MAY2003B 200305107 May200305107

User Manual: 200305107

Open the PDF directly: View PDF PDF.
Page Count: 28

DownloadMAY2003B 200305107 May200305107
Open PDF In BrowserView PDF
Cardinal Gibbons High School

Volume 41, Issue 6

The Voice of the Redskins

May 23, 2003

Farewell to the Class of 2003
“The class of 2003 is about
to go out and conquer the world.
We hope we’ve provided them
with the tools they need and that
their energy and enthusiasm will
carry them to significant heights.
We rejoice in all their accomplishments,” said Sr. Janet.
The 40th senior class will
be graduating Saturday morning at
War Memorial Auditorium. The
homily will be given by Fr.
Charles Newburn. The Valedictorian, Greg Roberts and the Salut atorian, Laura Findlan, will also address the class.
All of the 261 seniors are
prepared to move on to their next
challenge, whatever it may be. The
top ten seniors scholastically, actually 11 this year due to a tie, in alphabetical order are Brooke Adams, Ashley Bomarito, Eric
Christiansen, Kathryn Farland,

Top students scholastically: (Back row, left to right) Eric Christiansen, Dan Martinez,
Casey Gaskins, Nora Kern, Matt Remm and Greg Roberts. Front row: Laura Findlan,
Brooke Adams, Danny Fernandez, Ashley Bomarito and Kathryn Farland

Danny Fernandez, Laura Findlan,
Casey Gaskins, Nora Kern, Daniel
Martinez, Matt Remm and Greg
Roberts. CGHS congratulates
these students on their outstanding
achievement.
Mr. Kevin Owens had this

to say about the graduates: “The
senior class has a cornucopia of
talents and personalities. They
have left an enduring mark during
their time at Gibbons, and we wish
them well on their future endeavors.”
In this Issue...

Tennis Team Wins State Titles

Monsignor Kelly
announced the appointment of Mr. Paul Ott
as principal.

Senior Awards

2-7

News

8-15

Faculty/Staff News

15-17

Alumni News

17-18

Insight staff

18

Opinion

19

Story page 9

Tennis story page 22

Sports

20-24

Entertainment

25-28

2

Feature
May 23, 2003

Class of 2003

Insight

Top of the class: Roberts and Findlan
By Kristen Nelson

Valedictorian

Gregory Roberts
The graduating class of
2003 could not have asked for a
better valedictorian. Greg Roberts
has surpassed the standards of
simply maintaining a high GPA.
Not only is he an impressive student, he is also an exceptional person who has, through all his inspir ing accomplishments, remained entirely too modest.
Academically, Greg will
be graduating with an impressive
4.903 GPA by the end of his senior year, with an SAT score of
1540 and an ACT score of 35.
Throughout his high school career,
he has excelled in advanced placement and honors classes.
“I think I got it right on the
first try,” said Greg when asked if
he had any regrets during high
school. “I just tried to be a well-

rounded person by playing sports,
getting involved in the school, and
challenging myself in the classroom.”
Greg found a release in
sports. He took pride in playing
both football and basketball as
well as running track. His performance as an athlete is reflected
in his long list of successes: the
Brian Piccolo Scholar Athlete
Award, Miami Herald AllBroward Football Team Honorable Mention, Westminster Academy’s Holiday Classic AllTournament Scholastic Player
award and his avid participation in
the Senior Athletic Club.
As far as getting involved
was concerned, Greg did it all. He
participated in over six separate
school organizations.
Student
Leadership presented him with an
achievement award for introducing
a new service project through the
Christ Church Feeding Ministry.
In addition to this project, he was
involved with community service
projects, such as the Boys and
Girls Club, Habitat for Humanity
and the Ann Storck Center.
In his opinion his involvement in the school was encouraged
by the faculty’s style of teaching.
“They make their classes a lot of
fun and get to know you on a more
personal level,” explained Greg.
Mr. Owens, Greg’s AP
Composition teacher, described
Greg as, “a rare academic gem
with tons of potential. It has been
a privilege teaching a pupil whom
I consider one of the most talented
I have encountered during my edu-

cational career.”
Greg explained that the talent, which Mr. Owens is referring
to, is due to the support and encouragement of his family. “My
parents are the most important factors in my life.”
And Greg has returned that
love with hard work and dedication. This hard work enabled him
to receive acceptance letters from
all eight of the schools to which he
applied, including Princeton, Cornell, Duke, Notre Dame, Virginia
and Vanderbilt.
Vanderbilt has the honor of
accepting Greg into their class of
2007. There our valedictorian intends to major in either history,
anthropology, or international
politics with a minor in French
and Russian. From there he plans
to attend graduate school and then
possibly work for the government
in the Foreign Service or CIA.
The graduating class of
2003 has an outstanding person as
its valedictorian. We wish Greg
continued good luck in the future!

Insight

Class of 2003

Feature
May 23, 2003

3

Top of the class continued from page 2
Salutatorian

Laura Findlan
The salutatorian of the
Class of 2003 is also a step above
the rest. Laura Findlan has spent
her entire high school career exhibiting what it takes to succeed.
She will be graduating with a 4.78
GPA, an SAT score of 1590 and
an ACT score of 30.
Like our valedictorian,
Laura is deserving of this honor,
not only for her academic ability
but also for her awards, accomplishments and outstanding character.
She has accepted over
twenty- one different awards
throughout her high school career
spanning a multitude of areas from
books to sports.
From an academic aspect,
Laura has earned honor roll all
four years, the AP Scholar with
Honor award and Academic Excellence awards. She has also
been involved in community service as the Youth Group co-

founder, working at the Christ
Church Feeding Ministry and as a
CCD teacher’s aide.
The athletic part of Laura’s
high school experience seems to
touch closest to home. She ran
track and participated in softball.
“I think one of my outstanding accomplishments is to have been
named a Scholar Athlete in Cross
Country because it shows that I
am a well rounded person.” Laura
also took the time to reach out to
other athletes in the CGHS family
by taking on the position of wrestling manager and scorekeeper.
Her inspiration in life is
her family, especially her two
older brothers, and her friends.
“My family always taught me to
work hard and be the best that I
could be in everything I do, and
I’ve also had great friends that
supported me and encouraged me
to do so,” she explained. These
people act as positive influences in
her life, which she describes as her
basis for success.
She also attributes her success to the strength of the Cardinal
Gibbons family. “Both the teachers and the curriculum made the
classes memorable,” said Laura.
Mr. Owens, her AP Composition teacher, explains that,
“Laura is blessed with academic
ability and charisma. The University of North Carolina is lucky to
have such a special talent in their
incoming freshman class.”
Laura took the salutatorian
award by only one one-hundredth
of a point. The third in rank is
Nora Kern, a good friend of
Laura’s. Laura said, “Although
Greg, Nora and I were all at the

top of our class for four years,
only Greg was named valedictorian, and I salutatorian. I would
like to recognize Nora Kern, who
has always been an inspiration and
a good friend to me. She is extremely intelligent and hard working, and I believe she is just as deserving of this recognition as I
am.”
Laura is going to the University of North Carolina in
Chapel Hill in the fall. She would
like to major in business and marketing and eventually pursue a career in advertising.
We wish Laura only the
best in the future!

Congratulations
to these
outstanding
students!

It is interesting to
note that both Greg Roberts
and Laura Findlan went to
St. Coleman’s School.
They graduated from there
with Greg as the Valedictorian and Laura as the Salutatorian.
Let’s hope that their
success follows them
throughout their college career.

4

Awards
May 23, 2003

Class of 2003

Insight

Academic Awards
The Academic Awards are given by each department to senior students who have demonstrated outstanding performance in that content area. This year’s recipients are the following:

Drama
Lindsey LouVierre

English
Julianne Curran and Emily Klee

Excelsior Editor-Leslie Roper
Technology Editor-Jessica Rust

Insight
Sports Editor-Shannon DeFries

Language: French-Meghan Remm
Spanish-Javier Martin

Mathematics
Eric Christiansen

Music
Julien Cantelm and Lisa Lindsey

Science
Noelle Rose and Brian Wagner

Social Science
Nora Kern and Matthew Remm

Visual Arts
Michael Kurdek and Christina Maffia

CGHS congratulates all
of these fine students.

