HELPING OTHERS
FOOTBALL IS HERE
Senior Graham Hlavac returns to Nicaragua with Amigos for Christ
After weeks of practice, Bruins ready to hit field against Salem Attendance Center
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Bear Facts the
VOLUME 20, NUMBER 1
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2016
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SAINT JOSEPH CATHOLIC SCHOOL
WORLD YOUTH DAY 2016
A giant leap of faith
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MADISON, MISSISSIPPI
Changes highlight new year By SOPHIA DE LANGE The Bear Facts
When Saint Joseph Catholic School students began the new school year last week, they saw many changes that included new buildings for the high school and middle school, a new cafeteria caterer and a new class schedule. Of those, perhaps the biggest change was shifting to a class schedule in which all seven classes meet Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Students then meet three of those classes Thursday and four on Friday in 90-minute block periods. The block period schedules began this week Douglas E. Jones, in his first year at Saint Joseph, said the new schedule is a huge plus for the school. “I think that the students will like the new schedule and that it will be easier for them,” Mr. Jones said. “At my time here, I hope that we continue to improve our faith life, academics, athletics, arts and service.” Another change to the class schedule is a 20minute daily break every morning, allowing students to eat and buy snacks in the cafeteria. Students also arrive an hour later on Thursday so teachers can meet in professional development before class. Mr. Jones has a lot of hope for the new year and the future of Saint Joseph. He said he is trying to build strong relationships with elementary schools like Saint Anthony, Saint Richard and Sister Thea Bowman as well as Catholic parishes
Saint Joseph students deepen devotion to the church at World Youth Day
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See CHANGES, Page 4
Story by Leila de Gruy
Bruin band to march this year
RAKOW, Poland – Nine Saint Joseph Catholic School students found themselves here – thousands of miles away from home – to attend World Youth Day 2016. Students stepped off of a bus on Monday, July 25, and into a city full of life filled with images of Saint Pope John Paul II, Sister Faustina and Pope Francis. Then they stepped up four flights of stairs to find that they would stay at the Green Hostel, right outside of the main market square. Finally arriving at the Green Hostel was a relief for many, who were exhausted after about 30 hours of travel, flight cancellations, extreme layovers, lack of meals and lost luggage. This travel
By BLAINE TURNER The Bear Facts
See WORLD YOUTH DAY, Page 3
World Youth Day: Day by day in Poland By KIM KAISER The Bear Facts As we began our travels to Krakow, Poland, for World Youth Day 2016, nothing went right. On arrival at Jackson airport, we learned our flight from Atlanta to Amsterdam was canceled. That was only the beginning. DAY 1 We traveled from Atlanta to Paris on a sev-
en-hour flight where I was put between two strangers who did not speak English. From Paris, we were split into three groups. I was in the first group. The second group arrived in Prague an hour later with no luggage. And the third was to leave Paris at 6 p.m. the next day to arrive directly in Krakow. The first two groups, including myself, took an eight-hour bus ride from Prague to Krakow with another group of 22 from Los See DAY BY DAY, Page 3
Above: Freshman Nicholas Brilley, one of several Saint Joseph students who attended World Youth Day 2016 in Krakow, Poland, touring the Jewish sector of the city. Brilley and others later toured Auschwitz, a Nazi concentration camp. Photo by Dena Kinsey/ Special to The Bear Facts. Top photo: Hundreds of people gathered at Blonia Park in Krakow for the opening Mass of World Youth Day 2016 on Tuesday, July 26. Photo by Leila de Gruy/The Bear Facts.
The Bruin band will return to the field this year. After a one-year hiatus from marching, the band will resume halftime field shows – starting with the Friday night season-opening football game against Salem Attendance Center. “We tried not marching last year, and it was not as exciting as it could have been,” said Mr. Ronnie Russell, director of the Bruin band. “I feel the change back to marching will be good,” he said. “We have a good balance of instruments that is conducive to a good marching band.” The 50-member Bruin marching band braved the mid-summer heat last month at the annual band camp. There, members practiced marching and performing music for this year’s football game halftime shows. As always the band will perform favorite pep rally songs like “Blue,” “Gold,” “My Girl” and the school’s fight song. The band added new music this year, including Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” Nirvana’s “Smells like See BRUIN BAND, Page 4
New editors lead Saint Joseph student media for 2016-2017 From staff reports Junior Grant Murphy has been named editor of the Saint Joseph school newspaper, sophomore Leila de Gruy has been named editor of the yearbook and juniors Michael Corkern III and Nick Zouboukos have been named editors of Bruin Broadcasting. Murphy will oversee, supervise and direct reporting, writing, editing and production of The Bear Facts. He will be assisted by managing editor Graham
Hlavac and sports editor Joand evolve, I feel good about seph Pearson. placing these publications De Gruy will oversee, suand productions in the hands pervise and direct producof such a talented group of tion of The Shield. She will dedicated, high school jourbe assisted by a team of edinalists,” said Mr. Terry Casstors that will be announced reino, Saint Joseph’s jourGRANT NICK LEILA MICHAEL in the near future. nalism teacher and adviser to MURPHY ZOUBOUKOS DE GRUY CORKERN III Corkern and Zouboukos the newspaper, yearbook and will oversee Bruin Broadcastbroadcast operations. Now, Saint Joseph’s weekly video ing, which produces Bruin Sports Ra- newscast. De Gruy served last year as photo eddio weekly live coverage of Saint Jo“As the Saint Joseph Catholic School itor of The Shield and The Bear Facts. seph varsity football, and Bruin News journalism program continues to grow She has been involved in the yearbook
INSIDE THIS EDITION n Opinion: Page 2 n Editorial: Page 2 n News: Page 1, 3, 4 n Sports: Page 5, 6
DID YOU KNOW? The historic city of Natchez has more than 500 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.
and newspaper in some form since seventh grade. Murphy, who served as sports editor last year, will lead a talented team at the newspaper. The newspaper’s core leadership may lack the experience, but they make up for in drive and ambition. Besides serving as editor of Bruin Broadcasting, Corkern and Zouboukos will also be in the radio booth at varsity football games providing playby-play and analysis for every See EDITORS, Page 4
THE BEAR FACTS
Named Mississippi’s Best High School Newspaper every year since 2013.
