Photo by Dr. M. GubernatJon Ramteke

By Jonathan RamtekeRetiring Managing Editor,soon-to-be NewspaperForeign Correspondent

Throughout my life, I have been exposedto a variety of international experiences.My parents have whisked me away to glac-iers in Canada, manors in the United King-dom, archeological digs in Israel, and lushvalleys in India.While at St. Joe’s, I have been fortunate

enough to study two foreign languages, hosttwo French exchange students, learn aboutforeign relations, and participate in ModelUnited Nations. All of these events haveculminated in one grand finale: I will bespending my senior year in Japan as anexchange student through Rotary Interna-tional Youth Exchange.Besides the wildly fun necessity of

becoming acquainted with the exchangestudent subculture, being an exchange stu-dent is not an easy task. The admissionsprocess to Rotary International YouthExchange (RYE) is grueling. Mine wasintensified because I learned about RYEless than a month before the deadline, andI contacted the organization less than a

week before the interview.The paper applicationwas eighteen pages

and required, like most applications, rec-ommendation forms and transcripts.Addi-tionally, students must write sixteen shortessays and undergo dental and medicalexaminations. The forms seemed to multi-ply exponentially, and, within a week, I wasresponsible for completing nearly two hun-dred pages of paperwork. The applicationprocess was, candidly, the most stressfulexperience of my life.After receiving my acceptance e-mail,

I waited patiently for my country place-ment. My first choice was Japan. I couldhave also chosen Azerbaijan, Ghana, orTunisia. Of course, more traditional coun-tries such as France, Germany, and Italywere also readily available.After being placed in the Mount Fuji

region of Japan, I immediately began themonumental task of learning its language.Japanese uses four writing systems: roma-ji, hiragana, katakana, and kanji. I alreadyknow romaji, simply because it is the Romanalphabet. I taught myself hiragana in abouttwo weeks and am currently working onkatakana. Kanji, the pictographic symbols,will take me a lifetime to master.In addition to a complex writing sys-

tem, Japanese utilizes a totally differentsyntax, or word order. For example, Eng-

lish speakers say, “Mr. Yamashita eats tofuat 8:00 p.m.” The same sentence in Japan-ese would translate literally as “YamashitaMr. p.m. 8:00 at tofu eats.”Understandably, many people ask me

what on earth I am getting myself into.Sometimes I wonder if I am going crazy.I am leaving my friends and family behindto experience a completely different cultureand language for an entire year while miss-ing graduation and the prom. I realize thatI probably am going crazy, but I really donot mind. I will miss St. Joe’s terribly, andI will remember everyone and all the amaz-ing memories we have shared together.Unlike most students, I am not looking

forward to the last day of this school yearbecause I know it will be a heartbreakingday. However, I know that even more amaz-ing times await me in Japan, and I am readyto seize them and cherish the memories Iwill make.By the way, if you have any questions

at all about RYE, such as the cost (it isa full scholarship, excluding airfare),admissions procedure (go towww.exchangestudent.org), or hosting anexchange student for three to five months(my “replacement”), feel free to stop me inthe hallway to ask me. Lastly, I am in des-perate need of country flag pins (it’s anexchange student thing).

Photo by Dr. M. Gubernat

Congratulations to the 2007-08Falcon newspaper editors!

(Top) Matt Velez, Matt Kuchtyak, Chris McGovern, Lucas Zavala,(bottom) Kevin Corlett, John Nolan, Chris Jacques, (not pictured) Mike Lee

Robotics .............. Page 7

INSIDE:

SADD .................... Page 2 SSTT. J. JOSEPHOSEPH H.S.H.S.Vol. XLIX Number 6 The Student Newspaper of St. Joseph High School, Metuchen, N.J. May 2007

VALEDICTORIAN & SALUTATORIAN:By Lucas ZavalaManaging Editor

The titles of valedictorian andsalutatorian denote the greatestacademic achievements of thegraduating class. They are award-ed to the seniors with the two high-est cumulative GPAs over fouryears. However, these titles alsorepresent a level of scholarshipattained through four years ofcommitment and dedication. Thisyear’s recipients truly demon-strated such scholarship.At the school liturgy on April

4, Roel Mercado was named vale-dictorian for the Class of 2007.At Senior Awards Night, Roelreceived theAlumni ScholarshipAward for General Excellence inmemory of Thomas Platko. John

Bufe was named salutatorian andwas awarded the SalutatorianAward in memory of BrotherGilbert. Besides receiving theseawards, Roel will assist in theupcoming graduation.Roel will present a speech to

his fellow classmates at the Com-mencement Ceremony, which willtake place on May 24 at St. Fran-cis Cathedral in Metuchen.Roel, who maintained a 4.701

cumulative GPA, was also active-ly involved in extracurricular activ-ities. He was co-captain of theMath League, Chess Team, andScience League, Vice Presidentof the International Travelers Club,founder and Treasurer of the Psy-chology Club, President of theSpanish NHS, and Vice Presidentof the NHS. He also participated

in the French ExchangeProgram, Campus Min-istry, and St. Joe’s The-atre. Outside of school,Roel served his parish asa lector, altar server, andCCD teacher.John earned a GPAof

4.677 throughout his fouryears at St. Joe’s. In addi-tion, he served as co-cap-tain of the Math League,Chess Team, and Com-puter League. He wasalso amember of the trackteam, Campus Ministry,NHS, and Spanish NHS.As a Boy Scout, he earnedthe distinguished title ofEagle Scout.Roel gave thanks to the facul-

ty members and teachers who

guided and inspired him through-out his four years at St. Joe’s. Hesaid, “My experience at St. Joe’shas been meaningful because of

the relationships and bondsthat I formed with my class-mates and teachers. I am gladto have been a part of alltheir lives.”For Roel, John, and the

rest of the graduating class,the end of a career at St. Joe’salso marks the beginning ofhigher education. Roel willattend Rutgers University inthe fall to pursue a career ineither chemistry or physics.John hopes to double-majorin mathematics and com-puter science at GeorgetownUniversity.As Roel and John grad-

uate, they will face manynew challenges and, using thelessons they have learned here,succeed.

Photo by Dr. M. GubernatJohn and Roel celebrate four years of hard work.

By Russell PepeStaff Writer

They walked through the doorsof St. Joe’s for the first time in2003 as a group of curious 14 and15 year old teens. Now, four yearslater, they are ready to end thehigh school chapter of their livesand enter the adult world.Saying goodbye to the hall-

ways that have become a secondhome to them, the Class of 2007is moving on to pursue theirdreams at 92 different universi-ties into which they have gainedadmission.The graduates of 2007 will

attend schools throughout 18 statesin the continental U.S., as wellas the District of Columbia. Fivestudents will attend military acad-emies.Nearly half of the graduates,

46%, have chosen to stay in theGarden State for their collegeyears. This is an increase of 7%,as compared to last year’s grad-uating class, and an increase of12% since 2005.This year’s seniors lived up to

St. Joe’s high standards of schol-arship money earned. The grad-uating Class of 2007 earnedupwards of $15 million towardcollege education, an increase of

25% since last spring.St. Joseph High School stu-

dents exemplify excellence. Fromthe day students first put on their“Flynns” to the moment theyremove their green polo forthe last time, the idea that“excellence is a habit” is contin-ually emphasized. The wordexcellence becomes as much likesecond nature as the hellos andgoodbyes exchanged betweenfriends during their high schoolyears.Just as it has in the past, St.

Joseph High School is proud tobid farewell to yet another out-standing class.

Time to go out and make a difference, menSt. Joeʼs Bids a Fond Farewell to Another Successful Class

Roel Mercado and John Bufe

A New Journey for Jon

St. Joseph High School ispleased to announce that the2006-07 Falcon newspaper hasbeen awarded “First Place withSpecial Merit” by the Ameri-can Scholastic Press Associa-tion.This nationwide contest is

juried by professional journal-ists who grade and critique eachnewspaper entry. Out of a pos-sible 1,000 total points, TheFalcon scored 965, thus earn-ing this distinction. The Fal-con was one of only 3 schoolsin its category (Private/ParochialSchools Enrollment: 500-1000)to achieve this honor.Judging categories include:

content coverage; page design;general plan; art, advertising,

illustrations; editing; creativi-ty.“I am very proud of the edi-

torial team,” stated Dr. MartineGubernat, Falcon moderator.“They ran our school paper likea professional organization,which was reflected in the qual-ity of the writing, photography,and layout. I really enjoyedworking with them.”The paper has been recog-

nized in the past by the ASPA.The Falcon earned “First Placewith Special Merit” in 2006,“First Place” in 2005, “FirstPlace with Special Merit” in2004, “First Place with SpecialMerit” in 2003, “First Place”in 2002, and “Most Outstand-ing High School Newspaper”

in 2001.“Our entire school commu-

nity is proud of their achieve-ment,” stated Mr. JohnAnder-son, ‘70, Principal. “The Fal-con’s success is a perfect exam-ple of excellence being a habit,not a goal.”The following editors are

members of the award-winning2006-07 Falcon editorial staff:Editor-in-Chief: Michael Varco(senior); Managing Editors:Stephen Polansky (senior) andJonathan Ramteke (junior);Associate Editors: KevinGuidette (senior), Greg Myer(senior), MatthewVelez (junior),andAllan Zhang (senior); SportsEditor: Christopher McGovern(junior).

