The Patriot - November 2011, Issue 2, Vol 47

Senior horses around

Students reach out

Emily Jefferson aids the handicapped at therapeutic stable Lifestyles 6

Students dedicate their time volunteering and fundraising

In-Depth 8-9

The John Carroll School 703 E Churchville Rd Bel Air, MD 21014 Volume 47, Issue 2 November 2011

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JAN

Photo illustration by Maggie Cassidy and Lauren Friedly

Admin postpones Variety Show Due to outstanding circumstances, the administration has decided to change the Senior Variety Show date to Jan. 7 Emily Clarke, Brianna Glase Managing Editors Principal Madelyn Ball, senior class moderators, and senior class officers have changed the date of the senior Variety Show from Nov. 22-23 to Saturday, Jan. 7.

The show has traditionally been scheduled on the Tuesday and Wednesday evenings before Thanksgiving Break. Instead, there will be an afternoon matinee and an evening show both on Saturday.

To ensure tickets sales for this year, an incentive is being offered to the student body. If 90 percent of the student body purchases tickets to the show, then the students will receive a day off. “It’s raising the bar on many levels, and we are going to double, maybe even triple, the funds that we would have originally made,” Senior Class Moderator Larry Hensley said.

According to the other Senior Class Moderator Sue Greig, Ball was tasked with the responsibility of altering Variety Show or eliminating it altogether.

“I personally have been charged this year with number one, making sure that there is nothing mean-spirited in the show.

In other words, it’s one thing to make light of things, but it is another thing to target someone and make fun of them,” Ball said.

In previous years, the Variety Show has been plagued with controversial skits that

target alumni and current students, provocative dance numbers, and drug and alcohol use references.

“It’s a good opportunity to change it from a show full of mean, poorly written jokes to a show that’s well-planned and funny,” senior Variety Show participant Hayley Boyle said.

Variety Show has had a history of alumni being denied admittance or thrown out of the audience because they appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and refused to blow into a breathalyzer.

“We want to increase a more positive audience base coming and supporting our performers, as opposed to screaming and attacking performers,” Hensley said. “We would have performances where we would have grandparents, little old grandmoms, sitting with screaming, intoxicated previous graduates . . . Do we want that to be what the John Carroll Variety Show is about? I don’t,” Hensley said.

Ball also hopes to improve the quality of the show for prospective students and their families. “There have been definite reports of adults who said ‘I will never send my child to this school,’ because of the behavior at the Variety Show,” Ball said. “Every time somebody says something like that, the school loses 14,000 dollars. Or, if they have multiple children, we could have lost 30, 40, 50 thousand dollars.”

The change of date has sparked negative reactions among the senior class. “Variety Show isn’t Open House,” senior Variety Show participant Christie Macdonald said.

Another reason for changing the date was to give seniors more time to prepare the show. “The seniors and their moderators discovered that at this point they didn’t have anything,” Ball said.

Ball said she doesn’t have any plans yet about making the date change a new tradition. “We’re just going to see how it goes this year,” Ball said.

“It’s our goal that many years from now, people will still be talking about the Class of 2012’s Variety Show. Moving the date to Jan. 7 will help us make that a reality. Having extra time to create and polish skits, freeing up other members of our class to participate, and growing our income from the Variety Show are three huge benefits that are achieved by moving the date,” senior class Vice President Nick Henninger said.

“I like the fact that more people are able to participate, but I don’t like that it is so late and so close exams. It’s kind of ruining the tradition,” senior Kelsey LeBuhn said.

The senior variety show has been scheduled in November for as long as math teacher and previous Senior Class Moderator George Appleby can remember.

“I’m not in the administration, so I don’t make that decision [about the date change].

I’d rather see it at Thanksgiving as it has been,” Appleby said.

The idea to make a change to the Variety Show was suggested three years ago by the Board of Trustees, and Ball decided that changing the date would be the best course of action, according to Greig.

“We’re not getting rid of the tradition. I never want to get rid of the tradition. But for this year, because we’re not ready, we’ll go to Jan. 7 to give everybody a chance to get all of this done,” Ball said.

“John Carroll used to have a catch phrase: tradition, pride, and excellence, but now that’s [the date of the variety show] another tradition gone by the wayside,” Appleby said.

Variety Show Moderators

1978 to 1986

George Appleby & Madeleine Grant

2002 to 2004

Mark Ionescu & Diane Russell

George Appleby & Jane Michael

Ann Kangas & Diane Russell

2005 to 2006

2006 to 2007

Sue Greig & Larry Hensley

Anne Baker & Larry Hensley

2011 to 2012

2004 to 2005

Jackie Moeser & Diane Russell

Mark Ionescu & Diane Russell

2007 to 2008

1986 to 2002

2008 to 2011

Sue Greig & Larry Hensley INDEX

NEWS..........2 LIFESTYLE.....4 A&E............7

IN-DEPTH...... 8 OPINION.......11 SPORTS........14

NEWS 2 Open House stirs interest with STEM Brianna Glase Managing Editor Jackson Prusak, an eighth grader at South Hampton Middle School, has wanted to be a herpetologist, a scientist who studies reptiles and amphibians, since the third grade. He had his sights set on the Science and Math Academy at Aberdeen High School for high school.

That is, until he got an eyeful of the science department and the STEM program at the JC Open House on Oct. 23. Attendance was up 30 percent from last year, according to Associate Director of Enrollment Kim Brueggemann.

Jackson and his mother, Melissa Prusak, toured the different science rooms, participated in experiments with Gatorade, milk, and jelly beans, and talked extensively with science teacher Rebecca Jansing-Kaestner about the STEM program.

“I like all the science stuff because it’s all in the field that I want to study,” Jackson said.

“He wants to be out in the field collecting snake venoms that could cure cancer,” Melissa said.

According to Jansing-Kaestner, the STEM program would be more than eager to help Jackson acquire an internship with someone at the Baltimore Zoo or the National Aquarium to get him hands-on experience in the field

he wants to study.

“I think the thing that’s going to make our [STEM] program different from other programs is job shadow. We’re going to encourage them [students in the STEM program] to shadow engineers and scientists to get experience,” Jansing-Kaestner said.

Religion was also a big factor in the appeal of JC for the Prusaks and other Catholic families. Religion teacher Father Steve Sutton baptized and married almost their entire family, and Jackson previously wanted to be a priest.

Similar to Jackson, the Funk family was also interested in science. Tim and Nicole Funk were getting an early start looking at high schools for their children, Matthew and Kaitlyn, who are currently enrolled in Homestead Wakefield Elementary School, in fifth and third grade.

After touring the school, the family ended up in the gym where Nicole and Kaitlyn talked to the equestrian team while Tim and Matthew spoke with members of the boys’ soccer team. Both kids played many sports and were pleased that JC offered so many choices, especially the only competitive school equestrian team in Harford County.

In addition, the family was impressed with the organization of the Open House. “I like how the students led us around, and I liked how the different departments

Volume 47 Issue 2 November 2011

Yeung issues 30-day music challenge Adam Kuester News Editor

Photo by Brianna Glase

Junior Justin Freeman helps prospective student Jackson Prusak conduct an experiment testing for electrolytes in drinks. Experiments in the science rooms and the STEM program drew much interest. had demos,” Nicole said.

The arts got attention at the Open House as well. Maria Dunnock, a seventh grader at St. John the Evangelist, was particularly interested in theater, and was excited about the fine arts programs.

“I think she’s more creative than she gives herself credit for,” her mother Tara Burke said.

“There are so many opportunities here to develop her interests.”

The technology aspect was also alluring to Dunnock. “I liked

using the computer in the English room,” Dunnock said.

Burke believed that it was good the school was turning to more technology, because it’s “more than just a trend, it’s the way the world’s going.”

Burke summed up her experience similarly to the rest of the prospective families. “It feels like a very welcoming school. Everything offered allows students to grow in relationships with both students and faculty,” Burke said.

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Religion teacher Dr. Christopher Yeung presented a challenge to his Social Justice classes to listen to only Christian music for 30 days. If they could succeed, he would provide four prizes.

To complete the challenge, a section must have all members listen to Christian music 90 percent of the 30-day period. The rules allow for any type of Christian music. “Pick your genre, there is a Christian variety,” Yeung said.

At social events where a person can’t control the music, the rules are suspended. “If [a student] can’t control the music, then it is not within their power, so it is not part of the challenge,” Yeung said. At dances, Yeung recommends requesting upbeat songs by bands like Newsboys.

For the past two years, Yeung has had five sections, and each year one section completed the challenge. “Still, about half of the class really tries,” Yeung said.

In previous years, the prizes for the challenge were food, including sushi and Chik-Fil-A. This year, classes are leaning towards choosing a Chik-Fil-A lunch.

The other prizes all involve extra credit, up to 10 bonus points for completing the challenge depending on a student’s individual participation. Another 10 bonus points can be earned by writing a reflection on the experience and collecting the class’s feelings.

A new addition this year is that if a student uses a Christian song in a positive way during their Senior Variety Show performance, another 10 points will be gained.

Even with all the incentives to participate, senior Derrick Powers is not confident in his class.

“I feel like the class isn’t taking it seriously,” Powers said.

Senior Jenny Yang is optimistic about the challenge. “When Dr. Yeung first brought up the Christian music challenge, I wasn’t too sure what to think about it because I have never listened to Christian music before [on my own], but by participating in the challenge I have gotten a new perspective on Christian music. I actually have some new favorite songs that are Christian music,” Yang said.

Yeung began this challenge in the fall of 2009. “I started it because I felt like young people in general [should] be exposed to positive Christian influence in their down time,” Yeung said.

Yeung started this Christian music challenge because of his childhood experiences. “As a kid, I listened to the regular radio and I didn’t know how it influenced me. It wasn’t until later that I found I could listen to enjoyable, contemporary music that was fun, uplifting, positive, and filled with good messages,” Yeung said.

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NEWS

Volume 47 Issue 2 November 2011

Occupy Wall Street spreads to Baltimore Grace Kim Online Chief They are in the streets protesting all over the world. They are calling for a redistribution of wealth. They have begun to assemble in Baltimore. They are the 99 percent of Occupy Wall Street.

Occupy Wall Street is a movement that began on Sept. 17 in Bowling Green Park, New York. According to The Huffington Post, “the media organization Adbusters— an anti-consumerist, pro-environment organization—published a call to action.”

Adbusters’ message states, “Beginning from one simple demand—a presidential commission to separate money from politics—we start setting the agenda for a new America.”

The statistic that one percent of Americans hold 40 percent of the county’s wealth and 24 percent of its income has inspired the movement’s slogan, “We are the 99 percent.” According to occupywallst.org, the protestors in the movement assume the title of the 99 percent to “expose how the richest one percent of people [in America] are writing the rules of an unfair global economy that is foreclosing on [the 99 percent’s] future.” The movement was inspired by the political protesting in Egypt and Tunisia in January earlier this year.