Insight

Class of 2003

National Merit Scholars
By Ashley Hewlett

Greg Roberts, Nora Kern, Laura Findlan and Matt Remm

Earlier this year, senior Greg Roberts was
named as a National Merit Scholarship Semi- finalist.
Just a few weeks ago he was notified that he had
moved on to the next level as a National Merit
Scholarship Finalist. This is an amazing accomplish-

May 23, 2003

5

ment. He is ranked in the top 1% of all high school
students nationally.
It was his great scores on his PSAT’s that actually got him into the National Merit Scholarship
running. With all of his hard work it is not a surprise
that Greg is ranked number one in the senior class
and has the honor of being valedictorian.
After all of Greg’s accomplishments at Cardinal Gibbons, he has stayed humble. Greg said, “ I
believe that achievements are the result of my belief
that you should make the most of the talent you’ve
been given." After Greg graduates, he will be attending Vanderbilt University in the fall.
Three other students were also recognized as
National Merit Scholarship Commended students.
These students are in the top 4% nationally. They
are Nora Kern, Laura Findlan and Matt Remm. Nora
and Matt will be attend ing the University of Florida,
and Laura will be going to the University of North
Carolina in the fall.
CGHS congratulates them all.

Buen trabajo! Knights in shining
armor
By Ashley Ruiz-Margenot

Danny Fernandez is not
only one of the top ten seniors of
the class of 2003, he is a National
Hispanic Recognitio n Program
Finalist. This award is given to a
Hispanic senior with a high PSAT
score. This fall Danny will attend
New York University, where he
will study acting. Congratulations
Danny!

Awards

Silver Knight nominees
Brandon Scibilia and Danny Fernandez (pictured left) received a
Silver Knight Award and an Ho norable Mention at The Herald- El
Nuevo Herald 2003 Silver Knight
Awards on May 6th. Brandon
won for the Science category and
Danny received an honorable
mention in the Drama category.
The Silver Knight Award
recognizes only 15 Broward
County high school seniors who
excel in and out of the classroom.
To be a Silver Knight nominee is
a great honor, but to win is an outstanding accomplishment.
Brandon received a Silver
Knight statuette, $1,500, a round
trip ticket to anywhere in the con-

tinental United States, and a
medal to wear at graduation.
Danny received $500 and an engraved plaque. The awards ceremony will be broadcast on
WLRN- Channel 17 at 7:30 p.m.
on May 24. It will also be broadcast at 6:30 on June 14 on UPNChannel 33. Congratulations to
Danny and Brandon!

Brandon Scibilia will be
attending FAU in the fall.

6

Awards
May 23, 2003

Class of 2003

Insight

Pinnacle prowess

Award breaks the mold because it
is given to students who excel in
one or more areas such as community service, citizenship, and student activities. The Pinnacle
Award also rewards character
traits like perseverance, dedication, and a good attitude.
Cardinal Gibbons is proud
to have three Pinnacle Award recipients: Erika Fay, Matt Lear, and
A.J. Belt. They received their
Erica Fay, AJ Belt and Matt Lear
award at a luncheon on May 8 at
the Signature Grande. This award
was presented by the Broward
By Ashley Ruiz-Margenot
County Nonpublic School Association.
In the academic world, the
Erika Fay is dedicated to
majority of honors are given to music, community service, and
those with the highest GPA, or the leadership. She is president of the
best athletic ability. The Pinnacle

Key Club and is known to her
teachers and friends as a dependable person.
Matt Lear is a selfmotivated student who aspires to
be a doctor. He is held in high esteem by his peers and teachers. He
volunteers regularly at Holy Cross
Hospital and is currently employed as an operating room clinical assistant there.
A.J. Belt is no newcomer
to the Pinnacle Award. He received it in eighth grade while attending St. Marks. He is a Renaissance man, excelling in athletics,
academics, and leadership. A.J.
also dedicates time to his community and his school.

Making a Difference

Danielle Avantino com- “I have gained a greater sense of
mented, “It doesn’t bother me to responsibility and improved my
take 1 to 2 hours a week to help communication skills and patience
out at a breakfast at church or with others,” continued Daniel.
usher a mass. Simple family tradiThe time and effort that
tions like going to church every someone puts into the community
Sunday, can get you easy and con- is reciprocated through the wo nvenient community service hours.” derful experiences and the numerEach student gave a variety ous lessons learned.
of reasons as incentives to complete their outstanding number of service hours.
“I felt it was necessary to go above and beyond
to display my gratitude for
all the support that my community has given to my
friends and me. I wanted to
reach out to the community
and make a difference,” said
Daniel Martinez. There are
numerous places in the community that are delighted to
A few of the top community service students:
see teenagers commit hours (Back row, left to right) Casey Kleiman, Julianne
to help and serve. Daniel Curran, Mary McLane, Chris Serge: (Front row)
worked with young children. Danielle Avantino, Jennifer Pillitteri, Kristen

By Ashley Prchal

Congratulations to the elite
group of students that completed a
total of 250+ community service
hours. At graduation these 85 students will each wear a gold cord
which signifies their abundant service hours. These students took
the opportunity to give something
back to our community.
Most of the students who
will receive the gold cord performed many more than their required service hours. Mary
McLane completed 1,062 service
hours. She said, “I mainly completed the 250+ service hours to
prove to myself that it was possible. It may seem impossible to
complete 250+ service hours, but
as long as you stay active in clubs
and encourage yourself, then you
will not believe how fast you are
able to earn the hours.”

Wolczanski and Amanda Hermesch

Insight

Awards

Class of 2003

May 23, 2003

Horatio Alger Scholar
On May 5th, at a banquet at the Do lphin Training Center, Jessica Rust received a
$2,500 scholarship. She was one of only two
Horatio Alger scholars in Florida. There are
only 100 selected, two from each state, for
this award.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas was the spokesperson for the event. The
award sponsored by the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, chaired
by Wayne Huizenga, is given as a tribute to
determination and hard work.
Congratulations to Jessica, who will be attending Florida Atlantic University in the fall.

Outstanding scholar-athletes
Cardinal Gibbons is very
proud to have 7 of the top scholarathletes in the county. They are
the following:
Greg RobertsBasketball, Charles Blyth and
Laura Findlan-Cross Country,
Joelle Schwenk-Tennis, Kathryn
Farland and Casey GaskinsVolleyball, and Eric ChristiansenWrestling.
The students had to not
only be great athletes but also
maintain a high GPA. The nominees sent their resumes to the
BCAA (Broward County Athletic
Association) scholar-athlete committee. This committee selected
one scholar-athlete for each sport
and in each division in the county.
The county is divided into two divisions, North and South. CGHS
is in the North division.
The BCAA committee
held a banquet to honor these
scholar-athletes on April 28, at
Signature Grande.

Greg Roberts won
Frank Till, Broward County
perintendent Award which
cludes a $1000 scholarship
CGHS congratulates
scholar-athletes!

the
Suinits

7

Ford Salute to
Education Scholars
Five seniors were selected
to each receive a $1,000 schola rship from Ford Salute to Educ ation. These awards are given to students who demonstrate leadership
and excellence in their particular
field.
On May 29th, at the Radisson Mart Plaza Hotel, the following
students will be honored: Laura
Findlan-Foreign Language, Shannon DeFries- Athletics, Charles
Blyth- Math, Casey GaskinsNatural Science, and Dan Martinez-Leadership/Service.
In the fall Laura will be attending University of North Carolina, Shannon-Catholic University
of America, Charles-Vanderbilt,
Casey and Dan-University of Flo rida.
Best of luck to these talented students.

Greg Roberts, Eric Christiansen, Charles Blyth, Laura Findlan, Kathryn
Farland and Casey Gaskins are pictured at the banquet.

8

News

Insight

May 23, 2003

Labor omnia vincit
Work conquers all

Senatus Populusque Romanus

On Monday, March 10,
2003, 58 of our Latin scholars
joined 127,000 others from all
over the world in taking the National Latin Exam. Mr. Richard
Burke, the Latin teacher, is extremely pleased to announce that
36 of the CGHS students received
honor awards including medals
and certificates.
“The students were just
FANTASTIC!” said Mr. Burke.
This is a very impressive
showing and all of the students are
to be congratulated.

Latin I

Mr. Burke with Christina Nguyen the
Gold Summa Cum Laude winner

Silver Maxima Cum Laude: (Left to
right) Kyle McLemore, Lilia Pivovarova, and Miroslav Brzobohaty

Magna Cum Laude: (Left to right, back
row) Austin Taylor, Victoria Bujalski,
and Carrie Wartmann, Front row:
Corina Olivares and Lucas Paladino

Cum Laude: (Left to right, back row)
Justin Wright, Daniel Burkitt and Ale xander Lawrence, Front row: James
Lugo, and Angelica Silberstein (Absent
from photo Megan Moran)

Latin II

Silver Maxima Cum Laude: (Left to
right, back row) Geoff Bomarito, Andy
Haas, Charles Goodman, Tim Ironman,
Front row: Emily Ross, Amanda Sacino,
and Tracy Benton

Magna Cum Laude: (Left to right, back
row) Caitlin Buchanan, Dominic Kleinhenz, Patrick Bond, Front row: William
Ward, Allison Pazandak, and Katherine
Sulenski

Cum Laude: (Left to right, back row)
Megan O’Connor, Tara Khalil, Taylor
Spectorsky, Jamie Shubert, Jackie Bates,
Front row: Chris Chiefor, Matt Innes,
and Cameron Cromartie

News

Insight

Movin’ on up
By Vincent Balsamo and Taylor O’Brien

Mr. Ott is signing his new contract.

