Montgomery Catholic's Dixon and LoBello Attend HOBY Leadership Conference

Cole Dixon and Daniel LoBello 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.

Cole Dixon is the son of Daryl and Marcia Dixon of Pike Road. Daniel LoBello is the son of Dr. Steven and Donna LoBello of Montgomery.

Montgomery Catholic Key Club Members Participated in the AUM Water Festival

On May 15, eleven members of the Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School Key Club helped with the Water Festival held at AUM and sponsored by the Montgomery Water Works and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. The students assisted in teaching classes in clean water conservation to hundreds of 4th graders from public and private schools all over Montgomery County. The event included three classes on filtration, aquifers, and the water cycle. The day ended with a magic show, which had an environmental theme. This was the final service project of the year for the Key Club whose 50 members served more than 1,200 hours this year.

Fourteen members were honored on awards day with certificates and medallions for reaching the goal of at least 50 hours for the year. Those 14 members are Briana Rudolph, Erin Williams, Chance Williams, Jasmine Ellington, Aleesa Perkins, Katherine Terino, Derek Kelly, Andrea Hayes, Jarrett Mason, Jasmine Rush, Michaela Armstrong, Anna Vail Chancey, Dylan Craig, and Saraelizabeth Parker. They Key Club, sponsored by the Montgomery Kiwanis Club, looks forward to helping with the Water Festival and many other service projects next year. Pictured are Montgomery Catholic Key Club members Spencer Starr and Zach Hulcher teach water filtration to a class of fourth grade students from Blount Elementary.

Montgomery Catholic Students Assist with Empty Bowls Project

Art students from Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School participated in the 5th Annual Empty Bowls Project, a fundraiser for the Montgomery Area Food Bank.  Empty Bowls began many years ago as an art assignment at a high school in Michigan to raise money for their local food bank through the crafting of ceramic pottery bowls.  From there, the project caught on in communities across the country. 

Montgomery artist and potter Margaret Barber was asked to contribute her works to an Empty Bowls project in another community for several years.  Barber began Montgomery's Empty Bowls Project for the Montgomery Area Food Bank five years ago and it continues to grow each year.

Art students from several high schools in the area created and donated hand-crafted bowls for the event.  Montgomery Catholic students have participated for several years.  This year, in addition to their artistic donations, ten students also volunteered to serve at the event with their art instructor Ms. Joane Grant.

Pictured:  Montgomery Catholic's Hayden Ellis serves soup at the 5th Annual Empty Bowls Project.

Montgomery Catholic Honors Students at High School Academic Awards Ceremony

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School recently honored their top high school students at the annual Academic Awards Ceremony held in the Dolly Barranco Activity Center.  Many honors were bestowed including the most outstanding student in each subject area.  These students are Barbara Bradley in Foreign Language and English, Josh Stark in Science, Joseph Sutton in Social Studies, Lexie Segrest in Theology, Joseph Sutton in the area of Performing Arts, Zach Hulcher in Mathematics, and David Norris in Technology.

The senior members of the Loretto chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) were recognized, as well as the newest members of NHS, during the ceremony.  Michael Moussalli and Maddie O'Mara were recognized for their membership in the National French Honor Society.

During the course of the school year, many students participated in academic competitions and were recognized for their successes.  Six students participated in the National French Contest and ranked 34th or above for students across the United States and 28th or above in the state of Alabama:  Derek Kelly and Monica Poole for French I, Maddie O'Mara and Willie Ravelo in French II.  Two French III students ranked both on a state and national level are Michael Moussalli and Megan Karst.  Michael ranked 15th in the state and 19th in the US and Megan ranked 16th in the state and 20th in the US.

Montgomery Catholic's award winning Science Olympiad team was recognized.  Certificates were given to Zach Hulcher and Maddie O'Mara for their success at the state Science Olympiad competition.  Both Zach and Maddie received $11,000 renewable scholarships to Huntingdon College for their top placement in the Dynamic Planet competition.

Montgomery Catholic had 90 students who participated in the American Mathematics Competition (AMC) 10 and 12 this year.  Mandy Jones, Willie Ravelo, Jinah Kim, Linda Zhang, and Forest Phillips were recognized for their top scores on the AMC.

Montgomery Catholic's Key Club members accumulated over 1,200 service hours to the Montgomery community this year.  There were nine students who gave over 50 hours of their time during this school year.  They were Briana Rudolph, Erin Williams, Chance Williams, Jasmine Ellington, Anna Vail Chancey, Katherine Terino, Jasmine Rush, Jarrett Mason, Sarabeth Parker, Michaela Armstrong, Dylan Craig, Andrea Hayes, and Derek Kelly.

Students who have the largest increase in their grade point averages from the first semester of the previous year to the end of the first semester of the current year are recognized as the Most Improved Students in the sophomore, junior, and senior grade levels.  The most improved sophomore is Mary Grace Brown.  The most improved junior is Jinah Kim.  The most improved senior is Steve Brown.

Students with the highest grade point average for each high school grade level were also recognized.  The most outstanding freshman is Leo Petters.  The most outstanding sophomore is Maddie O'Mara.  The most outstanding junior is Zach Hulcher.  The most outstanding senior and the Valedictorian for the class of 2012 is Kevin Norris.  Kevin was appointed to the United States Naval Academy.

