the crusader - special edition: "inside 'building the vision'"_february 2013

Cardinal Gibbons High School

UILDING THE VISIONBA Special Edition of The Crusader

Inside

2012-2013

UILDING THE VISIONB

Cardinal Gibbons High School February 7, 2013

A Special Edition of The Crusader

Inside

2012-2013

Cardinal Gibbons High School February 8, 2013

UILDING THE VISIONBA Special Edition of The Crusader

Inside

2012-2013

2

Cardinal Gibbons High School - 1401 Edwards Mill Rd Raleigh, N.C. 27607Volume 12Special EditionFebruary 8, 2013

Continuing a Gibbons tradition of journalistic excellence

Re-established 2001

Sean FeickOp-Ed Editor

Marisa Casson Exec. Design Editor

Megan YatesPhoto Editor

Cheyenne WoodSports Editor

Staff Writers: Erik Borchers, Rebecca Camak, Brennan Doherty, Andrew Mihok, Preston Moser, Andrew Schnittker, Stephanie Todd, Tyler Welch, Emmett Williams, Caroline Young

Dan Jukic Adviser

Ellyson WilliamsEditor-in-Chief

Caleb MaloneyExec. News Editor

Matthew TalbotExec. Variety Editor

StudioTheater

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Mission WallThis special edition of The Crusader takes you

“Inside Building the Vision”. From the groundbreaking ceremony on

February 2, 2012 to the blessing for use of the arts and athletics wing on January 31, 2013, the first phase of this historic construction project has spanned exactly 364 days (counting the leap day in 2012, for those counting along).

Obviously, this has been the biggest, most important story The Crusader has ever covered. From covering the opening of the new building, we learned the immense gratitude many students feel for the opportunities the new wing brings to so many.

It has become apparent to us that the students truly appreciate the Gibbons community coming together to show their belief and support in the future of this school.

The arts and athletics wing provides many beneficial additions to Gibbons which we attempt to show you in this special edition.

Here’s a rundown of all you will find covered in this issue about the new arts and athletics wing:

•One of the main features of the new building, most frequently commented on, is the extensive use of natural light. Large windows run down both sides of the wing and the new lobby features glass from doors to ceiling. LED lights will keep the building brightly illuminated but energy efficient at night.

•The new Mission Wall in the lobby (background photo) captures the spirit of Gibbons through 780 photographs of past and current students, faculty, staff and alumni and has already become a new landmark in the school.

•A studio theater with a grid ceiling system and customizable seating and staging options.

•The existing theater, now to be called the “main theater,” has been fitted with “airlocks”, an area between the external and internal doors which will reduce noise and light when people enter or exit the theater.

•The art room has two new kilns and the photo room features a “light room” in place of a dark room.

•The new dance room is larger than the old one and has harlequin floors, which are designed to reduce dancer injury.

•The new music rooms, one of which will be used for guitar and chorus classes, have acoustical tiles mixed into the ceiling that reduce echo and improve sound. The other music room will be used for percussion and band.

•An auxiliary gym, with six basketball hoops, allows for more flexible practice scheduling for athletics teams.

•The art and photography rooms, located next to each other, will also provide plenty of natural light to students thanks to windows spanning the length of the rooms.

•A new, much larger weight room can accommodate up to forty athletes at one time.

•A multi-purpose room will be used for health classes, wrestling practice and can even fully accommodate cheerleading practice, thanks to the high ceiling.

We hope you enjoy your time ““Inside Building the Vision”!

The Crusader Staff

End of ‘Vision’ coming into sightArts and athletics wing opens for student use

This diagram of the new arts and athletics wing of the Building the Vision project is located throughout this special edition of The Crusader. Each area of the new wing and the people and activities within it will be featured (and highlighted in green on the diagram to indicate the location within the wing).

Cover photo by Dan Jukic/Gibbons Media

Graphic by Marisa Casson/The Crusader

Background photo by Caleb Maloney/The Crusader

Page design by Editor-in-Chief Ellyson Williams

February 8, 2013

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364 days: From ground breaking to blessing

The groundbreaking ceremony for Building the Vision took place on Febraury 2, 2012. (From left to right) Principal Jason Curtis, Executive Student Council President Jenny Betz ‘12, Diocesan Director for the Office of Divine Worship Gerard Hall, NHS President Hunter Smith ‘12 and NHS Vice President Tyler Zimmerman ‘12 join the Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge, Bishop of Raleigh, in the ceremony which took place after all-school Mass in front of the entire Gibbons student body, faculty and staff, and many invited guests.

Photo by Andrew LaPointe ‘12

The blessing for use of the arts and athletics wing of the Building the Vision construction project took place on January 31, 2013, exactly 364 days after the groundbreaking ceremony which officially began construction. The Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge, Bishop of Raleigh (center), blessed the building, accompanied by priests from around the Diocese who concelebrated the all-school Mass immediately prior. Entering the new wing with the bishop are (from left to right) sacristan Alex Bass; Fr. Scott McCue, pastor of St. Thomas More; Fr. Mark Reamer, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi; altar server freshman Marc Todd; Assistant Principal for Spiritual Life Fr. Romen Acero; altar server Paul Todd; senior Dom Velluci, Executive Student Council President (partially obscured, behind Todd); Principal Jason Curtis and Fr. Raymond Donaldson, pastor of Holy Cross Church.


