The Roundup roundup.brophyprep.org
October 2014 Edition 1
Navigating Change Photo illustration by Alec Vick ’15
C
hange, whether large or small, is an essential characteristic of the modern world, and students have to adapt in order to succeed. From new rules to new faculty to new facilities, Brophy continues to handle, respond to and create many changes. This month’s edition explores these recent changes, how the community has responded to them and how they are affecting students.
Inside » Campus Change • Fisko becomes new assistant principal See News, Page 3
• New counseling system expands roles, introduces frosh advisors See News, Page 4
• SFX Church construction adds buildings, parking, improves traffic See News, Page 5
• Medical Marijuana Pro/Con See Opinions, Page 6
• Staff Editorial: School changing for right reasons, progress See Opinions, Page 7
• Printed books aren’t essential for modern curriculum See Opinions, Page 8
• New band director looks to make subtle changes See Entertainment, Page 13
• New publishing office supports BLAM, teachers See Entertainment, Page 14
Administration bans medical marijuana despite social patterns, doctors’ approval By Garrison Murphy ’15 & Austin Norville ’15
THE ROUNDUP The school administration barred the use of medical marijuana for students this summer amidst a national push to conventionalize the drug’s use. Dean Mr. Pat Higgins said although marijuana is now legally available medicinally, Brophy will continue to prohibit its use, even if a student has a doctor’s prescription. Mr. Higgins said there is a “promarijuana trend” occurring in the region and it is Brophy’s responsibility as a Jesuit institution to defy like trends. “We don’t allow the use of
El Salvador immersion trip celebrates 10 years, Page 4 Brophy gifted new land east of 7th street Page 3
New on-campus pool opens in time for season Page 9
Inside » Medical Marijuana
The right prescription? Students debate pros and cons of medical marijuana use by minors See Opinions, Page 6
marijuana at any time,” Mr. Higgins said. He cited Brophy’s guiding principle of safeguarding the school from the use of alcohol and illicit drugs. By forbidding students from using medical marijuana, Brophy joins a growing group of Arizona private education institutes like Notre Dame Preparatory and Arizona Christian
University. Arizona public schools do not currently prohibit student use of medical marijuana. Under Arizona law it is legal for a minor under 18 to be prescribed medical marijuana with the submission of an application with parental consent. As of 2013’s end, there are 44,675 active medical marijuana cardholders in Arizona, according to the Arizona Department of Health. Fifty-eight are minors, accounting for an overall 0.1 percent of all Arizona cardholders. With Arizona being one of 23 states that currently sanction the use of See MARIJUANA, Page 4
Editors outline plans for the year, Page 7 New Feature: Pitch & Catch with senior runner Luke Mailliard Page 12
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News Online
Page 2 | October 2014
The Roundup
’76 state university trends prove similar to ’14 By Garrison Murphy ’15
THE ROUNDUP With tuition rising and colleges becoming more selective, many seniors are faced with the decision to stay in state or venture out of state for college, but this trend isn’t new. The Brophy class of 1976 encountered similar dilemmas, according to an article written in The Roundup during the same year. As reported by the article, out of the 120 students in the class of ’76, 70 were admitted and planned to attend a state school; 29 to University of Arizona, 26 to Arizona State University and 15 to other in state colleges. In total 58 percent of the entire class stayed in state while the rest either
went out of state or did not go to a four-year university. The class of 2014 saw a 41.7 percent in-state attendance rate out of its 295 students, with 71 at ASU, 58 at UofA and eight at other in state colleges. Even the commentary added to the article written in the 1976 edition of The Roundup rings similar to issues many seniors face today. “Financial aid concerns many of the seniors. Many of those attending out-of-state colleges will need assistance … still other Brophy seniors who are able to pay the tuition of private colleges are staying in state to save their parents from the onerous financial millstone,” the article reads. “Those debating their choice of college often await the last word on their chances for financial assistance, the money situation often determining the difference between attending college in state or out.”
CampusHistory
Multimedia Online » roundup.brophyprep.org
Audio: Walk between classes more than mundane
Video: Club Fair promotes student involvement
By Cory Wyman ’16 & AK Alilonu ’16 THE ROUNDUP
By Austin Norville ’15 & Garrison Murphy ’15 THE ROUNDUP
Whether going from a classroom in Brophy Hall to a laboratory in Piper or from the gym to the parking lot, walking around on campus can be a tedious yet universal part of being a student at any school. Brophy is not an exception. Krishna Sinha ’18 and Martin Eslava ’17 walked between classes one day in September for this “audio postcard.”
Students convened in the Great Hall Sept. 15-17 for the annual Club Fair, where students come to represent their clubs or seek their niche within the community.
Audio: Students go to Lux coffee bar to do homework, relax
Video: Turkey leg contest draws students
By Will Schubert ’15 & Hayden Corwin ’15 THE ROUNDUP
By Alec Vick ’15 THE ROUNDUP
Brophy students travel to Lux before and after school to find a place to hangout with friends, eat food, do homework and relax. Lux, located south of campus on the west side of Central Avenue, provides students with a unique environment where it is encouraged to do work and drink coffee.
Eight students participated during lunch on Sept. 23 in Student’s Council’s homecoming turkey leg eating contest.
Dean reimposes lanyard policy for student dress code Key lanyards must not hang from pockets By Garrison Murphy ’15
THE ROUNDUP In an effort to maintain student body dress unity, Dean Mr. Pat Higgins said he will be enforcing the existing policy that lanyards should not be hanging out of pockets.
The trend, characterized by dangling a key lanyard out of a front pocket, became popular at the end of the 2013-2014 school year, according to Mr. Higgins. Mr. Higgins cited upkeep of campus security and ease of student identification via dress uniformity as rationale for the recent policy emphasis. “It’s not about theft, that’s not a problem on campus … it’s in the student handbook,” Mr.
The Roundup Brophy College Preparatory 4701 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85012 (602) 264-5291 roundup@brophybroncos.org Editors in Chief Garrison Murphy ’15 & Michael Norville ’15 Managing Editor Tanner Nypen ’15 Online Editor Chase Manson ’16 News Editors Brendan Hinkle ’16 & Will Schubert ’15 Opinion Editor Cameron Bray ’16 Sports Editors Chase Bayless ’15 & JP Hajjar ’16 Entertainment Editor Hayden Corwin ’15 Photo Editor
Alec Vick ’15 Multimedia Editor Cory Wyman ’16 Staff William Borders ’16 Reece Krantz ’16 Jack McAuslan ’16 Riley Morrison ’16 Jace Riley ’16 AK Alilonu ’16 Jack Cahill ’17 Anthony Cardellini ’17 Hunter Cisiewski ’16 Henry Erlandson ’16 Andrew Howard ’17 Gabe Morrison ’17 Sam Romero ’17 Carter Santini ’15 Joseph Valencia ’17
Contributors Kyle Scheuring ’15 Ben Liu ’15 Michael Abert ’15 Amir Khawaja ’15 Ben Adelson ’15 Devin McManimom McNally ’17 Nick Park ’15 Michael Scheinert ’16 Mateusz Bendisz ’15 Web Assistants Kyle Sourbeer ’15 Stan Sourbeer ’15 Roundup Adviser Mr. Mica Mulloy ’99
Higgins said. “It relates to campus security … the student body should be easily identifiable by dress.” Some students said lanyard dangling is not a student dress outlier but an identifier. “People have been doing it for a long time, it’s just a style Brophy students have become accustomed to in the last few years,” said Garrett Pedicini ’15. “It’s a thing a lot of kids do, it’s easy to put my keys on and I will never lose them this way.”
Section L under “Student Dress Code” in the student handbook reads, “Any hairstyle, mode of dress, or excessive ornamentation (e.g., heavy jewelry, long chain wallets, or key chains extending outside the pants or shorts) that creates disunity on campus or is deemed inappropriate by the Dean of Students will be prohibited. Inappropriate items may be confiscated.”
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Mission Statement The Brophy College Preparatory Roundup exists to inform and entertain the Brophy community by producing a quality product that contains pertinent information about the Brophy community. This newspaper will educate our Brophy community and by doing so provide an understanding of journalism theories and techniques for our staff. We will be ethical, honest, trustworthy and dedicated in our news coverage. We strive to be fair and balanced, yet not afraid to report the truth even when it is unpopular to do so. Our goal is not only to report information, but also to encourage and foster discussion amongst our community. Overall we attempt to do all things for the greater glory of God. The Roundup is a student publication of Brophy College Preparatory. Copyright 2009 Brophy College Preparatory’s The Roundup. No material may be used without permission from the editors and adviser. Some material courtesy of American Society of Newspaper Editors/MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service.
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The Roundup
October 2014 |
Page 3
»Campus News
Brophy gifted new land east of 7th street By Jace Riley ’16
THE ROUNDUP In September administrators announced an anonymous person donated about nine acres of land to Brophy on 7th Street between Highland and Meadowbrook avenues. The acquired land includes the post office and auto collision center. This donation is the largest land given to Brophy since the school’s inception in 1928. Since President the Rev. Edward Reese, S.J. joined the administration almost 18 years ago, around 60 percent of the campus is new. “Brophy is incredibly grateful for the generosity of this donor. Not since Mrs. Brophy’s founding gift in 1928, has the school received such a significant gift of land,” Fr. Reese said in a press
Google Maps An anonymous donor recently gave Brophy a nine acre plot of land east of 7th Street between Highland and Meadowbrook avenues.
release. “This donation will allow Brophy to serve the expanding needs of our students now and into the future.”
Currently the lot serves as extra parking, which now accepts sophomore drivers.
Brophy’s Vice President Ms. Adria Renke announced the new acquisition. “The land was donated to Brophy because the donor believes in our Jesuit mission,” Renke wrote in an email. “(The donor) has been impressed with how we have beautified 7th Street when we built the Sports Campus there.” There is currently no plan for what the land will become and preliminary discussions are underway, according to Ms. Renke. “We have just begun to have a dialogue relative to its use by getting input from Mr. Ryan and some faculty members,” Ms. Renke wrote. “Conversations at this point are very preliminary so we will continue to get feedback from many sources.” Before any construction can begin, however, the school will need a capital investment.
