Montgomery Catholic Students Serve Our Community as Part of Lenten Day of Service

Working to clean up Ida Bell Young Park. 

“Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve. And to give His life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28. Serving others in our community is not only the focus of Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School’s annual Lenten Day of Service, but has been a part of the school’s mission since 1873. 

Cleaning up at the Zoo.

More than 300 Montgomery Catholic students in grades nine through twelve along with faculty members spent a combined total of over 900 hours volunteering in the community the morning of Friday, March 27. Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School's High School campus celebrated mass together at the High School at 7:40 a.m. before leaving campus. The students worked at 11 locations around the River Region performing various tasks such as cleaning up trails at YMCA’s Camp Grandview, Camp Chandler,  and the Nature Center in Millbrook; working for Catholic Social Services, MANE, The Food Bank and completing projects on campus at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School among many other works of service throughout the community. The Montgomery Catholic Varsity Baseball team, who was at a baseball tournament in Orange Beach, also participated in the Lenten Day of Service by volunteering at Our Lady of the Gulf  Catholic Church in Gulf Shores on Friday.

The organizations and agencies served by Montgomery Catholic high school students in the River Region were: 

 Catholic Social Services, The Food Bank, MANE, Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School and Ida Bell Young Park, The Montgomery Zoo, AWF - The Nature Center, St. Bede Catholic Church, The East YMCA, Camp  Chandler, Camp Grandview, YMCA Good Times Center.  Faculty Members escorted students at each location.

Overall, a wonderful day of remembering the importance of giving back to a community that has given so much to us.

Varsity Baseball with Father Carucci in Gulf Shores after helping clean up the Church property. 

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School Mission:

Founded in 1873, Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School is an integral part of the Catholic Church's mission to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.  As an adult community, we share in the responsibility to prepare students for college and beyond while helping them grow to become persons of faith, virtue and wisdom.

Montgomery Catholic Hosts Ninth Annual Coach Tim Turner Memorial Blood Drive

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School hosted the ninth annual Coach Tim Turner Memorial Blood Drive Wednesday, March 18, 2015 in the parking lot of our Middle/High School Campus.  The LifeSouth Bloodmobile was on site and accepted donations from 8:00 am until 5:00 p.m. This annual blood drive is hosted by Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School's high school student government association in honor of the late Coach Tim Turner who valiantly coached several MCPS Middle School sports teams while bravely battling a terminal illness. This year the campus received 50 blood donations for the day.

Coach Turner's sister, Gena Brasington was on campus for the blood drive. Brasington said "Please let the students and staff know how very much we appreciate their continued support each year in making this cause such a success. We look forward to next year and the big 10th annual blood drive and celebration."

Above: Coach Tim Turner on the MCPS football Field.
Below: Gena Brasington and Montgomery Catholic Middle School Assistant Principal Julie Wood at the 9th Annual Coach Tim Turner Annual Blood Drive.

Montgomery Catholic's Golf Team at Enterprise Invitational

Montgomery Catholic's Golf Team played in the Enterprise Invitational at Silver Wings Golf Course on Fort Rucker, March 23, 2015. The Knights finished second, shooting 321 as a team. Catholic eighth grader Drew Smith  was a medalist shooting 74 for the day.

The Montgomery Catholic Varsity Golf Team members are: Brian Anderson, Zach Jones, Sam McCracken, James  Sadie and Drew Smith, Coached by Daniel Veres.

Congratulations Knights!

Montgomery Catholic's Tucker and Sadie Will Attend HOBY Youth Leadership Seminar

Tamrah Tucker and James Sadie have been selected to represent Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School as Ambassadors for HOBY (Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership) this Spring. The Seminar will be held at Troy University.

HOBY is the nation’s foremost Youth Leadership Seminar that over 9,000 deserving high school sophomores from across the country will attend.  Their mission is to inspire and develop the global community of youth and volunteers to a life dedicated to leadership, service, and innovation.  

Tamrah Tucker is the daughter of Ms. Tomica Tucker of Tuskegee. 

James Sadie is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Sadie of Montgomery.

Congratulations to both Tamrah and James!

