Albertus Wishes a Fond Farewell to Sr. Donna

May 2014
Albertus Magnus High School, Bardonia, NY 10954
Volume 7, Issue 4
Albertus Wishes a Fond
Farewell to Sr. Donna
By Samantha Heavner
fter 18 years at Albertus Magnus High School, Sister Donna
DeGhetto is saying farewell to the faculty, staff and students.
Her retirement was announced this past month, and the Albertus
community will certainly miss her. Sister Donna has been a staple here at Albertus Magnus High School for the past 36 years.
Sister Donna is a Sparkill Dominican Sister. “The Dominican Sisters of Sparkill, New York is a congregation of over
375 vowed women. Tracing their roots back to the Order of
Preachers founded by St. Dominic in the early l3th century, the
Sisters are committed to preaching and teaching the good news
of the Gospel through ministry for justice and reverence for all
creation.”
Sister Donna spent over 54 of years in education. Before she arrived at Albertus Magnus High School, she taught
for 18 years at St. Anthony’s, St. Helena’s and St. Theresa’s
in the Bronx. After those 18 years, she began teaching history
to freshmen, sophomores, and juniors here at Albertus Magnus High School. During this time she taught some of the
faculty including: Mrs. McAvoy, Mr. Lopez, Mr. Farrell, Ms.
Wassmer, Mrs. O’Brien, Ms. Rivers and Mr. Anderson. Sister
Donna’s legacy at Albertus also extends to parents of current
students, including the Houlihans and the Lorenzes.
Currently, Sister Donna is head of grounds here at Albertus. Her duties within this position include the ordering of
textbooks, the organization of fire drills, and everyday maintenance of school grounds. She also manages the janitorial staff,
including Obdulio Sazo and Candido Ortiz.
Every September, the Albertus falculty participates in a mass
in order to prepare for the upcoming school year. Sister Donna
has consistently led the liturgy and music of these communal
events, which help to set the tone for the faculty and staff.
Her love of the New York Yankees is well-known amongst
students and teachers. She was known to bring Mrs. Cossa’s
son, also a fan of the team, various Yankee merchandise.
She is also notorious among the teachers of Albertus for
completing crossword puzzles in the faculty lounge and listening to her radio in the back office.
Sister Donna explained, “Nuns never retire, their work goes
on forever.” She plans on working three days a week at her
convent’s Medical Drive, during which time she will accompany senior Sisters to medical appointments at local healthcare
facilities. According to DeGhetto, the primary perk of her new
reirement will be sleeping late - until 8am.
A
“Nuns never retire, their work
goes on forever.”
Ms. Maryalta Rivers, a former student of Sister Donna,
commented, “The faculty, staff, and students will deeply miss
her. Her abscence will be felt.” Many others like Rivers have
known DeGhetto as both a teacher and a colleage, and will
remember their time spent together fondly.
During an impromptu interview with Mr. Valentin, Sr. Donna became emotional when speaking about leaving her Albertus family. Her love and dedication to the Albertus Magnus
community leaves a powerful legacy amongst students and
teachers alike.
Senior College List
A full list of seniors and their college choices
Page 8
Sister Donna Stands Proud
Sister Donna poses with past student and current faculty member
Ms. Maryalta Rivers class of 1995.
A Walk for a Cure
By Anthony Parisi
I
n recent years, Albertus
Magnus has held the Cystic
Fibrosis Walkathon in Memory of Jimmy Place. Jimmy was
an inspiration to all, not only
in his class, but around the
whole foundation of Albertus
Magnus. Ever since Jimmy’s
passing, Albertus has taken
the initiative to raise awareness about Cystic Fibrosis and
the effort to develop a treatment. With the help of Mrs.
Place and Jimmy’s sister Melissa, the event will take place
AM Community
Out and About
Entertainment
on Sunday, June 1st starting at
10am on the Albertus track.
Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited disease in which thick
mucus forms in major organs,
but occurs with abundance in
the lungs. The mucus makes
it harder for the person to
breathe because of the blockage of airways, which can
eventually cause lung damage.
According to the American
Lung Association. “People
with CF have a shorter-thannormal life expectancy.”
Cystic Fibrosis is the second most common inherited
disease in the United States,
mostly occurring in a person’s
2-3
4
5
childhood.
In the Albertus family,
Jimmy was seen as a person
of happiness and always had
a smile on his face. Even if
you did not know Jimmy, you
could tell that he was full of
life. He was seen as a role
model to his classmates and
Albertus as a whole. Shannon Fegan, a classmate of
Jimmy, said “He was always
kind and sincere. I loved his
smile.” He would have graduated this year. Jimmy will be
forever remembered and will
be known as a foundation of
hope and inspiration.
6
Viewpoint
Arts & Humanities 7
Colleges
8
Page 2
Albertus Magnus High School A Letter
From the Editor
A Farewell to AMs
By Laura Clinton
A
By Shannon Fegan
lbertus Magnus, my fellow teachers, and students, I bid you
all adieu.
