The Aquilian - February 2018 - Vol. 80, No. 4

The Aquilian February 2018 Volume 80, Number 4

Gonzaga College High School Men For Others Since 1821

19 Eye St, NW Washington, DC 20001

Photo By: Ms. Katie Murphy

Social Justice in Action By: Kenneth Carter ‘18 Contributor & Patrick Crockett ‘18 Contributor There were a lot of eye opening moments throughout the first semester during my Social Justice In Action class. From the neighborhood tour in the beginning of the year to the talk from Mr. Tony Lewis in December, there was not a moment this semester that was not a reality check.

However, the most powerful experience this semester came when I attended a protest to protect DACA. Going into the protest I did not know what to expect.

I did not know who I was going to encounter, and I definitely did not know I would meet some of the most inspirational people I would ever meet in my life.

When I first got to the U.S. Capitol with some of the guys from my Social Justice class and the Peace Club, we just took in the moment and watched hundreds of people as they chanted their frustration.

It was something that I had never experienced before firsthand. Hearing the pain in those people’s voices hit my heart. All I could think was how can anyone look these people in the eyes and tell them that they had to go back

to a country that most of them had never been to before. All these people want is a chance to succeed in America, and enjoy the same freedom and joy that most Americans experience.

One of the most inspiring people I met while at the protest was a little lady by the name of Antonia Alvarez who was from Minnesota.

She has four children.

One child was born in the US, and Mrs. Alvarez brought three of her other children to the US when they were very young. So, three of her children are in danger of being deported to Mexico if the Dream Act is not passed.

In an effort to bring atten-

tion to this act, and how many lives will be impacted if the act is not passed, Antonia decided to go on a ten day fast on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol. Hearing her story moved me to tears, and it made me realize that if I want to see a change I have to go the extra mile and do more than just talk about the change I want to see. I have to take serious action and get my hands a little dirty if I want to have my voice heard and see some type of change.

- K. Carter ‘18

Keeping it Clean, p.2

Grammys, p. 5

Eye Street Jesuits, p.6

Meet Ms. Farley, p.7

The service opportunities I have been a part of over the four months in Social Justice in Action have led to incred-

ible experiences.

We installed a mural of Father McKenna in the dining room at the McKenna Center. We shared meals with the men of the McKenna Center. We created bonds with Center guests like Tim and Terry. We participated in clothing and food drives.

We met incredible people at Sibley Plaza through Campus Kitchen. We went into our neighborhood and were guests in the homes of those we served.

We met people like Mrs. Alberta Munlyn, who fights for housing justice in D.C. This class has been amazing and transformational.

- P. Crockett ‘18

The Aquilian 2

Mental Health Initiative

Blackness

million Americans yearly.

But such tragedies can be prevented. Awareness also involves signs that help us to pick up on suicidal behavior or substance abuse in our friends. These signs include social withdrawal and talking about killing oneself, among many other warning behaviors. Finally, awareness is the simple realization that these are prevalent issues that can affect just about anyone in some way.

With all of this in mind, the Student Government is working to establish a Mental Health Initiative. The week of March 12 will be dedicated to awareness of issues involving mental health.

Free wristbands spelling out the Crisis Text Line will be distributed. Experts in mental health will speak in the library during lunches and during the March 14 Community Period. Banners and flyers will be posted around campus reminding students that it is okay to talk about and deal with these subjects.

On Friday March 16, students can dress down if they enter the Crisis Text Line into their phone.

The Crisis Text Line is a central part of this Initiative. The service, which is entirely text based, “is a free

By: Kyle Brown ‘18 Editor

By: Matt Gannon ‘18 Editor-in-Chief In the wake of tragedies at area high schools, at the Red Cloud Indian School, and in the greater Gonzaga community - tragedies involving loved ones, friends, familiar faces - it has become all too apparent that issues involving mental health are pervasive.

Gonzaga students deal with these issues themselves, see them in their friends and family members, and struggle to find answers or a way forward. Depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and suicidal behavior are very real and relevant for our student body.

The loss of students at area schools has been a shocking wake up call for many of us. With red and green hearts plastered on Snapchat stories come reminders and worries that this sort of tragedy could affect our school, our friends, our families. This leaves us a question: what can we do? At Gonzaga, I think we just have to be aware. We have to be a support system for our brothers.

Awareness involves knowing the facts. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for 15-24 year olds.

It is a serious thought for 9.4

hotline through which you can connect with a trained volunteer who can help you move from crisis to calm and assist in cooling you down,” says Michael Kerns ‘18, a volunteer with the organization. He additionally notes that Crisis Text Line “is not just for suicidal people. Any overwhelming emotion can be discussed on the line.”

Gonzaga’s Counseling Department agrees that this service is an invaluable one that could be useful for any Gonzaga student. By entering the number in their phones, Gonzaga students add another support system that they can turn to in times of crisis.

The big picture when it comes to this is that it is good to talk about these difficult subjects. It is good to be aware of their effects on people, including ourselves and the people we love. It is important that the Gonzaga community be one welcoming to and willing to help those struggling with these issues. Above all, it is important to remember that Gonzaga is a place where there is always someone to turn to. The Student Government hopes that the Mental Health Initiative in March will drive that point home.

Keeping it Clean By: Charlie Bennett ‘20 Contributor Lately, Gonzaga has been faced with a big problem in the lunchroom. Students are leaving their trash behind on the tables and leaving the lunchroom, causing great messes in the cafeteria.

