This year St. Rose High School’s 2016 Spring Musical was Singin’ in the Rain.  Singin’ in the Rain.is the iconic musical from 1952 that still warms the hearts of people of all ages today. The original Singin’ in the Rain. was a movie musical and not an actual stage production. The stage musical debuted almost thirty years later, in the 1980’s.  St. Rose’s production follows the movie script very closely, with a slight few changes.

St. Rose’s Drama department was wildly enthusiastic for the smash musical “Singing in the Rain” this past weekend.  After completing their final performance Saturday night, the cast came together to say goodbye to their beloved seniors: Kelly Schuld, Alexis Gary, and Liam MacKay.  The cast agrees that they put their hearts on the stage and worked as hard as they could.   Throughout her 12 years directing Mrs. Kain has done a tremendous job producing amazing musicals for the St. Rose community to enjoy. Mrs. Kain, was proud of how the show came together and how the cast helped each other at all hours.  From lunch practices, to after school rehearsals, these St. Rose students went above and beyond to make this show was it deserved.

Matt Guinco, a junior who played Don Lockwood, sang his heart out while completely encapsulating the audience.  He and his male counterpart Alec Kuncken, a sophomore who played Cosmo Brown, danced away the night.  Their hours of tap dancing and singing truly paid off.  The female lead of Kathy Seldon was played by sophomore Annie DiMurro and she rocked the stage with her voice this year.  At the end of the night, one of the most memorable characters however, was Lina Lamont, played by junior Shannon Beachem.  The cast agrees from day one, she nailed the impersonated voice and completely owned that role.  As this was both Alec’s and Shannon’s premiere on the St. Rose musical stage, everyone agrees they will be excited welcomed back next year for the next musical.

The talent of the cast was truly overwhelming this year and there were endless hours of joking around while simultaneously working hard on our lines, songs, and dances.  The seniors are sad to say goodbye, but will be sure to return next year to see their friends perform again in the future.  “Singing in the Rain” was a smash hit (much like the “Dancing Cavalier” from the show) and the cast was extremely proud of their performance.

By Kelly Schuld ’18

Every year on April 22^nd, we unite in celebration of our earth. Earth Day is recognized by more than one billion people worldwide and is organized to change human behavior and encourage environmental policy changes.  It is a relevant, powerful focal point for environmentalists around the globe.  The students of St. Rose joined the world on April 22^nd, 2016, advocating for the preservation of the earth and promoting environmental responsibility for the protection of all God’s creatures.

After witnessing the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, Gaylord Nelson, a U. S. Senator from Wisconsin, wanted to raise public consciousness about pollution. He networked across the nation to organize supporters of environmental issues. On April, 22^nd, 1970, twenty million Americans from diverse backgrounds and political views realized that they had something in common: their love and respect for the earth and their desire to save it.  They rallied at universities, in streets, parks and auditoriums across the country to demonstrate the need for a strong environment.  Earth Day 1970 achieved success and still lives now to raise awareness of important environmental issues that were once not known to the average citizen.

St. Rose’s involvement with Earth Day is not a small one. To symbolize support of the earth, students are able to dress down in the Earth Day colors of green and blue. Some chose to wear the green and blue tye-dye shirts designed and sold by The Environmental Club. All of the proceeds of the t-shirt sales are being to donated to help endangered species.  Ms. Steppe, an environmental advocate, is the Environmental Club advisor and works hard to promote environmental awareness and social responsibility within the St. Rose community and beyond. The celebration of Earth Day at St. Rose does not begin and end on April 22^nd.  Over the last several months, Ms. Steppe’s Marine Science classes created and delivered presentations on marine turtles, sharks, and ocean pollution to various classes throughout the building.  They designed and displayed posters in the science hallways to bring awareness of the earth and act as resources for environmental centered activities for classrooms. To top it all off, a beach cleanup is organized for April 30^th.

