The Roundup November 2011 Edition 2
roundup.brophyprep.org
Brophy builds tradition across generations Family name stays with school over decades
»Brophy’s History
Looking at the students who have walked Brophy’s hallways before us, the different buildings that have been built and the overall changes that have taken place, one can see a reflection of the present. This can help us to understand today’s world, giving us good and bad exemplars to work off of, and allow us to see the immense growth this school has made since its founding more than 80 years ago. This issue of The Roundup holds a distinct focus on Brophy’s past as a means to examine the present, and to look forward to the future.
By Julian De Ocampo ’13
T
THE ROUNDUP
he word “Brophy” is uttered, typed and read every single day by hundreds upon hundreds of students and faculty. It’s shouted at football games, the letters are painted on students’ bodies every Friday and it’s been printed on dozens of articles of clothing worn by hundreds. “Brophy” is a word able to elicit strong emotions of pride, joy or even anger for many residents of Phoenix and the surrounding cities. And amidst all the usage and commotion, it’s sometimes all too easy to forget what the word “Brophy” really is – someone’s last name. Brophy College Preparatory takes its name from William Henry Brophy, who left nearly $250,000 in his will to be put towards the founding of a preparatory school. Ellen A. Brophy, better known as Mrs. William Henry Brophy in the Brophy canon, was faced with the task of seeing Mr. Brophy’s wish carried out after he died in an untimely fishing accident in the Sea of Cortez. Mrs. Brophy searched high and low for a place to found the school, considering Los Angeles as a potential site before being
Inside • Seasoned teachers give insight into Brophy’s past See Page 2
•Trophy case exhibits mementos of nearly forgotten victories See Page 3
• Student clubs are ever changing and accommodating See Page 3
• The Robson Gymnasium and the Information Commons have evolved as the years progress See Page 4
• New, efficient Lenovo Tablets are an example of Brophy’s tech progression Photo Illustration by Alex Stanley ’12 Brophy Tower’s has been a landmark on campus and in Central Phoenix since 1928.
approached by the Jesuits, according to Brophy Vice President Ms. Adria Renke. After a few talks, Mrs. Brophy believed that her late husband’s money would be in good hands, and gave the Jesuits the funding to construct Brophy College Preparatory, which at the time consisted only of Regis Hall (now called Frank
C. Brophy Hall), Romley Hall (a home for the Jesuits) and the Brophy Chapel. Mrs. Brophy left the Jesuits to their work, but not without a few requests and additions,
See Page 5
• Student publications develop as creative outlet See Page 5
• Administrations guide school through generations See Special Section, Page 8
• Fine arts department evolves with school See Page 14
See FAMILY, Page 2
Students express creativity, interests through computer stickers By Michael Moroney ’13
THE ROUNDUP Since laptop computers arrived on the Brophy campus in the fall of 2006, students have placed stickers on the back of their computer screens as a way to artistically express themselves. Students can use the stickers to show their political beliefs, support for a sports team, involvement in a certain activity or love for something. “How we design our computers with stickers is one of the few ways Brophy allows us to express ourselves,” said Nick Kush ’13.
Student Council keeps up school spirit and morale Page 6
Troy Davis execution ignites interest among student body
“Personally, I use the stickers to show both art and music I like.” Kush boasts four stickers on the back of his computer, including three stickers about music. One sticker is of Jimi Hendrix, another Modest Mouse and the third is a sticker for Amoeba Music, a record store in Hollywood. See STICKERS, Page 2 Photo by Julian De Ocampo ’13 Miles Kent ’13 sports numerous stickers on the back cover of his Tablet.
Page 7
Football charges into playoffs with perfect season Page 10
Award-winning news, photos and opinions online at roundup.brophyprep.org
Student DJs bring beats to campus events Page 13
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The Roundup
Teachers recognize rich campus history By Jonathan M. Gornet ’14 & Joshua Galvin ’13
THE ROUNDUP Looking at an aerial picture of the Brophy campus from 1928, the Brophy bell tower stands resolute much like the present day. Aesthetically, the buildings have maintained their timeless appearance, but the community housed within their walls has morphed and grown over the years. Mr. Tom Reithmann and Mr. Dan Whitehead are two teachers who have seen a wealth of the change on campus firsthand. After coming to Brophy in 1980, Mr. Reithmann recalled the campus as more personal than today with a much greater focus on academics. “The schedule was a five period day with little art or music,” Mr. Reithmann said. “The students were very grade-conscious.” By the early 80s the Robson Gymnasium had already been built, and the basement served as the main weight room. Prior to the gym’s creation, From FAMILY, Page 1 specifically in the Chapel. First off, Mrs. Brophy requested a seashell motif in many of the chapel’s features, a tribute to her husband’s cause of death that can be seen in subtle places like the light sconces. Mrs. Brophy also pulled several connections to ensure that the highest caliber of stain-glass windows adorned the Chapel. The jewel windows were imported from Ireland with help from a friend of Mrs. Brophy, making Brophy Chapel one of only three churches in the
the upper floor of Brophy Hall served as an indoor athletic center. “The three original Brophy buildings were familiar landmarks fronting Central Avenue,” Mr. Reithmann said. “At that time Romley Hall served as the residence for the Jesuits … on the other side of the Chapel was Regis Hall, currently known as Brophy Hall.” The time before Tablets vanishes more quickly from memory as years pass, but Mr. Reithmann said students should appreciate the tools at their disposal. “Brophy sophomores would go to Xavier to learn to use typewriters … in 1980 there were no PCs, calculators were non-graphing, and phones were large, wired and had a rotary dial,” Mr. Reithmann said. “By 1980, Brophy’s enrollment was increasing from under 500 to about 1000,” Mr. Reithmann added about the growth of the student body. As another witness of Brophy’s expansion, Mr. Dan Whitehead has been a math teacher at Brophy since 1967 and remains a traditionalist,
United States to have jewel stain-glass windows from Ireland, according to Ms. Renke. Another close friend of Mrs. Brophy donated the crucifix which now hangs in the Harper Great Hall. The crucifix, more than 400 years old, is an ancient relic imported from a French monastery. Aside from these little flourishes, the Brophy family stepped out of the operational way of the Jesuits for the following decades while always maintaining close ties to the school.
From STICKERS, Page 1 He also has a fourth sticker from The Boneyard, a Tempe skateboard shop. Kush also said that his combination of stickers regarding both music and skateboarding is his way of “sticking it to the man.” Around campus, popular stickers include the RLM sticker from the Robby Mayasich ’10 Donate Life drive in December 2010, as well as the classic red and white BCP bumper sticker.
Brophy College Preparatory 4701 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85012 (602) 264-5291 roundup@brophyprep.org Editors in Chief Ian C. Beck ’12 & Alex Stanley ’12 Managing Editor of Content Rohan Keith Andresen ’12 Managing Editor of Online Content Julian De Ocampo ’13 News Editor Tyler J. Scott ’12 Opinion Editor Joe Skoog ’13 Sports Editors Erik Masingill ’12 & Michael Moroney ’13 Entertainment Editors Chase Stevens ’12 & Jackson Santy ’13
Staff Joshua Galvin ’13* Brett A. Mejia ’13* Michael Ahearne ’14 Andrew Barnes ’12 Kevin Cabano ’12 Roan Enright ’13 Jonathan Gornet ’14 Logan Hall ’14 Aakash Jain ’14 Jonathon Macias ’14 Andrew Marini ’13 Paul Meyer ’14 Kevin Valenzuela ’13 *Senior staff members Contributors Colin Marston ’13 Gregory Goulder ’13 Ryan Ricci ’12 Dalton Radcliffe ’13 Christian Schroeder ’12
“The family is steeped in the tradition of Brophy history,” Ms. Renke said. “It’s a very emotional closeness.” Descendants of Mrs. Brophy continued to attend the school down through the generations, despite changes in name due to marriage. Mrs. Brophy’s grandson, Frank Brophy, attended the school and was a strong supporter until his death. A picture of him sits on the west side of Brophy Hall, the building having been dedicated to him after his death. In recent years, according to
Students also tend to show support for their own sport or club with stickers like Brophy Crew and Brophy Shooting Sports. Others, like Jack Wentworth ’12, choose to decorate with more eccentric stickers. Wentworth created his own cartoon character, called Sluba, that he sticks on many computers across campus in myriad different colors. He created the stickers for fun and now many students ask to put the character on their own laptops.
The Roundup Nathaniel Toledo ’12 Manuel Siguenza ’12 Scott Soethe ’13 Kyle Scheuring ’15 Adviser Mr. Mica Mulloy ’99
preferring pencil and paper over a computer. He confirmed the large growth spurt in the student body, stating there were around 400 students when he first came to the school. So what was the campus like back then? “The mall area used to be a parking lot and the Loyola Hall was actually the library,” Mr. Whitehead wrote in an email. “We also had a pool where the Great Hall and Piper are now, and Keating was the first ‘new’ building.” “The faculty was much smaller, and included about 20 Jesuits, but only two female teachers,” Mr. Reithmann said. “There were fewer counselors, and one assistant principal, Mr. Michael Klein, the father of faculty member Mr. Joe Klein ’86.” As a Brophy student for four years and a Brophy teacher since 1988, Mr. Mike Welty ’83 has seen several perspectives of school change. “I remember wanting to be here more than anywhere else,” Mr. Welty said. “There were a million things to do.” “There were 25 Jesuits on campus, and I had two or three Jesuit teachers every year,” Mr. Welty
said. Mr. Welty also said that despite the larger religious staff, the main Jesuit beliefs for the students were secular: discipline and a good education. He added that the school began incorporating the idea of “Men for Others” as the Jesuit ideals were reinterpreted. He said a key memory for him as a student was socializing with friends at break and lunch at the center of the campus: six asphalt basketball courts where Keating Hall, the Office of Faith and Justice and the Student Activity Center now stand. Although Mr. Welty said he wanted to be a teacher since an early experience as a camp counselor, he initially found it “weird” to join the Brophy faculty after college. “As a student the teachers seemed like gods on a pedestal … at first it was very difficult to deal with them as colleagues,” Mr. Welty said. Mr. Welty added that because of his own experience he is sensitive to new teachers on campus.
Sallie Brophy Najafi, the greatgranddaughter of Mrs. Brophy herself, the ranks of the Brophy family in Arizona have dwindled as generations moved to Texas and California. But Brophy family members still often have baptisms, marriages and funerals at the Brophy Chapel, a right usually only reserved for Brophy alumni. As of now, the Brophy family has no financial stake in the school, but those bearing the Brophy name are often greeted warmly by the school’s administration.
“It’s a form of expression and I wanted to spread a new medium of art,” Wentworth said when asked why he chose to make the sticker. “It started as street art and it just happened that people love them on their computers,” he said. “It makes me smile to see my creations on computers around Brophy.” Brock Ghelfi ’12, who plans to play Division I lacrosse next year, displays his favorite sport and brands at the same time with stickers of the popular lacrosse product brands Adrenaline and Warrior.
“It’s really the Jesuits who have put Brophy on the map,” Najafi said. “It’s one thing to have founded the school, but the Jesuits made it the great school that it is.” And despite the passing of time between the school’s advent and her birth, Najafi said she is proud to have the school bear her family name. “It’s hard to be excited about something your ancestors did,” Najafi said. “But I’m so glad to have a school like Brophy in Phoenix ... it’s a fine legacy to have.”
Andy McCoy ’12 advertises his passion for speech and debate with multiple stickers from camps he has attended, like the Michigan 7 Week, a debate camp he attended at the University of Michigan. McCoy also represents his political standpoint through the various stickers he puts on his computer. For example, he makes a stab at gun control laws through his sticker that reads, “I Don’t Call 911.” “As a liberal leaning guy, I find these stickers hilarious because they are just ridiculous,” McCoy said.
