by The Eye Staff
… they don’t make garage door closers?
… I was asked to leave Pet Supplies Plus because I was touching the merchandise?
… my money is no good at Saint Ignatius?
… there isn’t another word for thesaurus?
… you can’t buy powdered water?
… I lost my mood ring and I’m not sure how I feel about it?
… Hans can’t find the hamburger bar?
… I have to take my naps in class now?
by Jackson Kenny ’26
On January 11, 2023, I managed to find myself on a bus with a select group of eager Saint Ignatius students who, I’m convinced, were more enthusiastic about a school-related event than they had been about any event in quite some time. Cheers of anticipation and sporadic bursts into song were practically all that could be heard as the bus moved towards its destination.
All of this excitement was not without good reason, however, as we were en route to see the National Tour of Hamilton at Playhouse Square, starring Rory O’Malley ‘99 as King George III. Simply put, the show, in all that is said about it, is truly one of the finest theatrical experiences ever crafted. This article isn’t specifically about the quality of the performance itself, but I cannot help but gush. I spoke to many Harlequins involved in both theatrical performance and design during intermission and after the show, and all the students left the KeyBank State Theatre with renewed inspiration to create bold and inspiring theatrical work at Ignatius’s own Breen Center for the Performing Arts.
However, the thrill did not stop there for members of both the Harlequins and Ignatian Alliance as Mr. O’Malley visited campus on Thursday, January 19, to speak with the groups in person. In the conversations, Mr. O’Malley discussed his activism work for Broadway Impact, an organization that gathers support in the theater community for marriage equality; what his life looks like as a professional actor; and what motivates him to stay involved with Saint Ignatius programs such as the Harlequins.
Rory O’Malley’s return to Saint Ignatius High School will be remembered as an inspiring day for all who had the privilege of experiencing it.
by Patrick Laudolff ’24
To say extracurricular activities at Saint Ignatius High School are a crucial part of the school’s culture would be an understatement. Whether it is debating in one of the political caucuses, juggling in Breen, participating in service activities through Christian Action Team, challenging Mr. Barker to a duel in Academic Challenge, or playing with your friends during a heated intramural match, Saint Ignatius High School provides students with a wide variety of opportunities to express our favorite hobbies and even pick up some new ones along the way. To me, the extracurricular activities are the part of the day that I look forward to the most: nothing really compares.
Over the past couple of years, Saint Ignatius High School has experienced a revolution in the way that clubs meet and how the schedule runs each year. As a junior, this is my third different schedule in as many years. Frankly, with the schedule changing annually, it has become difficult to keep a constant schedule for the clubs that we enjoy. The 2022-23 school year has brought changes that have been described by students as “chaotic, busy, complicated, messy, short, un-advertised, or crippled.” This isn’t merely an attack on the schedule, though; instead, it is more of a discussion of the current state of extracurricular clubs excluding sports and the activities period here at SIHS. It is my goal with this series of articles to shed light on some of the student leaders’ opinions on our current activities period and the state of clubs in general. Rather than a list of complaints, I will make my best attempt at offering constructive feedback derived from the students in a later issue.
To begin with the activities period: the concept of the activities period was originally pitched to students at the start of the 2021-22 school year when it was described as a time when students could eat, do homework, roam around campus, and — most importantly — meet with clubs. The days of meeting before or after school were over as now everyone could meet during the school day. In the current schedule, the activities period runs each day for 50 minutes before the 4th period except for Wednesday where the period is only 25 minutes. At first glance, this seems like a lot of time for students to work with when planning for meetings, doing their homework, and the like, but the introduction of advisory invites problems. This is not a diatribe against advisory; however, there is no doubt that it limits when clubs can meet. Missing some combination of juniors, half of the sophomore class, freshmen, and seniors on a given day severely hinders any possibility of having full membership on either Tuesday or Thursday. The shortened Wednesday schedule also presents problems as most clubs either cannot effectively make use of the time or 25 minutes simply isn’t enough. That leaves only two days each week during the activities period for clubs to meet: Monday and Friday. Many students have expressed their frustration at the lack of available time to schedule meetings. As junior James Bauman, co-leader of the Fishing Club, puts it, “This (lack of available time) leaves the many clubs on campus competing for time on Monday and Friday. I have found that I myself have had to neglect many other clubs since I am focused on others where I have a leadership role.”
