News Archive 2006-2007

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2007-2008 | 2006-2007


	Prep at the Shore 2007 All adult members of the Prep family (alumni, parents, faculty and staff) are invited to “Prep at the Shore” on Sunday, August 5 at The Inlet (998 Bay Avenue, Somers Point, NJ) from 3:00-5:00pm. The cost is $50 per person, which includes heavy hors d'oeuvres and open bar. For more information, contact Al Zimmerman ’73, Prep Director of Alumni Relations, at azimmerman@sjprep.org or 215-978-1013. RSVP / Purchase Tickets Online >>

	Young Alumni Summer Bash For the second year, The Prep and Merion Mercy Academy are jointly hosting a Young Alumni Summer Bash on Saturday, August 4, beginning at 2:00pm at the Ocean Drive in Sea Isle City, NJ (3915 Landis Ave.) There is no cover charge but you must be 21 or over to enter (valid ID required). All Prep and MMA attendees can then stay for the OD’s Jam beginning at 4:00pm. For more information, contact Al Zimmerman ’73, Prep Director of Alumni Relations, at azimmerman@sjprep.org, or Patricia McAleer, MMA Director of Alumnae Relations, at pmcaleer@merion-mercy.com. RSVP Online >>

	Speedy Morris Golf Classic The 32nd annual Speedy Morris Golf Classic, to benefit Prep basketball, will be held on Monday, July 16 at Mainland Golf Course (220 Rittenhouse Rd., Mainland, PA). The classic begins with a shotgun start at 8:00am and concludes with a luncheon. The cost is $110. For more information or to register, call Morris at 215-483-8588. Golf Course Info >>

	Prep Baseball Clinches Catholic League Campionship The baseball team won its first Catholic League title in over 80 years, crushing Archbishop Ryan 19-0. Matt Dolan ’07 pitched a five-inning shutout and the offense provided a 13-run second inning as The Prep won its first baseball title of the modern era. The last title came in 1925 when the league had just five members and no playoffs. Inquirer Article >> Daily News Article >> Photos (courtesy of tedsilary.com) >>

	Prep Forensics Among Best in Nation Eight Prep students qualified to participate in the National Catholic League Forensic Grand Tournament in Houston, Texas over Memorial Day weekend and their results are impressive. St. Joseph 's Prep was named among the top five schools in the nation for overall debate sweepstakes award. More than 2,700 students from 545 schools and 62 leagues from across the nation participated in the tournament. Ryan Zehner ’08 won the Lincoln-Douglas debate category, beating out 208 competitors; Bill Woody ’07 ranked fourth out of 240 competitors in Student Congress; Luke Reilly ’07 and Dan DuPont ’09 were octofinalists (top 48 in nation) in Extemporaneous Speaking.

	Prep Golf Wins Catholic League Title The golf team won the Catholic League title, beating three-time defending champion La Salle by two strokes to claim the team trophy at the Golf Course at Glen Mills. The Prep also had the day's individual medalist, Kevin Melnick ’07, who shot a 3-over-par 74. Philadelphia Inquirer Article >> Philly.com Article >>

	Textbook Buy Back The Varsity Books Buy Back will be held on two dates for students. If students wish to sell books originally purchased from Varsity Books they can sell them back at the allotted time only. Friday, June 1 in the Multi-Purpose Room form 8:00am to 2:00pm for SENIORS ONLY. Tuesday, June 5 in the Multi-Purpose Room from 8:00am to 2:00pm for Juniors, Sophomores and Freshmen. All books must be good condition and originally purchased from Varsity books.

	Malandra Selected for PA Governor's Schools of Excellence Paul Malandra ’08 has been selected to participate in the Pennsylvania Governor’s Schools of Excellence. Only 752 students were selected from across the state. Malandra, a resident of Wayne, will be a part of the School for International Studies to be held at the University of Pittsburgh in late June/early July. More Info from PA Department of Education >> More Info from University of Pittsburgh >>

	Track Takes Second in Division The Prep Track team took second place overall at the Southern Division Championships held on Tuesday, May 8. Outstanding performers included: Tom Iannacone ’08 in the mile and 3200 meters, Jim Shields ’07 in the 3200 meters, Dan Casey ’09 and Matt Iacoviello ’08 in the Javelin and Chris Dougherty ’10 in the pole vault. In the mile and the 3,200, The Prep had the top three finishers in both events (mile: Iannacone, Mark Springel ’08 and John Pickhaver ’09; 3,200: Shields, Iannacone and Sean Gallagher ’07).

	Prep Football to Host QB Camp The Prep Football Team is hosting a one-day East Coast Elite Quarterback Mini-Camp at The Prep on Thursday, June 7 from 4:00-9:00pm. The Mini-Camp features one day of intense, specialized quarterback instruction taught by Jim Cantafio, who is the Director of SVS Sports and Pennsylvania Hall of Fame Football Coach who most recently coached Chad Henne of Michigan. Anyone interested in attending can e-mail Gil Brooks ’75 at gbrooks@wolfblock.com to obtain a sign-up form.

	Byron Book Wins Prestigious Prize Prep President Rev. William J. Byron, S.J. ’45 has been named a finalist in the religion category of PubInsider.com's National Indie Excellence 2007 Book Awards for his book "The Power of Principles: Ethics for the New Corporate Culture." A complete list of winners and finalists in each category can be found here.

	Sasso WIns Citizenship Award Sean Sasso ’07 has been selected as a 2007 Union League Good Citizenship Award recipient, and will be receiving the award at a recognition banquet at the Union League on May 10. Congratulations to Sean on his achievement. The Good Citizenship Award was established in 1946 to be presented to outstanding young men of excellent character who were recommended by various social service agencies in the Greater Philadelphia area. Men and women are now eligible for the award.

