the ‘rock report
TRANSCRIPT
E very year, Catholic schools
across the nation commemo-
rate Catholic Schools Week, a cel-
ebration of this faith-filled education and its contributions to students,
the Church, and the local community. It’s a great reminder of the im-
mense privileges we have as students at a Catholic school, and an en-
gaging way to appreciate everything Feehan has to offer.
Annually, Feehan participates by holding lunch activities, TAG days,
and Mass with the entire school. This year, the student body got to see
members of their class attempt to eat a donut attached to a string and
enjoy being out of uniform (partially), wearing flannels, Hawaiian gear,
and Patriots jerseys on the various TAG days.
The peak of the week was Mass on Wednesday, January 31st. It in-
cluded a beautiful homily by Deacon Joe which everyone found to be
very meaningful and inspirational! In summation, 2018’s Catholic
Schools Week was one to remember.
The ‘ROCK RepORT
A peek inside this issue
of the ‘Rock Report:
Page 2: Science Fair
Page 3: Debate
Page 4: College Foot-
ball / Feehan Winter
Sports
Page 5: Super Bowl
Page 6: March for Life
Page 7: Valentine’s Day
Quiz
Page 8: Fashion Show
Page 9: Crossword
Page 10: Dear Lucky
The Back Page: Student
Spotlight/ Quotes
Upcoming Events:
2/19-23-February Vacation
3/2 - Half Day
3/8- Parent/Teacher Con-
ferences
3/9 – TAG day
3/9-11– ECHO
3/12– Student Art Exhibit
3/13 – Lenten Reconcilia-
tion Service
3/14 - Combined Honor
Society Induction
3/16 -No classes
T he 2018 Feehan's Got Talent welcomed a sample of the
many talented students here at our school. These bold and gifted
students ranged from an electric guitar prodigy to a street magician. The show also featured a new panel of judges with Mrs. Seals, Mr. Kane, and Mr. Kates. The judges chose Grace Houston, a Senior danc-er, as their winner, and the students' chose the band Monochrome as theirs. A common piece of feedback about this year's show was that it was the best one yet! Many of the acts left the audience standing in applause, and all acts succeeded in amazing the crowd. We even had the pleasure of listening to a previous Feehan's Got Talent winner, Kristen Cropanese, sing and play the guitar. From start to finish, the talent show is certainly an event worth seeing at Feehan.
Feehan’s Got Talent! Really!
Grace Chiodo ‘18
Celebrating Feehan’s Faith
Catie Mae Carey ‘19
Science Fair
Feehan Students Showcase Scientific Success
Meredith Blaise ‘19
T he créme de la créme of sci-entific minds (in grades nine
and ten) at Bishop Feehan High School competed for the glory of a science fair trophy on January 24th. Students begin brainstorm-ing topics early in the year and conduct in depth experiments all while adhering to the scientific method. The foundation of their research is a developed hypothe-sis and research statement, fol-lowed by data collection and analysis. Students are expected to log their progression in lab books and write their own extensive pa-pers with research-based back-ground information and empirical findings. Project ideas can range from subsets of environmental bi-ology to engineering and physics based projects. Science Depart-ment and Science Fair Chair-woman Mrs. Correia says that science fair fosters “life lessons, long term planning, talking to adults, confidence, time manage-ment and a host of life skills in
addition to science.” She went on to remark, “This [science fair] is the first and only time for a lot of kids to practice these skills.” Sci-ence fair is often accredited as a residual headache in the minds of these bright underclassmen, but, in effect, it sponsors academic achievement and helps develop integral skills. Students with high caliber projects are able to con-tinue to the Region III (Southwestern Massachusetts) fair and subsequently the Massa-chusetts State Science and Engi-neering Fair which is held over two days at MIT in May. Best of luck, and congratulations to all who participated.
Debate
T o paraphrase coach Mr. Speidel,
Bishop Feehan’s Debate Team
woke up from a bit of a slump to really
shine across the league this year.
Throughout the past several months,
students have been focused diligently
on one task: winning (and, technically,
also a second task: being the classiest
team in the league). There is no ques-
tion that our debaters accomplished
their goals many times over.
By any means, winning a debate is not
simple. On one hand, there are Affirma-
tives who create a plan that requires
endless evidence and meticulous re-
search. On the other hand, there are
Negatives who must also work hard to
gather evidence for any possible situa-
tion. In this year’s case, the debates sur-
rounded the American education sys-
tem; Feehan’s debaters surely educated
judges and peers alike on what the best
ideas are.
