Jordano and McLaughlin Lead the Class

northwest passages
JUNE 2015
|
VOLUME LII
“WHERE YOU KNOW THAT YOU BELONG”
Jordano and McLaughlin Lead the Class
By Avery Hatch ‘16
who is interested in purpre-medical
suing a pre-med track.
studies with
The university is associa minor in
ated with three hospitals,
Spanish.
as well as the Center for
PrinDisease Control and
cipal Mrs.
Yerkes Primate Center.
Margaret
James hopes to major
Williamson
in neuroscience and besays, “Both
havioral biology since
James and
he says, “I am fascinated
Sarah are eaby how the brain
ger learners.
functions by itself
They have
and in relation to
both struck
the body and to the
me as truly
environment.” His
anxious to
hard work will one
learn all that
day lead him into
they can. No
This year’s 2015 Salutatorian, Sarah McLaughlin, and Vale- matter how
a career as a doctor, potentially special- dictorian, James Jordano, are attending Williams College and busy they
Emory University, respectively, in the fall.
izing in anesthesiology,
are
they
low
her to continue playing field both will give you a smile and a
pediatrics, or orthopedic surgery.
Salutatorian
Sarah hockey, as well as provide her the kind word. During his freshman
McLaughlin is thrilled to continue ability to pursue many areas of year James convinced me that I
her success at Williams College in study and challenge her academi- should read “The Hunger Games”
Massachusetts. The college will al- cally. Sarah hopes to major in trilogy and I am grateful that he
JULIA CHRISTOLINI
A
s the summer fast approaches, Northwest Catholic proudly announces the
leaders of the graduating Class of
2015. Valedictorian James Jordano
and Salutatorian Sarah McLaughlin have worked inside and outside
of the classroom for four years to
demonstrate their talent and potential. Northwest Catholic is thrilled
to recognize their hard work and
God given gifts as they begin
the new steps in their journeys.
Valedictorian James Jordano is excited to become a part
of Emory University in Atlanta,
Georgia, this coming fall. Emory’s
beautiful southern campus was just
one influence on James’ decision to
attend the university. The school is
known for its intimate community, supportive staff, challenging
academics, and plethora of ways to
get involved in the culture of the
university. Emory also offers plenty
of research opportunities to James,
did. Last year when Sarah was selected as a Governor’s Scholar she
was as excited as a child on Christmas morning. I think this shows
how grounded and humble they
both are. Both students are very
determined and already have set
some challenging goals for themselves and I cannot wait to see
how they achieve their dreams.”
Outside of the classroom,
James has participated on the indoor and outdoor track teams all
four years. He was also captain for
both seasons as a senior. James has
also been a member of the Mock
Trial team for his entire Northwest
career, as well as the Math Team
and Student Council. James jokes
that, “Mock Trial taught me that
I do not want to become a lawyer
in the future and that one of Ms.
Keating-Mckeon’s many catchphrases is, ‘This is why we are here,
ladies and gentlemen.’”
C ont i nu e d on p a g e 4
The Dramateurs “Tell The Story”
By Matthew Sottile ‘16
RDK PHOTOGRAPHYY
Lauren Mangine ‘16 played a
passionate young girl, TiMoune
Editorial pg 2
young girl with an unbreakable
spirit. TiMoune, a term of endearment meaning “little orphan,”
fights for her own fate, asking the
gods for a purpose. When a rich
boy crashes his car in her village,
she sees the event as a way to experience the world without being
confined by her social ranking.
The journey, which places love
against the power of death, on this
island of two different worlds, is
captivating to audiences of all ages.
The beautiful weekend
of performances was preceded by
months of hard work and rehearsals. “My favorite part of the process was being able to spend my
last show at NWC surrounded by
such unique and special people,”
says senior Olivia Fenton ‘15.
Chemistry was a big part of this
ensemble-driven show, as there
was truly no one main character. The cast for Once on this Island consisted of more than 70
students, between the cast, crew,
and pit orchestra, that worked together to create the finished product that hit the stage this April.
Kerry Ferrell ‘16 who
aspires to study film in college,
served as Dramateurs’ documentarian in residence. He immersed
himself in the world of the show,
Sports editor Matthew ‘15
says goodbye
spending time at rehearsals and
with cast members on a daily basis. “Being able to fully experience
the bonds shared by the members of the Dramateurs as well
as watching all of the hard work
that’s put into a show was unlike
anything I’ve seen before. The
Dramateurs are a group that loves
what they do and most of all loves
one another,” remarks Ferrell.
This year’s cast also included five middle school students
with future plans to attend Northwest Catholic. Matt Marshall
‘15, says, “It was such a unique
experience to share my last show
at Northwest with my younger
sister Delaney, who played the
role of Little TiMoune.” Delaney is a 7th grader at Corpus
Christi School in Wethersfield.
For the second year in a
row, aerial circus arts were a key
component to the Dramateurs’
spring musical. Circus professional, Greylin Nielsen of SHOW
Circus Studio in Easthampton,
MA trained Vaniah Delancy
‘16, Alli Coffey ‘15, Lauren Orsini ‘17, Emily Driscoll, ‘17, and
Ava Rooney ‘18 on aerial hoops
known as lyra. The lyra were included in several numbers in the
show representing, among other
OpEd pg 3
Jack Carew ‘16 talks adventure
things, the storm in the number
“Rain” and the tree in the finale.
This year, the Dramateurs entered both mainstage
productions into a competition
sponsored by the Seven AngelsTheatre in Waterbury, CT called
the HALO Awards. These awards
are meant to recognize excellence
in educational theater around the
state. Metamorphoses was nominated for 3 awards and Once on
this Island received a whopping
12 nominations the most of any
school in the competition. At the
HALO Awards on May 26th, the
Dramateurs took home the awards
for Best Chorus and Gypsy of the
Year for Sarah McLaughlin.
Choreographer Miss Kate Morran says, “The Dramateurs are a
family of storytellers and this show
is about storytelling. Mrs. Avery
and I have always wanted to present this show at Northwest and we
couldn’t have asked for a better cast
to do it with.” Fenton adds, “This
show was an all-around team effort. To describe it in one word, I’d
say… exuberant.”/
For links to DVDs from this
year’s performance, the full gallery of photos from the perfor-
mance, as well as more information about the NWC Dramateurs,
visit their group page on the portal.
Visit https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=oj9YFXtS4lc to see junior
Kerry Ferrell’s documentary.
KIMBERLY SPERA
T
he weekend of April 24-26,
2015 marked the powerful
performance of the AfroCaribbean musical Once on this Island presented in the Richard Rice
Auditorium at Northwest Catholic. Following the success of the
fall play, and continuing the theme
of “Water, Myth, and Transformation,” the Dramateurs concluded the 2014-15 season with
the touching story of TiMoune, a
Greylin Nielsen of SHOW
Circus Studio in Easthampton, MA trained Emily Driscoll
‘17 on aerial hoops known as
lyra.
SPORTS pg 11
Girl’s Tennis captures Conference Title for 4th year
Editorial
passages
2
JUNE 2015
Letter from the Principal
T
he end of a not her
s c ho ol ye a r ! For me
p er s on a l ly, I h ave
b e en ver y e xc ite d to b e a ble
to p a r t ic ip ate i n s o m a ny
of you r a c t i v it ie s t h i s ye a r
si nc e I h a d to m i s s s o m a ny
l a s t spr i n g a nd t h i s p a s t
f a l l a nd w i nter. I hop e
t h at a l l of you a re e qu a l ly
en g a g e d i n a l l of t he v a r iou s t h i n g s g oi n g on . We
h ave h a d a g re at a nd i ntere s t i n g ye a r to g e t her f rom
t he he at of l a s t S e pte mb er
t h rou g h t he snow s of t he
w i nter to t he s u n a nd w i nd
of t h i s spr i n g. E a c h s e a s on
h a s h a d it s h i g h l i g ht s –
t he w ater s of t he f a l l pl ay
“Me t a mor pho s e s”, t he sp e c i a l e f f e c t s at t he C h r i s tm a s C onc er t , p ou r i n g r a i n
at t he f o otb a l l pl ayof f
g a me , g a le f orc e w i nd s at
spr i n g sp or t i n g e ve nt s , t he
t a l l pi l l a r s f or t he “g o d s”
i n t he “Onc e on t h i s I s -
l a nd ”, a c t i ve re t re at s , sp e c i a l pr ayer s er v ic e s a nd
M a s s e s , a nd t he b e aut if u l, w a r m e ve n i n g f or t he
prom . S o m a ny wonder f u l
me mor ie s but e a c h a nd e ver y one i s sp e c i a l b e c au s e
YOU h ave b e e n t here a nd
m a de it t h at w ay. YOU a re
t he l i f e of t h i s s c ho ol a nd
a s we s ay f a re we l l to ou r
S e n ior s , we rejoic e w it h a l l
of t he u nderc l a s s s t ude nt s
a s you move t h rou g h to a
h i g her g r a de a nd c ont i nue
to m a k e you r m a rk on t he
s c ho ol .