The change in the length of the period has also caused consternation for groups. Last year’s activity period used to last around 1 hour and 40 minutes, which included the lunch and activities block. From personal experience, the Magic: the Gathering Club benefited from the combined lunch and activities period, which allowed us to play full-length games once a week. In the current environment, the time has been reduced to 50 minutes, which no longer includes the lunch period. This change does make sense as it gives the cafeteria more time to prepare for the substantial number of students who eat each day. As necessary as this change was, the length has become an issue for many clubs as senior Aidan Oliss, Co-Editor for The Eye, conveyed: “We now have a shorter time period during the day which may have affected students’ decisions in joining clubs and their availability. The activities period last year allowed many of us the opportunity to meet with multiple clubs or events during that time frame.” Together, the reduction in length of the period and the restricted availability on three out of the five days has led to declining attendance in many clubs across campus with some exceptions. Clubs that may have been more popular last year have experienced more difficulty in retaining and recruiting members amidst the small window of time each week that each club has to meet.
In the next issue, I will explore the alternative times that clubs could meet and possible solutions provided via student feedback, so keep an eye on your inbox for the next issue of The Eye.
by Shivam Pandya ’24
The 2022 Cross Country season marked the beginning of a new era as Coach Bob Wolf ‘08 returned for his second season as head coach supported by a phenomenal assistant coaching staff of Sean Stefancin ‘08, Michael Strauss ‘87, Alicia Mayer, Dan True, Fr. Cyril Pinchak, and CJ Ambrosio ‘17.
Historically speaking, the Cats didn’t begin the year as a strong cross country team: John Corrigan ‘23 was the only returning varsity runner, and the team consisted of mostly underclassmen. Despite back-to-back top five finishes at the State Meet in the past two years, Coach Wolf had to change the expectation for the upcoming season. Instead of looking for victories, he looked to build a strong team culture: “I was looking for the team to start building camaraderie. I was looking for seniors like captains Ben Showman, John Corrigan, and Caleb DelaCruz to show the team how workouts should be run and what a varsity-caliber work ethic looks like.”
Despite an ever-changing varsity roster, the Cats took 4th place at the GlenOak Golden Eagle Invitational, 5th place at the Legends Meet at Trumbull County Fairgrounds, and 6th place at both the Mentor Cardinal Classic and the McQuaid Invitational. At the District Meet, a varsity team of John Corrigan, Maxwell Friedrich, Aiden Walter, Aidan Zielinski, Peter Spellacy, Brendan McGraw, and CJ Lyon brought home a 4th place finish and qualified for the Regional Meet, where they got 13th. Although the season ended earlier than expected, John Corrigan holds an optimistic outlook on the years to come: “The underclassmen this year did a great job rising to the occasion, which sets them up for a lot of success in the next two or three years. I think that with our coaching staff and depth of talent, we can do some big things in the future.”
Coach Wolf carries the same optimism: “Every week, they push themselves physically and mentally farther than they ever have before, and that’s hard to do. We have one of the closest-knit teams I’ve ever coached. Cross country’s not an easy sport, and relying on that bond that you have with your teammates and the team spirit we’ve created — that’s what’s going to set us up for success.”
by The Eye Staff
While J.D. Vance (R) won the open U.S. Senate seat in Ohio 53.3% of the vote, the results of the Saint Ignatius poll came out quite a bit differently. Here is the full breakdown:
The breakdown for poll respondents was: Freshmen 19.9%, Sophomores 19.6%, Juniors 21%, Seniors 24.4%, Faculty/Staff 15.1%.
The candidate selection breakdown was: Tim Ryan (D) 50.9%, J.D. Vance 43.5%.
