The Ursuline
October 2011
St. Ursula Academy
Toledo, Ohio
Ms. Kulka joins Ursula family
Photo by Grace Kenney
Photo by Grace Kenney
n Grace Kenney
is constantly emailing and responding
Far from her sixth grade dreams of being to phone calls. She keeps track of her
the first female president, Ms. Nicolette daily responsibilities by listing everyKulka’s aspirations of being a teacher thing she needs to accomplish each
began in high school. At the end of her day. The afternoon is typically filled
senior project at Notre Dame Academy, with meetings and appointments.
new Assistant Principal, Academics, Ms.
What students do not realize is the
Kulka knew she wanted to be a teacher.
amount of work that is expected of
Planning to shadow a school counselor, the Assistant Principal of Academics.
Ms. Kulka followed a grade school teach- Ms. Kulka is responsible for ordering
er in the end. Asking endless questions, and registering Advanced Placement
Ms. Kulka was intrigued by the profes- tests and the standardized tests for the Ms. Kulka works enthusiastically each
sion and followed her dream to become PSAT, PLAN, and Placement Test.
morning on the announcements.
an educator.
She handles any academic concerns of
Ms. Kulka began her new position a parents, students or faculty. In addition,
adolescent education. Before coming to
few weeks ago and is quickly getting ac- she visits classrooms to embrace the cur- St. Ursula, Ms. Kulka was a high school
quainted to
riculum as well as observe English teacher in Detroit. In addition
her new role
various teaching styles and to teaching, she was actively involved in
at St. Ursula.
offer feedback.
the school’s mentoring program. “I loved
Ms. Kulka
“One of the most challeng- that job, but administration has been a
arrives
to
ing parts of my new job is long term goal for me so I couldn’t pass
school early
learning everthing that Mrs. up the opportunity to work at St. Ursula,”
and at 8:13
Martin already knows,” Ms. Ms. Kulka said.
prepares
Kulka expressed. “Mrs.
While adapting to her new role at St. Urto start anMartin has years of experi- sula, Ms. Kulka wants to be as involved
nouncements
ence that I am quickly try- as possible. “I try to make a few rounds
and
prayer.
ing to learn.”
throughout the day and peek into classAfter prayer,
Ms. Kulka began college rooms,” Ms. Kulka explained.
Ms. Kulka adjusts to life at SUA as
Ms. Kulka reat Wright State University
Ms. Kulka works to support the teachers
she meets with her ALTA.
views her day’s
and came back to Toledo to the best she can as well as the students.
schedule
on
finish school at Lourdes Uni- She is also a “firm believer in faith and
her already full calendar. Although she versity.
spirituality in all aspects of education,”
claims mornings are “usually calm,” she
She double majored in English and and works to integrate them daily.
Mr. Schwab dedicates time and talent to SUA
Photo by Morgan Borer
nMorgan Borer
Whether
it’s
setting up tables
for
Visitations
week
or
repairing a desk
in an English
classroom, Mr. Bart Schwab does it all.
Mr. Schwab assumed his position as
Director of Maintenance in the second
week of July. A typical day for Mr.
Schwab is anything but typical. “Every
day is different—that’s why I like it
here,” he said. Mr. Schwab played an
active role in preparing the school for
Visitations week. “I oversaw and helped
with the set up of tables, bleachers, and
cleaned the whole school,” he stated.
SUA received compliments from
parents and visitors during that week
about the school’s cleanliness, which
Mr. Schwab is mainly responsible for.
Because Mr. Schwab sets his own
schedule, he works on the weekends and
outside of normal school hours. “I usually
open the building for athletic events on
weekends,” he explained. However, the
majority of the time, his schedule revolves
around “other people’s events and needs.”
“I love the people that I work with. They
are my favorite part about SUA,” he said.
Mr. Schwab recently helped prepare for
the Road Rally. In addition, his biggest
project will occur over Christmas break.
“We are renovating the second floor of the
Iott Center. It is a huge project,” he stated.
2
The Ursuline
October
Faceoff: book versus brush
Opinion
nRebecca Godwin
Most people would consider me to be artistically challenged, so I approached my high school art requirement with a healthy amount of trepidation. However,
I knew that my talents were not in the painting and
drawing side of the fine arts, so I leaned toward the
performing arts. Eventually I fell in love with musicals and performing, and that love would never have
happened if an art credit wasn’t required.
While many girls may view themselves as inartistic,
an art credit requirement encourages creativity. Even if
the art classes don’t inspire every student, they inspire a
greater appreciation for art. SUA offers a large variety of
fine art classes sothat every student is bound to find a
class she loves, whether it is in an actual art class, a
vocal class, a dance class or a drama class.
Many girls also find a talent they never knew existed through their required art classes. After taking
Chorale, dozens of girls try out for the musical; after
taking a dance class, many girls join cheerleading,
try out for dance team or join a dance company; and
plenty of girls have entered their pieces in art competitions after finishing one of the art classes. Removing the art
credit would be detrimental to all students. Colleges look for
applicants who are well versed in a vast array of subjects, which
include fine art classes. Obviously, academic courses are still vital and students should take the AP and honors classes, but they
still need to take their art credit seriously. “Classes in the arts not
only help cultivate an appreciation of the arts, but also help to
develop the sense of self through performance and production,”
Ms. Katie Rielly, the Speech and Drama teacher said.
Art, in whatever form, provides an invaluable resource to
students. It promotes creativity, inspiring students to look at
problems in a different way. Above all, it offers an outlet from
the strictly academic classes. Students who are stressed can go
dance it off; students who can’t express what they’re feeling in
words can go and sing it; and students who need to relax can go
paint or draw.
ce
Fa
n Kelsey Reiner
Dancing around a stage, singing in front of a crowd and
painting a picture are not some of my strengths.
