The Roundup roundup.brophyprep.org
March 2012 Edition 5
Substance abuse shows different side of students
In Excess
A look at teenage over-indulgence
By Julian De Ocampo ’13 & Alex Stanley ’12
THE ROUNDUP
Photo Illustration by Kevin Valenzuela ’13 Teenagers are exposed to many excesses around them in the modern society.
“G
o big or go home.” “Do or die.” “You’re either first or you’re last.” Phrases like these seem to define recent times. The common denominator is this: Go above and beyond, put your whole effort into something and do it until you can’t anymore. This generation is defined by extremes. Regardless of what the activity is, teens either put in their whole effort or they blow it off. There’s little to no middle ground. This translates to an important question for the current generation of high school students: Are teenagers grossly excessive? Regardless of the activity or the person, teenagers of this generation seem prone and inclined to do something in excess. Some study excessively, others are overly involved in sports while others party in excess. This edition of The Roundup takes a look at the different forms that teenage excess takes, including technology, substance abuse, sports and schoolwork.
Mr. Tommy Smith aims to educate the whole person
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Inside • Sleep deprivation threatens the health, wellbeing of teenagers See News, Page 2
• Technology at forefront of teenage excess See News, Page 3
• In-class gaming poses major student distraction See News, Page 5
• Students should strive to avoid distractions from school work See Opinions, Page 6
• Technology bombards with overload of media See Opinions, Page 7
• Excess of sports can cause daily stress, impact on schoolwork See Sports, Page 9
• Popular hip-hop music praises shallow, superficial decadence See Entertainment, Page 14
Three-fourths of the seniors that walk the hallways of Brophy have consumed alcohol at one point in time—that is if Brophy applies to the national averages given by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. “Substance abuse is a cultural issue in the United States,” said Dean Mr. Pat Higgins. Brophy is no exception. “I don’t see an out-of-control-ness or a spiraling effect, but I do recognize the impact of the issue,” he added. Timmy Mourikes ’12 is one upperclassman who has seen the issue firsthand. “I’m not going to say it doesn’t happen,” he said. “Most of the time it is responsible, but I have seen kids do very inappropriate things.” Fellow senior Sam Pietrobono ’12 also said substance abuse goes on at Brophy. “Every school has kids that drink and kids that go to parties and stuff like that,” he said. He also said that passing the application process to get into Brophy does not make one less prone to drinking or drugs. Although, the amount of exposure to drinking and drugs does differ from person to person. Senior Carlos Mandeville ’12 chooses not to partake in any substance abuse. “It’s more of a hindrance than anything in my development as a human being,” he said. “Especially in the academic realm—it keeps me from being the best possible Carlos.” Underclassmen may feel less of a pressure to participate in alcohol consumption. “As of right now, I have not been See SUBSTANCE, Page 4
Students dispute views on technology’s effect on the student body
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Senior Connor Moore prepares for a third baseball season
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Award-winning news, photos and opinions online at roundup.brophyprep.org
‘Bronco Beat’ debuts as student music news Page 15
Page 2 | March 2012
The Roundup
Kataria’s sense of humor, involvement impacts others By Ian Christopher Beck ’12
THE ROUNDUP An old man with a long white beard and floppy wizard’s hat lumbers onto the stage and the crowd goes wild. Dumbledore has to pause for a moment while the crowd cheers. However, this isn’t really Dumbledore and the crowd isn’t cheering for the beloved character from the “Harry Potter” series. The man wearing the beard and the hat is none other than Sunil Kataria ’12, a senior who English teacher Ms. Deborah Kauffman described as a “teddy bear of a kid.” Kataria played Dumbledore in last year’s student production of “A Very Potter Musical,” but his theatrical exploits are not limited to the Harry Potter parody. He also played Maurice in Xavier’s production of “Beauty and the Beast” last fall and most recently played Barnaby in Xavier’s spring production of “The Matchmaker.”
“I love putting on that grey hair and I wish I could put it on again,” Kataria said of his performance in “Beauty and the Beast.” “That show meant a lot to me and I’m just so proud to perform for so many people that went and saw it and I wish I could thank them.” However, Kataria’s involvement extends beyond the stage. He is also the vice president of Key Club, a co-founder of the TV Club and a member of the Calc Club. “We only go to high school once, right?” he said. “The first half of high school I didn’t do much and I’m regretting that so I’m trying to be max involved now. And by being involved you meet new friends and it’s just a great thing.” But acting and other extracurricular activities aren’t Kataria’s only defining attributes. Rather, it is his humor that garners the senior the most renown. “My sister taught me how to be funny,” he said. “We’re like a tag team and we’re just funny freaks and just around my family I like to make them laugh and also I love making my friends laugh. All of us
come together.” Ms. Kauffman, who teaches Kataria in her AP English IV class, sees that sense of humor day-in, day-out. “I think that he’s one of these young men who is always looking on the bright side and he works very hard but balances that hard work with … an infectious sense of humor,” she said. Rishav Saghera ’12 has known Kataria since eighth-grade and said he holds the funny man in high regard. “Sunil is very outgoing and amiable,” Saghera said. “He loves being the center of attention, and he’s good at it. If anyone is feeling blue, Sunil knows exactly how to cheer them up. Because Sunil is so easily approachable, everyone wants to be his friend. I think Sunil is a great guy, he’s comical, artsy and intelligent.” Saghera called Kataria’s humor indescribable. “He has the ability to make something that is insignificant into something that is hilarious and important,” Saghera said. “He creates relationships with people and has inside jokes with almost every
Photo by Kevin Valenzuela ’13 Sunil Kataria ’12 talks with friends in the Brophy Mall after school.
single person he knows. I think Sunil’s humor is something to be honored; he is one of the funniest people on campus.” Reflecting back on how he has changed since freshman year, Kataria said he sees a lot less shyness in his former self. “I guess I used to be timid,” he said,
noting that more recently he sees himself as more outgoing. “I’m just glad I went out and tried and I’m glad I put my best foot forward,” he said. “I’m glad I tried to get involved and do get involved.”
Sleep deprivation threatens the health, well-being of teenagers By Aakash Jain ’14
THE ROUNDUP Sleep deprivation is a wide-spread epidemic among American teenagers, according to multiple national studies. The American Sleep Disorders Association recommends the average teenager get nine and a half hours of sleep per night to maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, in 2009, only 31 percent of high school students reported getting at least eight hours of sleep on an average school night. Unhealthy sleeping habits, especially among teenagers, have been scientifically linked to obesity, reduced cortisol secretion, suppression of growth hormones, heart disease, psychosis and many more serious health problems.
“Maybe three to five hours,” said Ryan Ziltzer ’14 when asked how much sleep he got each night. Ziltzer cited homework and living far from Brophy as the two major reasons he’s often unable to get adequate sleep. “I got three last night. I just have so much work to do,” said Richard Park ’12. When asked if lack of sleep affects his day to day life, Park added, “I don’t really see a problem. Not really.” Studies have shown that not enough sleep often leads to poorer grades and more dangerous driving habits. For example, a 1998 survey of more than 3,000 high-school students by psychologists from the College of the Holy Cross and Brown University found that students who reported they were getting Cs, Ds and Fs in school went to bed about
The Roundup Brophy College Preparatory 4701 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85012 (602) 264-5291 roundup@brophyprep.org Editors in Chief Ian C. Beck ’12 & Alex Stanley ’12 Managing Editor of Content Rohan Keith Andresen ’12 Managing Editor of Online Content Julian De Ocampo ’13 News Editor Tyler J. Scott ’12 Opinion Editor Joe Skoog ’13 Sports Editors Erik Masingill ’12 & Michael Moroney ’13 Entertainment Editors Chase Stevens ’12 & Jackson Santy ’13 Photo Editor Kevin Valenzuela ’13
Copy Editors Joshua Galvin ’13 Brett A. Mejia ’13 Staff Michael Ahearne ’14 Andrew Barnes ’12 Kevin Cabano ’12 Roan Enright ’13 Jonathan Gornet ’14 Logan Hall ’14 Aakash Jain ’14 Jonathon Macias ’14 Andrew Marini ’13 Paul Meyer ’14 Contributors Colin Marston ’13 Ryan Ricci ’12 Dalton Radcliffe ’13 Christian Schroeder ’12 Nathaniel Toledo ’12 Manuel Siguenza ’12 Scott Soethe ’12 Kyle Scheuring ’15
Bronco Beat Contributors Alex Gross ’13 Miles Kent ’13 Hayden Corwin ’15 Chris Dominguez ’14 Phillip Rapa ’14 Jared Balboa ’14 Brendan Bohanon ’14 Gabriel Lopez ’13 Wesley Ganz ’14 Pratap Jayaram ’13 Greg Goulder ’13 Bronco Beat CoAdviser Mr. Steve Smith ’96 Roundup Adviser Mr. Mica Mulloy ’99
40 minutes later than students who reported As and Bs. Also, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine reports that one in every five serious motor vehicle injuries is related to driver fatigue. In fact, the organization asserts that nearly 80,000 drivers fall asleep behind the wheel every day. In 2000, researchers in Australia and New Zealand reported that extreme cases of sleep deprivation can have some of the same hazardous effects as alcohol induced intoxication. Caffeine or other products to boost energy are only short-term solutions and fail to solve the underlying problem. Most researchers agree the only definite way to eliminate these negative effects is to simply increase nightly sleep time. Scientists and educators are trying to address this
growing problem, but few of their suggestions have been implemented. For example, many sleep researchers have recommended that schools push back high-school starting times so that students can get their needed rest. Most schools argue that adjusting schedules is too costly and complicated, but some progress has been made. For example, the Connecticut legislature is considering a bill that would push back public schools’ starting times to 8:30 a.m. However, widespread change is unlikely with such drastic measures. Concrete adjustments students can make include being better organized with schoolwork, prioritizing the importance of various activities and refraining from procrastination.
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The Roundup welcomes news, opinions, sports, entertainment and photography submissions and ideas. E-mail roundup@ brophyprep.org or see Mr. Mulloy in Eller Room 331.
Mission Statement The Brophy College Preparatory Roundup exists to inform and entertain the Brophy community by producing a quality product that contains pertinent information about the Brophy community. This newspaper will educate our Brophy community and by doing so provide an understanding of journalism theories and techniques for our staff. We will be ethical, honest, trustworthy and dedicated in our news coverage. We strive to be fair and balanced, yet not afraid to report the truth even when it is unpopular to do so. Our goal is not only to report information, but also to encourage and foster discussion amongst our community. Overall we attempt to do all things for the greater glory of God. The Roundup is a student publication of Brophy College Preparatory. Copyright 2009 Brophy College Preparatory’s The Roundup. No material may be used without permission from the editors and adviser. Some material courtesy of American Society of Newspaper Editors/MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service.
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The Roundup
March 2012 |
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Technology at forefront of teenage excess By Ian Christopher Beck ’12
THE ROUNDUP
T
eenagers indulge in a lot of things. Depending on their personality it can be partying, sports, music, shopping or a litany of other opportunities. But there is one indulgence that nearly all teenagers share: technology. Nowadays teenagers are equipped with 3G and 4G phones, laptops that access the world with the press of a button and tablets that can play games, watch movies and stream live TV. And for Brophy students, the technology overload is even more prevalent. Six years ago Brophy debuted the Tablet PC program on campus and now every student carries with them a laptop computer. Most Brophy classes require students to work with their computers to some degree and some students spend their entire day connected to their screen. A serious problem arises when excessive use of technology becomes an addiction. Assistant Principal for Technology and Instruction Mr. Jim Bopp said technology can indeed become an addiction for some students. Senior Philip Mercado ’12 agreed that technology can be addicting and said students are approaching the point where technology becomes an unhealthy obsession, if they haven’t passed that point already. “If we get too dependent on it and then are deprived of it … we could wind up with a very bad situation,” Mercado said.
