The Eustacian
Volume 58 Number 2
ANYTHIHNG BUT A BLUE MOOD: BE BLUE DAY By: Alexis Mignogna ‘17 After many weeks of tireless efforts and collaboration among the Friends of Rachel Club, BE BLUE day finally came to Bishop Eustace on Wednesday, October 29th. I never knew how much planning and work it took to pull off an event like this! I can honestly say that although it took so much effort, I wouldn’t change a minute of it. It is such a surreal feeling seeing everyone in our BE community helping support a day so important and personally close to me. The co-leaders of the Friends of Rachel Club also spent such tremendous time, talent, and energy into helping make this day so memorable and worthwhile. Throughout the day, I hope you all took advantage of the following activities: • Getting your pinky finger painted blue to show your personal support for anti-bullying • Wearing a blue ribbon on
Oh Christmas Tree By: Sara Weill ‘17
“Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree, how lovely are thy branches!” One of the most special Christmas traditions at Eustace is having the huge Christmas tree in the Lulli Library. It’s probably one of the best feelings, walking into the library one day after Thanksgiving break and finding the festive tree lit up with silver lights, ornaments, and tinsel, and finding the rest of the library decked out in sparkling snowflakes and twinkle lights. If the Christmas carols on the radio starting back in November or the never-ending holiday commercials on TV haven’t already put you in the Christmas spirit, seeing Eustace decorated for Christmas definitely will. Just like how it’s almost impossible to walk past the tree without catching a piece of tinsel on your sweater, it’s also almost impossible to walk past the tree without catching some of the Christmas spirit that comes with it. It’s a true signal of the beginning of the “most wonderful time of the year”. Before we know it, it’ll be time to buy candy grams and listen to carols during passing time. But if you’re wondering the real reason why many Eustace students love seeing the Christmas tree go up in the library, it might be because it’s a constant reminder of the fact that there’s just less than three weeks before the much-anticipated Christmas break begins.
your lanyard throughout the day • Placing your blue thumbprint on the school’s “BE BLUE” banner and signing your name Also, a major thank you to the faculty and staff! I was so touched and pleasantly surprised by your enthusiastic response. Almost all of the teachers had their pinkies painted and were wearing their ribbons, too! Thank you for helping the Friends of Rachel Club enforce a happy, healthy school environment for all to flourish. Remember: Kindness extends beyond BE BLUE day! Always strive to treat others the way you wish to be treated. Be willing to go that extra mile for someone out of the kindness of your heart! Together, a kindness chain will form and others will follow in your footsteps. This is the exact idea Rachel Scott believed so strongly in. I hope you will all continue to support the Friends of Rachel club in promoting kindness and compassion throughout our community. I hope BE BLUE day made everyone think twice about the detrimental effects of bullying and how we can band together to stop it. And last but definitely not least, a big thank you to our Friends of Rachel advisors: Mrs. Bianchi, Mrs. Spilker and Mrs. Cranston (Mrs. Kovencz too!) for your continued support and constant reminder of what genuine kindness looks like.
Thanksgiving Meal Drive Once Again a Success! By: Sara Weill ‘17
On Thursday, November 20, Bishop Eustace families participated once again in the Family-ToFamily Thanksgiving Meal Drive. Beginning at 1:00, cars lined up around the parking lot to drop off bags full of everything necessary for a family’s Thanksgiving meal, including canned and dry goods, fresh potatoes, desserts, and of course, turkeys! These goods were retrieved and sorted by the eager students waiting in front of Crusader Hall. With Christmas Carols being played in the background and happy smiles on all the student helpers’ faces, it was impossible to walk by without being caught up in the spirit of giving. This is one of the most anticipated service opportunities of the year. This annual service project is especially successful due to how easy it is for the parents to donate and the students to help out. “You already have to go food shopping for your own family’s meal, so it’s just as easy to buy two of everything,” one donator commented. Another reason why perhaps so many parents enjoy this event is because it’s the only time when they have kids enthusiastically emptying their trunk of groceries. The 2014 Meal drive was a huge success. The Bishop Eustace community provided over 280 families with complete Thanksgiving meals. The meals were distributed to the families of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, and St. James Apostolic Temple, in Camden NJ.