	Voice of the Eagles Now Playing at The Prep In the Pulitzer Prize winning musical comedy, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (H2$),” the voice of the narrator is a prominently featured role. This spring, those attending the Cape and Sword Drama Society’s production of the show will be surprised to hear whose voice it is. Read More >>

	Prep Drama Celebrates 25 Shows With Braithwaite How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (H2$), the Cape and Sword Drama Society’s spring show, will be the 25th show produced by Tony Braithwaite ’89. The show will run May 10, 12-13 and May 16-20. In addition, to celebrate this momentous occasion, the second performance of H2$ on Saturday, May 12, will be a special show for everyone who has worked with Braithwaite during his tenure. In addition to the show, “The First Annual Tony's Awards” will honor achievement over the past 12 years and 24 shows. Nominations were accepted for the Tony's (Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Set, etc.) and a Steering Committee will determine the winners. Eligible shows include everything between Arsenic and Old Lace (fall of ’95) and Mister Roberts (fall of ’06). More Information >>

	Summer School Spots Still Available A limited number of spots are still available for the Pre-8th Grade Summer Enrichment Program, which runs from June 25 until July 25. Applications are available on the admissions website or by contacting the Summer School Office at 215-978-1954. More Info on Pre-8th >>

	Speedy Morris Basketball Camp Boys ages 8 to 15 can attend the popular Bill “Speedy” Morris Basketball Camp at The Prep. There are two week-long options, June 11 through 15 or June 18 through 22, from 9:00am until 3:00pm. The cost for the week-long program is $185. For those boys who enroll before May 1, the cost is $170 plus the camper will receive a free St. Joseph ’s Prep basketball. For more information or to obtain a brochure, call Coach Morris at 215-978-3303.

	Hawk Rowing Camp 2007 Hawk Rowing Camp (HRC) is a “learn to row” program that introduces the Olympic sport of rowing to boys and girls ages 12 to 16 years of age (primarily 7th and 8th grade students). The goal is to provide opportunities for students interested in learning about rowing in a non-competitive environment. The sessions teach individuals the mechanics of how to row with one oar (sweep rowing) and improve rowing skills in a relaxed atmosphere. The students will gain an appreciation for technical aspects of the sport, as well as the team work involved in moving eight-oared rowing shells. The HRC staff draws on a wealth of experience from high school, club, college and international coaches. Read More >>

	Wrestling Awards Presented The wrestling team gave out several awards at its annual banquet: Outstanding Wrestler: Chris Kay ’08 Outstanding Senior: Pete Goldner ’07 Most Improved Scholar Athlete: Ryan Kelly ’08 Most falls (15): Nick Cardone ’08 and Tom McCabe ’07 2007-2008 Captains: Ryan Wallace ’08, Bill Palombi ’08, Nick Cardone ’08, Ryan Kelly ’08

	Experience Renaissance Italy This Summer Prep students can enroll in a summer art course, with part of the syllabus including travel to Northern Italy to study the art of the Renaissance first hand. This is a three-week, half-credit art history course that begins at The Prep and culminates in a 10-day trip to Italy. Questions can be directed to Ms. Deborah Hilton at dhilton@sjprep.org.

	Dugan Trio Featured in NPR Concert Peter Dugan ’07 and his trio (piano, violin, cello) performed on Tuesday, April 10 at Verizon Hall in the Kimmel Center at a program that was a taping for the NPR show “From the Top.” This is a special Philly show with a live audience. David Lee ’07 also performed as part of a larger orchestra. In addition, “Eyewitness News” (KYW-TV/Channel 3) ran a news piece about the show featuring the trio. View more at KYW >>

	Bolden Writes Story for Inquirer Akeem Bolden ’07 wrote a story on Gesu School basketball coach Sean Deal for a special section of the Saturday, March 31 issue of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Bolden was part of the Acel Moore Career Development Workshop, an annual project sponsored by The Philadelphia Inquirer that seeks to introduce minority students to the field of journalism.

	Hawktion Celebrates 25th Anniversary The 25th Anniversary Hawktion Gala will take place on Saturday, April 28. The event got a great kick start with the first-ever Gift Gathering Party in February. Chairs Sheila and Jim McGlone ’79 and Joann and Bob Duff thank all who attended this successful event. Many wonderful gifts of time, treasure and talent were received and gratefully appreciated. Read More >>

	Prep and La Salle Announce Change in Football Rivalry St. Joseph’s Prep and La Salle College High School have decided to make a change to their football schedules, limiting their meetings to once during the regular season in addition to any playoff match-ups. This coming season, the teams will kick-off their Catholic League Red Division schedules when they meet on Saturday, September 22, 2007 at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School. Read More >>

	Byron Writes Book for Married Couples "Words at the Wedding" is the title of the latest book by Rev. William J. Byron, S.J. ’45 published by Paulist Press. It grows out of Father Byron’s many years of experience as a priest and pastor, working with young men and women in preparation for marriage, as well as his years of working with older couples in retreats for married persons. Order Now from Paulist Press >>

	Speedy Morris Picked as PA's Top Coach Prep basketball coach Speedy Morris was selected by "Scholastic Coach and Athletic Director" as the top high school coach in Pennsylvania during the past 75 years in any sport. Morris, who also coached at Roman Catholic, Penn Charter and La Salle University, has won nine high school league titles, including two Catholic League championships at The Prep. He is also the school’s all-time winningest coach.

	Wrestling Round-Up The young Prep wrestling team, without a single senior starting on the varsity, had many highlights during the 2006-07 season. The team’s best senior, Peter Goldner, was third in the PCL in 2006 but was injured in the fall and did not return to wrestle any matches before the PCL Championships in mid-February. Read More >>

	Swimming Ends Outstanding Season The Prep swim team had an outstanding 2006-07 season, concluding with a second place finish at the Catholic League Championships. Read More >>

	Prep Hockey Wins Flyers Cup Game The Prep hockey team defeated Germantown Academy when they faced off in a Flyers Cup game played at the Skatium. The Prep won with a score of 3-2 in overtime. Read More at flyershistory.net >>

	Zebley Earns Bowling All-Catholic Drew Zebley ’07 was named All-Catholic in Bowling, the first time in two years that a Prep bowler has earned that distinction. Zebley, who was team captain, participated in the All-Catholic match this year in early March. Prep Bowling >>

	Campaign Kicks Off with Celebration and Tours On Sunday, February 25, The Campaign for The Prep ~ Our Legacy, Our Future kicked off with a Mass, followed by a presentation on the project and tours of the future academic center. Nearly 400 members of the Prep community braved the winter weather for a chance to learn more about the plans for the future of The Prep. For more information about The Campaign for The Prep, visit the Campaign Website.

