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Bishop McNamara High School Forestville, Maryland Vol 30.2 • October 2009
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The Stampede
”
It should never be easy to leave something you love. President Heather Gossart
Mrs. Gossart gives a public farewell over WMAC on the morning of October 2, 2009. Photo by Thomas Ingle ‘10
President Heather Gossart Steps Down by Alex Brown ‘10 NEWS EDITOR President Heather Gossart announced that she is stepping down from her position after fourteen years. It is time for someone else to step up to the plate and continue her dream of making even more improvements to our school. The decision to step down started eighteen months ago when “the real discernment” of retirement crossed her mind. The main reason this decision came to her mind was as she said, “To be home more often” and to spend more time with her husband who will be retiring a year from January. Many sacrifices have been made for the school instead of for her family. During the month of July, she contacted Brother Tom Dziekan, the Provincial Superior of the Eastern Province of the Congregation of Holy Cross, and Dan Curtin, the Head of the board of directors, about her stepping down from the office of President. After this happened, a National search began to find her successor. While the search was going on, she was asked not to speak publicly until the board Meeting on Sept. 30th. After this meeting took place, she sent letters to various foundations and Alumni. Then, she addressed the teachers about it on Oct. 1st in a meeting in the theater of the fine arts center. In the meeting she expressed her gratitude and love for the school Continued on page 2 community. Ms. Dean, the Dorothy Day Service
A Farewell Story Told By McNamara by Alexandra Vinci ‘11 NEWS Editor
Eighteen months ago, Heather Gossart, President and CEO, found herself approaching the topic of her retirement. This past July, she contacted the Brothers of the Holy Cross to inform them that she would indeed be stepping down. On Sept. 30th, she was allowed to speak with the board and the following day she met with her faculty. All that was left was the student body. On that Thursday night, she sent out an email to the families and the following morning we all watched as she came on to WMAC with the news of her departure. Some were warned by the email while others were taken by complete surprise as they realized Mrs. Gossart has begun her year of “lasts.” Here is the reaction from all different sides of McNamara. It is the story told by just a few of the many people who love and respect Mrs. Gossart.
The Email
“When I first got the email, I read it over and over again because I didn’t believe it the first time I read it,” Andrea Dauz ‘11. “I was shocked,” Allison Bahnamen ‘11. “I was sad just because she’s so important to the Continued on page 3 school community. I don’t know what we’ll do
OPINION
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The staff of the stampede presents:
When is Spirit Week? The most exciting time of the year is here, and no, Santa Claus is not making his list and checking it twice. Spirit Week has come and gone, and no one seems to notice. Every year the hallways are decorated, the outfits are outrageous and alumni and students are proud to call Bishop McNamara their home. Yet, something has gone horribly wrong with the 2009 Spirit Week extravaganza. Spirit Week 2009 took place from Oct. 12th to Oct. 16th, only three days of which were celebrated in school. On Monday, all students were off thanks to Columbus Day... minus one day. The first official day, Tuesday Oct. 13th, Spirit Week began with the traditional Homecoming liturgy where every student, teacher and faculty member dresses in their Sunday best. The following day, Wednesday Oct. 14th was national PSAT day for students. This gave the seniors yet another day off, while abruptly halting the underclassmen’s excitement... minus two days. Technically, the first full-blown day of Spirit Week didn’t occur until three days into the week, on Wednesday Oct. 15th. Class color day engulfed the school as students expressed their pride in their classes through outfits, face paint and wild hair spray. The last of Spirit Week, but only the third day of celebration, fell on Friday Oct. 16th as Maroon and Gold day led into the pep rally to form school solidarity and excitement for the hopeful victories of games to take place in the coming days. As Mighty Mac ran out and beat the O’Connell player, the school roared with excitement, but yet there was something missing. Typically, there are four days to get hyped up and find your “spirit” during the days leading up to pep rally. Yet with the lack of time to get into the mood, it was over as soon as it began.
Spirit Week should not be based off of the Football game alone. In the future, the administration should come together and look at the calendar and construct a more suitable week. Yes, the football game is a large point of the weekend, but there are also other sport events and activities to be kept in mind. BMHS should not revolve something as epic as Spirit Week around one specific thing such as football. There was a feeling of not only being cut short but missing out on a major part of the high school experience. The school needs to compensate in some way for the missed days and activities to all students. There is a hope and rumor of Holy Cross week. Hopefully, we will be able to celebrate the Holy Cross tradition through some of the days that were missed due to predetermined days off. It is understood that the administration did all they could, but for future weeks, the entire school needs to be kept in mind and not just the Football team’s chance of winning. Another component that dampened the mood (pun intended) was the rain. All week it was cold and wet leading up to homecoming night. This made the mood of everyone dreary and lackadaisical. It seemed that this Spirit Week had a lot of things going against it. The schedule for Spirit Week is based around the predetermined football game. It just so happened that this fell on the week of Columbus Day and PSAT’s. Everyone was not in the right mindset, and there was no class competition or much school solidarity because there was not enough time. There was an idea of moving Spirit Week activities to the week after Homecoming weekend, but alumni had already been notified and orders sent in; yet again, no one specifically was to blame, but nothing seemed to be coming together. It felt as though the students were cut short, and were not able to experience the best week of the school year. The schedule for Spirit Week is based around the predetermined football game, it just so happened that this fell on the week of Columbus Day and PSAT’s. Not everyone was in the right mind set, there was a lack of class competition and our full potential for school solidarity was not reached as well as in other years. Why? Because, simply, there was not enough time to get there.
