The Vox | St. Peter's Secondary School's Student Newspaper

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:14:00 +0000

When walking through the halls of St. Peter’s, the sounds of the talented music program become quite evident. Despite the materialistic differences St. Peter’s has with other schools, what propels the program to greatness remains the dedication of music teacher, Glenn Bailey. Glenn has devoted himself to the St. Peter’s music program for the past 17 years, creating something that wouldn’t just “do the trick” but prosper into something amazing. Through countless hours of overtime, musical ability and incredible interpersonal skills, Glenn has been able to transform the music program into a highly successful and well regarded program boasting the largest number of enrolled students of any local school. St. Peter’s sees anywhere from 80 – 100 students enroll in the music program annually with numbers increasing. Along with the new grade 9 additions, there are 120 students participating in music classes per semester. Although there is a great number of students involved in the program, Glenn teaches each grade level ensuring that he will be there to guide the students musical growth from learning how to open your music case in grade 9 to reading semi-professional music charts in grade 12. This individual attention allows the players to familiarize themselves with Glenn’s teaching methods improving the player’s musical potential.

With music classes a success, Glenn also conducts several school bands including the senior and junior jazz bands, senior and intermediate concert bands, and currently a musical pit band, which he does all voluntarily. These bands each practice once a week, and have built quite a reputation locally and even, in some aspects, globally. Under Glenn’s leadership, St. Peter’s bands have won countless medals and trophies in competitions throughout the years, including the title of best overall band performance in its most recent “AAAA” competition in New Orleans, Louisiana. Alongside this trophy lies a second “AAAA” Senior Jazz Band victory in the same New Orleans completion in which Glenn says to be “one of the most memorable experiences in my St. Peter’s teaching career.” With such a successful reputation in the classroom and in competition, Glenn has propelled the music program at St. Peter’s into something that can be boasted by the school and the students who’ve graduated from it.

Despite having a full plate with standard curriculum duties and a full week schedule of band rehearsal, Glenn also has conducted the St. Peter’s bi-annual musicals, giving students yet another unique opportunity to grow as musicians and individuals. Pouring countless hours into fixing musical arrangements, making logistical improvements and simply tending to the need of all of the students involved, Glenn has a major influence on the success of these musicals.

Glenn has managed to turn an average music program into something spectacular in every aspect. The St. Peter’s music program is booming with potential, success, and the passion for music due to the dedication and perseverance of one man: Glenn Bailey.

Written by Adam Langiewicz

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:59:00 +0000

Come on St. Peter’s, it is time to bring back the spirit of the Saints! Over the past couple years many people can agree that there has been a decline in our school spirit and participation – this is an issue which must be resolved! St. Pete’s has so much to be proud of, whether it be our successful sports teams, amazing music program, the Terry Fox campaign, superior academic programs, etc. It is time to take more pride in our school and show our love for our “home away from home”

Let’s recall the recent struggle faced by students at PCVS and their fight to save their school. I am amazed by the passion that these students had, and still have, for their school. Countless times I watched in awe as CHEX News featured the fervent protests by the loyal students of PCVS, or read about the latest update on the board’s decision to close the school. But what shocked me the most was their love and dedication to their school, programs, and to each other. Since then, I often find myself wondering if the student body at St. Peter’s would do the same.

At St. Pete’s we are fortunate to have a very dedicated student council, who continually strive to promote school spirit. However, our student council cannot do it alone. It requires all of us at St. Peter’s to participate in school activities, support our causes, and fellow talents. One reoccurring, mind-baffling thing I often contemplate is why so many people feel the need to dress down on spirit days! Spirit days are not simply a chance to get out of uniform, but rather an opportunity to show spirit and step out of your comfort zone. Again, we are fortunate to have spirit days, so why do we continually neglect to show enthusiasm?

Who went to the recent buyout for the varsity boys’ hockey team? Sadly, the answer is not many. There are approximately 1300 students in our school, and only about 300 of them went to the buyout. What I am trying to stress is the fact that our staff and administration attempt to organize these school events for all of us, and relatively speaking, few of us actually participate. Other memorable occasions have been cancelled or forever changed, such as May Day and the Christmas assembly, simply because the majority of students do not support them, and would rather skip out.

St. Peter’s is the largest school in Peterborough, and we continually raise the most money in the world for the Terry Fox foundation – we have so much to take pride in! So from now on, truly consider what you can do for our school to bring back our spirit, because it will take all of us to accomplish this. Our high school years are a very important phase in our lives, and we want everyone to enjoy their time at St. Peter’s. So the resolution is simple, take pride in the Saints!

Written by Michela Montgomery

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 22:46:00 +0000

Call of Duty is a long standing series produced and, for the most part, created by the game studio superpower Activision. The series started as a World War II first person shooter and has since evolved (or devolved, depends who you ask,) into the Modern era. The “modern” part of the series has had, as is suggested by the incredibly creative title, three installments. Each of these installments has followed various soldiers all over the world, maintaining a few precious recurring characters and killing the rest off quicker than Game of Thrones does. Now for those who know me the rating of this game will come as a HUGE surprise, so buckle up and lets listen to me nit pick.

1. Graphics: Why I feel like I wasted my precious gift-cards

For those who remember Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (the first) you remember the amazing streamlined graphics and great looking character and object models. Now this was in 2007. I throw this game in (for those who are confused, this is from November 8th, 2011) and I struggle to see many changes. Many say the platforms have simply gotten to the point where graphics can progress no further and to that I say: Well I can't actually swear, but you can imagine. Skyrim's graphics were just as, if not slightly more impressive than this AND it packed in more content BY FAR. The aging graphics can be explained very simply by the giant cash wave that Activision is riding. It's like the Leafs: the shows sell out, so why spend money to improve? This is, as a gamer, incredibly demoralizing.

2. Kill Streaks: This is why I STILL prefer Call of Duty 2 (hear that Activision?)

I hate these things. Nothing is more annoying than when you finally get into a rhythm in multi-player, just to get killed by a bloody helicopter, or predator missile from NOWHERE. Sure you can use perks to avoid these (though even then it's iffy), but that doesn't help me when I hate perks almost as much. I (excuse me for how old I'm about to sound) remember the days when this game took SKILL. I hate kill streaks, and really I hate the entire over-complication and over-customization of this entire series as of late, all of which is made worse by....