Staggering statistics
According to a 2010 article on teachersatrisk.com, teenagers spend an average of 7 hours and 38 minutes a day exposed to some sort of media, which is a total of 53 hours each week. In 2010, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation compiled an 85-page report titled: “Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds.” The Kaiser Family Foundation is a U.S. non-profit organization that focuses on major health-care issues in the country. The KFF’s report found that the average time 15-18-year-olds spend exposed to some form of media was even higher than the teachersatrisk.com study, putting the total at 11 hours and 23 minutes. One of the major forms of media and technology teens are exposed to is their cellphones. According to Generation M2, 85 percent of teens between 15 and 18 years old owned a cellphone in 2009. Those cell phone owners spend an
Photo Illustration by Julian De Ocampo ’13 Students use their phones in the hallway of the Piper Center of Math and Science building. Statistics show high schoolers spend over an hour and a half each day texting.
average of 33 minutes a day talking on the phone while cell phone users who text send an average of 118 texts in a single day. High school students in particular spend more than 90 minutes texting on their phones each day. But in an era dominated by smart phones, texting and calling are just a few of the things teens can use their phones for. The report also found that teens spend another hour and six minutes each day listening to music, playing games or watching videos on their phones.
A World of Machines iPad’s, Tablets, Blackberrys, Macs, PCs, iPhones, Droids, Smartboards and more. There are a plethora of technological innovations in the world today. Whether it’s a smart phone, a laptop or a tablet, cutting-edge technology is never too far out of reach. Especially at Brophy, technology is never hard to find. Each student has their own computer (a touch-screen tablet no less) and most carry cell phones. Many of those are smart phones equipped with Internet capabilities, games, apps and video-streaming. Students use graphing calculators, course-specific programs and online presentation platforms for their daily schoolwork. Guest speakers in classrooms are beamed in via Skype video conferencing, and school-wide presentations involve live polling results via text messages. And all those exposures are just parts of the average school day. But technology
We need to have actual social interaction. Playing video games with friends doesn’t count, regardless of what people tell you. —Drew Dinsmore ’13
impacts the lives of teenagers well beyond the six-period school day. At home teens can enjoy innovations like 3D high-definition TVs, surround sound and motion-capture video game consoles. With a 24-hour news cycle and social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, technology and media are ever-present in the lives of teenagers. Technology is everywhere, and as the capabilities of devices grow and change, technology is becoming a larger and larger part of students’ lives.
Broncos plugged in, for better or worse Evan Swager ’12 described himself as “the definition of way too connected.” He owns three laptops, an iPhone, an iPad 2, an iPod, two televisions and a PlayStation 3. He conservatively estimated spending 12-15 hours per day using some form of technology. “Personally I think I’d die without my iPhone…It’s hard though because technology is such an ingrained part of my social life and school life too,” Swager said.
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Swager had mixed feelings about the prevalence of technology in today’s society. “On one hand, we can do things we’ve never been able to do before, and connect with people anywhere anytime for pretty much anything,” he said. “At the same time though, half of the news I see or stuff that’s Tweeted is just pointless.” For Brophy students who spend their entire school day typing or scribbling on their Tablets, the technology takeover is even more pronounced. According to Mr. Bopp, when the Tablet program was introduced there were worries that students would turn inward, forsaking athletics, dances and social events for Internet browsing and instant messaging. However, since the inception of the program, attendance at school events including dances, sporting events and intramural activities has actually increased. But an increase in social activity is offset by a decrease in student attention spans. “One thing I do worry about as a teacher … there is some concern about student’s ability to stay focus on a single idea or a single story or a single problem for an extended period of time,” Mr. Bopp said. “Talking with our English teachers, one thing they experience is just how hard it is for students to immerse themselves in a book.” Mr. Bopp said in order to kick the addiction to technology, students must recognize that over-use of technology is actually a problem. “I think you have to recognize whether or not it’s a problem first of all because
if you don’t see it as a problem you may not be able to do anything about it,” he said. “I think once we get so immersed in it, so used to it, it’s hard to see that it’s a problem.” Mr. Bopp also encouraged students to make the commitment to break the habit once and a while. “You say to yourself … for this one day, one day a month, I’m going to be offline … I’ll read a book or I’ll play a game with my family or I’ll go outside and throw the ball,” he said. Drew Dinsmore ’13 agreed that technology use can negatively impact the lives of teenagers. “We need to have actual social interaction. Playing video games with friends doesn’t count regardless of what people tell you,” Dinsmore said in an e-mail. “I think the childhood obesity rates in this country show the negative effects of technology very well.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released statistics in September 2011 that reported from 1980-2008 the obesity rates for children aged 12-19 rose from 5 to 18 percent. Sophomore Kevin Bauer ’14 also said he feels the effects of technological overload. Bauer said he doesn’t think an hour goes by in which he isn’t using some form of technology. “I think it can negatively impact us by making us lazy and too reliant on it,” he said. “Everything we do is basically using technology … we have become so reliant on it that if we were to have any sort of problems occur with it, everything could possibly go into chaos.”
Finding Balance However, Mr. Bopp does not think this is a problem that students can’t overcome. “The human person has a remarkable ability to learn and grow and find balance, and teenagers, by their nature, have a tough time finding balance. But that’s what maturing is,” he said. Mr. Bopp used the example of his own generation to show how teenagers can grow beyond the addiction to technology. According to Mr. Bopp, when his generation was growing up the main concern was that television was “rotting their brains” but the youth of his era grew past this. “We grew up, we matured, we found things out and we’re just as efficient and successful and happy as the generation before us, and so I think the same thing will happen for this generation,” Mr. Bopp said. “I think it’s a new set of challenges but humans are remarkably adaptable and they’ll find a way to mature and find balance in this new reality.”
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The Roundup
‘TSmith’ aims to educate whole person From stacking at superstores to teaching at Brophy, Smith shares his motivations
By Ian Christopher Beck ’12
THE ROUNDUP For most, the “what am I doing with my life?” moment is just a Hollywood plot twist, a fantastic instant that happens in movies but not real life. But for Brophy’s Mr. Tommy Smith, that life-changing revelation was all too real, and it’s a major reason as to why he got to Brophy in the first place.
The Road to Brophy Twelve years ago, the man affectionately known as “TSmith” was stacking liquor at various superstores when he was suddenly struck with a thought that would permanently alter his career and life path. “It was one day out in Mesa when I helped some guy put 25 bottles of whiskey in his car … and I was like ‘what am I doing. I’m not making anyone’s life better,’” Mr. Smith said. “That’s when I was moved to seek out something else and I always wanted to be a teacher.” Coincidentally Mr. Smith’s high school football coach, Mr. Ed Hearn, was the principal of Brophy at the time. “Every day I wake up and I’m so grateful to him for giving me the chance,” Mr. Smith said, conceding that there may have been more qualified candidates who applied than him. Trevor Szafran ’12, who took Mr. Smith’s Video Production class and attended Kairos 115 with him, has seen that daily expression of gratitude and
Photo by Kevin Cabano ’12 Mr. Smith poses for a portrait in his video production room where he teaches classes on video production and editing. Mr. Smith also works in the Office of Faith and Justice on the Brophy Campus.
joy. “One thing that never ceases to amaze me is that he always has a smile on his face and really tries to find the good in life,” Szafran said. Mr. Smith was hired as a full-time substitute but after a shuffle among teachers he landed as a history teacher teaching in the basement of Loyola Hall, which has since been turned into the weight room. He would end up teaching a World History course to freshman for three years before the Eller Fine Arts Building was constructed and he transitioned into the role of a Video Production instructor.
From SUBSTANCE, Page 1 pressured into drinking or anything,” said David Levy ’15. This issue can get very serious, to the point of dealing with life and death. “Each year, approximately 5,000 young people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking; this includes about 1,900 deaths from motor vehicle crashes, 1,600 as a result of homicides, 300 from suicide, as well as hundreds from other injuries such as falls, burns, and drownings,” according to the NIAAA. Religion teacher Mr. Jim Grindey said there are different levels of alcohol consumption in the quest for a moral life. “There’s a huge difference between drinking a glass of wine and having a beer keg filled with a gallon of wine and guzzling it,” he said. “In Christian ethics it’s about what kind of person God is calling you to be, and what kind of behaviors are you engaging in that are fulfilling that goal or purpose in life, or not,” he said. “And if you are not, what do you need to do to change?”
Prevention and Ways Out Counselor Mrs. Karen Parise is the person to go to if a student wants change. She runs the Student Assistance Program, a program for students on drugs or alcohol, or with emotional or personal struggles. Students can refer themselves to the program, or
A True Jesuit Educator Growing up, Mr. Smith was surrounded by Jesuits thanks to his family’s heavy involvement in the Society of Jesus and his own educational background. He fondly recalls the Sunday family dinners frequented by local Jesuit priests who were friendly with the Smith family. Mr. Smith said his strong family background helped him grow in his beliefs that are so in line with what Brophy and the Jesuit community teaches. “My parents didn’t just teach me the importance of faith but they believe in the value of education, they believe so
can be referred by teachers, other students, friends or parents. “If a student is willing to be honest about what is going on with them, for example if they’ve been smoking a lot, then they have the opportunity to have me assist them with trying to do something different, trying to make healthier choices,” she said. She said she mainly sees students who smoke marijuana. She did say though that she only sees a handful of cases, and doesn’t know the full scope of the issue. “I hear the rumors about all the partying at Brophy, the drinking and the drugging, and sometimes I wonder if that’s true, because a lot of students have a lot of money,” Mrs. Parise said. “But in reality I think it is a problem at every school. I don’t think we are unique in that.” However, she did say that the close-knit community of Brophy makes it easier to know what students are doing, and easier to care for problems. This program, run by the counseling department, works with students to individually evaluate the situation and take appropriate measures. The program’s protocol varies with each student, but almost always involves a combination of support from the student’s friends, family, community, health care providers and Brophy itself. Mr. Higgins characterized substance abuse as a “health issue” and said the primary goal of the SAP is to offer the support needed to break the habit and stop students from “paying for it later on.”
strongly in faith being the center of your life and I just picked up on that,” he said. “I’ll tell you one of the things I love about teaching here at Brophy is that faith is the center of this place.” Mr. Smith attended Loyola High School in Los Angeles, which he called the Brophy of South Central, and went to Santa Clara University for college, both Jesuit institutions. His impressions of Jesuit educations are fairly high. “The Jesuits believe in educating the whole person and academics isn’t necessarily the most valuable component of that education and I love that,” Mr. Smith said.
He also noted students can refer friends to the program to seek help with their issues. Brophy takes a three-part approach to substance abuse prevention that includes education, detection/prevention and counseling, according to the school website. Mr. Higgins said Brophy is planning on introducing workshops with the substance abuse assistance organization Not My Kid in order to educate students on the impacts substance abuse can have on their lives. The workshops would be an opportunity for students of all grade levels to learn about the issue. Mr. Higgins said that the workshops would be important because while older students have retreats such as Magis and Kairos, which help them to reflect on the issues, many freshmen have limited or cursory knowledge. Other drug prevention measures at Brophy include the drug dog program, where trained dogs sweep campus for contraband about once a month, and breathalyzer tests at Brophy dances. Mr. Higgins reported success through the breathalyzing initiative, stating that very few, if any, students over the past several years had failed a breathalyzer test.