By Michael LeeAssociate Editor

St. Joe’s top students wererecognized for their intellec-tual achievement and academ-ic prowess at the National Hon-or Society Induction Ceremo-ny. The event occurred on May16 at 7:00 p.m. in the VincentMaglio Gymnasium. Familyand friends watched as eachinductee was called individu-ally to receive an official tokenof his membership.To be considered for mem-

bership in the NHS, applicantshad to fulfill several rigorousrequirements, which includedmaintaining at least a 3.9 cumu-lative GPA, assuming threeleadership roles, participatingin six total activities within St.Joe’s and their communities,and receiving five teacher rec-

ommendations. After the ini-tial selection process, an inde-pendent, anonymous facultycommittee made the final deci-sions as to who was accepted.Although induction into the

NHS is a significant recogni-tion of past achievements, italso indicates new responsi-bilities. Members must assistat numerous events through-out the school year, includingOpen House, masses, dances,and other school-sponsoredhappenings. Their first task willbe to assist at graduation onMay 24.When questioned about the

future of the NHS, ModeratorMs. Nicole Wesp responded,“I was very excited to beinvolved in the entire process.I look forward to working withthe new members in improv-ing the NHS.”

2 THE FALCON May 2007

By Michael VarcoRetiring Editor-in-ChiefI remember as though it were

yesterdaywhen I walked throughthe green doors of St. JosephHigh School for the first time.Now, four years later, I am get-ting ready to leave through thesame green doors after whatseems like a very brief time.As I progressed through theranks of freshman to senior, Ihave learned the ropes of beingan achieving high school stu-dent while also having fun.Before I finish my time at St.Joe’s and leave through thosedoors, however, I wish to sharesome very important advice,which I’ve learned throughexperience.First and foremost, I have

learned how important it is to getinvolved in school. I’m surethat you’ve already been giv-en this advice before, but I’mmaking a point to say it againbecause of how important Ibelieve it is. When I entered asa freshman, I was a new stu-dent who did not know many

students and teachers. It wasmy mission to spend the nextfour years contributing to St.Joe’s and making new friends—both with students and faculty.By getting involved in some

of the numerous clubs in ourschool, you will have the oppor-tunity to have a voice, buildconfidence, and get to knowfellow students better. Fur-thermore, as you become moreof an asset to the club or sportand show quality skills, youmay be given the opportunityto lead that activity. This notonly looks good on a collegerésumé, but also, more impor-tantly, defines your characteras that of a well-rounded, respon-sible individual.Another important piece of

advice I want to leave you withis the value of creating con-nections with teachers duringyour time at St. Joe’s. It is arewarding experience to havethe chance to get to know someof the many teachers here. Thisis important for many reasons.Our teachers come from manydiverse backgrounds and are a

collective wealth of informa-tion.An engaging conversationwith a teacher about one of yourhobbies or interests is alwaysrewarding. Having developeda close bond with several teach-ers, some of whom I had onlyin my freshman year, has mademy high school years pass bymore smoothly and enjoyably.In closing, I honestly speak

from experience when I tell youhow fast high school goes byand how important it is to usethe little time you have as a stu-dent at St. Joe’s to have a greattime and interact with the diversemembers of the St. Joe’s com-munity. I’ve witnessed myselfgrow from a shy and quiet per-son to one who is more confi-dent and outspoken.

I strongly believe that thisis because of my involvementaround campus, in addition tomy academic interests andachievements. Remember, St.Joe’s is a unique, opportunity-filled school waiting for its stu-dents to take advantage of thevariety of clubs and activitiesit offers.

EDITORIAL

Enlighten yourself with clubs and people

Published by the students of St. Joseph High School145 Plainfield Ave., Metuchen, NJ 08840

Volume XLXI, No. 6 • May 2007

The Falconwelcomes articles from students, parents and faculty members for con-sideration for publication.All articles are subject to editing. The opinions expressedin The Falcon do not necessarily represent the opinions of faculty or administra-tion. Opinions expressed in any column except those of the editors are not neces-sarily those of the editors.

Graphics and Printing by Media Trends,Metuchen, NJ (732) 225-4555

Editor-in-Chief: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris McGovernManaging Editors: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lucas Zavala. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kevin CorlettAssociate Editors:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Jacques, Matt Kuchtyak,. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike Lee, Matt ValezSports Editor: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John NolanStaff Writers: . . . . . . Leonel Delgadillo, Jack Fitzhenry, Kevin Guidette. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Neil Merchant, Alex Mosko, Greg Myer, Russell Pepe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Martin Pico, Mike Pico, Stephen Polansky. . . . . . . . . Jonathan Ramteke, Mike Varco, Allan Zhang, E.J.ZukowskiPhotographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gary Monteleome, Aaron KnowlsonTechnology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. George MilliganFaculty Adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. Martine GubernatPrincipal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. JohnAnderson, ‘70President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. LawrenceWalsh, ‘68

FALCONWINS, FALCONWINS!The Falcon earns ‘First Place withSpecial Merit’ in national contest

Golfing fun fora good cause

By Matthew KuchtyakAssociate Editor

The 12th Annual St. JosephHigh School Brother Bernadine,S.C., Memorial Golf Classic andDinner was held on May 21. Theevent, held at Forsgate CountryClub in Monroe Township, bene-fits the St. Joseph High SchoolAnnual Fund for Scholarship andFinancial Aid.In order to prepare for the event,

a committee met frequently to dis-cuss and develop the many facetsof the Golf Classic. Under theleadership of committee chair-man, Mr. Ernie Feist ’76, mem-bers looked for people and com-panies to donate prizes for a gameboard.Also, larger andmore exclu-sive gifts, such as a golf vacationin Maine and a trip to Las Vegas,were donated by organizationscontacted by committee members.On the day of the event, golfers

participated in multiple phases ofthe Golf Classic. After an hourand a half lunch buffet, golfersparticipated in either the Golf Clas-sic on the Palmer Course or theGovernor’s Cup on the prestigiousBanks Course, one of the most

respected courses in the state.After the golfing was complete,there was a cocktail reception anda dinner, followed by a live auc-tion and a silent auction.Mr. Ryan Lechner, a teacher

and the golf coach at the school,said of the event, “The BrotherBernadine, SC, Memorial GolfClassic is one of the most pro-fessionally conducted tournamentsof its kind. The Golf Committee,Semple-Bixel, and Chairman ErnieFeist do an excellent job in orches-trating a memorable day, improv-ing each year. I’m happy to be apart of it and even happier to playin it!”

National Honor SocietyInduction Ceremony 2007

Photos by Dr. M. GubernatOn Friday,April 27, two police officers from Piscataway Police Department came to St. Joe’s to demon-strate field sobriety tests to students. They brought with them photos and a CD story illustrating thehorrors of DUI. Mr. & Mrs. Partipilo, parents of Michael, a St. Joe’s student who was killed threeyears ago by a drunk driver, attended the event in order to answer questions the students had regard-ing Michael and his accident.

S.A.D.D. TIME OF YEAR

Photo by Mr. Al KruperMr. Walsh, President, lines upa shot in last year’s Classic.

JuniorProm2007

Photos byJon Ranteke

By Chris JacquesAssociate Editor

With the end of the schoolyear fast approaching, the out-going Student Council had onlytwo more tasks to accomplish:organizing the junior and seniorproms.The junior class officers and

representatives, under the mod-eration of Mr. Jenkins, hostedthe junior prom at Pierre’s inMonmouth Junction. Ticketswere

sold for $125 per couple. Thisincluded an hors d’oeuvre houras well as a buffet dinner and agreat DJ. The night was enjoyedby all.The Excelsior in Manalapan

was the host site for the seniorprom. This spectacular eventcapped a stellar and successfulfour years for this senior class.Mr. Bryner commented, “Theseniors greatly enjoyed their promas it was a fitting end to their highschool careers. The food was

great and the DJ was perfect.”New Student Council officers

will be selected in May and rep-resentatives will be chosen nextSeptember. The current StudentCouncil officers are Dan Roton-do (President), Keith MacDon-ald (Vice President), Tim Furey(Treasurer), and Pat Galella (Sec-retary).This group’s greatest accom-

plishment was the Thanksgiv-ing Food Drive, which raisedover $15,000.

