Third Grade Makes the Season Bright for MHA

Third grade students at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School helped to make this Christmas season  a little brighter for clients at Mental Health America (MHA) in Montgomery.  Students in Mrs. Keating and Mrs. Quillin's classes collected various personal care items for the adult clients and filled 155 goodie bags for MHA volunteers to deliver just in time for Christmas.  This is the second year third grade students at Montgomery Catholic have conducted this service project.  Brittany Wiggins gladly accepted their generosity on behalf of the clients of Mental Health America.
Pictured:  Montgomery Catholic third grade students and Brittany Wiggins of MHA are surrounded by the goodie bags they collected for Mental Health America.

Corey Cotter Named All-Metro Cross Country Male Athlete of the Year by The Montgomery Advertiser

Montgomery Catholic senior Corey Cotter has been named the All-Metro Cross Country Male Athlete of the Year by The Montgomery Advertiser.  In only his second season as a Cross Country runner, Corey holds the city's best time in high school competition at 16:48 from the sectional competition.  Nick Smith, a junior, was also named to the All-Metro Male Cross Country team.  Earning nods as Honorable Mention All-Metro were sophomores Skip Martin, Jarrett Mason, and freshman Matt Pouncey.  Montgomery Catholic's Male Cross Country team was the first runner-up in the 3A division of the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) Cross Country State Championship.

Montgomery Catholic's Female Cross Country team members senior Lizzie Terino, sophomore Katherine Terino, and freshman Mackenzie Colvin, pictured below, were named as Honorable Mention members of the All-Metro Female Cross Country Team.  All three of these female athletes represented Montgomery Catholic at the AHSAA Cross Country State Meet.

To read a full article written by Wesley Lyle of The Montgomery Advertiser on Corey Cotter and the Male Cross Country All-Metro honors, click here.

To read a full article about the Female Cross Country All-Metro honors, click here.

Montgomery Catholic Team Third Highest Fundraiser at Jingle Bell Run

For the third year in a row, Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School's team at the Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis raised over $2,000 and was the third highest fundraising team at this year's event.  The race begins and ends on the beautiful campus of Huntingdon College and weaves through historic Cloverdale neighborhoods. With 60 team members, Montgomery Catholic raised $2,767 to battle this crippling disease which affects over 46 million Americans today.

Several Montgomery Catholic team members placed in the top three chipped times for their age groups.  Nick Smith won first place, Jarrett Mason placed second, and Mackenzie Colvin third in their respective age categories.  Alex Taylor, the son of high school principal Fran Taylor, also won a first place trophy in his age group.  Montgomery Catholic's team captain was Tracie Colvin.

Montgomery Catholic's 2010 Jingle Bell Run team members were Beverly Barnette, Ashley Barranco, Julie Barranco, Ellie Burden, Sarah Rose Burden, Anne Ceasar, Chris Cochrane, Charlie Colvin, Hayes Colvin, Mackenzie Colvin, Tracie Colvin, Tricia Crowley, Ann Marie Dean, Laura Dean, Mary Elizabeth Dean, Kyle Eller, Ruth Glenboski, Liz Gregorius, Patrick Gregorius, Laurie Gulley, Anne Hails, Richard Harbin, Elizabeth Karst, Mary Kelley, Anna Kimbrough, Heather Kirklin, Ken Klinger, Ben Koepele, Cameron Koepele, Steve Koepele, Hannah Masingill, Katie Masingill, Jarrett Mason, Jenny Mason, Kate McOmber, Kenslie McOmber, Nathan McOmber, Hunter Miller, Matt Pouncey, Maria Smith, Nick Smith, Josh Stark, Jerry Taff, Jessica Taff, LuAnne Taff, Shelby Taff, Sarah Talbot, Alex Taylor, Fran Taylor, John Terino, Katherine Terino, Lizzie Terino, Paige Thaxton, Karen Weber, Sara Wilson, Julie Wood, Kirstin Wood, Barr Younker, and Cappy Younker.

Click on the link to view pictures of Montgomery Catholic at the 2010 Jingle Bell Run.

Pictured:  Members of Montgomery Catholic's 2010 Jingle Bell Run team pause to meet the Chick-Fil-A cow on the Huntingdon College campus.

Lee and Petters Earn Top Scores on AMC 8 at Montgomery Catholic

Seventh grader Brian Lee and eighth grader Leo Petters outscored over 80 honor students at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School on the American Mathematics Competition (AMC) 8 to attain the highest scores at the school.  The American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) is dedicated to the goal of strengthening the mathematical capabilities of our nation's youth and promote excitement, enthusiasm, and positive attitudes towards mathematics. 

The AMC 8 is a 25 item timed examination in middle school mathematics designed to promote the development and enhancement of problem solving skills.  It provides an opportunity to apply the concepts taught at the junior high level to problems which not only range from easy to difficult but also cover a wide range of applications.  The AMC year begins with the AMC 8 in the fall and the upper level tests, the AMC 10 and AMC 12, are given in the spring.  High school students at Montgomery Catholic will participate in those tests in February 2011.

Montgomery Catholic's Godwin Elected Alabama's Chief Justice at Youth Judicial

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School junior Dominic Godwin was elected as Alabama's 2011 Youth Supreme Court Chief Justice at the 2010 YMCA Youth in Government's Youth Judicial Conference held at the Embassy Suites in downtown Montgomery. Of the job, Godwin said, "A chief justice should not only the be the head of the competition, but should also be there for the delegates.  I hope to spark each and every delegates' enthusiasm by example and leadership."

Election speeches were given on Saturday night of the conference with elections on Sunday night.  Godwin has been involved with Montgomery Catholic's Government Club and the YMCA Youth in Government Programs for the past three years.  This election was his first run for office.  Godwin's first official duty as Alabama's 2011 Youth Chief Justice was to adjourn the 2010 Judicial Conference during the closing ceremony.  In the spring, Godwin will preside over the Supreme Court at the 2011 Youth Legislature Conference.  He will return to preside over the 2011 Youth Judicial Conference next fall.

In addition to Godwin's election at the Youth Judicial Conference, Montgomery Catholic's Hannah Masingill served as the District 3 Chairperson where she aided Alabama Youth Governor Brennan McMahan in running the Pre-Judicial meetings.  Sophomore Jordan Heymann was also elected and served as the Sheriff for the conference.  Montgomery Catholic fielded two Prosecution and two Defense teams at Youth Judicial that were coached by attorneys Mrs. Melinda Perritano, Mrs. Susan Turley, and Montgomery Catholic alumni and attorneys Miss Laurel Crawford '02 and Mr. Richard Dean '78.

Serving on Montgomery Catholic's Prosecution team one were Jacob Burke, Chad DuBois, John Preston Houston, Sydney Jarman, Megan Karst, Hannah Masingill, and Jack Starr. Defense team one participants were Ashley Barranco, Tara Bourke, Mackenzie Colvin, Ann Marie Dean, Andrea Hayes, Daniel LoBello, and Sarabeth Parker.  Montgomery Catholic's Prosecution team two were Barbara Bradley, Walt Cobb, Jason Katz, Lexie Segrest, Joseph Sutton, Constance Taylor, and Lizzie Terino.  Defense team two participants were Dominic Godwin, Zachary Hulcher, David Norris, Paul Overton, Stefan Perritano, Blayne Spigner, and Ben Taylor.

Montgomery Catholic's Government Club is led by President Chad DuBois and sponsored by Mrs. Amy Johnson.