The official season ended on February
14th. While debate-themed Valentines
were, in fact, handed out, the more no-
table prizes Feehan students left with
were many, many trophies. One such
trophy is the award for best team in the
entire league, won after an incredible and
intelligent performance by Ryan
Hutchins and Laura Chiodo. Addition-
ally, Cassie Schifman and Eryk White
took the title of best Negative team in
the league with their unmatchable articu-
lation and logic. Other outstanding de-
baters also were honored: Sam Carter,
George El-Haoui, Michele Schremp, Ar-
ianna Schifman, and many more.
Still, as a very classy team, Feehan de-
baters attribute their success to hard
work, grit, and excellent leadership
from captains and Mr. Speidel. No team
member could have succeeded without
respectful moral support and endless
willpower. This year’s historic success
is a proper testament to how deter-
mined and faithful each and every par-
ticipant was. Perseverance and passion
really is a win-win-win.
Resolved: Bishop Feehan Debate Team Substantially Increases Trophy Count
Mary Rose Corkery ‘18
S ports in America have a way of cre-ating a sense of competition and ex-
citement that is never fully able to be duplicated. Every year, one of the most hyped up sporting events is the College Football Playoff Championship Game. It truly is ridiculous, we take young men - most of them living away from home for the first time and still learning how to be an adult - and throw them on a grand stage while alumni and current students all across the country expect them to perform like a seasoned pro. As an out-sider looking in, the whole event is questionable. As a fan however, it is ab-solutely awesome. This year’s game did not disappoint. Powerhouse Alabama led by the realist college coach ever in Nick Saban coming off a loss to Clemson in last year’s cham-pionship game went head to head with the University of Georgia led by Saban’s former assistant Kirby Smart and his true freshman quarterback Jake Fromm. It was the ultimate heavyweight fight, the Tide going up against the Dawgs. Early in the game, Georgia dominated, Fromm moved the ball with ease while the powerful Georgia running back duo of Nick Chubb and Sonny Michel had
their way with ‘Bama’s defense. Ala-bama’s sophomore quarterback Jalen Hurts was having a difficult time mov-ing the ball and picking up chunk plays. Georgia took a 13-0 lead into halftime. In the second half is when Nick Saban’s coaching decisions took center stage. He benched Hurts and started true fresh-man Tua Tagovailoa with the biggest game of his life on the line. Tagovailoa took full advantage. Alabama tied the score and the game went to overtime, it was in overtime when Tagovailoa hit re-ceiver DeVonta Smith with a 41 yard missile that went for the game winning touchdown. Alabama is on top of the college football world once again, and the Crimson Tide just keeps on rolling.
Student Athletics
Winter Playoff Push
Ryan Hanewich ‘19
Alabama Comes out on Top
Brendan Donoghue ‘18
A s the US Olympic teams con-tinue to reach the goal of
winning more gold medals, the winter sports teams at Feehan continue to pur-sue their ultimate target: to add new state champion banners to the walls of the gym and fitness center. The school’s most recent championship team, girls basketball, continues its run
Super Bowl
of success. At 12-3 as of this writing, the team has two remaining games and is poised to push for another title. The boys’ team, with their record of 11-7, continues to move along in the sea-son. Hockey, meanwhile, has had a more challenging year, garnering a record of 4-8-4 in the standings. Some of the teams have had highly successful seasons. The boys’ and girls’ track teams had yet another tri-umphant season, going undefeated and winning another league title. Likewise, the two swim teams went undefeated all season with the girls following through with a champion-ship. Though some teams are not as suc-cessful as those of past years, they are still performing consistently. With the success rate that has been seen throughout the years, there is plenty to be optimistic about adding a new banner. Best of luck to the teams who will still be competing in the playoffs.
U nfortunately, Super Bowl LIII
didn't have the happy ending
that everyone in New England was
hoping for. The Patriots were defeated
by the Eagles in a very tough game. It
was a thrilling game that left everyone
on the edge of their seats. With lots of
ups and downs during the game, the
Eagles came out on top.
On a happier note, Justin Timberlake
gave a great performance at the
Halftime Show!! Smooth dance moves
and iconic selfies basically outshone
football players trying to jump over
each other. Literally. Nonetheless,
hopefully, the Patriots will be back
and better than ever next year for an-
other fantastic and successful season.
Timberlake is the Real Winner Here.
Bridget Catalano ‘19
March for Life
Life is Very Good!
