Republican The Tech Issue The Falcon Frontrunner

PAGE 3 PAGE 5 Vol. LVIII, Number 3 The Student Newspaper of Saint Joseph High School February 2016 Weisenger Descending to the Depths New Tables Debut This Quarter By Aniket Agnihotri ‘19 Scuba training in Key Largo, FL immediately. By Amritpal Jagra ‘17 seats sums to 234 with more overall space for each student. Staff Writer with nine other cadets over Christ- To Wiesinger, the biggest chal- Copy Editor mas break. As Ian started to learn lenge in scuba diving is learning For years, students have com- Freshman Ian Wiesinger, an aspir- to scuba dive, he found that he had to master the calculations of the Before Christmas break, students plained about how confining the ing NAVY SEAL, has distinguished a strong passion for the serenity dive tables, a number scale used were informed about upcoming tables are, especially in crowded himself from his peers through his of the sea life, despite the many by scuba divers to determine the changes that would take effect in the lunch periods where there is not naval interest and involvement. impedimenta that he is required amount of time a diver can stay second semester. One major change ample room to spread out. Wiesinger is part of a military to wear. underwater based on the altitude is new tables in the cafeteria. “It’s annoying at lunch when there prep organization, the United States His equipment consists of a regu- of the dive. If any calculation is The student body has been com- is not enough leg room, with all the Naval Sea Cadet Corps (USNSCC), lator to control breathing, a BCD erroneous, the dive could become plaining about the crowded and seats filled and everyone’s backpack which allows cadets to get a sense (Buoyancy Control Device), an deadly in an instant. uncomfortable tables, which have taking up extra space,” senior Lean- of military life while in high school oxygen tank, fins, a set of goggles, In the event of a calamity, such as been said to lack sufficient spacing dro Wong said. through various trainings and activ- and a wetsuit, all of which weighs a tank leak, a diver would quickly for enjoyment of the lunch period. “The new changes in the cafeteria ities such as Marksmanship, SWCC a total of 100 pounds. Once in the signal to his or her assigned buddy The students have been waiting for are for the betterment of the school,” (Special warfare combatant-craft water, that weight does not matter that they are losing oxygen. Then a solution and now it has come. In said junior Jaiveer Johal. “The new crewmen), Field Operations, and to him. Ian loves to go underwater the two would go up to sea level in the third quarter, a number of new, tables and the improved menu have SCUBA. and see the multitudes of sea crea- a tranquil, safe manner. improved tables, courtesy of the created a new lunch setting that pro- Wiesinger joined the Travis Man- tures such as turtles, eels, whale “When I come up from a dive, I Mother’s Club, will be replacing vides a better variety of food with ion Battalion in Flemington NJ sharks, manta rays, and the breath- usually feel energy-deprived and the old ones, providing more space more comfort and space.” just over a year ago and is looking taking coral structures. worn out,” he said, “but I also can- and comfort to each student. Many students are also excited and forward to serving his country in Diving takes a physical and men- not wait to go back down again.” The design of the new tables has anxious to see the transformation of either the Navy or Marines. He has tal toll on the body. A diver has “When you dive, you go underwa- already been selected and the plan is the cafeteria, wanting to get the feel achieved the rank of E-3 (Seaman) to stay aware and keep track of ter and it’s an amazing experience,” to bring them in as soon as possible of the new atmosphere. and is interested in EOD (Explosive everything throughout the dive. If he added, “You see a lot of incred- in the third quarter. The selected “The addition of new tables brings Ordnance Disposal), which requires someone dives too deep or comes ible underwater life and it kind of style includes 23 rectangular tables, excitement and something to look Scuba experience. up to the surface too quickly, they has a calming aspect as you are able to seat six students at each, and forward to in the second semester, In the fall of 2015, Wiesinger can develop “the bends,” which can diving in their world. It makes me 12 round tables, able to seat eight allowing us to be the first ones to was selected to participate in Basic be life-threatening if not treated feel calm, relaxed, and focused.” students at each. The total number of continued on page 7 The Story Behind the Voice Second Pep Rally, Another Success By Stephen Kenny ’17 By Jason Manuel ’18 an impersonation of Michael on and there is no other atmo- Staff Writer Managing Editor Drabich by Mark McGuire, and sphere like it,” said senior class the handing of a check from President Jacob Lunn. Ms. Curto turned many heads with The most recent pep rally for St. Joe’s to St. Jude’s Research The pep rally itself is a culmi- her spectacular performance of “Ave the winter sports season fea- Hospital consisting of money nation of months of preparation Maria” at the Advent Liturgy. I began tured a myriad of events which raised by the school. and practice by the pep rally to think about what life experienc- brought the whole school togeth- This recent pep rally was only committee, aimed at making it es would lead to such a capability; er. Apart from the presentation the second one in St. Joe’s his- successful. Preparations for the there had to be a story behind the of the winter sports teams, other tory. However, it has helped to first pep rally in October were English teacher and distinguished events included a dodge ball change the perceptions in the underway in mid-August and theater department director. Well, I contest which resulted in Dr. school, especially compared to required the efforts of numer- sat down with Ms. Curto, and there Gubernat being the last teacher the start of the year. ous people to bring it to frui- certainly was. “standing,” a dunk exhibition “Everyone was doubting the tion including Tom Morrison, Growing up, Ms. Curto was sur- by college basketball commits idea of a pep rally at an all- Kevin Sweeney, Danny Vajtay, rounded by the ever-present arts Breein Tyree and Tyus Battle boys school and we proved Mike Zarnowski, Chris Quigley, community. Her father was a com- and Tom Morrison’s infamous them wrong. We brought tons of poser/director, her mother was a alter ego−Justin Fleetwood−, energy and the students caught continued on page 5 singer, and her brother was a screen- writer. Her ability, then, to connect with many mentors in the profes- Photo by Normandy Studio sional realm allowed her to take Ms. Curto impressed the school positive risks. Starting at a young age community with her voice this at the Cleveland Institute of Music, past December. she sang in a children’s chorus with in low-budget schools was a theater Falcons on Air the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra. company, and did what they could By Roderick Perez ’16 To start up this unique school activ- She was inspired by the beauty of the to prevent that from happening. For Staff Writer ity, many donations were needed due performances and by many mentors, this reason, she is all the more grate- to a lack of modern technology and such as conductors George Szell and ful for the 20 years of support and “Live from the Vincent Maglio training. Deal generously donated a Robert Shaw. fostering of the theater program at Gymnasium, this is St. Joseph bas- variety of broadcasting equipment She told me about her second St. Joe’s about which she is so pas- ketball on the St. Joseph Radio Net- while Mr. Harring, the activity’s grade teacher, who would bring in sionate. work,” emphatically exclaims senior moderator, has brought in a few of music to every lesson, no matter the “Theater is the last, best chance sport’s broadcaster Anthony Colucci his friends involved with journal- subject. One day, she plucked out to change our world,” she said. “I at the start of the highly anticipated ism to assist the amateur student the young, “dreadfully shy” Curto say that because there are tremen- rivalry game against East Brunswick. broadcasters. and convinced her to continue and dous art forms and tremendous ways Inspired by the book You Can’t Senior Malcolm Virgil, one of pursue her singing. This inspira- to encourage us all as humans to Make This Up by Al Michaels and the student broadcasters, is very Students are now broadcasting tion, among other educational and understand one another, but there basketball games online, which the works of Gordon Deal, a Saint optimistic about the program. He can be heard on Spreaker.com hands-on experiences, led to her is nothing like being moved and Joseph alumnus and graduate of Rut- foresees an “evolution into TV determination to make singing and transformed by live performance. It gers who serves as the public address broadcasts” from the current set up dible because the microphones that the arts her “life’s work.” takes the greatest, worst, and most announcer at New York Giants and of only streaming vocally through Colucci and Chadwick used attracted From there, she trained further in vulnerable aspects of humanity and West Point football games, Colucci Spreaker. Along with Virgil and too much background noise. With the her hometown of Cleveland, but putting a spotlight on it.” has expressed his motivation to inte- Colucci, seniors Carson Coudriet, help of donations from Mothers and always knew she wanted to end up in As for the Saint Joseph Theater grate Deal’s profession into the Saint Dylan Tyrell, Millard Shane Thom- Fathers Clubs, the radio station was New York City. She did so, eventu- Company, she and the members of Joseph community. He wants to as, in addition to juniors John Fresco able to purchase its own high quality ally earning her Master’s in English the Company have always dreamed keep students, alumni, faculty, fans, and Max Chadwick will also be headsets, which has resulted in much and Theater. Directing, acting, and of a distinct, professional theater. and families consistently updated working the microphones this bas- clearer sound. singing, she further immersed herself Also, the theater company always about Saint Joseph sports in a way ketball season. Along with almost all home games, in the field, meeting and working welcomes new members. Many of more interactive than by simply see- These broadcasts include in-depth the club has also broadcasted away with many “phenomenal” people. the greatest members of company ing the final score in the newspaper play-by-plays, color commentary, games and made plans to cover She also stressed that education never thought they could do it. or online. analyses, halftime shows, and post- showcase and tournament games was very important not only to her, Theater, she emphasized, is so “It’s a good way to serve St. Joe’s game shows. at places like Kean University, Rut- but to all of the people with whom versatile and so deep in its param- and do something for the school In just three days following the gers Athletic Center, and the Sun she worked; whether it was teach- eters, that it lends itself so eas- community while still pursuing a basketball team’s commanding National Bank Center. Once the ing in the Academy or working to ily to education and collaboration passion of mine. The reactions have victory over East Brunswick, the basketball season concludes, the foster what it means to have the arts between many brilliant minds, the been great so far and I’m excited to broadcast already tallied a total of broadcasting crew has the intention as a part of education. These people end product being that of “reaching see how we progress,” said Colucci. 