3. WORST. MAPS. EVER.

No. Seriously. Maybe if I had somewhere to hide from the constant rain of helicopters and predators I wouldn't mind so much, but all these new maps are so small there is no strategy; no skill; just reaction time. And the bigger your TV, the better your resolution, the better you are at the game. These maps are tiny, any FORCE the player to run around like a headless chicken in a constant frenzy trying to keep up with the constant rotating spawn points! This has effectively destroyed camping, at the cost of ruining the game. It's these maps, more than anything else, that I hate. They force the game to go from what used to be a tactical shooter with actual tactics and some semblance of realism (a term I use loosely) into a non-stop, run and gun-a-thon. For shame Activision. For Shame.

Final Score: I really am angry that I'm doing this, because I do really hate this game, but when all is said and done, I'm giving Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 an 8.5/10. The game is solid; everything works how it should and the campaign is really well done. It is exactly what we have come to expect from the series as of late. Personally I believe it's a shame that it is what it is, but bias aside; it does what it does well. So there, question my journalistic integrity now.

Written by Trevor James

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:53:00 +0000

It’s that time of year again, yes that time where we come together as a school to celebrate each others' talents, share the Christmas spirit and rejoice in the winter break we all deserve. Or is it? The annual Christmas assembly, hugely praised by past generations and remembered by nostalgic alumni has become an option, an excuse, to skip school, another school spirit event that our students are failing to observe.

In past years, the assembly was something to look forward to and an exciting display of raw, young talent that was appreciated by all types. My source and brother, who is three years older than me, recalls that in grade 9, attendance at the assembly was full, the talent was great and the experience was just plain enjoyable. I remember hearing about the skit put on by the teachers and principals wherein they dressed in costumes and acted ridiculous. He claims that after that year, people steadily stopped coming, the teacher skit disappeared and the assembly lost its appeal. My brother continued to go to the assembly until he graduated and has come back every year since to see the performers, which is a lot better than a large percent of our students could say for themselves.

I personally have classmates in grade 12 that have never been to the Christmas assembly and do not plan on attending this year either. Could this be because of the unfortunate turn of events that the Christmas assembly three years ago, when we were in grade 9 landed on a snow day and was never rescheduled? Did that one year lead to the downfall of the reputation and attraction of the assembly? This could be the case although the talent is still there and the necessity is still there. However, the students and the interest are not.

My question is: why? Why does our school community see this event as so uncool and such a waste of time? From personal experience, I know how much time and effort is put into preparing an act, from organizing the show, setting up, taking down and everything else entailed in the production. There is a bundle of teachers and students, perhaps most notably Mr. Allen and Mr. Bailey who have collaborated on the show for a number of years, who spend hours upon hours of their time spent at the school for auditions, practices, sound checks, etc. And for what? To be walked out on in the middle of a performance? To have students text throughout the show? No, they do it for the sake of showcasing spectacular music, drama and dance, bringing the students together during the Christmas season and kindling our school spirit.

So please, ask yourself if you really need to sleep in that day or if there is really that much of a difference between you and the performers in the show that creates such a divide, one that is crushing the foundation of our school and smothering our spirit.

Written by Ellen Jamieson

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 03:19:00 +0000

Anointed Delegates by Luke Gagliardi

Approach your tool, your podium.

Take with you more than what is essential,

Take what is extravagant and extraordinary.

Set free inner gluttony, you have earned that right.

Lift the rusting lid of your deceitfully promised stainless barbecue,

and peer into the bitumen black of cold coal.

With the twist of a knob and a flick of a match breathe life and warm inspiration,
obliterating bleakness in flame.

Take from your accumulated hoard only the finest cuts of beef, those
that have been grounded and grinded, mangled and mutilated yet
those which still maintain a survivor’s beauty.

Place these anointed delegates into the sweltering maw of controlled and hells wrath.

Close your eyes, cease sight to hear their delighted sizzling.

Open your nostrils and smell the beginning of the process of perfection.

Take what was once soft and pink and extricate innocence and replace with the experience of taste.

As the juices are emancipated from their disk shaped prison, take spatula in hand
and peel the snug clinging patty from its molten residence and capsize it to
drown both sides in an ocean of heat.

After it has browned remove its corpse from the molten bars of its ten minute
prison and place on a soft wad of wheat.

Finish by tucking it in with a fresh loaf blanket and then garnish with greens.

Add tomatoes ripened with the warmth of summer’s sun, and lather with the
ketchup made from their young.

It is finished,

a masterpiece to rival a one eared painters.

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 03:18:00 +0000

Nirvana by Luke Gagliardi

I sit at my desk in bottomless brooding

of life and death and life after death.

Asking all of the big questions

I could never answer while still having voice.

I throw back my head and let the lukewarm content of this thin plastic
bottle seep down my sandpaper throat.

And I wonder at its life and all of its many experiences before
finishing here, in my crushing grip

that warps it leaving five distinct dints.

I rise to heave its mangled carcass into its blue tomb.

But instead stop and reminisce to what a friend once said.

And I realize I am not unlike this translucent vessel, fogged by my warm moist breath.

We are both simply vessels containing water,

we will expire and our waters will desiccate.

But I will rot happily in the earth and my cadaver will ferment, fragment and find peace

Its corpse will be crushed, cloned and copied.

It will be recycled and forced to relive its every experience,

decent, depraved, miserable or otherwise.

It is then I decide that upon finishing this stanza that I shall cap and
sheath my pen in its circular maw.

Binding its existence to mine

It shall partake in the formation of shared legacy.

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 03:13:00 +0000

BKEM 999 by John Lawless

I am engaged

In an unusual contest,

An unspoken challenge issued

By the yellow Dodge Neon

Across the Homewood hill.

‘BKEM 999’ stares at me

Unsatisfied by my short attention span.

I see in her eyes

A foolish cross eyed child

A smile touching her eyelids.

I am reminded of how she works,

Of past physics classes

Passed without honours.

I vaguely piece together a corrupted version of her biology,

Not doing her justice

And just as my lids begin to betray my brutal Decalogue,

Delegated by my distinct disillusion towards the yellow neon dodge,

A leaf falls,

Challenging me,

To fathom its existence.

