Tarmac October 2007.pdf - Chaminade High School

Outward Bound
by Brendan O’Shea ‘09
T P
here is more to us than we know. If we can be made to
see it, perhaps for the rest of our lives, we will be unwilling
to settle for less.”
Kurt Hahn described the Outward Bound program that he founded
in 1961 with these simple but profound words. Since its inception,
Outward Bound has helped hundreds of thousands of young people
discover their potential, challenging
them to test their mettle
in a variety of outdoor activities,
including hiking, camping, canoeing,
and kayaking.
Each year, Chaminade has
nominated one student to attend
Outward Bound. Director of
guidance Mr. Daniel Petruccio,
who oversees the selection process,
reports that past CHS delegates
to the program have
called it a “wonderful experience.”
Joe Kaplan ’05, a cadet at
West Point, told Mr. Petruccio
Eamonn Cummings ‘08
that Outward Bound was “a
kayaks around the San
huge part of the process that
Juan Islands in the
helped me choose my career.”
Pacific Northwest.
Eamonn Cummings ’08
was this year’s CHS delegate to Outward Bound. From the
many Outward Bound programs offered throughout the United
States, Eamonn chose to sea-kayak around the San Juan Islands
in the Pacific Northwest. Eamonn and the other members of
his team embarked from Shaw Island, off the coast of Washington,
and traveled to seven other islands, making a stop at the
Lummi Indian Reservation and ending in Bowman Bay.
Eamonn thoroughly enjoyed seeing “nature preserved in
its pristine state” and visiting islands “with no one around.”
The “best part” of Eamonn’s kayaking adventure was “learning
how to navigate by using the tides and currents.”
And what did Eamonn discover about himself? “I learned about
kayaking, but mostly I learned leadership skills and how to take
charge of a group when usually I let someone else lead.”
Rebuilding New Orleans
by Brandon Pues ‘10
acking into the car after work, my family and I drove to the
infamous Lower Ninth Ward to see for ourselves the destruction
of Katrina,” said Conor Finnegan ‘08. “Even while we
were crossing the bridge to get there, we sensed a complete change;
it was completely empty.”
Conor, along with his brother Danny ’11, witnessed the devastation of
New Orleans firsthand. Even though the city is more than two years
removed from Hurricane Katrina, many neighborhoods are still devastated,
and the Finnegans were determined to help in the rebuilding process.
They volunteered with Habitat for Humanity from August 5
to August 10, working on two houses in Jefferson Parish, a neighborhood
that was hit particularly hard by Katrina. Their work
included installing siding, painting the exterior of the houses,
putting up Sheetrock, and building an attic floor.
“We became involved with Habitat because, after visiting my brother
several times at Tulane [University], we fell in love with the city,” said Conor.
“We would definitely encourage anyone interested in volunteering
for Habitat for Humanity,” said Danny. “It was a great
feeling seeing the neighbors understand that people still cared
about rebuilding the city.”
Flyers Attend Leadership Programs This Summer
Participants Gain Experience in Fields of Medicine, Law, and National Security
by Ryan Krebs ‘09
W
e walked in the room, and the medical student pulled
the cover off the examining table. The cadaver staring
back at us reeked of embalming fluids,”
said junior Alex Kamath. “The student then proceeded
to point out all the major organs, including the brain,
lungs, intestines, and heart.”
Alex gained insight into the medical field, including a
look at the human anatomy, during a session of the National
Youth Leadership Forum. This summer, thousands
of high-school students participated in similar programs
throughout the country.
Students who received nominations for the National
Youth Leadership Forum, National Student Leadership
Conference, and Global Youth Leadership Conference attended
programs in one of six cities, including Philadelphia
and Washington, D.C.
Juniors Andrew Curiale, Mike Gaffney, Alex Kamath,
Ryan Krebs, and Chris Rypl, and
seniors Ricky DeCicco, Mike
Osorio, and Mike Sehn attended
the NYLF; seniors Abner
Fernandez, Victor Garcia, John
Giammarino, and Pat Gillespie
participated in the NSLC; and seniors
Michael Mink and Zach
Wynkoop went to the GYLC.
The NYLF program offered students
the opportunity to specialize in
medicine, law, and national security.
“The program I attended
wasn’t just about medicine,” said
Mike Gaffney ’09. “It was about
the camaraderie we developed
Conor Finnegan ‘08 (l.), Danny Finnegan ‘11 (3rd from
l.), and their family volunteered for Habitat for
Humanity.
with high-school students around the nation.”
(l.-r.) Seniors Mike Osorio, John Giammarino,
Zach Wynkoop, Victor Garcia, Michael Mink, and
junior Matt Fitzsimons studied various topics at
leadership programs over the summer.
Tarmac • October 2007 FLIGHT PATH
Photo by Phil Falzone ‘08
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