The Stampede recently took a tour of the new construction, and is proud to offer you a first glimpse at some of the new spaces that will be open for use next year. Photos by Jacqueline Corley '10.

Photo by Jacqueline Corley '10.

First floor hallway, where several new classrooms and a computer lab will be found. Photo by Jacqueline Corley '10.

Around the corner to the right is an entrance to the new band room.
Photo by Jacqueline Corley '10.

Stairway between the first and second floors.
Photo by Jacqueline Corley '10.

A new hallway on the 2nd floor, where some lockers have been installed.
Photo by Jacqueline Corley '10.

Storage space inside the new art room.
Photo by Jacqueline Corley '10.

Several new bathrooms will be available in the new hallways.
Photo by Jacqueline Corley '10.

Another view of the second floor hallway, where there will be several new classrooms.
Photo by Jacqueline Corley '10.

First floor, near what used to be the band room.
Photo by Jacqueline Corley '10.

Space for a new fine arts classroom, possibly dance or choir.
Photo by Jacqueline Corley '10.

The new chapel begins to take shape.
Photo by Jacqueline Corley '10.

View from a first floor window. In the background is Mt. Calvary.
Photo by Jacqueline Corley '10.

More work on the new chapel, which will be visible from Marlboro Pike.
Photo by Jacqueline Corley '10.

Photo by Jacqueline Corley '10.

by Carly Mendiola '08
Staff Reporter and Design Editor

School Says Goodbye to Beloved Teacher and Administrator

Mrs. Marilyn Wockley, Director of Student Life and Vice Principal here at Bishop McNamara High School, knew she wanted to be a teacher from the time she was young and after 33 years of teaching she will retire. Having been an important figure in the Administration and someone who, according to English Department Chair Charles Shryock, "kind of does it all" for nearly twenty years, her departure will leave a large void in McNamara's community. "It's overwhelming to consider how to ever replace a Mrs. Wockley," says principal Marco Clark.

Mrs. Wockley arrived here at Bishop McNamara 25 years ago, following numerous other teaching jobs. She worked for eight years teaching Spanish and French at both high school and elementary schools in Baltimore County and Virginia. While working at a school in Virginia, however, Mrs. Wockley stumbled upon a wanted ad in The Washington Post. It was an ad for a position at Bishop McNamara High School.

Upon receiving a position at Bishop McNamara -- still an all boys school at the time and composed of only 300 students -- she began teaching French and Spanish, eventually becoming the Foreign Language Department Chair. However, after 14 years of teaching and the school's decision to go co-ed Mrs. Wockley applied for a change in position to take on the role as Dean of Women. She received the position of Dean and continued acting as such until she was later appointed to work in the Administration offices, fulfilling a number of duties that she said "flowed into place." Her job consists of tasks such as managing early dismissals, coordinating the students of the month program, editing the student handbook, writing the activities guide, dealing with all school clubs, appointing cafeteria duty to the teachers and even seemingly menial responsibilities like changing the letters on the board outside on the school's lawn. In her words, "I just try to be helpful. I do a lot of what it takes to make things work."

Following her retirement Mrs. Wockley would like to travel. She loves to take pictures and would enjoy nothing more than exercising her photography skills in places like Spain and France (although her desired travel destinations are certainly not limited to just those two). She plans to continue participating in McNamara programs and is even considering the possibility of acting as a substitute teacher as a way to maintain her connection with the school that has come to be so close to her heart. Mostly though, she just wants to spend more time with her family, making more frequent visits to Maine where her daughter and new grandson reside. She says that "after you've worked so long there's a lot to catch up on." And that's just what she plans to do post-retirement: to catch up on everything she's been missing out on.

