KEQ - The BSM Issue - Fall 2017 by Knight Errant

KEQ Volume 5 Issue 1

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KEQ: BSM Letter From the Editor Dear Readers, At first, high schools appear to be the same; however, the truth is that there is so much more to BSM than what’s seen on the surface. We celebrate our core values of compassions, truth, and knowledge at every school liturgy. We are one of the only private schools in Minnesota with no uniforms. We carry out lasting traditions from past graduated classes. We are Red Knights. Senior ladies decorate overalls to wear at every home football game and pep fest. Red and white stain the BSM pride every senior graduates with. The cover depicts this student pride during a BSM pep fest with photos by juniors Maddie Kurtovich and Em Paquette.

This issue represents BSM as a whole with all of its quirks, traditions and meaning. Variety is expressed in stories like “Beyond the Majority” (pg. 10-11) or “From Faith to Cookies” (pg. 28). BSM is not only a place where students learn academic curriculum but also have the opportunity to fulfill desires and achievements and eat the famous Taher cookies. Our sports story, “Pack the Stands” (pg. 16-17) highlights BSM’s history of athletics and their excellence. And “A Touch of Faith” (pg. 7) reveals Mr. J and his unique essence here at BSM. It is also fitting this BSM issue includes our alma mater, fight song and wellknown logo. I chose to focus this year’s first issue of the KEQ to be everything about BSM and what it means to be a Red Knight because I

Publication Policy KEQ is written and produced by journalism students at Benilde-St. Margaret’s School. The views expressed in this magazine are the opinions of the writers and not necessarily those of the Knight Errant staff, advisers, or BSM administrators. It is distributed for free to all BSM high school students. Benilde-St. Margaret’s School 2501 Highway 100 South St. Louis Park, Minnesota, 55416 Contact knighterrant@bsmschool.org

wanted to capture BSM as a whole. As my last year of high school wraps up, I realize every year of high school teaches us an important lesson. This issue stands for what it means to be a Red Knight. Until next time, Forever Red and White,

The mass is never ended it must be lived.

Staff Editor-in-Chief: Abby Letscher KEQ Managing Editor: Ashley Ortizcazarin Photography Editor: Ginny Lyons, Lauren Beh Design Editor: Andrew Cadle Writers: Estelle Beutz, Truman Kinne, Kelly Dempsey, Kayla Farrey, Noah Bridges, Brady Solomon, Peyton Schuldt, Quinn Ehlen, Ian Mathison, Noah Layton, Kaitlyn McTigue, Allison Brooks, Dylan Hoen, Braeden Fitzgerald, Sydni Dailey, Breah Banks, Ben Larson, Lorenzo Cerda, Taylor Anderson, Frida Fortier Photographers: Maddie Kurtovich, Muriel Ruppert, Jessie Willie, Emma Paquette, Morgan Williams, Lauren Beh, Ashley Ortizcazarin Designers: Jack Williams, Jack Feld, Luke Tift, Michael Koch, Johnny Byrnes, Flynn Skahan, Mark Kincs

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Contents

“

Once a Red Knight, always a Red Knight.

Cover Photos: Maddie Kurtovich and Em Paquette Previews Photo: Maddie Kurtovich Designer: Andrew Cadle

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From the library to the link, BSM’s building is as varied in character as the students within it.

SM students begin their school day walking in through the main entrance. As the Red Knights pass through the halls, they experience different feelings and moments throughout their journey of a school day. BSM students often start their day by walking first to the library to meet their friends and wait for the school to begin. Although primarily a place to study, the librabry is also a place where students share whispered jokes and smiles. “The library is a place where I can get light socializing with heavy studying. It is a good balance.” junior Matthew Murnane said. Past the library and College and Career Center is the theater hallway. This theater is named in honor of former BSM President James Hamburge, as it was constructed in 2001, his final year as President. Before this theater was constructed, the plays were performed in the Great Hall. The theater can hold upwards of 500 people during the three drama performances each year along with band, orchestra, and choir concerts. Doubling back and taking a left out of the main lobby, students enter a short hallway. With, memorabilia and historic pieces St. Margaret’s Academy and Benilde High School before they were unified. This hallway leads to the busiest intersection of the school. Before school starts and between each period, the main hallway––a passageway to get from class to class while meeting up with their friends––buzzes with energy. The pictures of each graduating class from all of Benilde

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High School, St. Margaret’s Academy, and Benilde-St. Margaret’s are found above the poster and flyer filled lockers. “It’s crazy to think about all the students that have walked these halls before us,” senior Rachel Folkestead said. The Great Hall and Commons sit at the heart of the school. The Great Hall is known for usually being a quiet and empty place during the school day. However, once in awhile, this windowless gym becomes the lively gathering place for Liturgy, pickup basketball games, and all-school school events. When we have Mass in the Great Hall, it comes alive and brings the whole school together. Although the bleachers are a little uncomfortable, it’s a great place for students to get together,” sophomore Morgan Anderson said. Further the main hallway is the junior high and the “link” hallway which connects to the North Building. This wing of the school is the furthest from the entrance. Being isolated from the rest of the school, it has a character all its own. “The moment you walk into the North Building, it feels older and hotter than the rest of the school. It really has a warmer tone...It even has an old, antiquey smell,” freshman Josie King said. Not one day in the life of a Red Knight is the same, just like how every room in the school is different and has its own feel. The character of the school building is always evolving and changing, but the Benilde St. Margaret’s campus embraces both its newly renovated and updated parts, while still including and embracing aspects of its history.

Writer: Estelle Beutz Photographer: Jessie Wille Designer: Johnny Byrnes

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Founding Values B

enilde-St. Margaret’s has a deep and meaningful faith history that stretches back to the three founding orders of the school: the Sisters of Saint Joseph, who founded St. Margaret’s Academy, the LaSallian Christian Brothers, who founded Benilde, and the Benedictines, who helped run Benilde-St. Margaret’s. In the spirit of honoring these orders, BSM roots its faith in certain charisms based oﬀ the focus of the three orders. “[Our charisms] are important because they are the shoulders that we stand on… When we think about christianity, its big, and these give us a more speciﬁc way to live out our christianity at Benilde-St. Margaret’s,” theology teacher Ms. Michelle Leblanc said.

CHRISTIAN BROTHERS

SISTERS OF SAINT JOSEPH

BENEDICTINES

St. John Baptist de La Salle created the Christian Brothers in 1681 in France. He and the order were dedicated to providing poor, young boys with an education that would give them a means to rise out of poverty. The tradition of passing around the Common Basket at Mass to donate money to charities comes from the schools the Christian Brothers started. The wealthier boys would put any food they didn’t need for lunch in a “common basket,” and the boys who could not aﬀord lunch would take what they needed from the basket. Their tradition is also upheld through our charism, summarized by the sentence, “let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God.”

The Sisters of Saint Joseph were founded in 1650 in France. There were six original members, all of whom dedicated their lives to prayer and playing an active role in the community outside their convent. Focused on helping the poor and needy in their community, especially the sick and orphans, they also helped to give women the skills they needed to become self-suﬃcient. While there are many parts to the charism, it is summarised in one sentence: “Let us love god and the dear neighbor without distinction.”