“The land was donated to Brophy because the donor believes in our Jesuit mission. (The donor) has been impressed with how we have beautified 7th Street when we built the Sports Campus there.” —Ms. Adria Renke
“We will have to raise money to execute any dream/plan,” Ms. Renke wrote. “Though we have no definite plans today, this generous donation has given Brophy the opportunity to dream for the future.”
Fisko becomes new assistant principal of ministry Calderon moves on in Jesuit formation, Fisko heads OFJ By AK Alilonu ’16 and Chase Manson ’16
The Roundup Mr. Paul Fisko assumed his new role as assistant principal for ministry in the Office of Faith and Justice on Aug. 1. He replaces Mr. Chris Calderón S.J., who held the position last year and recently left for Boston College to study theology as part of his Jesuit formation. This is Mr. Fisko’s 10th year working in the Religious Studies Department. “My primary teaching load was to seniors last year,” Mr. Fisko said. “I was pleased, especially since the graduating class of 2014 was such a stellar class.” Four years ago, Mr. Fisko became the department chair. He then attended a series of seminars offered by the Jesuit Secondary Education Association. He said that the purpose of the seminars were to ask him, “What if you saw yourself in five years as being an assistant principal, maybe? Can we arm you with the toolbox to make you successful?” Mr. Fisko went on to apply to become the assistant principal, and the Brophy administration chose him after an interviewing process. He described his initial reaction to his appointment as “fear in the sense that I’ve seen it done so well, that to have to live up (to that) … it’s like the juniors who have seen the seniors win a state championship.” In spite of this, he also said that he was overjoyed at getting the job. As assistant principal, Mr. Fisko is in charge of all of the programs under the Office of Faith and Justice. He describes his responsibility as “to make sure that there’s a real sense of buy-in to this part of our mission as a Jesuit Ignatian school.” This includes overseeing retreat and service programs. He is also in charge of immersion programs and planning liturgies. Mr. Fisko said he had to make a lot of sacrifices to take on this responsibility. He gave up coaching junior varsity soccer after seven years. Mr. Fisko also stopped teaching four of his former five classes. In addition, he no longer directs campus music
Photo by Alec Vick ’15 Assistant Principal of Ministry Mr. Paul Fisko talks to Luke Friedman ’15 in his new office in the OFJ.
ministry, and has left the task to Mr. Paul Olson. Andy Vainauskas ’15, a former student of Mr. Fisko, got to know him from playing violin in the Brophy Chapel. While disappointed that Mr. Fisko can no longer spend as much time teaching or making music, Vainauskas said he believes the new assistant principal is well-suited for his job. “I know he’s involved in a lot, but he’s able to balance it pretty well,” he said. While Mr. Fisko is open to learning how to handle his position, he also has some ideas of his own. Mr. Fisko said he hopes to find a way to give students more opportunities to live out their faith
above and beyond what Brophy requires. “It’s great to go on charity drives and go on immersions, but I think that what the OFJ needs to do more of is that, because we’re an educational institution, is to further our helping kids be advocates for change,” he said. Mr. Fisko said he hoped for the success of the OFJ Lock-In, renamed the OFJ Walkabout, as a means of increasing the influence of the Office of Faith and Justice on campus. “This OFJ is the heart of the school, geographically, but it also is the heart of the school; what we are about,” Mr. Fisko said.
At a Glance Mr. Paul Fisko » Taught religion classes for 10 years, primarily to seniors » Believes he has to live up to what the OFJ has done in the past » New appointment forced him to sacrifice coaching junior varsity soccer » “This OFJ is the heart of the school, geographically, but it also is the heart of the school.”
Page 4 | October 2014
The Roundup
El Salvador immersion trip celebrates 10 years By Tanner D. Nypen ’15
THE ROUNDUP Fifteen students along with several teachers traveled to the village of La Hacienda, El Salvador this past summer and stayed there for about a week. This was part of the El Salvador immersion trip. Mr. Tim Broyles said this past journey marked the 10th anniversary from the start back in 2004. “In November of that year, 2003, he (Brett Huneycutt ’99) called me up and said, I know this great group and I want to start a Brophy El Salvador trip,” Mr. Broyles said. Mr. Broyles said that the trip leaves him with a feeling of gratitude. “I feel nothing but gratitude for this whole experience, I feel gratitude for the work I have been able to do with Brophy students … The fact that we have had this pilgrimage and journey together fills my life with meaning and brings me a great sense of joy,” Mr. Broyles said. Calvin Higgins ’15 was one of the students who attended the trip this past summer.
“Our goal is to go down there and be with the Salvadoran people, not to be the white knight saviors but to be more of there with them in comradery and solidarity,” Higgins said. Brian Loh ’15 said despite traveling into a poverty stricken area, there was never a lack of friendship or love. “This trip really challenges all of us to live more authentically, to give what we can when we have it,” Loh said. “Whether that just be our company or material things that we have.” Anand Swaminathan ’15 said that his viewpoints changed after the trip. “If you go to El Salvador and you live with these people who suffer through utter poverty, you are almost forced to look back on your life,” Swaminathan said.“And you realize that what you hold important, what you consider valuable about yourself, those are extremely, extremely insignificant in terms of this greater context of poverty in the world.” Mr. Broyles said the change in perspective among the students who attended is something he hopes for everyone who goes on the trip. “There is now a sense of urgency about the issues people face in the world that may not have been apparent before,”
Photo provided by Ben Liu ’15 Students and faculty pose for a picture atop a mountain in El Salvador.
Mr. Broyles said. “I know that their eyes were opened to the reality of the poor, the reality of war,
and the reality of Jesus Christ, working through the Salvadoran church.” To learn more about the trip and the
work being done in El Salvador visit the Office of Faith and Justice.
New counseling system expands roles, introduces frosh advisors By Reece M. Krantz ’16
THE ROUNDUP The school year begins with a revised and reorganized counseling structure aimed at supporting students over the course of their four years. “It’s a comprehensive, counseling approach that will include college and any other academic or personal issues,” Chair of College Counseling Ms. Cardinali said. “It’s a two-tier structure with a formal department made up of five counselors who begin working with students at their sophomore year and remain until graduation.” The new system is a result of an administrative decision to move in a new direction that they feel will best serve students and parents over the course of their four years at Brophy. The old system had juniors switching mid-way through their year from their guidance counselor to a college counselor.
From MARIJUANA, Page 1 medical marijuana, some believe the administration’s decision to ban its use was the wrong move. “I know a lot of people who need medical marijuana and I can see that if they didn’t have it their lives would be so much worse,” said a Brophy student who said his family owns a private Medical Marijuana dispensary. The Roundup agreed to keep the student’s
Ms. Cardinali said she has already noticed a benefit to working with students beginning in the sophomore year. “Before, college counselors really had to hit the ground running to know the students as well, and as fast as possible,” Ms. Cardinali said. “The new system gives us more time to know the students, and an opportunity to engage parents earlier in the college planning process.” A new counseling administrative shift is not the only new thing to the department: A Freshman Advisory Program has been instated and put in place of a guidance counselor position. “Another big change is the freshman advisory program. Freshman don’t have a counselor in the counseling department. They are instead assigned an advisor,” Ms. Cardinali said. “We have eight faculty advisers who will guide and mentor the freshman.” The advisers consist of Mr. Christopher Agliano, Mr. Ian Aston, Mr. Pete Burr ’07, Mr. Scott Heideman, Mr. Jose Mendoza
name confidential for family privacy reasons. “As a prime example I was good friends with a veteran that served in Iraq and Afghanistan, he came back with the most severe PTSD you could imagine … all he could do was drink and that’s all his life was until he discovered medical marijuana.” The student said he believes medical marijuana has many positive and healing effects. “I feel like it’s a legitimate medicine
’88, Mr. Jon Shores, Mr. Steve Smith ’96, Mr. Matt Williams ’07, and administrative support from Mrs. Mary Novak. Advisers will meet with freshmen individually and during monthly cohort meetings. These cohort meetings will attempt to foster a sense of community among the freshmen as well as provide a forum for the adviser to engage the students in events that will aid in their transition to sophomore year. Their primary goal is to encourage conversation among each freshman, his parents and the school. A new system needs new personnel to fulfill it and several new counselors have joined the faculty this year including Mr. Oscar Borboa ’05. “When the opportunity presented itself to me I couldn’t have been more thrilled about it, and for me it comes from the community that is fostered at BCP, this idea of brotherhood extends to the faculty. People like to work here,” Mr. Borboa said. Mr. Borboa has worked in university admissions a majority of his professional career.
source and it’s no different from any other medicine that isn’t banned,” the student said. “It’s an example of an abused medicine, but it’s no different than anyone abusing Vicodin in my opinion.” He said the administration should work with students who need medical marijuana and let that student know the rules about its use instead of facing potential disciplinary measures from the school.
The official newspaper of Fr. Olivier News, Opinions, Sports & Entertainment each month and online roundup.brophyprep.org Photo by Ben Liu ’15
Brophy will be his first year as a college counselor. “This is a new role for me but I have been working at universities. Sixth year professionally but my first college counseling position,” Mr. Borboa said. There is bound to be some issues when a new system is introduced over an older one, and things will have to change if problems arise. “It’s going to be a new process for everyone in the department here, there will be some things down the road that we haven’t identified and will need to change,” Ms. Cardinali said. Ms. Cardinali said counselors are still a valuable asset in light of the new changes, and in many ways, much more important in the everyday life of a student. Connecting to students has now become more efficient and friendlier. “We are college counselors by name, but that really encompasses the overall care for a student,” Ms. Cardinali said. “We are here to help facilitate student wellness.”
He also said a student should not use medical marijuana on campus. When asked about how marijuana differs from other prescription drugs that students can use such as Adderall, Mr. Higgins referred back to the school drug use policy. Other students said they believe Brophy’s decision to prohibit medical marijuana use is valid, although potentially intrusive. “It may be a questionable policy to
become involved in the affairs of students, but at the same time I understand where the Brophy administration is coming from in that marijuana is something in general to avoid having on campus and in the lives of students,” said James Hunt ’15. Senior Paul Binsfeld ’15 agrees with the school’s ban on medical marijuana in that “the few bad kids spoil it for people who need it.”
