Archbishop hobAn high school ◆ one holy cross blvd. ◆ Akron, ohio 44306 ◆ issue no. 1 ◆ August 18, 2009

Photos courtesy of Jessica Contrera, Sam

mi H

eil, Russ Kw

itowski, and M

eghan Bartlebaugh

Where in the world is Archbishop Hoban?

the visor ◆ August 18, 2009�

Copyright © 2008

• CSPA Gold Medalist • NSPA All-American

• Quill & Scroll Int’l First Place • OSMA First Place

Online: www.issuu.com/thevisor e-mail: hobanvisor@yahoo.com Voice: 330-773-6658 ext. 249

Fax: 330-773-9100

School site: www.hoban.org

The Visor subscribes to the ASNE/MCT Campus news service and to APStylebook.com.

Signed letters for publication are welcome. Mailbox is in the main office. Unsigned editori-als represent the consensus of the editorial board. Signed opinion represents the views of the writer only.

Editor-in-chief Joseph C. Easton

Managing Editor Jessica Contrera

Features Editor Nikki Bowser

Media Editor Victoria Grieshammer

Exchange Editor Danielle Hale

Sports Editor Evan Luse

Staff Reporters Marie Hofer, Jules Libertin, Taylor

Martin, Ryland Parnell, Alex Salamon, Evan Shaub, Julian Smith, Amy

Yakubowski, Johanna Breiding, Peter Delmedico, Ben Edwards, Jay Hillery, Lindsay Huth, Allison Jackson, Nick

Pelini, Carmine Sbnera

Adviser T. K. Griffith

u(From top left, clockwise) Senior Jake Frego plays frisbee at the Holy Cross Conference in Indiana, Juniors Paul Mahon and Sammy Heil enjoy time on the Montreal mission trip, Senior Lindsay Mayors does service work in Chicago, Senior Meghan Bartlebaugh ziplines in Costa Rica, Senior AnneMarie Schaffer carries water in Ghana.

◆Staff Editorials

New website keeps up with technology

Browns player's punishment too soft

T hanks to an era of rapidly advancing technology society is consistently changing and improving. Hoban is

not far behind in the technology trend. Not only have cameras been installed but the school website, www.hoban.org, has been renovated.

These changes were made by Latin teacher Brother Joe Lebon and technician and student council advisor Chris Fahey. Numer-ous hours were spent on the task by these two men over the summer. The changes are vast and dynamic as they span more than just the color scheme and layout.

Regarding the layout, a sharp new blue and gold color more true to the actual school colors starts the list of changes. Some other changes include the many pictures featured on the website. In both the upper left corner and the right side of the webpage are slide shows featuring the average Hoban student and the occasional Hoban teacher. These pictures not only personalize the website but show the diversity of the students and activi-

ties. The incorporation of Basil Moreau and Hoban’s motto, "Educating hearts and minds in the Holy Cross tradition," on the home page give visitors a taste of the school’s day-to-day morals and mindset.

In fact, the website as a whole improves Hoban’s image in the community. It show-cases the many positive aspects of the school while incorporating vital information in a professional manner. Not to mention that it is easy to navigate thanks to the ‘Quicklinks’ scroll bar, the miniature calendar of events and the many other links which help to guide visitors.

Although the fresh new website has been impressively revamped, room for improve-ment exists. Some students have found the website, with its plethora of information, difficult or confusing. The personalized in-formation about the teachers, which featured their pictures and personal interests, has ap-parently been removed from the website.

Nevertheless, this change has proved to be a good one. u

M ario Reyes was struck down in Florida by a Bentley owned by a man with a $35 million football

contract. Reyes was attempting to catch a bus after leaving his job as a construction worker. The man who hit and killed Reyes, Donte’ Stallworth, is a wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns.

Reports show Stallworth as remorseful and taking responsibility for his actions. Remorse and guilt should be expected emo-tions considering Stallworth drove drunk and killed 59 year-old Reyes.

Florida law takes into consideration all circumstances in a crime that places any party at fault, including the victim.

Stallworth stayed at the scene of the accident, dropping his jail time from a pos-sible 30 years in half to only a possible 15 years.

Because Reyes was jaywalking at the time and Stallworth flashed his lights to warn Reyes, the felony charge was dropped to a misdemeanor.

Stal lworth received 30 days in jai l and two years probation for driving while intoxicated, shattering a man’s life and devastating a family. If that does not seem

outrageous, look up the average jail time for DUI’s that end in death.

