Canticle …That They Be Good Men” · During his free time, Mr. Chap-man loves martial arts and...
Transcript of Canticle …That They Be Good Men” · During his free time, Mr. Chap-man loves martial arts and...
“Ut Viri Boni Sint… Canticle …That They Be Good Men”
Vol. XIII, No. 1 Saint David’s School Winter 2016
From the President’s Desk
This year, as your Student Council President,
through your actions and my leadership, I hope to better
our community. As I said in my election speech, I hope to
do this through existing charities and new ones. I also as-
pire to make student life at Saint David’s more enjoyable
by presenting to you, the student body, a handful of new
privileges.
In past years, Saint David’s and my predecessors
have worked to build a school in Ethiopia. We are well into
our efforts there. Already, the school has been in operation
for well over a year. However, our work is not complete,
and we look forward to donating the proceeds of our annu-
al Walk-a-Thon and other spring events to the Kalina
School. The money from these activities will go to the
completion of a parent center for young residents, located
next to the existing school.
In addition to our efforts abroad, the 8th grade has
chosen to help a school a little closer to home, The New
York School for Deaf, NYSD, is located just a few miles
north of here in White Plains. They have been struggling
monetarily due to the government limiting their funding.
We are holding a winter indoor soccer tournament in which
all the eighth graders pay $20 for the privilege of playing.
All the proceeds will go to the NYSD to help with their
funding shortage.
Although we are doing a great deal for others, I
will also fight to give you the privileges you deserve. For
instance, during the past Halloween, a great many of stu-
dents were in the mood to dress up. This year, the Student
Council created a dress-up day for the entire Upper School.
We also are in the process of speaking to the Head Chef
about possibly receiving festive holiday snacks and lunches
as the year goes on. Dress-down days and free-seating
lunches are always on our radar, and we look forward to
adding some to the calendar. The seventh and eighth
grades really enjoy these privileges when they occur. I be-
lieve that I can be a good president and lead you in your
times of advancement. I look forward to answering any
proposals you have. James Karasyov
Pope Francis Visits NYC
Four hours for five seconds. That is how I spent
my Friday off. It might seem as if it was a waste of a free
day, but it was more than just waiting four hours to watch a
man drive by, and it wasn’t just any man. It was Pope Fran-
cis. The excitement and the hype makes it a better experi-
ence. Those few seconds when the procession went by was
a feeling that I will never forget.
One of eighty thousand, to be lucky enough to
catch a glimpse! And fortunate enough to even win the
ticket, in the lottery. If it weren’t for my father’s shoulders,
I wouldn’t have even seen him. As I was weaving through
the line on Central Park West, I was getting more bored,
yet anxious and excited!
When we finally got into the Park and through se-
curity, I was relieved, thinking the wait was over. But then
I realized that in a less than ten block section of the road in
Central Park, eighty thousand people were trying to do the
same thing, catch a glimpse of Pope Francis. My family
and I went searching for a good view, which was hard, be-
cause some people had been lined up all day.
We settled for a spot in the sixth row. What made
seeing the Pontiff much harder was that everyone wanted
to snap a picture. Phones, tablets, cameras, everything. We
waited, and I could sense that he was close. The Argentini-
ans behind me were going crazy, and then I heard the roar.
I somehow climbed up on my dad’s shoulders. Then I saw
it, the Pope Mobile. The best five seconds ever!
Peter Mastropasqua
Inside the Issue
Current events, New Teachers,
Sports, School News, Pop Culture, Photos
and more!
.
March 2016 Canticle Page 2
A New Beginning
At the end of last year, 2015.
Ms. Sara Peavy retired and left an open
spot for Head of Upper School. Mr. Eric
Chapman has stepped into the position
and has hit the ground running. So far,
he has done a great job of running the
Upper School. Mr. Chapman is a great
new addition to the Saint David’s com-
munity.