Matthew TalbotExec. Variety Editor

Photo by Dan Jukic/Gibbons Media

Mission Wall

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Photo by Stephanie Todd/The Crusader

“People who went to the Western Boulevard and Hillsborough St. campuses could look at this place and say ‘that is not my school’ but once they meet the people here, they would definitely understand that this is the same place, and in a huge lobby, you want a visual reminder of that.”

- Assistant Principal of Student Activities Mike Rogosich

Background photo courtesy of Greg Mintel

Students passing the new Mission Wall on the way to classes in the arts and athletics wing. The Mission Wall was designed and created by Peter Ruocchio ‘92. Roucchio also created the senior class gift of the class of 2012, a rendering of the new cross above the new main entrance.

UILDING THE VISIONB

Page design by Executive Design Editor Marisa Casson and Staff Writer Stephanie Todd

New lobby both ‘classy and glassy’ February 8, 2013

Mission Wall represents school’s mission and vision

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Bishop Michael F. Burbidge (center) performs the blessing for use in the new wing on January 31, 2013, accompanied by sacristan Alex Bass (left) and freshman altar server Paul Todd (right).

Photo by Alexis Tyndall/Landmark Yearbok

Stephanie ToddStaff Writer

In 1999, Cardinal Gibbons High School moved from the Western Boulevard campus to its current location on Edwards Mill Road. That move delivered a bigger, newer, and more exciting building for the school and its students.

Current students experienced the excitement of being the first in a new building themselves when the arts and athletics wing, the first phase of the Building the Vision project, officially opened for use on January 7, 2013.

And when they entered the new main lobby, they experienced a new Gibbons landmark for the first time: the Mission Wall.

The Mission Wall features 780 photographs mounted behind glass etched with the three words at the heart of the Gibbons mission statement: faith, service and leadership.

The photos capture moments from throughout Gibbons history, past and present, of students, faculty and staff engaged in events of all kinds, from athletic contests to musicals and retreats to pep rallies, showcasing Gibbons’ vast talent as well as the mission of the school.

“Our idea was that you could walk in and understand the school’s mission and vision,” said Principal Jason Curtis.

This idea initially came from two sources; the leadership team, which is made up of the heads of departments and assistant principals, who had a vision about the way people would respond to the new wing, as well as the architects who wanted something visual to represent the school community, according to Curtis.

“The best part of the Mission Wall is that all of the tiny pictures make up the entire school and that all of those pictures will always be there. It’s fun looking at teachers from 30 years ago,” said sophomore Natalie Freeman, who appears three times on the wall, twice in her tennis garb and once playing the violin.

The Mission Wall serves numerous purposes. For one thing, as Freeman pointed out, it is able to show how each student and teacher are special, providing a sense of unity for the whole of the Cardinal Gibbons family.

“Everybody sees what they find most important reflected,” said Curtis who has been able to see graduates from the 1950’s see the wall as an alumni-based idea, as well as students who see it as a reflection of student life and student activities.

To be able to see pictures from the 50’s puts Gibbons in perspective for many, including young alumni.

“It allows the entire Gibbons family, from the past, present, and future to have a virtual perspective on what we have always been about and what we will continue to strive to be for generations to come,” said Gregg Kaluza ’11, currently a sophomore at Appalachian State, in an email interview.

Another purpose the Mission Wall serves is to show how Gibbons students are taught to lead their lives: in a way that revolves around the wall’s namesake, the Cardinal Gibbons mission statement.

“The wall was built around the mission statement but when you look at the wall it almost seems as if they are built around each other,” said senior Executive Student Council President Dom Vellucci.

The Mission Wall also provides some fun and visual impact in the very large, very bright but also currently very empty new space.

“The Mission Wall gives an artistic flair to a building that could very easily [have been] dismal and boring,” said senior Lexi Schimelfenig.

The new main lobby, filled with light from both new, environmentally friendly LED light fixtures and sunlight streaming in through the large windows, can fit roughly five of the old main lobby inside of it.

“I love the glass entrance. It says that Gibbons is classy (or glassy) but isn’t closed off to outsiders that want to know what Gibbons is all about,” said Kaluza.

In addition to the physical appearance, many students agree that the overall vibe is better than the previous main lobby.

“The windows keep it open and almost give it a really cool ‘college’ feel, which is something that can change someone’s Gibbons experience,” said Vellucci.Black

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Mission Wall

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Ellyson WilliamsEditor-in-Chief

The new studio theater, complete with a grid ceiling system and versatile configurations, adds an intimate and flexible setting for future Gibbons Drama program productions.

The theatre students are grateful for the new theater, which can accommodate approximately 150 audience members, though that number will vary depending on the production.

“The theater was designed so that we can easily reconfigure the seating for virtually any type of presentation we can dream up,” said Gibbons Drama Artistic Director Kevin Ferguson.

“I love it. It’s really cool and really professional. It’s sleek and fabulous,” said junior Katie Clarke.

The walls were designed to minimize noise interference and provide excellent acoustics.

“We’re incredibly lucky to have it. It’s wonderful to teach in,” said theatre teacher Michelle Giannini.