Montgomery Catholic's Elementary Science Olympiad Goes On A Dauphin Island Adventure

Fifth grade students from Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School's Science Olympiad Team visited beautiful Dauphin Island on a recent field trip. The trip, which was both fun and educational, took the teachers and students on many wonderful scientific adventures. They waded into the marsh, many of them waste deep, with nets and buckets. The students also boarded a vessel used for instructional and research purposes, which took them out into Mobile Bay. The life forms they caught and pulled from the waters were plentiful, ranging from jelly fish to stingrays …and even a little shark, all of which they got to touch. It was very exciting for the children to actually participate in such activities and learn hands-on about the environment. Of course, everyone enjoyed the star-gazing walks on the beach at night where they enjoyed the evening views and closed each night with a student-led prayer service.   Montgomery Catholic's Elementary Science Olympiad team is sponsored by Mr. Nick Bourke, Mrs. Allison Boyd, and Mrs. Shelley Herbek.

Montgomery Catholic Band Members Selected for Auburn University Honor Band

Two Montgomery Catholic Marching Band members, Justis Davis and Will Brunson, were selected to play in the Auburn University Honor Band in October.  This honor band is comprised of high school musicians from all over the state who were recommended by their band directors as outstanding musicians.  Justis and Will had the honor of playing on Pat Dye Field at Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium with the Auburn University Marching Band.

Alabama's Catholic High Schools Award Winners at 2010 AHSAA Cross Country Championships

The Cross Country teams from McGill-Toolen Catholic High School (Mobile), Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School, and Pope John Paul II High School (Huntsville) assemble to display their trophies after the awards ceremony at the State Cross Country Championships held in Moulton, Alabama in November. The McGill-Toolen Girls finished second in the 6A classification, the Montgomery Catholic Boys were second in the 3A classification, and the Pope John Paul II High School Girls were runner-ups in the 4A division.

Britt Commits to Alabama A&M University

Montgomery Catholic's senior star softball pitcher Anisa Britt recently signed her letter of intent to play softball for Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, AL.  In addition to the athletic honors, she will also receive an academic scholarship to the university.  Anisa is the first Montgomery Catholic softball player to sign with an NCAA Division-I program.

Britt has been an avid softball player since the age of five with the Montgomery American league, where she made the All-star team each year.  Three of the years with Montgomery American, Anisa's team played to the state championship in their age division.  Anisa has also played with a travel ball team for the past five years and traveled to many states for different tournaments.

While at Montgomery Catholic, Anisa has been the starting pitcher for the past four years, earning the team leadership award, two-time Most Valuable Player award, and a three-time All-metro Softball Player with The Montgomery Advertiser. 

In her four years with the Lady Knights, Anisa has had 232 at bats, 77 hits, .332 batting average, 56 RBIs, .941 SLG percentage, and a .435 on-base percentage.  She has achieved all of this while pitching in 88 games, 457 innings, with an ERA of 3.54.  With 519 strikeouts, Anisa is chasing the Montgomery Catholic school strike-out record.

Not only is Anisa a tremendous athlete, she is an excellent student maintaining a 3.6 grade point average.  Anisa is a member of the Loretto Chapter of the National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, and the Science Club.  Anisa has also received offers from Alabama State University, Grambling State University, and Stillman College.

Anisa Britt is the daughter of Marty and Ava Britt.  To view pictures from Anisa's softball letter of intent signing ceremony, click here.

Congratulations Freshmen Class Officers

The freshmen class of Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School recently elected their Student Government Association officers for the 2010-2011 school year.  Congratulations to President Matthew Mills, Vice President Ann Marie Dean, Secretary Kirstin Wood, and Treasurer Sarabeth Parker.

Catholic Boys Take Tiger Classic Championship; Cotter Wins Fourth in Row

Senior Corey Cotter won the 1A-4A Division of the Tiger Classic Cross Country Meet at Auburn on Saturday, October 23 in 17:18. The Montgomery Catholic Boys won the overall team championship by placing five runners in the top seven of the 5 K race to win. Junior Nick Smith was third in 17:50, Sophomore Jarrett Mason fifth in 18:09, Freshman Matt Pouncey sixth in 18:10, and Sophomore Skip Martin finished seventh in 18:12. Multiple failures in the timing system prevented accurate times for the remaining racers in the Boys race, but Juniors Josh Stark and Phil Ozgul finished as the sixth and seventh runners for Catholic. Seventh grader Michael Twiford finished in the top 40. Senior Barr Younker, fresh off his two touchdown performance at TR Miller the night before, was 47th and Eighth grader Tucker Wilkinson was 48th.


In the Girls’ Race, Catholic finished third as Sophomore Katherine Terino and Freshman MacKenzie Colvin finished 13th and 14th. Senior Lizzie Terino was 22nd, Freshman Allie Micher ran her best race of the season to take 40th. Freshman Ann Marie Dean and Seventh Grader Macie Sommers rounded out the team scoring for the Lady Knights by finishing 44th and 47th.

Senior Asa Keating won the Junior Varsity race in a season best time of 20:47. Eighth grader Patrick Gregorius was second in 21:28 and fellow classmate Justin Cotter ran 24:21 to take tenth. Some members of the team will travel to Veteran’s Park in Hoover on Thursday to race in the Hoover Invitational. The rest of the team will prepare for the upcoming Sectional Meet on November 4th.

Montgomery Catholic Taps 11 New Members into National Junior Honor Society

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School recently inducted 11 new members into their chapter of the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) during a recent ceremony.  More than just an honor society, these 11 eighth grade students have demonstrated outstanding performance in the areas of scholarship, service, leadership, character, and citizenship. 

The newest members of Montgomery Catholic's National Junior Honor Society are Paige Barranco, Ann Faulkner, Jacob Hulcher, Mandy Jones, Derek Kelly, Ashley Kim, Mary Janet McLaughlin, Olivia Nobles, John Ozgul, Leo Petters, and Grace Selvaggi.  A reception for the NJHS inductees and their parents was held immediately following the ceremony.

Family Tradition Continues at Montgomery Catholic

On Friday, October 29, Montgomery Catholic recognized all of the members of the senior class who participated in Band, Cross Country, Volleyball, Cheerleading, and Football this fall during a special pre-game presentation before the last home football game.  Among the 28 seniors, John Talbot is a third generation Catholic student and football player whose father, grandfather, uncles, and great-uncle all played football for the Knights, dating back to the days when Montgomery Catholic was St. Mary of Loretto.  John was escorted by his parents Mike and Angel (Stanaland) Talbot, who are both members of the class of 1982.  Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School is one of the oldest, continuous, non-public schools in the state which was founded 137-years ago in Montgomery by the Sisters of Loretto in October of 1873.

Montgomery Catholic fall sport senior athletes are Will Balchunas, son of Norm Balchunas and JoAnne Hodge Balchunas; Jake Clark, son of Jeff and Jill Clark, Chris Cochrane, son of Steve and Leah Cocharane; Kenny Davison, son of Kenny and Janis Davison; David DeVries, son of David and Catherine DeVries; Patrick Freeman, son of Patrick Freeman and Evette Freeman; Miles Jordan, son of the late Faloshada Jordan and grandson of Brady and Monica Jordan; J.L. Mullins, son of Chip '72 and Lorie Mullins; Brian Saunders, son of Dave and Debbie Saunders; John Talbot, son of Mike '82 and Angel '82 Talbot; James Tidmore, son of Jody and Angela Stough; Tahj Vaughans, son of the late Carlos Vaughans and Ericka Rodgers and the grandson of Willie and Carole Vaughans; William Whitt, son of John and Mary Kathryn O'Connor; Tommy Wujcik, son of Tom and Eileen Wujcik, and Barr Younker, son of Barr and Cappy Younker.