‘BKEM 999’,

Disappointed,

Revolves down Homewood hill

Resolves down Homewood hill

To forget,

The Red and White

Boy across the way

Who’s name she will never know.

Challenging me,

To Remember.

If you want to submit your own poetry to The Vox Poets Society, please refer to the contact page on the site

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:28:00 +0000

The junior boys’ volleyball team finished their successful season triumphantly on Wednesday,
November 16th, here at St. Peter’s. The junior boys played Nicholson Centre, Hastings, and
Cobourg West in the round robin – defeating all three teams, and guaranteeing their spot in the
COSSA finals. In a nail-biting final game, St. Peter’s battled it out against their season-long rivals, Cobourg West. The junior boys played two close games, but came out on top – 25 to 19 and 27 to 25 – to capture the COSSA title.

In regular season, the boys finished with an amazing record of 15 wins and zero losses! The team continued to excel, as they came out victorious in the 22nd Annual Boys Volleyball Invitational Tournament on October 21st, held here at St. Peter’s. In the Qualifier’s tournament, the junior boys made it to the final game, but fell short to Cobourg West. St. Peter’s accepted a disappointing second place, but still advanced onto COSSA where they would again face Cobourg West.

All in all, the members of the team should be very proud of their accomplishments and their determination, which was evident throughout their season. The members of the team are: Cameron Banika, Karl Gosselin, Greg Guinto, Daniel Hickey, Bryden Huggins, Jack Logan, Johnny Lynch, Josh Marsh, Brody McBain, Nate O’Keefe, Ian Rogers, Noah VanBrenk, and Marty VanDeBroek. Special thanks to coaches Mr. Lynch, Mr. McKinley and Mr. Plumpton for their commitment and dedication to the team.

Mr. Lynch would like to recognize the team captain, Noah VanBrenk, for his consistent leadership and encouragement. Also, thanks to Daniel Hickey, Nate O’Keefe, Bryden Huggins, and Johnny Lynch for their unfailing teamwork and character. Additional recognition goes to rookie, Greg Guinto, for an excellent season and skill development.

Congratulations on a fantastic season!

By Michela Montgomery

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 02:58:00 +0000

This is the VOX, St. Peter’s online newspaper, so get ready to light your fire!

Guy Fawkes Day is celebrated throughout London, England by lighting bonfires and setting off fireworks on November 5th. Although the 5th has passed, we, the VOX team, would like to set a blaze inside of you. This fire will spark a passion that will spread to our entire school community; it’s flickering flames will lick at the back of your mind and blaze in your soul. Your excitement will burn and burst until you cannot contain it, and the long, scorching plumes of your imagination will be set free.

So read the VOX, get fierce, and fuel this flaming inferno. Remember... remember who we are and what we’re doing.

-Written by Ellen Jamieson

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 20:09:00 +0000

Recently a little video game (you may or may not have heard of it) called Skyrim came out. It wasn't that big of a deal: only a couple hundred people were waiting for the midnight release with me, and a common assumption was shared among the hopeful masses; that this game would be the best game of all time. I love video games, and I love Skyrim. I counted down with my friends and was psyched right up the the minute I got my hands on it and long after that. So it may come as a surprise to those who know me what I'm going to say next. Sure it was great, but it was certainly not the game to end all games. Of course I enjoyed it my self, but there are a few key issues with the game that keep it short of getting that all important 10 out of 10.

1. Bugs: Same old, same old
Bugs. Every game has them, and anyone who played Fallout 3 or Oblivion knows Bethesda is infamous for their bugs, and for those who were afraid they would finally be fixed, fear not! Bugs are back, and they're here to stay.

Nothing quite ruins that whole immersion factor in a game than walking along and seeing two mammoths standing on top of one another, or getting hist by a giant and then flying into the stratosphere (and this is one of the more mild glitches!) The worst are when the game simply decides that life isn't worth living and crashes during a loading screen. These bugs, though each alone rather minor, add up to be a significant annoyance.

2. Voice Actors – Better, but only barely...
Though Bethesda has certainly amped up their voice talent, you still come across two men with identical voices talking to one another with the same generic one liners and courtesies. This alone for the minor NPC's (Non Playable Characters) would be fine, however it seems that despite having 70 voice actors, Bethesda used the same really annoying guy for EVERY CHARACTER YOU'RE FORCED TO! This, as you may have grasped by the all caps writing, really irks me, and has me to the point where every now and then I simply mute the game to stop the awful voice acting.

3. Quests that end, but shouldn't
First of all, I should probably say spoiler alert right now and warn that if you plan on playing the game, or haven't gone through the civil war story line, you should just stop reading now. With the civil war the story ends with whichever side you joined up with winning. That's it. Not much of a spoiler huh? That's exactly what bothered me; they talk about all this incredibly interesting stuff that has to happen next, but won't let you do it. It's like telling me “Over there is something super awesome, but I'm only going to get you excited about it, then never let you actually have it.”

This isn't any better with the main story line! Though it's certainly long, it doesn't feel long, or significant. It's just there. Most side quests are more intriguing than the main feature of the entire game. In fact, if the side quests were not so much fun and SO well done, this game wouldn't be that good! This key point can easily be fixed with DLC (down-loadable content) but the fact that it needs to be fixed is disappointing.

Final Score:
All in all I'm going to rate the game 9/10 and this is a heavily biased mark. The game is fantastic and has a wealth of background and story just waiting to be discovered, but the lack of attention on some of the vital parts of what makes a game great is what pulls it down from a perfect 10. If you love fantasy, RPG's, Lord of the Rings and video games, this is certainly the game for you. However, be prepared to put up with all a lot of little annoyances that chip at the edge of the overall monolith that is Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

-Written by Trevor James

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 19:31:00 +0000

"In Time" follows Will Salas (Justin Timberlake), a man from the ghettos in a world where time is literally money, as he attempts to overthrow the unbalanced governmental system in which the rich live forever and the poor die young. He is accompanied by a rich businessman's daughter (Amanda Seyfried) and is chased by time keeper Raymond Leon (Cillian Murphy) and gangster Fortis (Alex Pettyfer).