After working on the Magnus Monitor for four years (gee,
has it been that long already?), and managing my way from editing staff to Assistant Editor-in-Chief to now Editor-in-Chief, it
has been a pleasant run. I will never forget wanting to join the
newspaper staff and asking Mrs. Ruppino if I could join, only for
her to assume I wanted to write and not actually be on the editing
staff (little did she know at the time I was a nerd for editing on
the computer). After explaining that I knew how to use Adobe
Photoshop, I was hired right away. Sitting and watching Joy
Alacar use a new program that I have never seen before, Adobe
InDesign, I learned quickly. Before I knew it, I was editing my
own pages (always pages 4 and 5) and learned quickly how to
navigate the new world set before me. I can honestly say that the
Magnus Monitor has been a huge part of my high school career.
It has changed terrifically over the 4 years and I am proud to say
that we, the editing staff, have accomplished so much.
The staff, whether a writer or an editor, is what I consider to be family to me. We laugh, become frustrated, poke fun
at one another, and spend late nights on Friday’s together just
as a family does. To my current editing staff, Maxx, Edward,
Gabbi, and Sam, even future members, keep up the excellent
work and remember to always ctrl + s! To the writing staff, keep
writing fantastic articles and
never stop writing, because
you are all amazing at it. To
Mr. V, whenever you have
an idea and you say that it
will be bad, do not second
guess yourself because they
always end up working out.
Also: If anyone on the editing staff gets lost – GO TO
THE LION PACKET!
I would also like to quickly thank Mrs. Ruppino for
encouraging me and being
the one to get me into the
newspaper – I do not know
what I would have done for
after school activities otherwise! Thank you to everyone
in the Albertus Magnus community who enjoy reading
the Magnus Monitor – without you guys, we would not
be able to continue on. Good
luck to the whole newspaper
staff next year and the years
to come, I will miss you all
like crazy. In the words I
used to hear as a freshman –
Stay classy Albertus.
s William Shakespeare once
probably said, “Wow.” Wow
indeed. Another school year has
passed in what has felt like either
a second or an eternity, depending
on how much you like school. For
me, it feels like a year, give or take.
To the class of 2014, four years
have passed us by and led us to the
promises of extraordinary futures
and minimum wages. The economy, am I right? However, despite
the challenges we are about to face
and the uncertainty that is to come
over the next few months, we must
always remember what lies behind
us at Albertus. Here we have a family of our own, a group of nerds (I
use the term lovingly) that will always be here to support and guide
us. The Albertus family will never
turn its back on you. We are AM,
even when we’re not. Next year we
will continue towards our chosen
destinies, and we will be forced to
try and make it on our own. But for the rest of our lives we will
be a part of the Albertus family- a legacy of success.
To the underclassmen of Albertus: first of all, you are all
geeks. Embrace it. During my term as president I have seen so
many of you begin the long journey towards self-acceptance, a
road we all must travel in order to move past our angsty teenage
years and focus on more important things, such as crying over
student loan payments. Liberate yourself. Don’t worry about the
judgment of others, and instead begin to form yourself as a person. Do what makes you happy. I know from experience, high
school can be hell sometimes (or perhaps I should say heck, for
our younger readers). But believe me when I say that you will
get through it, and it will get better. I believe it was Ghandi that
once said, “It’s always darkest before the dawn.” Just kidding,
that was Florence and the Machine. That’s a fun fact you would
never get from Mr. Yaun. I truly mean it when I say that there is
not one person who survives their teenage years unscathed. And
there is not one of you out here in the vast kingdom of Rockland
County that is incapable of looking back on high school and
saying, “I made it.”
And if I’ve done anything at all this year to help you through
it- said one stupid fact (real or not) that made you laugh, made
a fool of myself at any given moment, or even made you smile
just once this year, then I’ve done my job. I love you, Albertus
Magnus. I can only hope that in the years to come, I can look
back and see the same loving community that has existed for
me over the past four years, and the same tight-knit family that
exemplifies the value of Catholic education as a whole. Jesus
Christ is alive and well in this building, and His blessing truly
lives in us all as a testament to the work of Albertus Magnus
High School.
S
A
Catch the Fire: Youth Day
aint Ignatius of Loyola
once said, “Go forth and
set the world on fire.” This
was the theme Youth Day by
Sparkill Dominican Sisters,
where 7th grade students
were invited to attend a day
filled with spiritual inspiration. Sunday, April 27th, the
sisters, along with the help of
Albertus Magnus students,
prepared for the arrival of
students from the many of
the Rockland County parish-
es. The main goal was to enlighten the young generation
to “Catch the Fire” of spirituality, and spread it throughout
the world.
With the help of a group of
Albertus Magnus students, Sr.
Nancy Richter, along with the
other sisters, created a “youth
inspired day” beginning with a
rap by Sr. Nancy introducing
themselves and their Dominican family. Following the rap
were games, such as “Run to
May 2014
By Edward Amaba
the Nun”. The students were
encouraged to go around, ask
questions, fill in the response
and signature by the sister, including a selfie. Whoever has
their answers filled first, wins
a prize. The sisters then told
the history behind their convent, inspirations of the youth
in their past, and the 100th anniversary of the Sacred Heart
Chapel. After, the band “Full
Armor” performed Christian
themed songs, which were
Caliornia Chrome Wins Both The Preakness and Kentucky Derby
.
then sung in the Sacred Heart
Chapel for mass.
