The Blue & Gold (May 2024)

The Blue& Gold

A Marist Student’s Best Tool

By Beck Janki

College is a topic talked about to no end in our school community. This is partly because our school’s identity as a college preparatory school and also the student body’s way of embracing forward thinking.

With thinking about college comes a bundle of questions, some geared towards excitement, anxiety, uncertainty, and everything in between.

One of the school’s best investments is its well-renowned college counseling department, to answer those questions and guide students toward success.

Through the summer college trips, college fairs, and those meetings during students’ precious activity period time, the college counselors have their fingerprints all over our transition to a college setting after graduation.

The four full time counselors, Robert Von Hagen, Amelia Mann, Alexandra Thackston, and Diane Tran have amassed over twenty years of experience at the college level and thirty years in high school.

The department has expanded from three full time counselors to adding a fourth this year, Diane Tran.

In her first year in a high school setting, Tran believes her experience in college admissions prepared her for everything her current job entails.

“I bring an understanding of what selective admission looks like and what colleges are looking for in a holistic sense, built on extracurricular contribution and in the classroom,” Tran said.

Tran sees her prior position in college as a great foundation to teach students about an ever changing college admissions process.

The counselors are proud of the relationship they have built with one another through collaboration and teamwork to best accommodate the students they serve. Thackston believes the best part about the department is its devotion to the students.

For her and the rest of the department, their favorite part of their job is definitely watching a student get into their dream school, which makes the whole process worth it.

Given our keen focus towards our futures, the college counselors here at our school may be our best tool going forward.

Something Rotten? No Way!

By Ella Nussbaum

Put on beautifully by the Marist cast members, directors, tech crew, and teachers, Something Rotten, written by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell, was performed in Woodruff Auditorium from March 21 through March 23.

Something Rotten transports the audience into the lives of a rag-tag team of two brothers living in the era of the Renaissance. This pair, performed by Marshall Cain and Jayce Malec, are desperate to find success in playwriting but are repeatedly rejected whilst competing against the one-and-only William Shakespeare. Shakespeare was performed by Brennan Ujda, whose captivating dance moves, demeanor, and stage presence beautifully portrayed the innovative writer of the Renaissance that Shakespeare was. The suave characteristics of this Renaissance icon were pleasantly balanced against the hopeless romance between Portia and Nigel, a

couple of star-crossed lovers who bonded over their love of poetry.

Portia’s father is a strict Puritan who condemns his daughter’s interest in struggling playwrights like Nigel Bottom. His disapproval, however, is simply not enough for Portia to remain in solitude, leading her to many secret meetings with the struggling poet in the night hours.

Every detail of this production, such as the careful staging of night and day through through the use of lighting and props, was pulled off by the tech crew with tremendous care.

The behind-the-scenes preparation for a performance like this takes months of planning. All crew members working on set pieces and costumes would graciously stay after hours to ensure that every detail was executed as intended.

Of course, all cast members spent hours each day and night rehearsing their characters and reciting their lines. Choral Director Sharon Cohelely gra-

ciously worked with each student to help them put on their best performance.

With all of this talent and dedication displayed in a few hours of an evening’s entertainment, what is there not to love?

The blend of comedy, music, costume, and dance ensured the audience enjoyed something to their liking.

Through enthralling songs and dancing with a mix of group performances, duets, and solos, the cast members engaged the audience with their months of preparation displayed on stage.

Marshall Cain spoke about his experience working with the cast. “Everybody really does love each other,” he said.

“I think you can really see and feel that love when watching the production.”

The bond that develops among cast members when putting a show together is like no other. To perform in front of a supportive audience is an accomplishment to be proud of.

German Exchange 2024

By Caroline Palmer

From March 18 to April 2, our school hosted its 40th German student exchange. Seventeen students from the Marist School in Füstenzell, Germany visited our campus to experience American life and culture.

This exchange, organized by Teacher Jessica Askins, also provides Atlanta Marist students the opportunity to travel to Germany in June. They will stay with host families to immerse themselves in the culture of a Marist school abroad.

