PN 73023

Volume LXXIII

“If nothing else, value the truth”

St. Louis University High School, Friday, MARCH 6, 2009

Issue 23

So close—hockey finishes second at Scottrade “

Tony Billmeyer Staff

I

t’s the best crowd we’ve ever had, it’s the most prepared our guys have gone into a game. … They were mentally prepared and they believed in themselves and if you can make yourself that focused, anything can happen. Especially in a one-game series,” said St. Louis U. High hockey head coach of 38 years Charlie Busenhart about Wednesday night’s St. Louis Blues Challenge Cup finals against CBC.

SLUH put forth one of their greatest efforts of their impressive season and didn’t disappoint the more than 4,000 fans that filled the Scottrade Center. They controlled much of the first two periods, but fatigue set in, and SLUH eventually fell to CBC 4-2.

The Jr. Bills put the first shot on goal

within ten seconds, and the two teams traded paign was not sunk; rather, they regrouped early scoring opportunities. Junior Con- after a TV timeout, and the end-to-end action only grew more nor Frick created the intense. CBC drew first of his multiple back-to-back twochances five minutes minute power plays into the game when from a soft hooking he took the puck penalty called on down the left wing senior Kevin Corby into the CBC zone and another whistle and beat a defender on junior Phil Luongo by cutting behind him midway through the from the boards to the first period. But the slot before forcing a U. High penalty kill glove save from CaJunior Connor Frick shoots while falling in the first period of Wednesday night’s final vs. CBC. never allowed the Cadet goalie Tim Knox.

Just two minutes later, CBC took the lead dets to set up the umbrella, and the Cadets when CBC forward and eventual Challenge only fostered one legitimate scoring opporCup MVP Alex Roth put away a cross-ice tunity, a slap shot from the point that senior goaltender Ryan Boschert saw through traffic pass at the back post. see HOCKEY, 9

The undeterred Jr. Bills’ ’ship camphoto by zac boesch

Students and faculty discuss Facebook’s educational potential

Ben Kim Core Staff

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he SLUH Social Network Grant committee, consisting of St. Louis U. High teachers and faculty members, met for the third time this year on Feb. 24 in the Ignatian Conference room to discuss the uses of Facebook.

During the two-hour discussion, the committee, led by former principal Mary Schenkenberg and former science teacher Michelle Perrin, wanted to better understand how faculty can use Facebook and how students currently use it.

“(The group) is more about bringing in (faculty) who are very unfamiliar with Facebook and showing them how it could be a part of their life,” said computer teacher

Tim Rittenhouse. “To show them that it may be something that they would want to look into.”

“(The committee) got a lot of interest.

People want to know more about Facebook because it is a foreign land to a lot of us,” said Schenkenberg.

The idea to form this committee originated from a grant that Perrin received last year from the St. Louis Archdiocese to study social network systems such as Facebook and MySpace at SLUH. Since Perrin left SLUH in the summer, Schenkenberg offered to help her with the research. As a result, during the summer of 2008, Schenkenberg approached Rittenhouse about forming the committee and, in August, sent out e-mails inviting the SLUH faculty to join.

see POKED, 9

Racquetbills crowned ’09 national champs

Spencer Rusch Reporter

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he St. Louis U. High racquetball team has captured its fourth national championship in school history and first since 2004. Although the official scores have not been released to the public, the Missionaccomplishedbills beat runner-up Sprague High School from Salem, Ore. by about 450 points after finishing 3.5 points out of first last year.

Sunday’s national tournament included six singles divisions and three doubles divisions. Each competing school could only enter one person into singles divisions 1-5

see WORLDS?, 8

2

News STUCO forum next week, looking for topic

Conor Gearin Core Staff

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t. Louis U. High Student Council (STUCO) will host its third student forum of the 2008-’09 year next Thursday in the Joseph Schulte Theater. STUCO plans to let students choose the discussion topics for the forum.

Following the second forum, which was less attended than the first, STUCO hopes to draw in more students by letting them choose the issues, as they have in the past.

However, Secretary/Treasurer Mike Miller says that no one has come forward with a topic yet.

However, Miller hopes that awareness of the topics will bring more students to the forum. As usual, flyers will be posted to advertise the forum. This time, STUCO plans to announce the topics for discussion in this manner as well.

Other than flyers, STUCO President John Heafner said that there really is not any other way to advertise. Besides a Facebook message, an announcement, and flyers, no other notifications are to be used.

Heafner said that with past forums, the topics were issues that STUCO felt were important. “Maybe students felt differently,” he said. He hopes that student body selection of topics will counter this.

“One thing we do need to work on is to put a time limit on each topic so people don’t feel like we’re dragging it out,” said Miller. He believes that the discussion is only the first step towards making the forum worthwhile.

“Obviously, we are limited in what we can do in a forty-five minute meeting,” said Miller. “What we really need to work on is (creating) subcommittees after forums to work on things—which we have done. Such as (with) the honor code: junior class STUCO representatives are working on putting the honor code in place for next year.”

For the most part, STUCO will keep the structure of the forum. Two to three topics will be selected for discussion, and STUCO officers will raise the question in the forum.

Then, students can come forward to the microphone on the stage “and hopefully open up discussion,” said Heafner.

Winfrey headed to Poetry Out Loud Nationals in D.C.

Andy Frank Reporter

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enior Pete Winfrey won the state Poetry Out Loud competition on March 3, beating out nine other regional winners in Jefferson City.

Winfrey began his Poetry Out Loud journey with the St. Louis U. High competition held in December. Last week, he continued on to the regional competition, which he also won. He and English teacher Chuck Hussung traveled to Jefferson City on Tuesday for the state competition.

“I was pretty relaxed going in,” said Winfrey, who performed three poems for the judges. “I knew I had done the best I could …

I was happy,” Winfrey said about his feelings as he waited for the judges’ decisions.

Winfrey’s performance won him $200, a traveling trophy, and an all-expenses paid

trip to Washington, D.C. Also, SLUH will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books.

In April, Winfrey and over 50 other state and territory winners will travel to D.C. to compete in front of judges including Tony Award winner Tyne Daly and Prairie Home Companion’s Garrison Keillor.

“I’m excited to be able to do (the poems) again,” Winfrey said of his opportunity to travel to D.C. to compete. His favorite performance piece is Philip Levine’s “Detroit, Tomorrow.”

“I was squinting back tears,” Hussung said of Winfrey’s performance of “Detroit, Tomorrow.” Winfrey says his goal for his performances is to capture the “somber, depressing” attitude that the words convey.

Because the national competition works differently, Winfrey will only be guaran-

see AVOCADOS, 12

March 6, 2009

Mock Trial loses to Priory, no Regionals

Chad Carson Reporter

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nable to keep a streak of Regional appearances the past two years alive, the varsity Mock Trial team fell to ninthranked Priory last Thursday, Feb. 26. Acting as the prosecution, the team failed to score high enough to win any ballots, forfeiting all three to Priory, who will face Cor Jesu and Lutheran South at Regionals. The junior varsity team, acting as the defense, fell to Cor Jesu’s junior varsity team by losing all three ballots.

Although Priory swept the varsity team in the final trial, the team scored more total points (336) on the year than several of the top twelve teams advancing to Regionals, including Cor Jesu and Ladue. However, since the team only managed to win three ballots total, they failed to advance past an outstanding Priory team, entirely composed of experienced seniors.

“SLUH had a great team. It was a very close match,” remarked Priory senior Jim Havel. He cited the SLUH team as “well versed in objections and theory…both expert witnesses were outstanding and gave our lawyers a tough time.”

The varsity trial ended with only a fivepoint differential on one ballot and nine on the other ballot, leaving the team with a +21 point differential on the year. Junior Luke Chellis earned a score of nine for his closing argument and cross-examination of the defendant, and senior Charles Gerber also drew a nine for his cross-examination.

Chellis described first time Mock Trial participant Mark Holzum’s performance as “outstanding, especially for a first time witness.”

In Mock Trial competitions, two lawyers grade individual performances on a scale of one to ten while a third judges only which team he believes performed better. In addition, there is no verdict based on the evidence presented and theories proven. Instead, teams are rated on how well they presented the evidence and how well the theories were

see I OBJECT, 12

March 6, 2009

Opinion Editorial

A night of community

Fourteen buses, 256 pizzas, and 710 packages sold. The logistics of St. Louis University High’s build-up to the Challenge Cup hockey game Wednesday night were pretty impressive. These numbers stand behind the communal migration of hundreds of SLUH students from pre-game pizza to the game.

We would like to commend STUCO and the administration for working together to provide such a service to the SLUH community.

The ambitious effort most likely brought in hundreds more SLUH fans to the game at Scottrade to be part of the cheering section, which was a powerful bonding experience. The cooperation of around 25 teachers and all the attending students helped organize a potentially

Kevin Casey Editor

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chaotic bus and seating situation into a display of SLUH’s dignity and class, a theme that was undeniably on display throughout the night.

We would in turn like to commend the cheering section of what appeared to be thousands of supporters cheering loudly, passionately, and with abundant hope that our team would upset CBC. Our team played an unrelenting game until the final second, representing the SLUH community as best it could. Community is exactly what SLUH was on Wednesday night. Despite a loss and despite violence towards SLUH students, everyone suffered those things together.

We were a community.

