the quibbler - Saratoga Central Catholic School

The Quibbler
April 15, 2016
THE QUIBBLER
Twitter: @scc_quibbler | Email: [email protected]
SCC Spirit Day
“Share the spirit: the Saints take on the Olympics”
by Emma VanDeCar
Every school has its traditions, but Spirit Day at Saratoga Central Catholic is by far
one of the best. Beginning last year, the SCC Olympics became the pinnacle of Spirit Day.
Each grade chooses a country to represent in the games, and are in charge of decorating their
hallways with colors and culture from that country. This
year, the seniors chose the United States, as did the seniors
last year. The juniors chose Madagascar, sophomores
chose Columbia, freshman chose Jamaica, 8th Grade
chose Costa Rica, 7th Grade chose Brazil, and 6th Grade
chose Aruba. Unlike the real Olympic Games, SCC Spirit
Day includes the hallway wars, where the best decorated
hallway wins points that go towards their overall score for
the games.
The Olympic games bring out the competitiveness in
everyone, even in some of the teachers! Some of the
games to highlight this year were Hungry Hungry Hippo,
the stilt race, the 3-point contest, and the Egg race. For
scoring, the middle and high school were divided. In the Middle School Division, grade
won. In the High School division, the Seniors took home the cup. Ever since this tradition
began here at SCC, Spirit Day and the Olympic Games is the one day out of the entire year
that everyone looks forward to, and hopefully future generations of SCC students will able
to keep this torch burning bright.
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The Quibbler
April 15, 2016
Sports
Girls Varsity Basketball Banquet
by Kristen Maher
At the Saratoga Central Catholic girls basketball banquet, Emma VanDeCar, Katie Case, Chloe
Ethier, and Mariah Murray won awards for their success and excellence throughout the season.
From modified to varsity, each athlete worked hard for this banquet. All of the girls received
apparel from their coaches as a reward and a thank you for playing hard with everything they had
through every practice and game. Everyone at the event also enjoyed very good pasta.
Girls Varsity Softball
by Mari Shaw
Recently the girls varsity softball team has gotten a new coach, Coach Masi. Previously they were
coached by Ed Lenz; Masi came into the season expecting nothing less than turning the softball
program around. The girls started open gyms in early March to get ready for the season. The coaches
were uncertain of the turn out for the team, but when the season officially started the team had 11 girls.
As their first scrimmage was approaching on Friday April 1, the girls worked hard at practices trying to
get ready for the season. The girls started off working hard in the gym with the new batting cage, and
got as much defense practice as the gym would allow. The girls are lucky enough this season to be able
to get outside practicing early due to the weather being so nice, compared to previous seasons where
they couldn’t get outside until the first week of April. With the new coaching staff of Dan Masi and
Alex Stephens, both the coaches and girls are excited for this season. They have a variety of strong
hitters, as well as a strong defense and great pitching by Emily McCarty and Victoria Alvord. They are
really hoping to turn the program around this season.
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The Quibbler
April 15, 2016
Varsity Baseball Boys
by Nate Smith
With winter ending and Spring upon us, the spring sports teams are getting ready for the start of
their seasons, especially the Baseball team. The season started out with their annual campaign in
Disney at the ESPN Wide World of Sports
Complex. The Varsity team had a record of 2
Wins, 1 Loss, and 2 Ties. They played teams
from Downstate New York such as Rye and
MLD Prep from New Jersey. While down
there the team faced a pitcher who is an
MLB prospect from Rye. George Kirby, the
MLB prospect, threw an average
fastball of about 90 mph. When asked about the
pitcher Zac Cronk replied, “He was
fast, really fast. I could barely see the ball.” He
also said that there was a picture of
him at bat, while against Kirby, that when the picture
was taken the ball was blurred.
While Kirby pitched very well against the Saints and
plans to continue his career in
college or in the MLB, one of our
very own pitchers committed
to play college baseball. While
down in Florida, Senior
Right Handed Pitcher Joe Schmidt
committed to Rollins
College to continue his baseball
career. Rollins is a
Division II athletic program who
plays in the
Sunshine State Conference. Schmidt
chose Rollins due
to its location in Florida, the scholarship
he is receiving,
and their facilities are one of the best in
Florida that
he visited. He will also be able to play year
round.
