The Patriot November 2014, Issue 1, Vol 50

11.21.14

Issue 1

Volume 50 @JCPatriot

www.jcpatriot.com The JC Patriot

@JCPatriot

Index

News 2

Lifestyles 4

A&E 7

In-Depth 8

Opinion 11

The JC Patriot

JCPatriot

JCPatriot

Sports 14

Are students empowered to take an active role in school governance, or is this a case of education without representation?

Lifestyles 6

NEWS

November 2014

2

What in the world is happening?

The Patriot maps out the need-to-know info of the world’s major events.

Ebola

Elections

ISIS

(Midterm)

Republican Party now has a majority

Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone

in

are the hardest hit countries

CONGRESS

appeared in

53

1976

244 seats House

in the

are

Home to ISIS

nAME comes

First cases

gop now controls seats in the Senate

and

Iraq Syria

of

Representatives

EBOLA river

from the

5160

TOTAL deaths

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

Billion 2 dollars in

Cash and Assets

5000

Iraqi citizens killed since June

is the current

Leader of ISIS Read more about these world issues at

jcpatriot.com

4

NEWS

November 2014

Eddie

In-Depth Editor After suffering severe stomach cramps for about four days, Director of Enrollment Edward Maynard decided to go see his doctor on Aug. 28.

Maynard was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer on Sept. 4.

Maynard’s doctor’s office was closed, so he went to Patient First. He had his blood drawn, and results showed that he was severely anemic and had low oxygen levels. Patient First told him to go to the hospital right away for a blood transfusion.

“Instead of going to the hospital, I decided to call my brother who is a nurse while I was in the parking lot. I didn’t believe them when they said to go to the hospital. My brother told me to read my results to him and so I did, and he agreed I needed to go to the hospital,” Maynard said.

Upon entering the hospital, Maynard was taken for a CAT scan. Doctors found a large mass in his large intestine and told him he needed a colonoscopy to find out more about the mass.

After being on a liquid diet for two days, Maynard had a colonoscopy and a biopsy.

He had the mass removed the following day and received the results the following week.

On Sept. 2, Maynard was told he was positive for colon cancer and two days later, he was told it was stage three colon cancer.

“I told my wife that I’d be home in an hour or two, and I came home nine days later, When I told my family they were just shocked and in disbelief,” Maynard said.

Currently Maynard is still working while in the process of chemotherapy which lasts approximately six months.

News shortly reached JC. Social studies department chair Jake Hollin started thinking of ways to help Maynard.

“What people often forget is that along with fighting cancer there are expenses insurances don’t cover. I just wanted to find a way to help in some of the costs so that is one less thing the Maynard family has to worry about,” Hollin said.

Hollin played with the idea of selling bracelets in honor of Maynard but was unsure of ways to get students to buy

Students support Admissions Director Edward Maynard during his struggle with colon cancer by buying and wearing their "I'm for Eddie" bracelets. The bracelets are on sale in the school store.

them. He came up with letting students have two dress down days, Nov. 7 and 21, if students pay the $10 to buy the bracelet.

“Several students said they would pay for the bracelets to see social studies teacher Anthony Del Puppo shave his hair,” Hollin said. Hollin brought Del Puppo into his classroom full of students and asked if he would be willing to shave his hair if they reached $10,000 by Nov. 21.

Right away Del Puppo said yes. “It’s easy, why wouldn’t I do it? Its not like they’re taking the skin off my back,” he said.

“There also might be three boys from the junior and senior classes with long hair that are willing to shave their heads as well, but we’ll keep that a mystery until after the Mass on Nov. 21,” Hollin said.

As of Nov. 7, $5,000 has been raised for Maynard by the students and faculty, not including the Mojo for Maynard Event which was held on Oct. 17 at the Bel Air Athletic Club. The total raised during the event has not yet been tallied, but over 150 friends and family came out to show their support for Maynard.

Student walks all over cancer

Senior

Sydney Kirwan

Photo by Morgan Taylor

Hanna LeBuhn

Junior

JC community supports Director of Enrollment Edward Maynard as he battles colon cancer

Print Chief Senior Amanda Brannan made a promise to her mom, who passed away from breast cancer, that by the time she turned 18, she would raise $50,000 to donate to breast cancer research. To this day, she has raised $60,000.

This accomplishment has been achieved after three Swim Fests at The Arena Club, four Crab Feast at Prices Seafood in Havre De Grace, and the JC Patriots in Pink team.

Every year, the Patriots in Pink teams completes the Race of the Cure in Hunt Valley, MD. In addition, Brannan has also started selling “Patriot in Pink” bracelets for $2.00 and has donated the proceeds to Mercy Hospital in Baltimore.

To raise breast cancer awareness and bring her cause to the JC community, Brannan has held a series of informational talks to the faculty and student body over the span of her time at JC. As a continuation of what Brannan has accomplished so far, she conquered the 39 mile Avon walk in New York, New York for her Senior Project. ​

The most dangerous cancers Cancer incidences worldwide

Estimated age-standardized incidence and mortality rates of forms of cancer

Men: 1. Lung and Bronchus Cancer 2. Prostate Cancer 3. Colon and Rectum Cancer 4. Pancreas Cancer 5. Liver and Intrahepatic Cancer

Breast

1. Lung and Bronchus Cancer 2. Breast Cancer 3. Colon and Rectum Cancer 4. Pancreas Cancer 5. Ovary Cancer

$40,000

$20,000

Total money raised over the years

Stages of Cancer

Cancers are localized to one part of the body. Stage 1 cancer can be surgically removed if small enough.

Lung Colon Cervical

Stage 2

Stomach Liver

The cancer are locally advanced.

Stage 2 cancer can be treated by chemo, radiation, or surgery.

Uterine

Stage 3

Esophagus

Stage 3 is more advanced and can be treated by chemo, radiation, or surgery.

Bladder Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Leukemia

Stage 4

Incidence

Kidney

Mortality

Pancreas 0

$55,000

Stage 1

Prostate

Ovary

Women:

$60,000

Sophomore

I’m

Freshman

3

10

20 30 40 Rate per 100,000

50

Source: International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization Graphic: Erik Rodriguez © 2014 MCT

By this stage cancers have often metastasized, or spread to other organs or throughout the body.

Stage 4 cancer can be treated by chemo, radiation, or surgery.

LIFESTYLES

November 2014

4

A whole new

WO R L D Junior Kishan Patel travels to India to be with his relatives and honor the memory of his late grandfather

Kishan Patel Sports Editor My grandfather, Dahyabhai Madhavalas Patel, passed away on Sept. 15. From Sept. 18-28, I visited India with my eight-year-old cousin, Harsh Patel, to bless my grandfather’s afterlife.

On the ride to airport, I was warned of possible dangers in India. If someone caused problems, I should bribe them to ensure safety. I was also told to check our passports constantly, because there have been cases where airport employees rip out their pages in hopes of receiving bribes.

Day-to-day:

Each morning I would get ready by 7:00 a.m. to do aarti and bhajans for my grandfather. The aarti and bhajans are similar to religious hymns sung to Bhagwan, thanking and praising Him. I also would talk to my grandmother and comfort her, meet family members and friends, eat lunch, go out with my cousin Vishal Patel.

Then in the evening, bhajans would start again with an average of 60 people coming. At the end Photo courtesy Kishan Patel of each three-hour session, I’d conclude with a Junior Kishan Patel (center) holds rose petals in his hand, closesly paying attention to the Brahmin explaining the reasoning behind the short lecture about charity, love, and equality. petals, which was to symbolically garment his grandfather’s soul. Patel performed the four-hour ritual at the Narangath Temple.

25th:

We went to give out food to all the children in the different schools, about 800 kids in total. In Indian tradition, giving to the needy is required by religious scriptures. We also did it in honor of my grandfather, who loved kids.

When the elementary school kids learned why I came from America, they came to “paghe lagh,” which is touching a person’s feet to ask for blessings and to give respect to the person.

26th:

The most emotional day of this experience was the final day of the yagna.

I sat through a four-hour yagna, and hundreds of people came to watch.

The remaining ashes were then

The 20-hour plane ride back included a lot of personal reflection. I remembered talking with my relative and the small children paghe lagh-ing me. There is still much to explore of the country that my parents are from and the country that defines who I am, but the visit this time was for a much greater cause. I came back to America with more valuable memories and lessons than a tourist trip would have ever been able to give me.