According to The Huffington Post, hundreds of arrests were made from Sept. 24 to Oct. 1 due to “stopped traffic.” However,

Olivier Douliery/Abaca Press/MCT

A protester from a rally within blocks of the White House speaks out against his debt and unemployment status, alleging that degrees don’t guarantee job security. Similar protests are taking place in cities all over the world, including Baltimore. the movement continued to spread, and on Oct. 1, “Occupy” protests began in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles. Protestors have spread to over 1,500 cities globally, according to occupywallst.org. One of these cities is Baltimore.

Recent updates from The Baltimore Sun have revealed that the movement has taken a violent turn.

“We’re getting addicts and drunks down here, and it’s a ratio that’s hard to deal

with, given the number [of activists] we have,” a member of the Occupy Baltimore media team David Kellum said to the Baltimore Sun. According to the Baltimore Sun, “Officials asked the protesters to limit their gatherings to two people overnight and to stay confined to a smaller area of the square during the day…If these rules are followed, the Occupy group will not be arrested.”

“They’re trying to force a confrontation,” protester Robert Brune said to The Baltimore Sun. “Other cities have bent their rules to accommodate the movement.

Baltimore should do the same.”

“Regular General Assemblies of Occupy Baltimore are being held daily at 8 p.m. at McKeldin Fountain located on the corner of Pratt Street and Light Street in Downtown Baltimore,” according to occupybmore.org.

The topic of Occupy Wall Street has come up in social studies teacher Brian Powell’s weekly discussions.

According to Powell, the goals of the recent discussions have been to figure out what the protestors’ goals are, to find out what they are protesting, to look over their stories, to determine whether their slogan of being “the 99 percent” is accurate or not or if the movement will have an impact on the upcoming election.

“The consensus is that it will not have an impact. [The protestors] are just a group of people upset over not having opportunities they were promised,” Powell said.

“I believe that Wall Street CEOs have worked hard to earn their success. It is not their fault that some Americans cannot find a job. They are obviously too busy occupying Wall Street,” AP Government student senior Brian Reid said.

“Generally the best way to apply for a job is not to protest outside, but that seems to be this group’s thought,” Reid said.

Libyans celebrate death of former leader Moammar Gadhafi Cara Reilly Managing Editor Moammar Gadhafi, unable to outrun the guns of Libyan radicals, died of a gunshot wound on Thursday, Oct. 20 after hiding for months.

According to CNN, Gadhafi and his supporters tried to escape from Sirte, Libya at 8:30 a.m., but were split up by U.S. and French forces. When Gadhafi was discovered hiding in a drain pipe, a gun fight ensued between Gadhafi’s loyalists and fighters from Libya’s National Transitional Council. He was captured and dragged toward a vehicle.

The facts concerning his death are unclear. The autopsy confirmed that Gadhafi was shot in the head. The unknown distinction between a crossfire or closerange shot has initiated several investigations.

Many Libyan people hoped for the dictator’s arrest and prosecution, because in death he won’t be able to be punished for his war crimes, but people all around the world have been rejoicing after the demise of Libya’s oppressor.

“Gadhafi’s death is the best thing for Libya. They were celebrating in the streets learning of his death,” junior Brian Tenerowicz said. “Last month they were smothered by a dictator and now they have the freedom they wanted.”

Conflict had begun February 2011 as unrest spread from Tunisia to Libya, forcing Gadhafi to use force in an attempt to crush the rebellion. According to CNN, he blamed the revolt of his people on Al-Qaeda and American influences, claiming that the U.S. slipped hallucinogenic drugs to Libyans through coffee.

Gadhafi was also paranoid that

the perpetrator for America’s involvement was greed for Libya’s oil. The North American Treaty Organization (NATO) combatted the violence by enacting a no-fly zone enforced by the U.S., Britain, and France. After unsuccessfully pleading with Obama to stop NATO’s air campaign in April, Gadhafi threatened to kill thousands of Americans if they intervened. He claimed that the bombings were unjust against a defenseless, developing country.

A warrant for Gadhafi’s arrest was issued on June 27. In July, the U.S. and Britain recognized the National Transitional Government as Libya’s official administration. This government was in place when Gadhafi was killed, with Mahmoud Jibril as Libya’s interim Prime Minister. Jibril announced on behalf of the National Transitional Council that elections will be held for a National

Amru Salahuddien/Xinhua/Zuma Press/MCT

Libyans celebrate the death of the their fallen leader Moammar Gadhafi in Tripoli, Libya on Oct. 20. It was confirmed on Oct. 17 that Gadhafi was killed in a gun battle in Sirte, his hometown.

Congress, parliament, and presi- torical government revolution, it dent within the next eight months. will come with trials and tribula“Voting is not in their cultures tions.” or lifestyles yet, nor is electing an “Obviously, working on freeofficial,” senior Christie Macdon- dom and rebuilding [after] Gadald said. “Libya is not in any bet- hafi’s mistakes will be the biggest ter of a condition. They will be in challenge they face, but the hard turmoil until they can figure out a work will pay off,” Tenerowicz democracy system. Like any his- said.

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LIFESTYLES

Volume 47 Issue 2 November 2011

Sophomore takes walk on wild side Sarah Kearby Lifestyles Editor Approximately 60 snakes, turtles, ferrets, bunnies, parrots, ducks, tarantulas, cockroaches, centipedes, chinchillas, lizards, and hedgehogs run wild in Jarrettsville.

Well, at least at Wildlife Adventures they do.

Sophomore April Moscati works at Wildlife Adventures, an organization that teaches people of all ages about animals.

They have interactive nature displays at the Harford County Farm Fair and the Festival of Trees. They also host summer camps, birthday parties, school groups, and church groups.

“

One time I was holding the turtle and it started to pee on me

“

- April Moscati

“In our Christian programs, we relate the animals to God and how you can live a life more like Jesus. During our camps, which are my favorite to do, we go on hikes, make crafts, and teach the kids all the different animals,” Moscati said.

With 16 different programs to choose from with each lasting approximately 45 minutes, the staff devotes five to seven minutes to each animal while encouraging audience participation.

Moscati has been volunteering and helping with the animals since she was about four or five, and was added to the payroll a little over a year ago at age 14.

“I grew up with animals and once I turned 14, it just seemed natural to start working,” Moscati said.

Moscati got involved with Wildlife Adventures because her mother, Sharon Moscati, works there and has a close friendship with the boss, Valerie Garcia.

Moscati is also best friends with Photo Courtesty of April Mascoti Garcia’s daughter, Morgan. And Sophomore April Moscati feeds a green lizard. Moscati enjoys working with exotic animals at the more she works, the more she Wildlife Adventures realizes her love for animals.

“When I get older, I want to started to pee on a kid,” Moscati said. over Maryland and parts of Pennsylvania, work at a zoo or go overseas and help preMoscati has the biggest challenge with Delaware, and Virginia and “another obstaserve land for the animals, study different the boa constrictors. Many people hold the cle is just fitting all the animals in the car.” animals, and learn more information about boa constrictors as part of the programs at Moscati works at Wildlife Adventures them,” Moscati said.

Wildlife Adventures, which gets stressful with other employees right now because “Just dealing with the animals can be an for the snake. she doesn’t have her license and the transobstacle in itself,” Moscati said.

“If the boa gets too stressed, it may bite portation of animals is done by the emEven though handlers have to be careful someone, so you have to be extra careful ployees. with each animal and observe their mood, with its head,” Moscati said. “We always Even though handling the animals can normally Moscati finds her job enjoyable try to make sure we know where the head be challenging, the delight in their playfuland even funny at times. is at all times and that it is towards us and ness makes the job worth it.

“One time I was holding the turtle and it not towards people trying to pet it.”

“I can just look at a ferret and smile,” started to pee on me so I held it out and it Also Wildlife Adventures travels all Moscati said.

Senior receives official Zumba license Maggie Cassidy Print Chief

Senior Caroline Loeser moves her hips to the pulsating music in a local Zumba dance class, not following an instructor’s directions, but leading the class herself.

Loeser teaches Zumba classes at Anytime Fitness in Forest Hill, Maryland. “I felt like it was a good job for me. It involved dance and the scheduling worked for me. It worked around my busy dance life. It’s a crazy, crazy life,” Loeser said.

Loeser’s dance life includes taking classes in ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, tap, acrobatics, ballroom, and hip-hop. She took her first dance class when her mother put her in ballet, at the age of two.

“I chose ballet over soccer. I was seven and I had to choose because I was going into the next level of dance, the competition team, and my mom was like ‘You have to choose one’ and I chose dance,” Loeser said.

Becoming a Zumba instructor added to Loeser’s dance repertoire.“My mom was researching zumba.com and she was like ‘Oh they’re coming to the Bel Air Athletic Club. You should get your Zumba instructor’s license. I was like ‘Okay, it’s a job, I need money, I’m broke.’ I hadn’t been able to get a job because I’m dancing all the time, but it’s really flexible. I work three times a week, three one hour sessions,” Loeser said.

Loeser got her Zumba instructor’s license on Oct. 2 at the Bel Air Athletic Club. “It was an all-day class from 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. They talked about the four main types of Zumba: salsa, cumbia, reggaeton, and merengue. It was all in one day, and in order to teach you had to get your certificate,” Loeser said.

As an instructor, Loeser can choose the music and exercises she teaches in her classes. “I teach more pop songs. I still have to have a certain amount of Zumba songs. I choose the songs and come up with everything myself,” Loeser said.

Currently, Loeser teaches at Anytime Fitness on Wednesday from 4:00-5:00 p.m., Friday 4:30-5:30 p.m., and Sunday 11:00-12:00 p.m.. JC students can receive a discount on Loeser’s Zumba class.

Photo by Sarah Kearby Zumba may be taking up her work Senior Caroline Loeser teaches fellow student Stephanie Carper during a Zumba class. schedule right now, but in the future, Lo- Loeser teaches at Anytime Fitness in Forest Hill Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. eser wants to pursue • Custom Homes, dancing as a career. “I want to be a commerAdditions, cial dancer, like being Residential in music videos, movRemodeling. ies, and being a back• Personalized up dancer. I also want attention to do Broadway. And I combined think I want to get into with quality acting too. I want to be the first ginger dancerworkmanship and actress,” Loeser said. the flexibility you

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LIFESTYLES

Volume 47 Issue 2 November 2011

Holocaust survivor passes away Georges Selzer lived to the legendary age of 100.

Selzer was one of the Holocaust speakers who first visited JC in the 1970’s to speak about his experiences.

The last time he visited was five years ago at the age of 95.

Selzer, though he came to speak at JC, was not a part of the Baltimore Jewish Council, with whom senior project coordinator Louise Geczy organizes speakers to come and share their Holocaust experiences to seniors.

Selzer was an Auschwitz concentration camp survivor. He watched his parents be dragged out of his house by the Gestapo and experienced his brother die in his arms at Auschwitz.

