MID-YEAR EDITION
WWW.XHSNEWSPAPER.COM
Michael-Scott Greco ‘18
JANUARY 2016
William Jordan Kay ’16
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Mr. Thomas Snyder ’06
Mr. James Schmidt ’90
MODERATOR
JOURNALISM INSTRUCTOR
The Spirit of Xaverian By Nicholas Loud ‘17 On Wednesday, November 21, 2015, Xaverian held its annual Spirit of Xaverian Gala. Although held at a new location on Manhattan’s West 16th Street, this year’s gala was perhaps the most memorable (and upscale) one to date. I hesitate in calling the event a dinner because it simply wasn’t. The gala followed a new format this year, with an extended cocktail hour in place of a formal, sit-down dinner. This new format worked remarkably well, though, and was conducive to constant conversation amongst the 300 or so guests. Faculty members, teachers, alumni, and even some students all mingled on the floor, recalling memories and experiences from years past. The sounds of the Xaverian Jazz Octet (a completely student-run group) complemented the nostalgia nicely, and helped make the event even more memorable and emotional. After approximately an hour and a half of the cocktail, the Xaverian Pipe & Drum Corp (also made up exclusively of current student section) marched into the hall and signified that it was time for the awards ceremony. After opening prayer and remarks from Deacon McCormack and Mr. Alesi ‘78, the Bernard McQuillan Distinguished Alumni Award was given to three remarkable men who all embody the essence of what Xaverian truly means. The first awardee was Joseph M. Corrado ‘73, a Senior Managing Director at The Boston Company Asset Management. Next, James E. Leonard ‘76, Chief of Department for the New York City Fire Department was honored, and finally, Michael J. Mennella ‘64, Executive Vice President for Tishman Construction and a member of the Xaverian Board of Trustees. However, the night reached its climax when the Spirit of Xaverian Award, the most prestigious award that can be given to a member of the Xaverian family, was given to the late, great, Edward P. Gilligan ‘77. As President of American Express and a member of the Xaverian Board of Trustees, passed away suddenly earlier this year. After an emotional and beautiful video tribute, Mr. Gilligan's wife and children accepted the award to thunderous applause. In addition to the receiving their award, the Gilligan Family announced that they had established a perpetual scholarship for incoming students of Xaverian. This heartwarming and inspirational moment helped cap off an amazing night, and proved how a person's impact on the world does not stop with death. On a personal note, since my dad is an employee of American Express and I am a student of Xaverian, Mr. Gilligan had a huge impact on the lives of our family. We thank him for all that he has done to make Xaverian and American Express better places, and we continue to pray for his family and all those affected by the loss.
The Great Debates (and Speeches) By Michael-Scott Greco ‘18 Ever since our Forensics team was resurrected from near-depletion of membership three years ago, we have come back, with ex-underclassmen having been to state and national championships, to be stronger than previously thought. Now the most highly-decorated team in our Brooklyn-Queens Catholic Forensics League (BQCFL), with several consecutive tournament championships won in Speech and Congressional Debate, we are currently ranked fifth in the New York State Forensics League (NYSFL). That stat comes from our most competitive tournament prior to the state championships, the 69th Annual Chaminade Invitational, hosted on January 9. Having had a team of just twenty-six members on the day in question, with the other “Top Four” sweepstakes schools having no less than eighty members registered in competition, we are making a name for ourselves. In Congressional Debate, Captain Will Kay ‘16 broke to finals, earning his top spot. In Declamation, Adney Silva ‘18 earned fourth place out of a class of 120 speakers. In Dramatic Performance, Michael Curcio ‘18 also broke to finals. In Varsity Oral Interpretation, Matthew Perez ‘17, qualified for the NYSFL Championships, taking home 7th place. In JV Extemp, Stefano Ientile ‘18 broke to finals and Adam Giannopoulos ‘18 took home the sixth place. In Oratory, Isaac Jean-François ‘16 once again took home the tournament championship. Speaking of which, on the National Circuit (NatCir), Captain and member of the Columbia College Class of 2020, Isaac is ranked tenth in the nation in Oratory after having been to only one collegiate tournament, the Yale Invitational, this season. Having already qualified the vast majority of the team for the NYSFL Championships at Hofstra University in April, not much is left to do. With Captain Nick Duca ‘16 championing Impromptu Speaking and six others competing in final rounds last year, we expect even greater results this April. We are also hosting “Spark of Madness,” hereby shortened to “Spark,” on April 12, in the auditorium. Just two days after the NYSFL tournament weekend, many of our performance speakers will have the opportunity to present their pieces for both the school and outside communities. There will be no admissions fee charged to students of Xaverian High School. There will be many more details to follow. Though we currently have only two, unprecedentedly successful Public Forum (PF) teams, we are building up a Congressional Debate team of what is now nine students, including myself, across all grades. Now, enough about our successes. You who read this article, who want to be able to: speak better, write better, argue better, score better on the SATs, show up UN speakers with the social justice issues we tackle; we want you to see what we’re about. I encourage all of you to come to “Spark,” as that will show you not only what we do, but also, what you can do with us. Moderator Brendan Gorman ‘04, despite wanting to be known as the top school in the BQCFL as much as we do, continues to remind us, “It’s not the ranks you’ll remember years from now, but the friendships that you create.” And, yes, though the ranks are nice, we couldn’t function as a successful entity without fulfilling one of the fundamental ideas of the Xaverian family: never ceasing to service one another. It is for that reason that we are a strong team. It is for that reason that we are slated to attend the Columbia Invitational and the Liberty Bell Classic at the University of Pennsylvania. Let’s face it, we all need that “spark” every once in a while, and the familial atmosphere throughout the team and Xaverian as a whole is what enables us to do so well. We continue to thank our fellow teammates and the our extended school community for their continued support. PAGE 1
MID-YEAR EDITION
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JANUARY 2016
The X-Men Take MUN By Will Kay ‘16 & Matthew Bavoso ‘18 Under the guidance of Forensics Moderator Brendan Gorman ‘04, Xaverian’s Model U.N. team has attended two internationally recognized conferences this year, our twentieth-consecutive BERMUN & our second-consecutive MOAS. This past November, Americans stormed Berlin again as the Xaverian Model United Nations Team dominated the twenty-fourth annual Berlin Model United Nations Conference (BERMUN XXIV). Schools from countries around the world travelled to Berlin to take part in the conference, a celebration of global diversity and unity in a time of uncertainty. This year, the conference was focused on the topic of combatting extremism around the globe. Student representatives, each assigned a country, drafted resolutions, proposed amendments, and gave rousing speeches in their designated committees. Xaverian's 10-man squad, split between the Delegations of Israel and Kenya, made exhilarating contributions to five committees (Political, Disarmament, Human Rights, Environmental and the Special Council), with several of our speakers having given the most speeches in their respective rooms (typically 65-75 internationally-sourced delegates). Mr. Gorman reflected, saying, “The experience of going abroad to network with other students from around the world and try to tackle these immense global issues is something you don't really see anywhere else. We try to mold our guys into leaders of tomorrow, and they have to become just that in these committees.” Although the conference is over, the delegates say that the experience was, indeed, life- changing. Matthew Shneyderman ‘18 said, “I really enjoyed getting to meet people from all around the world, and getting to see how they look at all of these global issues really changed my perspective. With that new perspective, I can really shake things up in the world.” Just weeks later, twenty-one members of the Speech & Debate and Model U.N. teams visited Washington D.C. to participate in the 34th annual Model Organization of American States (MOAS). This event was organized by the Office of the Assistant Secretary General of the OAS. At this conference, students are assigned as delegates of a certain country and are required to write and present speeches addressing topics such as their states’ economic development and intercontinental migration. In the Hall of the Americas, the first session was opened with welcome statements by the Chief Delegates of The Bahamas, Robert Papandrea ‘17, and Ecuador, Michael-Scott Greco ‘18. Their fellow Delegates, Fergus Grogan ‘18, and Frank Donato ‘18 followed suit. Their opening speeches focused on the fair treatment and equal rights of all migrants. This procedure was then followed in the other four committees in the General Assembly. It was a great surprise to all of us that The Bahamas, was selected as first in the order of precedence, at random, by the Model’s Secretariat. That order meant that any of the delegates of The Bahamas could speak whenever they wished to during the debates. Day 2 started out with the delegates breaking into their internationally-sourced groups to discuss the issues and to develop resolutions to the work towards suppressing the severe mistreatment of migrants in the Americas. Our delegates had extremely important roles in their groups, as they made their presence known by expressing their great opinions on the topic and helping to find a resolution of some sort. After much debating, on our the last day, the resolutions for The Bahamas and Ecuador were finally announced. All six resolutions of the General Committee were passed with some amendments, including one which was drafted by the Ecuadorian delegation. These resolutions should be enough to allow migrants to be happier in their lives, while also avoiding any mistreatment that may have come their way. Overall, Xaverian's visit to the MOAS was a successful one that is truly memorable.
