The Royal Exchange Winter 2013

Rosary High School

The Royal Exchange Volume 1, Issue 1

Winter, 2013

Holiday Hopes

By Isabel Trujillo

Student Poll

When spreading joy, wrapping presents, and dressing up as elves are brought up, what comes to mind? For most, Christmas would be the initial thought, but for Rosary girls, Holiday Hopes is what usually comes to mind.

Do you like the idea of Homecoming at Funway?

28% like Funway 26% don’t Like

What is Holiday Hopes? The class of 2017, new staff members, and transfer students have yet to experience this wonderful time of year. Mr. Fink stated that although he is not sure about what Holiday Hopes is exactly, he is excited about it. “I heard that there will be elves and shopping (for non-food items). That sounds fun!” he stated.

(Mr. Fink would also like to make it known that his absolute favorite class is his eighth hour pre-calculus class, but that’s beside the point.)

46% don’t care

Inside this issue: 10 Great Gift Ideas

2

Ask Rosie

3

Selling Yourself Short for Approval: Miley-style

4

Movie Review

5

Music Review

5

Inside StoryHoliday Hopes Cont...

5

Cartoon by Caroline

6

Mrs. Boyles is also excited for her first Holiday Hopes experience at Rosary. “I heard that the students get very involved with Holiday Hopes, and I can’t wait to see the how it turns out,” said Mrs. Boyles. Holiday Hopes, as they will soon see, is Rosary’s traditional “adopt-a-family” event. This involves almsgiving, working together as homerooms and as a school, shopping, decorating, spreading joy, and wearing ugly Christmas sweaters. This year, Rosary is adopting 25 families from St. Peter’s School in Aurora, and each family has at least one child. Homerooms throughout Rosary will use the money collected from our donations (after it is equally divided so that all homerooms have an equal amount) to purchase wonderful gifts and necessities for these families. By doing so, we are not only giving them items, but happiness and a merry Christmas as well. Mrs. Iwanski is the wonderful mastermind behind Holiday Hopes. Behind the scenes, she organizes and plans for every event during the season all while ensuring that the Scripture message is the well-known priority behind Holiday Hopes.

“Holiday Hopes is the best example of how our Dominican school preaches with our lives. It is truly a picture of what community looks like. It is not only myself working for Holiday Hopes to be a success, but the students, parents, staff, and student council of Rosary as well. Through them, creativity and the holiday spirit truly shines.” Although most would say that their favorite parts of Holiday Hopes are the food on the actual pick-up day, the long homeroom, or the overall feeling of Christmas joy in the air, Mrs. Iwanski has a unique part of Holiday Hopes that truly makes it a joy for her. “No one besides myself sees this, but when I open the collection envelopes, I see coins such as pennies, dimes, and quarters. This is wonderful because it shows that we truly pay attention to the scripture. Every little bit counts, and through these coins, it is visible that allowances from younger siblings have been given, families give whatever they can, and it is truly proven that we understand the scripture.” continued on page 3...

10 Great Gifts By: Kourtney Lipps Not sure what you want for the holidays this year? Are you stuck on what to get your friend? Here are ten gifts for Christmas 2013: 1) If you have a laptop and your portable laptop desk is sort of boring, spice it up this year with a Lapdesk covered in pink or blue Himalayan faux fur. Available at Pottery Barn.

2) Who doesn’t like music? CDs and iTunes gift cards are always a great gift! From Adele to Zedd, there is something for everyone!

Image credit, Best Buy

3) If you’re not an early riser, fear not because Clocky is here!

When the alarm goes off, Clocky will wait for you to get up. Ignore it and Clocky will literally jump off your night stand and will run around your room, determined to get you up!

Available at Best Buy. 4) Buried in tests. Mounds of homework. You need some cheering up. Go to your locker. Pull out My Cat Hates You by Jim Edgar. This book promises 245 pictures of what it calls ‘sour faced furballs’, which is sure to bring a smile to your overworked face.

Available at Barnes and Noble.

5) Starbucks. I’m sure everyone loves it. It’s more than great coffee, it’s a great source of gift ideas. For instance, a Holiday Cold Cup Set is perfect for any coffee-holics. It comes with Salted Almond Chocolate Bites and a Venti size Cold Cup. Get it at… Starbucks!

Image credit, Starbucks

6) Based on the best-selling book, The Hunger Games: Training Days Strategy Game is a great gift for any fan of the series. This board game allows 2 - 6 players to follow in the footsteps of your favorite tributes! Available at Walmart.