Discipline
Students found to be guilty of substance abuse are subject to punitive sanctions that vary with the offense, and can include expulsion. But self-reported offenses can carry much less severe repercussions than those that the school
The greatest challenge he faces as a Brophy teacher, Mr. Smith said, is getting past the idea of privilege that frequents the community. “We live in this privileged community, and that’s okay; I mean it’s not a fault of ours, it’s not bad that we live in this privileged community but with that comes the idea that we have to take care of others who aren’t as privileged and that’s a hard message to get through to 14 to 18 year old boys,” Mr. Smith said. Thankfully, according to Mr. Smith, most students understand that message. “I think they hear it and what’s so beautiful is that they do hear it and they do get it but there are still a few that don’t get it so those are the guys I want to go after,” he said. Szafran also agreed that Mr. Smith stresses Jesuit ideals to his students. “He encourages us to be open to growth and try new things or look at situations differently,” he said. “Service and giving back are a large part of his life and one thing that makes him really happy is when he can get us to give back as well.” Szafran points to Mr. Smith’s ability to relate as one of the reasons he is so successful at reaching students. “TSmith is easily relatable and a lot like a kid at heart,” Szafran said. “He understands us teenagers more than any other teacher I believe, but he also provides a viewpoint of being a parent and tires to help us understand why those parent/child relationships can cause friction.” Szafran also said that his relationship with Mr. Smith has inspired him to be a better person. “I can’t speak for others on this matter too much but in my own experience he has made me want to be better than I used to be,” Szafran said.
finds out about directly or through other sources. Students either self-reporting or caught using or possessing drugs or alcohol are subject to a comprehensive reprimanding that includes an evaluation of usage, 30 hours of community service, a two to four week suspension from all nonacademic school activities, disciplinary probation and restrictions from participating in co-curricular activities. Students found violating the drug and alcohol policy for a second time will be found guilty of “violation of probation” and must appear in front of the Disciplinary Review Board as the punishment is decided. The only exception to this rule is for self-reported alcohol offenses, which generally give students three chances instead of two. For students weary of the sanctions associated with self-reporting, Mr. Higgins nonetheless said, “I would encourage students who need help to come to the dean’s office,” pointing out that some students have come to the office, served their sanctions and continued on to be successful students because they sought help. But aside from sanctions, the one of Brophy’s key goals has always been prevention. According to Mr. Higgins, the key to prevention is “dialogue, good friendships, interests and hobbies.” “Be involved in your life,” Mr. Higgins said. “Don’t escape it.”
The Roundup
March 2012 |
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In-class gaming poses major student distraction By Jackson Santy ’13
THE ROUNDUP In 2006 Brophy jumped into the technological education world by introducing the Tablet PC program on campus. Brophy’s class of 2010 was the first class to be introduced to the Toshiba laptops. Now, in 2012, there are currently more than 1,300 Tablet PCs throughout the campus. According to the Brophy website, the school’s technology program “aims to use leading-edge technologies to enhance the high quality learning experience.” Yet despite the fact that the Tablet program provides students with new learning opportunities and tools, students and teachers said in an age of what some see as technology excess, it also is a potential distraction in class. “We put a machine in front of you with a myriad of capabilities all on a screen facing the student and not the teacher,” said Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction Mr. Seamus Walsh. “It’s a portal to an opportunity for distraction.” “Any Brophy student or young person in general would say they play games in class because they’re bored or because the game is more interesting than what’s going on in class,” Mr. Walsh said. “It’s like if you put a bag of M&Ms and a bag of carrots in front of a kid and ask them which tastes better rather than which is better for you.” Student gaming in class is a JUG-able offense and teachers across campus have unique yet similar insights in the prevention of gaming in their classes. When asked approximately how many students she had caught gaming during her time at Brophy, English teacher Ms. Lauren Karp could not help but laugh. “My first year at Brophy, I didn’t know how to handle the Tablets so the gaming was rampant,” Ms.
Photo Illustration by Alex Stanley ’12 A view many students see in class. As a school with a Tablet computer in each student’s hands, gaming can happen all over the Brophy Campus.
Karp said. “This year I’ve been much stricter with my Tablet policy so not as many.” “Sitting in a classroom all day, I think that it’s hard not to veer towards some sort of distraction,” Ms. Karp said. “It’s a little hard having what is essentially the same kind of computer processing as their video game system at home, right at their fingertips, ready to use.” “It just happens to be video games are a much more intense distraction and can actually cause students to not hear what’s going on in class because they’re too focused on scoring points or trying to catch that last Pokémon,” she said. Mr. Joe Klein ’86 has seen in-class distractions
on both sides of the spectrum, being a student at Brophy and a veteran teacher. “In my day and age when I was a student, people would have magazines or comic books,” Mr. Klein said. “Nowadays, you have tablets at your fingertips that’ll take you anywhere.” Mr. Klein’s in-class Tablet use policy for students requires all students to be in “Tablet Mode,” meaning the screen folded down and the keyboard covered, unless he permits during a class activity or else they don’t use them at all. Although Mr. Klein said believes this policy is efficient, teachers and students have to – like anything else – follow through and make sure they
are diligent with that efficiency. Otherwise, the effects of students gaming in class tend to add up. “They’re inevitably going to miss something of importance and would have to rely on their peers to get the missed information, in the long run it’ll show up on a quiz or a test,” Mr. Klein said. Students agree that gaming is a prominent activity at Brophy and also agree that its effects are less than positive. “When life gives you lemons you make lemonade right?” said Wade Hoyt ’12. “Well when school gives you computers, you play games.” Last semester Brophy rolled out a new software program called LanSchool, which is designed to allow teachers to monitor computer activity and actually see the desktops of students in their classes. The program can be used to foster collaboration by displaying students’ screens on a projector in the class, or even broadcast to other computers. And it can also be used as a classroom management tool for teachers to keep students off of games and on task. Still, at the time not all students were excited about this. “I do not like it because I pay attention in class, I also take notes, I just don’t like the fact that a teacher can look at my computer any time,” said Dylan Francis ’14 in a previous interview with The Roundup. But teachers said the point was not to be able to micro-manage students’ computer use. “I think sometimes students get the bad impression that we’re going to go home at 8 p.m. at night and check on them, which we really can’t do anyway, but none of us would be interested in doing. It’s just to make sure that when you’re in class you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing in class,” Mr. Andrew Bradley said.
Special Olympics club brings together 2 different communities By Ian Christopher Beck ’12
THE ROUNDUP Sophomores Justin Frere ’14 and Jacob Bourgogne ’14 started the Special Olympics club this year, inspired by the Freshman Game Day they experienced together the year before. “I approached Justin because I knew we both had the dedication to get the club going and do what we needed to do,” Bourgogne said, adding that his experience at Game Day inspired him to
want to make a change. The Special Olympics club attends an event each month, lending volunteers to the Special Olympics organization wherever they might need them. Since its inception, the club has attended such events as a Special Olympics Tennis Day, golf tournament and a Fall Sports Day. Bourgogne and club moderator Mrs. Sue Hornbeck said the club usually sends seven or eight students to each event.
Mrs. Hornbeck said the club’s first meeting after the annual Brophy club fair had 75 attendants, but after they learned of the time commitment the club required, the number dwindled to 1011 students who regularly participate. The club was involved with this year’s Freshman Game Day Friday, Feb. 24, where Frere and the other members ran a Youth Activation Workshop aiming to get more people involved in the Special Olympics organization. “We were one of the first organizations
to start a club, get a movement going, get people going to these events,” Bourgogne said, adding that now the club seeks to pass on its success to others. But it’s the experiences that the club is able to have with the Special Olympians that really motivate the members. “You just get to know them, it’s kind of a spiritual experience,” said club member JT Sharp ’14. The interactions between Brophy students and the Special Olympians have
brought the groups closer together and now some of the Special Athletes who participate in the events recognize and remember the Broncos. Both Sharp and Mrs. Hornbeck recall instances where Special Athletes have remembered the Brophy students and welcomed them with open arms. “You get to know them across events … you get this feeling that you’re helping that community survive,” Frere said.
Argentinian exchange students share their culture, traditions Students from Inmaculada Concepción give insights on different hobbies in Argentina By Jonathan M. Gornet ’14
THE ROUNDUP Several students strolled through campus in February as it they were on a different planet. The students weren’t freshmen or transfer students, but were actually foreign exchange students from Argentina that attend a school called Inmaculada Concepción. The group made Brophy their home away from home from Jan. 26 to Feb. 17. Brophy “is really different” compared to our school, said Nicolás Berón ’12.
“First, we can’t choose classes,” Berón said. “We chose one of four specialties: Humanities, Natural sciences, Communication, Art and Design, and Economy, each one with different classes. Each specialty has the same schedule so we are always the same people in the different classrooms. Also we don’t use computers. We use paper and pen.” Berón added that their weekends involved hanging out with friends doing different activities. “In weekends I usually hang out with my friends,” Berón said. “We go to parties in different houses or we go to night club. I also go to see some rugby games.” Compared to Berón, some other students’ weekends involved less social activities and more athletics, said Ryan Fisher ’15 and Reed Loustalot ’12. “On the weekend I usually will go to the gym a
couple of times, The Village in Scottsdale, and I will work out there,” Fisher said. Loustalot also said the gym is a regular hang out spot. “Well I like to go to the gym, that’s my main activity, I like to go shoot some hoops, just kinda hang out,” Loustalot said. Phillip Mourikes ’14 said organized sports and video games are a regular weekend pastime. “Well I play soccer, football, I am also in National Honors Society, I study, and those are the main activities including video games,” Mourikes said. Considering athletics, there is a wide variety of sports that Matias Barragan ’12 and Berón play that are not options at Brophy. “I used to play rugby,” Berón said. “I really love this sport because it is a perfect team sport. I always watch rugby games.”
Besides rugby, Barragan expanded his horizon to other sports as well. “I play water polo as sport and play soccer and basketball just for fun,” Barragan said. “I love swimming too.” There are some things that the Argentinians said they wished they had from America. For example, the Arizona driving age, Berón said. “I think I would like to have different school sports teams like here and of course to drive at 16,” Berón said. In the end the United States was great, but not a place Fransico Kovacevich ’12 said he would want to live. “I like the U.S. a lot but I think I wouldn’t like living here as much as I like living in Argentina,” Kovacevich said.
Opinions The Roundup | March 2012 Staff Editorial
Ending hateful language will lead to better community The Issue: Intolerant language abounds at our school in the form of slurs and jokes. Our Stance: These words, whatever the intention, set the community back.
“T
hat is so gay!” Any students reading this paper are probably not shocked from the last sentence. After all, sensitivity is not a trait teenage boys have racked up an extraordinary reputation for, and that kind of language is exceedingly common among teenage boys, Brophy students included. If one does not see the wrongful nature
of using words like this, it is entirely insensitive. Although, perhaps insensitive is the wrong word in this case, as the sheer amount of disrespect offered in that one word is tremendous. Words that strike at the unchangeable and “different” qualities of a person are just ignorant and mean. Having a word like “gay,” a defining word of sexual orientation, thrown around as a negative slur is the opposite of uplifting to homosexual students. Especially at such a defining time in development, it does not help a young person in being proud of who they are. This does not only go for gay slurs, but racial, religious or even sexist charged
words as well. Cracking racial jokes can be easy. We hear them all the time in the world around us, so why not jump on the bandwagon? It doesn’t mean anything, right? Even though the intention may be light-hearted, the perception is still of hateful ignorance. So, taking the small amount of forethought to stop using a word like “gay,” or halt an intolerant joke can mean a world of difference in accepting all into the Brophy community in a welcoming way. As a positive step towards eliminating hateful speech, all Freshman are required to participate in a Special Olympics day
where they help individuals with special needs compete in different activities. Along with this healthy exposure, students have been asked to join the “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign in which they make a pledge to not use and to stand up against the use of the derogatory word “retarded.” A commonly word used among our generation, “retarded” and “retard” have been fiercely battled by individuals who understand the offensiveness of the word. Additionally, many students have started criticizing their peers over racial, sexist and prejudiced slurs. Unfortunately, in a homogeneously white, Christian, straight and generally
well-off environment like Brophy it is still easy to make fun of the few different people. However, students are becoming more enlightened and more sympathetic every day to those who add diversity in our community and are speaking out against those who use offensive slurs. Kudos to those students. Let’s all follow their lead. Staff Editorial by Rohan Keith Andresen ’12 and Alex Stanley ’12 Staff Editorials respresent the view of The Roundup. Share your thoughts by e-mailing roundup@brophyprep.org or leave comments online at roundup.brophyprep.org.
