The STampedeThe official sTudenT newspaper of Bishop McnaMara high school | since 1964 | www.stampedenews.org | may 2013

Megan Ardovini ‘13 MAnAging Editor

The world was glued to their televisions, radios, and internet waiting for news of the white smoke leaving the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. As faculty, students, and the rest of the Bishop McNamara community awaited the announcement, one of McNamara’s own alum, Brandon Perez ‘08, was among the large gathering of people in St. Peter’s Square soaked by the rain, who erupted in applause when the Cardinals selected a new pope.

Perez, McNamara gradu-ate of the class of 2008, was there to witness the selection of the 76-year-old former archbishop of Buenos Aires, as the first South American to ever be the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. He and 16 other students from Catholic University of America CUArch program are studying abroad for 110 days in Rome, Italy.

“My f irst impression on Pope Francis was that he was genuine, humble, and in shock,” Perez said. Since graduat-ing McNamara, Brandon Perez has completed an undergraduate program at the Catholic University of America and is now in the second semester as a graduate student in

the Architecture and Planning program offered by CUA. The CUArch Rome exchange program granted Brandon a scholarship to pay for the program fees which allowed him to take the chance to study abroad while furthering his knowledge about his area of study. As with the rest of the world, Perez and his classmates were not aware that Benedict would be resigning or that a conclave would convene while they were in Rome. In fact, Perez was first informed of the resignation from a scream of joy by one of his classmates, Jeremy, who took to yelling in the halls that the pope had resigned and they were all in Rome.

Perez did not go to St. Peter’s on March 12th, the first day of the conclave, because he knew there would not be any white smoke on that day. However, Perez was there for both of the times the voting took place on the fol-lowing day. After history class, he went to St. Peter’s where he was greeted by black smoke being emitted from the chimney. After that, Perez returned to class. Later that night, a dinner was planned for the students in the program to meet with the University Provost during the time which another voting was to take place. However, the coordinator of the dinner sent an email out to all of the students

postponing the dinner so that all the students could go to St. Peter’s for the 7pm voting.

Brandon Perez went early to get a good spot with three other students in the program; Chris, Jeremy, and Brian. From their spot between the obelisk and St. Peter’s, they waited with everyone around them for the announce-ment to be made. When white smoke was released, screams of “Viva el Papa” filled the air. Then the lights came on in the square and everyone’s attention turned to the cardinal deacon who came out and made the announcement “habemus Papam” (We have a pope). Screams of joy and yells of excitement in many different languages filled the air.

“So far he has shown with recent actions that he is the Pope of the people,” Perez said. When the new pope came out to address the crowd, he asked Perez and every-one else in the square to pray for him. Thanks to the Italian classes he was taking, Brandon was able to understand this statement said entirely in Italian and was moved by such a statement.

“I hope his journey and the journey of the Catholic Church will take on a road that hasn’t been taken,” Brandon said.

Music Program in Boston During Bombing Lockdown This year, the band, choir and orchestra music pro-grams traveled to Boston to compete with various other schools from across the country and even Inter-nationally at the Boston Heritage Festival. Despite the anxiety of traveling to a city on lockdown the students returned home safely. “Police came with us everywhere, so it felt pretty safe,” said Theresa Rose ‘13. “A Lot of people were anxious, but not like the people on the trip, their parents were more worried,” said Khristian Laroche ‘14. Lauren Bell ‘14 confirmed this, saying “I felt scared at first, but once I saw all the security, I felt safe.”

On top of the great achieve-ments that each ensemble or choir received, eight students received Maestro award for mastering their craft/art. These students include: Tyrone Allen ’13 , Jonathan Hightower ’13, Justin Kelly ’13, Jasmine Spears ‘13, Emily Magruder ‘13, Theresa Rose ‘13, Camille Chrysostom ‘13, Clarissa Corey-Bey ‘14.

Do One Thing Campaign On Earth day, April 22, S.E.E.D. Club held their Do One Thing Campaign, otherwise known as the DOT Campaign, by passing out papers that resembled dots and asking students to write down one thing they promise to do to help keep the earth healthy and clean.

Thespian WorkshopThe International Thes-pian Society sponsored their annual Workshop for middle school kids. There, 14 students learned a song, choreography, built a set and learned acting skills so that they could put on a show at the end of the workshop. The theme was No Business like Show Business,” and 18 thespians from McNamara planned and taught all sessions.

SPEED READ

- news in brief - from The STampede

Compiled by danielle gibSon ‘13

Former Mustang Witnesses Announcement of New PopeMcNamara Alum Brandon Perez is in Vatican City When New Pope is Selected

Perez’s photo of white smoke announcing election of new Pope. (Photo from Facebook / Brandon Perez ‘08)

distinguished English teacher will retire at end

of 2012-2013 school year

Megan Ardovini ’13 MAnAging Editor

After thirty-six years of teach-ing, English teacher Mr. Alfred Odierno had reached a crossroad. Two roads diverged: to continue on that which is well known or to embark on one unfamiliar and unknown.

With the support of adminis-tration, he began a year-long break from teaching, known as a sabbati-cal. This offered a chance to try life as a “non-teacher,” as he called it, and spend time discerning whether he had reached the stage in his life where he wanted to retire.

“Ultimately I decided that I’ve made my contribution to McNamara and education and that it is time for me to call it a career and move on the next stage of life,” said Mr. Odierno. “For

McNamara to continue to grow and prosper with the outstanding talent and leadership it has, and for a next generation of students and teachers to bring their abilities and talents to our school just as previ-ous generations have done.”

This decision was not an easy one nor one that he was ready to

make last year. “I wasn’t ready to walk away from something I’d been doing so long… I wasn’t quite ready either to cut the cord from a place and profession I valued so much,” Mr. Odierno said. Therefore, President Mr. Clark discussed the possibility of a sab-batical with Mr. Odierno.

A Year in Sabbatical A sabbatical is an extended

leave with an educational com-ponent to it. They can either be paid, or unpaid like Mr. Odierno’s was. For foreign language teachers, this usually means time to travel to other countries. For science teachers, it usually allows time to do some travel and in-depth experiments. For English teach-ers like Mr. Odierno, sabbaticals give teachers time to “sit home and read.” Regardless of the subject area, sabbaticals give teachers the chance to step back, learn more, become better as a whole person and take a break from the demands of teaching. “Teaching is too important not to be sure you’re in the right profession for the right reasons, and sometimes you have to catch your breath,” Mr. Odierno said about the reason for sabbaticals.

The system of sabbaticals ben-efits not only a teacher or professor, but also the school. Not all schools grant sabbaticals, but those who do demonstrate an investment in their faculty and have an enduring staff. Sabbaticals are generally utilized by experienced faculty members who have been working for twenty

odierno returns from Sabbatical to retire

continued on 4

Mr. Odierno was a strong supporter of the annual Shakespeare Festival at BMHS. (2011/Staff Photo/THESTAMPEDE)

SecTion2 May 22, 2013 | The STampede

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More than one Way to Spend the SummerMustangs plan to join summer programs to improve their skills, and seek rewarding activities

Photos from 2013 Talent Show (Emily Magruder ‘13/STAMPEDE)

Caylie Martucci ‘14StAff WritEr

Singing, dancing, reciting, rapping, and playing, the 2013 Talent Show went off without a hitch. Once again, the event that so many students look forward to each year was a success, entertaining the students and showcasing students’ unique talents.

The program began at McNamara in 2002, after students went to some of the teachers and suggested it. From this, the Talent Show was approved, marking its

start at McNamara. The talent show has allowed students to have the opportunity to get onstage and show the student body what they can do.

Circulating around the school, there have been rumors that this year’s Talent Show could potentially be the last one. “That would be sad. I would like to see more Talent shows and see more talent,” Marie Page ‘16 said.

Though there were many rumors about talent show ending, they turned out to be

false. “They are wrong. I don’t know where these rumours started, but I think they have come from the frustrations of bringing the Talent Show together, just like any other show,” said Talent Show Coordinator Ms. Laura Keller.

The Talent Show is in the process of finding a spot on the calendar for the next school year. “The Talent Show was put on the school calendar for next year but has not been finalized yet,” said Dean of Programs Mr. Victor Shin.

Many students believe the program has educational merit. “I think the Talent Show is important because it lets students come out of their shells and express themselves,” Jaime Brown ‘13 said.

Students would be disappointed if the Talent show did not continue next year. “As long as the Talent Show provides a purpose for the students and their talents, then there will be a talent show,” Ms. Keller said.

The Show Will go on Despite the rumors about the talent show being discontinued for next year, it is going to carry on next year

Academic ProgramsCaylie Martucci

StAff WritEr ‘14

Often during the summer, students are trying to find new ways to enjoy their summer, so why not take part in a summer program?

Here at McNamara, there are a variety of different programs available for students to join. Some of the programs include ones for Fine Arts, some for enrichment, and others for sports.

Summer programs are a great way for students to keep themselves occupied while school is not in session. “I look at summer programs like they are competitive. It’s what you do in the off-season that counts. If you take eight weeks off how can keep your brains sharp?” said Director of Summer Programs Mr. Michael Jones. Summer pro-grams can keep you prepared and ready for the upcoming school year.

Through summer programs, students can make new friends. Students can meet other students from the same or different schools. You may be exposed to all sorts of different people. Summer programs at McNamara can particularly help incom-ing freshman with the transition into high

school. They can get used to the school before the school year starts.

“Summer programs are important, because students can foster leadership,” JoAnne Murray ‘14 said. This is especially valuable for those who don’t normally get to use their leadership skills.

Summer programs are also a great way to discover things you like to do. “Summer programs can help find areas of interest for a student’s career or discover new hobbies,” said Dean of Programs Mr. Victor Shin.

Summer programs are a good way to keep your summer from becoming boring. They are one of the ways you can enjoy your summer and gain new connections. Summer programs offer different types of things, and we hope that students take the opportunity.” said Mr. Jones.

fun for Summer BreakJessica ricks ‘14StAff WritEr

Summer break is right around the corner. Whether you plan on going out of town on an expensive trip or just lounging around the house, it’ll give us all that much needed

rest, relaxation, and fun. The thing that most of us can probably

all agree on is that the number one thing to do over our summer vacation is SLEEP. Let’s face it, we work hard all year, rise up before the sun does each morning followed by homework preventing us from getting our eight hours. We struggle through tests and busy work with only maybe two days of actual sleep -- wait, some of us probably don’t even get that. That being said, with two months out of school, sleeping will most likely be high on everyone’s list of things to do.

But what about after we catch up on getting those Z’s? A person can’t sit around on the couch for two months. We’ve got to have something fun to do. “I’m going to Orlando, Florida,” said Taivion Boone ‘16, “to Universal Studios.” If you want to go on a fancy trip but don’t want to take a trip as far as Universal Studios, go somewhere closer like Virginia Beach or Ocean City.

Rather stay close to home? Go to the beach or the mall and spend some money on things you don’t really need just for the fun of it. The Fourth of July will come around before you know it, so if you don’t do anything else this summer, go see the fireworks. “I’m getting a job. Shopping for

college,” Jaime Brown ‘13 said. Yes, the seniors are heading off to college, so this summer might be spent preparing for the next phase of their lives.

Take the opportunity to get involved in the school or community. Find a place to volunteer or get a job. “I’m working the basketball camp here with Coach Keithline,” David Dasher ‘15 said. Take advantage of all of the summer programs out there. They can definitely benefit you down the road when you’re preparing for college or a job.

There are so many options out there. Get an early start on those service hours or go out to eat at Chipotle and see a movie. The teachers are doing fun stuff over summer break as well. “I’m going on two vacations,” said English Teacher Mr. Matthew Buckley. “Canoeing down the Delaware river, and Mr. Greer and I are going on a road trip out to the Great Plains states.”

There are a lot of awesome things out there to do, but above all else, just have fun.

3The STampede | May 22, 2013

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“When i was your

age...”Colleges Branch out with

Commencement Speakers in

2013Megan Ardovini ‘13 MAnAging Editor

It’s spring again, and just like every year since the be-ginning of institutionalized learning, there are gradua-tions. Colleges must book their keynote speakers for the ceremonies and festivi-ties. There is always the select handful of institutions where President Obama, a few best-selling authors, and even the occasional comedian speaks. This spring, however, the list is extremely diverse.

