The Aquilian May 2015 Volume 77, Number 6
Gonzaga College High School Men For Others Since 1821
19 Eye St, NW Washington, DC 20001
It’s a NEW Website! Theaquilian.com Has Landed By: Andy Carluccio ‘16 Associate Editor It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that The Aquilian today announces the launch of our new website: theaquilian.com. After months of preparation and hard work, our school newspaper will be supplemented by its online reboot. While we will still publish hardcopy newspapers at Gonzaga, our articles and publications will also be available on the new website. The idea for a website began back in 2011 when then editor Michael Ledecky ‘12 realized that Gonzaga’s newspaper was ripe for expansion. Ledecky built the first website from the ground up using a WordPress platform that afforded The Aquilian the ability to distribute information on a wider scale, and interact with alumni from across the world. In addition to building
the first Aquilian website, Ledecky also founded the Washington Metropolitan Association for High School Journalism (WMAHSJ) that included school newspapers from seven different institutions across the city. Since then the WMAHSJ has rebranded as WSNA and continued to grow. Back in 2011 Ledecky wrote about the vision for the website saying that the website will “allow student writers to take a more active role in journalism. In addition to displaying content from the paper issues published throughout the year, the site will contain articles, photos, and video covering events between publications. This consistent flow of news will especially increase the relevancy of sports articles and theatre reviews. Aquilian staff members will now have
a venue to report on the outcomes of championship games within twenty-four hours, and theatre reviews will be published in a more timely fashion.” Ledecky went on to say that the website “not only eliminates certain time constraints but also provides unlimited space for content. Photos and passages of articles that could not fit onto our eight pages will find a home on the internet. The Aquilian will also post relevant WZAG features and, perhaps, the occasional Aquilian-produced news video. “ As we make this next jump into twenty-first century media there is a great deal from Ledecky’s original vision upon which we hope to build. Back in 2011 most students might have a desktop or laptop at home that they used for school work and to go online. We recognize that
in 2015, most of our readers are now equipped with phones, tablets, and laptops that make news readily available. By supporting a digital medium, we hope to make The Aquilian more accessible to students, faculty, and alumni. The website was designed with mobile platforms in mind, and so it sports a modern interface compatible with most phone displays. Our decision to reboot our online presence, though, was not just to make The Aquilian easier to access. There is certainly value in distributing hardcopy newspapers, but there are also some limitations as well. Our printed publications can only hold so many articles, and we are obviously prevented from using video or audio to enhance our reporting. Theaquilian.com will help remove these limitations. In addition to posting the articles that appear in our newspaper, we
Erik Kristensen ‘90, p.2
Rugby International, p.5
Google Rollout, p.7
Summer Plans, p.8
will also be able to upload great pieces that we simply did not have enough space to add to the hardcopy. Additionally, students who were not able to send their work to us within our narrow submission window for the paper will be able to have their articles available online whenever they are ready to send them in. While there is certainly plenty to check out on our website right now, there will be even more available when we return to school next year. As a technical aside, please let us know if you encounter any issues with the website; it’s a work in progress. The revamp of the website is the first step in a series of upgrades we hope to complete in the near future. It is our vision for The Aquilian to be more than just a newspaper, and the rollout of these new features will help us achieve that goal.