As Catholics, it is our duty to appreciate and protect our wonderful world that God created.  Pope Francis, at an Earth Day event in Italy, encouraged all of us to work together to protect and grow the earth’s resources.  He stated, “Let’s all go forward to work together, respecting each other, respecting! I see this miracle: the miracle of a desert that becomes a forest. Thanks for everything you do!” (http://www.cruxnow.com) At St. Rose, our Earth Day and Environmental Club activities help to bring the Pope’s words to life. Students and teachers use our actions to increase respect and support for earth-centered initiatives, providing our service to protect God’s creatures today and in the future.

By Sydney Daniel ’17

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Coming Soon: The audio clip of Maggie Baker and Megan Lawson reciting their piece of poetry and prose that qualified for Teen Arts State and a follow up article on their experience at Teen Arts State, to be exclusively featured in      The Courier.

On March 17 and 18, students from Monmouth County had the opportunity to attend the 12^th Annual Monmouth County Teen Arts Festival at Brookdale Community College campus in Lincroft.  The festival received entries in the disciplines of art, music, video, dance, and creative writing.  The theme for the festival this year was-Creative Beasts; this was a play on the artists as a creative beast and also the beast or animal as a subject. St. Rose sends students who are involved in singing, dancing, writing, art, and video to share their talents, receive feedback, and enjoy work by other high school teens in the area.  The festival invites all teenagers ages 13-19 from high schools, dance schools, and middle schools to participate.  Art is put on display for all visitors to see, writing is shared, choir and dance teams perform, and videos are showcased.  Also, workshops are offered in the different areas so students can improve and learn something new.  Students who participated in the Teen Arts Festival took a bus from St. Rose to Brookdale Community College and got to spend the school day enjoying time with friends to show off their creativity and see the talents of their peers.

The choir, led by Mrs. Madden, performed a medley of songs that included “Danny Boy,” because the festival happened to fall on St. Patrick’s Day.  An expert was there to listen and give critiques to help each group improve and work on new techniques. Soloists Junior Emily Swenarton also performed and received feedback from the expert.

The dance team, led by Ms. Mantlick, performed their dance to “How Deep is Your Love.”  Hannah Gammond ‘17, the choreographer, stated, “I loved spending time with the team and being able to show off all of our hard work and our love for dance.  It was great to hear the critiques to help us improve for next year.”

Students enrolled in Creative Writing with Mrs. Colvin had the opportunity to share a piece of their poetry or pose.  The writing was submitted earlier so a professor had the opportunity to read the pieces and make corrections.  Megan Theobald ’17, who took Creative Writing, shared, “We could choose a piece we already wrote or write something new.  You could write poetry and short stories.  That day, we had a seminar where the professor had a few of us read our papers and then gave everyone feedback about the work we did.”

Students in art classes participated in the festival as well to receive feedback and to make bowls and beads.  Groups took advantage of the nice weather to create sidewalk chalk drawings for a fun contest.  Students used their talents for good and sculpted bowls for charity,The Teen Arts Festival also showcases visual art.  The tech club submitted a video called “I’m Not Okay” and all students had the opportunity to view the video and other video submissions.

One of the biggest aspects of the festival was the ability to walk around to see and experience the other forms of art.  The students had the ability to support each other and learn something from one another.  The Teen Arts Festival is a highlight of the year for many teens involved in the arts.  Every year, it proves to be a fun and memorable experience that brings the students together.  There are not many events that give high schools a chance to come together for the arts and to showcase different talents and abilities.  Every student who participated learned something new and improved upon his or her skill.  The festival inspires students to stay involved in the arts and to keep working for their goals.

