New Chevron: Fourth Quarter, 2024

May, 2024

Graham’s Gossip

By Miles Graham ‘24

The New Chevron

Arnold’s Final Farewell

One of Benedictine’s Longest Reigning Teachers is Retiring

By Orlando OrellanaDuran ‘24

Every year, seniors are required to participate in the migraine that is The Figure. Participation in this event is a graduation requirement.

Cadets are tired of this tradition for many reasons. Each member of the class is required to secure a date. Another task these privates and nonofficers must do is pay for a dress that their companion must wear to attend the event.

This duty is a nuisance to accomplish for most, as this requires the Cadet to

See Page 2: Complications in the Corps

Joseph Arnold Jr., one of Benedictine’s longest reigning teachers, has decided to retire at the end of this year. Coach Arnold joined the BCP family in 1981, while the school was then known as Benedictine High School, after having taught at Fork Union Military Academy for four years. Since his start back in the ‘80s, he has become a staple of the Benedictine education. He has taught three generations of students, including some of his fellow teachers, such as Mr. Mugford ‘86, Mr. Doran ‘92, Mr. Kaplan ‘01, Mr. Smith ‘01, Mr. Von Bargen ‘04, Mr. Gill ‘11 and Mr. Acosta ‘17.

This year, Coach Arnold teaches

only Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition, but in years past, he taught a plethora of other English classes.

Before 2021, Coach Arnold acted as one of the last obstacles for a Cadet to graduate. He taught all senior English classes and was notoriously tough. Despite his challenging class most, if not all, of his former students have grown to appreciate his lessons after they left Benedictine. His former student and fellow teacher, Mr. Kaplan, has been one to give him an enormous amount of praise and thanks for all he has done for him, even if at the time he did not understand the lesson being taught to him.

Coach not only taught Mr. Kaplan when he attended

Benedictine, but also when he first started teaching. Coach Arnold was a mentor to Mr. Kaplan due to him being the only teacher who had no experience

His fellow teachers also give him a great amount of ac-

See Page 5: Arnold is AWOL

as one. “The first time I came to school late,” stated Mr. Kaplan, “I tried to turn in a homework assignment that was due that day, and he just said it was due at 8:15 a.m. and just walked away.”

Writing on the Wall A Cadet’s Canvas

Alumni Ben Walls has been a Story of Success

By Jake Janus

‘24

Demand for news broadcasts has slowly declined with the rise of social media, news apps and other forms of information. Broadcast journalism, however, is still an art, and it takes a special kind of person. One such person is Benedictine’s very own Ben Walls. After graduating from Benedictine in 2019, Walls went on to study multimedia journalism at Virginia Tech — there he got his first taste of broadcast journalism. Walls has been on an ascent ever since he left the bustling hallways of Benedictine and is now at the dynamic newsrooms of Eyewitness News WEHT/WTVW — which broadcasts stories in Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois. Walls’s journey has

Since Benedictine

been one of relentless pursuit and unwavering dedication. Reflecting on his time at

See Page 5: The Wolf of Wall

Chris Carlisle Displays his Artistic Abilities

By Trevor Toulson ‘25

Chris Carlisle shadowed Hamilton Glass, a Richmond renowned artist who has created over 300 paintings, through the CapCity Alpha’s Young

Achievers program to create a mural in downtown Richmond honoring four local individuals who were awarded a Medal of Honor during World War II.

Thanks to the help of Carlisle, these WWII veterans will never be forgotten, as these talented individuals etch their names

See Page 3: Benedictine’s Best

Photo courtesy of Photojournalism

Coach Arnold checks his notes during one of his final classes at BCP.

The Figure is an Outdated Traditional Headache

Photo courtesy of Photojournalism Ben Walls poses for a photo grinning ear to ear.

Street

Figure Fumble

Photo courtesy of Carlisle family

Chris Carlisle ‘24 poses with his magnificent mural.

Sneaky Seniors

With the Start of Senior Assassin, All are out for Blood

By

A game played in almost every high school nationwide, seniors compete to the last man has come and gone at Benedictine. First begun in 1982, the game has weasled its way into Benedictine years ago, and this year’s game is the most high stakes one yet.

To play Senior Assassin, one must pay an entrance fee to the battalion commander, in this case $20. Once payment has been given, everyone will be assigned a fellow Cadet to “kill,” and will be assigned as someone else’s target.

Once you “die,” you are eliminated but can pay an extra $65 to re-enter the game. Al-

go above and beyond to lock in a date, and it results in a dip in his wallet for the dress he must buy.

Sponsoring officers already have it made, as they almost always attend The Figure with their sponsors. These sponsors already

though these high prices are a bit worrying, especially if you lose, they are the reason for the over $1,000 jackpot, which is why over half of the senior class is playing this year.

This high prize has caused many seniors to go mad, moving some to resort to trickery and other deceptive methods to get their target.

Tim Semisch, for example, planted an Apple Airtag to track his target, Michael “Mikie” Purcell, in a desperate attempt to find his address so he could surprise him on his way to school one morning. “I was kind of confused when my phone pinged and said that there was an Airtag near me,” stated Mikie. “But right when

I saw it, I knew Tim was the one who put it there.”

Another demonstration of the madness that has consumed the senior class is the kidnapping of Walker Campbell. On April 24, after school, Walker was suddenly grabbed and carried by Cadets Freddy Barber and Brycen Arbogast into Barber’s car and driven off campus so they could shoot and “kill” him. “It was wrong, but it worked,” stated Barber.

All this has made the players paranoid, which has forced them to take as many precautions as possible to stay in the game.

Some have resorted to having a sibling or parent scout out their front yards and

faced over his Senior Assassin elimination.

driveways for students waiting to attack them, or bringing orbeez guns to games and other off-campus events.

