The Seventh Hour

It was an average Monday morning in the Library of Eastcliff High School when it started. My name is Lucas Patterson, and I am a freshman here at Eastcliff High School with average grades and baseball skills. I have three best friends: Jimmy, Tom, and Jordan that are all freshmen just like me. We were all sitting in the library and we looked around.  Jordan suddenly got up out of his chair across from me and walked toward the bulletin board on the wall. We all then followed him to find an advertisement for this scary theatre performance on the 30^th, the night before Halloween. 

"This sounds pretty good," Jordan said. 

"Yeah, I guess," Tom chimed in. 

"We should totally go see it," I said. We all agreed that it was a good idea and we had nothing better to do, since we had the Monday and Tuesday off that week anyway. We went about our average day thinking about what it would be like. All it said on the advertisement was that it would be the fright of your life. 

The next morning, I woke to a bright pink sun shining clearly through the glass window in my room, which comforted me because of my loud alarm blaring in my right ear. I hit the snooze button on my alarm and fell back asleep for ten minutes. Once again, my alarm was blaring in my right ear telling me to get up. I finally listened and got up out of my comfortable bed, changed into my clothes for the day and went downstairs for breakfast. 

My mother saw me coming down the stairs and said to me, "You're up later than usual" from her usual seat at the kitchen table. 

"Yeah, I know," I said. "I snoozed my alarm," I admitted. 

"That's fine," she said in response. 

"Where's dad?" I asked. 

"Taking a shower," she responded 

I put a bagel in the toaster and sat down next to mom. She was finishing up a sudoku puzzle she started yesterday. Puzzle 116 was the name of the puzzle she was doing. The sudoku book had about 250 puzzles in it so she was a little more than half done. I got my bagel from the toaster, ate it, packed my things for school, said bye to mom, and headed out the door to wait for the bus. 

The bus soon arrived and I took a seat next to Jimmy. 

"How's your morning so far?" I asked Jimmy. 

"Pretty good, I guess," He replied. 

We rode the rest of the bus ride chatting about what we thought the show would be about, the one we were waiting so patiently for. We arrived at school to find Tom and Jordan talking quietly about the performance, just like me and Jimmy had on the bus. Jimmy lives 4 houses down from me in our neighborhood, while Tom and Jordan live about half way across town in the same neighborhood. Again, we went about our day, growing impatient, and awaiting the performance. 

For the rest of the week we came up with about every possibility of what the show could be about. 

It was now Monday morning and we planned to all come to my house to meet up before the show. Jimmy arrived first because he lives so close. After Jimmy came in, Tom arrived in the neighborhood. We could see his family’s car out the window. About five minutes after Tom got to my house, Jordan, who always seemed to be late, got to my house. We had made a list last week about all the possibilities of what the performance could be and the names of who came up with them, so we could bet on who had the best ideas.

It was finally time to leave for the performance we had all been waiting for. My mom was super nice when we told her about the show, so she agreed that it would be a good time and that we should go.

We arrived at the address on the flyer. It was on the edge of the creepy part of town but we thought that it would add to the scariness.

We went inside of the building to find flickering lights and some weird type of slime on the ground. We were so excited and creeped out that we just kept walking.

“Is anyone here?” Jordan yelled.

“Maybe we should go,” Jimmy said

“Nah man this is great,” I said

I then received a weird text message that said “Why are you here?????” I didn’t know what to do, so I showed my friends the message; they were very creeped out. All of a sudden, my phone just shut off. I don’t even know how it happened but it did. We walked in silence around the flickering theatre. After walking one full time around the center seating section we decided to try the back room.

“I really think we should go,” Jimmy said once again.

“Come on,” I pleaded. “Let’s just look around a little.”

            We went into the back room to find this gigantic realistic spider tearing apart a man’s body and eating it all in one big gulp. I thought it was a costume so I stood still and let it move a little. Then I realized that it wasn’t a costume; it was actually real. I started running out of the theatre. I swiftly whipped my phone out of my pocket to find that it was still off, so I told my friends to call my mom. I gave them her number and they put it in their phones and called her to pick us up soon. We hid in the alley next to the theatre from the raging spider. It burst out of the side door of the theatre, right next to us, and we ran as fast as we could to get away from the creature. We quickly moved around the corner farther away from the theatre just as my mom picked up on Tom’s phone. He handed the phone to me.

