Staff Profile
Emily Clarke –– Print Chief
Senior Emily Clarke is the Print Chief for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com. This is her third year taking journalism and her second year working on the newspaper staff. Clarke is an editor for The Pinnacle literary magazine, Senior Class Member at Large of the SAC, and Vice President of the Spirit Club. When Clarke isn’t gallivanting around the Patriot Room, she enjoys playing lacrosse, running track & field, watching Newsroom, and reading.
Emily Clarke can be reached for comments at eclarke@jcpatriot.com.
From the editor: Print Chief Emily Clarke reflects on what sets JC apart
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
May 7, 2013
Filed under Op-Ed, Opinion
Yellow banners are hanging, arranged along the foyer’s ceiling. The ring fingers of juniors and seniors are decorated with black and gold rings. These things are JC. JC isn’t the building that you’re in or the uniform you wear every day. It’s the traditions we keep, the people we meet, and... Read more »
JC community strives to embrace diversity
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
May 3, 2013
Filed under Top Stories
With the International Student Program in its second year and 36 African American students among what used to be an all-white population in 1964, as well as other changes to JC’s demographics, Vice Principal for Academics Gary Scholl believes the school has “come a long way.” The administration... Read more »
Quick Picks: Churchville Golf Driving Range provides challenging courses
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
May 1, 2013
Filed under Arts & Entertainment, Quick Picks
As I stepped up to the first hole at Churchville Golf Driving Range and took a swing, I thought this would be an easy game to win. However, as I moved through the challenging obstacles of the course, I realized that was far from the truth. Churchville Golf Driving Range has two mini golf courses,... Read more »
Students show political ignorance, intelligence
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
March 22, 2013
Filed under Top Stories
One hundred years ago, 5,000 women joined together to march for women’s suffrage, the right to vote, in Washington D.C. Today, 54 percent of JC students cannot identify which amendment granted women’s suffrage. The Patriot conducted a survey to test JC’s political knowledge background, looking... Read more »
Limited internships hinder students
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
March 19, 2013
Filed under Op-Ed, Opinion
Programs like senior project are great for helping students prepare for college. But if JC truly wants to prepare its students for the real world, it needs to make internships more easily accessible to all students. Students are only given internship options in the science field. Besides the science... Read more »
Quick Picks: Chic Nails provides great services, hefty prices
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
March 13, 2013
Filed under Arts & Entertainment, In the Community, Quick Picks
As I walked into Chic Nails, I was met with the familiar smell of nail polish and nail polish remover. Being someone who doesn’t normally get their nails done at a nail salon, I was overwhelmed by all of my different options. There were hundreds of color choices between gel, regular nail polish,... Read more »
Holocaust program’s future relies on creativity
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
February 26, 2013
Filed under Op-Ed, Opinion
The only sound in the room is the quiet speech of a Holocaust survivor. The seniors are virtually silent besides a few sniffles and small gasps of disbelief. Unfortunately, future seniors won’t have these real-life opportunities much longer. As the Holocaust survivors age, JC should come up with plans... Read more »
Jimmy’s Famous Seafood shines with service, falls flat with food
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
February 22, 2013
Filed under Quick Bites Restaurant Reviews, Uncategorized
Living in Maryland means there are seafood restaurants everywhere, all claiming to specialize in Maryland-style crabs. Sorting out the best places from the busts can prove to be a real challenge. Jimmy’s Famous Seafood turned out not to live up to the hype of its name. When I walked into the restaurant... Read more »
In the Shadow of Tragedy: Administration changes safety procedures
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
February 6, 2013
Filed under News, News around JC, Top Stories
As Principal Madelyn Ball walked down the halls during the lockdown drill on Jan. 10, she felt the eerie silence all around her. The lockdown drill was one of the drills JC instituted this year as a result of multiple school shootings around the country. According to Ball, “the drill went really... Read more »
January Report Card: The Patriot turns the tables by grading the school on today’s issues
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
January 22, 2013
Filed under Op-Ed, Opinion
Salad Bar Let us have lettuce. Bring on the dressing. Shower us in carrots, tomatoes, tiny pieces of bacon, and croutons. The school needs a special area for a real salad bar with tons of options. The few healthy snacks in the vending machine aren’t enough. Giving us a healthy meal allows for variety. Scheduling... Read more »
JC strives to meet preparatory school standards
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
December 12, 2012
Filed under Local News, News
With all the choices of schools in Harford County, JC tries to separate itself by using the title "college preparatory" school. JC prepares its students for college with high SAT scores, higher grade and class requirements, and severe consequences for absence. While JC scores are above the Maryland... Read more »
JC website lags behind school in modernization
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
December 10, 2012
Filed under Op-Ed
