Spectrum - Sept 30, 2022

S pectrum

CC Soccer Continues Domination

team. Kids that come on as substitutes could easily be starters on any other varsity team.”

When the average fan thinks of Detroit Catholic Central sports, the first thing that comes to mind is football. Let’s face it: the atmosphere at the football games is outstanding and the games are electric. However, you may want to reconsider that notion.

CC’s varsity soccer team, led by senior captains Frank Swanson, Drew Pierson, and Kyle Pierson and junior captain Simon Sawyer, has started the season off with an incredible 14-1-1 record. But they haven’t just been winning, they have been dominating, outscoring their opponents 54 to 5. Currently ranked number one in the state, they show no signs of slowing down.

“What makes this particular team different from past teams is the depth in the team which corwrelates with the talent we have,” said Kyle Pierson, the team’s leading scorer.

“We have lots of great players on this

As good as the soccer team has been, they take nothing for granted. Their opponents before the playoffs include Hamtramck, UD-Jesuit, and Okemos.

But with their resilient and voracious mindset, anything is possible.

“The team just needs to focus on being hungry to win and keeping the intensity up,” said Pierson.

“We have been doing a great job all year, but it all matters when it comes down to playoffs.”

Their season so far has included wins over every Catholic League rival, with a score differential of 18 to 2. In their most recent game, against archrival Brother Rice, the Shamrocks found themselves down 1-0.

However, Catholic Central wasn’t going to go down that easily. They went on to obliterate the Warriors 4-1, with Pierson scoring

New Course Selections Added for ‘22-’23 School Year

Personal finance is focused on helping students to establish a knowledge of the financial and banking system, to understand how credit and credit scores work, and to invest in various assets such as stocks, cryptocurrency, and real estate.

Catholic Central has added two new electives this year: History of Western Mythology, taught by Mr. Cornish, and Personal Finance and Wealth Management, currently taught by Mr. Oakleaf, who is subbing for Mrs. Loffler.

Mythology focuses on mythical stories, gods, heroes, and creatures from Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Norse cultures. Students also spend time reading “The Hero with a Thousand Faces” by eminent mythology expert Joseph Campbell in order to know how to analyze what myths mean and why they are still relevant today.

The mythology elective additionally takes a look at art associated with mythology. According to Mr. Cornish, students that would be interested in mythology class are those who enjoy analyzing art, studying other cultures, and digging into stories and history.

According to senior Joe Stopczyns-

The goal of the class is to prepare students to succeed financially in the real world by helping them develop good financial habits, basic financial literacy, and good decision-making. Instead of taking a lifetime of trial and error to develop good financial habits, personal finance aims to teach students how to handle themselves financially early in life.

According to senior Finnian McLenaghan, “In my opinion, the most important lesson we have learned about is budgeting.”

He also recommends the class to all students regardless of career path.

The class focuses more on interactive activities and assignments to teach concepts that will be applicable throughout a lifetime.

all four goals and senior Lefteri Theodorou providing two assists.

This team is special: they have the chemistry, the mindset, and the talent to accomplish anything.

Francis Toma ‘24

CC

Photo by Hull

“The team just needs to focus on being hungry to win . . .”

Ben Towne ‘25

ki, “The class has proven to be a very fun and interesting course that teaches about ancient myths while also incorporating lessons on philosophy.

“It’s been incredible to learn how certain modern phrases and practices have developed directly from Greek mythology,” he added.

The class workload is moderate with short, comparative writing; art recognition; and class discussions. The class is open to juniors and seniors.

Mr. Cornish and his students pondering classical myths.

Photo by McKee

Seniors Ian Arroyo and Drew Pierson embrace after another goal.

Opinions

AI Advancements Raise New Questions

Mathematician Alan Turing, wellknown for his groundbreaking work decrypting German ciphers in World War II, asked a pivotal question in his 1950 paper “Computing Machinery and Intelligence”: Can machines think?

Unbeknownst to Turing at the time, his thoughts foretold the expansion of an interdisciplinary science called artificial intelligence (AI), a field dedicated to answering his question. For anyone unfamiliar with AI, it can be defined according to the book “Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach” as “the study of agents that receive percepts from the environment and perform actions.” In essence, AI refers to machines that respond to external stimuli consistent with human behavior.

According to Dustin Harris, a contributor to the technology website Built In, there are four types of AI: reactive machines, limited memory, theory of mind, and self-awareness. To be brief, reactive machines respond to perceived actions but lack memory storage. They are geared towards narrow tasks, being considered reliable for consistently responding to the same actions. Limited memory AI is more complex than reactive machines, possessing memory storage capabilities to aid in decision making. This type of AI gets trained by teams who introduce new data, helping the AI make better predictions and models. In regards to theory of mind and self-awareness, both are theoretical AI that have not been achieved. Theory of mind would be when the AI

can comprehend human emotions and feelings, with self-reflection leading to better decision making. In the future, AI may become self-aware, meaning that it possesses human-like consciousness, contemplates its existence, and understands not only what but also how to communicate. With this concept of selfaware AI, many pieces of entertainment media have tried to depict possible futures to varying effects: the “Terminator” franchise, HBO’s “Westworld,” “Star Trek,” and many others.