Before coming to Saint Da-
vid’s, Mr. Chapman worked as a dean at
Calhoun School. He came to Saint Da-
vid’s for an array of reasons, but the
main reason is Saint David’s “sense of
community.” Recently, to improve the
bond between the leading 8th graders,
he has set up one- on-one meetings with
each student. When asked who has
been the most help this year, he said,
“Dr. O’Halloran has been extremely
helpful for me and has had an open
door.” He is happy to be meeting new
people. Mr. Chapman said, “I never
really have worried about behavioral
issues because I trust my students. I
love being able to connect with my stu-
dents and being able to help them
learn.” During his free time, Mr. Chap-
man loves martial arts and spending
time with his wife and his son, Mal-
colm. He also loves watching and read-
ing science fiction because he feels,
“You know what might happen.” Mr. Chap-
man is looking forward to a great year at
Saint David’s and becoming an amazing new
addition to our community. Devin Kruse
Ms. LoTempio Ms. LoTempio is starting her
first year here at Saint David’s as a
kindergarten teacher. Ms. LoTempio
used to teach seventh and eighth grade
and says it’s a big difference teaching
kindergarten. She teaches on the first
floor alongside another kindergarten
teacher, teaching everything from
math to social studies. Before coming
to Saint David’s, Ms. LoTempio
worked at Harlem Village Academy.
This is her tenth year teach-
ing, and she is looking forward to
being at Saint David’s. Although she
used to teach English, her favorite
class to teach is history (social stud-
ies). Her hobbies include traveling,
reading, exercising, and visiting muse-
ums, her favorite being the Tenement
Museum.
Her favorite things to do on
the weekends are to travel or to just
relax with her friends. Some of her
favorite books include The Book
Thief, To Kill A Mockingbird, and
Harry Potter. Her favorite movie is
Braveheart, and she likes to watch
football and play lacrosse. Ms.
LoTempio’s favorite meal is break-
fast, and she enjoys eating any type of
eggs.
She learned about Saint Da-
vid’s through her friend Ms. Kaplan,
who currently works here. The thing
she likes the most about Saint David’s
so far is the fact that it feels like a
great community. We are looking for-
ward to having Ms. LoTempio at Saint
David’s for years to come!
Cyrus Farman-Farmaian
Ms. Annette Kanter
Ms. Kanter was cordially
welcomed to Saint David's School
this fall. She previously worked at
Avenues World School which is in
Chelsea, New York. She has been
working in the administration depart-
ment for twenty years.
Growing up, Ms. Kanter
loved reading and writing, and she
still enjoys it today. Therefore, her
strongest and favorite subject was
English. Also, in her spare time she
loves yoga and crochet. Her favorite
book and movie of all time is To Kill
a Mockingbird. Ms. Kanter loves
helping her two 19 and 21 year old
sons prepare for football as well as
watching football.
The new Admissions Assis-
tant is in love with all eggplant dish-
es, ranging from eggplant Parmesan
to eggplant with gazpacho. On the
weekends she enjoys spending time
with her family, friends, and time by
herself. Ms. Kanter heard about Saint
David’s through the independent
school admissions position and being
in the Carnegie Hill neighborhood.
The Admissions Assistant’s favorite
time of the day is 4:00 PM because
then she gets coffee and a little treat
for herself. In addition to the treat,
school, and her schedule, Ms. Kanter
loves the warm welcoming staff at
Saint David's School. I think that Ms.
Kanter is a perfect fit for Saint Da-
vid's School, and I hope she has a
long career here. Welcome to Saint
David's, Ms. Kanter!
Thomas Bolen
March 2016 Canticle Page 3
Ugrunaaluk Kuukpikensis
Recently, scientists found a new species of dino-
saur. The Ugrunaaluk Kuukpikensis lived 69 million years
ago above the Arctic Circle. This is the farthest north re-
searchers have ever found dinosaurs. The animal was said
to look like Godzilla, 25 - 30 feet long and 7 feet tall. This
creature was covered in hard scales to protect its body
from predators, although it was a herbivore. The jaw line
of the animal consisted of 1,000 teeth, perfect for crushing
fruits and plants. The Ugrunaaluk Kuukpikensis can be
categorized as a hadrosaur, a group of duck-billed dino-
saurs.