“He was small in stature, but not lacking in courage,” foreign language teacher Ed Miller said.

“On one occasion he saw a German officer brutalizing a helpless inmate. Georges lost his temper and struck the officer, knocking

him to the ground. His head hit a rock and he died. Georges was to be hanged the following morning during the night.”

However, Russian troops were nearing the camp and all of the inmates were forced to march miles to another camp.

Word of Selzer’s sentence luckily did not reach the new camp’s commander. According to Miller, this convinced Georges that he was destined to survive.

“

I did not hate my captors, I pitied them.

You have to be taught to hate and I never learned it.

“

Grace Kim Online Chief

-Georges Selzer

“I have heard Georges tell JC students many times over the years, ‘I did not hate my captors, I pitied them. You have to be taught to hate and I never learned it,’” Miller said.

Paaby has heard Selzer speak

5 Healthy You!

BY STEPHANIE MEADOWCROFT

Freshman 15 myth debunked

Photo courtesy Ed Miller

Selzer is embraced by students from the class of ‘95 after speaking about his experiences. He passed away at the age of 100. at JC before.

According to Paaby, part of Selzer’s personality that made him unique was that “he was at peace with himself and the things he had been through.”

“When Mr. Selzer spoke, he’d put it in perspective and say that it [the Holocaust] was in the past, though he would never forget it.

He was always fairly composed and he wasn’t distracted by his emotions.”

“Gerorges attributed his longevity to the fact that he held no grudges. He has forgiven them long ago,” Miller said.

Miller attended a memorial service for Selzer on Oct. 21. Selzer died of natural causes.

While not all students are worrying about the college lifestyle quite yet, a recent college myth has been debunked by a new study. The “Freshman 15,” referring to college freshmen who gain 15 pounds as they adjust to college life, has now been proven untrue.

The study was conducted by Ohio State’s Center for Human Resource Research from 1997 to 2011. It used data from 7,418 young people ages 13 to 17 from around the U.S. The study found that the average weight gain was nowhere near 15 pounds in the first year of college. Instead, the average weight gain was only between 2.5 and 3.5 pounds.

According to the author of the study, Jay Zagorsky, a research scientist at Ohio State University’s Center for Human Resource, the freshman 15 is a “media myth.” In addition, any weight gain that does occur doesn’t have much relation to being at college, but rather becoming a young adult.

Female students on average gained about 2.4 pounds during their freshman year whereas males gained about 3.4 pounds.

Fewer than 10 percent of students gained 15 pounds or more, and 25 percent of those interviewed reported losing weight their freshman year in college, according to Medical News Today.

While the new study shows that most college freshman don’t gain 15 pounds, most steadily increase their weight every year by an estimated 1.5 pounds. If nothing is done to prevent this increase, especially during early adulthood, anyone can become obese over time.

Early adulthood is a time during which healthy lifestyles are formed without the influence of parents. High school students should begin paying attention to their eating and exercise habits early on to prevent unhealthy weight gain later in life.

Join a gym or fitness class while sports are not in season to open yourself up to new exercise options.

Learn more about healthy eating by paying attention to the nutritional food information listed on most packaged foods.

Try new healthy foods now so that later on in college, you’ll know more about what foods are healthier in a college cafeteria.

And, of course, weigh yourself frequently to know what your healthy weight is to know when it’s time to start eating better and exercising more.

Now is the time for students to being forming a healthy lifestyle for themselves to prevent unhealthy weight gain during college and beyond.

6

LIFESTYLES

Volume 47 Issue 2 November 2011

Senior completes her last teen pageant Stephanie Meadowcroft Lifestyles Editor Being a pageant veteran of nine years, I went into the Miss Maryland Teen USA 2012 pageant with high hopes. It was my fourth year competing in this particular pageant, and having placed first runner-up the previous year, I was hoping to win.

On Friday, Oct. 28, I arrived at the North Bethesda Marriott Hotel to have a private three minute interview with the judges .. While it was short, it gave the judges a chance to get to know me. I felt a great connection with the judges

Photo courtesy of Stephanie Meadowcroft

after my interview.

On Saturday, pageant contestants rehearsed all day. We prepared the opening number dance and learned onstage walking patterns. This was nothing new to me, so I focused on preparing myself for the competition.

The first night of preliminary competition, Saturday night, I rocked the dance, strutted across the stage in a swimsuit, and managed to gracefully walk in five and a half inch heels in my white chiffon evening gown.

Sunday was the final day of competition. The top 15 contestants were chosen out of the 80 girls at the pageant, and I made the first cut along with fellow senior Stephanie Chervenkov.

The top 15 then re-competed in swimsuit and evening gown modeling. However, there was a major mess up with the order of the girls’ names during the competition which undoubtedly messed up the judges’ scoring cards.

The process became so jumbled that the hosts announced a 10 minute intermission just to figure out what was going on, which has never happened before.

I still managed to make the top

five along with Chervenkov. The top five competed in onstage questions, giving the judges a final idea of how the girls would be able to speak to strangers while making appearances and representing her title.

One girl froze onstage for 10 seconds and asked the host to repeat the question. She froze for another 10 seconds before rambling out her response similarly to the infamous Miss Photo courtesy of Stephanie Meadowcroft South Carolina Teen USA 2007 response to (Above) The top five finalists pose after the competion of the pageant. Cherthe map question on venkov won and Meadowcroft placed fourth runner up. (Left) Chervenkov and Meadowcroft pose after the preliminary night of competition. live television.

After the questions were answered, all contestants venkov win the title with just a I can no longer compete for the were brought back onstage for the year’s experience of pageants. title of Miss Maryland Teen USA announcement of the winner.

Chervenkov and I prepared for because the cut-off is age 18. It To my surprise and disappoint- the pageant together and formed breaks my heart to see a dream I ment, I was announced fourth a friendship that otherwise we have worked at for years end. runner-up. When my name was would not have had. As ChervenI truly believe all things hapcalled, the entire crowd audibly kov’s friend, I wish her the best of pen for a reason. That reason is gasped. Because of my pageant luck. I have no animosity towards not yet clear to me, but I hope experience, I gracefully accepted her because she had nothing to do Chervenkov enjoys the oppormy flowers and walked back to with the outcome of the pageant tunties that Miss Maryland Teen my place. I then watched Cher- and the frustration that I feel.

USA 2012 will bring her.

Theraputic stable offers volunteer opportunity Megan Foard Multimedia Editor As senior Emily Jefferson walks into the stables after school, she can smell that fresh horse scent, a smell she has learned to love.

She looks into the arena to see her client eager and ready to ride and thinks to herself that there is no place that she would rather be.

Jefferson originally became involved at Chesapeake Therapeutic Riding because she had to complete her service hour requirement for JC. “A friend had told me about the farm and I went to check it out and have been going ever since,” Jefferson said.

The Chesapeake Therapeutic Riding facility uses horses as therapy. Clients arrive and greet

their horses.

“We usually start with a warm up while the horse is walking where we do stretches. Then, depending on the rider, they will go off lead and we will play a game and steer or weave through cones,” Jefferson said.

Depending on the client’s ability, sometimes he or she is allowed to trot, which is one gait faster than a walk.

There is also a sensory trail in the woods on which they are sometimes allowed to go. A sensory trail is a ride outside the ring that resembles an obstacle course.

Jefferson spends much of her free time at the riding facility.

“I am usually there two to four days a week for about four to five hours a day,” Jefferson said.

A normal day for Jefferson starts out with mucking stalls,

cleaning out water buckets, dumping all the feed, and bringing all the horses in.

Jefferson then grooms and tacks up the horses that clients will be using for that particular day.

She takes them down to the arena and either gives them to their assigned leader or leads them herself.

“Some days I will be a leader or a side walker, but most days I am an instructor and assist in teaching,” Jefferson said. A side walker stays at the horse’s side to help the client if necessary.

After the lessons, Jefferson has to cool down the horses and untack them.

“This experience has shown me how I can make a difference in someone’s life. It’s great to see the progress that I’ve made in the

Photo Courtesy of Emily Jefferson

Senior Emily Jefferson helps a client by holding her leg steady. Jefferson completes her service hours at Cheasapeake Theraputic Riding. kids. Not only have I learned a lot from my teacher, but also I have learned a lot from the kids. I feel

really good when I am there. I can use my passion to help others,” Jefferson said.

teacherSPOTLIGHT Sarah Kearby Lifestyles Editor

Deirdre Magner Photo Courtesy of Deirdre Magner

Most people know her as “Slayer,” but Spanish teacher Deirdre Magner does more than just keep her students in line.

Magner got the nickname “Slayer” from a previous teaching job at Fairfield College Preparatory School. A student was playing with his shoe during class and he flipped it off, almost knocking a picture onto his head. “I just looked at him and said, ‘Don’t ever do that again,’ and then some kid said ‘Oh, she slayed you,’ and he said, ‘Yeah, she’s the slayer,’ and ever since then it stuck,” Magner said.

“She [Magner] will slay you if

you get out of line. I have been slain many times for talking when I’m not supposed to,” junior Mackenzie Rayburn said.

In the past, Magner has led trips to Spain for students. She offered them experiences through immersion trips, a four-week trip to Spain with a home stay, classes at the Spanish school, and activities such as visiting museums and taking trips outside of the city.

“I think she’s trying to get us to speak Spanish, which I appreciate, even though it’s challenging. I actually feel like I’m learning more Spanish,” sophomore Karly Horn said.

Magner has also helped Spanish students that visit America by offer-

ing them tours of Washington, D.C. She’s been travelling with students since 2001 and decided it would be a fun thing to become a tour guide. “I got licensed in the spring and have tours almost every weekend now,” Magner said.

While walking the Camino de Santiago from France to Spain, Magner taught her companions how to pray the rosary, as they were not Catholic and didn’t know how.

During the walk, they had communal meals, cooking and eating together, sharing food and stories.

“You meet very, very interesting people from all over the world and it’s totally a unique experience because it’s totally worth it,” Magner said.

Picks:

A&E

quick

Volume 47 Issue 2 November 2011

The Patriot staff reviews it all, from technology to local creative cafés

Photo by Cara Reilly

(Left) The dinning area of the cafe is place where custumers can enjoy their food. (Top) The cafe offers a wide variety of sweets.

Blue Dog Café Chioma Iheoma A&E Editor In comparison to the drab brown blocks of a strip mall that hide behind it, the Blue Dog Art Café seems out of place with its white rectangular box shape and pastel colored beach chairs out front. The small café is half restaurant, half pottery barn.

I immediately felt at home in the small sitting room decorated with modern black chairs surrounding a small coffee table painted with chalkboard paint and decorated with various doodles from customers.

Behind the sitting room was the counter covered in cases harboring muffins, and breakfast sandwiches.

