Never in a million years would I think a fellow Crusader would be part of a huge, promising rock band in the tri-state area. Aidan McGlone and his band, “Modern Yesterday”, changed my standpoint real quickly. The band is made up of 5 young and talented teenagers between the ages of 14-17 and they have been producing music ever since 2021. Modern Yesterday plays music around the tri-state area including states like PA, NJ, NY, and DE with lots of popping venues and festivals for the teens to flourish at. Modern Yesterday is influenced by music genres from the 70’s and 80’s. Two years ago they released their new single titled “No Way Out” which was listened to over many radios in the local area and their band is only beginning to grow.

As I described before, “Modern Yesterday” consists of five key multi-instrumental teenagers who pour their hearts out every time they perform either at festivals, concerts, or even on the news. On March 6th, the group played one of their original songs, “Let it Burn, on Good Day Philadelphia on the Fox 29 News Station. The leadoff singer, Riley Haworth, is viewed as a “True 90’s kid born two decades too late” and has been singing for the first fifteen years of her life. Riley loves singers from the 80’s too including Joan Jett and Pat Benatar. Audiences and crowds who have watched Riley in her young career describe her as a triple threat being an amazing dancer, vocalist, and actress. Riley is a female tenor and also plays percussion for the University of Pennsylvania Band. If she needed a backup plan, playing her marimba around the world would be the perfect fit for her. 

One of the more fundamental pieces of the band made his first album when he was 12 years old and was promoted in an ad playing the Philadelphia Eagles’ “Fly Eagles Fly” song. Seb Braganza has had a very supportive family over his last few years of being the lead guitarist of “Modern Yesterday”. The guitar stuck to his hands when he was only 7 years old with the help of his two School of Rock instructors. During this time, Braganza was also a top 1o finalist in the “2022 Dallas 10 Under 20 Guitar Competition” where he found his passion under Luis Kalil of Red Devil Vortex and Paul Gilbert of Artist Works. Another band member, Alison Haydu, has been playing piano and guitar since she was six years old where she was welcomed into the Girard Academic Music Program and provided a rhythm guitarist for such a talented group of teenagers. Fashion, roller skating, and spending time with her friends are hobbies she does when she’s not on the big stage. 

Victor Rosa was not the first ever musician in his family who loved the taste of music. His father, grandfather, and several of his uncles were all multi-instrumental musicians and made sure that the next generation would always have an immense vibe towards music being in their lives. Rosa is the lead drummer of Modern Yesterday and as an infant, he was always satisfied when drumsticks were placed in his hands. At only 5 years old, his parents knew the young man had a purpose to follow and got him his first lessons to pursue that natural potential he was born with. His uncle was his main mentor because he was also a drummer and Ross eventually joined Modern Yesterday in November of 2021. Throughout those three years, he promoted himself and the rest of the band at camps, clinics, and even at schools to advise the youth on how great the music world is.

Finally, the Father Judge prodigy himself, Aidan McGlone, is the bass of the group and has been teaching himself since the 2020 global pandemic occurred. The White Stripes and the Ramones have inspired McGlone through the last few years along with a big-name band like the Beatles as well. He’s in 11th grade here at Judge and has made such an impact on how diverse the Judge community has really become over the years. 

The young group of teenagers recently qualified to perform in the Live Nation & Rock and Roll of Fame’s 27th Annual Tri-C High School Rock Off where they made it all the way to the fourth and final round called the “Final Exam”. To be the “Best Band in the Land”, you have to play like you are the best band in the land, and getting one of those podium places was the main focus for Modern Yesterday. In the leadup to the “Final Exam”, every band had to play a fifteen-minute set and a certain number of groups would move on based on their overall performance while playing their origin songs. Jim Stewart Producing and Tri-C Recording Arts produced the songs for the bands and the songs can be downloaded when the Final Exam happens. The prizes are very diverse as well with first place getting paid $3,000 and $250 towards the high school program and will have the opportunity to perform at the House of Blues Cleveland Concert. Second place gets $1500 with $150 towards the program and third place takes home $500. 

The twelve finalists performed at Tri-C’s Gill and Tommy LiPuma Center for Creative Arts and Modern Yesterday finished in the top 10 at the “Final Exam” last month. Despite not reaching their goal of placing on the podium, the team poured their hearts throughout the whole competition. We couldn’t be prouder for one of our fellow Crusaders and his band fulfilling their dreams this young in their lives. The Father Judge family is excited to watch and support this young Crusader flourish in his career! 

Ryan Dalesandro

After several years of hiatus from the Kairos program at Judge, it has returned in a small capacity this past month. Kairos, a Greek word that translates to “supreme moment or God’s time,” harbors personal growth without the distractions of any electronic devices or time of day. Since the program was halted due to COVID and other restrictions, two of my fellow students, Matthew Scott ‘24; Ryan Saint-Fleur ‘24; and I, were presented with the opportunity to experience Kairos in October with Salesianum School, another Salesian school in Wilmington, with the ultimate goal of bringing it back to Father Judge. The four-day retreat is rooted in spiritualness, brotherhood, openness, and the time to strengthen one’s relationship with God. 

During Holy Week, under the guidance of Campus Minister, Father Vince Smith, OSFS, and Deacon Bill Moser; Matt, Ryan, and I fulfilled our goal and led Kairos with seven retreatants (three senior students and four junior students) at Cranaleith Spiritual Center. The specific contents of the retreat cannot be publicized so that any future potential retreatants can have similar raw emotions to each activity as many others and I have had the privilege to indulge. Furthermore, the retreat featured guest appearances from Theology teachers Mrs. Julie Teson, Mr. Mike Camellone ‘88, and Mr. Tim Poole as well as delicious home-cooked meals from Mrs. Michelle Ganley’s father Mr. Jastrzemski, Mr. Campellone ‘88, Mrs. Teson, Mrs. Aimee Cantwell, and Mrs. Eileen Coughlin.

Overall, the four days were the perfect culmination of Lent, and, the gentlemen came away from the retreat with everything they hoped for and then some. Now that the kairos program is officially back at Judge, the four junior students who attend this year are poised to lead the retreat in a larger capacity next year and offer a life-changing experience to all Crusaders. 

Peter Gerace