Opinion
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Adversity: Our greatest enemy
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magine this: Your name is Joshua Pitcher. You are assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division and stationed in Afghanistan. You are doing a routine combat patrol. Everything feels normal. You’ve conducted this routine for two months straight, every day of your tour. GRANT Only a few thoughts go through your mind, the MURPHY obvious one being: “Why is it so hot out here? editor When can we go back to the barracks and cool off?” Everything is fine and dandy – until it isn’t. As you place your left leg on the ground, an explosion occurs. In this moment, your life changes forever. The question is: How will you cope with it? This exact scenario happened to American patriot Joshua Pitcher, who lost his left leg in a dreadful explosion. Pitcher, though, overcame diversity. And using him as a stark example, we can learn a lot. An awful lot.
TOUGHEST TASK Adversity is most commonly defined as difficulties or misfortunes. Overcoming adversity, no matter how tough the situation can be, is one of the toughest tasks life offers. When you’re dealing with adversity, you have two options. Like many people, you could choose to give up and feel sorry for yourself. Or, like others, you can take the bull by the horns, as they say, and fix your problem. Joshua chose the latter of the two and took on his mishap with the determination of a stubborn child. He knew, of course, that the road to recovery wouldn’t be simple. He fought through years of depression and rehabilitation. And in the end, all his work paid off. He has now returned to Afghanistan where this crazy roller coaster departed.
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If we, as humans, are able to make it through extreme cases of pain and suffering, I imagine there are few things out there that we can’t defeat.” SPIRITUAL WORKOUT
Not only does adversity bring us down, but in many cases it can strengthen us as a person. Overcoming and fighting through tough situations is one of the best “spiritual workouts” life has to offer. If we, as humans, are able to make it through extreme cases of pain and suffering, I imagine there are few things out there that we can’t defeat. My Catholic education throughout the years has taught me many things. One of the main things is that our Savior, Jesus Christ, is with each and every one of us at every point in our life. A prime example of his love for us can be found in scripture Romans 8:31 reads “If God is for us, who can be against us.” That quote works amazing wonders with many people, including myself, when we are in times of despair. With that being said, my advice to you is as follows. Whatever you may be going through, have gone through in the past, or will go though in the future, you must always try your best to fight through the pain. Always look to climb the mountain, because trust me, the view is much better from the top.
Grant Murphy, a junior, is editor of The Bear Facts, the Saint Joseph Catholic School student newspaper.
Helping Nicaraguans in need
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nticipation: This word best described the entire week leading up to one important day: Saturday, July 30, 2016. GRAHAM That day had been HLAVAC the centerpiece for any managing editor conversation that I had anytime during the previous two months. And it was the main event on my calendar for even longer. On that day, I, along with my close friend, Will Butts, who graduated from Saint Joseph in May, departed for our mission trip to Nicaragua. This was my second time visiting the country. For Will, it was his first. Ever since I returned from my first mission trip, I was dying to go back to Nicaragua. The joyful locals, the smiling faces, the mouth-watering food, the breath-taking views, and the energy-filled children – these are just a few many reasons for anyone to fall in love with this beautiful country. That’s exactly what happened to me. The overwhelming feeling of excitement when our plane touched down in Managua a second time brought back a flood of joyous memories, and relief that the flying leg of the journey was over. Nicaragua’s form of welcome is an amazing amount of hospitality, followed by a 2½-hour bus ride on an old yellow school bus on poor roads. Falling asleep is impossible while passing numerous fields that smell of cow manure and bars that blast out-dated Spanish pop music through its doors. The first full day is arguably the most strenuous if you choose to climb up Cerro Negro, a volcano, the hard way, as opposed to the easy trail around the back. The ash
Special to The Bear Facts Graham Hlavac, a senior at Saint Joseph, meets this summer with his translator, Jackie, and a local, elderly woman. Hlavac was on his second mission trip this year with Amigos or Christ.
and the rocks in your shoes are definitely worth it when reaching the top and seeing the jaw-dropping view. The main purpose of my mission was to dig a ditch that would supply an entire village with fresh, pure water with which to drink, cook, and bathe. If you have never sweated before, then try to dig a 4-foot deep ditch with a pick ax and a shovel. The most humbling experience of my entire week was an encounter with an elderly Nicaraguan lady and my friend/ translator Jackie. Jackie will be a junior at Georgia Tech this fall and spent her entire summer at Amigos for Christ as a long term servant leader. Jackie is fluent in both Spanish and English and has built a strong friendship with a particular elderly lady after spending time with her once a week for the past three months. While joining in on their conversation, I realized the true meaning of love. The passion in this woman’s eyes
while talking about her beloved son was saddening when she told us that he had left home years ago and had not returned since. Although she had a sad life story, seeing how much the people cared for her there was very reassuring. The remaining days in the sweltering Nicaraguan heat consisted of playing with children, playing lots of ping pong, and the managing the overwhelming feelings of grace and humility. Even with nothing, all of the people you meet are happy. It truly makes you step back and realize how lucky each and every one of us are, and how we need to go and help those who are less fortunate with the resources we have. “Do ordinary things with extraordinary love.” – Mother Teresa
Graham Hlavac, a senior, is managing editor of The Bear Facts.