Boys Night
National Honor Society: Xaverian Style
By Andrew Watters ‘16
By Barron Wei ‘18
“Boys Night at ‘The X’” is a special night for all of us Xaverian boys regardless of age, and our dads, uncles, brothers, or any other significant male role model in our lives. The event is set to take place on Saturday, January 30th, 2016. The festivities start off with a Mass, as per our Clipper tradition. Later events of the night include a wing-eating contest (with two flights of a preliminary round and a final, championship round), relay races, Xaverian's Amazing Race scavenger hunt, and various gaming competitions hosted in the Tech Center. After the games and competitions, we all go up to the cafeteria where pizza is served and raffles are won. Boys Night at the X is important for the school community because it brings kids closer together and allows them to bond with their fathers and other male role models. I actually went to it during my freshman year with my dad and my older brother, who graduated from Xaverian last year. It was a fun night, as the faculty members and administrators hosting the slew of events manage to keep the crowd entertained the whole time; there is either something going on in the gym or upstairs that keeps the night rolling. Though only a few hours in length, it is important for all of us to make our best efforts to attend. It really brings out the sense of community in the school. This night simply continues to perpetuate the narrative that at Xaverian, we are all family.
Exemplary students who met the requirements of scholarship, leadership, service, and character were inducted into the prestigious National Honor Society on the night of November 5, 2015. The evening was shared by the faculty, parents, and inductees, who are all leaders of this community. The ceremony, organized by Dr. Krishnamurthy, Mr. Tinervia ‘97, and Mr. Moloney, opened with prayer. It was followed with speeches about scholarship, leadership, service, and character and the lighting of each candle, which represented these four characteristics. Speeches were given by class representatives, Quoc-Huy Ly ‘18, Nicholas Loud ‘17, and Michael Ameer ‘16 and the candles were then lit. Each individual inductee then became a member of the National Honor Society as he received a certificate, which represents his achievements and induction. Each certificate not only represents the member’s achievements but also the efforts of the faculty as well as our parents. Before the ceremony came to an end, the inducted members, reciting the oath, pledged themselves to the purposes of the NHS. This important night was filled with applause, smiles, friends, and family. However, some may wonder why this formal ceremony is important. Ly answered this concern best when he said that the goal of this ceremony is “to leave behind a legacy that our sons will one day be able to stand upon with pride.” Ameer left us members of the NHS with an inspiring quote: “There is less sense in complaining than looking for your skills.” He continued “everyone in Xaverian is capable of accomplishing his goals. Some goals, of course, are not as easy to accomplish. But, as easy as it is to complain about them, we should instead work to achieve those goals, no matter how big or how small our goals are.”
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JANUARY 2016
The 2015-2016 Student Body Presidential Race By Adam Giannopoulos ‘18 Xaverian High School contains over one thousand students and continues to grow as the years pass on. Everyday, there is a constant task of ensuring that these young men are taught and cared for in a proper manner within the realm of the learning nature. Although many people believe the order of the school is formulated in a magical manner, there are many people, faculty, staff, and even students who work behind the scenes to ensure that each and every student can have a memorable and enjoyable time at Xaverian. Many students and parents are not aware of the impact which the student body has on the order of the school as well as the formulation and execution of a number of events that are conducted both within Xaverian and outside locations. Having the position of the Student Body President is greatly influential and requires a large amount of dedication, selflessness, and time. Many have tried to entertain the position of Student Body President, and a large number of these students have failed because they believed that the position was filled with levity. However, this past year, we have had a president, Michael Laneville ‘16, who is unique and has truly revolutionized the way in which students interact with the student body and faculty members. It is going to be quite difficult for the new candidates to follow in President Laneville’s footsteps. However, after having the opportunity to speak with these candidates, I am convinced that they are not only up for the challenge, but they are also ready to improve upon the mistakes of past Xaverian leaders. Out of the cloud of rumble that has surrounded the 2015-2016 Student Body Presidential elections, as it seems that every single junior has the ambition of running for Student Body President, two fortified candidates stand out. Both Matthew Perez ‘17 and Joe Liotta ‘17 have influential policies and ideologies that would strengthen the bonds between students and further fortify the ideology that Xaverian is an ever-expanding family. In the immortal words of Joe Liotta, “the campaign is now officially starting!” Sit back folks, relax, grab yourself some popcorn, and enjoy the show because this presidential election is sure to amaze. Either one of these already-motivated candidates will continue to place Xaverian on a level that no other school has ever been presented upon. Out of all the candidates for this year’s election, so far, Perez and Liotta truly allow us to see that we stand upon the shoulders of giants who have come before us.