Design Chief
Jacqueline Corley ‘10 Copy Chief
Dillon DiSalvo ‘10 Online Editors
Alexandra Vinci ‘11 Jacqueline Wills ‘10 News Editors
Brandi Bottalico ‘10 AC (Alex) Brown ‘10 Alexandra Vinci ‘11 Op-Ed Editors
Brandi Bottalico ‘10 Ann Czecha ‘10 Features Editors
Ann Czecha ‘10 Mylah Howard ‘10 Sports Editors
Nicolas Barnes ‘11 AC (Alex) Brown ‘10 Joshua Crockett ‘10 In-Depth Editor
Grace Kelly ‘10
Jacqueline Wills ‘10 Video Editor
Alexandra Vinci ‘10
Continued from page 1
during McNamara events and to travel to Africa and China. Even though she plans to come back and help out next year, she plans to maintain a low profile so the future President can do their job effectively without the distraction of their predecessor. After all the progress the school has made under Mrs. Gossart, she still has a lot planned for the future. She would like our school to begin with a few additions including a formal science wing, an expansion of existing facilities, and a Special Educa-
Editors in Chief
Jacqueline Corley ‘10 Joshua Crockett ‘10
Photos Editor
Mrs. Gossart Continued Coordinator, described the announcement as “bitter-sweet.” She explained further, saying “It was sad to see her go, but happy for her since she is starting a new chapter.” The next day, Mrs. Gossart informed the students of her decision on WMAC with Principal Marco Clark. When asked about what she will be doing since she will not be President of McNamara, she stated, “I called St. Anne’s Hospital to be a rocker once a week.” Other things she has planned are to volunteer, to be present
staff of The stampede
tion Program. She explained her motivation of these plans saying, “If a school stops moving forward, it starts sliding back.” Even though the future brought a smile to her face, the smile grew bigger when she was asked about what she would miss most about Bishop McNamara. She said, “Not having a day-to-day relationship with the students.” These, along with her favorite memory of graduation, which she said “Fills you with pride and gratitude,” are some of the many reasons why she always
loved this job. She recalled the many times when people would ask about her children, and she automatically thought about the students here at our school. When describing some qualities she will remember about the student body, she said, “hilariously funny.” This Presidential legacy can be summed up through Mrs. Gossart’s own words: “This place is better because I was here.”
Graphic Artist
Joshua Sanders ‘10 Staff Writers
AJ Gonzalez ‘10 Thomas Ingle ‘10 Marie Blair ‘11 Taylor Brown ‘11 Alexis Jenkins ‘11 Brandon Joyner ‘11 Megan Timms ‘11 Matthew Nunez ‘12 Megan Ardovini ‘13 Jerica Deck ‘13 Photographer
Thomas Ingle ‘10 Avertising/ Distribution
Mylah Howard ‘10 Jesse Marciniak ‘10 Joshua Sanders ‘10 Faculty Adviser
Charles Shryock, IV Publisher
THIS IS YOUR NEWSPAPER! Write us a letter. Send it to: get.trampled@gmail.com
Heather Gossart, President Marco Clark, Principal EMAIL US:
get.trampled@ gmail.com
Rewiring the Friars by Marie Blair ‘11 STAFF WRITER In the United States, the internet is a part of daily life. However, in depth knowledge of the internet in the current generation is limited. Thankfully, Bishop McNamara offers a class that teaches students about computer technology and allows them to spread it to the rest of the community: CISCO and CISCO II. For the past couple weeks, the CISCO II class has been rewiring the Friar’s Residence during their class period to provide the Friars with internet connection on the second floor of their building. This small class consists of only Thomas Ingle, Zach Harriott, Nathan Hartmann, Ryan Anderson, Chrishon Rose, and Eddie Corrothers. When asked if pleased by work the students were doing on the building, Father Russell replied, “They have done a great job. They should all get A’s!” However, the rewiring hasn’t been all fun and games. According to Junior,
computers from the comfort of their rooms. “Keep in mind,” William Cassidy, IT Coordinator, said, “some of these guys are just out of college, so they are just like any other college kid[s].” Like many of us, they will use the internet for things like Facebook, sending emails, and, of course, studying; considering most of them are in training to bephoto byMarie Blaiir ‘11 come Friars. Rewiring a building Crishon Rose’10, Eddie Corrothers ‘11, and Mr. Cassidy Rewire the requires a lot of work Friar Residence and knowledge. The students all admit that Eddie Corrothers, “It’s been productive, but we’ve had our mishaps.” Consider- the class is challenging, but they have ing this is taught like a college course, agreed to study hard and approach the mistakes should be expected and will material with an open mind. To rewire the Friar’s residence, the class first had aid the overall learning experience. As a result from the work this class to design a plan which was acceptable is doing, the Friars now can use their to their teachers and to the Friars. Then,
