The Aquilian December 2014 Volume 77, Number 3
Gonzaga College High School Men For Others Since 1821
19 Eye St, NW Washington, DC 20001
Photo by: Nik Lazaroae ‘17
Gonzaga’s Biggest Dig By: Liam Burke ‘16 Contributor A few years back, Gonzaga used to own the K Street parking lot, but the District of Columbia government claimed eminent domain and thus Gonzaga was forced to sell it back to them. For the past few years Gonzaga has been leasing the lot, but that lease will run out at the end of this academic year and cannot be renewed. Gonzaga’s President, Father Stephen Planning, SJ, along with the Gonzaga Board of Trustees, have created a solution to the loss of the parking lot: an underground parking lot to be constructed under the green turf of Buchanan Field. Had Gonzaga not embarked on this ambitious project, and constructed this new lot, the parking spaces available to students, faculty, and staff would have dropped tremendously from the origi-
New Music in the Flannery Center, p. 2
nal number of 265 available spaces. With this new installation we can see parking space availability easily bounce up to 300, a 35 space net gain. The contractors, Coakley and Williams, hope to get the bottom level of the garage completed before the winter, and as of right now they are still on track for that goal. Final completion of the project, however, will not be until the beginning of July Gonzaga athletes have a true struggle this year with some of their commutes, on many days the back and forth trip to the practice field can amount to more than a one hour round-trip. These players are sacrificing a lot between long practices and the amount of school work given, and Father Planning would like to thank them for that. In addition to a new underground parking garage, the new renovations will
beautify Eye Street and make parking and game days much more enjoyable. In a recent interview with The Aquilian, Father Planning mentioned that his favorite part about the new renovations will be the Eye Street enhancements. He stated, “What Eye Street will look like when done is my favorite part.” If you haven’t yet had a chance to view the architectural rendering of the new Eye Street space, just stand in front of the big TV in the upper commons for a few minutes. Students also have made some sacrifices this year. A great deal of the parking usually done on the tennis courts and on K Street has been shifted to an auxiliary lot and the K Street lot. Teachers and staff parking on the portion of the tennis courts unused by the construction crews have also been sacrificing their fair share. These days those folks have been taking the long walk around Wal-Mart
or down North Capitol Street in order to enter campus. But the students, faculty and staff know that the construction crews are hard at work each day and know it is worth it the end. The athletic field renovations have left some disappointed, others confused, but most are excited for this beautiful new installment here at Gonzaga. It is difficult to play home football games off-site. But Coolidge High School has a great field and have been good hosts. The Gonzaga Fathers Club has also been very helpful on game days directing traffic and helping with parking and crowd management. For freshmen the development is more interesting. While many had a chance to see the old Eye Street and Buchanan Field when they made their Eagle for a Day visit, they had never heard the thunderous cheers from the student section or seen
Red Cloud, p.4
Justice - Part II, p.5
Halloween in December, p.8
the stadium packed wall to wall for the Jesuit Gridiron Classic. The seniors also feel the renovation’s burdens, but they know it is worth it. Because we have no home games this year, the seniors have made it their number one priority to show that the Eagles still mean business and will make any field our stomping ground. A Senior Booster Club member believes that it will require extra effort, but the Booster Club will bring the ruckus away from home as well. Sacrifices have to be made this year, but it is worth it in the long run for our commutes, sporting events, and Gonzaga as a whole. Thanks to all the members of the Gonzaga community for helping to make this project possible. Especially to the donors who helped to raise the money necessary to bring Eye Street and Gonzaga further into the twenty-first century.
