Back To School Spirit - Bishop O`Connell High School

The Visor
Bishop O’Connell High School
Volume 52 Issue 1
Back To School Spirit
Brittany Davey & Dia Bhatia
Staff Writers
"It's gonna be a success!" said
Kayla Ferrari, SCA executive. The Welcome Back Dance kicked the year off on
Friday September 18th in the cafeteria.
The cafeteria was transformed into a
rave theme with lights and techno music.
Almost 350 screaming students danced all night, and had the time
of their lives. For those of you who
didn't go to this smashing dance, the
fee was $5, and the entrance time was
8:00 and the departing time was 11:00.
Students expected a rave, just
how Senior Tyler Bergeron and
Mile Kerr had characterized it.
The dance was hot! Literally,
heaps of sweaty OC students and their
guests dressed up in neon colors, and
wacky outfits. There was a Crazy Costumes contest and senior Bridget O'Keefe
won, with her fantastic outfit! “It was a great way for the
freshmen to meet other people and
just mix. So many upperclassmen attended that it was AWESOME!"
said an anonymous sophomore.
Heidi Voss, another sophmore
said “It was sweeeeet, and hopefully there will be more dances
like this one, throughout the year!"
Between the seniors’ mosh pit, the
crazy outfits, the rad dancing, and the
wicked dj-ing styles of Tyler Bergeron
The “Q-Crew“ show their school spirit and get everyone
pumped up.
and Michael Kerr; the dance was a
radical success. It was a great way
to start the new school year.
"Two Thumbs Up" said Alex
Harrington; and indeed it was.
Senior Jeremy Azurin, a senior
class counselor, dressed up along
with the “Q-Crew” in all blue. This group of seniors, lead
by Laura Quintero and junior Vivi
Mai, showed off their school spirit.
He commented “Seniors dominated
because we wanted to enjoy our last
back to school dance. Also, everyone
enjoyed the music. I think that was
the best part. SCA did a great job. ”
The back to school dance was
a great sucess, great entertainment, energetic people, and a fun environment
all played a roll. If this is any indication, with teh help of the SCA, this
year is going to be just as memorable.
A Familiar Face Takes Over
Joanna Harkins
Front Page Editor
Among the whirlwind of activities of this new school year, Bishop
O’Connell students have a familiar face
paving the way, making sure academics
get off to a wonderful start. Sr. Catherine
Hill I.H.M. is serving as the new Assistant Principal for Academics.
Sr. Catherine is certainly no
stranger to O’Connell. Valedictorian of
the class of 1966, she has also taught
in the science department for several
years. She is looking forward to learning more about aspects of the O’Connell
to her.
curriculum she hasn’t yet experienced,
and giving back to the school what she
has learned as a student, teacher and
administrator. Strengthening the regular
college preparatory program is one of Sr.
Catherine’s main goals for this year: “We’ve been spending a lot of
time focusing our time on AP classes;
they’re really at a strong level. We want
to make sure that all the teachers who
teach the regular college prep courses
have the things they need, that those kids
get all of the different opportunities.”
What’s Inside:
Ten Things You Didn’t Know About Tyler Bergeron.
Learn more about the G.I.B.L.E.T.S’ win against PVI.
Check out the style section for Homecoming, Heroine style.
She is also looking at her new
position as an opportunity to spread the
presence of the I.H.M. sisters:
“I want to bring my community’s faith tradition, that they’ve always
brought to O’Connell, and continue that
contribution.”
So far this year Sr. Catherine
has been working with the chairs of the
various departments, planning out the
year in order to “constantly improve
programs and to provide teachers with
what they need, whether it’s training or
equipment.” One enormous task she has
already taken care of is implementing the
schedules for all of the students: balancing the students’ needs with the ability
of all of the departments to “thrive” at
the same time.
Sr. Catherine has already had
many memorable experiences and created special memories in her new position, especially with students. Watching
student volunteers, who over the summer
moved her office furniture and boxes
from one room to another so quickly
and efficiently, was especially inspiring
“Students have been very cooperative and the faculty very supportive,”
she added.
A few aspects of her job that
she especially looks forward to are
helping students with things beyond the
classroom and working more closely
with parents.
“Because I went to O’Connell,”
she explained. “I’m looking forward to
being able to participate a little more
closely in helping people prepare themselves for college and things beyond
here; I’m looking forward to having that
chance, in a way, to ‘give back’ for what
the school gave me. ”
Sr. Catherine reminds students
that high school is a time when they pick
up many of the skills and learn many of
the habits that they need in order to be
“good, productive members of society,
especially ones who express our faith,
and just make the world a better place
by being in it.”
With so much already done,
and the new school year in full motion,
wO’Connell looks forward to a very productive first year with Sr. Catherine!
Visor September 2009
Editorials
To Bro or not to Bro, That’s Kinda the Question
Danny Brennan
Special to the Visor
It’s August 21st. I’m on the
campus of UCLA, an incredibly large
California state school, when I hear a
word pierce through the air like a siren,
shattering all other sounds in its way as if
on a mission to reach its target no matter
what. And of all the words, of all the
brilliant adjectives and nouns, of all the
poetically beautiful syllables that grace
the English language, what word do I
hear? Why, none other than one of the
most perplexing vernacular phenomena to
ever occur in our time: “Bro.”
That’s right. This single syllable
has emerged as one of the most widely
used and straightforward phrases in our
culture. How simple, yet how complex.
How uncreative, yet how versatile. This
phrase, which has earned its place among
other intellectual titles such as “Son,”
“Homie,” and “G,” is so widely used that
it’s almost impossible to ascertain its exact
meaning.
As high-schoolers, we often use
this word to refer to a male acquaintance
(you can tell I’m trying to sound smart
with the copious amounts of big words
I‘m using) who is close to us. Someone
who possesses certain qualities affiliated
with awesomeness. However, we have
often heard people refer to their friend as
their “bro,” even if the friend is the exact
opposite of cool. So it is clear that those
who qualify for the title of “bro” are a
diverse group.
With such a wide scope of
people, how can we be certain we’re
using the word properly? A student from
Yorktown High School (who shall remain
nameless, mostly because I made him
up) believed that there was a “direct
correlation between the title of “bro” and
the sport of Lacrosse.” Whether or not this
is true, we cannot be certain. But it would
explain such variations as “Bro-lax” and
“Lax-bro.” But this leads to another
problem. How can we be certain all of the
variations mean the same thing? We can’t.
We are bound by teenage culture
to come across many alternatives to the
word “bro,” such as “bro-sef,” “bro-skey,”
and “bro-monger” (an actual student from
UCLA explained to me that the title of
Do U Txt & Drive? Think Again!
Leela Gupta
Staff Writer
The typical teenage driver:
windows down, sunroof back, music
blaring, speeding, and using the cell phone
all at once. Don’t deny it; you’ve done at
least three of these things simultaneously
before. If you don’t drive yet, then you
have definitely witnessed this numerous
times.
