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Extreme cold causes water damage in the Math Wing

by Brian Sabath ’17

For some reason, it seems like water and the Saint Ignatius campus have not gotten along well this school year.

In September, Loyola Hall was victim to an unfortunate water damage problem spreading to 6 classrooms, the Dean of students office, and the bookstore. This time water wreaked havoc on the other side of the mall.

Early Tuesday morning when most Ignatius students were gleefully sleeping, knowing that they wouldn’t have to go to school that day, major water damage occurred in the main building. At around 7:30 am, a heating coil ruptured because of the freezing weather. The damage caused there to be no heat in the building all day Tuesday, and also caused pipes to leak water into the math wing, library classroom, and partially the Walton Center. Maintenance was quickly informed of this incident and worked all day Tuesday until 11 pm that night to make sure that the Main Building would be heated for Wednesday’s school day.

Although the building was heated throughout Wednesday, the damage was still widespread. The leakage was so severe in Mrs. Reagan’s classroom in the second floor math wing that she reportedly requested that students avoid setting their backpacks on the floor.

The school administration was confident that the cold weather was the force behind the ruptured heating coil.

“The unusual combination of -11 degree weather as well as a strong west wind was the cause of the incident,” said plant services manager Mr. Peter Hendler when asked what the main cause of this incident.

As for repairs, the ceiling tiles all have to be replaced due to water damage. New tiles will be installed over the weekend and the rooms damaged will be fully repaired in time for Monday morning– hopefully ending this school year’s string of water trauma.

Bradesca extends Christmas break by 2 days admidst weather, transportation challenges

by Alastair Pearson ’14

At 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 5 and 11:30 a.m. Monday, Saint Ignatius’s SchoolReach system sent out a blast of text messages, emails, and phone calls delivering the news of the school’s closure, touching off twin flurries of celebration over student social media.

The sober announcements of the school’s closure for the first two days back from break were the result of internal deliberations led by Principal Bradesca that, surprisingly, focused primarily on schools other than Ignatius. Bradesca emphasized that Ignatius makes its own decisions about whether to close, but the administration takes other districts – especially the Cleveland public system – into account as indicators.

“It is a rarity that the Cleveland schools close,” Bradesca said. “When they do, it is a foregone conclusion that we would be closed as well.”

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“The method is less scientific and more intuitive,” Bradesca said.

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Because of much of the student body’s dependence on school buses from public school districts for transportation, he said, Ignatius must keep a watchful eye on closures throughout the region.

“Bus transportation provided by various area school districts for our students becomes unavailable when said districts close for inclement weather,” Bradesca said. “Virtually every school district in Northeast Ohio closed Sunday evening. It was clear that Saint Ignatius would follow suit.”

Bradesca noted that the closure today was unusual in that road conditions, which play a key role in weighing whether to close because of the “sizable” number of Ignatius student drivers, were not harshly impacted by the storm.

“No snowfall to speak of, and the temperature, while quite cold, was not unbearable,” he said. “The decision to close [Monday] was based upon the aforementioned scenario involving several area schools choosing to close.”

He also said that there is no hard-and-fast meteorological rule for determining whether to close or delay school.

“It is difficult to pinpoint a snowfall range or a wind velocity that could easily serve as a cutoff,” Bradesca said. “The method is less scientific and more intuitive.”

Bradesca explained that Tuesday’s closure was based in part on the same circumstances as Monday – the simultaneous closure of most area schools and the lack of student transport – and weather that has changed for the worse.

“Tomorrow’s temperature will in fact pose serious danger to anyone who finds themselves outside for an extended period of time,” he said.

However, if the closures may have had a positive impact on the principal’s reputation among the student body, Bradesca is not taking a populist approach to moving back the upcoming final exams.

“As of this writing,” he said, “finals will proceed as planned.”

Christmas on Campus poll shows varying responses by class

by Alastair Pearson ’14

Students are divided about Christmas on Campus, according to an anonymous online Eye poll. Although the survey was informal, the split appeared to be concentrated along seniority lines.