Montgomery Catholic's Concert Band Receives High Ratings at MPA

The Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School Concert Band under the direction of Alex Johnson attended the Alabama Bandmasters Association's Music Performance Assessment (MPA). MPA is the Association's annual Concert Band evaluation festival. This year the festival was held at Opelika High School in Opelika, Alabama March 9-11. Montgomery Catholic's Concert Band performed on Wednesday, March 11 at 3:30 p.m.. The band's stage performance received a score of "II-I-I" from the panel of stage judges, for their renditions of Bravura, They Led My Lord Away and Summer Dances. The band received a "I" from the sight-reading judge, the best score possible. The sight-reading portion of the competition requires the group to perform a piece of sheet music they have not seen before, after being given only seven minutes to review it with their Band Director. Montgomery Catholic Band Director Alex Johnson said of his band, "The kids were playing by far the most challenging and difficult program of music they have ever attempted before, so I am very pleased with the effort and dedication they have put into their preparation this year." 

The Montgomery Catholic Concert Band members are: High School students, Skye Alexander, Maria Barragan,
David Bender, Adam Bristol, Cammie Brown, Devin Byrts, Roberto Calixtro, Eric Crenshaw, Jennifer Doan, John Faulkner, Francisco Gonzalez, Jonathan Green, Audrey Kim, Ashleigh Little, Lizzie Londell, Casey Lyerly, Katie McDaniel, Peter Nguyen, Elizabeth Overton, Henry Petters, William Russell, Alex Smith, Mary Reagan Starrett,
Logan Stevens, Maggie Tippett, Bryan Urraca, Beth Vaughan, Clint Williams and Delohn Wyatt. Middle School students, Lexie Becker, Nick Bowden, Marie Bristol, Nicholas Brown, Jonah Gier, Ezequiel Gonzalez, Jonathan Guevara, Maddie Losik, Zach Moore, Braley Mullarkey, Jevon Murdock, Jeremy Ramirez, Mari Caitlin Riggles, 
Chloe Smith, Denzel Surles, Ricky Treloar and Chris Waring. 

Catholic's Derek Kelly Named Outstanding Key Club Lieutenant Governor

Montgomery Catholic senior Derek Kelly, Lieutenant Governor of Division 14 of the Alabama Key Club, was selected to receive the Robert F. Lucas Award for Outstanding Lieutenant Governor at the Alabama Key Club District Convention in Mobile on March 7, 2015.  The Robert F Lucas Award is named for a former International Director of Key Club that worked tirelessly to support all areas of Key Club and increase its membership throughout the world.  Kelly was chosen from a total of 20 Lieutenant Governors who all served the state of Alabama this past year. He served as Lieutenant Governor for all of the High School Key Clubs in the Montgomery Area.

Kelly was chosen for this award because of the energy and enthusiasm he brought to all of the Key Clubs he served this past year in Montgomery.  The clubs, under his leadership, have experienced growth in membership and increased the number of club service hours overall. These service hours included activities Derek organized to benefit Children's Hospital of Birmingham, one of the main projects for the Alabama Key Club. 

As Lieutenant Governor Kelly published a monthly newsletter to all of the local clubs, made visits and participated in their activities.  He organized rallies for all of the local clubs to attend, offering the opportunity for his district to visit together. He also organized officer leadership training for each of his district clubs, teaching how to be effective leaders in their own clubs.  In all this, Kelly exemplified persistence and dedication while following the Key Club Motto of building home, school, and community while serving the nation and God.  

Derek Kelly will graduate from Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School this May and plans to attend the University of South Alabama Honors College in the fall, majoring in civil engineering.  He has been a member and officer of the Key Club at Montgomery Catholic for three years.  The Catholic Key Club is a service club sponsored by the Montgomery Kiwanis Club.

Submitted by Jeanene Crenshaw

Montgomery Catholic's Middle School Competes at Regional Science Olympiad Competition in Auburn

The Montgomery Catholic Middle School Science Olympiad team placed fourth overall in the Regional competition held on March 9 at Auburn University and is expected to attend the State tournament. The team brought home the following awards: Third place in Write It, Do It - Erica Blackburn and Emily Talbot.
Fourth place in Air Trajectory - Ricky Treloar and Austin Collett and Road Scholar - Ricky Treloar and Emily Talbot. Fifth place in Bridge Building - Jonah Gier and Erica Blackburn; Elastic Launch Glider - Christian Friday and Jacob Holston. Sixth place in Bio Process Lab - Christian Friday and Jacob Holston; Crimebusters - Erica Blackburn and Emily Talbot; Can't Judge A Powder - Austin Collett and Lexie Becker; Crave the Wave - Clare Wilson and Lexie Becker; Dynamic Planet - Austin Collett and Christian Friday; Entomology - Jonah Gier and Jacob Holston. Seventh place in Bottle Rocket - Darian Riley and Jonah Gie r; Simple Machines - Katie Perkins and Ashley Hayes. Eighth place Anatomy - Clare Wilson; Disease Detectives - Ashley Hayes and Clare Wilson; Meteorology - Katie Perkins.