7) The party continues. Just Dance returns with Just Dance 2014! You know what it is; new songs and new dances. Get the game at Target!

8) Bring your amigo for a mini spa day! Book a time at Mario Tricoci’s for a Classic Manicure. Let your hands rejoice!

Image credit, Wal-Mart

9) For a movie out of the ordinary, try a 5D movie! The 5D cinema combines 3D (you see it) and 4D (you feel it) to bring you 5D, where you actually move! That’s right, the seats actually MOVE with the action on the screen. Feel like you’re part of 2 short movies showing at Woodfield Mall!

10) When in doubt, buy chocolate!

Ask Rosie

What’s happening in December

Q: I’m drowning in homework! Any advice for me?

Sincerely,

Turnabout

12/7

Helpless with Homework

SAT

12/7

Holiday Hopes Day

12/12

ACT

12/14

Staff Christmas Party (Schedule 9: Half Day)

12/13

Rosary/Marmion Christmas Concert

12/15

RHS Christmas Concert

12/17

The best thing to handle loads of homework with is time management. Split your homework up throughout the day. Taking a quick break between subjects will give you a little time to reload and will keep your mind working smoothly. Another pro tipmusic is a proven stress reliever. Play something quietly while studying to keep you cool and happy.

Your friend, Rosie

Christmas Concert Assembly 12/20 (Schedule 4: 1:45 Dismissal)

“Just remember that your main priority is your happiness and health…”

Christmas Break Begins

12/20

-Rosie Q: With school, clubs, and sports pulling me all over the place, I’m too busy to keep up my relationship. I don’t want to break up, but I can’t let my schedule fall apart. What do I do?

-Split Heart

Relationships are a lot to handle and require hard core dedication. Just remember that your main priority is your happiness and health, and you can’t be happy if you are feeling guilty or sad about missed dates or late (if any) text responses. Consider taking a break, and if you both are still interested in a relationship when things have calmed down, they you can start it up again. Someone who really cares about you will wait!

Your friend, Rosie

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Selling Yourself Short for Approval: Miley Style

By Lizzie Sayasane The video music awards of 2013 brought many famous performers together to keep the nation posted on who is better than who, and to showcase their talents on national television.

Among these performers were Lady Gaga, Drake, Katy Perry, and the combined performance that got everybody talking, Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke.

For the past couple of years, Miley has been doing different media stunts in what seems like an attempt to grow away from her Disney childhood and become what is possibly her idea of a successful performer. Her cloths kept getting smaller and tighter and her dancing continue to become more and more suggestive including her infamous twerking. In an interview after her performance Cyrus said “didn’t even think about it because that’s just me.” This brings up the question of how such a young woman’s idea of being just herself could include flaunting her body on national television with such sexual moves and gestures. Is this a new concept? No. Is it a more prominent idea now compared to eight years ago when we didn’t have Twitter or Tumblr or Instagram? Yes. When you are a teenager, you are just figuring yourself out.

You usually get self conscious easily because the opinions of

anybody, not just your peers anymore, matter. Across the internet there are pictures and posts of girls comparing their waist size or their sexuality. The phrase “feet together, legs apart” has trended on Tumblr as the caption of photos showing a girl whose legs are so thing that even though her feet are together the space between her thighs is a frighteningly large gap. When you’re so young and so reliant on others opinions of you you’re going to grow from what you are surrounded by.

Cyrus was fourteen year old when she was completely submerged in the world of flashing cameras and money. The environment she was in when she was at that defining age was filled with the constant reminder of how important money was and how quickly you could lose it. Cyrus did not have a normal upbringing. Did this affect the decisions she is making today?

A good part of her life was spent with people flashing money in her face and constantly pointing the camera at her. It’s a cycle that we will see over and over again. Teens will see advertisements for a new phone or a pair of boots on the T.V. and suddenly want that new item because it will make them better somehow. If teenagers are seeing Miley shaking everything around on T.V. then who is to say that their ambitions won’t change from being respected as an independent woman to being desired as a sexual object?

Maybe instead of following Cyrus’s example we should stick to the words of Hannah: “Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not strong enough. Don’t give up. There’s nothing wrong with being yourself. That’s more than enough.”