Corrections
• In the October 2011 edition, Clarence Clark’s ’13 name was spelled incorrectly on page 8 in the football recap. The Roundup apologizes for the error. The Roundup seeks to correct any printed mistakes in a timely and public manner. Please e-mail corrections to roundup@ brophyprep.org.
Submissions
The Roundup welcomes news, opinions, sports, entertainment and photography submissions and ideas. E-mail roundup@ brophyprep.org or see Mr. Mulloy in Eller Room 331.
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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Arizona Newspaper Association’s 2011 “Best High School Newspaper” Arizona Interscholastic Press Association’s Fall 2011 General Excellence Award, First Place
The Roundup
November 2011 |
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Trophy cases offer hidden gems from past By Joe Skoog ’13
THE ROUNDUP A little bit of history can be found all throughout the halls of most Brophy buildings. This history comes in the form of trophies won in years past by Brophy students of yester year and today. In Robson Gym foyer alone, there are more than 265 trophies that have been compiled in trophy cases over the many years of school athletics. Most of the trophies have been won by Brophy’s sports teams including the swim, football, volleyball, track and field and golf teams. In addition to the team awards, the cases are home to a large number of medals and plaques honoring individuals. But sports teams are not the only groups whose trophies reside in Brophy’s cases. According to Advanced Placement Biology teacher and moderator of the Brophy League of Academic Contests
Mrs. Cheryl Lenox, although these activities only started competing in 2005, there are more than 41 trophies that have been accrued by activities including Quiz Bowl, Science Bowl, Knowledge Masters, Academic Decathlon and the Math Club currently residing on both the first and second floors of Piper. The first competitions were for Robotics and Science Bowl, but later expanded to the Academic Clubs. While Speech and Debate has been competing since the 1960s, an influx of trophies and awards occurred in both the 1998 and 1999 seasons with the accolades of the policy debate team of Ivan Susek ’99 and Takis Makridis ’99. Head of Forensics Ms. Elizabeth Clarke said Susek and Makridis were one of the most successful teams in Brophy’s history, receiving more than half of the 55 awards that currently reside in the trophy cases of Brophy Hall.
Photo by Julian De Ocampo ’13 More than 265 trophies line the walls of the the gym lobby. Trophies and awards fill other halls on campus and paint a picture of the school’s history.
School foundation paves way for future growth Newest buildings appeal to student body and teachers with better technology, roomy classrooms By Erik T. Masingill ’12 & Brett A. Mejia ’13
THE ROUNDUP In 1928, construction crews built the first buildings on the new school campus in Central Phoenix: Brophy Hall, the Chapel and Romley Hall, to house classrooms and later a gym. Brophy Hall, which at the time was named Regis Hall, also used to be where the counseling and administration offices were located. By 1980 the original locker room, now room B210, housed the media center, which stored photos, slides and filmstrips, according to Mr. Tom Reithmann. The first Brophy Gym was the eastern half of the top floor of Brophy Hall. The Rev. Anton Renna, S.J. taught English and Humanities in Brophy Hall for over 40 years and he
set up a bookstore in his classroom called “Shylock’s Brophy campus Corner.” “He was kind of the anchor for this building for Although Brophy is now 83 years old, there are many years,” said Dean Mr. Pat Higgins. “His two new buildings that have only recently begun class was always meticulous and he took great care their history on Brophy’s campus: Eller and Piper. of his class.” The Piper Center for Math and Science was built As an alumnus of Brophy, English teacher Mr. in 2005. The 52,000 square foot Scott and Laura Steve Smith ’96 Eller Fine Arts Center I think this is the nicest of all was built in 2003. remembers Brophy Hall as being the same the buildings. The classrooms In 2000, Brophy wrote as it was when he was a a $5 million check to over here are nicer. They’re support the creation of student. “Other than the name carpeted; they’ve got the plugs the Piper Center. and the fact that there Piper host classrooms on the floor. were more offices, for mainly math and everything else is the science classes while —Mr. Tom Danforth ’78 exactly the same,” Mr. Eller host classrooms Smith said. for English, fine arts and There is an entrance to religion classes. the Brophy tower from English teacher Mr. Brophy Hall, and a path Tom Danforth ’78 that connects Brophy to Romley Hall. has taught in Eller for 10 years now and said he has Today, Brophy Hall serves as the home of enjoyed his classroom every day. classrooms and the Dean’s office. “I think this is the nicest of all the buildings,” he said. “The classrooms over here are nicer. They’re
Eller and Piper set to make an impact on
carpeted; they’ve got the plugs on the floor.” Before his emergence into an Eller classroom, Mr. Danforth taught in Brophy Hall for 16 years. However, Mr. Danforth said that Eller has been nothing but a great classroom for him. “It seems like the main action is right around here because the main entrance is right down there,” he said. “It is nice having such close access.” Math teacher Mr. Doug Cox has taught in Piper for seven years. Unlike Mr. Danforth, Mr. Cox contends that Piper contains the nicer classrooms. “The classroom sizes are larger than some of the other buildings,” he said. “It helps with the learning environment, it helps having extra board space and extra class space to do group projects.” Mr. Cox said since Piper is a newer building, students will be enticed to take classes there. “It’s a little more exciting to be in an indoor building sometimes for students,” he said. “Maybe you guys are happy to come to the newer building and learn the material that we are trying to teach you guys.” Harper Great Hall is the latest building addition to the Brophy campus. It was built a year after Piper in 2006.
Student clubs evolve to fit student interests, school mission Clubs evolve to includes service, spiritual component By Jonathan M. Gornet ’14
THE ROUNDUP Club presidents and leaders packed the Great Hall Sept. 1 to market their organizations at the annual club fair. The event allows students to see the multitudes of activity opportunities available to them. Currently Brophy offers students dozens of clubs to be a part of. But how did Brophy clubs begin?
It just basically said that a club represents what we are, there has to be a form of experience to it, otherwise it would just be a bunch of kids hanging out.
—Mr. Tony Oldani
“It started because we wanted to give kids anything, it was literally anything kids wanted to meet and organize about; we wanted to give them the opportunity to do that,” said Director of Scheduling
& Student Records Mr. Tony Oldani, who is helping to oversee student clubs this year. “Part of that delves from the mission we do here, a student-centered institution.” “Because kids wanted that, … it really became ‘OK how do we make this place deeper for most students, how do we allow them to connect to each other on a deeper level on something that they feel passionate about, whatever that might be,” Mr. Oldani added. Clubs today are in some ways the same type of groups they have always been. But Mr. Oldani said it was former Assistant Principal for Student Activities Mr. Jeff Glosser who brought them to
the high level they are at now. Before Mr. Glosser, Ms. Dorothy Dunnion held the assistant principal role and also helped guide the development of clubs as students now know them. “I oversaw all parts of student life that were not academic or spiritual,” Mrs. Dunnion said of her position. She said clubs have always included key elements to make them a part of the Brophy experience. “All clubs included a spiritual component, a service component in addition to what the club was,” Ms. Dunnion said. Mr. Oldani said those elements made
the groups a part of what the school is all about. “Because that’s who we are as a school and that has to be a part of everything we do, not just part of a particular curriculum or particular office,” Mr. Oldani said. “It just basically said that a club represents what we are, there has to be a form of experience to it, otherwise it would just be a bunch of kids hanging out.” Along with joining clubs, students also now play a larger role in the administration of clubs, such as organization and promotion on Blackboard.
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The Roundup
Romley serves as residence, admin building By Julian De Ocampo ’13
THE ROUNDUP While students roam the halls of Brophy’s various buildings each and every day, the aged halls of Romley Hall remain largely mysterious. Due to the minimum exposure students get to the building, the rumor mill often begins to turn in regards to the unexplored corners of one of the oldest buildings on campus. Romley, built at the school’s inception, is now 83 years old, having remained occupied and utilized by the school for decades. “This is where the Jesuits lived when the school was built,” said Brophy President the Rev. Eddie Reese, S.J. “It was built to hold about 25 guys.” Early in the school’s history, the Bishop took over the financially ruined school during the Great Depression. The top floor became a grammar school for kids from out of state or Mexico, according to Fr. Reese. Then, Romley became an all girls’ school up until 1950, when the Jesuits returned to reopen Brophy while the nuns moved to open the Xavier we know today. “It was like living in a big men’s club in a hotel when we were here.We had great times,” Fr. Reese said of living in the building. The offices that the administration and counselors now occupy were former bedrooms for the building’s residents as recently as eight years ago, when the Jesuits, facing dwindling numbers, moved to two houses on Mariposa Street two blocks away. Chief among the rumors generated each year are those concerning the building’s basement, where students are rarely allowed. Fr. Reese explained that, far from being the home to secret underground tunnels or wine cellars that students envision it to be, the basement of Romley is a mostly vacant space that previously housed a kitchen, TV room and family room. “There is a room where alcohol and stuff that’s used for parties like the auction is stored, but
Photo by Julian De Ocampo ’13 A hallway in basement of the Romley building. The basement houses the Jesuit lLibrary along with other rooms hidden beneath Brophy.
there’s no wine cellar,” Fr. Reese said. As for the fabled Jesuit library? It’d be tough to even call it a library at this point. “There was a library. I wouldn’t call it very big,” Fr. Reese said. “It’s still there but it doesn’t have very many books. The books either got moved, given away or moved to the school library.” Romley does, however, house the school’s recently constructed art gallery in a former Jesuit dining room, which the Fine Arts department fills with a selection of art each year. There is, however, one rumor that does hold some truth – the former presence of a TV room under the building. “When I first took the job over 15 years ago, I said to Fr. Reese, ‘I want to see every inch of this campus,’ so he showed me the basement ... and there was a room at the end of the hallway,” Vice
President Ms. Adria Renke said. “Father said, ‘oh, that’s just the storage room,’ so I said ‘let me see how big it is.’ We opened the door and there were 20 matching blue LazyBoy recliners and a flatscreen TV -- that was where the Jesuits watched TV.” Now, the room, like most of the basement, is a vacant space used as storage, save for one room that Fr. Reese called the “companion room.” The companion room was the Jesuit family room, a largely unaltered space harboring a few plush chairs and a long conference table. “Guys would read the newspaper in there and get together before dinner,” Fr. Reese said. As for the other parts of the building, many students are more familiar with the buildings first and second floors, which house the counseling,
administration and business offices. Fr. Reese explained that the administration of Romley is divided into two components: the east wing and the west wing. The west wing covers the President office, which Fr. Reese says includes “all the money, development and fundraising stuff.” Meanwhile, the east wing covers the school’s principal, Mr. Bob Ryan, scheduling and other support for his role. “Other than living there for 37 years, I don’t recall anything really exciting about Romley Hall,” said Special Assistant for Facilities and Technology the Rev. Lou Bishop, S.J. “Walls have been moved, removed and erected, but the basic building is sound.
