Volume 43, Issue VI

L etter from the Student Council Page 2

Vol. 43, I ssue VI

I gnatian Family Teach-I n Page 5

The Case for M cCr ay and Sander s Page 11

Stranger Things Season 2 Review Page 14

Dog at The Prep: A Wor thy Endeavor ?

Page 16

The Student Newspaper of St. Joseph's Prep November 16th, 2017

ON TO THE NEXT ONE

The Prep downs La Salle 17-3 to move on to the District 12 championship game. Full story on page 12. (Photo: St. Joe's Prep)

Newsies L ives up to the Hype

By M arco Sammar tino '18 We?ve been hearing about it for months. Sold out performances, hype of levels never seen before, the cast and crew working tirelessly for weeks.

And it?s finally here. Newsies performances started last week, and if you were one of the lucky few to snag a ticket, then you?re in for a treat.

As we all know, the tickets sold out rather quickly. The first round were gone in a few days; the second round, a few minutes. It is one of the most important shows in Cape and Sword?s history, and, as evinced in its sold out runs, has garnered much attention.

But does it live up to the high expectations? That is the

question I seek to answer for those who have not yet seen the performance.

A quick recap of the storyline: poor boys that sell newspapers, called ?newsies?, go on strike when the price of newspapers rises, and seek to take down the man who rose those prices, the omnipotent Joseph Pulitzer.

Right from the start, the tone is set. A musical number between Jack Kelly (James DiCocco ?18) and Crutchie (Paul Koenig ?18) gives the viewer a look inside the mind of Jack Kelly, the leader of the newsies. The number details Kelly?s desire for something other than New York City, a key theme that is brought up throughout the storyline. From

there, the story unfolds. The fearless, slick Jack Kelly is established as the focal point and representation of an energized revolution, and the way that all characters look up to him as a role model is inspiring.

Apart from the story, Newsies is certainly different from other Cape and Sword productions. Yes, the musical numbers are entertaining and perfectly executed. The dialogue between characters is both meaningful and humorous. The acting enchants the mind of every audience member. These aspects are hallmarks of all productions here at the Prep. And as many of us know, that means quality and meaningfulness at every turn.

(Continued on Page 2)

The New Prep

By Car l Whittington '19 Changes to the Prep?s campus have been long- discussed and are long overdue and, like any high school, these changes are highly anticipated amongst past, present, and future students. These constant conversations about renovations for the past few years and repeated ideas are developing into reality in the near future. In a brief interview, the Prep?s chief financial officer Rick Scanlan, shined a light on these new beginnings as he revealed a Prep board recently had a large meeting with a construction manager, and is making significant progress towards bringing these ideas to life.

According to Mr. Scanlan,

there is heavy, ongoing conversation revolving changes in classrooms, the McShain library, and the school entrance way. In places such as the science department, where renovations have been done within the last decade, students can assume that these classes will remain relatively the same. Students will soon say goodbye to the McShain library as it will transform from a ?library? to a ?learning commons?. Learning commons are 21st century libraries that are familiarizing themselves in schools across the nation. As the necessity for libraries purely as access to information dwindled, they developed into a space that promotes collaboration in learning.

(Continued on Page 2)

2 | News

Newsies (Cont.) L etter from Student Council (Continued from Front Page) Yet, it is clear that efforts have been made to inject some variety into the show. For instance, part of the set is a brick wall that hangs above the stage. Nothing special, right?

Well, in that brick wall, there is a gap. A gap where a projector screen lives. They used this screen to flash pictures of New York City as they relate to the scene at hand. Another interesting use of the screen arrives when the newsies are reading headlines from that day?s paper. As the headlines come out, and the newsies squint through the gates to see the main story, the headline in question appears on the projector screen. I personally enjoyed this touch, as it allowed the audience to see what the newsies are seeing, which allows a viewer to put themselves in the shoes of the characters. Although this may not seem like an impactful feature, it has the potential to completely change the view of the show. Allowing the audience to sympathise with the downtrodden news boys is a key component of the emotional connection that is established between viewer and performer.

Another change is the increased uses of the aisles and audience. Having characters utilize the aisles in Prep show is not a completely new con-

cept. Yet, in Newsies I felt that the characters make use of the aisles far more. From having newsies run up to the stage from the back of the aisles, all the way to the throwing of torn up newspaper into the audience after a musical number, the audience is an integral part of the show. This increased level of involvement elevates the entire performance and keeps the audience on their toes.

Finally, the passion is unreal.

There is a tangible excitement and emotion in every word spoken, every song sung. It courses through the actors on stage like electricity. It makes the show truly special. Passion is nothing new for a Cape and Sword show, yet this one somehow feels different. The performance is truly alive, and that spirit is what makes the production what it is.

Seeing that Newsies is one of the most significant productions in Cape and Sword?s impressive history, it is no surprise that all the stops have been pulled. Every aspect of the show blends together beautifully, and the new features such as the projector and the aisle usage set it apart from a normal show. If you are one of those who managed to purchase a ticket, then consider yourself lucky enough to be able to witness Newsies.

By Chr is I x '18 As the first quarter has come to a close and the second quarter begins to come in full force, Student council has been hard at work both learning the ropes of our new positions and employing direct change to a student?s daily life. The first quarter was a little rocky for us as we were almost all new to our executive positions and student council in a whole, so there was a decent learning curve to each position. Also, in the first quarter we did go through an administrative change to have Mr. Zazyczny become our new moderator.

With everything finally settling down form the commotion of newness in the first quarter, we are nothing but excited to attack the new quarter, confident in ourselves and our capabilities. Starting off, we are heading into the

festive time of Thanksgiving which is always a shining moment for our school in our way of giving, but also in our Prep spirit. Spirit week is this week and student council has made some changes to the set of themes that we believe will positively impact the students.

One change of note we have made is to drop the idea of ?Clash Day?, because, well, we are all students here and have come to the realization none of us can dress well even when it is not a spirit day.

Instead, we have decided to transition that day into ?Groutfit day? for the reasons of practicality and accessibility. Clash day was never really a spirit day because everyone was still in dress code, but now with ?Groutfit day? all students will be able to wear their sweatpants each one so desires.

There is also going to be a Pep

rally this Friday in the afternoon to honor the fall sports and get everyone excited for the holidays to come.

Student Council will be meeting this week to square some things away, but rest assured, this will not be your typical pep rally. With the events involved, we encourage all students to be as active spectators as possible. The blood drive is coming up as well and we are actively seeking out anyone who meets the requirements to donate Double Red. We will be sending email signups out shortly. As always please feel free to communicate to anyone on student council any ideas you might have that would positively impact our school and please do not forget to actively participate in all of our twitter polls so we may gauge the student body.

The Newsies line up during their opening number, Carrying the Banner. (Photo: Riley Herriman '18)

Coming Renovation (Cont.)

(Continued from Front Page) The future learning commons at the Prep is also planned to have space dedicated for teams to meet privately to work on group projects or assignments.

When asked if they prefered either a more traditional library or a more modernized version, that being a learning commons, a group of juniors at the Prep agreed a learning commons seemed more efficient.

There are expected office and

classroom changes to be made as well. Mr. Scanlan reasoned, ?To be able to support learning in the 21st century? for implementing more technology in the classrooms. Bringing more technology into the classrooms provide both teachers and students with skills that are necessary to have in today?s society. The board of this renovation project are prototyping these technological changes in classrooms such as room 109.

The technological learning en-

vironment leaves a lot of room for collaborative work. The idea of a collaborative learning experience also is represented with the new desk and chair design. Students in room 109 and in a few other classes separate in single chair-desks. It is proven by various studies that the switch from these chairdesks to the elongated tables with the swivel chairs improve student engagement, which therefore improves student success. A more comfortable

seat at a more comfortable desk provides a more comfortable learning experience.

With any renovations or any big plans such as these comes a large price tag. Mr. Scanlan, while he said there is no settled price yet, he also said the number will be fairly large. He estimated the cost of these various renovations to be at least ten million dollars, but possibly much more. There is a committee currently focused

on fundraising. Each renovation is relative to how much money is able to be raised. The currently favored plan, due to some renovations being intrusive, is to begin during the end of a school year and throughout the summer; the renovations should be completed in full by the end of two summers.

The Prep is not going to be getting renovations this summer, according to Mr. Scanlan, but in the very near future.

News | 3

St. Joe's Prep Shares The Journey

By Scott Hibbs '19 On September 27th, Pope Francis launched a global campaign, called ?Share the Journey? in support of refugees and migrants all around the world. In the spirit of Respect Life Month in October, Pope Francis called Catholics all over the world to join together from October 7th- 13th in a week of prayer and action for migrants and refugees.

In order to stand in solidarity with our refugee brothers and sisters, the Mission and Ministry team decided to take part in the Share the Journey campaign. During the week, facts, figures, and myths about refugees and migrants were displayed through social media, flyers around the school, and the TV screens in the Dining Hall.

The majority of the activities for the week took place on October 12th. In the morning, a mass was offered for all those fleeing their homes in need of a more safe space for their families. Later in the day, during Community Hour, there was session of activity, prayer, and reflection offered to students in the White Chapel.

During the Community Hour, a group of students and faculty gathered together in a short prayer for the safety of migrants and refugees all around the world fleeing from their homes. After the prayer a short discussion about the refugee situation took place. In this discussion the participants were asked to give their definition of a refugee.

Following the discussion,

the students were split into families and all took part in a simulation of the experience of a refugee who has been forced to flee their country. In this activity the students were asked to chose six items to bring along with them on their flight from home; these items varied from absolute necessities such as water and food, to amenities that we usually take for granted such as a portable TV or a laptop. After the items were chosen, each family then had to face various obstacles on their journey to safety, having to let go of more and more items on their way, and eventually having their family split up. By the end of the activity each person had only a fraction of the items they first chose, losing almost everything that they had initially brought along.

The session was closed with a reflection on the simulation, and each participant was called to think of one word to describe what they felt when putting themselves into the shoes of a refugee. ?Uncertain? and ?scared? were among the many words used to describe the experience. The participants were then asked to reflect upon the story of the birth of Jesus, and how Mary and Joseph were refugees, forced to flee from their home.

In the following days various teachers from the Religion and History departments had their students take part in the simulation in class. By participating in these simulations the students were able to gain a new insight into the issue of refugees, and how the Church

Pope Francis blesses and speaks with refugees at one of many overcrowded refugee camps. (Photo: sharethejourney.org) calls us to share the journey with all of our neighbors, not only those who live near us, look like us, speak like us, or pray like us.

he calls all of us to have a greater vision and a hopeful determination to prevent exploitations of real people in crisis.

Father Federico, SJ, had this to say when asked why the plight of refugees should be important to the Prep community, ?The Holy Father has consistently pleaded to the Church and to the World on behalf of the current plight of migrants and refugees. I?m inspired by Pope Francis because

"The Pope pleaded this month explicitly for an increase in all countries? participation and support of programs that aid the poor. Remarkably, these papal programs open up corridors for people and assist in places where refugees experience hospitality and are spared harsh treatment. The Pope calls

on all of us as believers to know the story of ?the other? and keep a personal perspective on this massive issue. Our Prep experience should prepare all of us (Faculty, staff, administration, students, alumni and their families), to critically think as people of faith so that we can respond generously to the Pope?s call - That?s hopeful!

Student Council I nvestigating " Prep Dog" The Hawkeye can exclusively report that the type of dog will be somewhere within this range. (Photo: knowyourmeme.com)

By K evin L atu '19 The Prep may have great academics, dominance in athletics, a theatre program to rival Broadway, remarkable extracurriculars, expert teachers, and irreplaceable staff, but there is one thing it does not have: a dog. The lack of a dog has been very apparent in these halls, which has inspired many student council members to campaign off of the platform of a ?Prep Dog.? Of course no one has fulfilled their promise, but now there is a glimmer of hope that this may become a reality.

Many wonder what type of dog would be best for this hec-

tic and crowded school environment. The first issue that someone would bring problems is if a student has an allergy to dogs that shed. Therefore, one non-negotiable characteristic of the dog is that it must be hypoallergenic.

Mainly three breeds have been considered: Portuguese water dog, labradoodle, and goldendoodle.

Two more key stipulations are the gender and age. First, it makes sense that the dog would have to be male because this is an all- guys school after all. Second, the canine would have to be 3 years or older.

President Chris Ix has been

leading the charge in obtaining a Prep Dog. After having an in-depth conversation with the head of Student Council, Ix refused to definitively give a name for the dog and emphasized the possibility that any plans for getting a dog could be derailed by a number of possibilities. He did, however, note that he was fond of one name for the Prep Dog being ?The Hawk?. He excitedly explained, ?It would be really fun to call it ?The Hawk? because once he gets too old, we could retire him at a ?Pup Rally? and pass the name onto the next Prep Dog. This would make it so that The Hawk would never die!?

One backer of this plan is Mr. Petruzzelli, who is excited by the prospect of having a school dog. He illuminated during an interview, ?I think it would be a great idea! It would certainly bring a unique dimension to The Prep.? He did note that there are two points that need to be addressed. He explained, ?We need to be sensitive to students and parents that have allergies and to figure out how to care for the dog.

It?s one thing to want a dog, but a whole different story to care for one.?

As previously mentioned, the Prep is looking for a hypoallergenic breed and many

have speculated a plan for caring for the dog. The dog would most likely stay Mrs. Auerbach?s office until 3pm, then it would transfer over to the Alumni Service Core?s house across the street, where they would handle caring for the dog at the night.

There is one thing that President Ix needs your, the student body?s, help doing. As exciting as it is to speculate on the potential names of the dog, there is a need for a public say in the matter. President Ix wants you to email him (christopher.ix@sjprephawks.org), if you have any suggestions for name of the Prep__Dog.

4 | News

Histor y Club Honor s Fallen WWI Soldier s

By Ned Bur ke '19 As Veteran?s Day passes, people all over take the time to remember the soldiers that gave their lives in the defense of their country. This past week, the Prep has taken a step to show this respect visually by selling of poppy lapels by the History Club to be worn on one?s jacket from November 1 to November 11.