University of Michigan •will host Richard Costolo, CEO of Twitter

Howard University will •host Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United StatesDuke University will •host Melinda Gates, Philanthropist wife of bil-lionaire Bill Gates Central Michigan •University will host Patrick Doyle, CEO of Domino’s PizzaTulane University will •host His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, spiri-tual leader of TibetUniversity of Texas at •Austin will host Sanya Richards-Ross, 2012 Gold Medal Olympic SprinterUniversity of Pennsylvania •will host US Vice President Joe Biden

Delaware State University •will host Charles Frank Bolden, head of NASA

University of Maryland •will host Cal Ripken, Baseball Hall of Fame

University of Baltimore •will host Actor and Entertainer Bill Cosby

Harvard University will •host talk show host Oprah Winfrey

Just to name a few.

Caylie Martucci ‘14StAff WritEr

The Walk-A-Thon seems to be making itself a tradition here at McNamara. This year will be the fourth.

The Walk-A-Thon began as an event to raise money for school technology, and to bring the McNamara community together. “Every year we hope to have 100 percent participation for the Walk-A-Thon,” said Dean of Programs Mr. Victor Shin. Each year there have been more and more students who participate in the Walk-A-

Thon, exceeding the amount of students who participated the year before, according to Mr. Shin.

Anyone can participate in the walk as long as they raise fifty dollars, although some students wish the amount was smaller. “It’s too much money for me to partici-pate,” Kyle Knight ‘15 said.

The Walk-A-Thon started in 2009 and it raised $25,000 in its first year. Since its first year, the Walk-A-Thon has been able to increase the amount of money raised each year. In 2012, the Walk-A-Thon was able to reach an

amount of $40,000. This year there is a hope to exceed the previous achievements and raise $50,000, to help with the school’s upgrades.

The Walk-A-Thon starts with Mustang Madness and ends with games and prizes. The Walk-A-Thon has become more popular over the years. Administration believes this has something to do with the prizes being student-oriented, and the Walk being tied with Mustang Madness. “Mustang Madness has been a major factor in the Walk-A-Thon’s popularity,” Mr. Shin said. Mustang Madness

was combined with the Walk-A-Thon because it was believed that Mustang Madness would bring more participation.

“Some of the goals for this year are to increase student par-ticipation and raise money to help make our school an even better place,” said Director of Student Life Ms. Angela DeLeonibus. This year there are still many hopes for everyone to participate and to raise money that will benefit the school.

The Walk-A-Thon Walks AgainWalk-A-Thon has high hopes for increasing funds raised and level of participation

Amanda Wilson ‘13nEWS Editor

Need help with anything English related? Well then, keep Thursdays clear on your schedule for the weekly NEHS Reading and Writing lab.

After school each Thursday, members of NEHS and the mod-erators gather in a classroom, available to help students with anything English related, whether it may be help with an essay, or a book that students are reading in class. “Some people have come to me to look over their essays and

I have provided commentary and have pointed out ways that they can improve,” NEHS member Jonathan Hightower ‘13 said.

“[We’re] there to help people with the two most basic things that people need, and also to encourage reading more,” mod-erator Mr. Matthew Buckley ‘98 said. Although the reading and writing lab made its official start at McNamara this year, the process started a while ago. According to Mr. Buckley, “The process started 3 or 4 years ago, but there were birthing problems.”

Even though NEHS has only been in place officially for one year, it is still very important and helpful for the McNamara community. “Prior to NEHS, the school didn’t have [an honor society] for people interested in English and literature, and I wanted to be a part of it, and thought that it was a good thing for McNamara,” NEHS member Margaret Banks ‘13 said.

Other members also find it helpful to the community and enjoy being a part of the program. “I find it great to be in a group of people who share the same passion for

reading as I do,” member Dariya Brown ‘13 said.

The Reading and Writing Lab is planning to continue over the years with helping people with two of the foundations of the English subject; reading and writing. No matter which of the two thing you need help with, the Reading and Writing Lab will be there to help you. “It’s a good thing to help people with their papers and reading,” Margaret Banks ‘13 said.

Carolyn Conte ‘14CoPy Editor

He stands in the center of a chaotic hallway surrounded by excited seniors tossing wrinkled papers in the trash and handing him a few textbooks as they chatter to them-selves about leaving McNamara. Mr. Middleton, also leaving McNamara, patiently asks the animated seniors to hand in their textbooks. This virtue has been a staple of his career, and is one of the first words that his associates volunteer when asked to describe him.

Mr. Richard Middleton has served 25 dedicated years to the community of Bishop McNamara High School. “After long thoughts and prayer, I feel this is the time to retire,” he said. “I knew very little about McNamara when I first arrived. I knew it was Holy Cross, so I expected everything from Mackin to be here.”

Mackin Catholic High School greeted Mr. Middleton for the first time in 1971, where he was a Dean of Students until its closing.

Before that, Mr. Middleton had worked as an elementary school teacher, and as a social worker in Baltimore. In 1988 he joined the McNamara community as a senior counselor, senior class modera-tor, and student council modera-tor. He has also been a counselor moderator, Dean of Students, and Director of Guidance and Counseling. His favorite position here was dean, because he was able to know the students more per-sonally. However, he said it was a tiring position, and as a freshman counselor he liked “The idea of seeing new kids and new parents getting excited, and watching them grow,” he said.

He has considered retire-ment for a couple years, and had planned to stay at McNamara until the end of 2014, but this sudden departure was a surprise to his co-workers. Senior Counselor Ms. Clare Treichel said that it will be hard to find someone with “similar temperament, professionalism, and love of or commitment to Catholic education.” She has known him

for 21 years and describes him as a “kind-hearted, gentle and fair man with a lot of class and style,” and emphasizes that he is very good with the freshmen because of his patience and understanding to serve as a role model for young men and women.

McNamara’s registrar Ms. Karen Vinci shared this sentiment. “He is the ultimate gentleman,” she said. “He treats everyone with the same lovely respect, and...has always been wonderful with chil-dren in their first semester.”

Mr. Middleton has always enjoyed watching his students mature. “From Mackin, one of my students became mayor of Washington DC, Mayor Fenty... I also remember Jeff Kinney [creator of the Wimpy Kid series] as well -- very quiet and shy.” But most of all he appreciates how, “I espe-cially enjoy our alum that return to teach.”

Despite his success in the career, Mr. Middleton didn’t always think he would work in a school. “My original career was an

anthropologist. I was a big fan of [famous anthropologist] Margaret Mead.” He also sings for the St. Augustine Choir, who have per-formed in front of the Obamas, and are planned for an audience with Pope Francis. Other than that and working, Mr. Middleton enjoys the athletics of McNamara. His favorite memory? “The football championship. I can’t remember the year, now, but Ms. Gossart and I were in the field cheering on against Dematha, and it was a big game. That and the Basketball Championship.”

While his next career step is a loss for McNamara, he believes it is for the best. “I’m making a move that will enable new and fresh ideas [into McNamara],” he said. He decided he may look for another position in education, but left that choice open for now. “I’m surely going to miss the entire Bishop McNamara community, from administration, faculty, Board of Directors, the entire support staff, parents, and especially students.”

reading and Writing to SuccessThe NEHS Reading and Writing Lab has made its way into the McNamara community as a way to help students with their reading and writing skills.

Counselor richard Middleton resignsA reflection of the legacy left by a loyal leader of Mcnamara

4 May 22, 2013 | The STampede

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Amanda Wilson ‘13nEWS Editor

Squishing, molding, and forming their clay, the students of Bishop McNamara along with members of the Frontiers of adraw attention to the problem of genocide.

On Wednesday March 20, about 30 students gathered in the cafeteria to help create clay bones for a project called One Million Bones. According to Frontiers of Justice Coordinator Mr. James Monahan, the project is run by an artist who is concerned with geno-cide. “She came up with this idea for a large scale public art project to draw attention to the problem of genocide,” Mr. Monahan said.

Mr. Monahan represents the

Archdiocese on a group called the Darfur Interfaith Network. “Because Darfur is one of the places vulnerable to continued genocide we are working to promote this project to various churches and synagogues in the area,” Mr. Monahan said.

Coordinating the event, stu-dents and members of the Frontiers of Justice Margaret Banks ‘13 and Dariya Brown ‘13 had been in touch with people from the na-tional organization, which helped plan it. After planning the event, the need to raise awareness for the cause needed to be addressed. “We got together with the art and science departments to spread awareness [around the school],” Dariya Brown ‘13 said.

The purpose of the project, according to Mr. Monahan, “is for local community groups, like BMHS, to hold events where there is an opportunity to make bones and to learn more about genocide in the hopes of preventing future ones.”

Now that the bones have been created, they will be placed on the National Mall. “[The bones are] creating a mass graveyard on the National Mall to represent geno-cide across the globe,” Margaret Banks ‘13 said. “[They] chose the National Mall because it will make a big statement, because the mall is so iconic and will get the message [about genocides] across,” Banks said.

Creating One Million Bones for GenocideOne Million Bones Project comes to Bishop McNamara in an effort to spread awareness about genocides

odierno to retire at end of year after conclusion of sabbatical

or more years. Being able to offer an incentive to keep older, expe-rienced faculty members creates a diversified faculty with young and old who are able to learn from each other, and combined have a wide range of experiences. Teachers don’t get burned out as easily and it is often reflective of a school that is knowledgeable about what direction it is going in.

Even before taking a sabbati-cal, Mr. Odierno taught part-time last year as the school was able to accommodate the increased difficulty it had become for him to maintain a full schedule. Even so, leaving behind his role as a teacher for a year was indeed a change, but one that he had faith in the school community to ac-commodate well. Before leaving last June, Mr. Odierno said, “I’ve been here so long and I’m so weird that I wouldn’t leave this place for a minute if I didn’t know I was sur-rounded by faculty members that could make this place as awesome as it can be.”

When talking to Mr. Odierno last June, he anticipated one of two results from his up-coming year off. The first option would be that he would recognize how nice it was to not have to be responsible for doing so much, and will enjoy this break so much after thirty six years that he would retire after a long time at McNamara satisfied with the time he spent here. The alternative would be that he would “miss this place desperately” and come running back. While in the end he went with the first scenario, he was not ready to make this decision right away and wanted to take time for internal reflection and experience what answers the sabbatical had to give.

Over the course of the current school year, Mr. Odierno main-tained some connections with the school and by no means completely extracted himself from the school community. “There were some things I did with the school during

the time that were very enjoyable,” said Mr. Odierno. “I had an op-portunity to make a presentation to many of our alumni benefactors and I played a small role in assist-ing in the new principal search process.”

Yet, for most of the sabbatical it seemed almost as a “summer vacation” with no due dates, progress reports, getting up at six, or time spent thinking of ways to come up with impossible vocabulary quizzes. This time gave Mr. Odierno time for family and travel and the ability to see what life is like when it doesn’t revolve

around school responsibilities.In the end the decision was

made that the next step in Mr. Odierno’s life was to retire from teaching after nearly 40 years. “Teaching always kind of came easy. It was something I always wanted to do, and I gained from every minute of those 40 years,” Mr. Odierno said. “But being in education is hard work as a student or teacher.”

When preparing to take his sabbatical, a very important com-ponent, to Mr. Odierno, was that he would still be able to continue to call himself a teacher at Bishop McNamara. Likewise, it was im-portant for those students lucky enough to have been in his class to continue to include Mr. Odierno as an important part of their high school experience.

Impact on McNamara Over 32 years, Mr. Odierno

has pioneered, spearheaded, or-ganized, and been an integral part of countless things that are

interwoven into the history of Bishop McNamara. First start-ing at McNamara as a young, single man in his twenties bursting with energy, Mr. Odierno had a plethora of time to get involved in numerous aspects of school life. He moderated the school newspaper for ten years during a time where you had to type every article, glue the photographs and use rub-on letters for headlines to send to the printer. Mr. Odierno also coached JV soccer for a few years where he says he learned how important of a role sports can play in the life of a young person. Mr. Odierno

was the English Department chair for 15 years and led the depart-ment through two Middle State accreditation processes.

“Mr. Odierno was my first de-partment chair, and an invaluable mentor. Not a week goes by when I don’t reflect on something that I learned from him, to improve my practice as a teacher,” said current English Department chair Mr. Charles Shryock. “Later, as his department chair, I was able to observe his class a number of times, and it was always thrill-ing. He had a way of keeping each student actively engaged, and cre-ating a culture of respect for others and reverence for literature.”