I see no problem with high school students taking art classes
for their own enjoyment. Personally, I loved the art class I took,
but without Ohio’s fine art graduation requirement, I may not
have elected to take art. At St. Ursula, students can take Chorale,
Orchestra, or Art I to fulfill their fine art credit. Students can also
take a dance class or drama class as a half credit.
However, some students would prefer to fill that class time
with an honors or AP course. Those students know that art will
not be something they will pursue, and they want the opportunity
to take another class in its place.
Newspaper and Yearbook currently do not count as
a fine art credit even though writing and designing
a publication is art in itself. Glee Club and Speech
and Debate are also broad forms of art that could
potentially count as a fine art credit.
Some people may believe counting those courses
as an art credit would be a stretch, but I believe
publication classes, Glee Club and Speech and Debate
provide a unique form of artistic expression that will
be useful for many students in their chosen career paths.
Students should be able to fill their schedule with more honors
or AP courses, or the art requirement should be more lenient.
Students can opt out of gym class by participating in at least two
sports, but musical participants and dance team members cannot
opt out of their art requirements.
According to Art Department Chair Mrs. Rizzi, only drama
and dance classes count for an art credit, not musicals or dance
team.
If drama classes, Chorale, Orchestra and dance classes all
fulfill the fine art requirement, then so should musical or dance
team. Students who participate in musicals or dance team might
want to take an art class, but they also might want to add one
more honors or AP credit to their schedule.
Art classes should never be omitted from any school, but
schools should be more lenient about art requirements.
f
Of
Principal: Mrs. Kim A. Sofo
The Ursuline
St. Ursula Academy
4025 Indian Road
Toledo, Ohio 43606
419-531-1693
www.toledosua.org
Moderator: Mrs. Linda Savercool
Editors: Rebecca Godwin and Kendra Kumor
Reporters: Caitlyn Basinski, Morgan Borer, Brandi Boyer, Sara Beth Collins, Gabrielle Enrique,
Grace Kenney, Gabrielle Mancy, Emma Miller,
and Kelsey Reiner.
The Ursuline is a publication of St.Ursula Academy, an all-female, Catholic, college-preparatory high school. It is published
by the Journalism and Newspaper classes, which are subject to change every nine weeks. All text and photos are reviewed by
the editorial board, moderator, and principal. Editorials represent the majority views of the staff and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the student body or administration. It is the responsibility of the staff to bring attention to world events
while making them relevant, and to ensure the ethics of journalism are always upheld.
2011
service starts in
your neighborhood
nRebecca Godwin
If you open a newspaper, you’re likely
to be overwhelmed by the stories detailing the atrocities affecting the world. Poverty has become extensive, employment
practically nonexistent and hunger rampant. While everyone should help, service
should ultimately begin at home.
It is true that there are countries in desperate need of help, whether economically or medically, but in peoples’ efforts
to ‘save the world,’ they’re ignoring those
in their own neighborhoods. It is no longer unusual to find high schools that offer
international trips to impoverished countries. While these students are improving
the lives of the residents in these countries, they could be improving their own
city too.
It may sound harsh, but it is time high
school students start helping their own
residents. Service trips are honorable and
incredibly rewarding, but they should not
take precedence over local volunteer opportunities. If schools have enough time
and resources to take service trips around
the world, then they should be able to help
their own neighbors.
Homelessness in Toledo is slowly rising. According to a recent news story on
WTOL.com, the Cherry Street Mission’s
residents have increased by 20 percent
since 2010. Such a high number is unacceptable and it is time students work to
change that. There are plenty of places to
serve, whether you volunteer at the Cherry Street Mission or take part in “Food
For Thought” on Saturday mornings. The
homeless poverty immersion program
called “4.5” allows students to experience
what it feels like to be homeless for a few
days.
I am by no means saying that international trips should be stopped. However,
community service should not fall to the
wayside in lieu of these trips. If a student
is looking for a meaningful volunteer experience, she doesn’t need to travel halfway around the world to find one. She
need only look in her own city.
nMia Miller ‘14
During the weeks leading up to many
high school Homecomings, it seems customary to talk about attending them.
However, talking about Homecoming
during school hours disrupts other students’ ability to learn during their classes.
Not only that, but displaying which dress
you are going to wear on your laptop during class also stops your learning during
class as well as violates the computer loan
agreement all students were required to
sign at the beginning of the year.
Doing this also disrupts your classmates
and interrupts your teacher who is trying to prepare you for an upcoming test.
Which are more important to your school
life, who you go to Homecoming with or
your test grade?
There is also the fact that there may be
girls who do not have dates to any homecomings and would prefer not to hear
about how many Homecomings you are
going to, and what dresses you are going to wear to them. If you didn’t have a
date to a Homecoming, would you like it
if others kept pushing their date in your
face?
Talking about Homecoming should be
a conversation that is saved for the lunch
room where others can tune out your conversation if they do not want to hear it.
You can also talk about your plans after school when you can call or text your
friends the details about the “hunk” that
asked you to St. Francis’s Homecoming
or what dress you will wear to Central
Catholic’s Homecoming, or even where
you will eat before St. John’s Homecoming.
There is a time and place for everything,
and during the school day, especially
around exam time, is not a proper place
for talking about Homecoming. People
need to stay focused on studies, not dresses.
Please be considerate of those who will
have to find other ways to occupy their
time during the Saturday nights of each
and every Homecoming.
If you have a bandwagon you’d like to
persuade people to jump on, send your
article, about 350 words, to The Ursuline
staff in Room 114.
(Jump on the) Bandwagon Brief
FISH
out of water
3
Opinion
Editorial:
The Ursuline
nKendra Kumor
Glass blowing is an art
form native to the Toledo
area, yet unfortunately not
available to students at SUA.
