The Roundup roundup.brophyprep.org
February 2016 Edition 3
SURROUNDED BY VIOLENCE REACTING TO A CULTURE OF WAR, SEARCHING FOR THE OPTION OF PEACE
T
he Summit on Human Dignity is an annual event sponsored by the Office of Faith and Justice. Running for two weeks in March, the Summit aims to focus on an issue of national importance through the lens of the Catholic faith. Featuring workshops and presentations hosted by guest, faculty and student speakers, the Summit looks not only to identify problems related to the topic, but also to discuss solutions. Inspired by this year’s Summit, “Taken by Force: How Violence Corrupts the Human Condition,” this edition of The Roundup will examine a culture where we are surrounded by violence.
Inside » Surrounded by Violence • Students interested in Summit, anticipate diverse topics
Summit to focus on issue of violence By Graham Armknecht ’18
“We thought that God was working through the fact that we have gone from race to issues of restorative justice and now to violence. We thought that there was a movement of the spirit.” —Mr. Paul Fisko
THE ROUNDUP Every year, the Office of Faith and Justice hopes to engage the student body for two weeks with the Summit on Human Dignity, an experience where students are informed about a social justice issue in our society. This year’s theme revolves around the topic of violence. “The Summit title this year is, ‘Taken by Force: How Violence Corrupts the Human Condition,’” said Assistant Principal for Ministry Mr. Paul Fisko in an interview
with The Roundup. “Brophy students and faculty both voted for topics, the student winner being corruption and the faculty winner being water and natural resources. However, the second place for both of them was violence so we chose that.” Mr. Fisko said that this year’s Summit topic felt like a natural progression from the
See SUMMIT, Page 3
•The pros and cons of gun control
• Evidence of violent video games, music all around us
See Opinions, Page 8
See Entertainment, Page 17
See News, Page 3
• Violence in today’s sports creates divide among fans
• Brain patterns tied to violence, though not conclusive
See Sports, Page 13
Cover art by Miguel Montañez-Aragon ’16
See News, Page 6
Reese leaving to be president of California school, Page 5 Spread of false information over the Internet threatens future Page 9
topics of the previous two years, race and restorative justice. “We were very Ignatian about [choosing the topic],” Mr. Fisko said. “We thought that God was working through the fact that we have gone from race to issues of restorative justice and now to violence. We
Regester independently competes in rodeos Page 15
Ducey wrong to attempt blocking refugees, Page 9 Seventh Episode of “Star Wars” exceeds fans’ expectations Page 17
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News Online
Page 2 | February 2016
The Roundup
Bus-less Broncos used to find a ride through Valley By Luis Torres ’16
THE ROUNDUP Brophy has various forms of transportation for its students and their adventures. From the short, white buses transporting sophomores to their Loyola Project service sites to the massive vehicles bussing the football team to Phoenix College’s Hoy Stadium, every student on campus has had an interaction with these transportation luxuries. However, there was a time when Brophy transportation was limited and almost nonexistent. Imagine that. According to the Rev. Philip Postell, S.J., in the early 1950s, Brophy only had two vehicles that many students and parents believed were past their expiration dates. Parents were asked to transport the team among themselves for athletic
activities in those days. Due to the lack of a gym or a football field, every game was an away game, stressing the importance of the parents taking the kids to and from. According to the Alumni Now newsletter, which includes a campus history section by Fr. Postell and anecdotes from alumni, Mrs. John’s Cadillac was the car everyone wanted to ride to every game. The spacious, air conditioned vehicle was a nice way to relax before and after every game. Every now and then, Mrs. John would buy the boys dinner for those who were fortunate enough to ride the majestic Cadillac. What a time to be alive. Now, Brophy has plenty of buses to take the freshmen on breakaway throughout the Valley or to Manresa for a retreat. No need for Cadillacs this time around.
CampusHistory
»Faces of Brophy
Photo by Bryce Owen ’17
Photo by Bryce Owen ’17
Enrique Olague Fierro ’16
Matthew Holmes ’17
“My culture inspires me, I want to make the “I believe that Apple is actually a giant Hispanics proud, the people in my community, antagonist in our world, and they are creating all of their technology to one day take over the my neighborhood.” world.”
The Roundup Brophy College Preparatory 4701 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85012 (602) 264-5291 roundup@brophybroncos.org Editors in Chief Cameron Bray ’16 & Anthony Cardellini ’17
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Alex Kirshner ’18 Kaleb Lucero ’18 Isaac Myers ’18 Henry Nallen ’18 Juan Ramirez ’18 Luis Torres ’16 Anthony Totri ’16 Contributors Devin McManimon McNally ’17 Gray Olson ’17 Noah Rodriguez ’17 Jack Davis ’19 Michael Placenti ’19 Carter Van Winkle ’16 Lou DiMuro ’16 Hunter Franklin ’19 Hayden Welty ’19 Roundup Adviser Mr. Mica Mulloy ’99
Photo by Cory Wyman ’16
Ivan Hernandez-Cruz ’17
“A lot of the teachers at Brophy have passion for what they do, and it’s something I look up to.”
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Krishna Murugan ’16
“I’ve always found myself wanting to be better than I was 10 minutes ago.”
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Submissions
The Roundup welcomes news, opinions, sports, entertainment and photography submissions and ideas. E-mail roundup@ brophybroncos.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 2016 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/Tribune News Service.
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The Roundup
February 2016 |
News Online » roundup.brophyprep.org Controversial comedy brings laughter to suffering
Page 3
Roundup reporter travels to Israel, recounts experiences
By Anthony Cardellini ’17 THE ROUNDUP Edgy comedy is ubiquitous in our conversation and all over the media. With this humor comes the risk that some demographics will take offense. This piece examines the lines we draw between what is and what is not offensive.
By Alex Kirshner ’18 THE ROUNDUP Roundup reporter Alex Kirshner ’18 traveled to Israel with his family over the holiday break and wrote about it for the Jewish News.
»Club Profile
Cohesiveness, discussions make Free Speech Club unique By Alex Kirshner ’18
THE ROUNDUP
The Free Speech Club is a new group on campus that allows students to share their opinions while cultivating discussion about important issues facing Brophy and the country. Matt Zacher ’18 founded the club with hopes of giving students a way to share their opinions without being judged or attacked for their beliefs. They meet Thursdays during lunch in Brophy Hall room 104, and the club is moderated by Mr. Quentin Orem, a religion teacher. “The Free Speech Club is an intentionally structured environment where students of different backgrounds, opinions or beliefs can come together to discuss issues of great import,” said Mr. Orem. The Free Speech Club’s discussions cover a wide variety of topics, although some are more important than others. “The topics have included ISIS, the environment and gun control,” Mr. Orem said. “Last week was a little lighter, and I feel like it was something about football. But the atmosphere is usually light even when we talk about something serious.” Sophomore Reese Galvin ’18, who has been a member of the Free Speech Club for the entire school year, said that the cohesion amongst the students is what makes the club so unique. “As a newly formed club, I think that my favorite part is the cohesiveness
Photo by Andrew Brown ’18 Matt Zacher ’18, standing on right, leads a discussion Jan. 21 at a Free Speech Club meeting.
among all the members,” Galvin said in an email. “It’s very nice to see that the schism that inevitably forms between kids is solved peacefully and with acceptance of one another.” Mr. Orem echoed that sentiment.
“It’s a rare environment,” he said. “What’s great is that it’s not like Fox News or CNN where people are just yelling at each other. There’s real disagreement, but there’s also real listening.”
The club is composed primarily of sophomores, but is open to students of all grade levels. “I’d say if you’re even mildly interested, give it a shot! There’s always someone to agree with you in there,” Galvin said.
Editor’s Note: Matt Zacher ’18 is a Roundup staff member but did not take part in the production of this article.
»Surrounded by Violence
Students interested in Summit, anticipate diverse topics By Jack Cahill ’17
THE ROUNDUP Students and faculty alike say they are looking forward to the next Summit on Human Dignity in February. The Summit, which will cover violence, is expected to cover a wide range of topics from gun violence to domestic abuse. Given this year’s violent acts in the news, it is a very timely and
fitting Summit. Though the Summit was about two months away, in December some students said they were already enthusiastic to experience the next Summit. Sam Broyles ’17 said he believes that the Summit can “cover a variety of issues.” “Very recently we’ve had outbreaks in gun violence, so I think it’s great that we’re having a Summit about violence,”
From SUMMIT, Page 1
thought that there was a movement of the spirit ... We felt like there was a progression we didn’t try to build but it’s happening.” Something unique to this year’s topic, Mr. Fisko said he wants everyone to take a break from violent
Broyles said. “I’m hoping that domestic violence and international violence will also be discussed.” Other students, such as Wesley Sundberg ’17, expressed similar sentiments. “I’m excited about learning in general about issues such as violence,” Sundberg said. “I’d like to see domestic violence be addressed, since it really is a harsh subject that is often avoided.” The Summits have a very powerful
media and games. “We don’t know the effects [of violence],” said Brendan Gaynor ’17. “But if it can bring danger to our society or future generations, then we have a responsibility to stop it.” This year’s Summit will run from Feb. 29, the day of the opening liturgy, to March 11, the day of the
effect on students, because of their ability to change the viewpoints of a student. “Prior Summits have greatly changed my previously held beliefs, because I learned so much information I didn’t know beforehand,” Sundberg said. At the end of second semester, Mr. Paul Fisko led prayer service following the shooting in San Bernardino. In it, he asked students to refrain from violent thoughts, video games and other violent
Summit closing prayer service. Mr. Fisko said the Summit is more than just information, but should also include potential responses to the issues. “We feel justified to approach the topic,” Mr. Paul Fisko said. “We have to be careful. A Summit can’t just be, wow, look how violent the world is and
media for the weekend. Some students took this call seriously. “After the prayer, I did not do anything remotely violent for 24 hours, which was helpful,” Broyles said. Freshmen who haven’t experienced a Summit, such as Braden Ellis ’19, said they are also excited about the event. “I’m extremely excited about the Summit, as I’ll be learning about issues surrounding violence,” Ellis said.
what it does to us, but we have to offer a response. What is the peacekeeping, the peacemaking that we could educate our community about? While the topic is taken by force we want to see what violence does to us, all right here’s what it does, obviously it’s not good outcomes, what could peacemaking do for us?”
Page 4 | February 2016
The Roundup
»Surrounded by Violence
Students: recent shootings unfairly cast guns in negative light By Andrew Brown ’18
“Gun violence comes from people not knowing what they are doing. People using them have to be sane.” —Hunter Parks ’16
THE ROUNDUP Many see guns as dangerous weapons, but some students say they use guns for safe, legitimate purposes such as competitive target shooting and hunting. Grayson Jones ’16 said he has been shooting sporting clays, trap and skeet with a shotgun since his freshman year. “There is negative stigma about shooting guns, but I have never seen violent intentions at competitions,” Jones said. He said there should be more restrictions on purchasing guns to keep them out of the hands of the wrong people, but that mental health treatment is also important. Recently President Barack Obama announced executive orders that would tighten background checks and also expand funding for mental health care. Jones said he knows about mental health issues because his dad is a doctor, and people with mental health problems have been responsible for past shootings. Because of that, he said more money and time should go to treating that issue rather than just
purchasing restrictions. Hunter Parks ’16 is the son of a police officer and said he got his first gun, a .22 caliber rifle, when he was six years old. Some students say recent shootings unfairly cast guns in a negative light. Parks said safe gun use comes down to knowing what you are doing. “As someone who has used guns in his life, gun violence comes from people not knowing what they are doing,” he said. “People using them have to be sane.” Nick Wirtel ’17 also said recent shootings have put gun use in a negative light.
Photo by Isaac Myers ’18 Some students own weapons that they use for either competition or hunting and they believe guns are unfairly seen in a negative light.
Wirtel has been shooting clay discs for a year and a half and got a new shotgun over the summer. “Because people have used other guns for terror,
therefore training to shoot is bad,” he said of the negative perception guns receive.
»Surrounded by Violence
Students vary in stances on national security, refugees By Joseph Valencia ’17
THE ROUNDUP
In the wake of recent terrorist attacks, such as those seen in Paris, the office of Charlie Hebdo and San Bernardino, the U.S. government has set out to take precautionary measures against future attacks. These attacks create fear among people, as the largest threat the U.S.
faces is ISIS, an Islamic extremist group. Refugees entering the United States are prompting concern among many people. On a local level, this has been seen in the recent announcement from Gov. Doug Ducey stating that Arizona will no longer accept refugees. Even among students, opinions vary over how the situation is being handled and how it should be handled.