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How Rashad McCants Impacts Gonzaga By: Derrell Bouknight ‘15 Editor-in-Chief Every year on Eye Street, just under 1000 of the area’s brightest young men set foot onto one of the most renowned and prominent campuses in the nation. With the notion of Men for Others instilled in our brains and the identity of Jesuit education, lessons taught throughout a student’s four years on campus stem from a variety of resources. However, the most important factors are highlighted in what we call the “Grad at Grad,” short for Graduate at Graduation. The five qualities of a graduating Gonzaga man spelled out in this list ensures that by the time he graduates, a student will attain the characteristics of being Religious, Open to Growth, Committed to doing Justice, and Loving. Though these four are all essential in becoming a true man of Gonzaga’s 194year history, the fifth often sets itself apart from the rest. Becoming an Intellectually Competent scholar of Gonzaga remains open to interpretation, but the basis of it revolves around dedication in the classroom, along with applying what we know into our studies. This follows the lines of evading cheating, the use of inaccurate resources, and taking unjust measures to help in completing given tasks. We have all been chosen to study at this fine institution for a reason, and in preparation for our lives in college, it is best to learn sooner rather than later why we should value this distinct honor even more than we already do. Back in 2005, following a 33-4 season record and a 75-70 victory over Illinois in the NCAA Tournament, the North Carolina Tar Heels celebrated on the court at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri. That year, in his junior season, Rashad McCants
gained national attention. He was named a preseason Wooten Award candidate, averaged 16.4 points per game during the season, and was eventually selected 14th by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA Draft before playing for multiple teams during his four-year career. Just under 10 years later, McCants, 30, has been the
A’s in 2005, yet he never attended a class. “As an athlete, we weren’t really there for an education,” he stated, “We were there to enhance in our athletic abilities… they didn’t steer us in the direction of educational enhancement.” Furthermore, and this revelation may prove the most shocking statement from his
stitution such as Gonzaga prepares us for prestigious institutions such as McCants’ UNC Alma-Mater, and the hundreds that set themselves in between. Yet his message is one that should not be taken for granted. Just days following his interview with ESPN, McCants’ former basketball coach Roy Williams, known
Here at Gonzaga, over 70% of the student body plays a sport. In addition, our school has some of the best talent in the country, from football and basketball to lacrosse and rugby, many of who have already committed to some of the nation’s top colleges. Like the Rashad McCants of yesterday and the Jameis
center of attention for all the wrong reasons. In June of this year, the 6-foot-4 native of Ashville, North Carolina joined ESPN’s Outside the Lines to discuss his academic career at UNC. In his interview, McCants claimed to have taken phony classes, that tutors completed his classwork for him, and that when he was not in class, he simply “slept in” all day, getting up only for basketball practice. Now, over 3,100 other students have been alleged with similar accusations. In what is now referred to as a “shadow curriculum,” UNC has taken measures to resolve, if true, one of the biggest academic scandals in collegiate history. In a separate interview with CNN, McCants stated that he made the Deans List with straight
diatribe, McCants insisted that universities continuously provide athletes fake educations to exploit and prevent them from knowing what takes place “under the table.” So how does this relate to life here at Gonzaga? How does McCants’s claim affect current seniors, and eventually every student who will step foot into a college or university? Clearly, we do not have any “under the table” systems, nor phony tutors who sit in on classes and write papers that do not authentically represent a certain student. We do, however, hold high standards when it comes to academics and academic integrity. Over time, students have been placed on academic probation, academic warning, and even dismissed due to violations of academic standards. A prestigious in-
as one of the best of all-time, refuted his former star’s claims of knowledge regarding the ongoing investigation. Though he did admit that McCants’ straight A’s in four African-American studies courses contrasted the D’s and F’s in the others, Williams asserted that he had no knowledge of what happened outside of practice and games. “I don’t sit in on classes,” he declared, “But I do find that impossible to believe.” Whether Williams did in fact know or whether McCants’ former teammates had insight or even participated in the system, we may never discover for a long time. In his many interviews, McCants mainly focused on athletes, expressing that many are only recruited solely for sports, and never for academics.
Winstons of today, they will face the life of becoming a true “student-athlete,” and why the notion of being a student comes before their athletic commitments. While 100% of the students are, as it should be obvious, STUDENTS, and what we should attain during our remaining years here on Eye Street focuses around being students with the academic integrity that has been a focus for us from the moment we arrived on campus freshman year. Though backlash and controversy currently surrounds his life, Rashad McCants did teach us one valuable lesson: Intellectual Competence has a broad application. It encompasses itself within the threshold of Gonzaga, college, and life many years beyond. AMDG.
Editor-in-Chief Derrell Bouknight ‘15
Associate Editors Konrad Woo ‘15 Richard Finney ‘15 Nick Jenkins ‘16 Nelson Davies ‘16 Dennis O’Brien ‘17
The Aquilian
Founded In 1940 Gonzaga College HIgh School 19 Eye Street NW Washington, DC 20001 aquilian@gonzaga.org Men For Others in the Jesuit Tradition Since 1821
Managing Editors Kevon Turner ‘15 Gabe Castro ‘15 Production Editor Peter Brown ‘17
Photo Editors Christian Muckerman ‘15 Nick Lazaroae ‘17
Moderator: Dr. Harry Rissetto
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The Sound of Music on October 28th. In a brief interview, Mr. Smith was asked of series of Meet our new sound of strenuous, insightful quesmusic here on Eye Street, tions regarding Gonzaga and Mr. David Smith. Mr. Smith his band experience. is our extraordinary band director and one of our newest What is your favorite instaff members here at Gon- strument? zaga. “Though I am a percussionWith twenty-two years of ist at heart, I would have to teaching experience in How- say the human voice. You can ard County, five in Baltimore take that anywhere, and those County, and fifteen at the Los that play it well are amazing Angeles City College for a to listen to.” total of forty-two years, we So you get along well with know we’re in good hands. Mr. Young then? However, with all his ex- “Yes, very well. It’s a joy perience, he has a large pair working and talking with of shoes to fill as he takes him. up the mantle of band director, honoring our friend, What is your favorite part Mr. Christopher T. Flannery, of band? whose passing we celebrated “This band? I would have By: Nelson Davies ‘16 Associate Editor
to say the enthusiasm of our members. It can sometimes get a little too much, but I’d rather have that than snoozers.”
what key signature we were playing in, he replied ‘Mezzo forte.’”
