On May 9, 2024, The Roundup hosted its annual banquet. This special occasion celebrates the numerous accomplishments contributed by student writers and club moderators. Ranging from captivating community profiles to comprehensive coverage of global politics, The Roundup’s growing success is manifested through energetic staff writers and strong leadership under its current Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor. Finally, all of this year’s accomplishments came to fruition under the mentorship of Dr. Degen, Mr. Berry, and Mr. Nava.
Of special note, this year’s banquet included a number of former members of The Roundup. The list is as follows:
Clark Durham ‘12 (Editor-in-Chief, 2011-12)
Dominic Iannelli ‘15 (Editor-in-Chief, 2014-15)
Grant Kostos ‘22 (keynote speaker)
Nick Morris ‘23 (notable satirist)
Opening & Dinner
The banquet commenced with Logan Thompson ’24, Editor-in-Chief from 2023-24, making remarks on this year’s success as a newspaper, thanking the club moderators, and recognizing our distinguished alumni and guests. Following Logan’s opening remarks, I was blessed to lead an opening prayer to commence our celebration. Afterwards, the students, moderators, and guests were welcomed to Thomas Cuisine’s fajita dinner. The fajitas were offered alongside rice, vegetables, and cookies.
Keynote Speech
This year’s keynote speaker was Grant Kostos ‘22, the former Senior News Editor from 2021-22. A current sophomore at SMU, Grant is majoring in finance and specializing in real estate. During his time with The Roundup, Grant wrote a grand total of 30 articles – desperately attempting to elevate the musical dross of Drake and Kane, pontificating on the NBA, and endorsing the latest Batman movie. Regarding a slighter tumultuous topic, he tossed his thoughts about the joyous senate hearings of a fellow Jesuit high school graduate from the east, who now sits on the Supreme Court. His future plans involve creating a real estate hedge fund so that he can someday construct The Roundup building of journalism.
During this keynote address, Grant discussed his primary focal points for students. Specifically, Grant urged his audience to be open to the experience, citing his expansion of his friend group at SMU and active leadership as president of Beta Theta Pi. In addition, Grant discussed the importance of faith life and prayer, mentioning his overcoming of a difficult test by praying to and trusting in God. Finally, Grant advised that one should cherish the present, but be willing to embrace the new experiences.
Grant’s Tips
After the banquet, I had the opportunity to discuss with Grant about tips for Roundup members, both seniors and current students, in encountering new experiences and being Men for Others. Grant’s following pieces of advice are listed below.
“For both graduating seniors and current students, it’s important to try anything and everything possible, prioritize faith life and having a personal relationship with God, and to enjoy every moment because it goes by in a flash.”
“Faith life is whatever you make of it. I’ve tried to make Sunday church and nightly prayer a priority, but it doesn’t have to stop there. Getting involved with Bible study groups is a great way to meet people and makes God someone you interact outside of just Sundays.”
“Writing for the newspaper prepares you more than you even realize for college writing. The rhetorical skills and exercises are both extremely helpful in college because they allow you to be precise and concise in your writing. Many people have never had an experience like Roundup staff members, so you will be prepared and ahead before you start college.”
New Leadership
After the speech, Logan announced next year’s Editor-in-Chief (EIC) and Managing Editor. The new EIC and Managing Editor are listed below:
Editor-in-Chief: Peyton Bristow ‘25
Managing Editor: Ben Woodard ‘25
Staff Awards
Following the announcement of our new leadership, Logan and I had the honor of presenting staff awards to all section and associate editors.
The Jesuit Roundup awards the Best Podcast Manager Award to Griffin Taber ‘24. This award acknowledges Griffin’s remarkable contribution to the newspaper as a podcast manager, whether it be interviewing faculty members, student clubs, or sharing college experiences.
The Jesuit Roundup awards the Political and Cultural Watchman Award to Peter Loh ‘24. This award recognizes Peter’s exceptional coverage of both current events and media topics, ranging from global conflicts to movie and TV show reviews.
