December 2007 - Fenwick High School

D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7V o l . 7 5 , N o . 4T h e S t u d e n t N e w s p a p e r o f F e n w i c k H i g h S c h o o l , 5 0 5 W a s h i n g t o n B l v d . O a k P a r k I l l . H o m e o f t h e F r i a r sYoung, Black, Idealistic, and VictoriousObama wins landslide victory in Senior class voteBy Sam Murray and Jenna SchulteThe results of the senior ballot for the2008 Presidential Primaries show a clearwinner: Barrack Obama. He receivedan impressive 44.7% of the senior vote,whereas the remaining Democraticcandidates received fewer than 6%combined. Although trailing Obama bymore than 20%, Rudolph Giuliani, theformer mayor of New York City, leads theRepublican Party.Overall, the Democrats received 50%of the vote, while the Republicans polledabout 42.6%. A dark horse candidate, Mr.Groom, who was not even placed on theballot, garnered 6% of the vote and camein 4th place in the presidential race.This poll has interesting implications,since most of the senior class will beeligible to vote in the 2008 presidentialelection, if not in the primaries thisupcoming February.Some might argue that BarrackObama’s success in this poll is due tothe fact that he is a young, appealing,well-spoken Illinois Senator. Yet, theseemingly disproportionate number ofhigh school students who support Obamashows a key goal of his campaign: gettingthe young vote. Despite being behindClinton in most major nation-widepolls, one category in which Obama hasconsistently outpaced Hillary Clinton isthe 18-24 year old age bracket.This popularity has positive andnegative potential for the Obamacampaign. The youngest age group hasI n s i d e t h eD e c e m b e r W i c kF e n w i c k N e w s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p . 2• New additions in Fenwick’sexpansionB e y o n d t h e M o a t . . . . . . . . . p . 3• Christmas in South Korea• Point - Counter-Point: IranC h r i s t m a s G r e e t i n g s p p . 4 - 5A r t s & E n t e r t a i n m e n t . . . p . 6• When in...• Top five albumsO p i n i o n s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p . 7• Barry Bonds ruining baseball?• The obsession with celebritiesS p o r t s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p . 8• Most Valuable StudentAthlete• Illini to compete in RoseBowlalways been high-risk, high-reward:while college students are often the mostvocal and active supporters, they havehistorically had the lowest turnout rates onVOTES BY PARTYElection Day. One example of a candidatewho failed in counting on the youth votewas Howard Dean, who, in 2004, wageda huge Internet campaign in an attempt toattract young voters.The problem of such low participationis especially noticeable in Iowa, where thecaucus process is so involved that onlythe most devoted party activists usuallyattend. This fact can produce surprisingresults, as is evident in the fact that recentpolls have Mike Huckabee as the leading“Get out of bed, the house is on fire!”Even for someone who does not likemornings, hearing these words at 5AMon a cold December morning caused meto leap (literally) out of bed. As I quicklygot dressed, I scanned my room to seewhat I might take with me. At six yearsold, this is no minor decision, and sinceI could carry little, little of what was inmy room was brought out with me. Myparents were much more concerned withtrying to take out of the house importantthings necessary for us to live. So, I lostmost of what I had on that day.This tragic event caused great distressRepublican candidate in Iowa.The decisive nature of this year’s pollis surprising, given how close both parties’primary election races are running as theVOTES BY CANDIDATEprimaries approach.The results are also quite atypicalof Fenwick elections. In past yearsmuch of the student population hasvoted for Republican candidates. Notonly did a Democratic candidate havea landslide victory this year, but also,all the Republican candidates combinedcontrolled only 100 votes out of 235,compared to Senator Obama’s 105.Moderate students may have beenlargely influenced by their view of theA Christmas Memoryfrom Father DurhamIllustration by Pat McMahonfor my parents (though I felt kind ofexcited because at 6 years old the firetrucks came to my house). I rememberthis time, shortly before the Christmasseason, as the first time I learned thevalue of experiencing the kindnessof strangers. There was one gift inparticular I received that Christmas whichI recall vividly: a set of tin soldiers.They were not new; in fact they had beenused again and again. In fact, some of thearms had been broken off, and in otherinstances some of the pieces were bent.But what impressed me on thatChristmas of 1969 was the generosity ofpeople I did not even know. I rememberfeeling a deep sense of gratitude thatthese strangers were moved to make surea child they had never met had somethingto play with on Christmas day.And while there are other gifts I wasexcited to receive, the gift of these tinsoldiers reminded me I had much to bethankful. We had lost our house, buthad the means to move into a new one.While our old house burned down, no onewas hurt or killed. And perhaps most ofall, I learned (though I would not haveput it this way then) the meaning of theincarnation: The Son of God becamereal, incarnated as a human being, so hisexample of love could be made incarnatein us.current White House administration.With President Bush’s approval ratingshovering around 30%, many Republicanloyalists are worried about the effect thatthe controversial Bush administrationwill have on the 2008 election.It is no coincidence that PresidentBush has not been seen makingcampaign stops for the RepublicanParty.An equally interesting contributorto Obama’s inflated numbers is thedismal performance by Senator HillaryClinton. While she leads most majornational polls, she was only able tocapture a mere 3 votes from the seniorclass. While it is certainly a reflectionof Clinton’s low likability ratingamong young voters, this could alsobe a dangerous indicator of voters’unwillingness to actually vote for her,despite what they may tell pollsters.Without any official ballots havingbeen cast, it is impossible to determinewhich candidates will actually receivethe most voter support.On another note, the wildlyimpressive 14 votes garnered by Mr.Groom are a testament to the Americandemocratic system. Unknown candidateswith (quite literally) no campaign fundingcan make an impressive showing.Candidates like Peter Groom servethe important function of keeping the“mainstream” candidates honest, and ofmaking the issues, not the dollars, drivethe campaign.Senior basketball player Will Marshallsinks a shot during team practice. TheVarsity Boys’ Basketball team has comeback from a rough 0-2 start and now hasa winning record. At their home opener,the team beat rival Brother Rice, whohad been undefeated (3-0) prior to thematchup. The team is led by SeniorsJohn Comfort, Derek Tart, Larry Walker,and Matt Condron, and Junior XaviorHumphrey. They have a busy scheduleover Christmas break, including theProviso West Tournament. For more onbasketball and other Fenwick sports,turn to the back page. Photo by David Elias

