Megaphone

January 23, 2015 - Volume 94, Issue 6 - 5225 E. 56th Street Indianapolis, Indiana 46226 - Twitter: @IrishMegaphoneCathedral High School - A Holy Cross School

How to Save a Life: Students March to Send the Message to Overturn Roe v. WadeBY ASHLEY KING

Frozen fingers wrap themselves around giant, colorful posters. Banners and flags that represent every state, religion and politi-cal party fly through the air like streamers on New Year’s Eve.

Through all the laughter and singing that rest upon each ear, there can always be heard the constant sound of marching.

A half million people. Imag-ine Lucas Oil Stadium packed as full as it was for the Super Bowl. Imagine the volume of the crowd’s cheers. Imagine how impactful that event was. Now double that number of people. Now multiply that by four.

That’s the number of people that participated in the March for Life in 2014.

Despite the cold and the wind, people go. Junior Molly Mitchell, who participated in the March last year, said, “I think our generation is the generation that is going to end abortion.”

And it shows. Over the past few years, the number of attendees has nearly tripled.

Hundreds of thousands more people come with each annual march.

All these people march through

Washington, DC, starting at the National Mall and ending on the steps of the Supreme Court of the United States, the site where the Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in all 50 states, was decided in 1973.

The school has been sending students on the march for years, though there was a time when attendance was not high enough.

Four years ago, there were only two students and a chaperone. However, last year, about 15 students attended from all grade levels.

At this year’s callout meeting, there were more than 30 students.

The head of the school’s March for Life trip, theology teacher Mr. Quanah Jeffries, says he believes this generation of high school students is our hope.

Jeffries said, “They are the fu-ture in the sense that their hearts are the ones that are going to shape our society.”

Mr. John Lucia, a chaperone on this year’s march and father of junior Maddie Lucia and sopho-more Macie Lucia, said, “Young people are the future and the energy of life, but they will also be happier and more fulfilled when they see and learn to embrace life and reach out in love and friend-ship to every life and every face.”

The theme of this year’s March for Life is “Every Life is a Gift.”

Mr. Lucia said, “Life is a special gift, the most special gift. We only get one very fragile chance at it and once gone, regrettably it cannot be retrieved.”

Many people think it is the duty of those who were given the right to live to fight for the life of others.

Mitchell said, “I believe that life starts at conception and since the babies can’t speak for themselves,

it’s important for us to be their voice in the world.”

Jeffries said, “If you don’t change people’s hearts, you’re not going to have a good society. So I think that’s why it’s so important

Thousands of Prolife activists partake in the March for Life in Washington. The temperatures, with wind-chills reaching below zero, didn’t stop the protesters from holding their signs and marching for the free-dom of infants who don’t have voices of their own. | Photo by Ashley King

that you have young people there because it is something that can actually touch them. They can see life.”

According to guttmacher.org, between 2000 and 2008, the number of abortions in America

“They are the future in the sense that

their hearts are the ones that are going

to shape our society.”

Theology teacher Mr. Quanah Jeffries

“Life is a special gift, the most

special gift.”Mr. John Lucia

has decreased by 8 percent. From 2008 to 2011, there was a decrease of 13 percent.

Mr. Lucia said, “From the unborn on an ultrasound, to the smile of a child, to the elderly in a wheelchair and all in between. They are all potential friends and opportunities.”

Though the statistics are prom-ising, the goal of the March for Life will not be reached until the Roe v. Wade decision is over-turned.

Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, among others, have spoken at the March for Life. A major goal of the cause is to raise public awareness. Pro-life activists have brainstormed ideas for more broad coverage of the event.

Sometimes, the best coverage is just word of mouth. The impact the event leaves on an individual is often enough to spread the word.

Mr. Lucia, who is a nephrolo-gist, said, “As Mother Theresa said, every life was made to love. In medicine I get to see the begin-ning and end of life and see this played out every day, but I also get to see when we fail to love and turn our hearts away from love and the tragedies that result.”

More than a half million people and a million legs march to the beat of change.

This year’s march was scheduled to take place yesterday, Jan. 22.

Students interested in attending next year or joining the Pro-life cause should contact Jeffries.

news2Counselors, SAT Prep Teachers Offer Advice on Preparing to Take ACT, SAT This SpringBY ERIN COLLINS

Each year, juniors and seniors alike begin to feel the panic that is caused by the SAT and ACT. Many look to find a way to relieve their stress and prepare for these tests.

College counselor Mrs. Lynn Maloney said, “The first time they take it, it’s a really good idea that they understand the directions. They can get a book from the guidance office or the college board website to test themselves on some questions.”

After they take the test the first time, they will have a better understanding of what they need help with.

“The SAT prep class is the best option that we offer here, because it offers help in both English and math. It also helps to prepare them for the SAT and the ACT,” she said.

English teacher Ms. Laurie O’Brien and math teacher Mrs. Rachel Ludington work together to help students become more prepared for the SAT and ACT through the SAT prep class. Both teachers use techniques that will guide students through the jour-ney of standardized testing.

O’Brien said, “I think that both of us agree that the class should be a combination of practice and strategy. We do short practice sessions, and both of us try to see what students have problems with.”

She added, “With the math, (Ludington) probably feels like most students have a pretty good handle on the easier questions, so she really wants to work on the hard questions that will come up on the test. I try to come up with strategies that involve questions that don’t have an answer that just sounds right, but to really have evidence of the answer. The big thing is really trying to find the common mistakes students make.”

Ludington said, “One of the biggest things that kids get from the class is practice. Most of the time, when kids go in to take the SAT, it’s the first time they are see-ing questions of that sort. I think practicing them and getting use to the format and the layout and the way the questions are worded can be very helpful.”

“One thing we do is give them ideas on how to study. Becoming comfortable with the test is one thing that the prep class allows students to do, as opposed to one-on-one tutoring, which focuses in more on specifics of the test,” she continued.

Both teachers agree that two of the biggest take aways from the class are being prepared and comfortable with the format of the tests and that the cliché “practice makes perfect” rings true.

Ludington said, “I always tell the kids the very first day that they are going to get out of it what they put into it. If they really try to

understand the questions and give it their best shot, then it’s going to be helpful. If they miss a question and really try to figure out why they missed it and how the real answer actually works, they will be better off, rather than if they just sit there and fill in answers and don’t try; it doesn’t really help. And I try to remind them that the more they practice and more interaction they have with the test, the better off they will be.”

For those who may not be in-terested in taking a full SAT class, there are other resources that are offered to help students prepare.

College counselor Mrs. Kathy

Pivonka said, “Some students can pick up the big thick book at Barnes & Noble and be self-mo-tivated to work through practice questions and be just fine. Then there are other students who need a class or someone steering them along. Some students will take the test first and then see what they need to work on for the second test. There are some classes out there and free test prep through the PSAT.”

She added, “When they got their PSAT test back, they can see all their questions and their answers, so they can see how they did on each question. The sheet also gives a link to do free test prep online.”

Both Maloney and Pivonka agree that taking the tests multiple times benefits students.

Maloney said, “We suggest students take it at least twice. The first time they are taking it, they are just figuring it out. They don’t necessarily know how each sec-

English teacher Ms. Laurie O’Brien teaches a junior honors English class. She also runs a SAT/ACT prep class in the evenings with math teacher Mrs. Rachel Ludington. | Photo by Emma Flohr

“One thing we do is give them ideas on

how to study.” Math teacher

Mrs. Rachel Ludington

tion will go. The second time, the scores generally go up, based on the test practice they have done. Sometimes they can take it a third time, but after the third time they don’t see too drastic differences. The other college counselors and I agree in taking both the SAT and the ACT twice.”

Pivonka said that the counsel-ors recommend that students take both tests at least once, because every student is different, and they may do better on one test over the other.

Once they see which test is better suited for them, the student can begin to focus more on that test.

The counselors agree that the best time for students to take the SAT or ACT is after they have a semester of Algebra II under their belt. Algebra II is the highest math level that will appear on the test, so most students take their first test in the spring of their junior year.