While Schmidt will be pitching for Rollins he
will be
working with Coach Jim McGonigle who is a wellk n o w n
pitching coach, and has previously coached at Wake Forest. With the
Saints ending their trip in Disney after Easter, they returned and played
defending Class C State Champs, Hoosick Valley. They ended up winning the scrimmage 9 to 8.
When asked about the game Senior Pitcher Joe Schmidt said, “It was a close game. Every pitcher
had the opportunity to pitch, even though one of them gave up six runs. Overall they were not as
good as we expected them to be.” The Saints season would have begun the week of April 4th, but
due to weather, all games up until Friday, April 8th had been cancelled. The games on April 8th
were questionable due to the conditions of the field. The Saratoga Central Catholic Saints are
looking to avenge last year’s lost to Schuylerville in the sectional semi-finals. Will the Senior
Pitchers, Joe Schmidt and Owen O’Reilly, and Junior Shortstop and Freshman Third baseman, Zac
Cronk and Terel Tillman, be able to bring home a Sectional Title for the school or could there be a
repeat of last year’s misfortune? We will find out in late May.
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The Quibbler
April 15, 2016
Politics
A Super Quick Rundown of the 2016 Election Candidates
by Hasher
Donald Trump: Donald John Trump is an American businessman, politician, television personality, author, and candidate for the
Republican nomination for President of the United States in the 2016 election. Among his many qualifications, he also happens to
be quite the fanatic candidate, usually not fretting from expressing his opinions. As of now, Donald Trump's campaign has raised
36.6 million, with 5% from super PACs and other such groups, and 95% from donations. He is also the leading Republican
candidate in most of the states he has gone to, the one problem comes from how radical he is. For example, Trump wanted to build
a wall across the border of America and Texas. Though, an important thing to note is that ll of his ideas about certain policies are
not purely unfounded.
Ted Cruz: Rafael Edward "Ted" Cruz is an American politician and the junior United States Senator from Texas. He is a candidate
for the Republican nomination for President of the United States in the 2016 election. Recently in the news, Ted Cruz has been
making a comeback, with his latest victory being in the state of Wisconsin. Ted has raised 110.4 million for his campaign,with 40%
from super PACs and other groups, and 60% from donations. Ted Cruz believes in most of the policies that Trump does, though is
not all that extreme in his terminology and rallies, making him the most likely candidate for the actual election later this year.
John Kasich: John Richard Kasich is an American politician and the current governor of Ohio, first elected in 2010 and re-elected
in 2014. On July 21, 2015, he announced his candidacy for the 2016 Republican nomination for President of the United States.
There really is nothing special to say about Kasich, he is very similar to Cruz, but he does intend to be more diplomatic in his
foreign policy issues, unlike Cruz and Trump who want to close up the borders. So far Kasich has raised a total of 22 million
dollars for his campaign, with 45 percent from super PACs and other sources, and 55% from donations.
Bernie Sanders: Bernard "Bernie" Sanders is an American politician and the junior United States senator from Vermont. He is a
candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2016 election. He is one of the two remaining
Democratic candidates, with a strong amount of support from younger people. Bernie supports many socialist ideas like free healthcare1`1 (which is not a bad thing) and is all around a more progressive thinker. Some say that he may even be a bit to much of a
forward thinker, and gone so far as to call Sanders a socialist. He has a raised a total of 139.9 million dollars, with .02% from super
PACs and other groups, and the rest (similar to Trump), being from donations from the candidate himself.
Hillary Clinton: Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is an American politician. She is a candidate for the Democratic nomination for
President of the United States in the 2016 election. She is the only female candidate ever, and similarly to Sanders, she shows more
support to minorities and targeted groups (like Muslims), often resulting in a lot of hate from Republicans. As of now Hillary seems
like the Democratic candidate for the presidential candidate; lastly, she has raised 222.4 million dollars, with 28% from super PACs
and other sources, and 72% from donations.
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The Quibbler
April 15, 2016
Entertainment
Paul’s Opinion: Sherlock Holmes &
Google Maps?
