Inside This Week's Issue
Edited by Joe Egler '16 and Ryan Naehr '16
Volume 41, Issue XVI The Student Newspaper of St. Joseph's Prep
February 12, 2015
Page 1
Wing Bowl Debate, Student Council Update, and Fr. Bur
Sixth Night of Scenes a Success
By Conor Battin ‘17 The popularity of the Cape & Sword Drama Society has gradually grown throughout the years, and it now encompasses more than 17 percent of the Prep’s student body. The Sixth Annual Night of Scenes, which kicked off on Friday, February 5, is a testament to this immense popularity. Performing in front of sold-out audiences, an astonishing 143 students were involved in the comedic production—the majority of them coming from the Prep.
auditioned. According to Paul Koenig ‘18, the size of the cast, much of which has no previous acting experience, does not damage the quality of the production. “The show does not get worse, the energy does not get worse,” he says. “The brotherhood increases.” Such a large number Members ofNight ofScenes rehearsing for the of students allows for a finale, from How to Succeed in Business Without unique presentation of scenes. Really Trying. Some roles may be larger The high number of meaning that producer Tony than others, but there are no participants is the result of Braithwaite ‘89 was tasked main actors or actresses the show’s “no cuts” policy with finding a role for every Continued on page 3. single Prep student who towards Prep students,
Prep Students Experience NH Primary Firsthand
By Marcello Garber ‘17 Last weekend, Mr. Bill Conners ‘80 took a group of lucky Prep students on a road trip to New Hampshire to soak in all the action regarding the presidential primary process—a stage which is just the beginning of the 2016 presidential campaign trail. This trip is a tradition for Conners, as every Mr. Conners '80 and Prep seniors posing in the four years, each time there is New Hampshire snow near a presidential primary. a presidential race, he embarks on a journey up to New Hampshire with several students whom he had taught
the previous year in his AP Government class. This year’s group made sure not to take full advantage of its time. The students shared a meal at the famous Red Arrow Diner, a historical hub for candidates and reporters. They met many of the presidential candidates, including Ted Cruz and Hillary Clinton. They met state senators. They visited campaign headquarters. And Continued on page 5.
Page 2
By Mike Grafenstine ‘17 Wing Bowl is widely known for its drunken fans, profanity-riddled speech, and female nudity. Because of this, the Prep has been cracking down
Debate: Anti-Wing Bowl
on students attending the annual eating competition. As of last year, students who attended Wing Bowl were subject to suspension and ineligibility
to participate in senior day. This year, it was rumored that attendance would result in a ineligibility to attend senior prom. The school believes that Prep students attending the event will give the school a bad reputation. The school knows that Prep students tend to group together, wear Prep clothes, and have Prep stickers on their cars. The school realizes that masses of people attend Wing Bowl each year. They may even have kids deciding where to attend high school. Seeing Prep students on a school day at an event that condones excessive intoxication and indecency could sway their decisions on where they want
their sons to attend high school. The Prep also views Wing Bowl as a poor representation of what the educators aim to instill in their students, including the Grad-at-Grad. They believe that, by allowing kids to go there and be seen by adults, they are failing to live up to their mission, and making the school look bad in the process. While the repercussions for attending Wing Bowl may seem extreme, the school is correct in their stance on the event.
Growing Music Program Prepares for Baltimore Trip
By Evan Matthews ‘18 Many people are aware of the various accomplishments of the Prep’s sports teams. Yet few know of the growth of the music program here at the Prep. The music program at the Prep involves more than 60 students, and consists of groups such as the Jazz Band, Choir, Concert Band, Treblemakers and more. Music teacher, Mr. Matthew Schwartz ‘02, has Continued on page 4.
Mr. Matthew Schwartz '02 directing the concert band in its winter concert. Soon, he and students in the Prep's music program will embark on an educational trip to Baltimore and Washington, D. C.