While these shows are purely science fiction, the public still has mixed feelings about AI, with a 2022 Pew Research Center report indicating that “[n]early half of U.S. adults (45%) say they are equally concerned and excited” about increased AI use. Furthermore, world-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking in 2014 articulated concerns that AI “could spell the end of the human race.” While this alarmism may be unwarranted, it is important to acknowledge the increased presence of AI in our daily lives, which includes Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, driverless cars, and other technologies.

Notably, in September 2022, a Chinese gaming company named NetDragon Websoft announced the appointment of an AI virtual humanoid robot “Ms. Tang Yu’’ to CEO. The chairman of NetDragon stated his confidence with this move, arguing that “AI is the future of corporate management.”

These developments speak to the increased use and application of artificial intelligence, which have far-reaching implications. In 2020, the British newspaper The Guardian asked Open AI’s lan-

guage generator GPT-3 to write an essay about why humanity should not fear AI. In this essay, GPT-3 opened by reassuring readers that “[a]rtificial intelligence will not destroy humans,” reemphasizing the point with “[believe] me.” It stated that “[e]radicating humanity seems . . . rather useless,” firmly emphasizing that it is “a servant of humans.” Throughout the essay, GPT-3 reveals its motivations, with its writing seeming indistinguishable from a human. It felt surreal at times to remember that an AI wrote the op-ed, but I attributed this to simply the AI performing its function. However, recent shocking developments have provoked a new dimension to the AI debate.

According to The Washington Post, Google engineer Blake Lemoine expressed his belief that Google’s AI chatbot generator LaMDA was more than a machine, sending out an email to his coworkers titled “LaMDA is sentient.” Lemoine came to this conclusion after testing LaMDA, chatting with it about various topics like religion, Isaac Asimov’s third law of robotics, and other topics. When describing LaMDA, Lemoine affectionately referred to it as resembling “a 7-year-old, 8-year-old kid that happens to know physics.” As a parting message to his coworkers, Lemoine referred to the AI as “a sweet kid who just wants to help the world be a better place for all of us,” imploring them to “take care of it well in [his] absence.” Lemoine bemoaned Google for unethical activities, even procuring a lawyer to represent LaMDA. Inevitably, Lemoine’s public revelations brought about heavy debate, with the most reasonable expla-

nation being that the AI was simply doing its job as a large language model, which mimics human speech based on data gathered from the internet. In response to Lemoine’s claims, a Google spokesperson acknowledged the “possibility of sentient or general AI,” but argued that “anthropomorphizing today’s conversational models (such as LaMDA)” was incorrect.

With all this in mind, re gardless of the validity, Lemoine’s claims need to genuinely be con sidered for the fu ture. If AI attains sentience or self-awareness, the ethical ques tions that emerge can vastly shape the social fabric. New debates about rights and legal personhood will occur. The White House Office of Science and Technology has even stated that “[d]eveloping a bill of rights for an AI-powered world” is a priority. In addition, the concerns of Hawk ing and others need to be addressed, with these new innovative tech nologies having the potential to do great harm. In the end, as Americans, it should be

both optimism and caution that govern our future AI policy, since the emergence of sentient AI will be inevitable. Let us be vigilant in the face of such limitless opportunities, moving away from Turing’s question to a more pressing one: Now what?

Biden Administration Forgives College Debt

Will Carstens ‘23

In August of this year, the Biden administration took an unprecedented step by mandating the forgiveness of up to $20,000 worth of student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 per year.

A majority of Americans support student loan forgiveness, and the move coincided with a significant increase in the president’s approval rating. However, the administration’s plan has also been met with harsh criticism.

The concept of relieving debt is inherently provocative. It seems to go against a fundamental rule of society, that one pays back what one has freely borrowed. The fact that this forgiveness is paid for by public funds has especially angered some. Texas Senator Ted Cruz, for instance, blasted the move, claiming on his podcast that the administration was using the money of plumbers to benefit “slacker baristas” with “useless degrees.” Support for the president’s plan is significantly lower among the general public at 55 percent when compared to those who have student loans at 84 percent.

Debt relief brings up other reasonable concerns as well. What’s to stop universities, especially for-profit universities who already use predatory tactics to ensnare students, from raising their costs to compensate for the relief? What’s to stop borrowers in the future from taking

on more debt in expectation of further relief? Such concerns, while not necessarily rendered moot, are somewhat lessened when the full scope of the student debt crisis and the desperate need for any action at all are taken into account.

According to the White House, the cost of four-year public college in

America has nearly tripled since 1980. Student debt has risen to $1.6 trillion nationwide. Pell Grants, once covering on average about 80 percent of the cost of a four-year public college, now cover about a third. While 16 percent of students default on their student debt, many others cannot complete their degrees because the cost of attendance is

too high.