900 listens. of covering baseball games and vol- often found that the first thing to go our humanity.” Creating this program was not easy. The club’s first broadcast was inau- leyball matches this spring. 2 THE FALCON February 2016 Vignette and Evergreen Staffs Working Hard By Michael Drabich ’16 “Reading through literally hundreds until March 1, 2016. Clubs and Activities Editor of submissions can be daunting but Students and staff alike enjoy explor- the students have been focused and ing what work the Vignette showcases. As the busy 2015-16 school year attentive throughout the evaluation The Evergreen yearbook, moder- continues to plow ahead, the creative process. I’m confident that they will ated by Mr. Lechner and Ms. Salzer, genius of the members of the Vignette select outstanding prose and poetry for has extended its release date to after literary magazine staff and the Ever- this year’s literary magazine,” said Dr. the school year in order to include all green yearbook staff is evident with the Gubernat, the Vignette staff moderator. of the senior events occurring in the two publications’ press dates quickly The last ten editions of the Vignette month of May. The extension prom- approaching. have received First Place with Spe- ises to capture more of the St. Joe’s The students and faculty working cial Merit honors from the American experience and is being met with much behind the scenes to produce these Scholastic Press Association for the excitement from the school commu- stellar publications have much of quality of art, photography, and litera- nity. The yearbook staff is operating which to be proud. The planning and ture that makes up the book and that on a user-friendly publishing software organization involved in creating these is carefully chosen by the magazine’s which is conducive to personalization, award-winning books is no small task; diligent staff. making the book distinctly “St. Joe’s.” however, the time pressure and high This year, the book is on track to The Evergreen and Vignette are expectations from the school com- be finished at its regularly scheduled on their way to completion and are munity are being handled with effi- release date. The Vignette is still look- expected to be, once again, a superb Photo by Dr. Gubernat ciency and grace by their staff and ing to receive photography and artwork representation of Saint Joseph High Dr. Gubernat and The Vignette staff consistently produce an submissions to Mr. Milligan as jpegs School excellence. exceptional literary magazine every year. moderators.

Mr. Smith has been very supportive prominent concern of the Council. in offering opportunities like that to “This is one of the big reasons Bringing Counsel to St. Joe’s Sports the students in the past. What the that I’ve been trying to push the By Brendan Moreau ’16 attribute this year’s increased fan of stable group that could grow into students need to do is be proactive spring sport leaders to stay con- Staff Writer turnout to the Falcon Flock Coun- the leadership roles, so the other and continue to support their teams sistent with their own work for the cil; he attributes the increased fan fans never had to worry about who on a consistent basis. I don’t want other sports,” Harring said. “Once The first ever Falcon Flock Coun- turnout to the student body itself they could look to for ideas, or sup- fans to go to a game because we those sports are done, I would hope cil has been a great success so far for making the effort to come out port for their own ideas”. have a fan bus; I want fans who to see those students then return the this school year thanks in large part and support. With full focus from the student want to go to a game so badly that favor and support those guys who to Council moderator Mr. Harring “I credit the students themselves body geared toward deep state we need to get a fan bus.” have gone out of their way to create ’05. Senior leaders on the coun- for the increased interest in attend- tournament runs and GMC cham- On the other hand, the spring such a great experience during the cil such as Conner Dolan, John ing games and supporting their pionships from both the basketball sports season is right around the fall and winter seasons.” Henry Riccardi, and Matt Scull are classmates more than the council and hockey teams, excitement is corner. In the past, there is no That sense of community has been the cause of the energy generating itself,” he said. building up and there are plans to denying that spring sports have the main purpose of the Council. students that have made this year’s “Just like everything else at a high get students to the games. been ignored by the Falcon Flock. “I really don’t want to make this Falcon Flock one of the best St. school, class personalities tend to “We definitely want fan buses for Lacrosse and baseball teams only just about sports,” Harring said. Joe’s has had in recent memory. be cyclical. This year, I thought it big games, especially in states and getting a good turnout at GMC “There is something bigger here and Mr. Harring does not necessarily would be best to create some sort GMCs,” Harring said. “I think that championship games has been a it’s about supporting your brothers.” Top Ten Toughest Courses By Lucas Pick ’16 hand-written AP test in May. 4. Better Clamtrap – AP Calculus BC with essays, questions, and read- Student Life Editor 6. Shall I Compare Thee to a Frigid As the highest level math class at ing material. Covering seven major Published by the students of Winter’s Night? – Accelerated English III St. Joe’s, Mr. O’Boyle’s Calc. BC literary works and countless poems St. Joseph High School As underclassman course selections Accelerated English III poses a new poses a trial to the best and brightest in preparation for the AP test, the 145 Plainfield Ave., loom in the near future, many stu- hurdle for students. Exposed to Dr. scholars. The class mimics a college course defines a new level of intense. Metuchen, NJ 08840 732-549-7600 ext. 261 dents begin to reflect upon their past Gubernat’s infamous C-S-E/A for- course; a limited amount of grades Editor-in-Chief Anthony Colucci mat for the first time, many struggle www.stjoes.org and present classes. Here at St. Joe’s, are provided each quarter, and tests describes AP Lit as the culmination a number of challenging courses to master the format of the literary consist of three problems at most. of his Rite of Passage through high Volume LVIII, No.3 annually push students beyond their analysis paper and British literature Additionally, to qualify for the class, school English. February 2016 limits of academic excellence and as a whole. Yet, the class is a critical students must be two years ahead in Editor-in-Chief: sleep deprivation. Workload, test dif- preparatory period for AP Lit (see math studies. AND, NUMBER ONE… Anthony Colucci ’16 ficulty, course levels, and individual below) and college. Reflecting on the 3. A Periodic Struggle Against the Ele- Managing Editors: teacher demands all come into play class, Senior Roderick Perez recalls: ments – AP Chemistry GDL (Graduated Death License) – Driv- Taras Holovko ’16 when considering the most difficult “English is hard.” With one of the largest curriculums er’s Education Kevin Stephen ’16 5. The Terrible Towel – Accelerated Drivers’ Ed. is beyond a shadow of Jason Manuel ’18 classes. Current seniors and recent in the school, Ms. Saulys’s AP Chem US History class annually challenges juniors and a doubt the most difficult course at St. U.S. World & News Editor: alumni were consulted to formulate Adekunle Balogun ’16 an accurate and informative catalog According to steelers.com, the Ter- seniors. Although the class requires Joe’s. Mr. Berger rightfully describes rible Towel is “a staple in the homes his class as “the only subject that Sports Editor: of the “Top Ten: Toughest Courses.” diligent time, work, and effort to Carson Coudriet ’16 10. The Inevitable – Everyone’s First of all Steelers fans,” including the succeed, students emerge prepared deals with life and death” and he Clubs & Activities Editor: Gym Test classroom of Acc. US History teacher for college chemistry. Comment- ensures that the students know their Michael Drabich ’16 Although the Gym Test itself is not Mr. Lechner. His terrible towels serve ing on his exertions to maintain a stuff. The grading system hinges Opinion Editor: a class, most students can attest to the as a symbolic intimidation factor for high grade, Senior Mohit Varma upon five question pop quizzes, Sean Holland ’16 unexpected stress and difficulty of his impossible tests. Senior Thomas exclaims, “Please don’t try to make the taxing NJ State Test, and a 100 Student Life Editor: their first experience with the exam. Bender recollects that “his test ques- me remember!” question true-false final. Class of Lucas Pick ’16 Harvard University-bound senior tions often have three right answers 2. As [We] Lay Dying – AP Literature 2015 Salutatorian Michael Nitzsche Copy Editor: Taras Holovko glumly recalls, “I got and a none of the above.” Though Those who survive AP Lit truly still regrets his failure to achieve an Amritpal Jagra ’17 a 78” and extends a word of advice extremely