He was also very involved in creating a smooth transition from the single-sex days of McNamara to the coed combination with LaReine. “He helped the girls feel like part of the community,” said Senior Guidance Counselor Ms.Clare Treichel. “He made us feel like family.”

Mr. Odierno also served on

the admissions committee for a number of years, where in typical English teacher fashion his favor-ite part of the application was the essay because he saw it as the most telling aspect of a particular ap-plicant. “I served on more commit-tees than I could ever count and enjoyed working with you teachers as much as I enjoyed working with students,” said Mr. Odierno. He also created and moderated the Moreau Scholar Society and the McNamara Shakespeare Festival which both continue to this day are important parts of many McNamara students’ four years.

Most people know how in-volved Mr. Odierno was in school life, however very few know how school spirited he was and the extent to which he made school spirit possible for everyone else as well. Very few people know that author of the Alma Mater we still sing at every pep rally was actually Mr. Odierno. “When we went coed I knew we had a long standing Mustang fight song but I couldn’t understand why a school as good as ours had no alma mater, so I wrote one.” Mr. Odierno said. Mr. Odierno was also responsible, along with another teacher, for approaching the principal of the time to ask for permission to hold a raffle to purchase the first Mighty Mac costume the school had ever had. Continuing to make spirit and important part of McNamara life, Mr. Odierno also moderated the pep club under various names as well as a coed cheerleading squad of Mcnamara boys and LaReine girls when the schools were still separate entities.

However easily his biggest and most lasting impact on Bishop McNamara was through his teaching. “I taught just about every English class there is but enjoyed freshmen and seniors the most,” Mr. Odierno said.

This year, even though he couldn’t be found in his classroom before, during, and after school, Mr. Odierno still made it into con-versations. For Alexis Alvarez ’13 it was his “wild” vocabulary quizzes

and square-ties that she fondly recalls. For Margaret Banks ’13 it was the reminder that if she missed the trashcan with her makeshift paper basketball she would receive a detention. All of his students will forever remember the word “terpsi-chorean”. Whatever the memories that students have from their time with Mr. Odierno, the effects of his teaching at McNamara are widely felt and will be collectively missed.

“Mr. Odierno is one of the most gifted teachers I have ever encountered. [He is] a very knowl-edgeable professional and col-league,” said Freshman Guidance Counselor Mr. Rick Middleton, who worked closely with Mr. Odierno over the years.

The school community will miss Mr. Odierno as he will miss being a part of the school com-munity. “I miss and will continue to miss the vast range of great kids that I have taught over the years and the fellowship and inspira-tion of the colleagues with whom I have worked for so many year,” Mr. Odierno said.

However, Mr. Odierno is comfortable with the outcome of his sabbatical, as it gave him a chance to look back, look ahead, learn, and ultimately move forward with what he thought was best for himself. When identifying the significance of his sabbatical and final decision, Mr. Odierno recalls one of the poetical works that he studied with his students over his teaching career. He recalls how in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, “there is a time for all things in life and God calls us to know when that time is.”

Perhaps Mr. Odierno reflected upon his own life as an influential educator when teach-ing his students the Robert Frost poem that students leave his class remembering. “Somewhere ages and ages hence, two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”

from page 1

“I miss and will continue to miss the vast range of great kids that I have taught over the years and the fellowship and inspiration of the colleagues with whom I have worked for so many years.” — Alfred odierno

On Wednesday, March 20th, students made ‘bones’ out of clay to participate in the “One Million Bones Project” in honor of the victims of genocide. (Emily Magruder ‘13/ STAMPEDE)

See Also: “Student Reflection” on page 7

5The STampede | May 22, 2013

LifeSTyLeLifeSTyLeVideos now Onlinesymposium Video

On March 12, Bishop McNamara participated in the 2013 academic sympo-sium at St. Marks Middle School. There, Kimberly Weaver ‘14, Elana Geary ‘14, Thomas Page ‘14, and Jahnai Bryant ‘14 gave a presenta-tion in four different catego-ries. This video highlights both their trip and quotes from their presentations.

behind the scenes Concert Video

Enjoyed watching the Christmas concert? Band Director Mr. Anthony Conto with Tech Manager Mr. DiSalvo ‘13 explain how much work goes into making the Bishop McNamara Christmas Concert a success. A majority of the music in this video was performed by Bishop McNamara Music Ensembles. Various clips feature behind the scenes set up.

senior AcceptancesAs featured in the March

Issue 2013, seniors have been receiving admissions letters from college. This video shows the success of seniors who received their letters earlier on in the year.

Pep rally and spirit week 2013

The 2013 Pep Rally was over in November but as the end of the year draws near, Mustangs start to reflect on 2013’s high points. Three videos online feature pictures from the various themed days during spirit week. Video Titles: Pep Rally 2012; Spirit Week and Spirit Week Hallways.

COMinG sOOn Keep an eye Out for...

This is the last print issue, but not the last pub-lished work for the 2013 school year. Keep a look for new videos and articles on stampedenews.org, includ-ing ones on Poetry Club and musical band Mother Falcon.

Step 1: First wrap the string around your metal ring and cover the entire surface, the thicker the better. Leave 4 inches of string on the top unwrapped to make a loop that will be used to hang your dream catcher.

Step 2: Put a thin layer of hot glue on top of your ring and place the doily on top. You might need to cut off excess doily if it is larger than the ring.

Step 3: Then using thread, beads or feathers and string it from the bottom of your ring.

Ta-dah!

ACE Mentoring program

continues to impact students

Amanda Wilson ‘13nEWS Editor

The ACE Mentoring program, which stands for Architecture, Construction, and Engineering, is a program that helps to educate students in those specific fields. According to moderator Mr. Victor Shin, “Professionals of architec-ture, construction, and engineer-ing come and mentor our kids.” The ACE program was founded in 1993 by Charles Thornton, who is a longtime engineering consul-tant. While the program has been around since 1993, it has been

specifically at McNamara for three years, meeting every Wednesday after school. “[It’s] all about expo-sure to the fields,” Mr. Shin said. “That’s the goal of the program.”

ACE Mentoring was initiated at Bishop McNamara due to ex-cessive student interest. “I knew that students were interested in engineering and we didn’t have an established program here,” Mr. Shin said. “Basically [it came about] from student interest and me finding it.”

“The cool thing about us is that students are eligible for scholarships,” Mr. Shin said. In the past two years alone, the ACE Mentoring club has won three scholarship which were awarded in 2012 to alum Joshua Merriweather and in 2011 to alumni Nick Gessner and Melanie Ngami.

The club gets new mentors annually, which once again was

the case this year. “Last year was Limbach and this year is Northrop Grumman,” he said. “[Northrop Grumman] is a government con-tracting firm that works primarily on space and satellites and building rockets.”

At the end of each year, there is a project. “The capstone of the year is a final presentation,” Mr. Shin said. This year, the project involves redesigning Mt. Calvary’s

playground to be more eco-effi-cient and green. “We’re competing [against other schools in the D.C. area] to create a green, inexpensive playground,” said ACE member Tyrus Jackson ‘13.

This year, members of ACE Mentoring went on a field trip to the Northrop Grumman’s corpo-rate offices. “[They] showed us the process of putting computer soft-ware in the satellites,” said Tyrus Jackson ‘13. “Most of it’s top secret, so they didn’t show us all of the ins and outs of it.”

Although ACE Mentoring is not a very well known club around the McNamara community, it is still very important and influential. “I want to have a career in biomedi-cal engineering, so I thought that ACE would be a good foundation for that,” Tyrus Jackson ‘13 said.

Mentoring with the ACEs

producTion ediTorSMegan ardovini ‘13, Managing editor carolyn conte ‘14, copy editor Brieanna Bowman ‘16, design editoremily Magruder ‘13, photo editor

The STampede SecTion ediTorScarolyn conte ‘14, opinion-editorialJerica deck ‘13, features andrew feather ‘13, sports amanda wilson ‘13, news

To reach uSBishop Mcnamara high school 6800 Marlboro pike forestville, Md 20747

get.trampled@gmail.com

webSiTe and TwiTTerwww.stampedenews.org@stampedesports

How to Survive Senior year Tips from graduating students for making it through senior year

Jessica ricks ‘14 StAff WritEr

The end of the school year is almost here, and with seniors about to graduate, the juniors are on the edge of their seats waiting to take their spot at the top of the school. But with all of the excitement and anticipation, our rising seniors may have a few worries.

There’s a lot to look forward to when you become a senior, like the senior class trip, prom, and gradu-ation. However, before the juniors get there, there’s a lot of hard work involved. “I’m worried about the workload,” DeMariah Koger ‘14 said. Along with the amount of work involved throughout the year, there’s SATs, applications

for colleges and scholarships, and balancing all that with any other extra curricular activities. Not to mention; the pressure to be responsible role models! Even now, juniors hear from teachers that ‘more will be expected’ out of them next year.

Luckily, this year’s seniors can offer some firsthand experi-ence and advice for the juniors. “Take the SATs early and know all the deadlines for college applica-tions and scholarships,” Angela Schneidmill ‘13 said. Taking an SAT class, getting some books, or going online are great ways to prepare.

The juniors have been meeting with their class guidance counselor

Ms. Jennifer Auchmoody through-out the year. She’s talked with them about SAT scores, preparing for next year, colleges, and naviance. The Naviance website could defi-nitely help you in applications and making the important choice of where you want to go.

The SATs aren’t the only deter-mining factors of you getting into a good college. Keep your grades up. Senior year is an important year, so work hard and apply for scholar-ships. “Get college applications in early and apply for scholarships,” said Maria Colaciello ‘13, who received scholarships to all of the schools she applied to, and plans to attend King’s College.

Then there’s the thesis paper.

Junior Matthew Williams ‘14 pre-dicts, “I can do everything else... I don’t like that if you don’t pass the thesis, they say, you fail two classes and don’t graduate.” The main point to remember is to not stress yourself out too much about it. Finding an interesting topic will make it a little easier to write, and as long as you meet all of the re-quirements, your grade should be okay. “Procrastination is going to happen; do it well,” said Dariya Brown ‘13.

Above all, don’t stress yourself out about senior year too much. “Don’t sweat the small stuff,” she said. It’s a lot of hard work but it’s also your last year in high school. Make it the best year ever.

Do you have dreams? Do you dream about having dreams? Do you dream about having your own dream catcher? Well here is your chance to make one of those dreams to come true. Dream catchers are simple to make and gives you something to do in your spare time during the summer. With this as a keychain on your bookbag, everyone could only dream they were as chic as you.

diy: Doily Dream Catcher Maia Ennis ‘14 Staff Writer

Supplies:Metal Ring/ Bangle (any size will do)Desired amount of feathers and or beadsString/ colored floss/ leather 1 Doily that matches the size of your metal ring Glue Gun Scissors

6 May 22, 2013 | The STampede

LifeSTyLe

How to Crash A CookoutThe how-to guide on how to crash a cookout the RIGHT way

QUIZ: What’s your flavor?

by Jeremie davis ‘14, Staff Writer

Jeremie davis ‘14StAff WritEr

Cookouts. One of the many great things about summer. Fresh air, great music, cher-ished memories, and most of

all: FREE food. Come on, who doesn’t enjoy a good wholesome cookout? You get to pig out on all the meat you want (sorry vegetarians) and work it off with a corny line dance afterwards.

But what if you don’t know anybody who has cookouts? Maybe you just moved from Alaska and you want to have

the “cookout” experience of attending one. Or maybe you just want free food and great music despite the lack of an invitation. You can always just sneak in, but how?

Here are five helpful tips on how to Crash a Cookout:

1. Go to Shoppers and buy some of those nasty frosted sugar cookies and some two-liter sodas. Walk through the door and say “Hey, where do you want me to put this?” Even though they don’t know you, they’ll love you to death because you actually brought something, unlike the other freeloaders.

2. Now usually at cookouts there’s always a Mike. ALWAYS. So if everyone starts looking at you out of unfamiliarity, simply say “I’m a friend of Mike,” and add a little smile at the end to make them feel comfortable. Also, make sure you try to avoid whoever Mike is, so that he

doesn’t blow your cover.3. Usually at cookouts all the doors in

the house are unlocked so that the hosts’ guests can roam around freely. When this happens, ‘Carpe Diem’ -- seize the moment! If you see a crowd of people going through the door, you GO with them. Don’t wait for the right moment to go by yourself, because if you do you’ll just be sitting outside looking dumb and missing the good food.