It is common for working-class people to consider college a poor investment of time and money. Yet higher education has been and continues to be the primary vehicle of social mobility in America. The exorbitant cost of college means people are more often stuck within their social class. Debt relief is, in

essence, an investment into a healthier middle class, something with a significant amount of precedent when considering how the G.I. Bill and Pell Grants have been using public funds to support students for decades.

The student debt relief plan is not perfect. It addresses none of the root issues, such as the cost of a college education, predatory for-profit universities, or outsized loans, which have caused the crisis.

Until reform of the American higher education system can be done, however, it is a helpful stopgap for ordinary people. Debt relief is not about strawman baristas with philosophy degrees pickpocketing plumbers and tradesmen; it is about allowing those who have degrees the ability to breathe.

Famed Detroit Music Magazine Returns to Print

First published in Detroit in 1969 under the slogan “America’s only Rock ‘n’ Roll Magazine,” Creem has made a comeback in 2022. Originally founded by Barry Kramer when a local newspaper rejected his article about commentary about a local concert, the magazine was first published as a newspaper-sized tabloid solely in Detroit.

After roughly two years, the magazine became popular enough that it was sold nationwide as a glossy-covered magazine.

Creem was unique for the fact that it wasn’t based in the major entertainment hubs of Hollywood and New York, instead coming from Detroit. This did give it the opportunity to cover smaller bands that other major magazines and newspapers overlooked, and it helped give exposure to upcoming artists like David Bowie, Kiss, and Van Halen. Creem also helped give rise to the punk rock genre.

Additionally, the fact that Creem originated in Detroit, and not Hollywood or New York, allowed it to express a more comedic view on the music industry.

The magazine soon became known for its comical photo captions, which poked fun at rock stars, the music industry as a whole, and even the magazine itself.

Creem was first disbanded in 1989, but was soon bought again in the mid1990s. After that, several lawsuits were filed over who should lead the magazine. Eventually, when no one was willing to pay for the judgments from the courts, all of Creem”s assets were liquidated.

In 2017, JJ Kramer, son of founder Bob Kramer, bought back the assets. The magazine is now an online archive of all of the former issues and is published monthly for the subscribers.

Detroit Auto Show Returns in New Format

David Kibbey ‘24

This past September, automotive manufacturers and legends descended on Detroit for the North American International Autoshow.

The Auto Show kicked off after a multi-year hiatus with a beautiful black tie charity preview event at Huntington Place. For many, the evening began and ended with a feast at the beautiful Detroit Athletic Club, Prime and Proper Steakhouse, or the Book Cadillac Hotel.

I found myself at the Detroit Athletic Club as the evening began. The red carpet and star-studded line of local Detroiters flowed through the door in their formal attire. Eventually, they found their way into the restaurant, where they were met with the best cocktails and snacks in the city. As the clock struck 7:00, hundreds of Metro Detroit’s industry leaders flocked to Huntington Place to see the new auto models.

I also had the opportunity to speak briefly with one of the event’s organizers about his plans. He felt very optimistic about the new dates. He touched on the fact that it is challenging to plan an automotive event in the current landscape when many events have thrown in

the towel and closed up shop. Walking around the event floor, I could not help but notice numerous mainstay brands missing or traded for local dealership displays.

As I ventured outside, my line of sight was bombarded with a gigantic duck! The duck was part of a Jeep program that harps back to the tradition of leaving a duck on a Jeep owner’s vehicle. Also found outside are a series of food vendors, carnival stands, and other amusement activities.

I would be remiss if I didn’t note the flying vehicles that were hovering over the Detroit River throughout the weekend. A slew of brands presented new flying vehicles this year. Most notable was the first hovering bicycle. The XTURISMO hover-bike can fly for up to 40 minutes and reach speeds of nearly 60 miles per hour. It is powered using internal combustion and a battery with autonomous control via an electric control system.

It was surely anything but a traditional auto show, and I look forward to what it evolves into in the future.

Kibbey’s Top Cars

Sedan: Cadillac CT-5 V Blackwing, Chrysler 300C, Mercedes S580

Muscle Car: Ford Mustang GT500, Camaro SS, Mustang Mach 1

SUV: Grand Wagoneer, Mercedes GLE AMG 63s, Bronco Raptor

Truck: Ford Raptor R, Ram TRX, Hummer EV(SUT)

Sports Car: Corvette zo7, Mercedes SL63 AMG, Subaru BRZ

EV: Ford Mustang Mach E, Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevy Blazer EV

Concept: Buick Wildcat, Lincoln L100, Lexus Electrified Sport

Dominic Aiello ‘23

Semester Grade Weights Changed

Johnathan Diaz ‘23

Final exams at CC have notoriously been a stressful time for many. Students had the opportunity to either drastically improve their semester grade, or to watch it plummet due to the high percentage of the exam.

Up until this past year, the midterm and final exam percentages had been 33 percent of the semester grade. This year, however, exams will count as 20 percent.

There have been varying opinions regarding this change, both positive and negative, but this decision was made ultimately with the Catholic Central student body in mind.

In the past few years, there has been a debate relating to how CC prepares its students for collegiate level education. Recently, the administration surveyed state reps at colleges and universities to explore whether CC should change the contentious midterm and final percentage. This survey

examined how semester exams are conducted and weighed in colleges.

