view - Saint Viator High School

March 2012
VIATOR VOICE
Volume 46 Issue 5
Volume 46 Issue 56
Graceful under ‘Pressure’
Orchesis members redefine ‘talented’ in their spring show.
Holiday in the Sun:
Students prepare
for the long-awaited
spring break
The G8 Summit:
The one conference
that got away, but its
effects remain
Under Repair:
Construction on third
floor set to start
over spring break

The Viator Voice is a student-produced newspaper published by Saint Viator High School. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily the
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 3
VIATOR VOICE
SAINT VIATOR HIGH SCHOOL
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editors-in-Chief Grace Donnelly
Madeleine Ptacin
News Editor Paul Lewis
Opinion Editor Jake Soprych
Features Editor Erin Nelson
Entertainment Editor Libby Donnelly
Sports Editor Anthony Di Silvestro
Graphics Editor Chris Santucci
Copy Editors Jackie Cruz
Bit Meehan
Business Managers Joe Bansfield
Jimmy Ganas
Faculty Advisor Mr. Chris Paolelli
Co-Advisor
Ms. Nasiha Razvi
Jenny Brandt
Brandon Braun
Brad Bublitz
Mike DeStefano
Marissa Di Silvestro
MacKenzie Durkin
Ciara Gaffney
Blake Hensley
Noelle Jay
Annie Lambesis
Lauren Madden
Tyler McCrea
Annie Nagle
Ray O’Hara
Alyssa Abay
Anthony Bartell
Margaret DeZelar
Emily Jagmin
Katie Kertsteter
Jack Lakowske
Matt Lanus
STAFF WRITERS
GRAPHICS STAFF
Ben Paolelli
Renee Perkowski
Lauren Prazuch
Erin Primdahl
Shalayne Pulia
Vinitha Raj
Carly Simonaitis
Frank Skorski
Carlee Smith
Thomas Southall
Marilyn Stephen
Erica Weiszmann
Brian Wilhite
Ashley Naliwajko
Katie Novak
Shalayne Pulia
Carson Soch
Thomas Southall
Kyong Yoo
Cover Photo by Ashley Naliwajko
Collage photos by Alyssa Abay, Jack Lakowske,
Ashley Naliwajko, Chris Santucci
News
Orachasisters draw crowds ......................................................4
Third in floor but first in heart ...........................................4-5
Run Lions Run .......................................................................6
Maternaty Leave, Subs arrive ..................................................7
Artistic and proud ..................................................................7
Look out the Window
Church fights its battles ..................................................................8
Kony 2012 .....................................................................................8
What’s NATO and who’s reppen’ ....................................................9
Opinion
School’s never out for summer .......................................10
Opposing Voices: Teens and politics ..............................11
Prom changes, students charge ......................................12
Is texting the equivalent of a DUI? ................................13
Features
Twice the luxury, Spring Break ......................................14
Lions Speak: Vacation Location .....................................14
Lent it out .....................................................................15
TEACHER FEATURE .................................................16
Awarding not just braun ................................................17
Entertainment
A little bit of Chicago music .....................................18-19
Crop top and lock it ......................................................20
The Fame Machine ........................................................20
OD’ed but not forgotten ...............................................21
Critic’s Corner ..........................................................22-23
Chi-city living ...............................................................24
Sports
News
Finishing Strong
The third annual 5k
brought in almost $5,000
and a large crowd from
surrounding areas in order
to benefit the Mercy
Home. See page 6
Photo by Chris Santucci
Lions continue their love of sports .................................25
March methodology ......................................................26
Sports Update ...............................................................27
How many fingers? ........................................................28
1213 E. Oakton, Arlington Heights, IL theviatorvoice@gmail.com
MARCH 2012

4
Renee Perkowski
Staff Writer
Imagine the third floor in its
present condition. Now, visualize
the promises a renovation would
bring to a section of the school that is
perhaps overdue for improvements.
Construction on a new Scanlan Center
will begin. The resulting structure may
be stunningly unrecognizable.
The scheduled date to begin the
renovation is fast approaching. “We’ll
start the very day that we finish school
and it will be completed in time for
the start of the new school year,” said
President Fr. Mick Egan, C.S.V. “There
will be some demolition after the seniors
are finished but we will do that in the
evening, not during the school day,”
said Fr. Egan. He expressed his support
for these renovations, pointing out that
an updated Scanlan Center would be
beneficial.
The renovations will include a
new elevator on the west end, new
MARCH 2012
bathrooms, offices, a small group area,
more spacious classrooms and an
updated testing center, all of which have
been carefully planned to accommodate
those who use its services.
“We’ll actually have classrooms as
opposed to makeshift rooms and we’ll
have enough space in all of our areas,”
said testing coordinator Mrs. Mary
Lanus. “This will also give our staff an
actual office to work in because right
now, they work in an area that’s called
an office, but the kids all maul through
it as well.”
“Students will have access to items
they need to learn,” says Mr. Ray Nowak.
He mentioned that space in the current
facilities are limited, but “new will allow
better access to computers and smart
boards. It will feel more like a place of
learning that creates an attitude.”
“Many of our students receive services
from the public school district 214, so
they meet with different professionals,”
said Mrs. Lanus. With nearly 70 students
Saint Viator High School
NEWS
‘Pressure’ a force to be reckoned with
Self-choreographed Orchesis show brings ideas to life
Vinitha Raj
Staff Writer
March 9-11 the Orchesis show
“Pressure” took place. The
pressure the dancers feel preparing
for the show inspired the name.
The show started with an upbeat dance
called “The Final Beginning” which was
performed at the Fine Arts Assembly.
A variety of dances were used in the
show—jazz, modern, tap, lyrical, hiphop
and ballet were just some forms that
were portrayed. There was also a contrast
in the feeling and emotion in the
songs. There were dramatic dances such
as “Phantasmagoria” and fun dances
such as “Boogie Shoes.” There was also a
variety of music from Beyoncé to Adele.
Some boys also got involved in the show
in the couples dance number “Cheek to
Cheek.” Members of Orchesis choreo-
Matt Lanus and Brianna Escarda in
the Guy Girl Dance.
Photo by Chris Santucci
graphed all the dances.
Miranda Ropski choreographed
“Twisted Fantasy” in the show. She said
choreographing is “really fun [because]
I have so many ideas in my head and I
get to see them come to life.” Ropski
thought that Saturday’s show was the
most fun because the dancers were “over
their fear of performing and just enjoyed
[themselves].”
Molly Heck enjoyed performing as
well. She has been dancing since kindergarten
and joined Orchesis because
she “[loves] to dance and wanted to meet
new people.” Orchesis has practice three
times a week. The week before the show
they had practice daily until 9 p.m . They
also practiced on weekends for a month
before the show. The members of Orchesis
may have felt pressure before the
show, but they performed with grace
and poise.
Third floor’s new and refurbished layout
Scanlan Center to be renovated over summer break
enrolled in learning strategies classes
and the many students who utilize the
Scanlan Center weekly, the third floor
is constantly filled with people. “It’ll
give us an opportunity since we don’t
have that space right now. There will be
more confidentiality, students can meet
with them in a nicer setting that’s more
conducive to learning, and that’s really
what I think the goal here is,” she said.
Mrs. Nancy Rosean, department chair
for Scanlan, agrees with Mrs. Lanus. “We
are really excited, and I think the kids are
as well,” she said. “Many people who have
been up here have had similar reactions,
so I think this is just great. We have a lot
of support from the Viatorians.”
With different impressions of the
current state of the Scanlan Center
ranging from resembling a basement
to the behind-the-scenes quarters of
a ship, both staff and students alike
agree that the third floor is in need of
a transformation into a more learningfriendly
environment.
www.saintviator.com

NEWS 5
Mr. Ray Nowak on changes coming to third fl oor
“The kids will have their own
bathroom instead of having to
go downstairs.”
“There will be an elevator on the 3rd
floor. It will make it easier for those
with injuries to make it upstairs.”
“The current physical environment is
oppressive, but there will be a new and
comfortable work environment.”
A bird’s eye view of the Scanlan
Center and how the new layout of
the third floor will fit in the school
1213 E. Oakton, Arlington Heights, IL theviatorvoice@gmail.com
Graphics provided by Cashman Stahler Group
MARCH 2012

6
MARCH 2012
Saint Viator High School
NEWS
Run for Mercy Home
Michael Brouch takes first in this year’s 5K run
Erin Primdahl
Staff Writer
On Saturday, March 10, a gunshot
was heard in the front parking
lot of St. Viator High School.
But, this fire was not any cause for
concern; instead the dispatch sent
hundreds of runners down Oakton in
excitement.
St. Viator’s “Run with the Pride 5K”
took place at 8 o’clock AM on March
10. The focus of the event was to
garner donations for this year’s Lenten
Campaign, benefiting Mercy Home
for Boys and Girls. As a result of the
race, $5,000 dollars was raised for
Mercy Home, which will be added to a
running total from weekly homeroom
collections.
“The video shown during our last allschool
mass about Mercy Home really
made an impact on me, and I felt running
in the 5K was a great way to help” stated
St. Viator sophomore race-participant
Bobby Gallant.
This year’s competition was composed
of 400 runners and walkers from many
area towns including Arlington Heights,
Mt. Prospect, Buffalo Grove, Wheeling,
and Schaumburg; while others
represented Aurora, Lemont, Addison,
Itasca, Westmont, Libertyville, Oak
Park, Evanston, Glendale Heights, and
Naperville.
The winner of the run was Michael
Brouch of Oak Park, a friend of Spanish
teacher John Fuja, with a time of
17:18.1. Brouch formerly ran in college,
but currently races recreationally.
The female winner was Kaitlyn Ko, a
13-year-old from Arlington Heights, who
finished in 19:52.3.
“I am glad to have participated because
the money goes to a really good cause
and I enjoy running” declared St. Viator
sophomore Erin Fabbri, a second-year
“Run with the Pride 5K” racer who won
the female 15-19 age division with a time
of 23:22.3.
“Next year’s 5K is already on the
calendar,” revealed Ms. Betsy Fons,
Director of Campus Ministry, “It has
become an annual event as part of our
Lenten Campaign. We will have one for
the next 100 years if they will let us”.
The “Run with the Pride 5K” proved to be
two-fold function: a means of collection
offerings for Mercy Home while
providing the St. Viator community with
a fun way to exercise with a little friendly
competition in the mix.
Goodbye
News and Features!
That’s right! In order to get
a greater range of stories,
next year the News and Features
sections will be replaced
by Local and World
sections. What’s the difference
between the two? Local
will cover breaking news
and fascinating feature
stories about Saint Viator
and your dear hometowns,
while World will sail the
seven seas to cover international
and political stories.
www.saintviator.com

