2008-06-12 - Union Catholic Regional High School

TheProphetUNION CATHOLIC REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOLJune 11, 2008In this issue:Class of ’08 GraduationCeremony 2UC Gets Red, White andBlue for Tricky Tray 2Senior Prom: A Red CarpetAffair 3UC Survival Guide 4Junior Prom: A Night Outon the Town 4UC Students Relay for Life5Spring Athletic Banquet5Academic Awards: Grades9/10 6UC Students Seize theState Legislature 7UCPAC: “PACademyAwards” 7UC Forensics 8Hello Spring! CrosswordPuzzle 10UC Forensics 8Underclassmen SuperlativesJuniorsMost School Spirit: Mike Cowherd, Kiara CooperMost Outgoing: Mike Cowherd, Paige Peterson and Nikki BrigantinoMost Outrageous: Paul Christy, Katie ZolliMost Artistic: Gabriel Avans, Tess LoweMost Likely to Become Famous: Alex Cortes, Jeanette RudnickiMost Likely to Succeed: Chris Brown, Gina EgidioFavorite Teacher: Mr. GuzmanSophomoresMost School Spirit: DJ Thornton, Gerianna PintoMost Outgoing: Greg Gedman, Gerianna PintoMost Outrageous: Eche Nwizugbo, Megan KuhrtMost Artistic: Chaz Carter, Mariah PhilipsMost Likely to Become Famous: Jonathan Yearwood, Arielle GonzalezMost Likely to Succeed: John Cierpial, Jamie CioconFavorite Teacher: Mr. BaceFreshmenMost School Spirit: Tom Penone, Erin FarleyMost Outgoing: Mike Marciano, Holly GundersonMost Outrageous: Rich Birch, Holly GundersonMost Artistic: Miguel Guerrero, Joanna SibalaMost Likely to Become Famous: Mark Marciano, Ella ChamisMost Likely to Succeed: Sean Sarra, Colleen CassidyFavorite Teacher: Mr. Bace

THE PROPHET 2Class of ‘08 GraduatesTHE UNION CATHOLIC CLASS OF2008 graduated 192 students strong onMay 31 in the UC gymnasium at 9:00o’clock in the morning. Aside from thedistribution of diplomas, medalists,award winners and 114 scholarshipwinners were also commemorated atthe graduation ceremony. The UCclass of ’08 earned a total of$13,192,000 in scholarship money.“Turn the page, start your journey”was the theme of the three dimensionalclass of ’08 student display createdby art teacher Mr. Merola. Anotherartful aspect of the ceremonyincluded music teacher Mr. Frio playingthe piano, accompanied by someof the school band.The commencement exercisesbegan with the national anthemand a prayer led by religionteacher Mr. Wright.Following the prayer, PrincipalSister Percylee Hart,R.S.M., gave a memorablespeech to the graduates.Sister Percylee advised thegraduates that, eventhough they are leavingUC, they should still “be allGod calls them to be,” andalso to “be good, do good,and be a power for good.”Assistant PrincipalOn April 11, Union Catholic held itsannual Tricky Tray, which took place inthe gymnasium, and later, moved tothe cafeteria. This year, the theme wasAmerica, which was apparent from thered, white, and blue that flowedthroughout the cafeteria.Many UC parents, and evensome companies, donated lavish giftsand theme-filled baskets to theevent. Families gathered together inthe gym at 7:00 p.m. and bought ticketsto drop in the bins located in frontof the desired prizes. Some of theprizes included an outdoor tiki bar, aYankees basket accompanied by twotickets to the Blue Jays v. Yankeesgame, a two day and one night hotelstay at the Hilton by Newark Airport, asMrs. McCoid then read the names ofscholarship and award winners. TheKevin A. Apuzzio Award, given withboth Kevin Apuzzio’s parents andThose Guys Fire Department presentto honor the winner, was rewarded toCarlo Palencia ’08. Also, Billy Roselle’08 and Liz Scherer ’08 were grantedthe $500 Chris Obara Memorial Scholarships.The distribution of diplomasby Sister Percylee was divided up,with speeches given by Mrs. Dellanno,Humanities Curriculum Specialist, andvaledictorian Angela Sessa ’08 takingplace in between each set. Mrs. Dellannoshared an anecdote that sheheard given by a UC alumni on UCSophomore Career Day about howeveryone must live in the house thatwell as various door prizes. Aboutone hour later, the festivities movedinto the cafeteria, where the ticketfilledbins were shaken up and thewinning tickets were called.Members of the UC ServiceClub offered their time to work theevent, either setting up the day beforeor working as runners; the runnerswould relocate the prizes from thegym to the cafeteria and then deliverthe prizes to the various winners scatteredthroughout the packed cafeteria.Head of Service Club, Ms. Scutieri,said that “The students did an amazingjob setting up for the Tricky Tray theday before and had lots of energyhanding