The chalkboard menu behind the counter displayed a few food choices, but when

Photo by Cara Reilly

The Blue Dog Café introduces a new type of entertainment to Harford County by combining food and pottery

I asked for a chicken salad wrap, I was informed that their menu is being redone and that my only options for lunch were quiche, croissants, and muffins. A little disappointed, I settled for the bacon and ham quiche and a caramel cappuccino.

My lunch companion also ordered a bubble tea. There were many options within the tea selections, from the various types of tea to the choice of adding chewbies, which are gelatin spheres, to the tea.

The café is divided into the dining area and the pottery area. In front of the counter, customers can sit on the eccentric black-andwhite leather couch, draw on the chalkboard table, and play with the Etch-a-Sketch.

Adjacent to the dining area, shelves filled with ceramic objects line the walls around the abstractly painted tables. Anything from

ceramic animals to oversized mugs are ready to be purchased and painted on the premises.

As for the food, the quiche was the perfect temperature and had just the right amount of cheese. The flavors were perfectly balanced, creating heavenly goodness.

The cappuccino, however, was pretty bitter and had to be filled with Splenda and nutmeg to achieve the right taste.

Also, although cappuccinos are supposed to have foam, the amount in this drink was too much.

The bubble tea, which is a type of chai tea with colored gelatin bubbles on the bottom, was an improvement.

My first visit to the Blue Dog Art Café was not the experience I had expected, but I would return in order to try their new menu and attempt to paint some pottery.

Doodle Jump proves addictive Doodle based games take over the app store Adam Kuester News Editor Doodle Jump. Doodle Army.

Doodle Kart. Doodle Devil. Doodle Bouncing Star.

Search “doodle” in the iTunes Store under iPhone apps and 2,914 apps spanning 17 pages appear. What is it about these doodle apps that draws people in and keeps them coming back?

Doodle Jump has come a long way since its introduction to the App Store in April 2009. Available for 99 cents, it has topped the charts on the Top Paid Apps and Top Grossing Apps and won the 2010 Apple Design Award for excellence in design, user experience, innovation, performance, technology adoption, and quality.

Doodle Jump has received much attention in pop culture, namely through pop stars like Lady Gaga and television programs like “The Big Bang Theory.” The

character Sheldon said to Penny, “According to the inexplicably irritable nurse behind the desk, we’ll be seen after the man who claims to be having a heart attack, but appears to be well enough to play Doodle Jump on his iPhone.”

The point of the game is to direct Doodle the Doodler, a four-legged long snouted creature, up an unending series of platforms while avoiding UFOs, black holes, monsters, and falling off of the platforms.

It has been called “a perfect micro-game, insanely addictive, and deliciously replayable” by MacWorld.com. Little experience is needed to play and enjoy oneself, but experience is needed to master the game’s skills.

The interface is very userfriendly and the game itself, the characters, and the format also lend themselves to a simple, fun sense of charm. The only complaint is that the game is frustrating for

someone new to the accelerometer, which measures acceleration when tilted. The real fun happens at higher platforms, where one can use jet packs, propeller hats, rockets, springs, and spring shoes to gain more points.

Another game app with much to offer is Doodle God (version 1.6.1) which is available for 99 cents. This puzzle game has also held a spot on the App Store charts since its introduction in June 2010.

The game begins with the player, Doodle God, having the elements fire, water, earth, and air that create new elements when combined.

For example, combining water and lava creates steam and stone.

Metaphorical combinations, like fire and water, create alcohol. The game has a sense of humor as odd combinations range from bird and fire to make a phoenix to human and human to make sex.

Other features add flavor to the game, including a famous or clever quote related to the element that shows up every time a new one is created.

Doodle God is frustrating after a while because there are so many elements in different categories that it’s difficult to remember which already have been combined. At this point, the puzzle game becomes much less fun and more like a chore. Not being able to unlock them all quickly is annoying and time-consuming.

Doodle Grub (version 1.40) is another recommended game free in the App Store. It’s a remake of the classic snake game, but with many more features.

The accelerometer that directs the grub moves in additional directions and there are 11 different themes to choose from. This fresh view on a favorite oldie is a successful remake.

The doodle format seems to lend itself to great visuals, great themes, and in general, a great game to play.

7 Novel Ideas

BY CARA REILLY

'I Knew You'd Be Lovely' lives up to its name This collection of poignant short stories lives up to its name, as each new story is lovelier than the last.

I’ve never been a huge fan of short stories, however, “I Knew You’d Be Lovely” disproves the theory that short stories are only for authors who can’t form enough depth for a novel.

Ranging from 10 to 23 pages, each of Althea Black’s 13 short stories has a unique storyline and cast of characters, avoiding the overlap that is a tempting pitfall in collections like this. They are beautifully written from different points of view, displaying her talent as a writer for possessing the ability to transition from a man’s third-person to a woman’s narrative voice.

Black has only a few pages to get the reader invested in each main character, yet she consistently manages to get readers to care about them She characterizes them through background information that also uncovers the character’s hidden thoughts and desires. This is all captured in lyrical prose similar to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s style.

The motif that binds all of the stories is one of crossroads and fate. Each character is at a turning point, confronted with a decision that will undeniably change their life.

For example, readers meet Bradley, the main character of the first short story named “The Things of Which We Cannot Speak,” at a New Year’s Eve party. He meets a woman named Samantha, rendered speechless by laryngitis. Still recuperating from his recent divorce, a call to his ex-wife gives him the bittersweet peace of mind that it’s truly over between them. He rings in the New Year and then takes the first steps of his new life with Samantha, as they walk arm in arm down the quiet, snow-covered city blocks of Fifth Avenue.

All of the stories reflect on relationships, whether it’s between family, friends, or lovers. The book isn’t just sappy and predictabe, or filled with happy endings.

Some stories are left open-ended, allowing the reader to decide the character’s fate. Others have a nostalgic tone, describing the road not taken like the returned engagement ring in “We’ve Got a Bright Future Behind Us.” Others like “Mollusk Makes a Comeback” and “The Far Side of the Moon,” are more of beginnings. The first tells of a struggling girl finding hope in the midst of her despair. The second describes a man’s courageous choice to go after the girl that got away.

“I Knew You’d Be Lovely” is a testament to the presence of turning points that are often highlighted in literature but overlooked in real life.

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IN-DEPTH

Volume 47 Issue 2 November 2011

Patriots

Volunte The JC community gives back through fundraising, team sports, and senior projects.

Students fundraise for cure

Photo courtesy of Katelyn Wolf

Sarah Kearby Lifestyles Editor Three years of fundraising and $44,000 later, sophomore Amanda Brannan became the number-two fundraiser for Race for the Cure in Maryland.

Her fundraising began when she was only 12 years old, after her mother died of breast cancer. “I promised my mom I would raise $50,000 by the time I turned 18. She wanted there to be a cure by the time I turn 30, and I am doing everything I can to make that wish come true,” Brannan said.

Brannan receives help from her dad, friends, and family. “I have a huge support system and I am so blessed to have them all. My first month here at JC I have made new friends and the JC community is already supporting my efforts, and I can’t thank them enough,” Brannan said.

Brannan organizes two annual events, the Swim Fest and the Crab Feast. The Swim Fest is hosted by the Arena Club. Swimmers go out into the community to get sponsors and then swim competitive relays to raise money.

Brannan is only one example of students who gets personally active in fundraising and grabs the attention of the community.

Price’s Seafood in Havre de Grace hosts the annual Crab Feast. It consists of an all you can eat crabs and an all you can drink feast where a portion of the funds spent go towards Brannan’s cancer research fund.

“I really want to sometime soon do a schoolwide fundraiser here at JC. That is one of my future goals, to really get JC involved and educate JC about breast cancer,” Brannan said.

She also does four to five other fundraisers throughout the year, mainly during the months of June to October. Local businesses have contacted Brannan and asked for a partnership.

Chelsea Shock, class of ’11, grabbed the

attention of the community when she started fundraising after her mom was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Shock started fundraising mainly in her junior year at JC when she ran the Nike Women’s Half-Marathon.

Shock ran with Team in Training, an organization that trains and supports runners whose fundraising goes towards cures for leukemia and lymphoma. She raised over $20,000 for the race by writing letters that telling others about her story. Shock also set up fundraisers with local businesses in Harford County. At Italian Sensations, Shock raised $700, and at La Tolteca she raised $1,000.

“My most beneficial fundraiser would probably be La Tolteca. Everyone there is so much fun and so supportive. It’s like a big party! I meet so many people. You would be shocked, the people you think would support you so much, don’t support you at all. It’s the people you least expect that support you,” Shock said.

Between the letters, the fundraising events, and a dress down day at JC, Shock raised approximately $35,000.

“Whenever I could go and get the name ‘Shock cancer’ out, I would. I went to St. Margaret’s Middle School and talked to the kids about cancer and raising awareness. Many kids really reached out to me and I still keep in contact with them now,” Shock said.

Fundraising has slowed down for Shock because she is busy at college but “just because [she is] not fundraising, doesn’t mean [she is] not constantly involved.” She ran Race for the Cure, the Baltimore Half-Marathon, and has a Relay for Life team at Loyola University, where she attends school.

“To me it’s not about the money, it’s about raising awareness, bringing the community together and allowing people to know they can make a difference! That’s all I really want to do, is make a difference,” Shock said.

How many service hours do you have?

14.4% Over 100

12.3% None

24% Under 20 20.7% Over 60 All students were polled Nov. 2 through Surveymonkey.

334 students responded to the survey. The survey has a +/- 4% accuracy rate.

13.8% 41-60 Hours

18.6% 21-40 Hours

Left: Amanda Brannan, right, holds a sign in rememberance of her mother in the Race for the Right: Junior Caroline Haggerty (left) and sopho Lindsay Kraus (right) wear pink during their annu awareness field hockey game.

Below Left: Sophomore Jessica Clingerman att homecoming football game with her friend from Services, Ben. Below Right: Sophomore Kayley Martin watche friend from Gallagher Services introduces himse

Photo by Megan Battaglia

Seniors devote projec Ashley Beyer Lifestyles Editor Though volunteering is a requirement for graduation, some seniors are going above and beyond the requirement and using their talents to live out this year’s motto, “Go make a difference.”

Senior project is an area in which volunteering is a big focus of most seniors’ year-long project.

Senior Project Coordinator Louise Geczy has been the coordinator for the past four years, and loved seeing students “gain confidence and express their creativity.”

Geczy has seen many different projects that center around volunteering, such as going to South Africa to work with children, volunteering at hospitals, planting gardens for the sick, and writing a novel on war veterans, the proceeds of which went to wounded veterans.

“It’s not a specific project that I like the best, but the end result,” Gezcy said. She loves that the students can “tailor it to fit themselves.”

For most seniors, their project is no longer a daunting task and often turns out to be more fulfilling than they expect.

“I think giving back in any way is important to all of us. It doesn’t have to be giving mega-bucks,” Geczy said.