The new theater provides a more personal space for the theatre program to have class in.

It will not only be used as a space to present plays and musicals, but also serves as a teaching

Studio theater provides a ‘blank canvas’ New space allows for endless creative possibilites for Gibbons Theatre

Studio Theater

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theater and classroom for theatre students.This will have a positive impact, according to

Giannini.“We have more space [and the students]

get to have class in a theater space rather than a classroom,” said Giannini.

The grid ceiling system is a unique feature of the studio theater. The ceiling is composed of a grid of metal wires which spans the entire theater and allows students to move safely above the theater to adjust lighting.

This is far safer than having students on ladders or catwalks.

“It was designed to hang lighting and sound equipment as safely and efficiently as possible. It reduces our reliance on ladders and saves us a bunch of time on the technical side of producing theatre. It’s also trippy to walk on,” said Ferguson.

“Being able to go on the grid [is my favorite part]. It’s a lot of fun,” said Clarke.

All the interior walls of the theater are painted black, which allows the theatre program to most effectively use theatrical lighting and instrumentation in staging.

The versatility of the room is going to help improve the theatre program, as a whole.

“The studio allows Gibbons Drama to have a space our program and theatrical community can call home. It provides us with an environment that allows us to fully realize the fantastic levels of creativity and imagination that our students and faculty bring to the producing and performing theatre here at Gibbons,” said Ferguson.

Ferguson looks forward to the possibilities presented by the new theater.

“It allows us to keep saying ‘why the heck not’ when we get a really wild and cool idea about how to make theatre happen, which has always been one of our guiding principles,” said Ferguson.

Photo by Ellyson Williams/The Crusader

Gibbons Drama Director Kevin Ferguson speaks to his drama class in front of the new tech booth in the new studio theater. The studio theater holds approximately 150 people, but that number can vary depending on the configuration of seating in the theater.

“It’s the best playground a dope like me could ask for.”

-Gibbons Drama Artistic Director Kevin Ferguson


UILDING THE VISIONB

Page design by Editor-in-Chief Ellyson Williams

February 8, 2013

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Junior Katie Clarke, a member of Joseph, enjoys the new studio theater and all the benefits it has to offer.



A view of the cast of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat from the new grid ceiling system during rehearsal. The cast includes (from top left): senior Colleen Scott, juniors Cameron Hahn, Madeline Cooke, Maite Molina, and Christina Donovan, freshmen Brooke Smaltz and Samantha Yancey; senior Audra Bovender, junior Brooke Eichenlaub, senior Brian Driskill, junior Brandon Dini; senior Dan Caldwell, junior Diane Scardino, and senior Griffin Gast.

Gibbons Drama Artistic Director Kevin Ferguson describes the studio theater as a “blank canvas.”


Photo by Ellyson Williams/The CrusaderTheatre teacher Michelle Giannini, who is new to Gibbons this year, feels lucky to be able to teach in such an impressive theater.

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Mission Wall

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Caroline YoungStaff Writer

The new dance studio, which opened with the addition of the new Gibbons arts and athletics wing, is “a dream” for dance teacher Brooks Owens and her students, according to Owens.

Owens has been the dance teacher at Gibbons for the past seven years and is thrilled with the new studio.

“It’s amazing, it’s professional, it’s better than outside studios. This is the best floor that you can get. We’re so lucky to have a larger space, mirrors on two sides, the natural light, the fans – this is a dancer’s dream,” said Owens.

When Owens began teaching at Gibbons in 2006, the dance program included 30 students. Over the years it has grown and she now teaches over 130 students.

“The new space is a great reflection of how the dance program has grown and I really love it,” said junior Kendall Davis.

Modern studio offers more space for dancersUpdated dance studio reflects growth of Gibbons dance program

Dance Studio

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Dance teacher Brooks Owens loves the new studio, “I could live here.”

Dancers in the Dance IV/V Honors class learning a new routine in the new studio.

Owens hopes the new dance studio will help the dance program continue to grow.

“It’s been amazing to build something that is such a passion of mine. It’s grown into something more than dance. It’s part of Gibbons,” said Owens.

The original dance studio, which is located at the back of the school behind the main theater, doesn’t compare to the new one in the eyes of the dancers.

“The space is a dream for any dancer to be able to move in and it’s nice and open, letting the light come in and bringing an energetic vibe to it,” said senior Maria Picirillo.

“It’s so much bigger and there’s more natural light because of the windows. I love actually having a dressing room, not having to change in random places,” said sophomore Delaney Robinson, a student in Dance II.

Freshman Lauren Marsic is involved with Dance I and was really impressed with the new studio.

“I love the studio. It’s really big and looks more professional,” said Marsic.

Marsic was also really impressed with the dance program here at Gibbons when she started in the fall.

“It’s really fun. I never really thought I would like that type of dance, but now I do. It’s an escape from other classes. It’s a place where you just have fun,” said Marsic.

The dance studio not only changed its level of professionalism, but also its location. The dance studio is now near the front of the school, located next to the new main lobby at the beginning of the arts and athletics hallway.

“The new location is so great because now people stop by. Administrators bring visitors, other teachers stop by and see the great stuff that these kids are doing. We’re not tucked away in the corner anymore, it’s so much better,” said Owens.