Quick, check out the JC school website. It’s been turned into a time portal. Oh wait, that is just the lack of updating that occurs on the site. As you go to the homepage of the school website, the first thing you are greeted by are pictures of students who graduated three years ago. It makes you... Read more »
Sweet Devotion brings France to Bel Air
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
December 5, 2012
Filed under Arts & Entertainment, Quick Bites Restaurant Reviews
Living in Bel Air, it’s hard to find a crepe, let alone a decent one. Luckily for the inner Frenchman in us all, Sweet Devotion Cupcake and Creperie Café is up to the task. A quaint café in a small Have de Grace shopping center, Sweet Devotion is locally famous for its cupcakes. However, they... Read more »
Romero Club reaps success with new prize system
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
November 20, 2012
Filed under Op-Ed, Opinion
Everyone should donate to the Thanksgiving canned food drive because it is JC’s best way to help the needy in our community. However, the prospect of being a Good Samaritan isn’t always enough motivation. This year, the Romero Club did an awesome job encouraging students to participate with better... Read more »
Pro v. Con: Citizens throw tantrum in light of second Obama term
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
November 16, 2012
Filed under Opinion, Pro V Con
This is the con argument on secession from the United States. To view the pro argument click here. I think the South missed the memo that the Civil War didn’t work out the first time. After the recent presidential election, all 50 states have started petitions to secede from the United States... Read more »
Obama defeats Romney for presidency
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
November 8, 2012
Filed under Breaking News Briefs, News, News Flashes, World News
President Barack Obama was reelected for a second term on Nov. 6. According to politico.com, Obama beat Republican nominee Mitt Romney 303 to 206 in the Electoral College. Obama also won the popular vote 59,653,355 to 57, 024,889. Florida is the only state that it is still undecided. “I feel... Read more »
$47 million plan begins with bathrooms
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
October 24, 2012
Filed under News around JC
As students enter and use the new bathrooms in the foyer, the price of that toilet is the furthest thought from their minds. However, those toilets, sinks, televisions, mirrors, and other improvements cost $350,000. They are part of a plan that is ultimately projected to cost $47 million. According... Read more »
Quick Picks: Creepy Woods creeps out editor
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
October 19, 2012
Filed under Arts & Entertainment, In the Community, Quick Picks
If you’re looking for a fright-filled fall night, Creepy Woods Haunted Forest is the place to go. This attraction features a footpath through a dark and creepy forest, interspersed with haunted stations designed to gnaw away any leftover bravery. The stations are comprised of clowns, spiders, butchers,... Read more »
‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ accurately portrays feelings of youthfulness
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
October 19, 2012
Filed under Arts & Entertainment, Cinema
The perks of seeing “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” are infinite. Based on the best-selling novel by Stephen Chbosky, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” is a coming-of-age tale of teenagers trying to make it through high school and the friends that help them. Logan Lerman plays Charlie, a... Read more »
Michael assumes new cheerleading post
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
October 18, 2012
Filed under News around JC
Spanish teacher Jane Michael has obtained a second classroom, namely, the lower gym. After the recent problems with the cheerleading team, Principal Madelyn Ball wanted a faculty member to help watch over the team. Ball believes a faculty member could help to manage the team and prevent bullying from... Read more »
Politics lost in classrooms
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
October 18, 2012
Filed under Op-Ed, Opinion
It was the night of the first presidential debate and my twitter was blowing up with angry teenagers complaining that politics didn’t matter. The notion that it was dumb for anyone our age to care about politics because we can’t vote yet is ridiculous. Someone needs to teach teenagers that everyone... Read more »
Senior girls unite by ordering same class color day shirts
Emily Clarke, Print Cheif
October 15, 2012
Filed under JC Insider
The senior girls will be decked out in matching green shirts for this year’s class color day after Senior Class President Jen Kreis organized for every senior girl to order matching shirts. Kreis said that senior girls had talked about doing a matching shirt for class color day, but that senior... Read more »
STEM program begins officially
Emily Clarke, Print Chief
September 27, 2012
Filed under News
The beginning of the school year also marked the first official year of STEM Academy. The 18 students in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Academy had their first monthly meeting in September, led by STEM coordinators Courtney Hugo and Jorge Piquer. Piquer teaches science and is currently... Read more »
Spring season wrap up
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
May 23, 2012
Filed under Game Recaps, Sports, Sports News, Spring Sports
As summer rolls in, spring sports wrap up. Badminton: Both varsity and JV women’s badminton had losing seasons this spring, with records of 5-8 for both teams. Varsity had the most success against Institute of Notre Dame and Oldfields School, beating IND twice 7-0 and Oldfields once 7-0. Baseball: Varsity... Read more »
Patriots fall short to St. Peter Paul Sabres in semi-finals
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
May 18, 2012
Filed under Game Recaps, Sports, Sports News, Spring Sports
