Volume 44, Issue 7

Annual Conference Total Success Pg. 3

Har per-mania Hits Philadelphia!

Pg. 15

Follow us on I nstagram and Twitter @SJPHawkeye or read our issues online at issuu.com/thehawkeye7

The Student Newspaper of St. Joseph's Prep

Vol. 44, I ssue VI I

1733 West Gir ar d Ave. Philadelphia, PA, 19130

M arch 22, 2019

Cavacos Chosen as New Pr incipal (Photo: McQuaid Jesuit/)

(Photo: St. Joe's Prep)

Students involved with the Selection Committee helped with the announcement of M r.

Cavacos, cur rent Vice Pr incipal at M cQuaid Jesuit, who will begin his tenure in July.

(Full stor y on Pg. 3) (Photo: The Chronicle)

Blackface Spotted in Prep Histor y Amid the national controversy surrounding the appearance of blackface and Ku Klux Klan imagery in the yearbook of Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, various instances of blackface and other racist imagery have been found in Prep yearbooks dating from 1928 to 1957.

The images in these yearbooks primarily come from Cape and Sword theater productions, in which blackface is found in multiple instances over the years.

White Prep students during this period also used makeup and caricatured clothes to represent Asians and Arabs in

various theater productions as well.

A black minstrel cartoon also adorned a ?Humor? page from the 1928 edition of The Chronicle, along with the words ?Hoorah for the Crimson and Gray.?

Dr. Christian Rupertus of the English Department explained that shows featuring blackface and minstrel characters were part of a long history of racist caricatures in theater. He described this type of vaudeville comedy show, which feature racist stereotypes of black people, as ?a smash hit? during this time period.

(Continued on Page 2)

Pictured here: a 1955 Cape and Swor d theater production features two white students in blackface. Amid Vir ginia Gover nor Nor tham's blackface Scandal, M cGahey '20 decided to research the Prep's own histor y, and uncovered images from year books r anging from 1928-1957.

(Photo: McQuaid Jesuit)

By Aidan M cGahey ?20

2 | News | Friday, March 18, 2019 | The Hawkeye Table of Contents

News: 2-4 Features: 5-6

Enter tainment: 7,9

Women's M onth: 8 Op/Deb: 10-12

Spor ts: 13-16

Racist I mages in Old Year books (Cont.)

Herman and Verman were portrayed by white students in blackface, and the accompanying article in the yearbook described them as ?the greatest laughs of the evening.?

A separate 1935 production of ?Seventeen? featured another white actor in blackface portraying Genesis, a character the yearbook describes as a ?lazy negro servant.?

Dr. Rupertus said the blackface was further popularized when it moved from the stage to the screen, particularly with popular films such as The Jazz Singer, which prominently featured blackface. ?I?m not surprised that white high school students in the 20s, 30s, and 40s would pick up on this and think it?s okay because the cultural messaging amongst white people [during this time] is that it is okay, when of course, it?s not,? Dr. Rupertus said.

A car toon from the ?Humor ? section of the 1928 Chronicle features a minstrel char acter.

?Seeing what I saw led me to believe the school stayed true to the Jesuit values that are preached to this day,? Whittington said.

But the examples of blackface in the yearbooks shocked him, Whittington said. ?Seeing the racist pictures throughout the yearbooks gave me a reality check,? Whittington said. ?The images were upsetting, but now that I look at the reality of the situation, not at all surprising.?

Ms. Ebony Porter, Director of Diversity and Inclusion, echoed Whittington in stating that the use of blackface during this time was expected. She cited her own personal experience of seeing blackface used at her college while she was an undergraduate. Ms. Porter also stated that that she had previously seen blackface before in work experience. ?Every institution that you

(Photo: The Chronicle)

Overt racism that is traditionally associated with the Jim

Carl Whittington ?19, president of the Black and Latino Culture Club, recently did research in the Prep?s archives on the first black Prep graduates, five years before the Civil Rights Act passed in 1964.

Many of these specific moments in black history at the Prep, including the first black students at the school, the first black student body president and the first black faculty member, were detailed in the Feb. 15 edition of The Hawkeye.

(Photo: The Chronicle)

The Prep?s 1930 production of ?Penrod? featured minstrel characters named Herman and Verman, who in the source text are described as being unintelligent, foolish and unable to speak correctly. The white characters in the production place Herman and Verman in a ?Museum of Curiosities? and describe them as ?a wild animal captured in Africa,? and ?the savage tattooed [sic] wild boy.?

The Mummers routinely used blackface in performances until it was banned in 1964.

Protests resulted in the Mummers immediately overturning that ban, then reinstating it again the following year.

(Photo: The Chronicle)

?For white audiences, it was a chance to feel superior,? Dr. Rupertus said. ?They can laugh at this portrayal of a person they view as permanently, intellectually and morally inferior? all in the comfort of knowing that the person who is doing the acting is a white person because it is seen as, I?m using ironic quotes here, ?all in good fun.??

Crow South was not limited to there. It was present all over the country, including Philadelphia, Dr. Rupertus said, citing the Mummers as an example.

Prep students from 1952 in the controver sial play Green Pastures also in black face.

M asks, head dresses, and Hanfu dress can be scene in this photo from the 1957 Chronicle Edition. could search, even religious institutions, you would most likely find something similar,?

Ms. Porter said.

Ms. Porter described how at least some Catholic institutions had been racially exclusive in the past.

The last images of blackface appeared in Prep yearbooks in 1955, one year before the first black students arrived at the Prep.

The decline in overt and public displays of blackface at the time coincided with a rise in the visibility and humanization of African Americans and the struggles they faced during the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Rupertus said. ?In light of the fact that people are watching on the TV news that college students who are trying to register people to vote in Mississippi being murdered, Medgar Evers, a civil rights attorney is being murdered, people being hosed down and having attack dogs sicced on them, people sitting at lunch counters and getting food dumped on them, it becomes somewhat socially taboo,? Dr. Rupertus said.

Dr. Rupertus said that taboo likely carried over into school yearbooks. ?In whites only spaces, this is still considered all in good harmless fun by some,? Dr. Rupertus said. ?However, people may have been less willing to pose for yearbook pictures with this in it after that time.?

Ms. Porter cautioned not to think of blackface merely as a historical problem; she stressed that racism continues in the entertainment industry to this day. ?There are a lot of barriers of entry to the entertainment industry; people of color are still being discluded from this industry? think about what white people can do to advocate for people of color and ensure they have access,? she said.

Ms. Porter stated that these instances are a reminder of how Prep students and our community can look over and reconsider our actions to this day. ?People need to have more of a sensitivity to people, that we treat others like people. Stop and pause before you act,? she

said.

Although the last image appeared in 1957, both Dr. Rupertus and Whittington said this aspect of Prep history should be acknowledged. ?Institutions need to take ownership over their history, and if we want to celebrate certain parts of our history, we also have to own those other parts too and be proactive to make things right,? Dr. Rupertus said.

(Photo: Connor McCabe '19)

(Continued from Front Page)

Whittington said the Prep has a ?duty to make this history accessible and a part of the Prep's history as a whole.? But he also said the Prep?s acknowledgement of its past is, for him, personal. ?The acknowledgement of these images has an impact on how I appreciate me, a black student, even being here,? Whittington said. ?In these images, the Prep endorsed blatant racism towards my community. Now, this same community is a thriving and necessary part of the Prep, taking full advantages of the range opportunities it once was kept from.?

The Hawkeye | Friday, March 18, 2019 |

News | 3

Prep Students SpeakUp! at M er ion

By Bobby Woltj en ?22 Almost every high schooler can say that it is hard to talk to their parents, and they aren?t wrong. In fact, studies show that half of all teens are uncomfortable talking to their parents. These numbers can increase when the conversations center around topics like sex, drugs, and mental health. However, it is important that these issues are discussed, which is where events like Speakup! come into play. Each year, students from around the area are invited to converse on multiple topics that might be hard to talk about.

The event in which the Prep took place in on Tuesday, February 26th involved MerionMercy and Sacred Heart Academy also. For those unaware, SpeakUp! is a program based that is designed to initiate conversations between students,

mores and Freshman attested to feeling the threat of choosing schools looming over their heads.

parents, and school faculty. It was founded in 2000 and has since grown to include over 40 schools and 5,000 students. In addition to school events, SpeakUp! also runs Parent Coffee Talks, to help them learn how to talk about and deal with the same issues discussed at the school events. In addition to the students attending, Mr. Powell, Ms. McGlynn, Mr. Dushel, Mr. Poole, Mr. Van Kula, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. McGlynn all served as Facilitators, meaning they ran small- group sessions on various topics.

The topics selected by the Student Leadership Team (SLT), made up of students from all three schools, were

Drugs, Alcohol, and Addiction, Sex, Mental Health, and Expectations. The event began at 6:30 on Tuesday, February 26 with a brief presentation that featured Prep students Joe Scott ?19, Liam Grugan ?19, and Scott Hibbs ?19, all SLT members. Afterwards, attendees moved to small-group sessions, each specific to one of the above topics. Each session contained about 20 students and parents, and a Facilitator. Conversations continued for an hour to an hour and a half.

These discussions consisted of the bulk of the event, and it was here that participants were encouraged to actually speak up.

Though the group discussions

had assigned topics per room, the people in each room were allowed to take the conversation in any direction they chose.

It was up to the Student Leaders and Facilitators in each room to start and guide discussions, but anybody could ask a question or comment. To encourage people to state their opinions, privacy was ensured and people remained focused, listening to each other?s insight.

