Visor Issue #5

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THE

VISOR

archbishop hoban high school - Issue 5 - November 24, 2013

Student looks at why too much stress and effort may not be the solution

pg. 5 The Visor examines the United States’ consistent struggle with immigration

pg. 9 The Visor gives students insight into one of Hoban’s most quirky staff members

TYPHOON HAIYAN

TAKING A LOOK AT GLOBAL, NATIONAL AND LOCAL RESPONSES TO THE DEVASTATING TRAGEDY IN THE PHILIPPINES. full story on page six

> Cover by Sarah Carmon

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editorial

Referees Partisan Against Hoban Athletics

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ecently, Hoban athletics has been suffering from multiple disappointing situations in regards to each of the fall sports teams’ final game. It seems that this year expectations and hopes have been crushed in a swift and seemingly intentional matter. So, what is the greatest common factor in each of these situations? -the referees.

Before the ranting begins on how awful calls were, how blind the referees could be, or how incredibly biased they were in favor of the opposition it is emphasized that everyone is human. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone has those days. But, in the recent events and the brevity of time those events occurred it becomes hard to believe that everything was “just a mistake.”

First, allow the editorial staff to portray what, in our opinion, is an official mistake.

In the 2011 season the Varsity baseball team reached the state championship game. The Knight’s were defeated by St. Francis De Sales 9-8, where one run and one call made all the difference. On a play at the plate graduate Joe Young slid in untouched by the catcher, but due to the angle of the view and the speed in which it happened, the home plate umpire made a judgement call and called him out. Now, to some it is believed that the team was royally cheated on the call and then later as well on the last play of the game, however, this is not a complaint on the umpires’ overall performance in the game.

Let us first reflect on the situation freshest in each of our minds. The Varsity Football team’s 20-14 loss against Walsh Jesuit was a bitter end to a successful season relative to the past 3 years. In the 4th quarter with less than a minute remaining junior Vince Murdocco threw a pass to senior Jake Tersigni in the end zone on 4th and 3. The game film,

the reactions from both sidelines, coaching staffs, players and fans all suggest that Tersigni made a clean catch and landed in the end zone with at least one foot down. The referee on the sidelines closest to Tersigni hesitantly lifted his hands to signal a touchdown, but looked to his partners for confirmation. At first, no call was made and once the five referees reviewed it with each other; their explanation was that neither of them saw the catch.

So, the call resulted in an incomplete pass despite the unwritten rule that if a player receives the catch cleanly near the sidelines than it is a complete pass regardless of where his feet landed (We can assume that is what the first official saw which is why he was going to signal a touchdown, however he did not see whether Tersigni’s feet landed in bounds). The problem came when the referees had a job to do and they did not do that job once they claimed no one saw the catch and still ruled it an incomplete pass.

Bad officiating also cost the varsity boy’s soccer team’s run in the postseason. In the district semi-finals against CVCA the referees tended to favor the home team in many aspects. It even escalated to the point where senior Jacob Brown was thrown to the ground by an opponent and had his hand purposely stomped on with no repercussions to the CVCA player. It once again is not a concern on how bad the officiating was, but when the terrible officiating affected the morale and overall outcome of the game then there is a problem.

Girl’s Volleyball and Girl’s Soccer also saw their seasons come to an end due to situations such as the ones above, which suggests whether Hoban has an incredibly unlucky streak of bad officiating or the officials actions towards our sports teams has something to do with the name on the jersey. 

VISOR

THE

ARCHBISHOP HOBAN HIGH SCHOOL Mailing Address: One Holy Cross Blvd.

Akron, OH 44305 Online: www.hobanvisor.com E-mail: visor@hoban.org AWARDS •CSPA Gold Medalist •NSPA First Class Award •Quill & Scroll Int'l First Place •OSMA First Place

The Visor subscribes to the ASNE/MCT Campus news service and to APStylebook.com.

Signed letters for publication are welcome.

Mailbox is in the main office. Unsigned editorials represent the consensus of the editorial board. Signed opinion represents the views of the writer only.

Staff: Editors-in-chief Benjamin Easton Danielle LaRose Managing Editor Timothy Brennan Features Editor Hannah Caprez News Editors Jonathan Sapp Sports Editors Trey Lesiak Copy Editor Emily Dunn

Photo by Hannah Caprez

Photo Editor Julia May Website Editor Kyle Knapp Staff Reporters Joseph Brennan, Sarah Carmon, Christian Cook, Ashley Kouri, Michael Londa, Julia May, Matt Mascolo

Senior Jake Tersigni catches the ball inbounds in what would have been the winning play of the game against Walsh Jesuit.

Adviser Natalie Tannehill

opinion three Reputations Give Unfair Advantage to Select Students

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hy is reputation so important? It’s an enigma, really, as to why the beliefs of others weigh so heavily on us in the long run. They can temporarily define us, succeed us once we’re gone, or allow others to make snap judgements based on our name alone. Often, though not always, people quantify the past actions of a person, rather than seeing the quality they bring to the present.

In almost any situation, a reputation is a prerequisite for consideration of a person’s product, talent, or even companionship. Whether it’s moviegoers referring to an actor’s past movies prior to viewing their feature film, or J.K. Rowling fans flocking to her new book solely because her name is stamped on the cover, the fickle nature of the consumer is based on the influence of reputation. After all, while the book was published under a pseudonym, a handful of critics dismissed Rowling’s “The Cuckoo’s Calling”. The book “didn’t stand out” until her name was being splashed across the front page, revealing her as the author, and propelling it to the top of the New York Times Bestseller list.