The Jesuit Roundup awards the Excellence in Jesuit Dallas Sports Coverage Award to Peyton Bristow ‘25. This award recognizes Peyton’s contribution in covering Jesuit sports such as football and basketball, as well as recent Jesuit athletics news such as college signing day and Coach Koch’s retirement.
The Jesuit Roundup awards the Outstanding Film and Media Critic Award to Austin Keith ‘24. This award recognizes Austin’s ability to provide impactful commentary on movie reviews such as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Oppenheimer. In addition, Austin’s expertise in film and media manifested through his interview with film director, Thaddeus Matula.
The Jesuit Roundup awards the Excellence in Coverage of Jesuit Dallas News Award to Benjamin Woodard ‘25. This award recognizes Ben’s excellent coverage of news around the Jesuit community. Ben’s news coverage includes retreats, prayer services, JCL, and tennis tournaments.
The Jesuit Roundup awards the Outstanding AI Critic Award to Benjamin Petroff ‘24. Ben has finished his Jesuit Roundup service with two articles not only discussing ChatGPT, but also persuading students to avoid overdependence on AI in school.
The Jesuit Roundup awards the Excellence in Rugby Coverage Award to Daniel Lucido ‘24. This award celebrates Daniel’s great insight into Jesuit Rugby, an elite pack that has won two consecutive Varsity Cup Championships.
The Jesuit Roundup awards the Excellence in Baseball Coverage Award to Tristen Bird ’24. This award recognizes Tristen’s insightful baseball expertise manifested through his Behind the Plate series.
The Jesuit Roundup awards the Excellence in Crew Coverage Award to Mario Jaar ’24. This award recognizes Mario’s ability to write captivating articles about Jesuit Crew, including a profile on Coach Eli Brown and recap of the SWEAT Regatta.
The Jesuit Roundup awards the Excellence in Cross-Disciplinary Writing Award to Lachlan Broad ‘25. This award acknowledges Lachlan’s ability to cover news and sports events at Jesuit Dallas. Some of Lachlan’s articles cover social events like homecoming and prom, student council elections, and soccer matches.
The Jesuit Roundup awards the Excellence in Interviews Award to Thomas Fino ‘25. This award commends Thomas’ excellent coverage of breaking news on the Jesuit campus, whether it be Mr. James Luisi (new community service director) or interviewing basketball players after games.
The Jesuit Roundup awards the Excellence in Hockey Coverage to Ewan Randles ’25. This award recognizes Ewan’s consistent coverage of Jesuit Hockey from its journey in the preseason exhibition game to the valiant run in the 2024 National Championships.
The Jesuit Roundup awards the Consistency in Article Views Award to Sebastian Suwanda ‘26. This award celebrates Sebastian’s ability to write captivating articles that attract the attention of the Jesuit community. As of today, 16 of 18 articles written by Sebastian this year have 100+ views. Of course, the number of views is an excellent indicator of the Roundup’s influence.
The Jesuit Roundup awards the Excellence in School and Professional Tennis Coverage Award to Mathis Valenta ‘26. This award recognizes Mathis’ excellent coverage of Jesuit and professional tennis alike, whether it be recapping a fall season or an analysis of a tennis star like Jannik Sinner or Novak Djokovic.
The Jesuit Roundup awards the Excellence in Current Global Conflicts Coverage Award to Zach Ingham ‘26. This award recognizes Zach’s well-rounded knowledge in current affairs in China, the Ukraine, and especially his insightful Palestine and Israel series.
The Jesuit Roundup awards the Excellence in Museum Coverage Award to Drew Shippey ‘27. This award recognizes Drew’s thorough analysis of the Jesuit Dallas Museum’s art collections and new features on campus.