	Prep Runners Earn All-Catholic Honors The following members of the indoor track team earned All-Catholic honors: Mark Alexander '07 (4x800); John Castillo '09 (Distance medley relay, 800m); Tom Iannacone '08 (Mile run and 4x800); Sean McChesney '08 (Distance medley relay, 400m); Chris O'Sullivan '10 (Distance medlay relay, 1200m); John Pickhaver '09 (Distance medley relay, 1600m); Matt Prybella '07 (4x800); Jim Shields '07 (4x800); and Mark Springel '08 (3000).

	Relay Team Swims to Record In a 51-36 victory over Archbishop Wood on Thursday, February 1, the 400 free relay team (Matt Belecanech '10, Colin Francesco '08, Jim McGlone '08 and Terence Mahon '07) set a new pool record with a time of 3:19.47. The previous record was 3:20.96 set in 1989 by Ed Broderick '89, Denis Curran '89, Bob McCann '89 and Michael Englesbe '89.

	The New SJPrepShop.com Just in time for all of your holiday shopping needs, we are proud to announce the launch of the new online home of the Prep Spirit Shop at www.sjprepshop.com. Take a look now for all of your favorite Prep items and check back soon as we will be adding many more in the coming weeks. Visit SJPrepShop.com >>

	Tennis Advances to Catholic League Championship The Prep tennis team defeated Archbishop Ryan 62-32 in the Catholic League semifinals and will play La Salle in the championship today (Thursday, May 10) at 3:30pm at LaSalle University.

	Tickets for "How to Succeed..." Available Now You can now purchase tickets online with credit card for the Cape and Sword Drama Society's production of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." Beat the crowds and buy your tickets today before they go on sale in the Treasurer's Office and Cafeteria next week. H2$ runs May 10 - 20. Tickets are $10 and all shows are general admission. Show Times and Ticket Info >>

	Dress Down Day on Friday The Prep community will participate in National Hokie Spirit Day on Friday, April 20 to show its support for Virginia Tech. Students, faculty and staff who wish to dress in maroon and orange can contribute to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund.

	A Message from the President In response to the recent tragedy at Virginia Tech, Prep President Rev. William J. Byron, S.J. ’45 offers the following message: “The thoughts and prayers of the St. Joseph's Prep community are with the men and women at Virginia Tech, especially those who were killed or wounded. We are especially mindful of our two alumni currently studying there, Christian Barlow ’03 and Jordan Mrazik ’06, and Christine Williams and Katie McDevitt, the sisters of Matt Williams ’08 and Connor McDevitt ’07, who are also enrolled there. We thank God for their safety and beg God for physical, psychological, and spiritual healing throughout the entire Virginia Tech community.” Read More >>

	Crew Alumni Day Prep crew alumni and their families and friends are invited on Sunday, April 29, for the fourth annual Prep Crew Alumni & Family Day. This day-long event, free to all alumni and their families, is held at the Rev. J. Vincent Taggart Rowing Center in the Robert Gillin, Jr. Boathouse and coincides with the Catholic League Championship Regatta. The day will feature alumni races from each Prep Crew era against other alumni boats from the rest of the league. Mass will be held in the boathouse at 10 a.m.., with a boat christening following. During and after the races, there will be a casual reception for alumni, family and friends. The day is a fantastic opportunity to visit the boathouse, see old friends, and cheer on the 2007 team. Read More >>

	Mixer Moved to Saturday The mixer originally scheduled for Friday, April 20 has been moved to Saturday, April 21. The time of the dance will still be 7:00pm-10:00pm. Tickets are on sale in the Treasurer's Office and will not be for sale at the door. Anyone who is unable to purchase tickets in advance should contact Bill Gillespie at wgillespie@sjprep.org.

	Ignatian Heritage Week The Prep is dedicating the week of April 23-26 to a celebration of our Ignatian heritage. The Ignatian Heritage Week Committee - composed of Dr. Stew Barbera ’86, Sam Deitch, Kathy Quinter, Paul Rourke, S.J. and Andrew Whelan - has planned several events for the week. Each day will highlight a different aspect of our identity. Read More >>

	Prep Calendar Changes The following are some important changes to the Prep Calendar: Sophomore Conversation: Sophomore parents are reminded to return completed parent input forms to the Main Office no later than Monday morning, April 16. Junior Ring Mass: To accommodate various after school activities, the Junior Ring Mass will begin at 7:00pm instead of 6:30pm, on April 19. Junior / Senior Parents: Please look for a mailing in the next few days regarding Junior / Senior Parent Night (originally listed on the calendar as Pre-Prom Meeting) on Tuesday, May 1 at 7:00pm.

	English Writing Contests Students who are interested in submitting entries for the Grady (for seniors) and Bennett (for underclassmen) Writing Contests must do so by Friday, April 20 in the main office. More info on Grady Writing Contest >> More info on Bennett Writing Contest >>

	Hawktion Underwriting Opportunities Available Hawktion 2007 is on April 28 and is fast approaching. Do you want to donate but just don't know what to get? Why not underwrite an item that has already been purchased - simply visit the Hawktion Donation section of SJPrepShop.com >> Would you rather donate your time instead? Volunteers are still needed for the Wednesday Night Decorating Committee. To find out more, contact Beth Missett at bmissett@sjprep.org. hawktion.sjprep.org >>

	Junior Ring Mass Contrary to the listing in the recent edition of The Prep News, the Junior Ring Mass will take place on Thursday, April 19 at 6:00pm in the Church of the Gesu. We apologize for the error. For more information, call the main office at 215-978-1951.