Page 3 By Ronan Egan ‘18 Every year, as part of the Super Bowl celebration, 94.1 WIP holds its annual Wing Bowl. Since it started back in 1993, Prep seniors have attended the event. However, in the last two years, the Prep administration has cracked down on it, threatening students with suspension and/or expulsion for attending. While some consider Wing Bowl to be a senior tradition, the current administration seems to have more of a problem with it than the previous administrations. Some people may say that letting kids into the event is the problem. Most Prep students believe that it has to do with the school’s aversion to hurting its public image. This year’s Wing Bowl was held on a day after a snowstorm, and many Prep students were involved in
Scenes (Cont'd) throughout the course of the
production. As in previous years, this year’s Night of Scenes was packed with hysterical moments of laughter, orchestrated through strong performances by numerous characters. The show itself consisted of fifteen different scenes, ranging from former Saturday Night Live acts, to a
Debate: Pro-Wing Bowl
Molly Schuyler captured her second title in three years at Wing Bowl XXIV, after consuming 429 wings in 26 minutes. accidents on the way to school, while most other schools had two-hour delays, or the day off. Did we not get the delay or day off because the school didn’t want us to attend Wing Bowl? Possibly, but we may never know. We do know, however, that the school seems to care only about its Monty Python skit, and more. This year’s studentwritten scene was created by Daniel Leonard ‘17 and Jake Barrett’ 17, named “Democratic Debate.” It involved a parody of current politics. Another audience favorite, “Get Off the Shed," was popular in part to an outstanding performance by Tom Koenig ‘16, who recently starred as President John F. Kennedy in the Prep’s fall production, Kennedy’s
image, rather than the safety of its students, who were driving in these hazardous conditions. In the past few years, the school disciplinarian, Mr. Albert Greene, has warned students of the consequences, specifically talking to seniors, as we remember last year’s famous email. “Any senior who is Crisis: 13 Days in October. As a tradition, one scene consisted primarily of crew members, called “Holiday Wishes.” Directed by current ASC members Mr. Joe Binck ‘11 and Mr. Mike Lachant ‘11, the students in the this scene—much like many students in other scenes—often had to balance sports and other activities in addition to practicing their scene. “We rehearsed sometimes until eight at night
absent on Friday will also be ineligible to attend Senior Day at the amusement park.” The email soon went viral and stirred debate among many. Two things are clear. Greene does not want students to attend. And the administration is attempting to ruin the senior tradition that is Wing Bowl. to perfect the scene,” says Alex Talbot ‘16, a member of the crew team. “It was so much fun, and everyone had such a good time.” Generally, the show was as enjoyable for the audience as it was for the students involved, who seemed to have great experiences. And with such a great outing, the Seventh Annual Night of Scenes already has high expectations.
Page 4
Catching Up with Former President Fr. Bur, SJ '59
By Mike Grafenstine ‘17 Last year, Father George Bur, SJ ‘59 stepped down as the president of the Prep. Since he left, the Prep community really hasn’t heard about what he was up to. Even though he was done working at the Prep, the work has not stopped. He now works at a 200-acre Jesuit center in Wernersville, Pennsylvania. He lives there with 20 other Jesuits. They recite mass on a daily basis, and they plan and host retreats, such as the Prep’s Kairos retreats. Bur has begun to take up some new hobbies in his free time. For starters, he has started working on his Spanish. He is studying Spanish because he hopes that he will soon be able to recite the mass in Spanish
Music (Cont'd) set forth two goals for the
music program. “Adding more diverse experiences, anything from the rock bands, to a cappella, to opportunities for string players... And then also depth of performances, just trying to pick repertoire and rehearsal schedules that can help each group perform to their peak potential,” he says. This year, members