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they were required to make new wires, reuse old ones and put them where necessary as well as install wireless networks and switches in the building. Though the class is taught by George London, IT Coordinator, Mr. Cassidy is the main supervisor for this assignment and is qualified for the job. Mr. Cassidy has personally wired the main Bishop McNamara building, the Fine Arts building and has also held many jobs previous to working at McNamara in the same field. However, the rewiring is only part of the CISCO II’s class. Along with this lab, they also are required to keep up with the regular work load for the class including frequent homework and tests. But, the students are willing to work hard and take advantage of this special opportunity. They believe it will pay off in the end and might lead them to a career in a similar field some day.
I’m in a Boat (Shoe)! by Alexis Jenkins ‘11 Staff Writer
photo by Thomas ingle ‘10
Ian Jenkins shows that he rocks boat shoes during lunch.
Are we starting a sailing team? No, but McNamara is all prepared with our boat shoes. With one glance around a classroom, you may see several students headed for the deck in Sperry’s Top Siders or variations of that design. Sperry’s are the modern sport shoe invented by Paul Sperry in 1935 that are made to grip the wet decks of boat, hence the name. They also are called loafers, Top Siders, and deck shoes. Typically, they are leather with rubber soles. As Kyle Martin ‘11 said, “They are Water-proof!” That they are, and they “poofed” their way onto several students’ feet this school year. Although they are the most preferred boat shoe, some prefer a cheaper buy and have adapted to the new trend without breaking the bank. Several students made it known that their Top Siders weren’t Sperry’s but were from other brands such as Payless Shoe
Source where, as you might guess, they paid less. This trend at our school is mainly seen on upperclassmen, but I suppose it’s just a matter of time until we see freshmen adorning these cushy loafers. As of now, one in every four people are wiggling their comfortable toes in boat shoes. However, if you thought this was just a McNamara thing, it seems to be popular through-out the WCAC. Many students from Seton, Good Counsel, PVI, and Gonzaga have been seen sporting these popular shoes too. It’s a little ironic because just a couple of years ago we probably all would have called them “old-man” shoes, but now they are the coolest thing. Style is evolving and so are the boat shoes. They come in different shades: tan, brown, and black. These are acceptable for school, but they also come in bright shades of red, yellow, and blue. And to make the “old-man” shoe even younger, some have vibrant orange soles and piping or plaid. Mark Yacat ‘11 said, “They’re hard to
get messed up compared to black dress shoes.” Bottom line is: they are cooler than black dress shoes. So, boat shoes win in the style category, they win against their closest competitors (dress shoes and ballet flats), and they win in what could be the most important category of all -- comfort. Allison Bahneman ‘11 said “Boat shoes are comfortable, they don’t fall off like ballet shoes.” However, the benefits of boat shoes would have no importance if they didn’t fit this category--the uniform requirement. It’s one less thing the deans have to look after, one less blister, and two less wet socks. Boat shoes meet all of Amber Martin ‘11 standards. “They’re easy to put on, they’re comfy, and they go with the socks too.” The people have spoken. The boat isn’t coming anytime soon, but if it does, McNamara has the shoes on deck. In light of this, I believe it is safe to say the Top Sider is not going anywhere any time soon.
Farewell told by McNamara Continued without her,” Daniel Artin ‘10. “My Dad told me the news last night, and I didn’t believe him,” Carmela Rourke ‘11. “I wanted to know why she was leaving,” Emily Magruder ‘13.