The Presidential Race of a Lesser Importance By Thomas Coppola ‘18 Currently, the top candidates in the Republican primary poll are as follows: Donald Trump (27.9%), Ben Carson (20.1%), Marco Rubio (13.2), Ted Cruz (11.1%), and Jeb Bush (6.5%). The front-running Republican candidates have similar views on individual rights. All strongly disagree that abortion is a woman’s unrestricted right and that abortion for the sake of convenience should be made illegal. All have made it clear that America was built on spirituality and that God should be kept in the public sphere, while same-sex marriage is unacceptable. When it comes to domestic issues, all but Ben Carson believe that stricter punishment reduces crime, however all can agree on absolute right to gun ownership. None think that green energy is a priority. Economically, no candidate believes that the wealthy should receive higher taxation. Jeb Bush believes that there should be a citizenship system for illegal aliens, while the other poll leaders feel that there should not be a pathway to citizenship. Though no candidate is interested in foreign entanglements, all wish to expand the military. Currently, the only Democratic candidates are as follows: Hillary Clinton (56.5%), Bernie Sanders (32.2%), and Martin O’Malley (2.9%). These democrats are strongly pro-choice when it comes to abortion. While Martin O’Malley is relatively neutral on the topic, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton believe strongly that God has no place in public affairs. All are comfortable with same—sex marriage. Domestically, no candidate thinks that stricter punishment reduces crime. O’Malley and Clinton strongly disagree with absolute right to gun ownership, although Sanders is neutral on the issue. All candidates strongly think green energy should be prioritized. Democratic candidates agree across the board on economic issues, all feeling that the wealthy should have higher taxes and that illegal immigrants should have an opportunity for citizenship. Democrats are divided on defense and international issues, with O’Malley supporting an expanded military while Clinton and Sanders do not share his view. Clinton feels that America should not avoid foreign affairs; however, Sanders and O’Malley believe that the U.S. should not intervene in foreign predicaments. My, oh my, America.
In previous years, teams worked on design projects such as a recreational sports complex, a library extension, a theater ticket outlet, and an emergency evacuation center. One project, a sustainably designed arts center, won honorable mention in the citywide Emerging Green Builders NYC design competition.
A Career Featuring STEM Starts Here By Matthew Ruggiero ‘16, Daniel Sturges ‘16 & Ryan Barrett ‘16 The ACE Mentoring Program gives Xaverian students an opportunity to delve deeper into the studies of Architecture, Construction, and Engineering. Led by real-life architect Benjamin Miller, and his colleagues, ACE teaches Xaverian students the steps that are essential when it comes to entering these professions. This program also involves multiple popular companies in New York such as Gilbane, HNTB, and Gannett Fleming. This year, the program began in November and is set to end some time in February. Each group meets every Tuesday from 4-6pm in Lower Manhattan.
When asked if he has enjoyed the program so far, Kyle Codispoti ‘16 responded "Yes, I think it is a great program and I have learned a lot more than I had expected from it". One of Kyle's group members, Joseph O’Rourke ‘16, agreed with him and also went on to explain what he has learned so far saying, “In the ACE Program I learned how to work side-by-side with other people who share similar, but simultaneously different ideas, and collaborate with them forming a singular, final project.”
Teams also embark on field trips to get information for their projects. In past years, they have gone to places such as the Equitable Tower renovation, the International Masonry Institute, Cooper Union and Manhattan College. At the end of the year, events are held for students and families, as well as mentors, sponsors and the faculty from several area universities. During these events, the teams present their projects using drawings, floor plans, sketches, and construction schedules. Scholarships are provided to outstanding seniors who plan on pursuing careers in design, and construction. ACE New York has awarded $1,887,000 in scholarships to program graduates. It is a good idea for students to attend the ACE mentoring program if they would like to work in the fields of architecture, construction, or engineering.