Digital distractions disrupt student productivity, concentration Stumbleupon, iPhones, television, video games— these are all forms of distraction from doing the day’s drudgery. Distractions are what cause students to stay up late at night completing unfinished homework. They cause us to divert our attention from what is important like school work and entertain us with something more amusing. School work is tedious and requires a lot of thought and attention and after a day of school your mind is lost and on another planet. With the aid of the Tablet computers in every student’s backpack, distractions are inevitable because of how vast the Internet has become. When you take a study hall, do you actually study or does something else entice your interests so
that the 50-minute period seems like a five-minute for a faculty lunch. With windows left open in period? classrooms the smell of fresh air is quickly contested Another example is when a teacher by the sweet smell of hamburgers being gives you time in class to work on grilled. something. Do you start and then In my math class I can hear trucks fade off to something else or do you backing up and lawnmowers and leaf actually complete the assignment in blowers from outside and it draws my one sitting? attention, but I have to resist so I can I think we all know the answers to focus on the matters at hand. these questions. There is also the argument of whether During the school day there is or not sports are a distraction because an endless array of sounds, of the amount of time and effort By Brett A. Mejia ’13 sights and smells that grab that is added to the workload that The Roundup the attention of a sidetracked students bring home. student. When I get home I just want to go to sleep Every so often the barbeque grills get fired up because of all the work and stress that I have dealt
with from the previous night and the current day. But I forget about the four hours of homework that is just waiting for me in my backpack. It doesn’t seem very tantalizing and I try to not think about it, then my dogs start barking, my cell phone buzzes and the distractions begin. At the day’s end there are many distractions that cause students to get off ask and not focus on what the matter at hand is. The solution is to have self-control and it is up to the student to shut off or get rid of anything that can distract you. Even though there are noises and other uncontrollable distractions, students still have to be able to block them out.
Tech deprives students of social acts
We should embrace technology
In recent years, many people have focused upon As the Department of Internet Studies at Curtin the seemingly endlessly expansive domain of social University reported, “As social networking sites networking sites and the changes they create with become more popular by the day, the rise of negative social contact between young people. social effects within our society also greaten. We Sites like Twitter and Facebook are marketed as will also see our strong relationships diluted to a furthering the teen “social experience,” more superficial and ‘convenient’ type but in many ways severely diminish our of relationship. We will continue to see a propensity for real social interactions. further decrease in productivity within Want to know how a friend is doing? workplace and also more instances of Just check their status and there’s company’s reputations and names being no need for a phone call or a knock brought into disrepute.” on their door. See something funny For many students, playing games has happen on the street? Why recount the replaced actual note taking, and even when story to people in person when you students are made to go into Tablet mode, can broadcast it to hundreds in 140 they still try to find ways to play games By Joe Skoog ’13 characters or less. and not pay attention. This is also a departure from the Best case, even if they take notes by The Roundup actual idea of social networking. the time they get home and are ready Originally, social networking was all about making to start on an assignment, the temptation of having human connections with other people and building the Internet at their fingertips inevitably causes contacts through conversations, not profile pictures. procrastination and distraction. However, the recent rise of technology has made This can cause students’ grades to suffer and make students more reliant upon it to keep up socially. it impossible for them to increase their learning in Instead of primarily hanging out with friends, one the many ways that computers can allow. can see many students in the Information Commons So put down your computer at lunch, sign up for using their computers at lunch or break. intramural sports, or even just have a conversation While the computers we are given can be used to about your day with a friend. further our education in many ways, using them as a Steps like these can alleviate the concerns of many crutch to escape talking to others is not productive about the effect of computers on young people. and can only hurt us.
Technology is a part of life that needs to for the rest of their lives and there’s be embraced. no better time to get used to being All around the school, students are responsible users,” Mr. Pettit said of texting, calling, tweeting and emailing current students. along with all the work that they do on There are positives and negatives to their Tablets. having Tablets. But, it’s the Brophy is a school that responsibility that makes the is extremely technology difference. friendly. Students get to use Students must use their computers during class and Tablets responsibly. This cell phones on campus. means using the Tablets for However, many students school only and not gaming. end up thinking that too much “Obviously the negative technology is a detriment. is the distractions that it So, is too much creates, but the positive By Logan Hall ’14 technology a bad thing? is the learning experience The Roundup Imagine a world without that they will be using cell phones, television and technology the rest of computers. Life would be pretty difficult their lives and part of that is learning the for people from our generation. Or at responsibility,” Mr. Pettit said. least pretty bland. According to Mr. Pettit, technology Technology makes everything easier, is a tool that is used to enhance the especially communication. performance of students and make life Brophy System Administrator Mr. easier. As opposed to having teachers Mark Pettit is a supporter of technology check out computer labs, students have at Brophy computers in front of them at all times. Mr. Pettit said he believes Brophy’s “This is a tool used for school work, incorporation of technology on the and I find it to be a productive tool,” Mr. campus is a good thing. Pettit said. “They’re going to be using technology
Opinions
The Roundup
Page 7 | March 2012
Bills aimed at protecting Internet may do more harm The Internet is a big place filled with videos, music and social media. But what if all that stopped? What if you couldn’t visit your favorite websites anymore? That’s what the Stop Online Piracy Act and the Protect IP Act could force to happen. SOPA is aimed at expanding the ability of U.S. law enforcement to fight online trafficking in copyrighted intellectual property and counterfeit goods. Similarly, PIPA is aimed at giving the U.S. government and copyright holders’ additional tools to curb access to what the government and copyright holders’ consider “rogue websites dedicated to infringing or counterfeit goods,” especially those outside the United States. In short, they’re both aimed at giving the Hollywood industry and the U.S. government more power to stop online piracy. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, or RIAA, one credible study by the Institute for Policy Innovation found that annually $12.5
billion dollars as well as more than engines such as Google and Yahoo may 70,000 jobs are lost and $2 billion are be restricted, shut down and even sued. lost in wages. Let’s say you upload a video of your So stopping Internet piracy sounds like 5-year-old sister singing a Miley Cyrus a good thing, right? song. While it may have Under SOPA and PIPA, benefits, the extent to the video can be taken which SOPA and PIPA down and you could go is too far. be sued for copyright These bills would give infringement. In addition, the U.S. government the site hosting the video and Hollywood industry could then be shut down the ability to shut down completely. any website they deem Or you could be part By Michael Ahearne ’14 to have copyrighted of a forum, and on this The Roundup material on it, or forum, someone posts a websites that they even link to a YouTube video think may have copyrighted material. of a part of a movie. This would help shut down file-sharing Under these bills, the U.S. government websites, but it would go even farther. and Hollywood industries can shut down Recently, popular file-sharing website the whole forum just for having a link to Mega Upload was taken down after the the copyrighted material. arrest of its creator Kim Dotcom on This could dramatically affect charges by U.S. authorities of facilitating Facebook and Twitter. millions of illegal downloads through his This is why so many websites are website, according to TheWashington Post. against these bills. Websites such as Websites such as YouTube, Tumblr, Google, Yahoo!, YouTube, Facebook, Facebook, Twitter and even search Twitter, AOL, LinkedIn, eBay, Mozilla
Corporation and Wikipedia all have taken stands. Websites like Reddit and Wikipedia held a “blackout” Jan. 18 in protest, preventing users from accessing their content to demonstrate what these bills might do. This will also affect smaller businesses and new companies. According to Khan Academy, if a claim is made against a website, the U.S. government can tell search engines, payment sites and ad networks to stop processing to this website and cut it off completely. Even if the website has done nothing wrong, and it turns out it never had any copyrighted material, it would still lose money due to having to file lawsuits and to the fact that it has lost its revenue and income source while it was taken down, this also according to Khan Academy. These small businesses and new companies may go bankrupt for being suspected of having copyrighted material. This bill also goes against our rights as U.S. citizens, because it is considered
Internet censorship, squelching of innovation and even reduces Internet security. According to CNET, it may reduce Internet security because it won’t work well with Domain Name System Security Extensions, innocent Web sites could be damaged and there are certain ways to bypass the blocked websites, such as by using the IP of a website, instead of its domain name. After many protests online and on the streets, SOPA and PIPA have been stopped in their tracks, and may not pose a threat anymore. Even so, this is not a sign of victory. Bills similar to these can always come back into Congress, and now that the idea is on the table, it will likely make its way back into potential legislation. The idea of stopping Internet piracy is well intentioned and something to consider. But punishing the website rather than the individual responsible for the intellectual property theft cannot be part of that discussion.
Technology bombards with overload of media distractions People are constantly bombarded the companies would not waste all with corporate media throughout the their money for 30 seconds of air time. day. There are certainly strategies to Ad after ad shows up in every combat the media’s messages. imaginable place. “If you are smart enough to know Companies are willing to pay millions what you should and shouldn’t do, for a 30-second space during a break media shouldn’t mess with you too during the Super Bowl. Is it really much,” said Conrad Beymer ’14. worth that much? “It can, but if you’re smart enough By P. Erik Meyer ’14 Will they really make millions then you should be able to figure off that product because of that out for yourself what you should The Roundup 30-second ad? do.” They must see something in these costly ads or Due to the availability of technology and the
Question
advancements in computers and phones, the media has discovered the best way to reach millions is with a video, digital ad or commercial. “We spend the entire day on our computers doing homework and other things,” Beymer said. The overload of media is even more prevalent for Brophy students who spend hour after hour on their computer for classes and homework. “Technology forces media upon you,” Beymer said. Some students are able to avoid the media’s distractions while others pay attention to it’s messages and their eyes are diverted from their
“Thin mints are the best because they’re minty chocolatey goodness.” – Bobby Bullington ’14
of the Month
goal. “I think the media is good because it brings me information,” said Diego Maloney ’14 who often spends time after lacrosse practice surfing the web for sports and other news. “I just don’t pay attention to them and laugh at them because most of them are a joke,” said Daniel Hall ’14 of advertisements he sees. The constant bombardment of ads throughout our school day can seem overwhelming and unnecessary but simple steps to become less influenced by it can go a long way in ignoring the overload of media.
“Tagalongs, because they’re good.” – Gus Laurin ’15
“I like Samoas because they are extremely fattening and that’s all I look for in a cookie.” – Scott Felix ’13
“Thin Mints. There’s no reason why, I just like it.” – Justin Barnes ’13
By Chase Stevens ’12
THE ROUNDUP
What is your favorite kind of Girl Scout cookie?
What do you think? Let us know Letters to the Editor and Online Commenting Policies The Roundup provides an open forum for public comments, criticism and debate. Submit letters to the editor to roundup@brophyprep.org or to Mr. Mulloy in room E331. Letters must not exceed 300 words and must include your full name and a phone number or E-mail address. All letters will be verified with the author before printed. The Roundup reserves the right to edit letters for grammar, style, context and inappropriate content. Letters will be printed as space allows. The Roundup values your opinion, and in keeping with our mission “to encourage and foster discussion amongst our community,” we welcome you to comment on current issues and our content online. Comments containing obscene, suggestive, vulgar, profane (including implied profanity), threatening, disrespectful, or defamatory language will not be published. Attacks on groups or individuals based on race, gender, sexual orientation, or creed will be rejected. All comments are reviewed by The Roundup editors and/or adviser prior to approval. The Roundup reserves the right to track IP addresses of persons posting comments. The Roundup reserves the right to edit comments based on inappropriate content, style, grammar and context. The views expressed in comments are solely the authors’ and do not reflect the views of The Roundup or Brophy College Preparatory.
The Roundup Staff Member of the Month
March: Kevin Valenzuela ’13
Opinions
Page 8 | March 2012
The Roundup
Staggering pollution rates remain throughout valley The creation of pollution has made rates of chonic bronchitis go up by 133, 817 sufferers.
significantly, increase the risk of premature death.” The number of people affected by cardiovascular diseases because of smog in Arizona is a staggering 1,101,803, according to the ALA. The high levels can also be attributed to the In a recent American Lung Association study, the number of cars that emit carbon, as the study goes Phoenix area ranked as the second most polluted on to say. city in the country. The study found the creation of new Cough. highways and roads, coupled with We have all seen the smog clouds urban sprawl, has caused the rates of every morning and every afternoon. chronic bronchitis go up to 133,817 But what exactly causes this? sufferers. The ALA study cites rising dust levels Cough, again. caused by construction, as well as the For Carlos Mandeville ’12, the funnel effect that happens to air in the smog created by cars can be stifling. mountains because of the valley that “Since I have asthma, I am hesitant By Joe Skoog ’13 Phoenix is in. to spend a lot of time outside when The Roundup According to an article in the there is noticeable pollution in the Huffington Post, “These people live air. It makes me cough, and when I in areas where chronic levels are regularly a threat am practicing sports after school, I will get out of to their health. Even when levels are fairly low, exposure to particles over time can increase risk of breath much faster than other kids. Sometimes, it hospitalization for asthma, damage to the lungs and, feels like the air is choking me.”