Multiple freshmen expressed dissatisfaction with their blanket-making assignment, while students participating in the off-campus service activities at local elementary schools described some organizational issues that did not seem to significantly affect the value of the day.

Freshmen focused their discontent on their service duties, which required hand-producing blankets for eventual distribution to the homeless.

“I think that the experience could have been improved by having the freshman [sic] doing things that are more meaningful than making blankets,” one respondent said. “Perhaps making blankets for the homeless isn’t actually as powerful as actually delivering them to the people who need it most.”

He was echoed by other survey participants who said that the freshmen should be able to do more than “just make blankets” and that the day could be improved “if the freshman [sic] directly served,” while another freshman complained about poor working conditions.

“[It] probably would have been more meaningful for me if [I could] be able to make blankets without sitting on the floor,” he said.

But not all the feedback was negative.

“Overall, I thought it was pretty good,” said another freshman. “If my next three Christmas on Campuses go like the way this one did, I’ll be pretty happy.”

Sophomores and upperclassmen cited boredom among the students they visited and homogenous gifts for donations to the schools as issues they encountered during their service. Other students said the project needed “more organization” and “more fun activities,” although others were less critical.

“I honestly enjoyed all of the Christmas on Campus, and I loved helping out the less fortunate,” one respondent said.

After the day of service itself, the students gathered to watch the annual Senior-Faculty basketball game, in which the seniors escaped with a narrow victory over the faculty in overtime. Matt Ivancic, Dameon Willis, Matt Kobunski and Mr. Masterson all received nominations for MVP, and “half naked Soviet guy [Senior Tim Domzalski]” and Frank Rolfe were recognized for their outstanding costumes.

As the last few days of break wind down and the looming menace of finals week begins to cast its shadow over campus, students delivered a clear consensus that they neither want to return to school nor to crack open their books to study for finals.

Out of 75 respondents, only 10 said that they had started studying. For the other 65, their cramming skills will be tested beginning just nine days after classes resume, with the first day of exams on January 15. For a complete guide to the semester finals schedule, check the Eye website the week of the exams.

Principal Bradesca to push forward with new initiatives in 2014

by John Selby ‘15

As 2014 comes to a close Mr. Bradesca faces his fourth semester as the principal of Saint Ignatius High School. The leader of the school has made numerous changes, ranging from school policies, such as the legalization of wearing “boat” shoes, to academic issues, such as the implementation of a new summer reading program. 2014 promises to bring more reforms across the academic and social spheres of campus life.

The class of ’88 graduate will focus on the examination of two major themes going forward: student resiliency and wellness. The goal of the 2014 initiatives is to attempt to define what the “work” is in the established motto: “God bless the work.”

The focus on student resiliency will center on social, academic, and spiritual arenas.

“Issues such as grade inflation, weighted grades, and the grading scale warrant further research and discussion, as do other hot button topics, including homework, authentic assessments, standard-based grading, common assessments, and academic departmental structures” says Mr. Bradesca.

Also, while no specifics have been mentioned, Mr. Bradesca says that a campus-wide approach to wellness as a school initiative is coming soon.

“[It will] involve not only the physical and nutritional aspects of wellness, but also the social and mental components which are equally essential for a healthy Ignatius community,” he said.

Nothing is set in stone, but Bradesca aims to continue his legacy of reform when students return in 2014.

2013: The year in review

by John Dorow ‘15

2013 was a memorable year for Saint Ignatius High School marked no less by what is gone then what is new. This was the year of the logo controversy, Wifi-Gate, the Class Competition, the summer reading overhaul and the new rugby team, a year crammed with change. We elected President Zupan, beat Ed’s, and brought in the largest freshman class in history.

In the realm of athletics, 2013 was no exception to the consistent strength of the Wildcats. They regularly managed to place among the highest ranked teams in the state. The biggest sporting event of the year, the Ed’s vs. Ignatius football game, ended with a big “W” for the Wildcats, while the soccer ‘Cat’s season came to a heartbreaking end with a loss to the Eagles on a penalty kick in the district finals. 2013 also saw the introduction of rugby as a varsity sport. This was no “rebuilding year” – Wildcat athletics remained strong as ever.