challenging, Mr. Lechner’s deserve their “Iamb Legend” A+ and advises future sophomores: Staff Writers: to future test-takers: “Remember – tests provide sophomores with early T-Shirts. Dr. Gubernat’s heavy “Never, ever, EVER, take Drivers’ CJ Connett ’16 if you ever see ‘brisk walk’ as an exposure to AP-style questions. workload fills students’ weekends Ed lightly.” Brendan Moreau ’16 answer choice, it is always correct.” Thomas Morrison ’16 9. Class for the Gifted – AP Biology Roderick Perez ’16 John Henry Riccardi ’16 The AP Biology students have to Jack Roberts ’16 hand it to Mr. Trojanowski, as his Karun Sekhar ’16 class is the Real McCoy. The diffi- Falcons Take Hershey Once Again Jack Stamm ’16 culty of the topic material truly brings By Ryan Stephen ’19 ranks. Carson Coudriet, Kevin tion prepared the first years well Gil Gerard Austria ’17 Stephen, and Sean Holland served for creating resolutions, debating Max Chadwick ’17 out the good, the bad, and the ugly in Staff Writer Akhil Chinnakotla ’17 students. Many leave his tests as if this year as officers of the General on them, and using Parliamentary John Fresco ’17 they just lost the $64,000 Question. This year’s Saint Joseph delega- Assemblies, the biggest committees Procedure. As a result, two officers Jaiveer Johal ’17 tion that attended the Model United at conference. CJ Connett served were elected this year: Stephen Jashanveer Johal ’17 A few keys to success: never get lost Stephen Kenny ’17 in the sauce, avoid playing too much Nations Conference in Hershey, PA as chair of Security Council and Kenny and Lucas Trevor. The Rohan Mishra ’17 Donkey Kong, and remember that was unlike any before it. Ten years Adekunle Balogun served as the departing officers have confidence Brendan Shank ’17 Suzy in California has all the answers after the school’s first MUN con- both the president of St. Joseph’s that these newly elected leaders Matthew Hall ’18 Delegation and as Lead Youth Sec- have the potential to lead. The Christopher Vandermeer ’18 for the AP test. ference, the delegation has grown Aniket Agnihotri ’19 8. La Clase de los Muertos – AP Spanish from ten to nearly 90 students: so retariat. delegation also came home with Ryan Stephen ’19 Ms. Bonelli’s AP Spanish is deserv- many that Mr. Fleetwood used the This program helped many del- the honor of being named Premier Faculty Moderator: edly the most difficult world lan- Bishop’s Holiday to give the whole egates to harness their talent for delegation, the envied award given Dr. Robert Longhi, ‘81 guage class taught at St. Joe’s. Mir- school off on January 8, the day debate, public speaking, and build to the best-performing school at Principal: roring one of the hardest AP exams the conference began, so enough confidence. However, the real conference. Mr. Justin Fleetwood in the high school curriculum, the teachers could attend as chaperones. “MUN spirit” is embodied by the As old officers depart and the President: In the delegation alone, six offi- four YMCA core values of caring, new officers arise, St. Joe’s Model Mr. Lawrence Walsh, ‘68 entire class is taught en Español. Senior Kevin Stephen comments: cers were elected last year to plan respect, honesty, and responsibil- United Nations honors those who The Falcon welcomes articles from stu- this conference. These officers ity. Underneath the debate lies a served as officers from our del- dents, parents and faculty members for “You’ll be lucky to get a few words consideration for publication. All articles of English in a day.” played an important role in pre- foundation of “MUN love.” egation. are subject to editing. The opinions 7. The Cryptic – AP Java paring the 89-person delegation “The time I spent as a Model UN On the bus ride back, Kevin Ste- expressed in The Falcon do not neces- officer and as Secretary General phen gave what was his last speech sarily represent the opinions of faculty Mr. Costanzo’s AP Java class for the biggest conference yet with or administration. Opinions expressed in contends as one of the most diffi- over 2,000 attendees. has been absolutely blissful, almost to the delegation, saying that “We any column except those of the editors cult subjects to understand due to Taras Holovko, this conference’s as though I’ve been in a perfect leave behind what was in Hershey; are not necessarily those of the editors. its irregular nature. Students must Secretary General, was elected offi- dream the entire way through,” but you… you all must look there,” Graphics and Printing by master a different, coded language cer his first year and has continued Holovko said. he said, pointing to the front of the Media Trends, Metuchen, NJ ascending through the program’s The officers that led the delega- bus, “beyond, to the future.” (732) 548-7088 in order to excel on exams and the February 2016 THE FALCON 3 The Tech Issue Preparing Students for a Modern World Tom Morrison’s Major Keys By Anthony Colucci ’16 With many classrooms as old as the written by Mr. Michelson ’06, that Editor-in-Chief school itself and O’Neill Hall and the starred current students and ran in to Success on Instagram Brothers’ residence standing since local markets advertising St. Joe’s At the open house this fall, Mr. the 1920s, many parts of St. Joe’s by giving households around the By Tom Morrison ’16 Fleetwood gave the same presenta- have a classic prep school look to state a glimpse of what it means to Staff Writer tion to prospective families eight them−something out of a Kennedy be a Saint Joseph Man. times. When talking about the future Family scrapbook. However, within Following the success of the origi- A picture is worth a thousand of the school, Mr. Fleetwood used the walls dating back to when Ken- nal commercial, Dr. Ellis, with the words. the same quote each time to stress the nedy was in fact president, there help of the Film Club, spearheaded An Instagram picture is worth aspirations that he has for St. Joe’s. lies a school community surging an effort to create a welcome video more. “We are taking this school and your to infinity and beyond in the most for admitted eighth graders reminis- Instagram is the purest form of sons not just into the 21st-century, modern of ways. cent of the ones that colleges like social media. It is a platform for but also into the 22nd and 23rd- This past fall, the school ran a Villanova and Boston College use to everyone to share his or her story. centuries.” professionally created commercial, Storytelling is the oldest form of continued on page 5 communication and Instagram is the essence of modern-day story telling. It shows only the important parts of life. Facebook shows everything: it’s too much. Twitter shows only thoughts: it’s not enough. Instagram pro- vides the perfect balance – the best medium to tell a story. As a seasoned Instagram user, I’d like to present some tips to enhance your account and everyone else’s timeline. Here are my Major Keys to Success on Instagram: Any edit is an over-edit. We all have a tendency to over-edit our pictures. To compensate for that natural tendency, before you post, take the edits you’ve made and drop them one notch. Anything that is obviously over- edited looks fake and loses qual- ity, so be careful. VSCO filters are cool, but not really. VSCO filters can work if used in moderation but most Screenshot capture times, they are unoriginal. Play Senior Jacob Lunn and sophomore Victor Rodriguez were featured in the school’s commercial this past fall. around with the lighting and color adjustments to create your own unique filter. A short caption is a good cap- tion. Don’t get wordy; get to the A Modern Evolution point. Captions should be funny By Jaiveer Johal ’17 Pro 4, these two pieces of tech upload and download speeds will or serious, nothing in between. Staff Writer join into one. The iPad Pro has be available nationally. Started in Always post at night, always. Instagram.com a 12.9-inch retina display and 2012 and spanning from Raleigh No one is on Instagram at 9 in Senior Tom Morrison uses Instagram The idea of a small child play- surpasses previous models in to Los Angeles, Google Fiber the morning. 8:00pm to 10:00pm to express himself through artistic, ing with his Pokémon game or a the form of resolution, sound, touches each coast of the United is prime time: everyone is either interesting, and meaningful pictures. college student constantly visit- and coating. Its rival, the Sur- States and hopes to expand fur- finishing homework or procras- ing the library for research has face Pro 4, can transform from a ther north and south. tinating. been completely reinvented in tablet into a full powered laptop Unlike a majority of internet Your location is just as impor- fect. Enough said. this past century. The modern age while running all of your desk- and television providers, Google tant as your caption. Don’t just put Insta isn’t Facebook. A picture has evolved from the simple tele- top software, and is stronger in Fiber will be available for lower the location of the picture; be ironic. of you and your friend isn’t good phone that could only be used to any aspect than prior models. costs and has speeds that are at The best locations enhance the cap- enough. No one cares what you’re call others nearby to the innova- With the rise of these afford- least twenty times faster than tion by adding humor or creative eating for dinner or that they spelled tive iPhone that can store endless able mobile devices, the modern its competitors. This provider double-meanings. your name wrong at Starbucks. amounts of information, obtain world will be connected on an will not only create a better Chill with the #hashtags. If you There needs to be a good story and news as it occurs, and speak to even greater scale. form of Wi-Fi and cutting edge need more than two hashtags, you’re your post needs to tell it. people across the globe. Along with the new tablet and DVR functionality, but also compensating for a weak caption. If you’re behind the camera, no In this age, tablets and laptops computer hybrids, Google Fiber allow for information from all If you’re going for a classy picture, one can see you. Your best pictures are aplenty, but with the innova- is a new innovative invention Google accounts to be linked and one #hashtag is too many. should be taken by someone else. tions of the iPad Pro and Surface that will ensure that fast Internet accessed from anywhere. Black borders are sloppy, white It’s your Insta; you should be in it. borders are classy, no borders? Per- Follow me. @tomorrison Soaring into Tomorrow?