“I think we are doing a good job filtering out any threats,” said Matthew Scheller ’19. “I feel we also need to understand that not all Muslims are extremists, but I think we also need to understand the need they’re in.” The struggle of the refugees is weighed against the safety of Americans. Overall, the issue and the course of action needed to stop it remain a divisive topic. “For the people who would want to
escape the area in the Middle East, it would be unfair for the United States to not let them enter,” said Daniel Antillon ’19. “But there are people like Trump who want to ‘cut the head off of ISIS’ and not let anyone [of the Muslim religion] in the U.S.” Donald Trump’s rising popularity and caustic comments on closing the U.S. borders to Muslims are the source of much debate.
“The time has come for us to end our indifference towards the refugees in the Middle East,” said Nathan Miller ’17. “As a nation, we must stop our brutal retaliation, end the flow of weapons and military currency, and stand as a peaceful model of humanity.” The issue of the U.S. accepting refugees will most likely remain a subject of debate into the upcoming presidential election.
»Surrounded by Violence
Students feel safe from shooting threat, have faith in security By Matthew Zacher ’18
THE ROUNDUP Despite the slew of school shootings in the U.S., Brophy students said they feel safe from danger. According to Everytown Research, school shootings have occurred on average once a week since 2013. There have been 16 school shootings in the last three months, including a week in which there were five occurrences. In 32 percent of these shootings, there was at least one casualty. Director of Security Mr. John Buchanan said there is a protocol in place in case there is an armed threat on campus. “If [a shooter] was on campus and he was an active shooter, we would call the police immediately, and we would go into lockdown,” he said. In the possibility that there was a threat during break or lunch, the school would go into reverse lockdown. “The protocol is to pull people into the nearest safe location,” he said. Mr. Buchanan said that it is unlikely for a shooter to come onto campus, but it is not impossible. “We have a very good working relationship with
Photo by Bryce Owen ’17 Despite numerous school shootings in recent years, students say they feel safe at school.
the police department, so a shooter would have had to gone unnoticed on the streets,” he said. For the most part, students say that they trust Brophy’s protocol. “I feel safe because I don’t feel that any of the
students here are a threat,” said Henry Learner ’18. “We create a loving environment at Brophy and our counselors are great.” Grant Lentz ’19 said he agrees. “If there were a school shooter, I would feel
safe because of all the steps and precautions that teachers take,” he said. Lentz said that he does not think that any of the students on campus would be threatening. “The students are watched over by the teachers and they have the option to talk about any problems they have at all times at Brophy,” he said. Students said they are confident that their peers are not a threat and rather are more concerned about threats outside of the school. Christian Quintero ’18, however, said he does not feel as safe. “There is nothing stopping someone from coming on campus and shooting people,” Quintero said. Nathan Moorman ’17 said he has faith in Brophy’s security. “There is always someone watching over us,” he said. There have been debates around the country that armed security would be able to prevent these mass shootings. When asked if security should carry a firearm, Connor Park ’18 was quick to say no. “I just don’t think it’s needed. It’s not worth the risk,” he said.
The Roundup
February 2016 |
Page 5
Fr. Reese to depart over summer for California school Reese named president of St. Ignatius College Prep, Board of Trustees names VP Renke acting president By Cameron M. Bray ’16
THE ROUNDUP The Brophy Board of Trustees announced Jan. 20 that Brophy President the Rev. Eddie Reese, S.J. will depart July 1 to serve as the president of St. Ignatius College Preparatory in San Francisco, Calif. Chairman of the Board of Trustees Mr. John Strittmatter made the official announcement in a letter written to the Brophy community. The news was also announced via Brophy’s Facebook and Instagram accounts. “We will miss him greatly and are grateful for his 20 years of dedicated
and generous service to Brophy,” Mr. Strittmatter wrote. “However, we are happy that our sister school in San Francisco can benefit from his proven success as a leader, visionary and change agent.” In the letter, Mr. Strittmatter cited Fr. Reese’s numerous successes, including the the introduction of one-toone computing in 2006, establishment of the Loyola Academy in 2010 and the doubling of the campus’ physical size. Brophy Vice President Ms. Adria Renke, who will serve as the acting president, said that Fr. Reese’s departure was bittersweet for everyone—even himself. “Fr. Reese is an incredible administrator with a pastoral heart,” Ms. Renke wrote in an email to The Roundup. “He is a strategic thinker who shares his opinions freely allowing decision making to be transparent and clear. He loves his work, he is loyal to his people and devoted to his Jesuit life. His departure is the end of a great era at Brophy. We are all so grateful we had
Photo by Nick Park ’15 Fr. Eddie Reese, S.J. speaks at the funeral of Fr. Harry “Dutch” Olivier, S.J. on March 23, 2015. After serving the Brophy Community for 20 years, Fr. Reese will become the President at St. Ignatius Prep in San Francisco, Calif.
him for the time that we did.” Fr. Reese became Brophy’s president in December 1998 after serving
numerous roles at various Jesuit high schools including Loyola High School in Los Angeles, Bellarmine High School in
San Jose and Ignatius College Riverview in Sydney, Australia.
AMC class supports freshmen, creates community after school By Chase Manson ’16
THE ROUNDUP It’s after school and instead of heading home, a select few freshman students walk into Mr. John Taylor’s classroom. This is the Ad Majorem Community or the AMC program, a yearlong after school program lead by Mr. Taylor. The program is designed to help high potential academic students who come from a different background. “The program really provides support for students,” Mr. Taylor said. “It’s really in tandem with a other programs to help students.” The program starts in the summer before freshman year with History course taught by Mr. Joe Klein ’86,
an English course by taught Mr. Steve Smith ’96 and a math course taught by Ms. Monica Castaneda. Mr. Taylor runs the year program with a first-hour class and an after school “study hall.” “I really enforce good study habits for them,” Mr. Taylor said. “We also read some high level literature like the book “Outliers.” The freshmen are selected by Mr. Mike Ward and the admissions committee. Mr. Taylor also checks his students grades to make sure they are on the right track. “We want to lift up students,” he said, “but also make sure they keep growing, that’s really important.” Cesar Lopez ’18 was a part of the
and focused. Mr. Taylor has run the program for seven years and said it started before him. “I was asked to takeover my first year here,” he said. “Mr. Ward asked me to do this and I have loved every moment.” Mr. Taylor said he believes that the program has helped with student’s learning. “It has been very successful,” he said. “It has really grown students and helped achieve success not only with regular class but with AP and Honors classes.” In the end Lopez said one thing about Photo by Bryce Owen ’17 AMC: Students work in the AMC after school study session on Oct. 28. “AMC is family,” he said. “That’s what program last year and said he loved really got me through freshman year.” it is; it’s family.” every moment of it. Lopez noted that when Mr. Taylor “I loved AMC,” he said. “The program checked his grades it kept him on track
»Surrounded by Violence
Summit schedule speakers to educate on violence worldwide, at home By Chris Agnone ’18 & Jose Cardenas ’16
THE ROUNDUP This year’s Summit begins Monday, Feb. 29 and ends Friday, March 11. The Office of Faith and Justice has been working since first semester to put together this year’s Summit, which is titled “Taken by Force: How Violence Corrupts the Human Condition.” The Summit will begin with a Mass and a Jesuit speaker. This year, the first speaker is the Rev. Jeffrey Baerwald, S.J. According to Assistant Principal for Ministry Mr.
Paul Fisko and Mr. Ryan Hubbell of the Social Studies Department, Fr. Baerwald is an expert on neuroscience when it comes to violence and what it does to the human brain in the psyche. He has studied men and women who have been involved in violent acts. He will also talk about why the world needs to strive for peaceful solutions to conflict instead of an easier, violent solution. Finally, he addresses non-physical exposure to violence through violent video games, television shows, movies and other types of exposure. Christian Picciolini is the next speaker for the first week, Mr. Fisko said. He is the author of a book called “Romantic
News, Opinions, Sports & Entertainment each month and online roundup.brophyprep.org
At a Glance Summit Speakers
» Rev. Jeffrey Beldwall, S.J., expert in neuroscience » Author Christian Piciolini, former neo-Nazi
Violence” and a former neo-Nazi. As a young man, he engaged in acts of racism and violence in the white, supremacist cult he was apart of. His first hand account will cover the subject of how young men and teenagers ages 14 to 15 are more
susceptible to violent behavior and the “get’em young” mentality of extremist organizations. He will also talk about racially motivated violence and how young men can avoid the temptations and traps set by racial extremists. The first week will include the annual workshop day on Wednesday, March 20 with speakers on peaceful conflict resolution and the effects of human cruelty on the world from people and organizations around Arizona. As of Jan. 20, The Roundup’s print deadline, Mr. Fisko and Mr. Hubbell of the Office of Faith and Justice said specific plans for the second week are still not finalized but will be confirmed soon.
Reporters Wanted Attention Writers: The Roundup is looking for you. If you are a writer, photographer or graphic designer and are interested in making an impact in the information the Brophy community reads, email us at roundup@ brophybroncos.org to learn about becoming a contributor.
Page 6 | February 2016
The Roundup
»Surrounded by Violence
Brain patterns tied to violence, though not conclusive By Tyler Conrad ’17
THE ROUNDUP Many studies have been done on aggressors to find patterns in brain behavior and function. Mr. Chris White, PE Department Chair, athletic trainer and anatomy teacher, examined some of these studies for a presentation during last year’s Summit on Human Dignity. “Obviously the brain controls all of our emotions and trains all of our physical activities, so you can tie any violent act to the brain,” Mr. White said on the brain’s role in this behavior. The real question, Mr. White said, is how much of an influence one’s surroundings have in union with this genetic inheritance, or “nature versus nurture.” Cooper Dinowitz ’17, when shown a summary of the study, agreed that a balance between inheritance and upbringing can lead to, or away from, violent behavior. “People definitely behave as a result of their upbringing and childhood, but it makes sense that certain brain structures line up with certain behavior traits,” he said. Mr. White referenced the book “Anatomy of Violence” by Adrian Raine from The University of Pennsylvania, which details a study of the brains of 41 murderers and the obvious patterns he saw in their brain structures. Interestingly enough, Raine himself, who obviously wasn’t a killer, found that his brain followed a very similar pattern. “I think the take home message in all of this is, some people have tendencies. But Raine was brought up in a loving, nurturing, environment, so he’s not a killer, but put this same person in a violent, abusive situation and he might become one,” Mr. White said on the Raine study. Some of these patterns in their most basic form can include excess p and low functioning empathy in the brain. Additionally, the brain may not be
Photo by Cory Wyman ’16 Mr. Chris White, seen here Jan. 26 speaking on palpations, gave a presentation on the inner working of the brain’s behaviors during last year’s Summit on Human Dignity.
“The worst thing you can do with a violent person is place him in a room with more violence.” —Mr. Chris White
producing an acceptable amount of the hormone oxytocin, which can be linked to one’s social and loving nature. When these patterns are spotted, the best way to prevent any future aggression is by surrounding these people in positive environments. “We know that if you put violent
people around more violent people they get more violent. The worst thing you can do with a violent person is place him in a room with more violence,” Mr. White said, going back to a common theme of last year’s Summit on restorative justice. Oxytocin, the nurturing hormone stated above, is produced more frequently in a positive environment and not as often in one filled with hatred and violence. “They administer oxytocin to people, sometimes even artificially, and they become more nurturing, more loving, more caring,” Mr. White said. On a more local scale, Mr. White did say that there are certain factors about Brophy’s male-dominated environment that could lead to certain dangers,
specifically the threat of future domestic violence offenders. “I think we’ve got to be very careful, because in an all male environment there’s a tendency towards sexism, which can sort of breed this type of ignorance about women,” Mr. White said. This ignorance can lead to a disregard for women as humans, thus enabling the brain to justify violent acts without functioning empathy. As a Jesuit institution, Mr. White said the best thing to have is a zero tolerance policy for sexism, or any disregard of human dignity in any form. “Really reinforce the dignity of every human, and when someone violates that make sure there is a consequence. If you don’t do that, it can breed this sort of
mentality that women are objects that can be controlled,” Mr. White said on our duty as both students and staff of Brophy. As a student in teen culture, Dinowitz recommended being direct when correcting a dehumanizing remark, but avoiding being condescending. “Say something like ‘Hey dude, what if your mom heard you say that?’” For further reading on brain patterns and psychology in violence, Mr. White recommended the three following studies: Adrian Raine from University of Pennsylvania, Jim Fallon from University of California at Irvine, and Dan Reisel from the University of College at London.
Opinions The Roundup | February 2016 »Staff Editorial
VIOLENCE
LOVE
Schools must be made safer for students, teachers The Issue: A recent spate of gun-related attacks and school shootings have made learning more dangerous and more difficult for students and teachers. Our Stance: Legislators and school officials must prevent guns and other assault weapons from entering school grounds.