May 2007 THE FALCON 3

BR. MIKEʼS MOVIE REVIEWSBy Russell Pepe

Staff WriterGuess what time it is! Game

time? No, it’s time for Br. Mike’sMovie Review! Eyy, oh, ah! Beexcited! OK, now let’s get downto business here.The first film on our agenda

is The Shooter. This movie isabout a war hero who is set upto kill the president. The actingis very good, but it’s your typ-ical action film. You know, likea really violent, bloody messkind of thing. If you’re lookingfor entertainment, go see thisfilm. It’s the perfect “mindlessaction film.” Brother gave TheShooter three stars. ������OK, next up is Perfect

Stranger, starring Halle Berryand Bruce Willis. Now right offthe bat you know that with thosetwo names this is going to be avery, very good film. Again, thisis another movie with lots ofaction. This is actually a verygood month for action-lovers.So all you psycho, cliff divertypes have a ball! Br. Mike high-ly recommends this film for itssuspense and action and givesit three stars. ������By now you should know

those two films are on the must-see list. Why? Because Broth-er said so! C’mon, this is no-brainer stuff. More important-ly though, there is one last filmon the list. Do not waste yourtime and money on this movie.It is lethally bad, sort of like thealbino baby buffalos and Magua.OK, Magua is really bad, but,you know, this movie is up there.

Wild Hogs! Please, avoid thisfilm like the plague! In a com-petition, I think grass growingmight be more entertaining thanthis film. Paint drying comes inat a close third. Even the hors-es in this film were embarrassed.Honestly though, this film issimply too stupid to be funny.Find better ways to waste yourmoney. Burn it if you want, alongwith the ticket stub. Brotherwon’t even waste a star on WildHogs.

By Alex MoskoStaff Writer

Some students and facultyfavor spending their summerbreak enjoying leisurely activitiessuch as reading, going to muse-ums, and playing video games.However, other staff membersand students prefer living at afaster pace, even after they nolonger have to run to classes.

Ms. Rhomberg— “I’m goingto Germany with the German

NHS, after that Seattle, then toSan Francisco for my friend’swedding. I am also taking a courseat Rutgers, and I might go backto Austria to visit family for awhile.”Junior Jonathan Ramteke—

“I’m going to Governor’s Schoolfor a month. Then I’m going toJapan with an exchange pro-gram.”

Ms. Brennan— “I have to getmy oldest daughter ready to starther studies at Oxford University.”

Senior Nicholas Petrillo —“I plan on going on a road tripwith some of my school friendsto California in June.”

Br. Michael Yerkes — “I’m volunteering to teach at aNavajo reservation for my 15thyear.”Junior Dennis Chapman —

“I’m going with my Boy Scouttroop to Canada to canoe andcamp for several weeks.”

Ms. Uler — “I’m going to LasVegas for Ms. Wesp’s wedding!”

By Jonathan RamtekeRetiring Managing EditorAttending the Governor’s

School of New Jersey during thesummer is one of the highest hon-ors a high school junior can gar-ner. Six Governor’s Schools, eachdedicated to a different subject,are held throughout New Jerseyon college campuses. For four weeks, students can

learn about public issues, the arts,the sciences, the environment,international studies, or engi-neering. Teachers at St. Joe’s nom-inate one student for each school.Students must then complete anapplication and pass both the coun-ty and state levels. This year St. Joe’s is pleased

to send two students to the pres-tigious program: Charles Jaegerand Jonathan Ramteke. Charleswill attend the Governor’s Schoolof Public Issues and the Future of

New Jersey, and Jonathan willattend the Governor’s School ofInternational Studies.The Governor’s School of Pub-

lic Issues is held at MonmouthUniversity. Attendees study thepolitics of New Jersey and howthey relate to the national andinternational levels. The studentsalso participate in various fieldtrips, seminars, and debates. “Iam definitely looking forward toattending. I can’t wait,” saidCharles. The Governor’s School of Inter-

national Studies is held at RamapoCollege, where students learnabout diplomacy, human rights,and global politics. They also vis-it the United Nations and variousconsulates in New York.The fact that St. Joe’s students

have earned the privilege of par-ticipating in these programs trulydemonstrates that here “Excel-lence is a habit, not a goal.”

By Neil MerchantStaff Writer

On March 29, 40 juniors leftearly in the morning to com-mence the Spring College Tour.The stops on the tour includedMoravian College, Lehigh Uni-versity, and Lafayette College. The purpose of the tour was

to give juniors the opportunity

to visit local colleges while theywere in session. Ms. Yannacofelt that the trip was a great suc-cess because many students got“to visit colleges firsthand andget a feel for the community.”She believes this is the best wayfor students to learn about a col-lege. Many students liked one-of the colleges they visited, ifnot all of them.

Jackson Udelsman said,“I really liked the college tour,and it really helped me under-stand the whole college expe-rience.” Like Jackson, many juniors

who attended said that the tripwas very helpful, and that theygained valuable insight thatwould help make their collegedecisions less stressful.

By Lucas ZavalaManaging Editor

In an effort to promote health-ier nutrition, the cafeteria hasbegun to change its lunch menu.The decision to make this changeresulted from a mutual agreementbetween the cafeteria’s indepen-dent contractors and the admin-istration. “The new menu is meant to

encourage the students to eat bet-ter by adding healthy variety tothe usual menu,” said Ms. AngelaKnoth, kitchen supervisor. In addition to the familiar sand-

wiches and fries, the cafeteria

menu now includes wraps, yogurtwith granola, and freshly bakedcookies. More fruits and fruit juicesare also being sold in the cafete-ria. Items such as orange chick-en with rice, and pasta with meatsauce are offered as specialties ongiven days. “The wraps and cookies have

become extremely popular,” com-mented Ms. Knoth. “Students arealso beginning to buy completelunches instead of just French friesand Snapple.”“The change is great,” said

sophomore Stephen Vajtay, whobuys lunch almost every day ofthe week. “It’s good to have a

healthier alternative to the menuthat has been offered for such along time.”The cafeteria recently began

to offer the new menu in order totest its popularity. According toMs. Knoth, the students haveresponded very enthusiastically. “The key is variety,” she said.

“The new menu gives studentshealthy alternatives to their routinelunch choices.” The kitchen staff hopes to con-

tinue adding variety to the menunext year. By offering healthieritems, the school has begun a setof gradual changes that will ulti-mately benefit student nutrition.

New, Healthier Cafeteria Menu Choices in 2007

Summer 2007 Plans

STUDENT COUNCIL UPDATE

Perfect Stranger

Mr. Braga’s RetirementBy Kevin CorlettManaging Editor

A veteran member of the St. Joe’s com-munity is leaving after this school year. Mr.Arthur Braga has decided that, after teach-ing at St. Joe’s since 1964, he will retire.Mr. Anderson spoke of what Mr. Braga

meant to our school: “He is an example ofthe tradition here at St. Joe’s. Mr. Braga isthe only band teacher we have ever had inour history. He has helped students who

maybe never had an interest in music learn to play an instrumentand enjoy music. He gave students a sense of the importance of oth-er things besides the academic subjects. His musical contributionto our sporting events, flagpole ceremonies, Open House, and oth-

er events will also be sore-ly missed.”Mr. Braga has been a

great teacher and mentorto students who have hadthe privilege of workingwith him. We all wouldlike to thank him for hiscontributions to St. Joe’s.Congratulations, and enjoyyour retirement. You’veearned it!

Photo by Normandy StudiosMr. Braga

Photo by Yearbook staffMr. Braga in 1965 leading Glee Club. Spring College Tour on the road againJaeger and Ramteke to AttendPrestigious Governor’s School

By Kevin GuidetteRetiring Associate EditorOn May 2, Senior Cup took

place. As with Freshmen Cup,all seniors teamed with theirfreshmen homeroom classmatesand competed in activities toearn the honor of being the mostathletically adept class. The seniors followed a regu-

lar morning schedule until thebeginning of fifth period, whenthey gathered in the gym to beginthe games. Led by Campus Min-

istry Director Ms. Michele Palmer,they participated in activities thatincluded volleyball, Frisbee, kick-ball, and the bat-spin. Each team sported an updat-

ed version of their FreshmenCup T-shirts in remembrance oftheir freshman team. Transferstudents who were not here forFreshmen Cup were assigned toa team in order to be included. “It’s such a nice way to end

your senior year. They can alllook back and see where theywere four years ago and take

notice of the way they’ve allchanged physically and emo-tionally,” said Ms. Palmer. The seniors, who refereed

themselves, seemed to reallyenjoy the day, while both remi-niscing and competing. Thechampion team was BrotherMatt’s Madd Dawgz, repeatingtheir freshman year victory againas seniors. Ms. Palmer said, “It was a

fun and silly event that the seniorstake seriously but still enjoy.They had a wonderful time.”