Sitting in their classes with
15 minutes left before the weekend, the students of Cardinal Gibbons High School were caught by
surprise when the announcements
came on 10 minutes earlier than
usual. Not only did they come on
early but there was an unusual

Welcome back
Msgr. Kelly
Over 33 years ago Msgr.
Vincent T. Kelly began his teaching career as a religion teacher in
both the “Boys’” and “Girls’ Divisions” of Cardinal Gibbons High
School. Since that time he has
been a champion of Catholic education, not only in South Florida,
but also throughout the nation. He
has held many positions both
within the Archdiocese of Miami
and as a highly respected civic
leader in Broward County.
Among other duties he is Pastor of
St. John the Baptist Church, Vicar

May 23, 2003

9

voice. It was Monsignor Kelly. He
said he had an important announcement to make; the announcement notified the CGHS
community that Mr. Paul Ott was
appointed principal on April 4,
2003.
Mr. Ott, who has been assistant principal of Cardinal Gibbons for the past 9 years, is the
perfect man for the job. He is experienced and loves what he does.
"I am very pleased. It’s a
larger responsibility and a greater
challenge," Mr. Ott said about his
new promotion.
One thing Mr. Ott loves to
do is walk (or drive) around campus. “My main interest is being
with the students and teachers.
Operating behind a desk is not my
view of operating a school. But I
will do what is necessary for the
job.”
Finding a principal that the
students like is rare these days.
But according to sophomores Tho-

mas Alexander and Tommy Nolan
that’s not the case.
"Mr. Ott is perfect. He is
nice, funny, and understanding. He
is always the re when you need
something and always knows the
right thing to say. I am happy that
he is principal," Nolan said.
Thomas Alexander added,
"I think he is a great principal and
administrator. He is very fair,
smart and is a great person with a
good outlook on life. Also I think
he deserved the job since he has so
much experience being the assistant principal."
A sign above the door in
Mr. Ott’s office reads, "A caring
teacher is remembered a lifetime."
Not only does this apply to most
teachers here at Gibbons, but also
to Mr. Ott himself.
Teacher, disciplinarian,
mentor, and friend, Mr. Ott is like
a parent here at Gibbons. He is
proud of our school and students,
and we are just as proud of him.

of Education for the Archdiocese,
and Supervising Principal of St.
Thomas Aquinas High School.
At the request of
Archbishop Favalora, Msgr. Kelly
has agreed to continue the work he
began this year at CGHS in the position of pastor/Supervising Principal. This is in addition to all of the
duties and responsibilities he currently holds.
In announcing this decision, Br. Richard J. De Maria,
CFC, said, “I know that Cardinal
Gibbons will benefit greatly from
the wisdom that Msgr. Kelly
brings to this role.”
Mr. Paul D. Ott, Principal,
and Sr. Marie Schramko, OSF,

Assistant Principal, expressed
their appreciation to Msgr. Kelly
for his assistance during this past
school year and look forward to
working together as a team for the
2003-2004 school year.

Monsignor Vincent Kelly

10

News

Insight

May 23, 2003

Spanish Honor
Society
By Kris Orofino and Kelly Ring

The Spanish Honor Society
has had a very busy year. They recently had their third annual field
trip to a local dance studio for
Salsa and Merengue lessons. The
students learned very quickly and
everyone enjoyed themselves. For

Salsa lesson– Ana Marie Caputo and
Brittan Furness

Walk for lives
By Ashley Hewlett

The annual Cancer Walk
was held on April 12 at Pompano
Beach High School. It started at
6:00pm on Friday night and ended
Saturday at noon. The Cancer
Walk commenced with an opening
ceremony. At the ceremony cancer
survivors spoke about their own
struggles with the disease. After
this the walking began. For the
rest of the night Gibbons’ volunteers took turns walking around
the football field to raise money.

their spring fundraising event, the
members contributed bath and
beauty products to single moms at
Sheridan House. Mrs. DiDonato
once again was very pleased and
proud of her students for all they
contributed. Members Justine
Keenan, Alexis Conill, and Kelley
Ring participated in the Relay for
Life.
The culmination of this
spring’s events was the induction
ceremony of the new members.
Father Charles Newburn inducted
the seventeen new members, who
showed leadership, character, and
service, in the Chapel of the Holy
Family on April 30. They each received red carnations and certificates acknowledging their membership into the Pan American
Chapter of the Spanish Honor Society.
Mrs. DiDonato would like
to thank all of the faculty and staff
who attended the ceremony as
well as Mrs. Skee’s 3rd hour computer class for their help with the
program.
While everyone was taking turns
walking laps, there were also activities going on. The activities
varied from car races, to hulahoop contests, to live karaoke, and
a showing of a Harry Potter
movie.
There were thirteen teams
that contributed to the Cancer
Walk. Cardinal Gibbons’ team
consisted of 120 people. At the
end of the night Gibbons raised six
thousand dollars. And all together
the Cancer Walk raised thirty-five
thousand dollars. All of this
money was donated to the American Cancer Society for victims and

New inductees: (back to front) Nina
Pinnella, Kari Swiderski and Cristina
Zitoli

Ashley Bomarito, president, is lighting
the “leadership” candle.

research. The night was a complete success.
" Cardinal Gibbons made a
big difference with the fight
against cancer, and I am very
proud," commented Mr. Cub as.
He hopes that the Cancer
Walk gets larger each year and
that Gibbons keeps contributing so
greatly to this deserving cause.

News

Insight

May 23, 2003

NHS: Inducts new members
By Taylor O’Brien

The new members of the
National Honor Society were inducted at a special ceremony on
Thursday, May 8, in the Gibbons
Chapel. Sister Marie Schramko,
Mr. Paul Ott and Father Alonso all
participated in the ceremony.
The NHS officers President, Greg Roberts, Vice Presi-

dent, Mary McLane, Secretary,
Laura Findlan and Treasurer,
Chelsea Lesky helped with the
candle lighting ceremony and distributing the certificates to the new
inductees.

Mary McLane is placing a candle during
the candle lighting ceremony.

Heather Castle is receiving her NHS
certificate from Mr. Ott.

Excelsior
To the Editors Leslie
Roper and Jessica Rust and
everyone who worked on the
2003 yearbook, you are to be
congratulated. Under the supervision of Penny Minich,
you all did an outstanding job.
The book was dedicated to Father Pala.
He
would certainly have been
proud of this edition.

“I’m very pleased with the
newly selected members. They
represent the best of Cardinal Gibbons in the areas of scholarship,
leadership, character and service.
There were many good applicants
who were not selected due to the
number allowed in the group; I
hope these people reapply next
year,” said moderator, Mrs.
Sharon Parr.
Congratulations to all who
were inducted!

11

The following are the National Honor Societies new
inductees:
Seniors :
A.J. Belt
Lindsay Momyer

Juniors:
Lindsey Belt
Ryan Bing
Heather Castle
Alexis Conill
Jenna Denning
Brian Dunne
Meghan Ewing
Brittan Furness
Wesley Hill
Justine Keenan
Jillian Krickovich
Lucia Lapaz
Amy Lee
Katherine McGrath
Ashley Meiners
Samantha Noderer
Colin O’Neill
Daniel Ott
Harry Patel
Gina Pettineo
Brooke Phelps
Nina Pinnella
Jenna Ravine
Kelly Ring
Jose Rodriguez
Emily Ryan
Rebecca Sabates
Kerry Slattery
Mikel Solupe
Callie Tomasso
Alex Wakshinsky
Jennifer Welding

Corrections:
In the April issue of Insight a picture caption in the article “ Wrestling
Takes It All” incorrectly identified Jorge Badia. The picture was of
Armand Algarin .
The printer also cut off the last sentences of “A Rising Star” Alessa
Ocampo was named Showcase Artist of the Year at the Big Time Ta lent Show. Congratulations Alessa!
We regret these errors.