NEWS 7
Maternity leave brings three new faces
Riskind, Louis, Collins settle into community in English, counseling
Annie Nagle
Staff Writer
The Saint Viator High School
community grew in more ways
than one this school year. As three
staff members took time off to have a
baby or two, three new substitutes were
welcomed into the Saint Viator family.
While Mrs. Anzalone, Mrs. Kirkpatrick,
and Mrs. Kottra spend time with their
new and growing families, Mrs. Linda
Louis, Mrs. Stephanie Collins, and Mr.
Dan Riskind take their place for the rest
of the year.
Mrs. Louis, substituting for Mrs.
Anzalone, graduated as a student from
Saint Viator in 2002. Before this year,
Mrs. Louis taught English classes for
four years at an inner city high school in
Chicago.
“I was taking this year off to get a
Master’s degree,” Mrs. Louis explains,
“but when Mr. Paolelli said, ‘Hey, we
have a lot of pregnant ladies this year,
you should come back,’ I said ‘Well
alright, I’ll do that!’”
Mrs. Louis, teaching two English
classes this year, is excited to be back
and to be working with sophomores for
the first time, especially at Saint Viator.
“I wasn’t sure what to expect being
on this side of the desk, but it’s been
awesome,” she said. “Everybody here
is fun, respectful, and just great. The
community and culture here is so
welcoming and supportive of each other,
and to be a part of that is wonderful.”
1213 E. Oakton, Arlington Heights, IL theviatorvoice@gmail.com
Mrs. Louis is eager to work with Saint
Viator students for the first time, and
the community is glad to have her as a
substitute.
Mrs. Louis isn’t the only maternity
substitute that attended Saint Viator.
Mrs. Collins, the substitute for
sophomore counselor Mrs. Kirkpatrick,
also graduated from Saint Viator and
taught at the school after college.
“I feel like I’ve been at Viator forever,”
said Mrs. Collins, “but I love being back
here again. I had a different experience
teaching here before, so it’s really fun
being in counseling now and taking a
different role. I’m really enjoying it a
lot!”
Mrs. Collins worked as a teacher
at Saint Viator for five years, and she
took time off afterwards to stay home
with her son while she finished her
school counseling degree at Concordia
University. She began counseling at
Saint Viator this year in place of Mrs.
Kirkpatrick, so she has been getting to
Fine Arts Assembly: Giving credit to the arts
The music and madness is back, thanks to all the
Fine Arts groups. The Theater II class, band, orchesis,
chamber singers, concert choir, and jazz band
put on a spectacular show filled with laughter and heartwarming
music and entertainment on Wed., March 7.
Katie Cascino, junior, played Lauren Luthringshausen in the
Theater II class’s skit.
“We all kind of sit down and throw out our ideas,” she said.
“We all combine together, and just work through it.” Mrs.
Costello, the Theater II teacher, helped keep the actors focused
during the few weeks they spent writing the skit.
Mrs. Louis and Mr. Riskind will be
teaching the remainder of the year.
Photo by Matt Lanus
know the sophomores well.
“I know quite a few of the juniors and
seniors because I taught them, but I
don’t know the sophomore class at all,”
she explains. “It’s been fun getting to
know lots of different students. I still
haven’t met a lot of them, but I feel like
I’ve gotten to know quite a few, and it’s
been great.”
Mrs. Collins enjoys the one-onone
or small group interactions with
the students that a teacher wouldn’t
normally get, and she is happy to spend
time meeting and counseling with many
of the sophomores.
Mr. Riskind took yet another important
role at Saint Viator recently. While Mrs.
Kottra spends time with her newborn
twins, Mr. Riskind takes her place
teaching in the English department.
Mr. Riskind previously worked in San
Francisco, California, as an English
teacher for 8 years.
“My favorite part about working at
Saint Viator is the students and just how
welcoming the staff is,” Mr. Riskind said.
“The atmosphere is friendly here and I
enjoy working with these students here.”
Mr. Riskind currently teaches Mrs.
Kottra’s three English classes and he
helps out with the girls’ soccer program
at Saint Viator.
While the three teachers and new
moms take a break to care for their
new family members, the Saint Viator
community is happy to have Mrs. Louis,
Mrs. Collins, and Mr. Riskind on staff for
the rest of the year.
“She’s definitely a huge contributor,” said Cascino.
“She has her own ideas too, which is awesome.”
Students talked about their favorite teacher impersonations.
“I thought the funniest part was the Coach Waz impersonation,”
said sophomore Anne Cullinan.
Tim Ackerlund made a huge comeback as Dean Scerbicke; he got
some great laughs out the student body. “It was mind blowing how
Tim could impersonate Dean so well,” said junior Ryan Sevilla.
The band and choir performances also got positive feedback.
“It was an enjoyable experience for people to learn about the
arts, and what other people are doing that they may not know
about,” said sophomore Parker Simonaitis.
-Lauren Madden
MARCH 2012

8
MARCH 2012
LOOK OUT THE WINDOW...
Popping the question about the Pill
Contraceptive controversy prompts questions about religious freedom
MacKenzie Durkin
Staff Writer
For the first time in history, Catholic
institutions are being mandated
by the federal government
to provide contraception against their
religious beliefs. The Catholic Church,
and most of America, believe that the
government’s actions are a massive infringement
on the separation of church
and state and the First Amendment.
Many in the media say that the HHS
mandate, which forces Catholic institutions
to provide free contraception, is a
women’s health issue which outweighs
the Church’s core beliefs. “The church’s
work…has never been threatened before.
Loss of these ministries, as well
as a weakening of our right to govern
ourselves and to worship God in an orderly
and regular fashion, will affect
not only Catholics but also our whole
society,” said Cardinal Francis George.
The Catholic Church feels betrayed
by the attack of the federal government.
A statement from Loyola University
Chicago said “the key ruling that we
take issue with is that the mandate…
constitutes an unprecedented attack
on the religious liberty of Catholic and
other religious institutions.” This issue
appears to be a fight between women’s
health and Catholic core beliefs.
However, under Title Ten, any woman
has the right to walk into a federally
run health care facility or organization,
and receive contraception for free, or at
a reduced cost. Alternatively, they can
go to their local Target or Wal-Mart,
and purchase such contraception at a
discounted rate, and write off the cost
on their tax returns. Title Ten, officially
known as Public Law 91-572, is a grant
program dedicated to providing comprehensive
family planning and preventive
health services to individuals
of need. Its purpose is to promote positive
birth outcomes and healthy families.
This decision appears to be a move
driven by politics rather than policy.
It appears that the Catholic Church has
been brought into an issue that is solely
political. If so, they have no alternative
than to protect their Constitutional
rights. The separation of church and
state is an important part of our Constitution,
and the Church is protecting
their part of it.
Social media sparks a revolution
Kony 2012 campaign to “make Kony famous” uses viral strategies to start world change
Grace Donnelly
Editor-in-Chief
In the new age of social networking,
it seems the ideal way of promoting
change has been radically
altered. Now revolutions grow
through Facebook groups and awareness
is spread with the click of a button.
The latest example of this phenomenon
is the rapidly growing Kony 2012
campaign started by the organization
Invisible Children. This campaign
was specifically designed to be spread
through social media such as Facebook,
Twitter and You Tube. The movement
began with a 29-minute video released
on March 4. The video briefly illustrates
the crimes of Joseph Kony, the leader of
the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) and
creator of hundreds of child soldiers
in Uganda for more than 20 years. The
video calls for his arrest and trial by the
United Nation’s International Criminal
Court. Invisible Children says the only
way to do this is to “make Kony famous.”
Much of the international community
has responded to this call by sharing
the video on Facebook, tweeting and
emailing messages. This viral revolution
has exploded in a matter of weeks and
has the world wondering if this method
will succeed where many have failed.
The rapid spread of the Kony 2012
campaign has also sparked criticism
throughout the international community.
Much of this criticism comes from
scholars saying that Invisible Children
over-simplified the situation in Uganda.
The campaign is also under attack for
using only 32% of its funds for direct
services. The criticism has caused many
followers to question if their support of
the campaign will make a difference.
Invisible Children has responded to this
criticism by breaking down the financial
and advocacy policies of their organization
on their website. They also remind
supporters that they are an advocacy
group that sees spreading awareness and
promoting social action as an essential —
however costly— tool. They also explain
that their goal in the video was to give a
brief overview of the situation in Uganda
and prompt people to find out more.
All the criticism aside the Kony 2012
campaign marks a new direction in
changing the worlds.
Photo provided by socialnomics.net
Saint Viator High School
www.saintviator.com

LOOK OUT THE WINDOW... 9
The City of Big Shoulders takes on NATO
Madeleine Ptacin
Editor-In-Chief
On May 20 and 21, Chicago will
host NATO’s 25 th Summit at
McCormick Place. NATO—the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization—is
an organization made up of 28 different
countries, whose goal is to bring about a
political and military alliance. In regards
to military and war efforts, the official
NATO website says that it “is committed
to the peaceful resolution of disputes.
If diplomatic efforts fail, it has the military
capacity needed to undertake crisis
management operations.” In Article
5, NATO’s founding treaty, an attack
against one member is considered an
attack against all of them. In regards to
its political involvement the website also
states that it “promotes democratic values
and encourages consultation and cooperation
on defense and security issues
to build trust and, in the long run, prevent
conflict. The organization makes
decisions mostly on security issues and
ways to promote wellbeing. This May,
the summit will revolve around issues
that involve strengthening the democratic
front in Afghanistan and ensuring
that its population is safe against
terrorist threats. As the financial crisis
becomes more prevalent in both the European
and American nations, NATO
will also strategize ways to “ensure better
value for money for its security.” NATO
plans on cutting costs by emphasizing
multinational projects, which address
shortcomings from all members, and
strengthens them. An example of a proposed
project is missile defense such as
Alliance Ground Surveillance and air
policing. Representatvies will be coming
from the following countries: United
States, United Kingdom, Turkey, Spain,
Slovenia, Slovakia, Romania, Portugal,
Poland, Norway, Luxembourg, Lithuania,
Latvia, Italy, Iceland, Hungary,
Greece, Germany, France, Estonia, Denmark,
Czech Rep, Croatia, Canada, Bulgaria,
Belgium, and Albania.
United States
The plans for the upcoming exit
from Afghanistan and missile
defence systems will be key topic
during the summit , along with
protests in the Middle East. The
international financial crisis is
also a major concern for the US.
Italy
Italy’s recent notoriety due to
the resignation of Silvio Berlusconi
and its economic and
it’s economic woes has made
for a decline in their influence
at international venues,
but they remain committed to
peacekeeping in the Middle
East and Afghanistan.”
Key players
Germany
Germany plans to focus their efforts on changing NATO’s declaratory policy. It
is also pushing NATO to have stronger role in arms control and disarmament.
NATO’s nuclear policy is also a concern for Germany.
United Kingdom
The pace of the withdrawal from
Afghanistan and the future support
NATO will be a primary focus during
the summit.
Greece
After its recent economic
bailout and the Euro crisis,
Greece is in a difficult position
going into the summit
this year. Greek trade ties to
syria and Iran will be likly
be an issue for dicussion.
Turkey
Turkey’s role in NATO has
been increasing importance
given its influence in the
Middle East. Turkey has also
been active in discussions on
Afghanistan the gradual process
of restoring power to local
forces.
Reported by Ms. Razvi, Grace Donnelly, and Joe Lorenzini
1213 E. Oakton, Arlington Heights, IL theviatorvoice@gmail.com
MARCH 2012