Commentary The violence after the game

I saw the whole thing happen. CBC had just beaten us in the championship hockey game, and I was sitting in one of the school buses right in front of the Scottrade Center. My bus was full—there were 50 people in it—the doors were closed, and we were just waiting to pull out. I was sitting on the aisle side, two rows behind the bus driver.

I hadn’t been paying attention to what was happening outside, and suddenly there was a large crowd of students streaming past the line of buses. I guess I can’t really know who was and wasn’t a CBC student, but from what I could tell the mass seemed to be a part of their fan section—they were cheering a lot, and some of them ran up to the bus, banging on the glass. I could definitely see CBC colors in the mix. Some of the students on the edge were yelling, jeering at us. They shouted things. Luckily all of our bus windows were up.

They streamed past us, walking between the buses and the arena, so that any SLUH student still coming out had to cross through the crowd. I don’t know if someone yelled “fight” or if I just caught all of the movement out of the corner of my eye. All of a sudden a mob had formed in the middle of the crowd, and I—and everyone else on my bus—stood up to get a better look.

The bus lights were off, so the only light came from a streetlight somewhere outside. It cast an eerie glow over everything, and I couldn’t make out the color of the clothes the guys fighting were wearing. There were enough guys that I thought the group consisted of both a bunch of SLUH and a bunch of CBC guys. That seemed to be the most logical explanation—SLUH students duking it out with their rivals, the CBC Cadets. It was the first real fight I’d ever seen.

The bus driver pulled open the doors and started blowing his whistle. Mr. Dougan starting running over to the group. It shifted and morphed on itself, but I could tell that everyone in the cluster was facing in, making it a sort of circle. They were all facing in.

Mr. Dougan was yelling, pulling at guys. A dad sitting across from me on the bus went to get off. People were shouting. I caught

a glimpse of the SLUH senior in the middle of the mob. And then it hit me: I wasn’t watching a fight. I was witnessing an attack. An ambush by multiple students on one SLUH senior walking back to the buses alone.

Mr. Dougan got a hold of the senior and started pulling him toward the bus. The guys I thought were CBC fans were not backing off. They kept going for the senior, swarming him and Mr. Dougan now. Later, when he climbed on the bus, I heard Mr. Dougan say he had been hit, and yesterday I saw his bruised jaw. As the crowd came closer to the bus, and students in the back of the bus started to get out of their seats, the bus driver jumped back in and shut the doors.

Mr. Dougan got the senior, who was covering his face with his hands, to the side of the bus, and the bus driver started to open the door, but when more guys came up he closed it again. The senior was huddled against the side of the bus, with Mr. Dougan over him. The group started to back off, but one last student in a golden, collared shirt darted out from the fringes of the group, smirking, and ran up to the senior. He curved his arm around Mr. Dougan, and made one last slap at the senior’s face. There was laughter and more jeering.

The bus driver opened the door, Mr. Dougan pushed the senior in, and someone got up for him to sit down. He sat, facing the aisle, with his hands over his eyes. Everything was dark, but the eye I could see was already black. There was some blood on his cheek.

He kept wiping his nose, his head down. He looked ghastly.

“I got hit three or four times,” he said.

It was the first violent act of hatred I have seen in person, and it hit me kind of hard. The ride back to SLUH was somber. People spoke in low voices.

Some of the buses were already there and the freshman hall was buzzing with guys. One of the freshmen from my first semester homeroom stopped me. “I’m gonna hurt someone,” he said through literally gritted teeth. “I’m gonna hurt the next CBC guy I see.”

My first reaction was confusion—how did he already know about the senior getting attacked? I tried to calm him down, though.

see CASEY, 14

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News Danis Field House construction continues, glass must be redone

Chris Brennan News Editor

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onstruction on the Danis Field House continues as window glass has been installed and the gymnasium’s maple wood floor gets ready to be installed next week.

A mistake was made by the supplier of the glass panes that were installed in the windows along the sides of the field house.

The supplier sent roughly 175 translucent windows to BSI Constructors, according to Director of Facilities Joe Rankin. This wrong glass was then installed instead of the called-for clear glass.

The translucent frosted glass was designed to be used in some windows around the field house where more privacy was required, rather than in the majority of windows where clear glass was preferred.

Neither Rankin nor project manager

for BSI Constructors Steve Schrage knew the cost of the mistake. The subcontracted glazier will receive a new shipment of clear windows from the supplier in the coming weeks and will have to do the replacement work around the ongoing work on the rest of the field house.

Schrage said that this process will not affect the overall timeline of the construction, which he believes will be done in time for SLUH basketball camp in the summer.

Rankin said that although a mistake was made, the replacement of the glass is “a pretty simple process for people that work with all these types of things all the time.” He said of the ongoing construction process, “This is not the first problem that construction companies have ever run into. They work hard to get (the Danis Field House) completed by the date we need it completed.”

The rest of the construction has been

see CASA DE LOS DEPORTES, 14

Wellness Club hosts Trivia Contest last Friday

Pat Lynch Core Staff

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t. Louis U. High’s Wellness Club held its annual trivia competition last Friday in the cafeteria. Seventy-five people participated in the event, with each team having a maximum of eight people. The cost was three dollars per person and 20 dollars for a complete team. Freshmen had the privilege of competing for free.

The competition took place in the cafeteria after last Friday’s half-day from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The competition was formatted into ten categories with ten questions in each category, for a grand total of one hundred questions. The categories were current events, science, movies, country flags, sports by the numbers, TV themes, history, a section pertaining to little kids’ questions, music, and potpourri.

At the start of the event, only five teams were signed up, but CSP director Colleen Rockers recruited various freshmen—who

happened to be waiting for the start of freshmen retreat—to participate halfway through the event.

The event was coordinated by Wellness Club moderator Craig Hannick, who was assisted by math teacher Nick Ehlman and Wellness Club co-moderator Tom Zinslemeyer, both of whom served as judges.

The winning team consisted of seniors including John Mantia, Pat Moynihan, Ed Shanks, Jeff Viox, Pete Winfrey, Kevin Wright, and Joseph Zanaboni and junior Patrick Nacanaynay. The team answered a total of 86 out of a possible 100 questions correctly.

“It was fun doing it,” commented Mantia. “It’s always nice to defeat the underclassmen.”

Hannick thought the trivia competition was a success, stating that, in regards to freshmen, the event “bridges a gap between school and the freshman retreat.”

Zinslemeyer called the event “a great

see ???, 14

March 6, 2009

Nesmith, ’07, to shoot documentary in Kenya

Nick Fandos Staff

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im Nesmith, ’07, was one of six Columbia University students selected to travel to Salabwek, Kenya, this May, where he will help to produce a documentary profiling several non-for-profit organizations working there. The project, organized by the charity Students of the World (SOW), will offer Nesmith and fellow students the opportunity to create a documentary and present it as a tool for education and persuasion.

Nesmith and a team of five other students will be working to document the work of the Sanam Vaziri Quraishi Foundation and the charities with which they collaborate. A film major, Nesmith will work as one of two directors/cameramen for the documentary. The other four members of the team will serve as producer, Internet facilitator, photographer, and on screen reporter respectively. Nesmith and team will combine and edit several weeks’ worth of footage; the completed documentary will be shown at the Clinton Global Initiative annual world conference and subsequent venues.

Duke student Courtney Spence began SOW in 1999 as a means for students to “engage in the world and ultimately inspire others to do the same,” according to the SOW website (studentsoftheworld.org.) With the financial support of the Clinton Global Initiative, SOW sponsors projects every year for a handful of universities around the country.

According to their website, “SOW enables university students to produce and leverage documentary media in order to garner support for innovative non-profits working in developing countries.”

Sanam Vaziri Quraishi Foundation and the non-profits it works with will be the primary focuses of the documentary. The organization, started by Iranian immigrant Sanam Vaziri Quraishi, “work(s) with other non-profit organizations… finding (non-

see NESMITH, 13

Sports 5 Medium well: Basketbills end just under .500

March 6, 2009 Rob Bertucci Reporter

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he 2008-09 season for the St. Louis U. High basketball team began on November 29 and came to a close last Monday in the first round of districts. The Jr. Bills finished the season just under .500 with a 13-14 record.

The Jr. Bills truly had an up-and-down season. They never strung together more than three wins or suffered more than three losses in a row throughout the season.

“I think we showed great resiliency throughout the season,” said junior guard and team captain Tim Cooney. “There were only a few games where we didn’t give ourselves an opportunity to win, even against some good teams.”

The Jr. Bills struggled in MCC play this season against tough conference opponents.

Their conference record was 1-7, but they fell in a double-overtime loss to Vianney and played close games against Chaminade, CBC, and DeSmet.

“The MCC was really tough this year,” said senior guard and team captain Matt Lynch, “but we definitely should have one a few more games than we did.”

“There were times when our offense played really well and carried us, but it cast a shadow over our defense’s weaknesses,” head coach John Ross said. “When we didn’t shoot well, we needed the defense to step up at times in order to win.”

SLUH’s only MCC win this year came in their second game against DeSmet. Junior guard Mike Mayberger won the game for the Jr. Bills on a buzzer-beater three-pointer.

“That was a huge win for us,” Lynch said. “We needed the conference win, and it was a great way to get it.”

