“I used to be horrible at art. I couldn’t draw a stick figure to save my life. But I just started drawing, and drawing, and eventually, after years of drawing these horrible doodles, I started to improve. From then on, I was completely captured by art.  The school’s studio class is the first art class I’ve ever taken,” Lipford said.  Lipford is currently taking a break from her Studio 2 projects and is working on her charcoal tribute to her favorite actor, Benedict Cumberbatch.   Cumberbatch plays Sherlock Holmes in the BBC recreation of the story.

“…The shape of his face could make a really amazing piece for the shadows. I love charcoal pieces because of the dramatic lighting, and how the picture can be carved out of the shadows, as if the portrait was emerging from the darkness,” Lipford said.  One of Lipford’s past artworks that she is particularly fond of was a pencil drawing of shells done in her Studio 1 class.   “The whole point of the drawing was to portray an emotion, and while shells are interesting to draw, I chose to do a skull and a broken, cracked shell. In my mind, it portrayed the broken, empty, cracked feeling that’s experienced after a death. The shadows cast by the skull were sharp, and jagged from the teeth, and it made a really interesting piece.”

Lipford’s preferred art mediums are charcoal and watercolor, as she has “never been fabulous at painting.”  “I’m more of the kind of person who draws free hand, just a regular pencil, nothing special really. But I love using charcoal for the heavy shadows, and when I’m feeling a lighter picture, I’ll break out the watercolor,” Lipford said.  Lipford’s art style is self-proclaimed as “sketchy,” as she is “more of a detailed person.”  “I like to go into great detail on whatever I’m drawing or painting. It’s a bad habit of mine sometimes because when I’m trying to sketch out an idea for a charcoal piece or painting, I always put way too much time and effort.”

Music and emotions from past experiences are the main sources of her inspirations for her artwork.  “The feeling of happiness, heartbreak, loss, and hurt really add a defining characteristic behind every piece. It makes the piece much more believable, because the emotions are something that everyone has felt at one point in their life. I want people to connect with my art, to feel the emotions behind the piece and relate it to some point in their life,” Lipford said.

Lipford has matured as a budding artist, but she still looks up to her cousin’s artistic ability and aims to come up to her level one day.  “When I was younger, my cousin was just beginning to experiment in the art world.  She was, and still is, absolutely fabulous. Looking at her art, I was completely enthralled by the idea that someday, I could create something just as amazing. I haven’t reached anywhere close to where she is, but I’m hoping that one day, I’ll be able to draw just like her,” Lipford said.  According to Lipford, her cousin studies art in college with plans to pursue art as a career.

“I jokingly call her the ‘Queen of Arts,’” art teacher Michael Gaudreau said.  “She’s always thinking of new and challenging ideas to draw.  She has a lively imagination.” According to Gaudreau, four of Lipford’s pieces are being featured in the art show at Rockfield Park, an accomplishment that he is proud of her for.

As for her future in the art world, Lipford is still unsure about what path she will take.  “I can’t fully say that I’ll pursue a career in art…All I can say at this point is that art is my passion, and I love creating art, learning about the different types, experimenting, and just being surrounded by art. Who knows, maybe I’ll turn out to be an artist after all…But I’m glad I took studio, because I love all the friends I’ve met, and all the things that I’ve learned, from both the teachers and the artists around me,” Lipford said.

Grace Kim is the Online Chief for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com

Jefferson is one of the members of Bella Vocé.  The a capella group started by previous music teacher Daniel Briggs has been restarted this year by current music teacher Marc Bolden.  “It’s a group that can travel really easily,” Bolden said. “It’s good for any of those off campus performances.”

The group has performed at places such as St. Margaret’s, The Bel Air Public Library, and even a radio station where they performed the jingle for Valley View Farms.  Junior Kyleigh Daiker describes the group as able to “represent John Carroll and provide entertainment.”

They have also performed in this past annual Christmas concert and will perform again in the spring concert.  Bolden hopes that the group can build on what they’ve done thus far. “We’re going to try and flash mob some areas,” Bolden said.