The volunteer group of Albertus Magnus students helped
in a variety of ways, from helping with the planned events, to
creating a lively atmosphere
from the 7th graders. Alexia
Mazis said, “This year’s Youth
Day, was an experience that
not only celebrated the importance of young people in our
society, but allowed for our
youth to grow closer to God.
The sisters in the Dominican
Convent were able to gather
our youth under one roof to
celebrate with God through
dance, song, and prayer.
I enjoyed every aspect of
Youth Day and I believe I
was able to grow as an individual with God.” As the
day went on, not only did
the youth grow, but the Albertus students as well. This
Youth Day created a new experience to all those who attended, giving a new insight
on one’s spirituality.
Stephen Colbert to Replace David Letterman On The Late Show
May 2014
Albertus Magnus High School Page 3
Student Spotlight:
Jade Solomon
By Julia Oliveira and Kaitlyn Kreider
Q: How long have you been acting?
A: I have been acting since I was 6 years old.
My first show was The Wizard of Oz and I
played Toto.
By Chloe Martinez
Q: It may be a bit late, but I think I’m going to summer
school. How horrible is it and how did I get to this point?
A: From what I’ve seen, plenty of teachers like to use summer
school as a way to scare their students into doing better. They
talk about how boring it is and how hot the school gets. Even
with the constant reminder that summer school exists from
our teachers, we never really remember it until the end of the
school year approaches. As someone who’s never experienced
summer school, I can’t give you a detailed description of what
it’s like. If you fail a class for the year, you have to retake
the class again in the summer. It’s not your entire summer, so
don’t worry about not having any downtime or ruining your
family’s vacation plans. If you do the work, you’ll be fine. As
for how you got to this point, only you can answer that. Maybe you didn’t take the class seriously, or maybe you didn’t understand the material and were too afraid to ask for help. Even
if you know there’s no way of saving yourself from summer
school, that’s not an excuse to stop trying. There’s still time
to improve.
Q: Should I be doing anything over my summer to prepare
for sophomore year? Should I just sit and relax or actually
study because truthfully, anything happening on Instagram is far more interesting than the Pythagorean theory.
A: Well, if you think it’s called the Pythagorean theory, I
would suggest a quick refresher course in math. All jokes
aside, summer vacation is the time us students get to take a
break from schoolwork and have fun. Some people like to
use their summer to practice for upcoming tests or just to exercise their minds. But it’s important not to overdo it. Spend
some time sharpening your skills, but don’t spend all of your
time on it. Enjoy your summer because it goes by much too
quickly. A neat way to incorporate fun and learning is to read
books. You’ll probably have required reading given to you by
your teachers, but I say go beyond that. Read lots of books. It
helps expand your vocabulary, as well as making you a better writer. I’ll go out a limb and say books are even better
than Instagram. Before you disagree with me and put down
the newspaper, think about this. A picture is worth a thousand
words, but a book has way more.
Q: So what are finals all about? Are they like the midterms? And what are AP exams? A lot of the upper-classmen seem to be stressed about them.
A: The end of the school year is such an exciting time for testenthusiasts and a stressful time for the rest of us. The students
have to deal with finals, Regents, and AP exams, so get to
studying. Finals are like mid-terms, except twice as hard because you have to remember all the material from September
until June. However, there is a plus-side to finals. Once you
finish them, you’re essentially done with the school year and
you can relax a bit. Regents, like the finals, also take place
in June. They’re very much like finals but not every class
you take will have a Regents exam attached to it. AP exams
differ from both finals and Regents because they take place
in May. These tests are only given to students in AP classes.
These classes are basically college-level courses given to high
school students. I’m under the impression that they’re pretty
hard, so that’s why you’ve probably seen the juniors and seniors pulling their hair out these past few weeks.
Q: How did you feel performing your last
play at Albertus Magnus?
A:It was really surreal. During the rehearsal
process it never really hit me that it was going
to be my last show.
Q: Do you ever get nervous on stage?
A: I don’t really get nervous. I’ve become so
comfortable with the idea of being on stage.
Q: Was it hard to beat out your competitors for the lead role as Belle?
A: I don’t ever look at auditions as competitions. I do shows because singing is something I love to do, not to be better than anyone. All of the girls who auditioned for Belle
were all so talented.
Q: Will you continue to act in college?
A: I’ve decided to major in education but I will still try to keep singing and acting on the side.
Q: What is your favorite role that you have ever played?
A: My favorite role would probably be Belle. It was a fantastic role to end my high school career
with. I really connected with that role on so many levels.
Student Spotlight: Raymond Mosquea
By Gabrielle Favre and Paulina Kanburiyan
Q: When did you first start to paint/draw?
A: I began to really enjoy art probably at around age seven.
Q: Does anyone in your family have any artistic talent?
A: Although my brother has shown interest in art, I am the only one who really got into it.
Q: What type of art do you usually do?
A: I generally stick to drawing or painting.