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Reflection on the Erik S. Kristensen Award
By: Derrell Bouknight ‘15 Editor-in-Chief From the time he makes his way onto Eye Street as a freshman until the moment his name is announced to receive his diploma at Commencement senior year, the Gonzaga man is called to embody five Jesuit values that are implemented into his life while on campus. Those five values are to be Religious, Intellectually Competent, Loving, Open to Growth, and Committed to Doing Justice. Erik S. Kristensen, a 1990 graduate of Gonzaga, lived these out and did much, much more. He was a true “Man for Others,” living out the prominent slogan that surrounds itself here on campus. He cared for others and put the well-being of those who surrounded him above his own necessities, leading to a life of prosperity, admiration, and dedication, so much so that Kristensen lost his life on June 28, 2005 while serving our country and protecting our freedom. Krisensen was born on March 15, 1972 to Suzanne Kristensen and Edward Kristensen, a career officer in the United States Navy. Nicknamed “Spider” by his peers for his height and long limbs, Kristensen transferred to Gonzaga as a junior, where he played football, lacrosse, and served as a trumpet player in the band, achieving the honors of First Chair, Section Leader, and CoConcert Master. Although he only spent two years on Eye Street, Kristensen immediately made his mark. In a written testimonial from kristensenklassic.com, Nick Schulz, who graduated with Erik in 1990, described his
classmate and friend just as many others have. “He was self-confident without being boastful; strong without being mean or menacing; smart without being a show-off. Erik made everyone around him better by providing an example of what it is to be a real man.” After graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 1995 with an English major and French minor af-
volunteered to lead a rescue mission nicknamed “Operation Red Wings” in an effort to retrieve the four SEALs. After receiving a distress call from SEAL Michael P. Murphy, 16 SEALs, including Kristensen, set off in a MH-47 Chinook helicopter in route to the four-man SEAL team. Upon arrival, the helicopter was shot down by an RPG. All 16 members aboard the helicopter, includ-
service, honor, trustworthiness, leadership, endurance, selflessness, friendship, and a love of life and laughter.” Once Mr. Every, Gonzaga’s Headmaster, called my name to receive the award back on May 1st, I went into shock. Every day, I aim to be the best person I can possibly be, and this award encapsulates everything I aim to become. As much as I enjoyed winning the Michael Kelly
ter one year at prep school at Phillips Academy, Kristensen knew that he would one day serve as a Navy SEAL, despite the skepticism regarding previous injuries and his age. Eventually, Kristensen joined SEAL Team 10 based at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek in Norfolk, Virginia. On June 28, 2005 in Afghanistan, four SEALs came under heavy fire from local Taliban forces consisting of approximately 30-40 members. Kristensen, who was deployed in Afghanistan,
ing Kristensen, were killed. He was 33 years old. In his memory, Erik’s family, friends, and classmates established a number of events, foundations, and awards. One of those awards, the Erik S. Kristensen Memorial Leadership Award, is given annually at Charter Day here at Gonzaga to a graduating senior. As pointed out in its description, the award recognizes a graduating senior who distinguishes himself among his peers “by those ideals that Erik put into practice each day: loyalty,
Award for Media Publications, the WZAG Award for Broadcasting, and an award from Campus Ministry for being a co-chairman for the Gonzaga Freshman Retreat, this award wraps everything up into one. Those other awards do not come without living out the ideals Erik lived out throughout his time on Eye Street and during his time serving our country. I am truly thankful to the Gonzaga community, my family, and my friends for the opportunity to be recognized for what is the most presti-
Editor-in-Chief Derrell Bouknight ‘15 Managing Editor Kevon Turner ‘15
Associate Editors Konrad Woo ‘15 Gabe Castro ‘15 Nick Jenkins ‘16 Andy Carluccio ‘16
Production Editor Peter Brown ‘17
Photo Editor Nik Lazaroae ‘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
gious award I have received. Although I obviously did not know Erik personally and did not experience the height to which he served and loved his family and friends, I feel connected to him in a very distinct way, and I especially felt that connection upon receiving the award from Mrs. Suzanne Kristensen herself, a moment that capped it all off. To have her present the award named after her honorable son was special, and I am glad that I can now feel what 2014 Gonzaga graduate Benjamin Vazirani felt when he was honored with the same award last year. This was a memory that I plan to keep alive for many years to come, one that perfectly concluded my senior year. Hopefully by the time I am 33 years of age, I can have an impact on my peers similar to the one that Erik had on his. Although I may not necessarily feel a calling to join the SEALs and fight overseas, I imagine that I will feel an obligation to always live out the five core values Gonzaga instills in its young men, as well as the ideals Erik distinguished during his life. For that, his spirit will always live within me. And maybe one day, I can be just like the guy everybody once called “Spider,” the one who was always loyal, committed to service, honorable, trustworthy, a leader, endurable, selfless, a friend, and lived a life of love and laughter. Erik S. Kristensen. United States Navy SEAL. Man for Others. Man of Eye Street. March 15, 1972-June 25, 2005.