Because of the mobility of the group, Bolden had to be selective.  “No one knew they were secretly auditioning,” Bolden said.  Despite the measures taken to be secretive, rumors spread quickly in chorus as new members received “secretive emails” telling them to come to meet Bolden at the end of the day.

“We couldn’t tell anyone,” Jefferson said of the emails, “So we all went to the meeting, unsure about what was going on, and it was there that he told us we were the new Bella Vocé.” It was a pleasant discovery for Jefferson.  “I was surprised and excited when I found out I was chosen to be in Bella Vocé because I did not do chorus last year and was just jumping back into singing.”

Jefferson was not the only one excited to have been chosen for Bella Vocé.  Daiker was also happy about being chosen. “I was very excited that I was accepted because you have to have a strong singing ability to be a part of it so I felt flattered,” Daiker said.

Because there is no longer a higher and lower level of chorus, Bella Vocé also helps Bolden work with students who may be more serious about music.  The group practices every Monday evening for an hour and a half as opposed to every morning before school.  Bolden gets to work closely with the singers as they grow in their talent.  “I like that it’s kids that truly want to be there,” Bolden said.

As a member, Jefferson especially liked performing the Valley View Farm jingle.  “My favorite performance so far was probably when we sang on the radio station for Valley View Farms.  Even though it was really early in the morning it was a ton of fun!”

Daiker’s favorite performance so far has been the McDonald’s performance.  “McDonald’s was very fun and a lot of our families came to watch us.  It was very laid back and professional and the McDonald’s staff even advertised us on their billboard outside the restaurant,” Daiker said.

Jefferson considered the performance “awkward” both she and Daiker agree that the best part was receiving free food.

Chioma Iheoma is an A&E Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com

Stephanie Plum (Katherine Heigl) has just gotten a divorce and has been unemployed for six months so she begins working for her cousin at his bail bonds shop as a recovery agent.  Plum gets several files on felons who haven’t paid their bonds, including Joe Morelli (Jason O’Mara), a cop on the run. Bringing him in would get Plum the 50,000 dollars she needs to get back on her feet.  Not only is Morelli worth 50 grand to Plum, but he also “nailed her then dumped her” in high school, and Plum still holds a grudge. This fuels her throughout the movie to “nail” Morelli and collect the 50 grand.

Since Morelli is a trained cop, Plum has to step up her game, and enlists the help of “Michelangelo’s ‘David’ dipped in caramel,” Ricardo Carlos “Ranger” Mañoso (Daniel Sunjata) who is a bounty hunter. Plum realizes that she is in way over her head when one person she talks to turns up dead and the psychopathic rapist boxer Benito Ramirez (Gavin-Kieth Umeh) is after her to keep her quiet. With a little help from an unlikely source, Plum might just get out alive.

Though the plot was interesting, there were many parts in the movie that seemed important, but didn’t amount to anything. There was one scene where Plum’s gun was in full view, where someone easily could have stolen it or used it against her.

Though it was a comedy, the movie still had an air of mystery and danger. There were exploding cars, murder, and Plum still had to figure out who was really behind it all. The danger and mystery were main parts of the plot and were portrayed very well, and did not overshadow the comedic side of the film.

The romance aspect was also strong. Morelli and Plum have many encounters throughout the movie, and the physical and emotional tension is almost always present. This worked out well in the movie, because the viewer was constantly wondering whether or not Plum and Morelli would end up together.

Even with mystery and romance, the writers were able to give the movie comic relief with the situations Plum gets herself into and the people she meets. Combining comedy, mystery, and romance brought a much larger audience and made for a much more entertaining film.

Although “One for the Money” has tons of mystery and drama, it also has a bit of romance and a lot of comic relief.

Ashley Beyer is a Lifestyles Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com

Who is responsible for this heinous crime? Rorschach, a masked vigilante, is determined to find out what happened to Blake, who was a government-employed superhero called The Comedian.