Pivonka said that it has become more common to see juniors who are in pre-cal and honors English, who may feel comfortable taking their first test in the fall of their junior year.

The SAT prep class will help to relieve the stress students will have toward the standardized tests. If there are still doubts, do not fret, because most colleges super score.

Pivonka said, “What will really help the student, is if they take it multiple times. The different scores from each test can be combined.

“The philosophy behind super scoring is that you’ve taken it and you’ve earned that score. It can do nothing but help a student.”

The next prep class will begin Monday. If interested in signing up, contact O’Brien or Ludington or sign up on the school’s website.

Cathedral will host the SAT on March 14 and also the ACT on April 18.

news 3

Holy Cross Core Values

Hearts and MindsBY MADDIE LUCIA

“Educating the Hearts and Minds” is a theme that the school has incorporated from the Holy Cross values and used continuously for many years.

According to Principal Mr. Dave Worland, this value is the most intentional that the students and staff live by here.

He said, “It is in the hallways, classrooms, lesson plans and even the extracurricular activi-ties after school.”

The teachers bring their faith into the curriculum and make the students learn with an open mind not only about God, but also regarding subjects with which they continue to expand their minds.

Worland said that he sees teachers working this value into each of their lessons plans by designing classes to bene-fit students intellectually and spiritually.

He added that the school’s 360 Plan and that staff mem-bers take account what is going on in their students’ lives.

“We look into each person’s unique talents, abilities and interests to try and help them create a high school experience they will enjoy,” Worland said.

As the school continues to see this Holy Cross value in its daily practice, teachers and students learn and educate each other through faith.

Worland advises one who is trying to prove that he under-stands the meaning of this val-ue by considering the following.He said, “Consider every part of the person and recognize that God has made everyone unique.”

Numerous Factors Affect Decision to Delay or Cancel, Principal SaysBY GABI HANAHAN

A few years ago, the school calendar had three built-in snow days. This year, the calendar has five.

“It just keeps going up,” said Principal Mr. Dave Worland.

Now, in the coldest part of win-ter, students anticipate snow days, which allow for more sleep, extra time for studying and additional break time.

Snow days can sometimes be life-savers for upcoming tests, but the disadvantage is that they must be made up on a day that students originally had off.

On the other hand, two-hour delays give extra sleeping time and a shorter day without the necessity of make-up time.

So, after a heavy snow, some students may wonder if a snow day or a two-hour delay will be called.

Worland said he makes the de-cision at 5 a.m. He uses informa-tion from state police posts, other non-public schools and weather forecasts.

If a snow day is called, he be-gins by contacting the bus drivers and the TV and radio stations.

Next, he notifies the faculty and staff. Then the robo call goes out to the parents, it is posted on the school website and an email is sent out to the students and parents.

“(With permission), starting this year, we’re going to start to send out text messages,” said Worland.

Worland said that two-hour delays will be called on days when a bad weather occurrence hits ear-lier, but the conditions are likely to improve as the day progresses.

Snows days are called when the weather conditions are scheduled to be worse later on in the day, es-pecially if travel for most students would be treacherous.

Worland said there is no specif-ic amount of snowfall that triggers

the decision to delay or cancel school. The decision is based upon the road conditions and whether the roads are expected to be hazardous all day or just in the morning.

The school day is also likely to be cancelled if the temperatures fail to reach zero.

On snow days, “All freshman and JV events are called off. Var-sity sports are considered to take

place,” Worland said. A varsity game or practice

could be held later that evening if conditions improve around noon.

“Next year, it is my expectation that we will have days at home utilizing distance learning,” Wor-land said.

This means that teachers could use blogs, have online class and use other forms of communi-cation to teach during the time period that the class would meet on a typical school day.

Distance learning would take place on snow days and these days would count as regular school days and would not have to be made up.

“We do have 180 days that we are required by the State to meet either by approved distance learn-ing or a school day,” Worland said.

“Not only do we want to honor that, but I really think that because Cathedral is a holistic school (which Worland defined

Thanks to technology, snow days may soon be a thing of the past. “Next year, it is my expectation that we will have days at home utilizing distance learning,” said Principal Mr. Dave Worland. | Photo by Emma Flohr

as a school that focuses on more than just education but on events such as pep rallies and Mass), I’m in favor of maybe creating more than 180 days,” said Worland.

These additional days would make up for lost academic time.

If this were the case, snow days would not have to be made up.

Students would go to school on days such as Shamrauction prepa-ration day, which was originally necessary for Shamrauction set up. Any additional days the school would add on would be placed toward the end of the school year.

If the school’s calendar is eventually expanded beyond 180 days, Worland said, the adminis-tration would look into a balanced calendar.

The balanced calendar would reduce summer break by a few weeks, but Worland said that he thinks students should have at least nine weeks for summer vacation.

“Next year, it is my expecatation that

we will have days at home utilizing

distance learning.”Principal Mr. Dave

Worland

Add frozen pineapple and strawberries to blender.

Add strawberry or vanilla Greek yogurt and orange juice.

Pour into a glass and enjoy your post-workout beverage.

Tropical Berry Smoothie DIY

25 Ways to Boost Your Energy

• Work out• Take a nap• Eat dark chocolate• Drink coffee• Go outside• Eat healthy• Eat whole grains• Drink plenty of water• Have a plant in your room• Laugh• Stretch• Sit by a window• Chew gum (not in class)• Take a cold shower• Put lemon in water• Take a deep breath• Keep light in your room• Be social• Listen to music• Sing and dance• Sit up straight• Do something fun• Walk around• Get plenty of rest• Wear bright colors

Quick Workouts You Can Do Anywhere

In this position, lift lower back up and down at least 20 times.

Legs up against wall, alternate reaching arms to opposite foot.

In this position, lift lower back up and down at least 20 times.

New Year’s Resolution Realities

10 to Zen1. Let go of comparing.2. Let go of competing.3. Let go of judgments.

4. Let go of anger.5. Let go of regrets.

6. Let go of worrying.7. Let go of blame.8. Let go of guilt.9. Let go of fear.

10. Have a proper belly laugh at least once a day (especially if it’s about your inability to let go of any or all of the above).

The newest member of the Cathedral family, Finn, will be fully featured in the upcoming February issue.

Until then, fans can follow Finn on Twitter @CathedralFinn.

You can also bring donations of dog toys to Mrs. Rebecca Heger, mental health and addictions counselor, in the counseling office.

Stop by and see the school’s new furry friend!Above is Cathedral’s new dog,

Finn. | Photo submitted

Finn To Be Featured in February

1-2 Excersise Adequately

1-4 Don’t Plan on Taking Vacation

1-3 Believe they are Overweight 4.7%Average Personal

Savings Rate

1in

2

Believe in Loveat First Sight

Only One in Every Two Americans Makes a New Year’s ResolutionThose who do are 10 Times more likely to make a change

1.5Number of hours

spent daily trying to organize

GRAPHICS BY CHRISTOPHER BESSLER

Culture4

Feature 5Peer Mentoring Wraps Up 28th Year of Linking Freshmen, Seniors in Friendship, GuidanceBY NICOLE SHOAF

Seniors. Two semesters from graduating, leaders of the student sec-tion, standardized test-taking veterans and Cathedral regulars.

Freshmen. The new kids, four whole years of high school ahead of them, the back section at sporting events and new to the inner trap-pings of the school.

These two classes seem as far apart as can be, but they’re closer than some would think. Much of the weight of integrating the new class falls squarely on the shoulders of seniors. It’s not simply responsibility that drives the peer mentoring program, however, it’s also the relationships built between those involved.

Peer mentoring links ambitious seniors with incoming freshmen, providing freshmen the opportunity to adjust to the school while simultaneously helping them meet new people, including the otherwise intimidating Senior Class.

Seniors Madison Collignon and Gary Schorr and freshmen Sarah Kennedy and Emma Hendricks shared their experiences and insights regarding the peer mentoring program.