Photo by Caroline Young/The CrusaderPhoto by Caroline Young/The Crusader

Photo courtesy of Greg Mintel

UILDING THE VISIONB

Page design by Staff Writer Caroline Young

February 8, 2013

9Dancers in the Dance IV/V Honors class learning a new routine in the new studio.

Photo by Caroline Young/The Crusader

Dancers taking full advantage of the new floor in the studio.



The new studio has windows facing the front of the school, flooding the room with light.

“This is the best floor that you can get.”

- Brooks Owens, Dance Teacher

The new floor that was installed in the dance studio is a Harlequin dance floor, which is one of the highest quality dance floors available.

Harlequin floors are used on professional stages around the world, and the dance program here at Gibbons is lucky to have a floor of this quality for their use, according to dance teacher Brooks Owens.

The floor in the original dance studio was not as nice as the new floor. It was coming up in places and held together by tape, which could cause the dancers to trip.

The dancers especially like the new floor because they dance in bare feet during class, and they no longer have to worry about tripping, said Owens.

Having a floor with the Harlequin quality and professionalism will help the Gibbons dance program continue to grow and improve, and the dance program is blessed to have access to such a nice floor for their training, said Owens.

Floor makes all the difference

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Senior Laura Matrazzo in Dance IV/V HonorsPhoto by Caroline Young/The Crusader

Harlequin dance floor best available

By Caroline Young

Andrew MihokStaff Writer

As part of the new arts and athletics wing in the Building the Vision project, Gibbons added a specialized band room set aside explicitly for the percussion and band classes. The new room fills a special need for the music program, as the added space and features allow for a more effective use of the classroom.

Before the opening of the new wing, the band and percussion classes met in an undersized room off of the main cafeteria (now the school’s bookstore). With a new room designed to accommodate their needs, the music programs are more free to work on practicing their instruments without as many outside distractions.

The new features and upgrades that have been built into the new room have impressed percussion teacher Hal Sargent.

“We have much more room than the old room. I love the fact that we don’t have to tear down the room and set up constantly. We are able to store things more appropriately and there is more time to spend on task with students,” said Sargent.

Even though percussion classes have only been in the room for a few weeks the difference in class is very noticeable.

“Just in the first few weeks we have been able to do so much more with the students then we could ever do before and, for me, that is the most exciting thing,” said Sargent.

Besides the main area for playing, the new room also includes a practice room that has sound proof doors and higher ceilings. Other technology upgrades allow students to compose their own measures of music on an app and then are able to share it with the class on the computer.

“I really like the open floor and the space of the room. The acoustics provided by the high ceilings and the natural sunlight from the large windows is nice,” said senior Kevin Pietras who is in Percussion 3.

Band and Percussion Room

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The new classroom also features a special closet to hold the drum line equipment as well as areas set aside in the room to allow classes to switch between band and percussion without rearranging the instruments in the process. With the front of the room set up with the band instruments and the back set up with the percussion equipment, the music classes save a great deal of time that can be otherwise spent practicing their instruments

For junior Cameron Vogt, this reduced time it takes to set up every day for class is the main reason he enjoys being in the new room.

“We don’t have to move any of the heavy equipment out of the room anymore since it is already set up and ready to play. Also there is no more rummaging through shelves to find equipment and it is better organized,” said Vogt.

Sargent hopes that the new room will increase interest in the program, which will eventually lead to more opportunities and bigger musical pieces.

“The difference between the old room is night and day. I can’t thank [Principal] Mr. [Jason] Curtis and the team who put it together enough,” said Sargent.

Additional reporting contributed by Op-Ed Editor Sean Feick.

Photo by Andrew Mihok/The Crusader

Juniors Dillon Zarelli and James Daw (left, in black), sophomores Anthony Cortina and Abby Boudreaux (center), and senior Kevin Pietras (right) play the xylophones during the Percussion III class under percussion teacher Hal Sargent in the new band and percussion room.

Music programs march to new beat at GibbonsNew room hits the right notes for percussion and band students


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Page design by Op-Ed Editor Sean Feick and Staff Writer Andrew Mihok

February 8, 2013

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Music programs march to new beat at Gibbons

“I really like the open floor and the space of the room. The acoustics provided by the high ceilings and the natural sunlight from the large windows is nice.”

-Senior Kevin Pietras

Photo by Andrew Mihok/The Crusader

“We don’t have to move any of the heavy equipment out of the room anymore... it is better organized.”

-Junior Cameron Vogt

Photo by Sean Feick/The Crusader

Photo by Sean Feick/The Crusader

“Just in the first few weeks we have been able to do so much more with the students then we could ever do before and for me that is the most exciting thing.”

-Percussion teacher Hal Sargent

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Andrew SchnittkerStaff Writer

Singing voices bring room to lifeNew room gives chorus class a permanent home

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Chorus teacher Joan Troy, in front of the Mission Wall, says “Having our own room verifies the importance of the program and gives us a home.”

Chorus teacher Joan Troy and her chorus students practice singing during class in the new chorus room.

Photo by Andrew Schnittker/The Crusader

Photo by Andrew Schnittker/The Crusader

The Building the Vision project provides more space for Gibbons activities but for choral music teacher Joan Troy and her students, the new wing has given them something special: a permanent home for the first time.

