The Titan Tribune
Transcript
The Titan Tribune
September 2012 Volume 7 Issue 1 The Titan Tribune boylan catholic high school Striving to be Saints. Scholars. Champions. NEW YEAR, NEW RULES: “BYOT” POLICY Contents News & Features........1 Sports.........................8 Entertainment..........11 Credits......................12 Andrea Valerio, a junior in Mrs. Louise Basile’s U.S. History class, uses one of the new iPads to track the progress and outcome of the American Revolution via videos and interactive maps. by Alec Heaton M any would say that the 2012-2013 school year at Boylan is one wrought with change, and they would be right in saying so. One such change is the “bring your own technology” (BYOT) policy. This new policy allows students, with the permission of their teachers, to bring in lap tops or tablets to enhance their learning opportunities during the school day. While this policy could lead to many improvements, such as a student’s ability to take notes, it also has drawbacks. Since the upstairs area of Boylan isn’t connected to the wireless network, using devices in that area without a direct connection could prove difficult. There is also the chance that this policy could be abused, with students claiming to be taking notes on a laptop, but in reality just playing Bubble Trouble or Tetris. Some teachers are open to the idea of letting students use their own tech, but others haven’t been so easily swayed. Mrs. Kathy Walls, a math teacher, and English teacher Ms. Jessica Olsen gave their insight on the subject, and whether it would help or hinder students. “I think we do need to be open to the use Photo by Mr. Harold May of technology in the classroom,” said Mrs. Walls. “I will be anxious to see how it is used in the different subject areas.” Ms. Olsen said, “I think that there are definite benefits to this policy, as it will allow students to access a greater number of resources without even leaving the classroom.” Science teacher Mr. Michael Uram had a different opinion about the use of technology in his classroom: “I have chosen to not allow students to bring their own technology into my classroom this year. At this point I feel that the time we have in class is very limited and I prefer that students use their time outside of class to use the newer technologies to supplement their learning.” The teachers weren’t the only ones to comment on the new policy. Senior Richie Ronan shared his thoughts on the subject: “I think the new policy is really cool and will be even better when it is accessible throughout the building,” he said. “I see it as a very beneficial way for students to learn. If a student wants to learn then the laptop [or tablet] will be a great advantage.” 2 NEWS & FEATURES SUMMER HAPPENINGS: ROCK CAMP By Tess Vrbin Photo by Mr. Harold May W hen a high school student thinks of summer, the words “rock music camp” probably don’t come to mind, at least not for most students. Every June, Keith School holds two week-long sessions of Rock Camp for students ages 11-18 who sing or play an instrument and are interested in being in a rock band. The group of about forty students is separated into bands of six or seven people, and each band prepares a five-song set to be performed at Sinnissippi Band Shell after five days of rigorous practicing. This summer, Rock Camp was attended by three Boylan students: junior Cheyenne Oseguera, sophomore Tess Vrbin, and freshman Kyle Singletary. Cheyenne Oseguera reflected on the hours of work that lead to her perfomance and said it feels “absolutely fantastic. Even if you were worried thirty seconds before you set foot on stage, that all disappears the second you see all the equipment and people. You might be tired and hot and sick of everyone there, but you get on stage and realize that all the early, hot, sticky, annoying days pay off after you finish the first song and you By Margaret Sentovich D see all the smiling faces and hear all the clapping.” After camp is over, some bands perform at local venues such as Byron Fest or On the Waterfront. Some campers even form bands of their own with other musicians they met at camp. Most of the campers have been attending rock camp for multiple years and attend both sessions per summer. Most of the musicians and vocalists who attend rock camp will say they had an unforgettable experience and would love to go back COSTA RICA TRIP uring the first week of June, Mrs. Margaret Gracyalny of the World Language Department, and three Boylan students visited Costa Rica. Sean Gay, Haley Reeser, and Alexa Wright went on the trip along with two groups from Wisconsin. The students stayed with host families who were both accommodating and informative. Sean Gay said, “The most interesting thing about Costa Rica was seeing how people live in another country.” When they weren’t with their host families, the students visited the active