Since he did not face even a year in prison, why would anyone expect Stall-worth to be released early? Out of the thirty days Stallworth was sentenced to serve, he served twenty-four of them.

Drinking and driving shows a lack of concern and respect for oneself and for the countless others endangered by impaired operation of a motorized vehicle.

Moreover, Stallworth makes enough money to have been able to call a cab or even a lim-ousine to take him home after his evening out. Heck, he could even own the limo company.

While the guilt Stallworth most likely feels is unimaginable and heart wrenching ,he still made a choice and has to live with the consequences.

It can be argued that his punishment seems to be too soft, begging the question: how far can standards become separate from the average person and those who live in the celebrity spotlight? Committing a crime that destroys life so needlessly and in a manner easily avoided does not de-serve leniency due to the offender’s social status. u

On the cover

the visor ◆ August 18, 2009 �

◆ Opinion & Commentary

Knights should attend a wider variety of sporting events this fall

Pop, other "unhealthy" beverages, no longer sold in cafeteria

In case the crowded hallways, slamming lockers and all-too-familiar bell tones didn’t already do it, let me officially

welcome everyone back to school. I can only hope that you will start your new year with a tall and refreshing Cup of Joe.

As always, with each new start of the school year comes the fall sports season, which traditionally at Hoban means football, football, football. As a loyal Knight, I wish the best for the football team in the upcom-ing season. With any luck, we will be cheer-ing the team all the way to Columbus.

But wait just a minute. I could’ve sworn there were other sports going on at this time of year. Oh, that’s right. Between cross country, volleyball, soccer, golf and tennis, there are no less than five other sports with seasons in the fall, not to mention that cross country, golf and soccer have both boys and girls teams.

Think about it for a few seconds: When is the last time you saw a cross country meet? When did you last cheer for our girls playing volleyball?

As much as our school loves its football team, there are too many sports at Hoban that go under the radar every year. Of all the fall sports, football has the least number of games. There are many, many, chances to see other fall sports in action. I am enter-ing my fourth year as a member of the boys soccer team, and I’ve had my fair share of disappointment in seeing empty bleachers for the games.

I realize that boys soccer didn’t make it to the Final Four last year, and the team didn’t beat Walsh after other sources pre-dicted us to lose. However, I also had the opportunity to play basketball during my freshman year, and I remember there being more fans at some of my freshman basket-ball games than at most of my varsity soccer games last year.

I'll be honest, it stinks to know that your team doesn't have a huge fan base. It's not all bad, though. Not having a ton of people at all of my soccer games has helped me to realize the fact that there are other sports without crowds and crowds of fans,

as well. This realization has inspired me to check out some of Hoban's less highlighted sports, such as cross country and lacrosse. As it turns out, it's fun to see the Knights compete on any athletic field and recognize some students from school.

In the spirit of a new year of school, this is a perfect opportunity to make a new resolution. Get your friends together and go cheer for the girls tennis team. Try to ask around and see how the golf team did over the weekend. I agree: it’s always fun to paint yourself for the football game and cheer until you lose your voice, but to be a truly spirited fan, do something crazier than painting yourself and branch out to the lesser known sports. u

So it’s the first day of school, and let’s face it: you haven’t woken up this early since the last day of exams.

You’re depending on getting some caffeine at lunch to get you through the afternoon. Well, I hope you brought your own soda pop.

The cafeteria will no longer be selling drinks which are caffeinated, carbonated or have more than 10 calories per serving. Let me repeat: no more pop. Your options are now water, natural juice and a few low sugar sports drinks.

For those of you hoping to start a strike, good luck. The change is taking place in nearly every school in the country.

It’s all thanks to a movement called the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, founded by the American Heart Association and the Clinton Foundation (as in, President Bill Clinton), and led by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California. The goal of the Alliance is to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity in America by 2015.

They have recently partnered with

companies such as Cadbury Schweppes, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and the American Bev-erage Association to ban the sale of all “unhealthy” beverages in schools.

This includes not only elementary and middle schools but high schools, which is why Hoban’s vending machines will be mostly empty come lunch time; they are no longer able to purchase the restricted items from the previously mentioned companies.

Now, I was a kid raised to drink milk and eat spinach, but I still think this change is unnecessary and, frankly, ri-diculous.

Healthy habits start at a young age. Not selling soda in elementary and middle schools is practical because it helps kids form the habit of drinking pop less often. However by the time students reach high school and have been taught how to be healthy, it is time for them to make their own decisions.