Furthermore, the ALA study found a lack of affected by air pollution, because the air can even adequate public transportation and a decentralized be unfit to breath sometimes in lower income city structure are the causes of the smog that many residential areas. see. The Huffington Post went on to say, “The Their “State of the Air ALA recently reported 2011” study indicates that particle pollution taking steps towards public Sometimes, it feels like from power plants kills approximately 13,000 transportation, such as the air is choking me. people per year. extending the Light Rail, —Carlos Mandeville Pollution hazards may would provide ample be exacerbated for people ’12 opportunities for the who are part of an ‘atreduction of smog. risk’ group, such as those Transportation choices with asthma, chronic lung mainly come down to the disease, cardiovascular convenience that people feel disease, or diabetes.” when commuting from place The smog in our otherwise to place, and because of this, convenience is something that should be addressed great city affects many people. Through carpooling, taking the light rail, or even when creating new forms of public transportation, dusting off your old bike, we can make a difference so as to reduce the number of smog producing cars and reduce the cloud hanging over the places where on the road. we live. The American Lung Association also went on to Hopefully, we can end our valley’s cough. find that those in poverty are the most adversely
Blogs»roundup.brophyprep.org
Smart phone ‘apps’ beginning to consume daily lives
By Jackson Santy ’13
The Roundup
By now we’ve all heard the popular Apple slogan “there’s an app for that,” and this undoubtedly has some truth to it. In the peak of the digital age, according to Nielsen research firm, approximately 44 percent of Americans now own smartphones, compared to only 18 percent two years ago, and with all these smartphones comes a myriad of apps. Offered apps can range from helpful
tools like barcode scanners and check cashing via smartphone, to amusing games like Words with Friends or Temple Run. Smartphone users can even read the latest issue of their favorite magazine straight from their phone, no mail subscription necessary. New technologies are constantly coming into play and rendering previous technologies futile. Case in point, the
crumbling of the VHS when DVD was introduced, or the cassette tape when CDs came to be, and by extension, CDs when digital music was popularized. If smartphone apps can already do things like cash checks or show you where your friends are, we are eliminating the need to go out and run errands or to have social interaction with people. What happens when an app comes
about that converses with others without you needing to think or an app that finds you a spouse? It’s close to the point that we will eventually have our iPhones and Androids stitched into our heads doing every little task we need done. We need to unplug from the draw that smartphones pull us in and log out from the “Live My Life for Me” app.
Sports The Roundup | March 2012
Basketball finishes 23-8 with elite 8 appearance Broncos avoid first round upset with blowout of Cienega Brophy 62 Cienega 34 By Erik T. Masingill ’12/THE ROUNDUP
Although the No. 24-seeded Cienega Bobcats scored first, the No. 9-seeded Broncos scored seven unanswered points to gain and hold the lead throughout the game, which ended as a 6234 Brophy victory in the first round of the playoffs Thursday, Feb. 16 at Robson Gymnasium. “We played defense, we got some steals early, we got some easy buckets, James (Harper ’12) hit some shots,” said head coach Mr. Tony Fuller. “We got a lead, came out in the third quarter and improved on the lead, and I think that was the difference.” In the second half the Broncos outscored the Bobcats 28-17 (22-7 in the third and 6-10 in the fourth) to maintain the lead and seal the win. Harper led the Broncos with 18 points. Tim Kempton ’13 scored 13 points. Fred Gammage ’13 placed third in scoring with 12 points. Basketball earns third-round game with victory over Westview Brophy 73 Westview 64 By Erik T. Masingill ’12/THE ROUNDUP
The No. 9-seeded Broncos maintained the lead all four quarters Saturday, Feb. 18 as they advanced to the third round of the state playoffs with a 7364 road victory over the No. 8-seeded Westview Knights. “The key to the game was the fact that we made 31 of 39 free throws, and that was the game,” Mr. Fuller said. “They were a very good team, extremely athletic and quick. We made 31 free throws, and they made 7 of 10. I think that got us over the hump.” In the final period, both teams provided offense as Brophy scored 25 points and Westview scored 21 points. The Broncos’ fourth-quarter performance was enough for a nine-point win, which increased their overall record to 23-7. Brophy also earned an appearance in the quarterfinals Tuesday, Feb. 21 at Arizona State
University’s Wells Fargo Arena.
Basketball eliminated from state tourney with quarterfinal loss to Corona Corona 69 Brophy 54 By Erik T. Masingill ’12/THE ROUNDUP
The No. 9-seeded Broncos were never able to grab the lead in their quarterfinal game Tuesday, Feb. 21 against No. 1-seeded Corona del Sol and were eliminated with a 69-54 loss at ASU Wells Fargo Arena. “I thought we didn’t play our best game,” Mr. Fuller said. “I didn’t think it had much to do with Corona. For some reason, we just weren’t all there, and it carried over, but Corona is a very good team.” In the second quarter, the Broncos scored 11 points, six from center Kempton and five from point guard Gammage. When the Broncos sent the Aztecs to the free throw line, Corona made 13 of 15 free throws in the fourth to seal a 15-point victory and a trip to the semifinals against No. 5-seeded Desert Vista Thursday, Feb. 23 at Jobing.com Arena. Gammage led the Broncos with 12 points. Robert Relf ’13 finished second in scoring with 10 points, and Kempton added eight. The Broncos shot 13 for 19 on the free throw line. Mr. Fuller also said this season did not pan out the way anybody believed it would. “The guys played hard, they played together, they tried and won 23 games which no one thought we would do,” he said. With the elimination, five seniors, Jordan Medl ’12, Gammage, Harper, Greg Patten ’12 and Garron Scoon ’12, have finished their Brophy basketball careers. Mr. Fuller said the seniors helped notify the public about basketball becoming a strong sport at Brophy. “I think Brophy has been known as a football school,” he said. “Football, swimming, tennis and not really known for being a basketball school. Now I go around different places in the Valley, and people talk about Brophy basketball, so that’s a credit to them. They kind of turned that tide a little bit.” Photo by Steven Douglas ’12 Garron Scoon ’12 shoots during Brophy’s loss to Corona Feb. 21 in the 2012 state quarterfinals.
Sports Online: Read complete game articles and analysis, and see more photos at roundup.brophyprep.org
Excess of sports can cause daily stress, impact on schoolwork Students face a conflict with academics and athletics By Michael Moroney ’13
THE ROUNDUP While competing in Brophy athletics, student-athletes who are committed to their team often find they have limited time for their normal academic workload. Student athletes said they can find it difficult to balance both athletics and academics. “I have practice every day and weight
lifting twice a week,” said Gage Buness ’13, a second-year varsity lacrosse player. “With that and AP classes, I have to use any time I have for schoolwork.” Some sports have a designated seventh period practice time, but students said the 50-minute slot is not nearly enough for teams to complete their practices. “The team plays during seventh period but we continue practicing after that,” said varsity volleyball player Scott Mueller ’13. “Once practice is over, I have to stay motivated to finish my homework.” On game days, the football team is able to catch up on homework right after school when they are given an hour to two hours for studying. Not all Brophy
teams have the luxury of extra study time though. Certain sports choose to travel across the state and even the country to play against the very best competition at the high school level. For example, the soccer team can spend an entire weekend playing in a tournament in Arizona or somewhere else. In January, the team spent four days in Florida to play in the Monteverde Soccer Tournament. Mueller plays for the Club Red volleyball team in the offseason. This team plays in club tournaments together and consists of Brophy volleyball players. “We have to stay together as a team, on and off the field,” Mueller said. “It’s
like playing for the Brophy team all year long.” Most athletes have to continue practicing their sport in the offseason so they do not fall behind the pack.This can mean playing on a non-school club team or lifting weights on a regular basis. “I play on a club lacrosse team that goes to tournaments when school lacrosse is over,” Buness said. “I have to continue playing or I will take a step backward.” Some players said they must keep up their intense physical exercise in the offseason so that they will be recognized by college recruiters at tournaments, combines and other events. “Summer tournaments are the best way to be recruited for lacrosse, it’s
when college coaches are watching,” Buness said. If a student-athlete is driven, he will be able to play on a competitive team and be able to complete schoolwork. “A couple teammates are always really tired because they have so much work after practice,” said varsity football player D’Amani Grayer ’13. “I’m usually able to finish everything though.” The football team practices daily with regular weight lifting sessions during the regular season. They also keep practicing and working out during the spring and summer. “Some players are put on academic probation because they sometimes fall behind,” Grayer said.
March 2012 |
The Roundup
Page 10
Veteran core looks to lead baseball club By Ian Christopher Beck ’12 & Erik T. Masingill ’12
THE ROUNDUP Eleven returning lettermen lead the Brophy baseball team into the upcoming season. David Graybill ’12, outfielder Chris Beall ’12, catcher John Rapisarda ’12, shortstop Connor Moore ’12 and second baseman Emilio Torrez ’12 have all been starting for the varsity team since their sophomore seasons. Graybill, who pitched last season, will split time between the pitching mound and first base in 2012 to take over for Dan Winkler ’11. Sophomores Isaiah Deutsch ’14 and Ryan Castellani ’14 are in competition for the right field position, according to head coach Mr. Tom Succow, who is returning for his 35th season as the team’s manager. Mr. Succow pointed to the team’s experience as its defining quality. “For the last couple of years (Graybill and Beall) are guys that have been all-region players and they’ve led the team in statistics in terms of batting average, home runs and RBI’s,” he said. Mr. Succow also pointed to Rapisarda’s RBI presence in the batting order and called the combination of Moore and Torrez at shortstop and second base the best middle infield duo in the state. Torrez agreed the senior class has a lot of talent, and said that since the team has two years’ experience, they know what it will take to win and can pass on that knowledge to younger players. The senior second baseman also said losing the last year’s playoff still motivates him and his teammates. The team was eliminated by Mesquite in the 2011 playoffs. “It’s a big motivation for this year,” he said. “We had a great opening two rounds of the state tournament with wins against Alhambra and the top team in the state, Mesquite, but we couldn’t finish it off by beating Hamilton the next game or Mesquite in the loser’s bracket. Finishing is a big part of this year.” However, despite consistency on the field, changes in the rules of the game will pose a challenge for the squad, according to Mr. Succow. “I think it’s going to be competing with the type
Photo by Andrew Bender ’13 David Graybill ’12 brings in a run for the Brophy varsity baseball team on Feb. 9, 2011 against Chandler. The Broncos defeated Chandler at Opus Field 12-0.
of bat that we have to use this year because high schools across the country have changed to what is called a BBCOR bat,” Mr. Succow said of the biggest obstacle facing his team in 2012. According to askcoachwolff.com, the BBCOR bat is an aluminum bat designed to deaden the bounce the ball has when it hits the bat.
Mr. Succow said the bat was used in college ball last year and it dramatically reduced offensive numbers across the board. “We need to make that adjustment,” he said. “There may be more bunting, hit and run, and stealing going on in high school baseball than in the past.”
Torrez said that with the new bats in place, there will be less “cheap homeruns or base hits” and that players will really have to earn their hits. “It means more small ball,” Torrez said. “Getting bunts down, hit and runs, stealing bases, and playing great defense due to these low scoring games.”
