The Future of Summer Ser vice Page 2
Vol. 43, I ssue XI
Spotlight on the M aintenance Staff Page 6
Review of M ar vel's Black Panther Page 9
Opposing Opinions The Prep Hires New Tennis Coach on Gun Control Page 14 Page 19
M arch 9, 2018
The Student Newspaper of St. Joseph's Prep
AL UMNUSPENS L ETTER TO BOARD
(Photo: SJP Facebook)
Kieran McCabe '15 voices concerns about the Prep mission, and Rev. John W. Swope '72 responds along with the Prep Board of Trustees. Story on Page 2.
TRACK: STATE CHAMPS! By M att Brennan ?18 Last weekend was a momentous one for Prep Indoor Track, winning their first ever team state championship and two individual state championships. The team, led by longtime coach Curtis Cockenberg ?71 and sprint coach Coach Walker, earned 37 points in the meet, which surpassed the second place total of 27 points by North Allegheny High School. The participants for the Prep were Bobby Dupell ?18, Miles Green ?18, Isaiah Ritchie ?18, Calvin Willie ?18, Salim Epps ?20, and Malik Cooper ?21.
(Photo: SJP Facebook)
Senior Miles Green led the Hawks, competing in the 400 meter dash, the 4x200 meter relay, and the 4x400 meter relay. When asked about his favorite race to run, Green responded that he enjoyed competing in the 400 meter dash indoors and the 400 meter hurdles outdoors. The 400 meter dash was truly his race that day with a time of 47.93 seconds, which set a new school record. (Continuerd on Page 18.)
2 | News
Alumnus Pens L etter to Boar d (Cont.) with him.?
Students here at the Prep are taught to be reflective about their experiences in order to challenge and improve the world around them. Thus, we leave this school as critical thinkers, a trait that stays with us for the rest of our lives.
One point of contention brought up was the many changes applied to the Mission and Ministry department, including ?The significant reduction of service trips offered to students,? and ?The cancellation of the Camp Magis program for students throughout the Delaware Valley.?
Given this background, perhaps it is not too surprising that alumnus Kieran McCabe ?15 recently penned a letter addressed specifically to the Board of Trustees, articulating concerns that he has with the Prep. Most importantly, he questioned whether or not the Prep was living up to its Jesuit mission. ?When an institution strays from its guiding mission, serious questions should be asked and serious action should be pursued,? he wrote. The letter has been signed by almost 500 individuals, the majority of whom are current students or alumni. These signatures came from a range of age groups, from the graduating class of 1968 all the way up until our most recent class of 2017. The sheer number of individuals involved, from alumni to students to parents to friends of the Prep, demonstrated a concern for the Chair of the Board of Trustees, who responded to the letter. In a response written by Fr. Swope ?72 and Mr. Mergiotti ?71, Chair of the Board of Trustees, the concerns of McCabe were listened to. ?We appreciate his passion, a sentiment we know is shared by all of you,? they stated. ?We have reached out to the alumnus who recently wrote sharing his concerns, and are opening up a channel of communication
Additionally, the letter criticized the dismissal of past employees of the Prep. Jay Fogarty ?18, a member of the Mission and Ministry leadership board, said ?The bad that McCabe outlines in his letter, is balanced out by a lot of good.? He went on to describe, ?I want to stress that McCabe's letter is full of great sentiment and love for the school, but Fr. Frederico, Fr. Swope, and the board of Trustees also have a strong love for this great community and a respect for its mission.? Kieran McCabe asked in his letter for two things: First, a conversation, one where ?Answers to current questions and transparency for the larger Prep community to improve decision making for the future? are cornerstones of the discussion. Second, improvements to policy ?that put strategic planning with community input in front of significant personnel changes (and not the other way around).? His ultimate message was simple: ?We stand with the mission of St. Joe?s Prep.? In the response composed by Fr. Swope and Mr. Mergiotti, a number of points were addressed, including the concerns centered around Mission and Ministry. ?We are continually evaluating and evolving the many
programs that have been part of the bloodlines of the Prep for decades: Thanksgiving Food Drive, Hurtado Food Pantry, Operation Santa Claus, tutoring at the Gesu School and St. Malachy, Homeless Walk, Prep Book Bank, Pajama Drive, among many others,? the letter declared. Clearly, the letter from McCabe and the response from Fr. Swope and the Board have stirred up quite a bit of conversation. One such focuses of this conversation is the Jesuit ideal of ?Cura Urbi?, which means care for the city. In our case, that city is Philadelphia, the community that we call home. What exactly does Cura Urbi encompass? In a newsletter published recently from the school, Fr. Swope described that, ?We work in the city and that means you wind up dealing with all of the complications and challenges of city life that come with it: poverty, violence, struggle and contention, policy battles. We tend to gravitate towards that and engage with it. We find God there.? In his letter to the Board, McCabe claims that, ?The question becomes what the vision for ?Cura Urbi? actually entails, and why it has to come at the cost of the widely successful and hotly sought after Prep service trips?? In a recent interview with Fr. Swope, he elaborated that the increased focus on more local projects in Philadelphia, ?Allow more students to have the opportunity to understand the reason for that service, the problem that exists there, in a broader context ? It stems from the history of the Jesuits. We are an urban religious
community. There are great challenges in cities all across the world, and the mission of the Jesuits has developed in and around cities, so we are just following in that centuriesold tradition.? Fogarty, discussing the different ways that this ideal of Cura Urbi manifests itself, says, ?There was the instillation of Inn- Dwelling, a PrepBased program that runs throughout the school year, giving academic assistance and the ?Pre- Prep Experience,? to middle school students from the inner-city, similar to Camp Magis. The service trips have been tragically scaled back, but they are still running and, under the direction of the administration, were largely refocused to center around our own city, in an attempt to bring the Jesuit Mission of Cura Urbi into our own community more predominantly.? Moving forward, the Prep has a strategy to more fully live out the Jesuit mission, as McCabe raised attention to in his letter. The plan, named Many Parts, One Prep, outlines that it will, ?1) Establish an Ignatian engagement program for colleagues; 2) Enhance our student formation program; and 3) Foster a culture of engagement and commitment that cultivates a sense of ownership of the school?s mission
among all of us, the ?Citizens of Prep Nation.?? How will it do this? Student collaboration will be key, said Fr. Swope: ?I started to make a list of all the conversations that I?ve had since I got here, where someone came in and told me something that I hadn?t thought of. Sometimes it was critical, sometimes it was a recommendation ? It does a lot of good when people bring forth ideas, and when they bring forth something that could be very critical of something that is going on.? As for his thoughts on McCabe?s letter, Fr. Swope believes that conversations such as the one opened up by him are healthy for the school. As stated in the response to the letter, ?Over the past few years, [the Prep community] has brought ideas and concerns forward and given great advice, insight and historical perspective; our students and school have been the beneficiaries of your generosity.? Undoubtedly, the discussion that has manifested itself in recent weeks has allowed voices on both sides a chance to be heard. Many remain hopeful that this conversation, as well as future conversations regarding the well- being of our school community, will continue to challenge and improve on the status quo. (Photo: St. Joseph's Prep)
By M arco Sammar tino '18
Cur a Ur bi, care for the city, is a key aspect of the Prep's plan for the future.
Confusion Abounds, But Ser vice Tr ips Remain By L iam Gr ugan '19 As the school enters a period of new growth in the Mission & Ministry office, it has become easy to give in to the flow of rumors, gossip, and conspiracies. Surrounding the recent changes seen in the office, the question on most students' minds is "What happens to service now?" The Answer: it stays the same. "We still are planning to do the ten trips were stated on the application, and we're really excited about the service sites we're going to," says Mr. Simon '13. Some of the trips this year include Ivanhoe, VA, Baltimore, MD, and local options such as Philadelphia Interfaith. Much of the ?hype? surrounding this developed frustration toward Mission & Ministry is very simply refutable.
For example, for the past year, complaints about the school?s mission have largely surrounded a supposed cutback on service trips to fund other financial ventures. Father Chuck Frederico, S.J. says in response, ?there are ten trips; there have always been ten trips.? His arrival has brought with it countless positive alterations and additions to the offerings of spiritual enhancement programs at the school. While his and Mr. Dushel?s work in establishing the first Senior Retreat can not go unnoticed, Fr. Chuck?s reorientation of the way students can interact with service specifically is how his legacy in these halls will be defined. Currently, he is working to establish a completely new summer service offering, with the added benefit of taking students abroad, as well as co-
operating with Merion Mercy and members of the staff to put together an official collaboration between the two schools over the summer. While his zeal can not be denied, the fundamental issues facing the fulfillment of the Prep Mission are beyond his control. This year has seen an unprecedented low in sign- ups from juniors for the Summer Immersion programs. Fr. Frederico says of the issue that it is not that the school does not offer the trips, but that it does not have the students to go; the cause for which is two-fold. The first issue is the simple lack of logistical direction following the recent staff changes. Multiple juniors have elected to not hand in their paperwork simply because they are under the false understanding that there is no adult present to read the forms. Jack Thorell '19 says, "As the appli-
cation deadline drew nearer I didn't know where I could pick up or turn in forms." While this may seem to be a reasonable concern, the answer to this problem is easily expressed seeing as there are currently four ready adults employed surrounding the M& M couches. The second issue is a sense of apprehensiveness from the students. While the logical complaint would be the steep prices of going on these trips, the natural rebuttal is the abundance of financial aid available for students who wish to go on a service trip, but may require help in paying the fee. Thus the lack of enthusiasm can be traced to a lack of necessity. Many students feel as though it is unnecessary and unfruitful to go on a summer immersion trip with so many daily service offerings already present locally. Mr. Simon, however, brings
to mind in response the overarching point of service at the Prep. When asked about his experience on a summer service trip to the Dominican Republic as a rising senior, he described the grueling task of building houses for a struggling community, but his takeaway is what has inspired him to continue to serve into his adult life; he said that the mission of the two trips to this village was to ensure that not only structurally was this area renovated, but that an actual ?community was being built? the service of relationships.? In a time of confusion in the Prep halls, the message of unity Mr. Simon learned from his service trip has the potential to reinvigorate the Fraternity on 17th, but in order for him, the alumni, and Mission & Ministry to pass the torch of responsibility, there must be someone there to receive_it.
News | 3
M & M Hires New Choir Director By Jack Thorell '19 What has been a turbulent year for the Prep choir so far, with various directorial changes and the temporary leadership of Stephen Dierkes '18 and James DiCocco '18, is now shifting gears once again. The choir will now be under the direction of recently hired Dan Apadula, who comes from a family of choir directors and is thrilled to take on this task for the Prep. Some may have noticed Apadula standing with the choir at the recent Ash
Wednesday mass, where he observed the way this group performed and got a feel for the environment he?s been selected to lead. Apadula said of his time observing the choir: ?I was really struck by the commitment, focus, and talent of this group.? Apadula has big shoes to fill, following the hard work and dedication that Dierkes and DiCocco have put into this year?s choir. Dierkes committed himself throughout the year to learning how to best instruct
others using his own knowledge of music, accompanying the choir to perfection on the piano throughout the past semester. However, regarding his future with the program now that Apadula has been hired, Dierkes says, ?I?ll be stepping out of the choir for the rest of the year. I have to focus on other activities that have taken the back burner.? Dierkes is hopeful, though, that the choir will continue to perform with excellence at masses, predicting that Apadula will, ?be able
to capture the attention of the kids more and hopefully get more attendance at rehearsals.? Dierkes struggled to get consistent attendance and to lead a choir with no prior experience, but hopes that a hired choir director will, adding that ?James and I technically never ran the choir. Choir directors run a choir. The job of choir director is a paid position. We, according to the only recognition we?ve ever received which was in the Father- Son mass program, were the ?choir (Photo: Mr. Raffa)
A group of committed students continued to work for the success of SJP's choir, with seniors Steve Dierkes and James DiCocco at the helm.
captains.?? While Stephen was thrust into this title of Choir Captain without prior experience or much guidance, he has been able to offer a little more insight to Apadula, who sat in on one of Dierkes?s rehearsals ?offering a few helpful comments.? Dierkes is confident that Apadula is qualified to lead the group in new directions, as he emerged as the top candidate from the interview process. Although Dierkes reported he was not a part of the search as promised, he has confidence that the upbeat Apadula is the best fit for the job. Though the turnout of students may change under Apadula?s leadership, Dierkes believes that ?the spread and style of music won?t change with the current head of Mission and Ministry.? Having a hired professional to run the choir is a leap forward for the Prep?s program. Dierkes and DiCocco have kept the choir running smoothly for months without an official director, but are grateful for the opportunity to now step back and pursue other activities. While Dierkes has had to play the piano reading off of music with the word ?sample? printed in the background, the choir will now rightfully be in professional hands, with real sheet music, and instructed by an adult. ?I hope that the choir becomes a place where more students can actively participate in the mass,? writes Dierkes. Apadula?s impending leadership will hopefully bring just_that.
Report: Keeping the Lights On at SJP By David M cCabe '19 An aspect of the Prep that is often not considered when wandering the halls is how much power the building uses. In an interview with Mrs. Ana Luisa Smith, Director of Facilities Operations, she was able to reveal what goes into powering the Prep and the financial impact. The Prep receives its power from PECO through the basement, which feeds out to two substations, one in the basement and the other on the third floor of Villiger Hall. It comes in on one line at 13,200 volts which progressively gets stepped down to 480 volts by the time it reaches the two substations. The Prep also uses gas to fire the boilers. Power is not monitored by an efficiency perspective but rather a financial one. Each month, the bill from PECO comes ?we see where we?re having any spikes and where we?re not and whether we?re in the right tier for the way our contract is negotiated for us-
age. And that?s monitored more out of finance,? said Smith. The Prep is also not submetered. Submetering is a way of determining where the power load is going once it is passed through those substations. ?We don?t have any ability to segregate the loads to figure out how much is mechanical, how much is plug load, and how much is lighting. From an operational perspective we?re incapable of monitoring those uses.? If it were submetered, they would be able to determine what is consuming the most power. For example, if a certain part of the building was using an unusually high amount of power one month, Maintenance would be able to figure out if that was from the TVs, the lights, A/C, etc. Submetering has been considered by the Prep in order to verify that their bill from PECO is correct, and they are also currently considering submetering any automated A/C and mechanical systems that
would come into effect with the renovation projects.
not going to see a major change.?
The renovations have been projected to begin in the ?spring of 2019? and conclude in the summer of 2020. The projects take place during the school year. The theater and the library are the two largest parts of the renovations, which ?can?t be accomplished simultaneously in one summer without having to shut the building down. And that doesn?t work for us,? says Smith.
So, how much power does the Prep use annually?
