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Many countries, many stories: Immigrant families at Ignatius

by John Selby ‘15

There are 196 countries in the world and 1,495 students attending Saint Ignatius. With a ratio like this, it is inevitable that there will be diverse backgrounds on the heritage spectrum that goes farther than the confined corner of Northeast Ohio.

When a student arrives at Ignatius freshman year, one of the first characteristics he learns of his fellow classmates is whether they live on the West Side, East Side, or South Side (or North Side, if you are one of those people.) However, where Ignatius students come from is not simply defined by this common characteristic of one’s location according to the Cuyahoga River. Instead, it is defined by the heritage that shapes the student’s character and contributes to the graduate he becomes at graduation.

Saint Ignatius is one of the most diverse high schools in Ohio with students whose parents or grandparents immigrated to the United States from an array of countries. The following features are just a sample of this diversity.

Yaw Boakye ‘14

Yaw’s parents both immigrated to the US from Ghana: his mom when she was nine and his dad after he graduated from medical school. They both speak English, but they also speak Twi, which is a Ghanaian language that is most common in southern regions of Ghana.

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“My ethnic background has some beliefs … like the value of education and being engaged in ones community,” said Yaw.

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“My ethnic background has some beliefs that parents like to pound into their kids’ heads like the value of education and being engaged in ones community,” said Yaw. This philosophy according to Yaw has strong roots in the values and actions of the people of Ghana.

Yaw says that if there are any difficulties that come along with being a member of an immigrant family, he is oblivious to them, citing, “The Ignatius community has always been respectful of my ethnicity.” In addition, the only effect his heritage has had on his life at Ignatius is that many people have asked him about his parents’ origins.

Yaw appreciates having his heritage because it is something that automatically makes him different from what the standard American crowd is used to seeing or meeting, saying, “It’s always nice to have a different name.”

Paul Jakubowski ’14 and Carl Jakubowski ‘15

Although not related in any way, it seems unfair to include one Jakubowski without including the other.

Paul’s parents immigrated to the United States from Poland. His grandmother raised him during his infant years and taught him Polish as his first language while his father was working in construction and his mother as a nurse midwife.

Paul says his family keeps all of the traditional customs during the holidays such as eating Red Borscht on “Wigilia” (traditional Christmas Eve supper) and sharing Oplatki (square looking hosts) before Christmas dinner.

“I frequently visit Poland and keep my strong family values intact with my cousins, uncles, aunts, and grandparents,” said Paul, citing one his favorite aspects of his heritage. Also, Paul says the stigma of being different or worse than others really isn’t too noticeable in his life, saying, “[My heritage] helps me relate to others who are culturally diverse, while also differentiating myself from amongst the student body.”

Carl Jakubowski’s grandparents immigrated to the United States on both sides of his family. On his mom’s side, he is half German, and he is a quarter Polish and a quarter Slovak on his dad’s side but does not speak these languages.

Carl continues Polish holiday traditions as well, eating Oplatki (flatbread wafers) on Christmas Eve and Paczki (jelly donuts) on Fat Tuesday. Carl cites food as one of his favorite aspects of his heritage, saying, “I love pierogies, plus kielbasa is pretty good too from the Polish side. Bratwurst and even sauerkraut are some of my favorites from the German side.” Also, Carl’s grandfather would often listen to polka music, so this has become a special part of his past. Catholicism has also played a huge role in Carl’s life because it is deeply rooted in the countries that make up his heritage.

Carl doesn’t think his life is too different from anyone else citing, “I like to think that if you work hard and have morals, you can get to where you want to go no matter who you are.”

On a final note, Carl states, “I recently saw a movie of my family on my dad’s side in 1955, and that was awesome to be able to witness. Just about everyone drank a lot, including even my great grandmother.”

Keve Pigniczky ’14 and Bende Pigniczky ‘15

The Picniczky brothers’ grandparents emigrated in 1956 after the Hungarian revolution, which according to Keve, failed miserably. They then got involved in Cleveland’s Hungarian community upon their arrival. Keve and Bende are third generation Hungarians, but their ties to their heritage are very strong.

