OPEN HOUSE EDITION
OCTOBER 2015
WWW.XHSNEWSPAPER.COM
Michael-Scott Greco
William Jordan Kay
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Mr. Thomas Snyder ’06 MODERATOR
A Note from the Editor By Will Kay ‘16 Each and every year, hours upon hours are put into this publication. We've never been more proud of our staff than we have been this year, who stay up late finishing articles, doing research, and formatting the physical layout of the paper. We do a lot of work, but we do not work unprecedentedly. Xaverian's student newspaper has undergone many changes throughout the years; name changes, an everrotating staff, the like. But how we do our jobs has changed, too. With technology, we are so much more connected than we could have ever imagined. The internet spits information out at speed never before imagined, giving us ample topics to write about. Xaverian's 1:1 computing environment also makes it possible for our staff to compile articles and collaborate in infinitely brilliant ways. From Google Docs to Dropbox, we are as savvy as it comes. While we change the world, there will be plenty to come after us. We pave the way for a whole new generation of the Xaverian Family. While the student body and its demographics change, the zeal that drives this publication will remain a constant. We pride ourselves on coming together to ensure a smooth, professional publication, and that will always be the case with this paper. As Theodore James Ryken said, “In harmony, small things grow.” And so, this paper grows. The spirit of Xaverian grows within each and every one of us, and we try to funnel that into this publication. We remember that although we are not the first, and will not be the last, that what we do is worthy of doing; that we work to a higher goal. And in doing this, we must never forget to be simple, and to be honest, never letting sensationalism get the best of us. In that spirit, I would like to thank you for reading this wonderful edition of The X-Press, and hope that this note gives you the lens through which you can better see how much truly goes into this work.
Xaverian Opens its Doors to All By Michael-Scott Greco '18 “Aiming for excellence is a must, and anything short of that is unacceptable.” Last March, the members of Xaverian's Board of Trustees announced their unanimous decision to expand co-education from the halls of Genesis up to the high school. Xaverian opened its doors to the residents of New York City in 1957, standing tall, with over 15,000 alumni, the giants upon whose shoulders we stand, supporting the advancement and overall betterment of the school. Faculty, students, alumni and administration all want to achieve the same goal: a greater enrichment of education at Xaverian. In May 2014, the Michael T. Strianese '74 STEM Program was introduced to students, providing them some insight into the engineering sectors which will expand over the next few years. This next move by the Board promises only good things, from which only more positive impacts can come and prosper. We, the Xaverian Clippers, walk the halls of the building at 7100 Shore Road each day, iPads in hand, smartphones in pocket, and books in bag. We're teenage boys, attempting to play sports, roasting each other at the cafeteria’s tables and, as students, learning. However, we mustn't forget that outside of our seemingly perfect, needle-resistant bubble, there is this breathing, animate thing… The teenage girl. People don't necessarily want to accept impactful changes on their comfortable lives. Despite this, people also need change, for without it, their lives will soon become dull and generic, like the movies in the Die Hard series. Veteran English teacher, Ms. Harrington, who has spent over two decades teaching at Xaverian, stated “Brothers have sisters.” The brotherhood at Xaverian, a Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School, dates back to the founding year. Every student in our “home away from home” works towards embodying the values of the Brothers each day. These include: humility, zeal, compassion, trust and simplicity. The Brothers’ values and bonds are seen throughout the day, as we, the student body of Xaverian's upper school act together as brothers. The focus of the plan is to build upon three essential areas: enhancing academic achievement, embracing the whole student body, and empowering our future. President Robert Alesi '78 proudly stated, ”We are excited to implement the next phase of our long-range strategic plan to become an even stronger school.”
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OPEN HOUSE EDITION
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OCTOBER 2015
Hoban Run By Michael Bowry ‘17 & Patrick McGarty ‘17 Every September, the P.O. Chris Hoban Run happens in Bay Ridge in memory of him. Chris Hoban was a Xaverian student who graduated in 1980, and went on to become a police officer. He was tragically killed in duty in an undercover drug bust, in 1988 at the age of 26. In 1989, the Police Alumni of Xaverian High School established a memorial scholarship fund to honor their fellow officer and Xaverian alumnus, Christopher Hoban ’80. The same year, Xaverian began the Hoban Run in honor of him, with the race starting and ending at the school. After running five miles through Bay Ridge, all who attend are invited to the school parking lot for a party including food, raffles, a DJ, and a band. The event has become an important and vital part of the school community.