Craving an exciting way to
earn my required art credit,
I decided to give this unusual
class a try at the Toledo Museum
of Art’s Glass Pavillion.
The only scary part about art for me
has always been displaying my artwork
next to other artists’. The comparison of
my art to another’s is embarrassing and a
little stressful. After taking an introductory class to glassblowing, there seems
to be a lot more danger to art than I ever
imagined.
The first thing I noticed about my instructor was the indented scars up and
down her arms and calves. I later learned
that these were from countless accidents
with the hot glass. When I say hot I mean
over 4000 degrees Fahrenheit. “The best
pieces I’ve ever made have left the biggest scars,” my instructor explained.
The first rule was that we weren’t allowed to be timid. Getting comfortable
with holding a scalding hot pipe was the
hardest part of the learning process. After three or four sessions I handled the
glass well and got used to the tools.
At first I didn’t really see the art in
glass blowing. When my instructor demonstrated time after time how to blow
the perfect bubble and stick the pole in
the liquid glass it seemed like a tedious
routine. For me art is not routine; it is
different each time. Finally, we learned
how to use the tools which include
“jacks,” which are like giant tweezers,
and “blocks,” which are actually wooden molds.
My teacher made it clear that she
“would only tell us a few ways to use the
tools; you all have to figure out the rest
on your own.” I finally concluded that
creativity comes by inventing new ways
to shape the glass with the tools that everyone else was using. That’s truly what
art is: using standard tools to create a
unique piece.
School News
October
The Ursuline
4
Students receive national awards
for National Merit Scholarships,
some of these students do become
candidates
for
special scholarships sponsored
by corporations
and businesses.
“I had known
about the possibility of receiving the award
a few months
in advance, so
when I learned
my score made Claire Nelson, Rachel Wolff and Sydney Kanjuparamban,
the cut, I was form an elite club of National Merit winners. All three girls
elated,” Nelson will have numerous scholarship opportunities.
expressed.
Wolff received recognition by the Na- and is completing an application to betional Achievement Scholarship Program. come a finalist.
Of the more than 160,000 students who
St. Ursula is proud of these three students
enter the National Achievement Program and is anxiously awaiting the results.
each year, Wolff was named one of 1,600
Kanjuparamban, Nelson and Wolff join
semifinalists.
a select group of Arrows who have been
Like Kanjuparamban, Wolff was one of awarded by the National Merit Scholarthe highest scoring students in the region ship Corporation.
n Gabby Mancy
tions in the work force.
Unions and government employees
have contracts and policies which can be
defined as collective bargaining, but then
what is collective bargaining? Collective
bargaining is negotiations between employers and employees with the goal of
agreeing on working conditions. These
‘collective agreements’ usually define
wages, working hours, training, health
and safety.
Senate Bill No. 5 limits collective bargaining. It also bans strikes, requires
workers to pay 15 percent of health care
premiums, switches to the merit system
pay, caps vacation and illness time, restores management rights over issues
such as shifts, assignments, transfers,
promotions, and layoffs, and eliminates
seniority.
It is safe to say government employees
and union workers will not accept these
new stipulations. A sign carried during
Photo by Grace Kenney
n Grace Kenney
As seniors scramble to complete their resumes to send into
colleges, three of St. Ursula’s
own can insert an extra accolade that few others can.
Sydney Kanjuparamban,
Claire Nelson and Rachel Wolff
were recently awarded recognition by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Acknowledgements were granted
based on each student’s PSAT score.
Kanjuparamban became a National Merit Semifinalist, scoring above a 214. “I
was very excited when I found out I was
a semifinalist, but I didn’t really know
what that meant,” Kanjuparamban commented.
To qualify as a semifinalist, she had to
be one of the highest scoring entrants in
Ohio. Next, she had to complete an application to be considered for a National
Merit Scholarship.
Nelson was designated “Commended”
by the program based on her score of at
least a 202. Although Commended students do not continue in the competition
What will you do about Issue 2?
You have seen it in the news, on YouTube, on backs of cars, and sticking out
of yards, but what exactly is Issue 2? Issue 2 became an ‘issue’ when Senate Bill
No.5 was passed by Ohio’s legislature,
the General Assembly. Ohio’s Governor,
John Kasich, signed on it into law on Mar.
31, 2011.
Opposition quickly made itself known,
and after a petition, Senate Bill No. 5 was
renamed Issue 2 and became a referendum
for the November election. A referendum
is when the people oppose passed legislature and the population votes on the issue
whether to accept or reject the proposal.
Senate Bill No. 5 is defined on the referendum ballot as “a new law relative to
government union contracts and other
government employment contracts and
policies.”
Unions are groups of workers who have
banded together to achieve better condi-
a ‘Vote No on Issue 2’ rally read “God’s
principles, rights and liberty, bless those
that know and follow.” Workers believe
their rights are being taken away; “It is
unfair, unsafe and it hurts middle class
families,” said Melissa Fazekas, spokeswoman for We Are Ohio, the campaign to
defeat Senate Bill 5. (Columbus Bureau).
The political group that is in favor of
Senate Bill No. 5 disagrees “This bill ...
does not cut anybody’s salary ... nor does
it not take away anybody’s pension ... nor
does it destroy anybody’s health care,”
Ohio Governor Kasich publically explained. (AP-Cleveland).
Another supporter of the bill, Jason
Mauk, the spokesman of Building a Better Ohio states, “This will be a very close
election. The polling indicates that people
are supportive of reforming Ohio’s government employment policies. This is
something we have not done in nearly 30
years.” (AP-Cleveland)
2011
The Ursuline
School News
SUA “defined” by Ursuline roots
5
Photograph by Mrs. Funk
n Caitlyn Basinski
In order to get this change approved, Board of Trustees’ approval;
Students have seen the new banners all the administration first sought the consent the decision was unanimous,
around St. Ursula: in the lobby, and in the of the Ursuline Council, a group of nuns and now St. Ursula has a
parking lot. The new statement has
new defining statement.
transformed the image of St. Ursula.