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The Roundup
October 2014 |
Page 5
»Nearby Construction
Apartment complex takes shape in former West Lot 266 residential units to fill long-vacant lot west of campus By Hunter Cisiewski ’17
THE ROUNDUP A new four-story, 266-unit apartment complex named “Elevation Central” is being built across the street from Brophy on the southwest corner of Central and Highland avenues. The construction started late last December, and its completion date is yet to be revealed, according to Arizona Builder’s Exchange website azbex.com. The building is on the 4.3 acre lot where the “West Lot” used to be. Sunbelt Holdings Inc bought the land for $2.9 million, according to azbex. com. Elevation Central is one of the many transit-oriented developments planned along the Light Rail corridor. It is located a short distance from the Light Rail, and offers 50 bike parking spaces in the six-story parking garage. It will
Photo by Alec Vick ’15 Contruction crews work on a new appartment complex across the street from Brophy at Central and Highland avenues.
feature studios, one and two bedroom apartments, a two-story fitness center
and a swimming pool, according to an article on downtowndevil.com.
“This is a true transit oriented development project,” Vedura
Residential Managing Director Bruce Hart said on the Arizona Builder’s Exchange website azbex.com. Transit oriented development, or TOD, is a type of community development that includes a mixture of housing, office, retail and/or other amenities integrated into a walkable neighborhood and located within a halfmile of quality public transportation, according to reconnectingamerica.org. “Transit oriented development is a term used in urban planning that refers to larger buildings, or what we call higher density development, that we try to promote around major transit corridors like the light rail,” said the project manager at the City of Phoenix Planning and Development Department Curt Upton on azbex.com. With the apartment complex holding 266 apartments, there will be a growth in nearby population, which in turn could lead to more traffic. “It will increase the amount of traffic in the morning for sure, making it harder to get to school,” said Spencer Kolasar ’17.
SFX Church construction adds buildings, parking, improves traffic Part of master plan, expansion to create multipurpose space at SFX, reroute north lot traffic By Will Schubert ’15 & Garrison Murphy ’15
THE ROUNDUP St. Francis Xavier Church began construction on new buildings this past summer and looks to double the size of its parish, subsequently adding to the amount of parking spots Brophy is allotted. The construction east of the existing building eliminated a row of Brophy parking, but SFX Church officials added extra parking near the elementary school that increased the amount of space where students can park, according to Security Director Mr. John Buchanan. The first street entrance to the North Parking Lot will remain open. Mr. Buchanan said this parking addition fulfills the 105 parking spot allotment that SFX gives Brophy in
the North Lot, and church officials’ plans contain “islands” and intersection improvements to speed up traffic flow. “Initially we thought it was going to be a problem, but after watching traffic flow I think it’s going pretty well,” Mr. Buchanan said. The Rev. Dan Sullivan, S.J., pastor at SFX, said the project was prompted because the parish was using buildings intended for different purposes, and never had a parish hall. The administrative center, which was the old priest residence, was turned into offices in 2000. “We were taking a building that was meant to be residence for the Jesuits and turning it into something for which it was never really intended and it wasn’t really efficient,” Fr. Sullivan said. The project was made possible due to a $5 million donation by “The Anderson Family Foundation” and is set to be totally completed in 2015. St. Francis Xavier developed it’s Master Plan in the spring of 2006, which included the construction of a new elementary school, faith education center, parish hall and an administrative complex for the faculty of St. Francis Xavier parish, according to Fr. Sullivan. The church addition that is currently
Photo by Garrison Murphy ’15 St. Francis Xavier Church began construction on new buildings this past summer and looks to double the size of its parish facilities, subsequently adding to the amount of parking spots Brophy is allotted.
being built will include one large building with three floors, a large courtyard and a prayer garden. Fr. Sullivan said the lower floor of the building is going to be used for the maintenance office as well as storage. The second and third floors are
going to be multipurpose. With the off site West Parking Lot no longer available for parking because of another construction project, some students are relieved to see an increase in parking spots. “Anything that adds parking I’m all
for,” said Austin Inglett ’15. “This is great for anyone who plays a sport.” Inglett said the new spots will make his life easier during volleyball season as it provides more parking spots near the gym.
Administration outfits buildings with improved windows, new look Project costs $130,000 but increases efficiency, comfort By Garrison Murphy ’15
THE ROUNDUP Campus facility workers installed new windows in Romley Hall, Keating Hall and the Chapel this summer, replacing windows school officials say were more than 20 years old and were not built
with energy conservation in mind. The new windows, costing the school about $130,000, were installed for cosmetics and to save on energy costs, according to Director of Facilities and Food Administration Mrs. Sherri Stephens. “We had trouble keeping the old buildings, especially Romley, cool in the summer and they were just awful windows,” Mrs. Stephens said when referring to the old windows. “It’s an investment.” In 2012 Brophy hall received the same windows
after facilities staff had difficulty keeping rooms cool, according to Mrs. Stephens. She said she now has the ability to “freeze them over” if she wanted to. Students and other faculty have also said they are content with the improved windows and there haven’t been any reported difficulties. “They definitely block some of the sun out and … they definitely keep it cooler,” said Director of Student Activities Mr. Tony Oldani, whose office is in Romley Hall. “They definitely don’t allow as
much heat in.” Mike Staren ’15, who said he frequents Keating Hall, said the building is still warm but the windows make a noticeable difference. “It’s still warm but it’s a step in the right direction … it used to be terrible,” Staren said. According to the Department of Energy, windows account for up to 25 percent of annual cooling and heating costs.
Opinions The Roundup | October 2014
Medical marijuana policy not right solution
By Mateusz Bendisz ’15
The Roundup In recent years, the United States has seen a greater effort to legalize medical marijuana. Numerous studies have shown medical marijuana’s potential in treating different types of cancers and debilitating diseases. Because of that, opposition to legalized medical marijuana is becoming an increasingly difficult position to defend. Yet some opposition does persist. At the start of the school year, Brophy instituted a new policy banning the use of medical marijuana, even with a prescription. This policy aims to combat the “growing trend to legalize pot,” said Dean Mr. Pat Higgins. While the dean’s words are true, this growing trend is not simply confined to marijuana, however. There is a growing trend of drug use and abuse that extends far beyond marijuana. In fact, we live in a world of prescriptions where the slightest mood or behavioral change is medicated. The inability to sit still is medicated with drugs like Adderall. Depression is medicated with a number of SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), or antidepressants. Furthermore, even with a prescription, many of these drugs have a high risk of abuse. Zero people have died as a result of a marijuana overdose, yet 20,000 people die every year in the United States from accidental prescription drug overdoses, according to a report by the United States Centers for Disease Control
The Right Rx? Photo from MCT Campus
“Numerous studies suggest that medical marijuana can be used to inhibit cancer growth and combat mental illnesses, with side effects including only minor inconveniences, such as dry mouth.”
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and Prevention. Some prescription drugs also possess negative side effects. Prescribed antidepressants, for example, come with an increased risk of suicide, particularly in adolescents. With an academically rigorous climate, especially at an institution like Brophy, unfortunately there exists a pressure to use drugs such as Adderall in order to get ahead. Worse, some students who have a prescription for Adderall go on to illegally distribute or sell the drug to others. However, students can still take these medications if they have a doctor’s prescription. “Brophy believes that any use of drugs or alcohol is detrimental,” Mr. Higgins said, citing Brophy’s Guiding Principle. I agree: Any illicit use of drugs ought to be condemned.
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But if a student were to receive a diagnosis of a debilitating illness, their use of prescribed medical marijuana would be no worse than the use of Adderall in a student with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). In fact, marijuana may even be more beneficial. Numerous studies suggest that medical marijuana can be used to inhibit cancer growth and combat mental illnesses, with side effects including only minor inconveniences, such as dry mouth. Side effects such as these are not as bad as the increased risk of suicide that accompanies antidepressants. As for the high that accompanies marijuana use, a student could simply take marijuana at a time that will not leave them impaired while at school. Arizona state law already bans actions such as operating a motor vehicle while under the influence. If the Brophy administration is going to start banning prescription medications that they deem harmful, they should also ban other pharmaceuticals such as antidepressants. Such medications are far more harmful than medical marijuana—a plant with minimal side effects.
Medical Marijuana causes behavioral, academic problems
By Anthony Cardellini ’17
The Roundup Allowing students to come to school on medical marijuana is allowing them to come here impaired, and even off-campus usage can have dangerous consequences. Over the summer, school administrators amended the school’s drug use policy to ban medicinal marijuana, even if used off campus and even with a doctor’s prescription. While it may be true that some people with severe illnesses and chronic diseases can find relief from medical marijuana, the potential
problems outweigh the known benefits when it comes to students being impaired. Marijuana’s short and longterm side effects can have negative impacts on student academic performance and social life. According to webmd.com, marijuana has numerous side effects that can take place within minutes of taking the medical marijuana and continue to affect users for several hours. Some side effects include paranoia, short-term memory loss, slow reactions and “random” thinking. What this means is that the school’s policy protects the users of marijuana as much as the rest of the school. Remember, these effects mean that a student is driving with possible slower reactions, walking around a full campus with possible paranoia and trying to focus in class and take tests with possible short-term memory loss. The list of things that can go wrong is nearly endless. Apart from the student himself being affected, the school’s environment can be as well. Impairment can result in harmed social behavior, and students or property can be harmed. But why can’t you have medical marijuana off campus? The school’s policy includes the fact that off campus use is
against the handbook as well. The reason for this is once again, safety for students. Marijuana results in addiction for one in six of all teens who try it, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. This number jumps to one in four for those who use it every day. Marijuana’s active ingredient, THC, can have harmful effects on the brain overtime. For example, it could have negative effects on learning, complicated tasks and shifting focus. Remember, because these are long-term symptoms, they can deeply harm a student’s school work and social life. According to drugabuse. gov, “Research has shown that marijuana’s negative effects on attention, memory, and learning can last for days or weeks after the acute effects of the drug wear off.” Because of these lingering effects, long-term decreased academic performance is common. According to the same site, “Not surprisingly, evidence suggests that, compared with their nonsmoking peers, students who smoke marijuana tend to get lower grades and are more likely to drop out of high school.” In fact, the website includes a meta-analysis of 48 studies that showed marijuana users were “associated consistently with reduced educational achievement.” Users also gave low scores on many life satisfaction questions, and said that in general, marijuana’s effect on their social life, achievements and cognitive abilities were negative. In fact, marijuana treatment may even make depression and bipolar disorders worse. According to the University of Washington Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute, “Marijuana may seem to help ease depression before the effects of the drug wear off; however after that, smoking marijuana may make depression worse.” Until future studies can show using marijuana under a doctor’s orders will not impact a student’s short or long-term ability to succeed in school, there is no reason for medical marijuana usage on or off campus. With its anti-marijuana policy, the school is doing exactly what it should: Succeeding in supporting student safety, health and education for all of its students.
