Insight - Cardinal Gibbons High School
Transcription
Insight - Cardinal Gibbons High School
Cardinal Gibbons High School Volume 45, Issue 3 The Voice of the Chiefs Sister Marie: Matriarch of CGHS By Shawn Kelaher A founding member of Cardinal Gibbons High School, as well as a loving and caring friend, Sister Marie Schramko is the epitome of a true matriarch. Often seen strolling the halls and cheering at the football games, she has always been a special and dynamic part of this school. Since 1961, Sister Marie has been at Cardi- Sr. Marie Schramko nal Gibbons for academic and spiritual guidance, and she continues to be a positive influence on the students and staff today. “She is a true treasure of Cardinal Gibbons. She was and is a role model for me and many young women. Besides my mother, there is no stronger woman I know,” said Ms. Louise Crocco, head of the Gibbons Athletic Department and a former student of Sister Marie Schramko. December 12, 2006 Born on February 10, 1917, in the small town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Sister Marie was raised by her parents, Frank and Julia Schramko, and was the middle of five children. With two older brothers, Frank and Tom, and two younger sisters, Julia and Caroline, she spent her days attending St. Steven’s Grade School and playing outdoors. “I did everything with my brothers. We would play ball and walk for miles in the woods to go berry-picking. I was very athletic,” said Sister Marie. Growing up, Sister Marie attended a Catholic grade school, where many of her teachers were nuns. As the years passed, she came to admire these sisters for their extreme dedication and patience. “I knew that I wanted to be a teacher. I always especially admired my Latin teacher,” said Sister Marie. These women had a profound impact on Sister Marie. They were the role models and inspirational women who led her to become both a nun and a teacher. After graduating from Johnstown Catholic High School in June of 1934, young Sister Marie followed her calling and joined the sisterhood in September of the same year. She went to the Motherhouse of St. Francis’s convent in Joliet, Illinois. The sisters were allowed to write home once a month. Sister Marie-Continued on page 2 The 2006 State Championship Volleyball Team The Lady Chiefs and Coach Crocco win it all. See page 19 In this Issue... News Insight Staff Opinion Sports Volleyball Football Cross Country 2-10 11 12-16 17-22 19 20 21 Golf Entertainment Sudoku Contest Ask Erin TV Survey Fun and Games Anything Goes 22 23-32 24 27 28 30-31 25,26,32 2 Feature December 12, 2006 Sister Marie continued from page 1 By Shawn Kelaher After six years, they were permitted to visit home for a period of three days every three years. “My mother had a hard time accepting my decision,” said Sister Marie. This was a difficult time for them both. As a novice, Sister Marie attended St. Francis University in Joliet; she later went on to the University of Illinois where she majored in Latin. Since 1938, Sister Marie has been a practicing teacher. During the early years of her religious life, she taught at various schools all over the Midwest. The first school to which she was assigned was St. Mary’s High School in Columbus, Ohio, where she taught for eight years. She then went to St. Francis de Salles in Chicago for four years, and after that, she went back to Joliet, Illinois to teach the students of St. Francis Academy for two years. After teaching five years at Marybrook Academy in Maumee, Ohio, and four years at St. Procopious in Chicago, Sister Marie was sent to Fort Lauderdale in 1961 to help establish a new school. She, along with several other sisters, came to Cardinal Gibbons High School, a co-institutional school where the priests taught the boys, and the nuns taught the girls. The boys and girls were in separate buildings, but they shared the same facilities, such as the cafeteria and the library. During this time, Sister Marie, who was known as Sister Conradine, was the principal of the girls’ school, and Father Kershner was the boys’ principal. Since he had never before been a principal, Father Kershner often went to Sister Marie for advice. “She was a dynamic force in establishing the academic reputation of this school. Sister Marie is responsible for the first accreditation from SACS. Everything she did contributed to the growth and initiation of the school,” said Father Kershner. After twelve years, Cardinal Gibbons finally went co-ed, which was recommended by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). It was then that Sister Marie became the school’s assistant principal. Sister Marie belongs to the Order of the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate. “When I was told back in ’63 that another sister was being assigned to Cardinal Gibbons, I asked our Mother Superior to send someone who could handle seniors,” Insight said Sister Marie. Sister Janet Rieden arrived at CGHS, and she became the official senior moderator; she was known then as Sister Jonathan. The two sisters have known and worked together for 44 years. Sister Janet said, “Sister Marie has been a great model because she is always confident, upbeat and devoted to what has Sr. Marie Conradine, to be done. The past forty- OSF- Principal 1964 four years have been a pleasure.” Among the numerous students they have educated over the years, many of them include Cardinal Gibbons’ former and present faculty members, Ms. Crocco, Mr. Cubas, Mrs. Welsh, Ms. Abrams, Mrs. Lee, and Miss Gertzlin, to name a few. Because Sister Marie loves athletics and played basketball in high school, she is a great fan of sports and tries to go to all of the Gibbons home games. She enjoys reading about foreign places and popular travel destinations. She also enjoys the company of her cat, Bow-Tie. Sister Marie loves to sew and make dresses using her favorite colors of yellow and light pink. She, along with the help of Sister Janet and Sister Helen, made the Baptismal dress of Mrs. Hanke’s daughter, Kristin. “The dress has been passed down to all the Hanke grandchildren; it is a wonderful reminder of all the things the Cardinal Gibbons family owes to this great person,” said Mrs. Hanke. Mr. Paul Ott, principal of CGHS, said, “Sister Marie is the foundation upon which Cardinal Gibbons has been built. She has been the guiding force, nurturing Cardinal Gibbons’ growth from two partially completed buildings on a sand-strewn campus in September of 1961, to the outstanding educational facility we have become. Many people have contributed in many ways to the success of Cardinal Gibbons, but no one has contributed more than Sister Marie. We owe her much.” As her ninetieth birthday draws near, Sister Marie said, “I don’t think about it; it’s just a number. I really don’t feel 90.” The Cardinal Gibbons family is planning a celebration to honor this extraordinary woman on her birthday. Insight An important event By Joanna Sandager On Thursday, November 2, Cardinal Gibbons hosted its annual College Night. It is one of the many ways that the Guidance Department goes above and beyond to prepare students for college and the admissions process. This event is open to the public and is hosted by Cardinal Gibbons. The gymnasium was transformed with almost 150 college and university representatives stationed at booths ready to meet with students and their families and share valuable information. The University of Florida, Florida State University, University of Miami, The Naval Academy, Ohio State University, and Yale were a few of the many schools in attendance. College Night is an important event for all college bound students. As the college selection process becomes increasingly competitive, it is important for applicants to keep their options open and apply to multiple schools. Some college admissions offices even take into consideration the student’s interest in the school by tracking how much contact the applicant has had with representatives. Students of all grades were invited to meet representatives, make contact with schools of interest, and discover new opportunities. Members of the National Honor Society greeted the representatives and helped them unload Exchangettes fly through second quarter By Lauren Traver With the advent of the second quarter, the Junior and Senior Exchangettes have kept on going strong, showing no signs of stopping. Various projects from the first quarter included the Becca’s Closet Drive, the Breast Cancer Walk, and several events to benefit Dynamo’s. The Exchangettes Club moderator, Vanessa McConville, is certainly proud of the club’s latest accomplishment: Cardinal Gibbons is now a Becca’s Closet chapter, something McConville has been working toward since the beginning of the school year. The Exchangettes embarked on a new project in October to benefit Guardian Ad Litem, an organi- News December 12, 2006 3 their materials, while Student Leadership members passed out cookies and punch to all the visitors. The Exchangettes also aided in restoring the gym to its normal state after the event. Mrs. Blyth, who is the head of the Guidance Department, and Mrs. DiGiorgio, the guidance office secretary, organized and led the event. They were excited to see it all come together so well after last yea’s cancellation due to Hurricane Wilma. Although it rained throughout the evening, over 1,000 people were in attendance. Student Leadership member Marissa Prieto handed out cookies and refreshments to college representatives and to those who attended College Night. zation which removes children from abusive homes. The project asks the girls to put together bags of various toiletries for both males and females; the goal of the project is to fill 125 suitcases with these toiletry bags. Banana Republic has supplied the club with the suitcases and the project will continue throughout the year until the goal has finally been met. The grand opening of Macy’s in the Galleria Mall in November also presented the club with yet another project. Eighteen girls volunteered to pass out flyers to shoppers at the Galleria during the store’s much-anticipated opening. The Locks of Love hair drive, which will take place in late January or early February, will call any willing Exchangette to donate ten inches of her hair to this renowned organization. More information on the drive will be forthcoming. 