"She brings a sort of professionalism to the position," says Mrs. Angelina Diehlmann, Mathematics Department Chair, of Mrs. Wockley. "She'll be missed." And apparently the sentiment is mutual as Mrs. Wockley says "I'll really miss the people. You tend to take the people you're around all the time for granted. I'll miss the people I've been around." But don't think the students are excluded. Mrs. Wockley says, "I cry at every graduation." This year, however, will be very different as it is not only a graduation for McNamara's seniors, but also a graduation for herself as she departs from Bishop McNamara, embarking on a new journey and a new phase of her life, hopefully one that is a bit more relaxing... and maybe includes a trip to Europe.

A Look at Changing Policies for Varsity Athletes
by Becca Heller '08, Copy Chief
and Jackie Corley '10, Staff Reporter

Recently, a few of us have been thinking a lot about Bishop McNamara's Physical Education requirements. Although some people may not know it, the policy for PE has changed within the past few years. Just a couple of years ago, in fact, varsity athletes were exempt from taking a PE class. To us, this policy seemed to make total sense. Not only did it make space for other classes in our schedules, but it gave athletes a break from the constant physical activity that most of them have to deal with. Most varsity athletes have practices or games every day after school, and there are some students who play on club teams on top of that. Any athlete could confirm that this break from sports is extremely important when it comes to staying healthy and uninjured. Furthermore, this old PE policy allowed already-active students to balance out their schedules, giving them an opportunity to explore the many elective classes that BMHS offers. This program seemed like a flexible and balanced approach to Physical Education requirements.

So, we began to wonder why they changed the policy. We went around the school, hoping to get to the bottom of things. Athletic Director Mr. Tony Johnson seemed to have the most answers. When confronting him in the cafeteria about the PE schedule we asked him why the policy had changed. Why do varsity players have to take a PE class? Mr. Johnson started out by giving us some background. "It used to be so that varsity students did not have to take PE -- starting in 2002 -- but that quickly changed in 2006, and then all students were required to take PE again," he said. After hearing this we gave him a puzzled look; why did it change back? He replied simply, "There were a lot of loopholes." For example, he told us that, "one year we had a student who played baseball. He made varsity last year, but he had PE in the fall, so he had to take PE anyway because he was not on varsity for that school year [yet]." This was a very understanding statement, because it would not be fair if a fall varsity athlete was exempt from PE, but then a varsity spring student has to participate in PE just because it was a bad coincidence that their sport just happened to occur when the class was over. On this topic Mr. Johnson told us "it was tough to make sure the proper credit was given."

Upon hearing Mr. Johnson's explanations, we began to understand the system a little better, but we still wanted to hear what students thought about the new policy. There were definitely some mixed opinions on this topic, but for the most part, students seemed to prefer the old policy. Meghan Alger '08, when asked whether she thought PE should be a mandatory requirement, responded, "I think we should be allowed the option." Later, however, she added that, "If you don't take PE, it allows more spaces for other courses." Many people seemed to feel the same way. Joel Harrison '08 gave us a fresh look at things saying, "I liked PE. I would have taken it anyway. It's a stress reliever." Carly Mendiola '08, when asked which she preferred, admitted, "I liked how accommodating the old PE policy was, but I understand why they changed it." It seems like many students feel the same way. We wish that there was some way to return to the old policy because it made life easier for so many students. At the same time, however, we want to preserve academic credits and keep things fair. So the question will remain -- is there a better way?

Letter to The Stampede
by Mariah Crilley '08

Why would the U.S. support a man who appears to reject democracy and seems to lust for power? Some would argue that the U.S.'s support for Pervez Musharraf in Pakistan is because of the need for a democratic ally in fighting terrorism in a volatile region of the world, but Musharraf himself, as the Associated Press quotes, called Taliban attacks "pinpricks" and "played down the impact of recent attacks". Musharraf appears not to be adamant in fighting terrorism, although he claims that shutting down television stations and sacking justices were actions to counter terrorism, which most of the world viewed as retarding Pakistan's democracy.