Q: On average, how long does it take for you to finish a painting/drawing?
A:The timeframe depends on how detailed or complicated what I’m working on is. For example,
abstract art requires less time than something more detailed and complicated would.
Q: Where do you gather
most of the inspiration for
your art?
A: I am often inspired by
how I feel at the moment or
by the important people in
my life.
Q: Is there anything you
dislike about art?
A: I can honestly say that
there is nothing I dislike
about art. For me, art has
always been a means of expressing my feelings.
Q: Are you considering art
as a career choice?
A: At one point, I did consider architecture due to the
fact that architecture largely
consists of art. Now, however, I’m considering engineering as a career choice, since I
really like math and science.
Burger King Says You Can No Longer “Have it Your Way” as They Change Their Slogan
.
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Page 4
Albertus Magnus High School May 2014
Falcons Beat...
Falcons?
By Kiera Townsend
t was a refreshing Friday evening in the gym when the seniors played their own teachers and alumni in a basketball
game that, in true fundraising style, served as great entertainment to both the crowds and the participants. Many of the faculty/alumni participants had thrived in the game of basketball
during high school - some at Albertus - with a few continuing to
play today (most recently, Felicia DaCruz). These certain athletic participants looked like NBA players next to the seniors,
probably earning them full rights for the night to reminisce on
their old high school game days, which they can probably speak
of with fondness. The grown-ups, who did not seem as though
they could be in the NBA, also shined on the court - with their
pep and teamwork, inviting all to join in the Falcon spirit of
inclusion and family fun.
This spirit of fun was evident in the scores, too. With the
ever-smiling and generous Mr. McKenna leading the scoreboards, the seniors’ 20-point lag transformed into an even score
over the half-time break, as though by magic. The senior team,
though, was not as bad as this description makes them sound with such Varsity players as Terence Amonica, Joe Nyemchek,
Ryan Doherty, and Kelly Guarino, the seniors showed off their
skills and training in the off-season. Senior Geoffrey Moore,
though not a Varsity player, surprised everyone with a few
beautiful “whoosh”es near the start of the game, kicking off the
competitive drive. Senior Corey Jean-Charles had a different
skill to contribute - he played the role of announcer-meets-television host, using his loud energy to maintain audience enthusiasm throughout the games. During a break from the intense
show, Corey handed the mic over to Owen Farrell, the tiny son
of Albertus favorite Mr. Farrell (alum and past teacher), as he
put on his own show, singing and making high-pitched noises
with great artistic freedom. The crowd erupted in “Awww”’s at
the bright-eyed toddler standing at the base of the hundreds of
larger people who filled the stands. Mr. Power elicited from the
crowd a response of equal excitement upon his sudden entrance
into the game. And, when Ms. Corbett made a 3-pointer, the
crowd almost blew the roof off.
Overall, the event held liveliness and competitive entertainment provided by Albertus family members of every age. This
tradition is sure to live on.
I
Veritas Continues Competing
By Reilly Golden and Sam Heavner
V
eritas, Albertus Magnus High School’s honor choir, is
led by Music Department head Nadia Rizzo. The group
meets twice a week after school, during which time the members learn new music for their performances. In addition to
singing at the Christmas and spring concerts, this select ensemble performs all over the county at various events, such
as canonization ceremonies, and competitions. On April 25,
Veritas and other members of the Music Department that participate in Chorus and Band travelled to Kingston, New York
to participate in NYSSMA, a state-wide music festival. At this
event, those who sing and play instruments are judged on technique and musical talent. Vertias performed at this adjudication
festival and were one point away from a perfect score.
Veritas will also be performed with Chorus and the
Band at Albertus Magnus’ Spring Concert on Thursday, May
15. The next day, they drove to Hershey, Pennsylvania, where
they competed in a music festival called Music in the Park.
There, Veritas competed against choirs from many different states. After performing, the choir went to Hershey Park,
where they enjoyed exhilarating rides and surprisingly mild
weather. Veritas won First Place in their division, and senior
Brian Reardon was awarded Best Soloist. The group went
home with another trophy to add to their growing collection.
Congratulations to everyone in Veritas, and good luck in all
your future competitions!
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May 2014
Albertus Magnus High School Page 5
Summer Movie Preview:
Vogue Redefines Love and
The Big Three
“Swag” with The Kimye Issue
T
D
By Gianna Pisano
his month, we are going to take a look at three of the biggest summer movies for 2014
By Carmangelo Capasso
escribes as The Duke
and Duchess of pop
culture by some, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are
changing fashion and pop
culture one Givenchy piece
at a time. And what better
place to read about this then
Vogue’s April 2014 issue,
starring Kim and Kanye together.
The article by Hamish
Bowles can be described as
a lavish and detailed piece
of writing that gives plenty
of imagery. Bowles begins
the article setting the scene
saying, “Air filled with the
scent of eucalyptus and mimosa. The gurgle of water
as it tumbles down a wall
into a picture-perfect azure
pool,” this is the Kardashian
house. After getting settled
into Kris Jenner’s “cozy and
gorgeous”, Bowles begins
to write about Kim’s arrival.