The concept is fascinating, and the movie is a fast paced action flick that keeps you interested in the story until the very end. The characters are well thought out and likeable, and the cinematography is well shot and adds to the atmosphere.
The acting, overall, is good but not fantastic.

Individually, Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried both manage to convey their emotions and motivations realistically, but together their chemistry is lacking. Alex Pettyfer is wonderfully despicable, but I think the character that really stands out to me is Raymond Leon. Cillian Murphy manages to brilliantly convey his character's drive to catch the main characters with an old school cop vibe, as well as his actual age (well over 100). His scenes were definitely one of the highlights of the movie, and a few times I actually caught myself rooting for him.
However, this movie isn't without its flaws. We never get an explanation on how society came to change so massively in a mere 150 years, or how humans became biologically altered to only live to age 25 before they have to take and give time to prolong their lives.

Several times in this movie they wrap up a plot thread by simply killing someone off, never again mentioning that person or that problem. This really throws off the movie's pacing, with several storylines coming to a complete halt. As well as this, the movie poses a few questions (particularly about Will's Dad) which are never actually answered.

Another thing that drags this movie down is the thinly veiled allegory for the modern day economy it portrays. It blatantly parallels social inequality and the gap between the rich and poor, and watching the movie brings to mind the Occupy movement. It is a bit too forward with its message.

All in all, the movie is clever and quick with a great premise. Although its forced economic undertones and plot issues become blatantly obvious, I recommend you wait until it comes out on DVD to rent it. The Vox Movie Reviews give it a 6.7 out of 10.

-Reviewed by Sam Young

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 18:46:00 +0000

This week will be an all female artists week, featuring songs by either a group with a female lead, or a solo female artist. Last week was majorly male dominated so let’s show the ladies some love this week! The women I have chosen to review are both unique in their sound, and successful in the music industry (or have pending success coming to them soon). This week's artists vary in terms of genre with "Yeah Yeah Yeahs", "Austra", "Kate Nash", "Rihanna", and the "Noisettes".

From her album "Feel It Break"

#1: Lose it by Austra

This Canadian artist is new on the music scene. Her musical style is upbeat, complimented by her eerie vocals to create a unique sounding dance records. "Lose It" uses keyboards to set the tone for Austra’s powerful Florence and the Machine-esque voice. The vocals are joined by a beat and combine to make this into a great dance track. This new artist is superb and I’m sure she will be more prevalent in the Canadian music scene over the next few years. Her unique sound earns her my number one spot on this week’s recommendations.

From their album "It's Blitz!"

#2: Skeletons by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

This song is by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, an American indie band that has achieved much success in the underground music scene. You may know them from their song "Heads Will Roll" which was covered in the Glee Halloween special, or for their song "Maps" featured on the video game Rockband. Despite the aforementioned mainstream exposure, the band is still remain relatively obscure, a shame as the band's longevity, musical abilities and charisma make them one of the best indie bands of our time. With lead singer Karen O's serene vocals merited by 80's inspired drums and shimmering synthesizers,"Skeletons" makes up for quite an enjoyable listen. Their fantastic sound grants them my number two spot on my all ladies week.

From her album "Rated R"

#3: The Last Song by Rihanna

Barbadian-born superstar Rihanna has, without a doubt, become one of the most successful pop acts of all time. Signed by hip-hop Godfather Jay-Z, Rihanna garnered much attention on both her music and personal life over the past seven years. The 23-years old's fourth studio effort "Rated R" was a departure from her dance-pop sound for a more raw, dark style that reflects her domestic abuse with then-boyfriend and R&B singer Chris Brown. Songs like "The Last Song" and "Cold Case of Love" are examples of Rihanna's growth as not just another pop star, but as a vocalist and as an artist. "The Last Song" shows off Rihanna’s haunting vocals, which lands it spot 3 on my list.

From her album "Made of Bricks"

#4: Birds by Kate Nash

Kate Nash is an English artist who predominantly writes acoustic records. Musically, her songs fuse modern and old styles to create nostalgic, quirky songs that reflects how the youth feel towards love. In "Birds", Kate Nash writes about an experience that she had, and of how a boy described his love for her. Kate Nash has a cute style which earns her my number 4 slot.

From their album "What's the Time Mr. Wolf"

#5: Sister Rosetta by Noisettes

Heavily influenced by 60’s in many of their songs, the Noisettes merit nostalgic retro anthems with their own style. "Sister Rosetta" is best remembered for being featured in the soundtrack of the latest Twilight film, Breaking Dawn. Despite the negativity surrounding the Twilight franchise, the soundtracks have always featured a strong roster, and the latest addition is no exception. The Noisettes have developed their own style, a feat important in today's music industry where creativity is obviously lacking. Lead singer Shingai Shoniwa's soulful vocals are an incredible asset to the post-punk unit. These factors place the ‘Noisettes’ in my number 5 slot.

-By John Lawless

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:57:00 +0000

From their album "All At Once"

#1: The Kids are Ready to Die by The Airborne Toxic Event

This track is a rock piece opening with simple acoustic guitars and vocals, building slowly towards piano accompaniment with electric guitars, organs and multiple singers. The 5-piece band, hailing from Los Angeles, frequents the recipe of songs that build into a climax, with a full orchestras often involved. Currently, the band have two albums out, one self titled and another, All at Once. This cutting-edge indie band has been one of my favourite for two years now, and are number one on my list of songs/artists to listen to this week. You can l listen to the song here.


From their album "Back Spacer"

#2: Just Breathe by Pearl Jam

This song is a powerful number by the alternative rock group Pearl Jam. The band have an extensive repertoire of songs which range from hard rock to soft rock. This song has a catchy acoustic guitar rift in the background complimented by Eddie Vedder's unique vocal tone. Pearl Jam has many great tracks such as "Just Breathe" , "Black" and "Alive". From their album Backspacer, "Just Breathe" is my second pick for this week. Listen to the song here.

From his album "Be"

#3: Be by Common

This is the only hip-hop song on the suggestion list for this week. Common is a relatively obscure hip-hop artist who has many deep songs with great beats. The song begins with a classic double bass line, progressing into a symphony, accompanying his vocals. This is, in my opinion, Common’s best song, despite the track's short length. Another song to listen to by Common is "I Used to Love Her". Common is a hip-hop artist who often has collaborations with Kanye West as they are both from Chicago or "Chi City". This deep track has been on my iPod for over a year and I never skip it if it comes on, earning it the number 3 on my suggestions. Listen to the song here.