Though this name-based, blind-faith approach has taken a stronghold in the media, it should not be acceptable in schools or in the educational system, despite its growing popularity. Often times,

the students with the best grades are also assumed to have the best moral characters when in fact, this could be a complete fallacy. Likewise, those with poor grades and performance at school are not seen for the potential they could have, but for past failures and mistakes alone.

Despite colleges starting to take a “holistic approach”, or considering the person as a whole for admission, it is found that in high school this inattention for the individual is eclipsing the actual application process. Many students are disregarded based on tendencies they had their Freshman year, in spite of any personal or academic changes that have taken place since. Even here at Hoban, students have obser ved that seniors in CP classes are overlooked by Student Ser vices in favor of those in AP and Honors classes while preparing to apply to their schools of choice.

Some have supposed that the reasoning could be the belief that some CP kids have a lack of motivation or unrealistic expectations, but this is not necessarily true.

For the most part, when these assumptions are made, grades and a student’s reputation are the only deciding factors.

Likewise, for Honors/AP students, expectations are heightened based on academic performance. This confidence is almost taken too far though, allowing

Every LaRose has its thorn by danielle larose many counselors to become careless in the submission of a student’s materials; there have even been reports of counselor’s switching out the names of students on recommendation letters. Rather than recommending each student individually based on personality and merit, some have taken to generalizing the letters of students with similar academic notoriety.

Whatever the case may be, a reputation alone isn’t enough to succeed. Whether known to be fantastic students, or fantastically slacking, what should always be considered is the work and effort made now, not two, three, or, in Rowling’s case, 16 years ago. The only way to negate this ill-conceived practice is to consider people for what they bring to the table, not what we are told or think they can do, but for what they are doing presently and for how honorably it is being done.

Extraneous Perserverance Proves Unnecessary

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ever give up. Persevere! Push yourself! Try hard and do your best! Stay strong! These cute little motivational statements have pushed us for years and years, leading us to believe that doing unbearably hard work and pushing yourself to the limit is the only way to find success and happiness. After watching hardworking people in my life work themselves like dogs and push themselves closer to their breaking points, I learned a very important thing about these mottos- they are are terrible words to live by.

Every day at lunch, I am surrounded by my frazzled friends, some studying for a quiz in this or that, one or two doing homework for so-and-so’s class and others stressing about a test in yadda yadda yadda that they are sure they had failed that day. A month ago, I was in the exact same position as them. I was more stressed than I had ever been in my entire life from trying to balance the time I needed to survive several demanding classes, work, extracurriculars and other obligations. I barely had time to breathe, let alone stay calm. My stress was very visible to the people in my life. After consulting the lovely Mrs. Freund, my parents and some close friends, I decided that it would

be best to drop into just one easier math class.

I was incredibly nervous about switching classes. I had spent years believing that if I was not doing the very best job I could do on the most difficult level I could manage, I was worthless and wasting my abilities. The act of letting go was harder than any other part of switching classes, and I do not regret the decision. The easier workload gives me more time to focus on things that pertain more to my future, and I have much less to worry about each week. Just from that one small decision, school became almost bearable. In general, it has been a blessing for my mental health.

The most important lesson I learned from that experience was that it is perfectly fine to give up. Knowing your limits is essential for a stable existence, and stepping down when you reach your limits is not a sign of weakness. As strong as you need to be to push through a difficult time, you need to be just as strong to put yourself first and do what is best for you. Nobody can be expected to take on the world and walk away like it was nothing.

In no way am I condoning laziness, nor am I telling anybody to stop challenging themselves. It is important to do the best that you

“I’mso Dunn”

by emily dunn can do, but it is important not to push yourself too far, and only bite off what you can chew. Be smart and prioritize. If you want to be an engineer, you should probably take higher-level math and science classes instead of focusing on a difficult history class or English class. If you enjoy writing, it may be better for you to take more writing-focused classes, like an Honors or AP English class or another year of a language.

It is essential to work hard and survive school, but maintaining your sanity is a much higher priority. It is okay to take it easy sometimes, especially when it is for your greater good. Give up (sometimes). (You do not have to) persevere (if it is hurting you). Push yourself (in the right direction, at a nice pace)! 

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news

Down to the VERY LAST

CAN

As the leaves change and the temperature drops, the Thanksgiving season rushes in as quickly as the cold weather. While most are stocking their shelves with Thanksgiving foods, many forget about those that cannot provide themselves a bountiful Thanksgiving dinner. During this time, Hoban students and faculty unite for two weeks to fill food banks all over Northeast Ohio with the annual canned food drive.

by julia may

Photo and graphics by Sarah Carmon

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nticipation for meeting the school wide goal, singing on the daily announcements, heated classroom throwdowns, and competing for the Golden Can Award have always seemed to yield outstanding results. But this year, something was lacking.

Less people were bringing in chocolate and baby formula for the bonus days, virtually no spirit surrounded throwdowns, and many were seen simply trying to figure out how many cans their class had brought in so far. By Friday the 15th, just two days prior to the drive’s final collection day, the school as a whole had brought in meager 15,000 cans. Most of the Hoban community was unaware of the true can total, though, due to time restrictions set on the morning announcements. In the past years, the announcements reserved a spot for the daily updates on the class totals, the throwdown results, and the school total of cans as well as the upcoming incentives or bonus days. The lighter side of these updates were usually accompanied by corny yet always inspiring cover of a song to stir up the friendly competition that makes the drive so successful. Other components that students complained omitted were incentives to bring in cans and the reward of carrying them down during first period.