The voluptuous reality star
walked into the house wearing a pearl-buttoned Celine
overcoat, black leggings,
and boots. Kim then sits
down and tells Bowles about her opinions of the paparazzi, North West, her fashion obsession
and inspirations, and most importantly her relationship with Kanye.
Kanye then comes in shortly after; he is portrayed in a way the world has never seen him
before. Kanye appears gentle and loving towards his soon to be wife and daughter North. Kanye
then begins to talk about his love for art, fashion, and décor, which shows the reader that as
aggressive and tough as West can be, in the raw he is a great, loving father and fiancé. Kim
and Kanye go on then explaining their wedding, both saying how it will be massive but also
intimate. The article ended with a little fashion humor when the couple was having dinner with
Givenchy creative director and close friend, Riccardo Tisci. Tisci told Kanye that the wedding
dress he is designing for Kim is not Kanye’s vision but Kim’s vision. Vogue truly showed Kimye
as a in-love chic couple in a classic and personal way.
The reason this issue is such a big deal is because of two factors. One is that this is baby
North’s first photo shoot. The second is that Vogue usually has models, singers, or actresses on
the cover, but this trend was broken with Kim Kardashian as the April CoverGirl. Vogue anticipated high sale numbers for this issue, but sadly sold 250,000 less than expected, which left
Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour sad, but still proud of her masterpiece of an issue.
Last but not least, because this is a Vogue photo shoot and article, we have to talk about all
that chic fashion Kimye wore! In the pictures provided, Kim is draped in white ensembles by
Nina Ricci, Dolce & Gabbana, Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, and Kim’s favorite, Lanvin.
Kanye rocked Prada pants, Louis Vuitton coats, Alternative Apparel, and Balmin t-shirts. The
two looked absolutely clean-cut chic, but of course with a touch of glamour because this is still
VOGUE honey!
1) Maleficent - May
30
Starring: Angelina
Jolie, Elle Fanning
This action movie
remake of Disney’s
classic
Sleeping
Beauty gives a look
at Maleficent’s point
of view. It tells of
why Maleficent became so evil and
what led her to cure
baby Princess Aurora, and what made
her go from one good
fairy to the “Mistress
of All Evil.”
2) The Fault In Our Stars - June 6
Starring: Shailene Woodly, Ansel Elgort
Based on John Green’s bestselling novel The Fault in Our Stars,
this romantic drama is sure to be a tearjerker. It tells the story of
Hazel and Augustus, two teenagers that met in a cancer support
group and fell in love.
3) Blended - May 23
Starring: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore
This comedy has an all-star cast and an incredibly funny plot
line. After a man and woman have a bad blind date, they find
themselves stuck together at a family resort where their attraction to each other grows as their children benefit from the growing relationship.
The Amazing Spider Man 2 Swings into
Action
By Selena Roberts
he Amazing Spider Man
2 may seem like just an
ordinary superhero movie;
however, after seeing it
moviegoers
everywhere
may disagree. The Amazing Spider Man 2 is an action packed film filmed with
drama, romance, adventure, and some tear jerking
scenes. The movie is set in
New York City and Peter
Parker a.k.a Spider Man is
about to start a new journey
as he graduates high school.
Peter faces many questions
and hardships as he faces this
new chapter of his life. In the film there were a number of villains such as Electro, the Green Goblin, and Rhino which some
critics say that it was not necessary for the film. Though Peter
faced various villains, Peter faces his biggest struggle within
himself when it comes to his responsibilities as Peter Parker and
his responsibilities as Spider Man. The cast performance as critics say was pretty terrific especially the undeniable chemistry
between Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield. Their characters,
Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy, are in a romantic relationship and
once graduating high school the couple must overcome many
hurdles in their relationship. The electricity between these two
actors is undeniable and it adds authenticity to the film. Even
though the film had some major highlights, it did have some
downfalls. Some critics complain that the villains were not developed. Also, the opening sequence of the film was just a waste
of time and not required. Other critics say that the film was two
long with too many plots. The Amazing Spider Man 2 is an
amazing movie and appeals to people everywhere.
T
Dr. Dre Sells Beats to Apple • Mario Kart 8 Will Be Released May 30th • Excitement for Sailor Moon Airing from Beginning to End on Hulu Plus
Page 6
Albertus Magnus High School May 2014
Preserve the Innocence of Our World:
A Petition to End the Persecution of Comic Sans
By Samantha Heavner
A
mid the groundbreaking news stories that
surge into public opinion before rapidly fading from headlines, one
hot discussion surrounding an unlikely topic has
remained prevalent for
almost twenty years. Millions of emphatic adversaries, dozens of online
campaigns, and countless heated debates have
stemmed from one unseemly instigator- Comic
Sans.
Comic Sans MS, released
by
Microsoft
Corporation in 1994 and
clearly the most superior
font, is a sans-serif casual script typeface. The
term sans-serif refers to
fonts without the small
projecting features, or
“serifs”, at the end of
strokes, as seen in most
traditional body texts,
including Times New Roman. When referring to
typefaces, script is used
to describe fonts based
upon the fluid stroke
created by handwriting.
