Gael Winds, March 2013

WINTER ISSUE

GAEL WINDS

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

P A P A L R E T I R E M E N T By Andrew DeMarco A

TEACHER

2

FEATURE

WHAT ABOUT THE MILITARY?

2

INTO THE LAB

3

BOOK REVIEW

4

LOOKING AHEAD:

5

SOFTBALL HOCKEY WRAPUP

6

rare occurrence is presently taking place within the Catholic Church. For the first time in six-hundred years a pope has announced the resignation of his office. On February 11th Pope Benedict XVI reported that he will be stepping down from his position due to his advanced age. The last time a Pope resigned was Pope Gregory XII in 1415.

Pope Benedict XVI was born in Germany,

and his birth name is Joseph Ratzinger. He is multilingual, fluent in German, Italian, French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin.

Additionally, he reads and understands Ancient Greek and Biblical Hebrew. For thirty years Benedict was the chief interpreter of the Second Vatican Council. This position was crucial for the overall success of Vatican II. His writings of countless documents on the subject of Vatican II were extremely beneficial to the

Church . One of his most influential writings regarded the Church’s stance on “healthy secularism,” which means that the civil state cannot silence the Church’s voice.

Now the question on everyone’s mind is who will be the next Pope and lead the Catholic Church?

The Conclave, a private College of Cardinals, will vote for the new Pope by a secret ballot soon. Vatican (continued on page 4)

THE PAJAMA GAME

SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST:

 Poem by Brian Devey  Too Much Tech

by Emma Berry Too Much T

The Kennedy Catholic Players proudly presents Richard Bissell’s “The Pajama Game” as this year’s spring musical, March 7 – 10. As usual, the performances coincide with the annual Kennedy Catholic Art Show.

additional $15, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Show tickets may be purchased using Fair Share Coupons, including the Sunday matinee, but not the $15 Brunch. Show dates are as follows: -March 7, 8, & 9 @ 7 p.m.

Tickets are $18 in advance for adults, or $15 for seniors and students.

There is also a Sunday Mass and Brunch available prior to the matinee for an

-Sunday, March 10 @ 3 p.m.

To order your tickets, please write to the Ken-

-nedy Catholic Players, call (914) 232-5061 Ext. 226, or download the advance ticket order form on the Kennedty website.

GAEL WINDS 2013

Page 2

TEACHER FEATURE –MRS. KALANTAROV Q. What classes do you teach?

A. I teach Global II Honors and Global II Regents.

Q. What is your favorite moment in history?

A. WWII is my favorite time period. My parents were born in Poland so I feel like I have a connection to WWII. I’m also more of a contemporary historian.

Q. Where did you go to college and what degree did you graduate with?

you to teach?

A. I earned my Bachelors degree and my Masters degree at Queens College. I obtained my Bachelor’s degree with a major in history and a minor in secondary education. I obtained my Master’s degree with a major in social studies and a minor in adolescence.

Q. What moment(s) inspired

WHAT ABOUT THE MILITARY?

By Brendan Liberati

A. I went to school in New York City, where my social studies teachers inspired me to teach. Also, while I was growing up in New York City, I saw just how many children needed a quality education.

Q. Did you teach at another school before you came to Kennedy? (continued on page 4)

By John Davin

As many juniors and underclassmen begin their long journeys along the college search, one option to keep in mind is a service academy or an ROTC program. Some parents shudder at the thought of their son or daughter joining the armed forces; others embrace it. To many high school students, the military seems distant or an option of last resort. However, these military programs provide opportunities for leadership development, hands on

day’s job market and economy, coming out of college with a large sum of student loan debt is not an ideal situation.

This is why many college counselors highly recommend that students choose where they can afford because big student loans can be crippling for years after finishing college. Many ROTC programs are offered at wellknown colleges such as Cornell, Notre Dame, and UPenn and these programs offer full scholarships as

the Naval Academy, are also all expense paid education options. These academies are rated highly among colleges and boast engineering programs better than most Ivy League institutions. Upon entering an academy or joining an ROTC unit, an individual then becomes a member of the military and receives a monthly stipend. There is one string attached to the education you receive from the ROTC scholarship or academy and that is five

training, and most importantly a college education.

well. Service academies, which include the U. S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Military Academy (West Point), the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and U.S.

years of service to your country as a return for your education.