Before now, chorus class was usually held in the chapel, but whenever an event was going on there, they would have to move to various locations throughout the school.

The opening of the new arts and athletics wing means they have a permanent classroom.

“Having our own room verifies the importance of the program and gives us a home,” said Troy.

Sophomore Anthony Cortina, when asked what he liked most about the new classroom, replied, “Probably how it’s really our own room.”

The room does not have a lot of fancy equipment but the tiles of the room help magnify the singers’ voices, and the sound proof walls mean other classes are not disturbed by the singing.

“What I like about [the room] is [the room] is very ‘living’ and the sound for singing is very rich,” said Troy.

Another thing that helps the choral music program is the setup of the room itself.

Rather than being in the back as she was in the chapel, Troy can be at the piano in the front of the room, and unlike the heavy seats in the chapel, the students’ chairs can be moved around, providing flexibility during class.

“One thing Mrs. Troy likes about it is being in front of the room,” said Cortina.

Students are also quite happy with the new chorus room. Many students are into arts rather than sports, and they are right at home in the new wing.

“What makes our school special is we’re able to build this for the arts,” said senior Mary Kate Wall.


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Page design by Executive News Caleb Maloney and Staff Writer Andrew Schnittker

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Senior Paul Spencer plays his guitar after school in the new guitar room.

Photo by Caleb Maloney/The Crusader

“[The room] is a lot cleaner, it’s more streamlined and there’s less clutter. We got to throw out our old stuff. We get a different perspective of campus after years of the same view.”

-Guitar teacher Dave Spencer

Guitar strums their way into new wing

Caleb MaloneyNews Editor

New room sets tone for program

One of the new additions to the arts and athletics wing is a fine arts classroom dedicated for use by the guitar and chorus programs.

The addition of the new room allows students more space to practice and also provides a cleaner, brighter, less-cluttered room to work in, according to guitar teacher Dave Spencer.

“[The new room is] brighter. We have more breathing space. It’s more just guitar and choral in this room,” said Spencer.

Senior guitar student Nick Eichen likes that the new room seems like it was built specifically for guitar.

“We are sharing the room with less people so it seems more like a guitar room than a music room,” said Eichen.

One feature of the new room that stood out to students was the large window that covers just about the entire back wall, providing a lot of natural light.

“[The room] has a really high ceiling and a big window which makes it really bright and happy,” said Eichen.

“I like the sunlight and giant windows,” said sophomore Robert McKinney.

The new room is virtually soundproof with a room in between the band and guitar room that acts like a buffer which allows the two not to be interrupted by each other. This middle area also adds more storage for the classes and includes two practice rooms. The students also have fewer interruptions with the room no longer being around the cafeteria, which was sometimes a distraction.

“[My students] really like it. We still have the same basic setup and we are expecting more guitar racks in the future,” said Spencer.

So far Spencer enjoys the new room, as well.“[The room] is a lot cleaner, it’s more streamlined and there’s less clutter.

We got to throw out our old stuff. We get a different perspective of campus after years of the same view,” said Spencer.

Black Box

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Wrestling and

Cheerleading

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Chorus and

GuitarRoom

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AuxiliaryGym

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Dance Studio

WeightRoom

Visual Arts

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Band and percussion

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Mission Wall

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Brennan DohertyStaff Writer

UILDING THE VISIONBFor Gibbons men’s varsity basketball head

coach Marque Carrington and women’s varsity basketball head coach Jessica Lowe, Christmas came late in the shape of the new auxiliary gymnasium.

The gym, which opened for use January 7 when students and staff returned to school after Christmas break, is located in the center of the new arts and athletics wing, the first phase of the Building the Vision project.

After many years of having just one gym in which to schedule practices for five different basketball teams (men’s varsity, women’s varsity, JV men’s JV women’s, and freshmen men’s), the new gym makes life easier for everyone involved with the Gibbons basketball program.

“It’s a breath of fresh air, man. It’s going to help, just having another space where we can get in and have practice time, and we don’t have to come in, unless we choose to, at 6 a.m. to practice, or practicing from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m.,” said Carrington.

Lowe, whose team also understands the struggles that come with practicing in the early

New auxiliary gym a slam dunk for teams, studentsAdditional gym allows for more practices, activities in both gyms for all students

Auxiliary Gym

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Gibbons women’s varsity head basketball coach Jessica Lowe (center), pictured here with the team during a game in the main gym, said that having a new auxiliary gym means that her team doesn’t have to have 6 a.m. practices or stay at school practicing late at night, a major benefit for the team and coaches.

morning or late at night, agreed that the new gym is a much needed addition.

“It’s fantastic. We can have two teams practicing at the same time which eliminates some 6:00 a.m. practices, which no one is a fan of. It also gets us out of here before 9:00 at night,” said Lowe.

Lowe, a mother of two young children, was also excited about the idea of getting home earlier to be with her husband and children.

“I have two kids at home, and it means that I

can be done with practice around dinner time so I can get home and put the kids to bed, so I’m not here until 9:00 at night,” said Lowe.

Junior Moses Romocki, a small forward on the men’s varsity team, also appreciates the conveniences that come with a second gym.