Learning to make good choices is part of high school. We are allowed to choose

how diligently we study, what we eat at lunch and whether or not to exercise. In all of these areas we have the option to do what is best or to learn from our mistakes. Why are we considered no longer capable of having non-healthy drinks as options at school?

Sadly, I don’t think that there is much we can do to get pop back at Hoban without starting a nationwide movement (which might take some time). Still, al-though they may not be sold at school, caffeinated and sugar-filled beverages have not been made illegal; you can still bring them from home. But if that is too much work for you, well, orange juice is $1.25. u

� the visor ◆ August 18, 2009

◆ Cover Story

Ghana, Africaby Alex sAlAmon

This past summer, 17 students and four faculty members left the comfort of the United States and headed for the uncertainty and insecurity of a third world nation

– Africa. Although on the same planet, several students felt that the country of Ghana was an entirely different world.

“You wouldn’t believe the differences between the two countries,” senior Taylor Williams said.

The hazards of Ghana are unavoidable. During the trip, disease was prone to all individuals. Conse-quently, vaccinations and shots were essential prior to the trip.

“You had to update all your shots, including flu, booster, hepatitis, typhoid, tetanus, and meningi-tis vaccinations,” recent graduate Henry McGee said.

“My favorite part of the trip was during the first few days,” said senior Crystal Johnson, who admits to being apprehensive before the trip. “We went to the beach in Cape Coast and helped the local fisherman pull in the nets that they cast out every morning. It was super hot, the nets were heavy, but it felt really good to be able to help the men. It was unbelievable how hard they worked to provide for their families.”

All members of the trip came to a consensus that the ma-jority of people in the United States focus on their possessions much more than the people of Ghana.

“The trip opened my eyes up to a whole new way of life where material possessions don’t mean as much as they do here in the United States,” Williams said. "Rather, the people and the friends and family you surround yourself with matter much more." u

Montreal, Canadaby Joe eAston

Although none of them can speak fluent French, admis-sions counselor Rob Eubank, math teacher Miranda Senn, and eight Hoban students traveled to Montreal,

Canada this summer to gain a better understanding of Holy Cross values.

The Hoban pilgrims visited many basilicas in the Mon-treal area, including St. Patrick’s Basilica and Notre Dame de Montreal. However, the focal point of the pilgrimage was

the St. Joseph’s Oratory, which was constructed by Holy Cross’s own Blessed Brother Andre Bessette.

“Our group spent most of our time exploring the Oratory,” said junior pilgrim Paul Mahon. “We learned all about Holy Cross there, and about Blessed Brother Andre’s life.”

Keeping true to the idea of a pilgrimage, the group also had many spiritual experi-ences. Along with several Masses and nightly prayer services, seven of the stu-dents decided to embark on a prayerful adventure they will not forget.

100 wooden steps sepa-rate a walkway from the main building of the Oratory. Seven of the pilgrims, with the fire of the Holy Spirit burning in their hearts, climbed all 100 of the steps on their knees. Traditionally, pilgrims to St. Joseph’s Oratory will climb the steps, stop-ping and kneeling on each one to say a prayer to ei-ther St. Joseph or Blessed Brother Andre. For the seven Hoban pil-grims, this climb took nearly an hour.

“I might nev-er forget about praying on the steps,” said Ma-hon of his divine climb. “Each new step felt like a Lou-isville Slugger base-ball bat straight to my kneecaps.”

Eubank also thought that praying on the steps was an extraordinary plight, but for different reasons.

“The kids took it upon themselves to pray all the way up the steps,” Eubank said. “They didn’t do it for recognition or limelight, but simply for a private moment in reflection.”

St. Joseph’s Oratory sees over 2 mil-lion pilgrims annually. From the perspir-ing hour of prayer, to the education of

Holy Cross principles, and the strengthening of relationships with God and each other, the pilgrims of Hoban can success-fully claim to be a piece of the legacy in Montreal. u

Chicago, Illinoisby Jules libertin

While many students found themselves participat-ing in JAM at Hoban this summer, fourteen stu-dents had the unique opportunity to experience

the JAM in inner-city Chicago. JAM in Chicago reached out to Holy Trinity High School,

which was the first high school founded in the Holy Cross tradition. There, students helped the school save thousands of dollars by painting the cafeteria.