out the prizes.” An elderlywoman won the most coveted prize ofAshley Wytenushe or she built for himself or herself,no matter how greatly or poorly constructed,for as Mrs. Dellanno said,“Life is a ‘do-it-yourself’ project.”Sessa discussed how UC has preparedthe Class of 2008 for life, but emphasizedthat now their lives are in owntheir hands.After all of the graduates receiveddiplomas, Assistant PrincipalMr. Reagan presented the medals toselected students. In General Excellence,Angela Sessa ’08 was the Valedictorianwhile Michael Mastrola ’08was the Salutatorian; Brian O’Donnell’08 received the Art-Computer AidedGraphics medal; Monica Picca ’08 receivedthe Art-Fine Arts medal; CynthiaRitter ’08 received the Englishmedal, with (continued on page 3)UC Gets Red, White and Blue for TrickyTray!Nicole Sianothe night, a 50/50 which totaled to$3,401.60.Many UC seniors in ServiceClub helped with the event, as thelast tricky they will ever work. “Itwas a good last year doing it,” saidService Club Executive Board memberIvonna Thompson ’08. “It wentby much faster than previous years,and it was wonderful to see the reallygood turnout that the UC Communityhad.” Next year, the new ExecutiveBoard members will work to step upTricky Tray and continue UC’s traditionof excellence.

THE PROPHET 3Senior Prom: A Red Carpet AffairTHE CLASS OF 2008 ENJOYED ONEof their last hurrahs with the celebrationof their senior prom, held on May15 at Crystal Plaza, Livingston. Afterthe photo sessions that undoubtedlytook place at their own homes, theseniors and their dates rolled up to theplaza in style – some in limousines,others in party buses – to be greetedby teachers and faculty members.Couples were encouraged to take professionalpictures on the second floor.They also delighted in fruity drinksand hors d'oeuvres in the CocktailRoom for an hour before the GrandBallroom opened its doors.The rest of the night unfoldedto the popular songs that streamedfrom the deejay booth all night. Whilethe main entertainment came fromdancing the night away, other eventswere noteworthy: senior class presidents,Joe Chicalese, and TaylorFields gave an excited address to theirclassmates; a fancy sit-down dinner,consisting of salad, a choice of primerib or chicken francese, and a chocolatedessert with ice cream; and anincident in which two groups of boysstole the dance floor – the Mr. UC participantswowed the crowd with theirrendition of “I Will Survive,” and anothergroup led by Xavier Pineda“thrilled” their peers with the classicmonster dance made famous by MichaelJackson.Unfortunately, the nightended at midnight to the melody ofEric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight.”Everyone took their last pictures andgave their final hugs before headingback home. All who attended carriedJamie Cioconaway unforgettable memories, thanksto months of preparation by the PromCommittee. “As a member of the SeniorProm Committee, it was definitely alot of hard work getting everythingtogether,” said April Llamas ‘08. “Butin the end, it was all worth it; prom wasbeautiful, and everyone had a lot offun.”Graduation(continued from page 2)April Llamas ’08 next inmerit; Christopher Jones’08 received the FineArts- Chorus medal; MichaelSuarez ’08 receivedthe Fine Arts- Instrumentalmedal with KatherineFay ’08 next in merit; MichelleKus ’08 receivedthe French medal alongwith Michelle Klimowicz’08 next in merit; NicoleSiano ’08 received theItalian medal along withMichael DiPaolo ’08 nextin merit; Angela Sessareceived the Mathematicsaward with Alex Niziolek’08 next in merit; DanielDante ’08 and Kenya Allen’08 received the Physical Educationmedal; April Llamas ’08 received theReligion medal along with Chris Wytenus’08 next in merit; Michael Mastrolareceived the Science medal along withAlex Niziolek next in merit; JamesTrollo ’08 received the Social Studiesmedal along with Angela Sessa next inmerit; Jill Roth ‘08 received the Spanishmedal along with Angela Sessa next inmerit; and Greg Montalbano’08 received theTechnology medal alongwith Brian O’Donnellnext in merit.After the presentation ofmedals, Student CouncilPresident Tony LaRocca’08 gave a speech thankinghis parents and alsoadvising the graduates to“always remember thatyour first home is here atUC.” Following thespeech, all the graduatesproceeded outside thebuilding and then, inunison, threw their hatshigh up into the air inorder to express theirexcitement for achievingthis great milestone in their lives.