The red poppy is Great Britain?s symbol of remembrance for the First World War. The history of this tradition starts with the fact that poppies only grow when they are exposed to sunlight, but can remain fertile for a long time if they are not. Due to this, poppy seeds can spend decades underground but can still grow if they are tossed up to the surface and exposed to sunlight.

After the Second Battle of Ypres, a battle that took place in Belgium and took a heavy tool on both the British forces and the land, Canadian doctor, John McCrae, took notice of the red poppies growing out of one of Flanders? Fields mass cemeteries. This inspired him to write the poem, ?In Flanders? Fields.? The poem be-

came published in Britain and was soon a symbol of support for the British Forces, being placed on war bonds, posters, the back of the Canadian $10 bill, and in ceremonies honoring the fallen.

To this day, red poppies serve as a symbol of remembrance worn by the British to commemorate the end of both World War I and World War II and the soldiers that gave their lives. White poppies also serve as a symbol of objection to war. The History Club supported this cause by selling poppies to students and faculty for two dollars. The price was slashed to one dollar if the buyer could recite either John McCraes?s ?In Flanders?

Fields? (the poem that originally honored the fallen by red poppies) or Owen Wilfred, ?Dolce et Decorum.? The latter is a poem published posthumously about the repulsive and deplorable conditions experienced in the brutal trench warfare, the most horrifying of which was the use of toxic gas in the trenches. The poem is capped by the Latin phrase, ?Duce et Decroum, pro patria mori (It is sweet and proper to

Mr. Petruzzelli, Tim Harris ?18, and Pat Morrison ?18 sporting their red poppy lapels in support of the memory of the fallen soldiers of World War I .

(Photo: St. Joe's Prep) die for your country).? This is an obvious reference to the 8.5 million lives lost in World War I, 900,000 of which were British lives.

The proceeds of the fundraiser goes to the Veteran?s Multi- Service Center. The mission of VMC is to ?serve those who served.? They do this by providing service, opportunities, and programs to help veterans who are disabled

or requiring assistance. The organization was founded in 1980 to relieve Vietnam veterans and it is the only non-profit organization in Philadelphia that provides help and services to all veterans. 175,000 meals a year are provided to veterans and the organization has provided housing for 500 veterans and their families.

As Thanksgiving draws near, people everywhere start to

think about what they are thankful for in their lives.

Honoring soldiers who gave their lives for the good and protection of this country in World War I and World War II is one of the many ways to show thanks. This support can be expressed through the support of veterans through organizations such as the Veteran?s Multi- Service Center and actions such as wearing a red poppy pin on one?s lapel.

Admissions Process Near s End for Class of 2022

By M att M ar hefka '19 Every year, the Prep admits an incoming freshman class in hope to carry out the legacy of the student body. The application for the class of 2022 was due Friday, November 3. Now, this group of students have been focused on the Scholarship Entrance Exam, whose

results will be returned back some time after Christmas.

From what the inside scope is, nobody knows just yet who these future Preppers are, but certain trends can predict what the future will entail. Based on the insightful comments from Ms. Vander Vennet, the composition of previous classes

can be used as a predecessor for Prep?s future scholars.

An exact number of incoming freshman is difficult to get this early. For the admissions staff, the amount is influenced by the characters of the students. Prep is more likely to accept a greater amount of stu-

dents if the applicants are willing to commit, and contribute to Prep?s everyday difficulty.

Ms. Vander Vennet emphasized how class size is really, ?garnered by the quality of the applicants, and if they chose to come.? So, there is always the uncertainty that many applicants could withdraw for a number of reasons. In past years, the data has reflected that anywhere from 220 to 250 students are the expected amount. Currently, the junior class stands at the smallest size with 190, while the sophomores put up a reasonable number of 240.

The consistency from where the Prep entices their students remains the same. Around 60% of each year?s class reflects the makeup of Pennsylvania?s suburbs. Both Philadelphia and New Jersey each make up the other 20%, with New Jersey starting to breed a slight increase in future Preppers. Recently, the admissions office has started keeping track of the top 30 elementary schools that freshman come from. Interestingly, the trend shows that around 50% of the incoming freshman usually comes from the same, top 30 schools. Currently, Waldron Mercy Academy graduates are ranked first for the most students in the building.

A senior from the class of '16 poses with shadow visitors who went on to become students at The Prep. (Photo: Mr. Raffa)

The figures that the admissions office were able to share is a great indicator for what to expect, but an important aspect to stress is that not every class is the same. An interesting sta-

tistic provided was the avid increase in ?shadow visits.?

Shadow visits are offered for 8th graders in the fall, while 7th graders reserve a special spot in the spring. Around this time last year, there has been 356 visitors. To date, there has been 421 shadow visits. This staggering increase suggests that this class is very active.

Through these student visits, the admissions board has gotten to meet the students, and so far have been impressed. Ms. Vander Vennet shared how, ?more than 65% of the students pick where to go, not as much the parents anymore.?

That being said, shadow visits do have an impact on students, and are crucial to their selection process.

Since this new data indicates how the students are more active in their selection, admissions have taken certain steps to better show what makes the Prep tick. Ms. Vander Vennet informed that because of this information, ?7th grade shadow visits are now a full day.? And shadows go visit an activity during the Community Hour that interests them during their day. Admissions has also tried to spread anything Prep related when it can. Currently, a new 30 second advertisement will be shown before youtube videos, hoping to indirectly target students. The video has yet to be released, since it is still a work in progress. Although exact numbers are not available for these future freshman, data suggests this class will be a special one.

Features | 5

I gnatian Family Teach-I n for Justice

By Nick Paler mo ?18 The Ignatian Family TeachIn is a conference of mostly Jesuit schools conversing on ideas of Social Justice. The theme of the Teach- In, ?Rowing Into the Deep,? encourages the attendees to go even further in their pursuit of social justice by leaving the safety of the shore for the danger of the sea.

Over the course of three days, students and faculty from Jesuit schools all over the nation discussed how they can improve the social justice climate in the United States, specifically focusing on the two central topics of the conference: mass incarceration and immigration.

The Prep sent two students(Pat Davies ?18, Nick Palermo ?18) and two faculty(Ms. Porter, Mr. Simon ?13) to the Teach-In. The group arrived in Washington D.C. Saturday morning and visited a few monuments. After checking into the hotel, the group departed for the Teach-In. The conference is broken into Keynote and Breakout sessions. During the keynote sessions, all the attendants are gathered in a room similar in size to the fieldhouse, where they say an opening prayer,

hear a few short speeches on various social justice topics, and then listen to a longer speech, centered around mass incarceration and immigration, delivered by the ?Keynote? speaker. The three keynote speakers were Fr. Bryan Massingale, Sr. Patricia Chappell, and Dr. Maria Stephan.

After each keynote speaker, attendees were offered a choice of what breakout session they?d like to attend. Topics ranged from the death penalty to corporate responsibility, and some of the highlighted speakers were Fr. Jim Martin, S.J., Sister Simone Campbell, S.S.S., and Alfred Dewayne Brown. The conference portion of the retreat ended on Sunday with mass said by Fr. Mark Ravizza, S.J. On Monday, students and faculty participated in a protest next to the Christopher Columbus memorial before lobbying with their local representatives. Mr. Simon describes this, saying ?One of the unique experiences about the Teach- In is that after we learn about various social justice issues, we get the opportunity to advocate on Capitol Hill and speak to our state representative about these issues. I had

never met with a state representative before, mainly because it was so daunting. But, much to my surprise, it was a very easy process and one that has the ability to make a difference in our country.? The Prep?s group, along with students from SJU, Villanova, and Cabrini, met with staff members of Senator Bob Casey(DPA) and Representative Pat Meehan(R- PA) to talk about the issues of immigration and mass incarceration.

Something that really shines at the Teach- In, aside from everyone?s collective commitment to social justice, is the Jesuit connection. Pat Davies explains ?I didn?t realize the extent of the Jesuit community until attending the Teach- In, where we saw Liam Scott ?17[now a freshman at Fordham University], Mr. Verghese?s[novice Jesuit and Prep employee in spring of 2017] brother and sister, and hundreds of people displaying their Kairos necklaces.? Pat went on to say ?The Maryknoll Missionary nun I talked to for maybe five minutes remembered me for the remainder of the Teach- In, and she made it feel more personal in telling me about the unique opportu-

(L-R): Ms. Porter, Liam Scott '17, Pat Davies '18, Nick Palermo '18, Mr Simon '13.

(Photo: Mr. Simon) nities for service after college.

Although she isn?t directly connected to the Jesuits, she displayed the importance of connections and caring about each person.?

The Teach- In is now in its twentieth year, and going stronger than ever. Hopefully this year?s addition of the Prep to the long list of schools will bring more even more of a

commitment to doing justice to this already inspiring conference. I would certainly recommend the Teach- In for anyone who has even the slightest desire to learn more about social justice. Being around so many other Jesuit- educated students from all over the world and working toward a common goal with them is an empowering_.thing.

SJP Adds 75 M ore Students to NHS

By Paul Stowell ?18 Every year, we come together to honor those who have strived for the magis in their daily endeavors, those who have embodied the mantra of ?men for and with others,? and those who have ultimately set the world on fire in their time at the Prep. Every year, we come together to honor the newest members of the Joseph P. Mattern chapter of the National Honor Society ? a privilege bestowed upon the Prep?s finest young men.

In order to be inducted, one

must fulfill a number of requirements by the end of his Junior year: a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 and a minimum 10 hours of peer tutoring.

Then, one must write an essay on character, explaining what it means to him and how he has fulfilled his duty of being a man of good character.

This year, the Prep proudly welcomed 75 members of the class of 2018 into the National Honor Society. This number is down ten from last year?s impressive total of 85, but still is significant nevertheless.

In addition to these new members of the National Honor Society, the Senior class produced twenty Advanced Placement Scholars (received a score of 3 or higher on at least three AP exams), twelve Advanced Placement Scholars with Honor (received a score of 3 or higher on at least four AP exams and averaged a score of at least 3.25), and nine Advanced Placement Scholars with Distinction (received a score of 3 or higher on at least five AP exams and averaged a score of at least 3.5).

Even more importantly, the class of 2018 celebrated its three National Merit SemiFinalists -- Matt Phillips, Alex Payton, and Jake Feehery - who scored within the top 1% of all students on the qualifying exam. The class of 2018 also boasts eight National Merit Commended Students, who scored within the top 5% of all students on the qualifying exam.

When the Prep comes together for Honors Convocation, we celebrate excellence in all endeavors, insuppressible

grit and determination, and undeniable dedication to one?s character. Each certificate handed out by Father Swope represents its own unique success story, almost all of which contain hours of hard work, a number of sacrifices made, and an absolute refusal to give up during the most difficult times.

These certificates, similar to a Saint Joseph?s Prep Diploma, are something to be extremely proud of and are something that should continue to be celebrated with the same excitement shown at last week?s Convocation.

Ar tist of the Week: Fr ank Coyne '19 Frank Coyne ?19 currently takes Graphic Design at the Prep and he has shared with The Hawkeye one of his drawings from the class. He told The Hawkeye about his inspiration for the piece, ?The Prep has the privilege of being an urban school, which allows it to offer its students an expansive education that suburban schools lack. This kind of urban education goes beyond the classroom; students at The Prep learn how to navigate with public transportation and other important things about the city.

This drawing is a graffiti style ?Prep,? which illustrates the importance of the city to every student and to the concept of a Jesuit__education.?

ARTI STS NEEDED --Are you inter ested in dr awing for the Hawkeye? Contact David M cCabe '19, M arco Sammar tino '18, or M att Phillips '18 about submitting car toons, comic str ips, photos or ar twor k of any kind.

6 | Features

Hur tado Food Pantr y Gives M ore than Just Donations

By Chr istian Giuliani ?19 The Prep organizes many clothing, food, and monetary collections to help support the local community. Not only is the Prep humbled to offer these generous services, but giving is what indicates how greatly the Prep cares for their neighbors in the area. The Hurtado Food Pantry, an SJP club and charity, embodies the generous and loving support of the Prep community as a whole. Helping those who lack the basic

necessities for living is why the community is substantially strong. No family in our Philadelphia neighborhood is a excluded from the Hurtado Food Pantry?s mission of making the community a better place.

The concrete mission of the Hurtado Food Pantry is ?to aid the residents of our community who are struggling economically by creating the most efficient means of providing nourishment to others.? What is so

special about this program? To understand the experience and know why this program is special, one must create special connections with people. A prime example of this is when Prep students and the Hurtado Food Pantry group walk throughout the Parkway delivering ?blessing bags? to the homeless people. The blessing bags consist of socks, hats, gloves, and toiletries. The hundreds of pounds of supplies were donated by students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the

Some Preppers at the 2017 Hurtado Walk last year.

(Photo: Hurtado Website)

Mothers Club. The students had conversations with the homeless and prayed with them. The most important aspect was forming a human connection with those who are struggling. The idea of giving is to recognize the face of the person that needs helping. That is exactly what the Hurtado Food Pantry highlights, and they seek to inspire others to do the same.

Mr. Leo Vaccaro ?05 is the moderator of the Hurtado Food Pantry, but more than just Prep students help with the Hurtado Food Pantry - faculty, parents, and alumni do as well.

Throughout the year, deliveries are made to places such asSt. Francis Inn, St. Peter's, the Mander Recreation Facility, and My Brother's House of the Bethesda Project. Mr Vaccaro mentioned, ?I was told by a social worker there, that due to our efforts, we were able to provide clothing to one of their slimmer residents (he is a shorter man with a 30" waist) and this was the first time in a very, very long time that they were able to give him new, clean clothing (they had too many clothes that were from larger sizes... so clothing that once was lightly used by our sophomores and freshman is now making a huge difference in his life). We also donated a nice collection of clothing on Monday to Cristo Rey school (thanks to John Campbell for driving).? Mr. Vaccaro also

mentions that the Thanksgiving food drive began on October 23.