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MID-YEAR EDITION
JANUARY 2016
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The (Box) Office
The Brother Francis Xavier Club
By Brian Coleman ‘18
By Nikolas Arsenlis ‘18
Steve Jobs Coming very shortly after the last Steve Jobs film debacle, the Academy Award-winning pair of director Danny Boyle and writer Aaron Sorkin had much to follow. Fortunately, the film’s perfect marriage among an all-star cast, a taut script, and outstanding directing make Steve Jobs one of the best movies of the year even if its box office run suggests otherwise. Set backstage during three essential product launches in the Apple head’s career, the Macintosh, NeXT Computer, and iMac, Steve Jobs features the same recurring characters feud over the same recurring minutiae at each event, often harkening back to Jobs’s distance from his daughter and general arrogance. Despite the occasionally repetitive narrative and an oddly upbeat ending, the cast, led by Michael Fassbender in the titular role, makes the best out of its time on screen, truly making a mediocre film a great one. In the film, Seth Rogen, star of Pineapple Express and The Interview, shines through as an actor with one of the most convincing pieces of gravity from a comedian since Robin Williams. He received an Oscar nomination wholly warranted for his turn as Steve Wozniak, the co-founder and second fiddle of Apple, Inc.. Overall, the dialogue-heavy picture is redeemed by its thrilling pace and structure, making it a must-watch for anybody who claims to have followed Steve Jobs and the rise of Apple as a power in the world of personal computing.
The Brother Xavier Club Dances are every Monday at 3:30, in the Cafeteria, beginning in October. For the past years, this club’s events were called Ryken Dances to fully embody the ideologies of Brother Theodore Ryken, C.F.X.. The club continues to average a steady thirteen dances per year. Though the club’s name has changed, its mission to support our community has not.
Black Mass Johnny Depp’s performance as the infamous Irish-American mobster, Whitey Bulger, is like nothing you have seen before. Arguably giving the best acting performance I have seen since Bradley Cooper in Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper, Depp finds a way to fully embody the ruthlessness and brutality of Bulger, a feat that I believed no actor would ever accomplish. A sprawling crime epic like many before it, Black Mass chronicles the Boston gangster’s rise to power and alliance as an informant with John Connolly (Joel Egerton, in the best turn of his career) and the FBI. With the exception of those two leads, the movie trips on its own feet; it is too big of a plot to be entirely explored in a run time that is a little over two hours, and the film suffers even more from weak direction and subpar writing. On the other hand, the set direction and cinematography were stellar, but will likely receive little to no awards of recognition. Black Mass is no Goodfellas, but it will do.
I talked with club member Michael Curcio ‘18 about this year’s dances. He said, “These dances are good for the school because it expresses our Catholic faith and represents what we are all about. We are always willing to lend a hand.” People have misconceptions about these dances because they believe it involves the disabled people from our city. Mr. Curcio responded to these concerns, saying, “Although these dances do not include the Ryken students in our school, it helps to build upon the foundation of what Brother Ryken tried to do, which was to service others.” The Brother Ryken Club Dances are for the elderly and the mentally disabled. The developmentally challenged are bused in from Guild for Exceptional Children. Fellow students from Fontbonne Hall Academy and Bishop Kearney, are involved in helping these people enjoy their Monday afternoons with us.
The Spirit of St. Francis Xavier By Will Kay ‘16 As we recall our mission of following in the model for service set by St. Francis Xavier, let us not forget what he is patron of: foreign missions. His sainthood is built upon his fearless devotion to working alongside the poorest and the sickest of far-off lands. His legacy is one of service, of zealous pursuit of righteousness and justice. That is the legacy we must uphold. Now, by no means do I suggest that you tend to the sick in the Sudan; such is unnecessary. But, I urge that you choose to live out Francis's message in your every day life. Take advantage of the small opportunities: volunteer for tutoring, or help your grandmother shovel snow. Grab a hold of rare opportunities: long-term service activities, retreats, the like. We mustn't limit ourselves to the narrowness of our own expectations. When it comes to serving others, go outside of your comfort zone! In doing so, you ballon into a new level of selfsatisfaction and faith.