The topics were broad, and marked by many subtopics. For example, one of the issues presented in the Expectations discussions was College. Any Junior or Senior can attest to the stress put on them by college, and in one room, even Sopho-

The Student Leadership Team and the SpeakUp! had worked tirelessly during the weeks prior to the event to prepare the topics and encourage people to attend. Many will remember the signs, banners, and also the emails they received. However, members of both the SLT and the SpeakUp! team assured that they were happy to work, and hoped participants would take something out of it. Mrs. Carissa Casey, a Program Specialist with SpeakUp! said the organization hopes that participants, ?Leave these events feeling less alone and knowing that there are various ways to continue the conversation to get the support each person needs. We also hope that participants feel more connected to those within their own community.?

M r. Andy Cavacos: Our New Pr incipal

By M ar cus M ur phy '20 and Joe Scott '19 On Tuesday around 11:30 the administration of the Prep finally announced it decision to offer Mr. Andrew Cavacos the position of Principal. With the resignation of Mr. Petruzzelli on October 23rd, 2018 and implementation of Mr. Zazyczny as principal for the year, the Prep administration has been arduously working towards finding a new principal. Interviews have been ongoing, and the process has stirred up numerous questions: What does the Principal do, how does the school find a new principal that suits the school, and what are some traits that are needed in a principal?.

Cavacos is coming from Rochester, NY, where he worked at McQuaid Jesuit High School. There he was a math teacher, Dean of Stu-

dents, and current Assistant Principal for Academics. His dynamic abilities as a leader and educator make him the best candidate for SJP Principal, a job of many hats. Mr. Joseph Dougherty, the director of Human Resources and an essential person within the search committee, described the Principal as the ?Community Builder.?

The process started with the selection of Carney, Sandoe, & Associates, considered one of the best faculty recruitment firms in terms of their searches for Heads of Schools and Principals, especially for Catholic and private schools. Fr. Swope formed a search committee comprised of administrators, teachers, and a Trustee of the Prep, and Mr. Mullen was selected to serve as the Vice Chair of the committee.

After months of effort, the

firm presented eighteen candidates to the committee, including both men and women, sitting principals and emergent leaders, as well as locals and people coming from as far as California. The committee narrowed it down to three finalists, who were all presented to Fr. Swope. Each finalist met with about 110 to 120 members of the Prep community over the course of the day, including: multiple groups of students, faculty, parents, staff of the Principal's office and the President's leadership team.

From those final candidates, Cavacos was chosen.

Fr. Swope speaks very highly of Cavacos, being quoted in the email sent to students and faculty saying, ?I am thrilled that Mr. Cavacos will join us as Principal. Andy is well versed in educational leadership and theory, and he is more than familiar with Jesuit edu-

cation. It was clear to me that the ideals we value at the Prep are a vital part of his identity.? ?I personally looked for relatability, a concrete, ambitious vision for the school, and knowledge of how the Prep worked,? said Andrew Koh ?19. ?I would want a principal that knows well enough about the Prep's identity to use it as a foundation for building upon the vision [of keeping up with

the times moving forward and continuing to cement its place as one of the best schools in the area].?

Cavacos stated in the official press release that he is, ?both a product and proponent of Jesuit education.? Mr. Cavacos was deemed the man for the job because He fills those criteria, he?s fluent in 'Jesuit,' and he is the man most fit to bring the Prep into its coming years.

Students from the Selection Comittee pose to welcome M r. Cavacos to the SJP Community.

St. Joe?s Prep In Memoriam: "We are saddened to report the passing of Blaise Davis, son of Andrew Davis '02.

Here is his obituary: Swim Team: 4x200m relay with Michael Krumenacker ?19, David Iuvara ?19, Dylan Maziarz ?19, and Robbie Calabro ?19 exceed expectations, coming in 26th when seeded 29th in the State Championships last Friday.

Blaise A. Davis, son of Andrew and Annie Davis (nee Miller), passed away peacefully on March 2nd at the age of 7 after a courageous battle with his second cancer diagnosis. Blaise is survived by his Mom, Dad, sister Lucy and brother Peter as well as 4 loving Grandparents Bob & Susanne Davis and Mark & Ann Miller as well as numerous Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins. Despite multiple years of illness, Blaise found silliness and joy in all aspects of his life. He loved living in Havertown, Sea Isle City, Disney World, brunch at McGillicuddy?s, as well as Kids Eat Free night at Barnaby?s. He had many friends at both St. Matthew?s Daycare and Coopertown Elementary where he was in first grade at the time of his death. A special thank you to the Division of Oncology at the Children?s Hospital of Philadelphia, where doctors, nurses, and support staff worked so hard to cure Blaise not once, but twice."

Father-Son Communion Breakfast Awar d Winner s Keynote Address - Joe DeCamara ?96 Sauter Award - Johnny Freeman ?19 Rev. Charles A. Schnorr, SJ '37 Service Award - Joe Oakes ?60 Men For Others Award - Chris Gutt ?20

4 | Features | Friday, March 18, 2019 | The Hawkeye

Prep Brother s Play Smash Brother s

By Ned Bur ke '19 Just a few weeks before the annual Extra Life Gaming Marathon, the Video Gaming Club does it again. The club helped the charity, Child?s Play, by holding a school-wide Super Smash Brothers Tournament on the Nintendo Switch.

Child?s Play is a charity aimed at helping improve the lives of children in pediatric hospitals. The charity purchases gaming consoles for hospitals and therapy facilities.

Child?s Play also works to pur-

chase games and toys on that appear on children?s wish lists throughout the year. Each participant of the tournament contributed five dollars to the cause. The event had 48 competitors in total, raising $240 for the cause.

The tournament itself was fiercely competitive. Isaiah Franco ?19 said, ?It was tough.

A lot of really good kids out there.? Students from all grades attended, in addition to the faculty members, Mr. Sokolowski, Mr. Hinh, and Mr. DeSimone. In addition to the

48 competitors, many spectators showed up to watch the tournament and cheer on friends. Players were sorted into groups of four. In these groups, each player earned points on how he placed in each of four games, with varying rules and weapons. The top two players from each group would advance in a World Cup-style of placing.

These competitors competed again in a similar manner with undefeated players earning a first round bye and one player advancing from the Wild Card

round. In the end, the final two players were Colton Potash ?21 and Andrew Kantner ?21.

Potash, playing as Snake from the video game, Metal Gear Solid, handily defeated Kantner, who played as Falco from Star Fox. Potash was then named the 2019 Super Smash Bros Champion of St. Joe?s Prep.

Despite the ferocity of the competition, there was much bonding and mingling amongst the classes. Sokolowski said, ?It was a lot of fun. There were a lot of people there. For me,

the best part was seeing freshman playing with seniors and everyone getting along and encouraging each other. Great bonding.?

The Video Game Club was back at it again last weekend in the Extra Life gaming marathon to raise money for the Children?s Miracle Network Hospitals organization.

That was a 24 hour long marathon of video games, strategy board games, and card games. This marathon will took place from March 16th to March 17th here at the Prep.

I mprov Club Retur ns after Fir st Semester Hiatus for students.

?There is no reason not to join the Improv Club, it?s all fun? said John Fioravanti ?19 when asked about the recent revival of the club. The Improv Club has been a part of the Prep for many years. Started in 2011, it was a large part of Prep?s ?Go Further Still Initiative,? which urged students to not only push themselves in their academics but in other ways such as improv. In years past, meetings were held throughout the school year after school until 5:00. The club was run and moderated by different Prep alumni and faculty members. Along with after school meetings, the club had held events such as putting on free performances after school

That is until the 2018- 2019 school year. When the year began, the club had no moderator to run it. It?s return was due in large part to the work of David McCabe ?19 and John Fioravanti ?19. ?Me and my buddy, David McCabe, missed the Improv Club so we reached out to Coach Gilbert and got the ball rolling.? said Fioravanti.

Mr. Gilbert's background in improv made him the perfect match for the club. Fioravanti and many others had missed having a place to have fun with friends while still developing useful skills.

Called ?Improv Comedy,? it acts as a catalyst for future Prep students who may have an interest in theatre. Run by Cape and Sword veterans, the activity teaches the basics of improv including the techniques, ?yes,? ?always agree,? ?make statements,? and many other important lessons.

While the school year Improv Club is a part of Cape and Sword, involvement in the theatre program is not required. ?If you have not done improv before, join the Improv Club.

If you have done improv before, join the Improv Club,? said Fioravanti. The club is meant for all students to be able to have a fun time while trying something that may push them out of their comfort

Its popularity surpassed after school meetings and found its way into the Pre 8th program.

zones. As Fioravanti puts it, ?If your looking to have some really good laughs and meet

some really fun people or try something new, definitely join the_Improv_Club.?

(Photo: David McCabe '19)

By M ur phy Bonner ?22

Coach Gilber t yes-and-ing his way into SJP I mprov Club Histor y

L ast Quar ter Ser vice Oppor tunities M ission & M inistr y L eader ship Boar d Cor ner

Along with daily service, which is held everyday during Community Period and after school, there are still a couple service opportunities available to get those last minute service hours logged. On Saturday March 16th, the Mission and Ministry Office will be hosting the Father-Son Day of Service.

Pairs of fathers and sons will be traveling to Old Saint Joseph?s Church in Old City and DeSales Service Works in North Camden. At Old Saint Joe?s, volunteers will be serving food to the community. At DeSales some of the volunteers will prepare and serve lunch for the homeless while others will work on the grounds of St. Joseph's House (a homeless shelter).

Upcoming M& M Events

Service isn?t the only thing happening at Mission and Ministry this spring. There are still two Kairoses left for the year. Kairos 165 will be taking place from March 19th until March 22nd, and Kairos 166 will be taking place from April 9th until April 12th. Although sign- ups for Kairos 165 are closed, there are still plenty of spots for Kairos 166. Come on down to the Mission and Ministry Office to sign-up.