In May, Saint Ignatius experienced the inaugural class competition day, the culmination of the year-long game. The brainchild of Mr. Hess and Student Senate, the class competition day was filled with a myriad of activities ranging from Seinfeld Trivia to teacher impersonations. And it received overwhelming praise from students.

“It was a great way to wind down the year with a great field day, and I look forward to it in 2014,” said Connor Schumacher ’15.

Over in the Breen Center, a production of The Wizard of Oz graced the stage in the spring as the traditional spring musical, while this fall witnessed the production of the comedic play The Foreigner. Both productions were highly favored by students, faculty, and other guests alike.

But the year was not free from conflict, as the Wifi-Gate saga reached its inevitable conclusion. Some students had been illicitly using the faculty network for better wi-fi. Mrs. Streen, who spearheaded the BYOT program, publicly reprimanded offenders and took penal measures. As a result, there was a noticeable backlash by many students, with many claiming that Mrs. Streen overreacted.

“The threat of expulsion made what was already a laughable offense comic,” said Sami Petros ‘14. ‘“Nobody was going to get kicked out for wanting to check their Facebook at school and I think we knew that.”

This summer, students experienced a new variant of the infamous practice of summer reading. In previous years, students were required to read pre-chosen books; however, with Mr. Bradesca at the helm, students were permitted to choose a book and then would discuss it with small groups.

“I probably didn’t have to read the book, but I did,” said Tyler Delhees ’14, who said he enjoyed the free-wheeling discussion in his book group with Mr. Buzzelli.

At the end of the 2012-2013 school year, Saint Ignatius once again said goodbye to a group of old friends. A few staff members left Saint Ignatius along with the graduating senior class, who, with the help of the college counseling, matriculated to their respective colleges.

Despite losing some familiar faces, in August at the Mass of the Holy Spirit St. Ignatius welcomed the class of 2017 and new faculty members, such as Mr. Masterson and Miss Rose

After one year at the helm of the school, Mr. Bradesca says he thinks he can call the year a success.

“I miss the classroom, but the challenges of this new job are equally rewarding,” Bradesca said. “My first full year as Principal was an eye-opening, rewarding experience.”

Love Guru Joe Latkovich: Dating Advice

Its that time of year again. Time to sit by the fire with someone you tolerate, while visions of sugarplums dance in your head. What are sugarplums? I don’t know. They’re probably some sort of vision when one drinks a few too many glasses of eggnog. But that’s besides the point. The important thing is, you’ve become lucky in love because of the Yuletide wisdom of resident Love Guru, Joe “The Real CYO Joe” Latkovich. Nobody’s getting coal in their stockings this year. ‘Tis the season to be merry, Saint Ignatius!

Hey Joe, as you know I am constantly being bombarded by the female species (most likely due to my enormous biceps, thanks to the teachings of Mr. Eynon). Although this is quite a luxury to have, the abundance of girlfriends I [have] does not suit well for my wallet. During this Christmas season, I was wondering if you had any cheap-gift/easy money making ideas for me so I can please my ladies as best as possible. Thanks. – Austin Gilner ‘16

The optimal gift to give a woman this Christmas is letting her stare into your eyes. She will become entranced, giving you the chance to go back to the kettlebells. In the end, you don’t spend any money, and you get to converse about a cat named Bigglesworth with Mr. Eynon.

Is buying her a gift tacky? -Vinny Camma ‘17

‘Tacky’? More like ‘insulting.’ In ancient Roman times, the Sigillaria was a day of gift-giving during the Saturnalia. The less the gift cost, the more it spoke to the high quality of the relationship. This translates into modern times with the idea that you shouldn’t offend your girlfriend by getting her an expensive gift. At least, Mr. Murphy tried using this logic once to get out of getting his wife a gift for Valentine’s Day.