Mr. Mayrose '79 said, "It became more than a scholarship. The event has become a Bay Ridge institution." Each year, Xaverian students come to cheer on runners. In addition, members of the baseball team and track team run in the race to support the cause. The Hoban Run is for a good cause and helps support the school while being a fun time. Teachers, students, and community members have made this event truly great and it will continue for years to come.
Homecoming 2015 By John Santiago ’16 & Michael Robertson ‘16 The Varsity Football team started off their season strong with a 48-0 win against Nazareth Regional High School, and following that win, they traveled to Staten Island to take on St. Joseph by the Sea. It was a toughly battled game, but the Clippers fell short and entered Week 3 with a record of 1-1. The Clippers were hungry for a win and knew they had to put on a show for the massive homecoming crowd that was to attend the game in which we hosted an unproven, underdog team in the league, St. Dominic’s, which was searching for their first win of the season. Then came game day. In the first half, the Clippers completely dominated, as the offense showed off and scored a total of four touchdowns with the help of unstoppable running back, Brandon Peterson ‘16, and the sniper quarterback, Phil DePaulis ‘16. The Clippers would take full advantage of their drive, ending the first quarter with a 10-yard touchdown run. The same quarter, Xaverian would get the ball back and Phil DePaulis would find the end zone for the first time with a 7 yard touchdown run. The Xaverian defense would be unstoppable making St. Dominic's go three and out on multiple occasions. The second quarter started off with another 10 yard touchdown by Peterson, the second time in which he made his way into the end zone. After half-time, the Clippers returned, recharged from their break, and found their way to the end zone twice more, one by air and another by run. The final score was 48-2 as the Clippers put on a dominant performance for the homecoming crowd. The Clippers hope to go far again in the CHSAA again this year. Ending the year before short losing in the Championship game against Fordham Prep, they are determined to take home the championship this year. After the game, Peterson said, “It was a great team win; we all worked as a cohesive unit and got the win for the fans, and we are looking forward to a great season and this win is one of many more to come, so stay tuned.” Also, Clipper quarterback Phil DePaulis said, “It was a great win; everyone did their job on both sides of the ball. I would also like to say thank you to all the people who came out tonight to support us, and we look forward to a very successful season.” The Clippers, so far, are having an outstanding season if they keep up the hard work, determination, and focus they will definitely be the team holding up the championship trophy at the end of the season. GO X-MEN!!!!
Pope in New York By Barron Wei ’18
appreciated the opportunity. Giovanni Linea ‘18 commented, “I will probably never get that experience ever again, and it was good to share it with Xaverian.” Michael Curcio ’18 continued, "It was an honor to be involved in such a historic event. Being with my brothers made it even more meaningful.”
During the second week of my second year at Xaverian, I had the opportunity of a lifetime: to perform with the Jazz Band for the Pope. Not only did I have the chance to perform for Pope Francis, I also shared the experience with my Xaverian brothers. Mr. Loposky told us of the news on Labor Day, with only two weeks until the event. Having only two weeks to prepare for the huge event, we had to practice every morning and every afternoon. During our practices, we had many media outlets such as PIX-11 and CBS-New York watch and interview students in the band.
We continued to perform “City Of God,” arranged by Mr. Randazzo ‘08, as Pope Francis addressed his people, and as he left on a helicopter for the United Nations, we performed many more songs such as “In The Mood,” “Sister Sadie,” and “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.”
After two weeks of daily practices, we boarded a coach bus and went to John F. Kennedy International Airport. We all prepared for his arrival and waited anxiously. As his plane landed and the airplane doors opened, we filled the whole place with “New York, New York.” As Pope Francis exited the plane, we caught a glimpse of him. Although he did not come over to address us, we all
Although Pope Francis did not speak with us personally and Anthony Marinelli ‘18 did not get a selfie with the Pope, we all shared the opportunity of a lifetime with our brothers, which we will never forget.