By Karun Sekhar ’16 The interior is nothing to laugh at either; Staff Writer the vehicle supports two people, a pilot and a passenger, and features actual airplane Flying Cars. The concept of taking the instrumentation. A pilot’s license is definitely wheels off modern-day transportation has in order to operate an AeroMobil. been pictured in media (well-known movies One would think the AeroMobil couldn’t and the sort) and has been the holy grail for handle its own on a highway or even a local engineers and scientists with various theories. road because horsepower would be hard Some scientists think that magnetism or to come up with for such a hybrid, but the superconductors. metals that are given mag- AeroMobil can manage a top speed of 99 netic properties, can effectively replace the mph (160 km/h). This means that owners tried and true wheel and axle structure of a could manage on just about any road, but reliable car; others believe that some form of no joy rides on the Autobon unfortunately. propulsion through air or combustion could The ability to fly, however, makes up for turn our reliable land rovers into aeronautic the lack of power on the ground. As a plane masterpieces. AeroMobil manages an interestingly slow 124 None of these theories have provided defi- mph on average, but this lack of propulsion Aeromobil.com nite results, but one company thought to is due to lack of altitude. AeroMobil has developed a flying car. hybridize an airplane and a car, creating a The range on the vehicle, however, is mag- design that is both sleek and unique. nificent. With a full tank, AeroMobil can take the people at AeroMobil stated, “Expect the way for more hybridization of vehicles, and The creators and innovators over at Aero- a pilot 435 miles as a plane and 545 miles as price combination of sports car and Light perhaps new manufacturing processes will Mobil have put together a vehicle that is truly a car; this is impressive seeing as how such Sports Aircraft (LSA), several hundreds reduce the cost of production for these hybrids one-of-a-kind. The vehicle looks like a car a small chassis could hold a powerful engine of thousands of Euro.” Seeing as how the and in turn reduce the selling price point. from the front, but when touring a full circle like the Rotax 912. As many could guess, such Euro currently stand dominant to the U.S. Orders for the AeroMobil start sometime in around, one sees the folded wings and propel- a revolution in the vehicular industry with dollar, this is a steep investment for those 2016, a year that’s shaping up to be a great ler design that gives it a more airplane feel. impressive statistics comes at a great cost. in America. one for the world of Engineering and Tech- Upon releasing the wings into an open state, Because a consumer would be paying for As a whole, the outstanding technologi- nology. Perhaps we can expect AeroMobils one can see the aerodynamic body shell. technology found in the aerospace industry, cal work done by AeroMobil has paved the in America soon. 4 THE FALCON February 2016 Opinion Opinion: Hespe Right to Overrule Vote By Anthony Colucci ’16 championship season: “You recruit.” cannot be a primary argument. Editor-in-Chief Though it may be true that private These “powerhouse” schools schools have a lot more freedom to already compete in their own state Over the last month and a half, attract players, this is not necessar- tournament brackets in a system there has been a controversy in New ily true, especially for a majority of designed to determine state champi- Jersey high school sports regarding private schools. ons relative to the enrollment of the the future of Garden State football Outside of nationally renowned school, so postseason competition and wrestling. programs such as Paramus Catho- should not be a concern either. Many public school athletic direc- lic and DePaul Catholic, there are Regular season meetings between tors campaigned in December for many schools who form their foot- elite private schools and average the separation of public and private ball teams from interested students, public schools are also very infre- schools in football and wrestling, not blue chip recruits rumored to be quent. Don Bosco, the #1 team in two sports notoriously dominated by from out of state. New Jersey, reigning Non-Public private schools, specifically North Many private school teams are of A state champion, and #22 ranked Jersey parochial schools such as similar caliber as those of public team in the country, played just one Bergen Catholic, Don Bosco Prep, schools, sometimes even below. public school all year. Neither Ber- and St. Peter’s Prep. Also, public schools such as Bound gen Catholic, the #2 team in New A vote in December decided that Brook, that qualify as choice Jersey, nor St. Joseph-Montvale, the private schools would be grouped schools, have that same freedom to St Joe’s Football #3 team in New Jersey, played any together in their own statewide attract out-of-town players. Couldn’t December’s NJSIAA vote could have impacted the St. Joe’s football team public schools this season. conference in football and have that also be considered unfair if by replacing local rivalries such as this game against South Plainfield with These teams are too concerned to compete against each other at private schools are criticized for it? games against high-powered parochial schools. with their national rankings and the regional and district levels in Bishop Ahr athletic director the two teams finished in the same for schools like Alabama and Ohio busy playing each other and schools wrestling. Michael Wolfthal made headlines places in the division. State, but by grouping all the private from places like Florida, Ohio, and However, less than a month later, in December for an e-mail that he While the voters believed that the schools together, they would be Maryland to play a public school State Commissioner of Education sent to his GMC peers featuring an change could have helped non-elite subjecting the lesser private schools team. However, many voters failed David Hespe, who has to confirm expletive regarding his disgust with public schools, it really only would to that same “abuse.” to recognize that. every NJSIAA decision, did not the vote. Though Mr. Wolfthal’s hurt average private school football Also to that point, though there I am glad to see that Mr. Hespe approve the vote, maintaining high choice of words was not the most programs, like Bishop Ahr, which may be a greater concentration of did, allowing schools like St. Joe’s school sports as they rightfully have prudent, I agree with his frustration. has not had a winning season since top-tier players at prominent private and Bishop Ahr to continue playing been for years. This year, St. Joe’s (4-5) and Bish- 2009, and St. Joe’s, which just fin- schools, it is not as if there are no competitively against local rivals A central argument made by the op Ahr (4-6), the GMC’s only two ished its fifth varsity season this past Division I players coming out of and not throw them to the wolves public school athletic directors was parochial football teams, finished November. public schools. In ESPN’s rankings or better yet−Crusaders, Ironmen, or the same timeless one that public fifth and sixth, respectively, in the Many public schools argued that of the state’s best seniors, five of Marauders−who they already have school student and fans have always White Division, the conference’s safety was an issue, having to play the top ten players are from public to meet in the state playoffs. used to denigrate a private school’s second lowest division. Last year, against much stronger players bound schools, so talent as a threat to safety

Teacher Response to Falcon Article

By Mr. Scarano deviates from our common ground. He compares false science of man-made climate change because the US to Finland with regard to homicide rates and it is an attempt to destroy the free market system. The November issue of The Falcon contained an attempts to suggest that if only we had tougher gun Climates have always changed. editorial written by senior Kevin Stephen criticizing control laws we could prevent these homicides. Lastly, and perhaps most critically, Mr. Stephen states the Republican Party for a double standard regarding He of course offers no evidence of what he says that the “dogma of states’ rights and the free market life. [“Opinion: Life or Liberty? The Conservative would “likely preserve” the lives of Americans lost to economy trumps a belief in life.” This is nonsense. Double Standard.”] homicides. As if criminals obey the laws or any of the Why can’t we have states rights and a free market and While his passion is to be admired, his facts are proposed legislation would have prevented the recent value life? Perhaps Mr. Stephen prefers the tyranny misleading and perhaps highlight the millennial mass murders. Republicans believe we should enforce of an all-powerful federal government? generations’ left-leaning positions. the laws currently on the books and that law-abiding Our Constitution and our free market system have Mr. Stephen is correct on the direct issue of life itself. citizens have a right to protect themselves. created the greatest nation in history. We are a nation This is our common ground. Abortion is murder and Mr. Stephen’s notion of the contradiction of the that, despite its failures, has freed more people from most Americans recognize this as a truth. Republicans on the life issue with regard to environ- tyranny than any other. We have assimilated more However, Mr. Stephen chides the Republican Party mentalism is a whimsical leap. We already have strict cultures and peoples than any nation in world history. for its gun control positions and connects those posi- pollution control laws and the air is much cleaner than With this in mind, I applaud Mr. Stephen for being tions to the issue of life. This is where Mr. Stephen what it was in the 1970s. Many Republicans reject the part of the process.