Kairos 165 March 19-22

( vid McCabe '19)

The Street M inistr y progr am is hoping to distr ibute toiletr ies and supplies, like in this picture from 2017.

The office will also be hosting a Praise and Worship night on Thursday March 14th in the White Chapel. There will be students from Merion Mercy Academy and Christ Our

Dress Down Day for "Simon's Heart" March 29

(Photo: Prep Facebook)

As the school year winds down and we reach the fourth quarter, the Mission and Ministry office is still active with a number of upcoming events.

Along with the Father- Son Day of Service, the office will also be hosting a day of Street Ministry on March 25th. The day will consist of putting together bags of toiletries and other supplies together. After the assembly process, students will then go out into the city and distribute these bags to the homeless around Philadelphia.

Both of these service events are great opportunities to become involved in the city that we call home.

(Photo: St. Joe's Prep)

By Scott Hibbs ?19

Light, a parish in Cherry Hill, joining Prep students for a fun night of song and prayer. The night will be a great way to join with our sisters from Merion in a night of praise.

Kairos 166

Sophomore Retreat

April 9-12

May 3

Be sure to stop by the Mission and Ministry Office if you have any questions or are interested in being involved in any of these exciting events.

Preppers in Prayer Fridays during Community Hour

The Hawkeye | Friday, March 18, 2019 |

Features | 5

Psychology Club Sends Fir st Student Body Poll

By I saiah Fr anco '19

plored afterwards.

On February 21, Prep students received an interesting email from Dr. John Berna on behalf of the Psychology Club.

Enclosed was the link to a survey put together by the club with a wide variety of questions, from, ?what shoe size do you wear?? to ?how many hours of sleep do you get a night??

With this in mind, Dr. John Berna, the moderator of the club proposed the question, ?What if we collected a lot of data and ran the statistics to see what correlates??

While it may seem as though there is no reason for these questions being asked, the randomness was the exact point of the survey. The club hoped this would point out interesting correlations within the Prep community. ?If you have enough people and data, you are going to get a statistically significant correlation,? said Dr. Berna regarding the survey.

In Psychology, correlations are commonly used in order to observe relationships between two variables. For example, those with a large shoe size, may commonly have a higher GPA. While these relationships do not prove if the variables are in fact causing one another, they do provide interesting insight which can be further ex-

The club then worked together along with Dr. Berna and his intern, Mariah Davis, a current Psychology student at Temple University, in order to brainstorm questions to ask the student body. ?We would have liked to ask 100 questions,? said Christopher Casey ?20, president of the Psychology Club. The Psychology club did, however limit the amount of questions asked to encourage submissions from Prep students and the survey received a generous

amount of responses, numbering 290.

Each class of students responded to the survey in similar numbers, therefore these survey results are a rather good representation of the entire student body. And there were in fact some interesting results.

Possibly the most interesting data gathered resulted from the question, ?Are you smarter than the average Prep student?? 40 percent responded ?about average? and 8 percent responded ?no,? but an impressive 51 percent responded that they are smarter than the average student.

Academics are certainly a pride at the Prep, but with over half of the responses claiming to be smarter than the average

Prep student, Dr. Berna possibly worded it best when he said, ?Perhaps the average Prep student is delusional.?

Prep and is excited to receive data which will point out different correlations in the future.

There were many other questions asked which gave insight into the student body.

42 percent of those that responded have been to Europe.

40 percent of students also have a GPA ranging from 3.74.0. The most common commute time is 45- 60 minutes with 35 percent of responders in that range. 56 percent of Prep students sleep for 5.5- 7 hours a night with only 10 percent getting eight hours or more of sleep.

Perhaps those with longer commutes, will get less sleep, or maybe more so they are well rested for the drive in. Maybe those with shorter commutes will average a higher GPA due to more time to dedicate to school work and time with teachers. The correlations will soon be gathered and observed by the club.

The Psych club is in the process of evaluating the results of the survey with the help of Statistics classes at the

This is the first time the club has done something like this and it plans on following up with a survey sent out to all teachers at the Prep. Interesting information regarding the Prep community is sure to be found.

The psychology club sent a poll asking the gener al school body r andom questions to find any possible cor relations.

ASC Profile: Tony Ger ar di '14 veloping the sense of community that first brought him here eight years ago.

Growing up in Wayne, Pennsylvania, Tony Gerardi attended Mother of Divine Providence grade school. While he did look at other high schools in the area, ultimately it was his connection to Prep through his father who graduated here, the strong academics, and the sense of community the Prep offered when he visited that enticed him to become a student here.

M r. Ger ar di makes an impact across sever al offices at the Prep, from Diver sity and I nclusion to the I nter national Studies Office and more.

By Alexander Cur r ie '21 In a Mission and Ministry office that he shares with Mr. Apadula and fellow ASC member Mr. Van Kula ?14, you can find Alumni Service Corps member Tony Gerardi ?14 hard at work planning trips abroad,

helping to communicate and coordinate with the neighborhood block captains, or even mentoring a student.

Throughout the year Mr. Gerardi has made his mark on the Prep by the hard work and dedication toward further de-

While at the Prep Mr. Gerardi became heavily involved in Mission and Ministry, saying that service was one of the best things the Prep offered him. He was also a member of the cross country and track team, the latter of which he participated in the pole vault events. He learned many new things here, attributing a closer relationship to, and a better sense of, the city and its local residents to the Prep - which has translated well into his ASC work.

After graduating from University of Alabama majoring

with a degree in civil engineering and minoring in Chinese, Mr. Gerardi set his sights on becoming an ASC member.

Being an ASC was nothing new to Mr. Gerardi though, as he had many connections to the program during his four years here as a student: his Kairos leader was an ASC member, and his Kairos student leader would go on to become an ASC member.

When Mr. Gerardi led Kairos, he led with a future ASC member. That ASC member?s brother would also go on to become an ASC member, who also happened to be Mr. Gerardi?s pole vault coach.

Whether it is in the Diversity and Inclusion Office or in the International Studies Office, Mr. Gerardi makes sure his work lives up to the Prep?s standards.

In the Diversity and Inclusion Office he communicates with the neighborhood block captains and interacts with minority students to make sure they feel welcome and represented.

His work is in conjunction with Ms. Porter and he is one of the co- moderators of the Black and Latino Cultural Club. In the International Studies Office, he works in conjunction with Ms. Beza Wozenne to plan and coordinate trips abroad and make sure exchange students are doing well.

Mr. Gerardi, when asked the best part of being back at the Prep as an ASC, said, ?Interacting with everybody - being back around the Prep in a different way than I was as a student. It?s really cool to get to mentor younger guys, but also having a professional relationship with people who were mentors to me.?

Looking to the future, Mr. Gerardi hopes to stay local and get a job in civil engineering focused more on design rather than construction.

Mr. Gerardi will undoubtedly excel at any job he finds because of his time here as a student, and as an invaluable member of the Alumni Service Corps, of which we extend our thanks.

6 | Features | Friday, March 18, 2019 | The Hawkeye

M eet the Club Presidents: Sur vivor Discussion Club

By Rocco Spadea '20 One of the newest clubs at the Prep is the Survivor Discussion Group. The club began meeting a few weeks ago when the new season of Survivor began. The group is moderated

by Ms. Gulli and led by Scott Yezzi and Stephen Harrison, both of whom are juniors.

For those who don?t know, Survivor is a live competition show on CBS and airs on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. The players are put on an island in Fiji, and have to compete in tribes to stay on the island for as long as possible. They have challenges every week and tribal councils to vote players off the island. Whoever is the last player wins. More chal-

lenges include having limited food supplies and having to build shelter.

The show is on its 38th season, and there are two seasons every TV season: one in the fall and one in early spring.

The club started as just a random idea tossed around at lunch and with Ms. Gulli when passing in the hallways. They hold a mini competition where each member of the group picks players and gets points based on what those players do in each episode. Yezzi and Harrison have put together slideshows for each episode, updated with game stats and popularity poll results.

When asked about the idea for the club, Scott explained (Photo: Stephen Harrison '20)

They then explained how the club came together. Stephen explained: ?Scott and I knew each other since pre- 8th at the Prep, but we didn?t figure out that we both watched Survivor until December of Freshman year. We?ve talked about all the seasons since then and with various other friends. We knew that Ms. Gulli loved the show, so we came up with the idea of starting a club last spring, and it?s finally in motion.? When Scott was asked, he said: ?We had always talked about the show with each other and knew other people that watched the show, so we figured why not start a club??

When it came to new ideas for the club, Scott introduced the idea of coordinating with strategy gaming club to make their own version of Survivor.

Stephen Har r ison '20 has watched Survivor for roughly six year s.

(Photo: Scott Yezzi '20)

that he started watching Survivor in the spring of 2014.

Stephen has watched since he was in 6th grade and this is the 10th season he has watched live. Scott would even play Survivor with his neighbors in their yards. In 8th grade, Stephen actually made his own version of another reality competition, The Amazing Race, and set up an entire game for the class.

Both Yezzi and Harrison were surprised at the turnout of the club. There are currently 10 people in the group. Stephen explains that some are newbies to the show and that you don?t have to be a super fan to join in.

Scott Yezzi '20, one of the club's presidents, is also a competitive j ump roper.

Personally, the presidents have some pretty busy plates.

Scott is currently involved in Cape and Sword, Mission and Ministry, and Film Discussion Club. Outside of the Prep, Scott in on a competitive jump rope team that has traveled across the country. Stephen is apart of Cape and Sword, Concert Band, and Harry Potter Club. He also has a job outside of the Prep.