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Xaverian Bowling By Nicholas Etri ’16 & Donald Sanxhaku ‘16 What is competitive bowling? For starters, CHSAA bowling consists of a twelve week season. Like other sports, it is divided into Junior Varsity and Varsity teams. The way bowling differs from other sports is that the players aren't necessarily put on a Varsity or JV team based on their grade or age, but their average. JV bowling averages consist of 120-130 points. Varsity averages must be a 130 or higher. After Sophomore year, any Junior or senior with an average above a 130 must be put on the Varsity team. This year, the Xaverian JV team consists of four senior bowlers. As seniors on the team, they're expected to keep the team focused and composed. Three out of the four seniors have been bowling for one year or more, for the exception of one who's bowling for his first year. JV also has a returning sophomore and two new freshmen. Varsity only has four bowlers on their team, which is just enough to bowl a game, and is comprised of three seniors and a junior bowler. The twelve week season for bowling starts mid to late September. Every Tuesday the Xaverian Bowling team meets in the back of the school to head towards Whitestone Bowling, in Whitestone, Queens. Bowling does not work by wins or losses but by points. Each match consist of three games (four bowlers per game), and for each match won, you could earn a total of 6 points. There's another way to earn points by earning wood. The way this works is if you defeat the opposing team in two matches and add up the pins you won by, if it outscores the pins they beat you by you taking “wood,” an extra point. As of right now JV has more points than Varsity, beating them 16 points to 5. Each game is a fight for the city championship. Like all other teams in the league, Xaverian is looking to win city championships for both JV and Varsity divisions. Bowling is a neglected sport in the school being that it has the most city championships won out of any other sport. Mr. Mace is currently a chemistry teacher at Xaverian, who also coaches the Bowling Teams. As the head coach at Xaverian, he has won four CHSAA championships in total, two JV and two Varsity. The only student to bowl a perfect under Mr. Mace was alumnus Robert Gugliamente. As a bowler that is the greatest milestone to achieve. Every team has expectations to meet, or a goal to achieve. The highest Varsity average as a team through a whole season was a 1,000. That's still the highest average to this day and it's still the average to beat.
October 2015 Films By Brian Coleman '18 The Martian Despite a stellar turn from Matt Damon, Ridley Scott’s latest space epic can’t get off the ground. Although the film is bolstered by stunning 3D visuals, a great supporting cast, and some of the most beautiful space sets since Gravity, it lacks substance. It’s without the emotional gravitas of Interstellar, making this otherwise entertaining story way too far-fetched for its own good. Damon’s gallows humor is spot-on, so much so that even after a few twists and turns of the film’s plot, you almost cement his character’s fate. Scott certainly made a good movie, but one too nonchalant in tone to be considered for any serious awards (if you’re looking for a truly great movie from Scott about space, watch Alien). The Martian gets so caught up in pointless exposition of arguably the most predictable plot in years that it stumbles on its own feet, damaging an otherwise excellent picture that could’ve been a comeback for Ridley Scott after years of box-office and critical misfires. The Walk Transporting us into a whole new world as only cinema can, The Walk transcends the screen and becomes an enthralling caper tale, grand 3D spectacle, and touching tribute to the Twin Towers. Director Robert Zemeckis, renowned for his equally impressive works such as Back to the Future, Forrest Gump, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit? takes his eye towards technology to new heights by choosing to film the whole movie in 3D. This added dimension (literally) makes you feel as if you’re up in the air with Philippe Petit, the infamous man who walked between the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center. Despite being a true story, The Walk somehow finds a way to keep you guessing until the film’s definite conclusion, something I haven’t seen in a movie since American Sniper, further cementing that Zemeckis is a master of both storytelling and filmmaking. Although he slightly bogged down an occasionally weak script, the directing and acting come up big, making The Walk easily one of the year’s best films, and a must see in theaters for anyone who loves movies. Scores:
The Walk:
The Martian:
I would like to say there is hope within American politics, yet it seems like as each presidential campaign roles by the hope in which I contain for the American people decreases exponentially with each waking moment of this madness.
2016: Your Subpar Candidates By Adam Giannopoulos '18
With the Democratic Debate having aired this past Tuesday, on CNN, the campaign trail is finally taking shape. Candidates are making their rounds throughout the states, providing people with reasoning on why they are ultimately the next big thing. This year's campaigns have ultimately provided us with nothing but disappointment as it can ultimately be viewed that each, and every presidential candidate isn't truly fit to contain a spot within politics, whether it be Hillary Clinton’s email scandal, Donald Trump’s radical commentary, or Ben Carson’s unjustified rants, it ultimately seems as if providing Obama with a third term would be the right idea. It is also quite saddening to view the fact that politics has been greatly intermingled with popular culture, ghost candidates have quite sadly garnered over 12% of the votes within the realm of some states. The regular human beings present within the realm of America are ultimately becoming more, and more disconnected with politics to the point in which they would bluntly vote for candidates even if they weren't ultimately aware of their characteristics, or who they truly were as human beings.