“It’s really nice to have a second gym because there are more convenient practice times. There’s no longer a need to come in early in the morning, or

late at night,” said Romocki.The auxiliary gym has six total baskets, two

at each baseline of the court, and four additional baskets, two on each sideline. The court is standard length, and is illuminated by both fluorescent lighting as well as natural light from windows

which run the length of the gym.Not only does the new gym help the

basketball program, it is also beneficial to the school’s P.E. and weightlifting classes, as well as other sports teams, according to first-year athletic director Todd Schuler.

P.E. classes can have groups working in the auxiliary gym, and have others working in the new and nearby weight room doing other exercises, Schuler noted.

As nice as it is to have the new gym in itself, Schuler speaks for many when he says the new addition is a sign of how much Gibbons cares about its students and all their extracurricular activities.

“I don’t think you have to go any further than the new Mission Wall [in the new lobby] to understand the commitment that Cardinal Gibbons has to extracurriculars and student life, in general. You look at those 800 plus pictures and you see all the different activities that people are engaged in,” said Schuler.

“It says very loud and very clear that what students are doing after school is very important to everybody associated with the community.”

Photo by Kelley Murren/Landmark Yearbook

Page design by Staff Writer Brennan Doherty

New auxiliary gym a slam dunk for teams, students

February 8 2013

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Gibbons men’s varsity basketball head coach Marque Carrington said that the new auxiliary gym is a great help to his team, and all other Gibbons basketball teams.

The JV women’s basketball team practices in the new auxiliary gym. Having a second gym allows for multiple teams to practice at the same time and also opens up the main gym for other activities.

Photo by Brennan Doherty/The Crusader

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Photo by Brennan Doherty/The Crusader

Erik Borchers Staff Writer

The arts and athletics wing created new home bases for many programs, including the Gibbons wrestling team.

The wrestling team primarily shares practice time in the new multi-purpose room, located next to the new weight room, with the cheerleading pro-gram. Neither program had a dedicated space for practices until the opening of the new wing.

The wrestling team is currently composed of only eight active wrestlers although forty are need-ed to compete in matches, according to wrestling coach Stan Chambers.

“We do the best we can with the players we have,” said Chambers.

The wrestling team added three new fresh-man prospects this year and by practicing on-campus now, instead of off-campus as the team did previously, the team has an opportunity to attract new players by being more visible on campus, ac-cording to Chambers.

“Numbers will improve the team,” said Cham-bers.

The Gibbons’ wrestling team has practiced in different places over the years, including at the old Cardinal Gibbons campus on Western Boulevard and at Chambers’ wrestling studio.

Having the new practice space on campus, in addition to the new auxiliary gym and weight room right next door, is having a positive effect on the team, according to Chambers and team members.

“The new weight room is a lot better. We use it more now that it’s on campus,” said sophomore Thomas Davis.

The new weight room is about three times larger than the former one and it is large enough and has enough equipment for multiple students to use at the same time.

Gibbons wrestling pins hopes on new homeOn-campus practice space offers chance to grow both team and skill

Multi-Purpose Room

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Photo by Erik Borchers/The Crusader


The Gibbons 2012-2013 wrestling team in the new multi-purpose room. Front row, left to right: Sophomore Thomas Davis, freshmen Brooks Bailey and Colin Donovan. Back row, left to right: junior Sean Biette, senior captain Alexander Palinski, sophomore Neal Nelson, freshman John Hart, and sophomore Xander Saleh.

Photo by Jordan Watkins/Landmark Yearbook

Cheerleaders perform during the the Winter Pep Rally on Friday, February 1. The wrestling and cheerleading teams primarily share the new multi-purpose athletics room in the new wing.

The wrestling team moves the wrestling mats before leaving for an away meet, watched by head coach Stan Chambers (left). The wres-tling team primarily shares practice time in the new multi-purpose room with the cheerleading team.

Background photo by Erik Borchers/The Crusader

Extended ceiling offers unlimited height for cheerleading stunts

UILDING THE VISIONB

Page design by Staff Writers Emmett Williams and Erik Borchers

February 8, 2013

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The Gibbons 2012-2013 wrestling team in the new multi-purpose room. Front row, left to right: Sophomore Thomas Davis, freshmen Brooks Bailey and Colin Donovan. Back row, left to right: junior Sean Biette, senior captain Alexander Palinski, sophomore Neal Nelson, freshman John Hart, and sophomore Xander Saleh.

Photo by Jordan Watkins/Landmark Yearbook

With the new wing completed, the Gibbons cheerleading team now has a dedicated practice area for the first time with the addition of the new multi-purpose room.

“We will actually be able to have a full cheer floor in this room and run our routines from beginning to end,” said head coach Jenni-fer Marks, in an email interview.

Before the new wing was finished, the cheerleading team practiced in the cafeteria or in an off-campus gym.

The new room features a high ceiling and expansive space for mats, as well as being free from obstructions like the tables and chairs like the team had to deal with in the cafeteria.

According to Marks, the open space and tall ceiling have greatly increased the ability of the team to run through full routines and having a properly designed room also makes practice safer for the athletes.

Though the cheer team primarily shares practice time in the room with the wrestling team, Marks said this wasn’t an issue.