The canned goods and various other food items are arriving currently, and many students have helped to sort these items onto tables in the Multipurpose Room. This Friday, November 17th, students are needed to assemble the baskets and sort them in the Church of the Gesu, during the "Food Rally."

The Prep community as a whole is brought together in many ways. The Hurtado Food Pantry epitomizes the idea of ?men for and with others.? Interaction is key to developing a greater understanding of the community we serve. The Prep brotherhood, through the Hurtado Food Pantry, extends its generosity of the local community.

Want to help sor t baskets for the Thanksgiving Dr ive? Come to the Food Rally after school in the M ultipur pose Room, Fr iday Nov. 17!

Talking with M r. Dennis '01: M aster I mproviser

By Nick Paler mo '18

as__well.

Q: When did you first become involved with improv and what encouraged you to start?

Q: What's your favorite skit you've done?

A: I really was first introduced to improv as a student at the Prep. This is long before the days of an improv club or anything formal, but I remember being exposed to improv through rehearsals for A Midsummer Night's Dream, specifically. There is a part of the show that is a play within the play- - where a group of amateur performers put on a performance for the king and queen. In the Prep's production, that part of the show brought down the house, partly because we had free reign to improvise as long as it served the spirit of the show. As a result, the show was never the same night to night. It was absolutely exhilarating. That was my first real experience with Improv and I quickly fell in love. I was lucky enough to teach the improv course as part of the PrepU (formerly known as Pre-8th) program for eleven years-- this past summer being the first time that I did not teach it. I also helped start the Improv Club after school and ran that for four or five years

A: Aside from the aforementioned A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Prep in the spring of 1999, probably my favorite skit or improv experience was at Act II Playhouse in Ambler.

A few years back, Tony Braithwaite '89, Howie Brown '99 and I (later joined by Cape and Sword Choreographer Sonny Leo) created our own show for the Christmas season (a variety show of skits, songs, roasts, etc). We ended up doing a new one every couple of years. The final segment of all of those shows was always a bit called "Your Wonderful Life" where we would call an audience member up on stage and ask him/her a series of questions about their lives (what they did for a living, where they were from, etc). We would then take that information and improvise a hybrid retelling of It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol, making the audience member the main character as it were.

To this day, those were some of the most exciting and energizing moments I've had on stage.

Tony and I also did a political

show last fall where we improvised an entire song every night set to the music of "Alexander Hamilton" from Hamilton.

Q: Do you, or have you ever, done Improv outside the Prep?

A: I do! In fact, since stopping the Improv Club and Pre-8th, I ONLY do improv outside of the Prep. I have been teaching improv classes professional for the past 5 or so years. I've taught teens, adults, and even 1st and 2nd graders. I started my own small improv business where I would not only teach classes, but also emcee improv events/parties at people's homes and places of business.

Improv is partly responsible for how I ended up working in development at the Prep, believe it or not.

fearless- - a helpful combination in the world of improv.

Having said that, ANYONE can improvise as long as you're willing to take a risk.

Q: Who, in your opinion, is the best improv club member currently at the Prep?

Q: How does what you learn in Improv reflect what is learned at the Prep?

A: Since I'm no longer coaching the Improv Club, it'd be hard for me to say with confidence who the best improviser is at the Prep. I will say this, though. In my experience, Prep students, in general, tend to be incredibly strong at improv because they are intelligent and

A: I'm obsessed with Improv, Nick. To me, it's not only a fun, exhilarating and often comical style of performance, but it is the perfect educational platform (that rings especially true with Jesuit education).

Without going into too much detail, some of the core tenants

Mr. Dennis performing at Act I I Playhouse.

(Photo: Mr. Dennis) that you learn in improvisation are 1) acceptance and contribution (we call it "yes, and..."), 2) listening, 3) recognizing mistakes as opportunities, 4) giving yourself up for the good of your team, 5) everybody leads and everybody follows and 6) removing any place for negativity. That all is so consistent with the mission of the Prep as we develop minds, hearts and character in pursuit of becoming men for and with others. I think that's why I've been so drawn to improv, the same reason I'm drawn to Jesuit education.

Features | 7

Agents of the M ission at 17th & Gir ar d

By Andrew K oh '19 As students are all aware, the Prep is extremely proud of its Jesuit heritage. Ever since Freshman Retreat, the Prep has been incessant with its emphasis on the teachings and history of the Society of Jesus. Every day begins with a prayer ending in ?St. Ignatius, pray for us,? while every week ends with the Examen, a practice unique to the Jesuits. The mantra ?Men, for and with others,? has been repeated to such an extent that it has become a part of the students? existence, while the Prayer for Generosity has become second nature. To say the least, the Prep?s Jesuit heritage is well known among the student body. However, while the history of Ignatius and the Society of Jesus may be quite apparent to the students, the modern Jesuit is a quite unfamiliar concept, even while three Jesuits are currently a part of the Prep faculty: Brother Bob Carson, S.J., counselor, Rev. Chuck Frederico, S.J., Senior Director of Mission and Ministry, and Rev. John Swope ?72, S.J., President.

Reverend Chuck Frederico was asked to elaborate on the modern Jesuit in relation to the Prep and beyond. According to him, the role of the Jesuit at the Prep is that of ?bridgebuilding.? In his words, ?we Jesuits hope to help students and teachers, family and alumni, board members and administrators, staff and friends of the Prep, all of us to realize the gifts that each of us have as individuals and all of us have as a community, and how those gifts can make a difference in the world beyond the Prep.? Essentially, he speaks of the Jesuits as being the glue holding the entire community together, the common denominator among all the drastically different people occupying the same building.

At an institution where the importance of such community and interpersonal connections is so emphasized, it is truly a critical role.

Jesuit spirituality lays the foundation of the Prep. He

refers to several uniquely Jesuit ideals underlying every dimension of the Prep experience, starting with retreat and service and including the academic curricula and beyond.

Regarding the special retreat and service programs the Prep offers, he elaborated that ?The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius infuse the retreat and service program of the four year curriculum of the Prep.

These Spiritual Exercises are the foundation of a Jesuit?s life.? Regarding the academic dimension of the Prep, he illuminated that ?The way Jesuits have involved themselves in schools since the 16th century and many of the same liberal arts programs our Prep students undertake are foundational for Jesuit formation. The principles of Cura Personalis, or care of the person, the Magis, or the most or best of oneself and one?s capacities, and the guideline to look and ?find God in all things? are all from the way Ignatius formed his earliest companions.? As Jesuits at the Prep, Father Frederico explained that they have an important role to play reinforcing these principles on which the Prep was founded, modelling the personal relationship with God, being committed to education of students in the modern world, participating in the aforementioned ?bridge- building,? and ?making lifelong friendships.?

To say that these precepts affect the students? lives would be an understatement, as there is quite tangible evidence of the transformative nature of the Jesuit influence at the Prep.

According to Father Federico, in the last eight to ten years, the Prep has had the largest number men in Jesuit formation out of all Jesuit schools, with the tally currently at ten members. This, as elaborated

by Father Federico, is an indication of the faith and commitment apparent at the Prep : ?The heart of this place makes Jesus Christ real and palpable.

The faith of this place makes a real commitment to what it means to be a Catholic Jesuit school. And both of those are Vocation Promotion tools

The Jesuits of the Prep pose with Fr. A.J. Rizzo, S.J. '99, when he returned to his alma mater to say mass earlier this year. (Photo: St. Joe's Prep) which help a young man reflect on his own call.? And while relatively not many students may go on to become a Jesuit themselves, every last student is completely immersed in these ideals, and the influence on their lives is intimate, conspicuous, and eternal.

them to ?Set the world on fire.? Father Federico emphasized that while social activism is an important facet to Jesuit spirituality, all people have to remember ?to be in the world, but not of the world,? referring again to the authenticity and humility Christ calls for.

Moving beyond just the walls of the Prep, the Jesuits have long been involved in social activism in the world, calling upon the wisdom of Jesus Christ to express their beliefs and make a mark on the rest of the world. Father Federico explained that ?the Jesuits have long included social activism in our ministry because our foundation is about the relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus challenged the system and invited folks to look more deeply into their practices, to be authentic, to be transparent, to be humble. We are called to be a people of peace, justice, love and hope, trusting in God?s forgiveness of our sin but working to create a better world along the way. Pope Francis, as the first Jesuit Pope, points us to what a modern day Jesuit is.? It can be said that social activism and having an audible voice beyond one?s own experience has always been a part of the Jesuit ideology, with Ignatius asking people to be ?Men, for and with others? and encouraging

Father Federico is especially encouraged by the ways in which this special spirituality is expressed by the members of the Prep community, and expressed his gratitude for the ability to take things from the Prep community as well as serve his purpose. It can be said that the Jesuit legacy is actively lived out through the experiences of the entire community, and this is apparent to Father Federico: ?I see the Lord in the play with the way in which the crew and actors bring about this show ?Newsies.? I have seen the Lord in the prayerfulness and commitment of athletes and their coaches. I have seen the Lord in presentations made by our faculty with passion, I have seen the Lord in the way this building gets cleaned and reset for another event by our maintenance crew. I have seen the Lord in our administrators, counselors, administrative staff, parents and alumni.? To him, the entire Prep family defines Jesuit spirituality through its every action.

(L-R): Conner Barbari '19, Sal Mestichelli '19, Jordan Busza '19, Carter Hrabrick '19. (Photo: Mrs. Hoffman)

So what exactly is the modern Jesuit? While it is difficult to strictly define who a ?modern Jesuit? is, it is quite axiomatic that they are an integral part of the Prep. The Prep is a large institution with a myriad of different types of people serving different roles and with drastically different goals to fulfill, and while the diversity of the people that are a part of the community is remarkable, a single, coherent message first endorsed by St. Ignatius serves as the backbone to all activity. The Jesuits serve as the cohesive bond between all facets of the Prep, constantly reminding the entire community of their Jesuit heritage, of which they are so proud. It can be said that Prep Jesuits have fulfilled their role over the years, as the entire Prep community, spanning generations of staff, students, parents, and alumni, resound with a single voice, collectively setting the world on fire.

And while the Prep is grateful for their presence, they, too, have much to take away from the entire experience, as expressed once again by Fr. Frederico, who stated, ?This place does great work and for that I say thanks be to God, because this all makes me a better Jesuit.?

Congratulations to the winning group in the app contest in Ms. Hoffman's AP Computer Science class. The coders designed an app that writes stories based on random number generation which chooses words for living creatures, places, verbs, etc. out of a specified list.

8 | Sports

Prep Basketball to Rebound After Cr ushing L oss

By M atthew Brennan '18 As the leaves change from green to yellow and red, the basketball season quickly approaches. After a crushing defeat in the quarterfinals of the Catholic League Playoffs, the Prep basketball team, led by longtime coach Speedy Morris, is looking for redemption this season. With four returning starters in Ed Croswell ?18, Darius Kinnel ?18, Kyle Thompson ?18, and Gabe Arizin ?19, along with transfer Jacob O?Connell ?19, there is a lot of optimism for the basketball team this year.

When asked about the team for the upcoming season, Ricky Weipz ?19, one of the managers, replied, ?The team is more complete this season in my opinion. We are going to have a nice balance of scoring in the paint and from beyond the arc. I think that will be our biggest strength.?

Jacob DeAnnuntis ?19, a member of the Junior Varsity team, agreed with this, saying, ?Our greatest strengths are our outside shooting, with Thompson,

Kinnel, and Arizin all being great outside shooters, as well as inside scoring from O?Connell and Croswell holding down the paint.? Ed Croswell '18, a La Salle University commit, offers a powerful arsenal of inside scoring that few centers can defend. The team will be difficult to stop on the offensive end with so many weapons.

This season, the Hawks will certainly have some stiff competition to go up against.

Coming off their surprising Catholic League title, Archbishop Wood has a strong returning cast, even though they lost Villanova recruit Collin Gillespie. Roman Catholic, Bonner, Neumann-Goretti, and La Salle all feature squads that will be tough to beat.

Kyle Thompson ?18 commented, ?The Catholic League is very talented this year; there are basically no nights off for us.? Despite this, the team still has high aspirations for the upcoming season. DeAnnuntis responded, ?This season I think the team is really looking

to finish as a high seed in the Catholic League. We also definitely want to make it to the Palestra to compete for a Catholic League Championship. After that, we aim to make a run in the PI6A State Playoffs.? Making it to the Palestra for the semi-finals and finals of the Catholic League Playoffs is always a prominent goal for the team, and they are primed to reach it this season.

The Prep?s squad is led by the veteran backcourt of Darius Kinnel ?18 and Kyle Thompson ?18, who are two of the Catholic League?s best guards.

Having started together since sophomore year, Kinnel and Thompson are ready to be leaders on this team. Thompson is striving for the Catholic League MVP award this season with his dual threat of shooting and inside scoring.

After being named First Team All- Catholic last season, Thompson is shooting for even more success this year. When asked about what it is like to be a senior on the basketball team, Thompson replied, ?It?s

crazy honestly, I feel like I was just a freshman looking up to the seniors who were on varsity and now I am one. I now have a role that I have to fulfill in being a leader on this team just like Chris Clover ?15 and

James McGovern '15 did when I was a freshman.? With this talented cast, the sky is the limit for the this year?s Prep basketball team.

Senior guard and captain Kyle Thompson '18 in action. (Photo: City of Basketball Love)

Student-Athlete of the Week: Evan M atthews '18

By Dan Avington ?18 Operating out of the leadoff spot for the Prep Baseball team, Evan Matthews ?18 was a fearsome player on the diamond last season. Putting up 16 hits, 7 walks, a cumulative .254 average, and .342 on base percentage, Evan was one of the most consistent players in the Catholic League. With his blazing speed and phenomenal arm, Matthews was able to cover right field as well as anyone in the nation, and his speed also allowed him to score from second base on a sacrifice fly during one game.

When he isn?t playing right field, Evan doubles as a pitcher for the Hawks.

Right fielder and pitcher Evan Matthews '18, who is committed to play baseball next season at Bard College.