	Prep Day at the Phillies Join us on Wednesday, April 4 at 7:05pm to watch the Philadelphia Phillies take on the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. The Prep Fathers' Club and Alumni Association have reserved 500 centerfield seats for present and past Preppers and their families. Tickets are $22 each and may be purchased online until March 28. Purchase Tickets >>

	Prep and Malvern Announce New Thanksgiving Game This year, a new Thanksgiving football rivalry will begin as St. Joseph’s Prep matches up with Malvern Prep, renewing a holiday rivalry from the early 1970's. The first game in this new series will take place on Thursday, November 22 at 10:30am, at Villanova Stadium. Read More >>

	Fr. Byron in Series on Prayer Prep President Rev. William J. Byron, S.J. ’45 has recorded several sessions on how to enrich your prayer life. These sessions, which are produced by NowYouKnowMedia.com and titled “Let Yourself Pray,” are 12 talks on topics such as “Prayer for All Seasons,” “For Every Circumstances, A Prayer” and “Changing Moods, Changing Prayers.” Order Now >>

	Prep Basketball in the Catholic League Quarterfinals The Prep basketball team will take on Roman Catholic in the Catholic League quarterfinals on Saturday, February 24 at Cardinal O'Hara High School at 12 noon. The date, originally listed for Saturday, had been moved to Friday at one point last week before being switched back. The Prep, which is the third seed in the Southern Division, and Roman split the two regular season meetings. Top-seeded Neumann-Goretti will face Monsignor Bonner will play at 4:00pm. The semifinals are scheduled for February 28 at The Palestra and the championship game will be on Sunday, March 4, also at The Palestra. More About Prep Basketball >>

	Parent Teacher Conferences Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, March 1, 2007. Please note that these conferences are by appointment only. Register Here >>

	Junior Parent College Presentation Rescheuled The Junior Parent College Presentation scheduled originally scheduled for Tuesday, February 13 has been rescheduled for Wednesday, February 21. The movie will begin at 6:00pm in the theater, followed by the presentation at 7:00pm.

	Swimming Takes on LaSalle The Prep swim team will host LaSalle on Thursday, February 15 at 3:45pm, in a battle of Catholic League unbeaten teams. La Salle has won the league swimming title every season since 1989 and not lost a league meet since that year. The last team to beat La Salle was The Prep in 1988, clinching the league title in a head-to-head meet. Since then, LaSalle has won 151 regular season meets in the PCL has also dominated the season-ending championships. Read More >>

	Foreign Language Awareness Month February is Foreign Language Awareness Month and in keeping with the theme of “Discovering Languages,” the Modern Language Department is sponsoring a foreign film festival each Wednesday in February. More Information >>

	Black History Month Events Scheduled The Black and Latino Culture Club is planning events and a film series to celebrate the achievements and accomplishments of African Americans, as well as document the struggles encountered. Besides selected readings during the morning announcements and a school-wide contest on Black History, they are offering a “Black History Month Film Festival.” Throughout the month of February five films of historical importance will be shown. More Information >>

	Relay Swimmers Excel at Nationals Prep Swimming achieved great things at National Catholics. The Prep finished in fifth place in a field of more than 20 teams from Baltimore, Washington, D.C., New Jersey and Philadelphia. Establishing itself among the elite teams in the area, the Prep finished with 204 points, well ahead of PCL powerhouse LaSalle (159) and just behind Malvern Prep (229.5). The medley started things off with a second place finish in a time of 1:37.80. In addition to earning silver medals, Matt Belecanech ’10, James Fenningham ’07, Greg Mahon ’09 and Terence Mahon ’07 set a new team record and earned All-American honors with their effort. In addition, Greg Mahon won the gold medal in the 100 Fly (52.25). Check out all the results here.

	Cape and Sword Announces Spring Show This spring the Cape and Sword Drama Society will produce the 1961 hit musical, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." The show will run May 10, 12 - 13, 16 - 20. Many thanks to all who auditioned for the show the cast list is now available. Cast List >>

	Basketball Game to Be Televised On Friday, January 26 at 3:30pm The Prep's varsity basketball team will host Monsignor Bonner and Virginia-bound high school scorer Jeff Jones. This important game for the Hawks will be broadcast statewide Friday evening at 7:30pm on the Pennsylvania Cable Network. For local PCN cable listings, click here.

	Alexandra Robbins Lecture Noted author Alexandra Robbins, whose recent book Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids is a national best seller, will be at The Prep on Wednesday, January 31 at 7:00pm, with light refreshments to be served prior to the event. The talk is sponsored by the Taggart Series and the Office of Ignatian Identity. For more information or to RSVP for this event, click here or call 215-978-1018.

	SpeakUp! On Saturday, February 3, at Merion Mercy Academy, students from The Prep will join with students from three other schools for a special event called “SpeakUp!” Prep students joined with students from Merion Mercy, Malvern Prep and the Academy of Notre Dame, to plan a day of communication between young adults and their parents. The program was designed in collaboration with parents, teachers and administrators. Read More >>

	Byron to Speak at Woodstock Business Conference Prep President Rev. William J. Byron, S.J. '45 will be the featured speaker at a breakfast meeting of the Scranton chapter of the Woodstock Business Conference on Thursday, February 15. The event will be held at the Hilton Scranton & Convention Center at 7:30am. Admission costs $38 and includes a buffet breakfast and a copy of Byron's new book "The Power of Principles: Ethics in the New Corporate Culture." For more information and registration forms, click here.

	Prep Football Sends Three to PA All-Star Game St. Joseph’s Prep had three football players selected to represent the East in the East/West Pennsylvania State All-Star Game, which is played in Altoona in June. The players selected were Joe D’Orazio (center), Ryan Haber (defensive line) and Neil Doogan (linebacker).

	Breaking the Waves Swim-A-Thon The Prep will host its “Breaking the Waves” Swim-A-Thon on Sunday, January 14. The overnight swim-a-thon, which runs from 9:30pm until 6am, is designed to raise awareness of adolescent depression and suicide. In conjunction with the Counseling Department, Breaking the Waves will kick-off The Prep’s Mental Health and Awareness Week. For more information or to learn how you can get involved, please contact Mr. Paul G. Morrissey at pmorrissey@sjprep.org. More information and online donations >>

	Whitney and Battipaglia Selected to Big 33 Game Chris Whitney ’07 (quarterback) and Jeff Battapaglia ’07 (offensive line) were also selected to the prestigious Big 33 Game. The selections are made after a film review by 15-20 of the best coaches across Pennsylvania. Whitney was selected above quarterbacks who have committed to Division I scholarships. Battapaglia was selected despite not being picked for the all-state team. He is considering offers from West Point and the Naval Academy. The Big 33 game, which pits Pennsylvania’s best against Ohio’s, will take place on Saturday, June 16 at 7:00pm at Hersheypark Stadium. More Information on the Big 33 Game >>

	Gwynedd Mercy Academy Wins Prep Tournament Congratulations to Gwynedd Mercy Academy for winning the 2006 Grade School Basketball tournament. GMA emerged victorious in the 32-team field, besting St. Thomas Aquinas, 50-46, in the championship game. GMA’s Joe Naji was named tournament MVP. The rest of the all-tournament team is: Joe Brown (Ancillae-Assumpta Academy); Brendan Purcell (St. Aloysius Academy); Mike Dougherty (St. Aloysius Academy); Dennis Regan (St. Christopher); Mike Ryman (St. Christopher); Jason Katz (St. Bede); Mike McGreavy (St. Edmond); Chase Morgan (St. Edmond); Abdul King (St. Martin de Porres); Sahmir Thomas (St. Martin de Porres); Lamin Fulton (St. Thomas Aquinas); Tyrone Madison (St. Thomas Aquinas); Pat Kerr (Gwynedd-Mercy Academy); and Clint Barber (Gwynedd-Mercy Academy).