“I love it; it really enThe new “defining statecompasses what St. Urment,” as Mrs. Sofo calls it,
sula stands for,” Mrs.
came from the marketing departSofo said. “Everyone
ment who felt that a piece of the
serves; parents, students,
St. Ursula image was missing.
teachers, even I serve.”
They believed that St. Ursula
The statement also includes
needed something to define who
the six areas of service that students
St. Ursula is as a school. Then
serve every day as: their God, the
after much research, the marketworld, their families, their school,
ing department found that “I will
their community and their friends.
Serve” not only describes St. Ur- Seniors Meredith Niehaus and Kara Mancinotti
“I will serve” is shared by over
sula but is also one of the seven model the student council “I will serve” t-shirts.
50 percent of the other Ursuline
core values of an Ursuline school.
schools in the country. It “keeps us
“We were looking for something that who must approve any major changes that connected to all the Ursuline schools
would tie us to our Ursuline roots,” market- could transform the image of St. Ursula. around the country,” said Mrs. Sofo.
ing department member Mrs. Funk said. After the Council gave their approval, However, this is not a tagline, which is
“There are a lot of other Ursuline schools Mrs. Sofo and Sr. Mary Kay had to for- a temporary slogan used for advertisacross the country and we should be tied mally give their stamp of approval. The ing, because the administration hopes
together with them somehow,” Funk said. final step in the process was getting the that it will be around for generations.
Making changes: new is old
Photo by Grace Kenney
n Gabi Enrique
on the flow of Mass.
the hope is that Catholics will be more reFor many years Catholic churchgoers
Many priests argue that changes were flective and aware of what they are truly
have been praying in casual vernacular, needed because Catholics have gotten in professing in Mass.
but in the upcoming Advent season, the the habit of simply “going through the
The changes were also brought about
Catholic Mass will be modified to a
in the hope of increasing the level of
more formal and literal translation of
reverence during Mass. By includthe original Latin text.
ing new words like “consubstanCatholic Mass in other parts of the
tial,” meaning “a relationship with
world has always maintained the forGod,” in the normal progression
mality of the original Latin translaof Mass, many Catholics will be
tion. While the response to “The Lord
forced to investigate word definibe with you” is always followed with
tions and therefore become confi“and also with you” in the U.S., in
dent in what they are responding to
Spanish for example, the response
in Mass.
is “Y con tu espíritu,” meaning “and
In regard to how the upcoming
with your spirit.”
changes will affect SUA students,
According to Campus Minister, Mr.
Mr. Shannon said “I think our stuShannon, “the Roman Missal has
dents will do a great job- they are
been revised approximately eight
very flexible and willing to try new
times over the centuries,” so Cathothings.”
Campus minister Mr. Kevin Shannon reviews
lics all over the world have had to
The changes will go into efMass changes with senior Gabrielle Enrique.
adapt to the changes made to Mass
fect on Nov, 27, the first Sunday
Most changes involve response wording at Mass.
throughout history.
of Advent, and will affect eleven
The bulk of the changes are simple re- motions” of repeating the words that have English-speaking nations worldwide. Insponse modifications that will take some been said for decades. By changing the formational brochures with all modificatime to learn but will have a small impact responses to be more official and exact, tions are available for interested students.
Feature
6
The Ursuline
October
SJJ/SFS Homecoming
Winning is not everything
Photo by Paige Swint
Photo by Woodard Photography
nKelsey Reiner
I strode into the interview room Dances, musicals and any events other rejection I faced. I’ll care that I got evwithout realizing I was even than sports completely slipped my mind.
erything possible out of high school, and
walking. I anxiously played with
Weeks earlier, my newspaper class I had fun in the process. After all, I was
my hands and hair at the St. John’s coaxed me into applying for purely “jour- only being a good journalist.
Homecomnalistic purposes,” so I could
The Homecoming Game
ing Queen interwrite an article about the
The Homecoming game had finally
view. I was takHomecoming Queen pro- approached, and the Queen was to be
ing a chance, and
cess. Sadly, I could not give crowned. St. John’s was sadly losing to
I had to be proud
them exactly what they Central Catholic, so spirits were low. But
of myself for at
wanted because my “pro- at half time, the crowd was ready to see
least that, right?
cess” ended as quickly as it who would win the crown.
As I sat at the
began.
OthThe girls and their dates drove along
chest-high table,
er applicants tried display- the sidelines in golf carts that were decoa panel of seven
ing calm demeanors and rated with signs. The St. Ursula girls in
people stared me
said they did not care if the student section bragged about the Ardown.
they made court. Why ap- row girls’ creativity with their signs. The
Do they notice
ply then?
court stood in the cold weather with fashthe burn mark
Obviously someone has ionable coats, skirts, and shoes.
on my neck? I
to have some faint desire
The girls on court and the people in the
moved my hair to St. John’s Application for Home- within her to have those crowd anxiously awaited the announcecover up my minor coming Queen asked that apglorious fifteen minutes of ment of queen. St. Ursula girls were
hair-straightening plicants send in a photo. Kelsey fame in front of the crowd adamantly supporting Lauren Burns and
mishap from a few attached this senior picture.
with that crown. My desire Kara Mancinotti, and the Notre Dame
days prior. The temwas not faint, but obvious. girls cheered for Natalie Adamski, Molly
perature in the room increased by 20 de- I was not going to lie to
Scott, and Jae Huth.
grees in that ten-minute interview. Could people. I definitely wanted
The girls walked
they see my feet tapping at 100 miles per to make it.
along the field
hour underneath the table?
