The Patriot December 2013, Issue 2, Vol 49.

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Patriot

12.17.13 Issue 2, Volume 49 www.jcpatriot.com

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59% of students have witnessed underage drinking at a party, according to a recent survey. To understand how parties impact students, The Patriot investigates JC’s partying habits.

Index

News 2

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Lifestyles 4

A&E 7

In-Depth 8

Opinion 11

Sports 14

The senior class resurrected the Variety Show after a two year hiatus, raising over $8,000 for Prom.

The Patriot looks into what a party is, the activities at parties, and how often parties occur.

Join the debate on underage drinking and whether or not it should be considered a serious problem at parties.

News 3

In-Depth 8

Opinion 11

2 news

Money Talks

thepatriot December 2013

$15-$20

Min. Wage

Erica Kelble Multimedia Editor Since 2009, the prices of chicken patty sandwiches and gas have risen, but minimum wage has remained the same. With inflation and low minimum wage, students are starting to feel the need for higher pay.

“Since the prices of everything have gone up, you can’t live off of minimum wage anymore,” junior Danielle Long said. Long is a minimum wage employee and wants a change.

Long is one of the 37 percent of JC students who have a job. 23 percent of those students make minimum wage, according to a survey of the student body con-

ducted by The Patriot on Nov. 22.

In President Barack Obama’s 2013 State of the Union Address, he proposed and called for Congress to raise the national minimum wage to $9.00 per hour by the year 2015.

For many students, raising the minimum wage to $9.00 per hour from $7.25 would mean higher pay, but it could also increase their chances of losing their job.

With the last raise of minimum wage in 2009, over 600,000 teenagers lost their job, according to The Daily Caller. Also according to The Daily Caller, the prices of products could go up.

With the higher prices of products, an anonymous student who responded on the survey said, “It

Online Chief

Less than $10 but over min. wage

of students make more than minimum wage

How much do JC students make? has made me a lot more conscious on what I spend my money on, and I realized how to save and not waste on useless stuff.”

However, students have mixed feelings about the possibility of raising minimum wage. “If the federal minimum wage increases, it would definitely help employees make more money which is great,” senior Catey Minnis said.

The last raise of federal minimum wage was on July 24, 2009.

It went from $5.15 per hour to $7.25 per hour. However, employers couldn’t afford their current employment. Teenage employment dropped eight percent in three months, according to The

New York Times.

“Small businesses, like the one I used to work for, would struggle to pay their workers. I actually lost my job because the restaurant went out of business, and if minimum wage was higher, I would have been out of a job a lot sooner,” Minnis said.

Many students also struggle with the percent of income taxes taken out of their paychecks.

“It is low when you get your pay check [after taxes are taken out],” senior Hannah Brown said.

Brown works two jobs to make the amount of money she needs.

Long said,“They take too much money out with taxes.”

International students find homes for holidays Hope Kelly

Editor in Chief Senior Ho Jin Hong goes long for a pass as he plays football with the American family he spent Thanksgiving break with.

Hong, junior Kevin Yin, and sophomore Tom Yang are all international students who live in the dorms. Over the holiday, they all stayed with senior Brenden Hutton to experience what a real American Thanksgiving is like.

“It was like having three more brothers. We picked on each other and played football together as if we were [brothers],” Hutton said.

At the beginning of the school year, Principal Madelyn Ball asked students and families to consider bringing one of the international students who live in the dorms into their home for the holiday. Every international student in the dorms was able to find a family to stay with over Thanksgiving.

“This year I stayed with Hutton and went to Annapolis to see his family,” Yang said. “This [program] is awesome. It is a really good chance to experience American life. I would prefer to stay with a family rather than in the dorms over holidays.”

Hong will be returning to stay with Hutton during Christmas break.

International students who live with host

Photo courtesy Brenden Hutton

From left to right, seniors Guillermo Almirall, Ho Jin Hong, Brenden Hutton, and junior Kevin Yin battle against each other in online video games. Almirall, Hong and Yin stayed with Hutton for Thanksgiving break, and Hong will be returning to stay with Hutton over Christmas break. families also celebrated Thanksgiving.

German teacher Ashleigh Stall normally only hosts senior William Du and junior Leo Li, but she also welcomed sophomore Gavin Ding, who lives with Dean of Students Brian Powell, into her home over Thanksgiving break.

According to Du, they watched movies over break and went shopping on Black Friday.

For Thanksgiving dinner, they bought food from a restaurant instead of cooking it because Du said they “think that the point of Thanksgiving is to gather all the family members to

Patriots bleed to help those in need Cole Alban

$10-15

16% 60%

of students believe that they should be paid more

NEWS updates

More than $20

hang out together.”

“This year we ordered from Bob Evans. It was their first Bob Evans experience. They were amazed that all the food could come in a box,” Stall said.

Du said that he enjoyed celebrating Thanksgiving because it is “part of American culture” and “one of the goals for students who are studying in another country is to learn its culture.”

“We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in China,” Du said. However, he was “glad to be a family member of Frau Stall’s family.”

The annual blood drive took place on Nov. 21. According to Coordinator Rodney Johnson, about 15 students and eight faculty members gave blood.

“In years past, with higher enrollment, we would get 50 kids,” Johnson said.

“I think it went very well,” Johnson said. “Obviously, we would have wanted to get more participation. Part of the problem is winter sport athletes. I would rather have winter athletes not give, since there can be issues.”

“It took a long time. I showed up at the start of mod four and was not out until halfway through mod seven,” senior Chris Miller who gave blood said.

According to Johnson, “[Giving blood] is an ever present need.

I think it was a positive day.”

Students lobby for more funding Emily Cassidy News Editor Seniors in the AP Government class, along with other local nonprofit schools, lobbied Harford County delegation to support the Maryland Education Credit.

“This event gave us a great opportunity to experience the lobbying process we were studying in AP Government,” senior William Du said.

The event was held at St. Joan of Arc school in Aberdeen on Nov 5.

The Education Credit will help lower and middle income families afford tuition, “thus giving them the opportunity to attend the schools which best suit their needs,” according to the organization.

Quiz Bowl team sparks interest Cole Alban Online Chief The new Science Quiz Bowl team was created by science teacher Julie Baker.

The Quiz Bowl team consists of students competing in a regional contest and, if they do well enough, moving on to a national contest, sponsored by the Department of Energy. According to Baker, students answer questions in categories such as general science, math, biology, and physics.

The first competition will take place on Jan. 14 in Rockville, Maryland. Sophomores Matt Walker and Denny Branch are on the team as well as juniors Susan Kim and Alex English. “Once we get a year under our belt, we can recruit some more people,” Baker said.

Baker said, “It will be a learning experience since we haven’t been there before.”

news 3

thepatriot December 2013

Variety Show raises $8,000 for seniors

Spotting the facts

51 650 $8,110

seniors performed in the show Photo by Justin Hawkins

Seniors Dan Hentschel and Kaelyn Taylor “pose” senior Briana Lockhart for her senior portrait in a skit poking fun at Lifetouch photography. The Variety Show was made up of 28 skits including musical acts and comedy skits.

Lauren Glase News Editor Shark attacks, angry mobs, Geico commercials, an online predator, and singing and dancing. All of these elements combined made up skits of the newly reinstated Variety Show.

The Variety Show took place at 7 p.m. on Nov. 26 and 27, right before Thanksgiving break. Over 650 tickets were sold to students, faculty, alumni, and others with JC ties and connections. $8,110 was made from ticket sales and about $200 was made from the bake sale provided by the senior class during intermission.

“We made about as much money as I was hoping. I was really happy to see a lot of alumni from

the past two years come out to support our show - maybe not as many in numbers that they have in the past, but I think that is just a product of the show’s absense the past two years,” Senior Class President Karly Horn said.

The money raised will go towards the senior class and their prom. “I thought it was extremely successful,” Variety Show moderator Mark Ionescu said.

This success, though, did not come without practice. According to Ionescu, the 51 seniors who put together the show spent about 25 hours in rehearsals in preparation for their performance. “My favorite part was the rehearsals,” Ionescu said. He enjoyed “watching people trying to do a month’s worth of work in a week.”

As opening night began, the Variety Show cast was able to see whether or not their work paid off. “I was nervous at first,” senior and cast member Kirsten Kyburz said.

Kyburz was pleased with the end result. “I thought the Variety Show was a good way to bring the senior class together. It was fun,” she said.

“It was a huge success. I’m glad that our class could bring it back, and it be such a success,” senior Member-at-Large Emily Cassidy said.

According to Principal Madelyn Ball, “The Class of 2014 has set the bar very high. I am certain that the Class of 2015 can reach, and even surpass, the greatness of this year.”

the students bring in the food themselves,” Stathes said.

