The Owl | Volume 81 Issue 5

TheOwl

THE REGIS HIGH SCHOOL OWL 55 EAST 84th street | New York, NY 10028 (212) 288-1100 EXT. 2109 OWL@REGIS.org

Volume 81 Issue 5 | MARCH 21, 2017

SEEDS OF GENEROSITY

Decisions, Decisions: Senior Third Trimester

BY TREVOR WERTHEIMER ’18 Assistant Opinion Editor

At Regis, we are gifted with many incredible opportunities to live, learn, and enjoy ourselves. Of course, there are specific moments most students can point to as high points in a relatively brief stint at 55 East 84th. For some, the passion of the annual Regis-Xavier Tripleheader serves as one of the defining moments of the high school experience; others may prefer the spiritual aspect of a Jesuit education, and accordingly assign special status to a retreat or religious function.

But despite personal preference, alumni and Seniors will tell you nearly unanimously that the third trimester of Senior Year, the capstone of the grueling four-year marathon that is Regis, serves as a truly rewarding and enjoyable end to a student’s time here.

The mystique of the famed senior year third trimester precedes it. Younger students hear stories of relaxation and free-time, while also learning about the broad freedom given to choose classes and service sites – to say nothing of the thinly-veiled bragging that goes along with seemingly having hours upon hours of free. Often, there’s no one thing seniors point to about the ex-

perience that makes it so special, and perhaps the redeeming quality lies in the fact that it offers something different to everybody. Individuals may enjoy the chance to give back to the community, or maybe students treasure partaking in niche classes. Maybe it means so much because it’s the last bit of time students will have to be with classmates before they go separate ways off to college, and leave Regis. Regardless, we at The Owl thought it would be interesting to get some perspective on what path the seniors have chosen to take in this final trimester, and why.

Generally speaking, seniors have three options when it comes to third trimester: fulltime Christian Service, the academic program which includes the chance to choose from electives covering a variety of interests and subjects, and the Social Justice Entrepreneurship, a unique blend of both.

Some students, it seems, just cannot quite kick the desire to learn in a classroom setting.

Classes offer cover niche interests, with such options as Introduction to Ancient Greek or Arabic, Marine Biology, and Post-Colonial African Studies. While it would not be a Regis experience without a bit of heavy-lifting and work, se(Article continued on page 8.)

Spotlight Athlete:

Adriano Attallah ’17

BY MATTHEW KLUGE ’19 Staff Writer

Whether it’s running the dreaded 1500 m or writing college supplemental essays, Adriano Atallah ’17 embodies a true Regian. Extempter ex(Article continued on page 12.)

IN THIS ISSUE: NEWS (PAGES 1-3)

In Divisive Time, MLK Service

Above: The Jamaica group with Mr. Mullins and Ms. Kiernan just before departing from JFK International Airport to Kingston, Jamaica.

BY NICHOLAS DRURY ’18 AND ANGELO VILLADOLID ’18

Over February break, eight students, including myself, and two faculty members traveled to Kingston, Jamaica to volunteer for the Mustard Seed Communities. Mustard Seed was founded in 1978 as a home for children with disabilities on the outskirts of Kingston, but recently globalized, the organization began building apostolates in Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and Zimbabwe. Regis has proudly participated in mission trips to the Jamaican apostolates for the past eighteen years. While it successfully runs thirteen apostolates in Jamaica, housing over 400 residents, Mustard Seed relies heavily on volunteer participation to do much of the physical labor and tasks. For this reason, they appreciate when groups come back year after year to work in the community.

Volunteer groups, along with interacting with the residents, often act as the stand in

Decisions, Decisions...

“Character Development”

A showcase of the elective and three seniors’ portfolios.

Which third trimester senior-year option is the best?

Seeds of Generosity

Mr. Vargas writes a letter to the editor.

Amate Vitam joined the March for Life in Washington, D.C.

the Mustard Seed organization casts, the people we met had a significant range of disabilities. While some of the residents were mobile, many were wheelchair bound and nonverbal. Learning to communicate in ways other than sentences took some time, but eventually we learned that deep dialogue was not necessary. Often our message got across with some simple questions and a friendly smile. Personally, I learned by example how to interact with the residents; Jack and Angelo were often the first to approach the residents, young or old, and the last to say goodbye. Observing how they interacted with the residents enabled me to more effectively communicate with them as well. When asked why he returned to Jamaica, Angelo remarked, “I just had to see the progress they made since my last visit and I wanted to continue my service to such a worthy cause.”

On our first day, we went to (Article continued on page 2.)

FEATURES (PAGES 4-5)

Reflection and Review

Marching for Life

labor force during their stay at the Mustard Seed homes. We were tasked with laying bricks for a new walkway, mixing and pouring cement to rebuild a driveway curb, and painting fences and a pavilion. While these may eventually become topics of senior year third trimester courses, most of us were rather inexperienced at such activities. Thankfully, we could ask the ever-patient Mr. Williams - Head groundskeeper at the “Jerusalem” apostolate - for assistance. While the physical tasks we completed were meaningful, the greatest payoff came from interacting with the residents.

Although the Regis contingent included some veteran volunteers such as Ms. Kiernan and juniors Angelo Villadolid and Jack Parsons, most of us had no prior experience working at Mustard Seed. This made for some interesting challenges; perhaps the most notable of which was communicating with the residents.

Because of the wide net that

OPINION (PAGES 6-8)

A school-wide assembly chronicled the life of Jackie Robison, the first AfricanAmerican baseball player in the MLB. Several students spent their February break volunteering in Jamaica.

SERVING THE REGIS COMMUNITY SINCE 1936

ENTERTAINMENT (PAGES 10-11)

Two seniors respond to a recent op-ed.

In Transit: A Review

A Note on Journalistic Integrity

Zachary Espiritu ’17 reviews a new Broadway musical.

“You’re Terminated” A new host brings new problems.

Putting Together the Pieces The LEGO Batman Movies assembled a hit at the box office.

Representative Letter Workshop In an after-school meeting, two English teachers spurred political activism.

SPORTS (PAGE 12)

Student Spotlight A feature on Adriano Attalah ’17.

Fitness Resolutions Reaffirming New Year’s Resolutions.

Page 2

News

Regis Jamaica Trip TheOwl THE FORUM FOR REGIAN DISCOURSE Patrick Magahis ’17 Editor-in-Chief

Christopher Mignano ’17 Managing Editor

McAfee Sheehan ’17 News Editor

(Continued from front page.)

Mass at a local Catholic parish.

During the homily, the priest told us that his prayer for us was that we leave Jamaica with more than what we hoped to bring. A similar sentiment was shared by our own Fr. Powell the week before we left. While telling us of his own work in Jamaica, he said that we should be ready to accept and learn from the people we encounter:

to be prepared for them to minister to us. In this vein, senior Gene Witkowski said, “This experience brought me out of my comfort zone by putting me in a place I’d never been, in a situation I’d never actively experienced. Interacting with the residents was eye-opening, and knowing that an organization such as Mustard Seed exists, that does everything in its power to give a normal life to those

who might not otherwise have one, is incredibly powerful.”

