John Conway Named Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction

High School English Instructor John Conway of Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School has been selected as a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction by The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS). A role model to pupils, Conway was nominated by Troy Maxwell for outstanding dedication and commitment to excellence in teaching. The Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction award recognizes teachers who have made a lasting difference in their classrooms by encouraging students to strive for excellence. This fall, Mr. Conway will begin his fifteenth year as a member of the High School English faculty at Montgomery Catholic.

Student members of NSHSS have the opportunity to nominate the one educator who has made the most significant contribution to their academic career. This award, bestowed by The Society upon the recommendation of a member, allows the students themselves to recognize the commitments, strengths, and gifts of their teachers, providing an opportunity for them to recognize and thank their academic mentors. What makes this award unique is that it is an honor bestowed upon an outstanding educator by a young scholar.

“Dedicated educators who exhibit a commitment to excellence deserve our highest praise and appreciation,” said NSHSS Chair Claes Nobel. “We’re excited to provide an ongoing means to do so, and we encourage our members to nominate teachers who have been pivotal to their academic success.”

Formed in 2002 by Mr. Claes Nobel, a senior member of the family which established the Nobel Prizes, The National Society of High School Scholars recognizes academic excellence at the high school level and encourages member of the organization to apply their unique talents, vision, and potential for the betterment of themselves and the world. Currently there are more than 300,000 Society members in over 50 countries.

Sara Garcia Takes 2nd Place in Golf Tournament

Montgomery Catholic Senior Sara Garcia hold the Second Place title in a field of 23 female athletes in women's golf for the 2007 AHSAA 1A-5A Girls State Championship. The state tournament was held on the Grand National Course of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Opelika, AL. Sara shot a 78 in the first round and an 83 in the second for a total of 161. Sara is an exchange student from Mexico and is pictured with Montgomery Catholic Athletic Director Jim Tolbert and Montgomery Catholic Golf Coach Bill Sutton.

Middle School May Crowning

The Middle School honored the Blessed Mother Mary with a May Crowning Ceremony held on May 17. Eighth graders Chris Bodet, Tyler Jankay, and Evan LeBarge all placed flowers at feet of the Blessed Mother statue in front of the Middle School while Jessica Mount placed a crown of flowers on her head. The students sang "Immaculate Mary", prayed a decade of the Rosary with the Hail, Holy Queen, and then sang "Hail, Holy Queen."

The "Our Lady of Grace" statue was given to the school by sisters Mary Azar and Frances Miaoulis and was blessed by Bishop Toolen on April 12, 1945. The statue stood in front of our original school site, The Gerald Mansion, from 1945 until 1965. It was rededicated by Archbishop Lipscomb on September 12, 2004 at the formal dedication of our Middle School.

Newmeyer Selected for AHSAA All-Star Games

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School’s Colin Newmeyer has been selected to play in the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s All-Star soccer game during the AHSAA All-Star Sports Week this summer in Huntsville.

Colin has plans for a very busy summer. He leaves May 31st for Guadalajara, Mexico, where he will travel with the Alabama ODP team to play three games against three Mexican professional soccer club's youth teams. When Colin returns from Mexico, he will resume training with his club team, the Capital City Streaks 90 Boys, as they prepare to travel to Oklahoma City at the end of June competing in the U.S. Southeast Regional Soccer Championships. Colin's club team won the Alabama U-17 State Soccer Championship this past November, their second consecutive state championship. As state champions, they will represent Alabama in the regional championships for their age group. Following the trip to Oklahoma, Colin will travel to Huntsville, AL, July 9th to compete on the South team in the AHSAA All-star game July 10th. On the heels of the All Star games, Colin will travel to Mississippi State on July 13th to take part in the Region 3 ODP Regional Camp as a member of the Alabama 90 Boys ODP team, where they will train and play games against other southeast state teams.

Colin has enjoyed an excellent record-breaking soccer season in his junior year at Montgomery Catholic. He was named team MVP and offensive player of the year. He also set four new school records, career goals with 73, career points with 186, points in a season with 68, and points in a game with 10. Colin is the son of Brian '81 and Kristi Newmeyer.

Coach Christine Robinson Leaving Montgomery Catholic

Girls varsity basketball coach Christine Robinson, who led the Lady Knights to the Class 3A, Area 4 championship and a berth in the state playoffs, is leaving Montgomery Catholic to return to her home state of Washington.

Coach Robinson's husband, Terry, who was her assistant coach this past season, serves in the U.S. Army and is being deployed to Iraq later this summer. Coach Robinson's family is in Washington and will be nearby to help with her children, Tori and T.J.