Any musically inclined person out there would know, that mezzo forte is in fact, not a key signature, but an indicator to play Speaking of lunch, have “moderately loud.” you eaten at Sage yet? “What?” Are you aware there is another Your favorite meal at Sage. David Smith in “What’s a Sage?” the band? “Oh D-Smooth? As you can see Mr. Smith Yes. It’s funny bedoes not crack easily un- cause that used to der pressure. However, that be my nickname doesn’t mean he can’t crack when I had played up at some funny moments in in the band.” the band room. So together are the What is the both of you 2D-Smooth or funniest mo- D-Smooth Cubed? ment you’ve “Ah that’s clever. I think I’ll e x p e r i e n c e d stick with D-Smooth Cubed.” here at Gonzaga? Any final comments? “Oh definitely “I just want to say that I love the ‘Key Sig- teaching at this school. It’s a nature.’ When really great place to be.” I had asked an u n - a t t e n t i v e And that concludes our instudent if he terview with Mr. Smith. AnyPhoto by: Nik Lazaroae ‘17 u n d e r s t o o d time you have a free period, What is your favorite part of Gonzaga? “I would have to say the Courtyard. I like to walk around there and eat lunch.”
Hundreds of students push and swarm their way to Carmody Hall, through the doors and into the darkened gym. They walk alongside dates: fabled dates and old friends alike. The anticipation is breathless in the air. Friends hug and clasp hands, as though they haven’t seen each other in days when, in fact, they just saw each other the day before. The music – euphoric electro-pop singles and live DJ remixes – epitomizes the energy that starts to tremor throughout the gym. The standard, loud, but awkward greeting necessary to the beginning of all dances ensues, waiting, until a few brave couples initiate movement and that contained energy bursts out, rippling across the students - lights flash - and the fists go to the ceiling. The DJ spins and twists the music and sweat and laughter explode through the
hot, thick gym. Dancing becomes a connection – a strong, celebration of absolutely human joy and spirit. It doesn’t matter what your taste in music is, really, because it doesn’t matter here. The music itself is just a key to the box, and even if you never speak to anyone around you, the connections that you have made through the express of energy and an almost primal joy are priceless. Homecoming is a celebration of youth – a celebration of the opportunity to dance. At first, you’re nervous. Your date is really pretty, or the chaperones are stalking and they intimidate you, or whatever it is, it begins to melt away and the wild dance sets into your heart. The celebration begins and Gonzaga has a lot to celebrate: a victorious first quarter, a well-earned win against O’Connell, another successful beginning of a new year. Thank you, Hoco 2k14 – you were wonderful.
you’re bored, or you just need a little pick-me-up, don’t be afraid to head on down to the Flannery Music Center during seventh or eighth period to hear some rocking tunes from our Intermediate and Advanced band, and step in to welcome our new music maestro to Gonzaga.
Gonswagga
Homecoming By: Elias Christian ‘18 Contributor
Photo by: Nik Lazaroae ‘17
By: Nick Jenkins ‘16 Associate Editor Basketball was first played in 1891 and is a sport played by two teams with five players on a rectangular court. The objective is to shoot a ball through a hoop and is known as one of the world’s most popular and widely viewed sports. Over the last two centuries, basketball has changed drastically from the NBA level down to college, even here in high school. Now, Students Services’ very own Mr. Devon Leary and Mr. Mike Hanagan, along with Spanish teacher Mr. Tim Christmann, are taking basketball to a whole new level. The Gonswagga basketball league is a new Intermural basketball league mainly run by Mr. Leary, with a setup similar to the one of March Madness. I had the opportunity to chat with Mr. Leary regarding Gonswagga. What is Gonswagga?