4 News December 12, 2006 The “key” to the community By Lauren Traver With the first half of the school year almost complete, members of the Cardinal Gibbons Key Club have already completed nine projects to benefit both the school and the community. The month of October included familiar projects for the club, such as “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF.” Members are asked to go door-to-door on Halloween night to ask for loose change to benefit UNICEF. Over $400 was raised to benefit the world-renowned organization. Members also put together bags of cookies and delivered them to all members of the Cardinal Gibbons faculty and staff as a token of their appreciation. In November, Key Club members decorated St. Andrew’s Catholic Church for Thanksgiving (they will do the same for Christmas in mid-December). Members also had a book drive to benefit young underprivileged children. Under the guidance of new staff member, Mrs. Susan Quailey, the club has participated in several projects this year that are completely new. A Home Away from Home By Lexie Perreras Since 1974, the hearts of more than ten million families around the world have been personally touched by the Ronald McDonald House Charities. The Ronald McDonald House is a safe place for families to eat and relax. Every night, these families can sleep in one of 6,000 accommodations available worldwide. Most importantly, however, this charity strives to offer a “home away from home” to its guests. The Ronald McDonald House Charities were founded over twenty years ago, beginning with the establishment of the first house in Philadelphia built in honor of Ray Kroc, a children’s advocate and founder of McDonald’s. The plan for such a house was the joint creation of Dr. Audrey Evans and former Philadelphia Eagles’ player, Fred Hill, whose daughter suffered from leukemia. While his daughter received treatment, he and his Insight “Caring for Kids,” a new project, took place on November 7th. Club officers created packets of safety tips aimed for parents of young children, covering various safety issues such as Water Safety, Bike Safety, and Gun Control. The highly informative packets were then passed out to elementary school kindergarten classes to benefit the children’s parents. A final project for the Key Club titled “Caring: Pass it On” saw members performing random acts of kindness for their peers; each member was given two cards to give to another person after performing a random act of kindness. This person was then told to perform a kind act for another peer, and so on, passing on the card each time. This new project was intended to be reminiscent of the film Pay it Forward, but on a smaller scale. This year’s Key Club officers include President Jennifer Pernas, Vice-President and Historian Ashley Witherow, Secretary Amy Williams, Treasurer Theresa Privett, Senior Class Representative Dina Hassan, and Junior Class Representatives Francesca Filiberto and Emily Schwartzbaugh. wife often felt they had nowhere to go. Thus, the mission of this charity became to provide a homey atmosphere for the families of critically ill children who are receiving treatment at nearby hospitals. Today, over 245 Ronald McDonald Houses exist in 26 countries around the world. As one of the most widespread non-profit organizations, volunteers are at the core of this program. A few CGHS students have received an opportunity to volunteer at the House in Downtown Fort Lauderdale as members of the 2006-2007 Young Friends Board. These students were chosen from a wide pool of applicants consisting of students from around Broward County. Seniors Shannon Blyth, Michael Bakum, Natalie Clark, Lexie Perreras, and Summer Preve have received this honor. As members of the Young Friends Board, these students will serve as ambassadors by promoting the house in their communities and by hosting several fundraisers to benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities throughout the year. Insight Phunky Physics By Natalie Clark and Lisa Stengel Who was that eccentric man dressed in gladiator gear? He is Mr. Herrmann, the new Physics teacher extraordinaire. With an unconventional way of teaching, he’s opening the doors of his classroom, literally. Whether dropping eggs or flinging golf balls, Mr. Herrmann’s students are experiencing hands-on physics. Mr. Herrmann’s Physics class was first put to the test when students were assigned a project involving 1400 toothpicks, 1 egg, and 2.5 oz of Elmer’s white glue. With these materials, the students were required to design a structure that would allow an egg to survive a twenty foot drop. When questioned about the outcome of his egg drop, Sean O’Leary said, “My yolk broke.” Their next task went a little Ancient Greek, challenging the students to construct a working catapult that would hit hula hoop targets at ranges of 10, 20, and 30 meters. Mr. Herrmann’s creative ideas spawned from a previous teaching experience that involved creating and presenting educational workshops on physics to teachers in Ohio. News December 12, 2006 5 When asked, “Why physics?” Mr. Herrmann responded, “Physics is the hardest and most fun subject at the same time. It is tough and makes you really think about the world around you. You must think abstractly and not everyone has the capacity for it. Physics really separates the mental giants from the wannabe’s. I have taught A firefighter drops an egg Biology, Marine Biol- while students below hope ogy, Chemistry, and the egg will survive the imEnvironmental Sci- pact. ence, but Physics is by far my favorite.” With a goal to make learning fun, Mr. Herrmann has several new projects in store. Look forward to seeing balloon and water powered rockets, fling machines and boats in the future. Get physical! Heisman Award Nominees By Lexie Perreras Seniors Preston Kafka and Joanna Sandager were honored with a nomination for the prestigious Wendy’s High School Heisman Award. The program, awarded in conjunction with the collegiate Heisman, celebrates the achievements of the nation’s top high school seniors both in and out of the classroom. Sandager and Kafka were nominated for this award based on the following accomplishments: GPA, Civic Involvement, and Sports Involvement. Created in 1994, the Wendy’s High School Heisman program has been celebrating youth excelPreston Kafka and Joanna Sandager lence for 13 years. The program consists of 5 phases: Nomination, State Finalists, State Winners, passed on to a distinguished panel of judges. National Finalists, and National Winners. Entries Twelve National Finalists were invited to are initially evaluated by ACT Assessment during participate in the Heisman weekend festivities in the State Finalists and State Winner phases and then New York City on December 8-10. 6 News December 12, 2006 Insight “Thanks”giving Drive By Giuliana Francini Many people do not realize how much they have and how little others may have. So, every fall, CGHS has a Thanksgiving Drive to help the less fortunate. This year, the dress-up day pass was $5.00, and the money raised went towards Publix certificates. Many wrote checks freely giving money to this good cause. Canned goods were also donated by students to add to someone’s Thanksgiving meal. The desired goal was to raise $4,000; however, CGHS managed to raise $4,800. The Foreign Language Department kindly helped collect and deliver all of the canned goods and certificates to the needy around the county. Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for all of life’s blessings. Chiefs Come Together By Carly Arcella Over ninety of Cardinal Gibbons athletes have come together to make a difference. Moderated by Mr. Lonteen the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) has been rejuvenated at Gibbons. Started in 1954, this nationwide organization challenges athletes and coaches at both high school and college levels to “impact the world for Jesus Christ.” FCA is where athletics and service to others come together; participants focus on serving their local communities by equipping, empow- Senior SHS members are organizing the food for the Thanksgiving Drive; left to right: Autumn Martin, Summer Preve, Lisa Stengel, Ally Ross, Amanda Ledbetter, Erica Najmabadi, and Sean Murphy ering and encouraging people to make a difference. Lead by President Summer Preve and Vice President Natalie Greco, the Cardinal Gibbons chapter of FCA has collected 270 pieces of sports equipment for the less fortunate. Their ministry this year also hopes to put together “victory” boxes. The victory boxes will be filled with items to aid the Iraqi children. The boxes will be given from the American people to the Iraqi people through our soldiers. This FCA project is a small step toward restoring the distorted image of Americans in the Middle East. Insight Helping Others Help Themselves By Lexie Perreras “If you give a man a fish, he will eat for a day. If you teach him how to fish, then he will eat for a lifetime.” The mission of the Guatemalan Project, Inc. has been to do just that. The Guatemalan Project is a private non-profit organization. Its goal is to create sustainable communities by promoting social and economic development. However, this organization has taken a unique approach in helping others. Rather than give charity to a region in desperate need, the Guatemalan Project provides a community with the funds and training required for projects such as building infrastructure. The community itself is responsible for supplying the labor needed to build and maintain these projects. Guatemalan Project, Inc. was formed in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Mitch in 1999. Doctor Cecilia Campoverde, a professor at Florida Atlantic University, is the project’s director. Shortly after the storm, she traveled to Guatemala in order to identify a village that would reap the most benefits from the installation of a potable water well. It was determined that El Triunfo, a town with ap- SHS lends a hand for the holidays By Lauren Traver The Cardinal Gibbons Spanish Honor Society is constantly on a mission to offer aid to the community, and this holiday season has been no different. The club sponsored a very successful (Left) Julie Vella and Thanksgiving food Christine Miller drive in midNovember; each member was asked to donate several food items to benefit Sheridan House, an organi- News December 12, 2006 7 proximately 800 people, would receive the potable water. After several meetings with the people of El Triunfo, Dr. Campoverde and her team helped the community to organize and define its priorities and necessities. The women, especially, voiced their desires for employment opportunities in order to earn their own money. In addition, they expressed their needs for education and health care. The Guatemalan Project has achieved much since its establishment only a few years ago. El Triunfo, which means “triumph”, now has a school with eight classrooms, and in December, seven students will be graduating from elementary school. A health clinic and dental clinic have also been built. Over the years, more than 115 families have been provided with loans. Currently, funds are being raised to build a community center and vocational training school. This year, the Spanish Connection will participate in Guatemalan Project’s Sponsor a Child Program. Though this town has a school, many students do not attend because their parents cannot afford the expense. Particularly, Spanish Connection will be collecting school supplies that will be sent to students in El Triunfo. zation which offers aid to families with serious short-term economic needs. SHS also sponsored a car wash in November, this time to raise funds for the Saint Martin Mission to Honduras, to which club moderator Patricia Zamora has close ties. An ongoing project for the Spanish Honor Society called “Meals on Wheels” started up this month. Club members are called to grocery shop for senior citizens who are not able to leave their homes, due to paralysis or terminal conditions. Spanish Honor Society also plans to attend “Fiesta Fort Lauderdale” at Las Olas Riverfront, a monthly showcase of Hispanic food, music, dancing, and culture. Members of SHS are currently tutoring students who struggle in Spanish; aid is given Monday through Thursday after school in room B-1. Any student needing help is highly encouraged to attend. With so much already accomplished, the Spanish Honor Society is sure to have an eventful second semester. 