Look for this years’ issues of Insight on our website: www.cghsfl.org

12

News

Insight

May 23, 2003

Freshman student wins national English award

The United States
Achievement Academy announced
May 9 that freshman, Michelle
Suppe, has been named a United
States National Award Winner in
English. This award is a prestig-

ious honor very few students can
ever hope to attain. In fact, the
Academy recognizes fewer than
10% of all American high school
students. Michelle Suppe was
nominated for this national award
by Mrs. Hanke, a Freshman Literature teacher.
Michelle Suppe will appear
in the United States Achievement
Academy Official Yearbook,
which is published nationally.
"Recognizing and supporting our youth is more important
than ever before in America's history. Certainly, United States
Achievement Academy winners
should be congratulated and appreciated for their dedication to

excellence and achievement," said
Dr. George Stevens, Executive Director of the United States
Achievement Academy.
The Academy selects
USAA winners upon the exclusive
recommendation of teachers,
coaches, counselors, and other
qualified sponsors and upon the
Standards of Selection set forth by
the Academy. The criteria for selection are a student's academic
performance, interest and aptitude,
leadership qualities, dependability,
and recommendation from a
teacher or director.
Congratulations, Michelle,
and keep up the great work.

Making an educated choice
By Ashley Prchal

High school is all about accessing the many opportunities
that are available to teens. Junior
Eric Detuscan saw an opportunity
and applied for a chance to be one
of 18 Senate Pages in Tallahassee.
A student may apply for this
position as Eric did through Senator Campbell's office or the House
of Representatives in Tallahassee.
This prestigious opportunity is only awarded to .001% of
students who apply. Their character and recommendations are
evaluated for acceptance. The student must also be planning to pursue a serious business degree.
Once an application is received, it
is reviewed. Students are selected
from the U.S. as well as some

countries abroad.
"Eric learned about history in
the classroom and was able to see
it in action in Tallahassee," said
Mr. Detuscan, Eric’s father.
His duties as Page consisted of handing out documents
and delivering messages to senators. "It was a good learning experience to know how the government works," commented Eric.
The attire was formal, and
Eric was required to wear a coat
and a tie. His agenda consisted of
working from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
April 21 through April 25. He
was later sent a stipend for his expenses. Eric is interested in a
business profession and the legislative process. "I would recommend this experience to someone
who is interested in politics," said
Eric.

Mr. Frank Talerico, Eric’s
history teacher, was pleased to
hear of Eric’s participation in Ta llahassee. He said, “Eric is a pleasure to have in class. He is a good
contributor to discussions; he
shares many intelligent ideas.”
We wish Eric continued
good luck.

Eric is
standing in
front of the
Capitol in
Tallahassee.

News

Insight

May 23, 2003

Festival at sea
By Kristen Nelson

Recently,
the CGHS Music
Department embarked on a whimsical
adventure
across the ocean.
Eighty-three students, under the
direction of Mr.
Mengersen, participated in the
Festival at Sea.
They
journeyed Mr. Mengersen seen giving Sister
the trophies and medals the
on the Carnival Marie
Music Department won. (At right)
Fascination for a The students aboard the ship
4-day cruise.
The students performed in competition on
board as well as entertained the natives in the tropics
off the ship. The instrumental and vocal divisions of
the Music Department competed against Varina
High School from Richmond, Virginia on board the

Reel Fun
By Shannon DeFries

13

ship. The chorus and concert band sparkled and won
the silver medal. Our talented jazz band came home
with the gold! And although the winter guard attended but did not compete, they performed an outstanding display of spins, twirls and dances in Ra mson Square in the Bahamas.
Mr. Mengerson said, “Congratulations to all
the music performers for outstanding behavior as
well as performances!” CGHS would also like to
congratulate and thank them for doing an excellent
job of representing our school.

fun. It was their first drift trip this
year. They also participated in a
Fort Lauderdale Beach and Intracoastal Waterway cleanup in May
and plan to go on a fishing trip in
the Keys later in the year.

Gibbons club are involved with
service projects presented to them
by their sponsors. The Rotary
Club is a professional international
group which desires to serve the
needs of the community as well as
citizens of the world.

The Rotarians have
some ballpark fun
By Brittany Woehler

The CGHS Fishing Club
has 58 active members this year
with Mr. Davis at its helm as club
moderator. The students get together to do service projects and
fish using their own boats.
Several members boarded
the Flamingo Drift Boat on March
21, to catch fish and have some

On April 9, the baseball
field was the site of the annual
Scholarship Softball Game between the Rotary Interact Club and
its sponsor the Rotary Club International. This was an opportunity
for Rotary Club members to celebrate their successful year with a
Left to right:Drew Martin, Ryan Alfieri,
barbecue and softball game.
Nick Tansey, Peter Magnani and Steve
Members of the Cardinal McMullan in the dugout

14

News

Insight

May 23, 2003

Europe:
An Exceptional Experience
By Kristen Nelson

During the week of April
16 through April 26 approximately
seventy students from Cardinal
Gibbons’ senior class participated
in an adventure throughout
Europe. The students, accompanied by 10 chaperones, toured
Austria, Germany and the Czech
Republic. The trip turned out to
be a learning experience on many
levels.

Jeff King is seen enjoying the food in
Prague.

The itinerary consisted of
two days in Salzburg, Austria, two
days in Vienna, Austria, three days
in Prague, Czech Republic and
two days in Munich, Germany.
Over all, Prague was voted the favorite by many. Both students and
teachers survived jam-packed days

of educational tours and learning
experiences that spanned from the
concentration camps of Dachau to
learning to navigate the subway
system. They dodged pickpockets, marveled at Glockenspiels and
ate a cuisine that was unique to
say the least.
Aside from the excessive
intake of knowledge, the element
that was most apparent and surprising was the instant unity of the
group. Living together and dealing with 69 other people for a
large span of time forced a bond
among the group that ultimately
resulted in an enjoyable experience. Many will take that experience with them forever. From the
plane ride there to the last few torturous hours before the touchdown
in Miami everyone came together
as a group. And as the senior year
closes, many people can graduate
with a strong sense of satisfaction
that they lived out their senior year
to the fullest and ultimately made
several incredible memories. For
the most part the trip served as a
sufficient educational opportunity;
however, many students described
it as the experience of a lifetime. .
The idea of Cardinal Gibbons being a family is frequently
referred to throughout the course
of a CGHS day. The Europe trip
allowed the family connection to
be put to the test, and the unity can
now be fully appreciated.
Some advice to the future
CGHS seniors, don’t miss the opportunity to embark on the trip.
The knowledge and friendships
that result from it can never be
matched or replaced.

Grad Night
By Taylor O'Brien

On May 2, high school
seniors gathered together for an
exclusive, all- night party in the
Magic Kingdom Park featuring
live music from Default and
Mario.
"We had unlimited access
to all the rides! We didn't have to
wait in line for hours like you normally do when you go to Disney
World," said Lindsay Momyer,
senior.
There were dance floors
with DJ's, Disney character greetings, and shopping. Seniors also
got a free mug with a choice of
dessert and soda, and a free photograph to take home.
The night was a total blast
and came to an end around 4:30 in
the morning. Cardinal Gibbons
seniors returned home at 9 A.M
the following Saturday morning.

Attention Student
Leadership:
The teachers and staff
would like to thank the Student Leadership members
and their moderator, Mrs.
Hanke, for their thoughtful
gift. The Appreciation Snack
Pack was very “sweet” of
you.

This publication is printed by Print Dynamics 1721 North Federal Hwy. (954-563-0775)

News

Insight

May 23, 2003

Clapping to perfection
By Kirk Kissner

Many students lack the ability to avoid interruption and concentrate while in class or while doing
homework. To remedy that situation Cardinal Gibbons High School recently hosted the Interactive
Metronome training program.
Interactive Metronome is an interactive
rhythm-based program designed to improve your focus and concentration. This program comes with the
highest recommendations. Area high schools such as
St. Thomas and Pine Crest utilize this program. Certain studies have shown an increase in concentration
while driving after taking this course..
Gibbons hosted the program this March. The
program consisted of 12 training sessions, each one
was one hour long. With two groups, one morning,
one afternoon, mo re than 50 students and a few
teachers participated.
The whole goal of the program is to listen to
the metronome beat and trigger the sensor on the
beat. A computer is used to combine an audio beat
with visual clues that tell a student when to trigger
the sensor. Sensors can be configured to be used
with both hands, a single hand, and even your toes
and heels. A rating is given based on the average

Faculty/Staff News:

Media Specialists
retiring
By Kristen Nelson

Cardinal Gibbons High
School will be bidding farewell
this year not only to the seniors,
but also to two of our library media specialists. Unfortunately,
Mrs. Jane Totte and Mrs. Laura
Hinshaw will be retiring from Gibbons this year.
Jane Totte has served as
Media Specialist at CGHS for nine

15

amount of milliseconds off the beat one performs
over the exercise. Lengths for the exercises can vary
from fifty- four beats to two thousand. Most students
begin with an average of 100 or more milliseconds
off. Most participants finish with an above average
rating of 20 milliseconds before or after the metronome.
Sophomore Taylor Tegreeny recommends
the program saying, “It’s for you if you’re having
trouble concentrating and would like to improve
your sport’s ability.” If you missed out on this, the
program will be offered again next year.