America is in dire need of a strong candidate, and as of this point in time said candidate isn't present. It isn't ultimately about Democrats or Republicans, rather formulating a better America, and America that could ultimately support all walks of life, an America that doesn't ultimately segregate nor harshly criticize others. Granted, I may ultimately be asking for a large amount to be conducted, yet if we don't formulate strides in politics America will ultimately lose it's spot as the most wondrous country within the realm of the universe presented. This generation will be surpassed by the generations of other nations, and the great wealth of political knowledge in which we once contained will ultimately wast away, deep in the abyss of the past. We need one human being, one human being who is ultimately willing, as well as able to resume such a prominent spot, and as of this point within the realm of time that human being isn't present within the race on either side. PAGE 3
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OCTOBER 2015
2015 Yale Speech & Debate Tournament By Adam Giannopoulos '18 Students nervously entered the school building for the first time in three months to begin another wondrous year of both excitement, and learning. With the start of the new school year ultimately came all the fabulous events, as well as club opportunities for freshmen, all the way to seniors. These students not only contained the ambition to expand their resumes, but also to cultivate a characteristic present within them that they never knew they contained. It is quite possible to see that Xaverian offers a multitude of clubs and team both within the school environment or on the ballfields. One of these wondrous teams, which has truly dropped jaws lately is the Xaverian Speech and Debate Team. The Team embarked on a journey through Connecticut to participate in the prestigious Grand Tournament at Yale University during the weekend of September 18th. An optional tournament, the Team was comprised of sixteen speakers and debaters from the sophomore, junior and senior classes. The performance in which the Xaverian Speech & Debate Team put forth allowed both teachers, and other schools to truly view both the work ethic, and confidence that the Team had to offer. Through the appearance of Xaverian at the Yale Grand Tournament both speakers and debaters were able to not only perform at the best of their ability, but they were also able to come together as a brotherhood, through constant encouragement of others, and overall friendship. Many of the members who competed within the Yale Grand Tournament felt exhilarated, and enlightened after such a tournament, as they were not only able to utilizes their knowledge to the greatest of their abilities, but they could ultimately learn from the mistakes in which they contained, and insure a more fortified, and successful year going forward. I was blessed with containing the opportunity to speak with a few of the competitors, and supporters that ultimately were present on this trip. I was first able to speak to Nicholas Fazio ’18, on the Metro North train coming back from Yale who contained quite a strong statement on what this tournament ultimately meant to him, "I must say that truly enjoyed myself on the trip, and feel as if it was not only a learning experience, rather, to me it was also a bonding moment in which I was able to further fortify my relationship with my fellow Xaverian brothers, and provide encouragement to those that were competing in the tournament." I couldn't have stated it in a better myself, if it weren't for the brotherhood present on the team, it would be more difficult to succeed, and remember the goal at hand. The Xaverian team was placed against a large amount of competition, yet that didn't effect the psyche of the competitors, Isaac-Jean François ‘16 placed fourth in Original Oratory, and many competitors were quite close to entering octo-finals. All the luck to the team in the upcoming months, and let's bring the grand trophy back to Xaverian! Let's go Clippers!
The Joys of College Applications By Nicholas Loud ’17 The college application process, to say the least, may very well be the most stressful experience a person will ever endure. The concept of being able to find and pick the perfect school for you is mind-boggling enough, but the additional tasks of creating a resumé and getting good test scores only adds to the stress. You can search all over the internet to try and find the “secret” for getting into to your dream school, but in reality, it doesn’t exist. The college application process is a unique experience for every student, and there are no right and wrong answers. While this might sound mortifying, there is still hope. Countless students can sympathize with you, the college applicant, on this issue, and this article is meant to express the beliefs, opinions, and experiences of your educational predecessors in order to help you find your way. Enjoy, and good luck in the whole ordeal. The Xaverian Graduate: Daniel Loud ’14 is currently a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. He writes, “Getting into and then picking your perfect school can definitely be an overwhelming process, but if you give it your all and aren’t afraid to go to your guidance counselors, teachers, and friends for advice, you’ll end up where you were meant to go. Xaverian gave my brothers and I not just the knowledge, but the motivation and support to succeed in anything we do.” The Xaverian Junior: Nicholas Loud ‘17 (who ironically happens to be the author of this article) is currently a junior at Xaverian and is fully engaged in the college process. He continues, “Obviously there is a lot of stress that goes with the whole college process, but I think that many people have tendency to overdo it. My year is especially stressed out thanks to the changes in the SAT, but it is critical to not let this get the better of us. Although colleges do want students who put their energy into work, they also don’t want machines. I’m still figuring this whole college thing out, but I think the most important part is to be passionate in all that you do. Throw everything you’ve got into your work and your extracurriculars, and I guarantee that people (and colleges) will respect you for it. Be yourself, and in time, you will find your way through this academic forest of uncertainty and to the school for you.”