Robson Gym, Info Commons evolve, improve through the years By Roan Enright ’13
THE ROUNDUP More than 45 years after building the Robson Gym, the Kemper and Ethel Marley Info Commons has evolved into what we see today. Originally the gym was built in the early 1960s and the present Info Commons was a storage facility. “The original plan for the gym included the basement, though plans were that it would be a large meeting space with a limited kitchen and serving facilities. “That never happened,” said the Rev. Lou Bishop, S.J. The storage facility later gave some space for a weight room and a drama room as well. “When it was built it was the largest gym in the entire state,” said Athletic Director Mr. John Chambers. Mr. Chambers said the gym hasn’t
changed a lot over the years besides new floors and new bleachers. At times the gym was used as a practice facility for professional teams like the Phoenix Suns and even a professional volleyball team called the Phoenix Heat. “Let’s just say that it has worked out over the years,” Fr. Bishop said. Fr. Bishop said there where tunnels that connected the gym and the basement to the air conditioning room but they were filled. In 2001 Brophy decided to create what is now called the Info Commons from the old gym basement. “We realized it would be a great place to put in a new library, and that it really is going to be something more than that,” said the Rev. Eddie Reese, S.J., Brophy’s president. Photo by Kevin Valenzuela ’13 The Robson Gym has been a sports fixture on the Brophy campus since the early 1960s.
“ ... 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.” — From The Roundup Mission Statement
Sound appealing?
The Roundup
If so, 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, talk to Mr. Mulloy ‘99 in E331 about joining The Roundup.
The Roundup
November 2011 |
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Student publications develop as creative outlet By Chase Stevens ’12 & Logan Hall ’14
THE ROUNDUP Sitting on their computers, students type furiously on their keyboards, fleshing out ideas from their minds to the monitor. They are not finishing an assignment due next period; instead, they are working on this year’s edition of the yearbook. The student publications at Brophy, including BLAM, the yearbook, The Roundup and The Wrangler, have had their own interesting history. BLAM, also known as the Brophy Literary Arts Magazine, started in the early 1990s. “Back then, (the literary magazine)
was known as The Tower,” said Mr. John Damaso ’97. “Then, in 2004, the yearbook became known as The Tower, so it was renamed ‘The Magazine Formerly Known as The Tower.’” According Mr. Damaso, in recent years, the number of submissions has doubled annually. The Wrangler has had a checkered past during its tenure at Brophy. TheWrangler started in the mid-1990s. “Back then, it was very underground… It kind of fizzled out and went over the line.” The Wrangler was somewhat of an off and on again affair. “It was even brought back as ‘The Curious Jorge’ at one point,” Mr.
Damaso added. However, now it has many editors and even more writers than ever before, according to Mr. Damaso. Like The Wrangler, the yearbook has also evolved from years past. “What we’ve done over the years is less and less text and more photos,” said Mr. Joe Klein ’86. One thing that is consistent about the publications is that as technology has progressed, the process for putting the publications together has been changed and made more convenient. “With BLAM, we can put all the submissions online and have editors vote on it. It’s much easier than before,” Mr. Damaso said. Mr. Klein also said that because of
Photo by Kevin Valenzuela ’13 Brophy’s yearbook, “The Tower,” has always been a staple of the school community.
new technology, it is now easier to organize the yearbook.
“We were still doing the old fashioned proof system… now, it’s all online.”
Lenovo Tablets one-up Toshibas with memory, small size School moves from Toshiba to Lenovo Tablets By Michael Ahearne ’14
THE ROUNDUP The decision to start using Tablet computers has changed how Brophy works and teaches. Brophy has been through a few different computer models, getting the newer version every year for the students. The decision to start using the Tablets was one made by the school administrators and the technology staff. “It was something we always looked at,” said Systems Administrator Mr. Mark Pettit. “We always looked at a 1-to-1 solution, having one computer per student, so when the Tablet was introduced, that is pen enabled computing device, that’s what made it really worthwhile to go ahead and take the next step.” The class of 2010 was the first Brophy freshman class to receive tablets, receiving the Toshiba Tecra M4. The Toshiba Tecra was larger but otherwise similar in shape and performance to the laptops sophomores, juniors and seniors have.
The main differences between the Toshiba computers have been small tweaks such as better quality, fixed flaws and upgraded memory. The Toshiba Tecra line and the Lenovo X220T, on the other hand, are very different when compared to each other. The Toshiba Tecras weigh more and are taller, but have less depth and width than the Lenovo X220T. The Toshibas had Windows XP on them, while the Lenovo X220T has Windows 7 Professional. The Lenovo has about four times as much memory as the Tecra, and the Lenovo has a little more than three times as much storage than the Toshibas. “As technology improves, they get a little bit faster, they get a little more efficient, but between the last model of Toshiba, and this current model, I bet the students wouldn’t see any differences,” Mr. Pettit said. The Toshiba M780, the current sophomore computers, and the Lenovo X220T are fairly similar, so it wouldn’t be hard for students to use either computer, because both run very similar programs. When asked about the future options for computers such as iPads and Android tablets, Network Administrator Mr. Wess Housh said laptop-style Tablets may not be permanent. “We are continually looking for the Tablet.
Photo by Kevin Valenzuela ’13 Connor Earnest ’15 uses his Lenovo Tablet after school Oct. 27.
We have a couple of demos in right now that are Android based... We are definitely looking that way, but like the iPad, it doesn’t have a stylus so
you can’t write. We are definitely looking in that direction,” he said.
Smith: Early immersion trips expand students’ horizons By Josh Galvin ’13
The Roundup Mr. Tommy Smith could not help but chuckle as he remembered the Greyhound bus ride to Los Angeles five years ago with Mr. John Damaso ’97 and eight students. In the five years since that first trip, the L.A. Urban Plunge immersion has gained a stronger and stronger following, with 55 applicants in the past year, according to Mr. Smith. “(The trips) follow along closely with the mission of Brophy: to educate intelligent young men who have an awareness of the world,” Mr. Smith said. “They allow us to realize how blessed we are and how important it is to give back to those who aren’t as blessed.” Mr. Smith has firsthand knowledge of the less fortunate from leading this trip; once he and his crew were dropped off in Los Angeles, they walked everywhere
they went, living off of two meals a day activities. in solidarity with the homeless. To most students, immersion trips like Other activities included interacting these are an accepted aspect of campus with migrant workers at the Delores life. Mission, a Jesuit school run by the Rev. However, Assistant to the Assistant Scott Santarosa, Principal for S.J. as well as Ministry Mrs. When it came time to serving food Sue Hornbeck leave, one of the boys at the Blessed confirmed the broke his cookie in half Sacrament, a Jesuit program had parish. and gave it to me. It was humble origins. His other trip, The first three touching that they have the NOLA Project, immersion trips involved traveling so little but they’re willing were started in to share it. to New Orleans 1999 by the Office in the aftermath —Michael Williams ’13 of Peace and Justice of Katrina and (now the Office of gutting houses in Faith and Justice). HAZMAT suits. Students traveled Since then, the to Nogales, Oaxaca project has evolved or Juarez, but in to working with recent years only local organizations Puebla, which is such as Habitat for Humanity, helping the new location of the original Oaxaca children at a nativity school and other trip, has been deemed safe enough for
student engagement because of border issues. However, Mr. Tom Danforth ’78 and Mr. Andrew Schmidbauer ’88 continue to lead this trip every summer. The immersion trip program has since grown sporadically, with new opportunities sprouting up as the years passed. “The impact that these trips were having on students and faculty was so powerful that we had to expand the program,” Mr. Smith said. The list of emerging trips includes the Argentina Exchange Program started by Mrs. Catharine Steffens and Mr. Damaso in the 2007-08 school year. Every February, 10 Argentinian students from El Colegio de Inmaculada Conceptión are chosen to travel to Phoenix and live with Brophy students. “(The exchange students) go to classes, spend weekends at Manresa … and go to the Grand Canyon,” Mrs. Steffens said. “They participate in what it’s like
to be a teen at a Jesuit high school in Phoenix, Arizona.” In June, however, the tables are turned, and the same Brophy host students live in the humbler homes of the Argentina kids. Although the trips Mrs. Steffens and Mr. Smith lead contrast starkly, both leaders made one idea clear: although the trips are sometimes treated like charity work for others, the end result is actually the creation of “bonds and links with people just like us.” Michael Williams ’13, a participant of last year’s trip to Argentina, shared one stirring moment. “We went to an orphanage to play games … and the kids were showing off their simple bunk beds,” Williams said. “When it came time to leave, one of the boys broke his cookie in half and gave it to me. It was touching that they have so little but they’re willing to share it.”
Opinions The Roundup | November 2011 Staff Editorial
Student Council accomplishes quality work The Issue: Every year the leaders in Student Council change and create a different experience for Brophy students. Our Stance: Having such an active and involved leadership group this year forms a fun and inviting atmosphere at Brophy, perhaps more so than prior years.
T
hink back a year. Maybe even two or three. The Student Councils were good. They got the job done, and continued the many traditions and fun activities at Brophy. But none were as involved as this year’s. None followed through with the sheer amount of fun, big and small activities, and none worked this hard to satisfy the student community. Reminisce to the lion hunt during the week the Brophy football team played Mountain Pointe. Paper lions were hidden throughout campus, and the finders were given a small dose of cash and a raffle ticket with potential winnings of $150. Now, this can essentially be seen as a bribe to get some students to attend football games away from the comfort of Phoenix College, but at the end of the day it took some thought and effort. That is key to what makes this Student Council so effective: they are not afraid of putting their
thoughts into action, and doing a little work. Perhaps other Student Councils may have tossed out an idea like this, but they did not follow through. As well, the weekly videos are another excellent addition this year. They are fairly humorous, and do a great job of keeping all students within the loop. Similar to the lion hunt, they require precious time and sweat. The sheer regularity of the videos is impressive. The only series in the past that would be comparable was “Mike Tree: Campus Linebacker,” but still they did not come out every week. However, the fun experience is not something just to watch on Youtube. During the week of homecoming students were able to participate in the Dunk Tank that Student Council put on campus for the lunch hour. Students were able to take turns trying to dunk their teachers into a pool of water. The participation of both the students and the teachers is unsurpassed. All of these things may seem trivial, but it truly is the little things that count. Homecoming will always be Homecoming and Prom will always be Prom, but the mark made in addition to and in between those events is what
Brophy’s Student Council helps promote school events through their Facebook page.
matters. The most impressive feat is that Student Council has, at least to the public, not even so much as lost a step in the absence of Assistant Principal of Student Activities Mr. Jeff Glosser, a sign of the leadership he helped build. Hats off to you, men of StuCo, keep up the good work!
Staff Editorial by Rohan Keith Andresen ’12 and Alex Stanley ’12 Staff Editorials represent the view of The Roundup. Share your thoughts by emailing roundup@brophyprep. org or leave comments online at roundup.brophyprep.org.
Student involvement in politics is good for civic engagement While voting may seem a long way off If anything, the education gained from for many students at Brophy, awareness being involved in politics allows for about the issues and better infusion of political policies that are currently knowledge in other facets confronting law makers of life, including the voting is important for further that will take place when education and application in students become 18 years the real world. old. Many say that there is There are many clubs no reason for youth to be who actively endorse this involved in politics, but this political awareness, such argument is proven to be as Young Republicans By Joe Skoog ’13 false. and Young Democrats, The Roundup Even if students do both of which allow for not grow up to be students to learn about policymakers, the education is still the current political climate of the valuable. United States.
Professor at the University of Chicago Steven Walt wrote, “No doubt some government officials would like to deny ordinary citizens the opportunity to scrutinize their conduct; as a central part of that evaluative process, the scholarly profession should resist this effort wholeheartedly.” The political awareness and knowledge gained from staying attentive to current issues is important for keeping a check on non-democratic processes that may come to pass absent oversight from the public. Walt argues that this idea of monitoring the goings on of policies is essential to maintaining ethical political action.