(Left to right) Taylor Tegreeny and Kirk Kissner are with
instructor Sharon Skee using the Interactive Metronome.

years; she began as a volunteer ten
years ago. She has developed inservice programs for the faculty
and online courses for staff and
students.
Laura Hinshaw has been a
Technical Assistant for five years
after she retired from Christ
Church School as a computer
teacher and Technology Director.
She has been a helping hand and
assistant to teachers, administrators and students alike. Both
women also have children who are
Gibbons’ alumni. Mrs. Totte’s
son, Rob, graduated in ’97 and
Mrs. Hinshaw’s daughter, Amy,
graduated in ’94.

“I will miss their expertise
and positive influence. They will
continue to work on special projects as needed, so we will see
them again!” said Mrs. Lansdale,
Library Director.
Everyone wishes them well
in their retireme nt.

Jane Totte and Laura Hinshaw

16

News

Insight

May 23, 2003

Say it isn’t so
By Ashley Ruiz-Margenot

When Ms. Alyssa Kennedy
told her Drama students through
tears that she would not be retur ning next school year, they shed
tears of their own. Ms. Kennedy
will move to North Carolina this
summer because her fiance Brian
has been offered a professor’s job
at the University of North Carolina.
Ms. Kennedy is coordinator of the Drama Department, and

Off to Africa
By Ashley Hewlett

Last June immediately after everyone was out of school for
summer break, Tim Davis embarked on a very exciting journey.
Mr. Davis, who is the economics
teacher at Cardinal Gibbons, went
on a 26 hour plane ride to Africa.
With an eight day vacation hunting wild prey in Africa, he felt the
plane ride was well worth it.
Mr. Davis traveled with his
father and fourteen other fatherson duos. The two have been hunting together since Mr. Davis was
six years old. But the game was a
little bit fiercer in Africa. Mr.

a freshman and sophomore religion teacher. She has not only directed four plays and numerous
showcases, she has touched the
lives of her students, and they
have touched hers.
“ Gibbons has been a home
away from home for me since I
was a student here myself. I’ll
miss these kids and all the faculty
and staff more than you could possibly know,” she said. Her students will miss her too.
Lindsey LouVierre, president of ITS troupe 6362, said,
“Ms. Kennedy was the first friend

I made in high school. Her talents
and incredible teaching ability inspired me, and have changed my
life. I will miss her, and I wish her
luck in all that she chooses to do.”

Davis’s excellent hunting skills
proved to be a big help. He killed
seven extremely dangerous animals: a greater kudu, a gemsbok, a
nyla, a blue wildebeest, two warthogs, and an impala.
The first question on your
mind now might be, “What did he
do with all that meat?” They ate
some, brought some home, but
gave most of it to the natives in
camp. For some of them that was
the only meat that they would get
all year.
Even though the trip was
mainly spent hunting, they still
made time for shopping. They
went into local villages and bought
things, such as iron wood sculptures, masks, ostrich eggs, and different cloths.
The trip to Africa was an
amazing experience, but had its
hardships. A common misconception about Africa is that it is always hot; Africa can also be brutally cold. While he was there the
temperatures dropped down into
the thirties at night.
Mr. Davis said, "Africa is

considered the dark continent, because of its harsh terrain. It seems
that every tree, bush and plant is
covered in thorns, but this unforgiving environment produces
some of the most beautiful and
unique animals that the world has
ever seen."
His trip was so amazing
that he even wrote an article about
the experience that was published
in a magazine called African Safari. Mr. Davis said, “We never
knew what we were going to see.
And at night in the African darkness the sounds were amazing. We
could hear the lions, the leopards,
the hyenas laughing and the nervous bamboos. It was enough to
make the hair on the back of your
neck stand up."
With all of that excitement
he still felt the best part of the trip
was sharing it with his father.
“If you go be prepared for
it to become additive,” he cautioned. In fact, Mr. Davis had such
a great time during his trip to Africa, that he and his father are
planning on going back in 2004.

News

Insight

May 23, 2003

nounced that he will not be retur ning next year. Since the birth of
his second son this April, he and
his wife would like to be closer to
family. They are moving to Palm
Coast Florida, which is between
Daytona and St. Augustine.
He appreciates all the support he has received in his two
years at Gibbons. “Cardinal Gibbons is a special place. I leave
with a heavy heart and many wo nderful memories,” said Mr.
Cinelli.
CGHS will miss him, and
Mr. Anthony Cinelli, who
we
wish
him the best of luck.
teaches Physics, Physical Science
and Marine Biology, has an-

17

New beginnings

Alumni News:
Megan Dane, Class of
1999 graduated from Tulane University on May 17, 2003 with both
her Bachelor and Master Degrees
in English Literature. Megan was
able to earn both in 4 years thanks
to her AP credits from Gibbons.
Megan was commissioned as an
Ensign in the United States Navy
on May 17 and will begin her career onboard the USS Bulkley in
Norfork, VA on June 10. Her
mother has asked us to keep her in
our thoughts and prayers.

In loving memory
By Ashley Prchal

Many will miss best
friends and Cardinal Gibbons
graduates, Travis Doyle ‘00 and
Jimmy McKee ‘01. They impacted the lives of countless
friends, and companions. They
will never be forgotten. May they
rest in peace.

Alumnus working
for Air Force
award
By Kris Orofino

As the Auxiliary of the
United States Air Force, the Civil
Air Patrol (CAP) prides itself on
its members and the work they do.
The program focuses on its youth
leadership program, its aerospace
education programs, and its work
in emergency services. One fine
example of a CAP member is former CGHS student, Theodore
Spanos.
Theo has been a member
of the program since 1996 and has
worked undauntedly in advancing
through the program. Now, he is a
candidate for the youth program’s
highest achievement, the Spaatz
award.
This is a very prestigious
award which fewer than 1,500
members have achieved in the
past 50 years. It requires the com-

This is Mr. Cinelli’s new son, Martin
Angelo Cinelli, better known as Mac. He
was born April 22. He was 6 pounds 11
ounces, 19.25 inche. He is doing well.

pletion of a comprehensive test
that goes over aerospace topics,
military and group leadership, and
CAP knowledge. The test is timed
and closed book. He must also
face a US Air Force review board.
Currently, Theo is a junior
in Embry Riddle Aeronautical
University in Daytona Beach. He
also serves an internship at NASA
at the Kennedy Space Center as
part of his studies for aerospace
engineering.
All of us at Insight wish
him the best of luck in his studies
and in reaching his goal of winning the Spaatz Award.

18

News

Insight

May 23, 2003

PTF Dinner Auction
By Mary Werle

The Great Escape…Destination:
New
th
York was the theme of the 12 Annual Cardinal
Gibbons Auction sponsored by the school’s PTF.
The festivities were held at the Westin Hotel with
over 300 guests in attendance.
The reception area of the hotel lobby, the silent auction room and the main dining room were
beautifully transformed into scenes of New York,
complete with a lighted replica of the skyline, the
Brooklyn Bridge, street signs and yellow taxis.
With so many items to bid on in the silent
auction, there was definitely something for everyone.
Golf outings, restaurants, trips, hotel accommodations, decorative items for the home, health and
beauty baskets, and much more were available for
the highest bidder.
After a delicious, sit-down dinner, the auctioneer began the bidding for the live auction items.
Among the more popular items was an 8 week old
yellow lab puppy, a trip to New York, a ride in the
Good Year Blimp, gourmet dinner packages, and the

Susan Belt, auction co-chair, Paul Ott, Principal, Patty
Echarte, auction co-chair, Susan Gallo, PTF President are seen
enjoying the evening.

ever-popular student parking spot at Cardinal Gibbons.
After everything was tallied, the Auction
raised the record-setting amount of $123,000, which
will be put into the building fund for the 2nd story addition to C Building. The PTF wishes to thank all of
our families and donors for their help in making this
year’s auction the success it was.

