The Patriot March 2010, Issue 5, Vol 45

Students struggle in job search

Senior molds future with clay

The Patriot uncovers the reason behind the lack of jobs available to teenagers

Seth Hinder explores the art of ceramics FEATURES 6

In-Depth 8-9

March 10

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

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Photo by Nico Cvach

Freshman Da Hu Chung practices English with Rosetta Stone during her ESL class.

Photo by Daniel Gallen

Juniors Zack Frink (77), Kyle McVicker (50), and other members of the varsity football team huddle around head coach Keith Rawlings (center) during the Patriots’ 33-14 victory over St. Mary’s on October 23. Rawlings will not return to the program next season.

Head football coach steps down Kate Froehlich

Executive Editor With the JV and varsity football teams lining the pews in the chapel, former head coach Keith Rawlings’ eyes fill with tears as he recounts his emotional decision to leave the Patriots’ sideline and follow his children to St. Paul’s next season, handing the reigns of the team to offensive coordinator Rich Stichel.

“It was very hard to leave John Carroll because I love the kids and the coaches and the football program. It was one of hardest decisions I’ve ever made in my life,” said

Rawlings.

After two years coaching the Patriots’ varsity football team, Rawlings will opt not to renew his contract, citing family commitments. In his place, Stichel will take over as head coach, as well as continuing his playcalling duties.

Rawlings said, “This was a decision around God, family, [and] football. We follow God in what we do and serve God all the time. Family was before football here and that’s the bottom line.”

This was made clear from the time of Rawlings’ hire. Athletic Director Larry

Dukes said, “His intentions were to coach his kids in high school or at least always be available to watch them play.”

Rawlings’ sons are attending St. Paul’s and Rawlings hopes to find a job on the Crusaders staff . “There will be coaching opportunities there. What they are is not defined yet,” he said.

“It was logistically not going to work for him to coach here and see all of his children’s sports,” said Dukes.

“At the end of the day, my family’s got to come before John Carroll football and if I See SPORTS 16

Faculty dwindles with low enrollment Kate Froehlich Executive Editor

With a 237 member senior class set to graduate in June and the expectation of the incoming freshman class numbering around 190, JC is preparing to lose an estimated one million dollars in tuition, according to Principal Paul Barker.

“This is a business where the biggest expense is salaries and benefits. If you have one million less in your account than you had a year ago, then you can’t keep the same number of people employed,” said Barker.

As a result, “we have three faculty members who have taken an early retirement, one teacher who has indicated that she will not return next year, and we have notified four teachers that we will not be extending

them a contract for 2010-2011,” said Barker.

Even with such decisions already made, “I think it’s likely that there will also be further reductions and consolidations of positions among the nonteaching staff in anticipation of a significant drop in enrollment and one that we could potentially experience not just this year, but next year depending on the economy and other factors. We have to be prepared for that possibility,” said President Richard O’Hara.

An “early retirement incentive” was offered for teachers.

According to O’Hara, those eligible were at least 60 years of age and taught at school for 10 years or more.

“The payment was made in honor of their service and it was tied to their length of service.

Photo from Patriot Archive

Each year, President Richard O’Hara presents a budget proposal to the Board of Trustees. The 2010-2011 budget was approved at the January Board of Trustees meeting.

[However], the teachers still receive their pensions through the archdiocese,” said O’Hara.

In addition, “For the second year in a row, the rest of the faculty and staff will not get a salary increase,” said Barker, “No-

body’s getting a raise.”

Seventy-five percent of the 2010-2011 budget will go towards salaries and benefits for all employees, according to Director of Finance Kay Nichols.

Still, the money cannot be

Seiler shatters language barrier Katie Clarke Features Editor In late 2006, Spanish teacher Sandi Seiler and her two daughters emigrated from Germany to Maryland. Seiler would then begin teaching at JC again after spending 16 years in Germany. Her daughters, senior Morgan Seiler and freshman Brianna Seiler, began their frustrating academic struggle as they shifted to taking all of their classes in English.

During this time, the school had no formal support system for international students who were transferring in and adjusting to speaking and understanding English in their classes.

“Watching my own daughters struggle has given me a greater appreciation for what our international students have to deal with on a daily basis,” Seiler said. “The international students that attend JC have not had the luxury of speaking in English at home like my daughters have. They have only had English as a foreign language.”

For the 2010-2011 school year, JC will implement a new English as a Second Language (ESL) program specifically designed to meet the needs of international students.

For now, Seiler meets varying times per week with the current international students to work on strengthening their English skills and to help them cope with their changing academic lives.

“It is extremely difficult to have to deal with day-to-day life using a foreign language let alone having to use a foreign language to learn content in a variety of subject areas,” Seiler said.

In addition to the academic help, Seiler hopes to alleviate some of the worries for the international students in the community.

“They need to be able to ask questions and get answers related to language and

See NEWS 3

Index

News...2

Features...4

Entertainment....7

In-Depth...8

See FEATURES 5

Editorials...11

Sports...14

2

news

The Patriot The John Carroll School 703 Churchville Road Bel Air, MD 21014 Volume 45, Issue 5, March 2010

Editor in Chief: Daniel Gallen Executive Board: Kate Froehlich Joey Hoff Jenny Hottle Allison Siegel Allison Walczyk Editorials: Kaitlin Bobbin Katelynn Colgain Entertainment: Nico Cvach Hilary Weidner Features: Katie Clarke Taylor Schafer In-Depth: Julia Earnshaw Elizabeth Tauber News: Alex Dunn Collin Hoofnagle Sports: Erin Hanratty Rachel Kokoska Copy Editors: Alex Bahr Kirby Browning Charlotte Hagerman Gabbrielle Joseph Design Editor: Ryan Selvy Photo Editors: Haley Lynch Kristin Marzullo Mollyann Pais General Staff: Nicky Hatzidimitriou Ryan Lina Caitie Beth Shauck Contributers: Katie Doherty Will Larney Moderator: Mark Ionescu 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 or Administration of The John Carroll School.

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

Please email us at editor@jcpatriot.com or visit our website: www.jcpatriot.com

the patriot Volume 45 Issue 5 March 2010

Donations help school make ends meet Kate Froehlich Executive Editor Andrew Klein, class of ’71, sits at his desk, leafing through letters written by members of the senior class. A smile passes over his face as he reads testimony from the students profoundly affected by the exhibits and experiences at the Holocaust Museum, a trip that he funds annually.

Klein, who also led the capital campaign to finance the construction of the Fine Arts wing while on the Board of Trustees, has been Photo by Haley Lynch consistently donating money to the Studio students work on their paintings in the atrium of the Fine Arts school since 1976. wing. Alumnus Andrew Klein helped finance the Fine Arts wing along He cites key reasons for donatwith other projects for JC such as the annual senior trip to D.C. ing back.

“I had a really good experience at John Carroll. I always had the annual gifts, but they have a defi- annual fund. responsibility to give back to the nite designation to them,” said Lang hopes for $350,000 of that school and the community,” he Lang. to be unrestricted annual gifts. said. “It’s kind of what we do to However, said President RichThus far, $250,000 in unrealways try to make the school and ard O’Hara, “[There’s] really not stricted gifts has been donated this the community a better place.” a pattern [for the types of dona- year, “way ahead of where we were Donations like Klein’s form the tions],” although “tuition assistance last year at this time,” said Lang. “backbone of the school’s develop- is one that gets a good bit of attenThe goal for restricted gifts is ment program,” with the biggest tion [from donors].” $450,000. fundraiser of the year as the annual “Athletics, tuition assistance, Because of Father Charles K. fund, according to Director of De- and arts in that order [receive the Riepe’s gift, this number has been velopment Laura Lang. most donations],” added Lang. surpassed, but “we don’t want to “We solicit everyone. The anThe Board of Trustees sets stop there,” said Lang. nual fund is done yearly goals for Thus far, the school has raised every year and it the amount of close to one million dollars. Howgoes directly into money to raise ever, this includes Fr. Riepe’s the operating budfor the school, bequest, which is, said Lang, “a I always had the with input from onetime gift and screws with the get of the school to make up the difthe Develop- numbers.” responsibility to ment Office. ference between Trustee emeritus Gus Brown, tuition income “We’ve been who has been regularly donating give back.” and what it actually fortunate over to the school since 1991, his son’s costs to run the the past two freshman year, donates because - Andrew Klein school,” said Lang. years because “I consider John Carroll to be my The majority of on average, number one target of support.” donations are unrestricted, with schools have decreased annual givHe added, “I think that the “no designation to them. [They] ing. We are one of a few schools school itself is so important to Harjust come in as flat out gifts.” that have shown an increase, rais- ford County and Catholic educaRestricted gifts “are designated ing 18 percent over the previous tion and young people. It’s when for particular projects, [such as] year,” said Lang. young people are 15 to 18 years athletic uniforms [and] band inThe goal for the 2009-2010 fis- of age that they develop their core struments. They are considered cal year is to raise $800,000 for the moral values. Because I’m a trial at-

‘

torney, the development of morals are important for the jury decision process, for the civil and criminal justice system, and for the overall human health in our community.”

Members of the community work actively to court donors.

“There is a science to it,” said Lang. “We start planning in early summer with the annual report, which is really the key stone [and] kicks off the annual fund. We used to send to everybody but in spirit of going green we decided to only print enough for people that donated in the last five years. The online annual report is emailed to everybody else.”

In addition, “cultivation throughout the year is based on the level of donor,” said Lang. “[Vice President of Institutional Advancement Kurt] Sudbrink and Mr. O’Hara do one-on-one cultivation with major donors [those that give at least a thousand dollars].”

According to Lang, her job as Director of Development is “to work with everyone else, through events, through emails, and a lot of one on one personal contact.”

Also, secure online giving on the JC website is now an option, which, Lang said, is becoming increasingly popular among alumni.

The usage of it has “doubled since last year and we’re hoping the trend continues,” Lang said.

Lang cites donations as crucial to the running of the school because tuition only covers 92 percent of the total cost of operating JC. However, said Lang, any donations given to the school are “appreciated.”

She added, “I think sometimes people think ‘I can’t give $500’ and that’s not what we’re asking for.

The participation percentage is so important because that’s the numbers that we tell corporations and foundations when we go to them for donations.”

New service hour policy adds perks to hosting Collin Hoofnagle News Editor

Service hours will now be given to students hosting school-sponsored foreign exchange students, according to Outreach Director Tony Martin.

Students will be given one hour for every twenty-four hours of hosting, said Martin. Those hosting for a whole semester or more will be given a maximum of 20 hours.

“It’s a big commitment; why shouldn’t students be rewarded?” said Martin.

However, he is still unsure about the procedure for students who host multiple times. “We have not been faced with that,” said Martin.

Martin made the decision to allow this type of service after Foreign Language Department Chair Danica Zavodny approached him.

According to Zavodny, the idea was brought to her by Spanish teacher and coordinator of the Spanish Exchange Jane Michael.

“I felt like compared with other activities, it was the least the school could do for someone to have someone for 24 hours at a time,”

said Michael.

Zavodny agreed, saying, “People who don’t host don’t realize how much time it takes. It’s almost like you’re their parent.”

The service opportunity started with the Spanish exchange in the fall. Hosts of Spanish exchange students for 19 days received 17 hours.

According to Michael, most of the hosts took advantage of the opportunity. “If they didn’t, they were silly,” said Michael.

