Senior Farewell Edition Detroit Catholic Central
SPECTRUM Volume 85, No. 4 May 20, 2022 27225 Wixom Road, Novi, MI
CC Hockey Returns Home Triumphant Vincent Stockton ’22 The Catholic Central hockey program has been a cornerstone of athletic excellence over the past decades. Unfortunately, and maybe unfairly for the Shamrocks, the season can be judged upon one goal: the state championship. After a victory in the 2021 State Championship, the Shamrocks faced even greater pressure, and the expectations were set even higher this year. With 19 banners already raised in the gym, Coach Kaleniecki’s men were determined to give everything they had to earn the number 20. The Shamrocks had somewhat of a rocky regular season compared to previous years. Losing their first in-state game of the season allowed many people beyond the program to cast doubt on what they could achieve as a team. The Shamrocks finished the regular season 21-3. When asked about how the team regained focus ahead of playoffs, Senior Brian Apple said, “Throughout this time, we had many team meetings, which were player-only, and numerous team bondings to get us closer together as a group. I would say that this tough time for us really helped shape our postseason run. We continued
to skate everyday and prepare mentally through film and other resources. We played the game the right way and did all of the little things right.” The Shamrocks steamrolled through the first two rounds of the playoffs with wins of 12-0 and 4-1. Catholic Central continued their dominance with a huge 3-0 victory in the quarterfinals to advance to the semifinal matchup against Midland. With only one game left to reach their goal, nothing was stopping this team and CC pummeled Midland by the score of 6-0. And then there was one. The state championship game pitted CC against Brighton, clearly the best two teams across the state. The Shamrocks and Bulldogs have established a rivalry that is one of the best in the state for hockey. In front of a sold out USA Hockey Arena, the tension early in the game could be cut with a knife. The Bulldogs drew first blood and scored to take the lead at 1-0. Suddenly, CC found itself on the wrong side of the scoreboard and the momentum. But they responded. Senior Parker Jamieson Senior Austin Janz leads his teammates into the gymnasium Photo by Mr. Cornish quickly put one in the back of the net to equal the score. With six players earning MHSAA D1 After a very close and competitive first period, and junior Landon West all following up as well. With five unanswered goals and fantastic All-First Team honors and Apple also makthe Shamrocks took their play into another gear. goaltending from senior Nicholas Galda, the 2022 ing the Dream Team, these Shamrocks proved Apple was the first to join the goal-scoring party, with seniors Jack Swamba and Justin Hubenschmidt Shamrocks carved their name into CC history. the old adage: success is not given, it is earned.
Trio of Teachers Retiring Clocking in a combined total of over a century of teaching here at Catholic Central, teachers Mr. Mark Gagnon, Mr. Greg Normandin, and Mrs. Karen Fanning will be retiring from teaching at the end of this school year.
Mr. Gagnon in his natural habitat
Photo by Jacob McKee Mr. Nordmandin conducting
Photo by Mr. Cornish Mrs. Fanning with the boys
Photo by Jacob McKee
More on page 6!
A Letter From the Editors Besides chronic caffeine addictions and the ability to memorize quizlet terms in under five minutes, one of the most important things that we developed here at Catholic Central was an unwavering community. Though it feels like forever ago, there were many times in our journey where we were unable to participate in in-person schooling due to lockdowns and other restrictions. However, with schools opening back up this year and mask mandates
being lifted, the CC family not only returned to hosting the staple events of our culture, but thrived in a way that past years could only dream of. Our student sections were louder, our DRIVE sales were higher, and our students, who now knew that they could not take anything for granted, were hungrier than ever to participate in the family in any way that they could. More than anything, we believe that this community is exactly what makes CC so special to so many young
men. No other school in the country has been able to not only survive but thrive in the transition back to normal schooling as CC has. We continued to dominate our competition and bring home state championships and we also continued to support and build each other every step of the way. Students sharpen one another in the classroom competing for the best test scores, athletes sharpen one another on the field through constant hard work and repetition, and artists sharpen one anoth-
er by inspiring their brothers to push their creative faculties to the limit. No other school in the country breeds greatness and achievement quite like Detroit Catholic Central. We are grateful to this school for preparing us to excel in the next steps of our journey, but we are even more grateful for being welcomed in with open arms by all of you who have made the last four years of our life an adventure that we will never forget. It’s difficult to say goodbye to your
family, even when it’s 800 brothers who were complete strangers only four years ago. That being said, all good things have to come to an end. Thank you all for making this school unforgettable and good luck heading forward. Your Editors, Cole Nogawa Owen Kummer
2
Opinions
May 20, 2022
Russian Invasion of Ukraine Leads to Humanitarian Crisis Will Carstens ’23 Since the beginning of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, nothing short of a complete humanitarian disaster has occured. An estimated five million Ukrainian civilians have been forced out of their homes. The ones who could not or refused to flee have been subjected to rape, execution, and torture. The bodies of mothers, fathers, children, and ordinary people line the streets of once peaceful villages. Homes, schools, hospitals, and train stations have been repeatedly shelled and bombed. In Mariupol, thousands remain trapped under siege, surviving in basements on dwindling food and water. Over two thousand Ukrainian soldiers have died defending their homeland. Many of those captured as prisoners of war have been shipped to far-off work camps where they have been tortured, brutalized, and killed. Human rights abuses extend to both sides, however, and substantive reports have been produced showing torture of Russian P.O.W.s by enraged Ukrainian forces. The Russian Army, largely comprised of conscripts, has lost an estimated ten thousand soldiers. Their families do not know where they are and their remains are destroyed in mobile crematoriums. Ten thousand Russian mothers will never again be able
to hold the sons they bore and nursed. Ten thousand chairs will remain empty forevermore. A single question resounds in the mind of
“special military operation” in Ukraine is in response to a fictitious genocide of ethnic Russians in the disputed territories of Donbas and Lukansk.