Insight Staff:
Dedicated to providing a deeper vision of scholasic, spiritual and social activities

News Editor: Kristen Nelson
News Writers: Suzanne Hill, Taylor O’Brien,

The senior Insight staff will be moving on to college.

Ashley Prchal, Ashley Hewlett, Kris Orofino
Entertainment Editors: Ashley Ruiz-Margenot
and Brittany Woehler
Sports Editor: Shannon DeFries
Photographers: Chelsea Ropes, Mr. Robert Beale,
Mrs. Laura Hinshaw, Emily Klee
Contributing Writers : Vincent Balsamo, Kirk
Kissner, Kelly Ring, Jenna Denning, Amanda
Insight staff (Back row, left to right): Ashley Hewlett,
Sharkevich, Mrs. Mary Werle
Brittany Woehler; (Front) Taylor O’Brien (Northern
Adviser: Mrs. Rita Loewe
Kentucky University), Shannon DeFries (Catholic UniEstablished November 1962

versity of America), Kristen Nelson (Rutgers), Ashley
Prchal; (Absent for picture): Suzanne Hill (American
University), Kris Orofino and Ashley Ruiz-Margenot

Opinion

Insight

May 23, 2003

Seniors give some advice to the underclassmen:

Melissa Anderson: “Don’t have any regrets because you can’t take back what
you did or didn’t do. Have fun!”

Andrea Grosser: “If you have lost
money or possessions, you have lost
nothing. If you have lost honor, you’ve
lost a lot. But if you’ve lost friendship,
you have lost the world!”

19

Student Government:

The Class of 2003 would
like to thank all of the teachers at
Gibbons. The hard work and dedication that they have demonstrated over the past four years is
appreciated. Thanks also to all the
coaches, moderators, and staff
who have worked with us in athletics, academics, and extracurBrian Wagner: “Make as many friends as ricular activities.
you can here. And spend as many times
I would especially like to
with them as you can because these years
thank the students of Cardinal
go by fast.”
Gibbons who have supported all
the activities throughout the year.
Their spirit and enthusiasm have
made this year a memorable one.
Through unity and liveliness, the Class of 2003 has set an
example for the classes in the
years to come. Congratulations to
my fellow graduates for everything you’ve accomplished in
your high school career and good
Danielle Avantino: “Friends are your
luck with
future endeavors.
chosen family, choose wisely.”
Thanks for all of the friendships
and memories.
We all wish the best to the
underclassmen. May their remaining years at Gibbons be good
ones.
Adam Dick, President

Ben Neff: “Stand out on your own.
March to your own beat.”

Noelle Rose: “Don’t let the things that
other people say to or about you bother
you. Just know you are the better person for not saying them at all.”

Zak Kiser: “Live your life the way you
want it, not the way you think someone
else does!”

Student Government (Back row, left
to right): President, Adam Dick, and
Board Members: Peter Magnani,
Kristen Nelson, Andrea Grosser and
Emily Klee

20

Sports

Insight

May 23, 2003

Dig this
By Shannon DeFries

Boys’ Volleyball finished its
season this year 19-7 with some
amazing performances.
They
were District Runner- up, and split
with number one ranked district
rival Northeast during the regular
season. The Skins won the silver
division at the Bishop Moore
Tournament in Orlando and won
their own Redskin Jungle Queen
Invitational this year defeating
Edgewater (Orlando) in the finals.
Defeating St. Thomas twice this
season was also a nice perk to a
successful year.
The Redskins' season came to

It runs in the
family
By Ashley Prchal

Brett Ryan and Mike Haan

Sophomores Mike Haan
and Brett Ryan have been on the
Gibbons’ varsity volleyball team
for two years. Both students are
following in their fathers’ footsteps. Their fathers also played
volleyball together and passed
their devotion to the game down to

a close Saturday, April 26 in the
District Final against rival Northeast Hurricanes 12-15, 15-10, 1517. The Skins battled but just
couldn't hang on to their lead in
the final match. Key performe rs
made it an exciting contest. Mark
Van Zweiten had 22 kills, eight
blocks and seven digs, Brett Ryan
had 15 kills, 10 service points and
six digs, and A.J. Belt dominated
the middle with 9 blocks, 15 kills,
9 service points, and five digs.
Senior A.J. Belt was named to
the Miami Herald's 1st Team and
finished the season with 208 kills,
90 blocks, 112 digs, and 121 service points. Mark Van Zweiten
(sophomore), was also recognized
by the Sun-Sentinel and named 1st

Team All-County. He accumulated 285 kills, 55 blocks, 117
digs, 117 service points, and 63
aces. Setter, Mike Haan
(sophomore) had 552 assists this
season along with tremendous
play from sophomores Brett Ryan
and Matt Williams, and junior,
Alexi Echarte.
This year's squad was
young and had great depth. Coach
Marcy Meyer commented, " We're
already looking forward to next
year. We have 12 returning pla yers who will be working hard in
the off-season to prepare for
2004… and who will be ready for
the challenge!"
Congratulations on a great season and best of luck next year!

their sons.
Brett and Mike played indoor volleyball at Sunrise Middle
in 7th and 8th grades. Brett commented, “We are always playing
together at the beach or at our
friends court. We also used to play
tournaments.” Both their fathers
practice with their sons to help
prepare them for their games.
Mike’s father played all
four years of high school. His
mom and sister also play the sport.
“I like the beach and that’s where I
play the most,” stated Mike.
Brett’s father didn’t begin to play
volleyball until he was in his early
20’s, but Brett’s and Mike’s dads
were beach volleyball partners for
many years. Mike said, “They
were the best in Florida!” Mike
hopes to follow his father’s decision to play volleyball in college.
Brett’s father played professionally and introduced Brett to
the game. Brett said, “I have been

around the sport all my life. I
choose to play because it’s a really
fun game. Our dads were partners
for over 10 years through the 80’s
and 90’s. They received the Team
of the Decade award for Florida in
the 80’s.”
Presently, Brett and Mike
are focused on high school volleyball, and they hope to help Gibbons win at least one state title in
the next 3 years.

Brett’s dad (left) and Mike’s dad are pictured at the 1988 Beach Volleyball tournament.

Sports

Insight

May 23, 2003

21

Track team led by pole vaulters
By Jenna Denning

Sarah Slagle, Meghan Ewing, and
Jackie Davis

While most other students
were hitting the beach during
Easter Vacation, the track team
was competing in the District
Tournament.
Several members
qualified for the Regional meet.
The girls’ team advanced 9 athletes. Qualifying in multi events
were junior Jen Stark, who is District champ in the triple jump and

junior Meghan Ewing, a hurdler,
who is District champ in pole
vaulting. Also qualifying in pole
vaulting were Sarah Slagle and
Jackie Davis. The relay team of
Jenna Denning, Molly Militello,
Chelsea Ropes and Jen Stark took
3rd place and Bridget Blyth qualified for Regionals with a 4th place
finish in the 800.
Sadel Watterson is the
boys’ District champ in polevaulting, so he and teammate
Steve Lujan, who placed second,
were able to compete at Regionals.
Steve Hurley also qualified in the
shot put.
Regionals was held on
May 2, 2003, at Dwyer High
School in Palm Beach Gardens.
Three pole vaulters qualified for
State: Sadel Watterson with a
jump of 12’ 6”; Meghan Ewing

Lady Reds end softball season
By Shannon DeFries

The Lady Redskins softball team finished up
its season this past April. The team had a very cha llenging season with a considerably young roster including nine freshmen and four sophomores. The
team improved tremendously every single game.
Some of this year's highlights were the Lady Redskin
Invitational where the Skins defeated Westminster
Academy and class 3A rival Archbishop McCarthy.
Brooke Phe lps and Melissa Gill were
named to the All- Tournament Team.
Freshmen, Kaitlin Galmiche pitched for
the entire season after a severe back injury. She threw a perfect game this year
against Fort Lauderdale's Flying L's. The
team also took class 6A Flanagan to
twelve innings at home, one of the year's
most exciting games.
Next season's outlook is very

with a jump of 9’ 6”, and Jackie
Davis at 8’ 6”.
The State competition was
held on May 10 at the University
of Florida. Meghan came in an impressive second place at State with
a vault of 10’ 6”. Both Jackie and
Sadel came in 11th in the State.
Congratulations to all on a
successful season!

Jen Stark and Sadel Watterson

good. The team will be returning eight starters who
have a plethora of experience and athletic ability.
They will only be returning one senior, Captain and
extremely versatile Brook Phelps. The majority of
the squad has a great opportunity to stay together for
at least the next two years.
Senior Melissa Gill will also be continuing
her softball career attending a college in Georgia
next year on an athletic scholarship. Good luck to
the seniors and next year's team.