10
OPINION
Students debate year-round school system
Two-week breaks more frequent with year-round system design
Ray O’Hara
Staff Writer
The buzz in the hallways at Saint
Viator is due to the fast-approaching
Spring Break. It allows students
to take a much needed rest from
the books and instead work on a summer
tan. This year, however, students
will benefit from a little extra time off.
Due to the close proximity of spring
break and Easter, Saint Viator has given
their students a full two weeks of break
while most schools only get one week
off. Some students may remember this
occurring once before during the 2010
school year. This leaves many students
with a little extra time to travel or just
kick back and relax. Some students are
even participating in school-sponsored
trips to France and Spain. However, for
many high schools in the country a twoweek
Spring Break is not out of the ordinary.
In fact, two weeks may seem brief
in comparison. Such are the schools that
have adopted systems of year roundschooling.
The year-round schooling system
gained popularity in the early 1990s.
Since then the number of schools that
have switched to systems like this has
increased rapidly. Although only four
percent of schools in the United States
have adapted to the year-round schooling
schedule, many students who currently
have traditional schedule worry
the trend might spread further. The
words “year-round” scare students off.
They immediately believe they are going
to be locked in a classroom until the
end of time. In reality, the year-rounders
are in school no longer than traditional
students. The difference is the length
and placement of their breaks. Instead
of one large three month summer break,
they may only have one month off. However,
they receive much longer winter
and spring breaks, and they also receive
miscellaneous three week breaks
throughout the year.
So the real question is would you
rather enjoy one long break or several
small ones? Activists for the year-round
MARCH 2012
schooling movement claim that the current
system has out dated itself. The reason
for summer break was so students
could help out on their family farms.
Today, with only large agricultural companies
producing our food, there is no
reason for students to take the three
months off during the summer. With
shorter breaks, students will be able to
retain more information. The California
State Department of Education reports
that student’s standardized test scores
have gone up 29% as a result of yearround-schooling.
As a country that does
not perform as well as expected on standardized
tests, this has led many schools
to reform their program into a yearround
schooling system. Teachers also
seem to be in favor of a full year school
calendar. They would then be able to
work the full year instead of having a
three month break from employment
during the summer.
Although the same amount of time is
given off to these students, it still doesn’t
seem like a desirable choice. The summer
months have
the overall best
weather. It would
be much more
pleasant to have
the months where
people can enjoy
their time outdoors.
I don’t mind
going to school in
the middle of January
when it’s so
cold it hurts your
skin to be outside.
Many high
schools, much like
our own, are not
equipped with air
conditioning. If
you think a classroom
warms up in
the middle of May,
I could only imagine what it’s like during
July. It would also be dreadful to know
all our friends are out of school for three
months in June and we still have an economics
test to study for. It would seem
unlikely that every school in the nation
would participate in a system like this.
“It would be way too hot because we
don’t have air conditioning,” said sophomore
Chrissy Wimberly. “Also, it would
be hard to concentrate in the summer
with all my friends on break.”
Lastly, our generation has been brought
up with a summer vacation. It is part of
our culture to know we put in our hard
work for nine months and then receive
the long awaited reward—summer vacation.
Doing it any other way just doesn’t
seem right. This could completely ruin
people’s summer plans. There are people
who pack up their cars and take off for
the entire summer break. A year-round
school system would bring an end to
this. While the current system may have
its flaws, it seems to have worked out.
Besides, what fun is summer if trips to
the beach are spent practicing vocabulary
words?
Studying in July and August may
become the new educational-norm.
Photo by Katie Kerstetter
Saint Viator High School
www.saintviator.com

OPINION 11
MacKenzie Durkin
Staff Writer
OPPOSING
VOICES
Should teens care about politics?
YES
NO
Why can an eighteen year old go to war and die for
our country but cannot go out for a drink with some
friends? Why can the government make decisions
about our future without taking in our opinions? Today, politicians
are making monumental votes that are advancing nationalized
healthcare, expanding our massive national debt and
engaging in wars that will financially burden our generation for
years to come. They have taken these actions without input
or opinion from the teenage public. Similarly, they have imposed
strict driving laws, curfew laws and working laws upon
teenagers, all once again without our input or opinion. Why do
they do this? Because they can. The politicians suffer no consequences
from teenagers because we cannot vote them out of
office. These decisions will affect our generation the most. Either
enjoying the benefits or suffering the consequences of the
choices made at the town, state and federal levels of government.
Shouldn’t we be the ones that are most concerned with
these choices?
Every day, decisions in Washington D.C. could have huge
effects on us going to college, living the American Dream and
succeeding in life. Politicians are elected to do
the will of the people, and lately they haven’t
been fulfilling this duty. They have passed thousand
page bills without reading them, spent millions
on hidden earmarks and failed to do even
the most central of governmental tasks such as
passing a budget. Many are not putting our country
first; instead they are putting their political
careers as the top priority. These politicians will
do almost anything to get re-elected, even if that
means ignoring the interests of their constituents
and the country. Teenagers need to become a political
force in our nation so the politicians will
listen to us and not only focus on achieving in the
short term but realize how the consequences of
the decisions they make today will affect our generation
tomorrow.
Teens should care about politics because we are
the ones with the most to lose due to our inability
to vote. We need to become proactive. We need
to become informed, and to inform our peers.
We need to talk to our parents, grandparents
and anyone else with the ability to vote about our
concerns. We need to be the voice for our future.
1213 E. Oakton, Arlington Heights, IL theviatorvoice@gmail.com
Frank Skorski
Staff Writer
Students should not be concerned with politics because it
does not concern their daily lives. New policies may have
some effect later on in their lives but they do not have
any immediate impact. Teens should not worry themselves on
a silly little bill when that piece of legislation will not affect
them until they are older and more capable of handling that
law as an adult.
The most direct and evident reason why teens should not
worry about politics is because if you are under the age of
eighteen you cannot vote. Therefore, you have no impact in
political decisions. If you cannot vote for a politician to stand
for your beliefs there is no reason to focus on politics at all.
Even if you feel a law is controversial, your opinion does not
officially count if no one is representing you.
It is hard to believe that our lawmakers will listen to what we
teenagers have to say when we cannot vote. The incumbents
who have been in office for a decade or more hardly listen to
the adults who can vote, and these are the citizens who they
represent. What would be a politician’s incentive to listen to
teenagers who cannot vote and whose opinion does not directly
affect the politician?
It seems politicians and adults
in general think that teenagers
are easily manipulated into believing
what anyone wants them
to believe. This in some cases is
absolutely correct. For instance,
past and current dictators have
manipulated the youth of their
nations into believing that his or
her decisions are in the youth’s
best interests. Other times the
youth have seen through the lies
and stopped these leaders before
they gained any true power.
In conclusion, kids should not
get involved in politics before
the age of 18 because they have
no true influence in our political
system before that age. At the
same time teens should understand
the current domestic and
international issues in order to
make informed decisions when
they reach the age of 18.
Art by Emily Jagmin
MARCH 2012

12
Staff Writer
As the seasons turn spring ward
and the weather warms, thoughts
of summer have surely started appearing
in the minds of students. However,
as the school year begins to wind
down, there is one particular group of
students who are still eager to experience
a school activity.
Capping off the four years the class
of 2012 has spent at Saint Viator High
School, this year’s prom takes place on
May 18 and will be slightly different than
previous years. From May 19 to May 21,
Chicago will be hosting the NATO Summit
in the downtown area. Hosted by
President Barack Obama, this historic
meeting gathers leaders from around
the world for large-scale discussions on
wide ranging issues. This May will mark
the first time an American city other
than Washington D.C. has hosted a
NATO summit.
Originally, Chicago
was also set to host
the G8 Summit during
the same time
as the NATO meetings.
This would have
marked the first time
in 30 years that any
city in the world had
hosted both summits.
However, due
to growing security
risks and heightened
protestor presence,
on March 5 Obama
announced his plan
to move the G8 Summit
to the presidential
retreat Camp David.
The President acknowledged
the thorough
preparation his
hometown had been
involved in but ultimately made the decision
based on his intentions to “speak
in a more intimate way with world leaders”
and that “people would enjoy being
in a more casual backdrop.” While
Obama and other world leaders will
enjoy a more peaceful setting, Chicago
MARCH 2012
is still preparing for widespread opposition.
Protestors have not backed off on
their plans to occupy the areas around
McCormick Place, the site of the NATO
meeting. Even with just the NATO summit
in the downtown area, tens of thousands
of dignitaries, visitors and protestors
will flock to our city and, most
notably, to Navy Pier.
As a precaution, the Archdiocese of
Chicago has asked all schools to avoid
any types of trips during this time. The
traditional Prom activities include a
Kanan Cruise ride on Lake Michigan
off of Navy Pier, but, as a result of these
major summits, the post-prom activity
has been changed to Pinstripes in South
Barrington. The administration has
rented the entire Pinstripes facility, with
six bocce ball courts, 20 bowling alleys,
plenty of food and a DJ.
Student response to the changing of
the post prom activity has been widespread.
Some students are upset to not
have the chance to experience the traditional
prom past graduates have had.
“I would rather go on the boat because
it has been a tradition and seems like a
fun part of prom,” said senior Ryan Mc-
OPINION
Seniors debate prom plan changes due to NATO
Viator tradition altered by world leaders’ meeting in Chicago
Brad Bublitz
Collum.
Others, however, like senior Katelyn
Hammarlund, are more optimistic about
the changes to prom and are looking forward
to the new experience.
“I’m excited about the new changes
because I was lucky enough to go on the
boat last year and it was fun, but I’m excited
because this year I’ll have the opportunity
to dance or cosmic bowl in my
prom dress.”
While the pros and cons of the post
prom activity change have been debated
by most students, some seniors are simply
excited to experience prom, no matter
the afterward arrangements.
“I’m going to have a good time wherever
prom is,” said senior Jon Schening.
“It could be at McDonalds or in my backyard;
I don’t really care.”
While the overall consensus of seniors
is split, the circumstances of the situation
seem reasonable.
In 2010, when Toronto
hosted the G20 Summit,
over 560 protestors
were arrested and
widespread riots ensued.
Mass amounts of looting
led to the necessity of a
police force armed with
batons, tear gas, pepper
spray and plastic bullets
and mounted divisions
were deployed to try to
control the violence, according
to news reports.
While the changes this
year may be untraditional,
surprising and upsetting
to some, at least the
seniors will assuredly
have the opportunities
to experience college
next year, escaping the
potential violence brought about by the
NATO Summit. An entirely new experience,
this year’s post-prom, whether
liked or disliked, will undoubtedly make
the senior class’ last dance one to remember.
Art by Thomas Southall
Saint Viator High School
www.saintviator.com