The Prep building is used almost every day of the year. This means that the building is ?running consistent hours Monday through Friday. And we?re open a majority of the weekend. You?d see a drop off in the summer session because you don?t have as much building use and you don?t have all the lighting load that we use. We throttle back some temperature controls in specific areas that aren?t being used in the summer versus the normal school year. So you?d see some differences there, but you?re
Based on the PECO bill provided by Mr. Rick Scanlan and Mrs. Ana Luisa Smith, the building?s annual usage for this past year was 3,659,043 kilowatt- hours (kWh). To put that in perspective, the average American household uses 10,766 kWh annually, about 340 times less (EIA 2016). So, the Prep could power 340 houses each year with the average consumption it is at currently. The bills from PECO come once a month and the past three month?s (November through January) totals came to a sum of $63,204.35. One would think that in the summer, the building would use much less power, but based on this past year?s report, June had the highest energy consumption of any other month at 352,148 kWh. And July and August still used more power than the lowest month: April. The summer months still
maintain high power consumption because there are countless things still happening in the building (Pre-Prep, summer classes, basketball camp, etc.) and the main draw is the A/C. Some ways that the Prep has recently been looking to increase efficiency and decrease cost in their energy bill is by replacing the lights in the pool and the parking lots with LEDs. Similar to the motion-sensor lights in the Mission & Ministry offices, Mrs. Smith says, ?We?re looking at a lightingcontrol system as a part of the renovations that will have a sensor-override. The lighting will be scheduled on and off at specific points in the day that we can then change with the school schedule. And then if you were to walk into it in an ?off-time,? the occupancy- sensor would detect motion and override the control,? turning on the lights.
4 | News
Student Council Or ganizes Walkout By David M cCabe '19 The gun control debate within the United States has seemed to have reached a boiling point. Both sides of the political spectrum can obviously see that something needs to happen to prevent further gun violence, and, especially, to keep children and teens safe in their schools. Three weeks ago at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, 19- year- old Nikolas Cruz committed a mass shooting, killing 17 people and sending 14 to the hospital. This tragedy sparked, again, the long- fought debate of gun regulation and control. One of the students who survived the attack was Emma Gonzalez, who has become a figure for the fight against the
Second Amendment, standing out on social media especially with her speech at an anti-gun rally in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She has gained traction with her and her classmates? movement, founding Never Again MSD along with other recognizable figures such as Cameron Kasky and David Hogg. There are plans moving forward to request further legislation on gun control, calling for deeper background checks and inspections for mental illness, among other things. Those standing for increased gun regulation are making plans for upcoming walkouts in schools across the country. Three major dates seem to be planned for the upcoming walkouts: March 14, March 24, and April 20. April 20, 2018 marks the 17th
the administration and the student body to address the current issues affecting the youth,? says Ix.
year anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre. St. Joe?s Prep will find itself taking part in one of these walkouts in the upcoming weeks. Organized by Student Council, at 10 AM on Wednesday, March 14 a walkout will take place for all Prep students willing to participate in support of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School community and in memory of the lives lost in the tragedy. The students will go out and be in the plaza lot for 17 minutes -- one for each life lost -- ?in memoriam and solidarity with those who died,? says President Chris Ix ?18. The event is completely voluntary and merely an invitation from the Student Council. The idea ?was a group effort with
Students at Merion Mercy allegedly experienced a gun violence threat at their school. What appeared to be a threat was written on a bathroom stall sometime on or before March 1st. These reports have not been confirmed by the school or the head of school, Sister Barbara Buckley, who would not comment at this time, but juniors Lia Mazmanian '19 and Gabrielle Bass '19 were able to provide more information Police were said to have arrived at the school and investigated the incident. Events like SpeakUp! were canceled due to the threat. The Lower Merion Police Department was unavailable for comment at
this time. According to current Merion junior Gabrielle Bass '19, on the following day students were not permitted to carry their backpacks around with them, and they were not allowed the roam around the school or sit in the student lounges. They had to either stay in the student center, the library, or their classes. Lia Mazmanian says these procedures are in order until further notice. The national gun control debate trickles down to the community of the Prep and the local community of Philadelphia. All members of the Prep community have been affected by gun violence, especially after the death of Sal DiNubile ?19. Efforts to promote change assist in the ?assessment of gun violence,? says_Ix.
Br aithwaite '89 Per for ms at 1812 Productions Tony Braithwaite '89 is the Cape and Sword Drama Society director and producer, and the Engagement Specialist at the Prep. Outside of school, Braithwaite is the Artistic Director of Act II Playhouse, a local vest- pocket professional Equity theater in Ambler. He has performed there for fifteen years and has been the Artistic Director for eight years. Braithwaite acts in three shows a year and directs numerous. ?I act occasionally at other local theatres such as Arden, 1812, Montgomery when my crazy schedule allows.? Most recently at the 1812 Production theater in Philadelphia, Braithwaite performed "A Few of Our Favorite Things." Braith-
waite performed with Jennifer Childs, the Artistic Director of the 1812 Productions. This show was a collection of short scenes and songs that were written by Braithwaite and Childs, with Owen Robbins playing the piano. This show was performed at Act II Playhouse for a few weeks, and has been performed at the 1812 Productions. Jeffrey Russell '20, a member of the Cape and Sword Drama Society saw "A Few of Our Favorite Things" and absolutely loved it. ?The audience could tell that [Mr. Braithwaite] and Jen had such great chemistry. They work wonderfully together and he is astounding on stage. I would?ve liked thirty more
minutes because it was never boring; not for a second. The writing throughout the entire show was absolutely excellent I couldn?t stop laughing. If I wasn?t laughing my butt off I was smiling ear to ear.? Currently, at Act II Playhouse Braithwaite is performing "I Ought to be in Pictures" by Neil Simon. His character, Herb Tucker, a down- on- hisluck Hollywood screenwriter, is surprised when his forgotten teenage daughter Libby reappears. Libby is played by Jess Riloff, who did many Prep shows from 2010 to 2012 as a student at MSJA. Braithwaite really enjoys what he does at Act II and says, "I've really loved my time at the helm of Act II. I get to write, direct,
and perform, often alongside dear friends like Howie Brown '99, Will Dennis '01, Sonny Leo, and Patrick Romano '12. The Playouse is currently in better financial health than we have ever been, and we have a
super loyal audience base of about 2500 subscribers. I get paid to do what I love. As George Bernard Shaw said, 'Happy the man whose profession is also his hobby.'"
(Photo: Act I I Playhouse)
By Jason M atter a '20
Childs and Braithwaite on stage at Act I I Playhouse.
News | 5
(Photo: St. Joseph's Prep)
Tolen '18, Saldutti '18 Gain Congressional Suppor t
(R-L) Rob Saldutti '18 and Meade Tolen '18 with Congressman Donald Norcross after receiving their nominations. By Ned Bur ke '19 As the seniors here at the Prep continue on through the college application and selec-
tion process, a few have turned to the Military Service Academies. However, the application process for acceptance into one
of these Academies is both lengthy and thorough. Eligibility for acceptance involves GPA, class rank, SAT/ACT scores, and involvement in leadership activities. The candidates also must compete in sports in their high school, pass the Candidate Physical Assessment, get a physical, and pass an eye exam. In addition to these requirements, candidates also must obtain a letter of nomination from either a senator or a congressman. A nomination can also be obtained from a President, but only if one of the parents of the candidate was killed in action during military service. The candidates must attend an interview in front of a panel of 3 to 7 panelists of
the Senator?s or Congressman?s choice. Robert Saldutti ?18 recently received a nomination and hopes to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point. In addition to the requirement of a nomination, each member of the academy must participate in some form of sports. Robert intends to participate in either lacrosse or the ski team if he attends.
Academy once he receives medical clearance. He says on the matter, ?I have always known that I?ve wanted to serve, and when I started the college process I was immediately drawn to the Naval Academy. The high level of education paired with the military aspect of the school is a perfect fit for me, and I am thrilled that I will have this opportunity to fulfill my dream.?
Another senior, Meade Tolen ?18, received a Letter of Assurance to the United States Naval Academy, which guarantees acceptance to the academy. Now that he has fulfilled all requirements, including congressional recommendation, Meade will receive full acceptance into the Naval
Overall, there are about 16,000 students enrolled at each of these academies. Given the growing amount of applicants the Academies each year and the already rigorous application process, receiving acceptance or a nomination to one of these schools is an impressive_feat.
By Nate Aiken '19 The Strategy Gaming club of the Prep caters to a niche interest for many students. Those who love fraternity, competition, and most importantly, board games can find their place in the club.They play hundreds of games ranging from Dungeon and Dragons, to even a couple heated games of Uno.The club is proctored by Mr. DeSimone, with additional leadership from President Jordan Busza ?19. With their annual Extra Life gaming marathon on the horizon the club is more active than ever, hosting games that are open to all nearly every day. The Extra Life Marathon is a 24 hour board game marathon for which players get sponsored by people willing to do-
nate to charity for the amount of time they play. Donations can be made on the club?s website, Extralife.org/team/SJP. The Extra Life Charity has marathons running all over the globe in order to raise money for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. For the SJP marathon, the money raised during the marathon will all go to CHOP. The Strategy Gaming club became a part of this worldwide charity two years ago, and will continue with their third annual charity livestream Saturday March 17th. The marathon is live streamed for 24 hours straight, during which people can donate money, request games, or simply enjoy the stream. Mr. DeSimone commented saying, ?Anyone who is interested, or
if you want to be there for the full 24, can come and play or even watch.? People are welcome to stop by the Rooney Room, bring their own games, and play with the guys in order to raise money. Mr. DeSimone explained ?It takes on a life of its own?. The whole event feels like a guys hanging out and playing games, with the added benefit of all money raised going to charity. When asked how he could possibly play games and stay awake for 24 hours straight, Jordan answered quickly by saying, ?I focus more on the game, rather than the time?. Nourished by doughnuts and coffee, the club plans to not only to stay awake for the 24 hours, but to compete against each other for the full 24 hours.
(Photo: Jordan Busza '19)
Gaming Club Embar ks on Char ity M ar athon
Strategy Gaming Club during 2017 Extra Life Marathon. In addition to weekly meetings and gaming marathons, the Strategy Gaming club also hosts a Risk Tournament in room J419. ?We have an annual Risk tournament, building up hype for the marathon,? says Jordan Busza. The first round was held on Thursday, March 1st afterschool. One can only imagine the bragging
rights earned by winning it all in this tournament. For those that want to tune in, the livestream starts Saturday March 17th at 8 am, and ends, well, 24 hours later. An event that marries a good cause, good people, and board games such as this is truly something anyone can enjoy.
6 | Features
Unsung Heroes: The Maintenance Staff By Jacob DeAnnuntis '19 Every morning when we walk into the building, the lights are on, the classrooms are open, the floors are clean. After school is over, the cafeteria is returned to its state of cleanliness, trash is gone, tables and chair arranged neatly. Every school assembly or school event, chairs are set up, set tables put in position. Every day we see the people responsible for these actions around school, however, I believe they do not get the credit they deserve for all of behind the scenes hard work they do to make our lives easier. The Maintenance Staff is essentially divided into three different branches: Custodians, Security, Maintenance. Each part plays an equally important role in helping St. Joe?s Prep run smoothly. Nicky Webb is the lead supervisor for custodians, and she began working here almost 16 years ago as a cleaner. Mrs. Ana Smith, Director of Facilities Operations, says ?Nobody knows this building better than Nicky,? calling her the ?wizard of knowing where things are in the building.? Having been here so long, Nicky knows the
preferences of each teacher, how they like their classroom setup, desks arranged, temperature setting. Nicky takes the helm on setting up and preparing the building for all events. The past two weekends, Ms. Webb had to take lead in setting up for the ?Stand Up for Speedy? gala in the Field House, as well the Father- Son Communion Breakfast, requiring her to work 21 days straight. Each event is set up a little bit differently, ultimately dictated by its theme, but the basic timeline for preparing for these events goes as followed: the proper flooring is laid out, the curtains and drapes hung, and a diagram indicating how many chairs and table and their positions is followed. This diagram is often memorized by Nicky, who has an amazing memory. She mentions her favorite part of the job is ?Dealing with my staff every day. They?re great.? When Nicky isn?t working, she enjoys simply hanging out and relaxing in her home in North Philly, maybe throwing on Modern Family or Lethal Weapon. Another familiar face whom we see every day but may not know is Mr. Shawn White,
head of Security. Shawn can be found behind the security desk each day, from six in the morning to two in the afternoon. However, his day starts much earlier than that, as he arrives at the school usually around quarter of five, in order to open the building. Each morning, he opens up all the fences to the parking lots, unlocks all of the doors, turns on all of the lights, checks the heating and cooling systems, and makes sure everything is secured from the night before. He is here every Monday through Friday, and also sometimes on weekends to help with the many Prep events, as he says ?the building never really closes. There?s always something going on.? Mr. White?s favorite part of the job is ?Definitely interacting with people. I talk to a thousand people in a day, going and coming, all from different walks of life. I always have some kind of conversation. It?s the personal aspect of the job.? Outside of work, Shawn comes from South Philly, and loves all of the Philly sports teams, especially the 76ers. He even believes the Sixers will make the playoffs this season. Mr.
White is also really into movies, especially action and mob movies. One of the newest members of the staff is Charles Townsend, the Head of Maintenance. Charles just began working here in late January and still learning the ropes. There are always things to be fixed around the building, and Charles is your man for it. His favorite part of the job is ?The mechanical side of it. There?s a lot to learn, and just how busy it is, it makes the day go by fast.? Mr. Townsend is from Southwest Philly, and a huge Philly sports fan too. With a smile on his face, he said ?I?ve been waiting all my life to see my birds win a Super Bowl. I?m all Philly everything.? He loves music and his favorite movies is Alien 2. Mr. Rick Scanlan, the Chief Financial Officer, explained to me how he and his team provide support for all of these people, from both a financial and moral standpoint. Each project and issue which needs to be fixed requires some sort of money, and Mr. Scanlan helps identify these resources. He recalled a flood which took
place last summer in the basement, and he tried to be present to provide moral support, just as he aims to do for all major issues. He also commented on how outstanding of a job the staff does: ?We ask an awful lot of them. They do an outstanding job. It?s a difficult job. Sometimes it?s not easy cleaning up after you guys.? Just two weeks ago, on a day where we had assemblies during our advisory periods, fivehundred chairs were set up in the middle of the night in preparation for this. As Mr. Scanlan said, ?Student life has to go on, and when there is something we need to do to support the students, that's what we need to do.? In talking with all of these people, I noticed a common theme: how friendly each person was. Each person kindly took time out of their busy schedules, and did so with a smile on their face. Even though I only highlighted a few people on the Maintenance Staff, there are many more people who work just as hard day in and day out. Let?s give them the credit they deserve for making our Prep lives that much_easier.