Honor roll certificated for both the A and A/B honor rolls were given to those students who attained A or A/B honor roll throughout the school year for each grade level.  The Joe Arban Perfect Attendance Award was given to Maddie O'Mara for her perfect attendance this year.

The evening culminated with two of the highest awards given at Montgomery Catholic: Leader of the Year and the Ideal Graduate.  Mrs. Fran Taylor, high school principal, awarded the Montgomery Catholic Leader of the Year award to Barbara Bradley.  Barbara has served the school in numerous leadership positions throughout her school career. 

Mrs. Anne Ceasar, president, awarded the Montgomery Catholic Ideal Graduate Award to the student who embodies the overall qualities and talents of an ideal graduate.  Lexie Segrest was named as the Ideal Graduate at Montgomery Catholic.  Lexie has served in many leadership positions throughout her high school career.

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School Announces Leadership Team at New Holy Spirit Elementary Campus

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School is pleased to announce the leadership team for their new Holy Spirit Elementary Campus opening in August.

“The leadership team approach is a wonderful opportunity to draw upon the experience and knowledge of professionals from each of our campuses as we open our newest location,” said Anne Ceasar, President of Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School. “We are grateful to the Holy Spirit Catholic Church parishioners for their support of Montgomery Catholic and for the use of this beautiful facility.” The building will also serve religious education, faith formation, and parish meeting needs.

For the new Holy Spirit Elementary Campus, School President Anne Ceasar will oversee the daily operations, Reverend Patrick Driscoll, Pastor of Holy Spirit Catholic Church, will serve as spiritual leader, and Laurie Gulley, St. Bede Elementary Campus Principal, will serve as an elementary consultant for the Holy Spirit Campus. Ken Klinger will be the Assistant Athletic Director in charge of athletic programs at both elementary campuses as well as the physical education instructor at Holy Spirit, and Mary Kelley will serve as the school counselor at Holy Spirit.

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School has three additional campuses in the Montgomery area: St. Bede Elementary Campus, K4 through sixth grade, located at 3850 Atlanta Highway; Middle School Campus, seventh and eighth grades, and High School Campus, ninth through twelfth grades, both located at 5350 Vaughn Road.

The new elementary campus at Holy Spirit Catholic Church will open in August for students in four-year-old kindergarten through sixth grade. Montgomery Catholic is currently accepting applications at all campuses for the 2012-2013 school year. For more information, please call (334) 272-7221, extension 32 or visit our website www.montgomerycatholic.org.

Pictured:  Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School's Holy Spirit Campus leadership team stand in front of the new building opening in August. From left to right, Anne Ceasar, Laurie Gulley, Reverend Patrick Driscoll, Ken Klinger, and Mary Kelley.  Photo by Anna Lee Ingalls.

Catholic's Tyler Parrish Receives 2012 MAX4Kids Foundation Scholarship

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School senior Tyler Parrish recently received a 2012 MAX4Kids Foundation Scholarship.  Parrish was one of ten Montgomery area seniors to receive a $5,000 scholarship in the community. 

Parrish was chosen based on scholarship achievement, extra curricular activities, qualities of character and leadership, and an essay.   The scholarship recipients were recently honored during a special reception held at Max Federal Credit Union's Eastdale branch.  Parrish will also receive a certificate from officials with Max Federal Credit Union at Montgomery Catholic's Senior Day Ceremony on May 21.

Pictured:  Montgomery Catholic senior Tyler Parrish, a 2012 MAX4Kids Foundation Scholarship recipient.

Catholic's O'Mara Selected for AU Summer Science Institute

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School sophomore, Madeleine "Maddie" O'Mara, has been selected into the 2012 Summer Science Institute at Auburn University.  O'Mara was one of 24 high school students selected from Alabama and Georgia.

As a participant in this elite educational program, she will participate in a number of experiences involving Auburn University's unique faculty and state of the art facilities.  She will work directly with professors to explore topics in biology, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and geology.  Specific academic activities will include proton induced X-ray emission, polymer synthesis, DNA analysis, electron and proton microscopies, and isotope analysis.  O'Mara will enjoy a week full of on-campus exciting science and mathematics related activities hosted by the College of Sciences and Mathematics Department of Outreach at Auburn University.

Pictured:  Montgomery Catholic's Maddie O'Mara, will participate in AU Summer Science Institute this summer.

Montgomery Catholic Welcomes Children's Author B. Coyne

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School's St. Bede Campus recently welcomed children's author Dr. Beulah (B) Shelton Coyne as she shared her latest literary work "Treading Water on Ripple Creek Farm: Lily" with the students.  Dressed in period clothing from the book's setting of the Great Depression and World War II, Dr. Coyne read excerpts from her book and answered questions about the main characters and the storyline. 

"Treading Water on Ripple Creek Farm: Lily" offers readers a trip back in time when life seemed to move at a little slower pace, when families and communities were closely connected, and times might have been hard but they were good.  For more information about Dr. Coyne and her book, visit http://www.bcoyne-author.com/.  Dr. Coyne is also the Research Associate to the Dean of the Beeson Divinity School at Samford University in Birmingham.

Pictured:  Montgomery Catholic elementary librarian Lee Anne Barranco with special guest children's author Dr. B. Coyne and sixth grade students Patrick Azubuike, Emily Jones, and Todd Sanderson.  photo by Mary Kelley.