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18 h

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27th:

Back Home:

Honoring my grandfather’s soul

In d

Today was the day we “called my grandfather back.”

I went to a temple to do special rituals and prayers to call my grandfather’s soul back in order to send him off properly.

The yagna, a ritual that may be conducted in different fashions for different occasions, lasted four hours and consisted of calling Bhagwan to bless and return my grandfather’s soul. I had to wear a dhoti, which is a traditional lower garment that looks pretty funky.

The ceremony ended when I sent some of my grandfather’s ashes along the Sabarmati River.

removed. We concluded the yagna when I took the ashes down to a corner of a road and let them loose.

At the end, I said, “Farewell.

Keep watch over us here on earth, you’ll always be with the family here because you’ll always reside in our hearts.”

On the return walk, I could not look back to my grandfather. I remembered he was in my heart, so it wasn’t as bad as walking to the corner. My bare feet ached after walking on the burning hot ground, and pained me for the next two and a half weeks.

An unusual part of the yagna was cleaning the tail of the goat after feeding it. My cousin went to get a goat and I fed it sweets and washed its tail. The goat was friendly, so it wasn’t bad. We developed a close bond after I fed him ... I think.

I sent my grandfather’s ashes...

down the Sabarmati River

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While pouring the ashes into the river I said “Om Krushnai Namaha,” meaning “give peace, O Lord Krishna.”

For more on Kishan’s story, go to jcpatriot.com

5

LIFESTYLES

November 2014

by Claire Grunewald

Q Billy Jump In-Depth Editor Madison Meyer, class of ‘14, hunches her back, folds her fingers to resemble claws, and makes a high-pitched cackle. The little girl opposite her, wearing a tiara and princess costume, is confused. Meyer then runs to the closet to get a broomstick. She rides it around the house, cackling higher and louder. She is pretending to be a witch, but the little girl she is playing with only speaks Italian and German, so miming is the only way to play.

Meyer takes out her French phrasebook and tries to find the word for “witch,” which she hopes will be a cognate to the Italian word. Nothing. After extensive miming, the little girl finally understands and they play until it is time for a homemade Italian lunch.

Meyer will be given a room and food for babysitting, until she leaves for her next European city. Instead of sitting in a college classroom, cramming for her next test, Meyer is living out her dream of traveling.

Last spring, when college letters were rolling in and seniors were discovering where they would end up going to school in the fall, Meyer didn’t respond to any of her acceptance letters. Instead, she planned on taking a gap year.

“I always wanted to travel, but only recently did I realize that I might as well do it now, instead of waiting and continually saying ‘someday I’ll travel.’ Why not do it now? I wanted to ensure that it would happen,” Meyer said.

However, Meyer knew that, between finding a new place to stay every couple weeks and

Alumna delays college to explore the world

challenge Challenge

ACCEPTED accepted

spending money on food, traveling is expensive. She would never be able to raise the money to do all that she wanted to do in a little under a year. After extensive research and reading blogs from people who were able to travel on a budget, Meyer found her answer: Workaway.

“Planning was the hard part, but Workaway was Photo courtesy Madison Meyer how I was goMadison Meyer, class of 14’ , poses in front of the Vatican in Rome.

Meyer has been traveling ing to make this Europe for the past 3-4 months through an agency called Workaway. dream viable,” Meyer said.

According to its website, ed her first Workaway. Meyer a tourist,” Meyer said. “I don’t Workaway provides food and ac- worked in a chateau, where her have to go somewhere every day. commodation for travelers in ex- duties ranged from organizing at- It’s okay to sit at a cafe. I realchange for a few hours of work tics to cleaning the pool. ized that I don’t have to see every everyday.

“I picked up French much bet- monument in a city. I can stroll “There isn’t really a selec- ter in the south of France than in down little streets and a neightion process,” Meyer said. “You Paris,” Meyer said. “In Paris, I borhood, talking to people and just send tons and tons and tons was able to do everything that I taking pictures, and it’s fun. It’s of emails. I think I sent an email needed to do, like ask for direc- tons of fun.” to literally every Workaway near tions or get gas, but in the south, After Italy, Meyer will travel to Paris. Just for the couple of work- I was with two other English- a town outside of Vienna, where aways that I have lined up now, speaking workers who wanted she will work to improve a famI sent close to 60 emails. With to learn French. They were con- ily’s English-speaking skills. some people, they say they can stantly asking me questions. Ev- Then she will return home to take you, then they can’t. Some ery time I turned around, it was Churchville. people just tell you no. Tons nev- ‘how do you say this?’ It really “I am actually planning where I er respond.” started coming back to me.” will go after Christmas right now.

Meyer designed her trip around However, when Meyer trav- I think I’m going to do Thailand, which Workaways she was invit- eled to Italy, she was faced with Cambodia, and possibly Vietnam. ed to do. So, after a summer of a somewhat-familiar language But I could do Bulgaria, Croatia, saving up for her journey, Mey- barrier. “Some words are the [and] Romania,” Meyer said. er was off. With only a blog, a same, which makes things easier.

To Meyer, traveling is not a dream, and her essentials, she set But there are still a ton of things “what if,” but a “why not?” From off for Europe. where I have no clue how to say strolling along the Champs-ElMeyer flew into Paris, where them.” ysees to eating fresh ravioli in she stayed at a friend’s house.

Regardless, Meyer embraces Rome, Meyer is feeding the wanThen, she traveled to a town out- her experiences in Europe. derlust that she has always had, side of Toulon, where she start“I feel more like a traveler than one country at a time.

Editor reflects on week without mirrors Every day I get up, look in the mirror, and get ready for the day, where I see mirror after mirror.

I decided to challenge myself to give up this simple, everyday luxury to see if I could defy evolved human instinct.

I covered up all the mirrors in my household and sent my last snapchats with frontcam. I was ready … or so I thought.

The first morning of my challenge I woke up and went to get ready, only to discover I just had to wing it. Just to be safe, I used a makeup remover wipe over my entire face. Then after attempting to put on mascara, I scrubbed all around my eyes to remove the damage of that ordeal.

Coming into school not knowing how I looked didn’t bother me too badly. However, on the weekends, walking out of my house without an idea of what my outfit looked like or how my hair parted the night before, was the most unsettling and awkward feeling.

Throughout the week I had to constantly remind myself not to look at mirrors or reflections, and it was a struggle. My mind had become programmed to know when and where to look, and it was addicted to the sight. I would find myself instinctively turning my head to look at my reflection as I walked down the halls or sat in a car, and then I would immediately chastise myself.

I came to rely on my shadow a lot. It wasn’t a mirror, but I would use my silhouette to try to get an idea of how my hair looked or if my clothes were out of place.

The hardest occasion of all had to be not looking in a mirror after the field hockey team won the IAAM B conference championship. It may sound odd, but I had this burning desire to see my face.

When the challenge ended, I took the sheets down and made eye contact with my reflection for the first time in a week, but the sense of relief I was expecting to wash over me didn’t come. The following days I found myself turning away from my reflection or avoiding the bathroom mirrors.

Trying to avoid mirrors and reflections all together is impossible. It is natural human instinct to want to know what you look like.

This desire to see ourselves doesn’t make us vain or egotistical, it makes us human. Just don’t spend life looking in the mirror.

Get out there and challenge yourself, because what’s a life worth living without a challenge?

LIFESTYLES by Billy Jump

Student power remains unclear Angela DeCarlo and Claire Grunewald

healthy YOU Exploring the ancient art of happiness Yoga. It’s that thing that everyone’s mom has tried at least once.

But yoga extends far beyond just a trend that helps you get your body back to where it was before two kids and a minivan.

It’s a physical, mental, and spiritual practice that improves both the body and the mind.

Every day, after I wake up and question why I don’t just drop out of school and start my career as an international pop sensation, I take in a deep breath, exhale, and then start stretching. Instantly, I feel the energy flow through my body like 1,000 electrical pulses waking up my muscles. After about 10 minutes of yoga, I am ready to start my day.

The benefits of yoga include improved energy, increased flexibility, increased muscle strength and tone, healthier metabolism, weight reduction, cardio health, increased vitality, and countless others. Yoga also introduces you to meditation techniques, which tremendously influences your ability to handle stress and anxiety. The combination of all these effects creates an enormous increase in how you feel about yourself.