Mission Corner: Service Learning Programs One ideal that Jesuit educators constantly try to instill in their students is this idea of ?cura personalis.? ?Cura personalis? is literally translated as ?care for the entire person.? This is one of the greatest strengths of the Prep. The Prep emphasizes this idea through its Jesuit- centered liberal arts education. The Jesuits state that one?s education does not stop in the classroom; that education is only one piece of the puzzle. One?s education and maturation continues during a sports practice, mock trial competition, rehearsal, Gesu tutoring, shopping for Operation Santa Claus, or Improv Club Community Period. The Prep works to foster this idea that students should not limit themselves and that students should allow all aspects of their lives to influence all that they do. During my recent visit to Saint Joseph?s University (SJU), the Jesuit university of Philadelphia, I learned how SJU takes these Jesuit ideals to the college level through their Service Learning Programs. These programs are essentially classes that a student can take in which the entire class will do service and allow their experiences of serving others to affect their discussion of class materials. The amazing aspect of these programs is the fact that they are offered across all majors. The Service Learning
Programs are not limited to only theology, morals and ethics, or philosophy classes. There are English and Economic classes that will cover the class material and additionally partake in service together as a community for the benefit of others and for the benefit of the learning experience. I realized that the Prep may have an opportunity to translate these Service Learning Programs to the high school level. These programs are perfect manifestations of Jesuit education and Jesuit ideals. They are the epitome of being men and women for and with others, caring for their entire person. The Prep would have to modify some aspects of the collegiate program due to scheduling and class time restrictions, but the Prep would still be able to capture the same essence. For example, a Freshman English class could tutor Gesu students in their writing/grammar as they continue to perfect their own writing/grammar. An Environmental Science class could clean a local Philadelphia park, reminding the students of realworld application. A Christian Ethics class could visit inmates at a local Philadelphia prison, giving students the opportunity to reflect on their experiences in class and influence the way in which they approach the chapters at hand. ?Cura personalis? is an es-
sential precept of Jesuit education. SJU?s Service Learning Programs embody this ideal and apply it to the idea of being men and women for and with others. As a Catholic Je-
suit high school, the Prep strives to ensure that service not stop outside of Mission and Ministry, and that learning not stop outside of the classroom. With the possibility of these
Service Learning Programs, the Prep has an opportunity to provide students with an even fuller and deeper learning experience.
(Photo:https://omssiphila.independencemissionschools.org)
By Paul K oenig '18
A few SJU students helping out at Our Mother of Sorrow/St I gnatius Loyala School as part of their Service Learning Program.
Features | 7 By Justin K ear ns '20 Choosing the right school for college is scary and it is ultimately what four years of high school leads up to. The Class of 2018 have been going through this process for about two years now and are just about ready to chose the school best for them. I talked to senior Paul Stowell ?18 about his college experience and he says that he?s very excited for his college career and he had a blast going through the process. ?Although it?s a super stressful time, you get to learn a lot about what you want for your future.? Paul applied to six schools, five of which are jesuit schools. These schools include University of Chicago, Boston College, Boston University, College of the Holy Cross, Fordham, and
St. Joe?s University. He has already gotten into Boston college, Fordham, and St. Joe?s University and currently, he?s torn between Fordham and Boston College. He loves both but received a $30,000 a year academic scholarship from Fordham while also getting into St. Joe?s University?s honors program. Another thing that can be just as scary as picking a school is picking your major. About 80 percent of students in the United States end up changing their major at least once, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. So if you are a senior freaking out about what to major in, this statistic can relieve some stress.Paul, like many others, is not completely sure what they want to major in, Although, he
does have an idea. He says that he either wants to major in Phycology or Pre- Med, but if he goes to Boston College, he would double major in Psychology and Theater. Paul Stowell has been apart of Cape and Sword Drama Society for two years now and loves it so much he wants to bring his skills to the next level. He was in the ensemble in Peter and the Starcatcher, he was tech director for Newsies, and he is currently in the cast of 1776, which is coming to the stage this spring.
(Photo: Paul Christian Stowell '18)
College Process Spotlight: Paul Christian Stowell '18
College can ultimately be scary and very stressful but that is only one way to look at it. The college process is the beginning steps of your journey in life, so savor it and show off your potential to colleges_you_love.
Stowell '18 with his acceptance letters from his top two schools: Fordham and Boston College.
By Nick Paler mo '18 This week, instead of the usual Q& A format, we have a story provided for us by Ms. Cook. In the summer of 2016, Ms. Cook journeyed with other Jesuit educators across Europe, visiting destinations that hold historical significance for the Jesuit order:
Caffeinated by the Spanish espresso and surrounded by like- minded teachers from Georgetown Prep, BC High, Gonzaga, SLU High? the list goes on? I couldn?t have imagined this for myself in 2005 when I started teaching at 17th and Girard. How did I wind up here, I thought, now and then. Both arrivals and both trips weren?t in my plans, but both make total sense to me, a journey of total grace. Hours after that coffee I?d be in bustling Burgos, greener and cooler by 200 kilometers. Burgos is home to Spain?s first Gothic Cathedral and one of my favorite Jesuits, Secretary Polanco: the editor of the Exercises and the Constitutions, Ignatius?biographer, the Companion who served three Superior Generals, the converso Jesuit, the Society?s first histo-
(Photo: Ms.Cook)
One of the best cups of coffee I?ve ever had was in the wheat fields of central Spain, sixteen hours after I flew out of Boston?s Logan Airport with 20 other Jesuit high school teachers and our two fearless Jesuit guides two summers ago. Arevalo was a hustling, bustling sixteenth- century town when Ignatius would arrive there at 14, but with my new companions as part of Boston College?s graduate program in Jesuit studies, now only a mother and her young child walked through the dusty, hot town square of St. Mary?s. Ignatius spent 11 years here, this ?place by the wall,? working for a royal family, learning the etiquette of the court, training in the ?knight life? so to speak, surrounded by watch-
towers and a citadel whose view opens up into the whiteyellow fields of sugar beets and sunflowers. It was a clear blue sky on this first of twelve days journeying through Spain and Rome in the footsteps of Ignatius, my group aided by bus and plane.
Ms. Cook in front of thousands of letters to and from I gnatius. These letters are preserved in the archives of the Jesuit Curia.
rian? prolific writer, editor, teacher, guide. I didn?t know in Burgos that eight days later I?d find myself in the basement of the Jesuit Curia in Rome, only inches away from Secretary Polanco?s work ? that is, an original manuscript of the Exercises, Ignatius?text written in his own hand, bordered in the margins by Polanco?s copious edits. For this English teacher, you can imagine the thrill. In the depths of Jesuit headquarters, the very place where Jesuits convened last fall to elect the 36th Superior General of the Society, my friends and I weren?t surrounded by Arevalo?s wheat fields anymore, but something quite like them: the 7000-plus letters that Ignatius and his Companions and the extended network of Jesuits wrote to each other as they lived their missionary ethos across the globe. Understandably, these letters had yellowed, but, meticulously preserved, were desiccated little. I was in heaven with these letters, Xavier?s handwriting the worst of all the Companions, mine far worse. The Jesuits were writers. They wrote down everything. Their letters detailed anything from the botanical to grammatical to astronomical; handwritten and illustrated, this knowledge, collected by Jesuit geologists, linguists, physicists, anthropologists and missionaries- atlarge was, centuries ago, snailmailed back to Rome, only to be disseminated globally again: a complex yet simple system of sharing. This sharing involved not just observations of the earth and its people but of the trials involved in the carrying out, as the first Constitutions state, the aiding of ?souls to reach their ultimate and supernatural end.? I had seen Pope Francis earlier that morning at the Vatican. Now,
(Photo: Ms.Cook)
Talking With Ms. Cook: An I gnatian Adventure
Ms. Cook and her group atop the Jesuit Curia with St. Peter's Basilica in the background. with my friends, I held his handwritten vows right in front of me. The day, and the trip, had come full circle. Here, I remembered my first night in Basque country, when I set foot into the town where Ignatius was born. It was cloudy, even misty. Before dinner, jetlagged, I found a new spring in my step. I took a stroll from the Arrupe Hotel to the Basilica of Loyola. This was a pedestrian summer evening: Spanish school kids playing tag around the Basilica, dogs barking, terracotta houses dotting the green- gray mountain, the cool breeze, the tilled land, the clouds, the promenade of birch trees across the way. Evening Mass had just started. I found myself in a back pew, a liminal space: outside of the language yet in step with the liturgy; on the other side of home and another school year, yet one with the people sharing paz with me in this church. The ?breadth and depth and height and length? of the altar calmed me, and the shrines lining the circumference of the sacred space caught my gaze, as did the locals praying on a Thursday night. I wasn?t in Philadelphia anymore, but this basilica?s prayerful space, for all its unfamiliarity, was not totally ?other,? for I could still ?be with? and ?within? the ritual of the liturgy and the Eucharist, the familiar song and move-
ment, finding common ground here in this valley where Inigo was born in 1491. Tomorrow, we?d have Mass in the Conversion Chapel, where, through a man in deep personal crisis, the seeds of the Exercises were born. Seeing the very books that Ignatius read as he recovered from injury, like The Lives of the Saints in a glass display, thrilled me as a literature teacher. Here I was given new insight into the power and potential of reading. ?God was waiting for Ignatius in those pages,? as our Jesuit tour guide would say. In just a couple of days, I?d be in and above the cave in Manresa? the same cave where Ignatius?moved through both some major self-harm and some major mystical illuminations assigning him his higher purpose and call. Now the cave is a chapel, but on a balcony above it, I could see the flowing Cardoner river, the serrated peaks of Montserrat ahead? these same natural gifts of creation that moved Ignatius in this place where he didn?t intend to stay? Manresa was supposed to be just a layover for him? a place that taught him the gift of ?enough.? Tomorrow, I?d be climbing to the peak of Montserrat? closer to you and our Prep tradition than I?d ever been_before.
8 | Features
Teacher Profile: Mr. Brian Martin '95 By Paul Stowell '18 In 1991, Mr. Brian Martin entered room 304 as an eager freshman, ready to embark on his Prep journey. Unknown to Mr. Martin at the time, this freshman biology class, and more specifically, his teacher, Ms. Barbara Brown, would ultimately decide his future. As a student at the Prep, Mr. Martin never took for granted any of his classes, whether it be religion with Mr. Stephen Oldham or English with Mr. Joseph Griffin, but he always had a special attraction toward biology: ?Biology was my favorite class my freshman year
in high school and I took AP Biology later on in my career at the Prep. During my freshman year, Ms. Brown made biology incredibly interesting to me. She made me love biology as a young freshmen - and I have loved it ever since. I owe her an incredible debt of gratitude.? After his four years as a student at the Prep, Mr. Martin further pursued a career in biology at La Salle University. Then, he ultimately returned home to 17th and Girard as an ASC member in 1999. Following a four year stint teaching at Little Flower
Catholic High School for girls, Mr. Martin became a full-time faculty member at the Prep, teaching physics, physical science and then, eventually, biology.
would be difficult. It has allowed [him] to utilize a variety of methods to teach biology all of which is easily accessible.? At the same time, he has maintained his special relationship with Ms. Brown: ?She continues to be a tremendous support for me as I continue to grow as a teacher. She also is a wonderful friend who has been there for all of the events of my personal life over the past 14 years - whether that be helping me out when my children were born, or being there for more difficult situations.?
Today, Mr. Martin continues to passionately teach biology in room 304, where he focuses on making his classroom ?a relaxed, comfortable environment for my students. Generally it is very conversational. Students feel free to talk, ask and answer questions.? He also also makes sure to take advantage of our ever-growing world of technology, which ?has allowed [him] to bring a lot into the classroom that otherwise
During my own Prep experi-
ence, I have been privileged enough to have had Mr. Martin twice, both for intro biology and AP biology. He has, without fail, made learning easy and enjoyable, even for someone like myself who had previously struggled in science. Even more importantly, his friendly personality, wonderful sense of humor, and one-of- akind classroom environment has given me something to look forward to everyday. He has truly left his mark on me during my time at the Prep, as I am sure he will continue to do on other future Prep students who have the privilege of entering room 304.
By Denis Gallagher '20 From the beginning of the school year, the implementation of a community period for clubs or enrichment has led to new ways of furthering the opportunities for a Prep student. One of these opportunities is to join, or even start, a club that you could not attend last year because you have after- school responsibilities. Because of this, several new clubs have begun meeting with various motivations. One club that was founded very recently is the Mountain Biking Club. Dean Metsikas ?20 is the club founder, working alongside Mr. Pinto to get it on the roll. Metsikas hails from Northeast Philadelphia, and has been into mountain biking for two years. The goal of the club, he says, is ?to start a Prep biking community and squad that goes to regional races?. This club is a great chance for Prep students who enjoy biking to learn more about buying bikes, places to ride, technique, different gear, and possibly a classmate in their neighborhood who might become a partner on the trails or
in races. For example, one meeting the focus was to learn how to change a tire. Things like this are great skills to learn for a novice biker. In the future, the hope is to go as a group to area races or casual rides. Led by different Philadelphia coalitions and organizations, group rides and competitions are very common and popular, and are a great way to bond and enjoy the beauty of the city. The community of bikers in the city of Philadelphia is a welcoming and friendly one. The passion for mountain biking in particular is strong partly because of the trails of the Wissahickon and Fairmount Park, along with many others. These locations are, for the most part, well- kept and safe, and have varying degrees of difficulty for all types of riders. Philadelphia is one of the most bike- friendly cities, according to Forbes and Bicycling.com. The culture of both road and mountain biking is prevalent and thriving in our city. Another great benefit of the sport of mountain biking is the health factor. It is a great aero-
bic exercise, working the whole body and the brain. Mountain biking is more forgiving on joints than a sport such as running, but still works every muscle and requires strength and concentration. While mountain biking, the rider has to be wary of rocks, sticks, hills, and bumps, and this strengthens reflexes and muscle memory. Overall, the most basic health benefit of mountain biking is getting outside. While riding, you get exposure to the sun, you breathe fresh air, and you get to interact with nature. This improves mood and reduces stress. This club displays that Community period activities do not have to be schoolrelated, but can be focused on something many people enjoy. Hopefully, other students will follow Metsikas?s example and use what the Prep has to offer to enjoy something that would normally be reserved for out of school, passing on knowledge to their classmates who want to get more serious about a hobby that they had in mind.
(Photo: Dean Metsikas '20)
New Mountain Biking Club Hits the Trails
Metsikas '20 riding his mountain bike on a forest trail.
Mock Trial Looking to Best Roman, Make States By Nick Paler mo '18
The team?s varsity side con-
(Photo: St. Joe's Prep Twitter)
The Mock Trial team will be competing in the city championship on Sunday at Temple Law against Roman A, last year?s runner-up in the state. If they win the match against the
historically great Roman side, they will advance to the State tournament in Harrisburg, consisting of sixteen different teams from all over Pennsylvania.