When asked about their favorite class at the Prep this year, both answered with Ms. Cook?s AP English III. Scott and Stephen were also asked about what they would wanna do when they are older.

Scott answered: ?I?d love to either be a college professor, specifically Chemistry or Biol-

ogy. I also like the idea of stage management, lighting design, etc.?

Stephen thought before answering and stated: ?You know, I have no clue. I?ve always liked math and English, but I still have [time], so we?ll see what happens.?

Both of the presidents have created a really cool discussion group and are excited to see it go further.

If you have any interest in joining, you can email Stephen (stephen.harrison@sjprephawks.org) or Scott (scott.yezzi@sjprephawks.org) if there are any question. The club meets every Thursday during Community Period in Room 206.

ASC Profile: Jamison Wellman '14 (Photo: St. Joe's Prep)

personality, and involvement in numerous student activities.

Mr. Wellman, a product of St. Pius X, grew up in Broomall, Pennsylvania. He grew fond of his history classes at the Prep, particularly enjoying Mr. Lynch?s sophomore United States History course.

When he was not in the classroom, Mr. Wellman was seen on the rugby pitch. While at the Prep, Mr. Wellman was a forward for the Prep rugby team.

M r. Wellman (left) has retur ned to the Prep as a r ugby coach and member of the Development Office.

By Gar ret M cCloskey '21 Although his tucked- away Jesuit Hall office is relatively

invisible to almost all students, Mr. Jamison Wellman is still a familiar face to many students due to his charisma, upbeat

Mr. Wellman graduated from the Prep in 2014 and brought his talents to Fairfield, Connecticut. While at Fairfield, he majored in Marketing and minored in Accounting and Humanitarian Action.

He also set aside time to mentor refugees through his Humanitarian Action minor and helped out a youth rugby program in Bridgeport, Con-

necticut. ?[The Alumni Service Corps program] was something that has always on my radar since freshman year of high school,? said Mr. Wellman. ?My religion teacher was Mr. O?Connell, and he was an ASC. I just thought this was a really cool program [...]. When it came time to figure out what to do after college it was [something] I applied for, and I was very delighted to [be accepted].?

Rugby has always been a major aspect of Mr. Wellman?s life. He has worked his way up the rugby ranks from player to coach.

Mr. Wellman, who was introduced to the sport of rugby while a student at the Prep, now finds time to coach current Prep ruggers. ?I [had] never even heard of the sport until being at the

Prep,? said Mr. Wellman. ?After the team won the state championship in 2011, I decided to try out playing that following spring as a sophomore.?

Titus Henkels, a sophomore standout on the rugby team, had only high praise for Mr. Wellman. ?Coach Jamison has brought a unique aspect to the rugby team that we haven't had before. He is able to wake up early and walk over from the ASC house to moderate lifts, which is helpful [...],? said Titus Henkels ?21. ?He also offers a perspective as a coach as someone who has been in the same place we as players are in now. He is also just a really nice guy.?

Mr. Wellman also assists in moderating the Film and TV Discussion Club and Pool and Billiards Club.

The Hawkeye | Friday, March 18, 2019 | Cr uciver balist: Fr ank Coyne '19 Note: Spaces not included

The Hawkword

Entertainment | 7

Across: 1. Capital of grunge music 2. Panama's southern neighbor 6. A.k.a. Japanese horseradish 8. The Stay-Puft man cameos in this film 10. Fancy word for "island chain" 11. Spanish peninsula 12. Ron Swanson's drink of choice 15. This method is common in philosophy 16. This ninja turtle wielded nunchucks 18. River parallel to the Tigris 19. King Arthur's gift from the Lady of the Lake Down: 1. California's biggest fault 3. Sinister name for a group of cows 4. Dogs are to canine as cows are to __ 5. Consumer of eucalyptus 7. The Northern Lights, scientifically 9. Home of Toblerone 13. Jame's Bond's car of choice 14. Zeros and ones only 17. Sport using mallets

Be the first person to email a picture of your completed Hawkword to Hawkeye@sjprep.org to receive a free Sage lunch pass.

Faculty Gr id

By Andrew Shapiro '19 M r. Greene

M r s. Nelson

M r. Ger ar di '14

M r. M ar tin ' 95

If you had to wrestle one faculty member who would it be?

I don?t wrestle, I'm too old for that

Iggy

Mr. Scott Mullen, I think I could take him

Mr. Scott Mullen, you have to beat the best

What is one thing you would change about the Prep?

Students?attitude towards cleaning up after themselves in dining hall

Students would read

The ASCs would be in charge

Free milkshakes at lunch for everyone

I f you could have one superpower, what would it be?

The ability to make everyone happy

Invisibility

Super speed

Flying

What is your favor ite SAGE delicacy?

Never eaten lunch

Oatmeal

Coffee

Cookie

Who is going to win the M arch M adness tour nament?

UVA because of their defense

A basketball team

Alabama

La Salle University

8 | Women's History Month Reflection | Friday, March 18, 2019 | The Hawkeye

Women's Histor y M onth Provides Necessar y Time for Reflection

K ate Ber r y (pictured above) was the fir st woman on faculty at the Prep, teaching religion in the 1968-1969 school year. She is the fir st in a long line of influential female faculty member s to have ser ved at the Prep.

(Photo: St. Joe's Prep)

(Photo: St. Joe's Prep)

(Photo: St. Joe's Prep)

By L iam Gr ugan '19

M s. Ebony Por ter M r s. Tar a M cFadden, (above), hired as Director Director of the Office of the of Diver sity & I nclusion President and Secretar y of in the Summer of 2017, the Boar d of Tr ustees, is str ives to educate also able to engage the Prepper s on how to community as the mother inter act with women. of two cur rent students.

Women at the Prep have a rich history: dating back to 1968, female faculty members have contributed to community as teachers, members of the staff and administration, mentors, mothers, coaches, and countless other roles that have been pivotal to furthering the school?s perpetual strive towards the ?Magis.?This month should be a time to look back in gratitude at the magnificent impact women have had on the greater community. It should be, but, as showcased last Thursday in the cafeteria, it hasn?t been.

Mrs. Lisann Castagno?s niece was visiting Philadelphia on her spring break from college. She, along with Castagno?s daughters, also on break, came to the Prep on Thursday afternoon -- during the 2nd period of student lunch -- planning to tour the city. According to Castagno, as they, accompanied by the teacher, walked through the Sauter Dining Hall, ?the kids went crazy.? Students reportedly shouted, catcalled, and went so far as to address Mrs. Castagno by name. Mr. Greene addressed the lunch period Friday, and later commented on the incident, saying ?The conduct displayed by the students at the dining hall was embarrassing to all who had to witness it, certainly the recipients, and not representative of what we expect from our Prep students.? He went on to say that he doesn?t ?think it?s reflective of the entire student body -- it certainly wasn?t a majority -- but it was more than enough.? Mrs. Castagno reportedly warned her daughters and niece against returning the following day for a Pro-Life Community Period speaker. "I want to make it clear that I do not think that the overall majority of our students behave this way," said Castagno. "I know that most of our students are gentlemen and it is those guys who need to call out the others."

So, the question becomes, are women in the all-male environment at the Prep put into a position where they feel discriminated against simply due to their gender? The answer, according to a few female faculty members, is yes and no.

In speaking about the incident, Mrs. Nelson and Mrs. McManus asked ?Does it speak to this place that they felt they could do that?? And, after discussing other similar forms of misbehavior by students, the answer Mrs. Nelson gave, having revealed that her own daughter dreaded days she was forced to come to the Prep, was simply that ?It?s fundamental; it?s big; it?s in our mission.? Mrs. McManus said that, "as a woman at the Prep, I don?t want to hear anything inappropriate, so I avoid it.? She then described a day that she and former Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Mr. Jose ?Gonzo? Gonzalez, walked through one such area which Mrs. McManus typically avoided, and heard a student make a highly inappropriate comment involving women. However, what she said next is perhaps the most harrowing statement on the attitude this community fosters among its female members: she admitted that ?If I wasn?t with Gonzo, I would?ve kept walking.?

Other female members of the faculty added their opinions on the incident and their overall Prep experience, generally describing a positive environment, in which they felt valued, but pointing also to the moments, akin to last Thursday, when it becomes clear that their gender does not allow them to receive the same respect as their male counterparts. Mrs. McFadden said that the disappointing fact of last week is that ?that?s not what we are, as a community, trying to instill in the young men at the Prep.? She added that she had never had an interaction similar to the one in the dining hall.

Many pointed also to the ambiguity of mistreatment. Mrs. McPoyle and Mrs. Kruszewski at the Front Office described a recent incident in which students mocked and even laughed at Mrs. Kruszewski for having asked them to clean up after themselves. Mrs. McPoyle thinks that they ?have more trouble with the students? than do their male counterparts, but Mrs. Sullivan argued that, ?sometimes I think we make too much of it.? She asserted that disrespect is universal, and is not singular to women at the school.

In spite of this assertion by Mrs. Sullivan, many women at the Prep feel as though, while disrespect is shown towards men, female members of the community shoulder a disproportionate share. Ms. Porter said that, though her time at the Prep hasn?t been a ?bad experience,? sometimes ?you step back as a woman and you wonder do they treat me like this because I?m a woman?? She says that a large part of her job is learning how men and boys navigate, and what she?s found at the school is a ?competitive nature.?

She tries to show students how to ?build people up,? but admits that ?behaviors are learned? and many of the students who are disrespectful perhaps are not solely at fault for the way they?ve learned to interact with women. She added that, in cases such as last week, ?If you?re in the room, you?re just as guilty if you didn?t speak up: advocate!?