Additionally, if any unethical political action is taken, however, Walt argues that an involvement in the political realm by non-politicians can stop flawed practices once they start. The debates that come about through knowledge of politics are a cornerstone of democracy. David Levasseur, a professor at West Chester University, and Diana Carlin, professor of Communications at the University of Kansas write, “Democracy depends on talk, (and) the methods of talk need to aid in the discovery of sound public policy.” A democracy without debates over the representatives of the aforementioned
democracy can descend into a regime where freedom of speech is frowned upon or even illegal. As citizens, it is a duty of the Brophy student to always be aware of the policies that will shape their life, and the lives of others around them for years to come. For instance, laws passed in the 1940s are still around today, because of the vibrant debates surrounding them. Examples include things like the GI Bill, which was used to pay for college for returning veterans of WWII, and is still used to today for returning veterans. A public that is concerned with their civic duty and with the policies that will affect them is the bedrock of democracy.
Traffic blockages cause Brophy parking lots to clog up after school Let’s face it, Fridays are the worst After this event, Mr. Higgins wanted days to leave right after school. to continue having the blockage to Traffic is a mess and it takes longer prevent accidents. than 20 minutes to get out of the He intentionally wants traffic to be parking lots at Brophy, especially the slower so that people are aware of their south one. surroundings while driving on campus. What has caused these traffic clogs On top of this, he said this will that everyone dreads? The problem decrease the number of traffic jams on lies a new blockage between the north Brophy’s campus. and south parking lots. After observing the traffic flow with According to Brophy Dean Mr. By Manuel Siguenza ’12 him on a Thursday, I noticed that the Patrick Higgins, this blockage The Roundup traffic jams tend to vanish after about was created in response to Water 10 minutes. Day this year for the freshmen. In all honesty, this is not a long time. People He wanted to slow down traffic for this event specifically so that no one getting on the buses to go can handle being in the parking lot for 10 minutes to Brophy’s sports campus would be in any danger. waiting to exit the premises.
However, I recall trying to leave school on a Friday and waiting for over half an hour to leave. This instance brought frustration, seeing as how I had to run errands that day. In addition to the slow progress in the parking lot, people were rude and unwilling to let their neighbor go by. Rather than being men for others as we have been taught to be, we have become more aggressive and gone into survival mode in the parking lot. Though I fully respect and understand Mr. Higgins’s reasoning and his want to make the Brophy community safer, I feel there are better ways to prevent traffic problems. Granted, traffic should be slower in a school environment.
But at the same time it should not affect students’ busy schedules. Rather than create a blockage, having someone direct the traffic could possibly be a better solution to the problem of traffic that flows too slowly. Nothing is wrong with slow traffic, but there is a problem with traffic that does not flow quickly enough for everyone to get where they need to in a timely manner. And there is also a problem if the values of the school are not displayed in the way we exit the school. This new blockage will most likely stay in place for the rest of the year and may stay for a few years. All we can do now is learn to cope with it and learn to avoid the traffic jams in the near future.
Opinions
The Roundup
Page 7 | November 2011
‘Five Finger’ shoes should be allowed on campus This year, students have been walking around in what appeared to be “toe shoes,” or as I like to call them, “foot shoes.” The company Vibram has been around for a while, but they are new to the shoe industry. They are mainly By Reed Loustalot ’12 responsible for making Special to soles for popular hiking shoe brands. The Roundup
However, recently, they started making what I believe to be the best shoes ever, the Vibram Five Fingers. The shoe slips on your foot just like a sock, and provides very little support for your feet. The shoe provides protection for the bottom of your foot, but isn’t too thick as to
ruin the sensation of feeling the ground. The idea is that you should feel like you are walking barefoot, which is how humans were designed to walk. I personally have owned four pairs of Vibram Five Fingers over the past two years. They all have been wonderful. I started wearing them to school over summer school and thus far this year. One of my recent pairs is even made out of kangaroo leather.
Recently, the administration has informed students wearing Vibram Five Fingers that they are not appropriate for the school environment, that they are not professional and that they just look weird. I say in rebuttal: When has Brophy been a place where different isn’t encouraged? I’ve worn them everywhere I’ve went for the past few months. Yes, I get many weird looks. Do I care?
No. I wear them because I enjoy them. They may look different, but since when is that a problem? Over my three years at Brophy, I’ve seen some pretty crazy shoes from neon Nikes to Toms. There is nothing distinguishing these different kinds of shoes from Five Fingers, yet they are apparently allowed. Students should be allowed to wear these shoes, because they aren’t too different.
Troy Davis sparks debate on capital punishment Troy Anthony Davis was executed Sept. 21 at because it costs a lot of time and effort, and it is Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison morally unjust because it involves death. by lethal injection for a crime he was found guilty Davis’ case lasted more than 20 years due to of committing on Aug. 19, 1989. questions of innocence and guilt and The Georgia Supreme Court and whether or not the facts in the case were U.S. Supreme Court refused to stop skewed. the use of capital punishment or the During Davis’ trial in 1991, seven “death penalty,” as it is commonly witnesses claimed that they saw Davis known, after Davis allegedly murdered shoot the police officer, and two others a police officer. testified that Davis had confessed to According to seven witnesses, Davis killing the man, according to a USA Today shot the police officer outside of a report. Burger King who was trying to Even though no murder weapon was By Andrew J. Barnes ’12 help a homeless man. located and no other physical evidence The Roundup Many who have followed the connected Davis to the murder, he was Davis case over the years have convicted Aug. 30, 1991 for murder believed him to be innocent and that he was and lesser charges and sentenced to death. wrongly portrayed and unfairly mistreated due to According to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution article his race. on June 23, 2010, four of the witnesses eventually At first glance, capital punishment would seem recanted their original testimonies and now believe fair to some because Davis killed an innocent man; Davis to be not guilty. someone who works to protect the law and help Regardless, after waiting for nearly 16 years on fellow citizens. death row, Davis was first scheduled for execution However, I strongly disagree with the death on July 17, 2007, but it was stayed after appeals penalty in any case, no matter how bad the crime is. from Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Pope Benedict Capital punishment really hurts the United States XVI, Harry Belafonte, Amnesty International and
Question
of the Month
the European Parliament, according to USA Today. The execution would be stayed another two times over the next few years until Sept. 17, 2011 when more than 600,000 signatures were presented to the Georgia Board of Pardon and Paroles on petitions asking for clemency. Unfortunately, the clemency was denied and the execution would take place on Sept. 21, 2011. Davis died at 11:08 p.m. EST by lethal injection. Beyond the cost of time, the biggest reason capital punishment should be abolished is because it is not morally sound. Taking one’s life as a punishment for a crime is just as bad as the crime that was committed in the first place. In no way whatsoever am I condoning what Davis allegedly did, if he did it. But I do believe that an “eye for an eye” type approach should not be used in our country. As a nation, we need to recognize that Davis was a human being just like everyone else and everyone deserves a right to live. At Brophy the day after the execution, students and teachers held a brief prayer service to honor the life of Troy Davis. It was a great way to show respect for a man who
“Coming to Brophy. Not many kids from my school came here.” - Abel Carlos ’15
allegedly committed a very harsh crime, but was still treated as one of God’s creations. In society today, especially in the United States, the death penalty should be abolished because it goes beyond extreme measures to serve as a viable punishment for a crime committed. The questions that have come up in Davis’ case show there is at least a chance he may not be guilty of the crime. And now a man who might have been innocent is dead. That is not justice for anyone. The best alternative to capital punishment would be serving a life term and performing some kind of service at the institution. This way, the convict may be able to have a change of soul and be able to recognize his or her wrongdoings. While the convict does have to spend the rest of his or her life in prison, at least they wouldn’t have to be killed for their crime. Even though Sept. 21 was a dark day for American history, hopefully we learned as a nation through protests and seemingly mutual disappointment that capital punishment is not the answer in the 21st century.
“PSN (PlayStation Network) is back up.” - Oscar Quintana ’12
“Food.” - Jacob Hann ’15
“Sleep.” - Steven Soto ’13
By Kevin Valenzuela ’13
THE ROUNDUP
Since this is the season of giving thanks, what are you most thankful for? 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.
The Roundup Staff Member of the Month
November: Julian De Ocampo ’13
Special Section
Page 8 | November 2011
The Roundup
Administrations past and present It’s kind of like being asked to coach the Lakers after they’ve won three consecutive championships.
—Mr. Bob Ryan on the job of Principal
Photo from the 1994 yearbook Fr. Growney, right, serves communion at Mass. He was principal before Fr. Stiegler and after, as he came back after Fr. Stiegler left.
By Ian Christopher Beck ’12, Alex Stanley ’12 & Rohan Keith Andresen ’12
THE ROUNDUP
B
A Brief History
rophy has been operating for 51 years now and it’s halls have seen their fair share of different principals and presidents. Teacher Mr. Tom Danforth ’78 has interacted with five principals in his time at Brophy both as a student and a teacher. Those principals include the Rev. Gene Growney, the Rev. Francis Stiegler, S.J., the Rev. Eddie Reese, S.J., Mr. Ed Hearn and most recently Mr. Bob Ryan. “They all had their strengths,” Mr. Danforth said of the many principals he has worked with. He said that Fr. Growney had a hands off approach to the job, and that Fr. Stiegler was involved in everything from watering the field for soccer season to memorizing students’ names. “He would study the yearbooks at night, so that he could recognize every student by name,” Mr. Danforth said. When Fr. Reese first came to Brophy he hired Mr. Hearn to be principal. Mr. Hearn left Brophy after 10 years and while undergoing the lengthy process of finding a new principal, Fr. Reese temporarily served as president and principal before hiring Mr. Ryan. Mr. Danforth said Mr. Hearn focused on engaging students outside of the classroom, in events like retreats and football games. Mr. Hearn developed the Office of Faith and Justice, added several immersion trips and ushered in the Tablet program. Director of Scheduling and Student Records Mr. Oldani likened the job done by Mr. Hearn as the demolition of the house and subsequently rebuilding it. He added that the current administration is working to fine tune this basic structure.
Current Administration
Photo from the 1991 yearbook Fr. Stiegler, second from right, enjoys a party thrown by students. He was principal for a brief period of time in the early 90s.
There are several things in the life of a Brophy student that are such regularities it is hard to imagine a Brophy without them: the Tablet PCs, the Great Hall, Michael’s catering, the Eller and Piper buildings, the Information Commons, the Brophy Sports Campus and starting this year, Loyola Academy. But when Brophy President Fr. Reese arrived on campus 15 years ago after spending two years in Australia, none of those programs or buildings existed. The tool of choice for students was a ballpoint pen and a pad of paper, not a plastic stylus and a digital screen. Food was to be bought at The Corral and could only be eaten outside around campus because there was no Great Hall to serve as a cafeteria. There were no separate buildings for math and science, and no haven for English and the arts. Classes of all subjects were taught in the Keating, Loyola and then-Regis buildings. In fact, some teachers didn’t even have their own designated classrooms, as space was so limited that teachers could end up teaching a first period class
Photo by Alex Stanley ’12 Mr. Bob Ryan talks with a student at break in the pathway in front of Romley.
in one room then teaching a second period class in another. Under Fr. Reese, the school has almost doubled in terms of square footage, has incorporated technology with the Tablet program and has developed programs like Loyola Academy and the Alumni Service Corps. In his first 10 years as president, Fr. Reese worked with Mr. Hearn as principal then for a short time served as both president and acting principal after Mr. Hearn left Brophy. Fr. Reese said he wanted to take some time to decide the next principal and wasn’t a fan of large search committees. According to Fr. Reese, his eyes were first set on bringing in someone from outside Brophy to become the principal in hopes that an outsider would bring new ideas to the community. “I had it in my mind I was going to get somebody from outside,” Fr. Reese said. “I thought it would be good to bring somebody in … and I wasn’t in any hurry because I liked doing both, it was fun.” But as time went on, Fr. Reese’s attention was drawn to Mr. Bob Ryan, who was then serving as the Assistant Principal for Ministry, a position now held by Mrs. Kim Baldwin. During Fr. Reese’s stint as both president and principal he would meet with the assistant principals once a day for what he called “fire drills” in which the group would discuss and work on pressing issues that
Fr. Reese celebrates half-century as Jesuit Photo courtesy of Mr. Joe Klein ’86 Mr. Ed Hearn was principal of Brophy before Mr. Ryan.
