by The Eye Staff
… they don’t make camouflage golf balls? Or do they?
… we allow golfers to club baby balls?
… Mr. Crew coaches soccer?
… cross-country runners are so much faster in Luxembourg?
… you can be penalized for kicking a football?
… I couldn’t get a Wildcat Nation t-shirt in extra medium?
… we brought back How Comes?
by Jackson Kenny ’26
When cast member Jackson Gordon ‘24 initially learned that the Saint Ignatius Harlequins had selected The Laramie Project as their fall play, he was shocked because “It’s such [a] heavy subject matter that, in the past, would have even been controversial to speak about.”
The Saint Ignatius Harlequins are currently preparing performances of the fall play, The Laramie Project. The play was originally written by a group known as the Tectonic Theater Project constructed from interviews with the people of Laramie, Wyoming after the beating and torture of Matthew Shepard, a gay man, in October of 1998, which subsequently led to his death. The Eye was able to ask questions to members of the student cast and crew about their experience with the show and what they hope it accomplishes in the Saint Ignatius community.
Every member of the cast plays a myriad of characters on different sides of the issues facing the town of Laramie, and student director and Beaumont High School senior Emma Schoeffler loves the amount of different perspectives this allows: “I love how many different perspectives into the event there are and how there are never really any judgments made on these perspectives – it really shows that the people who made this show spent a lot of time in the community and really got to know the people there.”
The show is clearly an emotional piece, both because of the intense subject matter and because it is a true story. That means that all of the characters in the show are real people. Cast members Jackson Gordon ‘24 and Tony Fitzgerald ‘26 made salient points about having to play difficult roles. Jackson Gordon ‘24 says, “It’s a lot. It’s really hard because all of it is real; these were real people and you have to get yourself in a place to say some awful things. Just the idea of it can feel dirty. The words aren’t pretty. Tackling that and not feeling like dirt afterwards is not an easy thing.”
Tony Fitzgerald ‘26 says, “It’s really difficult trying to relate to some of [my] characters because [some characters can be] very hateful and very spiteful; knowing that the characters in this show are real people, knowing that they really exist makes it even more difficult.
Cast member Tommy Bilczo ‘24 also noted an important point about the way the show treats the concept of human dignity, an essential phrase for the Harlequins as they navigate this difficult process: “I find it really interesting that people in the cast have to portray murderers with the idea that even those murderers have human dignity that they can’t take away.”
Cast member and Magnificat High School senior Kristina Telban said that although grasping the concept that this was ‘a real event that actually happened’ was initially difficult, doing research about her characters helped her realize that these characters had a life outside of the words written on the page, which has immensely helped her character work throughout this process.
On the technical side of things, lighting designer and Saint Joseph Academy senior El Healey says that the hardest challenge has been the collaboration between departments and the heavier tone of the show: “[The hardest part has been] the collaboration between departments. I’m the lighting designer, but I’ve had to work closely with stage management, scenic design, and sound design at different points so we can put forth a product that really works cohesively.” El also said that working on a show with potential impact beyond the stage has put pressure on the Harlequins to deliver the best show possible, but they have confidence that the cast and crew are on track to make the show the best it can possibly be.
The Harlequins hope that the experience students have watching the show will have an impact on day-to-day life at Saint Ignatius, specifically concerning the treatment of LGBTQ+ students. As Kristina notes, “LGBT people today are still facing discrimination and violence constantly, and this is a frequent thing that still happens so it’s very important to raise awareness about it, and I think that human dignity is really important in today’s society.”
El Healey says, “I mainly hope that they understand that this is a story about a community learning about itself and, in turn, reflect that learning back onto themselves. Nobody in this story is perfect, but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve dignity. That’s a word we’ve used a lot recently, dignity. It’s really the thesis of this show. Treat each other with dignity and respect; you won’t always be perfect but trying is what allows us all to grow.”