When the Teachers Found Out
“When she anounced it, I immediately thought of the impact she’s had on me personally,” said Robert Nolte, Mathematics Department Chair. “I’m torn because I don’t want her to go, but I’m excited for her because this is what she wants,” Mindi Imes de Duclos, Assistant Principal for Academics/ Co-chair, Religious Education. “She’s not going to be easily replaced, and even if the person who does has big shoes to fill, it’s going to be a shame to lose her, but bigger and better things I guess,” Geoffrey Molchan, History Teacher. “I think she’s been such a great spokeswoman. Everywhere she goes, she’s all McNamara. She’s the biggest fan, cheerleader, head and shoulders she represents McNamara,” Linda Corley, Math Teacher. “We need someone with that... that...” “Charisma and Zeal!” finished Angela Dielhman,
Math teacher. “Mrs. Gossart has always been synonymous with McNamara. When I found out she was resigning, I was sad to find out she wouldn’t be here, but I was glad to be able to reflect on the fond memories we have been able to share with her,” Justin McClain ‘00, Spanish teacher. “In many aspects I am very sad, but I think new leadership could be good because she has prepared us for it. So, I think we’re ready for a new direction and hopefully it will continue to be great and maybe even better,” Sandra Herndon, Assistant to the President. “For a woman of her magnitude, her character, her strength, her compassion, a real zeal for the holy Cross mission, for her leadership, her example, we have been blessed to have benefited from her. Our lives have been changed for the better because of her being our President/ CEO. I love her so much,” Lasandra Hayes, English teacher.
Morning Announcements
“While Mrs. Gossart was talking on WMAC, in homeroom, I was tearing,” Michelle de La Paz ‘12. “I thought she was going to talk about Homecom-
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ing week or something,” Jonathon Middlebrooks ‘11. “It was kind of like one of those indescribable moments where you don’t know how everyone was going to react,” Soliel Grant ‘10, Student Council President. “Shock. Surprise. Oh my god,” responded a group of freshmen when asked how they felt as they watched. “I was drawn to tears. This school isn’t going to be the same,” Shannon Anderson ‘11. “It was a real honor to be the crew and to be able to show her talking to school and talking to the students about her retiring,” Miguel Boluda ‘10, WMAC Field Reporter. “We were about to cry,” Vina Concepcion ‘13 and Helen Bell ‘13.
What Mrs. Gossart Was Thinking
“I was trying to figure out how to tell my students. Write a letter? Go on the Intercom? Then I thought ‘No’ that is not the relationship I have with the students. Mr. Clark asked me if I was going to be okay, and I wasn’t sure I was. I didn’t use a script, it came from the heart.”
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“
No one on our team doubts that we can win.
-Greg Carbott ‘10 (Mens Varsity Soccer)
”
Homecoming Week ‘Rains’ Down Promising Results
The Men’s varsity soccer team shows sportsmanship after their 3-0
by Josh Crockett ‘10 Editor in chief
The Varsity Men’s Soccer team headed into homecoming week with a definite mission to avenge and maintain. With two totally opposite talent levels, the mustangs were given the opportunity to split the series with the number one team in the WCAC and continue their quest towards a more favorable place in the playoffs with a win versus St. Johns. Led by a strong group of seniors, the mustangs are stronger than what paper may reveal. Senior starter, Maxwell Allegro says, “ We have a lot of potential. The second half will be stronger than the first.” When asked how he and the team could turn there 5-5-4 in conference record around he said, “We need to approach each game with the same intensity.” This intensity would definitely be required against a Dematha squad that had only one in conference blemish on their record. Heading into the match against Dematha, Senior Jeff Meekins said, “If we do the same thing as last time and keep up what we are doing, we should have no problem pulling out a W.” Unfortunately, the men fell short to the Stags by a score 4-0. The teams resilient attitude allowed them to shake off this minor road bump in order to enjoy what would be the last spirit week for many of them. Is there a lack of focus due to the irregular week and outrageous clothing? Coach Robert Nolte says, “The guys have a good sense of when to turn it on and off. The eleven seniors on the team help to keep us focused and grounded.” He really believes that his team feeds off spirit week and the additional amount of fans will give the team a positive boost heading straight from the pep rally to their homecoming game against St. Johns. This boost could not come at a better time. “We are peaking at the right time”, says Coach Nolte, and this is definitely evident by a much improved second half of the season. Due to the competitiveness of the WCAC, ties at times feel like wins especially to a team that has dealt with a number of injuries to key players. To many people an injury to a starter would prove to be problematic. Not for these Mustangs, it was merely an opportunity to experiment and find success in different positions. As a Forward for much of his high school career, the sound of playing midfield would definitely be somewhat foreign to Allegro. However, the loss of senior Greg Carbott early in the season left a void in the midfield that Allegro filled valiantly. When asked about his position change he says, “Im just being what the team needs me to be.” This is a team-wide attitude that Coach