@BrophyRoundup
Opinions
The Roundup
Page 7 | October 2014
Staff Editorial
Campus change necessary for student success The Issue: Brophy continues to make significant changes to the way we are taught in order to keep up with the changing world. Our Stance: Change on campus is appreciated because it keeps students prepared for the future without sacrificing tradition. “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” -George Bernard Shaw In a society that is constantly evolving with many technological advances, it is important that schools take advantage of these changes to assure that
students are always prepared. Brophy recognizes that these advances, primarily in the area of technology, allow for the growth of student thinking and learning. This is especially apparent through the use of student iPads and tablets, which have been a part of our school culture for eight years while some schools have yet to consider one-to-one programs. These changes reflect Brophy’s openness to an ever-evolving society and world of education. For this reason and many others, we have chosen “Change” as our topic for this first edition of The Roundup. The many changes that befall Brophy this year are great signs of how far we can and are willing to go for education and development as people.
What’s more is that these changes have not come at the expense of our rich history, tradition and culture. Yes, the campus and classrooms may look different than they did 20 years ago, but that room also looked different than 20 years before that. Through it all, it is still the same school. Many high schools and colleges are unable or unwilling to change their structure based on the world around them and often they fall behind. The most basic meaning of change is a sense of being open to growth, and is instilled in all Brophy students. Not only is technology a facet in which Brophy demonstrates a willingness to adapt, but many teachers are changing the way they teach students.
For example, in an audio story this month by Austin Norville ’15 about new teaching methods, he quotes Ms. Jessie Mason who uses a flipped classroom teaching method. Student Arthur Brown ’15 said he appreciates this new style of teaching and sees it as an improvement to the traditional teaching method. It’s not change just for the sake of change. What we value is change for sake of progress and for staying on the cutting edge of education. By Austin Norville ’15, Garrison Murphy ’15 & Tanner Nypen ’15 Staff editorials represent the view of The Roundup. Share your thoughts by e-mailing roundup@brophyprep. org or leave comments online at roundup.brophyprep.org.
The Roundup prepares for new school year, new changes By Austin Norville ’15 & Garrison Murphy ’15
CO Editors in chief A new year for The Roundup has begun and while we will continue all coverage and features you are used to, we are also making changes to further improve the publication. We will now only be producing five editions a year instead of the traditional six.
This does not mean less content though. We will be placing more focus on creating a larger and stronger online presence on our website, roundup. brophyprep.org, and through social media. Readers can also expect the edition to increase from 16 to 20 pages throughout the year to include more features, profiles, reviews and photos. We as a staff will continue to focus primarily on “local” articles, i.e. articles that relate to students and the school
as whole, although you will still find student perspectives on world issues in our online Opinions section. In terms of our online presence, The Roundup will be integrating more multimedia features. This will include but not be limited to video and audio stories. In addition, The Roundup will continue to utilize its Twitter and Facebook accounts to better connect and interact with the readers. Of course this is a way for us to distribute the great work our
staff produces, but this could also mean asking for articles the readers want to read or questions for the readers. The Roundup’s Twitter, Facebook and website will feature all news that makes it into the print edition as well as exclusive content. Our @BrophySports Twitter account will continue as a hub for all Brophy sports news and games. Our goal is to create a greater presence on campus and to have more interactions within the student body, both online and
in person. With all of these changes in mind, our most important goal and focus is to bring quality journalism to the student body, and that quality shall be maintained. The Roundup staff is excited for a new year and for the many possibilities it holds. Look out for our next edition in November. If you would like to contribute articles or have any questions please e-mail us at: roundup@brophybroncos.org.
Archbishop Oscar Romero should be canonized as Catholic Saint
Pope Francis unblocked the path Aug. 18 to the Romero deserves to be a saint because he was an outspoken advocate for Catholic social beatification of Bishop Oscar Romero, justice. a Jesuit El Salvadoran martyr who was Now that Pope Francis wishes to killed by the El Salvadoran government. beatify Romero “as soon as possible,” Romero was an El Salvadoran bishop there is discussion in the Church over who voiced heavy opposition to the El Salvadoran military regime as well as whether or not lifting the ban was the strong support and solidarity for the right decision. Catholics across the world, including teachers and priests at poor. Because of this, he was killed on Brophy, have offered their opinions on March 24, 1980. the matter. The beatification, the process “Oscar Romero to me is an by which someone becomes an By Jack Cahill ’17 incredible figure who really paved saint, was delayed and never THE ROUNDUP the way for Catholics in terms of carried out due to concerns about Romero’s political beliefs, as he was a what it means to be in solidarity with humanity, outspoken critic of the military regime that existed and what it means to understand the perspective of in El Salvador at the time. the poor,” said Mr. Christopher Agliano. “A lot
of times we talk about poverty and we talk about what it means for people to be poor and doing service, but Oscar Romero was really one of the first modern examples and relatable examples.” Romero was a man who truly cared for the poor, and who held a Jesuit world view. For that reason, many Catholics, including myself, were confused by the significant hesitation towards the possibly of making Romero a saint. This move is bigger than one decision though, and could lead to changes and overall reforms in the beatification process. “This move is significant because it leads the way to the possibility that Romero might be beatified,” said Mr. Tim Broyles. “Not that he definitely will be beatified, but it will lead to the continuation of the study of his life and the question of whether or
not he should be considered Saint Oscar Romero.” I, and many others, share the same hope as Mr. Broyles. I hope that this decision encourages people to learn more about Romero. Sometimes, Romero is unknown amongst Catholics, which is unfortunate as he was a truly exemplified what it meant to be a Jesuit who served others. Pope Francis is further reforming the Church by beatifying a controversial but model Jesuit. I’m sure that some controversy will arise out of beatifying Romero but I’m confident that a beatification would make the majority of Catholics happy. Given what Romero has done, and given his message, I’m optimistic that he will soon be Saint Oscar Romero.
Obama should minimize military resources to new threat in Iraq, ISIS President Barack Obama reinstated troops to the region. At first I felt split about Obama’s air strikes in Iraq Aug. 7, targeting ISIS militant forces who are committing new airstrike plan simply because I was unaware of the ISIS threat brutal acts. to the American people. This came as a shock to me. Airdropping of supplies Obama had pledged to end to the communities of the war in Iraq. Iraqi people who were Islamic State of Iraq and being prosecuted by their Syria militants have been countrymen seemed to be marauding in Iraq, killing the right step in upholding those who do not convert to their extremist Islamic the United States’ beliefs. By Tanner D. Nypen ’15 ideas of human rights. On the other hand, Religous communities The Roundup the airstrikes made are being targeted, including those of the Yazidis and sense because they targeted fortified Christians in Iraq. ISIS strongholds and convoys that were Obama said in a press conference that making things worse for struggling he was not planning on assigning ground minorities within Iraq.
I understand the idea behind helping those who are in extreme need, but the idea of redeploying forces into Iraqi airspace seemed risky. This U.S. involvement led to a grievous sight. ISIS militants brutally executed American journalist James Foley on video as a sign to the U.S. government to stay out of the conflict. Foley was reported kidnapped in Syria during 2012. As many people would agree, this particular act crossed a line. Obama doesn’t need to send in the entire United States army in response, but I feel that something must be done. Perhaps Obama could divert more covert Special Forces to rescue the
remaining hostages before more families need to replicate the grief of the Foley family, or even halt the airstrikes until there is a better way to ensure the safety of the hostages. The United States does not and should not negotiate with terrorists, but protecting American people should be top priority. But most of all I feel that everything should be done to avoid another war in Iraq. We already removed our forces once as part of Obama’s campaign to end the Iraq war and devoting our troops to another violent conflict in Iraq is not a solution.Obama noted in a press conference Sept. 10 that the United States would lead a coalition of several nations’ forces against ISIS aggression in
Iraq. “Our objective is clear: we will degrade, and ultimately destroy, ISIL (ISIS) through a comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy,” Obama said. Thankfully, Obama confirmed that there would be no ground forces deployed from the United States on the scale of another war, but will devote some troops to organize and lead the coalition forces. This coalition is one of the best ways to address this threat while preventing another all-out war. Using the resources and utilities of several nations to fight these terrorist threats is the best way to actively combat this menace without devoting U.S. ground troops to Iraq again.
Opinions
Page 8 | October 2014
The Roundup
Printed books aren’t essential for modern curriculum When was the last time you checked in our world. The brightness of electronic screens strains your eyes after out a book from the library? When did you last see someone lengthy periods of reading. Distractions from things like message or social looking at a book in the library? network notifications are For me the answer is never. also possible. This does not We are reaching a point in happen with a paperback history where digital books book. may replace bound books on But the upsides far a shelf. Printed books in the outweigh discomforts such library are unnecessary now as these. According to that technology dominates care2.com, 30 million trees Brophy’s curriculum and our are used every single year culture in general. to make the books Yes, books may have a better feel By William Borders IV ’16 that high schools like THE ROUNDUP Brophy use. than eBooks. But it’s We have iPads for a reason. And with not worth cutting down trees to print unused books and taking up space that three-quarters of the entire school could be used for so many other things. owning an iPad, we should definitely The vast majority of Brophy students switch from paperback to eBook. In the process the thousands of books have a smart phone in addition to an iPad, enabling them to acquire almost that we currently own could go to the local Ryan House charity to cheer up any book at almost anytime. With the iBooks app and Amazon you kids. We already buy our textbooks using can download most books for a similar eBook.Why not buy every book from price as the printed version. However, there are downsides to eBook and give the books to someone or an all-digital book regime. Of course someplace that will use them instead of books still serve an important purpose them gathering dust on a shelf?
Photo by Alec Vick ’15 Many rarely used books such as these line the shelves of the Info Commons. Are we reaching a point in history where digital books may replace printed books?