Tunnel to Tower Run By Nicholas Loud ’17
On Sunday, September 27th 2015, 30,000 people took part in the twelfth annual Tunnel to Tower run. The 5 mile run traces he path of the heroic firefighter Stephen Siller, and his actions on the fateful morning of September 11, 2001. Siller laid down his life on that horrid morning after running through the Battery Tunnel while carrying all of his equipment. To this
day, he serves as the inspiration for the Tunnel to Tower Run. As in most city functions, Xaverian had an active role in the run. The Xaverian jazz band was performing at the finish line for the entirety of the race, providing all the people who had made the 5 mile trek with some great music to enjoy. While speaking about those running, it's worth mentioning that multiple members of the Xaverian community were running. Jack Kimmeth ‘17 said, "It was awesome, seeing how many people are dedicated to the race and how much money was raised." In a nutshell, it was a day of remembrance, fun, and pride for all of New York City. PAGE 4
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OCTOBER 2015
New York State Wrestling Champion By Adney Silva ‘18 It has been 15 years since Xaverian High School has produced a wrestling state champion. Finally, after years of hard work and tears, Ronaldo Rodriguez ‘15 stood up to the challenge. During his time at Xaverian, he made some large impacts in athletics. For example, in his senior year, he became the CHSAA State Champion, the first from Xaverian in a decade and a half. Throughout his high school career, Ronaldo placed several times in the city and state wrestling tournaments. Ironically, Ronaldo quit the wrestling team during his freshman year because of the difficulty of the sport. Fortunately, he came back during his sophomore year determined to win. Rodriguez is the kind of person who strives for nothing less than his best. Ronnie’s everlasting legacy will continue to live on in Xaverian, especially in the wrestling program. Currently, Ronaldo is attending Lock Haven University and is an NCAA-Division I wrestler.
Q: How has wrestling affected your life? Ronnie: Wrestling did not just affect my life, it changed it completely. The kid I was before I wrestled and the person I am now are two completely different individuals. I learned more things about life than I ever had in any classroom. It taught me true determination, commitment, hard work, and perseverance.
Q: What process did you experience leading up to Catholic States? Ronnie: I would have to say I built up a strong mind and understood that I can be really good by going away to extensive wrestling camps, attending multiple practices everyday, waking up earlier than my opponents, working hard while they were sleeping, and hating to lose more than loving to win. But most of all, I learned not to be complacent with how good I am because I can always be better.
Q: How did you feel after you won the Catholic State Championship? Ronnie: After I won Catholic State Championship, I felt like a huge load just left my shoulders. It was probably the hardest match I have ever wrestled and I would not give up that moment for a million dollars. That was the moment where I realized I had to wrestle in college and start my quest to be an All American at the Division 1 level. It meant a lot because I thought about this match every single day during the wrestling season, in class, in the wrestling room, in the night, and in the morning. It meant more to me than graduating high school at the time.
Q: What do you think of during a match that helps you win? Ronnie: During my matches, when my legs are about to give out, I remember all the hours I put in, food I missed out on, and sacrifices I made for wrestling. That drives me to ultimately win the match.
Xaverian Takes Comic-Con
Pepsi Perfect
By Barron Wei ‘18
By Stefano Ientile ’18
On October 8th, 2015, the Xaverian Anime Club, led by Mr. Hendrick, went to New York Comic Con. The New York Comic Con is a pop-culture convention featuring themes from comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies and television.
Great Scott! After twentysix long, agonizing years, fans of the popular movie Back to the Future II will be able to get their hands on a bottle of Pepsi Perfect. Fans of the film trilogy have no problem remembering Marty McFly entering a diner and ordering a Pepsi Perfect. Even though Pepsi is not launching any new type of brand, it is releasing 6,500 limited edition bottles on October 21, 2015 to let fans get their own taste.