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Music Review: Modern Vampires of the City

By Jayne Garceau My dearest regrets to all of you Vampire Diaries lovers out there; Vampire Weekend’s newest album doesn’t have much to do with the love triangle of Elena, Stephan, and Damon. Modern Vampires of the City burned up all of the music charts when it was released in early May of 2013 and succeeds in pulling off a retro pop rock sound while integrating just the right amount of pretentiousness and exaggeration. The group’s third album is easily one of the smartest, catchiest, and most ambitious albums I’ve heard. The lyrics that Ezra Koenig, Rostam Batmanglij, Chris Baio, and Chris Tomson have written are, in my opinion, ingenious.

heard a few songs from the album I wouldn’t have been able to answer this question: the words Ezra sings are very hard to understand. But, after listening to the tracks again and taking a look at the lyrics online, I found them to be inspiring. In the track “Step”, the standout lines are: “Wisdom’s a gift, but you’d trade it for youth/Age is an honor it’s still not the truth”. This song is essentially referencing nostalgia. Ezra sings that he’d rather give up all of the knowledge he has attained over the years and become young again. Growing older doesn’t mean that you are guaranteed to become wiser. Being older than someone doesn’t mean you have truth over them.

What makes their lyrics so clever you may ask? Honestly, the first time I had

Back to the album as a whole, Vampire Weekend has found their niche in the

music world, which is a unique sound that is precise yet innovative. New, different, and interesting artists are what get me excited about music. Maybe you’ve been stuck in a “music rut” listening to some repetitive pop stations.

Perhaps you should try something new?

A different music genre can take you by surprise, inspire you, and make you a more well-rounded woman.

Holiday Hopes cont...

A very coveted position involving the Holiday Hopes season is the elf position.

Those who are lucky enough to be elves get to be here at Rosary and witness the joy that the families experience as they come to pick up their big pile of Christmas presents and food on pick-up day (which is on December 12th this year).

Not to mention, they get to show Christmas spirit by dressing up and being as elf -like as they can be! Be on the lookout

because the elf list goes up on Wednesday, December 4th this year. Last year on pick-up day, there was live music performed by some of Rosary’s talented musicians. Piano, guitar, and saxophone notes filled the air and brought on a lively atmosphere. This year, let’s work together to make this Holiday Hopes the best one yet! Bring on the creativity and let the Christmas spirit deck the halls of Rosary not only on December 12 th, but on

every day before then as well! Remember: We will follow the Apostles and trust the Scripture promise that we will have what we need. “…all who believed had all things in common…they would divide them among all according to each one’s need.”

Movie Review: 1D This is Us by Kourtney Lipps One Direction: This is Us is one of the most popular documentaries of the year and it’s easy to see why. It gives us a closer look at one of the biggest groups in the world, and not just how their managers want them to appear on stage, but their life offstage and on the road as well.The boys sing their hearts out night after night, and we see lots of great live footage from their perform-

ances, but this is more than just another concert video. One Direction: This is Us gives us the playful side of the boys, as they play pranks on their fans as well as each other.

From their earliest beginnings through the X-Factor to their soldout concert worldwide, the boys show they have a side beyond their music. It’s also nice their family have their say as well. It makes the

boys seem more down to earth and not just another superstar group. It gives you a good feeling to see how much love they have for their relatives and something the fans don’t usually see, that their families don’t see the boys often, and miss them very much. To sum it all up, One Direction: This is Us is a great documentary to see whether you’re a Directioner or you just like their songs.

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Homecoming Bonfire The Homecoming Bonfire was a fun-filled evening that started off with a bang! It started with a parade being lead by the Marmion ROTC. The MarmionRosary band followed along with the multiple clubs and teams. After the parade, homecoming court nominees were introduced to the student bodies of both schools. Our homecoming nominees of 2013 are Reannon Overbey, Nelson Jenig, Ryane Jenig, Chris Unruh, ‌ The cheerleaders and dance team both performed amazing routines. The dance team’s routine

was choreographed by Maeve Wangler, Rachel Loy, Ally Sheen, and Gabi Pruneda. The Marmion-Rosary band performed their fantastic James Bond show. The Flannigan Rifles did an astounding routine that amazed the crowd with their unity, skill, and sharpness. The crowd was lead by the MarmionRosary band towards the festivities following after. The bonfire was lit by the homecoming court nominees. Many students and families enjoyed the concessions and bounce houses. The volleyball sprawl was being held dur-

Cartoon by Caroline Meija

ing this time as well. The bonfire was humongous! Standing within 10 feet of it, you could feel the toasty warmth of the fire. Sparks and embers were floating around in the air. Everyone gathered around the fire in groups, enjoying the warmth and hanging out with friends. The night was filled with laughter and fun. The night was coming to an end as the fire became smaller. It ended with a show of colorful fireworks. The Homecoming Bonfire had a big turnout filled with fun activities enjoyed by many.