It h a s b e e n s a id t h at , e s p e c i a l ly si nc e t he S e n ior
re t re at , t here h a s b e en
more u n it y i n t he S e n ior
c l a s s . T h at i s a n e xc e l le nt
outc ome a nd one t h at w i l l
c a r r y you t h rou g h g r a du at ion a nd prob a bly t he re s t
of you r l i f e a s you w i l l
h ave c lo s e f r ie nd s t h at w i l l
s t ic k w it h you . Ta k e t he
le s s on s le a r ne d i n t he s e
h a l lowe d h a l l s a nd on
t he s e f ie ld s a nd u s e t he m
a s you move on to t he ne x t
s t a g e of you r l i f e . You m ay
not re a l i z e w h at le s s on s
you w i l l u s e u nt i l a f ter
t he f a c t but t here i s one
t h at we c a n a l l c ont i nue to
i mple me nt no m at ter w h at
s t a g e we a re at a nd t h at
i s ou r t he me f or t h i s ye a r
to “Sp e a k L i f e ”. We h ave
t r ie d to sp e a k l i f e e a c h d ay
t h i s ye a r a nd I t r u ly hop e
t h at i s h a s b e c ome a h a bit
t h at w i l l m a k e you a more
u nder s t a nd i n g p er s on a nd
a n a g e nt f or c h a n g e i n t he
world a rou nd you .
G o d ble s s a nd h ave a
g re at s u m mer !
-M r s . W i l l i a m s on
Letter from the Sports Editor
By Matthew Marshall ‘15
To my fellow members of
the Senior Class I say thank you.
Thank you for walking alongside
these green and white tiled halls
with me these four years. I know
that there have been moments in
our lives that each one of us will
never forget. We’ve been a part
of numerous state championship
teams. Our class has gotten to sing
and dance on stage in such fictional
venues as the corporate business
world, in the rain, in the circus, and
on an island. We have volunteered
all over Connecticut and even continued to broaden our learning
horizons overseas in Europe. Together we have run the gamut and
each of us has made a distinct mark
on the NWC community. Thank
you for this amazing journey and it
seems astonishing that we can soon
proudly call ourselves alumni from
Northwest Catholic High School
and a part of the class of 2015.
To the rest of the student body
I say carpe diem. It seems like such
a cliche quote, but yet time appropriate as well, recited by the late
Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society. Seizing the moment is what
life is all about. Make the most out
of your high school career. Join a
club, try a new sport, take an art or
music class. The clubs and classes
that you take in high school can
make a life long impact on the rest
of your life.
Finally to the Passages Staff,
thank you for a memorable four
years. I’ve gotten to work with
numerous staff writers, editors,
photographers and moderators on
the 14 issues that I’ve written in.
Each person and issue has shaped
my opinion on politics, journalism, and time management. It
has been an honor to start off as a
news writer and work my way up
to Sports Editor and manage Humans of Northwest Catholic.
Each of us has moments where
our lives may feel so overwhelming, myself included, but...
Editor-in-Chief
Avery Hatch
Executive Board
Matthew Marshall
Julia Christolini
Megan Grandell
Emily Grandell
Molly Mullen
Staff Writers & Editors
Abigail Herron
Jessica Eskander
Sarah Neubert
Jack Carew
Matthew Sottile
Caroline Banevicius
Rachael Ogbonna
Taryn Nguyen
Caroline Gill
Staff Photographers
Matthew Marshall
Julia Christolini
Avery Hatch
Advisor
Miss Kate Morran
MATT MARSHALL
N
ow that my time at
Northwest
Catholic
comes to a close and we
all move on to another chapter of
our life, I’ve come to realize how
quickly moments pass and how
fast these past four years have gone.
My first memories of Northwest
include going out to those early
Saturday morning soccer practices
in late August 2011 to now my
final moment as a student here
graduating June 3, 2015 at the St
Joseph Cathedral. It’s unbelievable
to think how much has changed
over the course of my high school
tenure. But before the Senior
Class departs and we all move on
to brighter fields ahead, there are
a few people that I would like to
acknowledge.
STAFF
Special Thanks to:
Ms. Spera
Mrs. Kearns
Matthew Marshall ‘15 on the senior patio
...“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it
living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped
by dogma - which is living with the results of
other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise
of others’ opinions drown out your own inner
voice. And most important, have the courage
to follow your heart and intuition.”-Steve
Jobs
Northwest Passages
Northwest Catholic
High School
29 Wampanoag Drive
West Hartford, CT 06117
Phone: (860)236-4221
Fax: (860) 586-0911
Northwest Passages benefits
directly from the William J.
Klein ‘65 Fund, established by
Cathleen Collins ‘65.
*Editor’s Note: Opinions
expressed
in Northwest Passages are not
necessarily those of the
editorial staff.
passages
editorial
JUNE 2015
3
OpEd
One does not have to be
Shackleton to go on adventures,
for as Lao Tzu said, “the journey of a thousand miles begins
with one step.” Each of us takes
small adventures throughout our
lives. Daily, we take risks or go
out on a limb to grow as people.
Adventure also does not
equate to being completely disillusioned about reality as one famous
don Quijote was. Rather, adventure
breeds a thirst for expanding our
realities past accepted norms. Once
one has been shown a glimpse of
the world, one’s view on reality begins to evolve, allowing one to appreciate new cultures and people.
The spirit of adventure
is exemplified by Martin and Osa
Johnson, who heard about a lake
in Kenya, found it, dubbed it Lake
Paradise, and lived there for four
years. Adventure calls for a loss of
inhibitions and a willingness to do
something on a whim. Be spontaneous! Chasing one’s dreams
awakens a sense of wonder. Do
something for an experience! As J.
K. Rowling says, “let us step into
the night and pursue that flighty
temptress, adventure.” The great
explorer Wilfred Thesiger left his
comfortable life in England to ex-
Looking For Alaska:
What You’re Looking For
By Sarah Neubert ‘16
J
ohn Green is idolized by a large
portion of the adolescent demographic, and for good reason.
Whether Green saved you from
academic failure through one of his
countless Crash Course YouTube
videos, made you sob in the theatre
with his most famous masterpiece
The Fault in Our Stars, or thrilled
you with the announcement of the
soon coming
release of the
film adaptation of his
novel, Paper
Towns, he has
extended his
influence into
the lives of
most young
people and
even adults.
Still Green
has
many
accomplishments that
go relatively
unnoticed by
pop culture,
such as his
award winning
work
Looking for
Alaska.
Looking
for Alaska is
a coming of
age novel, a
similar theme
throughout Green’s
works, that takes place at the prestigious yet run down Culver Creek
boarding school in Alabama. The
main character, Miles, a seemingly
average teenager with unlimited
knowledge and fascination of last
words, begins his year as a transfer
student from Florida, who is looking for the “Great Perhaps” and a
change from his mundane life in
plore Africa and the Middle East
and live with locals. Adventure is
so critical because it gives a new
perspective on a situation. People
can take a step back and have fun
with adventures. As Cervantes said,
“too much sanity may be madness
and maddest of all, to see life as
it is and not how it should be.”
I spoke with Ms. Claudia
Hart ’78 regarding adventures in
Botswana during her time in the
Peace Corps. She was inspired to
go after her friend sent her a Christmas card that showed him with
a zebra. The allure of adventure
caught her. Not knowing what to
expect, she ventured into the realm
of the unknown and she does not
regret it. She shared an an anecdote about traveling in the north
part of Botswana, which was not in
drought as the area of her post had
been, where her Land Cruiser became stuck in a riverbed. It rained
that night, and there was serious
danger of being swept away. The
next morning, she and her friends
took rocks from the banks of the
river and made a pseudo-road so
the car could drive out. This story
offers two insights. The first is that
what seems incredibly foolish initially can actually turn out to be a
Jack Carew ‘16 traveled to Korea in the summer of ‘14
rewarding experience. The second
is that adventures give opportunities to develop skills that are less
necessary in the comfort of day to
day life. Adventures build ingenuity and imagination. Ultimately,
traveling and going on adventures
is one of the best things that one
can do for oneself.
“Adventures change
people for the
better. Personal
growth comes from
new experiences,
new perspectives,
and new friends.”
-Jack Carew ‘16
Grant Provides Security
By Avery Hatch ‘16
his new school. He immediately
befriends his tough, yet brilliant
roommate, the Colonel, who is attending Culver Creek on a scholarship. The Colonel introduces Miles
to his collection of friends, a group
made up of mostly “outsiders” who
differ from the typical rich student
who only boards on the weekdays,
known to the antagonistic group as
“weekday warriors”. Of all of his
new friends, Miles is most charmed
by Alaska, a free spirited and quick
witted girl, who exposes Miles to
the new world of adventure that
he sought from Culver Creek. The
plot relays the misadventure of
Miles and his friends, filled with far
from amateur prank wars, elaborate
schemes to resist authority, and
torturous love triangles. The novel
is laced with questions such as the
purpose of life, the weight of each
choice we make in life, and what
the real significance of death is, all
while maintaining a lighthearted
sense of fun and growing up.
Looking for Alaska is not just a
great read for its entertaining plot
line and quirky characters, but
rather for how relatable the themes
are to young people today. Green’s
writing style is eerily synonymous
with the thoughts of a teenager,
perfectly expressing the struggles
and excitement that come with the
age. In a time when reading outside
of class has dwindled for most of us,
I implore you to set aside time to
read and enjoy Looking for Alaska.
