St. Bede Science Olympiad Teams Receive Top Honors at Competition

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School’s St. Bede Campus Science Olympiad Teams participated in a competition on Saturday, November 12 held at the University of West Alabama in Livingston, AL. There were two teams of twelve 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students coached by their teachers Miss Melanie Grayson, Mr. Nick Bourke, and Mr. Larry Meiers. Team Blue claimed First Place overall and Team Gold was named Second Place team overall. Individual students were also recognized with ribbons for their events. The St. Bede Science Olympiad Team members were Slade Eiland, Amanda Logan, Mallyna Sessions, Megan Padilla, Kevin Norris, Wheeler Ronan, Patrick Foran, Zach Hulcher, Giselle Simms, Jarrett Mason, James Sherman, Tara Bourke, Ben Crocker, Megan Foran, Josh Stark, Dominic Godwin, Forrest Phillips, Ian Ginnaty, Chase Forshey, Broghan Freeland, David Norris, Kristina Vanella, and Clay Ronan. Some of the “hands-on” competition events were Egg Drop, Pasta Bridge, Scavenger Hunt, and Tangram Tangle. A few of the study events were “Name the Scientist,” “Leaf and Tree Finder”, “No Bones About It,” and “Extinction is Forever.”

Sophomore Colin Newmeyer Led YMCA Capital City Streaks To State Cup

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School Sophomore Colin Newmeyer not only spent the fall kicking footballs for both the Catholic JV and Varsity teams but he also spent a lot of time kicking soccer balls as the captain of the YMCA Capital City Streaks Under 16 boys soccer team. The Streaks competed in the Alabama Youth Soccer Division 1 league, the highest level of soccer in Alabama. Colin spent most weekends on the road not only playing league games all over Alabama but also in tournaments in Georgia, Mississippi, and with trips to Memphis, TN, and Raleigh, NC, still to come.

In the fall, the Alabama Youth Soccer Association (AYSA) holds a state championship tournament known as the State Cup. On Halloween weekend the Capital City Streaks competed in the preliminary tournament in Birmingham where they qualified for the Final Four. The Final Four Tournament was held November 12 & 13 in Birmingham.

On Saturday November 12, the Streaks squared off against the Jets from Birmingham in the semi finals. The Jets took a 1-0 lead late in the 1st half. The Streaks came out in the 1st ten minutes of the second half and scored twice to take a 2-1 lead. The Jets tied it late in game to send it into two ten-minute overtime periods. The Jets scored in the 1st OT period. The Streaks tied it with about 4 minutes to go in the 2nd OT period. Since the game was still tied it now goes to penalty kicks. In penalty kicks, each team gets 5 kicks. Whoever scores the most wins the game. If it is still tied, the game goes into sudden death penalty kicks. Colin came up 5th with the Jets up 4-3 and made the goal to send the game into a sudden death. The Jets next kicker went wide and the Streaks kicker scored. The Capital City Streaks won and moved on to the finals.

On Sunday, November 13, the Streaks faced Vestavia in the finals. After 80 minutes of regulation play, the score was 0-0, so on to OT again. It is still 0-0 after two 10-minute OT period so on to the penalty kicks phase. All five of the Streaks make theirs goals. Colin Newmeyer was again the fifth kicker. The Streaks’ keeper stopped the Vestavia 5th kicker giving the Streaks the win and the title of State Champs. As State Champions, the team will travel along with the champions from the other 13 southeastern states to Little Rock, Arkansas, in the summer of 2006 where they will compete in the Regional Championship Tournament. The winner of the Regional tournament will move on to compete in the National Championships.

High School PTO Hosts 1st "Families In Action" Program

The High School’s Parent-Teacher’s Guild hosted our first annual “Families In Action” program. The Families in Action program offered four 15 minute seminars for both parents and students simultaneously. Each seminar discussed topics pertinent for each group. The student presentations were “Left Behind: Reasons to Drive Safely” presented our High School Principal Sue Vaughn who lost her oldest daughter in a fatal car accident; “Driving Under the Influence” presented by the Montgomery Sheriff’s Dept. where they discussed actions and consequences; “Unhealthy Lifestyle Choices” presented by a counselor for teens from Bradford Health Services who is a recovering alcoholic and drug user; and “To Smoke or Not to Smoke” presented by Dr. Bill Saliski who is a Montgomery Pulmonologist and alumni parent. While the students attended their seminars the parents gathered information on “Depression in Teens” by Dr. Karl Kirkland; “Beginner Drivers” presented by Mr. Alan Deighton with New London Driving School; “Drugs 101” presented by Sgt. Meadows of the Montgomery Police Department where parents were shown examples of common street drugs; and “Insurance and Teenagers” presented by Mr. Robert Pelt of ALFA Insurance who spoke to parents about ways to save on car insurance for teen drivers.
The response was overwhelming with over 400 parents and students participating in this year’s program. Families in Action will be presented annually in October in conjunction with Drug Awareness Week. The High School PTG is busily planning to make next year’s event bigger and better.

Middle & High School Students Celebrate All Saints Day, Remembering Fr. Labadie

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School’s Middle and High School students united as one to celebrate All Saints Day Mass in the Father Pat Delahunty Gymnasium. Father Stephen Martin ’87 was the main celebrant, with Father Patrick Driscoll ’84 and Father James Dean ’79 con-celebrating. Music was provided by students Lauren Tucker ‘06, Sean Valieant ‘09, Olivia Veres ‘07, Aaron Weber’10, and Cynthia Weber ’07. This Mass was our first time as a school community that we mourned the loss of Father Michael Labadie ’91. Father Martin’s homily to the students was simple and poignant: “If you want to remember Father Labadie well and do him honor, have the courage to become a saint. That’s the feast we celebrate today, and that’s what God asks of each of you.” Then, as part of the offertory of the Mass, Kelsey and Matthew Donohue, niece and nephew of Father Labadie, brought up Father Labadie’s personal chalice, which was given by the family as a permanent gift to the school and students. Following communion, Senior Mary Catherine Ingram, our SGA President and former student of Father Labadie, gave a brief talk, remembering Father Labadie. Her speech, in its entirety, can be found on our website: http://www.knights.pvt.k12.al.us/hp/Fr.Labadie.remembering.doc. The Mass closed with “Amazing Grace,” which began with a quiet solo on the xylophone leading into song by the student body. By the end of Mass, there were very few dry eyes. Father Labadie’s family members were greeted by students following the service. It was a graced moment for our students and faculty and a time of healing for all.