The students from Füstenzell were welcomed with posters and a dinner reception. Over the next two weeks, they went to classes with their host students, hiked up Stone Mountain, toured the Georgia Aquarium and World of Coke, and explored Savannah and Tybee Island.

German students attended the theater production, Something Rotten, which for many was the highlight of the trip.

Our school hosts several exchanges with other Marist schools around the globe. This German exchange is unique because it is a cultural rather than language-centered exchange. The students from Füstenzell speak perfect English, as well as multiple other languages such as Spanish and French.

Overall, the exchange was an amazing experience for host families and students in both countries, and it is a tradition that will continue for many years to come.

Spring Has Finally Sprung

Planting season approaches for our very own campus garden

By Ella Weber

Spring has finally sprung this year, and with it, gardeners all across the Northern Hemisphere are starting to plant fruits, vegetables, flowers, herbs, and more in their gardens.

Our very own garden is also

Inspired by the recent partial solar eclipse seen from capmus, staff writer Juliet Powell investigates the eclipses that appear in the Bible. How do scholars make sense the astronomical references in the Old and New Testements?

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starting to get ready for the spring and summer seasons.

Students taking Gardening this term are working hard to grow a variety of plants for our community to enjoy. The garden, however, would not be in existence without the efforts from

New Sport Takes the Field

Our school will soon add a new sport to our already impressive offerings. Turn to page 3 to read staff writer Katie Nussbaum’s story about this most important announcement.

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Burns began to garden in his own home with the assistance of another former faculty member, Tom Zibilich. After a few years, Burns and Zibilich decided that starting a campus garden would be fun and educational for our community.

They joined forces with Lisle and cleared land down the street for a trial garden. After a visit to the Edible Schoolyard in Berkeley, California, Burns and Lisle decided to build the garden closer to our campus. Eventually, they broke ground next to the chapel in 2008.

The first full garden planting was completed in the spring of 2009. Every year since then, the garden has produced all sorts of naturally grown fruits and vegetables, and sharing natures bounty with the teachers,

students, and anyone else who happens to be on campus has become a regular occurance. Our garden also makes a commitment to service by donating a considerable amount of its produce to local food banks each season.

This spring, students taking the Gardening class started the term by sorting seeds for different fruits and vegetables. They then planted the seeds into containers. When the time comes, the seeds will make their way into the ground.

In the meantime, students have been harvesting the last of the carrots and cleaning the garden beds of weeds as a way to prepare for the upcoming season. From all this hard work, great things can be expected from this year’s spring planting.

A Song for All Seasons

Staff writer Camille Gipson shares some seasonally inspired albums with out readers. Turn to page 4, where Gipson proposes the best albums to accompany spring, summer, fall, and winter.

Photo Credit: Brian Collier

Teachers Mike Burns and Keven Lisle.

Photo Credit: Contributed

Photo Credit: Brian O’Connor

Photo Credit: Brian Collier

What Is a Retreat Leader?

By Ryan Hewitt

Every year, campus ministry organizes retreats for every class. The middle school retreats, Damascus and Antioch, take place on a single Saturday while high school retreats last the entire weekend.

Because so many students choose to go on a retreat, campus ministry needs help running them, so they recruit retreat leaders. Students from the class above volunteer to be leaders for the class below.

To fully understand who retreat leaders are and what they do, I interviewed Director of Campus Ministry Brian Freel. He emphasized that the main job of retreat leaders is to “facilitate the small groups.” During the retreats, students split into groups of 5 to 8 retreatants to promote open conversations among peers.

Retreat leaders facilitate these groups by creating a safe space for conversation, connecting with God, and strengthening relationships. At the beginning of retreats, leaders lead small groups in icebreakers and questions to help the group become more acquainted with one another. As the retreat goes on, group conversations become deeper, and leaders help to facilitate the tough discussions.

The characteristics that campus ministry looks for in a retreat leader are hospitality, trustworthiness, and compassion. Freel said that leaders have to be “able to help others feel welcome and safe.” A major aspect of the small group sessions is confidentiality. Retreat leaders also need to model and encourage discretion so that everyone feels safe and willing to open up.