with friends. He has also been hiking. The Jesuit center is surrounded by various hiking trails that allow Bur more easy access to the activity. Bur still makes a point of getting to the city when he can. He enjoys walking along the Schuylkill River, as well as Fairmont Park. He has also started keeping a blog of what he is doing in his day-to-day life. The blog, titled “The Spirit Blows Where It Will,” has served as a source for Bur to continue to get his messages to the masses. Even though Bur has Fr. Bur, SJ '59 stepped down from the Prep stopped working at the Prep, presidency last year, and he currently resides in he is still at work around the Wernersville, PA. clock. And although he is to everyone in the music trip. away from the Prep now, it is program, so members of the “[The purpose is] to still close to his heart. Concert Band, Band get the students outside of Homeroom, Vocal school and home and out on of the music program will be Homeroom, Jazz Band, and the road, because, whether it is a musical ensemble or team going on its second annual the Treblemakers.” trip, to experience new In Baltimore, the or anything like that, building teachings of music. students will have a rehearsal a sense of community and Participants in this workshop with Dr. Chris bonding is not replaceable year’s trip will travel to Ciccone, the Director of without getting outside of Baltimore, Maryland and Bands and Assistant Professor your home turf.” Just like football, Washington, D. C. of Music Education at Schwartz described Towson University, and tour golf, or basketball, the music last year’s trip as well as the the cities as well. The program at the Prep is upcoming trip. students will have the exploring the outside world “We piloted a trip opportunity to ameliorate and coming back with new last year for the smaller their skills and become more experiences that its members will share with their friends ensembles—basically Jazz established musicians. Band and Treblemakers—and Schwartz explained (hopefully) for the rest of this year, we’ve opened it up the purpose of going on this their lives.
Page 5 By Kevin Sampson '16
Faculty Grid Mr. James McGlynn
Childhood role model?
Henry Aaron
Favorite comedian?
Chris Rock
Iftalk you with could anyperson, famous livingwho or dead, would it be? Primary (Cont'd)
they even met famous newscasters such as Chris Matthews, host of Hardball with Chris Matthews. Driving around the state of New Hampshire searching for all the campaign events they could find was definitely an experience for the ages. “The goal was to immerse ourselves in the NH primary process by seeing as many candidates in as many venues as possible,” says Conners. “Another important element of the trip was to visit the campaign
Other than Mr. Kania, Jesus himself
Matt Fisher '16 meets FL Senator Marco Rubio.
headquarters of as many candidates as possible, and interact with paid and volunteer staff. The visits to headquarters and speeches provide an opportunity to observe and chat with many enthusiastic New Hampshirites who are passionate about their candidates and who relish the role NH plays in the primary process.
Mr. Dino Pinto Mr. Brian Ghee Ferris Bueller
My father
Louis C. K.
Steve Martin
John Muir
Leonardo da Vinci (but I’d have to learn Italian first)
“A third important element of the trip is getting interviewed by the media. Between the eight students and two adults, we must have been interviewed between 30 and 40 times by print and TV
Matt McGurk '16 meets TX Senator Ted Cruz.
journalists from all over the US and the world. Many folks outside our borders watch our elections more closely than many US
Steve Yezzi and Mike Matkovic '16 meet NJ Governor Chris Christie.
citizens, because our president has such an impact on the world.” Amidst the pandemonium, the group had time to relax and partake in some activities, such as bowling, but, overall, it was a very busy couple of days. However, all agree that the craziness was definitely worth it.
Page 6 By Jon Erdy '17
This Week's Hawk Tweets
A Look at the Oft-Overlooked: The Prep’s Maintenance Staff
By Joe Pisacano ‘16 Every day, the Prep’s maintenance employees work behind the scenes to make sure that the school and its classrooms look presentable at the end of the day after 900 students have walked the halls and defiled the building. As such, they are some of the most underappreciated members of the faculty at the Prep. But just like any other position at the Prep, the job has its ups
and downs. The Prep hosts some very impressive school events that take place inside the building, including the Mother-Son Dinner, basketball games, various guest speakers, and countless others. All of the tables and stages that appear in the Kelly Fieldhouse and multipurpose room that night and then disappear the next morning are the results of an efficient maintenance group that works tirelessly every
day.