4 THE FALCON May 2007

By EJ ZukowskiStaff Writer

While not quite as elaborate asCBS’ hit show, our school’s “Sur-vivor” has something the showdoes not have: teachers playingdodgeball. This and many otherteacher vs. teacher events madeCampus Ministry’s fundraiser acolossal, not to mention enter-taining, success.

Each team consisted of oneteacher and one student. Startingthe week of April 17, each team hada donation bag in the cafeteria atbreak and during the lunch peri-ods. The students put change (larg-er amounts were also happilyaccepted) into the bag of whichev-er teams they wanted to advanceinto the final round. After a weekof collections, the money was tal-lied. On April 24, a school-wide

assembly was held in the gym.The teams faced off in severalevents, including the bat-spin, athree-legged race, knockout, anddodgeball.While the event was very enter-

taining, it also benefited a goodcause. All proceeds went direct-ly to “Water for Wasala,” a char-ity run by students at Villanova

that creates new wells for pover-ty-stricken African villages. Car-olyn Gusick, sister of Tim Gusick,’05, got St. Joe’s involved lastyear. Ms. Palmer announced that this

year’s Survivor competition raised$226.70. Mrs. Whiteside and IanO’Connor were the money totalwinners while Team Bryner, rep-resented by Brenton Hofstetterand Mario Caruso, were the eventwinners.

SENIOR ADVICEIt’s a bumpy ride, but...

By Allan ZhangRetiring Associate Editor“The years pass quickly, so

savor every moment! Treasure thefriends that you have made, thepeople that have inspired you, and the opportunities that comeonly once in a lifetime.” – RoelMercado“Strive to reach success, and

when you do, keep striving.” –Gerald Ngo“Throughout my four years in

St. Joe’s, I learned that life is hardonly because you make it hard. Ifyou look at it from a different per-spective, then it’ll be a whole loteasier.” – Andrew Nguyen “Keep your friendships after

you leave high school.” – HaniMayassi

“Follow what you like to do.”– George Berry“Let me introduce you to my

friend, Mr. Coffee. You guys willbe spending a lot more time withhim in your junior and senioryears.” – Luke Villapaz“Don’t be lazy. Study, work

hard, and get good grades becauseyou will regret it if you don’t.” –George Chedid“Graduation is like a roller

coaster: long line but worth thewait. Make sure you get in line.”– Ankit Patel“Make sure you have the phone

number of the top kid in the class.”– Mike Ferris“High school is like a ride on

Air India. It can be rough andbumpy but it pays off in the end.”– Mandeep Chandi

SENIOR AWARDS NIGHT

By Kevin CorlettManaging Editor

Although seniors finishedschool in early May, they stillhad a few more days to cele-brate their experiences andaccomplishments at St. Joe’s.One such day was SeniorAwards Night on Tuesday, May22, which was enjoyable andvery special to students, par-ents, and faculty alike.Seniors and their parents

gathered in the Vincent MaglioGymnasium at 6:00 p.m. for adelicious buffet dinner to beginthe night. Then a multitude ofawards and honors were givenout. Dr. Martine Gubernat, Activ-

ities Director, recognized stu-dents who had done outstand-ing work in the Clubs & Activ-ities program. Mr. Craig Martin, English

Department Chair, thenannounced the Robert Frost Lit-erary Contest winners. Mr. Jerry Smith, Athletic

Director, presented the Schol-ar Athlete Award along withthe rest of the athletic awards. Then Mr. Wayne Fischer,

Dean of Studies, acknowledgedthe students who received recog-nition as Summa Cum Laude(4.4 or better GPA), MagnaCum Laude (4.0 or better GPA),and Cum Laude (3.8 or betterGPA). Winners of the Edward J.

Bloustein Distinguished Schol-ar Award for high SAT scores,the Edison Rotary Seniors ofthe Month, and many otherawards were announced alongwith students who received spe-cial scholarships. Finally, the awards from each

academic department were dis-tributed, and Roel Mercado andJohn Bufe were honored fortheir outstanding achievementsas valedictorian and salutato-rian, respectively.Mr. Fischer described the

event as “an opportunity forstudents, parents, faculty, and theentire St. Joseph community toget together and recognize thehard work and accomplishmentsof our seniors over the fouryears that they’ve been with usand before they move on to thenext challenge in life.” This annual event helped to

honor the Class of 2007.

Senior ReflectionsSenior ReflectionsBy Greg Myer

Retiring Associate EditorMemories:

Hani Mayassi — “The intensedebates we used to have in Broth-er Michael Yerkes’ class.”

Greg Myer — “When Da Bearswent undefeated in flag footballand won the Joe’s Bowl.”

Nikhil Patel — “DefinitelyFreshmen Cup. Our team had nologo on our shirts but we stillalmost won it.”

Luke Villapaz— “Derek Bushand Brandon Reese break danc-ing in the hallway.”

Rich McCobb — “The oneman performance ‘Dirt’ in oursophomore year. It was the bestassembly we had.”

Chris Guzman— “Freshmenbaseball when we found a babybird and named it Don Quixoteand we loved and cared for it.”

John Bufe — “During the fallof my junior year, a group offriends and I organized a footballgame against some of the mem-bers of the Metuchen High Schoolfootball team. We met at the ath-letic fields behind the schoolaround three o’clock and played

a very competitive, yet fun gamefor the next two hours. Ending ina narrow defeat, my team was alittle upset, but more so pleasedwith the accomplishment of beingable to compete with a varsityteam. The sportsmanship, cama-raderie, and enjoyment of thegame made it memorable.”

Allan Zhang - “Just all theunscheduled days off. That’s thekind of thing I’ll miss the most.”

Kevin Guidette — “When welured Mr. Anderson into the cafe-teria on his birthday by havingeveryone chant ‘fight,’ and whenhe came in we sang ‘Happy Birth-day’ to him.”

Enrique Hernandez — “Whileon an International Travelers Clubtrip, I remember eating gelatowhile watching the evening twilight reflect off the sapphirewaters of the Trevi Fountain andrealizing how truly beautiful theworld is in its diversity and wealthof culture.”

Roel Mercado — “When Ireceived a video iPod as a gift ofappreciation from a group of 30or more classmates. It happenedright before Mr. Powers’ class 5thperiod.”

Photos by Gary MonteleoneStudents and faculty enjoyed the Survivor competition while raising money for a good cause.

Mrs. Whiteside enjoyed herfirst survivor competition.

Raises money for African villages

Survivor Survivor 20072007

Senior CupPhotos by Newspaper staff

May 2007 THE FALCON 5

Sports Report Card — 2006-2007

Cross CountryThe 2006 cross country season

was one to be forgotten for CoachGary Trojanowski’s Falcons. In thedual meet portion of the season,the team compiled a decent 4-3record against Greater MiddlesexConference (GMC) competition.Unfortunately, top runner JackFitzhenry, a junior, suffered a sea-son-ending injury during the GMCChampionship race and the teamfinished a meager 13th in that meet,far lower than expected. The teamalso had disappointing results inthe New Jersey Catholic Track Con-ference (NJCTC) Championshipand the Non-Public A State Cham-pionship, where it finished 12thand 18th, respectively. On the brightside, this edition of the cross coun-try team featured only one senior,Mike Wardenski, so the team shouldimprove next year. Grade: CSoccerIn a season that can best be

described as inconsistent, the soc-cer team turned things around atthe end and was nearly crowned2006 GMC Tournament champs.Coach Michael O’Boyle’s squadposted a 12-8-1 record for the yeardespite a rather difficult schedule.Some highlights from the campaignwere the Falcons sweeping rivalEast Brunswick in the season series,beating Harrison, ranked 11th inNew Jersey, and losing only 1-0 tothe number three team in the state,Kearny. However, nothing wasgreater than the team’s magical rundown the stretch, when it record-ed six straight victories, includingcounty tournament wins over top-seeded Sayreville and divisionalfoe South Brunswick, before bow-ing out to Monroe in heart-break-ing fashion in the finals. Althoughthe team did not record a state play-off win, junior Rob Allen, as wellas seniors Mike Petrosini and MattRacz, earned end-of-the-year hon-ors from The Star-Ledger. Grade: B+BasketballUnder the tutelage of Coach

Dave Turco, the 2006-07 Falconstallied their second-straight 20-winseason (20-9 overall), an impres-sive accomplishment. While theteam flourished against a less-than-challenging GMC slate of games,they were tested by many toughout-of-conference opponents thatincluded New Jersey and nationalpowerhouses St. Anthony’s and St.Patrick’s. The team was carried allyear by seniors Darrell Carroll andLamar Fisher, who were regardedas two of the county’s top players,plus junior Paul Konopacki andfreshman phenom Steve Rennard. After earning the second seed

in the GMC Tournament and rid-ing an eight-game win streak, theFalcons were upset in stunning fash-ion by fifteenth-seeded Old Bridge. The squad did not throw in the

towel, instead going on to make aninspiring run in the state playoffs,where it captured wins against HolySpirit and Holy Cross prior to losing to CBA in overtime on theroad in a gutsy performance. Grade: BBowlingAfter getting off to a slow 2-3

start, Coach Wayne Fischer’s bowl-ing squad improved nicely and fin-ished the 2006-07 season with asolid record of 14-8. Similar to thesoccer team, the bowlers found theirform at the end of the year andreached the GMC Tournament finalsdespite being only the sixth seed.