Although retreats are largely about connecting with God, leaders do not have to already have a deep relationship with God. They can grow in their relationship with God even while leading retreats, and most retreat leaders do.

Retreat leaders have plenty of fun on the retreats too. Campus ministry receives hundreds of applications every year, demonstrating how fun the experience can be.

Retreat leaders are an integral part of every retreat; there would literally be no retreats without them.

Eclipses in the Bible

By Juliet Powell

On April 8 as the Great North American Eclipse left the US shrouded in darkness, I stopped to wonder if solar eclipses are present in the Bible. Is it possible that prophets living 2000 years ago witnessed the same phenomenon as us?

Chanel Day Recap

No saint is more deserving of a day of celebration

By Megan Latham

This year’s Chanel Day events were a huge hit among students and faculty, with a large number of the student body participating in a wide variety of sports and other activities, ranging from dodge ball to showcasing their musical talents in the flag circle.

Among the events were tournaments for kickball, flag football, pickle ball, and dodge ball. Dodge ball commenced at 10:30 with a match against two teams, the Bloodline and Mr. Rizz. It ended with the championship at around 1:30.

Students were also excited to tune in to a new event this year, flag football, which was played in Hughes Spalding Stadium amidst the other activities on Chanel Day.

A middle school soccer tournament was held on the front field along with kickball, while seniors relaxed on a section of the field aptly named Senior Beach, complete with deck chairs and a bouncy castle in addition to the lunch provided by Moe’s Southwest Grill.

While these tournaments were going on, the flag circle was a welcoming place to be, where numerous musicians and bands played in front of a sea of camping chairs.

Among the performers were bands such as Jabberwocky, which performed at 10:57, and the Superseniors, who played their set after noon. Additionally, there were many solo and duo acts among the performers, such as Grant Crunk and Robert Babin.

Every band was met with loud applause at the end of their set, and it was clear that the people camped out in the flag circle enjoyed the show.

Even if you did not participate in a musical act or a sporting competition, there were plenty of things to do during this year’s Chanel Day festivities. Many students could be found playing foursquare in the arcade or basketball in the Centennial Center.

Many other students could simply be found hanging out with their friends. Walking around to take in the excitement

of Chanel Day, or enjoying food from the many food trucks that had arrived on this day, offering meals from Waffle House, Mix’D Up Burgers, and Sweet Auburn BBQ, among others, was another way to take in the experience.

Students even sold Dippin’ Dots around the arcade and flag circle as well.

No matter where you went on Chanel Day, there was something for everyone to do.

In the flag circle, face paint, candy, and popcorn were sold by students, while in the Alumni Plaza, students participated in cornhole and ladder ball.

Walking towards Ivy Street Center, you could see ping pong tables that had been set up in the Ivy lobby, always occupied by students.

Another new activity, ultimate Frisbee, commenced at noon at Hughes Spalding stadium, adding to the fun of Chanel Day.

Thanks to the junior class, who took on the remarkable challenge of coordinating the fun, everyone had a great time.

Biscuit Fans Unite

By Kate Owens

Short for Fellowship of Christian Athletes, FCA is a club that meets every other Friday morning at 7:30 A.M. in Centennial. Speaker include school alumni, former and current coaches, and other faith-filled community athletes who share with students their faith journey throughout their athletic experience.

This year, Kyle Hamilton, Marchant Young, Tommy Marshall, Caden Strickland, and many more gave thoughtful advice.

FCA is led by Coaches Bobby Perez and Troy Hall, along with co-presidents Jane Fry and Wesley Laborde and a team of officers representing grades 9-12.

One addition to FCA this year is fellowship groups. Whenever there is not a speaker, FCA officers lead small group discussions about abible story, allowing everyone to share their thoughts and connections.

Outside of Friday morning meetings, FCA holds fun service projects and activities that members can participate in, including the used sports equipment drive, Buddy Baseball, Buddy Soccer, and Braves Night. They even have T-shirts! Perez shared his thoughts about why students should join FCA. “With so many of our students participating in athletics, FCA serves as a bridge to connect these athlete’s journeys to their own faith journey,” he said.