“[This is] one of the best things we get to set up,” says one maintenance staff member, who wishes to remain anonymous, despite the extra work that comes with these events. “That’s fun to do—sporting events, things for your parents. It’s a big part, and also [one] of the best and most important parts.” The students seem to recognize their efforts, and he emphasizes that “most of the
students speak to them and are good guys.” Another very important, but very annoying, job is the task of maintenance of the senior lounge. This tends to be a tough task, since the lounge has carpeted floors, and getting food out of carpeting is much more difficult than getting food off of the cafeteria floor. However, there has been some improvement this year on the seniors’ part. “This year’s senior class is a little better at cleaning up than previous years’,” notes the employee. Most of the employees do not mind the maintenance part of the job, but pay is a concern of theirs. “Money is the worst part of the job,” says the anonymous employee. “We don’t get paid well, because we don’t work for the Prep. We work for an agency. So, if we’re sick and we miss a day, we don’t get paid for it. We’re not like the Prep employees who can take sick days.” Few students know Continued on page 8.
Page 7
Student of the Week
By Aidan Donaher ‘16 This week’s student of the week is Dan Marley ‘16. Marley carries a 3.75 GPA, and has decided to attend George Washington University next year. Marley is very active in many activities at the Prep. He is the senior leader of
Breaking Barriers, the captain of mock trial, and the technical director for the Cape & Sword Drama Society. “[Cape & Sword was] by far been the most important thing I have done. There is something so integrally Jesuit in regards to
what we do when we come together as a collective and piece together our individual talents to create something greater than ourselves, something more than worthy of our time and efforts, for our community. To do that, additionally, within the literal heart of our school I have
always found profoundly important, and I cannot wait for Curtains in the spring, though I also don’t want it to be over quite that quickly.” Marley is a hard worker who is loved by his teachers and classmates. Congratulations Dan.
teenagers, as well as parents, so they never have to feel ashamed. Tuesday’s Speak Up! started with an opening talk from Mrs. Lisa Corcoran. She works with Speak Up! and she gave a talk to parents and students, so that everyone was ready to speak in his or her small group. After her talk, participants were split into their respective rooms. Attendees chose from four categories: Drugs and Alcohol, Generation Gap, Mental Health, and Sex and Pressure. People were placed into rooms with others who wanted to discuss the same topics. People were placed into rooms based on their interests as well as their families. One goal of Speak Up! is to create a safe environment. In order to achieve that, the coordinators have found that separating students from their own parents is
beneficial, as talking openly that way is easier. In each room were a few members of the leadership team. The team was made up of students from the Prep, Sacred Heart, and Merion, who have attended meetings for months. They were trained to initiate discussions among parents and students. Also, the team was taught how to keep conversation going and let it blossom, without opening a ring for fighting among participants. There is also a professional adult leader, who is trained with Speak Up! and knows how to run a discussion room. In the breakout rooms, discussion was easy
and beneficial. “The conversations we start here are beneficial to problem solving with our families and our friends,” says Hank Clinton ‘16, a leader of Speak Up! The conversations in those classrooms ignite more conversation at home among parents and students. More of these conversations will be started at Speak Up!’s event for athletes at the Haverford School on Thursday, February 25, at 6:30 p.m. Through this conversation, we can stick together with our friends and with our families, and, when we do that, we cannot be broken.
Speak Up! Event Unites Students, Families
By Joe Scott ‘19 “There’s an old Native American story in which a father tells his son to go get a twig. The son brings it, and the father snaps it. "Then the father asks the son for many twigs. The son brings them, and the father cannot snap them,” says Mrs. Martie Gillin, summarizing her goal as the founder of Speak Up! after Tuesday’s event at Merion Mercy Academy. “So you see, our goal at Speak Up! is to unite families, because, when we band together and stay together, we cannot be broken.” Speak Up! is an organization committed to improving connectedness, communication, and coping skills, to help teenagers avoid at-risk behaviors. Gillin started her work after she lost her son, Bob, to AIDS in 1992. She created a place where teenagers can openly discuss their lives with other
Page 8
By Andrew Oliver ‘16 Andrew Oliver is the President of Student Council.