Others have decided to make shaky alliances with other players and some noncontestants to help get information on their targets or a hunters

plans, such as Henry Demyanovich and Conner Helm, who worked together to eliminate Jacob Adair and Semisch, early on April 25. Luckily for those playing, there are some rules that protect them from being eliminated early on. Those rules are that anywhere on campus, the OAC and fields for off-campus games are safe zones, where you are unable to be attacked, and the strip rule, where if you strip down to your underwear, you are safe from being “killed” as well.

From Page 1: Complications in the Corps

have a dress sitting in their closets that meet the requirements for the event. This is unfair to the privates and non-sponsoring officers, as they have less time to find a date and purchase a dress for said date.

Some unfor-

tunate Cadets have a hard time finding a date. This dilemma causes the school to help by finding a date for them.

I think one way to make The Figure a better experience would be to make it a non-graduation requirement. Instead, the sponsoring officers would be the ones forced to do it. A mandatory officer-only event would be ideal since every sponsor and their dates already meet The Figure’s attire requirements.

With only 17 couples, plus voluntary participants, the initials and shapes would be heavily spread apart. I believe it would still work, as spreading the shapes and initials out would still result in resembling the letters and words. The spectators would understand what is being laid out in front of them plus, when it is announced what the initials are and what they stand for, there would be no question as to what is being shaped out on

the court floor. Tracing back to the oldest yearbook BCP has in the library, the senior class of 1942 had 45 Cadets participate in The Figure. The class of 2024 has over 77 Cadets. In ‘42 they had 32 fewer Cadets and still managed to hold The Figure. The only advantage The Figure has in having more people is that the shapes and initials are more dense.

These Cadets are already prepared to attend special events, so what’s one more? Every private and non-sponsoring officer should only attend to watch The Figure and not be required to participate.

In this scenario, every Cadet would save the trouble of scrambling to find a date and a dress in time for this currently graduation-required event. Some Cadets’ parents already dish out a lot of money just to be here, so making The Figure a non-graduation requirement means parents would save money

and be happier. Another way to save some trouble for this hobbling event would be to make St. Gertrude do it. With this new implementation, every Cadet could secure a date. For the dress issue, they could figure out a solution, as

the Gators would have to do it now. Either the school would pay for the dress, or they would make their students pay for it. Either way, in a new world with these new rules, it assures that each and every Cadet will have a date.

Orlando OrellanaDuran ‘24

Photo courtesy of Photojournalism

Freddy Barber gives a winner’s flex while Antonio Schoenborn is all sad-

Photo by Wendell Powell Luke Drew ‘24 stands proudly with his date.

Photo by Wendell Powell

Colin Dart ‘24 walks with his date through the sabres during The Figure.

From Page 1: Benedictine’s Best

into Richmond history. The ultimate goal of this project was to produce a painting that “will mark the selfless acts of local heroes from various ethnicities, ranks, military services, and wars,” stated Monumental Honor.

Carlisle went above and beyond for his first art project at this level. Like all big things, the Cadet was nervous about botching a project this huge. “It was a really cool experience working with Glass,” said Carlisle. “I was nervous, because this was my first time doing a mural this big.”

The senior pri-

vate had an innate talent for art at a young age, which helped him find his calling. He still has a lot to learn, but Carlisle has significantly improved as an artist since his humble beginnings as a young Cadet. When he stepped foot into Ms. Siewers’s art classroom, she noticed his keen drawing ability almost immediately. “My job is to teach students how to see art,” said Siewers. “When Chris came into my class, he’d already figured out how to do that. He has a natural eye for it which helped him out a lot.”

His artistic talents allowed him to

be a part of something bigger than himself: almost as big as the wall near West Main and Granby streets where the mural was created. Knowing that Chris is being recognized for his talent and able to contribute to the community positively, Ms. Siewers feels like a proud mother who is able to see her child succeed in the world. “I feel like, at this point, I can present him with bigger challenges, and I know he will rise to the occasion and succeed,” stated Siewers.

In addition to creating such a monument, Carlisle was able to watch a master at work, Hamilton

Learn More About Lamour

The Life of a Legend — BCP’s own Nadia Lamour

By Jake Janus

‘24

The shrill bell rang, “ding ding ding ding.” A Cadet bombarded the little bell with an unrelenting attack, as they commonly do when entering Mrs. Nadia Lamour’s classroom. Eventually, she turned her attention toward the Cadet and the bell and he shouted, “What’s up Mrs. Lamour?”

Mrs. Lamour, who only joined the Benedictine family last year, quickly became one of its most beloved members. She is always spotted with a cheery smile and speaks in a lovable and recognizable French accent. “Mrs. Lamour is almost motherly,” stated Walker Campbell ‘24. “I love her accent, too.”

Lamour was born and raised in France, is married to a Polish man and has two lovely children. The Cadets know Lamour as their treasured biology teacher, but few know her story. “I am currently taking my second class with Mrs. Lamour, AP Biology,”

said James Russo ‘24. “I have spent so much time around her, but I know little of her background.”

Mrs. Lamour grew up frolicking on the beaches of Les Sables d’Olonne, a seaside town on the west coast of France. One summer, when she was 16, she began working at a bar at a vacation camp near her hometown to earn some cash. A few short years later, Mrs. Lamour shipped off to the University of Nantes.

When interviewed, Mrs. Lamour mentioned some advice she would like to share with her students. “The first year of college can be tempting, you may want to get wild, but be careful… don’t repeat your first year like me.”

Mrs. Lamour completed her undergraduate at Nantes, and then continued her studies at the University of Paris, where she earned her masters in parasitology. From there, Mrs. Lamour was once again on the move — this time to Scotland, namely the

Glass, as he challenged the young Cadet to let his artistic juices flow. Glass helped inspire the soon-to-be college freshman to keep working toward becoming a talented artist and continue his artistic journey onto the next level. “I’ve seen his art all around Richmond, so seeing that work, being able to be with him in person is really cool,” Carlisle said in his interview with CBS. “He was someone I looked up to.”