Hasher’s Comics
Whilst everybody is filled with the holiday spirit, it
should be brought to light that there is a severe lack of
common knowledge in today’s world. Yes, many
people are well educated in particular areas of study,
but often people know so much about one thing they
forget everything else. Now, I’m not saying everybody
is a nerd, hardly, but you should be well-rounded. In
today’s world where everything is immediately
accessible, we often, as Sherlock Holmes would put it,
do not waste our brain cells on things we do not need
to have memorized. Why? Because it is so easily
accessible. Let me make an example of the average
elementary school student. Ask such a student where
the state of Arkansas is. They most likely will not be
able to tell you. They might have heard of it, but point
to it on a map without labels? Not likely. In fact, I
knew a person who thoroughly believed that a state
pronounced Ar–Kansas and was a separate entity of
Arkansas. My point is, children do not know their
geography, which I consider common knowledge.
Why? Because of sites such as Google Maps. Now this
is not a bad thing, a very good one in fact, but we
should be wary of overreliance on such sources. To
please the literary scholars I know, namely Mrs.
Crowther, I will also mention how use of sites such as
Spark Notes in place of reading a book is not a good
idea. To use to summarize and recall key events of the
book, yes, but never as a substitute for the work of
literature itself. Why? Because you don’t get that
connection to the characters that you would be just
reading a summary. Also, you miss out on all the small
details that teachers love to test you on for that reason
alone. Now, please don’t take me as a stuffy old bat
who advocates for what is right 100% of the time. I am
just merely commenting on the population in general,
and I hope you will recognize the alarming present
status of affairs. And isn’t that what Jesus would have
wanted?
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The Quibbler
April 15, 2016
Artist of the Month: Stormzy
by Christina Watt
Genre: Grime
Michael Omari, also known as Stormzy, is an English rapper with a career gaining increased momentum. Born in
1993 in Thornton Heath, London, Stormzy started off as an MC at a young age and then decided to pursue a
musical career. He first gained attention for his “Wicked Skengman” freestyle series and then released his first EP
“Dreamers Disease” in 2014. That same year, Stormzy won the Best Grime Act award at MOBO and collaborated
with rapper Chip and Shalo on the track “I'm Fine.” Stormzy placed third in BBC Radio One's Sound of 2015 list.
The BBCR1 Sound of... is a list of artists with promising new talent determined by leaders of the music industry
and polls. Previous winners have been Sam Smith, Jessie J, Ellie Goulding, and Adele. Stormzy won the Best
Grime Act award again at MOBO in 2015 and has been teasing the release of a new album in 2016 so keep an eye
out for it's release. For now, you can listen to “Shut Up,” one of Stormzy's most popular tracks that climbed its
way to number 8 on the UK charts and became the first freestyle song to reach the top 40. Another good track that
shows a more serious side of Stormzy is “Storm Trooper.”
SELFIE Queen: Ani
Crocker
Saint of the Month: Mrs. Devivo
by Hanna Schneider
Recently I had the wonderful opportunity to
interview our beloved espanol teacher Senorita
Devivo. She grew up in Saratoga Springs, NY and
attended Saratoga high. I asked her what she liked to
do in high school and she said that she hung out with
friends, went to the movies, and wasn't an athlete but
enjoyed going to the football and basketball games. She attended college
at SUNY Oneonta where she got her Spanish degree. I confirmed with
her that she has used her Spanish speaking skills in another country but
forgot to ask which one(s)!!!! I then asked her,” Have you ever had the
pleasure to attend any of the girls varsity soccer home games?” She said,
“no.” I then asked, “why not?” and then she said that they were right
after school and she has not had the time. Next I asked for her political
opinion on the upcoming election and if she thought that Spanish people
would vote for Trump, Hillary, or Bernie. She answered with, “probably
Hilary because her policies are more for them,” and I couldn't agree
more! I then asked her a question that has been stumping me for the
longest time, “do you think our cafeteria should expand its excellent
cuisine selection to include Spanish meals? And how about adding
breakfast burritos?” She then helped me realize that they already serve
enchiladas and tacos- LOL!! and said sure to the burritos. My final
question was “how does one say come see Mary Poppins in Spanish?”
She answered with “todos deben venir para ver Mary Poppins!!” So all
you readers out there, come see Mary Poppins April 14-17!!