“Our goal was to make it look like it was done by a professional, and we achieved that,” said presi-dent Brother Kenneth Haders. “The kids worked very

hard.” How-

ever, to a c h i e v e their goal, students had the d i f f i c u l t t a s k o f p a i n t -ing high cei l ings, pipes, and a m a s -sive area w h i c h

remained a constant chal-lenge through-

out the trip.“I went to JAM at Hoban last year and went to JAM in

Chicago this year. I thought the work

at Chicago was much more dif-ficult,” junior Lu-cas Sokol said.

Even though JAM in Chicago may have been more difficult, it also had its

perks. “In Chicago, I thought I had a lot

more freedom than I did at regular JAM,” Sokol said. “We got to visit

the beach, Michigan Avenue and the Navy Pier during our free time.”

Akron JAM may have offered a different experience than Hoban JAM, but it also offered the students a similar atmosphere. Like at Akron JAM, students not only helped the community but they also were able to interact with the people they were helping.

“Every day there were at least seven students from Holy Trinity [High School] helping us,” Sokol said. “That was really cool.”

While Chicago JAM may have been 370 miles away from where Akron JAM had taken place, both service camps shared the common goals of reaching out and helping the

community. u

Notre Dame, Indianaby evAn luse

Holy Cross College hosted its annual student leader-ship conference in South Bend, Indiana this past July. Six Holy Cross schools from all over the coun-

try joined up with Hoban. In total, 30 students and nine teachers met to de-velop student leadership.

Each day of the five-day conference had a certain theme. The week started with learning about Holy Cross as a shared family.

“I didn’t realize that other states had schools just like us,” junior Activities Comittee member Jenna Decker said of the eye-opening experience. “This trip definitely made me realize that I’m not just part of the Hoban family, but I’m also part of the Holy Cross family.”

The second day focused on a shared heritage, where the students saw major historical locations of the Notre Dame campus. Students had the opportunity to view the golden dome of Notre Dame, as well as the Sacred Heart Basilica, the Old College, the Log Chapel, the Community Cemetery and Columba Hall, where students heard stories from the resident brothers.

“Each and every brother had started or founded some-thing, and had made a difference in the world,” senior Class President Ryan Spear said. “That right there shows what Holy Cross’s real mission is all about.”

On the next day, students shared traditions of their own schools and how Holy Cross was a part of their school community.

The following day was dedicated to service within the South Bend community. The conference completed with how to approach bringing back what was learned.

Student Council has already begun incorperating many of the ideas they picked up at the conference in plans for this school year. u

Costa Ricaby JessicA contrerA

Ziplining over rivers, exploring hot geysers and horse-back riding to waterfalls may all sound like scenes from an Indiana Jones movie, but for 13 Hoban stu-

dents and two teachers, these adventures were just a few out of many during the June summer Costa Rica trip.

The group traveled to Costa Rica in early June, visiting the cities of Tortuguero, Sarapiquí, La Fortuna, Guanacaste, and San Jose, the capital. They were accompanied by a group of students and teachers from Kentucky’s Estill County High School. Together the groups trekked around the country, experiencing first hand the environment, the culture and the language. Senior Ben Schoeler feels as though his Spanish improved during the trip.

“We were able to practice Spanish with many of the Costa Rican locals,” Schoeler said. “When we were in Sarapiquí we played street soccer with them, which was my favorite part of the wholetrip, even though we lost horribly.”

The students enjoyed many experiences that they could never find in America such as visiting a banana plantation, taking a boat ride through the canals of Tortuguero and hiking near Arenal Volcano, a constantly active volcano. However sophomore Gracie McGee was impressed by more than just the beauty of the Costa Rican landscape.

“The trip really opened my eyes to the different types of people in the world. Costa R i c a n s , k n o w n as ‘Ticos,’ live a very simple and pleasurable l i f e . Us Americans were complaining of the heat and lack of hot water and such when we came to realize that this is how others live,” McGee said. She hopes to bring what she learned in Costa Rica back to Hoban.

In Costa Rica there is a saying, “puravida” that means pure, good life. The trip showed the Hoban students and teach-ers what it means to experience the spirit of puravida. u

Where in the world is Archbishop Hoban?1 summer, 5 groups, 4 countries, 59 students

u The Knights represent the places where groups of Hoban have traveled over the summer.

Photo courtesy of Samm

i Heil

Photo courtesy of Crystal Johnson

�

Ghana, Africaby Alex sAlAmon

This past summer, 17 students and four faculty members left the comfort of the United States and headed for the uncertainty and insecurity of a third world nation

– Africa. Although on the same planet, several students felt that the country of Ghana was an entirely different world.