OPINION 13
Texting and Driving vs Drinking and Driving
Weak punishments for the most dangerous driving distraction
Ciara Gaffney
Staff Writer
As a high school kid balancing
school, friends, extracurricular
activities and family, staying updated
is absolutely essential to success,
and there is only one tool that makes
the information available at any instant:
the cell phone. Let’s face it—at least
once this year, in a struggle to transition
from musical practice to ACT
tutoring while also trying to let your
mom know you’re stopping for dinner
on the way, you more than likely
whipped out that handy little phone
and shot mom a 5 word text and got
to your destination without a problem.
No big deal right? Wrong. Because
while you may have left the car
without a scratch, 5,000 other kids
had a different fortune: they never
left the car alive.
In high school, a lot of kids brush
off texting and driving. Even though
many acknowledge the potential
danger, they don’t actually obey the
law that stands against it. It’s pushed
aside and justified with, “well at least
I wasn’t drunk driving,” and yes, it is
great that you were not drunk driving—because
you’re not 21 and can’t
consume the alcohol required to
drunk drive anyway. Other than that,
drunk driving and texting and driving
are both evils of the road, and
statistically, texting and driving actually
turns out to be surprisingly more
dangerous.
Beginning with simple reaction statistics,
the typical drunk driver will travel 4
feet further than the typical sober driver
when stopping after seeing an obstacle.
On the contrary, the typical texting
driver will travel a remarkable 70 feet
before even seeing the obstacle—which
in most cases, is around 65 feet too late.
The annual accident rates are higher as
well, as texting and driving accidents
account for 3 out of every 10 accidents,
where drunk driving holds blame for
about 1 out of 50.
Based on these statistics along with
the frequency and severity of texting
1213 E. Oakton, Arlington Heights, IL theviatorvoice@gmail.com
and driving, shouldn’t the punishment
for texting and driving be equal or even
greater than the punishment for drinking
and driving? Illinois legislation has
placed severe punishments for DUI recipients
with possible punishments including
a $2,500 fine, one year license
suspension, and jail time. For second
time DUI offenders there is a guaranteed
three year license suspension (with
the possibility of a five year extension if
the second DUI occurred within twenty
years of the first offense), minimum of
five days in jail or 240 hours of community
service, and multiple fines based on
the drivers blood alcohol content.
So how do these punishments match
up against texting and driving punishments?
Current Illinois law only punishes
using fines for those who text and
drive. These fines range anywhere from
$75 to $500 based on whether an accident
occurs due to distracted driving.
The most common strike system for texting
and driving begins with a $75 ticket
and increases by only $25 for each additional
offense.
Clearly there is a gap in the severity of
the punishments for both of these dangerous
distractions,
but why
are the punishments
for texting
and driving drastically
less severe
if it is statistically
more frequent
and more
deadly? Based
on these figures,
punishment for
texting and driving
should be
equal or greater
than the punishments
for drinking
and driving.
If the punishments
for texting
and driving were
more severe there
would also be a
greater incentive
for police officers
to enforce this
Art by Margaret DeZelar legislation rather
than turning a
blind eye to a miscellaneous $75 offense.
It is common to argue that these statistics
don’t really prove anything because
people text and drive more often
than they drink and drive. However that
claim is rather faulty. It doesn’t matter
what the cause was or how often one
happens compared to the other; texting
and driving being so common and
so deadly is all the more reason it needs
to end. An accident is still an accident, a
death is still a death, and I can guarantee
your parents aren’t going to pat you on
the back for raising the insurance rates
because you chose to text and drive instead
of drink drive.
MARCH 2012

14
FEATURES
One more week in paradise
A look into two-week spring break, foreign language trips
Carly Simonaitis and Frank Skorski
Staff Writers
The routine has become all too
typical: zipping up your jacket to
your chin, looping a scarf around
your neck, yanking gloves on your hands,
all to face the dreary, sleety weather
outside. While dragging your boots
through puddles of melted snow, how
could images of a tropical sun, a sandy
beach, and an iced drink with a colorful
umbrella popping out the rim not be
swirling through your head? Well, the
countdown has begun for the beautiful
two-week spring break of 2012.
Starting at 2:56 p.m. on March 23, students
will no longer be bound to their
academic routines until April 9. So why
is it that Saint Viator gets to indulge on
a two-week spring break when most
schools only grant a one-week break?
Since Easter is celebrated the first Sunday
after the ecclesiastical full moon of
the vernal equinox, Saint Viator’s Easter
break and spring break morphed
together based on the convenient timing.
With this year’s extended vacation,
Saint Viator will host trips overseas to
Spain and France.
The Spanish students will be touring
famous towns like Sevilla, Toledo,
Salamanca and Madrid. Along the way,
students will have the opportunity to
embrace Spanish culture by receiving
flamenco dancing lessons. They will
have the chance
to demonstrate
their knowledge
by finding examples
of Moorish
influence in the
region as well.
But their groove
will not stop
there. They will
also visit the Roman
aqueduct of
Segovia as well
as the convent
of Saint Theresa
of Avila and tour
the oldest university
in Salamanca. “Mr. Fuja went to
school there,” said Spanish teacher Mrs.
Tan, implying that students will be able
to walk the Spanish teacher’s old stomping
ground.
About ten hours north of Spain, the
French students will be strolling the
streets of Paris, visiting famous sites like
the Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Elysées,
the Louvre and Notre Dame. Students
will take in all of Paris’s enchanting sites
before traveling to Loire Valley to see
châteaus, Saint Malo to explore the port
city and Normandy to
view the site of the D-
Day landing.
While some students
board planes to experience
foreign cultures,
others are anticipating
two-weeks of uninterrupted
free time.
Junior Amanda Meyer
said she looks forward
to spring break “because
we get to relax!”
Other students do
not need an explanation
as to why they love
Art by Alyssa Abay
their vacation. “Uh,
it’s spring break!” said junior Katherine
Graul.
So wherever your two-week vacation
takes you, enjoy the time off with or
without your iced drink with a little umbrella
poking out!
THE
LIONS SPEAK:
Where are you going
for spring break?
—Connor Curran,
Sophomore
—Andreya DeLarco,
Junior
—Christine Southall,
Senior
“I’m going to Punta Cana in the Dominican
Republic. I’m going to relax on the
beach, get a lot of sun, surf, and eat a lot of
Mexican food.”
MARCH 2012
“I made softball, so I’ll go down to Florida
with the team. We’ll play at the ESPN center
in Disney. YEAY!”
“I’m going to London and France to sightsee.
and I’ve never been to Europe before so
I’m really excited!”
Saint Viator High School
Reported by Lauren Prazuch
www.saintviator.com

FEATURES 15
Campus Ministry working overtime
Campus Ministry Lenten project, year-round service, retreats
Noelle Jay
Staff Writer
Fasting, praying, and sharing. These
are a few of the principles many
people live by during the Lenten
season. Fasting may be giving up the
food that you love or food that might not
be good for your body. Praying during
this Lenten season
could mean
that you really
make an effort to
go to Church every
week. Sharing?
What could
that mean? Sharing
is what Campus
Ministry does
during Lent and
throughout the
whole school year.
Campus Ministry
does many
things during the
school year and
during Lent. During
this year’s
Lenten campaign,
Saint Viator is supporting
Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Campus minister Betsy Fons said this
liturgical year is the year of Teens and
Young Adults. The Student Ministry
Team wanted to support an organization
that students could relate to as teens.
Fons said that Mercy Home was a great
organization for the theme of this liturgical
year.
Campus Ministry has many other
great opportunities for students to get
involved with the Mercy Home. Every
Thursday in homeroom, there is a collection
for Mercy Home. This year’s
third annual Run with the Pride 5K on
March 10 donated all of the proceeds to
Mercy Home.
Campus Ministry also brought studen ts
together for reflection this Lent by offering
a special showing of the movie The
Way on March 4. Ms. Fons said Campus
Ministry picked movie for a few very special
reasons. Fons said she saw the movie
for the first time in September. Martin
Sheen and Emilio Estevez, the stars in
this movie, were there at the showing
she attended. Fons said that this movie
is very emotional
and focuses
on the journey
of faith.
Campus Ministry
also offers
two options for
daily reflection.
Mass is said every
morning at
7:30 am in the
Art by Kyong Yoo
Chapel. Students
can also
pick up a copy
of the Reflections
for Lent
book outside the
Campus Ministry
office or get
it on the Saint
Viator website.
It consists of reflections from students
and faculty members who volunteered
to reflect on Lenten readings. These entries
focus on the meaning of each day’s
scriptures.
Retreats are also offered for all grade
levels. Quest and Kairos are two optional
retreats that students can attend. Quest
is a retreat for freshmen and sophomores.
This retreat occurs over two days,
including an overnight stay. Students
can sign up in Campus Ministry or on
the Saint Viator website. This retreat
is based around JOY. Ms. Fons said, “J
stands for Jesus, O stands for others, and
Y stands for knowing yourself in Christ.”
While on this retreat, adults and students
talk about many things that relate
to JOY. After large group experiences,
students break into small groups to discuss
what they have heard. Quest is a
great way to uncover your inner JOY.
Kairos is a retreat that is offered to juniors
and seniors. This retreat is “more
intense compared to Quest,” said Ms.
Fons.
Campus Ministry is highly active during
the school year and especially during
Lent. Getting involved can help cleanse
the spirit and let the talents Jesus gave
you shine through in your work each day.
1213 E. Oakton, Arlington Heights, IL theviatorvoice@gmail.com
MARCH 2012