	Whitney Selected to All-State Team Chris Whitney '07 was selected to the Associated Press' all-state team as an offensieve specialist. Whitney, who won the Catholic League Red Division MVP Award for the second straight season, plays both quarterback and safety for The Prep. The team registered another undefeated regular season and reached the league finals for the seventh straight season.

	Prep Book Drive Collects Record Number of Books The very successful Prep Book Drive has been completed and, once again, The Prep community was extremely generous. The final tally was 15,620, beating last year's total of 15,100. The drive received 3,700 books on Friday alone. In its four-year history, The Prep Book Drive, has collected 47,170, prompting organizer Mr. Joe Coyle to remark “the students we have at The Prep are amazing.” Each year the drive has collected more books than the year before (5,700 in 2003, 11,200 in 2004, and 15,300 in 2005). The books were donated to PhillyReads and other needy schools in the Philadelphia region. A special thank you goes to Mr. Coyle for his work in organizing the drive and to all of the students, faculty, staff and others who donated to this worthy cause.

	Prep at the School of the Americas Five members of the St. Joseph ’s Prep community attended the School of Americas (now named WHINSEC) protest in November in Georgia. Nick Rosenberger ’07 reflected on part of his experience during the three-day event which included a conference and liturgy organized by the Ignatian Solidarity Network and concluded with a prayerful protest at the gate of Fort Benning, the home of the school. His reflection focuses on his experience during the tour and question and answer session on the base. Read more >>

	Swimming Records Fall The Prep swim team started its Catholic League season last Thursday with a decisive 75-19 victory over Roman Catholic. The team opened the meet by shattering the 200 Medley Relay Pool Record. The time of 1:39.31 knocked nearly four seconds off of the old mark set last year. The medley is comprised of Matt Belecanech '10, Jim Fenningham '07, Greg Mahon '09 and Terence Mahon '07. Read more >>

	Prep Desktop Backgrounds Now Available A selection of Prep Desktop Backgrounds for your computer are now available in the online Prep Shop at www.sjprepshop.com. These backgrounds are free to download. Many thanks to Scott Oeschger '90 for the designs. Download the backgrounds here >>

	Midterm Exam Information Midterm exams will take place throughout the week of January 8 - 12. Exam schedules and other important information can be found here. Exam room assignments will be posted in the foyer the morning of the exam and are also available here. View Exam Information >>

	Merry Christmas from The Prep All of us here at The Prep would like to extend to you and your family wishes of a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. View Christmas Card >>

	Christmas Mixer Date Changed The Christmas Mixer, which was originally scheduled for Friday 12/15 has been rescheduled for Thursday 12/21. The time of the mixer will still be 7pm-10pm. Tickets cost $7 and will be on sale beginning Monday 12/18 in the Prep Treasurer's Office and at select girls' schools. Girls may also request tickets by sending an email to wgillespie@sjprep.org beginning Monday.

	PSAT Result Ditribution On Thursday, December 14 Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors received their PSAT test booklets and score reports in homeroom. Parents should be aware that counselors will be meeting with students to discuss the score results and answer any questions students have during their guidance periods. Students and parents are welcome to contact their counselor with any questions.

	Whitney Wins Prestigious High School Football Award Prep quarterback/safety Chris Whitney ’07 was selected as a winner of the Maxwell Football Club’s Mini Max High School Award. This award puts him among an elite group of individuals in this year’s class of honorees. He will receive his award at a dinner in January. Read more >>

	Prep Book Drive 2006 The very successful Prep Book Drive is going on right now and will continue through December 15. Each year the drive has collected more books than the year before (5,700 in 2003, 11,200 in 2004, and 15,300 in 2005). The drive is now in its fourth year and has received much praise, including being honored at halftime at a 76ers game last year as part of the team’s “Hometown Heroes” program. The books will be donated to PhillyReads and other needy schools in the Philadelphia region. The books should be geared towards students in grades K through 12 and be gently used or new. Please do not send any textbooks or magazines. All books should be brought to Mr. Joe Coyle in room 103 during the dates of the drive only. Alumni interested in participating can send their books to The Prep and the attention of Mr. Coyle. For more information, contact Mr. Coyle at jcoyle@sjprep.org.

	Thanksgiving Food Drives a Big Success The Community Service Corps’ annual Thanksgiving Food Drive collected enough food for 150 families in the neighborhood directly surrounding The Prep. Each homeroom then delivered the food directly to the homes. In addition, more than 2,000 pounds of food were delivered to Nutritional Development Services of the Archdiocese after being collected at the Catholic League Championship football game between The Prep and LaSalle . Terry Materesse, President of Our Community Works and a member of LaSalle’s Fathers’ Club, said, “While the outcome of the game did not favor St. Joe’s, the outpouring of students, alumni, families and friends who contributed to the collection brightly reflected The Prep’s continuing traditions of social justice.”

	Journee Francaise This past month a number of students in Mr. Raffa's French III and IV classes traveled to Widener University for a celebration of the culture of France and francophone countries. The day included a number of seminars as well as a dance class featuring original dances from French-speaking West African countries. This is just one of many trips planned by the The Prep's Modern Language department to further immerse students in the cultures they study.

