Megaphone Volume 103 Issue 1

OCTOBER 9, 2023 VOLUME 103 ISSUE 1

On the front cover

Senior Da'Nya Johnson participated in the much-awaited game of Powder Puff at Cathedral. Thought to be MVP of the Goon Squad by many students, she did an exceptional job engaging all the fans. However, Goon Squad fell short with the Pink Panthers winning the game, but it was a great way to end homecoming week.

MEGAPHONE STAFF

Co-Editors-in-Chief

Caroline Schilling

Luke Spencer

Managing Editor

Avery Stuckey

Daniel Kent

Sports Editors

Luke Spencer

Reporters

Katherine Nash

Roch Egan

Joseph Crisp

Celia Miles

On the back cover

During the homecoming assembly, the Freshman class showed their school spirit and support by engaging themselves during the dance team's performance. Seen waving their flashlights, they created an atmosphere perfect for the dance team to perform while showing their support.

Caroline Drew

Olivia Uskert

Photographers

Camila Jackson

Faculty Moderator

Mr. Marc Quaranta

Principal

Mrs. Julie Barthel

School President

Dr. Robert Bridges

Memberships

Indiana High School Press Association

National Scholastic Press Association

Photo by Camila Jackson

Photo by Camila Jackson

The Three Stooges of the Religion Hall

How three grown men have become the most "immature" group of people at Cathedral.

When there is riff raff in the halls of school, typically the first people who come to mind are freshmen. New students who are testing the limits of the discipline and punishments at a new school. However when that award is given to three adult teachers… It is definitely something serious.

This all started last year when the three suspects were positioned in neighboring classrooms. The North end of the Religion Hall would soon host the most comical and immature jokes of the school year. Before that, the suspects must be introduced.

“The Jester,” Mr. Nick Jamell graduated from Cathedral in 2013 and then went on to IUPUI, graduating in the class of 2018. After his schooling he took a job at Powderkeg, a technology company. His desire to work in and around his faith brought him back to the hill. Despite his lack of teaching education, Cathedral hired him as a religion teacher. Along with being the head girls golf coach, he also enjoys reading, playing golf himself, and yard work, and is self proclaimed “Cooler than Streiff and Cannaday.”

“The Leader,” Mr. Matt Cannaday graduated from Roncalli in 2009 and went on to study theology and philosophy at Marian in the class of 2014. He then came right to Cathedral in August 2015, as a properly trained religion teacher. Cannaday is a freshmen football coach, music enthusiast and leader of the theology and philosophy club, student council, and the Cathedral Jamz club.

“The Statue,” Mr. John Streiff graduated from Cathedral in 2009 and Wabash in 2013 with a major in Latin and minor in Greek. He started at Cardinal Ritter for 2 years before coming to Cathedral in 2017, to teach Latin. Outside of school, Streiff loves his family, football, reading, and the Indianapolis Colts. Streiff’s love for his alma mater Wabash, was the spark which ignited this prankster phenomenon.

Throughout the school year, Mr. Streiff took every opportunity available to show

off his school colors. Whether it be college day, hanging stickers and banners, or just wearing red, Streiff does not stop talking about Wabash. His pride inspired Mr. Jamell to take part in the action. Jamell soon would start repping Depauw colors, despite his graduation from IUPUI just years prior. “Obviously IUPUI is better than both Wabash and Depauw; that being said, as an oldest sibling you know how to get a rise out of someone and when you have the ability to get that it is very satisfying.” Nick Jamell commented “and John Streiff needs that from someone.”

Thankfully, this year Magister Streiff was put in his rightful place upstairs in the world language hall; however, the tormenting did not stop. “I wanted to move so I had a better view.” Streiff said, “Now I can hang my Wabash banners for the whole school to see.” Of course his thoughts on “The school which shall not be named (Bishop Chatard).” are no secret to the rest of the school, and this only leads to Jamell hiding jokes in places which Streiff cannot reach. “Mr. Jamell thinks he's funny, but is not as funny as he thinks is.”

This begs the question, how do Cannaday and Streiff put up with Jamell, this little brother causing ruckus at the dinner table?

“Streiff is like a statue, I mean you can throw a tomato at him and he will still be standing there.” Cannaday said. Streiff responded “Yeah he can say whatever he wants, and we never see him in the classroom and his whereabouts are the only important questions that should be asked.”

Now Cannaday isn't out of the clear yet. “John Meyer just isn't that good.” Jamell said. It is no secret that Mr. Cannadays love for music can be heard throughout the school. This became yet another reason for strife (the other kind) within the group. Although throughout the timeline of this relationship many different instances of shenanigans have taken place, the gentlemen have managed to keep it all in good humor.

“It’s so important to be able to build these

BY ROCH EGAN

workplace relationships.” Cannaday said, “I think it is setting a great example for the students and showing them that you can have fun and be professional at the same time.” From the dawn of ages there have been people who formed cliques and pranks and Cathedral has been no different, whether it was Mr. Greg Bamrick, Mr. Rick Streiff and Mr. John O’Hara back in the days, or these three gentlemen here today. “I really don't see a way this ever gets out of hand.” Jamell said. These adults, still children at heart, are bringing joy and laughs to the school halls.

The impact of these gentlemen has spread throughout the school and is a wonderful thing which Cathedral has had the opportunity to foster. “To witness the three stooges is an ever changing adventure that keeps you on your toes.” Fellow religion teacher Mr. Cole Hepp expressed, “It is the perfect balance between prayer and intent, on what's best for the school community, and the jokes which keep the school lighthearted and living a sense of childlike faith.”