Finding the positive in change
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midst all of the change and transition, it is very important to remain positive. A positive attitude makes a stressful situation much BLAINE better. TURNER Consider this: Just columnist because something is different does not make it better or worse. Instead, it is simply different and probably should not even be compared. Once two things are compared, it becomes more of a contest to see which one is superior. In most situations, when comparing two things we tend to look at the negative. It is much better to accept the change and move on. Rather than dwelling on the negative, it is best to think about what the positives are about the transition and change.
It is much better to try something new than to complain about it simply because it is different.
MOVING FORWARD Although it can be very challenging to move forward, change is always moving in the direction of a new beginning. Most changes are unwanted and unexpected, but changes should be looked as a positive push in a new direction. People prefer to look at what they are losing with the change rather than what they are gaining. The one thing that bothers people about change is the fear of the unknown. Change is risky because it involves becoming acclimated to the new rules and being put in a new environment where you have to figure out how to survive. Sometimes change makes us selfish, we only concern ourselves with how the
BEAR FACTS The
Grant Murphy Editor
John Topic
Opinion Page Editor
Graham Hlavac
Managing Editor
Joseph Pearson Sports Editor
Terry R. Cassreino, Faculty Adviser Douglas E. Jones, Principal
change affects us. Alternatively, we should look at the big picture and consider how it affects other people.
ADAPTING TO CHANGE A good read for us all during this transition would be Spencer Johnson’s “Who Moved my Cheese for Teens.” The lesson is that former practices and ways of thinking will not help us adapt to change. In my time at Saint Joseph, we’ve had three principals. With each principal there was change, but there was also progress. We have to realize that changes happen but the key to surviving change is to keep moving, find ways to adapt and thrive. We have to understand there is nothing wrong with the way things were, but we have to find a way to adapt to the way things will be in the future. Blaine Turner is a junior.
The Bear Facts, the official student newspaper of St. Joseph Catholic School, is published at least once each quarter of the school year. This newspaper is devoted to the interests of the student body, faculty, parents, alumni and community of St. Joseph. This paper’s purpose is to reflect the spirit of St. Joseph Catholic School, keep the school community informed and help promote the school’s Christian values. All stories and photographs are copyright © 2016 by The Bear Facts and St. Joseph Catholic School. Reproduction and unauthorized use of any article, photograph or graphic in this newspaper is prohibited without explicit written consent in advance. Contact The Bear Facts, P.O. Box 2027, Madison, MS 39130-2927.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2016
Our view
Giving change a chance As reporter Sophia de Lange and columnist Blaine Turner so adeptly pointed out in today’s edition of The Bear Facts – both in a news story and an opinion column – we at Saint Joseph Catholic School are beginning the school year experiencing significant changes. From new staff, new coaches and a new principal to new classrooms, a new class schedule and a new cafeteria meal plan, this is not the same Saint Joseph Catholic School. For some, changes can be overwhelming. And these are pretty significant changes at our school, to say the least. One of the biggest changes concerns class scheduling. After years of having a rotating, seven-period class schedule, with five of them meeting each day, we now find ourselves working with something entirely different. This year, Saint Joseph’s class schedule finds all students attending all seven classes Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Students then shift to a block schedule for Thursday and Friday, in which classes meet for about 90 minutes. Three classes meet Thursday with the remaining four on Friday. That’s not all. Saint Joseph students also will celebrate Mass every Wednesday rather than once or twice a month. Students also will have late arrival on Thursdays so teachers can hold a regular staff meetings in the morning. While some students have been quick to complain about the new schedule, we urge them to take some advice from Blaine Turner in his column that appears on this page. Let’s give these and other changes a chance. After all, we are in the second week of school and will experience block schedules for the first time today and Friday.
Good luck to our Bruin athletes One of the defining characteristics of Saint Joseph is the abundance of school spirit on campus. Students are excited for the first football game Friday and are ready to see their Bruins take the field and dominate Salem Attendance Center. The theme for Friday is Red, White and Blue. We at The Bear Facts are excited to see how the football team will perform under a new head coach. Todd Lott, our new athletic director and head football coach, brings much experience to his job. And it begs the question whether the athletic department can make the most from the changes he brings. We believe Coach Lott can and will be successful. We wish Coach Lott, his football team, and all of our other athletes and sports programs the best of luck – not only today, but for the entire season and school year. Unless otherwise noted, opinions expressed on this page belong solely to the author or authors and do not necessarily represent the beliefs and opinions of the staff of The Bear Facts; the staff, leadership and administration of St. Joseph Catholic School; or the staff, leadership and administration of the Catholic Diocese of Jackson. If you disagree with any opinions or want to share your own views, we invite you to submit a letter to the editor. Letters should be no more than 300 words. The Bear Facts reserves the right to edit letters for clarity. Send your letter by email to thebearfacts@stjoebruins.com. Or mail them to: Letters to the Editor, The Bear Facts, P.O. Box 2027, Madison, MS 39130-2927
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2016
World Youth Day
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WORLD YOUTH DAY, from Page 1 began on Saturday July 23 with a flight from Jackson to Atlanta and then from Atlanta to Paris. The final destination: Krakow, Poland, and World Youth Day 2016 – a worldwide encounter with the Pope that is typically celebrated every three years in a different country. The last World Youth Day was in 2013 in Rio de Janiero. Once the group arrived in Krakow on Monday afternoon, they toured the city and Wawel Castle. In the Square, pilgrims met groups from Italy, France, Latvia and almost everywhere else. They also saw various street performers and participated in line dances led by other pilgrims. On Tuesday, Saint Joseph students woke at 4:30 a.m. and loaded a bus for a tour of Auschwitz and Birkenau – two concentration camps that housed Jews during World War II. The experience was life changing. Walking the dirt paths and the cobblestone roads through one of the world’s most notorious death camps was a heartbreaking experience – but one that also gave hope because it was evident how far race relations had come since the Holocaust. That night, Saint Joseph students and others attended an opening Mass in Błonia Park. There, about 800,000
people attended for one reason – to honor God. Wednesday and Thursday were filled with tours of various parts of Krakow, including the Jewish Sector and Oskar Schindler’s factory. Schindler’s efforts to save Jews from death during the Holocaust was made famous by the award-winning Steven Speilberg film “Schindler’s List.” Thursday night of World Youth Day was the highlight of the trip: Wearing rain ponchos and smiles that stretched across entire faces, participants headed to Błonia Park with about 2 million others to welcome Pope Francis. Saint Joseph students in Błonia Park were roughly 25 feet from where the Pope Mobile drove past; some managed to get as close as 10 feet from the Pope. On Friday, most of the day was spent at the Tauron Arena, or Mercy Center, where all other English speaking countries gathered to listen to Catechesis talks and participate in a Mass said by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, from New York. Later, many returned to Błonia Park for Stations of the Cross. Saturday was a much needed free day before heading to Prague and the trip back to Photo by Dena Kinsey/Special to The Bear Facts Mississippi. Many people arrived back Teenagers who attended the World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland, pose by a sign of the city of Krakow. Saint Joseph students in home on Monday, Aug. 1. the photo are Julian Brown, Rodney Self, Nicholas Brilley and Mackenzie Brown.
