StudentS Accept RAchel’S chAllengerED BANK CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL - rED BANK, NEW JErSEY 07701 May 2014Vol. 32 no. 3

S

By Mary Kate McNamara

This spring break, a beloved tradition here at Red Bank Catholic continued for its fifth year. The NOLA trip, led by Mr. Gates and Mrs. Booth, allows students to help the damaged communities that are still suffer-ing from 2005’s Hurricane Katrina. Twenty-five senior students traveled down to New Orleans and helped re-build, along with two RBC graduates, Kelly O’Leary and Eddie Schneider. O’Leary and Mr. Gates founded the Casey Volunteers back in 2005. The passion to reach out was fueled by the loss of Kelly’s grandmother’s house when Katrina struck. Mr. Gates recalled his first trip down to New Orleans, when he was shocked at the damage. He said,“Some places look as bad today - nine years later- as they did the day after Katrina hit.” The trip was not seen as work to the students; rather, they have looked forward to the trip all year, and viewed it as a chance to give back. In New Orleans, the students worked several hours a day volunteering to rebuild houses and spent time with members of the community whose lives have been changed by the his-toric storm. The Casey Volunteers worked with Lowes and other home improvement companies which do-nated materials for free, or at a low cost. The groups worked on projects like tiling bathrooms, painting, and demolition, all of which were just small steps in the reconstruction process. The project used laborers

from the area, or volunteer groups. The Casey Volun-teers have worked with Habitat for Humanity, as well as Our Lady of the Angels and the St. Bernard’s Project. Not only have the Casey Volunteers helped to rebuild the damage after Katrina; they have also reached out to Sandy victims here at the Jersey Shore. The Signpost interviewed several of the NOLA members who shared their excitement about the trip. The Signpost:” Why did you want to go on the NOLA trip?” Ty Decker: “Previous mission trips influenced my decision to go to NOLA. They showed me that I can have fun while helping others. I also was influenced by the fact that all of us going on the trip are a strong and happy group.” Meghan Byrne: “I wanted to help people; I do community service here, but I wanted to go outside of my comfort zone.” Karley Hildin: “I wanted to meet people face to face. You hear about the disaster, but I want to meet the people affected. I expect to have a good experi-ence with people I’m close with and will get to know them more.” Katie Wilson: “A lot of my friends in past years have had great experiences on this trip, and they have inspired me to want to help Katrina victims.”

cASeyS help Rebuild in new oRleAnS

By Maggie Jenkins

Rachel Joy Scott was a student killed in the Col-umbine High School shooting in 1999. She has left a last-ing legacy through her positive outlook on the way she believed we should treat others. On March 7, the students at Red Bank Catholic had the opportunity to attend a pre-sentation called, “Rachel’s Challenge.” The tragedy that occurred at Columbine High School has left a mark on the nation that cannot be overlooked. Out of this, people have the opportunity to learn about the way our words and actions, no matter how small, affect others. Mrs. Booth helped bring the event to Red Bank Catholic in an effort to make students aware and more mindful of the way their words and actions impact oth-ers. “Rachel’s Challenge” is focused on preventing bullying and spreading kindness in schools and communities. Ra-chel said herself, “I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same. People will never know how far a little kindness can go.” As seen on the “Rachel’s Chal-lenge” website, the objec-tive for schools is, “to equip students and adults with re-sources to insure that their schools are safe, caring and supportive learning environ-ments essential for academic achievement.” During the presen-tation, students watched a video that featured inter-views from the different peo-

ple Rachel had made an impact on.Many people, including friends, strangers, and even her brother have testified that Rachel was one of the kindest and most compassionate people they had ever met, and the challenges she constructed ought to be carried out. Students were brought to tears as they realized that the scenario that had played out that fateful day could happen to any one of them. Rachel did not seek attention or compensation for helping others; she did so out of the kindness of her heart. Countless people have been inspired by her to make a difference, and perform random acts of kindness. The “Rachel’s Challenge” website says that Rachel’s words have influenced more than twenty-one million people to help others who are strug-gling, socially or psychologically. As the presentation drew to a close, the students were presented with five challenges: look

for the best in others, dream big, choose positive influences, speak with kindness, and start a chain reac-tion of positive behav-ior. A banner hangs in the RBC lobby with signatures of students who have pledged to carry on “Rachel’s Challlenge.”

Students proudly sign their names and promise to treat oth-ers with the kindess and respect all people deserve.