Arenal volcano, a coffee plantation, went ziplining in the rainforest, and even painted a school. By Tess Vrbin ON THE WATERFRONT L abor Day weekend means the return of OTW: the annual Rockford music festival. This year’s featured artists included The Offspring, Theory of a Deadman, Billy Currington, among others that sent teenagers from all over town flocking to the Rock River despite the rainy weather. Aside from multiple genres of music, there was food, face-painting, carnival rides, and robots playing basketball – yes, seriously, there were robots playing basketball. There probably weren’t as many Boylan students attending on Friday, August 31st as there were the other two days due to the Boylan vs. Harlem football game, but some went out to see The Offspring nonetheless. Junior Cheyenne Oseguera said, “It was fantastic. The band sounded just as great live as they do recorded. The crowd participation was awesome and everyone had a really fun time.” The punk group brought another rock band, Dead Sara, with them as their opening act. Saturday, September 1st, not only featured country star Billy Currington, but also several local acts, such as bands from Keith School Rock Camp, this year’s Rockford Area Music Industry finalists, and previous winners of Guzzardo Performance Music’s Emerging Artists competition. The Oasis stage was filled with and surrounded by teenagers and young adults interested in seeing some rising stars no more than their age. On a different stage, Billy Currington drew a huge crowd. According to sophomore Reilly Harrington, he was “really good, he had awesome energy and sound- 3 ed exactly like he does on the radio.” Sophomore Dekoda Wallin saw CCR (Creedence Clearwater Revisited) on the same day, and she said they were “pretty good, even though it was mostly an older crowd.” Morgan Langley, another sophomore, said the Theory of a Deadman concert the following night was “fun and lively”, and Reilly Harrington said, “They sounded amazing and kept the crowd going. [The lead singer] was actually pretty funny too.” Music is not the only attraction OTW has to offer. There was a wide abundance of food and drinks stands, especially near the stages. A group from the International Thespian Society drew a large crowd at their facepainting booth. The parking lots near the Left Bank Stage featured carnival rides. Stilt-walkers could be seen entertaining the masses from blocks away. Street vendors selling handmade objects had their stands set up all over. Robots were playing basketball; sophomores Shayne Taylor and Shawn Makulec were two members of Rockford Robotics Team 2039, one of the four teams from the area that spent six weeks building a basketball-playing robot and then engaged it in a robot-basketball tournament, in which 2039 placed third. Rockford Robotics attends OTW with their own robot every year and usually engages in a competition of some sort with it. The sight of robots racing all over the makeshift court was a sight to both laugh and marvel at, as it obviously took some dedication and time to design and construct the machines. SUMMER ORIENTATION CLASS By Margaret Sentovich Over the summer, social science teacher Mrs. Stephanie McGuire offered incoming freshmen an orientation class to become acquainted with Boylan. According to Mrs. McGuire, the main goal of the course was “getting students familiar with Boylan: its layout, programs, and technologies.” The 63 students who enrolled received an introduction to the school’s curriculum, practice using required technology, such as Turnitin.com and the moodle, and developed goals for their four years at Boylan. Mrs. McGuire said that at the end of the class, “students felt more confident about their first year, and anything that gives them confidence and makes them feel at ease is a success.” The freshmen seem to agree. Michael Boccignole said of the class, “ It’s nice to know the school’s expectations.” Tommy Sentovich said, “I thought the test-taking skills we learned were especially useful. I know the class has already helped me be successful at Boylan.” 4 P BOYLAN WELCOMES THE... Father Gerald Christenson taught for about twenty years for the “Chicago Board of Education as a math teacher and a coordinator of an alternative school for at risk students at Carl Schurz High School.” He also coached basketball and volleyball in Chicago before being ordained by Bishop Malloy in May. Father began his assignment at Holy Family Parish before coming to Boylan to teach morality. Father Christenson’s favorite season and his favorite Father Matthew DeBlock is an assistant principal, the spiritual director, and is also teaching junior and senior theology. Father came from Elgin where he taught four years of senior theology at St. Edward High School. This summer Father DeBlock visited the Our Lady of Guadelupe Shrine in Lacrosse, Wisconsin, and caught up