Anime is a style of Japanese film and television animation and counterpart manga is a style of Japanese comic books and graphic novels. Roy Isber ‘18 and Aidan Connolly ‘18, members of the Anime Club, shared their wonderful experience at this amazing event. Question: What exactly happens in the anime Club? Roy: We watch anime and discuss it. Question: What are your favorite animes? Roy: Sword Art Online and One Piece Aidan: Sword Art Online and Your Lie In April Question: What is it about anime that fascinates you? Roy: The stories and character development fascinate me. Aidan: The stories are very interesting and original. The animations are great and there are countless animes to fit a wide audience. Question: How was your experience at the New York Comic Con? Roy: It was fun and interesting to see all the fans of anime and comics. The cosplay and costumes were cool. Aidan: It was a lot of fun and a new experience. I would definitely go again next year.
“I had always wanted to know if Pepsi was going to release something about it, but now that they are I think it's pretty cool,” says Matthew Antuofermo ’18. Those who wish to purchase the bottle can do so for the ironically dubbed price of $20.15. Even though it's not quite as pricey as the $50 that Christopher Lloyd’s Doc Brown gave Marty in the film. The bottle will only be sold online although Pepsi recommends that fans check out the company's st social media pages closer to the 21 launch date to know exactly where to get a bottle. While it won't come with any new flavor fans can still enjoy classic Pepsi in a 16.9 ounce bottle. Pepsi has also decided to distribute 1,500 Pepsi Perfect bottles before its general release during New York Comic Con to any fan that arrives dressed like Marty. Surprisingly Pepsi is part of growing list of companies joining the th fun of the original film’s 30 anniversary. In January, Nike announced that they would be releasing an identical version of the self-lacing shoes featured in “Back to the Future II” later this year. While Reston, Va., will be renaming itself “Hill Valley” in honor of the film from October 21st through the 25th. American television channel AMC will be showing screenings of the trilogy on October 21 and Amazon will be streaming all three movies throughout the month of October.
Question: What did you do there? Roy: We walked around and looked at all the different booths. The booths were selling posters, action figures, costumes, comics, and manga. Aidan: We got to buy merchandise from anime, comic books, television shows, and video games. We also got to see original artists and their work, and we met people from television shows and got their autographs. Question: Did you purchase any of the merchandise? Roy: Yes. I bought swords from Sword Art Online and posters. Aidan: Yes. I bought a poster, a foam sword, and a hat. Free items were given out as well.
Although Back to the Future II has gotten many things right about 2015, including its prediction on handheld devices, video chatting, and a very strong obsession to movie sequels it remains to be seen if the Cubs will win the World Series this year, as the film predicted.
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OCTOBER 2015
Spirit Week 2015
The Staff
By Joshua Carter ’18 & Michael-Scott Greco ‘18
We Showed Up!
Students at Xaverian celebrated their annual Spirit Week just a couple of weeks ago. We formally expressed our school pride by dressing down and participating in organized events against the administration and each other. Each student was required to dress down in a manner according to the day, the day's included Pajama Day on Monday, Backwards Day on Tuesday where students were asked to wear their clothes backwards, and a Superhero Day on Wednesday where students dressed as a character from a comic series by grade. Thursday, as per usual, was Jersey Day, in which many of the literal teens who walk the halls dressed like associates of the fictitious Tony Soprano. And then, there were theDress down was not free and did include a donation for students wishing to attend Xaverian in the future, current students could earn prizes based on the amount of money they donated.
Editors-in-Chief MICHAEL-SCOTT GRECO ’18 Michael-Scott has been a part of the Xaverian community since his time in Genesis. He is a member of the Clipper Society, Model United Nations, Jazz Chorus, the Varsity Tennis and Debate Teams. He is also a full-time Editor for The Voyager, Xaverian’s Art & Literary Magazine.