R
egardless of one’s political persuasion, the statistics surrounding gun violence in our country are truly dismal.
As just one example, let’s examine the statistics regarding school shootings. Since the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting in December 2012, there have been 164 school shootings, according to everytownresearch.org These shootings have left a total of 45 people dead and 78 injured. Let’s compare the overall rate of annual U.S. gun deaths to those of another country. Take the United Kingdom, for example, which has a very strict gun policy. In England, you are about as likely to die from a gun as you are to die from contact with agricultural machinery
in the United States, according to a New York Times report published Dec. 4, 2015. And in Scotland, you are about as likely to die of a gun there as you are to die of a cataclysmic storm in our country. These are just insane statistics and are sirens for demanding change and action. President Barack Obama recently issued an executive action calling for expanded background checks. This is a good step in the right direction, but as the president said, Congress needs to do more. Congress must pass something to curb this violence ranging from
comprehensive background checks to expanded mental health care. Action must not only be taken at the national level but also at the state level. According to an article in The Huffington Post, at least 18 states permit guns on campus. In several it's a conceal and carry situation. This is just wrong and creates a culture of violence in our school. We hear the arguments that good guys with guns stop bad guys with guns. This isn’t the old west, we aren’t vigilantes. We are students. Having a gun in schools is insane, unnecessary and sparks more violence.
The truth of the matter is something must be done. As a Catholic Jesuit school, waiting and praying for solutions is simply not an answer; the Gospel calls us to action. And act we must in order to counteract this epidemic of violence in our country—this culture of death, as Pope John Paul II once called it. Our beautiful school, Brophy, is a safe place. We want it to stay that way. By Cameron M. Bray ’16 & Chase L. Manson ’16 Staff editorials represent the view of The Roundup. Share your thoughts by e-mailing roundup@brophyprep.org or leave comments online at roundup. brophyprep.org
»Surrounded by Violence
OFJ looks to make Summit on violence socially impactful and relevant
The Summit on Human Dignity Colorblind: Exploring Race in the 21st is something the majority of people Century” in 2014 and “Safe & Sound: appreciate at Brophy, a time when The Case for Restorative Justice” in the community can take a break from 2015. the rigor of school and gain further This year’s Summit topic is violence. knowledge on a relevant issue in As the last four years have come and society. gone the Summits have been getting All of the necessary elements to make more intriguing. this year’s Summit on violence great The Summit on the opportunity gap are in place. If everything goes as was one I don’t really remember. planned the 2016 Summit may Being a freshmen, I was just By Anthony Totri ’16 be the best one yet. trying to figure out what the The Roundup Recent Summit topics Summit even was, and I would include “The Opportunity Gap” in 2013, “Beyond say that is most likely the same situation the current
freshmen are facing. Even with that in mind, I feel as if the freshmen and all the other classes shouldn’t have too difficult of a time staying interested in this year’s Summit. The past three Summits lacked a considerable amount of relevance to the majority of our lives. Important, yes, but not always something we encounter on a day-to-day basis. That is why I think this will be the most intriguing Summit of the last four years, being that we as students see violence everywhere--we see it in video games, we hear it in music, we see it on the news and some may even be experiencing violence personally.
I think that is what makes or breaks all of the Summits. If we cannot relate to the topic then what is the point? Last year’s Summit on restorative justice isn’t going to be easy to top. There were some great speakers and even better presentations. But the one element the restorative justice Summit was missing was the relation to most of our lives. Violence is prevalent throughout our lives, not just as students, but as a country.
Opinions
Page 8 | February 2016
The Roundup
»Pro/Con Debate
Guns, Shootings, Safety, Rights & Restrictions
Tighter regulations essential to common safety
Gun restrictions pose threat to our safety
President Barack Obama's new executive order will the fear for safety. usher in an era of regulations for handguns, assault It is the classic "good guy with a gun can stop a bad rifles and more. guy with a gun argument." President Obama ordered this after a series of violent This is not completely unfounded either. events cascading from school shootings to terrorism in With police seemingly more and more corrupt, San Bernardino, Calif. it may come down to an individual to Gun regulation has been the hot-button protect himself in dangerous situations. topic in the United States for the past few Handguns are probably the best, with years. more than 2.5 million uses of DGU Many that favor further gun regulation (defensive gun uses), according to a state it will increase overall security and National Self Defense survey conducted lower gun-related crimes and deaths. by criminologist Gary Kleck. Other say that any sort of increased But regulation can also solve civil regulation will inhibit the 2nd Amendment protection problems. and be unconstitutional, thus leading With less guns on the street due to By Reece M. Krantz ’16 regulation, it will be more difficult to a less legitimate government. The Roundup Americans have a lot of guns— for criminals to acquire guns that over 300 million firearms, according would potentially cause harm to an to a Pew Research Center survey. innocent. They also have the highest gun ownership per capita If you truly believe that guns will help you throw the rate in the world, with an average of about nine guns "oh so tyrannical" government of the United States, for every 10 Americans. check again. The second highest gun ownership rate in the world is The United States military has invisible tanks, Yemen; yes, Americans have nearly twice as many guns unmanned drones, nuclear power aircraft carriers, 5th per person as do Yemenis, who live in a conflict-torn generations ground strike aircraft, advanced combat Arab nation still dealing with poverty, political unrest, rifles and much more. a separatist Shia insurgency an Al-Qaeda branch, and Sorry, but your guns won't help you overthrow the the aftereffects of a 1994 civil war. world's most powerful government. I would argue increased Deregulating gun laws will not regulation would be safer, change this fact, unless your idea economical and practical. of deregulating gun laws is to Guns contribute to a large make rocket launchers available Tighter gun control portion of the United States and affordable to the entire U.S. » Victims and taxpayers suffer economy, that is true. population. from gun violence Not only does the manufacture Furthermore, law abiding » Guns can still be owned, and sale of firearms and hunting citizens will still own guns and but will just be more limited supplies create good jobs in the can be that "good-guy-with-a» Harvard study shows correUnited States, but the industry gun." lation between loose gun laws also contributes to the economy It just makes sense to regulate and higher mortality rates as a whole. guns. In fact, in 2014 the firearms The gun culture in our country and ammunition industry was has become a burden on the responsible for as much as $42.9 billion in total society that worships the rifle, where life and death economic activity in the country. seem not to matter. But according to an Business Insider article, the Actually, most studies suggest that gun laws reduce American taxpayers will foot a yearly tab of $229 violence. In the United States, the South consistently billion for gun violence. has more deaths by assault than any other region. This cost incorporates legal fees, medical fees, costs It also has the most lenient gun control laws. A of prison, police investigations, security enhancements, Harvard study from last year showed that between emergency services and much more. 2007 and 2010, states with fewer gun control laws All have to be paid for by the typical taxpayer; this generally had higher gun-related mortality rates than severely offsets the $42.9 billion generated. states with stricter gun control. Also, regulation is not a complete ban. Another study published in The Journal of the American Gun manufacturers will still employ, produce Medical Association confirmed that finding; and a metaand export. Money is still flowing in and out of the analysis of other studies, also from Harvard, showed economy. that higher gun ownership rates was correlated with Regulation could come in the form of higher taxes. higher homicide rates, both within the U.S. and Taxes on types of bullet and rifle could expound amongst different high-income countries. greatly into even more tax revenue for the state, which It is a clear and appalling statistic. could then further be contributed to education, even Natural law would state that we have unalienable gun safety. rights, none higher than the right to life. The Supreme Court in 2010 also ruled that gun Your right to own a gun does not trump my right regulations are constitutional. to live. The McDonald v. City of Chicago case essentially If guns are inhibiting that natural right then we have states gun regulations must be complied with at the a problem that should be considered higher than even state level. the Constitution. Another reason people don't like gun regulation is
In 2015, several mass shootings struck the report show that the number of murders per hearts of Americans with grief as a result of 100,000 Americans has decreased since as tragedies in places such as San Bernardino, early as 1990. Colorado Springs, Umpqua Community However, statistics aren’t enough to reveal College, Chattanooga and Charleston. the ultimate issues of gun control. These recent events have Stricter gun laws infringe brought the issue of gun control to on our Second Amendment the forefront of debate and even rights and have no place in our prompted The New York Times to society today. They prevent lawpublish a rare editorial on its front abiding Americans from taking page in December with a plea to the necessary actions to defend end the gun epidemic. themselves and others during a In light of these atrocities, many life-threatening crisis. have called for tighter gun laws. I don’t have an issue with However, gun control restricting the sale of By Henry Erlandson ’16 assault rifles because I feel will not solve future gun violence nor will it prevent that people can adequately The Roundup further terrible shootings. protect themselves with At its most basic form, gun control is a handgun or any other semiautomatic gun. a violation of Americans’ constitutional But realistically, banning those types of guns rights and limits people’s ability to protect isn’t likely to stop any more shootings from themselves, which is why the government happening, so it seems to me that laws taking should not have the job of disarming its away guns such as AK-47s may draw support, citizens. but it’s doubtful they will accomplish any In addition, guns are not the problem. substantial change. People are the problem, and when a person is If guns are banned, think of how crime motivated to kill others, they will do anything would flourish when criminals realize that to carry it out, whether it is using a knife, a they are more than capable of robbing a store car or their bare hands. or a person if they have The reality is that a a gun and their victim killer is a criminal, and does not. criminals act outside Imagine being a Maintain current laws the law. Taking guns resident of a Detroit » People lose the ability to away will not stop them neighborhood, a city defend themselves from illegally obtaining that has the highest » Detecting threats with weapons, making murder and violent mental health checks near criminals and the police crime rate of any impossible the only people in major city in the » Gun free zones are often possession of guns. country, according to targetted by mass shooters President Barack the FBI. Would you Obama recently said in a feel safer if every gun January press conference in your community that he would like to go was taken away so that after the issue of gun ownership in America the only way you could protect yourself is by by, in part, adding more background checks calling the police? and making existing restrictions tighter. Officers wouldn’t be able to arrive in time But the fact-of-the-matter is that he should to help if someone had a gun aimed at you. not be punishing law-abiding Americans who Places where guns are outlawed, otherwise wish to exercise their Second Amendment known as gun-free zones, such as schools, right to protect themselves and their families. religious centers and other designated areas, Background checks shouldn't be taken away are most frequently the targets of shooters either. But the problem with these checks is because they know that they will not face that assessing the mental state of potential resistance from citizens legally carrying a gun. gun owners who may pose a threat is nearly Guns are in the right hands when they are in impossible because many mass shooters don't the hands of responsible, trained Americans, have criminal records or a history of mental which is why the next step that we need to instability. take in our discussion is not taking guns away, And for those who think that background but finding ways to make sure that they are checks are a solution to gun violence, the in the possession of law-abiding men and Washington Post published a study last year that women. showed the number of background checks in In a Utopian society, we could take away the United States has been increasing sharply weapons with the expectations of never since 2006, yet it has not stopped major having to deal with another death at the hands shootings from happening. of a gun, but the reality is we don't live in a Also, 2009 was the first year that the number perfect world. of guns in the United States outnumbered its population. Yet statistics from an FBI crime
At a Glance
At a Glance
Opinions
The Roundup
Page 9 | February 2016
Misinformation rapidly spreads, poses threat in near future Widespread myths have always been present among us, but with the advent of the Internet and access to so much information, you'd think misinformation would suffer a huge blow. Unfortunately it's quite the opposite. Rumors can be spread by the word of mouth, sure, but that's a long, rare process. However, once they get started they can be amazingly stubborn to get rid of. For example, have your parents ever told you not to read in the dark or sit too close to the TV because it may hurt your eyesight? Well, these are actually not true at all. By Kaleb Lucero ’18 The funny The Roundup thing is that some people may have been sitting so close because they needed glasses in the first place, which may certainly be the reason for people drawing a correlation between the two. All of us have certainly heard longstanding misconceptions like this, whether we've realized they were untruthful or not. So, it's great we can do some quick research on our old pal Google to make sure what we're hearing is correct, right? We can, but it's really a matter of if we will. Although, based in my own allergic reactions to these types of inconveniences, I highly doubt that the majority of people will fact check what they see on social media. My experiences on the Internet have yet to prove me wrong. Even when we do use the wealth of knowledge from the world, it is still from the world. That means that, if it's not official or verified, it can be written by anyone who knows how to use a keyboard and hit a "post" button. It's not as if the majority of information online is false, and it doesn't matter much when it comes to small, odd little "fun facts" that so often play host to these web-based myths. However, not everything online is a tidbit of irrelevant knowledge. In fact, there is much more motive to lie about the polarized topics, namely politics. And when someone decides to distort information about politics, it's often not a slight change. Who knows how many biased graphs, statistics and political memes are floating around about immigrants, the economy, the presidential
Photo illuistration by AK Alilonu ’16 Rumors have always spread rapidly from person to person, but now with the added help of the internet, rumors can spread farther and faster than ever before.