Girls wondered about othwith their esUnfortunately, my striking good looks er applicants before the incorts and then
and vivacious personality in that room terviews took place: “Why
the time had
did not get me on St. John’s Homecoming did she get so dressed up?
come. “And the
court. What exactly does it take to be a Does she have any connec2011 St. John’s
Homecoming Queen?
tion to this school?” I am
Homecoming
The panel had a broad range of ques- sorry to say that I was also
Queen is….Jae
tions. “What movie do you always watch guilty of these thoughts.
Huth.” Cheers
when it’s on TV?” Do I say a funny mov- Obviously, criticisms do not
erupted
from
ie, a girly movie, a scary movie or just help people become Homethe crowd as St.
a classic? “Step Brothers, wait no, The coming Queen.
John’s crowned
Dark Knight.”
I discovered quite a bit
its queen. For the
“Why do you want to be St. John’s about myself from this exthird consecuHomecoming Queen?” Why does any- perience. I learned that no
tive year, a Notre
body? Just because. What more reason is matter how much I tell my- Kelsey and her date took a few
Dame Academy
there? I mumbled out some stupid answer self I will not care if I am photos at her house before they student has won St.
that made me sound like an anxious pre- rejected, I will care. But, I headed to group pictures.
John’s Homecomteen.
have to be proud of myself
ing Queen. The St.
“What St. John’s events do you attend?” for taking a chance.
Ursula girls may not have won the
I conjured up some pointless spirited acSo maybe I wasn’t the queen, but thirty title, but the Arrows will always consider
count of the sporting events I’ve enjoyed. years from now I will not care about the Lauren and Kara to be their queens.
2011
The Ursuline
Royalty becomes a reality
Feature
Queen process revealed
7
Photo by Sara Beth Collins
Photo by Kellee Laser
nSara Beth Collins
school official verify it with her signa- lessly but it was a huge relief
Many little girls dream of wearing a ture. I attached a 5x7 picture to my ap- knowing it was over.
My fate was up to the senior
crown from a young age. Growing up plication that would later be displayed at
with influences like Disney princesses, St. Francis with the other 17 applicants’ class at St. Francis to determine
photos.
the six girls who would make
Mia Thermopolis and
Three days after turn- court. They cast their votes in
modern day royalty
ing in my application, homeroom. Their vote was
Kate Middleton, it is
I was to report to St. worth 60 percent and the interview was
hard not to wonder
Francis for an inter- worth 40 percent of the final court deciwhat royal life would
view in front of senior sion.
be like.
Student Council memThe following week we were asked to
In high school,
bers and faculty mem- pick up a letter at St. Francis after school
the most common
bers. There were 18 ap- that told us whether we were a part of the
associated
word
plicants total, 12 from six-member court or not. Although I did
with Homecoming
St. Ursula and six from not make it, five St. Ursula girls did. Our
is queen. While in
Notre Dame.
girls greatly outnumbered the one Notre
high school, being
We were to be graded Dame member. So, the Arrows have a
crowned Homecomon several categories good chance of taking the crown back
ing Queen is an opsuch as appearance, from the Eagles this year.
portunity for that
poise, speech, conOn October 28, the senior class will
little girl to wear a The picture Sara Beth chose to
tent,
and
sincerity.
As
vote
for one girl to be their queen and the
crown.
submit to Saint Francis for the
At Saint Ursula, we voting of Homecoming Court by we waited to be called court will be presented at the Homecomindividually for our in- ing pep rally. On this day, they will also
have the opportunity the senior class.
terviews, we nervously ride in convertibles with their escorts in
to run for Homecoming Queen for both St. Francis and St. paced and chatted about what may or the homecoming parade. Finally, a queen
will be crowned during halftime at the
John’s. It can be a scary thought, putting may not happen.
You could feel the nerves bouncing game.
yourself out there in front of an all male
around the room. This may sound a tad
The high school tradition of Homecomhigh school. However, I did just that.
ing Queen
The process started one morning dur- d r a m a t i c ,
is highly
ing a round-table talk in newspaper. I but it felt as
respecthad mentioned I was considering running if we were
ed at St.
for St. Francis Homecoming court but I about to be
told our fate.
Francis.
hadn’t come to a decision.
W h o As reporters are always looking for in- As my name
ever is
teresting stories, the staff put their brains was called,
crowned
together and decided Kelsey Reiner and I walked in
queen
I could write a story about the process of feeling fairon Ocrunning for Homecoming Queen after we ly confident.
I saw fatober 28
had mentioned we were thinking about
will be
applying. We were both hesitant at first, miliar faca part of
but for the sake of interesting journalism, es on the
Seniors (L to R): SFS court members Jackie Miesle,
panel so I
a legacy
we obliged.
Carly Bonfiglio, Lauren Alberti, Taylor Dewey and
Before I knew it, I was filling out an ap- was put at Bridget Buckley gather in front of the St. Angela statue. that has
b e e n
plication to run for St. Francis homecom- ease. They
carried
ing court. The application contained ba- each asked
sic questions such as how I was involved me a question that did not pertain to on for many years. The queen will be a
in St. Francis and what kind of qualities a the application. The panel asked me if I role model socially and academically for
thought running for Homecoming Queen Saint Francis as well as her school. The
Homecoming Queen should embody.
In addition to the application questions, was sexist and where I see myself in ten dreams of wearing a crown will become
I had to submit my G.P.A. and have a years. Overall, it went quickly and pain- a reality.
8
The Ursuline
October
nEmma Miller
V-I-C-T-O-R-Y that’s the
Arrow battle cry! Once again,
the freshman, JV, and varsity
volleyball teams dominated
the Notre Dame Eagles in
front of a boisterous, monster
themed crowd, decked out in
black with hair meant to scare.