	Madden for Charity Throughout November the Black and Latino Culture Club ran the Second Annual 'Madden '07' Tournament. An unprecedented wave of new participants as well as faculty, staff, and student sponsorships has raised the total charitable donation over $900 thus far, more than double last year’s total. The BLCC has earmarked the donations to be split evenly among three worthwhile causes: * Don Guanella Village (Springfield, Montgomery County) - a facility center for mentally-retarded boys and men. * St. Augustine Church of the Covenant (27th & Girard) - the Church runs a “Christmas Food Basket” drive for the poor and the elderly. * Nationally recognized house for seriously ill children and their families (39th & Chestnut). On Thursday, November 30, the Black and Latino Culture Club will present its donations to representatives of these charities. Anyone wishing to lend support to the tournament and its selected charities should contact the BLCC moderator, Joseph Daniels ’90 at jldaniels@sjprep.org or (267) 515-5942.

	Calling All Poets, Musicians, Comedians, Actors ... On Thursday, December 7, The Rev. J. Vincent Taggart, S.J., Cultural Events Series at St. Joseph’s Prep is hosting its first ever “Open Mic” event from 3-5 pm in the Library. This event is open to all students, faculty and staff. Beginning Tuesday, November 21, there will be a blue book in the main office to sign up for this event. A mandatory meeting will take place in the library on Wednesday, November 29 at 2:40 pm. At this time, all participants will be required to provide the committee with the written version of the piece to be performed. These pieces should not run longer than 6-8 minutes. For more information, contact Sonia Nelson at snelson@sjprep.org.

	The Taggart Cultural Events Series Presents Maxed Out The Rev. J. Vincent Taggart, S.J., Cultural Events Series is sponsoring a showing of the documentary “Maxed Out,” a film about the dangers of credit card debt, on Tuesday, November 28. In addition, Prep President Rev. William J. Byron, S.J., ’45 , a noted professor of business ethics, will introduce the documentary and then present a discussion about the film. All members of The Prep community are invited. Read more >>

	Prep Alum Wins Logo Design Contest The Archdiocese of Philadelphia announces that Mr. Dan Cellucci, of Saint Thomas of Villanova Parish, is the winner of the Bicentennial logo contest. Mr. Cellucci’s winning design, will be used to promote the year-long celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The celebration will be observed from April 2007 through April 2008. The logo is an artistic interpretation of the bicentennial theme which is Serving the People of God in the Beginning, Now and Always. The logo will be used on banners, posters and other printed material throughout the Bicentennial. Read more >>

	Mister Roberts Closes to Rave Reviews On Sunday, November 12 the Cape and Sword Drama Society finished out it's run of Mister Roberts with a weekend of four sold out performances. The show had been reviewed by a team of critics from the Greater Philadelphia Cappies, an organization created to create more awareness of high school theater. These reviews appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer on Monday, November 13: Article 1 \| Article 2

	Whitney to Play in All-American Bowl Chris Whitney ’07 has been selected to play in the All-American Bowl on January 6, 2007 at the Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. It is a High School All-American Game pitting the best of the East vs. the best of the West. Whitney, who is also The Prep’s quarterback, was selected as a safety.

	Football and Soccer Both Win Division Titles On back to back days, the Prep soccer and football teams clinched division titles. The soccer team won the regular season Catholic League Southern Division title with a 5-0 win over Roman on Friday, October 27. For more on that game, click here. It is the 25th time that The Prep has won the Southern Division crown. The team has made the playoffs in 32 consecutive years. Football clinched the top seed in the Catholic League Red Division with a 28-0 win over North Catholic the following day. For more on that win, click here.

	Prep and LaSalle to Play Catholic League Championship La Salle College High School and St. Joseph’s Prep will stage another chapter in its longstanding rivalry, this time with the Catholic League title on the line. The two teams will face off on Friday, November 24 at 7 p.m., at Northeast High School. Because of the championship meeting, the game originally scheduled for Thanksgiving Day has been canceled. This newly scheduled game also moves the championship game from its original date of Saturday, December 2. Read more>>

	Thanksgiving Food Drive 2006 The Prep Community Service Corps will again be sponsoring it's annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. This year, food baskets will be sent to 150 families in the neighborhood immediately surrounding The Prep. Each homeroom has been assigned a specific food item, and each student is asked to bring in four of that item to make the food drive a success. Also, any family who would like to donate a turkey should send it in to school on Monday, November 20. For homeroom food assignments, click here, or for more information contact Barbara Brown at (215) 978-1992 or bbrown@sjprep.org.

	Prep vs. LaSalle: Rivals for a Cause At the Catholic League Red Division football game between The Prep and La Salle College High School, there will be a competition to see who can bring the most non-perishable food items to be donated to food cupboards throughout the Delaware Valley . At the game at Northeast High School , representatives will collect food items from both sets of fans from 5-7 p.m. The fans who bring the most food items will win this contest. Read more >>

	Dugan To Perform With Orchestra Peter Dugan ’07 will be performing Saint-Saens’ Piano Concerto #2 with the Bryn Athyn Orchestra on Sunday, November 19 at 4 p.m. He will be performing the entire work, which is 25 to 30 minutes of very intense, exciting, and challenging music. “The Prep's support of my musical goals has meant so much to me over the past four years,” says Dugan. “It would be great if people from The Prep could be there for this performance.” The concert is at Bryn Athyn College in Bryn Athyn, Pa. For directions and more information about tickets, the program, or the orchestra, please click here.

	Football Semifinals This Friday The Prep Football team will take on North Catholic in the Catholic League Red Semifinals on Friday, November 17 at 7:00pm at Northeast High School. Tickets can be purchased now in the Prep Treasurer's Office for $7 or at the gate for $10. For directions to Northeast High School, click here. Tickets for the Homecoming game against LaSalle on Thanksgiving Day will not be sold until the week of November 20. They will be $8 in advance or $10 at the gate.

	Parent-Teacher Conferences on Thursday 11/16 Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on the evening of Thursday, 11/16 from 2:00pm - 4:00pm and 5:00pm - 7:00pm. For more information about conferences, click here. The online registration period ended on Tuesday, November 14.

	Prep Soccer Advances to Semifinals After topping Archbishop Carroll by a score of 3 - 0 in the PCL Quarterfinals on November 4, the Prep Soccer team will advance to play Archbishop Ryan in the Semifinals. The game will take place at 11:00am on Saturday, November 11 at Archbishop Ryan. This is the first game of a double header, which will be followed by a match between LaSalle and Roman Catholic. For directions to Archbishop Ryan, click here.