News Section Award
ARTICLE OF THE YEAR: “Remembering a Legend: A Look at Coach Koch’s Phenomenal Career” – Peyton Bristow ‘25
NOMINEES:
- “Roundup Exclusive Interview: Revered Bishop Edward Burns on Immigration, the Youth, and the Synod” – Sebastian Suwanda ‘26
- “The Roundup Shocks World with Second Win of All Time in Expository Bowl” – Logan Thompson ‘24
- “Becoming Men for Others: Incoming Class of ‘28 Participates in Annual Ranger Rally” – Anthony Nguyen ‘24
- “Lucky Luckadoo – WWII Survivor from the “Bloody Hundredth”” – Jaeger Krauss ‘25
Sports Section Award
ARTICLE OF THE YEAR: “Jesuit Swimming and Diving Breaks Two School Records as Five Rangers Punch Tickets to State” – Sebastian Suwanda ‘26
NOMINEES:
- “Jesuit Dallas Hockey Wins Texas High School State Championships” – Ewan Randles ‘25
- “Jesuit Basketball Shocks Top-Ranked South Grand Prairie to Claim Bi-District Title” – Logan Thompson ‘24
- “The Tollway Tussle Goes Unfrozen: Jesuit Outduels District Rival Highland Park” – Sebastian Suwanda ‘26
- “World Series Champions: Texas Rangers’ Season in Review” – Owen Maynor ‘27
Viewpoint Section Award
ARTICLE OF THE YEAR: “The Great Gatsby Movie: Fashionably Inaccurate” – Ismael Hussain ‘26
NOMINEES:
- “Taco Bell: Succulent Sustenance Fit for Gods” – Jackson Shutze ‘24
- “Issues Confronting the US in 2024: Part 2 (Russia)” – Anthony Nguyen ‘24
- “AOTW #6: Red King Crab – Paralithodes Camtschaticus” – Matthew Toker ‘24
- “Opinion: Jesuit Should Go Completely Asynchronous” – Dylan Joseph ‘27
- “The Time Has Come: The Use of AI in Therapy Services” – Christopher Matthews ‘25
- “Mr. Berry’s Bow Ties: A Week in Review” – Will Shaner ‘27
- “Album Review: For All The Dogs – Drake” – Mathis Valenta ‘26
- “The Raging Leviathan: A Kritik of Unlimited State Control” – Luke Lastelick ‘25
- “The Evolution of Cruise Ships (Part 1: 1891-1920)” – Ismael Hussein ‘26
- “Yet Another Gazan War: A Unique Perspective” – Zach Ingham ‘26
Durham Family Scholarship
After section editors’ presentations of their respective articles of the year, the final and highest award is bestowed: the Durham Family Scholarship.
First awarded in 2016, the Durham Family Award honors and acknowledges Jesuit upperclassmen for their multi-year commitment to The Roundup, both in producing content and providing significant leadership to the newspaper staff.
The award underscores the contributions of the three Durham sons who played a primary role in establishing and developing the online newspaper, along with Suzanne and Clark Durham who donated generously of their time and treasure to support the early growth of The Roundup.
The three Durham men, who wrote a combined 153 articles for the newspaper, served in the following leadership roles:
Clark Jr. ‘12 (Editor-in-Chief, 2011-12)
Pierce ‘14 (News Editor, 2013-14; Best Video in The Dallas Morning News Contest)
Jack ‘16 (Sports Editor, 2014-16)
This year’s Durham Family Scholarship is worth $2000 that can be applied to next year’s tuition. The winners for this year are Ben Woodard ‘25 and Mathis Valenta ‘26.
Conclusion
Following the presentation of the prestigious Durham Family Scholarship, Logan and I gave our final remarks as leaders of The Roundup. Then, I had the opportunity to conclude our ceremony with a closing prayer.
Thank you to all students, faculty, parents, and alums for a successful year! Most importantly, I would like to extend our gratitude to the graduating seniors who have selflessly contributed to The Roundup in all ways possible. On behalf of The Roundup, we look forward to another great year under the leadership of Peyton Bristow and Ben Woodard!
Tune into The Roundup for more Jesuit news and club coverage!