Similarly moved by the experience, senior Brian Reyes said, “Working with such a marginalized population took me out of my comfort zone, while affording me the opportunity to experience a beautiful country.”

I agree that the trip opened my eyes to a part of the world and population that not many people experience. I also gained a newfound respect for those that work fulltime with special needs students as well as an appreciation for the world that we

experience back home.

If the personal satisfaction of helping the less fortunate isn’t enough to convince you to consider the trip in the future, some of the non-service related highlights include our night out at the terrific local restaurant “Jackets” and a well-deserved restful day at Ocho Rios beach.

On behalf of the other student volunteers and myself, a special thank you is extended to Ms. Kiernan and Mr. Mullins for making the trip so successful.

Below: Mr. Mullins, George McKnight ’18, Gene Witkowski ’17, Jack Parsons ’18, Nicholas Drury ’18, Angelo Villadolid ’18, Brian Reyes ’17, Dylan Gomez ’19, Oscar Garcia ’18, and Ms. Kiernan at the Mustard Seed Communities “Jerusalem” Apostolate.

Nicholas Lindseth ’17 Features Editor

Jack McCordick ’17 Opinion Editor

John Timony ’17 Entertainment Editor

Jack Sweeney ’17 Sports Editor

Zachary Espiritu ’17 Layout Editor

Kyle Jones ’17 Photo Editor

Aidan Woutas ’18 Assistant News Editor

Devin Chu ’18 Assistant Features Editor

Trevor Wertheimer ’18 Assistant Opinion Editor

Alessandro Colangelo ’18 Assistant Entertainment Editor

Thomas Hagan ’17 Assistant Sports Editor

Nicholas Drury ’18 Assistant Layout Editor

Mr. Joseph Quinn ’04 Faculty Moderator

Fr. Arthur Bender ’67 Faculty Moderator

ESTABLISHED IN 1936 the regis high school owl 55 East 84th STREET (212) 288-1100 ext. 2109 owl@regis.org THEOWL.REGISPUBS.ORG

Want to write for The Owl? Email us at owl@regis.org for more information.

In Divisive Times, An MLK Prayer Service

BY MORGAN MCCORDICK ’19 Staff Writer

On an early morning in midJanuary, the entire Regis Student body crowded the auditorium for the school’s annual Martin Luther King assembly. Each year Regis commemorates Dr. King’s heroic efforts to strive towards a more equal society during the Civil Rights Movement in a school-wide event. As a Sophomore, I had only experienced one of these annual assemblies the prior year in which the focus was the Selma March, a pivotal event of the Civil Rights Movement. This year, however, the

assembly took a different turn as the central theme was the life of the legendary athlete Jackie Robinson.

Regians listened intently to a presentation that chronicled the important events in the life of this influential sportsman who was the first to break the color barrier in professional baseball.

As the first African American athlete to play in Major League Baseball, his career was likely not only one of the most defining in all professional sports, but an important achievement for the African American community in the United States. Soon after, students were delighted

to hear a brief musical performance from Regis’ Glee Club organized by Mr. Peterson, followed by speeches delivered by members of Regis’ very own Diversity Committee, which organized the entire event. Mr. Anselme’s speech about Jackie Robinson was particularly well received. The assembly is a very important and meaningful event of the school year not simply because students honor those influential figures who sought to better race relations in the United States, but because we are also given the chance to celebrate the diversity of our own community. Reflecting on

this year’s assembly, sophomore Joe O’Neill said, “The MLK assembly a few weeks back was a testament to the Regis community and its values.”

In a time defined by division and disagreement, the MLK assembly provided an opportunity for our small community to put aside our differences and unite under the common goal of “being a man for others.” On behalf of the entire Regis community, The Owl thanks the Diversity Committee and others who were involved in the development of this inspirational assembly.

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News

Regians March For Life in Washington

Student News Joseph Manfredi ’21 recently broke the Regis Freshman basketball single game scoring record against Cardinal Spellman with 40 points.

Seniors Gianluca Rago, Luke D’Cruz, Joshua Zeitlinger, Michael Cosgrove, Yeon Jun Kim, and Nicholas Cimaszewski placed 34th in the nation in the CyberPatriot competition.

Above: Sophomores Sean McCabe, Brian Golinski, Jimmy Corrigan, Thomas Gilmore, and James McGibbon at the March For Life in Washington, D.C.

BY JAMES MCGIBBON ’19 Staff Writer

On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court struck down state bans on abortion in Roe v.

Wade. The following year, Nellie Gray organized the first March for Life on the anniversary of the court’s decision. Since then, abortion has remained a hot button issue in American politics, and hundreds of thousands of people from all backgrounds and creeds march every year to protest the practice. Marchers make their way up Constitution Avenue, rain or shine, to the foot of the Supreme Court Building, while giving testimony to the sanctity of life. Among those this year was a delegation from our own Regis High School.

Although our group was small—consisting of five Regians (including myself) and Mr. Bonagura—we were struck by the thousands of families, parishes, youth groups, and college students from various

universities taking up the entirety of the avenue as far as the eye could see. In fact, a Notre Dame student told our group that there were more than ten buses full of college-aged prolife advocates from her school.

However, it was not only the sheer number of people that was so striking, but also the passion with which so many of them demonstrated. A sea of posters, signs, and people told the complex story of the March and what it meant to its participants.

In addition to the lighthearted and joyous moments, such as when a group of young girls marched while singing a catchy tune, there were a number of emotionally gripping moments as well. These included a group of siblings standing together, mourning the abortion of their brother, and the daughter of a rape victim shouting with joy and gratitude for the life she was gifted. It was an invigorating experience for all, but we eventually we peeled off from

Constitution Avenue and and made our way to Mass said by Father Paul Scalia, son of late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. The Mass was beautiful and very meaningful to all who participated. Afterwards, we made our way to the bus for a surprisingly fast ride home. On the way back, we listened to a group of college students debate a number of contentious issues. Listening to these lively discussions gave us all interesting lessons to ponder upon, but it was a sign of coming back to reality after the solidarity of the March. We finally arrived back at the 150 year-old Holy Innocents Church on 37th and Broadway, said our goodbyes to one another and everyone we had met, and left, waiting until next year to march again.

We would like to thank Mr. Bonagura and the members of Amate Vitam for their leadership and constant support for this trip.

Want to write for

TheOwl?

Drop us a line at owl@regis.org.

The Regis Quiz Bowl team of Luke D’Cruz ’17, Kevin Donohue ’17, Andrew Kalyvas ’18, and William Kim ’19 qualified for both NAQT Nationals and the National History Bowl tournament.

Seniors Randall Zuccalmaglio and Eoin Matthews took first in Public Forum debate at the New York City-Long Island Debate Championship, qualifying for the NSDA National Tournament in June.

All twenty-six Regis seniors who were named as National Merit Scholarship Competition Semifinalists advanced to the Finalist stage.

At the New York City-Long Island Speech Championship, seniors Ryan Cimmino, Owen Doherty, Zachary Espiritu, Kyle McArthur, and Brandon Wingfield qualified for the NSDA National Tournament in June. Juniors Brendan Fitzgerald and Trevor Wertheimer and sophomores Daniel Tully and Nathan LoPinto also qualified.