Seniors Dylan Slater, Kaitlyn Sebour, and Nick Henninger are each making a difference by helping

the less fortunate and disabled th projects.

“What they get out of what th Geczy’s favorite part of Senior P confidence, and with that, they thing,” Geczy said.

Slater is planning a BMX Charm City, a bike race in Baltim money for the less fortunate. He w to go toward either children or Slater beleives both of these are donate toward. Cancer is also ver because his grandmother had bre He wanted to have this compe likes to ride BMX bikes in his sp friends and thought that it would incorporate his activities into his “I do it [BMX] all of the time a ed to do a BMX competition,” Sl As for Sebour, she will be t Rica to talk to priests and find o munity there needs the most. Sh raise to meet all of the community supplies to them.

According to Sebour, choosin to a community in Costa Rica for was a “no-brainer,” not only be her family have a house in Costa cause she wanted to “make a big Henninger is making a differen

IN-DEPTH

Volume 47 Issue 2 November 2011

9

eer

e Cure. omore ual cancer

Teams play to raise money for cancer research

tends the Gallagher

Emily Clarke Managing Editor

es as her elf.

Photo by Caroline Spath

Teams play for cancer research Ashley Beyer Lifestyles Editor

Photo by Ashley Beyer

cts to volunteerism

hrough their senior

hey are doing,” is Project. “They gain can conquer any-

competition with more City, to raise wants the proceeds r cancer research. e worthy causes to ry personal for him east cancer. etition because he pare time with his d be a fun way to s Senior Project. and I always wantlater said. traveling to Costa out what the comhe will then fundy’s needs and send

ng to send supplies her Senior Project ecause Sebour and a Rica but also beg reach.” nce for adults who

are developmentally challenged with his senior project, Friend to Friend.

He is partnering up with Gallagher Services, a subdivision of Catholic Charities that takes care of disabled men and women.

With Henninger’s Senior Project, each disabled person was paired up with a student and did activities with them.

The first event that Henninger planned for the clients and students was to attend the homecoming football game. Students met with Henninger and the other volunteers before the game and got to know the clients. These students then enjoyed the first half of the football game with the clients.

“I knew from my own experience how much the men and women from Gallagher could change someone’s heart and make a really positive impact on them,” Henninger said.

“For my Senior Project, I wanted to find a way for many other JC students to get to know these amazing human beings, without ever having to leave JC’s campus,” Henninger said.

Henninger intends to involve the clients at Gallagher in future activities, like a Thanksgiving dinner and going to see the winter musical.

Henninger feels that the project will go very well and will have positive effects inside amd outside of the JC community. “I just have that peaceful feeling inside that this club is going to become something special,” Henninger said.

As freshman Austin Eiseman pulled into the parking lot on a freezing Sunday morning, all he could see was a sea of pink.

Neither waking up early nor the chilly weather could deter him and thousands of others from participating in Susan G. Komen’s Race for the Cure.

Eiseman was one of eight JV football players who went to the race as a part of freshmen Amanda Brannan’s team, “Believe in a Breakthrough.”

“Some of us [junior varsity football players] were already going to support the cause on our own and when it was posted as a team event even more joined,” Eiseman said.

Along with participating in the Race for the Cure, the JV football team wears pink shoe laces during their games to support breast cancer.

Eiseman, Brannan, and freshman Ryan Sheehan hope to organize the entire class of 2015 to do the Race for the Cure together next year.

“I think it is even more important for students to do this as teams or clubs because it really enforces our sense of school community. I believe working together for a com-

mon goal helps to unite us on and off the field,” Eiseman said.

The varsity women’s soccer team had also participated in the Race for the Cure in past years. This year, the team was not able to participate together as a whole, but some players went on their own.

In addition to the Race for the Cure, the team holds an annual soccer game in support of breast cancer. This year’s game was held on Oct. 14.

“Every year we have had a game to support breast cancer because our coach’s daughter was diagnosed with cancer. She is now cancer free. Even though it wasn’t breast cancer that she had, our coach has still taught us that it is good to support causes like this to raise awareness because you never how closely it could affect you,” senior captain Gina Maiorana said.

The varsity team wore pink socks and shirts, along with pink strands in their hair for the game.

The varsity men’s soccer team usually goes to the Race for the Cure as a team, but this year members went on their own.

Five Varsity players and five JV players went to the race.

“I think it’s important [for the team] because it’s a good way to

bond. Also, it’s good to support a cause that impacts so many people in our lives,” junior Caleb Anderson said.

Also playing for a cure was the varsity women’s field hockey team on Oct. 7 against Glenelg High School. The team holds an annual game in honor of those who suffer from cancer.

“At the end of the school day students on the team decorated the field by spray painting a breast cancer ribbon in the center of the field. We were all anxious to play and show our fans the tremendous respect we have for the people who battle with this disease,” senior captain Olivia Dunbar said.

The varsity women’s field hockey team raised $70, which was donated to finding a cure for cancer.

The team “also celebrated those who have beat cancer such as Mrs. Gauthier and senior Halea Blair’s mother, along with many others,” Dunbar said.

“It is important for JC to support causes like this because we need to remind the students to keep giving to the community and to not just take. It can be very easy to get caught up in the unimportant things in life rather than the things that really matter,” Dunbar said.

46% of students exceed

service requirements

10

A&E Teachers remember

Volume 47 Issue 2 November 2011

Variety Show With the recent date change to the Senior Variety Show, The Patriot investigates the history of the show and the opinions of current teachers who graduated from JC Eva Bialobrzeski, Chioma Iheoma A&E Editors

After decades of holding the Variety Show in November, the administration has made the decision to move the show to January. With this change in tradition, teachers who have graduated from JC take the time to reflect on their participation in the long standing tradition.

Spanish teacher Danica Attanasio, class of ’97, recalls the Variety Show as “definitely one of my favorite parts of senior year.” Attanasio participated in a skit called Genie, which included things like, “I wish the freshman would . . . ” Attanasio’s class show was moderated by Spanish teacher

Photo Courtesy of the JC archive

Jane Michael and math teacher George Appleby. From his 28 year period of producing Variety Shows as Senior Class Moderator, Appleby remembers a specific skit called The Bionic Nun. “One that stands out, called The Bionic Nun, might’ve been in the 70s,” Appleby said. “We had a classroom scene with one of the senior girls in a habit. She was able to see things going on in the classroom . . . after so many warnings she went into Bionic Mode.” Bionic Mode consisted of a beeping noise over the sound system and the nun hitting a student in slow motion causing that student to fall in slow motion.

“The thing I enjoyed the most was working on the Variety Show and watching things come togeth-

Photo Courtesy of the JC archive

Former JC senior performs as a mime in a past Senior Variety Show. The Variety Show has been a JC tradition since the 1960s.

Photo Courtesy of the Patriot archive

Members of Druken Camel, a band from the class of 2007, perform for the Variety Show. Student bands and solo acts are regular parts of the Variety Show.

Former JC seniors welcome the audience to their Variety Show. For several years, the welcome skit was popular for the students to perform, in keeping with the tradition of reusing and remaking skits. er,” Appleby said.

One thing that both Attanasio and Appleby agree on is tradition. “As far as I know, the show started in the 60s and when I came to John Carroll in 1971, it was always held the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving,” Appleby said.

While he was a student at JC, social studies teacher Jake Hollin, class of ’92, participated in the show. “[The Variety Show] was very unifying for us as a class,” Hollin said, stating that the tradition was a very positive experience. But when it comes to the changes in the show, Hollin understands.

“It’s most important to change the show [in a positive way],” Hollin said.

Spanish teacher Edward Maynard, class of ‘93, looks back at his Variety Show as entertaining yet sometimes politically incorrect. He remembers a fellow student, Paul Rhee, heading a skit in which Rhee and his friends dressed up as “The Japanese Beatles” and transformed classic Beatles lyrics into offensive lyrics.

Maynard believes that “graduates feel like it’s about them . . . it’s not really for them, it’s for the senior class to entertain.”

Aside from the content, issues also stem from audience behavior. Vice Principal Gary Scholl has had to deal with the behavior of the audience, such as a group of non-JC students “that crashed the gate.”

Dean of Students Thomas Vierheller hopes that the Variety Show will be more of a talent show this year. “Years back, it was more of true talents and acts. Brendan Smith did an amazing drum solo in ’02,” Vierheller said.

Science teacher Shane Lawler, class of ’00, also participated in the Variety Show and saw it as a positive experience. “I think the best part of the show was seeing all of my friends and classmates bond and support each other,” Lawler said. “To me, the Variety Show was a great avenue to express creativity, humor, showcase talents, and just have a good time

Photo Courtesy of the JC archive

Former JC seniors perform a group dance. One of the main objectives of every Variety Show is to involve as many seniors from the class as possible.

with your classmates in your senior year.”

The content for Lawler’s class was more positive because it showcased talent. “I liked the uniqueness of the skits that students wrote themselves and the original songs that were performed,” Lawler said. “I remember a classmate wrote a song and performed it on the piano. I thought to myself that she should be a professional. I think that now she is performing in musicals in New York.”

When it comes to current changes of the show, Lawler is hesitant. “I am never a fan of breaking ‘traditions’ at John Carroll, but I do understand the reasoning behind doing so in certain situations,” Lawler said.

“I think that the audience has changed. It seems like the last couple of years there has been

a lack of respect in the younger alumni that return to watch the variety show. I also think that the jabs that the senior class throws out at the returning alumni are becoming more malicious and less all in good fun,” Lawler said.

Campus Minister Patty Murphy-Dohn also hopes that the show will be based on talent since the audience has affected the show in a negative way. “Over the years, the behavior of the audience became gradually worse . . . sometimes you could not even hear the skits,” Murphy-Dohn said. Murphy-Dohn eventually stopped attending the Wednesday night performance due to the tradition of alumni coming back.

“I like the idea of it being on January 7. Now seniors have more time to find creative ways to showcase the class,” MurphyDohn said.

Photo Courtesy of the Patriot archive

Girls of the class of 2007 perform the senior girls’ dance. This is one of the acts of the Senior Variety Show that is performed almost every year.

Emily Clarke Managing Editor College is hard enough to get into, so why not have something that makes it just a little bit easier? If you’ve been playing a sport for years and are talented at it, using that to get into a college just makes sense.

Colleges are no longer only places of higher education.

They offer students a chance to diversify their backgrounds and further their talents. Not every student is talented academically. Some students are gifted in the arts or sports.

There are separate colleges for the arts, but not for sports.

Students are accepted into an art college for being talented at the arts. So how is it different from being accepted into an academic college with Division I, II, and III sports just for having pure talent in sports?

Under NCAA rules, colleges are allowed to offer students National Letters of Intent (NLI). According to

11

OPINION

Volume 47 Issue 2 November 2011

ncaa.org, “The NLI is a binding agreement between a prospective student-athlete and an NLI member institution [colleges].” An NLI requires prospective student-athletes to attend the college full-time for one year. The college is also obligated to provide athletic financial aid for one academic year for that student-athlete.

