The cardinal
A PUBLICATION OF LA SALLE ACADEMY, NYC
Volume 2011, Number 2
March 30, 2011
.OLYMPICS
LA SALLE STYLE
By Brendan Dugan and Jaime Bravo
The carnival hosted
Friday afternoon in the
school gym was a great
success. The entire event
was full of excitement,
laughter, and fun. We had a
large number of students
attend and give their
support to the crisis in Japan
and the Philippines by
purchasing raffle tickets,
food, and playing games. In
the cafeteria students were
serving flan, empanadas,
mango cake, and Philippine
desserts. All the desserts were priced at one or two
dollars. In the gym we had an array of different
activities being held: cup stacking, wheel barrow
race, three legged race, donut eating competition,
running backwards, musical chairs and the egg run.
As you can see, the activities were selected to
attract all different types of student; therefore you
didn't necessarily need to be an athlete to
participate. Each activity cost a dollar and the
winner got a prize donated generously by the book
store.
The carnival began with the cup stacking
competition.
The cups began stacked, and
competitors had to unstack and then restack the
cups twice. Jonathan Santiago won with a time of
25 seconds.
The cup stacking was followed by the free
throw basketball competition. The free throw
competition was simple: the person to make the
most free throws out of
three shots was named
the champion. Many
people lined up to
participate in this event
and at one point about
four people were tied
having all made 2 free
throws each. Brendan
Dugan,
however,
gracefully went to the
free throw and knocked
in all three free throws,
winning himself the
competition.
After this the three legged race began.
Many students and teachers signed up for this
difficult event which required you to tie your leg to
your teammate’s leg. This is not easy and many
people had trouble with it. Jaime Bravo and
Argenis Betanco brought enthusiasm and quickness
and blew out the competition winning in the
preliminaries and finals.
The next event was the donut eating contest.
I would say about 12 students rushed to pay their $1
to enter this contest. This was a pretty simple
event; the first person to eat three donuts in a row
would be announced winner. As the contest began
it wasn't as simple as it looked and you could see
the contestants looking for any liquid refreshments.
Through determination and stuffing a couple donuts
down his mouth Nicholas Rivera prevailed to bring
home the donut eating contest.
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the ticket from a gray envelope and the lucky
student, sophomore Jacob Fernandez, was given the
opportunity to hit Mr. Polanco with the pie. Within
a split second of being picked, he pointed to Mr.
Polanco as his victim. As Mr. Podell piled up the
shaving cream in the tin pan the gym was going
wild anticipating the reaction Mr. Polanco would
have after being smashed in the face with the
shaving cream pie. Mr. Polanco took it like a man
for a good cause and did not make the student
“stand to the right” as he was approached to get hit
in the face.
The next race was the wheel barrow
competition.
The wheel barrow competition
required a lot of teamwork. Many contestants came
forward for this event but Jordan Dinoia and
Matthew Cohn ultimately won this event with their
speed and teamwork.
Lastly, the final event was the egg-spoon
race. Contestants had to run from one side of the
gym and back while holding an egg in a spoon.
Efficiency and accuracy was needed. Christian
Santiago stormed back from one side to another
making it look virtually easy. The catch of this
event however would be if your egg fell you would
have to clean it up.
The main event of the evening was finding
out who would be the lucky winner to have the
chance of a lifetime to smash Mr. Polanco with a
shaving cream pie. Dr.Macatee randomly selected
As the evening came to a conclusion, the
students looked pretty satisfied with the carnival as
they left the gym. The carnival raised $660, a large
amount of money that will be split in half and given
to the Red Cross stationed in Japan and Philippians.
Thank you Mr. Kerrigan, Mr. Podell, and the entire
Student Council for making this happen.
More pictures of the Olympiad are on page 6
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A word from the president
After weeks of proposals and negotiating,
the Principal’s cabinet has finally passed down its
senior proposal. All seniors with a 90 and above
average beginning in the second semester will be
excused from finals. This will go into effect
immediately and will be coordinated independently
within each class. This means that if you have an
above 90 average in a Math course but not in an
English course you will be excused for the Math
final but not the English final. I repeat this is
exclusively for seniors.