How do I break the news to my parents that I am dating a fictional character? They’ve been trying to set me up with multiple women for some time now and it’s getting irritating. Is there any way to tell them without losing their respect? -Anonymous

You’re dating a fictional character? By “fictional character”, do you mean that you’re dating Lady Rainicorn? It seems that you’re having hallucinations. I recommend that you see a doctor right away and lay off the eggnog and sugar plums for a while.

This girl on Facebook friend requested me the other day and even messaged me right after! She is super attractive based on the 2 pictures she has. Her message wanted me to give her some personal information, but I was thrown off by her lack of friends (she only has 7 and all are middle aged bearded men). If this really is her I would be hitting the jackpot but I need to know for sure. Help me Love Guru. You’re my only hope. -Richard Kraay ‘14

It’s a trap. Take evasive action. Your Facebook can’t repel “girls” of that magnitude.

I am a tall, dark, and handsome man, and my ex-girlfriend used to love that about me. But, since we’ve broke up, she’s taken interest in another tall, dark, and handsome man. I cannot seem to compete. Even worse, this new guy used to give me rides home and now refuses to drive me home now because I’m a “mooch.” The only hope I have is that this “new guy” has what looks like a dead squirrel hanging on his face (or at least until Lumberjack day). Love Guru, I need you, more than ever. Please help. -Paden Nagle ‘14

His power comes from his beard. Much like the Biblical story of Samson’s strength coming from his hair, this new man’s attractiveness comes from the dead squirrel on his face. As soon as the dress code returns to normal and he has to shave, his majestic allure will be nullified, and you can make an attempt to win her back.

I have recently been courting a fine young lady by the name of Stacy. Everything seemed to be going fine until I met her mother. Her mom is awesome, a great cook, very nice, a courteous and pleasant lady all around. I could go on and on, I mean she’s really got it going on. I’m afraid that Stacy can’t see that she’s just not the girl for me. I mean I know it might be wrong but I’m in love with Stacy’s mom. What should I do Love Guru? Are there any soothing songs I could send Stacy’s way? Please help. -Aedan Mangan ’14

Pump the brakes. If you want to court a woman old enough to be your mother, then the only song that comes to mind is “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash.

How has Santa kept the flame burning with Mrs. Claus all these years? -Anonymous

Just imagine that you’re up on the North Pole with a thousand little elves that sing songs and bug you all day. The only thing you’d want is to just interact with a regular human. Since Mrs. Claus is the only other human up there, he craves her presence, much in the same way that David Sinclair ‘14 craves the presence of his former girlfriend, since she’s the only one who understands his, um, unique brain.

Would you recommend that a young man follow every girl in Northeastern Ohio on Twitter as a means of increasing the size of the metaphorical net he is throwing out to catch the right fish in that big sea? -Brian “The Wingspan” Callahan ‘14

Let me quote Dan Bova ‘14 to answer that question for you: “and Dan can’t stop, and Dan won’t stop.”

Hey Joe I am wondering if I can tell girls about my tremendous amount of Instagram followers as a means of attracting the ladies. I have almost 100. Keep up to good work. -Phu “Please Leave My Last Name Anonymous Because I’m Definitely Not the Only Person in the School with the First Name ‘Phu’”

It is very possible to charm the ladies by telling them about the exorbitantly large amount of Instagram followers you have. Unfortunately, 100 isn’t that many. I recommend that you check out instafollowerz.com where you can buy 50,000 Instagram followers for the low price of $284.00 USD.

Rebuilding a Winner: Tribe offseason update

I previously posted an article detailing the Indians’ potential acquisition of relief pitcher John Axford.  Since the publication of that post, Axford has been signed to a 1 year, $4.5 million deal with an additional $1.75 million in incentives.  Axford, as mentioned before, posted 46 saves and a 1.95 ERA for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2011 before losing the handles on the closer job in 2012 and being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals this past season.  While he said he doesn’t like to make excuses, he attributed some of his struggles last season to pitching in the World Baseball Classic, as he went through what seemed to be a “dead arm” period with a drop in velocity following the WBC.  He was able to right the ship to an extent, though, as he put up a 2.92 ERA in his final 71 appearances with the Brewers and Cardinals combined.