This greatly affects the custodial staff, who have to clean up the entire mess after the conclusion of the three lunches. According to Mr. Cerra, the Assistant Dean frequently responsible for looking over the lunchroom, “I think we should do a better

job to ensure cleanliness, and to have pride and respect for our commonplaces on Eye Street, but most importantly show respect to the people who have to clean up after us.”

This problem is bigger than some would have presumed or thought, as Mr. Cerra describes that, “An outsider would be alarmed if they were to see the state of the lunch room.”

Luckily, there is still hope for improvement of the state of the lunchrooms cleanliness. Student Services is taking disciplinary action

The Aquilian Founded In 1940 Gonzaga College HIgh School 19 Eye Street NW Washington, DC 20001 Men For Others in the Jesuit Tradition Since 1821

against those who leave trash on the tables. However, the easiest way to rid this problem from our school is just to pay close attention to the state of your lunch table as you leave it.

Photo By: Rylan Madison ‘18

Editors-in-Chief Matt Gannon ‘18 Jamie Keeler ‘18 Trevor Louis ‘18 Phototography Editors Jack Chesen ‘18 Rylan Madison ‘18

Why is my blackness the way I speak? How do I disrespect “the culture” because I sound educated?

Why is sounding educated equivalent to sounding white?

Who would make such a rule?

A diminishing rule, why would you follow it?

To ensure I am heard I enunciate not to sound like “one of them.”

I may not be black enough.

The security guards and the police, they think with their eyes. and guess what they see?

With help from the Gonzaga Poets & Writers, The Aquilian plans to feature a work of poetry written by a Gonzaga Student in each issue.

Beauty & the Beast By: Peter Rizzo ‘19 Contributor Have you seen the 1991 animated film? Did you see the 2017 live action remake?

Your answers don’t matter because the only version of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast you should concern yourself with is the one the Gonzaga Dramatic Association is putting on this year.

If you’re unfamiliar with the story, the show follows Belle as she longs to leave her “provincial life” and seeks adventure somewhere else. “Adventure” in this context meaning meeting a cursed beast and befriending a clock, teapot, and a candle.

This story has everything: magic, songs, castles, and a rose that takes ten years to wilt. Also given the size of the cast and crew, it’s likely that you know at least one person involved in it so come and show your support.

Beauty and the Beast is one of Gonzaga’s biggest

shows, according to the director, Mr. L’Etoile, and if you’re on the fence about seeing the show, keep these in mind: it’s Disney and besides Cars 2, they’ve never made anything bad; the music is iconic and you get the opportunity to see our student body president (Matt Gannon) dance around dressed as a candelabra. Tickets are on sale now, so mark your calendars, and be our guest.

Editors Joe Boland ‘19 Kyle Brown ‘18 Alec Dubois ‘18 Jack Martino ‘20 Daniel Podratsky ‘19

Moderator: Dr. Harry Rissetto

The Aquilian 3

Nuclear Politics: Realistic or Blown out of Proportion?

By: Josh Knutsen ‘20 Contributor For over half of a century, the United States and North Korea have had a tumultuous and uneasy relationship. Recently, however, this conflict has escalated to the point of nuclear threats and even war.

With the potential for this situation to deteriorate even further, I decided to interview two of Gonzaga’s history teachers and a U.S. Air Force veteran to better understand where we stand.

To begin, I asked a question on many people’s minds: “What is the likelihood North Korea actually launches a nuclear strike against the United States?” Dr. Schaefer of the History Department stated that while the chances of Kim Jong Un actually attacking the U.S. are low, the North Korean leader’s inexperience and questionable mental health status make it difficult to predict.

Retired Colonel Douglas Knutsen agrees saying that it is, “Unlikely, but not impossible.” He went on to note that, “It’s currently not known if North Korea has successfully mastered the technology to integrate an operational nuclear warhead into their various ballistic missiles,” suggesting that they may not even have the

capability.

Mrs. Eberhardt, a U.S. history teacher, also said that North Korea, most likely, would not have the ability to even launch an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile until the year 2020.

In the hypothetical event of a North Korean missile making contact with American soil, all three agreed that the U.S. government would respond with an overwhelming nuclear response aimed at the Korean Peninsula.

However, Mrs. Eberhardt points out that the bigger concern would likely center around the reaction of other countries. A nuclear event would force China and Russia to pick sides, making difficult decisions in real-time, with incomplete information.

This could easily make an already precarious situation even worse.

Another potential scenario would involve an American defense system intercepting a Korean missile before reaching U.S. soil. Mrs. Eberhardt said that this would definitely have the potential to develop into a Third World War. The attempted attack would result in North Korea being wiped from the map and China and Russia being forced to make some very important decisions.