Construction draws to a close with unforseen additionsThis is the view of the addition from the top of the old Link stairs. The doorwaybelow, where the glass doors used to be, opens up to the new waiting area. Thisstaircase has been extended and now leads up to the new classrooms of the WestWing. Photo by Rebecca OrrAmerican Governmentfield trip highlights debateover student rightsBy Katie TruccoA train ride into the city, lunchat the Union League Club, andmeeting kids from all around thestate. Can you ask for a betterway to spend a school day? OnFriday, November 30th, Ms. Logas’American Government classparticipated in the Equal JusticeUnder Law Conference. The eventwas hosted by the ConstitutionalRights Foundation of Chicago, andbrought juniors and seniors from allparts of Illinois to deliberate on theU.S. Supreme Court case Morse v.Frederick.The class took the Green Lineinto the city, making the experiencemuch more convenient. After ashort walk to the Dirksen FederalCourthouse, they met with theother participating schools in alarge courtroom, where they heardspeeches by Hon. James Holderman,the Chief Judge of the U.S. DistrictCourt for the Northern District ofIllinois, and Gary Feinerman, anattorney at Sidley Austin LLP. Theytalked about the importance ofstudents’ rights, and how the issuessurrounding it are relevant today.Group discussions were the mainactivity for the day, so the studentswere split up into “panels” to reviewthe facts related to the case. Eachstudent in the group was giventhe opportunity to say why theysupported either Morse or Frederick;from there, each group came up withtheir own vote on the verdict.After deliberations, the studentsgathered for panel questioning. Thepanel was made up of two people,each with different opinions onthe case. Ms. Terri Hanrahan, theprincipal at Glenbard South HighSchool, took Principal Morse’s side,while Mr. James Ferg-Cadima, fromthe ACLU, took Joseph Frederick’sside. Typically, the ACLU issupportive of student’s rights andfreedom of speech. Though thepanelists had opposing viewpointson the case, they were veryrespectful of each other’s opinions.To clarify what Morse v. Frederickwas really about, the class spent asubstantial amount of time preparingfor discussions and practicingpolicy-making skills.Morse v. Frederick is probablynot a very familiar topic to manypeople. Joe Frederick, then asenior at Juneau-Douglas HighSchool in Juneau, Alaska, had beendisciplined for refusing to leavethe campus when asked to do so,and for turning his back on the flagduring the Pledge of Allegiance. Heclaimed that by turning his back,he was protesting against “a schooladministration that clearly lackedcommon sense and abused its powerto retaliate against anyone whodared question their authority.” OnJanuary 24, 2002, in response to hispunishment, Frederick held up a 14-foot long banner that read “BONGHITS 4 JESUS” as the OlympicTorch Ceremony passed through histown.Principal Deborah Morse, whohad dismissed classes for the restof the day for the event, took thebanner from him and served himwith a suspension. Feeling that hisrights were violated, he brought hiscase to the U.S. District Court forthe District of Alaska, who ruled infavor of the school board.Still unhappy and unsettledwith the situation, he broughthis case to the 9th U.S. CircuitCourt of Appeals, who voted infavor of Frederick. In response tothis, Principal Morse countersuedFrederick, and the case was broughtto the Supreme Court. On March19th, 2007, the Supreme Court ruledin favor of Principal Morse.This case set the standards ofstudent rights all over the country.High school students, because ofthis and many cases preceding it,must be aware that their actionsand language can have severeconsequences.The American Governmentclass obtained new information andknowledge from the conference,and was able to debate it in an openforum.By Megan HickeyLooking back on the senior year for theclass of 2008, a few things already standout. Homecoming week, the deadline forapplications, and raffle days are only someof the events that come to mind. Yet whatmakes these experiences different from othergraduating classes is the school atmospherehere at Fenwick.Yes, the construction project seems tohave altered nearly every aspect of senioryear, from where we park, to how we enterthe building, and even to where some of ourclasses meet. It seems like the student bodyhas had to make a lot of adjustments for thisproject, and some students are left wonderingwhen we will actually see the results. Well,after speaking with Dr. Lordan, a facultyauthority on the construction proceedings, itseems like the construction is finally comingto a successful conclusion.Dr. Lordan commented that theconstruction project had been extremelysuccessful thus far, but that there were a fewinstances in which the original plans couldnot be carried out. The link elevator had tobe extended to three floors to facilitate theschool’s unanticipated need. In addition,an emergency generator was installed in theschool.In the case of a power outage in OakPark, Fenwick High School will be able togenerate electricity independently, much likea hospital. The generator was too big for theroof so a brick encasing had to be constructedand planted in the parking lot. Both theelevator and the generator were unforeseenadditions to the construction plans and thusused up valuable building time.The original plan was to have most of thework completed by December 13th, but withthese additions a more realistic deadline hasbeen set for second semester. By January 9th,the project should be in its winding downstages and by January 15th the contractorsshould be out of the building. This is still notfar off the original plan and it’s comforting tothink that the class of 2008 will soon be ableto enjoy their last semester at Fenwick freefrom drilling and pounding.Another fortunate aspect of thisconstruction project is the lack of accidentsor injuries. No students have been involvedin any problems involving construction.Additionally, there were only two smallaccidents reported by construction workers,neither of whom suffered injuries.While many of the seniors this year havebeen grumbling about third floor lockersand the lack of lottery parking in the lot, theadministration hasn’t left us completely outin the cold. New lockers will be constructednear the library and on the empty wall spacein new corridors, and these will be awarded toseniors when they are available.There will probably not be lottery parkingin the school parking due to the loss of at leastseven spaces with the expansion. However,the village of Oak Park has granted Fenwicka 125 space parking lot where students willbe able to park seven days a week, from 6amto 10pm.While it seems like it has been foreversince students have been able to park onWashington Blvd. or enter into the South sideof the building, the time is approaching whenthe seniors, and the rest of the school, will beable to enjoy the beautiful additions to thisever-expanding building.The Fenwick shielf appears beneath the dust and dirt of Construction in the new waiting area next tothe parking lot. Photo by Rebecca OrrCAFE embraces Christmasspirit with “Letters to Santa”By Brittany KelliherFor most of us, when we hear theword” cafe” we imagine a quaint bistro withcute little tables lining a sun soaked sidewalk,ice cubes bouncing about in lemonade, anddelicate sandwiches. But for Brooke Young,Isabel Sanchez, Tierra Bradford, and AlexisFrank, CAFE invokes a rather different image.This word causes them not to salivate, but tothink of others, and if you ask me, they gotthe better end of the deal. These four youngwomen are members of the rather new club,CAFE, or Cultural Awareness for Everyone,devoted to blurring the lines between differentpeoples. They embrace February, helpingto make the accomplishments of blackAmericans known. They do the same inMarch for great females in Women’s HistoryMonth. In December, they take on quite alarge task, one that involves over a quarter ofall of us.“Letters to Santa” has been awell-loved tradition since the days we weregreeted each morning by Mr. O’Rourke andhis baseball bat. It was originally begun byMr. O’Rourke and Mr. Griffin, but since bothbeloved teachers have moved on from ourschool, the project has been taken over byCAFE and Mr. Egan. Foster children, rangingfrom 2 months to 18 years, write lettersasking “Santa”, better known as the Fenwickstudents, for a few gifts to lie beneath thetwinkling lights of their Christmas tree. Suchrequests range from clothes and pajamas, tobikes and basketballs. The presents were duelast week, and most students brought them inin a timely fashion. These gifts, bundled withwith care in shiny wrapping paper are droppedoff at Fenwick to be delivered to the fosterhomes.In light of the Christmas spirit, CAFEfeels that this is an opportune time to helpthose who are less fortunate, who have nofamily to spend the holidays with and wouldotherwise have no gifts. It’s safe to say theFenwick community agrees. We have openedup our hearts, helping to bring Christmascheer to over 300 children this year.