An overwhelming majority of Xaverian students participated in this years Spirit Week and enjoyed the festivities that came along with it. Games included a teachers versus students dodgeball game on Monday, volleyball game on Tuesday and a student-faculty basketball game on Friday. Xaverian students expressed their school spirit and grew closer through the many interactive activities that had been planned. We enjoyed Spirit Week this year and look forward to getting the chance to express school spirit again next year. This was a year of many firsts… Outside of the gym. The administration cancelled the annual Walkathon due to a prediction of poor weather by our local media outlets. However, Mr. Vincent Iannelli ’03 quickly jumped into action, developing the first of many Lip Sync Battles. Not only did the courageous students compete, but so did some of the teachers! Mr. John Hendrick performed “Let It Go” from Disney’s Frozen and Mr. Jon Lindstrom gave us his renditions of “All We do is Win” by DJ Khaled, followed by Michael Bublé’s “Spiderman.” Then was the student-faculty basketball game. Twenty to zero. That’s the ratio of teacher wins to those of the students. SCC President Michael Laneville ’16 promised a win for the students, which he was about to deliver until the last minute of the game. Debate coach Mr. Brendan Gorman ’04 and Mr. Dan Majikas each made a three-point shot, bringing the teachers’ final score to 29-28. On behalf of The X-Press, thank you to all those who made this a Spirit Day which has topped all others, especially President Laneville. By the way, teachers, you’re done for come 2016.
MAX Car Wash By Nikolas Arsenlis ‘18 The annual MAX (Music at Xaverian) car wash is an event hosted in the parking lot at 7100 Shore Road to raise money for the music program. Mr. Loposky, Mr. Iannelli ‘03, Ms. Chalif, and all Xaverian band members, including myself, were in attendance. Upon arriving at you Xaverian, you were hit by a figurative Mack truck of excitement. Students had two choices: washing cars or drying the cars. As we worked, Robert Milano '18 was the musical entertainment and played us a variety of songs, ranging from “American Girl” to “How Far We’ve Come.” Mr. Loposky was in charge of managing the fire hose and washing down cars. After he was done, we dipped out sponges into soap and water and went straight to work. The drying section of the car wash was for those who didn't want to get extremely soaked. Midway through the wash, we went to have lunch, a buffet, comprised of hot dogs, hamburgers, coleslaw, and potato chips. After lunch was finished with, we would go back to washing and drying cars. Finally, we helped to put away the chairs and the tables and then we went home. Matthew Bavoso ’18, who volunteered his time to wash cars said, "At this year’s MAX car wash, dozens of cars from the neighborhood showed up to support MAX. It was a very enjoyable experience that promoted team building and leadership while also raising money for our beloved music program. I learned what the true meaning of a family was at this event by working with my brothers. I hope to continue doing this event for next two years as it is always good to work for a good cause.” Personally, I thought it was a great experience because we worked together as a well-oiled machine and we worked hard to make our school a better place. Everyone cared about raising money for MAX, but more importantly, for each car wash I’ve worked, we have always had fun. I made new friends of the freshmen and, once more, got to connect with my friends outside of the classroom.
Model UN to Hit the Road Again By Michael-Scott Greco ’18 Model UN will be participating in at least two conferences this year! The first will be held in Berlin in November and the second in Washington, D.C. in December. As Berlin has
already been planned, Please see Mr. Gorman ’04 if you are interested in attending the D.C. Conference. Joseph Iuni ’18, had this to say regarding Model UN’s trip to D.C. last December, “I learned many things while on the trip. I learned how to engage into debate with others over real world topics. I would definitely do this again PAGE 6
WILLIAM KAY ’16 Will has been in the Xaverian community since his time in Genesis. He is President of the Clipper Society, member of Model United Nations, and Captain of the Speech & Debate Team. He is also an active contributor to The Voyager, Xaverian’s Art & Literary Magazine, but was most recently featured as a member of the starting team of Spirit Day’s studentfaculty basketball game.
Staff Writers Nikolas Arsenlis ’18 Michael Bowry ‘17 Joshua Carter ’18 Brian Coleman ‘18 Nicholas Etri ‘16 Adam Giannopoulos ’18 Stefano Ientile ‘18 Nicholas Loud ’17 Patrick McGarty ‘17 John Santiago ’16 Donald Sanxhaku ‘16 Adney Silva ’18 Michael Robertson ‘16 Barron Wei ’18
Special thanks to our moderator, Mr. Thomas Snyder ’06 and Mr. Schmidt’s Senior Journalism course for submissions! We meet Mondays in the Mac Lab at 2:30. New members welcome!
because I learned a lot about other nations as well as my own. Also, I made friends with people from all over the country, and even some from other countries.” We can take up to twenty delegates with us to Washington, so take advantage of this experience, Clippers!