St. Benedict of Nursa became a hermit in the beginning of the 6th century. The order is focused on a balanced life of service, reading, and prayer. The notable features of a Benedictine education include a reverence for all people and for God’s creation, a sacramental view of the world, pursuing the common good, and, the one many BSM students hear daily as a part of our charisms, listening with the ear of your heart.

Writer: Abby Letscher Designer: Mark Kincs

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Compassion Truth and Knowledge

Students live the BSM mission through service-learning.

ervice-learning was integrated into BSM over a decade ago, and ever since then, it has formed the Red Knight community that many students have grown to cherish. Service-learning fosters a community of love and develops a strong sense of faith. Perhaps, the biggest contributor to service-learning at BSM is Lisa Lenhart-Murphy, BSM’s Director of Mission who oversees the service-learning program. “BSM has developed a culture of service. We are a caring community, and service provides a vehicle for students to engage in the ‘real world’ and put their faith into action,” Lenhart-Murphy said. The idea behind service-learning is present in both extracurricular opportunities and the theology department. Take the Red Knight Volunteer Corp (RKVC) for example; it’s not mandatory, yet nearly half of the senior high participates. The active participation stems from a growing appreciation of the BSM values. “We have close to 450 students in it this year. It has grown in size every year it’s been in existence... our students do their service work from a place of intrinsic desire. They serve because it’s who we are and how we show up in the

world. It’s a reﬂection of our Catholic values,” Lenhart-Murphy said. Some members have a special connection with their volunteering and recognize the quality of their work. “I volunteered through RKVC at Shoot For Hoops…I met a little boy who still remembers my name and gives me a hug every time I see him. Those type of moments stand out looking back,” said senior Ashley Ortizcazarin. Underclassmen engage in a variety of theology topics that cumulate to the work of their junior and senior years. Freshmen and sophomore year religion classes focus on the teachings and knowledge of the Church, including information about servant leadership. “Kids have the chance to learn about what characteristic a servant leader has and reﬂect on those characteristic they have or want to develop in themselves,” Lenhart-Murphy said. Students engage in service as a part of service-learning in order to connect their real world experiences to the lessons they’ve learned in the classroom. Every eleventh grade student completes 35 hours of volunteering for the semester long theology class, Discipleship in Society. Students get to choose where they volunteer and what role

they want to take on. “I worked at Summit Place Resting Home. It made me feel much more sympathetic towards residents of resting homes. They’re a lot more lonely than you would think. I realized when I spend time with residents of resting homes it makes a much bigger impact and makes them happier,” senior Ryan Hoedeman said. Through being taught as a underclassman about the core values of service and then taking action as a junior and senior, Lenhart sees the academic value that service-learning provides for the student body all around BSM. “[Service-learning] is a great way for students to gain a broader worldview and have opportunities to live out their faith through service work,” Lenhart-Murphy said.

Writer: Truman Kinne Photographer: Em Paquette Designer: Mark Kincs

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A Touch of

Faith

Writer: Kelly Dempsey Designer: Jack Williams Photographer: Em Paquette

Faith is an important part of BSM. Journey, a group still in the planning stages, hopes to become a place where students will have an opportunity to grow in their faith.

ears ago, with worship and talks from various people, Touch was a regular Monday night event at BSM that gathered people who wanted to grow in faith. After Touch ended, the concept of Journey, a faith group for all members of the BSM community, was brought to mind. Touch included contemporary worship and student testimonies. The worship music consisted of keyboard, many guitarists, drummers, and vocalists, and student testimonies were shared. “During the years that we offered our Monday night Touch Worship services, I witnessed countless hearts touched and lives changed . . . young people leading other young people to a closer walk with Jesus . . . young people opening themselves to God’s call . . . young people coming to see the true difference God wants to make and can make in their lives,” Campus Minsiter Mr. Mike Jeremiah said. The most prominent reason of Touch ending was time constraints for

attendees and musicians. With other commitments such as sports and hobbies, taking an hour to an hour and a half out of the beginning of the week was too much for BSM’s busy students. The time commitments for musicians was a little different as well. Including practice time and set up every week, some student musicians were not able to accommodate to the demanding schedule. Branching off the idea of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Jeremiah and multiple other staff members still feel a need for another opportunity for students to express their Christian beliefs. With the idea of a faith group or Bible study in mind, Journey is the most recent and strongest idea. Wanting Journey to be a student-based program with the guidance of staff, the hope is to lead people to a relationship with God. Motivating people to bring God into everyday life, one objective is to make God apparent in the small things. Some of the staff who are plan-

ning on being involved are Mr. Seborn Yancy, the assistant senior high principal and freshman and sophomore dean; Mr. Thomas Klein, a social studies teacher; Mr. Jerry Pettinger, the Director of Athletics and Activities; Mr. Ken Pauly a social studies teacher; and of course, Jeremiah. Having experience with FCA, they are working hard to plan Journey. Planning on going back to the Monday night action, Jeremiah along with other supporters want to get Journey nights started as soon as possible. Although they have multiple adults on board, there is a need for students to set up the foundations. Hoping to get the student perspective on all logistics, there is need for student ideas to know what would be beneficial for them. Jeremiah would like to include worship, student and staff testimonies, guest speakers and talks on Journey nights. Extending out to new visions for the BSM community, Jeremiah wants the BSM students to have an opportunity to grow in faith and come together for fun.

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g n i h c e a c Te c e l l e n Ex

ty of e i r a v ide w a r o f nity. u M m S m B o e to nd c a m , o t c n s e r teache ze, environm M S B s si s a l c : reason

tudents at Benilde-St. Margaret’s are blessed with the advantages of a private school education. Students learn discipline, respect for teachers and fellow students, have smaller class sizes, and are taught in a Catholic education setting. Many teachers at Benilde-St. Margaret’s come to teach here after teaching at other private schools while others transitioned over from public. Making the switch to a new school, whether as a student or a teacher, can be challenging. The reasons people shift from one scene to another can vary. “Back when I ﬁrst started teaching, ﬁnances were a little rough in the public school sector, and so my position was eliminated. I was looking for jobs; I was not focusing on public or private, just any available job and I saw this one and applied. So it wasn’t a conscious decision to start working at a private school; it just happened to be the right place at the right time,” science teacher Lindsey Novak said. Once at BSM, teachers recognize BSM’s welcoming environment, which allows students to get acquainted and

trust teachers, forming bonds that will last throughout high school. “There’s an environment that makes me feel valued and love. I know that sounds cliche to call us a family, because everyone says that, but I have been to other schools. I love my students, and I love my coworkers, and I have cried with students and my coworkers before,” English teacher Katie Belanger said. There are also similarities between teaching at a private and a public school. For instance, the students share common difficulties. “The kids are the same. I loved my kids at the public school, just like I love my students here. I find that students have the same problems and joys no matter where you go,” said Novak, who previously worked at Robbinsdale Armstrong High School. Class sizing is, however, a difference between public schools and private. BSM tends to have smaller classes, which helps students interact in class and connect with their teachers. “I think the environment here has an opportunity to really help individual

students engage in a community. It’s a much smaller environment, and I really do value that smaller environment, coming from a school that students were 40 in a class and upwards of 700-800 per grade level. It is a much more close-knit environment here at BSM than I think you get at a lot of the large metro public schools. I really think there is an opportunity there for students to get a little more individualized focus on their skill set and what they need to be the best students and people they can be,” said English teacher Ryan Hogan, who previously taught at Hopkins. At the end of the day, public and private schools both have pros and cons. However, teachers at Benilde-St. Margaret’s love the environment and unique qualities that a private school education has to oﬀer. “I really do feel like my colleagues and my administration have faith in me and they trust what I do in the classroom. That gives me so much courage to try new things,” Belanger said. Writer: Kayla Farrey Desinger: Michael Koch