Senior Kristi Snyder, who hosted as part of the Spanish exchange, said earning service hours are “a nice perk, especially since we were trying to coordinate schedules.”

German teacher and coordinator of the German exchange Judith Potter recognizes the aid the service hours have in soliciting students to host. “When you mention that, it helps,” said Potter.

Potter recalls a time when service hours were given for hosting foreign exchange students.

However, that was taken away when Sister Mary Gregory became Outreach Director in 1988 because she felt that it wasn’t service related,

Photo by Jane Michael

Students from Spain interact with Jane Michael’s Spanish class. JC students who host international students will now receive service hours for their time and effort through being involved in the abroad program.

according to Potter.

“It was harder to get people [to host after the service incentive was taken away],” said Potter.

Though Martin said he has not heard feedback from teachers, he is optimistic.

“Our focus is getting students to do a variety of service,” said Mar-

tin.

Although the opportunity was made known to those hosting Spanish exchange students in the fall, no formal announcement has been made.

“That [making an announcement] is certainly something we need to do,” said Martin.

news

the patriot Volume 45 Issue 5 March 2010

3

Snow break changes raffle’s standards Enrollment Kirby Browning Copy Editor Selling raffle tickets used to just mean walking through the hallways in casual dress and having a chance to win a variety of prizes. This year, however, it meant even more. Not only did the money raised go towards helping out the school, but a portion of the earnings was also donated as charity money to Haiti.

Twenty percent of the money made by this year’s Patriot Raffle was donated to a Haitian relief charity in order to support Haiti after its devastating earthquake.

The Patriot Raffle has been taking place for six years. The 2010 event was originally scheduled to start February 7, but because students were not in school for a full week and three days, the raffle started February 17 and ended February 26.

Students who had sold their tickets were given the privilege of dressing down every day for the duration of the raffle and were eligible for daily contests and prizes.

The idea to donate a portion of the raffle earnings to Haiti came from the Director of Development Laura Lang. “We try to center our theme on Athletics, Arts, and Academics (AAA). This year, we’ve decided to add that fourth A for Action,” said Lang.

The school tries to meet the goal of 90 percent participation.

However, “We never really got off the ground this year because of the snow days, but we’ve done well considering all the missed time. It’s hard to keep the motivation and excitement level up when you’re not in school,” said Lang.

While students may have only participated for the dress down days, “financially, the raffle was successful,” said Lang.

At the end of the raffle, the school did not reach the participation level. “The whole raffle was a little anti-climatic. It never really got off to a great start, so I don’t think the kids were as into it as they were in the past,” said Lang.

The administration meets with the SAC members each year and asks the question, “What will make the kids want to participate in the raffle?”

This year, students could have won money, gift cards, and other various prizes. Along with privilege of dressing down throughout the duration of the raffle, students could win a coupon for a free cookie in the café and cash by participating in the Cash Bowl drawings and Lollipop Tree. High sellers from each day were eligible to win a choice of gift cards. There were also overall grade level winners who won larger prizes. Freshmen were eligible to win school store credits or SAGE gift cards, sophomores were eligible to win driver’s education classes, juniors

x x x x x

causes changes from FRONT PAGE

Photo by Kristin Marzullo

Senior Luke Forrester selects a random ticket stub, and hence, a winner from the Patriot Raffle Box while Director of Development Laura Lang and TV Production teacher Bob Schick look on. This year, part of the funds raised by the Raffle will be donated to relief efforts in Haiti.

were eligible to win a pair of Ring Dance tickets, and seniors were eligible to win Prom tickets.

This year, a total of $22,000 had been raised by the opening day of the raffle, with school participation at 24 percent. Even though the snowstorm pushed the Patriot Raffle ahead one week, “it was terrific for the first day,” said Lang.

The net profit has not been determined, but Lang predicts that numbers will be calculated in the next two weeks.

The money helps pay for various projects that are not included in the school budget. Apart from

Haitian relief, the remaining money went towards new stage curtains, the subscription for Rosetta Stone, and certain athletic deficits.

In addition, the raffle helps to reimburse the school for the expenses involved in planning the raffle. “Expenses for the raffle run around $15,000. The prizes average around $11,000 and other expenses average around $4,000,” said Lang.

But despite the many obstacles and problems that the Patriot Raffle faced, “raising almost $38,000 in two weeks is phenomenal,” said Lang.

cut in some areas of the budget because, according to Barker, there are “still fixed costs for running the school.”

The budget for the 2010-2011 school year was approved at the January 27 Board of Trustees meeting. The Board planned for a school wide population of 745 students next year, a decrease from the current enrollment of 829.

However, President Richard O’Hara doesn’t see it as “a cause for panic.”

He added, “When you set the budget, you have to be conservative. The challenge we have is with such a big senior class and given the economy [and] the demographics, we’ve been getting freshman classes right around 190. We’ve seen this coming.”

“If our numbers are correct, there will be no great shift in class sizes or anything like that. You won’t suddenly have 40 in a class.

Class sizes will be about the same that they are now,” said Barker.

Other concerns about the future of teachers at school have been brought to the attention of the Faculty Executive Committee, a “formal group that reports to the administration and the Board,” said member Bob Schick. “We appreciate the fact that there are budgetary issues because there are fewer freshmen coming in than seniors who are leaving. We know it’s a matter of dollars and cents.”

History teacher James Fendryk added, “Some people forget that our business is tuition-driven and if we’re losing the a lot of students, it’s not really something the school can help.”

Although recognizing the need for cuts in various aspects of the budget, Schick said, “All we really ask as faculty members is that they look everywhere for cuts rather than just deciding if we’ve lost this many students then we need to lose this many teachers. We need to look at other creative ways to save money around here.”

These solutions were discussed by the faculty, who “came up with all kinds of ideas and many of them have been implemented,” said Schick. “We’re using significantly less paper this year.”

Fendryk said, “I wish there was another way they could fix it [the budgetary concerns], but if they did fix it that way [by not letting teachers go], it would have to involve teachers actually taking pay cuts, and I don’t think anybody’s in a position to accept that.”

Economic problems continue to be a concern both on and off campus; Barker said, “You read the paper and they say the economy is picking up, [but] where? I haven’t noticed. It’s been a jobless recovery and we know how many of our families are struggling.”

The same concern has been met at other area private schools; said Barker: “The number of those taking high school placement tests are trending down and have been for years now. Fewer families can afford a high school tuition.”

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features

the patriot

ONE

Volume 45 Issue 5 March 2010

P AING E

Annapolis For two weeks this winter, one senior witnessed democracy firsthand.

Katie Clarke Features Editor On my first day as a page for the Maryland House of Delegates, page coordinator Cornelia Watson told us not to blink because session, our only structured time, would end just that quickly. She wasn’t kidding in the least.

Every day, the 10 House pages would gather about 15 minutes before the start of session, and about a half an hour later, we could hear Speaker of the House Michael Busch begin the call for announcements, which signaled that the session was about to conclude. Session wouldn’t start again until 10 or 11 am the next day. The other pages and I were incredibly confused at first. Here we were, in the state capital, missing an entire week of senior year schoolwork for 45 minutes of official work per day? It didn’t make sense.

As pages, we had to find other ways to entertain ourselves. Attend-

ing committee hearings and exploring Annapolis occupied most of my time. Luckily, the other pages and I found ourselves in the same place, without friends or family, and all looking for something more intriguing than sitting in on a dry budget and taxes committee hearing.

While most of the committee hearings during my week focused on non-controversial topics, my friends and I witnessed some lively debate in the Senate Committee on Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs regarding elections.

During my second week, the House Judiciary Committee had dozens of same-sex marriage proponents and opponents lining the halls of the House office building.

My fellow pages and I waited four hours in the committee meeting to hear these testimonials and we were far from disappointed with the heartfelt stories on both sides.

Work on the floor became extremely exciting during my second week as delegates actually paged us

Photo by Katie Clarke

for more than just a cup of black coffee. Not to mention on March 5, the other pages and I had our picture taken with US Senator Ben Cardin. Because we finally had work to do, I’d say we actually earned our $50 a day during the second week.

After committee hearings, or any time the pages needed time to reconvene and relax, we would head to the State House and meet in the Page Lounge. Watson explained to the other pages and me that the Page Lounge could be used at any time, day or night, during our free time.

We gathered in the cold, closet sized room every day after session to decide what our days’ plans would include. Would we delve into the Colossal Burger at Chick and Ruth’s? Maybe try some salmon sushi at the locally recommended Tsunami?

When we were finished traipsing around the city every night, my three roommates and I retired to

(Above) Governor Martin O’Malley prepares to deliver the State of the State as the pages watch the annual speech. (Below) The Maryland State House, located in historic Annapolis, is the oldest state house still used for legislative purposes in the country.

Photo by Katie Clarke

our page housing, otherwise known as the basement of a bed and breakfast. “The dungeon,” as we called it, allowed us to have sleepover-like conditions every night.

As monotonous as the week seemed at times, the pages and I experienced politics at its deepest roots with our local politicians. As

a future politics major, I realized that week one of the page program showed me that as high-profile as Congress may seem, the Harford County community mostly feels the aftershock of the tough calls and sometimes unfavorable decisions that our local representatives must choose to make every day.

Senior embraces final musical experience Charlotte Hagerman Copy Editor With screams of “Attention to detail!” and “You’re golden!” ringing in our ears, we struggle to smile as wide as humanly possible and learn our choreography perfectly, hoping to produce the best show ever.

Participating in the JC musicals isn’t just an after school activity—it is a lifestyle. Besides the standard 3-5 after school rehearsals, play practice grows into a full-time commitment, especially in the weeks before the show. Saturday morning and Tuesday night rehearsals are the norm.

But somehow, it never feels like too much. Being stuck in the same room with the same group of people for over 20 hours a week may seem horrible, but when that group of people is so unique as thespians are, it’s not that bad.

As cliché as it sounds, the cast of every show becomes like a family— an oversized, loud, attention-loving family.

Personally, my favorite part of the musicals has been Tuesday nights. We have standard rehearsal from 3-5, then all rush out to Wawa to grab dinner as fast as we can and still be back to rehearse from 6-9.

Occasionally, these rehearsals are

Photo by Katie Doherty

Cast members of ‘Seussical’ prepare for the finale of the show. Seniors, like Charlotte Hagerman (fourth from right), performed the last of their eight JC musicals on March 7 during the Sunday show.

given a theme. To name a few, we have held ghetto night, nerd night, and diva night.

But beyond just being around 80 of your closest friends so often, one of the best parts of the plays is the product we’re working to produce.

It’s incredible that the three directors, Director of Development Laura Lang, Director of Admis-

sions Kim Brueggemann, and guidance counselor Larry Hensley are able to turn a bunch of high school kids, who often have never danced before, into skilled performers.

They help us work for two and a half months to deliver an incredible show every time. They refuse to settle for mediocrity, pushing us as hard as they can but somehow

still making the entire process fun.

After school, we thespians do not have to run laps or lift weights.

Instead, we learn Larryography!

Larryography is a term used to describe Hensley’s choreography, which I guarantee is more fun than anything else other students do after school.

Plus, instead of jerseys, we get

to wear outlandish costumes. This year alone, we had cast members dress up as cupcakes, clocks, and even cheese graters. Then again, we were putting on Beauty and the Beast.

Doing the plays has been the most fulfilling experience of my high school career. At the end of every show, I practically (and sometimes literally) cry because I know how much I’ll miss the show.