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“I don’t want to lose my unique culture, especially since there are very few Hungarians in the world as there is,” Keve said.

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They speak, read, and write fluently in Hungarian as well as German because their father minored in German in college and spoke to them in it while they were young. Some Hungarian traditions include: constant use of paprika spice in most foods, famous for pastries, sausages, Chicken paprikas, and Gulyas (Goulash) stew; a rich folk culture, including 300,000 folk songs recorded in history and diverse folk dance varieties; and cultural village traditions such as pig slaughtering, Harvest celebrations, and superstitious beliefs during Easter.

Keve says that he is most proud of being able to speak Hungarian fluently while still being third generation, stating, “I’ve kept myself educated about my culture through Hungarian School, the Hungarian Scouts in Exteris, and the Hungarian Folk Dance Ensemble.”

Keve says that he still faces the adversity of the “melting pot” culture in the United States. “I don’t want to lose my unique culture, especially since there are very few Hungarians in the world as there is,” Keve said. Hungary has lost much of its territory and population to countries such as Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia, and many Hungarians have immigrated to the US; therefore, Keve says his biggest challenge is keeping and maintaining his culture.

Keve is involved in a folk dance group and Hungarian boy scouts, but says one of the biggest effects of his heritage at Ignatius is his involvement in the Global Outreach Program. Keve will be traveling to Hungary in the spring for four weeks to study at a Jesuit high school Miskolc, making him one of the first students to try a study abroad program during the school year. “I’d be the test-drive for future Hungarians and other ethnicities attending St. Ignatius, and I’m actually really excited for the new experience and hope to learn much from it.”

Art Spotlight: Jacob Alvarado ’15

by Brad Horton ‘15

Jacob Alvarado ‘15 began his art career as a kid who loved to tell stories through drawing. He mostly became interested in art on his own, but had some influence from his friends who also liked to draw when they were kids.

Jacob’s art career began to pick up steam when he enrolled in Ms. Burrows art classes at Saint Ignatius. He revealed his true talent in classes such as Graphic Design and Drawing where he created works such as a typography project of Mcnulty’s Bier Markt. The project involved replacing a photograph with words. Jacob explains, “I have menu’s with me and I choose words from them and put them into each other like a strip of color.” Jacob received a Scholastic Silver Key for his typography project.

Jacob’s interest in the arts led him to becoming involved in the Artists in Residence (AIR); a program for students that excel in artistic abilities. The club allows Jacob to compete in art contests at schools and do commissioned art for neighborhoods.

Jacob states how he has worked on another project to turn into the Scholastic Art Competition. “It’s about a plot I had in my head for a horror game,” he explains,” that [idea] turned into messing with layers and seeing what I could do. And it looks pretty nice, like a poster you would put up.”

In the future, Jacob will take A.P. Studio Art and plans to continue fulfilling his video game concept art for the Scholastic Art Competition.

Jacob hopes to take his artistic interests to a professional level. He has ambitions to become a video game designer, an interest evident in his drawings and previous artwork. “On my own I really like drawing characters I see everywhere on TV that my friends watch or play. I like to hear that I made a pretty good drawing of that guy.”

Students look to the performing arts in college and beyond

by Sam Royer ’15

The path to professional acting success rarely goes without struggle. While many high school students graduate anticipating a practical career as a doctor or a lawyer, there’s a rare few who dare to venture out of the realm of practicality and really pursue their passion.

One of those few is John Berner ’14. John first started acting in his sophomore year when he tried out on a whim for Saint Ignatius’s production of one his favorite movies, Twelve Angry Men.

“I didn’t really expect to be cast at all, but for some reason Fuj put me in and I’ve loved it since day one,” Berner said. Since then, Berner has performed in countless other productions and in the process, he developed not only a passion, but a career choice.

Berner knows the road to getting there won’t be easy. “It’s going to be a rough time. But since I started to get involved in it I’ve met many people who have worked hard to make a decent living with theater. It isn’t easy, but it’s certainly possible,” Berner said.