Even though “Watchmen” was published 26 years ago chapter by chapter, it has recently been published in a collected format, and the themes are still relevant to today’s society. Who watches the watchmen? Who protects us from our protectors? With issues of police brutality and political corruption becoming increasingly exposed, these are important questions to answer. Through his well-crafted graphic novel, Moore shows that there is no easy answer to these questions.

Despite common skepticism surrounding the ability of the graphic novel format to convey a compelling story, Alan Moore’s “Watchmen” is as sophisticated as any well-written novel, and much more complex than most comic books. It crushes the idealism of the superhero archetype and contains themes that are still relevant in today’s society.

“Watchmen” is set in America in the mid-1980’s in an alternate history, which has been affected by the rise of superheroes.  America has won the Vietnam War, and now the Soviet Union and America are on the brink of nuclear war. However, the Keene Act has banned any superhero who is not employed by the government from fighting crime, and now Rorschach is the only costumed vigilante that remains.

The extreme views of the six main characters highlight their opposing moralities. Rorschach thinks that all criminals should be severely punished.  His ultra-conservative views contrast with the liberal views of Adrian Veidt and Dr. Manhattan, who think that principles of just retribution can be sacrificed for the greater good.

Dan Dreiberg, formerly known as the Nite Owl, is childish and naïve in his views of justice.  He represents the glorified view of superheroes that is present in most comics. The Comedian, on the other hand, sees that world through a cynical lens. He sees the entire superhero gig as a big joke, with the world’s problems too big to handle. All these conflicting moralities make interactions between the characters interesting, and often insightful.

The only glaring weakness in the effectiveness of the plot is Laurie Juspeczyk, the only major female superhero.  Her character seems to be used only for sexual pursuits.  She seduces Dr. Manhattan, providing him a reason to side with the US and to stay on earth. Moore uses Laurie to provide the romance that most stories have, but unfortunately, her relationships with Dr. Manhattan and Dan Dreiberg are little more than sexual.  She contributes no political, philosophical, or moral perspectives to the novel.

The intricacy of the novel is further developed by the extensive back stories of the major and minor characters. The multiple flashbacks amongst all of the protagonists give the reader a more personal connection to their past.

Dave Gibbons’ illustrations by no means cheapen the story. This artistic medium adds an extra layer of depth, such as the bloody smiley face visual motif that can be found throughout the pages. It’s a nice change for readers who wish they could actually see symbols instead of just reading about them.

There is never a dull moment in “Watchmen.” Endless paragraphs of description are not something that one will find in this book. For anyone who is tired of reading blocks of text but still wants a compelling story, “Watchmen” is the book to choose.

Adam Kuester is a New Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com

Scott Novak is an Opinion Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com

“The Woman in Black”

“The Woman in Black” is one of the first films featuring Daniel Radcliffe since the end of Harry Potter.  Undoubtedly it will do well as his fans pour into theaters to see the star play such a different role.  Based off of the novel of the same name, the film is about Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe) a grieving widower who travels to a village to gather the affairs of a deceased client together.  He soon finds that the residents of the village are hiding the fact that the house he resides in is haunted by a woman in search of something.  The trailer alone comes off as captivating but the actual image of the “woman in black” resembles the image of a ghost from the film “Insidious.”  Hopefully the production of the film will be creative in reference to the novel.

“Big Miracle”

Based on a true story, “Big Miracle” follows John Carlson (John Krasinski) as he discovers whales that are trapped under the Alaskan ice.  With the help of his ex-girlfriend Rachel Kramer (Drew Barrymore), the media, and the small Alaskan town he figures out a way to get them out to see before it is too late.  There’s nothing like a movie about helping animals to make one feel all warm and gooey inside.  There are sure to be laughs, considering that John Krasinski plays a part in the film, as well as some tear jerking moments for those who can relate to the plights of the whales.