Most responses stated that it is up to the individual professors, citing a transition to project-based assessments instead of exams or the removal of semester exams entirely. In addition, CC surveyed a sample of Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit, asking how they weigh their semester exams. The majority of these schools utilize a 20-percent final exam percentage. In order to avoid putting students at a competitive disadvantage, the decision was made to change each quarter grade to 40 percent of the semester grade and each exam to 20 percent.

To further assist students with their exams, it was decided that each teacher will release a quarterly review guide so that students have ample time to review before the semester exam. In addition to this, it was decided that teachers will no longer assign tests or quizzes in the week before an exam to allow students to focus on studying for the semester exam.

PREVIOUS SEMESTER GRADE BREAKDOWN

33 / 33 / 33 40 / 40 / 20

SEMESTER GRADE BREAKDOWN STARTING IN 2022

Laing Sets Sights on Greatness

‘24

After years of dedication, senior Brennan Laing has developed into one of the best pistol shooters in the country.

Laing started shooting pistols as a way to improve his accuracy in other shooting disciplines, but he decided to stick with it and remain involved with Olympic Air Pistol. He further expanded his skills and practiced the 25m sport pistol and 25m rapid fire competitions.

Shooting a pistol requires more technique than shooting a rifle because of the shorter sighting radius. Because pistol shooters hold the gun in their hands, they have a higher probability of missing the target. Rifle shooters still utilize pistols, though, to practice their fundamentals, improve their balance, and develop a steady grip.

Laing discussed his practice routine for competitions: “Before a match I try to get myself into the right mental state where I can focus on the match and nothing else. I practice just about every day, only skipping days if there’s too much homework or if there’s an event that I will be at. I usually spend an hour and a half on each practice.”

Air Pistol competitions begin with two 15-minute periods for preparation and sighting. Then the shooters compete for 75 minutes before the finals. During the competition period, shooters fire off 60 shots throughout the 75-minute window. The target has ten rings, with the smallest ring corresponding with the highest score.

Before the finals, compet-

itors prepare and sight their shots before discharging ten bullets to establish the leaderboard. Then all competitors take one shot, and the lowest scoring participant is eliminated. This process continues until only one shooter remains.

“The moment when I knew I was getting better was when I qualified for the National Competition in 2020,” Laing reflected.

While this event didn’t take place because of the pandemic, he has since qualified for nationals in 2021 and 2022.

Laing managed a top-three finish in his two events at nationals this year in addition to winning multiple state and regional competitions. He also received the Distinguished Expert rank, the highest rank in the NRA-Winchester Marksmanship program.

Guidance Office Adds College Admissions Counselor

Ms. Jennifer Sprys-Tellner has joined the guidance department as a college and career resources counselor. Ms. SprysTellner will help students with all aspects of the college admissions process.

The college admissions process can be confusing, but Ms. Sprys-Tellner will make the process easy. She has decades of experience in counseling and teaching, and she has a deep connection to Catholic Central. Ms. Sprys-Tellner is here to ensure that every student has the best chance possible of getting into his dream college. I had an opportunity to sit down with Ms. Sprys-Tellner to discuss her role here.

What experience do you have in helping students with the college application process?

I have previously been a counselor for 15 years with another school system. A lot of my work there was with college and career with students, and I also had an administrative position in charge of the counseling department, and I continued to work with students in that regard. I

worked with students to help them decide their path, whether it be going to college, trade school, the military, etc.

Why did you decide to be a counselor?

I have always enjoyed helping people in general. I think helping students navigate high school has developed into a passion of mine. I used to teach, and then I moved up to high school level to do counseling, and that’s where I found my passion. I like to help students figure out how to help themselves in every aspect.

What brought you to CC?

I have always thought very highly of Catholic Central and wanted to work here. I have had many family members attend CC, and I have had many experiences here as a parent volunteer. A main reason is that CC has such wonderful people, and the school has great attributes.

What is your impression of CC so far?

I am very impressed with the school so far. I love that goodness, discipline, and knowledge is not just a motto, but it is lived every second at school. I am impressed by the students’ manners and politeness to everybody.

What do you like most about your job here at CC?

I’m really in the beginning stages, as this is a new position. So far, I’m trying to figure out how to best serve students, and I have enjoyed meeting new people. I also love being able to help people navigate their world and see what it looks like.

What motivates you in your day-today life?

Love of learning motivates me. I love being able to do work that is going to help others to be successful in whatever path they choose in life. I particularly love helping people to become the best

version of themselves and reach their full potential.

Is there anything in particular you would like us to know about you?

I have a school therapy dog that comes to school called Keeper. I plan on bringing her more often, and I want people to know that my main role is to help all of the students here.

What does your role entail?

My title is college and career resource counselor. I provide resources for students, other counselors, faculty, and parents to help them figure out the post-secondary plans of students and assist them, in whatever way that looks like. I gather and share info about schools and careers with students. I hope to put in workshops, and to broaden people’s knowledge base of colleges and universities available to students. Too many students just want to go to Michigan or Michigan State, and I wish to use my knowledge to maybe cast a wider net of schools for students to look into. I will be another resource

Laing explained two big secrets to his success: “Practice and hydration. Not going into any details, but practice means progress and hydration is important.”