The carnival held on last Friday afternoon
was a great success and thank you to all the students
who showed up. The evening was filled with games
such as free-throw shots, three legged race, and a
donut eating contest. The main event was seeing
the student with the winning ticket slam Mr.
Polanco with a pan full of shaving cream. This
event would have not been possible if it wouldn’t
have been for the efforts of Mr. Podell, Mr.
Jaime
Bravo
Kerrigan, and the entire student
council. They managed to raise
$660 which will be split
between the Red Cross in Japan
and the Philippines.
We still have two more dress down days to
go and the student body will be notified of the dates
as soon as they are finalized by the administration.
Following the change in dress code we have
certain observations to point out. We need students
to wear ONLY professional button down dress
shirts with stripes. They can be any color, but they
cannot be flannel, plaid, or with squares on them. If
you like the change in dress code, follow the new
dress code or if you don’t the dress code will the
withdrawn and you will return to the old dress code.
Two sophomores honored
for community service
On March 25, two sophomores,
Christopher Berry-Ingram and Andy Gonzalez,
were presented with framed certificates as thanks
for their work at Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s
Hospital. They each spent several hours setting
up for a Valentine’s Day Reunion for all the
surgical patients in the Division of Pediatric
Cardiology. The setup began at noon on February
21, during the winter break for La Salle. They
helped to provide most of the decoration for the
event, working diligently the day before the
celebrants arrived. Mr. Polanco presented them
with their awards in front of the assembled student
body after the St. Joseph’s Jazz Lab performance.
The Cardinal congratulates and thanks you for
your service to others!
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A PERFECT GETAWAY – NOT!
A BOOK REVIEW BY DAVID MARINO
There are books that are clearly not
interesting and there are books that have you hooked
from the start. Step on a Crack is clearly the latter. In
the March selection for the book club, we are
introduced to Michael Bennett, NYPD
Homicide Detective, who is put in a
situation where he finds himself in a
familiar position, that of a negotiator.
The story takes place in New York
City while a high profile funeral is taking
place in St. Patrick's Cathedral. With
many wealthy celebrities and well known
politicians still inside, the hostage
situation begins. Albeit unknown to the
detectives, the reader finds out that this is
a plan that has been developed over three
years. However, Michael Bennett, father
of 10 adopted kids, refuses to give up
despite dealing with family issues.
Michael's wife is his constant inspiration
throughout the whole hostage situation even though
she is fighting a malignant cancer. He is portrayed as
a man dedicated to his job, and yet one who is also a
family man. When it becomes clear that he is
spending too much time on the investigation he
escapes back to his family to release some stress.
Michael is able to overcome these issues and
do what no other detective could have
done, find a crack in the hostage taker's
flawless plan. After kicking out
policemen and insignificant hostages, the
hostage takers are left with 33 of the
richest celebrities. Besides some feeble
attempts by the celebrities at an escape,
the hostage takers execute their plan
perfectly. Except that once they get away
Michael Bennett finds one of the dead
hostage takers left behind. Through this
he gets the necessary evidence to put
these criminals away.
How these hostage takers get away
with the crime in the first place is the engaging part.
Take my word for it. Once you pick this book up you
won't be able to put it down.
A band worth hearing
A MUSIC REVIEW BY FELIPE FERNANDEZ
Anthony Kiedes, the lead singer of the Red
Hot Chili Peppers, said in his song “Can’t Stop”
that “music (is) the great communicator. Use two
sticks to make it in the nature.” Not only have Staff
Benda Bilili used sticks to make their music, but
they have taken bicycles to make their wheelchairs,
and a tin can to front their unique Congolese sound.
Their name loosely translates to “look beyond
appearances” in Lingala (one of the four national
languages in the Democratic Republic of Congo).