22

Sports

Insight

May 23, 2003

Tennis Teams bring home
4 more State titles

2002-2003 Tennis Team

By Suzanne Hill

The Cardinal Gibbons girls’ tennis team has
done it again. They easily won their sixth consecutive Class 2A State title in Tampa on May 1. In fact,
the CGHS girls were the only team at State with four
singles’ finalists. They included Joelle Schwenk,
Kayla Schwenk, Alexis Conill, and Julie Blackmore.
Joelle Schwenk and Alexis Conill also defended the
doubles title by defeating Nease High’s Sierra Poske
and Bethany Benson 6-1, 6-3.
Coach Eddie Sposa said, “Both Joelle and
Alexis played flawlessly in the final, both serving
very well and volleying very crisply.” Joelle has now
tied a 51-year-old state record held by Miami
Beach’s Susan Herr, winning three double crowns
with previous partner Lingda Yang and this year’s
doubles title with Alexis Conill. In fact, Joelle now
has 9 State gold medals: 4 team titles, 4 doubles titles and 1 singles title.
After eight straight seasons of winning the
State Championships, the boys’ tennis team finally
met its match. Gulliver Prep claimed the team title.
However, in the boys’ individual event, Joseph Jung
won the all- Broward final to claim the Class 2A
boys’ single title. Joseph Jung, dropping only 3
games in three matches, defeated Josh Brauser of
Pine Crest 6-2, 7-6, (7-4) and clenched the Class 2A
State title.
Coach Sposa said, “Joseph played really
well, proving what a great player he is.” Joseph also
teamed with his younger brother, Michael, to take
the doubles title as they defeated Gulliver Prep’s
Rory Heggi and Robert McNally 6-4, 6-3.
Congratulations to both teams on another
fabulous season.

Varsity Soccer Award Winners:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Calasanctius Award: Paul Ortenzo
MVP: Luis Dangond
Best Defensive: Steve Rogers
Best Offensive: Tony Seta and Trey Gillette

Coach Eddie Sposa, Afton Rastatter, Kayla Schwenk, Julie
Blackmore, Alexis Conill, Joelle Schwenk, Georgia Beale, Michael Jung and Joseph Jung. (Front) Quinn Gleeson and Megan
Troast

CGHS will miss the graduating seniors and wish them luck
in college next year: Joseph Jung-University of Alabama,
Georgia Beale-Spring Hill College, Joelle SchwenkUniversity of Kentucky, and Afton Rastatter-Florida State
University.

5. Captain’s Award: Jon Carillo
6. Coach’s Award: Matt Gill
7. Most Improved: Brian Tighe
“Thank you for all your hard work!” said
Mr. Owens.

Sports

Insight

May 23, 2003

Senior Skeeter Zimmerman is pictured surfing in Hawaii.

Surfing to success
By Kristen Nelson

With brains, brawn and
braving the surf, William Zimmerman (a.k.a. Skeeter) contributes a
unique forte to the variety of talents at CGHS. He is a surfer, and
he is currently surfing his way to
success. Because to Skeeter, sur fing isn’t simply a past time, it’s a
lifestyle.

District Champs
By Amanda Sharkevich

This year’s varsity baseball
team banded together when it
counted, just in time for postseason play. “Our record of 16-12
is not indicative of our high expectations in playoff contention,” said
senior Paul Ortenzo. “We come to
play everyday.”
After a 4-2 win against nationally ranked Nova, the team
went on to defeat North Lauderdale Academy 19-0 in the District
semi- finals and Pope John Paul in
the finals to capture their second
consecutive District title.

Skeeter has been surfing
for 13 years. “My family moved
to Hawaii when I was 5 years old,
and my dad taught me how to
surf,” said Skeeter.
Currently he is caught in a
whirlwind of select companies
who desire to flaunt his expertise.
Island Water Sports, Quicksilver
clothing, Byrne Surfboards, Smith
Sunglasses and OAM surf accessories, all contribute to his surfing
Gibbons hosted the Regional final on May 9 against
American Heritage. The Redskins
were ahead going into the 7th inning but were unable to hold the
lead. Even with tremendous support from the crowd, they lost the
game 4-3.
It was a hard loss for the
entire team, but the seniors were
hit the hardest as they walked off
the field and concluded their years
as athletes for CGHS. The Redskins ended the season with a record of 18-13
Four seniors, however,
have already signed baseball
scholarships with Division I universities: Jeff King – Stetson; Pete

23

career by sponsoring him in competitions. In return, Skeeter advertises their merchandise.
Sponsors are needed in order for Skeeter to participate in
competitions such as the NSSA
Eastern Championships, which he
competed in April 3-6. “I was very
disappointed with my results at
Easterns. I only made it to the
quarterfinals. The waves were terrible. Hopefully I’ll have better
luck at National this summer,”
Skeeter said.
He then proceeded to Hawaii April 7th. In Hawaii, he was
involved in local competitions and
training sessions with pro surfers
who will guide him to Nationals in
mid-June. Skeeter said that Hawaii was awesome. “It’s really
important for me to get out there
each winter because I only get to
surf small stuff around here.”
Despite his lack of quality
school time, he still managed to
pull off a 3.8 GPA.
Manso–Jacksonville; Mike
Shark e vich– Maryland; Paul
Ortenzo – Furman.
Good luck to them, and the
CGHS team next year.

Catcher Paul Ortenzo

24

May 23, 2003

Insight

Entertainment

Insight

May 23, 2003

What a night!
By Ashley Ruiz-Margenot

They did it again. The arts
program of Cardinal Gibbons
churned out another amazing
Night of the Arts. In case you
missed this year’s event (shame on
you), Night of the Arts brought
drama, band, chorus, color guard,
art, and the dance team together
for one incredible night of performances. It is certain to become
a permanent Gibbons’ tradition.

Ms. Busby, the head of the Art Department, is standing next to a picture of
the Madonna painted by Fr. Pala.

was the yearbook moderator and a
studio art and ceramics teacher.
To honor him, his dear
friend Joannie Hubers said the
opening blessing at Night of the
Arts. Several performances were
dedicated to his memory, including a dance to “Find a Way to My
Heart” by Phil Collins. The International Club also provided Spanish food to honor Father Pala’s
Spanish heritage.

Enjoying the Spanish food are Melanie
Gent, Jenna Treliving , and Max
Feldman

Photographer: Julianne Curran

The Night of the Arts also
gave the audience cause for reflection. It was dedicated to the memory of Father Francis Pala, who
passed away last September. Father Pala taught at Gibbons for 38
years and was an integral part of
the Cardinal Gibbons family. He

The Color Guard kicked
off the night with “Galileo”, an inspiring performance that won
them second place in a recent
competition. The Drama Club contributed their own inspiring performances. Julia Collier sang with
great emotion, “I Just Wanna Be a
Star.” Six girls from our ITS
troupe performed “Cell Block
Tango” from the popular musical

25

Katherine McGrath, Rebecca Sabates
and Ashley Hansen performed their
dance in memory of Fr. Pala.

Chicago. Sophomores Katherine
Sulenski and Mike Kutner gave us
all a preview of coming attractions
with “16 Going on 17” from the
upcoming musical The Sound of
Music.
The Music Department
sang and played their way into the
night with several upbeat tunes,
and the chorus serenaded the
crowd with their beautiful voices,
blended in perfect harmony. The
Dance Team got the adrenaline
pumping through the crowd with
several performances while the art
students made their presence
known with displays of their work
in the cafeteria.
The night was an amazing
success. It was enjoyable from beginning to end. Thanks goes to
Ms. Busby and all of those who
helped organize this event.
Congratulations to all those
who participated in Night of the
Arts!