While the can tally was not near the normal standards on Friday, a shift in the overall tone of the drive took place. After a brief yet humbling speech from Mr. Jason Horinger on the true meaning of the drive, the Hoban family decided to give one final push in an attempt to near the goal of 45,000 cans. That push turned into a shove as the endless carts of cans and beaming students poured into the Barry Gymnasium Monday morning. Not only did the students and faculty bring in massive amount of cans but they all worked together to accomplish it . From forming a giant assembly line from a car to the school in order to transport cans better to just helping teachers tally up totals, a united atmosphere of working together took over the school. A total of 31,000 cans were brought in Monday with 21,000 from the seniors and 7,500 from the Junior, Sophomore, and Freshman classes. The goal was not only met but surpassed by school’s donations reaching a grand total of over 47,000 cans.

The excitement and competitive nature behind the canned food drive is always good fun but the true meaning of the drive can be in undermined in the rush of the short twoweek span. This year, all of the donated cans will be distributed to 15 different organizations across Northeast Ohio. Some of the organizations that will receive the cans are The Good Samaritan Hunger Center, Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, St. Bernard’s Hot Meal Program and Archbishop Hoban’s own Project HOPE. The powdered baby formula and baby food will go to Pregnancy Care in Tallmadge and the giant chocolate bars and a selection of canned vegetables will go to Victim Assistance and their annual holiday baskets for the less fortunate. Overall, while the hard work that the Hoban community put in during the final days to meet a schoolwide goal may be one accomplishment, the true goal that was met in the drive was the aid and assistance that was provided to the less fortunate for the holiday season. 

THE JOURNEY

OF A CAN Stop #1- The can is delivered to a local grocery store.

Stop #2- A Hoban student carefully selects the can for purchase at their local grocery store.

Stop #3- The can is delicately placed on the conveyor belt, scanned and bagged.

Stop #4- The can is placed in the trunk of a car and driven to Archbishop Hoban.

Stop #5- The can is dropped off in a first period classroom, accounted for and taken to the pile outside the central office.

Stop #6- The can travels to a box truck and is taken to a local food bank.

Stop #7- Food bank serves food to the less fortunate.

peas

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news

NHS Repeats, Revamps Traditional Holiday Fundraiser by sarah carmon

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tor Katie Haubert said. “Not only dothe families receive gifts, they receive necessities that they may not otherwise be able to provide for their children.”

After being collected, the gifts are then sent to aid agencies in the Akron area. This year the collections will be dispersed between four agencies: The Akron Rotary Club, H.M. Life Opportunity Services, Project Hope, and Akron Head Start.

“We adopt around 15 families from H.M Life and 25 families from Head Start. In the end we will end up helping around 200 people. Each 3rd period class is assigned a family to bring gifts for. The rest of the

third period classes will bring in gifts to help support the people of Project Hope and the Rotary Club,” Honor Society co-advisor Tina Braman said. “This year we will also be doing a jeans day to help raise money to be able to get other gifts to be dispersed to these causes throughout the season.”

The simple benevolence of the Hoban community joining together to create such a positive experience on families is a true godsend to others. By engaging in schoolwide service projects such as this, especially when led by the school’s leading students, Hoban truly lives up to its mission of cultivating the heart as well as the mind.

U.S. Struggle Over Immigration Proves Insurmountable by jonathan sapp

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n recent years the issue of immigration in the United States has found itself to be the center of political and social debate. As of 2012, over one million new immigrants are annually being nationalized.

While this drives the growth of our nation, it also presents several problems for the U.S. Most pressing are the issues of how many immigrants the U.S. should allow ever y year and how much initial government support they should receive. The beauty of our nation is that America was founded on compromise, and in the end almost all issues are resolved through it.

Even since the early 1800s, immigrants have been essential to the U.S.’s growth.

In the 2010 Census it was reported that over 40 million Americans were foreign born, or over 12 percent of the population.

However in recent years many citizens

have begun to believe that immigration is actually detrimental to the growth of our countr y. The problem lies in the fact that many U.S. citizens worr y that immigrants either take jobs from Americans or take advantage of various welfare programs.

According to the Center for Immigrant Studies, the unemployment rate for immigrants in 2010 was approximately 9 percent, nearly the same as the overall unemployment rate of 8.6 percent that year. Yet the CIS also recorded that approximately 57 percent of immigrants were on some form of welfare or government assistance in 2010. This number is significantly higher than the 39 percent of domestic Americans citizens that receive government support.

For these and many other reasons, the issue of immigration reform has been brought to the forefront of politics, with little avail. In an already hyper-partisan

environment, government leaders have struggled to find a solution. More conser vative politicians are more inclined towards restricting the amount of initial support immigrants receive while allowing those who promise to bring jobs and talent to the economy to be nationalized more easily. In contrast, more liberal politicians want to see an equal opportunity for all future citizens while providing the initial support for them to settle into the countr y. However the specifics of the daunting issue are both intricate and see to be nearly unsurmountable.

The massive issue of immigration seems to continue to threaten the unity of Americans both politically and socially.

However as the problem persists so will the search for a well-balanced solution.

Photo courtesy of Tina Brahman

very year the National Honor Society works to create an opportunity for less fortunate families to have a memorable Christmas. Students in the Hoban community come together to help many people. Filled with time spent bonding with family and appreciation for the gifts received, Christmas is a time of blessing for every family. While many wake up to delicately wrapped gifts under a tree draped in lights, others struggle to provide for their loved ones. In effort to address this, The National Honor Society (NHS) organizes a drive every year in order to collect gifts for less fortunate families.