Senior Madison Collignon, Mentorto Sarah Kennedy

Why did you want to be a peer mentor?“I could help keep the Cathedral tradition going. I really liked my peer mentor and she really helped me adjust to Cathedral. I was shy when I was a freshman so I want-ed to help the freshmen break out of their shells and love Cathedral as much as I do.”

What did you hope to learn through being a peer mentor?“I hoped that I would gain some patience because that’s something that I really needed to work on. I also wanted to connect to the underclassmen because as a senior you don’t get the chance to really get to know them.”

For the underclassmen, do you think peer mentoring is some-

thing they should get involved with their senior year?“I think so because it’s an honor to be chosen to help the kids that are coming in, and you’re basi-cally leading the next leaders of Cathedral. Through teaching and mentoring them, you are directing which way Cathedral is going to go. So I think everyone should apply, because mentoring and being a leader is something that theology doesn’t teach you and teachers can’t teach you - it’s just something you have to find out for yourself.”

FreshmanSarah Kennedy

After being a peer mentee, do you think you want to be a peer mentor?“Yes. I want to be there for fresh-men to connect with them and be there if they need someone.”

What do you feel is the most

Senior Gary Schorr, Mentor to

Emma HendricksWhy did you want to be a peer mentor?“Couple of different reasons. One, when I was a freshman, I defi-nitely received leadership from upperclassmen, and I wanted to give that same thing back to the current freshmen. I also saw it as an opportunity to kind of polish my leadership skills, whether it be speaking to those who I was leading or helping them solve problems that they don’t usually face.”

What did you learn about yourself through being a peer mentor?“I learned that I definitely need to continue to work on my

communication skills. I’m kind of the ambassador of my family and I make sure everything runs smoothly, but that’s the same five people every day. Different people react to different things in different ways, so I had to learn to cope. If one of my mentees doesn’t like when I’m direct with them, I have to sugar coat a little bit, while another might want me to give it to them straight.”

For the underclassmen, do you recommend peer mentoring?“Absolutely. Cathedral has a lot of traditions and peer mentoring is definitely one of those. (Counsel-or) Mr. (Greg) Bamrick said it’s been going on for 28 years, which is, to the extent of my knowledge, one of the longest traditions that we have. But not only that, it’s definitely good to give back to the community in which you were raised; kids change a lot through-out the course of their high school career, and it’s good to give back to those who are coming in to take their place.”

Why do you think peer men-toring is such a successful program as far as integrating students goes?“The mentors chosen definitely play a big role. They know going into it that they don’t have a small task on their hands, and it’s not going to be easy but the leaders and the mentors step up to the challenge and do everything to help whether it be in the actual classroom or out of class just talking to their mentees on the phone, they really invest their time and their efforts into it.”

What was your favorite part about being a peer mentor?“Probably seeing the kids open up to me. I love people; I’m definitely a people person. When I walked in on day one and they kind of alienated me I was hurt a little bit, so seeing them open up to me and

FreshmanEmma Hendricks

After being a peer mentee, do you think you want to be a peer mentor?“Yes. You really develop a rela-tionship with the upperclassmen and I could have that with the underclassmen. You really get to know them.”

What do you feel is the most valuable lesson you learned from having a peer mentor?“Just to be there for people.”

How do you feel the mentor program changed you or helped you adjust?“It helped me know the upper-classmen when I didn’t really know any. It helped me feel the family atmosphere of Cathedral.”

Do you think the peer mento-ring program is a valuable one for the school? Why or why not?“I do because they can help you with homework and see you every day. And having a student instead of a teacher is good because they really understand you.”

What was your favorite part about having a peer mentor?“Just seeing them every day and making new friends.”

tell me like ‘hey I have a basket-ball game on Tuesday you should come watch’ as opposed to ‘oh, I’ll just let you know when the games are’ or just kind of shrugging it off. Seeing them wanting me to be in-volved in their lives was definitely really cool to see.”

valuable lesson you learned from having a peer mentor?“Probably to take classes seriously now, because they’ll get harder. It’ll be easier if you start now. And I shouldn’t stress too much.”

How do you feel the mentor program changed you and helped you adjust?“It made me feel more comfort-able with the school and upper-classmen. It also made me feel more like a part of the school because I know more people.”

What was your favorite activity you and your mentor did?“The Christmas party. We did a secret Santa with the whole resource. The mentees came together and bonded through the whole experience.”

feature6

Taking on a classroom full of high school students could be challenging for any teacher who is new to the job.

Student teaching helps him prepare for this experience.

Having a few student teachers on board with the staff also could provide a few advantages for both the students and the other teachers.

According to Mrs. Julie Barthel, vice principal for curriculum and instruction, one advantage is that student teachers often bring new practices and ideas to the classroom.

She said, “They are learning the best new ideas and strategies.”

According to Barthel, the administration is always open to looking at the resumes of the new student teachers who apply for placement here and the resulting

BY MADDIE LUCIA

BY MORGAN CARTER

experience. “When we have a college ap-

proach us with a student teach-er application, if we feel they are a good fit for Cathedral, we would definitely have them come work with our students,” Barthel said.

The school does not place any certain policy or requirements for student teachers, but it is the university that sets those instead. Barthel added that, as with any school, there are requirements to complete at the college or univer-sity before one can be placed in a school setting.

According to Dr. Aarti Brooks, vice principal for research and curriculum, there is no limited amount of jobs for those who apply. Barthel said that it all depends on how he or she fits the qualifications for the students at the school.

In years past, the school has welcomed many different student

German Foreign Exchange Student Adjusts to Life in America, Shares Experience

teachers. Last spring the staff members greeted an educator in biology teacher Mrs. Susan Mills’s classroom.

According to Mills, Mr. Matt Black, who was a student at Mari-an University, was a great teaching tool to have around for not only her, but also her students.

“Last year, having a student teacher helped me to think about how I teach and if my style was the best way. It also helped for the students because they can learn more than one way to do things for biology,” Mills said.

Starting next month, the social studies and physical education departments will have student teachers for the remainder of the year.

The social studies hall will wel-come Mr. Nathaniel Adrian, who is a current student at the Univer-sity of Indianapolis and will teach alongside Mr. Dennis Thomas,

social studies department chair. The physical education depart-

ment will soon welcome Mr. Sean Collins, who is a current student Purdue University and will teach with Mrs. Linda Bamrick, physical education department chair.

According to Brooks, there are currently no teachers here who student taught at Cathedral.

Barthel added, “Student teach-ers are not gone off the campus, we didn’t have any first semester, but when a college approaches (the school), if we feel that they are the right fit for the job, we definitely would have them work for us.”

Typically, a student teacher would spend 10 weeks assigned to the school.

In that period, a student teacher usually observes for a week or two, depending on his capability, before he steps up to become the classroom teacher being super-

vised by a veteran educator. Brooks said, “Everything a

Cathedral teacher would do daily applies to the student teaching job, which include lesson plan-ning, grading, PowerSchool and classroom assignments, all with a Cathedral teacher as their guide and mentor.”

Mills said that student teaching is valuable.

“It’s a great tool for a new teach-er. One could be an expert at his field of study, but if he doesn’t know how to manage a classroom or relate to students, then his knowledge is useless,” she said.

The link being the school and colleges and universities is vital to finding great classroom teachers.

Barthel said, “We always try to continue to build relation-ships with great universities in our state so we can learn about new, young talent that is coming out of college.”

Student Teachers Enhance Academics, Atmosphere by Providing Fresh Ideas in Classrooms

The quintessential American Thanksgiving is a right of passage for all foreigners trying to im-merse themselves in our culture.

Stefan Klapperich, junior and German foreign exchange student, took full advantage of his first turkey-filled Thanksgiving feast in Evansville with his host family and even hit the shops at midnight in celebration of Black Friday.

In an email Klapperich’s host student, junior Mark Prechtel

said, “My favorite memory with Stefan so far has just been his ex-citement for my family’s Thanks-giving meal since he had never had one before.”