Graphic from The Institute for the Study of War
Russian Encroachment
anyone viewing this senseless violence: why? Russian president Vladimir Putin and those in the inner circle of the Russian regime claim their
They claim to be an army of liberation, freeing their slavic Ukrainian brothers from a corrupt regime that is little more than a puppet of the West.
These pretextual ideals such as liberty and nationalism are backed up by abstractions and lies, but the bloodshed is real. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 is as much about liberation as the German invasion of Poland was in 1939. And just like Hitler, Putin is an authoritarian at the height of his power, toying with the lives of millions solely because he believes he can get away with it. Herein lies the true lesson of the war in Ukraine, one which is critical for every American to internalize. Disasters like the war in Ukraine are the result of unchecked authoritarian power, of abuses by those who rule over resources and people. It has always been the same, both in 1939 and in 2022. The 21st century has seen the steady march of creeping authoritarianism, both at home and abroad, in response to an onslaught of crises. Illiberal regimes have risen across the world and threaten to destroy the order of democracy built up following the end of the Cold War. We must not allow ourselves to be divided. We must not allow ourselves to be taken in by the warm embrace of security at the expense of liberty. We must remain vigilant and questioning of those in power. Furthermore, as the great poet W. H. Auden wrote nearly a century ago as a response to the beginning of World War II in his poem “September 1, 1939”: “We must love one another or die.”
COVID and Sports -- a Retrospective Drew Laroo ’22 March 11, 2020 will always be remembered as the day the sports world stopped. Following Utah Jazz star center Rudy Gobert’s positive COVID-19 test, the NBA season was suspended indefinitely. A day later, further chaos ensued as the NHL suspended its season. The NCAA announced March Madness games would be held without fans. Less than 24 hours later, the tournament was canceled as a whole. The MLB indefinitely suspended spring training, and soccer leagues around the world were put on pause. The eventual suspension of the Australian Football League, which had attempted to play through the virus, finalized a world without sports. Months later, sports made its triumphant comeback, but things still didn’t feel right. The NBA sequestered its players into a makeshift bub-
ble at Disney World. Weeks later, the NHL would do the same by quartering its players in Canada. However, the lack of fans and vibrant arenas still caused feelings of strangeness. Those feelings progressed into a shortened 60-day MLB regular season, one without a single fan in attendance. As football season approached, more uneasiness filled the minds of fans. The Big Ten and PAC-12 announced the postponement of their football season. However, conferences such as the SEC and ACC announced they would play their seasons, and would do so with some fans in attendance. Eventually, the Big Ten and PAC-12 reversed their decisions and announced their seasons would be held. The NFL announced they would play and allowed teams to make their own decisions regarding fans. Yet, hiccups still existed. The MLB’s Cardinals suffered a team-wide outbreak, which grounded them for weeks. The NFL’s Titans suf-
fered the same fate. A Michigan football team outbreak late in the season caused the cancellation of the Wolverines’ matchup with Ohio State, for better or worse, causing them to not play in their annual matchup for the first time since 1917. As the virus’s impact appeared to wane, more positive changes emerged. March Madness was held with some fans in attendance. The MLB season began in April with fans in attendance, and about a month later, almost all teams had lifted capacity restrictions. The NBA playoffs also began and by the end of May, featured arenas at full capacity. Normalcy had appeared to creep into the world of sports. As fall arrived, this trend continued. Michigan and Michigan State hosted packed crowds for their home openers, as did the Lions. Penn State’s white-out game and Michigan fans storming the field after emerging victorious over Ohio State were breathtaking sights
for fans who had grown accustomed to empty stands. The Braves’ World Series victory and Georgia’s triumphant victory over Alabama in the National Championship were witnessed by full stadiums. The list of events goes on and on. So why does it matter? Saying that the world has changed a lot in the last two years would be an understatement. The unthinkable became the thinkable. Yet, one positive unthinkable shift has occurred: normalcy is continuing to return to our lives. The journey that sports has been on is a prime example of that. As our world has moved back towards the way it used to be, sports has as well. As we think back to the dark months at the beginning of the pandemic, we are thankful for the improvements we’ve seen and the slow improvements in the world of sports as well. So, let us continue to celebrate the return of sports as we continue to be thankful for the return of our normal lives.
During the hight of the pandemic, some teams even elected to fill stands with cardbord “fans.”
Spectrum
Congratulations to Jackson Ewald for winning the Whelan Award!
Shoutout
3
School Sports
May 20, 2022
CC Sluggers Swing for the Fences Kethan Babu ’22 On June 12, 2021, the baseball team lost in the first round of the playoffs to Portage Central High School by a score of 7-5, ending the season with a 16-19 record. The Shamrocks were disappointed with the team’s performance. Most notably, they recognized the team lacked brotherhood and leadership. The team “did not have the chemistry or leadership to be successful,” said senior Peter Denk.
Senior Connor Apligian said the team’s main challenge last year was coming together as a team: “Because we had such a huge roster and remote learning, it was hard to be as close to every kid as possible.” Wanting to bounce back from last year’s disappointing performance, the team began preparing for the 2022 season in the winter. This off-season, the team practiced inside, focusing on fielding and fundamentals. Multiple times a week, the team also lifted, and, according to Denk, “every player did ad-
ditional work on their own to prepare.” When the team was ready to go outside, they were as ready for the season as possible. This year, the Shamrocks have high expectations. Their largest obstacle in the previous year was their inability to come together as a team. The Shamrock brotherhood was missing. This season, every player is fairly close to each other. The returning varsity players are showing the new players what is expected of them. “We have a lot of underclass talent and speed,” Denk said be-
fore the season, “and I think that we are going to be very competitive.” After seeing the boys in action, it is clear that the off-season preparation and changes from last season have proven effective for the Shamrocks. On March 29, the team won their first game of the season 4-2 against Detroit Western. Now, the team is at a 12:11 record. With the preparation and a dedication the Shamrocks have, they are expecting a deep playoff push. The Shamrocks haven’t won a baseball state championship since 1999, so the team
is hoping to change that this year. The team knows they are competitive this year, and the rest of the league should be concerned about the Shamrocks. According to Apligian, “[They] feel close to being a serious problem for the rest of the D1.” The baseball team’s playoff push starts on May 26.