16
T
F E A T U R E
A
C
H
E
R
Interview by Ben Paolelli
Could you summarize your teaching career?
BP: I taught at a small parish high school on the South Side
of Chicago in 1966. In 1970, St. Viator was looking for a social
studies teacher, and so I came, got interviewed, and was
hired; I’ve been here ever since. 1970 to the present, which
amounts to about 42 years. I’ve taught at night school—the
public school, Maine South, which I taught for many years.
I’ve taught summer school at Hoffman Estates High School
for about three or four years. I was the Athletic Director at
Saint Viator for four years, and then I became the Assistant
Dean of Students for about six years under Pat Mahoney. So
St. Viator has been an integral part of my life, as you can tell.
I’m a very happy person, and one of the reasons is because
the environment here is a very nice, pleasant one. The only
thing that challenges me is technology; I’m an old-fashioned
fuddy-duddy—you learn slowly. But I’m picking things up, a
little bit every day, in very small steps.
How long have you sported a mustache?
BP: In 1972, I was an assistant football coach for the varsity,
and one of our other assistants was playing his alma mater,
Lane Tech. Now Lane Tech had an outstanding running back.
So we told our team, “If we beat Lane Tech, we will grow mustaches,”
and we beat Lane Tech. I grew a mustache, it took a
while, but I’ve never shaved it off since then. I’ve kept it on
all these years.
MARCH 2012
Mr. Bill Pirman
FEATURES
Who was your favorite athlete growing up?
BP: Stan “The Man” Musial of the St. Louis Cardinals. He was
my idol. But of course, I’m a Cub fan, a diehard. I remember
the first game I ever went to, my dad took me; it was the Chicago
Cubs and the Brooklyn Dodgers, so I saw Jackie Robinson
play. The final score (the Cubs were one of the worst teams ever
during the ’50s) was the Dodgers winning 14-2; they must’ve
hit seven homeruns, and I was in the bleachers in left field, and
I almost got a couple of them. But ever since then I became a
Cub fan. I grew up a Cub fan with television and WGN; they
began to televise Cub games I think in 1948, and I was five or
six years old and got into the Cubs. I’ve been a diehard Cubs
fan ever since—a frustrated Cubs fan. I don’t know what’ll happen
if we ever win anything; I think I’ll probably die!
People call you Chico. What’s the story behind that?
BP: The story goes back to about when a new team, the Los
Angeles Angels, became part of major league baseball, and
in their first year they had peculiar uniforms, one of which
was their hat. One of our varsity players in the early ’70s, had
bought one of these hats. He was outside practicing with it,
and I asked the kid, “Hey, who do you think you are, Chico
Ruiz?” Chico Ruiz was a player who played on that team, I remember.
The guy who I talked to, wearing the hat, just fell
apart, dying laughing. And every time he would see me, he
would call me Chico, and that’s how it perpetuated. I’ve had
it ever since.
If you could live during any period in U.S. history, which
would it be?
BP: I grew up in the 1950s, which some historians say was the
Golden Age of American history. It was the time when there
was peace and prosperity; you could go outdoors and feel secure;
mothers let their little kids wander through the avenues.
It was just a perfect time. Families were getting close together.
Church attendance was really high. It was just a great time to
live, to have grown up in. Today there’s so much anxiety; raising
kids is tough.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned?
BP: Well, I think that life is a bunch of peaks and valleys, and
you just gotta roll with the punches a little bit. If things go bad,
then you just have to go forward and make the best of things.
You know, to not get too high or too low.
What is the most important lesson that you try to impart
to your students?
BP: Don’t take life so seriously. Smile once in a while. I try
to crack a joke or two to make them smile once in a while, because
sometimes our kids are so serious, which is good; there is
a time for a little sense of humor. It never hurt anybody.
Saint Viator High School
Photo by Chris Santucci
www.saintviator.com

FEATURES 17
A trophy of their own
Academic awards show recognition to top students
1213 E. Oakton, Arlington Heights, IL theviatorvoice@gmail.com
Blake Hensley
Staff Writer
Many students participate in
sports and are rewarded for
their achievements with pep
assemblies and trophies. However, while
athletes are being praised, a majority of
students go unnoticed: academic scholars.
Saint Viator Administration noticed
this problem years ago and decided to
make sweeping changes. Now, every
May, Saint Viator recognizes academic
achievements during the Underclass
Awards Night. Many students attend to
be called up on stage and receive honor
roll certificates and department awards.
Academic award distribution began with
“Senior Awards, but [administration
then] decided to recognize the achievements
of the underclassmen as a welldeserved
honor and as a motivation for
students. We recognize students who
provide leadership to the school. The
number one job of all students is to pursue
academic achievement. We should
and we need to applaud them for their
achievements as we do our athletes,” said
Principal Eileen Manno.
Teachers work
year round to help
students reach
their full potential
and recognize
the benefits
of the ceremony.
“Athletes get recognized
at assemblies,
so this is our
way to recognize students for their profound
abilities,” said math teacher Matt
Hynek.
Aside from presenting the honor roll,
each subject department nominates students
from each grade level to represent a
particular course. “While some students
achieve academic excellence in many
areas, some achieve it in certain classes.
It often allows recognition for more students,”
said Manno.
How do the teachers choose these select
few? “We first look at each of the classes.
We take every class and take the top students
in each: those who performed well
during first and second semester and have
the top scores. The teachers of the classes
pick their top students and converse with
the other educators that teach the same
course. The teachers then discuss which
applicants are the most able by looking at
the students’ participation,” said science
department head Eileen Cairo.
The teachers look for applicants that are
worthy of representing a whole department.
Teachers are picky when they look
for those special students, and have a certain
criteria of qualities the student must
exhibit. The students should “have a high
percentage, dedication, motivation, and
be hard working,” said Mrs. Cairo.
Teachers also look for “participation,
the ability to stay on task, completion of
homework assignments, and [the ability]
to help others when group work is assigned,”
said Mr. Hynek.
Some teachers have specific requirements
that pertain to a particular course.
Mrs. Martin said that
history students should
be able “to analyze and
make connections between
past and present
events.”
Although our school
places special recognition
on its athletes,
academics no longer go
unnoticed through the
honorary underclassmen Awards Night.
This is a time for students to shine and
be praised for their perseverance and supreme
academic ability. This year, Awards
Night takes place on May 23. So while
you may not be able to bring in popcorn
and Gatorade, you are still encouraged to
cheer on the students that have worked
so hard to reach academic excellence.
Art by Anthony Bartell
words
from the
weisz
This month I am responding to
the issue of trying your best to live
in the spirit of “Carpe Diem” (“Seize
the day”). It is so difficult to enjoy the
present moment when you constantly
concern yourself with looking to the
future or trying to either mimic or detach
yourself from the past.
Tip 1: Allow yourself to be bored every
so often. Take time to sit around
and relax. Whatever helps you mellow
out and just “be,” commit to doing
once in awhile. It will remind you
to allow your life to slow down and exist
for the moment.
Tip 2: Get connected with your
senses. Practicing what Buddhists
call “mindful awareness” will help you
appreciate even the seemingly menial
events that occur all around you every
day. By acknowledging all the power
your senses have in orienting your life
and its fulfillment, you will become
much more in tune with the moment
and yourself.
Tip 3: As difficult as it may seem,
allow the future to be a spectacle on
the distant horizon and the past a
faint recollection. It is alright to look
forward to that concert or movie release
or that test being over. It is also
alright to be reminded of the good
times you have experienced in your
life with the hope that tomorrow will
be just as happy as the days before it.
However, when too much emphasis is
on what I will have to do and what I
already have done, there is not much
room for what I am doing right now.
Tomorrow is not promised to us, and
our future may not be filled with the
happiness our past has had.
By Erica Weiszmann
MARCH 2012

18
ENTERTAINMENT
Marissa DiSilvestro and Carlee Smith
Staff Writers
new wave of concerts is coming to Chicago in the spring and summer of 2012. No matter what age, you ‘re sure to
A find a concert that fits your interests. From pop to smooth jazz, you’re sure to find it all. With the amount of concerts
available around the Chicago area, it will be hard to choose which one you want to go to.
Lollapalooza
Year after year, a certain concert comes to Chicago
every summer, Lollapalooza. Many teens long for this
concert for the whole year. This year, Lollapalooza (or
“Lolla”) is coming in early August of 2012. Lollapalooza is
a concert that mixes together a variety of bands, from Foster
the People to Eminem. The concert is set up at Grant
Park with numerous stages. When you enter Lolla, you
have more than 130 artists to choose from, which gives you
a great mix of all types of music. This festival truly invites
people to listen to all different types of music. No matter
who you are, you are sure to enjoy Lollapalooza. —MD
Summer Festivals
Country Thunder
Not a year goes by without the popular four-day
country festival, Country Thunder. This festival in Twin
Lakes, Wisconsin, features the most popular country artists
of all time. Some of these artists include Blake Shelton,
Hunter Hayes, Jason Aldean, and many more. The
fans clad in cowboy hats and boots enjoy a three day event,
including music, food, and camping. The event draws
audiences from all over the world, including many of the
Viator student body. —MD
Warped Tour
All photos courtesy by lollapalooza.com and vanswarpedtour.com
Every year Vans Warped Tour releases a list of 60 to 70 different bands that will travel the United States and preform.
Vans has been conducting this festival of alternative bands since 1994 and has become very popular ever since. This year
Warped tour has released 78 different bands. Each band gets a 30 minute set on one of the 5 to 10 stages. Warped tour
draws in a generous following every year to the jam packed musical weekend.
“I feel like I’m apart of something that’s larger than life. It’s a feeling that can only be described by the bruises you receive
from moshing or singing at the top of you lungs to your favorite songs,” said Dan O’Hara, a junior at Maine West High
School. While at Warped Tour, Dan loves to go hear all of his favorite bands like I Set My Friends On Fire and Black Veil
Brides.
Warped Tour is a great experience for not only the people who go but also the bands. “What does it take? haha just well
liked by their booking agent, the team that runs it, and thousands of cd’s sold” stated Chris Ferraro, The drummer of the
talented Serianna, “Warped offers millions of dollars’ worth of promotion, solid three months of work, playing to (potentially)
thousands of kids. Kids save money all year to go to warp tour, so merch at warp tour is huge. It’s just the biggest of
the big tours.”
So see what you’re missing and check out warped tour this year. See some of your favorite bands and maybe some bands
that are definitely worth checking out! —CS
MARCH 2012
Saint Viator High School
www.saintviator.com