Three Regis seniors were nominated as Candidates for the 2017 United States Presidental Scholars Program.

The Regis Mock Trial team led by senior captains Wally Joe Cook and John Timony recently won their first two rounds of competition.

Owen Byrne ’20 recently entered the prestigious “1,000-Pound Club”, for a total bench press, back squat, and deadlift weight of 1,000 pounds.

At the Harvard Speech and Debate Invitational, sophomores Finn Donohue and Matt Kluge and freshmen Eugene Lee and Andrew Rachek were semifinalists in Junior Varsity and Novice Public Forum respectively. Out of 500 debaters, Alexander Lee ’20 was named the 4th overall speaker, while Rafael Foncillas ’21 placed 5th speaker out of 287 in the Novice division. Zachary Espiritu ’17 made it to the semifinals in Program Oral Interpretation and Ryan Cimmino ’17 was a quarterfinalist in Extemporaneous Speaking.

Page 4

Features

Joseph Callaghan ’17

Joseph Callaghan ’17

Above and Below: A photo spread of some of the work done by seniors in the “Character Development for Animation” elective.

Jake Lem ’17

Kyle Jones ’17

Kyle Jones ’17

Jake Lem ’17

Senior Elective: “Character Development”

BY RAYMUND LEE ’19 Staff Writer

In a world where technology’s influence on modern day art is rapidly increasing, the process of character development is finding itself on the screen. The tradition of putting characters onto comic book squares is expanding into video games, animations, motion pictures, and other forms of popular media.

In a two trimester senior elective, three seniors, Joseph Callaghan ’17, Kyle Jones ’17, and Jake Lem ’17 have completed the process of putting their pen to paper work into computerized models and drawings. The independent study program moderated by Ms. Prezioso, focuses on the core values of creating

and developing a character and introduces the aspect of putting life into these ideas through a computer.

Officially named as “Character Development for Animation”, the course enforces the step-by-step process of creating a character and promotes independent study and work on these ideas.

“You really can’t make art and have no purpose behind it, and that’s especially true for the work these seniors are doing,” stated Ms. Prez, when asked about what the main ideas of the elective truly were. When constructing a character, the foundation lies in knowing exactly why the character is being made. The color of a character’s hair, eyes, and costume must tell

a certain story, tracing back to the artist’s intent. Ms. Prez furthered the importance of these lessons, “Color and composition are imperative to the telling of a character’s story—it’s also the most important thing to do before the animation stage.” Even the most minute details, such as the position of a character’s eyebrows, must have thought put into them. Each senior was asked to create four characters, and to draw “gesture drawings” for every one of them. These drawings consisted of tens of standing poses, facial feature concepts, and action poses that would truly add to the personality and nature of a creation. One character would then be selected for a color study, where their persona and makeup would

be finalized. The final step was animation and modeling. “At this point in the course, what I wanted the students to experience is the process of developing characters, from inception to two-dimensional drawings to three dimensional concepts and animations,” Ms. Prez added.

Programs such as Blender and Maya were utilized to create character’s like Jake Lem’s puffin into a computerized model and image. “This is what the artists do at Pixar, they draw and think and the final step is the laptop screen,” Ms. Prez stated, “the seniors are doing more of the preliminary part of this.”

As an independent study project, Ms. Prez’s role as the moderator is important to stress. Rather than a class where

her teaching is an important part of the class, her guidance and consulting is what pushes seniors into the direction they want to go in. “I ask them who their characters are, what to they do, where are they from, to really make sure the create a person with a story,” said Ms. Prez. The drawn out process of creating a character from its beginning to the end where its on the screen, Ms. Prez said that the conclusion of the program “is where you see that technology and art are intertwined, especially in this day and age, and that’s exactly what I wanted to see them experience and do.”

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Features

THE POWER OF THE PEN:

English Teachers Lead a Letter Writing Workshop

BY RAYMUND LEE ’19 Staff Writer

Americans today face problems which seem to affect the lives of our most obscure citizens. In a time when orders by the new president have caused alarm and concern, many young people spend time updating social media rather than taking responsible civic action. And yet, the recent travel ban seems to have sparked something in students at Regis. Feelings of hopelessness and despondency began to give way to an urgent question: what can we do now?

This is where Ms. Brody and Mr. Grunner swooped in to save the day.

Empowered by the recent wave of political activity in the building, these inspired teachers found a way to help students channel their charged energy into something useful. They decided to hold a workshop that would teach students how to

write letters to their elected representatives. This unique experience gave students the opportunity to express their thoughts and opinions on political issues that affected their families. Letters to the President are likely to be ignored, but letters to one’s local official allow for people to fight for change in a personal way. The policies and laws of the United States affect the country as a whole, but real political change always starts locally.

Ms. Brody and Mr. Grunner began the workshop by helping the participants identify their particular representative.

Whether it be one’s representative to the State Legislature or the House of Representatives, it is important to know the person who is tasked with conveying the problems of his or her constituents to a specific legislative body. Addressing the needs of a community to a certain representative is pivotal to foster change in the lives of residents

who live in the area.

The dynamic faculty duo then showed the participating students how to begin to write and format their letters.

Writing to one’s representative requires great thought and contemplation, as letters that are incoherent are quickly disposed of by officials. Ms. Brody and Mr. Grunner demonstrated to the students how to write a perfectly structured letter that would catch the eye of any legislator. Some valuable advice that the teachers gave included to be concise in the wording of the letters, to be clear about one’s objectives, and to back up one’s concerns with statistics or a personal anecdote. The meeting was closed with helping students who wanted to mail their letters find the address of the desired representative. The teachers gave the students two websites that would give students the office location of their representative, which included the loca-

tions of their elected officials in the U.S Senate and the House of Representatives.

The meeting was a great success, and provided Regians with a way both to take action and to understand their government in a whole new way. It is not everyday that students are given the opportunity to act upon the wrongs they perceive in their communities, but this workshop allowed for many Regians to respond to a specific problem in their community that may detrimentally affect their friends and family. After the meeting, Ms. Brody and Mr. Grunner were generous enough to email the rest of the school an outline of what students had learned during the workshop. Ms. Brody also included a letter that could serve as an example to students of how their letters should look before they sent their own letters. This gesture helped the students who were unable to attend the workshop to learn more

about how they could inspire change in their society with the power of their pen.

Written correspondence can go a long way in the journey of positively impacting one’s community, and Ms. Brody and Mr. Grunner helped many students see this. It does not matter if one supports or opposes President Trump’s actions; every voice deserves to be heard. At the end of the day, America is a country where everyone has the right to believe in their own opinions, and they have the right to let their beliefs shine through. As such, Ms. Brody, Mr. Grunner, and all the teachers who were responsible for this unique opportunity deserve sincere commendation.

All it takes is one letter to promote change in one’s community. It all starts with you.

The Roving Reporter asks: “If you were a superhero, what would your power be?”

Rafael Garcia ’19

James Curry ’18

“I always liked the idea of flying with wings on my back.”