Moderator: Dr. Harry Rissetto
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To Our Brothers as We Take Our Leave Compiled by: The Aquilian Recently The Aquilian had an opportunity to sit down with a few members of Gonzaga’s graduating class of 2015. Each was asked what advice or suggestion they wanted to pass along to their brothers who were remaining here at Gonzaga. Here’s what they said: “Embrace change. Our lives are always changing and sometimes we control it, but sometimes we can’t. It’s always up to you to make the best of what you can and can’t control in your life. Don’t let changes you can’t control put you out, and don’t be afraid to make changes in your life. Embrace change.” “Be yourself, cherish all the time you have on Eye Street, especially with your friends. Keep studying hard.” “Don’t take your time here for granted - hang out with your friends and form relationships with your classmates now. Gonzaga is more than just a school. Gonzaga is a brotherhood, so spend time with your brothers while
you still can.” “Enjoy the time you have left in high school, there won’t be a time like this again. You’re going to miss out on a lot if you’re too afraid to try new things. Have an open mind, and be willing to experiment.” “Enjoy your time at Gon-
zaga while you can. It will be the fastest four years of your entire life. Your friendships will last an entire lifetime, make as many as possible. What you do now will affect you for the rest of your life, so make it count.” “Enjoy your senior year and really cherish the people
that you’re with. Appreciate everything your friends and your parents have done for you.” “At times this school can be very difficult and burdensome, but at the end of the day, the hard work you put in will be worth it. Gonzaga is literally the greatest
A Northern University By: John Butler ‘13 Gonzaga Alumnus A few weeks back The Aquilian had a chance to catch up with John Butler ‘13 who is finishing his year at McGill University in Canada. John was kind enough to jot down a few thoughts about McGill so that other Eagles might think about making the journey north of the border when they were done with their time here on Eye Street. My first year at McGill University began in late August 2013. McGill is an English language public Research University situated in Montreal, Québec, Canada. I chose to attend McGill because of its location and its educational value. My yearly tuition as an international student is around $14,000 to attend a university that is consistently ranked in the top 20 worldwide. To be a student at McGill, I needed to apply for study documents from the Canadian government in addition to the Government of Quebec. These
documents took a few weeks to process and along with my passport allow me to temporarily reside in Canada for the duration of my studies. The main language in Montreal is French, but the vast majority of people are also fluent in English. When I relocated to Montreal, I moved into a student residence hall located a short Métro (subway) ride from campus which afforded me the opportunity to meet and socialize with my new peers who were from diverse communities from across North America and the World. Over time, I was able to adjust to the climate in addition to the new academic environment. Montreal generally receives its first substantial snow storm around Halloween each year and the snow is generally a constant until April along with freezing temperatures. In general, the courses at McGill are intellectually rigorous but intellectually rewarding. Overall, McGill is a great choice for students looking for a good education at a good price in a culturally vibrant city.
school on earth and you have to cherish every single moment of it. The Brotherhood is unbelievable and the relationships you make will last for a long time. Never take this place for granted. Life is good when you go to Gonzaga. Life is better when you go to Gonzaga.”
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By: Emerson Cox ‘16 Contributor To many of you, 4:45 am is a time when you’re asleep or the time when swimmers start their practice and presidents wake up. But 4:45 am was also the time I woke up everyday as a United States Senate Page. If you asked me last summer what a Senate Page was I would have guessed “a page that is used by the Senate,” - no kidding. But after five months of serving in arguably the best job a high school junior can have, I can tell you that a Senate Page is a high school junior who either loves politics or hates it, enjoys waking up early and going to bed late, does not mind giving up social media or contact with the outside world while being a page, and on top of all that he or she just can’t wait to go to school from 6:15 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. and then work until whenever the Senate decides to call it a night, or a morning, because we went past midnight at least four times. I’m guessing at this point you’re either intrigued or completely turned off to being a page, but I want to continue this article in the hopes that whether you want to be a page or not, you can learn about an interesting part of history that takes place only a few blocks from Eye Street. I won’t bore you with too much history, but just for the sake of context, Senator Daniel Webster appointed the first Senate Page in 1830s, the first female pages came along in 1971, and the House Page Program, not the Senate’s, was terminated in 2011. The Senate Page Program is located at Webster Hall near Stanton Park in N.E. D.C., and houses pages for the fall and spring semesters as well as the two summer sessions. Now that you know some background concerning the Senate Page Program, I’ll take you on a ‘magical’ journey through the many wonders of ‘page land’. Firstly, I lived in a dorm, Webster Hall, away from my family, and basically ate, slept, went to school, and ‘relaxed’ there during my five months as a page. I was on the second floor, the guys’ floor, and I shared a two-bunk room with a frat bro from Montana, a