Why if the school is founded on the concept of a commitment justice, do students at the Prep time and time again discriminate against such a significant portion of the larger community? Is it a lack of exposure to female interaction? Is it a learned prejudice, as Ms. Porter and others suggest? Or is it simply that the school is behind the times?

Regardless, now is the time for change. Now is the time for progress. Now is the time to stand up when peers are disrespectful. Now is the time to respect all members of the community, regardless of their differences. Now is the time, and yet many students remain silent, remain passive. Change is an obligation, not an option, and the Prep community has a long way to go.

The Hawkeye | Friday, March 18, 2019 |

Entertainment | 9

" Prep" M adness

We asked and you answered!

Here are the results of the 2019 Prep M adness br acket. " M ake the call," emer ges tr iumphant as the student body's choice for the most iconic Prep thing!

Oscar s 2019: M ixed Opinions With the lack of a host, removal of the Pop Culture category, and questionable award decisions, many found the 2019 Oscars to be a disappointment

By Rocco Spadea '20 On Sunday, February 24, the 91st annual Academy Awards ceremony was held.

The Oscars showcase and honor the best films of the year. This year had been different than many previous, as the awards ceremony didn?t have a host. The host was to be Kevin Hart, but he dropped out after an issue with old tweets popping up.

Without a host, the ceremony was somewhat bland.

There really wasn?t any comedic monologues without a host, except for a brief opening by Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Maya Rudolph,

all veterans of Saturday Night Live. It also seemed to drag on without a host, as it was just

"The 91st Academy Awards were somewhat of a letdown." the presentation of the awards and commercials in between.

There were only five performers, and none were truly memorable. Another part that

dragged it on was the inclusion of every award. Usually the smaller awards are given during commercial breaks to save time. But, due to the lack of a host, all of them were presented on air time.

The big winners of the night were somewhat predictable, with Rami Malek winning Best Actor for his portrayal of Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody. While he did portray the role phenomenally, Bradley Cooper or Christian Bale deserved the award but were snuffed because Malek portrayed a real person who is a favorite of so many. Best Actress was somewhat of a surprise, with Olivia Colman

winning for the role of Queen Anne of Britain in The Favourite. Best picture went to Green Book, which definitely deserved the Oscar, as it was a fantastic movie.

Alfonso Cuarรณn won Best Director for Roma. Black Panther took home three Oscars and Bohemian Rhapsody took home five in all.

One of the final issues with the awards was the cutting of the Pop Culture category. Its announcement was exciting for many, all of whom were upset to hear that the Oscars had shut the idea down. In today?s culture, this category is needed, as most of the movies released are related to pop culture.

While the Oscars is arguably Hollywood?s biggest night, the 91st Academy Awards were a letdown. Too many of the awards were predictable, and the ceremony lacked true vigor. The lacking of a host definitely had a huge impact, and it wasn?t one for the best.

There also wasn?t anything memorable, like Ellen Degeneres? internet breaking selfie from 2014. That was five years ago, yet has always stayed in a lot of people?s minds. Overall, the ceremony was okay and everyone who won did mostly deserve the awards. It will now be exciting to see contenders for the next Academy Awards, hoping for a better ceremony in 2020.

10 | Opinion/Debate | Friday, March 18, 2019 | The Hawkeye

A Compar ison of How Students View Ser vice (Photo: Diego Castillo)

harvesting berries in crop fields. This is extenuating work, harvesting under the sun, where temperatures go up to 90ยบ, and the thorns of the bushes dig into your hands and fingers.

Better even, is that Juniors and Seniors get the opportunity to go again to these camps and serve as counselors and foremen. This opportunity gives you a space to share your experiences with these kids who are just going through them, to help them through, and if you were to be called to the position I was, even cook for them.

We repeat the experiences and get to see ourselves in our younger schoolmates, see in their learning our learning, in their discovery our discovery and in their belief and faith ours too.

Students from Colegio San L uis in Chile, including Diego Castillo, who is j oining the Prep for this semester are pictured here with the people of Tal tal, near Antofagasta, where they did ser vice in December of 2018.

By Vicente Yanez '20

progress.

Jesuit schools in Chile have a heavy sentiment of charity and service. It is considered to be one of the most important pillars in the education of young men and women, and is both mandatory and celebrated.

The second goal is to establish a sense of camaraderie among the students. Getting your hands dirty with your brothers will create an invaluable bond. These results of joint service work in the community are proven true every year, and I can personally vouch for their value. Students wait in anticipation each year for the service trip. This enthusiasm isn?t seen as much in freshmen, but after you get a taste of it, it?s something you await eagerly every year.

The first and foremost point of these service experiences is the theory that the young and well- off need to acquaint themselves with struggles of poverty. Knowing each other, especially those less fortunate than us, and acknowledging the great inequality is key for

At San Ignacio El Bosque, we have a mandatory service trip once a year, and students agree that it?s one of the most valuable experiences of high school. Freshmen visit a school, usually setting up camp in a classroom, and for the following week they help with whatever is needed at the school. I, for one, helped paint a computer lab, but also got to know the kids, helping with their homework, and even teaching them how to read.

Sophomores stay at a school, too, usually in a poor neighborhood, and they go into

homes surrounding the school to install heat insulation in these homes. Bear in mind this is done in the winter, in the houses of people that have no insulation in their walls but sheets of polystyrene.

Juniors stay at a voluntary host house and go to work for a week in a factory, and it is a tradition for these students to present their paycheck at the end of the week to their host homes as a sign of gratitude for housing and feeding them.

Seniors, at last, spend two weeks of their summer break

Students at the Prep view service a little differently.

While some see the value in hard work that helps the community, a portion of students, unfortunately, see the 75 required service hours as a box to check off in exchange for a diploma. However, the value of service is so much more than that.

Now you might be thinking, why go through all that and not stay at home? I asked myself the same question over and over again throughout my freshman year, but believe me when I tell you, it?s one of the instances in which you can make true friends, make your old friends into new brothers, and set the values you would be taught in words in stone.

Service experiences are as important as what you learn in the classroom: the values you learn, the new things you?ll see, the people you?ll meet.

Those are priceless.

Opinion: Prep Students Should Check Their Emails

By Jason M atter a '20 The average Prep student checks his email once per day, usually in the morning before school. This is not frequent enough to actually know what is going on in the school day, or upcoming school days. Any Prep student who?s been left in the dark about an important Prep related event or issue has likely learned his lesson and reformed his email- checking habits, and thus as the grade levels go up, the amount of checks per day for the average student goes up. I have asked a handful of Juniors around school and they have said that they check their email multiple times per day.

When asking freshman and sophomores, however, the answers become similar to ?I check my email once every so often.? When I asked what that means, it is around one cursory check every three days. Now, if this is the case, Prep students are missing emails from the Dean, teachers, the Principal, colleges, coaches, and many other important individuals delivering potentially urgent messages. In the past three days, I personally have received over thirty emails.

These emails are from Mr. Zazycyny, my college counselor, different colleges, every teacher I have, and a few from my director - - all with ques-

tions or updates essential to my functioning effectively throughout the school week.

A few examples of Prep students not knowing what is going on because of emails are very recent and embarrassing.

Last week we celebrated Mass because of Ash Wednesday. I talked with three students who did not know we had Mass, nor did they know it was Ash Wednesday. Also last week was the National Latin Exam, so students who do not take Latin didn?t need to be in school until 9:10. When I was taking my test at 8:30, a group of students walked into the classroom thinking that it was their class time, disrupting

those taking the test.

uniform.

This mishap could?ve been easily avoided by a quick scroll through the week?s Dean?s Update. Additionally, a few times a month, we have dress down days. This message is relayed to students by announcements throughout the week over the loudspeaker; however, on the day before the dress down day, Mr. Poole, sends out an email telling us that we have a dress down day and what the proceeds benefit, an essential reminder with the continued jumbled and unclear announcements in some classrooms. Even with the helpful email reminder, though, nearly 40-50 students still show up in

Our Prep email is the central piece of intelligence that connects the students to faculty and staff. The Prep contacts the students through email, and if students do not check their email, then important information cannot be relayed. Emails will become more and more important during Junior and Senior year when applying to colleges and gaining more leadership and responsibility throughout the school. If every Prep student checks his email a bit more frequently, we can have a more responsible, wellinformed school community and benefit everyone involved.

Follow @SJPHawkeye on Twitter for Exclusive Content & Online I ssues!

The Hawkeye | Friday, March 18, 2019 |

Opinion/Debate | 11

DEBATE: Should the Prep I nstitute Cyber Days?

Pro:

By M atthew Cor r '22 As you might imagine, talk of potential snow days around this time of year sparks a great uproar among Prep students.

They long for the sweet midweek break of a snow day. The night before is filled with anticipation of a call or text that school is canceled for the following day. A call that, if made, will give students a day to lounge around, likely doing nothing, and temporarily forget about the stress and responsibility of life as a Prep student.

At the Prep, snow days have typically been handled in such a way that everything - - letter days, tests, and assignments -gets pushed back a day, and nothing else about the responsibilities a student has for the next day of school changes.

However, recently, Mr. Zazyczny has sent out messages on snow days to the entire school community stating that teachers may be assigning students limited amounts of virtual work to complete, and students should check online for updates from each of their teachers. The small work a student could have for one or two classes keeps him a little bit in a school mindset, but the reality is that we are losing a full day of the school year to snow.

To counter these missed days, schools in our area have begun to use cyber days. On cyber days, teachers assign work and lessons to students to avoid falling behind. Students have a full day of work for each of their classes, only it is completed in the comfort of

A snowy day in the streets of Philly, and now potentially a day of wor k for Prep students. their own homes.