Saint Ignatius High School’s own Jackson Gordon says that the play is directly relevant to the school: “I know from experience I can just casually hear the ‘f-slur’ being said in the hallways, with no one batting an eye. And, of course, it’s not as bad as it once was, but if someone sees a play like this, and, you know, maybe they haven’t been the best in the past when it comes to [LGBTQ+ inclusion], if they can recognize their actions… I would love to see a bit more awareness, a bit more respect, a bit more acceptance. That is something Ignatius definitely needs going forward, not to mention the rest of the world.”
Ticketing information for The Laramie Project can be found at ignatius.edu/drama. The production runs November 11-13th.
by Shivam Pandya ’24
At some point during your time at St. Ignatius, you’ve probably heard of Model UN or the DiploCats. Model UN is one of the premier clubs on campus, with over 75 members and a track record of excellence and our members winning countless individual and team awards. The club is co-moderated by Mr. Brandon Foster and Mr. Peter Corrigan ‘69. Club members travel to college campuses, engross themselves in real-world debate, and hopefully come home with a Best Delegate gavel.
At competitions, students become delegates acting in the interests of either a county, corporation, or high-powered individual. Every committee, or group of delegates, has a central issue they’re trying to solve. Delegates give short speeches to establish a position on the topic to the rest of the committee before working with other delegates who share similar viewpoints — also known as a bloc — to write a full resolution to the issue; this effort includes explaining how to fund the solution, what the social implications are, what your country’s government thinks about the solution, and more. The delegate who is most active in committee and most invested in creating a good solution wins.
Model UN is arguably the most proficient club in the school for making members better public speakers, collaborators, and decision makers — essential skills. Being comfortable and confident speaking in front of upwards of 50 people is something that many people do not possess, and knowing how to communicate well in this type of setting makes a more attractive candidate to colleges and employers.
Model UN is always open to new members: just walk in to Mr. Foster’s room SC102 on either Mondays or Wednesdays during the Activities Period. The Club addresses the same material on both days, so join Model UN on the most convenient day.
We hope to see you there,
The Secretariat
by Young Kim ’23 & Seth Wojnar ’23
You may have seen the stand at the extracurricular fair or heard the name called over the announcements, but you may still not know much about the Saint Ignatius Entrepreneurship Academy, or SIEntA for short. Moderated by economics teacher Mr. Hess ‘88, SIEntA meets every Friday during formation period in Loyola Hall Room 328. Hear from experienced entrepreneurs including Mr. Hess himself and other special guests about topics in the world of business, ranging from the art of creating a business from the ground up to finance, the stock market and investing strategies, current events, and the study of economics.
No matter your interest, SIEntA has opportunities that will appeal to you. If you are an investor, you will be delighted to hear about our ongoing $100,000 virtual stock market competition in which you can test your investing skills and expertise for real cash prizes. If investing isn’t one of your interests, there are still many opportunities in other areas in the business world. For example, you might have more of an entrepreneurial spirit, and creating your own company and being your own boss sound more like the career path for you. If so, you might have a great idea for a new business or you might be already running a business of your own. To serve these interests, SIEntA offers an annual shark tank competition in May in which you can compete against other students to win real cash prizes!
These are just two of the many opportunities offered by SIEntA. Beyond these, there is fully transferable college credit available if you take an end of year test through the University of Iowa. You can travel to your grade school and teach about financial topics through Mr. Hess’s AlphaJump and serve as an entrepreneurial mentor.
Get a leg up on your peers by learning about these important real world financial topics and why it’s so crucial to learn and get started early. We are always open to new members, so feel free to drop in to one of our meetings on Friday in LH328.
We can’t wait to see you there.
by Jack Brennan ’24
The Soccer Cats are gearing up for the 2022 playoff run. The soccer program recently has found significant success in the OHSAA playoffs, winning the last three state championships by a combined score of 10-2. The team has carried on their dominance this season; however, it hasn’t come without adversity.
The Varsity Wildcats entered the season with a significantly more experienced group of seventeen seniors, six juniors, and six “swing” sophomores led by an outstanding group of captains: midfielder Nolan Spicer, the recipient of the 2021 Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year Award; goalkeeper Patrick McLaughlin, who came one clean sheet shy of tying a Saint Ignatius scoring record with eighteen; Nathan Trickett, whose immense offensive talent at the wing helped lead the 2021 team to their 140 goal season; and Owen Sullivan, a key defensive leader on the 2021 state championship team. Led by this core of star players, the team stood atop the state of Ohio as the season began.
