Inside This Week's Issue Papal Visit Analysis, Chromebooks, Football,
Student of the Week, and a Crossword Puzzle
Volume 41, Issue II
The Student Newspaper of St. Joseph's Prep
Edited by Joe Egler '16 and Ryan Naehr '16
September 18, 2015
Great Success or Total Disappointment?: The Debut of the 1:1 Initative Chromebooks with what we By Kevin Sampson '16 Here we are, three weeks into the 2015-2016 school year, and thus three weeks into the implementation of the esteemed school-wide 1:1 chromebook initiative. It’s fairly safe to say that, because we’ve had a good amount of time with these machines, we can compare last year’s predictions about the
Above, the Student Help Desk team poses with Fr. Swope '72 at Chrombook distribution.
currently know about them. In other words, I’m going to “Monday morning quarterback” the 1:1 initiative: what did we predict correctly, and what were we wrong about? While including statements and statistics taken last year from The Hawkeye, I will attempt to answer these questions. When asked if they were happy about having Chromebooks last year,
Mission and Ministry leaders discuss the Papal Visit
By Anthony Tigano '18
Pope Francis, the most influential pope of our time, is coming to our home city of Philadelphia. Our home, the Prep, is in the center of the action. With just weeks away, everyone at the Prep is excited for Our Holy Father’s arrival. But we’re not going to hog up all the glory. Jesuit schools across America, Canada, and even Puerto Rico - more than 40 high schools are sending representative students and staff to come and experience the joy of the Pope’s visit with us, as a
Contined on page 2
possible without papal team leader Mr. Adam Rosinski. “I saw Pope John Paul II when he was in Quebec, and it was a super exciting event. I’m able to feel that excitement all over again.” Mr. Rosinski and Mr. Deitch started planning for this challenging event almost a year ago. Inviting schools, setting up activities, The 2 Philly 4 Francis team preparing in the Rooney room. answering emails, signing Jesuit community from the Prep in classrooms. These paperwork, and organizing a September 24th to September pilgrims from all over will very complex schedule. 28th. gather to pray, reflect, and “This pope is a Over those several celebrate our Jesuit and brother Jesuit of mine, and his days while the Pope is here, Catholic identity as a family. coming to our hometown, out they will be camping here at This great experience is not Continued on page 2
Chromebooks (Cont'd)
79.4% of Prep students (156) had said they were not. Only 20.6% (40) of those polled had said they looked forward to the machines. I have to admit that I was in the majority of those against the Chromebooks, but after having used them for a few weeks, I — along with many others — would not regard them with the same amount of hostility as before. A major point brought up by a Hawkeye article from last year was that “most Prep students already have their own laptops.” That is a very valid point, and I completely understand it, but
Pope (Cont'd) of everywhere he can go, is super exciting,” Rosinski says. While the pilgrims are here for those several days, the student volunteered papal host team will provides guidance for all of the visiting students on this pilgrimage for a whopping four days straight here at the Prep. “It’ll be no problem at all” Head student leader John Barbara ‘16 says, “I’m looking forward to it.” Teacher volunteers are also expected to come for a day or two also. The hard work that the volunteer students, Mr, Rosinski, and Mr. Deitch put in makes this whole
there is an obvious advantage present in that everyone has the same device. Everyone now completely able to access the various Google applications, and with the school’s bandwidth having been increased tenfold (with a specific network for Chromebooks), I have never seen faster Internet at the Prep. Additionally, the point was brought up that “the Chromebook is technologically inferior to other laptops” currently owned by students. I consider this to be the most pressing (and still valid) argument
against the Chromebooks. The lack of functions in the laptop is noticeable — one is very limited in functions. However, how many different functions are really needed, so long as the basic tools of the laptops are met? In short, the implementation of Chromebooks has had its pros and cons. While we, as a student body, were not initially on board with the 1:1 initiative, at least a few more of us had come to accept and perhaps even embrace the new wave of technological tools at our disposal. Although the school wide mandatory
distribution of laptops has inconvenienced those already with laptops, it allows for every single student to have certain basic means provided by Google. And while these means are limited, perhaps that is not as deleterious as we may put it out to be. On the other hand, perhaps we are in the “honeymoon period” of Chromebooks, and we simply need more time for our opinions to evolve. One thing remains certain: only time will tell how these opinions are shaped.
Prep Football Eyes a Three-peat By Joe Egler ‘16
The Prep Hawks’ journey for a PIAA Class AAAA Football State Championship three-peat has already begun, and, as always, the team’s outlook seems both certain and uncertain. After finishing last season with a record of 11-3, the Hawks have been subject to significant roster changes, losing several impactful starters—including cornerback John Reid ‘15 (Penn State), running back Olamide Zaccheaus ‘15 (Virginia), and offensive tackle Jon Runyan ‘15 (Michigan). This year, the team sees the return of experienced upperclassmen, especially safety Benny
Prep Football lines up for kickoff against Imhotep.
Walls ‘16, defensive tackle Joe DuMond ‘16, and running back D’Andre Swift ‘17. Meanwhile, Mr. Gabe Infante remains at the position of head coach at the Prep for his sixth year. The Hawks have started their season with a 1-1 record. Their season opener, held on September 5th, was a 14-0 shutout against the
Eagles of Evangel Christian Academy. Swift accounted for a first-quarter, 14-yard rushing touchdown. In the next quarter, quarterback Kevin Shaw ‘16 scored on a 2-yard rush, and, after the successful kick, the Hawks moved into a 14-0 lead, which held for the remainder of the game. Swift finished Continued on page 3
By Ryan Mannion '16
Completed Crossword Puzzles may be left in Mr. Vaccaro's mailbox for a chance to win a free lunch.
Football (Cont'd)
Hawks’ 11-game winning streak. Again, Swift was the game with 171 rushing responsible for two of the yards on 28 attempts, averaging 6.1 yards per rush Hawks’ touchdowns. (Note that losing to the out-of-state attempt. Ironmen of Don Bosco Prep However, their early within the past two victory in Shreveport, Louisiana was followed by a seasons did not stop the 55-21 loss to the Ironmen of Hawks from winning two Don Bosco Preparatory High consecutive state championships.) Currently, School in Ramsey, New the Hawks hold a MaxPreps Jersey—which ended the
ranking of no. 15 in the state, and no. 467 in the nation. In upcoming Philadelphia Catholic League action, the Hawks are expected to compete, once again, with the rivaling Explorers of La Salle College High School for the Class AAAA league title. The Hawks will seek to improve their four-game winning
streak vs. the Explorers, led by first-year head coach John Steinmetz, on October 17 at 7:00 p.m. at PlymouthWhitemarsh High School. Tomorrow, the Hawks will face off against the Wildcats of Saint Ignatius High School (hailing from Cleveland, Ohio) at Northeast High School in Philadelphia at 3:00 p.m.
Student of the Week
By Aidan Donaher '16
This week’s Student ofThe Week is Ryan Mannion. Ryan is an avid learner who has a love for the German language. He spent 6 weeks in Berlin on a trip he planned himself. Ryan describes his experience as this “I stayed with German families and attended German schools. I really enjoy the culture of Germany.” In the classroom, Ryan has 3.92, and he plans to apply to
Scoreboard and Events By Joe Egler '16 Games Recap:
Upcoming Games:
Next Week at the Prep:
CROSS COUNTRY: MONDAY, 9/21: Home meet Tuesday Board ofTrustees 9/22 vs. Archbishop Meeting Ryan, Bishop McDevitt, Daily Service Begins Cardinal O’Hara, World Meeting of Conwell Egan, FOOTBALL: Families (starts) 21-55 loss to Don Bosco Monsignor Bonner “E” Day Prendergast, and Prep Neumann Goretti @ TUESDAY, 9/22: 4:30 p.m. GOLF: Freshman Ignite Retreat 237-239 win over Penn (starts) FOOTBALL: Charter “F” Day Home game Saturday 9/19 vs. Saint Ignatius WEDNESDAY, 9/23: SOCCER: 1-0 win over Archbishop (OH) @ 3:00 p.m. @ Freshman Ignite Retreat Northeast High School Ryan (ends) No School, Grades 10-12 GOLF: Home game Tuesday THURSDAY, 9/24: 9/22 vs. Malvern Prep Papal Visit @ 4:00 p.m. No School CROSS COUNTRY: 3rd in large-schools division at Bulldog Invitational
SOCCER: Away game Saturday 9/19 vs. Springside/Chestnut Hill @ 10:00 a.m.
Georgetown, Wake Forest, and many other great schools. He is the captain of Ultimate Frisbee Team, the president of the German Club, texts women from 4 different countries, and takes advanced German classes at SJU. Ryan also works in the community, as he teaches German young children on the weekends.
Hawkeye Staff Editors-in-Chief Joe Egler '16 Ryan Naehr '16 Staffwriters Johnathan Coppola '16 Aidan Donaher '16 Ryan Mannion '16 Chris Montie '16 Fintan O'Toole '16 Kevin Sampson '16 Aidan O'Connor '17 Matthew Phillips '18 Anthony Tigano '18 Moderator Mr. Leo Vaccaro '05 Special Thanks To: Mrs. Ree O'Neill Mr. Frank Raffa