The front legs of the dinosaur are much shorter
than the back legs but it can still walk on all fours. “These
animals were living in a very strange world. They proba-
bly had freezing and snow in the winter, and they had to
survive four months of complete darkness. Finding food
would be difficult. The plants are not growing at this time,
and they would have to live on low-quality forage: ferns,
twigs and bark,” said Patrick Druckenmiller. Pat Drucken-
miller is a vertebrate paleontologist with a research em-
phasis on Mesozoic marine reptiles (particularly plesio-
saurs and ichthyosaurs) and dinosaurs of Alaska.
This dinosaur is in the news because it is a newly
found species of dinosaurs above the Arctic Circle. This
means the weather conditions were very harsh, making the
dinosaur a herbivore. How could the animal survive the
winters? Scientists should figure out why the Ugrunaaluk
Kuukpikensis had hard scales; because why would a her-
bivore need protection if it didn't compete against any oth-
er animals? Thomas Bolen
Canticle Staff Box
Editors - Colin Craig and Peter DeLuca
Writers
Thomas Bolen Jack Kelly
James Curry Devin Kruse
Stefano de Rossi Peter Mastropasqua
Ben Doolan Alex Norton
Cyrus Farman-Farmaian Caspar Schliemann
Laird Fitzgerald Julian Solomone
Tim Flaherty Nick von Perfall
Phillip Fuhrman Nick Worsoe
Faculty Advisors
Mr. Ryan and Mr. Dearie
Syrian Crisis
For much of the past month, many Southern Euro-
pean countries have had thousands of Syrians risking life
and limb in order to escape the civil war in Syria. Since
2011, nearly all of Syria has became a total war zone. Ba-
shar al-Assad is the current leader of Syria and has been for
the past fifteen years.
With the government increasing their brutality
against citizens, refugees have been going to extreme
measures in order to
escape their war-
ridden homeland. In
the middle of this cri-
sis lies Hungary, which
has been utterly ruth-
less against the des-
perate refugees trying
to find a place they
can call home. In
nearby Germany and
Austria, thousands of
refugees have been
given a warm wel-
come. The United
Nations have not been a help either. In various meetings,
Russia leader Vladimir Putin has made it seem more appar-
ent that he is out to get the US, rather than stop the inhu-
mane atrocity that is happening in Syria. (author’s opinion)
The world must do as much as they can in order to assist
the immigrants that are currently experiencing the harshest
of conditions. Nick Worsoe
March 2016 Canticle Page 4
The Unknown Crisis in Eritrea
The Syrian Refugee Crisis has occupied the minds
of almost every European politician for the past few months.
However, in a small country in Africa there is another large
refugee crisis that most people don’t know about. The coun-
try in question is called Eritrea. The Eritrean People’s Liber-
ation Front, or EPLF controls the country with an iron fist.
Almost all rights and freedoms are restricted, and there has
not been a national election since the country’s independ-
ence almost fifty years ago.
The Eritrean government has been accused by the
U.N. of extrajudicial executions, torture, indefinitely pro-
longed national service and forced labor, and sexual harass-
ment. Furthermore, the government's relationship with Ethi-
opia is extremely fragile, and the two countries are in con-
stant threat of war. Eritrea is commonly known as the North
Korea of Africa. Now with a country as oppressive as this
no wonder people want to leave. But leaving is a very dan-
gerous endeavor. Leaving is considered a capital crime and
“hunters” are dispatched to bring back refugees to face tor-
ture, interrogation, and death at the hands of their cruel gov-
ernment.
Despite the consequences, thousands of people still
make the dangerous journey, traveling hundreds of miles to
a better life in Europe. 37,000 people in 2014 alone have
made the journey across the Mediterranean Sea in rickety
boats and rafts. Even though the Eritreans undertake the
same amount of peril or even more, they do not get a frac-
tion of the media attention as the Syrian crisis. In fact, many
people do not know about this horrible crisis mainly be-
cause we are far away from the problem.