“We finished early, so can you pick us up a soon as possible?” I whispered into the phone.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” she replied

“Thank you so much,” I whispered once again.

It took mom 13 painstaking minutes to get to us, and we had that monster to deal with. It was almost as if the monster could sense us because we knew it was getting closer and closer.

“Any ideas?” Jordan whispered to the group.

“Maybe we should hide until your mom gets here,” Tom suggested.

“I knew we never should have come here,” Jordan said. He was rocking back and forth. We told him that we didn’t have a choice now and our only chance was to hide.

We hid for those long 13 minutes in the building next door. It was a small diner but we just needed to wait. We saw mom out the window so we ran to the car as fast as we could.

We brought my friends back to their houses and then I went home myself. We all thought we were safe so we decided not to tell our parents about the incident.

A few years ago, I set up a camera in my room and I thought now would be a good time to turn it on. So, I turned it on and went to sleep.

When I woke up I stopped the camera and took it down. I watched the tape again and again, until I finally saw something peering in my window. It was the giant spider!

To Be Continued!

By: Peter McAuliffe

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Delicious Red Velvet Cupcakes

6 Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes: 
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 tbsp granulated sugar
3 tbsp light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp red liquid food color
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup sour cream
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp white distilled vinegar
1/4 tsp baking soda

Frosting: 
6oz cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with 6 liners.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter and sugars. Mix in egg until batter is smooth. Add cocoa powder, vanilla and red food color. Continue mixing, scraping bowl as needed. Add salt, baking powder and sour cream, mixing until just incorporated. Add flour, mixing until no streaks remain. Finally, combine vinegar and baking soda in a small bowl. 
Immediately add to batter and mix in.

Divide batter equally among prepared liners, using one large cookie scoop per.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until cupcakes are set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Cool on a wire rack.

In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter. Mix in vanilla and slowly incorporate powdered sugar until smooth. Transfer mixture to a piping bag with with desired tip. Frost cooled cupcakes.

Store in an airtight container or refrigerator for up to several days.

By: Rachael Battey

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How To Go To A Concert

Have you ever wanted to see your favorite band live but don’t know where to begin? Has it been awhile since you’ve gone to a concert? Here are some tips and tricks for the next time you plan on attending one by an experienced concert attendee.

Step 1: Getting Tickets

Getting tickets to a concert can be a challenge. They can sell out quickly because of pre-sales and be hard to find. First and foremost, you should figure out when they go on sale and on what websites (if you have options, I recommend ticketmaster).  Now pre-sales can make or break how good your seats are, so if you plan on investing into some good ones, look up presale codes for the concert you want to attend, and remember to type it in to get your tickets. Look up a seating chart of the venue you are going to see the concert in as well. Websites are always vague about where the seats are. But wait! My website says general admission! What the heck is that? General admission means there are no seats. It is first come first serve so if you want to be close to the artist, plan on showing up at least an hour early. Depending on the venue you can be smushed and sweating (yes sweating) with a couple thousand people on a floor or spread out on a lawn behind the actual seats (which can still be an awesome experience). Buying tickets online requires a credit card, debit card, or sometimes a PayPal account so be prepared with your account information. When you purchase them, print them out. Keeping them just on your phone can be risky if for some reason your phone breaks. If you want to get them in the mail, there is a chance they can get lost in it. Keep your tickets in a safe place and write down that place a couple of times if you are forgetful.

Step 2: What to Wear

The most important thing about your clothing is that it is something you feel happy and comfortable in. You shouldn’t have to dial down your wardrobe for a concert and should express yourself the way you feel is right. A concert should be a time to embrace who you are, not hide it for the sake of fitting in. Wear a shirt you don’t normally wear, try a new makeup look, fix your hair differently, do what you feel is right. But if you want some more in depth guidance, you should know your venue first. If it is outdoors, consider bringing a jacket because it can get cold. If it is indoors, dress in as light clothes as possible. Make sure whatever you are wearing is something you are comfortable in. If you know your new shirt constantly rides up the wrong way so you have to fix it, don’t wear it, it will definitely take away from the experience. If your concert is general admission, do not wear sandals unless you’re okay with getting your toes stepped on for the entirety of the concert. Otherwise, I would wear sandals, not flip flops; those can be a hazard. I suggest genuine sandals to an outdoor concert for the sake of comfort in the heat. Do a little research and read up on the experiences people have of concerts with the artist you are seeing. Search “-Artist name- concert experience” into YouTube or Google and see what pops up.  Some artists promote dressing up more extravagantly and others may be more chill.