with family and friends before moving to Rockford to begin his new assignment. Father is a supporter of many Illinois teams including the Chicago Bears, the Cubs, and the Fighting Illini. Father studied music at the University holiday is Easter. His favorite school subject was U.S. History, and his food of choice is pizza. Father Christenson’s favorite color is white and his favorite team is the Chicago White Sox. Father said that he is inspired by Pope Benedict XVI because he “is a wonderful example of what a priest should strive to become.” of Illinois and loves music, theater, and art. In addition to his other duties, Father will run the retreat program for each class at Boylan. Father DeBlock is inspired by Pope Benedict , St. Augustine, and the Blessed Theresa of Calcutta and is looking forward to “helping the students to encounter Christ and the wonderful Catholic Faith.” NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE FACULTY 5 Father John Evans is an associate pastor at St. Bridget Parish. He is teaching 2 classes of Religion 3 at Boylan this year. He attended high school in South Bend,and received his bachelor of philosophy from the Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, in 2005. After Catholic U, he applied to study for the priesthood in the Diocese of Mrs. Breja Fink taught in Beloit, Wisconsin before coming to Boylan. Mrs. Fink had a busy summer and did many fun things including “fishing in a lake in Minnesota, creating a classy office space in her home, “ and lots of writing. Her favorite musicians include Iris Dement and Joanna Newsom Rockford, where most of his family lives. Bishop Doran then sent him to study at Kenrick and her favorite color is green. School of Theology in St Louis, MO where his special field was Old Testament. He is a Chicago sports fan. As for athletic activities, he says, “ The only two sports I can actually do are skiing and volleyball.” Other interests include British and Irish history, Shakespeare, and St Thomas Aquinas is “embracing the age of Mrs. Fink said that her biggest Mr. Douglas Kuban is an “avid outdoorsman” and a man who is “no stranger to the business end of a shovel!” Mr. Kuban taught in different schools before coming to Boylan, including Kankakee, Pecatonica, Auburn, and Guilford. Mr. Kuban’s favorite color is “green for chlorophyll” and he teaches biology and environmental science. He enjoys every season, cheers for the Chicago Bears and the Chicago White Sox, and his challenge (in terms of school) technology” and that she is most looking forward to “seeing her students grow in their writing and reading skills.” Mrs. Fink is an English teacher as well as the yearbook moderator. She will also organize Mosaic. favorite movie is the Twilight Zone. Mr. Kuban has been married for 34 years and has a love for lab dogs- he has “one of each color.” Saint Francis is Mr. Kuban’s favorite saint because he was an “animal guy.” Mr. Kuban has restored old cars, done some taxidermy, has built houses, garages, and decks, and “can fix just about anything.” 6 BOYLAN WELCOMES THE... This school year will be Mrs. Nicole Ronan is a Mrs. Emily Schubert has Miss Lauren Obermaier’s sophomore and junior English teacher. Prior to teaching at Boylan she taught one year at Harlem High School. Over the summer Mrs. Ronan vacationed in Virginia Beach, Hayward, Wisconsin and at the Dells. She also “swam in [her] pool every day and went to her 8 year old son’s baseball games.” Her favorite holiday is Halloween, she cheers for the Chicago Bears, and loves to eat “absolutely anything with barbeque sauce.” Mrs. Ronan’s favorite book is Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and also shared “there is so much spent the past year as a regional representative in the Northeastern United States working with students as they choose their course of post high school study. Mrs. Schubert also worked in College Admissions at her alma mater, Bradley University. Her favorite bands are Florence and the Machine and Mumford and Sons. Her favorite school subjects were English and all music classes. Mrs. Schubert is an avid Chicago Bulls fan and also a supporter of the Bradley Braves. Prior to the start of the school year, she spent I want to do and so many great activities and books that it is hard to pick the few that time allows.” Mrs. Ronan also has three younger brothers, has an extensive movie collection at home, and tries to spend time outside every day. She is inspired by “anyone who works hard to make their dream come true, even if people tell them their dream is impossible.” a week at Cape Cod, went to her first Yankees game, and tried Ethiopian food for the first time. Mrs. Schubert will work with the Guidance Department as a College Coordinator. She will “work with students throughout their college search[es] to find the best fit for them.” Mrs. Schubert said, “I am a