American font designer
Vincent Connare created
Comic Sans for use in informal documents, with
the intention of mimicking the classic look of
comic book lettering.
One might ask how
such an innocent and lighthearted font could cause
an uproar and enflame
passionate opinions among
countless
adversaries.
Much of the controversy
that surrounds the typeface stems from its incongruous misuse in serious situations for which it
is not intended, including
police memos and “Do Not
Enter” signs.
Graphic designers Dave
and Holly Combs conceived
the “Ban Comic Sans” campaign in 1999 after an incident in which their employers insisted they use
the font in a children’s
museum display. Their
website’s core argument
is that a typeface should
match the tone of its content, and that the playful
nature of Comic Sans is
often at odds with a serious message.
Dave Gibbons, a comic
book artist whose work influenced the creation of
the text, also spoke out
publicly against it, calling
it a “particularly ugly letter form.”
New York Times essayist and film producer
Errol Morris conducted an
online experiment, finding
that readers are slightly less willing to believe
that a statement they are
reading is true if it
is written in Comic
Sans in comparison
to five other common fonts.
Countless websites and online
campaigns
have
been initiated to
oppose the use of
the font, including
Comic Sans Criminal.com, which allows its users to
take a pledge to
“seriously consider whether Comic
Sans is an appropriate font choice before using it in any
printed work in the
future.”
However, despite the fierce opposition to the typeface,
many fervent supporters
have also surfaced to advocate their obviously accurate views on the one
true font. Creator Vincent Connare has since
defended its use, calling it an alternative to
the “harsh” and “boring”
Times New Roman and later explaining why it works
so well, saying, “Because
sometimes, it’s better
than Times New Roman,
that’s why.” Its purpose
and intention is oriented
towards lighthearted, in-
The Rise in Measels: a Growing Epidemic
F
or many years, an antivaccination
sentiment
has been growing in the
country with deadly costs.
Vaccinations were invented
during the colonial period by
Edward Jenner who used the
weaker strain of cowpox to
vaccinate against small pox.
In the 250 years since Jenner’s invention, vaccinations
have been widely regarded
as the most effective means
of preventing the spread of
deadly and damaging communicable diseases. In recent
years, vaccinations are working miracles against diseases.
However, with the rise
of the Green movement and
other back to nature sentiments, vaccination has become unpopular. Vaccination
falls under the category of
‘deadly western medicine’
that should be avoided. Noth-
ing could be further from the
truth. Vaccination is a life
saving medical practice.
Vaccination has eliminated
many diseases that previously killed thousands. Diseases
like measles and scarlet fever no longer plague modern
society due to vaccination.
When you receive a shot, a
small deactivated strain of
the virus or bacteria is injected into your body creating an autoimmune response.
Your body develops antibodies that will fight the disease
should you ever come into
contact with it.
Because your body already has the tools to fight
the infection, the disease is
eradicated before it has a
chance to infect you. The less
time the disease ‘has your
body’, the less chance of mutation and becoming strong,
Cat Saves Owner from Dog
.
possibly even vaccine resistant. Even if you do become
sick, you have less chance of
spreading the disease to others because the disease is not
in your system for very long.
Without hosts, many diseases
have become ‘extinct’ by the
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention’s standards.
Many individuals no longer vaccinate their child at
great risk to themselves and
others. In 2000, measles was
declared eradicated in the
United States. However this
year the disease has already
infected three times as many
people as did in 2009, which
was a major growth from
2000.
Measles is a major problem because 1 in every 1,000
cases is fatal. The population
of New York is 19,651,127.
If half the population of New
AT&T to Buy DirectTV for Just Under $50
Imagine a world where logos used Comic Sans. Photo Credit to GCDS
nocent situations, making
it a praiseworthy option
that contradicts the monotony and tediousness of
many font types.
Some of the most zealous proponents of the admirable Comic Sans are
teachers who work with
dyslexic children, as the
font’s estimably simple
and unembellished characteristics enable those
with learning disabilities
to read more easily. This
is merely one example
that highlights the unique
practicality of Comic
Sans and its rapidly expanding relevance in the
modern world.
Despite the raging controversy that surrounds
its supposed misuse,
Comic Sans has remained
continually pertinent and
survived countless attacks from font-snobs
everywhere. For now, lovers of the type will have
to wait. For the world, as
it stands today, is simply incapable of handling
Comic Sans.
By Emily Roff
York state contracted measles,
almost 10,000 people would
die. Can we truly afford not to
vaccinate?
Vaccination is not an individualist choice. Humans are
social creatures who function
in society. Many conservative
religious groups, like fundamentalist Christians and Hasidic Jews, advocate against
vaccinating. These individuals then go to grocery stores,
public parks or other places.
If infected, these groups
can spread the disease to individuals who did choose to
vaccinate. While the immediate person might be fine, what
about their family? Babies are
often unable to be vaccinated
because the vaccinations are
too dangerous at that young
age. Thus, the school teacher
who is forced to teach these
unvaccinated children could
.
bring the disease home to
his newborn child or spouse.
These susceptible children
could be seriously maimed
or even killed.