From her album "Be Ok"

#4: Giving Up by Ingrid Michaelson

Ingrid Michelson is a Regina Spektor-esque artist, with hits like "The Way I Am" and You and I" under her belt. Michelson’s songwriting style is laid back, frequenting harmonies and cozy lyrics. Lyrically, the song depicts a relationship which she is coming to terms with. If you like artists like Jason Mraz, Colby Caillat, or Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, then you will enjoy Ingrid Michaelson. Listen to her records with a mug of tea on a rainy day as she is sure to lighten your mood with her lovely tones. She has been my rainy day artist for months now, giving her number 4 on my list of suggestion. Listen to the song here.

From their album "Mylo Xyloto"

#5: Up in Flames by Coldplay

Coldplay is a popular alternative band who from England. The band has 5 studio albums so far, all producing many hits such as "Viva La Vida", "Clocks", "Speed of Sound", "The Scientist", and "Fix You". Coldplay has been one of my favourite bands for my entire life, and I was sorely disappointed by their promotional single "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall". The upbeat song led me to believe that they had begun to make purely mainstream music. However I got the album regardless and was pleasantly surprised. "Mylo Xyloto" keeps the traditional radio-friendly vibe familiar to new listeners and fans. In terms of artistic vision, however, the album contains experimental and colorful elements, care of the mastery behind Brian Eno's position as head producer. "Up in Flames" is a stand-out track for me on the album. "Mylo Xyloto" is worth checking out, making "Up in Flames" my final recommendation for this week. Listen to the song here.

-Written and reviewed by John Lawless

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:53:00 +0000

Terry Fox by John Lawless

Terry Fox

Before the world woke

He was running,

His uneven rhythmic steps

Echoed on highways that had not yet been worn down.

He found comfort in his solitude,

In his belonging to a greater purpose

Terry knew what his purpose was

Before he had a purpose,

Before it was written and printed on thousands of newspapers

Across the country he changed forever.

Tied it together like the steel ribbon

Terry united us against a common enemy

Cancer.

He knew if affected us all,

He tasked himself with affecting us more than it did,

His own victory against it

Terry was the type of person who listened to you

Who didn’t simply wait for their turn to talk.

Terry wasn’t out for what he got,

He wasn’t looking for statues in his honour,

Or assemblies ending in wet faces and applause.

Terry didn’t intend for slideshows,

But he would be proud

He would have loved to see how his name came to mean many things

Hope

Faith

Trust

Perseverance

Terry Fox began a legacy that would not soon be forgotten.

His dream was made reality,

His purpose made real.

As real as his stop in Thunder Bay,

Cancer spreading to stop his message

Where nothing else could.

His death acted like a microphone

Amplifying his message across the nation

Amplified more than scores of students standing on unfamiliar porches

More than school colours painted on faces

Faces that can’t help smiling more than usual.

Faces that can’t help feeling pride for a boy they never knew

Faces that continue his marathon of hope,

If only for a few weeks a year.

Because for Canadians,

His steps still echo on highways

Now worn down

If only they had his perseverance.

If you want to submit your own poetry to The Vox Poets Society, please refer to the contact page on the site

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 03:31:00 +0000

If you are serious about sports, then someone, somewhere have probably asked you, “What’s so great about sports?” It’s a question that is as hard to answer as it is ridiculous to ask. As fans of the game, we know that sports are great, from cheering for a team with every particle in our bodies, to complaining about that same team until you can’t catch your breath. We know what it’s like to fantasize on frozen rinks, driveways, sandlots, soccer fields and almost anywhere else we could find that you were the star player and about to give your team a championship, world cup, World Series, Super Bowl, Stanley Cup; the possibilities are truly endless. We have felt camaraderie, disappointment, grace, injury, and almost all other feelings within the course of less than year. One season in pro sports has all the drama and ups and downs of most peoples’ entire lives. However, this is all far too long-winded to make you feel the way we feel about the games. You cannot make someone feel all the emotions you felt during a season, if they themselves were not there. Life-long love of sports has to be seen and felt.

The male half of my family (my father, my brother and I) have been going to the Toronto Card Expo off and on since before I can even remember. It has been a few years since any of us has spent more than ten dollars, but traditions are traditions and meant to be honoured. We were there again this weekend and I witnessed a beautiful example of what a lifelong love of sport is based on.

My father grew up in Toronto in the sixties and seventies and therefore is, by proxy, a die-hard Toronto Maple Leafs fan. It is a love that has followed him everywhere, from high-school to university, the move to Peterborough, children and now, middle age. He could tell you almost anything about the Leafs and the players he’s seen over the years. It is one of those players that helped inspire this article.

As we waded through the torrent of memorabilia, something caught my father’s eye. We doubled back and we came to a booth run by an elderly man with a beard and penetrating light eyes. My father leaned over to me and said,

“That’s Eddie Shack.”

Eddie Shack had played for the Leafs between 1961 and 1967 and became hugely popular with Leaf fans, despite not being much of a goal-scorer. Shack was the best kind of hockey player, known more for his personality and relationship with fans. While my father and I were at Shack’s booth, pretending to look at his collection, a man stepped forward. This man is, in reality, the true inspiration for this article. He stepped forwards and began to tell his story. The man’s father had been a firefighter in the city of Toronto and had played in a men’s league every Sunday morning. In the old days of the NHL, before teams had practice rinks, world-class gyms, and an army of medical school grads to analyse every headache and paper cut, pro teams booked ice time at local rinks just like everybody else. So, by some kind of fateful intervention, the Leafs’ Sunday morning practice was at Centennial Arena, right after the firefighters’ game. Naturally the firefighters’ sons would all come down to see their idols practice. While most of the players would concentrate of their practice, Eddie Shack on the other hand would always come over to the young boys to joke around and ask why the boys were not at school. It is memories like these that create a lifelong love of sports.