Syria is constantly in our minds because of its close
ties to the USA, however. Eritrea is far from our minds be-
cause it is very far away. It is horrible that not many people
know about this because of its size or distance from us. Eve-
ryone in the world has a duty to help everyone whether it’s
one million people or ten thousand people.
Caspar Schliemann
Syrian Refugee Crisis Canticle First Hand Account
This past Memorial Day weekend I went to Lon-
don and was fortunate enough on Sunday to take the Euro-
star, a high speed train, to Paris. In order to do this, I
passed under the English Channel between England and
France. In current news, refugees from Eastern Europe
and Syria have tried to break into the service tunnel, one
of the three tunnels, to walk to freedom in England.
When I came out of the tunnel on the French side,
our train stopped and waited to see if there were any peo-
ple on the tracks. This gave me time to view the scenery.
The first thing I saw was lines of tactical vehicles, much
like Jeeps, and lines of armed guards.
There were rows of old eight foot tall, green fenc-
ing with curved in tops. And behind that was new, white,
ten foot tall fencing. On one of the rows I could see where
refugees had knocked it down, and the guards had reas-
sembled it in a makeshift fashion.
Eventually, when the Eurostar started to move at
a slow pace again, I could see numerous people dressed in
warm clothing walking on the sides of the track with po-
lice escorts. The police had also cut down all the trees and
tall grass, so they could see if anyone was close to the
fences.
This trip taught me about current events happen-
ing in the world. On one hand, I could understand the
frustration of the French and English security forces that
are trying to enforce their country's laws.
On the other hand, I witnessed the tragedy of the
situation and saw the afflicted mothers, fathers, and chil-
dren, and I could not help but empathize with their plight.
These were scenes I will not soon forget.
Laird Fitzgerald
( This is a photo I took on the trip )
March 2016 Canticle Page 5
Halloween Hi Jinx
March 2016 Canticle Page 6
Built for Speed
Every year, over 3,000 spectators gather to watch
250 of the world’s best downhill skateboarders/street
lugers battle to win on the iconic Maryhill Loops Road in
Washington State, while enjoying food, entertainment
and action sports exhibits. The Maryhill Festival of
Speed, started on June 1, 2006, is held annually, and was
recently held on June 24-28, 2015. Built in 1911, the
first asphalt road in the state, the road is famous for its
low grades and hairpin curves.
Downhill skateboarding, also known as long-
boarding, is a dangerous and adrenaline-pushing sport
that requires balance and bravery. The boards that the
riders ride normally range from 36 to 44 inches and don’t
have curved up tips, like a traditional skateboard
does. Another feature that these boards have is deep con-
cave in the middle, so the rider can lock his foot in
place. To slow down or turn sharp corners, the rider can
do a number of slides.
A slide is basically when you kick out the back
two wheels so that the board is horizontal to the road.
The wheels slide on the road, and the rider brushes off a
remarkable amount of speed. Sliding is an important
aspect of downhill skateboard races because it can be
used to slow down when turning and it also looks really
cool.
The equipment used, besides the board are leath-
er suits, downhill helmets, slide gloves, and flat bot-
tomed shoes. The leather suits protect the rider from se-
rious road rash when they fall and usually have their
sponsor’s names stitched on. The helmet covers their
entire head and has a visor to keep the wind out. Slide
gloves are like hard cloth or leather gloves, that have a
velcro attached slide puck on the palm.
The slide gloves are metal, hard plastic, or rock
pucks that slide against pavement, so that the rider can do
a hands-down slide, which is when they do a slide, and
have their gloves skimming along the pavement.
Throughout the five-day event, 208 of the 214
professional long boarders packed their bags and headed
home, leaving the final six.
On the fifth day, the finalists, Zak Maytum, Alex
Charleson, Kevin Reimer, Spencer Smith, Patrick Switz-
er, and Brendan Davidson, lined up at the starting line,
and after the gun shot, proceeded to speed down Maryhill
Loops Road with speeds up to 65 miles per hour! For the
majority of the race, Maytum held first place, while
Charelson and Reimer intermittently took the lead, but
ended up finishing in second and third place respectively.