Would you want a doctor
to enter surgery or examine
you without washing his or
her hands? Vaccination is almost like that washing up. It
is a highly effective prevention method that saves lives.
Without vaccination
many people would lose
their young children. My
grandmother lost a brother to
whooping cough. My mother
never had to worry about the
disease because it was decreased thanks to vaccination. If the American public
does not change their ways,
I will have to worry about
whooping cough, measles
and mumps.
FBI Makes Major 17 Country Cybercrime Bust
May 2014
Albertus Magnus High School Page 7
Strikes South Korea
AMHS Students Journey to Modern Tragedy
By Alexia Mazis
Art Museum
n April 16, 2014 a tragedy occurred off of South Korea’s
By Maxx Annunziata
O
n April 29, a small group
of students from Albertus
Magnus High School visited
the Metropolitan Museum of
Art. They were accompanied
by Ms. Wassmer, and Mr. Locatelli, Albertus’s former Vice
Principal. The Metropolitan
Museum of Art is located in
New York City and is the largest art museum in the United
States.
The students walked and
observed 2,000,000 square
feet of artistic greatness. Consisting of three floors and hundreds of exhibits, the Albertus
group became witness to the
beauty of mankind. The most
famous artists of human history grace the halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. These
geniuses include, Michelangelo, Pablo Picasso, Vincent
van Gogh and Claudet Monet.
Paintings, statues and historical artifacts are just some of
the artistic mediums that inspired and grasped the creativity of the group of students.
Albertus has planned and
strived for a successful art trip
for numerous years and they
hope to for years to come. Art
is a crucial aspect of society
which Albertus has been able
to combine with education.
Heba Yacoub, Sophia Tarasco, Kendra Mayag, Allison Holandez
Table Talk
By Maxx Annunziata
Tidbits of World Class News
Saving Lives in 15 Seconds
Soldiers during war face many life threatening factors and dangers. From bombs to bullets, they must care and protect themselves. The first aid available to them has become not
an encouraging factor. It is estimated that 90 percent of wounded soldiers killed by blood
loss could have been saved with better emergency care. Now, a group of veteran scientist
and engineers have developed XStat, a pocket sized device intended to plug wounds. The
syringe goes deep into the wound depositing numerous pill-sized sponges, which expand
to stop bleeding and fight infection. Currently waiting FDA approval, XStat might be able
to save millions of military lives.
Source: popsci.com
O
Southwest Coast. Over four hundred high school students
and staff members traveling to Jeju, a resort island, for a field
trip went missing after their ferry sank. As divers continued
to search for these missing people, over three hundred people
were discovered dead. All but twenty-two crew members, including the Captain, were either reported dead or missing. Captain, Lee Jun-Seok was said to have abandoned ship during the
time of the sinking and was the first to be rescued.
Photo credit to Wall Street Journal
As a result of this negligence, fifteen surviving crew members,
including the Captain, were arrested for failing to protect their
passengers. Investigators believe that the cargo’s weight was
double the amount of the ferry ‘s normal capacity and therefore contributed to the ferry’s sinking. The company that owns
this ferry is now being charged for overlooking the ship’s cargo
capacity and allowing a poorly maintained ship to carry passengers.
Families and friends of the people that have died as a result
of this tragic disaster have been criticizing the government for
how it is handling rescue efforts and dealing with the failure of
the ship’s regulations. As a result of this, Prime Minister Chung
Hong-Won offered to resign for the benefit of the people.
This incident continues to have a great impact on the citizens
of South Korea, as well as the government. Many memorials
have been made by family members in order to honor the loved
ones they have lost and a tribute to the victims lost in this Ferry
Accident has been set up in the Ansan Olympic Memorial Hall.
Some countries have sent their regards for the South Korean
people and agreed to help search for any remaining civilians
that may have been missing. Therefore, the United States sends
its condolences to South Korea and will provide any assistance
if it is needed.
Expert Division
1st Place- Carly Winchell
2nd Place- Nicholas Proscia
3rd Place- Heba Yacoub
Elite Division
1st Place- Raymond Mosquea
2nd Place- Shannon Fegan
3rd Place- Elizabeth Terzer
Drugs In The Water Supply
It is estimated that around 700,000 people from ages 16 to 60 use cocaine in Britain each
and every year. Now, scientists from The Drinking Water Inspectorate have discovered
traces of cocaine in Britain’s water supply. This follows the process of being cleaned and
purified. However, although the compound is widespread, there isn’t enough potency to
cause any harmful or dangerous effects. The water is claimed to be safe to drink but some
experts believe a problem will soon arise.
Source: huffingtonpost.com
Chinese Army Personnel Charged with Cyberspying
.
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Art ers
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Spr t Winn
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Con
Pull Your Pants Up
Pikeville, a small city in Tennessee has begun to pinpoint saggy pants a new form of legislations. The City Council of Pikeville has begun to approve an ordinance in which individuals could be accused of public indecency if their pants sag “more than three inches
below the top of the hips”. The ordinance still has a long way to go before it is declared a
law; however, it seems to have substantial backing. So if you are walking down the street
with your pants low, you might be fined or even arrested for public indecency.