While the risky employment situation is worth it for Berner, some, like David Faust ’15, aren’t able to get past it. Faust, who has been performing since he was in first grade, plans to continue to act in college, but ultimately won’t make a career out of it.

“You know, being an actor is so hard. The problem is, you have to put so much of your time and life into it. For me, that’s not what I want. When you’re an actor, the reality is, if you’re not on top, you’re not making enough money to live. You’re not making enough to sustain yourself or a family,” Faust said.

What the two actors can easily agree on is that Ignatius has outstandingly prepared them for a career in theater.

“We take a very professional approach to our main-stage shows that is a huge contrast to the other schools I’ve performed at,” Berner said. This year, Berner even gets the chance to choose, act, cast, and direct a one-act play.

Faust, who participates regularly in Dramatic Interpretation tournaments, praises the theater staff members who have directed him, including Mr. Thomas, Ms. Stires, and Mr. Fujimoto. Of Fujimoto, Faust said he has learned “the core mechanics of what you must do to make a connection to your character.”

Despite his plans to study Pre-Med or psychology, Faust knows his history with acting has given him a life skill.

“If I go into psychology, I’ll have to be able to relate to people and understand them,” Faust said. It’s also helped him a lot with his public speaking.

Berner, on the contrary, plans to take his skills to Tulane University next fall where he’ll double-major in Theatre and Political Economy.

On choosing to live out his dream, Berner said, “I know it sounds pretentious, but I’d rather live a challenging life doing something I’m passionate about than a basic upper-middle class life doing something about which I couldn’t care less.” Great words to live by.

The Oculus Rift: seeing is believing

by Jake Woomer ‘14

After reaching over $2 million dollars in its Kickstarter, the Oculus Rift has gained popularity on the internet not only by gamers, but by anyone fascinated by virtual reality. To those that do not know about the Oculus Rift, it is a virtual reality headset designed for immersive gaming.

Unlike my past product reviews, when I relied on 3rd party product testing information – I had the opportunity a few weeks ago to test the technology first hand. While visiting Miami University – I was able to tour their Interactive Media Studies Lab where I tested a developer version of the Oculus Rift. I can honestly say that this technology deserves all the positive press it has been receiving.

When I first put on the Oculus Rift I could immediately see myself inside a beautiful house by the sea. Everything about the actual laboratory I was standing in was invisible to me. All I saw was the virtual room. Even though my brain knew I was in the lab – my sense of sight took over and I truly felt like I was in this beautiful home. When handed the controller I was able to move around and explore every nook and cranny of the house. I walked down the stairs and my body felt like I was actually moving downward. I found myself actually having to check my balance. After exiting the house I walked completely around the exterior. I explored the the vast green landscape against a cliff. When I turned and saw the ocean – the view was absolutely breathtaking. Suddenly I felt a tap on my shoulder – it was time for the next person’s turn. And so ended my tranquil experience with the Oculus Rift.

Needless to say my first experience with the Oculus Rift exceeded my expectations – it left me in awe. The visual atmosphere impressed upon me the notions of what this experience could produce. It is without any doubt that this virtual reality technology will play a large part in the advancement of video games, and maybe even our personal lives (Google Glass), in the near future. While the price and launch date have not been announced – you can expect to see the Oculus Rift on the market by late 2014 or early 2015. Look forward to it!

Duane Drotar ‘70: A “Man for Others” lifestyle

by Dominic Gideon ‘14

Alumni Column

To many high school students, the question of a future profession is a daunting thought, a prospect shrouded in uncertainty. That was no different for Mr. Duane Drotar ‘70.

If one were to ask him as a senior what he was going to be when he was older, Mr. Drotar would have had nothing close to a definitive answer, and certainly nothing close to what he has dedicated his life to for the past 32 years– aiding and advocating for the poor and disadvantaged as well as teaching, coaching, and mentoring youth.