The 1st intermural basketball What do the winners releague at Gonzaga ceive? It’s a surprise How long does it last? It is in the fall and spring If there was one takeaway Where are the games held? about Gonswagga you want people to know what would The Carmody Center it be? How’d you come up with Ballin with the boys never gets old the name? It rhymes with the school name and while listening to a Why did you found this? We need something to do derap song spite our football field inconveniences How many per team? 6 players per team, 8 teams from the east and west, 16 to- How do you compare your basketball program to the tal teams official Gonzaga basketball How many teams do you teams? think will be participating? We have more fun All of them
Photo by: Nick Jenkins ‘16
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Red Cloud: Life and Love at Our Lady of Lourdes By: Gabe Castro ‘15 Managing Editor
On the gymnasium wall of Our Lady of Lourdes (OLL), a message painted in thick red reads “I used to complain about my shoes, until I met a man with no feet.” Each morning, the Native students of Our Lady of Lourdes are greeted by this message. A powerful reminder to appreciate everything in this life and escape from a society infatuated with having. This is precisely what we Gonzaga boys did on Red Cloud II, a service trip in the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. On June 15th, fourteen of us departed from Reagan International Airport, our eyes set towards Red Cloud Indian School. Chauffeured by Red Cloud veterans Jim Morgan and Brian Larkin, we buzzed down the scenic interstate and arrived at our humble abode for the week, first welcomed by Red Cloud President Fr. Winzenburg, S.J. and Mrs. Rilda Means, the supervisor of service activities. Our adult leaders devised a system of responsi-
bilities, requiring us to break into teams and rotate between breakfast, dinner, and cleanup duty. Every night was family night; we would gather in the living room after dinner and play an intense game of Mafia. Finally, the day would end with a moment of Ignatian-style reflec-
students for a small breakfast and a few laps around the parking lot. Then, we’d commit our bodies to backbreaking labor with the school maintenance crew. If one of us wasn’t lugging trees onto the back of a pickup truck, mowing miles of tall grass, or painting fences, he was
abandonment, but regardless of these realities, they never cease to treat each day with bliss and love. I can safely say Gonzaga has found a home away from home in Our Lady of Lourdes and will continue to foster this relationship for years to come. Red Cloud II is not just a
tion, and each of us would head to our rooms, eager for the next day of service. Each day began with a 7:15 wakeup call. We loaded into two vans, bumped Frank Waln, and headed towards Our Lady of Lourdes, a Catholic-Lakota primary school where most of our service work would take place. Every morning, we joined the
aiding Sister Susan in the classroom. Seeing the faces of each Lakota student is like peering into the depths of history. Each child is a living symbol of hope – a survivor of his or her tragic blood story. Even more so, their innocence overwhelmed me. Many of these children have experienced death in the family, indefinite poverty, and
service trip. In fact, the majority of it felt like a cultural immersion. A woman from Our Lady of Lourdes named Randy taught us Sticks and Bones, a traditional hand game which we amped up to fit the hardcore nature of Gonzaga. Oe, an Iraqi veteran, talked about the Lakota path to manhood. Alvin Slow Bear, a chief elder with
a distinctly holy impression, spoke about Lakota spirituality. We visited the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre, set foot in the Badlands, had Indian Tacos in the revered Black Hills and Mount Rushmore, and witnessed the construction of the Crazy Horse monument. Learning about the Lakota culture allowed us to feel one with the people we served. Our lives intersected with theirs and we understood our shared humanity, perhaps the greatest lesson of all. The Native American story is a tragic one. We are appalled by the suffering their ancestors endured and awe at the current issues plaguing their dwindling communities, but we rarely get to experience first-hand the real social injustices of Native American society. The Red Cloud II service trip is an opportunity to break the barrier between the Reservation and mainstream society. To enter a world where less seems like more. To be a Man With and For Others like never before. To fall in love with a people, culture, and lifestyle. And maybe, just maybe, to discover who you are along the way.
Seniors: What Will Our Legacy Be?
By: Kevon Turner ‘15 Managing Editor
As we round out this fourth and final lap of our high school careers, it seems as if our daily lives are more hectic than ever. Between college applications, academic studies, and extracurricular activities, some of us have trouble finding the time to sleep. Coupled with our restlessness is a sense of perpetual preparation. We must be ready for the next stage of our lives to make the most of our opportunities and expectations; however, you know
By: Michael Bouyat ‘16 Contributor They fight. Some die. To an occasionally ungrateful or indifferent nation, they remain loyal. We, here at Gonzaga, want to say, “Thank You” to the men and women that do these very things. The Support Our Troops Club exists for one purpose: to say “Thank You,” via letters to the families of our soldiers and projects such as the recent drive to which many
as well as I that there are matters we must settle before we fly away from the nest. As much as we’d like to slow things down and take into account everything that’s happened this semester. This year, Campus Ministry is rolling out a brand new retreat, dedicated to this very end. Legacy Days of Prayer, which are available to Kairos alumni, aims to reinvigorate the spirit of brotherhood and reflection that Kairos first unearthed. Gonzaga alumni will be there, Fr. Gap LoBiondo
S.J. and Mr. Szolosi will be there, and your own Gonzaga brothers will be there, so why won’t you? Legacy Days suspend the worry of whether you’ll fall behind on the reading for English class or miss practice; the retreat only lasts for the duration of the school day. So worry not about Newton’s Laws, they’ll be the same when you come back. Just know that an object in motion tends to stay in motion, and as we trudge onward to graduation, we cannot allow unbalanced forces
to halt our spiritual journeys. Now more than ever, we as a class should utilize these opportunities to develop the graces of Kairos, pray in unity over where we currently are, and hopefully strengthen us to make the most of our days. Take it from Mr. Szolosi, fearless director of Campus Ministry and Retreats himself, Legacy Days are “times when we can build on Kairos again by drawing together for reflection and prayer.” Despite everything that requires our atten-
tion, Legacy Days interrupt those burdensome demands and give us time to pray and reflect together. Every end prompts a new beginning, but throughout it all there is constancy. There is a consistent and continuous path that both lies ahead and is left behind. Legacy Days grant us the opportunity to take in the big picture: the chance to look back on our time in Gonzaga’s hallowed halls and provide context for our fruitful futures.