Being A Senate Page genius from Mississippi, and a states’ rights advocate from Arkansas. It was actually a lot more fun than it sounds. We got along well, and not just because we all had the same political opinions, surprisingly. In our room I woke up at 4:45 am and used our single shower first, then Mississippi (we’ll call him John for confidentiality) showered, and Arkansas (Jack) went last by 5:15 a.m.; Montana (Sam) showered in the afternoon. By 5:30 am we all had checked our room for trash, made our beds, folded our towels, and had everything squared away in drawers so we didn’t get any demerits. We then headed down stairs to the basement. Oh, I forgot to mention Webster Hall used to be a funeral home, the basement was where bodies were kept and the elevator was long and narrow to hold coffins. Anyhow, we descended into an equally ‘dead’ scene every morning as other 16 and 17 year olds, boys and girls, joined us to face another day of school and work with good old sleep depravation to keep our spirits high. We had to make our own breakfasts, for me it was usually Greek yogurt, nuts, fruit, a protein shake, and toast. On a side note, coffee only made it harder to stay awake, which I found out the hard way one time when I fell asleep on the Senate floor. Page school is, well, hard and in my opinion it was more challenging than Gonzaga for two reasons. An A was a 94 or above, a B was at least an 86, and a C was a ‘merciful’ 76, if a page fell below a 76 in any class he or she could be kicked out for academic failure. Secondly, after school you went to work until, well as late as you-didn’t-know, and you had to get school work done during your breaks or after you got home to Webster Hall. Both of which required focus and determination that many teenagers are not naturally willing to give. I understand at Gonzaga there are a plethora of after school activities that can keep students from their work until late, but as a page you had that happen everyday, every week, every month. In page school we study just the essentials: math, science, history, and English. Math was algebra,
pre-calculus, and calculus; Science either chemistry or physics; History had political science or US History; English included American or British Literature, or composition. After school we went to work, which was fun because we got to ride the underground subway between the Hart Building and the Capitol, not capital as my English teacher made sure we knew immediately. We spent the first week at work under the guidance of the Democratic cloakroom staff; as I was a Democratic Page, learning how to set up desks, get Senators their preferred waters, which by the way included a special half hot half sparkling with no ice water, and run roll call votes and amendments to offices throughout the Senate. After week one we were on our own, which was fun and scary when you realize you’re on C-SPAN 2 more than LeBron James is on ESPN, thank God nobody actually watches C-SPAN let alone C-SPAN 2, and you’re serving one of the most powerful legislative bodies in the world. During the mornings we generally did school work on our breaks and served the Senate during morning business. After lunch, we started to prepare for the afternoon voting, which was fun, hectic, and interesting to watch as Republicans and Democrats clashed and compromised over the Keystone XL Pipeline and other bills that ranged from combating ISIS to approving the national budget. After voting, we kept the Senate floor neat and tidy, and waited until the last of the Senators had finished speaking or making deals before closing for the night and heading back to Webster. The exact time we adjourned varied from 4 p.m. till as late as 2 a.m. once, but often occurred at 8 p.m.. If you were on the early shift, which rotated everyday, you got off at 6 p.m.. One day I got to Webster at not a particularly late hour, but was just coming off two days when the Senate had adjourned after midnight and convened at 8 a.m.. I decided to eat microwaveable chicken nuggets, such ‘tender’ and ‘juicy’ high quality chicken that no page can resist after
working over 32 hours in the past 2 days. I grabbed a bag of them from the freezer and READ THE DIRECTIONS believe it or not; however, I was surprised to find out that I was supposed to cook the chicken for ten minutes. That seemed excessive, but why question the directions, especially when you’re an employee of the federal government. I contently put the chicken in the microwave and set the dial to ten minutes on high. I then decided to go take a quick nap upstairs while my gourmet meal was being expertly prepared; unfortunately, to my surprise, 9 or so minutes later I was awoken by another page asking me if I could smell something burning. Well that something happened to be related to chicken which someone had foolishly left in a microwave on high for about eight and a half more minutes than the microwave directions, not the oven directions, had stated. The chicken had quite literally exploded and I still thank God that no one was caught in the grenadelike blast when the microwave door blew opened and the chicken-shrapnel came flying out with a vengeance. Most of the time though, when I got home to Webster, my roommates and I had chores to do, dinner to make, that didn’t explode, as well as tests and homework to prepare for, which all had to be done before the 11 p.m. curfew. Not admitting to anything, but I may have stayed up past midnight close to everyday to get all my work done. John, the Mississippi genius, usually got to bed first, often by 10 p.m., followed by frat bro Sam from Montana. The secessionist from Arkansas and I often went to bed last. For me that was because I just do not work as fast as others and had to spend more time on subjects, which consequentially meant staying up late. For the secessionist, well ever since he flew the Arkansas flag over our bunk, I think he stayed up late plotting how the South would rise again, or maybe he was just trying to understand vectors and Puritan authors like me. During the weekends, besides studying and finishing homework, I would eat a lot, sleep a lot, watch movies a
lot, and go out to Union Station or Chinatown with other pages to see the sites in D.C. The weekends were a time when I could unwind and recover from the pervious week’s stress. My favorite thing to do on weekends was walking around D.C. with my page friends and learning more about what life was like out in places like Alaska, Nevada, or Montana. I realized just how big America really is at the page program, and despite the diversity in opinions and beliefs we are all united as one nation. Being a Senate Page taught me that Republicans and Democrats are firstly people. They have families and lives outside politics. Regardless of their political opinions, they are all here in Washington D.C. to help this country continue to grow and prosper, and to ensure our nation remains a beacon of liberty and justice for all peoples for many years to come.