One of the biggest impacts yoga has made on my life is an increased awareness of my body and an increase in self-confidence. Not only do I have the desire to eat healthier and stay away from destructive vices, but I have become more comfortable in my body and feel that my mind and body are in harmony.

One of the greatest things about yoga is that, just like how your muscles will feel afterwards, it’s flexible. Yoga works with your schedule so that you can do it virtually anywhere. You don’t need a treadmill or weights, just your body and your mind. And if you want fast, long-term results, yoga is the way to go. In just two weeks, my flexibility and core strength increased dramatically.

Yoga is for everyone. Are you looking to build more muscle?

Yoga. Feeling down lately? Yoga!

Are you a sad man who overcompensates for his insecurities by acting like a gorilla and drives everyone away? YOGA! Regardless of why you may decide to start this ancient practice, the benefits are overwhelmingly positive and will change the way you feel, think, and live for the better.

November 2014

Stories Chief and Lifestyles Editor Ideas drive change and as young, creative adults, JC students stand at the forefront of the fight to inspire that change.

But where can students take their ideas? Teachers? The Student Affairs Council? The administration?

There are forms of representation that are more effective than others. Is our current system effective?

SAC’s role According to SAC President Rawlison Zhang, “we relay [whatever the students tell us] to the administration and see where we can take it from there. It goes from students, to us, to administration, technically to [Principal Madelyn] Ball.”

“As long as the request is reasonable, the administration is very receptive,” SAC Moderator Rodney Johnson said.

According to Johnson, the majority of requests are related to spreading awareness of different causes. Rarely have students come to him as a means to facilitate change. When they do, it pertains to things out of his control.

“The only thing [I’ve heard of] is the prices of food in the cafeteria, but that’s completely not in

our wheelhouse,” Johnson said.

With this lack of student participation, SAC’s responsibility falters.

“Dances are the main thing we are in charge of, but we’re supposed to be role models for student body and follow all the rules,” junior Vice President Parker Day said.

According to Johnson, SAC can only be as active as the students want it to be. In years past, there have been groups of students who used the SAC to promote change. However, these students have graduated and there haven’t been students to replace them.

In the past, there was a StudentFaculty Administration (SFA) that met once a semester. According to Vice Principal for Academics Gary Scholl, “It was a time for student leaders [who were] usually SAC representatives, teachers, and the administration to talk and discuss how things were going and bring up any concerns in general.”

According to Johnson, the SFA hasn’t met for seven years.

Without the SFA and students’ lack of initiative with the SAC, the students’ opinions on schoolwide issues go unheard.

“Kids are passionate about certain things, but as far as taking it to the school-wide level, not so much,” Johnson said.

“I really think it’s an important part of being in high school, and a

6

Illustration by Holly Driver

high school student, for students to have more ownership for the kind of school we are and the kind of school we can become,” President Richard O’Hara said.

But there is still opportunity for this change. “I would like to see the SAC become a more active vehicle in matters that directly affect the students,” Scholl said.

Board representation In addition to this lack of communication between the students and the administration, there is a lack of communication between the students and the Board of Trustees.

According to Scholl, the Board of Trustees is the governing body of the school due to the fact that JC is a legal corporation. The 20 members meet monthly. However, there is no student representation on this Board. “[Having a student representa-

tive has been] talked about, but there never was a policy put in place to allow student representation on the Board,” Scholl said.

According to Scholl, the content of the Board meetings “would not be appropriate to have students be a part of the discussion.” Even if there were student representation on the Board, it would still be likely that the Board would go into executive sessions for particularly sensitive issues.

“I don’t know what value there might be [to have a student representative on the Board]. The Board deals with larger issues and concepts dealing with policy,” Scholl said. “There’s also a lot of financial responsibilities.

The concerns of the students and concerns of the Trustees aren’t the same.”

However, these restrictions do not exist at some of the other schools in the area.

According to Bel Air High School Principal Gregory Komondor, the student government system at Bel Air is set up similarly, with four elected officers representing each grade level.

Their government system is responsible for dances, school fundraising, and charity events.

Bel Air is also able to send a student representative to the Harford County Board of Education and another to the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee.

At the Friends School of Baltimore, four of the Board of Trustee members come from “specific constituencies,” according to their website. These four members are representatives from the student body, the faculty, Parents Association, and the Alumni Board.

According to O’Hara, there are opportunities for parent and faculty representatives to speak to the Board about certain issues.

However, once these representatives complete their presentations, they leave the meeting.

While O’Hara doesn’t see a need for student representation on the board, he does think that student power needs to be increased.

“I think there’s always a tendency in schools for the old folks to have more control because there’s a feeling of assurance that it’ll all go better,” O’Hara said.

“Educationally for high school students, that’s not the best way to allow you guys to grow.”

For more coverage on student power, turn to page 12.

7

A&E

November 2014

Alum leaps into international performing career by Lauren Glase

Eleanor Werneke Lifestyles Editor Performing with passion on the Broadway stage, John Tanner Hussar, class of ‘07, belts “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.” Hussar played the character of Franz in the musical “Rock of Ages.” His success at such a young age makes many people wonder how he got to where he is today.

Hussar grew up in Bel Air, and attended St. Margaret’s Elementary and Middle Schools. He then moved on to JC for high school. “[I chose JC] for the theater department,” Hussar said.

During Hussar’s freshman year, an overwhelming amount of students wanted to do the shows. It was the first year the theater department was presenting a fall play.

Hussar participated in all eight musicals of his high school career – “Wizard of Oz,” “My Fair Lady,” “Tom Sawyer,” “42nd Street,” “Pajama Game,” “The Music Man,” “Anything Goes,” and “Damn Yankees.”

“I think JC provided me great training for growth in college and was a great footstep for me in theater,” Hussar said.

After graduating in 2007, he went to Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York. Hussar chose his college the same way he chose his high school: for its theater program, which has recently been named one of the top 10 in the country. He majored in theater and minored in contemporary ballet.

Hussar’s former theater teachers Kim Brueggemann, Larry Hensley, and Laura Lang helped him learn. “We have three very passionate people that are teaching us about theater,” he said.

“They have a love for it.”

After college, he moved to New York City, where he still lives today. Like many young actors, he

iREVIEW It’s time to hop into Timehop

Photo by Eleanor Werneke

John Hussar, class of ‘07, and theater teacher Laura Lang pose together. Lang was a mentor to Hussar in his time at JC participating in the theater department. started auditioning for shows in the city multiple times a week, night and day.

“I get there early, listen to music, and zone out. I focus on keeping all my energy for the audition,” Hussar said.

According to Hussar, present at auditions are the casting director, the casting director’s assistant, the director, and sometimes the choreographer. There are hundreds of people who audition. They teach you 90 seconds of a song and choreography. Then, they break down the room into groups and watch the groups one by one.

According to Hussar, it is the luck of the draw when it comes to casting directors. Their mood and wants for their show could depend on the simple things like if they have had a good lunch or if it’s the morning or afternoon.

“It’s all about the energy you give off. Sometimes you only get 1-2 minutes for an audition,” Hussar explained.

When the casting directors don’t even make eye contact with you or you don’t get a call back, Hussar said that “you can’t take it personally.”

It was at an “Addam’s Family” audition where the casting director specifically asked Hussar to audition for another musical, “Rock of Ages.”

Hussar had to wait a year before he heard back from the casting director of “Rock of Ages.”

“You have to have the heart to [do] this,” Hussar said.

He learned that he got the role of Franz, a villain turned good.

All of the auditions and hard work that he put in had finally paid off.

He joined the cast of 17 people on a 10-month tour around the world, beginning November 2013 and ending September 2014.

One of his favorite places he performed was in Singapore. He loves meeting up with all of his old classmates in different parts of the country.

Artist Spotlight

“It was so heartwarming for us, his friends since St. Margaret’s through [JC], to see a dream he had for as long as I can remember come true,” Hussar’s close friend Allison Grimmel, class of ’07, said, “We saw him put in the work over the years and persevere through ups and downs.”

“I think it is really cool that I have known someone on [a] Broadway tour because I knew him way back when. It is cool to have that connection,” mother of one of Hussar’s former classmates and Service Learning Coordinator Susan Strawbridge said.

Hussar recently returned from performing in “Peter Pan” in Virginia Beach for a few of months.