Gromacki believes the breakfasts could be more beneficial if the students interacted with new people.

mixed us up so we could talk to new people.”

Lockhart agrees with Gromacki. “They’re not really that effective because everyone ends up sitting with their friends anyway so we don’t really meet new people,” she said.

Lockhart believes the breakfasts have great intent, but he doesn’t have time to associate with people. “I feel like they’re rushed, and we have barely enough time to eat, but they’re also fun because there’s food involved, and who doesn’t like food?”

Stathes hopes the breakfasts are effective and help the students interact. “We haven’t had enough of them to know if they are working,” Stathes said.

There will be more breakfasts in the future, and Stathes hopes that the freshmen will interact with new people at the upcoming events. According to Stathes, “the breakfasts are purely social communities, and they’re great occasions for the students.”

total tickets sold for two shows total amount raised for the class of 2014

Freshmen bond over class breakfast Nicole Arrison In-Depth Editor On Dec. 4, the freshmen attended their second class breakfast, organized by freshman class moderators Deborah Stathes and Susan Kraft.

“The freshman breakfasts are simple ways to bring the class together and help the students get to know each other,” Stathes said.

“The breakfasts help us get together as a freshman class and meet new people,” freshman Franklen Lockhart said.

At the first breakfast, the students interested in running for Class President and Vice President gave their speeches.

“It made sense to have the first breakfast to hear the speeches, but I’m not really sure why there’s another one coming up,” freshman vice president Emma Gromacki said.

According to Stathes, there is going to be a breakfast every quarter. “The breakfasts don’t use any of the class money because

“The leftover food

gets sent to the Manna House soup kitchen. The students get to know each other, and it’s for a good cause.

Freshman class moderator Deborah Stathes

”

“I think the breakfasts have good intentions because most of us don’t really know each other, but I don’t think they do a good job. Everyone sits with their friends anyway,” Gromacki said.

“I think it would be better if they

Photo by Hanna LeBuhn

Freshmen reach for donuts during their second class breakfast on Dec. 4.

The class meets quarterly during advisory for freshman class bonding.

4 lifestyles

thepatriot December 2013

Sparks

Fly

Photo courtesy Barnett Photographic Services

Lisa and Stanley Barnes, class of ’72, celebrate their wedding on Sept. 27, 2013. The pair fell in love after meeting up at their 40th Reunion on Sept. 28, 2012.

Angela Decarlo Cpoy Editor It was Sept. 28, 2012, the Friday night social in the Lower Gym before the class of 1972’s 40th Reunion.

Lisa McLane nervously approached Stanley Barnes. He had come up to her a few hours prior, and even though they graduated from the same class, she could not figure out who the man standing in front of her was.

Finally, Stanley caught on. “You have no idea who I am, do you?” Stanley said.

After the awkward re-introductions, Stanley and Lisa parted. They talked again at the reunion the following night, but when the night ended, Lisa went back to her home in Harford County and Stanley boarded a flight home to Kentucky.

The Barnes’ relationship began after Christmas. When Stanley came to Maryland to spend the holidays with his parents, the two went out for dinner.

“For him it was a date, and I thought it was just getting together with a friend. So he explained to me on Christmas Eve when he was back in Kentucky that it was actu-

ally a date,” Lisa said.

But as they kept talking, the two realized they had a lot more in common than they first realized.

“Everything just kept getting curiouser and curiouser,” Lisa said.

Lisa grew up riding horses while Stanley never had an interest in the sport. However, Stanley’s college major was in racetrack management, and he spent 10-12 years in the horse business in Lexington, Kentucky.

After a year of 500 hours on the phone, five-inch-long daily emails, and flights between Kentucky and Maryland, the pair got married on Sept. 27, 2013.

The marriage took place at The Carriage House in Port Deposit, which is owned by classmate Martha Barchowsky. It was catered by MacGregor’s, which is owned by Dan Lee, class of ’70.

At first, neither wanted to attend the 40th Reunion. Lisa had attended the 10th reunion. Stanley went to the 10th reunion as well, but didn’t see Lisa. He also attended the 20th reunion, but only came to the 40th “to see what was going on.”

“There were so many things that were so similar between us that it just seemed

Two members of the class of 1972 meet at their 40th Reunion and fall in love

like we were meant to be, so I never wondered what would’ve happened if I hadn’t attended the reunion,” Lisa said.

The pair had a long distance relationshhip until Valentine’s Day. “[That] was our first official date weekend,” Lisa said.

Then, Stanley came up again for Easter and proposed on Easter Sunday.

“When you’re old, you don’t have a lot of time to waste,” Stanley said.

While attending JC, Stanley and Lisa were little more than acquaintances.

“We were in different circles, I mean it wasn’t a big class, but it’s like anything else, there were certain social circles of people who socialized routinely, and others not,” Stanley said.

According to Lisa, Stanley was born popular. He was a jock and was in every aspect of student government. Lisa was in student government and in NHS. In their junior year, she participated in the Powderpuff game and was on the Ring Dance committee.

“I was over there doing my own thing, I was on the outside, watching everything that was going on,” Lisa said.

Recently, Lisa found a high school

scrapbook she put together before going to college. Inside, she discovered Stanley’s yearbook picture and an engraved copperplate calling card that was customarily bought by all seniors with their graduation announcements. According to Lisa, Stanley must have been running for class officer and was handing them out to get students to vote for him.

“It’s stranger than fiction, that’s all we know,” Lisa said.

The couple has received emails of congratulations and well wishes from their former classmates. According to Lisa, a lot of their classmates are shocked at their marriage because they are still thinking about how Stanley and Lisa were like in high school.

“I think that part of the reason why we’re together is that we aren’t who we were 40 years ago,” Stanley said. “I think it was a timing thing. It’s just one of those things that is just completely unpredictable and a total mystery. And that’s what life is about.”

According to Lisa, Stanley always says that “Hollywood would love to get the script of us.”

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT:

Physical Education Teacher Erik Fabriziani Kathy Deaver Sports Editor Head Athletic Trainer Erik Fabriziani didn't intend to work at a school.

"My goal when I originally wanted to be an athletic trainer was to go into professional sports," Fabriziani said.

Eventually, he "began to see it would be better for the athletes and me to be here."

“My goal when I orignially

wanted to be an anthletic trainer was to go into professional sports.

Head Athletic Trainer Erik Fabriziani

”

Fabriziani got his Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education with a concentration in Athletic Training at Salisbury.

He got his Masters degree in Education with a Sports Management focus at Auburn.

After that, he worked at Union Memorial Hospital for two years in a program in which he worked at the hospital in the mornings and at JC in the evenings.

In August of 2003, former Principal Paul Barker hired him full time.

"I had never done anything like [teaching] before," Fabriziani said. "Luckily I had [health teacher Tess] Gauthier to guide me. It was a bit of a learning curve for the first few years."

Fabriziani has taught health, sports medicine, and physical education. He is in his 11th year at JC and hopes to take on more teaching responsibilities in the future.

“He’s a great teacher and inspiration,” freshman Lauren Christensen said.

Fabriziani's favorite class to teach is sports medicine "because that's what I love and do for a living." Physical education is another class he enjoys directing.

"I get to meet other people. Sometimes it's nice to get out of the athletic realm and maybe get [the students] involved in a little bit of athletic stuff to stay fit all their lives," Fabriziani said. "Maybe they play tennis in gym and say, 'Hey, I really like this,' and play it all their lives."

He specifically mentioned badminton as a sport that students were introduced to for

Photo by Kathy Deaver

Head Athletic Trainer Erik Fabriziani treats junior Oladokun Ekundayo in the athletic training office. In addition to being the Head Athletic Trainer, Fabriziani has also taught health, sports medicine, and physical education. the first time in his class.

Fabriziani likes to play it in class because "it's different, and they don't play it often. It keeps them organized, and if they play it properly, it gives them a better workout."

He also values the environment of JC. “You can say good or bad things about this place,” Fabriziani said. “It’s more of a community than where I came from.”

According to Fabriziani, "I went into [teaching] blindly, but now I love it."

lifestyles 5

thepatriot December 2013 Top: Sophomores Joe Kyburz and Rob Flynn have some trouble maneuvering their canoe. Students canoed for eight miles in Juniper Springs, Florida.

Bottom left: A wild bear emerges from the woods. Students on the trip saw this bear numerous times and named him “Buddy Bear.”

Bottom right: An alligator swims in the Okeefenokee Swamp.

During the six day trip, students got a first-hand experience with wildlife.

Photo by Elizabeth Driver

Photo courtesy Avery Van der Steur

Students explore Okeefenokee Photo courtesy Avery Van der Steur

Elizabeth Driver Sports Editor Excited voices shouted through the night as we all sat under a pavilion, listening to science teacher John Hughes as he told us what to expect the next day.

