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Opinion
Xavier High School
No service day without community right here. You don’t have to buy an expensive plane ticket. Don’t say that it is too boring or that it does not accomplish anything. It can be fun and you do make a difference. You get out of it what you put into it. Now, it all depends on you. I cannot make you come to Community Service Day. I will not shout dogma in your general direction about what you are doing wrong. What you do is up to you. And when you decide to come to Community Service Day, I will welcome you with open arms. See you tomorrow!
Juniors Bryton Hayes and Sam Hart participated in last year’s Community Service Day. Hannah Welch photo Xavier’s foundation. Just look at all the service that has been done in the past few years: two mission trips to Guatemala, Catholic Heart Workcamp service trips, Key Club volunteer opportunities, Community Service Day…the list goes on. That is quite an impressive resumé. Service is what makes Xavier special. We
continually serve our community, and that has given us a great reputation, not to mention helped us live out our Catholic faith. I hear people complain a lot that they hear of people travelling all over the world doing service and that they can’t do that. Community Service Day is the perfect opportunity to do service
Why politics matter to teens But somehow, people think politics are not important for them right now. One of their excuses is that today’s issues don’t affect them, but they do. Do you use roads and obey most of the traffic laws? Do you pay taxes when you buy new clothes? Do you get all of the money from your paycheck, or is some of it taken out automatically? Do you have a family member or friend in the military? Do you attend a school? Do you have the right to follow whatever religion you want? If the answer to any of the above is yes, then politics affect you. The truth is, politics- the candidates, the issues, the constant battle between left and right- is important. Politics have affected you since the day you were born. Think about laws that have already affected you. You were not aborted, but legally, you could have been under Roe v. Wade. You go to a Catholic high school, but you could live in a country where it is illegal to meet for a church service without the government’s authorization. Politics will affect you for the rest of your life. You will have to pay taxes, find a job, take out loans, and pay for healthcare. Most things that politicians decide will directly affect you eventually, if not immediately. Politics affect all of us, so why don’t more students pay attention? Please do not make the excuse that you don’t have time to research issues. I understand that high schoolers have a lot going on, but couldn’t you take 10 minutes to read a few stories on the internet or turn on the news? You have time to
watch the latest YouTube video but not a highlight of last night’s debate? You have to put in an effort at some point, or else some blustery November day, you’ll be the only one at the office who isn’t sporting an “I Voted!” sticker. That’s fine, you don’t have to vote, but are you honestly going to tell me that you will never complain about a new law or policy or crack a joke about the unpopular candidate up for election? If you are really going to be completely detached from politics, then fine, live your apolitical life. But, if you ever want to take a stand for something, then follow the news. Go directly to the primary sources first. Watch or read unedited speeches, debates, meetings, and press conferences. Then apply your morals and values to the topic and develop your stand. See what others have to say about it. Look up unfamiliar names, laws, and events. Share your opinions with others. Talk to friends, family, and coworkers about their thoughts. Finally, apply your knowledge. Vote. If you are not old enough to vote yet, pay attention, because in four or eight years, you will be able to! Things that happen right now will still affect you even if you cannot vote. Study up for when it’s your turn. Continue to pay attention to the developments of the world. Invest some time in politics so you can be aware of the world you live in.
Carolina VonKampen Copy Editor
Saintly Hocus Pocus
Betty Jane Caramel Apples Community Service Day Costume Parties Fairy Tales
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We are in the middle of my favorite seasonthe leaves crunch underneath your feet, there’s a crisp breeze, and pumpkin is the go-to flavor for everything. This kind of season only happens once every four years. You know exactly what I’m talking about: it’s presidential election time. We see political ads every time we watch TV or YouTube. Signs bearing candidates’ names pop up all over the neighborhood. News and social media sites are bombarded with the latest poll numbers and analysis of the debates. People get into heated conversations about issues like foreign policy and the economy. It’s a great time. But some people, especially teenagers, seem to be completely uninterested in the election and the issues of the day. They claim that politics are boring and don’t affect them, so they try to block out the latest political news and even mock those who pay attention to politics. This disdain for politics is childish. Children live a blissful life and are ignorant of the realities of the real world. At some point, children have to become adults and pay attention to the world around them. As teenagers, we should at this point in our lives. We are getting jobs, paying taxes, and driving ourselves. We are taking more and more responsibility in our lives. Part of this responsibility should be being an informed citizen.
Bryan Banowetz Opinion Editor
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The arrival of Community Service Day at Xavier brings with it a recurring p r o b l e m : skipping. I guess some people think they are too good to serve their community. Still others might think it is too boring. Whatever the reason, I’m sure that they are very logical and selfless excuses. Before I get into the more philosophical reasons why skipping Community Service Day is wrong, I would like to state the obvious: you don’t have to go to classes. As a high school student, I relish the days when I don’t have to attend classes. What is even better is that you get to miss a day of classes to help those in the community. I don’t know about you, but I’ll take it. Whenever I think of Community Service Day, I always think about Xavier’s motto: “Learning Today. Leading Tomorrow. Serving Forever.” You see that last part? Service is an essential part of
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