The clock was running down. There was less than a minute left in the game, but St. Peter Paul had the ball and the Patriots were down by one. Forty-three seconds left. SPP still had the ball. They were trying to run out the clock. Twenty-four seconds. The defense was playing hard but getting nowhere.... Read more »
Former biology teacher returns while Deroba takes maternity leave
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
May 14, 2012
Filed under News, News Flashes
Former biology teacher John Low will be returning for the first semester of the 2012-2013 school year. Low will be taking over for biology teacher Megan Deroba while she is on maternity leave. According to Vice Principal of Academics Gary Scholl, Low will be teaching Biology, Honors Biology, and AP... Read more »
Pro V. Con: YOLO serves as a good motto
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
May 3, 2012
Filed under Pro V Con
This is the pro argument on YOLO. To view the con argument, click here. Going skydiving. YOLO. Playing hide and seek with Helen Keller. YOLO. Using the term YOLO. YOLO. In case you live under a rock and haven’t noticed, the term YOLO, an acronym for "you only live once," has popped up everywhere. ... Read more »
Wrabel bakes desserts for charity
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
April 4, 2012
Filed under Arts & Entertainment, Extra, In the Community
Combining her passion for baking and the desire to give back to the community, senior Stephanie Wrabel has picked up her spatula and headed to the kitchen. For her senior project, Wrabel is baking different desserts and donating them to My Sister’s Place, a shelter for women and their children in... Read more »
Guidance changes benefit students
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
March 16, 2012
Filed under Opinion
Applications? Check. Letters of recommendation? Check. New college counselor? Check. Starting with the class of 2013, guidance counselor Carrie Siemsen will become the single college counselor. The guidance department is restructuring so that there will be three personal guidance counselors, Carol... Read more »
Glow Dance amounts to success despite lack of black lights
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
March 1, 2012
Filed under News, Top Stories
In an attempt to raise money for Prom, the senior class held a Glow Dance on Friday, Feb. 24. According to Senior Class Moderator Sue Greig, 304 tickets were sold to students, and the dance raised approximately $2,900. According to Greig, the dance was an overall success. “[I was] pleasantly... Read more »
Pro V Con: Facebook dress groups solve fashion conflicts
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
March 1, 2012
Filed under Pro V Con
Any school dance has the potential to bring about cat fights between teenage girls who have the misfortune to wear the same dress. This year, however, junior and senior girls don’t have to worry about duplicate dresses at Junior Ring Dance or Senior Prom. The senior and junior classes both have... Read more »
Geczy alters Holocaust Remembrance Day
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
February 24, 2012
Filed under News
Although there is a Holocaust Remembrance Day every year, senior project coordinator Louise Geczy has changed up this year’s schedule. The main change Gezcy has made for the Remembrance Day on Tuesday, Feb. 28, is the addition of a student-run reader’s theater presentation at the end of the day. “Seniors... Read more »
Parents deserve better appreciation day
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
February 6, 2012
Filed under Opinion
With Power School available to parents, they can see our grades any time they like to. But to get a proper feel for what our classes are really like, our parents need to sit in on our classes. That’s why the idea of a Parents’ Day is perfect. This year, during Catholic Schools Week, Parent Appreciation... Read more »
Religious freedom violated by new HHS law
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
February 2, 2012
Filed under Opinion
Catholics' right to religious freedom ends starting in August 2013. Well, that’s not exactly what the government says is happening, but make no mistake, that’s what is going on. On Aug. 1, 2011 the Department of Health and Human Services’(HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that, beginning... Read more »
Pro V Con: March for Life proves life-changing
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
January 27, 2012
Filed under Pro V Con
This is the pro argument for the March for Life. To read the con argument, click here. Religion teacher Rachel Harkins, megaphone in hand, started it. She started a chant that said, “Roe v. Wade has got to go. Hey, hey. Ho, ho.” Whether my fellow classmates actually believed in the cause... Read more »
Patriots pin Loyola in conference meet
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
January 13, 2012
Filed under Game Recaps, Sports, Sports Center, Winter Sports
With the first two matches resulting in losses for JC, Wrestlepalooza on Jan. 4 wasn’t starting off the way anyone expected. The Patriots were behind the Loyola Dons 12-0 after senior Raphael Odouk, in the 220 pound weight class, and sophomore Andy Reininger, in the 285 pound weight class, were pinned.... Read more »
Morning Star Pow Wow connects cultures, students across the country
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
January 12, 2012
Filed under News
For the twelfth year in a row, Vice Principal for Academics Gary Scholl will be dressing up in tribal clothing and an authentic Native American headdress at the American Indian PowWow Morning Star Celebration. Scholl dresses in these garments along with the Native American performers who come to the... Read more »
New coach takes over baseball team
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
December 18, 2011
Filed under Uncategorized