All students encouraged to join. So come out, listen to inspiring speakers, strengthen your relationship with God, and get a chicken biscuit.

Mary Magdalene, the “Hidden Apostle”

By Emma Schramm

of Mark, Matthew, and Luke, but never in John. Her epithet “Magdalene” likely means she was originally from the land of Magdala.

It is commonly accepted that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute or an otherwise promiscuous woman before meeting Jesus. When Jesus comes upon her, she is possessed by seven evil spirits. After he drives them away, Mary Magdalene follows Jesus and the apostles, even financially supporting His ministry along with other women, such as Joanna, Susanna, and Salome.

When grouped with them, Mary is usually mentioned firstly, which might suggest she is the most important out of all the women.

Not much is known about Mary Magdalene’s life. In fact, she is only mentioned in three canonical gospels, those

Out of the followers of Jesus, the ones most frequently called to mind are the twelve apostles: Peter, John, James the Greater, James the Lesser, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Simon the Zealot, Judas Thaddeus, Matthew, Andrew, and Judas Iscariot, or Matthias, who replaced him. But did you know that there was actually another disciple, a woman who followed Jesus throughout almost his entire ministry, even to his death?

One eclipse of the sun is described in Amos: “On that day — oracle of the Lord GOD — I will make the sun set at midday and in broad daylight cover the land with darkness” (Amos 8:9). Although many take this verse metaphorically, it is possible that the eclipses on June 15, B.C. 763 or February 9, B.C. 784, during Amos’ time, would have been visible in the latitude of Jerusalem as a fairly large partial eclipse. In Matthew 27:45, we find another possible reference to an eclipse: “From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.” Scholars have debated whether this indicates that a solar eclipse occurred on the day of the crucifixion. Others contend that a solar eclipse, which has a maximum duration of around 7 minutes, could not have lasted 3 hours.

Along with Mary, Jesus’ mother, John the Apostle, and the other women, Mary Magdalene also witnessed the cruci-

At Pentecost, Peter describes the crucifixion, saying, “The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and splendid day of the Lord” (Acts 2:20). According to Nasa, this verse could refer to a lunar eclipse, during which the Moon takes on a red hue. Therefore, many scholars place the crucifixion on Friday, April 3, 33 C.E. because of the lunar eclipse which occurred on that day. Revelation Ch. 6 includes the

fixion, and was the first to see Jesus after the resurrection. After Jesus ascended, Mary Magdalene’s exact path is unknown. She might have become a preacher, or she might have retreated into solitude for thirty years, a possibility proposed by the non-canonical text the Golden Legend. The grotto where Mary might have spent the rest of her life is in the mountain ridge of Sainte-Baume, and it is a popular pilgrimage site. Other legends involving Mary include that of her long hair which she used to wipe Jesus’s feet and her association with red Easter eggs, which she used to prove the resurrection.

Mary Magdalene is patron saint of many things, including apothecaries, hairdressers, perfumeries, pharmacies, penitent sinners, women, and people ridiculed for their piety.

opening of the first six seals, each of which preludes an apocalyptic event prophesied at the second coming: “Then I watched while he broke open the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; the sun turned as black as dark sackcloth and the whole moon became like blood” (Rev. 6:12).

The description of the sun and a blood-red moon predicts that a total solar eclipse or lunar eclipse may occur at the second coming.

Photo Credit: Brian O’Connor

Photo Credit: Contributed

Photo Credit: Brian O’Connor

Japan Visits Campus

By Reese Sullivan

In search for a soccer field, the Women’s Japanese National Team (JWNT) found sanctuary on Stadler Field.

Our school often opens the campus to others beyond the Marist community. To host the JWNT, however, is a new honor. Even though the practices were considered “private,” students still found ways to marvel at these players as they practiced a sport that ties a string between two separate ends of the world.

The JWNT was created in 1981, when the Japanese Football Association formed the first national team for the 1981 AFC Women’s Championship.