There’s something about the sound of the entire cast singing and taking a bow together that is extremely moving.

It’s hard to believe that “Seussical” will be the seniors’ last show.

We’ve been through eight shows together, starting off as sailors in “Anything Goes” and ending as Dr. Seuss characters in “Seussical.”

Before every performance, the cast, crew, and orchestra pit meet in the chapel to pray and allow the seniors to make speeches.

Your time in the musicals flies by, and you never expect to face your last moment in chapel so soon.

Naturally, we all shed many tears over the closing of our last show.

But now that our experience has finally ended, we can look back with fondness and move forward, with greater talent and love for theater than ever before.

features

the patriot Volume 45 Issue 5 March 2010

Spanish teacher Sandi Seiler instructs sophomore Brad Hwang in the language lab. The ESL students meet two times per week each with Seiler to work on their English reading, writing, and speaking skills.

5

weekendHOTSPOT

Dining at PaperMoon

Teacher aids international students with English skills Photo by Nico Cvach

from FRONT PAGE

culture while improving their language skills and gaining confidence especially in speaking English,” Seiler said.

Seiler also has great aspirations for the program. “Language is the key that unlocks the barrier between people from different countries, and I am hoping that the ESL class will not only help the international students [to] better cope with their classes, but also help them feel more comfortable becoming integral members of our community,” Seiler said.

The school also hopes to attract more international students through this ESL support system.

The community as a whole can benefit from the additional help that the international students will

receive. “The international students add depth to our community that we haven’t had before. They’re great kids. And ESL is helping them to communicate better both in the classroom and community,” Director of Guidance Carol Heflin-Shupe said.

The key to the ESL program at JC is not only to benefit the international students, but the community as a whole. Seiler said, “I find it very interesting to work with people from different countries and language backgrounds. The international students that attend JCS are truly a blessing to our community; we can learn so much from them.

My hope is that the international students will feel as though they are true members of the community and they will develop lifelong friendships with many students.”

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PaperMoon diner boasts a pink elephant on its roof and eclectic design style. The diner inside features a Pez dispenser collection and a collection of manequins decorated with wacky materials.

Nicky Hatzidimitriou General Staff Collections of plastic baby doll heads and Pez dispensers are not usually found in typical diners.

Neither are collections of mannequins or action figures. Baltimore isn’t typical either, and no establishment proves this better than the PaperMoon Diner.

About ten minutes from Fell’s Point, this diner has been a landmark in its neighborhood since 1994, as well as a center of controversy for its eccentric decorations and design.

Owner Un Kim teamed up with designer David Briskie to create the unusual eatery. Inspired by strange dreams he was having during their collaboration, Briskie’s artistic vision for the diner transformed a plain building into a nonsensical fantasy

world, both frightening and interesting all at once.

The diner is decorated with mannequins and dolls, the majority of which can be found on the ceiling. The mannequins (which once sparked controversy for their lack of clothing), and the rest of the diner, are covered almost completely with various action figures, knick knacks, buttons, mirrors, and toys.

And the décor is not the only uncommon aspect of the diner.

Each employee is trained in all areas of service, so a server one day could be a chef the next.

Amanda Kelly, a PaperMoon employee said, “It’s a little different, upbeat, and unique.”

In addition to the scenery, PaperMoon provides sensible and delicious breakfasts, burgers, sandwiches, dinners, and desserts, many of which are vegetar-

ian friendly. Unique food options include a “Crabbi Patti” (a grilled crabcake sandwich), a “Breakfast Quesadilla,” a “Create Your Own Omelette” option, pasta, and countless desserts, like the Oreo Monster Mouse Cake. And with no meal surpassing 15 dollars, diners satisfy their appetites without emptying their wallets.

Chemistry teacher Rebecca Jansing-Kaestner recalls the day she visited PaperMoon with a friend almost ten years ago because of its exciting atmosphere and delicious food. “It’s rare that I can still remember from ten years ago,” said Jansing-Kaestner.

Nevertheless, this is the effect PaperMoon seems to have on all who visit. Desirable food and great atmosphere mesh together to make a memorable experience found in the most uncommon of places: a vivacious, local diner.

AP readers recall past adventures Mollyann Pais Photo Editor “College Board” and “wonderful” don’t normally fit into the same sentence without sarcasm.

For math teacher George Appleby, however, they do.

Appleby was an Advanced Placement Calculus exam “reader” from 1988 to 1993. He loved having the chance to meet other math teachers from all over the nation.

At the readings, Appleby met many other math teachers, partly because some of them carried greetings from his students. Yes, that’s right, Appleby’s students wrote messages in their test booklets for the readers to relay to him, such as the ever popular, “Say hello to Mr. Appleby [for me].”

Appleby’s students even drew pictures of him and described how he looked in their exam booklets.

The College Board reading experience, aside from the honor of being invited, left Appleby with bragging rights: he met and was partnered with Dr. Burt Waits, one of the authors of the calculus book

that Appleby uses in his classes.

Because AP reading just wasn’t the thing for Waits, he didn’t return to read again. Therefore, Appleby prides himself on the knowledge that he is “the only person who worked with [Waits], ever!”

English teacher Susan Fisher has

‘

Life isn’t all beer and Skittles.”

- Anonymous AP English test taker

also “read” AP exams for College Board. Although Fisher admitted that the conditions of AP reading were comparable to that of a sweatshop, she cherishes her memories.

Fisher’s “all-time favorite” memory was when she learned that “life is not all beer and Skittles.”

This student wrote a full essay responding to the real essay question and then abruptly tagged that on the end, as his concluding sen-

tence. Fisher thinks the student wrote the “moral,” due to a lost bet or maybe just to be funny. Either way, Fisher said that the sentence did not affect the test-taker’s score, but it did leave a smile on her face.

Fisher also recalled a student who turned in an empty essay booklet, leaving only a 20 dollar bill attached to the first page.

The student left a note which said, “My teacher is terrible. You guys are underpaid – have a nice lunch.”

Fisher has even seen “I have no idea… Let me tell you about my dog” on an AP exam. Fisher said that due to the response’s complete irrelevance, the essay received a zero.

Fisher is impressed by the fairness of AP reading. Fisher said, “[Teachers] never grade their own students, or even any student in the state [that they teach in].”

College Board has asked Fisher ten times to be a reader, but she has only accepted the offer twice.

Appleby attended AP reading six times, which is the maximum amount allowed.

6 Major : features

the patriot Volume 45 Issue 5 March 2010

Colleges to check out: University

Decisions Alex Bahr Copy Editor

As psychology teacher Dr. Paul Lazor enthusiastically demonstrates the six universal emotions, senior Harrison Gaeng laughs along with his fellow AP Psychology classmates.

Gaeng, who plans on majoring in psychology, will most likely go into the field of child psychology at the University of Mississippi next year. Gaeng felt motivated by a “life interest in the mind and the impressions the environment has on it” to pursue this major.

If you are considering a major that is “practical” and “something you can apply to everyday life,” Lazor explained, a psychology major may be the perfect choice.

Guidance Counselor Larry Hensley explained that the academic requirements for a psychology major include two years of standard classes, but junior and senior years are when the “fun classes” and human interactions courses begin. According to Hensley, these classes are focused, smaller, and “get into it.”

After attaining a bachelor’s de-

gree, usually in about four years, a it is,” said Lazor. Students wishing psychology major opens the doors to move on to graduate school are to entry level positions and com- required to pass the GRE, which munity work. Unfortunately, with is basically “a graduate school veronly a bachelor’s degree, there is sion of the SATs” including math, no room for “growth that is im- verbal, and content sections. There perative,” said Hensley. In most is also a subject test for psychology cases, a master’s degree is needed students to take.

“I’m expecting several hard and to advance into higher positions such as direct provider, human mind-splitting papers, but I’m not too worried,” said service work, social Gaeng. services, psychol“Selling yourself,” ogy fields, and any I’m expecting Lazor explained, does form of license and certification. not only include acaseveral hard and Gaeng would like demic achievements. to get his master’s mind-splitting pa- To go on to gradudegree, depending ate school, a student pers, but I’m not needs to do things to “on several factors and my experience help distinguish himtoo worried.” in college.” self or herself from To obtain a masother students ap- Harrison Gaeng ter’s degree is no plying. These distineasy task, explained guishing tasks include Lazor, who majored in psychology undergraduate research, such as at Union College in 1976 and went volunteering in the field you want on to attain his Ph.D. five years to go into—which happens to also later at SUNY-Albany in 1981. To be a large part of graduate training.

Lazor distinguished himself by advance to the graduate field, you “have to be academically oriented,” volunteering in programs such as Big Brothers, Big Sisters, completsaid Lazor.

“You have to be thinking about ing undergraduate research, and selling yourself, that’s really what becoming president of psychology

‘

student artistSPOTLIGHT

Seth Hinder

Ceramics Senior Seth Hinder works tirelessly on his military ceramics project. Hinder spends every off mod he can in the art wing working on his ceramics projects.

Photo by Katie Doherty

Nicky Hatzidimitriou General Staff For senior Seth Hinder, ceramics is unlike any other artistic medium. “I like ceramics because of its third dimension,” Hinder said. “I like the feel of making something in my hands more than drawing or painting.”

Despite Hinder’s other commitments to swimming and lacrosse, ceramics remains one of his favorite hobbies.

Hinder first discovered his interest in art when he started taking art classes in elementary school, but it wasn’t until eighth grade that Hinder learned about ceramics through his brother, who was taking the class as a senior.

After taking the Ceramics 1 course, Hinder realized he loved ceramics, and decided to take Ceramics 2. “[Sculpting] makes me feel relaxed, as well as

allows me to think freely about other aspects of my life,” Hinder said.

Hinder draws inspiration from several sources. “Last year, the inspiration for my work came from collective history,” Hinder said. “This year, however, I am doing an installation piece with my inspiration coming from the unrestricted spending on our government’s military and growing national debt.”

The amount of time and effort that Hinder puts into his sculptures is obvious, spending almost every off mod he can in the art wing.

Hinder’s strong feelings toward the installation he’s currently working on for his AP Art portfolio stem from his interests in history, the military, and the misuse of government funds that caused the today’s economic depression.

“I want people to challenge

how they think,” Hinder said about his installation piece. “I want them to incorporate my ideas with their ideas and maybe revolutionize how they feel about the government.”

Art teacher Michael Gaudreau is equally impressed with Hinder. “He’s progressed in leaps and bounds. He’s not afraid to take giant steps,” Gaudreau said. “Seth feels deeply about things and is always seeking out ways to express his ideas in three-dimensional form.”

Hinder will major in history at Elizabethtown College. After college, Hinder plans on joining either the Air National Guard or the Air Force and signing up for Para-Rescue, something he’s always wanted to do because of his family’s military background.

But even with his many college plans, Hinder said, “I definitely believe that I will continue to pursue ceramics.”

club. Notable accomplishments help to show the graduate schools that “you’re interested, distinguish you” and help the students to “be more aware of what psychology’s about,” according to Lazor.

It sounds like a lot of work, but according Lazor, who efficiently obtained his Ph.D. in 9 years, you “just have to work at it” and spend extra time. “The more seriously you take it, the more classes you take, the better you’ll do,” said Lazor.

After passing the license exam, Hensley explained, a psychology major can go on to work in many fields, including therapy and case work, such as working with the mentally ill, in jails, in schools, with children, or in nursing homes.

