The Patriot December 2017, Issue 2 Volume 53

the

PATRIOT

12.7.17 issue 2 volume 53 jcpatriot.com

DEATH ROW Vaping has increased in popularity due to the perception that it is a healthier alternative to smoking, but how do the health effects of vaping actually compare?

In-Focus 8-9

2 NEWS

December 2017

#MeToo

Beginning in October 2017, stories of sexual assault in the entertainment industry and on Capitol Hill have been uncovered and shared on social media. How do these allegations affect student victims?

Alyssa Kraus and Taylor Bynion Co-Editor in Chief and Copy Chief At 13 years old, Danielle Stevenson was sexually assaulted.

She was groped in a seventhgrade classroom by a group of boys at her school. To them, it was a joke. To her, it was a nightmare.

According to Stevenson, a pseudonym to protect the student’s identity, “I was sitting in class, it was a normal day. I sat at a table with all boys. I was the only girl there because we had about five girls in my class, so they decided it would be funny to play a game of truth or dare in the middle of class. One of the dares was to reach over and double-cup my boobs,” she said. “And that was basically just the beginning of it.”

However, after contacting the school’s administration about what had happened, nothing was done.

“It continued … even though I went to the administration and everything, no one did anything about it, so it continued throughout the same class with just things like that happening every day,” Stevenson said. “The teacher that taught the class we were in knew

75

what was happening, he didn’t do sault by raising awareness for anything about it. Half the time I victims through Twitter. She think he sat there and watched it suggested that every victim use happen and didn’t do a thing. It #metoo to share their struggles was pretty obvious what was hap- and showcase the immense group pening.” Stories like Stevenson’s of people who have been affected are not uncommon. Within the by sexual assault. past few months, cases of sexual As a result of this suggesassault have surfaced and spread tion, women and men around the globally. world spoke out not only about Actors, businessmen, and gov- recent allegations in the media, ernment officials alike have been but also shed light on personal accused of sexual experiences. misconduct. The In many of the allegations have “[He] knew what sexual assault taken over the was happening. cases, the allegamedia by storm, tions have been with new cases Half the time I filed by minors. popping up every think he sat there According to the week.

Huffington Post, Because of and didn’t do a “Forty-four perthese allegations, thing.” cent of reported some celebrities sexual assaults have begun using take place before their influence to spread aware- the victim is 18. One in three-toness. four girls, and one in five-to-sevFor example, actress Gal en boys are sexually abused prior Gadot, who plays the role of to leaving high school.”

Wonder Woman, refused to star According to a survey conductin the Wonder Woman sequel if ed by The Patriot, 186 out of 196 producer Brett Ratner remained a respondents are informed of the part of the movie. allegations presented in the meRatner has several sexual as- dia. Over 68 percent of students sault allegations against him, and have heard about forty-second Gadot succeeded in removing president Bill Clinton’s sexual Ratner from all future Wonder misconduct, over 63 percent of Woman productions. students report recognition of Actress Alyssa Milano also President Donald Trump’s sexual took a stance against sexual as- assault accusations, and over 61

which is an

percent 11 percent of Americans call sexual assault in the workplace a problem

increase from 2011

percent acknowledged actor Kevin Spacey’s case.

Despite the prevalence of sexual assault in the media, some students are hesitant to share their personal stories. Sexual assault remains a difficult subject for victims to discuss.

According to the survey, about eight percent of the students have been sexually assaulted themselves, but only one student volunteered to be interviewed. 34 percent of students know a friend or family member who has been assaulted, of which only two people offered to be interviewed.

The majority of students, 82 percent, said that sexual assault is a major problem in America, but the remaining 18 percent were skeptical. “It’s a lie. No one has been raped at John Carroll, just a bunch of stupid people who consider [things] they regret later ‘sexual assault,’ ” a student wrote.

However, some students shared their experiences with sexual assault in anonymous responses to the survey. “I was unconscious at a party and was touched inappropriately. The only way I knew it happened was through a video,” one student wrote.

Another student replied, “Many boys take advantage of girls being drunk at parties and convince them to do things they would not do.”

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The accused Those named below have been accused of sexual assault Producer Harvey Weinstein Producer

Brett Ratner

Anchor Matt Lauer

Actor Kevin Spacey President

Donald Trump

Former President

Bill Clinton

Senate Candidate

Roy Moore

Senator Al Franken

which is a

percent 17 percent of Americans believe workplace sexual assault is a serious problem

increase from 2011 Statistics from Fortune.com

NEWS 3

October 2017

New model classroom introduced to students, faculty able … this generation grew up teething on keyboards, so now it’s in an area where they can learn,” The model classroom, the new- Durkin said. ly redesigned room on the second Many teachers look forward floor, officially opened to the pub- to trying the room at one point lic on Oct. 30, the Monday after or another, including Physics Open House. The dominating teacher Anthony Davidson. “It characteristics of the classroom is a much brighter environment, include a new projector, sepa- the tech is more up to date, you rable and mobile can do a lot more desks, various with it due to the writable surfaces “We want to movable whiteall throughout renovate the boards and the the classroom, large amount of and an improved entire academic whiteboard space lighting system. in the room, and wing all the way The first the fact that you teacher to have up to stairwell ‘A’” can arrange the the privilege of desks however Principal Tom Durkin you want,” Dausing the classroom was Prinvidson said. cipal Tom Durkin, who teaches a The model classroom is set to sophomore English class. When become the template for many compared to other classrooms more classrooms, as there are fuhe has taught in, Principal Tom ture plans to reproduce its success Durkin said the model classroom in the Academic Wing. According was superior “by far.” For Dur- to Durkin, “Through our Capital kin, the technology in the room Campaign ... we want to renovate is his favorite part. “It makes my the entire academic wing all the life easier, and it’s in a domain in way up to stairwell ‘A,’ ” Durkin which my students are comfort- said.

Hayes Stancliff News Editor

Photo by Hayes Stancliff

Principal Tom Durkin passes out papers to sophomore Blake Hollandsworth in his English class taught in the new model classroom. The classroom officially opened for use on Monday, Oct. 30. The model classroom features a new projector, multiple writing surfaces, an improved lighting system, and seperatable and mobile desks.

From the student perspective, the model classroom has received mixed reviews. Sophomore Jared Hawkins, who is taught by Durkin, expressed joy over many aspects of the room. “The heating and cooling is a lot better in the model classroom than other classrooms, and the room itself is a lot

cleaner,” Hawkins said.

Additionally, Hawkins enjoyed the brighter atmosphere. “The brightness really helps you stay awake and alert in class,” he said.

On the other hand, junior Holly Dixon listed several grievances with the classroom. Dixon, who takes AP Language and Composi-

tion, has been taught in the model classroom several times. “I think overall the model classroom is more positive than negative, however, there are several kinks I think they need to work out. The air conditioning and heating system can be strange sometimes,” Dixon said.

Model United Nations club prepares for conference Paige Alban co-Editor in Chief This year, eight students, along with Campus Minister and religion teacher Zac Ufnar, created the Model United Nations club.

According to Ufnar, the club’s main purpose at this point in the year is to practice and address the skills needed for their conference that will take place in February.

The Model U.N. club is meant to create an “authentic simulation of the U.N. General Assembly, U.N. Security Council, or other multilateral body, which introduces students to the world of diplomacy, negotiation, and decision making,” according to the United Nations Association of the United States of America website.

The purpose of the Model U.N. club from a JC perspective is to develop public-speaking skills and learn how to run a parliamentary procedure for the conference, according to Ufnar. “The unique thing about Model U.N. simula-

tion is that there is no clear winners or losers, it’s about being able to build a consensus and working with other nations and students,” Ufnar said.

The numerous learning benefits have attracted eight students.

“I joined Model U.N. to improve my communication skills and learn more about the world, the problems we face and how we can work to solve them,” junior Garrett Frankis said.

Participants in the club are given the chance to roleplay as ambassadors of countries that are a part of the U.N. These students call themselves “delegates,” and debate current worldl issues with one another and then proceed to figure out ways to fix conflict.

“The main thing it’s centered around is a Model U.N. conference run by Johns Hopkins University. This is one of many conferences, and this is the one we will attend for our first year.

Students at Johns Hopkins facilitate the entire conference,” Ufnar

Photo by Lauren Becker

Flags hang outside the cafeteria, representing countries from around the world. The Model United Nations Club will represent these various countries on a mock panel in February. said.

Although club members have formally met a few times, they will join as one unit and travel to the Inner Harbor in Baltimore for the conference which runs from Feb. 8 to Feb. 11.

During this time, they will

spend four days meeting and discussing worldly issues with students their age from other schools.

In anticipation of this conference, each member is required to write an essay for their specific topic. Some students were as-

signed to broader topics, such as education issues and global security, while others were assigned to more specific topics, such as the dangers faced by the Korean Peninsula. The essays help prepare the students for the conference talks.