It is players like Shack that, despite their grinder mentality and low scoring production, build a passion for the game in fans. Then again, it might be that mentality that fans identify with most and give a personality to teams. Players like Eddie Shack, Bobby Clarke and Doug Gilmour give fans memories to base their future appreciation for sports upon. Every fan has their own personal memories that are the foundation for their passion. So next time someone asks you about your love of the game, tell them that it is not something that can be explained, it is something you have to find yourself.

-Written by Will Jamieson

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Thu, 05 May 2011 15:28:00 +0000

When you think of May Day what comes to mind? Do you think of a day set aside for fun as an excuse to skip school and go to the mall with friends or do you think, “Great! I can’t wait to race my friends on the bouncy obstacle course! This year I have to win!” If you chose option numero uno you may be part of the problem. As most of St. Peter’s student population already knows, May Day 2011 has been cancelled. The reason? Low attendance. Last year a mere 200 of 1300 students attended this carnival-themed affair in St. Peter’s backyard. The cost to run May Day? Approximately $2000.00. Ask yourself as I’m sure the members of Student Council have asked themselves many times over the course of the school year... Is it worth it? Is all the saving and fundraising worth giving only 200 students a day off class to enjoy hanging out with friends, goofing off on bouncy castles and enjoying the ever delicious treat of cotton candy? I can understand the decision to cancel May Day but what about those students that did attend and had a great time in the past? Are they punished for others taking advantage of the opportunity to have some fun with friends and best of all no classes? It’s the same situation with dances as well. Is it fair for school dances to be cancelled for everyone just because a few students made some irresponsible choices? I guess that if we all want to enjoy school functions we have to adapt the state of mind that we truly are “all in it together” and that we will all face the consequences as a unit for the mistake of even a single person. Getting 1300 students to be on their perfect behaviour and attend all school events is easier said than done. It is a difficult task but I’m sure we can manage getting more than 200 kids to come out to May Day! We need to stop complaining about the fact that we have had dances, spirit days and school community events such as May Day or buy outs taken away from us due to bad behaviour and actually do something about it! We need to stop wallowing in self pity and prove to the bosses that we can act respectfully and follow rules. Can we do it St. Peter’s? Can we rise from the ashes and redeem ourselves and our right to have a little fun? The decision is ours. We as a united student body must decide and act accordingly because we truly are all in this together.

-Written by Allie Dale

I Found my Passion, What’s Yours?

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 14:47:00 +0000

In grade ten I presented a dissatisfying career portfolio which contained a report outlining my future aspirations. I had written that while I was very unsure of my dream job, I knew I wanted to raise awareness and touch the hearts of others. At the time, journalism had not yet promoted itself as the answer until one eminent day when I discovered an on-line article titled "How to find what you love to do". The article, by Brian Kim, was filled with thought provoking and inspirational ideas, and it caused my mind to wander back to careers class, remembering those auspicious words I had ended my speech with. I had said, “If I were to face no boundaries and could do anything in the world, I would be a writer.” I had declared my evolving passion for writing both non-fiction and creative pieces. In his article, Kim stressed the importance of finding passion in life’s endeavors. He wrote that we must ask ourselves the one question that will enlighten our minds, “What would you do if you had a million dollars?” Immediately I pictured myself in a power suit, thriving in my role as editor-in-chief at my own magazine.

I have always wanted to change the way people see the world and Kim’s article made me realize there is no better way to deliver a message than with my most powerful weapon: My words. I now view the world as not just a place to live, but a place to discover, analyze and share. Expressing an experience through journalism connects diverse cultures of people and brings the world closer together. I want my writing to satisfy humanity’s hunger for a genuine news story and I want to inspire others through my work just as Kim inspired me. Thanks to Brian Kim, I have confidence that one day, someone will cut out one of my magazine articles and say that it had a significant impact on his/her life.

-Written by Katie Walsh

The Black Plague

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 02:05:00 +0000

With her song Friday achieving nearly 70 million views since February 11th, Rebecca Black is without a doubt one of the biggest ‘sensations’ to ever hit the Internet. The thirteen-year-old loves to sing, dance and act, and has been taking dance lessons since she was three years of age, and vocal lessons since she was ten. When she was seven, she starred in a commercial for a product called Puzzlecraft, More recently she was featured on the Jay Leno Show where she stated that the bombardment of negative responses made her cry at first, but that she now refrains from reading them. Smart choice.

Rebecca Black works for the Ark Music Factory and racks in about $24, 000 a week from Friday, claiming all her profits are being donated to Japan and her school. She has received praise from several influential figures including Lady Gaga, Ryan Seacrest, and Willow Smith. That being said, however, a huge majority seems to hold opposing opinions. Paris Hilton and Miley Cyrus have no respect for her song, and Justin Bieber was mocking her with a tweet: “sunday comes after saturday? weird” (apparently his Shift key is broken) shortly after she had asked him for a duet. Also, Friday has about ten times as many dislikes (on Youtube) as it has likes.

Call me a bully, but her lessons really don’t seem to be helping. Her dance talent, if she has any, is unapparent in the video and, similarly to Ke$ha, her vocals are heavily dependent on Auto-tune. Her lip-syncing on the Jay Leno Show demonstrates that she cannot sing the song on her own. The mysterious random rapper who sings a part near the middle of the song has more talent than she does, and he is AMF’s producer (not a vocalist), Patrice Wilson. But she does deserve some praise. She has allowed Ark Music Factory the chance to realize that they desperately need a new songwriter.

Friday has some of the most ridiculous lyrics one could possibly think of. They tell the story of a (thirteen-year-old) girl who is looking forward to the weekend so she can get to partying. It’s Friday and she gets ready for school before going to wait at her bus stop, then sees her (thirteen-year-old) friends, apparently driving a car, and is faced with an unsolvable dilemma: she cannot choose what seat to take… Now, instead of just focusing on the lyrics’ shortcomings, they are educational. Rebecca Black sings that Friday comes after Thursday, and is followed by Saturday, which is then followed by Sunday. AMF deserves many thanks for clearing this up for the world.

Rebecca Black’s fan movement is known as the “Black Plague”. But let us not forget, a plague is an epidemic disease that causes high mortality, and is not exactly a good thing. Though it is very respectable that Black is donating her money, she has no real future in the music industry unless she improves drastically and, with several dislikes per second, she is probably the most ill received artist since Hampton and the Hamsters.