State police departments have
created laws pertaining to music and
speeding already. Music needs to be silent
enough that you can hear ambulances
and police cars, and obey speed limits
posted along the highway. Now states
are cracking down and making stricter
laws to discourage cell phone use while
driving. In fact, six states and the District
of Columbia have already banned the use
of handheld cell phones when operating
a vehicle, and if you are pulled over for
using a cell phone you can be ticketed.
New
Ana-Maria Hecton
Staff Writer
Texting is one of the most
popular technological ways of
communication in today’s society.
According to The Wireless Association,
approximately 75 billion text messages
were sent in June of 2009. This number
is significantly higher than the 7.2 billion
texts sent in June of 2005.
And why not text? It’s fast,
easy, and efficient. But unlike talking on
the phone, which requires some multitasking skills, texting requires even more
of the driver’s undivided attention. It’s no
surprise then that one study found that at
any given time 20% of all drivers on the
road are texting.
But texting while driving is
a serious danger that contributes to an
increase in motor vehicle crashes. About
66% of drivers who text are young people
between 18 and 24 years old. Since motor
vehicle crashes are the leading cause of
death for people from ages 15 to 20, it
can be inferred that the distraction of
School
Starting a new school year usually
includes seeing new faces. This year two new
additions have been made to the faculty of
Bishop O’Connell: Chemistry teacher Ms.
Possick and Theology teacher Mr. Glasow.
The O’Connell community is happy to
welcome the two new staff members.
Ms. Possick grew up and attended
high school in Maryland. After graduating,
Year,
“bro-monger” specifically refers to the
captain of a men’s lacrosse team). But
it doesn’t stop there- oh no. The ability
to create a new word simply by saying
“bro” and then adding another syllable
to it (example: “bro-stuff”) has made the
subject even more complicated than it
already is (or rather, what I’m making it
out to be). It is clear that the versatility
of the word, and the fact that there is no
real definition, means that we will not be
hearing the end of “bro” for a while.
But is this a bad thing? People
often criticize us teenagers for brutally
butchering the English language,
sometimes making us seem as though we
have no regard for the official English
vocabulary (though I will admit, every
time I hear someone say “LOL” out loud
as a word, I feel the incredible urge to
punch a panda, or something equally
adorable and innocent). But is it also
possible that we are adding words like
“bro” to the current set of official terms
to personalize our language? That we
are trying to find a way to communicate
to each other with versatile words that
are interchangeable with just about
anything? That we want to perfect the
entire structure of speech by summarizing
hundreds of words with a single syllable?
No. Let’s be honest; we’re not that smart.
But no matter what people may think, it is
true that sometimes less is more, and that
may just be the case……Bro.
The Visor
Bishop O’Connell High School
6600 Little Falls Road
Arlington, VA
Published monthly, the student
newspaper of Bishop Denis J. O’Connell
High School is a public forum with
its student editorial board making all
decisions about its content, under the
guidance of its faculty advisor.
Opinions in the paper are not
necessarily those of the staff, nor should
any opinion expressed in this public
forum be construed as the opinion or
the policy of Bishop O’Connell High
School, unless so attributed.
Editors-In-Chief
Taylor Brogan
Jeremy Azurin
Front Page
Joanna Harkins
Sports
Mark Moran
Editorials
Erin McDonough
By the end of the past school year,
many students had begun to recognize
the voices of the 2008-2009 Student
Council Executive Board, as they led the
student body in prayer and announced
important school news each morning.
This year’s SCA leaders have some
bright ideas that will make the homeroom
experience much more engaging. They
will be operating the announcements
from across the school, beginning later
this month, in the video production room.
The video announcements are
not new to the school; a similar routine
ran many years ago. But there was not the
proper equipment upgrades to maintain the
format, until a recent donation was made
from within the O’Connell community
that provided the Video Production Center
with the necessary cameras and wiring.
Thanks to this generosity, it is only a
matter of weeks, or even days, according
to the SCA moderators and Executive
Health
Cait Petterson
Campus News
Christy Branaamorn
Spreads
Copy Editor
Jamitress Bowden Anna Jeffrey
using the tiny screen device that requires
intense concentration is not lowering these
statistics. A British study also found that
texting while driving impairs the driver
more than being drunk or being under the
influence of some drugs.
Overall, texting while driving
is a serious hazard that many people do
casually without thinking twice about
their actions. The next time you drive
and text, remember that those few crucial
seconds you look down at your phone and
start clicking away to your friend could
potentially be your last.
Teachers
her to apply. She sees that as a vital.
“Knowing what you want to do
when you get to college” is what she considers
to be the biggest challenge in high school.
Her favorite quote is by Dr.
Seuss, “Be who you are and say what
you feel because those who mind don’t
matter and those who matter don’t mind.”
Mr. Glasow teaches sophomore
Church History and teaches junior
Morality/Sacraments. Mr. Glasow went to
high school at O’Connell, which influenced
Staff Writers
Dia Bhatia, Brittany Davey, Emma
Delmontagne, Natalie Eichner, Drew
Fletcher, Emily Gordon, Leela Gupta,
Imani Hamami, Ana-Maria Hecton, Kathryn Heppes, Suzanne Holland, Carolina
Hurley, Nicholas Kent, Kelly Kundinger,
Erin McDonough, Collin Pin, Andrew
Saunders, John Scully, Cristina Totanes,
Dylan Vorbach, Madeleine Young
Faculty Moderator
Dan Culler
his decision to teach. Mr. Glasow felt a
calling to teach. He attended college at
the Franciscan University of Steubenville
and studied political science, history,
and psychology. Currently, Glasow is
attending Catholic University for his
graduate degree in Theology. Mr. Glasow
thinks that there are several challenges
facing high school graduates today; one
in particular is for the graduates to stay
true to their beliefs. Mr. Glasow hopes to
“be a good teacher, help my students grow
in their faith, and not to be too boring.”
O’Connell welcomes Ms. Possick
and Mr. Glasow. Hopefully they will feel
welcome and enjoy their first of many years
of teaching, helping their students to grow
spiritually, mentally, and academically.
Morning P.A. Announcements Return to Visual
Dylan Vorbach
Staff Writer
Entertainment
Devon Spencer
Style
Visor Enthusiast
Marley Garner
Danny Brennan
Kellie Hogan
Alejandra Buitrago
New
she went to Ursinus College in Philadelphia,
where she studied Chemistry. During her
college summer vacation, Pollick taught
swimming at a local pool. It was here,
during her freshman year, that she decided
to become a teacher after realizing how
much she enjoyed working with children.
This year is her first year of formal school
teaching, and so far she loves it, as expected.
She decided to come to O’Connell because
of the “family-like” community that Mr.
Harrison spoke about as he encouraged
Page 2
Board, before the switch will be made.
As the final wires are connected and
TVs installed, the announcers themselves
have been hard at work developing some
exciting additions to the morning program
– hopefully features that will be a little
more effective at keeping students at least
semi-conscious at the beginning of the day.