from our own community contributed so generously. The SOT club will begin selling shirts next semester, the proceeds of which will be sent to the Wounded Warrior Project. Again, a simple “Thank You” for the many unseen sacrifices made to keep us safe. The SOT club is open to everyone at Gonzaga. We meet Thursday’s before school at 7:40 in Mrs. Metcalf’s room, 206. Mr. Fur-
nary and the co-presidents run the show discussing future initiatives, the progress of ongoing projects and the successes and failures of previous weeks. Many teachers such as Mr. Lipari have made appearances offering advice and support of our efforts. Our most recent drive collected hygiene products and nonperishable food items to send to our men and women stationed aborad. The results of this recent drive required
seven to eight large boxes to hold all we collected. While each member of the club was able to contribute, the majority of the donations came from homerooms and other members of the Gonzaga community. As far as hygiene products, we were able to collect deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, dental floss (two whole boxes full of them). Regarding food products we collected just about every-
thing from Ramen Noodles, to large amounts of bagged snacks such as chips, energy bars, Cheez-itz, Goldfish and candy. We also collected half a box full of gum. Finally, our very own Mr. Furnary brought in a box full of Gatorade. The supplies are currently in Mrs. Metcalf’s room to be shipped to Operation Shoebox in Florida as soon as possible.
Support Our Troops Club
The Aquilian 5
Committed to Doing Justice? By: Ms. Katie Murphy Religion Department
man who died speaking out for justice. Over and over again, two habits reappeared: Beginning of Part II Romero prayed and he stayed connected to the poor. In the MONSIGNEUR ROME- Jesuit grad at grad language, RO I stood before the bloodied vestments worn by Archbishop Romero on March 24, 1980. Romero was standing behind the altar when a single bullet pierced his aorta. Like Jesus, Romero knew that he would be killed. He did not live to say the words of the consecration – “This is my body… This is the chalice of my blood,” but his very death was the offering. Just days before Romero was killed, he preached: “I need to say that as a Christian I do not believe in death without resurrection. If they kill me, I will rise again in the people of El Salvador…If they manage to carry out their threats, as of now, I offer my blood for the redemption and resurrection of El Salvador. If God accepts the sacrifice of my life, then may my blood be the seed of liberty and the sign that hope will soon become a reality. May my death, if it is accepted by God, be for the liberation of my people, as a Romero was “religious” and witness of hope in what is to “loving.” come. You can tell them that I think that Romero’s if they succeed in killing me, commitment to doing justice I pardon and bless those who flowed from his prayer life do it. A bishop may die, but and contact with the poor. the Church of God, which is His commitment was not in the people, will never die.” theoretical; it was personal. Romero was a man com- In the 1970s, Romero actumitted to doing justice, but ally supported the oligarchy how did he become so com- and the government, but he mitted? How did he forge the changed his stance. Mothcourage and desire to stand ers of the disappeared and with the poor and continue relatives of homicide victims the fight for justice even came to him and Romero liswhen it was dangerous? Pri- tened. Romero’s love for the or to the trip and during trip, poor resulted in him openI dedicated time to reading ing his mind. He began to about Romero, trying to get investigate research and rea glimpse of how he moved port on the reality of oppresfrom a person who support- sion in El Salvador. Romero ed the unjust status quo to a also had a disciplined prayer
life; I read numerous stories of how he knelt in prayer for hours. He was convinced of the reality of God in history and committed himself to serving the reign of God.
He viewed and evaluated his historical moment though the lens of the gospel, becoming a courageous prophet which the government feared. His love of God and neighbor transformed him from a supporter of the status quo into a mighty man of justice. So what does it take to be committed to doing justice? It looks like justice – living in right relationship with God and neighbor. On this trip, I re-learned the importance of prayer and direct contact with the poor to keep the justice fire burning. I saw in Romero that prayer plus loving friendship with the poor forge a determined love that overshadows fear and propels courageous, selfless action for justice. RE-ENTRY So, what do I make of my trip of El Salvador? What does it illuminate about being “committed to doing justice?” How do I translate this experience into my reality? Overall, the trip leaves me disturbed, challenged and inspired to commit myself more fully to doing justice. The trip was disturbing and left me with a disquieted spirit. Dorothy Day once said that “Jesus came to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable.” I
am the comfortable and the trip afflicted me. It pierced my bubble. The UCA chapel indicted me for my lack of knowledge and activism in the 1980s; today, I have no excuse. Just as in the 80s, our media is full of sensationalism and propaganda and it is hard to find the truth. But I have the responsibility to search for the truth beyond sound bites from talking heads on FOX or MSNBC news. Being committed to justice means to keep digging until the root causes of an injustice are clearly exposed. The UCA Chapel reminds me to seek out the perspective of the poor and to question how polices and structures impact the poor, rather than profit the comfortable. The UCA Chapel also urges me to resist what Pope Francis calls the “globalization of indifference” which results in the “anesthesia of the heart.” Instead, I need to allow my heart to be broken by the news of the day, to really look at plight of victims of injustice and listen to where Christ calls me to act. So, the first step of being committed to doing justice is taking the time really know the