However, the Falcons’ seven-gamewin streak was not enough to over-throw a dominant Woodbridge team,number two in the state, for Mid-dlesex County supremacy. SeniorsPat Drumm and Tom McLaughlinfinished 8th and 19th, respective-ly, at the GMC Individual Cham-pionship. Again, at both the statesectionals and state finals, the greenand white placed second behindWoodbridge. In The Star-Ledger’sfinal statewide rankings, the Fal-cons were honored with the ninthspot. Grade: B+ HockeyThe Falcon hockey team, which

competes in the challenging NewJersey Interscholastic HockeyLeague, concluded the 2006-07season with a 9-12-2 record, a stepbackward from last year. The team’sgrueling schedule, which featuredseven matchups versus top-20 teamsin the state, caught up to them inthe middle of the season, when theydropped five consecutive contests.Perhaps the finest moment of theyear came in the state tournamentagainst the then-number two teamin the state, St. Peter’s Prep. Despitebeing heavy underdogs, the Fal-cons showed outstanding effort andforced overtime, where they even-tually lost by a score of 4-3. TheStar-Ledger named junior defense-man Mike Welsh to its Third TeamAll-Central Jersey and recognizedVinnie Pizzi as one of the state’stop freshman goalies. After the sea-son, Coach Pete Kolodney, a mem-ber of St. Joe’s Athletic Hall ofFame and the only hockey coachin school history, stepped downafter 21 years. Grade: C+SwimmingAnother year, another GMC title

– the 28th consecutive – for theFalcons swim team. Coach SteveWittington’s team swam to a 14-2record, had wins at the Raider SprintRelays and the Pirate Invitational,and earned a second place show-ing at the Eastern States. The onlything missing from the 2006-2007swim team’s résumé: a state cham-pionship. After once again reachingthe state finals, the Falcons fell toSt. Augustine, the same school theyhad defeated a year ago. Junior All-American Scott Marino was namedthe Middlesex County Swimmerof the Year by The Star-Ledger. Inaddition, Marino was selected bythe aforementioned newspaper toSecond Team All-State in the 100-meter breast, while the 200-metermedley relay team of Tim Mancu-so, David Ford, Phil Luzny, andMarino garnered Third Team All-State. As if dominating the com-petition was not enough, the Fal-cons also displayed class and wereawarded with the GMC Sports-manship Award. Grade: AWinter TrackThe 2006-07 winter track sea-

son was a successful one for CoachGary Trojanowski and his squad.Early in the campaign, the teamplaced third at the GMC Coaches’Relays, where the shuttle hurdlesrelay team of John Bufe, JustinSapp, James Ballanco, and AlbertBastien earned gold. The Falconsalso finished a strong fourth at theNJCTC Championship and thirdat the GMC Championship, behindonly Old Bridge and SouthBrunswick. Bastien was awardedFirst Team All-Middlesex by TheStar-Ledger for his performancein the high hurdles, in which heplaced first at the GMC Champi-onship. Ballanco earned Second

Team All-Middlesex for his effortsin the high jump. Both Bastien andthe 4 x 400 relay team (Third TeamAll-Middlesex) of Kevin Lipovsky,Patrick Livingstone, Bastien, andCarl Luxhoj qualified for the pres-tigious New Jersey Meet of Cham-pions. A satisfying season for thewinter track team provided nicemomentum for the spring.Grade: B+BaseballAfter defeating South Amboy

to win the 2006 GMC championshiplast season, the Falcon baseballteam had to move forward withoutstar pitcher Matt Owens, who isattending St. John’s University ona baseball scholarship. This year’steam started off the season with astrong 4-0 mark. The Falcons haveachieved a 12-9 record and areranked 8th in the county, withSpotswood leading the pack. Thesquad is right where it needs to beto make a push for a second straightcounty title. Grade: BGolfThe St. Joe’s golf team man-

aged 11 victories last season, andimproved on that by 2 wins thisseason. The Falcons had a verygood start to their 2007 campaign,winning their first three matches.Their final record stands at 13-3.If the team can keep up its highlevel of play, an impressive show-ing at the GMC Tournament is with-in reach. Grade:AVolleyballWith the recent triumphs of St.

Joe’s volleyball, including a 2006state championship, expectationswere high for the team heading intothis season. The squad did not dis-appoint, starting 9-1. The lone lossearly in the season came againstSouthern Regional, who after thegame sat one spot ahead of the Fal-cons and their number three stateranking. East Brunswick, a teamthat beat St. Joe’s twice last year, isonce again the premier competi-tion in Middlesex County. The Falcons, with a 21-8 record, knowthat the road to back-to-back statechampionships is difficult to nav-igate, but they have shown that they are capable of such success. Grade: B+Spring TrackThe St. Joe’s track and field team

has had an impressive year. It won3 of its first 4 dual meets, and fin-ished with a 5-3 dual meet record.The 4 x 400-meter relay team par-ticipated in the prestigious PennRelays. Strong efforts were alsoput forth at the GMC Championshipand Catholic Conference Relays.Grade: BTennisUnfortunately, the Falcon ten-

nis team struggled this season. Lastyear’s team started 6-2, but thisyear’s version was 2-6. The squadcompiled a record of 3-15. Theteam members enjoyed playing,and that’s most important, right?Grade: D LacrosseThe St. Joe’s lacrosse team, after

a rocky 2-2 start to the season, wenton a tear, winning 6 games in a row.In Coach Mark Moreau’s secondseason as head coach, the Falconshave their hands full in attemptingto match last year’s total of 15 vic-tories. As of May 18, the team’srecord stood at 11-5. With the GMCTournament complete, the Falconsare looking to make noise in thestate tournament. Grade:B+

By Chris McGovernEditor-in-Chief

By John NolanSports Editor

By Kevin GuidetteRetiring Associate EditorThe St. Joe’s lacrosse team

struggled in their home opener toImmaculata, losing by a score of8-7. The Falcons then went on towin eight of their next nine gamesagainst Greater Middlesex Con-ference rivals, such as EastBrunswick and Old Bridge. Having lost to East Brunswick

in the first round of the countytournament last year, this year’steam was more focused than ever.In their first rematch since thedevastating defeat in ’06, the Fal-cons triumphed over the rivalBears, winning 12-8.

Although inclement weatherforced the cancellation of a fewscheduled games, the team wrappedup the regular season with a 11-6record. All year long the squadhas had their eye set on the GMCTournament, in which they reachedthe finals against South Brunswick.“This team has all the right

components to be great, includ-ing lots of talent,” said AthleticDirector Mr. Jerry Smith. In order for the team to con-

tinue their progression in theupcoming state tournament, how-ever, they will need strong lead-ership from senior captains RobAmalfe, J.P. Barton, and KevinGuidette.

By Martin PicoStaff Writer

The Falcon volleyball teamcontinues to strive for its goal ofwinning a second-straight statechampionship and taking back theGreater Middlesex Conferencetitle (won by East Brunswick in2006). The squad is looking to prove

its supremacy once again this yearand is currently ranked 3rd in thestate. With a superb record of 21-8, the team has displayed tal-ent and athletic prowess. The Falcons prevailed valiant-

ly at the Bloomfield Invitational,which consisted of 18 teams. Theytriumphed over tough opponents,such as second-seeded Old Bridge,and Southern Regional, who hadbeaten them in the beginning ofthe season, in the finals. The key components to the

squad’s success lie within the greatteam chemistry and teamwork dis-played by both the seniors andjuniors. Crucial plays by juniorsEddie Rossiter, Kyle Ditmars, andPaul Konopacki have added to theteam’s success throughout the sea-son. Coach Miguel Cabrita com-

mented on the team’s bond say-ing, “The seniors have shown greatleadership and guidance in moti-vating the juniors to step up and

perform well.”The Falcons remain focused

and determined as they rallytowards the state tournament. Bystaying strong and not letting loss-es faze them, the team hopes toend the season showing hard work-ethic and dominance. Coach Cabrita stated, “Our

dominance lies in our offensiveweapons. Unlike most teams, whohave one or two outstanding teammembers, we always have five‘go-to players’ on the court.”