ENTERTAINMENT 19
Madonna
On September 20, 2012, Madonna is coming to Allstate
Arena. Madonna has been a pop singer since the 80’s, and
since then, she has been dominating the music industry.
She changed pop music, and continues to, even now. From
a young age, she has always been interested in the music industry,
and her passion for it has most definitely been shown
through her impact on the music industry. This concert will
truly be amazing, and is a concert not to be missed. —MD
Touring Bands
Spring Awakening
For techno fans, the Spring Awakening
Music Festival is just for you. Featuring bands such as
Skrillex, Afrojack, and Moby, this concert takes place
at Soldier Field from June 16 to 17. This concert offers
two days filled with techno heaven. Many popular and
upcoming bands will be there. This is a must see for all
techno fans. Such a variety of groups will ensure that
you find the artist that fits your musical tastes.—MD
Alternative Rock
Many alternative rock bands are also coming to Chicago. Nickelback is
coming to Rosemont on May 20. This popular band is known for their hit
songs “Photograph” and “Rockstar”. Originating in Canada, this band has
been creating numerous songs since 1995. From being a small-time solo
project to a Grammy nominated rock band, Death Cab for Cutie is coming
into town on April 16 at the Chicago Theatre. Some of their popular songs
are “I Will Possess your Heart” and “New Year”. If alternative rock isn’t your
style, there are many other concerts to choose from.—MD
LMFAO
If you enjoy feel-good, pump-it-up music, then the LMFAO is perfect
for you. They are coming to Allstate Arena on May 26-27. From “Party
Rocking” to “Getting Crazy,” you are sure to have a great time. The show
will have the audiences “Party Rocking” all night. —MD
The Fray
Well known pop band, the Fray is coming to on April 17 at the Riviera.
The Fray was founded in 2002 by two schoolmates, who have been
they have been making radio hits ever since. —MD
1213 E. Oakton, Arlington Heights, IL theviatorvoice@gmail.com
Photos courtesy of metrobloggen.se, photo.parismatch.com, wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net, 3.bp.blogspot.com,
s2.favim.com, esgoodmusic.com, rocknrolltheplay.com, blog.lehighvalleylive.com.
Calendar
Lollapalooza — 8/3-8/5
Country Thunder — 7/19-7/22
Warped Tour — 7/7
Madonna - 9/20
LMFAO — 5/ 26-5/27
Fray — 4/17
Nickelback — 5/20
Death Cab for Cutie — 4/ 16
Spring Awakening — 6/16-6/17
MARCH 2012

20
Shalayne Pulia
Staff Writer
Lady Gaga: funky fashion icon with
outfits so far out we sometimes
think she’s insane (a meat dress?
really?). But, in
today’s fashion
world out of the
ordinary has become
the norm.
Gaga has to do
something pretty
crazy to stand
out. Neon leopard
print jeans and
shorts, crop tops,
tribal patterns
and color blocking
will rule the runways
this spring
season. Color explosion
crayola-style erupts from every
display window lining the malls.
“Yeah! I would. All the bright colors
are very summery and would be
fun to wear in the spring,” said junior
Lauren Prazuch, when asked if she
would tryout these far-out trends. Apparently
Viator girls have no problem
sticking out in a crowd. Be bold ladies!
But what do the guys have to say about
female fashion this spring? “I think that
what chicks are wearing now is good, but
if they start wearing neon jean shorts or
whatever that ain’t cute, stay classy,” said
The Fame Machine
Produces: The Wanted
MARCH 2012
ENTERTAINMENT
Spring Fashion: Tribal and neon rule the runway
junior Matt Peters. Quite the gentleman.
It seems as if the male population prefers
a slightly toned down fashion sense
for this spring. No luck boys! Neon is
here to stay with color blocking soaring
to new heights on the wedge heels of the
hottest spring shoes.
This season will
bring together polar
opposites on the
spectrum of color as
well. Alongside the
wild neons, neutrals
continue to make
their comeback from
the more conservative
decades of fashion.
A middle ground
is hard to find on the
runway or in the latest
fashion magazines.
Will combining frilly
and funky prove too out there for the Viator
crowd? “No, people will simply follow
these trends because they’re popular
now. But I feel that fashion designers
have run out of new and modern ideas.
So, they remake trends and styles of the
past and call them their own,” said senior
Monica Andrzejewski. A valid criticism.
Has the “modern twist” become nothing
more than a modern revival? Haven’t
we, if not us then decades before us, seen
all these crazy trends before? From high
waisted pants to crop tops and every polka
dot and stripe in between, “modern”
The Wanted is a British and Irish boy band from London. They began making pop music in 2009.
Their debut single, was released in July 2010 and reached number one in the United Kingdom. In July
2011, The Wanted released their single, “Glad You Came” which became their second UK number one
single. This song introduced the United States to the band when it charted the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
trends do portray nuances of past era’s
best and boldest fashion. When asked
if he noticed the “throwback” pattern of
modern trends senior Tanner Creel said,
“Yes, in a way I have seen the similarities,
and to be honest I’m not a fan. The wild
colors come off as attention seeking.”
Again the Viator guys seem to prefer a
tamer ladylion, but what’s wrong with a
little wild self expression? A girl’s gotta
have a creative outlet, why not wear your
creativity for the world to see? So wear
those electric pink leopard print jeans.
Who said standing out was a bad thing?
Walk on the wild side ladies.
Photos courtesy of 2.bp.blogspot.com, fashionrollcall.com
Fame Fast Facts
Origin: London
Inspired by: Kings of Leon
Albums: The Wanted, Battleground
Top Singles: “All Time Low,” “Glad You Came”
Fun Fact: The Wanted did their first American tour in Early 2012 on which two of their shows where sold out
in a matter of minutes.
For the Fans of: One Direction, Jessie J, Lady Gaga
Saint Viator High School
www.saintviator.com

ENTERTAINMENT 21
Deifying the Dead: Celebrity deaths are analyzed
Madeleine Ptacin
Co-Editor in chief
In America celebrity
isn’t just
a craze, it’s a
culture. The public
spends all of its
time and energy following
every breath
celebrities take. Yet
as a society we tend
to be hypocritical
when it comes to our
attitudes about celebrities.
As recently
seen through the deaths of notable stars,
our culture loves to criticize and harass
celebrities while they are living but become
sentimental the moment they die.
Every year millions of dollars go into
the production and distribution of tabloid
items. Whether it is on TV—the
E! network, Access Hollywood, TMZ—
or magazines—InTouch, People, OK!,
US—we surround ourselves with gossip
about the lives of celebrities. Flip
through a single magazine and the only
content seen is insubstantial speculation
about other peoples’ outfits, marriages,
and person. Little to no time is
spent praising traits that matter such as
work ethic, good behavior, or positive
achievements. Obviously good behavior
presents little intrigue to readers and is a
nightmare for sales. Even so, Hollywood
grasps at straws and makes ridiculous
claims to get a story; seven years later
tabloids are still making up outlandish
rumors about the nature of Jennifer
Aniston and Brad Pitt’s relationship.
With all the focus on getting good
stories it is inevitable that showing
respect becomes impossible. Celebrities
become little more than figureheads
that are critiqued, mocked, and
put down. Their marriages are questioned,
their actions are condemned,
and their vices are encouraged. There
has even been an entire show created
for the sole purpose of slamming other
women’s outfits. While some satires
can be humorous, especially when celebrities
are asking for it, our continual
reproach of icons becomes expected.
1213 E. Oakton, Arlington Heights, IL theviatorvoice@gmail.com
Art by Shalayne Pulia
That is, until they die. A star can be hated
and overlooked when they are alive
but the moment they die their lives
are revered. In the past few years, undoubtedly
talented people have passed
such as Michael Jackson, Whitney
Houston, and Amy Winehouse. While
these three stars do have their musical
careers in common they also share
similar scorn and flippancy shown
from the public mere days before they
died. When they were living each star
was viewed similarly: washed out musicians
whose recent contributions to
society was his or her ample patronage
to the narcotics industry. None of the
three stars had released new material in
years and had all been booed off stage
at their respective concerts at least
two years prior to their deaths. They
were all parodied and ridiculed, sometimes
mercilessly, whether through
institutions such as Saturday Night
Live and MadTV or media productions
such as Scary Movie and Disaster
Movie. Usual targets were Houston’s
drug abuse and history of domestic
violence, Jackson’s drug abuse
and pedophilia charges, and Winehouse’s
drug and alcohol abuse.
The moment they died, however—
Jackson in 2009, Winehouse in 2011,
and Houston in 2012—the media immediately
mourned their passing and
began to commiserate the loss of potential
that occurred with the deaths.
Showing respect for a human’s passing
and appreciating his or her lifetime
achievements is one thing, but what
happens time and time again is a blatant
reverse of public opinion and attitude.
Fan bases swell and everyone falsely
claims to have been life long fans; earlier
times are remembered and people
delude themselves into thinking that,
were the stars alive, they could have
continued their impact on our society.
No one realizes that, were they alive,
each star would be just as incapacitated
as they left us. If our society truly loves
its stars like they later claim to, then
major steps should be taken now, before
it’s too late, to rehabilitate and save the
talent that is at risk of being lost forever.
MARCH 2012

22
ENTERTAINMENT
Critics’ Corner: March
A SMASH hit: Dancing, singing, and scandal
Annie Lambesis
Staff Writer
With the hit show “Glee” off the
air until April, some
musical/drama show
lovers are in dire need of a distraction.
Fortunately, NBC’s new
hit “Smash” is here to save the
day. With an impressive group of
main and recurring characters,
including “American Idol” contestant
Katharine McPhee and
Emmy winner Debra Messing,
Smash focuses on the drama surrounding
the production of a new
musical about Marilyn Monroe.
Two actresses––Karen Cartwright
(McPhee) and Ivy Lynn (Broadway
star Megan Hilty) ––battle
it out for the lead role, while the
producers, writers, and directors slowly
piece together the songs for an original
musical about the late Hollywood film
star. The show revolves around the personal
lives of the cast and crew, as well
as what goes down on and off the stage.
“Smash” certainly isn’t your usual
weeknight drama. Each episode is a
MARCH 2012
mini-musical, with song and dance
numbers showcasing the spectacular
talent the cast possesses. Unlike Glee,
however, Smash features more original
material, and many can agree it is more
mature. With an evil director, struggling
actors, and love triangles between
characters, it’s no high school megahit.
It gives audiences a peek into the beauty
and backstabbing that goes down in
a production of a Broadway musical.
The Black Keys - El Camino
Thomas Southall
Staff Writer
The Black Keys are back at it again. As
some bands’ charisma and energy die
with age, The Keys’ latest album, El
Camino, fails to do so. The Ohio duo responsible
for the hits “Tighten Up” and
“Howlin for You” blows all competition
away in their seventh album. Fans can
rejoice to hear the familiar blues/rock
style of The Black Keys but attracts listeners
of all genres with tunes such as
“Lonely Boy” and “Gold On The Ceiling”
that persuades even the most resistant to
engage in its danceable rhythm. Yes, El
Art by Carson Soch
Picture courtesy ofcoolmaterial.com
Camino has songs you will probably
never stop humming or tapping on your
Even if you’re not a fan of the theater,
finding something to love about “Smash”
isn’t hard to do. The variety of characters
and the layers of plotlines keep the
show grounded. “Smash” features
Hollywood veterans, like
Anjelica Huston; newcomers,
like Hilty and McPhee; and
familiar faces, such as Jack
Davenport and Debra Messing.
The battle between Karen
and Ivy keeps viewers on their
toes, while the romantic relationships
warm their hearts.
“Smash” is slowly climbing
to the top of the ratings, and
it shows no sign of slowing
down. The fifth episode drew
in almost 8 million viewers,
up 20 percent from the week
before. NBC carefully placed
it after the hit singing competition
“The Voice,” which helped in gaining
new audiences. It is showing good
signs of staying on the air, so fans can look
forward to more episodes in the future.
To see “Smash” live up to its title, tune
in on Mondays at nine.
steering wheel, but it’s catchiness has
meaning; the songs graze some downin-the-dumps
attitudes such as in the
“Stairway to Heaven” sound-alike, “
Little Black Submarines” that manages
to dodge that pesky lame pop sound.
For those who only have a taste for rap
or club music, I strongly urge you to give
this band a chance. Songs of interest on
El Camino are “Lonely Boy”, ”Gold On
The Ceiling”, “Little Black Submarines”,
“Money Maker” , and “Hell Of A Season”
.The Black Keys demonstrate their musical
talents in this excellent album and
deserve attention from all music lovers.
Saint Viator High School
www.saintviator.com