Sally Rose Kornosky, daugher of Kevin and Sarah Kornosky; Ben Petters, son of Brian and Vicki Petters; Shannon Guin, daughter of Kevin and Linda Guin; Lizzie Terino, daughter of John and Sue Terino; Jacob Burke, son of David and Katie Burke; Corey Cotter, son of Mark and Rhonda Cotter; John Preston Houston, son of John and Rita Houston; Asa Keating, son of John and Melynda Keating; Rhyan Duffey, daughter of Nathan Duffey and Leslie Gettys; Anna Kimbrough, daughter of David and Madonna Kimbrough; McKee Cronier, daughter of John Cronier and Cheri Jordan; and Jessica Mount, daughter of Bill Mount and Kathryn Mount.


Pictured:  Montgomery Catholic senior John Talbot with three generations of Catholic Knights football players, his father Mike Talbot '82, his uncles Mike Stanaland '79 and Bud Stanaland '78, his great uncle Gene Stanaland '52, and his grandfather Luke Stanaland '52.


Click on the link to view all of the photos from Montgomery Catholic's Fall Sports Senior Night.

Fourth Grade Elects Mayors at Montgomery Catholic

Students in Mrs. Riggles class at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School are building a city!  Students planned all of the functions of their city and campaigned for Mayor.  The students produced campaign posters and made speeches to their classmates, asking for their vote.  Zachary Schuette was elected as the Mayor of Fourth Grade and Ricky Treloar and Kate Koontz were elected as Vice Mayors.  Following the election, Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange called and offered his congratulations to Fourth Grade Mayor Zachary Schuette.
Pictured:  Montgomery Catholic elected officials of fourth grade Vice Mayor Ricky Treloar, Mayor Zachary Schuette, and Vice Mayor Kate Koontz.

Montgomery Catholic Students Attend 37th Annual Red Mass

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School’s senior class as well as members of the Middle School Student Government Association joined the state of Alabama's Unified Judicial System officials in celebrating the 37th Annual Red Mass at St. Peter's Catholic Church in downtown Montgomery. The Most Reverend Thomas J. Rodi, Archbishop of Mobile, celebrated the Mass.

The tradition of the Red Mass goes back many centuries in Rome, Paris, and London. It is the Solemn Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit celebrated generally near the beginning of the Judicial Year and attended by judges, lawyers, and court officials of all faiths for the purpose of invoking God's blessing and guidance in the administration of justice.

Above, Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School's Middle School SGA officers spoke with Alabama Supreme Court Justice and 1970 Montgomery Catholic graduate Patty Mungenast Smith, at left, at the reception for the Red Mass.

Sekerak Awarded First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association Scholarship

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School fifth grade student Evan Sekerak has been awarded a tuition scholarship from the First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association (FCSLA).  Evan is the son of Edward and Heather Sekerak.  The FCSLA is a fraternal benefit society that ranks among the top fraternal societies active in the United States today, with over 86,000 members, which offers scholarship programs for elementary through graduate studies and seminary or deacon programs.

Evan was awarded one of 28 tuition scholarships of $750.00 for his essay about what he likes best about his school.  In his essay Evan wrote, "What I like best about my school is going to weekly, Holy Day, and First Friday Adoration and Benediction.  This is special because it builds my relationship with God.  During Mass, I am in choir.  I do this because I feel comfortable singing in front of many people, especially when I cantor.  If I am not in choir, I am an altar server.  This school year, I was invested as an altar server after training and serving my first Mass.  I serve because it feels natural to be on the altar.  I feel closer to God when I am a server."

Evan's essay truly captures what Catholic education is all about: bringing students closer to God.  Congratulations to Evan and the Sekerak family for receiving the FCSLA scholarship.

Pictured:  Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School President Anne Ceasar accepts the First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association Scholarship check from award winner Evan Sekerak and his father Edward.

Montgomery Catholic Crowns 2010 Homecoming Court

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School crowned their 2010 Homecoming Queen and King on Friday, October 15 during the half-time festivities.  Sarah Armstrong and ML Shipman, Montgomery Catholic's 2009 Homecoming Queen and King, were on hand to crown the new court.

The Freshman Attendant is Ashley Barranco and Freshman Escort is Cole Dixon.  Ashley is the daughter of Don and Julie Barranco.  Cole is the son of Daryl and Marcia Dixon.  The Sophomore Attendant is Sarah Talbot and Sophomore Escort is Calvin Freeman.  Sarah is the daughter of Gordon and Heather Talbot.  Calvin is the son of Patrick Freeman and Evette Freeman.  The Junior attendant is Madison Roberts and Junior Escort is Benjamin Stevens.  Madison is the daughter of Sloan Roberts and Brigitte Roberts.  Ben is the son of Michael Stevens and Elizabeth Stevens.

Senior Attendant is Liz Armstrong and Senior Escort is Will Balchunas.  Liz is the daughter of Brett Armstrong and Joanie Armstrong.  Will is the son of Norm Balchunas and Joanne Balchunas.  Senior Attendant is Shannon Guin and Senior Escort is Tahj Vaughans.  Shannon is the daughter of Kevin and Linda Guin.  Tahj is the son of Willie and Carole Vaughans.

The 2010 Homecoming Queen is Mary Allison Tyner and the 2010 Homecoming King is Jake Clark.  Mary Allison is the daughter of Russ and Kathy Tyner.  Jake is the son of Jeff and Jill Clark.  The week-long Homecoming celebration culminated at the Homecoming Dance held on Saturday night at the St. Bede Family Life Center.

Pictured:  Montgomery Catholic's 2010 Homecoming Queen and King Mary Allison Tyner and Jake Clark.

Knight Harriers Edge MA for Metro Title, Cotter Claims Course Record

In a thrilling display of team running, the Montgomery Catholic Boys Cross Country team defeated Montgomery Academy, 41-40, to claim their first Montgomery Metropolitan Championship. The Racing Knights were paced by senior Corey Cotter’s third win of the season as he covered the challenging Blount Cultural Park 5K course in a new meet record of 17:49. The Knights were down a runner due to injury and it required grit and determination for the squad to beat back the Eagles. Every scoring runner after Cotter ran their fastest time ever to secure the coveted championship T-shirts. Junior Nick Smith placed third in 18:05, sophomore Skip Martin was seventh in 18:39, and freshman Matt Pouncey was 9th in 19:10. All of them earned All-Metro honors. Junior Josh Stark set a personal record by almost 30 seconds when he sprinted home in 20:24 to secure 20th place and the narrow victory. The Knights beat entries from 10 other teams in the River Region in claiming the championship.

The Girls’ race highlighted the superior depth of Montgomery Academy as they placed all five of their scorers in the top 10 to beat LAMP, 21-54. St James junior Taylor Duncan won the individual crown in 21:09 over MA sophomore Krisie Stakely (21:28). Catholic senior Lizzie Terino led the Lady Knights by finishing seventh (22:52). Freshman MacKenzie Colvin earned All-Metro honors by finishing tenth in 23:24. The Catholic squad was without its top two runners due to injury, but freshman Ann Marie Dean (25:35), senior Shannon Guin (26:29), and 7th grader Macie Sommers (30:17) picked up the slack and rallied the team to a third place finish.