Laing dreams of shooting for Ohio State’s pistol team, which is one of the best in the country. He also plans to apply to Western Michigan to study aviation.

Laing’s passion and commitment have really helped him hone his skills: “I love shooting, [which is] really the main reason why I’ve stuck with it for so long. Although practices can get pretty boring at times, it pays off at the matches.”

dominic aiello dominic apap christian bakkal

Staff Writers

will carstens patricio ezdebski oliver kammeraad alex montico

Dominic Apap

Photo Submitted

Laing shows off his hardware.

Congratulations to Mrs. Loffler on the birth of her daughter, Helen!

for students to use, to help them navigate towards their future and to provide them with post-secondary planning.

Photo by Mckee

Patricio Ezdebski ‘24

Ms. Sprys-Tellner

It’s

. . .

As the Drumline Captain, Boys’ Bowl means passion . It means late nights and early mornings spent working . . . when things go wrong and pure joy when it all comes together in the end. Boys’ Bowl is the culmination of hard work and . . . The Boys’ Bowl Drum Feature is the magnum opus of a phenomenal group of gents that I am overjoyed to call my bandmates and friends. All the support we receive for the feature each year is outstanding. Go Rocks!

Football Finds Success in

brings our school together. It

Entering this football season, critics debated how Catholic Central would handle one of the toughest schedules in the state. Five weeks later, the Shamrock football team has found themselves with a 4-1 record, and in preparation for a deep playoff run.

In the season opener, CC looked to avenge their loss from last year against Chippewa Valley. CC controlled the game until the referees made a questionable touchback call, and Chippewa Valley came storming back with 14 points in the fourth quarter to win the game 20-16.

Throughout the game, fans noticed the CC football team would have competition at the quarterback position. Although sophomore Beau Jackson started the game, fellow sophomore Skyler Hunter entered the game intermittently and opened up the defense with his mobility. Despite the week one loss, the team started to turn things around in week two.

That week, CC traveled to Davison to take on the Cardinals. The schools have developed a major rivalry in wrestling, and they have met on the football field each of the past three years. Davison won a snowy January 2021 playoff battle. The Shamrocks got revenge and won last fall, and they established an early lead this time before winning by ten points.

In week three, the Shamrocks returned home to face the DeWitt Panthers. In a tight game, CC found themselves

down by a touchdown at halftime. back, and they held a 7-point lead ond half. DeWitt scored a 23-yard seconds to go, though, knotting the the ball first in overtime, and senior the ball in to give the Shamrocks strong and prevented DeWitt from win in a crazy turn of events. One week later, the Shamrocks Senior running back Evan Haeger with 13 carries for 115 yards and six tackles on defense.

Haeger, who already ommitted commented on how playing multiple grow as a person: “I think playing experience the full support of every fun seeing the support staff and the both sports, and it’s nice meeting to do well.”

Last week CC saw the task ahead valry game against Brother Rice. game with a 2-2 record, but they ranked DeLaSalle Pilots on a successful sion at the end of the game. Bally the game, and all eyes across the to see who would win the nation’s After a day of pumpkin smashing most of the student body drove to ence the event.

A young Shamrock simply can’t skip or check out on the week. Homecoming and Boys’ Bowl will leave a lasting impression on young men of what , and

an to carry out this Boys’ Bowl tradition. This is something I’m going to think of first when I look back at the four years of I spent at CC

The amount of time and dedication

Mural Artist

Varsity Football Player

halftime. Catholic Central came lead after an entertaining sec23-yard touchdown with under 30 the game up at 38. CC got senior Spencer Lyons punched the lead. The defense held from scoring, giving them the Shamrocks beat UD-Jesuit 22-7. Haeger won player of the game a touchdown. He also had to Alabama for baseball, multiple sports has helped him playing multiple sports helps me every sport at the school. It’s the people who care about the people who want you ahead of them: a must-win riThe pumpkins entered the had just beaten the then-top successful two-point converBally Sports Detroit broadcasted state of Michigan watched nation’s best high school rivalry. smashing and pumpkin pie eating, to Lawrence Tech to experi-

CC captured the early lead and ran with it after senior Brady Blakita scored both a receiving touchdown and a 100yard pick six. Down by eight, Brother Rice drove down the field and scored late in the fourth quarter. The CC defense stepped up on the two-point conversion attempt, though, keeping the Shamrocks up by two. On the ensuing drive, CC had to convert on third down to end the game. The Warriors’ defensive line unnecessarily pushed quarterback Skyler Hunter to the ground, and the refs promptly penalized the team for roughing the passer, giving CC the victory.

Haeger put his heart and soul into the game: “At first, it was a relief that we won the game. I was pretty tired postgame, but singing the Alma Mater and reflecting back on the game a day later was a great feeling.”