None of the other finalists ever passed May-
tum. Maytum won $3,000, Charelson won $1,500, and
Reimer won $1,000.
While long boarders in New York City don’t ride
around in leathers and expensive helmets, you can find
an equal amount of skill in NYC as you can find at
Maryhill. I, myself, being a long boarder and a skate-
boarder, skate in Central Park almost every day. The
people whom I've met there are as good or maybe even
better than the pros at Maryhill, and they’ve taught me
quite a bit about it. In fact, I have even met a former
Maryhill competitor. While I don’t yet complete the re-
quirements to compete at Maryhill, I still practice so
when I become of age, I can travel to Washington and
compete, and hopefully win. Downhill skateboarding is
not a sport for everyone, but it is exhilarating and great
fun! James Curry
March 2016 Canticle Page 7
The Puck Stops Here! The Saint David’s Hockey program has long been
a tradition here at the school. The Hockey program con-
tains multiple teams playing at different levels, starting
with practice teams from kindergarten to first grade, then
moving to the mighty mites, age 8. Following is the mites,
age 9, after that
squirts, ages 10-11,
and lastly, the ban-
tams, ages 12-14.
Now, at the school, we
have a group of five
eighth graders, who
have lived through the
program and are cur-
rently living out their
last years as bantams.
This group consists of
Colin Craig, Devin
Kruse, Wills Dietrich, Joe Bednar, and Alex Norton.
These players are the backbone of the program,
often times assisting coaches and helping fellow team-
mates. They have witnessed the way the program has
shaped players first hand, and when recalling the experi-
ence, all agree it was worth it. Now their team may have
never won the championship or made it to the finals, but all
the players say that the program changed them as people.
“The program made me feel whole and inspired
my love for hockey,” says Colin Craig, reminiscing about
his early years. Devin Kruse, when questioned about the
matter, said “Because of my birthday, I was always forced
to play with the older boys, and I really feel as if that
helped me overcome challenges and changed me as a per-
son.” The Hockey program here at Saint David’s is one of
the best, and it has certainly left its mark on those of us
who participated in this fine program.
Alexander Norton
New York City Football Club
NYC FC Gives NYC Some Kick!
This year in the 2015 MLS season there have been
two new teams: Orlando City, and New York City Foot-
ball Club. The first main goal for this team was to play in
the five boroughs as opposed to the New York Red Bulls,
who play in New Jersey. The fans feel closer figuratively,
and physically. They currently play their home games at
Yankee Stadium, which for the city, is much closer. And
the hype in the stadium is much better at Yankee Stadium
than Red Bull Arena. Before the season, the big names on
NYCFC were David Villa and Frank Lampard. Then
Lampard was “lent” out to their partner, Manchester City,
for the season, expecting him to come back at the begin-
ning of the MLS season. But after Lampard started play-
ing well off the bench for City, and after some minor con-
troversy, Lampard ended up staying for the whole Premier
League Season, which ends in
late May. The MLS season
starts in early March, but
even without Lampard,
NYCFC has gotten off to a
good start. David Villa scored
the first goal ever at Yankee
Stadium. Right now they
have the third most average
attendance this year. But as
the season progressed they struggled. Then they got one
more huge signing, Andrea Pirlo, the Italian legend. Then
Lampard came back and Villa, Lampard, and Pirlo were
finally all playing together in late August. This is an aus-
picious start to what can be a very successful club. Wel-
come home, soccer!
Peter Mastropasqua
Thanksgiving Drive Numbers
250 Boxes - A New Record-Over 7500 Grocery Items
100 Pounds of Bacon
100 Pounds of Sausage
100 Turkeys
$750 Donations
Thank you, and congratulations to the student body.
March 2016 Canticle Page 8
An Extinguished Flame? It’s the bottom of the 9th, 2 outs. The Yankees are
playing the Red Sox in the American League 1999 champi-
onships. Millions of eyes across the country are glued to
their television sets. This is one of the greatest, most antici-
pated rivalries in all of sports. In the past couple of years,
the fire in this rivalry has died down. This could be due to a
variety of reasons, but it certainly is not what it used to be.