The influence of soccer in Japan has grown exponentially over the past couple of decades, and has become a major outlet for young Japanese girls.

The JWNT incorporates nadeshiko into their name. This Japanese term means, “the epitome of pure, feminine beauty.” The players of the JWNT hold nadeshiko close to their hearts as they continually look to enliven the sport in their home country.

The JWNT traveled to participate in the She Believes Cup. Founded in 2016, this competition is an invitational women’s soccer tournament held in the United States. The 2024 competition consisted of four teams: Brazil, Canada, Japan, and the United States.

In retrospect, the JWNT should have spent more time at Stadler, because they lost their semi-final game to the United States 2-1, who went on to win the tournament for their sixth year in a row.

The games were held at Mercedes Benz Stadium, where throngs of Atlanta soccer fans broke the U.S. Women’s National Team attendance record.

Never before had 50,644 fans come out to watch our nation’s national women’s soccer team.

In an effort to promote women’s soccer in Japan, the Women’s Empowerment League was formed in 2021, becoming Japan’s first fully professional women’s league.

Along with the JWNT, our school also hosted the Brazilian National Women’s Soccer Team, another historic moment for our campus.

Football Debuts in May

By Katie Nussbaum

Have you always wanted to play football? Are you a female and wish that you could play on the varsity football team? If so, have we got some good news for you. For the first time in school history, there will be a varsity girls flag football team. Any interested female athlete who will be a sophomore, junior, or senior next year can try out. Tryouts will be in May. The flag football season will run from the end of fall throughout the winter. Although the season starts in the fall, it will be considered a winter sport. The head coach will be Coach Jason Harris. Flag

The Most Avid Yet Cheesy Fans on Campus

By Beck Janki

The energy of one of our school’s most exciting sports has been captivated by cheese.

The “Cheeseheads” are quite simply lacrosse fanatics, as they have been to every single game, home or away, on the schedule this spring. This senior group of fans is comprised of “Gouda,” “Stinky,” “Cheddy,” “Sharp Cheddar,” “Pepper Jack,” and “Mozzarella.”

The Cheeseheads have been making their presence known on the sidelines and social media, where they document the games the group has attended for their Instagram followers.

One senior lacrosse player, Conner Self, shared his thoughts about the Cheeseheads. “The Cheeseheads are one of us. They get the boys excited when we are out there playing, and they know just as much as we do about the team,” Self said. “They have shown the ability to help swing the momentum in crucial games.”

The rowdy group is truly the leaders of the student section,

a crowd dating back to last year that has grown exponentially in size.

As one of the Cheeseheads, Alex Bok recently noted, “The Cheeseheads are truly a brotherhood, and we enjoy cheering on the guys towards the common goal of a state championship.”

Their work has earned additional high praise from the players. Joseph Pizzo exclaimed, “We can always count on the ‘Cheesers’ getting after it from the sidelines.”

The varsity boys lacrosse team gets production from the top to the bottom of the roster, with underclassmen, such as Cullen O’Leary, Vince Fiore, and Jude Remmert, all over the score sheet.

Led by seniors Anson Soscia, Chase Stewart, and Nilesh Naik, in addition to Self and Pizzo, the War Eagles were propelled by their avid fans in their run to win Region 5-6A.

Marist was 11-4 in the regular season, boasting a 7-2 record on their home turf inside of Hughes-Spalding Stadium.

The Cheeseheads’ support was in full force when Marist scored at the buzzer to take out St. Pius on the Golden Lions’ senior night, which captured the region title for the War Eagles.

The goal scored by Vince Fiore confirmed the team’s ability to win in close games, as 6 of their 11 wins in the regular season came by two goals or less.

The team, led by Coach Zach Bazemore, finished with a record of 12-5 after losing in the second round of the state tournament to Lassiter 10-8.

The support of the Cheeseheads was unwavering and will be continued in future years. Support next spring will be led by Henry Utsch, the only junior Cheeshead this season.

Our school community is known for being great supporters of their own classmates, and the Cheeseheads are no exception.

They were, indeed, a fine example.