4 COMMUNITY

December 2017

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reading “Sinks out of order - Use sanitizer.” In the middle of that same week, members of the faThe hallways of any high cilities staff were seen removing school are always unpredictable. the problematic sinks from the You never know what you may women’s restrooms on the secsee. That was especially true ond floor in the academic wing, when students like sophomore closing it off until repairs were Alex Hau were seen walking the completed following Thanksgivhallways cradling foam soap in ing break. their palms on “We have Wednesday, Nov. been acutely “We’ve been 13. aware of the Students were making issue,” Directaken aback tor of Facilities when they found incremental Stewart Walker that there were changes and we said. “The bones no working sinks of these restin their respec- understand the rooms are from tive restrooms on frustration and are 1964.

We’ve the second floor been making of the academic working to change incremental wing. Hau was it.” changes and we among the few Director of Facilities understand the Stewart Walker frustration and that discovered this first-hand. are working to “There wasn’t any water coming change it. We didn’t want to delay out of the sinks, which was gross. it any further. We’re sick of dealI had to go down to the first floor ing with them as well.” just to wash my hands,” Hau said.

According to Walker, the probNews of the second floor dry- lem is the solar-powered, motionspell spread quickly. The follow- activated sinks that were installed ing day, signs appeared on the twelve years ago, as the many mirrors of the affected bathrooms electrical components have be-

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The decline in restroom conditions brings about much needed renovations there are sometimes whole ceiling tiles missing in there,” Hau said.

Luckily for Hau, and students that share his concerns, Building Superintendent Joe McGrain stated in an email sent on Dec. 1 that the men’s restrooms on both the first and second floor of the academic wing are scheduled to receive renovations as well.

These are anticipated to be completed by the conclusion of Christmas break.

The choice to address the sinks of one bathroom before the other, despite the long-term, unresolved problems plaguing both the men’s and women’s rooms, was based on what Walker describes as JC’s “Renovation Enhancement Phase.”

“Instead of everything being done en masse, we’ve taken this incremental approach so that people can see that something is always happening, which is important to understanding the progress being made,” Walker said.

This ideology also applies to other recent upgrades outside of the restrooms, such as the St. Joseph’s room renovations and the newly finished model classroom.

It is easy to see that progress is being made around the school, but according to the semi-annual survey conducted by facilities, some may argue it is not being focused in the right areas of the campus.

This survey, distributed to students and faculty members, asks questions related to the overall appearance, cleanliness, and safety of the school.

According to Walker, the topthree issues cited on the survey are almost always the conditions of locker rooms, the need to update restrooms, and the ongoing traffic struggle.

Unfortunately, the solutions to these issues are easier said than done, requiring large amounts of money and time. Walker notes that the locker rooms in particular, while admittedly in need of major modifications, are an extremely expensive project.

“Even if the school’s focus remains on renovation of [other] spaces, funding drives decisionmaking. We could theoretically design the entire renovation of the academic wing, but until we have the money, we cannot move forward,” Walker said.

come hard to deal with over time.

Not only are they becoming more and more prone to failure, but it would be extremely expensive to replace many of them at one time.

The result is a “Band-Aid” solution that followed last summer’s third-floor sink replacements. “We took the working parts from the replaced third-floor sinks and patchworked them into the second floor,” Walker said.

While female students were relieved to see that the problematic, turquoise appliances were finally getting the boot, some male students were left scratching their heads.

“I don’t know what the problems were, but I think that if you’re going to renovate the girls’ bathPhoto by Kayla Kozak room, you should A sign taped to the mirrors instructs female students to use hand sanitizer in the do the guys’ too, second-floor girls’ bathroom on Tuesday, Nov. 14. All sinks were replaced with new fixtures especially since by the end of Thanksgiving break.

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COMMUNITY 5

Is having a twin in high school twice the fun or double the trouble?

Kate said. “We have different interests.� “It’s okay, but it’s annoying sometimes ...

Despite having distinct characteristics Teachers mix you up,� she said. and differing personalities, the Gromackis In some classes, the Conits twins even find that they are still best friends. To both sit next to one another, making it hard for of them, being a twin is a positive thing the teacher to tell them apart and call on because they understand one another on a one of them or hand back assignments.

Juniors Isabelle and Elizabeth Schucker deeper level than “I’m so used to it by climb into their car with gloves and hats siblings. now ... It happens to us disguising their already seemingly iden“You feel like every day. Someone will “You feel like you get tical features. Laughing silently to each you get each other call us the wrong name, each other more. other, the girls switch up the one thing that more. It’s not like but it doesn’t really bothdifferentiates one from the other - their per- that ‘twin mager me,� Dimitra said.

It’s not like that ‘twin sonalities. As Isabelle begins to act as her ic’ or whatever, Despite their difficulmagic’ or whatever, identical twin-sister Elizabeth, it is hard to it’s just that you ties, the Conits sisters tell the two apart, and it takes even their know them really love being twins and it’s just that you know mother a few minutes to catch on to the without having agree with the Schuckers them really without trick. to ask anything,� that it is nice to always The Schucker sisters are just one set of Kate said. have a friend. having to ask.� twins that walk the hallways of JC. With Although they “You always have a total of 18 sets, there is a mix of identi- are different peosomeone to hang out Sophomore Kate Gromacki cal and fraternal twins, as well as male and ple and in most with, [and] you’re never female combinations spreading across all ways different alone,� Ariana said. grade levels. from one another, the Gromacki twins get Both Ariana and Dimitra find many Currently, the junior class has the largest along for a majority of the time. “Kate is a perks in being a twin, including that they amount of twins, with a total of eight sets good twin. She looks out for me, has my always have someone to go shopping with. in the grade level, while the sophomore back always, and she always tries to help The pair also often share clothing since class has the least with only two sets. me and make me the best that I can be,� they are the same size. “You just do everyAccording to the Schuckers, there are Nick said. thing with that person,� Dimitra said. many positive aspects of being a twin, inWhile the Gromackis generally enjoy Science teacher Angela Ward has also cluding always having someone there for being twins, it does come with some down seen the unique dynamic of twins through support. sides. her own four children. Ward has a set fra“You automatically have a built-in “They just know everything about you, ternal twins, a boy and girl, in the ninth friend and someone with you there at all and sometimes you want to keep certain grade, as well as a younger set of fraternal points in your life, things private, so twins, both girls, in the sixth grade. through difficult and kind of just being Balancing the schedules of her four chilchallenging experiyourself. It’s hard,� dren has not been an easy task, but Ward “You automatically ences,� Isabelle said.

Kate said. believes that having twins is a gift. She has have a built-in friend For Elizabeth, this The Schuckers noticed their different personalities and the support is especially agree that some- unique bond they share. and someone with important in school. times being a twin “It’s a lot of work, but I love it. I can’t you there at all points “School-wise, it’s can be difficult. “We imagine not having twins,� Ward said. nice because alcan be each other’s Raising two sets of twins has been difin your life, through though we take difbest friend or worst ficult, especially due to the fact that her difficult and challenging enemy,� Isabelle children are so close in age, with only a ferent classes, it’s nice having somesaid. three-year gap. experiences.� one there, especially Additionally, seDespite the hardships, Ward loves to see during junior year,� niors Ariana and the interactions and relationships that her Junior Isabelle Schucker she said.

Dimitra Conits, who children have developed.

Although the are identical twins, “My boy-girl set are close, but they have Schuckers may look identical, like many also feel the struggles that come with be- very different interests. My younger two, twins, it is their contrasting personalities ing twins. they are so compassionate towards each that set them apart from one another. “We “It’s cool, but it’s kind of hard because other and love each other and truly are each are like night and day,� Elizabeth said. “We we share the same friends in the same other’s best friends,� Ward said. are very different.� grade,� Ariana said. “But we also like it.�

One of Ward’s favorite aspects of having Sophomores Kate and Nick Gromacki In Dimitra’s opinion, one of the hard- twins is being able to give each one of her are fraternal twins that are also complete est parts of having a sibling in the same children a lifelong friend who will always opposites. “We are very, very different,� grade is sharing some of the same classes. be by one another’s sides.

Taylor Bynion and Anna Sullivan Copy Chief and Entertainment Editor

Illustration by Kayla Kozak

“They always have each other, so it’s like an instant party because there are so many kids, and they all get along so well,� she said.

2 for 1 at JC...

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7 pairs of twins are boys

5 pairs of twins are girls

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6 pairs of

twins are boy/girl

Twin Facts Identical twins do not have the same fingerprint Tall women are more likely to have twins 40% of twins invent their own languages Accordiung to the Huffington Post

6 COMMUNITY

JC reflects on whether Christmas is centered around the birth of Jesus, holiday materialism, or both

October 2017

Olivia Collins Community Editor As Christmas nears in religion teacher Joseph Gallen’s house, he says his family is “pretty lowkey” about decorations. “We don’t decorate until late and we don’t have any Christmas-y rituals other than the tree and maybe one gift,” Gallen said. When Christmas comes around, his family focuses more on the birth of Jesus than the decorations, presents, and songs that are typically paired with the holiday.