He is currently modeling after being contacted by a photographer.

In eighth grade Hussar wrote, “in 10 years I will be dancing and singing on Broadway.” Hussar accomplished his dream and looks forward to performing in more shows on the Broadway stage.

Emma Gromacki “I think it’s cool that a freshman got first chair. It shows that she has skills with both bells and percussion.

Junior Michael Sanphillipo

“

Photo by Lauren Glase

Sophomore Emma Gromacki plays the bass drum at the Homecoming football game on Oct. 24.

Gromacki was first chair for percussion her freshman and sophmore year.

Grade: Sophomore Activity: Band

Section: Percussion

Accomplishments: First chair two years running. Plays timpani, snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, xylophone, and bells. Treasurer of Tri-M Music Honor Society.

”

Based off of her leadership, personality, and organization, she has done a great job and has shown that she is fit for the job.

Band teacher Marc Bolden

”

For more on Emma’s accomplishments, see the full story at jcpatriot.com.

My phone vibrates. A push notification. I look. My face promptly turns 50 shades of red. There’s nothing like my phone reminding me how awkward my 13-year-old self was.

Timehop is a social media time machine, connecting to your Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Foursquare, iPhoto, Dropbox Photos, and iPhone Camera to show you your posts from the past. Every day, Timehop shows its viewers what they posted on social media on that same day in previous years.

If you’re like me and you either find yourself the most hilarious person on social media, or you love the awkwardness of those middle school years, this free app from the App Store will quickly hop into your daily routine.

Not only is this app a reminder of how awesome – or terrible – your past self was, but it also allows you to share the past social media post once more on your social media account of choice.

I first heard of Timehop from seeing posts on Twitter that said “Two years ago and still feel the same way,” or “Remember when…” followed by a Timehop image of the old post.

Upon joining the Timehop community, I couldn’t wait to resurrect the posts of my uncomfortable middle school years. Sharing them, laughing at myself along the way, makes it even better. But I am also reminded of posts without any embarrassment, causing me to reminisce.

I’m not always the most active person on social media, but Timehop has actually motivated me to post more, just so that I’ll have something to look forward to in a year.

Unfortunately, due to my infrequent posting in past years, there are many days when I see the message “No activities found.”

However, Timehop does not remain empty on those days. Today, for example, Timehop told me that “four years ago today, Queen Elizabeth II joined Facebook.” Every day there is new information waiting for me.

Perhaps the best part of the app, though, is its symbol: a precious little dinosaur. On the settings screen of the app, upon scrolling up, you’re greeted by the loveable little guy dancing.

If you don’t download the app for the memories, download it for the dinosaur. I guarantee it’ll brighten your day.

VERDICT November 2014

8

THE

IN-DEPTH

ON

VICES

By Billy Jump and Sydney Kirwan

The Patriot looks at the trends surrounding alcohol, marijuana, dip, and electronic cigarettes What has INCREASED the most in popularity among teenagers?

Dip 14%

Marijuana 45%

Alcohol 17% E-Cigs 24%

{

Results are from 133 JC students who responded to a survey conducted by The Patriot via Surveymonkey

}

“I think alcohol and marijuana both have evolved most. [Alcohol and marijuana] have become increasingly easier for minors to obtain.�

- SOPHOMORE ZACH MILLER

9

70%

November 2014

IN-DEPTH

of students believe

ALCOHOL

{

is the most used substance among teenagers

}

“Drinking is selective, only a few people do it. It all depends on who you hang out with.”

- SENIOR GABBY KROPFF

What

SUBSTANCES do you see

MOST OFTEN? 1. Alcohol 2. E-Cigarettes 3. Dip 4. Marijuana

How many STUDENTS have NEVER seen these substances at a party?

71% 61% 36% 57%

A&E

November 2014

10

Date Night Done Right

The Patriot ventures off the beaten path to explore unique date spots

1

The King and Queen Seat Experience:

Kristen Isoldi A&E Editor

Drive Time: 25 minutes from JC

Address:

3318 Rocks Chrome Hill Rd, Jarrettsville, MD 21084

Price: Free

Atmosphere:

Photo by Kristen Isoldi

Looking over the rocks of the King and Queen Seat reveals a lush green forest. The King and Queen Seat is a great date spot for nature-lovers.

2

Being out on the rocks makes you feel like you are on top of the world. We looked out over the rocks at the scenery below. We saw more trees than imaginable swaying in the wind and we heard the rush of water from the river down below.

The beautiful scenery in the background makes for great pictures of you and your date.

At first, walking toward the edge of the 190-foot high cliff can be frightening, but once I took my eyes off of the ground, the view was breathtaking.

The King and Queen Seat at Rock State Park is the ideal date spot for anyone looking to both be adventurous and have fun, all while getting to see amazing sights in nature.

The first thing my date and I did was walk up the 0.4 mile trail that leads you to the King and Queen Seat. The trail is uphill, but it is a short distance, so it is not strenuous. The trail is filled with beautiful trees and flowers on both sides, so the walk up the trail is an easy one.

In addition to the rocks, The King and Queen Seat also offers other small hiking trails for you and your date to go on, and it has an outdoor picnic area so you can have a nice lunch.

The King and Queen Seat is the ideal date spot because it is fun and refreshing. There is nothing better than being outdoors surrounded by nature with your date.

Broom’s Bloom

Mitchell Hopkins News Editor

Drive Time: 5 minutes from JC

Address:

1700 S Fountain Green Rd, Bel Air, MD 21015.

Price:

$5 to $10 ice cream, $20+ meal

Atmosphere:

Brooms Bloom is a picturesque farm complete with silos, tractors, and barns. There were rocking chairs and benches with tables outside.

Experience:

The ice cream, which is described by Broom’s Bloom as being “so fresh that you can smell the manure” easily made the list of the best ice cream I had ever tasted.

Broom’s Bloom is a fun place to go to grab a bite to eat if you are planning to go somewhere for food, but I do not suggest planning your whole afternoon around it because there isn’t much else to do. It is near Bel Air, and is easy to get to since it’s not far off of the beaten path.

Overall, I would say that it is a nice place to go, but don’t plan to be called the most romantic person ever for going here on a date.

Photo by Mitchell Hopkins

The outside of Broom’s Bloom Dairy looks out on an extensive farm. Broom’s Bloom is a great spot to grab a quick bite with your date.

3

National Aquarium

Kristen Isoldi A&E Editor

Drive Time:

35-40 minutes from JC

Address:

501 E Pratt St Baltimore, MD 21202.

Price:

$34.95 each ticket

Atmosphere:

Photo by Kristen Isoldi

A turtle races with the fish at the National Aquarium. The National Aquarium’s numerous exhibits make for an interesting date.

The aquarium has the perfect date setting, with the dim lighting and the glowing of the fish tanks. there was a tropical rainforest exhibit that contained beautiful birds.

Experience:

Out of nowhere, three dolphins fly through the air in unison, creating a spectacular sight. Sitting in the arena of the National Aquarium of Baltimore, watching the dolphins swim around and occasionally do tricks for their fishy treat is the perfect way to end the perfect date.

Strolling through the aquarium and looking at all of the exotic fish were great experiences. They are interesting to look at, and it was fun to talk about which fish are weird or cool-looking.

Overall, the aquarium is an ideal date spot because of its uniqueness. There is no better place for you and a date to have a fun time and see exotic fish.

11

OPINION

November 2014

PATRIOT DEBATE

The Patriot staff debates which political mindset is better for the United States, liberal or conservative

Liberal

l l l

Proactive Change Progressive Social Policy Federal Power

VS

Conservative

Traditional Values Emphasis on Individual l State Power l l

Artwork by Conrad J. Gagnon

Liberal

Left Nick Miller A&E Editor Why throw away a system that hasn’t failed us yet? Because we can’t be satisfied with society’s flaws.

Our purpose is to dissolve the idea of groups and to remove labels. People are people, not their labels. You should be proud of your culture, race, sexual orientation, and gender, but they shouldn’t be your defining factors.

This goal was preferable to the conservative viewpoint to me, personally, because I see blatant injustice all the time. I don’t mean to say conservatives believe in injustice. Conservatives believe in gradual reform from person to person. This is the wrong way to go about things.

