Bye, Patricia

Every year during the late summer, another Hurricane causes havoc across the face of the US. Typically starting in the East/Southeast by Florida, the storm then moves up to Massachusetts.  However, the effects of the hurricane can be seen across the nation, causing torrential rainfall and flooding.

This year, the US has faced Hurricane Patricia. At her peak, she was measured as the most powerful hurricane ever measured across the Western Hemisphere. The Weather Channel stated, “Patricia had maximum sustained winds reaching an unprecedented 200 mph (320 kph) and its central pressure fell to 879 millibars.” The eye of Hurricane Patricia made landfall on Oct. 23 at 6:15 p.m. CDT near Cuixmala in Jalisco state of southwest Mexico. Maximum sustained winds at landfall were estimated at 165 mph, still firmly within the Category 5 range on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

Patricia broke not one record, but two. “In addition to its unprecedented 200-mph (320 kph) sustained winds, Hurricane Patricia broke the record for lowest pressure in any hurricane on record. With a minimum central pressure of 880 millibars (25.99 inches of mercury) at the 4 a.m. CDT advisory Oct. 23, Patricia broke the record of 882 millibars set by Wilma in the Atlantic Basin almost exactly 10 years earlier.” reports The Weather Channel

Luckily, the storm weakened very quickly before its effects  reached the US, but was still dangerously strong. On the morning of Oct. 24  Patricia weakened into a Category 4 storm. Even with the intense weakening, Patricia still caused flooding and strong winds across the nation. The most affected areas of the US were on the East/Southeast coast such as Florida.

Flooding damage caused by Hurricane Patricia in Florida.

Awaiting Acceptance

October just flew by and November was welcomed with open arms. November is a time for new beginnings, involving Thanksgiving feasts and playoff games. However, one major thing has ended due to the start of November. For many colleges, the application deadline was November 1. It was crazy to think that the stress of applying was over.

Whether you applied to one school or a plethora of worthy universities, the process was stressful. The only thing worse than actually applying is the wait itself. The wait is honestly a killer. Thoughts suffocate your mind, thoughts like “Did I get in?” or “Did they receive my application?” or “What if I’m not qualified enough?” The wait plays its own little mind games on you, making you second guess your confidence in acceptance.

For some, the wait can last weeks, months even. For others, the wait can’t even qualify as a “wait.” Their “wait” was so quick that they never even stressed about it. That’s what my experience was like. I only applied to one college. My first choice was the University of Kansas. My family has a legacy at KU, and I have been a Kansas Jayhawks fan from day one. As I grew older, I realized I wanted to work with journalism and advertising, hopefully making my way to the magazine industry.

My father got his journalism degree from KU. That only furthered my interest in KU. My dad and I are very similar in our views, and in our likes and dislikes.

My dad describes KU as one of the best times of his life. My mom, an ISU lady herself, even says that if she could go through the college process all over again, she would definitely want to go to KU.

I had heard of such great experiences from my cousins who had gone, and I went to visit myself. My dad became my personal tour guide. It was really cool to see my dad’s face light up when he reminisced about a memory that took place right where we were standing.

Since I hope to be apart of Greek life, he showed me where all the houses are at on campus. Later in the evening, we went to Massachusetts Street. Mass Street is where all the college kids go to shop, eat, or just hangout. On Mass Street we had the best burgers I’ve ever eaten and we strolled through the little shops.

The next day, I went on the official campus tour and got a feel for the academic life of KU. Everything about it made me feel so at home. KU had literally become my home away from home. I fell in love with the campus and I didn’t want to leave.

Leaving the campus to come home was so hard for me. If I had the choice, I’d move to KU tomorrow. Ever since the campus tour, I’ve been missing the feeling I got from KU. The feeling that this was my home and I belonged there.

One night in late September, I had made the bold move to finally submit my KU application. When I clicked the “submit” button, I couldn’t help but think that I had just applied for my new home.

A few days later, on October 3, I had just finished a lovely meal at Qdoba when I decided to take a glance at my inbox. There it was at the very top, addressed from University of Kansas, an email  entitled “Are you sitting down?”

When I clicked on the email, my heart actually stopped. I honestly forgot how to breathe for a few seconds as I read the words “Congrats! You’re a Jayhawk.”  I called my dad first thing and said to him, “ROCK CHALK I’M A JAYHAWK!”