Christmas is known to be a time for family, gifts, and the celebration of Jesus’ birth. In the JC community, the holiday is seen from various angles as our school contains Catholic, non-Catholic, and non-religious students and faculty. It is also seen in different

92% of Americans and report 96% ofthatChristians they celebrate

lights depending on how a family treats the holiday. Some families stick to the old school traditions like Saint Nicholas, other families gravitate towards the glitz and glamour of Santa Claus, and some try to maintain both.

Religion teacher Dave Huber, a Catholic, strives to keep Jesus the main priority in his family’s celebration of Christmas. “I’ll ask them [my children] out of the blue ‘what’s Christmas all about?’ ‘It’s about Jesus’ and I’ll remind them that, look, presents don’t really make us happy,” Huber said.

Senior Katie Mills shares that Jesus is extremely important to her family during Christmas. “I personally think Christ is still in Christmas because in my family, we think Christ is really important and we never lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas,”

62% of Americans

attend religious services during Christmas

Christmas

Illustration by Kayla Kozak and Olivia Collins

The average American will spend

$906 on Christmas presents this year

Statisitcs from pewresearch.org, statista.com, and news.gallup.com

Mills said. to town, he sees you when you’re However, sophomore Kiana sleeping, he knows when you’re Miller says that people are losing awake, it’s sort of an omnipresent sight of Jesus. “I feel like people being … only God can do such a really take away from the real thing,” Huber said. meaning of Christmas and focus Huber believes religion is also on the presents,” Miller said. living in the shadow of ChristHuber, Mills, and Miller all mas music. “I understand that the believe that religion is the most shopping season starts with Black important aspect of Christmas Friday so if you want to start and that Jesus should be the main Thanksgiving Day and go to the priority of the holiday. However, radio station and play Christmas they feel religion is losing a com- music, okay, even though for us petition with materialism during Catholics it’s Advent. Christmas the holiday. isn’t until the Feast of the NativGallen also agrees that religion ity, which is 4:00 pm Christmas in the holiday is being lost. “One Eve night, that’s when Christmas of the things that the religion starts … we’re in anticipation, teachers talk about is the idea that we’re waiting,” Huber said. we neglect Advent and we have Some families desire to celall the trappings of Christmas up ebrate both the religious and right away and Advent is a four materialistic components of the week season and we sort of just holiday. Gallen’s family, for exabandon it. A couple of the reli- ample, tries to maintain a balance gion teachers or maybe one or between the two. two of the other teachers historiFamilies like Gallen’s celecally have had Advent wreaths or brate the birth of Jesus by going Advent candles and they light the to Mass and praying the Advent candles, but that’s about it,” Gal- wreath, but they also celebrate the len said. holiday by listenThere are peoing to music, ple at JC that look “We think Christ watching movforward to the and spending is really important ies, holiday for the time with their presents, family and we never families.

“We time, and Santa go to Christmas lose sight of the Claus more than Eve Mass and Jesus. Whether true meaning of sometimes we go they are religious Christmas mornChristmas.” or not, people ing, there’s no set Senior Katie Mills look forward to pattern,” Gallen the music and said. decorations because it gets them Gallen also talks about how he in the Christmas spirit. enjoys Christmas music during “I think presents are an impor- the holiday. tant part for Christmas because “Rudolf the Rednosed Reinthat is what I would expect in deer and White Christmas, I China. We don’t talk about Christ think they’re really neat, and I in China, so I would expect pres- don’t mind hearing those in the ents,” senior Arthur Zhang said. store when it’s a week away from According to Huber, for fami- Christmas,” Gallen said. lies that are not religious, Santa “[Materialism] is everywhere.

Claus seems to take the place of It’s clear that’s where the focus is Jesus. “I think Santa can be seen … You’ve got the secular compoas a likeness to Christ because of nent of Christmas, and you try to his generosity, and certainly Saint keep the religious, and as families Nicholas, if the record was right I think most of us try to juggle the about his life, he was certainly a two. And I think to try and keep generous man. I struggle, there’s the religious side front and centhe whole Santa Claus is coming ter,” Huber said.

ENTERTAINMENT 7

December 2017

Students prepare for holiday performance Ill

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The Music Department practices for the upcoming Christmas Concert, which will be held on Friday, Dec. 8

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Lauren Becker Media Chief Senior chorus member Caitlyn Trent counts the beat and waits for the cue to shout the word “lightning” during the song. She looks into the crowd, scanning faces to see if she knows anyone, when suddenly, an unexpected shout arises from the choral group. Trent silently laughs at the mishap - they were not supposed to shout until the next beat.

“We practiced so many times.

John [Kyburz] said ‘lightning’ at the wrong time, and that was really funny. Now, we make fun of him for it,” Trent said. Because Trent’s time in chorus has been filled with memories like these, her final Christmas Concert comes with mixed emotions.

“It’s my last Christmas Concert, so I’m bittersweet because I enjoy doing the concerts, but I’m also excited for what’s going to be in store for college since I want to stay involved in that kind of stuff,” she said.

This Christmas Concert on Friday, Dec. 8 will be the last one for seniors in band, chorus, Bella Voce, and orchestra. Both Director of Performing Arts Julie Parrish and Band Instructor Nicholas Franck have been working hard to ensure that the students will be able to showcase their talent.

“The biggest challenge is trying to find things that are suitable for the performers I have. For example, in orchestra I only have five violins and one viola, so I don’t have all the instruments you would find in a typical orchestra. So we’ve had to do a little

bit of tweaking here and there to find things that work for the instrumentation I have, but are still challenging for them to play and to feel like they are getting something out of the performance,” Parrish said.

Similarly to Parrish, Franck also has to learn all the music and make sure he knows what it’s supposed to sound like. “My job is to be as prepared as I can. To study the score, know all of the music, all of the parts. Know exactly how it should sound in order for my students to meet me there. In order to convey that idea to them, I have to know exactly what I am doing,” Franck said.

Although this is Franck’s first year as the Band Instructor, he does not feel the pressure to make a good first impression. “Honestly, from where I stand, we are in a really good spot. So it should not be an issue of making a good change or good first impression with me as the director.

I just want to put on a good performance for not only our friends and family, but anyone else that decides to come to our concert. I want to showcase the best of John Carroll and that being the music and ensembles here that we have.

It’s not a matter of me, it’s about us as a band,” Franck said.

In order to properly showcase their music, Franck and Parrish expect all performing students to come to rehearsals and classes prepared. Trent, who is in both chorus and Bella Voce, has to review the rehearsal tracks that Parrish sends out for Bella Voce on her own time. “Chorus doesn’t require too much work outside of

Photo by Druw Van Der Werff

Students rehearse their music in the Band Room during class on Monday, Nov. 27. The Christmas Concert on Friday, Dec. 8 will have free admission. class, but Bella Voce is requiring a lot of outside work. We have to go over the rehearsal tracks and everything. That one’s a little bit harder because there is no music,” Trent said.

Sophomore trumpeter Mackenzie Hopkins also has to practice outside of class time in order to perfect difficult rhythms and songs. “[Franck] tells us that we should practice outside of class for 120 minutes every two weeks.

I have to fill out a practice log, it’s an assignment,” Hopkins said.

Unlike Trent and Hopkins, sophomore chorus member Abby Carson does not practice as much outside of class like band and Bella Voce members do. “We basically just prepare during classes and don’t have to do much out-

side of class,” she said. According to Parrish, this has to do with the fact that chorus is a class in the schedule that meets the standard six out of eight days, while Bella Voce only meets twice a week.

For both groups, classes prove to be a valuable rehearsal time in order to prepare for the Christmas Concert. “We work really hard on both our concert repertoire and getting the music all together, ready for the performance as well as our instrumental fundamentals [which is] how good we sound on the instruments. We do a number of exercises to build those skills all while moving forth with our repertoire,” Franck said.

According to Parrish, in chorus classes they rehearse every day. They begin with picking the

repertoire and then work on perfecting the notes. After learning all the notes, it’s about “making it change from just notes on a page to making it music,” she said.

All of these rehearsals throughout the first semester culminate in the Christmas Concert on Friday, Dec. 8, beginning at 6:15 p.m.

Both the students and their teachers hope to see students and their families come out and enjoy free entertainment to get in the Christmas spirit.

Hopkins and Carson hope others will enjoy their music at the concert. “The Music Department doesn’t get as much attention as the Athletics Department so if we do really well, it encourages more people to come and see the concerts,” Carson said.