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The Quibbler
April 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEWS
by Rachel Farina
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon: The book is about a teenage clairvoyant
girl named Paige Mahoney. When she is abducted and has to be trained for a battle by
her trainer, Warden, it becomes an epic struggle for survival.
The book was very interesting! I am not a huge fan of sci-fi books, but I loved this!
The book did NOT end the way I thought it would! It ended at a cliff hanger and left
me wanting more! Rating: 7
The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon: The story of Paige Mahoney continues
when she is no longer the damsel in distress.This time, it is Warden. Can she
convince her mentor Jax to let her save him? Will she be able to save him or will she
die before she gets the chance?
The book was not nearly as good as the first. In my opinion, the story should have
ended after the first book. It had its interesting parts, but overall I felt that the book
was a drag. Rating: 4
Cinder by Marissa Meyer: This book begins the Lunar series and is a MAJOR twist
of the story Cinderella. Cinder is a cyborg (half human half robot) and gets twisted
into a huge conflict with not only her and her self esteem, but with the entire world
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The Quibbler
April 15, 2016
Middle School Opinion: Why School Should Ban Homework
by Danielle Gill
Have you ever wondered if homework is good for kids? For decades homework has been a
heated debate. Kids struggle with it all around the world. Schools should ban homework because
physicians argue that kids need 6-7 hours of fresh air and sunlight per day, and they cannot do that
with homework to do, and Finland has very little homework and has some of the highest test scores.
First of all one of the reasons schools should ban homework is because Finland has almost no
homework and their students have some of the highest test scores. In the article “Should Schools
Ban Homework?” Etta Kralovec explains that, “[some] physicians argue kids need 6-7 hours of
fresh air and sun per day.” But without homework kids would have more time to play outside.
Homework takes away time for getting fresh air. Therefore, homework should be banned.
Another reason homework should be banned is because almost every kid doesn't like it. “What is
clear is that parents and kids don't live in the real world of academic research; they live in the real
world where there are piles of homework on the kitchen table.” In this quote Etta Kralovec
explains that if you are poor or have to take care of your siblings then you may not have any time
to do your homework. Then you might get a bad grade. This is why homework should be banned
from school.
Some people may claim that homework helps children. However, Physicians say that kids
need 6-7 hours a day outside, but they can't with homework to do. It is no good for children's
health to have homework. As you can see, homework is not good for kids.
Homework takes up time to play outside, Physicians say that kids need 6-7 hours a day
outside, and in Finland they has very little homework and some of the highest grades. For these
reasons homework should be banned. In the future I hope to see no homework in school.
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April 15, 2016
The Quibbler
POETRY
Requiem for a Lost Love
Upon the moor the des'late wind doth blow,
Evokes within the heart a deep sorrow.
Behold, the sun in response bows so low
That only from the widow can borrow.
The snow, falling quick, blankets the ground,
Converting the rain to drag its sadness deep,
Turning away the love that is unbound.
When rain comes, the snow all melts and does weep.
Why does this sorrow the crags overwhelm?
From whence did the troubled spirit resound?
From a lone perch atop the lofty elm,
Her gaze is filled with agony newfound.
But within my heart the sorrow is love,
Raising my spirits like the free moor-dove.
-Paul Ruger
Recollection of a Wasted Life
As death descends, my eyes lie cold,
My hands across my chest I fold.
All around is still as I settle down;
Pressed into my head is a thorny crown.
The sun sets as the day grows old.
In my youth I was eager and bold,
With a heart true, and pure as gold.
Only later did I in my feelings drown.
As death descends.
When I grew older to the truth I did hold,
Connect young children; they needed to be told.
Now as I lie in a coffin dark and brown,
I remember, "there's no pockets in a burial gown."
By night it arrives; my body covers with mold.
As death descends.