Regarding Life in Response to Mr. Scarano

By Kevin Stephen ’16 ideology, and history. Consider, instead, Australia: an Jones). Or ask the 20 million people, who have been Managing Editor ethnically diverse nation, founded as a prison colony displaced worldwide, if their livelihoods and families for British convicts. After the 1996 Port Arthur shoot- are at risk (UNHCR). I believe in a consistent pro-life ethic. ing, which killed 23 and wounded 35, the Australian The science of climate change is held valid by 97 Conception to natural death. Black or white, Ameri- government engineered a massive overhaul of gun percent of the scientific community, most of which I can or foreigner, young or old—life is universal, and legislation: outfitted with a weapons buyback program, daresay has little against the free market economy. It life is beautiful. The dignity of life is not limited to background checks, and an automatic weapons ban. is, of course, this same economy that employs climate the nine months in the womb. The result? A 59 percent decrease in firearm deaths, scientists and funds their research. It’s impossible for me, then, to disconnect one life both homicides and suicides, from 1996 to 2005. No We know, with incredibly high confidence levels issue from another—or to restrain the ideal to the growth in the rate of robberies, a statistic that silenced (95 percent or greater), that global warming is due issue of abortion alone. It is in this vein, then, that I gun legislation critics who defended guns as deterrents to manmade activity. The earth’s CO2 concentration respond to Mr. Scarano’s opinion piece regarding my (School of Public Health, Sydney). has not been higher in the last 650,000 years. The editorial from November: holding full respect for him And there hasn’t been a mass shooting in Australia rate of sea level rise in the last years is double that as a teacher and an individual. Yet I seek to clarify in the past eighteen years. of the twentieth century. Antarctica lost 152 km3 of my perspective. I ask not for a repeal of the Second Amendment or a ice between 2002 and 2005 (NASA). As a result? As Gun violence is an issue of life or death. We live in confiscation of all firearms. I ask for common-sense many as 200 million people may lose their homes a country with a firearm death rate of 10.64/100,000: legislation that values, above all else, the dignity of within this century (UNHCR). higher than nearly every other developed country in life. Look to Australia. Or don’t: look to the Northeast The science of climate change is compelling and the world. United States, where stricter gun control has been cor- real. And the refusal of conservatives to realize the Have we forgotten the twenty kindergarten children related with firearm death rates up to 5 points lower danger that it poses to the lives of Americans and of killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School three years than the national average (Washington Post). people worldwide is, for me as a potential Republican ago? Have we forgotten the fourteen Americans dead Gun control is a question of protecting innocent voter, incredibly frightening. in San Bernardino? Americans, and I think the answer must be honestly, Yes, our country is the greatest in history. We have The two shootings shared one heartbreaking detail. sincerely searched for by anyone who claims to be fought for the voiceless, defended the defenseless, They – along with many of the 11,000 homicides that pro-life. given hope to people living in fear. It’s time, now, that occurred on American soil last year – were perpetrated In regards to my “whimsical leap” to climate change we stand up and do the same: whether it be the infant with legally purchased firearms (CDC). as a life issue: if you’re unsure whether the man-made in the mother’s womb, the American living in fear of What, then, would preserve American lives? warming of our planet is an issue of life, ask the the next mass shooting, or the Bangladeshi whose Mr. Scarano’s point is valid. To compare the United thousands of Tuvaluan citizens who lost their homes home was swept away by the rising Pacific tides. States to Finland is difficult: they vary in population, due to climate change-induced sea level rise (Mother The ideal of life demands that we do. February 2016 THE FALCON 5 The Road to the White House Each month The Falcon’s writers will highlight a candidate in the upcoming 2016 Presidential election. Donald Trump

Making America Great Trump: The One to Make Again? Or Worse? America Great Again By Taras Holovko ’16 spectrum have failed to rise to the top. By Jack Roberts ’16 “contained,” ISIS has been emboldened in Managing Editor Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, and a boatload Staff Writer claiming the single deadliest terrorist attack of other arguably more reasonable choices in French history, grown within 20 nations, Donald Trump represents the worst of for the presidency have all been eclipsed If you were to tell someone at any point and intends to smuggle thousands of covert America. by a sexist bully – sure, a rich one, but a prior to six months ago that Donald J. Trump jihadists as refugees into the US and other At the most fundamental level, the current sexist bully nevertheless. would be a leading candidate for president, nations. The US Army is expected to decline GOP front-runner stands for everything Today, America is all too often seen as they would be shocked. Since his announce- by some 40,000 more soldiers within the in our culture that outsiders perceive as the Mecca of consumerism – a country that ment to run back in June 2015, “The Don- next two years alone, the American labor embarrassing or lowly. raises shallow thought over intellectual- ald” has been a nightmare for Democratic participation rate remains at its lowest since He’s marginalized ethnic groups indis- ism, values entertainment over any deeper and Republican candidates alike. the 1970s while an estimated 12 million criminately, made outlandish statements illegal immigrants have entered into the US. concerning Mexican immigrants, and readi- Though very unlikely to solve all parts to ly attacked other candidates. He’s proposed these troubles effectively in one term, Trump to bar the immigration of Muslims into the offers what many believe would be bless- U.S., claimed that President Obama’s birth ing for America: a stark contrast from the certificate is a sham, and made sexually Obama Administration. Donald Trump has suggestive comments about females. He’s been one of the few presidential candidates mocked disabled reporters and spurned to express genuine intentions to secure the John McCain as a false war hero. border, trim down the ever-growing 19 tril- He’s not exactly presidential – so much lion dollar debt, destroy ISIS, and restore so that members of the British Parliament constitutional republicanism. have debated whether or not they should Behind the politically incorrect sentiments ban him from the United Kingdom. In fact, and controversial billionaire persona lies an online citizen’s petition to do exactly a candidate whose message has resonated that – predicated upon the argument that with, and offers hope to, middle class fami- “hate speech” is reason enough to close lies who have especially been struggling. borders – has garnered more than half a With a dwindling Democratic Party likely million signatures in the UK. stuck with nominating a scandal-plagued He’s also flaunted his wealth – proclaim- FBI person of interest or a 74-year old ing, word for word, that “the beauty of me socialist from Vermont, Trump’s popular- is that I’m very rich” – implying that his ity provides the Republican Party with its success as a businessman deems him apt for greatest opportunity to win a presidential the presidency. But it doesn’t exactly take cnbc.com election for the first time since 2004. a lot of intelligence to be rich in America. Republican nominee Donald Trump has dominated both the polls and media in recent Likewise, Trump provides conserva- Even in this purported land of opportunity months as he vies for the presidency. tives with their best chance to defeat the where merit gets one ahead, old money GOP establishment who, with the excep- prevails. Trump, for one, was blessed with raison d’etre in life, and is motivated by Whether it be his comments on Mexican tion of names like Reagan, Goldwater and a fortune that he inherited from his father fear rather than love. In such an era, Don- immigrants, proposed ban on Muslims, or Coolidge, has had its way in nominating and that any fool could have grown just ald Trump is too easily able to seize the qualms about President Obama’s official RINO’s (Republican In Name Only) that as easily by investing in one index fund frustration and negativity of the American birth certificate, Trump has successfully are too indistinguishable from Democrats. encompassing the stock market. people, promising to create something elicited a polarizing love-hate relationship Trump’s straightforward and tell-it-like- So despite his xenophobic comments, “great” once again. with the American public and media. it-is approach makes him unique to a field despite his uninhibited racism, despite his If the people of the United States really Though seemingly hated and endlessly that is overpopulated with clichéd politi- unrestrained objectification of women, why hope “to form a more perfect Union,” mocked by virtually all left-wing pundits cians who endlessly attempt to defend and is Trump topping the polls? they must be willing to forego bigotry and even some “Republicans,” Trump has promote their record in office. His success Simply put – it’s because we live in an and enmity in a new revolution of self- been hailed by many others for his propos- thus far in defeating political machines era in which voter apathy is at an all-time evident truths – one that inaugurates an als and raising awareness of vital issues within both parties can be attested to his high and an era in which citizens are disil- unprecedented age of partisan diversity and that they feel have largely been ignored grassroots populist following that is fed up lusioned by modern politics. That’s why the political participation, that highlights the or incompetently handled. Amongst these with a weak America and fading hope in the 2016 election has seen the rise of outsiders ideals upon which this nation was founded concerns are national security and America’s American dream. not usually perceived as representative of – equality and equal opportunity – and one threats at home and abroad, the economy, Regardless of what you think of him, Don- Washington – namely Bernie Sanders and that surely does not allow someone like and the open border. ald Trump maintains an unconditional love Donald Trump – and that’s why establish- Trump to even consider calling himself Ever since President Obama called it the for his country and truly aspires to “Make ment candidates on the right side of the Commander-in-Chief. “jayvee team” and told the world that it was America Great Again.”