Receiving an NLI, however, doesn’t guarantee that a student-athlete will be offered an athletic scholarship.

According to ncaa.org only 2% of high school athletes are awarded athletic scholarships to compete in college.

It’s a large misconception that obtaining an NLI means receiving a four-year athletic scholarship. Most athletic scholarships last for a year and then, if the college chooses to, the scholarship can be renewed. Student-athletes have to keep their academic performance up, or scholarships can be retracted.

Student-athletes don’t automatically get accepted into

the college of their choice just because they can play a sport well. College coaches and recruiting officers seek out players in high school that they want for their college teams, and then, if the student wants to, they can make a verbal commitment to that college.

Before signing an NLI, the student-athlete still has to apply to that college and get accepted. Academics are taken into account.

If student-athletes have to maintain their grades to keep a scholarship, it’s the same as students having to maintain their grades for academic scholarships. Student-athletes have twice the amount of work as regular students, with playing their sport and keeping up their grades. I think extra work should reap a reward, like being more likely to get accepted into a college.

Whether you’re going to college for academics, sports, or the arts, you should be able to use every weapon in your arsenal to get accepted.

College Conflict

Con

Grace Kim Would it be surprising if I told you that according to CNN.com, America scored its all time lowest since 1995 on the SAT this year?

The emphasis in contemporary society is skewed. It’s not uncommon for a diligent student to be looked down upon while an athlete or socialite is praised. You could argue that I’m just being bitter about being teased for having terrible coordination in games, but is this really a baseless complaint?

In the end, grades are what will propel you to the top in life, not how well you know the Ravens did in a previous game or if you can kick a soccer ball.

Of course, athletic commitments are certainly helpful for students to showcase another facet of their ability to a college and significantly increase or secure

Freshman

Sophomore

Jake Kahoe “It’s unfair because you should go to college for academics.”

Megan Greig “I think athletes should have to work just as hard to get into college as anyone else.”

Print Chief: Maggie Cassidy Online Chief: Grace Kim Copy Chief: Cara Reilly Managing Editors: Emily Clarke Brianna Glase Martha Schick

Artwork by Lauren Friedly

Is the practice of student-athletes signing National Letters of Intent fair?

Online Chief

Student Answer

Pro

their chances of getting in.

However, realistically speaking, will playing football secure you a steady income?

According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the chances of senior high school boys playing “interscholastic football” to be drafted in the NFL are “eight in 10,000, or approximately 0.08 percent.”

If you look at the site, the statistics for other sports are either lower or around the same as this football statistic. The secure money makers will be the doctors, the engineers, and the CEOs: the “nerds.”

Despite this, what statement are we making if we hike the chances of an athlete getting into a selective college over a person who is a hard working, straight A student?

According to The Chronicle, a report in 2010 “suggest[ed] that the most academically rigorous institutions in Division III often recruit athletes with far weaker academic credentials than the overall student body.” Why

Junior

Bryan Pussler “I don’’t think it’s fair because there are talents other than sports to be considered.”

The Patriot

The John Carroll School 703 Churchville Road Bel Air, MD 21014 Volume 47, Issue 2, October 2011

are many colleges today excusing athletes’ poor grades in exchange for their commitments to play on their sports’ teams and raise their performances in collegiate sports competitions?

America must emphasize education especially now in a time of increased international competition. According to US News, a 2008 “Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study” (TIMSS) revealed that America is falling behind in performances in math and sciences when compared to Asian countries. If America wants to be a world power, we can’t allow this to happen.

Being a committed team player on a sports team should definitely be a part of any person’s application, and just like any other extracurricular, it should be heavily considered.

However, it should never be a top priority and signing to colleges based almost entirely on athletic performance tells the rest of the world that all America is concerned about is playing with balls.

Senior

Hayley Boyle “I think it’s unfair that students who work hard academically don’t get the same opportunities.”

Section Editors: Elise Adamson Ashley Beyer Eva Bialobrzeski Amanda Graziano Chioma Iheoma Sarah Kearby Adam Kuester Imani Love Stephanie Meadowcroft Scott Novak Miranda Ripken Copy Editors: Linnea Andersen Caroline Spath Kailey Tracy Caroline Spath Multimedia Editors: Megan Battaglia Megan Foard Taylor Hooper Ashley Moxley Cartoonist: Lauren Friedly Contributing Staff: Danielle Tiger Jenny Yang Moderators: Mark Ionescu Nick Attanasio

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.

For information regarding our mission statement, editorial policy, number of copies distributed, advertising policy, and corrections, 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

12

OPINION

BY SCOTT NOVAK

My dystopia In my dystopia, everything is gray, including the people, animals, clothes, furniture, and cockroaches. All the buildings are square-shaped and look exactly alike. Sarah Palin is the dictator of the world, and she has ensured her longevity by drinking from the Fountain of Immortality.

There is a dentist office every quarter mile. From within, the sound of metal scraping across teeth is heard and broadcasted loudly outside for anyone who is unfortunate enough to be within earshot to cringe at.

On a topic relating to dental hygiene, Orbit White gum now gives one an excruciatingly painful feeling that will make any dirty mouth feel that much dirtier.

The ghastly smell of cauliflower being cooked pervades the planet. Cauliflower is the only food that humans are able to digest, and is consequently eaten at every meal, three times a day. It also grows on every tree, making the stench nearly impossible to evade.

Lady Gaga is just some fat, gray blob. J.K. Rowling decided that Harry Potter could never be published and burned the manuscript after its first rejection from the publisher.

Meanwhile, Ellen DeGeneres is not funny at all. Michele Bachmann voiced Dory in Disney’s "Finding Nemo" instead.

Kittens have been completely exterminated. The Authority found their innocent mews offensive. Now, the only pets people are allowed to have are gray moose.

This may sound cool, but creates an inconvenience, since gray moose are quite large, and, being gray, blend in terribly well with the furniture.

Every household is required to have a gray moose, since not having one would make a person different from others. The Authority finds being different to be as offensive as the previously-mentioned kittens.

Music no longer exists. Instead, people sit around with blank looks on their faces and make moaning noises, indicating to each other how empty their lives seem to be. No one actually talks, because there is nothing worth saying.

All books have been burned and forgotten. The level of CO2 skyrocketed as a result of these book burnings, and now the average summer temperature is 120 degrees Fahrenheit. To make matters worse, none of the schools have air conditioning.

Everyone agrees with everyone else, so there is no need for discussion. Anyone who thinks there is a need for discussion has already been taken care of. People who have tried to express their individuality are dead, and now only the homogenized masses remain.

: ED

One of the longest JC traditions is coming to a close. For the past 25 years, the annual senior Variety Show has been held right before Thanksgiving. Now the administration is destroying that tradition.

The class of 2012’s Variety Show will not be held during the usual November time period. Instead, it will be held on Jan. 7, the weekend we return from Christmas break.

The administration’s reasoning for the change of date is to allow the senior class more time to prepare for their show. They also believe that with more time, cruel and hurtful content won’t seep into the script.

One of the first things that is wrong with this decision is the notion that with an extra month and a half to prepare, the seniors will be able to practice and perfect their show.

The Variety Show has always

Administration should not change Senior Variety Show

been known for being an adrenaline driven production with seniors and their moderators working by the clock.

According to math teacher and former senior moderator George Appleby, before he took over as senior class moderator, classes did not begin practicing for the Variety Show until the Friday before the curtain call.

Year after year people leave the Variety Show with a bad taste in their mouth because of something said or done in the show.

Students that produced the show are automatically blamed for the tasteless performance, but don’t the administration and moderators read the script beforehand?

Typical Variety Show procedures regarding the script content includes the moderators and class officers reading over the script.

Then, they send the script to the administration for a final review.

The administration has the ability to keep and cut certain skits and other performances that shouldn’t belong in the show.

However, the responsibility of hurtful content sometimes being in the script is shared between the students, moderators, and administration.

The students write the negative content, the class officers and moderators don’t catch the content, and then sometimes the administration fails to see it as well. Since multiple sets of eyes read over what goes into the final show, there should not be any complaints of content.

While it seems that the administration has good intentions changing the date, it appears that they don’t seem to realize that they are making a decision that will change at least 25 years of tradition. Tradition that included the senior class coming together to beat the clock two days before

Thanksgiving.

The November show time has always provided a one year reunion for the current senior class and the graduating class before them. Variety Show allowed senior classes, for the past 25 years, to partake in the same tradition that classes before them all participated in But now that tradition is gone.

The class of 2012 will forever be denied something that the classes before them had where everyone reunited during the Thanksgiving season to celebrate and help the current senior class raise money for their prom.

No matter how many advantages the administration thinks will occur from the change, they should not have wavered from the November show. Instead, moderators and administrators should read over the script with a more critical eye and make changes in the show, not the tradition.

Presidential candidates fail to impress form is.

I have to say, I’m unimpressed.

Instead of trying to change my ideals to those of a current candidate, I’m going to lay out what my political platform would be because, frankly, I don’t like any of the current ones out there.

Let me start with education.

I want a president who is trying his or her best to raise the number of citizens that receive a Republican Presidential candidate Herman Cain speaks at college education, such as Rethe National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Monday, Oct. publican candidate Rick Perry.

31, 2011. (Olivier Douliery/Abaca Press/MCT) In addition, I’d like a president who will Emily Clarke lower the debt of college students who have Managing Editor to take out loans. College is expensive, and With the 2012 election quickly approach- students shouldn’t have to worry their whole ing, I’m left wondering if there is any hope at life about paying off a debt that was created all for the future of America. due to their desire to learn. President Barack The current candidates, the President in- Obama is currently trying to institute a plan to cluded, are so concerned with mudslinging lower student loan debts. that they don’t seem to have time for addressAs for the environment, I want there to acing issues. tually be one for my grandchildren one day.

Almost every candidate is either so stuck Take a look at what Perry has done as goverin their beliefs that they refuse to compromise nor. Texas has diversified its energy sources or they can’t actually decide what their plat- to renewable natural gas, coal, and nuclear

ED :

LETTER TO THE

Brain Droppings

Volume 47 Issue 2 November 2011

In response to your Opinion article in the JCPatriot regarding the new Library policy, let me set the record straight for you.

The Library Classroom is not the senior room, nor was eating in there a “tradition”. It is a classroom used for teaching and for meetings for the senior project.

As a result of this seniors were allowed to meet there during off mods to eat lunch quietly and study. This privilege was abused from the beginning. It was never intended to be a room where “seniors could spend their time in there however they pleased”.

power, becoming a national leader in lowering emissions and known pollutants in the state.

One of the largest issues of this presidential election, however, is the economy and the nation’s budget. Republican candidate Michelle Bachmann wants to keep a balanced budget with no tax increases.

Normally, I would agree with Bachmann about not increasing taxes, but desperate times call for desperate measures. The wealthy can afford to pay a little extra, but only in times of deep economic recession.

