Catholic's Miller Clemmons Makes Bicycle Kick in Area Game

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School hosted Montgomery Academy in an area game on Tuesday, March 22, 2011. During the first half of the game, #3 Miller Clemmons, a junior, made an awesome bicycle kick for goal and then did a back flip at midfield.  The Knights defeated Montgomery Academy 3-2 in double over-time. Go Knights!

Senior Anisa Britt Breaks School Strike-Out Record

Montgomery Catholic varsity softball pitcher Anisa Britt broke the school strike-out record at the Gulf Shores Invitational Tournament during Spring Break.  Anisa was honored during a special ceremony and presented with a commemorative softball marking the occasion before hosting St. James on Tuesday, March 22.

Britt struck out eight batters and allowed only four hits during the 6-2 win over the Trojans, bringing Anisa's and the present school strike-out record to 551.  Anisa is the first softball player at Montgomery Catholic to sign with an NCAA Division-I program and will join the Alabama A&M University team in the fall.

Montgomery Catholic's previous softball strike-out record of 542 was held by Abigail Beesley, Class of 2007.

Pictured: Montgomery Catholic Varsity Softball Coach Britt Taylor with the infield players after presenting a commemorative softball to pitcher Anisa Britt. Coach Taylor, Lauren Walker (3rd base), Sydney O'Connor (short stop), Anisa Britt (pitcher), Rhyan Duffey (catcher), Kirstin Wood (2nd base), and Hadley Taylor (1st base).

Students Use Technology to Create and Pray the Virtual Rosary at Montgomery Catholic

During Computer classes at Montgomery Catholic’s St. Bede Campus using the software Kidpix, every student in the school (K-6) illustrated one of the prayers or mysteries that correspond with each bead of the Rosary. Students then exported their artwork as a jpeg and they were embedded into a PowerPoint presentation. Our Rosary consists of four different presentations, one for each of the different sets of mysteries for a total of 320 slides. This year we’ve added a picture of a rosary on each slide with the correct bead colored in to help the students follow along.

This is the third year Mrs. Ruth Glenboski has helped students create the Virtual Rosary and it has become a very special Lenten tradition at Montgomery Catholic’s St. Bede Campus. During Lent, one decade is prayed daily in every classroom beginning with the Joyful Mysteries and continuing through the life of Jesus. Each child has also been given their own Rosary that was blessed during the Ash Wednesday School Mass.

You can pray this Rosary with us by going to www.rglenboski.wordpress.com and clicking on the Inspiration Station Tab on the top of the website.

Pictured, Mrs. Rutland’s first grade class prays the Virtual Rosary created by the students of Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School’s St. Bede Campus.

Montgomery Catholic Junior To Get Unique Look at U.S. Naval Academy While Attending Fast-Paced Summer Seminar

The U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) invited a select group of approximately 2,250 young men and women from around the nation and internationally to attend the Naval Academy Summer Seminar program this year.  Summer Seminar is a fast-paced experience for high achievers who have completed their junior year in high school and are considering applying for admission to USNA after graduation.
Kevin Norris, a student at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School, will participate in the 2011 U.S. Naval Academy Summer Seminar Program.  Kevin is the son of Larry and Stacey Norris of Montgomery.

Summer Seminar teaches prospective applicants about life at the Naval Academy, where academics, athletics, and professional training play equally important roles in developing our nation's leaders.  Each student will attend a six-day session and experience a part of USNA life.  Students in the program live in Bancroft Hall (the dormitory in which all USNA midshipmen live), eat in the dining hall, participate in academic and leadership workshops and participate in daily physical training involving group runs and conditioning exercises.  They will have an opportunity to see first-hand what the Naval Academy has to offer through its exceptional academics, athletic, extracurricular activities, and leadership training programs.

Founded in 1845, the Naval Academy is a highly competitive four-year undergraduate institution that prepares young men and women morally, mentally, and physically to become officers in the United States Navy or Marine Corps.  Upon graduation, Naval Academy midshipmen receive a Bachelor of Science degree in one of 22 majors and a commission as ensigns in the U.S. Navy or second lieutenants in the U.S. Marine Corps.  In return, these young officers will serve at least five years of exciting and rewarding service to our nation.