One of the important components of selecting a college is the cost. In to-

All ROTC proggrams and academies (continued on page 3)

Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.

-John F. Kennedy

WINTER ISSUE

Page 3

WHAT ABOUT THE MILITARY [CONTINUED] jokingly affirm that they have a 100% job placement upon graduation. They say it jokingly not because it is incorrect, but because upon graduating all students in the program or at the academy then receive their commissions as officers in the United States military and have a guaranteed paying job for 5 years. It is comforting going through college knowing that you have a job when you graduate.

Along with the financial advantages of an academy or ROTC program, these highly esteemed education programs provide a student with real world skills, a chance to travel, and potential career opportunities.

The sense of direction, camaraderie, and honor one experiences along the way forges lifelong friendships and unforgettable college experiences.

EXPANDING THE MEISSNER EFFECT Driving is often regarded as one of the greatest luxuries we will ever have the pleasure of knowing. Have you ever considered the possibility of flying cars? Transportation would be much simpler, and the stress of having to buy gasoline would be a thing of the past, thanks to this phenomenon known as “The Meissner Effect.”

During the 1930’s, German physicists Walther Meissner, and Robert Ochsenfeld discovered that

magnets could levitate above superconductors.

You may be asking yourself what is a superconductor? A superconductor is a block of solid elements that exhibit no electrical resistance once cooled down to a certain temperature. This is important because scientists will find a method of transportation via levitation that will most certainly go into development this century.

Flying cars and other similar means of

By Joe Neithardt

transportation will quickly become a reality once engineers complete their research. For now it is a real possibility, and so, we will wait eagerly for the findings.

Man studied birds for centuries, trying to learn how to make a machine to fly like them. He never did do the trick; his final success came when he broke away entirely and tried new methods.

- John Wood Campbell

GAEL WINDS 2013

Page 4

PAPAL RETIREMENT [CONTINUED] Spokesman Reverend Federico Lomb arbi stated, “Before Easter, we will have the new Pope.” This is very exciting to me and many other Catholics around the world. Many great Cardi-

nals from around the world will be considered by the members of the Conclave as they make their momentous decision. I have faith that whomever the Church elects will uphold the

integrity, and honor the position that is dedicated to the defense of God’s teachings and the proliferation of moral behavior in our world. …but I’m still pulling for Dolan.

TEACHER FEATURE [CONTINUED] A. Yes, I taught at Alexander Hamilton High School, Forest Hills High School and Middle School 210.

Q. Do you enjoy teaching at Kennedy?

A. Yes, I find the students are very motivated.

They appreciate the subject matter beyond what I ever thought was possible.

BOOK REVIEW Leo Tolstoy’s novel War and Peace is considered one of the greatest pieces of world literature.

Spread throughout fifteen books, the story chronicles the lives of five prominent Russian families during the years 1805-1812.

Though the book is a work of fiction, it is based on historical events such as the Napo-

Q. What’s your favorite thing about Kennedy?

on their way to college.

It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.

A. Just the overall atmosphere of Kennedy. The students are supportive of one another. They have a strong willingness to achieve great things.

Even outside the classroom, the students are nice. Kennedy also has great teachers who are all trying to work with and help guide the students

- Albert Einstein

By Amy Sniffen -leonic Wars and the French invasion of Russia. As the title suggests, War and Peace is a combination of the battles fought by the Russian army and the lives of the Russian socialites. The war and peace aspects of the novel are blended together so as to mimic the natural course of

life during a war.

Three of the novel’s protagonists, Nicholas Rostov, Prince Andrew Bolkonski, and Pierre Bezukhov enlist in the army to protect Russia from outside forces.

The story also transitions to the lives of their families and friends, through which Tolstoy explains

the repercussions of the war, and the people’s opinion on it.