“There are a lot of potential
suggestions,” says SCA treasurer Alex
Harrington, and they might include weather
forecasts, featuring student artwork in
the background, and even broadcasting
Format
highlights from recent athletic events.
“It will hopefully allow more
people to be involved,” commented
faculty moderator, Mr. Tom Duesterhaus.
Overall, the goal of the video format
for the announcements is to engage
more students in the morning than were
reached by the Public Address system.
“I’m more inclined to watch TV
than listen to the radio,” says Harrington.
Hopefully this feeling will prove true
for over 1,500 students and faculty
who will be tuning in each morning.
Visor September 2009
Campus News
New Turf, New Year
Drew Fletcher
Becky Tyrpak, a student-trainer, aids Katelynn Catalfamo in the New Training Room near the weight-training room.
New Teachers, New Improvements
Natalie Eichner
Staff Writer
While the students of Bishop
O’Connell were tanning on the beaches
of the Outerbanks or vacationing in Europe, the faculty and staff of Bishop
O’Connell were hard at work supervising the major construction that the
school underwent over the summer.
Walking around the school, students noticed some major changes, like
a brand-new, state-of-the-art training
room, generously funded by the Athletic
Boosters. The new training room is almost four times as large as the old one,
complete with brand new training equipment and benches. The students were
very excited to use their new resources.
“The new training room is great!
It’s a lot easier to take care of people because there is actually space to move
around,” said student-trainer Becky Tyrpak.
New classrooms have also been
added; the former Studies Office is now
a classroom. Another classroom will be
created where the Student Life offices
were formerly located. This new classroom will be fully equipped with new
computers, as well as SMART Boards.
In order to create better and more
efficient offices, the school has created
the “Administrative Support Center” in
the old library. This Administrative Sup-
Interact
Addison Snidle
Staff Writer
Club
So what exactly IS the Interact
club? It is a service club where students work
at various activities to raise money for the
Kenyan orphans, as well as fulfill their service requirement at the same time.
So how did it come to be? Years ago, Mrs.
Lane, a religion teacher here at Bishop
O’Connell, went to work at the Good Samaritan Orphanage Center in Kenya, Africa. At the orphanage, Fr. Cosmas and other
volunteers cared for Kenyan boys and girls
who, because of HIV/AIDS, had lost both
their parents and had no other place to go.
During Mrs. Lane’s time at the orphanage,
Mrs. Lane asked what O’Connell students
could do to help the children. Thus began
O’Connell’s project to “adopt the Kenyan
kids,” as student’s worked to help pay for
the orphans’ Catholic school education.
Interact Club tries to help as much
port Center includes the Business Office,
the Advancement Office, the Communications Office, and the President’s Office. It
is hoped that by locating all of the offices
closer together, communication and effectiveness can be dramatically improved between the different administrative offices.
To many, it’s the small changes that make the most difference.
Mr.
Breen
observed,
“It’s
the
small
things
that
let people know we care.” And there have been many small
changes that will dramatically improve the
students’ high school experience. All of
the bathrooms have been remodeled with
new stalls and mirrors. Everything has
been repainted. The outside of the school
has been landscaped as well. Another
small but historical change was the moving
of the engraved Bishop O’Connell High
School stone from the back of the school to
the front. This stone was part of the original building, before the remodeling project
that took place many years ago. Over the
years it has been moved around to different
areas of the campus, but now it sits proudly in the front of the school. To many, the
stone has become a symbol of community
and unity among the alumni and current
students, uniting the past with the present.
Speaking of the stone, Mr. Breen
remarked, “It’s such a wonderful way of
bringing history together with the present.”
According to Mr. Breen, many
Reaches
Page 3
Out
as they can so that the Kenyan orphans can
overcome their challenges.DJO’s tradition
of service gives all O’Connell students an
opportunity to help here at home as well
as abroad. The Interact Club is currently
looking to the class of 2013 in particular
to answer the call to help fellow teens.
Even if you don’t join the Club,
you can help out! During your homeroom
period every month on the first Thursday,
you will get orange packets with a picture of
an orphan on it. Interact Club asks to generously donate to help your homeroom’s child.
Another reason to join the club
is the knowledge that in all of the money
raised (every single penny), goes towards improving another’s life as well
as enabling each orphan to live out his
or her dreams for the future. The feeling
of helping another person of your age
is a joyous one. Please, join the Interact
Club - You can help make a difference!
more improvements are still in progress.
Some of these ongoing projects include
fixing the drainage on the baseball field,
replacing the old light fixtures for more
energy efficient ones, and even building
a new snack bar in the cafeteria towards
the gym. The Administration is in the final stages of installing a buzzer system
in the front doors, so that security can be
even more effective throughout the school.
Even with all of these changes taking place,
the Administration is still not finished.
“Hopefully people will understand that we care about making this a
beautiful place to learn and grow as young
men and women,” added Mr. Breen.
Staff Writer
The days of playing on the rutted field at O’Connell are almost over.
Shortly after the 2008 football season
ended, the school began a massive fundraising effort aimed at installing brand
new turf. The turf is expected to significantly help teams that use the field during the spring season, and teams that play
in the fall season next year. With support from the Athletic
Boosters, as well as alumni and other
friends of O’Connell, it is hoped that before too long the new turf will be a reality. It will be easier maintain, as it will not
have to rely on rain and regular maintenance to keep it game-ready. In addition
to easier maintenance, the turf can also
withstand more use during the year, opening up the possibility for more games to
be hosted at the field. It could also mean
more logos and images on the field.
The new turf will unfortunately not be used by some, as the seniors that play either football or soccer will not be able to use it this year.
“It’s great for rising students,
but it’s unfortunate it came this late,”
lamented senior Jason Fulbrook, a
member of the Varsity Football team.
The new turf will also reduce the track to only four lanes.
“We will have to do our workouts on the Yorktown track now,” said
senior Matt Tyrpak, member of the
Track Team. However, tghe plan also
calls for the track to be redone with
a more suitable material for running.
Despite the various changes
the new turf will be a welcome addition to the school. Receiving the new turf
will put O’Connell on the same level as
other WCACs school, such as Dematha,
Gonzaga and Good Counsel and benefit the atmosphere of O’Connell sports.t
Visor September 2009
Campus News
Page 4
Go for the Gold in Intramural 2009
Imani Hamami
Staff Writer
Every year the flyers go up
about intramurals, with students rushing
to get their friends together to create a
team. The sign-up process is simple: just
get a sign-up sheet from the Activities’
Office and round up your friends.
Teams consist of fifteen players, with
at least six players of the opposite sex.
There is a small sign-up fee
of five dollars per person, adding up to
seventy-five dollars per team. The money
contributed will go to the different grades.