Nolte attributes to the strong, senior leadership. He says, “This is an amazing group of young men. They get along great and have just made a great impression this year.” As the team graduates eleven players, who will step up and replace these guys? Newly appointed Mens’ J.V. soccer coach Katelynn Chambers believes that her group of guys are ready to answer the call of duty. She says,”That’s always the goal to work up to varsity.” When asked about her transition from the women’s side to the men’s, she expressed that she really was not looking for anything in particular, however, when Coach Nolte offered her the position, she felt that it was an opportunity of which she should take advantage. So far she says,”It has been great. There is a very responsive coach to athlete relationship and I have to give them credit...I know it was difficult.” Freshman Andrew Smith says, “We responded well... I have never had a female coach, but she is doing a really good job. Her techniques are different from what I am used to.” She accepts nothing but maximum effort from her players and it is evident out on the field that most of the team’s victories are a result of strictly outworking their opponent. Coach Nolte says,”J.V. has had a good season. Coach Chambers has done well with focusing on the basics.” This is high praise from the coach that will inherit many of the players on her roster next year. Both of these teams had a responsibility on the Friday of homecoming week “Beat St. Johns!” With the football team coming off of an emotional victory over the cadets a week before, now was the time for the soccer team to pull out a win against the Cadets just as they did earlier in the season. As both the the boys teams headed out to the field fresh out of the pep rally, there was an added amount of energy as many students stuck around in the rain to support the Mustangs. People throughout the community bundled up and kept up the school spirit. The added energy propelled the team to an early 1-0 lead after a great goal from Senior Greg Carbott. A clutch cross much later in the game from senior Ryan Leslie set up Carbott for what would be his second, and the teams winning goal. The mustang defense held strong and the Cadets scored only one goal. Heading into the playoffs, the Mustangs are in great position to compete for the WCAC crown. Confident that they can play with pretty much any team in the league, the boys have their eyes on the prize.
photo by Thomas Ingle
Pictured to the left is the men’s varsity soccer team in a pregam huddle.
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McNamara Beats O’Connell in Homecoming Football Game by Brandon Joyner ‘11 Staff Writer
photo by thomas ingle ‘10
victory over the PVI Panthers.
e’10
me
One of the greatest things about homecoming is the homecoming football game, and the guys didn’t disappoint this year. The boys varsity football team played the Knights from O’Connell at Tyoka Jackson Field on Saturday, October 17. The Mustangs were ready to come out and show that they are one of the best teams in the WCAC -- and they did, by winning 29-0. Despite the cold, rainy weather, the fans came out to support both teams. Before the game, head coach Bryce Bevill said that his players have gotten tougher mentally and have faced adversity, causing them to come together as a team and play as a unit. When asked about the importance of this game, assistant coach Roland Grimes said “This game is not as big as the last game of the season will be, but it is the biggest game of the season so far.” When the game started, the Mustangs didn’t hesitate to get going with two big runs by junior Hannibal Robinson, each for 12 yards. The opening drive was then capped off with a 7 yard touchdown, also by Robinson.
In the second quarter, the Mustangs seemed to be relentless against the Knights in scoring two touchdowns by senior Matthew Goldsmith, for 6 and 26 yards. Goldsmith had 7 catches for 88 yards, along with the two touchdowns. At the half, the Mustangs were in total control of the game, leading 20-0. In the second half, the Mustangs never looked back as they added a 37 yard field goal by senior Matthew Michael and another touchdown by Robinson to go up 29-0. Robinson would finish with 18 carries for 213 yards against the Knights. Senior quarterback James Joseph was 10 of 15 for 151 yards. In the fourth quarter on a critical fourth and goal for O’Connell, the Mustang defense came up big with a stop by junior Jon Harris to take over on downs and end the game. Both teams played very hard in this conference matchup. The Mustangs improved their record to 6-1 and third in the WCAC standings. The Mustangs will next play on the road at Carroll, then play their final two games at home against Paul VI and conference rival DeMatha.
At a rainy homecoming Saturday, after a touchdown, the Mustangs special teams unit lines up to kick-off against O’Connell. photo by Brandon Joyner‘11
photo by Grant hill ‘10
Senior Nicole Deloach plays in her senior game on Friday October 23, 2009.
What’s All the Racket About? by Jerica Deck ‘13 Staff Writer
photo by Brandon Joyner‘11
Pictured below, Brandon Coleman ‘10, Nicolas Law’11 and Jon Harris’11 walk off the field as they defeat O’Connell 29-0 in the Homecoming game at Tyoka Jackson field on Saturday.
If you don’t consider tennis a real sport, McNamara’s tennis team is proving you wrong. This year our tennis-playing Mustangs are fierce, intense and ready to win. “We have workouts twice a week with [Coach] Andre for about an hour, and then we go to the court,” said player Nicole Deloach ‘10. These girls train hard; they lift weights and do various warm up routines for about an hour. After that, the team goes out on the court ready to bring their “A” game. The hardest thing about tennis, according to player Tianna Jenkins ‘12, is “controlling yourself ” and “being in the right spot.” We don’t hear very much about the team on the announcements. “One of the reasons is the coach is not in the building,” said Athletic Director Anthony Johnson. It is very hard for the coach to get the information of the team’s wins and loses to the announcers. We also don’t hear much about individual players. “Diamond Adams ‘11 is doing very well. She is one of the top tennis players in our conference,” said Mr. Johnson. The players hope more students will go out to a game and support our Mustangs. Nicole DeLoach ’10 said, “Expect success. We’re pretty good, so I have faith in the team.”