4. Line Dances. This is the perfect entrance into the party, because EVERYONE is running for the dance floor. So it gets kind of crowded in a sense. A good song to come in on is DJ Casper’s ‘Cha Cha’ slide. (Most likely the dance floor will be outside, so that the whole neighborhood can hear) As soon as you hear the words, “and this time we’re gonna get funky,” you sprint toward the crowd, catch your breath, and smoothly

two-step your way in, dance the begin-ning part for like 5 minutes, and then find the food.

5. Grab two plates of food: One to eat now, and one to take home. Smile politely at everyone and roll out.

Ice cream, the center of all happiness. Your

best friend after a breakup. Your late

night snack when no one’s watching. And

generally the best thing since sliced bread.

Do you want to know what Ice cream flavor

corresponds with your personality? Take this

quiz and find out.

when you see someone 1. attractive do you:

give the person a good ol’ stare.a. Tell your gb (good buddy) to b. approach the person for you.do a quirky pick up line, like “are c. you from Tennessee? because your the only ten i see”go up to the person and tell them d. straight up.don’t say anything, aT all!e.

You’re walking in the 2. hallway and someone steps on your Air Jordan Grape 5’s:

get all depressed and try to brush it a. off. it was just an accident, right? Trip the person up when they’re not b. looking.look that person dead in their eye c. and say “i’ll see you at 2:58”

give them the death stare. d. What’s a grape 5?e.

what do you drink when 3. it’s hot outside?

a 99cent arizona, because you a. fab-loUS.Vitaman Water, because you’re just b. ThaT healthy. Capri-Sun, because you can’t grow c. up. Tap Water, because you like things d. plain janeSoda, because you don’t care about e. getting pimples.

Quick. Pick an ice Cream 4. right now. Like it’s life or death. You have five seconds:

Sweet potato ice Cream. a. Candied bacon ice Cream. b. Jalapeno Strawberry ice Cream. c. rocky ranch ice Cream.d. Cereal milk(don’t ask) e.

You get $500 for your 5. birthday. what do you do with it?

blow it all at the mall. a. donate it to charity. b. put it all in your Sage account. c. Save it and don’t spend it because d. your frugal. flick it up on instagram. e.

Your House is on fire! 6. what’s the one thing you try to save:

your nancy drew book Collection. a. your Chanel nail polish. b. your family photo albumc.

nothing. yolod. yourselfe.

You didn’t study for your 7. Molchan test do you:

Take the l, you have a 100% in the a. class anyways. fake Sick and Call home. b. Try to fit at least the first page of c. notes on your palm. make a tap system for the answers d. with your friend in the classWe had a test?. e.

People describe you as:8. Sweet a. always on chill mode. b. Wild. c. dramaticd. existent e.

when you’re running from 9. Mrs. Palmer for aftercare, do you:

hide in the bathroom. a. Walk around the track in hopes b. you’ll blend in. lie and say you signed into c. aftercare. Just get in trouble.d. Just got to aftercare, without any e. hesitation.

why are you taking 10. this quiz?

you really care, and want to know a. what ice cream flavor you are. Sitting in homeroom, bored. might b. as well. you want to be “o.C. orange.” c. Just trying be supportive.d. i like ice creame.

ANSWER KEY

Mostly A’s...O.C. Orangeif you are this flavor, you’re known for being very outgoing. you are the life of the party and center of attention.

Mostly B’s...Backstab Blueberryif you are this flavor, you’re known for being very prissy and mean. people find you very intimidating. you’re at the T.

Mostly C’s...“Dhat Shake” Strawberryif you are this flavor, you’re very funny and see the simple things in life. you’re also very corny.

Mostly D’s...Cheerful Cherryif you are this flavor, you’re like the boy/girl next door. everyone loves you because of your sweet and innocent personality.

Mostly E’s...“Crushed Ice”if you are this you’re just very very extra cherry simple. enough Said.

Hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, oh my! These are some of the many reasons to crash a cook-out (Source: wikimedia).

7The STampede | May 22, 2013

LifeSTyLe

Maia Ennis ‘14StAff WritEr

The average everyday teenage zombie is often stereotyped through horror movies and Michael Jackson videos, but the movie Warm Bodies depicts the softer side of decaying flesh. Sure, “R” (played by Nicholas Hoult) snacks on human flesh and brains, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have feelings.

Amidst him chattering with his friends at lunch with organ breath, we learn that R is no ordinary monster. “What am I doing with my life?” He comically thinks to himself in an internal monologue, “I’m so pale. I should get out more. I should eat better. My posture’s horrible. I should stand up straighter. People would respect me more

if I stood up straighter. What’s wrong with me? I just want to connect. Why can’t I connect with people? Oh, right; it’s ‘cause I’m dead.”

The humor we find in R comes from his personification and his role as a young zombie who lacks drive. However, when he meets Julie (played by Teresa Palmer) that all changes. R and Julie? Romeo and Juliet? Coincidence? I think not. Their encounter occurs when R is out for lunch and Julie is on a search for medicine with her boyfriend and some friends. The zombie apocalypse drastically changed her life, considering her father was a commanding officer in the army against the zombies and she and her boyfriend, Dave (played by Dave Franco), decided to join the fight to protect those who survived.

This movie Warm Bodies left me with mixed emotions; part of me liked the movie but I was also left disappointed. Once again hollywood used the trailer to overempha-size the movie’s humor almost to the point of unreachable expectations. Don’t get me

wrong; the movie was funny, but it left me searching for more. I’m not sure how much romantic connection a zombie and human can safely have, so adding more comedy to the romantic comedy would have been very safe for this movie. This could have added a couple more stars to the rating in my book. Nonetheless, while this movie didn’t make me die of laughter, it was still a cute, fun, lighthearted film.

Unfortunately for Twihards and resi-dents of Pottermore, this is not another sci-fi lover’s drama or epic mystic trilogy. Warm Bodies is less serious and more comical, so if you’re not into that whole thing then this might not be the flick for you. However, I recommend this movie for romantic comedy lovers in a zombie-thriller-to-spice-up-date-night kind of way.

Warm Bodies may be forgettable but also enjoyable. This movie will make you laugh. The redemption of zombie culture through this film surpass the simply “ugh” and “must have brains” type mentality. After all, even the undead can have a heart too.

Jessica ricks ‘14 and Jeremie davis ‘14StAff WritErS

Many students may know IT Chairman and Physics Teacher Mr. George London as the man who growls at you while you’re walking down the hallway. A few may know him as the teacher that says “Good afternoon” when it’s clearly 9 o’clock in the morning. Others know him for being the wizard of mathematics.

What most people don’t know is that Mr. London is also the first African-American to fly the first flight of a new military aircraft for the U.S. He’s also been awarded three Meritorious Service Medals, five Air Medals (Vietnam flight activity), the Air Force Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross, and the Air Force Good Conduct Medal; many great accomplishments that he holds dear to.

Residing from Wilmington, North Carolina, Colonel George London’s first intention wasn’t to become a pilot, but a truck driver. “My ambition was to be a truck driver, because my father was one. When I was 17 years old, I drove for the first time and I drove 100 miles.” After seeing his first air show, he decided he wanted to be a pilot. Upon graduating from Williston Senior High School in 1965, he enlisted in the Air Force for four years where he served in communications intelligence. When he graduated from the USAF Test Pilot School in 1984, he went on to become one of 14 African American graduates in the school’s 50 year history, as part of a class of 2,400 graduates.

After graduating, he had a vast

career flying varios plane models. When asked what it felt like to be air-borne, Mr. London replied, “It feels like you’re not flying. I have no worries,” he said. In 1988 he started teaching as a flight and academic instructor at USAF Test Pilot School as well as Chief of Administration.

To add to the list of his accom-plishments, he was the first African American test pilot instructor at the school. In 1990, he was a test pilot for the Air Force and also was the first African American to fly a new military plane on its first flight. Back in those days, the Air Force business wasn’t as diverse, which makes this accomplishment even more phenomenal. “You’re in the airplane and it’s delightful, quiet, and peaceful. It feels like you’re in a car going down the street.” When he completed this flight he was appointed Commander of the 417th Test Squadron; this unit was responsible for carrying out the C-17 test program.

Mr. London retired from the Air Force in 1998, and after retir-ing he worked at the Institute for Defense Analysis as a Permanent Research Staff Member and Senior Engineer Consultant. He has also worked with the scouting program, taught courses on computers and designing networks, and does vol-unteer work in his community.

He predicts that next school year will be his last year of teach-ing. Afterwards, he plans to “spend time in the aviation business, teaching flight training school, volunteering at McNamara and at my grandchildren’s school.” Although Mr. London may confuse us with his “Good Afternoons” in the morning, he is truly one of McNamara’s greatest hidden treasures.

review: He’s Still dead, But He’s getting WarmerIs the Comedy ‘Warm Bodies’ as Hot as Its Title?

All Systems go!Mr. London’s flight of life revealed

Jeremie davis ‘14StAff WritEr

His name is Spice. Yes, like the flavor. He is also a beta fish, which means he’s mean -- the beta species is known for its beauty and aggression.

He became the apple of my eye on February 14, 2013. He was a Valentine’s Day gift from my mom (his grand-mother). When I got in the car and saw the fish tank in the back, I knew it was love at first swim. Nothing could tear us apart.

I was wrong. When I got home that night, I immediately ran upstairs

and cleared a space off of my dresser. It was important that he felt superior. After I finished that, I brought him up, plugged in his filter, turned on the light, and just stared. I didn’t want to miss ANYTHING.

But lately Spice has been a little detached. He doesn’t swim like he used to. He doesn’t flare up his gills like he used to, and won’t eat his food. All he does is come up to the top of the tank, and lay on his side, and grasp for breath.

It was at that moment that I realized my precious fish was suicidal.

What did I do wrong? Did I baby him too much? Did I leave the light on too long? I thought to myself, “it must be my fault he is suicidal”. It has to be my fault.

Believe it or not, pets can be suicidal. Pretty soon I started becoming concerned. I thought

that if I took it to the vet, they would laugh their heads off at me. How could they treat a small beta? And then I had a thought. A really, really, REALLY bad thought. I deeply considered “accidently” flushing him down the toilet. I chickened out though. I couldn’t bear to live with the fact that I “accidently” killed my fish. So I decided to just wait it out. To just be the best loving and caring fish owner that he ever had.

Spice is still living. Still acting “fishy,” but still living. I put three small pieces in his bowl every three days, and no he does not eat them. I clean his bowl out every Sunday, and yes, he continues to just float to the top and lay on his side. Keep Spice in your prayers and remember; pets have feelings too.

My Suicidal FishThe inner life of my beta fish Spice

The official movie poster for comedy Warm bodies that premiered on february 1, 2013.

OdiernO:reflectiOn frOm a fOrmer Student

ALLiSon MorriS ‘11

“Miss Morris, please arise,” said Mr. O, the teacher of my freshman Honors Literature and

Composition English class. Anxiously I did so, not

knowing quite what to expect. Would I be the one person in the class asked to “Read his mind, then correctly select, spell, and define the one vo-cabulary word he was thinking of ”? Such a request would come with the expectations of Mr. O weighing upon me, along with the concerned faces of every single classmate, whose grades all depended on my success. Perhaps I would simply be asked to shut the door.

Mr. O continued, “Now, Miss Morris please list the 8 parts of speech.” I thought, “Okay, I can do that,” followed by a deep breath in preparation, until Mr. O interjected: “In under 4 seconds – GO!”

Throughout the rest of the year, Mr. Odierno’s English class continued in this fashion. Each time my classmates and I sat down in his Shakespeare themed classroom, we knew we could anticipate a day that was even more unbelievably exciting and out of the ordinary than the last. I had never had an English class like this one before.

Mr. O had a passion for English, loved what he did, and most of all had fun. His taught his students to think creatively, and be innovative, imaginative, and original in a productive way. Mr. Odierno is only one example of why I believe that I should follow my heart and my interests but use my head.