DAY BY DAY, from Page 1 Angeles that had been waiting for us for five hours.
rant in Krakow Square.
DAY 8 To make up for our poor attendance to the Sleeping Under the Stars, our group leaders decided to take us on a pilgrim walk on our final day. A pilgrim walk is exactly what you would expect it to be: walking aimlessly around and constantly getting lost. This happened after attending Mass in a simply beautiful church dating back to the 15th century that held a relic of Saint John Paul II. After a while, our walk led us back to the hostel, where we immediately headed back out the Shrine of Divine Mercy, thankfully mostly by tram, to visit a few nearby relics of St. Faustina. After this adventure, we went back to the Jewish district near our hostel to eat a peaceful dinner before enjoying an authentic Polish downpour of rain into our plates of food. From there, we went back to the hoswith the rest of the crowd in a language tel to pack and board our 10:30 p.m. bus we did not understand. After the arena, which was nearly with another group from New Mexico. packed full with only the EnglishDAY 9 speaking Catholics at World Youth Our trip back to Mississippi was perDay, I went with a group back to the fect compared to our trip to Krakow. Green Hostel, a place that we called We all got home as one group, and home throughout the duration of the we were even led by an escort through trip, to get some rest. From there, I went back to Błonia the Amsterdam airport to our gate – Park to attend the Stations of the Cross which we just barely got to in time. Unlike my first flight across the Atwith Pope Francis, where our group was at the very front of sector B2, a lantic, I sat between my brother and sector right in front of the altar, giving a fellow pilgrim in our group, both of us optimal seats to view His Holiness. whom spoke wonderfully fluent English. We faced no life-or-death problems DAY 7 Today was easily one of the more on our journey home, and if there is leisurely days. I would guess that we one thing I am grateful for on this entire trip, it is that. walked only six or seven miles. All in all, this is a trip that I will reWe visited Wawel Castle again. We also explored the city and all it held member and hold dear forever – from while most of the pilgrim population the joys of sharing a room with three camped out over night at Błonia Park at half-strangers to watching the flags of 187 countries waving before me. Sleeping Under the Stars. I am eternally grateful that I was Sadly, we could not attend because given the privilege to experience this leaving the earlier mentioned event and even hope to one day go with my could take up to six hours, and that would mean missing our bus back to little sister. To any who wish to go but are hesiPrague the next day. Compared to the tant, please do so. You will not regret a days before, the city seemed empty as moment of it, even if your feet do. we roamed it until we settled to eat at a sort of Polish and Italian fusion restau-
DAY 2 We missed our tour to see where Saint John Paul II lived and, instead, took a much-needed a two-hour nap. That was a luxury after spending all night on a bus. Afterwards, we got cleaned and went to breakfast. When we returned from breakfast, we packed for a tour of the city and set out with our guide, Katerina. On this trip, we learned that Krakow is usually a city of 1.3 million people, a good deal of which are students who attend one of 37 universities. We visited Wawel Castle, dating back to the 14th century. We also went inside of a church that John Paul II frequented and held confession. While there, none other than our Mrs. Dena Kinsey sat in Photo by Dena Kinsey/Special to The Bear Facts the confessional where Saint John Pail This barbed wire fence separates a street from the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Students attending the World Youth II heard confessions. Day in Krakow also toured Auschwitz and Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps.
DAY 3 Waking up bright and early at 4:30 a.m., we set out for Auschwitz and Auschwitz-Birkenau. The bus ride there took two hours. Both camps were an extremely sobering experience. While there, I was constantly wondering if someone had died in the exact place I stood. I wondered what sort of indescribable torture happened in the empty and dark barracks I gazed into. Our tour guide did not spare a detail. Prisoners were on a diet of 250-300 calories and forced into hard labor day after day. Hair could not be longer than 2 millimeters due to extreme lice infestations that clung to bleeding wounds and skin. Gassing was brought down immediately upon the sick, elderly and those below 3 years old, also known
as those unfit to live. Mass executions were common. n
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I had never seen so many people in my life. At the opening Mass of World Youth Day, I would guess about 2 million people attended. I was constantly surrounded by flags of countries I didn’t even recognize, by songs praising our Lord and Savior, and by other faithful Catholics who had traveled as far from home as I had and endured airports, buses, and unexpected changes. It was a truly a joyful experience to remind me after visiting such a wretched place that not everything in our world is cruel and evil. There, among hundreds of thousands of people singing and waving flags, I felt at peace.