Intrameural activities consist of
flag football, ultimate frisbee, air hockey,
dodgeball, foosball, ping pong, and
volleyball. The events go year round starting
with flag football in September. They will
culminate in May with dodgeball. A team
does not have to participate in all events; but
if they do they will increase their chances
of winning “The Cup.” Every team member
does not have to take part in every game or
every season; they can take turns and let
people play the games that they play best.
“We only played one game and
got our butts kicked, but it was still fun,”
commented Jules Connole, sophomore, about her intramural team last year.
If you do not have time to get
a team together, you can just go and
cheer on your friends and classmates.
Senior
Taylor
Stack
said, “The games are fun to go to
and simply watch.” Basically everyone should get
involved in the intramural program, even
if they are not on a team. Intramuralss are
just a fun way to get involved with the
school and hang out with some friends. So
everybody! Get out there and have some
fun! Get a team together, and go for he Cup! Welcome Class of 2013!
Connor Scully
Staff Writer
The class of 2013 has finally
entered the building: Bishop O’Connell
High School. Dozens of fresh, young faces
have begun to flood the hallways. Every
morning O’Connell’s upperclassmen
are greeted by their bright eager faces
as they begin to experience this new
chapter of their lives. As they entered
O’Connell’s storied halls some were a
little daunted; but they soon learned that
O’Connell is a welcoming community.
Many freshmen are already
deeply involved in O’Connell’s clubs
and organizations.
Joseph
Scully
said
“I’ve
loved Bishop O’Connell since the
moment I entered the building; and my
affection for the school only grows.”
Freshman
all
across
the
school seem to be enthralled by
everything that happens, enjoying every
minute of their time at O’Connell.
Freshman year can be a little
intimidating, so here is a brief list of
helpful hints from the “grizzled vets.”
Don’t travel in large groups.
Even though freshmen may seem smaller
then the rest of the school; strength is
not in numbers. As Gregg Jones, Junior,
Who We Are:
The Unity Council is a
group of students and teachers
dedicated to strengthening the
DJO family through unity. We
will work throughout the year to
address, and hopefully resolve,
issues that divide the O’Connell
community. In addition, we will
also celebrate the richness of the
heritages present in the community
through numerous activities that
honor O’Connell’s cultural, familial,
and religious diversities.
What Our Goals Are:
We will endeavor to:
•
Plan events to celebrate
the richness of the cultures in the
school; for example, how cultures
experience their Catholic faith
•
Encourage activities that
will bring the entire school together
as a unified body
•
Address issues that might
cause dissention among our community, such as bullying, both in
person and on the internet; lack
of sensitivity towards differences
of race, gender and ethnicity; and
resolving conflicts in a constructive
manner
1. September is National Hispanic
Heritage Month. In keeping with
the Unity Council’s tradition of incorporating religious influence into
unity, here is a brief list of some
Hispanic Saints who have feast
days in September:
St. and Feast Day
1.
St. Francis de Morales –
Sept. 10
2.
St. Maria de Cerevellon –
Sept. 19
3.
St. Thomas of Villanueva –
Sept. 22
4.
St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre
Pio) – Sept. 23
5.
St. Garcia – Sept. 29
For the student body:
Who can join:
Any member of the student
body who would like to contribute
to the council by bringing forth any
issues they feel should be attended to or by aiding the council with
additional information in the spirit
of unity.
Actual Cup Larger Than Pictured
Thank you all for contributing
to DJO’s effort to promote unity
and understanding among the
students, faculty, and staff. We
ask for additional help from the
student body because the council
needs additional student feedback
in order to help govern and organize its activities. If anyone has
commented “Some of the the freshmen
seem to pack together, a little herd-like.”
Travel alone, or with just
with one or two friends. It makes the
hallways much more maneuverable.
Don’t put all your books in a
backpack; use the lockers the school
provides. The lockers are there so that
students do not have to carry all their books
at once. Take advantage of that. Not only do
giant backpacks look strange, and blatantly
trumpet your rookie status, but it could
also lead to back problems in the future.
Join
clubs,
activities,
or
other
organizations.
Through
these activities you will meet new
people,
and
meet
upperclassmen.
“I was a member of many clubs,
and befriended many upperclassmen who
helped me get more comfortable with the
school,” remembers James Higgins, “I
made many lifelong friends freshman year.”
So don’t worry freshmen.Although
O’Connell can seem huge and scary, within
a few weeks it will become your home
away from home. The upperclassmen are
already warming up to the freshman. Audra Nakas, Junior, hesitantly
says “They seem pretty nice, I guess”.
Everyone here at O’Connell hopes that the
freshman love us, as much as we love them.
a question, comment, complaint,
concern, or issue they feel should
be examined by the unity council,
write it down and submit it to one
of the administrators or council
representatives. Thanks again
and God bless.
Members
Student Elected:
Maurice Williams, Modie Chileshe,
Jeremy Azurin, Devon Spencer,
Joanne Johnson, Alex Nihill, Billy
Ratledge, Armondo Luyando
Faculty Appointed:
Deon Thomas, Jamitress Bowden,
Blythe Brady, Taylor Rittue, Max
Roewer, Erin Conner, Megan
Gardepe, Francis Nguyen, Sandy
Soman, Angelina Travers, Katherine Young, Marlena Fernandez
Unity Council 2009-2010 officers:
Jamitress Bowden- President
Devon Spencer- Vice President
Deon Thomas- Secretary
Visor September 2009
Spotlight
Page 5
Spotlight On: Tyler Bergeron
Taylor Brogan
Editors-In-Chief
When The Visor spoke with (maybe
ambushed) Tyler, he was chilling in the
main lobby with Mike Kerr and Marielle
Grenade-Willis. We decided to ask him a
few questions, because he’s an interesting
guy. You heard the Welcome Back Dance
announcements.
Q: What is your favorite color, and why?
A: Black, Because My Heart Is A Black,
Empty Hole Of an Abyss. Just Kidding,
All the Colors of The Rainbow Are
Pleasing to My Eyes.
A: (Marielle suggests General Tso’s
Chicken.) No, That’s Too Generic…Some
Animal I Wouldn’t Normally Eat, like
Octopus. Something Poisonous.
Q: On a scale of 1 to awesome, how
would you rate the movie Giltter, starring
Mariah Carrey?
A: 10 Stars And 5 Thumbs Up. Mariah
Carrey Goes Beyond All…Race. (Mike
says something about Ebony and Ivory.)
Q: Favorite holiday treat?
Q: Who is your favorite Beatle?
A: Hmm…Matzo Balls.
A: [contemplates] John Lennon; Because
He Told It Like It Was. (Mike Kerr wanted
him to say “Daniel Johnston.”)
Q: You can legally have any animal in the
world as a pet. Which do you pick?
Q: Would you rather: a) lose your
eyesight, or b) lose your Rasta glasses?
A: Tyrannosaurus Rex. (Mike: “You can’t
go back in time.” Marielle is laughing.)
Fine. Hyena—to share laughs with. To
laugh at my dumb jokes.