SecTion8 May 22, 2013 | The STampede

LifeSTyLe

DiY Project by Maia Ennis ‘14 Staff Writer

summer fashion! Photography by Emily Magruder ‘13Directed by Maia Ennis ’14 and Jerica Deck ‘13Models: Janelle Gozum ‘15, Nick Doughtery ’14, India Deahl ’13, and Ethan Gaskins ‘13

step 3: Keep checking your shorts for your desired color. don’t leave the shorts in the bleach for too long or it will damage and weaken the fabric. (it took about 3 hours for mine to turn light blue.) if you pull your shorts out of the bucket a little higher each hour so that less fabric is in the mixture it will create the ombre effect.

step 2: fold your shorts and sit them upright in your bucket so that the shorts are partially sitting in the bleach. you could also lay your shorts on the side of the bucket if it is low enough.

step 1: first put on your gloves. make sure the bleach does not come in contact with your skin wear clothes you wouldn’t mind ;getting bleach on. fill your bucket a third of the way with a mixture of bleach and water. (The more bleach the whiter your shorts will turn)

Above (Janelle): This summer, go naked. nude colors warm up your complexion to emphasize that fresh beach tan. plus, they add a classic look. These champagne shorts are fun yet elegant, and the pattern on the top adds a pop while remaining in the neutral colors’ scheme.

Left (Janelle) Summer is all about relaxing and letting loose, and a maxi skirt can really add that boho vibe. Think long, loose, and flowy. paired with a beaded peasant blouse and earthy moccasins, this look gives you a trendy yet effortless sort of feel.

Middle right (india): This look is sweeter than a popsicle. This season, go girly with soft prints like florals and a pair of ballet flats. This dress has a baby doll waist and a sweetheart neckline to match your persona. Want to add some edge? pair with some boyish wayfarer shades to loosen up the look.

Above (india, patterned pants and heels)Want to dress up that old white tank top in the back of your closet? Spiff your outfit up with some jazzy bottoms. floor length gaucho pants are loose enough to give off that summery vibe, but still provide you with a shape. The bright tribal pattern is an emerging trend this summer and definitely attracts the eye. Want to dress it up? add a pair of fun bright summer heels for a night on the town.

right (nick) a classic grey - neck can be jazzed up with these loud unexpected shorts. The bright color adds a bright summer twist to any ensemble.

supplies:bucket, bleach, gloves, Jean Shorts*This is best done outdoors. *

step 4: once you have reached your desired color rinse your shorts with water, wash them with laundry soap and hang them to dry.

Here is a cheap and easy way to customise your shorts at home; take a boring pair of blue jeans and make them into something new. These steps are not limited to just shorts, you can alter the steps and try using it with long pants or shirts too. When you are done you can add studs or color with dye to make it stand out in the crowd.

9The STampede | May 22, 2013

LifeSTyLe

Minor Judgements Just as bad as

broad stereotypes Judging a person by their small

mannerisms is just as bad as judging them by their race

Carolyn Conte ‘14CoMMEntAry

Ronald Reagan loved Jelly Beans. So much that he believed, “You can tell a lot about a fella’s char-acter by whether he picks out all

of one color or just grabs a handful.” No. No you cannot judge someone over how they eat jelly beans. What if they loved all colors of the candy? What if the reds made them sick? Medical Daily tried to prove that you can judge a person by their shoes. What if their normal shoes didn’t fit today? Or they care extra or less about shoes? There’s another common quote, that “you can judge a woman by whether she keeps her nails done.” What if she’s a gardener? What if she’s allergic to the smell of nail polish? Perhaps mottos like these can hint at a fraction of a person’s personality, but living these phrases is just as bad as being racist.

One of the largest flaws of the human species is its remarkable ability to falsely pre-conceive opinions of each other from trivial details. Humans are uniquely able to examine history thoroughly and conclude lessons from it. Yet, though we have been gifted with such a talent, it is ignored. When will we accept that nothing good is ever gained from hasty generalizations nor false assumptions?

Inherited and chosen traits are both equally ridiculous grounds to judge another upon. Most people would be embarrassed to say they stereotyped someone by their gender, but the same people openly and frequently judge each other on minute details.

Sometimes it seems like the victim has control over whatever it is being judged (ie. makeup, slang, little habits), but the situation is usually more than it seems. McNamara can proudly declare that discriminations over gender and race rarely -if ever- happen here. However, people do criticize peers over how they talk, whether they bite their nails, or how they do their hair.

We need to realize that even little choices are sometimes uncontrollable. Moreover, they don’t matter. If one were to suppose another’s entire character -- their life, their attitude, their flaws -- on one miniscule component of a billion things that define who they are, then that person will miss out on a lot of great people.

Ironically, it would probably be just as inaccurate to judge a person on their race. As Aerosmith said, “If you can judge a wise man by the color of his skin then mister, you’re a better man than I.” Don’t pretend to be psychic. Only God and a person’s own self can judge a soul accurately (and even then it’s not easy to examine our own characters). It takes a lot more than watching how someone eats jellybeans. Let us instead remember Matthew 7:1-6: “Judge not, that you be not judged.”

Jerica deck ’13 LifEStyLE Editor

Instagram. Snapchat. Twitter. Kik. Chances are you’re either scrolling through one of these right now or you live under

a rock secluded from all forms of social media. In this day in age, you can’t seem to say anything without a hashtag in front of it or express yourself without adding emojis. However, when do Tweets and selfies start to turn into something more sinister?

To say that technology is a large part of our lives is an understatement. According to CBS news, the average teen sends over 3,000 text messages a month, spends at least 30 hours a week on the internet, and a growing 73% of teenagers use some form of social media.

About 100 million of them have chosen Instagram as their poison. Instagram is a popular photo sharing

app where one uses various filters to get “likes” on each photo from their friends. However, amidst the competi-tion for followers and trying to get as many “double taps” as you can, the app has also stirred controversy. Instagram has turned into a popularity contest to fuel users’ egos, but when it’s used to put other people down it becomes something more.

On Instagram, a popular game to play is group rate. This is where three or more people rate the attractiveness (or unattractiveness) of their instav-ictim in a group text and publicly post a screenshot of the conversation. Laughing with your friends in front of your thousands of followers is not

okay. What gives you the authority to rate someone’s appearance in the first place? Who are you to call someone out on being a 6 if you’re only a 2? Instagram provides a platform for people to publicly criticize others;

something they’re not brave enough to say without being behind a glass iPhone screen.

This type of rating system isn’t anything new. It’s strikingly similar to Mark Zuckerberg’s Facemash -- which was the predecessor to the social power house of Facebook. This version of Hot or Not allowed the University to rate students’ photos.

While it can undeniably target a user negatively, a question remains. If one willingly enters the realm of tech-nology knowing that they are at risk for unpleasant reactions, does it con-stitute as cyber bullying? According to stopbullying.gov, bullying is defined as “unwanted, aggressive behavior...that

#RealTalk: CyberbullyingDo online apps encourage cyberbullying practices?

Emily Magruder ‘13PHoto Editor

Mother Falcon, an 18 piece orchestral-indie rock band from Austin, Texas has the

“it” factor: individuality and talent. The band started as an accumulation of friends jamming together after class in high school and morphed into a serious endeavor. With summer tours planned for the East Coast in 2013 and a new album looming in the not-so-distant future, Mother Falcon is a group to look out for.

Their album “Alhambra” showcases the young group’s

sophistication from the first gentle and hypnotizing notes of the album. The band wastes no time introduc-ing their unique orchestration as the strings, accordion, and percus-sion create the perfect backdrop for melodic horns and harmonized voices. There is also something charming about the little imper-fections in their songs, like how sometimes notes are not always played in unison or certain vocal-ists’ voices don’t perfectly blend. It is plain to me that these young adults have serious talent, after compar-ing live recordings to their polished album. Each track on their album is merely a higher quality version of a spectacular live performance. These details give them a comforting and refreshing tone.

Despite the size of the ensemble, Mother Falcon manages to maintain an intimate feeling between them-selves and listeners, offering a break from mainstream music because of, “the versatility of the instru-ments... that blend so well,” said

percussionist Daniel Beall ‘15 who noticed a distinct lack of drums in some songs, but added that other in-struments add bassline that provide “good pavement for the band to walk on.”

Mother Falcon is not signed...yet. Through the support of their ever growing fan base, they hope to crowdfund their next album and become their own label. Crowdfunding has recently become a popular method of raising money through donations. Mother Falcon is using a website called Indiegogo.com where people can listen to their music, donate or buy unique experi-ences with the band such as records, a recording session with the band or a live in-home performance.

Whether you are a current lover of folk/ indie music or just want a break from the pop-scene, Mother Falcon is a great new ensem-ble to listen to. Check them out at motherfalconmusic.com/ and I promise their music will get stuck in your head.

New Band Challenges Pop MusicMother Falcon, from Austin Texas, takes the music scene by storm

Social media has evolved to create a modern day caste system.

continued on 16

Social media creates a platform for bullying. (Screenshot taken Jerica deck ‘13, source instagram)

10 May 22, 2013 | The STampede

LifeSTyLeSteering your Summer in the right directionHow to Plan a Road Trip

Jessica ricks ‘14StAff WritEr

Summer is almost here, and you know what that means: frizzy hair and broken air conditioners. You could be sitting outside in the heat, drowning in your own sweat and misery. Or... your could satisfy your taste buds with something cold and delicious. If you crave brain freezes and sugar, then you’re in luck. Here’s a recipe for the perfect summer smoothie:

Ingredients:1. 1 mango2. 1/2 pineapple3. 1/2 cup of raspberries4. 1/2 cup of blueberries5. 1/2 cup of strawberries6.1/2 cup of ice cubes

Instructions:1. Slice the mango and pine-

apple into bite-sized pieces2. Put all of the fruit and ice into

the blender3. Blend everything together

until it’s smooth4. Pour your smoothie into a cup

and enjoy!

super summer smoothies

How do you make the perfect summer smoothie?

Jerica deck ‘13 LifEStyLE Editor

“So what are you doing this summer?” I’m sure you’ve been bombarded with this ques-tion from quirky distant relatives and lovers of small talk, and all these years you’ve never been able to tell them the truth. After all, it sounds lame to say you plan to watch reruns of Boy Meets World for so long that your butt has permanently tattooed its print on your couch. A better response? Grab a couple of equally lazy friends, become a salvager of everyone’s furniture and cable bills, and plan a road trip.

Road trips are a fun and exciting way to bond, but you don’t want it ruined by someone constantly whining, “Are we there yet?” To stop this, keep your buddies entertained. Keep the tunes pumping or catch some flicks on a portable DVD player. Play games. You can do a scavenger hunt for road signs and license plates, play Would You Rather, Eye Spy, or even make up your own. Too mature for games? Just talk and bond; the point of a road trip after all.

Another common complaint is “I’m hungry,” so make sure there’s plenty of food. You guys can vote on some fast food places to go to or bring your own snacks. An in-expensive way to do this is to have it be a potluck: one person brings marshmallows,

one brings cheddar jalapeno cheetos, and another brings some trail mix. Want to make it interesting? Make it a game by having each person bring something that starts with “A,” or something they bet no one else has tried before. That will definitely spark both your taste buds and some conversation.

So you know you’re going to have a crazy adventure getting there, but where is it exactly that you plan to go? It’s up to you. Just make sure it’s memorable to really make your summer shine. Popular places are big cities, amusement parks, and out-of-state concerts. If that’s not in your budget, try camping, having a bonfire, or even just sight-seeing. In a group, assign roles of who plans what. That one friend that’s super organized and on top of everything? Have her control confirming reservations and the logistics of the trip. The frugal friend that only sees matinee movies and has a coupon for ev-erything? He should manage the finances. The creative one of the bunch should plan the events and together the whole group can agree on an itinerary.

Road trips can make a group of friends grow closer as the experience can be unforgettable. Just remember: it’s not about the destination; it’s about the drive.

“Green Light” by John Legend

“shut Up and Drive” by rihanna

“Gasoline” by britney spears“backseat” by new boyz

“(You Drive Me) Crazy” by britney spears “ride” by Ciara ft. Ludacris

“Drive My Car” by The beatles“bugatti” by Ace Hood

“Here we Go” by n sync. “Life is a Highway”

by rascal flatts

road Trip Mix Tape

Managing EditorMEgan ardovini ‘13

Whether you are at the beach, on a road trip, bored on your family vacation, or kicking it at a summer camp, here are some pick-up line favorites from our own community to use on that guy or gal you’ve been admiring for some time now.