Preparing Students for a Modern World going to go as planned so, you The school has also taken advan- keep students informed. have to have a plan B.” continued from page 3 Pep Rally The influence of Mr. Fleet- tage of the Internet in an effort to cre- “It was something that we talked congratulate newly accepted students. ate a more interactive and informed about at our meetings to keep kids wood was key to the forma- “I would have loved to get some- school community. and parents up to date,” Uler said. “A tion of these pep rallies as he thing like this when I was accepted,” In December, the school web site lot of other schools do it and it helps instigated them and guided said sophomore Zackary Abbey, who underwent a makeover that brought us spread word about everything continued from page 1 the committee based on his starred in the welcome video. “We a much more modern look. In Janu- that’s going on here.” past experiences at Brother Sam Javier, Anthony Colucci, Martin High School in New just wanted to get the students excited ary, PowerSchool also underwent Many teachers have also taken Leandro Wong, Mohit Varma, to come to St. Joe’s and show them a similar overhaul to improve its advantage of technology in class, Orleans, Louisiana. Regard- Ms. Uler, and Mr. Fleetwood. ing pep rallies, his “number that now they’re part of our com- appearance and applications. such as Mrs. Muratore, who teaches The pep rally begins with an munity.” The Saint Joseph Facebook and off an interactive SmartBoard presen- one rule was ‘no dead time.’ outline, which is then scruti- Something always has to be With the Students Against Dis- Twitter pages regularly inform par- tation that allows students to graph nized and edited during mul- tracted Driving Club’s success that ents, students, faculty, and alumni equations precisely, or Mrs. Southern, going on,” said Scull. tiple meetings. Then, when The next pep rally is set for has won the school many monetary about everything involving the who uses Excel and websites such everything is set−music, skits, awards, the Film Club was able to school, whether that be how the as Bankrate.com to teach students the spring sports season with games, and so on−the commit- the date yet to be announced purchase a Macbook and Final Cut winter track team performed at a in Personal Finance how to live a tee has several 7:00 a.m. meet- Pro X for this project and future ones meet or how James Melville ’75 was financially prudent lifestyle in the but the goal remains the same. ings in the gym to run through “We want to leave a lasting to benefit the school. sworn in as the State Department’s most modern of ways. the pep rally to “iron out the “We’re proud of the success we Ambassador to Estonia in Septem- With the addition of Google School impression on St. Joe’s as the kinks.” However, according class of 2016 leaves, knowing have had as a club,” Dr. Ellis said. ber. Another social media account this semester, St. Joe’s will continue to Student Council President “And we are especially proud to use popular in the community has been to progress technologically and pre- we helped start a tradition that Matthew Scull, the “ability will carry on at St. Joe’s for it as a way to promote St. Joe’s. We the Student Council Twitter page, (@ pare current and future students for to improvise” is still essential want to continue making videos like FalconStudents), which is run by Ms. the challenges of an evolving world many years to come,” Lunn regardless of the number of said. this, so expect to see some more, Uler, who regularly provides updates that await them in the 22nd and 23rd practices as “not everything is especially to welcome the incoming and reminders like dress down days centuries. freshmen.” and food drive collection dates to 6 THE FALCON February 2016 Current Events Stories from the Four Corners By Adekunle Balogun ’16 Americas – US Politics tries. Among these countries, the 4US and World News Editor Entering the primary for the security of the people of Afghani- Presidential elections, American stan has recently been challenged Africa – Al-Shabab politics is gaining international by a growing sub-group of ISIS. The Kenyan government’s reac- momentum. With efforts for peace Composed of former members of tion to an al-Shabab attack on a also entering a new era of pursuit, the Pakistani and Afghan Tali- military camp reflects the paranoia foreign policy takes precedence ban’s, this group has ignited yet that has gripped the country. When in national debates and campaign another nation in the fight against the extremist organization raided platforms. The American people ISIS. Afghan President Ashraf the camp in el-Ade, the Kenyan search for answers to their fears Ghani has promised to crush the government quickly responded to in the next president. The primary Islamic State, as he and his country international criticism. Claiming election holds great importance have been galvanized to action that the soldier fought off the assail- as the spectrum of foreign policy by growing desire for vengeance. ants, correspondence with civilians stances varies more than ever in the town revealed otherwise. between candidates. Europe & Middle East Reporting that the soldiers ceded to – US-Iran Prisoner the attack of the extremist, citizens Asia – South Khabaristan Times revealed not only fear, but also a Exchange Ashraf Ghani, the president of Afghanistan, has promised to crush the With the spread of the Islamic After months of negotiations lack of trust in their government. Islamic State. State through the Middle East, between the US and Iran, an agree- As extremism has risen throughout millions have been displaced and ment was struck between the coun- Amir Hekmati, a former Marine, from Tehran to be greeted by a Africa, the world watches anxiously terrorized in that area and the sur- tries for the release of five Ameri- Saeed Abedini, a Christian pastor, roar of joy and embrasure from -- awaiting a solution that combats rounding region. Even more insidi- can prisoners. Jason Rezaian, a Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari, the American people after being the growing influence and establish- ous is the reality of offshoot orga- reporter for the Huffington Post, and Matthew Trevithick were held captive for so long. ment of these groups. nizations rising in nearby coun- flown back to the United States Syrians Receive Help From Humanitarian Orgs By Gil Gerard Austria ’17 the International Committee of the Red Cross eating only soup,” and that he saw “a young conditions. Staff Writer (ICRC), the Syrian Red Crescent, and the man killing cats and presenting the meat to Razan Reshidi, Unicef’s communication World Food Programme. As a result, it has members of his family as rabbit.” officer in Syria, stated that “the needs are Since the inception of war in the Middle become the face of Syria’s suffering. It is these exact conditions that the 44 becoming bigger and bigger and it’s very dif- East, millions of people have suffered under Trapped by a government blockade in lorries, carrying basic food items like rice, ficult to visualize it for the rest of the world. the region’s war-torn conditions. Some were Madaya, 40,000 people were living a ‘life vegetable oil, flour, sugar, and salt, as well It’s even difficult for Syrians to understand caught in the midst of fighting and perished worse than death’ for over six months before as water, infant formula, blankets, medicines the scale of destruction.” in the crossfire. However, even outside of the January 11, when the first aid convoy arrived. and surgical supplies, sought to remediate. Described by the UN’s Agency for Chil- fighting, people are dying due to starvation Pawel Krzysiek with the ICRC in Madaya Despite all the measures several organiza- dren, this is truly the “humanitarian test of and lack of proper medical care. recounts that after arriving, “The people... tions are taking to assist the Syrian civilians, our time.” As millions of people remain Finally, after enduring months of abstemi- were coming every five minutes asking, over the past year, only about 10 percent of cut off from aid, the mission of numerous ous conditions, besieged villages and starv- ‘Listen, did you bring food, did you bring the United Nations requests to deliver aid to aid organizations continues so that these ing civilians are receiving aid. Madaya, a medicine?’” people in besieged and difficult to reach areas civilians will no longer be held hostage by town in Syria, has become the focus of the One resident in particular, Hiba Abdel Rah- were granted, meaning that over 4.5 million not only Syrian rebels, but also by starvation humanitarian mission by the United Nations, man reported that “for 15 days, we have been Syrians are still living in “worse-than-death” and lack of medical support. Star Wars: The Fans Awaken Kanye West Sure to Bring By Jashanveer Johal ’17 ing fans have rekindled a past ember Staff Writer of appreciation into a current inferno of infatuation. Being able to relive We’ve all watched novel movies the sentiments of watching young His Kanye Best as they have been released through Anakin turn into a Sith Lord leaves the years. But, nothing can beat the little else to be desired. By John Henry is pleased with the final product. His best work nostalgia of the continuation of the Even new fans of the series have Riccardi ’16 classic. Star Wars: The Force Awak- learned to appreciate the plot and Staff Writer comes from the production point, which has given him ens captivated viewers old and new. its characters. The moment that pop the distinct edge in the past This movie captures the sci-fi lover “It was a very solid film, consider- culture has been waiting decade. The track “Stron- in all of us. ing I’ve never watched Star Wars for is finally here… Kanye ger” on Graduation was Karanveer Johal ’14, a long-time before,” senior Roderick Perez said. West has announced the reportedly reworked hun- fan of the series, views the film as “Even after being hyped up for so long awaited release date dreds of times by Pharrell “a refreshing rehash of the first three many months, the movie lived up to of his highly anticipated Williams and Timbaland episodes, gently reminding me of its name. Easily a 10/10, would rec- album Waves. Since a few until West was satisfied. what made the series so amazing.” ommend,” junior Rohan Mishra said. months after the polarizing But, I must say that Like Karanveer, many other return- Fans, new and old, can’t wait for release of his previous long with Kanye’s heighten- the next additions play Yeezus, there has been ing involvement within to the series to be a great deal of speculation Stereogum.com the fashion industry, even released. After surrounding the release of Kanye West is set to release his next album a huge fan such as myself such a wonderful his next album. Waves on February 11. is a tad bit nervous as to response to Epi- In January, Kanye gave his what direction West will sode VII, the hype fans a big treat. His wife, when it was at its peak was during take with the album. for the future has Kim Kardashian, notified the the My Beautiful Dark Twisted He has been known to consis- only grown. public via Twitter of