8 IN-FOCUS

L B M S October 2017

Recently, the community has experienced a rise in the popularity of vaping. Why are students attracted to this potentially dangerous trend?

By In-Focus Editors Karson Langrehr, Lauren Piercy, and Caroline Smith

1960s or2017?

In the ‘60s, JC students debated whether or not the school should have a smoking lounge to combat bathrooms full of smoke. A student council meeting was held in 1975 to vote on the issue, and students decided against it.

“[A smoking lounge] would alleviate the burden

gas mask and fire extinguisher to simply enter the clouded lavoratories.” on Miss Hill who must don her

- The Patriot, Oct. 1969

Vaping spreads among students

Sophomore Rebecca Carter checks the bathroom stalls one by one. Relieved to find they’re all empty, she quickly steps into one, locking the door behind her. She pulls her vape out of her skirt pocket and puts it to her lips, slowly inhaling the vapor.

Once she is satisfied, Carter heads back to class.

Carter, a pseudonym used to protect this student’s identity, is just one of a number of students who regularly vapes in school. A Patriot survey in which 285 students responded found that, overall, 35 percent of students have vaped before, and 18 percent have vaped in school.

Of that 35 percent of students who have vaped, a little over half have vaped in school, while 21 percent vape in school daily.

While some advocates of vaping say that it can help people to stop smoking, only seven percent of students report using it for this purpose.

Carter cites vaping as a source of amusement, as well as the source of an occasional buzz, as does over half of the student body. “[I vape] every day - almost every mod,” Carter said.

“Personally, I vape because I get bored in school.”

“My first vapes didn’t give me a buzz because they didn’t have very

much nicotine in them. They actu- and kids who are caught must take a ally had almost none,” Carter said. [tobacco-treatment] class.”

“I would just do it for the tricks, and This free course, run by the HarfI thought it was funny.” Eventually, ord County Health Department PubCarter moved on to a vibe, a type of lic Health Education unit, teaches vape with significantly higher nico- smokers and tobacco users how to tine content. quit and explains why individuals According to the survey, some get hooked on tobacco products. One students cite that they receive a buzz student is currently enrolled. from vaping, with over one-fourth For Carter, however, the threat saying they use the activity as a form of being punished doesn’t make her of stress relief. any more cautious Additionally, over about vaping in “If I’m going to half say they vape school. “I’m not to have fun. Howstupid about it,” school, of course ever, others state Carter said. “If I’m that they origigoing to school, of I’m gonna vape.” nally wanted to course I’m gonna learn why vaping vape.” suddenly became Still, one anonpopular. In the words of one survey ymous student disagrees with this respondent, he or she first vaped “to statement. “If you bring it to school, see why everyone else did it.” you’re going to get caught, one way Despite this, not all students be- or another.” lieve the hype. “I did it once and reThe fear of being caught may not alized exactly how stupid the whole be a deterrent, however, as 68 percent thing was,” another student said. of students who do not vape have Several students have faced disci- seen vaping in school, and 19 percent plinary action after being caught vap- see vaping in school on a daily basis. ing in school. “We treat it as smokFreshman Gianna Ishak sees a ing, it’s a one-demerit offense,” Dean problem with age when it comes to of Students and Technology Brian vaping. “If you’re underage, you Powell said. “We plan on address- definitely shouldn’t be doing it,” she ing it, maybe increasing the penalty, said. An anonymous survey respon-

dent agrees with this statement, saying, “It bothers me that younger students are doing it illegally.”

Other students expressed their concern merely over the health risks of vaping, such as nicotine addiction.

“I don’t look down upon them, but I feel like they need help to stop,” one student said. “You just don’t know what’s in it.”

Some students, such as junior Shannon Sweeney, don’t look at those who vape in a negative light.

“I don’t look down on people [who vape.] I don’t think judging them is a nice thing to do,” Sweeney said.

Likewise, 43 percent of students agree with Sweeney’s statement that vaping doesn’t affect them, and therefore doesn’t bother them.

Carter also believes that vaping is an extremely common practice at JC. She sees vaping as a form of “social gathering.” As a result of this, she doesn’t feel judged by her peers.

While Carter isn’t worried about how she is perceived by those around her, she admits that she is bothered by those who are “obnoxious” or those who are overly judgemental towards her vaping habits.

“I think a big majority of the school vapes, so I don’t think it changes anything. It’s like a hobby,” she said.

WING KE

IN-FOCUS 9

October 2017

Harmless or Hazardous?

Exposure to nicotine during adolescence can

impact long-term brain

development, and may increase risk of addiction to other substances.

This impacts learning, memory, attention, and behavioral problems.

New trend mirrors past cigarette use It was 1969, and JC students were voting on whether to designate a contraversial smoking lounge in school. Now, it’s 2017 and students slip into bathroom stalls to vape, vibe, and JUUL in order to get a buzz before class. The nicotine craze has become an unavoidable subject in the community, and the trends of vaping and cigarette smoking have gone hand-inhand in this outbreak.

“I think vaping has become a trend because I see vapes almost everywhere and most of my friends have them,” Samantha Smith, a student that vapes and smokes cigarettes regularly, said. Smith is an alias used to protect this student’s identity.

Both cigarettes and vaping are common trends among high school teenagers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that every day in the United States, 2,100 young adults become daily smokers. Whether it’s to satisfy nicotine cravings or for other motives, enough teens vape and smoke to make them normalized activities. Although smoking cigarettes and vaping are both popular with teens, they differ in how they’re perceived.

Vaping devices, including vibes and JUULs, are new developments in the nicotine world and are more technological forms of smoking. Users fill the batterypowered products with flavored juices, which are inhaled as a vapor or smoke.

These devices are much more casual and discreet than cigarettes because their designs are simplistic. For example, a Vibe looks like a slim pen at first glance

due to its shape and size, making it convenient to carry and use. “Vapes make it so much easier for students to smoke without getting caught because they don’t smell, and they’re so easy to carry around with you,” Smith said.

Despite all of these new innovations, cigarettes still remain a recurring trend in young adults. Cigarettes often have an ignominy surrounding them due to the harmful health effects that have been brought to people’s attention through anti-cigarette campaigns sponsored by the government.

However, this form of smoking has stayed relevant due to its prevelance in pop culture and profitability.

According to the American Cancer Society, although the percentage of youthrated movies that eliminated the use of smoking increased from 35 percent to 74 percent, cigarettes still make an annual profit of $35 billion in the U.S. Because it is newer to the smoking community and general public, research ers have not scrutinized vaping to the same extent as they have cigarettes. Vaping’s health effects, therefore, are not well known, and students may not have considered the health risks. In fact, some students believe that there are little to no health effects caused by vaping. According to a survey conducted by The Patriot of 285 students, 13 percent of students believe vaping isn’t harmful to users, while 40 percent of students believe there are harmful effects, but there are ways to avoid them.

Smith agrees with these results. “I think

vaping won’t have the same taboo that cigarettes have now because most people don’t see it as harmful, they just see it as something to do,” Smith said.

While vaping has become a new alternative to cigarettes, both have harmful health effects to users due to their nicotine content. In some cases, certain vaping products, such as JUULs, can be even more harmful to users. The JUUL company states on their website that 200 puffs from a JUUL contain the same amount of nicotine as one pack of cigarettes.

These health consequences are not as prominent due to lack of publication of this information. “We don’t have any generation of kids who started vaping and are now 40 years old, so we don’t know what the side effects could be,” health teacher Tess Gauthier said.

Unlike smoking cigarettes, vaping can be done indoors, which makes it even more convenient for users. This allows people to do it more frequently, potentially not realizing how much they do it, or how much nicotine they are inhaling.

“I think one of the harmful things is the nicotine liquid itself, which is pretty concentrated, and it’s hard to tell how much is being consumed,” Gauthier said.

Cigarettes and vaping have made a substantial impact on high school students.

No matter the health effects, people will either try new innovations or stick to their old and reliable sources to get their buzz.

“I think vaping will probably not be a trend for long and cigarettes will always be around,” Smith said.

10 ENTERTAINMENT

Bever age Br awl

This tasty treat tends to be on the expensive side, however you are paying for the quality. A 16-ounce coffee is $4.95 plus tax.

Although this is steep for a medium size coffee, the quality and overall exciting flavors of the drink are well worth the price.

While Starbucks does not offer mugs that are meant for in-store use, you can still see the perfected drink if you lift up the lid of their signature Red Cup. The Peppermint Mocha is topped with a small swirl of whipped cream, little chocolate chips sprinkled over the top, and finally a drizzle of chocolate syrup.

Just one whiff of this drink will have you dreaming of snowy days of winter and leave you with a happy holiday feeling. The refreshing taste of peppermint only adds to the magical Christmas feel you get when drinking this beverage.