By Jack FitzhenryStaff Writer

The Falcon track and fieldteam has fared quite well this sea-son. After competing in two ear-ly season developmental meetsagainst CBA and MonsignorDonovan, the team moved intoits regular season dual meet sched-ule. On April 2, St. Joe’s soundly

defeated Edison at home, wherethe Falcons swept the top threeplaces in the 800-meter, the 400-meter hurdles, and the shot put.A week later, the squad lost aclose meet to highly ranked SouthBrunswick, 67-73. However, the team came back

with victories over EastBrunswick, JP Stevens, and Wood-bridge, while falling to Piscat-away. The dual-meet season end-ed with outings against Old Bridgeand Perth Amboy, bringing the

team’s final record to 5-3.On May 2 and 3, the Falcons

competed at the Greater Mid-dlesex Conference Relays, fin-ishing 5th. May 12 was the GMCIndividual Championship, wherethe team scored enough pointsto earn a 5th place finish. Top performers for the field

team, thus far, have been BradMoran for the shot put, Joe Tarrfor the discus, and Robert Daw-son for the javelin. Top scoringrunners have been John Bufe andAlbert Bastien in the hurdles,Carl Luxhoj in the jumps, andJack Fitzhenry in the distanceevents. Coach Gary Trojanowski

earned his 100th career win onMay 6 in a dual meet versus PerthAmboy. Now, St. Joe’s track and field

looks towards the Non-Public AChampionship Meet on June 1at Egg Harbor High School.

By John NolanSports Editor

Despite the frigid tempera-tures for most of March andApril, the 2007 St. Joe’s base-ball team started off their sea-son sizzling with a 4-0 recordunder first-year head coach PaulEsposito. Ignited offensively by seniors

Eddie Brown and Nick Ciardiello,who earned baseball scholar-ships to Seton Hall and Holy

Cross, respectively, the Falconsare once again one of the topteams in the Greater MiddlesexConference. In fact, the teamwas ranked as high as #11 in thestate by The Star-Ledger beforebeing handed its first loss of theseason against county rival SouthBrunswick on April 10.Unfortunately, inconsistent

pitching and defense, coupledwith a difficult schedule thatincluded a matchup with one ofthe nation’s best teams in Seton

Hall Prep, caused a few bumpsalong the road in the regular sea-son. Although it came in a los-ing effort to Red Bank Catholic,on April 29, St. Joe’s played atFirstEnergy Park – home of theLakewood Blue Claws, a minorleague affiliate of the Philadel-phia Phillies. As of May 16, the Falcons

had a record of 12-9. However,the post-season is underway, andthe Falcons are focused on win-ning a championship.

By Neil MerchantStaff Writer

The tennis team got off to aslow start with an 0-5 record.The team had trouble adjustingto the loss of many seniors fromlast year’s squad. The squad played in a diffi-

cult conference with strong com-petition from the Brunswicks(North, South, and East). Theteam was led by captains HaniMayassi, a senior, and Neil Mer-chant, a junior. Junior Alex Wexler said, “The

team got off to a tough start.”The Falcons participated in theGMC Tournament on April 25. Assistant Coach George Mil-

ligan remarked, “The team strug-

gled at the start, but gained itscomposure.” The Falcons aspired to finish

above .500 and qualify for states. However, the squad’s final

record was a disappointing 3-15.

GOLF UPDATEBy Matthew Kuchtyak

Associate EditorThe St. Joe’s golf team, which

plays in the very competitive RedDivision of the Greater Middle-sex Conference, continued to haveextremely high expectations forthe 2007 season after its impres-sive start.“I am very pleased with how

we have started the season,” saidteam captain Sean Fitzpatrick.“We are a good, deep team, andmany of our players can put up afantastic score on any given day.”The team’s final record was

13-3. Out of these wins, the mostimpressive victories were overrespectable golf teams such asThe Lawrenceville School andCBA. In addition to regular match-es, the team finished eighth in theMontgomery Invitational at Cher-ry Valley Country Club and ninthin the Viking Invitational at BunkerHill Golf Course.The team leaders are the con-

sistent seniors Sean Fitzpatrick,Anthony Rhoades, and Dan Roton-do. With its continued stellar play,the golf team has been very successful in its endeavors thisseason.

6 THE FALCON May 2007

Photo by Aaron KnowlsonSteve Todd dodges a defender in a game at Old Bridge.

Photo by Normandy StudiosMatt Furey serves up an acefor the Falcon Squad.

Photo by Normandy StudiosMatt Delaney, Mike Wardenski,and John Nolan run in a dualmeet versus Edison.

Photo by Normandy StudiosJoe Nyitray bats in a pre-season scrimmage.

Photo by Normandy Studios2007 Tennis Team

TRACK UPDATE

TENNIS UPDATE

VOLLEYBALL UPDATE

LACROSSE UPDATE

BASEBALL UPDATE

Falcon SPORTS

By Stephen PolanskyRetiring Managing EditorThe Falcon robotics team

did extremely well at its region-al event held in Boston, finish-ing ranked first. Due to its suc-cess, the organizers of U.S.FIRST, the competition in whichthe team participates, gave itthe opportunity to compete again. The team made arrangements

to compete in the PalmettoRegional, traveling 900 milesto the University of South Car-olina for the event.At the conclusion of the

event, St. Joe’s was ranked fourthand invited into the number one-seeded alliance for the finalmatches, which were held besttwo out of three. St. Joe’s breezedthrough the quarterfinals andsemifinals without losing. The finals ended up requir-

ing a third match. Ultimately,St. Joe’s and its partners felljust short of the gold medal andwalked away with the silver.Senior Bill Flaherty, driver of

the robot, commented, “In Pal-metto, we were the team to beat.We had another amazing run inthe finals, practically carryingour alliance while also repairingthem in-between matches. Inour final match, we single-hand-edly put up more points on thescoring structure than the oth-er team; however, they wereable to overcome that deficitwith bonus points.” In the awards ceremony,

St. Joe’s won the “DrivingTomorrow’s Technology” prize,a major engineering award sponsored by the Delphi Corporation, which celebratesthe robot’s effective and sophisticated performance.The team plans to compete

in several off-season events overthe summer that simulate the important competitions on a smaller, local scale. Additionally, its robot may be featured in an upcoming book detailing some of the finest robots in the entire com-petition.

Photo by Mr. MulveyThe robotics team celebrated their successes this season.

Photo by Mr. MorganTeam members brainstormed new ideas for this year’s robotwhen the guidelines were first announced.

CLUB WRAP-UPAsian Cultural ClubThe Asian Cultural Club has

enjoyed a very productive year.The club, which has been active forsix years, is currently led by seniorAllan Zhang and Mr. Tyrrell, itsmoderator. It consists of about 35active and dedicated members. This year the group was able to

organize and initiate several eventsthat helped its members broadentheir knowledge and understand-ing of Asian culture. Recently, in conjunction with

the Umoja Club, the members par-ticipated in a discussion concerningrace. Mr. Tyrrell said, “The stu-dents discussed sensitive issuesin a manner that was appropriateand courageous.” Club members were also able

to view a Filipino martial artsdemonstration by Mike Para, astudent at Seton Hall University.During this demonstration, stu-dents learned about the history ofthe Filipino warrior culture. Thisvaluable learning experienceallowed members to familiarizethemselves with the history of theFilipino people.As the largest and most ethni-

cally diverse cultural club at school,the Asian Cultural Club was ableto fulfill its goal of informing andenlightening its members aboutthe various cultures of Asia.

— Michael PicoStaff Writer

International Travelers Club While most students were

enjoying Easter at home in NewJersey, the members of the Inter-national Travelers Club were spend-ing their Spring Break in Europe. The fourteen students who par-

ticipated, half of whom wereseniors, departed on April 5 andreturned on April 14. They stayedin cities such as Barcelona, Madrid,Seville, and Costa del Sol. Theyeven took a day trip to Morocco.The students saw the sights,

shopped, sampled regional foodslike a native oxtail stew, andwatched a soccer game. In Moroc-co they visited numerous mosquesand a marketplace.Due to a family obligation,

moderator Ms. Ana Rocci was

unable to attend the trip. Fortu-nately, former St. Joe’s teacher,Br. Michael Migacz, S.C., hadplanned to accompany the stu-dents as well and was able to super-vise the students in her absence. Br.Michael led the group, and theoverseas trip ran smoothly.“It was fascinating to see dif-

ferent parts of the country,”remarked Br. Michael in refer-ence to Spain. He added, “Thestudents were very cooperativeand well-behaved.” Next year, the club hopes to

visit Argentina during winter breakand Italy during spring break.

— Matthew Velez Associate Editor

Spanish Heritage ClubThe Spanish Heritage Club has

experienced several unavoidableschedule changes over the pastfew months. Its planned trip toNew York was cancelled, and thejoint trip with the Model UnitedNations Club to the UN was post-poned due to inclement weather.The year ’s activities and

involvement did give first-yearmoderator, Ms. Alicia Bonelli, afew ideas for the club next year. Ms.Bonelli has decided to implementchanges that she feels will bene-fit the group.“To belong to this club, mem-

bers will have to attend meetingsregularly, participate in activities,and contribute ideas,” she stated.“I also want to put our plannedevents on a calendar so that mem-bers can save important dates.” In addition to this, projects next

year will focus on performing

community service in addition tovisiting museums and watchingshows. The club also plans to helpteach English to local immigrants.