The Three Stooges stand in their Hawaiian shirts ready for picture day. They all agreed that this would be the theme for the 2023 pictures. “You can call us the Tres Stulti.” Mr. John Streiff said.

People Help the People

Note: See (K)aring for (K)assie for more information, (https://irishconnection. net/15602/news/karing-for-kassie/).

I am a big fan of helping others. Strangers, friends, anyone. I want people to know they can count on me to help and that I am someone to lean on. This summer I was blessed with the opportunity to do just this: help the people of Abakaliki, Nigeria – more specifically, the students and staff of Kassie Braun Memorial Schools (KBMS).

KassieKares, a nonprofit organization created by Kassie’s parents, Chalene and Dave, carries out a similar mission, with the goal to help enhance lives worldwide. Kassie had a large passion for travel and using her blessings to help people all over the globe. This opportunity and contribution is one I do not take lightly.

Chalene Braun said, “Like Kassie, who felt as one with the universe as she gazed at the stars from the deck of her global voyage, these trips remind us of the importance not only to send our positive thoughts to the universe and to God but also to take action, as she did. Across continents, we connect, and in our shared acts of kindness, we become stars in a constellation of goodwill, illuminating the world with compassion.”

Earlier this year, Mr. Howard Fogel approached me with a specific favor. Fogel is someone I can lean on for help,

and I first met him during my sophomore year chemistry class – a class that I had been nervous and hesitant about, turned out to be my best and most favorite Cathedral class thus far. This specific interaction with Fogel would lead to the most fulfilling week of my life and relationships that will last me a lifetime.

You might be confused by the extent of the conversation Fogel and I had. It started with, “Hey Caroline, I want (which means need) you to go to Africa with me this summer.” I was shocked! I didn't know exactly how to respond. This single statement was then followed by, “I will talk to your mom. Come see me this week and we will continue

BY CAROLINE SCHILLING

this conversation.” Little did I know, he had already talked to the Brauns, and would soon extend the invitation to my mom and I.

During this time, I was involved in the KassieKares J-Term, a week full of preparation and engagement with our sister school, KBMS. I had a growing excitement knowing that in exactly a year from then I would be traveling with fellow interested students to visit the school and immerse ourselves in the rich history of the beautiful country. To my surprise, I would be given the opportunity to visit their school just six short months later.

Caroline Schilling joins students to say final goodbyes. Students gathered to take photos, give hugs, and express gratitude for our week. Caroline, a senior at Cathedral, plans to return in January alongside fellow students.

A reflection upon the best and most fulfilling week of my life, and the relationships that last a lifetime

I was nervous and shocked, but above all, I knew I would say, “yes” to this once in a lifetime opportunity and fully immerse myself in all that was to come. Fast forward through the visa process, the vaccinations, and the overflowing questions of, “Why are you going to Nigeria? Is that a good idea? Maybe you should reconsider.”I immediately knew the answer was clear.

Early July, I would be boarding a flight to what would be, the best, yet the most challenging week of my life. The two day travel experience, stress and fatigue immediately diminished as soon as the plane touchdowned in Lagos, Nigeria. This was our first stop in Nigeria, from there we went to Enugu by flight, and Abakaliki by car. KBMS is located far from the city of Abakaliki due to its size and other matters. Our arrival to our hotel late that night prepared us for the days to come and the experiences we were yet to have.

I woke up the next morning full of excitement, and honestly a little… I mean a very little sense of anxiety. These questionable feelings were soon overturned by love and joy. Before we first went to the school to meet the students and staff, we stopped at a ceremony in the town and introduced ourselves to the Commissioner for Education and his staff.

Spending this time in the town immediately made me so excited to meet the rest of the people at KBMS. I had heard from Father Bosco and Chalene that KBMS can be compared to the Taj Mahal, but I never truly understood this comparison until the first time we drove through the gates to the multiple colorful buildings. On the drive to KBMS, you pass by numerous other schools. Comparing this to the others, I was quick to understand the extent of good-

ness that has come and will continue to develop from KBMS.

I had no idea what was in store for me for the rest of this week. Looking back, I am so beyond thankful for each and every opportunity I was given. Our days varied; we went to Mass in the town, went to the Abakaliki mall, spent numerous hours at KBMS, visited the Chief Medical Director and his family, visited the Abakaliki country club, attended the cultural festival at KBMS and so much more. To recap these experiences would not fit under just one word, or even one newspaper story, but if I had to sum it up in a few words, it would be beautiful and fulfilling. Beautiful because I experienced a culture so full of life, and fulfilling because I now have a new appreciation and perception for how life looks across the globe.

Continuing on through our week would later be the hardest “see you later”. I do not think the word “goodbye” is able to accurately represent our ongoing involvement. We then began our two day

travel journey back home and started our planning for our return. When my dad picked my mom and I up from the airport, my first words were “I cannot wait to go back.” I mean that. To this day, I am anxiously waiting and counting down the days for my return. This time, with even more people and love than before, and a continuous and ongoing relationship with those at our sister school.

To travel and see the world is a blessing – a true blessing. To help others is a blessing – a true blessing. To live like Kassie and continue to spread good around the world is a goal of mine and the opportunity I had this summer taught me more than I could have ever imagined.

