“I heard that the class of 2007 has the lowest SAT scores ever taken by BI students” “Well I heard that the class of ’07 is bringing down the school’s overall GPA.” Two of the many rumors that are circulating around the senior halls here at Bishop Ireton, have already dampened the spirits of the class of 2007. This year the school has undergone new renovations, such as the resource center used for senior lunches, as a means to try and “unite” the senior class. So far, the polls are divided among those students who already believe that the class of ’07 is already united, and those that think it is too “cliquey,” while the majority of the faculty claim to have heard no such rumors. Should the class of ‘07 stand in a circle, holding hands while singing, “KumBaiYah,” or should the seniors take it upon themselves to come together? 

        It is easy to be a “Negative Nancy”, or for those SNL fans out there, a “Debbie Downer”, but looking for the positive in something one finds so negative is merely impossible. Upon hearing these rumors, the majority of the senior class has already given up on trying to turn the negative into a positive, while some still remain hopeful. “We’re the best class ever…ever!” said Senior Amanda Maisel, “I truly believe that the class of ’07 is the least cliquey at Ireton and we have the most unity by far.” During the O’Connell football game, and the girls volleyball game against T.C. Williams, the Cardinal Crazies, mostly made up of seniors, came together to unite. Before the football games, anyone can find the Senior Crazies in the lower parking lot, under the blue tent cooking hotdogs, as a way of tailgating; as a way of coming together. Maybe, it is depressing that in order to connect as a class, we have to cook up some wieners and put red and gold body paint all over ourselves, but for now it seems to be working.

        Last year, when the class of ‘07 were juniors, it was said that many of the seniors (class of ’06) disapproved of the current senior class. “My brother always told me that he really disliked most of the class of ’07...including me,” Senior Andrew Sese said. Maybe that is just a feud between two brothers, but fact none-the-less. Everybody knows about the “seniority rule,” and that when the seniors walk down the hallway, the sea better part. It is a known fact that unity between classes is not really present, as say between the senior and junior class, but we can only do so much at once. For right now, it seems fair to work on coming together as a senior class, and throwing away labels and stereotypes. “The senior class this year has been very cooperative thus far, and I feel as if I can’t complain about anything at this point,” Dean of Students, Mr. Simmons said. “I haven’t heard of any such rumors that I hear coming out of some seniors mouths and I am just flabbergasted that they feel that way.” Now that we have Mr. Simmons approval, the unity search can continue.

        While the positive remain in high spirits, some seniors really do believe that the senior class is falling apart. “We need to get rid of our cliques, and replace them with one big group,” Senior Lizzie Jones stated. “I believe that Father Matt and the faculty as a whole is right about needing to unite. If there was anytime that we needed to get together it would now.”

        The school year has still just begun, and it is never to late to change our minds…about anything. Nobody is asking anyone to alter their lives to fit the needs of their peers, nor does anyone want to feel like they have to change their attitudes to accompany the likes of the school. Individuality is what makes us who we are, but something even better is who we are as a whole. For those of you seniors who are seriously pondering this article, ask yourself this question: “what impression do I want to leave at Bishop Ireton?” If you just so happen to be one of the seniors that want to leave a good mark for future students, sit next to someone during lunch that you would not normally sit next to. Nobody needs to judge anyone this year. Heck, we have already been through three years together, what is another? For this last year, let’s make it count, so that at graduation you will not just be saying goodbye to your closest friends and teachers, but every single student in the class of 2007.  

Ireton's Home Improvements
by Caitlin McHale

While most of us were tanning at the beach or enjoying lazy days at a local pool, the school we love was buzzing with activity this summer. No, this buzz was not from the frantic pen strokes of teachers writing the most difficult summer reading tests. Rather, crews were working hard at Bishop Ireton, installing the latest improvements for the upcoming year.
                The most anticipated improvement, and probably the most noticeable, are the brand new bleachers. With their lively red and yellow paint job, these new bleachers scream “Cardinal Pride” almost as loudly as the fans that pack the stands during every sporting event. Constructed of sturdy metal, not wood like the previous bleachers, it can be assured that the Cardinal Crazies can jump as much as they want and the bleachers will stand strong. Several ramps lead from the area behind the bleachers to the actual stands, allowing easy access from one side to the other. The bleachers seat a considerably larger amount of people than the previous ones, which is good news for football, soccer, cheerleading, and other sports teams. “I really like the new bleachers because they are big enough to hold a lot of people from school to support the soccer team,” says Senior Danielle Axenfeld, adding that the inevitable increase in fans will foster a renewed sense of school spirit.
                Another dramatic improvement enhancing the halls of Bishop Ireton is the renovated resource center, better known as the “Senior Lounge.” A haven for upperclassmen in talk study, the “lounge” is also where seniors can enjoy their lunch separate from underclassmen. “We thought it would be nice for the seniors to have a place to themselves,” comments Father Matt. Seniors are equally ecstatic about the new renovation. Senior Ellen Farino offered her opinion on the matter, “The room has such a nice, relaxed vibe. I really like the colors and the idea that we have our own place.” However, upperclassmen are not the only ones thrilled by the new room. Sophomore Grace McConville shared the same awe of the room, stating “I can’t wait until I’m an upperclassmen and get to have study hall there!” Clearly, to upper and lower classmen alike, the renovated resource center is a place of privilege and admiration.
                The improvements around the school do not end there. Other less noticeable, yet equally important renovations took place in several science rooms, where new tables and cupboards were installed to better suit labs and other experiments. New doors to the gym building were also installed, and a touch of paint both inside and outside the school finished Bishop Ireton off with a clean outside appeal. All of these renovations could not have been done without the support of the PTO, school savings, and generous families of Bishop Ireton. So the next time you attend a football game, pull open a new door, or rush to class through the resource center, remember the hard work Bishop Ireton put into these new improvements that make our school a better place.