“BEAR,” someone shouted. I turned my head wildly to search for the thief, but to no avail.

“What happened to the pumpkin pie?” When I looked, the bear, along with one of our desserts, was gone. This Okefenokee trip just got crazier.

Okefenokee is a swamp that extends from Georgia into Florida. Twelve other students and I signed up for this school trip to take on the wildnerness of the south during Thanksgiving break.

A couple days before the bear incident, we were driving toward the campsite. After almost a 20 hour trip in the mini bus, we arrived at our final destination

in Florida. Thankfully, we had breaks along the way. Otherwise, we’d all be holding our bladders and going stir-crazy.

Snorkeling was the first main event we did. Stripping down to my bathing suit, I shivered, both from the chill of the air and the thought of getting in the water.

No wet suit today.

Despite the frigid water, snorkeling with the fish was a success.

We then traversed on to the campsite, where we set up our tents and prepared dinner in the pavilion, which was surprisingly tasty for camp food.

The next day, I made sure to bring my big, muscular arms, or as big and muscular as a teenage girl can have, for we were going canoeing.

Eight miles of paddling can be strenuous, but I managed to survive without my arms falling off.

Plus, the scenery was breathtaking. Regrettably, my canoeing

partner, junior Matilda KennedyButler, and I didn’t see any alligators. We would have to wait for the second canoeing expedition.

Now what I was looking forward to for months: manatees.

We snorkeled again in two different places on Tuesday and were able to swim alongside the big sea cows. Finding a manatee beside me, I ran my hands along its smooth, but tough, skin as I watched a mother feed her calf.

What an adventure.

To top off the day, we had our Thanksgiving dinner that night.

However, this was when the bear made his visit to our dessert table.

I was completely blindsided that the bear would actually get that close to us. The pie was only a table away. I’m just thankful I don’t like pumpkin flavor. Otherwise, I might have been between the bear and his target, which most likely would involve a bad outcomesay, death.

Wednesday morning, as our tour guide Cathy Sakas roused us from our cozy tent, we grumbled to each other. Assembling and disassembling tents, we learned, was not one of our skills. After we shoved what we could of the tent in its bag, everyone headed toward the bus to venture off to the next campsite, roughly four hours north in Georgia.

Canoeing Thursday was the last big event our group accomplished. This time, however, we saw many alligators warming up in the sun. After two miles of paddling, we visited Billy’s Island and learned of its history. Matilda and I then made our way back, though most of the group continued to see more sights.

Finishing the trip, we went on a small hike the following day and took in amazing views. There’s nothing like learning about wildlife and experiencing it at the same time.

Healthy You

By Caitlin Wolfarth

Milkshakes get party started Who says you need alcohol to have fun? Not only is drinking bad for your health, but it leads to poor decisions ... and I don’t know about you, but I’ve already made enough bad decisions sober. So instead of alcohol, here are some fun drinks that you can serve at parties, without spiking them.

Yogurt-Fruit Smoothie: • 2 cups fat free milk • 1 (8 ozs) vanilla low fat yogurt • ½ cup thawed pineapple orange juice • 2 cups frozen strawberries • 1 banana, coarsely chopped Process all the ingredients in a blender until you have reached a thick, creamy consistency. Then, voila! It’s all ready to go. You can even throw in a decorative umbrella to really get the party started.

Lemonade Milkshake: • 2 cups milk • 1 pt vanilla yogurt • 7 ozs lemonade concentrate thawed • 1 pt lemon sorbet, softened Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Divide into four glasses with a large scoop of sorbet. So classy.

Peppermint Mocha Milkshake: • 1 cup chocolate milk • 4 ice cubes • ½ cup Greek yogurt • 12 tbsp instant coffee • 1 tbsp cocoa powder • 1 tbsp vanilla extract • ½ tsp peppermint extract • ¼ tsp of sugar • 1 candy cane Put all the ingredients into a blender except the candy cane.

Once smooth, pour and shake into a glass. Then top it off with some whipped cream. Crush the candy cane, and sprinkle the candy cane on top. Perfect for all of your holiday parties!

For more lifestyles stories, go to jcpatriot.com

6 lifestyles

thepatriot December 2013

Bucket List

By Hanna LeBuhn

Sponsoring spreads holiday spirit Have you ever wanted to… sponsor a student for the holidays?

Instead of asking for things I don’t really need, I decided to give my Christmas to someone who truly does.

Sponsoring a student for the holidays has always been a goal of mine, and this year seemed to be just right. After I spent a week of my summer on a mission trip to Haiti, I knew that I had to find a way to give back to those kids who gave so much to me.

While in Haiti, I had the opportunity to run a summer camp with third and fourth graders in a small town called St. Marc. They were all so thrilled to be able to have the chance to go to school.

Every one of them was more than thankful for the opportunity to learn. It inspired me to help them in any way I could.

High Hopes for Haiti was founded in 1997 to help the Hatian people who are living in poverty by empowering them through education. As part of the sponsor program, I will be able to provide for a young child at the Good Samaritans School in St. Marc, Haiti, which is where I spent my time over the summer.

The sponsorship, which costs $350, covers the student’s tuition, school supplies, meals, and preventative medical and dental care.

Even though it’s just one student out of many, it provides a sense of hope and an opportunity to learn American culture.

For each year you sponsor a student, you recieve their picture, report card, and progress reports.

Gift donations are also alternative options to sponsoring a student.

Any dollar amount counts and can improve the learnng situations of a student.

Christmas is about doing what matters most and thinking about what it means to give. This year, the one child that gets to go to school is the most important thing for me. There are so many opportunities to give and make a difference in someone’s life here in our community. Christmas is notorious for being chaotic and crazy, but reflecting on the important things and giving is what really matters.

Although sponsoring a student has always been an idea on my bucket list, it’s not one to cross off. I plan to keep the sponsorship going and do anything I can to further their education. Sponsoring a student this year is giving a very small piece of myself, which could be a huge difference in another student’s life.

How does JC spread Christmas cheer?

Students and teachers decorate to brighten the halls and classrooms Lauren Glase News Editor Haul out the holly. The dreary weather between Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks doesn’t put a damper on the Christmas spirit within JC. “We decorate the Chorus Room with lights and trees,” music teacher Marc Bolden said.

“I enjoy the atmosphere. I know that the students are very happy.”

Bolden has two Christmas trees in the Chorus Room. “The kids bring in candy canes to decorate the trees,” he said. One tree is dedicated to peppermint candy canes while the other holds canes of various flavors. According to Bolden, the students who bring candy canes for the trees are allowed to eat them.

Decorations help set the theme of the Christmas activities that Bolden does with his students. He conducts a Secret Santa gift exchange for band, orchestra, and his advisory.

Additionally, “my advisory watches [the mov-

Photo by Lauren Glase

Junior Erin Suillivan hangs candy canes on the Christmas tree in the Chorus Room. In addition, to celebrate for the holidays, each teacher recieves a pointsettia courtesy of the school. ie] Elf,” he said.

Sophomore Brooke Vogel enjoys the decorations put up by her teachers. “It’s more festive, and you get in the season,” Vogel said.

Spanish teacher Susan Garcia spreads Christmas cheer during classes as well. While her students do their work, she plays Christmas carols. According to Garcia, playing these carols helps the students get into the Christmas mood. “[The students] start swaying and then the singing starts,” Garcia said.

Many teachers also keep Advent wreaths in their rooms. “[The wreaths] are trying to make the true spirit of Christmas come alive,” junior Juan Cajigas said.

JC focuses on the giving aspect of Christmas as well as the festive aspect. This year, advisories collectively gathered 6,866 cans for the annual can drive. Bolden feels that the food drives fit in well with the Christmas theme. Bolden said that Christmas time “makes us all realize how fortunate we are.”

Ski club snowballs in popularity Cole Alban Online Chief

Photo courtesy Matilda Butler

Junior Matilda Butler skiis in Seven Springs during one of last year’s ski trips. This year, they plan to have three after school trips.

Edward Maynard stands at the top of a mountain in his skiis. He looks down over the intimidating slope, feelingnervous from looking at the steep angle covered in snow and ice. He is surrounded by his friends, however, he is the only one that does not know how to ski.

Maynard, class of ’93 and Director of Enrollment, went on ski trips when he attended JC and remembers not being able to ski, unlike all his friends.

“I had just learned how to ski. I remember being really nervous because I did not know how to ski, and every-

one was better,” Maynard said.

According to Maynard, the ski club was around in the late ’70s and early ’80s. The club used to go on trips to local resorts, Hunter Mountain in New York, Killington, Vermont, and even Canada. The ski club ceased to exist for a while, but then returned in 2010 when a student approached Guidance Counselor Larry Hensley with the idea of bringing the club back.