Klapperich has joined his host student family on an abundance of excursions, ranging from camping in Kentucky to celebrating New Year’s Eve in Chicago, Klapperich’s favorite memory. Klapperich also gained new experiences with his host family, such as shopping on Sundays (which does not happen in Germany) and attending a Purdue basketball game (Germa-ny does not have college athletics.)

Klapperich said, “Since Germa-ny does not have college sports and high school sports aren’t as big of a deal, I really enjoyed seeing Cathedral win State in football. It was one of my favorite memories.”

Another one of Klapperich’s favorite aspects of our culture has been the food. “I love American

Junior Mark Prechtel and his family are hosting junior German exchange student Stefan Klapperich. “I love America,” Klappernich said. | Photo submitted

“I really enjoyed seeing Cathedral

win State in football.”

Junior Stefan Klapperich

food,” said Klapperich. “I espe-cially love cheeseburgers; they are the best.”

While Klapperich loves the cuisine now, when he first arrived he wasn’t sure what to think. “My first impression of America was that everything is big, so I thought that Americans were being very wasteful,” he said.

Klapperich has become accus-tomed to the enormity of America and has been surprised by many lifestyle changes. Klapperich said that most foreigners associate Americans with laziness, but he learned just how untrue this is.

“Americans are very busy, much busier than Germans. They like to work hard,” said Klapperich. This abundance of culture shocks and adventures have given Klapperich the full American experience that he desired when he signed up for the trip.

“I love America,” said Klap-perich.

feature 7Fun with Ferrets: Sophomore Introduces Furry Friend, Nico BY MARY CATE PACHCIARZ

There’s a new class pet for science teacher Mrs. Susan Mills’ zoology class—Nico, the ferret.

Nico is the pet of sophomore Bailey Newhart. Newhart moved a few months ago, and, in the process, Nico did not have a good place to live.

Consequently, Newhart brought Nico in to be a class pet in zoolo-gy after Mills gave her permission to do so.

While some may believe that ferrets are scary or unsanitary, but this is untrue. Ferrets are hypoal-lergenic and love people.

They naturally give off odors and are considered dirty, but “Nico is up to date with his vac-cines and rabies shots. I bought him from Marshall Farms ferret breeding company, and their fer-rets come neutered or spayed and descented (removed gland scent sacs),” Newhart said.

Therefore, Nico is a clean, safe class pet that acts like a kitten. Ferrets are capable of using a litter box and can even go on walks.

They are also known to be emotional and love attention.

Newhart said, “He’s very happy here and is loved, so he’s staying for now, which is fine with me.”

Mills said, “In Zoology, I like to bring in live animals for ob-servation during various units.

“We have a frog and toad for the amphibian unit, chickens for the bird unit and a ferret for the mammal unit. A mini pot bellied pig and a goat will also visit the classroom soon.”

Nico and the school have a symbiotic relationship in zoology terms. A symbiotic re-lationship is one in which both animals or parties benefit from the relationship.

Students get the chance to learn about and enjoy the presence of a ferret, and Nico appears to be really happy here, too.

Nico stays here from Mon-day through Friday in Mills’ classroom and goes home with Newhart on the weekends.

Bailey Newhart’s ferret, Nico, comes to school during the week, but it lives with Newhart on the weekends. | Photo by Emma Flohr

Photo Poll

Senior Josh Peduto

Freshman Caleb Short

Senior Emily Cline

Junior Carrie Goldfarb

“The chairs are nifty; however, the desks

are awful.”

“The desks don’t stay still, but the chairs are great.”

“Overall, they make it look nice.”

“Chaos.”

What do you think of the new desks?

“I like how big the desks are, but in some

rooms it’s crowded.”

Senior Emily Straley

Rookie Showcase Returns Jan. 29

Juniors Allie Wehrli and Julia White direct sophomore Gabi Sharp and freshman Cortney Richards in a short play for the rookie showcase. Photo by Emma Flohr

Every year, the Catheatre puts on a rookie showcase allowing freshmen and other new theatre members to have a chance on stage.

Theatre department chair Ms. Jennifer Alexander said, “It’s a chance for ‘rookie’ or ‘new’ direc-tors and actors to work on a short play and also get experience with how things work in our program.”

The rookie showcase involves a string of short plays or scenes that are directed by students. Each director chooses the play he or she wants to use and then submits it to Alexander for approval. This year, there are 10 plays with a total of 30 students.

The group of directors this year consists of seven juniors and five seniors. To become a director, students must fill out an applica-tion. Alexander said, “Students apply in the spring and are chosen based on experience and past commitment to the theatre.” Once chosen the directors are then able to watch the auditions and start casting, with help from Alexandar throughout the process.

For junior Allie Wehrli, this is her first opportunity to try being

a director. She said, “I wanted to direct the showcase because it is a different aspect of theater that I have never done before. I’ve always done acting, and I thought it would be interesting to try out something new.” She and co-director junior Julia White are directing sophomore Gabi Sharp and freshman Cortney Richards.

Sharp said, “I decided to do the rookie showcase because I abso-lutely love acting, and I feel like it is just a way to express myself even more than I already do.” She also recommends that everyone who is interested in theatre gives the showcase a chance. She said, “It has just been such a fun experi-ence, and I think it would be great for other people to try it.”

Alexander said she believes that the showcase is a very rewarding experience. She said, “It’s great to see new talent emerge in both ac-tors and directors.” She also said, “It’s a great way to get experience with the Cathedral stage and get to know new people.”

The show is scheduled for next Thursday at 4:15 and 7:00 p.m. All students are encouraged to watch the show and see just what the rookie showcase is all about.

BY AMANDA KEILMAN

Why is it Important Today?

What is it?Grit is the process through which individuals use

deliberate practice to develop a strong mental attitude and toughness in the face of potential

disappointment or failure.

It is essential to be prepared for whatever challenges life may throw at you.

By developing a tough mindset, you are preparing yourself for future challenges that you may face.

Guest Column: Ms. Klee Shares her Story of Grit

You receive the graded test for which you had prepared for an entire week. You put forth a great deal of extra effort and studied for hours because you knew that it would impact your final grade. The exam is passed back and much to your dismay, an unsatisfactory mark is printed on the front cover of the test.

Will you whine about the challenge that you’ve been faced with and give up, resign-ing yourself to failure? Or will you discuss your grade with the teacher and develop a plan to adapt so that you can be successful in the future?

The course of action you take next has recently been the focus of educators across the United States.

In its essence, grit means perseverance and mental toughness when presented with a situation that challenges students to step out of their comfort zone with the possibil-ity that they might fail.

However, it is a two-fold process. Teachers should be aware of their students’ differ-ent ability levels so that they can challenge them but also provide a safety net when their students may potentially fail. In this way, teachers can help students try again and find a new way to succeed.

Principal Mr. Dave Wor-land said teachers need to demonstrate to their students that challenges are inevitable, and obstacles in the learning process exist.

“It’s OK to fail because now we are going to work from another angle to be successful,” Worland said regarding how teachers should educate their students on grit. “Students

should be allowed to fail at times, because then they can realize what they need to do next so that they can be successful in the future.”

Why is grit an important topic of conversation now?

President Mr. Stephen Hel-mich said, “I didn’t see (grit) as a

big issue at Cathedral; however, what I’ve come to understand is that something is different for (the students) today. It is more serious. There is more stress, and the expectations are very high.” These high expectations carry on throughout the student’s college career.

Educators fear that students have been inaccurately trained

I would need twenty hands to count the number of times I’ve been asked this question over the last few years:

“Where’d you graduate from?”“Notre Dame*.”Unfortunately, no one can see the asterisk when

I respond. Yes, I graduated from Notre Dame, but my journey from application to graduation was anything but simple.

My senior year of high school I applied to Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College. Since 1950, my family has accrued 25 Notre Dame grads and 8 Saint Mary’s grads, so you can see why I made the choices I did.

I was rejected from Notre Dame. I was told, “Your application is everything we are looking for…except for your SAT scores.” It’s true, my SAT scores were nowhere near perfect, but I was hoping that my grades, co-curriculars, service and essay would more than make up for my aver-age SAT score.