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Taher takes the Cake Being a private school gives BSM many options when it comes to lunch, allowing Taher to provide unique and inclusive lunches for all students.

hether you’ve noticed it in the food or the people, Taher (BSM’s lunch service) is anything but normal. Thanks to BSM’s private school status and a drive to serve students, the food at BSM has evolved into what it is today. In many ways, Taher takes a more restaurant inspired approach to school lunch. “What really separates us is being chef-driven… it may sound cliché today, but fifteen years ago it was anything but. Taher forms partnerships with schools like BSM and they build a full-fledged restaurant level kitchen and headhunt people like me to run it. The concept is now being copied by all of our competitors since it provides an institution with the best service possible,” said Chef Raul C. Templonuevo, who has worked at BSM for five years. There are a few direct reasons that make BSM’s system unique. “What makes BSM so special is having no regulation on food that is normally mandated by the federal government in public schools. We aren’t hindered by things like sodium levels or caloric intake which means that we can make big choices ourselves. One of the big differences is our menus... we don’t get them handed to us each month from corporate. I just finished next month’s by talking it over with the team,” Chef Raul said. Changes from the status quo like these give Taher the ability to really cater to the students’ desires. Students have inspired many delicious twists to otherwise normal mornings. “Our freedom to run a kitchen (especially one with the capabilities of ours like walk in freezers and coolers, multiple ovens and even a till-skillet) lets us do things like breakfast burritos or omelets bars some mornings,” Chef Raul said. Taher not only makes the food, but it has to be concerned with allergies and what people can eat.“In today’s time, we can accommodate all the potential allergies of kids. My generation skipped all that, but you guys have more food issues than I’ve ever

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seen. You’ve got peanut allergies, or tree nut allergies which will kill you... we know every allergy at BSM, especially if the parents have talked to Mary Andersen or someone in administration, and we want kids to talk to us. Even if they’re embarrassed, they can email us... we don’t have to do face-to-face. What we want is to number one, not kill you, and number two: we want you to be able to eat and not be shunned,” Chef Raul said. Much of the compassion the staff feels for students and faculty with special dietary needs comes from personal experience. “My mom is celiac, and it sucks... I mean her whole life she gets treated like a pariah at any restaurant when they think, ‘Oh you’re a gluten person,’ Well, gluten will kill my mom. It’s different for someone who chooses to go gluten free... but I still have to respect that. So, if there’s religious or social reason that someone isn’t eating meat––I don’t care–– what I want them to do is eat and have options. And if you want me to make something special, I will... it’s just my personal rule that everyone deserves to eat well,” Chef Raul said. Sometimes those who cook for a living also love to eat. Chef Raul, in particular, is anything but shy around food. “I mean, I eat anything I want cause I’m just that guy... the prettier the animal, the tastier it is. I’ve travelled the world and never turned anything down... ants, grasshoppers, you name it. The most delicious food of the weird insects was actually grubs. They’re sort of… buttery,” Chef Raul said. Taher truly goes above and beyond to serve with compassion and forward thinking, and deeply tries to reflect the ideals that BSM was founded on–– for that students should be truly grateful and a little hungry. Writer: Noah Bridges Photographer: Maddie Kurtovich Designer: Jack Feld

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ccording to BSM admissions documents, twenty percent of the senior high students identify as being students of color. This number makes them a minority inside the walls of BSM.

Students who identify as African American

703

Students who identify as being Latino/Hispanic

Students who identify as being Asian/Pacific Islander

Students identify as being Caucasian

80%

of the school

These numbers have a variety of impacts on the school and the individuals within it. “I feel like I have to try harder in school and prove I can keep up with everyone else,” sophomore Sarah Corneliuson said. Many students of color believe being a minority in the classroom holds some type of weight. “It’s almost a feeling of being alone and knowing you are different,” sophomore Cylysce Doe said. Operating within a majority white environment can prove hard for some students of color, especially when transferring from a more diverse school. “When I got to BSM, it was the fact that I was Latina and the feeling that came with knowing that nobody understood what that was like; it was walking through the hallways and not seeing anybody who looked like me,” junior Myrka Zambrano said. While being a minority possesses its challenges for many, BSM is improving their efforts and offering multiple opportunities to students of color. One new outreach program is The Affinity Group. Led by teachers, Ms. Lisa Lenhart-Murphy, Mr. Matt McMerty-Brummer, Ms. Shane Sisco, and Mr. Joe Creer, this group strives to build a sense of community, get students of color connected, and offer a space to discuss important topics. “For me, The Affinity Group opens the opportunities to find more friends that look like you,” junior Rachel Scoggins said. Lenhart-Murphy, McMerty-Brummer, Sisco and Creer also make up the Equity and Inclusion Department “This

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Students who identify as being Mixed Race/ Bi-racial

department helps students advocate for a million different things; it provides support, helps remove barriers, and gets kids connected to resources,” Lenhart-Murphy said. Along with these opportunities, there is now a Parent Affinity group. “The Parent Affinity group provides opportunities for parents of students of color to network and share community and discuss the initiatives that are happening through the equity and inclusion department,” Lenhart-Murphy said. With students of color making up twenty percent of the student body, diversity is an integral part of the BSM experience. “Diversity means being an individual, being your own self, and having your own unique characteristics,” senior Gabe Alada said.

ks Ban h a Bre ck Feld ter: Wri gner: Ja i Des

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Behind th

For many students and parents, the Board of Direc day life at BSM but the Board works with the adm

he Benilde-St. Margaret’s Board of Directors serves a fundamental role in achieving the school’s mission of creating and promoting servant leaders. Tasked with overseeing and governing all major happenings at BSM, the Board is paramount to the success of the school. Led by Chair Shay Wyley, the 2017 Board of Directors consists of 22 members, each of whom serves on committees that have more specific duties. These duties can all be broken down into one of five areas that the board oversees: finances, enrollment, advancement, governance, and strategic planning. The finance committee works with the school’s budget. According to Ms. Sheila Folkestad, a second year member of the

BSM Board of Directors and a third year member of the committee, the finance committee oversees all financial operations. This includes meeting with BSM’s CFO, Ms. Natalie Ramier, almost monthly, as well as monitoring the risk element–like insurance issues, the investments, and the endowment. “We also do budget forecasting which helps with setting the tuition,” Folkestad said. The enrollment committee focuses solely on how to increase interest in BSM and attract as many students as possible to come to the school. The members of this committee work closely with Mr. Ted Freese, the Director of Admissions, and Ms. Betsy Van Cleve, the Associate Director of Admissions and alumna of BSM’s class of ‘06.