Make a good first impression with a compliment:

“If you were a new hamburger at McDonalds, you would be a McGorgeous” -Tayler Stiles ’13

“If good looks were a minute, you’d be an hour.” - Associate Director of Admissions and Director of Summer Programs Mr. Mike Jones ‘96

“I must have died and gone to heaven, because there is an angel standing in front of me.” - Director of Alumni Relations Ms. Sandy Mammano

When trying to keep in contact:

“I forgot my number, can I have yours?” - Alexis Alvarez ‘13

“People call me [insert your name], but you can call me tonight.” - Dominic Pagliaro ’13

“Do you want to pray with me?” - Ms. Kaela Selmon ‘07

Pick-up Lines: for Your Summer Plans

The perfect summer fruit smoothie (Jessica ricks ‘14/STampede)

11The STampede | May 22, 2013

opinion

Emily Magruder ‘13 CoMMEntAry

For the past two years, the Band and Orchestra program has been using a program called SmartMusic. This is an interactive software that allows

students to check their playing at home, outside of the main ensemble. According to Band and Orchestra Director Mr. Anthony Conto, the software provides features like a tuner, metronome and fingering chart, as helpful tools for student musicians. While these tools can be useful, SmartMusic has the potential to ingrain bad playing habits and encourage a rigid, mechani-cal style of playing when used as a crutch to replace a private teacher.

The tools offered in the program are imperfect. Orchestra member Elana Geary ‘14 said that playing the cello on SmartMusic is difficult because the “microphone doesn’t pick up the low C,” and concludes that “it makes me not want to practice.” If students are not excited to practice because of having to meddle with faulty technology, then they will not practice.

SmartMusic also encourages musicians to become lazy. Since students can just follow the green bar that floats over the notes when they are supposed to be played or can just listen to their part, they can easily learn to mimic the music and not learn how to count it. But as the old adage goes, “practice makes perfect,” right? Wrong. Perfect practice makes perfect. Simply repeating a passage will not magically make someone improve. Memorization is not the same as learning. For this reason, SmartMusic cannot replace a teacher, especially for neophyte musicians.

Another major problem that contributes to the laziness of musicians is the ability to cheat using SmartMusic. Certain assign-ments, such as the lesson log that requires students to play for a given amount of time, do not record students. The log only provides the teacher with a record of what piece the student supposedly played, but not the ability to actually hear what they did. Therefore, stu-dents could easily hit “record take”, leave the room, and receive credit for “practicing.” So even when students do SmartMusic assign-ments, it is often done half heartedly.

For more advanced musicians, SmartMusic is a waste of time. No student, regardless of skill level, should be exempt from practicing their music, but SmartMusic assignments take away valuable practice time for things like college audition pieces. This is especially aggravating when the music a student needs to practice for an outside event

is not listed in the SmartMusic catalog, which has happened to me numerous times. To avoid this, I propose that students who have private lessons on a regular basis should be exempt from the assignments or offered the opportunity to complete them for extra credit.

Some might argue that an assignment to rehearse a piece should not be considered time consuming. However, if a section is unknowingly misplayed, the student must then play the entire piece over and over again. This happens for two reasons: either student error, or an error caused by an incongruence between the sheet music on screen and the recording that students play along with. A better solution would be to give students the opportunity to play the entire piece and then reattempt the missed section alone, without having to replay the entire 4,5, 6 minute long piece.

The video game-like format of SmartMusic encourages mechanical playing. To achieve a perfect score, students must learn how to play with the computer, not with

the music. Even if the music was played beautifully, if a note was off by even a fraction of a second, or the microphone did not pick up the note, it is marked as incorrect. This discourages expres-sive playing and is often infuriating. To combat this concern,

the SmartMusic website claims that their “solo repertoire follows spontaneous tempo changes.” Based on my own experience, this is not true. If I were to slow it down or speed it up for musical effect, SmartMusic will keep playing at the set tempo and count the music as wrong. This stifles musical expres-sion and forces students to play only one way. It is true however that the notes should be learned before adding techniques, such as rubato (changing the tempo) or dynamic shifts, to make the piece more musical, but SmartMusic does not allow students to experiment with this, making it harder for a student to come up with their own ideas as to how to express the music later.

SmartMusic does not solve any problems by telling a student which notes they might have missed. It might be able to tell the student he or she played the note flat, but it cannot explain to the student how to correct the pitch. Fixing something as simple as pitch can require intricate hand adjustments, finger pattern changes or breath control. These lessons cannot be taught by a computer. They require a teacher.

In this modern age of technology, elec-tronics have to have a place in the classroom. However, SmartMusic crosses some bound-aries. Despite the benefits of SmartMusic, the risk of creating lazy, mechanical musi-cians who have become bored with repetition and have formed bad habits not caught by a teacher is too high to ignore.

SmartMusic is a not a Smart Program

Music software is a crutch for musicians

Articles represent the opinion of their authors, not the administration or staff of Bishop McNamara High School.

Sankofa has Become an Exclusive Event Many Students Cannot AttendPopularity of Traditional African Dance performance make tickets scarce

javascriptvoidComic by Caleb Forssell ‘13, Staff

Megan Ardovini ‘13MAnAging Editor

Sankofa. Before most of the freshmen even know what this de-lightfully exotic-sounding word means, the tickets to this annual African Music and Dance pro-duction are already sold out. The African Dance program makes its way into every pitch, brochure, and information sheet that the school produces every year because of the unique addition it brings to our school community sets us apart. However, this highly celebrated event is inaccessible to much of the community which it suppos-edly enhances.

The demand for tickets for family and friends of the par-ticipants as well as curiosity from outside of the McNamara com-munity is extremely high, which leaves a select few tickets for ma-jority of the school population to fight over in a complete frenzy. In the same fashion as the concerts of many million-dollar earning platinum record decorated musical celebrities, Sankofa tickets only stay “on the market” for an incred-ibly brief window of time consider-ing there are two weekends worth of shows.

Every year there are mul-tiple students who are subject to the sad fate of having to hear on Monday how spectacular one of the weekend’s shows was, or feel

out of the loop when the entire show is rehashed at the lunch table. Some seniors even walk across the graduation stage burdened by the regret of having never gone to a Sankofa production.

For such a valued part of the school community and iconic rep-resentation of the diversity of our student body, the limited acces-sibility that the community has to the African Music and Dance show is really a problem that must be remedied by next year. It should be made so that everyone can ex-perience one of the most celebrated aspects of the community if they want to.

If the Bishop McNamara African Dance program is going to continue to be such a proclaimed and celebrated part of the school community and culture, then all students should have access to one of the factors that possibly persuaded them to attend this school. In the endless brochures, pamphlets, and slideshows used in the admissions and develop-ment offices, they would probably hesitate to publish the percentage of the student body who actually get to attend the shows.

Perhaps the most practical way to solve the problem is to desig-nate one show entirely for Bishop McNamara students, faculty and staff, and to sell tickets for this show only to those individu-als. By setting aside at least one of the multiple shows for only McNamara’s student body and faculty, availability and access to the show will be expanded to include one of the most important supporters of the African Dance and Music program -- the students themselves.

Memorization is not the same as learning. For this reason, SmartMusic cannot replace a teacher, especially for neophyte musicians.

12 May 22, 2013 | The STampede

opinion Articles represent the opinion of their authors, not necessarily the administration or staff of Bishop McNamara High School.

Carolyn Conte ‘14CoPy Editor

When the United States is threat-ened, one might think it would

send citizens into a spiral of political arguments and fright. However, as we see reiterated even here at McNamara, there are more good people than evil doers.

At the site of the Boston Marathon bombing on April

13, people rushed to help rather than run away. Mr. Clark pointed this out in his speech concluding mass the day after, “We saw people running towards it, not away,” to the aid of others.

One example of this is Carlos Arredondo, who “ran across [the street], jumped the security fence and landed in the middle of the fallen bodies. Two women lay motionless. Another woman was standing, frozen, looking down at the wounded and repeating, ‘Oh my God,’” reported David A. Fahrentholdz of the Washington Post. Former Patriots player Joe Andruzzi carried an injured person to safety, firefighters arrived imme-diately, runners who’d already finished ran to the hospital to donate blood, and Twitter flooded with tweets like Billy Baker’s that a “Runner just told

me he’s been stopped numerous times by Bostonians asking if he needs a bed or a shower.”

Undefeated by terrorist acts, runners still showed up to pick up their medals. Boston University has already estab-lished a memorial scholarship in the name of lost student Lu Lingzi, while Emerson students started a campaign to honor victims as well.

When Boston was in lock-down, most citizens were com-pliant to police demands. Closer to home, Bishop McNamara’s band trip to Boston continued despite the threat. Four people have died and more than 100 were injured, suspectedly at the hand of brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, but the myriad of courage and compas-sion shown outweighed the victims hurt or killed. Good does win.

This response is not novel. After the child massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, Maura Judkis of The Washington Post reported, “As America reeled from the news of the shootings at Sandy Hook, parents looked for a way to explain the unexplainable ....someone to help process the magnitude of what it means to live in a world where 20 chil-dren can be gunned down amid storybooks and crayons,” and went on to discuss an emotional photo of TV show host Mister Rogers greeting an excited child and his famous quote that, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of ‘disaster,’ I remember my mother’s words, and I am

always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers - so many caring people in this world.” Just a month after the Colorado theatre massacre, The Aurora Victim Relief Fund received $3.7 million in dona-tions, according to coordinator Caitlin Jenney in a CNN article. Look up any tragedy, and you will find corresponding stories of people sacrificing themselves for others.

Anne Frank stated this truth beautifully, stomping the face of evil with her indomitable faith in humanity. “I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart.” Though it may seem that evil sometimes reigns the mind of America; God reigns our hearts, and evil knows that your heart will always be stronger than your mind.

Morality defeats EvilIn recent tragedies, we see that the number of kind people tramples the evil

Megan Ardovini, Editor-in-Chief (Maestro)attended Jea/nSpa national high School Journalism Convention and University of maryland Journalism day Conferences. Junior Counselor for The Stampede’s Summer Journalism Camp. award-winner for news writing. Three years on staff, former news editor. “practicing Journalism has given me improved confi-dence, heightened awareness of my surroundings, and a greater sense of just how small of a part i am a very large world. The most memorable story i have ever done was the interview of alum Justin Kersey in 2010. This was the first story that i had ever done on my own as a freshman and because Justin was in the peace Corps, i could not conduct a phone interview with him. i remember having to contact Justin Kersey’s mother, asking about her son and whether she could have him contact me. Talk about nerve-wracking. i will miss all of the relationships i have made here, some of which i never would have been able to make if it weren’t for my participation with The Stampede.”

Jerica Deck, Features Editor, former Op-Ed EditorWorkshops at maryland-district of Columbia Scholastic press association. Wrote press releases for area non-profits. pioneer of new journalism course at bmhS. four years on staff. “practicing journalism has taught me to be more outgoing, to never take ‘no’ for an answer, and to always seek the truth. my most memorable interview was with a dermatologist who providing health care to underprivileged citizens in africa.”

Amanda wilson, News EditorThree years on staff. “i’ll miss seeing all of the friends i’ve made over the years, especially the ones that i’ve made in Journalism class. (i will especially miss annoy-ing mr. Shryock with megan during class.) by practicing journalism, i’ve learned how hard you have to work to make it in the journalism world, especially with all of the technology in our current world. i’ve also learned what a close-knit community the journalism world is. my most memorable interview ingthat i’ve done was with megan ardovini. going around and asking people their best pick-up lines was really fun.”

Andrew feather, Sports Editor as a sophomore, began writing for dC Sports fan. later began contributing to WUSa 9, rivals.com, USa Today high School Sports, md hoops, Washington post (allmetSports.com). Training has included digital Workshop and Sportswriting Workshop (Washington post); (yJdp-media literacy Workshop (news literacy project); and play-by-play Sports Camps. award-winner for sports writing (1st place), media club member. Two years on staff.

Danielle Gibson, Video Editorattended yJdp-media literacy Workshop (news literacy project). “after graduating, i will miss our community and the warmth you feel when you walk in every morning. i’ll miss our staff’s sense of humor.”

emily Magruder, Photo Editor, Staff WriterContributing writer while member of media club. yearbook staff photographer. from taking journalism, i have learned how to take criticism better.”