-Written by Pierre-André Brière

What Do You Wanna Do Tonight?

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 04:22:00 +0000

“What do you wanna do tonight? I dunno, what do you wanna do? I dunno.”

Sound familiar? If yes, then things need to change. The city you live in is a flourishing community full of exciting opportunities to fill your weekend. Whatever your tastes are, Peterborough is there with open arms to welcome you into trying new things to do with your friends.

If music is your thing, then there is always a variety of cool concerts featuring many different

music styles going on downtown. Most of these concerts do not even cost over $10 and you will without a doubt get your money’s worth as you enjoy live music and support local musicians. The Spill on George St. is always a favourite as it offers a variety of genres that range from hardcore to folk to techno dance music and everything in between. There’s usually some sort of show every night, whether it’s music or something else like poetry which they have the last Thursday of every month. Admission is always pay what you can and the show gets under way around 9:00p.m. All ages are always welcome in this little coffee shop with a lot of potential and a relaxed atmosphere. Some of these shows even feature some friendly faces of students and grads from St. Petes, including the Austin Carson Band Home, Non-Cents and Coma After Crash. To find out more about events happening there check out The Spill’s website at Spill Coffee Bar (The Spill) on Myspace.

If gaming’s more your thing, why not try out the new Zap Attack Laser Tagging? At 822 Rye
St., this new weekend attraction is a great way to get off the couch and immerse yourself in a life-size version of your usual gaming experience. Laser Tagging is similar to Paint-Balling without the pain or the paint. You enter into the arena armed with nothing but a laser gun and pure adrenaline as you begin
to play a high-tech combination of tag and hide and seek against a group of up to 24 players.

A game only costs $7.50 for 25 minutes of constant playing time and you’ll be wanting more! Zap Attack is open all weekend and its hours on Friday are 5:00 p.m. -12:00 a.m., Saturday; 11:00 a.m. -12:00 a.m. and Sunday; 11:00 a.m. 7:00 p.m. Laser Tagging is a fun way to get out of your mom’s basement on a Friday night with a group of friends to find out how awesome this new Peterborough attraction that everyone’s talking about really is.

More of a sports type? Well, we live in Canada, it’s the winter and we play hockey eh? There
are loads of neighbourhood rinks just waiting for a group of kids to show up and play a little bit of pick-up hockey. First of all, there’s the obvious choice of the Lift lock Canal, but a couple other favourites are the Teacher’s College Rink on Benson Ave. and the rink at Barnardo Park. Those are just a few options, but there is a very plentiful selection throughout Peterborough. Just remember your rink etiquette and shovel when you’re done! Get out there and keep your stick on the ice!

As you can see, our little city is full of exciting events. So instead of sitting at home, creeping on Facebook, get out there and enjoy this array of fantastic opportunities!

Written by Ellen Jamieson

A Chaotic Cast: Arlecchino and the City of Love

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 04:16:00 +0000

When I first walked into the drama room with my interview questions ready at hand, it resembled a chaotic group of students but really with further observations the grade twelve drama class was just a group of extremely talented people working together as a team to put on the production, “Arlecchino and the City of Love”. With only a few weeks left until opening night, of course the cast would be in a disarray of panic trying to tie up all loose ends to create the show. As I walked around to the different stations the students seemed to occupy, it was apparent as to how serious the cast took each of their specific jobs. Some students were painting Venetian buildings onto giant white canvasses while others busied themselves with paint brushes helping Hillary Grills create her one-of-a-kind fountain. Mr. Mandarano-this year’s director- watched contently as his class rushed about making the most of their time. He complained about certain costumes, expressing that they “weren’t quite his vision yet” and tried to force a floral frilly number onto Liz Flagler who carried an annoyed expression. He then went to each station giving pointers and just doing what directors do I guess! After some of the chaos died down and everyone started to get into a working mode, I started my interviewing process with Hillary Grills-the creator of the magnificent fountain which was soon to be the central element of the production’s set design.

Madison Vezina: So Hillary, working on this production of Arlecchino and the City of Love, how do you find it dealing with the responsibility of having a specific major role to be in charge of?

Hillary Grills: Well Maddie, I am currently working on the set design of the production; primarily building the fountain which is the main part of the set. At times, being in charge of this can become very overwhelming because I have to work together with the grade ten construction class, Mr. Mandarano, and Mrs. Young. It’s just difficult trying to create the vision of 1800s Venice on basically a grade two’s allowance.

Madison Vezina: So you think that more money should be allotted for this production or for the creation of this fountain?

Hillary Grills: Well I know that with the money we make, we must cover our expenses and then the rest we decided will go to the Down Syndrome Association, so I do realize that it is important to try to limit the money we spend.

Madison Vezina: Can you describe the character that you portray in the play?

Hillary Grills: I play the role of Georgina and basically, I am a snob who definitely does not respect the person I am engaged to, Lelio, who is played by Ryleigh Wilson-Gillespie. I feel so bad about treating her that way that after rehearsal, I give her many hugs.

Hillary continues painting the fountain’s foundation, her brush strokes becoming rhythmic with her infectious laugh. I decide to rush over to Mr. Mandarano before he gets wrapped up in some other job.

Madison Vezina: Mr. Mandarano, I understand that this is your first year acting as a director for the grade twelve drama production. How is this cast doing? Easy to direct? Demanding?

Mr. Mandarano: They are a great cast however it is trying at times. Young people today have very demanding schedules and so rehearsal times are at a premium. There are challenges with the rehearsal time management, definitely.

Krista Maraldo, the assistant director steps in.

Krista Maraldo: Time management is just a big thing. I think it always seems like you have so much time but then all of a sudden it’s like two weeks left to go! And also, this is a class so I can see how the students would have just as much responsibility with work in other classes too.

Madison Vezina: Are there any other challenges besides time management skills that you must face putting on this production?

Mr. Mandarano: I don’t know if I should mention this but let’s just say there are some conflicting personalities…

He walks away grinning, as another student needs his opinion on a current project. I move to Ryleigh Wilson-Gillespie who just finished making a phone call regarding her production role of publicity.

Madison Vezina: Ryleigh, I understand that you have two roles in this play and have to go through many quick changes and other obstacles to portray these two characters? Tell me about these characters.