This year is the third year in which the NHS will be collecting these gifts from Hoban students. In past years, Hoban has adopted around 30 families in a given year to offer help to. The gifts collected in classes are broken down into single families, many of which have multiple children. Students are asked to bring in gifts that fit the age range of the children in the families. From princess shoes and toys to the basics consisting of socks, warm clothes and hygiene necessities, the gifts that Hoban sends are extremely valuable to these families.

“Adopt-a-family has always provided a Christmas for many families,” guidance counselor and former coordina-

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Super Typhoon Haiyan Prompts Worldwide Humanitarian Response by ben easton

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Known as Super-Typhoon Haiyan, the recent natural disaster in the Philippines has caught the world’s attention for both its record-breaking magnitude as well as its devastating effects on the southeast asian country.

The Visor staff takes a deeper look into Haiyan by exploring both the damage it caused and breaking down the current status of the international, national, and local aid efforts.

early two weeks ago, on Nov. 7, Super-Typhoon Haiyan, one of the world’s most devastating cyclones on record, destroyed several cities and took the lives of many in the Philippine islands. Tacloban, the capital city in the Philippine province of Leyte, was almost completely ravaged by the storm. As one of the most populated and developed areas at the time of the typhoon, Tacloban suffered the greatest amount of casualties as well as infrastructural damages.

As a country that rests in the line of the typhoon belt, the Philippines endures multiple typhoons on a yearly basis. Yet, with a mounting death toll of over 4,000, Haiyan ranks as one of the most harrowing natural disasters to ever affect the country. Also, according to a report from the United Na-

How the

World Reacted:

tions, it was estimated that 13 million people were affected by the typhoon and as many as 600,000 were displaced.

To put this recent natural disaster into perspective, it can be compared it to one of America’s most damaging and costly natural disasters in the past decade--Hurricane Katrina. Katrina, which drowned the under sea-level port city of New Orleans in the summer of 2005, resulted in around 1,800 deaths, 400,000 displaced residents, and billions of federal dollars. Today, eight years in the aftermath, New Orleans and other cities damaged by Katrina in the Gulf Coast are finally finding economical and industrial rebirth, though the catastrophe caused by the hurricane still pervades our national conscience. But, when compared to Haiyan, Katrina can be easily recognized as the smaller of the two cyclones.

Not only did Katrina result in fewer casualties, but its meteorological magnitude, as reported by CNN, was ranked as remarkably weaker than Haiyan’s.

In addition to the vast destruction and record breaking magnitude of Typhoon Haiyan, the former-residents of Tacloban now face the constant threats of robbery and violence. Although authorities are doing all they can to maintain order, the destruction of the city along with the subsequent desperation of those in need of food, water and shelter has driven many to extreme measures. Without a doubt, the recent calamity endured by the Filipino people calls for a major humanitarian aid effort, because as the world has witnessed in times past, it is a long and trying road to recovery that lies ahead. 

Not only was Haiyan one of the most harrowing typhoons ever recorded in history, but due to the thousands of small islands that make up the Philippines, the international aid effort has had difficulty to provide care to many of the remote communities that also faced the brunt of the storm. Yet, this added obstacle has in no way deterred aid organizations across the world and at home from providing help to those in need, rather, it has given all the more reason to respond more promptly.

internationally On an international scale, the biggest player in the push to provide aid to the Philippine people is the United Nations.

Amassing approximately 60 million dollars to put into the aid effort, the United Nations has so far focused on main cities and metropolitan areas as primary places to provide the needy with clean water, food, and, if possible, shelter. The International Rescue Committee, another organization involved with the Philippines, has emphatically offered support, but also recognizes that transportation may be one of the biggest issues in providing aid. “If we can’t get to the communities affected because the road systems are down, we’re going to have to up our game,” director of global emergency Bob Kitchen said. Yet, despite problems of mobility, the additional aid from countries such as Japan, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Australia will surely help to surmount such obstacles and move forward with the humanitarian response.

Nationally The United States has also taken a lead role in reaching out to those affected by Haiyan. Three days in the wake of the typhoon, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel dispatched the U.S. Pacific Command to transport food, water, and first-aid supplies to the communities near Leyte and Samar, currently two of the most damaged and desperate provinces in the Philippines.

Through citizen-based donations,The American Red Cross has also shown support for the cause by recently increasing its funding for the aid effort, which now amounts to 11 million dollars, and by partnering with Facebook in their latest fundraising project. “This is the first time Red Cross has had a large-scale donation effort through social media,” spokeswoman for Red Cross in the Greater Grand Rapids region Kelly Hudson said. For any who are interested in contributing to the American Red Cross mission in the Philippines, donations can be made through either the Red Cross website or through their web page on Facebook.

LOcallyThe Hoban community has also vowed to help those afflicted by Super-Typhoon Haiyan. When classes resume after Thanksgiving break, from Dec. 2 to Dec. 13th, students will be offered the opportunity to donate money for the cause, and for each donation, a cut-out snowflake will be placed on the expressway window in the central staircase.

Also, for a two-dollar donation per student, 10th period classes will be able to adorn their doorways in any variation of christmas themed decorations. All proceeds for the fundraiser will go to the Cleveland Chapter of American Red Cross.