Boylan alum and loved my experience so much that I wanted to come back!” first year of teaching, but she does have some in school experience from time spent in Peoria and Brimfield, Illinois. Over the summer Miss Obermaier surfed and zip lined in Maui and also enjoyed some Chicgao White Sox games. Her favorite holiday is fall and she also enjoys Thanksgiving because she “likes that there is a holiday dedicated to simply eating and being grateful for what we have.” Her favorite movie is Grease and her favorite school subject is science. Her favorite teams are the White Sox and the Bradley Braves because she majored in Chemistry Education at Bradley. Miss Obermaier is teaching Biology and Chemistry. ...NEW FACULTY Mr. Matt Skorniak is a physical education teacher and a football coach new to Boylan. His previous teaching experiences include working at “Montessori Private Academy, St.James. Rockford and also at the Boys and Girls Club of Rockford.” Over the summer Mr. Skorniak “ hiked part of the second longest trail in the US over Lookout Mountain, went to my sister-in-law’s wedding, and caught a 150 lb. striped marlin in Cabo San Lucas.” Mr. Skorniak’s favorite holiday is Christmas and he also enjoys the winter. Some of his favorite musicians include The Beatles, the Smashing Pumpkins, and the Foo Fighters. Mr. Skorniak also has two degrees: one in history and one in physical education. His favorite NFL team is the Indianapolis Colts. Mr. Skorniak also has two dogs and two cats. All four are rescue animals. Mr. Michael Wedwick returns to Boylan as a religion teacher after spending two years as a substitute teacher here. Mr. Wedwick tried to relax and enjoy his summer by reading, running “a little bit” and playing with his “four wonderful children and big black dog a ton.” Mr. Wedwick is a Natural Helper and is also the assistant coach of the sophomore boys’ basketball team for a third season. Mr. Wedwick’s favorite holiday is Easter and his favorite classes while he was in high school were theology and philosophy. His favorite bands are Led Zepplin and Mumford and Sons. Mr. Wedwick’s enjoys bacon cheeseburgers with barbeque sauce and cheers for the Chicago Bulls. This year he is teaching Morality and Church History. Mr. Wedwick and his wife are both Boylan graduates from the class of 2001. He looks forward to “exploring God’s call to life and happiness” with his students. 7 Mr. Matthew West “student taught in a tiny 5-12th grade school in rural Minnesota” before coming to Boylan. While he was in Minnesota, he also “directed 5 different bands.” During the summer, Mr. West “served on jury duty, crafted stained glass, and went paint balling.” His favorite holiday is Independence Day and his favorite school subject, other than music, is math. Mr. West is a Steelers fan and his favorite instrument is the cello. Mr. West is teaching beginning guitar, guitar ensemble and will also teach music technology during second semester. He will also direct the drumline and pit orchestra outside of the regular school day. Mr. West is looking forward to “the band and choir concerts. They should be a blast to conduct, and just as enjoyable to listen to.” SPORTS 8 FALL SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS BOYS’ GOLF By Alec Heaton So far, the 2012 golf season has been successful for the boys’ golf team. They have yet to lose a match, and they have also won a tournament. While senior Brendan Clemens noted that they could have done better in some instances, he thinks that the team should be able to win conference and hopes to make it further. The team’s biggest competition this year in conference is Hononegah, as it has been in previous years. Senior Sam Cristoforo mentioned, “Our outlook on the rest of the season is to keep improving. If we keep improving, there is no telling what we can accomplish as a team. A conference tournament victory would be a great way to start our road to hopefully a state championship.” BOYS’ SOCCER By Alec Heaton The boys’ soccer season got off to a rough start this year with an injury to key player Justin Doss and a disappointing finish at the Barrington tournament. According to senior Tom Mata, Barrington was their biggest competition in the championship. He commented, “We had the better team and we should have won, but we just didn’t play our best.” However, the team is keeping a positive outlook for this season. Mata mentioned, “We believe we will be the NIC 10 champions again and look forward to making a good run into the playoffs.” The team plans to continue working hard and, if they play their best, they may have a shot at another state title. GIRLS’ GOLF By Abby Austin Senior golf team member Melissa VanSistine has been playing golf since she was little. Since she comes from a family of golfers, it was natural for her to try it. When she realized how much she enjoyed the game, she decided