Saint Xavier High School • Louisville, Kentucky AVIER NEWS Vol. LXXXV • No. 2 • October 25, 2013 St. X has 8 National Merit Semifinalists and 9 Commended Students By Will Leffert ith the recent announcement of National Eight seniors were named National Merit Semi- should mean for how we interact with each other.” WMerit Semifinalists and Commended Stu- finalists: John B. Fultz, Maximilian Mudd, Stephen This is a great honor for the school and another dents, St. X’s tradition of having a high number of M. Kinny, Samuel E. Bibelhauser, Scott C. Cox, example of the high level of academic success at National Merit students continues with this year’s Paxton T. Duff, Frederick Weitendorf and Ian P. St. X. senior class. Scott. National Merit Semifinalists are at the top half of one percent of all students who took the 2012 PSAT. Nine other St. X seniors were named Com- mended Students: Vincent R. Altobellis, Evan P. Heaton, Brian J.P. Ford, Orion C. Johns, Benjamin R. Metzger, Matthew W. Ogburn, Eric A. DeGeare, Henry G. Carnes and Mark A. Finley. These stu- dents tested among the top five percent nationally for the 2012 PSAT. Around 50,000 qualify for the National Merit Program, and St. X has an astounding eight Semifi- nalists and nine Commended Students. National Merit Commended Students: front row (left National Merit Semifinalists: front row (left to right), “It speaks of the rigor of curriculum for the to right), Vincent R. Altobellis, Evan P. Heaton, Brian John B. Fultz, Maximilian Mudd, Stephen M. Kinny, three years the students have been here before they J.P. Ford; middle row (left to right), Orion C. Johns, Samuel E. Bibelhauser; take the test,” said St. X President Dr. Perry Sangal- Benjamin R. Metzger, Matthew W. Ogburn; back row back row (left to right), Scott C. Cox, Paxton T. Duff, li. He added how it reflects “the quality of students (left to right), Eric A. DeGeare, Henry G. Carnes, Frederick Weitendorf, Ian P. Scott. that we have in our building each day and what that Mark A. Finley. Two Fall Dances to be Held Giving Back at the Seniors and Juniors will have separate event from Sophomores and Freshmen Hunger Walk By Tommy Sullivan Story and photo by Chris Grismer n September 15, 102 members to the Friends of the Poor Walk for Oof the St. X community, 80 of the St. Vincent DePaul Society, which whom were students, came to Water- was held October 6. front Park’s Festival Plaza to partici- At the Hunger Walk, St. X raised pate in the 36th annual Hunger Walk. an additional $877, which, added to “It’s a good cause and helps rep- the money raised at school, resulted in resent St. X’s willingness to serve the a total donation of $2,127. community,” junior Gabe Turner said While students could earn ser- as he waited for the event to begin. vice hours by working at the event, The Hunger Walk, presented by they also understood what the Hun- The floor was packed at the recent upperclassman fall dance. Aramark, is sponsored by the Dare ger Walk was truly about. Junior Jack his year, St. X’s administration but, he said, it was “not the same with- to Care Food Bank. Covering over Donahue said, “I’m doing the Hunger decided to divide SAC’s annual out the whole school being involved.” three miles, the course was located Walk because it’s in support of a great T Fall Dance into two separate dances Sophomore Class President along the Riverfront. Money raised at cause to help those who are hungry.” because of higher attendance over the Gavin Laffoon plans on going to the the event is put towards ending world Senior Connor Pavon was the top past several years. The upperclassmen underclassman Fall Dance, and be- hunger. individual fundraiser for the event for dance was held Oct. 12 at the Ken- lieves that freshmen will be “less in- Leading up to the event, donations a second year in a row, raising $1,155. tucky Exposition Center. The under- timidated” due to a smaller number of were collected in St. X homerooms Once the walk concluded, stu- classmen dance will be held Nov. 2 in students there. and lunch periods. The school raised dents felt that they had really given the Sterne Gymnasium. But sophomore Brian Bruns $2,250 during this time. St. X donated back to those in need. Donahue said, “Safety is always the number- thinks the Sterne Gymnasium will $1,250 of that amount to the Hunger “It was a great event, and I enjoyed one concern,” said St. X Principal be a poor venue for the event. He Walk; the other $1,000 was donated being able to help.” Mr. Frank Espinosa, explaining that also wishes that “the underclassmen so many students were attending that would get a chance to dance with se- there were not enough teachers and nior girls.” police officers to chaperone. He also pointed out that younger students don’t always get the best spots on the INSIDE dance floor, yet they pay the same On Campus ....................... 