Shamrock Rugby Reaches for New Heights Alex Montico ’24 Last season, the CC rugby team finished as the state championship runners-up. So this year, they are as hungry as ever for the title. Despite being a relatively new team, only beginning as a club sport during the 2016-2017 season, rugby has proven themselves to be legitimate competitors and their growth this offseason reflects it. The team is led by senior captains Michael Sorrentino, Nathan Kipp, and Owen Kummer, and junior captain Ryan Schrameck. The rugby team has been campaigning around the school since early December and it has paid off in terms of roster growth. Alongside 15 returning players, the team welcomes 17 competitors who are entirely new to the sport. Despite these players’ inexperience, the coaches view them as an opportunity to improve the team. “Coaches start players based on attitude and effort,” said Kummer. “We see nothing but potential in new play-
ers who are willing to play, no matter what grade they are in.” The rugby team has been following a rigorous training schedule since January, which has prepared them for their season. Kummer credits the numerous practices with building the team’s resilience. ”A key difference between CC rugby and other Michigan teams is our commitment to practicing four days a week. Although it sounds brutal, it more than pays off on game day,” he said. The team has begun the season with a 5-2 record. Following a tough loss in their first game to nationally ranked Bishop Dwenger, the team gained their footing and achieved a commanding 51-19 win over last year’s Ohio state champions Toledo Whitmer. CC rugby has continued their sea- Team photo after match against Toledo Whitmer Photo submitted son with notable wins against Howell, Loyola, and Brighton. New additions to the team as well as an unwaverThe increased popularity and success of the rugby ing drive to win will help propel the players to new heights. team is helping them become a strong force in the realm The team will continue to develop throughout the seaof CC sports. Following the graduation of only two seson and will keep their hopes of a state championship alive. nior rugby players last year, the team is as strong as ever.
Final Exam Study Tips This May, Detroit Catholic Central will administer second semester finals for the first time in two years. Due to rampant waves of panicked freshmen running through the halls since half of the school has never experienced what is arguably the greatest crucible of CC education, we reached out to senior Andrew Ciarelli for his exam-day tips. -Editors •
Utilize the after-school study period: The day before exams is always a short schedule with the opportunity to visit teachers and ask last-second questions. This makes it the perfect time to hop onto Call of Duty with the boys. Most kids are still in school, so server traffic should be at an all-time low. If you’re feeling especially studious, you could even practice using English vocab words to spice up your squad callouts.
•
Master the art of holding it: Strong urinary discipline is an absolute must for any exam-day scholar. In the weeks leading up to the exam, restrict urination to no more than once daily between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., as this will be crucial in executing efficiently-timed bathroom breaks in the brief period between your exams.
•
Stay sharp: When you’re fighting tooth-and-nail to write a killer conclusion to your Shakespeare essay with 5 minutes remaining, you can hardly afford to sharpen your pencil. That’s precisely why I recommend bringing a minimum of 10 pencils (#2) to every exam. A dull pencil is your worst enemy, so be sure to dispose of them and grab a new 10 after you finish.
•
Get inked: Cheat sheets are temporary. Tattoos are forever. Aside from the obvious academic benefits, nothing shouts “chick magnet” like a guy with the quadratic formula permanently penned on his left bicep. It’s not like Mr. Hancock can force you to undergo laser removal halfway through a midterm... right? Honestly, it’s getting hard to tell these days. Just make sure you use black or blue ink.
•
Find a study buddy: Batman and Robin. Jordan and Pippen. Mr. Gismondi and Mr. Herman. What do all dynamic duos have in common? One of them does the dirty work and the other’s along for the ride. Find a friend who makes thorough 200-card Quizlets and you’ve struck gold. Never let them go. Ever.
•
Have a backup plan: Let’s face it. You’re not passing that Honors Geometry midterm any time soon. Might as well install Geometry Dash onto your TI-84 so you can spend the full 2 hours doing something worth your time.
•
Good luck, gents. Remember your training. Start a pandemic: Worst comes to worst, it’s the night before exams and you’re completely confuzzled about which organelle is the powerhouse of the cell. Take a deep breath and visit your local meat market. Find the most exotic thing you can and consume a sizable portion uncooked. Exams will be the least of your worries.