to continue playing. Although Melissa did not start playing golf competitively until her freshman year, she has had four very successful years of golf. There have been many memorable moments in her golfing seasons but she says the most memorable are all the times she gets to spend with her team: “We have so much fun…each practice is a unique experience.” Some of Melissa’s achievements include being named conference MVP last season, golfer of the year for the Rockford area, and the Junior Golf Tours’ player of the year. Personally, Melissa would like to be MVP again, but she is also hopeful that as a team, “we all continue to improve and enjoy playing.” GIRLS’ TENNIS By Rebecca Russell According to Teal Zimmerman, a sophomore, her tennis team is like a second family. Although she decided to try out for tennis at Boylan because she enjoyed playing it with her own family, she now enjoys playing it with her new family of teammates. Even though tennis is sometimes thought of as an individual sport, Teal countered that it is very much a team sport, with all of the time the girls spend practicing and playing together. She also commented that her coach, Coach King, “is very helpful and she handles each situation with grace. She is the type of coach that will assist you in adjusting your swing or your stance in any way. Coach King gives great guidance tips and she is always caring about how she approaches a mistake in playing.” FALL SPORTS, cont. 9 FOOTBALL Coaches: John Cacciatore, Chris Rozanski, Mike Grady, Chuck Sicotte, Josh Alis, Joe Blume, Jeff Phad, Bryant Salamone, Matt Skorniak, Pat Kennan, Nick Wood Key Players:Danny Appino, Peter Cimino Season Outlook: “Many hands make for light work. Our record to this point has been the result of all the coaches and players hard work and dedication in the pre-season. Since the season has begun, those things have continued.” The Titan Tribune had no information available for these sports at press time: VOLLEYBALL CROSS COUNTRY Coaches: Linda Schmitt, Ann Marie Coyle, Matt Myers, Rick Wenger Key Players: Boys: Jonah Neidermeier, Nathan Kimbrel, John McHugh, Jamie Laga Girls: Dominga Stewart, Emily Knuth, Sierra Miller, Karly Bergstrom,Lauren Nowak, Mary Helen McQuillan Season Outlook: “We are starting strong and working hard. The boys have worked hard all summer together and should move up their standing at the conference meet. We should have some very successful Individuals, and if they train well together the team should have success as well. The girls have a shot at repeating Conference Champions and doing well in the State Series.” DANCE CHEERLEADING Coaches: Jeannine Ferger, Laura Brechon, Robin Hedrington Key Players: Molly Derry, Olivia Stiles, Kayla Sallinger Season Outlook: “The JV girls are working hard, learning many cheers and stunts. The Varsity squad works well together. They have a good time when cheering and get along well. They are working on elite level stunts.” SWIMMING/ DIVING 10 FRESHMAN DANCE Photos by Yearbook staffersDominique Henderson and Rosie Villegas Photos by Mr. Bud May WELCOME, CLASS OF 2016 ORIENTATION DAY 8.24.12 ENTERTAINMENT 11 THE DARK KNIGHT RISES MOVIE REVIEW By Madeline Bhaskar A hero must fall in order for him to rise. In Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale), aka Batman, does indeed fall. He also is beaten up constantly, has his back broken, is sent to a prison that is literally a hole in the ground, but somehow manages to arrive in Gotham in about two weeks; but hey, he is Batman after all. Eight years after taking the blame for District Attorney Harvey Dent’s murder, Bruce Wayne emerges from his isolation to confront his intellectual and physical equal, Bane (Tom Hardy). Compared to the Joker, Bane isn’t that impressive. His face is covered by a breathing mask, which derives him from conveying any emotion. After The Dark Knight, we were haunted by the Joker’s twisted mind, while Bane only made one wonder why he had a British accent when he was raised in the Middle East. In all fairness, it is hard to top Heath Ledger’s amazing performance. The Dark Knight Rises has amazing action sequences, a very talented and well-rounded cast, and an epic conclusion that made me wanting more. The only thing that I felt that was lacking from this blockbuster equation was Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) aka Catwoman, which I found enjoyable. The casting of Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Officer Blake was spot on. For those who haven’t seen the movie, all I have to say is that Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s boyish good looks are a trademark for the role his character will take on if there is a sequel, which I am pretty sure that there will be after seeing the ending. Also returning to the cast were Gary Oldman as Commissioner Jim