There were also some notable write-in candidates: Kanye West, Kanye, Ye West, Kanye west (someone needs to talk to the English Department), Isaac Dweh, Mike Gibbons, John Barker ’87, Connor Kissling ’23, The Michelin Man, J.D. Vance (freshmen can’t read directions), Jon Jarc ’93, Super Sussy Amongi, Naji El-Hayek ’23.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the poll. Look for a more thorough election breakdown in the next issue of The Eye.
by Kelly Coleman ’23
For many years, the “Chrismastime Song” have been a loved tradition across the nation, signaling to all that Halloween is over and that the holidays are but a few months away. Careful research, however, has found these songs to contain themes disturbing and occult. Now, I hear your words of doubt, but if you listen close, you may find your very world rocked to its core. I have been conducting deep research over the past months in order to reach the truth nature of these holiday anthems; I have compiled just a few of my findings in this article for your education.
Paul McCartney, known for being one of the three most talented members of The Beatles, also had a successful solo career, during which he released the single “Wonderful Christmastime.” Despite the name, however, this song and its accompanying music video are perhaps some of the most disturbing pieces of Christmas media ever released. The video opens with pub-goers enjoying their Christmas when they are suddenly ambushed by Paul McCartney, who quickly summons his ghostly entourage.
From here on out, the video descends from any dreams of normalcy into the realm of nightmares. Ghastly apparitions flash the screen. Ethereal Horses and Jewels fly through the sky while unearthly lights spew from Paul McCartney’s mouth; astral spirits wail as they fly about. McCartney assaults the viewer with promises of happy holidays, yet the video prophesizes anything but. The pub-goers themselves display veneers of joy, but something is clearly amiss here. Just look at how they form a conga line (something no one does willingly in real life), their forced smiles as they accompany Paul McCartney as he serenades them with Holiday Cheer. These people are not joyous: they’re afraid. And they have every reason to be. This is Paul McCartney’s personal hell, and they have no chance of escape.
Frosty the Snowman
“Frosty the Snowman,” a song erroneously played for children, portrays the happy tale of a snowman come to life. But if one chooses to examine these lyrics deeper, they find an extremely disturbing and sinister story here. At the end of the song, shortly before his death at the hands of the sun, Frosty professes: “Don’t you cry, I’ll be back again someday!” This is perhaps one of the most loaded lines in all the Christmas mythos. Despite his imminent demise, Frosty seems confident in his return. Is Frosty ignorant of the concept of death and its consequences? Does he possess nothing more than the imitation of sentience—alive and able to mimic emotions but unable to ever understand that which lies at the center of our spirit and bridge the gap between the human and his existence as some frigid homunculus? Or, perhaps, is Frosty fully aware of the meaning of his statement? Has he died and been born before, fully aware that he will do so again? How many ages has Frosty seen come and go, empires rise and fall? Are our lives just flashes in his coal-black eyes? “I’ll be back again someday.” Maybe this line isn’t a reassurance, but a threat. He will return.
Jingle Bells
Yes, even this most popular of Christmas tunes is not safe from the thralls of deception. This song is sung mindlessly by many who have never given thought to its lyrics. But if one takes a closer look, they may notice a disturbing pattern. “O’er the fields we go”? “Making spirits bright”? Odd lyrics for a song about Christmas… but perhaps not so odd for a song about none other than the Wild Hunt itself. Don’t believe me? Just take another listen to those lyrics “A slaying song tonight.” Yes, you heard that right. All those references to horses and spirits? Clear Wild Hunt imagery. This song invokes the ghostly procession of the damned, an omen of disaster and death. It’s no coincidence the Hunt is at its most prevalent during the winter months. Am I reaching here? Yes. No. The research is clear. This is not a Christmas song, but a Yuletide song; not Christian, but Heathen.
For reasons I do not know, all of the academic journals I have contacted have declined to publish my work. I can only surmise that Big Christmas is trying to silence me before I can be heard. You may feel burdened by the knowledge I’ve shared today, knowing it could completely dismantle the holidays as we know them, but you must be extremely cautious about sharing my research. He is always watching. He sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake, and he knows where you live. In publishing this article, I have likely placed that very target on my back, and if you are reading this, it may be too late for me. Just know that if I am to befall an “unfortunate accident” in the coming days, then the order came directly from the North Pole. Do not let what I’ve found here be forgotten.
by Malachi Smith ’25
First, I would like to thank everyone for filling out the survey “Is the Saint Ignatius High School Community Divided by Race?” This survey stems from an observation I have consistently had when walking into places like Rade Dining Hall. I would see one table of Black kids and every other table filled with White kids. This observation compelled me to challenge my peers with the question.