While I was overjoyed to get into Saint Mary’s, my rejection from Notre Dame crushed me. I felt stupid, unworthy, foolish, humiliated and like a failure. Unfortunately, those feelings tend to overwhelm you even when your family, friends and faith demonstrate all the love and hope in the world to you. I was blind to the care they showed at that time.

A similar experience happened my freshman year at Saint Mary’s; I applied to transfer to Notre Dame and was not admitted, again. This time, without any explanation. I experienced the same feelings of rejection, but they sunk in deeper. They smothered all my proud accomplishments, and if there was any mistake about my intelligence the first time I applied, the second rejection confirmed it. That I was not smart enough, not impres-sive enough. My family and friends came to my rescue, building me up and reassuring my character, qualities and brains.

Did I hear them? Yes. Did I believe them? No.Call me crazy, but I applied to transfer during my sophomore year, too.

This time, I received criticism from friends like, “Why would you do this to yourself?” and “Why don’t you just try to be happy where you are?”

The truth was, I was happy at Saint Mary’s. My time there sculpted me into a hard-working, class conversation-contributing, world-traveling, deans-listing, choir singing, part-time-working and life-long-friend-gain-ing Belle. But it was because Saint Mary’s showed me what I was made of (intelligence, courage and hope) that allowed me to see that I wanted to be a theology teacher, and I wanted to learn theology at Notre Dame. The echoes of love and support from those closest to me and experiencing God’s comforting presence through prayer gave me peace and confidence, too.

So, with courage and a little fear, I sent in my application a third time. A few months later, my Dad called me while I was traveling with my choir and said, “Hey, Rudy. You did it.” (And then we both proceeded to sob tears of joy.) I graduated in 2012 with a theology degree from Notre Dame. But my degree stands for more than a fulfillment of requirements.

Some people have asked me what the hardest part about my college experience was. It wasn’t the time spent on transfer applications or the fees or essays, it wasn’t the late nights of reading and writing or introduc-ing myself to new people every year. It was facing rejection and having the courage to rise above it, to put myself out there again, and again and again without guarantee of success. It was choosing to accept the words of my family, faith and friends who believed in me. And looking back, seeing that every bit of the journey was worth it for where it has brought me and who I am now: a gritty theology teacher at Cathedral.

The banners in the gym represent the athletic excellence Cathedral embodies. Photo by Emma Flohr

“Being involved in athletics prepares you for the challenges of life, and a big part of that is

because there are a lot of things that happen in athletics where you have to learn to be tough.

You have to learn that everything doesn’t always go your way. Sometimes it takes more

time than you want, and you have to overcome challenges. In the end, hoping you maximize

your potential, which means being able to accept mistakes and accept challenges.” -Athletic Director Mr. Doug Seagrave

“The best examples of grit come from reading literature. Without knowing the people, we

can experience their trials by reading, which can give us strength. I look at the Transcen-dentalists, Emerson and Thoreau, because

you can pull out their quotes and read them. Emerson said, ‘Do not follow the path where others may lead, go instead where there is no

path and leave a trail.’ That’s about grit and self determination, learning who you are and

following your internal compass.” -English Co-Chair Mrs. Liz Browning

At Cathedral...

This survey from Focusing Grit determines amount of grit students have. | Used by permission of Mr. Thomas Hoerr

Grit

From the

Professionals...Dr. Thomas Hoerr is currently the head of school at New City School in St. Louis,

and has published three books, including Fostering Grit: How do I prepare my students for the real world?

How is grit an important piece of developing leadership skills?“Leaders know that real successes don’t happen quickly. They happen because of

vision, effort, tenacity, more effort, and resilience.”How can teachers ensure that their students are becoming gritty individuals?

“Grit needs to be part of a dialogue. It is something teachers do to students; it’s something that they pursue with them. The value of grit should be talked about, and

teachers and students consciously work to develop it.”

Dr. David Meketon is the school based research liaison at University of Pennsylvania and has spent more than 40 years working in education in the

Philadelphia area.What are the keys to becoming a grittier individual?

“The keys to growing grit is deliberate practice. This requires a high toleration for frustration and boredom. We created activities that measure these charac-

teristics and then followed the students for 3 years. The students with the high-est amount of these characteristics had much better outcomes in every aspect of their lives. The magic word is ‘yet.’ Don’t say, ‘I’m just not good at this.’ Say, ‘I’m not good yet and if only I stick with it I’ll get better.’ One needs a coach/mentor

that provides feedback promptly, one needs stretch goals, and one needs the capacity to get back up after falling/failing.”

to cope with the hardships and challenges of life by the time they set foot onto a college campus or into the workforce.

Teachers here can best prepare their students for situations that they may face after their Cathe-dral career has ended by partaking in open-ended conversations, said Helmich.

“(Grit is) not something that you’re going to memorize. I think it’s going to be taught through conversations with questions about situations like ‘how would you handle that?’ or ‘how would you respond to that?’,” said Hel-mich.

The ultimate goal will be for teachers and students to have honest conversations with each other about resilience and grit. Teachers may challenge their stu-dents to share a time in their lives where they failed or didn’t reach a goal and ask how they were able to cope with it.

Mr. Thomas Hoerr, head of school at New City School in St. Louis, said via email that tenacity is a key factor in becoming a gritty individual. He said that “choosing goals that are doable, but a stretch,

How Does Grit Apply

to Us?BY EMERSON WOLFF

“It’s OK to fail because now we are going to work from another angle to be

successful.”Principal David

Worland

and support from parents and ed-ucators,” will create a foundation for success.

What does it take to be a gritty individual?

Mr. David Meketon, school based research liaison at the Uni-versity of Pennsylvania, has been a professional educator for almost 40 years in the School District of Philadelphia. Meketon works at the Duckworth Lab at the Univer-sity where Dr. Angela Duckworth and her team have researched and experiment with the term of grit.

Meketon said via email, “The key to growing grit is deliberate practice. The magic word is ‘yet.’ Don’t say, ‘I’m just not good at this.’ Say, ‘I’m not good at this yet and if only I stick with it, I will get better.”

Helmich’s goal is to make the term a part of the language and practice here. “Cathedral students have grit. That would be a good thing to say. It means that our students have thought and talked about the fact that not everything is going to work perfectly in life. We care about you because we want you to be as successful as you can in the real world.”

98

Feature10

BY ERIN COLLINS For her fourth and final time as

a Cathedral student, senior Moira Corcoran perfomed in the state Honor Band last Saturday.

Band director Mrs. Kathy McCollough said, “Moira is the only person at Cathedral to have participated in the Honor Band for all four years.”

Corcoran’s love for band and music started young. Corcoran said, “It’s an interesting challenge. The music isn’t easy, but it’s fun. You have the challenge of learning how to play it.”

She added, “Then, you get to go and interact with other people who enjoy the same things that you do, people who enjoy band. It’s a really exciting experience and a way to be a part of some-thing here at Cathedral. I also get to take what I have here and go work on it with other people.”

Through this immense love and dedication Corcoran has had throughout the years, she has been honored with many presti-

gious awards. McCollough said, “She is co-

first chair of the trumpet section. She practices a lot. She had a solo in the marching show this year. She has been to district for the

solo and ensemble contest and received (a) Gold (rating) the last three years. She went to State for solo and ensemble and received Gold for all three years, as well.

“Her performance in this solo

and ensemble contest is what has made her eligible to be considered for the Honor Band.”

The Honor Band selected a maximum of three students from participating high schools around Indiana.

To be chosen, each student must have submitted an applica-tion that lists his or her achieve-ments in band.

A representative from the State Music Convention Committee reviewed the applications and selected who participated in the Honor Band.

McCollough said, “If you score well in the solo and ensemble contest, the Honor Band likes to see that. They like to see you up in the first chairs of your own band, and Moira is co-first chair with another student. They like to see you challenge yourself, maybe play outside, maybe in a church group or other group of that sort. She has played in other ensembles.