Archbishop Rodi Blesses New Stained Glass in Montgomery Catholic's Chapel

High school students in Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School's Art program recently finished the first phase of beautiful stained glass pieces for the windows of our Middle/High School Chapel.  Archbishop Thomas Rodi recently blessed these stunning pieces of art during a recent school visit.  This art project was student-initiated from start to finish with several students working on each phase.  From the hand-drawn design, glass cutting, wrapping each piece of glass with copper foil, soldering the foiled pieced together, and polishing the final product, Montgomery Catholic students completed four different 20" x 36" glass pieces for everyone to enjoy for many years to come.  Students are currently working on the design phase of the next pieces for the chapel.

Pictured:  Archbishop Rodi with Montgomery Catholic art student Chance Williams and the new stained glass pieces in the Middle/High School Chapel.

Montgomery Catholic's Middle School Science Olympiad Team Participate in Regional Competition at AU

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School's middle school Science Olympiad team recently participated in the Regional Science Olympiad Competition held at Auburn University.  The 14-member team worked hard as they competed in 23 events and placed 9th overall out of 22 teams competing. 

Several Montgomery Catholic teams brought home honors for their hard work.  Mary Reagan Starrett and Katie McDaniel received 3rd place in the "Junkyard Challenge".  Six teams received 5th place in their events:  Logan Stevens and Josh Merriweather for "Shock Value", Mandy Jones and Ashley Sulzby for "Science Crime Busters", Calvin Weaver and Brian Lee for "Bottle Rockets", and Mary Reagan Starrett and Maria Rossi for "Can't Judge a Powder By Its Color".  Calvin Weaver and Brian Brunson took 6th place in the "Battery Buggy". The team members logged many hours after school and on the weekends getting ready for the exciting competition. 

Montgomery Catholic's Middle School Science Olympiad team members are Lacy Herbek, Maria Rossi, Mary Reagan Starrett, Madison Searcy, Jennifer Doan, Katie McDaniel, Brian Brunson, Calvin Weaver, Ashley Sulzby, Ann Faulkner, Mandy Jones, Logan Stevens, Josh Merriweather, and Brian Lee.  This outstanding team is sponsored by Mrs. Vicki Petters and Mrs. Julie Flowers. 

Pictured:  Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School's Middle School Science Olympiad Team at the Regional Competition held at Auburn University.

Montgomery Catholic's High School Students Compete in North AL Science Olympiad at UAH

High school students from Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School recently participated in the North Alabama Regional Science Olympiad at the University of Alabama at Huntsville.  These outstanding students spent several weeks preparing for the competition, many times working late at night fine tuning their competition pieces.  Working in teams, they faced more than two dozen thought provoking activities. They also called on scientific knowledge, deduction and analysis to launch rockets, play robot billiards, and save innocent eggs from being squashed. Montgomery Catholic's teams fared well in the competition with the following students placed in the top five in their event: Zach Hulcher, Tyler Parrish, Ben Petters, Ben Stevens, Josh Stark, Chance Williams, Chase Williams, William Whitt, John Talbot, Brian Saunders, Jacob Burke, Phillip Ozgul, and Jack Starr.  The Montgomery Catholic team also had four students place in the top ten in their event. They were Lizzie Terino, Cathy Ranieri, Giselle Simms, and Stone Miller. 

Montgomery Catholic's high school Science Olympiad team members are Jacob Burke, Cindy Camacho, Darrin Federspill, Morgan Foxworth, Zach Hulcher, Alicia Ruth Jackson, Analaura James, Crista Jones, Sally Kornosky, Rebecca Kornosky, Tyler McGee, Stone Miller, Bianca Noumbissi, Phillip Ozgul, Tyler Parrish, Kayleigh Pears, Ben Petters, Nandi Ramirez, Cathy Ranieri, Madison Roberts, Brian Saunders, Giselle Simms, Nick Smith, Josh Stark, Jack Starr, Ben Stevens, John Talbot, Lizzie Terino, Kristina Vanella, William Whitt, Chance Williams, Chase Williams, and Amanda Youngpeter.  The team is sponsored by Dr. Joe Profio and Mrs. Kathy O'Connor.