8 Ad December 12, 2006 Insight News Insight Excelsior Excels By Carly Arcella Since the beginning of August, the yearbook staff has been working tirelessly to top last year’s Excelsior. Every year a new and even more creative and colorful yearbook gets published for all of the student body to enjoy. This year’s 44th volume is expected to do just that. The staff includes Casey Barretto, Autumn Martin, Alex Roberts, Kelly Dunne, and Catherine Delmonico. This year’s Editor is Cristi Parkinson, and CoEditors include Katie Tighe, and Alan Goldberg. Mrs. Penny Minich, advisor, pushes her staff to do its best and think outside the box. Working diligently for close to twenty hours a week, the staff completes numerous layouts and collages. A Herff Jones representative picks up completed sections of the yearbook usually twice a month. The sections are then sent December 12, 2006 to the plant in North Carolina to be published. The staff works hard to meet deadlines to make sure the Chiefs get their yearbook on time. They create and design the yearbook in the elusive room A-9; all of their work is kept top secret until distribution at the end of the year. Each year’s Excelsior has expanded and grown reaching close to 550 color pages. “The color photos are great; they really show the diversity of CGHS,” said sophomore Alex White. The yearbook usually contains about ten full-spread collages which can sometimes fit between 250 to 300 pictures. “It’s so much fun piecing everything together, and then to finally see the big picture,” said editor Cristi Parkinson. Receiving the yearbook is a much anticipated event among both the faculty and students. It really takes about a week to enjoy every aspect of the yearbook from the theme, to class pictures, to the senior baby ads. Mrs. Minich said, “We have a great staff, and I am Holocaust Remembrance By Carly Arcella On the morning of Wednesday, November 15th, juniors and seniors boarded a bus to the David Posnack Jewish Community Center in Davie. The seventeen students who participated were given a unique opportunity to learn about the Holocaust in a very personal setting. Each student was placed at an individual table with a mix of students from different high schools who were also invited to this special event. Accompanying them at each table was a holocaust survivor in ad- 9 From top to bottom, left to right: Casey Barreto (Editor), Cristi Parkinson, and Katie Tighe (CoEditor); second row: Alex Roberts, Taylor Castle, and Autumn Martin; leaning: Kelly Dunne and Catherine Delmonico; seated: Katie Lamberti, Alan Goldberg (CoEditor), and Allison DelMoral sure this is going to be the best yearbook yet. I am extremely excited to see the reactions from the students and faculty.” dition to a small group facilitator. “Listening to the survivors was really interesting,” said junior Leif Lunde. The students were able to ask questions while Holocaust survivors described their heart-wrenching experiences. As the storytelling continued, some survivors even showed the students the tattoos that they received from concentration camps. The personal testimonies shared made the horrific events that took place during World War II very real to each of the high school students. “It made me see the reality and the impact of the Holocaust. It was definitely an experience that will stay with me,” said Casey Barreto. 10 News December 12, 2006 Insight A Flag for Freedom By Lexie Perreras Folding a flag for freedom may seem like an impossible thing to do. Student Leadership, however, is making it happen. In November, Student Leadership participated in the Pocket Flag Project. Formed in 2001, the goal of this organization is to get as many flags as possible into the pockets of our service men and women currently on the front lines. The idea developed when a group of Cub Scouts noticed that their leaders, who served in the Vietnam and Gulf War, carried flags in their shirt pockets. The Cub Scouts learned that these veterans were not only patriotic but that the flag was a symbol of great importance to them. The Pocket Flag Project initially started with a package of 100 folded flags which were sent to the Naval Reserve. This initiative has now spread to all of the 50 states and groups around the country are folding and packing flags to send throughout the world, especially to troops serving in Iraq. In addi- NHS Goes Global By Joanna Sandager Thanksgiving celebrations inspired members of the National Honor Society to give to those who far too often go without. Although the NHS is an organization dedicated to serving the local community, the officers this year decided to turn their October and November service project into one that would have a global impact. In lieu of the food drives and dress-up days Mr. Cubas led, the NHS collected over 150 shoeboxes filled with Christmas gifts. The project was part of the Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child program which delivers gift-filled shoeboxes and a Christmas message to poverty stricken children in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Samaritan's Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization that provides spiritual and physical aid to needy people around the world. Last year alone Samaritan’s Purse delivered Left to right: Janet Holtfreter, Will Savor, Michelle Dzung and Kristi Ray are folding flags. tion to the folded flag, the military personnel receive a note that reads: “A flag for your pocket so you can always carry a little piece of home. We are praying for you and we are proud of you. Thank you for defending our country and our freedom.” over 7.6 million shoeboxes in over nine countries around the world. Each shoebox was filled with toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other toiletries, school supplies, coloring books, and toys. Once the boxes were packed, wrapped, and labeled boy or girl, they were dropped off at Calvary Chapel to be shipped to Georgia. Once in Georgia the gifts were completed with a story book about the birth of Christ in the native language of the children receiving the gifts. From there the shoeboxes will be shipped to various countries across the globe. NHS members were happy to contribute to the worldwide effort. “It’s exciting to think that the shoeboxes we collected will be given to children millions of miles away, but at the same time it’s sad that it is probably the only thing they will receive for Christmas,” Lexie Perreras said. The individual effort may be small, but each shoebox will have a significant impact on the child who receives it. This project truly represents what Christmas is all about: giving to those in need and sharing the message of our Savior’s birth. Insight Staff Insight December 12, 2006 Insight Staff: Dedicated to providing a deeper vision of scholastic, spiritual and social activities 11 Adrienne Tegreeny, and Lauren Traver Contributors: Christina Kennady and Summer Prevé Editor-in-chief: Carly Arcella Staff Photographers: Carly Arcella, Karli News Editor: Karli MacDonald MacDonald, Lexie Perreras, Joanna Columnists: Erin Kelley and Nick Gereffi Sandager, and Lisa Stengel Sports Editor: Sean O’Leary Entertainment Editor: Natalie Clark Contributing Photographers: Brother Michael Brickman, Lauren Cuervo, Pia Staff Writers: Carly Arcella, Natalie Flutie-Davis, and Brian Hall Clark, Giuliana Francini, Nick Gereffi, Jessica Hill, Shawn Kelaher, Erin Kelley, Adviser: Mrs. Rita Loewe Karli MacDonald, Sean O’Leary, Lexie Perreras, Joanna Sandager, Lisa Stengel, Established November 1962 The Insight Staff wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Left to right: Nick Gereffi, Carly Arcella, Erin Kelley, Lauren Traver, Lisa Stengel, Natalie Clark, Karli MacDonald, Adrienne Tegreeny, Giuliana Francini, Sean O’Leary, Jessica Hill, and Shawn Kelaher (Absent for picture: Joanna Sandager and Lexie Perreras) General/Advertising Information: Contact: insight@cghsfl.org or call 954-491-2900 ext. 265 Please support our advertisers 12 Opinion December 12, 2006 Where are you, Christmas? By Joanna Sandager Next to birthdays, Christmas seems to be everyone’s favorite holiday. Even before Thanksgiving is celebrated, Americans are inundated with all things Christmas. Department stores are adorned with red ribbons and wreaths while thousands of children line up to sit on Santa Claus’ lap. Christmas trees are sold on every corner. Shoppers can even pick one up at Publix after they are done grocery shopping. Little children watch countless films about Frosty the Snowman and the Jingle Bell Rock seems to be playing everywhere. The biggest sign that Christmas has arrived are the sales in every store and advertisements trying to sway consumers to buy more for the ones they love. My question now is where is Jesus in all this holiday hoopla? Isn’t He the reason we call it Christmas? Without a doubt, next to Easter, Christmas is the most significant holiday in the Christian religion. It is the time we celebrate the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ, who would grow up to die on the cross for our sins. While many of our traditions surrounding December 25th have their origins in pagan winter festivals, Christmas itself is fundamentally about Christ. Unfortunately, Santa seems to have taken Jesus’ place. Realistically, very few kids are thinking about Jesus while they tear open their presents from Santa Christmas morning. Instead of sitting around the fire learning about the Three Wise Men, children learn Insight about how Rudolph courageously led Santa’s sleigh through the fog. The secularization of Christmas is the direct effect of marketing ploys and the avarice of big companies. For executives of companies like Macy’s and Toys R Us, Christmas means profit. It is the happy time of year when people buy more because advertisements have warped the Christian teaching of giving into one of spending. Christmas was generally a minor holiday in America until the late 1800’s. This is ironically the same time Macy’s department store began publicizing the holiday as an opportunity for people