This year, St. Rose High School has been privileged to have two students invited to showcase their art in the New Jersey State Teen Arts Festival. These students are Junior Maggie Baker and Junior Megan Lawson and their art forms are poetry and prose (short story) respectively. Maggie and Megan were selected by the festival adjudicators to move onto the State Festival due to their showcasing of excellence at the county level.  Maggie’s poem is titled “Roots and Wings” and Megan’s short story is titled “What Do You see?”. This invitation allows these artists to receive feedback from state judges on their pieces, sit-in on critiques of other artists’ pieces, and attend master classes. According to a Teen Arts official, “In addition to the critiques, workshops and master classes will be provided to expose student artists to help students develop perceptual, intellectual and technical skills; gain cultural awareness and understanding; and develop personal aesthetic values.” The 2016 State Festival will take place on June 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd at Ocean County College. Keep a look out for Maggie’s and Megan’s work recited by them and a follow up on their experience at Teen Arts State, to be exclusively featured in The Courier.

By Katie Considine ’17 & Erin Prachar ’16

I was the only student who is a Korean until a new student enrolled this year. Since, most of the international students are from China, students normally think all the Asian students are Chinese. I was once asked, “Isn’t Korea a part or city in China?” when I told that that I am from that country. It is understandable because China is the biggest and strongest country in Asia, and, by the way, North Korea can be referred as a part of China simply because it receives aid and is amicable to China.

When I first came to New Jersey in 2014, everything was unfamiliar including human races, language, and cultures. Although South Korea was influenced by America and Japan, which was also westernized, during the Cold War, there are still a lot of differences between these countries. The curricula are very different, too. At high schools in the my country, students stay in the same classroom and teachers move, students are not given homework, and classes are very calm. On the other hand, students in America have to move for each class and have homework. Furthermore classes of American high schools require participation in the lessons through class discussions and group work. Thereby, it was not easy to adapt to American school life. Although, the school has many after school programs such as clubs and sports, which I  would not have the opportunity to participate in if I stayed and went to high school in my country.

Each day I try and am able to slowly adapt to American culture and school life; nevertheless there are still hardships. The main reason for the hardships are rooted in the ability to use English, which I am learning more and more by the day. My fellow students understand that I am still perfecting my English and help me communicate more effectively.  Additionally, since the cultures of the United States and Korea are different, some behaviors or words, which are ordinary in the my country, can be rude or considered in bad way.  I have become more cautious as to not offend anyone.

Although there are some difficulties, there are many good things that make the me want to live in America.I feel that almost all people here are very nice and kind to others, especially towards the foreigners and the poor. They always try to help and find anything that can be helpful for others voluntarily, and never show their feelings of displeasure. According to some people in other countries, they said, “Americans never try to hurt others’ feelings when they speak.” I agree with this quote and think that people in my country should follow after that, too.

The life in here is not just the repetition of difficulties, there are more pleasure and enjoyments even if negative aspects are mentioned. It has been a good and unique experience since the first came, and it will be a better and more unique experience.

By Subin Yoon ’18

On April 10th, 2016, the Juniors of St. Rose High School attended what was for many, their first prom. It was held at the beautiful Waterview Pavilion in Belmar. Doors opened promptly at 6:30 pm and closed at 11:00 pm. The “All Around the World” theme was popular among the students, especially as they took pictures in front of a decorative Statue of Liberty and enjoyed their delicious dinner while sitting at their table, or “country”. However, none of this would have been possible without the chaperones and the Student Council, who organized such a lovely and memorable night.

Prom is a night everyone looks forward to, not only due to dancing the night away with friends, but also because of all the preparations that come beforehand. Prom may have been in April, but for many it started much earlier. With “promposals” -the act of one student asking another person to prom; most of the time in a creative manner- starting in early February, papers had to be signed, appointments had to be booked, and outfits had to be bought within two short months.

After putting all the final bits and pieces together, it was officially prom time! Groups of students began to arrive at the Waterview Pavilion in their cars, limos, trolleys, and party buses. They were greeted by multiple chaperones, who encouraged them to vote for prom king and queen. Students also received their ticket, which was a delectable chocolate bar. After being greeted by the chaperones, couples took their first pictures at prom in front of the Statue of Liberty backdrop. As soon as they were finished, the dancing began! The DJ was the amazing DJ Jersey Joe, who played great music that the students danced to all night. He played many different genres: slow, eighties, nineties, modern, alternative, pop, and hip-hop. Many students said how dancing with their friends was their favorite part of the night. However, Drew Reilly, Junior, said his favorite memory from prom was, “Garrett Jordan and Matty O’Malley stretching out my hamstring before hitting the dance floor.” It was moments like those that are unique to prom and have an everlasting imprint on the memories of the young men and women who attended.