“Vitamin”water By Stefano Ientile ‘18 Let’s face it, water is so dull. But Vitaminwater, with its pink, red and yellow colors is like a party in a bottle! But aside from using star power and flashy colors for advertisement, Vitaminwater’s parent company, Glacéau (owned by Coca-Cola), markets the drink by emphasizing its nutritional value. Is there any scientific support behind the marketing, though? A vitamin-enhanced drink may sound like a great idea, but their is one thing to keep in mind. First, most Americans aren’t vitamin-deficient. The average American adult man or woman already consumes more than the Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamins thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, B12, and three-quarters of the RDA of vitamins C, B9 and A. In fact, vitamin E is the only vitamin Americans consume at less than half of the RDA – but it’s found in only a third of Vitaminwater drinks. Even if you were to absorb all the vitamins, Vitaminwater might have trouble living up to its image as a fantastic, alternative to sugary soft drinks. Each bottle of Vitaminwater contains about 31.5 grams, or two tablespoons, of sugar. When it comes to weight loss, what you drink is just as important as to what you eat. When you drink liquid sugar calories, your body does not make you eat less of other foods, instead calories coming from these sugarsweetened drinks are then added on top of everything you eat. Over time, this can lead to weight gain and increased risk of obesity and other related diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity. In a December 2015 poll, I asked 75, randomly chosen students if they were aware that Vitaminwater contained as much sugar as soda. The poll found that 65% of the 75 participants had no idea Vitaminwater contained so much sugar. After taking a look at his own bottle of Vitaminwater, Michael Lilikakis ’18 responded, “I drink it all the time and I never once noticed.” Perhaps, in the future, more people will take a look at what their drinking and move to a healthier alternative (i.e. water). PAGE 4
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THE CLIPPERS WIN, THE CLIPPERS WIN! Varsity Football
By Christian Buono ‘16, Ryan Gallagher ‘16 & John Santiago ‘16 The Clippers won their first CHSFL Class A Championship in school history at the Mitchel Athletic Complex. After losing the last two championships, Xaverian came out strong and was able to win their first championship. The Xaverian Clippers did so by beating Cardinal Spellman with a score of 31-14. Xaverian started the game off strong by quarterback Phil DePaulis ‘16 connecting with Vincent Finizio ‘16, on a 68-yard flea-flicker, for a score on the first play from scrimmage. “We had it planned all week,” said Finizio, who had two receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown. He continued, “We knew it was going to be a good play and we were confident we were going to score a touchdown.” The play was one the team worked on all week in practice to set the tone of the game. Cardinal Spellman answered back, on a one yard touchdown run by Lenward Williams ‘16, to cut the Clippers lead to 7. After a field goal by Chris Monti ‘17, the score was 10-6, and the Clippers had taken over on their next offensive drive. Brandon Peterson ‘16 capped off a four play, 28 yard drive, with a one yard touchdown. After a Xaverian defensive stop, DePaulis hit Peterson with a short pass that turned into a 73-yard touchdown to add to Xaverian’s lead, making the score 24-6 and 4:52 left in the first half. Head Coach Mike Jioia gave credit to their change of game plan to pass the ball more instead of using a heavy run game like usual. It was highly effective. He added, “We just changed it up a bit. We were a heavy running team. We have kids who can pass the ball and we have some receivers. We passed the ball a little more, spread them out, threw what we needed to throw, and it worked out.” DePaulis looked and felt very confident in this game going 7-of-9 for 179 yards and three touchdowns (all to different receivers) through the air in the Clippers’ win. He stated, “I was very confident. Not to mention the line they have been blocking for me the whole season". After defeats in the last two championships, the Clippers finally proved they could bring home the first place trophy. “We set out in the beginning of the year, right in the weight room, the only thing we were going to settle for was a championship,” Jioia concluded. Congratulations to the Varsity Football Team on their victory and good luck to all of the senior players on their way to college.
Track
By Ethan Laurens ‘18 Over the past few decades, Xaverian has participated in multiple track and field competitions in all five boroughs of New York City. Recently, Xaverian’s track and field team has gone to the Brooklyn-Queens tournaments, in which all three track and field teams were incredibly successful! The freshman team came in first place in all of New York City! Freshman Ian Thurlow ‘19 placed 15th in the city and was a real standout with a time of nine minutes and six seconds for the one and a half mile run. Both the junior varsity team and the varsity team followed in second place in Brooklyn-Queens league. Another individual who turned in an amazing performance during these tournaments was Ian Thurlow’s elder brother, Gavin Thurlow ‘16. Gavin ran the two and a half mile run with a time of 13 minutes and 50 seconds. Now let us talk about the sprinters and the indoor season that has been taking place since the beginning of the school year. Many competitors such as Michael Bowry ‘16 have shown tremendous effort on the field. His athleticism is evident in his runs as he lives up to his reputation as the fastest sprinter for both indoor and outdoor seasons. Overall, we can see that Xaverian track and field team has been very successful so far. We are rooting for the runners to keep up the good work by continuing their dedicated training and practicing for the next tournament. The team so far has performed better than ever expected, whether it be the freshman team placing first in the whole city or several gifted individuals placing high on the leaderboards. Mr. McCartney ‘04 even stated that he has one of the fastest teams he has ever had in his five years of coaching. If you ever see the team running in the gymnasium or outside of Xaverian, give the members a cheer and congratulate them on their hard work and successful season so far. Everyone at Xaverian knows that the team has great potential and that the team always prepares for what is coming next.