After shooting down the Eagles
in 61 minutes last year, the goal this
Photo by Grace Kenney
year
was to
Seniors Emma Romstadt, Erin Williams, Cassidy Croci and Madison
Haupricht lead the Arrows to yet
another victory over the NDA Eagles.
capture the win in fewer. With the clock
ticking, the Arrows were unable to make
the cut, but still walked away with a 3-1
victory.
The first, second, and fourth sets were
SUA crowd pleasers, but the third game
kept fellow monsters on their toes as NDA
pulled ahead. “We had a great blocking
game,” senior Cassidy Croci said. “That’s
ultimately how we pulled it off,” she
added.
Senior Madison Strall had a little extra
incentive to help Arrow volleyball capture
the win. “My older sister is the assistant
varsity coach at Notre Dame,” Strall
stated. She explained that her household
had been a little tense during the days
leading up to the much anticipated match.
“She really wanted to win, but she wanted
me to do well,” Strall added.
The Arrows also played in the TRAC
Championships where they faced teams
like Notre Dame and Central Catholic for
the second and third times this season.
(how they did) Next up for SUA: two
district games which will decide if the
team will move onto regionals, and
another Final Four. Rally the troops
Arrows, SUA volleyball is looking to take
down more than the Eagles.
Senior libero Emma Romstadt is a
force on the volleyball court. She
digs the ball with focus and helps the
Arrows beat NDA 3-1. St. Ursula also
went on to defeat the Eagles and capture the first TRAC championship.
Photo by Grace Kenney
Sports
Volleyball rolls over competition
nEmma Miller
When the starting gun sounded on Oct.
15, 16 arrows raced to the finish line of
the first ever cross country TRAC Championships. St. Ursula cross country traveled to Pearson Park near Maumee Bay
to face off against eight other schools,
including their biggest competition, the
NDA Eagles. “They are always really
good,” senior Paige Swint said.
“[Notre Dame Academy] finished first
this year,” she added. The team is confident about their second place finish,
however. “Second out of eight isn’t bad,”
senior Caitlyn Basiniski stated.
On Oct. 22 the top seven varsity runners as well as a selection of JV runners
ran at Districts, again held at Pearson
Park. From there, the top four fastest
teams and top sixteen fastest individuals
will advance to Regionals. “We have a
really good chance of going to Regionals
this year, especially with our new freshmen,” Swint said.
The arrows finished second in the
TRAC and fourth at Districts so they will
head to the Regional race in Tiffin on
Oct. 29. Freshmen Danielle Szczesniak
and Taryn Pavain both finished in the top
10 with times under 20 minutes. This is
the first time in nearly 10 years that St.
Ursula runners have advanced to the regional race.
The team attributes their success to
countless practices beginning in early
June and a “ridiculous amount of miles
run during practices.” “We had really
good coaching this year,” said senior and
three-year runner Paige Trojanowski.
“There was a lot of new, young talent and
we really came together as a team. We all
ran for each other,” she concluded.
Photo by Woodard Photography
Runners advance to Regionals
Junior Morgan Ziegelhofer attempts
to run a new personal record during
the Sandusky Fun Run. She is one of
seven varsity runners to race at Regionals on Oct. 29 in Tiffin, Ohio.
2011
The Ursuline
SUA dominates TRAC
9
nGabi Enrique
Feature Athlete:
Alex Graf
Class: Senior
Sport: Varsity Golf
Bio: Made it to states individually as a junior, recently medaled
at Perrysburg invitational. Alex’s
dad is the golf pro at Inverness
Country Club
Favorites
Subject: AP Psychology
Facebook or Twitter: Facebook
Place to shop: Ralph Lauren
Pump-up song: Knockout by Lil
Wayne
Tv Show: Modern Family
Movie: Bridesmaids
Magazine: People
Radio Station: 99.9
Food: Sushi
Beverage: Arnold Palmer
Fast Food: Chipotle
Can’t resist what snack: Goldfish
Athlete: Adam Scott
nBrandi Boyer
OSU or Michigan: OSU
Practice, Practice, Practice. There’s no
Person you most admire: My stopping now. For the varsity tennis team,
love means nothing.
grandma
“Winning the tournament was very exciting!
Pet Peeve: Lying
Our whole team was thrilled to end our
Number one goal: Play golf in season on such a positive note,” said senior
college
and four-year varsity player, Claire Nelson.
TRAC is the acronym for the “Three Rivers
Holiday: Christmas
Athletic
Conference,” in which different
Pre-game routine: High-fives
sports teams compete against seven to ten
for everyone
different schools from around the Toledo
Top Sports Moment: Winning area. This year, eight different schools
player of the year in NW Ohio
participated in the tournament. For tennis,
Photo by Woodard Photography
Sports
cer team finished third in the
Despite the recent changes resulting conference overall.
The cross country team finfrom the switch to the new TRAC league,
the SUA sports teams have emerged vic- ished second in the conference
torious. All three volleyball teams, golf, after a productive season, and
and tennis won the Three Rivers Ath- freshman, JV and Varsity volleyball
letic Conference
all came
(TRAC) Chamin first in
pionship,
and
the league.
senior Alex Graf
After an unwas honored with
defeated season,
the “Golfer of the
the varsity tennis ArYear” award.
rows played well and
Although there
worked hard as a team
was initial conat the tournament in
cern regarding the
Findlay, winning four
organization of
of five matches.
the new league, it
“Even though the
seems that the rematches were hardcent changes have
er, we were a betnot had a negative
ter team and could
effect on the perhandle them,” seformance of SUA
nior Claire Nelson
sports teams.
claimed. The camaSenior Laura Asraderie and confibury comments
dence that the team
that because the
garnered over the
league eliminated
course of the seamost of the censon came in handy
tral city teams, Sophomore Celina Nowicki reaches
when it came to seek“[the team] had to high to hit the overhead shot. The
ing motivation to come
travel more.”
tennis team won the TRAC.
out strong at the tournaSenior, and firsttime soccer player Angela Rudnicki stated ment. The seniors were also able to comthat “it was [her] first year playing and it plete their stint on the team with a strong
was a great experience,” but conceded that finish. The tournament victory was a
it is hard to compare the previous league confidence-booster for the team and “just
to the new TRAC league. The SUA soc- added to the excitement,” stated Nelson.