H
ave you not ic e d
t he m a ny bl a c k
or b s
p oppi n g
up a rou nd t he s c ho ol ?
T h i s spr i n g , Nor t hwe s t
C at hol ic w a s t he luc k y
re c ipient of a D e p a r tme nt f or Home l a nd S e c u r it y g r a nt to i n s t a l l a
v ide o s u r vei l l a nc e s y s te m . T he g r a nt a l lowe d
N WC to on ly p ay 50 %
of t he c o s t f or t he ne w
c a mer a s out of it s ow n
p o c k e t . Nor t hwe s t i s
now home to 4 0 c a mer a s
i n side t he s c ho ol, a nd 8
more out side . Pre sident
D av id Eu s t i s s ay s , “ T h i s
i s a l l p a r t of m a k i n g t he
s c ho ol s a f e a nd s e c u re
mov i n g f or w a rd , i n a dd it ion to a l l of t he ne w
w i ndow s a nd do or s t h at
h ave b e en i n s t a l le d over
t he p a s t t wo ye a r s .”
T he c a mer a s ens u re t h at s e c u r it y re m a i n s a top pr ior it y i n
t he c om mu n it y. T he y
a l low t he a d m i n i s t r at ion to mon itor t he
bu i ld i n g w hen p e ople
a re not t here , s uc h a s
du r i n g
e ven i n g s
or
we e k end s . Not on ly
t h at , but t he ne w s e c ur it y a dd it ion s a l s o a l low
a du lt s to s e e i nside t he h a l l w ay s
du r i n g f i re d r i l l s
a nd
lo c k dow n
d r i l l s to g u a r a nte e no s t udent i s
m i s si n g or no i nt r uder i s end a ng er i n g t he s c ho ol .
T h a n k s to t he
ne w g r a nt , s t udent s a nd f a c u lt y
c a n f e e l e ven s a fer i n t he h a l l s of
Nor t hwe s t .
AVERY HATCH
A
dventures are simply the
most rad. Experiencing
new cultures, people and
places is essential to the human experience. Going out of one’s comfort zone is amazingly comfortable.
As Mark Twain said, “Twenty
years from now, you will be more
disappointed by the things that
you didn’t do than the ones you
did do. So throw off the bowlines.
Sail away from safe harbor. Catch
the trade winds in your sails . Explore. Dream. Discover.” It is pivotal to develop who you are within
the world as a whole by taking
advantage of the opportunities we
are all granted. Though fear may
initially hold us back, the desire to
experience rare or unique events
in new cultures or areas drives us
all to overcome our apprehension.
Or as Robert Frost wrote,
“Two roads diverged in a wood,
and I—I took the one less traveled
by, And that has made all the difference.” The adventures we take
allow us to truly differentiate from
others in our lives. No one will
ever live through the exact same
combinations of events that you
do. Those same events will surely
affect you individually differently
than they would affect anyone else.
JACK CAREW
By Jack Carew ‘16
One of the many new outdoor security cameras on campus
passages
4
JUNE 2015
FEATURES
Catholic Social Teaching
By Jessica Eskander ‘16
“
Lunch will be provided, but
have a good breakfast.” This
ominous note was featured on
the permission slip for the juniors’
recent retreat, which took place on
May 19th to 21st, at Our Lady of
Calvary Retreat Center in Farmington, CT. This retreat aimed to
demonstrate the difficulties that
refugees face, though, as the organizer of the retreat and Director of
Campus Ministry Mrs. Gillespie
remarked, it “barely scratched the
surface” of the true suffering of
refugees worldwide. Through a
morning fast, a simulation activity, prayer, Mass, and multiple
videos and podcasts, the retreat incorporated the themes of Catholic
Social Teaching into a glimpse of
the life of a refugee. “The fasting
really teaches students about the
life and hardships of a refugee and
how it is our duty to help them,”
commented Kerre Lattanzio ’16.
Catholic Social Teaching
is an important aspect of Catholicism, focused on human dignity
and the need to take care of the
poor. Each of the seven themes of
Catholic Social Teaching relates
to the concepts of awareness of
and the need to alleviate the suffering of refugees, but the theme
of Solidarity is especially relevant.
Solidarity was the major
focus of the homily which Father
Emmanuel gave at the junior re-
Speak Life
By Molly Mullen ‘16
treat. He discussed the importance
of unity, particularly in the Catholic Church, and how that unity
attracts members to the Church.
That solidarity directly relates to
the social tradition which we must
adopt to understand and help
refugees. Sr. Angela described the
major takeaway of the retreat as a
greater awareness of suffering, and
urged underclassmen to open their
hearts to participation in their future retreats.
“How do we open
up our country,
our nation, and
our culture to
refugees? How do
we enter their own
culture? We come
together, each
having done our
own little part, to
make things better
for everybody.”
-Sister Angela Marie
Castellani, F.S.E.
“Pray without ceasing,” 1 Thessalonians 5:17
U
pon reading this verse
from the Bible, you will
undoubtedly ask yourself: “How is this possible, I can’t
possibly be in continuous prayer?”
The answer is that if you are living
your life in the name of God, you
are always in prayer, regardless of
what you are doing. Pope Benedict
XVI said that “work and prayer are
one”. He realized that people in
this age are not willing to take the
time each day to pray and talk with
God. Gathering this, he worked to
unite work and prayer. Pope Benedict felt that if people go about
their normal day-to-day activities
acting as God wants us to act, then
that is considered prayer. Whether
this be trying our best in a class or
helping a friend who is struggling
at practice, this would be considered prayer. If we act as children of
God in our work we are in a sense
performing prayer.
“Through our work
we praise God in
the extent to which
we use our gifts.”
-Sister Angela Marie
Castellani, F.S.E.
I
n many cases
though, students
want to take their
faith life further than
simply acting as a child
of God in their daily
lives. This is not only
commendable
and
honorable, but difficult with the rigorous
schedules Northwest
Catholic
students
are faced with. From
homework, performing arts, volunteering,
sports, to countless
other after-school activities, teens simply
do not have much
time for faith, and because of this their faith
life is often put on the
backburner and given
minimal
attention.
When asked about
this issue, Sister
Angela quickly explained that the issue
begins with the common misconception
that having a strong
faith life requires a
lot of time out of
each day, when the
reality is that it can
only take up a few
Val Sal Con’t
H e co ntinue d t o sa y t h a t i n a ll se r i o u s n e s s , Mo c k T r ial d e v e l o pe d his d e b at e an d pu b l ic speaking s kills, a n d h e lp e d m a ke m a n y l as t in g f r ie n d s hips . R e g ar d in g Mat h T e am, J ame s
sa y s, “Co ach H art a n d C oa c h C ur r a n a r e a l s o t w o o f t he mo s t c ar in g c o ac he s in t he s c ho o l ,
a s indi cated by the n e v e r -f a i li n g a p p e a r a n c e o f s n ac k s at e ac h pr ac t ic e . ” He al s o e x pr e s s e s
how t he team allowe d h i m t o m e e t i n c r e di bl e pe o pl e an d d e v e l o p n e w pr o b l e m s o l v in g s k il l s .
Sarah has b e e n a v a r si t y f i e ld h oc k e y pl ay e r f o r al l f o u r y e ar s , as w e l l as a me mb e r
of th e Dram ateurs. F or t h r e e y e a r s sh e has al s o par t ic ipat e d in Un if ie d T he at e r , an d Ul tima te Frisbee fo r h e r se n i or y e a r . Sh e sa y s Un if ie d T he at e r has b e e n e s pe c ial l y r e w ar d in g
a s sh e has seen pe op le wi t h di sa b i li t i e s b r e ak o u t o f t he ir s he l l s an d pu r s u e t he ir in t e r e s t s .
She also s ays bo th U n i f i e d Th e a t e r a n d t h e D r amat e u r s hav e l e d he r t o b e mo r e c o n f id e n t .
When as ked a b out h i s f a v or i t e t e a c h e r s an d c l as s e s , J ame s happil y s aid , “I s al l o f t he m an
a nswer to this ques t i on ? We ll, si n c e I wa n t t o pu r s u e s c ie n c e I w o u l d s ay t hat my f av o r it e c l as s e s
w ere my s ci ence o n e s (sh out out t o AP B i o! ). A s f o r t e ac he r s , e ac h t e ac he r has he l pe d d e v e l o p w ho I
a m today in a di ffer e n t wa y . ” H e we n t on t o li s t s o me o f his f av o r it e t r ait s in his t e ac he r s , c it in g Mr .
O h l heiser’s p en twir li n g ski lls, M r . S wa n son ’s ab il it y t o b e a hu man e n c y c l o pe d ia, Mr s . D o u c e t t e ’ s
openness o n s p eakin g h e r m i n d, M r s. M e t z le r ’ s c o n s t an t s u ppl y o f w hit e b o ar d mar k e r s , an d Mr.
T ressler’s habit o f m a ki n g t h e si g n of t h e c r os s e v e r y d ay in c l as s , s o me t ime s r an d o ml y . I n t he e n d ,
he tr uly believes eac h t e a c h e r a t N or t h we st c a r e s ab o u t t he s u c c e s s an d w e l l b e in g o f t he ir s t u d e n t s .