Kairos IV By Christopher Thuilot ‘16 & Nick Etri ‘16 Kairos is a heavily-planned spiritual retreat, as it takes a few months of preparation for everything to fall into place. Preparation includes thinking about what interactive activities both students and teachers can participate in. The Kairos retreat this December was one of the best weekends of the year. It was a memorable experience for all participants, including ourselves. Although we cannot reveal any details of the happenings on the retreat, it was life changing in a few ways for some of the people including us. The group leaders had a lot of responsibilities to take care of, including publicly speaking to the students, and leading group discussions of six or seven other participants. The thoughts on Kairos were all positive from teachers and students alike. English teacher and renowned lip sync battler, Mr. Lindstrom, said, “I didn't know what to expect going in but it was better than anything I could've imagined, I strongly recommend that everyone who gets a chance to go on it.” Gavin Thurlow ‘16 said that "After having an awesome experience as a leader on XBSS, I can honestly say that this trumped that and has most definitely given me a different perspective on life". We have to be vague, however we would recommend it to everyone who wants to experience something life-changing. The retreat is organized by Ms. Schneider, who added, “Kairos is an eye-opening experience for the students, as well as the faculty involved. The boys have an opportunity to get to know their peers on a deeper level, and come back with stronger bonds than before. I've never seen such a clear demonstration of the Xaverian brotherhood than when we're on this retreat.” For the rising freshmen, sophomores and juniors, you will all have the opportunity to attend Kairos at some point during your time here, and we suggest you seize the opportunity to live the fourth.
The Key Club By Stefano Ientile ‘18 From amazing community service incentives, to student leadership opportunities, to experiences that would be viewed favorably by colleges, the Xaverian Key Club has revolutionized the lifestyles of Xaverian students. Yet, probably the most important aspect of Key Club is the formulation of relationships with people who can change your life. What provides Key Club with a competitive edge over other service organizations is the idea of social interaction. Clubs are grouped into divisions, divisions are grouped into districts, and districts are what allow us to work as an international organization. Due to the structure of the organization, heavily involved Key Club members often make friends with other schools in other cities, or states, and sometimes other countries. Besides the obvious networking benefit, the chance to meet such a large spectra of human beings, and make so many friends is a lot of fun, and what Key Club is truly about. We meet every Wednesday at 2:30p in the Art Annex. PAGE 5
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Varsity-B Basketball
JANUARY 2016
The Staff
By Kyler Thompson ‘16
We Showed Up!
Club Basketball is looking bright this year, as their record is considerably better than previous seasons. The team is well-trained and the players are excited to compete. This starting lineup includes Travis “Fortune” Wells, Chase Rosato (Team Captain), Sal Cardinale, Lou Mandile and Xavier “X” Brun. We asked the two-year veteran, “X,” the starting power forward, how the team has evolved over the years. He answered, “The team played together a lot more so there was less turnover which lead to more assists and more wins.” That is definitely the case because on Monday, December 7th the team came back from 19 down and won by 14 against Iona Prep. During an interview with “Fortune,” the starting small forward added, “This game was a confidence booster not only for myself but for my entire team.” When asked about his performance he continued, “I started off sluggish, I wasn't really a key player in the first half of the game, but coming out for the last two quarters I was designated by my coach to become a threat for the rest of the game.” And a threat he was; a monster on the court scoring 10 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, acquiring 4 steals, and having 2 blocks. Just two days after the win, the team lost a close game against Holy Cross High School by 3 points. Melkishar Delly said, “we play better in the 3rd and 4th quarter than we do in the 1st and 2nd.” He would assume that they are more of a second half team. “X” would agree saying, “we often struggle in the beginning trying to get into the flow of the game but once we do, we take off!” Learning from your mistakes is crucial to becoming more proficient in anything you do. To become better the team watches previous games and studies their performances. Coach Joseph Francis said, “Our strength is our team chemistry. Our weaknesses is court awareness, which leads to our turnovers. Moving forward, as we practice more and begin to understand each other better, I hope that this will lead us to being one of the top teams.” Practice is the route to perfection. Every player on the team would agree that you get what you put in, and that hard work plus intense training equals wins (W). The formula for success is straight forward, 6 hours of hard work (H) plus 8 hours of intense training (I) equals Ws. The Varsity-B practice schedule is no joke. Players aim to practice each day after school starting at 6:00-8:00pm. If practice is not able to happen, Captain Chase invites the team over to his personal home court and moderates practice. Good luck to the team during the rest of their season!