Ferguson tragedy reveals dire need for discussion on racial issues
OnlineThis Month roundup.brophyprep.org
Question
By Cameron M. Bray ’16 | THE ROUNDUP If there is anything we can learn from the Ferguson tragedy, it would be of the socioeconomic factors that have befallen an entire generation of young black men. Today, according to The New York Times, unemployment among AfricanAmerican youth is 35 percent, and one of every three black men can expect to go prison in his lifetime. Just as we as a school discussed race during last year’s Summit, so do we need to discuss them on a nation-wide level.
of the Month
“I would add a sandwich making line, like at Subway.” – Joe Corbett ’15
“Pigs in a blanket for breakfast.” – Thomas Dye ’16
“Tacos everyday.” – Jacob Hayes ’17
“Doughnuts.” – Marcus Pimentel ’18
By Hunter Cisiewski ’17
THE ROUNDUP
If you could add one thing at Michaels, what would it be?
What do you think? Let us know Letters to the Editor and Online Commenting Policies The Roundup provides an open forum for public comments, criticism and debate. Submit letters to the editor to roundup@brophyprep.org or to Mr. Mulloy in room E331. Letters must not exceed 300 words and must include your full name and a phone number or E-mail address. All letters will be verified with the author before printed. The Roundup reserves the right to edit letters for grammar, style, context and inappropriate content. Letters will be printed as space allows. The Roundup values your opinion, and in keeping with our mission “to encourage and foster discussion amongst our community,” we welcome you to comment on current issues and our content online. Comments containing obscene, suggestive, vulgar, profane (including implied profanity), threatening, disrespectful, or defamatory language will not be published. Attacks on groups or individuals based on race, gender, sexual orientation, or creed will be rejected. All comments are reviewed by The Roundup editors and/or adviser prior to approval. The Roundup reserves the right to track IP addresses of persons posting comments. The Roundup reserves the right to edit comments based on inappropriate content, style, grammar and context. The views expressed in comments are solely the authors’ and do not reflect the views of The Roundup or Brophy College Preparatory.
October: Garrison Murphy ’15 & Brendan Hinkle ’16
The Roundup Staff Members of the Month
Sports The Roundup | October 2014
New on-campus pool opens in time for season
Photo by Kyle Schuering ’15 Brophy swimmers take advantage of the new pool on campus Sept. 15 during a team practice. The pool opened just before the start of the semester.
Head coach O’Neill says new pool should bring more excitement and fan participation By Jack McAuslan ’16
THE ROUNDUP
B
y the beginning of this school year, a new campus pool was finished and ready for use. Officially named the Brophy Aquatic
Online
this month
roundup.brophyprep.org
Center, it replaces Loyola field just outside the Great Hall. Now the teams will not have to drive to the former sports campus near 28th Street and Campbell Avenue to have practices and meets. “It’s adding a lot of excitement to the season,” said head swimming coach Mr. Patrick O’Neill. Mr. O’Neill also said that the new pool being on campus should bring a lot more excitement and fan participation to the swim team. “I am hoping we get a lot more students to come out and watch our meets because it is on campus and it is going to be a lot easier access than driving five
miles away,” Mr. O’Neill said. Junior Kyle McCoy ’16, a member of the swim team, said that the new pool makes practices a lot more simple and should bring more attention to the swim team. Senior swimmer Calvin Higgins ’15 also said he thinks the new pool will be of great use to the swim team. “I think the new pool is going to be great for us because it gives us our own home turf. It pumps us up before meets because we get to swim in this really nice new facility,” Higgins said. Both Mr. O’Neill and Higgins said that it is a very fast pool and the swimmers are getting great recorded
» Best of The Roundup’s sports photos » Football game recaps
times from it. “We are going to do a lot more advertisement for the swim meets so people know about them,” Higgins said. Higgins said that the new pool is definitely worth it and it should make for another successful season. The new pool will not only be used for Brophy and Xavier aquatic teams, but it will also be used for freshmen swimming tests, which is a new requirement for incoming students, and will periodically be used for open swim days Monday through Thursday.
» Cross Country recaps » Swimming updates » Golf updates
Photo provided by Michael Feagles ’16 Junior Michael Feagles tees off.
“I think the new pool is going to be great for us because it gives us our own home turf. It pumps us up before meets because we get to swim in this really nice new facility” -Calvin Higgins ’15
The Roundup
Page 10 | October 2014
Swim team adds depth, seeks title No. 27 in a row Swimmers credit ‘brotherhood’ as being part of reason for their success By Andrew Howard ’17
THE ROUNDUP As the swim season gets started, the team looks to add new talent and make a push for a 27th state championship. “This year will be exciting, especially having home meets at the new and fast pool,” said head coach Mr. Patrick O’Neill. With the opening of the new Brophy Aquatics Center, home swim meets will now be on campus. “With returning seniors Isaiah Williams ’15, Grady Ottomeyer ’15 and Tom Ottoman ’15, the swim team is looking better than ever,” Mr. O’Neill said. Ottomeyer said the team’s unity is impressive. “When I think of Brophy swim and the time I have spent on the team, the word ‘brotherhood’ is the first thing that comes to mind,” Ottomeyer said, “I have never been a part of a more close-knit team in my life; I like to believe that it is because of this brotherhood that we are the best team in the state and one of the best in the nation.” Swimmers said they are confident in how the season will end. “I know we will win state this year. Plain and simple. There is no other team that can compete
Photo by Kyle Schuering ’15 Brophy swimmers practice in the new pool Sept. 15. The pool opened right before the start of the semester and replaces the off-campus pool Brophy used to own.
with the resources, depth and unification of Brophy swim and dive,” said Jack Blake ’17. The team’s head coach, Mr. O’Neill, also said
he is optimistic about what the team could do this upcoming swim season. “Some teams think this year will be a down year
for us, but it will not be, we have a good chance at competing for No. 27,” he said.
Cross country eyes young leaders heading into new season Coach Mr. Steve Smith: I think this is the beginning of the legend of Luke Mason
“I believe the face of the team really comes from the overall attitude from the top 10 guys and their work rate and mindset at workouts” -Luke Mason ’17
By Anthony Cardellini ’17
THE ROUNDUP The cross country team said they are focusing heavily on hard work and preparation to achieve maximum success in the 2014 season. “A good work ethic, pushing yourself, trying to challenge yourself ... It’s difficult to do,” said assistant coach Mr. Matt Williams ’07. “But I think that carries over to lots of different aspects of life.” It’s a goal of the team to match or improve upon last year’s ninth place at state, and Mr. Williams said he thinks they can do that through “just growing and training hard.” He added that top five at state is certainly possible “if everyone stays healthy, if everyone improves, if everyone puts the work in.” A past Brophy cross country runner, Mr. Williams said one of the top advantages of this year’s team is young talent. “That’s really exciting to see as a coach— really young talent that’s really, really good,” Mr. Williams said. This young talent comes in the form of freshman and sophomores, as fellow
Photo by Alec Vick ’15 Members of the cross country team jog down Central Avenue in the early morning of Sept. 4. The team boasts a collection of young runners this year.
coach Mr. Steve Smith ’96 said. “There’s a lot of great sophomores who are on the precipice of joining varsity,” Mr. Smith said. He also added that certain players are ready to take the spotlight and be leaders on the team, specifically sophomore varsity member Luke Mason ’17.
The Roundup
“I think this is the beginning of the legend of Luke Mason,” Mr. Smith said. Mason was a member of varsity cross country last year. He said he thinks that the key to a successful season is the example set by the top runners.
“I believe the face of the team really comes from the overall attitude from the top 10 guys and their work rate and mindset at workouts,” Mason said in an email to The Roundup. He stressed the importance of endurance and hard work as one of the key things the team needs to focus on.
“I think the team as a whole needs to learn how to push themselves to the point of pain in our races, and stay mentally tough through the rest of the race,” Mason said. He cited fellow runners Luke Mailliard ’15, Gabe Morrison ’17, Drew Burns ’18 and Jered Davidson ’17 as people who have grown and are making “smarter choices” while working particularly hard at practices. Mason also said that there are “many more dedicated runners across all classes, which shows promise for future years.” Mr. Williams added that “across the board, we’ve had improvements.” There is one thing, though, that Mr. Smith said everyone should know for the upcoming season. “We’re going all the way to state,” he said.
Reporters Wanted Attention Writers: The Roundup is looking for you. If you are a writer, photographer or graphic designer and are interested in making an impact in the information the Brophy community reads, e-mail roundup@brophybroncos.org to find out how you can contribute.
The Roundup
October 2014 |
Page 11
Football kicks off vs top team in nation, posts 2-3 record Broncos lose opener to No. 1 team in nation, Bishop Gorman
the 4th quarter. It was the first of his Brophy career and he made it in traffic with two defenders draped over him. In the fourth quarter down 17-14, the team had the ball on two different drives, but failed to get any points out of it. However, they were also pinned back deep in their own territory both times. Centennial then put the game out of reach after a touchdown run with 44 seconds left, leading to the 24-14 defeat.
Bishop Gorman 44 Brophy 0
By Chase Bayless ’15
The Roundup Brophy football travelled to Las Vegas Aug. 22 for their first game of the season, which ended in a 44-0 loss to Bishop Gorman. Gorman, the best in the country according to USA Today, shut the Broncos out in the 2014 Sollenberger Classic.
Brophy football tops Red Mountain in 2 OT thriller, special teams leads the way
Brophy 40 Red Mountain 34
Football starts regular season with win over Desert Mountain
By Henry Erlandson ’16
THE ROUNDUP
Brophy 49 Desert Mountain 15
By J.P. Hajjar ’16
The Roundup For the first game of the regular season, the Brophy Broncos took on the Desert Mountain Wolves Aug. 29 looking to overcome a lopsided loss the previous week. Ryan Velez ’16 started the game with a 72-yard kickoff touchdown return to take a quick seven point lead. The score stood at 49-15 Brophy as the clock wound down. According to Maxpreps.com, the Broncos are ranked 12th in the state of Arizona; however, players said felt they still had something to prove. “We knew that we can be a better team than Desert Mountain, so we tried to come out here and prove it and show the state of Arizona that we’re ready to go,” Isaiah Oliver ’15 said. Hamilton drops Broncos at home 41-6
Hamilton 41 Brophy 6
By William Joseph Borders IV ’16
Photo by Ben Liu ’15 Isaiah Oliver ’15 makes a catch against Hamilton Sept. 5. Hamilton defeated Brophy 41-6. Brophy started the season with wins against Desert Mountain and Red Mountain, and losses to Bishop Gorman, Hamilton and Centennial.