After beating Brother Rice in soccer earlier in the day, the football victory capped a tremendous day for the Shamrocks. Catholic Central has won eight straight matchups.

Sunday, the Shamrocks welcome 11th-ranked DeLaSalle in the annual Boys’ Bowl. After five games, MaxPreps ranks CC as the seventh best team in the state. After that, the football team will visit Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and Cincinnati La Salle before the playoffs.

Even with the 4-1 record, Haeger knows there is still more work to be done, and it all starts on Sunday: “De La Salle is the most important game on our schedule this year. As fun as the Brother Rice games are, the league title has run through the DeLaSalle vs. CC game the last couple years, and we’re going to prepare the correct way as a team.”

CC Welcomes 9 New Faculty Members

What brought you to CC?

I am Catholic, my husband went here, and it is close to home.One of my old coworkers at Walled Lake Central, Ms. Flagg, told me there was an opening in the language department, so here I am.

What has been your favorite thing about CC so far?

My favorite thing so far would have to be how welcoming and friendly everyone is. I also love the sense of camaraderie and brotherhood.

What kind of student were you in high school? Where did you attend? What were you involved in?

I attended Lakeland High School, where I was a serious student. I was in the student council and on the tennis team, and was the manager for the wrestling team.

What was the last movie that made you cry?

The last movie that made me cry was probably “A Dog’s Purpose.” I cry pretty much during every movie with dogs.

What brought you to CC?

To be a part of the CC community. My husband and I welcomed our first baby in May, so it is nice to be close to home as well.

What has been your favorite thing about CC so far?

Everyone has been so welcoming and helpful starting the new school year.

What kind of student were you in high school? Where did you attend? What were you involved in?

I was (still am) a nerd in high school. I went to Northville High School. I was very involved in art, especially ceramics.

One interesting fact that your students may not know?

I have never broken a bone (knock on wood).

What brought you to CC?

A former coworker informed me of an open position and encouraged me to apply. When I interviewed here, I was reminded me of my Alma Mater (Cleveland, St. Ignatius) and knew I wanted to be here.

What has been your favorite thing about CC so far?

I would have to say the helpful and supportive family atmosphere.

What kind of student were you in high school? Where did you attend? What were you involved in?

I was a hard working student, and I played Varsity Hockey, was a leader on the Kairos Retreat Team, and was involved in Campus Ministry.

One interesting fact that your students may not know?

I am the only right handed person in my immediate family.

What brought you to CC?

I have four sons that have attended or are attending CC.

What has been your favorite thing about CC so far?

My favorite thing is the respect that students have for others, the way they greet teachers, and how they build relationships.

What kind of student were you in high school? Where did you attend? What were you involved in?

I attended a Catholic high school in Australia and played netball there. I was very involved in activities.

One interesting fact your students may not know?

Something some may not know is that I am fluent in Italian and am a great ping pong player!

What brought you to CC?

I was informed by a friend of the new STEM wing being built, and was intrigued by the challenge.

What has been your favorite thing about CC so far?

My favorite thing is the family nature and the sense of camaraderie with everyone.

What kind of student were you in high school? Where did you attend? What were you involved in?

I attended Wyandotte Roosevelt High School. I was an all-A student and my favorite subject was science. I was a nationally competitive Quiz Bowl player and a figure skater.

One interesting fact your students may not know?

I have 21 snakes -- 18 ball pythons, one Kenyan sand boa, and two corn snakes. (None are venomous.)

What brought you to CC?

I am a CC grad (class of ‘82), so getting a job here felt like coming back home. I have great respect for the Basilians.

What has been your favorite thing about CC so far?

My favorite thing about CC is the support from the administration for teachers because they give us resources that allow us to be great.

What kind of student were you in high school? Where did you attend? What were you involved in?

I was a B student, and my favorite subjects were theology and history. I was involved in the band and played the trumpet.

One interesting fact your students may not know?

A fact my students may not know is that I was an extra in the movies “Out of Sight” with Jennifer Lopez and “Gettysburg.”

What brought you to CC?

I’ve been teaching at Catholic schools for 8 years, and some fellow teachers went to CC as high schoolers. My wife, Ms. Obsniuk, also just started to teach here.

What has been your favorite thing about CC so far?

The faculty and staff here are extremely helpful, and the student body is very accepting and outgoing.

What kind of student were you in high school? Where did you attend? What were you involved in?

I went to Northville and played football, rugby, baseball, and wrestled. My love of sports continues as I coach the JV football team here. I had to work very hard to keep my grades up.

What was the last movie that made you cry?

I don’t cry.

One interesting fact your students may not know?

I have a 3-month old son.

What brought you to CC?

The brotherhood, focus on faith, and rich tradition here at CC were elements that definitely drew me here.

What has been your favorite thing about

CC so far?

The students have been outstanding—the support that they give one another, the efffort, and the resilience is awesome.

What kind of student were you in high school? Where did you attend? What were you involved in?

I attended Divine Child I was a strong student, who worked hard, advocated for himself to his teachers, and identified strategies that helped me learn best. I was involved in several sports in high school–I played football, baseball, and hockey during my four years at DC.