the return Fantasy sessions that took place in tently break new ground within the Freshman John of G.O.O.D Fridays, in which Hawaii. During this time, Kanye music industry. With The College Hall couldn’t Kanye’s label releases a new was able to summon some of the Dropout, he used soul-samples to have captured track every Friday. He will most worlds biggest artists, such as Jay- create seamless beats that changed this sentiment likely do this up until the release Z, Drake, Elton John (yes, Elton the landscape of the traditional hip- any better when of Waves, which is set to drop on John), Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross, hop sound. With 808’s & Heart- he said, “I can’t February 11. There is little known Rihanna, and many more. But, one break, Kanye infused a completely wait until more about who will be featured on this of the strangest collaborations to new sub-genre into the hip-hop trailers and teas- album, but some of the potential this date has been Bon Iver’s front world. With the release of My ers come out so features include Ty Dolla Sign, man, Justin Vernon. West worked Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, that I can catch Post Malone, Travis Scott, and with him on a track known as “Lost West showed the power of collabo- a glimpse of the G.O.O.D Music’s newly elected in the World.” ration within the music industry. future one of my president Pusha T. There has been a lot of specula- West’s latest LP, Yeezus, blended favorite series.” Kanye is known to be the best in tion when talking about the poten- together a strong bit of Chicago So, if you are the music industry at collaborating, tial acts on Waves. Not even the house music, with some of the one of the few often bringing unexpected acts artists themselves know who will harshest lyrics that have ever sur- who has yet to into his album in order to gener- end up on West’s final masterpiece. faced within the hip-hop landscape. watch this amaz- ate the best sonic product he can For My Beautiful Dark Twisted Although the public has yet to ing movie, go produce. Last March, many were Fantasy, Drake thought he was hear Waves, one thing that can be out now and see incredibly surprised at his ability going to end up on a track and he expected is that Kanye West will if Star Wars: The to work in the studio with Sir Paul never did. bring the unexpected, and ulti- Force Awakens McCartney. The art of collabora- West has been known to re-work mately continue to shape the sound can really walk Starwars.com the walk. tion over the course of his career albums hundreds of times until he of hip-hop. Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the latest installment in the series, lived up to fans’ expectations. February 2016 THE FALCON 7 Super Bowl Preview By Chris Vandermeer ’18 will be the first Super Bowl in the down. This year though, it’s not Staff Writer new stadium. Carolina will open his offense, but his defense that’s as a four-point favorite, despite the best in the league. That will This Super Bowl, the top two Denver being the home team. be a tough task for Newton and teams in professional football will The Panthers have never won a the Panthers, statistically the best collide yet again when the best of Super Bowl, while the Broncos scoring offense in the NFL. Greg both conferences meet. It’s old haven’t won one since the John Olsen has seven touchdowns on school, 14-time Pro-Bowler and Elway days in the mid 90’s. Pey- 1,104 yards in the regular season, former Super Bowl MVP Peyton ton Manning’s lone Super Bowl while Tedd Ginn, Jr. has 10. New- Manning and the 12-4 Denver win came in 2007, when helped ton will be facing the best pass Broncos facing Heisman-winning the Indianapolis Colts defeat the rush in the league with Von Miller QB Cam Newton and the 15-1 Chicago Bears 29-17 and was and DeMarcus Ware chasing him Carolina Panthers. The Broncos named MVP. Just two years ago around the pocket. This game are coming off a 20-18 win in the when he set the NFL record for brings plenty marquee matchups AFC Championship game against most passing touchdowns in a and big star players, and should the New England Patriots. Caro- single season with 55, the Broncos be a very fun and entertainment- cbsnews.com lina blew out the Arizona Cardi- made Super Bowl XLVIII and filled contest. nals 49-15, forcing SIX defensive/ it was a nightmare. Denver lost One aspect about this game that I the best defense in pro football?” and the Broncos had the number special teams turnovers. MVP- 43-8 to the Seattle Seahawks, question is “Will Cam Newton be We’ve seen him win the national one offense in the league. Advan- candidate Cam Newton added with Manning tossing two picks, able to handle this pressure at the title with Auburn a few years back, tage? Seattle 43-8. This Denver three total touchdowns, two of one of those returned for a touch- biggest stage of his career against but this will be the most important defense is no joke, whether it’s which on the ground and he looks game of his football career. And the pass rush or the secondary. I to cap off the season on a high “Does Peyton Manning, 13-13 in believe they have what it takes to note, winning the Super Bowl. the playoffs, have enough of what stop Cam Newton and the explo- This year, Super Bowl 50 will it takes to shut down the best team sive Carolina Panthers offense. take place at Levi’s Stadium in in the league at the age of 39 They held Tom Brady’s New Eng- Santa Clara, California on Sunday ?” We will find out in due time as land Patriots to 18 points and Ben February 7 at 6:30 PM ET. This the 15-1 Carolina Panthers will Roethlisberger’s Pittsburgh Steel- take on the 12-4 Denver Broncos ers to 16. Those are two of the best in Super Bowl 50. offenses in the NFL. Peyton Man- ning hasn’t thrown a pick in his Peyton Manning and Cam New- past three games, dating back to ton, two of the biggest names Prediction: the Broncos’ week 17 win against in football, will meet this Sun- day in Super Bowl 50. We all witnessed what happened San Diego. I think he’ll toss three two years ago in Super Bowl 48 touchdowns, shock the world, and at MetLife Stadium in East Ruth- win his second Super Bowl MVP. erford, NJ between Denver and Denver wins in an exciting, intense Super Bowl 27-24. espn.com Seattle. The Seahawks had the number one defense in the league,

“The improved school menu and now the new tables are changes Students, Faculty Watch Tables made to improve the lunch expe- continued from page 1 rience by creating a more relaxed experience this new and hopefully and comfortable setting and allow- much more comfortable environ- ing for better conversations with Karl Towns in Action ment,” junior Gurjivan Kalkat said. senior Carson Coudriet, who was in Towns’ geometry other students,” he said. “We By Roderick Perez ’16 Mr. Fleetwood acknowledged class three years ago and attended the game against will continue to make changes to Staff Writer the cramped feeling while sitting the 76ers. He noted the surreal feeling it is know- expand the cafeteria and give it a on the old tables, calling them Two years ago, Karl-Anthony Towns was roaming ing that a former St. Joe’s student who he watched college atmosphere.” “elementary tables.” the hallways of St. Joe’s boasting his green polo. play in the Vincent Maglio Gym so often is now a Now, he travels the world, humbly fulfilling his front runner for the National Basketball Association dream of being a player in the National Basketball Rookie of the Year award. Association. At the end of the game, Karl and the Timberwolves On January 4, students and faculty members trav- ended up falling to the 76ers 109-99, but that didn’t eled to the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia to completely take away from the students’ experiences. TYREE’S 1000TH POINT witness Towns’ taking on the 76ers. “It’s cool seeing someone you had a class with The 76ers invited St. Joe’s to attend the game. Dr. succeed in a professional sport,” said junior James Ellis organized the trip for students, faculty, and Bledsoe, an attendee at the game who shared a class families by providing multiple ticket options and with the Timberwolves’ superstar as a freshman dur- two buses to transport them to the game. ing Towns’ senior year. Select students were able to go on the court before Despite the loss, the students, some of whom wore the game and at halftime to give Towns and the Towns jerseys, enjoyed the experience. Timberwolves high-fives. “It was a great night all around, I mean you can’t “That was cool being on the court to give them complain,” sophomore Kentt Marino said. “It was high fives, even though Kevin Garnett avoided us,” fun to be at the game and on the bus with the boys, junior Kyle Angel said. especially because we were watching someone from “It’s amazing to see how far Karl has come since St. Joe’s.” the Flock’s infamous ‘He’s a freshman’ chants,” said February Sports Schedule February 1 February 14 Hockey @ Portledge School (NY), 5:30 pm Basketball vs. Immaculate Conception at Roselle Catholic, Bowling GMC preliminary round at Carolier Lanes, 4:00 pm 12:00 pm February 2 February 15 Basketball @ East Brunswick, 7:00 pm Swimming Non-Public A semifinals Bowling GMC first round at Carolier Lanes, 4:00 pm February 16 February 3 Hockey GMC quarterfinals Hockey vs. Monroe, 8:00 pm Bowling GMC second round at Carolier Lanes, 4:00 pm February 17 Basketball GMC first round February 4 Bowling GMC semifinals at Carolier Lanes, 4:00 pm February 18 Hockey GMC semifinals February 5 Swimming vs. St. Peter’s Prep, 5:00 pm February 20 Hockey vs. St. Augustine, 5:45 pm Hockey GMC Finals, The Arena at Woodbridge Basketball @ Lone Peak (UT), 11:00 pm Winter Track NJSIAA Finals Bowling GMC Finals at Carolier Lanes, 4:00 pm February 21 February 7 Basketball GMC quarterfinals at New Brunswick High School Winter Track: NJCTC Championships Swimming Non-Public A Finals February 8 February 23 Basketball @ North Brunswick, 7:00 pm Basketball GMC semifinals at South Brunswick High School Hockey vs. Holy Ghost Prep (PA), 6:45 pm February 25 February 9 Basketball GMC finals at Kean University, 8:00 pm Basketball vs. Perth Amboy, 7:00 pm February 27 Swimming Non-Public A quarterfinals Winter Track Meet of Champions February 10 February 28 hardwoodinsiders.com Hockey vs. South Brunswick, 8:00 pm Swimming Meet of Champions On January 26, senior Breein Tyree, who is committed to play bas- February 11 ketball at Ole Miss, scored his 1000th point. Tyree accomplished Basketball vs. Montverde (FL) at Kean University, the feat in less than three seasons in just 71 games. 