pressing issues of our day and caring. My experience in El Salvador was also extremely challenging. In addition to knowing about injustice, being committed to doing justice demands praxis (action). Doing justice is hard, messy and uncomfortable. It means confronting root causes and working for transformation, like the Jesuits at the UCA. Being committed is not “wishing;” rather, it is investing time and energy into working for change. It is an oath backed by determined love, like the life of Ana Zelaya. The call of justice is universal, but the manifestation is particular and unique. I need to figure out what this looks like for me and you need to figure it out for you. Certainly, it means taking the time to lobby, but what more? I cannot do everything, but I can commit to doing something well. Justice is only achieved when good people begin acting, trusting in what Bobby Kennedy called the ripple of hope: “Each time a (wo)man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, (s)he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those
ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” It is most important that each of us commits to do something well and stick to it because hope for justice rests in millions of small actions Finally, as seen in the life of Romero, being committed to doing justice is a way of life rooted in prayer and service. Prayer and service fuel a mighty love greater than any evil or fear that injustice can pose. I think that this was the source of Romero’s greatness. Because he kept himself anchored to God through daily prayer, God’s ways and words were foremost on Romero’s mind and hope fortified his heart. In addition, by living a simple life and maintaining personal relationships with the poor and vulnerable, Romero’s commitment to justice was personal rather than merely theoretical. Perhaps Romero went through a transformation described by one of my students, Alex Perez: “By doing charity, you develop a deep connection with someone and realize your common humanity, and this is what opens your eyes to the injustices of the current system. Your eyes are opened to the problems around you because …..[the poor] are no longer faceless; they now have a story attached to them, and you want to free [them] from the chains of poverty and the vicious cycle of their current situation.” This happened to Romero; his contact with for the poor changed him. His eyes were opened and he ached to change the reality of oppression that hurt his friends. His personal contact with the poor stoked his fire for justice. For Romero, his commitment to doing justice was all about love – love of God and love of his people. Ultimately, I have learned that being committed to doing justice is all about love, love of God and love of neighbor. Love is the fuel of justice work and we regularly need to fill ourselves up with it through prayer and service. Committed To Doing Justice – it is a disturbing, challenging and inspiring graduate profile. It is not enough to be committed to justice in word or intention; the goal is doing justice. May we honor it, live into it and love large. Amen.
The Aquilian 6
A Conversation with Mr. Konzman, SJ
By: Michael Jerakis ‘18 Contributor When the position for WZAG moderator was left vacant, Mr. Brian Konzman answered the call. I had the opportunity to interview Mr. Konzman and learned what he had to say about his new role and how he’s adjusting to it! The Aquilian: Is there any reason why you decided to fill in this role as WZAG moderator? Mr. Konzman: I was asked to, but I was given the option, sure. I took it on because I really like the kids who are involved in it; they’re a lot of fun to work with. It’s a good opportunity for me to be able to share my skills as a tech guy and to learn about video. I don’t know a whole lot about it, so this is a good opportunity for me to learn too. A: Have there been any major improvements or tweaks you’ve made to WZAG so far? K: For the first few months, I’ve been focusing on the hardware that we have and the technology that we’re using. Mr. Larkin (the former WZAG moderator) did a really good job of getting the course set and in order. But, like I said, one of my specialties is technology, so I’m trying to get us up to par with file sharing, audio, and video. One of the things were doing differently is moving to what’s called a ‘flipped classroom’ where most of
the instruction takes place at home, and then students come in and practice it. During the 40 minutes in class, there’s really no time for lecture about how to do a certain type of shot, or how to use Adobe Premier. People are also in the broadcast room rehearsing and filming or editing things, and I can’t take away from that time. So now we have a series of videos that students watch at home to learn the basic
to do broadcasting well.
A: How do you think you’ve been doing so far? Do you think you’ve done a good job? K: I think I’ve done okay. There have been bumps along the road and I’m learning from them. It’s hard to follow a guy like Mr. Larkin who’s so organized and has so much energy: someone who’s really good at this stuff. I’m still learning, and that’s one of the reasons I like A: How have you made the course. It makes for difthese improvements? ferent challenges! Have you just gotten new technology or have you A: Do you enjoy the chaltaught the kids how to use lenge of broadcasting and this technology properly? communicating to stuK: More the former—we dents, or of trying to come have new technology. It’s up with new material? not even necessarily new and K: All of the above. WZAG improved, there is just more is a pretty big project, and of it so that we don’t have I’m glad Gonzaga does it. to be fighting over time with It’s definitely one of the more the camera. Hopefully, we unique and awesome things should have a lot more footage and the students should be able to have cameras with them whenever something exciting is happening at Gonzaga.
Gonzaga does and it’s an honor to be part of it. I like the challenge of organizing material for the quarter, planning who’s doing what on which days, how they’re going about it, how are they thinking through their scripts, and which shots are they going to be taking.