“Working with [wrestling head coach Stan Chambers] on scheduling was the easiest thing I have ever done,” said Marks.

Emmett WilliamsStaff Writer

The 2012-2013 cheerleading team in the new multi-purpose room. First row (left to right): seniors Tabatha Centano, Sindy Hernandez, Mary Katherine Harrill, and captain Katherine Goudy. Second row, freshman Amanda Burns, juniors Kaylee Braswell, Gena Servoss, freshman Sophia Paschaloudis. Third row: Freshmen Charlotte Welsh on Jules Bruno, junior Madison Roels on sophomore Meghan Nedoma, junior Bianca Roels on sophomore Kristen Gallaro, juniors Tess Bettinsoli on Kiley Shannon, Savannah Mann, Mary Harris, sophomores Sophia Sajovec, and Aurbrey Losak.

Cheerleaders in a pyramind at the Winter Pep Rally. Next season will be the first full sea-son that the cheerleaders have access to the new room.


Cheerleaders look to fly high in new room

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Extended ceiling offers unlimited height for cheerleading stunts

Tyler WelchStaff Writer

Gibbons weight room raises the bar Students, sports teams, alumni, and staff are ready to use the brand new facility

Weight room

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Sophomore Brandon Loy squats in the new weight room.Photo by Tyler Welch/The Crusader


“I highly enjoy the new weight room, all the new equipment leads me to have a better workout for myself, the new material is a great improvement and it pushes you to work harder.”

-Senior Elliot Rende

The new arts and athletics wing features a new, much larger and better equipped weight room, which is available for use by all students and athletics teams.

“The biggest difference people will immediately notice is the amount of space in our new weight room. The new weight room is about three times larger than the former weight room,” said Athletic Director Todd Schuler.

The new room is stocked with brand new equipment and a number of new squats, bench presses, dumbbell sets and more. There are a number of “power racks,” machines which can accommodate multiple weightlifters doing different activities at the same time.

“We’ve got the new double-sided power racks which allow 30-plus athletes to perform all of their core lifts at the same time, and we’ve got the open space on the floor for plyometric and core conditioning exercises,’’ said Schuler.

This allows a more efficient workout than the old weight room since the number of benches and squat racks were limited in the old room.

The new weight room also has significant benefits for athletics teams, thanks to the additional space.

“Our goal was to create a training space that can easily accommodate teams. The old weight room had a lot of single-purpose machines and cardio equipment. It was difficult to properly train more than 15-20 students at the same time,” said Schuler. “We can easily accommodate 35-40 students with the new configuration.”

“When you have a whole football team [lifting], we [now can] have a lot of guys in here and we have them all in here at the same time. Before we had to split them up into different groups [but] now we can all work out together,” said junior wide reciever/quarterback Dante DiMaggio.

Students feel the new room improves the quality of their workouts, thanks to the additional space and a far more comfortable workout experience.

“I highly enjoy the new weight room. All the new equipment leads me to have a better workout for myself. The new material is a great improvement and it pushes you to work harder,” said senior Elliot Rende.

“There is more of an opportunity for us to get bigger and stronger, the workout process is a lot more efficient now with so many benches and squats. I feel that I am getting a better workout because of the new room. I find myself getting more work in,” said sophomore Brandon Loy.

Additional reporting contributed by Sports Editor Cheyenne Wood.

Background photo by Megan Yates/The Crusader

UILDING THE VISIONB

Page design by Sports Editor Cheyenne Wood and Staff Writer Tyler Welch

Gibbons weight room raises the bar

February 8, 2013

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Photo by Tyler Welch/The Crusader

“When you have a whole football team, we have a lot of guys in here and we have to have them all in here at the same time, before we had to split them up into different groups now we can all workout together.”

-Junior Dante DiMaggio

“I love the layout of our new space. There’s a great transition or flow between our weight room, multi-purpose room, and new auxiliary gym. It allows us to be more creative in our approach to fitness training. Now we can train multiple teams or large groups of students at the same time.”

-Athletic Director Todd Schuler“I highly enjoy the new weight room,

all the new equipment leads me to have a better workout for myself, the new material is a great improvement and it pushes you to work harder.”

-Senior Elliot Rende

Photo by Cheyenne Wood/The Crusader

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Rebecca Camak Staff Writer

The future of Gibbons photography snaps into focus Natural light, new lighting studio help students’ best work shine through

Photography Room

A new room, a new route to class, and a new way of seeing things make the new photography room a positive addition for the junior and senior students taking this elective.

“Wonderful addition”, “professional”, “spacious”, and “more light” are how many describe the new work space.

The room is much larger than the previous photo room which provides the students with more space and freedom.

“I like the new room. It’s a lot bigger than the old one. We aren’t as cramped in this one so the class is more relaxing,” said junior Calleigh West, a student in Photography I.

The most distinctive feature, according to students, is the abundance of natural light from the vast windows, which almost all students mentioned as a positive addition to the new space.

“My favorite part of the new room is definitely the spaciousness. With a higher ceiling and more floor space, the new room feels twice as big as the older room. I also really enjoy having the large windows expand across the back wall, because I know when spring comes around they’ll really light up the room,” senior Chad Knuth.