By Ian Christopher Beck ’12
THE ROUNDUP
needed immediate resolutions. It was during those fire drills that Mr. Ryan caught Fr. Reese’s eye as a potential candidate for the job. According to Fr. Reese, Mr. Ryan was asked to take the job on a Friday and an announcement was made the following Monday. “It’s kind of like being asked to coach the Lakers after they’ve won three consecutive championships,” Mr. Ryan said of the job offer. “I felt like in some ways it’s an impossible task. I mean the school’s fantastic, how could it possibly be better?” Mr. Ryan said the more he has been principal the more he has noticed how much of a sacrifice parents make to send their children to Brophy and also how talented the student body is. “The biggest responsibility we have is to fully cultivate the gifts and talents that our students come to us with,” he said. Vice President Ms. Adria Renke has also seen how the faculty has changed over the 15 years she has been at Brophy and how Mr. Ryan has created a strong administrative team. “Everyone has been handpicked for their personal strength,” Ms. Renke said. She said that this makes a difference because each of them are able to be “granular on their expertise in their personal field.”
Waves of change hit Brophy
On Saturday, Oct. 1, Brophy President the Rev. Eddie Reese S.J. celebrated his 50th anniversary of being a member of the Society of Jesus. Fr. Reese, who has served as president of Brophy for 15 years, became a Jesuit in 1961. He has taught at Loyola High School in Los Angeles and also spent a handful of years in Australia before coming to Brophy. Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction Mr. Seamus Walsh has been at Brophy for all 15 years of Fr. Reese’s tenure and had several words of praise for him.
The Roundup
Special Section
November 2011 |
Page 9
bring change, tradition to Brophy So much of what’s happened here is just organic growth of how the world has changed. —Fr. Eddie Reese on technology at Brophy
Photo by Alex Stanley ’12 Mrs. Ann Wolf sits at her desk in Romley Hall. She is Mr. Bob Ryan’s assistant.
Photo by Alex Stanley ’12 Fr. Eddie Reese, on right, shows Bishop Gregory O’Kelly the Loyola Academy students in his Hummer golf cart.
Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction Mr. Seamus Walsh first came to Brophy as a Jesuit volunteer and has served under the administration of President the Rev. Bob Matthewson, S.J. and his principal Fr. Growney, and now Fr. Reese and Mr. Ryan. After watching Fr. Reese for almost a decade and a half, Mr. Walsh called him “a change-agent.” “At most schools change takes a long time, sometimes it takes so long that either it doesn’t happen or it happens after it should have happened. And I will give Fr. Reese all the credit in the world for a lot of things, but one thing in particular is that he’s not afraid to just hit the button and not exactly know what’s going to happen but know that we’re going to move forward one way or another,” Mr. Walsh said. Fr. Reese has hit this metaphoric button many times with the Tablet PC program, the construction of the Eller and Piper buildings as well as the newly-minted Loyola Academy and Alumni Service Corps. Fr. Reese worked for a time in Silicon Valley and therefore has had exposure to cutting edge technology. “Something I’m really excited about is the whole area of technology,” he said. “So much of what’s happened here is just organic growth of how the world has changed.” The campus has also grown physically, adding three new buildings, a separate sports campus and the Great
Hall. But replacing textbooks with Tablets and constructing new buildings are far from the only changes Brophy has undergone under Fr. Reese and Mr. Ryan. The pair has also brought new personalities and approaches to their job. “They seem to be focusing more on professional aspects, like developing a professional looking curriculum,” Mr. Danforth said. When Mr. Danforth first started teaching at Brophy, the only guide to teach his class was the textbook. There was no handbook or reading list. Mr. Oldani said that the Mr. Ryan and Fr. Reese duo has completely committed themselves to being student-centered, and all policies put forth are focused on that very value. Ms. Renke said that she, Mr. Ryan and Fr. Reese all have different ways of thinking, but in the end they all want the same thing—what is best for the students. Mr. Danforth also said that they are also very engaged in the everyday happenings around campus, to an extent of which he has not seen before. He cited the example of Mr. Ryan and Mr. Seamus Walsh being the first volunteers to watch over the various parking lots in light of faculty absences due to retreats. Fr. Reese said that as president, it is hard for him to interact with students, so he does so at every chance possible.
“He is very much a change-agent,” Mr. Walsh said. Brophy held an anniversary gala for Fr. Reese in honor of his accomplishment. “It was really fun … because I had no idea what was going to happen,” Fr. Reese said of the gathering. “I did know they were doing some kind of a video because I walked in on a video shoot but other than that, I didn’t know who was going to speak or any of that.” Guests arrived from all over the country and the globe with some of Fr. Reese’s friends and colleagues from Australia making the trip. When asked how he managed to keep his passion throughout the 50 years as a
He remembers back to the graduation ceremony two years ago in which he struggled to recall memories of any of the individuals who graduated that day. The experience bothered him and caused him to grow more dedicated to getting to know his students. Fr. Reese can now be seen roaming campus during break and lunch with his two dogs, Sidney and Archie. Both Fr. Reese and Mr. Ryan can be seen on the sidelines for almost all Brophy football games and make routine appearances at other sporting events, theater productions, art festivals and other gatherings. Mr. Ryan said that while that part of his job is difficult, it is also an important task he finds fun and rewarding. Mr. Walsh said it was his perception that the smaller administration of Frs. Matthewson and Growney operated with more of a hands-off style. He said that the current administration is trying to be accessible and present for both students and teachers without micro-managing. Mr.Walsh noted the brief visits administrators make to classrooms in an attempt to get to know students and teachers and the fact that both Kairos retreats that have occurred this year have been led by administrators. Mr.Walsh led Kairos 113 in September and Assistant Principal for Technology Mr. Jim Bopp led Kairos 114 in October.
Jesuit, Fr. Reese said that it beat working for a living, with a laugh. “It doesn’t seem like very long,” he said. Fr. Reese said he has vivid memories of 50-year anniversaries held at Loyola High School and recalls how old and immobile the men appeared to be. “Then all of a sudden I’m one of them, it all seemed to go by very fast,” he said. Over the course of his career, Fr. Reese has worked primarily with schools, an experience he calls fun and rewarding. “My mom used to say, she was a teacher, that being around young people keeps you young, and I think there’s some truth to that,” he said.
Photo by Alex Stanley ’12 Romley hall is where the administration’s offices are located.
Photo by Alex Stanley ’12 Principal Mr. Bob Ryan’s office resides in Romley Hall.
Photo by Alex Stanley ’12 Fr. Reese keeps pictures of dogs, in addition to himself, on the door to his office.
Everyone has been hand picked for their personal strength.
—Ms. Adria Renke on administrators
Sports The Roundup | November 2011
Broncos end regular season unbeaten Broncos remain undefeated with rout of North Canyon Brophy 45 North Canyon 7
2011 Varsity Football
By Michael Moroney ’13/THE ROUNDUP
Brophy traveled Friday, Sept. 23 to face the 3-2 North Canyon Rattlers, a Division I/Section III opponent, where the Bronco offense set the tone early en route to a 45-7 victory. Devon Allen ’13 returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a score and just minutes later Marche Dennard ’13 ran the ball for a 13-yard score, making the game 14-0. At the end of the first quarter, Brophy was up 21-0 after Tyler Bruggman ’13 and Allen connected for a 10-yard touchdown. In the following drive, Bruggman again hit Allen for a two yard touchdown just 42 seconds into the second quarter. “I don’t really care about the statistics, as long as the team is winning games it doesn’t matter,” Allen said when asked about his three touchdown performance Friday. “If we (Bruggman and Fred Gammage ’12) keep working at it, we will have the best passing attack.” Bruggman finished the game at 10 for 15 passing for 157 yards and three touchdowns and was replaced by Greg Wirth ’13 after the Broncos first drive of the second half. Brophy overcomes quick deficit to top Mountain Pointe Brophy 31 Mountain Pointe 14 By Tyler J. Scott ’12/THE ROUNDUP
Brophy wide receiver Gammage nabbed three touchdown catches Friday, Sept. 30 to help the Broncos hand the Mountain Pointe Pride a 31-14 loss. Brophy was able to avenge last year’s 13-12 loss to Mountain Pointe in the second round of the playoffs. “Mountain Pointe has been running the ball very well against just about anyone,” said coach Mr. Scooter Molander. “I’m proud of our guys for recognizing formations and then for the most part we tackled well and we really ran to the football.” After falling behind, Brophy scored 31 unanswered points. “This is the third time this year that we’ve been in this situation where the opposing team scored first and I’m proud of how the team has responded each and every time,” Mr. Molander said. Clutch fourth quarter plays erase struggles in Bronco win Brophy 24 Westview 21 By Michael Moroney ’13/THE ROUNDUP
With just 1:53 remaining in the game,
Record as of Nov. 1
10-0 Regular Season Schedule Aug 26 vs. Mountain Ridge (32-0 Brophy) Sept. 2 vs. Boulder Creek (45-33 Brophy) Sept. 9 at Red Mountain (3113 Brophy) Sept. 16 vs. Sandra Day O’Connor (50-0 Brophy) Sept. 23 at North Canyon (45-7 Brophy) Sept. 30 at Mountain Pointe (31-14 Brophy) Photo by Christian Schroeder ’12 Robert Relf ’13 carries the ball against the St. Mary’s Knights, Oct. 14. Brophy defeated St. Mary’s 63-0 in their Homecoming game.
Brophy kicker Zach Hudson ’12 kicked a 46-yard field goal giving the Broncos a 24-21 lead over the Westview Knights Friday, Oct. 6. That lead would be enough to win the game and allow Brophy to maintain its undefeated record this season. “The whole game, as it was going back and forth, I kind of knew eventually that it would be coming down to a kick, or something close,” Hudson said. “The whole time I was trying to stay loose and as soon as they called me out I was just trying to give it my best kick.” Jake Faust ’12 then sealed the game on Westview’s first play of the next drive with an interception. Robert Relf ’13 deflected the pass and Faust came down with the ball. “I noticed the guys behind me, but I was in a different zone, I was like ‘I’m going to try and get to the ball,” Faust said. “I think it was Relf who tipped it up and I was lucky I got the ball.” The Broncos had the ball back with 1:40 left in the game off the interception and ran the ball on four consecutive plays to melt the clock down to just 0:02. Turnovers secure homecoming win over rival St. Mary’s Brophy 63 St. Mary’s 0 By Tyler J. Scott ’12/THE ROUNDUP
The Broncos defense forced five turnovers, one for a score, to help defeat St. Mary’s 63-0 in their homecoming game Friday, Oct. 14. Brophy avenged a 16-13 loss to St. Mary’s last year by scoring on every offensive possession but the last.