“Making myself sick for tactical absences.”

Alessandro Colangelo ’18

Cormac Cullinane ’19

“The power to make the panini line move at lightning speeds.”

“The power to skip junior-year Latin.”

Christopher Durso ’18

Brian Saville ’18

“The ability to study accurately and finish all my assignments in the blink of an eye.”

“I would be Blush Man, and I’d heat my face to volcanic levels whenever I’m the center of attention.”

Page 6

Opin

Reflection and Review: Two Seniors Respond Roughly a month ago, I, like many other Regians, found myself vigorously nodding my head at my classmate Tobi Ayeni’s article. Between our assemblies and senior protest, many of the questions

BY JACK BEYRER ’17 Tobi aptly raised Staff Writer were met with responses of deep care for the state of our school.

I can certainly relate to many of Tobi’s concerns-my mother is Jewish and four years at Regis have not taken the sting off of comments made in jest or otherwise regarding my heritage. It is honestly disturbing when my Jewish grandparents ask me about school and my peers, I often am without a reply that would not upset them--between swastikas, holocaust jokes, and general anti-Semitism.

Tobi’s encouraging final words, “Let’s define our culture for the better…it’s time to care” spurred some important thoughts for me. My purpose in writing this is to answer Tobi’s call. It’s time for me to care about the legacy I am leaving behind at this school.

Some of you may know me from varsity baseball, commentating the triple header, various Hearn activities, or St. Baldrick’s, and I am very proud of all of these things. But as I ask myself, “What have I done to truly change this school in my four years?” I cannot say anything terribly substantive. I can no longer in good conscience be silent about a pervasive problem we need to address at Regis: we need to be more intellectually responsible. We need to listen to each other.

Tobi discusses many of the false pretenses under which we desire to call ourselves “inclusive” as a community, which I wholeheartedly agree with.

One that might not come to mind though, is our lack of unfettered and responsible discourse. I am unabashedly a conservative, and in many ways I have felt left out or isolated from important conversations at Regis. In the classroom, I have seen reasonable conservative opinions dismissed as “hateful” or “illegitimate.” As a function of my family being heavily involved in the NYPD and my ideas, I have been accused of not caring about the rights of minorities in this country. Little did these people know I had spent a great deal of my summer working with the REACH program, discussing and learning many of the issues that affect students in their communities. Just because a friend of mine’s father is a police officer and he respectfully disagreed with another student, he was called a “blue lives matter idiot.” Of course, this is not anywhere as offensive as many things Tobi has cited, it becomes a slippery slope to such comments.

In the wake of the recent election, emotions ran high, and while there is no dispute that much of our president’s rhetoric is divisive and offensive, we would be extremely close-minded and irresponsible citizens to eschew the opinions of Regains who support the president on the merits of his policy. The reality is that Regis, both faculty and students alike, predominately are liberal.

This is not an issue at all, in fact, I welcome others challenging my ideas because it helps me either change my mind or make stronger defenses of them. Yet, as a community, we cannot allow the

predominant ideology affect how we treat those in the minority. Let’s examine recent assemblies: When was the last time a right-wing speaker was invited to come to Regis? We hear from Heritage, faculty who condemn the ban, a speaker who called “police brutality as American as apple pie.” All of those assemblies were meant to generate meaningful discussion and thought, and all were worthy of listening to and well-thought out.

However, if we truly want to be rigorous in terms of how we discuss this issues, why is it that The National Review is rarely referenced, while The New Yorker is? When was the last time Amate Vitam had a school-wide platform? Frankly, we are being ignorant as a community, and this causes problems for conservatives and liberals alike.

How can we solidify or truly be sure of our own views, if they have never been challenged?

As Supreme Court Justice Brennan noted, “If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable.” We can extend such an argument to what our culture should be like at Regis, for students and faculty alike. Simply because we feel unsettled by a notion a Regian believes to be true does not mean we can suppress or discourage it. No longer should we make false presumptions about each other, we should not live under the false pretense that we are diverse in every way. In our classroom and in our culture, we are not ideologically diverse because our invitation for discourse simply does not extend to everyone. We must ask ourselves as community, are we truly committed to our values? If we are, then there should be no question that we all need to do a better job of being more intellectually responsible and honest with each other. If not because we think that we can convince the opposition, or want to see where they are coming from, then we must out of principle.

Once again, I ask all of you, what do you want your legacy to be at Regis? Do you want to be known for ignoring the opinions of others, or remembered for being truly open-minded in every sense of the word? If we, as students, want to be prepared for college and beyond, then we need to be more aware of others’ opinions and why they have such opinions. When the time comes though to hear those who disagree with you, be respectful. Remember Brennan’s words, and transcend the biases that you or the person you are speaking to may have. Use your intellect and conviction to trigger a meaningful conversation.

I implore the students to make fewer assumptions and instead ask more questions. I ask the teachers and administration to give your students all a fair chance to voice their opinions, provide them the resources to learn for themselves instead of indoctrinating, and critique them fairly (not because you are predisposed to think certain way). Finally, I ask all of us to hear each other out.

It is the only way forward; we cannot live up to being “open to growth” without it. If we truly want to be men for others, we have to listen to others. Of course, I want this article to be discussed. I want it to be critiqued and I want to hear the other side to this argument. I want to be intellectually responsible and honest, I hope that we all do.

Page 7

nions

d to Issue 4’s “Regis: A Culture of Uncaring?”

The vandalism that persisted at our school over recent weeks was absolutely heinous, and demonstrates that whoever did it is a feckless coward. In the ensuing conversation that has occurred

BY LORENZO MANUALI ’17 about Regis’s “culture,” however, Staff Writer some, including a columnist in the last issue of The Owl, have come to criticize a lurking “uncaring” sub-culture that seems to roam Regis’s halls. While I do believe that Regis, its students, and all our actions deserve criticism, I also believe, due to the emotional and sensitive nature of the situation, certain facts and facets concerning this community have been left out of focus and have not been part of a productive discourse surrounding the vandalism and this “Culture of Uncaring.”

The main thesis in Tobi Ayeni’s article seems to be that “There must be something about us, within us, that gave way to, or inspired” the vandalism, and that a Regian culture which “is not as sensitive and accepting as we think” is to blame.

The author depicts this culture manifesting its ignorance and apathy through everyday comments such as “that’s so gay,” or objectification of women on our faculty, or insensitivities.

Comments like the one quoted are indefensible in any circumstance. I firmly believe Regis should try to expunge them along with their source. But it does not mean one cannot add to the context that surrounds the comments and the culture that causes them.

I think we can all agree that these comments do not just exist at Regis. Therefore, this “culture of uncaring” cannot solely be a Regian problem.

Rather than “create” this culture, as the article asserts, it is a problem we inherit from society. I know we all want to believe that Regis is an oasis in the desert of society—an impenetrable fortress in the often cruel and “uncaring” outside world, but that’s simply too good to be true. All schools, even the best, must deal with society’s flaws to some degree. People still overdose on drugs at the Ivy League. Rape still happens at Stanford.