Coffee Coffee and Starbucks battle it out to see which coffee shop has the best holiday beverage

By Entertainment Editors Caitlin Kennedy and Anna Sullivan

Starry Night Latte

Peppermint Mocha

There’s nothing better than the warm taste of a chocolate drink in the winter. With a rich chocolate base, including the refreshing taste of peppermint and a small hint of espresso, the Peppermint Mocha is delicious. These flavors blend perfectly with mocha, adding a bit of caffeine to this holiday.

December 2017

TASTE

PRICE

LOOK

The Starry Night Latte is unlike any holiday beverage. It is unique in its flavor, with elements of hazelnut, toffee nut, and chocolate, which combine to create a delectable drink. The blend of multiple flavors gives a one-of-a-kind and savory taste to the hot beverage.

For a local business, Coffee Coffee’s prices are comparable to coffee corporations like Starbucks. A 12-ounce Starry Night Latte costs $3.95, but customers are paying for a quality drink as well as great service, while supporting a small business.

Unlike Starbucks, Coffee Coffee does not have a signature holiday cup, but the presentation is still impressive. Coffee Coffee’s cups are stamped with their unique purple logo. The latte itself is topped with art, making their coffee much more impressive than their corporate counterparts.

Although the Starry Night Latte is not your average Christmas HOLIDAY drink, it still creates a holiday feeling with its winter flavors. The feeling hazelnut and toffee flavors add a cozy feeling. If you’re looking for a different kind of beverage, this drink is for you.

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PERSPECTIVES 11

December 2017

Bynion’s Opinion Taylor Bynion

Reflecting on yourself

As I look in the mirror at the end of the day, my first thought is, “Did I really go all day looking like this?”

In today’s society, both men and women of all ages find themselves constantly criticizing what they see in the mirror.

Many people promote the message of loving others, but what about loving ourselves?

I often see articles posted online that focus on the rise in selfhatred and the spike in mental illnesses found in teenagers.

This self-hatred and dislike of one’s self is not something we are born with, but rather something that we learn as we grow up.

According to an article on Psychology Today, “Self-loathing is something that, as the song from ‘South Pacific’ says, ‘you have to be carefully taught.’ … What is self-loathing if not the coldest prejudice of all, the prejudice against the self?”

This sense of insecurity and being uncomfortable in one’s own skin is driven by three main things according to another article found on Psychology Today: insecurity based on recent failure or rejection, lack of confidence because of social anxiety, and insecurity driven by perfectionism.

In today’s society, we feel more and more of a need to not only be physically perfect, but to be perfect in almost every aspect of our lives.

This striving for perfectionism is unhealthy as we can begin to see ourselves as less than adequate.

These feelings of inadequacy are what lead to self-hatred: the idea that we must always be perfect, and if we fail, we don’t measure up.

This often then manifests in physical appearance and how we look in the mirror.

We can’t expect to always be the best version of ourselves, and we have to remind ourselves that we do not have to always win or always be perfect. As the saying goes, the last perfect person died on the cross.

In order to avoid these thoughts of imperfection and messages that we aren’t good enough in our minds, replace the negative thoughts when looking in the mirror with positive reinforcements and a smile at your refection.

Instead of looking at your reflection and thinking of all the things that went wrong with your day or picking your appearance apart, think of the positive things that happened. Instead, remind yourself of the affirmative attributes that you find within yourself.

We need to remind ourselves of the quote, “It’s okay not to be perfect.”

Photo by Ryan Griffin

Member of the Facilities Management Department John Wilkie directs juniors Taylor Umbarger, Kiersten Euler, Jordan Remeto, and senior Auggie Van Dalsum on their walk from the student lot to school on the morning of Friday, Dec 1. The crossing guard is just one solution to many problems that remain.

The student parking lot proves to be problematic time and time again. While most students have a parking spot, there are no guarantees or protections against your spot being usurped. There are also a number of cars that get damaged. The parking lot has many issues, and parking spots are just one of them.

The current issues include: the size of the parking spaces, the stickers, the crosswalks, and students stealing other students’ parking spaces.

Parking spaces being stolen is a problem that seems to happen to many members of the student body. One improvement that has been made this year to deter this problem is the repainting of the numbers marking the spots, making them actually noticeable.

However, there should be someone from the administration who goes to the student lot every day to check if each car is in its rightful space. While there has been someone out there to check, it has not been consistent enough to prevent misconduct.

To build on this idea of some-

The Patriot Volume 53, Issue 2 December 2017

Editors in Chief Paige Alban Alyssa Kraus Copy Chief Taylor Bynion Media Chief Lauren Becker News Editor Hayes Stancliff

Parking lot produces student pandemonium

one going and checking cars, of the spots are inconsistent and there should also be a section some vehicles come close to goon Veracross where students can ing over the lines. While this may report a stolen spot. This would be the driver’s fault, it would be save a parking lot monitor a lot better to prevent this issue from of time. happening at all.

Instead of having the monitor The parking spots are too small go out to check each car, as previ- and need to be resized. While this ously suggested, will result in fewer he or she could parking spots, this just go to the rewill lessen the Fixing the ported spot and chance of an acparking lots make sure everycident happening thing is fine. and make it easier would make Another issue for students to it easier for is that students park. have had the Along with the everyone to stickers fall off of problems of the get to school the inside of their parking spots, back window. The going from the on time. stickers contain parking lot to the the parking spot a school is also huge student has and are used to verify mess. Traffic is held up due to the that a student is currently in his oddly placed crosswalks or her spot. This needs to be fixed Even though people still use immediately as people will get the old crosswalk, the newly in trouble if their stickers aren’t placed crosswalk is an improvenoticeable. A solution to this is ment due to stopping less traffic, offering students the option of a but it has not done enough to fix sticker or a tag. the traffic interruptions that stuThe size of parking spaces dents create by crossing the street must also be addressed. The size that connects the loop to the park-

Sports Editors Matt Foulk James Ghimire Chris Roberts

Perspectives Editors Annemarie Bonner Ryan Griffin

Entertainment Editors Caitlin Kennedy Anna Sullivan

Community Editors Amelia Bothwell Olivia Collins Madison Dailey

In-Focus Editors Karson Langrehr Lauren Piercy Caroline Smith

Copy Editors Kayla Kozak Emily McLauchlin Sarah Spaeth

ing lot.

The new crosswalk, combined with the crossing guard, helps to improve traffic by only stopping cars that want to go around the loop, instead of cars that want to be going around the loop as well as those going inside the student parking lot.

However, this still halts traffic because those who want to go around the loop wait for students to cross and hold up everyone else.

A better solution is to make a sidewalk on the loop around the outside, near the turf fields, glenn, and baseball field. Then students can use this path to get to school, rather than going across the street.

This eliminates the problem of students walking across and stopping traffic. Fixing the parking lots would make it easier for everybody to get to school on time as there would be fewer delays.

It would also fix other issues, such as car damages. The parking lots have a multitude of problems that need to be addressed and fixed within a reasonable period of time.

Artists Ashlee Kothenbeutel

The John Carroll School 703 Churchville Road Bel Air, MD 21014

Multimedia Editors Nicole Hunter James Keller Caitlin Kerrigan Druw Van der Werff

The Patriot is a publication of The John Carroll School.

The views and opinions expressed in The Patriot are not necessarily the views of the Board of Trustees or the Administration of The John Carroll School.

Moderators Mark Ionescu Nick Attanasio

A copy of each print issue is distributed to each of the 700 students and 110 faculty and staff members. Some of the remainder are sent out to exchanging schools with a return address. The remaining copies are shared in the Main Office, Library, Admissions Office, Office of Institutional Advancement,

given out when needed, or archived. For more information, please visit jcpatriot.com/about.

The Patriot’s byline policy is available at jcpatriot.com.

The editorial staff invites and greatly appreciates comments from readers on any issue.

Please email comments or letters to editor@jcpatriot. com or submit them through our website: www.jcpatriot. com.

12 PERSPECTIVES

December 2017

Patriot Increasing wages Debate: will boost prosperity

Economy will drop if wages rise James Keller Media Editor As demonstrated by the recent presidential debates, one of the major social, ethical, and economic dilemmas Americans face is whether or not it is feasible to raise the federal minimum wage. Minimum wage is defined

by Investopedia as “The lowest wage per hour that a worker may be paid, as mandated by federal law.” Minimum wage is not meant to be a “livable wage,” but a way to prevent abuse by employers. Raising minimum wage is not a viable solution to poverty and will merely cause various economic calamities.

One primary argument presented regarding minimum wage is that it is not a livable wage.

However, the minimum wage is not meant to be a “livable wage.”

A “livable wage” is not something that can be determined for a country that has areas of various economic development. Someone in Raton, Colorado requires far less to live on than someone who lives in New York City. A livable wage for someone in New York is substantially higher than someone in Raton.