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Band
FEATURES by Dillon DiSalvo ‘10 Staff writer
Retro Rama / Cream
1966 saw the formation of the newest sensation out of Britain, Cream. It was one of the original and best power trios in rock history. All three members were regarded as the “cream” of the crop. Most notably was Eric Clapton on guitar and vocals, then Jack Bruce on Bass and vocals, and Ginger Baker on drums. The band’s sound is straight up blues rock and they created some of the most famous riffs and solos of all time. Many have heard the famous “Sunshine of Your Love” lick that is featured on Guitar Hero III and in movies like School of Rock and the solos are everywhere in the Cream set list. Most of the soloing is done by the legend, Eric Clapton, who is regarded as one of the best guitarists of all time. He is one of the first to use the wah-wah effect in the songs “White Room” and “Tales of Brave Ulysses.” He is also the inventor of the “woman tone” which is a thick muted distortion sound; this is the tone used in the solo of “Sunshine of Your Love.” Under the high end of Clapton’s guitar lies the deep growl of Jack Bruce’s bass line. His lines are melodies that could really stand on their own. An inspiration to bassists everywhere, he shows the world that bass isn’t just for playing the root while the guitar takes all the glory. Formerly a concert cellist, Bruce’s classical training makes him a musical marvel; he actually takes up his cello once again to play on “Deserted Cities of the Heart.” When he is not singing, his focus goes all to his playing. In “Crossroads,” Clapton takes over as lead vocalist, and Bruce gives a stunning performance of blues bass. Behind the set sits the drummer extraordinaire. Ginger Baker’s style was one of the things that defined a Cream song. While most modern drummers do the hi hat/snare combo and the simple kick drum beat with tom fills in between, Baker brought something truly unique to the ensemble. His toms were not just for fills,
The Forgotten Rule by Matt Nunez ‘12 Staff writer
You’ve probably done it before. As a matter of fact, most of us have wandered the hallways of McNamara without a pass. And even if, by a chance, you’ve passed a teacher on your way to the bathroom, odds are that they’ve done no more than politely acknowledge you. It seems as if teachers don’t care anymore if you’re in the halls without a pass. However, if you happen to wander upon the wrong teacher at the wrong time, you could end up with a yellow detention slip in your hands. The rule of the hall pass is becoming less and less evident at McNamara, however, the student body may not be the ones to blame for breaking the rule. According to Carolyn Stevens, Dean of Students, the teachers aren’t enforcing the rule. The school handbook lists, “being in the hallway/locker room/ parking lot without a pass,” as a behavior that negatively affects an orderly environment. Ms. Stevens described this by saying that, “Kids in the hallways have a tendency to disrupt classes,” and although it may be entertaining to some, it is a distraction to the learning environment. This rule doesn’t seem to affect students or teachers, however. According to Ms. Stevens, teachers will
simply tell the students to go, because it takes less time than actually filling out a pass for them. “No-one’s going to use them if they don’t enforce it,” said Nik Holder ‘11, “During freshman year, I had to use passes for every class. Now, I don’t.” Mitchell Lowery ‘12 feels the same way, “Roaming around school isn’t a high priority of teachers, so they just don’t worry about it.” Tom Ballenger, social studies teacher, shared a teacher’s viewpoint, “I will question occasionally, but it’s hard to distinguish between senior privilege, office aids, and normal students.” Some teachers do enforce the pass rule, including Mr. Ballenger who signs an agenda book when sending students into the hallways, but other teachers will just tell the students to go. The school has official passes that teachers can use; they just need to simply request them from the main office. The rule of the school pass has always been present at McNamara, but just over the past few years, teachers have become less aware of this. Even if your teachers don’t give you passes, be cautious of the system and rules before you wind up with the dreaded “yellow slip.”
Talk
he plays them all through the song. His fills consist of complex kick drum, cymbal and tom combos. His set had two kick drums, and this made him be able to play with his feet in a different time signature than what his hands are doing. His most epic performance is in the song “Toad,” which is essentially just the some of the best drumming ever recorded. The group disbanded in 1968 after putting out four albums. Rolling Stone Magazine hails them as the sixty-sixth greatest artist of all time. Their music has defined many generations of new and aspiring musicians. All three members moved on to other bands such as Blind Faith and Derek and the Dominoes, and they are all currently playing the music they love.