These points having been made, I would also venture to assert that most Regians reading this article (including myself) would agree that the comments talked about in the last Owl article are far less common at Regis than at most other schools, and that there exists deeply ingrained within every Regis student (barring one) a respect for one another. That is a recognition we should make, and one we should be proud of. The greater danger might be in touting a kind of Regis Exceptionalism that can tempt us into ignoring fundamental problems with the Regis community.

Yet, the crux of the columnist’s argument lies in his assertion that the “culture of ignorance [and] apathy about indifferences, [creates] the conditions where someone can scrawl swastikas and racial slurs in a bathroom stall and initially think it’ll be taken as a ‘joke.’” In short, the culture of uncaring present at Regis is to blame for the vandalism, or, even if it was not the direct motive, the culture at least brought this kind of behavior into the realm of the possible at Regis.

Evidently, ignorance exists at Regis (as it does

in society at large). This ignorance can have ill-effects, such as unintentionally hurtful comments, or other off-hand actions. Neither a false sense of Regis Exceptionalism, nor a recognition of society’s woes at large should condone complacency with this ignorance. Indeed, as the columnist states, “it’s on each of us to change [it].”

On the other hand, I reject the notion that a widespread “apathy” permeates the Regis student body, and that we are “uncaring” as a result. The fact that the seniors held a protest shows that we care. The fact that all of us (especially freshmen) are worried about Regis’s core principles shows that we care. The fact that the columnist I speak of in this piece and others have written articles in response to the vandalism shows that we all care.

The very fact that you, the reader, are reading this article shows that you care. If apathy did permeate Regis, we would (by definition) not care. Evidently, the opposite is true.

What I believe the columnist misses or fails to mention is the clear distinction between ignorance and apathy. In other words, there is not a hidden malice buried within each and every Regian that makes a harmful comment or that fails to point one out, as his article implies. For if someone hears a derogatory comment, knows it is derogatory, and does nothing, it’s essentially the logical equivalent of watching somebody be murdered and walking away without calling the police. The columnist’s “apathy,” in this case, implies malice. Regians may be ignorant concerning the implications of certain remarks, but they do not contain the malice of apathy.

In fact, the columnist makes my point in his article when he says that, as Regians, “we assume that everyone’s smart enough or aware enough to know [the derogatory comments are] only a joke and treat them as such.” If everyone cares enough to consider the effects of derogatory comments on others, then they cannot be apathetic, since apathy requires a lack of concern. This remains true even if, after consideration, people come to the false conclusion that the people surrounding them will all take it as a joke. Indeed, the good intentions of Regians combined with the harmful outcomes of these comments denotes the presence of an ignorant—not an apathetic—culture at Regis, as there is in society at large.

As for the vandalism, ignorance and the “culture” resulting from it clearly either played into the acts themselves or created a space in which they were allowed to occur. At the same time, I think we can all agree that swastikas are not simply the result of ignorance. There must have been some other factor that influenced the person who committed these awful acts to consistently and persistently disrespect the Regis community.

Being a Regian is not a right. It is a privilege that must be earned. That privilege is conferred upon each of us once we are accepted into this institution, but it can just as easily be taken away.

Regians must reflect certain values, specifically those that aspire towards us being “men for others.”

No one, in their right mind, can believe that this vandalism is consistent with someone who is a “man for others” or who strives for justice for all. Thus, even if the person who is committing these acts is a student who goes to school with the rest of us, he is clearly not a Regian.

Should he be found, it would serve us well to treat him as such.

Photo credit: Nicholas Drury ’18.

Page 8

Opinions

Analyzing the Senior Third Trimester Options

(Continued from front page.) niors seem willing to bear that burden for the chance to learn about very unique fields and topics. Senior Chris Mignano spoke of the once-in-a-lifetime chance to take such courses, remarking that “I might never be able to take classes like these again.” Take a look at senior class syllabi, and it becomes hard to dispute such a claim.

While the educational benefit of taking classes certainly remains true, the choice to take classes seems also driven by an emotional aspect as well. Randall Zuccalmaglio ’17 discussed

the tough fact that, for many, this might be the last chance to spend quality time each day with the many friends students have come to make in their four years here. It’s hard to argue with this rationale. Our time here is short, and seniors understandably want to make it last as long as they can. On the flip side, some students are drawn to a different calling. While many of the motives students have for taking classes are entirely sensible, some of their peers view the final trimester as an opportunity to do something a bit different. For them, the third

trimester allows for the chance to give back to the community, to truly put the ‘Man for Others’ mantra into practice. Students are given the chance to go to service sites with friends, thus holding on to the relationships they have made over the last several years. At the same time, though, they are able to give back to the community in a substantive way that is both enjoyable and fulfilling. Finally, the Social Justice Entrepreneur focus entails two extra days of service on top of the weekly Tuesday commitment; however, these additional days may

be completed by seniors at a site different from their original.

The remaining two days of the school week will be filled with full school days of independent academic work where students will meet in small groups with their research mentors, meet individually with faculty, and prepare their final paper, project, or presentation.

All paths offer students different chances, and different ways to enjoy the last bit of time at Regis. The choice undoubtedly is not easy, and each has its benefits. At some point, all students will have to make

the decision to either turn to service, take part in unique classes, or combine both in a social justice entrepreneurship endeavor in their final trimester. For many of the current seniors, the chance to have such personal freedom in their final bit of time at Regis. And while students make different choices, third trimester is nearly unanimously one of the best times of a Regian’s career here.

After eleven hard trimesters, it’s refreshing to know that the last is one we can all enjoy.

In a Word or Two: A Remark on Regis Journalism

BY MR. DAVID VARGAS ’12 AMP Mentor

““AMPed” Up For The AMP Mentors”—a piece in The Owl’s November 2016 issue—took me a bit by surprise: Where’s the mention that the words credited to me are actually paraphrased without my consultation?

Although the paraphrasing— based on the notes the author, Devon Umeozor ’19, handwrote during our interview— conveys the gist of what I told him, some of the printed words misrelate my spoken ones or fail to capture the nuances in my expressions. The negligibility (especially five months later) of some of the paraphrasing’s inaccuracies doesn’t make them insignificant.

Regarding The Owl as a news source, disregarding these inaccuracies disappoints the journalistic integrity that calls for meticulous reporting. An article’s small mistakes can have greater repercussions; misleading the readership and distorting an interviewee’s words can twist people’s realities. Like any other reliable news source, The Owl should pay close attention to how it reports what it reports.

Regarding the role words play at Regis, disregarding these inaccuracies concerns what Tobi Ayeni ’17 brought up in

The Owl’s last issue: many of us, including me, occasionally forget that our words—tied to our thoughts and actions and ultimately who we are—can matter more than we think; the same holds true for our silence, our lack of words. As conscientious folk, we should practice guarding what we say and don’t say.

Regarding what my words mean to me, the interviewee, I feel that disregarding these inaccuracies risks discounting my experiences and my voice.

On the one hand, some of the article’s inaccuracies skew the truth only slightly. I worked for REACH during college as a collegian, for instance, not as a mentor. Similarly, only some of my high school teachers surpassed some of my college ones (and vice versa); it would be untrue to say “…many of my teachers in high school were much better than the ones I had in college.”