Gaeng feels that taking AP Psychology this year has better prepared him for what lies ahead. “I definitely think it helped. It broadened my view and explained several false beliefs I had of the topic,” said Gaeng.

Lazor warns that although a major in psychology can be very interesting and holds many possibilities, you can “make it very boring if you want, just like anything else.”

of Maryland, College Park University of Pennsylvania Colombia University

3

$70,190 average salary of clinical, counseling, and school psychologists (collectively) in 2008

3

Classes to take at JC: AP or regular psychology Human Geography Health



entertainment

the patriot Volume 45 Issue 5 March 2010

7

Lightspeed Champion receives rave reviews Oprah finale Daniel Gallen Editor in Chief After being in a dance-punk band (Test Icicles), releasing a folk album (Lightspeed Champion’s “Falling Off The Lavender Bridge”), and exploring funk and soul in an indie rock context (in Blood Orange), Dev Hynes returns as Lightspeed Champion with something totally different. In his newest release, “Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You,” Hynes explores his classical influences, while still keeping the originality and edge that makes Lightspeed Champion great.

Produced by Ben Allen, the man behind Animal Collective’s hit “Merriweather Post Pavilion,” “Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You” is a far cry from “Falling Off The Lavender Bridge,” which was recorded at Saddle Creek Records in Omaha and contains many aspects of folk and country music. “Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You” contains a refined, almost urban feel, but still allow Hynes’ Wild West outlaw tendencies shine through.

The track that exhibits the essence of Lightspeed Champion is the lead single, “Marlene.” The video of the song portrays Hynes in the back of a pickup truck in the middle of a desert, with a musical backdrop of pounding chords and straightforward rhythms.

“Marlene” is the most direct

song ever released by Hynes. The sound of “Marlene” meshes all other elements present in the album, making it the perfect song for the album. Through this sound it commands the most attention of any song in the album, with a string section adding flair to the piece.

Hynes also shows his versatility early in the album on “The Big Guns of Highsmith,” a piano-based song. Hynes plays a classical melody and sings solo before he’s joined by a male choir for the track’s chorus. The song gradually fades into a piano and string ensemble outro, showing some classical chops.

“I Don’t Want To Wake Up Alone” features a string intro, followed by tense short keyboard chords. Hynes throws his emotions to the forefront with a chorus of “If you love me / If you want me / Don’t ignore me / ‘Cause I don’t want to wake up alone,” followed up by a beautiful orchestral interlude. The lack of lines like this on “Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You” signals a rise in maturity from “Falling Off The Lavender Bridge” for the 24-year-old.

My only complaint with “Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You” is that it lacks a focal point, that crowning achievement, that “Falling Off The Lavender Bridge” had with “Midnight Surprise.” “Midnight Surprise” was a nine-minute long track of epic proportions that showcased nearly every aspect of Hynes’ musi-

date set for year 2011 Haley Lynch General Staff

Photo by Google Images

“Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You,” released on Domino Records, is Dev Hynes’ second album as Lightspeed Champion. This release lives up to, and even surpasses in some respects, his first release, “Falling Off The Lavender Bridge.”

cal ability. The lack of a focal point in this album holds it back from being what it could be, but just by a bit.

At the same time, this change shows maturity in Hynes. The angst present on “Falling Off The Lavender Bridge” has dissipated and is replaced by some feelings of hope and progression. Hynes is still able to retain some of his emo-

tion, but it is more abstract and less raw than in the past. Still, Hynes is still a prolific songwriter.

Regardless of the style, Dev Hynes puts out a solid product in Lightspeed Champion, with “Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You” as a contender as one of the best albums of 2010 so far.

Overall this album deserves an A.

Millions of hearts were breaking when Time Magazine’s World’s most influential woman teared up and presented some very sad news.

Oprah Winfrey announced the date of the finale of her twentyfive year long success, “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

When making her decision, she looked for spiritual guidance. After much prayer, decided to end it on September 9, 2011. However, I am almost positive that she will not be sitting on the sidelines once her show goes off air.

She’s not just the queen of daytime talk shows. She’s a philanthropist, billionaire, animal rights activist, and role model for women all across the country.

Her most recent act of kindness involved donating 1 million dollars to the Red Cross for Haitian relief. She also started her own charity group in 1998 called Oprah’s Angel network. The point of the network is to inspire people to use their prosperity to help others in unfortunate financial positions.

She was raised in poverty and can relate to many of the suffering people she helps. The Angel Network has provided scholarships to kids at Boys and Girls Clubs, built over 200 homes with the Habitat for Humanity, and helped many struggling Katrina victims.

It can be argued that donating money when you’re a billionaire is easy, but not only does she donate money, she helps people hands on.

She built a school in South Africa called Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for girls. She provides great opportunities for impoverished girls, that she was never offered as a child.

Oprah was also named Person of the Year in 2008 by PETA, people for the ethical treatment of animals, for addressing animal cruelty on her show several times.

She is never reluctant to show how she feels spiritually, and openly addresses issues such as gay rights on her show.

Oprah has proven herself to be a woman of action, and even Oprah critics have to agree that she has done a lot of good in the world.

Canceling her show is only going to make more time for bigger and better ideas that the television icon has.

So, for all those fans that plan on selling their televisions after September 9, 2011, think again. One of the first plans she has after the end of her show is to create her own television network, called the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).

It will be airing on the same channel as Discovery Health, and will reach more than 70 million homes.

Even though the days of Tom Cruise jumping on couches confessing his love, Barbara Walters confessing to her affair, and a man talking about the joys of pregnancy are over, Oprah will certainly not be forgotten.

8 in-depth

the patriot Volume 45 Issue 5 March 2010

TEENJOBS

“The Patriot” takes an students and jobs. The job, and the toll the nat

job GRAPHS

Will you have a job in the summer?

For what reasons do you have a job?

Junior Jessi Barley scoops ice cream and prepares dessert at her job at the Avondell retirement home. Barley feels will prepare her for other work experiences later in life.

Students job-search in tough times Julia Earnshaw In-Depth Editor

Do you think a job will help you in the future?

As if being a full time student wasn’t enough worry and stress, high school students on a national level now have to face one more dilemma: the lack of jobs availability for teens.

Junior Audrey Schiminger knows first-hand how stressful the hunt for a decent job truly is. “It is tough because everyone is trying to apply for a job at once because everybody needs money,” said Schiminger. Schiminger has applied to multiple places but is still worried she won’t get hired because of the increased competition that job seekers face now.

“I think that the recession has affected my job seeking process because more teens are going out and getting jobs to help out with their families,” said Schiminger.

Since the current recession started, many employers have been making major cutbacks, causing the job shortage. Another reason for the recent difficulty for teens to find jobs is that adults are snagging jobs that are usually employed by teens. Because teens are more likely to have fewer skills than adults have, teens are generally hit the hardest when the job market is tough, because employers are more likely to hire a more experienced, older employee.

Since the recession that started in December 2007, teens are ac-

counted for 16.8 percent of job loss. Andrew Sum, a recognized expert on teen employment and the head of the Center of Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University, has been studying the correlation between job availability and teen employment.

Sum estimates in his document, “The Continued Collapse of the Nation’s Teen Job Market” from the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University that 4.2 million teens can’t find jobs, have stopped trying to find a job, or would like to be working at their job more than they are. “Proportionally, more kids have lost jobs in the past few years than the entire country lost in the Great Depression,” said Sum. However, in contrast to these numbers, 77 percent of students at JC say that they will indeed have a job.

This poses a dilemma for students like Schiminger who are seeking a job for various reasons.

Schiminger wants a job for extra cash, car money, and ultimately the independence that goes along with it. “It’ll give me more independence because you’re responsible for getting there and making sure you’re on time,” said Schiminger.

In addition to driving being one of the first freedoms teens receive, having a job is another one. It gives teens responsibility and their first real world experience by working.

But many teens, like Schiminger

may not be able to have this first experience. This first step to having a successful job is now completely out of the picture for many teens because of the current lack of jobs.

Junior Jessi Barley has a job serving the elderly as a waitress at Avondell retirement home. Having a job gives more to teens than just material things and independence, it also teaches teens important skills they will need later in life.

“Having a job is important because it teaches a ton of responsibility. Even though sometimes it means not being able to do something with my friends or having to do work or homework during off mods,” said Barley.

Having a job at a younger age is also very beneficial for teens when making the transition into the real world because it also teaches reallife skills. “I definitely think having a job as a teen will be beneficial for my future,” said Barley. Barley has already learned to manage her own money and has her very own bank account. “It’s giving me a head start on figuring out what it’s like to have a job.”

Teens like Barley who began working at their job before the recession hit are lucky. “I consider myself very lucky to have a job. I’ve seen a lot of my friends applying to several different places at a time, but never hearing anything back,” said Barley. The only thing teens still searching for jobs can do is to wait it out.

9 n in-depth look at the relationship between high school in-depth

the patriot

Volume 45 Issue 5 March 2010

team investigates the pros and cons of a teen having a tional economy takes on the availability of jobs for teens.

Everything comes at a price Pro v. Con Elizabeth Tauber In-Depth Editor

Photo by Kristin Marzullo

s that having this job is important and

jobLAWS job LAWS Elizabeth Tauber In-Depth editor

When most students are sleeping in on the weekends, senior Jake Friedman is up and working from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. for his parents at Quarry Bagel & Café.

Like most things in life, there are positives and negatives to having a job as a teenager. Unlike adults, who have full time jobs, teenagers have full time jobs as high school students in addition to their part time employment outside of school.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the number of employed youth 16 to 24 years old increased by 1.6 million to 19.3 million from April 2009 to July 2009.

This increase, which typically occurs every year, is due to the approaching summer season when 16- to 24-year-olds look for employment during their time off from school.

Along with this portion of the labor force, college students are looking for or are beginning permanent employment.

In July 2009, the BLS reported that the youth labor force grew by 2.6 million to a total of 23.7 million.

In addition to the youth labor force, there are students searching for jobs who are not included in this statistic. Junior Josh Brown

Teen Job Laws and Regulations (according to the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation):

Minors 16 and 17 of age: – May spend no more than 12 hours in a combination of school hours and work hours each day.

– Must be allowed at least 8 consecutive hours of non-work, non-school time in each 24 hour period.

‘‘

Elizabeth Tauber In-Depth editor Having a job has its pros and cons:

Pros: – Having money for going out with friends without asking parents – Earning money to buy a car – Earning money to buy gas for the car – Learning independence and responsibility – Having a sense of confidence – Having a job could help you explore potential career paths – Learn to manage money – Learn work skills such as how to fill out applications, take good interviews, and learn social skills

Cons: – Not a lot of time for going out with friends or being with family – Limited homework time – Having to schedule everything else around your job – Possibly having to wake up early on weekends leading to less sleeping time – Less time to exercise or keep up with extracurricular activities

studentANSWER student ANSWER

Minors under the age of 14 are not permitted to work unless the child is has a special permit.

Minors 14 and 15 years of age are not permitted to: – Work more than 4 hours a day on a school day – Work more than 8 hours a day on a non-school day – Work more than 23 hours a week when school is in session – Work before 7:00am or after 8:00pm.(They may work until 9:00pm from Memorial Day to Labor Day) – Work more than 5 consecutive hours without a 30 minute break.

doesn’t have a job, but he has one high school career as well. that is scheduled to start in April.