candidates, crime, ect. And it's not as if all misinformation has to be "lies," either. It often consists of withholding certain factors or putting emphasis and different parts of an event or data collection. While technically not being blatantly dishonest, a few well known sources are able to put a lens on the truth, often resulting in both sides of some argument thinking they have the right information, when in reality it may very well be that both have a different version of the same data. However, words and charts are not the only things used for deceit. Photos have been manipulated for ages now, from Stalin using it to remove political rivals from history to people trying to make themselves look better on Instagram. Photographs are a bit more trustworthy, but because of that they are more powerful in mischievous hands and are much more dangerous in ill-seeking ones. For example, according to The Washington Times, Richard Taylor photoshopped two separate
pictures, combining them into a single image that falsely showed John Kerry and Jane Fonda giving a speech at an anti-Vietnam War rally with the intention of ruining Kerry's reputation. Although anyone with just a bit of professional software and skills can alter a video's audio and maybe add a moving image or two, it is infinitely more difficult to make something look natural in a video with the high quality our cameras have today. Still, it's able to be done. There are plenty of different ways to spread misinformation, all with varying difficulty, but why lie in the first place? Well, it might be just as a joke, it might be for political reasons, to make a group or person look bad, or maybe some people just want to watch the world burn (although unlikely). There's one thing that photos and videos are especially good at, and that's conveying emotion. So sure, maybe someone wants to make a video or picture that makes people feel happy, but let's be honest, there's another type of group that would find these aspects much more appealing.That being,
of course, terrorists. With ISIS's surprising technological savvy, it's not too far-fetched to think they would use these tactics to spread fear or garner support. But what can we do about it? Not just terrorism, of course, but the whole mess? It's undoubtedly dangerous to have people running around making decisions off of faulty information, but luckily the world has given this matter some attention. According to The Guardian, "the rapid spread of misinformation online" was the 10th most significant trend of 2014 at the World Economic Forum. How do we plan to solve this? Would censoring malevolent lies on the Internet be a violation of the 1st Amendment? And how would we even decide what to censor, anyways? No one knows for now, but hopefully the world will start asking these types of questions before this online cancer gets out of hand. In the meanwhile, it would be wise for all of us to be mindful of what we're reading, and make sure that we too don't fall victim to this.
Governor Ducey's call to stop refugees makes unfair generalization In the wake of terrorist attacks in Paris United States. that claimed 130 lives Nov. 30, Arizona The Brookings Institute provides Gov. Doug Ducey issued several logical reasons why a statement saying, "I am refugees don't pose a serious calling for an immediate terrorism threat. halt in the placement of any First, terrorist groups like new refugees in Arizona." the Islamic State advocate This shows a sad pattern for a terrorist's travel to of the generalizations many Iraq and Syria, not the other Americans make when way around. The Islamic dealing with immigration State has focused its money and resettlement. and resources on By Anthony Cardellini ’17 Obviously, the recruiting people to The Roundup Paris attacks were the Middle East to horrifying violations of human dignity. join forces. The governor's decision, and others Second, refugees by definition are like it around the country, was praised, fleeing from their home countries. It especially after it was revealed that one would make much more sense that if of the attackers may have been a Syrian they were truly terrorists, they would refugee. have stayed in these Middle Eastern However, it is unfounded to believe countries and joined groups there. that refugees pose a large threat to the Finally, exclusion is what causes these
terrorists to become angry in the first place. Not accepting refugees increases this feeling of exclusion, possibly creating later terrorism. Indeed, a recent CNN report pointed to a new terrorist group recruitment video featuring anti-Muslim comments from Donald Trump. However, an advocate of Ducey's plan might point out the these arguments are good for defending refugees, but they don't explain why a real terrorist couldn't pose as a refugee and commit acts of violence in a western country. But what these proponents fail to realize is the strength of America's background test program for refugees. A Newsweek article explains the process: First, a refugee is referred to the United States government by a United Nations organization to begin screening. This process itself eliminates over
90 percent of refugees who are not referred to the government, according to the White House. For those who do get past this step, an application is submitted and a file created for the refugees at a government-funded refugee support center. The article states that these centers "begin background checks that independently ensure the refugee is genuinely fleeing persecution or harm." Data is gathered from at least four independent databases, and Syrian refugees undergo an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security. After this step, refugees are required to interview face-to-face with a Department of Homeland Security Officer. Katherine Newland, co-founder of the Migration Policy Institute, explained that these interviews have "been an
obstacle for many refugees living in Syria in areas that are under the control of ISIS or the many, many groups in Syria that are regarded as terrorist groups by the U.S." Regardless of the true solidity of a terrorist threat, students at a school that is committed to justice should not believe in sacrificing the rights of many out of fear. This is made even more true when that fear turns out to be unfounded. The number of refugees requiring humanitarian aid numbers over 4 million. Certainly doing nothing about the problem cannot be called a true commitment to justice. As Catholics, we are called to stand up for what is right in the face of our fear. In this case, helping those most in need is what is right, and the facts give us no reason to have true fear.
Opinions
Page 10 | February 2016
The Roundup
Internet news misleading, usually masked by spam and click bait Have you ever read an article This expanding dilemma online and wondered: was that may not seem to be much of a even news? problem, but imagine the Internet Most likely you have due to in 10 or 20 years. The number the increasing Internet nonsense of these unruly spam sites may sites that portray false or useless have complete control over the information. Internet. Do we really need to know How would you know what to who are the 20 worst aging believe? By Isaac Myers ’18 actors in Hollywood are? Which A repeat incident of the celebrities got fat? Or if celebrity radio broadcast “The War of The Roundup X dumped celebrity Y? the Worlds” would not be a Sites such as Popsugar.com, Digitalspy.com, and pleasurable experience to anyone. Usmagazine.com are examples of those responsible. Ad blockers can help, but it cannot stop the
140Characters
—Jack Cahill ’17: Same as every year, better grades. Who will be the Republican presidential nominee? —AK Alilonu ’16: Not the next president. —Luis Torres ’16: I think it’s it going to be Ted Cruz. Bring it on, GOP #FeelTheBern —Chase Manson ’16: Hopefully the true hero, Jim Gilmore, or your neighborhood clown.
“Yes I am concerned with it because it seems nowadays that it is more present in our everyday news ... I
of the Month
The ads are becoming so abundant, it seems they are becoming a species of their own. The problem is that they work. People wouldn't continue to produce the garbage if people didn't click on it. We are part of the problem. Whether you get your news from a piece of paper or from your cellular device, the articles give out the same satisfying information. It is just a matter of if you want it straightforward or from a complicated Internet site. Journalism is a great and necessary way to convey information, it is just that some ways are better than others.
Musings on matters of the day
What is your New Year's Resolution? —Luis Torres ’16: My resolution was to not make a resolution. —Cameron M. Bray ’16: To be less forgetful and less distracted. Wait, what was I talking about? Oh, a butterfly.
Question
publication of click bait and sensationalized gossip disguised as legitimate content. Due to the huge number of people who choose to get their share of news on their phone, the state of printed journalism is dying. I will admit that journalism on the Internet does provide great information and makes it easily accessible, but the nonsense of going through ads and spam sites does not outweigh the pleasure of reading a good article. In printed journalism, the article is right there in front of you. No hoops to jump through, and no distracting, flashy ads to drag you in. No getting sidetracked, no hypnotism.
hope we can put a stop to it.”
What is the best way to curb gun violence? —Sam Romero ’17: “WE NEED TO BUILD A WALL TO STOP GUN VIOLENCE” —Jack Cahill ’17: Ban laws, which will subsequently eliminate all crime. —Luis Torres ’16: Limit the accessibility of high caliber guns on top of background checks. How would you describe the level of violence in our society? —Cameron M. Bray ’16: High. At times, it feels like a month can’t even go by without a mass shooting. —Andrew Howard ’17: We averaged a mass shooting per day in 2015, that says enough. —Luis Torres ’16: It’s gotten to the point where we’re desensitized from all of the violence. That’s problematic.
“Yes because the violence will impact all of us as people and make the world a worse place.” Macgregor Yukiw ’18
Armaan Sharma ’16
“Yes I am very concerned because as we see in many statistics, there is now a school shooting a day ... I think that’s a large problem. As the violence continues to increase in places like the Middle East and Syria, we have to watch out and be concerned more with the peace and the nature of our relationships with other countries.” Conner Nagaki ’17
“I am concerned because it poses a threat not only to countries where a lot of this violence is happening, especially around the Middle East, but also to countries in North America and Europe.” Ethan Ripple ’19
By Jose Cardenas '16
THE ROUNDUP
Are you concerned with the amount of violence happening around the world? Why or why not?
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.
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February: Jack McAuslan ’16
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Sports The Roundup | February 2016
Bod Pod measures student health, BMI
Bod Pod machine brings knowledge and awareness of health to attention of athletes and coaches By Bryce Owen ’17
THE ROUNDUP
T
he strange white egg-shaped capsule inside the sports medicine room looks like something out of the latest “Star Wars” movie. However it is actually a state-of-the art fitness tool used to measure body composition, known as the Bod Pod. The Bod Pod is widely used by students, especially athletes, either looking to reduce their body fat, or put on lean muscle. The machine uses compressed air to determine the density of the user’s body, which can calculate a lean mass to fat ratio. “The goal is to ultimately have students understand their body, understand their health, understand why it’s important from a health standpoint to maintain healthy body composition… not just here at Brophy but as a lifetime health measure,” said Physical Education Department Chair and head Athletic Trainer Mr. Chris White. According to Mr. White, a healthy body fat percentage ranges from 7 percent to 20 percent, but each student is a unique case. The Bod Pod makes the stressful measurement process quite simple and easy. It begins with the user wearing a form fitting material and as little clothing as possible for an accurate reading. Next, they enter the pod and sit still while the pod measures the density of the user’s body.This happens in two tests of roughly 50 seconds each. The machine sends the raw data to a computer, which interprets and places it on a spreadsheet for students to see their results. The computer holds onto your previous tests as well, which serves as a way to track body composition over an extended period of time. “For the past five or six years, we have been testing all our freshman with a pretest and posttest,” Mr. White said. Health teachers at Brophy also include the Bod Pod as a main part of the curriculum for student nutrition and exercise.
Online
This month
roundup.brophyprep.org
Photo by Bryce Owen ’17 Mr. Orson Kinney runs a body composition test Jan. 14 on Peter Fairbanks ’18 with the Bod Pod.
“The goal is to ultimately have students understand their body, understand their health, understand why it’s important from a health standpoint to maintain healthy body composition.” — Mr. Chris White “We thought it was really vital to have as part of our curriculum, so they can understand how to eat well and maintain a healthy body composition,” Mr. White said. Mr. White tests his health students to track their fat loss or gain and create a diet plan to achieve a healthy balance of lean muscle and fat. “Students who really follow the program and are attentive to diet and exercise are able to meet their goals that we help them establish,” Mr. White said. The Bod Pod technology is not exclusively used on campus, it can be found in many high end sports medicine facilities such as the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, many NFL training
centers and military training facilities. The Bod Pod was introduced to Brophy when Mr. Orson Kinney from Body Technologies got in contact with Mr. White and the physical education department. The school partnered with Mr. Kinney, and thanks to a donation from Michael’s Catering, brought Bod Pod testing to students at no cost. “I had a vision that the best way to influence a person’s health is by educating them with quality, objective health information and to do it while they are young,” Mr. Kinney said in an email to The Roundup. Mr. Kinney said he promotes the idea of teaching students now before unhealthy habits are formed.
At a Glance Varsity Soccer » Current season record of 12-5-3 » The team is ranked first in the I Section II standings » Won last home game of regular season against Pinnacle by final score of 3-2 » Carter Clemmensen ’18 leads all players in the state with 27 goals
Related News: See Cutting weight for wrestling not tolerated on campus, by AIA, Page 13 “It is much harder to try to change behaviors of someone that has years of bad habits ingrained into their daily life,” Mr. Kinney said. The device is helpful for many athletes, particularly the wrestling program in which keeping a certain weight is essential to making a specific weight class. “The Bod Pod is especially great for wrestling, since most of the time you’re trying to drop weight and make a lower weight class,” said Sebastian Espinosa ’16, a varsity wrestler. The Arizona Interscholastic Association has strict rules on how much body fat a wrestler can lose in a specific amount of time. The rule states that male wrestlers
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» Wrestling update » Spring sports previews
must maintain a minimum of 7 percent body fat going into the first meet, and wrestlers cannot lose more than 1.5 percent of their body weight within a week. The rule is meant to keep wrestlers safe as cutting weight too quickly can result in severe health concerns. This makes the Bod Pod a critical tool for the wrestlers, and for this reason it is used by other wrestling teams from across the state. A common misconception regarding body composition is that the lower the body fat, the better. However, a body fat percentage that is too small can be harmful to the body. The Bod Pod is available to all students on Thursdays after school for testing, and students are also able to meet with a registered dietitian to go over a meal plan that fits their own needs. “The Bod Pod serves as a very useful tool and a lot of student’s should take more advantage of it,” Espinosa said.