“You wouldn’t believe the differences between the two countries,” senior Taylor Williams said.

The hazards of Ghana are unavoidable. During the trip, disease was prone to all individuals. Conse-quently, vaccinations and shots were essential prior to the trip.

“You had to update all your shots, including flu, booster, hepatitis, typhoid, tetanus, and meningi-tis vaccinations,” recent graduate Henry McGee said.

“My favorite part of the trip was during the first few days,” said senior Crystal Johnson, who admits to being apprehensive before the trip. “We went to the beach in Cape Coast and helped the local fisherman pull in the nets that they cast out every morning. It was super hot, the nets were heavy, but it felt really good to be able to help the men. It was unbelievable how hard they worked to provide for their families.”

All members of the trip came to a consensus that the ma-jority of people in the United States focus on their possessions much more than the people of Ghana.

“The trip opened my eyes up to a whole new way of life where material possessions don’t mean as much as they do here in the United States,” Williams said. "Rather, the people and the friends and family you surround yourself with matter much more." u

Montreal, Canadaby Joe eAston

Although none of them can speak fluent French, admis-sions counselor Rob Eubank, math teacher Miranda Senn, and eight Hoban students traveled to Montreal,

Canada this summer to gain a better understanding of Holy Cross values.

The Hoban pilgrims visited many basilicas in the Mon-treal area, including St. Patrick’s Basilica and Notre Dame de Montreal. However, the focal point of the pilgrimage was

the St. Joseph’s Oratory, which was constructed by Holy Cross’s own Blessed Brother Andre Bessette.

“Our group spent most of our time exploring the Oratory,” said junior pilgrim Paul Mahon. “We learned all about Holy Cross there, and about Blessed Brother Andre’s life.”

Keeping true to the idea of a pilgrimage, the group also had many spiritual experi-ences. Along with several Masses and nightly prayer services, seven of the stu-dents decided to embark on a prayerful adventure they will not forget.

100 wooden steps sepa-rate a walkway from the main building of the Oratory. Seven of the pilgrims, with the fire of the Holy Spirit burning in their hearts, climbed all 100 of the steps on their knees. Traditionally, pilgrims to St. Joseph’s Oratory will climb the steps, stop-ping and kneeling on each one to say a prayer to ei-ther St. Joseph or Blessed Brother Andre. For the seven Hoban pil-grims, this climb took nearly an hour.

“I might nev-er forget about praying on the steps,” said Ma-hon of his divine climb. “Each new step felt like a Lou-isville Slugger base-ball bat straight to my kneecaps.”

Eubank also thought that praying on the steps was an extraordinary plight, but for different reasons.

“The kids took it upon themselves to pray all the way up the steps,” Eubank said. “They didn’t do it for recognition or limelight, but simply for a private moment in reflection.”

St. Joseph’s Oratory sees over 2 mil-lion pilgrims annually. From the perspir-ing hour of prayer, to the education of

Holy Cross principles, and the strengthening of relationships with God and each other, the pilgrims of Hoban can success-fully claim to be a piece of the legacy in Montreal. u

Chicago, Illinoisby Jules libertin

While many students found themselves participat-ing in JAM at Hoban this summer, fourteen stu-dents had the unique opportunity to experience

the JAM in inner-city Chicago. JAM in Chicago reached out to Holy Trinity High School,

which was the first high school founded in the Holy Cross tradition. There, students helped the school save thousands of dollars by painting the cafeteria.

“Our goal was to make it look like it was done by a professional, and we achieved that,” said presi-dent Brother Kenneth Haders. “The kids worked very

hard.” How-

ever, to a c h i e v e their goal, students had the d i f f i c u l t t a s k o f p a i n t -ing high cei l ings, pipes, and a m a s -sive area w h i c h

remained a constant chal-lenge through-

out the trip.“I went to JAM at Hoban last year and went to JAM in

Chicago this year. I thought the work

at Chicago was much more dif-ficult,” junior Lu-cas Sokol said.

Even though JAM in Chicago may have been more difficult, it also had its

perks. “In Chicago, I thought I had a lot

more freedom than I did at regular JAM,” Sokol said. “We got to visit

the beach, Michigan Avenue and the Navy Pier during our free time.”

Akron JAM may have offered a different experience than Hoban JAM, but it also offered the students a similar atmosphere. Like at Akron JAM, students not only helped the community but they also were able to interact with the people they were helping.