Having a job as a teenager also “I like not having to rush anywhere has negative sides. “The worst at a given time,” he said. “I’m get- thing [about a job] is that I have ting a job so I can pay for my own to get up early on the weekends,” things and maybe earn some re- said Friedman. The time that they spect from my parents.” spend at work could instead be Many teenagers have a job so used doing homework, going out they can use the money to pay for with friends, resting, or spending a car, gas for time with family. a car, or have “It depends on some spare if you have good cash withtime management, Jobs give you the but my opinion I out having to bother their would say yes, [a freedom to go parents. job would affect “I enjoy time with friends],” places and you having a job,” said Brown. said FriedHaving a job get that feeling of could man. “I use interfere the money for being successful.” with school work. gas and food.

A researcher at Otherwise, I Temple University, - Courtney Shaw save it.”

Lawrence SteinWhen a teenager gets a job, they berg, found that students who work no longer have to rely soley on longer hours are less engaged in their parents for cash. school, have a lowered school perSince it is their own money, formance, and higher levels of psythey can spend it on what they chological stress. want. Sophomore Courtney Shaw, ”Having a job does not interfere who doesn’t yet have a job, said “I with school or affect my grades,” wish I had a job because I would said Friedman. have more money to spend on ex“Yet again, time management, tra things that I want, and I wouldn’t but I don’t think [having a job] always have to borrow money from should hurt your grades too much,” my parents.” said Brown.

Shaw, who plans on having a job “Jobs give you the freedom to soon said “[My parents] drew the go places and you get that feeling line finally and said this summer of being successful. I can’t wait to I have to get a job.” She plans to earn my first dollar in my job over hold a job through the rest of her the summer,” said Shaw.

Do you think it’s important for teens to have jobs to help prepare them for the future?

“Yes, because it would teach me responsibility and how to support myself at an early age.”

-Sierra Ficca ‘13

“Yeah, probably because it helps you get ready for everything after school, and money for a car.”

-Zach Mueller ‘12

“Yes, because it gives you experience. It gives me social skills for if I want to pursue a business major.”

-Aaron Lee ‘11

“It teaches you responsibility and definitely prepares you for savings in the future.”

-Chelsie Lucie ‘10

10 entertainment

the patriot Volume 45 Issue 5 March 2010

Yeasayer’s ‘Odd Blood’ stays psychedelic, earns AKaitlin Bobbin

Editorials Editor Yeasayer makes me feel like Animal Collective’s old high school friends met Passion Pit and threw a rave which, not regrettably, resulted in some Michael Jackson karaoke. The night was recorded and titled “Odd Blood.”

However, this is nothing like how the album was actually made.

Still, the three-piece wonder-band did manage to put out a pop

sounding album this time around, granted that “pop sounding” is an understatement to their psychedelic eccentricity.

The album opens with the strange and entrancing “The Children,” which catches the listener off guard with a robotic explosion of unidentifiable sounds. This is easily the most experimental track on the album, but the dooming tone is downright misleading. Yeasayer has distinguished its own experimental identity in an album

that flows from one unique, catchy tune to the next.

“Madder Red” and “I Remember” work together as the two nostalgic love songs on the album, in a completely non-traditional way.

But the best thing about these two tracks is the simply stunning lyrics.

Yeasayer continues to impress their listeners with their song, “O.N.E.” This is perhaps “Odd Blood’s” greatest hit. It sounds like breaking free, as if the band grabbed the experience and put it

to sound. The song ends in what I found to be a Michael Jackson splurge, and I mean that in the best of all possible ways.

Despite their eccentricity, I still get the vibe that Yeasayer is a soft indie band at heart. “Love Me Girl” and “Strange Reunions” are touchy.

“Love Me Girl,” at the bottom of everything, is a cry for love, and “Strange Reunions” expresses a broken heart.

“Rome” and “Mondegreen” are

just plain fun. They’re powerful, corresponding to the experimental dance party trend of the rest of the album.

All in all, Yeasayer’s “Odd Blood” ranks as the most addicting and original album I’ve heard in a long time.

As of the moment, Yeasayer is on the top of my list of bands to see live in concert.

They’re worldly, they’re trippy, they’re more of an experience than anything else, and earn an A-.

Video rental stores steadily disappearing around Bel Air Mollyann Pais General Staff

Photo by Nico Cvach

This Hollywood Video store is now out of business due to more convenient ways to rent movies, like Redbox.

The digital age is making the world paperless, wireless, and now video store-less.

This past winter, Bel Air witnessed the closing of both Hollywood Video and Blockbuster stores. What does this mean?

Even movie-renting is “going into the new.”

Redbox and Netflix are at the forefront of the war against video stores, offering ease, speed, and cheapness that stores just can’t compete with.

‘

“I use Redbox because it’s fast, cheap, and easy,” said sophomore August Splitgerber. Redbox offers movie rentals for one dollar, at various supermarkets, stores, and McDonald’s.

According to robshep.com, the “fast, cheap, and easy” Redbox does have its flaws. Redbox rentals cost only one dollar upfront, but each night costs another dollar.

Also, Redbox lacks the personal touch of a movie store.

Another issue with Redbox is that it doesn’t have a wide variety of old movies.

Netflix is another cheap video-

renting service that has led to the death of the video store. Netflix offers movies cheaply, either by mail or by instantly streaming over the Internet. Unlike Redbox, Netflix offers TV episode rentals as well.

Because Netflix works by mail, its users may only rent one movie at a time, but they can keep the movie as long as they like.

The movie store is being run out of business by cheaper and more convenient movie-renting mediums. America must bid farewell to the personal touch of an actual video store because they are disappearing fast.

Little Caesars’ quick deals dominate tested Pizza Hut quality Nico Cvach Entertainment Editor The choice between two great pizza joints is nearly impossible to make, unless you know exactly what you are looking for: quality or a good deal.

Pizza Hut puts more time into making their pizza, which makes it taste better as a whole. What Pizza Hut did master about their pizza is their sauce.

Even though Little Caesars pizza

may not be as good, their deals and service is much better. Although their pizza is not of equal quality compared to Pizza Hut, their exceptional service goes a long way.

One of the major problems with Pizza Hut is their service. At some of their eat-in restaurants, the rule is that if a pizza is not out in thirty minutes, you get half off.

This is great if you are looking for a cheap pizza, but terrible if you want your pizza fast. Nobody likes to wait forever to get their pizza and

have to pay full price. In addition, a pepperoni pizza deal. With the restaurant that “Hot ‘n Ready” doesn’t have pizza deal, you get this deal may a large pizza ready The best thing require an when you walk even longer in for five dollars about Little Caesars which is half the wait for your food, while of a medium is that their pizza is price still having to pizza at Pizza Hut. pay full price. ready much faster.” Another great The best thing about Little thing about Little Caesars is that Caesar’s is their “Crazy Bread.” their pizza is ready much faster, es- The “Crazy Bread” deal includes pecially with their “Hot ‘n Ready” six garlic bread sticks with a cup of

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their pizza sauce for less than five dollars. This always makes a great, cheap side to your meal which you can share with your family.

Sadly, Little Caesars is not an eat-in restaurant. This may be fine if you are in a hurry, but if you and your family are going out for a celebration, Little Caesars is definitely the wrong place to go.

Both restaurants have good and bad qualities, but in the end, Little Caesars comes out on top because of its great deals and fast service.

editorials

the patriot Volume 45 Issue 5 March 2010

11

Kaitlin Bobbin

STAFF

▲▲ ▲▲ ▲▲

Editorials Editor

EDITORIAL

Holocaust speakers inspire What does ‘The Patriot’ have to say?

Seniors gather into a still, dim auditorium every spring to hear the stories of some of history’s greatest heroes.

Fourteen Holocaust survivors, each with a unique story that’s power does not fade with time. Even seniors could never be prepared for a day like this.

Survivors have a power about them. Not only were they a part of something too difficult to imagine, but they have the ability to bring that to light for us. They breathe life into the cold text of our history books.

Having first- hand witnesses to one of modern day’s greatest tragedies is an experience the seniors will not forget. And one of the best ways to learn is from experience.

It has become a consensus that if humans don’t learn from the wrongs of history, they are doomed to repeat it. As time goes on, people will not have the opportunity to hear the survivors tell their stories.

The power to make sure their stories are never forgotten truly lies with the people who have had the opportunity to hear them.

Therefore, it is crucial for stu-

dents to hear the stories of the survivors in order to understand, if only a little better, what they went through. From the extraordinary experience the seniors have every year speaking with survivors, there’s potential for this concept to go further than just the Holocaust.

Frankly, students forget what they read in their history textbooks.

What high schoolers remember are people. They remember their family stories, the stories they hear from their friends, and the stories they’ve heard from the survivors.

Why shouldn’t students take the

opportunity to hear stories from all kinds of historical figures? The perspectives of first- hand witnesses are priceless. Why shouldn’t we take the opportunity to meet the people we can?

It is our job to preserve history, and we cannot preserve it accurately if we do not take the time to hear what has to be said from the people who experienced it first-hand.

One day of Holocaust survivors is undeniably one of the best experiences seniors have. Why can’t we have four years filled with these kinds of experiences?

What do you think about Holocaust speakers?

Senior retreat strengthemed the class of 2010 more than any of us could have expected. All I have to say is that this is one thing I appreciate JC for making us do. As far as the rest of the school, be ready. 2010 is back and better than ever.

Spring is in the air, and prom is sneaking around the corner. This means it’s time again for the senior class to get swept up in the age old dilemma of finding a date. Do you go with a friend, a boyfriend/ girlfriend, or a second cousin. In the interest of making sure JC doesn’t pull a Mississippi and cancel the whole prom, just make sure it’s a member of the opposite sex.

Speaking of spring dances, it’s ring dance time.

Admittedly, juniors, I still think of you guys as freshmen that get to wear normal shoes. But you’re growing up. You’re about to receive your rings and become a part of the JC legacy. Be excited - it’s a big deal.

I’d like to continue with this little theme of spring dances. What happened to Sadie Hawkins? Although it was supposed to be much more formal than it should have been, I don’t see why it was never rescheduled.

The underdog, even of dances, deserves a shot too.

“I think it’s historically important.”

-Nathan Barringer ‘13

“It would be depressing.

It’s not on my top 10 list of senior activities.”

-Ana Beain ‘12

“It’s a good learning experience as far as getting a more in-depth study.”

-Liz Johnson ‘11

“The worst thing we could do is forget and this brings it even closer to home.”

-Jimmy Schultz ‘10

Teenagers willing to sacrifice too much for love Rachel Kokoska Sports Editor As I walk down the hallway, I happen to overhear a conversation between two girls.

One girl is trying to convince her friend that she loves some band.

Her friend looks at her, confused, and says, “I thought you hated metal.”

The girl replies, “No. I never said that. I just never experienced it before. John introduced it to me.”

Her friend answers, “Oh, I see.

John likes it.”

“Why are you against me experiencing new music?”accuses the first girl.

Her friend, of course, denies the statement and changes the subject.

Her friend’s confusion has merit. I am 100 percent positive that my friends would notice a sudden change in my opinion, especially ones that directly correlate to a new boyfriend.

Give your friends some credit.

They do listen to you. When your views spontaneously change, they will take notice.

But they don’t want to start a fight. They don’t want to hurt you, even though you may have hurt them. The possibility that you will choose your boyfriend over them stops them from starting that conversation. You fear your boyfriend’s rejection, but they fear you

rejecting them.