The Roundup
Page 12 | February 2016
Brophy approaches end of regular season with 12-11 record Basketball bests rival Chaparral to improve to 2-3
Brophy 66 Chaparral 60
By Jack Davis ’19
THE ROUNDUP The Broncos beat rival Chaparral Dec. 11 by a score of 66-60 as Matthew Kempton ’17 and Drew Shear ’17 combined for 19 points in the second half. The Broncos came out of the halftime gates firing, outscoring Chaparral 22-10 in the third quarter. “When we start to see what we’re capable of, when we have that chemistry, playing unselfishly and that ball is moving around the floor, our players begin to understand what they’re capable of as a unit when that happens,” said coach Mr. Matt Hooten. Saucedo’s game winner lifts Broncos over Westview
Brophy 50 Westview 49
By Jack Davis ’19
THE ROUNDUP The Broncos edged Westview Dec. 22 by a score of 50-49 at Talking Stick Resort Arena thanks in part to Carlos Saucedo ’17’s game-winning shot with 3.2 seconds left. On his shot, Saucedo said that the play was chaotic and all over the place but he was selfassured that he would score. “It was a scramble,” he said. “We had a shot and then an offensive rebound. I happened to have the ball in my hands and I felt confident that I would make the shot.” Mountain View’s 2nd half threes help top Brophy
Mountain View 73 Brophy 48
By Jack Davis ’19
THE ROUNDUP Brophy kept it close Jan. 8 to start the game against Mountain View, but could not hold on in the
Photo by Bryce Owen ’17 Brophy defeated Liberty 71-46 at Hoopcoming, Jan. 22.
second half. Mountain View continued to assert themselves offensively in the fourth quarter, outscoring Brophy 25-20. Kempton finished with 13 points and was the Broncos’ leading scorer. Brophy loses to St. Mary’s in OT despite comeback effort
St. Mary’s 68 Brophy 60
By Henry Erlandson ’16
THE ROUNDUP
Brophy mounted a strong comeback in the final two minutes of the game Jan. 20, but it was not enough to beat rival St. Mary’s away, making their record 8-9. Brophy struggled all night to stop St. Mary’s from grabbing offensive rebounds, especially in the first quarter when the Knights scored 10 of their first 13 points from offensive rebounds. “We are really proud of the way we fought in the fourth and we didn’t hang our head or roll over,” Mr. Hooten said. “That’s really been the character of the team throughout the season, we’ve believed that we have been in every game up until the final whistle, we fought back and made a couple of plays
to get up by one.” Brophy beats Liberty on Hoopcoming night
Brophy 71 Liberty 46
By Jack Davis ’19
THE ROUNDUP Brophy’s Kempton tied for the team lead in scoring with Sean Dunn ’17 with 15 points Jan. 22 to help top Liberty 71-46. The win gave Brophy a .500 record at 7-7.
AIA football playoff locations unfair to lower seeded teams Commentary by Henry Erlandson ’16 & Andrew Howard ’17
THE ROUNDUP The Arizona Interscholastic Association sure has a unique interpretation of the word “neutral.” In a Division 1 semifinal playoff game this December that was supposed to be at a “neutral location,” Centennial played Mountain Pointe at Desert Vista High School. Desert Vista is a nine minute, 3.6 mile drive from Mountain Pointe in the same small part of town, and a 43 minute, 42.8 mile trek from Centennial, according to Google Maps. This is not the first time there has been such a discrepancy in distance. Last year, Brophy experienced a very similar situation during the semifinals. The game’s location at Chandler High School was 26.1 miles from Brophy but 3.9 miles–and also on Arizona Avenue–from Hamilton. Brophy lost 24-7. There was a similar distance discrepancy in the other 2014 Division 1 semifinal game between Mountain Pointe and Chandler High School. Their game was at Hamilton, 13.3 miles from sixth ranked Mountain Pointe and 3.9 miles from
second ranked Chandler. Chandler beat Mountain Pointe 43 to 22. This year Centennial went on to beat Mountain Pointe 31-21 Friday, Nov. 20, but that does not excuse the AIA’s decision to clearly favor the Mountain Pointe Pride by playing at Desert Vista, which is essentially in their own Ahwatukee backyard. Each year the AIA’s football playoff bracket says that semi-final playoff games are held at “neutral” locations, but an AIA representative said the regular practice often works differently. “The AIA practice for Division I/II/III is to place larger, urban based schools’ semi-final game at a site in the area of the high seed,” said AIA Tournament Coordinator Mr. Ron Halbach in an email. Mr. Halbach pointed to several other playoff locations that were at schools in the same district and closer to the higher-seeded team. This completely contradicts the word neutral, which should create a fair playing field for both teams. There is nothing wrong with favoring a higher seed because they earned it throughout the year if that is what the AIA wants to do. But to call the location “neutral” on the tournament brackets is
“We should expect high-level competition to be treated with a sense of equality and fairness that abides by the rules, and the AIA should be held accountable to maintain these standards.”
misleading at least, and is not fair to the lower seeded teams and their students at worst. Article 23.10.1.1.1 of AIA policy says, “the AIA Executive Board shall determine the dates and sites of post-season tournaments.” This rule gives the AIA all of the power to determine game locations, yet it never specifically says a game has to be neutral. So they aren’t breaking any rules when they list games as neutral though they clearly are not. Mr. Halbach said other factors that go into playoff site choices are enough seating for fans, the quality of the locker rooms and restrooms, and making things run as smoothly as possible. Why not just have the game at the higher seeded
team’s stadium if all those things are in place? The impact of playing at a stadium that favors one team over another in distance can be very consequential in the outcome of the game, as school support can give players and coaches momentum that can change how a team plays. “Any time the fans get into the game and there is excitement and a reason to go to the games, it’s a home field advantage,” Brophy head football coach Mr. Scooter Molander told The Roundup in a May 2015 interview about the advantages of playing at home. The AIA is not violating any policies by favoring higher seeded teams, but at the very least they should change their language for the sake of transparency. And why not just change the policy to actually play semi-final games at neutral locations? After all, shouldn’t the AIA try to do everything in its power to support all students by creating level playing fields rather than such lopsided matches? As students, fans, and supporters of high school football, we should expect high-level competition to be treated with a sense of equality and fairness that abides by the rules, and the AIA should be held accountable to maintain these standards.
The Roundup
February 2016 |
Page 13
Cutting weight for wrestling not tolerated on campus, by AIA AIA restricts wrestlers’ ability to cut weight before matches to promote safe training
Related News: See Bod Pod promotes student health, exercise, Page 11
By Andrew Howard ’17
THE ROUNDUP Brophy has a zero tolerance policy on cutting weight, a practice that has often been used in wrestling to try to gain an advantage before a match. Wrestlers who “cut weight,” or lose weight rapidly by not eating, not drinking enough water, sweating, spitting and a variety of techniques, do so in order to qualify to wrestle in a lower weight category. In 1997, three collegiate wrestlers died in a span of six weeks from cutting too much weight, which caused many issues in the wrestling world. “It was a wakeup call to the whole wrestling community, and we’ve embraced the fact you don’t have to cut weight,” said head wrestling coach Mr. Wayne Catan. Photo by Cory Wyman ’16 There began to be changes in the rules Cutting weight solely for the purpose of being put into a lower weight category is discouraged by the wrestling program. regarding weight-cutting after these deaths, but cutting weight is still a major problem in the sport. “We are not weight cutters,” Mr. rule says wrestlers must have at least 7 said that things were not done right Even as recently as Dec. 11, Mixed Catan said. “You eat right and train percent body fat going into their first back then, and that the changes are an Martial Art fighter Yang Jian Bing right and you will find your optimal match, and they cannot lose 1.5 percent improvement to wrestling. died from an extreme weight cutting weight.” of their weight in a week. Some Brophy athletes will go on to exercise. New rules in high school wrestling “You can’t cut weight, you can’t wrestle in college and the National Despite cutting being a common have moved weigh-ins to one hour rehydrate … you’ll lose every match,” Collegiate Athletic Association also has practice in wrestling, Brophy, and high before matches instead of five hours Mr. Catan said. “It sets a barrier for specific rules when it comes to cutting school wrestling as a whole are doing before, giving wrestlers no time to people to not cut weight and I think weight. everything they can to prevent injury for rehydrate or gain weight back. that’s a smart move.” Wrestlers can only weigh five percent the athletes. An Arizona Interscholastic Association Mr. Catan, who wrestled in college, above their desired weight before a
weigh in, and cannot lose more than that five percent in order to wrestle. “Applying sound and consistent sports nutrition strategies to training programs would result in optimal body compositions, greater power and strength, and likely fewer illnesses and injuries over the course of an entire season,” according to the NCAA website. According to livestrong.com, cutting weight can lead to long term health problems such as poor eating habits, organ damage and eating disorders. Though weight cutting is not as serious at the high school level, MMA fighters use drastic measures to cut weight. One fighter even sat on the top level of a sauna with a heat suit on in order to drop the appropriate amount of weight, according to ESPN.com. Michael Grindey ’17 said he was afraid that he would have to cut weight this year to wrestle in his class. “I talked to him (Mr. Catan) in the beginning of the year saying I didn’t want to cut weight and he was totally on the same page as me,” Grindey said. “He actually encourages wrestlers not to cut weight and to just gain weight and wrestle at their current weight.” Grindey said he doesn’t want to cut weight because of his long term health. “I don’t cut weight because I just want to become stronger and I know when I get older that if I cut weight I will be really scrawny,” he said.
»Surrounded by Violence
Violence in today’s sports creates divide among fans By Henry Erlandson ’16 & Andrew Howard ’17
THE ROUNDUP How often do we hear about new incidents involving a star athlete who has either been the victim or the perpetrator in an act of violence outside of their profession? In the case of football players like Greg Hardy and Aldon Smith, UFC fighter Jon Jones or basketball player Ty Lawson, these are all players who have committed either major crimes or repeatedly offended yet are still playing in today’s leagues. These athletes are people who many young players look up to as role models because of their work ethic and abilities but they do not display exemplary behavior once they have reached the highest level of competition. “The violence in the NFL is in by far the worst state it’s ever been,” said Trey Davis ’17. “But the bright side of this is the fact that it is now in the spotlight may allow it to gain enough publicity to literally force the NFL to address the problem.”
“It’s hard for me to
judge these people because I don’t know them but I think people are tone deaf sometimes and they don’t understand the impact of the decisions they make.” — Mr. Quentin Orem
Davis blamed NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for the violence problems in the league. “He has done an atrocious job with taking on this issue and refused to let it get to the press to keep his own reputation safe,” Davis said. “The way that he has dealt with the issues of Greg
Hardy, Daryl Washington and Ray Rice is possibly the worst management of major offenses by any commissioner of any sport.” Religious Studies teacher Mr. Quentin Orem is a Seahawks fan that said he believes players who have committed crimes like domestic abuse leave him in a tight spot as a fan, such as a Seahawks defensive lineman Frank Clark, who was drafted last year with a record of domestic violence. “It’s been really challenging for me as a fan to figure what to do when he sacks somebody; do I cheer, do I boo, do I do nothing, and how much does choosing Frank Clark reflect on the Seahawks organization?” Mr. Orem said. “Should I then rescind my support for the Seahawks because they chose this guy and everybody knew his past?” Mr. Orem said that he thinks that most of the time players who are charged with crimes such as DUI or domestic abuse are treated with contempt by the fans, but the reason players such as Greg Hardy, who was charged with domestic abuse after severely hurting his girlfriend, remain on the field is because owners want money and want to win.
“Hardy has, for the most part, been absolutely demonized this season as he has rejoined the Cowboys and I think that is equally damaging because we create this idea that the problem with domestic violence is basically this one person and that none of us and none of our larger American culture has anything to do with creating and supporting people like this,” Mr. Orem said. “One is that we completely turn a blind eye or one is that we create a scapegoat and we say Greg Hardy is a problem when it’s not an entire culture that somehow condones in small ways violence against women.” Davis and Mr. Orem both agreed it can be hard to support organizations that willingly let criminals on to their team because they feel their actions can directly affect those who are hurt. “It’s hard for me to judge these people because I don’t know them but I think people are tone deaf sometimes and they don’t understand the impact of the decisions they make,” Mr. Orem said.