“Every day there were at least seven students from Holy Trinity [High School] helping us,” Sokol said. “That was really cool.”

While Chicago JAM may have been 370 miles away from where Akron JAM had taken place, both service camps shared the common goals of reaching out and helping the

community. u

Notre Dame, Indianaby evAn luse

Holy Cross College hosted its annual student leader-ship conference in South Bend, Indiana this past July. Six Holy Cross schools from all over the coun-

try joined up with Hoban. In total, 30 students and nine teachers met to de-velop student leadership.

Each day of the five-day conference had a certain theme. The week started with learning about Holy Cross as a shared family.

“I didn’t realize that other states had schools just like us,” junior Activities Comittee member Jenna Decker said of the eye-opening experience. “This trip definitely made me realize that I’m not just part of the Hoban family, but I’m also part of the Holy Cross family.”

The second day focused on a shared heritage, where the students saw major historical locations of the Notre Dame campus. Students had the opportunity to view the golden dome of Notre Dame, as well as the Sacred Heart Basilica, the Old College, the Log Chapel, the Community Cemetery and Columba Hall, where students heard stories from the resident brothers.

“Each and every brother had started or founded some-thing, and had made a difference in the world,” senior Class President Ryan Spear said. “That right there shows what Holy Cross’s real mission is all about.”

On the next day, students shared traditions of their own schools and how Holy Cross was a part of their school community.

The following day was dedicated to service within the South Bend community. The conference completed with how to approach bringing back what was learned.

Student Council has already begun incorperating many of the ideas they picked up at the conference in plans for this school year. u

Costa Ricaby JessicA contrerA

Ziplining over rivers, exploring hot geysers and horse-back riding to waterfalls may all sound like scenes from an Indiana Jones movie, but for 13 Hoban stu-

dents and two teachers, these adventures were just a few out of many during the June summer Costa Rica trip.

The group traveled to Costa Rica in early June, visiting the cities of Tortuguero, Sarapiquí, La Fortuna, Guanacaste, and San Jose, the capital. They were accompanied by a group of students and teachers from Kentucky’s Estill County High School. Together the groups trekked around the country, experiencing first hand the environment, the culture and the language. Senior Ben Schoeler feels as though his Spanish improved during the trip.

“We were able to practice Spanish with many of the Costa Rican locals,” Schoeler said. “When we were in Sarapiquí we played street soccer with them, which was my favorite part of the wholetrip, even though we lost horribly.”

The students enjoyed many experiences that they could never find in America such as visiting a banana plantation, taking a boat ride through the canals of Tortuguero and hiking near Arenal Volcano, a constantly active volcano. However sophomore Gracie McGee was impressed by more than just the beauty of the Costa Rican landscape.

“The trip really opened my eyes to the different types of people in the world. Costa R i c a n s , k n o w n as ‘Ticos,’ live a very simple and pleasurable l i f e . Us Americans were complaining of the heat and lack of hot water and such when we came to realize that this is how others live,” McGee said. She hopes to bring what she learned in Costa Rica back to Hoban.

In Costa Rica there is a saying, “puravida” that means pure, good life. The trip showed the Hoban students and teach-ers what it means to experience the spirit of puravida. u

Where in the world is Archbishop Hoban?1 summer, 5 groups, 4 countries, 59 students

u The Knights represent the places where groups of Hoban have traveled over the summer.

the visor ◆ August 18, 2009

Photo courtesy of Russ Kw

itowski

Photo courtesy of Jessica Contrera

Photo courtesy of Ben Schoeler

Photo Illustration by Jessica Contrera

the visor ◆ August 18, 2009�

◆Features and Opinion

"16 and Pregnant" successfully discourages teenage pregnancies

Since You've Been Gone: Here's what you missed at Hoban this Summer

Twelve hours in the car with your fam-ily and two small dogs gives you lots of time to think. Three young, restless

boys unsatisfied with their movie, food and seating options in the back seat make for a long, long twelve hours.

Twelve hours that I spent thanking God that I was not responsible for these three boys and that the small dog that I was responsible for was not a human baby.

My parents did an impressive job pre-venting a teen pregnancy in our family by providing me with an atypical form of birth control for my fifteenth birthday: a nine week old Yorkshire Terrier.

While I am certain that this was not my parents’ intention, it was effective. Coco quickly took over my life and I was over-whelmed by this incredible new responsibility I had been given. Taking care of Coco with limited assistance from my parents for two years has diminished any desire I may have had for children in the future, or at least until I am thirty.