	Mister Roberts Opens November 3 The Cape and Sword Drama Society's production of Mister Roberts opens on Friday, November 3. Mister Roberts is based on a 1946 novel by Thomas Heggen about his experiences aboard the USS Virgo, a navy cargo ship positioned in the South Pacific in the waning days of WWII. It originally appeared on Broadway in 1948 and as a film starring Henry Fonda, James Cagney, William Powell and a young Jack Lemmon in 1955. The Prep's show, produced and directed by Tony Braithwaite '89, runs on Friday 11/3 (8:00pm), Saturday 11/4 (8:00pm), Sunday 11/5 (4:00pm), Thursday 11/9 (6:30pm), Friday 11/10 (8:00pm with a post show discussion with cast and crew), Saturday 11/11 (8:00pm), and Sunday 11/12 (4:00pm). Tickets are $10 ($8 for students) and are on sale now in The Prep's Treasurer's Office.

	Football Finishes Regular Season This Friday The Prep Football Team will close out its regular season with a game against Cardinal O'Hara on Friday, 11/3 at 7:30pm at Widener University. Please note that a typo in the printed school calendar has the game listed for Saturday instead of Friday. For directions to Widener University, click here.

	Prep Soccer Advances to Playoffs The Prep soccer team, which won the regular season Southern Division title, will open the playoffs against Archbishop Carroll on Saturday, November 4 at 2:00pm, at Chestnut Hill Academy. For directions on how to get to Chestnut Hill, click here.

	Cross Country at the Independent School Championship The St. Joseph's Prep cross country team participated in the Independent Schools Championship and finished in second place. Tom Iannacone '07 earned first-team honors while Mark Springle '08 and Jim Shields '07 earned second team. Pictured are: Jim Shields, Tom Iannacone, John Castillo, John Pickhaver, Mark Springle, Sean Gallagher and Matt Prybella.

	Preppers Join the KYW Weather Team On Wednesday, October 25, CBS-3 weatherman Brooks Tomlin came to The Prep to speak with journalism students and kick off the station's "Weather Wednesday" program. Each Wednesday, Tomlin and the weather van will visit a different school. Kevin Coyle '99 is a segment producer for the CBS-3 and helped to arrange the visit. Footage of the segment can be found here.

	The Prep Welcomes Visitors From Overseas Fourteen students from St. Malachy's College in Belfast, Northern Ireland visited The Prep on Tuesday, October 24. As part of their visit, the group played a basketball game against members of last year's freshman basketball team. The students stayed in Philadelphia for several days before traveling to New York and Boston. While in town, the students had a "Philly-style" breakfast consisting of scrapple, eggs, homefries, and chipped beef. They then shadowed several students for three periods before heading to the Art Museum, Rocky statue, and to the Irish Memorial. A "Philly-style" dinner followed the game.

	Italian Culture Club Meets Papale Earlier this month, the Italian Culture Club marched in the annual Philadelphia Columbus Day parade. This year, the students met parade grand marshal Vince Papale, a former Philadelphia Eagle and the inspiration for the movie “Invincible,” and presented him with a SJP Italian Culture Club T-shirt and the gold "Men for Others" pin.

	Jim Murray Celebrates 500th Career Win Longtime Prep soccer coach Jim Murray '59 achieved a coaching milestone with his 500th career win. This win came with a 9-1 victory over Monsignor Bonner in a game on Tuesday, 10/10. Since Murray began coaching at The Prep in 1970 the soccer team has won or shared 24 Southern Division titles and made the playoffs for 31 consecutive years. Murray's overall record currently stands at 500-237-72. Read more from the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News.

	BLCC Hispanic Heritage Month Events The St. Joseph ’s Prep Black and Latino Culture Club (BLCC) will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month during October. This month-long celebration commemorates the noteworthy achievements and accomplishments of Latinos throughout the Americas , most especially within the United States . The student officers of the BLCC felt particularly determined to offer the greater Prep community opportunities to learn more about Latino history and culture this year, just as they have prepared films, posters, and trivia for Black History month in the past. In the upcoming weeks, the Prep community will see posters, hear from Latino students, and learn more about the "Latino History Trivia" contest which will be open to all homerooms. Read more >>

	Prep Football Fans Raise Money for Injured Player Fans at the Prep-Roman football game on Saturday, 9/23 raised more than $1,000 to benefit Shykem Lawrence, a football player at Woodrow Wilson High School who was paralyzed during a game. Donations are still being accepted here. This effort was organized and sponsored by Prep football parents and the Football Alumni Association (FAA).

	PowerSchool Upgrades As of Monday, 10/2 The Prep is running a newer version of PowerSchool. Over the next month or so we will be phasing out the old Red Apple logo and replacing it with the new logo pictured at left, representing the fact that PowerSchool is now owned by Peason School Systems. There should be no noticeable difference in the usability of PowerSchool and students and parents should still be able to access the system as they did before by logging in here.

	Alumni / Father-Son Communion Breakfast The annual Alumni/Father-Son Communion Breakfast will take place on Sunday, October 22. Mass begins in the Church of the Gesu at 10 a.m. with breakfast to follow in the Kelly Fieldhouse. All fathers and sons are invited. If a father is unable to accompany a student, any other male in the student’s life is welcome to attend. The keynote speaker is Dave Mingey ’88 , who spent several months in Iraq helping to get that country’s Olympic team ready for the 2004 Olympics. His story is inspirational and entertaining. In addition, awards will be presented to Chris Whitney ’07 (Sauter Award), John Paul ’66 (Alumnus of the Year) and Dr. Stewart Barbera ’50 (Schnorr Service Award). To register for this event online or to obtain more information, go to: http://alumni.sjprep.org/breakfast. If you need additional information, please contact Al Zimmerman ’73, Moderator of the Fathers’ Club, at (215) 978-1013 or at azimmerman@sjprep.org.

	Football Game Against Judge To Be Televised The varsity football game against Father Judge originally scheduled for Saturday, 10/14 at 7:00pm has been pushed back one half hour to 7:30pm. The game will still take place at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School (directions). This will be one of three upcoming televised games that will be broadcast through WMCN-TV/Channel 22 in Atlantic City and carried on many cable and satellite systems throughout the area. To find the channel near you, go to: http://www.wmcn.tv/cablecoverage.html.