The Modern Face / Bad Veins
Forty years after the formation of Cream, there were two guys jamming in a Cincinnati attic who decided to call themselves Bad Veins. The band was originally a solo attempt by vocalist/guitarist Benjamin Davis, but that soon changed when Davis realized solo was a no go. He asked drummer Sebastien Schultz to sign on, and the duo was born. However, their band was not complete; drums and guitar were not enough. They decided to bring a most interesting member to the group that makes them truly unique artists. They have a reel to reel tape player which provides orchestra accompaniments, recorded bass lines or whatever they wish to add to the mix. This player’s name is Irene. Listening to them, one hears a real authentic tone. They are not the polished bands seen on huge record labels with tons of reverb and compression. Bad Veins has that edge to their music, the little minor errors in the songs that are present, but it provides for a raw feel that just can’t be topped. A surge comes from the distorted guitar sounds and the fast hi hat/snare combos. Also, if one listens continued on page 7
Alumni News
Justin Kersey ‘04 Initiates Project to Renovate a School for the Hearing Impaired in the Dominican Republic by Megan Ardovini ‘13 Staff Writer We all know that we have had amazing individuals walk out of the Bishop McNamara doors and do great things in the world, and Justin Kersey ‘04 is an amazing example. A member of the Bishop McNamara graduating class of 2004 and a Towson University graduate of 2008, Justin has taken on a new project to renovate a school for the hearing impaired in the Dominican Republic as part of his work in the Peace Corps. Justin has recently received approval for this project to renovate the existing school for hearing impaired individuals. Jeanne Kersey, his mother, explained in an email to Mr. Clark and Mrs. Gossart that “It’s a big deal that his project was approved. He had to write a proposal and secure funding before the Peace Corp would accept the project.” After the project was approved, they set out to look for funds in the Dominican Republic. There was almost no funding for special needs education and they had to turn to embassies and international aid providers. Sadly, the project was turned down for this financial assistance because of the lack of training that the teachers received and the rural location of the project, which makes it hard to oversee. Plans began to change. Eventually it was decided that renovation would take place instead of building a brand new school. The school targeted for renovation is dilapidated and infested with rats and mosquitoes. Another major problem is the supplies available to the students and teachers, or lack thereof. The little supplies that are available are outdated and not designed to meet the specific needs of the individuals with hearing and speech difficulties. Justin’s project aims to improve teaching conditions in the existing school by repainting, fixing the ceiling and flooring, and making
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Get Trampled!
Tap to the End Zone
Why are so many football players all of a sudden taking tap? by Taylor Brown ‘11 Staff Writer Football players are taking over the tap dance program at Bishop McNamara. Tap dance has developed and expanded significantly because of the football players. Ronald Grimes, assistant coach of the varsity football team, influenced his players to take tap dance. “The greatest football players have the greatest dance,” he said. Tap dancing helps you with playing football, he explained. The main reason the football players are taking tap is because they want to improve their footwork. Footwork is important because it develops speed and quickness in the player’s legs and feet. Players need to be able to change direction within one step on the football field. Tap dance helps develop just that. Mr. Grimes said he has seen significant improvement in Matthew Goldsmith ‘10, Jalen Neal ‘11, and Hannibal Robinson’s ‘11 footwork. Tap dance has given the football players a chance to bond off the field and also become better athletes. Jon Harris photo by Taylor Brown ‘11 ‘11, line backer said, “Tap helps footJalen Neal ‘11, Matthew Goldsmith’10, work, but we also come together as a Jamal Fuller ‘11, (Varsity Football players), family.” A family loves and depends on are tapping during 5th period. each other. Tap dance helped them become a family. Team chemistry involves diversity, role taking, leadership, and common vision. To be a good team they have to combine the efforts and abilities of each other in the right way. Team chemistry leads to success, and the Bishop McNamara Varsity Football team is having a great year. They started the season 4-0 for the first time in more than ten years, and they defeated Gonzaga, one of their rivals. Other student athletes have joined tap. There is a bigger population of students in this program than ever before. They have encouraged others and made history in the tap program at Bishop McNamara. The football players are tapping well. Cindy King, the tap dance teacher said, “All of the football players have improved since the first class.” She absolutely believes that the football players tap skills are pretty good and continue to improve. Although, Ms. King complimented her athletic tap dancers. Mr. Grimes added that he is a good dancer himself and even though the football players are taking tap, “None of them can dance better than me.”