Colonel Knutsen, how- leadership would not likely that Kim Jong Un may actuever, says that a WWIII sce- result in much, reminding us ally just be a figurehead. He nario would most likely not that there have been multiple points out that it’s possible take place. He referenced the U.S. presidents who have that there are generals and president’s group of military made little progress in nurtur- other military leaders really advisors and how they would ing relations between the two in charge of North Korea’s have a series of calculated countries. In the event Kim future. In all likelihood, the actions based on the nature of Jong Un were removed, his removal of one corrupt dicthe attempted tator would strike. He beprobably “A nuclear event would force Chilieves that the only lead majority of the na and Russia to pick sides, making to another world would his difficult decisions in real-time, with taking unite behind place. the United incomplete information. This could While a States who North Kowould most easily make an already precarious rean attack likely strike situation even worse.” remains various North possible, it Korean conseems untrol centers with non-nuclear successor would likely fol- likely. Even if Kim Jong Un missiles, eliminating the im- low in his footsteps and pick did the unthinkable and went mediate threat. up right where things left off. through with a nuclear strike, Additionally, Dr. Schae- He noted that, “This family there are few scenarios in fer makes the point that an controlled, ruthless dictator- which he comes out on top. intercepted nuclear strike ship would fight to stay in America’s answer would would result in America power at any cost.” be an overwhelming nuclear gaining even more global leOn the other hand, Mrs. response and Korea’s first verage. The United States’s Eberhardt believes that the strike would have the rest of enormous nuclear arsenal U.S. government still has not the world sympathizing with would be further strength- exercised all of its options the U.S. Long story short, ened by the promise of a in preventing conflict. She America’s large military and strong and capable defense. notes that,“Trump likes the nuclear firepower gives them Avoiding a nuclear strike thought of war and may actu- an unparalleled advantage, altogether would clearly be ally wish for war to improve making it virtually imposthe preferred approach. One his ratings.” There is defi- sible for North Korea to do proposed method could be the nitely evidence which could anything more than make removal of Donald Trump, suggest this, and a victory threats. Ideally, this conflict Kim Jong Un, or both from over North Korea would cer- is resolved without force. tainly improve the national Hopefully, a unified Korean their positions of power.

Olympic team is a sign of Colonel Knutsen thinks opinion of his presidency.

Dr. Schaefer suggested better things to come. that a change in our own

2018 Winter Snow: A Season to Remember?

By: Daniel Podratsky ‘19 Editor With the end of winter around the corner, little time remains for a major snow storm, and it’s been a rather weak winter overall.

Heading into this 20172018 academic year, NBC4 predicted average snowfall for the DC area at between eleven and nineteen inches of snow. Summarizing the season, The Washington Post posted an article on February 8th declaring D.C. “No. 2 on the list of ‘snow losers’ this winter.” We have currently received only 3.1 inches of snow after several dustings.

Still, February and March hold several more opportunities for snowfall.

Despite the lack of snow, Montgomery County, Maryland public schools (MCPS) have canceled school twice for inclement weather and

additionally declared multiple delayed openings and one early closing. Considering the low snowfall totals, the amount of school missed has to come as a surprise. Last year, we received only a single day off despite receiving 3.4 inches of snowfall.

Perhaps the most exciting part of any snow day is the anticipation of MCPS’s decision. The last time there was a possibility for school closures and delays, I distinctly recall the fact that WTOP servers crashed over the volume of people checking for school announcements.

Another vital source concerning snow information for MCPS students, or those that attend schools who follow the school system, is MoCo Snow, a website and Twitter handle run by MCPS teacher Alex Tsironis. Tsironis publishes forecasts and

predictions regarding the area’s next chance of receiving snow, and he even posts percentage predictions for several counties’ chances of school closure or delay on the MoCo Snow iOS app.

Self-proclaimed as the “#1 Source for Montgomery County Inclement Weather Forecasts,” MoCo Snow has developed a strong reputation for his accurate predictions. Over his sixty total predictions, Tsironis claims that only five have been incorrect.

With little time remaining in this year’s snow season, students looking to cast blame for the lack of snowfall don’t have to look far: Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania is only a four hour drive.

Groundhog Day, famous for its predictions concerning winter’s finale, predicts how long winter may last based

on whether or not Punxsutawney Phil, a groundhog, sees his shadow.

In 2016, the year celebrated for a Snowmageddon that closed schools for a week, Phil did not see his shadow, thereby incorrectly predicting a fast end to winter. Whether a positive sign

of future snow to come or another incorrect prediction waiting to be fulfilled, Phil did see his shadow on February 2, 2018, predicting that another six weeks of winter may be at hand to bring possible snow before spring break of this year.

Photo By: Harry Monroe ‘17

The Aquilian 4

Super Bowl Monday - A Gonzaga Holiday

By: Jake Winters ‘19 Contributor On Sunday, February 4th, football fans around the world watched the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles compete for the NFL Championship in Super Bowl LII. In their 10th Super Bowl appearance, the Patriots were looking to put on a show. If successful, this would be the sixth Super Bowl win for the Patriots star QB Tom Brady and his Coach Bill Belichick. In contrast, the underdog Eagles not only arrived at the game having never won a Super Bowl, but also without starting QB Carson Wentz who was out with a knee injury. Relying mainly on the Eagles backup QB Nick Foles, running backs LeGarrette Blount and Jay Ajayi, and tight end Zach Ertz, it wasn’t surprising that the Patriots were favored to win by

3.5 points. I mean, how could a team playing with their backup quarterback beat the unstoppable five-time Super Bowl Champions?

Well, to the surprise of many, they did. The underdog Eagles beat the Patriots 41-33 in a hyper-offensive, back and forth game. It was one of the best Super Bowls that I have ever seen because it was full of surprises, like having only one punt kicked the entire game and Tom Brady fumbling the ball with two minutes left. And Eagles backup quarterback Nick Foles was named the MVP after passing for 373 yards and 3 touchdowns. Who would have guessed it?

We were lucky to have such an exciting game this year, because the commercials were not that great or memorable. The best ones were the Bud Knight and the “Dirty Dancing” one with Eli

Manning and Odell Beckham. The other memorable part of the weekend was what everyone did during the game and on Super Bowl Monday’s day off. Personally I had some friends over on Sunday and we watched the game together while playing pool and ping-pong.

Let’s see what other Gonzaga students did on what many would agree is one of the best weekends of the year…

I interviewed an Eagles fan at Gonzaga who doesn’t just root for Gonzaga Eagles, but also for the Eagles from Philly, the new Champs.

Sophomore Cullen Capuano flew all the way to Minneapolis to watch the Super Bowl.