This was it, I was officially accepted into the University of Kansas. I couldn’t believe that everything was falling into place. When I think about the campus and Mass Street, it’s crazy to think I’ll actually be living there in less than a year. It’s also a great thing to know that the major stress of senior year is over. Once you are accepted, you’ll feel a huge weight lift from your shoulders.

So relax, check your mailbox or inbox, and prepare to celebrate. If you haven’t heard back from your college in a few weeks, don’t worry about it! Whatever happens, happens.An aerial view of the University of Kansas campus. 

I’m a huge believer in fate and the idea that everything happens for a reason. If you don’t get in, then it wasn’t meant to be. Just stay positive, and remember that after this year, all the stress of applying and getting in won’t even matter because you’ll be where you’re supposed to be!

Looking Back at Halloween

October is finally over. That means the Halloween season is over too. But it’s okay. Dry your tears. We still have candy to eat and memories to recollect. This rainy day was filled with candy, movies, trick-or-treating, friends and more. I interviewed Sacred Heart-Griffin students to see how they celebrated the spooky evening of October 31st.

Junior Maddie Boyle spent her Halloween with friends. With a lot of good food and dessert made, she had people over to eat, hang out and watch scary movies.

Boyle and her friends watched “Pet Sematary” and other horror movies for Halloween. Photo courtesy of Google.

Boyle and her friends watched “As Above So Below,” a horror movie set in the catacombs beneath Paris. They also watched “Pet Sematary,” the classic scary movie based on Stephen King’s novel.

Boyle’s favorite part of the night was “making fun of the scary movies all night.” Hanging out with friends is probably one of the best things about Halloween.

Junior Alex Mauntel agrees that the best part of the day for him was spending time with friends. Mauntel’s Halloween started with football films early in the morning. He spent his day eating a lot of candy and watching television. “I also watched ‘The Walking Dead’ for about five hours straight because I was behind and got caught up,” he said.

Many SHG students also saw The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Hoogland Center. The Halloween-weekend event included many colorful costumes and people from all over the Springfield area.

Halloween can be celebrated in many different ways. Whether spending the day watching movies, seeing The Rocky Horror Picture Show, hanging out with friends or throwing costume parties, it is a fun day to celebrate and remember the good times.

Día de los Muertos: Celebrating Those We Have Lost

Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, is a Mexican holiday celebrated November 1-2, to remember lost loved ones. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died by helping support their spiritual journey.

In the United States, celebrations are very similar to those in Mexico. In Texas, Arizona, and California, annual celebrations are held that combine elements of traditional Day of the Dead celebrations with those of pagan harvest festivals.

At SHG, Spanish classes celebrated the Day of the Dead. Spanish I classes used shoeboxes to create ofrendas, or small, collections of objects placed on a small altar to remember someone. Sophomore Caroline Corcoran recollects making the ofrendas. “I made my ofrenda about my niece who died young, while she was still in high school. This, for me, is one of the best parts of the Day of the Dead. We get the chance to keep these people alive in our hearts by remembering and celebrating them.” According to Sra. Melissa Richardson, Spanish II and IV students colored sugar skulls and wrote about what they would like to be in their ofrendas if they were to pass away. The Spanish III students created calaveras, small skeletal representations of a person,  in order “to poke fun at people who are still living and imply that they are going to die soon.”

Spanish I students celebrated Day of the Dead by making ofrendas. Photo courtesy of Aili Eggleston

Spanish Club members also celebrated Día de los Muertos by building an altar. Sra. Richardson explained the meaning behind some of the symbols. “There are three levels, one to represent each heaven, earth, and the afterlife.” Club members also made use of papel picado, colored paper used to represent what is wanted for the deceased. Colored candles share the same purpose. “There are four candles on the first layer of the altar that represent north, south, east, and west.” The three sugar skulls placed on the altar represent the Holy Trinity. Incense is commonly placed on altars to elevate prayer to God. Marigold flowers, because they bloom annually, represent the dead returning to earth every year. Bread and water, though not on SHG’s altar, are usually placed to provide sustenance after the long journey from the afterlife back to earth.

