Embedded Files
My First and Last Year At Father Judge
Starting at a new school always brings many uncertainties. You are anxious to start but nervous when it’s time to begin. You think that everyone already has their friend groups and that you won't fit in coming into the school so late. In my case, this is what I felt like starting at a new school for my senior year.
Those who know me know that I started out my High School journey down at 17th and Girard attending St. Joseph’s Prep. When I came here and word got around, I was referred to as “The Prep Transfer” by students and alumni. People ask me every so often “So why did you transfer?” and I never gave a real specific answer. I would say one thing to one person, and something entirely different to another. The honest truth though is that I felt out of place. In a school full of kids coming from all parts of the tri-state area It is fairly difficult trying to stand out rather than blend in. Although I had great friends and many great relationships with teachers, staff, and coaches who to this day still shoot me a text, I still felt out of place. This decision didn’t come easy either, it was what I wanted but it was a tough decision to leave behind what I had for three years. So after a few months of thinking and discussions with my parents, I finally decided Judge would be the place for me.
My first experience being a part of Judge was before the school year started, out on the 95-degree Ramp playground turf with my football teammates. There, I met many great people who helped me get into the groove of things here and taught me the ways of a “Judge Guy.” From the first part of the year, my favorite memory had to have been the dominating Ryan win or my last Football game vs Lincoln. I couldn’t leave out playing against St. Joe's either and being able to see my old friends and coaches and taking pics with guys I spent a lot of time with.
The second half of the year brought me to Lacrosse which was definitely a sport I never thought I would have played but a sport I enjoyed. I loved playing JV and running into severely undersized kids and laying them in the dirt. Senior night was definitely a top moment of the year for me being able to go out and play when the game mattered in front of my entire family.
Inside the classroom, I feel like I learned a lot of valuable information I'll need for the next chapters of my life. I even fell in love with Psychology taught by Mrs. Ganley which is what I anticipate to major in when I attend Penn State Abington this fall. I enjoyed my English classes with Mr. Cahill, Religion with Mr. Poole, and both Business Law and Accounting with JD.
Now we are here, as I write this a week before I graduate and conclude my High School experience, and after all of that, I can confidently say that I found where I belonged. If there is one thing I would have people take away from my experience, is to find what fits you and don’t change who you are for nobody. As a very famous person involved in our school once said “Be who you are, and be that well.”
Andrew Wenger
Father-Son Phillies Game
On May 22, the Father Judge Parents Association graciously orchestrated a Father/Son Phillies game event for current students and alumni. The game pitted the Phillies against the Arizona Diamondbacks and Zack Wheeler against Tommy Henry. The Diamondbacks got off to a quick start via solo home runs and rbi doubles, but the Phillies countered with solo home runs from Kyle Schwarber and Bryson Stott making it 4-2. The highlight of the game came early in the game when Phillie's center fielder, Dalton Guthrie, acquired an outfield assist by gunning the runner out at the plate. Then, Trea Turner hit a rbi single to make the game 4-3, but the Diamondbacks ended up hitting back-to-back doubles and another solo home run to extend their lead to 6-3. While the Phillies ultimately ended up losing 6-3, the night was fun since everyone got to spend quality time with their dads inside the bonds of the Judge community.
Peter Gerace
Wenger’s TastyLick’s: The Final Lick
After a two-year-long journey, I hit the final lick. This lick wouldn’t be proper without a thank you to all who have read over the last year. It brings me joy being able to do this for fun and I wouldn’t have continued it without the readers or the kind compliments I have received from our faculty and staff. I wanted this lick to hit home a little bit, go back to my roots. The first ever article I wrote was about Wildwood pizza and just like Wildwood is a home to me, I wanted to include a piece of the Northeast as my final hoorah. With that being said, the final lick begins.
As I mentioned, this lick is about hitting home, so It would be proper to do something around the Northeast. Good Karma is a food truck that has recently been getting some praise around Northeast Philadelphia. Being found on Solly Avenue for the Judge Baseball games, on Frankford Ave, or being catered for special events. What makes it so special is that It is run by one of our own Judge birds.