To learn more about KassieKares, please visit: https://www.kassiekares.org/ To learn more about Kassie Braun Memorial Schools, please visit: https:// kassieschools.com/

Mr. Fogel being taken on a tour of Kassie Braun Memorial Schools. Upon arrival, students joined their guests to show them around and welcome us to their school. Mr. Fogel, a science teacher collaborated with students and staff to benefit their science program.

Christmas, a tradition on the Hill

While Cathedral has done things in the past like setting up a Nativity scene and decorating the school, this year will be unlike any other during the Christmas season.

Cathedral is embarking on a fun new tradition that will bring cheer, Christmas spirit and joy to the Hill. On December 8th, Cathedral will host the first ever Christmas On The Hill! A day that is completely different from anything Cathedral has done in the past.

In CORE on September 26th the core leaders discussed a little bit about what it is going to look like. An idea that Mr. Ed Freije, Associate Dean of Students, says it has been “in the works for nearly five years.” This idea originated after looking into how University of Dayton does Christmas On Campus. After the Student Innovation Team visited Dayton last year, they knew for sure that they wanted to incorporate a similar idea into Cathedral.

Cathedral has invited 300 students from kindergarten to 3rd grade from Enlace Academy to spend a day full of Christmas festivities on every corner of campus. Every year there will be a new theme, this year is Miracle on 56th street. Cathedral will start the day off with Mass in the Welch Activity Center and anticipate the arrival of the kids at 10:00am.

Each senior has already been paired with one student to spend their day with. Underclassmen will each be assigned a job at one of the many activities that will be scattered throughout.

Mrs. Finn, a member of the SIT Team and one of the coordinators stated, “I think there is a special part about the buildup. That the students gain more responsibility every year and get to look forward to becoming a senior and having the opportunity to host a little kid

themselves.”

From 10:00am to 1:30 students and their buddies will be going throughout campus experiencing the many attractions that will be offered. A trolley will take students from one place to another.

The children can choose to have fun outside in the bouncy houses or go inside and listen to a Christmas story told by Mrs. Claus. The Student Life Center will be decked out in decorations and fun crafts to do. Outside Cunningham will be a winter wonderland with live goats and reindeer. Bouncy houses and outdoor activities will be held on the football field and in the courtyard. And for anyone that gets cold, take a walk down the nature path to find s’mores and hot chocolate waiting.

This day is a day that Cathedral will come together as a family and put a smile on these little kids' faces.

Mrs. Saum, Vice Principal for Student Conduct and SIT Team member said, “I am excited to see not only the joy on those kids' faces but also on the high schoolers while they are giving to the students.”

It will be a day full of joy and laughter for everyone. Not only will the seniors be having fun experiencing it while the underclassmen will too. Everyone will be providing fun and entertainment to the kids' day. Whether it is helping them make cards to Santa or performing in a live nativity scene, everyone will be enjoying the day and embracing the Christmas spirit all around campus.

BY CAROLINE DREW

Over these next couple of months, Cathedral will be using parts of CORE meetings as the framework for the planning of this day. Every team within CORE will get to talk about their seniors buddy and have a hand in the whole process. As CORE continues to grow and develop, the younger students will get to experience all aspects of it and its full potential. Every part of Christmas on the Hill and core will continue to grow,” Saum said.

It has been an idea in the back of the Student Innovation Team's mind for many years. Mr. Freije said, “Coming out of Covid and reestablishing things to help the kids come together, it felt like a really good fit to do it this year.” After several years of restrictions in some capacity, the Cathedral family is fully able to be together and invite in new people to share the love for Cathedral, Christmas, and one another with.

Senior and CORE leader Ellen Jacobson said, “I am so excited to have a good day with the kids and share my Christmas with everyone that will be joining us on the Hill.”

On December 8th students will build new connections, celebrate the holidays, and serve the community, while having a little fun as well.

Mrs. Katie Lewis of the Student Innovation Team said, “Students should expect a lot of energy on campus and be ready to serve and have a good day for these kids.” Christmas on the Hill will combine our core values with fun and festivity while giving back to the community and will be an amazing tradition for years to come.”

A Growing Family

Cathedral's long history with the Congregation of Holy Cross (C.S.C) dates all the way back to 1918. The school was once run by the Brothers of the Holy Cross until it moved from downtown Indianapolis to the Hill. Even though the school is no longer run by the Brothers of Holy Cross, it still has its affiliation with the C.S.C.

There have been Priests from the C.S.C. that have joined Cathedral’s staff almost every year since 2011. Last year Cathedral welcomed Fr. Jomy Mathew, a C.S.C. priest who has since been a pillar to Cathedral’s Holy Cross values. New to the school this year are Br. Matt Rehagen, a campus minister and math teacher, and Fr. Geoff Mooney, also a campus minister and math teacher. Fr. Geoff is a part of the C.S.C. and is from New Albany, IN. He wasn’t ordained as a Holy Cross priest until 2021, and he earned a Bachelor of science in math through the University of Notre Dame in 2009. After earning his degree, he entered the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE), and then earned his Master of Education in 2011.

Once he earned that, he continued to teach at Pensacola Catholic High School in Pensacola FL. He earned his Master of Divinity degree in 2020 and then moved to Christ the King Parish in South Bend, IN. Br. Matt is from Jefferson, MO. He also graduated from University of Notre Dame in 2018 with majors in Theology and Philosophy. He earned his Masters in Theology in 2021 and Masters in Education in 2023. Before coming to Cathedral, he was a 5th grade teacher at St. Adalbert Catholic School in South Bend.