Moore takes on defensive pressure, leadership role By Tyler J. Scott ’12
THE ROUNDUP When Connor Moore ’12 was threeyears-old he would go to his brother’s t-ball games with his dad. “I would play catch with my dad on the sidelines,” Moore said. “I loved anything to do with throwing a ball, and baseball was the best fit for me.” Moore decided at that point that he wanted to play baseball for as long as he could. So far, he has been a threeyear starter at shortstop for the Brophy varsity baseball team. “He joins a list of three-year starters over the course of my time here that isn’t too extensive, and that goes with the rest of the three-year starters,” said head coach Mr. Tom Succow. Mr. Succow also had high praises for Moore’s commitment to the defensive side of the game. “He has a quiet demeanor, but he’s always played great defense for us,” he said. To Mr. Succow, the work that
Moore puts into his defense is obvious. “He plays the toughest position, defensively, on the field because it requires a lot of range, and he continues to work at his craft,” he said. “He takes a lot of pride in his defense, it’s very obvious that he works at this every day and enjoys that part of it.” Mr. Succow also said he believes Moore to be one half of a formidable defensive duo. “Defensively, with having Moore and Emilio Torrez ’12 at shortstop and second base respectively, they’re in my opinion the best middle infield duo in the state of Arizona,” Mr. Succow said. Mr. Succow also said one of Moore’s strengths is overcoming serious injuries. “Connor has, for over the last year, had two knee surgeries, and to me, I think it is remarkable at the fact that he continues to play and continues to play at a high level,” he said. “With these knee injuries, he doesn’t use them as an excuse, doesn’t use them as a setback.” Moore said that his favorite part of baseball is the team aspect.
“I like being part of a team and being able to depend on each other to win,” he said. As a senior, Moore expressed his desire to capture a state title in his last try. He said he believes the team has all the tools necessary for a deep playoff run. “We’re experienced, hardworking and we have good team chemistry,” he said. “We have a strong pitching staff, a solid lineup and new young talent that put the icing on the cake.” However, individually Moore is also looking at his future in college. He said that he is mulling over his options in Southern California right now, specifically the University of San Diego. Mr. Succow is also aware of the Toreros’ interest in Moore. “He has a potential of possibly playing college baseball at the Division I level when he graduates,” he said. “University of San Diego is kind of interested in him; they’ll follow him so I think he’s got a great perspective.”
Photo by Kevin Cabano ’12 Connor Moore ’12 plays shortstop for the Broncos and is one of five three-year starters returning this season.
Besides Moore’s playing ability, Mr. Succow also holds his character in high regard. “Connor continues to be a leader,
I just think he is an exceptional young man,” he said. “He doesn’t get too high and doesn’t get too low.”
The Roundup
March 2012 |
Page 11
Tennis returns key players, sees new talent Tennis set to take on new opponents By Kevin M. Cabano ’12
THE ROUNDUP The Brophy varsity tennis squad is back for another season with players both new and old. Led by head coach Mr. Bill Woods, the team will face some strong
opponents this upcoming season. Desert Mountain, Chaparral and Salpointe Catholic are teams Mr. Woods cited as “tough teams” to beat. Chaparral was the 5A-II champion last season, beating Desert Vista in the final but due to the reorganization of the AIA divisions both schools will be up against Brophy this year. Salpointe defeated Brophy last season in a 5-4 state championship victory. Despite the challenge of Salpointe,
senior Max Oppedahl ’12 said he thinks this season could end in victory for the Broncos. “If we lose state, it’s an upset,” Oppedahl said. The team’s No. 1 player, junior Kyle Chalmers ’13, agrees. He said the team has a “really good shot” at the state title. In addition to Oppedahl and Chalmers, the team is returning players Hudson Blake ’13, Alexander Curtis ’12 and Logan
Hall ’14. They will be joined by recent additions Christian Franco ’15 and Zachary Cihlar ’15, who Chalmers said are expected to make the top six players this season. “Those seven are the top guys right now,” Mr. Woods said. He also said there are a number of other strong players on the team. “We’re very deep,” Mr. Woods said. “We’re probably the deepest team in the state.”
Oppedahl said the freshman are “really, really good,” and even play better than last year’s seniors which included Garrett Nebeker ’11, Alexander Ozkan ’11 and Connor McQueen ’11. Brophy’s first match of the season was at home at Phoenix Tennis Center against Chaparral Tuesday, Feb. 28. The Broncos will also compete in the Corona Del Mar national tournament on March 16 and 17.
Volleyball team ready to use experience to achieve success Benson, Westerfield take on senior leadership roles By Andrew Marini ’13
THE ROUNDUP “Although we didn’t place as well as we wanted to, I think it was probably the best season we’ve ever had as a program,” said head volleyball coach Mr. Tony Oldani with the season about to start. As March rolls in, tryouts are over and Brophy volleyball looks to translate experience into success. This year’s team is one of the most experienced team Brophy has ever had with all but one player having played club volleyball over the summer, as well as two returning starters. The team will face its usual challenges when it takes on Hamilton, Gilbert and Mountain Pointe. However, according to Mr. Oldani, the real challenge lies with the rest of the schedule. “We have at least 10 matches versus teams that aren’t very good and it makes it harder for us to get better,” Mr. Oldani said. “The team won’t face a real challenge until early April, which means when
we do the team is going to have to be ready.” “With Nick Benson ’12, the team’s leader and possibly the best player in the state, and Carson Westerfield ’12 who is another team leader we have developed really good chemistry and have excellent leadership this year,” Mr. Oldani said. “Nick’s been a really good leader for the team and I know that when he does well everyone else thrives off of it,” said Scott Mueller ’13. “I think that the team this year is probably the best we’ve ever had and I am expecting us to make a deep run in the playoffs.” The team has gained some national recognition by being part of many large tournaments. The team will be a part of the “Best of the West” tournament this year along with many other California and Nevada teams. “The tournaments will be a good way of making us an even better team,” said Jeff Bennett ’13. The team will also be in a tournament in San Diego, and will be the first team ever entered into it outside of California. The volleyball team will start up their season on March 6 when they take on their rival St. Mary’s Knights at Brophy gym.
Photo by Kyle Scheuring ’14 William Andrew ’14 sets up for a spike during the Broncos’ practice at Robson Gymnasium Feb. 26.
Hockey enters playoffs with No. 1 seed and first round bye Hockey looks to capture first state title in school history By Erik T. Masingill ’12
THE ROUNDUP After losing to Notre Dame two years ago in the state championship, the Broncos look to bring home their first hockey state title this year after a 14-5-2 season that earned them their first No. 1 seeding in the playoffs. “We had a pretty successful regular
season, but all that matters is if we end up first in the end of the year,” said Ryan Beneduce ’12. With five teams in the playoffs, the Broncos, No. 2 seed Pinnacle and No. 3 seed Mountain Ridge have all earned semifinal appearances. The other two teams, Desert Vista and Notre Dame, played Sunday, Feb. 26 at the Alltel Ice Den. The Thunder defeated the Saints 2-1, meaning they will face the Broncos Saturday, March 10. The championship game will be the day after on Sunday, March 11 against
the winner of Mountain Ridge and Pinnacle. Beneduce pointed to the team’s practices and hard-work attitude that gives them the capability of winning the title. “It all starts with our practices, and I think we’ve been working pretty hard,” he said. “I think the leadership we have; Jon Carkeek ’12, he’s a pretty good captain, and I think he just motivates everyone, and it trickles down to the entire team.” The Broncos’ last regular season game was a win against Desert Vista Feb. 12.
With Brophy’s next game March 10, there is a total of 27 days in between for practice. “I think the main thing is just staying in sync with everyone,” Beneduce said of the long wait for their next game. “We just have to make sure we have to stay in tempo in practices, and hopefully that will translate to a success in the playoffs.” Carkeek said that although the team may not have the most skill, it certainly works the most. “We work the hardest probably,” he said. “We might not have the most skill,
but we come together and work as a team, we listen to our coach, we play good defense and that probably gives us the best chance (to win).” Carkeek said the Broncos will be working most on defensive positioning and posturing and not forgetting team roles during the preparation. He also said the team will be ready by March 10. “We’re excited, we really hope to take it home this year and bring home Brophy’s first title,” Carkeek said. “We don’t want to fall short like the last two years.”
Track returns key talent from championship year for new season Top finishers take veteran roles, new talent to fill recordsetting shoes By Michael Moroney ’13
THE ROUNDUP A year after winning its first state championship and competing at the Nike Track Nationals, the Brophy track team returns with multiple athletes from last season. However, the Broncos will be without a few talented athletes from last season. Most notably, Will Firth ’11 and Tommy Williams ’11 have
graduated since guiding the Broncos to the state championship last May. “Compared to last year, we are basically the same in sprints and throws,” said sprinter/jumper D’Amani Grayer ’13. “The distance team will step up and I know we will get more jumpers.” Firth owns the school record for the one-mile run with a time of 4:15.19 while Williams broke the 800-meter record with a time of 1:54.10. These long-distance records were both set at the Nike Track Nationals in June. Also, Firth finished second in both the 1600-meter and 3200-meter while Williams won the 800-meter competition for the second consecutive year.
Marco Ruiz ’13 will be the only returning distance runner with experience from last year’s state meet after he ran in the 3200-meter race. Devon Allen ’13, the Broncos strongest sprinter, will return for the 2012 season. He finished second in the state in the 100-meter sprint and 110-meter hurdles and third in the 200-meter. Allen is projected to win the 110-meter hurdles this season after running the event in 13.80 seconds last year, which was the second best time in the nation for sophomores. Brophy will also have its top pole-vaulter Cole Walsh ’13 and top discus thrower Danny Vimmerstedt ’12 back after both competed at the state and national championships.
“I want to build on what I did last year,” Walsh said. “Last year was my best season so far and I want to be able to repeat as state champions.” Also, high jumper James Harper ’12 finished at the 2011 state meet with a sixth place finish. Brophy will also miss Josh Dennard ’11, who finishied seventh in state for the long jump and competed in the triple jump last year. “I think Patrick (Dampare ’13) could fill in for Josh in long jump,” Grayer said. The Broncos will once again travel to Arcadia, Calif. in early April for the prestigious Arcadia Invitational where they will face other west coast track teams. Brophy will again host the AMDG Invitational at home in March.
Page 12 | March 2012
The Roundup
Spring Training returns to mixed student reactions By Ian Christopher Beck ’12
THE ROUNDUP Spring has arrived and with it comes Spring Training baseball. The football gridiron is long gone and so too are the hardwood basketball courts fading from our minds. Moving into the fore are the clean-cut and carefully swept diamonds where baseball players thrive. Spring Training has begun again with all 15 of the Cactus League teams reporting to camp in late February. Games began on March 3. But for all the hype, it remains to be seen if Brophy students will join the 1.5
million fans who watched games last spring. Reactions among students to the return of Spring Training vary from disinterested to engaged. In a poll on The Roundup website asking readers how they felt about Spring Training, 11 of the 27 responders said they are not interested in attending games. Nine said they would like to attend more games than they already do and another six said they are happy going to a few games each year. Matthew Saba ’12 said he finds baseball too boring to justify attending games. “I haven’t been to one in years,” he said.
“I just don’t have that much interest in baseball … it’s boring, not fast enough, not enough stuff happens.” Junior Nate Moreno ’13 echoed the thought that a lack of baseball fans means a lack of interest in going to games. However, he said Spring Training was a good opportunity to go out and enjoy yourself without spending a lot of money. Spencer Lawston ’12 said he frequents the Peoria Sports Complex, home of the Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres, with friends and called Spring Training a good time to just hang out. “(I) get a few friends together and just go out, get a $5 ticket and go sit on the
lawn,” Lawston said. When asked whether or not he thinks high school students care about Spring Training, he said that no one he’s invited to games has turned him down. “Everybody I always ask is like ‘sure,’” he said. “I think it’s more for something to do on the weekends.” Zach Basile ’14, who played baseball for Brophy as a freshman, said despite his love of baseball, he hasn’t been able to attend any Spring Training games, though he does hope to attend some this year. When asked whether or not he hears students around campus discussing Spring Training, he said he hears most conversations about it coming from fans
of the sport. “Personally, no I do not hear kids talk about attending games because a lot of kids do not respect baseball,” Basile said. “They find it boring and they think that it is just so easy. But I do hear kids who are fans of baseball talk about the games.” The Cactus League started off in 1947 when the Cleveland Indians and thenNew York Giants took root in the Valley of the Sun for Spring Training. Since then the league has grown to 15 teams and in 2011, an all-time attendance record was set with more than 1.5 million baseball fans packing stadiums all around the state, according to the official Cactus League website.