Though the book is extraordinarily long, it is well worth the time and effort required to read it. The book deviates from the standard, classic prose one may be accustomed to (as it is an English translation of a Russian work) and it (continued on page 5)

WINTER ISSUE

Page 5

BOOK REVIEW [CONTINUED] gives the reader more than just a fictional story.

The story is from the perspective of Russian people and it describes what they think about Napoleon and his French Empire. The unconditional love expressed by the Russian people for their Tsar is something

unfamiliar to most people and it affects how the characters in the book make decisions. For example, when Nicholas Rostov decides to join the army, he attributes his decision to his love for the Tsar and his desire to protect the Tsar and Russia. In addition to

widening the reader’s cultural understanding, this book also appeals to a wide range of readers.

War and Peace is a book that is not typically read by high school students, as it is commonly perceived as being challenging and difficult to read, but it is in fact

SOFTBALL LOOKING FORWARD TO 2013 SEASON Last year the Lady Gael’s Softball team had a strong season, finishing one game behind Pawling in their league, and making it all the way to the Class B Sectional Finals. Unfortunately the team was defeated by a tough and experienced Valhalla team in a close hard fought game. The Gaels are ready for another strong season with new Head Coach Entwistle.

Coach Andrew Entwistle has been Assistant Varsity Coach for the past three seasons and is ready to take over as Head Coach. He also has coached several other travel and tournament level softball and baseball teams. Coach Entwistle stated, “I am very excited to be taking over the head coaching responsibilities after working with the former coach over the last 3 seasons.” Coach Entwistle

further stated, “This is a very talented group of young women who I have had the chance to teach over the last several years both at practice and in clinics.” Assisting Coach Entwistle is Coach Chris A’hearn.

Guidance Counselor and former Gael softball player Michelle Tyson will be coaching the JV team this year.

I asked Coach Entwistle what his goals for the team were this year and he responded that he would like the team to win another league title and then make it all the way to the Class B State Championship. One of Coach Entwistle’s other goals is to build a more cohesive program between the JV and Varsity softball teams.

When I asked Coach Entwistle about the biggest challenges

the team will face this season he responded that there are several tough teams in our league, as well as tough non-league games against much bigger schools like Ursuline and Mahopac.

This year the team has nine returning players, including senior captains Nicole Alleva, Rachel Entwistle, Kayla Fields and Patrice Grande, who will all be playing in their fourth Varsity season at Kennedy. They will be joined by fellow seniors Gena Martin and Gabby Rosado. Other returning players include junior Jen Jamison and sophomores Molly Feeney and Jasmine Velez. The team is also expecting to add some promising new younger players, although the roster will not be finalized until after official tryouts have concluded.

easier than some of the books high school students are currently apt to read. Overall, the book is well written and reading it exposes one to a new kind of writing that is unfamiliar in the world of English speaking writers.

By Nicole Alleva

It’s all about balance and, I think, being in the moment.

- Jennie Finch

KENNEDY CATHOLIC HOCKEY

By Yaroslav Jakymec Page 6

This season the Gaels have achieved a solid season. With an 11-9-1 record the Gaels finished second in their conference. This rank reflects a lightning offensive that has generated 71 goals, led by sophomores Austin Johnson with 20 goals and 9 assists and Gavin Garey with 12 goals and 7 assists, junior Mack Tierney (12 goals 9 assists), and sophomore Gerard Martirano (10 goals 6 assists). The Gaels defensive has proven equally as powerful with major contributions from senior Max Henry, sophomore Will Martirano, freshman Drew Homola, and freshman Anthony Percacciolo from Haldane. The corner stone of the team’s success has been junior goaltender Joseph Molfetta who has played 660 minutes, faced 433 shots, and has saved 363 of them. The team would like to thank all the students that came to support throughout the season.

GAEL WINDS 2013

Page 7

P O E M By Brian Devey What is on my mind you ask?

To answer this question seems a simple task But alas, all the jumble and the clutter that was just there Has fled, leaving my mind so bare The harder I think, the farther they flee And the bits I catch make no sense even to me So what is on my mind?