DO YOU ACCEPT RACHEL’S CHALLENGE? By: Alexis Mignogna ‘17 Every two years, the Bishop Eustace Friends of Rachel club hosts two programs for Bishop Eustace students to learn about Rachel Scott, the first of the thirteen victims of the Columbine High School Shooting in Colorado. This shooting was the worst school shooting in American history, and changed the world forever. The shooting is remembered to this day through Rachel; a kind and compassionate young girl who strived to have an impact on the world in the most positive way possible. On Wednesday, November 5th, the national Rachel’s Challenge program sent us a representative named Yolanda Robinson to explain the foundation of the program and how one young girl altered the world. Throughout the morning, Ms. Yolanda Robinson presented two programs to Eustace students: Rachel’s Challenge for freshmen and sophomores and Rachel’s Legacy: a takeoff of the first program for juniors and seniors who had seen the first part as freshmen and sophomores. Every two years, our school is visited by the national Rachel’s Challenge program and every student and faculty member is always left impacted. “It was enlightening to learn how you can help others and be a more effective member of the Eustace community,” says freshmen Tallulah Manalo-LaManna. Tallulah and her classmates were among many who sat in for the first program: Rachel’s Challenge. She is among many students who joined the club because of its positive message. “It is so heartwarming to see so many students take on delivering kindness in their daily lives,” says Mr. Jessup, Eustace’s computer teacher and co-advisor of the Friends of Rachel Club. He along with Mrs. Cranston (guidance), Mrs. Bianchi (Math) and Mrs. Spilker (guidance) work tirelessly to continue to support Rachel’s message throughout the school every day. Every day should continue to be as positive as November 5th here at Eustace. Ask yourself before you act, “Would Rachel do this?” This question can help you be the kindest person you can be in your everyday life. On behalf of the Friends of Rachel club and FOR Leadership Team, thank you to not only Ms. Robinson but the students, faculty, staff, and our club advisors for helping Eustace be such a positive environment for all to prosper. I hope you all enjoyed the program and are willing to accept Rachel’s Challenge!
Community
Community
NHS Blood Drive Saves Lives By: Matthew McGough ‘17 Every year the National Honors Society has a biannual blood drive led by Mrs. Clemens and Mrs. Santomauro. The fall blood drive, held on November 6th, includes many new members who were initiated at the beginning of the year. 110 people donated blood and every member of NHS either donated blood, had someone donate for them, worked the drive, or brought in food for the donators. It is mandatory that all members of NHS to participate in some way. But this blood drive is not just for NHS members. Freshmen and sophomores could get service for either donating blood or having someone donate for them. To donate you have to be 16 with a parent’s permission or 17 to donate without permission. You can only donate once every 56 days. “This year was very successful,” boasts coordinator Mrs. Clemens. It certainly was as 91 pints of blood were collected. The American Red Cross says that for every one pint, three lives are saved. That means that Bishop Eustace alone saved 273 lives. Most of the blood will first go the Philadelphia to be organized. The blood will be typed, studied, and then passed on to hospitals in the area to save lives. Philadelphia is one of the largest centers in the country. NHS hopes to have an even more productive blood drive in the spring as more people become eligible to donate blood. That will be held on March 11, 2015.
Math Club Revamped By: Matthew McGough ‘17
With new presidents and a new monitor the Math Club is promising a new beginning for the once obsolescent club. The club membership was falling exponentially in the past years. But new presidents Katie Van Dyk and Chelsea Reyes have recruited new members when they ascended to the be the chairs of the club. There has also been a change in monitor. Mr. Pepino, the new teacher in the math department, has graciously decided to be in charge. The club membership has grown from all grade levels. The club is based on the American Math Competition, which takes place annually in February. The club meets every second Wednesday of the month. The presidents often bring sweet treats to share and entice members. Katie Van Dyk says, “I’m glad that we can help increase the popularity of the club and have a little fun while doing it”. The club inspires students to challenge themselves in mathematics and to enjoy learning. The club has so far sustained the popularity enough to be up with other popular clubs such as SADD and FOR. Whether it can keep up its popularity can only be told by time, but this success promises to continue at least through the end of the year.
Eustace Robotics
By: Stephanie Mignogna ‘15
The Robotics Team recently had a movie night fundraiser on Saturday, December 6th. The famous Christmas movie Elf starring Will Ferrall was displayed on a huge screen. Doors opened at 5:30PM and the movie began at 6:30PM. Snacks including candy, popcorn, and pizza were available with all proceeds going to the team. There was also a raffle to win baskets of baked goods from Mr. Nichter and a spirit basket from Ms. Larson. Any money paid for raffle tickets will be used to support the team. It cost $5,000 to register for the competitions and another $7,000-$10,000 to build a robot and compete. The night was an overall success and many Eustace faculty, students, and family came to support.
The Eustacian Turkey Bowl Tournament 2014
By Jake Khalifa ‘15
Here at Bishop Eustace, the school hosts a flag football event every year in the fall month of November. This event is known as the Turkey Bowl. Students from all classes are able to sign up at the second floor of the school’s library. Here they can join teams or make their own with a creative team name. Along with each team’s creative names, they all have a theme that matches their name. Each team is required to have at least 7 players that include 5 guys and 2 girls. If the team has more than 7 players though, then the team has to do substitution during each game they play so that everyone has a chance to play. During the game, teams are required to wear flags around their waist. One team will be red and the other will be yellow. The objective of the game is to run the football from one end to another without losing your flag. If a player loses their flag then the next play starts wherever they lost their flag. Unlike football, flag football doesn’t have first down lines but downs from 1 to 4. After 4 downs, the team has to turn the ball over to the opposing team. Both teams have to move quickly though because there is only 12 minutes of game time. At the end of the game, the winning team moves on while the losing team is out of the tournament. Despite winning and losing, teams go out there and have fun with each other. Even though there may be rivalries, such as trash talking to intimidate the other team, all teams have fun and it’s an event that everyone student should participate in.