The mock trial team after their semifinal win against Roman B. (L-R): Maguire, Bevilacqua, Leahy, Ehrlich, Enright, Dreux and Legaard, all'18.
tains entirely seniors: Matt Bevilacqua (attorney), Brad Ehrlich (witness), Jacob Legaard (attorney), Shea Enright (attorney), Marcus Dreux (attorney), Liam Leahy (witness), and Billy Maguire (witness). Earlier in the year, the senior squad lost a close match to Central A, which would hurt them significantly in playoff seeding. They ended the season seeded sixth in the city, and had to overcome two tough opponents in Central B (3 seed) and Roman B (2 seed). Bevilacqua ?18 commented on being seeded sixth, saying ?Just like the Eagles, we?re riding an underdog status.? They rode this underdog status into a 3- 0 win against Central B and 5- 0 win against
Roman B. The road to a city championship has been a long one for these seniors. After three years of waiting to return to the championship match, the team is ready to claim the title. They began their preparation for this moment back in August when they participated in the Empire World Championships. After how well the team performed, they knew there was a great chance of dethroning Roman. Since then, brick by brick, the team has progressed to the city finals. Given the strength of the Roman side, Bevilacqua thinks if this match goes the Prep?s way, qualifying for Nationals isn?t out of the question. He ex-
plains, ?The Roman team is really good and has been for some time, making the state championship three consecutive years, winning it once. I think this year, though, we really have what it takes to beat them, and if we can do that, the sky's the limit.? Dreux ?18 adds ?I?ve only done this the past two years, but most of the team is very experienced. We have a mixture of talent, experience, and maturity to win this match.? The match against Roman A will take place this Sunday 1:00 PM at Temple Law. Come watch the team as they look to extend their season and qualify for_states.
Entertainment | 9
Black Panther Another Fantastic Marvel Film SPOI L ER AL ERT The King of Wakanda has come home, and everyone is bidding for the throne. Marvel Studios?latest film, Black Panther, is finally out and destroying the box office. The largest opening weekend of the year so far, with plenty of hype around the film that is making history in the superhero world. A stunning movie this was, through the characters and world, we see why the Black Panther really is a must- see Marvel movie. This movie has many interesting pieces, but strangely enough, I would like to first praise the villain, Michael B. Jordan?s Erik ?Killmonger? Stevens. He is by far my favorite part of this film. An enemy with a reason for being bad, Killmonger brings forth the question that no one has yet to ask, ?Why isn?t Wakanda sharing its resources with the rest of the world?? An intriguing idea, Killmonger remains in the head of the viewer, making them ask if he is actually right, and Wakanda is wrong. Another aspect of appreciation for this character is that he is justified. The villain is right. Killmonger has a very appealing plan. He sets out to gain control of the throne so he can oversee the resources the Wakanda is harboring, in hopes to share them with the world. He also anticipates the idea of rising up so the world can share these items and become one. It is very rare to find a villain in comic book films that is not
(Photo: Bloomberg)
By Anthony McTighe '18
trying to ?rule the world? or ?cause destruction,? which is why Killmonger succeeds, in my opinion, as a villain. Wakanda is also a highlight of this film. Similar to why I enjoy the Guardians of the Galaxy films for their exploration of a new world, space, I was entertained by Black Panther for their expedition into the unknown and unseen realm of Wakanda. This story is filled with civilization, with multiple parts focusing on the Wakandan culture and tradition. It was fun to learn about the technological advancements they have made. It gave the viewer a chance to see the future of technology for the MCU. From the new Black Panther suit to the methods of transportation, buildings and everything in between, the film goes heavily in depth to the advancements made. Wakanda was a new world, rather than being set in California, New York, or Asgard, the movie establishes a new hub for future film activity. And, from what has been seen in the Avengers: Infinity War trailer, Wakanda is set to house a huge fight, making this a necessary part to the future of the universe. I previously mentioned that Killmonger was by far my favorite character from this film, but that should not discount the rest of the cast. There are many strong characters, such as the numerous warriors of Wakanda?s Dora Milaje, the head of the army, Okoye portrayed by Danai Gurira. Also, alongside T?Challa is the hero?s love interest, Nakia, portrayed
Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther (right) squares off with and Michael B. Jordan's Erik "Killmonger" Stevens (left). by Lupita Nyong?o, who plays a strong ally to the Black Panther. The royal family is a pivotal part, from Angela Bassett?s Ramona, mother to T?Challa, and his tech-savvy sister Shuri, the reason behind the advanced nature of Wakanda, and the tools T?Challa uses to be the Black Panther. Another reason I appreciate this cast is because this film holds many strong female roles around the central character. He, for the most part, is surrounded by powerful women who show that Marvel is moving in the direction of capable female roles. And we can?t forget about the man himself, the Black Panther, T?Challa. Chadwick Boseman made everyone love him in Captain America: Civil War, and he continues to stun as the
titular hero in this film. A fantastic protagonist for the movie, Boseman plays the newly crowned, and conflicted king to a tee, giving the fans someone to enjoy to watch on screen from beginning to end. There are also many others not mentioned, like Winston Duke?s M?Baku, Daniel Kaluuya?s W?Kabi, Andy Serkis? Klaue that need mentioning, but know that the cast is great from start to finish. Furthermore, I really enjoyed this film, however, the trailers showed that the effects were going to be a problem. Most notably in the fight scene between T?Challa and Killmonger, as it was a bit spotty. It seems to be an overall issue that many critics have pointed out, and I agree. It is an unfor-
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tunate problem because the film has many great scenes with effects in them. The end battle in Wakanda was hard to follow at some points, and was all over the place. The scene seemed to not even matter by the end. The battle loses a bit of emotion when it starts to pick up then quickly ends. Even with a few small problems, the move features more bad than good. Overall, there was so much I enjoyed about this film, that it is hard to put it all into this review. This film still has many great parts that I did not mention, and I implore all to check it out. As I have featured the highlights, there is a world with amazing characters, and only a small bump, making Black Panther a must-see.
Frank Coyne '19 Scott Hibbs '19 Kevin Latu '19 Christian Locantore '19 Nicholas Mattera '19 Nick Rios '19 Ricky Weipz '19 Thomas Avington '20 Denis Gallagher '20 Stephen Harrison '20 Justin Kearns '20 Tyler Konrad '20
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10 | Entertainment
Netflix Review: Love is No Ordinary Sitcom (Photo: YouTube.com) (Quote: Netflix.com)
By Jake Feeher y '18 While Love may sound like the perfect romantic show, its actual romance is far from perfect. This show from the minds of the creators and writers of The 40-Year Old Virgin, Freaks and Geeks, and Arrested Development focuses less on eliciting laughs from jokes, and more from the heart of the relatable scenarios people often find themselves in while dating. Through Gus and Mickey?s journey navigating the world of love and the world around them, Love manages to tell a story that is both sweet and sad, and funny in the best of ways. Both Mickey and Gus come from dysfunctional relationships; Gus?s niceness makes women feel trapped, and Mickey keeps coming back to her deadbeat boyfriend. But they change the course of their lives when they meet at a gas station convenience store, where Mickey is berating a cashier, and thus begins a budding friendship that leads to a dysfunctional romance. The relationship begins to shape the way the treat their friends and approach their work, seeing the
"Rebellious Mickey Dobbs and good-natured Gus Cruikshank navigate the thrills and agonies of modern relationships in this bold comedy co-created by Judd Apatow." hilarious and sometimes hard to watch effects. Watching the two begin to shape one another with Mickey making Gus more adventurous, and Gus grounding Mickey is a classic dynamic that pays off here. But like in real relationships, the same things that are initially attractive can become
grating, and the show doesn?t just show us this transition, but gives us a visceral reaction to the character?s blunders. Something I think the show does well is the problems aren?t wrapped up in a 30 minute episode, they bring them up again when they fight, or the awkward feeling stays with you as the credits roll.
Love is uncomfortable at times, but it?s a deliberate choice they creators made. This makes the show almost unenjoyable at times, watching Gus and Mickey make the same mistakes over and over was almost repulsive, but the show is more honest than most. You aren?t watching a sitcom, you are watching a budding
The Hawkword
romance develop with all the twists and turns that come with it. No matter who you are, you can relate on some level to these characters, whether it be their vices or their virtues. Love is a show that doesn?t make you feel good about ?love?, but makes you take a closer look at it.
L ast I ssue's Winner : Sean Duffy '18
By Fr ank Coyne '19
Be the first person to submit your completed Hawkword to David McCabe '19, Matt Phillips '18, or Marco Sammartino '18 to receive a free Sage lunch pass. Down (Spaces included in multi-word answers) 2. Empire based on raising one?s feet? 3. Hadrons are composed of these 4. George Washington put down a rebellion caused by this beverage 5. A meeting place for Ally leaders during WWII
Across
6. This country waged war against emus
(Spaces included in multi-word answers)
16. Caesar?s fateful date
1. The 48th star
18. A unit of temperature
7. First satellite to reach space
19. This figure was known as the swamp fox
9. Mythical inventor of the lyre
20. Favorite material of Roman plumbers
11. This continent spans four hemispheres
22. Typically paired with sausage gravy for breakfast in the Midwest and South
12. Tallest peak on the second largest continent 14. Spoonerism for ?Butterfly?
23. Capital of North Dakota 25. The site of John Brown?s armed revolt
27. Most recent President to sport facial hair 28. Water sport 29. Metropolis namesake for weapons project 30. This country is home to more lakes than any other
8. His ancient wall ran from the River Tyne to the Solway Firth 10. US Congressman killed at the Alamo 13. This small rodent supposedly jumps off cliffs 15. Loudest animal on Earth 17. Jesuit University of Omaha 21. East Germany, abbreviated 24. CĂ´te d?Ivoire?s flag twin 26. Palindromic M* A* S* H character
Entertainment | 11
M usical M usings: " Car Seat Headrest" Deliver s Again
The really interesting thing about Twin Fantasy (Face to
(Photo: carseatheadrest.bandcamp.com)
Car Seat Headrest has long been a personal favorite of mine, ever since releasing their masterpiece Teens Of Denial in 2016. Needless to say, I was excited when the Seattle based indie- rock band released Twin Fantasy (Face to Face) on February 19th. The band, and their main personality, lead guitarist and vocalist, Will Toledo, have been the subject of an exponential rise to fame, with Car Seat Headrest becoming, arguably, the most well known current indie rock. Car Seat Headrest has grown from Will Toledo posting albums, recorded in the backseat of his car on Bandcamp.com (an amazing streaming/music media page, great for discovering new, little known bands), to a wildly popular indie rock band playing huge festivals like Made In America, to being greatly acclaimed by renowned music publications like Rolling Stone and Pitchfork, and even being covered by the legendary Smashmouth. Their rise to fame is truly no accident. Car Seat Headrest has an extremely original and really well done sound, and song after song of their discography is fantastic.Twin Fantasy (Face to Face)is no different, and offers another original and entirely beautiful album.
Face), however, and the thing that initially threw me off about the album, is that it is not entirely new. The album is a rerecording of the band?s 2011 album, Twin Fantasy, but it is much more than a simple rerecording or reissue. There?s a lot of subtle changes, and the stark change in the band?s career and sound across the seven years are widely visible, making the album seem like an entirely new and original piece of music. Furthermore, each song is something incredible in and of itself. As is very characteristic of Car Seat Headrest, the songs are these beautiful, almost epic ballads of strange, but in a sense, absolutely mesmerizing lyrics about love and the banality of life. Each song and their droning instrumentals seem to flow into one another, and it seems much more like a cohesive, singular album, rather than just a collection of songs. There?s also a really nice balance between songs with a really infectious, enjoyable punkish energy, such as ?Nervous Young Inhumans?, and a more laid back, melancholy sound to sounds like ?Stop Smoking (We Love You)? or ?Beach Life- InDeath?, and even trying to pinpoint songs with a specific sound proves to be challenging, because even in individual songs, there's really a vast array of styles. This comes from a combination of genius song-
(Photo: nique.net)
By Sebastian Por reca '18
Album cover for Twin Fantasy (Face to Face)
Car Seat Headrest began as a solo project in 2010 and has grown into a notable indie rock band with a large online cult following. writing and masterful transitions, as well as just the fact that the songs are generally longer, around 4- 6 minutes on average, and while I can understand the longer songs being annoying or droning to some, I think their length, and specifically the tonal changes across them, works really well
for Car Seat Headrest. That said, at a few points on the album, even on really great songs, there are periods where it feels a bit long and drawn out, but overall I think that is really a negligible fact compared to the albums other features. Overall, Twin Fantasy
(Face to Face) is really just a flat out beautiful album, and it is yet another showcase of Will Toledo?s lyrical cleverness and musical mastery. If you?re a fan of rock, indie, alternative, or just are looking for a new, entertaining album to listen to, I would safely say you can?t go wrong with this.
Faculty Gr id By Thomas Avington '20
M s. Beth Vander Vennet M r s. L or r ie M cK enna
M s. Susan Cook
M r s. Sher i San Chir ico
Triscuits
French Fries (from Freshmen)
What is your favor ite snack food?
Tie between Cheetos and Cool Ranch Doritos
Do you Tr ust The Process?
Sorry, I'm a Bulls fan #23
Maybe?
Who is your favor ite woman in histor y?
My grandmother
Marie Curie, first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903
My mom
Dorothy Day rocks my world. She's my hero.
What is your favor ite french fr y cut?
Crinkle
Waffle Fries
Anything but curly
How appropriate! Curly fries. With all the spices.
Cookies
Hmm. I've been told I'm a The Writing Process? Yes. pessimistic optimist, so...skeptically?
12 | Opinion-Debate
DEBATE: I s Freshman Year or Sophomore Year M ore Difficult? Freshman: By M att M cCar ney ?21 Saint Joseph?s Prep is founded on the Jesuit belief of academic excellence. Part of the Prep?s mission statement reads: ?Because we are college preparatory, we are engaged in the work of character formation. This requires a welldesigned curriculum accompanied by diverse extra- and cocurricular activities.? Whether you?re a freshman just starting
out here or a senior finishing up your time, you will know that the Prep doesn?t fail to academically challenge their students, but that some years are more demanding than others. So, I wonder, is freshman or sophomore year more difficult? As a freshman, I don?t know anything else besides being a freshman. However, the different combination of teachers you can have combined with the amount of homework they give can be overwhelming
when you?re just starting out at a new school. Freshmen coming into the Prep have to begin to adjust to their new commute, workload, and after school activities and sports, and they have to begin to learn time management and the ability to juggle all of these things daily. Daniel Gibson ?21 said ?Adjusting was pretty hard, especially since I went to public school. I never really had to work hard in public school, but coming here was a completely different story.? Also as a sophomore, you already know
your way around the Prep, figuratively and literally. For the most part, you know how and where you work most efficiently.
rounded, academically, and also in their extra- curriculars, especially clubs or teams that I would have a leadership role on. Because of this, I have sought roles to lead others, and have recently been voted the Secretary of Model United Nations, and was appointed the Treasurer of the emerging Technology Club, I was fortunate enough to play on the Varsity Soccer team and attend several honors classes. I have also tried out new sports and clubs, like Squash, Track, and the Stock Market Club.?
has forced many students to work with harder material at a much faster pace. Because of the new alteration to the schedule, students only meet with their classes six out of every eight days, as opposed to six out of every six days, which forces teachers to move their material at a faster rate. When asked if freshman year was harder than his current courseload, Andrew Ward ?20 responded: ?No, it wasn?t. The teachers are still getting through the same amount of material with less class time. It?s a lot harder.?