The only way to achieve anything is by going out and getting it yourself. We can’t sit quietly while we see inequality and expect it to end. The liberal way is the fastest method to achieve the best living conditions possible.

Well-known issues such as abortion rights, same-sex marriage, foreign wars, and government spending are just scratching the surface. For example, issues like sex education are hardly brought up, but only 19 states require medically accurate sex education. Maryland is not one of them.

But would you believe that, despite this, Maryland is ahead of the pack ? Maryland is one of the 22 states that mandates sex education, even though it doesn’t have to be medically accurate. The faster this changes, the faster we see a drop in unwanted

pregnancy, a drop in abortion, and a drop in STDs. The first step to a better nation is repairing our dilapidated government. According to The Washington Post, the Congresses in 2012 and 2013 have been the least productive in history.

But at the same time, we are at fault as well, because we re-elect these people without thinking about it. It’s time to recognize that the lazy, wasteful officials that allow things like this to happen need to be swapped for more productive ones.

The government also needs to be rearranged into a system which deals with issues for the whole country instead of having states make individual decisions to fix national problems. Our entire country would stand united if this type of government were fully achieved.

A team needs to work as a cohesive unit.

Without a strong, single decision-making body, when half of the states want one solution to a problem and the other half are in favor of a different solution, either nothing will occur or the solution will only have half of the impact it would have had if it were implemented in all the states.

A strong federal government allows decisions to be universally implemented which is much more effective.

You can’t win a sporting event when half of the team is working against the other half. How awful would the Theater Dept.’s musicals be if half of the dancers did one step while others did another step?

The same concepts that we apply to these small teams apply, on a larger scale, to our country.

Our government can be the director coordinating the steps or the coach keeping the players on the same page, but only if it is allowed to be strong enough.

It’s small changes that start revolutions, and those changes can best be achieved through the liberal mindset.

Patriot Answers Freshman Avery Dinger

“Democrat, because they always want to help the people.”

Sophomore Julianna Richard

Conservative

Right Eric Johnson Sports Editor

There’s nothing better than waking up and being able to determine your success.

Through the conservative viewpoint, responsibilities lie on the citizens and that fact decides what makes a country great.

Even though the specific people in a country are a huge contributor to a country’s success, the most important part of a country is having a conservative government.

You should be a conservative because state governments with more power have the ability to create the best country through the practices of conservatism.

Being a dedicated conservative revolves around firmly believing in a capitalist economy, limiting the government’s power, and upholding American values.

Capitalism is the most effective economic option. What other system allows people to pursue their interests and control the economy? It’s the best because our capitalist economy relies on individuals and their willpower, instead of the government.

Easily the best facet of this great country, America’s hope relies on her citizens and their contributions.

The government should have the role of protecting its citizens from threats, protecting the basic rights of those citizens, and providing freedom for individuals to pursue and achieve their goals.

States need to have more power than the federal government. This stops America from experiencing the pitfalls of an out-oftouch government. States can better represent their people because it is a smaller and

less diverse demographic.

States, not the federal government, should have individual power to uphold education, manage healthcare, regulate elections, and conduct marriages.

The Gadsden flag with the words “Don’t tread on me” is a great symbol of this. This flag has been flown by conservative groups because it is a symbol of the rejection of too much federal power. America was built on the backs of persistent, hardworking people who refused to take “no” for an answer. Today, I see this spirit dying as Americans debate traditional sayings, such as “In God we trust,” because they might offend people.

We need to return to traditional values, such as independence and persistence.

They exemplify hope, forethought, individual hard work, and the pursuit of happiness without asking for handouts. These values are what drive conservative leaders to reduce welfare handouts and attempt to repeal Obamacare.

The current administration is a clear example of why conservative thought needs to be followed. The most recent census, conducted between Oct. 2013 and Nov. 2014, says that over 3 million American citizens have been on welfare. California is home to 36 percent of those 3 million people and just so happens to be one of the most liberal-minded states.

Anybody will tell you that our government needs to change, but I argue that the change must come from the same concepts that this great nation was founded upon such as having more rights, being patriotic, providing citizens protection of rights so that they may freely pursue happiness, and granting them liberty.

Unless you enjoy your government telling you how to live your life and enjoy people wasting time complaining about the government, than you should be a conservative.

What political party do you belong to and why?

Junior David Carrier

“Republican, because my “Republican, because I parents are and that’s how I have a sense of ingenuity was brought up.” and they represent that.”

Senior Austin Kiss

Faculty Michelle Sullivan

“Republican, because I support people actually working for their money.”

“Independent, because neither of the political parties represent what I believe.”

OPINION

November 2014

Student representation in the JC community is unfortunately limited. Students deserve a greater voice in their community.

by Will Bolton

bolton’s BIASES Service learning serves no one The service learning system of documentation serves only to frustrate students, promote dishonesty, and make students dislike the chore that serving people becomes in this system.

Service learning has been tossed around as a calling card used by the Admissions Office to dazzle prospective students and their parents, but it is now time to come to terms with the reality.

The current service learning requirement in order to graduate is 60 hours of community service, but 40 hours must be completed in order for incoming seniors to get their schedule.

Some service hours are considered direct and others are not.

Direct service hours are done for the “poor, infirm, or homeless.”

These get doubled. A student could only do 30 hours of service, but receive 60 hours of credit.

These hours must be laboriously documented and turned in to the Service Learning Coordinator. The process includes printing the form off the website, finding the supervisor to sign it, and handing in the form within 30 days of completion.

Another fact of life is that students cheat on homework. If people cheat on homework, then they will, and do, cheat on service forms. It is blatantly easier to have someone sign a piece of paper saying you did hours of service when you actually showed up with a shovel and stood around all day, which happens.

The solution to this problem lies within requiring service trips for every student, similar to that of the junior retreat.

There should be several different options of trips ranging from week-long trips, similar to the Dominican Republic service trip, to day trips which would go to Our Daily Bread or similar places. Obviously the first option is a much larger time commitment, so several one-day trips to Our Daily Bread or other charity organizations would be required for the students who chose that option.

These trips are a much better alternative. Chaperones could be sure that meaningful service is being done, amd students will have more fun and enjoy serving more if they are with their peers. .

Service should be a fun and rewarding adventure with the person providing the service getting just as much out of it as the person who is receiving it, not a tedious process that must be slogged through.

12

The administration likes to emphasize that JC operates under contract law, not constitutional law. This means that “Catholic schools can restrict the rights to freedom of expression,” according to Principal Madelyn Ball’s November 2011 Letter from the Publisher “Ball readdresses issues of student expression.”

While this is an accurate and legitimate summary of the legal situation, is it something that we should be embracing as a philosophy? The free speech and expression of a school’s students should be its pride and joy. Instead of shutting down student opinion or limiting student power, JC should be encouraging open discussion and student creativity in order to foster a sense of community, improve the school, and prepare students for the real world.

The administration should be going out of its way to empower students. After all, our Mission Statement says that JC prepares students “to serve responsibly in shaping a more just and compassionate global society.” Our Statement of Beliefs asserts that “reallife experiences [enable] students to embrace opportunities and excel as responsible participants in a global society.” Students, however, must be given opportunities in order to embrace them.

In order to become “responsible participants in a global society,” students must first learn

how to constructively question the existing system, how to advocate for change, and how to work cooperatively towards solutions.

Their school should be happily receptive of their concerns and suggestions and should foster that constructive criticism.

Being an effective and responsible member of society requires active communication within the group. As a legal corporation, JC operates under a Board of Trustees. Frustratingly, the Board, which meets monthly, has no student representation of any kind.

As The Patriot article “Level of student power remains unclear” states, while the content of the Board meetings is potentially sensitive, there are still parent and faculty representatives who attend portions of the meetings in order to be a voice for their constituents. Why shouldn’t students enjoy the same benefit?

Students are the soul of the school. No matter how advanced its academics are or how competitive its athletic department is or how inspired its theater department is, the essence of a school is determined by its students. Why may such a huge segment of the school be completely unrepresented in its governance?

The article mentioned above also speaks of a former StudentFaculty Administration (SFA) which would bring students, teachers, and administration to-

gether once a semester to address any problems that may have arisen. For some reason, this has gone out of practice, reportedly because students are too “busy.”

It’s true that the average JC student runs a tight schedule, but, statistically speaking, out of the 688 students available, someone could probably find time once a semester to help shape the “more just and compassionate global society” our Mission Statement says we are working toward.