To Sarah, M r s. M e t z le r a n d Sr a . Bar r e t t s t o o d o u t as t e ac he r s d u r in g he r ac a d emic career. Sar a h c on t i n ue d, “ M r s. Me t z l e r has al w ay s b e e n w il l in g t o l is t e n an d
w or k with her s t ude n t s, a n d wh i le h e r c l as s is c hal l e n g in g , it is o f t e n o n e o f t he mo s t
fu n class es I have i n m y da y . M r s. B a r re t t has a v ib r an t pe r s o n al it y an d b r in g s in c r e d ible energy to he r c la ss, a n d a n a b i li t y t o u n d e r s t an d an d c o n n e c t w it h he r s t u d e n t s . ”
Jam e s h op e s t o le a v e som e ad v ic e t o t ho s e s t il l at N o r t hw e s t at his d e pa r tu re, saying, “Pla n t o h a v e t i m e e a c h d ay d o in g s o me t hin g y o u w an t t o d o . A l w ay s r eser ve so m e tim e t o de c om p r e ss; n o h om e w o r k as s ig n me n t is w o r t h mo r e t han y o u r s an it y.
T ime m anagem ent i s t h e KEY (j ust li ke π ( pi) = 1 8 0 , ac c o r d in g t o Mr . S hu g r u e ) . G o o d
time m anagem ent wi ll ke e p a n y b usy st ud e n t ab o v e t he f l o o d s o f w o r k an d j o b s an d e xtra cu rri culars. M a ke lot s of j oke s (a t a ppr o pr iat e t ime s ) . . . in o t he r w o r d s , d o n ’ t t ak e
l ife too s eri o usly. It c a n b e di f f i c ult f a i rl y o f t e n , b u t mak e s u r e t o f in d t ime t o r e l ax . ”
Sarah als o le a v e s b e h i n d a b i t of ad v ic e , “I t hin k it is impo r t an t t hat s t u d e n t s b al a nce them selves out : p ut t i n g t oo m uc h e mphas is o n o n e c l as s , o n e s po r t o r o n e ac t iv i ty thro ws the res t i n t o t h e b a c kg r oun d, an d t he o t he r s s u f f e r f o r t he s u c c e s s o f t he o n e . ”
N o rthwest C a t h oli c i s e x t r e m e ly p r ou d o f J ame s an d S ar ah, an d w is he s t he m t he b e s t o n
the next step o f th e i r a c a de m i c a n d li f e j our n e y s .
minutes of students’
time. Sister Angela offered many strategies
to infuse faith into
students’ lives more
regularly. “Stop in
the chapel on the way
into school,” she says.
If this is not possible,
just thinking about
God when you pass
the Chapel in your
travels around school
would be helpful. Another way to approach
making prayer a bigger part of your life as
a student is by offering intentions in your
religion class during
the daily prayer. Sister Angela states that
by participating in
this way, students will
create a “community
prayer,” which will
not only make people
more
comfortable
with praying in class,
but confident in their
intentions,
knowing that their peers
are praying for them
too. Sister Angela,
offers that just talking about God at the
lunch table or praying
before lunch will help
students feel a bigger
presence of God in
their lives. Regardless
of how a student decides to incorporate
faith into their hectic
schedules, she says
incorporating it is essential to their studies.
“Students cannot keep
up with busy schedules
if they are not peaceful,” states Sister, “Being with God makes
for a good learner.”
Students of Northwest Catholic are so
fortunate to have such
worthy outlets to help
them with their faith,
and that regardless of
the chaos that ensues
during a school day,
fitting faith in is not as
difficult as it may appear to be.
NWC Bleeds Green
By Caroline Gill ‘16
T
he N WC c om mu n it y g at he re d to g e t he r to c ont r ibut e to t he A me r ic a n
R e d C ro s s Blo o d Dr i ve on M a rc h 18 ,
2 015 f rom 7a m to 12 : 3 0 pm . N WC f a c u lt y,
s t a f f, s t ud e nt s , a nd p a re nt s a l l don at e d t he i r
t i me a nd blo o d to t h i s s e m i- a n nu a l e ve nt .
Eve r y don at e d pi nt s ave s t h re e l i ve s , a nd i n
t he mo s t re c e nt d r i ve , 49 p e ople c ont r ibut e d ,
w h ic h i s e qu i v a le nt to 147 l i ve s .
T he me mb e r s of t he St ud e nt C ou nc i l c ont r ibut e d to t he s uc c e s s of t he Blo o d
Dr i ve . T he y s e t up a nd s e r ve d bre a k f a s t a s
we l l a s sn a c k s a nd d r i n k s to s t ud e nt s don ati n g t h at d ay. K at h r y n D oy le ‘15 c om me nt s ,
“I t h i n k t h at t he blo o d d r i ve re pre s e nt s t he
ove r w he l m i n g c omp a s sion t h at Nor t hwe s t
s t ud e nt s h ave f or ot he r s a nd I re a l ly e njoye d
t he opp or t u n it y of l i s t e n i n g to p e ople ’s re as on s f or c ho o si n g to don at e .” M a ny ot he r s
s t ud e nt s we re a l s o pre s e nt t h rou g hout t he
d ay to of f e r word s of e nc ou r a g e me nt to t he i r
f r ie nd s w ho we re don at i n g.
O ve r t he p a s t f ou r ye a r s , t he Blo o d
Dr i ve ’s p a r t ic ip at ion h a s g re at ly i nc re a s e d .
M r s . Montone y, t he St ud e nt C ou n c i l mo d-
er ator, s t ate s , “Blo o d don at ion s a re u s e d
to he lp t re at a c c ident v ic t i m s , c a nc er p at ient s , a nd c h i ld ren w it h blo o d d i s order s .
We a re g r ate f u l to h ave s t udent s w i l l i n g to
s er ve ot her s i n s uc h a w ay.” Her g o a l f or
t he f ut u re i s to promote t he d r i ve i n ne w
w ay s , s o t he p a r t ic ip at ion w i l l c ont i nue
to g row a mon g s t s t udent s , w h ic h w i l l s ave
more l i ve s . St udent s over t he a g e of 17 a re
g re at ly enc ou r a g e d to c ont r ibute to blo o d
at t he ne x t d r i ve i n t he f a l l .
passages
News
JUNE 2015
Kudos to Carew
NWC Lends a “Helping Hand”
By Caroline Banevicius ‘16
By Rachael Ogbonna ‘16
O
n May 7, 2014, about 50
Northwest Catholic students and faculty members participated in the school’s
Helping Hands meal packaging
event. During this event, Northwest Catholic students, faculty,
and parents collaborated in teams
to put together the packages of
soy flour, rice, vitamins, and dehydrated vegetables for thousands
of people battling food shortages and famine in the West African country of Burkina Faso.
The group packaged
10,000 meals during the two hour
event for those suffering. Helping
Hands is an association developed
Governor’s Scholar Jack
by Catholic Relief Services and
Carew ‘16
Stop Hunger Now. Helping Hands
the National Honor Society and is a movement against hunger that
Spanish National Honor Society.
Throughout his rigorous
course load, three classes emerged
as Carew’s favorites. These classes
are: AP Statistics, AP Biology, and
AP Calculus. His favorite teachers
are Señora Barrett, Ms. KeatingMcKeon, and Mrs. Metzler. Three
teachers which craft challenging
classes, Carew clearly enjoys such
a challenging, yet rewarding academic experience. is a hands on way for Catholics in
the U.S. to tackle malnutrition.
This organization has had a direct
positive and touching influence
on the members of Northwest
Catholic. The Director of Campus
Ministry Mrs. Gillespie expressed,
“We have a lot of students who really have a heart for service and this
was a unique and fun way to serve
and strengthen our school community.” The juniors who helped
organize this event are Eliana Ok
‘16, Jack Carew ‘16, and Emily
Gleixner ‘16. Eliana Ok ‘16 states
that Helping Hands affected her
in a “positive way in that it opened
her eyes to realize how many
people in the world are suffering
and need love and support from Doug McIntosh ‘16 and Robert
others throughout the world.” Rispoli ‘16 attended the Helping
T h i s Hands packing event on May 7.
event pro- are also all called to serve and help
motes the others, even in the simplest ways
C a t h o - such as donating two or three dollic Social lars which helped to support the
Teaching success of the event. Making a difof solidar- ference in the world starts within
ity which small communities and events such
was a topic as this one. The organizers of the
discussed event hope that people will conin the re- tinue to donate and allow the event
cent junior to grow in the future and continues
retreat. We
Matthias Lehmann ‘16, Mrs. Joan Keating-McKeon, and
Mrs. Lisa Huston were eager to help at the packing event
on May 7.
LISA HUSTON
JULIA CHRISTOLINI
ognition for his exemplary school
work and his role in the community
Carew is a current member of both
LISA HUSTON
W
hat is a Governor’s
Scholar? Awarded to
just thirty high school
students from across the state,
the Governor’s Scholar Award
is very prestigious. Principals of
the Connecticut Association of
Schools (CAS) are given the opportunity to nominate one junior
who ranks in the top five percent
of his or her class (www.casciac.
org). Members of the Governor’s Scholars Committee, who
are professional educators, then
judge the applications and assign
a composite score based on the
student’s rank, PSAT or SAT or
ACT scores, and the student essay
(www.casciac.org). Jack Carew
’16 is one of these elite scholars.