When I asked Cullen how he liked the game, he said “as a big Eagles fan, I was very

excited about the result of the game and enjoyed being there for their first Super Bowl win ever.” I am sure that the plane ride to get back to school on Monday may have been long, but it was definitely worth it to be there to celebrate such a historic Eagles victory.

I also interviewed a junior, Liam Hannah, and asked him how he spent his day off on Super Bowl Monday. I asked him if anything

memorable happened on his day off. Liam said “not much, I just went to my friend Ryker’s house. Oh, and also while we were there another friend of mine jumped into a lake.”

“A lake?” I asked. “Yep, we were just hanging out and Ryker’s house has a lake behind his house, and out of nowhere he just jumped in.” I guess that’s one way to spend your day off.

Spending Time on Moran Street By: Tommy Fisher ‘20 Contributor Gonzaga promotes organized music and performance through a variety of venues like GDA and the Chamber Choir, but until recently there has been no club or organization that would really get together and create music. That was until Alex Gomez ‘18 started the Gonzaga Songwriter’s Club, also known as

Q: Please provide a brief history of the band (when formed, members names, ages, schools/grade, roles/instruments they play).

A: The original band was formed over last winter break (2016-2017) by Aaron Douoguih (keys, age 18, ‘18), Trevor Louis (lead guitar, age 18, ‘18), and myself (vocals & rhythm guitar, 17, 2018).

We broke up last spring, but over the summer Aaron

Photo By: Rylan Madison ‘18

“Purple Keys”. As a result of club meetings, Alex was able to connect with other talented Gonzaga musicians and eventually form a band.

Recently, I asked him a few questions about his band: Q: What is the official name of your band?

A: We recently renamed ourselves Moran Street. Past iterations of the band have been called “The Band Justine” and “Once Apollo”.

and I continued to work and write together. The current iteration of the band features Aaron Douoguih (voice and keys), Matt Walter (bass, age 18, ‘18), and Max Minichiello of Fairfax High School in Virginia, who is our newest member (drums, age 16, ‘19), and myself (voice and lead guitar).

Q: What genre of music do you play?

A: We play a blend of

rock, blues, jazz, and pop.

Q: When and where do you practice?

A: We practice at my house in Virginia where I have a series of amps (guitar and bass), a piano, Aaron’s keyboard, and a drum kit. We practice about once a week all together, but now that we have a drummer and the college application process is behind us, we look to practice together significantly more in the coming months as we look to gig more often in the spring and summer.

Q: When/ where do you perform?

A: We perform at local cafes and bars in Virginia and Maryland. We’ve performed only a handful of times together, but I perform at least once a week with open mics and gigs.

Q: What inspired you to form the band?

A: At the beginning of my junior year, I sought to create a club at Gonzaga where musicians could come together to create. Music was not very prominent at the school, and I sought to change that no matter how small the effort.

I created the Gonzaga Song-

writer’s Club coined “Purple Keys”. Through the club I was able to meet and become friends with Aaron. I soon discovered he was a supertalented pianist, and I knew that we could create something special together.

Q: What is your favorite song to perform and why?

A: My favorite song to perform live is “Say It Ain’t So” by Weezer. The song is nostalgic for me because it is what kindled my love for music. When I was 8 or 9 years old, my parents bought the game Rock Band for the Wii. The second song we played was “Say It Ain’t So”.

I didn’t know much about rock music or music in general, but when I sang the song with my brother on guitar and my dad on drums, I knew that I loved music.

Q: What is your favorite type of music to listen to and why?

A: I listen to many types of music ranging from jazz to pop but my favorite type is rock. For me, music is about more than just listening to a cool electronic groove and rhythm. With rock, you have musicians coming together to play real instruments in a way that simply can’t be replicated by a computer algorithm.

Q: Who are your favorite artist(s)/people you admire in

the music industry and why?

A: My favorite artist is John Mayer. While he has had his ups and downs over the years in the spotlight, he has always stayed true to himself and his beliefs as far as music. He never took the easy way out of sticking to a sound that fans loved with “Your Body is a Wonderland” and “Daughters” and simply making another five albums that sounded like those Grammy winning songs. No, instead he sought to create the best music he could whether it be with great guitar licks or lyrics that could stand alone as poetry. John Mayer stayed true to his voice—a goal every musician or artist should strive to achieve.

Q: As a senior at Gonzaga, what are your future plans for the band and for yourself?

A: With graduation fast approaching, I can’t help but look to the future and what it holds. I hope to continue gigging with the band through August until I go to college.

During college and after, I will continue writing and performing music. If I ever get the chance to make a career out of it, it would be a dream come true.

So, if you are in the mood for some good music, make sure to check out Moran Street!

The Aquilian 5

The Oscars from Eye Street By: Brendan Long ‘18 Senior Contributor Undoubtedly, last year’s Oscars were one of the most exciting in recent memory.

The confusion over Best Picture dominated water cooler conversation. However, last year also showed why the Oscars are more than just a self-rewarding awards show.

The winner, Moonlight, was notable for numerous reasons, from being the first all-black cast and LGBT film to win, to the momentum it gave its budding production company, A24. Three of its films are nominated this year, including critic favorite and Best Picture hopeful Lady Bird, a coming of age story set against a catholic high school in Sacramento, CA circa 2002. The love/hate relationship between Mother and Daughter which takes command of the film (Laurie Metcalf and Saoirse Ronan) will be in competition for Actress awards with the hate/hate relationship shown in Tonya Harding biopic I, Tonya (Allison Janney and Margot Robbie).