Please don’t take your insecurities out on your friends. If you’re defensive, I bet you’re insecure about your relationship. You know that you are not just lying to him but also to yourself. Yet you want him to like you. You don’t want to be rejected because you don’t have the same interests.

You alienate your friends, the people who care about the real you, when you make yourself into your boyfriend’s perfect girlfriend. It frustrates, annoys, and angers your friends. They respect you, but not when you are willing to change because your boyfriend gives a slight suggestion.

Who are you trying to fool?

Your friends can obviously tell where your new interest came from.

If you find it necessary to lie about your tastes, your boyfriend doesn’t respect your opinions. If your favorite song is “TiK ToK,” your boyfriend will learn to deal with it. Don’t bury your true feelings; let him know who you are.

Find pride in yourself. Your boyfriend should find your differences to be just as appealing as your similarities. If he can’t, he’s not worth your time.

Stick with the people who care about you. You’ll find a guy who likes you for who you are. High school isn’t your only chance to find love.

When the weather is warm, and I can leave for school in my uniform and a cardigan a little something more happens than an explosion of dances.

People start flocking outside, basking in the sun for their leisurely pleasure.

And strangely, as it is evident from this issue’s short stances, I shed a layer of winter’s bitterness. Frightenly enough, so does everyone else.

Perhaps the reason everyone turns into happy loving “hey it’s springtime” Mary Poppins’ is because Rita’s is finally open. I can certainly attribute all spring happiness to this time of year.

12editorials

the patriot Volume 45 Issue 5 March 2010

PROVCON

Music collaborations add Collaborations destroy live variety to valued industry music for dedicated fans Kaitlin Bobbin Editorials Editor Ever since humans could beat sticks against a wall, music has been an innate form of entertainment.

But the fact that sticks being beaten against a wall, Taylor Swift, or other sounds that make one’s ears bleed can be passed off as music just goes to show that music has to be appreciated for what it is.

The same idea applies to musical collaborations. Honestly, what would Lil’ Wayne be if he wasn’t teaming up with Chris Brown, Eminem, T.I., Kanye, Jay- Z, or some other rap sensation?

We define Rihanna, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, and our other top 40 radio guilty pleasures by their collaborations.

But collaborations are far from limited to the rap industry. How much fun was Ben Gibbard and Feist teaming up for “Train Song”?

Collaborations add a whole new dynamic to a form of entertainment people crave. It excites the fans. It’s like seeing your friends become friends with each other. It warms my heart every time I hear Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward together in She & Him. If no artists ever dared to work together, dream teams such as this wouldn’t exist, and I would never know the majesty of their voices blending together into a single melody.

Granted, collaborations, to an extent, inhibit the live music experience. No one goes to a concert to see a band with only half of its members and hear the rest on a pre-recorded track. Unfortunately, this happens when super stars team up to produce a hit. I can’t deny that it would be sad to see “Swagga Like Us” performed with only half of it’s aritsts like it is on tour.

So this is where music fans of all kinds have to make a decision. Is it worth it to have the song exist at all? If the parts can't play together live, should they get together at all?

My answer: of course they should. Although very few people will ever see “Swagga like Us” performed live with all of its contrib-

utors, what would the world be without it?

This goes back to the idea that music has to be taken at face value. Some bands lack any admirable qualities live, and some artists can't perform live with the people featured in their songs. Does this mean they should abandon the industry?

Imagine what our world would be like if no one ever got to hear the music of bands that can't perform live. What if your favorite artists never teamed up for a song because

Daniel Gallen Editor in Chief Collaborations are one of the most fickle issues in the music industry. It’s awesome to hear Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, and T.I. on “Swagga Like Us” or Drake, West, Lil Wayne, and Eminem on “Forever.” But with the number of collaborations rising, it begs the question, “What happens when I see this artist live?”

Cartoon by Brooke Basta

they knew they couldn't perform it live very well?

Music as we know it would not exist.

There's no good reason to discourage musicians from putting themselves out there for whatever their music is worth. The importance of music to today’s society is beyond describing. It’s significance is more than a live performance. It’s more important than record sales. And so we must take music for what it is because what would we do without it? And honestly, what would we do without top 40 radio?

Well, I guess we’re going to find out now that Lil Wayne’s in jail.

The thought of hearing multiple artists on one track helps to drive record sales, but in the end, it ultimately takes away from an artist’s ability to perform live, which hurts the fans.

Take Jay-Z, highly regarded as one of the best rappers of all time, and his latest album “The Blueprint 3.” “The Blueprint 3” has 15 tracks on it with 11 tracks “featuring” a fellow artist, most notably the song “Run This Town,” which features two musical heavyweights, West and Rihanna. Now, they have performed this together multiple times, such as at Madison Square Garden where Jay-Z performed a benefit for the New York Polce

& Fire Widows’ & Children’s Fund and on the premiere of “The Jay Leno Show.” But is a fan going to see Jay-Z in Washington, D.C. on The BP3 Tour with Young Jeezy and Trey Songz going to get the same experience?

Probably not.

Some artists tour together to help combat this. Grizzly Bear has multiple songs featuring Beach House’s Victoria Legrand, and the two bands embarked on their fall tours together. This allows Legrand to sing with the band on the hit songs “Two Weeks” from Grizzly Bear’s 2009 release “Veckatimest” and “Slow Life,” which is featured on the soundtrack for the hit movie “New Moon.”

But the fact remains that Legrand can’t be with Grizzly Bear’s Ed Droste and company every time out. Bands can’t work their entire touring schedules around the fact that they have one hit song with another performer that they have to perform every time out. Bradford Cox of Atlas Sound has worked to remedy this on his hit song “Walkabout” which features Noah Lennox, also known as Panda Bear, from Animal Collective. For his live shows, Cox has developed a new arrangement that does not require Lennox’s assistance.

However, for rappers and hip-hop artists, the transition is not as easy to make. Often times, collaborative parts are pre-recorded and inserted into the show as a sample, making the artist expendable. It provides the sound fans wants to hear at a show, but it deprives them of the experience of seeing it live.

Sure, listening to some of the biggest egos of all-time on “Swagga Like Us” is a great experience, but having the four of them on stage at the same time isn’t likely to happen.

A quick search of YouTube videos for a live performance of this song is often just performed with two of the artists, with the only performance involving the four at the 2009 Grammy Awards.

When fans to go a show, they want the whole experience. They don’t want to be shafted and only see half of what they came to see. The rise of collaborations is slowly leeching the life out of the live music industry and making music purely for listening, not performing.

Shocking fate of “Ni-Ni” generation discovered Jenny Hottle Managing Editor In several of my classes last year, we debated about what we wanted or expected our generation to be called in the future. It turns out that in Spain, the elders have already chosen a name for us: the Ni-Ni’s (Ni estudiar, ni trabajar).

Basically, we don’t study and we don’t work.

While I can see how this idea (sadly) somewhat applies to teenagers and children in the United States, I’m totally clueless as to why my Spanish grandmother would consider her granddaughter and other students at Colegio Infantes to be Ni-Ni’s.

When school gets out at three, everyone returns home promptly to eat the biggest meal of the day called comida. Around 4:30 or five, children begin to study. And by studying, I mean that they open their textbooks and memorize the information until it’s drilled into their minds.

Laura, my exchange student, typically cracks open her biology textbook at five and studies until nearly nine at night. The family then eats la cena (dinner, for you non-Spanish speakers) at this time, and then she continues studying from 10 until 12 or 12:30 at night.

Laura spends five or six solid hours studying a night, memorizing complex math equations and

chemistry formulas. And yet she’s still considered to be a Ni-Ni? Abuela (grandmother) asked me if we are Ni-Ni’s in the U.S., and I had no idea how to answer that question. By her definition of the word, we probably are. I personally do not have the time or the patience to sit still and read a textbook for five hours at a time.

My Spanish grandfather then asked me if I was smart—another question that made me feel stupid because I couldn’t answer it. Our schools’ standards just don’t compare. My friend and fellow junior classmate Ellen Barker showed her exchange student Elena her math homework one night, and Elena actually laughed in her face. We’re

a year older than our exchange students, and yet our work—which I find to be quite challenging sometimes—is “way easier” than their work. So when Abuelo (grandfather) offered to help me study for my math test, I saved myself the embarrassment by telling him I was already prepared for it.

Midnight—at home, I’m typically already fast asleep, but in Spain, Laura is still pushing herself to study a few more pages of notes. Every night of my trip, like clockwork, Abuela would walk into the room and yell, “Laurita! A la cama!” In other words, “Laura, go to bed!” But Laura would fight to stay up a few extra minutes just so she could do some more home-

work.

That’s what really confused me.

Abuela wants Laura to study, study, study, but when is she supposed to? Apparently, on the weekends.

Laura is almost always forbidden to go out on weekdays (except to go running), but she is allowed to meet up with her friends on Friday and Saturday nights for a few hours. But before she leaves, her abuela and madre (mother) lecture her about the fate of the Ni-Ni generation and how we’re wasting precious studying time. Every time I heard this lecture, I wanted to roll my eyes. If teenagers like Laura are the ones the elders are concerned about, our generation will turn out just fine.

editorials

the patriot Volume 45 Issue 5 March 2010

Utah proposes to drop final year

Kate Froehlich Executive Editor Senior year is defined by last homecomings and games and the last year of taking certain classes, cumulating with prom and graduation. In Utah, Republican Senator Chris Buttars is proposing moving these events up a year and allowing juniors with enough credits to skip their final year of high school.

I see the dilemma the state is

in. The projected budget for 2011 has 50.1 percent going towards public education and they are already millions in debt (Welcome to the club, look at the federal deficit). But is $60 million, the cost of seniors to the state, worth students losing a year of their education?

As cliché as it may sound, students are the future. Education is essential to the success of the country (and Utah’s economy at that). Senior year offers an extra year of schooling that can only help further a student’s knowledge for college and, for those that choose to immediately enter the workforce, it offers an extra year of schooling can only help further their opportunities.

Especially with the test scores that students out of Utah are send-

ing out.

Utah’s Commissioner of Higher Education William Sederburg cites in a CNN interview that half of students going through Utah public schools aren’t ready for college math classes and a third aren’t ready for the writing aspect.

It makes perfect sense to allow students to jump right to college after three years of high school when they aren’t even prepared after finishing four years.

Maybe the reason that students are not ready to move on to the next level of schooling is because of “goofing around” their senior years by taking “four classes of P.E and two art classes,” according to Buttars. The state graduation requirements aren’t strict enough.

Students are only required to have two years of math and sciences. They are also required to take two years of physical education. Arguably, the math and science classes are the most crucial for students entering the work force. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, projecting

figures for 2018, reports the need for a background in math and science for six of the ten fastest growing occupations. They take them the same amount of time that they take gym?

By forcing students to take more years of core classes, they will be better prepared for the college environment. The state needs to make senior year necessary, instead of throwing away an opportunity to educate students.

I applaud JC’s graduation standards, which prepare students to enter college by making them take specific classes that are crucial to success in every career. Maybe that would explain why 98 percent of our school goes to college. We offer enough classes to make senior year worthwhile, and we encourage students to take advantage of that.

But you know, according to Buttars, senior year really only offers one thing: “I don’t think it makes sense to spend a $120 million so I can go to prom.”

Thank God it’s an election year.