Linnea Carchedi ‘19
O n the morning of Thursday, Jan-uary 18, as most students were
preparing to complete a makeup or dupli-cate midterm exam or were just sleeping in, sixty-two Bishop Feehan students and fac-ulty, myself included, gathered in the cafe-teria, eager to take on the weekend ahead. We were ready to take part in the annual pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. for the 45th March for Life.
The trip began at Bishop Feehan with a prayer service to bless those enduring the journey. Soon after, the buses were boarded and the eight- hour ride began! The first stop was in Connecticut, followed by a stop in Delaware. Once we arrived in D.C., Thursday’s main event was Mass at the Ba-silica of the National Shrine of the Immacu-late Conception. This Mass was performed by the Archbishop of New York and Chair-man, USCCB Secretariat on Pro-Life Activi-ties, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan. The Basil-ica is a beautiful venue filled with intricate designs from floor to ceiling. Most Bishop Feehan attendees stayed in the downstairs crypts of the Basilica during Mass, as it was completely packed with many people from around the country. So much so, most guests participated in Mass from the ground without any visual aid. After this celebration, we made it to the hotel where PAWS had an impromptu performance. The next day started with a visit to the Ea-gleBank Arena on the campus of George Mason University for the “Life is Very Good” Rally and Mass.
The rally began with a game of trivia and optional confession. Once it began, the rally became a concert with beautiful con-temporary Catholic music provided by the Ben Walter Band. After the music portion, Ennie Hickman gave an extremely motiva-tional and eye-opening lecture (despite his opening line being “What’s up, nerds?”). Fi-nally, the arena was transformed into a place of worship and Mass was celebrated. For some, though, one of the highlights of this event was the free lunch provided by Chick-Fil-A.
Following the departure from the Rally and Mass was our arrival at the out-door Rally at the National Mall. At this ral-ly, we heard speakers including Bishop Vin-cent Matthews, Sr. Bethany Madonna, Christ Smith, Dan Lipinski, Jaime-Herrera Beutler, Matt Birk, Adrianna Birk, Pam Te-bow, Paul Ryan, and most notably, Presi-dent Donald Trump. Finally, the march it-self began!
We then joined over 600,000 march-ers on the 14-block trek. Throughout the march, there were multiple pro-life related
Quiz
interesting aspects of the March was the amount of babies and infants in attendance. Among the marchers were many other young adults as well. Following the walk up Constitu-tion Ave and past the Supreme Court, we met at St. Joseph's Church for Adoration. In a quick hour, we were dropped off and picked up at the Penta-gon Mall for a break and dinner. My personal fa-vorite part of the trip is what came next. After din-ner, we went on a night tour of the Memorials. The tour included visits to the Jefferson Memorial, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, the Martin Luther King Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Memorial. Being able to see some of these parts of history was a priceless expe-rience. Witnessing these beautiful memorials at night was an added plus.
On our final day, all of the schools from the Diocese of Fall River that attended the March gathered for Mass at St. Matthew’s Cathedral. Fun fact: this Cathedral is where John F. Kennedy’s funeral was celebrated. After Mass, the busses were boarded and we ventured back to the nation-ally- acclaimed Holcott Drive.
The March for Life weekend was an unfor-gettable experience. I recommend it to any Bishop Feehan student interested. You do not have to have all of your beliefs on the issue figured out to attend this pilgrimage. Overall, it is a wonderful three-day trip to one of the most fascinating places in our country during an especially intriguing time. The comradery formed between students and faculty is irreplaceable and all those who have attended will inform you: Life is Very Good!
Will You Score 5/5?
1.) What had St. Valentine allegedly done for
his jailer’s daughter?
A. Cured her blindness
B. Gave her a copy of The Great Gatsby
C. Taught her how to pray
2.) Which Shakespeare play features Valen-
tine and Proteus?
A. The Merchant of Venice
B. The Two Gentlemen of Verona
C. Gnomeo and Juliet
3.) Nearly 9 million Americans will buy gifts
or cards for _________.
A. Their pets
B. Themselves
C. The memorial of Thomas Jefferson
4.) Who invented the first “chocolate box?”
A. Mr. Powell
B. Richard Cadbury
C. Taylor Swift with her hit single
“Love Story”
5.) ___________ was one of the first locations of
US valentine manufacturing.