Halfway through the night, dinner was served. Delicious options such as salads, baked ziti, and chicken fingers and fries, were all available for consumption. During this break from dancing,  students took time to rest and catch up with each other. Shortly after dinner, Prom King and Queen were announced. The Prom Court was brought onto the dance floor in front of the entire grade to patiently wait for the crowning of King and Queen. The Prom Court consisted of Sam Boehmcke, Erin Dailey, Jacqueline Lorenzo, Katie Considine, Megan Theobald, Matt Bogdan, Tom Nolan, Garrett Jordan, Liam Cosgrove, and Titus Hood. The Prom King and Queen winners of the 2016 St. Rose High School Junior Prom were Katie Considine and Liam Cosgrove! After the couple was crowned, the whole Prom Court danced to “A Whole New World” from the Aladdin soundtrack. After that song ended, the rest of the grade was invited to share the slow dance with the prom court.

Prom is a night with very high expectations. In the movies, it is described as “magical” or “astounding” and many different scenarios are depicted to the viewer. And while everyone’s experience may be slightly different, the 2016 Junior Prom was wonderful. The students had fun because they made valuable memories with their classmates and friends that will last them a lifetime.

By Julia Renna ’17

On Friday April 15, 2016, Ms. Yahrling, Mrs. Fulton, and Mr. Ward, along with a few lucky art students took a charter bus to midtown Manhattan and visited the renowned Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in hopes of gaining some knowledge on the history of art and how it has evolved.

The Museum of Modern Art is an amalgamation of all sorts of art ranging from sculptures to paintings to architectural structures, and contains exquisite pieces from the late 1800s to the present. On a normal day in the museum, one can find passionate art-lovers wandering in awe through each exhibit with headphones in their ears, as they carefully listen to the MoMA app, detailing each unique masterpiece that the museum has to offer. The diversity of creation by famous and local artists intrigues thousands of creative-minded tourists daily.

The students departed from St. Rose High School on Friday morning at around 7:45AM, and when they arrived at the MoMA around 9:15AM, the museum was not yet open to the public; so, they were privileged enough to get a private guided tour, where they learned riveting facts about a wide array of the pieces on display. The tour guides skillfully engaged the students in conversation, which helped them learn more about the pieces in a pleasant way. They also got the St. Rose art students involved with a drawing exercise, which allowed them to have a fun, memorable hands-on experience. In the exercise, students picked a piece of art that stood out to them the most and sketched it in their own way on a blank piece of paper, in order to spark some creativity. After the guided tour, the students were allowed to explore the museum on their own so that they could key in on exhibits that genuinely captivated them.

Senior Megan Brown shares that her favorite exhibit was that of the artist Degas. She describes the display, stating that, “It showcased his various works on ballet dancers, as well as his landscape pieces.” She also reveals that the MoMA is home to Van Gogh’s original “Starry Night,” which was Senior Aine Donohue’s favorite piece. Donohue claims, “It was prettier in person than in pictures because you could really see all the details up close.” Overall, the students seemed to enjoy their experience at the MoMA, as it allowed them to discover what type of art they truly feel passionate about, as well as visualize how art has evolved over time.

After a rewarding day of exploring culture and art history, the students boarded the bus and headed back to Belmar around 12:30PM and returned to school at 2PM. Not only was the museum enjoyable for those who went, but it also was educational and inspiring for those who are currently in an art course at St. Rose High School. Whether one wishes to continue to pursue a future career in the arts, or is only in the class since it is part of the curriculum, the Museum of Modern Art leaves a lasting impression on nearly anyone who walks through its doors.

By Julia Swanson ’17