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JUST THE FACTS

TYPHOON HAIYAN*

*locally known as Typhoon Yolanda

DEFINED:

a tropical storm located in the regions of the INDIANorWESTERN PACIFIC OCEANS* *It’s only a hurricane if it is in the Caribbean Sea or Atlantic, Central and Northeast Pacific Oceans

11.8MILLION MILL 659,268 2.5ION 10+ i ndi vi dual s

affec t e d

displaced

394,494 people inside

1,316

Evacuation centers avaiilable

thousand feared dead

people require immediate

FOOD ASSISTANCE

you Can DO WHAT

to help haiyan victims

many of the victims most urgent needs

150,000

]shelter, food, water, medicine]

are donatable in some form through your local Red Cross or by calling Catholic Relief Serivces at 1-877-435-7277

Information provided by:

soschildrensvillages.org.uk www.unocha.org/roap www.lwr.org/haiyan www.currentafairszone.com www.usatoday.com

Layout by Danielle LaRose

homes either PARTIALLY or TOTALLY DESTROYED

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features

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ocated just off the highway in a small plaza in Green, Nectar is a unique, non-chain juice and smoothie bar. The store advocates healthy eating through its motto of “a fresh approach to an active lifestyle.” Although Nectar is closed on Sundays, customers may visit the smoothie shop any other day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. most weekdays. Smoothies come in either sixteen or twenty-four ounce cups and are offered in twenty-six delicious different flavors–as well as a monthly special–categorized into four different blends: premium, berry, classic, and tropical. The Jump Start is a common premium flavor, made with oatmeal, bananas, and peanut butter among other ingredients. Other flavors include Strawberry Banana, Orange Crush, and Blueberry Blaster. In addition, each smoothie comes with a complementary supplement such as protein or a multi-vitamin.

To encourage repeated business, the store even offers a promotional card so that every tenth smoothie is free. For under $5 dollars, Nectar provides refreshing smoothies delicious no matter the time of day or the weather.

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ear Belden Village Mall, Piada offers Italian food in a Chipotle-esque fashion where restaurant-goers can customize their own meal. First, they choose a piada (Italian burrito), pasta bowl, or salad. From there, the different ingredient combinations are endless. Meats range from crispy chicken to steak to calamari. Sauces may be hot or cold, with the pomodoro similar to a typical spaghetti sauce and basil pesto a common cold selection. Toppings are plentiful as well, with 17 different vegetables and cheeses–including sauteed peppers and mozzarella cheese. Should customers hunger for something other than pasta, the restaurant also offers soups and salads.

For under $2, one can add a beverage to his or her meal, such as any of a variety of teas, Italian sodas, or ordinary pop. Special offers via text or email are made available to individuals who sign up. Also, customers can order online in advance to avoid long lines. Open from 10:45 a.m until 10:00 p.m, Piada is a great place to visit for some delicious Italian cuisine.

THE AREA’S MOST $3-$6 3939 Massillon Rd - Uniontown, Ohio 44685

UNDERRATED

$7-$10 RESTAURANTS 4469 Belden Village Street N.W. Canton, Ohio by tim brennan While food from restaurants like Chipotle and Swensons is always tasty, many people have become so comfortable with such places that they subconsciously neglect to branch out to other eateries. Here are some of the lessfrequented restaurants not far from Hoban that are both quick and delicious.

THE LAMP POST

Restaurant $10-$15 49 Village Way Hudson, OH 44236

Graphics by Hannah Caprez

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nlike Nectar and Piada, Flipside is more of an eat-in restaurant. Though equipped with a waiting staff, there is a minimal wait for the chefs’ tasty dishes. Burgers–seven ounces of Ohio raised premium grass fed beef–are the specialty at Flipside. The Hudson location offers 12 different types, ranging anywhere from those of simple tastes (lettuce, tomato, and cheddar cheese) to extravagant (brisket, pickled jalapenos, smoked gouda, bacon, and barbecue sauce). In addition, the menu offers macaroni, truffle fries, salads, and other “between bread” options. Just as many burger joints do, Flipside mixes delectable shakes to satisfy the sweet tooth of every customer, such as the Chef’s Shake made with peanut butter, chocolate, and pretzels and the Apple Pie Shake made with real chunks of apple pie.

Opening at 11:30 a.m, Flipside is a great place to stop in for lunch or dinner.

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$7-$12 2081 E Market St, Akron, OH 44312

oughly five minutes east of Hoban, the Lamp Post is a modest diner on Market Street with a focus on breakfast food.

Open 24 hours everyday, the casual restaurant boasts of less than twenty tables. With the kitchen separated by a waist-high divider from the dining room, customers are able to watch as their food is prepared. Pancakes, hash browns, eggs of any style, the Lamp Post provides for nearly any reasonable breakfast hunger. In addition, it also hosts an eating challenge: the He-Man. The platter includes eggs, toast, hash browns, biscuits, gravy, french toast, and bacon or sausage and weighs between two and three pounds. Only the bravest (and hungriest) of men can conquer it, so frequenters of the diner claim. For a bite to eat before school, after work, or even at 2 a.m., the Lamp Post satisfies those with a palate specializing in breakfast food.

features

the curious case of by joe brennan

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Benjamin Rossi

lmost everyone in the Hoban community is familiar with Religious Studies teacher Ben Rossi for his quirky mannerisms and inventive teaching style. Despite his school wide renown, however, very few people understand Rossi beyond his eccentric exterior.

While he attended John F. Kennedy High School in Warren, Ohio, Rossi was inspired by his Latin teacher. “Mr. Karrenbauer was informal and funny and a ‘saywhat-you-mean’ kind of guy,” Rossi said, “I wanted to be a teacher just like him.”

In high school, Rossi’s analytical mind allowed him to excel in Latin and math.