Photo by Mr. Cornish
CATHOLIC CENTRAL SPECTRUM STAFF Proudly written, edited, and designed by the students of Catholic Central since 1936
27225 Wixom Road, Wixom, MI 48374
Photographer
Editors-in-Chief
Moderator
Cole Vincent Jacob McKee
Owen Kummer Cole Nogawa
Mr. Nieko Ianni
Staff Writers Dominic Aiello Dominic Apap Kethan Babu Christian Bakkal
Josh Bisdorf Diego Cabello Will Carstens Max Chensse
Andrew Ciarelli Johnathan Diaz Andrew Kil Drew Laroo
David Mondrusov Alex Montico Vincent Stockton Blaise Williams
Michigan State University
Matthew Abraham Joshua Aleva Dominic Amori Brady Anderson Cameron Andrysiak Brian Apple Kethan Babu Jeffrey Banier Micheal Barron Connor Benoit Jackson Collins Thomas Corriveau Thomas Czapski Maxwell Datesman Anthony Dickow Stephen DiFranco Micheal Downs Jack Drummond Sean Field Landon Gardella Nolan Gresens Henry Grybas Joseph Iafrate Jake Jackson Alexander Johnston Cristian Karagiorgios John Kelly Micheal Khzouz Jonah Killebrew Jack Kirkwood Henry Krzywiecki Harrison LaGore Spencer Lent Garrett Levens Daulton Lozinski Patrick Lurz Owen Malia Liam Mason Nikola Milosevich Lucas Moscone Conor Murphy Zachary Oliver Jacob Orr Christopher Paige Nikhil Parakh Nicholas Pascual Dominic Piccirilli Nikolas Portillo Sape Quashie Andrew Ross Daniel Rotondo Jaden Rozum Sebastian Ruggirello Jacob Saucedo Nathan Schack Mclaren Schleuning Kevin Schwab Jack Swamba Mark Paul Vallespir Jason Van Camp Kevin Wendt Aiden Wright James Ziadeh
4
The List
May 20, 2022
Grand Valley State University James Almeda Blake Baumann Chance Carroll Nicholas Condon Nolan Denton Samuel Doneth Brady Hewer Evan Jackson Brayden Marks Connor Miles Adam Natoci Nicholas Tulio Nicholas Winslow
Hope College Jack Balmforth Liam Casey Will Jewell Dante Rieli Gavin Williams Benjamin York
Western Michigan University Landon Hale Caleb Horlock Samuel Maloney Colin McLachlan Matthew Rickabaugh Jack Snow Logan Szymanski Ryer Watkins
Michigan Technological University Colten Baran Jack Harbaugh Evan Leone Steven Leudeman Anthony Quittschreiber John Terhaar Cole Vincent
Purdue University David Bernard Cameron Kline Matthew Prince Patrick Shea Joseph Wolak
Oakland University Ryan Bratke Cooper Craggs Mason Duncan Connor Farida Jacob Horkey Reid Michener Spencer Philip Tristan Toma
Lawrence Technological University Logan Fadool Kaden Hemme James Hogg Justin Hubenscmidt Nikolas Ilievski Luke Radu Savyo Shammo
University of Detroit Mercy Jackson Ewald Kyan Ismail Matthew Konja Alexander Mansur Theo Pispidikis Cooper St. Clair Vincent Stockton
COLLEG Arizona State University
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Eastern Michigan University
Diego Cabello Nathan Woods
Joshua Bisdorf Declan Byle Graham Castillo Maximus Chensse Liam Cross Peter Denk Julian Freyre Colin Harris Jonah Hurley Ryan Jansen Andrew Laroo Jude Laskey Ryan Luke Ryan McAllister David Mondrusov Cole Nogawa Brian Petroff William Ward
Dominic Abate Ryan Chenoweth
Bowling Green State University
Ferris State University
Luke Butler Carson Biagoli Trevor Hill
Catholic University
Hocking College Antonio Biggs
Nicholas Licari
University of Michigan, Dearborn
Central Michigan University
Brett Leidal Colin Mack Jayson Saad Matthew Sommer Christian Taylor Ari Vera
Indiana Technological University
Charles Hunsinger James Turner Ethan Williams
Adrian College
DePaul University
Mark Picano
Indiana University Daniel Logan
Nathan Kipp Micheal Sorrentino
Andrew Ciarelli Andrew Moss
Aquinas College
Iowa State University Manuel Rojas
Cooper Croskey
CLASS O
THE TR Most likely to succeed: Cole Nogawa
Biggest Arms: Sean Field
Most Intelligent: Cole Nogawa
Most Spirited: Antonio Biggs
Best Fall Athlete: Owen Semp
Best Writer: Stephen DiFranco
Best Winter Athlete: Brian Apple
Best Artist: James Hogg
Best Spring Athlete: Jackson Ewald
Most likely to be mistaken for a Frosh: Ari Vera
Kid who thinks he’s the best athlete: Antonio Biggs
Nicest Kid: Jack Drummond
Try Hard Award: Jack Kirkwood
Funniest Kid: Jack Bartol
Best athlete who no one knows about: Noah Atisha
Biggest Mooch: Spencer Lent
Most likely to be married in five years: Jack Swamba
Most likely to have not washed his senior sweater yet: Kyle Provo
Kid who your mom wishes you were: John Smith
GE LIST John Carroll University
Madonna University
Connor Cohan William Harpster Mohamed Jaffer
George Murn Pablo Rebollar Joshua Zyck
Kalamazoo College
Mississippi State University
Conner Bell
Nick Johnson
University of Notre Dame
Connor Apligian
St. John’s College Ian O’Donnell
Olivet College
Swarthmore College
Jermeir Reliford
Neil Zhu
Penn State University Joel Jaskolski
Saginaw Valley State University
Kellogg Community College
Lansing Community College
5
Tremmies
May 20, 2022
Kamron Davenport Raid Zerki
Oakland Community College Matthew Bennett Gordon Jones Noah Potter
Trine University Benjamin Flake
Declan Lee
Nova Southeastern University
Matthew Herro
Loyola University Chicago Casey Wojcik
Frank Christopher
Robert Morris University
Schoolcraft College Preston Berezinski Lucas Ervin Chase McCarthy Kyle Provo Ethan Stawara
Texas A&M University
Gavin Filip
Vincent Greene Robert Hahn Owen Kummer
University of Chicago
Anthony Augustine
Syracuse University Diego Guerra
OF 2022
University of Dayton Quinn Brady John Lemon Drew Los
Owen Semp
William Morphew
University of Illinois
Washtenaw Community College
Bradley Wassef
Jack Fraser Brendan Laurie Thomas O’Neill
University of Indianapolis
Wayne State University
Parker Sennett
Julian Ariza Noah Atisha Luke Sterling Micheal Yousif
University of St. Francis Andrew Bauman
Army
John Smith
University of South Florida Micheal Chechel
Xavier University Joseph Collino
University of St. Thomas Samuel Ross
Antonio Bush
Peter Stassinopoulos
Seton Hall University
University of Alabama
University of Florida
Valparaiso University
Undecided Micheal Beydoun Austin Campbell Marco Caruana Tariq Comai Micheal Connor Eian Gausden Brady Green Parker Jamieson Reece Jones Alex Kas-Shamoun Andrew Kazmierczak Joseph Kelly Darin Koziorowski
Aidan LaBoda Kameron Mayes Gavin Moffatt Ryan Riley John Rogers Devon Soman Nicholas Swider Noah Szmagaj Johnathon Truxal Anthony Walker William Walter Gavin Webb Carson Wood
Junior A Hockey Garrett Freel Nicholas Galda Austin Janz Robert Masters
Trade School Jack Bartol Samuel Oshel Patrick Suchora
Military Nicholas Maynard - National Guard Ashton Chapman - U.S. Marine Corps