After going undefeated in their three preseason games, the team would win their first two regular season games with relative ease, beating Avon Lake and Twinsburg by 5-0 and 9-1. They traveled to Toledo to compete in the Jesuit Cup. To this point, every St. Ignatius soccer team to win the state championship has also won the Jesuit Cup. Understanding this importance, the team won in convincing fashion, beating St. Xavier 6-2 in the semifinal and St. John’s Jesuit 8-0 in the final and hoisting the Jesuit Cup trophy for the fifth straight year. The team then defeated University School, St. Charles, Mason, Shaker Heights, Toledo St. Francis, and Massillon Jackson, establishing their dominance of the state.
Then began one of the most difficult weeks in the program’s history. For years, the soccer program has sought to play elite opponents across the nation. True to this aspiration, the team embarked on a trip to New York and New Jersey to play against second-ranked Saint Benedict Prep and Chaminade High School, a New York soccer powerhouse.
Lacking key winger Captain Nathan Trickett, the Wildcat offense stagnated against Saint Benedict, and the defense could only hold off the talented Benedict forwards for fifteen minutes. Still unable to enter an offensive groove, the team was unable to equalize after conceding a second goal late in the second half. The mighty sixty-eight game winning streak ended as the team fell to second in the national rankings. The team would be forced to push beyond their strong disappointment, however, as they still had a week of games ahead of them.
The next day, the Wildcats traveled to Long Island to take on Chaminade High School. Chaminade didn’t quite have the same accolades as St. Benedict, but they were a worthy opponent. Fueled by the thirst for revenge, the Wildcat side scored in the first ten minutes. They never looked back and came away with a satisfying 4-1 victory.
The tireless week was not over yet, though. The Wednesday following the trip, they returned to Wasmer Field, taking on Western Reserve Academy, ranked 25th nationally by the United Soccer Coaches Committee. They fell behind 1-0 early in the second half of the game, but two heroic goals by Nolan Spicer and a final seal by Owen Sullivan in the last ten minutes of the game carried the Wildcats to a scrappy comeback victory.
The coming Saturday, the team played their fourth game in seven days against Calvert Hall, a team from Maryland ranked top 10 nationally. The Cats began an early 2-0 lead, but exhausted from the long week and with four starters inactive due to injury, they couldn’t maintain the lead and fell 4-2 after one of the most difficult weeks in program history.
Despite a pair of defeats and losing their top spot nationally, there was a sense of accomplishment among the team: “Too many teams are happy with a good record at the end of their season having played nobody. That gets you nowhere,” said head coach Mike McLaughlin ‘85. “The more you can prepare yourself during the regular season, the more you’re going to be ready for the playoffs.” This attitude echoed throughout the program, and the players, rather than sulking about outcomes, used it as an opportunity to improve and prepare for the playoffs ahead.
The team bounced back and won their final two games, picking up a 4-0 victory over the St. Edward Eagles and a 1-0 victory over Dublin Jerome. They ended the regular season with a record of 14-2, with a total of sixty-seven goals for and fourteen goals against.
At the time this article is published, the team will already have begun their playoff run. Their first two will be played at Wasmer Field before finishing at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio for the OHSAA State Championship. Over the past few years, the team has seen great student section showings, and the team is looking forward to this support continuing: “Soccer is such an emotional game, and to have that emotional charge from the fans, it makes a big difference. So fans, please, help us to win” said 11-time state and 7-time national champion coach Mike McLaughlin ‘85.
Information on the games and the brackets will be posted on the Ignatius Soccer Homepage for fans to support them during their hunt for the fourth straight state championship.
By The Eye Staff
Another year has come and gone, but The Eye, the #1 student newspaper at Saint Ignatius, continues. And that means it’s time for recruiting! The Eye is looking for writers, editors, photographers, graphic designers, artists, and so much more! If you can name it, we want it! Everyone is encouraged to join us and bring their unique voice to the team. Complete this Google Form to join The Eye!