JV Soccer

By London Dinh

The JV girls soccer team is composed of both freshman and sophomores. The team faced many tough and undefeated competitors this year, such as Walton High School.

Starting near the beginning of Term 3 and playing a game almost every week, the team recently ended their season with a final victory. Let’s hear from some of the players and coaches behind that success.

Charlotte Saporito, a freshman on the team, shared some insight into what made her teammates so great. “They encourage me to do better,” Saporito said. “Not only is everyone on my team really good, they are also actually nice.”

Saporito’s top goals this year were to develop as a player and to win state, which is always a goal of any War Eagles team that hits the field. Playing for both Marist and TOPHAT soccer, Saporito shared that soccer field is “a calming environment,” and it’s a place where she says she can “take her mind off of the stress of school.”

The team was led by Coach David Negus. Negus shared his ultimate goal for any team that comes together during the spring to enjoy a competitive season of soccer. “I want the players to come together as a team and play well,” Negus said.

This attitude was the overall consensus of the players interviewed. It is clear that their camaraderie drove them to be better players on the field but also to be better people everyday.

Let’s hope for another successful season next year and that their exemplary sportsmanship sets the precedent for all of JV girls soccer seasons to come.

A Successful 2024 Track Season

Track athletes have a phenomenal year

By John Elrod

This year, the varsity track team had a successful season, with phenomenal placings in the regional events and coaches that helped to make the sport a great experience for all.

I talked to Martin Laughlin, a sophomore team member who

football is a thrilling sport. Each team has seven players on the field. Flag football players will still run, pass, and score touchdowns like in traditional football, but instead of tackling players to the ground, defenders try to remove belts of flags off of the other players’ waists. Successfully pulling the flag off of the carrier ends the play. Similar to football, there are four downs, but earning a first down usually requires more than 10 yards. Key skills to have for this sport include speed, agility, hand-eye

participated in the high jump events throughout the course of the season.

“The season was good,” Laughlin said, adding that there were plenty of fun spots throughout the season.

One of these “fun spots” was during the regional championships, in which the varsity

coordination for catching, and throwing, if you aspire to the position of quarterback.

Key positions in flag football include quarterback, blocker, wide receiver, running back, and defense, all the players who try to pull off the ball carrier’s flag. If you find the thought of making history by playing on the first flag football team at our school, then be sure to attend May tryouts.

sprinters won first place overall. Additionally, individual runners performed well in the Region 4 GHSA meet, with Liam Hanemann finishing victorious in the 800 meter run with a time of one minute and 55 seconds.

Also achieving good results were Tommy Latham, Liam Hanemann, and Andrew Stricklin in the 1600 meter race, in which they won top three in the event.

As for the girls, Maeve Waddell won her event in the 3200 run, while the girls relays did extremely well.

The 4 x 400 relay team won second place, and the 4 x 800 relay team won their event.

The pole vault team swept their events with Ansley Cho, Mia Perea Berdiel, and Rachel Walker coming in first, second, and third place, respectively, all finishing far ahead of their

competitors.

For Laughlin, he said he “did well in the middle of the season, then struggled a bit with his form.”

It all turned out for the best, however, as Laughlin eventually finished 5th overall in the region, earning the opportunity to qualify for an alternate position for the sectional meets. One member of the track coaching staff Laughlin gave special thanks to was Coach Matthew McMurray. “He was a huge help and he did a lot to support everyone, even though he wasn’t my event coach,” Laughlin said. Overall, the track season went wonderfully for all the athletes and coaches involved. They all put forth much effort during the season to ensure that the athletes had a successful season.

Photo Credit: Maggie Briesacher

Photo Credit: Contributed

Season Sounds

By Camille Gipson

Like other people, I love seasonal activities, and music is no exception. Some albums fit a quintessential seasonal experience such as laying by the pool or resting beside the fire.

Let’s take a look at some albums that seem tailor made for the seasons of the year.