Another possible way to save money is to end the war in Iraq. According to CBS News, Obama announced on Oct. 21 that the United States would withdraw nearly all troops from Iraq by the end of the year. This is one of the best choices Obama has made.

That is my platform. If I could combine certain aspects of all of the candidates, I would.

The division between political parties is so great today that denouncing the other candidates is the prominent issue.

Maybe we should have listened to George Washington all along when he said in his Farewell Address, “Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.”

Students must accept changes in library policy

The Library Media Center has never allowed food to be eaten in here until the past two and a half years. Again, not a tradition. The policy was changed when it was decided that allowing students to eat during their only mods off while studying would hopefully prevent students from sneaking in food , leaving their trash and mess behind and possibly helping them to become more responsible. That didn’t work either, and as a result we incurred more trash and mess left behind along with the development of a new “entitlement attitude” by the

students. There was more eating than studying and consequently the Library became a mini cafeteria.

So far, the new policy has NOT “forced any student to leave the Library at the end of each mod”, has NOT “turned away any student wishing to come in and study during several mods”, has NOT “made any student leave during the middle of a study session to return four minutes later to resume studying”, has NOT “been imprudent by not letting students print between classes or denied the right to print homework with-

out a pass”.

What the new policy has done, however, is allowed students who really need free mods to study and finish homework, in a space that is quiet and less crowded and more conducive to their needs. It has restored the Library Media Center to the original and proper environment for which it was established.

So, be prepared to be shocked because it will not change.

Library Media Specialist Phyllis Grymes

13

OPINION

Volume 47 Issue 2 November 2011

Martha’s Musings

BY MARTHA SCHICK

Increased respect needed at pep rally

Artwork by Lauren Friedly

Occupy Wall Street lacks viable solutions Scott Novak

Opinion Editor “We are the 99 percent!”

This is the cry of the Occupy Wall Street protestors. They shout at the wealthy corporate class who reside in towering steel buildings, demanding that something must be done about the growing financial divisions within America.

The Occupy Wall Street movement is right to say that the economic situation in America is not fair. My generation strives to go to college, following in the footsteps of our elders.

But our elders lived in a time when if you had a college degree, you had a job. Today, if you have a college degree, it’s likely that you also have a gargantuan pile

of debt before you’re even employed.

I sympathize with these protestors, because their current unemployment could easily be my future.

However, a major weakness in the movement is that the solutions being offered are few and don’t appear to be feasible. An example of one of these solutions is to have the rich corporations pay off student loans in an effort to make financial burdens fair.

But capitalism has never been fair. Most people have ambitions and work hard to achieve them, but only a select few gain the financial reward.

While it feels nice to believe that hard work and determination pay off, this isn’t always the case.

These qualities increase chances of success but by no means promise it.

Forcing the rich to give handouts to those less fortunate is one way to solve the problem of capitalistic inequality, but then the nation would be operating under a more socialistic system. The government-regulated equality present in socialism sounds ideal and nicely complements Christian values of giving to the poor. But reality crushes all things ideal.

The problem with socialism is that humans have an innate need for a sense of purpose. Socialism kills this purpose, destroying the human spirit. The government controls the people, instead of the people controlling the government.

Meanwhile, capitalism operates entirely under incentive and allows the individual freedom to choose what to do with his or her finances.

Besides, if the Occupy Wall Street protestors are looking for fairness, socialism is not the answer. How would it be fair if a McDonald’s employee could afford the same things as a brain surgeon?

The conclusion we come to is that nothing is completely just, and it seems that everyone, not just the Wallstreet protestors, are at a loss for a solution.

Yet despite the significant problems with capitalism, I would rather be poor and have a sense of purpose than be equal and have no sense at all.

Gadhafi’s death causes global ramifications Cara Reilly Copy Chief

Chris Ware color caricature of of the late Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. MCT 20111

Qaddafi, Gaddafi, Kadafi, Gadhafi. The spelling of his name may vary, but opinions of him don’t.

An editorial on the death of a mad dictator seems to be a no-brainer. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone opposing Moammar Gadhafi’s death.

Gadhafi was Libya’s leader for the longest amount of time in all of Africa and the Arab world. He was president for 42 long years.

Consequently, many Libyan people have never known anyone else’s leadership. Until now, that is. Even before his death, Gadhafi was already deposed and no longer had control over Libya. This important distinction makes Gadhafi’s death more iconic than beneficial in Libya’s search for stability.

However, the symbolism of the death of their former dictator has been a cause for celebration since the news spread that he was killed on Oct. 20.

The transitional government was already in place when he was killed, with Mahmoud Jibril as Libya’s interim Prime Minister, who recently announced that elections will be held for a national

congress, parliament, and president within the next eight months.

These elections are a beacon of hope for Libyans, but many fear for their freedom. Libyans knew that Gadhafi was a tyrannical president, but they do not know what a democratic president should look like. Justice, sadly, is foreign to them.

The upcoming elections are the light at the end of the tunnel for Libyan injustice. They now have the freedom to find their own way to rebuild what Gadhafi spent 42 years successfully breaking down.

Still, Qadhafi’s death does not mean that the fight is over for Libya. This new opportunity for freedom is as much a cause for celebration as a cause for concern. Confusion and uncertainty will be inevitable as Libya tries to construct a system of governmental that they cannot fully understand just yet.

The ramifications of Gadhafi’s death have affected a much wider scope than people realize as the rebellion inspires others worldwide.

Libya’s revolt has caused a chain reaction, encouraging the Occupy Wall Street movement which was the catalyst for other movements nationwide, including one in Baltimore .

Screaming. Cheering. Mayhem. Those words pretty much sum up the pep rally.

I love class color day, I really do. The rivalry between the juniors and seniors, tagging freshies, covering themselves in tape - it’s all fun. However, the pep rally, at least with the way it’s currently set up, is one thing that I hate about class color day.

The majority of the pep rally is spent screaming “juniors/seniors suck” and yelling indistinct phrases for no reason. This doesn’t seem like a very good way of increasing school spirit. And while everybody was screaming, they missed what was, in my opinion, the best part of the rally: the talent.

Junior Marcus Monroe, senior Christie Macdonald, the band, the team captains, the cheerleaders. Every single person involved in the musical or athletic part of the rally was putting them self out there, and working extremely hard. Instead, people focus on the unimaginative and insulting chants between the juniors and seniors.

Another aspect of the pep rally that absolutely infuriated me was the mob at the end. It’s sad that the most spirited part of the rally was supposed to be everyone in the school running down the bleachers and screaming at the top of their lungs. Not my cup of tea. People trying to hang back, like photographers for the yearbook or those walking down the bleachers at a less-than-sprinting pace were shoved out of the way.

The entire situation seemed out of control and maniacal. It would have been just as easy to keep people in the bleachers and have them come down a class at a time instead of allowing a huge mass of people to come down at once.

I propose a new way of looking at the pep rally: one which focuses on how talented our school really is. Instead of pitting classes against each other in relay races, have teams with freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors working together against the faculty. Recognize and appreciate the team captains. Cheer for the cheerleaders. Laugh at the dance contest. Listen to how great the band sounds. Do all the things that you already do at the pep rally, but make the positive the main focus. Don’t scream insults across the room. Don’t throw yourself into a frenzied mosh pit of jumping up and down on the gym floor. Take the chance to enjoy yourself, enjoy being out of class, and see how talented JC can be.

14

SPORTS

Basketball jumps off to good start Imani Love

Sports Editor

The men’s varsity basketball team are MIAA ‘A’ Conference and the Baltimore Catholic League champions, one of the top five teams to place in the Alhambra tournament, has been invited to The 2011 Nike Invitational at George Washington University in Washington D.C. The event takes place Feb. 12, 2012. Nike sponsors 125 teams in the country.

“Generally they have to have a certain level of talent [when you are invited to tournaments like this]. It may be one marquee player or a number of very good players. They have to represent all the best in academics and athletics which JC obviously does.

And we have some pretty good talent on our roster at this time,” head coach Tony Martin said.

Not only will the men’s basketball team get the chance to play in the tournament, but they will look at national mouments in D.C. and attend a dinner banquet with the other teams.

“I feel like it’s a great opportunity to showcase our talent. I think we’re going to show people why we’re ranked top 50 in the country,” freshman CJ Keyser said.

“It’s a good opportunity to play in front of scouts and play against competition,” freshman Jaleel Gibson said.

The team and their coaches are looking forward to the games, feeling confident in the new additions to the team.

“We have a young man who is potentially one of the most talented players to come through the doors of JC and that’s Justin Jenifer. He is as talented in terms of his ball skills as anyone his age that I have ever seen. Of course there will be an adjustment period for him being a freshman. They’re a strong group of freshman coming in, but the other stand out is CJ Keyser- he is a long, athletic, hardworking forward,” Martin said.

“It will be nice if I play in it [The Nike Invitational], I’m really looking forward to it.” Jenifer said.

The fresh faces on the team are also excited for this opportunity, but they aren’t too nervous about living up to last year’s progress.

“I’m confident in my team, I know we’re going to get the job done,” Keyser said. He says that he is excited to show his athleticism and persistence on the court.

Leading the team this season as team captains will be senior Jarred Jones and junior Rodney Elliot.

“Every year is exciting, it’s a growth experience to blend our guys and see how they have grown over the past year and will step up to new roles when you lose seniors, you have to replace them so we want to make sure that we play hard, smart, and together,” Martin said.

Volume 47 Issue 2 November 2011

Class of ‘11 alumni play D1 Megan Foard

Multimedia Editor The sweat is dripping down his back, his chest is on fire, and his lungs feel as though they are going to collapse. All he can think to himself is, “Was it worth it?”

At the end of the day he knows it was.

Trent Shaw, class of ‘11 has an extremely demanding schedule.

He wakes up at 8 a.m. and is in class from 12:30-1:00 p.m. After class, he practices baseball on his own for about two hours and then has a team practice that lasts until 5:30 p.m. But that is only Wednesdays and Fridays. Tuesdays and Thursdays are a little different. It is the same schedule, but from 4:30 to 5:30, there is weight training. During the weekends Shaw has scrimmages.

“Being signed with a D-I or D-II school you definitely have more of an obligation to the sport,” Shaw said. Shaw plays Division I baseball at University of North Carolina, Asheville.

Tuesday through Thursday Allison Siegel, class of ‘11 attends classes at University of Richmond and practices from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Some days she stays after to watch videos of teams they will be playing that week. Since it is field hockey

season, Siegel has games on the weekends. They get back from their away game at 2:00 a.m. on Saturday and then have a home game on Sunday. Monday is an off day for Siegel, but since she does not get much playing time she often goes to the gym to run and lift weights.

“My schedule is busy, busy, busy,” Siegel said. “Balancing school and field hockey is really difficult some days. At least for my first semester of school so far, I’ve really just tried to focus on those two things - school and hockey,” Siegel goes to a mandatory study hall where they are required to log in six hours of homework a week.