MTV also did its part this summer in at-

tempting to decrease the number of children born to teen parents using frightening fear tactics in the show Sixteen and Pregnant. The show chronicles the trials and tribula-tions of teen pregnancy, each week following a high school girl throughout her pregnancy and a few months afterward.

To be honest, I am repulsed by this show. I was disgusted after the first episode, but I was also unable to look away. Talk about a train wreck. However, I did not give up on these girls. I stuck with them and, I will shamelessly admit, watched every episode.

To put it lightly, these girls are a mess. Many struggled to graduate and maintain relationships with friends and family. How-ever, I kept waiting for the silver lining, for someone to impress me.

By episode six, I had found it– Catelynn and Tyler. Finally a respectable couple who were willing to accept that they were nowhere near mature enough to handle the situation they had gotten themselves into.

I watched in awe as this young couple admitted that they were not fit to raise a

child and decided on adoption. I was blown away by their strength and desire to give this baby a life that would be better than their own.

They were a fresh and welcome change as I had had just enough of Amber and her Rock Band-loving boyfriend who refused to grow up and Whitney and her crazy grandmother.

I laughed when my mom begged me not to put her in the situation that Farrah put her mother in during episode two, but after four more episodes of girls ruining their lives, I cannot imagine being in any of the their shoes.

Farrah’s mom should have planned ahead and gotten her a puppy. u

uSENIOR JULES LIBERTIN won the Division II state championship in the 800-me-ter run with a time of 2:16.01. “It was the best experience ever, words just can’t explain it,” Libertin said. “I owe it all to my coach Peach and my teammates. I couldn’t have done it without them.” As a team, Hoban finished fourth in the state.

uCASEY YANDEK, former administrator, English teacher and student council modera-tor left Hoban to take a job at a nearby Holy Cross school, St. Edward's in Lakewood, Ohio. There he will serve as Director of Stu-dent Activities and will begin implementing a program called Understand by Design into the St. Ed’s curriculum. “I chose to take a posi-tion at St. Ed's to be closer to my family. My daughter, Libby, turned six months recently and St. Ed's is five minutes from my house. Hoban is about 55 minutes. Now, I will get to spend at least two more hours with my wife and daughter every day. Plus, I'm close by in case of emergency,” said Yandek. He plans to

sometimes assist with Hoban’s student council activities and visit Hoban often.

u THE ATHLETIC OFFICE was re-located to an office outside of the Barry Gymnasium, which was previously occupied by the physical trainers. The trainers have moved into an office attached to the girls’ locker rooms across from the weight room. Room 121, the former athletic office, has been converted into a classroom.

uTHE MAC LAB has been moved from Room 16, the band room, to Room 20, which was previously the foods/clothing lab.

uSECURITY CAMERAS have been installed and are up and running in the major hallways.

uNEW BATHROOMS were installed near the cafeteria. They were completed just last week and are equipped with automated sinks, tile walls and new facilities.

u The remodeling of the bathrooms is one of the more noticeable physical improvements that took place at Hoban this summer.

Photo by Jessica Contrera

the visor ◆ August 18, 2009 �

by Amy yAkAbowski

There’s a time to let things happen and a time to make things hap-pen.”

This is a quote the girls soccer team places above their lockers before games. Coming off a successful season, the team, which lost many seniors and strong leadership,

is working hard to extend their streak of Final Four appearances to four. Not only do they lose seven seniors, but the team will also be moving up from Division II to Division I.

“There’s a misconception about DI,” said head coach Benny Pietrangelo. “It’s based on numbers, not skill. We are still

a top team.”Even though their schedule has many

of the same teams from past seasons, when the playoffs start, they will be facing powerhouse teams like Walsh Jesuit and Strongsville.

“We are prepared a lot more than last year because we are working really hard this year,” senior goalie Mackenzie Kaser said.

With a new division and season, new leaders and captains emerge. This year, juniors Margaret Woods and Gabby Corwin, along with seniors Jessacca Gironda and Juliana Libertin will provide leadership to the team.

“We have Jessacca and Jules. They are seniors with experience. Margret and Gab-by are the next generation. The younger kids can relate to them,” said Pietrangelo.

“They all deserve the title captain,” said outside mid, sophomore Gracie McGee. “They motivate us and push us even when we don’t want to run. They inspire us to want to lead.”