How can the U.S., a country born and bred on democratic principles, support a man who does not live up to its ideals? History has shown that supporting the man who seems most strategic to the U.S. almost always hurts us in the end. Supporting Osama bin Laden and Ferdinand Marcos may have been in the U.S.'s best interests at the time, but by sacrificing principles for safety or security, the U.S. loses in the long run. In the case of Osama bin Laden, funding his army worked in defeating the Soviets and forcing them out of Afghanistan, but it also put weapons, finances, and power into the hands of a person who harbored deep hatred toward the West. In supporting Ferdinand Marcos, the U.S. supported a corrupt mockery of democracy and allowed for one man to amass power in order to contain communism. By choosing the lesser of two evils in these cases, the U.S. still chose evil.

According to the White House's fact sheet on the relationship between Pakistan and the U.S., "The United States strongly supports Pakistan's efforts to develop robust, transparent, and representative democratic institutions...". The U.S. supports the democracy in Pakistan, despite the apparent amassing of power of Musharraf, although elections are looming close. The White Houses fact sheet states that it will give $1.5 billion between 2005 and 2009 to Pakistan for military but only $130 million for education. The U.S. appears to support a militaristic Pakistan, which the U.S. intends to use as a front against Islamic extremism. This may appear good to some, but more weapons in the hands of less educated people seem highly unsafe.
Even still, the U.S. aids Musharraf more so than it does the nation of Pakistan because Musharraf's unpopularity has been growing in Pakistan. Some people dislike him because he seems to be abandoning democracy, but others dislike him for his close ties with the West, specifically the U.S, says the Associated Press. This proposes a question to the U.S.: should we support a man who does not represent the nation he was chosen to embody? Should America support a man who thwarts democracy but does so in the name of fighting terrorism?

The answer is no. The U.S. should not support a man who goes against its principles and we should not choose the lesser of two evils. Some might consider it idealistic, but what does the U.S. gain by descending to that level? We lose our dignity, our credibility by supporting something which goes against all that we supposedly stand for in order to attain some modicum of a façade of safety. People say that we must give up freedom in order to attain safety, but what kind of freedom is that? Maybe you do not buy into my idealism, but how much safer can the U.S. claim to feel with its relationship with Pakistan? Benazir Bhutto was recently assassinated and riots raged across the nation. With, as the Telegraph says, $10 billion dollars of American assistance in the hands of an unstable nation, with most of the money amounting to arms and military training, the U.S. appears to have more to fear from the country and to gain. This does not mean that the U.S. should abandon the nation, but abandon the puppet figure Musharraf who rules Pakistan. In supporting Musharraf, we lose more than gain more, creating more unrest in the nation, leading to riots and the possible usurpation of an at heart democratic government. The U.S., in a world with burgeoning dislike of this country, cannot forfeit the ideals that made it famous and wonderful, and it cannot support a man who goes against all of its principles.

A Monthly Column with Jason Newton '08

Why a Democratic "Dream Ticket" is the only way they will win in November

It has been nearly four months since the Iowa caucuses in January, and the Democratic Party is still without a clear front-runner for its presidential nominee. While Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) has a clear lead in pledged delegates and popular vote, he has been unable to deliver a knock out blow to his main challenger Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY). With tension running high on both sides, this prolonging contest has raised fears that the eventual nominee will come out badly bruised against the Republican Party's nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ.). While they have dismissed this concern, I believe it a concern that should not be taken lightly. As the primary season enters its final weeks, I see a Democratic Party extremely divided. Tensions are running high on both sides and there is no guarantee that the party will unite behind the eventual nominee in November.

For this reason, some within the party have floated the idea of a Democratic "dream ticket," a joint-ticket with both Obama and Clinton (in whatever order that is decided). Both Clinton and Obama say it is still too early to talk about Vice Presidential candidates and both have declined to say whether they would ask each other to join their ticket. The idea has also received a lukewarm response from leading Democratic officials like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D. Cali.). As far as I can see, the Dream Ticket is the only way the Democrats stand a chance on winning the Presidency in November.