Ryleigh Wilson-Gillespie: Yes, I play two roles, the comical Lelio and the love-struck Spinetta. They are two completely different roles but they also have lots of similarities. They both talk a lot, they are always trying to please people, and of course they are both in love!

Madison Vezina: What kind of specific things are you doing in terms of publicity?

Ryleigh is about to answer but Kate Ball skips over from across the room and gives her take on the question since she shares the same role with Ryleigh.

Kate Ball: Well, we were trying to get the Toronto Star here…

She stops mid-sentence and bursts out laughing directing her devilish grin at Ryleigh, who finally gets the joke and starts laughing too. Apparently, Ryleigh had thought that the Toronto Star would actually cover a high school production! Once they both finish their giggles Kate continues…

Kate Ball: Well, dealing with the publicity has been interesting but a little stressful because if we don’t get a hold of the different contacts or the feeder schools in time, then the community won’t become aware of the production and so we wouldn’t have an audience!

Madison Vezina: So Kate, you portray the role of Columbina, the female lead and love interest of Arlecchino or Scott Windrim, who is coincidentally also your best friend? How has it been having to show a love connection between you and your best friend? Difficult at any time?

Kate Ball: Yes. In the scenes were we have to be all “lovey-dovey” or “cutesy” it is really, really hard to keep a straight face!

Scott Windrim walks over to both myself and Kate and I photograph them together then put Scott in the spotlight.

Madison Vezina: So Scott, how do you find it making that spark with Kate, your best friend, during rehearsals?

Scott Windrim: It’s interesting. I feel there is a lot of chemistry there.

He walks off with a sheepish grin, ready with a brush in one hand to finish painting the flats for the set. Next, I move over to the painting section and stop Rebecca Maynard in her tracks for a quick question.

Madison Vezina: Since this is Mr. Mandarano’s first time as a director tell me, how is he doing in your opinion?

Rebecca Maynard: I think he is doing quite well. He has a definite vision for the play and makes sure everyone knows it which is really an important quality in a director.

She continues as if on a quest and so I head to Mrs. Young’s desk in the corner of the room.

Madison Vezina: I understand that this is your first year not acting as the director of the grade twelve drama production? How are you finding not having this responsibility this year and from what you see from this production, how do you think the cast is doing this year?

Mrs. Young: That’s a tough question Madison! I think it’s very exciting to see it all unfold before me and it’s also enjoyable to sit back and not be the person that “cracks the whip” I should say! (She lets out a loud laugh) Also, to constantly see certain students… not everybody… take pride in their work, well it is truly amazing!

Interviewed and written by Madison Vezina

What You Can Do: School Clubs and Activities

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 01:02:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered what you can do for our school, or how to get involved and up your school spirit? Well it's never too late to act now and get fired up while meeting new people and expanding your interests. There are so many school clubs waiting for members to join and without a doubt there will be something that peaks your fancy.

If you’re a sports person, there are plenty of organised school teams to try-out for. However, if you’re less of a competitive junkie, why not joining some clubs that don’t require try-outs such as swing dancing or badminton club? Swing dancing club is new to the school this year and is searching for recruits. They meet on Mondays after school in the drama space until about 4:00 p.m. No experience or partners required, just come out, loosen up and learn a few steps. And don’t be shy boys, the swing dancing club is definitely lacking male members and you will be welcomed with open arms! Badminton club takes place on Fridays after school in the gym. Once again, everyone is welcome and you pay $1 every night you come out. Bring a few friends, or come by yourself; there will always be others willing to play, so have a blast and make a racket!

If you have an interest in politics and global issues, you could always join Model U.N. club. This club is a great way to learn about other countries and how they work, while discovering how to debate and discuss foreign affairs. If you join this club, you research your topic and go to the meetings, which are usually once a week to practice debating. There are also Model U.N. competitions against other schools in the area that take place at Trent University. Join this club if you would like to represent your school by showing off your international knowledge and debating skills.

Also, a really important club at St. Pete’s is Saints Action/Ecos. If you are a student that is interested in bettering our world with generosity and environmental consciousness, then this club is for you! Saints Action is led by Patsy and meets every Tuesday at both Junior and Senior lunches. They focus on organizing school fundraisers for charities, promoting, composting, recycling etc. and even hosting awareness events for needy causes. This club is awesome if you are somebody who has lots of ideas for making our world and school better, or you just like volunteering your time to promoting these ideas. Saints Action welcomes everyone and is looking for more boy members! So, come out to a meeting and try it out.

There is an unlimited supply of clubs to join at school that anyone will be interested in. If anything in this article peaks your interest, don`t be shy: get involved!

By Ellen Jamieson

noreply@blogger.com (The Vox) — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 01:07:00 +0000

You have most likely seen him around school; he’s hard to miss as what he lacks in height is made up for with a big, glowing smile and alluring personality. He is the latest addition to the Student Council, an accomplished young actor, and the star of this month’s St. Peter’s Student Spotlight, introducing: Riley Meekin.

Riley Meekin, Grade 9

This prideful grade nine student is taking both the school and theatrical business by storm. With only three months into the semester, this zealous young man has already made his mark in the school community by taking charge in the Terry Fox Campaign. He also volunteered at the Terry Fox Auction and has taken on the responsibility of being his grade level representative. You could say that he is up for anything that will enhance the school’s spirit and overall image. “I just love St. Peter’s,” he says, smiling.

Not only is Riley an active student leader, he is an up and coming actor who has quite an accomplished resume. In just two years, Riley has gained a sponsorship from the Canadian Model and Talent Convention, has been recruited by an agent, and has brought home a CMTC award. He can be recognized as the star of an episode of Forensic Factor (which aired on the Discovery Channel) and has appeared in an impressive total of eight commercials. He even had some offers from Disney, which is quite remarkable for a fourteen-year-old.

"I absolutly love being on set for the experience and I’m always learning some new tricks,” he says, "What I would really like to do is be a director or photographer; maybe even an architect."

It's clear that Riley is a bright, enthusiastic student who is just beginning to shine his light here at St. Peter's. He would like to leave his fellow classmates and teachers with some inspiring words that are key to become successful in any aspect of life. "Be yourself and don't hide any parts of who you are."

By Katie Walsh