Pictured: Montgomery Catholic senior Corey Cotter and junior Nick Smith compete in the Montgomery Metropolitan Championship at Blount Cultural Park in Montgomery.  Montgomery Catholic's Cross Country Team at the Montgomery Metropolitan Championship and their "Team Champs" t-shirts.

PICE Golf Tournament Raises $100,000 at 10th Annual Event

The Partners In Catholic Education's (PICE) 10th Anniversary Charity Golf Tournament held at the Robert Trent Jones Capitol Hill Course in Prattville, AL on October 1st was a terrific success. The $100,000 net proceeds from the tournament will significantly benefit Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School.

Tournament Co-Chairperson Liz Sutton announced that there were 45 sponsors for this year’s tournament. The Tournament Sponsors were Dr. David Bronner, CEO, Retirement Systems of Alabama and Ben Walker, Stifel Nicolaus. There was a Platinum Elite, Three Platinum, and eight Gold Elite Sponsors. The Gold Sponsors were GKN Aerospace, Wise Alloys, and Keefe, Bruyette and Woods.

Silver Sponsors included: Mara Family, Carl Whatley Family, Sinclairs/Montgomery Catering, Anderson Law Firm, Dr. Arthur and Maureen Britton, Dr. J. Michael Karst, PA, Baptist Health, AKD, Inc., OB/GYN Associates of Montgomery, Larry and Beth Russo Family, U S Foodservice, UBS Financial Services, Four Star Freightliner, and Dee Russell-Business Appraisals and Consulting.

Hole Sponsors included: John Lee Paint, Ialacci Family, Robert D. Reynolds – Attorney, St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Carnival Cruise Lines, and Alabama World Travel.

Half Hole Sponsors included: Church of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Murphy Chiropractic, Bass Lumber, Azar and Azar Law Firm, Chappy’s Deli, Leon M. Kelley and Co., CPA, and Montgomery Automotive Group.

Beverage Sponsors were All-State Beverage and Coca-Cola Company. This year’s Hole-in-One sponsors, both of which sponsored holes on each course, were Capitol Hyundai and Vision Insurance.

Special Guests this year included Fr. David Carucci, Pastor of St. Bede the Venerable Catholic Church, for the innovation and Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School's President Anne Ceasar.

This year the top Gross and top three Net teams were recognized for the Senator and Legislator courses. They are as follows: Top Gross Winners were George Landegger, George Landegger Jr., Christian Bangert, and Fernando Guarachi and the US Foodservice Team of Todd Hanson, Phillip Romei, Julian Alford, and Joe Chambless. First Place Net Winners were the OBGYM Team of Dr. Allen Dupre, Mike Barranco, Tommy Patterson, Dr. Keith Martin and Southern School/Medical Uniforms Team of Rob Barranco, Paul Vercher, Barry Dean and Steve Barranco. Second Place Net  Winners were the Coca-Cola Team Brett Visson, Bill Mitchell, Don Viger, and John Elsea and the Anderson Law Firm Team of Charlie Anderson, Scott Loftis, Buster Russell and Matt Williams. Third Place Net Winners were the AKD Team of Greg Schafer, David Jones, John Sadie, and Tom Gietl and The Baker Team of Warren McUmber, Jim Baker, Tony Ciccone, and Doug Bristol.

There were also prizes for the Closest to the Pin and Longest Drive. For the Senator course, the Closest to the Pin were George Landegger Jr. and Ed Wright. The Longest Drive golfers were Bruce Hodges, Alan Register, and Wally Hester. For the Legislator course, the Closest to the Pin were Michael Smith and Buck Jordan. The Longest Drive winners wereTodd Hansen and Todd Lempicki.

Serving on the committee with Liz Sutton were: Jerry Lopez, Co-Chairperson, Jim Baker, Mike Barranco, Dean DeLongchamp, Ann Karst, Mary Kelley, John Sadie, Lisa Sadie, and Gary Tomlin.

The proceeds of the tournament will greatly enhance Montgomery Catholic’s educational programs and capital improvements.

Pictured: Dr. David Bronner with Montgomery Catholic administrators and members of Varsity tennis, golf, cheerleading, and marching band.

Cotter leads Catholic Boys to Kudzu Hills Championship

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School Senior Corey Cotter won the Kudzu Hills Cross Country Invitational and led his team to the championship. Cotter covered the 5K course in 17:33, the fastest time ever run by a Catholic runner, for 5000 meters. Catholic placed four runners in the top 10 as Jarrett Mason (18:37), Nick Smith (18:41), and Skip Martin (18:48) finished 7th, 8th, and 9th. Matt Pouncey finished 16th (19:20) to complete the scoring. The Knights bested 12 other teams.

In the Girls race, Catholic sophomore Katherine Terino finished 3rd (20:42, the second fastest 5000m time by a Catholic girl ever). Other Catholic runners in the top 15 included Sarah Talbot in 7th (22:23) and MacKenzie Colvin in 12th (23:13). Ann Marie Dean, running in only her second race, finished 48th in 26:30.

Photos by Jamie Martin.

Montgomery Catholic Announces 2010 Homecoming Court

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School proudly announces our 2010 Homecoming Court.

Freshman Attendant and Escort: Ashley Barranco and Cole Dixon
Sophomore Attendant and Escort: Sarah Talbot and Calvin Freeman
Junior Attendant and Escort: Madison Roberts and Benjamin Stevens
Senior Attendant and Escort: Liz Armstrong and Will Balchunas
Senior Attendant and Escort: Mary Allison Tyner and Jake Clark
Senior Attendant and Escort: Shannon Guin and Tahj Vaughans

The 2010 Homecoming Queen and King will be crowned at half-time on Friday, October 15, 2010. Kick off at 7:00 p.m. Congratulations and GO KNIGHTS!

Kindergarten Students Grow "Very Hungry Caterpillars"

Kindergarten students in Mrs. Redden's class at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School just completed their study of children's author Eric Carle. To celebrate, each student created a "very hungry caterpillar" from potting soil, grass seeds, rubber bands, and wiggly eyes. After the unit was complete, each student took their very hungry caterpillars home to enjoy.
Pictured: Montgomery Catholic kindergarten students Hannah Chitlik, Braxton Woodson, Sophia Azzaro, Danielle Willcox, Mark Osten, John Russell Smith, Erik Azar, Lena Duncan, Mason Sylvester, Max Barranco, Henry Wiederholt, Kylie Klein, Matthew Furey, Audrey Trant, Alexander Villena, and Lydia Norman.

Montgomery Catholic Hosts Annual K-6 Cheer Clinic

Montgomery Catholic's Junior Varsity and Varsity Cheerleading Squads hosted their annual Cheer Clinic for girls in kindergarten through sixth grade. The half-day clinic was held on Saturday, September 11 with a pre-game performance on Friday, September 17. The 66 campers were grouped according to grade and taught several chants, cheers, and a dance routine which they performed on Friday night.

To view pictures of the cheer clinic and pre-game performance, click here.

Montgomery Catholic Elects Middle School SGA Officers for 2010-2011

Middle School students at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School recently selected their officers for the 2010-2011 academic year. Gaten Armstrong was elected as SGA President, Caroline Mullikin as SGA Vice President, Ashley Kim as Secretary, and Ali Harper was elected as the SGA Chaplain. Class representatives were also elected for seventh and eighth grade. Seventh grade SGA representatives are Eric Crenshaw, Neely Boston, Marissa Dogan, and Omari Vaughans. Eighth grade SGA representatives are Elivin Stephenson, Mary Janet McLaughlin, Tucker Wilkinson, and Olivia Nobles. Mrs. Kerri Moore is the Middle School SGA Sponsor.