“Chronicle”

“Chronicle” is another thriller exhibiting “found-footage” like production.  It follows a few teenagers going about their everyday life with the realization that they have superpowers.  This isn’t some Disney type movie where they become superheroes.  They just do they average things that any teen with telekinesis would do, mess with people.  This includes terrifying a little girl by making a teddy bear move about her.  The film stars some pretty unknown actors in order to go with the theme of “found-footage.”  Shot by hand, viewers can watch as one teen starts to use his powers in a negative life-threatening way.  Aside from the ending, what the trailer doesn’t show you is the source of these powers.  The revelation of that will probably be the most important part of this film which is sure to be a hit.

Chioma Iheoma is an A&E editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com

Perhaps the finest way to perceive the divine is through the eyes of another, especially through the eyes of a child.  This concept is exemplified in the must read New York Times best seller, “Heaven Is for Real” by Todd Burpo.

Burpo illustrates the miraculous and true story of his son Colton’s trip to heaven and back.  Although there have been many accounts of visions of Jesus, heaven, and so forth throughout history, Colton Burpo’s proclamation is different.  Occurring when Colton was just three years old, his account seems more believable and authentic.  Colton’s experience begins when what appears to be a case of the flu is uncovered to be a ruptured appendix.

Rather than describing each event concisely, Burpo drags out the experience with superfluous details about the family’s vacation to Greeley, Colorado.  Perhaps this was his way of illustrating how long the poison was in his son’s body, but it was unneeded and estranged the readers from the true plot of the book.   Following Colton’s surgery, he was not getting any better. Then, one day, he was back to his normal self.  It was a miracle.  Colton had been on the brink of death and had somehow healed.

Four months after the hospital, Colton began to tell stories about Heaven, even pinpointing Jesus’ facial features right down to His eyes.  In his family’s eyes, these testaments backed up Colton’s assertion that he had traveled to heaven.  Although Burpo’s writing has minor grammatical glitches, he tells his son’s remarkable story with humor and charisma. Colton’s astounding encounters overshadow the flaws in his writing and the fluff added to the plot.

A little boy’s astounding story will cause readers to think twice about their beliefs and heaven itself.  Getting a glimpse into heaven and all of its mysteries through the untarnished eyes of a pint-sized believer will cause readers to wonder where they are bound to end up when their time expires here on earth.  Colton’s story will give readers a reason to believe that “Heaven Is for Real.”

Kailey Tracy is a Copy Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com

Because Miss America has made a comeback in terms of TV ratings, does that mean that Miss America sold out its moral values to sex appeal? Absolutely not. Instead, The Miss America Pageant kept it classy and created a trendier image for Miss America.

During the pageant, video montages of the girls living it up while spending the week in Las Vegas, were broadcasted. As a side note, Miss USA decided to host its national pageant in Las Vegas from 2008 to 2011, after Miss America had already moved its pageant from Atlantic City to Las Vegas in 2005. Who’s the trendsetter now?

The judges of this year’s competition were well-known in the entertainment industry. They included Mark Ballas from “of ABC’s Dancing With The Stars,”; Raúl de Molina of from Univision’s “El Gordo y La Flaca,” Mike Fleiss, Executive Producer of ABC’s “The Bachelor”, and Kris Jenner from of “E!’s Keeping Up With The Kardashians.,”  Additional judges included Teri Polo of from ABC’s “Man Up,”  Chris Powell of ABC’s from “Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition,” and Lara Spencer of ABC’s from “Good Morning America.”As for the onstage competition, lifestyle and fitness in swimsuit, talent, evening wear, and onstage question remained an integral part of the competition as it has for years. They may be the oldies, but they’re the goodies that keep Miss America alive in its class and element of tradition.

The fact of the matter is that for years, Miss America has gained the reputation of being the old-fashioned, stereotypical beauty queen who wants nothing but world peace. With the Miss Universe organization gaining more and more attention due to its appearance-oriented competition, Miss America seemed to have fallen flat and become out of touch when compared with Miss USA or Miss Universe.

An even more interesting question is why would viewers rather watch un-relatable women with unrealistic features walk across the screen than young women with a realistic dream of attaining scholarship money for college? Sex appeal appears to be the answer, unfortunately.