Mr. Drotar had his vocational revelation as a college student, but before he found God’s call to his career and before his formative years at Saint Ignatius, his journey to where he is today began when he was a young boy from St. Benedict’s Catholic grade school on the east side of Cleveland.

St. Benedict’s, no longer in existence, was in the Buckeye neighborhood a few blocks away from Benedictine High School. While there, Mr. Drotar spent a lot of time serving masses at St. Andrew’s Abbey where the Benedictine monks live.

Although attending Benedictine for high school seemed like a no brainer for a young Mr. Drotar, who had already formed close ties with the Benedictine monks and who went to a school which saw the vast majority of its students go to Benedictine, he had a yearning for something different.

So he decided to attend Saint Ignatius– venturing out to the unfamiliar west side of Cleveland to attend a school run by an order quite different than the Benedictines, and go to class with boys from neighborhoods unlike the urban setting he lived in.

“It was a cultural change,” said Mr. Drotar. Just as today, Ignatius drew mainly suburban boys, often from well off families, and Mr. Drotar wasn’t used to the “suburban atmosphere,” being surrounded by nice clothes and penny loafers while interacting with guys whose lives in Rocky River or South Euclid somewhat contrasted his experience in the city.

However, Mr. Drotar was able to assimilate into the new culture with the help of the school community, especially the Jesuits. “They made an effort to reach out and make me feel real comfortable,” he said. He also was able to connect with kids through basketball, his favorite sport, which he played all four years at Ignatius.

He wanted to play football too, but for financial reasons Mr. Drotar had to work to pay off his tuition, so he could only choose one sport.

Interestingly, Mr. Drotar did not develop his love of service at Ignatius. He had a few service experiences, but back then service work – the aspect of the student experience that most defines Saint Ignatius today – was not an emphasis of the school. It wasn’t until three years later that Fr. Pedro Arrupe gave his very inspiring and motivating “Men for Others” speech, and it wasn’t until a couple decades later that service at Ignatius became one of Ignatius’s central focuses.

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“There were Jesuits who I had in class who introduced this whole new way of thinking about what it means to be in the Church.”
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Although he had yet to discover his lifelong passion, Mr. Drotar did cultivate a sense of spirituality at Ignatius which became the basis of his future calling. He went on retreats, learned about his faith in theology classes, and experienced a momentous time for the Catholic faith which he called “a redefinition of the Church”: Vatican II.

“The Jesuits were at the forefront of bringing these new ideas to the people,” he said. “There were Jesuits who I had in class who introduced this whole new way of thinking about what it means to be in the Church.”

While Mr. Drotar was slowly discovering more about himself, his faith, and the world around him, he still had a ways to go before finding his calling.

“When I was at Ignatius I couldn’t quite get my hands around it all,” Mr. Drotar said, describing his initially narrow view of life and his future. “I was still living for the weekends, making sure I got good grades. I wasn’t asking real serious questions about what I wanted to be.”

Mr. Drotar ended up going to Xavier University, still rather unsure about his future until he got to the end of his sophomore year, when he found a job which he thought would just help him get through college, but ultimately determined the course of his life.

He landed a job coaching and teaching at a grade school in an impoverished area right near Xavier, and immediately knew service was his vocation. Eventually Mr. Drotar started working exclusively in jobs dealing with the poor, addicted, and mentally ill, and served nine more years at churches, schools, and nonprofits in Cincinnati until he moved back to Cleveland.

In Cleveland, he began with short teaching and coaching jobs at places like Ignatius and Urban Community School until he dedicated the rest of his career to homeless services and neighborhood improvement – his career from 1989 onward, with the exception of a one year stint at Beaumont in 2001-02. Currently Mr. Drotar is the executive director of Salvation Army’s eastern territory.

“It was really the poor that helped me to become aware of my own self,” Mr. Drotar said, reflecting on his career. The people he has aided through his job not only helped him discover his vocation, but also revealed many hidden scars in his life.