Pictured: Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School Middle School SGA officers Chaplain Ali Harper, President Gaten Armstrong, Vice President Caroline Mullikin, and Secretary Ashley Kim.

Seventh Grade SGA Representatives

(not pictured: Neely Boston)

Eighth Grade SGA Representatives

Knights Score at Chickasaw Trails

In spite of depleted roster due to ACT testing and illness, the Montgomery Catholic Cross Country team had some notable individual finishes at the Chickasaw Trails Cross Country Invitational on Saturday, 11 September 2010 in Oakville. Record numbers of athletes and teams entered the meet to prepare for the State Meet that will be held on the Indian Mounds Course in November. In the girl’s 1A-4A race, Catholic finished 14th out of 21 teams. The Lady Knights were led by sophomore Katherine Terino’s 9th place finish (22:02.37). Fellow classmate Sarah Talbot also earned an individual award by finishing 21st in 23:08.21. Senior Cindy Camacho (26:35), freshman Allie Micher (32:23), and 8th grader Tiffany Camacho (33:45) completed the scoring for Catholic. A total of 221 runners finished the race.

In the boy’s 1A-4A race, Catholic entered six runners and the first two ran some of the best times ever by a Knight on the Oakville course. Junior Nick Smith became the fourth fastest Catholic runner on the course by clocking 18:58 and finishing 11th out of 285 finishers. Sophomore Jarrett Mason (19:14) crossed the line in 17th place, good enough for number six all time by a Catholic runner. The team finished 13th out of 29 squads. Seventh grader Michael Twiford, in his first 5K Varsity race, ran 22:30. Junior Josh Stark (22:58) and 7th grader Patrick Gregorius (24:16), and Junior Phil Ozgul (27:37) completed the scoring for the Knights.

Photo: Montgomery Catholic sophomore Katherine Terino competes in the Chickasaw Trails Invitational Meet. Photo by John Terino.

Ben Petters Named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School is proud to announce Ben Petters as a Semifinalist in the 56th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Ben is the son of Brian and Vicki Petters. Ben will have the opportunity to compete for some 8,400 National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $36 million, offered next spring.

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. The preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test serves as an initial screening of program entrants. In addition to the test scores, the student's academic record, community involvement, leadership ability, and personal essay are considered when determining semifinalists. About 90 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the title of Merit Scholar.

Pictured: Montgomery Catholic's National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist Ben Petters.

30 Montgomery Catholic Students Qualify for Duke 7th Grade Talent Search Program

Thirty seventh grade students at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School have qualified for the Duke University Talent Identification Program.

The Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) identifies seventh grade students in sixteen states in the Southeast, Midwest, and Southwest who have scored at the 95th percentile or above on a grade-level achievement test. These students are invited to participate in the Duke TIP 7th Grade Talent Search and take either the SAT or the ACT.

The 30 students at Montgomery Catholic who have qualified for the Duke TIP Program are Emily Barranco, Will Barranco, Kathleen Beesley, Neely Boston, Lexie Bourgeois, Brian Brunson, Marissa Dogan, Claire Fischer, Abaigeal Gilbert, Lacy Herbek, Steven Higgins, Blake Johnson, Richard Kanneh, Gabe Keating, Anna Koerner, Mel Koontz, Kaitlyn Kornosky, Conner Langston, Brian Lee, Wilson Miles, Greg Ozgul, Sarah-Camille Peek, Maria Rossi, Madison Searcy, Mary Selvaggi, Mary Reagan Starrett, Logan Stevens, Katie Struck, Beth Vaughan, and Jennifer Westendorf.

Montgomery Catholic Hosts Adoration with Vocations Monstrance Blessed by Pope John Paul II

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School was honored recently to receive the Vocations Monstrance blessed by the late Pope John Paul II in 2004. The Holy Father blessed six monstrances with the intention that when Eucharistic Adoration was offered using one of the monstrances the faithful would pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life.

Adoration was held on August 18 and 19 in the Chapel of Montgomery Catholic’s Middle/High School campus. Both middle and high school students spent time adoring our Lord Jesus Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament. Junior Dominic Godwin commented, "To be in the direct presence of Jesus Christ, in our Chapel, in adoration, is an indescribable feeling of joy." Liz Armstrong, Senior Class President, remarked, "Adoration is an immense gift to the Church. We need to continually bring ourselves before the Lord and ask Him for priests and religious. Without the priest we do not have our greatest treasure, the Mass."

“One of the chief aims of a Catholic School is to nourish and encourage vocations to the priesthood and religious life,” said Tom Riello, Theology Department Chairman. “We at Montgomery Catholic, from our President, Principals, to our faculty and staff, recognize that we exist in the service of the Church in Mobile and the larger Church that extends out from our borders.”

Father David Carucci, Pastor of St. Bede the Venerable parish, closed the time of Adoration with Eucharistic Benediction.

Montgomery Catholic Athletes are Trained to be S.A.C.R.E.D.

At the beginning of each school year, the Montgomery Catholic Athletics Department holds a one-day Character Education Seminar, "SACRED", for all student-athletes and their parents. SACRED is an acronym for the virtues of the athletic program: Sportsmanship, Accountability, Courage and Competitiveness, Responsibility, Enthusiasm, and Discipline. A member of the athletic staff presents a short presentation on each virtue.

The SACRED Program culminates with a special guest speaker who discusses how the SACRED virtues have effected his or her life, both personally and professionally.

This year, Montgomery Catholic was honored to have Mr. Chet Moeller to make this year's keynote address. Mr. Moeller is a member of the 2010 class of the National Football Hall of Fame. Moeller was an All-America Defensive Back at the United States Naval Academy in 1975. Moeller discussed each SACRED virtue and their influence on his life, both on and off the playing field. Over 350 student-athletes and their parents filled the room for this year's presentation.

Pictured: Mr. Chet Moeller and Montgomery Catholic senior Brian Saunders at Montgomery Catholic's SACRED Character Education Day.

Montgomery Catholic is "Mapping" the Future

In its third year, teachers at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School are using Curriculum Mapping for vertical alignment in curriculum, which provides a clear picture in all areas from kindergarten through twelfth grade. This vertical alignment rids the curriculum of multiple redundancies, fills the gaps of state and national standards unmet, and promotes dialogue. Montgomery Catholic teachers meet as departments to collaborate on curriculum maps, share teaching techniques, and discuss ways to enhance state and national educational standards.

A "Curriculum Map" creates a framework for teachers, administrators, and school systems to focus on the balance between what is planned, the "lesson plan", and what is actually taking place within each classroom, academic discipline, and grade level, the "curriculum map". The curriculum map framework outlines the state standards, classroom activities, and assessments actually used in each class, grade, and subject area.

Curriculum mapping concentrates on three areas: communication, curricular dialogue, and coherency. Communication in curriculum mapping provides a venue for teachers and administrators to actively evaluate what is happening in the classroom, the planned and actual curricula, both within each grade/academic discipline and track these activities from year to year. The maps also help teachers and administrators to plan, execute, and identify gaps and teaching overlap both horizontally among grade levels and vertically for all grades, kindergarten through twelfth grade. The curricular dialogue provides an avenue for teachers to meet as departments where they make data-based decisions about grade-level, cross-grade level, within disciplinary and cross-disciplinary curricular and instructional practice decisions. This collaboration leads to curricular coherency.