"I want to thank everyone at Montgomery Catholic for giving me the opportunity to coach two wonderful girls teams," said Coach Robinson, who also coached middle school volleyball. "I have learned a lot this past year and have had many great experiences that I will never forget."

Coach Robinson took over the program and led the Lady Knights to a 19-win season that included regular season sweeps of city rivals Montgomery Academy, Trinity and St. Jude.

"Christine was the answer to a prayer when she came to us last summer," said Athletic Director Jim Tolbert. "She taught a talented group of young ladies how to win, how to believe in themselves and how to do it all with character and sportsmanship.

"You can't ask any more of a coach and, though she has only been at Catholic for a year, she will be sorely missed. I know the entire Montgomery Catholic community joins me in wishing Christine and Terry the best, and we will all keep Terry in our prayers as he serves our country."

Coach Robinson will continue to run the girls basketball program until a new coach is hired. The search for her replacement will begin immediately.

Catholic Softball Sweeps Headland

by David Mundee
The Dothan Eagle
HEADLAND — Catholic of Montgomery coach Bill Barranco describes Abby Beesley as an impact player. She certainly lived up to the billing Tuesday. The senior earned two pitching wins and went 6-for-7 on offense, including a game-ending RBI single, to pace the Lady Knights to a 5-3, 5-4 sweep of Headland in a Class 3A first-round sub-state series at Salter Field.
Catholic advances to the second round of sub-state for the first time since 2005.

“It was a great team effort, led by our two seniors, Abby Beesley and Olivia Veres,” Barranco said. “Even in the middle of the lineup, we had people that were hitting, so up and down it was a great team effort.” Headland’s season ended at 25-7 with two nightmarish performances. The Lady Rams had nine errors in the two games and had pitchers walk eight and hit two batters. “That was not us at all,” Headland head coach Lynn Faulk said. “We didn’t hit the ball the first game and we made too many errors. We had gone four games without an error then we made four in that first game (and five in second game). That is not us. “I hate the girls had to go out like this. They worked hard and overcame a lot. It is just tough for them.” Faulk added, “It was just a bad day to have a bad day. We had our chances, but didn’t do it. Then their best hitter got up and did what she was supposed to do.”

That “best hitter” was Beesley, who clinched the sweep with a game-winning two-out, run-scoring single in the bottom of the seventh. The hit capped a 4-for-4 second-game performance with a RBI for Beesley. She also had a walk. In the opener, she was 2-for-3 with a sacrifice fly and two RBIs. Beesley was also sharp on the mound in the opener, pitching a perfect game for six innings before Headland earned three runs and four hits in the final inning. “She’s just a great impact player,” Barranco said. “Whenever she is at bat, everybody is confident, and when she is on the mound, everybody is confident. She is just everything a coach could ask for.”

In the second game, Headland tied it in the top of the seventh. Candace Murry hit a bouncer through the shortstop hole for a two-out, run-scoring single, bringing in Shayla Reeves, who singled to open the inning. Murry moved to second on a wild pitch, but a flyout to the shortstop ended the inning. Catholic’s half of the seventh started with consecutive singles by Emily Ellis, Kelsey Williamson and Caitlyn Wiggins that loaded the bases. Headland pitcher Megan Gay then got two straight strikeouts, the first one after coming back from a 3-1 count.

However, Beesley slapped the first pitch for a single past the second baseman, bringing home Ellis for the game-winning run. The Lady Rams built a 2-0 lead by the third. In the first inning, Lacey Wiggins and Murry singled. The throw back in after Murry’s single was a bad one, allowing Wiggins to score. Two innings later, Murry doubled home Kalie Jones, who reached on an infield single. Catholic tied it with two runs in the third, cashing on three Lady Ram errors then Headland edged back in front in the sixth when Morgan Blankenship scored during an errant pick-off attempt at third.

The Lady Knights scored twice in the sixth to go up 4-3. Beesley had a single to left and the ball got past the outfielder, allowing Jessica Barranco to score from first. Beesley later scored on an infield error on a slap hit attempt to the shortstop area. Beesley scattered 10 hits and struck out three on the mound. Headland’s offense was led by Murry with three hits. Wiggins and Gay had two each.