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The Roundup
Page 14 | February 2016
Baker steps up to varsity as a sophomore, hopes to play in college
Pitch
Catch By Chris Agnone ’18
THE ROUNDUP What is your name and year? My name is Jaxson Baker and I am a sophomore. How long have you been playing basketball? I have been playing basketball ever since I can remember. My grandfather coached in the NBA for 27 years so right from the get-go basketball ran in my blood. What position do you play? Have you always played there? I play power forward and the center position. When I was in eighth grade I played guard because I was one of the better shooters on the team and I also had some more experience compared to the other players. Besides that, yes. Who has been your biggest supporter on your basketball career? I would say that my whole family as a unit has been my biggest supporter. They always try their hardest to make it to every game and would do whatever it took to make me a better player and also have fun while doing it. What is your goal for this season? My goal individually is to learn as much as I can as a player and as a student of the game. Our team goal is much bigger though, and that is to take it all as state champions. We would be the first team to ever accomplish that at Brophy.
&
Do you plan on playing in college? I am determined to take my basketball career as far as it will let me. If I get to the point where I am lucky enough to earn the chance, then I would snatch it up. I have to stay focused on the present day and making the team better any way I can. Can you dunk? Yes, but if you were to ask anyone else that I know, they would tell you no. I am continually trying to prove the “haters” wrong. What is your favorite sporting goods store? House of Hoops all the way. There is one at Fashion Square mall and I find myself trying on all the shoes they have, just wishing I could buy them all. Maybe one day. What is your favorite NBA team? I like the Suns. Do you play any other sports? Yes, I play baseball. What is your favorite song right now? “Pleazer” by Tyga What is your favorite class? My favorite class is Spanish II with Señor Cordova. Photo by Cory Wyman ’16 Jaxson Baker ’18 is on the varsity basketball team and has been playing the sport for as long as he can remember.
Team managers Zacher, Bhatti, Rivera serve as MVPs off the field and court
Managers help coaches, athletes in a variety of ways By Tyler Conrad ’17
THE ROUNDUP Players and coaches tend to get the credit — or blame — for how their team fares, but on many school teams there is another person responsible for the players’ focus on the game. “I love basketball and wanted to help the program in any way I could,” said John Zacher ’17, who has been a manager for the basketball team since his freshman year. Zacher, due to his commitment to the team and his role as a manager, has had a somewhat evolved position over the years. Now, he spends a great amount of time offering analysis to coaches and watching trends among the players. “I take stats at the games and offer analysis,” Zacher said when asked to list some of his responsibilities to the varsity team. “I know a lot about the game and figured I could help the coaching staff on an analytical level.” On the other hand, George Rivera ’17 and Gurkaran Bhatti ’17 are both managing sports for the first time this year. Bhatti is a manager varsity soccer and Rivera is a manager for varsity basketball. “For me, being the basketball manager was a great way for me to be able to be with my friends and stay occupied until the spring season,” Rivera, who plays varsity football, said. “It’s two very
“It really feels like I’m part of the team and I don’t really feel out of place” — Gurkaran Bhatti ’17
different roles, instead of competing and making a difference on the field, or court in this instance, I instead contribute the team by video taping and in turn it helps the players and even coaches correct their mistakes.” Similarly, Bhatti wanted to get involved with the soccer team and went to coach Mr. Noah Lewkowitz ’98 for the opportunity. “I was interested in helping out with the soccer team going into this school year so I talked to Mr. Lewkowitz and he told me to come out to tryouts and at the end he’d let me know if the team would need my help,” Bhatti said. Bhatti described his position as part of the team a very rewarding yet timeconsuming experience. “As manager I’m responsible for pumping the team up in the locker room before practices and home games, I help warm up the keepers and anyone else who needs help and I shag the balls after practice. I’m also responsible for the team’s Twitter and taking photos at the games,” he said. Zacher’s commitment to the team is also extremely time consuming during the season, which runs November until
Photo by Bryce Owen ’17 John Zacher ’17 heads to the team huddle Jan. 22 as a timeout is called. Zacher has managed for the basketball teams since his freshman year.
February. “We are either practicing or playing games Monday through Saturday. We watch film at lunch as well,” Zacher said. Although both Bhatti and Rivera are new to their positions, they both said they have great relationships with the players and the coaches. “It’s really good, since I myself am an athlete I can relate to them on a lot of levels and I also bring a lot of enthusiasm
and liveliness along with motivation,” Rivera said on his relationship with basketball players. He also said he has a great working relationship with head varsity coach Mr. Matt Hooten. “It is basically as if I am peer instead of a player, he treats me with respect along with all other staff and players,” he said. Bhatti similarly said he has an appreciation for his team and coach. “It really feels like I’m part of the team
and I don’t really feel out of place,” he said. Zacher said he is very grateful for his opportunity to grow and develop a passion of his over his high school career. “Brophy is all about going out and doing what you love,” Zacher said. “The more I have been involved with the basketball program, the more I have come to love what I do. I attribute the growth of my position to my passion to help put a banner on the wall.”
The Roundup
February 2016 |
Page 15
Regester team ropes, looks forward to rodeo in future By Matthew Zacher ’18
THE ROUNDUP Charlie Regester ’18 started riding and roping horses in sixth grade, and in December, he finished in second place out of 210 people in his team roping competition. In this type of event, two ropers work together to take down a calf faster than their competitors. Regester competes in National Team Roping competitions, but he does not just face off against other high schoolers. “I compete against guys in their 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s,” he said. Regester finished second in a pool of some ropers that have been competing for five times longer than he has. Every summer, Regester said he practices everything he does in the rodeo arena on his ranch in Colorado. Alex Fessler ’18 has known Regester since third grade, and has been to one of his roping events. “It was amazing. I didn’t know how to use a lasso and it was impressive to see him work it so masterfully,” he said. Fessler said he was surprised when he first learned of Regester’s rodeo career. “When I first learned about it, yeah, I didn’t even know that happens in Arizona,” he said. Fessler said Regester is more than a good roper. “He is a good friend. If you are down, he will help you up. He’s very humble,” Fessler said. “He’s very open to growth, and embodies the grad at grad very well.” Mr. Andy Schmidbauer ’88 has known Charlie and his family for several years, and knows about his rodeo career as well.
Photo courtesy of Charlie Regester ’18 Charlie Regester ’18 prepares to rope a bull at a local ranch. Regester has been roping since sixth grade and has had success in his competitions.
“It’s interesting because rodeo is a huge part of Arizona, and it’s surprising to me how few people are involved with it.” Mr. Schmidbauer said Regester embodies the characteristics of a roper in the classroom. “He’s awesome, he’s a great kid,” he said. “He is everything you would expect someone who does rodeo to be. He is hardworking, attentive to detail.” Regester mainly competes in and around
Arizona, but will have a chance to travel as far as Wyoming. He said that his biggest accomplishment was finishing second place several weeks ago. With that achievement, he qualified to compete in a pool of 100 to win $100,000. Regester said he looks forward to college opportunities for roping in Montana or Texas, but does not just want to go to college for team roping.
“I’m not just going to go somewhere just because they have a good rodeo team,” he said. Regester said he has learned valuable life lessons through the teamwork aspect of team roping. “You become dependent on your partner,” he said. “You can do your job, but he has to do his job too if you want to win and vice versa.”
Catan fighting for state with wrestling team in 1st season as coach By Sam Romero ’17
THE ROUNDUP The first season of Brophy wrestling with coach Mr. Wayne Catan at the helm so far has resulted in a 20-4 record. Mr. Catan said that forming relationships with the wrestlers has been his highlight of the year. “I really can’t ask for much more... They do all the work. All credit goes to the wrestlers. What they are willing to sacrifice,” Mr. Catan said. Elijah Lee ’17 said that the tournaments are difficult but even if he does not do well, it’s still a lot of fun spending time with the team. “We are feeling more confident this year, and I give a lot of credit to our new coaching staff who has stepped up the intensity,” said Luke Jacobs ’18.
Jacobs said he believes that Brophy has become one of the hardest working teams in the state and cannot wait for it to pay off by the end of the season. “Many of us have been doing great at these tournaments, especially our senior captains,” Lee said. Mr. Catan is keeping the team always prepared for the next match, and the athletes know their goal is the state championship. Even with the few losses, Mr. Catan said that the team learns from each one and never gets too low. “Coach Catan shared a quote with the team that sums up the sport pretty well: ‘Victory requires payment in advance.’ Losses are tough, but they each serve as learning experiences,” Jacobs said. According to a post on brophyprep. org, wrestling won the first team trophy
in nine years in the Bourgade Last Chance Tournament Jan. 23. Injuries have slowed the team but has not stopped them. Mr. Catan said that even though injuries are bad, it is a part of wrestling. “I wish I could change the amount of injuries we get throughout the season. Nobody wants to see their teammates benched due to a small injury,” Lee said. But even with the injuries, Mr. Catan said what surprises him the most is the teams response to the setbacks. “We have been working extremely hard everyday ... Personally, there is nothing major that I would change about the season,” Jacobs said. The only things Mr. Catan said he Photo by Reece Krantz ’16 would like to change would be lifting The wrestling team prepares for state competitions. The wrestling team has worked hard more and training harder in the off this year to attain a 20-4 record in the first semester and form bonds between the teamseason. mates and coaches.
Out of Left Field Trevor Eldean ’17
Football/Lacrosse
Cameron Grams ’17
Hockey Sean Gage ’17
Swim
Jake Lieberman ’16
Baseball
By Sam Romero ’17
THE ROUNDUP
Gryffindor or Slytherin?
Are you excited for the Summit?
Yu-Gi-Oh or Pokemon?
Favorite movie?
Gryffindor
Yes
Pokemon
“Step Brothers”
Gryffindor
Eh
Yu-Gi-Oh
“Rush”
Gryffindor
No
Pokemon
“Pacific Rim”
Gryffindor
Sure
Yu-Gi-Oh
“Happy Gilmore”
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Entertainment The Roundup | February 2016
ART IN HIS VEINS
Photo by Isaac Myers ’18
Alberto Cardona ’16 works on his latest piece in the Studio Art room, Jan. 15. Cardona has submitted several pieces to BLAM and has won several awards for his art.
Inspired by street artists, Cardona explores urban themes Cardona takes inspiration from multiple artists, follows in four brothers’ footsteps By Cameron M. Bray ’16
THE ROUNDUP
W
ith four brothers as artists, it is no surprise Alberto Cardona ’16 is so immersed in art. Having completed Drawing his freshman year and Advanced Drawing his junior year, Cardona now takes Advanced Placement Studio Art: 2-D Design, a course in which he is required to submit a portfolio for evaluation at the end of the school year. He said that his brothers have been a major source of inspiration for him along the way and that he’s “pretty much just following in their footsteps.” However, these are not the only artists who have influenced him and his work. Fond of urban art, which he frequently depicts in his works, Cardona said that Banksy and Shepard Fairey, two well-
known graffiti artists, were sources of inspiration for him. “I really admire Shepard Fairey and Banksy’s artworks,” he said. “I feel like I’m in agreement with the majority of their messages.” In particular, Cardona said he had a special liking toward the works of Banksy. “I think they’re funny,” he said. “I feel like they’re satirical and subtle in how they critique society and everything that’s going on. That’s really a big part of my inspiration.” Over the years not only has Cardona achieved third place in two contests sponsored by the Brophy Literary and Arts Magazine titled “Motif ” and “Seclusion,” but he has also enjoyed another, more distinct honor. Currently, one of his works—a pastel portrait depicting a woman posed with a backlight shining on her—hangs in U.S. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema’s Arizona district office on 44th Street. Cardona said that she found out about the work through one of her staffers who contacted the Fine Arts
I really admire Shepard Fairey and Banksy’s artworks. I feel like I’m in agreement with the majority of their messages. -Alberto Cardona ’16
Department Chair Mr. Mica Mulloy ’99 about displaying it. “I displayed it in the Fine Arts Extravaganza,” Cardona said. “Someone in her office came to see our art. I guess she spoke to Mr. Mulloy to see if she would allow me to hang it up there.” Ms. Debbie Cronin, who has had Cardona for all three of his drawing classes, said that he is a hardworking student and that he creates “professional work.” “I want students to have a sense of completion, and I want them to have a sense of pride in their work, and I
At a Glance Alberto Cardona ’16 » Has four brothers who are all artists » Completed Drawing freshman year and Advanced Drawing junior year » Draws inspiration from Banksy, Shepard Fairey
want to push them as far as they can be pushed,” she said. “But Albert always pushes himself further, and he accomplishes things that I would think are outside the scope of a student.” Two works of his stood out to her as examples of his dedication: the first was a portrait of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a Swedish soccer player; the second, a large family portrait depicting members of Cardona’s family as spray cans of
different sizes and colors with a graffiti background. She also noted how he is unafraid to put in time after school and at lunch to work on his art. Like Ms. Cronin, Paul Bullington ’16, a classmate of Cardona’s in AP Studio Art who frequently collaborates with him on projects, also said that Cardona has great skill as an artist. “I think he has lots of potential,” he said. “All of the stuff he produces is real top cheddar, so I think he could go places.” Though he has known Cardona all four years at Brophy, Bullington said that he has really gotten to known him this year and that he is glad to have had the opportunity. “Albert’s awesome. I’m glad I got to known him this year,” he said. “He’s a happy guy. He’s so upbeat and always interested in what’s going on in my life.” Though he said he is more interested in pursuing engineering in college, Cardona said he will definitely fit art into his schedule in the coming years.