Step 3: What to Bring

Recently, there has been efforts to heighten security at concerts for safety purposes, so venues can be strict on what you bring in. I would look on the venue’s website first to see what they allow and don’t allow. If the rules are not clear, here are some general tips. Try to pack lightly and not bring any large bags or purses if it is possible. They will most likely need to be searched and it can be time consuming and it can anger the security personnel. Leave your pocket knife or any other thing that could be dangerous at home; they will confiscate it. Do not bring bottled water unless it is sealed. Some security personnel won’t even let sealed bottled water in so be aware. Do bring a phone charger and a portable charger. Your phone can die quickly which is never good. Do bring a small camera if you have one. I have a small camera (that I got for Christmas a few years ago) that can fit easily into my purse that I use to get a couple good quality pictures of the artist I am seeing. However, I turn off the flash and only use it a few times because enjoying the show is most important. Do bring some gum and painkillers. Sometimes you need to freshen your breath a little and you don’t want a headache (since medical areas can be cumbersome to locate).

Step 4: What to do at the Concert

First of all I highly recommend arriving to the venue an hour early. This may seem excessive to some, but with the heightened security at concerts these days, it can take a long time to get into the venue. The show won’t wait for you so the closer you are to the entrance, the better your chances of getting in on time are. Next I recommend buying some piece of merch. Yes, it is overpriced but having a piece of concert memorabilia is something special that you will appreciate dishing your money out for in the future. Now, find your seats and make sure you keep your ticket somewhere safe. It is the easiest way for an usher to help you find your seat and lets them know that you are in there legally. As soon as you know where your seats are it is a lot easier to find bathrooms, etc. Finally enjoy the concert. Have fun and live in the moment, not through your cellphone; you’ll have more fun. Post a few snapchats here and there but don’t let it consume you; after all you paid for those tickets, not the people who have you on snapchat. 

By: Evelyn Sims

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The New Aquinas Art Club!

Are you one of those people who loves collecting stuff and yet has no idea how to organize and make use of them? Are you one of those people who would like to try calligraphy but stuck at where to start? Are you one of those people who seek art in everyday life? Are you interested in keeping your memorable moments in a scrapbook? Are you interested in group discussions of pieces of art that you like? Do you consider yourself an artsy person?

If any of these statements describe you, then come join AQ’s new Art Club! This is a place where people who are passionate about art and life can meet and express their passion in the form of art! No skills required, all you need is your enthusiasm.

Me, as an international student, have longed to join a visual art club before I became a student here at Aquinas. However, on my first day in the school, I learned that there were no art clubs here. I am one of those students who is never able to pass a PE test, thus when I found out I was in an athletically strong school, I lost my passion for the school’s extracurricular activities. It was about eight months ago when the idea of creating an art club first came to my mind. I thought through it over and over, and I eventually found the courage to talk to Mrs. Nosky, the school’s art teacher. When I first entered the art classroom, I felt like I belonged, and that was when I learned that I was in a meaningful place.

Since there is still so much that is undecided of the club, we are holding a few workshops to start with. Our first workshop has been decided to be a calligraphy class, so if you are interested in fancy hand lettering skills, or even seeking for improvements or your handwriting, come join us! I have prepared several different fonts for the club to practice! Practicing is fun when we are doing it with our friends. So grab some of your friends and come check out the club! We will not disappoint you!

BTW our first workshop was planned on Thursday, December 15th, but was cancelled because of the snow. Information about the workshop will be announced as soon as the new date is decided.

By: Yizi Wang

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Almost Maine!

               Almost Maine, recently been performed by the Aquinas Theater Department, is a comedy about love. Almost Maine, written by John Cariani, is a show about losing love, finding love, and the many aspects that love entails. We watch as nine pairs of people feel, act upon, and find love through each other. The show, comprised of two acts, a prologue, interlogue, and epilogue, is not very long though it does capture the audience through its dramatic and comedic scenes.