In 2010, Maynard, Hensley, and science teacher Shane Lawler, class of ’00, took students up on mini-buses to local resorts. According to Hensley, the club first consisted of day trips, but over the past three years, it has grown into a twonight trip.

“It’s just surprising that we have to turn people away,” Hensley said. “I had to turn away 15-20 kids.”

“My favorite part of trips are hanging out with Maynard, and [health teacher Tess] Gauthier,” Hensley said. Maynard’s favorite parts of the trips are “hanging out with Hensley and Gauthier and skiing with the students. It’s nice to see kids who don’t normally bond together. I like seeing students in an environment outside of school.”

Maynard has more plans for the ski club in the future. “I want to do three after school trips this year. Last year, we only did one,” Maynard said.

“In the future I would like to take it further, possibly even into Canada.”

A&E 7

thepatriot December 2013

quick

Picks:

The Patriot staff reviews the best stops for peppermint drinks to find which drinks will make you merry

Taste: Excellent

Taste: Excellent

Cost: $1.39

Cost: $3.98

The taste is the best part. I got my coffee with cream and sugar, and they made it perfectly. The peppermint and coffee is blended successfully to create a perfect taste. The mix of cream, sugar, and coffee is not too overpowering and not too sweet.

Any coffee lover will enjoy this sweet treat. If the blend of espresso and peppermint isn’t enough, Starbuck’s takes the liberty to top it off with sweetened whipped cream and dark chocolate curls. It’s the perfect temperature, and the peppermint flavor makes any taste bud smile.

The coffee itself is very affordable.

I got a small coffee and it cost me only $1.39. As the sizes get larger, the price increases are minimal.

While my tall coffee cost $3.98, it is definitely worth it. It’s the holiday, so why not splurge a little?

Look: Excellent

Look: Fair

You know it’s Christmas time when you get to sip your holiday drink right out of the bright red festive cup.

No coffee cup could ever make you so happy. It’s not just coffee, it’s a work of art.

The presentation is the only part that isn’t special. The cup is holiday themed, but that is the extent of it.

It looks like a normal coffee, which might bother some people.

Dunkin’ Donuts

Starbucks

Reviewed by: Cole Alban

Reviewed by: Hanna LeBuhn

Normally I just stick to normal coffee, but when the holiday drinks came out, I went to Dunkin’ Donuts to get the Peppermint Mocha coffee. The cost and flavor come together for a great combination, and I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a bit of holiday spirit in their coffee.

Espresso, steamed milk, and peppermint and mocha flavored syrups? No wonder Starbuck’s Peppermint Mocha is back again this holiday season. The drink is a pepperminty cup of joy. If you’re okay with spending a little extra, you won’t regret it. Give your taste buds a chance to experience this holiday specialty.

Overall:

Overall: Taste: Good

Taste: Fair

Since I ordered a latte, I was expecting the drink to taste somewhat like coffee. Clearly, I misjudged. It tastes as if 90 percent of the drink was made from sugar, which makes it too sweet for the average coffee drinker.

At first, the strong coffee is the dominating taste. However, as you continue to drink it the peppermint comes through and gives it a balanced flavor. It needs some more sugar however, because the coffee was a tad bitter.

Cost: $1.75

Cost: $2.46

Ringing up at just under $2.50, the drink is in the middle of the price spectrum of holiday coffee. If McDonald’s is your preffered choice of drink, the price is not unreasonable.

The cost is reasonable, considering the drink cost me $1.75. So, all you high school students looking for a cheap seasonal drink to get into the holiday spirit, Wawa’s seasonal hot beverages are recommended.

Look: Good

Look: Good

The wintery presentation of the cup is simple, yet festive. There is a lack of chocolate drizzle on the drink. Instead, the only effort of appearance is whipped cream and a holiday cup.

The presentation of the drink is simple. There are no chocolate shavings or drizzles of caramel on the drink.

McDonald’s simply has whipped cream and a holiday cup.

McDonald’s

Wawa

Reviewed by: Lauren Fabiszak

Reviewed by: Sydney Setree

Although not as tempting and sophisticated as their coffee competitors, McDonald’s provides an average Peppermint Mocha for a reasonable price. If you are just looking for a simple coffee pickme-up during the cold winter months with a little holiday twist, then McDonald’s will satisfy your craving without breaking the bank.

Although the Peppermint White Chocolate Latte will not be my go-to drink at Wawa, I did not want to spit it out into a trash can after tasting it. It satisfies my holiday coffee craving. I personally would not choose the Peppermint White Chocolate Latte again. Instead, I will stick to my usual Wawa Hot Chocolate.

Overall:

Overall:

8 in-depth Freshman Mitchell Hopkins

thepatriot December 2013

“There are things you

can do other than

drinking to have fun.”

78.6% of students have never been to a party that was busted by the police

52.1% of students have parents who encourage them to go to parties

“You p have a differe depend who yo

21% 78.6%

52.1%

of U.S. students occasionally have seen people use illegal substances at parties*

Chemistry an Martha Cav

In The Patriot survey, JC students defined a party as: “A gathering of people who celebrate something” “A small group of friends playing board games and having good, clean fun”

22

o d

ev

p

“[My p trust m have t “A social gathering with smoking and alcohol” them w get th “Hanging out with friends and leave “More than 40 people getting together with music”

By Madison Meyer and Nicole Arrison

74% of students have parents who do not allow them to drink

74%

family members”

a stude to The P

35

of U. consu parti

How do JC students party?

“It’s better that parents know about [drinking]. At all the parties I go to, the mothers ask for keys and cell phones if there will be drinking.”

Junior Taylor Fitzgerald

*Source: “ the world’ cents: a sy internation parable d George P the Lancet

“I love parties, b needs alcohol to ha

in-depth 9

thepatriot December 2013

What’s your opinion on drinking alcohol at parties?

probably all kinds of ent parties, ding on ou are.”

4.8

22.6

29.8% of students have no opinion

28.6%

nd Math Teacher vanaugh-O’Keefe

2.9%

29.8

very

party they attend*

parents] me. I to text when I here and e,”

14.3% of students say that, “It shouldn’t happen.”

14.3

of U.S. students see drinking at

22.6% of students think that drinking should be stopped because it’s stupid and irresponsible 4.8% of students believe it is necessary to have fun

2013

41.7% of students attend multiple parties every month

ent responsed Patriot survey.

5%

.S. students have umed alcohol at ies*

“My friends and I get together and hang out in someone’s basement and watch Disney movies.”

67.9%

Senior Casey Reil

64.6% 4 A

6

4

A

6

In an online survey of the student body on Nov. 25, The Patriot received 111 responses. The margin of error for this survey is +/- 4 %.

of students are more likely to go to a party if they will meet new people

but I don’t think a person Guidance Counselor Carol ave fun.” Heflin-Shupe

of students frequently or always play games at parties

2

“Health of ’s adolesynthesis of nally comdata” by Dr. Patton, et al. t

28.6% o f students say that, “It’s a normal part of teen life.”

The study of adolescent health around the globe found out that the U.S. had

the highest mortality rate for people ages 10-24 of any high-income country in the world because of drug

usage and alcohol.*

10 A&E

thepatriot December 2013

Movie of the

Month

By Karly Horn

‘Catching Fire’ sets audiences ablaze with suspense

Photo courtesy Richard O’ Hara

President Richard O’Hara plays the keyboard with his band at Sandstock in Timonium. O’Hara began playing the piano at the age of seven when his parents signed him up for classical piano lessons.

O’Hara rocks on with his band The Jury Hope Kelly Sports Editor His fingers coursing with adrenaline, President Richard O’Hara pounds out the last song of the day, “Brown Sugar” by the Rolling Stones, on his keyboard. The band finishes their set at Sandstock, a benefit concert in Timonium.

O’Hara has been playing the keyboard in his band, The Jury, since 2010. The band currently has eight members.

While The Jury is technically classified as a classic rock band, they play a wide variety of music, including rock ‘n’ roll, jazz, R&B, and country. Performances include famous Beatles’ songs, songs by Steely Dan, Temptations’ “My Girl,” and even contemporary songs like Darius Rucker’s “Wagon Wheel.”

O’Hara began playing the piano at age seven when “[he] was pretty much told [he] was going to take classical piano lessons by [his] parents.”

By the time he came to JC, O’Hara had just left his band in Ohio and was looking for a new group to play with. He found The Jury through Director of Marketing & Constituent Relations Laura Lang, who introduced him to her longtime friend John Guthrie, guitarist and vocalist, class of ‘75.