REMMIES Most likely to crush you without noticing: Ben Flake
Most likely to be in a Barstool Sports video: Jack Bartol
Best Dressed: Jacob Orr
Most likely to be in dress code during online school: Ian O’Donnell
Sickest Flow: Ryer Watkins Favorite Ginger: Patrick Shea Best Snapchat: Sean Field Best Twitter: Sean Field Quizlet Plug: John Smith Most likely to be found sleeping in class: Logan Fadool Coolest Kid: Jack Drummond
Most likely to be a CNN News anchor: Reid Michener Most likely to be a Fox News anchor: Frank Christopher Best Speech Award: Jack Drummond Deadbeat Award: Noah Potter Best Chess Player Award: Antonio Bush Most likely to be the next Mr. Carrier: Gordon Jones
6
Retiring Faculty
May 20, 2022
Mrs. Karen Fanning Johnathan Diaz ’23 Students at Catholic Central know that their development as young men is heavily impacted by the teachers that they have. Unfortunately, this year, CC is losing another legend as Mrs. Fanning retires after her twenty-third year of teaching. In 1999, Mrs. Fanning was hired by Father Menner to be a part of the Catholic Central teaching staff as an art and chemistry teacher. She was driven to teach chemistry and art simultaneously by her passion for both subjects. Nine years after joining CC, she stopped teaching art and decided to make her primary area of focus chemistry. Students who have been in her classes have appreciated the effort with which she teaches. Junior Owen Kendall had this to say about her teaching: “I really liked Mrs. Fanning, she is a very nice person and she made a subject that I wouldn’t typically enjoy fun.” Years later, Mrs. Fanning would eventually create the Forensics Science program at CC, which students have flocked to and loved. Mrs. Fanning’s decision to add a Forensics Science program to CC stemmed from her desire to assist the Science Olympiad team. Previously to the addition of the Forensic Science Program,
our Science Olympiad team always struggled with the Forensic Science section, as we did not have a class regarding forensics. When Mrs. Fanning added the Forensic Science course, we performed much better than in previous years. Although Mrs. Fanning of course contributes to CC as a teacher, she also contributes to CC in other ways. Mrs. Fanning has acted as the junior class moderator for the past 23 years and has spent her free time helping build CC spirit at various sports events. Mrs. Fanning has made it a point to attend at least one event for each sport every single year; she has even attended every single CC football game for twenty years. Another unique contribution that she has made toward CC is the referral of Mr. Dent, who is now the Fine Arts Department Head. Mrs. Fanning’s time spent here is a testament to how much she loves our school. She said, “I put in 110 percent for this school, and it’s worth it because you guys are our future.” One of Mrs. Fanning’s most distinct memories of CC is when she attended a CC student’s funeral mass. She could not get to the other side of the school because it was so packed in honor of that boy’s death. This sight was deeply impactful to her, as so many people came to support as well as lift up this boy and his family on such short notice.
Mr. Mark Gagnon Dominic Apap ’24
While students definitely agree that Mr. Gagnon’s class challenges them, the values his curriculum taught them over the years have been life changing. “He was one of the teachers that really pushed me academically,” said junior David Creen. “His infamously hard tests forced me to rethink
Once every year, Mr. Gagnon tells his students to kneel. He then marches into the classroom with a bucket of water while directing the class to “praise” it. Other days, he creates characters like “crazy scissor guy” or the [Insert Name Here] 5000 vacuum cleaner. This represents the type of engaging teaching style that biology teacher Mr. Gagnon has implemented over his time at CC. Now, after 38 years, he has decided to retire. Mr. Gagnon, the 2014 Archdiocese of Detroit teacher of the year, experienced an almost accidental beginning to his storied CC career. “I kind of stumbled into teaching,” Mr. Gagnon said. “I didn’t really plan on doing this.” He began his teaching career in Arizona before moving to Michigan. He then received a call from Fr. Aquaro, then CC’s principal, who asked about applying for an open position. “I didn’t really even put an application in, but I guess I did. I took the job, and I’ve been here ever since.” Mr. Gagnon plants potatoes
Mrs. Fanning poses with her beloved juniors
Mrs. Fanning is very grateful for the opportunity that she was given to do, as she said, the best that she could – to experience a job that is “not a job…its all fun and joy,” and to “experience such a great place.” After Mrs. Fanning leaves CC, she will go into retirement and plans to spend a lot of time with her family. She will travel and visit her relatives outside of Michigan as well as spend more
my old study habits and develop better ones. Overall, Mr. Gagnon pushed me into the rigors of high school academics and I will forever be grateful for that well-needed wake-up call.” Mrs. O’Connell appreciates how well Mr. Gagnon prepares his students for her classes. “While the topics covered in Honors Biology don’t transfer to Honors Chemistry,” she said, “the problem solving and analytical thinking skills that he helps his students develop do transfer and make my job much easier when I have his students as sophomores.” She also discussed Mr. Gagnon’s impact on her own career: “Mr. Gagnon has been an incredible mentor for me. He has consistently encouraged me and helped me to become the teacher that I am today.” All students know the impact of Mr. Gagnon’s class. “His lessons motivated and have made me interested in becoming a doctor,” said sophomore Francis Toma. “Mr. Gagnon showed how difficult high school classes can be,” added sophomore Oliver Kammeraad. “He made the most munPhoto submitted dane topics interesting,” recount-
ed
Photo by McKee
time taking care of her family. Mrs. Fanning also plans on completing the many art projects that she has started in the past but did not have time to finish. As Mrs. Fanning leaves our CC community, she has one final thing to say to the graduating class of 2022 and the rest of the CC students: “Keep believing in yourselves; keep making us proud and exit with joy and go with peace.”
sophomore Patricio Ezdebski. Ezdebski also quickly realized the challenge that Mr. Gagnon’s honors biology class would be. “For our first test, Mr. Gagnon told us, ‘If you plant potatoes, you get potatoes.’ I did not believe him, and I planted weeds, expecting to get potatoes. When I sat down in my seat the next day staring at the exam lying before me, my heart sank. After that first test in Mr. Gagnon’s class, I studied more for all of my tests in every class. Mr. Gagnon’s advice planted the seeds for my success at Catholic Central, and I will be forever grateful for him.” Mr. Lemieux also contemplated Mr. Gagnon’s time at CC: “He has done an exceptional job preparing his students for a career in biology and preparing them for life. He has always been tough, but fair with his students. I have known Mr. Gagnon for many years. He has been a role model, a mentor, and a friend. His impact, voice, and bird calls will echo down these hallowed walls for many more years.” In addition to teaching, Mr. Gagnon coached a total of fifty seasons across football, basketball, lacrosse, and golf and entered the Catholic League Hall of
Fame in 2018. He also started the archery, shotgun, and backpacking clubs at CC. Mr. Gagnon thinks these activities provide a much-needed connection between the classroom and the outdoors. “You talk about discipline, and the shotgun club certainly requires a lot of discipline. It’s good to see people in areas outside the classroom interacting with people, because I think you learn a lot about people when they aren’t in this classroom setting. It makes us more well-rounded.” Next year, Mr. Gagnon plans to go backpacking at Olympic National Park. He will also spend the fall at his Grayling cabin. “I’m gonna do more fall fishing than I’ve ever done before,” he said. In one last message, Mr. Gagnon reflected, “I’ll miss [the students], the people I deal with every day. I’m not gonna miss the papers, the grading, and the meetings, but I’ll miss hanging out with [the students]. I just hope I was a good example and role model for everybody. It really doesn’t come down to knowing whether something is in the domain eukarya or not. It’s all about developing character.”
Mr. Greg Normandin Andrew Kil ’23 At Detroit Catholic Central High School, students are able to cultivate their talents and maximize their potential under the guidance of the teaching faculty. It is the duty of all teachers to cultivate an engaging learning environment for students, fostering a culture that promotes scholarship, self-improvement, and work ethic. The presence of a teacher fills the hallways and classrooms of CC, which makes it all the more noticeable when a faculty member inevitably leaves. Mr. Normandin, CC’s Band Director, has decided to retire at the end of the 2021-22 school year. Devesh KC, a junior year French Horn player, admitted, “I’ll miss his presence around the school. He brings great energy to the program, and it’s going to be different with a new director.” At CC, Mr. Normandin’s musical journey first began “as a freshman in the fall of 1974,” where he took initiative and “learned how to play the clarinet.” Mr. Normandin gladly reminisced about “how welcoming everyone was and how quick and easy it was to make friends.” After graduating, Mr. Normandin continued to pursue his musical education, acquiring the necessary skills and qualifications for the goal of becoming a music conductor. His hard work and effort would eventually lead him back to his alma mater, where he began teaching in the fall of 1982. It has been 40 years (what Mr. Normandin calls “a good round number”) since that fateful moment. The CC music program has evolved and transformed under the tenure of Mr. Normandin, who explained that originally “there was one band, a jazz band, and a begin-
ning band” alongside “a music theory class.” This pales in comparison to the current state of CC’s music program, which now offers everything previously mentioned and “a string orchestra program, a praise band, a world drumming class, and previously a music appreciation class.” Furthermore, through the efforts of Mr. Normandin, the music program “doubled the number of band students,” which led to the creation of “a second band.” Yet, Mr. Normandin did admit to setbacks, with the Covid-19 pandemic being the foremost culprit. “The pandemic was devastating to music education,” he said. As President of the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association, Mr. Normandin further had the responsibility of making decisions regarding music festivals, weighing concerns about public health and virtual learning. “It was a very challenging and busy couple of years as I worked to guide both the music educators and government officials in how to make band, orchestra, and choir happen during the pandemic,” he said. In light of these challenges, Mr. Normandin made steady progress that would culminate in music students at CC “playing live again,” acknowledging his immense pride about what CC musicians “were able to accomplish with all these issues.” After now having a global pandemic under his belt, Mr. Normandin has another proud moment of triumph, with his total achievements being “too many” to count. In the past 40 years, Mr. Normandin has led the CC Band to locations like London, Paris, Rome, Madrid, and Honolulu for unforgettable performances.