Mr. Cannady, a religion teacher, added, “Fr. Geoff is excellent at homilies, they are engaging and he is constantly around and offering confessions. They both have Holy Cross lunches which is amazing for students and teachers to be able to receive confession throughout the school day.”

Both Br. Matt and Fr. Geoff have already found their sense of community and sense of home within the school.

Fr. Geoff said, “It means a sense of belonging that I’m part of a family that cares for each other and that wants the best for each other, helping out the best ways we can and knowing we’re loved by God.” This year having three C.S.C members including Fr. Jomey Matthew, who was new to the school in 2022-2023 and has been an active member of the school since by offering Mass and supporting kids in extracurricular activities, will ensure the student body is given every chance to grow in their faith.

Even though it’s been a big adjustment for both Br. Matt and Fr. Geoff, they’ve both expressed the gratitude and love they feel for the school. Br. Matt said, “My favorite part (Of Cathedral) is how much of a community the school feels. It reminds me of my high school in Missouri. Cathedral just has a lot of community and a family feel which makes me feel at home in a way.”

BY CELIA MILES

Cathedral is beyond lucky to be able to have three C.S.C. members on campus everyday that are so heavily involved within the school, but they are also heavily involved with extracurricular activities supporting students. This year, Cathedral is truly embracing the values everyday and celebrating the schools deep faith by having the privilege of being able to have more than one C.S.C. member within the community.

Cathedral’s diverse student body isn’t the only thing that separates Cathedral from other schools, it’s also a passion for faith.

When Fr. Geoff was asked what makes Cathedral special he responded with, “It’s the emphasis on the Holy Cross values and being a priest of Holy Cross it makes it comforting seeing things directly related to my life and seeing people learn about them is special.”

Br. Matt celebrated with Dr. Rob Bridges, President, and Julie Barthel, Principal, shortly after taking his final vows of poverty, castity, and obedience.

Two new religious members joined the Cathedral family this year and have already made it their home.

Fr. Geoff smiles as he works during his prep period sitting in the Innovation Center.

Multi-sport Madness

In this day and age, multi-sport athletes are becoming more and more rare as teenagers reach the high school level. As competition levels increase, parents and kids are forced to make tough decisions to cut one sport in order to stay competitive in another. This so-called “specialization” has severely dwindled the number of multi-sport athletes at the high school level. At Cathedral, these athletes are especially rare due to the caliber of the school’s athletics.

Throughout the last few years, there have been a few notable multisport varsity athletes to walk the halls on the Hill. Jaron Tibbs ‘23 was a three star recruit in football while being a twoyear starter on the basketball team. Katie Bremer ‘22 excelled at both basketball and volleyball, contributing on varsity for three years. Camden Jordan ‘21 contributed in three varsity sports during his time on the Hill, in football, baseball and basketball. Jordan stopped playing basketball after his junior year and spent his freshman year of college playing baseball at Louisville and San Jacinto College before transferring to Indiana University to play football.

As spectacular as those athletes were, what senior Taylor Lewis is planning to accomplish is equally as impressive. Lewis is a three sport star in volleyball, basketball and tennis, and by the end of the year, she hopes to have played all three for all four years of high school, something that is rarely seen at schools as athletically competitive as Cathedral.

Lewis’s love for sports began at a young age, at the encouragement of her parents. She said, “Ever since I could walk I started playing sports. My parents just wanted me to be active and explore my interests.” She started out playing tennis, basketball, swimming, tennis and softball, competing for St. Pius X Catholic School as well as various club teams. She did not start playing volleyball until later on.

When she stepped onto campus

as a freshman, Lewis stood at 6’1, immediately becoming one of the tallest players in the volleyball program. She made the varsity team as a freshman, the only girl in the class of 2024 to do so, and, according to Lewis, that experience was tough at times. She said, “I was so excited to hear that I had made varsity, but I will admit, with the way things were run at the time, my freshman volleyball experience wasn’t amazing.” Lewis believes it was tougher to make friends in her own grade due to the fact that she wasn’t on the same team as them, and that she was “often treated like the baby” on the volleyball team. Nonetheless, Lewis immediately became crucial to the team’s success, tallying 72 kills and 85 sets played her freshman year.

After the season was over, Lewis moved on to basketball during the winter, where she appeared in two varsity games. She then turned her focus to tennis during the spring. Coming into high school, Lewis says she didn’t plan on playing tennis and that it was an “impulsive decision”. She explained, “I thought I’d be at the bottom of the freshman team because I hadn’t played tennis in years, but I ended up playing freshman singles, then got pulled

BY LUKE SPENCER

up to varsity doubles for the tournament.”

Lewis continued in all three sports for her sophomore and junior years, moving up to becoming a full varsity contributor in all three. With this commitment, Lewis found it hard to find time for things outside of sports, such as school and friends, and over the years she has learned how to successfully manage those things. She said, “I’ve had to teach myself to always take advantage of my free time to try to get some assignments done. Usually I do homework during resource, take a brain break for practice, then continue to do homework until I go to bed.” She added, “As for my social life, luckily I have an amazing group of friends who understand my busy schedule. When I am free, they’re always supportive.”

Despite the hectic schedule with little to no free time, Lewis says that she has never considered quitting to focus on one specific sport. She said, “I honestly love playing three sports…I love the different environments each program has to offer.”