The deeper I look there is less to find And even now all there is the sound of the clock Tick tock… tick tock… tick tock…

I hate writers block! Why do they even call it a writers’ block? You can build with blocks; blocks are the foundation of something bigger. Writers’ block just completely shuts off all creative activity in the brain, writer’s block is the… Sorry, got a little off topic there, right, back to the poem The sound echoes inside my head Filling it with memories I long thought dead But not dead, just dormant in my brain Ready to bring back the joy and the pain They just needed a little trigger To turn them into something bigger What is on my mind you ask?

To answer this question seems a simple task And yet there are a billion things to say And none seem to fit in a perfect way Editor: John Davin Managing Editor: Nicole Alleva Copy Editor: Stephanie Ferreira, Noelle Torre, Kate Nowinski, Nicole Alleva Reporters: Alleva, DeMarco, Frasco, Jakymec, Kinghan, Liberati, Nowinski, O’Callaghan, Sniffen, Berry

CONTACT GAEL WINDS

gaelwinds@kennedycatholic.org

TOO MUCH TECH-A FIVE-STEP PROGRAM TO CONTROLLING THE ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN YOUR LIFE

Page 8

By Emma Berry

It’s a typical Tuesday night as I sit down on my bed to begin my homework. After a long day of school and a tiring track practice, my focus is not at its best, but I am determined to go to bed early tonight.

I begin my geometry homework by going through a long series of steps just to prove that polygon ABCD is a parallelogram. Halfway through the proof, I hear my iPod “beep” next to me. I decide to finish the homework and then check the message. A minute later it beeps again and then my then my phone buzzes. I have a mental debate with myself whether or not to pick them up. Finally I give in, and I’m so happy because one of my best friends has texted me about making it on her school track team, while my other friend is asking for the homework assignment. I type away vigorously, congratulating one friend and giving the assignment to the other. I put my iPod and phone back on the bed and struggle to return to my work. Triangle ACD is congruent to triangle DBA by… “beep!” My iPod goes off again and I snatch it up to read the message. This cycle continues all evening and I don’t get to bed until midnight. I have to drag myself out of bed the next morning and try not

to fall asleep in class during the day.

Electronics these days have a huge impact on student’s lives. It’s easy for students to become distracted, even obsessed, causing them to neglect their studies and other daily activities. These devices have an impact on a typical teenager’s social life. Apps provide easy ways to access social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Texting and social networks can also create a false reality for many teens and may encourage them to avoid the real world. Face-toface communication and interaction can become a struggle for some students. Say you make a new friend, you get their number and decide to text them. The conversation is going great and multiple “lols” are exchanged. You decide you really like and know this person, but the next day when you try to talk to them in school, it’s a challenge. Some couples even break up over text message. There’s no need to explain your feelings when a short, “I’m sorry but this isn’t working out, I’d just like to be friends” will do.

According to mashable.com, the average teen sends over 3,000 texts a month.

Texting is a daily activity and distraction. It can even become a serious addiction.

Here’s an easy to follow five-step recovery program for teens wishing to control their electronic use.

Step 1: Admit you have a problem. If you’re texting constantly during class, putting off homework or studying to text, or texting during the time you’re with family, then you are probably addicted to your electronic device.

Don’t be alarmed; many people are.

Step 2: Start by gradually cutting down on the time you spend on your device. The first week put your phone away at 7 pm. The next week, make 6:30 your goal and the following week aim for 6. By doing this, you don’t totally isolate yourself from technology but you set some hours, which helps you become more productive. However, on weekends feel free to go a little crazy!

Step 3: Whenever possible, meet your friends face-to-face.

Having a great time together is better than constantly talking to each other behind a screen.

And remember that when you’re with your friends don’t text other people; devote your time and attention to them

Step 4: Be physically active! Try joining a sport with your school or town team.

You’ll meet new people and work off daily stress. If you’re not athletically inclined, get out your bike or go for a walk.

Step 5: Remind yourself that you’re missing out on whole parts of life when you’re attached to your electronic device. So step five is just to shut it off and live a little!

The Gael Winds team is proud to recognize thatthis article was published in the Westchester Family Magazine.