Serving up victory
each player or doubles team played a
total of three matches in the one day
tournament.
The team has spent large amounts of
time preparing for the tournament. “We
practiced after school every day no matter
what the weather was like. We always
stayed focused and positive, ” according
to sophomore Sydney Seeley.
With eight girls on the team, they battled
their way through the season and went
into the tournament determined to finish
on a good, strong note.
Interests
10
The Ursuline
October
Be on trend this season: Fall Style
nSara Beth Collins
70’s Chic
Out with the old and in with the
old? Seventies inspired pieces
are
making
their way back
into fashion.
Flared jeans,
sequins, balloon sleeves
and aged florals are just a
few
trends coming
back to
life from the
seventies. A great
way to
spice up any
of these pieces would be to pair it with
something modern like a balloon sleeved
dress with a pair of fall booties and contemporary jewelry. Make way for the disco era because this fall will have Saturday
night fever. Dress from ASOS.
Pleated Skirts
Feminine, edgy, frilly, mini, maxi; skirts
come in many shapes and sizes. This season, pleated skirts are the must-have style.
A retro-inspired skirt
can either be dressy
or casual. A more
dressy pleated skirt
might be made out
of silk and paired
with a floral or ruffled top with a pair
of
color-popping
pumps. The same
silk skirt could also
be dressed down by
adding a simple retro-tee or tank and a
pair of ballet flats. Either way a pleated
skirt is worn, it is flattering and a great
go-to look for fall. Skirt from ShopBop.
Denim on Denim
A more risky trend this fall is the denim on
denim look. A dark wash of denim could
be matched with a light, faded denim button down and finished off with a colored
heel or boot. If done correctly, this can
look very classic and simple while not being boring. For something that may seem
bare, it certainly makes a statement this
fall. Shirt from J. Crew and jeans from
Lucky Brand.
Whites
The ancient law of no white after Labor
Day has come and gone. Winter whites
are becoming a staple wardrobe item this
fall and
winter. An
oversized white
knit
sweater or
turtleneck is
another fall
musthave. It
can be
paired with
neutrals,
metallics,
or even
denim. A
white
knit is perfectly
versatile.
It could
be dressed
up with a sequined mini skirt or dressed
down with a pair of dark wash skinny
jeans and a pair of brown leather riding
boots. Staying warm and stylish in the
fall never looked so good. Sweater from
J. Crew.
Plaid HeadIt to
Toe
is time to re-think school-girl-plaid.
Plaid is one of the most popular patterns
for the 2011 fall season. It is traditionally
known for being preppy but in recent years
it has inspired a hip, grunge look. This
fall, it’s not just about the plaid buttondowns J. Crew displays in an assortment
of colors or the lumberjack style sported
at country concerts. This timeless pattern is showing up in various forms such
as ballet flats, loafers, skirts, blazers and
even clutches. Even our junior high girls
are on trend with their plaid ties. A classic
plaid accessory may be just the right addition to a simple outfit this fall. Shoes from
Nordstrom and shirt from ModCloth.
Halloween Graveyard Dessert
n Gabrielle Mancy
Found on aliciasrecipies.com
Crust
2 cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup margarine, melted
Decorations
1/4 cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
7 rectangular and 7 oval shaped sandwich cookies
Decorator icing brown, green, orange,
white candy corn or candy pumpkins
Filling
1 (8 ounce) package fat-free cream
cheese
1 (12 ounce) tub Cool Whip,
2 cups boiling water
2 small boxes orange gelatin
1/2 cup cold water Ice cubes
Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Prepare a
9x13x2-inch pan with cooking spray and
flour. To prepare crust, combine 2 cups
cookie crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and margarine in a small mixing bowl. Press firmly
into prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes
and then chill. To prepare filling, combine
cream cheese and 1/2 cup Cool Whip in
a mixing bowl. In another mixing bowl,
combine boiling water into gelatin until
completely dissolved. Mix cold water and
ice cubes together to make 1-1/2 cups.
Stir ice water into gelatin until thickened. Remove any remaining ice cubes.
Spoon gelatin over cream cheese layer.
Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm. Spread
remaining Cool Whip over gelatin layer.
Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cookie
crumbs. Decorate as a “graveyard” by
poking sandwich cookies on end into dessert. Decorate the cookies as tombstones
with the decorator icing. Scatter candy
and pumpkins on surface.
2011
The Ursuline
nGrace Kenney
Interests
Beware the “Ides of March”
11
Photo found on movieweb.com
Photo found on movieweb.com
Ryan Gosling, who plays a
would not
With betrayal as the main theme, George member of Morris’ campaign
guess from
Clooney’s “Ides of March,” is an allusion staff, is the center of attenits trailers.
to the day Julius Ceaser was murdered. tion in this drama film. Senior
“I was
The fast paced plot and convoluted sto- campaign manager Paul Zara,
excited
ryline create a movie viewers are sure to brought to life by Phillip Seyto see
enjoy.
mour Hoffman, works to find a
‘Ides of
As Ohio Governor Mike Morris, por- way for Morris to win the Ohio
March’
trayed by Clooney, campaigns for presi- primary.
because it
dent, the story unfolds.