Indeed, they are a band of paraplegics in
“pimped out” wheel chairs, but they show that even
though relentless and brutal dictators can take over,
and legs can be amputated, a human being can still
dance, and make music to dance to. One of the
eight members was reported to have “vaulted” from
his chair, and spun on his half legs during a
performance. Staff Benda Bilili’s
debut album, “Tres Tres Fort”
displayed their mix on African
rooted sound, with a malleable
Cuban groove. When listening, you hear the natural
feel of folk, combined with the flavor of reggeaton
beats and vocal harmonies. The lyrics speak about
very real issues, and inner struggles, such as love
and life lessons. For example, their song “Polio”
urges parents to get their kids vaccinated, while “Je
Te Kife” means “I dig you / I love you.” What
strikes me about this group is the message, how it’s
presented, and who’s presenting it, a band of men in
wheel chairs making music about overcoming
prejudice and ignorance. These men are not just
remarkable, but are also very much deserving of
more hits on “Youtube.”
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Spring Has Sprung!
 1 sneeze means that someone is talking
behind your back.
 2 sneezes in a row means that someone is
thinking about you.
 3 sneezes means that you need to take of
yourself. (In light of “connecting” with
one’s self.)
A New Season Equals Allergies!
A Brief History Behind
“God Bless You”!
By Michael Muyalde
“God Bless You!” is the usual response you will
receive when you sneeze in the presence of others.
But have you ever wondered why this short
incantation is recited every time? Is it a good-luck
charm? What is its meaning? As ridiculous as it
sounds, sneezing was considered as a fatal action
back in the day!
Other variations of “Bless You” include:
Gesundheit!
(German; “Health, Luck)
The first usage of “Bless You” dates back to
77 AD. The most common period of usage was
during Medieval times, leading up to the official
use by Pope Gregory in 590 AD. During this time
span, commoners in Europe believed that sneezing
was a way of expelling one’s soul from him/herself,
making it vulnerable for Satan to snatch away. The
purpose of “Bless You” in this situation is to cast a
temporary “shell” around the spirit, preventing it
from any harm, and returning it back to the body
one more.
Salud!
(Spanish; “Health!”)
ACHOO!
Likewise, sneezing was also seen as
expunging dormant demons from within, and the
use of “Bless You” was to prevent re-entry.
Other cultures have various explanations
surrounding sneezing. In Asian culture, sneezing is
seen as a form of “connection”, for example:
“God Bless
You!”
Sources: snopes.com
Associatedcontent.com
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PLAY BALL, CARDINAL STYLE
Baseball Preview by David Marino
The weather is getting warmer. The grass is
getting greener. The leaves are growing back on
trees. Yes, baseball season is back! With Baseball
Season ready to be back in full stride, La Salle’s
Baseball team is enthusiastically practicing to make
this season a success.
With last year’s early playoff exit fresh in
these student-athletes’ minds, they are determined
to not only make it to the playoffs this year but to
make some noise and get far. This year’s Varsity
team is led by Seniors Luis Rodriguez, Ivan
Rodriguez, and Michael Forcino. With their
leadership it is without a doubt that the baseball
team is due some success. Seniors Ivan and Luis
Rodriguez, pivotal pieces of the offense, are looking
forward to a season where the juniors are not only
ready to come in and learn from the seniors but also
contribute on a daily basis.
Ivan Rodriguez is headlining a pitching staff
that includes Christopher Marte, Jayson Negron,
Angelo Garcia, and Ryan Clarson. Ivan was named
Co-MVP last year, along with La Salle graduate
Francis Nunez, and is ready to take charge and lead
this team along with 3rd baseman Michael Forcino
and CF Luis Rodriguez. However, there are still
some holes left on this team now that Ivan is
making a switch from Catcher to Pitcher/Shortstop.
The importance of the underclassmen arises
now that there is a need for a catcher. Luckily, there
is an up and coming sophomore by the name of Rob
McMahon who is ready to take over the catching
duties and handle the pitching staff. Learning the
pitching staff will be a challenge but given time and
practice nothing is impossible, especially not for
these Cardinals.