Cause You’re Hot Then You’re Cold You’re Yes Then You’re No... Got a Case of the Road Bipolar Photo and story by Grace Kelly ‘10 in-depth editor How do teenagers at McNamara deal with stressful driving? “turn up the music,” “blurt a couple words,” “yell at bad drivers” and “give them the finger many a time.” Whether people like to admit it or not, driving on a daily basis leads people to become stressed and irritated by the common hustle and bustle of traffic and of other drivers. It is a common misconception that what happens on the road stays there. The emotions that are brought up and used on the road affect people daily and even physiologically. Driving can be stressful because of lack of control, unpredictability and self defense, according to studies by Dr. Leon James and Dr. Diane Nahl from the University of Hawaii. These aspects of driving leads teens to act on impulse and cause them to have built up emotions. The lack of control happens in traffic situations. Teen drivers are unable to predict the traffic flow or the irregularity of stopping. They become frustrated at this lack of control which often leads to venting at anything in an attempt to gain this control back. Unpredictability also contributes to this stress. On the road, there are people with different skill and experience levels. This allows drivers to feel stressed and anxious on how others
are going to act. Driving gives teenagers a sense of freedom in the car. If someone or something infringes on their car or driving ability, it causes the driver to feel violated and act in defense. Nick Arbin ’10 serves as an example of this when he says, “I drive speed limit, if another driver impairs my driving, I speed up or attempt revenge.” This sense of freedom is lost and drivers are sometimes forced to act on this impulse. The effects of anxiety, stress, frustration, and so forth are brought up again after you stop driving. These emotions might lead teens to act aggressively and angry throughout the day and act like this to others. The affect might die down throughout the day, but it is still built up in the driver from previously. What is the best way to cope with these effects of driving? It seems hard to avoid, but one possible way to cope is to just enjoy the ride. Put in a favorite CD and just accept that some things are out of your control. Keeping a good distance from the car ahead of you will also help reduce accidents, if sudden stops occur. Use this prolonged time in traffic to reflect personally or invite a friend along and just enjoy each other’s company.
Band Talk continued...
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closely, Davis’ voice is akin to vocalist Brandon Flowers from The Killers. This being said, The Killers’ singer has nothing on this new talent. Davis has control of his higher range, while Flowers frequently loses his voice to cracks and embarrassing little screams. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but they should watch out for this group. Another interesting aspect of the group is their stage performance. Davis does not always use the traditional method of voice amplification, the microphone. He tapes a telephone receiver to the mic stand and sings into that on songs like “Falling Tide.” Other times, when the mic does not fit the occasion, he sings into a megaphone. This is a characteristic of their song “The Lie.” On top of that, there are parts in some songs where there is no drums, vocals or guitar playing, but Irene is giving a solo. So, it is interesting to watch a live video of theirs when all the sudden, the two guys stop playing to sit around listening to a tape player. Good work, Irene. Probably one of the best new and upcoming bands, Bad Veins is a refreshing change from the high polished, big label artists. Their passion for music comes out in their playing. A few of their shows have been attended by more of the stage hands than actual audience members, but it does not make them play any less enthusiastically. Their debut album entitled, Bad Veins, was just released this past July, and four of their songs as well as their list of upcoming shows are posted on their MySpace page.
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All Homecoming and pep ralley pictures taken by thomas ingle ‘10 During the homecoming dance Mrs. Heather Gossart was crowned the queen of Bishop McNamara. She receieved her own crown and flowers!
Mrs. Gossart crowns our mascot who remainded nameless until this year’s pep ralley. He earned the name Mighty Mac!
Mrs. Parks Skerpon helps crown Brandon Coleman ‘10 the homecoming king. MOSH PIT!? Seniors storm off bleachers during their last pep rally.
President Mrs. Heather Gossart crowns sophomore class princess Alex Perry.
Mr. John Shryock and Mr. Justin McClain compete againist students in the stanky leg dance competition.
The finalists for best school spirit line up at pep rally, waiting to see if they have won the contest.
Alumni News Continued
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dditional learning and teaching supplies available. The other aspect of the project is to reach out to the others in the area who have impaired hearing. Justin and the others working on the project are seeking outside support and donations through the Peace Corps. So far they have received $1,600 and it is estimated that they will need approximately $1,600 more before the project is complete. This project will not only bring hope to those that have hearing disabilities, but also work to unify their community. Through an email interview, Justin said, “My goals with this project are to improve the education directed towards people with hearing problems, expand outreach programs to this segment, and involve them with income generating projects.” Bishop McNamara played a great role in preparing Justin for the misson of a lifetime he has taken on. Jeanne Kersey stated in her email to Mr.Clark and Mrs. Gossart that “I know that his years at McNamara helped shape his world view and his interest in helping others.” Justin had this to say about how McNamara prepared him, “I feel that Bishop McNamara really prepared me
for the work I am doing now. I remember learning about the service through religious education classes. I also remember being exposed to world cultures through history classes and learning Spanish with Mrs. Bozzo, which has actually come in really handy.”
According to Bob Nolte, chair of the mathematics department and varsity soccer coach, “[ Justin] was one of those kids where it was evident that he would do something special.” Justin Kersey is doing nothing short of extraordinary by taking on this mission of a lifetime.