to show their families how much they care by buying them more merchandise. They even kept some stores open until midnight on Christmas Eve. It is no surprise the Puritans shunned Christmas. Christmas is no longer a time for Jesus. It is instead a time for hedonistic festivities. Nowadays people who aren’t even Christian celebrate Christmas. Society doesn’t want prayer to Jesus in schools or in the government, but they have no problem taking a whole month out of the year to celebrate Christmas. No doubt others before me have realized this irony. It is why we must now be politically correct and refer to all the festivities from November through December as the “holidays.” No longer do signs say “Merry Christmas,” but instead “Happy Holidays.” God forbid we insult anyone’s religion by not including them. Quite frankly, I’m insulted. At least our money still says, “In God we trust”. Yes, I am sure big corporations and economists do have faith in God. They trust that each December the birth of God’s son will bring them profit and good cheer. Martha Kelaher 1108 SE 14th Terrace Deerfield Beach, Fl 954-360-9628 954-612-5190 cell Opinion Insight December 12, 2006 The Doctor Is In By Erin Kelley Most everyone sauntering the halls of Cardinal Gibbons today knows all too well the mustached face that scurries around the cafeteria perfecting the salad bar. Chef Dane, or, as he is better known, Doctor Lunch, will kick any student out of the cafeteria’s white walls and red counters if that miscreant waltzes in with a backpack on, all while refilling the hot sauce dispensers, the Kool Aid, and, of course, the Choco Taco supply. Yes indeed, the Doc will certainly suppress the insatiable appetites for those deliciously stuffed wraps munched upon Monday through Friday; and he’ll do it with finesse. With his hilarious one liners and baseball cap (that he rocks indoors), one can always peruse the foodstuffs offered in these lovely napkin strewn halls with glee. From those delicious M&M cookies to the sugar ones that taste faintly like burnt hair (really taste them next time), Dr. Lunch Chicken Wraps: God’s Little Piece of Heaven A commentary by Nick Gereffi It is said that there are seven wonders in this world. Amongst them: the Sphinx of Egypt, the Great Wall of China, and the Pyramids of Giza. I would like to add an eighth wonder to this list (and no, I’m not talking about The Color Purple’s ability to transform lives ). I, my friend, am speaking of the illustrious chicken wraps made in the Cardinal Gibbons cafeteria. I like to think that the wraps I consume each day are made with tender love and care by the angelic cherub who prepares them. From the crispy chicken to the appetizing sauce, each bite seems sent directly from our Lord above in Heaven. I get the 13 offers a variety of sensational goodies to masticate and digest all week long! And what food critic could forget the grill? That man is a master of all things barbeque. With his friendly cafeteria staffers (shout out to the wrap ladies) the Dane Thompson, Doc works the Dr. Lunch room, gliding past the Lays Baked Potato Chips and into the hearts of everyone. Chef Dane aims to please, and he can rest assured: he certainly does. same thing every day, yet, like a good episode of The Wonder Years, it never grows old. It seems I am not the only one who lives for the chicken wraps, however. I (along with hundreds of others) brave long and sometimes unbearable lines every afternoon. Sometimes, things get downright dirty. One day last week, I was waiting and happened to be stationed in front of the pizza area. Some feisty freshman girl proceeded to push me out of the way to get to the pizza, only to cut my fellow wrap mongers in the back of the line. Needless to say, she was expelled from the cafeteria quicker than Britney and K-Fed’s marriage. The price of the wrap is slightly exaggerated, but who cares? Can you put a PRICE on entry to the gates of heaven (or the nectar and ambrosia of the ancient myths?) So goes the wrap, for which I’d pay endless amounts of money (and my future children.) I’d advise you to do the same, but that would just contribute even more to the growing lines in the cafeteria, so let’s just say… enjoy it from afar. This publication is printed by Print Dynamics 1721 N. Federal Hwy., Ft. Lauderdale (954-563-0775) 14 Opinion December 12, 2006 A tree in your living room doesn’t necessarily mean it's Christmas. By Lisa Stengel After the rip-roarin, tree-splitting hurricane season of last year, expert meteorologists predicted that our planet would be in an active period of storms that would last approximately ten to twenty years or longer. It was expected to be a “more active than average” 2006 Hurricane season. Floridians were prepared for any storm remotely within the “red cone” area. However, compared to last season’s twenty-eight spawned storms (fifteen of which became hurricanes), this year’s season has been remarkably inactive. Could such a drastic change in the weather pattern be the result of a natural phenomenon? Expert meteorologists say that the chances of Mauvelous By Lisa Stengel It’s not officially a color until you find it in the Crayola crayon box. Wacky color names such as “razzle dazzle rose,” “robin’s egg blue,” and “purple mountain’s majesty” have been a trademark of Crayola for the past century. Crayola crayons were introduced to the world in 1903 when cousins Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith sought a colorful and nontoxic drawing medium for children. The first box of Crayola crayons sold for just a nickel and had only eight colors—black, brown, blue, red, purple, orange, yellow, and green. The crayon box has since grown in size, with a broad spectrum of 120 colors. The biggest box of Crayola crayons consists of 200 crayons, including glitter and glow in the dark crayons. Crayola’s modern crayon ideas consist of pearl brite crayons, scented crayons, and believe it or not—crayons that wash off walls for unruly children. Over the years, new colors were added and Insight a catastrophic storm forming in the Atlantic at this point in time are unlikely. Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center, explained “The later you get in the season, certainly as you get closer to November, it’s rare to have a major hurricane.” For the record, nine storms spawned this year—only five of which became hurricanes. None of this season’s hurricanes have struck the United States, a shocking statistic for those who remember being without power for weeks at a time. This year’s surprising inactivity, according to experts, is the result of the El Nino weather phenomenon. El Nino increases crosswinds in the Caribbean that are capable of dissipating storms, and even preventing them from forming. Mayfield further explained that El Nino led to atmospheric conditions that were too stable for strong storms to form. But don’t eat the 20 cans of Spaghetti-Os in your pantry just yet; El Nino is the unusual warming of Pacific waters and is not expected to last long. The hurricane season isn’t over, and could possibly last through December. Although a major storm is unlikely, it might be wise to learn to assemble a portable generator by candlelight. others retired. Some colors also underwent name changes. In 1958, the color “Prussian blue” was renamed to “midnight blue.” At this point in time, teachers believed children were no longer familiar with Prussian history to identify this particular shade of blue with the famous blue uniforms of Prussian soldiers. In 1962, the civil rights movement led to the renaming of yet another color—“Flesh.” This tone was changed to “Peach” to recognize that skin comes in a variety of shades. In 1998, the crayon “Indian Red” was changed to “Chestnut” after teachers complained that children might wrongly identify this color with the skin tone of Native Americans— sound familiar? The name of this color actually referred to a reddish pigment of oil paint originating in India. To mark Crayola’s one hundredth anniversary, four colors—blizzard blue, magic mint, mulberry, and teal blue—were retired in 2003. Four new colors were added, with wackier names than ever, including “inch worm” and “jazzberry jam.” How big will the Crayola crayon box grow to be? Opinion Insight Have Fun, Make A Friend, Feel Like A Kid Again By Summer Prevé Commentary Uninhibited and sociable, they are happy just sitting next to you, but are ready to be your best friend should you offer. As soon as you walk in the door, their eyes light up, they drop their toys and make their way towards you. “What's your name? What's your name? Will you come play with me?” They're always happy to see you and even a couple of minutes of your time can make a huge difference in their day. The kids at the Jack and Jill Children's Center in Fort Lauderdale are ready to put you to work, and within minutes you'll be hard at play! CGHS first reached out to Jack & Jill (J&J) through the National Honor Society and now a handful of NHS volunteers visits the center on Broward Blvd every Monday at 3:15pm. J&J is a nonprofit organization that offers child December 12, 2006 care and provides a support network for lower-income working parents. Currently there are 156 kids enrolled at J&J in Ft. Lauderdale, but thousands have benefited from the love and support they received at the center since it opened its doors in 1942. J&J takes a holistic approach to breaking the cycle of poverty. “Our center is crucial because not only do we help the children, but the families as a whole,” said Program Director, Shannon Prohaszka. “[We] offer so many wonderful wrap around services to help ensure family stability." J&J raises 2 million dollars annually to keep its doors open for the kids. “Without help from the community, J&J children and families would be left without many services,” said Prohaszka. Volunteers from CGHS usually lead story-time, goof around on the monkey bars and relive their Pre-K years of dolls, puzzles and coloring outside of the lines. Most high school students don't have the 15 Summer Prevé is reading to a few friends from Jack and Jill. extra funds to donate, but if any CGHSers find themselves with a few minutes to spare after school from time to time, there are 156 Pre-Schoolers at J&J who want to make a new friend. Who wants to come play? To volunteer at J&J, please email Summer Prevé at summer.vanessa@gmail.com. in the community for the last 50 years. It is designed to instill the values of volunteerism, diversity, innovative thinking, and community partnership, among others. With over 300,000 alumni, the program is By Karli MacDonald one of the leading youth service organizations and is The Hugh respected worldwide. O’Brian Youth LeadThis year, Cardinal Gibbons has selected ership (HOBY) FounRyan Bass as the representative, with Yodeline dation has worked diliGuerrier as the secondary candidate. Ryan will be gently at helping toparticipating in a leadership seminar conducted by day’s