(Photo: Evan Matthews '18)

While he is a multi- talented player on the field, some of Matthews?best work occurs off the diamond. A member of the Treblemakers and a cantor at all Prep masses, Evan has been described as having an angelic voice and always impresses with his solos. This fall, Evan auditioned for Cape and Sword?s Newsies and received the role of Ike in the musical.

In a show with such athletic moves involved, it?s easy to see that Matthews? baseball experience comes into play.

Earlier in this school year, Evan decided to spend his next four years playing baseball at Bard College, a small liberal arts college in upstate New York. I asked Evan for the reasoning behind his decision and he said, ?I chose Bard because when I first heard about it, their motto was ?A Place to Think.?This phrase is, I feel, a continuation of some of my fa-

vorite Jesuit sayings such as ?striving for the magis,? ?age quod agis,?and the five grad at grads. Of course, I also chose it because I would be able to continue playing baseball, but the most important part about this decision was that I could see myself thriving at Bard for the next four years and it would give me the tools to not only find a successful job, but to love what I do.?

A phenomenal actor, a versatile baseball player, a superb cantor, and a true model of the Jesuit charisms, Evan Matthews ?18 is an ideal Prep student. You can catch Evan?s highlights from last season at www.blogtalkradio.com/WSJP, the same spot where you?ll be able to find multiple Prep Baseball games this Spring, including the season- opening matchups in Orlando, Florida. This season, the Hawks look to be one of the best teams in the Catholic League, led by brand new head coach Anthony Valucci. The team has a ton of returning talent, including catcher Logan Kellerman '18 (Furman University commit), first baseman Brandon Sanders '18 (Bucknell for football), utility infielder Dom Leuzzi '18 (Montclair St.), shortstop Gianni Arici '18 (Quinnipiac University), OF/INF Luke Donaphon '18, center fielder/pitcher Max Frantz '18, pitcher Joe Richardson '19, and most notably, The Hawkeye's StudentAthlete of the Week, right fielder Evan Matthews '18.

Sports | 9

M eet the Captains: M arquez M cCr ay '18

By Dan Avington ?18 Senior quarterback Marquez McCray ?18 is entering his fourth season as a football player at St. Joe?s Prep in a completely new role. Last year, McCray was the newest member of the offensive starting unit, and, even though he was the quarterback, he followed the example of the older players around him. Playing behind the behemoth offensive line of left tackle Sal Cinaglia, left guard Jackson Evans, center Mack Grey, right guard Carter Lynch, and right tackle Taron Hampton, Quez rarely had to worry about opposing d- lines finding their way to him, and he always had reliable skill players around him in D?Andre Swift, Terrance Greene, Christian Waller, and Darryle Simmons. But this season, as one of the team?s eight captains and a returning starter, McCray has had to assume a leadership position, and the team has prospered under his leadership.

As mentioned in the previous paragraph, Quez was named one of the 8 captains for this 2017 season. When asked what it means to him to be a captain, Marquez talked about what an honor it was being named one, especially considering all of the players that have done the job before him, such as D?An-

dre Swift, James Johnson, John Reid, and Olamide Zaccheaus to name a few. He said that this season, his goals have been, ?to be a team leader, lead by example, and focus on each week. The end goal is just to stay with my brothers as long as we can which hopefully leads us to Hershey.?

I then asked him about his college search, and he said it?s been going really well. There are a lot of schools looking his way, even though his only offers are from Sacred Heart and Morgan State. When posed with the question of what the adjustment has been like going from working with an experienced offensive line unit to playing behind a fairly young one, he said, ?It?s the opposite of last year. I was the young guy and the older guys had to help me out. But this year, it?s me in the leadership role trying to help them out and see things. But it?s great to see them grow and improve each week.?

McCray?s record as a starting quarterback has been 24-0, and the Hawks are undefeated with Marquez under center. I asked him if there?s any added pressure coming onto the field without a loss and he said, ?No, I don?t feel any pressure.

I?m not even worried about the

record. I?m only worried about trying to play as long as I can with these guys.? Another question I posed to the 2nd Team All- Catholic QB was how the transition has been from a relatively new member of the offense to being the most senior member this season and he said, ?I?m not a loud guy so it was a little hard at first. Once we got playing, it?s not that bad at all. I just try to use my experience to help everyone else out.?

My final question to Marquez is one that has frequently been asked to the football captains this season: what does it mean to him to have Ryan?s jersey on the sideline with them every game? He responded simply, ?Looking back at the captains holding his jersey means everything to me,? and there?s no better way of putting it than that.

So, even though Marquez takes on a lot of responsibility this season as a senior and one of the few returning offensive starters, he certainly has not let the pressure get to his head.

Last season?s 1st Team AllCatholic has played fantastically all season long, and it doesn?t look like that?s changing anytime soon.

Star quarterback Marquez McCray '18 is one of the eight captains of the Prep Football team this season. (Photo: St. Joe's Prep)

M eet the Captains: Shea Enr ight '18

By Thomas Avington '20 Official Ultimate Frisbee captain Shea Enright ?18 is entering his fourth and final season of Prep Frisbee. Enright is coming off a great junior campaign and is looking to boost his play this year. He is looking to lead this inexperienced Frisbee team to the City Championship after losing last year?s captains Jared Ernst ?17, now on the Ultimate team at Kent State and Ryan Crenny ?17, now playing at Villanova. The Prep Ultimate team is trying to fill those holes by making Enright and Matthew Bevilacqua ?18 the captains for this season.

Shea is usually a ?handler,? the equivalent of the quarterback, but once in a while he will set up as a receiver and snag the long ball. I first asked Shea simply, what Ultimate Frisbee is, and he answered, ?Ultimate frisbee is a student run club where kids who don't enjoy the pressure of varsity sports can come out and compete against other schools for fun.?

About becoming a captain, he stated, ?It's fun to be able to lead others and be in charge; however, it is still very important to listen to the input of

everyone on the team and make sure everyone is still having a good time.? When I asked Shea why he chose Ultimate Frisbee, he explained, ?I chose Ultimate because it seemed like a very fun, low pressure sport I could play just for fun. I didn't have to be good or impress anyone, I could just be myself and enjoy myself.? Even though Frisbee is technically not a sport at the Prep, it still gets very competitive. When someone goes to Ultimate Frisbee game, they can tell that it can get pretty heated.

He talked to me about how Frisbee is both different and related to other sports and he told me, ?Ultimate is much more relaxed than all the Varsity Sports. Matt and I are technically the coaches and we don't impose out authority on our teammates very often. We are all good friends on the team and we can always laugh and have fun. Nobody is overly serious about the sport and we all are able to enjoy ourselves more.?

As Shea said, he and Matt are the coaches, but there was a coach for the spring season, former Alumni Service Corps employee Will Hartz ?13. He

Shea Enright '18 (fifth from the right), one of the two Prep Frisbee captains this season, playing in a tournament this summer in Wildwood with other members of last year's Prep squad. (Photo: Shea Enright '18) has since left the Prep, and the Frisbee team is still searching for a more permanent coach.

As a senior, Shea has to leave the Prep this year and go to college. When I asked him if will continue Frisbee in college, he said, ?Whatever college I end up at, I'll definitely look into the Ultimate team and seek to join it, and if they

don't have Ultimate, I'll create a team and run it myself with other students, just like the one at the Prep.?

freshman recruits at the Prep.

But worldwide definitely, I think it's even becoming an Olympic Sport.?

Ultimate Frisbee is growing around the Prep, the United States, and the world. Shea was asked about if he thought Frisbee is becoming a rapidly growing sport, he claimed, ?Hopefully, we need more

Behind Enright, the Prep Frisbee team is poised for a phenomenal spring season, even though their fall season didn?t end the way they wanted.

10 | Sports

M eet the Captains: Ronan Egan '18

By M atthew Brennan '18 Senior winger Ronan Egan ?18 enters the new hockey season optimistically. Egan, also known as ?Wheels,? is one of the four captains of the St. Joseph?s Prep hockey team along with Tyler Black ?18, Conor Ryan ?18, and Nick Urbani ?18. At the Prep, Egan is heavily involved withThe Hawkeyeas the entertainment section editor and also participates in the Prep Republicans club. In addition, he takes many AP classes, for which he received an AP scholar award because of his high AP test scores. Along with his academic prowess, Egan plays hockey for the Prep and for his club team, both of which require a lot of time. Despite his various commitments, Egan is ready to be a leader for the Prep hockey team this season.

Following in the the footsteps of last season?s hockey captains, Mark Centrella ?17, Demetri Stefanou ?17, Chris Mayer ?17, and Nick Cissone

?17, Egan is prepared to ultimately lead the team to a State Championship should they get that far. When asked about what it feels like to be a captain, Egan responded, ?It's a fantastic feeling to be chosen as a captain for this season.

The leadership by the captains last year was just something special, and so being able to continue on that leadership is just awesome.? Even though he will be a prominent leader on this year?s squad, Egan believes that there will not be much guidance required on his part. While talking about what it means to be a leader for the Prep?s hockey team as a senior, Egan commented, ?Being a leader of a team like ours is easy, in a way. Everybody on the team cares and dedicates themselves just as much as myself and the other captains do, which is motivating in a way.? There will be a lot of hard work and motivation needed for the Prep hockey team to reach the goals of its captains.

Egan was very optimistic about his team?s objectives for the season, remarking, ?The goal obviously is to win the state championship at the end of the season. However, I cannot get too ahead of myself. It starts with the games against La Salle, Ghost, and Malvern, then it moves into playoffs.

From there we'll see where things go.? With La Salle, Holy Ghost Prep, and Malvern all being very formidable opponents, the Prep hockey team will have a rigorous season ahead of them.

Along with the competitive games against these three opposing schools, the hockey team has much to look forward to this season. When asked about what he was anticipating the most for this season, Egan replied, ?I really excited for this season as a whole, but this year's Pink the Rink game should be awesome.? Pink the Rink is an annual game, the focus of which is to raise money for breast cancer re-

Winger Ronan Egan '18 was named one of the four captains of the Prep Hockey team this season. (Photo: St. Joe's Prep) search while at the same time providing an entertaining night of hockey. The Pink the Rink game is currently scheduled for December 21st against Cardinal O?Hara.

With a strong cast of leaders, especially senior winger Ronan Egan, the Prep hockey team is primed for a successful season.

M eet the Captains: M atthew Bevilacqua '18

Frisbee captain Matt Bevilacqua '18 in action against O'Hara last year. (Photo: Matt Bevilacqua '18)

By Thomas Avington '20 Matthew Bevilacqua ?18, who is entering his 2nd season as Ultimate Frisbee captain, is looking to continue his superb play going into his senior and final season. Bevilacqua has been a member of the squad since his freshman year, working his way up from benchwarmer on Colin White?s teams to team captain this season. Even though he?s only 5?4?, his poise and leadership on the field make him one of the best captains the Delaware Valley has ever seen.

When I asked Matt what Ultimate Frisbee is, he responded, ?Ultimate frisbee is probably one of the most relaxed sports at the Prep. From scheduling games to running practices, it is entirely student run, which really helps create a nice, laid back environment that you wouldn't get with a varsity sport.? The two captains are basically the athletic director, head coach, and star players, which is something very few sports have to deal with. They coordinate all of the tournaments, order all of

the team apparel, teach new players the rules, decide which players to play at what times, and control the pace of play on the field. The St. Joe?s Prep frisbee team has very few plays and only three defensive styles: martini, red red wine, and man- to- man. The martini involves a cup, which is three players playing the ?wall? and one playing the olive, who follows the frisbee around at all times with the wall setting up behind him and blocking the passing lanes. There are then two middies lined up behind

the cup, covering the middle of the field and directing the center wall on which way the cutters are coming. Finally, there?s a player in ?deep deep,? who covers all of the ?Hail Mary? style passes. The red red wine formation is basically the same thing, except there are two players deep and just one midfielder. Offense is a little less complicated, as it?s mostly a lot of running around trying to get open. There are a few plays, such as stack and side stack, but they are hardly ever employed to perfection and it ends up as a free- for- all. Another thing I asked Matt was why he decided to play for the team and he said, ?I got cut from soccer freshman year and was looking for something to do, so I went to the first meeting Freshman year and decided to give it a shot. Ever since then I've enjoyed every minute of it.?When I asked Matt how frisbee is related to other sports, he said, ?Aside from the technical stuff like not being a PCL sport or not having refs, there's still that intensity of wanting to compete our hardest and wanting to win just like any other sport. That said, we do like to keep it pretty relaxed and just try to become better players, so as long as we go out and play a solid game, we're usually pretty happy. We try not to worry too much about our record or anything like that, and instead just focus and playing hard and having a good time with the boys.?

Matt looks to keep Ultimate in his life after he leaves the Prep after 4 great years of

playing Frisbee, he told me, in details, how he plans to make Frisbee apart of his life, ?If I don't end up playing for a club team, I'll definitely look into intramural. It's been a pretty big part of my life over the past four years and isn't something I want to or am ready to give up just because I'm leaving the chaos of the Prep team.? As many people know, Frisbee is a rapidly- growing sport at the Prep and around the world, Matt agreed and implied, ?I definitely think it's growing, it seems like every year we get more and more kids to play. We've had a couple kids go on and play in college, even getting some scholarships to play, and one graduate in playing the the world championship this year. Seeing stuff like that I think helps it grow around the Prep, and it has approval by the IOC, so who knows maybe it'll be in the Olympics one day.? Finally, I asked him what is it like to be the captain of such a great team of a such an amazing sport, and he said, ?Being the a captain is pretty great. It's awesome to get to help all the younger guys learn how to play, especially looking at how the captains from my freshman and sophomore years help me as a player and a person.

Looking at it from that perspective, it's pretty cool to be a part of everyone's experience on the team and a part of the Prep Ultimate legacy.?

Led by Bevilacqua, the Frisbee team looks poised to make a major run at the City Championship title in the Spring

Avington: The Case for M cCr ay and Sander s player in the Catholic League this season, and there is no doubt in my mind that he will prove that as the season moves forward.