The race for best picture is mainly up for grabs, with no clear frontrunner. Although Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, cleaned up at both the Golden Globes and SAG awards, its controversial “redemptive” ending may scare the Academy away. Other favorites include Jordan Peele’s (of Key and

Peele fame), Get Out, a horror-comedy and box-office favorite starring 28 year old first-time Best Actor nominee Daniel Kaluuya. More established candidates include Steven Spielberg’s The Post, starring Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep (nominated for Best Actress) as executives for the Washington Post in the middle of discovering a government cover-up during the Vietnam war. There’s also Dunkirk, a war film focused around the evacuation of France in 1940, which earned Christopher Nolan his first Best Director nomination, and The Shape of Water, directed by dark fantasy expert Guillermo del Toro, focused around the relationship between a mute custodian (Sally Hawkins, nominated for Best Actress) and a humanoid creature. Phantom Thread, also a Best Picture nominee, is the second collaboration between Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Thomas Anderson, nominated for Best Actor and Best Director respectively.

Day-Lewis won an Oscar for his performance in their prior collaboration, 2007’s There Will be Blood.

Youth and establishment are in competition for many of the awards. The aforementioned Peele, as well as Lady Bird’s director, Greta Gerwig, are both under 40 and nominated for Best Director in their debuts. Up-and-comer Timothee Chalamet, only 22, is a

By: Kyle Brown ‘18 Editor

favorite for Best Actor for his role in Best Picture nominee Call Me by Your Name, and facing off against an Oldman -- Gary, that is -- for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour, which is also nominated for Best Picture.

The actual Awards ceremony will air on ABC on Sunday, March 4th, at 8 PM. Jimmy Kimmel will be hosting for the second year in a row, and yes, extra measures have been put into place to make sure the correct winners are announced.

A New Year’s Resolutions By: Tommy Fisher ‘20 Contributor The New Year. It is an occasion so big that even Steve Harvey came in and messed it up, just as he has done to so many other treasured events.

Since the beginning of history, the new year has been important time of celebration, reflection and the kick-off of new beginnings.

The Babylonians celebrated it with a festival in March, the Egyptians celebrated it during the annual flood of the Nile, and Julius Caesar, the Roman Emperor, changed the date of the New Year to January 1st in honor of Janus, the Roman god of transitions.

New Year’s resolutions may have originated with

the Babylonians, who made promises to their gods in the hopes for positive returns in the next year. And so we have continued to make resolutions for the new year on January 1st ever since.

In light of this tradition, The Aquilian decided to propose some Gonzaga-esque resolutions that we can all work on. Let us:

2018 Grammys

4.

Not fall asleep in church (God does not look fondly at those who doze upon His Word) 5. Not be that one person who pays in cash for Sage in the Lower Commons.

6.

Be more appreciative of the WZAG features

1.

Visit the library for 7.

Stop getting sursomething other than the prised when we get a C on comfy chairs. a test in any of the science classes at Gonzaga.

2. Stop pretending like we’re not about to bring food The Aquilian wishes evup into the Upper Commons. eryone at Gonzaga a Happy New Year!

3.

Practice the four finger swipe in moderation (with great power comes great responsibility)

On Sunday January 28, 2018 the Grammys took place and aired on CBS. The Grammys are the highest accolade any musician can earn. Many people aspire to win a Grammy in their lifetime. Bruno Mars was the biggest winner of the night, he won six awards including: Best R&B Performance, Best Best R&B Song, Best R&B Album, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the year. While Bruno was being praised some artists were unfairly snubbed, especially SZA and Jay-Z. SZA had five nomination, making her the most nominated female of the night, yet she walked away empty handed.

Rapper Jay-Z had a total of eight nominations making him the most nominated person of the night, and he also left empty handed. Although I do not agree with all of the award decisions, it was a great night for performances.

With a total of eighteen performances, eight of them had me standing up and applauding at home. Ben Platt, P!nk, and Childish Gambino had simple, powerful, elegant, and vocally amazing performances. In these performances the artists conveyed their emotions with every note. Each artist brought soul to the Grammy’s stage. Ben Platt sang “Somewhere,” P!nk sang “Wild Hearts Can’t be Broken” a song from her new album Beautiful Trauma, and Childish Gambino performed his song “Terrified” with JD McCrary Gambino’s co star in the upcoming reboot of The Lion King.

These were amazing performances, but the best performances came from Kesha, Sir Elton John and Miley Cyrus, DJ Khaled with Rihanna and Bryson Tiller, Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B, and Kendrick Lamar. Kesha arguably had the most important and impactful performance of the entire night.

The past few years she has been in a legal battle with her former producer Dr. Luke for various charges including sexual assault. Because of this Kesha was unable to release music until last year, and her leading single “Praying” talked about all she had been through with Dr. Luke.

The song is honest, vulnerable, and powerful. Kesha was joined on stage by many of her supporters including Camila Cabello and Andra Day. Not only was the performance beautiful Kesha was introduced by singer and actress Janelle Monáe. Sir Elton John and Miley Cyrus sang “Tiny Dancer.” The unlikely pair gave an amazing performance. Sir Elton John is a music legend, and he is about to embark on his farewell tour. His performance with Cyrus showed how well his music transcends generations. DJ Khaled, Bryson Tiller, and Rihanna Performed their hit single “Wild Thoughts.” The use of the stage, lights, singing, rapping, and dancing was stunning. Their performance was fun and definitely one of my favorites from the night.

The second best performance came from Bruno Mars and Cardi B. They performed “Finesse (Remix).” This performance had the best dancing of the night. Cardi B and Bruno Mars owned the stage and their song. As soon as they were on stage everyone knew it. There was not a dry spot in the performance.

In “Finesse (Remix)” Cardi B effortlessly rides the beat with style, and she brought that same style to the stage.