Last Christmas, my parents boughtme Twilight Princess for the Wii...and the walkthrough guide... and acard with a piece of paper in it thatsaid ‘ We’re sorry, but we couldnot reserve your Wii” (I got it 2days later) - Kim Donovan“Feliz naviblah!” “That doesn’tmean anything.” “Maybe not toyou, but in English that’s Spanishfor Merry Christmas.” - Mike JankI watch every minute of the 24-hour “Christmas Story”marathon - Jim TardellaDuring the Christmas holidaywhen I was 5, I was so upset to goto ballet class, because other kidswere outside making snowmen,and I wanted to be out in the snowas well. So after the class, mydad drove me home, and immediatelywe built a snowman together- Terri FerraraI would like to wish a very MerryChristmas and Happy Hanukkah tomy favorite quarterback, MichaelJ. Androwich. Thanks for theT.D’s Mike!!!! - Pat CahillI wish everyone a warm and joyful Christmas!- Brema SchillingerBy Ms. DuffeyWhen I conjure up memoriesof Christmas, my mindwanders home to Mobile,AL. In fact, when I’mordering my white chocolatepeppermint latte in Starbucksor purchasing thatlast minute Christmas gift atNordstrom, and I hear FrankSinatra’s “I’ll be Home forChristmas” wafting throughthe shop, visions of mythe magnolia trees outsidemy house, bejeweled withwhite lights, dance throughmy head. Having lived infour different places overthe last five years, fromLondon, to Indiana, to Louisiana, and now Illinois, Christmas and “going home”have become synonymous. What is it about home that trumps the lure of aLouisiana a Cajun Christmas or the London street scenes that make you feel asif you’re starring in Dickens’s A Christmas Carol? I think it’s the familiarity ofmy family’s Christmas traditions that greet me most warmly when I return homefrom less familiar lands every December. It’s the annual viewing of WhiteChristmas (compensation for our paucity of snow in Alabama) on ChristmasEve, it’s decorating sugar cookies to look like snowmen and angels, it’s the freshcrab cakes Mom makes every Christmas morning, it’s trimming the NutcrackerthemedChristmas tree that my parents reserve for my sister and me so that wecan relive our dancing days, and it’s the children’s choir at St. Ignatius CatholicChurch, my hometown parish, at Christmas Eve Mass. But I think it’s also themagic that punctuates my Christmas memories that render them so unforgettable.I can recall the Christmas “elves” visiting my youngest siblings—still believers—andleaving “snow” angels in the sugar and remnants of marshmallowsnowball fights throughout the kitchen. I remember the year that Santa managedto deliver all of our gifts while we were at Midnight Mass and all the years afterwhen he has planted hidden presents that are sometimes not discovered untilmonths later when our mundane routines crave a little Christmas spice. Withmemories replete with the perfect blend of so much tradition and magic, it’s nosurprise that I say, “Yes, Frank Sinatra, I will be home for Christmas…and notonly in my dreams.”Buon Natale! Feliz Navidad! MerryChristmas to all! I hope thateveryones’ Christmas wishes cometrue! Also, Happy New Year!- Ceci DiTommasoWhen my sister was 5 and got underwearand booksfrom my aunt anduncle. She said,“underwear - that’sjust gross... andbooks - I can’t even read! - StephanyMazurMerry Christmas and Happy New Year toall my amazing friends. I love you!- Colleen LattyakI wish it snows 5 feet and that we havemany snow days. Happy Christmas! -Alyssa AlbertsI want to wish you all a Merry Christmas!- Kathleen MullenMy wish for Christmas is that everyonehas a great holiday - Michael ComiskeyMay your heart be filled with loveand laughter. Merry Christmas.- Michelle VillegasBuon Giorno, period 2 Italian Iclass! - Tina and TessaMay everyone have a holiday season fullof love, joy, and peace! - Stephanie BurciaMerry Christmas and a Happy New Year!Rachel Fields, Mallary Price, Chelsea Cooper,Taylor Soja, & Victoria Peralta!! I loveyou guys! - Tatjana VazquezI would like to wish everyone a wonderfulChristmas and Happy Holidays! - BrittneyKulikHappy Birthday, Jesus! -Charlie PenicookMerry ChristmasAnnabanana,Huenster, Shel,and Ker! I love you four - Casey KeelMerry Christmas and Happy New Year. Ihope everyone has a safe and fun holidayseason - Mary Bridget BarrettMerry Christmas!!! And Happy New Year!- Emma McKerninMerry Christmas - Kevin CooneyThough the cold at your fingers bites, havea warm Christmas night! - Mark VranicarMy favorite Christmas memory is whenI was a kid and decided to cut down ourChristmastree, unsuccessfully,and managedtobreak everyglass ornament on the tree - Joe SweeneyMerry Christmasto Jess, Carla, andLaura!!! I love youguys! - Erin LattyakMerry Christmas anda Happy New Year!- Daniel FloresHappy Holidays -Mark DonatelliMerry Christmas toall! Enjoy your winterbreak! - Ray LafortezaMerry Christmas anda Happy New Year!I hope everyone hasa happy and healthyholiday!! - Ria Mc-MahonI wish that the comstruction finally willget done at Fenwick, so that we don’thave to hear it anymore - Matt PhilbinI remember oneChristmas Eve myfamily and I volunteeredat a homelessshelter and helpedcook a Christmas dinner.It was pricelessto see them smile onChristmas and give gifts - Rachel CanforaEveryone have a good Christmas- Conor WardI wish that Santa Claus was real- Michael BolzanMerry Christmas from Thurman Murman- Matt KellyShout out to Santa - Christian SparacinoMerry Christmas RJ- Jack BrennanHappy Holidays!- Damiano FiumaraFeliz Navidad! Have a good break!- Kelly RyanIllustration by Nolan HopkinsonDon’t eat yellow snow! Merry Christmas!