THE PROPHET 4UC Survival GuideArielle Nicole Gonzalez SianoAS ANOTHER SCHOOL YEAR IS ENDING, IT IS TIME to say goodbye to the senior class that is leaving, congratulate the juniorclass as it prepares for its final year, cheer for the sophomore class as its members become upperclassmen, pray for thefreshman class as its students become “wise fools,” and welcome the incoming eighth graders to Union Catholic. With somany students leaving and coming to UC, and all of our current students moving through the ranks, there is bound to betons of confusion, as well as an abundance of questions. Consequently, The Prophet Staff now presents a collection of thetop five pieces of advice that each class would like to give to the class underneath them.Seniors to Juniors:1. Challenge yourself, even though it’s your last year2. Don’t stop working after college acceptance; they’restill looking!3. Enjoy the privileges you have now, but don’t abusethem.4. Don’t stress about college; you’ll be fine!5. Catch up with old UC friends; it’ll be the last yearyou’re all together.Juniors to Sophomores:1. Junior year is one of the hardest; don’t slack off!2. Get all your prom plans done quickly, but don’t stress!3. Practice, but DO NOT freak out about SAT’s.4. Try to acquire leadership roles in the clubs you’re in.5. Be yourself, you’ll need it this year.Sophomores to Freshmen:1. Don’t goof off and get in trouble all the time; sophomoreyear is tough!2. Meet people who you didn’t know last year.3. Work hard to keep up grades; don’t fall into the“sophomore slump.”4. Avoid drama; it’s not needed.5. Join new clubs you didn’t know about.Freshmen to in coming Eighth graders:1. Don’t be nervous to meet new people; everyone is just asscared as you are.2. Practice with a locker lock over the summer; it saves a lotof time!3. Order UC fries =)4. Join lots of clubs early in order to meet new people.5. Work hard to establish good grades.Junior Prom: A Night Out on the TownMAY 2 WAS AN UNFORGETTABLEnight for the Class of 2009, who celebratedits prom at Berkley Plaza inBerkley Heights. This was the nightthat many juniors had been lookingforward to since freshman year andthey were able to enjoy their “Night onthe Town” from 8 p.m. until 12 a.m.After weeks of planning forthe exciting event, juniors enteredBerkley Plaza and were greeted byUnion Catholic faculty. Here, they introducedtheir date to each facultymember and proceeded into the hall,where the social hour began. The roomquickly became crowded and filledwith UC students. While some peoplehad their pictures professionally taken,others enjoyed taking their own pictureswith friends.While students continued tomingle with friends and acquaintances,they gradually moved towards thedance floor. The DJ played classicparty songs such as the “Cha ChaSlide” and “Cotton-Eyed-Joe” to geteveryone dancing.Around nine o’clock, studentswere called by table to get their food.However, before they could grab aplate, they first had to take a grouppicture. There was a buffet completewith salad, chicken, pasta, potatoes,French fries, and other various dishes.Although dinner was delicious, moststudents could not wait to get back tothe dance floor.Soon,the dance floorwas once againfilled with studentswho weredancing thenight away withthe friends anddates. Therewas a combinationof differenttypes of musicso that nearlySarah Getzeveryone there was satisfied with theselection. Slow songs were mixed inwith hip hop and rock so that studentswere able to enjoy some variety.The night got away from theClass of ’09, and before the studentsknew it, midnight had come. The finalsong of the night was “Here’s to theNight” by Eve 6, which closed theevening for the junior prom. It wastruly a night to remember.