I had the idea to hit this place up one of the nights I was free and conveniently, they were going to be serving food at the Ryan baseball game vs St. Joe’s Prep which I was going to be at. So I grabbed my keys, hopped in my Jeep Renegade, and drove over to the school whose football team couldn’t hang with the Crusaders back in September of ‘22 and went over to the truck to indulge in a delicious meal. I ended up settling for the buffalo chicken mac and cheese because it was always featured on Instagram and I have heard many good things about it. The mac and cheese and a pretty light and creamy cheese sauce and used typical elbow macaroni which is all you need to make a good batch. The icing on the cake has to be the chicken and buffalo sauce though. I could name at least 10 places I would put this mac and cheese in front of and it's not even close. Keep in mind, I actually despise mac and cheese when it's not home-cooked or baked, but this was some good mac and cheese. I am going to aim high and give it a solid 8.5. For the amount they give you and the flavor, it definitely deserved the rating. Part of the journey is the end, and with that being said, my final lick has been given. Wenger out.
Andrew Wenger
1st Round, 9th Pick
The Philadelphia Eagles made an interesting choice in the 2023 draft by selecting Jalen Carter with the 9th pick in the 1st round. Carter is undoubtedly a talented athlete, but his selection was accompanied by controversy due to his involvement in a fatal car crash. The incident took place after a parade on January 14, celebrating the University of Georgia's national championship victory, and resulted in the tragic deaths of Devin Willock, Carter's teammate, and Chandler LeCroy, a recruiting analyst.
In the legal proceedings that followed, Carter pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing. His attorney, Kim Stephens, released a statement confirming the plea and outlining the penalties imposed on Carter. These penalties included a $1,000 fine, 80 hours of community service and completion of a state-approved defensive driving course. It is important to note that Carter will not serve jail time, and he cannot face further charges in connection with the crash. The public was unaware of Carter's involvement in the incident until March 1 when he attended the N.F.L.'s scouting combine in Indianapolis. Following this event, he surrendered to the police in Athens-Clarke County to address the warrants issued against him for racing his Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk against LeCroy's Ford Expedition.
The police report indicates that both vehicles were speeding and swerved into oncoming traffic, leading to the tragic collision in Athens, Ga. Furthermore, toxicology reports revealed that LeCroy was intoxicated at the time of the crash, shedding light on a contributing factor to the accident.
While some may argue that Jalen Carter should be judged for his involvement in this incident, I personally believe that he should not face unwarranted condemnation. It is crucial to remember that Carter was not at fault for the crash itself. Despite this unfortunate event, there is no denying his talent as a football player, and he has the potential to excel in the game.
Overall, the circumstances surrounding Jalen Carter's draft selection are undoubtedly sensitive and complex. It is important to approach this matter with empathy and a fair understanding of the facts. Carter's athletic ability should not be overshadowed by this tragic incident, and it remains to be seen how he will perform as a professional football player.
Mick Murray
Embiid’s Path to MVP
For the 2022-2023 NBA season, Philadelphia 76ers superstar center Joel Embiid was awarded the honor of MVP, but it didn’t come easy. This season, Embiid posted a league-leading 33.1 points per game for a second consecutive year, along with 10.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. Throughout the season, Embiid was one of the most dominant players on the floor, posing as a true two-way threat.
The other two candidates for MVP were Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetekuompo and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, both of which have already won two MVP awards, with Jokic looking to capture his third straight. Giannis averaged 31.1 points per game and 11.8 rebounds per game, and Jokic averaged 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game. But despite these two other candidates displaying highly efficient statistics, it was Embiid, after placing second in the voting the last two years, who was able to take home the trophy.
Shifting over to his childhood, Embiid was born in Yaounde, Cameroon to parents Thomas and Christine. As a child, Embiid played soccer and volleyball and originally strove to be a professional volleyball player. It wasn’t until Embiid was 15 that he started playing basketball, modeling his game after Hakeem Olajuwon.
Once Embiid came to the U.S., he committed to playing college basketball at the University of Kansas. Embiid only played as a Kansas Jayhawk for a single season before entering the 2014 NBA Draft, where he was selected to play for the 76ers with the 3rd overall pick, only behind Andrew Wiggins (Cavaliers) and Jabari Parker (Bucks).
Throughout his career, Embiid was able to accumulate an all-rookie team, six all-star games, five all-NBA teams, and three all-defensive teams, before finally claiming his MVP, but this success did not continue in the playoffs, and the 76ers were eliminated by the Boston Celtics in game 7 of the eastern conference semi-finals.