ENTERTAINMENT 23
Critics’ Corner: March
I See Stars: Digital Renegade
Mike DeStefano
Staff Writer
Pop-electronica-hardcore sextet
I See Stars has quickly become
a “digital renegade” to the pop
community with their third full-length
studio album, “Digital Renegade.”
While the band has had a history of
blatantly using autotune and writing
songs with simple and pop-influenced
structures, “Digital Renegade” introduces
an unprecedented genre of music
best described as an old Nintendo
game after the disc has been beaten
mercilessly. Nevertheless, the sound
works for them—and quite well, too.
The most noticeable change in I See
Stars’ musical style is the use of dubstep
lines in their riffs. The album’s first
single, “Filth Friends Unite”—with the
word “filth” making a reference to dubstep,
which is often described as having
a “filthy” tone—cranked up the aggression
and electronica while dimming the
amount of pop: the singing parts are
small and scattered through different
parts of the song, and the use of autotune
is no longer audible. Synthesizers,
dubstep “wobble,” and bass drops
dominate musical breaks to compliment
low guitar tones and heavy doublebass
drums to form to a highly complex
sound that would appeal to anyone
with an adventurous music taste.
The new album of course comes with
a few surprises. The tracks “Endless
Sky” and “Electric Forest” feature cameos
by two singers from virtually opposite
types of music. The former features
Danny Worsnop, the singer/growler
from metal band Asking Alexandria;
the latter, a “poppier” alternative to the
majority of the album, features Cassadee
Pope of pop-punk band Hey Monday.
Other songs have a psychedelic feel.
The song “NZT-48” uses computer
glitches in abundance, but without overdoing
the effect. The title comes from
the name of a psychedelic drug mentioned
in the movie “Limitless;” the
song is meant to trigger a similar effect.
Despite such dramatic changes, I See
Stars has reached a peak in songwriting.
Verses with three or four sections and
breakdowns mixed with dubstep will be
found throughout the album, promising
the depth and technicality that musicians
crave. One more thing: all songs
but one on “Digital Renegade” exceed
three minutes. Get ready for music to its
fullest. Enjoy the music.
1213 E. Oakton, Arlington Heights, IL theviatorvoice@gmail.com
MARCH 2012

24
ENTERTAINMENT
The Windy City Adventures: Fun times in Chicago
Libby Donnelly
Entertainment Editor
Chicago, the wondrous yet slightly
intimidating metropolis that lies
in our backyard. Often the residents
of the suburbs of Chicago, especially
the teenagers, do not take proper
advantage of the city just under thirty
miles from this school. It’s is so close yet
seems so far away from many people. This
being because of the question: What do
teenagers do in the city? The answer:
practically anything and everything your
heart desires. The city offers adventures
for concert lovers, musical fanatics,
knowledge seekers, outdoorsy people,
and the addicted shopaholics. The city
offers something for every fish in the sea.
“The hills are alive with the sound of
music” every day and night in Chicago.
The city offers chances for every kind of
music lover to find their niche. The city
boasts and amazing number of concert
halls, both big and small. Many fans can
see their favorite big name and small
name bands at a variety of locations,
such as the House of Blues, the Riviera,
the Metro, and sometimes even the United
Center. However the city hides a jewel
of a concert hall, the Aragon Ballroom.
This concert hall is decorated in what
can only be described as the Taj Mahal
combined with Medieval Times and a
little dash of Star Trek. This concert hall
only multiplies the greatness of any musical
act. The city also hosts to several
smaller venues open to the adventurous.
Chicago offers opportunities also to lovers
of the preforming arts, with chances
to see Broadway productions and smaller
productions. Chicago Broadway has
hosted many award-winning musicals,
such as Wicked, RENT, Lion King, and
Billy Eliot. With a school, such as Saint
Viator, filled with musical participants
and enthusiasts, the draw to Chicago
Broadway is irresistible. For the more
classical lovers of music, the city is also
home to several opera houses, such as The
Lyrical Opera, the Civic Opera House,
and Chicago Opera Vanguard. The city
also offers chances to see non-musical
productions at several playhouses such
as the Shakespeare Theater and Second
City, for the comedians. Even several,
smaller stage playhouses such as the Red
Orchid Theater, home to many performances
by Michael Shannon of “Boardwalk
Empire.” The city offers a chance for
every drama king and queen to thrive.
There is no better place for an afternoon
excursion than Chicago. The city
is home to an entire campus devoted to
filling peoples heads with knowledge.
Museum Campus offers many different
kinds of fun attractions, whether it is an
Egyptian history display at the Field Museum,
a Beluga whale tank at the Shedd
Aquarium, or a virtual hurricane at the
Museum of Science and Industry. One
could never get bored with so much
knowledge at their fingertips. However
an afternoon excursion does not always
have to require every brain cell. Grant
Park has plenty of space to sit back at
relax, whether it is at Millennium Park,
listening to the many daytime concerts
available over the summer; in the water
or on a bench by the faces fountain;
or at everyone’s favorite spot, the Bean.
Grant Park is the perfect place for to
get a tan (for those who are fortunate
enough to get one) or relieve the stress
of a hard week by lying back in the warm
grass. If you’re seeking more stimuli on
an afternoon excursion then look no
further than Brookfield Zoo or Lincoln
Park Zoo. A stroll to view the incredible,
and slightly intimidating, lions is sure to
get the blood moving. The Lincoln Park
Zoo even offers entertainment for the
more frugal, by offering free admission.
For the less frugal, a shopping spree
is available every day in Chicago. The famous
Michigan Avenue is home to some
of the most famous stores. The most accplaimed
shopping center on Michigan
Avenue, however, is Water Tower Place.
Inside are many popular stores, but none
so famous to every little girl in America
as the American Girl Doll Store. With the
lure of new outfits and accessories and
even tea for a little girl’s best friend, the
store has made it self-famous. Although
it is the most famous street, Michigan
Avenue is not the only place to shop.
Lincoln Park and Bucktown have many
small boutiques and even thrift stores
for the adventuresome and fashionable
teenager. Every sort of make model
and taste can find their favorite outfit
in the thousands of stores in Chicago.
The wondrous city, when broken
up into different adventurous ideas,
doesn’t seem so intimidating. It offers
fun times and exciting memories to all
that dare explore its fun-filled streets.
So just travel those thirty-odd miles and
find your adventure at the greatest city
in the world.
MARCH 2012
Saint Viator High School
www.saintviator.com

SPORTS 25
Speaking from experience on college recruiting
Brian Wilhite
Staff Writer
College athletics. Sound intimidating?
Sound like hard work?
Yes. College athletics are intimidating
and they take lots of hard work,
but that does not mean you can’t make
it at the college level. All you truely you
need is one key element: dedication.
In order to play in college, whether it is
golf, swimming, or football, you need to
be dedicated to what you play and, in
some cases, you need to eat, sleep and
breathe your sport.
First and foremost, in order to attract
the attention of the next level coaches
and scouts, you must stand out from every
other player on your team. Hustle,
work ethic, leadership and persistence
are key components to every sport. Skill
and overall dedication, however, can
only get you so far. As an athlete, you
must sell yourself to college coaches.
Good ideas for marketing yourself include
making a recruiting video, attending
showcases and college-sponsored
camps and contacting coaches of schools
you are interested in. Especially in Division
I athletics, coaches get many e-
mails from many athletes. In order to really
catch their attention, it is important
to show your interest in their school and
provide all the information you possibly
can about yourself. These areas would
include grades, ACT scores, schedules,
statistics, height, weight, coach’s contact
and literally anything else you can
think of,to help your cause. After the
initial contact, it is important to not only
1213 E. Oakton, Arlington Heights, IL theviatorvoice@gmail.com
follow up an e-mail or a phone call, but
also to do some research and to attend
that school’s camp or showcase that the
coach would be attending. Try these
steps for as many schools as possible because
some may like you and some may
not. Once you find a school that you
like and that likes you, do your best to
not only continue your work ethic, but
also to keep in contact and continue to
remind the school your interest.
A thletes do not fall off the map if they
do not land the Division I spot they
wanted. There is Division II, III, Junior
College and NAIA leagues that will
provide any student athlete with their
dream of a college education and a college
athletic experience. Traditionally,
the Division I athletics take up most
of your time, Division II is not enough
competition, Division III is too focused
on school, and Junior College and NAIA
are just not worth the time. Wrong. In
every single division, you will find numerous
schools that provide a dedicated
program in your sport. Yes, there will be
a difference when comparing Division
I programs to DIII or NAIA programs,
but it is all based on a school-to-school
comparison. There are Division III programs
that beat Division I programs all
the time. So when looking for a school
to play at, don’t be discouraged by the
division number. Be open to the opportunities
that each school has to offer. If
the University of Illinois coach comes
calling and you want to play in the competitive
Big Ten Conference while taking
advantage of the great academics the Illini
have to offer, then that is awesome.
But if Augustana is also knocking at your
door, and you want the smaller atmosphere,
competitive DIII sports, and an
excellent education as well, then go for
it. At the end of the day, it is completely
based on your desires and needs as a student-athlete.
This process is tedious, and it will take
a long time to finally connect with what
you are looking for, but the more work
you put into your future career in sports,
the more you will get out of it. For me,
chasing my dream of playing Division I
baseball has been difficult. In order to
truly dedicate myself to baseball, I had
to quit the basketball team this year…
Great timing. I know. But, overall, my
decision to focus on baseball has been
on the positive end, as I have had three
full seasons to prepare for our spring
schedule, along with what lies ahead
in my baseball career. In order to get
recognized by college coaches, I began
right away in making a recruiting video,
sending out emails with stats and video,
attending showcases, and practicing all
the time. The first few months were difficult.
I had initial interest in Division
I and III schools that looked promising,
and I was confident in where I stood.
Slowly, however, each began to slide off
the map. It was either “We filled up our
roster,” (Michigan State), “Your hitting
isn’t at our level,” (Bradley), or “You’re
not quick enough to play in our caliber
of a conference,” (Missouri). This was
frustrating. But, I never gave up. I continued
working out, hitting, and condi-
Recruited student athletes at Saint Viator
Alex Flasch Softball Maryville University
Cosimo Cannella Baseball Des Moines Area Community
College
Danny Lopez Hockey Harvard University
Katelyn Hammarlund Soccer Saint Louis University
Rachel Horvath Volleyball New York University
Rob Schmidt Hockey University of Illinois
Tim McElroy Baseball Purdue University
Other uncommitted athletes: Bobby
Napoleon-Baseball, Brian Wilhite-
Baseball, Chris Myjak-Baseball, Danny
Forde-Basketball, DJ Morris-Basketball,
Frank Laterza-Football, Jenna Shaxted-
Cheerleading, Katie Gavin-Soccer, Kevin
Walsh-Basketball, Lauren Falotico-
Volleyball, Lauren Rooney- Basketball,
Sean Carney-Football
MARCH 2012