The survey aimed to measure if the Ignatius community is aware that it appears we are divided by race. The fraction of no responses to yes responses on the survey was 60 to 40 percent. The survey asked anonymous participants to identify their race. As expected from the current state of the Ignatius community, the majority of the responses are from people who identify as White. Arguments that support the claim that we are not separated revolve around the belief that people of color (POC) tend to gravitate toward people that have similar backgrounds and experiences in life because of one’s race, which is correct, but no further questions have explored why this happens, especially for POC individuals attending Saint Ignatius High School.
One factor of our separation in race is the lack of racial diversity within the school. With the recent years of growing minority enrollment reaching 24% of the school’s students recently, one could claim that this is the most diverse Ignatius has ever been, yet we still see separation within the school like in the lunch room or other places outside the Multicultural Room. The Multicultural Room is viewed by the community as just a room for POC. The room is a way for people of different cultures to connect in a safe and comfortable space so each student can willingly and effectively be Men for Others outside the room. Ultimately, the separation of race is occurring because of the level of knowledge about POC experiences within the community.
The first major step to bridging the gap of separation in our school is to participate in the ongoing multicultural events. If the Ignatius community can expand their knowledge of POC experiences, Saint Ignatius High School as a whole can better follow part of its mission statement by being Open to Growth and Intellectually Competent. Then, we as an Ignatius student body will start to see that we no longer have to ask questions like, “Is the St. Ignatius High School community divided by race?” Instead, we will already be living out the Ignatian tradition of being Men for Others.
by Jackson Kenny ’26
Well, Saint Ignatius, it’s that time again. The 95th Academy Awards are surprisingly not that far away, and this year’s race is really beginning to heat up. Below you will find my current predictions for each of the top eight categories as well as some extended thoughts and clarifications of those predictions.
Best Picture:
Many prognosticators might claim that Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans – a coming-of-age tribute to the magic of cinema – is the clear favorite to win Best Picture. As we have seen time and time again, though, early favorites such as Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman in 2019 and even Damien Chazelle’s La La Land in 2017 often fall to an underdog or a more passionately pushed contender. In this current race, I believe the frontrunner is indie darling Everything Everywhere All At Once: it is an underdog with a tremendous amount of passion behind it, especially from younger voters; it has significant cultural relevance; and when it comes to Oscar night, this is the film that people are going to be pushing for to win.
Best Director:
Although I am currently predicting that Everything Everywhere All At Once takes home Best Picture, it is not out of the question to predict that Best Director could go to the incredibly well-respected Steven Spielberg, whose direction of a somewhat autobiographical story could bolster a strong-enough narrative for his third win in this category. Other possible nominees include Martin McDonagh for The Banshees of Inisherin and James Cameron for Avatar: The Way of Water.
Best Actor:
Given his incredibly strong awards narrative and the substantial ‘full-body transformation’ Brendan Fraser achieves in The Whale, he is the clear favorite to win this category.
However, watch out for Austin Butler’s widely acclaimed turn as the titular role in Elvis as a possible come from behind win in this category similar to Rami Malek’s win over Christian Bale in 2019.
Best Actress:
The 2023 Best Actress race is still completely up in the air. I’ve decided to put Cate Blanchett out front for TAR simply because I think her performance could captivate in a similar way as Natalie Portman’s 2010 win for Black Swan since the films are similar in their portrayals of an ‘obsessed artist’. Every contender here has their own narrative for winning, however.
Best Supporting Actor:
Ke Huy Quan gives such a likable, heart-wrenching performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once with a solid awards season narrative that gives him the edge here.
Other potential nominees include Paul Dano for The Fabelmans and Barry Keoghan for The Banshees of Inisherin.