Lacrosse defeats Chaparral in Robby Mayasich Cup Photos by Christian Schroeder ’12 Brophy defeated Chaparral 10-2 on Monday, Feb. 27 at the Brophy Sports Complex in the Robby Mayasich Memorial Cup.
Out of Left Field ASU or U of A?
By Andrew Marini ’13
the roundup
Favorite Pixar movie? March Madness or Super Bowl?
Sr. Ramsey or Mr. Danforth?
Steven Oleksak ’13 Baseball
ASU.
“Toy Story 3.”
Super Bowl.
Sr. Ramsey.
Colin Zaccagnio ’13 Soccer
Antelope at heart, go GCU.
“Bugs Life.”
March Madness.
Daddy-D.
Charlie Whitten ’15 Lacrosse
U of A.
“Cars.”
Super Bowl.
Ramsey.
Jon Carkeek ’12 Hockey
ASU Barrett!
Want more Brophy sports? Need more scores, stats and analysis? Looking for more photos and comments?
We’ve got just the place. “Ratatoullie.”
Super Bowl for sure.
Got to go with the teddy bear.
roundup.brophyprep.org
Entertainment The Roundup | March 2012
‘Once Upon a Mattress’ debuts March 22 By Brett A. Mejia ’13
B
THE ROUNDUP
rophy’s spring musical production “Once Upon a Mattress” comes to Xavier’s Virginia Piper Performing Arts Center March 22. Directed by English teacher Ms. Dorothy Dunnion and assisted by English teacher Ms. Susan Maynard, “Once Upon a Mattress” is a satiric retelling of the fable “The Princess and the Pea.” The story takes place in medieval times in a mythical kingdom, led by King Sextimus (played by Jackson Santy ’13) and Queen Aggravain (played by Xavier student Sarah Stansburry ’12), following her and her devious acts to keep any princess from marrying her son Prince Dauntless (played by Sean Cahill ’12). It is not until Princess Winnifred (played by Grace Kirkpatrick ’12) comes along that Queen Aggravain has finally met her match. It takes about two and half months to prepare for the musical. According to Ms. Dunnion and Ms. Maynard, deciding who to cast is the hardest part of putting the play together. Cahill said it took him one week to memorize his lines and it will take some time to learn all the dance moves. The preparation work also includes rehearsing with vocal and instrumental director Mr. Paul Olson and creating the set design in collaboration with the Tech Theater Crew, led Brophy religion and fine arts teacher and Tech Director Mr. Ron
Photo by Kevin Valezuela ’13 Xavier students practice a dance routine March 1 for “Once Upon a Mattress” in the Blackbox Theater.
Douglas. With all these pieces, the cast and crew prepare for their first performance by practicing and rehearsing. There are approximately 60 Brophy and Xavier students who will appear in the production. The 60 include nine leads Santy, Stansburry, Cahill, Kirkpatrick, Joe Milligan ’12, John DiMino ’12, Michael Myers ’13, Maggie Rodriguez ’12 and Abby Wirth ’12. As the king’s Jester, Myer’s said his favorite part
of the play is when he is “failing at juggling” in front of the king. Behind the stage Mr. Douglas and the Tech Theater Crew are in charge of building the set and running the performance. The tech crew consists of about 45 Brophy and Xavier students and they will put more than 120 hours into creating the sets and preparing for the live performances in March. The set will be castle-like and very colorful.
“The creativity is huge and every time there is a new challenges and magic,” Mr. Douglas said about building a set. “It’s a blast and we make it work.” Editors Note: Jackson Santy ’13 is an editor for The Roundup and a cast member of the musical but took no part in writing this article.
DiMino takes first place in annual Poetry Out Loud competition DiMino recites “Ego” by Denise Duhamel By Jonathan M. Gornet ’14
THE ROUNDUP Inside of the Brophy Blackbox Theater Feb. 1-3 and then again Feb. 9, students strolled up to a lone microphone to recite a poem that they choose in the annual Poetry Out Loud competition. The students who won that contest were John DiMino ’12, who placed first in the contest, with Ryan Frankel ’14 taking second and Conner Wareing ’12 placing third. The Poetry Out Loud contest is a competition where students from around the nation recite poems. The contest started in Brophy English classes, and winners then competed on the school level. Part of the reason why these three won was the accuracy with poems, said Mr. John Damaso ’97. “So in that final round was eight students and they had the highest point tallies from the last round. Their scores were higher than anyone else, but the hidden factor that a lot of people don’t know is accuracy…so that’s a place also where guys like John and Ryan and Conner set themselves apart,” Mr.
Damaso said. Before the contest, the waiting aspect was torturous, DiMino said. “The hardest part of the contest was probably waiting to go,” DiMino said. “You know you’re in the Elite Eight and then you know you have to wait several days before the performance goes. And you get your poem memorized, and you’re ready to go and that waiting kills you, you get really nervous and you start to freak out and yeah, it’s that torture of waiting.” The poem that DiMino recited in the Elite Eight was “Ego” by Denise Duhamel, a poem he said he chose because of its natural flow. “I don’t like the poetry that’s all very strict rhyme and it’s got a beat and a measure to it and it rhymes like this and that from the end to the start, … I tried to find a poem that had more of a natural flow to it that was as if it were a person talking and ‘Ego’ by Denise Duhamel was the poem I ended up doing,” DiMino said. DiMino will move on to compete at the regional level which will take place March 10 this year. Last year’s Poetry Out Loud regional competition took place at ASU Barrett Honors College with Wareing representing the school. The contest at Barrett was a “whole different energy because every person
Photo by Ms. Stephanie Stefani Alex Chen ’14 stands before the judge’s table in the Blackbox Theater at the Poetry Out Loud Competition.
there is constantly going through stuff in their mind over and over again,” Wareing said. But this year there were also new things in the contest, Mr. Damaso said. ”Something that’s new is that we actually had a judge from ASU sit on the panel for our final round and we never
had that before; it’s always been just Brophy teachers as judges so that was new,” Mr. Damaso said. The Poetry Out Loud contest “is a great thing that Brophy is doing,” DiMino said. “I didn’t think about reciting poetry ever in my life and then it’s nice though
that they’re doing it because it’s an art form and it’s kind of lost until the fact that Brophy is putting it out there. And having it available as something for students is really good; it’s a fantastic program,” DiMino said.
Page 14 | March 2012
The Roundup
Stoa flourishes with dedication and perseverance By Roan Enright ’13
THE ROUNDUP Tim Stoa ’13 grabs his brown pastel and smears the soft color across his paper in hopes of perfecting the highlights in his newest portrait of Danica Patrick. This scene has become a common occurrence for Stoa who has been a part of Ms. Debbie Cronin’s drawing class since freshman year. During the summer of his incoming freshmen year, Stoa took Intro to Fine Arts in hopes to free up space on his schedule and be able to take a Study Hall, but he decided to take his first drawing class instead, which he said changed his view on art forever. “During my sophomore year, my interest really flourished when I took Ms. Cronin’s 2D Advanced Drawing class and 2D Painting,” Stoa said. “Tim’s ability to use a lot of different media (color and black and white) has expanded tremendously from freshman
year,” Ms. Cronin said. Recently Stoa has been working avidly on portraits of any type of person using primarily pastels, which has become his signature style. “I am always drawn to art that pushes boundaries in my work,” Stoa said. “My style reflects my taste which is something bold, dramatic, colorful and new.” With this mentality, Stoa now likes to focus on different aspects of people like their skin tone and body composition to show the viewer different kinds of emotion rather than working on inanimate objects. Stoa also said his portfolio typically hones in on interpreting the human body and that it varies from people standing, jumping, high fiving or anything that shows positive emotion. “Tim is also extremely creative in his ideas of putting things together and thinking of solutions to technical problems.” Ms. Cronin said
I am always drawn to art that pushes boundaries in my work. —Tim Stoa ’13
He said he uses art to detach himself from the world and just focuses on himself for an hour a day. “When I put in my headphones and look at my reference I begin feeling what the person in the reference was feeling at the time,” Stoa said. But when Stoa moves past his phase in his style he hopes to retain his drawing roots, which were drawing different types of architecture. “I have always been an avid fan of architecture and as a result, when I first
Photo by Roan Enright ’13 Tim Stoa ’13, posing for a portrait, works on his drawing of Danica Patrick in Ms. Debbie Cronin’s room Feb. 20.
started drawing, I was primarily focused on architectural drawings and items that portrayed clean line,” Stoa said. “So there is a good chance that I will continue to draw in the future.”
Stoa’s recent work of Danica Patrick was displayed at the March 2 First Friday art show as part of the Summit on Human Dignity.
Do-it-all religion teacher Fisko explains the beautiful game, corners Teacher’s Pet By Alex Stanley ’12
THE ROUNDUP Ms. Guffey’s question from February 2012 “Teacher’s Pet”: Who is your favorite student and why? Well, I have a lot of favorite students. But, I will say my favorite student is the one who graduates actually having fulfilled the grad at grad. Where were you born? Chicago, Ill. Where did you go to college? I’ll list them all: Creighton University, University of Notre Dame, University of Portland and Oxford University. Was there anything you didn’t major in? Yes. I did not major in fencing, botany and of
course I did not major in math. What kind of music do you listen to? I listen to all kinds of music. But to be quite honest, I listen to a lot of my own—being a composer. Sometimes that means listening to a half completed song, or revisiting a song I have made recently. What genre are those songs? Those would be Christian Liturgical songs. What do you do when you are not teaching? I am doimg one of three things: coaching, parenting or doing some sort of extracurricular activity. How long will it take you to master the tuba—10 minutes or 20 minutes? Well, I think closer to 20. I’ll say 18 and a half. Do you have any hidden talents? I would say no. What you see is what you get. Do you think you can kill a person or an animal solely using the power of thought? I am not a student of psychokinesis. I do not
believe psychokinesis is possible. Therefore, I do not. How do you like being a soccer coach? I love being a soccer coach, basically for three reasons. I love the game, personally, and being a part of it makes me a much more global citizen. Secondly, I get to see students outside of academics, and I get to see them in an academic light. Thirdly, because I get to teach the lessons that I normally teach in my theology classes with something as cool as athletics. Have you written a textbook for soccer? No. I would say that I do have one in my head though. What is so alluring about going to the corners? You have very good sources, my friend. Well, let’s put it in two ways. Soccer is known as the beautiful game, and going to the corners with the soccer ball makes much more beautiful shots
and plays. There is a second irony, though. Normally, in ancient times, you would send a student to the corner if they were misbehaving. It was a form of punishment. So, the more you go to the corners, the more you are able to punish the other team. What can students do to get an A in one of your classes? You have to be as excited about scripture or the Catholic Church’s teachings or music as I am. Secondly you have to see my classes as just as much of a priority as chemistry or math. Anything under the table—like chocolate cake or unmarked checks? From time to time, if you can beat me at table hockey, I may consider a boost in the grade. But seeing as that has never happened, I have not faced that yet. Pose a question for the next teacher interviewed. What is your brain food?
Popular hip-hop music praises shallow, superficial decadence Music used to promote good values By Rohan Keith Andresen ’12
THE ROUNDUP Every generation has experienced its own unique and defining genre of music; and with each genre, there has been a unique message. What critically acclaimed American artists of the past sang about conveyed quite different ideals in their music compared to the modern day. For example, The Beatles in the 60s portrayed peace and love. The 70s experienced a similar
movement against the violence in Vietnam where many artists protested through peaceful music focusing on shared humanity. However, there then began a difference in the subject of music. The 80s saw music that started to portray a lifestyle of partying and excess. In 1990, Madonna’s hit song “Vogue” reached the top of the charts, bringing wealth and glamour to the forefront of music. Simultaneously, there was a rise in the popularity of hip-hop music. Popular music advanced through the 90s and the 2000s where hiphop became more prominent and the material became more decadent. Early hip-hop, which originated in the
Bronx, focused on dance and culture of a relatively low-income community. Modern day hip-hop, and the consequent genre of rap, has deviated from the original material. Today, the top charts are inundated with songs that again focus on wealth, luxuries and indulgences. In 2011, three prominent rap artists— Drake, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne— recorded “I’m On One” that Billboard would name the 17th best song of 2011. In it, Drake sings the chorus, “All I care about is money and the city that I’m from / I’m a sip until I feel it, I’m a smoke it till it’s done / And I don’t really give a ****, and my excuse is that I’m young.”