Despite his charisma and ability to "move people," Mr. Obama is still relatively unknown to many Americans, which could pose a problem for him in November. The senator's questionable relationship with his longtime anti-American pastor Reverend Jeremiah Wright and the whole "Bittergate" comments have only raised new questions about the man's electability. Now, do not even get me started on Mrs. Clinton. Despised by Republicans and Conservatives alike, Mrs. Clinton's electability has always been in question, even when she was the front-runner.

Also, let's face it: people are going to be bitter once this thing is decided. Both sides are going to feel they have been cheated of victory. For example, there is already talk among Clinton supporters of backing McCain in the event Obama does win the nomination.

Running separately, the Democratic Party's chances in November have no place to go but down, and the longer this race goes on, I bet my prediction will pan out. Running together, however, I think it is very likely that the American people will embrace a Democratic presidential candidate for the first time in over a decade. Both bring something to the table. Mrs. Clinton brings experience, while Mr. Obama brings the new face and bipartisan attitude that American politics has been lacking for decades. Also, do Democrats really think the American people, no matter how stupid the concept actually may be, will ignore the chance of electing the country's first black president and female vice president, or the first woman president and black vice president? I do not think so.

I mean even another Leftie, Fidel Castro, thinks the ticket is a win.

So I think, at the end of the day, Clinton and Obama are going to have to kiss and make up if they have any chance of standing against McCain, a Vietnam War veteran who has supporters on both sides of the political spectrum. If they do not, then all I can say is Election Night 2008 will be a good night for Senator John McCain.

Pope Benedict XVI walks with President Bush, First Lady Jenna Bush and First Wife Laura Bush soon after his arrival at Andrews Air Force Base (April 15, 2008). The Wind Ensemble of Bishop McNamara HS was selected to play at the Pope's arrival, to greet him and celebrate the beginning of his much anticipated first visit to the US. Photo by Thomas Ingle '10.

A Report from Spanish Exchange Student Melissa August '09
Writing from Spain / March 29, 2008

"All I can say is: I don't want to leave," says Max Allegro '10, one of twenty-four students from Bishop McNamara High School currently overseas for this year's spring break, experiencing far more than they bargained for. Any trip as extensive as traveling to Spain for two and a half weeks has expectations, expectations that something great will come out of the trip or that something new will be learned. Personally, I think Spain has helped all the students realize that this trip is less about what they expected and more about what they did not expect.

The people here are different, the food here is different, the lifestyle VERY different. Being immersed in a completely different way of life can take some getting used to. The first couple of days we suffered jet lag in the high paced city of Madrid. Madrid was just a warm up for what we were about to see. Toledo was jaw-dropping. It was like a cliche romantic movie set in Europe, except IT WAS REAL. Never had I expected so much.

Cordoba was a nice change of pace. It had many good qualities, but because Toledo overshadowed it, many found Cordoba lacking interest. Following Cordoba was a smaller city called Merida. Merida is known for its many well-preserved ancient Roman monuments, including an ancient Roman Amphitheater, and a Roman Theatre where a summer festival of classical theatre is presented each year. At this point on the trip I was at a loss for words. The cites are so beautiful, and the history has made such a profound impact that I, along with my classmates, have really stopped holding on to any expectations, because they have all already been fulfilled.

Harolyn Phillips '08 shared that "This trip has felt like 3 months, and I'm still not home sick." This trip has truly been the opportunity of a lifetime, for it continues to give us far more than seven days in a week. We have been in Spain for only 11 days with still one week remaining, and it has felt like forever.

A Monthly Column with Charles Young '08

There is an Issue by Jesse Kirkland '08

We all yearn for a progressive change. As the New Year approached us during Christmas Break, many people re-evaluated the ending year, while simultaneously making resolutions for the next. We realized there were things we didn't do that we should have, and things we did do that we could have done better. Oftentimes, to aptly assess ourselves, we look at those around us, taking characteristics we admire in them and adding these traits to our list of what could make us a better person.