In addition to our core team, The Eye wants people who aren’t part of The Eye to be able to contribute as well! Have an idea for an article you want to write? Have an idea for an article you don’t want to write? Then you’ve come to the right place! We want students to show off their “thing” to the school and to voice their unique perspectives. Please feel free to submit any articles or ideas you have to this form!
The Eye is also looking to expand its involvement with other groups on campus. If you’re a club moderator and are interested in having your club work with The Eye, please contact us at eye@ignatius.edu!
By Kelly Coleman ‘23
While we here at the Eye have our own opinions on the new schedule, we want, dear reader, to know what your opinions are! If you have thoughts on the new schedule that you want to be heard, then you only need to take a few seconds to fill out our short survey of only three, optional questions. Your responses will be compiled and released in an exclusive article in the next edition of The Eye.
Click here to fill out the quick survey!
Remember: our team at the Eye aren’t the only ones interested in hearing your thoughts on the schedule. Your comments may be read by the very people in charge of deciding the schedule, so please leave them here!
* * *
While the jury is still out on this topic, you’ll have to settle for my opinion instead. So, let’s start with the good aspects of the new schedule. As someone who was very fond of the longer periods and rotating schedule, I am very pleased to see them return this year, and I wholeheartedly support their continued inclusion in the schedule going forward. (You can read my previously published thoughts on the rotating schedule here.) In regards to advisory periods, I feel that, as a senior, having advisory one day a week, even if it is longer on paper, is much more bearable and effective than having them two days a week like last year. The activities period, while shorter, still feels effective in its original goals, though time will tell how the reduced length will affect clubs meeting during the day.
Now, however, we must turn to the not-so-pretty side of the schedule: the lunch periods. From what I can tell, the changes to the lunch period had one main goal: reducing the stress on the lunch system from over a thousand students trying to buy lunch at the same time. Any soul unfortunate enough to have eaten lunch in the cafeteria last year can well remember the clamor of a tidal wave of students flooding the dining hall at once, blissfully ignoring Mr. Franzinger’s calls that the lunch period was for underclassmen only. This year, it seems, in order to divide the student body and enforce separate lunch periods, the decision to create two, offset third periods was made.*
The east side/west side of campus split is a natural consequence of this decision; under the current system, lunch periods could not be split up by grade as third period classes with students from multiple grades would be split up across two different and overlapping third period time slots. The current system does make sense as a way for third period classes to function with all their students, but just because it makes sense does not make it any less frustrating. Not being able to eat lunch with friends four out of seven days is aggravating, and for some unlucky students, that number might be even higher. The split periods don’t even seem to be effective in reducing the load on the lunch systems with lines as long and as crowded as they’ve ever been. (Whether the changes have succeeded in making things easier for the lunch system behind the scenes is something on which I can only speculate.) Whatever gains might have been made from the new system simply don’t seem worth what has been lost to achieve them, in my opinion. While the motivations and reasonings for the changes to lunch are understandable, I can’t help but feel it was a swing and a miss on the execution.
There are some smaller aspects of the schedule that I feel deserve comment. Having to be in first period at 8:25 and not 8:30 like you’d expect and having to come in early every seventh day for AP science are both bearable annoyances. The way the day is structured now, with the flipping third period followed by activities then fourth period, is a bit of a mixed bag for me. Always having that break between third and fourth period does wonders to help preserve energy throughout the day and prevent mental exhaustion, but days with three morning periods in a row can quickly become draining. Last year I praised the inclusion of the activities period in the schedule, but now I can’t help but feel, especially on days when I’ve had three morning classes in a row, that I’d much rather skip the activities period and go home an hour early instead of going to lunch, then the activities period, and then my final class.
In the end, my feelings on the new schedule remain split. While I feel that it has continued much of the good from last year’s schedule and even improved it in some areas, it has also created several of its own flaws too large to simply ignore. Only time will tell how effective the changes will prove as students and teachers adapt to the schedule, and the schedule, in turn, adapts to them. But that’s enough about what I think. Please, remember to leave your thoughts on the schedule!