I like this move for a couple reasons.  First of all, Axford has shown that he has what it takes to be a good closer in this league.  Sure, he’s had his share of struggles in the past couple years, but he seems to have made great strides down the stretch this past year, and he appears to be very excited to join the Tribe.  I think he’s in a good place in terms of both his ability and his mentality.  The second reason is Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway.  Last season, Callaway worked wonders with guys like Ubaldo Jimenez and Scott Kazmir, who seemed to be long shots to ever regain form as quality starting pitchers.  At the beginning of the season, Ubaldo was in danger of being cut from the team on account of how far he had fallen and Kazmir was going into his first season in the MLB since 2009.  In the end, both made incredible turnarounds, as Ubaldo went 13-9 with a 3.30 ERA and Kazmir went 10-9 with a 4.04 ERA.  Based on his success with those two guys, I’m very hopeful that Callaway can help Axford complete his return to form.  This signing could be a steal for the Tribe.

Continue

“Just” Christmas Shopping Comes to Ignatius

by Kevin Malloy ‘15

On Tuesday, December 17, vendors from two fair trade organizations, comprising of the InterReligious Task Force on Central America (IRTF) and the Amani Children’s Foundation, visited Ignatius. The goal of the vendors was not only to sell Christmas gifts, but also to spread their mission. “One of the goals of this organization is to promote economic justice through fair trade,” said one of the vendors from the IRTF.

The IRTF has a special connection to the Cleveland area because it was founded in response to the murder of two Cleveland missionaries who were doing service work in El Salvador. The IRTF was created in an attempt to carry out the work of these missionaries: to support oppressed workers in their struggle for fair treatment. To fulfill this mission, the organization has become the leader of the fair trade movement in Northeast Ohio. “Shoppers can now visit nine fair trade stores in the Cleveland area [one is blocks away from Ignatius] in addition to grocery stores that carry fair trade products.”

The Amani Children’s Foundation strives to care for abandoned babies in Africa with money raised from bead sales. The beads are crafted by Kenyan women being paid fair wages and then made into jewelry by volunteer workers. Since 1993, 1400 abandoned infants have been cared for through the organization.

In choosing to participate in the “Just” Christmas Shopping Experience, students and faculty affirmed their support for international fair wages; they chose to pay slightly higher prices so that hardworking producers in 3rd world countries get the pay and working conditions they rightfully earned.

Q and A with Nick “Bone Saw” Gajkowski

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by Patrick McGuire ‘14

Nick Gajkowski ‘14, a mainstay on both the varsity Hockey and Rugby Teams talked with Eye Sports Editor Patrick McGuire ‘14 about the process of competing for two varsity sports, his teams’ recent success, and, of course, his infamous “Bone Saw” nickname. Nick has played hockey for Saint Ignatius for two years and rugby for one as well as a year in the Warrior Rugby program. Hailed as a menacing presence on the ice and a force on the pitch, Gajkowski earned himself a nickname that has stuck with him here at Wildcat High.

Q: Nick, you’re competing for Saint Ignatius on both the varsity Hockey and Rugby teams, what is it like to be able to play for your classmates on two teams?
A: It’s really a blessing to be able to represent my school on two varsity sports teams. I enjoy giving it my all to help my team win both on the ice and the pitch. I love that I’ve had the opportunity to call both the players on the hockey and rugby teams my teammates. They’re two really great groups of guys, and I’m lucky to call them my teammates, friends, and brothers.