Photo by: Nik Lazaroae ‘17
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Gonzaga Rugby: International By: Jack Iscaro ‘15 Senior Contributor This year, the Gonzaga Rugby team expanded their schedule to include trips to both Chile and Canada. The trips were a massive success both on and off the field. In Chile, we landed in Santiago for the first leg of the tour. The Eagle’s only loss of the season came at the hands of the Catholica under-19 team: 25 – 19. After match festivities followed within the home team’s clubhouse. It was great to practice our Spanish and connect with kids our age. Next we responded with an incredible grueling win over an international school, The Grange School 14 – 10. The Grange School, styled after the prep schools in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, were fantastic hosts and it was an amazing at-
ing questions about their academics and social lives. An after match function where we connect and talk with the boys we just played is one thing we don’t experience in the States. The time spent in Santiago was incredible; the city itself had a great downtown area that was a short cab ride from our hotel and we all had a great time touring the monuments and eateries. Father Planning, who had accompanied the team, celebrated mass at his old Ignatian church, the church of Saint Alberto Hurtado, a Jesuit who was famous in Chile and beyond for his
mosphere playing in front of their school and students. Everyone enjoyed conversing with the students, who spoke perfect English, and ask-
commitment to social justice in Santiago. After the mass we took a brief tour around a small showcase of the Saint’s life and works. San-
tiago was awesome because we got to be fully immersed in not only the popular tourist aspects of the city but we
to Vina Del Mar, Chile, a beach town, we got to enjoy time on the beach as well as great rugby. We won our mini
get to do and the positive aftereffects have already been felt since we’ve been back in the states. The Eagles
were exposed to it on a more familiar level after the numerous lunches, dinners, and practices all over the historic city. For the younger players, some of whom had never left the country, the experience of being in a new country was unbelievable, and really opened their eyes to not only how people in South America live, but how the Jesuit aspects of our lives and school were so prevalent within the culture, schools, people and churches of Santiago, Chile. As we moved on
tournaments and were able to have all the seniors play together as well as the underclassmen. The senior dinner was a great success and we all got to reflect on our years with the team. A fun tournament on the sunny beach ended our time in Vina, and after exploring the coastline we had all had a great time soaking up the sun and rich culture of Chile. As a rugby player since age 9 who has been exposed to the sport for a the majority of my life, there is no greater way to learn the game and make connections and memories with people that last a lifetime than by travelling and playing rugby internationally. As students, rugby players, and people, we have been exposed to things some adults will never
once again crossed the border when we travelled into Canada for a weekend trip where we prevailed against two of the top rugby teams in Ontario, the Saltfleet School, and the Bill Crothers School. There was some incredible rugby played, and although the culture change isn’t as great as Chile, the experience of being in another country connecting with kids our age is invaluable. All in all, the Gonzaga Rugby team’s current ranking of Number 1 in the United States and our reputation as an incredible Jesuit high school was well reflected when we competed abroad.