Spring: Chemtrails over the Country Club – Lana del Rey

If you want to understand teenage girls today, listen to Lana del Rey. From “Not All Who Wander are Lost” and “Yosemite” to “Tulsa Jesus Freak,” this album allows you to go on a spring break road trip with Lana, an artist who embraces her own version of Americana. “Chemtrails over the Country Club” feels like a walk through a field of flowers, and “Wild at Heart” welcomes the wilderness that comes after the winter ice thaws.

Summer: Eat a Peach – The Allman Brothers Band

Picture this: a Sunday afternoon, a cloudless blue sky, a car with the A/C turned off with the windows rolled down, and the song “Blue Sky” blaring from the speakers. From the band’s Macon roots to the summer fruit pictured on the cover, this iconic Southern rock album captures a sweltering Georgia summer like no other. “Stand Back” and “One Way Out” are absolute jams, and “Melissa” is a masterpiece that embraces the ups and downs of life, even during the freedom of summer.

Fall: Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs – Derek and the Dominoes

Full of songs about heartbreak, this album is fitting for autumn, the season of decay. Blues and rock combine with Eric Clapton’s raw songwriting to create an absolute wonder of an album. Clapton’s guitar wizardry is also on full display, particularly on “Layla” and “Why does Love Got to be so Sad.” My personal favorite tracks are “Bell Bottom Blues” and “Nobody Knows you when you’re Down and Out,” songs that capture the seasonal malaise that hits many of us around late October.

Winter: For Emma, Forever Ago – Bon Iver Bon Iver’s debut album is a slightly depressing and gray winter afternoon at home. Even the cover art, with its leafless trees and cloudy windowpane, gives you a melancholy feeling. The sparse lyrics, barren instrumentals, and natural imagery on the opening track “Flume,” create a feeling of despondency that pervades the album. “For Emma” and “Skinny Love” are standout tracks that embrace the rawness of requited love.

Three Seniors Reflect DUNE: PART TWO

By Alex Treanor

Over these past four years in The Blue and Gold, I have loved my experience of growing as a writer and learning more about different aspects of our campus. I focused on writing articles about athletic games and teams, and I have had the opportunity to highlight teams of my own, like girls’ soccer, as well as how our student body supports mental health at football games. Something I love about Marist is how much our student body shows up for each other. By writing for the newspaper, I have gotten to show my own support for my teammates and peers. Next year, I will miss writing about people who I know personally, since it will be nearly impossible to know star athletes at Notre Dame personally. But at Marist, these stellar athletes

were my own friends, and I will greatly miss showing off their accomplishments.

By Beck Janki

While taking the Journalism class my junior year, I was introduced to writing for the newspaper. After writing stories for the spring print edition, including the front page piece about Mr. Childs’ hiring as the new President, I was delighted to get the opportunity of becoming a co-editor for the organization my senior year.

A year later, I have been pleased to grow my relationships with those in athletics, campus ministry, counseling, and many more in my work to publish stories for the paper. As a result of those relationships, I have been blessed to tell the story of others who work so hard to make this community great, and I am honored that my cre-

ativity was a small part of recognizing those individuals and organizations. The newspaper has taught me there is always someone or something to highlight, and a story in everything.

By Stella Chambless

My favorite part of The Blue and Gold is learning more about our campus. Through the newspaper, I explored sports, retreats, clubs, and other school activities that I otherwise would never have experienced. This newspaper has broadened my horizons and showed me the amount of talent our student body possesses. From tennis players to ninth grade retreat leaders, our school is filled with leaders, athletes, intellects, and so much more.

Without the newspaper, I would never have uncovered the secrets of Student Council or the amount of work that went into virtual learning. The newspaper taught me to stay curious, stay hungry for knowledge, and to always stay interested. My favorite article I wrote was about Easter traditions. I loved using my curiosity to learn more about different ways members of our community celebrate Easter. For me, newspaper has been a creative outlet, a learning experience, and a place to cultivate my love for writing. I will miss it.

Is Senior Year the Best Year?

By Alex Bok

Is senior year the best year?

Seventh grade year is an exciting year because of the prospect of meeting new people. One hundred forty students come from different schools, guaranteeing that you will make new friends. Seventh graders enjoy greater freedom than at their previous schools, they experience Friday Night Lights, and most importantly, they learn to adapt to a new environment.