Christmas Café Cabaret By Donald Sanxhaku ’16 & Celestino Nieves ‘16 The Christmas Cabaret is an event that Xaverian holds for the people and elderly for the community. Acting as the formal replacement to the former, long-running Thanksgiving Dinner, this cabaret allows the people of our school and the outside community to gather together and have a great time. It gives the elderly an opportunity to go out and be a part of an event that promotes better social skills. We hosted our second annual Christmas Cabaret on December 4, inviting senior citizens from our own Bay Ridge community to as far away as New Jersey, this was a way to give back to our community, and provide them a great afternoon. The school had a wide participation from our student body, not only from high school students, but also from Genesis. Students in the Music at Xaverian (MAX) program's orchestra ensemble, jazz ensemble, and choir performed various pieces and the Speech and Debate Team delivered dramatic readings. The Dramatics Society also performed a scene from their production of Neil Simon’s The Sunshine Boys. During intermissions, students served refreshments to the senior citizens at their festively decorated tables. By the end of the event, senior citizens and students alike were busy cutting a rug. The event held at Xaverian includes many activities for the people to do such as dances and music. Especially during the holidays many people cannot be a part of activities, it gives them a chance to be a part of something great for Christmas. It is a fun time for the school community to come down and be a part of an afternoon to promote the holiday spirits. The event is held every year around Christmas time and is great for kids who want to be more a part of the school’s outside activities. There were performances by many students and it was an entertaining evening. This is a great event for the school because it shows how thoughtful the school is during the holiday season. Overall, the Xaverian Christmas Cabaret was a huge success in terms of helping others by getting them in the holiday spirit.
Editors-in-Chief Michael-Scott Greco ‘18 Will Kay ‘16 Copy Editors Brian Coleman ‘18 Adam Giannopoulos ‘18 Nicholas Loud ‘17 Barron Wei ‘18 Staff Writers Nikolas Arsenlis ‘18 Ryan Barrett ‘16 Matthew Bavoso ‘18 Christian Buono ‘16 Joshua Carter ‘18 Thomas Coppola ‘18 Nicholas Etri ‘16 Ryan Gallagher ‘16 Brandon Gjoni ‘16 Stefano Ientile ‘18 Ethan Laurens ‘18 Celestino Nieves ‘16 Matthew Ruggiero ‘16 John Santiago ‘16 Donald Sanxhaku ‘16 Adney Silva ‘18 Daniel Sturges ‘16 Kyler Thompson ‘16 Christopher Thuilot ‘16 Andrew Watters ‘16 We’d like to not only thank our writers, but also our moderator, Mr. Thomas Snyder ‘06 for his continued administrative work, and the Journalism class, led by Mr. James Schmidt ‘90, for their contributions! We meet most Mondays in the Mac Lab at 2:30. New members are always welcome!
Evolution By Michael-Scott Greco ’18 & Will Kay ’16 Though this is the last article placed in this edition of The X-Press, it is perhaps the most important. We saw last March that the Xaverian Board of Trustees had unanimously approved the decision to transform the high school to be a new, STEM education-backed, co-ed program. English teacher, Ms. Harrington, who has spent over two decades teaching at Xaverian, stated “Brothers have sisters.” The brotherhood at our 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: humility, zeal, compassion, trust and simplicity. The focus of this now-evolving 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.” Many of the Genesis eighth grade boys and ten of the girls have already confirmed their membership to the Class of 2020 because they see that they will be part of our innovating home in the coming years. Those values of the Brothers which we share will never change, but our plan remains the same: to expand the rigor of our curricula, enlighten our spirits and better our collective scholastic and spiritual future. PAGE 6