—Matthew Velez Associate Editor

Umoja Club The Umoja Club has been very

active this year. Founded five yearsago by former guidance counselorMs. Mary Cunningham, the Umo-ja Club currently has about 25devoted and active members.The club is headed by co-pres-

idents Darrell Carroll and KyanHines, as well as Ms. D’Alonzoand Mr. Santiago, the club’s co-moderators. Other members whoplay key roles as officers includeNikolai Marquis, Jervis Hudson,and Lamar Fisher.Besides sponsoring important

discussions, the Umoja Club hasalso worked in conjunction withthe other cultural clubs in orderto plan and carry out special activ-ities this school year. In Novem-ber, the Umoja Club participatedin the annual International FoodFest. This festive event allowedall of St. Joe’s cultural club mem-bers to enjoy a variety of ethnicfoods. Overall, the Umoja Club has

done an excellent job informingits members about African cul-ture and racial issues. Ms. D’Alon-zo said, “The Umoja Club has hada productive year. We are in theprocess of planning for the futureand choosing new officers andleaders.”

—Mike Pico Associate Editor

May 2007 THE FALCON 7

ROBOTICS UPDATE

ACADEMIC TEAMS UPDATECollege Bowl The College Bowl team, coached

by Mr. Ed Powers and led by cap-tain Nicholas Berzanskis, had avery fruitful year. The “A” and“B” teams both advanced to thestate tournament, and the “A” teamfinished with a 4-1 record. The“A” team made it to the round ofeight, after sixty teams entered thecompetition. The “B” teamadvanced to the tournament’s roundof four. The state tournament tookplace from February through April. The team competed in one more

tournament before its season cameto a close. The competition, calledO.M.A.R., was held on April 28in White Plains, New York. Nick , a senior, reflected on his

accomplishments with the team,saying, “Looking back on theseyears on the College Bowl team, Iknow I am leaving the team in thecapable hands of the returning play-ers.”

—Greg MyerRetiring Associate Editor

Science Club The Science Club was up to

many new and exciting things thisyear. This included the inaugura-tion of the St. Joe’s Science Leagueteam, which was comprised ofmembers from the Science Nation-

al Honor Society and the ScienceClub. The team captain was RoelMercado, a senior. The moderator, Ms. Jeanne

McNamara, said, “Next year wehope to continue our participationin the program and perhaps winseveral of the matches.” The Chem-istry II team did win two of its fourmatches.On May 21, the Science NHS,

along with the Science Club, host-ed Dr. Norman VanHouten, a foren-sic toxicologist, who presented a talkentitled “CSI: Fact or Fiction.”The Science Club was proud toend their productive year with thisinteresting and informative event.

—Leonel DelgadilloStaff Writer

Math League According to Ms. Alice Back-

lund, moderator of the junior var-sity Math League, the teams“showed a lot of potential [thisseason].” Leading the team to first place

in the Mathfax Algebra II Contestwere top scorers Harley Keh, ChrisJacques, and Nitin Srinivasan. Scor-ing the highest in the MathfaxGeometry Contest were MatthewKarabin, Keith Ramos, andAlphonse Muglia. The team placedsecond in that contest.

Nitin and Alphonse were alsotop scorers in the ninth grade-onlyContinental Contest, along withAmery Chang. Amery won thefreshman-only Algebra I contestas well and will have his nameengraved on a plaque. Vincent SanMiguel came in second, and Jar-rell Roberts came in third. In the Catholic Conference Con-

test, both the JV and varsity MathLeague teams placed first. Lead-ing the JV team to victory wereLucas Zavala and MatthewKuchtyak. In the varsity contest,however, there was a five-way tie.John Bufe, William Chan, RoelMercado, Jonathan Morgan, andGerald Ngo all came in first placein the contest. In the varsity-only New Jersey

contest, Daniel Ploch came in first,as did Roel Mercado in the Cal-culus contest.

—E.J. ZukowskiStaff Writer

Chess TeamThe Chess Team had an extreme-

ly successful season this year. Theteam went undefeated in the reg-ular season and came in first in itsdivision and second in the ShoreChess League. Led by seniors JohnBufe, Roel Mercado, and PatFasano, the team advanced to the

state tournament but fell short of firstplace, finishing third. In February, team members John

Bufe, Roel Mercado, Charlie Jaeger,and Joe Jaeger were invited to takepart in the United States AmateurTeam East Tournament, a nation-al tournament held in Parsippany. In conclusion to this highly

exciting season, departing co-cap-tain Mercado reflected on his fouryears of participation: “Chess is agame that teaches you how to thinkanalytically and how to look atwhat is to come. I believe that thecamaraderie that we experienced asa team is our greatest achievement.It was a good four years, and we fin-ished off on a strong note. I wishmuch luck and success to the futuremembers of the team.” The seniors of the team would

also like to thank Mr. Fischer andMr. O’Boyle for their constant sup-port and exceptional coaching. Theteam could not have made it thisfar without their guidance.

—Allan Zhang Retiring Associate Editor

Computer League The Computer League had a

progressively competitive seasonthis year. They participated in fourcontests and displayed a good workethic, determination, and intellec-

tual aptitude. The four competi-tions were held in January, Feb-ruary, March, and April. In the firstthree contests, the team cumula-tively scored 77 out of a possible90 points. The team showed avaliant effort in the fourth contest. Only the elite succeed in these

competitions. Because the contestsfocus on programming, taking APJAVA and participating in inde-pendent study are required. Dili-gence and insight are essential toscoring well. Only three members of the Com-

puter League participate in eachcompetition, which is divided intotwo sections. Each section is wortha maximum of five points, and thehighest possible score is ten points. With the graduation of this year’s

seniors, next year’s team will con-sist of all rookies except for onereturning member, Daniel Ploch.The predominantly novice teamwill have to work assiduously tofill the void. Moderator Mr. John Costanzo

is pleased with the team’s accom-plishments and has high expecta-tions for next year. “We will def-initely use the experience gained thisyear as a building block for nextyear’s team,” he said.

—Martin Pico Staff Writer

Photo by tour guideSt. Joe’s students and their tour companions visited a largemosque in the town of Cortaba.

8 THE FALCON May 2007

Name College Name College Name College

Ian Acampado . . . . . . . University of Central Florida, FLRobert Amalfe . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kutztown University, PAJacob Andresen . . . . . . . . . . . . Mercyhurst College, PAJames Ballanco . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fairfield University, CTAdam Barletta . . . . . . . . . . . . Monmouth University, NJJohn Barton . . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Scranton, PADavid Basaly . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monmouth University, NJJustin Basilone. . . . . . . . . . . Raritan Valley College, NJMatthew Bernot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Drexel University, PAGeorge Berry III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Boston College, MANicholas Berzanskis . . . . . . . . . . Rowan University, NJRohit Biswas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tufts University, MAGeorge Bonilla . . . . . . . . Montclair State University, NJJames Brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Drexel University, PASteven Brander . . . . . . Franklin & Marshall College, PAMarc Brillantes . . . . . . . The College of New Jersey, NJEdward Brown . . . . . . . . . . . . Seton Hall University, NJEric Brozek . . . . . . . . . . . . Arizona State University, AZJohn Bufe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Georgetown University, DCGeorge Buono . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rider University, NJEvan Burke. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ohio University, OHDerek Bush . . . . . . . . . . . . Northeastern University, MABrian Cahillane . . . . . . . . . Sacred Heart University, CTEric Calinda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kean University, NJMichael Cannone . . . . . . . . St. Joseph's University, PADarrell Carroll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stonehill College, MAGregory Caruso. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers College, NJMario Caruso. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers College, NJJoseph Casey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rowan University, NJChristopher Castro . . . . . . . . . St. John's University, NYMandeep Chandi . . . . . . . . . University of Louisville, KYGeorge Chedid. . . . . . . . . . . . Seton Hall University, NJStephen Chiselko, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marian College, INJonathan Chua. . . . Stevens Institute of Technology, NJNicholas Ciardiello . . . . . College of the Holy Cross, MAAlan Clark Jr . . . . . . . . . . . . . Penn State University, PAJustin Coco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . New York University, NYAndrew Colon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Providence College, RIJoseph Costello . . . . . . . . . . University of Scranton, PAChristopher Crivello . . . . . . . . . Rensselaer Polytechnic