The SFA would be a brilliant opportunity for students and faculty to communicate openly and to take action. An open-forum meeting would likely reveal student concerns and problems that the administration didn’t even know existed. Such meetings would set an example for other students to take on leadership roles and increase feelings of goodwill, trust, and togetherness with the administration.

These meetings ought to include the principal and president, as well as a few faculty representatives. It should be open to all students who want to come and advertised in the Daily Bulletin, advisory, and the announcements.

Perhaps government classes could give extra credit for their students’ attendance.

Currently, the only source of student representation is the Student Affairs Council (SAC), which is not even a student gov-

Conrad’s comics A woman can’t walk down the street without being harassed

ernment. Students do not place a high priority on the SAC, as evidenced by the chronically low number of candidates running for office. This year’s president, vice president, and secretary-treasurer all ran unopposed. If SAC were a better part of student affairs, more people would run for office.

If SAC power could be expanded to include Board of Trustee representatives or SFA executives, both the SAC and the school would benefit.

The limited communication between administration and students is suffocating our school.

However, if students are actively given a greater voice and representation in the school, they will become more invested in and satisfied with it. The cooperation between students and administration could even become a selling point for potential students.

In her Letter from the Publisher, Ball talked about her “dilemma in being responsible to all of our constituencies; namely, our students, teachers, administration, parents, alums, Board of Trustees, and the Archdiocese of Baltimore.” The Patriot appreciates that there are certain distinctions that must be made between students and the adults in charge, but it is time that the student constituency was accounted for more meaningfully. Students have the right to matter in their own community.

Cartoon by Conrad Gagnon 1 in every 5 women will be raped

ineisricm Fem a in Am

97%

of women will have breast cancer

of rapists are never incarcerated

of women are victims of domestic abuse

This is why we need Feminism

13

OPINION

November 2014

Taking easier classes to boost GPA is fair Billy Jump In-Depth Editor There is a secret formula to impressing colleges without putting yourself through too much stress, and students have cracked it. Taking easier classes to boost your GPA makes it easier to perform well in school. It is pointless to fill a schedule with a ridiculous number of AP classes if you know you won’t do well in them.

While students who can’t boast about a single digit class rank suffer restlessly through hours of homework may say that taking easy classes is cheating, in reality, it is just playing the GPA game intelligently.

In the college admissions arena, anything that gives you a leg up on another student is, most often, fair game. So when it comes to GPA, everything that can be done to make it more impressive should be done, specifically, taking easier classes.

Knowing your strengths and weaknesses as a student is imperative to succeeding in high school, so if you know that you will succeed in an easy class, why not take it?High school is meant to be difficult, but it is not meant to be a boulder resting on your shoulders encompassing your life and depriving you of sleep.

There is nothing wrong with taking an easy class just to raise your GPA, as long as you are content with sacrificing the impressive AP classes. Although most colleges will be able to tell if a 100 in an honors class should really be a 90 in an AP course, there is no point in taking an AP class if you know your GPA will suffer significantly.

Also, taking less stressful classes gives room for more time in the evening to participate in extracurriculars, get a job, or even

Rachel’s RANTS

Fight against Photoshop Class Rank Artwork by Katie Sullivan

simply study to ensure you get a high A in the class. It’s no surprise to find valedictorians in easier classes, as their rank is often a result of taking these classes, in addition to hours of studying and hard work.

There are incentives to take more challenging classes. The quality point average, or QPA, is used to determine class rank and honor roll. There are three levels of classes, with the first level of classes, mostly regular, being weighted the least, the second level of classes, mostly honors, being weighted the middle, and the third level of classes, mostly

Report Card

AP, being weighted the most.

Weighting class rank helps to ensure that it is easier to achieve a high class rank by taking more difficult classes. In turn, it somewhat balances students’ intelligence, in relation to the rest of the class, with their class rank.

High school is all about strategy. You should plan exactly how your transcript will turn out when you submit it to colleges. Sacrificing an AP class for a 4.0 is not cheating, but rather it is a smart strategy that helps students increase their GPA without putting themselves through superfluous stress.

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

Stories by: Morgan Taylor, Copy Editor

Bathrooms are plumb out of luck The plumbing system, as a whole, gets an F. The girl’s bathroom sinks don’t actually work. Out of five faucets, only two actually produce water. Plus the drainage system doesn’t atually drain. It is always backed up and there is a nice layer of dirty water that discolored foam soap and hair floats in. Then there are the locker room bathrooms. The girls’ toilets have an extremely rank smell. Users are worried about whatever bodily function caused the smell because medical treatment may or may not be necessary. The men’s bathrooms also have issues: seven out of the 10 faucets work on average, but there are times when none of the faucets work at all between the two bathrooms. JC’s plumbing is falling apart.

The Patriot Volume 50, Issue 1, November 2014

Media Chief Lauren Glase Print Chief Hanna LeBuhn Online Chief Kathy Deaver Stories Chief Angela DeCarlo

by Rachel Amrhein

Poor climate control gets taken care of The student body complains relentlessly about the lack of air conditioning. However, the situation has been, for the most part, resolved. Over the summer, it was installed in the cafeteria as well as the auditorium.

Thankfully, the school has announced plans to install A/C units in every classroom.

However, for now, the rest of the school is still lacking. Students and teachers alike still suffer during the dreaded hot months.

Certain classrooms do have A/C units right now, but not all. As you rise in floor level, your body temperature rises as well. For all those statisticians, the correlation of floor and body temperature is positive and very strong. So although the air-conditioning problem is not completely solved, we are on our way to temperateness.

News Editors Alex Rasmussen Mitch Hopkins

Opinion Editors Justin Hawkins Will Bolton

Lifestyles Editors Claire Grunewald Eleanor Werneke

Sports Editors Eric Johnson Kishan Patel

A&E Editors Kristen Isoldi Nick Miller

Copy Editors Elizabeth Driver Morgan Taylor

In-Depth Editors Billy Jump Sydney Kirwan

Contributor Rachel Amrhein

Multimedia Editors Erica Kelble Mike Moxley Nicole Arrison Tona Rimpel Artists Conrad Gangon Holly Driver Katie Sullivan Moderators Mark Ionescu Nick Attanasio

JC helps students dress for success None of the rules are preposterous. We should look respectable and nicely dressed. Following the rules is not that inconvenient. The only complaint that could be made about the uniform is that boys have a significantly wider range of options than girls do. The girls only have two choices: a specific and expensive white shirt and a recently added option of that same shirt in black. The boys can wear a huge variety of different dress shirts and ties, ranging in price, color, and shade. Additionally, every girl must wear a specified and expensive uniform skirt, while boys’ pants and belts can range in price as well as shade. They can wear mostly whatever they want, as long as they look respectable.

Despite this discrepancy, the dress code isn’t too ridiculous. Everyone can either follow the rules or take initiative to make a change.

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

A copy of each print issue is distributed to each of the 688 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 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.

Not pretty enough. Not sexy enough. Not skinny enough.

These words run through teenage girls’ heads every single day.

Low self-esteem is a huge issue among teenagers. It can make them feel like they are not enough of a person and can lead to even more serious problems. According to an article on ConfidenceCoalition.org , 75 percent of girls with low self-esteem reported engaging in self-injury, drinking, smoking, bullying, or eating disorders.

The media is a huge reason for self-esteem issues. People want to look like the flawless, skinny models on glossy magazine covers. In reality, it is impossible to “measure up” to this standard because of Photoshop. Even the models do not resemble their pictures in real life.

Some companies like Aerie, Dove, and Seventeen Magazine are finally starting to realize this.

They now market without using Photoshop on the models. Aerie’s entire ad campaign is focused on the idea that “The Real You is Sexy.” Marketing without Photoshop can help raise self-esteem in adolescents.

I personally refuse to shop at Victoria’s Secret because of the extensive Photoshop that they use on their models in order to create unrealistic expectations. Their entire marketing approach focuses on making girls feel bad about themselves, so that they will buy their clothes to make themselves feel sexier.

According to ABC News, Target has been called out on their extensive Photoshop use as well.

In their swimsuit advertisements, they removed part of a model’s leg and crotch area in order to make her legs look skinnier. It was so obvious that thousands of people were outraged.

This is disgusting and needs to stop. According to the same article from Confidence Coalition. org, 1 out of every 4 college age women has an eating disorder.