The nonprofit mural idea started when Ian Berry, the president and founder of Monumental Honor, was at West Point and

learned the story of Lt. Jimmie Monteith, who died helping get soldiers off the beaches of Normandy during DDay. Berry felt that his story and the stories of others needed to be shared with the greater Richmond area. “Let’s share those infallible values of those actions with a city,” Berry said in his CBS interview. “We want to honor their legacy, uniting the city and developing the future through the process.”

Through his natural ability to draw and the people he surrounded himself with, Carlisle has successfully made a name for himself in the Rich-

mond area. Adults have been fostering his talent for almost four years, and the time spent is paying off. A mural of this scale strengthened his bond with one of Richmond’s greatest, and he may be presented with additional future opportunities to work with Glass as partners on other memorials that Monumental Honor has in the works. The senior is slowly but surely gathering experience in preparation for his college journey, and he will continue down a path of artistic prosperity thanks to his trusty eyes.

University of Glasgow, where Mrs. Lamour earned her Ph.D. in molecular parasitology. Mrs. Lamour noted Scotland as being dreary, cold and rainy. “I need sunshine,” said Lamour. “I’m like a flower.”

After Glasgow, she sought postdoctoral research, which is where she took a turn toward America. She ended up researching at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).

She planned to research for three years, which then became five years. “I felt like I was kind of floating, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do,” said Mrs. Lamour. “I never planned on staying in Virginia.”

While at VCU, she met her future husband, a Polish brain development and cancer researcher named Tomasz Kordula. Mrs. Lamour stopped her research for a while after marrying and having her first child, Lukasz. A few years later she had another, Sophie. Lukasz and Sophie both make oc-

casional appearances at Benedictine, and are minor celebrities within Lamour’s classes. In a brief interview with one of the stars — Lukasz — he said, “My mom is very cool.”

With two children, she realized she needed to change

her path, as research was demanding. She taught part-time at John Tyler Community College (now Brightpoint Community College) for the next 10 years, and then came to Benedictine, where she began teaching last year. Mrs. Lamour has a bright past and an even brighter future. “She genuinely cares about the students,” stated Miles Graham ‘24. “She is a great person, and I am glad she is here.”

Photo by Jude Drew ‘24

Mrs. Lamour in her usual smiling mode to greet her students.

Key Contributors

BCP Students’ Community Service

By Alex Ortiz ‘25

All students at Benedictine are required to complete 60 community service hours. Many of the students get these hours done by joining the school’s Key Club. The purpose of the Key Club complements the motto of the Benedictine monks (ora et labora) to pray and to work. In other words, the goal of the club is to help those around the community.

Key Club activities are open to all students at both Saint Gertrude and Benedictine. They are also open to parents, siblings and whoever would like to help.

Maj. Ramos is in charge of connecting the Cadets with com-

munity service opportunities, then the Cadets lead these events and decide which events they are going to do. Two Cadets who are part of this club are Campe Griles ‘24 and Cristian Ramos ‘24.

Griles is in charge of administering the website and making sure that it is up to date. “My role in the Key Club is lots of fun,” said Griles. “It’s really cool that we get to help those around the community, while completing our community service hours alongside some of our closest friends.”

Griles went on the Pagebrook Road cleanup, donated to the food bank, helped with project W.A.R.M (Wood Association

of Richmond Metro) three years in a row, helped in Wreaths across America at Glendale Cemetery and volunteers at the ASK Childhood Cancer Foundations events.

Cristian Ramos is currently the president of the Key Club. He leads the Key Club events and often helps Maj. Ramos with organizing the events. Cristian Ramos is a LEMI (Lay Ecclesial Ministry Institute) ministry leader. LEMI’s goal is to help support activities that benefit the needs of military service members with their families. “I am very proud of the man my son is becoming,” said Maj. Ramos.

Maj. Ramos also spoke on why he and his son do so much charity work around our Benedictine community. “I am inspired

A Costly Creation

BCP has Lost its Beloved Mrs. Johnson

By Jude Drew ‘24

The construction of the new St. Gertrude building and the Gators making the swap out of the BCP building occurred recently. With mixed opinions, there were a lot of pros when the big change was finally made. Everything worked out according to plan, but one thing really broke the hearts

of all the Cadets.

A big downside of the move for BCP happened to be unexpectedly losing someone special. Mrs. Johnson, deemed “the nicest woman ever” by many, made the jump to the cafe in the new Gertrude establishment. Cadets still see Mrs. Johnson every once in a while, but it was a big switch from

their familiar routine. BCP students once entered the lunchroom to find a smiling Mrs. Johnson, who warmly welcomed them. Now, the Cadets are missing the woman who kept the happy vibe during lunchtime.

A Cadet attending the Benedictine building deprived of Mrs. Johnson is lacking the full BCP expe-

by the spiritual and corporal works of mercy,” said Major Ramos. “I have this sense of obligation to guide others in a life of service to one another.”

Maj. Ramos loves his position with the Key Club and is constantly striving to help improve the Ca-

dets who are around him.

“Anytime we can inspire a group of young people to get together and joyfully play and work for the benefit of others,” said Maj. Ramos. “As long as I can help those Cadets around me, I believe that I am in the right place.”

The Key Club is something available to all Cadets and students should utilize this opportunity to help around the community while forming strong bonds and completing their mandatory community service hours.

Mrs. Johnson smiles dimly as she ponders the fond memories she made with Cadets.

rience. Mrs. Johnson could often be seen watching morning formation from the patio outside the lunchroom directly above the parade deck. Regardless of the weather situation, she was always outside, happily watching the Cadets.

The now-seniors at Benedictine had a variety of lunch changes in the years with Mrs. Johnson. As freshmen and sophomores, the cafeteria’s kitchen was used by Mrs.