However, a curve ball is
was filmed
Filmed in Ohio, many universities are thrown when Myers is found
at
familiar
settings.
meeting
places like Miami,”
Miami,
with Morris’
Senior Olivia RoXaiver,
competition.
manoff said. “But
and Dayton
And
thus The movie’s dark poster.
it was too twisted for
Communithe story unmy liking.”
ty College
folds. “Ides of March”
The incredibly talented cast along with
are three
proves to be a sus- Clooney’s skills as a filmmaker and actor
schools
penseful political mov- provide for a twisted story line that leaves
seen in the
ie revealing the hidden viewers hanging at the end.
movie.
work of a campaign.
It unravels the behind the scene issue of
The movThe 98 minute film a political campaign. However, the cliie
opens
is drama filled, yet max is quite harsh and may not be liked
at Miami’s Ryan Gosling works his charm as a
parts contain unrealis- by viewers.
new Farmer member of a presidential campaign.
tic situations that weaken
Although it may not be politically corSchool of Business as Gov. Morris speaks
the film.
rect, “The Ides of March” offers a lot to
to an auditorium of students.
It has a complicated storyline that one think about.
Inspecting Gadgets
Death of tech wizard shakes the world
At his Stanford University commencement speech in 2005, Steve Jobs delivered
a powerful talk about how to live before
you die. “Death is the single best adventure of your life,” he said. CEO of Apple
and Pixar, Jobs dropped out of college
at the age of 18. He claimed that “it was
one of the best decisions he ever made.”
When Jobs was 20, he designed the
first Macintosh computer in his garage.
Ten years later, Apple developed into
a two billion dollar company. Jobs
was fired from Apple shortly after.
In the following months, Jobs was
devastated and felt like he had “let the
pervious generation of entrepreneurs
down.” His drive and determination allowed him to persevere despite the rejec-
tion. He created two companies, NeXT
and Pixar. Pixar, which created the firstever animated film, is the most successful animation studio in the world. The
Steve Jobs proudly holds the iPhone,
a project he had been working on tirelessly, even as his health declined.
Photo from androidcommunity
nMorgan Borer
company has won 26 Academy Awards.
Jobs returned to Apple after it bought
NeXT. From there forward, his career
skyrocketed. He produced the Mac-
book Air, iPod, iPhone, and iPad. His
sleek, stylish designs and innovative
mindset captured the hearts and dollars of consumers around the world.
In July 2007, Apple reported that its
quarterly revenue reached over 28 billion dollars, and profits were up 125
percent. The company expects about the
same revenue for the last quarter of 2011.
Jobs passed away on October 5, 2011
at the age of 56. The man changed technology forever. Without him, how advanced would the world be now? Chances
are, classic animated movies like Toy
Story and Monsters Inc. would not exist.
He changed the way people communicate for the current and future generations.
The world will remember him not only as
an inspiration to all, but as the greatest innovator, thinker, and inventor of all time.
Entertainment
12
The Ursuline
October
Steps toward college
n Caitlyn Basinski
Common Misconceptions
High School: A time for fun,
friends, and preparation for college, especially when attending
a college preparatory school.
Seniors stress about getting
their applications in on time,
while juniors begin to fret about
the ACT and the SAT. The college
process is dreaded, yet students have
help all around them.
According to Ms. Howard, the St. Ursula Director of College Counseling, the
most important thing that colleges look at
is the student’s GPA, transcript, and the
difficulty of their classes.
Then colleges will glance at the student’s standardized test scores, and finally
they read student’s essays and take their
extracurricular activities into consideration. However, these are not the only
aspects that can determine whether or not
a student is accepted
into college.
According to Ms.
Howard when universities are selecting students to admit, colleges want
to be as diverse as
possible “Colleges
want to make their
class” as strong and diverse as possible. If
a student is not accepted it is not because
she is not smart, it might be, for example,
that the school might want to be able to
claim that they have students from all 50
states.
If a student from Wyoming who has a
3.5 GPA and a student from St. Ursula
who has a 3.6 GPA apply to the same University that does not have a student from
Wyoming, the Wyoming student might be
accepted just to fill the void according to
Ms. Howard.
Ms. Howard advises younger students
to “start early. If you start early then I
have more time to go over the student’s
application.” Many students did not know
that they were able to submit their applications as early as August 1.
“I am not stressed at all about the process, and now I have more time to focus
on my school work instead of finishing
my applications,” said senior Samantha
Neff, who has been finished with her applications since summer. Another perk to
having your applications finsihed earlier is that students can
recieve acceptance letters earlier. Neff has already recieved
her acceptance letter from the
University of Alabama.
Ms. Howard recommends students apply to seven schools,
and the College Board recommends anywhere from five to
eight schools. Ms. Howard said “they’re
not hard to do, they just take time.” She
recommends that students just sit down
on a Saturday and power through them .
Most schools allow student to apply by
using the common application, which is
a single application that is selected by
over 400 schools. Many schools that accept the common application also require
student to fill out a supplement, which
provides extra information to colleges.
These supplements can include information about whether a student has family
who has attended the school, or an extra
essay or two.
Nov 1
Nov 5
Nov 13
“If you start early
then I have more
time to go over
the... application.”
~Ms. Howard
Myth:“I will visit the university if I get into it.”
Fact: Universities rate students on their
interest in that school, and a visit shows
interest.
Myth: “I should get a teacher recomendation from a teacher who gave me an
A.”
Fact: Get a recomdendation from a
teacher who knows you the best
Myth: “Most universities accept only a
small percentage of students.”
Fact: Most schools accept over half of
their applicants. The reason it may seem
otherwise is because the media tend to
focus on highly selective schools.
Myth: “You have to have a certain standardized test score to be admitted.”
Fact: While test scores are important,
they are not the most important factor in
the decision process.
Information from usnews.com
Dates to Know
Early Action
Deadline
Nov 4
Free day?
Serata di Gala
Nov 8
Elections
Open House
Nov 17-20
Princeton
Model
Congress