“This is one of those small world stories. John Guthrie graduated with me in 1975. We both attended Loyola, where he and I had a duet in the ‘Rat.’ We’ve stayed close throughout the years, and I had a band in the ‘80s as did he,” Lang said.

Lang said after marriages and families, Guthrie, or “Gut,” started a

Photo courtesy Richard O’ Hara

President Richard O’Hara (far right) plays with his band, The Jury, at Sandstock. He found the band when Director of Marketing & Constituent Relations Laura Lang introduced him to her longtime friend John Guthrie, class of ‘75. band again in the early 2000’s.

“I would sing with them occasionally. In 2008, Gut asked if I knew any piano/keyboard players.

O’Hara had just started as President, and he was telling me about his band in Ohio, and how much he

was going to miss playing. I hooked them up and the rest is history,” Lang said.

According to O’Hara, he was introduced to Guthrie at a reunion where he offered to help out their band if they needed it, and within three weeks, Guth-

Confections with Cassidy During the holidays, most desserts have “peppermint this” or “peppermint that,” which is fine and dandy, but sometimes it is nice to have a different option in all the minty madness. These ice cream sandwiches are perfect for a night spent next to a warm fire, listening to Christmas carols.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended. Add molasses, vanilla, and lemon zest and continue to mix until well blended.

By Emily Cassidy

Gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended and smooth.

Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic. Let it stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours, or up to 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough to a scant 1/4 inch thick. (Use additional flour to avoid sticking.)

Cut out cookies.

Space cookies 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheet.

Bake 1 sheet at a time for 7-10 minutes.

Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow the cookies to stand until the cookies are firm enough to move to a wire rack.

Spoon 1 scoop of ice cream onto the flat side of a cooled cookie. Top with a second cookie, flat side down, gently smashing the ice cream to the edge of the cookies to make an ice cream sandwich. Repeat with the remaining ice cream and cookies.

rie had asked him to play.

“I love playing music.

Ultimately, the part I have always liked the most is helping people have fun, especially when they are dancing,” O’Hara said.

“Music takes you away and puts you in a happy place.”

Gingerbread Eggnog Ice Cream Sandwiches 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon ground ginger 1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 3/4 cup dark brown sugar 1 large egg 1/2 cup molasses 2 teaspoons vanilla

It is the Friday premiere of “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” and people are lined up to watch a girl who is forced by her government to fight for her life and freedom. We will be taken to Panem, a dystopian society where young people are forced to battle to the death in a televised event that will strike fear into the hearts of oppressed citizens. Isn’t that everyone’s idea of a good Friday night?

The sequel picks up on the lives of Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), the victors of the 74th Annual Hunger Games.

The two are settling back into reality, traumatized by their experiences in the arena, having been saved by their self-fabricated romance.

As the “Hunger Games” was originally a wildly popular book trilogy, I never cease to be amazed

by Lawrence’s ability to play the character of Katniss both true to the story and to reality, a notoriously difficult task for the actors in novel-turned-movies (cough…

Kristen Stewart).

As Peeta and Katniss struggle to find normalcy both at home and in their relationship, I find myself emotionally distraught for Peeta, who was more willing to participate in their fake romance.

The fact that the relationship was not quite as fake for him as it was for Katniss breaks my heart, but when I see the way she looks at her childhood friend, Gale (Liam Hemsworth), I can’t help but be sympathetic to both relationships.

Though romance plays a small part in the lives of the victors, it only adds to the anguish they face.

The two soon find themselves in another year of the games, the “Quarter Quell,” where they will compete among other previous victors. The obvious bleak and depressing aspects of the film provide constant tension.

This intensity remains unbroken, however, the technologically vibrant setting is enhanced by digital effects that make the film bright and captivating. As a bookturned-movie, I have to say that this franchise is one of the only series of novels that I have liked more on screen than in the book.

Like any good novel, each moment on film leaves you wanting to know more.

In fact, the only thing I didn’t like about the movie was that it had such a cliff-hanger ending. I want to know what happens next and I want to know now. I’ll be counting down the days until “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay.”

opinion 11

thepatriot December 2013

To party or not to party, alcohol is the question Drinking at parties drives students to bad choices Erica Kelble Multimedia Editor I don’t understand why anybody would want to look back on their high school experience and remember going to parties, getting wasted, and having no recollection of what happened after that.

Since it is possible to go to parties and have a great time without drinking an ounce of alcohol, what is the point of exposing oneself to alcohol at parties?

Is it the need to find acceptance from others? Is it to forget about the troubles that you’re going through?

High school only happens once, and if these four years are spent with people who have low standards and who think the only way to have a good time is getting drunk at parties, then the time is lost.

There is a reason why drinking is illegal for those under 21. According to NIAAA, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, about 5,000 people under the age of 21 die every year

as a result of underage drinking. If someone hasn’t reached that age yet, their bodies, especially their brains, haven’t fully developed. Drinking at a young age has been proven to cause long term problems.

Those who start drinking around the age of 15 are four times more likely to become dependent on alcohol later life, according to NIAAA. It isn’t worth the setback or the need for a drug to be happy in life to have a fun time at a couple of parties.

As students of JC, we are given great opportunities that shouldn’t be thrown away. Yet students ignore their priorities by drinking.

Today’s society seems to publicize a false and glamorous view of drinking by promoting popular reality television shows and vulgar rap songs. Drinking is glamorized in commercials, movies, and other aspects of pop culture. Yet when actual reality sets in, it is hard to find a positive side to alcohol.

Alcohol is a detrimental drug that impairs thought processes, the way people act, and in the long run, their reputation.

When I hear that someone goes to parties and drinks, my respect for them decreases significantly. People should have respect for themselves and their bodies, and they might find that people will respect them more.

Time after time, I hear stories of high school students, including those who attend JC, going to parties, drinking alcohol, and ending up in terrible situations.

Being physically and mentally impaired by alcohol has led students to embarrass themselves, drive under the influence, or be taken advantage of.

It is with one decision that someone risks their own life and the lives of others. With not being able to make the right decisions, someone under the influence could take a life or die.

So the next time you go to a party and someone offers a drink, walk away. It isn’t worth it.

Illustration by Brynly Wilson

Partying and drinking alcohol can lead teenagers to making bad decisions and ending up in dangerous situations.

Drinking offers opportunity to learn responsibility Kaley Martin

Illustration by Brynly Wilson

Teenagers often host or attend bonfire parties during the colder months of the year.

Like any other issue, teens can take drinking too far. The key for drinking to not be seen as a big deal by society is for kids to abstain from the abuse of alcohol, just as it’s important for teens to not abuse the Internet or the freedom of having a license.

The drinking age is lower in other countries. For example, the drinking age in the United Kingdom is 18. How are 18 year olds in the U.K. any more immune to the effects of alcohol or responsible with alcohol than 18 year olds in America?

JC students along with students everywhere are responsible members of their communities who, even if they don’t always make the best decisions, have the ability to know how to make those decisions in a way that will ensure that no one gets hurt. Drinking isn’t cool, but neither is treating it like it’s not a reality.

Just say no to a lack of alcohol education.

Carrie Siemsen “My friends and I always find other things to do at parties.”

College Counselor

Alex Gromacki “It’s obviously a problem because there’s always an unhealthy amount of alcohol at parties.”

Senior

“Yes, because kids are very secretive about it.”

Junior

Nolan Clawson

Is drinking a problem at John Carroll parties?

Faith Ensor “No, I don’t see it often.”

Sophomore

Freshman

Jason Noone

Patriot Answer

Opinion Editor It’s late on a Saturday night. The music is pounding. Teenagers are drinking. And the next morning, something unimaginable happens: everyone goes home safe and unharmed.

Underage drinking is a reality, whether you like it or not. The problem isn’t necessarily that kids are drinking, it’s the way adults handle it. Kids are told not to drink, to completely avoid all forms of alcohol no matter what. But when faced with peer pressure, it isn’t always easy to “just say no.”

This is why the stance on alcohol among adults needs to change. The more educated kids are about the realities of drinking, the more likely they are to be responsible if they are ever put in a situation where they are offered a drink. If adults are more realistic about teenage drinking being a reality, their kids are

going to be much more likely to be honest with them about when they drink.

For example, if kids get into a bad situation at a party, they will be more likely to call their parents for help or a ride home.

The dangers of failing to inform teens of the dangers of drinking are more dangerous than underage drinking itself.

Teenagers who are unaware of what they may be getting themselves into when they drink alcohol pose a danger to themselves and to the people around them.

Informing teenagers in a relatable way on the dangers of alcohol poisoning and driving under the influence is a great way for adults to educate teens on the harmful effects of alcohol. The key for alcohol education to be effective is to make sure teenagers know that alcohol isn’t cool, nor is it the only way to have fun. Plus, it can have harmful effects on your body and life.