Alan. At the time, Cadets would use their school ID to buy food from the lunchline. It was common to have an ID card that needed to be scanned by Mrs. Johnson. With a complicated catering system introduced during junior year, Mrs. Johnson still continued to grin joyfully as she handed out the meals. But what made her an instant crowd favorite for the newly-inducted classes were the short and sweet conversations shared between her and the students. “I think I am speaking for everyone at Benedictine when I say she is greatly missed,” said Luke Drew ‘24. “I know it as a fact.”

It is impossible to find someone in the BSoR community who dislikes Mrs. Johnson. She still visits the BCP building every once in a while, with the same shining smile that instantly brightens the mood. She will forever remain an icon in the eyes of her Cadets, no matter what.

Photo courtesy of Key Club

Maj. Ramos (left), Cristian Ramos (middle left), Will Amonette (middle right) and Walker Campbell stand with BCP donations.

Photo by Jacob Tres ‘24

The cafeteria seems like a wasteland without Mrs. Johnson’s high-spirited energy being present in the building.

Johnson and Chef

Photo by Orlando Orellana-Duran ‘24

Virginia Tech, Walls recalled his role as the news editor for the campus newspaper, a position that solidified his love for journalism and also provided invaluable experience that would shape his future career.

From Page 1: The Wolf of Wall Street

But it was the foundation laid during his formative time at Benedictine that truly set Walls on his path to success. Walls discovered his passion for writing and found the guidance of Mr. Forster at Benedictine. Walls credits Mr. Forster for instilling in him the essential skills and values that have propelled him forward in his career. “He taught us what questions are important for journalists to answer, how to write in the Inverted Pyramid and how to respectfully approach a newsmaker for interviews,” Walls reflected. “These are skills that I utilize every day in my role as a multimedia journalist at Eyewitness News.” Walls attributed much of his choice to pursue journalism to Mr. Forster. “I enjoyed my professors at Virginia Tech, but Mr. Forster’s teachings and advice on the news business were incomparable,”

Walls said. “Though I am thankful for my Virginia Tech journalism professors, I felt like Mr. Forster shaped me as a journalist more so than my journalism professors,” Walls noted. “I didn’t realize I could make a career in the news until one day our newspaper class met with Mr. and Mrs. Forster, and they made us a cake after meeting a newspaper deadline. Mrs. Forster asked ‘Is anyone interested in majoring in journalism?’ and it helped me realize that making a career in news was more doable than I thought, if I could get

From Page 1: Arnold is AWOL

claim. For example, Ms. Lowry, the current dean of faculty and former English department chair, thinks quite highly of him and has used him as a model for teaching her classes. She stated that it has been a pleasure working with him and respects that he has always stayed true to himself and his ideals, and she is a little saddened to see him go.

She sees his leaving as a loss of culture, even stating that he is part of the fabric of the school and that it will not be the same without him. “I think the general consensus among all of his former students is that he was a great teacher,” stated Ms. Lowry. “And he has made me want to be a better teacher.”

Coach has

taught for 43 years and has become a Benedictine institution in his own right, being in contention for being Benedictine’s longest reigning teacher on record, with his only recorded competitor being the late Fr. Adrian Harmening O.S.B., who passed away in 2020. He has been part of almost half of the school’s history and has taught entire families of Cadets.

Despite his jokingly rude attitude, Coach Arnold always cares for his students and is able to remember any one of his students’ faces. As Mr. Kaplan said, “With him leaving, it is just one more connection to the old school that will be lost.”

Along with his teaching career Arnold

a journalism degree.”

While at Benedictine, Walls was on the swim team, color guard and drill team. When interviewed, Walls remarked on how much BCP has changed since he left, but he also reflected on the things that are the same. “BCP helped with my work ethic,” Walls said. “You can’t find anything else like it in the Richmond area. We wore uniforms and had long days. I am forever grateful for it.”

Since joining the team at Eyewitness News in June 2023, Walls has embraced the fastpaced world of broad-

cast journalism as an on-air reporter. Walls approaches each assignment with the same level of dedication and professionalism he developed at Benedictine.

Beyond the deadlines and the headlines, Walls finds fulfillment in the opportunity to connect with people and share their stories with the world.

“I like how journalism offers the opportunity for me to learn about what issues are important to Illinoisans, Hoosiers and Kentuckians,” he stated. “Everyone has a story, it’s just a matter of asking from there.”

As Walls continues to make his mark in the world of journalism, he remains grateful for the education and guidance he received along the way. From his time at Benedictine and Virginia Tech, Walls’s journey is a testament to the power of education and the enduring impact of dedicated mentors. Walls is an inspiration, especially to Cadets interested in pursuing a path in journalism.

Mrs. Jennifer Janus contributed to this article.

is a former football coach, serving multiple positions such as defensive coordinator and a line coach. His career goes beyond education and coaching, however, as he also had a short stint in the United States Army Reserves after his graduation from Virginia Military Institute.

Coach Arnold is also a talented artist, who likes to sketch and draw in his free time. See page six for examples of his artwork. With his departure, Ms. Slotterback will take over his class and, even though she has some large shoes to fill, many think she will do a great job.

Mr. Forster contributed to this article.

By Robbie Cleveland

Photo courtesy of Photojournalism

Coach Arnold teaches Will Holland ‘24 and other Cadets.

‘26

Photo courtesy of Photojournalism

Ben Walls smiles happily next to his grandparents in the BCP building during his time as a Cadet.

Arnold’s Artistic Avenue

A mainstay in the building for the past 43 years, Coach Arnold is putting down the red pen he so devastatingly wielded. Though he will no longer be traumatizing the seniors via his everchallenging English classes, he will continue with another of his life-long lovesdrawing compelling pictures.