- Kit WalshMerry Christmas - Tara DoyleChristmas will always wear theface of my father. He died justtwo long-short years ago. Thereare very few pictures of Dad atChristmas time because he wasalways behind the 8 mm camerarecording chaotic mornings. Hewas meant to hold the moviecamera. He was the auteur—aFrench term often applied to anartistic film director. That was myfather: the auteur, the author, thedirector of our Christmas feast.His drama began weeks beforeDecember 25th. As soon as Adventwas lighting its candles, he excusedhimself following most eveningmeals leaving instructions thatthe eight of us (seven children plus mom—two younger Pauletts would be born later)should remain at the table. The carelessness of youth doesn’t question these typesof instructions especially when given with the ease and indifference my father hadmastered. A few minutes of waiting and then a loud rap sounded on the window thatfronted the dining room. All of us screamed in delight. Santa!! It was Santa Clausknocking on the window to let us know that he was watching us. “He sees you whenyou’re sleeping…he knows when you’re awake.” We rushed to the window everynight. Every night we failed to catch a glimpse of the jolly old elf before he magicallyslipped away. In a minute (less it seemed but it must have been a minute,) my fatherreentered the room. The Paulett children reported to him breathlessly the marvelousevent. The next night we reported it again—we knew better than to spoil the ritualwith doubt. How sad it was, we thought, that dad never got to be a witness to thesuburban visit from St. Nicholas.This all happened in the early part of the evening because dad had to hasten to hisseasonal job at Western Auto. I don’t think this chain of stores exists anymore. Theywere primarily tire stores which filled their shelves with toys at Christmas. I am toldthat my father did not take a pay check for the time he spent but instead waited until

Happy Kwanzaa - Dan CookOne of my favorite Christmas memoriesis when my parents flew my siblings andme to the Bahamas and to our surprise,our four grandparents were there waitingfor us with our gifts. We were ableto spend Christmas with our family, andstill enjoy a vacation! - Garry MitchellI wish that this Christmas will be amemorable white Christmas with a lot ofsnow - Alex HoltermanEvery year, my family decorates thetree. It’s become a very strong tradition.Every ornament represents a belovedmemory. -Katherine TrainorI remember when we were in betweenmoving, and had to stayin an apartment overChristmas. I wanted thisred Schwinn bike. I wokeup to find it displayed inthe living room. I wastoo anxious to wait untilwe moved out to ride it, so my dad andI took it down to the basement garage,and I rode my bike in and out of all thecars in the dark on Christmas morning- Gabrielle DoughertyI want Xbox 360, with Halo 3, SK8,Assasins Creed, and NBA Live08- Alex IanessaMerry Xmas to all my friendsand students:Incarnation:I am with you. Here,not there, not even near. Here.Breathcould not be closernor hot blood pulse.(Larry Janowski)- Dr. BostockMerry Christmas Fenwick students -Hannah EhlenbachEnjoy the mixed nuts and mistletoe.Thanks for reading. Mr. SullivanI would like to wish everyone a very MerryChristmas, especially Aly, Philbin, andMatu :) - Kat HickeyDon’t shoot your eyes out, kids! HappyHolidays! - Kristen SvareninaMerry Christmas to all of my friends fromSVF and all of my new friends at Fenwickand Mr. Schoeph and all of my teachers.Have A Great Holiday! - Alexander DuranOne of my favorite Christmas memoriesis in Kindergarten when we made the foodfor Santa’s reindeers out of oatmeal andglitter and put it out on our front lawns forthem to eat - Taylor HochI remember when my cousins and I wereyounger, the adults would put us in a roomso we couldwait for Santato come, andwe would singChristmassongs to thewindow andwatch for him - Natalie SkrydA tous mes chers élèves deFrançais: Je vous souhaite tousun Noël plein de paix et de joie.- Madame SchmuckI remember when some Suzie girl mademe give away a huge sack of presents and Ihad heart trouble - John GoedertTeacher portraits by Pat McMahonthe last nights before the 25th when he would gather toys equal to his hours of clerking.The result was an abbondanza for our large family. During this recent Thanksgivingholiday, my brother and sister and I pulled out the old films. Even now it is a marvel tosee the old living room filled with trains, bicycles, dolls, small kitchens, footballs andchemistry sets.My favorite Christmasmemory iswhen my familyand I spontaneouslypacked up and droveto a breeder to get apuppy! - ChristineSchufreiderThis Christmas, Iwould like to wishall the families ofFenwick a safe,healthy, and merryholiday! MerryChristmas andHappy New Year!- Stephanie OvalleI wish I could bepublished in theWick. It came true!Here’s to all of yourChristmas wishescoming true. MerryChristmas!- Kevin MatuszewskiMerry Christmas tothe Fenwick studentsand staff!-Sarah MansurCartoon by Vincent KaminskiBy Mr. SlajchertWhen my son Matt was about 10, he set a trap on Christmas Eve. Our familytradition had been to attend Midnight Mass at St. Benedict the AfricanChurch because we liked the music so much. Devious person that I was, Iwould always “forget” something after we had piled into the car, and wouldhave to go back into the house to “find” something, such as my wallet.During that time, I would furiously toss all the presents under the Christmastree so that Santa would have visited while we were at Mass. Matt haddecided he wanted to catch Santa in the act, so he set up our video camerafacing the fireplace (which was, after all, a non-functional, South Sidefireplace), and turned it on before we left. Since he had tipped off his plansto his mom a day or two earlier, I was prepared with a clip of Santa comingout of a fireplace with gifts, in really bad focus, and heading directly to thecamera source to turn it off. I put this one into the camera, ate the cookies,drank the milk, and rushed back out to the car, all within about five minutes(it took me a while to “find my wallet”). The next day, I peeked into theroom where Matt was watching the video, and heard him say, “Holy s---.”The center of his Christmas devotion was the creche he carefully set up each year. Heworked on it for weeks—in a sense it was never finished. Mary and Joseph and theinfant were placed first. Shepherds and wise men were carefully positioned. When hegot to the angels, the display began to lose focus and uniformity of design. Any angelhe found was hung from the ceiling. Wax altar boys were added on the hill abovethe manger. A sheet of aluminum foil became the ice on a lake and the small rubberskaters he found at Woolworth’s glided effortlessly in first century Palestine. In lateryears, Dickens-era houses filled the little town of Bethlehem. His excess provoked mysiblings and me to add our toys; small soldiers and football players. He welcomed theadditions or at least never removed them.In the last years of dad’s life, he suffered from vascular dementia. His memory andhis ability to deal with his days fled—there would be no auteur at Christmas. We weregrown though (the two other siblings had been added and even they were grown) so weall could direct holidays for our own sons and daughters. The large, rambling house inwhich we were raised gave way to a small apartment for mom and dad. Mom boughta small artificial tree and took over the display of the nativity—in much better taste,limiting the characters to those actually recorded in Matthew and Luke.It was December of 2004, about eleven months before he died. I was making a visitfrom my out of town home. Mom fussed in the kitchen as dad simply sat in a chairand stared straight ahead. I left the room--to answer the phone, I suppose. When Ireturned, he had risen and walked over near the crèche. I helped him back to his chair.As I turned around, my eye was caught by a small red figure near the shepherds. SantaClaus had been added to those who came to adore Him. Venite adoremus.As December arrives this year, I hear the knock on the window again. I think abouta now-defunct tire store in which he traded his time for our Christmas morningexcitement. And I wish I could see a wax acolyte candle where a wise man ought tobe. That’s the way he would direct the scene.