A: Eyesight, Because It Would Give Me
an Excuse to Wear the Glasses All the
Time.
Q: You have 10 seconds to name your pet.
Go!
Q: Which came first: the chicken or the
egg?
A: Laughy the Hyena. (Later, Tyler
changed his mind.) Laffy Taffy.
A: Well, God Came First. But He Created
The Egg, To Make The Chicken Hatch
Himself.
Q: And lastly: What is Jim Morrison’s
birthday?
A: [without hesitation] January 26th.
Q: What would you order at a Chinese
restaurant?
She’s Not a Nutritionist, She’s Just Hungry
Cait Patterson
Staff Writer
Let’s Go
Clubbing!
Hungrygirl.com was started as an
online blog, to communicate the average
woman’s tips and tricks for everyday
people. The Hungry Girl, also known as
Lisa, uses commonly found ingredients
in all of her recipes. She has published
two books. Her latest is Hungry Girl 200
Recipes under 200 Calories. All of her
recipes are delicious, nutritious, and easy
to make.
Below is a recipe for a turkey
club, except not your usual high-calorie
lunch. This sandwich is only 222 calories,
with 21.5 grams of protein and only 6.75
grams of fat.
Serving Size: 1 sandwich
Calories: 222
Fat: 6.75g
Sodium: 1,214mg
Carbs: 23.5g
Fiber: 5.5g
Sugars: 4g
Protein: 21.5g
More
Welcome
Back Dance
Ingredients:
2 slices light bread (40 - 45 calories each with about 2g fiber per slice)
2 slices turkey bacon
2 oz. (about 4 - 6 slices) 98% fat-free turkey breast
2 slices tomato
2 leaves romaine lettuce
2 tsp. fat-free mayonnaise
Directions:
Toast your bread. Cut bacon strips in half.
Over medium heat, cook bacon strips in a pan sprayed with nonstick spray until crispy, about 5
minutes.
Spread mayo onto one piece of bread, and then top with the turkey slices, tomato, lettuce, and bacon.
Finish it all off with the other piece of bread.
MAKES 1 SERVING
Visor September 2009 Sports
Page 6
Undefeated Knights: The Talk of the Town
Haley Milon
Staff Writer
Knight’s football has gotten off
to an explosive start this season with wins
against both Wilson High school and St.
Albans School, notching a 2-0 record for
O’Connell.
The season opener at Wilson
was featured as The Game of the Week
on Channel 4. If you tuned in, you would
have seen the Knights put pressure on the
Tiger’s offense, causing three pickoffs.
“We knew up front that we had
to get pressure on him,” said senior safety/
running back Greg Gadell. “We succeeded
in that and it opened up other things for
us.”
O’Connell was also effective in
moving the ball with its defense. A standout
safety in the WCAC, Josh Trimble picked
off a pass and returned it 90 yards for a
touchdown.
Josh wasn’t the only Knight
moving the ball; junior fullback Patrick
Simms totaled 15 rushes for 109 yards.
Knights Smash to Victory
The Knights returned to DC the
next week to face St. Albans, putting on
a show with a comeback from 16-0 in the
second half. The offense moved the ball,
with Gadell totaling 91 yards rushing,
including a 45 yard run on a fumble. Gadell
finished the day with three touchdowns.
As usual, the Knights excelled in
all facets of the game. Trimble scored on
an 80 yard kick return.
Junior Michael Katz led the
defense with 14 tackles. Senior Ray
Donahue kicked a 32 yard field goal. One
setback occurred when Senior linemen
Alex Berdahl pulled a hamstring in the first
quarter, taking him out for the game.
The highlight of the game was by
far senior William Connor’s interception in
the end zone in the fourth quarter. Connor
saved the game by not allowing a final
touchdown for the Bulldogs.
The Knights are adjusting to their
new personal very effectively, with new
quarterback Nick Moribito settling into his
position as the game manager. As usual,
O’Connell has a tough WCAC schedule
set for the season. Big games will include
Dematha on October 24thand St. John’s on
Oct. 31st. The highly anticipated PVI game
will be played November 7th at O’Connell.
“It’s hard to name one team in the
WCAC. Every team is competition because
the WCAC is such a tough conference.
Any given week matches us against a good
team,” said head coach Steve Trimble.
The Knights face St. Mary’s
Ryken at home on September 19th, with the
hope of continuing their winning ways all
season.
Serving up Success
Andrew Saunders
Staff Writer
Girls’ Tennis is one of
O’Connell’s most underrated sports. While
most of the student body’s attention has
been focused on football and soccer this
season, O’Connell tennis has been quietly
handling business against their tough
opponents. The girls have been practicing
hard everyday since the end of summer
to prepare for their tough schedule that
include tennis powerhouse St. John’s as
well as O’Connell’s archrival P.VI. They
have won 3 times already this year. All 3
were crushing defeats over Potomac, Good
Counsel and a 9-0 drubbing of St. Mary’s
Riken. Their only loss was handed to them
by St. John’s Academy, which is one of the
G.I.B.L.E.T.S
Girl’s Soccer:Kicking to
Victory
Katy Heppes
Staff Writer
Thoughout the irls’ Varsity
Soccer squads first few games scoring was
down, with two senior players out: Jackie
Morairty and Emily Leonard. The 5-0 win
against Paul VI was a real success.
Coach Starace commented, “I was
really happy how we played, considering
the last two games; but winning 5-0 was
great.”
So the coach was pleased and so
were the captains.
Lisa Gonzolas and Jackie Morairty
said, this about the win, “We were so
excited when the first goal was made. We
all got so pumped, especially because all
our fans came out; they were awesome.
The first goal was scored by
Allison Dummel (sophomore) followed
by Emily Lodge (freshmen) and then
Gonzolas. The girls really pulled together
as a team and didn’t let two missing players
bring them down. Pleased with the result,
the girls look forward to playing P.VI. later
in the season.
top ranked WCAC schools for girl’s tennis
this year. Only sophomore Leah Retta was
able to pull out a win in her match against
St. John’s, as O’Connell went 1-8 against
them. The girls are lead by Coach Kluba,
who is regarded with great respect among
all of the girls.
“His knowledge and love for the
game of tennis inspires us to work hard and
enjoy the sport we all love,” said Senior
Captain Meghan Gardepe.
Gardepe, who has been on the team
all 4 years is positive that she and the other
seniors, Maddie Burkhard, Christine Mai,
and Amy Shepard can lead O’Connell to a
great season this year. Their home matches
are played at Bluemont Park in Arlington,
so get out and support O’Connell tennis
this season.
Visor September 2009
Sports
Page 7
Boys Cross Country
Going the Distance
Erin McDonough
Staff Writer
Volleyball Spikes into a
Victory
Kelly Kundinger
Staff Writer
After a successful season in
the 2008-2009 school year, the varsity
volleyball team is pumped for another
season. Though the team is young, due
to many seniors graduating in 2009, there
is a lot of experience. The hardworking
team has practice every day that they
do not have a game. The team, which
consists of two seniors, ten juniors, and
one freshman, is being lead this year by
captains Dia Barber, junior, and Colleen,
Wiliams, senior.