-Paul Ruger
Salvation
On the last warm nights by the city of gold
On my ship full of soldiers, injured and bruised
Well the waves broke high and the bullets, they
grew
And my son cried out, “Momma save me if you
will”
We went straight down to the base of the sea
And she opened right up and she called out to me
She said listen hard, listen clear
This ain’t no story of love, men, or fear
There’s more lives to waste and you can’t stay
long
For the Lord up above has a plan for us all
All your problems and the last of your sins
That has burned all the lands, made it nasty, then
grim
So my girl, salvation lay ahead
But the sun will surely rise when we’re dead
So the lady of the sea, she let me go and let me be
On conditions that I tell every soul that I see
Of what was to come and the death that was to be
If we’d only pray to the Lord, spare us please
So I washed on to the shore and I gathered my
feet
And I grabbed the first child that my eyes did see
And I screamed at the youth, “You must be
strong, do not be weak
For the time is coming now, even strong men are
meek”
-Henna Bhatti
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The Quibbler
April 15, 2016
"foreign magnitude"
and now it is
in utter solitude
the discouraged misanthropist breathes
heavily as
they walk backwards.
no longer will the
polite sadness
comfort the meek vagabonds.
only for a
hiccup after the
shot of melancholy strings his veins,
do they rearrange the verdict.
the smoldered cigarette but
waits patiently on the sidewalk
for December. And you
you walk will all your
shoelaces and thumbtacks,
holding your own.
you will forget about how it felt
when the season came.
-Mayzie
Come See Mary Poppins!
by Gabrielle Vuillaume
The high school performance of “Mary Poppins” is going to be
supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! It’s high energy
performances, touching moments, and classic songs such as
“Spoonful Of Sugar” will bring you joy, and back to your
childhood. The dates of the shows are April 14-16 at
7:00, and April 17 at 3:00. It’s definitely something you
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won’t want to miss!
The Quibbler
April 15, 2016
It’s Not All “Man-Made”
By Mayzie Sattler
International Women’s Day fell on the eighth of March this year, and freshman/
sophomore English teacher Mrs. Schmidt took the liberty of shedding some much-needed light
on the subject.
Upon the arrival of third period, Schmidt introduced a video to her sophomore English
students. The clip was a Microsoft advertisement about female inventors. Before playing the ad,
Mrs. Schmidt said a few words in an effort to clear the name of the feminist movement.
To quote the Oxford English Dictionary, feminism is defined as “the advocacy of
women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.” Not once in
that definition does it express any desire for women to surpass men in regards to any of these
statuses. This is not a man-hating movement, despite popular belief.
“Remember that feminism is and always has been equality for all the sexes,” Mrs. Schmidt
continues as she pulls up the video. “You don’t have to agree, all I ask is that you listen.”
The basic overview of the advertisement was an interview consisting of a handful of
elementary school-age girls. They were asked about any inventors of whom they were taught in
class. Notorious (and all male) names were mentioned, i.e. Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison and
Leonardo Da Vinci. After impressing the interviewer, the girls were then inquired about any
female inventors they could remember. As predicted, silence followed. What succeeded the
interview was a powerful and fast-paced montage of female inventors, whose creations were
astounding and game changing for the entirety of the human race. The clip overflowed with
empowerment, regardless of gender, race or background. What’s notable is that these inventions
are absolutely crucial to the safety of the public, as well as significant factors in countless
discoveries made using these devices, yet no one knew of their makers.
To cure any curious minds, the included inventors in the clip were as follows: Tabitha
Babbitt (the circular saw), Martha Coston (signal flares), Mary Anderson (windshield wipers),
Maria Beasley (life raft), Patricia Bath (laser cataract surgery), Sarah Mather (underwater
telescope), Maria Pereira (heart surgery adhesive), Gertrude Beel Elion (Leukemia, HIV, and
Malaria drugs), Ada Lovelace (the very first computer algorithm), Bertha Benz (brake pads),
Stephanie Kwolek (bullet proof material), Patricia Billings (fire safe “Geo Bond”), and Yvonne
Brill (satellite propulsion). Clearly, not all inventions of significance are “man-made.”
A notable characteristic of the video was that in no way at all was there a feeling of
discontent toward men. That’s the entire philosophy behind feminism; there is only
encouragement driving the force that is women’s rights.
A valid question was asked by a (male) student, “What about Men’s Equality Day? When
is that?”
My response to this inquiry follows thusly:
(Cont. on Next Page)
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The Quibbler
April 15, 2016
(Cont.)