2 price as the older students, which isn’t Student Life ...................... 3 fair. He also thinks that students will enjoy a dance better with kids their Opinion ............................. 4 own age. Academics ....................... 5 Junior Class President Patrick Ryan attended the Junior/Senior Fall Sports ........................... 6–8 Dance. He noted that the dance floor Activities .......................... 9 “wasn’t as crowded, but the intensity Halloween ...................... 10 was still there.” Junior Griffin Johnson thought Tech ................................. 11 that the dance was “great” this year, Tiger Blast ....................... 12 2 ON CAMPUS October 25, 2013 Tiger Tailgate Mrs. Haycraft’s A new tradition begins Dead Chicken By Matthew Hess n a hot August day, Mr. Dan Able’s the supermarket and put it outside in a Oclass left the comfort of the air con- parking lot. Every day for a week, Mrs. ditioned school to travel to a remote area Haycraft and her students would venture at the edge of one of the St. X parking out to the parking lot to take a closer lots. Nearing this lot, the students could look at which bugs swarmed around the already smell the unmistakable scent chicken and how long it took for them of a rotting carcass. As they got closer, to do so. they could see flies The purpose The St. X Pep Band leading students from the tailgating field to the stadium swarming above of this lesson, a raccoon trap WARNING: YOU MIGHT which is now also By Austin Chambers containing a dead a part of Mr. Able’s NOT WANT TO READ iger Tailgate was a new SAC-spon- bottles, but you had to get there early be- chicken. Nobody Forensics class, sored event where students met on cause they went fast. The only thing that wanted to get near has always been T THIS WHILE EATING the soccer/lacrosse practice field and cost money was a ticket to the game. it—not because of to show the post- hung out before three of the home football “Tiger Tailgate was an idea that the the sight, but be- mortem interval, or LUNCH games this year. It was a typical tailgate, student body as a whole really wanted cause of the revolt- how long the body where students could play cornhole, throw to get going,” said SAC board member ing, acrid smell of has been dead. a football and participate in other activi- Will Ostertag. “The goal was to get kids the decomposing chicken. Analyzing the different stages of flies, ties with their comrades. Only St. X guys out to the game and get them out early, “I thought dissections smelled bad students can figure out just how long the could attend, but girls were welcome, too. so they could be in the Rage Cage from freshman year,” said senior Anthony post-mortem interval really is. You know The Tiger Tailgate helped build a sense the opening kickoff.” He added that it was Campisano, “but once I got near the de- it has started once you smell it. of St. X brotherhood, and it also helped a success because “it’s a perfect environ- cayed chicken, dissecting didn’t seem as The lesson has not changed much build the “rowdy” spirit before the great- ment to relax and enjoy yourself after a bad anymore.” over the years, except that, during the est home atmosphere on the planet. long week of school. Free food, unlimited When she began teaching Forensics first two years, the chicken was not One really cool thing about the Ti- games, and all your buds right there with class seven years ago, Mrs. Jennifer Hay- placed in a raccoon trap. But something ger Tailgate was that the St. X Pep Band you. I mean, what more can you ask for?” craft wanted to come up with a good way had to be done to prevent animals from played all the St. X pump-up songs while Senior Ryan Callahan said, “It was a to teach students a little about entomol- dragging the chicken away in the middle everyone was out there. Then, about 30 great time to play cornhole with friends, ogy, or the study of how bugs connect a of the experiment. minutes before kickoff, all the tailgaters and you couldn’t go wrong with free food. victim to a crime scene. In order to do “While the overall smell of the came together and marched to the stadium It’s a brotherhood that other schools don’t this, she obviously could not use a dead chicken was repulsive, it was interesting with the band leading the pack.