Mr. Normandin conducts his last Spring Concert
Mr. Normandin has seen former students become directors at other schools, with the additional pleasure of having attended many of their weddings. He has seen many of his students and musical groups earn “countless first division ratings at district and state festivals,” exemplifying the culture of excellence at CC. Yet, with all these achievements, Mr. Normandin profoundly indicated that “his favorite of all the experiences” was simply “what happens every day in class.” This same sentiment is shared by all CC music students, who feel immense gratitude for Mr. Normandin. “Mr. Normandin has impacted me greatly as a musician,” KC said. “If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be who I am today. He pushes me every day to be the best French Horn player I can be. Since joining the CC band freshman year, Mr. Normandin’s leadership has elevated my
Photo by Mr. Cornish
playing to levels I had never even imagined.” After 40 years of running CC’s music program, Mr. Normandin has led an illustrious career, which leaves one to wonder what’s next. In response, Mr. Normandin did allude to possibly engaging in “some part time teaching,” but he emphasized that his “main focus will be traveling and spending time with [his] kids and granddaughter.” When asked about his legacy, Mr. Normandin gave a predictably humble response: “The greatest legacy would be for the music program to continue to flourish and succeed for decades to come,” he said. It will be difficult to fill the void left by the retirement of Mr. Normandin, who had a transformative effect on many students who were able to pursue their musical dreams. As the French bishop Jean-Baptiste Massieu once said, “Gratitude is the memory of the heart.” Mr. Normandin’s absence will be felt by all.
7
School Happenings
May 20, 2022
Science Wing Construction Begins Dominic Aiello ’23 Almost everyone already knows about the new science wing that is going to be built, extending the academic wing of CC. Probably the most immediate change is the loss of Student and Faculty parking in the East lot of the school. In the weeks leading up to and following spring break, students and teachers alike have had to find alternate places to park, with most of the student body parking in the North lot, while the teachers get the much closer West lot. Returning from Spring break, the Wixom Road entrance will still be open, but potentially blocked throughout the school day because of construction trailers. The company
will move these trailers during the arrival and dismissal times. These changes were made out of necessity. Mr. Ed Turek, the school president, said in an interview, “Our main goal is the safety of the students and faculty.” The construction company needs to test the ground and make sure that it is structurally stable before they can begin re-routing the water and sewer systems from the existing building. The majority of the external construction will be completed before any already-existing classrooms will be remodeled. The classrooms closest to the Learning Commons and Learning Strategies Center will be remade into labs. According to Mr. Michael Wilson, “Room A101 will be converted into a new staircase. This needs to be done because the extension of the building requires the demolition of the side stairwell.” These changes are expected
to start during the summer and continue into the next school year. Other interior changes that are already made are the loss of our physics and chemistry labs, which are to be converted into classrooms. The courtyard designed to rest between the current wing and the new science wing will not be fitted with benches and grass until the administration sees how teachers use it. Because of this, that courtyard will be the very last thing finished. Catholic Central has seen a few new additions throughout the past couple years, with the remodeling of the Media Center and the addition of the Academic Team wall, but this new science wing will be the largest and longest of them, heralding a bright future for the Shamrock nation.
2022 DRIVE Winner Spotlight Christian Bakkal ’25 On Tuesday, April 26, Catholic Central held its annual DRIVE prize drawings. These included five $300 prizes, one $500 prize, one $1000 prize, one $3000 prize, one $5000 prize, and one grand prize of $20,000. The winners for these prizes were Julie Whiting ($20,000), Tracee Miller ($5000), Gary Priestap ($3,000), Mike McNulty ($1000), Tammy Morris ($500), James Leneschmidt ($300), Jeff Lawrence ($300), Frank Denardo ($300), Billy Downs
($300), and Bill Priestap ($300). Ms. Monique Todd in the business office has the unique responsibility of making the calls to the winners. In general, Ms. Todd said that the winners were in shock and were ecstatic to hear that they had won. Tracee Miller was the $5000 winner, and she was in shock that she had won because she had only bought five tickets. Julie Whiting, the $20,000 winner, actually didn’t answer the phone the first time she was called, and when Ms. Todd got ahold of her Ms. Whiting said she could hear Ms. Todd’s smile through the voicemail asking her
to return her call. Ms. Whiting said that the money was life changing, and she thinks the DRIVE is a great tradition at CC. Her nephew, junior Nicholas Lopez, sold her the winning ticket. Ms. Whiting also said she was going to keep the message on her answering machine because of the smile in Ms. Todd’s voice and for what the call was for. The results of this year’s DRIVE drawing go to show that no matter who you are, where you’re from, if you’re an alumnus or not, and how many tickets you buy, it is possible to win big. Fr. Fulton conducts the drawing
Photo by Mr. Cornish
A One-on-One with the CC Quiz Bowl Team Blaise Williams ’23 The road Shamrock Quiz Bowlers take is one seldom traveled by scholars and athletes alike. Few can say they eat lunch in a teacher’s classroom everyday. Few can say they travel out of state for competitions on a regular basis. Even fewer can say their team is a perennial powerhouse ranking among the top squads in the world each year. And yet, for the CC Academic Team, these coveted titles are nothing out of the ordinary. As one enters Mr. Gismondi’s classroom during period four, one can almost feel the sheer focus and attention to detail the team brings to each practice. The seniors, all eight of them, sit around chatting it up as the three juniors sit quietly, waiting for practice to start. As the guys finish up their lunches, Mr. Gismondi gives the signal, and the seniors begin lining their desks in a row.