How- To: Five steps for a perfect senior year Charlotte Hagerman Copy Editor

Erin Hanratty Sports Editor It’s that time of year again—the time when Honors and AP invitations come out, and juniors meet with their guidance counselors to determine their schedules for next year. But with so many options, how is a student supposed to plan a perfect senior year? Here’s how.

STEP ONE: DON’T SLACK OFF (TOTALLY) As much as we would like to pretend it doesn’t, senior year matters to colleges. The most important aspect of senior year which colleges

take into account is the classes you will be taking.

STEP TWO: APPLY TO ALL AP AND HONORS CLASSES YOU’VE BEEN INVITED TO It doesn’t matter if you know that you won’t take the class. If you’ve been invited, apply. That way, when you get to your guidance appointment, you’ll have dozens of options. For instance, say there is NO way you want to take AP Chemistry because you’re already taking AP Government. But when you get to your guidance appointment, Mr. Hensley tells you that AP English is going to conflict with AP Government. You need another AP class. So be prepared with backups before you encounter

problems like these.

STEP THREE: DON’T OVERLOAD Because of senior project and applying to colleges, senior year can be overwhelming. So if there’s a class you absolutely hate, like science or foreign language, opt out of it. As long as you don’t plan on going to Harvard or Yale, not taking a seventh class won’t make a glaring dent in your resume.

STEP FOUR: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ELECTIVES JC offers many electives which might not be available to you in college. You don’t want to miss out on opportunities to be creative or find something new that you really enjoy. Plus, looking at your schedule and seeing a fun elective is always a

mood lifter. From personal experience, Acting 1 with Mrs. Brueggemann was one of the best classes I’ve taken here. Ceramics, TV Production, and Photography have also gotten rave reviews.

STEP FIVE: TALK TO UPPERCLASSMEN Which teachers are awful?

Which ones give a lot of work?

Talk to students who have taken the classes you’re signing up for.

It’s a great way to learn how difficult your schedule will actually be and will give you the chance to visualize your work load for next year. If a teacher is notoriously difficult and you already have a tough schedule, we won’t blame you if you decide not to take that class.

Modern technology takes over aspects of life Ryan Lina General Staff What happened to the simple life? And no, I don’t mean that stupid TV show with Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. I mean life that is not ruled by technology.

Do we own technology, or does it own us? Can you imagine life without your iPod or cell phone?

I can’t. Whenever I meet someone who doesn’t own one of these, I always think: how do you live?

Technology has advanced so much that it’s controlling our lives and the more it advances, the more stuff we have to buy. Remember VHS? Yeah, neither does anyone else, because we had to upgrade to DVD. And why? Because modern technology said we had to. And for what? A “better picture” and a bunch of extra features that nobody really uses more than once. It won’t be long until DVD is replaced by Blu-ray, and soon after, Blu-ray will be replaced by something else.

And so we keep reaching into our pockets and paying more money just to watch movies.

Everything is far too complicated now. You can’t buy a car unless it has great miles to the gallon, four rows of seats, and great trunk space. What happened to buying a car because it looked cool? Obviously no one follows that rule anymore, because the Smart Car looks like a mix of a bug and a car that was crushed in an accident.

I remember I used to want a phone simply to stay in touch with my friends. Now you cannot find a cell phone that does not double as an mp3 player and triple as a way to get emails and Internet updates.

Don’t get me wrong, I love being able to look at my phone and see who is winning a basketball game or who is getting drafted. But it is getting ridiculous.

Technology has taken over so much that our lives depend on it.

Everything we think is important is put in technology, whether it’s our documents on our computers or memories captured by our digital cameras. And what happens when that technology breaks down? We complain about how technology

Photo by Kristin Marzullo

Freshman Martha Schick appears overwhelmed with technology.

Typical JC students are not spotted without a laptop or cell phone.

never works the way it’s supposed to. Well, if technology never works the way it’s supposed to, then why do we invest everything in our soci-

ety into it? We have to stop relying on technology so much or when technology breaks down, the world will break down with it.

13

At Wit’s End By: Allison Siegel

I’ve never been called to the office before, let alone the vice principal’s office. So when I was told that I needed to go see Mr. Scholl during the middle of class my sophomore year, I was terrified.

As I entered the door and recognized the excited twinkle in his eyes, I stopped wringing my hands.

I walked up to his desk, and Mr. Scholl reached into a drawer and pulled out a small orange field hockey ball. He looked up and waited for me to realize some sort of secret about it. I spun the ball in my hands, and realized that across the back there were words.

It was the ball from my first varsity goal, the goal that won our game against Perry Hall in overtime. I couldn’t believe he had gotten it for me.

There aren’t many people who I can say would be able to read me and understand what is important to me just by spending the limited amount of time with me that Mr. Scholl did. Even my best friends, people I open myself up to, probably wouldn’t have even thought that a hockey ball with Sharpie on it would mean anything to me.

I meet so many people, know so many different types of personalities, and find so much in the community around me that it’s easy to dismiss people to a simple stereotype. But is that really fair?

It’s not easy to be able to read people, but we’re all unenthusiastic to let anyone to get close enough to find the things that make us real.

As a generation, we need to find this human connection that lately is an endangered, foreign concept.

Life could be much more enjoyable if one person would reach out to you and show that he or she understands.

I want my life to be filled with people who know me and understand what I’m all about. Surrounding myself with friends who may as well be strangers does me no good.

If I based my friendships on the way that people worded their texts, or the way they’re posed in a Facebook profile picture, I’d hardly have any friends at all. And I most definitely wouldn’t have someone to share a moment with that truly surprised and moved me.

So I thank God every day that I have people who see me for who I am and who care about me enough to make me smile. It can be something as silly as a grass stained hockey ball with Sharpie scribbled on it, but small things can make a world of difference in my life. Sometimes your best friends are there on the sidelines watching you, and you don’t even know them.

14 sports

the patriot Volume 45 Issue 5 March 2010

JV In-depth: JV teams provide opportunities for athletes How do you view JV sports?

60% 41% 58% 83% Rachel Kokoska

Senior Austin Golya walked off the soccer field last year without a chance of playing in a championship game, ending his soccer career after one year of fresh-soph and two years of JV soccer.

The IAAM and MIAA have created the way coaches and students view JV sports. Both leagues have moved away from recognized championships and playoff games for that level.

“The schools have been put in a position where JV is truly a developmental area,” Athletic Director Larry Dukes said. JV teams provide an opportunity for some athletes who would otherwise not have a chance to play high school sports. By eliminating JV championships, those students no longer have the experience of competing for a championship.

“They end their athletic career without much, except for preparing them for something they cannot obtain,” said Dukes.

Golya was not too disappointed by not competing for a championship. “It was more fun than taking [the training] seriously,” he said.

“On JV, the training was not forced

of students have played on a JV team

of students have not played or were cut from a varsity team

of students have watched a JV game

JV TeamsSTATS

of students think that talented freshman should be moved up to varsity

Sports Editor

16 homerooms were polled during the week of March 7 with a +/- 3% error.

upon you.”

Golya liked his experience on the JV soccer team. He felt that his JV soccer coach Brian Powell “knew that we were not as competitive, but [he] still treated us professionally.”

Depending on the sport, some varsity coaches, such as the baseball and softball, look to the JV team to develop underclassmen players for the years to come.

But in other sports, the talent pool is so big that they can draw players from places other than the JV teams.

“In [women’s] varsity soccer,

a lot of soccer players come in as freshmen and are good enough to play on the varsity level,” said Dukes. “The number of athletes that come from the JV rank is a very small number due to the talent pool you have to work with.”

Coaches’ main focus on JV teams is for individual development. Practices at the JV level are drill-heavy, as to solidify the fundamentals in players.

Within sports, there are two options concerning talented freshmen: promote them to varsity or let them gain experience on JV. “In my opinion, if a freshman is

going to be able to contribute and play, then I would promote them to varsity as a freshman,” said Dukes.

Varsity baseball coach Joe Stetka agrees with Dukes. “I do want to get the players early in their high school career to really drill the game into them,” Stetka said.

Badminton coach and former JV field hockey coach Tess Gauthier would rarely choose freshmen to play on the varsity field hockey team. “I feel that [freshmen] need to be outstanding to be promoted,” said Gauthier.

Gauthier reasons that freshmen lose the “social setting and leader-

ship skills” by moving them up to varsity.

In addition, according to Dukes, many freshmen are not prepared to play on varsity due to their skill level and physical strength.

Many teams are moving away from a completely separate varsity team and JV team. Gauthier believes that establishing “strong communication” between JV and varsity coaches and teams is essential to a good program.

Stetka agrees with this approach.

“We work both JV & varsity squads together now in the early stages of the workouts. I feel that both teams need to be doing the same things in case I need to bring up a player from the JV squad,” said Stetka.

Golya experienced some interaction between the JV and varsity soccer teams. The JV team would scrimmage against the varsity team to try out their skills against talented opponents.

“We also went to the varsity games to watch them and learn techniques,” said Golya.

While cheering on their classmates, Golya and other JV players watch as their classmates try for something they hope to obtain – a championship.

Rawlings, Martin encourage unity Daniel Gallen Editor in Chief When former head football coach Keith Rawlings first arrived in 2007 and started to rebuild the Patriots football program, there was one particular detail that irked him.

“When I got here, the JV uniforms were garbage,” said Rawlings.

In his second season as head coach, Rawlings obtained new uniforms for not just the JV team, but for the varsity team as well, giving both teams the same uniform in an attempt to create a united Patriots football program.

In a setting where varsity teams grab headlines and JV teams remain nearly anonymous, Rawlings wanted all his players to feel that they were contributing.

When players on both JV and varsity have the same uniform, it “makes them feel like they are put on the same team.” Rawlings feels that there is too much separation

by JV, varsity, and class, both in the classroom and on the playing field and he thinks the same uniforms create “equal treatment” of his players.

Tony Martin’s basketball program also followed suit this season, unveiling new uniforms with the same design for both varsity and JV. Martin views the uniforms as “a way to have the kids respect each other. Everyone in our program will be treated with the same respect,” he said.

The idea of being one program in football and basketball is not lost on the players either. Sophomore basketball player Marcus James, who spent time during the 20092010 season on both JV and varsity said, “It helps everyone grow together as a family for the four

For more sports, check out

jcpatriot.com Photo by Katie Doherty

Sophomore Van Rolle (12) sets up a play against Cardinal Gibbons on January 26. Rolle moved up from JV to varsity during the season.

years they are at JC and that builds chemistry on the court.”

“JV is critical to the program’s success,” said Rawlings. “It’s where you build the foundation. The whole purpose is preparing players for varsity.”

Rawlings cited sophomore Raphael Odouk as a player whose development was enhanced at the JV level, allowing him to contribute at the varsity level. Odouk was brought up to varsity for the second-to-last-game of the season against Curley.

Despite being on varsity at the end of the season, Odouk doesn’t discount his JV experience. “If I was to go to varsity straight [from the beginning of sophomore year] it would have been hard,” he said.

Instead, he was able to play and thrive at the JV level before giving varsity coaches a preview of what he was capable of doing during those last two games.

Martin called his JV team his program’s “talent pool” and “a developmental program” although his philosophy varies based on the

level of competition.

In 2009-2010, his team was extremely young with only two seniors, which meant that players like James, fellow sophomore Van Rolle, and freshman Rodney Elliott were pulled up from JV and saw significant action on varsity. Like Odouk, Rolle and James both credit their time on JV as an important reason as to why they were able to contribute.

“I developed how to create for myself and my teammates and how to play defense,” said Rolle.