PRING

PORTS

giRlS’ tRAck:Seniors: Chelsea Bruce, Eileen Byrne, Alyssa Coakley, Megan Coakley, Kate Davin, Amanda Hurd, Kelly McKibbin, Kelly Mulvaney, Haley rousell, Katya Saling, Julia Castellano, Ani De-murjian, Laura Gallagher, Caro-line Kurowski, Christina Thomp-son, Ali rieger

boyS’ tRAck:Seniors: Joe Lombardi, Andrew Maita, Pat ruane, Kyle Bogert, James Beal, Liam Coffey, Nolan Conway, Tim O’Hara, Andrew Fe-liciano, Connor McNamara, Chris Thomas, Nick Wade

boyS’ tenniS:Seniors: NoneRecord: 0-5-0

boyS’ lAx:Seniors: Anthony Demian, Alex Spezio, Matt Krueger, Mike Oristano, Kevin Stickle, ryan Coolahan, Nolan riley, Chris Fon-te, Andrew Porzio, Matt Paddock, Matt Breeden, Pat Chambrovich Record: 10-5

giRlS’ lAx:Seniors: rebecca Losch, Grace Fallon, Maeve Cowley, Amanda Casten, Julie Krasutsky Record: 12-1

boyS’ VolleybAll:Seniors: Mac Taylor, JP Legrotta-glie, Dan Ambrosino, Pat Toomey, Pat Meehan, Thomas ClaggettRecord: 9-4

bASebAll:Seniors: Jack Kissinger, Al Molina, Vin Vitarelli, ryan Huhn, Brenden Madigan, Michael Alescio, Ste-phen Flego, Joe Liddy, Matt Kurd-ewan, Tom Puza, Danny Sullivan Record: 12-4

SoftbAll:Seniors: Jen Mancino, Brianna DelGiudiceRecord: 9-9

boyS’ golf:Seniors: Joe DiCroce, Matt Gold-en, Max ParedesRecord: 8-1

giRlS’ golf:Seniors: Clare rochfordRecord: 8-0

(stats as of 5/2/14)

Page 2 the SignpoSt

Editorials MAY 2014

The SignpostVol 32 No. 3

“Opinions stated are not necessarily the voice of the Signpost”

American Scholastic Press Association - First Place

red Bank Catholic High School112 Broad Street

red Bank, NJ 07701Published Quarterly

Editors-in-Chief........................................Natalie Ostrowski & Michaela Fleming

News Editor................................................................................Abigail L. BoriottiFeatures Editor................................................................................Katerina SalingAssistant Features Editor................................................................Maggie JenkinsArts & Entertainment Editor..........................................................Laura DengroveSports Editor........................................................................Mary-Kate McNamaraCopy Editor..................................................................Charlene Grigaitis ShicklerGraphics Editor........................................................................Emmanuel Mauvais

Moderator.............................................................................Ms.Mary King

SAt chAngeS foR the betteR By Michaela Fleming

From projects, essays, tests, homework, clubs, sports, friends, and-family, high school can be a lot to juggle. One wants to be well -rounded and involved in activities, while maintaining a good

GPA and having time to hang around with family and friends. Fresh-men are preoccupied with the adjustment to high school curriculum, sophomores are worried about maintaining or improving their hab-its, juniors are preparing for the dreaded SAT, and seniors are focused on the envelopes determining their entrances to or denials from their dream schools. Every year of high school seems to be working toward something in the future. If we are always focusing on the things that will come next, how can we enjoy the present? Academics are important. We need good grades to get into college, but we cannot let grades consume us. I am not suggesting to turn that biology homework into a paper airplane and send it soar-ing off the fourth floor with backpack in tow. But try to step back and smell the roses. High school might seem like forever now, but it goes by in the blink of an eye. Though the thought process may be“four years is an eternity; I have plenty of time to turn things around and change things up,” underclassmen will be like this writer, sporting a senior fleece, crossing t’s and i’s on final high school documents. As we reflect on all of the accomplishments made in four years, will we be satisfied? Anxiety over school work is normal. Studies have found that close to thirty percent of females and twenty percent of males suffer from various types of anxiety. As the average workload of homework rises, so do the stress levels of students. But colleges do not just want good grades; do they? No, they want high SAT scores, community service hours, and involvement in extracurricular activities. Now one might be wondering how on earth are we supposed to have all of these things and be normal teenagers? Have no fear, an overly anxious, but wise senior is about to clue everyone in. The secret key to succeeding in high school is balance. Set a long term goal, whether it be a favored college to attend, a desired job, or a skill to excel at. Research a goal and find out what is needed in order to reach it, so when that time comes and the dream is in sight, there is nothing that will get in the way of achieving it. Set schedules and be smart. If an an English paper is due tomorrow, it is not a bright idea to spend the entire day with friends. On the other hand, do not let a paper due in two weeks ruin having some fun. When schedules are set, we decrease stress and the feeling of drowning in responsibilities. Maybe there will even be some extra time to join an activity or spend additional time with family. High school is a tough time for some people. Adjusting into a new environment, making new friends, and studying new things can be frightening, and even overwhelming. But high school is supposed to be one of the best times of our lives, and worrying over frivolous de-tails is not very enjoyable. Perhaps it is more important to be happy and normal than it is to be overachieving and dead inside. Set a goal, find a balance, and enjoy high school. Try this now, and thank me later.