The varsity baseball team is swinging into unknown territory this year as new head coach Gary Steve Teter takes over. Teter will be replacing former two-year head coach Joe Stetka, who resigned at the end of the 2011 season. “I loved Coach Stetka. He was like a father to me. Sad to see him go,... Read more »
New Building Superintendent hired
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
December 16, 2011
Filed under JC Insider, News
As of Monday, Dec. 5, Jesse Switzer holds the position of Building Superintendent. Switzer will be replacing former Building Superintendent Al Avent who left the position in mid-September. The position remained vacant until Switzer’s recent hire. According to Director of Facilities Stewart Walker,... Read more »
Spotlight shines on first Christmas musical
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
December 16, 2011
Filed under News
With Christmas approaching fast, a white Christmas is on every one’s mind, especially within the JC community. This year, instead of the usual fall musical, Associate Director of Enrollment and fall musical director Kim Brueggemann decided to put on a winter show, “White Christmas.” “I... Read more »
Pro V Con: Students should not be taught safe sex in school
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
December 15, 2011
Filed under Pro V Con
This is the con argument for whether students should be taught safe sex in schools. To read the pro argument, click here. "Don’t have sex, because you will get pregnant. And die." Most people remember this hilarious quote from gym and sex education teacher Coach Carr during the movie Mean... Read more »
Pro V Con: Athletes should have access to National Letters of Intent
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
November 16, 2011
Filed under Pro V Con
This is the pro argument for whether National Letters of Intent are acceptable for college admission or not. To read the con argument, click here. College is hard enough to get into, so why not have something that makes it just a little bit easier? If you’ve been playing a sport for years and are... Read more »
Presidential candidates fail to impress
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
November 16, 2011
Filed under Opinion
With the 2012 election quickly approaching, I’m left wondering if there is any hope at all for the future of America. The current candidates, the President included, are so concerned with mudslinging that they don’t seem to have time for addressing issues. Almost every candidate is either so stuck... Read more »
Men up two, women one
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
October 26, 2011
Filed under Sports, Sports, Sports Center, Sports Editorials, Sports News
Sweat pouring down his face and completely out of breath, junior Will Horn finished his track and field work out, but he wasn’t done just yet. He was still expected to dive into a pool with the swim team. This was a typical day for Horn, who decided to be on the varsity swim team and indoor track... Read more »
Freshman class conducts bake sale
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
October 21, 2011
Filed under News, News Flashes
To raise money for their class, the freshmen held a bake sale on Wednesday, Oct. 19. The baked goods for the sale were leftover desserts from Tuesday’s Freshman Dinner. Parent volunteers from the freshman class came into school on Wednesday to sell the baked goods in the main corridor. Freshman... Read more »
Class color day returns
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
October 20, 2011
Filed under News
Get out your face paint and your duct tape, class color day is officially brought back for Spirit Week 2011. Class color day will be held Thursday, Oct. 27, the day of the Powderpuff game. "Being a junior makes you more involved in class color day because of the Powderpuff game. It gives me the... Read more »
Crusaders crush Patriots
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
October 19, 2011
Filed under Fall Sports, Featured Sports Scrollbox, Game Recaps
The lights were shining, the crowd was cheering, and St. Paul’s had already scored seven points. Junior Austin Markley had no time to worry about that, as the ball was flying through the air straight towards him. He could feel his stomach churning, but he knew it was now or never. Adrenaline pumping... Read more »
Students break into first floor classroom
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
September 21, 2011
Filed under News
Muddy footprints trailed along the floor of math teacher Alvin Ward’s classroom, leading over the ledge and out the window. Someone had broken in. Five students had broken into Ward’s room through that window on Wednesday, Sept.7 around 9:30 p.m. “I opened up my door and noticed footprints... Read more »
Every Student Has a Story: Malia Williamson
Emily Clarke, Managing Editor
September 21, 2011
Filed under Every Student Has a Story, Lifestyles
The weather was getting worse by the second. The storm had seemed to come out of nowhere. With the boat tipping more and more with every crashing wave, junior Malia Williamson prepared for the worst. As a young girl, Williamson went on a sailing trip with her family that turned brutal. “When... Read more »
Gender split comes into focus
Emily Clarke, Reporter
June 20, 2011
Filed under News
When junior Amanda Weerasooriya walked into her Honors Chemistry class in the beginning of the year she thought she’d walked into the wrong classroom. There were about 15 girls and only four boys in the room. This was a high level science class, so where were all the boys? Well, over the past... Read more »
[Updated] Class of 2011 defends powderpuff title
Emily Clarke
October 5, 2010
Filed under Fall Sports, Game Recaps, Sports, Top Stories
The class of 2011 won the Powderpuff game for the second year in a row. The seniors dominated the field, 20-14, against the junior girls, class of 2012. Within the first two minutes, senior Amanda Wolfe threw a deep pass down the field to senior Annie Thomas, placing them just outside the goal line.... Read more »