Senior Taylor Lewis (middle) poses with her parents on senior night on Sept. 27.Lewis said, “My parents just encouraged me to be busy with extracurriculars so that I could entertain myself, and I am so thankful that they did.” (photo by Lacey Nix)

Senior Taylor Lewis is in the midst of accomplishing something few Cathedral students ever have.

Lewis has also found no trouble finding success in all three sports. She has been a part of multiple Sectional Championship tennis teams and has become a double-digit points per game scorer in basketball, averaging 10.1 points along with 7.6 rebounds per game last season. This included a 31 point outburst against Scecina Memorial on Jan. 11, marking a career high.

Despite those accolades, Lewis’s best sport during her time on the Hill has been volleyball. She has been a four year starter, and began receiving attention from Division-1 volleyball programs during her junior year. Lewis listed Xavier, Butler, Georgetown, Marquette, Yale, Pennsylvania, Missouri and others as schools that she highly considered during her recruitment, but on Feb. 5, she committed to Villanova to continue her career

as a student-athlete.

According to Lewis, the biggest positive that Villanova brings is its academic reputation. She said, “I wanted to make sure I had a good education to set me up for the rest of my life. Villanova fit that requirement.” She added that the volleyball program stood out as well, saying, “The coaching staff (at Villanova) is incredible. Everyone was so nice to me, but at the same time, they weren’t trying to ‘sell’ me Villanova volleyball.” Head volleyball coach Mrs. Karrie Quenichet said, regarding Taylor’s commitment, “Her leadership ability, her reliability, her confidence, her determination, her work ethic, all those things would help any Division-1 program, and I’m sure she’ll be a stud at Villanova.

Lewis and the volleyball team have been very successful so far this season, holding a 23-4 record as of Sept. 30. According to Quenichet, Lewis has been a major part of that success. Quenichet said, “(Lewis) is such a great terminator. She can score for (us), especially when she does a full approach, there’s not very many people that can stop her.”

Lewis’s dominance is reflected in her recent milestone of 1,000 kills, something that no Cathedral player in recent history has accomplished. Lewis said, “When I reached that milestone I felt so much gratitude. I was so thankful for my teammates because I know I couldn’t reach that goal without them.”

Taylor Lewis will definitely have left her mark on Cathedral when it’s all said and done, and she can provide mo-

tivation for other young athletes pursuing multiple sports. Lewis said, “I love my teammates and I love practicing and playing with them, but don’t forget to take time for yourself. Being a student-athlete is hard and being a multi-sport athlete is even harder.”

Senior Taylor Lewis prepares to shoot a free throw during a game versus Warren Central on Nov. 8 2022. The Irish won the game 45-44. Lewis said, “For basketball (this upcoming season), I want to win a Sectional Championship.” (photo by Lacey Nix)

Senior Taylor Lewis goes up for a kill during warmups before a game versus Yorktown on Sept. 21. The Irish won the game 3-0. Lewis said, “I am really excited to see what we can do in the postseason. I think we have the determination and the talent to get to a State Championship.” (photo by Caroline Schilling)

A Serving of "Radishes" and "Apples"

New Teacher Ms. Sarah Rashid joines the Religion team on the Hill.

Every year on the Hill the community welcomes both new students and educators. This year, the Cathedral family was blessed with the arrival of many new educators including Religion teacher Ms. Sarah Rashid.

Rashid was born and raised in her hometown Peoria, Illinois. While there, she attended Peoria Notre Dame High School and played a variety of sports including lacrosse and even horseback riding.

“I did a little bit of horseback riding, it wasn’t competitive, but I loved it. I never did lacrosse before high school, so it was my first time,” said Rashid.

While Rashid loved participating in sports during her time in high school, she also held many jobs. Her first job was being a camp counselor at Camp of Champions USA. Her second job was at a Blendista, which is a fragrance barat Purple Bubble Fragrance Bar. “I don’t know if you’ve been to the candle shops downtown, where you can make your own scent, it’s exactly like that. Except you put your own scent into body lotion, perfume, and shampoo,” Rashid explained.

Rashid discovered her love for teaching in her freshman year religion class. “I realized how much I loved the intellectual side of religion, and ever since then, it really sparked my interest to teach religion to other students and future generations,” Rashid said.

Following her graduation from Peoria Notre Dame, Rashid decided to attend Indiana University. One of the main reasons Rashid chose IU was because of her brothers. She said,

“Not many people know this but I’m a triplet. So, I have two brothers and they both went to Butler University, and I wanted to remain close to them” Although her brothers were the leading reason behind attending IU, Rashid also fell in love with IU’s campus. “I’m a person who’s all about aesthetics, so like when I was walking around campus and I saw a creek and a tree, I kept thinking I’m totally going to study under that tree by the creek. Did I ever do that? No, but I could have,” said Rashid.

One of her favorite memories from college was meeting her fiancé, Dominic Appleton, for the first time.

“I met him at the St. Paul’s Catholic Center at IU,” Rashid said.

Another fond memory was when she won the championship for battleship, an intramural sport where people play a live version of battleship in a canoe, in a pool. The goal of this game was

BY KATHERINE NASH

to try to sink everyone’s boat around you. “My friends and I won out of twelve teams. It was the best moment of my life. It was our boat and a fraternity boat left, just strong buff men. And we beat them,” said Rashid.