In the opener, Catholic broke a scoreless tie with a run in the fifth and four in the sixth for a 5-0 lead. Beesley ripped a RBI single off the body of pitcher Lacey Wiggins in the fifth.
In the sixth, Catholic’s Wiggins singled in a run. A bases-loaded walk to Kelsey Donohue, a bases-loaded hit by a pitch to Barranco and a Beesley sacrifice fly scored the other runs.
Headland scored three in the seventh off a two-run single by Murry and a RBI single by Blankenship. With the tying runner at the plate, Beesley got a ground out and flyout in the infield to end the game. Beesley and Wiggins had two hits each for Catholic.

The Lady Knights will host the "best of 3" Sub-State series on Saturday, May 12th with the 1st game @ 11:00 am vs. Mobile Christian.

Nora Cammack Named 2007 Charlie Harbin Distinguished Service Award Winner

Nora Cammack’s service to our school began when her children, Patrick and Monica, entered St. Bede. There, she served as room mother for many years and volunteered for countless field trips as a driver and supervisor. Nora volunteered in the cafeteria and was could always be counted on in the classroom when help was needed.

On the high school campus, Nora could be found on the sidelines of the volleyball games as an assistant coach, volunteering during the summers with the annual bookstore sale, manning the gates at athletic events for the Booster Club, or hosting the student FCA club meetings in her home.

Nora helped to revitalize the varsity tennis program serving as head coach from 1999 to 2004, leading the boys’ doubles team to win a state championship in her first year.

Devoted to her faith, Nora continues to give back to the Catholic community. She has served on numerous boards, worked at the soup kitchen, volunteered with Catholic Charities, and is an adorer at the Adoration Chapel. Nora is married to Dr. Paul Cammack ’70 and is an active member of St. Bede parish.

Nora’s kindness, genuine care for others, and selfless spirit are why we are honored to present her with the 2007 Harbin Distinguished Service Award.

Montgomery Catholic Student Scores Near Perfect on SAT

Jacob Weatherly, a junior at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School, scored 2380 out of 2400 on the SAT® he took in March of this year. Jacob is the son of Mike and Rosa Weatherly and has attended Montgomery Catholic since Kindergarten. Jacob, currently ranked first in the junior class, has scored in the 99th percentile of every standardized test he has ever taken and truly has a passion for learning. With this score, Jacob has already met the requirements to enter the 2008 National Merit® Scholarship competition with a selective index score of 200 or above. In addition, Jacob has been recognized by the College Board’s National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRC) for his outstanding academic performance.

Jacob is a very active student at Montgomery Catholic serving as the Secretary-Treasurer of the junior class, currently serving as the Lieutenant Governor of the Montgomery Division of the Alabama Key Club, active in the French Club, French Honor Society and the Loretto Chapter of the National Honor Society, running a campaign for SGA Secretary-Treasurer, and serves as a Chemistry tutor before and after school. After graduation in 2008, Jacob aspires to be a Cardiologist and looks forward to the rewards and challenges of medical school.

WW II Survivor Speaks to Sixth Grade

As part of their sixth grade history project on World War II, St. Bede Sixth graders Taryn Marus, Kathryn LoBello, Shelby Smith, and Kathy Edwards interviewed Pearl Harbor survivor, Army Nurse Mrs. Anna Busby. Mrs. Busby recently spoke to the sixth grade students on her first-hand experience of the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941.

Pictured: Sixth grade students Taryn Marus, Sixth Grade Teacher Mrs. Lee Ann Barranco, Pearl Harbor Survivor Mrs. Anna Busby, students Kathryn LoBello, Shelby Smith, and Kathy Edwards.

Roscoe Anderson Chosen for Alabama Youth Leadership Program

Roscoe Anderson will represent Montgomery Catholic at the Alabama Youth Leadership Program's 2007 Leadership Conference held on the campus of Auburn University in June. The AYLP provides opportunities for critical thinking and personal responsibility while promoting democratic, social, and civic conscientiousness. Roscoe is the President of the Sophomore Class and is the son of Charlie and Linda (Belsterling '78) Anderson.

Moore and Ingram Selected for Girls and Boys State Conference

Gaybrielle Moore and John Ingram have been selected as the Girls State and Boys State Representatives for Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School. Sponsored by The American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary, being selected to attend Girls and Boys State Conferences is one of the highest honors conferred on a high school junior. At the conference, participants learn about the duties and privileges of American citizenship; training in the practical aspects of government. Gaybrielle “Gabby” Moore is President of the Junior Class and is currently running a campaign for SGA President. She is the daughter of Thomas and Burnell Moore. John Ingram is very active member of the Government Club and is a member of the Concert and Marching Knights Band. He is the son of John and Kim Ingram.