What Would You Do For a Parking Spot?
by Adrienne Greeson

  “Not having a parking spot is very inconvenient especially when you have a carpool like I do and also do a sport,” commented Lizzie Jones.  She is a senior at Bishop Ireton, and like many people she is involved in extra curricular activities.  However, she is one of many people that did not get a parking spot this year.  Now this may not seem like a big deal to most people, but the students that did not get a spot this year realized how truly hard it is to manage without one.
      The school parking lot has been a major issue at Bishop Ireton for many years.  However, over the past couple of years it seems the fight for a parking spot has come to an all time high.  Why is this?  Well the answer is simple.  Carpools got the first pick, and it seemed fair.  But the fact is that so many people lie about their carpools just to get a spot.  Many people were astounded at the number of juniors and especially seniors that did not get a spot even though they had more then one person to carpool to school.  With so many people lying about who they carpool with, it is hard to filter out who is telling the truth.  If we are already lying about who we are taking to school, then what is next?  Lizzie Jones had some very good suggestions to help solve this dilemma.  “I think they should personally ask the kids on the carpool list if they are actually carpooling with that person because so many people just make up names.”  If the administration insists on giving carpools first pick, then this would be a helpful idea.
      Many people do not realize this but many kids who bring more then one carpool are breaking the law.  The Virginia Department of motor Vehicles says, “You are restricted to the number of passengers under age 18 who may travel with you when you drive (one passenger if you are age 16; three passengers if you are age 17).  Passenger restrictions do not apply to family members.”  Obviously this rule does not apply to a driver who brings their siblings.  If a sixteen year old has a spot, the administration should confirm that they are transporting a legal carpool.  If this rule was taken into account when spots were given out, then things would be very different.
      If you were to ask some students about what they would suggest doing to help solve this parking spot controversy, you would probably get something like, “Make the parking lot bigger,” or “First come first serve.”  If you asked a senior, it would most definitely be one word, “Seniority.”  These are all very good suggestions, but we all know that it would be virtually impossible to enlarge our school parking lot with the limited space we have.  And first come first serve…well who would want to get here at 6:45 just to get a spot?  The rule of seniority is not a bad idea, but the administration seems pretty intent on keeping it the way it is. 
      Yes, it is very sad that many seniors did not get a spot during their last year at Bishop Ireton.  The thing that is even more annoying is that some kids who did get spots do not even drive everyday.  This is very frustrating to the people that drive everyday, have carpools, and participate in a sport after school.  However, to the people who did not get spots, do not get discouraged.  Enjoy your school year and all it has to offer.  If these words of wisdom are not enough, then here is an inspirational quote from Junior Tess Ganssle.  “Parking lots are for the weak.  Only the strong warriors can march on through treacherous weather from the dangerous public housing development. Alas, for those liars who got parking spots without carpools, I feel bad for them.  They have to live with that sin every day as they see us strong people without parking spots arise from the hill around 7 11."

Sting Rays Gone Wild
by Kenny Gartner

 Everyone has always been a fan of Steve Irwin, the Australian naturalist, who was often seen on Animal Planet playing with dangerous animals. Ever since his death on September 4, 2006, a reaction has broken out on the continent of Australia. His death has triggered the mutilation of stingrays, the animal which ultimately caused the Crocodile Hunter’s death. Speculation ran rampant that these deaths were due to fans of Irwin taking their revenge.

  The ironic thing about all these deaths is that Steve Irwin would not have wanted the widespread vandalism that is occurring. Senior Brandon Pizzola was disappointed to hear the unfortunate news of Irwin’s death. “It was a terrible loss to the animal conservation movement.” Brandon also remarked, “If an animal ever killed someone close to me, I would never do what has been done here. The animal would have killed based on instinct, not on free choice.”

  Another unfortunate thing about these mutilations is that stingrays normally do not attack. According to scientists, when a stingray is threatened, usually it will swim away. However, when attacked by predators, their tail whips up automatically. These tails contain a deadly poison. In the case of Steve Irwin, the tail stabbed him through his chest. These attacks are rare; however, the number of deaths from stingrays is not exactly known. This number has ranged from seventeen to thirty, meaning the attacks rarely ever happen.

  Members of the stingray community are outraged due to these mutilations. In fact, there have been protests in some of the cities in which stingrays inhabit. Just this past weekend, there were several arrests due to some of the stingrays becoming unruly. Fortunately for our beachgoers, these protests have been occurring well enough offshore that the only threat is to marine interests. However, those living near the coast or who are planning to travel to the beach should watch this situation closely, because these protests have been spreading lately, and one never knows when another uprising could rear its ugly head - or stinger - at a coastline near you. These protests were mainly occurring in the Pacific Ocean, nearer to Australia, but have lately been approaching the West Coast of the United States as they spread on.