While any student reading might scoff at the idea of introducing cyber days to the Prep, having cyber work on snow days would allow more flexibility when deciding whether or not to cancel school for the day. If we have cyber days on snow days, it will enable teachers and students to stay on schedule with their work instead of falling behind and losing valuable class time.

The administration, in turn, might be more inclined to grant a day off when they know it?ll be used at least somewhat productively.

In other private schools where cyber days have been instituted, such as Villa Maria Academy, there has been an increase in the amount of snow days per winter season. In these schools, the students at home do not only complete assigned work, but also continue learning new things, unlike at the Prep.

ally, I feel like the value of more snow days out weighs having less snow days with limited work, provided they are structured fairly.

Obviously, many students would be against this because they would much rather have no work on the snow day. For example, Freshman Aidan Sweeney commented, ?I believe that snow days are a break from our rigorous schedule as students.? But person-

Though the institution of cyber days might mean more days off, teachers should not have to compensate with ridiculous amounts of work. A brief assignment that takes 30 minutes or less for each class would allow students to learn a bit of new material, but also catch up on other work and, more importantly, sleep.

They?d even have some time left to enjoy the snow day.

Breaks from our school week are important because they

sitting around. I am always moving and doing things, using my time productively and enhancing my life far more than busy work would.

My already packed day would be even more busy if all seven of my teachers posted assignments to do. Isaiah Franco, another senior, said, ?It is pointless because kids already have homework from the night before that they push off to the snow days, and if a kid doesn?t check his email he is going to get penalized for having a day off.? Isaiah brings up a crucial point.

If there was a poll of every kid at the Prep, I would estimate that over 50% of the student body does not check their email. Most students rely on the teacher?s word about as-

signments, their instructions, and their due dates. Not to mention the fact that inclement weather might mean an inability to access the internet for some students. I do not think it is fair to spring an unknown assignment on a student who doesn?t check his email or isn?t able to do so. The teacher would either give the student a 0, or they give them an extra day, which just adds more stress surrounding school work to an already busy Prep life.

My third and final argument comes from junior Danny Campbell. He said, ?Some teachers will be inclined to assign new material on the cyber days, which would set kids further back and make them more confused about what is going on in class.?.

give students a chance to step back and regroup before continuing to learn, but why not make the most of this break and introduce a non- stressful opportunity for learning into this relaxing snow day?

Perhaps to find the solution to this debate, we must find the balance between too many snow days, too much work, and too much rest to find the perfect system to stay on schedule. One thing is for sure: Cyber days are a valuable consideration for the administration trying to uphold the rigor and prestige of St. Joseph?s Preparatory School.

Con:

By Nick M atter a '19 So far in the 2018- 2019 school year, the Prep has given its students three days off due to inclement weather, all of which came in the third quarter. This has put teachers in a conundrum, having to push back assignments, tests, and due dates. On every snow day email, Mr. Z asked the students to check their emails in case an assignment was posted by the teacher, hinting at the implementation of what many other local high schools enact on days off due to snow: cyber days. Schools like Mount St. Joseph?s Academy have been using this system for years to make sure students don?t fall behind.

The basic idea is that teach-

ers post homework that will be due the day after the snow day.

This in my opinion is not necessary and/or useful for the students at The Prep. A lot of this homework tends to be busy work in the first place, which senior Robbie Calabro said is ?not useful for the students.? Busy work doesn?t enhance learning or comprehension, it simply takes away from the valuable time one needs on a snow day. Coming from personal experience, snow days aren?t always just a free day.

All three snow days this year I shoveled my own driveway, plus my elderly neighbors' driveways. I am always doing things around the house or running errands for my mom. I know these are smaller and minute tasks, but I am not just

I have had teachers in the past that I know would attempt to assign new material and expect us to have it understood by the next class. In some classes, I am struggling to understand while I am in class. I can not imagine having to learn new material for one of my AP classes without a teacher present. Teaching is the job of the paid professional, not the student with a day off.

Overall, cyber days seem like a good idea from the teacher?s eyes and would supposedly stop the Prep from falling behind, but will only cause more stress and confusion for the students. Snow days should be used to help others, not to cram in busy work for your classes.

Want to take out an ad in The Hawkeye? Contact Andrew K oh '19. andrew.koh@sjprephawks.org

12| Opinion and Debate | Friday, March 18, 2019 | The Hawkeye

Fix The Disrepair of The Junior L ot

By Rocco Spadea '20

Because the lot has no formally drawn spaces, students park in such a manner that those who arrive first park along the edges, and those last to park are forced to block them in with inconvenient

((Photo: Joe Scott '19)

One of the biggest issues with the Flora Street lot is that it is too cramped for the amount of cars parked in it.

When the year first started, I had no trouble finding a spot, but by November, the majority of the class began driving to school and it became an absolute mess. Junior Quinn Burns said, ?The junior lot comes in handy, but it gets really annoying when I can?t find anywhere to park besides the middle of the lot.?

(Photo: Jimmy King '21)

A large majority of the school?s student drivers has had to deal with the junior lot.

As a current junior, I have had multiple issues with the Flora Street lot, and I am not the only one. Complaints are heard in the morning and after school when entering or exiting the lot. While the junior lot does have its perks, like only costing five dollars for an entire year of parking and protection, there are many downsides that tend to overshadow the good.

The lot has thus reached a point where it is not only inconvenient, but is a hazard to the property of the student drivers.

Cones ser ve as a war ning to those par ked inconveniently. spots in the middle. In the morning, finding an open spot is very difficult. Sometimes I have had to park on the edge of the lot, squeezing up against the opening gate to not block others in. If you arrive anytime after 7:55 a.m., you are more than likely going to have to park in the middle of the lot.

jams, and people have been boxed in. After school, it is even worse, as a lot of cars are left from kids at lifts and practices. Again, because of lack of infrastructure, there isn?t a clear shot for each car to exit.

Junior Anthony Ventresca recently received his license and doesn?t park in the lot. ?I park on 17th street because it?s the only place I know I can find parking without worrying about being boxed in.?

One morning, I witnessed two kids pull out of the lot and park on the sidewalk by it, as that was the only space, and finding a spot without boxing in others was simply impossible. This has caused traffic

Samuel Veitz, another junior, also voiced his frustrations: ?There are no set spaces and

it?s so small. Students always get blocked in by the people who park in the middle, but there is nowhere else for them to park.?

Current juniors aren?t the only ones to have issues. Senior John Fioravanti explained his issues from last year too. ?There is just not enough space for all of the Junior drivers. I have scratches and dents in my car from the junior lot due to sketchy parking, getting hit by other junior drivers trying to leave the lot, and me banging into other cars when I was trying to leave,? he said.

Something needs to be done about the junior lot. Some recommendations are to have spaces set for the cars, so kids don?t have the opportunity to take up two slots. Also, another lot should be opened up.

There is the Cabot Street lot, and that could really help fix the space problem. Last year they tried the Cabot lot as the Junior lot, and found it to be ineffective and crowded, but Flora has the same exact problems. If both lots are open daily, students can divide parking between the two with plenty of room for all.

At this point, there is a need for fixing the junior lot, especially with the space issue. The issue is getting worse as more kids are getting their licenses and driving to school. It could result in a car accident or car damage, which everyone wants to avoid. Such incidents have already occurred, and need to be prevented for the current juniors. Fixing the Flora Street should become a priority to avoid any further complications.

Follow us on I nstagram and Twitter @SJPHawkeye or read our issues online at issuu.com/thehawkeye6

The Hawkeye Staff St. Joseph's Prepar ator y School 1733 West Gir ar d Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19130 Editor s-in-Chief

Social M edia M anager

Thomas Avington '20

Liam Grugan '19

Niko Sammartino '19

Rocco Spadea '20

David McCabe '19

Christopher Zack '20

Denis Gallagher '20

Joe Scott '19

Tyler Konrad '20 Head Wr iter s

Jason Mattera '20

M anaging Editor

Robbie Calabro '19

Aidan McGahey '20

Ned Burke '19

Frank Coyne '19

Marcus Murphy '20

Jacob DeAnnuntis '19

Vicente Yanez '20

Features Section Editor

Scott Hibbs '19

Matthew Bae '21

Carl Whittington '19

Matt Marhefka '19

Alex Currie '21

I f you are inter ested in contr ibuting mater ials to the Hawkeye, contact our email (below) to submit an ar ticle, photogr aph, or to wr ite a letter to the editor. L etter s should not exceed 500 wor ds.

Hawkeye@sj prep.or g

Kieran Dougherty '21 Enter tainment Section Editor

Contr ibutor s

Garret McCloskey '21

Christian Giuliani '19

Pat Adams '19

Murphy Bonner '22

Alex Cabulong '19

Matthew Corr '22

Opinion-Debate Section Editor

Isaiah Franco '19

Thomas Crocker '22

Jack Thorell '19

Kevin Latu '19

Brennan Fitzgerald '22

John Leuzzi '19

Seamus Schultz '22

Spor ts Section Editor

Nick Mattera '19

Ethan Spillane '22

Ricky Weipz '19

Joe Matthews '19

Bobby Woltjen '22

Conor McCabe '19

M oder ator s

Business M anager

Andrew Shapiro '19

Mr. Leo Vaccaro '05

Andrew Koh '19

Reza Ali '20

Mr. Kevin Kearney '06

All mater ials pr inted by the Hawkeye are intended to both enter tain and infor m the Prep community as well as cultivate an environment that gener ates meaningful and productive discussion. The opinions and beliefs expressed in the advertisements and ar ticles in this publication do not necessar ily reflect the values or mission of the Hawkeye Student Newspaper of St. Joe's Prep.