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Histories Align: Cullens, Flannery, Smith
By: Holden Madison ‘17 Contributor Gonzaga Symphonic Winds and Concert Band Director, David Smith, was the teacher of Mr. Flannery’s predecessor, Mike Cullens, Gonzaga band director from 1981-82. In an interview, Mr. Smith described his history with Mr. Cullens in the drum shop, on the road, and on the record [albums]. Holden Madison (HM): You knew Mike Cullens as a student? David Smith (DS): Yes, from my dad’s drum shop at 11258 Georgia Avenue in Wheaton, Maryland near Chuck Wells. HM: When was your first encounter with Mike Cullens? DS: I graduated from Maryland in 1972. Then I left the area. I’m going to guess [19]71-72, somewhere around there. HM: Did he ever give any hints as to whether he wanted to have a career in high school music education? DS: Not at all. He had a real passion for playing the drums, and he was taking charge of his life in trying to find somebody who could make him better at what he did. Mike was roughly the same age [19] as [Mr. Smith, 22 at the time]. I had just finished school and was in a band and we decided we were going to move to L.A., and Mike was trying to find his way in the world. My dad’s drum shop was a real magnet for kids like [Mike]. If you lived anywhere within a 50 mile radius of Smith’s drum shop, you probably studied at my dad’s store. My dad always had 70 students. He taught Monday through Friday from 3 until 9 p.m. On Saturday, he would start at 9 and go until 5. Then he would go down into DC and gig. There were probably four full time drum teachers working with 300 to 400 students a week. Before I taught there, I ran the cash register, and helped people look at drums. Mike and I connected. Between the two of us, we were both trying to do the same thing. I might’ve been a little more advanced in some things than him, but we both knew what we wanted to do. HM: So, you had no connection with Mr. Flannery at all? DS: None. I had none. There are a couple reasons. First of all, from ‘83 to ‘88 I was
still in L.A. In ‘88, when I came back here, I affiliated myself with John Mitchell, at Dematha. In those days, the band, as you know, did not participate in some of the activities where I would’ve heard his name or met him. I knew the director from Good Counsel, from McNamara, from Seton, but not Mr. Flannery. My middle school band used to go to all those festivals. The Gonzaga band those days [didn’t have adjudications as] part of the curriculum. I’m sure Chris had his reasons. So, that’s where I would’ve met him, where paths would’ve crossed. I don’t think up until January 2013 would’ve I even known the Gonzaga band program existed. So, I didn’t know Chris. HM: Gonzaga embarked on a national search. DS: [The job] was posted on the Jesuit board. It goes out in the circulars. HM: Did Mr. Cullens ever perform on stage with you? DS: No. He never performed on stage [with us]. When he found out we were moving, he said, “What are you going to do out there?” The bass player in Mr. Smith’s band had become regional director for IBM. Anything west of the Mississippi was his territory. So, he was going to be based in Los Angeles. So he walked into rehearsal one night and said “Guys, I’m moving to L.A.; do you want to come with me?” So, “You want to come, have all your belongings at ___ and I’ll put it in the moving van.” IBM was paying for all his expenses to go out there and drive out there and get your stuff and we’re going to go. I had to tell Mike we’re moving and Mike says, “I’ve always wanted to go out there. Is there some way I can work in some capacity?” So he started out working as a roadie. He didn’t make any money, but they constructed the studio for us in Venice Beach called Spectrum Studios. Mike was one of the carpenters; he helped build that. HM: He had experience with construction? DS: That’s what he was good at. Drums was what he was working towards. HM: He was 19 when he went with you. He hadn’t gone to college? DS: No. He waited until he
came back. If he was here in 81 [teaching at Gonzaga], he came back in ‘77 which would’ve meant he was out there for five years. HM: Did he make it clear as to why he was coming back to the D.C. area? DS: Well, we lost communication with each other in L.A. The band I went out there with broke up. We were rejected by every major record label in the business. It was a fusion band. HM: Is that like Indie? DS: Fusion is like taking jazz and mixing it with rock and funk. The commonality is improvisation. We were not very commercially viable to begin with. We didn’t do vocals. We weren’t song writers in that genre. We wrote jazz funk tunes. We didn’t write melodies that you would get a Grammy for. Even if we had made it, the money wouldn’t have been lucrative like the singers and songwriters of today. The music was changing. The format was going from electrified and loud to an R&B/funk based style. This is when Herbie Hancock went to his Head Hunters band. We broke up. I started to free-lance. Mike and I lost touch with each other. As I got work when I was freelancing, I traveled to New York. We met up there. He was in New York. He was in a popular band. When I came back to visit, he sent me tapes of his band. He was really proud of what he did and wanted me to know it. Student-teacher relationship, you know? HM: The New York Visit was when? DS: It was in the mid-80s or so. He lived in Greenwich Village. We went out to all these eateries. We got to talking and everything. I moved back in ‘88. I found him on Facebook. I was going to do another CD, and at that point he had his own studio. He had produced a lot of stuff, not real mainstream. A lot of projects within his house studio in New Jersey. That was called Mad Hands. In a future interview we will attempt to reach out to former director Mike Cullens and discover his experience with the Gonzaga’s music program.
Photo by: Nik Lazaroae ‘17
Gonzaga Track and Field Ajani Roberts ‘15 Senior Contributor The Gonzaga Track & Field team had a good overall indoor season. Even though they were no longer able to practice on Bucannon Field’s track, they still practiced hard and gave their all on the day of competition. Although they did not win the DCSAA meet this year or the Georgetown Prep championships, they still managed to stay in
the top three in scoring and stay committed to getting better. The young team of mostly freshmen and sophomores plan on bringing home the WCAC title this year and making the veterans, as well as Coach Maddox, very proud. This outdoor season has only capitalized on what the team of speedy Eagles had done beginning in November. So how do they stack of for championships this year?