Senior Mackenzie Kaser is also stepping up by leading the team as new goalie.

“I’m excited,” said Kaser. “But also nervous. Frankie [Gironda] was an excel-lent goalie. To fill her shoes will be hard. Especially since she wore like a size 11 and

I’m a size 8.”With their first game coming up at home

verse Norton, the girls are both excited and anxious to prove that they can compete at that level.

According to Pietrangelo, their mind set of "we’re going out to win" will take them far. ◆

◆ Sports and News

Girls soccer prepares to overcome new challenges this season

Bulletin Board School pictures here soon on Aug. 25

◆ Sophomores Colleen Rosen and Gracie McGee do crunches and run suicides while training for their upcoming season.

Photo by Amy Yakabow

ski

NO CLASSES Labor Day, Monday, Sept 7. ◆ THE FOOTBALL TEAM OPENS its season Thursday, Aug. 27, against Garfield at home. ◆ A PEP ASSEMBLY will be held Thursday, Aug. 27, to kick off the fall sports season. ◆ SENIOR RETREAT days are Wednesday, Sept. 2 and Thursday, Sept 3. ◆ THE BOYS SOCCER TEAM opens at home against Notre Dame Cathedral Latin on Saturday, Aug. 29. ◆

A WHITE OUT has been declared for Friday, Sept. 4, when the football team takes on Walsh at home. ◆ GIRLS GOLF IS PARTICIPATING in the Midwest Classic at Skyland Pines Golf Club Saturday, Aug. 22. ◆ INCOMING FRESHMEN WILL ATTEND the “Making High School Count” assembly Thursday, Aug. 20. ◆ GIRLS TENNIS OPENS its season Tuesday, Aug. 18, at St. Thomas Aquinas in Louisville. ◆ COACH BENNY PIETRANGELO’S Lady Knights open the soccer season

Monday, Aug. 24 at Dowed Field. ◆ SCHOOL PICTURES will be taken Tuesday, Aug. 25, for freshmen, sophomores and juniors. ◆ THE STUDENT RAFFLE will begin Friday, Aug. 28. ◆ SIX FOOT SENIOR KELSEY Schultz and the girls volleyball team opens the season Saturday, Aug. 19 at Elyria Catholic High School. ◆ CROSS COUNTRY IS RUNNING in the Dick Malloy Invitational on Wednesday, Aug. 26, at Goodyear Metro Park. ◆

Com

piled by Nikki Bow

ser

“They all deserve the title captain... they motivate us and push us even when we don’t want to run. They inspire us to want to lead.”

— Sophomore Gracie McGee

the visor ◆ August 18, 2009�

Football team looks to Murdock, seniors for repeat of success◆ Sports

by evAn shAub

Jahari Murdock started playing football at nine years old because he thought soccer was “too easy.”

Nine years later, after a yearlong break due to OHSAA regulations regarding transfer students, the highly touted transfer student is ready to make his debut as a Hoban Knight.

“It was a very humbling and interesting experience,” said Murdock of sitting out for a year.

Even with the addition of Murdock, the football team remains a young team with only five returning starters on both offense and defense, according to head coach Ralph Orsini. But Murdock believes the lack of ex-perience should not hurt the Knights’ chances at a playoff run.

“There are a lot of teams in our division that are also young and inexperienced, so no one right now is going to help or hurt our chances but ourselves,” Murdock said.

Another of the many changes the Knights will undergo this season comes with the move from Division II to Division III, but the change in division does not necessarily mean that

the Knights will face easier competition this season.

Some teams that also moved to Division III include St. Vincent St. Mary’s and Aurora, last year’s Division IV state champions.

“Division III, especially in our region (IX) is very tough,” Orsini said in regards to the

change in division. “If we take care of busi-ness we will be competing in the playoffs.”

But as far as expectations for the upcom-ing season go, both Orsini and Murdock are confident.

“I expect us to be a really good team,” Murdock said. “We should surprise many people and I believe that we’re going to finish with a solid record and make a great playoff run.”

Orsini believes that the Knights have a formidable group of core lineman and specialty players that could make them a competitive football team.

After a 9-5 record and the first Final Four appearance since 2003, this year’s Knights have big shoes to fill, and for Murdock, the shoes fit. u

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“Division III, especially in our region, is very tough. If we take care of business we will be competing in the playoffs.”

— Head coach Ralph Orsini

u Murdock practices hard to prepare himself for the rigor of Divison III varsity football.

Photo by Julian Smith