Montgomery Catholic has a Curriculum Mapping Committee consisting of a faculty member from each campus: Mrs. Melynda Keating from St. Bede, Mrs. Kerri Moore from the Middle School, and Dr. Joe Profio from the High School. Dr. Profio, committee chairman, attended the Curriculum Mapping Institute XVI in Saratoga Springs, NY this summer. In addition to supporting curriculum mapping as a means for improving student learning, the conference challenged the attendees to think in 21st century terms about how schools are organized, what is taught, and how it is taught. The institute explored new ideas in scheduling, re-organization of courses to reflect inter-connected and global themes, and using 21st century technology to advance how teachers model learning and how students develop learning.

Pictured: Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School's Curriculum Mapping Committee Chairman Dr. Joe Profio is pictured with "Habits of Minds" expert Bena Kallick and Giselle Martin-Kniep, founder of Communities for Learning.

Join us for "It's NOT Just Joking Around" an Anti-Bullying Presentation on August 24th at 6:30 pm

Montgomery Catholic welcomes Jodee Blanco, author of the New York Times best-selling memoir "Please Stop Laughing at Me...One Woman's Inspirational Story" and it's award winning sequel, "Please Stop Laughing at Us . . . One Survivor's Extraordinary Quest to Prevent School Bullying", as she presents her acclaimed anti-bullying program, It's NOT Just Joking Around!TM on Tuesday, August 24th at 6:30 PM in the Dolly Barranco Activity Center on our Middle/High School Campus. This presentation is for all parents of school-aged children.

This event is free and open to the public.

This presentation is made possible by the generous support of Partners in Catholic Education (PICE).

Montgomery Catholic Welcomes Alex Johnson as Director of Bands

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory is pleased to welcome Alex Johnson as Director of Bands. Johnson received his Bachelor of Music Education from Troy University, graduating Magna Cum Laude. While attending Troy, he was a member and section leader of Troy University's Sound of the South Marching Band, Symphony Band, Jazz Ensemble, Collegiate Singers, and Concert Chorale. Johnson is a member of the Music Educators National Conference, Alabama Bandmasters Association, National Education Association, Alabama Education Association, and is Certified as a Highly Qualified Instrumental Music Educator in the state of Alabama.

"I am honored and excited to be a part of the Montgomery Catholic family. I look forward to working with the outstanding students, faculty, and parents of Montgomery Catholic in creating a bright future for our band program," said Johnson.

Johnson began his duties as Director of Bands in July. The Marching Knights will take the field at half-time on August 27 as the Knights host St. Jude Educational Institute in the football season opener.

Eucharistic Adoration in our Middle/High School Chapel until 3 p.m.

We are pleased to offer Eucharistic Adoration in our Middle/High School Chapel today until 3 p.m. Father Carucci will offer Benediction at 3 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend.

The Eucharist will be exposed in a Monstrance blessed by Pope John Paul II for the specific intention of an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

We are the 101st site to host this Monstrance in North America. Following the Benediction, it will travel to the next site in Birmingham, AL.

Eucharistic Adoration refers in the Catholic faith to the worship of the Eucharist (what appears to be just ordinary bread to the eyes, is believed, by faith, to be really, truly, and substantively the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ).

We invite and encourage you to join us.

Montgomery Catholic Senior Competes for Miss Teen Montgomery Title

Jessica Mount, a senior at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School, was recently selected as a participant in the Nationals' 2010 Miss Teen Montgomery pageant competition to be held on July 24, 2010. Mount submitted an application and took part in an interview session conducted by Montgomery’s pageant coordinator.

Mount will be competing in the Miss Teen division, one of four divisions that will have young ladies between the ages of 7 and 19 consisting of modeling routines to include casual wear and formal wear. Mount will also display her personality and interviewing skills while interviewing with this year’s Montgomery judging panel. Personality is the key aspect judged during all phases of competition. Mount will compete for thousands of dollars in prizes, specialty gifts, and the title of Miss Teen Montgomery.

The winner of Miss Teen Montgomery will represent Montgomery and the surrounding communities at the Cities of America National Competition in Orlando, Florida. Over $60,000 in prizes and awards will be presented at the National Competition while each winner enjoys this expense-paid trip of five nights and six days in Orlando.

Through sponsorship, each contestant receives all the necessary training, rehearsals, and financial support which have allowed Jessica Mount to become a very confident and well-prepared contestant in this year’s Miss Teen Montgomery Pageant.

Jessica Mount would like to thank all of her participating sponsors. Sponsors include Mount Construction – Mathews, AL, Mr. and Mrs. Parker Gray Mount Sr., Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Wood & family, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Barranco and family, Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Kocan and family, Col (Ret.) and Mrs. John P. Soukup, Kohn Motor Company – Pine Level, AL, Dr. Lewis P. Chapman, D.M.D, P.C. and Dr. Will H. Chapman, D.M.D – Montgomery, AL, United Gymstars and Cheer – Montgomery, AL, LSL Gift Boutique – Pine Level, AL, Ms. Kathryn Mount and family.

Little Hands BIG Hearts for Oil Spill Relief

Best friends Sarah Rose Burden and Anna Sadie, third grade students at Montgomery Catholic, share a love for the beach and after hearing about the Gulf Coast oil spill, they wanted to do something to help those affected by the disaster. On a hot Saturday morning in late June, Sarah Rose and Anna set up a lemonade stand during a family yard sale and solicited all of the shoppers to purchase a glass of their delicious lemonade for a worthy cause. Together they raised over $35 which they donated to the Governor's Emergency Relief Fund. Sarah Rose and Anna continue to keep the people of the Gulf Coast in their daily prayers and spreading the word about helping those in most need.

Pictured: Sarah Rose Burden and Anna Sadie.

Bradley and Norris Represent Montgomery Catholic at HOBY Leadership Conference

Barbara Bradley and Kevin Norris represented Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School at Alabama's Hugh O'Brian Youth (HOBY) Leadership Conference held at Troy University.

HOBY programs are conducted annually throughout the United States providing unique leadership training, service-learning, and motivational experiences for high school sophomores. The core values focused on by the conferences are volunteerism, integrity, excellence, diversity, and community partnerships which strengthen relationships within their hometown.

Barbara Bradley is the daughter of Jean Bradley and the late Michael Bradley. Kevin Norris is the son of Larry and Stacey Norris.

Terino Selected as Girls State Representative for Montgomery Catholic

Elizabeth Terino was selected as the Girls State Representative for Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School. Sponsored by The American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary, being selected to attend the Girls State Conference is one of the highest honors conferred on a high school junior. Elizabeth is the daughter of John and Susan Terino.

The American Legion Auxiliary Girls State Program has provided High School Juniors all across the country the opportunity to participate in a hands-on citizenship training program for over 60 years. These young ladies learn government by actually creating a mythical state through the election of public officials on local, county, and state levels and then by carrying out the duties of these respective offices. This year’s conference, held at Troy University, emphasized patriotism, community participation, and progress into the future.

A continuation of Girls State is Girls Nation where two Senators from each state are selected to participate in a simulated National government program in Washington, D. C.

Whitt Chosen to Represent Montgomery Catholic at Boys State

William Whitt was selected as Montgomery Catholic’s representative to Boys State. Alabama Boys State is one of the highest honors granted to Alabama students. Students from across the state are chosen based on their demonstration of leadership, hard work, strong morals, and motivation in school and community activities. Boys State week is a full and active week held on the campus of The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. William is the son of John and Mary Kathryn O’Connor and Tim Whitt.