The Yankees could be considered the greatest team
in baseball because of its 27 World Series wins. This team
has also been the home to some of the greatest players that
ever stepped on the field. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey
Mantle, Whitey Ford, Joe DiMaggio, Derek Jeter. I could
go and on naming all the greats. Unfortunately, even the
greatest of us eventually get old and retire. There is almost
nobody left on the team from the amazing 96, 98, 99, and
2001 performances.
Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter and Andy Petite are
all names of the past. The same could be said for some of
the Red Sox players. For example, their star pitcher, the
Yankees’ worst nightmare, was Pedro Martinez. He and
others of the Red Sox made it nearly impossible for the
Yankees to get the bat on the ball, causing close games and
a more intense rivalry.
Without the star players on either team, the seasons
of these two teams have become unpredictable. This year,
after a disappointing 2014 season where they didn't even
make the playoffs, the Yankees strung together a solid team
in 2015 without their captain, Derek Jeter, and without
their All-Star first baseman, Mark Teixeira. On the contra-
ry, since 2003, the Red Sox have won 3 World Series
Championships, due to some great pitchers and a great
manager. Surprisingly, over the last two years, the Red Sox
have been in last or second to last place for most of the sea-
son! The rivalry between the Boston Red Sox and the New
York Yankees has dissipated over the last couple of years
because both teams are extremely unpredictable each year,
due to the lack of the star players who have retired on each
team. Devin Kruse
Have Dogs Become
Too Reliant on Their
Owners? I read an article written by James Gorman in The
New York Times called “Why is That Dog Looking at
Me?” and learned about dogs and wolves and how dogs
have become too reliant on humans. This article ex-
plained why dogs always look up at you for help. To fig-
ure out why, Dr. Udall used some ideas from other tests
and came up with one that she hoped would give her an
answer. She had a Tupperware bowl with a lid on it to
which was attached a rope for the dog's snout. This made
it possible for the dogs to open it but it would be difficult
for them. Inside the bowl she put a treat for the dog to
get. The wolf persisted and opened it while the dog tried,
gave up and then stared at the humans to get them to
open it. Another Doctor, Dr. Milosky, discovered that,
over time, dogs who live with humans have evolved to
being more reliant on their owners.
On the other hand, since people don't typically
own wolves, dogs are more dependent. Dr. Wynne who
works at Arizona State University says, “I will go so far
as to say that we teach our dogs to be stupid.” Even
though dogs seem intelligent, they are not as smart as we
think. This matters because people need to know that we
should let our dogs do things on their own sometimes
and let them be more like their past relatives than to give
them everything they need. Also it gives us a glance at
what the future might look like for present day house
animals.
The next research the scientists should do is on
house cats and compare them to lion cubs and see if they
have changed as much as dogs, or if they have become
smarter. One question I still have is, how do you think a
house dog let into the wild would react and what
knowledge would they have of the outdoors to sur-
vive? Overall, this article was extremely interesting and
informed me quite a bit about dogs.
Laird Fitzgerald
March 2016 Canticle Page 9
Heisman Watch
The Heisman Trophy. Besides winning the NCAA
National Football Championship, probably this is the most
prestigious award to win as a player. Many big names have
won this award like: Robert Griffin III, Mark Ingram, and
Cam Newton. In the past five years the only football play-
ers to win this award were quarterbacks. What is so
astounding about this year’s pool of players is that, five
running backs have made their way into the top five candi-
dates for the Heisman Trophy. Could 2015 - 2016 be the
Year of the Running Back?
Leonard Fournette: This season Leonard Four-
nette has 1,352 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns.
Fournette is a running back attending LSU. He has had an
incredible season so far. Because the star running back is
having such a great year, so is LSU. Their current record is
7-0. With Leonard’s speed, there comes a downfall — his
size. He is only 6’1 and getting tackled by an NFL player will
leave some marks. I could see Leonard Fournette going to
the Houston Texans after recently losing Arian Foster.