Other notable wins for the Jr. Bills included their games against Mehlville, Jefferson City, MICDS, and a win in the championship game of the Southside Classic, only their fourth game of the season. The Jr. Bills won the game on a Cooney three-pointer with eight seconds on the clock.

SLUH sparred with Jefferson City on the Coach’s Against Cancer night. With the Jr. Bill fan-section wearing pink T-shirts, the Jr. Bills beat the Jays in front of one of the most spirited crowds of the year.

“That was a great game to be a part of,” Mayberger said. “It donated to a great cause and we all had a lot of fun.”

In the final game at Backer Memorial, the Jr. Bills took on the MICDS Rams.

Mayberger took the game into overtime on a buzzer-beating three-pointer, where the Jr. Bills won in front of a packed house.

“That was one of the biggest games for us,” said Mayberger. “It was awesome to be a part of school history.”

Cooney led the Jr. Bills on offense.

A team captain since his sophomore year, Cooney was a great leader on the court. He was able to score in a variety of ways for the Jr. Bills and averaged 15.8 points per game which put him at third in scoring in the MCC.

a trend that would persist throughout the season. Nine SLUH wrestlers would miss time because of injury, sickness, skin infection, or missing weight at some point in the season.

All three captains were out for significant periods of time. Staed aggravated the injury twice after coming back and could only wrestle a handful of matches, most of which he won. Senior captains Mike Donovan (140) and John Boehm (160) went down in January with shoulder and knee injuries, respectively.

The injuries kept them from practicing during the key stretch leading up to the team’s final competition before districts. Junior Andrew Danter (135), another strong wrestler, was held out of competition in SLUH’s last three duals and in districts by a shoulder injury he received while practicing Granby rolls.

Despite the many unfortunate turns, the Jr. Bills still posted several medals in regular-season tournaments. Danter, Everson, and Conley each medalled at nearly every tournament. Donovan, Staed, and Everson all won the Vianney Tournament.

Despite the previous successes, the Columbiaboundbills only qualified two wrestlers for the state tournament. Conley

placed third with upsets of the sixth- and seventh-ranked wrestlers in Missouri at the time. Everson beat Eureka’s Nate Seiler to finish fourth. Danter’s and Staed’s injuries prevented them from wrestling at the tournament, and Donovan’s performance was affected by the missed practice time.

“(Not wrestling at districts) was really disappointing because I worked so hard in the offseason and in the season, and I was really confident that I would qualify for state,” said Danter. “To injure myself doing a drill was devastating.”

“(Districts) was kind of hard to watch,” said Staed. “Wrestling (at) 145, we didn’t really have the toughest district, so I thought I had a good chance of qualifying.”

Donovan acknowledged the effect of the injury on his matches at districts but refused to blame his losses on it. “It definitely made it tougher, but I’m not going to use it as an excuse by any means,” he said. “I just wasn’t in the right mindset.”

At state, Conley achieved one of the program’s greatest strides in several years.

He became the first SLUH wrestler to medal

see JORDAN, 15

Wrestlers cap challenging season with State matches

Mike Lumetta Reporter

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he St. Louis U. High wrestling team recently completed a season that head coach Jon Ott called the best of his four years with the program at a recent team meeting. Although the Jr. Bills suffered numerous setbacks over the course of the two and a half month season, the team finished with a 5-4 dual meet record and had a strong core group of wrestlers who consistently medalled at tournaments. Two of those wrestlers, sophomore Espen Conley (152) and junior Peter Everson (171), qualified for state. Conley brought home a sixth place medal, the first ever by a sophomore in SLUH wrestling history.

The various setbacks came early and often for the Jr. Bills, starting with the first tournament of the season at Parkway South.

Senior captain Kevin Staed (145) tried to bridge in his first match of the tournament against Francis Howell North’s Valery Cassetta and damaged his neck, knocking him out of action until the MICDS Tournament more than a month later. The injury signaled

see KARN, 15

6 Sam Bufe Reporter

Freshman Sports

C-Hockey

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t. Louis U. High’s C-ice hockey team (4-11-4) ended its season in the first round of the playoffs with last Saturday’s loss to Webster Groves.

SLUH came in to the playoffs as the lowest-ranked team, and the Webster squad out-shot and out-played the Jr. Bills. Freshman goalie Zach Everson practically stood on his head to send the scoreless game into overtime. He frustrated the “Skates”men with save after save to bring his season percentage above the .900 mark.

Unfortunately, with 5:20 left in overtime, a Webster forward lit the lamp to give the men in orange the victory, ending the Jr. Bills’ season.

Before the game was played, C-team junior captain Stuart Fogarty said that the boys had been playing as a more cohesive unit as the season moved on.

Nathan Rubbelke Reporter

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Although SLUH defeated Vianney, Oakville, and Kirkwood as well, the biggest win of the season came on Dec. 26 with a 3-2 win against Webster. Goals from freshmen Michael Fitzmire and Jack Fogerty tied that game at 2-2. Junior Will Bufe put the puck by the Webster goalie, scoring the game-winning goal for the Jr. Bills.

Coach Jack Fitzgerald said the Jr. Bill victory over Webster was the high point of the mostly losing season.

Assistant captain Danny Sommer summarized the season by saying, “It came down to our team’s overall leadership and camaraderie, led by Alternate Captain to the Offense, Clayton Petris.”

Freshman forward Michael Fitzmire promised that the team will “be back with greater force next year.”

“The future (of SLUH hockey) looks bright,” Fitzgerald said.

C-Wrestling

he St. Louis U. High C-wrestling team, coached by Tim Curdt, performed especially well in most weight divisions in the MCC Championship and, according to assistant coach Don Steingruby, won its biggest duel of the season—against DeSmet in one of the final matches at the Backer Memorial Gymnasium.

The majority of the twenty freshman wrestlers were new to the sport, but not new to work, according to Steingruby. “They’re really accomplished guys, and I was pleased with the work ethic they displayed,” he said.

Steingruby said the team’s only real weakness was a lack of reserve wrestlers, as the team lacked backups for many weight divisions. But he also noted that a few top freshman grapplers—namely Will Whitney (130), who earned a varsity letter, captain Nick Danter (112), heavyweight Sam Knesel, Conner Edler (119), and Joe Mungenast (152), stepped up in the clutch when they were needed.

While the team was short on numbers, those who who competed were not only able

to perform well on the mats, but also excelled in forming team chemistry.

Freshman Geddy Trebus said teamwork was the main reason why he wants to keep wrestling. “Without it, you can’t have nearly as much fun,” he said.

The camaraderie also directly contributed to the team’s success. Mungenast said, “We were always there for each other, showing each other new moves to use.”

Freshman Danny Hogan said he would remember most of all from his freshman wrestling season doing the hunta-squat at the end of practice with Steingruby and the rest of the team. Hogan called the squat “a combination and variation of a squat and scream.”

Many of the grapplers plan on returning next year to have fun and improve and develop as wrestlers. So the future of the SLUH wrestling program looks hunta-strong.

2009 Football Captains

Griffin Lowry Andrew Mackin Collum Magee Michael Riddering

March 6, 2009

C-Basketball

Peter Mackowiak Sports Editor

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hanks to a strong low post game, the C-Blue basketball team piled up 14 overall wins and an MCC-best 7-1 conference record.

Head coach Kent Kershenski’s initial willingness to bring up the team’s three losses—one to undefeated McCluer North, another to Gibault’s JV, and a one-point season-finale to DeSmet (a low-scoring affair in which Kershenski said “nothing would go in”)—indicates his confidence in the side’s potential.

“We accomplished our goal from day one, which was to win the conference,” said Kershenski. “The guys played very unselfishly, and we scored a majority of our points in the paint, which is something (SLUH) hasn’t had a lot of.”

Starting forwards Daniel Schmidt and Jack Kelley helped propel the Cranebills to consistently scoring in the upper 40s and 50s.

“It was nice for me and my fellow forwards to see so much of the rock this year,” said Schmidt. “Most games,” he added, “the other team would catch on to our strategy by the second half and double down on (us forwards), so we would have to be smart and kick out to the guards for easy 12 to15footers.”

Lately, guard play has been the one offensive calling card for SLUH varsity basketball. Kershenski said his team’s guards had to learn to prioritize ball distribution over shooting.

“The guards (the starters were Alex McNeil, Paul Simon, and Stefan Sansone) did a good job adapting to an offense where post players should touch the ball two or three times on most half-court possessions,” said Kershenski.

The Assistantcoachtimelliotbills came in third in the Oakville Tournament over Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend.

The C-White team (5-9) also played in two tournaments: they went 2-1 in the earlyseason St. Mary’s Tournament, and placed fourth in the Chaminade Tournament.

C-White head coach Bob O’Connell said the majority of his team’s losses were good games. “I’m happy with how everyone on

see BLUEWHITE, 7

Sports 7 Druids go 1-2 at Oklahoma ranch complex March 6, 2009

Curtis Riganti Staff

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he St. Louis Druids rugby squad ventured to Tulsa, Okla. to compete in the Green Country High School Rugby Showdown over the weekend. Held at the Valley Park Sports Complex (an old ranch in Claremore, Okla.) the tournament hosted teams from around the Midwest, many of which were from the Sooner State.

The Druids rugby squad consists of students from St. Louis U. High, CBC, and Oakville High School.

After leaving St. Louis on Friday evening, the Druids arrived in Tulsa at about 1 a.m. on Saturday and played their first game of the weekend that morning against Broken Arrow High School, the defending Oklahoma state champions.