In addition to his outstanding academic career, Carew is
an active member of the Northwest
Catholic community. He participates in track and cross country as
well as model UN, Unified Theater, and Mock Trial. Committed
to helping others, he spends time
volunteering, helping out with Relay for Life, and being an international student ambassador. Most
recently, Carew took a leadership
role in the Helping Hands service
project, providing 10,000 meals to
families in Burkina Faso. As rec-
5
Seven Seniors Named Superintendent’s Summa Scholars
By Taryn Nguyen ‘16
KEITH BLOOM
S
eniors Anna Case ‘15, Brendan Fahey ‘15, James Jordano ‘15, Sarah McLaughlin
‘15, Caitlin Nicholas ‘15, Ryan
Sands ‘15, and Abigail Visintainer
‘15 all have one thing in common:
they are the Northwest Catholic
Superintendent’s Summa Scholars of 2015. Earlier this year, Dr.
Dale R. Hoyt, Superintendent
of Schools for the Archdiocese
of Hartford, recognized the seven high achieving seniors from
Northwest Catholic. In addition
to these intelligent pupils, Dr.
Hoyt selected 47 seniors from the
other Catholic high schools in the
Archdiocese. To qualify for this
special recognition, students were
required to be in the top 5% of
their graduating class through the
first semester of grade 12. Therefore, this is an incredible accomplishment for all of these seniors.
On April 27, the 54 students gathered together at a reception at St. Thomas Seminary to
celebrate their impressive achievements. At the ceremony, each
Summa Scholar honored an influential teacher. As a small token of
their gratitude, the seniors gifted
their mentors a certificate of recognition. Case, Sands, and Visintainer all thanked Mrs. Deborah Metzler while Fahey recognized Ms.
Joan Keating-McKeon. Jordano
acclaimed his Latin teacher, Mr.
Ronald Swanson,
while McLaughlin
acknowledged her
Spanish teacher,
Mrs. Ana Barrett.
Finally, Nicholas attributed her
achievements
to Sister Angela
Marie Castellani,
F.S.E. During the
ceremony,
students received a
bronze medallion
as a reward for
their hard work.
On the medallion was an enBrendan Fahey ‘15, Anna Case ‘15, James Jordano ‘15, Ryan Sands ‘15, Abby graving of their
Visintainer ‘15, Sarah McLaughlin ‘15, Caitlin Nicholas ‘15, with Mrs. Joan Keating- name, the crest
McKeon, Mrs. Deborah Metzler, Mr. Ron Swanson, Sra. Ana Barrett, Sr. Angela Marieof the Archdiocese, and a speCastellani, F.S.E.
cial prayer: “May
Northwest Catholic
“This year’s
you find truth through faith,
knowledge
and
wisdom.”
and of course, the
group of Summa
Metzler, honored by
three of the seven Northwest
valedictorian and
Scholars is unique
Catholic Summa Scholars, added,
the salutatorian
because some of
“They are all extremely bright, intellectually curious, motivated, and
are also present.”
them are athletes,
very cooperative learners. In addi-Academic Dean Mr. tion to being ideal students, they
while others are
are, what I consider to be, warm
John Cusson
musicians. They
and friendly people.” Clearly, this
year’s Summa Scholars are talare all involved in
ented all across the board. While
different clubs and
Jordano and McLaughlin are this
year’s valedictorian and salutatoprograms here at
rian, their classmate Case is one
of the captains of the girls’ tennis
team. Visintainer, one of the captains of the girls’ lacrosse team,
is also a notable athlete. Other
scholars, like Fahey and Sands, are
gifted musicians. Their involvement in such activities shows that
Summa Scholars do not just work
hard academically and in a classroom environment, but socially
and in the community as well.
Being recognized as a
Superintendent’s Summa Scholar is a perfect way to end a long
high school career for these seniors. Congratulations to these
seven students as they continue their journey in college!
And for those of you who
aspire to follow in their footsteps,
Mr. Cusson suggests, “Apply yourself in all that you do. These students are proud of themselves, but
are also very humble. You have to
continue to work hard.” Mrs. Metzler advises, “Do not give up. Be
consistent with your work rather
than relying on procrastination.
Build a strong work ethic. All of
the kids I teach are capable of doing great things.”
passages
6
JUNE 2015
Features
N WC Ju n ior Pr om C ou r t f r om le f t t o r i g ht :
To d d K o s s ‘16 , Ja c k M a n z i ‘16 , G e or g e B u r ne t t ‘16 , w it h Pr om
Pr i nc e M a t t S ot t i le ‘16 a nd Pr om Pr i nc e s s A n n ie O ’ Me a r a ‘16 ,
a s w e l l a s Ol i v i a E m m a nu e l ‘16 , R e b e c c a Mol i n ‘16 , a nd C l a i r e
Hu r t a d o ‘16
ART RICH PHOTOGRAPHY
ART RICH PHOTOGRAPHY
Juniors and Seniors Dance the Night Away at Prom
Pr om K i n g L i a m Wa l s h ‘15 a nd Pr om Q u e e n K a t hle e n Wa t e r s t on ‘15
ART RICH PHOTOGRAPHY
ART RICH PHOTOGRAPHY
ART RICH PHOTOGRAPHY
ART RICH PHOTOGRAPHY
M a d d ie B or ow e ic ‘15 a nd Hu nt e r Tr a l l i ‘15
Ry a n S a nd s ‘15 a nd h i s d a t e A n g ie G a d z i a l a ‘15 s h a r e a s low
d a nc e
C o s t a s B ou z a k i s ‘16 a nd A l l i C of f e y ‘15
passages
NEWS
JUNE 2015
7
Fine and Performing Arts Department Welcomes Spring
By Julia Christolini ‘16
w h ic h a re le d by M r.
Aver y ‘ 9 7. T he Ja z z
e n s e mble le d by M r.
A nd re w S e l i g ‘0 6 a nd
t he St r i n g E n s e mble ,
le d by M s . K at a l i n
V i s z me g
p er f or me d
a s we l l . T he C onc er t
to Ne w Orle a n s , m a de
t he n i g ht a n
over a l l s uc c e s s . A sp e cial
thank
you to a l l
w ho don ate d ,
a nd a l a r g e
congratulat ion s on a
g re at p er f orm a nc e to a l l
of t ho s e w ho
Kevin Kearns ‘16, Adam Vancisin ‘15, Dave Kalamarides
participated
‘15, Ian D’Arcangelo ‘16 in the Jazz Combo jam
i n t he e ve nt .
T he
Nor t hwe s t C at hol ic Mu- b e g a n at 6 : 3 0 pm a nd
sic D e p a r t me nt w i l l t he D a nc e R e c it a l
a l s o b e f e at u re d i n c a me s hor t ly a f ter at
t he up c om i n g Fa n- 7: 3 0 pm . T he Nor t ht a s t ic Fe s t iv a l, a nd we s t C at hol ic d a nc e
at
t he
Nor t hwe s t c l a s s e s put on a wonC at hol ic g r a du at ion . der f u l p er f or m a nc e .
T he c ombi ne d T h i s s how f e at u re d
a r t s how a nd d a nc e m a ny g roup d a nc e s a s
re c it a l to ok pl a c e on we l l a s s olo s a nd duM ay 14t h . T he a r t e t s a nd t r io s i n d i fs how f e at u re d pie c - f erent s t y le s s uc h a s
e s f rom m a ny of t he t a p, ja z z , a nd ly r ic a l .
O ver a l l,
t he
a r t c l a s s e s i nc lud i n g N
WC
A
r
t
s
D
e
p
a
r tc l ay, p a i nt i n g a nd
ment
we
lc
ome
d
t
he
d r aw i n g , a nd photo gend
of
t
he
ye
a
r
w
it
h
a
r a phy. T he a r t s how
g re at n i g ht of mu sic .
MARAGERT WILLIAMSON
ART RICH PHOTOGRAPHY
ART RICH PHOTOGRAPHY
T he C onc er t B and, dire c te d by Mr. D ani el Ludd y ‘0 3 , p l aye d a s el e c t i on o f p i e c e s on M ay 1 2
T he S t r ing En s emb l e, p er for me d s el e c t i on s under t he dire c t i on o f
M s . K at alin V i s zmeg
T he In t ro du c t i on to D anc e c l a s s p er for m s to t he
s ong I t ali a
MARAGERT WILLIAMSON
CONNIE KEARNS
C a b a re t Ni g ht on
M ay 9 t h w a s onc e
a g a i n a hu g e s uc c e s s ,
t h i s ye a r s e l l i n g out .