A: Is there any possibility you can share some ideas for upcoming features? K: We have a video game commercial coming out, although, I won’t spoil what it is because it’ll be pretty awesome. Then coming up this quarter, we have three teams, with one team in the production room, one filming, and one editing. Each of those groups has a holiday feature, so there will be a Halloween, a Thanksgiving, and a Christmas feature coming up. Other than that, the students
A: What is one word you would use to describe your WZAG? K: “Professional,” because that’s my goal. One of the things I’ve been hearing a lot lately is ‘Where are all the funny features?’ Students frequently don’t realize how hard it is to be funny. That takes a lot of preparation and work. I want focus on this being a class where the students learn to do production well,
have a lot of freedom. I’m not assigning them specific type of features. They think it through, run it by me, and if I approve it, they film it. Because of that freedom they have, there’s not a ton I can talk about in advance. A: What are you most looking forward to accomplishing as teacher for WZAG? K: Honestly, I hope that the students enjoy themselves, that they come away having learned a lot and not just having had a good time; I hope they do both. If I can manage that well with this ‘flipped classroom’ model as well as getting to the point where we’re professional and know what we’re doing, then we start adding in the funny. I’ll be really exciting if we succeed in accomplishing that, hopefully by fourth quarter.
Photo by: Nik Lazaroae ‘17
A Conversation with Coach Trivers
By: Michael Kerns, ‘18 Contributor Wowed by the Gonzaga varsity football team’s record this year? Wondering about the cause? Look no further than our new Head Coach, Mr. Randy Trivers. Mr. Trivers joins us on Eye Street from having successfully coached at the high school level for many years in Maryland and Florida. “I’m enjoying Gonzaga immensely,” said Trivers. “There’s a wonderful culture here. The faculty, students, and everybody in the Gonzaga community have been firstclass. It’s been a lot of fun working and getting to know the folks here at Gonzaga.” A DC area native, Mr. Trivers is happy to return
“to his home area, where a lot of family and friends are, and most importantly, come to a place that is rich in history, and academics, and athletics.” “It’s an opportunity for me to be a part of a special, special environment. I’m very fortunateI feel very fortunateto be a member of the Gonzaga community as the head football coach, as well as a member of the faculty here.” Trivers believes in a strong team bond, and the equality of all positions. “I think that it’s hard to single out one position [with the greatest impact]. Football is the ultimate team game. It really takes all the guys on the team for things to go well.
The high profile position is the quarterback, but if the right tackle and left tackle don’t do their jobs, then the quarterback isn’t able to do his job.” With this said, the first-year coach eluded to how every single position has a job to do, and each job is equally important. He is confident in his team’s positive attitude and work ethic. Looking ahead to the
future, the coach said that his plans are to continue to work hard in order to develop relationships with one another.
Photo by: Nik Lazaroae ‘17
The team also plans to come together as close as possible, enabling them to overcome the many challenges and adversities. He also encourages his players to be “strong on and off the field, and to be Men for Others.” To future team members, Trivers had the following to say: “Live every day to the fullest, Don’t dwell on the past, and do the best that you can at every single moment you have. Memories that you create are going to be due to the work, the preparation you put in, in school, in your spiritual and family life, and your personal life. Do the best you can to appreciate every moment you have.”
The Aquilian 7
Two Views on Community Day: Yay or Nay? Peter Brown ‘17 Production Editor & Charlie Workmaster ‘17 Contributor
More than sixty Gonzaga High School students swarmed the floor of the Gonzaga’s library during the school’s second Community Period on October 22, 2014. The room was truly alive, as every guy was exultant and hanging out with their buddies from class. Many students were spending their time getting ahead on their homework, or simply just relaxing on the soft leather chairs in front of Mrs. Tobin’s office. Others were engaged in many games such as chess, and still others just socialized with their classmates. This was a special time for the whole school, and it only happens once a month. This special time was the thirtyfive minute “Community Period” that takes place whenever we have a special mass schedule, between 6th and 7th period. Mr. Tom Every, Gonzaga’s Headmaster, helped to bring this day into the schedule to bring the school community closer together. The idea was inspired by the Headmaster’s Advisory Committee. The Community
Period is a special time set aside once a month that lets students at Gonzaga catch up on their homework, participate in a club, or do many other activities on campus that they don’t have time for in their normal schedules. “Students were struggling to get to their extra circulars,” Mr. Every said. “Community Day gives students the ability to do that.” Many students feel that Community Day adds a nice “release valve” to the week. “It’s a nice break during the day,” said Adam Bloom, ’17. “Community day is awesome,” said Harry Monroe, ’17. “The classes go by fast. It’s pretty high quality. Plus, it’s formal dress, so you look spiffy all day.” The Community Period was very constructive, as well. Many students took full advantage of the thirty-five minutes by getting ahead (or catching up) on their homework. Not only that, but students also used this time to visit their teachers, which is something that they do not always have time for because of sports or a club. The Community Day Project is still ever-changing. Mr. Every is always asking