The best performance of the night came from Kendrick Lamar. He performed a medley of songs from his Grammy winning album. The performance was simply exhilarating. He picked the perfect songs and his tech was amazing. The DNA rapper also brought out comedian Dave Chappelle and Bono during his performance. Kendrick Lamar’s six minute set had a socially relevant message with, singing and amazing visuals. Lamar’s rapping was exceptional, immaculate, and impressive. Although Lamar lost Album of the Year, he had the best performance of the night.

Music’s biggest nights was packed with shock, amazing wins, and great performances. Every performance was well done and host James Corden was a pleasure to watch. It was a great night, and I highly recommend listening to the music of the nominees and watching the performances from the night.

The Aquilian 6

Meet the Eye Street Jesuits: Br. Larry Lundin, SJ

By: Daniel Podratsky ‘19 Editor & Joe Boland ‘19 Editor Joining the Jesuits Br. Larry Lundin, SJ is a longtime Jesuit who arrived at Gonzaga to work at the Resource Center for Religious Institutes in Silver Spring, Maryland. After attending grade school at Christ the King Middle School and Junior High, he attended Jesuit College Preparatory in Dallas, Texas, for high school.

Before graduating in 1966, Br. Larry spent time interacting with some of the resident Jesuits, who taught many classes. He cites this experience as a key inspiration for later joining the Jesuits in 1967 and taking his first vows in 1969.

Business Experience Br. Larry specializes in business and financial consultation. At Gonzaga, he serves as the business manager for the Jesuit Community. With his current position at the Resource Center for Religious Institutes, he provides financial consultations to a variety of communities across the U.S. This includes either helping with specific financial questions or planning long-term finances for all of the members of a religious community, including those who have retired.

Travels Over his tenure with the Jesuits, Br. Larry has served in many communities. After taking his vows as a Jesuit,

he studied for two years at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he obtained a degree in Business.

Then he moved to New Orleans, where he achieved an MBA from the University of New Orleans. After spending more time in West Virginia and Louisiana, he began teaching at Jesuit High in Tampa, where he lived from 1980-1984. Then, he worked as Treasurer of the Jesuit Conference National Office.

Br. Larry has also spent time overseas in Mexico and Paraguay. In Mexico, he practiced his Spanish and lived with a Mexican family in Cuernavaca. This enabled him to work at Colegio Javier in Asuncion, Paraguay. He fondly remembers the distinct cultural experiences like

the open air markets and negotiating goods on prices. Returning to the U.S., Br. Larry was the treasurer of the New Orleans province, which stretches from Florida to the Gulf Coast.

He spent twenty-two years in that position before arriving in D.C.

Photo By: Rylan Madison ‘18

Favorite Aspect of Gonzaga the morning. You can find Although he is busy him at one of the weekday most days working in Silver masses.

Spring, Br. Larry spends time at Gonzaga’s daily mass in

Meet the Eye Street Jesuits: Fr. Phil Ganir, SJ

By: Daniel Podratsky ‘19 Editor & Joe Boland ‘19 Editor Fr. Phil was born in Seattle but raised in Honolulu, and it was in Hawaii where he first interacted with Jesuits. As a church musician, he became very familiar with the Jesuits and was enthralled with both the order and its history with music.

required of Jesuits, Fr. Phil was chosen by the Jesuits to continue his education as a student of music. He received a bachelor's degree in Voice at Manhattan School of Music, and a master's degree in Choral Conducting at the University of Notre Dame. Currently, his education is being furthered even more, as he’s been missioned to earn a PhD in Religious Education (Catechetics) at Catholic University--a 5 year program.

your commitment to service.

It's hard to think of another place where a high school provides direct service to those in need as you do here at Gonzaga. It's incredibly edifying to see how many students show care for the poor right here in our neighborhood.”

Music Experience Fr. Phil’s passion is music. In addition to the compulsory master's degrees Favorite Aspect of Gonzaga in philosophy and theology “I'm very impressed by

Photo By: Rylan Madison ‘18

Fun Fact In addition to studying theology and music, Fr. Phil loves studying cheese. History, varieties, food combinations--Fr. Phil does it all. “ If we could ever taste God's grace--it would be in the form of a block of cheese!”

Gonzaga Wrestling Pins DC Championship By: Patrick McAuliffe ‘19 Contributor The Purple Eagles have had five meets and tournaments in January and early February.

On January 10, the Eagles wrestled in their MidDay Melee against Our Lady of Good Counsel and Bishop O’Connell High School with seniors Jack Brown, Nathan Thacker, Luke Hoffman, Aaron Douoguih, Austin Davis, Chris Delaney, Danny Kerns, Nick Mulholland, Colin Pels, Riley Peterson, and Collin Timothy.

The Eagles lost to Good Counsel 18-41 but rallied against O’Connell, losing only one match.

On the 23rd, the Purple Eagles wrestled against Bish-

Photos By: Patrick McAuliffe ‘19

op Ireton with a score of 40 to 37, losing six matches and winning eight. On the 25th they wrestled PVI and McNamara at Paul VI Catholic High School. The Eagles endured a devastating loss against Paul VI 51 to 21 but came back strong to win against McNamara 56 – 30.

On January 27th the Eagles had their final meet of the regular season at St. John’s College High School.

There they wrestled St. Mary’s Ryken, St. John’s, and Dematha.

The Eagles defeated St. Mary’s Ryken in the morning. Then they wrestled Saint John’s first then Dematha, both of whom beat the Eagles.

On February 3rd the Eagles wrestled in the WCAC Championships at Our Lady

of Good Counsel High School. Nine teams were there including Gonzaga.