It f e at u re d m a ny of
t he g roup s i nvolve d
w it h t he Mu sic D e p a r t me nt
i nc lud i n g
t he Nor t hwe s t Ja z z
Si n g er s , t he Bi g
B a nd , a nd t he Ja z z
E n s e mble . T here
were e ve n sp e c i a l
p er f or m a nc e s
by
M r s . S a r a h Aver y,
M i s s K ate Mor r a n,
a nd D e a n n a C a s e y
‘16 . T he Te a c up
R a f f le a nd Si lent
A uc t ion were a
hu g e s uc c e s s a nd
f e at u re d
ite m s
Olivia Fenton ‘15, Ava Rooney ‘18, Kevin Kearns ‘16, Dave s uc h a s a Ver a
Ogbonna ‘17, Dan Ogbonna ‘18, Matt Marshall ‘15, Liz Br a d le y tote , a
O’Hara ‘15, and Gia Fenton ‘17 of the Jazz Singers belt out g r i l l s e t , a Pol i s h
a song
Pot ter y s e t , a nd
t ic k e t s to a L a dy
c a l c onc er t . A mon g b a nd , W i nd E n s e mble G a g a c onc er t . T he
t he g roup s p er f or m- a nd Bi g B a nd , le d by don ate d de s s er t s were
i n g were t he C h a m- M r. D a n ie l L uddy wonder f u l a nd t he
b er C hoi r, t he Ja z z ‘03 were a l s o f e a- M a rd i Gr a s t he me ,
C hoi r, t he C onc er t t u re d i n t he c onc er t . w h ic h f ol lowe d up
c hoi r, a nd t he Wom- T he
Nor t h- f rom t he Nor t hwe s t
en’s C hoi r, a l l of we s t C at hol ic Ja z z Mu sic s t ude nt s g oi n g
CONNIE KEARNS
O
n M ay 12t h
at 7: 0 0 pm i n
t he R ic e A ud itor iu m t he Nor t hwe s t C at hol ic Mu sic
D e p a r t ment pre s e nte d t he 2 015 Spr i n g
i n s t r u ment a l a nd vo -
A watercolor painting by Rain Yuan ‘17
passages
8
JUNE 2015
Features
Inside Out: Alicia Susi & Mr. Ohlheiser
Alicia Susi ‘15
I f you c ou ld b e a nyone
e l s e a t N WC w ho wou ld
you b e ?
A l ic i a Su si : M r. Oh lhei s er b e c au s e I wou ld
g e t a l l t he l a d ie s .
Jo s e ph Oh l he i s e r : M r.
Sw a n s on
I f you we r e s t r a nde d
on a d e s e r t i s l a nd , w ho
wou ld you w a nt t o b e
s t r a nd e d w it h a nd w hy ?
A S : M r. Sw a n s on b e c au s e he k now s E V E RYT H I NG .
W h a t w or d s of w i s dom
W hat
three things
c a n you not
l i ve w it hout ?
A S : My bat m a n h a c k y
s a c k , my phone a nd a ja r
of nute l l a
JO : Te a , M i a m i D olph i n s fo otba l l, B a c on
you w hen you’re f l aw le s s
of c at s
W h a t wou ld you r f i r s t
a c t ion a s Pr e s id e nt of
t he Un it e d S t a t e s b e ?
A S : Shut dow n e ver y
C h ip ot le i n e x i s tenc e
JO : H ave a f ter no on te a
w it h t he Q ue en
W ho i s
you r he r o,
a nd w hy ?
A S : B e yonc e
b e c au s e
s he i s
f l aw le s s
JO :
A br aham
L i nc ol n for
obv iou s
re a s on s
I f you c ou ld a s k G o d
one qu e s t ion, w h a t
wou ld it b e ?
A S :W hy d id you c re ate
c at s ?
I f you c ou ld h ave on l y
one f o o d f or t he r e s t
of you r l i f e ( a s s u m i n g
t h a t t h i s s t r a n g e s it ua t ion wou ld not a f f e c t
you r he a lt h ) , w h ic h
f o o d wou ld you c ho o s e ?
A S : C h ic k en C lub Q ue s a d i l l a f rom Mo e’s…no
doubt
JO : Ne w E n g l a nd St y le
C l a m C howder
W h a t a l w ay s m a k e s you
laugh ?
A S : Nat a l ie L oren z o
w hen s he t h i n k s s he s e e s
a de er ( s he t h i n k s s he
w a s k i l le d by a de er i n
her p a s t l i fe )
I f you c ou ld he a r w h a t
s ome one i s t h i n k i n g f or
a d ay, w ho wou ld you
c ho o s e , a nd w hy ?
A S : M r. “Pap a T ”
Tre s s ler b e c au s e he i s t he
g re ate s t m a n a l ive
JO : M r. Cu s s on
W h a t a n noy s you t he
mo s t ?
A S : Not h i n g c a n a n noy
W h a t i s you r g r e a t e s t
a mbit ion i n l i f e ?
A S : To overc ome my fe a r
JULIA CHRISTOLINI
ALICIA SUSI
d o you
l i ve by ?
AS : If
you r
d re a m s
don’t
s c a re
you a
l it t le
bit t he y
proba bly
a ren’t
bi g
enou g h
JO :
D on’t
c ro s s
Mrs.
Hu s ton
I f you
c ou ld
l i ve
a nyw he r e i n t he
world , w he r e
wou ld you l i ve ?
A S : It a ly
Joseph Ohlheiser ‘05
I f you c ou ld m a n a g e
a ny pr of e s sion a l s p or t s
t e a m, w h a t t e a m w ou ld
you c ho o s e ?
A S : If I was managing a
sp or t s te a m it wou ld b e a
d i s a s ter
JO : M i a m i D olph i n s
W h a t w ou ld b e t he t it le
of you r a ut obio g r a phy ?
A S :T he Cr a z i A dvent u re s
of Cr a z i L i
JO : A Br ie f H i s tor y of
Ti me
W h a t m a g a z i ne do you
a l w ay s lo ok f or w a r d t o
g e t t i n g i n t he m a i l ?
A S : A mer ic a n Gi rl ! T he y
h ave a g re at s e le c t ion of
b e d s a nd c lot h i n g for t he
dol l s .
JO : W h at i s t h i s “m a i l ”
you sp e a k of
W h a t r a ndom f a c t a r e
you mo s t pr ou d t o
k now ?
A S : More l a s t i n g m a rr i a g e s h ave b e en pro duc e d f rom T he Bi g g e s t
L o s er t h a n f rom T he
B a c he lor a nd T he B a c he lore t te c ombi ne d
Together, Northwest and IEA are Unified
By Alex Wendorff ‘16
KIMBERLY SPERA
According
Un i f ie d T he ater
Mo der ator, M r s . Tere s a
B ou r n ique , t he s how
i nvolve d
“e x plor i n g
t he p ower of p o sit ive
t h i n k i n g…t h rou g h
s c e n a r io s i n d i f f ere nt er a s of h i s tor y
w here p e ople were
c h a l le n g e d to i ntera c t w it h one a not her
i n p o sit ive w ay s .”
B ou r n ique e x pl a i n s
O ne o f t he Uni f i e d L e ader s , M ar y J o er g ‘16
l o ok s on a s one o f t he g roup s p r ac t i c e s t heir t h at t he pl ay re ve a le d , “t he b e ne f it
s c ene
of c ol l a b or at ion a nd
f r ie nd s h ip i s t i me le s s .” T he N WC p a r t ic ip a nt s le a r ne d t h i s le s s on
f i r s t h a nd t h rou g h t he pl ay, a s t he y e s t a bl i s he d m a ny f r iend s h ip s
w it h t he I E A s t ude nt s . M r s . Aver y s t re s s e s t he i mp or t a nc e of t he
f r ie nd s h ip s f or me d t h rou g h Un i f ie d T he ater. W it h a g re at a mou nt of
t he at r ic a l e x p er ie nc e , M r s . Aver y a c k now le d g e s t he c h a l len g e s pre s e nt i n a ny pro duc t ion, but re c o g n i z e s t h at “t he spi r it of f r iend s h ip at
Un i f ie d m a k e s it a l l wor t h ” t hei r h a rd work a nd s t r u g g le s .
KIMBERLY SPERA
M
e mb er s of t he Un i f ie d T he ater c lub, w h ic h c on si s t s of s t udent s f rom Nor t hwe s t C at hol ic H i g h S c ho ol p a r t nere d w it h
s t udent s f rom t he I nte n si ve E duc at ion A c a de my ( I E A ) i n
order to pr a c t ic e a nd c re ate a pl ay a s we l l a s m a ny f r ie nd s h ip s . Un if ie d T he ater p a r t ic ip a nt s me t f rom Nove mb er 2 014 to e a rly M a rc h
2 015 f or we e k ly pr a c t ic e s . T he N WC a nd I E A s t ude nt s p er f or me d
t hei r m a s ter pie c e , “L e s s on s L e a r ne d t h rou g h Ti me ” f or f r ie nd s a nd
f a m i ly of a l l of t he Un i f ie d T he ater p a r t ic ip a nt s , a lon g w it h ot her
me mb er s of t he Nor t hwe s t C at hol ic c om mu n it y, on M a rc h 6 , 2 015 i n
t he R ic e A ud itor iu m at Nor t hwe s t C at hol ic H i g h S c ho ol . A lt hou g h
t i me w a s l i m ite d , Un i f ie d T he ater me mb er s were de ter m i ne d to r i s e
to t he o c c a sion a nd pro duc e a pl ay me e t i n g t he i r h i g h s t a nd a rd s w h i le
a l s o h av i n g f u n . T he pl ay ’s s uc c e s s i s due to a c ombi n at ion of t he
h a rd work of N WC a nd I E A s t ude nt s , a nd a l s o t he t a le nt of te a c her
a nd mo der ator, M r s . S a r a Aver y, w ho i s a ble to e vok e a nd f i nd t a le nt
f rom e a c h p a r t ic ip a nt . Suc h a g re at t u r nout a l low s f or s e n ior, Fion a
She a’s ’15 f avor ite p a r t of her Un i f ie d T he ater e x p er ie nc e . She a e njoy s
“ k now i n g how i mp or t a nt it i s f or t he f a m i l ie s i n t he aud ie nc e to s e e
t hei r s on, d au g hter, brot her or si s ter s h i ne on s t a g e .”