- Mr. PaulettSam MurrayWick Christmas GreetingThe Wick compiles student and faculty memories and wishesin an attempt to convey what Christmas means to the Fenwickstudent body and staff. The Wick would like to thank all thestudents and teachers who contributed their time and effort tothis page. We would also like to echo the sentiments portrayedin these greetings: Have a wonderful holiday break, spent withfamily and friends, and try not to stress too much about finals!-Merry Christmas from the Wick staff

Top Five Albums to Ruin Your Parents’ Holiday PartyBy Beau BlakelySo it’s the holidays again and your parents are havinganother holiday party. You know what that means: yourmom’s list of pre-celebratory chores. Of course there’s themainstays on the list: pick your clothes up off the floor,get your shoes away from the door, make your bed so thecleaning people can change your sheets (I know, it nevermade sense to me either), and so on. But for a holidayparty there’s one more thing on the list - you’re in chargeof putting the Christmas CD’s in the stereo. As you sortthrough the Bacarach, Manilow, and Carpenters albums,an idea forms in your head. What better revenge onyour chore-mongering mother than slipping a few albumsof your own into the mix? Of course, you’ll need to findthe albums with the right mix of deafening volume andshocking lyrics. That’s where this list comes in. Listedbelow are five albums guaranteed to make sure yourgrandma never writes you a check for Christmas everagain.5 - Live at Leeds - The WhoI know, its a Who album. Yeah, the guys who wrote thesong about the pinball kid. That song’s not scary, but didyou ever see what these guys looked like onstage? Theywere thugs! Roger Daltrey would strut around with hisbarrel chest, daring someone to look at him the wrongway so he could indulge in his favorite past time ofpunching people out, Pete Townshend was never seenwithout a white jumpsuit that looked disturbingly like anasylum uniform, Keith Moon looked as if he’d cut youfor your wallet as soon as look at you, and John Entwistlewore a skeleton costume onstage! In addition to theirintimidating physical presence, these would-be hooligansfrom London were frightening with their instruments inhand. Who concerts are the stuff of legend. The Who weredeafeningly loud, with Pete Townsend shooting blasts offeedback and power chords at the crowd as if his guitarwas a machine gun. Combine a menacing look with acrushing live sound and you have the ingredients for apotential party-buster.4 - Entertainment! - Gang of FourGang of Four were not your typical punk band in the70’s. Rather than deal in two-minute, three-chordblasts of energy, Gang of Four preferred to temper theirWhen in Western Springs:More than StarbucksBy Mark DragoPerhaps you drive down 294 and always wonderwhat would happen if you went east on Ogden instead ofwest, or you drive west on 31st and decide to turn southon Wolf and wonder why you are in the middle of aforest preserve. Maybe you’re driving along 47th streetand wonder what that area is between LaGrange andHinsdale. Well, that area is Western Springs. Granted,Western Springs does not have a movie theater likeLaGrange with sticky floors that show movies that arealready out on DVD, it does not have multiple places toget over priced coffee like Oak Park, nor does it have afountain like Elmhurst for pre-teen skaters to hang outat, but it does have character. If it wasn’t for the multicoloredbanners, next to the hard to miss water tower thatused to say, “Character Counts”, you might not know it,but Western Springs is so much more than just that townin-between LaGrange and Hinsdale.Let’s begin with what some might think is themost important aspect of a town. Where do you get acappuccino? Yes, there is a Starbucks. There is alsoKirschbaum’s, a bakery that makes the best smiley facecookies you will ever find, but there is more to a villagethan just the downtown. Western Springs also has greatparks. Spring Rock has every field and court imaginableincluding baseball, lacrosse, soccer, and tennis. It evenhas a beach volleyball court, a roller skating rink, andif it snows, a sledding hill. There is also a gravel paththat borders Spring Rock, which is great for running. Ifyou travel off this path you might find yourself at FlagCreek. In the winter this creek provides an excellentplace to ice skate, and you don’t have to worry about amillion people laughing at you if you fall down. BesidesSpring Rock, there is Bemis Woods. Enter Bemis Woodsand you can escape the noisy sounds of traffic and enjoypeace and tranquility.So next time the traffic annoys you, the MillenniumPark’s ice rink is too crowded, or you just feel coopedup from being inside too long, come to Western Springs.And when you get tired of the great outdoors, there’salways Starbucks.aggression with some of the most bleak, robotic musicever committed to tape. The band sounds really more likea factory than a group of musicians, with clattering guitarsandjackhammer drums. Gang of Four’s sound is ironic whencompared to their lyrics, biting indictments of capitalismPhoto by Rebecca Orrand the evils it inflicts upon society. Turn this album upand watch your rich uncle squirm with guilt.3 - Plastic Surgery Disasters - Dead KennedysOkay, as soon as this album comes on, run into the roomand scream, “Hey! Its the Dead Kennedys!” and you’llhave succeeded in offending everyone in the room. Its aseasy as that. Of course, you could always let Jello Biafraand his crew take care of offending people for you.Biafra once claimed in an interview that Plastic SurgeryDisasters was mixed to be annoying, and he couldn’t bemore correct. The