Eighth grade year is another developmental year as students step into the leadership position by welcoming new students on campus and guiding them through middle school. Acting as middle school leaders, they are, in reality, preparing themselves for four years of college preparatory high school.

Freshman year is when you officially take a step into the high school world as your class is joined by 50 new students. You are now expected to take the skills you learned in middle school and apply them to your

new courses. With this shift to high school, your academic performance becomes more important as you begin to build the footprint you will take to the college application process. For the first time, freshman attend the high school dances and get the opportunity to earn their letter jacket.

Sophomore year is a life-changing year for most students. The sense of freedom students fist felt as seventh graders is now heightened as the opportunity of a drivers license and a car presents itself after turning 16. Due to this leap in responsibility, sophomores become more independent and free and start to control their lives a bit more. Many students start to figure out what they want to do with their last three years of high school and potentially beyond.

Junior year comes with the ACT, SAT, and college preparation. Most students have experienced varsity-level activities by now, and they will start to

plan their futures beyond high school. Students begin to look into potential colleges and develop a sense of what they want from the years that lie ahead.

Senior year is the final year of high school, when you are expected to act as leaders for the entire school. Seniors will experience prom for the first (and only) time, and you hear this phrase hundreds of times: “It is senior year, let’s just do it.”

After attending Marist for six years, there is no “best year” in my eyes. Marist is a small pond with many fish. No matter the grade level, the goal of the this experience is to become a contributing and influential member of society. Making mistakes and learning from them is expected.

Each year contributes to this growth in its own way.fluential member of society. Making mistakes during these years and learning from them is expected.

Each year contributes to this growth in its own way.

By Marshall Lisenby

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune Two is the most recent installment in his Dune movie series, dramatically progressing the story of Paul Atreides as he seeks vengeance for the brutal murder of his father by the wretched House Harkonnen.

The plot picks up right where the first left off, as Paul meets the Fremen people after narrowly escaping death by the Harkonnen and from an intense duel with a Fremen warrior. He is escorted into their city, unknown to the Harkonnen, where he is declared “Lisan al Gaib,” the prophesied outer world messiah destined to free the Fremen from oppressive control.

The movie delves deep into the emotional journey of resistance and reclamation that Paul orchestrates with the Fremen Chani, an elite warrior woman driven by a fierce determination to liberate her people. Together, these characters, portrayed by the talented Timothee Chalament and Zendaya, create an immersive and captivating movie experience that guides the audience through nearly three hours of relentless action.

Through countless brawls, battles, and bombings, along with physiologically bending exploits of the Fremen religion, the movie constantly leaves the viewer enthralled on the edge of their seat. The unique setting and mystic rituals and traditions of the Arrakis culture create an enticing yet horrifying world, adding to the film’s allure.

The production team spared no expense in crafting this film, as the beautiful landscapes and spice fields of Arrakis create exotic, awe-inspiring scenes that amplify the mysticism and beauty of the film. Vast landscapes shimmering under the Arrakis sun trembling with sandworms and chaotic, blood-curdling duels occurring in the deafening Harkonnen colosseums are few among many of the wonders that await.

Whether blowing up a spice harvester, riding a lucrative sandworm, or watching as the Fremen worship Paul as their messiah, the soundtrack and audio further create an immersive experience like no other that must be experienced on the big screen.

While many disliked the slow progression and the extensive world-building of the first film, it was a necessary bore to set up the intense action that allows for Dune Two to be far more enthralling than its predecessor. I’d recommend heavily engaging in a rewatch of the first movie before embarking on the newest film, as the storyline is too complex for the inexperienced viewer.

Adapted from Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel, the Dune series is a trailblazing modern cinema with its unique approach to depicting its plot, and its success speaks for itself. With Dune Two ending on a biting cliffhanger, setting up a climatic third film, I’d heavily recommend anyone to embark on this journey and dive headfirst into the tales of Arrakis.

Katie

Camille

Photo Credit: Brian O’Connor