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Bye Bye Birdie

Bye Bye Birdie takes place in Sweet Apple Ohio featuring a Rock n’ Roll star known as Conrad Birdie. The show starts out as Conrad’s troubled songwriter Albert Peterson, and how upset he is that Conrad has been drafted into the army and there is nothing he can do about it. Albert’s sweetheart Rosie comes up with a brilliant plan to send Conrad off with the girls going wild, to pick one special girl as Conrad’s last kiss and to perform and record a song “One Last Kiss”. Albert agrees to the plan after Rosie exclaims through song, he can finally become an English teacher.

I was lucky enough to sit in on one of the rehearsals for the school show. I found the cast was overflowing with energy, everyone seemed happy and excited for tech week. Katelyn G. (junior)

singing “English teacher” proved her singing range to be absolutely phenomenal. Every note, whether high or low was hit perfectly, it was a really enjoyable song to listen to. The ensemble performs the song “Telephone Hour” after Albert and Rosie leave the stage. Everyone seems really comfortable on stage, there wasn’t much hesitation when it came to the dance moves and the cast performs really well together. Kate J. (sophomore) as Kim MacAfee performs the song "How Lovely to Be a Woman". The song is about Kim, a 15 year older girl becoming a women. Kate performed exceptionally. From there the show flies off in a crazy direction as Conrad Birdie comes to town, making every girl even

more mad for Conrad Birdie.

Overall I think the performance lives up to Rosary’s expectations for putting on a great show every year and every one should hurry to get there tickets before they’re sold out! The show opens Friday evening, November 8th at 7:30, has a shows on Saturday evening at 7:30 and closes Sunday afternoon the 10th with a show at 2. Tickets for students and seniors are $8 and adult tickets are $10. Friday night only, with an add on of 10$ a dinner of hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and root beer floats are being offered before the show. Saturday night will feature a taste and see with a wine tasting before the show.

-Morgan Dunn

Health Tips: How to heal dry lips Dry lips are always a negative part of winter. Here area couple tips to keep your lips soft and smooth year round:



Drink A LOT of water- keeping your body hydrated is so Dry lips are always a negative part of winter.



Don’t lick your lips!- as your lips dry, any moisture you do have in your lips will go with it!



Always have a lip balm on hand- put it on every couple of hours and they will slowly heal.



Vaseline- it sound weird, but before you go to bed, spread Vaseline evenly over your lips and in the morning, they will feel like new! (this tip also works for your hands, but make sure to put sock over them so the Vaseline doesn’t rub off during the night.)

The Royal Exchange Staff: Morgan Dunn, Kourtney Lipps, Isabel Trujillo, Lizzy Sayasane, Gabi Pruneda, Jayne Garceau, Martha Buchert, Sarah Wilkinson, Reannon Overbey, Caroline Mejia, Danielle Leonardi, Kylie Marsden

Don’t see your club or sport info? Email your story to erago@rosaryhs.com

Club Overviews

By Caroline Mejia Chess club is held in the library on Wednesdays from 3 P.M. to 4 P.M. with moderator Sister Bernie. You can play against peers or Sister Bernie. No previous experience is required. One of the club members will be happy to teach you how to play and Sister Bernie will always be willing to give helpful hints. Debate Club meets on Fridays in room 304. The club meets from 3 P.M. to 3:30 P.M. for regular meetings and 3 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. on days when debates are held. The moderator is Mrs. Boyles, the junior English teacher. The newly elected cabinet is Jenna Streich, president; Isabel Trujillo, vice president; Nina Valaitis, secretary. Film Club meets on Wednesdays in room 112. Mr. Sanders, the intro to philosophy and sophomore and junior theology teacher, is the moderator. Mr. Sanders chooses unique and often thought provoking films. French Club is held on Tuesdays in room 107. Mrs. Volpe, the French teacher is the moderator. French club watches movies in French, plays games in French, and does various other French activities. You do not need to take French in order to join. French club has some joint gathering with the Marmion French club.