Institute, NYDavid Dalton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers College, NJJames Dean . . . . . . . . . . . . Salve Regina University, RIJoseph DeGuzman . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers College, NJGabriel Delacruz . . . . . Rutgers Col. of Engineering, NJRichard Delizo . . . . . . DeVry Institue of Technology, NJSean Dempsey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Loyola College, MDJohn Derderian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lehigh University, PAStephen Derechailo. . . Rutgers Col. of Engineering, NJThomas Desantis . . . . . . . . . Raritan Valley College, NJLuis Diaz III. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kean University, NJHugh Drumm IV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . United States NavyGary Edwards . . . . . . . . . . . . . New York University, NYAlexander Egiziano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Iona College, NYChristopher Egiziano . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pratt Insitute, NYKyle Elwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gettysburg College, PAMichael Esteban . . . . Rutgers School of Pharmacy, NJNicholas Etzold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . King's College, PAAnthony Faria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lehigh University, PAPatrick Fasano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers College, NJMichael Ferris . . . . . . . . The College of New Jersey, NJLamar Fisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cheyney University, PASean Fitzpatrick. . . . . . . . . . . . . St. Peter's College, NJWilliam Flaherty . . . . . . . . . . . . Villanova University, PARobert Flanagan Jr . . . . . . . . Penn State University, PADavid Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rider University, NJMarcus Fowler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U.S. Military AcademyTimothy Furey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rider University, NJ

Patrick Galella . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers College, NJMichael George . . . . Fairleigh Dickinson University, NJRobert George . . . . . . . . . . . . Monmouth University, NJCory Griffin . . . . . . . . . . The College of New Jersey, NJKevin Guidette. . . . . . . . . University of Connecticut, CTChristopher Guzman . . . . Fairleigh Dickinson Univ., NJTimothy Hagan . . . . . . . . . . . . St. John's University, NYEarl Halasan . . . . . . . . . . . . St. Joseph's University, PAChristian Hansen . . . . . The College of New Jersey, NJEnrique Hernandez . . . . . . . . . . . Lehigh University, PAR. Christopher Heroux . . . West Virginia University, WVThomas Heuer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Towson University, MDDerek Heymer . . . . . . . . . . . . Quinnipiac University, CTKyan Hines . . . . . . . . . . . . Coppin State University, MDJonathan Hockenjos . . Culinary Institute of America, NJBrenton Hofstetter . . . . . . . . . . . . Lehigh University, PAMason Hui . . . . . . . Rutgers College of Engineering, NJScott Iannuzzo. . . . Rutgers College of Engineering, NJGeo Mari Ibuna. . . . . . . N.J. Institute of Technology, NJAidan Jackman . . . . . . . The College of New Jersey, NJMichael Jensen . . . . . . . . . . . . . Towson University, MDDaniel Johnsen, . . . . . . . . . . . . Manhattan College, NYTerrance Johnson. . . . . . . Rutgers University-Cook, NJEddy Joseph . . . . . . . . . . . Embry-Riddle University, FLVishal Kamath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers College, NJEdmund Karasiewicz. . . . . . . . . . Lafayette College, PAMark Kenny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Drexel University, PAMatthew Kenny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers College, NJEdward Kieffer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virginia Tech, VAJames Knox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monmouth University, NJDavid Krydka . . . . . . . . . . . . . St. John's University, NYMark Kuhn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers College, NJJoseph LaCava . . . . . . . . . . . . . St. Peter's College, NJThomas Lamb . . . . . University of New Hampshire, NHNicholas Lantieri. . . . . . . . . . . Seton Hall University, NJPaul Lasko . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seton Hall University, NJRaymond Lazzara. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Full SailConor Leary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Providence College, RIChristopher Lester . . . . . . . . . . Virginia Commonwealth

University, VAKevin Lipovsky . . . . . . . . . . . . Seton Hall University, NJPatrick Livingstone II . . . . . . . . U.S. Air Force AcademyMichael Loda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers College, NJCarlo Loreto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers College, NJJoseph Luceri . . . . . . . . . . . . Penn State University, PACarl Luxhoj . . . . . . . . . . . . U.S. Coast Guard AcademyPhilip Luzny. . . . . . . . . . . . West Chester University, PAKeith MacDonald . . . . . . . . . . SUNY - Stony Brook, NYMarc Mace . . . . . . . . . . N.J. Institute of Technology, NJJames Maguire . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers - Livingston, NJJason Maloney . . . . . . . . . . St. Joseph's University, PASubin Manchery . . . . . . N.J. Institute of Technology, NJMichael Mansfield . . . . . . . . . Penn State University, PANikolai Marquis . . . . . . . . . . . . Clarkson University, NYChristopher Marra . . . . . Middlesex County College, NJChristopher Martinelli . . . . . . . . DeSales University, PAEdwin Mateo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers College, NJHani Mayassi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Boston University, MARichard McCobb . . . . . . . . . . Penn State University, PAChase McDonald . . . Fairleigh Dickinson University, NJThomas McLaughlin . . . . . . . . . . Lehigh University, PABilljerry Menosa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers College, NJRoel Mercado . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers College, NJMatthew Micali . . . . . . . . . . . University of Scranton, PANicholas Modzelewski . . . . . . . . . . Wesley College, DEMichael Molee . . . . . . . . . . Arizona State University, AZBradley Moran. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Widener University, PAJonathan Morgan. . . . Worcester Polytechnic Univ., MA

Kyle Morgan . . . . . . . Fairleigh Dickinson University, NJIrakli Muzashvili . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virginia Tech, VAGregory Myer . . . . . . . . . . . . University of Michigan, MIRonnie Nader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Villanova University, PAAidan Nemergut. . . . . . . . . . . . . Fairfield University, CTGerald Ngo . . . . . . . . . . The College of New Jersey, NJAndrew Nguyen. . . Rutgers College of Engineering, NJLeLosa Ogbevoen . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers College, NJLouis Orth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Raritan Valley College, NJBrian Pabian . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monmouth University, NJKeith Pashkevich . . . . . . . . . . Monmouth University, NJJason Pasierski . . . . . . N.J. Institute of Technology, NJAdit Patel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Columbia University, NYAnkit Patel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers - Newark, NJNikhil Patel . . . . . . . . . . . . Northeastern University, MAJack Pepkowski . . . Rutgers College of Engineering, NJNicholas Petrillo . . . . . . . Berklee College of Music, MAMichael Petrosini . . . . . . . West Virginia University, WVStephen Polansky . . . . . . . . . . Rensselaer Polytechnic

Institute, NYKevin Poll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers College, NJDaniel Post . . . . . . Rutgers College of Engineering, NJJoseph Procopio . . . . Albany College of Pharmacy, NYMatthew Racz . . . . . . . . . . . University of Delaware, DEAbdul-Rashid Raji Jr . . . . . . . . . . Germana Community

College, VAJulian Ramirez . . . . . . . . . . . . New York University, NYSean Rasimowicz . . . . . . . . Raritan Valley College, NJJoseph Ravino . . . . . . . . . . . . Seton Hall University, NJChristopher Reyes . . . . . . . . . . . Boston University, MAAnthony Rhoades . . . . . . . . . Penn State University, PAMatthew Roth. . . . . . . Rutgers School of Pharmacy, NJDaniel Rotondo . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fairfield University, CTShayne Samaroo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers College, NJMatthew Schaefer . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers College, NJDaniel Schiavo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U.S. Naval AcademyJayson Schimmenti . . . . . . . . Seton Hall University, NJJoseph Schott. . . . . . . . The College of New Jersey, NJAlexander Seher. . . . Fairleigh Dickinson University, NJMatthew Shatynski. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers College

of Engineering, NJAndrew Sheehy . . . . . . . . . U.S. Coast Guard AcademyStephen Sidwell . . . . . . . . . . Raritan Valley College, NJMichael Sobocienski . . . . . . . . Villanova University, PADaniel Sohler . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monmouth University, NJDouglas Steinbach . . . . Duquesne School of University

Pharmacy, PAJeffrey Tanedo . . . . . . Rutgers School of Pharmacy, NJDaniel Tighe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ramapo College, NJChristopher Torrenzano . . . . . . . . Lehigh University, PASteven Traschetti . . . . . . Rutgers University - Cook, NJAnthony Truliano . . . . . . . . . St. Joseph's University, PAThomas Tylutki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . New Jersey Institute

of Technology, NJJames Valvano . . . . . . . Middlesex County College, NJMichael Varco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Drew University, NJNico Vargas . . . . . . . . . . Middlesex County College, NJJonathan Ventura . . . . . Middlesex County College, NJLuke Villapaz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fordham University, NYEmilio Villareal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers-Livingston, NJCharles Vitello . . . . . . . . . . . . Monmouth University, NJDaniel Walsh . . . . . Rutgers College of Engineering, NJJames Walter . . . . . . . . . . . . Penn State University, PAMichael Wardenski . . . East Stroudsburg University, PATaurin Wheeler . . . . . . . . . . . . St. John's University, NYChristopher Yip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rutgers College, NJTyler Zarecki, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marist College, NYAllan Zhang. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . New York University, NY

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