AdVice fRoM A SenioR: Anxiety

Fear not, Spring 2016 test takers, College Board has decided to help assuage any anxieties and level the playing field with a new and im-proved SAT. The redesigned college exam has made drastic changes,

such as offering the test both in print and online, scoring the test on a 400-1600 scale, counting only correct answers, providing an optional fifty minute essay, and presenting each question in a logical and straightfor-ward fashion. These changes have been made mainly to appropriately test college-bound students on relevant material that does not require expensive preparation classes. It is wonderful that these changes are be-ing made, as this will give nervous juniors and seniors peace of mind on test day, and breach the wealth-gap surrounding expensive SAT prepara-tion classes. Taking a three hour and forty-five minute test that helps deter-mine college admissions can be a nerve-wracking experience. The pain-fully brief breaks and stomach growling sounds that accompany strong desires to eat pancakes from the diner certainly do not boost scores. Not all of these changes will lessen the anxiety surrounding the test, but test-ing students on relevant material learned in high school will certainly help. CEO of College Board David Coleman said, “We hope you breathe a sigh of relief that this exam will be focused, useful, open, clear, and aligned with the work you will do throughout high school.” For that reason, practi-cal words used in college will replace archaic vocabulary that is not used much anymore. The math section will feature more algebra problems and equations so students feel comfortable with material that was taught to them in the classroom. The essay has become optional, and it will be scored separately. Students will have fifty minutes to write it, rather than twenty-five. This decision is a good one because many students have diffi-culty writing under pressure, and this can be a false indicator of their writ-ing skills. However, with an additional twenty- five minutes to brainstorm, outline, write and proofread, the essay portion is much fairer and should more accurately indicate an individual’s writing skills. One of the best things about the redesigned test is that the need for SAT classes will decline. Mixed feelings about the need for these prepa-ration courses exist. It is a good idea to reach out to students who struggle with test-taking that need the additional advice. However, these classes cost so much money, causing an unfair situation for those who cannot afford them. Since the test is becoming more practical and relevant to a high school student’s curriculum, the scoring among lower-income stu-dents and higher-income students should be similar. It is a well-known fact that standardized testing will always be used to place students’ academic standings appropriately. However, it is unnec-essary to design a test that intentionally asks unreasonably complicated questions. It is important for students to remember that they are more than a number grade. If the SAT were perfect, would the creators be mak-ing all of these changes? It is proven that teenagers are struggling with this test. This revamped exam will benefit high school students across the country, and establish a more equal footing for those who cannot af-ford expensive SAT preparation classes.

By Natalie Ostrowski

MAY 2014 Page 3the SignpoSt

ArTS & ENTErTAINMENT

By Laura Dengrove By Laura Dengrove

Rockin’ the Road to nola foR A MoSt woRthy cAuSe

T his movie may be Divergent, but it certainly is not diverse. Not surprisingly, another teen post-apocalyptic tale has been unleashed onto the masses, hoping to milk this cash cow once more. Like The

Hunger Games, the storyline centers around a strong female lead in a tale about the crumbling of society, with rigid caste-like social divisions. It is a shame that this movie was not released before the 2012 blockbuster about Katniss Everdeen, because it may have had a fighting chance. By no means is this movie terrible; it is just average.

Divergent tells the tale of Beatrice (Shailene Woodly), who is forced to choose between the different factions set up in a world ravaged by de-struction. This is done to keep the peace among the people, who must choose to be Abnegation (selfless), Amity (kind), Candor (honest), Eru-dite (intelligent) or Dauntless (brave). If you choose to not belong to one, or end up not fitting in a faction, you become factionless. This deci-sion is even harder for Beatrice because she is Divergent, which means she belongs to all factions. With her Divergent status, she soon discov-ers her world is not as peaceful as it appears, and there may be a hid-den meaning and danger to everything she has ever known or loved.

The film appears to be adapted well, but it too easily resembles the book. When adapting, the writer should add some flare to keep movie audiences going. However, this movie lacks that essential spark. Its staying power is diminished by the computer generated images (CGI). A film like this should spend the extra money to produce plausible and realistic visual effects, but in some scenes we can practically see the green screen, or lack thereof.