“I was oblivious to my attachments and addictions because everything seemed to be going alright in my life,” he said. “I didn’t realize how much healing I needed.” And so Mr Drotar began to see his service as a symbiotic relationship, or “mutual healing” as he calls it,  where the one he serves is not the only one gaining something from the interaction.

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“It was really the poor that helped me to become aware of my own self.”
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Because of his steadfast dedication to helping those in need and his great contribution to the Cleveland and Cincinnati service industries, Saint Ignatius chose him as one of two winners for the 2013 distinguished alumnus award.

Usually, this award is given to alumni who are very successful in the business world, so Mr. Drotar was unique in focusing more on service, the ethic that the school tries to engrain in the lives of its students.

“He’s an inspiration,” said Mr. Malone, Director of Alumni Relations. “You really couldn’t find a better example of someone living out the motto ‘Men for Others.’”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNDc7XWFjJU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNDc7XWFjJU

Nerf Club: Locked & loaded

Patrick McCafferty ’17

Just last year, Principal Bradesca shot down a student proposal for a shooting club on the grounds that student safety might be imperiled. Any future connection between the Saint Ignatius student body and firearms, at least on campus, seemed doubtful. But with the advent of the NERF Club, a freshman-driven organization that aims to host massive on-campus NERF shootouts, along with Humans versus Zombies dart gun-based competitions, guns – albeit harmless guns – may be returning in style.

According to club vice-president Joey Ripcho, he and his friend Vinny Camma decided to begin the club after overhearing a proposal by sophomore A.J. Hocevar, now the club’s chief officer. The idea gathered steam quickly, and the freshman soon found eager members, including Fergus Pearson, Justin Boes, and Sean Smith.

As the ideas for the club quickly evolved and became more definite, the freshmen entrepreneurs realized that they needed to find teacher moderators. The club is now aided by the faculty triumvirate of Ms. Sebring, Mr. Cottos and Mr. Masterson, who provide friendly guidance to a group of student organizers that has proved especially dedicated to ensuring that every aspect of their events is planned in depth – even though the club is still in the final stages of acquiring approval from Mr. Bradesca.

“We’ve finished all the paperwork, such as the rules, and the waiver, but none of the club’s founding members have common free periods or days off after school, so we can’t organize ourselves enough right now to get it approved,” Fergus Pearson said. “However, through the use of social media, we hope to finish the process and get the club under way.”

The Nerf Club leadership plans on hosting large-scale competitions, including Capture the Flag, Humans versus Zombies – popularly known as HvZ, an event that routinely gathers hundreds of participants in suburbs in the Cleveland area – and all on campus, likely during Saturday afternoons when campus will be free of passerby who could become civilian casualties. They are hoping for an enthusiastic response from the student body, which they believe contains many students like themselves: people who are as interested in the mechanics and culture of NERF guns as the actual gunfights in which they are used.

NERF culture revolves around discussing, evaluating, bartering, and, most importantly, modifying the Hasbro Corp. blasters that are sold in department stores nationwide. Modifications can range from shortening or lengthening barrels to adding sights, taping magazines, increasing or decreasing the distance the darts travel or changing the shape and functionality of the darts themselves. The NERF Club has a thriving modification trade, and freshman Fergus Pearson has emerged as a prominent NERF gun profiteer. He and his fellow enthusiasts are active in online communities on YouTube and NERF forums, where they learn the tools of the trade that have helped them become proficient in manipulating the complicated air-compression systems that are the power behind NERF guns. They are obsessed with improvement, and they hope other students will be too.

Once the NERF Club finally receives the administration’s go-ahead, organizational meetings open to the public will promptly follow. With the school stamp of approval, NERF Club looks to become the epicenter of the school’s lively, and surprisingly peaceful, gun culture. Rubber-tipped darts may be making their way to an Ignatius hallway near you.

New cell phone policy by and large a good call

by Daniel Ertle ‘15

At orientation in the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year, Principal Bradesca announced an exciting new policy for in-class use of cellphones. Much to the joy of students, this new, more liberal policy allowed for students to use their phones not only in certain common areas such as Rade Dining Hall and the library, but also in their classes upon permission from teachers. The shift to this new policy was due to administration’s belief that cell phones, specifically smart phones, could be an important educational tool.