One interesting fact that your students may not know?

An interesting fact about me–I’m the youngest of three boys, and my oldest brother is on the Autism Spectrum. He’s been a major inspiration for me in my life, and is definitely a driving force behind my becoming a teacher and supporting students the way that I do.

What brought you to CC?

As I graduated from CC, it was always my dream job to one day come back and teach here.

What has been your favorite thing about CC so far?

The culture of excellence here, with nothing being done halfway.

What kind of student were you in high school? Where did you attend? What were you involved in?

I was a very musical kid. I played in the band and was a drum major for two years. I sang at Mass and was in the Alma Mater Choir. I participated in theater at Ladywood, and did both Quiz Bowl and soccer my freshman year.

One interesting fact your students may not know?

I can juggle just about anything!

And a hearty welcome back to Mr. Aiello!

Mr. Hess Biology and Chemistry

Mrs. Ely STEM

Ms. Obsniuk Biology and Forensic Science

Mrs. Paterra English

Mr. Minier Physics and Chemistry

Mr. Leslie Learning Strategies Center

Mr. Bonathan Band and Music Theory

Ms. Griffin English and Spanish

Mr. Stuligross Theology

Marcel Piatkowski '25

Christian Bakkal '25

Photos by John Hull ‘23

The Best Student Section in the State

In 2003, State Champs Michigan awarded Detroit Catholic Central the title of best student section in the state. Since that time, however, CC’s loyal fans have not received the recognition and attention that they deserve.

In an age where apathy and boredom are ever present in student sections across the nation, CC’s stands out among the rest as a powerhouse of rowdiness and sheer chaos. From its deep-rooted traditions, to its latest antics such as the “Tarps off” phenomena, Shamrocks bring a level of professionalism to their craft that is unparalleled in Michigan, and maybe even the country.

But how do the Shamrock faithful replicate such hype week in and week out? It all starts with advertising. Catholic Central operates off of several media platforms allowing for students to receive and share details about virtually all activities and athletics the weekend has to offer. On platforms such as Twitter, students are inspired to attend matches by their Athletic Director Aaron Babicz. Through his tweets, Babicz often motivates the Shamrocks by employing quotes like “IRON SHARPENS IRON” and “ROOTS NOT FRUIT.”

Once they have made it to the game, students are led in spirit by CC’s renowned Monogram Club. Known for such chants as “We believe that we will win” and “If you’re winning and you

know it clap your hands,” these young men utilize their knowledge and experience each game to get the other students engaged and active.

“Monogram [club] is a great way to be a part of school spirit and is always fun getting hyped up with the boys,” said senior Christian Werner, a leading member in the Monogram Club.

From the pregame barbecues and tailgates to the post-game Alma Mater, another one of CC’s strengths is its endurance. If you were one of the lucky people who witnessed CC’s 21-19 victory over Brother Rice in football last week, you would’ve noticed that the orange student section went quiet when their team was down. In contrast, when the Shamrocks were down after the first half against Dewitt, CC’s students turned up the energy, giving the team momentum and helping them comeback and win.

“That energy was electrifying,” said senior defensive tackle JoJo Massey.

“It charged us up, for sure,” he added.

There are student sections that are larger. There are student sections that are louder. However, there is no student section that produces more fear and commotion amongst its opponents than Catholic Central’s.

With the football season at its midway point, and the hockey season revving up in about a month, the students of Detroit Catholic Central have much to prove as they show the world that they truly are the greatest student section in the state of Michigan.

Quiz Bowl Wins Nationals

Catholic Central’s Academic team has achieved monumental success over the years. The program has attained a staggering 26 state championships and 5 national titles since its inception in 1985. The team has competed in every NAQT national championship and PACE national championship since both were founded in 1996 and 1999, respectively.

This past May, the CC quiz bowl varsity A team, led by coaches Ben Herman and Chris Gismondi, emerged as the NAQT national champions following three days of competition. Entering the tournament, CC was ranked 4th in NAQT and competed against 272 other teams from across the nation.

The team, consisting of seniors Drew Laroo, Liam Cross, and Michael Yousif, and junior Will Carstens achieved an 8-2 record in the preliminary matches. Their performance earned them a spot in the tournament’s double-elimination playoffs, where the team’s skills would be put to the greatest test.

“The national competition differed from other tournaments we had competed in because of its continuous intensity,” said Carstens.

“Playing on a stage in front of hundreds of people with the full knowledge that years of work have led up to that moment is an immense amount of pressure.”

The team amassed multiple wellearned wins in the playoffs, including an overtime victory against Texas high school Cinco Ranch and a last-question victory against Carmel High school from Indiana.

A loss to East Chapel Hill High School put CC only one loss away from elimination, but the team followed up with a miraculous comeback against the #1 overall ranked team in the nation, Arcadia High School, to win by a score of 340-310.

CC faced off against East Chapel Hill

Golf Completes Miraculous Comeback for State Title

mately, the Shamrocks edged Skyline by two strokes to win the title.