“I think it’s an issue in high schools nationwide, not just at John Carroll.”

12 opinion

thepatriot December 2013

TAKE ACTION

Rachel’s Rants

By Rachel Amrhein

Drugs are detrimental to student life

Harness your power as a consumer to lower cafeteria prices by boycotting overpriced items like mozzarella sticks Illustration by Madison Meyer

Justin Hawkins Opinion Editor Now is the time. A boycott is a true expression of the consumer’s will. It is the power that you, the consumers, possess over the provider. I call the student body to band together and refuse to purchase mozzarella sticks.

You may wonder, “Why mozzarella sticks?” They are one of the most absurdly priced items in the cafeteria. They cost 75 cents per stick. This is a ridiculous amount, and while I find them tasty, I do not value them at this

price. At the end of the day, they are just fried sticks of cheese.

The consumers have the one thing that the provider wants: money. If they do not get the money, they will have to give in to the demands of the consumers.

Today, the consumers are often unaware of their own power.

Students can make change and impact the school. Just this year, students have drastically changed the way that JC works.

Students went to Dean of Students Brian Powell about adding sweatshirts to the uniform and allowing boys to wear colored

Report Card

A

Patriots do, and so does the Romero Club.

Between leading the canned food drive, visiting Anna’s house, the other service projects they work on throughout the year, the Romero Club is one of the best clubs.

Not only do they serve the community with the 30 members that work with the club directly, but they also work with the entire school, getting outside students involved.

Whether you are an active member or just brought in a few cans for the food drive, this club is the light of JC.

The Patriot

The John Carroll School 703 Churchville Road Bel Air, MD 21014 Volume 49,Issue2, December 2013

Editor in Chief: Hope Kelly Print Chief: Sydney Setree Online Chief: Cole Alban

B

Game Club scores high

There is nothing like role-playing with your chemistry teacher to end the week.

Game Club, which meets after school most Fridays, is a club that students need to hear more about. It is an exciting club for gamers that like to play video games, board games, and card games. To top it all off, club moderator and science teacher Shane Lawler has invented a role playing game of his own that is still in its beta phase.

How could you not have fun at a club entirely dedicated to games?

News Editors: Emily Cassidy Lauren Glase

Opinion Editors: Justin Hawkins Kaley Martin

Multimedia Editors: Rachel Amrhein Erica Kelble

Lifestyles Editors: Hanna LeBuhn Caitlin Wolfarth

Sports Editors: Kathy Deaver Elizabeth Driver

Columnist:

Copy Editors: Angela DeCarlo Billy Jump

Artists: Brynly Wilson Madison Meyer

A&E Editors: Lauren Fabiszak Karly Horn In-Depth Editors: Nicole Arrison Madison Meyer

Anything that is bought by a large quantity of people is subject to the power of the boycott.

Companies will be forced to act since the one thing they care about is their profit margin. A boycott will put any company in a very uncomfortable and possibly dangerous situation. A boycott would have massive effect at JC since the community is smaller, so less people are necessary to cause change.

Take action. Imagine if no one bought mozzarella sticks for weeks. The prices would have to be lowered.

The Patriot grades the clubs competing for your attention

Editor in Chief Hope Kelly

Romero Club helps community

dress shirts. By the time winter dress code went into effect, the dress code was changed.

The junior AP English class made proposals to change various things around the school based on the book “The Tipping Point”

by Malcolm Gladwell. Juniors Hanna LeBuhn, Billy Jump, and Lauren Glase proposed ways to get more people singing at masses. Chorus teacher Julie Parrish has incorporated several of those ideas into the mass.

This same principle can be applied to the cafeteria prices: students can work to lower them.

Amanda Spaeth

Moderators: Mark Ionescu Nick Attanasio

A

Spanish Club spices up JC

Hola, amigos! Spanish Club, one of the most welcoming clubs at JC, is quickly expanding with Spanish teachers and club moderators Susan Garcia and Meghan McConville encouraging students to join.

The lively, upbeat fiesta that kicked off the year may only be topped by the club’s plans to take a trip to learn the flamenco at the end of the year.

As for all of the other language clubs, take a page out of Spanish Club’s book and get planning.

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 664 students and 109 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.

Grades, drama, relationships, and family problems control teenagers’ lives.

The stress builds up and up.

There seems to be no way to relax. How are we supposed to cope? Many teenagers choose drugs. Drugs seem to be a simple way to release pressure and relax.

So what’s the problem? Adults say that they screw up lives, but do they really?

This summer I worked at ShopRite. In order to get hired, I had to take a drug test. Not going to lie, it was unpleasant.

A drug test consists of peeing in a cup. If my test had showed up positive, I wouldn’t have gotten the job. Many other retail companies drug test their applicants as well.

So if teenagers are getting high after school to relax, then chances are they will not be getting a job anytime soon.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana can stay in body systems for weeks after use.

Teenagers that do drugs should not bother applying for a job.

How will parents feel when their child’s drug test comes back positive?

And then there is the “tiny” fact of the JC drug policy. Any student caught with drugs will receive 3-4 demerits and may be expelled.

Parents are paying $14,750 in tuition this year to send their teenagers to a Catholic school.

This is a huge sacrifice for many families. So why throw it away on something trivial?

Peer pressure is another huge reason that many teenagers get involved in drugs. Did anyone ever notice that most of the popular kids are dealers?

I have a friend at JC that offers me drugs on a daily basis, and I just keep turning them down.

“C’mon Rachel, it’ll make you relax, nothing bad will happen if you smoke with me,” this friend often says to me.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, smoking marijuana may cause some of the same lung and breathing problems that smokers get. Teenagers should respect their own bodies to keep their lungs healthy. Everything teenagers do can affect their futures. Are drugs worth that risk?

Drugs may appear to be harmless fun, but they are a bad idea.

They will keep teenagers from getting hired, may cause them to be expelled, and cause health problems.

Drugs are not good means to an end. They might end up ending you.

opinion 13

thepatriot December 2013

PATRIOT Standard exam practices hurt students’ learning by PERSPECTIVE promoting useless memorization and reducing creativity

THE

Advice

Exams are a fact of life. They are necessary for teachers to test their students’ knowledge of the course. But currently, every exam is in the same format. Having a plethora of multiple choice questions may work for one class, but definitely not all of them.

Specialized exams for each class would greatly benefit the exam process, helping teachers better assess their students’ comprehension of the course.

Some classes work well with the current format of exams. Math requires us to solve problems and prove our answers through work.

Currently, the math exams actually help us. For one, the math SAT is multiple choice with a few “grid-ins,” and so are math exams at JC. The current English exams are also very effective. In English, essays are inevitable. Their purpose is to condense all that we’ve

learned into one creative piece of work. The current format of English exams, that test both objective and subjective questions, are probably the most effective.

While math and English are great at testing us, some classes are not fit for the current format of exams. Science tests your ability to learn material and apply it to actual situations. Science is not meant to be regurgitated onto a bubble sheet, it is meant to be tested in labs and real-life situations. Having a hands-on lab for science exams would effectively measure the information learned during the class.

With the exception of anatomy and earth science, multiplechoice questions on science exams should be omitted altogether.

Instead of asking us to solve an equation on how much carbon dioxide is produced in an hypothetical situation, why not take us to

the lab and have us demonstrate our comprehension of combustion reactions by working out a lab and writing a report on it?

Foreign language classes are sheer memorization. The best method of measuring a student’s comprehension of foreign language is having them speak it.

Most teachers require oral exams, but they are often just sentencelong answers to simple questions and do not genuinely show how well a student understands the language. We should have conversations with the teacher that reflect what we learned through the year.

Term papers, when given an adequate amount of time to be prepared, would be a good way to assess students’ understanding of certain courses, especially when applied to those classes where multiple-choice exams may seem inevitable. They can detail the

history of the Catholic Church or ask how a student would solve a hypothetical environmental science problem.

Religion teacher Elise Gower is having her social justice students work on a project instead of having an exam. Students have to research a social injustice and present ideas to spread awareness of it. They have to create a three slide presentation and a two page paper and an action plan.

This is a prime example of how an exam can be given in a format fit for the class. Having teachers find new ways to test their students is a great way to ensure their full comprehension of the class.

More teachers can learn from this innovative exam technique.

By specializing exams, students can more effectively demonstrate their understanding of the material covered through the year.

Spendin’ around the Christmas Tree Which holidays are most over-commercialized?