Many teachers that teach sophomores don?t give as much homework as do the freshman year teachers, and the stress level for most people is a lot lower. In addition, because of the major schedule change between last year and this year, most of the Class of 2020 has said that this restyling of the schedule has made sophomore
year much more bearable. David Fosbenner ?20 said ?I benefited from the new schedule because I got more free time at school, so I was able to get work done at school and rest more at home.? All in all, the coincidental facts that the freshman teachers give heavier workloads and that the freshmen are not as well adapted to the Prep atmosphere as the sophomores makes freshman year significantly more difficult than sophomore year.
(Photo: St. Joe's Prep)
Sophomore: By Stephen Har r ison ?20 Many throw about the question of whether freshman or sophomore year is harder. As a sophomore, you have already well adjusted to the Prep ? you know your way around the school, you already have many friends going in, and you know how to efficiently get ready in the morning to maximize your sleep schedule. However, many factors make sophomore year evidently harder than freshman year. As sophomore year begins, teachers immediately expect more from you, and they know
that you have already had time to assimilate yourself at school. Anthony Ventresca ?20 says ?The teachers expect that you are prepared to handle the heavy workload given to you after a year already at the school.? As opposed to freshman year, the teachers know you can handle the surplus amount of work they give. After getting used to the Prep for a year, sophomores, if they have not already, will begin to devote a majority of their time to after-school activities, sports and co- curriculars. Thomas Magiera ?20 says ?As a sophomore, myself, I realized the colleges I am interested in want students who are well-
The new schedule this year, combined with the fact that teachers at the sophomore level are much more challenging,
Colleges have a close spotlight on Sophomore year, as it is much more important than
Freshman year. Colleges recognize and acknowledge the fact that the transition from middle school to high school is especially challenging, however they do look to see how you have enhanced yourself from the previous year. Quinn Burns ?20 expresses this when he says ?I think [colleges] look at the Sophomore year because of how we all handle the transition from Freshman year into Sophomore year, and how we are adapting to the school.? Given the extra load of work, the new schedule, and the applied pressure of colleges, Sophomore year becomes the clearly harder year over Freshman_year.
Opinion-Debate | 13
Opinion: Students Need Better Spr ing Unifor m By L iam Stephens ?21 Walking around the hallways of St. Joe?s Prep at any given time of the year, it is selfevident that the dress code consists of a dress shirt, tie/bowtie, blazer, and dress pants. This rule is enforced throughout the entire year. With Philadelphia being a monsoon climate, wearing these articles of clothing can be very troublesome in the months of September, March, April, and May. Which leads to the question ?Should the uni-
form be changed for the warmer parts of the year?? Experiments have proven that students who are more comfortable work more efficiently and are more happy. Livestrong.com says that ?Students who feel too warm or too cold may begin to feel drowsy or distracted, and learning may be impeded.? The article also mentions that ?School administrators must take this into account when creating uniform enforcements.?
Underclassmen Want M ore M ixer s By Max Coyne ?21 No student should worry about not knowing a fellow classmate, getting to know some other students from sister schools, or being stressed out with hours of homework looking back at them. Having more mixers could solve all of these problems and then some. Students all around love the idea of more of these. ?I want more mixers to stabilize the amount of work that I do in school? said Frankie Nieves ?21 when asked about this dilemma. The Prep as of now has a maximum of two mixers a year which are very spread out. An additional two would gather attention and hopefully double the excitement. To start off, everyone should know their classmates whether they have five classes with them or none. Having these dances more frequently is a perfect way of getting everyone together and involved. These will be very similar to the ones in the beginning of the year and at special events including all the music and dancing so that students have more time to relax and have a worry-free night with no work or project to focus on. On a similar topic of meeting all the guys, students want to meet some girls too. This is what guys definitely look forward to when it comes to being social. And what better way to do it than at a dance? On top of the food provided by the Prep and an animated atmosphere,
everything will run smoothly. If a student has little opportunity elsewhere to meet some girls more mixers would help with everything. Another reason why these mixers would help all around is that they would allow the students a chance to relax and take a break from the stress of school. Knowing that there?s a dance at the end of the week will make anyone feel better already. Along with that, these mixers can help the students with areas like struggling for service hours. Seniors needing forty service_ ours can benefit from this even if it means only two hours. Helping set up the Fieldhouse is a perfect way to get an hour in, and after, dance all night with friends. Permission to help out will need to get looked over by the staff first, but would be beneficial all around. This part is also a great way to connect to the Prep by getting more involved in after school activities as well as participating in what the Prep has to offer. Only good things can come from all the various projects and clubs here, and by being involved in this way after school, you can still experience all of these special qualities unique to the Prep. Becoming more active just starting with these would help students continue to be active and to stay connected with the friends they make at the Prep once they leave.
With a different uniform in warmer parts of the year such as a polo and khaki shorts, not only would students increase their performance in school, but would also be much happier.
hotter environment can be very agonizing. Walking in dress pants in 80+ degree weather can feel as like it is 100 degrees. That can be dangerous as it can even lead to a heat stroke.
Jaden McSeed ?21 says, "When I am more comfortable i'm more inclined to work better.? Being happier and working better is not the only benefit of different uniform in the warmer parts of the year. Almost all Prep students take public transportation and in a
Another factor that is bad about dress pants and a dress shirt is that it takes time in the morning to get ready. I understand this may sound insignificant, but buttoning all the buttons and retie-ing a tie and take up to 5 extra minutes. With a simple polo shirt, it is much
simpler. As I am sure most Prep students know and understand well, time in the morning to prepare for the day is very vital. Polo shirts also do not have to be dry cleaning unlike the uncomfortable dress shirts. Dry cleaning dress shirts can cost a lot of money and valuable time. To conclude, it is very obvious how a more comfortable dress code in the warmer parts of the school year can and will enhance learning.
Community Hour Changes are Beneficial By Nick M atter a ?19 When the schedule changed going into this year, the main change that was made to the schedule was the addition of Community Period. The original plan for Community Period was for students who had once been unavailable to join clubs, could finally have the chance to sign up and do things they originally could not join. After almost six full months with Community Period, it has been, in my eyes, extremely close to failing if there were not any changes. According to Mr. Petruzzelli, the most pressing concerns with Community Period were the lack of sign ups using The Prep App, and the amount of ?No shows,? during default study hall. The new changes to Community are built around the idea of getting as many kids to sign up for clubs and activities as possible. Every day, the stu-
dent must log into theprepapp.com and sign up for an offering for that specific day. The default option on The Prep App will put your name directly onto a 3 day JUG list, because it is considered cutting class. If the student still would like to go to study hall, they must sign for a specific room. Signups on The Prep App will close at 10:10. I am glad that these changes were made to Community Period. As someone who signs up for things on The Prep App, it does make me somewhat annoyed when people don?t even know how to use The Prep App. It is exciting to see kids who only sign up for study hall, finally start stepping out of their comfort zone and sign up for clubs. On the other side of the spectrum, I am not sure how they will be able to control JUG for the kids who decided not to sign up. More than
half of the student body is signed up for default study hall everyday. What is going to happen when one hundred kids forget to use The Prep App and are put onto a three day JUG list? While I was waiting for Ms. Cook?s class to begin, I received a very unique idea from Matt Marhefka ?19. He told me that, ?Every day each student will check The Prep App and notice that they are signed up for something random that day, and if they don?t like what they are signed up for, they are forced to change it.? I think this is an awesome idea. It forces kids who don?t sign up for anything, to start getting involved in random clubs. I love Community Period and how it has drastically changed the Prep?s schedule. I hope we find that it leads to more clubs and activities, and a decrease in students in study hall.
Not signing up for anything at all on the Prep App will now be treated as cutting class.
Opinion: The Cafeter ia is Gross, That's Our Fault By M arcus M ur phy ?20 One of the first things a person may see when they enter the Prep is the Sauter Dining Hall, where the majority of students eat their lunches. With the new schedule change, the lunch period (it would be more appropriately called a ?break,? seeing as it only lasts about 30 minutes, or 10 on some days for most juniors) has become complete pandemonium. There are very few seats and little room on the table for a student
to eat. Some students have resorted to eating in the library, but that doesn?t solve the underlying issue of lunch: the unclean tables where students abandon their leftovers. Some may point the finger at the maintenance staff, but that is not the issue. The maintenance staff is constantly cleaning these tables and trash continues to pile up on the tables and even on the floors. One solution could be to reinstate JUG for students who do not clean up after
themselves, but that would be the sole responsibility of the dean?s office. Another solution would be for the student to just clean up their tables, seeing as it takes extremely little effort. This issue of a dirty cafeteria is not a small one: it can affect several different things. For example, on March 1, seventh-grade shadows began to enter the school. Sometimes, parents tour the school while the seventh graders shadow,
and this poses a problem: how would the parents react when they see garbage piled on tables? They could not possibly see it as a pull factor for sending their son to the school. Another issue is when donors come to the school to visit: what do they think about the school they give money to when they see that cafeteria tables are filthy? As one can see, a small problem can hurt the school on many levels. Garbage removal should not be the job of solely the mainte-
nance crew. It is the individual duty of each student to clean up after himself. The cafeteria uncleanliness is due in large part to the enormous size of the student bodies that occupy it at various times, but the sizes will not change unless the schedule is edited, and that would be impractical. A clean cafeteria may not be noticed by visitors, but an unclean cafeteria surely would, so it is important that students clean up after themselves.
14 | Opinion-Debate
Opinion: Remove Guns from Society By L iam Gibbons '18
fear for their lives.
Controversial opinion: Guns are bad. We as Americans need to remove them from our society.
This is my opinion, and I?m not going to back it up with numbers or charts. I?m not going to argue for common sense reforms or new legal restrictions in a logical, collected manner. Though there are many competent, intelligent people doing that in America right now. I can?t do that anymore. People should not be killed by guns, and guns kill people every day. I?m shocked I have to explain this, but: people are not bulletproof. If guns continue being allowed to exist in America, more people will die from gun violence. The only way that will change is if guns are removed from the equation. But what about the military? What about the police? The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun, right? If the criminals will continue to buy guns illegally, I should be allowed to
What if that didn?t have to be the case? We could be focusing our efforts (and money) on removing as many lethal weapons from populated areas as possible. Maybe the US government, as well as private companies such as Sturm Ruger, Remington, Smith and Wesson, and Glock, could poor some of the millions upon millions of dollars they spend on the research and development, as well as manufacturing, of lethal weaponry (guns) into non- lethal weaponry (not- guns) instead? Maybe crime could be stopped without lethal force... In addition to this, Christians should remember that Jesus said to love your enemy. I highly doubt he would include shooting them, even in self- defense, as a way of loving our enemies. ?If anyone slaps you on the right cheek,
turn to them the other cheek also. [...] I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you? (Mt. 5:39,44). Please don?t dismiss this discussion as a mental health problem, an issue of terrorism, or an immigration debate. These situations deserve the public?s full attention and to be discussed and debated in time, but they are not the focus of this conversation right now. It can be easy to be distracted from the issue at hand with arguments that are not necessarily relevant to the issue of guns in general, instead focusing on more specific types of gun-violence. Though I digress, the truth resists simplicity, there is a simple answer in removing guns altogether. Another response to a call for the removal of guns from society is that it leads to a slippery slope. If they come
for our guns, then they will come for our knives and our cigarettes and our booze and our freedom and our very lives until we have nothing left. It is an elegantly simple argument, but as I begrudgingly admitted before, the truth resists simplicity. To someone who asks ?where do we draw the line?? I would respond ?wherever we need to so that people will stop being killed by guns.? How many more people have to die before we decide to do something instead of sending more condolences and moving on with our lives? Our own Prep community was rocked by the horror of gun violence not six months ago, and yet it continues around our country. Do we know or care when will the next shooting will be? Or where? The next one could be tomorrow, it could be here. But even if it isn?t, even if it?s easier to move on, we need to..act.
(Photo: Washington Post)
(Photo: Duke Political Review)
I think that people shouldn?t keep dying from gun violence in America. This returned to my attention after seventeen were killed in a shooting in a high school in Parkland, Florida. Some will claim I am politicizing tragedy and that this is in poor taste. Maybe it is, but I believe this is necessary. Nothing else has worked. Call me a hypocrite for enjoying Call of Duty and action movies. Call me a communist, trampling all over your rights. Call me a biased fool who doesn?t know what he?s talking about. Don?t call me wrong without at least hearing what I have to say: People deserve to go to work and school and the movies and the mall and church and out in public in America without having to
protect my family with a legally purchased gun, right?
The recent shooting in Parkland, Florida, has sparked a national conversation on gun control , with specific repercussions for our schools.