Highschool and college are hard enough without these issues.

Photoshop is not just going to go away, but with work, its use can be reduced. Join me in boycotting clothing companies that use extensive Photoshop. Buy your clothing from companies that use natural pictures in their advertisements instead of places like Target and Victoria’s Secret.

SPORTS by Eric Johnson

SPORTS reports Fantasy Football It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and I’m not talking about Starbucks breaking out the pumpkin goodies. Brace yourselves for the testosterone contest known as Fantasy Football.

Fantasy Football leagues are a staple of camaraderie because nothing is better than shoving your team’s dominance into your friends’ faces. Ironically enough, your success is based off complete luck, but you treat each point like your own stats.

Of course, all team owners know the heartbreak and stress that comes with playing the game.

I made the mistake of sitting Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas after he struggled for three weeks and came off of a bye week. So what better of a time is there for Thomas to score two touchdowns and 226 receiving yards?

Then there are players like Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck and Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray that boast an average of around 20 points each week. It’s just not fair.

I went against my buddy’s team, with Luck and Green Bay Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb, who combined for 57 points. But Luck was on my side—see what I did there?—and after Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey hit the extra point in the dwindling moments of the fourth quarter, I defeated him 98.06-98.02.

I lied to him and told him, “Man, you should’ve won that game,” just so he didn’t become too sore over it. I was handed my first loss in week six and sure, I was bitter. But I rebounded next week and put up 120 points.

The best part of Fantasy Football is you don’t have to know much about football to play.

One of the participating owners in my league believed the Arizona Andersons were a team, and he drafted Murray and Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning.

On the other hand, with the first overall pick in our draft, my friend drafted Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who, after idiocy and aggressiveness off the field, was banned from the NFL, making my friend’s pick a waste.

The nature of the beast is also the beauty in her. Your results are either beautiful, bountiful successes, or horrible, miserable disappointments.

If you don’t have a team, you might want to reconsider some of your life choices. For those of you that do have a team, put on your chinstraps because playoffs are

November 2014

14

Head trauma sidelines student athlete Alex Rasmussen News Editor “Mitchell, where are you?

Mitchell, do you know what’s going on? Mitchell, when is your birthday?”

Junior Mitchell Shinnick, a sophomore at the time, couldn’t answer any of these questions asked by hospital doctors. He had just suffered his first of many seizures.

Shinnick was making a weird noise according to his mother Karen, which is what made her go up to his room to check on him the night of Dec. 26, 2013.

“It was the scariest thing of my life. Just having that feeling in me that I didn’t know who I was was beyond freaky,” Shinnick said.

After his first seizure, he woke up in the middle of the night to ambulances at his house and his mom with him by his side. What Shinnick didn’t know then was that there were more to come.

After two seizures in August 2014, Shinnick was forced to see a different doctor, one that specialized in head trauma.

This doctor gave Shinnick the electroencephalogram test (EEG) to see where electrical activity was occurring in his brain. The results showed that a scar on the left side of Shinnick’s brain was causing the seizures. When Shinnick falls asleep, it flares up and becomes more active.

This is what doctors believe is the cause of Shinnick’s seizures.

Shinnick has also sustained numerous concussions playing contact sports in the past.

Shinnick’s doctors still haven’t found out if the multiple concus-

Photo courtesy Kim Muhlenfeld

Junior Mitchell Shinnick hugs assistant head coach Bill Lewis post-game after the football team’s quadruple overtime win against Boys Latin on Oct. 17. Schinnick continued to participate on the team despite the fact that he couldn’t play due to having too many seizures. sions he has suffered are to blame for his seizures.

Becuase of this, Shinnick’s doctors don’t want to run the risk of Shinnick experiencing another concussion in the near future.

After reviewing the test results, and evaluating his physical, which he didn’t pass, Shinnick was advised not to play football by his doctor.

“My doctor was on the edge, but my parents actually had a bigger effect on me,” Shinnick said.

“After having so many seizures in only a few months, my parents didn’t want me to play.”

Shinnick decided not to play in the fall 2014 season. He was a varsity linebacker and offensive linemen and was expected to have a key role on the team.

Shinnick admits that not being able to play has been miserable, but he also appreciates everything that all the players, coaches, and parents are doing to help him.

Shinnick suffered a seizure on the bus ride home from the away football game against St. Vincent Pallotti on Sept. 29.

“It was crazy,” junior and varsity wide receiver Josh PayneWhite said. “I just saw him walking off the bus, and then he just fell over. It felt like a movie.”

Players and coaches visited Shinnick in the hospital that night around midnight.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been closer with a group of guys,” Shinnick said. “They still include me with everything, and I’m never left out. I can’t thank the guys

Athlete Spotlight Grade:

Sport:

Senior

Soccer

Quick Facts:

Torn ACL

Position: Center Midfielder

“

Senior Project: Photo courtesy Lifetouch

Senior Jenna Santoro kicks the ball for pre-game warm ups. Santoro has been injured since spring 2014 but still hopes to play soccer in the future at the collegiate level.

Jenna Santoro

-Started playing at age 5 -Injured May 10, 2013 -Surgery on May 19, 2013 -Out for seven months, but made every practice and game

Injury:

Shadowing Physical Therpaist

and coaches enough.”

“It’s kids like [Shinnick] that make me want to coach,” Lewis said.

Shinnick still experiences the same pre-game jitters that players experience when it’s game time.

“Even though I’m on the sideline, I still get nervous, I still get excited, and I still get mad,” Shinnick said. “My emotions are the same.”

Shinnick remains optimistic about playing football again next year.

“I’m really excited for [Shinnick] maybe being able to play again. He’s a good kid and he deserves it,” Lewis said.

“I’m ecstatic,” Shinnick said, “I don’t want to jinx it, but I am so excited.”

Photo courtesy Jenna Santoro

Senior Jenna Santoro takes a picture of her knee post surgery.

Santoro has been unable to play for the last seven months.

I’m hoping to be cleared by the end of November, which means I could be playing as soon as December.

Senior Jenna Santoro

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“She [showed] up to 6:00 a.m. tryouts even in the summer.

Senior Caroline Sdanowich

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For more on Santoro’s accomplishments, go to jcpatriot.com

15

November 2014

Field hockey team wins title Eric Johnson

Sports Editor Only seconds into the second overtime, sophomore midfielder Charlotte Haggerty lines up her shot and scores the game-winning goal to put the field hockey team ahead 2-1.

The Lady Patriots decided this would be their year. They earned the No. 2 seed in the IAAM B conference playoffs and had the top defense, allowing only 18 goals in 15 games, the fewest allowed in their conference.

The defense was led by junior right defensive back Sam Carey, junior left defensive back Claire Grunewald, sophomore sweeper Allie Taylor, and sophomore goalie Emma Gromacki.

“We have all worked so hard this year and have pushed ourselves to become the best in the conference,” junior center midfielder Carly Lyon said.

This statement was echoed elsewhere on the team. “[This] is the best team I have played on for any sport at JC,” senior captain Chantae Simms said. “The team gets along so well, and we have a lot of fun but [we] all work hard to win.”

They followed up on a 11-1-1 in conference regular season record with a 3-0 win over the In-

Turf fields continue to move forward Kathy Deaver Online Chief

Photo by Mitch Hopkins

The field hockey team rushes towards the fans after their 2-1 win against Maryvale in the championship on Nov. 1.

The team won the championship for the first time since 2005, which was also against Maryvale but ended in a tie. stitute of Notre Dame on Oct. 27 the same contenders but ended in in the first round of the playoffs to a tie after two scoreless overtime propel the Patriots into the semi- periods, 3-3. That game was the finals. last time the team competed in On Oct. the championships, 29, they beat until this year.

[This] is the best “It’s a very simirival Indian team I have played lar team to that 2005 Creek 2-1 in the last for on any sport at team,” varsity head game ever coach Gary Scholl JC. said. “They have the to be played on the grass same chemistry, and Senior Chantae Simms field before it’s another great the installagroup of natural stution of the turf fields. This victory dent athletes.” sent them into the championship Scholl believes that the unique against Maryvale on Nov. 1. traditions he practices with the The 2005 championship hosted team helps them to bond more on

“

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Photo courtesy Kim Muhlenfeld

The varsity football team runs out through a banner made by the cheerleading team. The varsity football team posted a 5-4 record and lost the four games by a combined 10 points.

and off of the field.