“Our seniors really led us tonight,” Mr. Molander said. “Our seniors had never beaten them, so there was enough motivation for them to come out and play well.” Bruggman went 12-15 for 135 yards and four touchdowns but was taken out midway into the second quarter. The final score was 63-0 Brophy, making this the largest margin of victory in the 52-year history of the rivalry. “In the second half, we didn’t throw the ball once and we kept on moving the chains,” Mr. Molander said. “The first offensive line did a wonderful job, the second offensive line did a wonderful job and obviously any time you shut out a spread that means the defense is playing really well.” The Knights still lead the all-time series 29-23 but Brophy has won 10 of the last 12 meetings. Bruggman throws 4 TD’s in win over Westwood Brophy 42 Westwood 15 By Michael Moroney ’13/THE ROUNDUP
The Broncos scored early and often on their way to a 42-15 victory against the Westwood Warriors Fri., Oct. 21 in Mesa. Brophy ended the first half with a 42-0 lead, but they were outscored in the second half 15-0. The victory advanced the Broncos to 9-0 and 7-0 versus Section III opponents. Bruggman finished the game with 11 for 14 passing with 169 yards and four touchdowns. Matt Auran ’13 led the
receiving core with four receptions for 57 yards. Broncos seal undefeated season in Pinnacle win Brophy 52 Pinnacle 7 By Erik T. Masingill ’12/THE ROUNDUP
A 35-0 lead at the end of the first quarter led Brophy not only to playing its second and third string players in the entire second half, but to a 52-7 road victory over the Pinnacle Pioneers Oct. 28. This win marked a 10-0 undefeated regular season for Brophy. The last Brophy team to have an undefeated season was the 1978 team. “The number one contribution we have each and every week are our scout teams,” said coach Mr. Molander of the success this season. “Our alternate players bring it. They bring it every day. That is the number one reason why we are playing well.” Bruggman went 14-16 passing for 221 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions. Allen caught three passes for 59 yards with one touchdown along with two rushes for 30 yards. The defense caused four turnovers and five three-and-out drives for the Pinnacle offense. Pinnacle was not able to move the ball past the 50-yard line and into Bronco territory until five minutes into the third quarter. The Broncos’ 10-0 season gave them enough power points to clinch the No. 2 seed in the Division I playoffs.
Oct. 6 vs. Westview (24-21 Brophy) Oct. 14 vs. St. Mary’s (63-0 Brophy) Oct. 21 at Westwood (42-15 Brophy) Oct. 28 vs. Pinnacle (52-7 Brophy) Statistical Leaders Leading Passer: Tyler Bruggman ’13 (1967 yards, 33 touchdowns) Leading Rusher: D’ Amani Grayer ’13 (726 yards, 8 touchdowns) Leading Receiver: Devon Allen ’13 (568 yards, 12 touchdowns) Division I Section III Standings Brophy (10-0) Desert Vista (9-1) Pinnacle (8-2) Red Mountain (8-2) Boulder Creek (6-4) North Canyon (6-4) Mountain Pointe (6-4) Desert Mountain (4-6) Mountain View (4-6) Mesa (3-7) Sandra Day O’Connor (3-7) Mountain Ridge (3-7) Westwood (1-9) For live scoring and updates throughout the playoffs, follow The Roundup on Twitter @Brophysports.
The Roundup
November 2011 |
Page 11
Swimming team confident about season ending Webb, Nelson lead team in quest for 24th consecutive title By P. Erik Meyer ’14
THE ROUNDUP
B
rophy swimming is undefeated thus far this season, competing in six dual meets and four invitational meets, winning all of them by a large margin. Six-year Brophy swim coach Mr. Pat O’Neill coaches 48 students on the swim and dive team. “We do have three of four stars of the team but the fact that we are able to have the success we have is because every single one of these kids put in a tremendous amount of time and effort into swimming and diving, and we are talking thousands of hours,” Mr.
O’Neill said. This year’s team includes Chris Webb ’12 who has qualified for the Olympic trials and Michael Nelson ’12 who is close to qualifying for the trials. “We are looking pretty good this year. We’ve got some tremendous senior leadership going into the championship meet in three weeks,” Mr. O’Neill said. Even with all the senior leadership, the team has also had contributions from the younger team members. “I’ve had quite a few of the younger kids step up and show tremendous improvement from last year,” Mr. O’Neill said. The team is hopeful for another championship. “I think that when everything is said and done that this is going to be one of the top three or four teams in the history of Brophy,” said Mr. O’Neill.
Photo by Hunter Churchill ’12 A Brophy swimmer dives during a team practice. Online: See more swimming photos and news on the state championship meet.
»roundup.brophyprep.org
Junior golfer Toolan successful all year round in school, amateur tournaments By Michael Moroney ’13
THE ROUNDUP After being a member of the Brophy golf team since his freshman year, Blake Toolan ’13 is at the center of a young core for the 2011 team. “Blake is definitely one of the best on the team,” said teammate Tyler Kertson ’13. “He has gotten much better since he was a freshman and is now a leader for the other players.” Toolan and teammate Ryan Theisen ’13 have been flip-flopping position as the scoring leaders for this year’s Brophy team. “Our scoring averages are right around the same,” Toolan said. “It has changed back and forth more times than I can count.” Toolan led the Brophy team to a sixth-place finish at the Hamilton Antigua National Invitational Sept. 9-10. He posted a cumulative score of 151 over 36 holes to place 12th overall in the tournament and first for the Broncos. “It wasn’t our best tournament as a team, but he helped keep us in contention,” Kertson said. The Brophy team has started the 2011 season with a 7-0-1 record and Toolan has been a contributing member in multiple winning efforts.
Photo by Kevin Valenzuela ’13 Blake Toolan ’13 qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship this summer and was selected to join Team Arizona at the Junior America’s Cup.
For example, he managed a score of 38 to help
Brophy to a 10 stroke win over Desert Ridge,
Mountain Pointe and Basha in the Broncos first match of the season. Also, he maintained par with a score of 36 in a Sept. 15 win against Mountain Ridge and Hamilton. When the school golf season is not going on, Toolan participates in many amateur tournaments as part of the American Junior Golf Association and Junior Golf Association of Arizona. In the spring, Toolan finished second in the Thunderbird Invitational at Papago Golf Course and also finished tied for 11th in the Heather Farr Classic, a national tournament, hosted at Longbow Golf Club. He continued his success through the summer by qualifying for the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship in Bremerton, Wash. Also, he was selected to join Team Arizona at the Junior America’s Cup in Denver, Colo. “I was very fortunate to play some really good golf (in the summer) and was hoping to carry that momentum into this season,” Toolan said. Once he graduates, Toolan will continue to play golf in college, but he is still unsure of where that will be. “I have a lot of options,” he said. “I am not going to rush into anything.”
Senior hockey defenseman Carkeek celebrated as 2-time varsity team captain By Rohan Keith Andresen ’12
THE ROUNDUP Jon Carkeek ’12 picked up his first hockey stick when he was two years old and was immediately drawn to the sport. Carkeek has played defense with the varsity hockey team, which is a club sport at Brophy, for four years. Though he played junior varsity as a freshman, he was pulled up for the championship game and since then has been a permanent member of the varsity team. He has served as the team captain for the past two years. However, his leadership label does not exist in title only. “He (Jon) works hard and is willing to do whatever is asked of him for the betterment of the team. He leads not by words but by action…there is no better
Jon definitely has matured as a player and as a leader and it really shows in everyday life. —Jack Wentworth
’12
type of leader,” said varsity coach Mr. Eric Murrietta in an email interview with The Roundup. In addition to his coach, teammates also had praise for Carkeek. Jack Wentworth ’12 has known Carkeek for four years and has played alongside him on the rink for three. “He definitely has matured as a player and as a leader and it really shows in everyday life,” Wentworth said.
Wentworth went on to say that Carkeek’s leadership was exemplified through his role as the captain last year. Carkeek does admit that his devotion to hockey is often difficult. He has already missed six days this year due to traveling to hockey tournaments and was unable to attend the October Kairos retreat because of his commitment to the team. His commitment is not only to the team, but to the sport itself. He does not plan to quit after this year, but instead pursue hockey on an even more competitive level. He says that he plans to play in the North American Hockey League to develop his skills and then attend a college on the east coast where he hopes to continue playing. The North American Hockey League is a junior hockey league primarily located in the Midwest. He said he thinks that he will probably
Photo by Kevin Cabano ’12 John Carkeek ’12 is a Brophy senior on the varsity hockey team.
end up in St. Louis, Michigan or Texas for the two years after high school. In addition to playing in the NAHL, he said he also plans to take classes at the local community college.
“Jon knows where he wants to go and works hard to get there. There is no better example of true work ethic than Jon,” Mr. Murrieta said.
Page 12 | November 2011
The Roundup
Broncos roll through regular season unbeaten
Top left Photo by Christian Schroeder ’12 Devon Allen ’13 catches a pass above a North Canyon defender Sept. 23. Brophy defeated North Canyon 45-7. Top middle Photo by Ian Christopher Beck ’12 Tyler Bruggman ’13 drops back to pass in Brophy’s 24-21 victory over Westview Oct. 6. Top right Photo by Christian Schroeder ’12 D’Amani Grayer ’13 leaps into the arms of Michael Mosharaffa ’12 after scoring a touchdown in Brophy’s 63-0 shutout win over St. Mary’s on Oct. 14. Bottom left Photo by Bryan Smith ’14 Defensive coordinator Mr. Gary Galante fires up the Bronco defense during a timeout during Brophy’s 24-21 victory over Westview Oct. 6. Bottom right Photo by Ian Christopher Beck ’12 Zach Hudson ’12 kicks the game-winning field goal in Brophy’s 24-21 victory over Westview Oct. 6. See more photos from this football season online at roundup.brophyprep.org
Out of Left Field Mike Nelson ’12 Swimming Justin Bessant ’12 Football
Want more
By Ian Christopher Beck ’12
the roundup
Who wins in a rumble, Burger or hot dog? Mr. Gary Galante or Mr. Scott Heideman?
Favorite Disney Movie?
Werewolf or vampire?
Favorite song on your iPod right now?
No contest, “The Lion King.”
Werewolves.
“Wagon Wheel” by Old Crow Medicine Show.
Burger.
Mr. Galante, that man is a beast.
“Bass Head” by Bassnectar.
Burger, I hate hot dogs.
It’s too close to call.
Werewolves. Vampires are creepy.
“Junk of the Heart” by The Kooks.
Burger.
Mr. Galante.
Werewolf.
“Punching in a Dream” by The Naked and Famous.
A burger loaded with spicy stuff.
Got to go with were“Up,” because it’s a re- wolves. Vampires have a ally good story. really bad name these days.
Jack Welty ’12 Cross Country
“Toy Story.”
Kean Thomas ’12 Crew
It’s got to be “The Lion King.”
Brophy sports? Need more scores, stats and analysis? Looking for more photos and comments? We’ve got just the place.
roundup.brophyprep.org Mr. Galante.
Entertainment The Roundup | November 2011
Student DJs spin, mix, lead Brophy electronic scene By Julian De Ocampo ’13 & Roan Enright ’13
system, and see how much energy that brings to people,” Leander said. “One of the best parts of DJing is just seeing the effect your music has on people.” But the role is not without its drawbacks; Leander said that while he loves seeing the energy he creates, it’s difficult not being able to partake in the party. “Sometimes it’s hard seeing your friends when you’re up there. I know they’re dancing because of my music, but sometimes I just want to join them,” Leander said. “One of my main dreams has always been to be one of the letters in the ‘BRONCOS,’ but if I’m always a DJ then I won’t get to do that.” Still, there is hope for Leander to fulfill his wishes – he’s looking for a replacement. “I’ve had my time, and hopefully next year I can pass the torch and become one of the letters,” Leander said. “Once I take off, hopefully I can pass the torch to numerous people who can do it.”
