Photo by Cory Wyman ’16 – Patrick McGovern ’16 becomes BLAM’s new arts editor.

By Cameron Bray ’16
THE ROUNDUP

Mr. John Damaso ’97 announced the new editing staff for the Brophy Literary and Arts  Magazine, better known as BLAM, Aug. 27.

Mr. Damaso chose Patrick McGovern ’16, who has been on staff since his sophomore year, to be BLAM’s new arts editor.

McGovern, previously the assistant arts editor, is taking over for Alex Giolito ’15, who graduated last year.

He said the behind-the-scenes production and the BLAM community were what made him apply for the position.

“Last year I was the assistant arts editor, and so I just got more of an inside look on how it works and everything,” McGovern said. “And that only made me want to have a head editor position even more just because I saw how equal and how creative it all was. It’s really just a good community so I wanted to not only have that a part of my extracurriculars, but I wanted to be involved in it.”

Mr. Damaso said he chose McGovern because of his prior experience as assistant arts editor and because of his emphasis on greater outreach and inclusion.

He praised McGovern for his creativity and skill.

“I think Patrick brings a rawness of artistic spirit,” he said. “I like how Patrick goes with his gut first when it comes to creating art, looking at art … He has, I think, a really kind enthusiasm that he brings to a student activity that requires inclusion, and I think that’s one of his strengths.”

Mr. Damaso also said one of McGovern’s strengths is that he often “smiles first.”

“He tends to smile first, whereas some students smile second,” he said. “You look at them, you initiate something, then they smile. He’s always sort of smiling first, and I find that to be a really key trait for an effective leader, especially when you’re leading other students.”

Jake Lee ’16, who has been on the BLAM staff since his freshman year and is now the managing editor and layout editor, also spoke highly of McGovern.

“I met him freshman year but I’ve become pretty good friends with him over the last few months starting probably second semester junior year, and I’ve always liked all of his work,” he said. “He’s just a really funny guy.”

Lee also praised him for his talent and his understanding.

“He understands what BLAM is about,” he said. “He’s just really talented, too.”

McGovern said he first joined BLAM because of its collaboration and uniqueness.

“Sophomore year I was just really interested in the whole idea of (BLAM),” he said. “I didn’t really imagine that there’d be anything on campus like it … so I was just intrigued by the collaboration. And, you know, the idea of putting literary pieces together with visual pieces was just something that I think is so unique to not only our high school, but high schools in general.”

Besides being an editor for BLAM, McGovern said he’s the co-president of Photo Video Club with Jeff Thomas ’16 and that he wants to participate in two of the theater productions this year, including “A Christmas Carol.”

In addition, he said that he and Zach Leibovit ’16 are working on opening a Junior State of America chapter here at Brophy.

“We have it ready and everything,” McGovern said. “It’s like a national organization, JSA, so we had to actually reach out to them. We talked on the phone with them a couple of times. We have it going, but we don’t have enough members yet, so right now we’re just trying to get interest.”

McGovern said he’s excited for this year’s BLAM and the types of art students will submit.

“I think we’re going to have a really good edition this year,” he said. “I’m really excited to see who out there on campus is making art because a lot of the time we get submissions from kids and then we’re so surprised. ‘We’re like we never would have known all these students have so much talent; we never would have known without BLAM.’