Best Supporting Actress:
With Michelle Williams being campaigned for in the Best Actress category, this category is now completely open for a new frontrunner to emerge. One of the two Women Talking prospects seems likely to win, but coming from the same film may split votes if a frontrunner doesn’t emerge between them. If it’s not one of the Women Talking women, Hong Chau and Kerry Condon both have decent odds for their respective films. Other potential nominees include Nina Hoss for TAR, Carey Mulligan for She Said, and Janelle Monae for Glass Onion.
Best Original Screenplay:
Everything Everywhere All At Once seems destined to win Best Picture with a package that many films have won in recent years: Best Picture, one of the two Supporting awards, and one of the two Screenplay awards. Moonlight, Green Book, and even last year’s winner CODA have all won with this package. Given the strength of the film’s worldbuilding and well-developed characters, Best Screenplay seems like a likely win for the film, especially if it continues to be a top contender for Best Picture.
Best Adapted Screenplay:
Women Talking seems like the most likely film to win as it’s the biggest Best Picture contender eligible in this category, but I would watch out for The Whale becoming a bigger contender at-large and overtaking the current frontrunner. Also watch out for Top Gun: Maverick being nominated in this category. Although it’s not your typical screenplay nominee, the sheer passion for Top Gun mixed with a lack of strong contenders in this category could be enough to get it nominated.
The Oscars will be held at The Dolby Theatre on March 12, 2023.
by Kelly Coleman ’23
As I sit in the library writing this piece, I can’t help but notice the people around me. Directly to my left, seven students — all seniors, might I add — crowd around a table having an exuberant conversation about something or other; the words “fantasy” and “football” cut through the clamor. Similar conversations are ongoing around the room; though, at least these other groups occasionally remember to, in a sudden moment of awareness like deer startled at the sound of a snapping twig, lower their noise to a reasonable level before letting it gradually rise back up to a crescendo and letting the cycle repeat ad nauseam. Our table of seven doesn’t even seem interested in the work they somehow managed to relocate from their backpacks to the table in front of them nor in dampening their sound. They’re not even making an effort to stage-whisper.
This sight has become commonplace in the Harold C. Schott Library, the erstwhile quiet study space of Saint Ignatius High School. The library has become an overflow for Rade: a place for students who can’t be bothered to find somewhere else to loiter. As I continue watching, our little group of socialites seems to have found potential allies in a table across the way and have begun to send envoys back and forth to begin talks to initiate a conversation spanning the entire room. But it wasn’t always like this. I remember a time when the library met the expectations one had for a building that bears that name—a time when people came to the library for a quiet space. Some came to complete homework, some to relax, and others to catch up on reading. Whatever they came to this place to do, they had at least half a mind to do it quietly. It is hard to imagine anybody coming to the library for quiet reading now.
If one is lucky enough to visit the library during the early morning hours before school, they might find some semblance of what used to be. The students at this time of day seem interested in at least pretending to use the library for its intended purpose, yet I ascribe this more to lacking proper numbers than any purity of intentions. Abandon hope, all ye who enter during school hours, however; watch in despair as students march in, their advance unperturbed by the “Silent Study” signs, the war drum of their conversation rising to a dull roar as they shatter any hopes of quiet. Their assault on the senses — and on any hopes of doing any meaningful studying — is complete and seemingly inexhaustible before at last the sound of a bell marks their retreat. They depart, however, with an unspoken promise to renew their assault the next day, leaving the war-torn room in apprehensive stillness.
It seems that our original group has at last quieted down now, finally set on the work they had so dutifully ignored in front of them, but it is of no matter: some other group has taken up the conversation in their absence, their voices rising to fill the momentary void. It saddens me to see the library reduced to these ruins from the palace of learning it once was, now a playground for the daft and raucous, a cacophony of chaos and trifles, and I’ve no one to thank for that but the men of Saint Ignatius High School.
by The Eye Staff
Ohioans go to the polls on November 8th for the 2022 midterm election. In what is predicted to be a momentous election, there is one race all eligible Ohioans can vote in that is capturing national attention: the race for the Senate seat currently occupied by Rob Portman. The Eye is conducting a poll to see how the Ignatius community would vote in this race, even for those not old enough to vote in this election. So take the opportunity to make your voice heard by clicking on the link to this anonymous poll. The results will be shared along with full election coverage in the next issue of The Eye. Below you can find endorsements from the Saint Ignatius political clubs if you’re not sure how you would vote or simply want to see what your fellow Wildcats think about the election.
