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News Opinion Mini-Feature Student Life Feature Health & Lifestyle A&E Sports Backpage
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Editors-In-Chief Anna Busse Cassie Busch
Copy Editor
Carolina VonKampen
News Editor
Daniel Pape News Assistant Quinlan Moran News Writers Carolina VonKampen Maria Efting
Opinion Editor Bryan Banowetz Opinion Assistant Peyton Rosencrants Opinion Writers Hannah Gibbs Brennan Graeve CJ Lampe Morgan Noonan Gina Reiman Chloe Streif Ben Valentine
Student Life Editor Jenna Fenske Student Life Assistant Colette Miller Student Life Writer Lauren Lutgens
Mini-Feature Editor Anna White Mini-Feature Assistant Ameena Challenger Mini-Feature Writer Rachel Brady
Feature Editor Megan Lynch Feature Assistant Robbie Thinnes Feature Writer Mary Esker
Health and Lifestyle Editor Ansley O’Brien Health and Lifestyle Assistant Hannah Chute Health and Lifestyle Writer Molly Vipond
Arts and Entertainment Editor Maddie Smith Arts and Entertainment Assistant Emma Hunt Arts and Entertainment Writers Lauren Van Hoeck Payton Janney Meghan Gerke Ashley Pudil
Sports Co-Editors Connor Collins John Richardson Sports Writers Alex Fox Shannon Mulcahey Kyle D’mello Lizzy McWhinney
Backpage Editor Nicole Draker Backpage Assistant McKenzie Potter
Business Hailey Sojka
Distribution Brennan Graeve
The Xpress Bi-weekly Xavier High School 6300 42nd St. NE Cedar Rapids, IA 52411 Volume 15 Issue 13
News Xavier High School Xavier rebrands Catholic School System The Cedar Rapids and Marion Metro Catholic Schools unveiled a new rebranding effort aimed to better promote Catholic education and provide the community with a better sense of the overall mission and values of the Catholic school system. The new brand name is “Xavier Catholic Schools” and the new tagline is “Learning with a higher purpose.” The name “Xavier” refers to St. Francis Xavier, one of the most revered Catholic missionaries. School leaders hope that this new brand will help spread the word about private Catholic educational opportunities in the Cedar Rapids area. “We have some of the finest schools in the country and we needed a more cohesive and unified way to tell our story,” Jeff Henderson, superintendent of all Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Dubuque, said. “We want people to hear ‘Xavier Catholic Schools’ and think, ‘We take children to a higher level of achievement.’”
In addition, a new logo was created for Xavier Catholic Schools that incorporates the Xavier cross-X but allows each individual school to keep its own identity. The new logo includes the cross-X logo in navy and silver with the name of each school, which is enclosed in a flag with each school’s color brand that flies to the right of the cross-X. “We’ve incorporated one of the state’s best-known and highly identifiable icons with all our Cedar Rapids and Marion Catholic schools,” Henderson said. Although the brand is changing, each school will retain its own personality and identity. There will be no changes at school level in individual school names, operations, or governance. The marketing effort is designed to show a united message and support enrollment efforts throughout the area. “We are living in an age when you must market your services,” Henderson said. “This will help us market our schools as a cohesive educational
process when we meet with prospective students and parents. We will be better able to communicate our educational philosophy with new people who move to the Cedar Rapids and Marion metro areas as well.” Xavier Catholic Schools consist of six elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school in the Cedar Rapids and Marion area. Xavier Catholic Schools is part of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. The Archdiocese of Dubuque includes 54 schools in Eastern Iowa. Carolina VonKampen Copy Editor
Saints celebrate the Easter season The Xavier Saints prepared for the Easter season with the Stations of the Cross on March 28 and celebrated Christ’s Resurrection with Mass on April 10. On Holy Thursday, March 28, the Xavier Drama Department and Campus Ministry teamed up to perform the Stations of the Cross in the Regis-LaSalle Theater. Senior Patrick Mullin and Senior Patrick Mullin leads the students in prayer. Cassie Busch junior Bryce Volk narrated the Photo. actors’ portrayal of Jesus’ final steps on His way to Calvary. “It positive about her experience and was such an amazing experience said, “It was cool to be a part of and being up there performing something that united the school was incredible. In practice in our faith and to see the positive none of us were disrespectful or reaction from the students.” The Saints also celebrated talked because it was so moving and reverent,” sophomore the Easter Mass on April 10 performer Michaela Brown said. with Father Beckman of St. This year, the experience was Matthew’s presiding. Campus enhanced with the use of stage Ministry planned the Mass, and lighting and special effects. the collection benefited Catholic Between the stations, different Worker House. “Because we students sang Christian songs, are a Resurrection people, it is amplifying the story’s effect. great to come together in the season and celebrate Junior Emma Deignan felt Easter
The actors depict the final moments of Jesus’ life as he hangs on the cross. Cassie Busch Photo.
the risen Christ,” Campus Minister Jody Esker said. The next school Mass, the Junior Leadership Mass, will be held on May 24. For more information about upcoming spiritual events at Xavier, contact Campus Ministry or go to xaviersaints.org. Quinlan Moran Assistant News Editor