youth make a HOBY. The program is designed to prepare the difference in the world Ryan Bass and Yodeline country’s high school sophomores to become effecGuerrier and become positive tive, ethical leaders in their environments. Particicatalysts for change. pants attend from each of the 50 states, the District The organization has been encouraging positive in- of Columbia, Canada, Mexico, Korea, Taiwan and fluence in the home, at school, in the workplace, and Israel annually. Leading the way 16 Opinion December 12, 2006 Jingle Bells Rock A commentary by Erin Kelley When I was a little girl, every Christmas my mother would make my sisters and me hot chocolate with the little marshmallows, and my father would read aloud The Polar Express as we sat by the fire in our brand new (and terribly itchy) woolen pajamas. After a shot of NyQuil to ensure we would sleep through the alarm we had set for three o’clock in the morning in hopes of catching Santa filling our stockings with things we already had, we were off to bed. I always thought my Christmas spirit would keep me awake despite the drowsiness running through my veins, and right before I passed out I would make a wish that Santa would indeed bring me the entire contents of my three page Christmas list. And I’ll tell you something: he always did. At the age of nine, however, a rude awakening sleighed my way when, after a speech from my father on the importance of telling the truth, I asked point blank if Santa was real. Though I regret the decision now (because sometimes ignorance is indeed bliss) I reflect on my holiday memories with nothing but joy and naiveté. Perhaps it’s all the family, or the presents, or the tryptophan in the turkey; but I must admit Christmas puts me in a gingerbread scented stupor. Even though I know it was my parents lugging down boxes full of matching dresses for FAX Insight my sisters and me, the fact that they would go out of their way to make me wake up and think a fat man had broken into my house and left me a Furby (why were they always so hungry at one in the morning?) only makes me love the idea of Christmas even more. Sure, these things are not the reason for the season, but for some of us, the peanut butter cookies with the Hershey kiss in the middle are deliciously paramount, to say the least. Christmas is so ridiculously commercialized but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Thank you corporate America for assuring me that even before the Halloween costumes are available at Party City, I can swing by and pick up a box of ornaments to adorn my tiny, battery operated, singing tree. In my opinion, there will never be enough nativity snow globes or acne prone boys trying to kiss me under the mistletoe. We, as affluent Americans, thrive on the absurdity of Christmas. Santa is without a doubt doubling the capital of the good ol’ U.S. of A. every December. So crack open your obnoxious rainbow lights, glue tiny silver balls to pinecones, don’t be afraid to gain five pounds (eggnog comes but once a year), and throw on that old subzero ski jacket and have a sweaty jam fest in the Florida heat outside someone’s house (call it caroling). All I’m saying is that when chestnuts roast on an open fire, and Jack Frost nips at the northern hemisphere’s nose, remember how it felt before SATs and holiday homework. Embrace Christmas for all that it is, as an entity… and remember not to electrocute yourself when you plug in the light-up snowman. Insight Sports December 12, 2006 17 Swim Team makes a splash at State By Jessica Hill It’s every high school senior’s dream to be a district champ, place in the top 3 at Regionals, and place in the top 10 overall at State. This year the CGHS Swim and Dive Team proved that dreams do come true. Going into Districts as reigning champs, the Swim and Dive Team had much to lose. These water loving Chiefs stepped up to the occasion and dominated almost every event. Sending the majority of their district roster to the regional meet at St. Andrews on October 28th, the Chiefs knew this might be the last meet of the 2006 season unless they gave even more than they had the previous weekend. Despite some disappointments, the Chiefs placed 3rd at the Regional meet, sending 5 out of the 6 relays, 3 individual boys and 3 individual girls to the State meet. At the State meet junior Donald Sutton placed 2nd in the 50 Free, and 9th in the 100 Free. Another junior Lauren Cuervo also placed 7th in the 100 Back and 15th in the 200 Free, and freshman Alex Left to Right: Kristen Jugs (junior), Marisa Folz (freshman), Alex Sutton ( freshman), and Lauren Cuervo (junior) won 4th Place in the Medley Relay at State. Sutton placed 8th in the 50 Free. The 200 Medley Relay placed 4th, the 200 Freestyle Relay placed 5th, and landing in 7th place was the 400 Freestyle Relay. Lauren Cuervo said, “I think it’s great that the girls could come to States and place in the top ten when we didn’t make any finals last year. We’ve come so far and improved so much. We’ll be even better next year.” The Dive Team also did well. They placed 1st in the county; Austin Belt and Patrick Anderson both made it to Regionals. Overall, the 2006 season was a success. The Boys Team placed 7th in the State and the Girls Team placed 6th. Coaches Duffy Dillion, Lisa McLuckie, Mark Zmuda and Greg Boardman all were very happy with the outcome of the ’06 season. Cardinal Gibbons Swim Team Captains (left to right) Emily Quatromoni, Keegan Hall, Connor Hennigar and Ashley Fernaays celebrate a tremendous year. The team completed a very successful season as they were the District Champions, Catholic State Champions, and finished 6th in State Finals. Look for this issue of Insight in color on our website: www.cghsfl.org 18 Sports Insight December 12, 2006 Ah, Boom! By Giuliana Francini For most schools volleyball is a spectator sport. At Gibbons it is a way of life. There is a group of fans who fanatically attend the volleyball games. They are known as the Boom Squad. Sporting red and white clothes and tribal war paint, the Boom Squad assembles at home and away volleyball games, doing everything in its power to terrorize opposing teams and cheer the Lady Chiefs on to victory. Whether it is the bark of a dog, the meow of a cat, or possibly the most irritating sound in the world, the Boom Squad has been there all year to confuse the opposing schools, but mostly to cheer the girls to victory. Just ask St. Thomas, Spanish River and Merritt Island, whose teams and fans were left in stunned silence thanks to the Boom Squad. When the Lady Chiefs traveled two hours north to Jensen Beach for the regional final, the Boom Squad was right behind them. A trip for the volleyball team to the state championship in Lakeland meant that the Boom Squad would be able to show its stuff in an even larger gymnasium. Equipped with newspapers (to read while the Bishop Kenny players were announced) and the loudest voices in the country, the Boom Squad pounded the railing and jumped in uni- son as Gibbons defeated Bishop Kenny and won the state championship. Although the Boom Squad members never actually played in a match, they were still a vital part in Gibbons’ undefeated season. They look forward to bringing the “boom” again next season. Sports Insight December 12, 2006 19 Lady Chiefs cap off perfect season, win championship By Sean O’Leary The CGHS volleyball faithful have waited eight years to see it: the Cardinal Gibbons Lady Chiefs are Girls Volleyball State Champions once again. The Lady Chiefs entered the class 4A championship match ranked #1 in the 4A standings with an intimidating record of 31-0. Their opponents, the Jacksonville Bishop Kenny Crusaders, were ranked #3. Gibbons had already defeated the #5 ranked Ponte Vedra Beach Nease team in the semifinals, and the #2 ranked Jensen Beach Falcons in an intense Regional final to advance to the State Tournament. It would take one more victory, though, to cap off a perfect season and bring home an unprecedented 18th State Championship. The Chiefs trailed the Crusaders early on, losing the first game 13-25. Gibbons would not go down quietly, though, as they would win the next two games 25-18, 25-18. The entire Lakeland Convention Center itched with anxiety as the Lady Chiefs entered the fourth game just one game away from perfection, just 25 points away from a championship. Gibbons led the entire game, but after a couple of unanswered points brought Bishop Kenny within 4 points. Jackie Santarelli finished off the Crusaders with a thundering kill, sealing the win for Gibbons 25-21. The entire Chiefs bench flooded the court, celebrating their 32nd consecutive win, their championship title and only the fourth undefeated season in Louise Crocco’s amazing 38-year career as a coach. Gibbons’ perfect season came through the united effort of a Chiefs team determined to prove that it was truly deserving of a State Championship. In their last season in Gibbons uniforms, seniors Jackie Santarelli, Mary Kate Macek, Jenna Romanelli, Kelly Cundy, Allison Buchanan and Kelly Scher left everything on the court. They played with pride, showing the way for a great group of underclassmen led by Emily Morrill, Lindsay Cheatem and Keri Fox. Senior captain Kelly Scher’s great play and leadership throughout the regular season, Districts The Lady Chiefs celebrate after winning the 4A State Championship. and Regionals was a major factor in keeping Gibbons undefeated. Unable to play in the championship match due to an ACL tear late in the Regional Final victory over Jensen Beach, Scher helped inspire the team with her spirit and unflinching courage. Senior captain Jackie Santarelli summed up the season perfectly: “Winning the State Title was more amazing than I ever imagined it would be. Our team is one that comes straight out of a dream.” CGHS Volleyball All-Stars Jenna Romanelli, Jackie Santarelli, Allison Buchanan, Mary Kate Macek, and Kelly Scher, who was injured, were named to play in the BCAA All Star Game; Jenna Romanelli was named the MVP. Jenna Romanelli and Jackie Santarelli also played in the Florida High School State Jenna Romanelli All-Star Game. (left to right) Jackie Santarelli, Mary Kate Macek, and Allison Buchanan, 20 Sports December 12, 2006 Chiefs’ magical run ends in Regional Semifinal By Sean O’Leary Insight son 9-2, (a record that ranks among the best a Gibbons team has ever had). Notable wins include victories over Northeast, Monarch and Miami Pace. Congratulations are in order for the entire Chiefs team and Cheerleaders (left to right) coaching staff, Amanda Vanyi, Nicole Piscaespecially Coach telli, and Nicole Bowers Morrill and the seniors. The Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs were considered an underdog by south Florida newspapers throughout the class 3A playoffs. The coaching staff, players and fans knew better. After being predicted to lose by two touchdowns to a Miami Pace team ranked #5 in the Broward County standings, the Chiefs