By Dan Avington ?18 3091 passing yards. 708 rushing yards. 36 touchdowns.

Just 4 interceptions. A 24- 0 record.

Those are just a few of the numbers that Prep Football?s starting quarterback Marquez McCray ?18 has put up over the past two seasons. And yet, he wasn?t named First Team All- Catholic this season. That honor was bestowed upon Danny Solecki of La Salle, whose squad lost to the Prep by two touchdowns just a few weeks ago. The fact that McCray wasn?t 1st Team is utterly ridiculous, since he has yet to lose a single game as the quarterback of this St. Joe?s Prep team. I think a case could be made for Marquez to be in the running for Catholic League Most Valuable Player, an honor that was given to multipurpose Archbishop Wood player Nasir Peoples. McCray was the best

Another crazy aspect of this situation is that Quez has just two offers to play college football next season, one from Sacred Heart and one from Morgan State. With his size, arm strength, incredible field vision, ability to scramble, and blazing speed, McCray should be fielding offers from schools of Big 10 caliber, such as Indiana, Iowa and Michigan. He has everything that you need in a quarterback, and his leadership and communication skills are second to none. Colleges should be lining up to throw an offer his way, and whatever college Marquez ends up attending is getting one of the most poised quarterbacks I?ve ever seen.

Wide receiver Brandon Sanders ?18 is another player whose name strangely appeared nowhere on the AllCatholic list. The Downingtown native has had 23 receptions this season for 272 yards, accounting for 42 total points (7 touchdowns), while also functioning as a team captain and placeholder for field goals and point after attempts. In my opinion, Sanders deserved first

team honors, but, somehow, he wasn?t on the 1st or 2nd team. None of the receivers on the 1st team (La Salle?s Troy Holland, Carroll?s Dahmir Ruffin, and Wood?s Ryan Loughlin) impressed me when they played against the Hawks, but Sanders continued to outdo himself week after week. His thrilling touchdown catches against Archbishop Wood and La Salle were game- changers, and they certainly were not plays that many other players in the area can make. In my opinion, Bucknell commit Brandon Sanders is the best receiver in the Philadelphia Catholic League, and he was completely snubbed by the coaches.

Now that I?ve gone through two of the biggest snubs, I should congratulate all of the Prep players who received all- Catholic honors. Many Hawks were represented on the 1st Team, with left tackle Nick DiPrinzio ?18, running back Kolbe Burrell ?20, multipurpose player James Cherry ?18, and kicker Anthony Tigano being selected for the offensive side, and defensive tackle Ryan Bryce ?18, DT Paul Hess ?18, middle linebacker Phil O?Connor ?18, outside linebacker

Bradley Cobaugh ?18, free safety / cornerback Dejuan Dandridge ?18, and strong safety Dawson DeIuliis ?18 as the selections for the defensive end of the 1st Team. SJP also had many players on the second team, with center Anthony Cerruti ?19, WR James Cherry, QB Marquez McCray, RB Marques Mason ?19, and punter Jack Sutton ?19 leading the charge on the offensive end, and defensive ends Jake Feehery ?18 and Rayshad Wallace ?18 as the only representatives on the other side of the ball.

There are many other players who, in my opinion, should have been named to the AllCatholic, whether first team or second team. First of all, RB Marques Mason, while he was on the 2nd team, should clearly have been 1st Team with his combined 372 rushing yards this year, along with 8 total touchdowns (7 rushing and 1 receiving). WR Johnny Freeman ?19 should have been on the 2nd Team, with his 226 receiving yards on just 15 receptions. The rest of the Prep offensive line should have deserved some accolades, but left guard Matt McGeary ?20, right guard Casey Stephenson ?20, and right tackle RJ McKee ?20 were all kept off the list, despite their phenomenal play

this year against some talented defensive lines. On the defensive side of the ball, nearly all of the Hawks starters were named All- Catholics, except for one glaring exception: cornerback Zach Bouggess ?19.

Bouggess has two interceptions on the season, and he even blocked and returned a field goal for a touchdown. In addition to these numbers, Zach has played fantastic coverage on the outside against a plethora of talented receivers and tight ends, including Florida commit Kyle Pitts, La Salle?s 6?3? receiver Troy Holland, Father Judge?s speedy slot receiver Katob Joseph, and one of the best tight ends in the nation in Larry Hodges of Tampa Jesuit. Bouggess being left off the list was another big snub. A case for All- Catholic honors could also be made for OLBs Zach Snider ?18, Liam Johnson ?20, and Jeremiah Trotter, Jr. ?21, along with CB Devon Dickerson ?18 and safety Myles Talley ?19.

Overall, while SJP certainly had a lot of players represented on the All- Catholic list, there are a ton of other Hawks who deserved a spot on the list and weren?t granted one.

Brandon Sanders '18 (left) and Marquez McCray '18 (right) were two of the biggest All-Catholic snubs for Prep Football.

(Photos: Brandon Sanders '18 and Marquez McCray '18)

12 | Sports

A Tale of Two Games Hawks Take Down A Depleted Father Judge

By Ricky Weipz '19 It?s finally that time again Prep football fans! The regular season has come to a close and the Hawks have started their run at their fourth state championship in five years. The Hawks (9- 0), with the number 1 overall seed, were set to take on the Father Judge Crusaders (3- 8) in the District 12 6A Quarterfinals. The Prep played Father Judge earlier in the year, when they went on the road to Northeast High School to beat the Crusaders by a score of 426. On the other side of the field, the Crusaders came into the game with one less player than when the two teams met earlier in the season. Now, their roster held a total number of 36 players, and that impacted them throughout the entirety of the game.

The Hawks got off to an early start with a steady 8 play, 45 yard drive that ended with 1st Team All-Catholic running back Kolbe Burrell ?20 finding the endzone for the first time that night, and the seventh time

this season. The next drive for the Hawks, 2nd Team AllCatholic Marques Mason ?19 was the star. He touched the ball four of the seven plays. He used his great speed and focus to catch a bobbled screen pass, and ran up the sideline for a 55 yard touchdown reception.

Father Judge struggled in the first quarter, having 4 straight possessions without a first down, mostly in part to their plethora of two- way players.

Katob Joseph, their 2nd team All-Catholic running back, and Steve Arrington, their star wide receiver, were playing in their defensive secondary, while also trying to produce offensive yards on the opposite side of the ball. WSJP?s John Pease ?20 described the Father Judge quarterback, Shane Dooley, as a ?three- headed monster.? Dooley virtually never came off the field since he was playing quarterback, safety, and placeholder for the Crusaders. Dooley led the team with 10 tackles, but was not able to use his agility to the best of his ability when he was

sacked nine times by the Hawks defense.

The Hawks offensive unit did not slow down. Marques Mason was able to find the endzone again, this time with a 2 yard rush. Quarterback Marquez McCray ?18 found Bucknell commit Brandon Sanders ?18 for a touchdown, his 4 in the past three games. A missed PAT from 1st team AllCatholic kicker Anthony Tigano ?18 followed the score, but did not harm the Hawks that night. Towards the end of the first half, Anthony Rightley ?20 was injured after a 10 yard reception, as a questionable late hit sidelined the sophomore sensation for the rest of the game, and possibly longer.

The Hawks took a 27-0 lead into the locker room, but the action did not stop at during halftime. The Prep?s Travis Manion Foundation Leadership Group (TMF Hawks) held a special ceremony to honor veterans from the Prep. This marked the start of the Prep?s Veteran Appreciation Week.

Halftime did not mark the

end of the Hawks? offensive showing. McCray is no stranger to running the ball himself, and that is exactly what he did. Weaving his way through the fatigued and sluggish Crusaders defense, McCray was able to rush the ball into the endzone and put up another six points in favor of the Prep. Kolbe Burrell has the perfect combination of power and speed. He utilized those qualities to break a couple of tackles up the middle, and burst to the outside and outrun the rest of the Crusaders for yet another Prep touchdown.

With the scoreboard reading 41- 0 in favor of the Hawks, most of the fans started to depart from the stadium. The Crusaders kept playing until the end. In the fourth quarter, Dooley led a 6 play, 60 yard drive. 57 of those yards came on a reception by Katob Joseph where he was running a deep post route and caught the ball while avoiding a tackle by a Prep defender. Unfortunately for the Crusaders, this would be their last score of the sea-

son. The final was 41- 7 with the Prep coming out on top.

In regards to notable statistics from this demolition derby, Brandon Sanders ?18 led all receivers with 4 receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown.

This stats line landed him the WSJP Player of the Week title.

Marques Mason ?19 had 3 carries for 40 yards with a touchdown on the ground, and one 55 yard reception for a touchdown. Kolbe Burrell led the rushing attack with 7 carries for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Marquez McCray had a solid night, being 8/19 with 145 yards and 2 touchdowns, not including his rushing touchdown.

The defense shined in this matchup as well. The team recorded 9 sacks on the night courtesy of Richmond commit Phil O?Connor ?18 (2), Jake Feehery ?18 (3), Paul Hess ?18 (1), Jeremiah Trotter ?21 (1), and Army commit Ryan Bryce ?18 (2). Nicholas Rios ?19 also recorded an interception later in the game.

Despite L ackluster Fir st Half, Hawks Overcome Explorer s

By John L euzzi '19 After a dominating 41-7 win vs Father Judge last Friday night in the District 12 6A Quarterfinals it was time to take on La Salle (6- 4) in the District 12 6A Semifinals in the ?Great Northeast.? The only thing keeping the Hawks (10- 0) away from the Explorers was Mother Nature. We knew this game would be a slugfest and be a close one but with the weather at kickoff was 31 degrees and wind chill bringing it it down 19 degrees weather on the sidelines it was gonna be a true Catholic League Playoff Game where it would come down to one mistake by either team.

Both teams started the game playing not up to their standards as they kept punting the ball back and forth to each other for the entire first quarter.

With the weather being in the teens, neither team was able to rely heavily on the passing game so that meant the running backs would be doing most of the work. The Explorers came into the game without their First Team All- Catholic quarterback Danny Solecki who got hurt in their 45- 0 win vs Roman the week prior so that meant backup QB Isaiah Jones would be leading the offense against a Prep defense who has allowed opponents to score 8.3 points per game this season.

The Hawks defense did just that as they succeed expectations and continued their success from the previous games.

Jones is known for his running ability so the Hawks number

one priority this week was to stop Jones running game. The defense limited Jones just to 66 yards on 22 carries.

After the first quarter finished with a score of 0-0, both coaches knew their teams had to do something different if they wanted their team to walk out with a victory and stay alive for one more week. With 7 minutes left in the second quarter and a 4th and 2 coming up for the Hawks on offense, head coach Gabe Infante decided to call a timeout to go over stuff with his offense. It looked like the special teams squad was coming out to punt the ball away but Infante sent out his offense in hope to convert on this 4th down with 2 yards to get a 1st Down. QB Marquez McCray handed the ball off to RB Marques Mason but Mason was not able to get any yards on the carry as he was brought down right away by the Explorers defense. La Salle took over possession of the ball on the Hawks 50 yard line after a turnover-on-downs.

The Explorers offense came onto the field in perfect field range and they took advantage of it. Jones ran the ball up the left side for a 30 yard carry, the biggest run for the Explorers on the night. With being in the Hawks territory for the first time on the night, they tried going for a TD through the air but they were not able to convert as the Hawks defense came through clutch and brought the Explorers to 4th down. After a timeout called by the Explorers, University of Pennsylvania commit kicker

Daniel Karrash came out to attempt a 37 YD Field Goal.

Karrash converted on the Field Goal to put the Explorers on the board first 3-0.

Being down first for the second time this season, both against the Explorers, the Hawks offense came back out on the field with 5 minutes left in the 1st Half. McCray was able to connect with wide receivers Brandon Sanders and Jack Sutton ?19 on a couple passing attempts but McCray?s running game helped the Hawks get into scoring range.

After a 20 yard run up the middle with just seconds left on the clock, the Hawks took a timeout to go over what play they were gonna go with to try to get some points on the board going into halftime. Coming out of the timeout kicker Anthony Tigano came out onto the field to try to attempt a 30 yard FG. The Hawks walked into halftime tied 3-3 with the Explorers after Tigano?s FG was up and good. This was the lowest amount of points scored by the Hawks on the season.

The first half definitely did not look the typical St. Joe?s Prep team we have seen throughout the entire regular season but as WSJP?s Nick Leuzzi ?21 said, ?This Hawks Team is like Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,? and they certainly were just that. The second half was a totally different St. Joe?s Prep team, the running game was finally established, the offensive line were making openings for the running backs and the Hawks defensive play-

ers were monsters, limiting the Explorers to very little yards.

So coming out of halftime tied 3- 3 the Hawks received the ball first and it was time for the Hawks to show everyone who they really are. The Hawks offense was not able to convert on the opening drive of the 2nd Half but there was definite momentum now in the Hawks offense. After receiving the ball back from La Salle on a quick 3 and out, James Cherry ?18 was in the backfield getting ready for the punt from Karrash. Cherry received the ball and moved through the La Salle special teams coverage quickly and put the Hawks offense in perfect field range to try to get something on the board. On 2nd and 4 on their own 45 yard line, Marquez McCray handed it off to Mason who brought the Hawks into La Salle territory after a 6 yard gain. With 6 more rushing plays called after Mason?s run, the Hawks were finally in the Explorers Redzone and in scoring range. McCray was able to find WR Jack Sutton for a short slant route to put the Hawks on the Explorers 2 yard line. With a 2nd and goal coming up, offensive coordinator Tim Roken knew he had to continue with the running game and he did just that as he called a quick halfback dive up the middle for RB Kolbe Burrell. Burrell was able to run it through the middle and into the endzone for a 2 yard rushing TD to put the Hawks in the lead. The Hawks were not done scoring there, though.