Coach Arnold’s interest in drawing has gotten him through numerous board meetings, where there’s nothing else to do but doodle while listening to administrators drone on and on. Whoops, we ended that one with a

preposition. (I guess Coach gets one more swipe of the red pen for that transgression.)

Coach Arnold takes a liking to drawing landscapes of nature, animals and WWI and WWII era airplanes. He has even drawn holiday scenes, which he then minimizes and puts on Christmas cards. Most of his art is sketched with pencil, pen or oil pastel.

Some of his paintings can be seen around the building in Mr. Kaplan’s room. Herewith is a small sampling of some of his best works.

Top Right. •

Minimized down for a Christmas card. Stipple and Pastel

Middle right: • Two elephants walking past trees. Drawn when Coach was in the 7th grade.

Bottom right: •

Stipple of a majestic cicada made using Ultra Fine Point Sharpie markers. Drawn in 2019.

Top Left: • Three Orcas. Stipple and Sharpie used. Drawn in 2019

Bottom Left: • Douglas SBD Dauntless flying through the sky. Drawn in 2021.

Good luck, Coach Arnold.

As the school year came to a close, the Cadets were saddened to learn that one of their beloved art teachers, Ms. Siewers, was moving on to greener pastures. But, to be fair, what could be greener than trying to teach a bunch of knuckle-dragging teenagers the art of two-dimensional art?

Siewers Superb Sketches

Ms. Siewers, one of the nicest teachers to ever grace our halls, has been a model of kindness and professionalism during her nearly decade and a half with the Cadets.

She also shared some of her best artwork for this edition of the New Chevron.

Clockwise,

from the right: stipple drawing of Etta James; a retro-style “Album cover using Spray Paint Stencils,” a rendition of “Emma and Lady;” a unique perspective titled “Hold On” and a drawing of Richmond’s Main Street Station.

Good luck, Ms. Siewers. The Cadets will miss you.

Military Madness

Several Changes are Coming to the Corps Next Year

By Aidan Mugford ’25

Benedictine’s morning and afternoon formations will look a lot different when the Cadets arrive at the parade deck on the first day of school next year. There has been a lot of buzz about changes being made to BCP’s military program.

Some of these changes include the reintroduction of Delta Company (D Company) to the formation, changing the Command Sergeant Major (CSM) to a junior position and the creation of two new officer positions.

The change with the most hype around it is the new company that will be

added. D Company had previously been a company in the Corps of Cadets, but last existed almost a decade ago. Currently, all senior privates are part of Headquarters Company (HQ), except those in Band Company. Given that senior privates have a reputation of being the worstbehaved and mostdelinquent Cadets, HQ often disrupts the formation due to being too rowdy or failing to follow instructions.

The addition of D Company could result in the senior privates being separated, which is what many Cadets speculate could be the reason for the new company. Colonel Walker has stated that

one of the ideas for the company could be as a long-term Provost, where problem Cadets could be sent to if they continue to be a problem within their regular companies.

Colonel Walker shut down this rumor stating that adding D Company would be due to increasing enrollment and the need for a more spread-out formation instead of solely for the purpose of splitting up senior privates. Adding the company will also create another sponsoring officer position for seniors to make up for the change of CSM to a junior position.

The next big change that will be made next year is converting CSM into a junior position, which it has been in the past. In recent history, the CSM has been a senior sponsoring officer position. The cadre has decided to change that next year to make the CSM a junior.

The change will have a total of two junior CSMs a year: one for each semester. The reason for this change is to make it easier to identify the top junior in the class. “It could give a good idea of who the next [Battalion Commander] should be,” said Gunny.

Sorry Advice From the S4

Dear Supply Guy, My dad lost his job, and we’ve been struggling financially. What should I do to pitch in, so we can have more money?

Signed- Broke Cadet

Dear Brother, Dropshipping from the quartermaster has created generational wealth for many students. Some students may try to put ideas in your head that the items are overpriced

and you will struggle to make any money off of them. First, I’d start with buying at least 20 nametags, which cost five dollars each. On Amazon, you could flip these items for about eight bucks a pop and your profit would be 60 dollars.

Once you start making more profit off lower money items like this, you can move up to reselling higher value items like the OCP cover or the Class B

Giving juniors the opportunity to take on such a prominent role in the corps would also teach them what it means to be a sponsoring officer and for them to get an idea of the responsibilities they will have if they end up being one.

The final change planned for the coming school year is the creation of a new officer position called the Batallion Armorer. This officer would hold the rank of first lieutenant and would be in charge of servicing the corps’ drill rifles mostly used by the Benedictine Drill Team for practice and events they perform at.

The change will identify the top two juniors and show the cadre and corps how well they can perform and lead in such an important role. Colonel Walker believes this will be the most pivotal change for the Corps of Cadets, if implemented. “This is the best year to do it,” said Walker. “We can take advantage of junior class leadership.”

There will also be an S5 Public Affairs Assistant who’s role in the corps is unknown.

Until the last second, there was one more major alteration

lined up for next year.

The Judge Advocate General (JAG) and the Inspector General (IG) positions, currently held by the Janus twins, were to be combined. Most had assumed this as the outcome for next year, but knowledge of the continued separation was noted a mere day prior to Change of Command. This development was widely seen as a good thing, especially by the Janus twins. “I think it was a good decision to keep the IG and JAG separate,” stated JP Janus ‘24. “As the IG, my job was intertwined with security officer

rather than the JAG.”

All of these changes have been finalized and will be put in place next school year. Commandant Walker notes that each year’s military changes are tailored to fit the senior class that will be leading the corps. “Every change we make is made to add to the strength of the incoming class,” said Walker. The improvements should make for much smoother formations next year and a better chain of command.

shirt.

Dear Supply Guy, I’m having a hard time talking to women. What tips could you give me to help me find my dream woman?