stepped up their game and defeated the Spartans on the road 18-14. The Regional Quarterfinal victory over the Spartans proved that the Chiefs were truly an underrated team rooted in stingy defense and a solid running game. The win also meant that the Chiefs would have to travel over two hours to play the Naples Golden Eagles in the class 3A Regional Semifinal. The defense-minded Chiefs kept the first half close, tied 10-10 heading in to the third quarter thanks to an A.J. Johnson touchdown pass from David Blackwell and a field goal from kicker Blair Walsh. Walsh connected again late in the third quarter to give Gibbons a 13-10 lead over Naples. Naples dominated the last 10 minutes of the game and won 24-13, ending the Chiefs’ four game winning streak and hope at a state championship. A united Chiefs team marches on to the field before Senior halfback Brandon ‘Bobcat’ Burton was side- the start of the Regional Semifinal game against lined for the entire second half with an injury. Naples. The Chiefs truly had a magical run, ending their sea- Congratulations Coach Not only did the football team have a great season but Coach Mike Morrill achieved his 50th win at CGHS in a victory over Douglas. He has been the head coach of the varsity football team for eight years, and he has been a part of the football program for twenty-one years. Gibbons dedicates new Press Box The new Press Box was officially opened before the last Gibbons home game. It is dedicated to Don Marino, the former head football coach. Under his 14 year tenure, Gibbons won a record number of games and went to the State Championship. Insight Sports December 12, 2006 21 Ludwick qualified for the State Meet individually this year. She placed 32nd at her second appearance at the State Meet. The girls lost three top runners and suffered multiple injuries throughout the season; By Joanna Sandager none of this fazed Coach Lee and the rest of his coaching staff. “We have created a strong program After finishing that can be successful despite unpredictable injufirst in the District and ries,” Coach Lee said. With no seniors running in the fourth at the Regional District Meet or Regional Meet, this extremely Meet, the Boys Cross young team is already planning for the State Meet Country Team qualinext year. fied for the State Meet, Besides the significant amount of talent the which was held NoBoys and Girls Cross Country teams each have, the vember 11, 2006 at Litteams have a unique spirit and camaraderie. The two tle Everglades Ranch programs feed off each other which is rare for any in Dade City. With a sport. The heifers even accompanied the boys and conference record of Jackie Ludwick to the State Meet to cheer them on. 19-3, they were ranked In tribute to their coaches, Coach Santamarina and Jackie Ludwick is getting 22nd in the state prior Coach Lee, the boys stuck out among the other teams to the meet. After con- a pep-talk from Coach quering 3.1 miles of Lee before the race at the in their Santa hats and “I run for Glenn” shirts. They even spray painted their hair red for the race. Zach hilly terrain, the boys State Meet. Smith commented on his team, “At the end of the topped off an excellent season by finishing 13th in the state. “From the mo- day, we are still cooler than the top twelve.” Coach ment I stepped on the course, I knew it was our Lee agrees. time,” senior Lance Legel recalls. Senior Zach Smith, who has led the Chiefs in many victories throughout the season, came in at 25th place, finishing the race in seventeen minutes and twenty seconds. Zach was not only a tremendous asset to the team this year, but he is also among the top ten fastest runners Cardinal Gibbons has seen since the program began. Jake Dighton and newcomer Lance Legel were top finishers for Cardinal Gibbons as well. Despite exhaustion, at the end of the race the boys were overjoyed with their accomplishment. Many of the top runners in the state had difficulty completing the race and had to crawl across the finish line. Coach Glenn Lee was also happy and surprised with the outcome of his 30th season coaching at Cardinal Gibbons. “We did better than I expected,” Coach Lee said, “The boys really stepped it The boys showed their spirit with their red hair and up.” Santa hats at the State Meet. The Girls Cross Country Team, also known From left to right: Jake Dighton, Eric Barth, as the Heifers, finished its season 18-4. They fin- Zach Smith, Sean Pulver, Ryan McCann, David ished 5th in the district and 7th in the region, just Bonner, and in front, Lance Legel short of qualifying for the State Meet. Junior Jackie Cross Country goes to State 22 Sports Insight December 12, 2006 Seniors Tee Off for the Last Time as Chiefs By Lexie Perreras “It’s not a sprint; it’s a marathon.” These words, said by Coach John Melnicoff, helped both the boys and girls golf teams pace themselves throughout the season. Golf, as explained by Coach Melnicoff, is a sport that takes great focus and patience. Following his advice, the teams were able to conclude their seasons with a strong performance. Both teams qualified to play in the Regional tournament held at Shula’s in Miami during October. Unfortunately, neither team scored well enough to continue in post season play. Coached by Dale Brady, the girls played well and successfully faced several competitive opponents despite having a very young team. Accolades go out to junior Claire Grysko, who shot an impressive 79 in the Regional tournament. The boys’ golf team also had a remarkable season. Like the girls, the boys had a young team, Girls Soccer By Jessica Hill especially with the loss of four seniors last year. They had a second place finish in district play and missed the State tournament by a couple of shots. Seniors Rob Krausmann, Zak Liptak, and Bobby Bode exemplified great leadership throughout every round of play. Bode, who shot a notable 76 at the Regional competition, has been Bobby Bode selected to the All County Team. He said, “I have enjoyed playing golf for Cardinal Gibbons during the past four years and will never forget all the great memories.” Currently ranked 63rd in the country, he plans to continue playing golf in college and has received several inquiries from Western Kentucky, Nova Southeastern, and Florida Southern University. 2006-07 Girls Soccer Schedule Tuesday The Lady Chiefs Varsity Soccer Team has Thurs been more than ready to begin its season. Leading the team are seniors Allison DelMoral, Meghan Friday Santos and junior Jen Crittenberger. New faces on Thurs/Sat the team are freshmen: Ally Buerosse, Haylee Shoaff, Stephanie Spurgeon, April Ortenzo, ColTues leen Slattery and Margaux Millitello. Wed Being both last year’s District Runner Up Fri and Regional Semifinalists, the ladies have something to prove this year. After training for months, Mon-Fri the girls are prepared to win the District Title. Coach Flack said, “ We are a young team, but the Thurs players have a lot of soccer experience. The returnTues ing players are leading the way in helping the newcomers to fit in and understand what we are after.” Fri Come out and support the team. Wed-Sat Dec 12 A. McCarthy Away/4:00 Dec 14 Coconut Creek Away/5:00 Dec 15 Coral Springs Home/4:00 Dec 21-23 Sarasota HS Tournament Jan 9 Pine Crest Home/4:00 Jan 10 Taravella Away/4:00 Jan 12 Deerfield Away/5:00 Jan 15-19 Districts Hallandale Jan 25 Regional Quarterfinals TBA Jan 30 Regional Semifinals TBA Feb 2 Regional Finals TBA Feb 7-10 State Tournaments Lockhart Insight Entertainment December 12, 2006 23 Okami paints the perfect picture PS3 isn’t for me By Adrienne Tegreeny By Adrienne Tegreeny I tried to come up with one word to describe Okami but found it to be impossible without using unrealistic sound effects and strange hand gestures in the process. Simply put: if someone owns a Playstation 2, he or she needs to buy this game. Clover Studio has been working on Okami for nearly two years and the finished project is nothing less than extraordinary. If the story and smooth battle system don’t draw you, the unique artwork will. The game’s characters and scenery mimic the distinctive style of Japanese paintings in a beautiful way making the game all the more enjoyable. Okami centers on the goddess Amaterasu (nicknamed Ammy) who has taken the form of a white wolf with a magic paintbrush for a weapon. Since the wolf obviously can’t speak, the green bug-type creature Issun acts as the game’s guide and even talks to the villagers in place of Ammy. Together the two travel to areas around a village to rid the lands of an evil curse and to help out the villagers whenever possible for Praise Points: “rewards” for any good deed Ammy does for the village which are exchanged in the start menu to make her more powerful. Be forewarned, anyone who buys this game is in for a long haul. Over sixteen hours into the game, I still haven’t even scratched the surface, but during that time it has never gotten dull. If anyone has about $40 burning a hole in his or her pocket, invest it in Okami. Sony’s latest gaming console has gotten a lot of people talking lately. At the first announcement many were optimistic as to what the future of video games would hold. Such was my reaction: when the Playstation 3 (PS3) was announced, the police had to be called to quiet my screams of joy. Other Sony Playstation 3 Playstation fans got their tents ready to camp out at Best Buy as early as a week before the launch date; others desperately clung to their pre-order tickets in hope of getting one of the first systems. Currently my mindset has changed due to a few details: a price tag of almost $600, a small list of games at the launch that appeal to my taste, and other “bells and whistles” that I simply just don’t care about (Oh, wow, a Blu-ray system, whoop-de-do). Put all these facts together and you get one girl who won’t be waiting in line at the local store to get her hands on one of the first Playstation 3’s available. Only 400,000 units were shipped to America and the demand calls for many more, so there’s a slim chance I’d even be able to obtain one. With such a low number of consoles being shipped even those who had pre-ordered the system weren’t guaranteed one. I also simply do not need one; my Playstation 2 is working fine, my Nintendo DS is crying for attention, and the Nintendo Wii came out November 19, only two days after the PS3. Maybe by next summer a PS3 will grace my household, but I’ll have to consult my wallet to find out for sure. Nintendo Wii Look for this issue of Insight in color on our website: www.cghsfl.org 24 Entertainment Insight December 12, 2006 WEiRD FLORiDA By: Lisa Stengel There’s more to Florida than swamps, alligators, and senior citizens. It’s the state of offbeat oddities, roadside wonders, and the downright bizarre phenomena that make Florida so… “weird.” Forget Disney and enjoy a different kind of tourism. Charlie Carlson, a tenth generation Floridian, trekked the less-traveled roads of Florida’s swamps