8:30 pm 8 THE FALCON February 2016 TRACK FALCON SPORTS Falcon Runners BASKETBALL Hungry For Success Basketball Off to Hot Start in Conference Play By Matthew Hall ’18 running the fastest times in the past Staff Writer 10 years at St. Joe’s. The Freshman By Max Chadwick ’17 The gym was filled, which not only Sprint Medley team, comprised of Lord Jones, Charlie Bakos, Chris- Staff Writer delighted the players, but Mr. Fleet- The winter track season is off and wood as well. running with strong performances. topher Brooks, and Jordan Davis, The St. Joe’s basketball team was “The atmosphere here is just… Head coach Jonathan Salamon ’04 placed 1st at the Ocean Breeze Free- ranked by NJ.com as the #5 team in awesome,” he said during the half- returns to the team for his 3rd sea- dom Games, breaking the 48-year the state entering the season, but it time show of the East Brunswick son. Alongside Salamon, the only old school freshman record set in has taken some time for the Falcons game. “The Falcon Flock has done returning assistant coach is Barry 1968 with a time of 3:59.48. to get used to playing with each all that I asked and more.” Finn, who is joined by first-year The winter hasn’t just been about other. The team is almost brand new: “It was an amazing experience,” coaches Dwight Palmer, Brandon developing the underclassmen. Ole Miss-bound senior Breein Tyree Battle said. “The fans filled the Ozbalik, and Alister Murray. These Senior Tim Iannuzzo finished 1st ’16 and senior Branislav Vujadi- stands and we loved the support. men come from experienced back- in Shot Put throwing 41-08.00 at the novic are the only returning starters It felt like a college atmosphere grounds in the sport. Merli Invitational and senior Dylan from last year. Some key additions out there.” The team so far has attended six Tyrrell came in 2nd in the 2 mile at include forward sophomore Alanzo Battle is pleased with the devel- meets, placing 3rd at NJCTC Relays. the GMC Championship. Frink who played for the Dominican opment of the team, but he feels Performances have been strong, but The distance team came off a Republic national team in the 2015 they could get better, particularly on not satisfying. Regarding the teams monumental cross country season FIBA U16 World Championships defense. “We are extremely talented start, junior sprinter Joseph Mar- backed by senior leadership. They and led the team with 18 points per offensively and I think you see that,” torano commented, “The team was made Meet of Champions, over- game and 7 rebounds per game, he said. “However, we could stand off to a slow start in the beginning of coming the 17-year drought and junior guard Letrell West who aver- NJ.com to get better on the defensive side the season due to the fact that we lost have carried that confidence with aged 14 points per game, freshman Senior Tyus Battle has been one of the ball. I think we will over time so many seniors, but we have started them all throughout the season. The guard Khalif Battle, and the best key addition for St. Joe’s this and prove why we’re ranked as one to pick up the pace recently.” Senior distance runners have been reliable, season. player ranked in New Jersey, senior of the top teams in the state.” captain Dylan Tyrrell also added, consistently hitting new personal Tyus Battle ’16, , who transferred scoring over 70 points four times. “We are hungrier than last year,” “It’s definitely been a rebuilding records at every outing. to St. Joe’s from Gil St. Bernard’s The winning streak though came to Vujadinovic said. “We have high year, but we are showcasing our The team is looking to get all the and is headed to Syracuse. The team an end with a 68-60 loss to Paul VI expectations. We want to win the young, raw talent and the team’s jitters out in the winter and transi- certainly has talent but has yet to of Virginia in the prestigious Hoop GMCs after losing last year, we promising future.” tion into championship form by fully put it all together. Hall Classic held in Springfield, want to win states, and we want This season has built up the chem- spring. As senior William Davenport The Falcons started off 4-0, but Massachusetts. Since then, St. Joe’s to win the TOC. We are starting to istry between the underclassmen, put it, “We will not be discouraged lost to Gil St. Bernard’s by a score has won its last three games and cur- play together better after the loss. which will be pivotal for the pro- because fear doesn’t gain you vic- of 54-46 in the finals of the Jingle rently stands at 13-2 overall with a We are starting to trust each other gram’s future. They have showcased tory; determination and hard work Bell Jubilee Tournament. After that 9-0 record in GMC play. more. We are going to take it step their talents as time has went on, are the keys to success.” loss, the Falcons went on a tear, An early highlight was the 75-53 by step. If we do that, we will be winning their next six games and win over arch-rival East Brunswick. tough to beat.” BOWLING HOCKEY Puck Seeking 5th Straight GMC Title

By John Fresco ’17 ing his meniscus the season before, and Thomas Bauer, who has tallied Staff Writer has emerged as one of the team’s 13 assists and nine goals. most valuable assets. Coelho is Varsity ice hockey has become After an impressive 17-3-3 record currently second on the team in one of the most popular sports at St. last year, and with eight games goals (11), assists (14), and total Joe’s this year as the Falcon Flock remaining in the hockey season, St. points (25). has made countless appearances. Joe’s currently sits atop the GMC Along with passing the puck Coelho spoke for the team about undefeated in conference play Coelho, a team player, gives credit the Flock saying, “We are so Normandy Studio and with a record of 10-2-3. Led to his teammates. appreciative of our friends and Senior Chris Quigley has helped lead the Falcons to an undefeated record in divisional play. by Coach Ryan Carter, The team “This is a team effort and I classmates who take the time to has become one of the school’s wouldn’t have the stats without come out and support us. It is an premier teams as they, like many my teammates who support me,” amazing feeling to have our fellow Bowling Team is Rolling other teams at the school, hope to he said. “I appreciate every minute Falcons in the stands cheering us win the Greater Middlesex County the coaches allow me to play and on. It gives us a boost of energy By Brendan Shank ’17 they look to continue dominating tournament to conclude an already work to help the team succeed.” and makes the atmosphere more Staff Writer the county. With a win over Brick successful season. Other notable players on the team exciting.” Township High School, the Falcons The Falcons are seeking their fifth include seniors Michael Nisky who Moving into the county and state As the bowling team continues are also competing well in out of consecutive GMC crown. leads the team with 20 assists and tournaments, the Falcons appear to impress, the Falcons are off to a conference play. One of the bright spots for the 29 total points; Joe Mortillaro, who ready to continue their success and 16-1 record under the leadership of Once the end of the season Falcons this year is the return of has 13 assists; Nick Sondej who complete what they have already head coach Rusty Thomsen. Senior approaches, the Falcons are going junior Brian Coelho, who after tear- leads the Falcons in goals with 13, started this season. Captains Chris Quigley and Ryan to have to be able to compete at a Broderick look to lead the team high level in tournament play. “We to a potential Greater Middlesex never truly perform in tournaments,” SWIMMING County title. Broderick said. “But everyone is The problem of consistency will be improving greatly this season and a determining factor for the Falcons I think we will be able to change Swimming Wins 38th Straight GMC Title this season as the year progresses, that this year.” but senior leadership and experience With goals to win the GMC and make a run in the state tournament By Max Chadwick ’17 the GMC Championship but now work hard in practice. will limit future troubles. Averaging over 200 pins, Quigley feels, “as this season, Chrobak said, “the team Staff Writer it is also to make the state final “I’m really impressed with the and win states. The last time we freshmen class and I have no a team, [the program] is making needs to work on spares because When the topic of St. Joe’s won states was 2006 so we want doubt that they’ll continue the excellent progress, averaging 1,000 the difference between making or sports gets brought up, the one to bring states back to St. Joe’s for streak when we graduate after pins more, compared to last year.” missing spares can change the whole that comes to mind the most is the first time in a decade.” next season. Ultimately, I have Staying positive at all times and outcome of the match.” Keeping the basketball. However, the swim- Although Thompson and Catania just been impressed with the work persevering will allow the Falcons spare percentage up will help the ming team has historically been are the stars of the team, they are ethic of every swimmer. Everyone to achieve greatness this season Falcons continue to be a very com- by far the most dominant. They definitely not alone. gives it their all and that kind with an impressive varsity roster, petitive team in the GMC. Success are currently 9-0 and have beat- “We have a great group of fresh- of work ethic is what drives us consisting of Quigley, Broderick, at matches can also be related to the en every opponent by at least 35 men like Sean Doran and Michael and the past 38 teams to win the Ryan Monahan, Joe Chrobak, Billy competitive nature among the team points. Botting,” Thompson said. “And GMC’s.” Milligan, John Hoban, Conor Quig- at practice because the Falcons are On top of that, this past January, then we have gotten a lot of help Along with the team’s talent, ley, and Jack Stamm. The team also “becoming more competitive with they won an unprecedented 38th from the entire team because in Thompson also credits the team’s has tremendous rising talent in Sean each other,” Chrobak said. straight GMC Championship, a swimming it is more about depth success to how its bonding. Van De Mark. With the impressive season the record that dates back to 1978. than the stars on a team.” “As a team, we connect so well,” Opening the season with a very Falcons have had, they have begun Leading the team are juniors The senior leadership has also he said. “You’d think that with the impressive win over Colonia, the making a name for St. Joe’s in bowl- Tyler Catania and Andrew Thomp- been key. amount of talent on the team we Falcons won four straight, until the ing and attracting support from stu- son, who both are very confident “We knew after last season that wouldn’t get along together and team faced East Brunswick. Since dents, who have begun attending that they will win once again. we needed to step up our game as egos would clash but that’s not the loss to East Brunswick, the matches. There seems to be much Catania believes that the streak we lost some key seniors,” Catania the case. We have so much fun Falcons have won six in a row, as more to come from this team. is far from over. said. “The seniors this year have together and the trip to Virginia “I definitely think that we will helped out the team very well. In was great for us to really become win a GMC Title for another 38 particular, senior Roderick Perez close with each other so when we years. There is no doubt in my has been one of the most dedi- get to states, we can trust each mind about that,” he said. “Our cated both in and out of the pool other which will ultimately lead @StJoesMetuchen goal of course has been to win and inspires the underclassmen to to success in my opinion.”