The Middle School Science Olympiad team is sponsored by Mrs. Vicki Petters and Mrs. Julie Flowers who would like to thank the chaperons for making the trip such a great success: Mr. Gier, Mrs. Hayes, Mrs. Riley, Mrs. Perkins, Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. Bartos and Mr. and Mrs. Collett.

Montgomery Catholic's Science Olympiad Team Competes at Regional Tournament in Mobile

The Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School High School Science Olympiad teams competed at the Regional Science Olympiad competition on Saturday, March 7, 2015 at Spring Hill College. 

Fifteen teams from nine schools competed. Montgomery Catholic's 14 High School Science Olympiad team members came away with medals in twelve events, earning three golds, eight silvers, and three bronze. The Montgomery Catholic High School team placed third overall and earned a spot in the State Competition. 

Carson, Scott, Lisa Hong, Katie McDaniel, Olivia Nobles, Seullee Baek, Leo Petters, Ann Faulkner, Andrew Ellis, Lindsey Guin, Michael Barber, Martin Lee, Marissa Dogan, Lita Blackburn, Henry Petters

These are the events  that the High School Science Olympiad team received medals in: 

First Place: Entomology -Marissa Dogan and Carson Scott; Mission Possible -Michael Barber and Marissa Dogan; Protein Modeling -Leo Petters and Lindsey Guin.

Second Place: Anatomy - Ann Faulkner and Andrew Ellis; Fossils -Henry Petters and Lita Blackburn; Geologic Mapping -Lisa Hong and Olivia Nobles; Green Generation - Lisa Hong and Marissa Dogan; It's About Time - Leo Petters and Henry Petters; Mission Possible -Youngtaek Seo and Jake Walker; Wright Stuff - Martin Lee and Seullee Baek; Write It Do It - Carson Scott and Michael Barber.

Third Place: Bungee Drop - Olivia Nobles and Katie McDaniel; Disease Detective - Lindsey Guin and Marissa Dogan; Wright Stuff - Daniel Reeves.

The Montgomery Catholic High School Science Olympiad team is sponsored by Mrs. Elizabeth Harbin, with the assitance of Dr. Monica Hamell, Dr. Joe Profio and Mrs. Jeanene Crenshaw. 

Anatomy - Ann Faulkner and Andrew Ellis placed 2nd.

CYO Basketball League crowns 2015 Champions!

The CYO basketball league finished the season with a tournament on Saturday February 28, 2015 at Montgomery CAtholic Preparatory School's Holy Spirit campus gymnasium.  The teams competing in the CYO league girls division were MA, Trinity, Eastwood, St. Bede and Holy Spirit.  Taking first place in the girls division was Montgomery Catholic’s St. Bede Gold team. In the boys division, Resurrection, Holy Cross, St. Bede and Holy Spirit competed this season. Taking first place in the boy’s division was Montgomery Catholic’s Blue team out of Holy Spirit.  Finally, in the 5^th & 6^th grade boys division from Montgomery Catholic and finishing in first was Holy Spirit team red. 

Submitted by Coach Ken Klinger

Pictured is the 5th & 6th grade girls St. Bede Gold championship team :

Front row from left to right:Jamya Henderson, Chloe Walden, Alanna Aiken. Back row from left to right:Veronica Masters, Alexis Meshok, Camille Morgan, Haidyn Foley. Coached by Coaches- Michael Walden and Matt Morgan.

Pictured is the 3rd & 4th grade boys championship CYO basketball team.

Front row left to right: Max Barranco, Mason Hooks, & Nate Izer. Back row from left to right:

Chase Ford, Hunter Hodges, Harrison Howell, Will Belsterling, Josh Hildebrand Coach Mike Barranco.

Pictured is the 5th & 6th grade boys Holy Spirit Red Team:

Coach: Michael Losik. Front row: Connor Donaldson, Josh Tobia, and Michael Zanglin. Back Row: Zach Izer, Ben Albrecht, DJ Carter, Aiden Losik, Bryant Deaton.