Pictured:  Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School's high school Science Olympiad team during their visit to the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville.

Ben Petters Named National Merit Finalist

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School is proud to announce Ben Petters as a National Merit Scholarship® Finalist. Ben is one of over 15,000 scholastically talented high school seniors to have an opportunity to continue in the competition for thousands of Merit Scholarship® awards, worth millions of dollars.

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, students must fulfill several requirements and about one-half of the Finalists are selected as Merit Scholarship winners, earning the Merit Scholar® title.

As a finalist, Ben has maintained outstanding academic records throughout his high school years, has been endorsed and recommended by his school principal, and has earned SAT scores that confirm his qualifying test performance.

Ben also had to submit a detailed scholarship application, including a self-descriptive essay and information regarding his participation and leadership in both school and community activities. Petters is currently the President of the High School Science Olympiad team, Vice President of the Loretto Chapter of the National Honor Society, a member of the Spanish Club, Marching and Concert Bands, and is currently working on his Eagle Scout project. Ben is the son of Brian and Vicki Petters of Montgomery.

Montgomery Catholic Students Talk About Vocations

Father Alex Valladares, Director of Vocations for the archdiocese and Campus Minister at Sacred Heart of Jesus at South Alabama, visited Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School's High School Campus on Tuesday February 22^nd. Father Alex had the opportunity to speak to the entire student body in their religion classes.  He challenged the students to commit their lives to Jesus Christ and center their lives around the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the Eucharist. 

“Before you can think of your vocation, what it is God is calling you to, you must first make that decision to center your life on Jesus Christ,” he stated.  Junior student Wellington Westendorf commented about Father Alex’s visit, “I learned a lot about myself and what it means to listen and follow God’s call.”  Hailey Loria, a student, remarked, “Father Alex connected with us and we with him.  He has a lot of passion for his faith and he kept me into what he was saying the entire time.” One of the purposes of the Catholic school is to assist students to discern their vocation. 

Montgomery Catholic has been privileged to have a number of her alumni answer the call of God to the priesthood and religious life, including Fathers William Kidwell '42 (deceased), Joseph Johnson' 45 (deceased), Michael Labadie '91 (deceased),  Fathers Bill Folsom '44,  Justin Damien Dean '79, William Fields '81, Patrick Driscoll ’84, Den Irwin '88, the recently name Vicar-General and Moderator of the Curia, Steve Martin ’87 and Sr. Dominica (Natalie Bickerton ‘00) O.P.

Pictured:  Father Alex Valladares speaks to Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School Theology classes in the school chapel.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School celebrated the National Education Association's annual "Read Across America" with school president Anne Ceasar reading a favorite Dr. Seuss book, "The Cat in the Hat Returns" to Mrs. Burden's kindergarten class.

The National Education Association's "Read Across America" is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of beloved children's author Dr. Seuss.

Pictured:  Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School President Mrs. Anne Ceasar with Mrs. Ellie Burden's kindergarten class for "Read Across America".

Montgomery Catholic Students Donate Books to School in Africa

Montgomery Catholic's Boys Leadership Council has been on a mission collecting books and donations to send to an all-girls school in Rwanda, Africa, for the past year.  The service project, "Book and A Buck", collects books and monetary donations in order to ship the books to the school.  Montgomery Catholic's high school Theology department welcomed Miss Rachel Snow to speak to all of the students about her experiences of teaching at the all-girls school, for which this project was done, in Rwanda, Africa, last year.  Miss Snow spoke about the students, culture, her work there, and the Reconciliation project that is occurring because of the Rwandan genocide.  She also showed a moving slide show of pictures from her experiences over the past year.  Miss Snow is now starting a non-profit organization modeled after Montgomery Catholic's "book and a buck" fundraiser to partner with area schools to do the same project for other schools in Africa.

Pictured:  Montgomery Catholic's Boys Leadership Council with their "Book and A Buck" Project which donated books to an all-girls school in Rwanda, Africa.  Boys Leadership Council Sponsor Mr. Ryan Bravata, Miss Rachel Snow, BLC members Walt Cobb, Will Balchunas, Jake Clark, David DeVries, Aidan Gilbert, Tommy Wujcik, and Jacob McAlpine.