At Boys State, student delegates will find the opportunity to build new friendships, participate in a mock government, and hear from and meet a diverse array of Alabama leaders such as Congressmen, state elected officials, business leaders, civic leaders, and others. Delegates will have the opportunity to join interest groups that focus on their individual areas of interest such as law school, Fire College, law enforcement academy, aerospace academy, lobbyists, city government, county government, constitutional convention, engineer/computer academy, and environmental interest group. Delegates will also have activity time during which they can participate in recreational activities such as basketball, volleyball, softball, soccer, academic bowl, etc.

The American Legion believes there is no better way to assure the survival of our republic than to train our young people in the ideals and objectives of American government. By teaching youth to understand and appreciate the basic principles involved in the successful management of a democratic society, we can keep America strong and ensure freedom for future generations. These are the distinguished, long-standing objectives of American Legion Boys States.

Montgomery Catholic Varsity Cheerleaders Earn Game Time Top Team at NCA Camp

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School Varsity Cheerleaders recently attended a National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) Summer Camp held at Auburn University with over 200 cheerleaders in attendance.

Founded in 1948 by L.R. Herkimer, NCA/NDA hosts camps, championships, and events for 150,000 cheerleaders and dancers each year.

As part of the 3-day camp curriculum, the National Cheerleaders Association selects award winners at each of the over 1,000 camps it administers around the world each summer. Awards are given for individual and team accomplishments.

Montgomery Catholic's Varsity cheerleading squad received the 1st place trophy for the NCA Game Time competition Varsity Division and was named Top Team. They also earned a bid to NCA's national competition in Dallas, Texas, earned the S.P.O.T Award for their outstanding commitment to spotting and stunt technique, earned all superior ribbons for Cheer and Mascot throughout the camp and earned the spirit stick each night of the camp.

Five Varsity cheerleaders were selected as All-American Cheerleader Nominees. All-American nominees display outstanding strength in motions, jumps, stunts, tumbling, dance, or leadership. Tumbling-Meredith Kocan, Leadership-Jessica Mount, Motions-Megan Padilla, Tumbling-Madison Roberts and Tumbling-Mallyna Sessions.

Two Montgomery Catholic Varsity cheerleaders were selected to as All-American team members including Jessica Mount and Madison Roberts. Selection as an All-American is the most prestigious award in cheerleading today. Participants vying for All-American status are judged on motion technique, jumps, tumbling, spirit and enthusiasm, voice projection, and overall crowd appeal. These individuals are eligible to perform at various NCA Special Events.

Captain Jessica Mount received the “America Needs Cheerleaders” leadership pin.

Montgomery Catholic's 2010-2011 Varsity Cheerleaders are McKee Cronier, Peighton Jolley-Mascot, Meredith Kocan, Amanda Logan, Jessica Mount, Megan Padilla, Madison Roberts, Mallyna Sessions, and Ashley Towers.

Montgomery Catholic JV Cheer Earns Performance Top Team

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School Junior Varsity Cheerleaders recently attended a National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) Summer Camp held at Auburn University with over 200 cheerleaders in attendance.

Founded in 1948 by L.R. Herkimer, NCA/NDA hosts camps, championships, and events for 150,000 cheerleaders and dancers each year.

As part of the 3-day camp curriculum, the National Cheerleaders Association selects award winners at each of the over 1,000 camps it administers around the world each summer. Awards are given for individual and team accomplishments.

Montgomery Catholic's Junior Varsity cheerleading squad received the 1st place trophy for the NCA Performance competition Middle School/Junior Varsity Division and was named Top Team. They also earned a bid to NCA's national competition in Dallas, Texas, earned the S.P.O.T Award for their outstanding commitment to spotting and stunt technique, earned all superior ribbons throughout the camp and earned the spirit stick each night of the camp.

All of the Junior Varsity cheerleaders were selected as All-American Cheerleader Nominees. All-American nominees display outstanding strength in motions, jumps, stunts, tumbling, spirit, dance, or leadership. Jumps-Virginia Daly, Leadership- Katie LaFraniere, Tumbling-Claire Galuzzi, Stunts-Samantha Kocan, and Spirit-Anna Mills.

Co-Captain Katie LaFraniere received the “America Needs Cheerleaders” leadership pin.

Congratulations to Montgomery Catholic's 135th Graduating Class

Montgomery Catholic's 135th Commencement Exercises took place in an outdoor ceremony on the grounds of the Athletic Complex at the Vaughn Road Campus.

Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi, Superintendent of Education Gwen Byrd, Montgomery Catholic President Anne Ceasar, and High School Principal Fran Taylor were joined by Monsignor Charles Troncale, Father Patrick Driscoll '84, Father David Carucci, and Father Linn Harbour as the special guests of the class.

Salutatorian Jessica Taff and Valedictorian Hannah Carter addressed their fellow graduates, special guests, family and friends. Members of the junior class hosted more than 1,000 guests for a reception in the Dolly Barranco Activity Center following the ceremony.

Congratulations to the member of the Class of 2010! Tiffany Albath, Anna Kathryn Anderson, Thomas Ray Anile, Sarah Glenn Armstrong, Jessica Haley Barranco, Michael James Bradley, D'Jara Mychel Britton, Lora Michelle Burke, Kamyia Rene Carpenter, Hannah Elizabeth Carter, Matthew Frazier Christie, William Alcott Clark, Ryan James Crutchfield, Clarissa Asher Deal, Kelsey Michelle Donohue, James Keenan Dugan, Beverly Enriquez Sosa, Albert-Christian Graham Evans, Anna Maria Ada Freedman, Jeffrey Gunter Giddens, Joshua Ray Glenboski, Christine Catherine Held, Jessica Erin Heymann, Stanley Donald Holling, Jr., Brandon Leon Holman, Ashley Nicole Johnson, Bong Ham Kim, Soo Jeong Kim, Sarah Elizabeth Krause, Kirsten Marie Lancaster, Michael Brandon Maddox, Jovan Cordarrius McCloud, Conor Daniel McGeehan.

Molly Claire McLaughlin, Caitlin Amelia McRae, Richard Louis Mullikin, Beatriz Isabel Munoz, Shelby Lloyd Nunnelee, Amalia Otero-Ortiz, Kidiamond Sharagnes Pearson, John Clement Petters, Landon Harvey Pickens, Sara Elizabeth Pittman, Marie Lynn Quillin, Frederick Douglass Randall, II, Lisa Loraine Ranieri, Miranda Mae Rushton, Robert Frederick Schaum, Victoria Elizabeth Schmidt, Brooke Ellen Searcy, William Walton Sherman, Milton Louis Shipman, II, Latajah Shaniece Sigler, Matthew Tillman Simmons, Leighton Mizell Spigner, Preston Dean Stone, Jessica Leigh Taff, Kevin Thomas Taylor, Kyle Matthew Taylor, Elizabeth Riddle Thrower, Leonard D'Corey Burney Walker, Hayden Alexander Whyard, Courtney Elizabeth Willcox, Stuart Brandon Wood, Matthew Thomas Woods, Jamiyah Kellena Woodson, and Taylor Elizabeth Wyatt.

James Sherman and Kirstin Wood selected as Coach Tim Turner Memorial Award Winners

James Sherman and Kirstin Wood were selected for the Coach Tim Turner Memorial Award for excellence in Middle School athletics at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School. The award is selected by the Montgomery Catholic Athletic Booster Club and is given to a male and female eighth grade student for excellence in athletics, sportsmanship, leadership, and academics.