The performances may be the saving grace of this film. In a surprising turn of events, it is not the leads (Woodley and newcomer Theo James, who plays Four), but the supporting actors who shine. In particular, Jai Courtney (Eric), Miles Teller (Peter), and Kate Winslet (Jeanine Matthews), all play their parts with conviction, adding a flare to a movie that lacks it in other areas. The impressiveness of Courtney and Teller’s roles alone will leave the viewer rooting for them even though they are two of the antago-nists of the film. The camera work also saves the movie from flopping. The shots in the beginning of the film, in particular, are most impressive.

All in all, the film is not terrible, just average and predictable. If you find yourself with nothing to do on a rainy night, go see it. The perfor-mances and camera work in the film should be good enough reason to see it, and some witty dialogue does creep its way in there once in a while. While in the end this movie claims to be Divergent, fitting in with all factions of the world, it may just have to settle for being normal.

By Grace Timko

More than anything, New Orleans is known for its music. Music festivals and street musi-cians are the norm in the Big Easy; music—especially jazz—is quite a prominent part of NOLA’s culture. Therefore, it seems appropriate that one of the main fundraisers for the Casey Volunteers’ trip to NOLA is an exhibition of the nu-merous talented Red Bank Catho-lic students. “Rockin’ the Road to NOLA” provides a unique oppor-tunity for the RBC community to support an important cause and

By Abigail L. Boriotti

This year’s spring musical was a well known classic - Grease. The play was a huge success; the sets and costumes were bright and colorful, the cast was eager to per-form, and the tech crew was spot on with their cues. While watching the actors on stage the audience was easily immersed in the musi-cal’s story. Throughout the show leads Henry Raber (Danny Zuko) and Kate Mazza (Sandy Dumbrowski) captivated the audience with their superb characterizations, while Kaitlin Leddy’s portrayal of Marty peaked with her beautiful rendi-tion of “Freddy My Love.” The entire cast consisted of incredibly enthu-siastic and talented students who elevated the musical to a whole new level.

The play’s musical director, Mr. Shawn Mack, stated, “the play was a great time for everyone and was something everyone could en-joy.” Along with their stunning visuals and vocals, Grease attracted a large crowd; it was so popular that three out of the four showings were totally sold out days ahead of time. When asked about this achievement, cast member Sophia Amorski (ensemble) said, “It was a lot of hard work, but having three out of the four shows sold out was an amazing feeling. It turned out to be an amazing show.” The show was spectacular to watch, and the classic songs like “Greased Lightning” and “Summer Nights” were a pleasure to listen to, while “Hand Jive” stopped the show.

Rbc Meets Rydell high

express itself artistically. Since the first show in 2011, enthusiasm for this event has grown, and inspired students to perform. This year’s show included an eclectic selection of solo artists and bands, while featuring dance, acting, and improv performances for the first time. Senior Lauren Stucko, the first and only dancer, mesmerized the audience through her dance to only an acoustic guitar. It is no doubt that the audience members recognized many familiar faces; however, it is certain that those un-

familiar performers did not go un-noticed. Senior Quinn McMenaman showed off her incredible talents on the piano while accompanying senior Kaitlin Leddy during her per-formance. Refusing to be hindered by unexpected technical difficul-ties, daring performers chose to sing a capella (without instruments or a backing track) rather than for-feit their opportunity to sing. Every performer put all of his or her efforts toward this year’s successful production,

and because of their dedication, it was certainly one to remember. The Casey Volunteers were grateful for Mrs. O’Keefe-Howlett and Mrs. Flanagan for organizing and supporting a wonderful “Rock-in’ the Road to NOLA” 2014.

Divergent review

Leading roles, Sandy, played by Kate Mazza, and Danny, played by Henry Raber (center), pose with the rest of the Rydell High crew.

b-

MAY 2014Red bAnk cAtholic high School - Red bAnk, new jeRSey 07701Page 4

wReStling wARRioR ShAwn MccoRd

FEATUrES

Prom season has begun. The RBC 2014 Junior Prom was held on Friday, April 4, at Jacques in Mid-dletown. The venue was beauti-fully decorated by the junior class moderator, Mrs. Scaramuzzino, and members of the RBC Student Council. All of the juniors enjoyed them-selves as they danced the night away and socialized with their class-mates. The juniors were particular-ly excited to document their night in the Photo Booth. The students also enjoyed the music played by the DJ and the food. The titles of Prom King and Queen went to Bry-an Andrew and Sydney Grusd. All of the juniors enjoyed their night and could not have asked for a better prom.