1

$801 amount an

average shopper is expected to spend this Christmas season

2 3 4

46.7% $1,004 of students think was the highest commercialization promotes holidays in a positive way

5 In a online survey of the student body on Dec. 2, The Patriot recived 90 responces. The margin of error for this survey is +/- 4%

average spent on Christmas in 2004 National statistics are from a survey conducted by American Research Group , Inc. from November 10-14,2013

know you wanted

By Kaley Martin

Avoid being a wallflower with partying tips Loud music. The occasional questionable drink. And, worst of all, people. Parties can be pretty scary sometimes, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the party scene. Lucky for you, I’m the party queen, and I’ve got some tips on how to come out of your shell at parties.

1

Wear an interesting article of clothing or accessory. It could be a sparkly headband, a funny t-shirt, whatever will spark a conversation. When people approach you and compliment you on whatever it is that you’re wearing, you can tell a funny story about how you got it or something that happened when you wore it some time before.

2

Put yourself out there.

Don’t be afraid to join a conversation or play a game. The more fun and outgoing you seem (even if you’re really nervous on the inside), the more people will want to get to know you.

3

Compliments are king.

At least, they are for girls. Compliments are a great way to start a conversation with someone you don’t know.

Plus, you make a great first impression. Guys, I don’t really know what to tell you to do in lieu of giving compliments. You should probably talk about sports.

4

Never fly solo. Going to a party with a friend is not only an overall good idea, it’s a great way to meet new people. Stay attached to your friend initially and have them introduce you to their friends.

Once you know enough faces and names to feel comfortable, you can detach from your friend and go get to know other people better.

5

“I do not think they are overcommercialized, but I think people get annoyed when they are before Thanksgiving.”

Senior

Christy Kim

Sarah Dobson “It detracts from the actual meaning. And if the actual meaning is Jesus, then yes, it is a problem.”

Junior

Eric Wright “No, I don’t hear anything about them.”

Sophomore

Freshman

Kylie Wheeler

Patriot Answer Do you think that holidays are over-commercialized?

...you didn’t

“People are just rushing. I think people need to just take it easy. People need to be thankful first, and then they can give and get.”

Bring a delicious dessert or dip for your fellow party-goers to enjoy.

People will be overwhelmed with your culinary skills and probably will not be able to resist talking to you, even if it is only to learn your food-making secrets. But hey, that’s better than eating chips and salsa by yourself in a corner.

Dance. Smile. Make new friends. But most importantly, have fun. Parties are meant to be enjoyable, and hopefully safe social gatherings. And if they aren’t your thing, then movie night in your basement with two or three friends can be just as fun.

14 sports

thepatriot December 2013

Make

SPORTS

a Splash Photo by Sydney Setree

updates Bowling team strikes for fun Lauren Fabiszak A&E Editor

New swimmers dive in as season advances Kathy Deaver Sports Editor Swimming has splashed into its season with a practice meet against Mount de Sales on Nov. 20. The women’s team lost 39-131. Like scrimmages, practice meets give new swimmers the chance to experience a high school meet without all the pressure.

According to men’s and women’s swimming coach Larry Dukes, the exact number of swimmers is still fluctuating, but it is balanced between freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. This year, the women’s team has their regular number of swimmers at over 30.

The men’s team has increased to 10-15 boys, which is significantly more than last year.

“We have more boys than ever this year, and we almost got the whole men’s cross country team so that’s kind of funny,” senior swimmer William Du said.

According to Dukes, most of the new men’s swimmers don’t have much experience but do play other sports, so they are “able to adapt.”

“We are all looking forward to improving to the best of our abilities and swimming out this season as champions in a foreign sport to most of us,” sophomore Rob Flynn said. Flynn is one of this year’s new men’s team swimmers.

No JV teams exist in either conference, so all swimmers are on varsity. Each meet has 11 events: three relays and eight individual events.

Each event consists of multiple heats, but only one actually counts and give the official score. Other heats are still timed and allow coaches to strategize according to which swimmers are strongest in which events. In a heat, the six lanes of the pool are divided into three per team.

Swimming is also co-ed. “It’s one of the

Photo by Sydney Setree

Junior Amanda Brannan (top) swims fly in the 200 Individual Medley event on Nov. 20 against Mount de Sales. Sophomore Megan Ingold (above) swims the 100 meter backstroke event. few sports that is co-ed, [which] makes the swim team more unified and makes us a better team as a whole to have more guys being a part of it. I think the girls appreciate all the guys’ positive encouragement this year,” junior Amanda Brannan said.

Practices started Nov. 12. “Every workout is a build-up,” Dukes said. “Distances of every practice increase over the course of the season.” Initially, the workouts are 2,500 meter swims, but by mid-season they will increase to 5,000 meters. The longest event at a meet is 500 yards.

“At the beginning, we focus more on the kick and the kicking base and less on the stroke,” Dukes said. Practices are geared toward structure and mechanics before Christmas break and move into stroke and form after the break.

The meets throughout the season are “markers for the championship,” according to Dukes, because they give teams a season record, but every team competes in the cham-

pionship regardless of that record.

There are typically 6-8 meets in a season, clustered before exams in December and after break in January. This year, the women’s championship is Feb. 1 at McDonogh, and the men’s championship is Feb. 5 at Calvert Hall.

“We’ve been runner-up for girls for five straight years,” Dukes said. “We are always projected for top four and end up in second.”

Out of the other seven teams in the women’s league, Severn is their most challenging opponent.

The men’s league has 10 teams total. “[We’re] often picked to finish last [but] generally finish in the middle,” Dukes said. “It’s hard to compete against the teams with so much inexperience [on our part.]”

According to sophomore swimmer Katie Sullivan, “we have a good group of people this year, and I think everyone will improve from last year.”

The next meet is the Relay Carnival at Magnolia Middle School on Dec. 13.

Last year, current sophomore Patrick Luft started a bowling team after finding out about a high school bowling league.

According to club moderator Rodney Johnson, “The athletic department said we could, as long as there was a faculty member running it. I don’t coach a winter sport, so I decided to be their supervision.”

The eight players are split into two teams. The all-boys team consists of juniors Jake Rosaschi, Luke Rinehart, Jake Kahoe, and sophomore Patrick Luft, and the co-ed team includes junior Lien Baranoski and sophomores Nick Miller, Sydney Branch, and Alexandra Miller.

“I’ve always enjoyed bowling.

I used to go every Friday night with my friends,” Baranoski said.

“My favorite part is just hanging out with my teammates, having fun, despite our lack of skill, and eating pizza.”

Since the team is just starting out, the team is worried about their record. According to Johnson, “They love it, they are just happy bowling. They didn’t do well last week, but they weren’t that upset about it because it’s just a fun activity for them. It’s one of the few activities you can do just for the fun of it.”

Cheer team prepares for championship Rachel Amrhein Multimedia Editor The cheerleaders placed second out of six teams at their first competition at CCBC in Dundulk on Nov. 3. They also placed first out of five teams during their second competition at North County High School Nov. 10.

“This is my first year, so I don’t really have anything to compare it to, but I think we are [doing] really well,” varsity cheerleader and junior Taylor Fitzgerald said.

Their last competition for the year is the Christmas Classic Championship from Dec. 1214 in Ocean City. This year the cheerleaders are not planning on having a winter team.

“I think our team is doing very well. We are extremely supportive of each other. Our team is different because we put each others’ lives in our hands, which requires a lot of trust. I am confident in my team, and we will perform to the highest capability,” varsity captain and senior Alena Stoots said.

According to cheerleading coach Kari Patchack, “With all the hard work we’ve been doing, I believe we have the potential to bring home a first place trophy.”

sports15

thepatriot December 2013

Time Out

By Amanda Spaeth

Athletes balance life off field “Can you make it to the bonfire this Friday?”

“Sorry, I can’t. I have a game.”

For an athlete, this is a typical response to opportunities to hang out with friends. Weekend plans must be made around games and meets, which can be frustrating.

There is a balance between sports, social life, academics, and sleep.

Being an athlete can be difficult at times, and finding a happy medium takes some work. This is an opportunity for students to rise to the occasion and give everything they’ve got to living a healthy lifestyle.

Enjoying the little things, like sleeping in an extra hour or spending an off mod with a friend, is great for athletes. We can sit back, pause, and take a break.

A huge component of an athlete’s well-being is sleep. With a 2-3 hour practice each day, a good night’s sleep is vital. Between homework and other activities, students often choose to sacrifice sleep and deal with the sleep deprivation. Time management is key in order to be well-rested enough for practice and still complete schoolwork.

Additionally, making healthy food choices affects the performance of a student athlete. Breakfast is essential. A quick bagel and a cup of tea to go is enough to prepare me for the day. A healthy lunch gives the dose of nutrients needed to get through the rest of the school day and practice.

Dinner, on the other hand, is a totally different story. This is the meal where your body recovers and refuels for the night of homework ahead.