Girls’ Tennis Season Recap
By: Tiffany Tran ‘17
Game. Set. Match. October 28th marked the end of the 2014 season for girls’ tennis. Coming off of a fantastic season last year, the team had high expectations. Starting in mid-August, the girls worked hard to make this season a great one. With an overall record of 15-4, the team was ranked second in South Jersey in their division. The girls were the champions of the Olympic conference. After defeating Paul VI and Donovan Catholic, the varsity seven made it to the South Jersey finals, though they were defeated by rival Red Bank Catholic. While the team suffered losses at the hands of schools such as Cherokee and Washington Township, they did win against other rivals. Highlights from the season include decisive victories against Seneca, Eastern, and Cherry Hill West. Of the nineteen matches, twelve were clean sweeps “This season was incredibly enjoyable because we were not only successful in a winning aspect, but we grew together as a team as well,” says co-captain Amanda Del Rossi. Beginning and ending with 5-0 wins, this season was definitely memorable and impressive. The future of BET looks bright as the girls prepare for an even greater season next year.
Go Eustace! The Eustacian The Student Newspaper of Bishop Eustace Preparatory School 5552 Route 70, Pennsauken, NJ 08109
Field Hockey Goes to State Final By: Matthew McGough ‘17
Three-time state champions Crusaders had their best run since the championship in 2012. The season was one to remember as the Crusaders who were 16-5 plus three wins in the postseason. The team had many great wins over Moorestown, Paul VI, and St. Joseph’s Hammonton in the post season. The game against St. Joseph’s Hammonton was one for the record books. The team was trailing the entire game. St. Joe’s scored first in the first half. Eustace finally came ahead in the second half. In the game, Drew Pecora had two goals and Lexi DiGennaro scored once and had one assist. Goalies Tara Young and Brenna Miller had one save each. Eustace had eighteen shots on goal. The team also had an impressive game against Eastern High School where they held them to eleven goals,
which is impressive considering many teams (even other state champions) have lost by bigger margins. In that game Tara Young had twenty saves. The captains played a large role in the team’s success this year. Dana Pecora, Tara Young, Rachel Hepp, and Kayla Rivera took the team motto “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard” to heart. They worked extremely hard doing “hours of conditional training per week,” said captain Tara Young. Overall the year was one to remember as the seniors move on to another part of their lives. Many seniors had tears to shed after their 3-1 loss to Oak Knoll at the Non-Public Group Championship at Bordentown Regional High School on November 15, 2014. But, they can always remember the success they had as a Crusader.
Girls Soccer 2014
By: Stephanie Mignogna ‘15
The hardworking Girls’ Soccer team ended the season as Olympic Conference National Division Champions. The girls started off the state tournament strong but were unable to advance to the Semi-Finals of the Non-Public A State Championship. Their season ended with a 12-8 record. Senior Caitlin Golden and junior Gabriella Pietrangelo were selected to an AllState team. Golden received awards for 2nd Team All-Conference as well as the Sportsmanship award.
Pietrangelo also received an award for 2nd Team All-Conference and for being the team MVP. Junior Isabella Dewes received the Most Improved award. Sophomore Sophia Marrone received the Coaches Award.
Moderator: Mr. Dwight Jessup Editors-in Chief: Anthony Biello and Stephanie Mignogna Section Editor: Paul Jacob Photos by LifeTouch, Eustacian Staff Photographers, and Mr. Jessup
THE EUSTACIAN is a forum for student views, photography, and journalism. It is written and produced by the Eustacian Club and takes submissions from contributing writers, photographers, and artists. It is at the discretion of the moderator and the editors whether a contribution will be used. All contributions will be evaluated on overall journalistic quality. Views expressed in THE EUSTACIAN are not necessarily the views of Bishop Eustace Preparatory School, or of the editors of this publication. THE EUSTACIAN is funded by the Pallottine Fathers and Brothers. Staff: Anthony Berna, Rebecca Clements, Regina de Heer, Hannah Dominguez, Julia Granato, Victoria Guevera, Kaylee Hudson, Jake Khalifa, Kevin Kopervas, Graham Laughlin, Sophia Marrone, Matt McGough, Alexis Mignogna, Tommy O’Brien, James Orey, Cooper Reck, Alyssa, Regalbuto, Elizabeth Rosa, John Stuckert, Tiffany Tran, Samuel Wang, Sara Weill