The Hawkeye | Friday, March 18, 2019 |

Sports | 13

Student-Athlete of the M onth: Jimmy K ing '21

By John L euzzi '19 With the basketball season ending a few weeks ago, Speedy Morris? guys have hung their shoes up until next season. However, there is one member of Morris? varsity team that still has to get through a spring sport season.

That person is Jimmy King ?21.

King, a Philadelphia native, is known for his athleticism, speed, skills, and high sports IQ. Building off his freshman year, where he played basketball and baseball, King is now playing both at the varsity level.

Being a two sport varsity athlete at the Prep is not entirely unheard of. He now adds himself to a notable list of twosport varsity athletes. This list includes: Dan Fisher ?17 (Football and Lacrosse), Johnny Freeman ?19 (Football and Volleyball), Trey Fruncillo ?18 (Soccer and Lacrosse) , Super Bowl MVP Rich Gannon ?83 (Football and Crew), Pete Gayhardt ?16 (Basketball and Lacrosse), Aidan Hartey ?19 (Soccer and Basketball), Jacob O?Connell ?19 (Basketball and Volleyball), Brandon Sanders ?18 (Football and

Baseball), Zach Snider ?18 (Football and Lacrosse), D?Andre Swift ?17 (Football and Track & Field), Benny Walls ?16 (Football and Track & Field), just to name a few.

King, a Waldron Mercy Academy alumnus, started on the freshman basketball team and the JV baseball team last year. He would move his way up to starting at shortstop for the varsity team midway through the season after a hot start down at JV. Now in his sophomore year, he served as a role player for varsity basketball and is looking to keep the starting job for baseball. ?It?s tough playing two sports. It?s a major time commitment, because it?s not right to give one sport more attention than the other,? he said.

It is his strong work ethic and dedication to both sports that make King stand out. ?There is a great deal of overlap with the two seasons as baseball is training. For example, lifts for baseball happen right during basketball practice. I just try to stay focused on being the best teammate that I can be, even if that means staying for a two hour baseball practice after three

hours of basketball. It?s a grind, but it?s worth it in the end,? he said.

The term ?student- athlete? might downplay the role of academics, but in King?s mind, ?School always comes first over sports. It is sometimes hard to remember, but I try to keep it in mind. The Prep curriculum is tough, but I try to work through everything and take no shortcuts.?

For Jimmy, his goals for the upcoming baseball season are, ?to win every game, win the Catholic League Championship, and earn a spot in the State Playoffs. I want to be the best player and teammate that I can be.?

Outside of playing basketball and baseball, King serves as a Sophomore Ambassador for the Mission and Ministry Leadership Board. He also is a common face to see helping out at the Speedy Morris Basketball Camps during the summer.

Look for King to be a big part for the baseball team as they look to win their first PCL Title since 2009. Follow the team on Twitter @SJPrepBaseball for updates on the squad.

K ing '21 is the only retur ning underclassman for Coach Valucci's squad in spr ing. He was also the only underclassman to get var sity basketball minutes dur ing this season.

Hockey Upsets O'Har a and M alver n, Falls to L a Salle Senior Nick Mattera, who attended the game, described the atmosphere in the crowd. ?I?ve been to the Wells Fargo center many times to watch Flyers and Sixers games, but never was I as close to the action as I was at the Flyers Cup. Being in the second row, right next to the ice was one of my favorite Prep experiences.

The student section was rocking the whole night, keeping the chants funny, while also respectful as Dean Greene kept a watchful ear from a few rows up. Even though the team lost I wouldn?t trade that experience for anything else, it was an awesome night,? he said.

Fr ank Ver r atti '19 is pictured here dur ing last week's game against O'Har a.

By Gar rett M cCloskey '21 and Joe Scott ?19 The hockey team had revenge on their minds during their 4-0 win against Cardinal O?Hara in the first round of Flyers Cup action. Another 62 win over Malvern sent the team to the Wells Fargo Cen-

ter, to face LaSalle.

With three early goals, in just the first few minutes, LaSalle had a cushion to ride through the whole game. After that, the Prep was able to answer with goals from Vinnie Borgesi ?22 and Andrew Centrella ?22.

The game was particularly notable because of its location. The Flyers Cup championship was held at the home of the Flyers, the Wells Fargo Center. Dan McGill ?19, spoke to the feeling of playing on the Flyers?ice. ?It was an awesome experience

being able to play on the same ice as some great NHL players,? he said. He noted also that, ?The crowd was amazing. We really appreciated the support from the school, students, and families who either came to the game or watched it online.?

The season was another great run for Prep hockey.

Though they weren't able to bring home the trophy again, the team has an optimistic view of their year. McGill summed that feeling up, saying, ?The season started off rough, but we learned and grew as a team. The adversity we overcame helped us string together some key wins in the playoffs to bring us to the championship at Wells Fargo.?

14 | Sports | Friday, March 15, 2019 | The Hawkeye

Prep Baseball is Back with Some New Faces Once again it?s baseball season at The Prep, but this year is different than years past.

Last year's team was thought to be one of the more talented groups the Prep has fielded in the last few years. But, the season got off to a rough start with the team starting with a record of 3- 6 and never really finding their rhythm. In Anthony Valucci?s inaugural season as head coach, the team finished the regular season 810 and lost in the second round of the PCL playoffs to the eventual champions, La Salle College High School, in a 2- 1 pitcher?s duel.

At the very first practice in November, the coaches sent out a message: ?No one is guaranteed a spot whether you are a freshman or a senior.?

They challenged the team to push themselves to their limits and to give all they have to this program starting from day one, and the team accepted. Junior Emanuel Chuckran ?20 said, ?this year I really focused on the idea of buying in, because we don't have necessarily the talent we had last year with thirteen seniors, however, those thirteen guys didn't all buy in to a goal and this year everyone is buying in and it looks as though everyone is coming together as a team way better and way quicker than we did last year.?

After a grueling off- season program, the student- athletes are more than ready to take on the Catholic League, one of the top baseball leagues in the area. But no matter how much the team prepares, there are still some things that are left to be seen. One being the uncertainty of its younger players.

(Photo: St. Joe's Prep)

By K ier an Dougher ty '21

The team held tr youts inside last week, but they were able to pr actice outside in sunny Or lando, Flor ida this past weekend.

This year's team will have only four seniors compared to last year?s thirteen. With one of the youngest teams in the PCL, Valucci said, ?we feel good with where we are at, but ultimately we won't know until we start playing some games. If there is one disadvantage to having such a young team it would be the unknown...The PCL is the toughest league around, so until you see how they handle the grind of the season you never really know.?

A positive from having such a young team is that some players will be getting playing opportunities they might not have gotten with a large senior presence. One of those players is Owen Evert ?20, a transfer from Monsignor Bonner, who will be the finishing touch to an already stacked infield.

Evert, who will most likely play third base, joins Jimmy King ?21 and Emanuel Chuckran in a potential All- Catholic infield.

Another area that needs improvement is pitching. Five games were lost last year after the 6th inning. The team looks to build their staff around Bucknell University commit Joe Richardson ?19, who received third team All- Catholic honors last year.

Returning to varsity along with Richardson is Owen Beisty ?20, a hard throwing relief pitcher who was a key member of the bullpen last year. All in all, there is confidence within the coaches that the pitching staff will be very successful this year, despite their youth.

The team opened up the season at Disney?s ESPN Wide World of Sports High School Spring Training Event in Orlando, Florida for the second straight year. Senior manager John Leuzzi ?19 said that the goal of the trip this year is the same as last year: ?To bring the guys together, to build chemistry that is needed to win championship.?

The team performed well, taking three out of four games with strong performances across the roster.

level. To win a PCL, District, and State Title. When I graduate in June I want to go out on a high note.?

Ever since the first ground ball was hit in November, everyone knew that this season will be special. There is a palpable energy in the atmosphere at every workout. Hopefully, in the end, this team of young players will enter the front doors at 17th and Girard holding that coveted State Championship Trophy above their heads.

This season will not be easy, but no matter what, the goals are still the same throughout the program.

Leuzzi said, ?I have the same goals for this year that I have had for the past three years while managing at the varsity

Prep Swimming Stands Out at PCL s

By Seamus Schultz ?21 Leadership plays a key role in a team's success. This season, the Prep swim team handled a tough PCL schedule that they may have found unmanageable without senior leadership. However, according to the coach, all members of the team performed to their best, not only the seniors.

Reflecting on the 2018-2019 season, coach Dan Koenig ?14 said, "I was extremely proud of how we competed. It didn't matter whether it was the first heat of an event or the District finals, our guys swam their best. All the hard work, time, and energy these guys put in throughout the season payed off with amazing, time-dropping performances.?

Koenig did not originally intend t serve as a coach but Mr. Hart reached out to Koenig to serve as Interim Head Coach. Koeing stepped into the role, holding time trials and posting workouts for 35 swimmers with the help of teacher,

Paul Morrissey. Koenig proved he was more than capable of leading a varsity program by leading the team to one of its best seasons in years.

On top of a successful season, the Hawks had a whopping ten allcatholic nominations: Nathaniel Aiken '19, Robert Calabro '19, Patrick Casey '22, John Clark '22, Luke Denn '22, David Iuvara '19, Andrew Kantner '21, Michael Krumenacker '19, Stephen Lindsay '20 and Dylan Maziarz '19.

As well as those individual successes, the 200 freestyle relay team managed to qualify for states at Bucknell University on March 15th.

The relay consisted of seniors Michael Krumenacker, Dylan Maziarz, David Iuvara, and Robbie Calabro. The alternates for the relay were Nathaniel Aiken and Stephen Lindsay. ?As a first year coach, this has been an unbelievable experience with a team I will never forget,? said Koenig. ?I also want to thank Mr. Paul Morrissey for returning to the program and assisting me this year."