Along with school, practice, and clubs, there’s one thing that most students add to their list: a job. Some students choose to work during the week or just on weekends. A part-time job is a great opportunity to learn responsibility and about life in the working world The life of a high school athlete is demanding. You are expected to give it your all at practice to work towards improvement.

Teachers hold high standards for their students to put their best work forward.

Some bosses require you to work a certain amount of hours each week. Friends want to spend quality time with you.

You are always moving and there is always something that needs to be done. As stressful as life can be for a student athlete, the time management skills, the discipline, and the hard work will pay off in the long-run.

Photo courtesy Bill Lewis

Bill Lewis (top left), who will be the varsity football coach for the 2014 season, wins the championship in the Harford-Baltimore County Youth Football League with his Bel Air youth team in 2003. Also pictured are coach Steve Jacobs (top right) and players Brandon Lewis (bottom left) and Ryan Jacobs (bottom right). Lewis is replacing varsity head coach Rich Stichel, Jr.

New football coach replaces Stichel Kathy Deaver Sports Editor Varsity football head coach Rich Stichel Jr. will not return to JC next year. His position will go to Bill Lewis, the JV head coach.

“I talked to Coach Stichel at length about our current situation and things we’d like to change. I thought [it] would be healthy for the team,” Athletic Director Larry Dukes said.

Coaches are on one-year contracts that can be renewed at the end of the season. According to Dukes, no specific incident influenced the decision to not renew Stichel’s contract. “It’s an emotion-filled game because it’s a collision sport,” Dukes said.

Besides Stichel, the rest of the

football staff will remain. “I hire the varsity coach for the year, and then I let them build out the staff any way they prefer,” Dukes said.

Stichel was head coach for four years and offensive coordinator under Keith Rawlings before that.

“In general, his time was very positive,” Dukes said. In those four years, Stichel’s record was 24-19.

This past season, varsity went 4-6, and the team was short on players. With approval from the MIAA, four players participated in both JV and varsity games.

According to Dukes, 15 of the varsity players were juniors, and unless JC recruits, there will not be enough boys to field a team after the current juniors graduate in 2015.

Lewis has coached for JC for six years and for Bel Air in the Harford County rec league for 12.

“I’ve got a lot of contacts and relationships in Harford County,” Lewis said. “I’m trying to keep the Harford County kids at JC.” “Coach Lewis uses the office [across the hall] to talk to shadow kids almost every day,” Principal Madelyn Ball said. “I saw that, and I knew then that we’d made the right decision.”

“My goal is to be in the championship [next year],” Lewis said.

In his experience coaching at the youth level, Lewis has gone to two Maryland state championships.

His hopes to have a successful team that also serves to bring in new players. “As you get bet-

ter, more and more want to come play, and I fully expect that to happen here,” Lewis said.

“This year wasn’t that great,” junior Jake Kahoe, varsity left tackle, said. “We’re excited for next year because Coach Lewis seems like he could take us to a championship next year, my senior year.”

“He certainly seems to have a lot of respect, and I think it is very important to have the community and students respect the football coach,” Ball said.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun, and I think we will do really well.

He is really nice and laid-back. I think we will have more control over the field,” junior Jake Rosaschi, a varsity wide receiver and cornerback said.

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT:

Hunter Ritter Stats Grade: Junior

Featured Sport: Wrestling

Weight Class: 195 lb

Accomplishments: 2013 MIAA champion, 2013 Cadet National champion, 3rd at Nationals, MIS champion

Years played: Nine years

Photo by Cole Alban

Junior Hunter Ritter wrestles senior Bryce Pappas from St. Mary’s at the Early Bird Tournament on Nov. 30.

Ritter has won both MIAA championships and the Maryland Independent School championship.

“He’s one of the most “Hunter’s fundamentally dedicated guys I’ve sound with technique. ever had the chance He also does things to wrestle with. with a ferociousness unseen at this level.

Junior Chris Almony

”

Coach Jake Hollin

”

For more information on Hunter Ritter, go to jcpatriot.com.

16 sports

thepatriot December 2013

Keeping Score 54.7%

Men

of students think that male athletes should be able to play multiple sports in a single season

How many sports can each gender play in one season?

Women

02 01

62.5% of students think that female athletes should be able to play multiple sports in a single season

“I think that girls are capable of multitasking just as well as guys.

If time allows, girls should be able to do two sports.”

“They should be equal, but I’m a guy, so I’m not up in arms about it.

I also didn’t know about [this rule] until the survey.”

Junior Jake Kahoe Elizabeth Driver Sports Editor To be a fish or to be a cheetah?

Sophomore Faith Ensor walked up to the diving platform, feeling for her swim cap and goggles to make sure that they were both in place. On command, Ensor got in starting position, the same position she uses for track, and prepared to dive into the pool water.

Of course, the familiar placing of her feet was not from indoor track, but outdoor track, because girls can only participate in one sport per season according to the IAAM rules. Abiding by those rules, Ensor debated whether to be a fish or cheetah. She chose to be a fish.

The IAAM conference is for women while the MIAA is the conference for men. According to Athletic Director and swimming coach Larry Dukes different conferences run by different people bring different sets of rules. The IAAM allows only one sport per season for student athletes while the MIAA allows two sports per season.

“It all begins with the philosophies of each conference,” Dukes said.

Junior Matilda Butler “Rules are set up by the principals [of schools] and athletic directors,” Dukes said. To his knowledge, “there are thirty members of each conference, all being private schools,” and JC is a member of both the IAAM and MIAA. An old MIAA rule stated that football players could be soccer players, and vice versa, because kickers were needed. According to Dukes, “girls never had a sport where it was natural for a cross over, and they never had a reason to change it.”

According to The Patriot survey of students taken on Dec. 3, 66 percent of those who completed the survey were not aware of the differences between the conferences.

According to junior Eric Johnson, colleges are looking for the people who are multi-talented and well-rounded in every aspect of life. “The IAAM should change it, since a lot of people are multiple-sport athletes,” Johnson said.

“I definitely miss track. Track will always be my go-to sport, and not being able to compete with the school team is really difficult for me [because] I love to

run,” Ensor said.

She wishes that she could do both swimming and running because “they’re complimentary sports. You build up endurance in both of them. It would be really beneficial if I could do both.”

“I don’t think anyone

should do two sports because it shows a lack of dedication.

Senior Will Hopkins

”

However, according to senior Will Hopkins, “I don’t think anyone should do two sports because it shows a lack of dedication.”

The disparity in the rules can be upsetting to student athletes.

Acorrding to The Patriot survey, 54.7 percent of students believe that men should be able to play two sports if they wish, and 62.5 percent believe that women should be able to play two sports if they wish.

To allow for student athletes in the IAAM conference to be given their desires, Dukes “sponsored a

proposal in the IAAM to let girls participate in more than one sport in a season.”

He recommended this same proposal a few years back, but it was shot down immediately. This year, they concurred to discuss the proposal in the December meeting. According to Dukes, he still has “an uphill battle.”

Dukes said that the people who’ve been around a long time in the IAAM conference believe that allowing student athletes to play two sports a season will get to a point where it “will affect their grades.” However, he said that the league does “not think it’s right as a league to allow it.”

“Grades I can guarantee, for most girls, will not be an issue,” junior Ashley Hunter said.

Dukes also believes that girls could handle it.

According to The Patriot survey, 97 of 109 students believe that sports only negatively affect grades sometimes, rarely, or never.

“There are many girls already playing two sports at the same time. Our soccer team runs out to play lacrosse on the weekends.

Our field hockey team runs off and plays lacrosse tournaments

Factoring in the Statistics What aspects of sports do JC students think favor one gender over another?

32%

24% 9% Uniform Regulations

Favor men Favor women

53%

In an online survey of the student body on Dec. 5, The Patriot received 136 responses . The margin of error for this survey is +/-4%.

36% 24%

9% Uniform Quality

on the weekends. We have people on our cross country team that swim [with] their teams on the weekend. Kids are already managing [two sports],” Dukes said.

If the proposal were to be authorized, “teams that have been struggling to get team members may not struggle anymore,” Dukes said. Athletes would not have to choose between two sports and would be able to try sports that aren’t their primary focus.

According to Dukes, “it doesn’t affect 200 people. Only special athletes can do two sports at a high level at the same time, and it takes cooperation between the coaches. [Coaches] like [cross country and track coach] Mr. Torres and I, understand the way people can cross train and have it be very effective.”

Torres agreed with Dukes.

According to Torres, “it’s silly that guys can do two and girls can’t. I think a lot of the Athletic Directors in the IAAM are under the impression that girls can’t handle what the guys can. I can see how some kids could do too much, but as long as the coaches and athletes involved are flexible, it can work.”

6% Financial Support

4% Student Attention

8% Administration Attention