to explore the weirdest destinations our peninsula state has to offer. His book Weird Florida, a number one seller for coffee tables everywhere, is “your travel guide to Florida’s local legends and best kept secrets.” First Stop: “Spook Hill, Lake Wales.” Gravity-defiance isn’t just for Cape Canaveral. “Spook Hill” in Lake Wales is a curious phenomenon that will leave you scratching your head in befuddlement. It may appear like any other ordinary hill in Florida (if such hills exist), with one exception—it possesses the ability to make any car parked at its base roll uphill. This interesting experiment works not only with cars, but also with oranges, soda cans, and other round objects. Could mysterious forces be at work? So much for “uphill, both ways.” Next Stop: “The World’s Smallest Police Station, Carrabelle.” Just how small is the world’s smallest police station? It’s the size of a phone booth because it was converted from one in 1963. The town of Carrabelle had only two police cars; while one officer was on patrol, the other sat by the phone booth. A second larger station has since been established, but the miniature sized version still remains. Last stop: “The Oldest Building in America, North Miami.” The St. Bernard Clairvaux Episcopal Chapel on Dixie Highway in North Miami is the oldest building in America, built three-hundred years before Columbus discovered the New World. Just how was an eight hundred year old building constructed in South Florida centuries before explorers even conceived the idea of sailing the Atlantic? The chapel was originally built in Spain as a monastery. In 1925 it was bought by newspaper cartel William Randolph Hearst. Hearst had the chapel completely dismantled, packed in boxes, and shipped to the United States to be reassembled stone by stone. However, when the crates of stone blocks were unpacked in New York Harbor for shipment to Florida, they were placed in the wrong crates. Nineteen months and 1.5 million dollars later, the giant jigsaw puzzle was reassembled. Curiosity seekers, rejoice—the next time the beach sounds like a boring idea, check out a copy of Charlie Carlson’s Weird Florida and explore the unknown wonders our humble abode has to offer. Road trip, anyone? Sudoku: Contest By Sean O’Leary The sole rule of Sudoku is a simple one: every row, column, and 3x3 box in the puzzle grid must contain the numerical sequence 1-9. The catch, though, is that no digit can be repeated in the same row, column, or 3x3 box, and you must work around the given digits. Five dollars will be awarded to the person whose name is drawn from all the entries who accurately complete the puzzle and turn it in to the library by Friday. (Puzzles by Pappocom) Insight Anything Goes: Anything but ordinary By Shawn Kelaher With its superb set and lighting and magnificent display of talent, Anything Goes, presented by the Cardinal Gibbons Drama Department, was a smashing success. As the crowds were flocking into the compact theater of the Broward County Library, the cast was anxiously awaiting their performance debut. With the vocals of Caroline McGilvary, Erick Crow, Natalie Clark, Alfonso Villegas, Anna Davis, and Michael Bakum, the show truly displayed the months of work that were put into its making. Presented on Friday, November 17th, through Sunday, the 19th, Anything Goes attracted hundreds of audience members who gave each performance a standing ovation. The costumes were authentic, and the set was beautifully designed to resemble a cruise ship of the 1930’s. All who took part in the production of Anything Goes helped to make the show an “Let them eat cake” By Shawn Kelaher Since the eighteenthcentury ruler of France was known for her high-rolling, party-hopping habits, it was crucial that the film Marie Antoinette portray Kirsten Dunst plays the Queen of the youthful France, Marie Antoinette. queen accurately. The role of the Austrian princess-turned-queen was played by popular actress, Kirsten Dunst, who was phenomenal in every aspect. She convincingly captured the innocence of the queen, who, at the age of fourteen, was forced into an arranged marriage to the prince of France. Later on in the movie, as the young queen matured, she was able to retain her youthful demeanors. Dunst assuredly portrayed the Entertainment December 12, 2006 25 undeniable success. It was an advantage that the sound and lighting technicians never faltered; in addition, the five “angels” showed off their skillful steps in a colorful tap dance number. With its singing, dancing, and gangster gambling, the play, directed by Mr. Mark Sheremeta, truly gave the audiences a taste of the roaring era. With such numbers as “You’re the Top,” sung by Caroline McGilvary and Erick Crow, and “There’ll Always be a Lady Fair” by the Quartet of Sailors, Anything Goes displayed a wide variety of noteworthy talents. Congratulations to the cast and crew of this year’s fall musical, Anything Goes, for an unforgettable production that was anything but ordinary. (Pictures on page 32) queen’s irresponsibility, which would eventually lead to France’s mutiny. The prince and future king of France, Louis XVI, was played by co-star Jason Schwartzman, in a quirky, yet captivating performance. Although his lack of gallantry was rather annoying at times, his chary character was one that made the audience love him. Directed by Sofia Coppola, the film included the use of contemporary themes and music, which is commonly used to give historical movies a modern flair. Because of the choppy editing and poor use of available cinematography, it was necessary that the set and costumes be outstanding. The art direction of this movie was excellent; the costumes were authentic and vibrant, and the surrounding settings were breathtaking. One of the finest features of Marie Antoinette was also the notorious comment, “Let them eat cake.” This famed remark was Antoinette’s response to her subjects’ lack of staple foods, such as grains and breads. This annotation was, therefore, a necessary element for the queen’s memoir. One could see while viewing this movie that the director and producer worked well with each other, because the final product was marvelous. 26 Entertainment Insight December 12, 2006 Cappies: “Youth Culture in America” By Natalie Clark At the Saturday matinee of Anything Goes, students from different schools attended in order to critique the show. Carrying binders, they took their seats next to one another in the theater and began to take notes. These high school theater students are a part of the organization called Cappies. Their goal is to bring journalism and art together in an attempt to Anything Goes By Christina Kennady Taravella High School Love-sick Billy Crocker jumps aboard the S.S. American, which is en route from New York City to London, in hopes of winning the affections of the lovely Hope Harcourt, with whom he is in love. Hope is on board along with her stuffy fiancé Lord Evelyn Oakleigh, whom she intends to marry, and her melodramatic mother with an intense love…for her dog! Public Enemy Number 13, Moonface Martin, and his partner-in-crime Erma are also on deck, disguised as the ship’s reverend and missionary. And then, of course, Reno Sweeney, the Evangelical nightclub singer, arrives on the ship with her five angels at her side. Reno is in love with Billy, but after discovering his love for Hope, she determines to help out her friend instead. And this is only the beginning of this delectable, delightful, de-lovely comedy with broaden the horizons of all who take part in the program. The Cappies have a team from each school that consists of a lead critic, a team of five regular critics, and three regional critics. Each team attends a designated number of high school shows from around the South Florida area and writes a review on it under the direction of a teacher mentor. The Cardinal Gibbons Cappies are Karli MacDonald, Natalie Clark, Nick Gereffi, Maggie Peterson, Alexis Lacman, Christine D’Amore, Matti Perez-Cubas and Rebecca Frank. This year, Cardinal Gibbons was fortunate to have the Cappies attend the Fall Mainstage. Many reviews were submitted and the one below was chosen to be featured. Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter. their skill in performing many a tap sequence in the show, espeAs the dynamic Reno cially in the closing number of the Sweeney, Caroline McGilvary first act, Anything Goes. The set changes, for the utilized her confidence, not to mention her powerful belt, to en- most part, were efficient and hance the energy in every number stayed on pace. The richly-hued in which she performed. Likewise, costumes were truly beautiful and Alfonso Villegas as Moonface meshed well with the often goldMartin displayed good mastery of tinted lighting plot. Even the a mobster, especially with his use cameo of a little Shih-tzu puppy of a quintessential Brooklyn ac- was much appreciated. However, the show strugcent. Martin’s right-hand, Erma, gled at times in finding a balance played by Anna Davis, also gave a between two levels of enthusiasm terrific performance and was most and passion for the production. impressive in her characterization. While some actors had consisHer high-pitched squeals along tently high levels of energy, others with her shrill New Yorker voice fell short in their portrayals which, were great for the comedic aspect in turn, caused lackluster performof the role, and her solo "Buddy ances in some otherwise stellar Beware" also showcased a pleas- numbers. Still, the students of the ant singing voice. Michael Bakum who Cardinal Gibbons Theatre Departplayed the role of Lord Evelyn ment had a jolly time in preparing Oakleigh proved to be a lovable for this production and it was cercharacter, especially after his solo tainly evident. With tap dancing, a near the end of the show entitled, puppy, and a witty script, what "The Gypsy in Me." The five an- more can you ask for in a musical? gels are to also be commended for Insight Christmas Cravings By Karli MacDonald Every year, Christmas reminds people of friends, family, and food. The family and friends are great, but we all know that the food is the best part. And while everyone appreciates a nice, savory ham with mashed potatoes and gravy, the real magic is in the Christmas Sweets. Here are 2 of my favorite recipes. • • • • • • Sandtarts – Sugar Cookies 3 ¾ c. flour 2 ¼ c. sugar ½ lb. butter ½ tsp. baking soda ¼ tsp. cream of tartar 2 egg yolks Cream together, by hand, sugar and butter. Add egg yolks. Add flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; sifted together. Start working these together. Chill dough over-night in refrigerator. Roll dough on a floured pastry cloth – Don’t use Entertainment December 12, 2006 27 too much flour! – Cut with favorite cookie cutters. Sprinkle color sugar or cinnamon sugar on top. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet. Let cookies cool. Peanut Blossoms • ½ c. butter • ½ c. peanut butter • ½ c. sugar • ½ c. (packed) brown sugar • 1 egg • 1 tsp. vanilla • 1 ¾ c. sifted self-rising flour Chocolate Candy Kisses Cream butter, peanut butter, ½ cup sugar and brown sugar together. Add egg and vanilla, beating well. Blend in flour gradually; mix thoroughly. Shape dough into balls, using rounded teaspoon for each ball. Roll balls in sugar; place on an ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes; remove from oven. Place candy kiss on top of each cookie, pressing down firmly until cookie cracks. Return to oven for 2 to 5 minutes longer. shirt in, spit your gum out, and participate in class and if the teacher still doesn’t like you…they have no soul. Dear Erin, Keep it real, I am convinced that one of my teachers hates Erin me. I want to say something, but I’m worried they’ll Dear Erin, hate me even more. My boyfriend keeps breaking up with me and What should I do? then asking me to date him again. It’s really confusSincerely, ing and I don’t really know what to do. I like him but Bad Apple if he keeps doing this to me I don’t know how I’ll Dear Bad Apple, feel in the future. Any suggestions? I’m not going to sugarcoat it- teachers are Signed, people too and they do pick favorites. After all, S.M. Questions may be subthey’re only human and most of them can’t resist Dear S.M., mitted to the “Ask my…I mean, some students’ irresistible charm. So Dump him. You Erin” box located in where’s yours? It feels better to know that your deserve better; it’s as sim- the library or email to teacher is respecting you for respecting them, rather ple as that. insight@cghsfl.org. than being stubborn and continuing to feel like the Seriously, teacher has personal contempt for you. So tuck your Erin 28 Entertainment Insight December 12, 2006 TiVo: Taking over America one TV at a time A commentary by Nick Gereffi I don’t know about all of you, but I am completely obsessed with TV. I watch anything and everything, ranging from NBC’s Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip to Meerkat Manor on Animal Planet. The problem is I just don’t have enough time. Fortunately for me (and the rest of the world), the Lord above has provided an answer straight from the gates of Heaven: TiVo. Have you ever wanted to travel back in time? Well now you can. TiVo provides you the ability to digitally record mass amounts of shows and watch them at a later date. I have been known to record things and watch them on a monthly basis. Gone are the days of the Ice Age where shows had to be recorded on tape (where do people watch these ‘tapes’ anyway? I am pretty sure the red condor is more abundant than the VCR). TiVo isn’t just for recording, however. The little magic box (I affectionately call mine Roberta) enables you to pause and rewind shows in ‘real time,’ as well as fast forward through commercials when you watch things back. Now, I know all you frugally minded people are wondering: this all sounds great, but how much does it cost? TiVo is fortunately available in many different formats and price ranges. The traditional TiVo even offers convenient price plans so you can go into debt both before and after you subscribe to the service (just kidding... it’s actually very affordable). There are also many ‘DVR’ (direct video recording) units available through most cable providers (I myself have one of these through my trusty friends at Comcast). There are upgrades you can get too, like an HD (high definition) TiVo (which I have and love) and a colored box (which I want for Christmas, so buy me one). In closing, get out there and invest in a TiVo (after all, it really IS an investment). It’s completely worth it, and although you may lose any trace of a social life you may have, who cares? At least you’ll know what happened on this week’s CSI, and won’t miss things like Kevin Federline’s guest appearance (which I hear is garnering Emmy buzz). Forget about dogs… TiVo really is man’s (or woman’s, because it is an equal opportunity device) best friend. Television Time By Karli MacDonald and Natalie Clark The Journalism students surveyed 12% of the student population to find out various opinions on television shows and characters. Here were the results. The most popular shows watched this year: -Grey’s Anatomy -Family Guy -Laguna Beach -Desperate Housewives The shows that they wish would be aired again: -Friends “If I could be any character on -Boy Meets World TV, I’d want to be Phoebe from -Doug Friends because she can laugh at -Saved by the Bell any situation and make the best of it.” –Kristen O’Brien, 12 “My favorite show is Dora the Explorer because I want to learn Spanish to talk to Mrs. Lanza!” –Sydney Glantz, 9 “I’d want to be ‘Stoop Kid’ from Hey Arnold! because he was so courageous when he came off his stoop.” –Mike Morrill,10 Insight Runway is all the rage By Lauren Traver An upand-coming group of fashion designers is standing nervously on a runway. Next to each individual is the perfect model complete with the perfect hair and make-up. Each model is adorned in her corresponding designer’s latest creation, be it a breathtaking gown or a casual outfit that looks as though it has passed through a paper shredder. Sitting in front of each designer is world-renowned fashion designer Michael Kors and supermodel extraordinaire Heidi Klum. The two icons aren’t there for small talk; rather, they’re bursting at the seams to tell each designer exactly how genius or how horrendous his or her creation truly is. It’s a fashion designer’s dream come true, it’s a fashion designer’s nightmare. It’s none other than Project Runway. The hit series Project Runway had audiences mesmerized from square one when it entered its first season in December 2004. Receiving an Emmy nomination for outstanding competitive reality series, the show has gone on to become an even greater success. Having just completed its third season, Project Runway seems to have become a household name in America. The four finalists of Runway’s third season were Jeffrey Sebelia, Uli Herzner, Laura Bennett, and Michael Knight. Sebelia’s remarkable collection at Stellar Showcase By Nick Gereffi Students and faculty gathered together on November 1st for the second performance Showcase of the year, presented by the Gibbons Drama Department. A variety of performers displayed talents ranging from singing to acting. Some pieces included the following: “My New Philosophy,” a duet from the musical You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown performed by seniors Natalie Clark and Michael Bakum; “Special,” a solo from the musical Avenue Q performed by junior, Erin Kelley; “The Entertainment December 12, 2006 29 Olympus Fashion Week stole the show and won over the panel of judges, making him the winner of Runway’s third season. Although only one designer walks away from Runway as the victor, the publicity and attention the contestants receive from the show usually guarantee them a solid place in the fashion industry. For those whose eyes have not yet been opened to the ever-addicting Project Runway craze, a quick synopsis is necessary. The show revolves around fashion designers and the industry in which they excel. A group of 15 designers is chosen and is presented weekly with a new fashion challenge. From completing an outfit made solely of garbage and scraps, to designing a couture gown, the designers never really know what may be in store for them. With sketches to be completed, fabrics to be purchased, difficult guidelines to follow, and time limits that borderline on impossible, the completion of each challenge is certainly not all fun and games for the fashion connoisseurs. Each week, the designers choose a model to strut their creation down the runway, then cross their fingers that the judges are as pleased with the garb as they themselves are. Project Runway has brought the Bravo network some of its greatest ratings ever since the pop culture phenomenon Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and will undoubtedly continue this tradition during seasons to come. The show is now approaching its fourth season and is currently scouting out 15 new hopeful designers. Ladies Who Lunch,” a solo from the musical Company performed by junior, Stephanie Picon; “Your Daddy’s Son,” a solo from the musical Ragtime performed by senior, Abbie Zamon; a monologue entitled “Butterflies Are Free,” performed by sophomore Yodeline Guerrier; and “Sun & Moon,” a duet from the musical Miss Saigon performed by Drama Director Mr. Sheremeta and his wife, Amanda Satchell. The evening also provided a preview of the Drama Department’s musical Anything Goes. A select few numbers from the show were performed for the enthusiastic crowd; they were an indication that the show would be a smashing success. 30 Entertainment Insight December 12, 2006 Christmas Crossword ByJessica Hill and Joanna Sandager Across 1 Santa climbs down this 3 Star of 4 Bad children get this 5 Elves make these 9 Another name for Santa Claus 10 Starred in The Santa Clause 14 What you do under the mistletoe 15 Sweet with red stripes 16 Red-nosed reindeer Down 1 Roast on an open fire 2 Born on Christmas 4 Christmas singing 6 Some leave Santa milk and 7 Famous snowman 8 House you can eat 11 Three Wise Men 12 What the season is all about 13 Stole Christmas All I Want for Christmas is… All right, Listen fat man, I NEED a car and a 5 on the AP exam or so help me.. ..and I want a Teddy bear and a pony and a dolly and a pretty new dress... THEN NOW By Adrienne Tegreeny Contest Winners: -Congratulations to Patsy Zamora for winning the Trick or Treat Costume Contest! The pictures were of the following: (A.) Mark Zmuda, (B.) Kerry Hoag, (C.) Kristine Chikerotis, (D.) Vanessa McConville, (E.) Rita Loewe, (F.) Ellen Degeneres -Tori Taravella successfully took on and solved the Sudoku puzzle contest. Insight Entertainment December 12, 2006 31 Insight is looking for you! Contributing writers, artists, and photographers are needed. Submit all articles, pictures and suggestions To the Insight staff in the library or email: insight@cghsfl.org Seasonal Songs By Karli MacDonald The following pictures represent the names of different Holiday songs. The first 3 to correctly identify the names of the songs and turn them into the Library by Friday will win a Christmas Prize! 32 Insight December 12, 2006 This fall Cardinal Gibbons set sail on the S.S. American for a musical production of nautical proportions By Carly Arcella The cast catches some Z’s before the next show. Reno and her Angels belt “Blow Gabriel.” The sailors and Captain Lance swoon as Anna sings “Buddy Beware.” (Right) Lord Evelyn Oakley scoffs at “Padre.” Caroline McGilvray’s and Alfonso Villegas’s great performance will certainly not be “Forgate.” “Biggest seagull I ever saw.” (Top) The whole cast and crew gather together for a prayer and “chants” to get them pepped for the show. (Right) The girls are ready to break a leg on opening night. (Right) Natalie Clark sings to her love Billy played by Eric Crow.