what teachers can offer in order to engage students. Recently, the Hispano Club brought a fresh idea to Community Day. They hosted a Trivia Tournament, and raised funds for KIVA, an organization set out on raising awareness about Spanish integration into the community. About twenty students showed up for it. The tournament was to test everyone’s knowledge about American culture. “We had a great time,” said President of the Hispano Club, Michael Pullano, ’15. “We are going to have another Trivia Tournament soon, and anyone can join.” Mr. Every’s idea has panned out wonderfully. Community Day breathes new life into all of the students, faculty and staff at Gonzaga, and we can be sure that there are going to be many more to come. - Peter Brown, 17 ---------For the first time in its history, Gonzaga had Community Day. Each Community Day is like an Assembly Day; the only difference is the “Community Period” which is between 6th and 7th periods. During the period, one can
go to a number of activities: study halls with teachers, go to special talks, go to club meetings, etc. Some students simply took naps. There are so many choices one might not know what to do with themselves. This was not a problem for Kyle Brown, Class of 2018, he knew exactly what to do, and utilized his time to do a math workshop in Mr. Kilroy’s classroom. I myself on the other hand was not sure what do with myself during this new period; in fact, I didn’t even know when Community Period was! That did not stop me, however, from learning Russian from our beloved Brother Jon who also seemed slightly thrown off by Community Day. Jonathan “Koko” Kokotajlo, Class of 2016, was
“A” New Baal? Andy Carluccio ‘16 Contributor On a spring afternoon many years ago, my middle school English teacher posed the following question to our class: “What is the new Baal in today’s culture?” For those of us who are several years removed from freshman religion, Baal is the false god that tempted the Israelites in the Old Testament by challenging the First Commandment to love God above all else and worship Him alone. So what is the new Baal? After fielding the class’s suggestions, my teacher revealed what she had in mind: “The A is the new Baal.” The A she was referring to was the report card grade that every one of us has chased down at some time or another in our academic career. Since then, I have spent a lot of time wrestling with the idea that we worship a false god when we try to get good grades. Initially, I was very opposed to this
concept. A’s are essential for getting into good schools, I surmised, and doing well in school is surely something to aspire to. But now that I think about it, I realize that I had it all backwards. I think we would all agree that the primary reason we get out of bed at some ungodly hour every weekday and commute to school is so we can receive an education that will prepare us for the world we will encounter as adults. This is why educational institutions exist. I pose to you the following question: If you needed to decide between getting an A in a course and genuinely understanding the material but not scoring well on your report card, which would you choose? The grading system is supposed to be an indicator of how well we have mastered the curriculum in a given academic course, and hopefully, an A represents mastery of this information. Unfortunately, though, the
A seems to have become the goal itself; what we really seek out is a good grade instead of the knowledge it is supposed to represent. “The point game” is something modern students have mastered. As Mr. Donnellan once put it, “At the end of the quarter, there’s more lobbying going on around my desk then there is on Capitol Hill!” As soon as a class is handed back a graded test, how many calculators whip out to determine a percentage score? At the end of a marking period, how desperate do students become to boost up their average by a few points to hit the next letter grade threshold? The reason for this is very clear as well: to get into a good school, you need good grades. Colleges really don’t seem to care what you know so long as you can appear to know it on a standardized test. No honest person would deny that “the point game” exists at any given school,
but we seem to be split over whether or not this is an issue at all. Can you really liken pursuing an A to worshiping a false god? When a letter grade becomes the motivation of a student, the entire educational process becomes distorted. Ultimately, this is why cheating exists. If your grade on a test appeared to have no bearing on your life, why would you bother to cheat? Cheating is done for one reason alone: to boost grades with minimal effort. Because the A is the motivation, a genuine understanding of course material seems to be worthwhile price to pay to achieve our goal. This becomes even more prevalent when the pressure turns up. Is it any surprise that cheating is more of an issue during semester exams than at any other time of the year? Taking a two hour exam that is weighted as heavily as thirty two days of classes places an enormous amount of pressure on students, and when
able use his Community Day well and praised it as “Good Stuff,” but thought it was underpublicized as did many others I interviewed. The arrival of Community Day was acknowledged on WZAG, and by some teachers a few days prior, but that was about it. Some suggested having a set list of the Community Day options set up somewhere, maybe up on Canvas. Despite the fact our first Community Day was slightly confusing, it worked as planned and was a tremendous help to many. Community Day, although at first a little puzzling to figure out for some, was generally well received and will hopefully get easier to pick up on as we continue having Community Days. - Charlie Workmaster ‘17
Photo by: Nik Lazaroae ‘17
the A starts to slip away, the temptation to cheat becomes more prevalent. On paper (or, more accurately, on stone slab), the First Commandment seems easy. I doubt any of us are secretly preforming diabolic rituals after school or kneeling down before a statue of a golden carp before we go to bed. Something tells me, though, that if worshiping God alone was so easy, then He wouldn’t have put it at the top of His list. While there is nothing wrong with earning an A, problems arise when the grade replaces learning as the goal of education. For a 21st century student, the A is the new Baal. Luckily for us here at Gonzaga, the Jesuits have given us a motto that is the ultimate weapon to combat Baal with, and so it seems appropriate to close with it: AMDG - Ad Majorem Dei Glorium - For the Greater Glory of God
HALLOWEEN in December