This year, Spanish Club’s altar celebrated Leonard Nimoy, most famously known for playing Spock in the Star Trek TV shows and movies. Sra. Richardson says they chose him “because everyone knows Leonard Nimoy and he died this year.”

Día de los Muertos, although originally started in Mexico, can be celebrated in the United States with as much reverence as anywhere else. Day of the Dead is used as a time to remember the loved ones that we have lost and the joy they brought to our lives. May they stay in our hearts and our minds always.

Visiting Our Neighbors

During the month of October, all Sacred Heart-Griffin students visited the Dominican Motherhouse right across the parking lot from the school.

During their theology class, the students were divided into groups and led around the Motherhouse to gain information about the lives of sisters living there as well as a brief history of the place. Sophomore Grace McDonald said, “I had previously been to the Motherhouse to visit Sr. Lucille last year, so I had a pretty good idea of what it would be like. I was expecting it to be boring because I had already seen it all, but it was actually pretty fun.”

The maze-like facility is a lot larger than expected. It is full of so many rooms for so many different purposes. The students learned about the history of the Motherhouse in the artifact room. They also learned about how the sisters’ days usually unfold. Like lay people, the sisters and nuns who live there cook, clean, read and exercise. Some of the rooms include a kitchen, a library, a cafeteria and a computer room. The Motherhouse also includes a salon where the sisters get their hair cut and styled. It also has a physical therapy room and a swimming pool where the sisters swim to stay healthy and fit.

The Motherhouse includes many pieces of Catholic and Dominican artwork. Many pictures and sculptures include St. Dominic and his teachings.

An SHG tour group admires Fra Angelico’s painting of the Annunciation. Photo courtesy of Sabrina Johnston.

Other artwork seen on the tour include the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and a picture of Fra Angelico’s portrayal of the Annunciation.

Although the students did not get to see the Motherhouse chapel, they did enjoy the tours that were given to them. Freshman Julia Curry was very pleased with her tour. “I enjoyed learning about and visiting with the sisters that I am familiar with, such as my great-aunt and some past teachers,” she said. “I also enjoyed speaking Spanish with some of the sisters who were learning the same language like I am.”

The Motherhouse tours gave SHG students more insight into the lives of the neighbors who help the school be what it is today. The hope was that the SHG students would feel more connected to the Dominican faith and the Dominican sisters.

Standing Against Drugs and Alcohol

October 23-31, 2015 marked this year’s Red Ribbon Week. Red Ribbon Week is an alcohol, tobacco, and other drug and violence prevention awareness campaign observed annually in October in the United States.

Red Ribbon Week began in 1985, after the kidnapping, torture, and murder of Kiki Camarena, a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent, and Captain Alfredo Zavala-Avelar, Camarena’s pilot. Camarena’s efforts uncovered a multimillion dollar narcotics operation in Chihuahua, Mexico, causing hostility. The two men were taken to a ranch in Angostura, Mexico where they were tortured and then killed.

After the men were found, citizens in Calexico, California, Camarena’s hometown, wore red ribbons in his honor. The red ribbon became their symbol for prevention in order to reduce the demand of illegal drugs.

California Congressman Duncan Hunter and California teacher David Dhillon launched “Camarena Clubs” in California high schools. In 1986, club members presented a proclamation to then First Lady, Nancy Reagan, who had initiated nationwide anti-drug programs. In 1987, parent-teacher organizations in California, Virginia, and Illinois wore the red ribbons. In 1988, the first National Red Ribbon Week, organized by the National Family Partnership and chaired by Nancy Reagan, was proclaimed by Congress.

SHG celebrates Red Ribbon Week in a different way. School counselor Denise Klemm, works in Drug and Alcohol Prevention. “Each day over the PA, statistics were read about the various types of drugs and how they can affect you. It is important to know the dangers of what you put into your body.” Teenagers are especially susceptible, Klemm says. “Brain development doesn’t finish until your mid-twenties, so using drugs in your teens will lessen the development of a healthy brain.” Students also had red ribbons placed on their lockers, so that every time they walked through the halls, they remembered what Red Ribbon Week is all about.