“They want to see a pattern of success on the student’s instru-

For Fourth Straight Year, Senior Moira Corcoran Participates in State Honor Bandment. She has also played the flugelhorn, which is sort of like a bigger trumpet, and she has scored well in the solo and ensem-ble contests with that.”

Corcoran’s success has come from many years of trial and error by playing various instruments.

Corcoran said, “When I was in first grade, I really wanted to play the piano. My mom signed me up for lessons, so I played it for a while, but I just hated it. I begged my mom to let me quit.

“When I was in sixth grade, she let me quit. Then I heard this song, and I really wanted to learn how to play it on the piano. So I started playing the piano again.”

She continued, “Then, when we had to choose an instrument in grade school for band, I chose to play the bells. I didn’t really enjoy it, so I found the trumpet we had at home and decided to learn to play that.”

Corcoran said about the expe-rience, “It was such an amazing oppotunity to play with everyone.”

Junior Andrew Reyes is an Angel.

He works with other teens from all around the country who have formed a group called the Angels to create video games. Their goal is to design video games that can be played online globally.

Those who participate are charged a small fee to play and then have access for 24 hours. The money raised is not for personal gain, but instead is donated to charities.

Reyes was introduced to the Angels through some of his friends who already participated in the charity.

He said, “They were happy to let me in. As far as I am aware, I am the only one from Indiana

who is in the group. Most of the group is from either the West or East coast.”

For Reyes, being a part of the Angels is an honor.

Not only does he get to par-ticipate in creating video games, which he expressed is something he really enjoys, but he is helping those in need.

Reyes said, “We help two charities, AbleGamers and Extra Life. They both help kids who are in need, most of whom are in hospitals.”

He said, “Knowing that our work is helping the kids in the hospitals to feel a little more like a normal kid is so rewarding.

“I might not necessarily go into the hospitals and play with them, but I know that what we are doing is certainly helping them. I do

hope to be able to visit the kids at some point.”

AbleGamers uses the donations it receives to buy video game equipment for disabled children. Its goal is to help improve the children’s quality of life through the games.

The charity was created by a disabled veteran who wished to help his sister, who has multiple sclerosis, to feel a little more normal.

Extra Life is similar to the Angels in that it also raises money by creating video games for others to play. Extra Life was inspired by Tori Enmon, a 15-year-old girl who died of cancer in 2008.

The charity works to help children who, like Tori, are in the hospital by giving them video game equipment and playing the

games with them.The weekend of Nov. 30-31,

the Angels held two 24-hour live streams. Reyes said, “The live streams were to help raise money for the charities. We ended up raising around $2,000.”

In a single past live stream, the Angels raised up to nearly $1,600.

Reyes said, “The goal of the Angels is to provide a bully-free community for gamers.”

Reyes’ speech teacher, Mrs. Debbie Gallo, said, “Every year teachers have in their classes a student who stands out to them for a variety of reasons. Andrew stood out to me mostly for his friendliness since the first week of school.”

She continued, “As I got to know him better, I found he had a large amount of creativity and

deep knowledge of the video game world. Then, I found out that he was not only friendly and intelli-gent, but he was generous as well.”

Reyes has continued to impress Gallo, as she has learned more about the charity work he does.

Gallo also said about Reyes, “His attention to detail and his willingness to take instruction and correct the errors he made must be beneficial, especially when he is being the businessman that he is.”

She also said, “His friendliness and outgoingness and knowledge of games I am sure comes through to the people who trust him with their money and trust him to play the games.”

The Angels do not currently have any live streams planned but hope to host another later this year at Christmas.

Junior Andrew Reyes Helps Raise Money for Two Charities Through Playing Video GamesBY ERIN COLLINS

During the men’s varsity basketball game Jan. 6 against Northwest, senior Moira Corcoran participated as a member of the pep band. Last weekend, Corcoran performed in the state Honor Band for the fourth consecutive year. | Photo by Mary Stempky

Art Teacher Mrs. Jodi Monroe’s Drawings of Firefighters Spark Attention, Publicity BY GLORIA HERRON

Growing up, art teacher Mrs. Jodi Monroe always had some sort of connection to the firefight-ing community. As a child, her favorite uncle served as the fire chief in Fort Wayne.

Her mother fixed and repaired gear for the firefighters, and still does today. Monroe’s ties to the profession grew even closer when she married a Noblesville fire captain, Mr. Jeremiah Monroe.

One year for Christmas, Mon-roe decided to surprise her hus-band with a framed drawing of his gear. Unexpectedly, Mr. Monroe insisted that she take her skill to a serious level.

“It was his idea. He was ex-tremely supportive,” said Monroe.

Over the course of 10 years, around 14 companies in the U.S. and Canada began selling Mon-roe’s art. Her number of Facebook page visitors has climbed more and more.

One day, she received an email from the set designer of NBC’s “Chicago Fire” asking to use her artwork on the show.

“That’s when everything started

going crazy,” Monroe said. Monroe’s drawings captured the

attention of 12,000 people on her Facebook page.

“I started posting Scriptures,

I shared my faith,” said Monroe. That was when, Monroe said, “it exploded.”

Upon starting a career here, Monroe and librarian Mrs. Ginny

Casey bonded over ties to the fire fighting community.

“We connected because my dad was a volunteer fireman in New York for over 50 years,” said Casey.

Monroe’s continual Facebook posts and updates are not in any way to promote her talent in a self-serving way.

“My page isn’t just about my art. It’s also about trying to make a difference,” Monroe said.

What many people may not know about the firefighting community is the heavy presence of depression, PTSD and suicide. With her skills and large online audience, Monroe tries to bring awareness and support for the people who risk their lives for oth-ers every day.

“For some reason, God has chosen to bless me with this,” said Monroe. She works with various organizations to raise money for fire-industry related causes.

This includes creating T-shirts with work displayed on them, printed copies of her art and even customized drawings.

“I’m very privileged to be able to help out organizations with my art,” Monroe said. With endless support from family and friends, both on and offline, Monroe shares her talents for the better and gives all credit to God.

Art teacher Mrs. Jodi Monroe helps junior Bridget Kaster with a design project. | Photo by Jack Rocap

Pre-engineering Classes Utilize New 3D Printer, Hope to Allow Access to All Students SoonBY MATT MEULEMAN

Cathedral has many secrets. The alleged pool on the roof of Kelly Hall, the so-called ghost in the attic of Loretto and the ev-er-so-secret underground tunnels.

But there is one secret that only about one-third of students know about- the 3D printer.

The 3D printer is located in pre-engineering teacher Mr. Dom David’s room and is used to print parts for classes such as pre-engi-neering.

The printer has been here since the beginning of the school year, and pre-engineering student, junior Christopher Bessler, said, “It makes it easier to put our ideas into action because we can

The new 3D printer resides in pre-engineering teacher Mr. Dom David’s classroom. | Photo by Emma Flohr

actually make physical objects and prototypes.”

He continued, “So instead of working with just a set of tools that someone else has made, we can make exactly what we need.”

A big question about the 3D printer is whether or not it can be used in just any class.

Bessler thinks that it can, and he said, “It could definitely be used in pre-engineering, but it could also be used in anything from projects in art to a diorama or anything else for other classes. Even in chemistry you can make chemical models.”

These printed products can range from any regular part to a kinetic piece of artwork called a

“heart gear.” Both David and Bessler said

they agree that the heart is the most interesting thing they have printed so far, and the two said they are both excited to see what else they can make.

Not all students will be able to use this new technology though, at least not yet.

“Maybe if we get a donation or something to get a new one, ev-eryone could use it. But right now there is too much demand for only one printer. Hopefully soon we will get more,” Mr. David said.

He continued, “If there were three or four printers, chances are everyone could use one like they do to print paper.”