               Jacqui Thompson (me) portrays the character Rhonda. Rhonda is a strong female character in her late 20s who has never had any major interactions with love. Rhonda talks about working in the lumber mill, winning arm wrestling competitions since the 5^th grade, and being snow-mobiler of the year. While she is a strong, outspoken women, a woman of love and affection, she is not. But what happens when her best friend for years tries to make a move? 

by: Jacqui Thompson

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Thanksgiving Food Baskets

Start saving, Aquinas! Next week, October 31^st 2016, we will begin collecting for Thanksgiving food baskets. This could potentially help 156 families so please be generous! Collections will go until Thanksgiving break when the families come to pick up the food. Keep the less fortunate in your thoughts this holiday season. God bless!

by: Jessica Holt

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Aquinas Band-Ultimate Makeover

This fall, it’s back, but with a new look. It’s the highly anticipated Aquinas Instrumental Music Program! Many changes have taken place within the program this year, so read all about it!

THE AQ WIND PROJECT

            We all know it stinks when, at the beginning of the year, we find out that we may not be able to take all of the courses that we requested the previous year because of scheduling issues. Solution: AQ Wind Project! This group is composed of students interested in music but who cannot take band during the normal school hours. They meet in the mornings, Tuesday and Thursday… at 7:00 am! That is some admirable dedication! This group also has optional Fridays for Jazz Ensemble students (see below). They perform nearly all their music with the Concert Band students who take the course during the day, so it’s truly a win-win. And I can think of nothing better than starting the day off with music!

THE AQ JAZZ ENSEMBLE

            This group also meets bright and early in the morning, but they play tunes of a different kind. Every Friday morning, the AQ Jazz Ensemble rehearses… well… jazz! But that’s not all! They play a variety of music, from rock to pop to funk, including opportunities for improvisation. Also, since a jazz band is not your typical school band, it includes some more “unusual” instruments, like string bass, electric guitar, or electric bass. If you think your instrument doesn’t fit in a traditional setting, then come along to Jazz Ensemble! They’d love to have you jam with them!

THE BAND FORMERLY KNOWN AS CONCERT BAND: THE DYNAMICS

            Okay, technically they’re still referred to as Concert Band, but now they’ve got another cool name too: The Dynamics! The students in this lively group are passionate about instrumental music, and they’re ready to show the school what amazing talent they have. Be sure to look out for them in the coming weeks, because they’re planning on performing for the school at Monday Morning Kumbaya. The Dynamics rehearse every day (period 4 this year), so they have plenty of time to practice and refine their music, as well as participate in the occasional “Snack Chat:” a day set aside to discuss important music theory concepts, learn about significant events in instrumental music history, and, of course, share snacks! Some students from this group also created a logo for the group entirely out of musical symbols (see above!). If you are an enthusiastic and DYNAMIC performer, then you’d love to be a part of this band!

Aquinas also has the Middle School Band, which includes students who are brand new to their instruments. This gives them an incredible opportunity to learn how to perform with other students as they continue to develop their own skills. Many students from all the bands also participate in the pep band, which plays at several home football games, and performs at school-wide pep assemblies.

However, whichever band is performing, they’re sure to have the energy to lift your spirits! Come out to hear these bands play some extremely fantastic music at their semi-annual concerts. Admission is free, so it’s easy to show your support! Who knows, after listening to the bands, you might be inspired to dust off that old instrument you haven’t touched since fourth grade, or learn a new one. It’s never too late to make music a part of your life!

by: Maggie McAuliffe

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International Student Update

I’m sure all of you know of our international student program at Aquinas. Do you really understand it? In this article I will be telling you about an interview I had with a dear friend of mine. You will be able to read about new experiences and hardships of being away from home. Now sit back and relax, grab a cup of java! I’m going to tell you Zoey Fan’s story…

            Last year was Zoey’s first year being an international student at Aquinas. She is extremely nice and funny, and I met her last year when she was a junior. Zoey is an exchange student from China. At home she is an only child, but in America she has the pleasure of having a loving host family with a son and daughter who essentially are her new siblings. Zoey holds her host family dear to her heart, and I can tell that she loves them a lot when she tells me about all of the things they do for her. She explained that this was her first time traveling alone, and the flight was nineteen hours long! She said that even though the flight itself wasn’t all that bad, it did break her heart for when she looked back to say goodbye to her mother, tears streamed down her face, and she was afraid to go through this alone.