*This is mostly speculation on my part. Take it with a grain of salt.
by Christian Durny ’23 & Hans Engel ’23
Situated in the district of Ohio City known as Hingetown, Larder Delicatessen stands in a high traffic area only a couple minutes away from Saint Ignatius. From the outside, Larder’s repurpose of a unique, old fire station portrays the perfect assumption one would have regarding the hipster side of Ohio City. Built in 1852, Larder incorporates the architecture of its fire station to its advantage, conjuring an earthy, mature ambiance with its jars of fermenting goods displayed throughout the aged interior. The word “Larder” itself is an old term for a storage room of food, which is exactly what one discerns when entering the building.
We were pleasantly surprised by the prices at Larder. The assumption with voguish, new age restaurants like Larder is that higher quality food comes with a steep price increase that lessens the enjoyment of the meal. To our delight, we found Larder to be fair in its prices. Yes, your sandwich will cost more than a Dave’s Crispy homestyle, but considering the weeks or months that your sandwich took to make compared to an instant concoction offered by Wendy’s, I would be more than happy to offer up a few extra dollars. Another assumption of contemporary food is that it offers only meager portion sizes, a belief that Larder quashes with its more-than-generous servings.
Fermenting is the main idea behind Larder. Much like the art of smoking and barbeque discussed in the prior review of Ohio City BBQ, fermenting and dry aging is a unique art. Food is aged for weeks upon weeks. The time given to its ingredients allows for a surprising level of flavor to develop in its dishes, something one would never expect out of such a staple food like carrots or celery. The owner of Larder, Jeremy Umansky, is a master of his craft, and the extent of his fermentation knowledge is honestly a little scary to me. His book, Koji Academy, highlights his intellect on the matter, discussing his innovations in the field of fermentation. Something in every dish we sampled was aged, whether it be the coleslaw in a chicken sandwich or the corned beef in their famous Reuben.
Larder prides itself on its ever-changing menu, displaying the care of only using in season, fresh items. There are only a few items that remain constant: the chicken sandwich, the Reuben, and the pastrami sandwich. Everything else can change from day to day.
The chicken sandwich is without a doubt the fan favorite item at Larder among the people with whom we have conferred — and for good reason too. We highly recommend going to Larder and at least trying a chicken sandwich because it is a nice introduction to the unfamiliar fermented taste mixed with the familiarity of a delicacy in the chicken sandwich. While the chicken sandwich may be the star player, the supporting cast at Larder is not to be overlooked. We sampled a wide array of other menu items including Ukrainian salad, Bloody Mary pickles, potato salad, and bacon cheese fries. Larder’s side game is wide, and the tastes are unlike any I’ve had before. While many items are staples in the American diet, some, such as the fried block of mushroom we sampled, are not for the faint of heart. If you’re the kid that orders chicken tenders at every restaurant, some items at Larder may not be for you.
Overall, we thought highly of our experience at Larder. The building is inviting and a great piece of Ohio City history. The staff was hospitable, and the food was moderately expensive but justifiably so. Everything tasted delicious — a complex mix of classic flavors with a fusion of aged taste. Overall, we give Larder a 9.6 out of 10, cementing it as one of our favorite restaurants in Ohio.
by Young Kim ’23
The Mass of the Holy Spirit is one of the most important events and long-standing traditions at Saint Ignatius. Although it is celebrated by Jesuit schools worldwide, a unique aspect of the tradition at Saint Ignatius is the iconic walk of initiation taken by the freshman class who process from campus and cross the Detroit-Superior Bridge to join the rest of the student body already gathered at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.
The Mass of the Holy Spirit is the first time the entire Saint Ignatius community gathers during the school year, and it marks the official beginning of the new academic year. During mass, the community asks for God’s guidance and wisdom to help us in the work that the community will undertake during the school year. Making the occasion even more special, this year’s celebrant was newly appointed Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost, a member of the Saint Ignatius graduating class of 1976. During his homily, he spoke to the gathered student body about his own experiences at Saint Ignatius and challenged all present to make the coming school year an extraordinary one.
The Eye is the student-led publication of Saint Ignatius High School.
Editors-in-Chief: Kelly Coleman '23, Young Kim '23 & Aidan Oliss '23