GrADUATinG sTAffseven seniors graduate from stampede

Megan Ardovini Jerica Deck

Andrew featherAmanda wilson

Danielle Gibson emily Magruder

The Stampede honors and congratulates its graduating seniors. next year, they will study at institutions such as the University of maryland, elon University, St. mary’s College of maryland, College of South maryland, and hampton University, majoring in education, criminology, journalism, film and more.

13The STampede | May 22, 2013

SporTS

Andrew feather ‘13SPortS Editor

There are more future substance abusers in area schools than stu-dents who will make six figures. Fact. According to the National Institute of Health, one in every nine people grows up to be a drug or alcohol addict. The risk mag-nifies by 40 if a member of one’s family is addicted.

If these statistics stand true for our school as well, nearly one hundred current Bishop McNamara High School stu-dents will suffer from substance abuse sometime in their lives. On March 31, several Mustang football, basketball and baseball players aimed to exclude them-selves from that number when they traveled to FedEx Field to hear the story of Chris Herren, a former NBA player and a recover-ing heroin addict.

High School Days In 1994, Chris Herren was

on the top of the world. He was a McDonalds All-American Selection, he was tabbed by every sports magazine as the future of ACC basketball, and he would be playing for his hometown Boston College Eagles in the fall. Like many teenagers, he had also dabbled with marijuana and alcohol, and for him, like many, they also turned out to be gateway drugs.

“I had just finished doing a photoshoot for Sports Illustrated, just got done playing in the McDonald’s All-American game, and three weeks into my college career I walk into a dorm room to see a line of cocaine on a desk,” Herren said. “I looked at that one line of cocaine and said to myself, ‘I’ve smoked blunts, I’ve drank beers, I’m going to try it one time.’ That one time took fourteen years to walk away from. That one time got me thrown out of college four months later.”

Chance at RedemptionAfter being kicked out of

Boston College, Herren enrolled at Fresno State University, one of only a few schools willing to give him another chance. By the time his junior year rolled around, Herren had become one of the best players in the nation, and after scoring 30 points against #1 Duke in a nationally televised game, NBA general managers were telling him he was going to be a first round pick in the up-coming draft. “$1.5-1.9 million for five years guaranteed money. 21 years old, 6-foot-1 white kid from Fall River, Massachusetts, it doesn’t get any better than that. My dream had just come true,” Herren said.

That dream came with a caveat, though. “As I am walking out of that office my Athletic Director followed me out and called me into his office and said, ‘You better promise me one thing. Promise

me in the next two months you won’t fail another drug test on this campus, because if you do, con-sequences are going to happen.’ I looked at that man, shrugged him off and laughed, ‘Not a chance, sir,’ I said.”

Two weeks later Fresno State was scheduled to play UMass in a nationally tele-vised Saturday game. The night before the game, Herren went out for a couple of drinks with some friends. “Since I was your age, it was never just a couple. Two turned into six, six turned to eight. I picked up the phone and called my cocaine dealer. Even my dealer said ‘not tonight Chris, you have a game on national TV tomorrow. I’ll meet you after that game.’ I said ‘if you don’t meet me out, someone else is going to take my money.’” The dealer left and met Herren. “I did my first line of cocaine at midnight that night. I did my last line of cocaine at one-thirty the next afternoon. I was sitting in the parking lot outside my arena watching 15,000 people walk in to watch me play, while sitting in the car with two girls I had never met before, smoking blunts, drinking beers, and banging lines of cocaine for 13-and-a-half hours straight. With no sleep and under-the-in-fluence I walked into that arena to play the game with my heart beating out my chest.”

During that game, Herren scored 25 points. After the game he was called into the Athletic Director’s office and told to take a drug test. “When he said that, my NBA Dream went out the window,” Herren said. “I looked at that man and said ‘Come on sir, cut me some slack. I slipped up last night.’ He said, ‘There is no slack; there’s consequences, so tonight you’re going to announce

to the nation that you’re a 21-year old cocaine addict and for your addiction you’re going to go get some help.’” That night, Herren announced to the world on ESPN that he was going to a treatment center for 28 days.

At the rehab center, Herren didn’t feel like he belonged there nor did he want to be there. “Every night I called my mom saying ‘I’m not like these people, these people are sick, get me out of here mom’,” Herren said. “I thought I was better

after those 28 days. I went back to play my senior season, during which my wife got pregnant and my son, Little Chris, was born. At the end of my senior season I was fortunate enough to be drafted by the Denver Nuggets.”

Troubles in the NBA Herren felt he was lucky to join

the Nuggets. “When I arrived I had a group of teammates that looked out for me. “They knew my history of substance abuse and they didn’t let me order alcohol whenever I went out with them. They also had alcohol taken off of the team plane because of me,” Herren said. After his rookie season, Herren went back to his hometown, bought a house, and a couple of cars. He was also traded to the Boston Celtics, a move that Herren said was one of the worst things that could have happened to him. “When I got back home I threw a barbeque party and invited some of my friends,” Herren said. “During the party one of my old high school friends came in and told me to come take a walk with him. ‘Hey Chris, you remember how we used to get our hands on Vicodins and Percocets? There’s a new pill, it’s called Oxycodone, and it’s like taking five Vicodins and Percocets in one shot. It’s only twenty dollars.’ he said. I took one, handed him a twenty, and headed back to my barbeque. I had no idea that decision, that one little yellow pill would change my life forever. That forty-milligram pill would turn into 1600 milligrams a day. I had no idea that $20 would turn into a $25,000 a month Oxy addic-tion. I had no idea that little yellow pill would turn into a syringe and turn me into a heroin addict for the next eight years.”

Herren’s NBA career ended after only two seasons, in large part due to his drug addiction. For the next few years he played over-seas in European Leagues. His last stop was with a team in Poland, and after only two months they saw how taxing Herren’s addiction was on his play and on the team. “I played there for two months,

the team called me into the front office and they said, Your addiction is taking a toll, we’re sending you home,” Herren said.

“How come you don’t want to be my daddy anymore?”

The team asked him where he wanted his flight to go: Boston or Providence. “Neither. Send me to Fresno -- where I went to college,” Herren told the team. “I said this because in Fresno, I have an old college buddy, he’s a former 6-foot-6 defensive end at Fresno State and we would both sit in the back, laugh, and take [talks on substance abuse] as a joke. Well, we both now had two kids, were married, and we both had the same drug problem.” After the friend picked him up, they drove to the friend’s house where they spent the next five days doing nothing but drugs. “When we got back to his house we went into his living room and for the next five days two former athletes who took [talks like this] as a joke, we speedballed, we shot heroin and cocaine for five days straight,” Herren said. “After that time paranoia starts setting in. We started thinking the cops had the house surrounded.” Throughout the five days Herren repeatedly heard his phone ringing, and on the fifth day he realized who it was. “It was my wife and she said ‘the kids miss you, we’re in Chicago right now, come pick us up at Oakland airport in three hours.”

Herren rushed into the shower and put on clean clothes. Buzzed out of his mind, he set off toward the airport. “As I’m driving to the airport the paranoia is over-whelming. I’m thinking people are following me so I’m taking exits and waiting twenty minutes. After eight hours of this, five hours late to pick up my wife and two little kids, I pulled the car in the breakdown lane, dropped the keys and waited for the next pair of headlights to come,” Herren

“it’s Just Weed, right?”former nBA Player and heroin addict shares his story in hopes teens avoid the mistakes he made

continued on 4

Chris Herren’s eyes well with tears as he announces his drug addiction on national television. (source: AP)

Herren is guarded by fellow 1994 McDonalds All-American Allen Iverson. (Source: Getty Images)

Herren was one of the nation’s top recruits coming out of Durfee High School in Fall River, MA. (Source: Fall River Herald News)

14 May 22, 2013 | The STampede

SporTS

on the last day of classes for seniors, school switches it up and brings in a

food truck Caylie Martucci ‘14

StAff WritEr

For the finale of every senior class, there is usually a bull run down the hallways in celebration of their last day of classes. This year, to meet the rowdy stampede, a food truck was waiting to serve barbecue to all who wanted it. The school brought in a food truck to further unify the soon departing class.

The day before the last day for the seniors, there was an an-nouncement that said that the cafeteria would not be selling food after school. Many people probably wondered why, but it all came down to the food truck that was brought in for the seniors.

On their last day, the seniors

were given a white ticket that rep-resented $5, allowing them to get some snacks for free. For many seniors, the food truck was a sur-prise, while other students already knew. “Mr. Conto informed us that the food truck was coming,” Kirk Williams ‘13 said.

Many agreed the food truck was a great treat. “It was really nice to see everyone from my class come together one last time,” Kevin Johnson ‘13 said. The food truck not only took the class by surprise but allowed for the class to bond one last time.

The food truck allowed the students to enjoy the outside weather and come together. Some of the students enjoyed it so much that they think we should have a food truck come on the campus more often. “Why don’t we do this all the time?” Michael Hill ‘13 asked.

The surprise food truck has given the senior class a wonderful way to remember their last day of classes.

Senior food truckPhotos

Baseball Championship Series

said. “When I saw them I jumped in front of the car. I wanted the car to hit me in the chest and drag me down the highway to put me out of my misery. At 27, I tried to kill myself.”

After that incident, California highway patrol picked him up, and Herren spent several hours in prison. “When I was released, they handed me my belongings. I had a ten, a five, and two one-dollar bills. I had 17 bucks to work with a wife and two kids. Four years earlier I had heard my name called in the starting lineup for the Boston Celtics. Five years earlier I had taken one little yellow pill that had cost $20. Five years later all I had to show for it was a ten, a five and two ones.”

With $17 to his name, Herren decided to go homeless and leave his family so as not to be a burden on them. “I jumped into the dump-ster behind a 7/11 and waited for the streets to die down,” Herren said. “I woke up the next morning with two homeless men standing over me, shaking me and asking me if I was okay. They said, ‘Son you can’t sleep here, it’s not safe, there is a homeless shelter three blocks away.’ So I checked into the homeless shelter and for the next three hours we used that 17 bucks and sat behind the liquor store drinking.” According to Herren, when he was down to his last $2.50 and was going to buy his last beer, one of the homeless men came in and told him to stop. “He looked at me and said ‘I lost my family 19 years ago and I have been living on these streets for 18. It’s not too late.

Go across to the street to the pay phone, call your wife, apologize, and have her come pick you up,’” Herren said.

“I called my wife, she answered it, and said ‘I just want you to know that little Chris and Samantha stood on that sidewalk for eight hours not letting me put them in a taxi because they thought daddy would be excited to see them and

that he would never leave them there.’” Herren waited all day for his wife to show up, but she never did. That night, he slept next to the dumpster.

He was awoken the next morning by the sound of a horn. Herren saw his wife parked down the alley, ran toward the car and jumped in. “My two little ones were in the backseat and when I turned to say hi they both looked out the window and started crying,” Herren said. “On the way home the only thing I heard my son say was ‘how come you don’t want to be my daddy anymore? Why would you leave us at the airport like that daddy?’ At eigh-teen years old thought I had all the answers; at 27 I couldn’t even answer a five year old.”

That was far from the only con-frontation Herren’s drug problem caused with his family. “From 28

to 32 I was a street junkie hustling heroin. My kids would be like ‘hey daddy, where’s my Xbox, where’s my PlayStation, my iPod.’ My wife was like, ‘Where’s my jewelry?’” Herren said. “My addiction took all that.”

Saving a Life Finally, his wife had enough

and gave him the option to get

comprehensive treatment for his problem or never see the family again. He opted to receive help and spent a year at a treatment center. “Many people never get that help. Many people end up like that homeless man, on the street for 18 years. That man helped save my marriage and my life. I hope that I can do the same for at least one of you,” Herren, now four-and-a-half years sober, told the students who attended his talk.

One of the questions Herren said that he hears most is whether weed and alcohol are truly gateway drugs. “Where do you think crack-heads and heroin addicts begin? They begin with blunts and red Solo cups. You don’t begin with a crack pipe and a needle,” he said.

As part of his mission to stop substance abuse, Herren travels all across the nation talking to teams

and students telling them his story. He has spoken to football teams like Oregon, Tennessee, Georgia and Georgia Tech and basketball teams like St. John’s, Marquette, Florida and Duke.