This column has updates about the efforts and actions of Student Council. This column will be updated for every issue of The Hawkeye and will serve to inform the student body of what its Student Council is doing. Student Council’s next big event will be the Night at the Aquarium, the event planned only for freshman and sophomores. The event will take place on March 12, 2016, and will be held at the Camden Aquarium. This dance is mostly run by Student Council, with help also coming from Ms. Kristin
Maintenance (Cont'd)
this. Sadly, some of the most integral members of the Prep are not officially hired by the school. They do not even receive the privilege of a free
An Update from the Office of Student Council
Collins and Mrs. Rose Marie Kettinger. In previous years, this dance has seen poor attendance, because it was run entirely by the Administration. That changed this year. Student Council has had an integral part in running this dance. Student Council has helped with everything: the venue, the food, the prices, the theme, the DJ, the photography, and everything in between. The dance has been put back into the hands of the students. The event is shaping lunch here. The employee recognizes that the team of maintenance employees is so involved in the school that the school cannot allow them to feel like they are still outside the brotherhood. “[We] would like to
PCL Championship Sunday 2/14 @ 8:30 a.m. @ Lehigh University
WRESTLING: PCL Tournament Saturday BOWLING: 2/20 @ 8:00 a.m. @ Henry A. PCL Championship Saturday Quinn Wrestling Gymnasium 2/13 Next Week at the Prep ICE HOCKEY: MONDAY, 2/15: Away game Friday 2/19 vs. President’s Day (No School; Malvern Prep @ 5:45 p.m. Offices Closed) TRACK:
TUESDAY, 2/16:
Joe Egler ‘16 Ryan Naehr ‘16
up to be an excellent night, StaffWriters consisting of delicious food, Aidan Donaher ‘16 entertaining music, and a new Augie Lorei ‘16 and intriguing venue. Ryan Mannion ‘16 All freshman and Andrew Oliver ‘16 sophomores are encouraged Fintan O’Toole ‘16 to tell their Student Council Joe Pisacano ‘16 representatives if they want to Stas Postowski ‘16 see anything at the Pat Ryan ‘16 dance—whether it is dancing Kevin Sampson ‘16 sharks or a photo booth. This Joe Schade ‘16 is your dance and you have Conor Battin ‘17 the ability to shape it however Joe Console ‘17 you want. Jon Erdy ‘17 Hopefully, we’ll see all the freshman and Marcello Garber ‘17 sophomores at the Night at Mike Grafenstine ‘17 Michael Haley ‘17 the Aquarium. Von Hobe ‘17 see all of us be Prep employees, so we’re all one Christopher Magiera ‘17 Tristan Mordan ‘17 big family with the Prep and Aidan O’Connor ‘17 the students.” Mike O’Neill ‘17 Perhaps, instead of Mac Riga ‘17 spending money on 35 new Bobby Simons ‘17 security cameras, the Prep Kyllian Vong ‘17 would be wise to hire our Jack Yocom ‘17 Prep brothers.
Scoreboard & Events
By Joe Egler ‘16 Upcoming Games BASKETBALL: PCL Quarterfinals Friday 2/12 @ Philadelphia University @ 7:00 p.m.
Hawkeye Staff Editors-in-Chief
“A” Day
WEDNESDAY, 2/17: “B” Day THURSDAY, 2/18: Mid-Quarter Due “C” Day FRIDAY, 2/19: Dress Down Day “D” Day
Matt Zito ‘17 Ronan Egan ‘18 David Haddad ‘18 Evan Matthews ‘18 Matthew Phillips ‘18 Marco Sammartino ‘18 Anthony Tigano ‘18 Joe Scott ‘19 Moderator Mr. Leo Vaccaro ‘05 Special Thanks To Ms. Ree O’Neill Mr. Frank Raffa