Trevone Boykin: This season Trevone Boykin has
2,927 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and a QBR of 89.1.
Boykin has made a name for himself at TCU, and the
Horned Frogs undefeated this year. Boykin is having a jaw
dropping season at TCU; he has committed only 5 inter-
ceptions. I think that Trevone Boykin may bring his talents
to the Big Apple and play for the New York Jets. The Jets
seem to always find themselves in the rebuilding process.
Boykin may be the final piece for the Jets. Trevone Boykin
is going to be a Heisman finalist without a doubt.
Ezekiel Elliott: One of the biggest names in col-
lege sports right now is Ezekiel Elliott. Elliott has 1,130
rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. Elliott, in his
junior year at the Ohio State University, has pushed the
Buckeyes to an undefeated season so far. The Buckeyes
have sky-rocketed this season, but quarterback J.T Barrett
was arrested. On top of his arrest the Ohio State University
took his scholarship away, and had to lean more on Elliott.
Ezekiel might end up on the Oakland Raiders. I think that
he would be a perfect fit with quarterback Devin Carr and
wide receiver Amari Cooper. Ezekiel Elliott will win the
Heisman Trophy this year! Thomas Bolen
Editors’ Note: Thomas’ article was prepared well
before the final vote. He had the eventual Heisman
winner, Derrick Henry, fourth in his estimation.
March 2016 Canticle Page 10
NBA Rookies and Phenoms! With the 2015-2016 NBA season, players and fans
are all very excited. This
year’s NBA draft was
filled with talent. All the
new players are compet-
ing for one title, the
Rookie of the Year
Award. But basketball
isn’t a one man show, it's
a team sport. In this arti-
cle I’ll be telling you who
will contribute the most to
his teams.
1. Stanley Johnson #3:
Stanley Johnson, Sr.
will be playing a ma-
jor role this year for
the Detroit Pistons.
Entering the NBA as a
6’7 245 pound small
forward, Johnson is
ready to play. He
played for the Arizona
Wildcats in college
and the previous
Wildcats star player was Aaron Gordon. Johnson filled
his shoes perfectly when he left the Cats. I predict that
Stanley Johnson will be a top contender for the Rookie
of the Year award, and he will not go unnoticed.
2. Emmanuel Mudiay #0: This year the Denver Nuggets
will make a name for themselves with the help of Em-
manuel Mudiay. Being one of the most adaptable point
guards in the draft, Mudiay has made his way into the
starting lineup. Mudiay being 6’5 and 190 pounds is
not the biggest
guy on the court,
but he fears no-
body. Mudiay
was heading to
SMU when he
decided not to go
to college and
instead play bas-
ketball in China.
Emmanuel
Mudiay was pick
number 7 in the draft and is playing better than ever.
Mudiay is headed toward a long NBA career.
3. Jahlil Okafor #8: After winning the 2015 NCAA
Men's Division I Basketball Tournament against Wis-
consin, Jahlil Okafor proved he was ready to join the
NBA. At Duke, Jahlil was named the USBWA Nation-
al Freshman of the
Year and ACC
Player of the Year.
He was also a unan-
imous 2015 NCAA
Men's Basketball
All-American first-
team selection. The
6’11 275 pound
center was pick
number 3 in the
NBA draft by Philadelphia 76ers. Jahlil is a very sound
basketball player and will do very well in the NBA.
4. Karl Anthony Towns #32: After only one year at
Kentucky, Karl Anthony Towns was the number one
pick in the NBA draft. Coming in at 7 feet tall and 224
pounds, Towns is no shrimp. He can play both offense
and defense, I think he is a perfect fit for the Minnesota
Timberwolves. As a freshman at St. Joseph High
School, Towns led
the basketball team
to a state champion-
ship in 2012, earn-
ing himself the top
position in the
ESPN 25 national
ranking of high
school players. In
2014 Karl Anthony
Towns earned the
Gatorade Player of the Year award. Towns will have
no trouble fitting in with the NBA.