Feature `11

sports12Ultimate Athlete

Mouth: Junior Nolan Boyle

Arm: Senior Mary Ellen Kempf

Core: Junior Blake Rypel-Smith

Heart: Senior Mary Pluckebaum

Leg: Senior Liz Bamrick

Head: Senior Ryan Ward

Swimming

Bowling

Wrestling

Gymnastics

Basketball

Hockey

Senior Riley QuinnLeprechaun

Winter Edition

Basketball

Former Irish forward Collin Hartman ’13 took his talents to Indiana University.

Hartman is the first person from Cathedral to play for the Hoosiers and has shown develop-ment in his short time at Indiana University.

During his freshman season, Hartman sat on the bench in a reserve role, learning from the teammates who would have more playing time than him.

Lacking in court time his fresh-man season, Hartman barely saw the floor, tallying only a total of 72 minutes.

So far in the 2014 season, he has taken an upgraded role and already tripled his minutes.

Hartman’s adjustment from high school to college basketball was challenging to him.

Hartman said, “The transition was hard because I wasn’t the dominant player I was in high school. I became a role player.

“Everybody was much faster and stronger and it took me a year to adapt to the changes of the game.”

Hartman described himself during his game. He said, “I was

a nervous wreck when I played in my first game. Seventeen thou-sand plus fans is a little much to deal with, so I was like a deer in the headlights.”

Hartman said he is proud to play for both programs, from his time at Cathedral to the present with the Hoosiers.

“It feels great representing both programs. Knowing that people are cheering for you to do well on a personal level is great,” he said.

In one word, Irish men’s bas-ketball head coach Mr. Andrew Fagan expressed he felt Hartman’s opportunity was “exciting. He is the first player from Cathedral to play for Indiana University. Our entire coaching staff is incredibly proud of how Collin has played this season.”

Last March, Hartman tore his ACL during a team workout.

Hartman described his reha-bilitation. “The recovery from my ACL was a very long process, but I was surrounded by people that pushed me every day and got me back early just like I planned. It was the hardest thing in my life to persevere through every day.” He now wears a brace on his right knee during games.

Since his injury, Hartman has

A True Hoosier: Collin Hartman ’13 Earns Key Role at IUBY JACK ROCAP

During his senior year, Collin Hartman ‘13 leads a successful fast break against LaLumiere. Hartman, who now plays for IU, and the Irish made it all the way to the Class 4A State championship game against Carmel.Photo by Rolly Landeros

been a major part in the Hoosiers’ success. Averaging four points and around four rebounds per game in 2014-2015, Hartman has shown his improvement since his role upgrade this season and his torn ACL in team workouts.

Hartman is still learning from older teammates at Indiana, but he said he hopes to become better each season.

Hartman remains in contact with his high school coaches. He said that he is still learning from

the coaches to become an even better player.

Hartman said that Cathedral and his four-year experience here helped greatly in both his academ-ic and athletic lives.

“Cathedral made me more religious and more educated on religion. I made a lot of connec-tions with people and mainly the staff at Cathedral. They’ve always helped me through and cheered me on,” he said.

Now that the Colts are Out, Who Will Win the Super Bowl and What Will the Final Score Be?

During Indiana’s 80-74 win over Illinois Sunday,

Hartman played a key role for the victorious

Hoosiers. He won repeated praise from the Big Ten

Network commentators who provided play-by-

play during the broadcast. Hartman’s defensive

assignment during his 25 minutes on the floor involved covering Illini

forward Nnanna Egwu,who fouled out with 2:18 left in the game

and was held scoreless. Hartman’s other stats

included contributing six points, making one of two

free throws and pulling in a rebound. Hartman and his

fellow Hoosiers takeon Ohio State Sunday

at 1:30 p.m.

Senior Ian Rolinson

“Seahawks 35-24.”Junior Mike Rushka

“Seahawks 55-0.”Senior Maddie Johnson

“Patriots 24-17.”Junior Chandler Symons

“Patriots 27-7.”Senior David Salvas

“Seahawks 31-17.”

SPORTS 13

columns14Guest Column: Mr. Jeffries Shares Insight on March for Life

On Jan. 22, 1973, the United States Supreme Court legalized the murder of children in their mothers’ wombs. The following year on Jan. 22, 1974, thousands of pro-lifers gathered in Washington, DC for the first of what would become an annual March for Life.

In the years since that first march, the movement has consistently grown. In 2013, 40 years after Roe v. Wade, more than half a million people gathered in Wash-ington.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of marchers from all across the United States gather for the single largest annual demonstration in U.S. history.

I will never forget the first time I went on the March for Life. There were two things in particular that struck me. First, it is like being in a sea of people, the numbers are so great.

The second thing that struck me was the peace among those there. It was an interior peace, one that ex-pressed itself in joyousness and laughter.

Everywhere I looked people were smiling, happy

to be there in the freezing cold. In fact, people are so relaxed and the atmo-sphere is so light that you almost forget why you are there in the first place.

My previous experienc-es were often marked by receiving crude gestures, being yelled at from afar and in front of my face, being told… (well, those words need not bear re-peating), and once being shot at with paintballs.

As the years progress, my experience at the march becomes ever more enriched.

Being in the midst of a sea of people no longer strikes me in the way it used to. Now what strikes me are the people who make the sea.

There are so many dif-ferent people there of all races, creeds, sexes, ages and socioeconomic back-grounds.

There are many priests, friars and nuns, and everywhere you look there are high school and university students. (They are quite possibly the most represented group at the march.)

The beauty of humani-ty and the exuberance of youth shine forth at the March for Life and these are the things that now make me look forward to it every year.

‘Selma’: Accurate Depiction of Civil Rights MovementBY AMANDA KEILMAN

Senior Shares Experience, Thoughts on SAT, ACTBY KATIE SWANTON

Everyone hears on a daily basis that junior year is the year that counts. It is the year that determines your academic career for col-lege. When I approached junior year, one of the main obstacles I stressed about besides grades was the SAT and ACT.

The SAT and the ACT are tests that a student usually takes during his junior and senior year to see how well a student is prepared for college.

The results help colleges decide whether a student is to be admitted or not based on standards and qualifica-tions.

There is a significant difference between the SAT and the ACT, and some pre-fer one over the other.

You can take each test multiple times in order to

improve your score each time. Some colleges super score, meaning they take a student’s best score of each individual section to make his best composite score.

The SAT focuses more on vocabulary. The SAT has multiple short sections that last about three and a half hours total. The SAT is a composite of reading, math and writing.

I personally thought the SAT was easier because the test was broken down into smaller sections, so I found myself able to concentrate more in a shorter amount of time with small breaks in between.

The ACT is more equipped with straightfor-ward questions. This test also is divided into sections, but the sections are much longer.

Besides the core sub-

jects of reading, math and writing, the ACT also covers science. So if you are intelligent in science facts, principles and statistics, then the ACT might be the test for you.

You can’t go wrong for whichever test you decide to take, as most people take them both to see which they feel more comfortable with. I personally took both and discovered that the SAT worked better for me.

It also is a good idea to take the tests more than once because most people find that each time they take it, their score tends to increase.

The SAT and ACT are both stressful for their own reasons. They need to be taken seriously, but if you prepare for them, then the stress will pay off in the long run.

The movie “Selma,” starring David Oyelowo, takes place in the small Alabama town of the same name during the civil rights movement lead by Dr. Mar-tin Luther King Jr.

The film is able to success-fully depict the way African Americans were treated in the South during this period.

It shows the struggle King faced when trying to get the president as well as federal legislators on his side.

The movie gives an accu-rate representation of the peaceful civil rights protests that took place and the way they were received in the South.

“Selma” is an excellent movie. It has some disturb-ing violence and offensive language that make it even more realistic, and some historians have questioned how it depicts President Johnson.