Signed- Lonely Cadet

Dear Brother, Girls love a man with a senior cord. And it's as simple as that. Cords are only something that a true rizzler would wear. If I were in your position (which would never happen), I would

buy at least 30 to 40 senior cords and wear all of them at the same time. If you capitalize on this hack you're only spending about 300 to 400 dollars, which is completely worth the investment. You can wear the cords with all types of clothing. You could even wear the cords with your sport’s uniforms to scare off your opponents.

Trust me, I’ve tried this hack before, and many women approach me, telling me, “You're the most masculine man I’ve ever met.” I even had one

girl approach me and say, “When I saw you wearing all of those cords, I imagined an entire future with you.”

Dear Supply Guy, My grandfather just had a really traumatizing death. He was the only friend that I had. What should I do to make some friends?

Signed- Sad Cadet

Dear Brother, The first thing I would do is make sure you buy a tunic with the gray pants so you look sharp at the funeral. If

you want to look even sharper, I’d suggest sucking up to the military cadre. I’d also try to earn medals, which will make you look like that guy wherever you go. If you're struggling to make friends, then I would join a Reddit or Discord chat of other individuals who enjoy wearing the quartermaster uniforms. You could also attend a quartermaster convention in which everybody there wears their favorite quartermaster uniform, and I’d bet that you would make over 25 friends.

Photo Courtesy of Photojournalism

The JAG, Jake Janus accompanies Father John Mary in prayer.

Photo by Mr. Parson Leo Boehling, the Command Sergeant Major, standing at present arms.

Gleeful Golfers Tennis Titans

Tennis Menaces Make Money Moves

By Jacob Tres ‘24

The BCP tennis team has shown huge improvement from last season, finishing with a 5 and 6 record this season.

Matthew Faraci ‘25 has been the number one player on this year’s team. Over the winter, Faraci announced that he would be continuing to play tennis at

Southern Methodist University (SMU).

The team currently includes three seniors: Antonio Schoenborn, James Russo and Cristian Lugo.

Mr. Doran ‘92 led the team once again this season and has high praise for Faraci.

Where There’s A Will There’s A Way McClintock Medals at States

Junior Will McClintock placed fifth out of 40 competitors in the Virginia state golf tournament, which led to him earning All-state honors. “I thought I did pretty well,” said McClintock. “I had a scoring average of 37.6 per 10 matches.”

The only people who placed ahead of McClintock are all committed to colleges to play golf. These colleges are Auburn, NC State, Hampden Sydney and Waford. McClintock remains undecided on what college he wishes to attend. McClintock has a bright future, and his performances bode well for the future of

Benedictine’s golf team.

The Cadets as a team

had a record of 6-4 and had key wins over Trinity and Collegiate.

“I think it was the first time our school has ever beaten Collegiate in golf before,” said McClintock.

Benedictine’s Golf Team Finishes Strong

By Jacob Tres ‘24

The Benedictine golf team finished the season with a 6 and 4 record. Juniors Will McClintock and Trent Willis lead the way along with senior Colin Dart consistently shooting between 40 and 45.

Dart has been a significant contributor for all three seasons he has been a member

of the team.

Willis has provided much needed support for big green, consistently placing in the top three scorers in every match.

They are led by Head Coach Mr. Mugford ‘86. Mugford has been at the helm for three years, taking over for the late Coach Fogarty.

From Page 12: Rugged Ruggers

compete for the rugby state championship, then went on to win it all. This year brought the same outcome. The Cadets crushed the competition with a wide variety of contributors on both sides of the ball. Jake Janus ‘24 scored twice, Freddy Barber ‘24 scored a try as well, along with Antonio Schoenborn ‘24, Kegan McCallum ‘24 and Chris Whitney ‘25, who both scored.

The team was formed by Coach Long six years ago but really took off (especially the past two seasons) under the leadership of Coach McCallum and Coach Williamson. The intensity of the practices, as well as the experience brought to the team by the coaches, has pushed this team to accomplish these great feats.

The rugby program has also inspired many players, new to the sport of rugby, to join the team and learn the ins and outs of the game. Some of those new players turned out to be quite good and have been significant contributors all season,

namely, Barber and Janus. Janus, though already committed to attend Ole’ Miss next year, even received some attention regarding his skills on the rugby field. “I had a couple of colleges reach out to me about rugby including the University of Memphis and American International College which is Division One rugby,” said Janus. “But it was too late, as I had already committed to Ole’ Miss.”

Since the team was formed six years ago, Kegan McCallum ‘24, is the first player to commit to playing college rugby. He

has committed to St. Bonaventure University, a Division One college near Buffalo, New York. McCallum, though injured the entirety of this season, continuously stated that he would return for the championship game. He did so and finished out his high school career as a back-to-back champion.

The team is still young and growing and, with all that they have been able to accomplish already, they seem to be on the path to more success. The Benedictine community looks forward to watching the Cadet rugby dynasty grow.

Photo by Mr. Mugford

The golf team flashes their whites on the green.

Photo by Mrs. Schoenborn

Antonio Schoenborn ‘24 hits the ball with gusto.

Photo Courtesy of Photojournalism

The seniors pose while in celebration of their tennis success.

Photo by Zant Wood ‘26 Matthew Howerton ‘26 breaks a tackle.

By Alex Ortiz ‘26

Photo by Drew Mugford ‘86 McClintock smiles sheepishly after his performance.

From Page 12: Change is Made

-Asst Supply Officer

1LT Horan, Brian.

-Battalion Armor 1LT Childress, Lawson.

-Battalion JAG CPT School, Cazin.

-Public Affairs Officer

CPT Toulson, Trevor.

-Asst Public Affairs Officer 1LT O’Brien Finn.

-Inspector General MAJ Houchins, Luke. Provost Officer C/CPT Muhlenfeld, Oliver.

-Asst Provost Officer 1LT Ogle, Easton.