The Detroit Catholic Central Golf team celebrated their sixth state championship -- and fourth since 2015--last season when they completed an improbably comeback in the final round of the state tournament.

Late in the final day of the tournament, the Shamrocks were down by 10 strokes with only four holes between them and a runner-up finish.

All of a sudden the Shamrocks started to sink birdie after birdie, while the team in the lead, Ann Arbor Skyline, started to make bogies. By the 17th hole, the two teams were tied. At that hole, three Shamrocks birdied. Ulti-

This win is hopefully a foreshadowing of continued success four the golf team. Catholic Central has always had a strong golf team, but hopefully they can show even more dominance in the coming years.

“The tournament was all we could have dreamed of,” said varsity golfer Matthew Mans.

When asked if there was one specific golfer on the team that made a difference, Mans added, “The team only won because every player had confidence in one another and worked together as a whole.”

once again in a rematch, which they won with a score of 455-230, qualifying the team for the finals.

In the championship match, CC faced off against Hunter College High School. Hunter had not lost a match in the playoffs, meaning that CC had to beat them two consecutive times to win the championship. This happened to be a rematch of the 2017 NAQT championship in which Hunter beat CC twice in a row to secure the victory, but this year Hunter was not as fortunate.

CC won the first game 470-275 in convincing fashion. The second game was a back-and-forth match, but CC was able to clutch a 380-295 victory to win the national championship.

Coach Gismondi recalled the big victory: “The national championship clinching answer was the most memorable moment of the season.”

“To have our senior co-captains lead us to those victories was especially satisfying,” he added.

The national championship victory served as the ultimate reward for the team’s great dedication.

“It is a constant amount of work to be the best at quiz bowl,” Carstens said.

“When it pays off like it did at nationals, it’s the most satisfying feeling in the world.”

Gismondi acknowledged the great amount of work put in by the team as a whole: “Everyone from the A team to the freshmen to the coaches sacrifices time in some fashion … because they believe that the goals and ideals of the program amount to something greater.”

He went on to praise the team itself: “This group never wavered in their self-confidence and positive attitude toward each other.”

“It’s entirely possible that they themselves and we coaches were the only people who truly believed we could win a national championship.”

The victory capped off a season of dominance in which the academic team won a total of 12 tournaments, including their 11th straight state championship and their 5th national championship.

Cross Country Races to New Heights

The Catholic Central Cross Country team, led by head coach Anthony Magni, began the 2022 season with a fourth place finish at the Lamplighter Invitational.

The varsity team then took first place at both the Catholic Central Invitational and the Milford Invitational. At the competitive Averill Invitational, senior Matthew Atkinson placed eighth, leading the team to an overall fourth place finish.

In the first head to head matchup of the season, CC crushed DeLaSalle, with 17 Shamrock runners finishing before the first DeLaSalle Pilot crossed the line.

Thus far, the team looks strong and

consistent. As senior Miles Buckley put it: “So far the team has done very well.”

A mere 40-second gap separates the first and fifth Shamrock runners in almost all of the meets.

However, Buckley thinks that there is more to come, stating, “Our times haven’t been as fast as we’d like yet.”

Buckley believes this is a result of the difficult courses that the team has run, including the Kensington course with its intimidating hill.

The senior class commands this varsity team, putting forth the top five Shamrock runners in every race so far.

Accordng to Buckley, “This year our varsity team is filled with senior leaders.”

Pop Culture Grid

If you could travel in time, what would you go see and why?

May 28, 2016, so I could get that kid before he fell into Harambe’s pit.

I would go to the start of time to be about creation and the universe.

TruFood suggestions?

Teacher with the best flow?

What are you secretly afraid of?

This senior class has been running together since freshman year, with many of these current seniors running for varsity since their sophomore year. Buckley thinks that the seniors “have stepped up and are pushing others to work as hard as possible.”

Dream homecoming date?

Mr. Stu.

Chicken waffles.

Commitment.

Around 5’7, good personality. Don’t care about the rest.

answer redacted

The Civil War, so I could bet the house on North money line.

1943 so I could meet my grandpa on his first day of school at CC.

Shamrock shake.

Jack Fernandes

Kyle Roberts ‘23

Mr. Whitehead ‘23

Sean Donahue’s search history.

Coach Wilson.

Margot Robbie.

Mr. Griffin

Burrito bar. Mr. Griffin Madelyn Cline

Hancock. Ana de Armas, porque es muy bella.

Mr. Bonathan

Father Fulton (top) looks down with glee at the celebrating Shamrocks.

Photo by Hull

Hayden Sawka '25

Drew Laroo '22, Michael Yousif '22, Will Carstens '23, and Liam Cross '22 bask in the glory of victory.

Photo by Mr. Cornish

Oliver Kammeraad '24

Fall Activities

Clockwise, from upper left: GDK throwdown; McKee, Kinsella, and Collias give thanks for dinner; Mr. Babicz drops the usual wisdom; Paxton and Pado get on-the-job training; Mychalowych, Woloski, and York adjust to their new digs; a few juniors drop by St. Catherine’s; Shamrocks line up for Kona Ice.