In "There Is An Issue," Jesse Kirkland '08 analyzes the complications of making personal changes. He notes how, in trying to change, we emulate our model, and how that emulation will forever continue. The opening stanza states "the issue": that his imitation of a model is beginning to coincide with himself, meshing what used to be with what will be. He imitates this model, which his ultimate goal is to become, but, in the third stanza, it is revealed that he feels he will never achieve his ideal. Because of his doubts, he hides his feign from the model and destroys it, thus destroying himself. But in a last effort to obtain his idea of perfection, he begins anew, stating, "...and with that brush dipped in rapid beat, I paint a copy that will never be seen." Finally, he ends the poem as it began, once again stating, "There is an issue," thus starting the cycle of imitation again.

There Is An Issue

...There is an issue

Imitation may indeed be the sincerest form of flattery, but the price we pay to do so is too much too bare. This poem reminds us not to "follow the fold," as Molly Gillis '08 so beautifully sang in this year's musical production of Guys and Dolls, because in doing so, we lose our own unique identity.

So, stay yourselves until next time in the Poet's Refuge.

By Robert Webster, Jr. '08
Sports Editor

As we all know all good things must come to an end, and the Bishop McNamara Boy's Basketball team season certainly did against cross town rival DeMatha in the Boys Quarterfinal Games at Gallaudet University. Although the score doesn't reflect the game play of the Stangs, they certainly put up maximum effort and with a very productive game from Talib Zanna '09 who had 21 and Rashaud Whack who also contributed heavily in the scoring department with 17. Even with these impressive standout performances, it was still not enough for the Stangs to prevail against Dematha.

I was able to catch up with some of the seniors who had just finished their last high school basketball game, Marc Hill, Daran Adams and Alonzo Cooke, and ask them how they felt about the end of the season and their results. Alonzo Cooke felt "a little more hustle could have got us over the hump to the next round, or possibly the Championship." Although the team fell short, he felt it was still a productive season.

A few starters will return next year for another season and there are a few more young guys who are already looking to make an impact.

By Jackie Corley '10 and Melissa August '09
Staff Reporters

"I miss this family" was heard echoing through the halls on January 8, 2008, when graduates from the class of 2007 returned to McNamara for a day of memories. Many smiles and hugs were exchanged between the "big time" college freshies and their friends who stayed behind and watched them graduate last year. The class of '07 also got to catch up with many of their fellow graduates, for some had not seen each other since graduation. Many students here at McNamara were also ecstatic to see how they were doing on their own. "I think it was pretty cool that they came back to talk to us," said C.J Dorsey '09.

With all the new college excitement, did anyone really miss the ol' maroon and gold? "Well, I miss the fresh air when coming out of the building," shared Michael August '07. "I also miss the family atmosphere." That was an answer we got from many '07 graduates -- I guess McNamara really does bring us together in appreciating a small communal environment. "I miss the people, it was a really close community, and college is a really big adjustment because I have all this freedom," said Whitney Cosby '07.

When asked what McNamara has done to greatly impact their lives, the alumni offered a variety of touching responses. "A lot of the people will make friends for a lifetime," speaks Rayvon Willams '07. Julie Petrarca '07 smiles and said, "That's easy! I met my boyfriend (Chris Reyes '07) sophomore year. We've been dating ever since." Natalie Seppi '07 was very sincere when saying "I miss the family. My family! I miss the diversity. Everything from choir, to African dance, to soccer, to lacrosse, and swimming. My life was made at McNamara."

It is quite evident that McNamara is missed, and that has made a crater impact on the story plan of many graduates' lives. However, has McNamara, a world that consists of more than 800 other teenagers, the best french fries, and stiff-collared blazers, prepared these young adults for the big world? Many say yes. However, my fellow McNamaraians, it is up to you to make your high school career count, and only you, with hard work now, will receive the benefits during your future in college.