DAY 4 We visited Oskar Schindler’s factory, the remains of the Jewish Ghetto and a small concentration camp the Nazis used solely for extermination of Jews, where thousands of bodies were buried beneath our feet. To those who do not know, Schindler was a German man who took over a factory formerly owned by a Jewish man to make some easy money manufacturing and selling pots and pans to the warring world. Over time, he had a change of heart and began buying the freedom of Jews from concentration camps to work in his factory in comparative safety. Visiting the Ghetto, however, was much more hard-hitting. Very little is left of the original Ghetto, as most of it was bombed down to rubble. But you could feel the suffering and loss that happened there. The Ghetto has a memorial of 65 empty black chairs in the middle of the square, each representing 1,000 lives lost. DAY 5 We ventured back to Schindler’s Factory today – this time entirely on foot the morning after eating in the sadly small Jewish district the night before. After watching the 1993 movie “Schindler’s List,” I found the visit to be extremely moving. The factory, now a museum dedicated mostly to the life in the Ghetto and concentration camps, was an eye-opening experience. Here, you can read letter from Ghetto inhabitants aged between 65 and 5 years old. Replicas were made of bunks, and an entire room had stone walls and rocky ground littered with the personal belongings of Jews to give the sense of being out picking at rocks amongst the prisoners. n
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We went back to Błonia Park for a
Photo by Kim Kaiser/The Bear Facts welcoming ceremony with Pope FranThese 65 chairs symbolize 65,000 lives that were lost in the Jewish ghetto of Krakow cis. Somehow, there were even more during World War II.
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Most of the gatherings we had been to were carried out in Polish, leaving us utterly clueless save a few moments where we responded with the rest of the crowd in a language we did not understand.”
people there than for opening Mass, which I, coming from Mississippi, could barely fathom. I saw Pope Francis quite clearly from where we were as he went through in his Pope Mobile. I had a rosary blessed by him at the end of Mass for my beloved Babcia (Polish for grandmother).
DAY 6 We finally got into the massive arena to go to Mass, where they spoke sweet, sweet English. Most of the gatherings we had been to were carried out in PolPhoto by Kim Kaiser/The Bear Facts ish, leaving us utterly clueless save for This path separates the barracks on the right from another building on the left at a few moments where we responded Auschwitz concentration camp.
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CHANGES, from Page 1
Bruin News
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2016
The 500 and 300 building are switching to keep middle schoolers isolated from the high school. The 400 building will be strictly math and science. New labs and equipment have been implemented in order to enhance student’s experience. The staff has a hymn for a year: “Glad to be in His Service.”
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I think that the students will like the new schedule and that it will be easier for them.”
Photo Special to The Bear Facts Middle school students enjoy their mid-morning break on the first day of school Monday, Aug. 8, 2016. The 20-minute mid-morning break is part of the new class schedule that went into effect with the new school year.
– Douglas E. Jones, principal
Changes aren’t just limited to academics and the school. Saint Joseph also has a new caterer, MMI Dining Systems, providing lunch and breakfast in the cafeteria. MMI, which also provides meals at Saint Anthony, has several meal plans parents can purchase for their children. Hot plate lunches cost $5 each, burgers cost $5.50 and the salad bar is 45 cents an ounce. Coach Todd Lott is serving his first year as athletic director and head football coach. Lott will lead the Bruins on the field Friday night when they open the 2016 football season against Salem Attendance Center.
Top photo: Mr. Ronnie Russell works with a music class on the first day of the 2016-2017 school year – the first day under the new class schedule. Mr. Russell serves as director of the Bruin band and chairman of the Fine Arts Department. Immediate right: Elton Vandevender gives a thumbs-up in between classes in the Middle School Building on the first day of school. The Middle School Building moved from the 500 Building to the 300 Building effective this year. Photos Special to The Bear Facts
BRUIN BAND, from Page 1
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I am very excited to march again, and I’m enjoying the opportunity to mentor and assist the younger band members.” – Alaina Liess a sophomore
Teen Spirit,” and Fall Out Boy’s “Thanks for the Memories.” The marching band has several eighth graders. Almost each instrument section has one or more first year marchers. This may seem like a challenge. However, most veteran band members embrace it as a chance to be mentors to the younger members. “I am very excited to march again, and I’m enjoying the opportunity to mentor and assist the younger band members,” said Alaina Liess a sophomore who plays saxophone. The new leaders of the Bruin Band have helped to make a better atmo-
sphere. This new atmosphere makes everyone feel that what they contribute helps to make the band whole. The new atmosphere also helps younger members, especially the eighth graders, feel more welcome and learn more from their peers. “I personally feel that marching is good experience,” said Sam Dabbit, eight grader who plays trombone. “It is fun and you get to be outside. “It is not the most fun learning,” he said. “But once you get the hang of it, it’s very fun and rewarding. It is also nice to have older mentors to help when needed and having a role model,” The band is looking forward to pep rallies and entertaining football games. This year you can look forward to better music, entertaining field shows and an enthusiastic Bruin Band.
Campus snap shots
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Marching is good experience. It is fun and you get to be outside.” – Sam Dabbit an eighth grader
EDITORS, from Page 1 game. Joining them in the booth will be freshman John Baladi. Corkern and Zouboukos also will oversee the weekly video newscast – possibly anchoring during the spring semester. Until then, senior Matthew Hendley, senior Jason Price and freshman Hannah Dear are expected to sit in the anchor chair. “This has the potential to be the best year for Saint Joseph high school journalism,” Mr. Cassreino said. “What they lack in experience they make up for in drive and ambition.”
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This has the potential to be the best year for Saint Joseph high school journalism.” – Terry R. Cassreino journalism teacher
Above: Mrs. Sue Dixon talks with a student in class this week, more than a week after the new school year officially started. Top photo: Dr. Ronald May, one of several new teachers at Saint Joseph this year, meets with a student in class. Immediate left: Coach Joe Bob Harris in class. Photos by Kaycee Jackson/The Bear Facts
Bruin Sports
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2016
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Jackson radio station to carry Bruin Sports Radio Listen to Bruin football live on WJXC FM 107.9 and on TuneIn Radio phone app from staff reports Mississippi’s Catholic Radio Station will carry Bruin Sports Radio’s live Friday night broadcast of Saint Joseph varsity football this fall. The award-winning Bruin Sports Radio, staffed and managed by high school journalism students, will broadcast all home-and-away varsity football games live Friday nights on WJXC-LP FM 107.9. Bruin Sports Radio also will be available online through the TuneIn Radio app for Apple, Android and Windows phones and personal listening devices. “I am excited that people in Jackson will be able to hear our school’s football games over the air in addition to the Internet,” said Michael Corkern III, who will provide expert analysis during the football game broadcasts. Principal Douglas W. Jones agreed. “Students call every game, offer expert analysis and do an entertaining job in the only program of its kind in the Jackson area,” Jones said. “The live broadcasts are a great way to showcase the talented students in our award-winning journalism program.”
Bruin Sports Radio’s first regular season broadcast will be Friday, Aug. 19, when Saint Joseph opens the 2016 season at home against Salem Attendance Center. Airtime is 6:45 p.m. every Friday with the coach’s pre-game show; kick off follows 15 minutes later. Each broadcast includes a live halftime show and a post-game analysis show. Bruin Sports Radio is part of the Saint Joseph high school journalism program. Besides Bruin Sports Radio, high school journalists also publish a newspaper, The Bear Facts; publish a school yearbook, The Shield; and produce a weekly newscast available on YouTube, Bruin News Now. The Mississippi Scholastic Press Association named Bruin Sports Radio in April 2016 the state’s top student-produced streaming program. The MSPA named the coach’s pre-game show the state’s best student-produced pod cast. The Bruin Sports Radio broadcast team includes Corkern, junior Nick Zouboukos, and freshman John Baladi, who will share responsibilities for play-by-play and on-air expert analysis. Others on the team are senior Matthew Hendley
Photo special to The Bear Facts Members of the Bruin Sports Radio broadcast team from left: Michael Corkern III, a junior; Will Turner, a freshman; Matthew Hendley, a senior; John Baladi, a freshman; and Nick Zouboukos, a junior. The fivemember team will provide play-by-play and expert analysis for all home-and-away Saint Joseph Bruin football games for 2016.
and freshman Will Turner, who will produce and host the coach’s pre-game show and live halftime show. “Our students do an amazing job every week,” Jones said. “By producing a live, weekly radio
show, they gain valuable, real-world experience they could not receive anywhere else, and they develop skills and talent that will help them throughout the rest of their lives.”
FOOTBALL, from Page 6 pre-season jamboree at Jackson Academy. The Bruins tied Heritage Academy 8-8 in the first game, before losing to Mendenhall in the second. The Friday night game against Salem is huge for a team that posted a losing record last year. The Bruins must get off to as strong start to set the tone for the new season. A large group of seniors are returning this year and expectations are high. Coach Lott made it clear to all that players should set their expectations at nothing less than a state championship. Leading the group is senior quarterback Jack Garrard. “I’m expecting great things for what Coach Lott brings to the table,” Garrard said. “His attitude towards practice and how he wants to get stuff done is very productive. And I think we’re going to shock a lot of people this year.” Garrard leads an explosive offensive attack for the Bruins. With a highenergy, up-tempo offense, the team Photo by Sophia de Lange/The Bear Facts expects to put plenty of points on the board. Members of the Bruin football team stretch before practice one afternoon before The new offense, run by Coach school began for the 2016-2017 school year.
PEARSON COLUMN, from Page 6 Coach Lott stresses two important points: mental toughness and effort. Mental toughness is an essential element in a sport in which players push their body to the limit. A game as physically demanding as football can only be mastered with mental toughness. It takes mental toughness to wake up at 5 in the morning in the summer and go to practice before the sun rises. Then you have effort. Coach Lott has made it clear to his players that he doesn’t care how old they are, how big they are, or who their dad is. He wants players to separate themselves from everyone else through their effort. He said you can’t coach someone who isn’t willing to put forth the effort to become better. In the locker room at Saint Joseph, you already can sense a change in the culture. Along with the best coaching staff in 2A football and new weight equipment to rival that of neighboring Madison Central, there is a new demeanor within the program.
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He has his eyes set on state championships. He expects Saint Joseph to become a leader in 2A football.”
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Mental toughness is an essential element in a sport in which players push their body to the limit.”
Johnny Nichols, is fast and exciting to watch. And the defense, led by senior linebacker Will Walenta, is a hardhitting force. Upon Coach Lott’s arrival, the Saint Joseph Field House received nine new weight lifting stations. The football team put them to good use this summer. The team has been practicing in the hot summer months in anticipation for this season. The Bruins were practicing just as the sun began to rise. With summer workouts lasting two to three hours, the team will be well prepared. Coach Lott assured his players that no one will out-coach or out-hustle the team this year. At 12:01 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 1, the Bruin football team officially marked the start of fall season with their first practice: “First on the Field.” The event was supposed to originally be held at Bill Raphael Field, but heavy rain early in the day on Sunday moved it to D1 training facility.
By MORRISSEY CLAIRE HARMON The Bear Facts
The 2016 Saint Joseph Cross Country Team is “in it to win it” this season. They are planning on growing in numbers as And it’s all thanks to Coach Lott, a man well as wins. determined to get our school’s football program Although the team lost some of their lead back in the win column. runners due to graduation and other interests, the He has his eyes set on state championships. He team will still have some great returning runners, expects Saint Joseph to become a leader in 2A as well as gaining some new faces. football. He expects the Bruins to knock down Seniors Matthew Hendley, Caroline Doherty, powerhouses like Bassfield. and Will Foggo will be counted on heavily this Gone are the days when teams see Saint Joseph season, as well as some younger runners such on their schedule and already have a victory as William Turner, Katie Corkern and Michael circled in their mind. Something exciting is Corkern. brewing in the depths of Saint Joseph Catholic David Wissel is eager to begin his 10th year School. as head coach of the cross country team. Coach And it all began on that football practice field Wissel will be accompanied by a new assistant where coaches’ whistles screeched in short, coach, Max Holman. staccato bursts while the late afternoon, midCoach Holman ran track and cross county for summer sun bore down on a Bruin team ready to Tupelo High School, and is also a graduate of the fight under the leadership of Coach Todd Lott. University of Mississippi. There, he ran cross country and is now excited Joseph Pearson is sports editor of The Bear to share his love of the sport to younger children. Facts. Freshman runner William Turner said that he is excited to see the new talent coming in, and that he plans to attend every practice as well as run at home to prepare for the 2016 season. The Saint Joseph Catholic School cross coun-
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Not only does Antonaros plan to have a successful season, she also hopes to help this group of girls grow as a team.”
uniforms to the pads on the net posts, everything was gold. The Lady Bruins were inspired by the story of Ryan LaSource, a Madison child who suffered from Leukemia. After hearing his story, the team decided to host a Go Gold game similar to Ohio University. When the Lady Bruins play rival Saint Andrew’s in September, both teams will be encouraging fans and spectators to come and pack the stands and cover the gym with gold to raise awareness for everyone that suffers from childhood cancer. “Go Gold” is an extension of the “Always more” theme. Both of these ideas act as challenges for the team. How can we give more to our community, our team, and our school? What can we do to make an impact on the world? Not only does Antonaros plan to have a successful season, she also hopes to help this group of girls grow as a team, while instilling a sense of leadership and work ethic in each and every player.
AUG. 12: Jamboree AUG. 19: Salem Attendance Center AUG. 26: at Natchez Cathedral SEPT. 2: Saint Aloysius SEPT. 9: at Saint Andrew’s SEPT. 16: Saint Joseph Greenville SEPT. 23: at Union SEPT. 30: Puckett (HC) OCT. 7: at Scott Central OCT. 14: at Pisgah OCT. 21: Lake (Senior Night) OCT. 28: at Pelahatchie
Cross Country team prepares for competition
VOLLEYBALL, from Page 6 The middle school, junior varsity and varsity teams took part in many activities that were modeled after the upcoming Olympic Games in hopes of winning it all. At the end of the night, the varsity team took home the gold medal. The theme of the lock-in was “Go Gold” based on an event that Ohio University started in 2015. Because September is childhood cancer awareness month, Ohio University wanted a way to honor and raise awareness for those who suffer or have passed away from childhood cancer. The result was a game against their rival where everyone came dressed in gold. From the player’s
BRUIN FOOTBALL
try team is part of an award- winning high school athletic program that offers plenty of opportunities for students to become involved in sports. Coach Wissel and Coach Holman are sure to see improvements during the season and promise to do whatever it takes to get everyone to the level they are wanting. “My favorite part of the cross country practices is being able to run alongside my friends and have fun. The practices are very laid back and if you are even thinking about joining the team, come and try it. We could always use some more and stronger runners,” senior Matthew Hendley said. Practices are sure to be tough but will definitely help and pay off in the cross country meets. The first cross country practice was Thursday, Aug. 11, after school. “I plan to do a lot of running to get ready for the season” said upcoming seventh grader and cross country runner Rush Harmon. The first cross country meet of the season will be Aug. 27 at Choctaw Trails in Clinton Mississippi. “I am looking forward to bringing home a District Championship as well as keeping our eye on the prize of the State Championship,” said Coach Wissel.
SWIM, from Page 6 Coach Collins said. “My goal is to win the State meet for both the boys and girls.” For the Bruins to win the State meet, they will have to work hard. Several of the team’s top swimmers graduated, many of them being on the boys team. This leaves it up to the new captains to carry the team to victory. “I think the boys team is going to do very well this year,” said senior Miles Beebe. “I think we will place first this year at state meet.” The State meet takes place on Oct. 29 in Tupelo, while the North State meet takes place two weeks prior on Oct. 15 at the Lakeland Courthouse. The girls team lost one member who scored at State meet, Sophia Waddingham, who is now swimming for Delta State University. The team, though, gained two strong swimmers in the seventh grade, Arilyn Thomas and Grace
Ann Wiesenberger, both of whom have older siblings on the team. The team spans grades 7 through 12.. Many of the many members play another sport as well. Some of the best swimmers are the younger members of the team. For example, one of the fastest swimmers on the team is freshman, Kenny Thomas. While these young swimmers may not have the experience that seasoned veterans possess, they still play a crucial role in the overall success of the team. With this, there is a great sense of camaraderie between the swimmers. Coach Collins says that is her favorite part of Saint Joseph swim. With that sense of camaraderie in mind, the Bruins look to make this year one to remember.
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2016
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SAINT JOSEPH CATHOLIC SCHOOL
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MADISON, MISSISSIPPI
Lady Bruins hope to improve on 2015 success New Coach Suzanne Antonaros ready to lead team to victory By LEAH MURPHY The Bear Facts The Saint Joseph Lady Bruins volleyball team went to the book of Ephesians for their motto of the 2016 season: “Always more.” Mrs. Suzanne Antonaros, the new head volleyball coach, brought this theme to the court as an inspiration for the Lady Bruins.
Antonaros has coached volleyball for more than 20 years and is passionate about the game. When the head coach position became available at Saint Joseph, she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to influence the game she loves at a place she loves. Although Antonaros has never coached at the high school level, she believes her experience with teaching the fundamentals can translate to any age group.
Antonaros believes Saint Joseph has always been a volleyball powerhouse; she wants to be a part of keeping that legacy alive. Because the Lady Bruins did not attend a team camp this year, Antonaros had the idea of a team lock-in to provide the girls with an opportunity to bond. “Being unified on the court and knowing your teammates is an important component of volleyball since there are six girls in a small space that have to work together,” she said. The goal of the lock-in was to do exactly that. See VOLLEYBALL, Page 5
File photo/ The Bear Facts Arianna Marshall makes a save in a match from the 2015 season.
Lotts of excitement
Bruin swimmers dive into season By CATHERINE COOK The Bear Facts
Bruins, new coach look to rebound from disappointing season last year
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Story by Joseph Pearson
aint Joseph opens the 2016 football season at home Friday with a game against Salem Attendance Center, a team the Bruins lost to last year. With Todd Lott, the school’s new head coach and athletic director, at the helm, a new sense of excitement surrounds the program after the team ended the 2015 season with a 3-8 record. “I am really excited to be in an environment where there’s so much support for the Saint Joe family and such a positive academic environment,” Coach Lott said recently. The team first hit the field last week in a high school
Main photo: Senior quarterback Jack Garrard scrambles as he prepares to throw a pass during football practice. The Saint Joseph Bruins opened varsity football practice on Monday, Aug. 1. Since then, the team has practiced almost every day. Photo by Sophia de Lange/The Bear Facts. Top right photo: Players stretch before practice Photo by Sophia de Lange/The Bear Facts. Middle photo: Sophomore Christian Turner catches a pass at practice. Photo by Morrissey Claire Harmon/The Bear Facts. Bottom right photo: Freshman quarterback Andrew Sanli ready to pass. Photo by Morrissey Claire Harmon/The Bear Facts.
The Saint Joseph swim team enters the 2016 season as the reigning state champs from the previous year. This year, the girl’s team will be seeking a repeat of last year’s first place, while the boys look to be on the top of the podium for the first time since 2012. The wet Bruins started practice a week before the start of the school year on Aug. 1. Many of the swimmers have been swimming all year or were on a LAURI summer league team. COLLINS This year will be swim coach Coach Lauri Collins’ 10th year as head coach of the Saint Joseph swim team. She will be in charge of more than 60 swimmers, a challenging feat to conquer for anyone. A few days of the KENNY week, Kevin Hankins THOMAS will assist Coach Collins at morning practices. On Thursdays, Matt Wiesenberger will lead the team in dry-land workouts. The hardest challenges the swimmers will face are early morning practices, swimming in crowded lanes and keeping up their grades. Coach Collins is tightening up the rules at swim this year, requiring swimmers attend a minimum of four practices a week. If a swimmer misses too many practices without a reasonable excuse, then the most likely punishment will be that they won’t be entered into the next swim meet. The Bruins have only three seniors on the team this year: Miles Beebe, Graham Hlavac and Ellie Smith. All three have been swimming for the past six years at Saint Joe and are capable of leading the team. However, because there are so few seniors, Coach Collins says the juniors will have to step up and help the seniors lead the team. “My expectations are that every swimmer on the team gets better and stronger, and to continue building a strong team in and out of the water,” See SWIMMING, Page 5
See FOOTBALL, Page 5
Todd Lott: Determined to make Saint Joseph football a winner again
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histles screeched in short, staccato bursts as the late afternoon, midsummer sun bore down on a group of student athletes running and throwing a football. Canadian geese flew overhead before gliding into the mucky, shallow pond just beyond the practice field. But Coach Todd Lott, Saint Joseph’s new athletic director and head football coach, heard none of that. The man stood there, intensely and completely focused on directing and coaching his players. A whistle hung around his neck and the expectations of hundreds of fans on his shoulders. “I coach because I’ve always had a passion for athletics,” Coach Lott said
recently. “And it’s a great opportunity to help young people and have a positive impact on their lives.” It’s been 10 months since the Saint Joseph JOSEPH Bruins ended the 2015 PEARSON football campaign sports editor on a disappointing note, wrapping up the season with a 3-8 record. It was a tough year. It was a rough year. You can understand why players might be a bit down. But things are different. The mood is different. The tone is different. This is the 2016 version of the Bruins, a team being shaped by Coach Lott, a team
motivated by the coach’s intensity and dedication. Coach Lott is far from a novice at football. He played college ball for Mississippi State University. He spent more than 20 years as head coach and athletic director at Washington School in his hometown of Greenville. Last year, Coach Lott served as head football coach at Germantown Middle School and an assistant football coach with the Germantown High School team. Now, Coach Lott is faced with a daunting challenge: turn around a storied football program that has suffered losing seasons for two years in a row. He’s ready to make that happen.
Charlie Lott, the coach’s son, knows his dad will make a difference. Charlie, a freshman, will join the Bruins this year on the gridiron after transferring from Germantown. He hopes to contribute this year to the team after playing for his dad last year at Germantown Middle School. “It’s a cool experience to be a part of my dad’s career,” Charlie said. “However, there’s no special treatment; you still have to perform.” The Bruins have been mediocre at best in recent years. But Coach Lott hates mediocrity. He demands the best from his players; often, they give him more than they realized they had.
See PEARSON COLUMN, Page 5
Photo by Dave Vowell/ Special to The Bear Facts Coach Todd Lott and his son, Saint Joseph freshman Charlie Lott.