Well, for starters, up and coming sophomores Harry Monroe has his 3200m endurance and Eburba (EB) Gbemiye-Ett‘s 400m stride are both factors that contribute greatly to the team’s overall scoring. Eburba also appeared in a 1600m relay with “strong legs” Tre Jones, myself, and Shareek Branch, which seeded the dynamic quartet third in championships. Tre Jones’ return to the
track team gives the 4x100 some much needed speed. My own new found confidence in my 400m acceleration allowed me to PR (personal record) recently for the second week in a row. Shareek Branch not only runs a great 400, but is also seeded first in the 800m dash. Hurdle veteran and sprinter William Healy has only progressed in his ability to pull his trail leg and will score well in the 110 and
The Aquilian 7
300m hurdles. Freshman Jabari Bennett and his impressive 50ft shotput throw will gain the team plenty of points in the field. Throw in a 4x800m with the lighting fast Will Wimbish and Jacob Floam on two of the legs, Cameron Kaisailus and David Credle in the triple jump, and let Michael Ribich and Michael Gold work in the 1600m and I think we have an equation for victory this year.
Google at Gonzaga Andy Carluccio ‘16 Associate Editor As most of you have hopefully noticed by now, Gonzaga has taken major steps towards integrating new technology here at school. From new computers and operating systems to the rollout of Canvas and the Bring Your Own Device Program, the 2014-2015 academic year has already brought many changes to the way students use technology to enhance their studies, and in midJanuary, the next phase of this process was proudly released: Google Apps for Education. Google at Gonzaga is more than just a ploy for fancy alliteration, it is the crux of a technological initiative that will usher our school into the digital age. Obviously, the most anticipated feature of Gonzaga’s switch to the Google platform was Gmail, an email system that allows students to access their school email on their mobile devices, a critical feature sorely lacking from Gonzaga’s previous webmail platform. But there is so much more delivered by Google Apps for Education than simply a new email service. As a participant in the “beta release” of Google at Gonzaga, I encountered numerous features that will serve as fantastic resources for modern education. The beauty of the Google platform is that it is all web-based, allowing students running almost any Internet-enabled device to access the full range of features available to them. With apps such as Drive, an unlimited cloud-storage solution where students can upload and remotely access their files, to Docs, a word/data process-
ing suite that lends itself to collaboration with peers, Google plays a pivotal role in the technological initiative of Gonzaga. I had the privilege of sitting down with Educational Technologist Mr. Larkin, the man-with-the-plan who is spearheading the movement that will shape the role technology has here on Eye St. Here’s what he had to say about Google at Gonzaga:
so few students were using their email, but then again, without the ability to check it on their phones, I can’t really blame them. The solution was to have a better form of communication between students and teachers. Instant access to email is needed for this generation. The future is about collaboration, and that is where Google Drive and Docs really deliver. The fact that students can collaborate on a class assignment is very A Carluccio: First, congrat- exciting. ulations on the successful rollout of Google Apps for AC: What do you envision Education. I can only imag- to be the day-to-day impact ine how much work has gone of this new technology initiainto getting this platform tive? ready to go. Can you provide L: Well the long term plan some details about the pro- is BYOD. By introducing cess of getting Google set up Canvas and Google Apps, at Gonzaga? we have a known platform. Mr. Larkin: The process has For students, I think you find been around two years in the people saying “Finally we making, and it started with us can work on this in class. looking at other school who Finally we can research this had successfully implement- topic.” And that is all beed technology on campus. I cause of the initiative. Im exfound that most of these in- cited to see what the teachers stitutions were using Google can do with it. And crowdas their platform. We decided sourcing is an amazing tool that Google Apps made the as well. I mean, look at Quimost sense for our BYOD zlet. What you guys did was plan, so we reached out to phenomenal! The ability to schools like Visitation who have students collaborate on were already using it. Ad- study sets for virtually every ditionally, faculty members quiz and test was really great, like Mr. Konzman, who had and that is the vision for the already been using Google program as a whole. Google for Business, were able to Apps with drive ensure that a show me what it was capa- lot can be done. And in add ble of. Once I saw it in use, media and unlimited storage it was a no-brainer. At the solutions and the possibilities educational tech meeting last are endless. year, the general consensus was that everyone was on- AC: There has been a lot of board with it. mention of the BYOD program lately. Can you explain AC: What feature of Google the role it plays in Gonzaga’s Apps for Education most ex- tech vision? cites you? L: Our students, by and large, L: Well in terms of practical- have their own personal prefity, Gmail brings a lot to the erence when it comes to electable. It was kinda crazy that tronics. We have Mac people,
Android people, Windows people, etc. People have their systems set up by now. To force a certain device on a large groups of people would not be practical. We have such a variety of students that it does not make sense to limit everyone to one device. Instead, we endorsed two internet-based programs. In this day and age, the question needs to be, what device are you most comfortable learning on? If we had started 5 years ago, this would have been an iPad plan. That was the only game in town. But now you have the Surface Pro, the MacBook, and the Chromebook, each with their own advantages. We don’t want to limit people. Consider BYOD as an opportunity, not a challenge. We want to avoid a student saying, “I like this device, but I have to use this other device I in classroom because of school rules.” At Gonzaga we are looking 2-4 years down the road, when devices are cheaper and more powerful, to implement the BYOD program in full force. AC: So now that we all have Google, what should we, as students, try and do with it? L: Try making a study guide with you peers. To me, that is where you can see the impressive power of collaboration. You can take all the knowledge of all your fellow students and put it on a single sheet for everyone to reference. That’s pretty cool. AC: Any cautionary notes regarding the use of Google? L: The most important thing is logging out. Google Apps just like any web based program is desperate to keep you logged in. It is essential to log out from public computers to
avoid involuntary access. AC: What lies ahead for Gonzaga’s technology initiative? L: YouTube. It is coming. Everyone knows the power of YouTube. Now that we have official school accounts, I’m eager to see what we can do. The caution is for students to use it appropriately. Students need to think about how they represent themselves online. Even something like sloppy presentation posted online can hurt that image. In terms of infrastructure, I’m working on one Wi-Fi to rule us all. More on that to come. AC: Anything else you want to inform the student body of? L: Canvas is spelt with a capital C and no periods. Not CANVAS, not C.A.N.V.A.S, but Canvas. But on a more serious note, the theme Mr. Every and others at the school have advocated for is to provide tools for our students in an “open up the floodgates” approach; to say to students, “here is this massively powerful tool (Canvas, Google, etc.). The world is your oyster. Yes you can use YouTube, yes you can use chat, but please use it responsibly.” And the puzzle is not yet complete, but with Google on campus, you can begin to see the image forming. I want Gonzaga’s technology to be as good as our sports, our academics, our retreats, etc. We want students to embrace these changes because they work best when they are utilized to their fullest potential. That’s the whole idea of Canvas. It’s a blank canvas, a blank slate to be filled by others. The more you put on it, the more you contribute, the better it will be.
Congratulations Gonzaga Lacrosse! Photos by: Nick Lazaroae ‘17, Photo Editor
Summer Plans for Students & Faculty Nick Jenkins ‘16 Associate Editor Once the final day of school here at Gonzaga passes by, summer time is the only thing that fills the minds of the 950+ students who inhabit the campus. Summer time typically means “suns out, guns out,” hanging out with friends, or relaxing at home with family. But, for a few students and faculty members, it means doing a whole lot more. Once the final exams are taken and the grades are entered into the system, members of the school community plan to do more than the stereotypical individual may do once the hot heat and sun take over for a little over three months. Below are some examples of what men and women here on Eye Street will do to pass the time this upcoming summer.
Ms. Flynn (Math Department) Leading the New Orleans service trip Working summer school at WJA I will be attending four bachelorette weekends Going to the beach with the family Working a Summer Institute for AP Statistics Mr. Donnellan (Social Studies Department) Attending the service trip to the Mexican border Going to California to see my daughter Spending time at Camden Yards cheering on my beloved Orioles “Lots and lots of Ubering through the streets of Baltimore”
Cloud trip Starting driving school and hopefully get my license I might work at a golf course or for the MPD or the post office
I will be attending a Gonzaga Summer Service trip to the US-Mexico Border Spend time with family in Berlin
College visits Maybe work at my local pool Hanging out
Brendan Boyle, ‘16 Going to my lake house in Gabe Aguto, ‘16 Smith Lake, VA Holden Madison, ‘16 Attending Red Cloud Working as a gas pumper at I plan on working for about Traveling to Mexico and San a marina Matthew Torrence, ‘16 Francisco I will be attending the Red a month
Cartoon Corner - Christian Oliverio ‘18
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