Said “Men’s Equality Day” (specifically white males) is truthfully every other day of the year. They
are the most powerful and privileged species in all of humanity. A community of virtually no
oppression has no necessity for a day in recognition of their “deprivation” of human rights.
Reinstituting the rights of the female race is a crucial, necessary, and unavoidable current issue that
must be addressed.
There, too, were accusations of Mrs. Schmidt’s opinion being “too biased to be valid.” To
this, I argue that we have every right in the world to be biased. In September of 2015, AP US
History teacher Mr. Hills declared to my second period class that women were the most globally
oppressed community in all of human existence (surpassing any racial or religious discrimination
such as of African American, Jewish or Islamic peoples).
The feminist community is home to both male and female activists, several of them being
celebrities. One of them is known from the popular sitcom “Parks and Recreation,” actor Aziz
Ansari. Mrs. Schmidt shared a quote by Ansari, who was attempting to explain to talk show host
David Letterman why he, a man, was a supporter of women’s rights. Ansari confidently says to
Letterman that you’re a feminist “if you go to a Beyonce and Jay Z concert and you’re not like
‘mmm, I think Beyonce should get twenty three percent less money than Jay Z.’” The quote seemed
to open the eyes of the sophomore English students as they realized the relevance and importance of
women’s rights in today’s society.
At the end of the day Schmidt reported to have received mixed reviews from her classes after
showing the video to all of her students. While her first class had “little to no reaction to what the
video tried to say,” the third period class (which I sat in on) had plenty of opinions on the matter.
However, whether they agreed with the movement’s beliefs or not, any exposure at all is
tremendously helpful in furthering the progress towards human rights for women around the world.
It’s important that the work done in an effort to create equality among the sexes is both recognized
and appreciated, for it’s making society a kinder, and more peaceful, tranquil place.
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April 15, 2016
The Quibbler
THE QUIBBLER
POLL
Question: How many people
are right handed, left
handed or ambidextrous in
our school?
Right-Handed (190)
Left-Handed (31)
14%
Ambidextrous (4)
2%
84%
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The Quibbler
April 15, 2016
Cornelia is a helpful advice columnist, who is willing to help with al of your toughest school, romance, and
friend advice. She’ll give you advice, while keeping you completely and totally anonymous, just like her. Be sure
to email her with any questions or problems you’re having at her email- [email protected] or her
ask.fm- ask.fm/DearCorneliaSCC/
Dear C,
imma rlly tryin to memroize all of da digits of the pi. Help Idk when to
stop.
From your pal,
-A
Hello A,
There is an infinite number, I suggest you stop trying to memorize all the numbers because it will
never end. Go pick up a new hobby, I suggest puzzles, those do have an ending. Have a nice
day!
Best of luck,
Sincerely, C
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The Quibbler
April 15, 2016
Dear Cornelia,
Im kinda failing like 3 and half classes im prolly like gonna get kicked off my sports
team. I didn't know who else to ask. Help
Bye,
F
Hello F,
Okay so here is what you got to do. YOUR HOMEWORK. You must literally try to fail classes. It takes a lot of effort
to fail 3 and half classes (whatever the half means). So please hand in at least half of your assignments.
Best of luck,
Sincerely C
Dear Cornelia,
Okay Cornelia soooo I got assigned to this group
project for one of my classes. And im stuck in a
group with a bunch of dumb-bells and meat-ball
headed buffoons!!!!! Help what do I do?!?
Peace Out,
E
Hello E,
Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success. The secret to success is working together.
You must learn to work with others. Life isn't always going to be rainbows and sunshines. We cannot accomplish all that we need to
do without working together.
Best of luck,
Sincerely C
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The Quibbler
April 15, 2016
Newspaper Staff
Writers- Front row (left to right): Rachel Farina, Emma VanDeCar, Mayzie Sattler, Hanna
Schneider, Emily Rosato, Mari Shaw, Kristen Maher. Back row (left to right): Nate Smith, Cadhan
McFadden, Hasher Nasir, Paul Ruger. Not pictured: Gabrielle Vuillaume, Annika Moline, and
Christina Watt
Editors- (left to right) Erin Crowther (adviser), Emma
VanDeCar (Co-Editor), Emily Rosato (Chief Editor)
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