Gordon, Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth, and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox; all of which performed plot. I was constantly asking well. Even if most of the myself “Why Gotham?” Bane’s movie’s sequences weren’t very goal isn’t to destroy the world memorable, the ending certainly or to get a lot of money, only to left an impression. The last thirty terrorize Gotham and to expose minutes of twists, turns, backthe ignorance of its people. It stabbing, sacrifice, redemption, was explained to me later that and promise of a new hero was Gotham is the symbol of greed probably the most effective in and all that is wrong with the terms of an emotional response. world, but that concept was still a little shaky to me. I did find the Overall, I enjoyed seeing this scenes between Alfred and Bruce movie, but I have to say that Wayne to be extremely touching, it was not as enjoyable as The Dark Knight. Christopher Nolan but the rest of the dialogue had the difficult task of not only wasn’t there. The lines from The Dark Knight stuck with me even topping his last film, but also creating a conclusion that would when I left the theater, but The satisfy the audience. Taking that Dark Knight Rises screenplay into account, I have to say that didn’t have that same effect on me. There was still subtle humor the Dark Knight certainly did rise. in the dialogue provided by CREDITS 12 TITAN TRIBUNE STAFF Mrs. Mary Gavan Journalism Administrator Mrs. Tricia Rozanski Moderator Ben Belford Editor-in-Chief Abby Austin Managing Editor Margaret Sentovich News/Feature Editor Grace Heim Sports Editor Alec Heaton Entertainment Editor Tess Vrbin Copy Editor LETTER FROM THE EDITOR “W elcome back.” When hearing these words at the start of the school year, most students (myself included) have an urge to groan. In those with severe cases of premature senioritis, students may feel overwhelming apprehension and even paranoia. We forget that the first half of welcome is “well”. While we may not feel “well” at the prospect of spending the next nine months of our lives at school, we must recognize that school is not as bad as some make it out to be. We do not go to just any A school; we go to Boylan Catholic High school. As Titans we should enter this new year with anticipation and pride. We have the privilege of being part of an incredible community. We are all family here at Boylan, and while most do not think of the classroom as an ideal social venue, our academic trials and tribulations bring us all closer together. It is all a matter of attitude. We can go into this school year expecting to be miserable, and if we do, we will all be miserable. If, however, we can convince our- selves that we really do want to be here, and if we recognize that receiving a Boylan education is the highest privilege, we will enjoy our time here much more. This goes especially for us seniors: we only have one year left, and we need to make the most of it. The old adage “Work hard, play hard” holds true here in high school, but I would propose one modification: “Work hard, play harder”. I wish all of my fellow Titans the best of luck with in the year to come. God bless. LETTER FROM THE MODERATOR merican columnist and author Bill Vaughan said, “We learn something every day, and a lot of the time it’s that what we learned the day before was wrong.” Vaughan wrote for the Kansas City Star for over 30 years and even though he died in 1977, he left behind some perfect aphorisms for life such as the one that opens my first letter for the 2012-2013 school year. A new school year is exciting for many reasons; it gives us an opportunity to get back in touch with our school friends, it reawakens our “slumbering summer brain”, and it also begins a year of change and growth in all of us. Even the administration, faculty and staff experience the freshness of a new year. New policies, ideas, and procedures are born. As a teacher I find it exhilarating to have a chance to start over with a fresh batch of students every year. I look forward to reusing the activities that I know work well in my classes. I get excited to teach my favorite authors and books to a new audience. Starting over also allows me to fix what was broken and try new activities and pieces of literature in my classroom. For the first time in my fourteen years at Boylan, I allowed students to use the dictionary apps on their phones to define vocabulary words from The Scarlet Letter. Nathaniel Hawthorne probably rolled over in his grave. It was a strange feeling to look around the room and see students, phones in hands, busily working. But change is good and sometimes we need to take a risk to make that discovery. Embrace what may be different or new this year- whether it be a friend, a teacher, a class or an IPad in place of a spiral notebook. One never knows what blessing may come out of that change. Go Titans! God Bless!