Source: upi.com
Archdiocese winner:
Expert Division
1st Place- Carly Winchell
President Puttin Promises the Removal of Troops However NATO Sees No Change
May 2014
AMDA
Conservatory of the Performing Arts
Abriana Innocent
Arizona State University
Anthony Colucci
Binghamton University
Raymond Mosquea
Maliq Cham
Boston College
Maureen O’Dowd
Albertus Magnus High School James Madison University
Heather Durkin
Russel Sage College
Kelly Clinton
Lehman College
Maryam Muhammad
Sacred Heart University
William Callahan
Kelly Felter
Connor Hayes
Baylee Kelly
Cathrine Kennedy
John Ryan
Lincoln Tech University of Technology
Vinny Curcio
Joe Kelly
Manhattan College
Grace Ostolozaga
Page 8
SUNY Oswego Cont.
Vivian Vila
Matthew Zamot
SUNY Plattsburgh
Brendan Nolan
SUNYIT
Carter Whitmore
Syracuse University
Jamie Arnowhich
Tina Lee
Marist College
Kaitlyn Fitzgerald
Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Stephen Betz
Ryan Doherty
Fiona Egan
Brianna Florez
Joe Nyemchek
Ryan O’Grady
Bucknell University
Katie Solesky
Marymount
Manhattan College
Laura Clinton
Sam Houston State
University
Marissa Martuscelli
Catholic University
Luke Kern
Marywood University
Brianna Untener
School of Visual Arts
Shannon Fegan
Claremont McKenna College
Mikaela Connell
Military - Army
Gabe Shaw
Coastal Carolina University
Laureen Galvin
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Kelly Guarino
Siena College
Terence Amonica
Meg Mearian
College of Mount Saint Vincent
Julia McGowan
New York University
Jessie Kay
Culinary Institute of America
Cara Amador
Ohio State University
Liam Foxe
Duchess Community College
Bridget O’Brien
Pace University
Tabitha Salci
Fairfield University
Annemarie Hahnenfeld
Kelly Sheridan
Ally White
Pennsylvania State
University
Marisa Blanco
SUNY Cortland
Caroline Bartholomew
CJ Coffey
Brianne Ghallager
Madison Kandoth
Quinnipiac University
Jenna Braca
SUNY Geneseo
Geoffrey Moore
University of Scranton
Janine Kenelly
Rockland Community College
Zach Agosto
Georgette Afriyie
Alexa Cangialosi
Conor Costello
Kathleen Dougherty
Danielle Giordini
Meg Kehoe
Nikki Lagana
Savannah Moore
Lauren Morano
Tyler Murphy
Antonietta Natale
Courtney Olsen
Amanda Shepard
Michela Scollo
Christian Torres
SUNY New Paltz
Michael Aurellano
Lauren Cappello
Bridget Gallione
Ally Garcia
Taylor Mormile
Villanova University
Kristen Fahey
Boston University
Kristin Burns
Bryant University
Matthew Raggi
Florida State University
Megan Confrey
Fordham Univeristy
Anthony Cotaj
Brian Reardon
Megan Townsend
Tracy Xiao
Howard Univeristy
Felicia Long
Sania Solon
Francine Vincent
Iona College
Matt Blanco
Sam Newbury
Kiana White
Manhattanville College
Sabrina Francois
Albertus Magnus High School
798 Route 304
Bardonia, NY 10954
Magnus Monitor is a student-produced newspaper that publishes
four times a year. Student editors make all content decisions under the supervision of the advisor. The newspaper is a member of
the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the Scholastic Press
Association.
Opinions expressed within the paper do not represent the staff’s
views or the views of the Albertus Magnus administration and staff.
Letters to the editor are encouraged but cannot be anonymous.
Please submit via email to [email protected].
St. John Fisher
Liam Condon
SUNY Buffalo
Emily Minkowitz
SUNY Buffalo State College
Giscard Beauvil
SUNY Oneonta
Bridget Dineen
Towson University
Kristin Lynch
United States Military
Academy at West Point
Jackie Parker
University at Albany
Michael Brivonese
Christine O’Riorden
University of Arizona
Kierstyn Power
University of Hartford
Danielle Begley
Jamaal Fields Green
Stephane Joseph
Jade Solomon
University of Massachusetts
Amherst
Charlie Giordano
University of Mississippi
Patrick Ward
University of
New Hampshire
Stephen Gormley
West Chester University
Kaitlyn McNamara
Winthrop University
Mallary McFadden
Undecided
Corey Jean-Charles
Edouard Jeanty
Cristina Magistro
Faith Rovegno
SUNY Oswego
Mary Czerwinski
Victor Leeber
Andrew Mangione
Dana McLaughlin
Danny Miller
Emily Motti
Newspaper Staff
Contact us:
[email protected]
Editor-in-Chief
Shannon Fegan
Assistant Editor-in-Chief
Maxx Annunziata
Editors
Samantha Heavner, Edward Amaba
Photographer
Matt Tyler
Faculty Advisor
Mr. Valentin
Special Thanks:
Mr. Fevola