So far the volleyball team is off
to a good start, with two wins against
Bishop Ireton and Saint Elizabeth Ann
Seton. The team has high hopes for and
plans to have yet another successful
season. “The team plays hard and has
great sportsmanship.” Said Captain Dia
Barber. She also went on to say, “We
appreciate all of our fans coming out to
our games and supporting us.” Be sure
to stop by to see the Lady Knights play
Tuesday, September 29 against Bishop
Ireton at 5:30 pm.
Climbing Up the Hills
Erin McDonough
Staff Writer
The Girls’ Cross-Country team,
which won Arlington County, the WCAC,
and Virginia Independent State last year,
has once again gotten off to a great start.
They finished fifth out of twenty-one
teams in their first meet, Great Meadows
Invitational on August twenty-ninth, and
first out of twenty-one teams at the Peter
Geraghty Invitational at Mount St. Mary’s
on September fifth.
“The team is young, but strong”,
says Claire Steindam, who is currently the
only senior on the Varsity squad.
While they might not have
many experienced team members, they
do have lots of raw talent. This might be
because Cross-Country is a very open
sport; no one gets cut so everyone has
the opportunity to prove their abilities
throughout the year. Then again, the
team’s good starting record might be the
highly energetic and encouraging captains
that the Cross country team boasts:
Steindam is joined by juniors Michelle
Van Horn and Alex Nihill in leading their
team into another winning season.
Claire herself attributes much of
the team’s success not only to the talent of
the team, but also to their fantastic head
While the Boys’ Cross-Country
Team might not have as good a record as
the girls, you can still find them hanging
out at the track or running along the bike
paths of Arlington. Some of them have
even been known to run from their homes
to O’Connell and back, or to jog through
the snow to keep in shape. Wherever they
go, they lead other O’Connell students
to wonder where they would run if they
were that in shape.
“I’d love it if I knew I could
just run five miles to the store to get
something if I needed it” says senior
Suzie Holland.
Of course, as one member of the
cross country team, senior captain Drew
Fletcher points out, “You have to run
back too”. The fact is you’re not likely to
pick up groceries on foot, if only because
you probably wouldn’t want to have to
run home with a gallon of milk and a
t-shirt drenched in sweat.
While running may not be the
most effective means of transportation,
that doesn’t stop the O’Connell Boys’
Cross-Country Team from doing what
people have been doing since ancient
times: running to compete. This year
the Boys’ Cross-Country Team has
unfortunately gotten off to a slow start
in their meets. A number of factors
contribute to their poor starting record.
First, the team lost their head coach,
Lewis Butler, at the end of last year. This
left them with no one criteria for training
throughout the summer.
“It was really difficult to
motivate people to work over the summer
when we didn’t even have a coach yet”
says senior captain Matt Tyrpak.
Once a new coach was hired,
there was a whole new set of obstacles.
First, the team had to adjust to a new
training program. Second, the coach
himself had to adjust to coaching.
Although he ran in college himself, the
new head coach, David Hebert, has never
run a team before.
Then there is the fact that the
team is so young; there are only two
senior boys running this year.
“We’ve got a lot of talented
underclassmen, especially in the
sophomore class” says senior captain
Matt Tyrpak, “but this year is a building
year”.
That’s not to say that the team
has no promise for this season. Most of
this year’s runners have significantly
improved times from last year, and even
with the loss of last year’s seniors the
team is faster overall. Tyrpak says that
he thinks the team has a great chance
of winning Arlington County, in which
the team placed second in last year.
He encourages everyone to come and
cheer on the O’Connell runners as they
compete at Bluemont Park on the thirtieth
for the Arlington County Championship.
coach, Cindy Walls.
“Coach Walls is very
experienced” Steindam says, “She’s been
running and coaching, for years. And she
always pushes every member of the team
to do their absolute best”.
Walls has successfully led the
Girls’ Cross-Country team for the past
few years to many victories, and the
team is optimistic about their chances
of winning the Arlington County,
WCAC, and Virginia Independent State
tournaments again this year. O’Connell
traditionally dominates Arlington County,
and while the WCAC is more competitive,
O’Connell is still a very strong competitor
in the WCAC championship.
“It helps that the WCAC is pretty
small”, says Steindam. “Coach Walls is
able to keep her eye on the competition
so that she can come up with the right
strategies to win”. But O’Connell
also does well in the larger Virginia
Independent State Tournament, so clearly
this is not their only secretto success. The
O’Connell Girls’ Cross-Country Team
is full of talented athletes, and hopes are
high for another season at number one.
Upcoming Football Games:
9/26 vs. Good Counsel
10/03 vs. Carroll
10/10 at Gonzaga
10/17 at McNamara
Visor September 2009
Entertainment
Page 8
Seen Any Good Horror Movies Lately? Didn’t Think So.
Danny Brennan
Special to the Visor
Just what is it that makes
a movie scary? This is a question
that movie producers, directors, and
writers have been asking themselves
for decades now. What story? What
monsters? What psychotically deranged yet sequel-surviving masked
whack-jobs will make the average human being let out a more-or-less little
girl-like scream? Well, after all of their
meetings, storyboards, and writing
development projects, it has become
clear that the well of ideas in Hollywood has become as dry as the Sahara
Dessert. From gory remakes like “My
Bloody Valentine” and “Halloween” to
completely unnecessary and somewhat
disgraceful sequels (that’s right “Saw,”
I’m referring to you), it would seem
as if producers simply cannot muster
the energy or will required to create a
halfway decent horror flick.
Is this statement too harsh?
Maybe. But is there plenty of evidence
to prove my point? Certainly; the last
decade has provided an especially
plentiful harvest of not-worth-watching “slasher” films that are the artistic
equivalent of manure, including such
“hits” (I’m using quotations to be
facetious) as “Freddy vs. Jason” and
“Prom Night.” The titles of both are a
clear indication of Hollywood’s lack
“Sorority Row” (oh drunk, homicidal,
college girls…what would the world
do without you?) has a plot that seems
eerily familiar. That because we’ve seen
it before. It is essentially “I Know What
You Did Last Summer”, but now with
sorority girls in skimpy outfits instead
of Freddie Prince Jr. and Jennifer Love
Hewitt. Does Hollywood really think no
one recognizes the plot? Or do they just
not care?
Readers may be wondering,
“So if all of the horror movies are terrible, why do they keep getting made?”
The answer is surprisingly simple.