Mr. Jim Tolbert, Montgomery Catholic Athletic Director, presented the award after the Eighth Grade Completion Mass on May 27, 2010 at the Church of the Holy Spirit.

Both students are tri-sport athletes and starting players in all three of their chosen sports. Sherman plays football, basketball and soccer. Wood plays volleyball, basketball, and softball.

The award is named in honor of the late Coach Tim Turner who valiantly coached several MCPS Middle School sports teams while bravely battling a terminal illness.

Montgomery Catholic's Josh Stark Earns Rank of Eagle Scout

Montgomery Catholic rising junior Josh Stark earned the highest award in Boys Scouts with the rank of Eagle Scout.

A member of St. Bede's Troop 4, Josh's project involved 500 hours of planning, designing, and building three reading lofts for the kindergarten classes at Montgomery Catholic's St. Bede Campus. These new reading lofts have carpeting as well as a full staircase with handrails.

Stark enlisted the help of fellow Boys Scouts, family, and friends to complete his project. Funding was provided with donations from the St. Bede Parent Teacher Council as well as the Knights of Columbus chapters at St. Bede Catholic Church and Church of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church.

Pictured: Eagle Scout Josh Stark with his Eagle project at Montgomery Catholic's St. Bede Campus.

Montgomery Catholic Honors Top Accelerated Readers at St. Bede

Accelerated Reader is a tool that allows our students to read and then test on Accelerated Reader books. This program helps the teacher, student and parent steer the children to books that they can comfortable read and comprehend. It is most important that the student comprehends what they read. Students are to be at 85% accuracy or better.

At Montgomery Catholic's St. Bede Campus, 70 students in first through sixth grade were chosen to ride in the AR limo. Those students were Jason Flowers, Katherine O’Connor, Reed Gaston, Peter Rossi, Chas Allison, Michael Hodges, Charlie O’Donnell, Virginia Dene, Anna DuBois, Skye Alexander, Tess Casey, Julia Rodriquez, Margaret Ann Allen, Madison Gaston.

Ezequiel Gonzalez, Rachel Davis, Annie Bach, Mary Katherine Foley, Cameron White, Jeanet Stephenson, Emily Claire Talbot, Annamary Gilbert, Ethan Macchia, Anna Catherine Barranco, Jacob Flowers, Rachel Casey, Matthew Klinger, Grace Leslie, Katie Stembridge, Angela Gier, Camille Morgan, Peyton Parker, Koen McDaniel, Matthew Barranco, Eli Starrett, Abraham Preston, Carlo DeJesus, Bailey Cowley, David Bender, Adam Bristol, Will Couey, Tyler Barranco, Charles Deuter.

Brendan Benning, Steven Higgins, Eric Crenshaw, Blake Johnson, Jordan Gill, Patrick Wood, Katelyn Stark, Hannaley Haigler, Annabel Starrett, Ann Williams, Ryne Herbek, Marcelo Villena, Niko Dever, Frank Rossi, Marissa Dogan, Courtney Wallace, Madison Searcy, Lacy Herbek, Maria Rossi, Lexie Bourgeouis, Emily Barranco, Claire Fischer, Anna Marie Koerner, Nadine Moussalli, Megan Stembridge, Mary Reagan Starrett, and Tori Harris.

Thanks go to the generous donation from the St. Bede Parent Teacher Council which helped to provide funds for the limousine and prizes throughout the school year. Not only were the students driven around in style in a Hummer Limousine from Touch of Class, but they also were treated to a delicious lunch. All the students had a blast! Many students upon exiting the limo, commented, “That was so cool!”

Pictured: Montgomery Catholic’s top Accelerated Readers at St. Bede anxiously await their special limousine ride.

Montgomery Catholic Honors Top Athletes at Varsity Sports Banquet

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School honored their varsity athletes for the 2009-2010 year at their annual Varsity Athletic Banquet held at the RSA Activity Center. Montgomery Catholic fields 16 varsity team sports throughout the year. Mrs. Fran Taylor, High School Principal, recognized the four nominees for the Jimmy Hitchcock Award. They were Jessica Barranco, Hannah Carter, M.L. Shipman, and Jessica Taff. Also recognized were Montgomery Catholic's ninth grade nominees Jack Starr, Katherine Terino, Michael Tyner, and Callie Wilkinson.

Montgomery Catholic has four awards which honor individual team members for their hard work and dedication to their sport. Three of these distinguished awards honor individuals who had tremendous influence on our athletic program: Father Patrick Delahunty, Mr. Joe Fields, and Coach Jack Kresek.

The Father Pat Delahunty Sportsmanship Award, named for the founder of our athletic program, honors the athlete who demonstrates outstanding sportsmanship. The Fr. Delahunty Sportsmanship Award winners were Sarah Armstrong, Leigh Ellen Cannon, Jake Clark, Hannah Carter, Jessica Taff, Jarrett Mason, Miles Jordan, Aidan Gilbert, Lindsey Guin, Brandon Maddox, Kathy Edwards, Kelsey Donohue, Christine Held, M.L. Shipman, and Corey Jackson.

The Coach Jack Kresek Coaches Award, named for a much-beloved football coach who led the Knights (then the "Saints") from 1956 until 1961, recognizes the athlete who exhibits strong determination, team effort, dependability, and a winning attitude. The Jack Kresek Coaches Award winners were Christine Spotswood, Caitlin McRae, Patrick Freeman, Christine Held, Allie Micher, Josh Stark, Graham Evans, Meghan Hodge, Corey Cotter, Katherine Terino, Fran Mount, Thomas Woods, Alex Manning, Courtney Willcox, Tripp Whatley, Sarah Talbot, Connor Wright, and Jack Starr.

The Joe Fields Leadership Award, named for an outstanding student-athlete from the 1970s who displayed outstanding leadership while attending Montgomery Catholic, honors the athlete who demonstrate exceptional leadership skills to their teammates. The Joe Fields Leadership Award winners were Molly McLaughlin, Christine Spotswood, Brandon Holman, Kelsey Donohue, Lizzie Terino, Meredith Kocan, Landon Pickens, Leonard Walker, Kirsten Lancaster, Matt Simmons, Sara Pittman, Hayden Whyard, Will Clark, Jessica Barranco, Anisa Britt, Leyton Spigner, Tahj Vaughns, Rich Mullikin, and Matt Christie.

Each varsity sport names one Most Valuable Player. Montgomery Catholic's MVPs were Jessica Barranco, Jessica Mount, M.L. Shipman, Elizabeth Karst, Katherine Terino, Corey Cotter, Kenny Davison, Courtney Willcox, Preston Stone, Shannon Guin, Wheeler Ronan, Hayden Ellis, Kirsten Lancaster, Jake Clark, MacKenzie Colvin, and Jacob Stinson.

The top athletes from each sport are nominated for the Knights of the Round Table Award, which recognizes the top male and female athlete of the year. The Knights of the Round Table nominees were Sarah Armstrong, Jessica Barranco, Hannah Carter, Kirsten Lancaster, Jessica Taff, Courtney Willcox, Rich Mullikin, M.L. Shipman, Matt Simmons, and Leonard Walker. The Montgomery Catholic Knights of the Round Table Winners are Jessica Taff and M.L. Shipman.

To close the banquet, Monsignor F. Charles Troncale, Pastor of Church of the Holy Spirit, led the parents and guests in a final blessing for all of the senior athletes.

Pictured: Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School's Knights of the Round Table Athletes of the Year M.L. Shipman and Jessica Taff.