mix allows East Bay Ray’s screechingguitar and Jello Biafra’s warbling voice to take front andcenter, resulting in a tinny, piercing sound that kicks inBESTCHRISTMASMOVIESTHEN AND NOWClassics1. A Charlie Brown Christmas2. White Christmas3. Miracle of 34th Street4. It’s A Wonderful Life5. Holiday InnNew Favorites1. Elf2. Love Actually3. The Holiday4. The Santa Clause5. National LampoonsChristmas Vacationat the beginning of “Government Flu” and lasts throughthe rest of the album. If the Kennedys’ production isn’tenough to offend your family, Biafra’s lyrical contentcertainly will - with song titles like “Terminal Preppie,”“Riot,” and “Bleed for Me” how could it not? But perhapsthe best case for this album’s inclusion on this list is madein the last few lines of “Halloween” where Biafra tells theaudience exactly where to stick their social regulations.2 - Fun House - The StoogesThe most primal album ever made. The drums are simpleand bludgeoning, the bass is awkwardly funky, the guitaris a mess of wrong notes and dissonance, and Iggy Popeschews singing on this album, preferring to screech likea caged animal being beaten to death with a baseballbat. Everything about this album practically drips withmachismo and menace. Pop’s lyrical fare is base, andhe revels in his offensiveness. Of course, its difficult tomake out anything Iggy is actually singing because he isdrowned out by his band mates, who sound like cavemenwho have just picked up an electric guitar, a bass, and apair of drumsticks. Even when a saxophone is introducedlater in the album, its just for sexual menace rather thanany touch of class. Fun House is the most balls-out violentsexist rock and roll album ever, and what better way toruin a party than with a balls-outviolent sexist rock and roll album?1 - None So Vile - CryptopsyThe sound of the world ending, that’s all this albumcan be described as. No time but the Apocalypse wereany sounds such as these supposed to fall on humanears. Grinding riffs and frantic drums create the perfectbackground for vocalist Lord Worm’s piercing screamsand guttural grunts. This album is how you alwaysimagined death metal to be, but much much worse. Thereis nary a positive thought or break from the relentlessonslaught of guitars on the entire album, save for theopening of “Phobophile,” but don’t worry, that only lastsa few seconds before Lord Worm and company blast backin with the lyrics “Rar rar rar rar UUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH!” (or something like that). If thisalbum doesn’t clear the room, turn up the volume on yourgrandparents’ hearing aids.Merry Christmasand a Happy New Yearfrom all of us at the Wick

D o w e c a r e t o o m u c h ?By Katie TruccoThere is no escaping the wrath ofHollywood gossip anymore. The internet,for one, is constantly bombarding thepublic with new developments in the latestbreakup, or breaking news about who’s withwhom. Anyone who goes to the grocerystore on a weekly basis can’t help but gazeat the tabloids that graffiti the shelves in thecheckout lines. Even major news channelslike CNN devote nightly shows completelyto the daily Hollywood scoop.Another handful of soldiers die in Iraq,and no one even bats an eye. It’s like thepublic is immune to reacting to the deathtoll in the War on Terror. Yet Lindsay Lohanenters rehab, and we immediately pounceon it, while news channels bring in their“world-renowned” psychologists to analyzewhat influenced her to do such things.According to infoplease.com, in 2005TIME Magazine ranked 11th in the top100 Consumer Magazines, with PeopleMagazine coming in 12th. SeventeenMagazine ranked 31st, with U.S. News andWorld Report at 32nd. Either there are moreteenage girls than ever before in Americaor the public’s interest in such topics iswaning.We look down on socialites, heiresses,child actors, and musicians with shamewhen they behave badly, when in factwe are fueling this behavior by shininga light on the problem. The public givesthese delinquents exactly what they want,attention, whether or not it is for good orbad reasons.Does the day January 3rd, 2004 soundfamiliar? Britney Spears got married to herchildhood friend Jason Alexander in LasVegas that day, only to have it annulled lessthan 2 days later. There’s a good chance,however, that the American public hasno idea that NASA’s Spirit Rover landedon Mars that day as well. Why? PerhapsBritney’s shortcomings are more importantthan scientific advancements, but shame onher for putting her sons in the wrong carseats.The American public tends to slap thewrists of badly behaving celebrities, butthe 3,734,536 copies of People Magazinesold in 2005 beg to differ. We say thatthey’re bad influences and we worry whenyoung girls dress inappropriately, but whatchoice is there when tabloids screaming“LINDSAY ARRESTED AGAIN!”complete with pictures of a scantily-cladLindsay are sprawled across America.This is not to say that every home inAmerica buys tabloids on a weekly basis.Many parents want to prevent their childrenfrom seeing this bad behavior displayed ina positive light. But nowadays, this simpletask is becoming harder and harder. Kids arewatching more television than ever before;they are also savvier with computers and theinternet than most adults. The toy shelvesare littered with “Bratz” dolls, which aresmaller versions of Barbie, just with more“attitude.” Who are young girlssupposed to look up to, when images ofgirls in trashy outfits are plaguing their viewof the world?Unless we plan on turning off ourtelevisions and computers forever, ornever opening up a magazine again, weas a society are left with no choice but todeal with what we have been dealt by themedia. Maybe Hollywood gossip adds somevariety to our lives, to prevent us fromtaking ourselves too seriously. But there isa fine line between obsession and interest,and society is coming dangerously close tocrossing it.E D I T O R I A LGive us a break, a real breakAh, December 19th is almost here; the day when we Fenwick students will finally be free.Free from the hum and drum of the everday school schedule, free from walking in the freezingcold from you parking space a mile away to school, free from getting yelled at for wearingillegal hoodies and sweaters. How nice and refreshing.But wait, not so fast. Not all of the worries and cares of Fenwick students will magicallyslip away at the beginning of Christmas Break. Enter final exams. Those dreaded tests thatmake you think all the way back to what you learned in August (when it was nice and warm)and regurgitate