THE PROPHET 5UC Students Relay for LifeON MAY 9 UNION CATHOLICstudents participated in Relay for Lifeat Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School.The event began at 6 o’clock on Fridaynight and went until 6 o’clock Saturdaymorning. The Student MovementAgainst Cancer andSMAC Club Adviser,religion teacher Mrs.Schurtz, organized thecharity event that helpsto raise money for cancerresearch.After arriving atthe high school and puttingtheir belongings in asmall gym, students proceededinto a largergym for the openingceremony. The ceremonybegan with theexecutive board ofScotch Plains-FanwoodHigh School SMAC welcomingthe participants.Next, there was a guestspeaker named Robbi Mattar, who wasa cancer survivor. He spoke of his experienceswith cancer and how itchanged had him. After this, the nightbegan with a survivor’s lap around theschool. The survivor’s lap is the firstlap and begins the next twelve hoursof walking. All those who have won thefight against cancer are encouraged tojoin in and lead everyone through thehigh school hallways.Once the first lap is completed,students can either continueSpring Athletic BanquetUnion Catholic commemorated springsports athletes at the Westwood inGarwood on May 22. Spring sportscoaches, parents of spring athletes,and Principal Sister Percylee Heart,R.S.M., were all in attendance for thisspecial evening. The evening consistedof fine dining and the presentationof videos made for each team bytrack coach Mr. McCabe’s Digital Filmstudents. Varsity lettering students allreceived awards, varying from theactual letter for first year lettering athletesto plaques given to four-yearlettering athletes.Starting at 6:30 at night, theSpring Athletic Banquet started offwalking, or they can participate invarious activities. It is recommendedthat each team have at least one personwalking on the track at all times.This may sound impossible, but it is tosymbolize the ongoing fight againstcancer. Those who have cancer arenot able to take a break, thereforethose participating try to do the same.Students who grew tired of walkingwere able to see a hypnotist show,play guitar hero or rock band, andsing karaoke.Around nine o’clock, the luminariaceremony was held. This verysolemn service honored those whohave been affected by cancer, as theirnames rolled across the screen to inspirationalmusic. Friends held eachwith a prayer by Sister Percylee. Thefirst video to be presented was theboy’s tennis team video, and then thegirl’s lacrosse team video played. TheUC girl’s lacrosse team entered intotheir first year of varsity play thisspring season, and the video markedthis new beginning for girl’s lacrosseat the school. After the first two videos,salad and dinner were served, followedby golf, softball, baseball, andspring track videos. Each of the videostook a moment to honor the seniors ofthe specific team.“The Spring Banquet was anice way to end my final UC softballseason,” said Angela Sessa ’08. “AfterSarah Getzother close as they remembered thosethey had lost and honored those whohad conquered cancer and those whocontinue to battle cancer every day.This was followed by a lap around theschool in silence.During the next fewhours, students continuedto walk throughthe high school hallways,which acted as atrack, took breaks toplay games, such askickball and basketball,and occasionallyslept. At midnight, studentswere servedpancakes in order tokeep their stomachsfilled for the long nightahead of them.Throughout the night,bands played in thelarge gym As theevent drew to a closeat 6 am, students staggeredout of the high school exhaustedand about to fall asleep standing up,but feeling that they had given up theirFriday night for a good cause. Insteadof walking around a mall with theirfriends, they were walking around ahigh school trying to provide hope thatone day these relays will not have tobe held.“The Relay was a fun and rewardingexperience,” said MelissaPuschak ’09. “I was moved by the luminariaservice and the survivor’s lap.”Ashley Wytenusfour years of playing on the team, it feltgood to be honored by this specialdinner for us.”After each team’s videoplayed, the names of both varsity andjunior varsity players were announcedby their respected coaches. As themembers heard their names and approachedthe front table to receivetheir awards, they also stayed for a fewmore moments at the front for a photoopportunity for the parents. The SpringAthletic Banquet ended at around 9:15,when almost everyone rushed home totheir DVRs and TiVos to watch the seasonfinale of Grey’s Anatomy.