The blatant disregard for any sense of selflessness is evident in what the artists sing about. Other popular artists resonate messages like, “I get what you get in 10 years, in two days” and “Lifestyles so rich and famous /Robin Leach will get jealous /Half a million for the stones/ Taking trips from here to Rome/So If you ain’t got no money take your broke *** home.” The indulgent nature of music and its popularity has escalated to an unprecedented level. It is astonishing that the message of excess and decadence of the music that is so difficult to relate with for an average person has been so well perceived by the younger generations.
It is no doubt that music has effects on the listeners, and the message of selfishness and the importance of materiality must be reaching the masses and altering the way that they think about their pursuits in life. Too often the average life of love and peace is not pursued in popular music, and therefore, maybe that is no longer the primary thing that the listeners care about in their lives. Or perhaps this is just a mirror of what has become important to our culture. Either way, the excess in music is disturbing and we as listeners and consumers must be able to exercise discrepancy to see what should be imitated and what is simply ludicrous.
Online this month: Movie, music and video game reviews roundup.brophyprep.org
broncobeat.brophyprep.org | March 2012
‘Bronco Beat’ launches music coverage Section to feature concert and album reviews, podcasts, features on Brophy musicians and more By Julian De Ocampo ’13
I
THE Bronco Beat
n a 2005 essay published in Scotland’s The Sunday Herald, the great late author Kurt Vonnegut wrote, “No matter how corrupt, greedy, and heartless our government, our corporations, our media, and our religious and charitable institutions may become, the music will still be wonderful.”
This page is just a preview of what’s to come for The Bronco Beat. Next month The Bronco Beat will be released as a full publication inserted within the next issue of The Roundup. Meanwhile, check out podcasts and work online at broncobeat.brophyprep.org. Students looking to contribute should send an email to Julian De Ocampo ’13 at jdeocampo13@brophybroncos.org. We recognize that while events like the Occupy Protests or school drama are unfolding, the music will always be, as Vonnegut said, wonderful. That’s why we’re happy to unveil the expansion of our music coverage into The Bronco Beat.
But what is The Bronco Beat? The answer is that it’s whatever the students want it to be, as long as it has to do with the sweet, sweet sound of music entering our ears. Online and in print, it’s an ever-growing list of
concert listings and coverage, music equipment reviews, feature articles on Brophy and local bands and – of course – album reviews. But more importantly, The Bronco Beat acknowledges that journalism is more than just writing articles. That’s why “The Bronco Beat” will feature our very own music podcast, slideshows, music embeds and multimedia projects in the coming months. In print, the best of The Bronco Beat is published as a page in The Roundup’s monthly entertainment section, with plans in the works for periodic removable special editions. Simply put, The Bronco Beat is an invitation to sit back, put on a good pair of headphones and enjoy the wonderful, wonderful music.
»Album Reviews
Black Keys’ ‘El Camino’ appeals to the mainstream rock enthusiasts By Roan Enright ’13
THE BRONCO BEAT
7.5 out of 10 America’s craving for a new mainstream rock group has been filled with the Black Keys’ new release “El Camino.” The Ohio duo of vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney has given the world another album that leaves the listener with an earful at the least. No one could imagine the success the Black Keys would encounter in recent years, especially after they recorded their third album in an abandoned tire factory. Even without popularity the Black Keys were able to show steady progression in between each of their seven albums. Then without the warning, their sixth album, “Brothers,” polluted the air waves with their hits “Next Girl” and
“Tighten Up.” In a sense they have saved the world from the accepted mainstream music and they have given us a chance to bust out our dusty air guitars. The Black Keys delivered the hard-nosed bluesy garage rock style that gives some diversity to the average listener. Even though “Brothers” made the Black Keys veterans of rock music, the listeners wanted more of that Southern style, rock especially with the disappearance of the beloved White Stripes. The Black Keys’
music critics have loosely looked at them like the new White Stripes, which isn’t the case yet. Jack White’s vocal range and overall musical talent slightly surpasses Auerbach. It is hard to compare the two bands, especially with their new album “El Camino” because the tracks didn’t have equal consistency. Some will disagree with that because of tracks like “Lonely Boy,” which showcase his gut-busting guitar talent. (It almost wasn’t released because Auerbach was worried the fast tempo would throw him off in a live performance.) Besides “Lonely Boy,” “Gold on the Ceiling” and “Little Black Submarines” have the old school blues style that
is seen in the Animals. “Little Black Submarines” even bears similarities to “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin. Still after their seventh recording effort, they still haven’t achieved a great album.The album starts strong, then tapers off toward the end. The singles can be compared to a movie trailer that gives all of its good material away and leaves the rest of the movie as boring. Regardless, if you are looking for garage rock in the vein of the White Stripes look no farther, the Black Keys are nearly everything that the White Stripes were, and with another album they will solidify themselves as the new mainstream rockers. Drawing courtesy of MCT Campus Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney comprise the Black Keys.
Van Halen returns with 1st album featuring original singer in nearly 30 years By Kevin Cabano ’12
THE Bronco Beat
8.0 out of 10 It’s the album the world thought it would never see, but after almost 30 years it is finally here. Four years after the conclusion of a reunion tour with original front man and singer David Lee Roth for the first time after a bitter split in 1985, Van Halen has finally released an album with “Diamond Dave” once again at the microphone. “A Different Kind of Truth” is the first Van Halen album with Roth since 1983’s “1984,” and the first by the band at all since 1998’s poor-selling “Van Halen III,” which featured Extreme singer Gary Cherone on vocals. Throughout the new album’s 13 tracks, legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen, his brother Alex Van
Halen (drummer), son Wolfgang Van Halen (bassist) and Roth pour out high energy and talent that is barely diminished by time. This is Wolfgang’s first time on a Van Halen record since controversially replacing original bassist Michael Anthony in 2006. The leadoff track and first radio single, “Tattoo,” was rather disappointing, but thankfully the rest of the album blows it out of the water. The songs sound fresh and energetic like their original days with Roth, a return from the more pop-driven, keyboard-augmented style of music they employed with Roth’s replacement, Sammy Hagar. This is partially due to the fact that about half the tracks on the album are not entirely new compositions, hailing at least in part from leftover demos from the original Roth era. Many of these songs have circulated around in
bootleg form for years and for the most part the new versions on the album do them great justice. The lyrics are nearly all re-written, and some titles and arrangements have changed, but the original Van Halen vibes remain strong. “She’s The Woman,” “Big River” and “Blood and Fire” are particular standouts from the “new-old” songs. Musically the band is still on fire, most notably Eddie Van Halen, who throughout the album continues to dish out the stunning guitar pyrotechnics that have gained him recognition as one of the all-time greatest rock guitar players. Alex and Wolfgang hold down a tight, punchy rhythm section. Roth may be the weak point here; the age in his voice is noticeable especially in the upper register, but he still does a great job considering he’s a few years shy of 60.
The brand new songs are surprisingly impressive, most noticeably “China Town” and “As Is.” These new tunes may not be quite as riveting as the group’s classics, but hold up very well against the rest of the band’s catalogue. All in all, considering the difficulty for a band to release a new album 20 or 30 years past their prime, “A Different Kind of Truth” was far better than expected. Nostalgic, strong and in your face, Van Halen still proves they can still deliver it as well as ever. “A Different Kind of Truth” sold 187,000 copies during its first week, debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. It was kept off the top spot by recent Grammywinner Adele’s album “21.” A North American tour supporting the album kicked off Feb. 18 in Louisville, Ky.
Page 16 | March 2012
The Roundup
Xavier
Words from the Wise ...
Gator
By Chase Stevens ’12
THE ROUNDUP Please state your name, year and social security number. Alexis Morgan Nolen ’12, and if I knew my social security number, I would give it to you. If you were stuck on a desert island with only three movies to watch, what would they be? “Jaws,” “Silence of the Lambs” and “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.” Harry Potter kind of contrasts the other two. Why Harry Potter? I’m kind of obsessed with magic. If you could use any spell, what would it be? Probably “Accio,” because I would use it all the time. Herman Cain – thoughts? Uh – no. Out of Romney, Paul, Gingrich and Santorum, who would win in a fight? Definitely Obama. Is country the worst genre of music? Yes. What is the most intense physical pain you’ve ever felt? In the fourth grade, I was riding my bike and I fell off, hitting my head and getting a concussion. If I
“It’s simply because I have no standards anymore.”
wasn’t wearing a helmet, I probably would’ve died. Wear your helmets kids! Who is your favorite teacher of all time and why? Probably Mrs. Robillard (Xavier’s Theatre Department). She’s such a gem. That, or my fourth grade teacher because we would make blonde jokes to each other. If someone stole something from you like an iPod, how would you exact your revenge? Hmm – that’s a tough one. I would find a way to delete all the music off their computer so they have no music to put on the iPod. If there’s a train going 15 miles per hour from the north, and another train is going 30 mph from the southeast, what’s your favorite kind of pizza? Veggie Lover’s Delight. Are you a vegetarian? No, I just really like vegetables. What’s the worst thing you’ve ever gotten detention for? I actually have never gotten detention before. So, you’re kind of the lead in the Xavier play. What inspired you to begin acting? I always like entertaining people, and I figured acting was the best way to do it. Can I get your number? Sure. It’s (***)***-**** (omitted).
–Mr. Tim Broyles
“I think Culver’s was made by Satan. It’s a temptation.” – Mr. Jim Grindey
“This ain’t no weenie roast, you turkeys.” –Dr. Pete deLannoy
“Does Mr. Ramsey say anything funny?” -Julian De Ocampo ’13
PJ’s, I’m not going to do it near a lit stove!” –Mr. Jim Grindey
“Just pretend this class isn’t a joke.” -Mr. Chris White discussing Sports Medicine
“Mercy is for God. I deliver justice.” -Mr. Marc Valadao, S.J.
“Oh my gosh, a test! How do we pass?” – Michael Moroney ’13 after hearing “Attention—This is a test” on the PA system after school.
“I don’t know. He says everything in Spanish; I can’t understand any of it.” “I’m not upset, I’m just intense.” -Kevin Valenzuela ’13
“And that’s how I learned that if I’m going to change into my Have you heard any wise words lately? Email The Roundup at roundup@brophybroncos.org.
The Artist’s Corner
By Jack Macias ’14
THE ROUNDUP Inventor-strategies.com Inventor-strategies.com is a website that is up to date on useful inventions such as a black box for cars, along with some crazy ones such as jet engine powered wings that can fly in an excess of 205 miles per hour. If you have an urge to see what ideas people are coming up with and what type of technology you might see in the future, look on this website and get a general idea of where our society is with creating the next big thing. This easy-to-use website has several categories such as eco, gadgets and solar if you wish to specify your search or if you are looking for one specific category. While one might not actually see any of these prototypes in the near future, it is a fun site to explore and see what’s possible. Pixlr.com Pixlr.com is a photo editing website that can minimally or even drastically alter photos from your computer. Most computer editing applications require software to be downloaded
to your computer, along with paying for that software. Pixlr is as simple as uploading your photo to the site, making adjustments and saving the photo when you are done. A lot of photo editing software can cost hundreds of dollars, yet this is a free website in which you can do many of the same features that other programs can do. This program also is on the Android market and iTunes for free. Lifehacker.com Lifehacker.com is a site that, simply put, aids you in getting the most out of life. Lifehacker provides useful tips to every aspect of life, from how to perfectly cook a steak to saving money on buying speaker systems for your car. This website is a compilation of experiences from people around the world telling you what works and what does not. While Lifehacker is meant to help you in life without having to face humiliation or loss of money, it is not advised you supplement this website as actual experiences throughout life, as this could lead to problems.
– Mr. Paul Olson
Photos by (clockwise from top) Miles Kent ’13, Mark Flores ’13 and Kunal Goel ’12