After getting the ball back

from La Salle early in the 4th Quarter, McCray knew he had to make a big play to keep the Hawks on top. McCray was able to find Cherry all the way down the field for a huge 30 yard reception to bring the Hawks back into the Explorers redzone. After a couple short passing plays McCray found himself on the 1 yard line on a 3rd and 1. McCray ran it in himself for a 1 yard TD to increase the Hawks lead over the Explorers 17- 3. McCray?s TD would seal the deal for the Hawks as they went onto beat La Salle 17- 3 and increased their winning streak to 23 straight games.

Marquez McCray, Kolbe Burrell, Marques Mason, and Brandon Sanders all had big game on the offensive side of the ball, with McCray receiving offensive MVP. On the defensive side, Richmond commit middle linebacker Phil O?Connor ?18 led the way with 9 tackles and 2 sacks. Outside linebacker Bradley Cobaugh ?18 finished with 9 tackles on the day.

Up next for the Hawks will be the Vikings of Northeast High School (7- 2) in the District 12 6A ?City Championship? game at 6 pm at Northeast High School. If you can?t make the game make sure to listen into the game as WSJP will have the call starting at 6 pm on blogtalkradio.com/wsjp and follow the game on Twitter at @SJPrep_Sports for live scores and stats of the game.

Entertainment | 13

M usical M usings: L ocal Band M akes it Big

By Sebastian Por reca '18 I had first heard of The Districts about a year and a half ago from a friend of mine when he told me about a cool indie band from Philadelphia he had seen at some sort of music festival. However, I was more thoroughly introduced to the LancasterturnedPhiladelphia indie rock band last fall when I went to see a free live ?acoustic? show at Main Street Music in Manayunk. Crammed into the tiny record store, the band played a blaring and not very acoustic set, and overall it was amazing display of passionate stripped down indie rock. When I saw them, the band was on a massive rise in popularity, making their way from small time, lit-

tle recognized band to a burgeoning name in the garage/indie rock genre. They are loud, inventive and energetic, something that I admire greatly on their earlier albums and EPs, and for that I was excited to hear their new album,Popular Manipulations, released in early August. Overall, I really enjoyed Popular Manipulations and think it represents a big step in the band's career.

Popular Manipulations, is an energetic, enjoyable, and even, in a way, very epic album. I think it really captures a lot of the best qualities of indie/alternative rock and adds its own kind of flare to it. The instrumentals are very unique and interesting, and as a result, the album is not only extremely

catchy, but keeps you on your toes. It avoids the trap of generics that many other albums in its genre fall into, and I was surprised to find myself steadily interested and satisfied throughout the entire album, not even finding myself bored on the weaker songs. Another redeeming quality that I found throughout the album is this same energy that made a lot of their other music so interesting. In songs like ?Point?, one of my personal favorites, there is an electric, vibrant, and fast paced feel to the song, while on other songs like ?Why Would I Wanna Be?, there is a more calm, mellow feeling, and I think this dynamic is played out really well by the Districts

(Photo: The Districts - Bandcamp)

The members of the Lancaster-based band, The Districts (Photo: DI Y Mag)

There is also noticeable improvement in many aspects from their earlier music. The vocals, for example, are a lot cleaner, more dynamic, and wide ranging than on previous releases, and this is due in part to much better production. The production on this album is great and the sound is really clean and smooth, and I think that works to the album?s advantage a lot. However, I think this is both a blessing and a curse. The cleaner production got rid of the stripped down, fuzzy, and grimy sound I enjoyed so much about The Districts, and while it sounds better overall, I think Popular Manipulations lost at least a little bit of the character that I love about The Districts.Over-

The Hawkeye Staff Editor s-in-Chief

Head Wr iter s

Matt Phillips '18

Matt Brennan '18

Marco Sammartino '18

Simon Williams '18

David McCabe '19

Andrew Koh '19 Jack Thorell '19

M anaging Editor Joe Scott '19

Staff Wr iter s Michael Enright '18

Features Section Editor

Jake Feehery '18

Nick Palermo '18

Liam Gibbons '18 Riley Herriman '18

Spor ts Section Editor

Paul Koenig '18

Dan Avington '18

Anthony McTighe '18 Sebastian Porreca '18

Enter tainment Section Editor

Dylan Robak '18

Ronan Egan '18

Brian Scarpato '18 Paul Stowell '18

Opinion-Debate Section Editor

Patrick Adams '19

Liam Grugan '19

Ned Burke '19 Robert Calabro '19

Business M anager

Zachary Carr '19

David Haddad '18

Jacob DeAnnuntis '19

all, despite this, I still think Popular Manipulations is a really good album. The Districts, as a whole, are also a great, local band on the rise right now, and a lot of their music is really interesting and worth checking out. They are a big player in Philadelphia?s vibrant music scene, that we sometimes fail to notice is blossoming right underneath our noses, and they provide a great opportunity to support and get involved in said music scene.

To conclude both The Districts, and their new album are great if you enjoy indie/alternative rock, and Popular Manipulations is a solid, well rounded album.

Patrick Diviny '19 Christian Giuliani '19 Scott Hibbs '19 Kevin Latu '19 John Leuzzi '19 Matt Marhefka '19 Nick Mattera '19 Andrew Shapiro '19 Kenneth Shegogue '19 Cris Strohman '19 Ricky Weipz '19 Carl Whittington '19 Thomas Avington '20 Peter Banfe '20 Marcus Murphy '20 Santiago Ortiz-Landazabal '20 Matthew Bae '21 Paris Davenport '21 Liam Stephens '21 M oder ator Mr. Leo Vaccaro '05

14 | Entertainment

" Thor : Ragnarok" is Hilar ious But I mper fect

By Anthony M cTighe '18 Ragnarok is out in theaters and is the end of the Thor franchise. Marvel?s recent outing explains what happens to The God of Thunder after the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, and during the events of Captain America: Civil War. A few peculiar characters come along for the ride, making this one very funny movie through its director, plot, Hulk and it?s villain, but is this the best Thor film?

The first detail to note about Thor: Ragnarok is the risks it took. Director Taika Waititi expanded the inspiration behind the film and its visual look from the logo to its overall tonal shift. A vision made to match Marvel?s comic creator, Jack Kirby, the takes the previous movies, and flips them on their head, brightening up things, and even injecting some comedy. Waititi is known for being a more colorful and funny person, who at first seems totally ridiculous to direct a Thor movie, although he proved that he knew what he was doing with this one. The film took many chances, creating a small ?Avengers- like? team, putting together Thor, Hulk, Valkyrie, and Loki. This storyline was daring, and Waititi certainly deserves a ton of credit for attempting something that at first seemed impossible.

In my opinion, Waititi, is the biggest reason for why I enjoyed this movie. He made it

visually pleasing, and funny, but his crowning achievement is his role as Korg. Korg is a big, CGI, rock monster, that is stuck fighting in an arena.

Waititi does this to perfection, voicing and motion capturing the conspicuous character. He brings in Korg, who is entertaining throughout the entire film. Each scene featuring Korg was hilarious, and by far the best of the film. Marvel seems to create perfect, comedy- esque characters that continually makes each of their movies funny. From Tony Stark, to any of the Guardians of the Galaxy, Korg easily fits into this humorous bunch.

tertaining. Waititi and Marvel also improved the Hulk?s presence in the Marvel Cinematic Universe by giving him a personality. His ability to speak, and struggle to face turning back into Bruce Banner, the Hulk seemed as though he had more on the line than usual.

This movie made me genuinely like the Hulk, rather than waiting for him to destroy stuff.

The Hulk?s role makes it seem more like a mini Hulk movie, with a Thor perspective, rather than a Thor movie Furthermore, a huge opportunity that slipped through the cracks in this film was Cate Blanchett?s, Hela. She is an in-

even with areas of fault. Preceded by drawn out, dark, Norse God Mythology historylike films, it is nice to have a different take on a hero that has almost been stereotyped into being a heavy, dim, and almost bland character. Thor: Ragnarok is fun, but is missing a great storyline. Ragnarok also introduces us to new characters and develops old heroes, allowing us room to explore their stories. It is through all of this, that makes Ragnarok a comedically funny movie, that I would recommend to check out, especially if you are looking for a good laugh.

teresting villain, who ultimately takes a back seat, to the scenes of Thor and Hulk.

Hela?s role is an interesting one, as she is someone planning to take over Asgard, while Thor and Hulk mess around.

However, I almost forgot that Hela was even a part of this movie, which supports the concept that the plot was not fully developed. This was no fault of Blanchett?s, as she turned- in a solid performance, but on the filmmakers for making the villain a problem on the way, rather than a problem right now.

Ultimately, Thor: Ragnarok, is the best Thor movie written,

However, the story was not as good as it could have been.

There were many funny, entertaining, and cool scenes, but they seemed to be lacking in substance. It was the short segments that held more interest, rather than having an enthralling tale for Thor, keeping you wanting more. These mini character or group scenes were the driving force behind the success of this movie. A film that preferred laughter and character relation, rather than a story. The plot is just lost throughout the entirety of the movie, making these hilarious scenes stand out more.

On the other hand, there is a character that has remained absent from recent Marvel films, the Hulk. He is an enjoyable part of this movie, from the fight against Thor, to the regular scenes with Mark Ruffalo, the Hulk was very en-

The cover art for "Thor : Ragnarok," starring Chris Hemsworth. (Photo: Flickering Myth)

Str anger Things 2: Just as Str ange, But That's Okay RATI NG: 9/10

By Jake Feeher y '18

As we again return to Hawkins, Indiana, and while things seem to have returned to normal on the surface, but things couldn?t be more dire.

Will Byers? has returned but what has he brought with him from the Upside Down? What has happened to our friend Eleven? No question is left unanswered in Stranger Things 2.

The show returns a year after the events of the first season, and Hawkins has returned to the sleepy small town it was before. Those who notice the changes most are the Wheeler kids, Mike and Nancy, who mourn the loss of Eleven and Barb, respectively. The Byer?s family has reunited and along with Joyce?s boyfriend Bob, try to move past the horrifying events of the previous year.

The kids lives are shaken up by the arrival of Max Mayfield and Billy Hargrove, the new kids in town. Max attracts the attention of Lucas and Dustin, while Mike feeling they are replacing Eleven is angry. Steve Harrington has to contend with

Billy taking his status as king of the school.

Again the vehicle of science fiction is used to drive the relationships of the characters, the strong suit of the show. We get to see fan favorite Steve interact and form relationships with other members of the group. Rather than being lazily tacked on, the characters of Max and Bill serve as interesting characters and foils to flesh out familiar faces.

the grand scale while not forgetting to take care of its characters on the smaller one. The new additions to the cast provide new perspective on characters we already have come to love. While the new season doesn?t change the game radically, it doesn?t need to; it?s more of what we love, and we still_.love_.it.

---

Str anger Things 2 is the same scary thrill ride but with better thrills, bigger scares, and the ability to add depth to characters we?ve seen before. A big thumbs up for any fan of the first season!

The stakes are even higher this time as cosmic and local threats loom over the town.

They are forced to pull the threads to further reveal the secrets Hawkins hides and how each member of the community comes into play. While some twists are well orchestrated, others simply serve to tease season three and raise more questions than they answer.

Altogether, Stranger Things 2 provides another cohesive experience that both pay homage and goes beyond the 80s movies it draws from. It raises the threat and tension in

The four boys of Str anger Things, (L-R): Mike, Will, Lucas, and Dustin. (Photo: Nerdist)

Entertainment | 15

A Satur day Bite at Sabr ina's Cafe

By David Haddad '18 So, at this point, I have reviewed quite a few places around the Prep that are great after school options. Hopefully by now, you?ve tried some places and have enjoyed the food. But for those of us who are at the Prep more often than not, we can even find ourselves there on the weekend sometimes. So this week, I decided to review a place that is more

of a sit down venue that has consistently, great food. Sabrina?s Cafe, with five locations, is a great option if you are looking for great food, and have a little extra time. Sabrina?s Cafe serves all three meals, but is really known for their brunch and breakfast.

At Sabrina?s there is a wide range of items you can get, including traditional breakfast foods, pancakes, french toast,

eggs, etc. and lunch sandwiches including, turkey, chicken, and more. They also have daily specials for each meal. This past weekend, I went down and tried their brunch menu. The only downside to Sabrina?s is that there often is a wait, but it usually is not too bad. I would recommend using ?Nowait Guest? , an app that will let you wait in line, even if the place itself does not make reservations.

The app will let you know waittime as well as put you in a queue for seating. I would recommend doing this before you go as there usually tends to be a long wait for brunch, but not for dinner.

At Sabrina?s Cafe, I ordered the French Toast and the CaliTurkey Sandwich. The wait time from when I placed the order to when the food came out was not bad at all, the usual wait time for any busy brunch place. When the food came out, it looked delicious, and it certainly did not disappoint.

The presentation of the food was very nice, the food was

A delicious piece of french toast at the University City location. (Photo: Sabrina's Cafe) great. The French Toast was exceptional and tasted very fresh, and the sandwich is packed with avocado, bacon, lettuce and tomato, and topped of with a red pepper mayo.

Overall, the experience was very good, and I would definitely dine there again. I would absolutely recommend this place to anyone who is looking to get something to eat before going to The Prep, or after a long activity. Do keep in mind that it is not as quick as the other places I have reviewed, as expected. The prices at Sabrina?s Cafe is actually pretty good for the amount of food you get. The French Toast at

about 8 dollars, and the Turkey Sandwich at about 11 dollars.

Sabrina?s does actually deliver their food and you can also take it to go, although I would recommend eating there as it is a great experience all together. If you do chose to do delivery, they usually do deliver within 30 minutes of your order, but that is subject to change depending on the time of day. The closest location to The Prep is Sabrina's Cafe at 1804 Callowhill street, less than a ten minute drive away from the Prep. There is also a Sabrina?s is located on 34th St in University City (and three more across the region).

Faculty Gr id

By L ucas Wallick '19

M r. Brown '99

M r. Groch

M r. M cCloskey '91 M r. Sokolowski '08

From an Admissions end, GREAT! One of the best in my I thought Wentz looked How did the fir st Awesome shadow career, thanks to sharp and the defense visits and we love students like you, quar ter go? came to play. talking about the new Lucas. schedule.

Fine, how was yours?