Opinion: Gun Debate Needs New Approach By Jacob Or bell '18 It seems that as Americans, we are currently caught in a vicious political cycle and gun control is once again the primary wedge issue. It goes like this. A horrendous tragedy occurs, and both sides of the mainstream political system begin debating the topic inappropriately early with only their partisan goals in mind, totally dismissing the purpose of ?helping? or comforting the victims of said tragedy. And very quickly the discussion of gun control becomes more of a shouting matching match between the right and the left on who is more ?patriotic? or ?humanitarian.? Statistics and facts are overlooked in favor of more emotional arguments. For the left this argument almost always boils down to ?But why would anyone need an AR15?? and the right-leaning side of this debate would typically respond with some blanket statement about the Second Amendment (without actually explaining its importance). What happened in Parkland several days ago, is without a doubt one of the worst mass shootings in the history of our nation, and that deserves to be restated. The goal here is to pitch a
reasonable perception of the gun debate, without discounting the seventeen lives lost in this horrific incident. Their sacrifice must not be politicized. I want to start by making a very controversial statement, what we are experiencing is not a problem with firearms or their availability. We are experiencing a societal crisis. Allow me to explain. Nicholas Cruz, the demented mind that carried out this most recent shooting, was brought up in a single parent household and was prescribed psychotropic medication as a result of this. There are many other infamous individuals who fit this description. To name a few, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold of Columbine. Adam Lanza of Sandy Hook. Dylann Roof of Charleston, etc. In a sickening twist, on the list of ?The 27 Deadliest Mass Shootings In Modern US History? published on CNN.com last week, it was found that only one of the gunmen had their biological father present throughout their childhood. In 2004 an entire classification of prescription psychiatric medication (referred to as psychotropic treatment) was blackballed by the FDA for accomplishing the opposite of their intended effect (in many
cases invoking suicidal, and even homicidal tendencies in clinical trials especially in pediatric use). American children are being destroyed in broken homes, and the medication that is prescribed to help them, disconnects them from reality to the point where mass casualty events in the United States have become commonplace. Their stories only occupy the attention of media outlets for a few weeks before they are forgotten. In the mid to late 20th century, mass shooting events were incredibly rare and having over 10 children killed during one of these events was unthinkable. Columbine paralyzed the nation in 1999. Fifteen children killed in one sitting was as unprecedented as it was appalling. In the mid 20th century Americans had ready access to fully automatic rifles, battle rifles, submachine guns, etc.-- all dirt cheap considering the surplus floating around after two world wars and all held without any sort of background checks or regulation. Yet mass shootings, especially ones committed with rifles were incredibly rare. Even today murders with rifles are still incredible rare, even with school shootings from the past several years factored into these statis-
tics. In 2013, the FBI reported only 285 murders carried out using rifles, (that includes ALL rifles, not just ?assault rifles?). We are a nation of 322 million souls. You are over a hundred times more likely to be killed by the flu (roughly 36,000 deaths annually in the US) than you are to be a victim of a rifle murder. In 2013, 2,000 individuals were killed with cutting instruments and knives, and 600 with blunt objects. In 2014, just outside of Pittsburgh a disturbed student at Franklin Regional High School, went on a slashing spree with a kitchen knife in an attempt to injure/kill as many of his classmates as possible. Twenty two students were seriously injured. Mass casualty events will still occur no matter what we decide on the issue of gun control. A rifle is a tool, just like a knife or hammer. They are only as evil as the person who wields them. The website americangunfacts.com (nonpartisan site), does a great job of explaining this by compiling official government statistics on gun crime. In short, guns are used eighty times more often to stop crime than they are to commit it. For example, after the Texas Church shooting in November, the man who
killed the twenty six parishioners that day was eliminated shortly after, preventing him from causing more harm, by a law abiding citizen with an AR-15. We as a nation must come together to do whatever possible to prevent these mass casualty events from happening. We must reform how mental illness is treated. We must emphasize that raising a child outside of a two parent home can be extremely unhealthy. We must drastically reform our justice system, so that such a huge threat to national security is not overlooked by the FBI as it was over forty times in Parkland. We must ensure that the officials whose job it is to protect and serve do not hesitate to step in to stop these types of events. Parkland could have been prevented, but it wasn?t, and the reduced availability of firearms won?t prevent another from happening. Background checks and prescription histories are reasonable things to ask for considering most school shooters fit the same profiles. Take all these things into consideration before scapegoating the ?tools? themselves when participating in the gun debate.
Opinion-Debate | 15
L etter to the Editor : L iz & Paul M cCabe '80 In response to Ned Burke article "Looking into potential swim requirement": Thank you, Ned Burke, for the eye-opening article (Jan. 17th edition) about a potential swim requirement at the Prep. In the summer of 2009 a young 2008 Prep grad -- who did not know how to swim -- was splashing in shallow water at the Jersey Shore, was tragically pulled away in a rip current and drowned. Josias Sterling* was an amazing young man with such promise - a high school swim requirement might have saved his life. A simple "swim-test" during freshman year could determine who might need lessons. There would then be 4 years to "squeeze them in". I believe the Prep swim team offers swim lessons to Gesu kids - such a fantastic program! We are guessing time/space could also be found to teach any students at the Prep who have not had the opportunity to learn this life-saving skill. We are certain such a requirement would only enhance the mission of the Prep and would receive unbridled support from the Prep community as well! Thank you and go Prep! Liz & Paul '80 McCabe Parents: '05, 07, 08, 10, 15 & 19 * The Josias Sterling Memorial fund was established to honor the memory of this remarkable young man by supporting life-saving water safety in Philadelphia. For more info:http://charitysmith.org/memorial-funds/josias-sterling/
Opinion: Keep Soda Out of the Cafeteria Why are students offered milkshakes, but not soda? Many Prep students have taken much dismay to the ban of soda in the dining hall. This resulted in students going as far as bringing soda from home or even buying some off their friends. In response to the installation of a milkshake machine last year, many students have wondered why the school dining service offers liquified ice cream, but not soda. Despite containing more calories, milkshakes provide necessary protein which soda does not provide and do not contain the addictive qualities in soda. As opposed to sodas which contain little more than sugar and sodium, milkshakes contain cholesterol, fat, fiber, and, above all, protein. Nutrients
can be obtained by the milk, fruit, or nuts that may be in the milkshakes. Protein is a necessary component of the diet of all people, teenage boys in particular. Considering the amount of hours spent engaging in athletic activities and late nights spent studying, consuming protein and calories is vital to the health and growth of Prep students. They also contain essential vitamins such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, and Iron. Sodas are not a significant source of any of these essential vitamins. Many argue that milkshakes have way more calories than sodas, but this does not necessarily mean that they are healthier. Sodas contain ?empty calories,? meaning that they contain no nutritional benefits at all. In addition to this, sodas tend to be more addictive than milkshakes, leading to the
consumer being able to drink two or three sodas in a single sitting, giving little sense of moderation. Milkshakes tend to be much more filling, preventing most people from being able to drink more than one. A milkshake, despite having more calories than soda, contains significantly less calories than a pint of ice cream, and still retains the nutritional benefits listed above. Soda, on the other hand, can be easily replaced with water, which has no calories at all.
(Photo: theloadedslice.net)
By Ned Bur ke '19
Soda is a terrible substance that should not be ingested in excess or even offered to children at schools. Its lack of nutrition and immense amount of calories is a horrible waste. Milkshakes are much more beneficial nutritionally than soda and should be considered as a healthier alternative to soda.
Opinion: JUG is Cur rently I neffective By Nicolas Rios ?19 When it comes to JUG, a series of questions and mixed emotions always seem to arise: ?What?s the point of this?? or ?I?m not going.? For me, I have not gotten JUG many times, but I have always looked at it as something that is completely unnecessary. As studies show, the concept of holding a teenager after school only creates tension and does not benefit the student in any way. Nick Morrison, a contributor to Forbes Magazine says, ?Instead of changing behavior, these established punishments create resentment and damage the relationship between student and teacher.? Dr. Ruth Payne, a lecturer at Leeds University in the UK conducted research on students aged eleven through sixteen. She found that holding kids after school or during recess does not help the child to change their behavior, but, instead, it creates distrust and
enrages students. ?Things that encroach a kid?s time don't seem to work,? she said. She points out that ?Rather than being based on evidence, discipline policies rely on a behaviorist approach: that if behavior is reinforced it will continue and if it is not reinforced it will stop.? This is a very interesting way to look at how children react to discipline policies. However, Dr. Payne believes that it ?is great if you are training rats or pigeons but not when you are dealing with students.? She also brings up a very interesting point: ?We don?t take that approach in other areas of education so I don?t know why we should have it in a behavior policy.? Although rarely being given JUG and being seen as a role model, Matthew Marhefka ?19 has a concrete opinion about the efficiency of JUG. ?I feel like JUGs bring awareness to the student and what they did
wrong, but JUGs that are issued one at a time doesn?t really change anything. On the other hand, JUGs that are issued in a quantity would force students to think twice about misbehaving, so that type is effective.? This is a very interesting way to approach this situation. When being asked if there should be an alternative to JUG such as writing a reflection on his wrong doings like Quaker Schools, Marhefka believed that this type of approach would also be ineffective because some students would not take this serious and try to ?lie? their way through it. On the other hand, Brian Whitmore ?19, feels as though taking away a kids?time is ineffective, ?JUG is a disciplinary act that doesn?t work. Giving a student JUG does not change his actions, they always end up doing the same stuff even with JUG in effect.?
Someone who offers great input about whether or not we should change how we handle punishment here at The Prep is Mr. Christian Rupertus (who by the way takes pride in not serving a single detention in his eight years of Catholic grade school and four years of Catholic high school), being that all of Mr Rupertus? children go to non-punitive Quaker Schools (Greene Street Friends and Friends Select), and he confirms that students there act no different than students here. Misbehaving students is a topic that will always be around; ?That?s just the nature of adolescence.? Mr Rupertus explained that his kids are ?held accountable? for their actions and when they misbehave they have to follow up with the dean. In addition to this, students who misbehave have to ?make amends and/or restitution to whomever they have offended by their misbehavior, and write a reflection based on the experience in
which they explain how they will do better in the future.? These are all very solid arguments and perspectives on whether or not JUG should be changed here at the Prep. However, it seems as though there is no quick solution to figuring this out and for now we can only offer our opinion and take into the consideration the opinions of others. On that note, I believe that school leaders need to do a better job of figuring out better techniques in handling misbehaving students or students not following the rules. Taking away a student?s time after school does not work, it only creates anger and resentment in the building. Dr. Ruth Payne suggests that ?school leaders should look at why they hand out certain punishments, what message those punishments are sending to students,? and the next step of ?whether they really make a difference.?
16 | Opinion-Debate
DEBATE: Should Testing Days Retur n? Yes: By Chr istian L ocantore ?19 Balancing organization and time management is a struggle that most students experience at the Prep. While it is a student?s obligation to keep up with their assignments, homework, and studying, it is also nice that systems are put in place to assist the students. One of these methods of helping was the use of testing days. Testing days made it so that students could expect a test for certain subjects to be on certain days. There was an order
No: By Fr ank Coyne '19 Testing days have been around for years and like the schedule change, their disappearance has caught some students off guard. The transition may not be easy and the benefits won't be felt immediately but dropping testing days will pay off in the long term. Even with the old system, students would always talk about how many tests and quizzes they had in one day. Even though designated testing days were for the purpose of relieving this problem, it still existed and caused undue
in place in each class no matter how hectic or challenging the class could become, there was one constant: that the test for the class would be on one of a certain two days. Now, since testing days are gone, much of the constants and organization that classes once had is also gone. A main concern of students is having multiple tests on one day, but this is dismissed as an unlikely case. In reality, it is not unlikely, but rather common. Joseph Wurtenberg III ?19 stated ?I have had four test and two quizzes on the same day. Also, many of the tests stress to many students. Then, there is the issue of teachers giving quizzes instead of tests. Because of this clever loophole, teachers could give quizzes that were worth more than tests on any day of the cycle, regardless of whether it was their department?s day to test. So clearly, the old system for testing was limited in its benefits, but now that testing days have gotten the axe, are the students better off? Yes, for a few reasons. First off, and most importantly, there is a new sense of flexibility that is making the lives of both
now occur during sixth period which adds stress throughout the day.? When asked about the issue, Mr. Groch, a longtime teacher and favorite among many students, expressed his thoughts that ?If at least two tests have already been scheduled in other classes, teachers should consider rescheduling to another day. I am also open to permitting students to reschedule a test on an individual basis if they are facing unusual circumstances.? Another issue is teachers giving short notice when there is going to be a test. When teachers and students easier. Especially now with classes being dropped on certain days of the cycle, it can be challenging for teachers to give a test at the right time. If the test has to be given too early, all the material won't be covered in time. If it has to be given too late, students will begin to forget what's on it. Teachers would be forced to give their tests on certain days, convenient or not, by the old system. Jack Thorell ?19 said, ?With the new schedule and where a test falls in the lesson plan, the testing day doesn't line up. Often I moved on to new material before the testing
asking Mr. Groch about these concerns, he stated: ?I think teachers should give as much advance notice of tests as possible, at least three days.? This idea of teachers giving as much advance as possible, hopefully at least three days, is optimal but is not always going to happen. Joseph Wurtenberg III ?19 also stated that ?In a few of my classes it has been somewhat of an issue of teachers giving me short notice on an upcoming test.? While there are examples of the removal of testing days impacted students, so too do others say that there has been day arrived.? Now, they are allowed some flexibility, which helps the students take the test at the best time for them. Now, teachers can really be honest about what is a test and what is a quiz. Before the change, the only difference was how they were spelled; now they will reflect the proper difference in gravity and point value. With the old system, you could expect to have one or two tests in a day, but also a handful of quizzes because other teachers wanted to test too but couldn't. Testing days aren't totally dead and this is good news for
no impact. Cole Kryjer ?19 stated: ?Honestly, testing days haven?t really made a difference for me and my classes but I know others students have been affected.? Even though some students have not been affected by the removal of testing days, a scenario can easily occur where this removal can create an extremely stressful week. Overall, these scenarios stand as the reason why testing days need to be brought back to the Prep. Many students already have lots of stress, and they do not need another factor adding to their_suffering.
the students. During the last week of a quarter, they come back into our lives and deliver us from being buried alive by tests. This time of the year is particularly bad for students because every teacher is trying to squeeze in one more grade. The one remaining problem with this system is that it does not protect against quiz overloading. Students may still be inundated with quizzes at this point and it would be beneficial to the student body if quizzes received the same treatment as tests during this crucial and unnecessarily stressful part of our time at The Prep.