Chaplain- CPT Gambardella, Anthony. Line Officers Headquarters

-HQ Company Commander Hall, Jackson. -HQ XO 1LT Foldes, Ronin.

Alpha Company

-A Co Company Commander CPT Murphy, Jackson.

-A Co XO 1LT Gwyer, Joey.

-A Co 1st Plt Commander 2LT McLemore, Ben.

-A Co 2nd Plt Commander 2LT Mugford, Aidan.

Bravo Company

-B Co Company Commander CPT Foard, Lane.

-B Co XO 1LT Kelley, Patrick.

-B Co 1st Plt Commander 2LT Payne, Anthony.

-B Co 2ND Plt Commander 2LT Williams, Kofi.

Charlie Company

-C Co Company Commander CPT Lotspeich, Bryce.

-C Co XO 1LT McClintock, Will.

-C Co 1st Plt Commander 2LT Bradley, Owen.

-C Co 2ND Plt Commander 2LT Smith, Owen.

Delta Company

-D Co Company Commander CPT Gasperini, Thomas.

-D Co XO C/1LT Halstead, Will.

Band Company

-Band Company Commander CPT Lugo, Xavi.

-Band Co XO 1LT

Wilson Brodie.

Honor Platoon

-Honor Platoon Company Commander CPT Townley, Michael.. -Honor Platoon Co XO 1LT Kreckman, Evan.

Command Sergeant Major: CSM Cleveland Robbie - This position will be filled by juniors this year. It is

The Long Green Line

in charge of all enlisted personnel (underclassmen with rank). Will switch out with another junior at the semester’s end. These positions became effective immediately upon the commencement of the ceremony, with the members of the previous command structure (soon-to-graduate seniors) reverting to what holding the rank of private: the same as what they were when they first came to

Benedictine Announces Its Fifth Basketball Head Coach In Five Years

By DJ O’Brien ‘24

On March 25, Benedictine announced it will be hiring yet another head basketball coach: Sidney McCray. McCray replaced coach Bill Dooley, after Dooley had to step down from the position for personal reasons.

McCray will have big shoes to fill after Dooley set a high bar due to the impressive 2023-2024 season that the Cadets had.

Coach Dooley will continue working for the BSoR community in assisting BCP’s advancement department supporting endowment giving.

McCray will end up being Benedictine’s fifth head basketball coach since 2021.

McCray’s previous position was as head basketball coach and athletic director at St. Maria Goretti in Hagerstown, MD. He began at Goretti in 2014 and was named the head coach in 2018 when he was head coach until this past season.

According to the school’s announcement, McCray racked up 112 wins and was named Coach of the Year twice in his sixyear stint as head coach. McCray also sent 20 of his players to play in college throughout those years as head coach.

Coach McCray earned his Bachelor of Arts, majoring in fitness and exercise science, from Shepherd University, where he was a four-year member of the

basketball team. Coach McCray will fill another void and will be added to the counseling staff, working as a learning specialist.

The past two years BCP has had head basketball coaches who worked outside of the school. McCray working inside of the school is a big deal because he can have a better understanding of the Benedictine Corps of Cadets, the school and the overall culture of the strong BCP community, which will align its basketball program along with the strong Benedictine core values in a better fashion.

The BCP head basketball coaching position has been anything but consistent in recent years. McCray will now become The Big Green’s fifth

head coach in the past five years. These coaching turnarounds have been very disappointing for the basketball team and its spectators. This has also been detrimental to the growth of the BCP basketball

program. All of these constant changes in the head coaching position will hopefully come to an end with the hiring of Coach McCray. In total, he spent a decade at Goretti and was forced to leave because Goretti is

closing after this school year. The Benedictine community is hopeful that Coach McCray will lead Benedictine basketball back to its glory days, when hanging state championship banners was the normality.

Photo by Maddox Cochrane ‘26 Incoming officers stand ready to receive their rank from senior peers.

Photo by Ms. Lonergan

Coach Dooley (left) and Coach McCray (right) cheese for the camera.

Photo by Maddox Cochrane ‘26

Major Ramos and Gunny pose for a photo with the Platoon Drill first place-trophy winner who was on his way to being named BC.

From Page 12: Drilling for Gold

drill led by Robbie Cleveland ‘26, armed platoon drill led by Matthew Faraci ‘25, individual tap-out won by Ben McLemore ‘25, solo exhibition won by Sam Simons ‘27 and team exhibition drill. The victory has been attributed by many to the tremendous leadership and preparation from David Simons ‘88 and Gunnery Sergeant Randall Finley (Gunny). “[Winning the drill meet] was light work,” said Sam Simons, “Everyone else was clueless…other teams really didn’t have good coaches, we had [Mr. Simons] and Gunny.”

Gunny helped initiate and organize the whole event and focused his attention on improving platoon, squad and manual drill. “He did a really

From

good job. He was always there when we were practicing and to answer questions,” said Faraci. “If there was a better way to do something, he was always there to show us the way to do it.”

Gunny was thrilled with the results of the meet, stating, “It felt amazing to know that you guys (Benedictine) are the best military [high] school in the state of Virginia.” “Our Cadets’ level of commitment, to something that they had no idea what they were really doing, was remarkable.”

Simons is the other drill coach, and he has been working with Cadets since the summer before this school year began. He has been preparing the exhibition team specifically. Benedic-

Page 12: Best

remarkable season.

The Cadets were stellar all year long. Out of their 29 regular season games, six of the teams they played were state champions in the 2023 season. These schools are Hanover, Cox, Cape Henry, Archbishop Spalding, Walsingham (twice) and Steward. Despite playing some of the best schools in the country, they fin-

ished the regular season with a record of 21-4. Of the 22 teams the Cadets played against this season, 19 of them had an above .500-win percentage throughout their 2023 seasons.

The Cadets had over a dozen college baseball commits on their team. The seniors who are committed to play for Division 1 colleges are Bryce

tine’s exhibition team has performed at football games, basketball games and at other events, but it has never been in a competition. This was the first opportunity to showcase the teams’ abilities to other military high schools.