The Druids came out strong in the first half and took a 5-3 lead into halftime. But in the second half, Broken Arrow overpowered the tiring Druids in defending-champion form, winning 28-13.

In their second game, later that afternoon, the Druids faced off against Norman

High School of the Oklahoma City metro area. The Druids dominated the game and shut out Norman, 17-0.

On Sunday morning, the Druids played their third and final game, against Jenks High School, also located in Oklahoma.

According to senior Nick Bomar, this was the Druids’ best game of the weekend. The Druids came out and established momentum early in the game despite the chilling winds on the southern plains that morning.

Bomar said the team’s awareness peaked in the game’s first half. “Everything was just flowing ... you could just tell everything was clicking,” he said.

Yet the Druids could not keep up their play in the second half. According to Bomar, the Druids ran out of gas. Only 17 of the 30 players on the team were available to play in the games against Norman and Jenks, partly due to injuries suffered in the first game.

Senior John Sinclair said, “We lost pride in ourselves. ... We sort of just stopped (playing). We thought we had it in the bag.”

After letting in a flurry of points, the Druids fell to Jenks, 23-17.

The Druids were scheduled to play a

fourth game on Sunday but decided to leave early. Sinclair said, “After playing three rugby games, we were beat. A lot of soreness, a lot of injuries, and it just wouldn’t have been worth it to play the fourth game.

We probably wouldn’t have got anything out of it.”

The Druids’ next game is March 14 against Jefferson City in the state capital.

BLUEWHITE

(from 6) our team just got along,” he said. “Hopefully they continue with basketball.”

Three freshmen (Matt Clark, Mitch Klug, and Andrew Pitts) played JV this year and could be the core around which varsity head coach John Ross can build successful teams to usher in the Danis Field House era.

But the Class of 2013’s basketball prospects depend on player retention. Klug and four of five C-Blue starters also play football.

Freshman Sports Photos PHOTO BY MR. Matt SCIUTO

PHOTO BY MR. Matt SCIUTO

PHOTO BY ZAC BOESCH

Above: Freshman goalie Zach Everson denies a Webster Groves missile in the team’s 3-2 win in December.

Top Right: Like an Alberta clipper, Alex McNeil blows past his Kirkwood opponents on his way to the hoop (and possibly the central provinces of Canada).

Bottom Right: Look ma, no eyes! Freshman Nick Danter keeps his opponent in bounds to reclaim points.

8

WORLDS?

(from 1) and one team into doubles divisions 1-2, but as many competitors as they would like into division 6 singles and 3 doubles. However, the lower divisions receive fewer points, so winning division 1 is much more significant than division 6.

Matches in division 6 between teams in St. Louis started on Wednesday, but senior Spencer Rusch jumpstarted the team on Thursday. After adjusting his service game, Rusch put away Beaverton High School’s Jacob Boyle 15-13, 15-8. The win guaranteed Rusch earned a spot on the All-American team.

“That was a big match for us,” said coach Robert Hoffmann. “It was easily worth a hundred points.”

Rusch’s luck ran out against last year’s boys 14 and under world champion, Jose Diaz. Although Diaz was no taller than five feet two inches, the quick 15-year-old Californian sophomore was quick and dismantled Rusch’s game piece by piece. Rusch lost his quarterfinal match 15-5, 15-6. Diaz went on to take third, narrowly losing to the now three-time national champion Taylor Knoth 15-8, 15-14.

After an enjoying a bye to the quarterfinals, doubles team Rusch and Kevin Kissel breezed their way into the semifinals against brothers Sam and Dylan Reid. The SLUH duo played well, but Dylan-Reid was too much in the front court and the Oregon duo won 15-6, 15-10.

Kissel and Rusch played for third against another set of Oregon brothers—this time twins Rick and Ryan Charbonneau. It was the same story, different chapter. Kissel and Rusch fell 15-7, 15-7, but Kissel joined Rusch on the All-American team for the team’s accomplishments, as are all D-1 singles quarterfinalists and doubles semifinalists.

Kevin Kissel had a bye to the quarterfinals in division 2, where he met Sam Reid from Lincoln High School. Reid hit a high number of splats in the first, but his percentages fell in the second game and Kissel forced a breaker. However, Kissel could not keep his opponent deep in the court and Reid won 15-10, 13-15, 11-2.

“I found it hard to transition from doubles back to singles,” said Kissel, “and that led to battles in the front court which gave him an easy early lead.”

Sports

In his consolation bracket, Kissel beat DeSmet’s Eddie Kedler in the semis but lost the finals to Parkway West’s Mike Shearman 15-9, 15-4.

Clay Newberry also had a bye to the quarters, where he had to fight for a victory over Daniel Guilak 15-13, 15-8. Newberry advanced to the division three semifinals against Sprague High School’s Matt Gillette.

“I could hardly stand to watch,” said teammate Andrew Connor.

Newberry could not settle his nerves or contain Gillette’s sheer titanium power. Gillette buried Newberry 15-7, 15-2. Newberry played for third against Sean Templin and could not keep the ball away from his opponent’s strong forehand. Newberry started playing well late in the second and crawled his way back to game point before skipping an easy set-up to lose the match 15-7, 15-14.

After a 15-14, 15-14 win in the division 2 doubles quarterfinals, Newberry and senior Andrew Connor moved on to face Beaverton’s AJ Evansen and Joey Pryor in the semifinals. The SLUH duo failed to get good court positioning in the first, and the Beavers made mincemeat of Connor and Newberry. After much deliberation with Rusch between games and during timeouts, SLUH narrowly forced a breaker. However, the momentum did not carry over, Evansen seized control, and the Beavers won 15-5, 14-15, 11-2.

“Evansen was just on fire,” said Newberry. “There was nothing we could do to stop him.”

Newberry and Connor lost the thirdplace game15-7, 15-14.

Connor looked convincing, breezing through his division 4 quarter and semifinal matches to the finals. The lanky lefty, Max Wade (Sprague), came out firing and burying any shot that came to his forehand.

“I watched his other matches,” said Connor. “He must’ve been toying with his other opponents.”

Connor fought back in the second to take the lead, but could not hold it long. Wade’s speed and power closed out the match 15-7, 15-12.

John Duchardt dominated division 5 from start to finish. At no point in the tournament was there a significant worry

March 6, 2009

that Duchardt would be toppled. He faced Beaverton’s Jacob Begis in the finals, who had a very similar style of play, leading to some long rallies; but Duchardt was too quick and sharp and won fairly easily 15-6, 15-8.

Division 6 had 102 entrants and junior Mark Kissel was the No. 1 seed. The Racquetbills advanced 13 to the round of 32 and three all the way to the quarterfinals, where Kissel and Scott Hack clashed.

“(Kissel) was passing me left and right,” said Hack. “(It was the) best game I have seen him play all year, and it had to be against me.”

Kissel defeated Hack 15-5, 15-7 and then defeated an arrogant Ethan Nicholas from Sprague to meet his own doubles partner Matt Nahlik in the finals.

Nahlik’s path to the finals was not so smooth. Nahlik played marathon tie-breakers in both the quarters and the semifinals, including 15-11, 10-15, 11-10 victory over Paul Nkemontoh in the quarterfinals.

Needless to say, Nahlik was exhausted and Kissel pounced on him early. Kissel shut out his opponent in the first game. Nahlik fought back in the second and worked Kissel out of the middle, but Kissel used his training from his offensive-minded captain to combat Nahlik’s attacks. Kissel won 15-0, 15-10.

The winning schools were announced on Sunday at the Missouri Athletic Club. A mix of relieved sighs and joyous shouts filled the stadium court when tournament director Dan Whitley announced that Sprague High School had taken second place, which meant SLUH had won.

“It was cool to see the progression of our players as they came together to win a national title,” said junior Tim Wilmes.

“Finally, after three years of playing,” added Brendan Giljum. “It was awesome to be a part of something as special as a national championship team.”

The Shaveyourheadbills will graduate seven of their eight varsity members this season, leaving many unanswered questions for the future of SLUH racquetball. But if Mark Kissel can continue good leadership and if the class of 2012 turns out to be the most impressive class in team history (as it appears to be), the racquetball team will not stray from its winning ways.

March 6, 2009

POKED

News

9

(from 1) During the first meeting, the committee set up their Facebook accounts with the help of Rittenhouse and explored the functions of the network. After reading a hundred pages of John Cotterell’s Social Networks in Youth and Adolescence, the committee reconvened and discussed the book. The committee also listened to technology consultant Jon Haefele’s obersvations about and experience with Facebook and Myspace.

For the most recent meeting, the committiee first read three more chapters of Cotterell and then, supplemented by two Nerinx Hall faculty members, brought in three SLUH students and two Nerinx Hall students to answer their questions. The topics ranged from bullying, defriending, posting on walls, forming Facebook cliques, and using Facebook as an educational tool.

As students explained to the group how they use Facebook as a social network, the group discussed the appropriateness of Facebook messages and pictures. Since Facebook backs-up their servers and lots of people could have access to a person’s

profile, any picture or text could be copied, put on other websites, and saved, even if the original posts are deleted. Nowadays, companies and colleges sometimes search through these networks to find out more about their applicants.

“People need to have the expectation that as soon as they put up a picture or type something on there, that will be on there forever,” said Rittenhouse.