Opinion: Ten-M inute L unches are a Real Problem By Jack Thorell ?19 A major concern that administrators had with the old schedule was that some students would go all day until last period without having any break from classes or any time to eat lunch, and on lab days some unlucky students would miss their lunch entirely and have no break from class throughout the school day. This was recognized as a major issue and a driving factor in creating a new schedule. Thus we entered the first year of this new schedule with high hopes for solutions to the flaws of the old one. And yet our new schedule has left some students, and many more so than the amount who had issues with their lunch on the old schedule, in a situation almost as bad as having no lunch at all. A vast majority of juniors and some sophomores, because of the mix of classes they takesome being classes composed mostly of students in another grade and therefore on a different lunch schedule- are, on select letter days, subject to a 10 minute lunch. 10 minutes is, in its entirety, not enough time for most students to eat their whole lunch and certainly not enough time to unwind at all before they enter the second half of a grueling day of class work. But ?10 minute? lunch is a generous title and, although there
may be 10 minutes of the day in between 3rd and 4th periods, students don?t have a full 10 minutes for lunch. Let?s examine how much time the average student would have to actually be eating. Most students change out their books at their lockers during lunch, so as not to carry around an entire day?s worth of books on their back. As we know from last year?s schedule, traveling the farthest distance possible from one classroom to another takes approximately 5 minutes. Using this rationale, a student coming from Jesuit hall might take 3- 5 minutes to arrive at his Villager hall locker, taking another minute or so to think about what classes he has next, exchange his books, grab his lunch if he packed it, and travel to the lunch room. But a great deal of students don?t pack their lunch, rather, they buy something from Sage. And with the new schedule, many more students- a third of the student body- have lunch at the same time. But those 10 minute lunches fall under the time when 2 of the different lunches overlap, therefore two thirds of the school are having their lunch at this time and a mass of students is waiting in line to buy food. This line might take anywhere from 1-3 minutes before the student can go sit down for lunch. So the student scans the crowded
cafeteria, finds his friends, sits down, and unpacks his lunch, another minute gone. However with the soft start, the student knows he doesn?t want to wait until the last minute to begin his trek to the next classroom, as lunch will be over, the halls will be crowded, and class will have already technically started. So he leaves a minute early. But of course, many teachers don?t appreciate a student leaving class to go to the bathroom, especially if he just had lunch when he could?ve gone. So the ideal time for the student to go is during his midday lunch break. The student goes another 2 minutes out of his way to use the bathroom. In an absolutely ideal situation, a student might have 5 minutes for actually eating, but other students must attempt to fit 13 minutes of activity into their 10 minute lunch, not including any time needed to actually eat. While some teachers understand this and allow eating in class, this by no means solves the problem. The student might now have the opportunity to eat lunch at a normal time of day, but eating in a class presents a whole different set of issues. On days when students might be taking a test or furiously scribbling down notes, trying to simultaneously eat lunch is a difficult inconvenience. Not to mention the inconvenience that the mainte-
nance staff might face with students eating in class. Seeing the way Prep kids treat the cafeteria, one can?t expect a classroom to be clean after many students were allowed to eat their lunch in it. Food is meant for the cafeteria, but unfortunately students with 10 minute lunches don?t have time for the cafeteria. Additionally, while a student may get the opportunity to eat, the problem of mentally exerting one?s self all day without a break remains. The administration has attempted to solve this overarching 10 minute lunch problem with the community hour offering ?study hall lunch.? But this isn?t a sufficient substitute for a regular lunch nor is it a universal solution to the problem. First and foremost, 10 AM is too early for many to eat lunch, and those who do eat their lunch this early will undoubtedly get hungry a few periods later, as they?ll have the majority of the school day left to get through without food. And many students have become involved with numerous clubs and activities through community hour offerings, and students have an obligation to their respective clubs to attend those meetings. While no club meeting during community can be mandatory, students have committed to their activities and a club pres-
ident, for example, is depended upon to lead a meeting. He cannot simply skip this and go to study hall lunch. And any student who is involved with and committed to a club, especially if striving for or currently occupying a position of leadership in the club, shouldn?t have to abandon this commitment just to have a sufficient lunch time. But this battle between club obligation and using the time for a much needed lunch break all goes out the window on a Wednesday. It is not only possible but fairly common that a letter day on which a student has no free period and a 10 minute lunch will fall on a Wednesday, when he not only loses the opportunity for study hall lunch, but loses any break throughout the day when he might be able to mentally unwind, as we no longer have a Wednesday community hour. On these days students have 6 classes straight through, with what cannot be considered a lunch, but rather 10 minutes during which students ready themselves for upcoming classes and try to squeeze in time to eat a little. The 10 minute lunch is a major flaw in an otherwise helpful schedule, and makes many letter days particularly tough to get through for select, unlucky sophomores and juniors.
Sports | 17 By Simon Williams '18 After three years as a starting guard, undisputed is the fact that this is senior Kyle Thompson?s team. Now, positioning for a state playoff run, the New Jersey native has a chance to make real all that has been worked toward. The season opened in a promising fashion after the St. Joseph?s Prep basketball team won seven of their opening eight games in the nonconference slate. Averaging nearly 15 points per game in that stretch, Thompson was a spark on the offensive end, putting up double- digits in all but two games ? one of which was the lone out-of-league loss to eventual Inter-Ac Champion Haverford School. A standout performance for the 2- guard came in the inaugural Enable
Sports & Fitness Tournament Championship against host Penn Charter, where Thompson knocked down a season high five three pointers en route to a 28-point night. In the Prep?s Philadelphia Catholic League schedule, Thompson's point production coupled with 50+ rebounds made him a threat on both ends of the floor. Often guarding the opposing team?s shooting guard in the open court, ?KT? could body up against a bigger defender on the block after a shot went up. With or without the ball, nice spacing on the perimeter helped outsideminded small forward Gabe Arizin ?19 get looks as well as keep opposing forwards mindful of the post threat Ed Croswell ?18. Growing into this less domi-
(Photo: Rick O'Brien)
Student-Athlete of the Week: K yle Thompson '18 nant ball handling role over his time as a starter has given Thompson chances to create for himself or teammates off the dribble. This keeps interior penetration an option in fastbreak or isolation sets. Thompson has continued to excel as an apparent comfort has settled in over his playing career. Notching two 2nd Team All- Catholic selections sandwiched around a 1st team nod as a junior, not only has Thompson played incredibly solid in his career, he has done so with ramifications leaguewide. It was only fitting that his 1,000th career point came in the PCL Seminal upset of Neumann-Goretti. Up next for the Hawks is a PIAA 6A State Championship First Round game against District 11 runner-up Northampton
Senior Kyle Thompson has been one of the Hawks' vocal leaders and leading scorers this basketball season. on Saturday, March 10. The Hawks and Konkrete Kids will tip off at D11 host Pleasant
Valley High School in Brodheadsville at 3 pm.
Basketball Takes L oss at Palestr a, Still Advances By Tyler K onr ad ?20 and Dan Avington '18 It was the moment they?d all been waiting for. For the first time since 2013, the St. Joe?s Prep Hawks were playing at the Palestra, one of the most storied arenas in the United States. The atmosphere was electric, and the game did not disappoint. The Hawks started out the game on a bit of a slow start, going down 10- 2 within the first five minutes of the first
quarter. But finally, the offense started to roll, and going into the halftime break, the Hawks led 24-20, and looked like they had the potential to run away with the game. But then, the third quarter came around, and it proved to be the Hawks? kryptonite. By the end of the period, SJP trailed the Cahillites by a score of 42-34, and the Prep had just looked horrific. The fourth quarter started up, and, within 45 seconds, Roman?s star small forward Seth Lundy had to
take a seat for the remainder of the matchup, having been charged with his fifth foul. The Hawks had a bit of life in the final two minutes, nailing another three with just over 6 seconds left, but the Cahillites waited the entire six seconds to pick the ball up. St. Joe?s Prep ended up taking home the 6966 loss against Roman Catholic, coming ever so close to taking down a PCL powerhouse in the final minutes.
the Hawks played the Pioneers of Frankford High at Archbishop Ryan. The game was pretty close throughout the first quarter with each team going on a 7- 0 run at one point and Frankford led 9-7 with around 3 minutes to go in the first quarter. The Hawks ended the first quarter in great fashion, leading 13-11 at the end of the first quarter. The Hawks kept it going in the second quarter and led 30-23 at the half.
After coming off that heartbreaking loss against Roman,
It was a pretty even game throughout the majority of the
second half, but the Hawks really pulled away with around 2 minutes remaining as Thompson nailed a mid-range jumper to go up 7, and they put the nail in the coffin when Croswell blocked his 7th shot of the game, gave it up to Thompson, and the Hawks took a 10 point lead. The game ended with the Hawks winning 55- 47, keeping their state playoff hopes alive. Thompson dropped 23, Wall added a much needed 13, Kinnel had 8, and Croswell put up 6.
By Dan Avington ?18
we?ll see him on the bench.
Their work goes highly unnoticed, but the work of the ?Core Four? varsity basketball managers is crucial to the St. Joe?s Prep Basketball program. All of the little things that Anthony Bucci ?18, Brendan Farrell ?18, Jack Wert ?18 and Ricky Weipz ?19 do for Speedy?s program are essential to the team?s success and without them, the Hawks might not have made it as far as they have this season. It?s time to meet the Core Four.
Brendan Farrell ?18 is a lacrosse and golf player at the Prep, CYO basketball and volleyball star, one of two Student Council Vice- Presidents, and St. Joseph?s University commit, where he will continue managing for the Hawks. And somehow, outside of all of that, he finds time to keep the team statistics for each and every game. Farrell says his favorite part of managing is the relationships he?s built with all of the players and coaches. Brendan also talked about his favorite player, saying, ?Although I like all the guys off the court, Michael Hagan is easily my favorite on the court. His work ethic, grit, and determination to win is unprecedented, and his sweet shooting stroke is a joy to watch each day.?
First of all, Anthony ?Booch? Bucci ?18, who is an amateur backyard wrestler in his spare time, has done it all for Prep Basketball over the past four years. He?s been the team?s water boy, hype man, filmer, and practice clock operator, manning the clock during some games as well. Booch?s favorite part about managing is that he gets to be so close to the game, and his favorite player on the team is Michael Hagan ?18. While his college decision is still unknown, Booch has decided that he?s not going to continue managing in college, so these state playoffs are the final time
Jack Wert ?18 is sort of a doit- all guy for Speedy Morris? basketball program. He classifies his position as ?bench,? but, much like Booch, he?s been seen working as a water guy, filmer, hype man, and has done statistics. Jack said that his favorite part about managing is sitting on the bench dur-
(Photo: St. Joseph's Prep)
Basketball M anager s: The Core Four ing games, and his favorite player on the team is Shane Dever ?19 because ?his commitment at practices is unmatched.? In addition to all of his roles in the Prep Basketball program, he plays CYO basketball and participates in the TMF Hawks (Travis Manion Foundation) and Stock Market Club. While his college choice is undecided, Wert will continue his managing career at whatever institution he chooses to attend, so this isn?t necessarily his last hurrah. Finally, Ricky Weipz ?19, who is also the co- vice president of the WSJP Student Broadcasting Club, a junior varsity baseball player, Hawkeye writer, and rec basketball player in his hometown of Mt. Laurel, keeps the official scorebook for the team during games. Rick?s favorite part of managing is ?being around the team all the time and getting to know the guys off the court. It?s also a great excuse to be around basketball all the time.? The only current junior to manage since freshman year, Weipz plans to continue managing in college. Regarding his favorite player, Ricky an-
(From L to R): Ricky Weipz ?19, Anthony Bucci ?18, Brendan Farrell ?18, and Jack Wert ?18. swered Darius Kinnel ?18, saying, ?Every since he transferred in, we have been in at least one class with each other for the past 3 years, and I have gotten to know him a lot over that time. He is a leader on the court and off of it, and plays with the same intensity in practice as he does in games.? All in all, these four guys are
the unsung heroes of the basketball program, doing all of the dirty work to help the team out. Without Bucci, Farrell, Wert, or Weipz, the players wouldn?t know how much they scored, be able to watch film, have a consistent clock, or keep themselves hydrated. So, thank you to these four varsity managers for keeping the program alive.
18 | Sports
I ndoor Tr ack Achieves Fir st State Championship Bobby Dupell also played a crucial role in the meet, competing in the 800 meter race, 4x200 relay, and the 4x400 relay. Dupell commented on the 4x200 relay, which was his favorite race of the day, ?I honestly enjoyed the 4x200 the most because it just showed that even though we were down, the strength of the team and the trust we had in one another was evident. We showed great resilience in that moment.? In this race, the Prep rallied to come back and win after being behind at the start of the race. Leadership played a large part in the team?s success this year. Dupell ?18 commented, ?As captains, Miles and I had to just make sure we were doing what we needed to do as leaders. We made sure we got the win in the relays but also made sure that the younger guys [and even] us older guys remain humble and hungry through the entirety of the day.? Calvin Willie ?18 was a member of the 4x400 meter relay, which won the state championship for that event. Willie discussed how special it was for him to be a part of a state championship team as a senior, saying, ?It feels amazing that we accomplished this in my last year here. The goal was to do our best to send us seniors off with a bang and we knew coming into the meet that we were capable at possibly winning the overall title and we needed everyone?s best effort in order to do that. I am so proud of the guys that we were able to do this for Coach Cockenberg.? Willie also gushed the importance of training in improving the team?s times for each event, commenting, ?Training was one of the key parts of why we?re state champs. We always gave it our best effort during practice regardless of what workout we were given. I also feel like growing chemistry with one another is what also
(Photo: St. Joseph's Prep)
(Continued from front page.)
(L to R) I saiah Ritchie '18, Calvin Willie '18, Bobby Dupell '18, Curt Cockenberg '71, Coach Walker, Malik Cooper '21, Salim Epps '20, and Miles Green '18. led to us being successful this indoor season and why we?re standing here today as state champs.? Salim Epps ?20 participated in the 400 meter dash, the 4x200 meter relay, and the 4x400 meter relay. Epps preferred the 400 meter dash, in which he finished with sixth place and earned a medal, saying, ?I enjoy running the 400 the most because I personally feel like it is my most powerful race [as I feel like I have] the strength of an 800 meter runner with the speed of a 200 meter runner as well.? Epps stressed the importance of focusing on his own performance instead of that of other teams and said that he just trusts his training and only thinks about running against the clock. When asked about medaling in the 400 meter dash, he an-
swered, ?Winning a medal in the 400 felt like all the hard work that I put in July was beginning to pay off. Also, getting a medal as a sophomore gave me a boost of confidence and humbled me at the same time because now I know that I have to work ten times harder for the next two years and go into the outdoor season with the same mindset that I had coming into the indoor season.? Malik Cooper ?21 was the final running competitor in the state championship, participating in the winning 4x200 meter relay. While there was much team success in the track events, there was also some in the field events. Senior Isaiah Ritchie ?18 competed in the long jump and was also the alternate for the 4x200 relay. Ritchie finished in fifth in the long jump
in the state, earning himself a medal. Ritchie was ecstatic about his success in the long jump, saying, ?I was really happy. I had been to states 3 times previously, all for the long jump, but I [had not] performed well at the actual meet. This was the first time that I actually performed well at states, and I won a medal for it.? Coach Curt Cockenberg ?71 has been the indoor track team?s guide through it all as they have progressed through the season. He had confidence in his team going into the meet, but the experience was still unbelievable for him: ?I thought we could finish in the top 3 teams because of our strength in certain events. It is almost surreal...a little like the Eagles in that you keep saying, ?Did it really happen?? and we
did it with six athletes.? In retrospect, Coach Cockenberg thought that training was an integral part of the team?s success, saying, ?We have a term for that when we work out on the upstairs track with Coach Wallace (our sprint coach) that we are going to the ?Laboratory.?Our sprinters train there and some of our distance runners and field people visit there one to two times a week.? Cockenberg discussed the importance of winning the first indoor team state championship in school history, and he stressed that this win was not just for the members of this year?s squad but for all of the Prep track and field athletes that came close. This is truly a special accomplishment for Coach Cockenburg and the entire indoor track team and also one for the Prep as a whole.