Nathan Thacker received first place in his weight class, his fourth time doing so in this tournament. Danny Kerns and Austin Davis received third place in their weight classes.

Rebounding from the WCAC Championships, the Eagles took first place at the DC Championships held at our own Carmody Center.

Three wrestlers earned invidual championships, including Gordon McMillen, Nathan Thacker, and Ryan Smith. It had been eight years since the Purple Eagles had won that title. The three first place finishers will go on to wrestle at the National Championships at Lehigh University.

By: Jack Dougherty ‘20 Contributor

Forming a Bond with Ms. Farley

Ms. Caitlin Farley is the newest addition to our Science Department here at Gonzaga College High School.

Growing up as a local, she lived in Bowie, Maryland, and attended Georgetown Visitation for high school, and Catholic University for college.

While completing her studies at Catholic University, Ms. Farley also played women’s lacrosse, her favorite sport. Her team advanced to the NCAA tournament each year she attended CUA, and she states that “those games were some of the most competitive and emotional moments in my life.”

The sport means a lot to Ms. Farley, and she believes “playing on a national stage with your best friends and teammates who you have worked so hard with, while

Photo By: Rylan Madison ‘18

knowing that either you go home or the other team goes home, is the best and worst feeling in the world.”

Ms. Farley then went on to attain her master’s degree in molecular biology, at the University of Tulane in Louisiana. Ms. Farley stated that she first knew she wanted to be a teacher when she realized that making other people enjoy science was more important and fulfilling for her than working with medicine.

Ms. Farley says that she acquired many aspects of her approach towards teaching from an influential teacher at Georgetown Visitation. She states that this teacher had an impact due to her enthusiasm for the material, and her care for students as people inside and outside of the classroom.

Prior to Gonzaga, Ms. Farley taught physics at Archbishop Spalding, not far from Baltimore, and worked in the field of organ donation.

The Aquilian 7

She says “There are some amazing scientific advancements in the field recently involving the transport of organs and the potential future of growing organs or using animal organs in sick human patients.”

Ms. Farley was easily drawn to Gonzaga because her brothers went here, her nephews currently attend, and her mom worked here.

In the short time she has been teaching here at Gonzaga, Ms. Farley has come to enjoy the Jesuit atmosphere, a fun staff, and strong students who are pushed to excel in areas in addition to academics.

On another note, she also thinks Gonzaga students are messy, funny, find creative ways to do the least amount of work possible, and participate in a great brotherhood.

Sra. Boero on Eye Street for the Spring Semester By: Chase Gurrey ‘20 Contributor Recently, you may have noticed a new face walking the halls of Gonzaga; her name is Señora Nhora Boero.

Sra. Boero was born in a small coastal city in Columbia named Buenaventura. “It is such a beautiful town,” she explains. Sra. Boero knew she wanted to be a teacher since she was in 10th grade. She had a social studies teacher by the name of Marlene Alomia, who was her inspiration for becoming a teacher. Sra. says that she was an awesome and energetic teacher who made her excited to learn. Sra. Boero says she tries to emulate the teaching style of her former teacher so that her students are excited to learn and willing to do put in the necessary work.

At age seventeen, Sra. moved to a city named Cali, Colombia, which is south of the country’s capital Bogotá.

Cali is known for their dancing, which happens to be one of her favorite hobbies.

After her time at university, she began her first teaching job at an elementary school; before this she attended “escuela normal,” which is a special school designed to train elementary

school teachers. After attending escuela normal, Sra. Boero attended Universidad Santiago de Cali while teaching second grade to thirty young students.

Shortly after teaching elementary school, Sra. Boero moved to the US to teach at a fellow Jesuit high school in New York City called Xavier High School; she taught Spanish there for a year.

Once completing a year at Xavier, she moved to upstate New York to work for IBM. After working for IBM, she found herself in Florida.

From there she was hired to go to Phoenix, Arizona where she taught at a middle school for sixteen years. After working for a middle school for a long duration, she moved back to the east coast to teach in Baltimore at BIA which is a full-immersion elementary school.

From Baltimore, Sra. Boreo came to Washington, DC where she worked for four years at Columbia Heights Educational Campus before coming to Gonzaga.

Currently, Sra. Boero is filling in for Sra. Nierman while she is on sabbatical for the spring semester.

Even though Sra. Boero will only be here for a few months, she is committed

to teaching her students ev- best outside of the class- and would love to meet anyerything they need to know room. Sra. Boero says she one who wants to stop in her about the Spanish language. still has yet to meet everyone classroom.

She strives to treat each student equally and help them achieve their full potential. Thus far, Sra. Boero has enjoyed her time at Gonzaga and wonders how in the world she has never heard of our school until now.

Sra. Boero thinks that Gonzaga students are incredible and driven, which is one of the reasons why she loves teaching at Gonzaga. In her free time, Sra. Boero enjoys spending time with her extended family.

In addition to her love for languages, Sra. Boero has a love for traveling and wishes to travel the world when time allows. Besides being fluent in English and Spanish, Sra. Boero has a strong understanding of Italian and Portuguese and wishes to learn many more languages.

Along with being in the classroom, Sra. Boero has a love for basketball and would love to play with our students if they are up for the challenge.

Although she will only be with us for a few short months, Sra. Boero is committed to making sure her students excel in the classroom and wishes them the Photo By: Rylan Madison ‘18

Black History Month By: Joe Boland ‘19 Editor Special thanks to Assistant Dean of Students Mr. Devon Leary who sat down with The Aquilian to talk about the events scheduled for February here on Eye Street.