Last year Herren was at the University of Alabama speaking to the football team when one of the running backs came up and said, “Mr. Herren, it’s just weed,

tell them to leave us alone, it’s just weed.” Herren looked at him and said “It’s just weed, right? If it’s just weed, why are you risking a quarter-million dollar education at this university? If it’s just weed, why are you throwing away fifteen years of work in the gym and on the field? Why are you risking your dream to play in the NFL and make millions of dollars for something you call just weed? If it was just weed, you would drop it.” That young man was recently kicked out of Alabama for what he called “ just weed.”

Addressing the audience in the room one last time Herren said, “In 1994 when I was a McDonalds All-American, I walked into a room just like this. I walked in with Allen Iverson, Antoine Walker, Lorenzen Wright and Neal Reed. That was the cream of the crop in 1994. In 1994 we sat

in our seats and were too cool for this. Antoine Walker made $160 million in his basketball career, he doesn’t have a dime left today. Allen Iverson, he’s broke, he made $200 million. Lorenzen Wright was found dead in the woods outside Memphis, executed after he retired. Neal Reed just dropped dead at 36. And myself, a recov-ering heroin addict. Don’t make the same mistakes that we made, that the Alabama football player made. That was the best of the best in the United States in 1994, but we were too cool to listen. Today is your 1994. Today is your chance to listen.”

McNamara Reception Many of the McNamara stu-

dents who attended found them-selves speechless at the end of and were thoroughly moved by Herren’s presentation. Mr. Martin Keithline, head boys basketball coach made note of how moved the students were by the speech. “I think the message sent by Chris Herren was felt by all the students who went,” he said. “A lot of them have come up to me afterward in the days following the speech and telling me the impact it made on them, some of the problems they’ve faced with family issues and maybe some people in their family that have dealt with the same issues.”

Sometimes the right en-counter can save a person from becoming a statistic. Hopefully, this person was Chris Herren, and hopefully, that person was in his audience. Words can pressure friends into relapsing, or propel them to stay firm in their morals. Every choice matters.

nBA Player shares story of addictionFrom 13

Don’t make the same mistakes that we made, that the Alabama football player made. That was the best of the best in the United States in 1994, but we were too cool to listen. Today is your 1994. Today is your chance to listen.

photos by Caylie martucci ‘14, Staff Writerfull story on page 15

15The STampede | May 22, 2013

SporTS

one run Short

for the second straight year

Mcnamara falls in WCAC Baseball Championship

Marty robinson ‘14StAff WritEr

After finishing the regular season above .500 for the first time in 27 years, the Bishop McNamara Varsity Baseball team came within one run of winning the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Championship, falling just short for the second straight year. Coming into the play-offs as the fifth seed, the Mustangs ran past Bishop Ireton and proceeded to upset heavily favored St. John’s, the number one seed going into the playoffs to reach the Championship Series against DeMatha. After winning game one of the three game series 5-3, McNamara fell 12-2 and 1-0 in the next two games to watch the thing they had worked all year for slip away once again.

The team’s run to the champion-ship was jumpstarted by fantastic play on the mound by Preseason All-American Pitchers Tayler Stiles ‘13 and Connor Hax ‘13. Stiles, a University of Maryland Commit, finished a memorable senior cam-paign with an 8-2 record, an incred-ible .71 ERA (Earned Run Average) and an unheard of WHIP (Walks and Hits per innings pitched) of .81. In addition, Stiles tossed eight complete games in 12 starts and was selected as the WCAC Player of the Year.

Like Stiles, Hax has also had a great spring. He had seven wins, an ERA of 2.05 and a WHIP of 1.00. He also had eight complete games and had a Strikeout to Walk Ratio of nearly 4:1. Connor was one of the key players in baseball’s run to the championship series recording a shutout against St. John’s in the Semi-Finals and defeating DeMatha in Game one of the finals.

Brad Credit ‘15StAff WritEr

On a chilly Friday night in October, the nation’s capital was

ecstatic as it seemed that the Washington Nationals were going to easily defeat the St. Louis Cardinals and move on to the National League Championship Series. Just as they did in the 2011 World Series, however, the Cardinals didn’t throw in the towel, and performed a remarkable comeback to defeat the Nationals 9-7 and advance to play the San Francisco Giants in the NLCS.

“It was like an upset, really,” Dylan Williams ‘13 said about the NLDS Game 5. Nationals fans left Nationals Park in shock, and woke up hours later in the same emotional state they had gone to bed with. Radio hosts such as those on 106.7 FM The Fan’s Sports Junkies bashed Drew Storen and the Nats late-game performance, and it took more than a week for some to finally lift their heads up.

Now though, with the season still young, Nationals fans have high hopes that their team can bring home the prized World Series Championship. “[I expect] them to actually do better, because last year was so disappointing after we lost to the Cardinals,” Meghan Clark ‘13 said about what

she wants to see from the Nationals team.

It hasn’t been the smooth-est of starts for the 2013 Nationals season, however. The Nationals committed 19 errors in their first 21 games -- partially due to Ryan Zimmerman struggling with a recent shoulder surgery. A few series have occurred that

many Nationals fans would appreciate forgetting. The Cincinnati Reds nearly swept the Nats, and the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals com-pleted sweeps that left the Nationals and their fans looking for answers.

“I would have to say timely hitting, and then securing up their defense... the consistency on the defensive side is not there,” said Assistant Varsity Coach Mr. Thomas Ballenger about what the Nationals need to improve upon this year. “And then when runners are in scoring position, second and third, you’ve got to get a big knock. When they have done that, they’ve won games, and when they haven’t; they don’t win,” he said.

After the disappoint-ment from game five of the 2012 NLDS, the Nationals team and fans have raised expectations for a World Championship run. It’s been 89 years since the Washington Senators became the last

Washington baseball team to win the World Series, and that is an awfully long time. Fortunately for Nats’ fans, after the playoff run from last year, the drought seems to be coming to an end.

Brad Credit ‘15StAff WritEr

The 2013 softball season has delivered the team eight losses and a mere two victories, leaving the team looking for answers and a way to win.

“We could have done a lot better,” said catcher Sarah Coss ‘13 about the 2013 campaign. The season kicked off on March 14th with an away game at Paul VI Catholic, a game which the Lady Mustangs lost 7-1.

Following a postponed game against St. John’s and a 12-2 win against Holy Cross, the team went on a seven game losing streak because of “pretty much errors and communica-tion... We [also] had a bunch of

injuries,” said Coss ‘13. Pitcher Caitlin Gordon ‘13,

first baseman Kayla Anderson ‘13, and catcher Sarah Coss ‘13 have missed a number of games throughout this 2013 softball season.

Out of the following seven games after a postponed game against St. Mary’s Ryken, McNamara’s softball team ex-perienced just one win with a 14-6 road victory against Good Counsel. Three losses have been handed to the Mustangs Softball Team with the opposi-tion scoring double-digit runs. However, most of the final box scores of the 2013 campaign have shown that the team has not allowed the opponent to

score more than eight runs in a game.

Hits were often hard to find. In the eleven losses this year, the team has failed to score more than five runs in most games, with two out of those eleven losses featuring games with six and eight runs.

“Basically all of us have been in a slump, and we just haven’t been able to hit when we should and haven’t been able to do what we needed to do,” Danielle Pickering ‘16 said concerning the team’s lack of hits.

Another reason behind the poor season has to do with the team’s connection among teammates. “We didn’t gel

together until like last week,” said Pickering. The poor con-nection between teammates can be observed when paying atten-tion to the poor communica-tion on the diamond, which ultimately has resulted in costly errors.

After this season’s perfor-mance, softball players return-ing next year are likely to be looking forward to putting an end to the season and prepar-ing for next year. However, the team will also be losing four key seniors after this season ends, so what’s to come of next season is still unknown.

national baseball

ready for a ringThe Nationals Are Looking for Redemption

Softball team Struggles to find Success

Ryan Zimmerman throws to first base against the St. Louis Cardinals. (Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com)

Photo by Caylie Martucci ‘14

16 May 22, 2013 | The STampede

LifeSTyLe

involves a real or perceived power imbalance.” To be group rated, a person must first voluntarily put himself or herself out there to be torn down in the first place. Regardless of whether someone wants attention or is seeking fun, no one wants negativity. No one aspires to have his acne publicly criticized or too see laughing emojis mocking the gap between her teeth.

The evolution of social media has created a modern-day caste system. It allows users to define kids as popular according to their surplus of Twitter followers, while placing others at the bottom of the pyramid if the ‘likes’ on their photos don’t surpass single digits. It fuels the egos of the upper crust

by fulfilling their need for atten-tion. Think about it; their goal is to have people “like” their image to reassure their beauty and “follow” them, secure that they’re not alone. With every Tweet, Facebook post, and Instagram photo the goal is ultimately the same -- the need to know that people “like” them. In contrast, people on the other end of the spec-trum, without re t weet s or follow-backs, are left feeling like no one likes them.

Allowing the digital world to determine our self worth, level of

attractiveness, and confidence, creates the perfect platform for a power imbalance as described in the definition of bullying.

Another thing that floods an Instagrammer newsfeed is “Ask

me questions. Links in my bio.” People constantly shout out their ask.fm accounts, a website in which people have the power to

anonymously post any question they wish. These inquiries can be cute, strange, funny, sexual, and even random. They can also be derogatory. Ask.fm bestows each culprit amnesty, and unlike other

forms of social media, it does not l e t you adjust privacy s e t t i n g s o r report offensive or inappropriate comments.

S o c i a l media provides a light fun way to connect with your friends, but

it can also be just as harmful as physical bullying. Cyber bully-ing follows a victim everywhere, from school to their own homes

to even the cellphone in their own pocket. According to stopbullying.gov, 16% of high school students were electronically bullied just last year, and with all the emerging forms of social media that number is quickly increasing.

Remember the golden rules: do unto others as you would have done unto you, words that wouldn’t come out your mouth shouldn’t come out your keyboard, and always think before you hashtag.

Cyberbullying Continued from 9

Remember the golden rules: do unto others as you would have done unto you, words that wouldn’t come out your mouth shouldn’t come out your keyboard, and always think before you hashtag.

Profile

An AP Artist: Helen Bell ‘13by Caleb forssell ‘14

StAff WritEr

How did your AP exams go?They were all really long

but most of them were a lot easier than I expected. I feel like I was very prepared for the two english exams I took. I did art history by myself... I wasn’t as prepared as I wanted to be, but it was fun. It was hilarious that I was the only one taking it. Ms. Duclos and Ms. Khalili [exam proctors] got a lot of my company. *laughs* AP Psych was good, and then ... my portfolio! A lot of work, but fun.

How did you become inter-ested in art?

I’ve been interested since I was really little. The first thing I remember was I drew a -- well, kinda sculpted a piece of gum into a kan-garoo on my wall. That was really fun, my parents weren’t very happy about it, but... pssshhhhh... you do what you can for your art.

How do you feel about art in the digital world?

There’s too much of it. The digital world is going to take over art, but I like my good old paint and canvas. I’m kinda scared about what’s gonna happen in the future, but I’ll accept it, if it’s where it’s gonna go.

where do you see yourself with your art in ten years?

I see myself as a set designer/animator who is on Broadway and

simultaneously working at Disney. *laughs* You know, because that’s possible. I’ll be simultaneously living in California and New York at the same time. Two Helens.

Do you have a favorite work of your own?

I like my geometric water-color. It’s a long 25 by 9 piece that I did. It’s inspired by a musical piece composed by Zoe Keating. It’s called “The Sun Will Set.” It kinda shows that through the colors. My other one I guess would probably be my deer skull that I painted. It has leaves and debris and dictionary pages in it. It was really fun to paint.

is watercolor your favorite medium?

I like watercolor a lot, but I definitely work more in acrylic. Like, all of my breath is acrylic *laughs*.

How do you know when you’ve achieved success with one of your paintings?

I never do. Ever. You never really know. People tell you that it’s great, but there’s

always that little person in the back of your head like, “You can do better, you should probably work more on it, spend more time doing it...” I mean, I definitely spend most of my time doing art, but I always think I can do more and work harder, but there are only so many hours in a day.”

Work shown by Helen Bell ‘13. Self-portrait top left.