(Photo:Mike Pagliaro '18)
M eet the Captains: M ike Pagliaro '18
Mike Pagliaro '18 (left) is the lone captain of the Prep Crew team. By Fr ank Coyne ?19 Senior rower Mike Pagliaro is preparing to kick off the spring crew season with success. Mike
is the sole captain of Prep Crew and holds enormous responsibility in all matters for the team. Outside of crew, some of the
activities that Mike is in the French and German Culture Club, Freshman Retreat, was a Kairos rector, and is committed to Fairfield University. When asked what it is like to be a captain, he said, ?Being the only captain on the team is definitely a challenge, but one I am totally willing to take on. It is really putting the qualities that this school has instilled in me to the test. It?s a lot of fun; it gives me a platform to make a positive impact on every kid on the team. I?m very lucky that my best friends are on the crew team, so being able to be the captain and to do what I love
every day, how can I complain?? Being the captain means taking on many roles in the leadership of the team. He has the task of setting an example for the rest of the team, especially the underclassmen. While talking about his role as captain, Mike said, ?I really enjoy my role as a leader on the team. I?m really trying to give back to the younger guys on the team because when I was in their position, there was an immense amount of leadership coming from the seniors on the team. I love being around the younger guys on the team to make them
feel as at home at the boathouse as I do.? With the first races right around the corner, Mike commented, ?I believe we are in a great position for the upcoming races this spring. I can?t wait to get out there and show the other teams that The Prep is back. The guys on the team have been working their tails off this winter and I?m really excited to see all that they?ve worked for pay off for them, and the team as a whole, this year.? One thing is for sure, there will be no shortage of excitement on the river come this spring.
Sports | 19
Prep Bowling Picks Up Fir st Win in Two Seasons By L iam Stephens ?21 St. Joseph?s Prep is widely known around the city of Philadelphia for many reasons. Football, academics and the many famous alumni are some. But bowling is not. With a combined total of one win over the past two seasons, the team has certainly been struggling. But there is hope for the squad, as this past year the team won their first game in the last match of the season led by Victor Liu ?20 and Alex DeWitt ?20. This is progress from a winless season the year before and even leads to optimism. The team is certainly young with only two upperclassman, senior captain Chip Gallagher
and junior David Whitehouse, while boasting six sophomores and freshmen. Coach Kristin Ashcom has quite a bit of potential on her hands with this team. Chris Rebar ?21 made a name for himself with an impressive season, earning himself a season average of 122. He has proven himself as the leadoff bowler by pulling off a number of 170+ games.
the season on fire, bowling a 213 game in practice, and went downhill as the season went along. Both freshmen tweaked their strokes by going more towards two-handed at the end of the season, and their numbers improved. If both Rebar and Stephens continue growing and learning, they will be in contention for spots on the AllCatholic team.
In the beginning of the season Chris struggled, but when he found his motion, he began to bowl very well. His fellow freshman Liam Stephens ?21 sometimes bowled at the three spot, with Brett McHugh 20 and Mike Ruggiero 20 also earning some starts, and saw an average of 114. Liam began
Speaking of All-Catholic, the team?s representative this year showed the future of Prep Bowling. Victor Liu ?20 managed to average a 132, and on the way even produced a fantastic game of 243, with nine consecutive strikes. That performance let everybody know that he?s a real force to be
reckoned with and will be the leader for this team going forward. With him bowling at the 4 spot, the end of the lineup can be brutal. Victor?s quiet personality makes it seem like he?s been there before, and that silent confidence can push a team over the hump sometimes. Victor was also the only underclassmen to return to the team, with 5 newcomers (Alex DeWitt, Brett McHugh, Mike Ruggiero, Liam Stephens, Chris Rebar). Victor ever so slightly beat out Alex DeWitt for the team?s All- Catholic spot, with his average of 132 barely edging out DeWitt?s of 131. Alex, bowling in the two spot, started off slow but began
to be arguably the most consistent bowler on the team, and because of that, he?s a reliable bowler. He, along with Brett McHugh and Mike Ruggiero, are incredibly consistent bowlers, which bodes well for the team in the future. And last but certainly not least, junior southpaw David Whitehouse took control of the 5 spot, with an average of 126, and was very consistent along the way. Every match David was always one of the best bowlers on the lanes even when he struggled. As one can see, the bowling team led by Coach Ashcom has potential to be very successful and even make a run at the PCL championship in years to come.
(Photo: St. Joseph's Prep)
Prep Basketball: The Scout Team Six
The members of the Scout Team: (L to R) Vince Busico '18, Riley Burns '18, Michael Hagan '18, Shane Dever '19, Aidan Hartey '19, Danny DiSandro '19.
By Ricky Weipz ?19
our scout team.
In this year?s campaign, St. Joe?s Prep basketball has had a banner year. This team has reached games that Coach Speedy Morris has not played in since he had Notre Dame commit Steve Vasturia ?13, and St. Joe?s University commit Chris Clover ?15 on the roster. Not only have the Hawks picked up the Hall of Fame Coach?s 1,000th career win, but they also punched their ticket to the historic Palestra, and state tournament for the first time in 5 years.
The squad, under the senior leadership of Vince Busico ?18, Michael Hagan ?18 and Riley Burns ?18, cheers on the bench during the games, in hopes that they will get their chance to play in the final minutes of a blow- out. Some of the players, however, are starters on the junior varsity team. They include Shane Dever ?19, Danny DiSandro ?19, and Aidan Hartey ?19. Their work goes merely unnoticed by the casual Prep fan, but not by the team. The coaches and players are so impressed by their work ethic, and mental capacity to take up this strenuous task. So how do these six guys get the Hawks ready for an upcoming game?
If people were to ask what the reason was for all this success, some would say the two 1,000 point scorers in Darius Kinnel ?18 and Kyle Thompson ?18. Others would say the emergence of Trevor Wall ?20 and Chris Arizin ?20 helped out the Hawks significantly on offense and defense. Some would go as far to say that the four managers for the team have a chemistry that is unmatched in the Catholic League. From my eyes, it has to be the grit and toughness of
Assistant coaches Randy Monroe and Keith Morris will scout the opposing team out whether it be through film, or going to watch one of their games. They will compile a scouting report so the Prep knows what to expect when they meet them on the court. It is one thing to know something
on paper, it is another to experience it. Coach Monroe and Coach (Keith) Morris will assign each member of the scout team to model their game after a player on the opposing squad. ?Playing the role of someone on the other team is the most challenging thing in my opinion,? said Danny DiSandro. ?It?s tough to match the scouting report of the opponent which at times requires that I change the way I play.? After learning their skill sets and tendencies, the scout team has to learn an entirely new playbook, aside from their own. Then, they are put to the test of going up against the starters and subs of the Hawks. Everyday, the scout team comes in to practice for three hours, knowing that they will most likely not play in that game, and give an 110% effort every time because, as Vince Busico says, ?at the end of the day, it?s all about making everyone a better basketball player.?
Prep Tennis Hires New Head Coach By M atthew Bae ?21 ?To do coaching properly, you have to literally give your life to the cause.? Coach Bob Boyle ?87, the recently named head tennis coach here at the Prep, truly personifies this quote. When he was a student at 17th and Girard, Boyle was a two- time league MVP and four- time First Team AllCatholic. His athletic merit earned him a scholarship to play at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida for a summer. After graduating from the Prep, Boyle was admitted into the United States Military Academy, and went on to serve
in the military for a few years. After his service, Boyle became the tennis director for both Riverside in Bala Cynwyd and the Radnor Valley Country Club. In 1999, Boyle was the head coach here at the Prep and led the team to win three Catholic League Titles. Today, Boyle owns and operates World Gym, which he opened in 1998. Despite his advancing age, Boyle also continues to play tennis five times a week. Tennis is an intense sport which involves not only mental toughness but physical stamina as well. For the past couple of years, Boyle has followed the tennis program here at the
Prep, but feels that the program hasn?t really ?turned the corner.? Boyle is excited to have the opportunity to obtain for the Prep another Catholic League title. Boyle is also excited about the new leadership roles and working with the excellent faculty and coaches, such as Mr. Petruzzelli, Coach, Infante, and Speedy Morris. As head coach, Boyle plans to make practices intense and productive. Great tennis players like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal make every minute count. They are as concentrated during practice as they are during matches, if not
even more. A player?s attitude and mental game is just as important as his physical game. How much work a player puts on the court and how hard he pushes himself determines how he will perform in a real match. And overall, improving practice play will create a top notch program, which is high on the agenda for Coach Boyle. He cannot play the game for his players, but he can give them productive practices that help them to improve mentally and physically. The tennis season starts on March 5th. In the end, it is the coach?s responsibility to prepare their players and train
them with excellence so that when game day comes, they do not have to worry about how they will hit their forehand. Instead, they will be studying their opponent, finding their weaknesses and seeing how they play. Consistency, stamina, physical strength, and mental toughness is what it takes to win a match. Tennis is a sport that can carry a player far beyond his high school career. Coach Boyle has high hopes for the Prep tennis team, and sees a bright future ahead, believing the Prep has what it takes to go all the way.
Avington: Prockey Can Win Flyer s' Cup year.
By Dan Avington ?18 This season, the Prep Hockey team has shocked many. They?ve secured the second seed in the Flyers?Cup, trailing only the Firebirds of Holy Ghost Prep in the standings. On Thursday night, the Hawks will take on the Crusaders of Father Judge in the opening round, and that will begin their campaign for the first Flyers? Cup championship in Prep history. And Prep fans have good reason to believe that this could be the
The Hawks have been having a phenomenal season this year, going 23-4 on the season, at 5-3 in the Prep Division. They swept the Friars of Malvern Prep, typically a strong team on the ice, handily defeated the Explorers of La Salle towards the end of the season, and won the Jesuit Teams Tournament in Chicago, winning their games there by a total of 20- 5. So overall, the season to this point has been highly successful, but for the squad, none of that matters until these playoffs. The team boasts some of the area?s most talented players this season. The team?s best line consists of three seniors: Marc Colavita, Ronan Egan (assistant captain) and Conor Ryan (assistant captain). In Prep Division games, Egan led the team
in goals with 6, and Ryan led in assists with 9. Overall, that line contributed 30 points to the team in those 8 Prep Division games, and on the season they amassed far over 100 points as a unit, something which is unheard of for a high school team. But, unlike some of the other teams in the area, the team goes far beyond just that singular line. Other highly skilled forwards include freshman Tyler Boucher, senior Anthony Amato, and Evan Cassady ?19. Boucher, the son of former Flyers goalie Brian Boucher, had 4 goals and 2 assists in 7 games of Prep Division play, Amato had 2 goals and 4 assists in his 8 Prep Division appearances, and Evan Cassady put up 3 goals and 2 assists in those eight. And on the defensive end, the team is led by seniors captain Tyler Black and assis-
tant captain Nick Urbani, along with freshman Jared Schaal and juniors Nick Corrado, who also spent some time at forward this year, and Nicolas Ciampitti. These defensive players didn?t add too many goals, as that isn?t their role on the team, but Corrado was second on the team in assists with 8, Urbani added 4, and Black and Schaal each contributed three. Finally, tending goal for the Hawks has been a bit of a rotation between two players: Dan McGill ?19 and Troy Stefano ?19. Both of these players are incredibly talented, as Stefano was named the MVP of the Jesuit Teams Tournament in Chicago, leading the Hawks to that tournament championship, and McGill was the starting goalie of the winner of the U17 Nationals Tournament last
year in Fresco, Texas. As far as stats go, McGill started 5 of the Prep Division games, going 3-2 with 109 saves, 12 goals allowed, and a 90.1% save percentage, while Stefano was the net tender for 3 games, amassing a record of 2-1, allowing 5 goals with 52 saves and totaling a 91.2% save percentage. So, while McGill had more Prep Division starts, Stefano also got the nod in a few of the important games, so the Hawks pretty much just ride the hot hand for starting goalie. Overall, even though they lost to Ghost twice this season, this Prep team has the ability to take home this Flyers?Cup Championship. this Prep team is one of the most talented in school history, so don?t be surprised if they come home with that Flyers?Cup champion trophy.
By John Leuzzi ?19 It?s baseball season. And this year, the Prep Hawks have the ability to make some waves in the Catholic League. After five years under the leadership of Joe Falcone ?91, the Prep Baseball program has a new man at the helm, Anthony Valucci. Valucci comes to the Prep with a large amount of experience in coaching, as he served as the head coach for the last seven years at Roman Catholic High School, where he led the Cahillites to the postseason five times and brought them to the PCL championship once. When the head coaching job opened up here at 17th and Girard, Valucci knew it was an opportunity he couldn?t ignore. The program had a lot of success last year as the team won the Catholic League regular season, made it to the PCL Semifinal Game, the semifinals of the PIAA 6A State Tournament and had four starters commit to play Division 1 Baseball. Last year, the team was led by co- captains Colin Scanlon ?17 and Pat
Woltemate ?17 both who handled much of the pitching for the team. With their departure, the first year head coach finds himself with a big challenge as he has to fill the spots of two of the Catholic League?s top pitchers. One of the positives huge positives is the amount of starters that are returning, which is monumental because they know how tough the Catholic League is going to be. On the infield, the team returns Furman University commit catcher Logan Kellerman ?18 who gives the Hawks an advantage behind the plate with his knowledge of the game. On the infield will be Brandon Sanders ?18 at first, Montclair State commit Dom Leuzzi ?18 at second, Quinnipiac commit Gianni Arici ?18 at short, and UMass commit Luke Gutos ?18 in the hot corner. Luke Donaphon ?18 will be out in left, Bard commit Evan Matthews ?18 mans center, and Max Frantz ?18 will play right. The area the Hawks will be looked at the most this year to see if they are playoff con-
tenders will be their pitching. The Hawks only return one man from last year?s pitching staff, junior pitcher Joe Richardson. When I asked Valucci about the current pitching situation he said, ?Obviously when you lose Colin, JT (Gosweiler) and Pat, that's a lot of innings and outs you have to replace. Yes, we want to win every game but our main focus is the PCL. We need to find a way to get 42 outs in the PCL a week.? Richardson commented,? I learned a lot from Colin and Pat last season, in particular I learned how to complete my job as a pitcher and that I need to pitch with an edge.? The team opens up the season in Orlando, FL. They will be taking part in Disney?s ESPN Wide World of Sports High School Spring Training Event. Valucci explained his reasoning for the Florida games, saying, ?High School baseball is such a quick season. Getting away for a few days allows us to really spend time as a team that we wouldn't have the chance to if
(Photo: St. Joseph's Prep)
Baseball Regroups Under New L eader ship
Four of the Prep Baseball commits with two members of the coaching staff: (L to R) John DiBenedetto, Gianni Arici '18 (Quinnipiac), Luke Gutos '18 (Massachusetts), Dom Leuzzi '18 (Montclair St.), Logan Kellerman '18 (Furman), Anthony Valucci. we did not go away. It allows the guys to bond and get to know and trust each other more because for 3 1/2 months we are all we have. It's all about us.? One thing that Valucci wants to engrave into his team coming this season is this: ?What we do
here is bigger than baseball. The game is our passion, yes, but being part of a team is bigger than that because to us, it is all about the relationships and memories the team makes throughout the season.? And isn?t that what being a Jesuit school_is_all_about?