The added space will allow for more computers to be added as well as new printer technology. This will provide more opportunities for students to organize and work with their pictures.

The addition of a “light studio”, a room which can easily be lit multiple ways for different types of photo shoots, is a unique feature of the new space.

“The lighting studio will be a wonderful addition to the photography program,” said photography teacher Kitty Miller.

Miller hopes that the new room will encourage photo students to be more inspired in their work and become even more involved in the elective.

“I think it will encourage photo students to take their work more seriously and to want to stay after school and work,” said Miller.

“I think we will be able to better understand how to work with shadows and angles of objects and faces. It’s a really professional way to practice taking pictures,” said senior Samara Knuckley.

“It has definitely enhanced our learning and makes the class more interesting,” said junior Maddie Vrsack, a student in Photography I.

Additional reporting contributed by Variety Editor Matthew Talbot.

This wall features images by students from the Photo II class’s most recent portrait assignment. The wall displays the various ways portraiture can be taken, whether it’s a person’s face or an object that represents them.

Next to the printed photos there is a collection of cyanotypes that the Photo II students also created. Cyanotypes are a process of photo printing that uses sunlight to reveal an image from a digital negative.

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Photo by Matthew Talbot/The Crusader


Background photo by Matthew Talbot/The Crusader

UILDING THE VISIONB

Page design by Executive Variety Editor Matthew Talbot and Staff Writer Rebecca Camak

February 7, 2013

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Seniors Wynn Saleeby and Gabi Lavelle take pictures in the new lighting studio.

The old saying “Out with the old and in with the new” applies especially well to the new photography room. A “light room”, a lighting studio, has replaced the former dark room, providing current and future students a room with which to completely express themselves.

In order to have a photo shoot in the old photo room, students would have to set up a studio, which took up half of the classroom. But with this new room dedicated to just photo shoots students never have to worry about shoots getting in the way of class. They can just close the door and it’s hidden from the classroom.

The light room replaced the dark room, a former staple of photography classes. The dark room was used to create prints from negatives using a specific chemical bath and drying them overnight. Dark rooms are becoming a thing of the past due to the technological advance of printers and photo processing software.

Regarding no longer having the dark room, photograpy teacher Kitty Miller said, “Now that the printer technology has improved there was no need for it. The chemicals were not healthy to be exposed to and it was a pain to maintain and clean up. The lighting studio will be more helpful and relevant for photo shoots.”

Next to the printed photos there is a collection of cyanotypes that the Photo II students also created. Cyanotypes are a process of photo printing that uses sunlight to reveal an image from a digital negative.

Lighting studio replaces dark roomMatthew TalbotExecutive Variety Editor

Q: How do you think the new room will help photography students?

A: [It will provide] more exposure to learning about studio lighting. The space is bigger and we have more space for equipment and [we will be able] to add new technology as well. The space is state of the art and professional looking. I think it will encourage photo students to take their work more seriously and to want to stay after school and work.

Photography teacher Kitty Miller.

Photo by Gibbons Media


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Art room sculpts student visionOpening of art rooms designed especially for art students brings new advantages

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Senior Chad Knuth carves a clay face for his AP 3D art class.

Photo by Megan Yates/The Crusader

Visual Arts Room

Senior Brandon Woolard uses the wheel in the new art room for AP 3D.Photo by Megan Yates/The Crusader

Background photo by Megan Yates/The Crusader

Two new fine art rooms, located at the end of the new wing, provide students a more accommo-dating space for their fine art work.

The two rooms, one for visual arts and the other for photography, are next to each other, with a small office and storage space connecting the two.

Compared to the old art room, the new art room features concrete floors that are easier to clean, large windows that allow more natural light in the rooms, and a new, bigger storage room.

“The two new art rooms are specifically de-signed to facilitate an art program, as opposed to the old room, made as a sort of lecture hall. The new storage area is also a great addition,” said fine arts department chair Rebecca Dason.

Students seem to enjoy the new art room, es-pecially the intro to clay students who now have two new kilns to fire their clay pieces.

“The new kilns are important for clay class be-cause the old kilns would always break down,” said senior Haleigh Nelson.

The new kilns allow for more efficiency when it comes to turning in assignments on time and get-ting pieces fired because the old kilns often failed, causing students to have to wait to have their pieces finished.

Other art students agree the new equipment and new space improve the experience for students.

“There is better equipment, it is a better learn-ing environment,” said junior Chase Pose.

Students and teachers also seem to agree that the abundance of natural light is beneficial and a great addition to the new space.

“I like the glass, the natural light, it feels more open,” said Pose.

“It’s very open and bright and a great addition to the school,” said senior Donna Steinbacher.

Additional reporting contributed by staff writer Preston Moser.

UILDING THE VISIONB

Page design by Photo Editor Megan Yates and Preston Moser

February 8, 2013

Most items used for still life in the old room made it to the new.

Junior Shelby Scanlin hot glues handmade newspaper flowers to a headband for AP 3D.

Sophomore Tim Kowalczyk works on a painting during his Art II class.

Photo by Megan Yates/The Crusader

Photo by Preston Moser/The Crusader

Photo by Preston Moser/The Crusader

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the crusader - special edition: "inside 'building the vision'"_february 2013

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