M emb er s o f Uni f i e d T he a ter rehe ar s e t heir op ening
numb er
I n a dd it ion to c re at i n g f r iend s h ip s , N WC s t udent s g a i ne d
v a lu a ble k now le d g e t h rou g h Un i f ie d T he ater. Un i f ie d T he ater
me mb er Br i g id G aut h ier ’16 c l a i m s t h at t h rou g h her e x p er ie nc e , s he h a s le a r ne d t h at “p e ople do not h ave d i s a bi l it ie s , r at her
t he y h ave d i f f ere nt a bi l it ie s .” A lt hou g h, C h a rle s Fa s e l le ’15, one of
t he Un i f ie d T he ater L e a der s , work s to a c h ie ve h i g h s t a nd a rd s , he
re c o g n i z e s t he u lt i m ate g o a l of Un i f ie d T he ater i s to h ave a g o o d t i me
a nd not to f o c u s on p er f e c t ion . St udent s w ho a re w a r y of t hei r a c t i n g
s k i l l s s hou ld not b e d i s c ou r a g e d f rom p a r t ic ip at i n g i n Un i f ie d T he ater a s m a ny of it s me mb er s a re not i nvolve d w it h a c t i n g out side of
Un i f ie d . More p e ople s hou ld b e c ome i nvolve d w it h Un i f ie d T he ater
b e c au s e a s Fa s e l le s ay s , “w hen we put ou r d i f f erenc e s a side we c a n a c c ompl i s h s o muc h more .”
passages
Features
JUNE 2015
9
HILL takes Holland Grecian Odyssey
By Megan Grandell ‘16
By Megan Grandell ‘16
O
PAUL FITZPATRICK
WILLIAM TRESSLER
PAUL FITZPATRICK
O
ver April break, the Northwest Catholic HILL class took their annual trip. The
concept of the Honors Institute for Leadership in Life (HILL) Class is to consider
various issues from both a theological and a sociological, historical, and economic
perspective. Students participate
in seminars with church and
civic leaders and topics include
the global economy, international relations, and leadership
in society and the church of the
21st century. This year to learn
to about a new culture and approach to life the class decided
to travel to Holland. This trip
to the Netherlands allowed students to learn about another culture while using new experiences
to deepen their spirituality. They
grew closer as a class and
closer to God. They participated in all that the country
has to offer, from walking
the streets of Utrecht to visiting the Anne Frank House.
The HILL Class poses with tour guide Hansy
HILL teacher, Mr. William
Tressler, said that the trip
was “a good opportunity to experience the culture and people of Holland.” Students were
able to appreciate the ways of other countries and see the beauty of the Netherlands. Student
Jessica Jordano ’15 said, “I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to explore a new
culture and along the way, learn more about myself. I realized that the world is huge, the
adventures are captivating, and the opportunities are limitless.” The students who partook in
this trip learned more about God’s entire world, the different people He put on this Earth,
and how this trip has changed their perspective on life. David Kalamarides ‘15 looking back
on the trip and stated, “The trip to Holland was the greatest ten days I have had since entering Northwest Catholic. Experiencing Dutch culture was a unique opportunity I am glad
to have had.”
ver April break, the NWC Social Studies department organized the annual history trip. This year their destination was the beautiful country of Greece. They saw
many historical sights such as the Parthenon, Cape Sounion, the Temple of Zeus,
and Hydra Island. Mr. Paul Fitzpatrick said that “the trip was an incredibly positive cultural experience and a lot of fun.” Students learned about the culture of Greece while interacting with the native people and taking in the sights of the country. Kathleen Waterston
’15 said that, “Greece
was an amazing and
beautiful experience
full of great food, great
memories, and great
people.” Throughout
the trip students got
a chance to become
closer to their fellow
classmates in a new and
culturally enlightening background. Blake
Greenslade ’16 noted,
“Greece was a once
in a lifetime experience that I will never
The Greece group takes a photo op in front of the Temple forget. What made it
even better was being
of Poseidon
with my classmates. They made the trip
fun and unforgettable.” The history trip
next year will be heading to England
and France.b a c k g r ou nd . B l a k e
Greenslade ’
Hope Vaughn ‘15 and Carly Walsh ‘15 jump
into the Aegian Sea
MATT MARSHALL
MATT MARSHALL
Field Day Fun
The “Flyin’ Hawaiians” team in action
MARGARET WILLIAMSON
Gia Fenton ‘17 gets
ready to bump in a
game of volleyball
MATT MARSHALL
MATT MARSHALL
MATT MARSHALL
James Jordano ‘15 takes a turn in the dunk
tank
RJ Place ‘15, Kathleen Waterston ‘15, Kenzie Collyer ‘15 and Will Klein ‘15
pose for a picture before the championship dodgeball game
Micayla Hopson ‘15 takes a
tumble through the obstacle
course
passages
10
JUNE 2015
Sports
Girls Tennis’ on Conquest for Another Title
Track Stars Shine
Girls’ Lacrosse Aims for States
Baseball to the ‘Chip
Record: 9-10
Captains: Evan Michalek ‘15, Zack Niziolek ‘15, and
Hunter Tralli ‘15
Coach’s commentary: “The boys have been working
extremely hard this season and we are looking forward
to playing in the state tournament coming up.”-Coach
Carlson
Schedule: The boys play an extremely tough conference schedule including bigger powerhouse LL schools
Simsbury and Southington. Despite the challenging
schedule, the team has qualified for the CIAC Class S
State Tournament with 9 wins.
Standout Performance: The standout performance
this season has been the boy’s first game against Hall
on 4/29. Junior Justin Gallicchio ‘16 threw a complete
game four hitter and had five strikeouts. He also was
4-4 at the plate with 2 Home Runs and had 4 RBIs to
lead the teams 13-1 victory.
Justin Gallichio ‘16 pitching a
great game
Boys’ Golf on the Green
Captains: Sean Oleasz ’15, Will Horigan ’15
Coach’s Commentary: “The future looks promising
as the younger golfers develop and mature. We hope to
be in the top 5 at states which will be held at Tallwoods
Country Club in Hebron, CT on June
8th.Our senior captains are also potential All-State golfers.” Coach Scott Fletcher
From a Captain: “My main job is to promote good
team chemistry. I’ve made it a point to play with as
many of my teammates as I possibly can. The most important thing is that our team is having a good time.”
Coach Melanson, Sean Oleasz
Will Horigan ’15
‘15, Alex Baczewski ‘15, Will
Schedule: The boys’ team has competed against many Horigan ‘15, and Coach Fletcher
tough competitors, but they were able to persevere and
defeat Simsbury in their first match of the season, 169167. In another close match, the boys won with a final score of 180-179 against Farmington
High School.
Looking Ahead: The boys’ golf team will be taking on Newington at home on May 28th,
looking to further their growth throughout the season. The captains hope to participate in
the CIAC Division IV Championship and bring back a win to the Northwest community.
NOWECA
NOWECA
Record: 9-6
Captains: Lauren Cenci ‘15, Grace Hayes ‘15, Abby Visintainer ‘15, and Christina Wilson ‘15.
Captains’ commentary: “Well every year we typically start off slow in the beginning until we kind of get our groove and mesh as a team. So the first half of the
season was hard for us and we didn’t do as well, but we came out strong at the end.
We did really well beating tough teams like Granby and putting up a fight against
Conard. The post season will be challenging as it is every year, but if we continue
on the road we’re on, with the way we’ve been playing, we have the potential to do
really well.” -Captain Grace Hayes ‘15
Schedule: The girls are in the CCC-West facing numerous formidable opponents
including dominating schools like Farmington and Hall. Outside of their conference, the team has won critical games including the victory over rival Granby
Memorial 14-13 on senior night. As the girls have qualified for the Class S State
tournament and currently sit at the tenth seed, the team will look to face even
tougher competition from around the state.
Standout Performance: On May 12th, Lauren Cenci ‘15 became the fourth
NWC student-athlete this year to become CPTV Sports Player of the Week.
Cenci ‘15 earned this honor for her performance against South Windsor where she
scored seven goals in the 13-10 victory.
Looking ahead for next season: Looking ahead the girls’ team is filled with
young talent including sophomores Elena Hynes ‘17, Meredith Oakley ‘17 and
Maddie Hasson ‘17, who are among the top goal scorers for the team. Sarah Neubert ‘16 and Abby Herron ‘16 will also add depth in the back lines and midfield.