it on a double-sided 200 question scantron. And sure, every student whopasses through high school has to deal with these exams, so what’s the big deal? The big dealis that our exams happen to occur after our supposedly relaxing Christmas break. Ouch.When students have to be studying for final exams or even thinking about them over abreak, it becomes more of a “reading period” like what some colleges have before finalexams. Ever heard anyone say, “Have a great Christmas reading period!” We didn’t thinkso. Because the tests are after two full weeks of “freedom,” students often foget much of thematerial that was taught before the break, and this is definitely not conducive to testing wellon a big exam that can determine a huge portion of a final grade.The final exams schedule should really reflect what is best for the students; for they are,after all, the ones that the exams affect the most and are the ones who actually have to racktheir brains to take the tests. It might be worth it to survey the student body and faculty aboutswitching the calendar to facilitate finals before Christmas.By John GoedertExcuse me for a second as I get on top of mysoapbox. Ahh…wait for it…yah, there we go. Nowthat I’m up here, I’d like to say something to everyone:Merry Christmas. This statement isn’t going to raiseany eyebrows here at Fenwick High School. The vastmajority of us are Catholic, and the remaining percentare mostly Christian. But once you step outside ofthese doors, it’s a whole new ballgame. We live in aworld where “Merry Christmas” is becoming nearly asoffensive as a recently buried racial slur. There are manywho feel that, because they do not celebrate Christmas,being told “Merry Christmas” is more of an insult than a greeting. By applyingpressure, whether through boycotts or media attention, many businesses have beenforced into changing their greeting from “Merry Christmas” to “Happy Holidays”.The “Merry Christmas” controversy might be construed as another exampleof the ever-expanding role of political correctness in our society. Institutions oflearning have been told to spread the word that everyone is equal, but special intheir own way. Anyone who speaks otherwise, whether or not supported by factualevidence, is immediately labeled as a sexist, racist, or a bigot.There are times when this is acceptable. When a person in a public forumsubmits a petty, obvious form of intolerance for any group of people, that personneeds to be called out. But I submit to you this piece of evidence. Look at thecartoon that I asked be placed alongside my article. Pictured is the SupremeCourt. Five of the members sit, smugly grinning, while wearing the Pope’s hat, anobvious reference to five of the members of the Supreme Court being Catholic.The four other members grimly frown, and look on in horror. The cartoonrecently ran in thePhiladelphia Inquirer,the equivalent of theTribune or the Sun-Times. The paper andthe cartoonist receivedno backlash forprinting this cartoon.There was no publicoutcry – not even awhimper.But what if thesefive Justices werewearing yarmulkes(the tradition Jewishskull cap)? Do youhonestly believe thatthis cartoonist wouldThinking Outloud. . .This cartoon by Tony Auth ran in April 2007 after theSupreme Court upheld limits on abortion. Courtesy of thePhiladelphia Inquirerstill have a job? The “Merry Christmas” controversy has little to do with politicalcorrectness. Instead, it is an example of a sad truth: that Anti-Catholicism is thelast acceptable prejudice in the United States. No one will ever call you out on it.They will say you’re a racist, a sexist, an Anti-Semite, but never, ever an Anti-Catholic. While the mistreatment of African-Americans, Native Americans, andany other minority groups has recently been spotlighted in teaching Americanhistory, the plight of the Catholics has been swept under the rug. Of the originalthirteen colonies, only in Maryland could a Catholic live safely. As time went on,and the Catholic population swelled, the hatred only grew stronger. For all theattention paid to the Ku-Klux Klan’s racist tendencies, their most bitter hatredwas saved for the Catholics. In fact, the headquarters of the KKK was located inSouth Bend, Indiana, where a fairly prominent Catholic University set up shop, tocounter the Catholicism. Growing up, my father was told that he could not playon the River Forest Tennis Club’s courts because he was Catholic. He has neverreceived an apology.So don’t let people pressure you into saying “Happy Holidays”. If they’rehonestly offended by a smile and the words “Merry Christmas”, then they aren’tgoing to be happy no matter what you tell them. Don’t hide your beliefs: wearthem as a badge of pride. So I will say it again: Merry Christmas, everyone. MerryChristmas.Chemical Bondsis the monthly, free student newspaper of Fenwick High School,a Dominican College Prep school, 505 Washington Blvd., Oak Park, IL, 60302.Telephone: 708-386-0127 ex. 251. Fax: 708-386-0294Email: thewick@fenwickfriars.comSubscriptions and advertising rates available upon request. Letters and submissionsare accepted and published at the discretion of the editors.The views expressed herein are solely those of the contributors. Any claims orservices advertised herein or works reviewed in this publication are not supportedin any way by Fenwick High School or its employees.Front Page and News EditorBeyond the Moat EditorOpinion Page EditorChristmas EditorsArts and Ent. EditorSports EditorsAdviserJenna SchulteHannah EhlenbachRegina SmedinghoffSarah Mansur and Sam MurrayNeala BarronColleen Bingle and Katie TruccoGerard SullivanCartoon by Nolan Hopkinson and Vincent Kaminski