Come join us at our Cardinal Gibbons Appreciation Day
Last Tuesday of every month beginning May 27, 2003
Bring your student ID and receive 25% off your entire order

Tijuana Flats Burrito Company
431 South Federal Highway
Pompano Beach, Florida

954-946-0476

26

Insight

May 23, 2003

Gibbons’ thespians hit
Tampa
By Ashley Ruiz-Margenot

International Thespian Society troupe 6362
made their presence known at the Florida State The spian Festival at the Tampa Convention Center on
April 2-6. Twenty-seven members of the troupe attended and 15 competed with scenes and songs that
won superiors at District competition in December.
In addition to watching performances, the thespians
were able to take classes such as stand- up comedy
and dance. Most of all, these budding actors were allowed to be themselves and showcase their talents in
and out of the theater.
“There will never be a place where people
are not only allowed, but encouraged by fellow the spians, to dance in the street other than at State,” Suzanne Hill, a competitor, stated.
Loosening up obviously did the competitors
some good. Ratings were as follows:
• Danny Fernandez & Julia Collier- Superior
for Duet Acting
• Elizabeth Thompson & Tanya Failla- Superior for Duet Acting
• LouVierre & Company (Lindsey LouVierre,
Katherine Mc Grath, Tammy Brennen, Julie
Drewitt, Michelle Artimez, and Jessica Lefebre)- Excellent for Ensemble Musical

Spielbergs in the
making
By Brittany Woehler

Do you like going to the
movies? Do you want be the next
Julia Roberts? Then join the Film
Making Club.
This year the club was a
great success. The president is
sophomore, Jackie Richards, key
editor is Robert Simms, and acting
supervisor is sophomore, Rachel
Wheeler. Their main achievement
this year was the DVD Yearbook

•

Julianne O’Connor & Suzanne Hill- Good for
Duet Musical
• Casey Kleiman & David Scott- Excellent for
Duet Scene
• Frank Imparato- Superior for Publicity and
Advertising
Those who attended agreed it was an amazing
experience.
“It humbles you, seeing so many incredible
actors that are just high school students,” said
Margie Spangler, a State’s spectator. Congratulations to Ms. Kennedy and troupe 6362 on this
amazing accomplishment!

(Back Row, left to right) Julia Collier, Casey Kleiman,
Javier Martin, Frank Imparato, Elizabeth Thompson,
(Front) Morgan Margolis, Lindsay LouVierre, Tanya
Failla, Suzanne Hill, Katherine DeCesare and Danny
Fernandez

created by Visiontech and the Film
Club.
“I don't know how many of
you had the opportunity to take a
peek at the video yearbook that
was created by Bonnie Busby and
her students. It is excellent. I
couldn't turn it off! Congratulations to Ms. Busby and the students on an awesome creation!”
said Ms. Kennedy.
The Film Making Club
also made this year’s raffle promotion documentary.
It’s never too late to help

out. “Next year our goals are much
higher,” Jackie said. They intend
to have a CGHS Open High
School Film Fest. Students will be
able to enter a film to be judged,
and prizes will be awarded to the
best films in their category. You
don’t have to be the next Steven
Spielberg, just willing to express
yourself through film.
The club needs actors,
writers, editors, and filmmakers.
So try something new. Maybe it
could turn into a career, instead of
just a hobby.

Entertainment

Insight

Drama Awards
By Kris Orofino

The Drama Academy
Awards will be held on June 5 at
the Coral Ridge Country Club
from 7 to 10 pm. The banquet
will feature awards in various
categories for the major productions as well as the best of the
Showcases throughout the year.
Tickets will be available
soon for $30 each. Friends and
family are encouraged to attend.
“The Academy Awards
banquet is the hottest, hippest,
most awesome event of the
year,” added Alyssa Kennedy,
the Director of Drama.
In addition to the listed
nominees, more will be posted
on the drama website as soon as
they become available. Check it
out at http://www.cghsfl.org/
drama/dramawebsite.

May 23, 2003
Drama 2002-2003 Academy
Award Nominees:
Best Actor in Bye Bye Birdie
-Javier Martin
-Danny Fernandez
-Dan Baron
Best Actress in Bye Bye Birdie
-Elizabeth Thompson
-Julia Collier
Best Supporting Actor in Bye Bye
Birdie
-Bryan Davis
-Patrick Legendre
-Frank Imparato

By Brittany Woehler

The Cardinal Gibbons
Drama Department will fill the
downtown library with the Sounds
of Music, May 29 - June 1. Ms.
Kennedy and her drama kids will
present another massive production. This musical will be stage
managed by senior Lindsey Lo uVierre.
The Sound of Music is a
well-known Rodgers and Hammerstein play based on a true
story. The time is pre-World War
II, in Austria. Frauline Maria
(Katherine Scott) leaves the convent and becomes a nanny for

-Christen Anderson
-Michelle Artimez
-Katherine McGrath
-Marjorie Spangler
-Caitlyn Hunt
Best Tech
-Allison Gawarecki
-Jahan Garassino
-Richard Crow
-Julianne O’Connor
-Rob Spurgeon
-Matt Greenly

Best Performance Showcase #1
-Chelsea Ryan, Michelle Suppe, Jennifer
Nezo
-Sarah Hammada
Best Support Actress in Bye Bye Birdie -Kathryn Almeida
-Monica Cavaioli
- Lindsey LouVierre
-Britney Wight
-Tanya Failla
-Javier Martin
-Michelle Artimez
-Emily Ryan
-Katherine McGrath
Best Actor in Rumors
-Bryan Davis
-Rob Miller
-Javier Martin
-Steve Callahan
Best Actress in Rumors
-Lindsey LouVierre

The hills are alive

27

Captain Von Trapp’s family.
Maria is a fun loving, free spirit
who loves to burst into song when
times look blue. Her personality
clashes with Capt. Von Trapp
(Dan Baron), an enforcer of the
rules, who controls his nine children with a blow of a whistle, instead of actually getting to know
them.
At first, the Von Trapp
children give Maria a hard time by
playing several pranks on her, but
they soon learn to love her. The
oldest daughter, Liesel (Katherine
Sulenski), a vulnerable sixteen
year old, who doesn’t know anything about reality, is dating an
older man, Rolf (Mike Kutner). He

Best Performance Showcase #3
-Natalie Kovacs & Briana Rose
-Catherine Ford
-Kaitlin Conway
-Madelaina Pratt & Jill McGarry
-Dan Baron
-Kathryn Baker

turns out not to be what Liesel
thought he was. The Baroness
(Julia Collier) is the sophisticated,
significant other in Capt. Von
Trapp’s life. Uncle Max (Danny
Fernandez) is very enthusiastic
about the Von Trapp’s singing talents and is always encouraging
them to sing at various functions
or parties.
Plan on seeing the production of The Sound of Music. You’ll
definitely be entertained.

28

May 23, 2003

Class of 2003

Insight

A night “Frozen in Time”
By Ashley Prchal

Prom is the magical night that every high
school student dreams of attending. May 16 was the
big night when all the girls transformed into lovely
ladies, and the boys into gentlemen. Bahia Mar Resort was beautifully decorated by the junior class to
complement this year’s theme, Frozen in Time. The
event began at 7:30pm and everyone arrived in style,
whether by car or limo.
For $160, couples were able to have an elegant sit down dinner followed by an array of music.
Later in the evening the Prom Court assembled together. The members of the Court were Julia Collier,
Emily Klee, Shannon Price, Tara Slominski, Jason
Becker, Justin Boruch-Dolan, Matt Dengel, and William Zimmerman. At the dance Emily Klee and Jason Becker were crowned as the Queen and King of
the 2003 Prom. As the music played, the seniors and
their dates danced the night away.

Prom Court: (Back to front): Matt Dengel, Shannon
Price; William Zimmerman, Julia Collier; King Jason
Becker, Tara Slominski; Justin Boruch-Dolan and Queen
Emily Klee

Seniors’ favorite memories of their time at CGHS:

Adam Dick: “. . . going from the quiet kid I
was freshman year to leading assemblies
senior year.”

Catherine Zito: “. . . watching the senior float fall apart, and watching the
guys try to carry it any way.”

Suzanne Hill: “. . . having the boys kiss
their mothers at the assembly.”

Jim Doody: “. . . James Argyropoulos imitating Father Quinn at the assembly.”

Cory Hickman: “. . . the spirit of the
Senior Class.”

Joelle Schwenk: “. . . winning Tennis
State Championships all 4 years.”



Source Exif Data:
File Type                       : PDF
File Type Extension             : pdf
MIME Type                       : application/pdf
PDF Version                     : 1.3
Linearized                      : Yes
XMP Toolkit                     : Adobe XMP Core 4.0-c316 44.253921, Sun Oct 01 2006 17:14:39
Create Date                     : 2003:05:24 21:44:21Z
Creator Tool                    : MAY2003B.pub - Microsoft Publisher
Modify Date                     : 2014:07:18 13:01:03-04:00
Metadata Date                   : 2014:07:18 13:01:03-04:00
Format                          : application/pdf
Creator                         : jay
Title                           : MAY2003B.pub
Producer                        : Acrobat PDFWriter 5.0 for Windows NT
Document ID                     : uuid:c2365787-28bc-4b7b-9247-8139602d3798
Instance ID                     : uuid:1a22b6e1-b8aa-4606-8da9-1b88c172a40e
Page Count                      : 28
Author                          : jay
EXIF Metadata provided by EXIF.tools

Navigation menu