“In my heart, though, I had this yearning for ‘truth’,” Rossi said. Latin and Math could not satisfy his desire, so, when he attended college, Rossi and his classmates studied a multitude of books ranging from Homer’s “Iliad” to 20th century American literature. “We sat around a table with professors who facilitated discussions while we wrestled with ‘truth’,” Rossi said, “By the time I was a senior I was ready to admit that Jesus Christ was ‘the truth.’ Without him all things would fall apart and life would be empty of meaning.” After a few years, this realization would lead Rossi to teach religion, but he was not ready for that yet.

Coming from a family of lawyers, many people in Rossi’s life encouraged him to follow the same path. After college, he was on the brink of applying to law school before he heard of a job opportunity at his alma mater. There, Rossi would teach one of his favorite subjects, math, for one year.

Rossi struggled with teaching in his year at John F. Kennedy High School. “I found teaching to be almost unbearable. Besides a class of freshman honors geometry, I struggled to connect with and motivate students,” said Rossi, “I felt like I had almost no control over the classroom.”

In his first year of teaching, Rossi’s trials made him ironically teachable. Under the guidance of his former instructor, Fr. William Petrunak, Rossi began to see his career in a whole new light. While admiring Fr. Petrunak’s gentle, compassionate attitude, Rossi started to look at teaching in terms of relationships. “That was something that transformed that first year into a big success for me and continues to sustain me in teaching today,” Rossi said.

Once his single year of teaching math had ended, Rossi decided to affiliate himself with the Congregation of Holy Cross. In Holy Cross, he studied graduate theology, spirituality, and the mission of the community. Although Rossi never became a vowed member of Holy Cross, his teaching methods retain a strong Holy Cross influence.

At the same time that Rossi left the Congregation of Holy Cross, Hoban had an opening in the religious studies department. He took the job as an opportunity to fulfill his dreams of teaching while also nurturing his passion for the truth. When he first started at Hoban, Rossi worked in the campus ministry office and taught three classes. During his eight years at the school, he was able to develop into the teacher that he is today, learning much about how to deal with students from his colleagues. “Mrs. Dyrland and Brother Jim taught me how to be down-to-earth and approachable,” Rossi said, “I learned how to be a boss in the classroom from Mr. Milo and Mr. Yanko.” Early in his career at Hoban, Rossi could be found standing outside of these teachers’ doors to listen in.

Once he became more comfortable with the teaching atmosphere, Rossi began to use his own unique personality to his advantage in class. Rossi calls himself awkward, creepy, funny and sensitive and he takes each of these characteristics as a gift from God. “Even though I sometimes find it very difficult to live with my personality, I believe that it is a way for me to connect with students on many different levels,” Rossi said.

Rossi’s unique personality in the classroom is limited to freshmen and sophomores, whom he teaches exclusively. “I enjoy teaching freshmen because they are energetic and have not yet been corrupted,” Rossi said. “In their sophomore year, students are for the first time capable of asking and answering deep questions. It’s an honor to be a part of that process with them.” While teaching such young and impressionable minds, the most important message that he wants to get across is that one must be selfless to recognize Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Although he has finally found his niche here at Hoban, Rossi is still proud of his roots at John F. Kennedy High. Inspired by the philosophies of his former teachers, it only makes sense that Rossi has become an inspiring teacher at Hoban, who now prides himself on his own teaching philosophy: “Say what you mean and mean what you say. And don’t be mean.” 

nine

ten

features

a Review

12 Years A slave: “I

don’t want to sur vive. I want to live,” proclaims Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) in director Steve McQueen’s historic drama “12 Years a Slave.” In 1841, Solomon Nor thup is a family man, a successful violinist, and and free black man living in Saratoga, New York. That is, until he is unwittingly sold into slaver y and subjected to the hor rors of plantation life. Throughout his twelve years of ser vitude he is owned by several slave masters, some benevolent (Benedict Cumberbatch) and others downright sadistic (Michael Fassbender).

The stor y is por trayed through a series of vignettes with no passage of time or location ever made clear. This ambiguity works well with anonymity of slaver y. For McQueen, it doesn’t matter who you are, where you are, or how long you’ve been there, you are a slave and nothing more. However,

what is clear is that this is the stor y of Solomon Nor thup. He dominates nearly ever y frame and Ejiofor makes his presence felt even when he is not allowed to speak. Similarly, as the harsh plantation owner Edwin Epps, Michael Fassbender is electrifying. His fierce, Bible quoting per formance clashes directly with Ejiofor’s restrained per formance, and the result is mesmerizing.

One of the main themes of the film is juxtaposition. Examples include a majorly British cast reenacting an American tragedy, the beautiful, almost picturesque cinematography showcasing the hor rors of slaver y and most importantly man being subjected to less than human conditions. Many of the most cr uel and violent acts such as a near lynching, are framed exquisitely, the natural beauty clearly at ends with the cr uelty. The spanish moss flows in the wind gently while countless slaves are

CASH,Credit,or C

With black friday just around the corner, The Visor looks back on where the new “holiday” got it’s name, and what places to stay away from this Thursday.

F

by matt mascolo

Ha os?

by hannah caprez

or years the Christmas season has slowly began to infringe upon Thanksgiving, an American holiday that dates back to the beginning of our colonization. As American consumers, we also know that that means the push by big businesses to get started on Christmas shopping comes with the joyous holiday as well. Due to the excessive advertisements and “rock bottom” prices, the day know as “Black Friday” has grown to be a holiday of it’s own. In fact, this ambush of shoppers and shopping lists have taken a turn for the dangerous in the past few years in retailers across America.