Q: What’s scheduled this year for the assembly?

A: This year, our Black History Month assembly will include a community prayer, Gonzaga slavery research team recognition, a few musical selections, original poems, and our keynote speaker Gabe Smith ’54, Gonzaga’s first African American graduate. After the assembly, there will be a reception for the ONYX club and their families.

Q: How long has the ONYX club been preparing for the assembly, and what have they done to prepare?

A: The ONYX club is always thinking of new ways to spice

up the Black History Month assembly. Club members continuously use their networks to look for and make contact with potential speakers or people who can add value to the program. The club has been formally preparing for the assembly since November. Students have been revising original poems with Mr. Ross, preparing an introduction for the keynote speaker, signing up to contribute to the reception, and confirming songs to be sung by the chorus and played by the band.

human history about how a group of people had so much taken from them, but through spirit and will, achieved great things that vastly contributed to this great country. It’s not just about the Tuskegee Airman or Civil Rights legend John Lewis. It also highlights the story of courageous white Americans who realized their importance in the push for equality such as Sam Armstrong, the white leader of an all-black infantry in the Civil War and mentor to Booker T. Washington. As a nation, Photo By: Gonzaga Dev. Office Black History Month allows us to acknowledge our great- more hoodies for club memQ: What do you think is the est fault and our most impor- bers/alumni, going on a field trip to see the new Black importance of a Black His- tant possibilities.

Panther movie, hosting the tory Month assembly?

A: Black History Month is Q: What are some future as- first annual ONYX family important because it high- pirations for the ONYX club picnic in April, and HOPElights the story of race and (potential events, speakers, FULLY welcoming Senator Cory Booker to speak at a slavery that is infused in etc.)?

American history and culture. A: The ONYX Club will be meeting.

If you are American, you are tutoring at Golden Rule on affected by race. Black His- Wednesday’s, building rela- Q: What will be your favorite tory Month isn’t just about tionships with neighborhood part of the assembly?

Black people, or slavery. It’s kids who could potentially A: My favorite part of the asone of the great examples in come to Gonzaga, ordering sembly is the input from our

Freshman Retreat Wrap-Up

By: Jamie Keeler ‘18 Editor-in-Chief While the Gonzaga community is already about a month past the Freshman Retreat, the effects it will have over the next three and a half years are astounding. The combination of opportunitydriven freshmen and experienced retreat team leaders made for an overall great retreat. “The Freshmen Retreat was a great time. After all of

the planning, set-up, and focus it took to make the most of the weekend, it was rewarding to see how well the freshmen responded,” Winston Leslie, the director of the retreat, comments.

The process for the Freshmen Retreat was one that started a whole year before the event took place. Campus Ministry, in conjunction with Retreat Team, coordinated lunch meetings with all of the leaders with the goals of

planning the manuals, theme, motto, songs, and movie. All taking place in the spring of the year before, it sets in motion a transformation of Gonzaga that culminated in the weekend of January 13th.

The goal for that weekend was to get to know everyone in your group, to invite the freshmen fully into the Gonzaga community, and to know your manual like the back of your hand. Every single classroom in Cantwell-

Ruesch was filled with decorations, furniture, posters, paintings, and games that retreat leaders had brought from their houses to furnish their classrooms. Some notable classrooms included Collin Sundstead’s amazing display of Gonzaga gear and spirit wear. After all of the preparations, it was time for the retreat.

While a synopsis of the retreat would not do it justice, every student has gone on the

students themselves. I really enjoy the original poems and can’t wait for Fronda to kill it on the vocals. Eagles Fly High.

Q: This is just a personal question for me. Does ONYX stand for anything, or is it just a cool name?

A: Onyx is a type of gemstone with alternating bands of color that symbolizes the diversity of our student body.

retreat. One of the most interesting and individual facet of the retreat is how personal and different each student’s reaction is. For most it is a time to see Gonzaga in a new light, a metaphorical opening of doors to new possibilities and opportunities. The freshmen were all shown the brotherhood of Gonzaga, and now have the opportunity to deepen their ties to the larger community.

A Night at the Museum By: Winston Leslie ‘18 Senior Contributor You’ve seen the iconic movie Night at the Museum.

Now, picture that same movie but with every living exhibit and Ben Stiller (thank God) replaced with sweaty Gonzaga boys and their dates. Voila, Prom!

The SGA is pleased to announce that this year, Prom will be taking place right down the street at the National Building Museum. Yes, the same National Building Museum that housed the famous “Beach” exhibit, where hundreds upon thousands of plastic balls filled the brim of a

The dance will take place in the Main Hall of the Museum surrounded by 75-foot Corinthian columns and a 1,200-foot terracotta frieze.

In the middle of it all, an elegant 28-foot diameter fountain binds the whole room together. Yeah, you better 75 believe that’s some fancy Feet stuff right there.

High!

The date of the dance is set for Saturday, May 12th, a date different than what was originally put on the Gonzaga Calendar. For you Promreturners out there, we’re pleased to announce that the band from last year will be making their glorious return makeshift pool. While we balls back, we did the best to the stage. Sweet Caroline couldn’t manage to bring the we could. is PROMised (lol). So, we

have our music, location, date, and 1,200-foot terracotta frieze, what’s missing?

Oh right, food.

If you thought the buffet at homecoming was scrumptious, just wait and see the setup planned for that Saturday in May. When asked about the thing it is looking forward to the most about this year’s Prom, my belly responded with, “the food.”

Now, May 12th might seem like eons away, however, it’ll sneak up on you.

Mark your calendars, start thinking about who your date will be, and most importantly, get pumped. Speaking on behalf of the SGA, I know we are.