At the midpoint of the academic year, following a semester in which they got a first-hand look at the way the new policy affected classroom learning, Mr. Gavin, Mr. Ptak, Mr. Sabol, and Mr. Strauss agreed to sit down and give their input on the policy thus far. The general consensus was that, while cell-phones can be useful, versatile tools, they generally serve as tools of convenience, merely holding place for more powerful devices.

Among the most-noted advantages of cell-phone use were the easily-accessible versatility and convenience that the devices offer. According to Mr. Strauss, as the English department has started to modernize, online books have been a good alternative to hardbacks. Because of this modernization, students are often able to follow along the text using their phones in class.

Down a few flights of stairs, Mr. Sabol has been able to use those same phones to take in-class polls, using a program called “Poll Everywhere.” According to Mr. Sabol, “Poll Everywhere is a nice program because it offers anybody with a cellphone the opportunity to participate, not necessarily just those with smartphones.”

As for Mr. Ptak, his experience with cell-phones is that students can now easily use their phones to verify his claims, and when necessary, correct those claims, which will then start a conversation. However, Mr. Ptak doesn’t limit this use to just cellphones. “I don’t use them as cellphones, per say, but rather just a device they can get on the internet with,” Ptak said. He also added that he prefers other devices for the speed and practicality. “There’s almost always a couple of kids in a class that have iPads or laptops, and I’d probably turn to them first because phones just seem slower and harder to read.”

While they saw some opportunity for use, the teachers also noted that allowing students to use their phones requires a certain level of trust on their part, as a student across the room could just as easily be trying his luck in yet another brutally frustrating game of Flappy Bird. According to Mr. Gavin, such improper use will not be tolerated, and simply is a distraction to the class.

Students, on the other hand, have enjoyed the freedom to use their phones throughout campus and occasionally in class. James Zajaczkowski ‘15 has taken advantage of this new program, saying, “I frequently use my phone to check email and my grades, as well as to quickly look something up. I also have used my phone to take pictures of textbook pages so I can spare hauling the book home.” James also added to that list “of course texting girls as well so they don’t think I’m ignoring them. It’s for both my studious and social sides.”

The art of the dunk

by Brandon Borges ‘15

While there are countless types of plays in the sport of basketball, one athletic feat in particular has become arguably the most recognizable. The move goes by many names depending on the nature of its execution, often bold, intimidating, and emphatic: the tomahawk, the double pump, the windmill, and the slam dunk. Some of your classmate along with your favorite professional athletes have been able to work on this exciting play.

Varsity basketball player Mikal Outcalt ‘15 is a witness of the importance of the dunk to the basketball player’s psyche and the sport as a whole, and says that a strong dunk can swing the outcome of a game.

“Dunking is a big play that can change the momentum of a game to your favor, and it brings the crowd into the game,” Outcalt said. Outcalt himself had a momentum changing dunk earlier this season against Berea-Midpark, which kept the Wildcats in that game.

Outcalt is just one of the numerous players on the varsity team who say that they can dunk, along with Isiah Barbra ‘14, David Black ‘14, Eric Black ‘14, Jaylin McDonald ‘15, Andre Wolford ‘15, Jake Strippy ‘14, Devin Stover ‘16, Dylan Nieto ‘15, Ogo Okolo ‘14, Danny Bova ‘14, and Tim Kiefer ‘16.

But while some players may merely be capable of the physical action itself, the team is host to a few standouts – leapers whose jams rise above the rest, although Outcalt couldn’t specify one clear champion.

“The best dunker on the team is either one of the Black twins or Jaylin [McDonald],” he said. But Jaylin has been recognized as the best dunker by teammates Nieto and Kiefer. “He gets up,” said Kiefer. Jaylin McDonald had a dunk late in the game against on February 1st against the Bedford Bearcats, solidifying that Wildcat victory.