Nevertheless, everyone should see it.

megaphoneStaff

Co-editors-in-chief: Kara Williams, Emerson Wolff

Photo editor: Emma Flohr

News editor: Kara Williams

Opinion editor: Katie Swanton

Feature editor: Emerson Wolff

Face-off editor: Nicole Shoaf

Culture editor: Ashley King

Sports co-editors: Matthew Meuleman Jack Rocap

Social media director: Annie Browning

Graphic designer: Christopher Bessler

Cartoonist: Rita Millikan

Photographers: Annie Browning Emma Flohr Gloria Herron

Reporters: Zak Batt Morgan Carter Erin Collins Nathan Gray Gloria Herron Amanda Keilman

Nora MacAnally Maddie LuciaEvan Schoettle Jessica Snyder Mary Stempky Adviser: Mr. Tony Willis

Principal: Mr. David Worland

President: Mr. Stephen Helmich

Mission Statement:The Megaphone strives to deliver honest and ac-curate news that informs the readers and allows them to make educated decisions based on the content published. Our goal is to not only report the basic facts, but also to provide in-depth and thorough coverage of all subject matters.

Megaphone is a forum for public expression. These opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the entire Megaphone staff or of Cathe-dral High School.

Contact Us At:Twitter @IrishMegaphoneEmail megaphone@gocathe-dral.comRoom Loretto 2214

Megaphone is the student newspaper of Cathedral High School, 5225 E. 56th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46226, (317-542-1481), and is published monthly.

Megaphone is a member of:Indiana High School Press Association

National Scholastic Press Association

A Guide for How to Survive Second Semester Snow flakes fall upon

the last wisps of grass. They melt and nourish the soil. The bleak wisps then spring to life and kiss the bottom of the feet of play-ing children. The second semester brings, if nothing else, winds of change.

These winds shouldn’t be met with an idle stare and an unprepared mind but rather with a firm stance. The homework will pile up and rather than watch the tower of responsibilities grow, grab a stack and pre-pare for crunch time.

The bitter cold makes the days seem to drag on mo-notonously. Don’t let the winter months paint your life a shade of gray. Rather, keep things interesting. Make plans with friends for the weekend or treat yourself to froyo. Don’t let the color leave your life, even as it leaves your skin.

This is really the time to crack down on your grades. Fill up a thermos

of sleep. You will find that finishing homework the day it is assigned will not only allow you to punch in at least eight hours, but also reduce stress tremen-dously.

Erase distractions from your life. This can be very simple. Delete your games on your iPad. Keep your phone in your backpack. This can also be very hard. Opt for a quiet seat in the library to study, rather than a noisy table in the Shiel Student Life Center. Cut out any negativity in your life. Allow only good vibes and good friends who will be there in the end.

After all your hard work, be sure to have some fun. Work hard, play hard. Af-ter a tough day at school, allow yourself to sit back and relax. Go out to dinner with friends. Hang out with your siblings. Treat yourself to a Netflix binge. You deserve it.

with black tea or coffee and be ready to attack each day with zeal. Buy some neon flashcards and rainbow highlighters. Don’t allow yourself to be left in the melting snow, keep up.

There is nothing worse than falling into the soph-omore slump. Sophomore or not, stay motivated. If you get into a rut and feel like giving up, dream of the summer breezes that await you at the end of fourth quarter.

After the holidays, ev-eryone’s uniform pants are undoubtedly a little tighter. Stay active and energized. Even in the harsh cold, it is important to exercise and keep yourself healthy. Stop by the gym after school. Bundle up and go on a run. Trade chips for carrots. Stay hydrated. Most im-portantly, get your rest.

Studying a few nights in advance, rather than cramming, is a surefire way to ensure you get plenty

Staff 15

There are many qual-ities of Cathedral that make it stand out from the many other high schools in Indiana.

One of those key quali-ties that makes our school unique is our schedule. A traditional school schedule allows students to attend the same eight classes each day, some-thing not many other schools can boast.

The good thing about having the same classes five days a week is the routine it establishes.

Seeing the same teach-ers for the same amount of time each day is ben-eficial to students. When you visit the same teacher every day, you build a connection with them, something that would not normally happen on alternative schedules.

When coming in contact with a teacher five days a week, students are able to adapt more quickly to that teacher’s instructional style, which helps them succeed more in the class.

Another benefit to this routine is the larger amount of information students have the oppor-tunity to learn.

In other schedules, such as block scheduling, students attend a specific class only two or three times a week.

In our current sched-ule, we are able to have the same class every day, uninterrupted. We are able to absorb more infor-mation because the class takes place daily.

Another flaw in other schedules such as block scheduling is the problem with absences.

If a student misses a class that’s an hour and a half long, twice the amount of time as a nor-mal class, he or she will technically be missing two classes due to the large amount of lesson plan they missed.

One aspect of our current schedule that is extremely unusual is the period-long lunch.

Unlike past years, when students have had to rush to eat lunch and finish homework from that night, we are now given ample amounts of time to accomplish many tasks.

Being able to eat my lunch and not having to worry about finishing my assignment for the next class in time is refreshing.

Because of after-school activities and other tests and quizzes I have to study for at home, I’m not always given enough time to complete all of my homework before school.

In past years, lunch only lasted 20 minutes, which was barely enough time to eat.

If you take into account the large amount of time spent waiting in line for food, not much time was available to sit and eat.

With this extended lunch, I am not frantically finishing these assign-ments in other classes and am able to take my time and produce better-qual-ity work.

Another benefit of the current schedule is the start time. Starting school at 7:50 is the perfect time for arrival.

It gives students the proper amount of time to shower, get dressed and even sit down and eat breakfast before driving to school.

Although it may still be tiring waking up at 6:50, the dismissal time of 3:25 provides us with the op-tion of taking a quick nap before homework or other after-school activities.

Keeping track of eight different classes every day can leave a student fum-bling to keep up. It leads to a hefty load of home-work each night, which can deter students from giving their best effort in all of their classes.

Due to the amount of homework a student must complete in one night, prioritizing some classes over others becomes a common problem.

If the school imple-mented block schedul-ing, students’ nightly homework load would be reduced and concentrat-ed, not to mention they would have two nights to complete longer assign-ments.

Additionally, teachers would have more time for in-class projects or group work, offering a hands-on approach much more integrative than a traditional lecture.

Decreasing the amount of classes we have each day and extending each class period simplifies school for the better. Lis-tening to eight different teachers and eight new lessons, and in some cases having multiple

tests on the same day, is exhausting to say the least.

With block scheduling, students wouldn’t have to worry about having two essays, three quizzes and a test all packed into one day.

Ultimately, fewer class-es per day makes manag-ing and organizing school easier and less stressful for students. Teachers would have more time to spend teaching lessons, which benefits the whole classroom.

In some cases, 45 min-utes is not long enough to understand and become familiar with a whole lesson.

Many times, 45 minutes is insufficient for taking a test or quiz, especially on days with special schedules such as county days, two-hour delays, early dismissal and county-activity.

Many fans of the current schedule recall senior finals week, when the school employs block scheduling to accommo-date those taking finals and those still learning. Students have com-plained that much time is spent doing nothing

and that the day seems to stretch on in a never-end-ing fashion.

If the school switched to block scheduling full time, this would not be the case. Teachers would learn how to effectively use the whole time in order to teach more substance and clear up any confusion among students.

There are conventions and courses that explain the block schedule dy-namic and allow it to be implemented to its fullest extent.

The current routine is monotonous; students struggle to find variation and exciting aspects to pique their interest. Monday through Friday always has the same agenda, which is tiring and gets old very quickly. Block scheduling, how-ever, would mix up the week. Students would see new peers and teachers and study new subjects.

Overall, block schedul-ing would provide a relief from the current boring routine, give teachers more time to fully teach new topics and reduce students’ homework loads.

VSShould the School Schedule Change Next Year or Stay the Same?

Nora macanally nicole shoaf“Another benefit

to this routine is the larger amount of

information students have the

opportunity to learn.”

“Decreasing the amount of classes we have each day

and extending each class period

simplifies school for the better.”

Cathedral is looking into possibly changing the schedule

for next year. Principal Mr. Dave Worland said, “I’m not 100 percent convinced that the schedule needs to be changed, but we are looking

at research that says there is a defi-nite advantage to a schedule that is

not necessarily traditional.”

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