junioR pRoM By Sam Gaudio, Courtney La-brecque, and Amy Dowden

Senior Shawn McCord is well-known at competitions throughout the wrestling season. McCord has been a contributing member of the Casey Wrestling Team since his freshman year, practicing five days a week during the season, and training in the off- season. McCord has long been no stranger to wrestling; he has loved the sport since he was young. He believes that growing up and becoming stronger drives him to want to be the best. This season, McCord, a 220 lb. weight class wrestler, won Districts, and became the first RBC wrestler to qualify for States since 1983. He also became the first Casey wrestler to medal at States since 1974. Last season, McCord was second in the district and lost a heartbreaking match that ended his season. However, that heartbreaking match is what McCord attributes to his success this year. “Winning this year was so sweet and the fire inside me was fueled by last year’s loss.” McCord continued, “It’s a dream come true. It’s an awesome feeling and I did it for the team.” McCord is a two sport All- Shore athlete; he made first team All -Shore for his position as defensive end on the football team, and second-team All Shore for his success in the 220 lb. wresting weight class.

McCord is committed to play football at St. Fran-cis (Pennsylvania) this coming fall. Due to the busy football schedule, McCord will not be wrestling on the college level. Despite his passion for wrestling, he says, “I chose football because the recruiting pro-cess is a lot easier. Coaches are always after players that come from a great program like RBC.” In college, Shawn hopes to be a valuable asset as a defensive end to St. Francis’ football program, and study crimi-nal justice. No matter where McCord ends up, he says he will always live by the motto: “Hard work beats tal-ent when talent doesn’t work hard.”

By Mary Kate McNamara & Michaela Fleming

CASEYS WENT MAD THIS MARCHMarch Madness captured the attention of millions of Americans this spring. teachers and students were polled during activity period to gauge the reaction of the RBC community as to the annual NCAA basketball tournament.

What is your opinion on March Madness?A. I love college basketball. I always make a bracket and watch the majority of the games. 20%

B. I watch college basketball sometimes and I make a bracket and hope my teams will win. 12%

C. I don’t watch basketball, but I make a bracket because everyone else does. 14%

D. I don’t make a bracket, but I watch some of the games. 31%

E. What is March Madness? 23%

The Taste of Red Bank Club had the opportunity to review some goodies from Carlo’s Bakery, the popular new bake shop owned by the Cake Boss himself, Buddy Valastro. Bianca Pillari Perdelwitz, store manager and graduate of Red Bank Catholic, warmly greeted the hungry students and gave them the chance to nibble on delectable cannolis and delicious hot chocolate. The students have spoken, and Carlo’s has won the hearts

and tastebuds of Red Bank Catholic.

“Our experience at Carlo’s Bakery was very good. Bianca was so friendly, and welcomed us all with cannolis and delicious hot chocolate. They have a wide variety of baked goods and cakes made for every occasion.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time there and the service was great.” –Quinn McMenaman, Bailey Henneberger and Gab McMahon

“The food was amazing! The hot chocolate was heated to the perfect temperature and it was seriously the best hot chocolate I’ve ever tasted. The cannolis were just as amazing. The shells were crispy and the filling

was so creamy. Overall, the service was superb and the food was fantastic.”- Christina Stewart

“Carlo’s Bakery is a great addition to Red Bank. The delicious cannolis really complemented the richness of the hot chocolate. The hot chocolate was really the best we’ve ever had. The service was excellent, and

the atmosphere was welcoming.” – Catie Monahan and Clare Rochford

“The trip to Carlo’s Bakery was fantastic. The food was amazing, especially the hot chocolate. The room

was spacious and clean. All the food in the glass looked amazing and cute. We cannot wait to go again!” – Isabel Kershner and Maggie Lynch

Taste of Red Bank Samples Sweet Treats

Shawn McCord proves his strength, and takes his oppo-nent to the ground. Picture courtesy of Ken Cook.

First team:Mike Cosentino (Ice Hockey)

JaCkie Van Lew (SwImmIng) 500

Free, 200 Free relay, 400 relay

karLi ryMer (SwImmIng) 200 Free

relay, 400 Free relay

Morgan BeLforti (SwImmIng) 200

Free relay, 400 Free relay

shannon BeLforti (SwImmIng) 200

Free relay, 400 Free relay

second team:eVan hoey (Ice Hockey)

keVin stiCkLe (Ice Hockey)

shawn MCCord (wreStlIng)

JaCkie Van Lew (SwImmIng) 200

Im

karLi ryMer (swiMMing) 100

ButterfLy

third team:toM spernaL - sprints (indoor

traCk)

graCe faLLon (BaSketBall)

All Shore Sports Honors

Congratulations to: