Issue XVII

Inside This Week's Issue StuCo Update, Improv, Tweets, and Events

Edited by Joe Egler '16 and Ryan Naehr '16

Volume 41, Issue XVII The Student Newspaper of St. Joseph's Prep February 19, 2016

Steve Vasturia '13 Extends Hoops Success Beyond Prep

By Mike O’Neill ‘17

Before he was playing major Division I basketball at University of Notre Dame, leading his team to an ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament title, and helping the Fighting Irish secure a deep run in the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament, Steve Vasturia ‘13 was just another kid at the Prep.

The 6 ft, 5 in sharpshooter from Medford, NJ came into the Prep as a

relatively unknown freshman, but he graduated as one of the most decorated athletes in the history of the

Prep and the Philadelphia Catholic League.

Vasturia was recognized for his outstanding

By Aidan O’Connor ‘17 Q: How does it feel to become the president of the Prep, after having attended as a student?

A: "I'm really excited to be back. It's my alma mater, my school. It has accelerated my transition, that sense of coming to feel at home. When I say I'm feeling at home however, that doesn't mean I'm feeling comfortable. I'm ready to move the Prep forward and face all the challenges we have" Q: What surprises did the adjustment hold for you?

A: "I was really struck by how much our students and their families are committed

sense that the Prep is a community. There is a lot of care for the individuals in this big community, and not just in the classroom…It is great for my faith to see that."

Q: Is the Philadelphia you are greeted with today different from the Philadelphia that you knew as a student?

A: "The Sixers still aren't any good. People are still loyal though. The immediate neighborhood around the Prep has changed a lot for the better. There is a lot of energy in this city. People seem positive for the future."

Q: What actions have you already taken to implement

A:"As a school we are taking a hard look at the freshman experience here. We want every student who comes to the Prep to succeed here. We really have to take care of that whole group of incoming freshman. This care for them starts at the admissions process. We have to get the parents involved. The level of academics here is a lot stronger than the elementary schools. Some of them might have been star athletes in their little pond. That might not be the case here. We need to help our youngest member to find their way at the Prep and to help them feel comfortable

Former Prep basketball play Steve Vasturia '13 is making a meaningful impact as a captain for Notre Dame.

play throughout his career, and was named a three-time First Team All-Catholic selection, two-time First Team All-State selection, two-time Catholic League Player of the Year, and 2013 Gatorade Pennsylvania Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year.

Additionally, Vasturia holds the Prep basketball scoring record with 1,766 points, and is the only player in Hawks history whose number has been Contined on page 2

An Interview with Prep President Fr. Swope, S.J. '72 to the school. I've had a strong your vision for the Prep?

Fr. Swope, S.J. '72

and succeed here."

Q: Going forward, what are your hopes for the school?

A:"I am going to consult anyone I want to about issues that are important. These will no longer be getting to know your conversations. These are ideas to change the Prep and make it stronger. We need strong internal communication Continued on page 2

retired.

Steve Vasturia '13 (Cont'd)

After his time at the Prep, Vasturia decided to continue his career at Notre Dame. Vasturia received offers from many Division I colleges, but ultimately chose the Irish.

“I chose Notre Dame for both academics and athletics,” says Vasturia, explaining why he decided on Notre Dame. “I visited South Bend when I was a sophomore at Prep, and fell in love with the campus and basketball program.”

Since his freshman season, he has enjoyed great success as a member of one of the best teams in the ACC, and all of college hoops.

As a freshman, despite the team’s struggle to a 15-17 record (.469), Vasturia was a key contributor, starting twelve games for the Irish in their inaugural season in the ACC. Following the disappointing season in 2014, the Irish had the most successful season in school history in 2015, with an overall record of 32-6 (.842).

Notre Dame’s great success in 2015 extended to the postseason.

The Irish captured the ACC Tournament title, and Vasturia was named a member of the ACC All-Tournament First Team.

Notre Dame followed its success in the conference tournament with an Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1979, losing to the thenundefeated Kentucky

Wildcats, who advanced to the Final Four.

Individually, as a sophomore in 2015, Vasturia saw his role increase significantly.

He finished the year as one of only four players on Notre Dame to start all 36 games, and netted 10.1 points per game for the Irish.

Vasturia credits his smooth transition to the college game, in part, to the experience he had under head coach Mr. William “Speedy” Morris at the Prep.

“Playing at the Prep and in the Catholic League was such a great experience,” says Vasturia. “I was able to

play against such great teams and players every night, and it made me into the player I am today.”

This year, in his junior season, Vasturia’s numbers have increased in his new leading role, and he is one of the main reasons for the success that the Irish are having.

At this point in the season, Vasturia is averaging 12.8 points, 3.2 assists, and 3.0 rebounds per game, with a three-point field goal percentage over .400 for the second consecutive year.

As a team, Notre

Dame is fourth in the ACC, with a conference record of 94 (.692) and an overall record of 18-7 (.720), and currently holds the no. 19 spot in the AP Top 25 Poll.

Notre Dame has wins over several ACC rivals, including former no. 2 UNC and former no. 9 Duke, and is currently enjoying a threegame winning streak.

Vasturia and the Irish will take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in their next game on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. on ESPN2.

Additionally, the Irish will likely contend for another ACC Tournament crown, and a deep NCAA Tournament run in March.

ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi projects the Irish as a no. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Vasturia has blossomed into an amazing player in his time at Notre Dame.

However, even with all of the success he has had and the recognition he has gained, Vasturia has not forgotten his roots, and cherishes the time that he spent at 17th and Girard.

“The Prep was such a great experience for me. I appreciate every opportunity I had there. The basketball program, the teachers, and the friends have given me so many great memories that I will never forget.”

The Prep should certainly be proud of the incredible athlete and person he has become.

Swope (Cont'd) in the school. It is hard to over communicate" Q: How do you balance modernizing the Prep with keeping the rich tradition of the school alive?

A:"We have to have real discernment. But if there is an idea, we want to put it out there. I've been really happy how Andrew Oliver and [the rest of student council] have been eager to get it out in front of everyone. The way to help a conversation forward is to do a lot of good strong work beforehand. Let's look at technologically responsible. If it is a 6th grad at grad what would it look like? Everyone agrees it is important but the conflict is if it should be in that "holy" grad at grad. We want to really talk about it, not just throw it out there. No one's opinion is more important than another's in this. We are taking this into consideration. "This is a 500 year tradition". Well I hate to break it to you but it is from 1989. We don't believe things like this are sacrosanct. These things don't last forever. We, the Jesuits, think everything serves a purpose. We embrace the traditions we inherit and appreciate them, but we're never trapped by them. I don't, however, approach the grad at grad with disrespect."

Q: What are the differences between the student body when you were a student and now? Do you see a difference in how the faculty and students interact?

A:"When I was a student Continued on page 3

An Update from the Office of Student “Technologically Council

By Andrew Oliver ‘16 Andrew Oliver ‘16 is the President of Student Council.

As many students know, there was recently a proposed addition to the Grad-at-Grad: adding “Technologically Responsible.”

Many students participated in the survey and have voiced their opinions about this proposed addition.

Unbiased, this article serves as an explanation of the origins, goals, and current proceedings of this proposed addition.

In the beginning of the school year, about halfway through the first quarter, Prep President Father John Swope ‘72 approached me, along with the four other senior members of Student Council.

He was interested in the possibility of an addition to the Grad-at-Grad, something that would inspire Prep students to use technology in the best way possible.

He then charged Student Council with the task of creating a potential addition, because he wanted this addition to come from the students, rather than the Administration.

Along with John Coppinger and Kevin Shaw ‘16, I began discussing items that we thought should be addressed, ideas that should be encompassed, and sentiments that should be reflected.

After careful deliberation, the three of us decided to propose

Responsible” as the addition to the Grad-at-Grad.

We believed that this proposed addition, along with our description, would be the most apt way to encourage the proper use of technology among the student body.

After this stage, we sent a survey to the entire student body, faculty, and parents, asking their thoughts on the proposed addition.

For the student survey, 25.7 percent of students believed that it would be beneficial, 52.6 percent believed that it would be detrimental, and 21.7 percent believed that it would be neither.

For the faculty survey, 77.5 percent of faculty believed that it would be beneficial, 12.5 percent believed that it would be detrimental, and 10 percent believed that it would be neither.

For the parent survey, 94 percent of parents believed that it would be beneficial, 2 percent believed that it would be detrimental, and 4 percent believed that it would be neither.

Seeing as the students were not entirely supportive of the proposed addition, a selective committee was formed.

This committee includes two or three representatives from each grade who are not members of Student Council.

Moving forward, this Continued on page 4

Improv Club Thrives with PassionateopenActors

By Liam Scott ‘16 to everyone.

Sometimes, the funniest and most witty aphorisms in life arise on the fly, and that is exactly the basis of the Cape & Sword Drama Society’s highly esteemed Improv Club.

Cultivating those offthe-tongue comments to the highest potential, the Improv Club is headed by current SJU students Justin Russell ‘13, Tim West ‘13, Michael Rizzo ‘13, and Andrew Staub ‘12.

Each Wednesday, this foursome brings to the Prep a unique excitement for the laughs and confidence that improv provides.

In room 108, during a regular Wednesday meeting, Andrew Whitaker ‘16 makes a hilarious mockery of an imaginary morbid carpet salesman.

“This carpet is really dark…much like my soul.

Buy it...if you dare.”

Watching and partaking in this kind of smart, sophisticated humor every Wednesday is

The crux of improv is not simply saying whatever you want whenever you want in no particular order. Rather, different improv skills are encapsulated into games.

For instance, the game “Party Quirks” is a guessing game, in which one person leaves the room, while the remaining three people comically imitate a specific thing, feeling, or job. One person could be an excited construction worker, one could be a soccer ball, and one could be an alligator.

They then pretend to attend a party together, while the “host” tries to guess what each partygoer is representing.

“The thing I love about Improv Club is that it’s not just something you do after school to fill time. It really teaches you how to act in the world with confidence,” says Dave McCabe ‘19. “The real world

here, good behavior was considered being silent or answering closed questions when you're asked. Not a long discussion. That was my experience. If you didn't have your tie up, the dean of students would grab your tie and pull it up. I was accused of damaging the reputation of the school in the train station for not having my jacket on and not having the student directives. The way we teach and learn at the Prep has

changed to engage the student. There are much more extended discussions with the student. It has been great to see that in the classroom. It is much more personally engaging than when I was a student here. I admire the way how so many men and women have embraced the mission of the Prep and given so much of their lives dedicated to the Prep. It inspires me and makes me want to work harder for the Prep."

Continued on page 4

Swope Interview (Cont'd)

This Week StuCo Update (Cont'd) less concerned with diction is on Twitter committee will address the important, because diction can By Jon Erdy students’ concerns and hesitations concerning the proposed addition. The committee will then decide how to proceed forward, whether deciding to add the proposed addition to the Grad-at-Grad or the Student Directives, or doing away with the idea altogether.

There are a few things of importance to remember during this process.

First, this is a process, and nothing is finalized.

Second, the name and description of the proposed Grad-at-Grad addition can be changed. We are trying to address a concept, which may be addressed better through the use of different words. Being

be changed.

Third, we are still accepting comments about the Grad-at-Grad. If you took the survey and voiced your opinions there, they will be addressed. If you would still like to voice your opinions, feel free to email me at andrew.oliver@sjprephawks.o rg.

On behalf of Student Council, I thank you for your thoughts, comments, and ideas during this process.

Improv (Cont'd)

is improv, you are constantly making things up on the spot, so why not perfect that skill?”

This is completely true. All day, every day, we—in essence—do improv.

We make up what we are going to say seconds before it comes out of our mouths, and we attempt to make ourselves

By Joe Egler '16 Upcoming Games: interesting in our speech.

Improv Club hones INDOOR TRACK: Meet of Champs Saturday these most basic skills at their most watered-down point, to 2/20 @ 9:00 a.m. the point where using these WRESTLING: PCL Tournament Saturday skills is both ridiculous and fun.

2/20 @ 8:00 a.m.

Next Week at the Prep: The Improv Club is MONDAY, 2/22: thriving under the lead of PSAT Exam - Grades 9-10 Jake Barrett ‘17.

Only “I encourage TUESDAY, 2/23: everyone to come to improv “E” Day club, simply because it is WEDNESDAY, 2/24: really fun,” he says.

“F” Day The club meets THURSDAY, 2/25: every Wednesday in room Parent-Teacher Conferences 108 after school, and an “A” Day improv show will hit the Prep FRIDAY, 2/26: stage this spring.

Montserrat III Parent-Teacher Conferences (No School)

Events

Hawkeye Staff Editors-in-Chief Joe Egler ‘16 Ryan Naehr ‘16 StaffWriters Aidan Donaher ‘16 Augie Lorei ‘16 Ryan Mannion ‘16 Andrew Oliver ‘16 Fintan O’Toole ‘16 Joe Pisacano ‘16 Stas Postowski ‘16 Pat Ryan ‘16 Kevin Sampson ‘16 Joe Schade ‘16 Conor Battin ‘17 Joe Console ‘17 Jon Erdy ‘17 Marcello Garber ‘17 Mike Grafenstine ‘17 Michael Haley ‘17 Von Hobe ‘17 John Kromchad ‘17 Christopher Magiera ‘17 Tristen Mordan ‘17 Aidan O’Connor ‘17 Mike O’Neill ‘17 Mac Riga ‘17 Liam Scott ‘17 Bobby Simons ‘17 Kyllian Vong ‘17 Jack Yocom ‘17 Matt Zito ‘17 Ronan Egan ‘18 David Haddad ‘18 Evan Matthews ‘18 Matthew Phillips ‘18 Marco Sammartino ‘18 Anthony Tigano ‘18 Joe Scott ‘19 Moderator Mr. Leo Vaccaro ‘05 Special Thanks To Ms. Ree O’Neill Mr. Frank Raffa