Come out and support your fellow
LaSallians practice and watch them put on a show.
All of La Salle will wait eagerly for April 7th to
arrive as our Baseball team makes its official 2011
debut. Come out, have fun, and enjoy the games.
OLYMPIAD PHOTO GALLERY:
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La Salle Handball, a
Dream, a Chance
By Stephen Daarol
Under the guidance of Mrs. Yvette Masullo and
prospective freshmen, the handball team at La Salle
Academy may have the potential to become a great team.
Veteran players of the sport such as Juniors Jesus
Cabezas and Leonardo Perez that are on the team are a
great asset to the overall success to the team. With the
addition of the few seniors who participate and the
pleasant style of Junior Christian Santiago, the varsity
portion of the handball team has the potential to win.
Let us not forget the Junior Varsity team who will be
put on the spot and tested this year. Juniors Stephen
Daarol and Christian Trivino who are new to the sport of
handball have a lot of weight to pull for the team this
year. Experienced Freshman Andy Liu will have no
problems as to how to do considerably well. The
successes of the handball team lie in the hands of both the players and the passion and determination of the head
coach Mrs. Yvette Masullo.
The handball team generally practices with the large handball, but during official matches, they play with a
smaller and much harder version of the handball. Not only do they play with the smaller and much harder
version of the handball, but they play with gloves and protective eye-wear. So if you like playing handball or
just like having fun (trying to get Christian Santiago off his high-horse) please come see Mrs. Yvette Masullo in
the bookstore before or after school or in her room and remember handball is the basic sport of “Serving balls to
the walls with our hands and not making the other person touch it, on the wall and or the area of play.”
DATE
OPPONENT
SITE
Monday, March 28
Bishop Loughlin
HOME
Wednesday, March 30 Cardinal McClancy
AWAY
Friday, April 1
Archbishop Molloy
HOME
Monday, April 4
St. Francis Prep
AWAY
Friday, April 8
Christ the King
AWAY
Monday, April 11
St. Raymond's
HOME
Friday, April 15
Bishop Loughlin
AWAY
Monday, April 18
Cardinal McClancy
HOME
Wednesday, May 4
Archbishop Molloy
AWAY
Friday, May 6
St. Francis Prep
HOME
Wednesday, May 11
Christ the King
HOME
Friday, May 13
St. Raymond's
AWAY
THE CARDINAL STAFF
Editors:
David Marino
Michael Muyalde
Contributors:
Jaime Bravo
Stephen Daarol
Brendan Dugan
Felipe Fernandez
Shao Long Tan (photography)
Moderator:
Br. Joseph Wilkowski
The Cardinal is a bi-weekly publication
from and for the student body at La Salle
Academy
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Puzzle page: PLAY BALL!
(MLB TEAMS)
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EclipseCrossword.com
29. Not the cowardly types.
Across
2.
6.
7.
8.
10.
12.
13.
16.
19.
21.
23.
25.
26.
27.
28.
Down
A snake in the grass to be dearly avoided.
Footwear of the common athlete.
Romulus and Remus, for example
Sunlight has these.
Another word for Communists
Sea-farers.
Name used in the Revolutionary War for the good
guys.
Spanish name for Priests
Really fiesty fish.
Big mountains in the West.
What Cardinals wear on their feet.
Add an s to one of the two leagues.
Ferocious cats.
Friends in Queens.
Spacemen, or the plural of the Jetson's dog.
1.
3.
4.
5.
9.
10.
11.
14.
15.
17.
18.
20.
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24.
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Another word for sports.
Not good friends of John Wayne in Westerns.
A raucous bird that stays around all winter.
Spelled differently, female horses.
They can get away with anything.
Kings and queens and princes.
Makers of good ale.
Special lawmen in the Lone Star State.
Our home school birds.
Ethereal spirits, often pictured on clouds.
Goliath was one of them.
Low down dirty rotten scoundrels of the sea
Baby bears.
Multi-colored birds.
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