Black Friday first started in the 1960’s as a sort of “kick off” to the Christmas shopping season. It earned it’s name because at that time accounting records were kept by hand, the formerly red ink meant a negative loss in sales while the black indicated a profit. Since the very first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City was held in 1924, the conclusion of Thanksgiving has marked the beginning of the holiday shopping season. While the holiday got it’s name from the increase in profit, it became widely known by it’s nickname when Philadelphia police began to refer to it as this because of the congestion in the streets.

Over the years more and more retailers began to realize that the earlier they opened their doors the bigger a crowd they could draw. Just a few years ago shopping would begin at around five in the morning, giving shoppers time to sleep off their Thanksgiving feast, and prepare themselves for the stressful environment; however, in recent years, most stores have slowly pushed it up farther and farther almost taking away from Thanksgiving. Most stores now open at eight p.m. giving shoppers barely enough time to put the left-overs away. This year, Walmart will be opening at six p.m. on Thursday, which leaves shoppers asking, when does shopping start to take away from the holiday?

In the future American consumerism could overtake the day set aside for giving thanks and spending time with loved ones, which shows a lack in our integrity as a society. 

whipped, beat, or punished intensely.

While recently, films such as “Django Unchained” have brought attention to the hor rors of slaver y through subversive means, “12 Years a Slave” attacks the issue of slaver y head on. No image is spared; ever y whip crack and strike of a rod is por trayed unflinchingly. In doing so, McQueen plunges the viewer into the harsh world of slaver y.

“12 Years a Slave” is as close to necessar y viewing as any film today.

Through it’s multiple well-wrought per formances, hauntingly beautiful cinematography, and stubbor n refusal to shor tchange histor y “12 Years a Slave” succeeds in ever y categor y.

Most impor tantly, it is a human stor y, and a stor y that speaks about the necessity of freedom in each person’s life.

After viewing the film, the audience, like Solomon, has not only sur vived but now knows how to tr uly live. 

Stores to Stay Away From 1. Victoria’s Secret- It is late, there are

teenage girls everywhere who are not afraid to push and bite to get a $30 dollar pair of yoga pants, and not mention Starbucks hasn’t opened yet so they couldn’t get their gingerbread latte.

2. Target- If you want a chance at getting the hot new item you better be there Wednesday morning! The line wraps around the building and anyone who attempts to cut in line receives an explicitly worded walk of shame all the way to the back.

3. Walmart- The people here want the deals and they will do pretty much anything to get the product out of your hands, for example tripping, rolling over toes with a cart, and persuasive tag team distractions.

4.Dick’s Sporting Goods - These people want their discounted North Face jacket, and they will wait as long as it takes in line to get it. On average you will wait 2-3 hours in line once you finally pick out you item.

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sports

Shooting

I

n the wake of a fall spor ts season filled with playof f runs by boys soccer, girls soccer and girls volleyball, boys basketball seeks to carr y on the momentum generated in the fall. With an early contest against St. VincentSt. Mar y, they have a chance to set the tone for the rest of the season.

“St. V has two potential pro basketball players as well as two potential NFL football players so it will be a great challenge,” Head Coach TK Grif fith said about this year’s contest. Last year the Knights were able to pull through with a win against the state runner-up Irish and ended up with a 19-7 by michael londa record, finishing the season in the third round of the playof fs against Alliance.

With the loss of six seniors, the Knights must turn to the returning star ters from the class of 2014–Christian Waite and Michael Londa–for leadership. Along with them, sophomore Anthony Christian competed as a star ter for the Knights last year and has experience on the cour t. Yet, with all this experience accounted for, there is still plenty of room for new faces to step up as leading contributors for the Nov. 29 7:30 p.m. Kenmore Away team. Seniors John Bahmer, Ben Cook and Pat Williams could each play key roles Dec. 3 7:30 p.m. St. Vincent-St. Mary Home in the Knights’ success, along with Juniors Fritz Schwendler and Danny Tassiello.

Although Hoban graduated two players above 6’ 4” who ser ved dominating roles Dec. 7 Greynolds Classic vs. Jackson Away in the paint, their game plan has not changed much. “We weren’t that much taller Dec. 10 7:30 p.m. Firestone Away last year but some subtle changes over the year will be seen---possibly more Dec. 13 7:30 p.m. Walsh Jesuit Home pressing when we can...other subtle changes as well,” Coach Grif fith said.

Dec. 20 7:30 p.m. Lake Catholic Home The Knights open the season on Nov. 29 against Kenmore.

This game preludes the rivalr y against St. Vincent-St. Mar y Dec. 21 6:15 p.m. Mount Union Classic vs. Perry Away on Dec. 3 where the Knights hope to defeat the Irish two years in a row for the first time in over a decade.  lthough l a s t year’s girls basketball team lost their first playoff game in the District Quarterfinal against Fairless, the season was considered an immense success. The team earned a 17-6 overall record and the North Coast League (NCL) championship title. Much of the team’s success was due to its senior leadership and commitment to excellence.

With no returning starters from last year, the 2013-2014 Lady Knights basketball program may encounter many bumps in the road throughout the new season due to inexperienced players. In high school sports, this is one of the by kitchy cook toughest challenges a program may confront. Many teams use the following season after a large depletion of key players as a “rebuilding year.” But, third year head coach Scott Callahan reported his optimistic outlook on the upcoming season. “We have a completely new varsity team, we are a team that Nov. 23 2:30 p.m. North Royalton Home is creating its own identity, a team that is improving daily,” Callahan said.