Miss America has been nationally televised since 1954, although its origins trace back as far as 1921. Established as a scholarship pageant in 1945, Miss America offers scholarships to its contestants on the local, state, and national levels. Last year, the organization awarded more than $45 million in scholarships to contestants, becoming the largest provider of scholarship for young women.

With such an opportunity at the hands of young women ages 17 to 24, why wouldn’t they take advantage of it and make their dreams come true with the scholarship money? Better yet, why wouldn’t Americans want to help young women by doing something as simple as watching the national pageant on TV?

Two hours, four competitions, and 53 contestants later, Miss Wisconsin, Laura Kaeppeler, won the title of Miss America 2012. A dark-haired, blue-eyed beauty of 23, Kaeppeler accepted the crown with genuine tears of gratefulness.

Not only is Kaeppeler a dead-ringer for Kate Middleton, she is a talented opera singer who wishes to obtain her Master’s degree in Speech and Language Pathology. She will receive an incredible $50,000 in scholarship money for winning the title, as well as $2,000 for a preliminary talent award.

The Miss America Organization is definitely taking a step in the right direction when it comes to attracting viewers back to its one night in the spotlight. Now that the pageant is emphasizing the need to make the image of Miss America fun and trendy, yet relatable, it’s attracting teenage girls to compete and perpetuate Miss America’s slogan of Style, Service, Scholarship, and Success.

If viewers continue to watch, and young women continue to dream and achieve, the Miss America crown can continue to be successfully passed on for years to come.

Stephanie Meadowcroft is a Lifestyle Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com

This week the theatres will have movie-goers gripping their seats in either suspense, or an attempt not to fall over in laughter.  Premiering Jan. 27 are “The Grey,” “Man on a Ledge,” and “One for the Money.”

“The Grey”

“The Grey,” starring Liam Neeson, is going to be a film of epic proportions.  I highly recommend going to AMC Loews in White Marsh where the film can be viewed in IMAX in order to get the full effect.  The film circles around Ottway (Liam Neeson) whose job is to protect an oil-drilling team on an excursion to Alaska.  On the way there, their plane crashes in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness.

Along with the blistering cold and hardly any supplies, hungry wolves begin to follow the team.  Judging by the trailer alone, the film appears to be shot beautifully, and the wolves are pretty scary looking.  The action packed film will resonate well, considering blood thirsty wolves are almost as scary as the grades of recently turned in term papers.

“Man on a Ledge”

Set in an extremely different location, “Man on a Ledge” also preys on a very common fear, that of heights.  In New York City, wanted fugitive Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) stands on the ledge of a high-rise as if he is about to fall.  Along with New York City’s atmosphere, news media, passers-by, and police alike all stop to watch if the man will jump.

The plot becomes more involved as Cassidy soon claims to police negotiator Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks) that he was wrongfully framed for stealing an expensive diamond as his friends try to clear his name.  With such a great hook, there’s no way this film can be a dud.  There are enough explosions, evil smirks, and risks to keep anyone interested.

“One for the Money”

“One for the Money” features current American interests such as  the New Jersey accent and the bad economy.  Stephanie Plum (Katherine Heigl), who has recently lost her car and her job at Macy’s, goes into the recovery business, hunting down criminals who have skipped on their bail.

She comes in contact with old naked guys and street-walkers before she gets a $50,000 dollar job picking up Joe Morelli (Jason O’Mara), her ex-boyfriend from high school.  While categorized as a thriller, this film comes off more on the comedic side as Katherine Heigl grows accustomed to simply holding a gun.  Her family’s dinner conversations appear as hilarious in the trailer, but there’s no telling how funny they’ll be in theatres.

Chioma Iheoma is an A&E editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com

The films, which consist of different genres, are perfect for someone trying to slack off on memorizing their AP Chemistry equations or studying for their English exam.  The movies premiering are “Joyful Noise,” “Beauty and the Beast 3D,” and “Contraband.”