THE ROUNDUP Oliver’s six receptions and Cade Knox’s ’16 207 passing yards weren’t enough to beat out Hamilton Sept. 6. The Huskies defeated Brophy 41-6 in the Broncos’ first home game of the season. Head coach Mr. Scooter Molander said the team would look for takeaways from the loss. “We have to take a look at what we did well and build upon that and then correct the mistakes for sure, I feel like we are really close and I’m proud of these guys,” Mr. Molander said. Oliver played both offense and defense most of the game and said despite the loss he tried to contribute
however he could. “We played pretty well tonight, I just do whatever I can on both sides of the ball to help the team out and to help the team win,” Oliver said. Football falls short to Centennial despite comeback attempt
Centennial 24 Brophy 14
By Chase Bayless ’15
THE ROUNDUP Down by three points with 2:35 left in the game, Brophy’s offense had a chance to mount a game-winning drive Thursday, Sept. 11, but were unable
to do so as they lost 24-14 against Centennial. The Broncos’ offense scored two long touchdowns through the air, but struggled at times to sustain drives. “That’s been our issue all year. We’ve had some big plays, but no consistency,” Mr. Molander said. The two biggest plays came from quarterback Knox as he delivered 43yard and 32-yard touchdown passes. Oliver, who is the current team leader in receptions (13), receiving yards (282) and touchdowns (3) for the season, was on the receiving end of the first one as he got behind the cornerback for the score. Sophomore Robert Brooks ’17 caught the second touchdown early in
Brophy’s Jack Haddon ’15 made plays on both sides of the field against Red Mountain Friday, Sept. 19, scoring the game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter and the game-winning touchdown in the second overtime. It came down to special teams as Brophy football defeated a winless Red Mountain 40-34 in two overtime periods in Red Mountain’s homecoming game. As neither team could score in the remainder of the fourth, Brophy and Red Mountain went to overtime in a deadlock at 27 a piece. “Most of these guys have never played overtime. It has been years since Brophy’s played in overtime. I told them really just to stay calm and I did my best just to educate them,” Mr. Molander said. The game ended in the second overtime after Oliver blocked Red Mountain’s field goal and Haddon scored the touchdown on a fake field goal, giving the Broncos a victory. “Our guys never gave up. Our staff really coached a great ball game. This is one of the better ball games I have ever been a part of,” Mr. Molander said.
Sports Online: Read complete game articles and analysis, and see more photos at roundup.brophyprep.org Twitter: Follow The Roundup’s sports reporters for in-game score updates @BrophySports
Golf team looks to new captains, returnees to occupy leadership voids Players say they strive for success while staying humble, not getting ahead of themselves By Brendan Hinkle ’16
THE ROUNDUP The golf team has started their 2014 season and head coach Mr. John Shores said he expects the team to do well this year despite the loss of seniors from last season. “We have Michael Feagles (’16), he’s one of the better rated junior players in the country and he will hopefully lead the way for us,” Mr. Shores
said. “Chip Getz (’16) is really good. I expect a lot of leadership and good play out of them.” Feagles, a team captain, said he learned a lot about leading the team from last year. “I learned a lot from the captain and upperclassmen from the past two years,” Feagles said. “I think I’ll be a good leader just from learning from past leaders.” Mr. Shores said last year’s seniors will be missed. “It’ll be a loss because those guys really did everything the right way,” Mr. Shores said. “I expect the seniors to step up and help us in that regard but I also expect the juniors to take an active role in leadership and show the younger guys how to go about doing things.” Both Mr. Shores and Feagles said their most challenging matches would be in the tournament
that was slated for the weekend of Aug. 29, which was the Brophy Invite. “It will have some of the best teams in the state such as Hamilton,” Feagles said. “They will be good competitors but I think our team this year has a really good chance to win.” Brophy finished the tournament in 2nd place. Hamilton won the tournament, with a two-day team total of one over par. Feagles said that he hopes the team will stay humble. “As a team I really hope we stay in the moment at every tournament and not get ahead of ourselves,” Feagles said. “I think we just need to stay really humble and work really hard for the state championship this year.”
“We have Michael Feagles (’16), he’s one of the better rated junior players in the country and he will hopefully lead the way for us. Chip Getz (’16) is really good. I expect a lot of leadership and good play out of them”
-Head coach Mr. John Shores
The Roundup
Page 12 | October 2014
Mailliard enjoys horror movies, UofA hoops Blake serves
Pitch
Catch
&
multiple roles on swim team, can’t imagine life without the sport
Luke Mailliard ’15/Cross Country By J.P. Hajjar ’16
THE ROUNDUP
By Andrew Howard ’17
What is your favorite movie and why? “The Shining,” I am really into thrillers and horror movies. Favorite video game and why? “College Hoops 2k8.” I love sports games, it’s just classic. Can’t beat it. How much do you train for cross country outside of school? I run about 50 miles a week. During season I run about six to eight miles a day. What are you most looking forward to throughout your senior year? There are so many things to look forward to. So many activities to think about and get involved in. What’s your favorite college team and why? Beardown (Arizona). My sister goes there so I’m always cheering for the wildcats, especially in basketball. What’s the best thing about cross country? Knowing that all the work you put in will pay off at some point and when you get to that point it feels incredible. Are you involved in any other extracurricular activities? Student Council, Red and White Club with Mr. (Mike) Ward and National Honor Society. Do you plan on running competitively in college? I don’t necessarily plan on it right now. I’m going to just see where it takes me and I’m not really basing my college decision on that. But I’m keeping my options open toward walking on, as well. Portrait by Alec Vick ’15
Offensive line coach returns to varsity sidelines By Sam Romero ’17
THE ROUNDUP Mr. Robert Whittier, offensive line coach for the Brophy 2007 championship football team, returns to Brophy this year after three seasons at Phoenix Christian. Mr. Whittier moved back from Houston, Texas in 2005 to coach for Brophy for five seasons and help win a championship in ’07 before going to Phoenix Christian.
“When we won the championship in ’07 here, we weren’t the best talented team but our team was close knit,” Mr. Whittier said. Whittier said the work ethic of this year’s team is very similar to the championship team he coached in 2007. In many ways he compares the teams to one another by their effort. “They remind me of the 2007 team,” Mr. Whittier said, “They play for one another and have the
same work ethic.” This will be his sixth season coaching with Brophy. Even though he currently coaches offensive line, he used to coach special teams and defensive line. He said he likes coaching offensive line the most. Jerod Johnson ’15 said he brings a comfortable feel and humor to the field. Players say on and off the field he is a bit of a comedian. He can always
Out of Left Field Cross Country
Bailey Hopkins ’16
Football Stephen Casillas ’15
Cross Country
Jack Haddon ’15
Football
By Henry Erlandson ’16
THE ROUNDUP
Favorite T.V. show?
Favorite soda?
XBox One or PS4?
Kobe Bryant
Silicon Valley
Sprite
PS4
Robin Van Persie
Sherlock
Dr. Pepper
PS4
Alana Blanchard
Parks and Rec
Muscle Milk
Neither, real life
Matt Forte
Ridiculousness
Dr. Pepper
XBox One
Favorite pro athlete? Collin McGuire ’16
bring his players’ spirits up with his funny comments and jokes. The players said they see Mr. Whittier as not just a comedian but as an effective coach, passionate for football and very knowledgable. “He focuses on technique more than other coaches,” said Jacob Collins ’16. With the team on the field, he also hosts a fantasy football team. He said his first pick is Peyton Manning with the New Orleans Saints defense.
THE ROUNDUP Jack Blake ’17 said he does not know what his life would be like without swimming. Blake competes in the 50, 100, and 200-meter freestyle, as well as the 100-meter breaststroke, 200 IM, and the 100 backstroke. Blake started swimming competitively at age six. “Brophy swim is really geared toward being unified as a team, whereas club you really want to do well individually, and the team aspect of it is almost nonexistent,” Blake said when asked how Brophy swim differs from club competition. “The retreat to Manresa is a huge part of what makes Brophy swim and dive the team it is today. We bond while we’re there and we really become close.” The annual trip to Manresa is a big part of all varsity sports, and the retreats are geared toward unifying the team and getting the team prepared for the season. “I have to be extremely organized to be able to juggle both school, high school swim and club swim,” Blake said “I just have to get all my work in on time and try to stay ahead of the curve as best as I can.” Blake’s ability to swim in a variety of events makes him a versatile part of this year’s team. “You can’t teach what Jack has,” said Coach Mr. Pat O’Neill. “Jack is a very talented swimmer, he is very focused when he is in the water.” Blake is also nationally ranked in the 50-meter freestyle. “He is one of the fastest sprinters in the country” Mr. O’Neill said. Blake said there will be some freshman that will make an impact on the team. “We have a pretty strong group of freshmen this year. A few of them might make an impact like Zach Palisack ’18, Michael Niezgodzki ’18, A.J. Frakes ’18 and Patrick Schramm ’18,” Blake said. “These are just a few names, in a few years to come the whole freshmen class will be a power house for BCP swim and dive.” Blake said he looks to improve his times from last year and continue to make an impact on the team.
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Entertainment The Roundup | October 2014
LEA D I NG T H E B AND
Photo by Nick Park ’15
New band director Mr. Leo Werner conducts students during jazz band Sept. 15. Mr. Werner comes to Brophy after six years at Combs High School in the East Valley and 17 years at Mountain Pointe.
New band director looks to make subtle changes By Henry Erlandson ’16
A
THE ROUNDUP
fter 17 years of directing band at Mountain Pointe and six at Combs High School, Mr. Leo Werner is now the new band director and said he is excited to be working with the Brophy/Xavier band program. Mr. Werner said he is expecting to see big things from his students this year as he looks forward to upcoming concerts and other events for his jazz band, wind ensemble, percussion ensemble and concert band. “I think there is a lot of tremendous potential here
for great music-making and there is a lot of great talented students ... the level of dedication and discipline that this school can project is something that was very interesting to me,” Mr. Werner said. Mr. Werner said he hopes to see the bands play at more festivals for the Arizona Music Educator’s Association and the Arizona Band and Orchestra Directors’ Association. The wind ensemble will consider another trip to Disneyland for the annual competition where they look to win it two years in a row after taking first place in their division last year. Mr. Werner’s approach to travel is to enter big competitions every other year.