Although dunking has the potential to get the crowd excited, it’s not always a practical choice.

“Dunking in a game is extremely effective because it brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the team and to the crowd,” Kiefer said. “It can be a total game changer and ruin the flow of the game for the other team. However, missing a dunk does the complete opposite and is extremely embarrassing.”

According to Outcalt, sometimes the safest option is the most beneficial. “Usually just securing the [points] with a lay up is the safest route,” Outcalt said.

Although dunking can prove to be impractical, players say that the momentum a successful jam creates can be worth the risk. When the crowd gets on a basketball team’s side, the cheers are always an advantage. And nothing can get more fan support than the slam dunk.

The arts (and coffee) will be flowing at the Coffeehouse

by Brendan O’Donnell ’16

Creative Saint Ignatius students from all artistic backgrounds will be performing for the public next weekend as part of Student Senate’s revival of the “Coffeehouse” event series. The festivities, according to senior organizer Vincent Hwang, are “a celebration of the arts that don’t get the attention that they need to get on our campus.”

Admission will be free and open to anyone, targeted towards a student audience, and coffee will be sold for 25 cents a cup. Senate spokesperson Dominic Gideon stressed that girls from area schools would be in attendance. The first show will be March 2nd from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm in the Atrium.

Students from all grade levels are asked to perform at the event. Performances will include “bands, stand-up comedy, violinists, as well as some teachers [who will] read poetry and essays,” according to Hwang. “The added dimension to having teachers is to see them outside of the classroom,” said Hwang. “It’s a really different experience.”

Mr. Gallagher, English teacher and member of the class of 2004, once attended a Coffeehouse event and said he thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

“It was a fun way to see classmates and friends showcase their musical and poetic talents in a way that they don’t usually have an opportunity to do so,” Gallagher said. While he did not personally participate in the event, he did watch his fellow classmates perform. “I had friends who were musicians and really talented guys, and I came out to support them.”

Although Coffeehouse is a long-running tradition, it has not happened this decade, so the revived show will be a new experience for all students in St. Ignatius. “I’m really interested in seeing the talent that our school has to offer,” Hwang said, “outside of athletics and academics, that we don’t always get to see.”

Music Review: Mind Over Matter

by Matt Nicolay ’14

Mind Over Matter by Young the Giant

Just released on January 21, Young the Giant’s second studio album offers an interesting indie rock sound. Mind Over Matter combines near-ambient instrumental parts with somewhat contrasting strong, driving vocals. “It’s About Time” is a popular radio hit, but I actually prefer “Anagram” or “Mind Over Matter.” “Anagram” is a prime example of the near-ambient sound, except it also adds in a simple, driving bass line which really helps to beef up the song overall, and provide a better backing for the vocals. The belting vocals of “Mind Over Matter” catch my attention in particular, and the rhythm and feel of the song are both very appealing and fun. That keyboard slide right at the beginning of the song really sets the atmosphere of the song immediately, and the listener gets almost a dance feel from it. Near the middle of the album, just as the listener begins to think that all the songs are a bit too similar, “Firelight” slows everything down to a soft, very ambient-feeling level. Everything about the song is soft, including the vocals, which helps to break up the album a bit and add a mild, calming song into the mix. This calm vibe continues with the next song “Camera,” which offers soft instrumental and vocal parts once again. Following this, the album picks right back up to its original speed with “In My Home”, preceding my favorite song on the album, “Eros.” It’s a fairly simple song, focusing particularly on the drums, bass, and vocals. The guitar offers nice backing riffs, and one particular quick chord progression at the end of the chorus adds a simple but cool-sounding accent to the melody. This melody line, formed by the vocals, is really catchy and interesting, like the song overall, and I highly recommend it. I recommend the entire album of Mind Over Matter for any indie rock fans.

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About The Eye

The Eye is the student-led publication of Saint Ignatius High School.

Editors-in-Chief: Kelly Coleman '23, Young Kim '23 & Aidan Oliss '23