“Joyful Noise”

“Joyful Noise” features the talent of stars like Keke Palmer, Queen Latifah, and Dolly Parton.  Although there appears to be a lot going on: forbidden love, competition, a low-budget music department, and “Glee” type mashups, the movie looks like it will be entertaining and easy to follow.  Of course with actors like Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton this movie is going to be funny, the trailer alone spurs laughter.

“Beauty and the Beast 3D”

Disney is following up “Lion King 3D” with “Beauty and the Beast 3D.”  Everyone loves watching hairy beasts and talking furniture on the big screen but not everyone feels like paying an extra $5 to see this Disney film in 3D.   It’s a great film but it’s not worth getting off the couch for.  There aren’t many scenes that will make a huge difference in 3D so stick to the DVD and a huge bowl of popcorn at home.

“Contraband” 

Mark Wahlberg and Kate Beckinsale star in the action thriller “Contraband” which is premiering this weekend.  Wahlberg plays an ex-criminal who gets forced back into his old ways after his brother-in-law makes a mistake on a crime job and he has to settle his mistakes.  Mark Wahlberg is a pretty great actor and the trailer looks like he will be delivering wit filled comments while blowing stuff up.   All the shooting and adrenaline pumping car chases will form a huge contrast to depressing atmosphere that is exam week.

Chioma Iheoma is an A&E editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com

Almost every folding chair in the Brown Room was filled as even more students stood around the perimeter of the room to watch their classmates reveal a part of themselves that most had never seen before.  The Winter Literary Tea was welcome to parents, teachers, classes, and students alike.

Each performance was an intimate exhibition of the performer’s talent, whether it was writing poetry, presenting a dramatic reading, or singing.  All Creative Writing students were required to participate by their teacher and Senior Project Coordinator Louise Geczy, and other artistically or musically inclined students were encouraged to perform.

“They don’t have to be in a class with me to be one of those performers,” Geczy said.  “I try to include as much of the fine arts program as possible.” When Gezcy came to JC 10 years ago, she began the tradition of hosting a Literary Tea in the winter and in the spring to provide an opportunity for her students to share their exceptional yet unseen talents.

Dean of Students Thomas Vierheller was an audience member at the Literary Tea and he believes that it proves how JC educates the whole person.

“I think it’s one of those unique things to John Carroll . . . We have such a great performing art center, we have a fantastic art program. It’s just a great opportunity for those who have the ability to weave words, if you will,” Vierheller said.

“One of the things I like most is that students who are not normally out there having the leads in plays or performing in concerts get a chance to share their talents,” Geczy said.   The most difficult part of planning this event is “convincing students that they can do this and not die in the process,” Geczy said with a laugh.  Most importantly, she encourages them to see that “they have something worth sharing.”

“The most difficult thing about performing in the Literary Tea was the nerves. I was so nervous that I was literally shaking the entire time,” Catterton said. ”The most gratifying thing was knowing I did my best and that people enjoyed what I read. ”

Vierheller confirmed that every performance was an enjoyable experience.

“My favorite part is viewing the personal expression of the students, especially in poetry about themselves. It’s really touching to me that they’re telling their story.  Students feel safe here expressing themselves like that,” Vierheller said.

Creative Writing and Speech students prepared for the Literary Tea as they wrote all semester long and chose three of their favorite pieces before Christmas break.  Geczy selected two out of the three that she believed would provide the most variety in performances.

Unique performances from this year’s Winter Literary Tea included a humorous poetic reading of “What Teachers Make” by sophomore Kaley Martin, a dramatic reading of senior Scott Novak’s short story “The Day Death Entered,” and a martial arts demonstration by juniors Becky Heuer and Jada Williams.

“I don’t have one particular favorite experience because each year there is always some ‘wow’ moment, usually when there’s someone who has maybe been the quiet person or the person who has not stood out,” Geczy said.

Geczy’s other responsibility as Senior Project Coordinator correlates with her motivation to continue organizing Literary Teas every winter and spring. ”I truly believe that once you’ve done something like this, and like senior project, you never have to doubt yourself again,” Geczy said.

Cara Reilly is the Copy Editor Chief for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com