Nov. 26 7:30 p.m. GlenOak Away The Lady Knights have already proved themselves against several very talNov. 30 2:30 p.m. CVCA Home ented teams in scrimmages this pre-season.They have taken down opponents Dec. 4 7:30 p.m Garfield Home such as Rocky River and Hudson. “The competition has greatly challenged Dec. 7 2:30 p.m. Walsh Jesuit Home us, and we are starting to figure out that if we play with tremendous effort we Dec. 11 7:30 p.m. East Home will have a successful season,” Callahan said. With a productive pre-season, Dec. 14 2:30 p.m. Lake Catholic Home the girls are hoping to continue the momentum into the regular season.

Dec. 21 7:30 p.m. Padua Franciscan Away The Knights enter the season with confidence and also a bit Dec. 23 7:30 p.m. Fairless Home of uncertainty. More than half the team has never played in a varDec. 28 2:30 p.m. Barberton Away sity game. “I am excited and curious to see how they deal with real game pressure which is totally different than the scrimmages,” Senior guard Amanda Beebe said. This year, Callahan is relying on leadership from Beebe, junior Sydney Mitchell, and sophomores Kara Marshall and Erica Roberts. Only Beebe and Marshall have significant experience at the varsity level, but the team and coaching staff have extreme confidence in all four players.

The girls first game was last Saturday Nov. 23 against Division I opponent North Royalton. Scores were not available at press time. Tonight, the girls basketball team travels to Glen Oak in another tough Division I matchup. 

INTO THE SEASON

BOY’S BASKETBALL

A

GIRL’S BASKETBALL

Layout by Danielle LaRose

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sports

Swim Team Surfaces to Prepare for Upcoming Season by jonathan sapp

A

s the fall spor ts season comes to a close, most student athletes are able to sit back and relax for at least a few weeks. However for Hoban’s swim team, the end of fall spor ts ushered in the stressful but rewarding swim season. From the early morning practices to the late night meets, swim team is one of the most intense spor ts at Hoban. This year the team is preparing to build on last year’s successes by bringing new talent to the pool.

Last year the team fared ver y well, opening their season at the Thunder-

bird Invitational, where the boys took first place and the girls taking second of five teams overall. The early seasons’ victories continued with the boys taking second place and the girls taking third in the Nor th Coast League Championship meet. In addition, several members qualified for the OHSAA State Meet. Then Senior Jake Hochschwender finished 24th in the 500-meter freestyle, Hoban’s 200-meter freestyle relay team finished 21st and the 400-meter freestyle relay team finished 24th at the state level competition.

In addition to a large group of returning swimmers this season, swim

A DAY IN THE LIFE

team has seen a propor tionally large influx of new members. This may be par tially because of the team’s family-like atmosphere and its competitive but encouraging spor tsmanship.

“When I first joined swim team it was hard but the team is so amazing it makes up for all the hard work we do,” Freshman Thomas Davies said.

The team’s first event of the 2013-2014 season kicks of f with the Thunderbird Invitational on November 30th. With daily practices and frequent bonding activities, the Hoban swim team is sure to attain great success this winter season. 

of a hoban swimmer

p. p. p. a. a. a. a.

7:55 5:00 m. 5:30 m. 7:15m. m. 3:25 m. 4:00 m. 6:30 m. take a hot shower, start school chill with my start practice change, go wake up to my leave for alarm clock

morning pratice

start morning practice off at eat a small Hoban or at breakfast Akron U a. a. m. m.

5:15

6:00

get changed, fix barely awake fellow swim my hair and brush mates my teeth

eat more breakfast a. m.

leave for afternoon practice p. m.

7:30 3:15

off with a warm up

practice ends change for and take a nice practice hot shower p. p. m. m.

3:50

6:00

home, and do my homework

go to bed p. m.

11:00

Hoban Bowling Strikes Preemptively to Promote Program by ashley kouri

T

he Hoban bowling team remains a quiet success stor y, as they prepare themselves for the season with an unbreakable focus on the strategic game at hand. The team is beginning its season with 11 members on the boy’s team and eight members on the girl’s. Each team will play seventeen matches and 7 tour naments that follow. Captain and junior Devin Angles is confident about the upcoming season. “This year’s team is going to be good with a lot of practice.

We are hoping to make it to districts like we did last year,” Angles said.

The boy’s bowling team, captained by juniors Devin Angles and Brandon

Becker, gained two freshmen and one sophomore in addition to the retur ning members of the team. They are encouraging underclassman to join, even those without prior skill in the spor t. “There is a strong possibility that two of these new bowlers will make the Varsity squad. We hope to build a strong program for the long ter m,” coach Dennis Holodnak said.

As captains for the girls team, seniors Kayla Hor ning and Maria Albanese also repor ted their enthusiasm for new members, and they are still looking for four or five new girls to join. Despite cur rent belief that one must have great bowling skills to contribute to the team, Coach Holodnak maintains his position that

any newcomers will be grounded in the fundamentals and given the confidence needed to succeed at the high school level. The team would like to build on underclassmen talent for the future of the program.

Last year, the varsity boys ended their season with a record of 11 wins and 10 losses. W ith last year’s record in mind, they are set on accomplishing several major goals this season, some of which include to win the conference, capture the NCL title and make it out of districts. On the other hand, the girls team finished last year with a 9-11 record. Their next game will be against R o o t s t o w n a t 4 : 0 0 p . m . o n T u e s d a y, N o v. 2 6 t h a t S t o n e h e d g e L a n e s . 