Saint Thomas Academy’s school newspaper
A Day in the Life of an Expert Mask-Wearer
The usual hustle and bustle of Saint Thomas Academy looks much different this year, with faces being almost unrecognizable behind the blue medical face masks and cadet gators. From one-way hallways to a new schedule with three lunches, the Academy has seen some major changes from last year. The Day in the Life of a Saint Thomas Academy Cadet during COVID this year is very different than in most years. My morning wake up looks the same, with the usual wakeup at 6:45....
A Deadly Problem and Its Solution: Policing and Race In America
On the afternoon of May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black man, was in the process of being arrested for allegedly passing a counterfeit bill. Mr. Floyd showed no signs of violently resisting arrest, but he was pinned to the ground anyway. Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Mr. Floyd’s neck for over eight minutes. Even after he slipped into unconsciousness and paramedics were on scene, he remained on Mr....
A Small Selection of Pandemic-Era Albums
Well, 2020 was kind of crazy. Pretty much everything got turned upside down in the blink of an eye, the music industry included. No more festivals, concerts, or even impromptu collaborations — with everyone stuck at home, it even felt foreign to consider how such things once existed. The closest thing to a show that exists today might be The Flaming Lips’s performance for an audience literally contained in plastic bubbles....
A Tribute to Mr. Geroux's Time at STA
Few have given as much as Mr. John Geroux has to ensure the day-to-day functioning of Saint Thomas Academy. During the four years that I have attended STA, I have noted Mr. Geroux’s dedication to the technical side of the school. My first interaction with Mr. Geroux occurred when I needed his help making a mock news report for my Media Studies class. He generously spent time with Ty Vansteenberg and me setting up lights, cameras, and green screens....
An Undefeated Tradition: The 113th Cadet Colonel
On December 2, 2020, the Corps of Cadets waited with bated breath to see who would be chosen as the 113th Cadet Colonel. Clad in their blouse coats and split into two gyms and the Court, the students knew that this was a ceremony like no other. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the students, the faculty, and the school itself to undergo drastic change, from the restructuring of classrooms to the dividers at the lunch tables....
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: ViSTA's COVID-time Play
How do you create a theatrical performance while following COVID-19 distancing guidelines? This past fall VISTA Theater tackled this challenge head-on. With great courage and fortitude, the company created and performed a production called The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Based on a 2003 mystery novel by Mark Haddon and adapted for the stage by Simon Stephens, the play explores the world through Christopher Boone, a boy on the autism spectrum....
Draft Day
After the shocking Super Bowl LV that left many fans unhappy, the next big event for football fans is the NFL Draft. This year will be one to remember, as the draft class is loaded with talent on both sides of the ball. The obvious #1 overall pick is Trevor Lawrence, a senior from Clemson University. While this should be a great pick for the 1-15 Jacksonville Jaguars, as one of their missing pieces in their offense is an elite quarterback, it may be a disappointment to Gardner Minsew fans....
From Stick-Figure to College Football Star — The Story of the “Slim Reaper”
Standing at 6-foot-1 and weighing a mere 175 pounds, Devonta Smith is not your average college football player. In fact, “Smitty” looks more like a cross country runner than a college football superstar. But that’s exactly what he is: the best player in college football. In a virtual ceremony on January 5, Devonta Smith was awarded the eighty-sixth Heisman trophy, the award presented to the most outstanding player in all of college football....
Music in 2020
In a year packed full of high ups and deep lows, it only made sense that music would follow suit. Sensational albums such as The Weeknd’s “After Hours” and Freddie Gibbs’ “Alfredo” were the benchmarks for music in 2020, giving us some of the most memorable and quotable songs of the year. In true Grammy fashion, though, these top albums received only one nomination combined (“Alfredo” - Rap Album of the Year)....
Race in Policing
Over the past few years, it seems as if a minimal yet growing belief has now taken a firm root in American society: the police are systemically racist. The idea that there is systemic police racism is a false idea. The notion that most police officers across the country are racist is also not true. In fact, statistics show that the majority of police officers are not racist, and race is not a motivating factor in policing....