THE ROUNDUP
T
he excitement is palpable in the football stands on Friday night. The crowd — ready to see the Broncos take on the opposing team— feels like a barrel of gunpowder waiting for a spark. Suddenly, a wave of stomach churning bass hits, sending the crowd into a frenzy – all courtesy of Keaton “DJ Leanderthal” Leander ’13. Leander, who whips the crowd into an uproar at nearly every week’s football game, has become a familiar face when seen from behind a laptop and a monolithic tower of speakers. DJs like Leander are part of an emerging pool of talent at Brophy that spans across all grade levels and backgrounds, a collection of likeminded musicians who recognize that the difference between a party and a dud is just a few clicks away. And now, regardless of differences in direction and vision, these DJs are coming into their own, acting as the beat beneath the dances, sporting events and parties. Operating alongside Leander, DJ Steven Douglas ’12 is ever-present at Brophy events, ready to get the crowd moving to the sounds produced by his laptop.
The search for new DJs continues
Douglas turns hobby into crowdpleasing talent Douglas is just one of many disciples of previous school DJ Bryce Muzzy ’10. “The one person who influenced me was Bryce Muzzy. I’ve gotten advice from him beforehand, and he’s gotten me very involved,” Douglas said Muzzy, a self-proclaimed “dance commander,” is, according to Douglas and Leander, a source of inspiration for those who fondly remember his use of far-reaching genres like dubstep and techno on the dance floor. Douglas said the point of his work is to make people move around and feel his heart-stopping beats. “I’m trying to become more involved outside of Brophy, but I’m not really involved outside of school yet. I go home and do it for fun, but it’s more of a hobby for me,” Douglas said. And while Douglas said he intends to continue DJing into the near future, he sees the hobby as something recreational, differing from other DJs with money on their minds. In addition to efforts of pumping up Brophy’s student body at
Photo by Kevin Cabano ’12
Steven Douglas ’12 spins some tunes at the Brophy vs. Westview game Oct. 6. the games, Douglas is also planning on resurrecting Techno Tuesday, the weekly Brophy techno dance party that went defunct at the tail end of the 2010-2011 school year. “I did it last year (Techno Tuesday), but it was cancelled by (former) Dean Mr. Jim Bopp because of the noise,” Douglas said. “But we still need to talk with Dean (Mr. Pat) Higgins about it.” Douglas works alongside Leander at games and dances, aiding DJ Leanderthal to enthuse the Brophy crowd. “Keaton has been a huge help to me. He helps me up set up and all that good stuff,” Douglas said.
DJ Leanderthal leads as maestro of energy Alongside Douglas, Leander enjoys some of the highest visibility on campus, running the sound at nearly every event
I see DJing more as a leadership role more so than a hobby. —Keaton Leander ‘13
on campus. Leander got his start running the sound and audio at his church. After being elected to Student Council, he was approached about running the sound systems at a number of Brophy events. Taking cues from Muzzy, Leander stepped into the shoes of student DJ, beginning to create mixes to play at school rallies and friends’ parties.
“We had Bryce Muzzy, who I always looked up for as an awesome leader and motivator for everyone, so he was always someone to look up to – I thought it was so cool for him to DJ,” Leander said. Still without a proper DJ name at the time, Leander decided to adopt the name of DJ Leanderthal, a title first created by J.P. Mulligan ’11 while Leander served on Student Council. “I see my DJing more as a leadership role more so than a hobby that I might pursue in college,” Leander said. “I even didn’t think that I needed quite the nickname of a DJ or the name of one – I just wanted to use music to bring more energy and spirit to the school.” Since then, Leander has taken to his laptop to energize events like the Summer Dance and Frosh Mixer. “It’s an awesome feeling. Just being able to press a couple buttons, set up a sound
As Leander highlighted, an everpresent quest for new DJs looms over Student Council, with fresh faces emerging in every grade, each and every one of them perspective heirs to the position. Although too close to graduation to claim the title for long, Leander has been working closely with Chad Aherensdorf ’12, a hopeful DJ who has the added advantage of originality. Aherensdorf makes his own beats and remixes, including a remix that spliced together speeches by President Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbichev, which Leander played during the Frosh Mixer. Leander also cites Jake Anderson ’15, whom Leander met through the Brophy Big Brother program, as a early candidate for the title. Anderson is a bit of a DJing wunderkind, already aiding Leander in running the sound at football games like an apprentice learning the trade. “When all the freshmen followed their big brothers around at freshman orientation was the first time I heard Keaton (Leander) say that he DJed all the dances and games,” Anderson said. “I just thought that was really cool that a student could do something like that.” Leander was happy to show him the ropes. “I got him down there on the track with me, he watched and he thought it was the coolest thing ever,” Leander said. “And now he’s been down there with me since.”
Online this month: Movie, music and video game reviews roundup.brophyprep.org
Page 14 | November 2011
The Roundup
Fine Arts program evolves with new emphasis By Kevin M. Cabano ’12, Andrew J. Barnes ’12 & Brett A. Mejia ’13
THE ROUNDUP When Mrs. Debbie Cronin arrived on Brophy’s campus in 1999, Brophy’s Fine Arts program was composed of a drawing and photo class along with plays and informal music classes. “When I arrived we had four fine arts classes and two teachers,” Mrs. Cronin said. “And look at the expansion that has occurred both in personnel and offerings.” The largest change has been the addition of the Eller Fine Arts building, which has allowed for more classes to be offered. Classes such as AP Studio Art have allowed students to take their art interest to the next level. “More is expected of you in AP. When you’re in AP you kind of feel challenged to try your hardest,” said Rene Sanchez ’12. Looking forward, Mrs. Cronin would like to see honors classes made available for the visual arts so students can prepare for the AP classes. “We offer a wide range of subjects so that kids can take things that they wouldn’t normally get to experience like print making and oil paintings and ceramics,” Mrs. Cronin said. There are more than fifteen fine arts classes offered at Brophy. As Brophy’s Fine Arts program was building up in the visual aspect, it was still lacking in the musical aspect. On Monday, Sept. 15, 2003 Mr. Paul Olson began his career at Brophy as a music teacher with the task of bringing a level of organization and discipline to the music program. “When the Eller building was built and the
Photo by Ben Jackson ’11 Students of the Brophy Men’s Choir sing during Brophy’s annual Fine Arts Extravaganza last year. There are now three choir groups on campus.
curriculum was redesigned, it made the fine arts a big emphasis,” Mr. Olson said. “It allowed men’s choir to come into the regular schedule.” For example, the choir was only 15 students, and that was the first year that choir was actually in the daily schedule as a for-credit class. However, prior to that it had been a club that had met a couple times a week at 7:30 in the morning.
“When a bunch of guys experience success, they get a little taste of excellence and they get a little taste of what they can accomplish if they work hard enough,” Mr. Olson said. “The human spirit wants more. They began to share that excitement to an extent with their classmates and the other guys on campus.” Brophy now offers a large variety of music
classes taught by Mr. Olson and Mrs. Julie Thibodeaux. These include a string orchestra, jazz band, concert band, choirs, beginning piano and keyboard, music theory, music appreciation, percussionists ensemble, and guitar classes.
‘Moneyball,’ Pitt strike out in bloated baseball melodrama By Julian De Ocampo ’13
THE ROUNDUP “Moneyball” – Starring: Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill 2.5 out of 10 Let’s be up front here – I don’t know a lot about baseball; that being said, I do know enough to say that “Moneyball” isn’t a good movie. First on the list of setbacks is simply the fundamental premise of the movie. This is a sports movie (always a niche market) that isn’t even about sports – it’s about sports management. The film stars Brad Pitt as Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane, who, with the help of assistant general manager Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), helps the dying and severely underfunded
franchise break the record for most consecutive wins in a season of baseball. Clearly, this is a niche market. Making a movie about baseball caters to a certain audience. Making a movie about the Oakland Athletics caters to potentially an even smaller audience. But making a movie about the Oakland Athletics’ general manager during the 2002 season? Seems to me that’s just asking for trouble. And what’s so frustrating is that, if movies like “The Social Network” prove
anything, it’s feasible to make great dramas out of niche subjects. “Moneyball” attempts the same dramatic approach to a much less satisfying outcome. A great deal is made throughout the course of movie of the concept of “romanticizing baseball,” something the film itself is all too guilty of doing in the form of long, maudlin still shots undercut with string scores intending to tug at one’s heartstrings. In short, it’s all fluff. This film is bloated to no end, with needless plot lines, superfluous characters and enough overcooked drama to make “The Blind Side” seem callous. Those willing to trudge their way through conversation after conversation
of baseball logistics are treated to a number of increasingly ridiculous “artsy” shots of Brad Pitt dramatically jogging, driving his car or putting his head in his hands – over and over and over. And clocking in at more than two hours, this film becomes a drag to get through. The film opens at the end of the Athletics’ 2001 season and concludes at the end of the 2002 season, meaning that it covers the entire season’s trading, training, playing to the very end. Brad Pitt merely does adequately as Billy Beane, but, perhaps as a result of the film being based in truth, the character never evolves past angry machismo, with Pitt portraying Beane as nothing more than an overly emotional drag.
Jonah Hill fares better as Pitt’s painfully awkward assistant, but similarly faces difficulties in slipping into his role as Peter Brand – likely a result of the fact that Brand is just an average guy like you and me. This is a biographical drama, and even Hill, usually reduced to portraying caricatures of human beings, can’t make Brand come to life. Again I have to say I’m not a baseball aficionado, but I do know a good movie when I see it, and “Moneyball” misses the mark. In the end, even with all the pretty shots and tender moments, the film strikes out on three things – poor pacing, lousy characterization and a severe difficulty in engaging the viewer.
‘Nevermind’ reissue allows for appreciation of classic album By Julian De Ocampo ’13
THE ROUNDUP “Oh well, whatever, never mind” is hardly the anthemic rallying cry that most people search for, but for children of the 80s and 90s, it was the perfect sentiment to match the indifferent shrugs of slackers across the alternative nation. And when emitted from the raspy, garbled voice of one such as Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, it sounded downright exciting in 1991. I’m speaking all from secondhand knowledge, of course. I was born in 1994 (the year Cobain died)
and pretty much all my knowledge comes from snippets of reflections posted on music blogs and nostalgic reviewers on the Internet. But I really can see how an album like Nirvana’s “Nevermind,” which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, could impact on such a weighty level to the American 90s. Aside from the out-of-left-field, generationdefining watershed that is “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Nevermind” boasts an impressively aggressive array of tunes that each spoke to the world in a different way. “In Bloom,” “Come As You Are” and “Lithium” have each, in their own respect, grown to line
radio stations in the way that conveys the idea of a “classic” like few other artists of their day have achieved. Even now, in 2011, it feels awkward to read the lyrics from this classic album. I doubt Cobain intended for lyrics like “I don’t care what you think / unless it is about me” to be picked over and mulled by the general populace. But in my humble opinion, it’s the non-sequitur and oddities peppering the lyrics that make this album all the more better. For example, sex and love have never been handled as strangely and fascinatingly as on tracks like “Drain You” and “Breed.”
And beyond the lyrics, this is just a great rock album. It’s why the Zeppelin lovers and Pixies fans alike can assemble into one place and agree on just how good Cobain was. The guitars, the drums, the bass work all seem to mesh together into a greater vision of bleak nothingness that many tried, but few did as successfully. So even now, separated by all these years, “Nevermind” stands as a testament to a man out to do everything and nothing – in short, it’s whatever, man.
