Court
Shelby Wood
Brother Richard
Kent Sands