The Roundup
February 2016
| Page 17
»Surrounded by Violence
Evidence of violent video games, music all around us By Anthony Totri ’16
THE ROUNDUP The recent release of video games such as “Black Ops 3” and “Fallout 4” has revived the discussion regarding the culture of violence in video games and music. “Black Ops 3” is packed with violence. In Australia the game earned an R18+ rating, restricting purchase to only adults, higher than any other “Call Of Duty” game, according to a video game site known as Game On. “Fallout 4,” which outsold “Black Ops 3” has been banned in Saudi Arabia. There is an ongoing argument that violent video games have a negative effect on consumers, an effect that might be contributing to the increase in mass shootings. “But, as Fareed Zakaria noted in The Washington Post, the Japanese are avid video game players and have a homicide rate close to zero. He argues that the difference is the incredibly strict restrictions on firearms,” according to Psychology Today. The conclusion that Dr. Eugene Beresin made in the article puts the argument temporarily to rest. “We just do not know the relationship between viewing or playing and aggression in the real world – in concert with the Supreme Court decision about video games. Research to date does not inform us. But we should be concerned
Photo by Reece Krantz ’16 Screenshot of “Doom.” Many argue that violence in media promotes a violent culture and may even contribute to mass shootings.
and wary of risks,” Beresin wrote. Violence in music is also a regular part of popular culture. Most know the usual suspects that are criticized for having violence in their songs: death metal, rock and rap. Though the listed genres are well recognized for having violence, that isn’t to say that more popular genres such as pop and country don’t have their own examples. One example can be found in “Independence Day” by Martina McBride.
“Independence Day” was declared one of the 100 greatest country songs of all time by Rolling Stone. The song tells the story of domestic abuse from the perspective of an eightyear-old girl. Her mother is constantly being beaten by her alcoholic father. The reason the song is called “Independence Day” is because on the same day the United States colonies declare independence from England, the abused mother declares independence from the husband by setting their home to flames, according to Rap Genius.
“Let the guilty pay, it’s Independence Day,” she sings. The majority of people seem to criticize the violence in rap and rock, but there isn’t often judgment within country or pop music. In an the article “The Impact of Violent Music on Youth” written by Barbara Wilson and Nicole Martins there are several accounts of specific emotions of teenagers that correlate with listening to “violent music,” but there are no accounts in the article of an increase of violence among teenagers.
An array of violence can also be found in movies. In fact a study was done by Associate Professor Nelly Alia-Klein of the Friedman Brain Institute to see how violence in movies affects the brain. “Alia-Klein and her colleagues rounded up 54 healthy men, some of whom had a history of getting into physical fights, while the others had no history of aggression. The researchers scanned the volunteers three times: doing nothing, watching emotionally charged video and viewing a violent movie,” according to NBC News. “The non-aggressive men’s blood pressure rose and the orbitofrontal cortex, an area of the brain involved in impulse control and decision making, sparked brightly. The aggressive men’s brains were much quieter and their blood pressures either stayed the same or in some cases dropped a little,” according to the same NBC report. The final results indicated that those who had previously demonstrated aggression didn’t have a reaction to the violent scenes in the movie, it was almost as if they were at home, while the individuals who didn’t previously have issues with aggression became strained. Multiple studies have concluded that there is no direct link between violence in entertainment and violent individuals, but research does indicate that violence in entertainment may enhance aggression in individuals already susceptible to it.
Violent video games can cause aggression, poor social skills Commentary by Andrew Howard ’17
THE ROUNDUP Violent video games are commonplace in high schoolers’ lives, and many do not think of the effects it can have later in life. There are many other harmful effects of playing violent video games. “In reviewing more than 150 research papers, the task force found a consistent relationship between the games and an increase in ‘aggressive behavior’ as well as a decrease in ‘prosocial behavior, empathy and sensitivity to aggression’ and that this behavior continued for some time,” according to an article from CBS News. So violent video games may not lead to crime, but being desensitized to violence can be just as bad. If a kid can kill people in a game all day and feel no
remorse, nothing is necessarily stopping him from doing it in the real world, or at the very least losing sight between right and wrong. A study by Harvard Mental Health also raised the issue of desensitizing kids from violence. “These organizations (the AAP and the AACAP) express concern that exposure to aggressive behavior or violence in video games and other media may, over time, desensitize youths by numbing them emotionally, cause nightmares and sleep problems, impair school performance, and lead to aggressive behavior and bullying,” the Harvard report stated. The article also brought up a study of the U.S. Surgeon General in 2001 who found an association between violent video games and increased aggressive thinking and behavior in youths. With all of the mass shootings in 2015, we also
might have been desensitized by violence, because every day it was just another news story. Instead we should think about it as human lives. Every time we pick up a controller and play “Grand Theft Auto” we shouldn’t just kill someone because we can, we should understand that although it is not a real human life, it still represents one. “Grand Theft Auto” is one of the most popular video games among teenagers, according to the Harvard report. That game is 100 percent violence, drugs and sex. It is games like this that desensitize us because, again, if it’s in a game, why not do it in real life? “The Pew Research Center reported in 2008 that 97 percent of youths ages 12 to 17 played some type of video game, and that two-thirds of them played action and adventure games that tend to contain violent content,” the Harvard report said.
There is something to be said for violent video games.They put you in a place you usually wouldn’t put yourself, they allow you to become a different person. But why do you want to be the person who kills someone? “A separate analysis found that more than half of all video games rated by the ESRB contained violence, including more than 90 percent of those rated as appropriate for children 10 years or older,” the Harvard report said. The ESRB is the company who provides the ratings for video games. It stands for Entertainment Software Rating Board.This statistic proves that the ESRB is doing nothing to help prevent kids from this exposure to violence. They are saying it is okay for a 10 year old to kill someone in a video game. Is that same kid going to realize that killing isn’t allowed in real life?
Violent video games, movies do not correlate with real violence Commentary by Jack Cahill ’17
THE ROUNDUP In a society polarized by issues of gun violence, a popular sentiment is that violent video games and movies lead to increased gun and societal violence. That idea may sound logical, but many studies have shown that there isn’t a correlation between violent entertainment and real acts of violence. This is for a variety of reasons, and is summed up in a long term
study conducted by the Journal of Communication. “Results suggest that societal consumption of media violence is not predictive of increased societal violence rates,” the article stated. The study researched young teens who often see violent media, whether it was a movie or video game. Years later, the young teens who were exposed to media and game violence were not prone to acting more violently than the individuals who weren’t exposed to much violence. Using government
statistics on youth violence and statistics on purchases of violent video games, the Journal of Communication found highly surprising results. These results were that “the consumption of violent video games has an inverse relation with youth violence.” That means that in the period in which youth violence has deceased, violent video game purchases have increased rapidly. The Journal notes that “perhaps correlation doesn’t imply causation,” but the results are surprising nonetheless. Other academic studies have found
similar results. One British study conducted by Oxford University researched the effects of violent video games, both positive and negative, on children aged 11-13. The results were largely positive and didn’t find any significant correlation between violent video games and violence in adolescence. “The amount of time spent playing video games has a much bigger impact on kids’ behaviour than the type of games they play...despite moral panic about games like ‘Grand Theft Auto’ and
‘Call of Duty’,” the study found. This finding was bolstered by the fact that the playing of any video game for more than three hours a day would generally lead to hyperactivity and decreased attention spans, while playing any video game regularly for short time periods generally leads to increased sociability and competitiveness. This shows the fact that with violent video games and movies, moderation and self control is key, but that any societal hysteria on this issue is ultimately unfounded.
The Roundup
Page 18 | February 2016
‘Episode VII’ perfectly continues ‘Star Wars’ saga ‘Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens’—starring Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Domhnall Gleeson 10 out of 10 By Jack McAuslan ’16 & Sam Romero ’17
THE ROUNDUp Be warned, this review contains massive spoilers for “Star Wars VII,” but to those who have not seen the movie yet, know that it has exceeded the massive expectations it came with. “Star Wars VII,” directed by JJ Abrams, is now the fastest movie ever to $1 billion and it deserves every penny earned. Every scene in this movie induced massive chills. From the first moment it was apparent that it was going to be exactly what it needed to be. “Episode VII” takes place 30 years after “Episode VI” when The First Order rises from the ashes of the fallen Empire. When Kylo Ren, played by Adam Driver, used the force to stop a blaster bolt from Poe Dameron, played by Oscar Isaac, everybody in the theater’s eyes were wide open. Kylo Ren is one of the most well written and unpredictable villains in recent memory, and every scene that included him was extremely tense because of his unstable nature. Throughout the movie he struggles with the light side and the dark side of the force, and this truly shows when he does something so dark and unspeakable as killing his own father, Han Solo, played by Harrison Ford. This scene was easily the saddest in the entire movie, and it left everyone in shock for the remainder of the film and for hours after the first viewing. One of the most beloved characters in the “Star Wars” universe was suddenly brought to an end by a punk kid who wants to be big and bad like his
Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service Daisy Ridley and John Boyega in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
grandfather, Darth Vader. Carrie Fisher played General Leia Organa, Kylo Ren’s mother, extremely well and made her seem like a more war-hardened character than we saw in the original trilogy. This makes plenty of sense considering her rank as general and the amount of time since ‘Episode VI,’ which she probably spent fighting the remainder of the Empire on the front lines. Although Luke Skywalker, played by Mark Hamill, only had about 30 seconds on-screen and no dialogue, his scene was one of the most emotional in the film because hardly anyone expected to see him in the first installment since “Episode VI.” Domhnall Gleeson played General Hux brilliantly, portraying undoubtedly one of the most evil villains in the movie. As the general of Starkiller Base, a planet transformed into a super death star that drains nearby suns for power, he is similarly ranked with Kylo Ren. The real stars of this movie, however, are not the old characters like Han, Leia, Luke, Chewbacca, played by Peter Mayhew, C3PO, played by Anthony
It really is that good and it is certainly the best possible way to continue the “Star Wars” franchise ...
Daniels, or R2-D2, played by Kenny Baker. Oscar Isaac plays the new ultimate star fighter pilot of the Resistance, Poe Dameron. Some of the best scenes in the movie shows Poe shooting down TIE fighters like they’re nothing. Dameron is most definitely one of the new fanfavorite characters. The big stars are Rey and Finn, played by Daisy Ridley and John Boyega respectfully. Boyega played Finn amazingly and showed real human emotions that we would probably have if we got the chance to fly a TIE fighter around a star destroyer.
At the same time, Daisy Ridley wonderfully portrays Rey, a desert scavenger, abandoned by her family on the planet Jakku, working to survive and soon to be light side force user. Throughout the movie Rey is confused and troubled by certain things such as her own power of the force and whether or not her family will ever return for her on Jakku. She shows the same sort of emotions toward her newfound knowledge of her powers as Luke Skywalker did in “A New Hope,” frustration and impatience. By the end of the movie she shows amazing powers with the force and, after defeating a greatly wounded Kylo Ren, goes off to find Luke Skywalker. Ultimately, this movie is either the best in the whole “Star Wars” saga, or it is at least on par with “Empire Strikes Back,” which is almost unanimously considered the best in the first six movies. It really is that good and it is certainly the best possible way to continue the “Star Wars” franchise, leaving a lot of excitement for the next few movies and for that it gets a 10 out of 10.