Some of the committee members are still undecided.

“I still haven’t figured what (Facebook) is for or what I need it for,” said theater tech teacher Megan Morey, a member of the committee.

“It is a little challenging for me,” said Schenkenberg. “Do I want to put these things out there? Do I want to accept all these friends into my life? … It is a little threatening to create this public profile.”

“When I was in college and using Facebook, I liked having it as a social thing to do.

You have a social sphere, and you have an educational sphere with things like Moodle,

(from 1) and smothered.

Senior defenseman Connor Quinn commented on Boschert’s game, “Boschert had to play solid, and he did. He played a great game.”

The Newspaperbills failed to cash in on two quality scoring chances towards the end of the first. Senior Colin FitzGerald nearly leveled the score despite being hooked on the play in CBC’s corner, but his poked shot hit the side of the post and bounced right under the fortunate Knox. Then, in the final seconds of the first, sophomore Jimmy Berger found a charging FitzGerald at the doorstep of the far post, but the senior assistant captain’s angled deflection careened wide of the goal.

The Jr. Bills came out firing in the second period. Senior Joe Cella created the breakthrough just two minutes into the period when he knocked the puck away from a CBC forward, carried the puck over both blue lines for a 2-on-1 break, and found Frick square, who waited for Knox to go to ground before bulging the roof of the net.

The Busiebills took only 34 more seconds to get the go-ahead goal. Senior captain

Jack Berger batted down his own shot’s anyway. But if it had (counted) that would’ve rebound in front of the net to junior Greg been the turning point in the game. We had Place, who then ripped a beautiful top left them rattled at that point. Their confidence level was cut down quite a bit.” corner wrist shot from the high right slot.

“On the replay, I realized they made the

The frenzied SLUH crowd elevated its intensity and pushed the U. High attack to right call,” said FitzGerald.

CBC’s first line focused heavily on takmaintain the pressure. Once again it was ing Berger and Frick, arguably Corby out of the the player of game, forcing the game, who SLUH’s second sped off on a and third lines breakaway but to come up with was robbed by scoring opportuKnox’s pad. nities.

The rebound “I think (CBC’s) squirted to coaches told the trailing (their first line) FitzGerald, to not even try to but a CBC defender checked Thousands of extremely well-read SLUH fans enjoy the next-best score, just make Frick into the paper in St. Louis while CBC’s players are intoduced pre-game. sure we don’t goal, which knocked the goal off its moor- score on them. We were just trying to get to ings just before FitzGerald flicked the puck the net and get as many shots as we could,” said Berger, who laid out a CBC opponent over Knox and into the moving net.

Busenhart commented on the play, “We right in front of SLUH’s student side early knew it wasn’t going to count, but we argued it see FANS, 16

HOCKEY

Blackboard, and other programs like that,” said ASC social studies teacher James Erler, who has used Facebook since its early years and was at the last meeting.

According to senior Louie Hotop, one of the students who attended the meeting, the five students agreed that Facebook needs to remain outside of school and not be used as a teaching method, since that isn’t its intended purpose.

Nerinx Hall senior Kristin Sanfilippo said, “School is one thing, and Facebook is another thing, and they are so separate … We all use computers a lot anyway, so it isn’t a big deal for us to open up a different website or program for school along with Facebook.”

Rittenhouse said the meetings don’t represent a “big plan of action. It’s more like we’ll report to the faculty that this is what we did and this is what we found.”

Schenkenberg said the committee will meet one more time, hopefully during the last week of April, but no official date is set.

PHOTO BY ZAC BOESCH

10

Feature

March 6, 2009

Senior Project: What happens next?

Kevin Casey Editor

Editors Note: Except for Project, Inc.’s Director of Administration, all the names in this article have been changed.

After having been at Southview School for a couple of days, the teachers in my classroom asked if I would accompany Rob—one of the five autistic children that made up the class—to “workshop.” It was basically a room modeled off real-world sheltered workshops that employ mentally and developmentally disabled individuals. I took Rob there a little bit each week; his time spent there is slowly building up as he gets older in order to prepare him for life outside of school.

That first trip to the workshop was the worst and, honestly, only bad moment of my whole Senior Project experience. I loved it at Southview—I looked forward to getting there in the morning and always wished the days were a little longer when it was time to go home in the afternoon. The only thing that could have made my project better is if it would have been longer.

But something about finally seeing what one of these workshops was really like initially hit me the wrong way, and it hit me hard. It was a rather small room, with different workstations for different tasks. There were several students, with varying disabilities, already in there working; Rob was the youngest and, from what I could tell, the least able to function on his own.

Some of the tasks the students did were real jobs from different organizations in the community. One guy was putting stickers on drink cozies, a few others were filling tiny bags with a toothbrush and sample containers of toothpaste. Rob and I were in charge of making several folds on a piece of cardboard that would eventually become a box. Then we packed them into a shipping container.

I stood next to him, helping him and reminding him to look at what he was doing. “What are you working for Rob?” I’d ask.

Being nonverbal, he made the sign for treat, and refocused. A little later I’d ask, “Are you working for a treat?”

“Chh,” he’d respond—that was the sound he made for yes. This process went on for about 40 minutes, the amount of time Rob had to stay before he could clock out. I guess it doesn’t sound too bad, but I was miserable my first visit to the workshop.

The brute force with which this melancholy came over me took me by surprise, and I found myself overwhelmed, almost gasping for air. I didn’t want to be there. I wanted to run back to the classroom with Rob and never let him—or anyone else, for that matter—go back again. All I could think of was that these small, tedious jobs were what Rob, a 13-year-old boy who liked listening to Bruce Springsteen and lying on beanbags, would eventually be doing for the rest of his life.

I felt that Rob, and the other students in the room, had so much more potential in them. For what, I didn’t know. But the boring, repetitive atmosphere of the workshop just didn’t seem to jive with there usually caring, playful, and happy personalities. Seeing Rob there, making him do a job I didn’t even want to do, was so disheartening.

I eventually pulled myself out of my deflated trance. I told myself workshops gave disabled individuals something after they

graduated from school—it was better than them just sitting at home, right? Plus, I reminded myself, I really didn’t have any choice in the matter, so I decided to focus on making the job lighter and more fun for Rob. I didn’t immediately begin loving workshop, but it made going there with Rob easier each time.

But the experience, and my reaction, brought several questions to my mind. How similar was a real workshop in the community?

Where would someone like Rob be in about ten years? What did the adults working the workshops think about their jobs? I needed to find out.

After doing some research I discovered that St. Louis U. High had a sheltered workshop in its own backyard: Project, Inc., a sheltered workshop for developmentally disabled adults, is located on Manchester, just past the Hampton bridge. I discovered that Project, Inc. isn’t just any workshop, though—it was the first of about 93 established in the state of Missouri.

Project, Inc.’s Director of Administration, Sue Peterson, explained that in the 1950s a growing concern developed regarding the futures of developmentally disabled individuals. According to a Project, Inc. pamphlet, prior to Project, which was set up in 1958 as an experiment based on a workshop prototype in New York, “a survey in the St. Louis area … showed there were no provisions for training mentally retarded adolescents of high school age.” Once the person reached the age of 16, they were no longer allowed to remain in school.

Peterson described Project, Inc., which has about 150 customers, as “a sheltered workshop whose mission is to employ people who are not employable in the competitive labor market,” with the competitive labor market referring to jobs available to anyone in the community.

“That doesn’t mean that that won’t change,” she continued.

“Hopefully the goal for everybody in a workshop would be at some point to be able to move out into the community when their work skills are good enough. That doesn’t happen a whole lot, and in this economy it’s probably not going to happen at all.”

Peterson went on to explain more about competitive labor market jobs: “A pretty standard one is a bagger at a grocery store—that’s a competitive job. That’s a job that anybody in the community would do.” My mind flashed to some of the ticket-takers at Ronnie’s movie theater. “Anything that’s in the community, that they’re paid for, is considered a competitive job.”

Project, Inc. currently has 111 employees who “have mental retardation, which can be referred to as developmental disabilities,” said Peterson. “They may have secondary handicaps as well.” The employees perform what Peterson referred to as “hand tasks:” collating, stapling, folding, inserting—just like what Rob and I did, I thought.

I realized that the more Ms. Peterson told me, the more a workshop seemed less like a place to keep mentally disabled individuals busy and more of your basic job, only in an environment suitable to them.

So long as a person is deemed unemployable in the competitive labor market by the state, Project, Inc. handles the job application process like most others. The employees do get paid as well, with

see PROJECT, 11

March 6, 2009

PROJECT

Feature

(from 10) their wages individually based on the percentage of work done compared to a person in the community who performs a similar job. “It’s measuring their productivity against a non-handicapped, experienced person for their kind of work,” explained Peterson.

Before it was time for me to actually get to see Project, Inc.’s facilities, though, I had one last question for Ms. Peterson: does she feel that the employees enjoy working there? After all, I added, I wouldn’t do such a job all day, everyday. “It does a couple of things for them,” she replied. “It gets them out of the house. It gives them a job that earns money for them. It gives them a social life—(for) many, many of them, this is their social life. They don’t have the advantage that you have of meeting friends in school…”

The last sentence of that quote struck me. “The advantage that you have…” She didn’t emphasize the “you” in any way when she said it, but it jumped out at me. It conveyed a message. It said, there are you, the non-handicapped people, and then there are the others, those with the disabilities. We were two separate groups, obviously unequal. I am sure Ms. Peterson didn’t intend on implying that message at all, but it inadvertently opened up a channel I had been—and still am—wrestling with inside me since the start of project.