We get our first look of the team’s strength and chemistry. On the senior side, from right to left, John Greene and Drew Laroo are having side discussions as Nico Pascual sits quietly with his hoodie covering his mouth; Jude Laskey is making sidecracks as often as Micheal Yousif and Matt Abraham buzz in to answer questions, and Liam Cross and Joel Jaskolski are soaking it all in. For the juniors, Carstens sits closest to Mr. Gismondi; his focus is unparalleled. Chalhoub and Aiello sit to his right, ready to go. The practice goes smoothly for the most part with the seniors answering most of the questions; however, trouble begins to brew towards the end. After missing a question about Gao Xinjiang, an eminent Chinese novelist, Yousif comments, “Oh right… he’s the guy who did the thing.” to which Laskey exclaims, “Yeah of course! The guy who did the thing!” Mr. Gismondi goes on to the next ques-
tion. Again, no one buzzes. The answer? “Mitzvahs.” Carstens gets frustrated and shouts an expletive, at which the whole team laughs. The bell rings, and period four comes to an end. For these students, quiz bowl is not just a club. It is a lifestyle. “Quiz bowl teaches you a lot about losing and how gratifying it is to finally win after seeing all your hard work come to fruition,” said Yousif. A few of the guys shared the same sentiment, with Cross saying, “It’s a major grind. No matter how many hours you put in, there’s always work to be done.” It’s not all just work, however, with everyone agreeing that they’ve shared some great moments in the last four years. From a messy gas station spill, to a crazy lady at a tollbooth, to Mr. Herman’s getting lost on the way back from Chicago, there was no shortage of hilarious stories. “Cornish, he’s one of our assistant coaches,
he’s uhh less than a great driver- if you put this in the article, Drew said it,” remarked Abraham. But the guys also shared a few lessons for the up-and-coming generations: “Quiz bowl is about having fun, it really is, but, if you’re in here for the long haul, you’ve got to put in the work…and that’s big,” said Yousif. Through all these practices and crazy experiences, it’s easy to see why the Shamrock Quiz Bowlers love what they do. Their brotherhood is strong, and their work ethic is unyielding. With nationals coming up, the team will get the opportunity to put their hard work to the test. As they look forward to the NAQT and PACE tournaments, the Shamrocks hope to fulfill their dreams of national glory and share some memories along the way.
The Pop Culture Grid (Senior Edition) Who Are They?
Liam Cross
Nathan Schack
Antonio Bush
Mr. Normandin
What do you want to see put in the science wing?
Best Wordle Opener?
Who should’ve won a Grammy?
Could you survive a slap from Will Smith?
ZESTY - going for all green on the first guess.
Declan Lee for carrying mass
Yes; my neck is as thick as Mr. Hancock
ADIEU
Sean Field for sophomore DRIVE entertainment
No shot
Statue of Mr. Baker in a waterfall
FLESH
Will Smith (again)
No; I would crumble to dust
A gilded statue of Vector from Despicable Me
WEARY
Nate Bargatze
Wouldn’t stand there and wait for it, but it didn’t look too bad
Statue of Ms. Vingsness
An Auditorium
Worst Spring Break Destination?
Probably Ohio
CC Track Practice
[REDACTED]
North Pole
May 20, 2022
The Back Page
8
Farewell, Class of 2022! Max Chensse ’22 Seniors, the time has finally arrived. Our high school career is coming to a close. And while the journey has been packed with plenty of tests we didn’t study for, and summer reading that we put off until the week before school, our Catholic Central experience has also been filled with great class accomplishments, and a built-up brotherhood that will prevail even after graduation. Without further ado let’s take a look back at the most memorable moments that involved the class of 2022. We can’t call this a “trip down memory lane” without mentioning our greatest class achievement. It’s probably still on everyone’s mind, and so, ranked number one on this list is the Drive. Throughout the four years that we’ve been here we’ve never failed to impress with the amount of excitement we’ve brought to this event. From record-breaking salesmen like Luke Butler, to possibly the greatest Senior Skit ever produced, our class has always delivered the hype needed to make this event a great success. As senior Graham Castillo put it: “What do you want me to say about Drive?” If you’re there,
you know that it’s easily the best time of the year. The Drive is a truly unique experience to CC, and our class can now be credited with making it even greater. It isn’t just about the money we raise, but also the bonds we form with one another through competition, and through celebration. Fellow seniors, see you all at Senior Point. Filling in the number two spot on the list is certainly not one of the most favorite times for Catholic Central students, but is certainly one of the most impactful times. Of course, I’m referring to the Covid-19 pandemic. Affecting the entire world, the rapidly spreading disease proved to be a worthy opponent for our school. As senior Josh Bisdorf said, “CC centers around brotherhood, and dealing with a weird mixture of online and in school with only half the boys, we sorta lost that.” Online classes definitely brought along a decrease of excitement to the back half of our sophomore and complete junior year. But this just proved to be even more proof of what our class was capable of. “I still remember the Drive for junior year,” recounted senior Kethan Babu. “It was a bummer that everyone wasn’t there in person, but it was still
pretty hype. Just shows how much of a tradition it is.” The pandemic truly changed all of our lives, and is not something that we will soon forget. But it also helped our class’s bond become even stronger, as we were able to help out struggling brothers through these tough times. Another experience we’ll look back fondly on is the creation of GDK days. Introduced during our sophomore year, these days planned to aid us in our path to becoming men who represent Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge. And the class of 2022 played a large role. The events that we helped set up, especially during our senior year, have helped unite the school. Not just that, we’ve also been able to “build up” our brotherhood at CC, not just amongst ourselves, but also with the other classes. I myself can confidently say that those days are not only ones that helped me meet new faces, but are also key staples of my CC experience. Next on the list of memories are the sports assemblies and events. And not just those, but the much anticipated Boys’ Bowl assemblies as well. “I’ll admit,” Castillo recalled, “I’d never been more excited to see pumpkins being smashed than I was at that assembly.”
As a class, we’ve truly kept up the CC tradition of supporting our fellow classmates, as well as absolutely despising the color orange. We continued to cheer on our sports teams at games and congratulate them on their successes. Attending all events, from those nail-biting basketball games to those blowout hockey games is truly “what CC is about.” On that note, I’d like to further conclude by highlighting the importance of the memories that we’ve formed over our years. It is truly a unique experience to be able to participate in these exhilarating events provided by the school, and I believe that we can now say that we truly have learned the true meaning of “brotherhood.” It’s the experiences as a class, and the acceptance we’ve shown to all our fellow classmates, regardless of where they’re from, that is truly our greatest accomplishment. I know that I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of it. And although we may not yet realize how special of an experience these past four years have been, the fact that we were able to be involved in them is an accomplishment on its own. So to the class of 2022, thank you for all the great memories, and here’s to future ones that we’ll make as our paths start to diverge.