On the other hand, other inaccuracies, concerning complicated matters, can skew the truth significantly. For example, according to the article, I would have been “happy in my own skin” as a student had Regis provided more opportunities to talk about identity, heritage, and, among other things, our community’s diversity. Many and varied were the situations at Regis where I felt less than comfortable with how to speak or act or be. (There were times, too, I felt right at home). But I did not use this idiom to say that, despite being quoted as saying it. Nor would I. It’s not just about my particular way of speaking. To me, “happy in my own skin” can mislead in at least a couple ways. First, its idiomatic meaning (feeling comfortable in one’s own situation or environ-

ment) makes it easy to forget about its literal meaning: feeling comfortable in one’s own actual skin. As a result, saying I’m not “happy in my own skin” can make it easy to forget about those who do not feel comfortable in their actual skin, those who have to deal with our society’s old tendency of determining how we are treated, who we are, and where we belong—if we belong at all—based on our skin and appearance. What does this idiom leave unsaid about the histories, socioeconomics, cultures, and so on, underlying this injustice that lodges itself in our skin?

Secondly, “happy in my own skin”—as a roundabout way of saying “happy at Regis”—can quietly deflect the entire weight of an issue away from Regis and onto me. Yes, part of solving my not feeling totally “happy at Regis” was up to me and up to adapting. But what about Regis and the times it refuses to adapt to its community, embrace its differences, and celebrate its diversity? What about the times Regis as a school—including its faculty and staff and administration—fails to create an atmosphere of belonging where everyone can feel comfortable

being “in our own skin” and “doing us,” regardless of who we are?

Like The Owl, our words, and all of us: Regis was and is imperfect. For a variety of reasons, the ignorant, oblivious, mediocre and/or ugly sides of Regis can be more evident to some of us than to others. To acknowledge our mistakes and do our best to learn from them, we must also speak up and/or listen to each other candidly.

Progress will take time and reflection and collaboration and more, but we can make it, especially if we welcome each other, we the imperfect Regis and we the wonderful Regis of people of thoughts, words, and actions I’m often proud of.

I thank Tobi for his op-ed piece; the seniors and students for their stand; the Diversity Committee for the M.L.K. assembly; every person involved for the assembly about the immigration ban; the faculty, staff, and administration for the curriculum review; and—beyond these few specific and recent examples—every person, here and not here, past, present, future, for their work and love, day in and day out, on stage and behind the scenes. I thank all of

you. Keep it up, please.

Lastly, to our Regis students: as much as this school is the faculty, staff, and administration’s, it is also yours. That we love you and appreciate learning alongside you doesn’t mean we don’t fail to show it at times. We, too, sometimes struggle under the pressures of our workloads, our weaknesses, and everything we try to juggle. We, too, sometimes make mistakes; ignore what’s up; say one thing and do another; abstain from apologizing; keep quiet about needing help; sit complacent about our shortcomings; neglect to tend to essential parts of who we are.

We, too, sometimes disregard the consequences of our words, actions, silence and omissions.

Our Regians, I ask you: For what do we the adults deserve U’s or F’s, or JUG’s? Does Regis have any flaws we seem unaware of? Are we in tune with your worlds, with your experiences, whatever they are? Let us know, hold us accountable, question us. You can teach us, too. (Word, Mr. Vargas?) Word.

Want to share your own

thoughts with TheOwl? Send your op-eds to owl@regis.org.

Page 9

Puzzles Crossword

“Everything Regis-Related”

ACROSS 1. Alternative to senior-year calculus 3. JV team of this sport won 2017 City Championship 4. Lunchtime “conversations” about diversity 7. Relaxed signing and music event 12. Team-taught History course 13. Subject with mid-terms in January 14. WEBEIM replacement 15. Middle school enrichment at Regis 16. Acronym for test used for Scholarship Exam 17. Resource center with green walls 18. Language taught by Mr. Ward-Packard 20. Retired music column of The Owl 22. 2016 Ignation Educator 23. Three-day retreat for sophomores 25. Test on a Wednesday in October 26. Only Advanced Science course that does not continue in third trimester 28. Resource center with pink walls 31. Traditional color of graduation tuxedos DOWN 2. Costs $2.00 for seniors, but free for non-graduated students 4. The color of the “Circle” you enter for donating $1,500 to the Annual Fund 5. “______ Day” at end of trimester, students have off but not necessarily teachers 6. Repeated twice in 2017 Auction motto 8. 2013 Regis Repertory musical 9. Regis sports magazine 10. Senior-year course known for its “door prizes” 11. “Cultural ______” are the main focus of analysis in American Studies 12. Large service organization at Regis 15. Mathematics Department Chair 19. New English teacher 21. The first name of The Owl’s EIC 24. A “challenge” that fulfills junior-year service requirement 27. Default color of card scanners 29. Speech and debate society 30. Standard number of senior courses

KenKen

Sudoku

Page 10

Entertainment

Review: Despite A Cappella and MetroCards, In Transit Takes The L Train

BY ZACHARY ESPIRITU ’17 Layout Editor

As the conveyor belt/subway track in the center of the stage moves once again, one watching In Transit might recognize an uncanny parallel between the show and the real New York City Subway. Both are impatient institutions that take away New Yorkers as quickly as they come, leaving no time for observers to reflect on the beautiful, unconscious intertwining of lives at their stations.

Certainly, as Regians, we’re always looking for ways to get from Point A to Point B just a little bit faster, whether to get to school earlier to write that English paper due today that you were assigned two weeks ago or to have more time to study for tomorrow’s Physics test.

But at least we try to leave a lasting impact wherever we are.

Primarily heralded for its a cappella achievements, In Transit (currently playing on a thrust stage at the Circle in the Square Theater) is a musical about eleven New Yorkers constantly living in an eponymous state of being. The show lives up to its aca-hype—driven by the first score relying solely on polyphonic composition to ever grace the Broadway stage, In Transit is a musical accomplishment in itself. Led by Boxman (alternately played by Steven “HeaveN” Cantor and Chesney Snow), an underground performer and philosopher with a penchant for beatboxing, char-

acters turn their bodies into instruments with perfect timbre, filling audiences with amazement and an invigorated sense of humanity.

But then you remember that this is not supposed to be an a cappella concert, but a plotdriven musical. With a story filled with stereotypes that appear as often as delays on the Lexington Avenue line, In Transit, as its name suggests, lives in a state of constant motion and chaos that leaves it with no clear destination.

Characters can be distilled into single-line descriptions as cliché as they go—there’s Nate (James Snyder), a investment broker recently fired due to his conflicting sense of humanity, and his sister Ali (Erin Mackey), a recovering romantic straining to forget about her recent breakup by training for the New York City Marathon. Jane

(Margo Seibert) is an office temp with dreams to become an actress on Broadway; Trent (Justin Guariani), recently engaged to his boyfriend Steven (Telly Leung), must overcome his conservative mother’s beliefs (Moya Angela). Finally, a show about the subway wouldn’t be complete without Althea (also played by Moya Angela), a hardened MTA employee who is stern in inopportune scenarios.