Society, in my experience, seems to classify developmentally disabled individuals as a whole other species. Sure, they’re people, but they’re not normal, seems to be a general sentiment. But what is normal? Who defines normal? And what can be done to change this notion…

I snapped my attention back to Ms. Peterson. “This is no different than working in a GM plant,” she was saying. “It’s exactly the same thing. Different tasks, but it’s the same kind of repetitive skills. And in fact, it’s probably not as repetitive as the GM plant, because in GM you can do the same thing everyday. Here, the job will change.”

In all the times I had said I didn’t even want to do the job that Rob was assigned, I had viewed it as a scrap of the job market the community didn’t want. In reality, though, many people were doing jobs almost exactly like this. How ignorant of me, I thought.

We got up and she led me up a staircase into the main part of the workshop, which didn’t look like it had changed much since it was built. Some of the employees were on their lunch break, sitting together in the kitchenette area. Besides the vending machines and a microwave, my eye caught sight of two faded posters: one for Batman Begins and another for MC Hammer.

Ms. Peterson called to a girl who didn’t look too much older than me. Melissa got up, started to come over, hesitated, and then went back for her purse. She came over and gave me a limp handshake along with a smile. Ms. Peterson reminded her to look me in the eye as we talked.

Most of her answers were short, and she stuttered a little bit when she spoke. She said her main job was “packaging stuff” and that she enjoyed working at Project, Inc., particularly citing its “program and people.” Was there anything she didn’t like about working there? “No, not really.”

We continued on through the warehouse-like room. There was a group of primarily women that Ms. Peterson pointed out as some

11

of the better, more individually functioning workers. They were bent over navy blue t-shirts, taking out the seams.

A harsh bell sounded overhead. One group’s lunchtime had finished, and another one was beginning. Besides the 30-minute lunch, there were also two fifteen minute breaks—one in the morning and one in the afternoon—before the workers left at 3 p.m.

As people moved around the room, Ms. Peterson called over Mitch, a skinny middle-aged man with grayish stubble. We too shook hands and he told me about his job of moving boxes and handling the trash, which he seemed to like. “I can’t complain,” he said nonchalantly when I asked him if there was anything he didn’t like about it. He, like Melissa, said he had friends at the workshop.

We passed what Ms. Peterson called the “special departments,” groups of lower-functioning individuals who performed simpler tasks. We also passed some training tables, where individuals were practicing folding papers correctly down the middle. We walked on, as employees glanced curiously at me or didn’t look at all. Whenever one walked by, though, they smiled and said hi to Ms. Peterson.

Another room we went into held a group of 40 working on one job. They were putting individual packets of hand-sanitizing wipes into a larger bag, which would then be sealed. Even though 12 small packets went in the big one, each person only put in four—some of the workers, like Mitch, can’t count to 12. What struck me, though, was that none of the workers seemed to be talking to each other.

For the amount of people in the space, it seemed too quiet.

Yet another room, where the packages were being sealed, held two machines, with a worker overseeing each. A young woman was working at one, just kind of standing there. She didn’t look up at us but just stood there, detached.

That kind of dejected me a little, but as we made our way back up a ramp, and two employees came past us, smiling, my mood perked up. One might have had Down Syndrome (I wasn’t sure), and he was pushing the other, who was in a wheelchair, to lunch.

Going to a “real world” workshop was pretty much what I expected: lots of tables and cardboard pieces, shades of gray and brown—basically not a very cheerful setting. But after talking to Melissa and Mitch (I wished I could have talked to more employees) and Ms. Peterson, I realized that workshops weren’t as bad as they initially seemed—although I also wasn’t convinced that they couldn’t be better.

It’s hard, realizing, on one hand, that such a place is perhaps the best place for a developmentally disabled adult to be, while at the same knowing I wouldn’t want to spend the rest of my life there.

“It’s always every workshop’s goal to see their people improve, whether it’s their work skills or their personal skills or both,” said Peterson. “There are some people out there who, this is as far as they’re going to be able to go because of some issues that they have.”

But it’s still someplace to go, a haven of sorts for individuals who still haven’t been fully accepted into all aspects of society.

I thought back to Rob, and my time at Southview. I couldn’t make him not have autism, or even stop him from having to go to workshop. But I could make his time doing the job better, easier, more fun. And that’s what I tried to do.

12

News

March 6, 2009

Chorus hosts workshop with Dr. James Henry Griffin Lowry Reporter

important that there is a social aspect to this clinic,” Koestner said. “It is a change from the normal routine for all the schools involved and offers a great social experience.”

With the boys and girls properly acquainted and their vocal cords recharged, the two groups joined each other in the theatre and sang two songs which they had prepared privately with Henry. By the end of their song everyone in the theatre was on their feet, clapping, and the girls were yelling at

completely positive, and everyone enjoyed the new challenge of adapting to a new esterday, the St. Louis U. High conductor and the new female vocal range.

School Zero Hour Chorus, Concert

“It be can be challenging at first to get Chorus, and Varsity Chorus joined with used to having all of the other female regabout 80 female chorus students from isters, but once we got comfortable it was Rosati–Kain High School, Notre Dame a pretty great experience, especially with High School, Cor Jesu, and St. Elizabeth the added challenge of singing in Latin,” High School. Dr. James Henry, the direcsaid junior Alex Whalen, a two-time choir tor of Choral Studies at the University of participant.

Missouri-St. Louis was brought in to lead

Koestner added,“For most guys this is these students in a full day’s their only opportunity to sing worth of vocal instruction. with females in this organized For the fifth consecutive year environment, and it definitely Choir Director Joseph Koestprepares them for college choir ner brought in a highly qualior any other singing experified professional choral leader ences they might pursue past to offer a new style of instruchigh school.” tion to the large group.

The added nuance of a director

The clinic began with the with a different style was also SLUH choir practicing “He a beneficial education and life Never Failed Me Yet” while experience. His enthusiasm The entire chorus gathers for the singing of “Dies Irae” and “Lacrimosa” Henry offered professional was also evident to all who parin the dramatic climax of the clinic. advice. Senior C. David Jones said ticipated. Joann Murphy, the director that it was “interesting and humbling to hear the top of their lungs when Andrew Fowler of the chorus at Rosati-Kain, said that there a new perspective of our strengths and weak- soloed. is nobody better than Henry in commanding Then it was the girls’ turn to serenade and directing a group. nesses. (Koestner) is a great director but it is definitely beneficial to hear a different the SLUH boys. A sound that is not usually Before the final performance, Henry told heard around SLUH, soprano girls singing the group, “This is the only time in your entire professional opinion.”

Henry then led the girls in prepara- in harmony, echoed throughout the theatre life that you are going to be able to sing with tion of their piece “A Hymn to Freedom.” and Danis Lobby. this exact group in this specific situation, Once the two groups finished their so let your personalities show through your “Dies Irae,” a Mozart composition, was also practiced by both groups to eventually be performances, all 80 girls and 80 boys filled voice.” the stage for the final performance of “Dies combined into one finale performance.

Henry also said that this clinic was

Once the two groups of singers com- Irae.” extremely professional, disciplined, and Once the day was over, everyone, despite the students were very prepared for the oppleted their sectional work, lunch was served in the Danis Lobby. “I think it is definitely sore throats, was wearing a smile. portunity.

The feedback from the students was

Y

Photo Courtesy of John Sinclair

AVOCADOS

(from 2) a performance of two poems before a cut is made. He and Hussung are now faced with the difficult decision of where to place “Detroit, Tomorrow” in the competition.

This is the third year SLUH has participated in the Poetry Out Loud contest, which is presented by the National Endowment for the Arts and Poetry Foundation.

Winfrey and Hussung are looking forward to national competition with eagerness and

confidence.

“The poems mean more to him each time he performs,” Hussung said.

The three poems are available at www. poetryoutloud.org.

(from 2) proven.

“We had a lot of potential. It was really tough to end that way,” remarked Chellis.

“We lost to Priory, but that doesn’t mean we should have been knocked out. I look forward to next year.”

First-year coach, Jill Bollwerk, mother of Jordan ,’12, believed the team had excel-

lent potential, but blamed factors like not having mock trial as a class, unlike other schools, as reasons for the failure to advance further.

“We would have advanced further if we had more time to prepare,” she added.

Although ending their season with a disappointing result of 0-6, the junior varsity team shows excellent potential for

next year. Bollwerk was impressed by all of the freshmen and sophomore members of the junior varsity team, especially Eddie Rolwes’ portrayal as the defendant, which she praised as “genuine.”

Looking forward to next year, Bollwerk “thanks the varsity members for taking time to help JV be prepared for next season.”

I OBJECT

News Long, violent Watchmen disappoints

March 6, 2009 Michael Blair Film Critic

E

ven before its release, director Zack Synder’s film Watchmen, based on the revered graphic novel of the same name, is being hailed as an intelligent, refreshing look at superhero vigilantism, and one of the most anticipated movies of 2009. It is also being called a major gamble, with pundits professing that such a high-brow movie won’t work as a blockbuster hit.