Read below to see why Marty Bradesca ’23 and the Democratic Ignatians on Politics have endorsed Tim Ryan to represent Ohio in the U.S. Senate.
Tim Ryan believes in a cooperative social fabric, enabling both sides to succeed with special emphasis on workers’ rights. For those who worry about far left extremism, Ryan presents himself as a reasonable, middle ground candidate who cares about the people of Ohio instead of his own interests. His commitment to the rights of the working people of Ohio cements this position. For those of us who are about to be pursuing education at a higher level, Ryan’s official positions on college tuition assistance found on his campaign website are attractive: “Tim supports expanding access to tuition-free college in exchange for public service, allowing student-borrowers to refinance their loans, and expanding loan forgiveness.” This position is favorable not only to those entering the collegiate level but also those who worry about the cost of loan forgiveness by exchanging the free tuition for public service. To help workers and small businesses, Ryan centers his official focus on Ohio: “he’s consistently worked to bring businesses and investment to Ohio, to help small businesses keep their doors open during the pandemic, and to cut taxes for businesses that do right by their workers by providing paid leave and other critical benefits.” Not only does he keep business going in Ohio, but he also ensures the workers in those businesses are being fairly compensated for their labor.
While Tim Ryan is certainly attempting to appeal to moderate Republicans who may be dismayed by J.D. Vance’s sudden embrace of Trumpism, a key distinction between him and Vance is that Tim accepts climate science and is committed to fighting it all while creating good-paying jobs. For instance, Ryan’s official platform states that “With climate change already bringing more intense heat, flooding, and changes to growing seasons for our farmers—along with greater risk of heat death and more unsafe air quality days that disproportionately harm low-income communities and people of color—Tim recognizes that we can’t afford not to act.” While this may sound like liberal environmentalism, he also pairs this commitment to a desire for excellent manufacturing jobs: “Tim is fighting to cut Ohio workers in on the deal by revitalizing clean manufacturing here at home—so we can supply the world with American-made wind turbines, solar panels, batteries, electric vehicles, and everything else we’ll need to power the clean energy economy.”
Given Tim Ryan’s faith in Ohio’s middle and working class and his common-sense positions, he offers a viable way forward for the Democratic party in Ohio and deserves to be Ohio’s new senator.
Read below to see why Connor Kissling ’23 and the Saint Ignatius Conservative Caucus have endorsed J.D. Vance to represent Ohio in the U.S. Senate.
J.D. Vance is a venture capitalist, lawyer, author, and budding politician. As he has had no previous experience in politics, Vance is an outsider running to be the voice of the people as indicated by his signature issues: fighting the drug and opioid epidemic, securing the border, restoring America’s manufacturing base, fighting inflation, and promoting an AMERICA FIRST foreign policy. Vance is not only endorsed by Donald Trump, but he is also endorsed by former rival and Saint Ignatius High School alum Mike Gibbons ‘70. If you are a student who is old enough to vote, I urge that you examine the current issues in America right now. High frivolous spending, high inflation rates, and a drug epidemic bigger than no other in history — these will be the problems of our future not too long down the road. Some of them are affecting us now. In order to fight the financial crisis facing our country now, a red wave needs to wash over Congress. These are not wealthy people issues; they affect all Americans. As senior citizens in America are struggling to live on their fixed incomes, we need to cut frivolous spending restricting the markets. The drug epidemic as it not only affects the nation, but it is also an issue that hits close to home. In 2020, Ohio was ranked third in having the most drug overdose deaths in the nation (CDC). So as J.D. Vance is calling out the issues that affect not only the nation but also Ohio, Vote for Vance — the true voice of the Ohio people.
The Eye is the student-led publication of Saint Ignatius High School.
Editors-in-Chief: Kelly Coleman '23, Young Kim '23 & Aidan Oliss '23