THE PROPHET 6Academic Awards: Grades 9/10Jamie CioconHere at Union Catholic, academic merit never goes unnoticed. On Thursday May 21, freshmen and sophomoreswho have strived for excellence all year were recognized for their hard work and achievements. Students were presentedwith certificates for maintaining an “A” average in a subject throughout the year and Certificates of Honor for keeping up anhonor roll status all year. Winners of each Olympiad, which are tests taken by students in various subjects, were also recognized.The top ten scorers of each Olympiad were given certificates, and the highest scorer was rewarded with a medal.The students who were ranked first and second in their classes were also announced. Alex Tran placed first in the sophomoreclass, with Jamie Ciocon placing second. Colleen Cassidy and Brian Hartnett placed first and second in the freshmenclass, respectively.After being welcomed by Principal Sister Percylee Hart, RSM, students were called by name to receive theirawards and to be congratulated by their teachers. Soon after, Olympiad winners were recognized. The following are studentswho were distinguished as Olympiad winners:ALGEBRA IColleen Cassidy (medalist)Michael Marciano (medalist)Daniel KilkennyKenya CabreraSydney HandsmanBrian HartnettSean SarraJenna TrongoneSarah CunhaDominique HaywardGEOMETRYAlex Tran (medalist)Caresse SimmondsAlex BrickiChristopher MurrayKeith KilanowskiThomas KaluznyDamian BzdyraNatalie MadurskiMegan FurlongJamie CioconALGEBRA IIMegan FurlongStephanie LesoJohn CierpialKevin CoughlanShweta GohilJaclyn FerrieDaniel ChapmanMatthew O’DonnellENGLISH (Freshmen)Brian Hartnett (medalist)Colleen CassidyMichael ChaseSydney HandsmanMichelle RyngelKenya CabreraVincent LaRoccaBrian MilanesCaroline NucatolaTara AlvesENGLISH (Sophomores)Alex Tran (medalist)John CierpialJamie CioconAlexa FeeMegan FurlongArielle GonzalezStephanie LesoRobert MagellaCate MunkittrickAaron PinkardSPANISH (Level One)Colleen CassidyMeghan GaczynskiBrian HartnettNatalie MadurskiMichelle Ryngel (medalist)Sean SarraSean SiburnCaresse SimmondsSPANISH (Level Two)Alex Bricki (medalist)John CierpialJamie CioconMegan FurlongGregory GedmanElizabeth JonesThomas KaluznyKeith KilanowskiSamantha MarquesEchesia NwizugboAlexander TranBIOLOGYSean Sarra (medalist)Tara AlvesEvan GingrichJoseph LandryVincent LaRoccaPeter MalNatalie MadurskiBrian MilanesRonald MunkittrickSean SiburnJames PereiraJoseph SeebodeCaresse SimmondsCHEMISTRYAlexander Tran (medalist)Jaclyn Ferrie (medalist)Damian BzdyraMegan FurlongShweta GohilDavid HerrenMegan KuhrtSamantha MarquesConor McDonoughMargaret WalshGEOGRAPHY (Freshmen)Sean Sarra (medalist)Brian HartnettMichelle RyngelSean SiburnMichael ChaseVincent LaRoccaJoseph SeebodeColleen CassidyTimothy ConnellSydney HandsmanGEOGRAPHY (Sophomores)Christopher Bruno (medalist)Michael BirritteriDaniel ChapmanKimberly BoltBobby MagellaMichael Cahill

THE PROPHET 7UC Students Seize the State LegislatureFIVE STUDENTS FROM UNIONCatholic High School were amongnearly 50 from across New Jersey whotook over the New Jersey State Legislaturein Trenton May 30 at the secondannual Capitol Forum, sponsored bythe American Institute for History Education(AIHE).Gregory Cassidy ‘09, MikeBirritteri ‘09, Lauren Varga ‘09, ChristosPaisis ‘09, and Elizabeth Tartaglia‘09 joined other New Jersey studentsas they deliberated important policyissues in the presence of federal, stateand local elected officials and policymakers, including Edward A. Turzanski,Senior Fellow of the Foreign PolicyResearch Institute, AIHE presidentKevin Brady, Pd.D., and AssemblymanLou Greenwald (D-Camden).“The Capitol Forum is anexperiential civic education initiativethat gives high school students a voicein public policy,” noted Dr. Brady.“It’s an exciting day designed to givestudents an opportunity to expresstheir concerns and convictions toelected officials.”Assemblyman Greenwaldshares Brady’s conclusions. “TheCapitol Forum is fruitful for us, since itgives us a chance to hear what’s on theminds of young people,” saidGreenwald. “It’s a unique opportunity,and hopefully beneficial for thestudents involved.”The day’s deliberations focusedon five global issues: weaponsproliferation, terrorism, immigration,the environment, and world trade. Atthe center of the forum was a simulatedforeign policy hearing, whichanalyzed the pros and cons of fouralternative options for what role theUnited States should assume in its futureinteractions and policies in theinternational community.The interaction with peersrepresenting different areas of theGarden State was a unique experiencefor all involved. “It was an opportunityto see how other students feel aboutissues,” said Tartaglia ’09.Lauren Varga ’09 agreed, “Itwas a great learning opportunity.”Following the Forum, the UCstudents returned home to lead a dialoguewith their Honors Current Eventsclassmates on issues of internationalimportance. According to Mike Birritteri’09, the Forum gave the UC studentsand their peers insight to sharewith their classmates. “It was an opportunityto see how governmentreally works,” said Birritteri ‘09.The Capitol Forum, begun in1997, has been initiated in 12 states:Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana,Maine, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey,Rhode Island, Utah, Washingtonand West Virginia. New Jersey’s programwas led by the state sponsor,AIHE, and lead teacher, Mrs. MarlaJames of UC.UCPAC: “PACademy Awards”ON FRIDAY MAY 9, THE UNIONCatholic Performing Arts Company(UCPAC) held its annual PAC awards.It is a night traditionally dedicated tocelebrating the fantastic performingarts season, commemorate those withspecial achievements, and announcenext season’s productions. This yearwas a little different, as many of thePAC members had to rush over to Relayfor Life after the awards, and somemembers were unable to attend theawards all together because theyneeded to attend Relay from the start.None the less, the awards went offwithout a hitch.The night started of with PACpresident Nicole Johnson ’08 giving anintroduction and welcoming everyone.The night continued with the currentexecutive board composed of: NicoleJohnson ’08, president; Greg Cassidy’09, vice president; James Trollo ’08,secretary/chief technician; MichaelMcKweon ’08, treasurer; Jasmine Kelley’08, historian, giving a brief historyof theatre, the first actor Thespis, explainingwhat it means to be a Thespian(theatre performer), and inductingnew members into the ThespianSociety Troupe 3673. The ThespianSociety is an organization dedicated tothe development, preservation, andideals of the performing arts. ManyArielle Gonzaleznew Thespians were inducted, andmany members were awarded Thespianstars and bars for their dedicationto the theatre. A star is equivalentto 60 hours of service; one canalso progress to honor bar status,which is equal to 600 hours. A oncerare, but now more common award,is the double honor bar award, whichis 1200 hours, and a very specialaward is the triple honor bar, whichis 1800 hours. All of the awards demonstratedthe immense dedication UCstudents have to the performing arts.The night continued as directorof the fall show, and Englishteacher (continued on page 9)

THE PROPHET 8UC Ends School Year with Annual SixFlags TripIT WAS A SUCCESSFUL YEAR FOR THEUnion Catholic forensics team. Afterstarting off with a bang at the UnionCatholic tournament in October, theteam continued to do well, with multiplepeople placing in their categoriesand gaining points for the coveted spotto attend this year’s National Tournament.Aside from the regular season,additional tournaments to competeagainst students from all over thecountry, sharpen their skills, and overall,have fun. These were held at TheUniversity of Pennsylvania, PrincetonUniversity, and Harvard University.While attending the special tournaments,UC had at least one person“break,” or move on to the next round,at each tournament; a very difficulttask to accomplish.ON JUNE 3 UNION CATHOLIC TOOKa class trip to Six Flags Great Adventurein Jackson, New Jersey. The trip isa way to end the school year with a bitof fun and has been held for the pastfew years.As the day began,students anxiously waitedto be assigned to theirbuses and counted downthe minutes until the busespulled out of the parkinglot to start their adventuretowards Six Flags. Whileon the buses, students discussedwhich rides theywere looking forward tomost and planned wherethey would be going first.Upon arriving atthe park, students wereinstructed to be back at thebus by 4 o’clock sharp.Once set free, studentsspread in all directions. Some headedstraight for the roller coasters forwhich Six Flags is known, such asKingda Ka and El Torro. Others decidedthey wanted to hit the waterrides and have all day to dry off sothey headed towards the Log Flumeand White Water Rapids. There werestill others who decided they wantedto play the games in the boardwalkarea and throughout the park.Students had nearly six hoursto do anything they wanted throughoutSix Flags. The beautiful weather didnot put any limits on what studentsThere were moments, duringthe year, when the team fell on hardtimes, but their determination andteam work helped them meet the variouschallenges set before them. In fact,during the year, UC placed third overallin one of the toughest, and mostcompetitive, leagues in the country!A passion for public speakingand improving its skills helped theteam this year. “I love forensics,” saidJeanette Rudnicki ’09. “We ended uphaving a very successful year.” Successwas definitely not running shortfor UC once it came time to announcethose who would represent the leagueat Nationals. Rudnicki, along with herDuo partner Chris Brown ’09, wereamong the students who had accumulatedenough points to attend NationalsSarah Getzcould and could not do. Although a fewroller coasters such as Medusa andNitro broke down a few times throughoutthe day, they were quickly up andrunning. Some students enjoyed theday simply walking around Six Flagsand enjoying the delicious food.The day flew by and beforeanyone realized, itwas time to head back tothe buses and make thetrip back to school. Althoughexhausted fromthe day out, students exchangedstories of howthey spent their time at SixFlags Great Adventure.Almost everyone agreedthat it was a wonderful andexciting day.“I loved Nitro because Iwas really scared eventhough I had been on itbefore,” Said Liz Schettino’09. “At one part, I thought it was over,but then it surprised me and kept going.It was a really fun day!”UC Forensics Comes to a PromisingEndAlexa Feeheld this year in Appleton, Wisconsin.The Public Forum team of JamesTrollo ’08 and Keith Zukowski ’08,and both Arielle Gonzalez ’10 andAlexandra D’Aluisio in Declamationearned enough points throughout theseason to be granted spots at Nationals.With the forensics seasonnow closed and with a majority of theteam returning next year, UC forensicshopes to have a bright futureahead with even more members joiningand experiencing forensics.For more information aboutUC forensics, and how to join theteam, contact a current member ofthe team or one of the team coaches:Mr. Reagan, Mr. Luciano, Mr. Gottilla,and Mr. Kraus.

THE PROPHET 9UCPAC Summer AnnouncementFOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN the performing arts, informationabout PAC’s summer productions was announced at thePAC awards. The annual Romeo and Juliet Project will not be takingplace this year and instead will be replaced with anotherShakespearian classic: MacBeth. Classes will once again be offeredin the fields of acting, singing, dancing, improvisation, andplaywriting, as well as PAC Jr., for grammar school students. Thesummer musical for the new season was not announced, and neitherwere details about the auditions for MacBeth. Mrs. Carolanassures that they are coming soon. For more information aboutPAC summer shows, classes, or PAC Jr. contact either Mrs. Carolanor Mr. Addison.PACademy Awards(continued from page 7)Mrs. Addison announced awards forThe Musical Comedy Murders of 1940,which took place in November. Thisyear’s show confirmed the growinginvolvement in the fall productions aseach year the cast is filled with moreand more talented young actors. Forthe fall show the awards were: ChrisBrown ’09, Best Actor; Taylor Fields’08, Best Actress; Brittanny Gautier ’08,and Tom Noonan ’08 Outstanding Performance,and Mitcha Desilmar ’08,Best Featured Performance. Directorof the fall tech. crew and Englishteacher Mr. Addison announced theOutstanding Service Award, whichwas given to tech. crew members whoworked tirelessly on one of the mosttechnically complicated falls showsUC has ever done. Colleen Cassidy’11, Greg Cassidy ’09, Jenna Lloyd ’09,James Trollo ’08, and Jordan Morrisey’10 were all recipients. Spencer Addison,son of Mr. and Mrs. Addison, alsoproclaimed what next years fall showwould be; Incorruptible, which Mrs.Addison described as a “dark comedyabout the dark ages.” Many cannotwait to see what it means for next year.After the fall shows time in thespotlight, it was the spring musical’sturn to take center stage. The awardsfor this year’s spring musical, Josephand the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,started off with the OutstandingNew Member award presented to newPAC member Kelly Dyckman ‘09 by itspast recipients Jordan Morrisey ’10and Arielle Gonzalez ’10. The nightcontinued with choreographer, EmilyEger-Donahue and director and Englishteacher Mrs. Carolan presentingthe cast with the awards for the muscial.Outstanding Ensemble Member:Kelly Dykman ’09, Nicole Johnson ’08,Jasmine Kelley ’08, Sammie Mellina’10, Carolyn Nucatola ’11, and JeanetteRudnicki ’09. Outstanding ChorusMember: Natalie Madurski ’11,Amanda Schoendorf ’09, and Liz Tartaglia’09. Outstanding Performance:Chris Brown ’09, Angelo Cerimele ’09,Ella Chamis ’11, Alex Cortes ’09, TaylorFields ’08, Greg Gedman ’10,Arielle Gonzalez ’10, Mike Mckewon’08, Taziana Mollinaro ’09, and JordanMorrisey ’10. Outstanding SeniorAward: Taylor Fields ’08, Nicole Johnson’08, Jasmine Kelly ’08, Mike McKeown’08, Mike Mastrola ’08, AliciaPalmieri ’08, Mike Pirozzoli ’08, KylePirozzoli ’08, and James Trollo ’08.Nicole Johnson ’08 also presentedawards to parents who helped the productionwith their devotion to the company.There was also the swearing inof the new officers. Next years PACexecutive board will be; Alex Cortes’09, president; Chris Brown ’09 vicepresident; Taziana Mollinaro ’09 secretary;Jeanette Rudnicki ’09, treasurer;Jenna Lloyd ’09, historian, andGreg Cassidy ’09, chief technician.At the end of the night, Mrs.Carolan took the podium to thank allthose who made the production possible:cast, crew, parents, and faculty,because everyone came together toproduce a fantastic show. Then themuch anticipated moment came: theannouncement of next year’s springmusical. First, Mrs. Carolan discussedwhy the staff chose the show for nextyear. She said that the original showthought about for next year would notwork with the intense amount of possibleleads seen in Joseph so the staffneeded to find a show to reflect thecast. Next year’s musical was then announcedto be Into the Woods byStephen Sondheim, a show about allthe classic fairy tales mixed togetherwith a twist in each. The cast was extremelyexcited to hear the decision,but Mrs. Carolan warned that Into theWoods would be the most challengingshow PAC has ever tried to do. Everyoneis very excited to see what nextyear will bring, and as the night beganto end, newly elected president AlexCortes ’09 invited everyone onto thestage for refreshments. This years PACAwards was a great success for allthose involved, and many cannot waitfor the PAC 2008-2009 season to begin.

THE PROPHET 10Hello Spring! Crossword PuzzleNicole SianoAcross1. To begin to grow4. First month of spring7. Dutch flower that blooms in the springtime11. A day for playing tricks12. This All-American Past time starts13. School pageant that happens in the spring14. Shines brightlyDown2. Service club’s most important event3. White or pink tree flowers that bloom in spring5. What a butterfly used to be6. A flower before it blossoms8. A small pool of water9. April showers bring ___ flowers10. SMAC sells these during the spring for cancerawareness

THE PROPHET 11Class of ‘09 Become Leaders of UCJUNIORS DRESSED UP IN SUNDRESSESand suits on Wednesday, June 4 inorder to celebrate their Junior Rite ofPassage. The Junior Rite of Passage iswhen juniors accept their responsibilityas the leaders of the school becausethe seniors have graduated.Although the juniors gained the privilegeof eating in the courtyard on the4th, almost all of them eschewed thegreat outdoors during lunchtime becauseof the rainy weather. However,the rainy weather did not totallydampen the spirit that was felt by all ofthe juniors on their first day of beingofficially recognized as the oldestclass in the building.Union Catholic commemoratedthe Class of 2009 on thisachievement of reaching the twelfthgrade with a ceremony in the auditorium.Many juniors felt the last threeyears passed by very quickly, andthey are ecstatic to already be seniors.“It is really awesome becominga senior, because it feels like justyesterday that I was a freshman, andnow I’m the head of the school, I’m atthe top. It’s an amazing feeling.”Melissa Carey ’09The Prophet2007-2008Ashley WytenusAssistant Principal Mr. Reagan addressedthe junior class and announcedhow, although being a seniorbrings along privileges such as seniorpolos and being able to park in thesenior parking lot, great responsibilitiescome with being a senior as well.Principal Sister Percylee Hart, RSM,also spoke to the juniors about the dutiesthat they all have as seniors at UC.Then, the four student council schoolofficers, President Kyron Banks ’09,Vice President Meggie Smith ’09, SecretaryBrian Gingrich ’09, and MediaCoordinator Paul Christy ’09, alongwith Jeanette Rudnicki ’09, lead theprayer service.After the prayer service, theladies in the Development Office graciouslyprovided breakfast that consistedof, not just the usual UC breakfastof juice and bagels, but also ofeggs, bacon, tater tots, fruit, and othergoods for the juniors. All the juniorswere allowed to miss first period inorder to enjoy their meal and to takepictures in the cafeteria.Editor-in-chief: Christopher WytenusCopy Editors: Nicole Siano, Nina NapolitanoAssistant Layout Editors: Ashley WytenusSports Editor: Angela SessaAssignment Editor: Keyana JonesNews Writers: Jennifer Kelliher, Jessica Ballate, Arielle Gonzalez, Jamie Ciocon, Sarah Getz,Andrew Kulihin