But, more than anything, this doubt seems to be fueling interest rather than brushing it aside. For instance, the Watchmen trailer now has over four million views on YouTube, and on the Internet Movie Database the film’s page is up 150 percent in popularity over the last week.

Yet this hype is only hype and Watchmen is only a movie. And ultimately, this supposedly promising movie is sure to be a flop not because it allegedly deals with challenging and dark issues, but rather because it fails to do so. Though Warner Brothers would have us believe that the movie is as much a character study as it is an action flick, it turns out to be a garbled piece of political incorrectness and cynicism. Watchmen is a tiring three-hour exercise in confusion and hopelessness, filled with overblown special

NESMITH

(from 4) profits) and bettering them,” explained Nesmith. He also explained that the foundation serves as a liaison between existing charities, helping them to become more efficient.

One such non-profit, Free the Children, is one of the primary spotlights of the documentary. Free the Children’s primary outreach is an Adopt a Village program in Kenya which, “set(s) up for basic components necessary for community: health-care, education, sanitation … and women’s equality centers.” said Nesmith.

The Sanam Vaziri Quraishi Foundation brought Free the Children together with a Canadian non-profit called Doc to Doc. Doc to Doc was able to provide the Adopt a Village program with medical supplies much more efficiently than if the group was acted on its own. This compilation of projects highlights the general purpose of the foundation and the cooperation between the organizations

effects, repulsive sex scenes and gratuitous violence.

The movie centers around a group of superheroes called the Minutemen, who, as the opening montage (set to Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’”) displays, guard over an alternate universe similar to ours. In this universe, for example, superheroes like the Comedian are behind the JFK assassination and the end of the Vietnam War. The bulk of the movie takes place in 1985, where an alternate Richard Nixon has been elected to his third term, and an impending nuclear war with the Soviets threatens the country.

Nixon, however, has prohibited superheroes from crime fighting and their glory days are replaced with street-roaming.

But when the Comedian is murdered and several other assassination attempts take place, another ex-Minuteman named Rorschach, whose mask is a shifting series of inkblots, starts to investigate. What’s revealed leads some of the old Minutemen to rejoin forces and others to form new alliances which ultimately tie in to a nuclear plot to destroy the world. Along the way, we’re filled in with back stories of our characters.

We learn that Rorschach, for instance, has cannibalistic tendencies and Dr. Manhattan, a radioactive demigod, was once a regular physicist.

that Nesmith will be documenting.

Nesmith explained the abnormality of the project’s subject. “Usually SOW documents a single organization, but because of the (complexity of) situation, we will be documenting several organizations.”

The completed documentary will be shown at the Clinton Global Initiative world conference. Numerous current and former heads-of-state will be in attendance, along with a multitude of celebrities and the business elite. Nesmith said of the documentary, “(The Clinton Global Initiative) will use it for educational purposes, exposure, and advancement.”

Nesmith applied for the project after becoming involved in Columbia’s chapter of SOW. He described the experience’s benefits as two-fold: film-experience and service.

He highlighted the project’s value, saying, “it ties together my career interests and my personal goals in film-making … finding a way to incorporate that into social justice

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Snyder’s film is the realization of the nearly twenty-year process of moving the revered graphic novel to the silver screen.

Since 1990, the movie has slipped through the hands of directors like Terry Gilliam (Brazil), Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler), Michael Bay (Transformers), and Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Identity). And with those directors at the helm, actors like Robin Williams, Richard Gere, Tom Cruise, Sigourney Weaver, Hilary Swank, and Joaquin Phoenix have all been attached to the project. Yet, in virtually every case, the studio either rejected the script or the filmmakers found, like the graphic novel’s creators, that Watchmen really was unfilmable.

While it is certainly admirable that Snyder has created what so many others could not, Watchmen’s failures and contradictions in several areas add up to a devastating sum, making it an unsatisfying and inconsistent movie. For instance, where the tone of the film seems to suggest pairing realistic attributes with superhuman characters, the fight scenes and dialogue are gimmicky and meaningless.

Sound effects and slow-motion filming, while remaining true to the comic book feel, only add to a feeling of incoherence. That’s not to say Watchmen is a total disaster. There are incredible moments of

see WATCHMEN, 14

and community service.”

Nesmith also emphasized that the project was “vital to my success as a filmmaker,” allowing him a large amount of necessary experiencein his field of study.

Nesmith cited several SLUH teachers for inspiring his pursuit of filmmaking. Nesmith specifically cited English teacher Rich Moran as a large influence and counselor Nina See, who encouraged him to apply to Columbia.

Nesmith explained that “SLUH takes students to a whole new level of creativity,” otherwise not available in St. Louis.

Nesmith described the role of a filmmaker as s person who has “an obligation to tell the stories around me.” Nesmith cited the project as a clear opportunity to fulfill this obligation.

Nesmith will depart for Kenya in May, where he will remain through June. Updates on the program’s progress will be available on SOW’s website.

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CASA DE LOS DEPORTES (from 4) progressingly smoothly, after recovering from an error of an improperly constructed wall (see Aug. 30). The exterior of the building is finished except for the two-story arched entry vestibule, which will feature the frosted translucent glass as well as glass etched with the letters AMDG. Schrage said the entrance way was designed to be similar to the Oakland entrance to the main building, though less ornate.

Interior work constitutes the majority of the current construction. The interior jobs include painting and building bathrooms and

CASEY

News

partitions.

In the upcoming weeks, the floor of the gymnasium will also be installed.

The maple floor has been shipped and is currently sitting in the gymnasium acclimating to the humidity and temperature.

Construction is proceeding on schedule, with upcoming projects including the building of offices and the installation of bleachers.

March 6, 2009 PHOTO BY ZAC BOESCH

Despite some setbacks with the glass in the Danis Field House, the basketball hoops are coming along well.

(from 3) him we couldn’t be like that, we couldn’t sink to their level. “But they hurt my friend,” he replied.

Now I was even more confused, until I discovered we weren’t talking about the same incident. Besides the senior, a freshman had been beaten up and, according to rumors, knocked unconscious. Yesterday I found out that both students—the freshman and the senior—were taken to the hospital at some point.

How could someone do that to another person? I don’t think I have ever been as enraged as I was Wednesday. But then again, as I already mentioned, I had never personally seen such a blatant, cruel act of hatred. Even as I write this, I occasionally start to tremble with anger, itching for something to take it out on.

Each time, though, I calm down by reminding myself something. Several times after everything happened, I just kept thinking, “I hope SLUH didn’t start any fights. I hope SLUH didn’t get in any fights.” And after talking to several people on Thursday, including Mr. Kesterson, as far as anyone knows no Jr. Bills started or even took part in any fights.

I can’t say that for sure, but it seems to be the case.

We didn’t lash out at random students because we lost—that’s what I keep reminding myself. We remained composed; we didn’t become a violent mob, we were better than that. And the already gigantic source of pride I have in being a Jr. Bill grew even greater.

I must also keep reminding myself, though, that the CBC community is probably just as disgusted with the events that transpired as anyone else. We cannot let our anger get the best of us. We cannot retaliate against those who did this.

I guess my main point of writing this commentary, besides just expressing my anger, was to thank my classmates and the underclassmen for the way they acted. We didn’t boo when CBC scored. We didn’t yell obscene cheers during the game. We didn’t stomp out of the rink, looking for ways to take out our frustration. We just cheered for our team, and it was awesome. CBC’s score may have been bigger at the end of the game on Wednesday night, but we emerged with a more important victory.

WATCHMEN

(from 2) intellectual exploration and awe-inspiring special effects, but it all seems lost as too much is crammed into a feature film. When that happens, it not only loses its worth as an “intellectual” movie but it also stops being entertaining.

More than anything, though, Watchmen takes an inherently cynical and godless

view of humanity, and offers no promise of redemption. And with a rapidly tanking economy, does America really need a threehour movie preaching nihilism? Where films like Milk and Slumdog Millionaire seemed to capture the hope of the political election during which they were released, Watchmen gives us nothing to believe in except cynicism and despair.

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(from 4) opportunity for freshmen to get to know their fellow classmates.”

Zinselmeyer also found the event to be a “fun social thing to do” for students who happened to not be freshmen. Zinselmeyer “would’ve liked to see a little better attendance,” but said he understands that a lot of things were going on that day, like freshman retreat.

The Wellness Club is an organization at SLUH that promotes alternatives for students besides the use of alcohol and drugs, as well as to educate students about the dangers of these substances. The trivia event is used as a opportunity “to give kids an alternative” as Hannick.

The trivia competition is one of three major events that the Wellness Club hosts every year. The others are a movie night on the upper field in the fall following a home football game, and a pool tournament in the spring. All the money made from the events go into the Wellness Club fund, which helps the club put on events in future years.

While some may find solace in what may seem a gritty experiment in vigilantism and others may praise the movie’s unique gamble, Watchmen, while something different, is filled with misguided irony. And it’s really not worth $7.50 to see a disjointed and overblown look at depression and violence when we could be doing something about it ourselves.

March 6, 2009

KARN

(from 5) since Dave Caldwell ‘05 in 2005. Only two other underclassmen qualified in his bracket and of those two, only Francis Howell Central junior Andrew Buffa placed higher.

On the strides he made from freshman year, Conley said, “I had more takedowns in my repertoire this year, and that helped me out because I wasn’t predictable all the time. My defense got a lot better.”

Ott said that Conley improved his focus and style throughout the year to earn the medal. He commented that Conley made a “mental adjustment” in his first match against Quinton Perrin when Conley scored an overtime takedown to win.

Conley credited Donovan and Staed with helping him prepare throughout the year.

“I kind of got the best of both worlds,” he said. “I had a smaller guy, extremely strong, (in Donovan). With Staed I had a taller guy who’s lankier and very technical.”

Conley said that he hoped that his medal would gain wrestling some attention in the SLUH community. He also noted that the medal would draw notice to him in Missouri high school wrestling circles. “People are going to know who I am next year,” he said.

Ott said that the team achieved about half of its goals from the beginning of the year. SLUH fell short of its goal of winning the Metro Catholic Conference (MCC) title, placing second, and only had the two qualifiers, but the state medal compensated for those shortcomings.

Ott said, “We accomplished some of them, and others are unaccomplished, which is what you look for in setting goals.”

Ott also said that several underclassmen who either started on varsity or wrestled up performed extremely well and helped the more experienced wrestlers lift the team to its victories. “This team has stronger mental focus than some teams I’ve coached before because a lot of guys would get frightened by (stepping in), and they’d get nervous and not want to risk wrestling a varsity match.”

Despite the seniors’ individual disappointments this season, each expressed satisfaction with their four-year careers in the program.

“It’s been awesome,” said Staed. “I came in here as a freshman and had big expectations. I kind of had a bad junior year. This

Sports year I was coming back ready to go, but the injury sideswiped me.”

“I learned time management (and) how to work for what I want,” said Boehm. “I had fun.”

Senior captain Tim Wiethop, who has been unable to wrestle at all this year due to a knee injury, instead dedicated his final year to coaching the freshmen. He said, “(Wrestling has) taught me to be more confident, how to realize what you’re good at, what you’re not good at. Like coach Curdt always says, ‘It doesn’t have to be fun to be fun,’ so it gives you perserverance.”

“It changed my life,” said Donovan. “It’s been awesome. I wouldn’t regret anything.

I’m glad I did it. I would recommend it to anybody.”

Donovan is considering walking on at a lower-level college wrestling program at “Knox, Truman, basically anywhere that has a team” provided he gets accepted to those schools. To prepare for college wrestling, he might wrestle freestyle with Team St. Louis, the organization where Ott coaches in the spring and summer.

Ott believes that next year’s team has the potential to make great jumps forward, possibly into the top ten at state. He noted that the team returns freshman Will Whitney, who won over twenty matches; Conley, a state medallist; Danter, who would likely have qualified; and Everson. “We’re going to have a solid core group of guys, and I think those guys will affect everybody else,” he said. “Like I said (at a team meeting), I’d like to finish in the top ten. I think that’s something we can attain.”

JORDAN

15

(from 5) game which put him at third in scoring in the MCC.

Lynch found his niche on the threepoint arc. Lynch led the team in three-point field goals made (54) and a SLUH record against Kirkwood, going 8-10 from behind the arc.

Mayberger turned out to be a pleasant surprise for the Jr. Bills this season. He started out the year on the bench, getting playing time at the end of games. But, he stepped up and grabbed the fifth starting position.

He averaged 10.3 points per game and led the Jr. Bills in three-point percentage (45.3) and free throw percentage (86.7).

Mayberger was not only an effective scorer, though; he also came through at the end of games.

“Mayberger was always there to hit the big shot when we needed it,” Lynch said. “He won the game or sent us into overtime three different times at the end of the season.”

The Jr. Bills will lose three seniors for next year’s team. Lynch, guard Pat Lanter, and forward Cecil Edward were all named captains at the beginning of the season.

“Each of the guys led the team in a different way,” Cooney said. “Lynch led on the court, Cecil in practice, and Pat always brought the intensity.”

“I would definitely say that this has been the most fun that I have had on any basketball team,” said Lynch. “It was frustrating at times, but all of the guys brought something different to the team, and I had a great time.”

Jr. Billiken Briefings

— Senior hockey goalie Jack Lally was presented with the Mid-States Club Hockey Association’s Mike Shannahan St. Louis Blues Alumni Scholarship (MSCHAMSSLBAS) prior to last night’s championship game at Scottrade. Lally will receive a total of $8,000 over the next four years for demonstrating excellence on the ice and in the classroom. ­ The Pax Christi Day of Silence is Tuesday, March 10. Sign up with Mr. Garavaglia — in the theology office by activity period on Monday to wear a ribbon and remain silent throughout the day to show solidarity with Tibetans. Come to J124 during activity period for a discussion on Tibet. Questions, comments, concerns? See Joe Earsom in M205.

— All and any of Mr. Cummings’ former and future Shakespeare students: Mr. Cummings urges you to watch the telecast of the Ian McKellan (Gandalf) King Lear production that he saw live in the summer of 2007 in England. King Lear will be shown March 25 (the Wednesday of Spring Break) on Channel 9.

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by Conor Gearin

Friday, March 6 Schedule R Muny Adults’ Auditions Diversity Mass 9am Lacrosse Meeting 5pm IM Sr Basketball vs Faculty All-Stars College Reps:

Missouri University of Science & Technology IM Sr Basketball vs Faculty All-Stars AP Snack—Mozzarella Sticks Lunch : Special—Shrimp Baskets Healthy—Baked Hoki Crisp Fish Saturday, March 7 Muny Adults’ Auditions Placement Test for Class of ’13 B-Ball State Quarterfinals Sunday, March 8 Muny Adults’ Auditions KEEN Sports 12pm Monday, March 9 Assembly Schedule Wellness Assembly 1:45pm

angst

Calendar

March 6, 2009 *Lunch menu subject to change.

IM Sr Soccer AP Basketball Banquet 6pm AP Snack—Cheese Garlic Bread Lunch : Special—Pizza Healthy—Cheddar Cheese Omelet Tuesday, March 10 Schedule R Soph Bonus Reading Test AP National Latin Exam AP NHS Faculty Appreciation Lunch 11am IM Fr Soccer AP Meeting for Class of 2013 & Parents

6:30pm Cafeteria closed AP for Latin Test Lunch : Special—Chinese Combos Healthy—Country Fried Steak Wednesday, March 11 Schedule R Fr Tutorial AP Senior Tux Fitting AP College Reps:

St. Louis University IM Jr & Sr Soccer ACES/PAL Sessions 5:30pm

FANS

(from 9) on in the first period.

FSN intermission interview.

Freshman Trent Lulow nearly tallied a But the BestSLUHhockeyeverbills manvital goal, but his shot from directly in front aged a few distant slap shots in the opening of the net was saved by Knox. minutes of the third after having played

The Corbyisabumbills mainly the first set up the power play with two lines the first less than eight minutes left two periods. in the second. But after a CBC had the neutral zone turnover, Roth majority of posstole the puck in SLUH’s session at their disend along the boards and posal, and for the ripped a shot past Boschert first time the Zamglove side. The goal debonibills looked flated SLUH just after they on their back foot. seemed to have gained an Jimmy Berger got edge on their MCC rival. down to make an

Boschert shut down a important block give-and-go late in the secon an otherwise ond period to preserve wide open shot in The Busiebills celebrate junior Greg Place’s second-period goal that made the score 2-1. the 2-2 tie. After two front of Boschert periods, CBC had outshot SLUH 19-11, but to keep his side level. the Jr. Bills had an 8-6 advantage in scoring CBC eventually scored with 11 minutes chances. to go on a snipe to the top corner from the

“If we don’t get tired, we’re going to win top of the right face-off circle. this game,” said Busenhart in an enthusiastic The Zundybills weren’t rejuvenated by PHOTO BY ZAC BOESCH

Mar. 13 - Mar. 20

AP Snack—Turnovers Lunch : Special—Mexicana Salad Healthy—Lasagna Roll-up w/ Sauce Thursday, March 12 Schedule R STUCO Forum AP Senior Tux Fitting AP Ignatian Mix-It Up Lunch AP Snack—Pizza Rolls Lunch : Special—Chicken Bites Healthy—Baked Chicken Strips Friday, March 13 Schedule R Jr Class Liturgy AP Choral Concert AP Senior Tux Fitting AP PowerSchool Updates IM Fr & Soph Soccer B-Ball State Semi-Finals Senior Mother/Son Dinner Dance—Mom

Prom

@Busch Center @ SLU AP Snack—Bosco Sticks Lunch : Special—Fish Nugget Combos Healthy—Baked Pollock

the thousands of then whited-out SLUH fans.

CBC nearly put the game away, but were denied when a slap shot thudded down off the inside of the crossbar 20 seconds later.

Boschert commented on the fatigue, “We outplayed them in the first two periods, then in the third we just got really tired and ran out of gas, then we lost because we didn’t have anything left.”

The Cadets gave the Jr. Bills plenty of chances to equalize: they served six minutes of penalties in the final eight minutes of play.

But the I’moutofbills struggled to set up the power play and only managed two decent chances.

Corby got one final chance on an oddman rush with less than 30 seconds left, but Knox saved Corby’s wrist shot as SLUH’s big man was dragged to the ice.

CBC added an empty net goal from 180 feet away, and the game ended 4-2.

“I don’t think we could’ve played a better game than that,” said Jack Berger. “It just came down to who was going to get the bounces in the third period.”