26
MARCH 2012
SPORTS
March Madness and bracketology
Tyler McCrea
Staff Writer
It’s that time of the year again. Time
for March Madness. From March 13
to April 2, it will be nothing but net
for thousands of college basketball fans.
The first NCAA tournament was in 1939
with eight teams competing; now there
are 68 teams vying for the top spot and a
year of bragging rights. March Madness
has enabled everyone from young to old,
whether they are devoted sports fan or
newcomers to the sport, to follow and
better understand the game of basketball.
It has also developed a new pseudoscience,
bracketology. Bracketology,
a term coined by Joe Lunardi, is the process
of predicting the field of the NCAA
Basketball Tournament.
Many people attempt to fill in tournament
brackets in the quest for the elusive
perfect bracket. The methods and
processes by which they use to fill out
these brackets fall under the umbrella of
bracketology. Most professional sports
analysts and so-called experts in bracketology
attempt to predict which teams
will be in the tournament as well as its
results, whereas an amateur bracketologist
usually attempts only to predict the
winners of the tournament. Attempting
to predict which team will win the tournament
is a long and arduous process,
and it is nearly impossible to pick every
game correctly since the tournament
has now expanded to 68 teams and over
147.75 quintillion possibilities.
Many celebrities publish their brackets
including President Obama, making
the tournament even more exciting
and giving college basketball more and
more press time. The ability for fans to
compare their brackets to the bracket
of the president of the United States
is an interesting new idea. Bracketology
can be practiced by nearly everyone
from young kids choosing on the basis
of color to trained sports analysts being
paid for their work. There are some
tips to making a sensible picks and some
important trends to remember when selecting
teams.
There are several trends to remember
when creating a bracket that are worthy
to take note of. The number one seeded
team is not necessarily the best choice.
Only once in the entire history of the
tournament have all four number one
seeds made it to the final four. In fact,
last year there were no number one seeds
in the final four; this had happened two
times before. Most years there are number
one seeded teams that make it to the
final four and the championship, but
no team is a sure bet. Teams have been
known to come into the tournament as
underdogs and have surprising tournament
runs. 90% of all Final Four teams
were from one of these six conferences.
The “Power Six”, as I call it, consists of
the ACC, Big East, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 10
and the SEC. So it is in your favor to pick
one of these teams to make it far and potentially
win the tournament as opposed
to a team from a less accomplished or
less recognized conference.
These matchups- #5 vs. #12, #6 vs. #11,
#7 vs. #10 and #8 vs. #9- are considered
upset territory by most bracketologists.
These games are hard to pick because
the teams have similar records and upsets
occur frequently. The #7 vs. #10 and
#8 vs. #9 match ups are pretty much toss
ups. Since 1985, #7 seeds have won about
60% of the time and #8 seeds have won
about 45% of the time. These matchups
are some of the hardest to pick.
Once you get into the second round,
picking gets a lot trickier. Underdog
teams that won an upset game in the
first round are still riding the feeling and
have a 50% chance of advancing to the
sweet sixteen. The biggest challenge in
recent years is when a #2 seed faces off
against a #10 seed, in recent years the
#2 seed has had a losing record. Once
teams reach the sweet sixteen the upsets
start to stop. Most of the higher seeded
teams, not necessarily #1 seeds, but
mostly #2-#4 seeds, advance to the elite
eight.
The elite eight is when the upsets really
stop and teams #4 or more seeding below
their opponents win only 15% of the
time. An 85% chance of losing is incredibly
daunting especially for low seeded
teams lacking talent and a large supporting
fan base. These statistics paint
a picture of how challenging it is to win
the NCAA basketball tournament. It
also shows how bracketology has really
emerged as a true scientific and mathematical
process.
Sophomores Santiago Sordo-Palacios and Michael Piet create the perfect
bracket for the NCAA March Madness.
Photo by Jack Lakowske
Saint Viator High School
www.saintviator.com

SPORTS 27
Girls softball
Jenny Brandt
Staff Writer
This year, the varsity softball team
is throwing in a curveball. In their
second year traveling, the girls
team will pack their bags and head to
Orlando, Florida for spring training.
This variety to the girls’ daily strength
and conditioning on the field and in the
weight room will add a competitive edge
to the team. It will be a fun experience
for the new additions to the team as well
as the girls who traveled last year.
The varsity team had to say goodbye to
some star seniors last year, and this year
they gained some really strong athletes.
“In my opinion, my team this year is one
Boys baseball
Brandon Braun
Sports Writer
For two weeks straight, the varsity
baseball team had worked diligently
at 5:15 in the morning with
serious and skilled attitudes throughout
the practice. This dedication and passion
on the team is why the players’ and
coaches’ goals for this team are so high.
“A typical week of practice would be
working on game situations; we do some
scrimmaging, and focus on all the details
we are trying to get done. Throughout
the season we are looking for attitude,
effort, and dedication in our players to
do what we’re trying to get done. I think
we have put our program in a good spot,”
said head coach Mike Manno. Our
Recruits, continued from page 25
tioning, and I saw results. Throughout
my senior year, I went to Bradley, Miami
OH, Missouri, and Indiana, four of my
top schools. The first three shaped out
like the usual Division I interest level:
existent, and then nonexistent. By
the time I returned from the Missouri
camp, I was basically set on settling for
Division III ball at Depauw University.
1213 E. Oakton, Arlington Heights, IL theviatorvoice@gmail.com
Sports Update
kids understand what we’re doing, and
there’s nothing we have to change. It will
just come down to a matter of executing.
Our goal is to get better every day. Our
expectations are really high this year: to
be Conference Champions, to win the
Regional and Sectional, and to give ourselves
a chance to get down to state,”
The baseball team has a big road
ahead of them and the team is willing
to achieve bigger goals. One step on the
road includes a week-long trip to California
to play the top teams from across the
state. “Our goal is to beat a nationally
ranked team in California,” said senior
Cosimo Cannela with great optimism for
the year ahead.
With a new backstop, new dugouts
and a reseeded outfield, the baseball
Then, I went to Indiana. After a solid
performance, the coach offered me an
opportunity to play for him next year. I
was astounded, as my dream of Division
I baseball was enlightened again. After
numerous visits back to the school and
acknowledging that IU is truly the place
for me, I am set on committing there as
soon as possible this spring. My story,
of the youngest and most athletic group
of girls I’ve ever had,” said head coach
Dan Twarog.
Last year, the varsity team was lucky to
have three sophomore girls on the team.
This year, the team had open tryouts and
added an additional sophomore and a
freshman to the outstanding team that
played last year. Although some players
on the team are younger, each brings a
key asset to make the team stronger and
better. Team captains Colleen Dunne
and Alex Flasch said, “Even though the
team is young, we have the speed, raw
talent and potential to learn and be
more successful.”
With these positive thoughts and de-
Softball team takes on Palatine at
home.
Photo by Chris Santucci
sires in mind, the softball team is bound
to score some wins this year. As they
continue to practice, train, and learn,
the Saint Viator girls softball team are
ready for what it takes to beat the teams
on their remaining schedule.
The baseball team prepares for home
opener against Buffalo Grove.
Photo by Chris Santucci
team has much to look forward to this
upcoming year.
although drawn out and not the usual
case, can help any student-athlete. No
matter what the obstacles, any athlete
can do what they set their minds to.
With hard work and constant persistence,
you can achieve your dream of
playing what you love in college.
MARCH 2012

28
Concussion Testing
Online test makes players safer, gives
coaches much-needed peace of mind
Marilyn Stephen
StaffWriter
As spring quickly approaches, so
do the beginnings of many sports
seasons. Players may be preparing
for long seasons but not without taking
the impact concussion test first.
Saint Viator has been running the impact
concussion test since August in the
computer lab in an effort to treat head
injuries more seriously. “Concussions
have been a big deal in the media lately
because people are more aware now,”
said Gina Garro, Saint Viator’s trainer for
the past eight months.
Concussions occur when an athlete
takes a strong blow to the head. The
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MARCH 2012
hard hit basically shakes the brain
inside the head, making concussions
a serious athletic issue that
cannot be overlooked. Concussions
are also a scary threat because
they do not show many
visible signs after the impact.
Concussion testing is meant to
make sure an athlete does not suffer
a concussion and continue to
play due to simply not recognizing
the signs. “Taking the concussion
test is definitely beneficial to
student athletes of all sports,” said senior
Steven Brey. “For me, especially, I feel
that I have a sense of security knowing
that I will have information available to
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SPORTS
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me if I were to experience a head injury
such as a concussion.”
Students participating in impact sports
take the test at the beginning of their
seasons. The score they receive can later
be used if a head injury occurs. After
suffering a head injury like a concussion,
athletes must take the test and can
only return to their sports after scoring
in the same range as they scored on the
first test. The concussion test consists
of different mental exams such as identifying
shapes, remembering words, and
counting backwards. To be clear, it is not
the type of test athletes can hope to get
a perfect score on. The assessment tests
for memory, mental quickness, and essentially
how quickly and efficiently
athletes can respond. The tests can be
difficult, but will definitely pay off in the
long run. Mrs. Garro also said that concussion
testing, “has helped people get
back to play faster.”
Before concussion testing, coaches
would either play it safe with their
players and keep them out longer than
needed or send them back in too quickly
and increase the risk of further damage.
With concussion testing, there is now an
accurate way to measure recovery from
head injury.
While impact concussion testing will
definitely help athletes this year, it will
also ensure safer athletics and stronger
teams for the years to come.
Saint Viator High School
www.saintviator.com