What are you most looking for war d to in Thanksgiving?

Hanging out with Time with my family, Friendsgiving - a big Waking up on Friday family and especially my Thanksgiving Eve and realizing we still binge-watching TV two-year-old party with my have 3 days off. shows and movies. granddaughter, Coco. friends.

What?s the best thing about the fall season?

The change in the weather. Fall is my favorite season.

Cool waters and active trout.

Do you have any Don?t want to jinx I just hope expectations for anything.

All the way, Birds!

Wentz stays healthy the Eagles? #PutHimIn- BubbleWrap.

8th Grade Shadow Visitors.

Probably going to Sixers games.

At this point I expect them to make the playoffs - everything else is gravy.

15-1, Superbowl, become G.O.A.T., ascend to the heavens.

16 | Opinion-Debate PRO:

Should the Prep Get a New, Fuzzy Fr iend?

By Patr ick Diviny '19 An exciting new idea at the Prep is the Student Council dog. The student council dog could provide extensive benefits to the Prep Community.

The benefits that the dog provides will be long lasting for the Prep. The love a dog provides is extraordinary. The love that the Prep gives us already would be enhanced by the student council dog. The student council dog would illuminate the fact that the Prep is open to change and new ideas.

If the Prep decides to get the Student Council dog, the dog

would have to be nonallergenic. This would make it possible for students who are allergic to dogs to interact with it. This shows that the Prep thinks about everyone in the community. The dog would provide many physical and emotional benefits to the Prep community. The physical benefits would include feeding the dog and walking the dog. This could teach the owner(s) about responsibility, structure and routine during the school day.

The emotional benefits are abundant. The Prep is a very stressful place for many students with homework assignments, tests, and quizzes. The overall experience of the

school day can provide many challenges. The student council dog would provide a relaxing atmosphere and show the joy of life throughout the day.

Studies have shown that pet owners have lower blood pressure in stressful situations.

This would be beneficial for students who feel stressed out throughout the school day.

Dogs also provide many health benefits including that pet owners are less likely to suffer from depression than those who do not own pets. Dogs have a variety of long term benefits that can help the Prep community grow.

Not many people pass through there on a daily basis. Would someone stand in the lobby with it all day long? How would he get work done? Over the summer, is someone willing to bear the labor and cost of another mouth to feed and living being to house, year after year? Also, who would be responsible to potty- train this animal? Will someone have to deal with the dog?s needs, and end up walking this thing outside to run around and relieve itself multiple times a day?

Proponents of the student council pet might say Student Council members will bear some of the responsibility.

How? They are students, and would not be allowed to leave class to deal with a dog. No

teacher would respect the request to put a dog in front of their class. Another bearer of this burden would be our building services staff. Their workload would increase as they had to clean up fur and possible accidents of this possibly untrained puppy. It is a total time waster. The addition of a Student Council mascot is an unnecessary addition of responsibility, time, and money.

There are many changes to the Prep in the future, and this would provide a distraction to those in charge.

Many colleges and universi-

ties have instituted pet therapy programs for students. Schools such as Yale University, Fordham University, and the University of Connecticut.

The program?s goal is to reduce the stress levels that are facing college students. Dogs are trained to become therapy dogs. The dogs comfort humans that are going through difficult times. The results were a boost of happiness and better overall well- being. The Prep?s moving toward a new schedule that emulates a college atmosphere can also implement a therapy dog for students that are very stressed. An example of a great use of a

therapy dog could be around the time of midterms and finals.

The Student Council dog can also create a new activity during community period. If students are in need of an interesting and enjoyable activity they can spend time with the dog. The activities that the students could perform could include walking, feeding, and playing fetch with the dog.

This activity would provide liberation from the everyday 6 period school day. The benefits that the dog could provide for students at the Prep could be limitless.

CON:

By Denis Gallagher ?20 As we advance into the second quarter, possibilities of many changes have been circulating the halls. One of these novel ideas is a Student Council pet. The best choice for such a mascot would be a dog.

They are obedient and enjoyable to be around. Sadly, the reality of this endeavor has many downfalls. Long- term benefits of having a pet belonging to the student council are few, and are outweighed with chores of caring for an animal in the building.

For the Prep to have a Student Council dog requires a owner or guardian of the dog.

Throughout the day, would it stay in the Admissions Office?

Another point of reference to the failure of this experiment is Archbishop John Carroll?s two school dogs. These dogs were dressed up in clearly uncomfortable costumes like Super-

man and a ballerina.

Throughout the Philadelphia area, schools heard about this and their view of Carroll changed. Who can take seriously an administration that leads around puppies in costumes? The idea is for sure endearing, but many people laugh at the idea. It is not professional, and displays priorities of play over work. Another result of Carroll?s experiment is what happens when the pets pass away. Sadly, Carroll lost its beloved mascots to a car accident, when they escaped their leashes and ran away into the street. The effect of this loss on the Carroll community hurt their mental stability and productivity for some time.

Sadly, a dog would only be

with us for about ten years. It would have novelty but not longevity.

Proponents of a Student Council dog will for sure bring up the animal's positive effects on morale, but I am sad to remind them the how fleeting this energy will be. People may begin to turn on the Student Council, resenting their corny idea and realizing how much of a time- waster it truly will be. A pet will remove a level of professionality of the Prep, and make people change their mindset about us. It is not a good plan in the long run, and should be seriously considered among many people before embarking on this endeavor.

Opinion: Time to Reopen Chief's Place

By Jacob DeAnnuntis '19 Walking through the cafeteria, one might notice the remains of a forgotten student hub, the abandoned ?Chief ?s Place.? Located directly under the ?McClory Dining Terrace? sign, Chief ?s place used to sell a plethora of snacks, including candy bars, milkshakes, ice cream, chips, and any Wawa drink or Gatorade imaginable.

Unfortunately, it closed after the departure of Aramark following the 2015- 2016 school year. Now, it has been relegated to a storage room for Sage Dining Services. Occasionally, it is used for the sale of T- shirts and baked goods, reminding juniors and seniors of its former glory. A current junior student here at the Prep has said of chief ?s place ?It was so convenient. It?s like the drive through version of the cafeteria.? Personally, I miss being able to stop and grab a quick snack on the way to class. But, sources have hinted at a possible return for our beloved snack window.

Michelle O?Neil, Assistant Food Service Director of Sage, our dining provider, says they

are currently in talks of a food truck concept, operating out of Chief ?s Place. She calls it a ?new concept of Sage Dining.?

Hopefully starting after Christmas break, Chief ?s place could be open once a week during lunch periods, sporting a different theme each week.

Wings, nachos, a hot dog bar, and more are all possible ?food truck? options, which could revitalize the famous snack window.

You may be wondering: ?if it was so great, why did it close in the first place?? I too asked this question. As a freshman, I recall making frequent visits to Chief ?s Place, both during my lunch period to grab a soft pretzel or after school for a candy bar. My favorite memory of Chief ?s place was everyday around five o?clock, right before they closed, whoever was working the window would leave the remaining soft pretzels out for students to take for free. You could always count on a pack of students to hover around the window, waiting for the pretzels to be left out, and then pounce on them in a frenzy once they were available. You probably

are still asking yourself: ?seriously, if this Chief ?s Place was as awesome as it sounds, why isn?t still open?? With the departure of Aramark my freshman year, Chief ?s Place left with it. When Sage took over last year, their system was unfortunately not compatible with the legendary snack counter. Mrs. O?Neil explained how the milk machine would not be able to run out of the room, and the hot food wouldn?t be as fresh. Currently, a Sage chef remains working the grills until 3:30 everyday, which would not be possible if only Chief ?s Place stayed open after school. The new ?grab and go? food items (pre made wraps, hoagies, and salads) would not be possible in Chief ?s Place.

In my investigation about Chief ?s Place, I was eager to discover the source of its name. Through the help of Mr. Conners, Mr. Raffa and Mr. Feighan, I was able to learn the history behind it. Raymond Hoffman, also known as ?Chief? used to run the snack bar out of what is now the multipurpose room, beginning in 1982. Chief adored the kids,

and every student knew who he was. Many kids would talk to him frequently about anything, and Mr. Raffa even called him an ?unofficial counselor.? Mr. Feighan described him as a ?machine at work,? always working diligently. Unfortunately, Chief was diagnosed with cancer, and after his passing, the snack counter in the newly renovated cafeteria was dubbed ?Chief ?s Place? in his honor. His legacy

extended far after his tenure here, as Mr. Raffa explained how every person who succeeded Chief in the snack bar was as great of a person as he was. The 1989 Prep Yearbook says ?We thank ?Chief ?for that sugar rush that gets us through our classes.? We can?t let Chief be forgotten. It?s time to reopen_.Chief ?s_.Place.

The Or iginal " Chief" of " Chief's Place.

(Photo: 1989 Chronicle Year book)

Opinion-Debate | 17

Opinion: Jesuit Students, Pay Attention

By Ronan Egan '18 As the school year forges ahead into its third month, it is important to begin to point out some growing trends, positive or negative, that the school has faced. One of the most prevalent of these is the growing issue of mass participation.

It has become evident in the several masses that the school community has offered that students are becoming more and more disinterested in mass.

It is an issue that was not sought after to create a story: the evidence is there. Noticeably fewer students attend with each mass, with even fewer actively participating in the ceremony. The reasons for this may be trivial? getting an extra hour of sleep or studying for a test? but to some they serve as monomers as the issue enhances in size.

As a Jesuit school, we are rooted in faith, service, and community. While mass may

not seem like the biggest, ?must-see? event of the month, it can occasionally be the only time of the month that we as a community are together, in unison, through prayer. President Fr. John Swope ?72 has noticed this negative trend: ?When I look at the full breadth of the spiritual development experience that the Prep offers, we see really high participation in the service programs, in the retreat programs. So, in a sense, the spiritual development side is pretty strong among our students. But when we look to a kind of notfull enthusiasm for attending our masses that reflects things that are happening both in and out of school.?

A perfect yet saddening example of the potential Swope notices in the masses focuses on the recent memorial masses after the tragic death of Sal DiNubile ?19 just a few short weeks ago. Observations were made by Swope on the nature

of the students during that time: reverent, respectful, and participatory, among others.

The Prep rarely has opportunities where every member of the school is gathered in one place at the same time to provide a sense of community. He noticed that we all leaned on each other, through mass, during that time. He saw firsthand what the community was able to do together in prayer. These examinations made it clear to the school that the students have the potential to give their full attention to a mass, but routinely choose not to.

Swope believes that he, along with all of the staff at the Prep, can always seek to do a better job at showing their faith in the classroom or office that they spend their day in. He states that these interactions ?allow students to see a particular side of our faith,? one that involves an active, Jesuitinfluenced participation in all that we do.

The Prep prides itself on being fully devoted to forming students in a Jesuit identity.

While the effort is palpable from the administration to instill these beliefs in our lives at school, they sometimes fall short. However, these faults, according to Director of Mission and Ministry Fr. Chuck Frederico, are not that of the school, but of our modern culture: ?When you think about your iPhone or iPad we are a culture who scrolls, and a guy who comes to the Prep (hopefully) learns in all of his life how to go deeper. A Jesuit education is all about going deeper and exploring and understanding with the foundation that you are loved by God, and that from that we are called to explore our gifts. Our culture is set up in a way that we are able to scroll and skim, allowing us to get lazy and not explore outside of our comfort zone. This place is always challenging a guy to go deeper

and be their best self, like the Magis tells us to. Spiritual exercises, which this place is rooted in, is inviting a student to look at the world through the lenses of all those created in the likeness of God.?

This recognition of a larger issue at work is an important one, although only through taking action? as Jesuits are called to do? can this issue begin to be solved. Both Fr. Swope and Frederico are working tirelessly to solve these issues, although Swope sees an end in sight, calling it ?one of the few struggles here, but a big one at that.? And it is.

To be Jesuit is not only what our past is rooted in, but what our future holds. A full immersion into these ideas allows us to develop into the person whom we all attended this school to become.

The Nighttime Prayer Service from Freshman Retreat (Photo: St. Joe's Prep)

Are Prep Students Too Busy with Schoolwor k to Focus on Cur rent Events?

By M atthew Bae '21 ?I find my students are not aware of what is happening in the world today? (Mr. Murphy). I?ll be honest. Amidst all the events that surround my life, I usually have minimal time when it comes to reading up on current events. I also admit that I lean toward using social media apps on my phone rather than reading news articles on apps likeUSA Today, CNN, etc. Students at the Prep often find themselves overwhelmed with piles of homework or the numerous sports and other activities that the school offers. Even so, check-

ing your phone to see what is happening in the world is something we should all consider doing.

Sure, sports and academics limit a student's ability to read up on current events, but in reality many choose to devote their personal lives to social media. I also found that some students just don?t really care that much about the events that are unfolding around them. ?Part of the problem is a lack of interest, which again, is largely due to the students' universes being shaped by things like social media that emphasize interactions with a

group of friends focused on the present moment? (Mr. Fortin).

That being the case, students tend to know current events related to sports such as the tragic passing of Roy Halladay, but many still do not seem to know much outside of that. By asking around, I found that nearly half of students were unaware of the ongoing sexual harassment claims against highly profiled figures such as Louis C.K and Kevin Spacey or about President Trump?s visit to Asia.

Knowing the events that are unfolding in today?s world not only benefits you by your be-

coming more knowledgeable, it also shows that you care about people other than yourself and your personal life.

Whether the news is about our men and women serving in the military or a fatal attack on innocent civilians, by informing ourselves and being aware of these occurrences, we are showing respect for them and for their families.

The bottom line is that people choose whether or not they want to be informed. Sure, academics, sports, and extracurricular activities are obstacles that make managing time here at the Prep a difficult

task, but the matter of the fact is one of unnecessary ignorance: many students are not yet interested in the world around them. ?Part of becoming an adult is realizing how connected humanity is and I think that you can see that frequently in the school's message with its emphasis on service and empathy? (Mr. Murphy).