Red ribbons were placed on students’ lockers to commemorate Red Ribbon Week. Photo courtesy of Aili Eggleston

Students are asked to remember to stay away from drugs and alcohol at all costs and to speak out if someone you know is struggling. Freshman Adam Skowronski says, “If my friend was using drugs, I would tell an authority figure and they would do something.” There are always people willing to help. Klemm says, “If there is anyone you’re worried about, tell someone!  You can come to me, other counselors, teachers, etc.  Please do not keep quiet about it.”

Like Mother, Like Daughter

What is it about mothers and daughters? That special bond that is somewhat magical. For certain mothers and daughters, they just understand each other; they’re able to relate.

While some mothers and daughters can argue like cats and dogs, others are like best friends. Think Lorelai and Rory from “Gilmore Girls,” an inseparable bond that never goes away.

SHG has a tradition in which mothers and daughters are celebrated at the annual Mother and Daughter Brunch.

This year’s brunch took place on Sunday, October 25. The brunch began at the Motherhouse (fitting right?). Every year, a special mass for mothers and daughters is hosted in the chapel of the Motherhouse.

SHG choir girls attending the Mother/Daughter Brunch led the mass in song. SHG senior Devin Boheme sang with her angelic voice for the Mother/Daughter mass. “We practiced in the chapel on Wednesdays for four weeks. The mass was a beautiful setting,” says Boheme.

After a spiritual celebration, the mothers and daughters moved back to the SHG commons at East. At East, mothers and daughters were served the actual brunch.

The commons was filled with tables decorated in festive tablecloths with autumn-themed centerpieces. This year, fathers served all who had gathered to feast. They wore pink bow ties and button down shirts.

Senior Jackie Johnson loved the food that was provided. “This year at the brunch, I ate salmon, potatoes, and green beans. I adored these little pies that were made for the brunch as well.”

Prizes were also given away as the mothers and daughters ate together. Junior Sabrina Johnston was one of the lucky prize winners; she received a Starbucks gift card, a square-shaped mug, and more.

The brunch ended with hugs and outdoor photo ops with fall leaves for Instagram. For senior girls, this was their last mother/daughter brunch. It was rather emotional for those who had been going all four years.

Johnson commented, “It’s a tradition for my mom and me to go every year. My favorite part is being able to spend time with my mom. I’m really going to miss this tradition.”

The mother/daughter brunch is a proud SHG tradition. So ladies, next year gather your mothers and enjoy the celebration of family love.

 Jackie Johnson and her mother, Julie Johnson, pose for an annual mother/daughter picture.

Hello, I’m Sorry

On October 23, two of the largest musicians in the industry released singles. Justin Bieber and Adele released singles that both made the top ten charts.

Bieber’s song “Sorry” is the second single of three songs he decided to release from his unreleased album called, “Purpose.” On Twitter, Bieber told his fans “It’s my best work yet. Promise.”

He also talked about this being a new era of his music. More mature and developed than his previous albums, Bieber was ready to move on from his past and his previous reputation and sound. “There needs to come a time where they’re just like, ‘We get it.’ And I think putting out a song saying I’m sorry kinda puts the finishing icing on the cake. I’m ready to just move on,” said Bieber about having a new start.

Along with the pop song, Bieber also released a music video for the single. The music video is a dance video featuring an all female dance crew, directed and choreographed by Parris Goebel. Bieber is not shown throughout the entire music video.

Coincidentally, pop/alternative singer, Adele best known for her song “Rolling in the Deep,” decided to release a single on the same day Bieber’s “Sorry” was released.  One may suspect a bit of tension between the two artists due to releasing their singles on the same day. Bieber denies any tension by saying, “Here’s the thing,”  I’m such a big fan of Adele, so that doesn’t bother me not even one bit. I love her.” The only difference between the release of the two songs was Adele had not released a song or album in three years.

However, the silence did not go without explanation. “I have to take time and live a little bit. There were a good two years between my first and second albums, so it’ll be the same this time.” Adele clarified.

Now, Adele is back and better than ever. Adele’s new album, “25,” received a rating of five out of five stars on iTunes. “Hello” is the first and only single that has been released from the album so far.

Similar to Bieber, Adele’s album also signifies a new beginning. “My last record was a break up record, and if I had to label this one I would call it a make up record,” Adele typed in a tweet on October 21st. “‘25’ is about getting to know who I’ve become without realising” Adele continued.

Fans of both artists can anticipate new sounds and themes in the newest albums that have yet to come out.