According to Scholl, the team planned a dinner after the championship, regardless of the outcome. At the dinner, each player was spoke about the season. The majority of parents and players were in tears following the dinner because they were upset the season ended, but elated they won.

“It was incredible to see how dedicated not only the girls were, but the families as well,” Scholl said. “After I saw all of the families that decided to travel out to Stevenson University, I knew there was a special level of commitment from the parents.”

Photo by Kristen Isoldi

Sophomore varsity center midfielder Franco Caltabiano clears the ball. The men’s varsity soccer team failed to reach the playoffs after posting a 3-13 record in the MIAA A conference.

Football sacked for a loss Men’s soccer misses goal Erica Kelble Multimedia Editor Varsity football ended the season with a 5-4 record, and the JV team finished with a record of 2-5.

Varsity head coach Keith Rawlings estimates that the team fell short by a total of 10 points between their four losses.

“They’ve never quit,” Rawlings said after varsity’s loss to Archbishop Curley on Nov. 1.

“They’ve developed and matured in tremendous ways. I know we are disappointed in losing, but I couldn’t be more proud of the

players with their effort all year long.”

That loss kept them out of the championships, but senior varsity captain Christian Scott still felt that the season was a success.

“We all came together as a team at the end, even though the season did not fall in our favor,” Scott said.

“I feel like the team is on the rise,” junior wide receiver and defensive back Ky’el Hemby said.

“We all believe in ourselves and will work our hardest to reach our goals and win the championship next year. But I’m going to miss all the seniors that graduated.”

Mitch Hopkins News Editor The men’s varsity soccer team ended its season as a shadow of its preseason ranking, they finished the season with a 3-13 record in the MIAA A conference.

The JV team finished with a record of 4-13-2 overall.

“The preseason rankings are based on end-of-the-year performances. It doesn’t take into account [that] we graduated eight seniors, [of them] three starting defenders and three starting midfielders,” varsity assistant head

coach Rodney Johnson said.

According to Johnson, the team will lose four seniors this year.

“We did not mesh successfully as a team,” junior midfielder Quinton Petro said.

Petro is looking forward to next season. “The goal is always to make the playoffs. [Next year] as a senior I hope to steer the team in a more positive direction,” Petro said.

Johnson had a similar stance.

“The team is built around talent we already have in the building,” Johnson said. “ Being a year stronger, faster, and smarter is going to make all the difference.”

Since Oct. 20, Dixie Construction has been working on installing two new turf fields on campus. According to Head of Facilities Stewart Walker, certain sewer pipes have been relocated, while another was relined with a synthetic liner.

Given favorable weather, construction will finish at the end of December.

“Things have been running smoothly,” Walker said. “Really, all our challenges [were] on the front end.”

Once the ground is excavated approximately eight inches down, it will be built back up with filter fabric, the underdrains, stones, and a top inch of stone dust. After that, the turf will be placed on top.

Both fields are being done simultaneously to increase the speed of construction. Also, rather than opening the whole field up at once, it’s being done in sections, which decreases the time needed to recover from bad weather.

“At this point, the weather is going to be our biggest challenge,” Walker said. According to him, if there is heavy snow in December, construction might have to be shut down until the weather clears, costing the school extra time and money.

Men’s basketball ranks nationally Morgan Taylor Copy Editor The men’s basketball team is ranked 25th in the nation, according to USA Today.

Varsity coach Anthony Martin said that the team is excited about the ranking.

“My experience tells me that praise, like criticism, is fleeting, so [the team and I] take this with a grain of salt. That being said, this is pretty cool stuff and a small reward for a lot of work,” said Martin.

The team mirrors the coach’s cautious but proud outlook. “We are excited, but it is humbling,” senior guard Elijah Long said.

“We still aren’t the greatest, but we still have potential.”

“It’s just a good opportunity to get where we want to go, but it doesn’t mean anything at this point,” senior captain guard Kimbal MacKenzie said.

Martin cautions the team to be wary of praise going to their head.

According to Martin, the team “will enjoy it for what it’s worth, but not let it define [them.]”

L Junior swaps Germany for a new court “It doesn’t matter by how much you’re losing, you can always win the match. That’s why I love tennis so much,” junior and varsity singles player Luisa Schulte said.

Schulte came to the United States from Germany with hopes of increasing her national rank.

Tennis takes up the majority of Schulte’s life with rigorous training or tournaments. She has been to Italy and all over Germany to compete.

“I have learned through tennis that I [should] move on [from] whatever happens [in life] and I must always stay calm and try to make the best out of the situation,” Schulte said.

Schulte has been playing tennis since the age of six after routinely attending her brother’s practices. “I [watched] him play and I just picked it up by [playing] against a wall,” Schulte said. “Eventually I started practicing with a coach.”

According to Schulte, her father has been the most helpful to her career. “He’s always finding new things for me like new techniques or training tips, and his opinion is very important,” she said.

Using an agency, Schulte found a list of American schools based on her wants: a good school with a strong tennis program and a host family who would be welcoming and encouraging.

“I heard that there was a host family whose daughter played tennis very well, so I made the decision [to come to JC],” Schulte said. She was unaware this was the home of sophomore Alexa Martinez, two-time IAAM B conference No. 1 singles champion.

Schulte enjoys staying Martinez, another highly competitive tennis player. They both sacrifice free time on weekends to travel for national tennis tournaments and have to skip luxuries like sleepovers with friends.

Schulte went undefeated in the IAAM B conference and was one of the key contributors to the team winning the IAAM B conference championship. She also has joined the women’s basketball team. She enjoys the JC atmosphere and all her new friends she’s made since her arrival.

“Sometimes I don’t have enough time to hang out with my friends [because of tennis], but they understand,” Schulte said. “So when I have free time I like to spend most of it with them.”

Despite her acclimation to life at JC, Schulte will not be returning next year. She is most likely returning to Germany and will still play competitive tennis during her senior year.

In their final season, two tennis stars are

On Ball the

By Sports Editor Kishan Patel

Junior Luisa Schulte and sophomore Alexa Martinez celebrate victories in their championships as they close out their JC tennis careers

Photo courtesy Alexa Martinez

Junior Luisa Schulte (right) poses with sophomore teammate Alexa Martinez (left) to celebrate winning their respective championship matches. The bond between these teammates was so dynamic because they lived together this year.

November 2014

16

xa Martin e Ale z

c S h u a l s te i u

SPORTS

Sophomore aces conference yet again The IAAM B conference singles champion Alexa Martinez remained undefeated in the IAAM B conference yet again. Sophomore and varsity singles player Martinez ended her JC tennis career with an undefeated record.

Martinez is ranked as the No. 32 overall female tennis player in the entire Mid-Atlantic region and has been competing for eight years.

She will not be playing tennis at school next year so that she can train more and participate in national tennis tournaments.

“I love [tennis]. It builds character. You always have room to improve and you can always make yourself better,” Martinez said.

During a match, Martinez’s favorite tennis moment occurred when she was 12 years old.

“I won the first set and was losing 0-5 in the second set, but I was able to pull through and win 7-5. It made me realize that you can accomplish a lot of things, even if they don’t seem to be in your favor at that moment,” Martinez said.

Martinez shows gratitude toward her father for getting her into tennis. “He has been the most influential person for me,” she said.

In the past two years, Martinez has defeated all her opponents. She has played against both A and B conference teams in the IAAM. She dedicated her entire extra-curricular time to tennis, giving up soccer once she entered high school.

“I usually don’t get to hang out with all my friends during weekends because I’m usually at tournaments,” Martinez said.

She hopes to go on to play at the collegiate level, which is why she will now participate in just tournaments. “I want to focus on getting a higher national rank for colleges,” Martinez said.

The tournaments Martinez competes in range from Virginia for the Mid-Atlantic to Michigan and California for the National tournaments.

According to her teammates, Martinez was an asset, because of both her talent and character. “[Martinez] was willing to help the other people on the team who didn’t know how to play, and she never got frustrated with them,” senior and varsity doubles player Molly Exter said.

“Every time you walked off the court she was the first to congratulate you.”

Although she is leaving the team, Martinez will miss playing for JC. “I’ll miss spending time with the girls on the team and having fun with the team,” Martinez said.