A. Worcester, MA
B. Lawrence, KS
C. Bartlett, IN
Quiz Solutions: 1. A 2. B 3. A 4. B 5. A
A Mother-Daughter Fashion Show that Sparkled Josie McNeill ‘20
Fashion Show
O n February 4th, while most were preparing for the Super Bowl, many Feehan mothers and daughters gathered at the Ramada Banquet Hall to
enjoy brunch and a fashion show. This mid-morning occasion was reveled along with an array of impressive brunch delicacies such as French toast, blueberry muffins, and home-fry style potatoes. After enjoying brunch and conversing with fel-low mother-daughter duos, the fashion show began. Modeled by some gracious Juniors and Seniors of Bishop Feehan, the dresses from this event were from the collection of the Cinderella Swap. This Cinderella Swap was started by Deana Pinette in order to provide prom dresses for girls who could not afford them! She has been able to give out more than 150 dresses per year, all of which are displayed at this wonder-ful brunch. As mothers and daughters relaxed and appreci-ated the presentation, the models strutted out on the runway as Beth Keough provided crea-tive commentary about the dresses— her narra-tion really gave the day some fun flair! After seeing many beautiful dresses, the guests were free to take as many photos as they pleased and were treated with white chocolate lollipops as favors. Over-
all, the 2018 Mother- Daugh-ter Fashion was a sparkling success and provided a lot of inspiration for unique prom dresses.
Can You Win a Gold Medal on THIS Crossword Puzzle?
Naman Madan ‘18
Across 2. Current host of 2018 Winter Olympics 5. This men's sport will make a return at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics 7. This women's sport will make a return at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics 9. Abbreviation of Canadian/American Professional Sports League that will not participate in this year's Winter Olympics 10. Last name of a prominent American female alpine ski racer Down 1. Shaun White has found great success in this Winter Olympic sport 3. Country that held the 2014 Winter Olympics 4. Held the 1992 Summer Olympics 6. Jamaica had a very famous team in this Winter Olympic sport 8. True/False: A Feehan Alum has participated in a Summer Olympics
Olympic Crossword
Dear Lucky
Dear Lucky is Bishop Feehan’s very own advice column. If you have ques-
tions about life, love, or anything else, send Lucky an email at
Dear Procrastination,
It seems like your problem is a common one! Although it’s tempting to watch Netflix or play games during X, my advice is to use those 45 minutes to get as much done as possible. Also, try completing your toughest assignments first, that way as you get more tired throughout the night, your assignments will get easier. One last piece of advice is to not wait until the night before to do projects or assignments that you have had multiple days to accomplish. No one likes writing an entire essay after six hours of school, three hours of practice, and run-ning on insufficient sleep!! Hope this helps… good luck!
Lucky
Dear Lucky, Any tips on how to better manage my time? I don’t get home until 5 every day and find my-self up until almost midnight doing homework. I don’t know how much longer I can run on this little sleep! Help! Thanks,
Procrastination is my Destination
Lucky also recommends that
you recycle your issue —
thank you!
The Back Page
Sophia Arruda
is a Freshman
here at Bishop Feehan who has, with-
out a doubt, made great contributions
to our school community already.
Starting out strong in cross country
season, Sophia impressed everyone
(even Coach L’homme) with her swift
and impressive running pace. She is
one of a few elite Freshman ever to be
so instrumental on the Varsity team.
More recently, she forged ahead and
continued to excel during winter track!
In addition to getting ahead on a
long cross country course, Sophia has
stood out as a student of academic ex-
cellence. With great work ethic and a
true passion for learning, she fits the
qualities of that second shamrock leaf:
scholarship.
All of these descriptions speak to
Sophia’s genuine excitement and drive
to succeed. It is tough to balance
sports, activities, academics, and more,
but she manages just fine. If you hap-
pen to notice her in the hallway or in
Deacon Joe’s homeroom, be sure to say
hello!
THE ‘ROCK REPORT STAFF
Bishop Feehan High School
Contributing Writers (in Order of Appearance):
Grace Chiodo ’18, Catie Mae Carey ’19, Meredith
Blaise ’19, Mary Rose Corkery ’18, Brendan Donoghue
‘18, Ryan Hanewich ‘19, Bridget Catalano ‘19, Linnea
Carchedi ‘19, Josie McNeill ‘20, and Kendahl Nye ‘20
Faculty Advisor: Ms. Gazzola
Editor in Chief & Layout: Mary Rose Corkery ‘18
Assistant Editor: Grace Chiodo ‘18
Join the ‘Rock Report!
Thursday mornings at 7:15 in
Room 219.
Student Spotlight
Wise Words of the Month
January:
“Do not anticipate trouble or worry about
what may never happen. Keep in the sun-
light.”
~ Benjamin Franklin
February:
“ Love is our true destiny. We do not find
the meaning of life by ourselves alone —
we find it with another.”
~ Thomas Merton