The Hawkeye | Friday, March 18, 2019 |

Sports | 15

Har per-mania Hits the Prep

By Robbie Calabro '19 March 1st, 2019 is precisely 123 days away from October 29th, 2018. These two dates are significant to two overlapping groups of people: baseball fans and Philadelphians. On October 29th, the MLB free agency window began. 123 days later, Bryce Harper officially signed with the Philadelphia Phillies.

The day his free agency ended was as celebrated as the coming of Jesus in Philadelphia. The price of such a prized player, however, left some wondering if he was worth it. The largest contract in sports history (with the exception of boxer Canelo Alvarez), at $330 million over 13 years, is certainly a hefty price tag. But is he worth it?

The city of Philadelphia seems to think so. On the day after his signing, over 100,000 tickets were sold to games. His jersey is the top selling jersey within 48 hours in the history of all sports. Google searches that included the term ?bryce harper? increased about 670% between February 10 to March 2. The 26- year old phenom, known for his fiery passion and left- handed power stroke, is clearly the main attraction in

a city that includes Joel Embiid, Carson Wentz, and Boban Marjanovic.

The impact of this signing is multiplied when the conditions are taken into consideration.

The Phillies?offer beat the offers of the LA Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, Washington Nationals, and even the Chicago Cubs for a short time. The other fan bases were understandably upset. Prominent Chicago sports fan Dan Katz, upon learning Harper?s dog was named Wrigley, demanded the name be changed to ?Xfinity Live Center? on his podcast Pardon My Take. National fans continued to call Philadelphia a ?trash city,? even though their city was literally built on a swamp. The 15 combined fans of the Dodgers and Padres probably cried too. The point is, his signing simultaneously elated approximately 1.6 million Philadelphians and crushed hearts across the country.

In a school currently dominated by discussions of firing Brett Brown and the Sixers? impending playoff run, the Bryce Harper signing became one of the biggest topics of discussion. Nick Mattera ?19,

a self-described ?huge Phillies fan,? said that ?[he] has great hair and will change the direction the franchise was heading.? Nick speaks for all of us in the sense that yes, Harper has great hair and is a dynamic personality, but his on- field impact is most important.

Ricky Weipz ?19, who will now not need to change his dog?s name (his dog was named ?Harper? after him three years ago), said that he ?loved [the deal] because [Harper] was my favorite nonPhillies player. I?ve been obsessed with him ever since he got drafted.? Luckily, Harper was finally given the opportunity to allow Ricky to remove the word ?non? from that quote and join the city that was the first capital of our nation.

Even among people who aren?t huge baseball fans, like Student Council President Thomas Dintino ?19, Harper has made an impact: ?Imagine going to a baseball game in the summer now. That would be awesome,? he said. It?s doubtful he would have been as enthusiastic if Harper signed with the Dodgers, who seem to forget how to play baseball once the playoffs start every year.

Signing a free agent of this

Br yce Har per has brought the Phillies from championship hopefuls, to favor ites in the National L eague. magnitude for a Philly sports team is unprecedented.

Reuben Frank, an Eagles writer for NBC Sports Philadelphia, already listed it as a top- 10 free agent signing in Philadelphia?s history. In recent history, the only players who can even remotely compare are Alshon Jeffery, Nick Foles, and Cliff Lee. But they don?t come close to the magnitude of Harper.

Bryce Harper?s signing is a commitment on the part of the Phillies that they are in winnow mode. With a top- five starter in Aaron Nola, one of the best sabermetrics oriented managers in Gabe Kapler, arguably the top catcher in the league, and a bolstered bullpen, the argument can be made that a World Series is only 6 months away.

Friday, March 18, 2019 | The Hawkeye

Senior s Br ing Star Power to Volleyball (Photo: St. Joe's Prep)

Johnny Freeman was a first team All- Catholic wide receiver, and two- time state champion with the Prep football team. You would think he would relax after four grueling years of dedication to the gridiron, but that is just not the case.

Freeman '19 spiking a ball dur ing tr youts.

By Ricky Weipz '19 Volleyball at the Prep has been very close to winning a PCL title in the last few years.

Finishing third in the league last year, and second the year before that, it was apparent that they were missing a key piece.

Well, they might have found

?I like the bonds that you build when you play a sport and when you are having fun,?

Freeman said. Now, he gets to build more bonds, and have more fun with the volleyball team. ?I got asked to play by Mr. Murphy. He told me to try out and see if I liked it. After playing, I had a lot of fun, so I decided to join the team.?

Freeman?s talents on the football field earned him the right to play college ball at Gannon University. Most people would be advised to focus on one sport in this situation, but, ?the coaches have no problem that I am playing another sport.?

In the eyes of Freeman, the key to trying something new,

maybe even out of one?s comfort zone is to, ?have confidence in yourself, and try your best, because knowing you are giving it your all will help in the long run.?

(Photo: St. Joe's Prep)

two stars in the form of Johnny Freeman ?19, and Jacob O?Connell ?19, who will be hitting the court together this spring.

Jacob O?Connell, on the other hand, was a center for the varsity basketball team the past two years. He has been playing basketball since he was six years old, and has committed to Princeton University to continue his hoops career. O?Connell transferred into the Prep after his sophomore year at Eastern Regional High School in Voorhees, New Jersey.

What most people do not know about O?Connell?s time as a Viking was that he also played varsity volleyball for them. ?I had a great time playing volleyball my sophomore year, and I was very successful, so since then I have always wanted to play it again,? said O?Connell. He got involved with the sport because he wanted to, ?try something new,? and obviously he enjoyed it enough to bring his talents to the Hawks.

With O?Connell going to Princeton next year to play basketball, some might wonder

O'Connell '19 should be used to blocking people from hoops season. what his future coaches think about his dream to bump, set, and spike this spring. In O?Connell?s case, ?I haven?t actually told them about it yet.?

O?Connell?s 6?11?? frame, and leaping ability is definitely something that other teams in the PCL should fear. His experience is also great for Coach Murphy to have. The senior said that the main thing he wants to do this spring is, ?obviously win games, but most of

all I want to have fun.? The one thing he mentioned about trying out a different sport was to: ?Just enjoy playing and having fun.?

These two acquisitions should beef up the volleyball roster and propel them into PCL title contention. Playing alongside fellow veterans Dan McGill ?19, AJ Spallucci ?19, and Tyler Konrad ?20, this team is ready to do some damage in the PCL.

M arch M adness Takes Over Community

By Denis Gallagher '20 As the NCAA basketball tournament draws near, Prep students are becoming more and more excited to watch collegiate basketball players battle for the chance to become National Champions. The Student Council decided to draw upon that energy and give students the chance to compete in a March Madness tournament of their own, at the Prep. Teams of six are playing against their peers in games of four-on-four.

Excitement is in the air as the teams play during community period, leaving disappointment in some hearts and victory in others.

Last year, in the 2017- 2018 school year, there was no March Madness tournament, or intramural basketball at all.

This year, however, Robbie Calabro ?19 and the rest of Student Council have worked to bring back this classic competition. Intramural basketball was a tradition among homerooms, back when the Prep ran on the ?old schedule?. Homerooms would play to win against others, meaning that luck of the draw went a long way in determining teams? success. This year, however, students are able to form their own team, across all grades, in a selection process much like

(Photo: Robbie Calabro)

Round one has been completed of the inaugur al Prep M arch M adness Tour nament. the Turkey Bowl. This leads to better team chemistry and a chance to play alongside friends that students feel work best for their chances of victory.

The rules of the tournament are simple. Two teams of six play four- versus- four in a game of seven- minute halves, running clock, with a oneminute half time. Fouls give possession to the fouled team, substitutions are allowed after a made basket, and points count for twos or threes. Students who played freshman, JV, or varsity basketball are not allowed to take part in the competition, however, they are

free to volunteer as referees.

Alongside these students are members of the Alumni Service Corps, and they have shown, so far, an ability to officiate a fair game for all. One strategy for basketball players to get in on the action is to coach a team, a tactic employed by juniors Jack Kasper ?20 and Colin Hagan ?20, leading teams Schwartz and Manna, respectively, from the sidelines.

Round one of the the tournament bracket contains 32 teams, but because of large participation throughout the school, extra play- in games were needed to be played on

Thursday, March 7th. Notable games include Team Egan?s one- point win over Team Davies, and the heavily contested Team Manna victory over Team McCarthy. After the play-in round, round one began on Friday the 8th. Again, Team Manna needed to defend its spot on the bracket from the sizable Team Bikah. After three overtimes, this thrilling match up ended with a victory for Team Manna. Following that game, court one saw another entertaining game between Teams Moke and Mason, leading to team Moke being eliminated by the physical Team Mason.

As the tournament proceeds, a few squads stand out as having solid chances of making it far into their bracket. In the stacked Villager Hall bracket section, I forsee Teams Manna and Mattera out as the leaders of their pack, ending up with only one going on to the semifinals. Team Sutton will have to fend off the hungry teams in the Sauter Dining Hall bracket section. In the Jesuit Hall region, Teams Calabro and Mason enter the tournament as high- ranking contenders. Finally, the McShain Library region will end up in heavilycontested games between the four all- Junior teams of Konrad, Gallagher, Schwartz, and Wahba.

This tournament is a great example of the efforts Student Council, along with the administration and athletic directing staff, to provide students an opportunity to engage in something besides school.

This welcomes distraction and adds excitement to teams? days, as the stakes of single elimination are high. Hopefully, March Madness ends up in sportsmanship, fairness, and effort across the board. Students can sign up on the Adaptive Scheduler to reserve a spot to spectate the games.