Historically, the federal minimum wage was created in 1938 under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The minimum wage was set at $0.25 and “has been raised 22 separate times–most recently, in July 2009, to $7.25 an hour,” according to the Center for Poverty Research, University of California.

Simply put, the minimum wage was created to protect workers from tight-fisted and unethical employers who had no shame in overworking and underpaying their employees.

While the era of American sweatshops may be gone, lowcost labor is still a critical component of the economy. Teenagers, myself included, do not need to make a livable wage. According to National Public Radio, “Americans ages 18-34 are more likely to live with their parents than in any other living situation.” About 50 percent of minimum wage

workers are people under age 25, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For people who are in high school, paying rent and buying groceries is statistically not likely.

Minimum wage jobs provide students with an opportunity to help make car payments, go to dinner with friends, or afford miscellaneous purchases.

On a similar note, people working a minimum wage job are generally not completing any highly skilled tasks. Elevating the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour means that someone working as a foreign car mechanic, like myself, is making the same amount of money as somebody who is working at a local fast food restaurant. Raising minimum wage merely devalues the labor of those who have spent years educating themselves for a more complex job.

Raising the minimum wage on a federal level would mean that the monetary value of a specialized job currently with a higher hourly rate would be equal to somebody doing a relatively basic job.

Why should somebody doing a complex job stay in that career path when they can make just as much money doing something far less taxing or complicated for the same amount of money?

From a strictly economic standpoint, raising the minimum wage will not necessarily improve the quality of life for those living on a state’s minimum wage.

If a small business owner is forced to pay their part-time employees more, a few things can happen. Prices of products may increase, the number of people able to be employed by the business may lower, workers could not work as many hours, or the owner’s profit margin might be cut.

While large corporations with massive profit margins can afford to pay employees an extra $7.75 an hour, businesses with a handful of employees and a profit margin that barely puts bread on the owner’s table may not be able to sustain the higher price of labor.

Patriot Answers: Should the minimum wage be raised?

Minimum Wage

Illustration by Ashlee Kothenbuetel

Amelia Bothwell Community Editor Imagine working for 60 hours a week, nearly double the average 34.4 hours worked in the U.S., and barely staying above the poverty line. Now imagine doing this while supporting a family. This is the case for many minimum wage workers in America, with some earning as little as the hourly federal rate of $7.25. Raising the national minimum wage to $10.10 will improve the quality of lives of these individuals, helping them pass the poverty line.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2016, there were 2.2 million hourly paid workers in the U.S. earning at or below the minimum wage. These 2.2 million workers comprise nearly 2.8 percent of American workers that are paid at an hourly rate.

Assume that these individuals work 60 hours per week for all 52 weeks of the year without any breaks, only earning the federal minimum wage. In this case, they are earning an annual salary of roughly $22,620, while the average annual income is almost four times this amount, about $81,400. In 2017, the poverty line for a household of three resides at $20,420, and $24,600 for a household of four.

Supporting and raising a family on low income creates an extensive list of issues. For starters, the prices of food continue to increase. While minimum wage remains stagnant, food prices have dramatically increased since 2009. According to the Huffington Post, as of 2015, the price of apples has increased 16 percent, the cost of bacon rose 67 percent, and milk went up 21 percent, with many other commodities following suit.

With the prices of food increasing, and minimum wage remaining the same, individuals experiencing poverty not only rely on the support of the government, but also on the support of other citizens. They are struggling to provide the basic human right of food for themselves and their families. According to the

Economic Policy Institute, 53.1 percent of individuals relying on public assistance are low-wage workers.

Catholic Social Teaching explains that each person has the right to necessities such as food, shelter, and water as taught by Jesus. If this is so, then why are individuals often subjected to the harsh effects of low-income?

Many believe that increasing the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour will cause a collapse or decline in the economy, but this is not factually supported. In fact, after 23 minimum wage increases in the U.S. since 1938, there are no accounts of economic collapse or significant job loss, a chief concern among those opposed.

In addition, many people fear the effects that an increase in minimum wage will have on inflation. Past increases of minimum wage show no direct correlation between the two. In fact, following the 2009 increase in minimum wage from $6.55 to $7.25, inflation decreased by 4.2 percent and later increased only by 2 percent.

Prior changes to the minimum wage follow similar courses, fluctuating between minor increases, decreases, or freezes of inflation, but overall no substantially significant change.

By increasing minimum wage, a worker’s salary is raised, improving his or her quality of life.

For some, this includes the ability to support a family, while for others, it provides opportunity for higher education and personal growth. Individuals raised in poverty are not only limited in terms of resources, but they are often denied the chance to become educated, limiting their personal ability to escape the cycle of poverty.

Each working U.S. citizen should be granted the same ability to live life knowing that they are being compensated in a way that reflects the time and efforts they are expending, or at least are earning enough money to put food on the table. That being said, the minimum wage should be raised in order to support the lives and dignity of those struggling to stay out of poverty.

“I do not support minimum wage increases because it hurts businesses.”

“I think that the minimum wage is appropriate where it is.”

Freshman Nick Barry

Sophomore Angela Kahoe

“I believe that the minimum wage should be increased because workers can’t live on minimum wage.”

“It should not be increased because it raises the price of everything else.”

“I think anyone who works full-time should be paid a wage where they can survive.”

Junior Fitz Brock

Senior Jessica Bauer

German teacher Mark Canter

PERSPECTIVES 13

December 2017

Required service discourages growth

Stancliff’s Spiel

With a 60hour community service graduation requirement, students find themselves struggling to learn from service

“It’s OK to be white” campaign holds truths

Emily McLauchlin Copy Editor The way community service is approached at JC strips it of its true value. When taking part in any kind of service, you should be able to appreciate the joy of sharing both your material possessions and talents with others.

Service needs to come from a place of compassion within us, not just a desire to satisfy graduation requirements.

Service is a reality for every JC student. Each student must complete 60 service hours, including 20 direct hours in order to graduate.

The hours themselves have always been emphasized. Freshmen are taught in Freshman Seminar, now called Patriot Transitions, that you should have 15 hours by the end of your freshman year, and 15 more by the time your sophomore year is over.

If you don’t have 40 hours by the end of your junior year, your schedule for your final year at JC won’t be released to you.

This is the same punishment as someone who doesn’t turn in one of their Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) textbooks. And like turning in these books, community service is just another item for students to check off their to-do list.

Some students even forge their community service forms because so much emphasis has been placed on the number of hours students have accumulated, not the value of their experiences and dedicating themselves to others.

“I have lied on my service

Photo by Kayla Kozak

Seniors Laura Amrhein and Abby Bryant paint bowls during Senior Unity Day on Friday, Sept. 22. More service opportunities should be offered where students have the opportunity to bond during the activity. forms before, but only so I can get the hours I need. It’s stressful to make room for service with school and everything else, and when I do get hours, I never remember to turn them in before 30 days when they don’t count anymore,” one anonymous sophomore said.

As a community, we need to come to realize that the value of service does not come from how much time we spend doing something, but how much we dedicate ourselves to the outreach when we do get the chance.

In order to reemphasize the importance of dedicating ourselves fully to others, JC should implement service project days with a different activity for each grade level.

This kind of community service policy is based off of existing ones at other Catholic schools such as Cardinal Gibbons High School in North Carolina where previous Campus Minister Gary

Report Card: Decorating creates friendly competition If you like Christmas, yule love the door decorating contest. Some “Stranger Things” have been happening in the JC hallways.

Our spirited advisories have been putting up decorations, one of them featuring a “Hallmark” of the Netflix TV show “Stranger Things.” These festive decorations have helped students reduce their stress and have spread Christmas cheer throughout the school.

Meyerl now works as the Director of Outreach.

At Cardinal Gibbons, the freshmen volunteer at low-income day care centers, sophomores spend a day at a soup kitchen, juniors visit senior citizens in assisted living facilities, and seniors volunteer with the Construction Crew for Habitat’s ReStore, a program similar to Habitat for Humanity in Harford County.

This framework for a new system of community service is simple enough to copy, and would easily translate into outreach opportunities in the community around us.

A similar opportunity already exists at JC for the sophomores who go and spend a day at Mount Zion to visit with disabled adults as they assist in the Beyond Capernaum program.

Making the switch to one mandatory service day from the current requirement of 60 hours would make students much less

likely to shy away from service.

For one thing, service is always more fun when you do it with a friend, and sending students in a group ensures they will have peers to interact with during their outreach experience.

This approach to service also creates a set time for student’s community service to fit into their often busy schedules. They won’t have to worry about squeezing it in somewhere in between school, practice, or homework.

Most importantly, this could make the graduation service requirement something people actually enjoy doing. An opportunity to spend a day fully dedicating yourself to those in need would already be built into your education You would be able to take part in service not just to check off another item on a to-do list so you can graduate, but so that you can experience the true benefit of dedicating yourself to others.

The Patriot turns the tables by grading the school on today’s issues

By Anna Kotula

Locking academic wing is key issue We tried to lock this out of our memory, but we can no longer ignore the issue. The doors to the academic wing are being closed and locked earlier and earlier. This new policy puts a barricade between us and our school books. Sometimes they’re open and sometimes they’re not. We appreciate the protection of our belongings, but soon we may have to penny the academic wing doors in order to get items we left in our lockers.

New sinks allow students to sanitize thoroughly Let this sink in. The replacement of the sinks in the bathrooms has encouraged students to remain “squeaky clean.” The increased number of functioning sinks has drained the amount of time spent waiting to wash our hands. After years with only two or three working sinks per bathroom, a full set of new sinks give the bathroom a fresh look. The Facilities Department is definitely working to clean up the bathrooms’ issues.

Hayes Stancliff

Racial tension and skin-deep separation seem to be the societal norm of the current age of hatred, bigotry, and oppression. A major dilemma in the modern age has proved to be moving past racial tensions and treating everyone equally. Recently, colleges and high schools all across the country have been the subject to a new wave of racial confusion, such as Harvard, Princeton, Auburn and Tulane university. These campuses saw flyers go up on buildings, lamp posts, and other constructions.

Why have the flyers sparked so much controversy? The message on the fliers was condemned as “divisive” and “racist” by students and administrators alike, and in several cases the police were called to respond to the flyers. The flyers were designed as one sheet of white paper with black lettering on it exclaiming “It’s OKAY to be white.”

The controversy over these “racist” signs is superfluous. Objectively, it is ok to be white. It’s ok to be white, black, hispanic, and any other race you can think of. Under this thin membrane of skin, we are all humans, and we need to start acting like it. To suggest there is something shameful about anyone’s race is the very definition of the racism we are fighting to subdue.

The prevailing reason why these flyers are criticized is due to their origin. According to a Washington Times news article, “The stunt was organized on 4chan’s ‘Politically Incorrect’ board to show that ‘lefties & journalists hate white people.’ Seeing ‘the media & lefties frothing at the mouth’ in response to the signs would ‘nuke’ their credibility,” the author of the 4chan thread said.

The mere concept of opposing views on anything seems to be a sort of call to action for some.

They feel the need to convince others that they are right and you are wrong, unwilling to be open to other views or opinions. This call to action has culminated in this early century as a political war between the “right” and the “left.” Americans should be able to respect free speech without calling the cops when seeing a sign simply asserting that “it’s OKAY to be white.”

Members of every race have done amazing things, and members of every race have done unspeakable, abysmal things.

Maybe instead of “teach[ing] my boys to have profound doubts that friendship with white people is possible,” as Ekow N. Yankah, a law professor at Yeshiva University, recently stated, we should teach our kids to forgive.

14 SPORTS Full Court Review James Ghimire

Pistons rolling to victory Last season in the NBA was disappointing for the Detroit Pistons, as they finished tenth in the Eastern Conference at 37-45 after making the playoffs the year before. However, this year, they’ve turned around. Now third in the Eastern Conference, they are notably tied with the San Antonio Spurs and a game ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Detroit has become better this year by maintaining their defensive efficiency. Their ability to keep their opponents from scoring has led to more opportunities on offense.

Their offense has gotten better mainly because of their two top players, center Andre Drummond and point guard Reggie Jackson. Drummond has improved his passing game. He’s assisting on 15 percent of Detroit’s shots while he’s on the floor, tripling his career mark. While his turnovers have increased as a result, the positive outweighs the negative.

At the same time, the far more noticeable improvement that Drummond has made in his free throw shooting, which has been a severe issue for him for most of his career.

Before this season, he had been a notoriously poor free throw shooter, converting on 38.7 percent from the free throw line throughout his career. This season, he’s worked his free-throw percentage all the way up to 60 percent, an astronomical improvement from his first five seasons in the league.

In addition to this, Drummond has also kept doing what he does best, rebounding. He leads the league in rebounds by a comfortable margin, having the most offensive and overall rebounds. His rebounding allows Detroit to play more spread out due to his presence, and on offense he can help with second chance points.

Reggie Jackson has also surged back into prominence after an off year, coming back from a torn ACL. His play-making ability off the pick and roll with Drummond is the basis of their offense, with Jackson able to finish with an easy score.

Since he has this much versatility off the pick, teams will sometimes crowd him on the drive, which sets up a pass to an open man for an uncontested shot.

The Pistons have been playing much better basketball by building on the foundation that their defense gives them and having an offense to take advantage of opposing teams scoring less. Playing at a slow pace that Detroit has shied away from since their dominance in the 1980s, they’ve shown that they can impose their will even in this increasingly fast paced NBA.

December 2017

Student plans to form ice hockey team Chris Roberts Sports Editor JC athletes currently compete on fields, tracks, and courts. Next year, sophomore Helen Lortie wants to bring competition somewhere else - the ice.

Lortie is organizing the start of an ice hockey team. She has played ice hockey for six years and is hoping to play her seventh season in a black and gold uniform.

Lortie is unsure whether JC would have a co-ed team or separate men’s and women’s teams.

Whether or not each gender has a team depends on how many students want to play.

Lortie plans on having the men’s and women’s teams practice with each other. “If we do a boys and a girls team, which is what I would like to have enough for both, and just practice together and share the ice,” Lortie said. She believes the team would practice at Ice World in Abingdon.

The MIAA, the league that male JC athletes compete in, has both an A and a B Conference for ice hockey.

There isn’t a local women’s ice hockey conference, but Lortie doesn’t see that being a problem.

“Schools like St. Timothy’s and

Patriot file photo

Dean of Professional Development Gary Scholl plays ice hockey with alumni on the frozen pond in Jan. 2013.

Although JC has never had an ice hockey team, there remains a long tradition of playing hockey on the pond.

Sophomore Helen Lortie plans to take this to the next level by creating an organized ice hockey team.

St. Paul’s … both have [women’s] ice hockey teams, and I’ve contacted both of them and they were like ‘Yeah, we could do all sorts of games with one another,’ because they’re not really in a league either,” she said.

Lortie isn’t tied up in the competition aspect of JC’s potential ice hockey team. “We’d be a beginner team,” she said.

Lortie was inspired to start an ice hockey team when she heard Principal Tom Durkin talk about his experience coaching at the beginning of this school year. “He

mentioned how he’d been an ice hockey coach … and I was like that sounds like an interesting idea,” she said.

Durkin was the JV ice hockey coach at Loyola Blakefield for six years, and according to Durkin, he is interested in starting a team at JC and helping coach when he is free, but “I’ll do my best [to help coach], it’s very difficult as a principal to provide that time,” he said.

However, Durkin believes a team can be put together. “If there’s enough student interest,

why should we get in their way?” he said. Although Durkin is in favor of an ice hockey team, he will defer to Athletic Director Steve Teter before committing to a final decision.

Teter is unsure if JC will have an ice hockey team next season.

“We are certainly open to anything that will improve or make the students’ experience better here at John Carroll, but we have to make sure that everything is feasible for the school,” he said.

Read more of the story at jcpatriot.com.

Athlete Spotlight: Kirstin Huggins Sport: Basketball Extracurriculars: Grade: Junior Years: 7

- FCA Leadership Team - Junior Class Member at Large

“She has the best attitude and is very coachable. She takes criticism the same as compliments.”

Women’s varsity basketball head coach Craig Simmons

Photo by Caitlin Kerrigan

Junior Kirstin Huggins spins the basketball on her finger during practice on Nov. 21. Huggins has been a starter on the women’s varsity basketball team for three years.

For the latest, follow The Patriot online at jcpatriot.com. @JCPatriot

@TheJCPatriot

@JCPatriot

The JC Patriot

“She always is leading in a positive way. People always turn to her for help or problems they have.”

Junior forward Jordan Wakefield

SPORTS 15

December 2017

Blowing a call causes consequences Students share their side of game Madison Dailey Community Editor The time runs down to 14 seconds, and the score is tied 14-14.

As the Severn School quarterback attempts to throw the ball to his receiver in the end zone, senior Danny Schall jumps up and intercepts the pass. The JC team begins to celebrate, as the game will now go into overtime, and they have a chance at beating the number-one team in the MIAA B Conference. Suddenly, one of the referees blows his whistle and signals a touchdown, which sealed the game for Severn.

According to senior football captain Cody Copinger, the referee’s call shocked his coaches, teammates, the other referee, and the opposing team. “One of the refs called that Danny intercepted it, while the other ref from the other sideline yelled that Severn had it. Yet the kid from Severn was crying into his hands on the ground … My coach said to me, ‘I’ve been coaching for 25 years, and I’ve never seen a call that terrible,’ ” Copinger said.

This controversial call ultimately cost the football team their chance at advancing to the playoffs, but they are not the only students that have had an experience where the referee’s call determined the game.

Senior basketball player Myah Savage has also found referees to be inconsistent during basketball games. “One time, a ref got in my way while I was dribbling the ball.

He said I ran into him and then gave the ball to the other team,” Savage said.

Some students, like junior lacrosse player Michaela Forchion, think referees often make calls that are biased. “I think if a ref likes a certain team more, he’ll give more calls to them,” Forchion said.

Junior Sydni Collins agreed that referees can be ineffective, and she thinks they often make mistakes.

“I think half the time their calls are a guess, so they can definitely be wrong,” Collins said.

Although some students have had bad experiences with referees in their games, senior field hockey player Grace Hollin appreciates the role referees play in sporting events.

“I think we should be supportive of the refs and their decisions. They can be biased, but in order to keep the peace, we should listen to what they say,” Hollin said.

However, Hollin agrees that referees sometimes make bad calls, specifically during her field hockey games. “I’ve had times when they called it wrong on another team when a goal goes in, and they say there’s no goal, [although] there actually was a goal,” Hollin said.

Students like Forchion believe that most referees aren’t qualified.

“Most refs don’t know what they’re doing,” Forchion said.

Oppositely, Hollin believes all referees are qualified because of her sister’s experiences as a referee for soccer. “My sister went to a two weekend-long training. They have to go through a lot,” Hollin said.

Referees rely on instincts and training to make right call Matthew Foulk Sports Editor The fans chant behind him. The parents yell beside him. The players and coaches focus on him. Senior Francesco Buontempo becomes the center of scrutiny every time he puts on his black-and-white striped shirt.

As a soccer referee, the outcome of the game rests in his hands, and no matter what he chooses, someone won’t agree.

Many questionable calls made by referees are torn apart. Players, coaches, and fans alike often complain about referees and claim that the referee is unqualified.

“Like in any sport, you have varying skill levels,” Spanish teacher and USA Field Hockey referee Deirdre Magner said. “You have some officials who have been reffing for 20 years and go to clinics and go to USA Hockey Events to make sure our ratings are up.”

Buontempo agrees that referees do have their shortcomings - they are not infallible. Referees do miss penalties and they do make the wrong calls, but they are willing to admit it.

“Every referee is different, but on

average, I’d say around two out of 10 calls are wrong,” Buontempo said.

However, referees must stand with their original call. It would only cause more controversy if they changed their calls.

“If there’s ever any doubt in a call I make or don’t make, there’s nothing I can do about it because the game moves so fluidly. In a game, there’s no instant replay. Once a referee makes his decision, [he or she] has to stick to it or else it looks really bad on their part,” Buontempo said.

Magner, like many referees, has had to make calls under pressure that have had large impacts on the game.

“I was in Connecticut for a night game … between two undefeated teams … [There was a] one-on-one with the goalkeeper … The coaches and home team tried to tell me [the goal] was shot outside the circle,” Magner said. “I knew what I had seen, but I wasn’t sure, and my partner couldn’t help me. She wasn’t where she was supposed to be. To this day, I don’t know if I was right.

I tied the game under a controversial call.”

Magner believes players and coaches are wasting time when they

try to argue calls in games. In several sports, such as rugby, arguing a call is an ejectable offense.

“Players should play the game. That’s their job. Players play, coaches coach, and referees ref,” Magner said.

Buontempo, however, does not think that the players are the main ones arguing calls. Regardless of who is arguing, Buontempo does not let it distract him from the game.

“I feel as though the parents put the most pressure on you as a referee. You have to judge the game fairly, and if you call something wrong or late, it can potentially win the game for the other team,” Buontempo said.

Many focus on the validity of a referee’s call, while a referee’s focus is on the players’ safety, not on their bias towards a team.

“It’s all about keeping the game safe.

[Referees] have no particular interests.

Personally, I just see two colors. It’s red and gold or white and blue,” Magner said.

In the end, referees are just trying to do their best.

“Officials are not trying to make the players’ lives miserable. As much as it may seem like that. We think all the calls over in our heads. We want to make the right call,” Magner said.

16 SPORTS

December 2017

Saddled up for

Showtime are then selected randomly and placed into different rounds. “If you’re not in the very first class, that’s almost a blessing because Senior Katie Brinegar wakes to the sound you’re more likely to know what your judge of her alarm clock at 4 a.m. She puts on her is looking for,” Brinegar said. britches, dresses in her white button-up shirt Another difficulty can be judging. Aland black blazer, pulls on her tall boots, and though most judges look for the same criquickly grabs her white gloves and helmet teria, some are more particular than others on her way out the door to the barn. She, with certain specificities, such as leg placealong with other JC riders, are making final ment and posture. preparations for showing day.

Riders do know, however, what they are The equestrian team practices at least expected to perform before a showing. All once a week in order to hone their skills riders are required to walk, trot, and canter and prepare for shows at Claddagh Manor with their horse in the event ring. Intermein Churchville. Three to five team members diate and open riders are required to perride during one practice time in order to al- form more challenging maneuvers than below time for coaches to do individual work ginners and novices, such as jumping over with the riders. a 2’6” bar or riding without stirrups or leg In addition to practicing for a showing, support. all riders must be properly dressed and preWhen mounting a horse, a rider knows pared with clean horses if they are hosting the dangers that are involved. “When you’re or semi-hosting a showing at their barn. riding a horse, you’re getting on something “We’re there every day [of] the week be- that has a complete mind of its own, so you fore [we host] preparing have to think about what you horses, brushing them, are doing,” Brinegar said.

“When you’re and washing them, and A rider can fall off if a horse getting them perfect for riding a horse, is startled, stops suddenly, or show day,” Brinegar saddle loosens. “Horses you’re getting on the said. Some riders like will usually get nervous if junior Kayla Maxwell something that you’re not on balance with will take an extra lesson them, so they’ll either go fasthas a complete or two the week before er or stop, but both ways that’s a showing in addition to mind of its own, so not going to help you,” Brinregular practice. said. you have to think egar The team competes With practice and experiin the Interscholastic about what you are ence comes rewards, as well.

Equestrian Association Maxwell, who has been riding doing.”

(IEA) in Zone Three, Senior Katie Brinegar for 10 years, advanced to the a region that includes IEA Nationals in Kentucky as Maryland, Delaware, a freshman in the JV Novice Virginia, and North Carolina. Maxwell be- class. lieves their toughest opponents this year “It [nationals] brought together all the will be Oldfields School and St. Timothy’s best people that were showing for their School. schools. To be able to ride against them Although riders compete on a team, there and know that I belonged there was reis also an individual aspect to equestrian. ally cool,” Maxwell said.

“At a show, you have to accumulate a cerHowever, there are other rewards tain number of points individually and [for that come with riding, such as relaxthe] team to advance to regional, zone, and ation. national finals,” Brinegar said. The more “I do it because it shuts my mind points an individual rider accumulates, the off, and it’s my stress-reliever. I higher a rider places, in turn boosting the think horses impact my life in the score of the team. best way because they help me Riders are also divided into different relax. When I get frustrated, I try classifications consisting of beginner, nov- to tackle the problem too quickly. ice, intermediate, and open. It is beneficial When I’m on a horse and I get frusto the team to have riders in all the classifi- trated, it’s a completely different thing,” cations in order to score more points. she said.

In addition, there is a level of uncertainty According to Brinegar, equestrian when a rider arrives at a show. For exam- takes a lot of time to learn and is ple, horses are not picked ahead of time. something that requires effort.

Instead, the horse’s name and the rider’s “You’re not going to go out and name are both drawn out of a hat. Riders get on a horse and know how to put

Sarah Spaeth Copy Editor

Did you know?

The team competes in Zone Three of the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) and rides against schools from MD, DE, VA, and NC.

The equestrian team breaks down barriers and overcomes stereotypes

your heels down and know where to keep your leg on the certain spots, and hold your hands a certain way. Certain horses take certain cues to get them to move forward.

That’s not something you know. You have to learn it.”

Equestrian is physically demanding and requires a strong bond between a rider and horses. “[Equestrian] is a sport. I hate when people walk up to me and say that the horse is doing all the work. Trust me, as soon as you get on a horse, you will understand that horses don’t do all the work,” Brinegar said. With hard work, riders like Maxwell develop “a partnership with something other than a person and it’s just a different level connection.”

Freshman Paige Hare competes at the Eastern shore twoday tournament on the weekend of Saturday, Nov. 11.

Photo courtesy Mark Meekins

Here are some fast facts to jump-start your quest for equestrian knowledge The team has won the championship consecutively for five years.

A horse is not paired with a rider ahead of time. Names are drawn out of a hat at the showing and all pairings are random.