With it being just two weeks from my last day as an active Jr. Bill, reflection on the past four years has become rampant. However, one peculiar thing keeps popping up in my mind: music. Music was an undiscovered passion of mine and it would take the skillful guidance of the SLUH Band program (under the direction of Mr. Pottinger) to help me realize that passion.

If you know me and my relationship with food, you will know three things: 1) I love cheese, 2) I love crunchy fried things, and 3) I love Taco Bell. It’s a running gag between my siblings and me how many fast food apps I have on my phone, most notably Taco Bell. I won’t get into the many reasons why I have them (coupons, deals, etc), but now I can validate at least one of those apps for one key reason: they told me about the Quesalupa.

The halls of St. Louis U. High will certainly look a lot different next year—new renovations, a new incoming class, new teachers, and, as announced two weeks ago, a new Assistant Principal of Academics.  Assistant Principal of Academics Tom Becvar announced at the Cashbah evening dinner that he will not be returning to SLUH next year after working here for 48 years. While the news has saddened many, it will also mark a new era for the SLUH administration, which is conducting an internal search for his replacement.

St. Louis U. High’s Academic WorldQuest team was hard at work in room M114 this past weekend, taking part in a national competition for the first time in SLUH’s history. Academic WorldQuest is an annual competition in which different high schools compete against others in a series of trivia-style multiple choice questions. The multiple choice questions are divided into ten categories focused on current events around the world, with 100 total questions. The topics for this year consisted of global protests, the Arab Spring, Uzbekistan, the post-pandemic economy, foreign service, International Labor Organizations, current events, great decisions, fraying alliances, and peace in a world of conflict. 

The Provincial of the Central-Southern Province, Fr. Tom Greene, S.J. visited St. Louis U. High last Thursday to meet with the administrators and talk to the Jesuits who live in the residence on campus.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It’s hard to put into words the mixed bag of feelings I carry with me now as I write what will be the concluding article in the Ongoing Conversations Series. What a journey it’s been. To recap, following a brief introduction to the series in December, we covered harmful language, representation in curriculum, mental health, and solutions to these problems, focusing the scope on their effects on the LGBTQ+ community at SLUH.

Two students were accepted into the NSLI-Y Intensive Language Program where they will be able to study a foreign language abroad for a year. The program is organized by the US State Department and has been given students the opportunity to further their proficiency in a foreign language since 2006. Senior Luke Wagner will be going to Turkey to study language and culture, while senior Leo Wagner was accepted to the year-long immersion experience in Morocco but has decided to go to Naval Academy instead. 

After a start rife with ups and downs, the St. Louis U. High tennis team stabilized its roster and secured two big wins last week, bringing them back to a solid 3-3 record. 

The St. Louis U. High varsity ultimate frisbee team faced the Ladue Rams on Friday April. 16 and rival De Smet on Sunday April. 18 , dropping both matchups.