Christian Mackay-Morgan ‘16, Alicia Palmer ‘16, Jayden McAdams
‘16, Virginia Gauteir ‘18, Asa Guest ‘17, Rachael Ogbonna ‘16, Nick
Ravosa ‘17, and Claire Hurtado ‘16 stand proudly after a meet
NOWECA
Girls Tennis Coach Piorkowski, Anna Case ‘15, Gigi Giannone ‘15,
Charlotte Carew ‘15, Angela Miguel ‘15, Kathleen Craig ‘15, Manager Ramone Clahar ‘15, and Coach Deacon Sutherland celebrate
Senior Night
NOWECA
NOWECA
Captains: Chris Nista ‘15, James Jordano ‘15, Adam Vancisin ‘15, Kelsey Geddes ‘15,
Chiara Santavenere ‘15, and Micayla Hopson ‘15.
Coach’s commentary: “Both teams placed 6th at the CCC West Championship meet.
Record: 12-2
Captains: Angela Miguel ’15, Anna Case ’15, Charlotte Carew ’15, Gigi Giannone Christian MacKay-Morgan, Asa Guest, and Kelsey Geddes won their individual events
and the boys 4x400 relay team was victorious as well. We have over thirty athletes going to
’15, Kathleen Craig ’15
Captain’s Commentary: “To be a captain, there’s a lot more responsibility placed in the state championship meets and we are looking forward to great performances.” -Coach
Pat Williamson ‘99
our hands this year but we are always ready for the challenge. We have qualified for
Schedule: The track team has gone up against Class L or LL schools in each dual meet this
states this year and hope to return to the finals to defend our title.” Angela Miguel
year. While each meet brings a new challenge, the team has conquered and consistently
’15
Standout Performance: Senior Captain Anna Case ’15 has proven her athletic skills won sprinting, hurdles, jumping, and throwing events throughout the season. The boys
and ability to lead the girls’ tennis team as an unbelievable singles player on the court will compete in the Class S State Championship on 6/1 and the girls will be competing in
the Class MM State Championship on 6/2.
and a great leader off the court. In the match against Tolland, Anna helped secure
Standout Performance: In a dual meet against Newington the girls and boys 4x100 and
the team’s 7-0 victory. Anna Case ’15 also won in the team’s match against South
4x400m relays won, Kat Jacobs ’18 won the 100 hurdles, Alicia Palmer ’16 won the 400,
Windsor. With this win, the girls qualified for the state tournament. The girls this
Chanelle Clunie ’17 won the shot put, Kelsey Geddes ’15 won the long jump, Micayla
season have also won the CCC-West Conference Title. This is the fourth straight
Hopson ’15 won the triple jump, Asa Guest ’17 won the 110 and 300m hurdles, Christian
year the girls have won this honor.
Mackay-Morgan ’16 won the 400, Jon Granata ’16 won the 200m dash, and Jayson Williams ’17 won the High Jump, Triple Jump and Long Jump.
Looking ahead for next season: For the boys team, Christian MacKay-Morgan ‘16, Jon
Granata ‘16, Asa Guest ‘17, and Brian Waterston ‘17 will look to be top runners for the
team next year. 2014 All Conference jumper Jayson Williams ‘17 and freshman Deante
Anderson ‘18 will also continue to maintain their high performance in all three jumping
events. On the girls side, Alicia Palmer ‘16, Claire Hurtado ‘16, Megan Grandell ‘16,
Rachael Ogbonna ‘16, Emily Driscoll ‘17, Kat Jacobs ‘18, and Virginia Gautier ‘18 are
expected to continue to win points for the team across all running events as well. Chanelle
Clunie ‘17 and Megan Lowe ‘17 will be looked at as the top throwers in shot put and
discus respectively as well next year.
Kathleen Waterston ‘15, Christina Wilson ‘15, Abby Visintainer ‘15,
Caitlin O’Sullivan ‘15, Grace Hayes ‘15, Lauren Cenci ‘15, Lily Vincens
‘15, and Shannon Greene ‘15 with their coaches on Senior Night
Sports
passages
NOWECA
Captains: Zöe Lavoie ’15, Megan Weiss ‘16
Coach’s Commentary: “The girls are doing everything they can to
make it back to the state tournament this year, which is far more difficult to do in girls’ golf because only fifteen teams in the entire state
make it. I’m hoping that they can finish the season strong and reach
the goals that were set way back in March.” Coach Jeff Przech ‘92
From a Captain: Despite her early injury, Captain Zöe Lavoie ’15
says she is proud of her teammates and the improvements everyone has
made this season. “I was
pleasantly surprised with
the easy friendship that
instantly formed amongst
the teammates and the
talent that we brought to
each match. If we keep our
heads up, I have no doubt
that we have a shot at the
state tournament.”
Standout Performance:
Sophomore Kit Mullen
’17 has been a vital asset to
the team in many matches
throughout the season.
She medaled in the recent
match against Conard
shooting a 48, along with
Alicia Moran ’16. During the match against
Simsbury, Kit led the team
shooting a 47. With the
season coming to an end,
Kit hopes to finish the
season strong.
11
“Mennis” Hits the Court
Record: 11-7
Captains: Adam Mendoza ’15, Kyle
Brooks ’15
From a Captain: “We’re a team who
fights to achieve our goals, and it’s been
rewarding to see our hard work produce
the results we want. I’ve been lucky
enough to have the privilege of being
captain for two seasons and it’s been one
of the most rewarding experiences of my
life.” Adam Mendoza ’15
Coach’s Commentary: “The team’s
success has been spearheaded by the
doubles team of Kyle Brooks ’15 and
Patrick Lazor ’16 holding a record of
12-3. Oliver Hasson ’16 is currently at an
impressive 10-5 record.” Coach Timothy
Crowley
Schedule: The boys’ tennis team
defeated Bulkeley by a final score of 7-0,
as well as Windsor by a final score of
6-1. The team’s unity and strong senior
leadership encourage the entire team to
improve, as they have secured a place in
the state tournament.
Looking Ahead: The boys’ tennis team,
led by their strong captains, hosted their
final home game and last match of the
season against Middletown on May 27.
In a few weeks, the boys will be attending the CIAC state tournament in hopes
of securing a win and trophy for Northwest.
NOWECA
Girls’
Golf Shoots for Par
Record: 11-9
JUNE 2015
Wenjia Dong ‘15 focuses on the ball
Captain Zöe Lavoie ’15 keeps score
Softball Hits it Outta the Park Lax is Life
The softball team rushes to celebrate Sabrina Carreira ‘15’s homerun
Captains: Will Klein '15 and James Gibbons '15
Captain’s commentary: “We had a strong season for the team we had this year. Unfortunately last year
we graduated seven senior starters which was obviously a detriment to our season this year but we had
three games where we lost by one goal and still made the conference tournament. There is definitely
promise for the juniors and under classmen next season as this year we only graduated five starters and
there are still three all conference players on the team for next year, including one of the best face off
players in the state.” -Will Klein ‘15
Schedule: The boys’ team has fought incredibly hard this season with a majority of the games being
class L or LL schools. There are only three class S games. The boys have also had five losses that have
come within a three goal differential.
Standout Performance: Connor Murphy ‘16 has a career high faceoff percentage of 74% and 55
points. Right behind Murphy is Gibbons ’15 with 51 pts and he leads the team in assists. While Will
Klein ‘15 leads the defense. Murphy ‘16 and Gibbons ‘15 work together with seniors Logan Wolf ‘15
and Taylor Roth ‘15 at the top of the crease to serve as offensive standouts for the team.
Looking ahead for next season: Two of the top leading scorers returning are Murphy ‘16 and Joe Smith
'17, who will be attacking threats. Mike Camasso ‘16 and freshman standouts Chris Meuser ‘18, Brendan Begley ‘18, and Spencer Merkel ‘18 have consistently been goalscorers for the team as well. With
goalie David Kalamarides ‘15 graduating, the boys will need to look for a new goalie next season.
NOWECA
NOWECA
Record: 8-11
Captains: Anna Hardy ‘15 and Sabrina Carreira ‘15
Schedule: The small and young team has qualified for the Class M
State tournament with their win against Woodstock Academy. This
is the second consecutive year the girls have qualified for the Class M
tournament.
Standout Performance: In a thrilling game on 5/4 the girls defeated
Platt by a final score of 14-4. Freshman Kayla Midney ‘18 pitched
very well, throwing a complete game. Sophomore Caela Daly
‘17 had 5 RBI, senior captain Sabrina Carreira ‘15 was 5-6 with 2
doubles, and junior Kathleen Yorio ‘16 held up the defense.
Looking ahead for next season: 2014 All Conference players Lucia
Baressi ‘16 and Kathleen Yorio ‘16 are expected to continue to be
leaders serving as both offensive and defensive strongholds on the
field next year. In addition, catcher Caely Daly ‘17 and freshman
pitcher Kayla Midney ‘18 will look to make a large impact behind
home plate and on the mound.
The Boys’ Lacrosse team huddles up before a game at the seminary