Taking just a few minutes out of our lives to catch up on the latest news isn?t a big task. It?s beneficial in every way and allows your to become more aware of events outside your personal life.

18 | Opinion-Debate

Editor ial: A Reflection on Jim M ar tin's Speech

By Nick Paler mo ?18 ?Jim Martin...Again?? Yes, Jim__Martin__again.

Last weekend I attended the Ignatian Family Teach- In for Justice and had the opportunity to hear Fr. Jim Martin, SJ speak about his novella ?Building a Bridge.? I almost did not take that opportunity. I was more interested in a speech about the environment and the recent encyclical, Laudato Si, issued by Pope Francis. I come from a conservative family and have always been hesitant about the LGBT community. I have been respectful of this community and these people?s choices about

their sexual identity, but I have always questioned if it was unnatural for someone to be LGBT. Being a section editor for The Hawkeye and knowing Father Martin was featured on the front page of Issue Three, I felt obligated to attend. I expected the speech to be a critique on those who weren?t fully accepting of the nature of LGBT, so essentially a speech criticizing people like me.

This was not the case. The speech was centered around the relationship between our church and its LGBT members.

I learned that there are some instances where Catholic

priests prevent LGBT Catholics from receiving the Sacraments. By doing this, the Church is knowingly standing in the way of a healthy relationship with God for these people. The LGBT community is not on the margins, but many of them feel that way.

The model of our faith, Jesus Christ, did not ostracize those on the margins. When dealing with sinners(LGBT are not sinners, but many, and even themselves, sometimes believe they are) Jesus was community first and conversion second.

We, the Catholic Church, should be the same: community first.

Being pro-life, I must advocate for life not only in a fetal stage, but in adolescence and adulthood as well. When I heard that 85% of our LGBT brothers and sisters have attempted suicide, I was horrified. How can we witness this and not take action? It is no longer a matter of right or wrong in a sense of sexuality, but a matter of right or wrong in the sanctity of life. It?s very clear what is right.

I went into this speech not expecting to get much out of it.

I expected to still be hesitant about the nature of being LGBT. I was right about the second part, but very, very

wrong on the first. I now know that despite differences between Catholic teaching and the actions of the LGBT community, the Church must be welcoming to LGBT Catholics.

How much can God do for someone when they are forced outside the doors of the church? We feel God?s presence most at times we feel most loved. God might be there for LGBT Catholics when they are not welcomed into the Church, but our relationship with God is a two-way street, and by not welcoming those who identify as LGBT, the Church is forcing a massive detour on one side of the road.

On the Evolution of a Prep Exper ience

By L iam Gr ugan '19 I asked Members of the Editing Staff this week to, utilizing the Jesuit practice of reflection, make a few statements regarding how their respective views of the school have changed since they were freshmen. Here are their responses.

David McCabe '19: ?As I? head into the thick of my junior year, I? reflect on the two and a half years that I??ve spent at the Prep. Since my freshman year I? have stared to see the Prep more and more as a key to open many doors. There are so many opportunities available to every single student at the Prep, and I?ve definitely taken advantage of them more and more and

become more grateful in the process. All of my brothers went through the Prep, and in my freshman year I? saw it as their school, but my love for the Prep has grown, and now I? can proudly call it my own.?

Marco Sammartino '18: "As a freshman, I could describe myself as nervous, uncertain, and eager. I had no clue that before me a journey that would shape my entire life was about to begin. I have learned, through good times and bad times, what it means to be a man. And those lessons have therefore changed my view of the Prep; no longer do I see a fun, exciting institution where anything is possible. Instead, I see a place that is challenging and demanding, which at times seems like all too

much. However, I also see a place unlike any other in the world, a place that teaches lessons far more important than the ones found in textbooks. In essence, I recognize the institution that made me who I am today, for better or for worse."

David Haddad '18: ?When I first came to The Prep, I really did not know what to expect. I was the first of any of my family members to go here, so I was definitely intimidated when I walked through the front doors for the first time. But what I have found over the last few years is that The Prep is a place where everyone is there for the betterment of everyone else. The teachers want you to succeed, but also want to challenge you

as much as they can. And it is because of this ideology, you become a true Prep student.

The students want to see you succeed on any platform, be it the stage, the field, or the court. These are the things that make the Prep so special.

When I walk through the doors now every morning, I am a much more mature, less intimidated person, ready for whatever the day brings, knowing the Prep has given me the tools to handle whatever may come.?

Ronan Egan '18: ?I came to the Prep from a small school that routinely sent next to no one down to 17th and Girard. My previous experiences of the school rotated solely around attending football games amongst the rau-

cous boys sitting in the student section However, I quickly realized this was not the cynosure of what the school had to offer. Arriving later that year for freshman orientation, I was immediately overwhelmed with the sense of brotherhood and acceptance in the school.

This has been nothing short of predominant as I finish my time here and move into college, and for that, I could not be more proud.?

There is no right way to be fully present at the school.

However, over time, students inevitably find their niche amid the chaos that can exist in the halls. The best way I find to derive the same meaning, the same sense of identity described is to join activities.

Opinion-Debate | 19

L etter to the Editor : M r. Stephen Oldham Dear Prep Community, When I was reflecting at the All Saints liturgy recently, I was inspired by some of the lyrics of our first hymn and the remembrance of several of my favorite ?Beatitudes.? The ones that always have challenged me are: Blessed are the Poor, Blessed are the Meek and Blessed are the Peacemakers.

If we try to follow these principles, we can expect to be ?persecuted for the sake of righteousness? on behalf of the poor and oppressed of this earth. Our culture is a culture that ridicules meekness, nonviolence and demonizes the poor, oppressed, immigrants and all who live on the margins of our society.

This leads me to reflect upon our Prep Ignatian mission- a mission that we are told is ?counter cultural? because the culture will view this stance as a betrayal. Are we willing to place ourselves and the institution in such a precarious position trusting in the Spirit and the grace of the Crucified Jesus?

Recently, the initiation of having periodic announcements to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, the selective honoring of Prep seniors entering a military academy during the graduation Mass, the mili-

A Sincere Apology to M r. K ania To the Editor: I write to publicly express my apology to my esteemed colleague and friend, Mr. Kania, and to the entire Prep Community. In the Halloween edition of The Hawkeye, I gave an illconsidered, off- the- cuff response to a "Faculty Grid" question that, in the moment, I thought would evoke a chuckle, but upon seeing my words in print, struck me as disrespectful and mean-spirited.

Since I was a student in his Religion class in 1976, Mr. Kania has consistently challenged me to be a better man, a more thoughtful citizen, and a more purposeful teacher. He is beloved by generations of Prep students and colleagues, and has been a role model for me and thousands of others.

Mr. Kania, I am sorry for my thoughtless words. You taught me better.

Sincerely, William Conners '80 History Department

tary coming onto campus to put forth their recruitment slogans under the guise of congratulating a Prep football player selected for an All Star game, the creation of a military sponsored service club, the blessing of an American flag to be carried inside a US fighter jet in Iraq and now the halftime celebration honoring our military veterans has demonstrated a steady evolving bond between our private Christian Catholic school and the military.

My consternation regarding the plans to honor the US flag and the military veterans at halftime is connected to the mission guided by the Beatitudes. Does our relationship with the military compromise our gospel mission rooted in the Beatitudes of Jesus? Can we as an institution preach and live the prophetic non- violent message of the gospel and also support the mission of the US military which is based on the use of lethal, collective violence upon whomever our government targets as the ?enemy??

What will be the core message here? Will we live out the Christian mandate to be a peacemaker and refuse to kill for the state in witness to the teaching of love your enemies.

This is what inspired St. Mar-

tin of Tours, St. Francis of Assisi and St Ignatius of Loyola to leave the military in order to witness to this gospel reality.

What would the slain Jesuits in El Salvador say to these halftime plans? Will the staunch non- violent voice of Oscar Romero, the martyred Archbishop, who challenged the use of violence on both sides of the political conflict- the military and the rebels- be there?

Where is this counter- cultural message in these halftime festivities? Will we honor all the victims of the bombs, drone attacks, bullets, missiles, shells, torture, extreme rendition which are all means used by the U.S.in our past and current wars?

Some might state that all these actions are not showing direct support for particular US government policies or the ongoing wars our country has been waging from Vietnam to today. We are just showing our pastoral support for individual military men and women. I disagree! All these actions are heavily symbolic and go beyond the individuals. They are giving the impression that there is no moral conflict between the Kingdom of God mission for which Jesus was killed and the mission of the US government based on national self- interest. Non-

violence vs. violence; indiscriminate love vs revenge; no enemy vs. the enemy. These are the stark differences that cannot be ignored. As one of the lyrics of our opening church hymn rooted in the Beatitudes states: "Lead me Lord, by the light of truth to seek and find the narrow way.?

I pray that this might be another moment to look deeper at the foolish, risky and dangerous challenge of our gospel mission: to build the Kingdom of God on earth. If we dare to proceed down that road, thenarrow path, we should readily accept and expect persecution, misunderstanding and conflict with our mainstream American, nationalistic, militaristic culture. Are we willing to take that step as a leap of faith?

Our country is currently in a state of perpetual war that continues to cost our people?s treasure and the lives of those who follow the orders of the government and those who fall victim in other lands. Have you read about the rising rates of PTSD and suicide among our returning soldiers? Yes, the soldiers are also the victims which I know all too well as an Army ?Brat? and ROTC cadet living through the tragedy of

the Vietnam war. ?Can the words of Christ ever be heard and lived amidst the chaos of history??

(Dietrich Bonhoeffer) In the spirit of the saints like Francis of Assisi, Ignatius of Loyola, Martin of Tours, Dorothy Day, Franz Jagerstatter, Martin Luther King, Oscar Romero, Mohandas Gandhi, the slain Jesuits and Jesus of Nazareth: Peace to all. Can we become a unifying voice that violence can never be the ultimate solution to our personal, interpersonal, national or international conflicts no matter how we try to rationalize it?

War is always a loss. Never to be celebrated.

Sincerely, Stephen Oldham Religious Studies Department

Do you have thoughts or comments to offer on any of the beliefs expressed in this issue? Contact Liam Grugan '19 to write a letter to the editor.

Should Clubs Be Allowed to Utilize the L ate Star t?

By Patr ick Adams '19 The late- start Wednesday schedule was designed with two things in mind, allowing teachers to discuss and help problem students, and to give Prep students a break in the middle of the week.

Teachers meet from 8:25 9:10 and attend various meetings (sometimes for the whole faculty, sometimes by academic department, and other times by class year - with all sophomore teachers meeting in one location, for example).

In addition to this, Wednesdays allow kids to sleep in an extra hour and take the train or drive in later. However, students who take the bus arrive at 8 o?clock everyday regardless of the schedule, and have to find an alternate route to school if they?d like to sleep in. For those who arrive early it can be a great time for students to catch up on school work or lie down for a bit, but many just end up sitting around bored before class I personally have come to school on Wednesday mornings with nothing to do but lounge and wondered this same question: couldn?t I be doing something else right now? One possible solution comes to mind: let?s let clubs meet on Wednesday mornings.

Many students I reached out to were receptive to the idea.

When I asked Sophomore Zack Peikin ?20 how he felt about the idea he answered, ? I like the extra hour, but I?d like the option to go into a club.? Definitely a sentiment that many of his classmates share. When I asked another Sophomore Harry Harp ?20 he said, ?It?s fine as long as it isn't mandatory.?

That presents an interesting question, would kids have to sign up and be forced to go if they signed up on the Prep App? Additionally, how would clubs function in the normal way without a moderator? If all the teachers are meeting then they can?t do this as well without skipping the meetings, thus forgoing the point of the late-start.

still the point remains. Why not have kids meet up for more casual club meetings on Wednesdays?

Now this is definitely not at all perfect, but it would at least provide possible structure for the strange hour of time students spend at the Prep on Wednesdays. I myself have participated in planned study sessions on Wednesdays, it?s not too much of a stretch to have casual or pho- club meetings.

This is not to say that there wouldn?t be additional problems with this idea. Freshman James Brady ?21 didn?t like the idea believing that, ?it would just be more to sign up for on The Prep App.? I completely agree, it would just be another thing to worry about and be a

hassle to set up.

However, meetings don?t necessarily have to be formally set up with the Prep App. Having informal meetings might be the easiest solution. But Junior Connor Mignano ?19 pointed out when I asked if it should happen, ?I don?t think anyone would really go.?

That might just be the biggest issue here: would kids even show up? Clubs might start meeting and find out that kids would rather relax than show up. With all things considered, it?s the best idea I?ve heard for making Wednesdays more productive.

While I have no answer to the first question, save for a lack of enforcement or possible adjustments to the Prep App, the second question is surprisingly not an issue. When you think about it, there currently is not that much oversight in the status quo. I have seen kids wander the halls without a faculty member in sight.

From open rooms in Villiger Hall to the study centers of JHall, students who show up early already have free reign.

Many students will only end up sitting in the cafeteria but

The disputed Wednesday M or ning M eeting Schedule.

(Photo: St. Joe's Prep)

This Week on Twitter

By David M cCabe '19

Upcoming Events at the Prep

By David M cCabe '19

Thur sday, Nov. 16th

Fr iday, Nov. 17th

"Groufit Day"

Food Rally, Dress

"Newsies" at 7pm

Down Day, Kairos 158

Satur day, Nov. 18th Inn Dwelling "Newsies" at 8pm

M onday, Nov. 20th Dress Down Day Hockey v. Salesianum

Ends, "Newsies" at 8pm Football - District 12 Wednesday, Nov. 22nd No School Thur sday, Nov. 23r d No School Thanksgiving Fr iday, Nov. 24th No School

Satur day, Nov. 25th Homecoming

M onday, Nov. 27th Operation Santa Claus Begins Mid-Quarter Grades

Tuesday, Nov. 28th Giving Tuesday Wednesday, Nov. 29th

Tuesday, Nov. 21st Dress Down Day Thanksgiving Food Delivery Thanksgiving Mass Thur sday, Nov. 30th Senior Mother-Son Mass & Dinner

Academic Warning Begins

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