2015 music fluctuates in quality throughout the year Best and worst music of the year includes songs from Adele, Silento By Chase L Manson ’16
THE ROUNDUP From new hit maker The Weeknd to the triumphant return of Adele, popular music in 2015 can’t really be pinned by a dominate singer or act. However, there were many shining and distinguishable songs and tracks that need to be mentioned. Best: 5. “Hold My Hand” by Jess Glyns: jazzy, carefree and imaginative 4. “What do you mean?” By Justin Bieber: This song shows growth and maturity, a great addition to his ever expanding catalogue. 3. “Unbreakable” by Janet Jackson/”Cake” by Melanie Martinez: Both show great vocals and vivid imagery, it’s hard not to get soaked up. 2. “Downtown” by Macklemore: If a song got an award for most triumph, it would be this song. The chorus is explosive and shines with its beat and
Photo Courtesy of Tribune News Service Adele performs at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
rhythm. It’s a song that makes you feel good and excited for anything. It’s just a joy to listen to. 1. “Hello” by Adele: This song is a
godsend, for all intents and purposes. Adele always knows how to knock it out of the park and this is no exception. Adele’s vocals shine on the track and her writing is clever.
It’s a great thing to say hello back to Adele after three years of hiatus. The song is a breath of fresh air in a saturated market. It’s also a good process to cleanse the
“garbage” from the year. Most of these song’s suffer from being bland, forgettable and most of all just heinous. Worst: 5. “Pretty Girls” by Britney Spears and Iggy Azalea 4. “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten 3. “Somebody” by Natalie La Rose 2. “Worth It” by Fifth Harmony: Fifth Harmony took over the pop world this year and I will give them that they are talented young women. Their songs, aren’t. This song tries to be the female “Talk Dirty” but just fails. The saxophone hook is the only memorable thing and after repeated listens becomes so annoying. The song is over sexualized and just obnoxious. This song is not worth your time 1. “Watch Me” by Silento: This song became a viral hit, and it’s sad that it did. Like the previous entry, it’s obnoxious and annoying but this one takes it to new heights. Nothing works from the mentions of urban dancing to Silento’s “singing.” Everything about the song is repulsive and cringe worthy. In a world of Adele and quality, this song doesn’t stand a chance. It’s just that awful.
The Roundup
February 2016
| Page 19
O’Neill recounts being stranded in Honduran jungle By AK Alilonu ’16
THE ROUNDUP Mr. Pete Burr ’07’s question from last edition’s “Teacher’s Pet”: In the 1995 film “Heavyweights,” who is your favorite character and why? Of course, I don’t remember the 1995 film “Heavyweights,” but I do have to say that my favorite actor is Tom Selleck in “Magnum, P.I.” I kind of think I want to be like him; living in Hawaii, taking care of some millionaire’s mansion, and not really having a job. Why would you want to live in Hawaii? I’ve been to Hawaii probably seven or eight times. It’s always been fun. I’ve always enjoyed it. It’s got a
great climate. It’s got swimming, biking, you know, weather good enough that I can do a lot of activities I enjoy. What activities do you enjoy? Most of what I’ve been doing for the last four or five years is mountain biking. I live about 10 minutes away from South Mountain and I’ve gotten to a point where I go out probably three times a week, maybe. What did you do before you taught here? I worked as a sales engineer and I sold solar electric power systems, and mostly I sold those overseas. We put systems up in the Philippines, Guam, Palau, we even put some systems up in Abu Dhabi, we’ve put systems up in Panama. All over the globe.
You had a story you told our class a while ago: You got shot at in the Philippines? I did. That’s going to have to be a story for one night when we’re sitting up late drinking coffee. What experiences do you have that don’t involve you getting shot at? I’ve got quite a few fun exciting stories. I guess breaking down in the jungle of Honduras. I rented a Range Rover in Belize and drove into Honduras and we broke down hours from anywhere in the middle of the jungle. I hiked down the road and came across a dairy that was run by Mennonites. And these two Mennonite guys came and fixed the drivetrain and the Range Rover. They actually just fixed it so it worked in first gear, so we drove the rest of the way for the next four hours in first gear.
What drew you to teaching pre-calc to high school students? I was traveling a lot. I was probably out of the country six or seven months out of the year, and my wife at the time told me that if I wanted to have kids, I would have to be in the country more. That and she was a teacher, and I wanted to help her with some of her classes and projects, and I kind of fell in love with teaching kids. I tripped into a math job and I’ve been in math ever since. What is the cotangent of theta plus one? The root of all evil. What question would you like to ask the next person who is interviewed? In the history of recorded time, what is your favorite era?
‘Fallout 4’ meets expectations, improves gameplay ‘Fallout 4’ — from Bethesda Softworks Xbox One, Playstation 4, PC 9.5 out of 10 By Jack McAuslan ’16
THE ROUNDUP Many years ago, four to be precise, I discovered the world of “Fallout” when I wanted to continue playing games made by Bethesda. I began with “Fallout 3.” The difference in atmosphere and difficulty between “Fallout 3” and “Skyrim” was huge and after just a few hours I stopped playing out of sheer frustration. After a week without Xbox, I was lost, and I needed to play something. “Call of Duty” was stale and none of my friends were playing anything else, so I gave “Fallout 3” another chance. Somehow, this time when I played, I got more into it than I have any other game in the past. I loved “Fallout 3” more than any game I had ever played, the atmosphere of a post-nuclear Washington, D.C. and everything that came with it made me as much a “Fallout” fan as anyone who had played the series since the first game
launched. Soon I discovered “Fallout: New Vegas,” and I loved that game equally but for different reasons. After I had seemingly discovered everything in both games, I awaited patiently for the next installment of my favorite game series, and there seemed to be no hope after a phony website that appeared to be made by Bethesda for “Fallout 4” was debunked by Bethesda themselves. Months went by and there was no news. Soon, though, a mysterious page on Bethesda’s official website appeared, and it seemed to foreshadow the coming of “Fallout 4.” When the first trailer for “Fallout 4” came out just days later, I may have shed a single tear. Now that “Fallout 4” is finally upon us, I can happily report that it is one of the best games I have ever played, only being rivaled by “Fallout 3” and “New Vegas.” The gameplay of “Fallout 4” is a massive improvement over the previous games with small additions such as the ability to sprint and, now, no weapons or armor (besides power armor) needing repairing. And that’s another thing, power armor. In “Fallout 3” and “New Vegas” it was the same as any other set of armor. It
Photo Courtesy of Tribune News Service Front cover of “Fallout 4.”
didn’t feel any different because it was able to be equipped straight from
your inventory and could be worn like normal clothes.
Now, however, power armor is completely different. Your character enters power armor as if it were an Iron Man like suit, and it allows you to fall from any height without taking damage and walk on the floor of lakes and rivers. It also gives you incredible radiation and damage resistance. The graphics of “4” are an unbelievable improvement over “3” and “New Vegas,” and this makes the game feel all the more realistic, even when you are battling a 10-foot long scorpion with a laser rifle. With over 100 hours in the game, it is easily one of the top games on Xbox One, Playstation 4 and PC right now for open-world game fans. I have experienced one huge glitch in the game, however, which does not allow me to continue the main quest line. As a result, I do not know how it ends. Some of my friends have said, however, that there is a huge decision to make in the end and it is not a disappointing story. “Fallout 4” is one of the best games of the year and it is undoubtedly one of the best games I have ever played, and I am eagerly awaiting the downloadable content coming in the future.
‘Mockingjay Part 2’ disappoints, weakest film in series Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks 6 out of 10 By Joseph Valencia ’17
THE ROUNDUP “Mockingjay Part 2” was supposed to be the strongest film in the “Hunger Games” series and the epic conclusion to a genre defining franchise, but it falls terribly short. The “Hunger Games” focuses on the oppressed nation of Panem rebelling against their cruel rulers in the Capital. “Mockingjay Part 1” focuses on the start of the rebellion. First off, this film doesn’t justify the fact that the “Mockingjay” novel was split into two parts. “Mockingjay Part 1” did a good job setting everything up
for the war between the Capitol and the rest of Panem. But the actual battles in the war are rushed and are spaced too far apart. The space between the battles demonstrates the film’s largest problem: pacing. “Mockingjay Part 2” is too slow, which can be attributed to the fact that the novel was split into two movies. Most of the characters fall flat in terms of development, remaining the same as they were in the previous films. The only characters that experience development are Haymitch and Effie Trinket, played by Woody Harrelson and Elizabeth Banks. They slowly become more affectionate with each other to the point where they nearly enter a romantic relationship, an element that wasn’t present in the novel. Sadly, the relationship is cut short for no reason near the end of the film.
Photo Courtesy of Tribune News Service “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2.”
The movie also tends to gloss over important events, such as crucial moments with Primrose Everdeen and Alma Coin, played by Willow Shields and Julianne Moore.The novel put heavy
focus on these events, but the movie spends around 10 minutes on each. The rushed battles and crucial plot points come together to show the film’s issues with pacing, which become
extremely evident by the end. The ending is basically 25 minutes of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, played by Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, moping around in a stupor of self pity after the war’s conclusion. One impressive element is the respect they showed to the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who played Plutarch Heavensbee. In a scene near the end, Haymitch reads Katniss a sincere letter of thanks from Plutarch, something not present in the book. The scene fit well into the film, and was a tribute of sorts to Hoffman, as “Mockingjay Part 2” was his final film. Overall, “Mockingjay Part 2” was a disappointment that can only truly be enjoyed by true “Hunger Games” fans who are willing to overlook its large flaws.
Page 20 | February 2016
The Roundup
Xavier Brooke Harris ’18
Gator
By Juan Carlos Ramirez ’18
THE ROUNDUP Can I please get your full name and year? Brooke Elizabeth Harris. I am a sophomore. Are you playing any sports or clubs? I’m on the Varsity Pom team. How would you say this season went? Cheering for the Broncos was so awesome, it really made our football season unforgettable. Now it’s competition season and we’re on the road for state. Do you see yourself possibly being a captain next year or senior year? Well since the captains are usually seniors, I will run senior year. I would love to be the leader and role model for my teammates. A month supply of Chipotle or a
By Kaleb Lucero ’18
THE ROUNDUP
‘Subterfuge’ App There aren’t many strategy games that particularly stand-out on non-PC platforms, but “Subterfuge” is certainly an exception among the App Store. It takes the simple style of a board game, but adds an immense amount of depth due to the diplomacy and negotiation that is crucial to winning the game. Two big aspects of this game are the “specialists” (units able to augment the results of engagements, as well as speed up the movement of your regular units) and the time it takes to commit an action, like attack or relocate. With all the features that this game has to offer, it’s hard not to get sucked into the three-week matches.
‘Brain Dots’ App If you have not heard of or seen this game, you apparently don’t look at people’s screens when they play games because it is absolutely everywhere. Brain Dots is another straightforward game that has managed to hook students with it’s puzzle solving nature. Essentially, all you have to do is
year supply of Taco Bell? Chipotle! What would you say would be your worst class? Be honest. Computer programming. I never know what I’m doing in that class. Pancakes or waffles? Pancakes. Which drama story would you want to live, like for example “The Notebook?” I would have to say “Dear John” because I like the military long distance relationship and of course Channing Tatum. What are features you look for in a guy? Someone who is motivated and has a good sense of humor. Motivation and humor. Basically my middle name. Favorite childhood cartoon? Spongebob was definitely my favorite. One thing most people do not know about you? That I can play the guitar. Really? Wow, I’m impressed.
connect a pink dot with a blue dot using whatever you can draw into the game. Although easy at first, this can be much harder than it sounds as you progress. It involves rudimentary 2D physics, which forces you to think about what you’re doing and, when you fail, rethink until it clicks. This results in a deeply rewarding experience. Although this game is somewhat of a bandwagon app, it is free and is certainly worth checking out. But please, for the sake of your sanity, mute the music.
pcpartpicker.com Alright, maybe it’s a bit late for this particular website considering the holidays have passed, but nonetheless I found it to come in handy. The website does pretty much what it sounds like; it helps you pick PC parts. Searching to buy anything online can be a pain, but luckily pcpartpicker allows you to look for and compare parts from multiple stores, find the best prices with deals and rebates and make sure those are compatible with what’s in your computer. Sure, it’s only function revolves around PC components, but if you ever find yourself in a situation where that might be useful, this is the perfect place to go.
Words from the Wise ... “Electricity. It’s not just cool; it’s coulomb.” -Cameron M. Bray ’16
“In 22 years I’ve only been quoted in Words from the Wise twice. Now, what does that say about me?”
“Pumpkin pie is kind of a vegetable.”
-Mrs. Susan Maynard
“Just stop being yourself.”
-AK Alilonu ’16 to Cameron Bray ’16
“Every year for my birthday, I make my parents take me to Olive Garden so I can watch them suffer.”
-Chase Manson ’16
“The Force? It’s the thing that powers the magical wand, right?” -Ms. Kelly Guffey
-Mr. Tim Broyles
“I’m gonna grab some tissues in case I cry.”
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-Daniel Deglane ’16 before the AP Macroeconomics final
Have you heard any wise words lately? Send them to us at roundup@brophybroncos.org or @BrophyRoundup