“My practice at my other schools was to aim for an every other year schedule as to not overburden the students with the cost of that kind of travel year after year,” Mr. Werner said. The jazz band will be active this year as well, and its members said it looks to continue its hard work and production under Mr. Werner. “He takes the band program and treats it more like a class so there are assignments and things you need to do and it’s not just about playing the music,” said Carlos Solano ’15. Although it may seem like there are to be many changes under a new band director, Mr. Werner stressed the fact that he does not want to make too
many dramatic alterations in his first year because he knows how strong the students’ relationships are with each other. He said he is primarily eager to assess all the different strengths and weaknesses of the program and hopes to improve day by day. Mr. Werner, who specializes in percussion, is capable of playing any instrument and he is also Arizona’s first high school teacher to earn National Board Certification in the state, which he said is a notable milestone in his career. “I feel like he brings a new direction to the band program ... he has reorganized the band program so that it’s more efficient and works better,” said percussionist Will Olesiewicz ’16.
Badhaircut(s) bring together Bronco generations through music By Carter Santini ’15
THE ROUNDUP Badhaircut(s), a Brophy and Xavier band composed of current and past students, played a show Aug. 23 at the Yucca Tap Room in Tempe. The band is the creative combination of juniors Will Olesiewicz ’16 and Devon McCauley ’16, alumnus Charles Dominguez ’14, and Xavier
alumna Meg McCauley ’13. Olesiewicz switched between playing bass, guitar and clapping, the McCauley siblings both played guitar and sang, and Dominguez played drums. “On the same day Meg and I both got bad haircuts, we thought that it would be a good band name,” Devon McCauley said when asked about how the group’s name was chosen. “It’s pretty simple.” Badhaircut(s) formed in early July and
started practicing regularly from there whenever the members could all meet together for a night. “It was fun to finally play the songs we’ve been practicing for a month in front of friends … performing is the reason I play music,” Olesiewicz said after cleaning off the stage. The band played a four-song, highenergy set of originals songs like “Monster Woman” and “Favorite Color.” Badhaircut(s) wears their influence on
their sleeves as they played songs that would fit in perfectly with indie-pop bands like The Shins, The Strokes and Belle and Sebastian. Due to the small venue the crowd consisted of only 30 people in the under 21 sections. This gave the concert a nice, personal feel as Badhaircut(s) was able to easily banter and play off the audience. “I thought they played pretty well; it was very short and a little rough but they showed a lot of creative ability,” said
Milo Charbel ’15, one of the Brophy students who attended the show. The set was 15 minutes long. It will be their last gig for a while as Meg McCauley returns to Fordham University and Dominguez starts his first year at ASU. Olesiewicz and Devon McCauley said they intend to keep making music this year, but more for themselves than for performances.
The Roundup
Page 14 | October 2014
New publishing office supports BLAM, teachers By Reece M. Krantz ’16
THE ROUNDUP BLAM hopes to increase production value of its annual arts magazine this year with a new publication office, which also serves as faculty workspace. The workspace is near the west end of Brophy Hall’s second floor. Maintenance crews renovated the space this summer. Mr. John Damaso ’97 is an adviser to BLAM, otherwise known as Brophy Literary Arts Magazine, and the satirical newspaper The Wrangler. The focus he said he tries to achieve is in his position is to showcase student arts and literary examples. BLAM is a group that meets all year discussing literature and art. Their annual end of the year magazine is what they are most know for. This year they hope to increase their involvement by including Summit writing and “Broetry,” a sort of poetry contest. In the past, BLAM has had no permanent home at Brophy; they have worked in practically every building for the past six years. Brian Thorpe ’15 was highly involved with BLAM last year and worked as an editor. “Last year, my title was the Junior Managing Editor.” Thorpe said “This basically means that I worked closely with my senior counterpart, Ryan Frankel ’14, in organizing BLAM events and sub-committees, as well as participating in the general creation of the magazine.” This new office is a change to their system that should be for the better, according to the adviser, allowing higher production value and content. “Office is a generous term. In the past they have been operating in a various
Photo by Henry Erlandson ’16 BLAM’s new office takes root in second story Brophy Hall. Maintenance crews renovated the space this part Summer.
different spaces. Usually in B202. Production has been everywhere,” Mr. Damaso said. “This is the seventh year of BLAM and in those last years we produced in E301 and info commons.” The new office has been a faculty workspace for the past few years and has only recently been converted for use by BLAM. “The workplace situation before the office was a bit haphazard,” Thorpe
said. “We were storing materials in the back of the Info Commons and had some complications with printing, so our organization left much to be desired.” The office was designed for teachers to do work when they share classes with others, but it was recently renovated and now is a much larger, open space to do productive work. “The new office is huge for us. It will allow us to have a concentrated,
organized area to work, which I think will be conducive to a better work product,” Thorpe said. The space will still accommodate teachers as well as The Wrangler and BLAM. “Hopefully after a year, we discover that it suits the needs of all the share holders.” Mr. Damaso said. “If it accommodates teachers and TheWrangler and BLAM, then I can definitely see it as a
permanent solution.” In the future Mr. Damaso said he hopes that if it does become permanent, BLAM builds as part of the foundation of Brophy. “The plan is to build a little prestige and a little worth in the community,” Mr. Damaso said. “Speech and Debate has their sort of space, so do sports teams. We want a place for them to work and thrive.”
Monday Movie Club to showcase 80’s favorites during lunch By Gabe Morrison ’17
THE ROUNDUP The Monday Movie Club, which was slated to start the week following Brophy’s Club Fair, plans to provide an environment for students to eat lunch, enjoy movies and be part of a community. The club, formerly known as the “Terrible Movies: They’re so Bad They’re Good,” will this year focus on 80’s films and will take place in the room of CoModerator Mr. Steve Smith ’96, Brophy 203. “If you want to hang out on Mondays and watch movies with us, great... anyone can join, open
club,” said club president Brendan Covert ’17. Mr. Smith said that he found the club to be stress-free and enjoyable. “(Monday Movie Club is) a club for everyone, no stress... just come, eat lunch, watch a movie and have fun,” Mr. Smith said. Mr. Smith said that the focus of this year’s rendition of the club was to not watch bad movies, but instead to view some of the best movies of that decade. “Every year it will just have a new theme, so the theme is not in the name anymore, and it’s just Monday Movie Club... So this year it’s Monday Movie Club with classics of the 80s,” Mr. Smith
said when describing the evolution of the club from last year. Covert and Mr. Smith said they have currently slotted “The Karate Kid,” “Back to the Future,” “Top Gun” and “Rocky IV” as the first movies to be watched, but the two anticipate the club will take requests after those movies have been viewed. Covert said two of the films the club watched last year as the “Terrible Movies” club were “Troll 2” and “Sharknado.” Though they do not know what their theme will be next year, Covert said that the club is taking suggestions for future themes.
(Monday Movie Club is) a club for everyone, no stress... just come, eat lunch, watch a movie and have fun. —Mr. Steve Smith
Popular video game viewing website Twitch rising among students By Joseph Valencia ’17
THE ROUNDUP A growing number of Brophy students now use Twitch as their main source of video live-streaming on the Internet. Twitch is a free online video-streaming service where videos can either be watched live or on demand. Twitch primarily focuses on video gaming, in the form of play-throughs
and e-sports. Many gamers who stream on Twitch use facial cameras to allow their viewers the benefit of seeing their facial expressions as they play through a game. These are especially effective when playing horror games, which oftentimes include jump scares. According to Twitch’s website, they are “the world’s leading video platform and community for gamers with more than 55 million visitors per month.”
Similarly to the popular professional sports of today, e-sports usually consist of a match or tournament between multiple teams. And just like regular sports, some Brophy students say that these matches can be fun and unwinding. “Twitch can sometimes be a distraction, but other times it can help me with a hard day at Brophy,” said Andy Solis ’17. “It helps me to unwind.” Some Brophy students such as
Geoffrey Salmon ’17 and Jim Kelly ’17 have been using Twitch long before it made its rise to Internet popularity. “Three years ago, I came across a video, and I thought it was pretty cool. I watch Twitch twice a day usually,” Salmon said. One of the more popular video games on Twitch is “League Legends,” a competitive game where players battle in an arena setting. “I’ve probably been watching Twitch
for two years. I watch ‘League of Legends’ mostly, sometimes gaming tournaments,” Kelly said. One e-sport tournament, the annual “DOTA 2” tournament, has become one of Twitch’s larger attractions. The first-place team of the tournament wins a cash prize of over $5 million. Some Twitch users also host fundraisers for charities such as disaster relief or disease research.