Come Support the Friar Nation!December 20th-Boys Basketball vs. OPRF@ Fenwick 7:30 PMDecember 21st-Hockey vs. Glenbard South@ Ridgeland Commons 8:00 PMJanuary 3rd-Wrestling vs. OPRF@ Fenwick 5:00January 11th-Girl’s Basketball vs. St. Ignaus Ignaus@ Fenwick 5:45 PMJanuary 18th-Boys Swimming vs. Loyola@ Fenwick 5:00 PMGirls Cross Country Finishes StrongBy Katie TruccoGiven the success that the boy’s cross country teamhad this year, it is no surprise that it rubbed off onthe girl’s team. Sophomore Margaret Connolly wonthe ESCC Championship Meet to be named the AllConference Champion, and went on to finish 7th overallat Sectionals to earn a spot at State. On November 3rd,she placed 54th out of 168 runners in the 3 mile raceat the State meet in Peoria. Focus was the key to hersuccess, as was motivation from her coaches, family,and friends. “The whole week before the actual statemeet,” she explained, “I was just trying to imagine thecompetition there and other girls I had already racedduring the season.”Right, Margaret Connolly poses with her MVPcertificate. Below, the 2007 girls cross countryteam with their coaches. Photo (below) courtesy Ms.Duffey. Photo (right) by Rebecca Orr.Throughout the meet, Margaret was surroundedby advice from Coach Beebe, who helped her withstrategies for starting the race with the right speed, andto set a goal to be in the top 40. But it was her brotherMatthias, whom had run on the course before, whoreally helped her that day. “I talked to my brother, whoreally helped me calm down and understand that I hadto run with heart, especially at the end of the race, goinguphill.”Margaret’s achievements, including being named theMost Valuble Student Athlete in the conference, havehelped her set goals for not only herself, but the restof the team as well. She will be a key member of nextyear’s team, and with her serious work ethic, she willmost likely repeat her success.Wrestling does well onBy Reid Rooneythe mat, good off the matTeam puts points on the board andcans on the shelfBy Brett SassettiCoach Jerry Ruffino and hiscrew of wrestlers standing in frontof Fenwick during the weeksbefore Thanksgiving had becomea familiar sight for us all. Coachand his wrestlers gathered there toencourage students to contribute totheir annual food drive.The team has been passionatelyinvolved in this process for the pasttwelve years. They deliver the foodand donations to Visitation Parishon the southwest side of Chicago.The team has no plans of stoppingin the future and hopes other sportsteams and clubs can join in the help.This same enthusiasm is equaled ina more intense way on the wrestlingmats.The season began this year at itsfamiliar setting, the opening meetversus Glenbard West. As in pastyears, there was a large turnoutof fans and support for the team.Alumni, teachers, past wrestlers,families, and students came withhigh expectations for this year’steam.Due to the hard work of thewrestlers, none were disappointed.Wrestling is, according to CoachRuffino, is a sport of momentum,and the Friars needed it in thisclose meet. The last to wrestlefor Fenwick was Jordan Chang(‘10), who defeated his opponentand sealed the Fenwick win. Theentire team chipped in their hardfoughtmatches, and the resultwas momentum for the rest of thisseason.The Barrington tournament wasnext on the Friars’ schedule, andeach member of Fenwick’s triplethreat dominated their way to firstin this two-day tournament. ChrisDardanes (Sophomore ranked 5th instate), Nick Dardanes (Sophomoreranked 7th in state), and BobbyBarnhisel (Junior ranked 1st instate) each took home first place.These three are captains of theteam along with Senior KevinCaiafa, who is standing out as anexperienced, vital member of theteam.Success in sports comes fromtalented athletes and intelligentleaders. Coach Ruffino and hisfour captains confidently lead thewrestling team by example andguidance. Most crucial, however, isthe team as a whole.Wrestling requires one, unifiedgroup of hard-working, determinedathletes to achieve triumph. Thewrestling team has already shownitself to be a unit with many strongathletes and will intensely fight forvictories in the future.Bowling over a surprising seasonOhio State, Georgia, Missouri, Kansas, and Hawaii,what do they all have in common? They are the fivecollege football teams ranked in theTop 10 that were left out of the preseason top tenrankings. Experts who study college football all yearround left the number 1 team in the nation, Ohio State,out of the preseason top ten. That is only a smallindicator of how crazy this year was for the millions ofcollege football fans around thecountry.The year started out with abig bang for Appalachian State.By defeating Michigan, who wasranked 5th in the nation, theybecame the first division 1-AAteam to ever beat a division 1-Ateam. It was called the greatestupset in the history of sports.That was just the beginning ofmadness. Soon after, Universityof Southern California, thenumber one ranked team in week6, lost to Stanford by a singlepoint. In almost any other yearthis would have been the singlebiggest upset in the entire year byfar, but by the end of the year thegame was almost forgotten. ThenLSU took over the numberone ranking in the nation andproceeded to lose the followingweekend to Kentucky. It is not tooChicago Tribune/MCToften we would see the number oneranked team lose on consecutiveweekends. Not only did LSU lose in week 7, thenumber two ranked team, South Florida, lost a close oneas well. Yes South Florida, the team who started theirdivision 1 program in the 1990s.Things calmed down at the top of the rankings fora few weeks until all the Fenwick graduates at BostonCollege had their hearts broken. B.C. lost while beingIllinois’ Juice Williams (7) was key to theIllini’s success. Photo by Scott Strazzante /ranked 2nd in the nation. At this point we saw Kansasranked 5th. Most of the country just knew Kansasfootball as a laughing stock of the program. Butnow they knew the team had a shot to play at thechampionship bowl game. With 2 weeks left #2 Kansasand #3 Missouri met to decide who would have a shot atthe national title vs. LSU. Missouri came out victoriousbut LSU was upset in triple overtime.At this point nobody had any idea about who wouldplay for the title game. All anyone knew was if Missouriwon their last game they werein, but of course as the #1 rankedteam, they lost to Oklahoma. Onceagain in the same week, just asthe number 1 team had done, thenumber two team lost as well.West Virginia blew their shotat the championship by losing toa below average Pittsburgh teamin the final week. Since bothteams lost, LSU and Ohio Statewere vaulted into the nationalchampionship. After that great ofa season people are upset over howbad the title game will be. Manypeople don’t think that Ohio Statehas a chance to win it all.Not only were these some ofthe examples of the chaotic seasonbut I didn’t even mention Hawaii’sundefeated season, Notre Damegoing 3-9 and losing to Navy forthe first time in 43 years.Lastly I didn’t mentionFenwick’s own senior Jack Hickeybreaking down in tears after Illinois handed Ohio Stateits only loss of the season. That ended the joke of Illinifootball and helped them make it to the Rose Bowl.Nobody can argue that this was the wildest collegefootball season ever and hopefully over Christmas breakthe madness will continue with some great bowl games.