“Most nights when everyone is going out I’m walking home from study hall and getting ready for bed because I have to get enough sleep to make it through a long practice the next day,“ Siegel said.

Shaw had his doubts about signing with a Division 1 school after a rough practice or scrimmage, but he is happy that he signed.

“When I look at the big picture it is a great experience that I would not trade,” Shaw said.

If she had not have made the

Photo courtesy of Allison Siegel

Allison Siegel gains possesssion of the ball and looks to move upfield. Siegel plays Division 1 field hockey for the University of Richmond Spiders.

Division I team, she would have played club.

“For people who don’t play sports or who don’t like them it may seem like there’s not much ‘freedom’, but I’m doing the thing I love and I don’t think it’s really getting in the way of me doing much,” Siegel said.

Shaw and Siegel both have advice for prospective athletes looking to play Division 1 sports.

“Know what you want. If you want to go to college to party then playing a sport will make

that tough. If you want to make friends that will last a lifetime and have a great experience for four years than play a sport,” Shaw said.

“The best advice I have for them is to start as soon as possible and to contact as many schools as possible,” said Siegel.

“You can’t get discouraged the first time a coach tells you they’re not interested. If I had done that, I would have missed a lot of other opportunities and wouldn’t be at Richmond,” Siegel said.

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Cheer no longer IAAM sport Maggie Cassidy Print Chief

Women’s cheerleading no longer exists as a sport.

For the 2012-13 school year, the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM) has decided not to consider cheerleading a competitive sport in the conference.

“The reason is, the girls conference, the IAAM was considering making cheer a competitive sport in the conference,” Athletic Director Larry Dukes said. “It was brought forward by myself and another athletic director from Mt. Carmel. Unfortunately, when it came to a vote, the other AD’s [athletic directors in favor in making cheerleading a competitive sport] were outvoted by other schools.”

Dukes said that the reasoning behind this decision is due to the lack of support in athletic departments in the IAAM schools.

“They [those who voted against making cheerleading a competitive sport] didn’t have enough support all the way around. The mats are an expensive commodity and some of the schools didn’t want to buy the mats. Only a couple of us [members of the IAAM] could host a cheer competition.

And some of the schools just didn’t have the interest,” Dukes said.

“Because we’re members of the conference, we’re subject to whatever decisions they make in

the conference,” Dukes said.

Other schools in the IAAM conference have decided to turn their existing cheerleading teams for next year into spirit, dance, or cheer clubs. However, Dukes has opted to still consider cheerleading a sport within JC. “We’ve decided to keep it. That way it falls under my domain and they get funding for transportation and entry fees. We consider it a sport here at John Carroll.

However, around the conference, it is no longer a sport,” Dukes said.

To Dukes, a challenge of the cheer program is that it has no strong definition of a season compared to other sports that know their conference, schedule, and costs a year in advance.

With this lack of definition, sophomore Andrea Roche, and captain of the JV cheerleading team, worries that cheerleading will lack any consistency next year.

“It’s kind of a disappointment.

So we kind of have changing practice times, we never have a set practice so it’s extremely frustrating that everything is always unorganized,” Roche said.

“We will still fund the buses, pay for the entry fees to some degree. Whatever budget is allocated to me is what I have to work with. They will have as much as they have this year to work with, more than likely, and that’s been pretty consistent for the last several years.” Dukes said.

Patriots Month of the

Brandon Lewis

Junior Brandon Lewis strutted off the field after losing to Boys Latin, but there was still a reason for optimism in his mind.

“Everyone gathered together and played with heart the entire game, and even though we came up short, it was a great game in my mind,” Lewis said.

Lewis has grown up playing football. He has been a quarter-

back since he was six years old, and was voted team captain at the beginning of this season.

“For a junior, he has really stepped up and is one of the toughest guys on the team,” senior Lucas Navin said. In his three years on the team, Lewis has missed only three practices because of sickness, and his goals for the season are to make it into the MIAA ‘B’ conference playoffs.

Football is a big commitment, but Lewis does not feel that he needs to balance his different commitments. “The best part of playing football is being involved in a family and working together with your teammates to win the game,” Lewis said.

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15

SPORTS

Volume 47 Issue 2 November 2011

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Halftime with

Ranni

BY MIRANDA RIPKEN

Photos by Ashley Moxley

Top: In addition to competing during the winter season, the cheer team performs at the football games. Next year, cheerleading will not be considered a varsity sport.

Bottom: The varsity cheer team comes together to perform their last Pep Rally stunt.

Precision and unity are two key elements that the team uses to have a successful routine.

Patriots of the Month highlights athletes who deserve recognition for contributions in their chosen sports.

They are selected by the Sports Editors.

Holly Cook

Runners take your mark, get set, go!

These commands are on senior Holly Cook’s mind when preparing to run a cross country race.

Cook is the top runner this season for the women’s varsity cross country team.

Cook started running cross country in 2004, when she participated in the youth Bill Brown

Monday - Pizza Day Tuesday - Pasta Day

races. She transferred to JC second semester last year for a better running coach. “Cross country is a great sport. It has an individual factor, but also a strong team factor,” she said.

Cook has won all four dual meets this year and the Knights Invitational and placed third in the Disney Invitational in Florida this past October. “This has definitely been my best season ever.

Way better than I ever hoped for,” Cook said.

According to Cook, continuing to run in college depends on what school she attends. “My first two colleges [choices] are University of Maryland and Shippensburg University, but I am looking at others too,” Cook said.

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As the fall athletic season comes to a close, it’s important for teams to look back on their progress in their respective seasons. For the freshman athletes, this season was their first time playing on a high school sport.

On the other hand, some seniors are playing their last games with their teammates.

On the women’s soccer team, junior Nicole Wojcik had an incredible season this year scoring hat tricks in two separate games as a defender and midfielder. The women, however, lost to Spalding 0-2 in their semi-final game for the fourth consecutive year.

The men’s soccer team started off their season 6-0-1, but quickly fell behind after a 10 game losing streak. The season ended completely when Gilman dashed their hopes of continuing further into the playoffs, beating them 1-0.

The football team also had a winning season. The Homecoming football game against St. Mary’s was the most intense game of the season, going into one dramatic period of overtime.

The men are currently heading into the playoffs on Nov. 11 against the team that previously blew them away, Annapolis Area Christian.

The field hockey season unfortunately ended earlier this year because of the team’s 2-0 loss to Glen Elg in the playoffs. The team, while focusing on playing field hockey, also made their season worthwhile by raising money for cancer research.

The cross country teams continues to fly under the radar of the attention to sports, despite exceptional performances from several of the runners. Senior Holly Cook finished first in the ‘A’ Conference and second all-around in the IAAM championship meet. Overall, the women’s team finished fourth, in front of McDonough, their self-proclaimed rival. The men made JC history by placing third in their championship race.

After a shortened season, the women’s tennis team still managed to pull out a winning 3-1-1 season. The loss of the head coach affected the team marginally, but new coach Ed Miller helped the women to make the most out of their season, with one singles player and three doubles teams reaching the semifinals.

Women’s volleyball joined the ranks of McDonogh and Mount de Sales by winning their third consecutive IAAM ‘B’ conference title (shocker). The team dominated in their season ending up with a 13-4 record.

Men’s volleyball was not as successful. Winning on game in the season, the team ended up far from a conference title. However, the men do not seem to take the season too personally. Watching the men play, it is clear that they have fun playing the game with Julian Maliszewski as the coach (see page 14 of issue 1 from Oct. 2011). There is always next year!

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SPORTS

Volume 47 Issue 2 November 2011

Sports insideR:

Field hockey Photos by Ashley Moxley, Taylor Hooper, and Megan Battaglia

Top left: A teammate pushes the ball away from the opposing team in hopes to help her team gain posession of the ball. The team beat Roland Park 2-0.

Top right: Sophomore Lindsay Kraus dribbles downfield with the ball dodging Roland Park. Stick skills are essential to keeping the ball away from the defending team. Bottom: Senior Lauren Cook hits the ball down the field in hopes of getting it to one of her teammates to score. Teammwork is the key element in helping to win the game.

Taylor Hooper

Multimedia Editor The women’s varsity field hockey team finished their season with a record of 5-10. During their senior home game, the women finished with a winning score of 2-0 against Roland Park Country School.

Senior Jess Krolewski blocked five shots from the other team towards the last minutes of the game.

Senior Erin Cullinan played her offensive position aggressively enough to earn an assist for the last goal of the game.

The team battled it out against their opponents on the field, and came together to fight bigger challenges as well.

Not only did the girls play field hockey games this year, but they also created fundraisers for breast cancer awareness.

Field hockey tips and tricks

Flick Step 1 Place the stick behind the ball and transfer all you weight to your back foot Step 2 Let the ball roll onto your stick and transfer your weight to your front foot Step 3 Lift and angle the stick forward to perform a flick.

Reverse Flick Step 1 Place the stick behind the ball and transfer all you weight to your back foot Step 2 Let the ball roll onto your stick and transfer your weight to your front foot Step 3 Lift and angle the stick forward to perform a flick.

Sweep

Air Dribble

Step 1 Put your hands together at the top of the stick Step 2 Get low enough that the stick is horizontal on the ground Step 3 Drag the stick forward keeping it on the ground. As you sweep, turn your hips in the direction you want the ball to go.

Step 1 Lift the ball in the air with the stick Step 2 Continually tap the ball keeping the stick horizontal to the ground Step 3 When using in a game, you must keep the ball lower than the knee.

The team worked together to create posters in remembrance for anyone who fought against or was continuing to fight against cancer.

To promote breast cancer awareness, the team painted breast cancer awareness ribbons in the center of the field.

The women called this game their “Pink Game” and also wore pink headbands and socks to further their cause.

With their florescent attire, the team created posters around the field with names of people whom they dedicated the game to, including cancer survivor Gaby LoPresti sister of of Elaina LoPresti, class of ‘11.Overall, the team grew together as one standing up to cancer and its competitors on the field.

“We’re just like one big family,” senior Lauren Cook said.

Additional reporting by Ashley Moxley

Field Hockey 101 - Key Terms Bully: Used to restart play when possession is unclear when play was stopped (e.g. injury timeout). Two opposing players start with their sticks on the ground, the ball is placed between them, and they must tap sticks above the ball before they can play the ball.

Flick: Pass or shot using the wrists to put force behind the ball to raise it off the ground.

Scoop: Method of passing or shooting the ball by leveraging the stick underneath the ball to pick it up and fling it through the air.

Undercutting: Penalty for a hard swing of the stick under the ball to raise it into the air.

Push: Method of moving or passing the ball in which the stick is in contact with the ball and the ground as the player pushes the ball up the field.

Clearing: Hitting the ball away from the goal on defense, usually as a pass up the field. sportspectator.com