5. D’Angelo Russell #1: While attending the Ohio State
University, D’Angelo Russell became very well
known. D’Angelo Russell is a basketball phenome, he
was without a doubt
the best playmaker in
the draft. Russell made
a name for himself in
the passing aspect of
basketball, he can
identify an object
in .241 seconds. He
was drafted by the Los
Angeles Lakers at pick
number 2. A healthy
Kobe Bryant and
D’Angelo Russell is a
killer duo. If Bryant plays the role of a mentor to
Russell, he’ll be unstoppable. I think that D’Angelo
Russell will be the Rookie of the Year.
Thomas Bolen
(With apologies to Krystaps Porzingis!)
SoHo / No Longer Ho-hum All the way downtown, below numbered streets,
SoHo ,“South of Houston Street,” is well known for its hip
art galleries and trendy shops, a whole different world of
culture and activities that many of us are oblivious to. For
example, there is an amazing longboard shop (Longboard
Loft) that sells all sorts of cool longboards with over 300
to choose from! Apart from unique stores, some of which
have become tourist
destinations for peo-
ple seeking fashiona-
ble clothing, there
are also great family
owned restaurants
with amazing food.
A Casa Fox is one of
my favorites, where
they serve empana-
das and other unbe-
lievable Spanish
themed dishes.
Not only is this
hotspot good, but it
also gives you your “bang for your buck.”
Another great activity down in SoHo is the high-
line, that begins in Chelsea, near Chelsea Piers Sports Cen-
ter. This fascinating walkway was railway years ago, but
was transformed into a long park in which people can en-
joy the sights of SoHo from a unique perspective. This
wonder began construction in 2006 and was officially
opened to the public in 2014. On its way down into SoHo,
the highline passes
through the Avenues
School, where many
of us eighth graders
took the SSAT. SoHo
has a very cultural
feel, with the cobble-
stone streets, lofty
houses, and family
owned businesses.
Apart from food and
entertainment, and
exquisite architecture,
and home to some of the most expensive real estate in the
country, SoHo boasts with the greatest collection of cast-
iron architecture in the world. These great buildings are no
longer made, being replaced by a modern type steel de-
sign. Overall, SoHo is a very popular cultural hotspot
which is home to numerous unique businesses and build-
ings. Colin Craig
March 2016 Canticle Page 11
Trump Fever As primaries this year are drawing to a close and
we enter 2016, we Americans are bracing ourselves for the
election to come. As the debates have been heating up, one
name has been on the tip of everyone’s tongue. Donald
Trump.
What is the ob-
session with this
billionaire turned
celebrity and now
apparently politi-
cian? I can narrow
it down to one as-
pect; the need for a
drastic change.
Most of our past
presidents have
been career politi-
cians. This means
that since the time
they were elected,
they have worked
on Capitol Hill.
This seemed to
work in the past,
however, now peo-
ple are becoming
increasingly un-
happy with these career men. Many people feel that they
can be bought easily and do things for profit and votes
when they are supposed to be doing their job for the great-
er good of the country and not their own selfish gains. It is
thought that once one spends a prolonged period on the Hill
that they sometimes become corrupt politicians. Our past
two presidents, Barack Obama and George Bush, have
been lifetime politicians. A fair amount of Americans were
not satisfied by either of these administrations and are
seeking a drastic change in leadership.
Businessmen and non-career-politicians are becoming
increasingly popular among the public. In fact, business-
man Mitt Romney was the runner-up for the 2012 election.
This just goes to show that non career politicians are be-
coming favored. This is where Donald Trump comes in.
Trump is a self-made man with a net worth of 4 billion dol-
lars. He made most of his fortune in real estate, creating
such luxury buildings as Trump Tower. He is the embodi-
ment of the American Dream, a man who built his life on
his own and was able to find success. As the election grows
nearer every day, Americans cannot help but wonder who
will lead this country into the bright future.
Peter De Luca
...And from the Desks of the Editors