Q: How long have you been playing Hockey and Rugby? Do you find it difficult to perform both sports at a high level?
A: It may be a little hard to believe, but I began playing hockey when I was 3 years old. I fell in love with the game from the moment I stepped onto the ice. Rugby, on the other hand, was different in that I only picked it up during my freshman year. It seemed like a really cool sport when I watched my brother play, and I liked the idea of getting to run around and hit people, so I decided to join the squad.
It is a little difficult to play both sports at the varsity level, but it’s definitely rewarding. Most of the difficulty comes because of the slight overlapping of seasons. Because of the success of the varsity hockey team the past two years, I have had to miss quite a few rugby practices. Last year I believe I only had 3 or 4 practices with the team before heading down to our tournament in Columbus, where we played last years national champions as well as other great competition.
The quick transition from hockey to rugby is also a bit tough to make physically. Though skating and running may seem very similar, they work your legs in pretty different ways. It makes the first few weeks of running tough. I’m not too special though, I bet the hockey players that play lacrosse go through the same thing.

Q: Do you find any similarities between your roles in both Hockey and Rugby?
A: II think because I’ve played defense for my whole hockey career, I’m very defensive-minded, which has translated into rugby, where I am a little more of a defensive player than offensive. Also, I have learned from hockey to be a smart player. Despite my nickname, I’m not really a reckless player in either sport. I play my position and do the smart thing, which I think that’s how I serve my team best.

Q: You have become a fan favorite for your chippy play on the ice, how does that feel?
A: That’s the part of this whole “Bone Saw” thing that I find strange. I’m not much of a chippy player, at least that I’m aware of. Regardless, it feels absolutely amazing to hear the student section chant “Bone Saw” during games. I love every second of it. The whole team really appreciates when students come to cheer us on, so please keep it up. I promise we won’t disappoint; we have a very talented and hard-hitting team this year.

Q: How did you get the “Bone Saw” nickname? Do you even know?
A: Well, I at least have an idea of how it started. It was during a home game last year at Brooklyn the first time the chant was started. Jason Augustine started the chant, but I’m not really too sure what his inspiration was for it. I think that would be a good thing to ask him about, and we could finally get to the bottom of this. Maybe he had just watched the classic Spiderman flick the night before with a couple honeys.

Q: Does the “Bone Saw” nickname reflect your hard-nosed style of hockey?
A: Not exactly. Though I’m not as soft as all my friends would be eager to tell you, I don’t really go out of my way to hit people. More often than not, I wait for opportunities to come to me. The only real similarity between me and Bonesaw that I can think of would have to be muscle mass. I think I have him beat by a little though. But in all seriousness, I can’t help but think this nickname would better suit someone like Kevin Spellacy. The kid is an animal on the ice. Luckily he already has a nickname, “Dozer”, or else “Bonesaw” might have another identity on the Saint Ignatius hockey team.

O’Rourke promises another state championship year

by Patrick McGuire ’14

At the most recent winter sports rally, Pat O’Rourke, head coach of the Saint Ignatius Hockey team, uttered the controversial yet confident words ”We’re gonna win states.”

These words represent the hard work and dedication that a well-coached hockey team is ready to deliver to Wildcat High. The 2013-2014 Wildcat hockey team showcases yet another strong team for coach O’Rourke. From top to bottom, Saint Ignatius has a hard-nosed and tough type of hockey. The ‘Cats feature four strong and fast lines that can allow the Wildcats to make a run deep in the playoffs.

Coach O’Rourke can rely on the athletic and fast-paced first line players of Ethan Whitney, Matty Geither, and Aidan Spellacy as well as Seniors of 2nd and 3rd lines like Beck Schultz and Brian FitzGerald. The 2013-2014 also have stifling defense which, as the saying goes, wins championships. In the defensive zone, Nick “Bone Saw” Gajkowski and Kevin Spellacy as well as the pair of Riley Ellis and Logan Sellers present strong senior leadership for the young sophomore goalies, Wes Deacon and Dylan McKeon.

As coach Pat O’Rourke can see, this Wildcat hockey team has a perfect balance of speed and defense, upper and underclassmen. Look for the Wildcat hockey team, with their own brand of hard-hitting and fast-paced hockey, to compete deep into the OHSAA playoffs and compete for another state championship.

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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