“Essentially the idea at our first meeting was to lay out what occurred last year in terms of enrollment, what our plan is for this year, and what our strategic target is for this year. Now we will meet every other month and focus on feedback, and in some cases a few members of the committee will work on a project that benefits enrollment,” said Dr. Adam Ehrmantraut, president of Benilde-St. Margaret’s and member of all BSM Board committees. However, Ehrmantraut is not a voting member of the Board of Directors. In order to keep BSM on track with its mission, the Board formed the advancement committee. This group deals closely with all other committees and ensures that the goals of the school are being met, and that there are sufficient resources to meet

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the Board

Directors doesn’t seem to have an impact on day to he administration to continually improve the school. them. Along with Ms. Mary Fran O’Keefe and Ms. Rachel Kuzma Olson ‘93––Director and Associate Director of Alumni Relations and Community Events, respectively––this Board committee deals largely with alumni, fundraising, and the BSM community as a whole. The BSM Board of Directors also instituted a governance committee in order to maintain the high standards that Benilde-St. Margaret’s strives to achieve. This committee, like many others, is largely feedback based and helps dictate the rules of operation of the school. The governance committee is there to approve and give advice where needed on all school mandates. This group is in charge of overseeing the following of these rules at the highest level. Finally, the group that looks farthest

into the future is the strategic planning committee. In 2012, this group helped create the BSM 2020 plan. This plan, as outlined on the BSM website, states that “by 2020, BSM will excel as a nationally recognized leader in 21st century, Catholic, college-preparatory education, preparing students to live their faith and thrive in a changing world.” Ehrmantraut, as well as the rest of the strategic planning committee and largely the school as a whole, will begin the same process that took place in 2012 next year and work to create a new plan for the years to come. One of the most important aspects of a high functioning board is having a strong relationship with the administration as well as the faculty and staff. “The Board provides us with guidance and governance at

the 30,000 foot view, at the strategic level, and provides that support so that we can keep doing what we’re doing,” Dr. Susan Skinner, Senior High Principal of Benilde-St. Margaret’s, said “I have found the biggest value [of the Board] for me, professionally, is the mentoring that I’ve gotten from different board members. I’ve also found the board to be highly invested in the mission of the school and committed to the success of the school. I’ve had a really positive experience with the board, and I really appreciate their expertise,” Skinner said. Writer: Ben Larson Photographer: Maddie Kurtovich Designer: Luke Tift

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Learning Beyond Lectures BSM offers a wealth of unique and interactive classes that take learning to the next level. From Biomedical Investigations to Engineering, Business to 3D Art, these classes utilize tools learned in standard math, English, art, and science classes and apply them to real world applications.

Biomed Classes:

The Biomedical Program is a three year elective course that students can take to develop problem solving skills and the ability to analyze information. Students in Biomed begin by doing units of the body. From this, students in Biomed 2 begin to analyze different disciplines from emergency medicine to orthopedics. Finally, in their third year, each student will pick a topic and spend the entire year researching, with an emphasis on competing in a Science Fair this coming February. The Biomed course is very different from an ordinary course because it is not structured like a traditional science class. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is very project basedâ&#x20AC;Ś the tests are worth a lot less points,â&#x20AC;? teacher Jennifer Roushar said.

Business Classes:

Dow NASD

Apple

S&P

Tesla

There are six business classes that each analyze pieces of business and finance. There are no prerequisites to take any of these classes, and students do not have to take these classes in any order. With each class being only one semester, students have the opportunity to fit them into their schedule relatively easily. Each class is very different and analyzes a unique aspect of business. In Business and Personal Law, students learn what is going on in the law right now and relate it back to themselves. In Investments, students analyze and make sense of what is going on in the markets today and even get the chance to invest in their own stocks. The classes also offer some very unique extracurricular opportunities for students who want to get involved. Many students will compete in Business Professionals of America, a group that competes with other schools in different genres of Business. This puts the skills that the students learn in the classroom to the test in the real world.

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Engineering Classes:

The engineering program is a three year program that keep students who think like engineers. “The program is designed to prepare students for a future career in engineering utilizing industry standard software and technology” engineering teacher Kirsten Hoogenakker said. The class is very independent and requires students to stay ambitious and motivated. Similar to a business, teachers will assign projects and help with specific details, but the workload and learning is left mostly to the students. Students who take this course learn how to program, use 3D design software, solve problems logically, and even travel internationally. This past year, engineering students had the opportunity to travel to Japan to compete in a robotics competition. “I’ve always been interested in learning programming, but now with engineering, we are being taught some of the fundamentals of [Python] programming, so that later on we can apply them to bigger projects,” senior John Beutz said.

3D Art Classes:

3D Art classes offer a unique and interactive twist on the normal art classes with emphasis on problem solving, creativity, and real world application. The class teaches students to work with three dimensional objects. They learn the art of manipulating, understanding, and designing art in a very hands on way. A key skill that students learn in 3D Art classes is perspective. “Learning perspective based techniques. How it relates to the world around you,” teacher Alex Walton said. 3D art classes blend practical problem solving and apply them to student-driven projects. An important distinction between 3D Art Classes and other classes is the basis of separation. “Making sure that people get their hands dirty. Book bag off to the side. We can get pretty invested on our own to spark imagination. Invested into our own idea,” Walton said.

Writer: Lorenzo Cerda Photographer: Jessie Wille Designer: Luke Tift

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pack stands T H E

enilde-St. Margaret’s has a rich, long-lasting history of athletics. Through good years and bad years, the sports programs still find annual success. However, this success comes in many different forms. Sometimes it comes in the form of victory, but many times it is displayed in developing young student-athletes as they use the vehicle of sports to learn valuable lessons. Benilde High School and St. Margaret’s Academy both had rich athletic histories. They were both successful in their athletics. After the combination of the two schools in 1974, that tradition of success remained for the first decade or so. However, that success was short-lived. “The 80’s and mid-90’s were a down period for BSM sports. As enrollment suffered, so did athletic success. But, the past 20 years, we have been very successful and have a great tradition now,” Athletic Director Mr. Jerry Pettinger said.

Benilde-St. Margaret’s has some pretty amazing statistics when it comes to our athletic achievements. According to the Athletics/Activities Administrative Assistant, Ms. Judy Koski, 92% of students participate in extracurricular activities with 29 varsity sports and over 35 activities available at BSM. However, it is evident that BSM does more than just participate. “In the past eight years, BSM has won almost 60 Conference Championships, won more than 2 dozen Section Championships, have had 8 Second or Third State Finishes, and earned more than a dozen State Titles,” Koski said. Although it is the students participating in the sports, much of BSM’s success can be attributed to the outstanding staff that the athletic department has. Pettinger and Koski have great experience in the athletic world. Pettinger has been at BSM for 23 years, and Koski has been here for 21 years. Both of these figures enjoy working with students and taking on the challenges that each day brings. Sometimes, their vital work goes unnoticed, but they give abundant time and effort for the students to be able to participate in their athletic passions. The athletic tradition at Benilde-St. Margaret’s harbors more than just success in victory. These sports also contribute to character development and introducing

life-long lessons and skills, such as work ethic, responsibility, leadership, and integrity. The need to budget time and practice sound time management also teaches student-athletes. “Most kids have better grades in season versus out of season. Playing sports encourages time management and organizational skills along with being part of a team, working with others, and meeting different personalities,” Pettinger said. Athletics and extracurriculars are vital to the student’s experience. “BSM sports are an integral part of the overall experience at BSM.” Pettinger said.

Writer: Quinn Ehlen Designer: Andrew Cadle

Photographer: Morgan Williams

Photo Courtesy of T.E. Morris

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Join Up

Writer Brady Solomon Photgraphic: Muriel Ruppert Designer: Flynn Skahan

BSM’s wide variety of clubs offer something for almost everybody.

KVC, Knightlife, Medical Club, Math League, Mock Trial, NHS––the list goes on. With almost forty clubs and activities, BSM has something to offer to just about anyone, with activities focusing on everything from service to academics to competition. “We are a big enough school that we have a lot of different opportunities for different types of students. It just seems like there’s something for everyone…if there isn’t something that you’re interested in here, people are open to starting something, creating something,” Ms. Amanda Anderson, one of the Guidance and Career Counselors at BSM, said. One of the reasons BSM has so many clubs is because of how easy it is to create one. “[Clubs are] student-generated. If the students have interest, they write up a summary of what the club would do, how many times a week they would meet, who would supervise them, and then I approve it through administration and then we go from there,” said Mr. Jerry Pettinger, who has worked at BSM as the Athletics and Activities Director for 23 years. Of course, there are plenty of larger, more organized clubs than the ones created by students. Clubs and activities such as NHS, Knightlife, and Link Crew are larger and more organized, run by teachers and other adults. Groups like these can have upwards of 50 students participating. The largest club of all is the Red Knight Volunteer Corp. Boasting an incredible 480 members, RKVC is the biggest it’s ever been. RKVC is Benilde-St. Margaret’s service club, open to grades seven through twelve. Members of the club are emailed volunteer opportunities and are able to pick ones that best fit their schedule. “I call RKVC an ‘and’ club. You can do soccer, and RKVC. You can be in the play, and do RKVC,” said Ms. Becca Meagher, a religion teacher at BSM and one of

the leaders of RKVC. There are plenty of reasons to join clubs at BSM. Participating in clubs provides a fun activity to do outside of school and a great way to meet new people with similar interests, but it can also be helpful when preparing for college and careers. “[I] think that if students try out a number of different things, it’s going to help them find out, first of all, what their skills are; but also what they do like and what they don’t like for future reference. So some students might try out Mock Trial because they’re thinking about becoming a lawyer, and then they might find out, ‘Okay, well, that wasn’t what I thought it was, and I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would, so now I’m not going to pursue that career,’” said Anderson. In addition to helping students find their passions, clubs can play a part in college admissions. According to Anderson, colleges want students who will get involved on their own campuses, and seeing students participate more than they’re required to in high school is a good indicator that they’ll continue to do so in college. Not all clubs are created equal, however: many college admissions counselors highly value volunteer service, so participating in clubs like RKVC could weigh their decision more than clubs like, for example, Chess Club. Clubs that students can learn from also look good on a college application, such as Medical Club or Mock Trial. With so many clubs available for students to join at BSM, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. It’s easy to join too many activities, which could mean less time for schoolwork and possibly an increase in stress or anxiety. “Really, when it comes down to it, you just need to find a couple things that you like doing, and pursue those, be involved in them, get excited about them,” said Anderson. Students interested in joining a club or activity can find more information online at www.bsmschool.org/activities

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Girls in grades 9-12 join Reviving Daisy and talk about and enjoy various activities.

n 2002, BSM Guidance Counselor Ms. Amanda Anderson was approached by a student who told her about a club she had at her old school. This club was called Reviving Ophelia, named for a book by Mary Phipher, about societal pressures teenage girls face. Anderson was inspired by this idea, and Reviving Daisy was born. When the group first started, it was based around educating girls about the struggles teenage girls face. Since then, it has evolved into something more than that. Now, the club is dedicated to creating a space for teenage girls to get away from everyday societal pressures and stresses, in the form of a club that allows girls of all ages to hang out with one another and chat. “It’s kind of along the lines of a support group,” Anderson said. The club’s unique name comes from the all-girls school, St. Margaret’s Academy. The yearbook of the academy was titled “The Daisy,” and the advisors here at BSM wanted to revive some of the history and spirit associated with St. Margaret’s Academy in this club. Hence the name–Reviving Daisy. Reviving Daisy’s advisors include Ms. Anderson, and senior high chemistry teacher, Abbi Baker. Additionally, the club has five student leaders: seniors Maddie Schafer, Drew Check, Marly Neururer, Sarah Pucel, and Claire Shinners. High school can be a tumultuous experience for some people—and Reviving Dai-

Writer: Payton Schuldt Designer: Flynn Skahan

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sy aims to create an outlet for teenage girls specifically, having meetings once a month where the group gets together and participates in some sort of activity. Sometimes, the

group does somet h i n g more lowkey and laid back, like watching a movie in one of the art rooms or doing some kind of craft. Other times, more involved activities might include an off-campus event or a holiday party. Despite being a school club, Reviving Daisy is not meant to be a serious commitment, aside from attending one to two meetings a month. There are no grade or GPA requirements to join,b u t those who join must

be girls. The club is meant to be a break from the stress of high school, not another stressor. “It’s more of a time to have fun together than anything else,” Anderson said. Reviving Daisy can foster strong friendships that last well into life after graduation. Being a club that allows girls of any age to join, it has become a bit of an unofficial mentorship program. Age is not a factor in deciding who becomes friends with who in the club, and often times, freshmen girls become great friends with the seniors. A tradition in Reviving Daisy is an activity called “Rose, Bud, Thorn.” This activity is a fairly unique one: club members sit around a table and talk about something good that happened that week (rose), something bad that happened that week (thorn), and something they are looking forward to next week (bud). This is something that takes place at almost every Reviving Daisy meeting. “It can end up being a great way for the girls to relate to one another,” Anderson said. A favorite tradition of Reviving Daisy members manifests at Christmas. Every year, the club has a holiday party, during which members participate in a “White Elephant Gift Exchange.” During this activity, club members bring a gift that is oftentimes a joke to trade with the others through a game. The goal of this yearly gift exchange is to entertain, not to gain an extravagant gift. Reviving Daisy meets once or twice a month, and even those who weren’t officially signed up can just show up and be welcomed.

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For some, the first day of school is a new start, and for others, the beginning of the end. This year, 1,289 individuals walked through BSM’s doors unsure of what would be in store for them. From new freshman to worn seniors, the student body shares the common identity of Red Knight, but what exactly does that entail? The Knight Errant asked students and faculty exactly that. Here are some of their responses:

Lillian Galvin (grade 12) “Taher cookies and tater tots every day.”

Lauren Palmer (grade 9) “An education that supports a faith based community, while creating a passionate student body.”

Christin Paulson (spirit shop volunteer) “Benilde as a whole has a family feeling, more for [student] than for [parents]. It’s a tight knit community where teachers care about students.”

Coach Joe Creer (security) “Once a Red Knight always a Red Knight, because all Red Knights bleed red and white.”

Olivia Williams (grade 11) “A great community that supports everyone; I’m glad to represent the Red Knights.”

Kayla Grendall (grade 11) “Community, faith, and a great cheering section at football games.”

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Betsy Van Cleve, (assistant director of admissions) “Being part of a community that always has your back.”

Ava Shiffert (grade 11) “Constant road rage, and trying to not get hit by a car when crossing the street.”

Pedro Chillum (grade 10) “Having someone to count on, and always knowing there’s a center of others that will back you up when you need them the most.”

Patrick Binish (grade 12) “Being friends with everybody at the school and having a close knit community to rely on when needed.”

Writer/Interviewer: Taylor Anderson Photographer: Maddie Kurtovich

Designer: Johnny Byrnes

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Across the Map Students and faculty members of BSM come from a wide range of places. For some, this makes traveling to BSM a difficult task.

ecause BSM is a private school without a geographic district, students, faculty, and staff come from north, south, east, and west to make the trek to BSM. Some people travel seeming eternities to get to school everyday. But, distance is just a number. How is BSM able to draw in people from across the metro? Why are people willing to drive so far to come to this school? The simple answer is the outstanding community, but every person has a different take on it. Some believe that BSM offers more opportunities than public schools or other private schools; they want to take advantage of these opportunities and are willing to sacrifice a little gas money. “Benilde-St. Margaret’s is a school with more opportunities,” senior Madison Stoks said. Others believe that the community allows people from all interests to find commonalities with other students or faculty. Even people that live close come to BSM for more than just the short distance. Sophomore Olivia Schmitz lives three minutes from school and can even walk, but distance isn’t what draws her to BSM: “I love BSM’s sense of community and how everyone is so welcoming. It’s a great size where I know everyone in my class and can get to know my peers. They have a good selection of classes and electives and the teachers are extremely helpful.” Schmitz said. Some of the students who live furthest from BSM are junior

Scott Dick and senior Madison Stoks. Dick is a Watertown resident, which is about a 55 minute commute, and Stoks is a Greenfield resident, which is about a one hour commute. Living over 25 miles away from BSM causes these two students to give up valuable sleep time and gas money. “I fill up at least 3 times a week,” Stoks said. Good thing gas prices are low. The downside to living so far away is that not many of their friends make the trek out. “I think four of my friends have seen my house. It’s too far, and there isn’t much to do out here, so I tend to always go to them which is okay,” Stoks said. Dick also chimed in on the topic. “Nobody has told me that I “live in the Boonies,”, but people have told me to ‘move back to society’,” Dick said. The students and faculty who live further away spend a lot of time in the car. Consequently, they listen to a lot of music. Luckily, band teacher Mr. Paul Keefe, who wakes up at 4:30 to make a 50 minute daily commute, loves music, so driving doesn’t bother him. He sees BSM as his home. “BSM has been my home and a place to share music with some pretty awesome people for a long time,” Keefe said. However, time in the car is never a constant. Traffic is a big variable when it comes to living farther away. “I am sometimes late because traffic is always bad on Highway 12,” Dick said. With longer travel times comes more risk of traffic for which people must simply embrace the grind. Ironically, living farther away causes some students to actually spend more time at BSM than others. People who live close have the luxury of being able to go home and come back in a short time. Howev-

er, people who live farther often just stay at BSM because it is impractical to go all the way home. “I definitely spend more time at BSM than at home during the day. For example, if I have a game or ACT sessions I’ll just stay at BSM and do homework, because it would be a waste of time to go home,” junior Kate Hancuch, who has a 35 minute daily commute, said. When it comes to geographic locations of students and faculty at Benilde-St. Margaret’s School, there ain’t no mountain high enough, ain’t no river wide enough, and ain’t no valley low enough to keep them from getting to school, baby. Writer: Quinn Ehlen Designer: Andrew Cadle

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here is more than meets the eye about life at BSM, and the alumni demonstrate that better than anyone. BSM alumni are still extremely active in the community here at school. Part of the reason these people are able to stay up to date is the communication system BSM has set up to connect with graduates. Published four times a year, the Crown and Shield is a magazine directed at alumni and current and past families, which allows these people to stay connected with events and news at BSM. BSM also helps former graduating classes celebrate their reunions every five and ten years. Former athletes also come back occasionally to celebrate the induction of new members into the BSM Athletic Hall of Fame. On staff, BSM currently has 23 Benilde High School, St. Margaret’s Academy, and BSM graduates who have come back as employees. Among these are junior high literature and English teacher and head boys’ soccer coach Dave Platt, who graduated from BSM in 1985. As the head boys soccer coach, Platt works closely with his alumni and communicates with

them regularly through Facebook, Twitter, and the annual alumni vs. current players soccer game. “[Connecting with alums is] a fun part of my job… we are trying to invite some our our alums [from the first state championship team] back to a game, just so we can acknowledge them and celebrate them,” Platt said. BSM alums

ing a student here, I was going to matter,” Fulco said. There is clearly something that brings BSM alumni back home. According to both Platt and Fulco, the community here was a deciding factor. “There’s something about this community that’s pretty strong, and I think it makes people feel connected,” Platt said. Outside of the school’s walls, BSM alumni have covered every sort of profession, from astronauts to famous photographers. Mark Van de Hei a 1985 graduate, just recently launched into space with two BSM stutdent ID cards. BSM class of 1994 graduate and former NBA player Devean George has turned his life into much more than just being a basketball player. While he had a very successful career as a professional athlete, he knows there are important issues that he can help solve. Talking to students during an assembly last school year, George told the school about an affordable housing project in his childhood neighborhood in Minneapolis. He hopes to keep families off of the streets and use his figure as a former professional athlete for good. The letters BSM can refer to the students’ body, spirit, and mind: three things that shape students into becoming strong members of the community. “There’s not any one thing that you can put your finger on because there are so many pieces [of BSM],” Platt said.

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know better than anyone about how strong the community here is. In 2006, Samuel Fulco graduated from BSM. Ten years later, after working as a private tutor, financial adviser, and a horse trainer, Fulco returned to BSM as a senior high math teacher. “I had an aspect of familiarity, but I also knew that, just like be-

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Legacy Status F

amily history is strong within the walls of BSM. Currently, there are about 140 students who are children of past alumni. These legacies are following in their parents footsteps as leaders in the BSM community. The Sauer family is deeply rooted in BSM. “I am the youngest of six kids, so all six of us came to BSM. Also my sister-inlaw went to school here. My brother and my sister-in-law’s ﬁrst date was holiday ball of their junior year. And then their four children came here, so four of [Matthew’s] cousins,” Ms. Joanie Sauer, a math teacher at BSM said. Matthew Sauer––son of Joanie––now attends BSM as a sophomore. “I can go through the hallways and see all of my aunts, uncles and cousins on the walls. It’s pretty cool,” Matthew said. Matthew’s grandfather, Elmer Kopp, was a member of the board and now has a scholarship in his name for teachers, staﬀ development, and incoming students. He also participated in the BSM golf open, now known as the Joranger Open. “My parents hosted BSM golf open after [party] at our house, so they would all go out and play golf and then come back to our house for dinner,” Sauer said. Like the Sauers, many of BSM’s graduates who are current parents remain

Writer: Noah Layton Desinger: Michael Koch

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involved in the community. “My mom works with the dance team and my dad makes the media guide and t-shirts for the football team,” sophomore Phoebe Sellke, whose parents both attended BSM, said. Legacy within families creates an easy way for students of BSM alums to see how the school has changed and remained the same over time. “They added a lot onto the school, so whenever my parents come here they point out what is new and what things used to be,” Selke said. The academics have also gotten a lot better. “Academically, sciences have gotten so much stronger. There are more electives now. We used to have a typing class with typewriters and I would have to write papers for my advanced comp class by hand,” Sauer said. However, somethings have not changed, similar to BSM today, a lot of the students participated in extracurricular activities. “My mom was the ﬁrst varsity diver to go to State, and my dad played varsity soccer, ran track, and was also class

president,” Selke said. Likewise, many of the Sauer family members participated in extracurriculars. “When my oldest brother went here, they had a rugby club but there were no high schools with rugby clubs, so they would play St. John’s University or St. Thomas. My sister was the captain of the volleyball, basketball, and softball teams, homecoming queen, and Athena award winner, so she did everything. I played volleyball, basketball, and softball,” Sauer said. The academics, sports, technology, and overall building has changed over the years at BSM, but family history can’t change and students will aways be connected to the past alumni and signiﬁcant ﬁgures who attended this school.

“I am the youngest of six kids, so all six of us came to BSM. Also my sister-in-law went to school here. My brother and my sister-in-law’s ﬁrst date was Holiday Ball of their junior year. And then their four children came here, so four of [Matthew’s] cousins.” – Ms. Joanie Sauer

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Faces of The Past E

veryone has seen the graduating class pictures on the walls, but nobody, not even Ms. Mary Fran O’Keefe, BSM’s Director of Alumni Relations and Community Events, knows the story behind them. But the BSM community knows how big of a role those pictures dating back to 1959 have played in BSM traditions. Before the joining, Benilde High School and St. Margaret’s Academy were separate schools with separate traditions. It is believed that the class photos were originally a tradition starting with the Christian Brothers. Benilde High School, a Christian Brothers school, started displaying them with the graduating class of 1959. Other local Christian Brothers schools like DeLaSalle and Cretin Derham Hall also display graduating class pictures. Years later, when Benilde High School and St. Margaret’s Academy merged, the custom was continued with the combined school. Members of St. Margaret’s had to go back many years and go through old yearbooks to scan

previous graduating classes until they were caught up with the Benilde graduation pictures. BSM continues today with the tradition, adding new pictures every year. The graduating class pictures aren’t just black and white pictures stuck to the wall; they are pictures with a meaning. It is a part of school history that documents students’ place in time. The pictures record each year’s graduates, illustrating that BSM is centered on all the people that came before the current students and that BSM continues building as it goes into the future. “It shows us the long history we have here at school and the legacy we continue carrying on into the future,” Mr. Michael Jeremiah, Campus Minister, said. Current students who walk the halls every day may not recognize and appreciate the long standing tradition of the class pictures, but alumni the pictures since it records their attendance at BSM. “I love having them, walking down the hallways feeling the spirit of the past classes knowing we have such a long lasting tradtion,” Ms. Kaia Preus, English teacher, graduate of ‘09 said.

Whenever alumni come back to visit, one of the first things they do is to check their graduating class picture. To them the pictures remind them of their past at BSM. O’Keefe tells the story from years ago when there was a fire at BSM and one of the firefighters happened to be a BSM graduate. “One of the first things he did was take his picture off the wall and bring it outside to safety,” O’Keefe said. The Benilde St Margaret’s family is comprised of numerous families who have attended the school over the years. Current students who have had family members come before them enjoy looking at their siblings, cousins, and parents. “It’s cool to have a legacy of previous family members that attended BSM,” sophomore Maggie Anderson, who has four cousins who’ve attended, said. One of the fun things about this tradition is that people can see how hair and clothing styles have evolved over the years. “It’s interesting to see what my mom and her friends looked like when they were around my age,” said junior Emily Olson.

Writer: Kaitlyn McTigue Photographer: Lauren Beh Designer: Michael Koch

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From Faith to Cookies BSM sets itself apart from other Twin Cities high schools.

hen looking for a good junior high or high school, there are so many options of schools and so many qualities to look for to find the right match. As one of the largest private schools in Minnesota, BSM has many qualities that separate it from other schools. With a strong emphasis on community, service, faith, and academics, Benilde-St. Margaret’s sets up its students up for success. Typically, the decision for which school a student will attend falls in the hands of the parents. “We choose BSM because it was a Catholic education. I live one mile from Providence, and it was a different learning philosophy. At Benilde[-St. Margaret’s], it’s not just memorization it’s learning to think,” Heather Scherer, parent of junior Frannie Scherer and freshman Claudia Scherer, said. The school spirit is often another common attraction of BSM. “School spirit goes all the way through alumni and parents,” Scherer said. While parents play a big role in the decision of which school to attend, the school needs to work for the student as well. “The

community is very good and we are very kind to each other. It’s a very opening welcoming community and there are lots of activities for people to do that interest everybody,” sophomore Frankie Lynch said. When it comes to faith, BSM finds it important to include it daily. Whether it’s learning a prayer in language class, or saying special intentions in religion, faith is incorporated in the curriculum throughout the school. Math teacher Bruce Becker prays before every single class. “It’s important. It’s a part of who we are. It’s a part of who I am. One of the luxuries of teaching here and being a student here, I know because I was a student, is the chance to share your spirituality and your understanding of God with the world. And to be with other people who value that, like you do, is a great luxury. It’s also a way to come to understand how God is alive in the world in us and in the people around us,” Becker said. While the dresscode is seen as strict, BSM is the only private school in Minnesota to not have uniforms. “We haven’t had uniforms since mid to late seventies back when we merged, when the Benilde boys

didn’t wear uniforms and the St. Margaret’s Academy girls did. The first few years, it was like that as a merged school when the boys didn’t have uniforms but the girls did. Then they had to pick one direction to go, and I don’t know why they picked the no uniform direction, but that’s what they did back then,” Assistant Principal Mary Anderson said. While there are many major things that make BSM different, there are also many small things that make this school unique. The delicious Taher cookies are something that BSM is known for. They’re great for a snack throughout the day, and they even work as a breakfast option. “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t eat the extremely delicious Taher cookies,” junior Erin Beacom said. From faith to cookies, Benilde-St. Margaret’s strives to encourage a community that values character that makes a positive difference in the high school experience. Writer: Allie Brooks Photgrapher: Ginny Lyons Designer: Andrew Cadle

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Spirit of the

Knight

Cheering, wearing red and white and celebrating the community are all ways to reveal the school spirit at BSM.

eople often have different ideas on what makes someone have school spirit: some people think of cheering at a football game or a sporting event or even the homecoming pep fest; others think dressing up in school colors; and others think of wearing a school shirt or going to school sponsored events. But at BSM, school spirit goes beyond all that; it is being a community of people who come together to help each other grow and succeed in whatever it may be. Social studies teacher, Mr. Tom Klein, has a simple definition of school spirit. “School spirit is showing genuine enthusiasm for all things BSM,” Klein said. At BSM showing enthusiasm for the Red Knights is common. “[Students here show spirit by] dressing up on dress up days, putting a sticker on your car, wearing Red Knight Gear, and going to sporting events, even the smaller events like a track meet, ultimate game, or trapshooting,” senior Jack Gables said. Beyond daily actions, students also show their school spirit through their attitude.“School spirit is when you express your love for the school, and everyone who knows you knows that you are proud to represent your school whether it be at school events or just in general,” senior Grace Ryan said.

This attitude continues into promoting and supporting the school. “I believe that school spirit is showing your pride in your school. Being proud to be able to wear your school logo, or emblem. School spirit isn’t just dressing up on dress up days, it’s also telling future students the great parts of your school and being respectful of your school when you are there,” Gables said. When promoting and supporting the school, people are often very passionate about what it means to be a Red Knight. “To be a Red Knight is something that I am proud to say I am. I think that without school pride our school wouldn’t be the way that it is. But I also do think that even though it’s a big part of everyone’s daily life, I lack a little of it in mine,” Gables said. People often wear school colors or clothing in their daily life. “Sure school spirit is definitely a part of my daily life at BSM even if I don’t show it on a daily basis. Even though I don’t show it, I often see my teachers showing great school spirit and am happy to call myself a Red Knight,” Ryan said. School spirit is a big part of everyday life at BSM whether a student has just arrived at BSM or has been here since 7th grade “Always–as I love being a Red Knight! This is a special place. I look forward to everyday and every class,” Klein said.

Writer: Dylan Hoen Designer: Jack Williams Photographer: Maddie Kurtovich

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t BSM, three songs embody the school each year: the school fight song, the Alma Mater, and the yearly scripture theme’s responsorial psalm. The fight song banner, donated by the class of 1999, drapes the back wall of the Haben Center displaying the words to the song, but the song itself is rarely sung or performed during sporting events. Cindy Bass was a graduate of the class of 1975 and was the original writer of the fight song. Most high schools base their song lyrics to the melody of a college fight song, and Bass decided to use Ohio State’s fight song as a model for her lyrics. Instead of including the fight song in Mass or school events, BSM primarily sings the Alma Mater to show their school spirit. At every school mass, it has become tradition for everyone in the Great Hall to stand up and open with the Alma Mater. Mr. Zach Zeckser, a former religion teacher at BSM, visited a couple of colleges and noticed that not only do they have school fight songs but also Alma Maters. This inspired him to draft up a set of lyrics that he believed embodied the spirit of our school. With the help of music teacher, Ms. Nancy Stockhaus, they were able to bring his lyrics to life with a brand new melody. The final product was tested out by Stockhaus within her old Music Theory class, and after it received great response from students, it was introduced

for the first time at a school mass in 2012. According to Stockhaus, most other high schools only have fight songs. For the past ten years, Link Crew Director Ms. Becca Meagher has consulted with Dr. Susan Skinner and the rest of the religion department on what should be the

upcoming school year’s scripture theme. The scripture theme is designed for BSM faculty and students to grow and practice that year’s specific idea in order to become stronger people in faith and morality. After intense deliberation, Meagher selects three different possibilities for the scripture theme to be selected by the incoming group of Link Crew Members. “We split up our Link Crew members into small groups. After discussing the three prospects, they vote on which one they think would work best for the upcoming school year,” Meagher said. Once the scripture theme is chosen, Stockhaus composes a responsorial psalm that reflects the theme and is sung at Mass. This year’s scripture theme is humility. Even though humility seems like a very basic trait, BSM has gone the extra mile in trying to implement it into our community. BSM’s website explains: “The hope for this year’s theme is twofold. First, this theme of humility and the idea that the Psalms encourage a relationship with God inspires all members of the BSM community to reflect on their own life the qualities that make one humble and how we can bring those gifts to our school. Secondly, it reminds us that spending some time with this Psalm may bring clarity on the virtue of humility.”

BSM you teach us compassion, truth, and knowledge, make us servant leaders to tend the poor and fallen. The Spirit fills your hallways with glory of the Knight. May you always keep us walking in the light, And may we all walk proudly forever Red and White!

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Red Knight Armor practice good virtue and that our values should be in the right place,” Jeremiah said. The crests were separate when Benilde and St. Margaret’s first merged and was changed a time or two before it became what it is today. Near the late 80’s, BSM changed the logo to the current version. Today, the shield has three tiny crosses in the corners of the shield, which represent the Benedictine Brothers, who contributed to Benilde High School after the Christian

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Brothers. The Knight Head also came from Benilde High School, and has stayed one the shield ever since. With the crest being around every corner of BSM, it’s hard to ignore the big part of the history that comes along with it. Pulling multiple components from SMA and some from Benilde High School, BSM’s crest defines BSM.

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t’s on everything at BSM––the apparel, the paper, on the lamp posts in the parking lot, there’s even a huge print of it on the floor of the main entrance. The shield logo has been a part of BSM history ever since a little after the merge of Benilde High School and St. Margaret’s Academy in the fall of 1974. The crest originated at St. Margaret’s Academy, and most of of the same elements are still a part of the logo. On the St. Margaret’s crest, there was a crown representing St. Margaret of Scotland, who the Academy was named after. The crown is still at the bottom of the crest today, which is just one of the may things that was carried over to the BSM crest. The three flowers going down the center of these Marguerite Daisies, also tied to St. Margaret’s. At St. Margaret Academy, one of their big traditions was that the girls would carry a huge bouquet of daisies at their graduation––girls who graduate from BSM today still receive a daisy to continue the long-running tradition. The original St. Margaret’s crest still is on the envelopes that are sent out to the St. Margaret’s Academy alumni to notify them for their class reunions. Ms. Mary Fran O’Keefe, who is the Alumni Relations Director and Head of Community Events believes that the ladies that graduated from there still refer to their school as SMA, not Benilde-St. Margaret’s. Another big part of the logo that started at St. Margaret’s are the three Latin words––Pietas, Scientia, and Veritas. Pietas means piety, which represents the religious element to our school. Scienta means knowledge, the academic aspect of our school. The word Veritas means truth, a characteristic valued at BSM. O’Keefe and Mr. Mike Jeremiah, Campus Minister, believe our school is centered on those three words. “When I see [Veritas], I think of virtue and how we should be people who

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