            When Zoey finally reached America she did enjoy her first year with many new experiences, although not everything was smooth sailing. Zoey had to change host families to get to the one she has today, and she had to endure many tears evoked by unwelcoming people. She even considered returning home to China at one point. Along with all of this, she explained how difficult it was to speak a different language in a different country every day. In the end she says she is very proud of herself for being strong and pushing through the rain to reach the rainbow.

There were plenty of good things that outweighed the bad for Zoey, inlcuding the different food, lifestyles, and culture America had to offer her. Zoey participated in celebrating Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the Lilac Festival! She has enjoyed all of the activities that came with each holiday and all of the delicious foods her host family prepared for her. Zoey participated in varsity tennis during her senior year, a sport she practiced in China. She also participated in Women’s Leadership both last year and this year. It was something new that her school at home did not offer. Zoey also gave me some fun facts about the difference between China’s schools and America's. She said that in Chinese schools you don’t use lockers, and you are allowed to carry a backpack with you all day. She also mentioned that she had ten minute breaks between every period. These differences made adapting to our school life very confusing, but also exciting.

I’m very glad to have gotten to know Zoey over the years, and I hope that this article has helped YOU to get to know Zoey! I also hope that it helps you to realize that everyone goes through tough times, and your simple act of kindness could go a long way. Please don’t hesitate to get to know someone new like Zoey, I’m sure you won’t regret it! I feel as though no matter how many hardships this girl has been through, she always seems to be able to bounce back and give her best and a smile to everyone.

By: E Sommers

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Juniors Become Seniors at the 100 Days Mass

        The 100 Days Mass is something that every AQ student looks forward to, some since their freshman year, others since seventh grade. This iconic mass has been a tradition for years, and this year was no different. The entire school gathered in the auditorium, looking like true "Lil' Irish" as many students had dressed down in green for St. Patrick's day. After the chatter settled, everyone took on a prayerful attitude and stood as Bishop Matano walked down the aisle toward the alter. 

        Mass proceeded as usual, with the choir leading the way in song, the Peer Ministers leading the way in the liturgy of the word and in the distribution of the Eucharist, and the rest of the community participating in prayer. Once the mass reached its end, we all listened to a thought provoking senior reflection by Emily Pietropaolo on making the most of our time at AQ. Chris Offerman also contributed to this spirit of prayer as he played an original piece on the piano which he composed to reflect his time at AQ. Needless to say, there were quite a few teary eyed parents and grandparents in the crowd. After Chris's beautiful performance, the Bishop asked the junior class to stand. We all stood together as the Bishop led the community in blessing us in our soon-to-be senior careers. He then blessed the junior class rings.

        Since this was the 100 Days Mass, the Bishop followed Aquinas tradition and asked Mr. Mancini for permission to dismiss the senior class. Of course, Mr. Mancini said yes. The seniors jumped up in excitement. Finally, this was their time. They had been looking forward to this tradition for years and it was finally happening. Once the seniors left in a frenzy of hugs and cheers, the juniors were invited to sit in the senior section (the center section) of the auditorium. This is also an AQ tradition and symbolizes the junior class becoming seniors. Finally, all classes but the junior class were dismissed, and the junior rings were distributed along with a few wise words from Mr. Mancini. 

        He reminded us that we are becoming the head class of the school, where he shines the light to when someone needs an example of an Aquinas student. These words were strange to hear, we are going to be seniors next year.... "Really," Mr. Mancini says, "today is your first day of senior year." He continues to say that we are going to be the role models that the freshman, sophomores, and juniors look up to. We are going to be the leaders of the school. 

        Though this was daunting to hear, I think I speak on behalf of the class of 2016 in saying that we are all very excited. Many of us have dreamed of college life but now it almost seems like it's too close. Our time left has gone down from six years to one, and that seems unbelievable. I remember always looking up to the seniors and even idolizing some of them as a freshman. The first day of seventh grade feels like it was two years ago and now my class is only a few months away from our senior year. My hope is that we grow closer as a class, as a school and as a community during the next year. My fingers and many others' are crossed in hopes that the whole college application process does not take away from our last months at AQ. Ultimately, I feel the class of 2016 can't wait to lead in goodness, discipline, and knowledge and savor the last year of our time at Aquinas.

By: Lina Clifford '16

editor

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