Because they can be. We, as a collective unit (high-schoolers, college kids,
adults, lonely weirdoes who have nothing better to do), encourage bad movie
Watch as Cassidy (Briana Evigan) tries to claw her way to survival in making by purchasing tickets. Now, I
the horror-flick-of-the-month, Sorority Row. Scary, right?
won’t condemn someone for wanting
to see Megan Fox play a possessed
of creativity, or self-respect for that
that’s when we realize that Hollycheerleader who has a grudge against
matter.
wood is REALLY reaching for it.
the male gender (“Jennifer’s Body”),
Now, there seems to be nothBut using the same old
but if we ever expect cinema to iming wrong with a group of stereotypiclichés is the least of our worries, my
cal jocks and cheerleaders partying
dear movie goers. There are far worse prove, we simply must stop accepting
the grotesquely trite and momentously
together in a drug and booze filled
things to be worried about, such as
unbearable steaming piles of garbage
environment (in the cinema, anyways). plot recycling. In most cases, recyBut when said party takes place at
cling is a good thing, but in cinema, it laid out in front of us every time we go
to the movies. Choosing not to watch
an abandoned cabin in the middle of
is one of the lowest and most shamewhat’s in theaters? Now that’s scary.
nowhere that just so happens to be the
less (and coincidentally, most perprivate property of a hockey-maskformed) actions a writer can perform.
wearing lumberjack of death…well,
For example, a recent release titled
Another Awesome BBC Show: Top Gear Rocks
Dave Bundren
Staff Writer
Here’s Top Gear in a nutshell:
Host Jeremy Clarkson said, while
reviewing the stunningly gorgeous
Alfa Romero 8C, that he thought the
car could have been made faster than it
was.
He then adds, “But then it
would have been faster than a Ferrari,
and in Italy, that’s a bit of a social
no-no. It’s a bit like vomiting on the
Pope.”
That to me is a perfect
explaination for one of the most entertaining shows on television: Top Gear.
Clarkson doesn’t bother talking about
how the car could have been made
faster; he doesn’t talk about why there
is extra weight in the car because of
new suspension or a bigger engine
or anything boring like that. He puts
everything in terms that people who
know nothing about cars can easily
understand and appreciate, and he
makes it funny.
And that also goes for his cohosts, Richard Hammond and James
May. And that’s what makes Top Gear
so great. It gives people what they
want in a car show, and goes nowhere
near the drab, gray, boringness of
those terrible car shows on ESPN 2 on
Saturday mornings. That’s what makes
Top Gear more than good; it makes
it brilliant. It is the most entertaining
hour on Television.
Top Gear is an English show,
and it airs on BBC America on Monday nights at 8 and 9, EST. It lives on
a steady diet of Porches, Ferraris, and
exaggeration. Clarkson, Hammond,
and May are all fantastic hosts, all very
funny, and all know quite a lot about
cars. And more importantly, they act
like all middle-aged men should when
they are given Lamborghinis to play
with—like children. They obviously
and have them buy a set of wheels
with it. They then have to push these
terrible old cars to their limits, in both
races and tests. They had to buy cars
not meant to go off road, and then
drive them halfway across Africa.
They had to buy motorcycles
for about $1000 in Vietnam and drive
them up from the south of the country
Here are the hosts of the award-winning BBC show, Top Gear,
(from left) Jeremy Clarkson, RIchard Hammond, and James May.
have a fantastic time doing what they
do, and that joy is transmitted to the
viewer.
Top Gear exists in a land of
lunacy. The cars are often ridiculous,
but they’re nothing compared to the
challenges and races. The producers
give the boys very small amounts of
money, normally something around
1,000£ (about 1.6 thousand dollars)
to the north (to prove to the American
Army that it was actually possible).
But the challenges pale in comparison
to the races.
My favorite example is
the race between a Bugatti Veyron
and a high tech fighter plane. The
Bugatti, the most powerful road car
every made, had to drive a mile, turn
around, and drive another mile back
across the starting line. The plane had to
take off, fly a mile straight up, and then
come back down across the finish line.
It was way cooler than it sounds on paper. They’ve raced a Jaguar XKE down
a ski slope against a skier, a McLaren
F1 against a giant boat from London to
Switzerland, and an Audi RS4 against
some mountain climbers.
All of that goes without mentioning the often hilarious and normally
stunning escapades of the STIG, the
show’s racing driver who never takes
off his helmet or says a word. Or the
great celebrity interviews, the weekly
features like the cool wall, and the
fantastic camera work. It’s the best-shot
show on television without a doubt.
If I can find one complaint
with the show, it’s that it’s British; so I
don’t understand a very small amount
of the jokes, more so if they’re made
by Clarkson. But that small issue is
completely covered up by the fact that
people making fools of themselves is
funny in any language and in any dialect.
Top Gear is great; there’s
no other word for it. It’s really fun to
watch, it’s beyond entertaining, and it’s
actually informative. You don’t have
to love cars to like this show, but it
works brilliantly if you do. Top Gear is
for people who want to watch a show
that cuts through the monotony of
the average car show. Top Gear is for
people who want to get some real world
knowledge. Top Gear is for people who
enjoy being entertained- quite thoroughly.
Visor September 2009
Entertainment
Page 9
IMDb, for the Every-Man
Kellie Hogan
Style Editor
“Hey remember that guy with
the slick hair and bulgy eyes?”
“Yes! He plays Crazy-Eyes
and…oh! Isn’t he the weird guy from
Armageddon.”
“Ah, what’s his name? I just
saw him as the mean, icky guy in I Now
Pronounce You Chuck & Larry.”
“Call me crazy, but didn’t he
play the mad-scientist man with the
raspy voice in Click?”
“I’m so confused.”
“Let’s IMDb it!”
Click, click. Moments Later:
“OMG, Steve Buscemi!!!!”
“It says here he was the voice
of Templeton the rat in Charlotte’s
Web!”
“And he was in like pretty
much every Adam Sandler movie.”
“FYI the raspy voiced guy is
Christopher Walken. He was in Wedding
Crashers and Catch Me If You Can.”
If this sounds like a conversation you had last week about Jonah Hill
vs. Seth Rogan, than IMDb is for you.
The International Movie Database is a cinematically fascinating
website with an all-powerful search bar
that will take you from Tim Burton’s
new Alice In Wonderland, to seeing
a full cast list for any movie you can
think of and what each actor has ever
acted in before. This fan-favorite site
has popular quotes from every movie,
so it’s an excellent tool for references in
quick, witty conversations. For example,
throwing lines from Zoolander and The
Office into your dialogue will earn you
instant popularity and keep your friends
on their toes.
It also comes in handy when
watching animated movies, such as
Finding Nemo. If you feel like you
recognize Nemo’s voice, upon looking
it up on IMDb you would see that it’s
Alexander Gould, the kid who plays
Shane Botwin on Weeds.
This extremely versatile website is for movie enthusiasts, TV-junkies
and the common man alike. You can
watch trailers for upcoming movies, read
last nights TV show recaps and basically see or do anything even remotely
moving-picture related. A definite favorite thing to do is to check out secret
future projects by my personal favorite
actors.