After graduating college, Rashid was looking for local teaching jobs. When she came across Cathedral, she was sold. “What really sold it for me was when I visited Cathedral, I immediately saw the relationship of the teachers with the students. It seemed very personal and the students respected the teachers and the teachers respected the students. They have a really good relationship, everyone was hugging each other and just having a great time laughing together, and talking like friends. And that’s something that I’ve never really seen before from a teacher-student perspective,” Rashid said.

Ms. Rashid with her family in Detroit. This was the Rashids’ 96th family reunion. Her brother Zach is to the left of her, and her brother Jacob is to the right.

Upon accepting the teacher post at Cathedral, she was assigned to teach tenth and eleventh grade religion. “She brings a zeal for the faith, a fresh perspective, and a love for young people,” said Vice Principal for Academics Mr. Mark Matthews. She has also joined the Horse Club and the Theology and Philosophy Club.

“I love the atmosphere here. All the teachers are amazing people, and have already made me feel so welcome,” Rashid said. In fact, since she has been here, the religion department threw her a bridal shower. Mrs. Megan Ahnert, Religion teacher and head swim coach, set up the bridal shower for Rashid in order to celebrate her big day. “We wanted

to show her that she is just as part of our family as anyone else is. I had other people Venmo me, and we got her some of the cute little Catholic things on her registry, and then we made a donation to their honeymoon fund on their registry. We also got Jack’s Donuts and surprised her. She didn’t know we were doing this so she was really surprised,” Ahnert continued, “She has incredible faith, and is very devout. I think that it's awesome to have more young women of faith on the religion team in general. And she just has a lot of excitement for teaching that is just always exciting and important to have on your team” said Ahnert.

Members of both Rashid and Appleton’s family pose for a photo together. They met together in Michigan City, Indiana for a football game. Rashid said, “We went to the Notre Dame game against Stanford!”

Ms. Rashid and her fiancé Dominic Appleton. They got engaged at Lake Griffy in Bloomington, Indiana. They got engaged in November and their wedding is coming up in under three weeks.

Dancing Through Difficulties

Despite challenges, the Dance Team has many exciting plans for its second year on the Hill including new uniforms and more dance routines

The dance team is officially in its second year on campus with more dance moves, song mashups and energy for school events than ever before. Last school year, the team was a new presence on campus which managed to captivate students and educators at a variety of events. Led by moderator and Theater Director Mrs. Jordan Fox, and captains senior Taria Holifield, juniors Ashlyn Jemison, and Isabella Cadwell, the team is poised to take on a year filled with countless performances and has many plans for the future. Holifield said, “We’re starting off strong.”

As the dancers continue to get their bearings as an established team on campus, they, along with Fox, have noticed some positive changes since last year. Typically, Fox choreographs the dances, but the captains occasionally do as well. Due to the team having more time to bond, Fox explained, “I have more trust with the girls. They trust me to guide them, and they also trust my decision to lean on the captains to create dances.”

“I feel like we’re a lot closer,” Jemison said. This greater sense of comradery on the team has led to even better performances, and the captains say that they spend hours after practice having fun and filming Tiktok videos with one another.

The team has also seen some growth this year with 27 members total, including seven freshmen. Following the activity fair, Holifield explained that some members joined, but she said, “I think that they see us perform, and they’re like ‘oh yeah, I can do that. I want to be a part of a team like this’.”

However, because of its relatively new status, the team has faced multiple challenges on the Hill including a lack of financial support. “Since we’re a club, not a school sanctioned team, the funds for our program are very low. Every other school you go to, the dance team has uniforms that carry over year to year (and) they have funds to bring in outside choreographers. Since we’re a club, those funds are much smaller, so we just have to work with private donations or charging club fees,” Fox said. However, Holifield excitedly explained that they will have new uniforms because of a private donation. She joked, “The CHS dance team shirts—y’all won’t be seeing anymore.” She continued, “(the uniforms) are very shiny, similar to majorette style, but still keeping in mind

BY DANIEL KENT

Christian modesty, and we have shorts that are sparkly.”

While there are some wins for the dancers, Jemison explained that systemic issues with truly getting the team started up as a foundational fixture on the Hill have significantly held them back. She said, “I feel like things that have to do with the arts are hard to get the school to approve. With show choir, we’re just now really getting up off our feet with assemblies; like having the choir assembly, it really opened everybody’s eyes and we started to get more funding toward the choir program. I feel like it’s the same thing with the dance team getting off its feet. When it comes to the arts, I feel like it’s taking more time (to get support), even though they tell us all the time how amazing we are.”

The Dance Team performs at the Homecoming Assembly on Sept. 8 2023. Educators and students were exhilarated by the dance team’s energy throughout their routine. Sophomore Luisa Espinosa said, “They’re dancing is amazing.” Photo by Joellen Desautels.

Additionally, the team has had trouble retaining male members. Of the 27 members, only one is a male. The cause of this, the captains believe, is a stigmatization around dancing being a feminine activity. Holifield explained that this stigma “hurts me because the boys that have the confidence to join then get torn down by boys who don’t have the confidence.” Fox added, “It’s a shame because people who should be on the floor (dancing) are not because of hatred from others.”

However, the team remains prepared to welcome any men that want to join. From uniforms to dance routines, the captains and Fox are willing to modify their performances to help anyone feel more comfortable. “If guys look at the dance team, and they say, ‘All they do is girl dances,’ that’s because our team consists of girls. It would be modified to however you feel comfortable per-

forming.” She continued, “We’re not going to make you do anything you don’t want to do.” After experiencing just one school wide performance, Fox hopes and believes that anyone would be able to overcome the stigma because of the excitement, energy and positive feedback. The captains also pointed out that men frequently do dances on Tiktok for hundreds, if not thousands to view, so they should not be discouraged when performing for the school.

Despite these challenges, the dance team has exciting performances and plans for the year ahead. The school is yet to see three dances that the team choreographed over the summer including a hip-hop based routine and two that are different from their traditional repertoire: lyrical worship and Latin inspired pieces. Additionally, a step team, separate from the dance team, will be formed this year under

the direction of Attendance Specialist Mrs. Angela McGruder, and there will be significant overlap in participation between the two teams.

As for joining the dance team, anyone can attend a practice in the theater green room each Monday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Jemison explained, “Right after school we change, and then we try to remember every time to stretch. Then, Mrs. Fox gets us together, and we start on the choreography and run through it a couple of times; we have water breaks and team meetings.” Everyone is welcome to sit in on a practice or participate in the practices at any time in the year.

Right now, the team is preparing for the multicultural assembly; Fox said they will “work hand in hand with the Asian Student Union,” and possibly could work with the choir for their Gospel song routine at another assembly.

Speaking to anyone interested in joining the dance team, Jemison enthusiastically said, “It is an amazing outlet. Dancing makes your happy hormones—your serotonin—go up. So if you’re having a bad day, come down here and dance with us. It’s really fun. We’re all really welcoming and chill, and it’s a great way to get exercise and be involved.”

Fox said, “The dance team really does bring me so much joy.” Holifield concluded by urging anyone hesitant to join the team to “walk in your own light, walk in your purpose, be confident. Have that confidence that someone sitting next to you doesn’t have because that will be admired for generations to come.”

Theater Director and Dance Team Moderator Mrs. Jordan Fox snaps a mirror picture with the team at a practice. Dance Team practices are held every Monday from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Fox said, “Last year, we just hodgepodged our rehearsal schedule together, but this year, we know every Monday we’re meeting, and it’s a great way to start off the week.” Photo submitted by Taria Holifield.

Bridging Connections

President Dr. Bridges has a whole lot of history and experience before starting at Cathedral

BY AVERY STUCKEY

Now everyone has probably seen the man who stands at the end of the admission hallway saying hello” and “how are you” to just about everyone as they pass by. The man we occasionally hear saying prayers over the announcements at the beginning and end of the day. This is our President Doctor Robert Bridges, and he has a lot of experience that came before his time on the Hill.

In the 80’s Bridges had the opportunity to be in the Peace Corps. According to the Peace Corps website, it is “an independent agency and program of the United States government that trains and deploys volunteers to provide international development assistance.” During this time in his life, Bridgeshad the opportunity to have unique experiences and memories worth a lifetime.

Bridges said “It was 1984 and I had a degree in broadcasting and radio TV,so I had a chance to have a couple different options. I could have gone to Malawi, which is a very lush country in Africa, which is kind of unusual to be the chief radio officer for the country. I didn't even know what that meant. Today, I still don't know what that means. Then I had another offer. The other offer was to work in the Eastern Caribbean, which already had me at ‘hello’, because it's the Caribbean. But it was to make educational video tapes for the deaf and the blind and the mentally challenged. We don't say this now but the organization was actually called Camera Caribbean Association for the mentally retarded. So it was the official name. So it was pretty easy to choose between those two. So I chose to go to the Caribbean. And basically, I made educational programs on the school visit the schools for the Deaf School for the Blind. Schools for

the mentally handicapped or physically handicapped and coached a lot of Special Olympics. St. Lucia was the name of the island nation.”

These opportunities brought him to many different places. He said, “two and a half years and actually, I wasn't just in St. Lucia, I was in Barbados and five or six

other country islands: St. Kitts and Nevis in those two islands, but the same nation. Dominica Antigua, Antigua, St.Vincent was the last. Those are all part of the bottom of the Caribbean as you get close to South America. They're called the Lesser Antilles Islands.”

Dr. Bridges was given a certificate of recognition in September of 1986.

While at these amazing places he was able to learn a lot from different experiences. “It got me to see how other people and other cultures lived. I made friends from another nation and I got to learn about new foods. There was so much fruit on the trees there and I learned how to open a coconut with a machete and it was very tasty to drink. And I got to see how Americans are viewed and how I could maybe help break down that stereotype a little bit. Spread being nice. Which you know, I like to do,” Bridges said.

Bridges benefited from these opportunities, as well as others. . Bridges made videos for teachers and students while in these other countries. He said, “There's a school for the blind in Castries, which was the capital of St. Lucia. I would show specifically how the teachers would educate the kids that were visually impaired. And remember, showing a video of the kids singing, we are the world which was the song that came out at that time. You know, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder and everybody knew that song. But I also did a sign language class on the local TV news. It was called Say it With Hands and there was a sign language teacher there. So I had the video camera. So I recorded a new lesson each week, and after the local news, they will show this in the segment for like 60 seconds of Say it With Hands. And she would just do a basic expression each week. And then I will walk around the next day and people were all doing it talking with their hands.

So Say it With Hands was a pretty cool part of my project. I've always been a fan of sign language since then.”

Along with these experiences in a different country he was still able to live out his Catholic faith. “I did see Pope John Paul the second there. He came and said mass, it is a very Catholic country. Most of the Caribbean is and Pope John Paul second was there when he was young. I remember going to mass. There were 70,000 people there. It's like half the country. And he was in the distance but he was like a tropical depression. So it was raining like crazy for three days. And I remember looking around seeing these ladies Kneeling in the mud, just praising God and listening to Pope John Paul. He was very popular, it was pretty cool. And he survived the rain too, but it's a very clear memory I have,” said Bridges.

After his experience in the Peace Corps he untimely ended up at Cathedral. “It was 1987 that I stopped that and then I ended up at Cathedral in 2016. I was a teacher in a lot of places, I was the head of schools in a couple of places. But ironically, I came back to Indiana where I went to college, I'm from Michigan, but I went to St. Joseph's College in Indiana, and graduated in 1984. So I came back here to the state of Indiana”

Because of these experiences it has

provided him with many characteristics and experiences to be the perfect President of Cathedral High School. Religion teacher Mr Matthew Cannaday said, “He is always forward thinking. He's the roots himself in the faith and tradition of the Catholic Church and he tries to model the joy that was being a Catholic is and models that for the entire school,”

Religion teacher Mr Nick Jamell added, “He is a charismatic leader and he holds us accountable out of love and charity focusing on the students primarily.”

However, it has been some time since his Peace Corps days, but Bridges hopes to go back. He said, “Well, yeah, definitely. I always think traveling is the best education. I'm a big fan of traveling. My wife's from Brazil, so she likes to travel and our kids love it. It kind of got difficult, you know, the last couple of years with safety and COVID and still we love to travel. So I think traveling is a great way to learn. And I highly recommend living in another culture, especially like this. I think an important point in a culture where you can be in the minority. Especially if you're someone who's never been in the minority. I think it's humbling and very helpful to have and you can be a better person to live in a situation where you're in the middle.”

Royal Irish Captains Committed to Reclaiming Dominance

BY JOSEPH CRISP

The Royal Irish Rugby squad is having a good season so far this fall. As the team prepares for the State Tournament they look to their captains, Luke Peters and Frank Meyer, for leadership. Luke and Frank have grown up playing rugby and are determined to do everything they can to lead the team to success.

This year is a big year for Luke. He has the opportunity to prove to himself why he is the best player in the state. “I’ve got all the confidence in the world going into this year. I am going to show everybody why I’m the best player in the state.” Flash back to fourth grade, when Luke’s rugby career started, and the story is a lot different.

After two years of watching his older brother play rugby, Luke was anxious to play on the same team as his brother. “My brother has always been an inspiration to me, watching him be the best player on the field made me want to show him that I am capable of what he can do on the pitch.” Luke faced his first step of adversity when the Broad Ripple Rugby Club told him that he needed to be in fifth grade in order to play. Luke was not okay with that answer. After Luke demonstrated to club officials that he had the skill set to play up an age group and his parents signed a waiver giving their permission for him to play in the older “tackle league” instead of the younger “flag league”, he was granted permission to “play up”. Their team ended up winning two state championships.

“Winning with my brother for the first time set the tone for my career. Knowing that we could continue our dominance in high school made me more motivated than ever.”

When Luke got to high school, he lived up to that statement. During his freshman year, Luke did not get much playing time due to his size, but the Royal Irish ended up winning state and making it to nationals. Sophomore year, Luke got his first opportunity to prove why he deserves to play a big role for the team. “Coach Dave

gave me an opportunity and I made the most out of it.” Luke ended up starting every game and led his team to a state title. After a down year for the team last year, Luke looks to lead a major bounce back season for the Royal Irish.

Frank Meyer leads the team with Luke. When Frank was in fifth grade, he joined the Broad Ripple Rugby Club and teamed up with Luke. “At first rugby was something that I wanted no part of, but after that first season of playing, I knew that I loved this sport.” Frank went on to play for the Broad Ripple Club for Middle school securing 2 state championships along the way. For him, seventh grade was his first year of facing adversity. He sprained his shoulder in the second game of the season after he tackled the opposing player. “This was such a scary experience for me and without the comfort of my parents, I don’t know if I would still be playing the game.”

“My parents taught me adversity and how to get through it, without my parents I would be less of a man than I am today.”

After his middle school career, Frank was excited for high school rugby. He ended up getting minimal playing time due to his

size but said this was the “most important year of my career.”

“Learning from guys like Tommy Hannon and Dylan Peters was a game changer. It gave me the confidence to trust in my skills and it showed me what dominance looked like on the pitch.” The Royal Irish captured the state title and earned a spot at Nationals. During his sophomore year, Frank was the backup scrum half. Since he had a senior starting in his position, he continued to learn and work on his craft for that year. The Royal Irish captured their second state championship in a row. Frank has left last season in the past and after being promoted to team captain, he’s more motivated than ever. “I’ve always been a vocal leader, it is something that I take pride in. I look to keep being a vocal leader for the rest of my career and life.”

The Royal Irish Rugby team has faced some adversity but with the duo of Luke Peters and Frank Meyer leading the squad they are in a good position for a bounce back season. Both captains have faced their own adversity throughout their rugby careers and they have the skills to lead the team to persevere. The future is bright for thee Royal Irish Rugby squad.

Frank tackles the opponent at the Trine Invitational. Royal Irish tackled well throughout the tournament. “Tackling is not all aggression, there is a lot of technique required to be effective.”