While on JV, James learned how to lead. “My freshman year on JV, I had to be a follower, but following the experienced players made me a good captain the next year,” he said.

Both Martin and Rawlings feel that the most important part of presiding over a program is making sure players respect each other and realize they are indeed part of a program and not two totally separate entities.

“You’re all in it together,” Odouk said. “JV is varsity and varsity is JV.”

sports

the patriot Volume 45 Issue 5 March 2010

Joey Hoff Managing Editor

Q:How

would you describe your coaching technique?

Krystin Porcella A:I like to give responsibility to the players. If someone has a Lacrosse part in the decision making, they now have ownership over the task.

Q:When and where did you If they have ownership, then they start coaching?

A:My first coaching job was at

Virginia Tech for two years, and then I returned to my alma mater, Loyola, where I coached for four years. After that, I returned to JC to coach here, and I’m currently in my 6th season.

Q:What

do you like about coaching?

A:Coaching is very rewarding

on so many levels. I love strategy.

It is fun to see what the other team is going to do, what your team can do to counteract that, and how the other team does things to combat what you are doing. I also love the interaction with the players, helping the players to grow as lacrosse players and hopefully helping them grow as people.

15

Overtime By: Daniel Gallen

want the task to be successful because they helped in its planning.

Q:What

is your favorite memory from your coaching experience?

A:It’s winning the first IAAM

A Conference Championship in 2007. The game was tied and went into overtime. Ally Carey [class of ‘08] rolled the crease left handed and snuck the ball past the Severn All-American goal keeper to win the game. I just remember looking up at the score board. Ironically enough, it was on Loyola’s home turf, and we were the higher seed so it read “Home 9, Visitors 8,” just as it had read so many times throughout my playing and coaching careers at Loyola. Now, it was reading that way for John Carroll.

It was just a very special moment.

Photo by Mollyann Pais

Varsity lacrosse coach Krystin Procella instructed sophomore Colleen Zulty at Cedar Lane. Porcella will coach the U19 Women’s National Lacrosse Team at the 2011 World Championship in Germany.

Q:How

do you feel about coaching the U19 Women’s National Lacrosse Team?

A:I am very excited to coach

the U19 National Team. You can’t really put into words how honored you feel. It is going to be another great challenge to take on in the world in lacrosse.

Q:How did you get involved in

coaching the U19 Women’s National Lacrosse Team?

A:In 2007, I applied to be an

assistant coach to Wendy Kridel, the head coach at conference rival Bryn Mawr. The 2007 games were in Ontario, Canada, and the US won the gold. It was such a neat experience, because of the pride that each player had in her own country and how proudly each player wore her country’s color. That experience of winning the gold and seeing the interaction among the countries really inspired me to apply to be the head coach, and lead the US Team.

Sports are a game of numbers.

On paper, the game is simplified to a numbers game, determining matchups based on numbers that give a team the best chance to win.

With the NFL Draft beginning on April 22 and the NFL Combine running the first week of March, numbers take center stage.

The NFL Combine is where prospective players are poked and prodded, measured and tested, and essentially put through a threering circus. It’s where players make and lose millions of dollars based on numbers.

While the NFL Combine is a useful tool for scouting, it has become overblown in recent years with an excessive amount of emphasis placed on the raw numbers data that comes out of it. For example, there was much fuss over Florida quarterback Tim Tebow’s 38.5inch vertical leap and 4.72 second 40-yard dash times at the Combine.

What does this prove? Absolutely nothing. Anyone who knows a little bit about college football knows that Tebow is a pure athlete and a top competitor. What does this say about his chances of being an NFL quarterback? Absolutely nothing.

Coaches and management need to pay attention to the data they receive on players by watching game tapes and observing all-star games like the Senior Bowl.

The famed Wonderlic aptitude test is also another avenue of evaluation that is supposed to provide a look into a prospect’s head. The Wonderlic has 50 questions that test the reasoning of the athletes and provide a glimpse into the intelligence of a player. But how accurate is this? Quarterback Dan Marino scored a 15. Defensive end/Linebacker Mike Mamula scored a 49. Which one is in the Hall of Fame?

Mamula is the epitome of all that is wrong with the combine.

The famed “Workout Warrior,” Mamula aced every aspect of the Combine, and triggered the Philadelphia Eagles to trade for the seventh pick in the 1995 NFL Draft to select the athletic freak from Boston College. What did the Eagles get in the “Workout Warrior?” A paltry 209 tackles and 31.5 sacks over the six-year span Mamula was in the NFL. Prospects can easily skew results because they can prepare for what they know will be tested on at the Combine. So when your team makes that first-round pick and you start doing research on him, don’t look at his Combine numbers.

Stick to game tapes. They show what he’s truly capable of.

16 sports George Appleby Allison Walczyk Managing Editor On a cold Friday evening, as the rain comes down, math teacher George Appleby sits in a lawn chair on the school’s roof with a video camera in hand. Though removed from the bright lights and cheer of the spectators of the football game, Appleby still remains a part of the action of the team below.

“Since I’m not a coach and I was never a good athlete, it gives me a chance to be part of the Athletic Department and I feel like a part of things,” Appleby said.

“The nice thing is when the coaches and the kids on the team say thank you, that’s a natural high. ‘You did you a good job on that game,’ or whatever it may be.”

the patriot Volume 45 Issue 5 March 2010

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For 38 years, Appleby has taped Appleby got his start as the footfootball games for the football team ball team’s videographer because and it’s various players and coach- former football coach Gerry Gray es. “[The taping is] so the coaches originally asked Appleby to tape can review the tape with the team games. and point out misIn the begintakes and how they ning, Appleby can be better. It’s taped the games a great teaching room 307, The nice thing from tool,” Appleby now religion teachsaid. er Katie Wood’s is when the Appleby tapes, classroom, but he on average, three now tapes them coaches and games a week: a from the roof. the kids on the Appleby said, varsity, a junior varsity, and a scouting “we used to call teams say game. [room 307] the He tapes from ‘Presidential Box,’ thank you.”

September to but the trees have November. “I regrown, and that - George Appleby created a probally enjoy it. I look forward to the fall when that takes lem, so now the best view is from place. I like watching football both the roof.” on TV and in person,” Appleby Appleby recalls that there are said. some schools he has visited that As a scout, Appleby must go to have press boxes where he can film at least one game of each opposing the games. However, some of the team’s season. He films each game schools he visits don’t have press for the JC coaches to get a better boxes and he has to find himself understanding of the way that the the best place to film. team plays and which plays could Some of these places, he recalls, be most effective for JC to use are not always the most convenient. against that team.

He remembers having to climb lad-

photo by Will Larney

George Appleby is in his math classroom with one of his Mr. Potato Heads. Appleby films football games from the school’s roof.

ders and walking through mud several times.

“Sometimes the place where I have to do the videoing is not very sturdy or is difficult to get to, so I don’t go down at half time,” he said. “I just stay there because I’m scared that if I come down, I’m not going to be able to get back up.”

For the most part, Appleby’s job runs smoothly. However, on occasion, things do not go as planned.

“Sometimes, when I’ve gone to scout a game, they’ve sent me to the wrong school,” Appleby said,

Rawling departs from program for family from FRONT PAGE

Patriot of the Month highlights student athletes who may or may not get due recognition for success in their chosen sport. They are selected by the Sports Editor.

Photo by Allison Walczyk

Photo by Jenny Hottle

Junior Elaina Kohles began swimming when she was five years old. In the beginning, she only swam during her summers, but she quickly got involved with club swimming because of her cousins who were already club swimmers. Currently swimming for Bel Air Athletic Club, Kohles swims 5 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. three mornings a week, along with every weekday afternoon from 3:15 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. “It’s definitely

hard to keep up with my school work with practices in the morning and afternoon,” said Kohles. Her favorite event is 500 meter freestyle. “I like the distance. For me it’s a sprint,” said Kohles. Her desire to swim at college has motivated her to succeed in swimming. She is motivated to lower her time to get into meets with qualifying times. In the IAAM 2010 Championships, Kohles placed first in the 200 meter freestyle.

Photo by Katie Doherty

Freshman Scott Strappelli began wrestling at age six when his father wanted to see how he would do in the sport. Unlike most athletes, Strappelli “like[s] the anxiety before a match.” Strappelli also enjoys the individuality of wrestling, “the man versus man conflict.” He finds motivation from his dad and his wrestling partner George Weber. “The hardest part was cutting down [from 120 pounds] to 112 pounds

“That is when I call [Assistant Athletic Director Tim] Perry.”

Perry added, “It is always interesting getting a phone call from Mr. Appleby when he is at the wrong school.”

Appleby says he really enjoys taping the games because he really gets to know the team.

Appleby calls the feeling “like teaching a good lesson; you know by the reactions of the students that you have gotten your point across and it makes you feel good.”

Photo by Kristin Marzullo

at the beginning of the season [for my weight class],” said Strappelli. “Winning state [championships] as the only freshman would have to be my favorite memory,” said Strappelli. Coach Keith Watson contributes Strappelli’s success to his desire. He is interested in wrestling in college, “but that is a long way off.” Strappelli placed first in the MIAA championships and the state championships and also went to National Preps.

said, “I’ll expect to see the same was here doing football, I things from him since he was alwouldn’t be able to see my kids ready coaching us last season.” with their football,” Rawlings said.

Stichel’s “ultimate goal” for the “It was really based upon my fam- upcoming season is to “take our ily.” team to the next level and play in Dukes planned on having Raw- the championship because we were lings long-term and said JC was a one game away the past two years.” “logical place for his sons to come Despite the anticipated smooth to high school.” transition, the change is still tough Rawlings added, “I planned on both Rawlings and the players. on staying here for twenty years, Rawlings said, “When you have but unfortunately it wasn’t in the a great relationship [between] playcards.” ers [and] coach, it hurts. People Dukes saw in don’t like change.

Rawlings a “pasIt hurts me. My resion for his comaction was bawling They’re always my eyes out telling mitment to growing these boys them I’m leaving.” your players.” into young men, “I was looking his passion to forward to finishing - Keith Rawlings out my high school development off the field, and his career with him as passion to build head coach,” Frink a winning football program. He ac- said. “I respect how he puts God complished all three.” and family before football. I guess Stichel, who will take over the at the end of the day, you have to head coaching duties, was a finalist do what you have to do.” for the coaching job that Rawlings “Once they play for you, they’re received. The rest of the staff will always your players,” Rawlings said. return next season as well.

“I’ll help my players in any way I Stichel has experience on both can jobs, college, whatever.” the field and on the sideline, startAs a result of the close relationing the game at age six. He played ships he developed with his playfor McDaniel College before be- ers, Rawlings hopes to maintain ginning his high school coaching contact. “I told them [the players] if career at age 22. Stichel has been it’s a true relationship, it’ll last forcoaching for the past ten years, the ever,” he said. past two with Rawlings.

What the school loses from Because of Stichel’s previous Rawlings is not just on the football role, Dukes expects consistency field. Dukes said, “The biggest from the team. “From an X’s and thing we lost is a genuine person of O’s standpoint, it is Stichel’s of- integrity whose priorities in life are fense that we run,” said Dukes. what we try to teach all of our stu“We’re trying to make the transi- dents. It’s hard to find people that tion as smooth as possible,” Stichel bring those qualities, and when you said. do find someone like that, they will Junior defensive end Zack Frink surely be missed.”

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