The Roundup
November 2011 |
Page 15
Quintana impresses with ‘fan art’ drawing skills By Andrew J. Barnes ’12
THE ROUNDUP Back in middle school, drawing was just a small hobby for Brophy senior Oscar Quintana ’12. But over the years, drawing has been become a huge part of Quintana’s life. “I started in middle school, but back then can’t be compared to what I can draw today,” Quintana said. “It was mostly squares and circles.” While he was in grade school, he was heavily influenced by “Toonami,” or a wave of anime shorts shown on Cartoon Network. The works of anime and Japanese influence, specifically the work of anime artist Shigenori Soejima, really inspired him to draw, Quintana said. He cites his favorite art teacher at Brophy as Mrs. Debbie Cronin, whom he had for 2D Art Drawing. “He is a perfectionist, and he has a really good eye for observation,” Mrs. Cronin said. “He is a really hard worker, and he will work on something until he gets it as perfect as he can.” Quintana mostly draws anime
characters and video game creations, like the protagonists in “Mass Effect” or “Persona.” He also has submitted fan art drawings from time to time with characters from “Marvel vs. Capcom,” “Pokémon” and “Resident Evil.” A fan art drawing is usually made in the image of a particular character, idea or story and is not created by an original artist, hence the name “fan art.” One of the best drawings he did was his “Bioshock” fan art drawing, which involved a lot of ink and brushing skills that he got to “test out,” Quintana said. “My favorite part about drawing is making an image in any way I’m able to make it,” Quintana said. One of his biggest strengths is that he can focus on one piece at a time; for example, he can focus on someone’s face or a single part of the body and can make a well-detailed drawing out of it, Quintana said. Quintana’s drawing arsenal of materials includes pencils and brushes, pens and ink, and water color paper and sketchbook paper. “If I could go to one place in the world
Photo by Kevin Valenzuela ’13 Oscar Quintana ’12 draws an anime character in Mrs. Cronin’s classroom.
to draw it would be Central Square (in New York City) because I would have a great view of everything going on there,” Quintana said. “It is pretty big so it would be a
challenge, but I would take it on and focus on one part of it.” For Quintana, his side projects for drawing may become a huge part of his life after high school.
“I hope to go into some career that has me drawing, perhaps for a big company,” Quintana said.
Teacher Kolb says roast beef sandwich is best at Luke’s of Chicago Teacher’s Pet By Jack Macias ’14
THE ROUNDUP Ms. Mason’s question from the Oct. 2011 ‘Teacher’s Pet’: If you could go anywhere in the world for 15 minutes, where would you go, when and why? I would probably go to Luke’s of Chicago; it’s at 6th Street and Indian School. I would go there to eat a wet roast beef sandwich, it’s an amazing thing if you have not yet partaken in one, you should very soon. How can students get an A in one of your
classes? Number one, turn in the work. The biggest mistakes students make is that they just don’t turn in work. I do not give any extensions whatsoever, classwork or anything, just turn it in. Number two, don’t wait to the last minute to study, you’re not going to be able to retain or study it; so study early and often. I try to give the students all the questions ahead of time, so there will be no curve balls thrown at them, it’s fairly easy. What was your aspiration when you were a kid? When I was young, and in many respects still today, I had always wanted to become a commercial airline pilot, military transport pilot or something
like that. So wherever you get to fly a large Boeing jet, not by wire controls, that’s always been my born aspiration. Do you enjoy teaching freshman? Yes, definitely, two of my favorite classes here were Honors Biology from 2009-2010 and summer school Biology in 2011. They were a great group of students who were ready to have their minds shaped, it’s kind of strange that they chose me as the one to do it, but they were a good group of kids. What is the best food your girlfriend makes? My girlfriend is an amazing cook, anything and everything she makes, which is usually Chinese food, being as though she is Chinese. Have you ever considered running for
president? Nope, you have to put in crazy hours and you don’t get paid overtime. Wait a second, that sounds a lot like the job I currently have. When you came to Brophy where did you think you would be in 10 years? Probably still at Brophy and hopefully still at Brophy teaching science. That’s what I do and I like it. I came to Brophy because it is a great place, and I’m glad I’m here four years later. Pose a question for the next teacher? If you were to have dropped out of high school, or not have completed high school, what do you think you would be doing today, and why?
Fall television lineup delivers promise, laughter, musical pizzazz By Jackson Santy ’13
THE ROUNDUP It’s that time of year again, the time when we are settled in to school, break out the fall colors and indulge ourselves with the plethora of pumpkin flavored seasonal sweets. But with fall also comes a new lineup of television, and this fall’s array of shows seems very promising in its early weeks. The following shows make up this season’s “worth watching list.” The Office (Thursdays at 8 p.m. on NBC) Since the departure of the show’s star, Steve Carell (Michael Scott), critics have become skeptical of the show’s future. Early last season (season seven), to fill the impending void of Carell’s absence, the producers brought in comedy superstar Will Ferrell. This filled viewers with some rays of hope, but Ferrell only stayed on for a handful
of episodes. The remainder of season seven was entertaining, but in every episode there was something missing. Season seven exemplified the indispensable presence that Steve Carell brought to the set. But after a few episodes into season eight, it’s already proving to be promising. Once again, the producers have brought in a character to replace Carell. Actor James Spader (“Boston Legal”) takes the lead as Robert California, Dunder Mifflin’s newest boss, and is doing a great job. Hopefully, season eight and Spader’s contribution will refill the show’s loyal viewers with a renewed sense of optimism.
lineup stars Christina Applegate (“Anchorman”) and Will Arnett (“Arrested Development,” “Blades of Glory”) as new parents Regan and Chris Brinkley. The show centers around the quirky and chaotic life of the couple and their newborn making everyday issues into something that will make viewers laugh so hard they cry. The show also stars Maya Rudolph as Applegate’s boss, an egotistical talk show host (imagine Oprah Winfrey if she was 10 times more conceited.) The show’s irreverent view of the tribulations of parenthood, combined with “Saturday Night Live” esque writing will undoubtedly make the show a hit.
Up All Night (Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC)
The musical comedy phenomenon is back for its third season. The show follows high school teacher Will Shuester as he tries to transform the Glee Club and inspire a group of ragtag superstar performers.
Right off the bat, “Up All Night” has been an absolute laugh factory. The newest addition to the NBC
Glee (Tuesdays at 7 p.m. on Fox)
The cast is nowhere short of talent; week after week the show’s musical numbers have awestruck viewers, and this season the McKinley High Glee Club is doing the same. Opposed to the previous two seasons, season three takes a much deeper look inside the personal lives of the show’s core characters. Compared to last season, where the only drama was which member was dating who, this season is only a few episodes in and tension is already rising. The best thing about the show is its simplicity. For one hour on a Tuesday night, you can find yourself getting lost in the singing and dancing and if you pay enough attention, you may even find a little bit of you in some of the characters. If there’s one show you shouldn’t miss this Fall, Glee is the one. However, for those who are new to the “Gleek Nation” and wish to start from the beginning, the past two seasons are available on Netflix Instant Watch.
New Girl (Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on Fox) Zooey Deschanel makes her television debut in the new series about the complexities of life’s romantic relationships. The show centers on Deschanel’s character, Jess after she’s just gotten dumped by her adulterous boyfriend. After the breakup, Jess, moves in with three bachelors, who at first are skeptical about the decision but soon realize it will pay off more than they could imagine. Before the premiere, the show had a large buildup using ads and clips all over TV and the Internet. The show looked to be a huge success, but when premiere time came, I was unimpressed. As a whole, the writing and acting was decent, yet it was still very disproportionate to the buildup.. In general, the show is definitely worth watching, but it may not be as memorable as it’s been chalked up to be, and therefore might not be around long.
Page 16 | November 2011
The Roundup
Xavier
Gator
By Andrew Marini ’13
THE ROUNDUP Please state your name and grade for the paper. Ari Alexander. And I am a junior this year. Since it’s the month of giving thanks, are you doing anything fun for Thanksgiving? Yes, I am going to California with my family. Sounds fun. Anyways do you like to eat turkey? Yes, I love turkey, especially on Thanksgiving. So, what you’re saying is that you hate animals? No, I just really like eating meat. Are you against animal rights? Where would you get that idea? Are you familiar with the work of Michael Vick? Who? Wait, isn’t he a celebrity. You could say that—moving on what do you want to be when you grow up? I would like to be a dermatologist because I love skin care. Interesting. Are you super excited for Homecoming? Nope. Oh, well, that was simply put. I thought so. What are you planning on being for Halloween this year? Either a construction worker or
By Jackson Santy ’13
THE ROUNDUP
TheMusicMaze.fm
Sometimes finding new music can be a tough road to navigate. Not anymore. This site is for the everyday music hunter, who is always looking to fill up their playlists with new songs. Upon reaching the homepage, visitors are prompted with a simple text bar where they are asked to enter a name of a band that browsers like. The site then creates a web around the name of the band giving three to five new groups that contain similar qualities. Browsers have the option to select from the list to hear samples from their most popular songs. Visitors then have the option again to select from a new seed of bands. The chain goes on and on, thus creating a “music maze.”
Languageisavirus.com
Finally, the perfect site has been created for today’s aspiring writers,
Spiderman, depending on whatever mood I’m in that day. Those are very interesting choices for a female costume, but they sound original. Thank you, I really just want to have fun, I don’t really care too much about the costume. Which event this year are you most looking forward to? Prom! I think it’s a great American tradition. So you’re a hardcore American? For sure! I love ’Merica. What activities are you involved in? I do crew, I’m in the French club and the fancy dinner club. I’m kind of everywhere. That’s cool. For the record, what’s the fancy dinner club? Well, it’s not an official club. It’s just girls going out and eating fancy dinners. Sounds like a good time. Let’s continue on. Let’s not! I’m getting the feeling you are somewhat done with this interview. Sorry, I have a date with the fancy dinner club. It’s the middle of the afternoon. Dinner’s definitely not for a while. Thanks for the interview, bye.
poets and lyricists. Languageisavirus.com is a site designed to “cure writers block” by providing things like writing tips, character name generators and myriad interactive activities to help finally write that next best-seller, or essay at least. Along with the many interactive aspects of the site, Languageisavirus. com also features periodicals from such writing greats as Kerouac, Eliot and Whitman, as well as daily exercises to hone creative writing skills. Some of the most unique features of the site include the “Cut Up Machine,” where visitors enter blocks of text and then the text is randomized to form a new body of text.The “Cut Up Machine” is perfect for the ambitious poet. Another popular feature is the “Sentence Builder,” an application that can mix and split up sentences and rejoin them in new ways. Besides these activities, I highly recommend checking out the “Title-OMatic,” “Haiku-A-Tron” and the “Madlib Poem.”
Words from the Wise ... “Why am I never quoted in The Roundup? – Erik Masingill ‘12 It’s always Dr. Ewing, I’m funnier than “I’ll hit you into the boards before you him.” even know it, I’m like a gliding gazelle -Mr. Andrew Bradley on ice.” “What’s the movie for the book called?” –Mr. Jim Grindey -Zach Swanson ‘12 while discussing the book ‘Beowulf’
“The movie happens to be called ‘Beowulf.’” -Mr. Chad Unrein
“I’ve been on an actual cruise before, the salad bar was phenomenal.”
“It’s kind of like being asked to coach the Lakers after they’ve won three consecutive championships.” -Mr. Bob Ryan on job of principal
“So much of what happened here is just organic growth of how the world has changed.” –Fr. Eddie Reese on Brophy technology
Have you heard any wise words lately? Send them to The Roundup at roundup@brophybroncos.org
Above, photo by Matt G. Harris ’13 Below, scratch board by Mike Ashley ’12
E-mail artwork for “The Artist’s Corner” to roundup@brophybroncos.org.