This mix of one-dimensional characters seemingly copypasted from the front page of TVTropes.com feels akin to a recipe for street cart hot dogs— it’s pretty bad compared to what you could get anywhere else, but, in the end, it’s still something edible…right?

Alas, I’m only talking about the hot dogs in that analogy, because In Transit somehow finds a way to fall even further

below the Sabrett benchmark of quality. Combined with a story even more sterilized than a Disney tale (the four-person writing team includes Kristen Anderson-Lopez, a co-writer of Frozen), the almost comically overbearing optimism of In Transit appears out of place in a theatrical community where challenging the bounds has become the norm.

All this occurs even when there’s clear precedent for New York as an effective jettison for conflict in the theater. Broadway shows in recent years like In the Heights and This Is Our Youth tell the stories of different people trying to make their way in New York, their struggles, their dreams, and, most importantly and authentically, their uncertainty about the future. But, unlike In Transit, they don’t feel the need to rush towards their final destination

by thoughtlessly wrapping their stories in a happy, Christmas Carol-esque ending.

Perhaps the recognizable yet unrealistically clean subway station set (designed by Donyale Werle) serves as a visual metaphor that epitomizes the production as a whole—overly romanticized with no willingness to accept the reality of the occasional rats that pervade a New Yorker’s experience. For those just interested in the a cappella, be assured that In Transit’s versatile and talented cast envelops audiences in a distinct, harmonious sound that will leave you aurally satisfied. But if that’s your only motivation, maybe your eightynine dollars (the least expensive ticket available) would be best spent on a monthly MetroCard.

After all, a MetroCard can do two things that In Transit can’t.

One, it can bring you downtown to NYU’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, where you can witness the same vocal phenomenon but performed by NYU’s student groups for free.

Two, it can take you as far away from the Circle in the Square Theater as possible, protecting you from ninety minutes of clichés and overused tropes that never really reach their intended station in the end.

Owl’s Final Grade: S-

Above: Margo Seibert (center) and the ensemble cast of In Transit performing the opening number, “Deep Beneath the City”.

The Regis Repertory Presents:

March 30 @ 4:30 March 31 @ 7:00 April 1 @ 2:00 and 7:00

In Transit, written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez, JamesAllen Ford, Russ Kaplan, and Sara Wordsworth, is currently playing an openended run at the Circle in the Square Theater at 1633 Broadway. Runtime: 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Entertainment

Page 11

“For the Love of Money”:

Schwarzenegger and the Newest Celebrity Apprentice

BY ALESSANDRO COLANGELO ’18 Assistant Entertainment Editor

What do you get when you cross innumerable inflated egos, generous cash prizes, recurrent groveling, and a group of has-been celebrities? No, it’s not the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes, or a Hearn tournament. After a two-year hiatus, The Celebrity Apprentice, NBC’s white-collar reality show, returned to television on January 2nd by welcoming a new cast of enterprising personalities determined to win money for their favorite charities. While current executive producer President Donald Trump no longer manages the boardroom as the “ratings machine” he often and correctly purports he is, seven-time Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger arrives as a first-time host in installments that – despite the network’s optimistic spin – are as repetitive and uncompelling as Groundhog Day is to Phil Connors.

The New Celebrity Apprentice sounds promising to unsuspecting ears. The premise remains the same: one celebrity from each of two teams volunteers as a product manager who leads a task in the hopes of gaining the host’s favor, outlasting all his opponents, and raising awareness for his charity.

The host declares weekly winners and eliminates the weakest links until only one celebrity remains. Celebrities continue to survive not by persevering and doing hard work, but by talking themselves out of trouble in the boardroom. Instead of showing one two-hour-long episode like its predecessor, each week offers two hour-long episodes broadcast back-to-back. While this may not pack as extensive an experience, it does not risk leaving viewers bored by probing minutia and prolonging a weekly challenging or painstaking grill session in the boardroom.

With his fourteen seasons on the show, Donald Trump

captured the hectic and actionpacked hustle and bustle of New York City with rather exciting tasks involving bigger personalities. Whether designing and selling original pizza pies with Pizza Face or creating window displays for jewelry collections, challenges often included input from seasoned entrepreneurs and from the general public.

On the other hand, The New Celebrity Apprentice shifts to the quieter and relatively less celebrated Los Angeles, where Schwarzenegger’s assignments are so brief, uninteresting, and pointless that they finish within thirty minutes after I close my eyes. Instead of making sandwiches and engaging their celebrity, the contestants merely plan “meet-and-greet” experiences and photo-shoots for unknown enterprises. Even the contestants themselves are less intriguing because they do not possess enough enthusiasm for the work they are completing.

Most just try to promote the careers they once had by seek-

ing constant camera attention.

One can see Boy George, Carson Kressley, or Jon Lovitz only after he digs through the egos of numerous athletes and housewives. Noteworthy, however, is the addition of the fierce and talented Tyra Banks and Jessica Alba as celebrity advisors.

Though, as a business mogul and communicator, Donald Trump was comfortable in front of the camera, Arnold Schwarzenegger is somewhat awkward in his new position. He compares every pursuit solely to bodybuilding and powerlifting. In his attempt to live up to the glory of Trump’s dismissive

“You’re fired,” Schwarzenegger revealed a once top-secret catchphrase that combines his past movie glory: “You’re terminated. Now get to the choppa!”

Though he delivers it with an effective energy, Schwarzenegger often reverts insecurely to his predecessor’s line. He no longer seems confident enough to hold his own.

With newspapers and viewers alike giving The New Celebrity Apprentice such negative reviews, Arnold Schwarzenegger may be saying “Hasta la vista, baby” once again.

“Holy Bricks, Batman!”: The LEGO Batman Movie

BY SALVATORE CINQUEMANI ’18 Contributing Writer

If you go to the movies on a Friday night, you can probably find whatever PG-13 or R-rated flick you can get your hands on.

Most teens assume that a bigbudget action blockbuster or a raunchy comedy is where the fun is. While most of these can grab your attention and keep you invested for your time, nothing beats a well developed plot and characters that you actually care about.

This past Friday night, I chose to skip the “older” movies and instead see The LEGO Batman Movie, the kid-friendly, colorful and bright take on the masked dark knight. As a fan of the character and the popular building bricks, I knew this

film would be a success early on, especially because of how well received its predecessor, The LEGO Movie, was by critics and audiences alike. As I sat down with my popcorn, I took note of the audience that was present: mainly children of all ages and their mothers and/or fathers. The movie opens with Batman (Will Arnett) narrating the opening logos, and already the audience - both children and adults - began roaring with laughter specifically when the vigilante reads the Warner Bros. logo exactly as “Warner Bruhs,” not “brothers.” The movie hits the ground running with a stunning opening action sequence of nearly every Batman villain, including not only more-notable ones like The Joker (Zach Galifianakis)

and Two-Face (Billy Dee Williams) but also some of Gotham’s more obscure criminals like Polka Dot Man and Calendar Man. The older members of the audience knew they were in for something special as soon as Batman starts singing to a modern, rock ‘n’ roll remix of the theme song from the original 1960s TV series Batman and Robin while he punches, kicks, and defeats all of his adversaries.

However, as fun and amusing as all the action sequences of this movie are, the film really hits home with its morals about family and working together.

The film takes a bit of a turn when Bruce Wayne, Batman’s alter ego, accidentally adopts an orphan named Richard Grayson (Michael Cera). Scenes

with the young orphan boy prove that a lot of humor found in PG movies can easily pass over the heads of many children but make adults in the crowd laugh uncontrollably. Particularly, when the boy states that the other children at the orphanage call him by a common nickname for “Richard,” Bruce replies, “Well, children can be harsh sometimes.” The chemistry between the brooding and raspy Arnett and the innocent and lovable Cera proves that Batman and Robin will forever be the best “Dynamic Duo” in cinema and comic book history. When Batman is faced with his fears of being part of a family again, his butler Alfred Pennyworth (Ralph Fiennes) tries to show him that sometimes things are better when accomplished as a team rather than alone, especially fighting bad guys. Although Batman tries to prove that he prefers to work alone because he does not want anyone to be harmed, he ultimately sees that shutting people out and acting selfishly by claiming not to need others might actually be more in line with the personality of a villain rather than that of a hero. Batman’s relationship with The Joker showcases some of the funniest scenes in the entire movie,

with The Joker’s main mission of being Batman’s “greatest foe” combated by Batman’s claim of not having a “greatest foe” because he “likes to fight around,” putting an almost romantic twist on their acquaintance.

Messages about teamwork and caring for others are truly the best things that can be taken from this movie, which not only presents children with the correct way to treat others, but also reassures adults that films of meaning and moral importance still exist. And if that is not enough substance to satisfy a moviegoer, the number of references, subtle nods, and flat-out jokes about any and all Batman and DC Comics, TV shows, and films (including the recent failure of most of their films), as well as a truly memorable line about the “fan war” between DC Comics and Marvel Comics (Batman’s password to the Batcave is “Iron Man Sucks”), will be sure to make any fanboy giggle and become giddy with excitement. LEGO Batman assembles all the right pieces for a superhero parody and pays homage to everything we love about the brooding (and beat-boxing) vigilante.

Page 12

Sports

Adriano Atallah ’17, Making History (Continued from front page.) traordinaire and avid runner, Atallah does everything from discussing issues of worldwide importance with Mr. DiMichele to pumping iron in the fitness center with Ms. Chua.

But what he most enjoys is running. Running, as he describes it, “helps clear my mind. Focusing on each step instead of worrying on my day’s problems. It’s something I rely on as a source of stress relief.” Like any other runner, at some times

during the 1500 m race, he can’t keep from asking the question, “Why am I doing this?” So what keeps him running? He says it’s all worth it when he can say, “Wow, look what I’ve managed to accomplish today.”

Starting out with no formal running experience, through his relentless work ethic and dedication, Atallah demonstrates that all it takes to succeed is hard work and longer than average legs. George Pazos ’17 even described him as hav-

ing “the stride…of a gazelle,” although he went on to say that “I can’t think of a day where I haven’t seen him working out after school…[he] is such a talented athlete and his work ethic is even more astounding.” Atallah’s work ethic has not only made him one of the fastest runners at Regis, but has helped him become the only Regian ever to be named Intersectional MVP, something he humbly says is “kind of a big deal.” Although, as Pazos remarks, “his success in the sport speaks for itself ”; he has rightfully earned the nickname Atallah-the-Hun, due to the fact that he, as Jeremy Irzyk ’17 explains, “can literally do anything on the track.

He’s that athletic.”

“New Year, New Me”: Regians Resolve to Workout

BY ALAN CLANCY ’18 Staff Writer

“New year, new me” is a mantra that has become extremely popular in recent years. It is a promise one makes to oneself when the clock strikes midnight on January 1 that comes with a lot of responsibility and commitment if one truly does wish to carry it out. How can someone possibly hope to make themselves “new”? There are various ways people have traditionally intended to fulfill this promise. Perhaps, they tell themselves they will stop procrastinating so much and will get schoolwork done ahead of time. Or, maybe they plan to spend more time reading and less time watching television. By far the most popular response to the dawn of a new year, however, is one that involves fitness.

Despite popular belief, the popularity of this fitness resolution

is actually well-demonstrated by many Regians.

Cardio, or cardiovascular exercise, is a very popular form of exercise that people take on as a way to achieve the goals of their New Year’s Resolutions.

Doing cardio comes with a host of benefits, including the burning of calories and fat, as well as the building of stamina. A lot of Regis students have opted to become more fit by way of this type of exercise. Some juniors, namely Aidan Woutas ’18 and Bill Hoopes ’18, have promised themselves they will run every weekend and run every other day, respectively.

Though many do take it upon themselves to do it as often as possible, running is, obviously, not an enjoyable experience for most. Luckily, there is another form of cardio that can actually be fun to participate in: sports.

Some students, such as Nicholas Drury ’18 have made a reso-

lution to play basketball in the gym more often, rather than go out running.

Though cardio is popular, many Regians have decided to become more fit by other means. Oliver Marcell ’19 committed instead to doing 80 pushups every night. Sean Stix ’18 opted to hit the gym every day after school with the guidance of Antonio Ayverdi ’17, a notable Regis “gym rat.” Ayverdi also offers a critique of New Year’s resolutions, explaining, “If you keep waiting for the perfect moment to start something, you will never do it.” He believes that the prospect of New Year’s resolutions prevent people from getting started on working out on any other regular day.

So, if you didn’t have a New Year’s resolution this year, don’t let yourself feel as though you can’t start until January 1, 2018.

Get started today.

to continue track and field throughout all four years with a guaranteed spot on the team.

On his quest to becoming even faster (which some Regians believe is physically impossible) Atallah has chosen Oberlin because “it’s all about finding the people who will help you get to the next level both physically and mentally.” He plans to take full advantage of their extensive science program and accessible track coaches to help advance him in his studies and maybe even make him a little bit faster.

There is no doubt that Atallah has been a success at Regis.

He leaves us with very large­— and fast—shoes to fill.

To aspiring runners, Atallah says: “It’s never too late to start running, and everyone is on a different level.” In his own words, running is something that actually makes him “more inspired to do [his] work.” When he is in a race, he is “focusing on each breath, each step…and on finishing.”

He says that focusing on that race and then winning that race makes him want to focus on his studies and “win” on whatever exam, paper, or project he may have.

Atallah hopes to become a doctor and on his path to becoming a medical school student, he has chosen to attend Oberlin College. He has committed to Oberlin and plans

Upcoming Games

Mar 23 4:00 PM

Varsity Baseball vs.

Holy Cross

@ College Point LL Field

JV Baseball vs. St. Francis Prep @ Cunningham Park

Mar 31 4:30 PM

Varsity Volleyball vs. Salesian @ Regis

Mar 28 4:00 PM

Varsity Volleyball vs. Fordham Prep @ Regis

Apr 5 4:30 PM