E.g. “Holy cow, they’re coming
out with The Hangover 2!”
or,
“They’ve announced that
everyone has signed on to the Arrested
Development movie!!”
So essentially, IMDb is an all
around multi-purposeful website for
everyone that is guaranteed to increase
your movie knowledge, therefore making you the type of person that everyone
wants to have around!
Mix of the Month: Back to School
Emily Gordon and Suzie Holland
Staff Writers
Grizzly Bear – Two Weeks
Beirut – The Gulag Orkestar
The Generationals – When
They
Fight, They Fight
The Black Lips – Elijah
Man Man – Rabbit Habits
The Dears – 22 The Death of
the Romance
Yann Tiersen – Comptine
d’ete, No. 3
M83 – Kim & Jessie
Phoenix – 1901
Wolf Parade – Fancy Claps
Doom – Gazillionaire
Left Rights - Friends
If You Like Strange... Mew’s No More
Stories Will Not Disappoint
Devon Spencer
Entertainment Editor
If you like strange, read on.
If you like mellow dance, read on.
If you remember how great Keane’s
three albums, Hopes and Fears, Under the Iron Sea, and his most recent,
Perfect Symmetry are, then really.
Please, read on. Comparisons may
be a little trivial, but the soft, indierock group, Mew, can be judged by
comparisons, in a positive way.
Mew started out with an
album entitled A Triumph for a Man,
back in 1997. This particular album
is generally unknown; however, their
sophomore album, And the Glass
Handed Kites received acknowledgement and acclaim in 2007. They also
subsequently released Frengers and
Half the World is Watching Me. Based
on their album names, you probably
have a hunch already as to how daring
and strange they can be. Well, their
fifth release gets even more odd: No
More Stories Are Told Today, I’m
Sorry They Washed Away The World
is Gray I’m Tired Let’s Wash Away.
Clearly, grammar or title length
does not matter- just the music. As it
should. If you listen to all five of their
albums, the most pleasant quality of
Mew would be their insane diversity.
Every album is significantly different
from its predecessor. It’s not necessarily a progression of sound, but more
a recreation of their sound every time
they release something new.
The first highlight of this
album is its length: fourteen completely
perfect tracks. I don’t know about you,
but I’m particularly ticked off when a
noteworthy band puts out short albums
with three or four decent songs. This is
evidently not the case; No More Stories
Are Told Today… paints a musical
picture: one you’ve never heard. Maybe
they are comparable to Keane, M83,
and possibly The Band of Horses- but
still truly in a league of their own.
The newest of Mew’s work
displays strength in vocals, drums, random instrumentation, and especially the
piano (occasionally synthesized: their
newest trend). All of this makes “Tricks
of the Trade,” track eleven, completely
fabulous.
Number thirteen, “Sometimes
Life Isn’t Easy,” instantly reminded
me of MGMT, the new indie “it” band.
It opens with “kid-ish” chants, singing “No- don’t cry for me/ celebrate el
sueno/the way it operates.” Insprational
and weird, isn’t it? In case you didn’t
know, sueno is Spanish for dream.
The opening track, “New Terrain,” is featured on television commercials. Mew does not fail to blow away
its listeners with its organ sound! Bo
Madsen’s lead vocals complete Mew’s
distinctive sound: characteristic, but
constantly changing, throughout Mew’s
musical career.
Visor September 2009
Fashion
Homecoming Heroines
The
Splurge:
This little
emerald
number is
a nod to
Zooey’s
color
palatte. JS
Boutique
Strapless
Taffeta Dress:
This strapless backzip taffeta
dress in
shimmering peacock features a formfitting ruched bodice and a flirty bow
accent at the waist. Polyester; lined:
$129.00
By Alejandra Buitrago
Staff Writer
The Inspiration: Zooey
Deschanel’s Peacock
Dress
Zooey Deschanel’s style is
retro at it’s best. This starlet‘s fifties prints and simple
silhouettes can be easily
emulated into your personal
style to create a unique look
that will turn heads through
several decades.
The Inspiration: Peaches Geldof’s
Red Carpet Edge
This is a more direct interpretation of Zooey’s
peacock halter dress. Available at Forever 21,
this Origami Cocktail Dress is a save at $27.80
Its features include side inset pockets, boning
in the bust, and a smocked upper back. Hidden
side; zipper closure; fully lined.
Peaches Geldof, the
British Serena Van der
Woodsen, is known
worlwide for her edgy,
avant- garde fashion. Her
cobalt-blue, pleated dress
makes a huge statement
and contrasts with the red
of her lipstick.
Splurge:
Shorter, Topshop Bandeau Prom
Dress. From Jolly Old England,
this simple, yet elegant, short
dress ties in the pleated deep
blue of Peaches’s dress. Price:
$90.00
Bring Out Your
Masks, It’s Homecoming Time!
By Carolina Hurley
Staff Writer
It’s that time of year once more.
Freshmen are lugging around huge
backpacks, Intramurals are beginning and
students are buzzing about Homecoming.
The theme this year is Masquerade Ball.
Homecoming’s going to be amazing this
year, but only as amazing as you make
it! Here are a few tips to help make
this year’s homecoming the best it can
possibly be.
1. Girls should start getting
their dresses now! You’ll have a greater
variety of dresses now than you will the
day before the dance. And don’t think
that you have to get a dress from “Jessica
McClintock” just because everyone else
Page 10
is! Try to find a dress that not only fits
your personality, but makes you stand
out. And if you find out someone else has
the same dress? It’s no big deal; just rock
it your own way with cute accessories.
Macy’s, JC Penney and Lord & Taylor
have really cute dresses for half the cost of
those other stores.
2. Guys, don’t be too shy to ask
that girl you’ve been crushing on that sits
behind you in English. Nobody wants to
Save: Origami Cocktail Dress from
Forever 21. Yes, there are fabulous
finds, but only if you know where
to look. This pleated short, cocktail
dress is only $27.80, leaving you
enough money to splurge on accessories.
Features include side inset pockets, boning in the bust, and a
smocked upper back: Hidden side
zipper closure, fully lined.
go to homecoming alone and there’s a
possibility that she wants you to ask her
too! Just go for it, and if she says no?
Again, no big deal. Go with a group!
They’re fun and you’ll be with your
friends the whole night. What else could
you ask for?
3. Make dinner reservations,
group lists, and times for pictures early!
It’s never too early to get started. If you
wait too long, the night probably won’t
turn out how you want it to.
4. At the dance, you know the
teachers will be nagging about the dancing
so c’mon! Keep some room for The Holy
Spirit, alright everyone?
5. Finally, enjoy your night.
Don’t worry if some things don’t go
your way; just relax, dance and have
fun with your friends! That’s what it’s
about. “Homecoming’s amazing!” Mr.
Duesterhaus said; but again, only as
amazing as you make it! Remember to
buy your tickets at all lunch periods the
week before the dance ($12 for stag,
$24 for a couple), bring your I.D.’s and
remember your masks! October 3rd! Be
there!