The Roundup
October 2014|
Page 15
Pidgeon encourages involvement, broad experiences Teachers Pet: Mr. Austin Pidgeon ’07 By Gabe Morrison ’17
THE ROUNDUP Mr Olson’s previous question: Would you rather sing a love song to someone you hate, or a hate song to someone you love? I think I would much rather sing a love song to someone I hate. Why? It would be ironic, and maybe it would help us get over our differences. Is your perspective different now as a teacher than when you were a student? I would say Brophy isn’t that much different to me. Obviously the iPads in every class is a little bit different, but the student body, the culture, the way things work, that doesn’t seem different to me at all. But the perspective is certainly different. How did you decide to come back to Brophy to teach? I thought about teaching when I was a student here. That was a consideration,
and I’m not even sure why, I mean if you look at me now I’m teaching guitar, I’m teaching English and I’m coaching basketball. So there are not many professions where you get to... work with your three greatest interests, and the high school teacher role is one of those unique professions where I can do that. So you went to a Jesuit University? Yes, Santa Clara, “the Harvard of the west,” as Mr. (Seamus) Walsh would say. Did you have any experience with non-Jesuit Education? I did... My graduate program was a public program at California State University, and one of the main reasons why I went there was because I knew I wanted to be a teacher, and I had only gone to Catholic or Jesuit schools, and I thought that’s a very narrow perspective. That’s one of the things we teach, to go out and understand different perspectives. So I wanted that experience to see what is a public school like even though it was a university and a graduate program... Going there, as
much as I loved the school and some of my professors and the work I was doing, and San Francisco was just a wonderful place, it made me appreciate private schools and Jesuit schools in particular so much more. What are your big hobbies other than guitar and basketball? Big hobbies are reading, writing, playing basketball and playing music. So I get to do those every day so my life is pretty good at the moment. Other than that, crate digging... like digging through crates of old records... I’m a huge Suns fan; I’m a huge Chelsea FC (Football Club) fan. Other than The Ukulele Club, do you moderate other clubs? The BLAM stuff I’m going to do this year. Any opportunity to hang out with and learn from Mr. (John) Damaso ‘97 is one I will take… I don’t know first year is tough… that idea of overcommitting is scary to me right now. But I mean would love to be able to participate in all the stuff: the retreats, the Kairos, the Magis, the immersion trips. I went on an immersion trip to El Salvador when I was a student here
and that was pretty impactful, and I did Magis and Kairos so I got all of those experiences. I would love to come back and do that. Is there a different perspective on overcommitting, like as a teacher you have a responsibility to do these things where as a kid you could drop out? Is there a difference from your side? I wouldn’t say you would just want to easily drop out. I would say two things. When you overcommit like that, when you really put your hand in all these pots, there is a tendency to either just get stressed out because you’re doing so much or to feel that “well my focus isn’t 100 percent on this thing, so I’m not as good at it.” Like an athlete... who comes to Brophy as a freshman who plays football, basketball and baseball, and then decides I want to be the best baseball player I can be, so I’m not going to play football and I’m not going to play basketball, I’m only going to play baseball. I think that’s disappointing as high school students, because more than likely, that kid is not going into the MLB, and he’s sacrificing a great experience
playing football and a great experience playing basketball. So that is my defense for “yes you should overcommit, even if it stresses you out.”...The more you put yourself out there, the more likely you are to gain something, to earn some reward. Do you have regrets... or is there any club you wish you had done at Brophy as a student? No, I don’t have any regrets from Brophy. One of my proudest moments was, I was going through a yearbook after it came out in our senior year. And every single individual in our class, I knew, and knew personally, had some personal experience with. So that was cool to me. I mean I know some people have small groups of friends for whatever reason, not that it is a terrible thing, but I felt like I had done what I just said. I had put myself out there, and I got a lot out of that and I am thankful for that. Would you like to pose a question for the next Teacher’s Pet? If you were to sing one song on “American Idol,” what would it be and why?
Revisiting the Classics: ‘American Beauty’ delivers superb message, imagery "American Beauty" - Starring Kevin Spacey, Wes Bentley and Mena Suvari 9 out of 10 By Jace Riley ’16
THE ROUNDUP "American Beauty" is the tale of man who changes his life imethods using dark and questionable ways, but it also inspires the audience with its message
and its amazing cinematography. Lester Burnham, played by Kevin Spacey, is a man who hates his job, and his family hates him. The opening scene is an overhead shot of a neighborhood with Spacey's voice telling the viewer he will be dead in one year. With that in mind, the viewer witnesses Burnham's last year, which also happens to be his best year. Burnham encounters a monumental change when he meets his new neighbor Ricky Fitts, played by Wes Bentley. Lester adopts Ricky's no care attitude, while also trying to impress his daughter's friend Angela
Hayes, played by Mena Suvari. The acting in every role is perfected and you can feel their emotion in every line. However, it's not the acting that makes this movie amazing; its the cinematography and meaning behind it. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards, and it took home five: best picture, best director, best actor (Kevin Spacey), best cinematography and best screenplay. The meaning of the movie is all about change, but it touches on a few other problems in society. Lester changes his entire lifestyle and he begins to enjoy life to its fullest by not holding back.
While he does this in some questionable ways, it still shows that if you're not happy you need to change something. It also touches on abuse with Ricky's dad. His dad is an ex-marine who abuses Ricky when he disobeys, leaving Ricky in blood. His dad is also a homophobe, and constantly is rude to the homosexual neighbors. "American Beauty" is truly an amazing movie that stands on the legs of a deep plot and amazing cinematography. Its superb acting only makes the movie more outstanding. "American Beauty" is available for streaming on HBO Go and Amazon Instant.
New pop icons’ songs catchy, enjoyable but annoying, lackluster By Chase L. Manson ’16
THE ROUNDUP
“Shake it Off” by Taylor Swift 7 out of 10 A few years ago Taylor Swift experimented with electronic music and produced hit singles such as “We are Never Getting Together” and “I Knew You Were Trouble.” However those songs had a little bit of country flare. After the success of these singles, Swift decided to abandoned her country image and exchange it for a pop persona. Thus her new single “Shake it Off ” was born. The song is brilliant in its composition. It is catchy, fun and lighthearted; in a way a perfect pop song.
But the problems aren’t with the song, it is with the artist. Normally, Swift is very engaging as a singer but here she is bland. To be honest, if you were to put someone else in front of the mic I probably couldn’t tell the difference. The song is nothing new and Swift’s flat persona does not help. Also, Swift’s vocals are so processed. They are so saturated with synthesizers and AutoTune it comes off as lazy and rushed. In the end, I still don’t hate this song. It has a lot of things to like and it is very enjoyable. I just have a strange feeling I have heard this before and Swift’s persona is just too fake and too boring.
“Come Get it Bae” by Pharrell
Even Archie reads The Roundup
Williams and Miley Cyrus 4 out of 10 This is a downright weird song that makes little to no sense. The song plays off of the new pop culture word “bae,” which stands for before anyone else. It is used to signify a significant other. This song begins with 70’s guitar playing, which at first is kind of cool but after a few seconds its grating and annoying. The lyrics are horrid. All Williams and Cyrus do is repeat the title of the song. It makes you crazy after a while. Their singing is pretty bad too, with Williams in this uncomfortable falsetto that AutoTune defiantly engineered. Cyrus’s vocals are just as awful, maybe even worse. Her “southern” accent is so
intrusive in this song it’s just a nuisance. Williams is tolerable but Cyrus is unforgivable. I am very upset with Williams. His last two singles “Happy” and “Marilyn Monroe” were excellent, in this song he has fallen off the wagon. Hopefully he can come back up but with Cyrus by his side, it is highly unlikely.
“Bang Bang” by Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj 9 out 10 This is a great pop song and a Niciki Minaj song done right. The chorus is catchy and the singers add their own personality into it. The song features obvious Motown,
soul and electronic inspirations. This sounds like a weird combination but in a way it works. All three women shine on this track and don’t overshadow one another. They share their respective parts equally and bring something different. Jessie J brings a soul and funk aspect that is unique while Grande and Minaj bring a fun and lighthearted atmosphere to the track. I can’t really find fault with this song but just a few nitpicks. My major nitpick is that it is kind of overproduced to the point where it is a gimmick by the record label. But if it is, the record label has worked it magic and it is a great song. They just give me what I want and expected to hear which is the sound of sweet, sweet music.
News, Opinions, Sports & Entertainment each month On newsstands and online roundup.brophyprep.org
Page 16 | October 2014
The Roundup
Xavier Molly Oishi ’15
Gator
By Carter Santini ’15
THE ROUNDUP First off, what’s your name and year? My name is Molly Oishi, I’m a senior at Xavier. What have you enjoyed most about Xavier? Making all my best friends. What are you looking forward to in senior year? Football games, dances with my friends and getting into college. Where are you looking for college? New York University or UC Berkeley. Why those schools? NYU has all good programs that I want to study and Berkeley because I’ve been raised to go there since conception.
By Will Schubert ’15
THE ROUNDUP
Little Alchemy, iOS app This app is one of the most addicting games I have ever played. You start off with four elements; fire, water, earth and air. The objective of the game is to combine elements together to create other elements. For example, water and earth create mud, mud and fire create brick, and so on. There are 480 possible elements ranging from water to Frankenstein. Visit littlealchemy.com to find a list of all of the possible combinations.
What do you want to study? Either neuroscience or environmental law. What’s your favorite subject? Definitely Photography. What do you do outside of school? I run a photography business, it’s called Molly Photography. Anything else? I volunteer at the Humane Society and I work at Hollister. Pretty busy life. What’s your favorite color? Dark green. Specific! Why? It appeals to me, on another level. If you could go one place in the world where would you go? Iceland. Me too! Want to sail around Iceland together? Sure.
Words from the Wise ... “If you do not learn at least one thing everyday, then your day was a failure.” -Mr. Ian Munro
“Fisko is my spiritual D.J.” -Omar Moreno ’15
“Testing 1, 2, 3.” -PA System Technician
“Be a spiritual gangster.” -Mrs. Karen Parise
“I almost died choking on my gum and playing Dance Dance Revolution.” -@JaceRiley16
“Your social future hinges on this!” -Mr. Tony Oldani during the turkey leg eating contest.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts,”
“
-Mark Twain, submitted by Gray Olson ’17 via Facebook
Have you heard any wise words lately? Send them us at roundup@brophybroncos.org or @ BrophyRoundup
to access the documents on multiple devices.
www.agoodmovietowatch.com This website is pretty much the title, if you are interested in finding a good unpopular movie then go here. There are many genres to choose from and there is a random button. The main goal of this website is to find great movies you have never heard of. Most movie suggestions are provided by users in the “Suggest A Movie” section. My favorite feature of this website is the Netflix section because I discovered some really good movies that I had never heard of before like “Into The Wild.”
Cam Scanner, iOS app
www.sugarstacks.com
Cam Scanner can be very useful for homework and classwork. This app will take your iPhone or tablet and turn it into a portable scanner. Cam Scanner takes photos and converts them into a PDF. So if you do not like to do your homework on an iPad or Tablet you can complete your work on good old pencil and paper. Just take a photo with the app and it will convert it to pdf for you. This app has many other useful features such as the ability to AirPrint, collaborate on documents and the ability
This website is very interesting and made me want to give up junk food entirely. Sugarstacks is a website that shows the sugar content in various types of food by placing sugar cubes in front of the food. There are many different categories to choose from such as beverages, desserts, snacks, fruits and vegetables. I found it shocking that a 24oz can of Arizona Lemon Iced Tea contained 72g of sugar. The website will also give the calories of the item as well as the serving size.
Above: Charcoal/Pastel drawing by Martin Bonilla ’15 Bottom left: Photo by Anthony Iannitti ’15 Bottom right: Photo by Nick Park ’15
BLAM collaboration coming soon
Starting in the November edition, BLAM (Brophy Literary Art Magazine) will take over the curation of The Artist’s Corner. Email your artwork to blam@brophyprep.org.