	Planned Power Outage and Computer Service Disruption On Monday, 10/9 from 8:00am - 1:00pm there will be a planned disruption to many of The Prep's computer services. PowerSchool, Moodle, Prep Email, telephones, voicemail, and internet access will be unavailable during that time. Please plan on not using any of these services Monday morning. This website and the Prep's Online Comminty will not be affected by this outage.

	Gannon Selected as Honor Grad in US Navy Program Christopher Gannon ’07, a Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Program, completed JAG Training and was selected as the Honor Grad. Gannon participated in and staffed the JAG Legal Academy held this summer at the Naval War College in Newport , RI . The program is an academically intense training in which students were required to read and brief several appellate cases each evening, were called on and expected to participate in class, and were required to make arguments or conduct questioning during the mock trial. As “Honor Cadet” Chris was cited for having the highest grade in the class while serving in the dual capacity as student and staff. Chris has been a cadet in the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet program since 2001 and is currently the Assistant Division Officer for the Aegis Division which drills at Ft. Dix , N.J. Chris was promoted to Chief Petty Officer, the highest level in the program, in early 2006 and was selected to participate in two International Exchange programs in the UK and Canada the previous summer.

	Gallagher is Scholarship Semifinalist Northeast Philadelphia resident James Gallagher, a senior at St. Joseph’s Prep, qualified as a semifinalist in the 2007 National Achievement Scholarship Program. He joins more than 1,600 Black American high school seniors from around the country in meeting the criteria for this prestigious award. Read more >>

	Brown Wins Prestigious Award from PA House Barbara Brown, a biology teacher and moderator of the Community Service Corps, accepted an award from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives called the “181 Points of Light Award,” given out by the 181st district. The award, signed by Representative W. Curtis Thomas, states “the awards committee consists of groups of community members who have come together to identify those among us who serve as a beacon of light in someone's life. Our mission statement is to give recognition to those individuals in the 181st district who have given of themselves to make life better for someone else.

	Prep Students Raise Money for Cancer Research On Tuesday, September 19, the St. Joseph's Prep community raised over $1,100 for pediatric cancer research. The money was raised during a pretzel sale organized by Student Council, with special credit going to Dan Kaufmann '07 for his hard work. The fundraiser is in conjunction with Philadelphia Insurance Companies, one of the sponsors of The Parkway 5k Run and Family Walk to be held on Sunday, September 24. For more information, click here.

	AP Government Students Attend Michael Chertoff Lecture On Friday 9/15 nine students who are members of Mr. Conners' and Mr. Haney's AP Government classes attended a lecture by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. The event, hosted at the Union League by the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, focused on measures that have been taken to protect the US after the attacks of 9/11/01.

	Cape and Sword Drama Society's Fall Show Announced This fall The Prep's theater program will be producing Mister Roberts, a timely WW2 stage drama made famous by the faithful 1955 film with Henry Fonda and Jack Lemmon. For information about this production visit the Cape and Sword site. Mister Roberts will run Fri. 11/3 through Sun. 11/12.

	Nine Seniors Semifinalists in Merit Scholarship Program Nine Prep seniors qualified as semifinalists in the 2007 National Merit Scholarship Program. The students are John Braithwaite, David Campbell, Kevin Crenny, Matthew Diener, Brian Dillon, Ross Drueding, Peter Dugan, Andrew Matas, and Luke Reilly. They join approximately 16,000 Semifinalist from around the country in meeting the criteria for this prestigious honor. Read more >>

	Cross Country Off to Good Start The Prep's Cross Country team enjoyed a successful beginning to its Fall 2006 season on Saturday, Spetember 9 at the Lebanon Valley Invitational. The team took 1st place in both the Varsity and Junior Varsity Boys High School categories. For more information on the team's upcoming season, click here.

	The Prep Welcomes the Class of 2010 On Wednesday, August 30, The Prep community welcomed through its doors for the first time the 247 members of the Class of 2010. The day of orientation introduced the incoming freshmen to the many facets of life at The Prep and was capped off with an afternoon of fun activities and a pep rally. Student council officers and a number of upperclassmen helped to organize and run the days events.

	2006-2007 Prep Calendar Now Available Online The 2006-2007 Prep Calendar is now available on www.sjprep.org. To access it simply click on the calendar icon () or click on "Prep Calendar" under "News and Events". The new calendar utilizes Google Calendar software. If you use Google Calendar for your own personal schedule you can now link The Prep Calendar to your account. If not, you can still view the calendar at www.sjprep.org. For more information on linking the calendar to your Google account, click here.

	Byron Named Thirtieth President of St. Joseph's Prep Rev. William J Byron, a member of The Prep's class of 1945, has been named as the 30th President of the school. Fr. Byron has had a long and successful career in higher education. He has served as President of Catholic University (1982-92) and the University of Scranton (1975-82). In addition, he was Dean of Arts and Sciences at Loyola University of New Orleans, a Distinguished Professor of the Practice of Ethics at Georgetown University and a research professor at the Sellinger School of Business at Loyola College in Maryland. For more information about Fr. Byron, please view the official announcement.

	Gomez Joins The Prep as New Principal Mr. Michael Gomez has joined The Prep community as it's new Principal. A graduate of St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City, Gomez has a wealth of experience in Jesuit education, having served at two different Jesuit high schools. Gomez taught English at St. Peter's Prep and most recently as Assistant Principal for Student Affairs at Creighton Prep in Omaha. Gomez holds a Master’s degree in private school administration from Columbia University, a Master’s in English from the State University of New York at Binghamton and a Bachelor’s degree from Providence College. He taught and coached at St. Peter's for several years at before moving into administrative work at Creighton in 2003.

	New Prep Website Goes Live On Monday, July 31st the new www.sjprep.org went public. You are invited to explore the Prep's new home on the web, which is designed to provide easier and more organized access to all content. We are still in the process of transferring all the pages and are aware that certain sections of the site are currently unavailable. Your patience is greatly appreciated as we complete this transition. If you experience any trouble viewing the site or have any questions please feel free to email Brendan Murphy at bmurphy@sjprep.org. Enjoy! (Note: If you had previously saved pages from the old website in your browser's bookmarks or favorites folder, you should delete them and create new ones to assure that they will work properly.)