As a nonJROTC school, Benedictine might be looked down upon by other military schools. Part of the reason Gunny organized this event was to change this view of Benedictine. “I think that we showed that we take the military seriously, and we are a formidable opponent,” said Gunny. “[If we keep winning] you will have to recognize that we are actually good.” Gunny’s goal for the drill team is to travel to Daytona next year to compete in the na-

Baseball

Adams, Riley Roarty, Elijah Coston and Sam Kaczmarek.

The Cadets’ bold season included facing off against the Cape Henry Collegiate Dolphins, who defeated them in the state championship game last year. This season, the Cadets defeated the Dolphins 4-2. Out of the top-25 teams in Maxpreps rankings, Gang Green played

tional drill competition. If Benedictine can maintain its level

of commitment and work ethic, Gunny’s dream will come true, and Benedictine will finally have the respect it deserves.

a total of 17 games against teams that were at some point ranked in the top 25 and won 15 out of those 17 matchups. Some of the teams ranked inside of the Virginia top 25 teams Maxpreps rankings, who Benedictine has played against include: Miller, Greenbrier, Cox, Cape Henry, Collegiate, Highland, Walsingham, Godwin, St. Anne’s Belfield and Grace Christian.

The Cadets’ only losses came at the hands of Miller and Norfolk Academy.

These quality wins elevated the

Cadets to being ranked number one in the state of Virginia. Despite being number one in the state, the Cadets were ranked as the number two seed behind Miller School of Albemarle. In round one they defeated St. Anne’s Belfield 3-2. In round two the Cadets faced off against the #3 seed Paul VI (PVI). Big Green defeated PVI 2-0, reaching its second straight state championship game.

The Cadets faced off against its rival Miller School of Albemarle. Heading into the sixth inning, Miller had held Bene-

dictine hitless, but the Cadets’ ace Jake Wise had only allowed three hits and the game was scoreless. In the top of the sixth, the Cadets broke the game open courtesy of Roddrey McWilliams’s two-run double. The inning closed with Big Green holding a 4-0 lead heading into the final inning. The Cadets added on two more runs in the top of the seventh, and Wise came onto the mound in the bottom of that inning and finished off Miller with a final strikeout that put the crowd into a frenzy.

The New Chevron

Publication of Benedictine College Preparatory Est. 1911

Editor-in-Chief: Orlando Orellana-Duran ‘24

Associate Editor: Jake Janus ‘24

Composition Editor: Jacob Tres ‘24

Photo Editor: Jude Drew ‘24

Composition Artists: Jude Drew ‘24, Jake Janus ‘24 and Trevor Toulson ‘25

Reporters: Jude Drew ‘24, Miles Graham ‘24, Jake Janus ‘24, DJ O’Brien ‘24, Orlando Orellana-Duran ‘24, Logan Parrish ‘24, Charlie Miller ‘25, Aidan Mugford ‘25, Alex Ortiz ‘25 and Trevor Toulson ‘25

Photographers: Ryder Buchbinder ‘24 and Maddox Cochrane ‘25

Cartoonist: Robbie Cleveland ‘26

Photo courtesy of Mrs. Schoenborn Cadets Robbie Cleveland and Sam Simons drilling together.

Photo by Ryder Buchbinder ‘24 Elijah Coston‘24 looking for the steal.

May, 2024

Command Changed

All Goes Smoothly as Newbies Take Charge

On May 21, Benedictine’s Corps of Cadets held its Change of Command ceremony. The corps will be led next year by:

-Battalion Commander

LTC Faraci, Matthew.

-Battalion Executive Officer MAJ Townley, George.

Staff Officers

-Battalion Adjutant

MAJ Miller, Charlie.

-Security Officer MAJ Kennedy.

-Asst. Security Officer

1LT Howerton, Daniel.

-Operations Officer

MAJ Price, Alex.

-Asst Operations Officer 1LT Babcock, Josh

-Supply Officer CPT Draucker, Cole.

See Page 10: Change is Made

Sports and Military

Fabulous Formations

Benedictine Brings Home Gold in its First Hosted Drill Meet

By Charlie Miller ‘25

Benedictine emerged victorious in its first drill meet hosted on Saturday, April 20.

Benedictine defeated Hargrave Military Academy, Randolph-Macon Academy and Fork Union Military Academy (FUMA) in a drill meet consisting of 10 unique competitions. These competitions took place in the Benedictine gym and in the parking lot behind the gym.

Cadets dominated the field. Benedictine earned first place in six out of the 10 events: color guard led by Cazin School ‘25, armed squad

See Page 11: Drilling For Gold

Back to Back

The Rugby Team Takes the ‘Ship Again

By Logan Parrish ‘24

The Benedictine ruggers ended the season with an undefeated record of 8-0 and, again, the Green Machine took the championship trophy home to River Road.

The Benedictine rugby team has made a name for itself in the greater Richmond area and beyond. In the mere six years that the sport has been offered at BCP, the ruby team has gone from a struggling pro-

gram to a powerhouse group. The Cadet ruggers dominated through the entirety of last season in the team’s fifth year of competition, earning a chance to

See Page 9: Rugged Ruggers

By Alex Ortiz ‘25

Call them “champions” once again. BCP’s baseball team put a cherry on the springtime by seizing the VISAA topdog trophy, blanking the Miller School, 6-0 in Colonial Heights.

For the seniors, it was a second grab for the gold and completed a

See Page 11: Best Baseball

Photo by Mr. Parson

The Benedictine Drill Team and friends rejoice over its first-place victory.

Photo by of Mrs. Schoenborn Antonio Schoenborn ‘24 breaks away from the scrum.

Photo by Photojournalism

The baseball team poses in front of the scoreboard as state champs.