Simply, Joel Embiid went through many hardships to achieve such greatness; starting from humble beginnings, immigrating across continents, to being the best player in the NBA. Embiid has had an exceptional career with Philadelphia, but the real question lies with: What is Embiid’s future look like on the 76ers, if any?
Adam Fitzmartin
Statues on Frankford: Where did they come from?
Seemingly overnight, nine statues were displayed on a segment of Frankford Avenue. The statues are meant to represent the different people and personalities that can be found in Mayfair, but where did they come from?
To start, the statues were designed and sculpted by John Seward Johnson II, better known as Seward Johnson. Johnson started small as a painter, but then took his talents to sculpting, and was able to found his own company, the Seward Johnson Atelier. An atelier is a workshop used for designing and creating art. With his company, he was able to display his statues all over the world, with some notable countries and territories outside the U.S. such as Bermuda, Israel, China, Japan, Australia, and many more. While Johnson was sculpting at his atelier, he created over 450 statues, all made out of bronze. Simply, even though these sculptures are new to Mayfair, they have already had an immense impact on other cities/neighborhoods around the world, and the sculptures are looking to have the same impact on Mayfair.
Seward Johnson himself was born on April 16th, 1930 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He lived in various locations around the Atlantic, including London, Paris, and Bermuda. But what is surprising about Johnson is his origins, and how he followed his passion for art to make his own name, instead of following in his family’s footsteps. Seward Johnson was the grandson of Robert Johnson, one of the founders of Johnson & Johnson. Because of this, Seward Johnson could have simply led a life of comfort and luxury, not having to work his entire life, but nonetheless, he followed his vocation, leading to him making his own name for himself and leaving an impact around the world. Sadly, Seward Johnson passed away on March 10th, 2023, but his atelier is assisting in carrying on his legacy.
All in all, not many people recognize the name, Seward Johnson, but his sculptures are found around the world, so these sculptures can be an example of the impact Johnson had on various communities, effectively maintaining his legacy.
Adam Fitzmartin
"I Wish You Well"
Terry Sanderson claimed that on February 26, 2016, Paltrow struck him from behind due to her careless skiing and filed a $300,000 lawsuit against her. Four fractured ribs, a concussion, and permanent brain damage, according to Sanderson, all had an impact on his day-to-day activities and interpersonal connections. In a court document, Paltrow reacted to Sanderson's allegations, claiming that he caused the crash and was trying to take advantage of her fame and fortune. The ski resort's "Bandana" novice run was where the actor said she was on a family vacation with her kids and friends when Sanderson crashed into her from behind, giving her a complete "body blow." According to Paltrow's petition, Sanderson expressed regret to her and declared himself fine. In his opening statement at the beginning of the trial on March 21, Lawrence Buhler, the attorney for Sanderson, said that Paltrow was not gazing in front of her while skiing downhill but rather was staring at her kids. He claimed that Sanderson's friend Craig Ramon was the only person who saw the collision. Sanderson, who Ramon claimed was lying face-down in the snow, was screamed at by an instructor who approached the group, according to his testimony. About three to four minutes after the collision, Paltrow left the scene without identifying herself or asking if anyone needed assistance, according to Ramon. Ramon testified that Sanderson was "out of it" and whined about his ribs. Sanderson claimed that the teacher "yanked" him off the ground before walking away.
According to the actor, Sanderson "categorically" struck her on the slope, and she told the jury that "that is the truth." She claimed that as she "gently" skied down the slope, she felt a person press against her back and saw two skis slipping in between her own. She claimed that after they both fell to the ground, she briefly froze before getting angry and screaming at Sanderson. In addition, Sanderson's testimony raised doubts over a potential GoPro helmet camera that may have captured the collision. In an email, Sanderson's daughter mentioned the GoPro, but she clarified that she was only speculating because ski resorts frequently utilize helmet cameras. After a little more than two hours of deliberation, the jury declared Sanderson to be "100% at fault" for the collision. The actress said in a statement following the verdict that she was "pleased with the outcome." As she left the courtroom, Paltrow bent over and whispered to Sanderson, "I wish you well."
Peter Gerace
Page updated
Report abuse