29 Montgomery Catholic Middle School Students Participate in Junior Youth Leg

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School participated in the YMCA Youth in Government Junior Youth Legislature on January 22, 2016.

There were 283 students who participated from 11 schools.  The students were divided up into a House A, House B and Senate.  For House B, two Montgomery Catholic eighth grade students were elected to office. Anna Sadie was elected President and Chandler Ford was elected Reading Clerk.

Out of the bills submitted for review Montgomery Catholic had two that were picked for debate.  One on Prison Reform due to over crowding and one called the Good Samaritan Act for rescuing animals and children from hot cars.

Ryan Barranco, Grace Barranco and Camille Morgan wrote and presented the Prison Reform bill for debate which passed unanimously.  

At the awards ceremony the following students received an award for Outstanding Statesman: Ryan Barranco, Gracie Barranco, Scott Nation and Patrick Whetstone.

This year Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School had 29 middle school students participate in Junior Youth Legislature, they were: Gracie Barranco, Ryan Barranco, Sarah Rose Burden, 
Austin Cleghorn,Madison Dannelly, Mitchell Dogan, Anna Dubois, Robert Esdale, Chandler
Ford, Cade Hampton, Alyssa Kirk, Jenna Kroeger, Sam Leslie, Camille Morgan, Scott Nation, 
Katherine O'Connor, Clayton Peeler, Ellie Pool, John Register, Kolbe Russo, Anna Sadie, 
James Franklin Saliba,  Joseph Schmidt,  Emma Secor,  Grant Smith,  Elizabeth Speirs,  Eli Starrett,  Kinley Tadlock, and Patrick Whetstone. The team sponsors are 
Mrs. Sarah Rech and Mr. Rob Russell.

Montgomery Catholic Middle School Announces Honor Roll for First Semester

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School announced their top students during an Honors Assembly on Thursday, January 14.  Students who attained A Honor Roll and A-B Honor Roll during the first semester were called to receive their certificates during this special ceremony held in the Dolly Barranco Activity Center at 2:30 p.m.

The A Honor Roll students for 1st Semester 2015-2016 are: Tanner Carter
Aidan Cochran, Devan DeRamus, Nathan Downes, Lainie Doyle, Mai Ellington, Jason Flowers, Daniel Gacha, Victoria Hall, Michael Hodges, Tyler Hoffman, Sofia Izer, Savannah Johnson, Camille Morgan,
Scott Nation, Molly Nicklay, Katherine O’Connor, Charles O’Donnell, Katie Perkins, Kinley Tadlock,
John Tittel, Patrick Whetstone and Clare Wilson.

Hannah Parrish accepted her certificate for
A-B Honor Roll for first semester from
Principal Chad Barwick.

The A-B Honor Roll students are: Jack Allen, Spencer Bach, Grace Barranco, Matthew Barranco, Ryan Barranco, Jasmine Blakeley, Sarah Rose Burden, Maria Cervantes, Austin Cleghorn, Cameryn Cool, Emily Curry, Mitchell Davis, Mitchell Dogan, Anna DuBois, Emma Garrison, Angela Gier, Ethan Gilbert, Ashley Hayes, Cecelia Hoffpauir, Christian Ivey, Myles Jordan, Alyssa Kirk, Jenna Kroeger, Aidan Losik, Alexis Meshok, Jayla Milam, Denalie Mosakowski, Zach Pappanastos, Hannah Parrish, Clayton Peeler, Meaghan Pineda, Ellie Pool, Emily Riggles, Darian Riley, Steven Robinson, Rachel Rodriguez, Kolbe Russo, Anna Sadie, Grant Smith, Joshua Tobias, Regine Torres, Hannah Vaccaro, Christopher Valencia, Valarie Waite, Daniel Walmsley, Alexis Weber and Cacey Williams.

Congratulations to each of these students on their academic success.

Holy Spirit Campus First Grader Shares A Tall Tale and Game Ball for Show & Tell

Show and Tell was very exciting for one first grade student at Montgomery Catholic’s Holy Spirit Campus this week.  Sal Barranco attends the NFL game between the Carolina Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons with his family in December and this year turned out to be the most memorable game yet.   Following the first touchdown of the game, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton rocked the football, dabbed, and then ran over and handed the game ball to a very excited Sal Barranco.  Even though it was Carolina’s first loss of the season, it was a great day for one particular Panther fan!  Sal brought his treasured game ball to Mrs. Cutts’ show and tell for everyone to see. Sal is the son of Katherine and John David Barranco of Montgomery.

Photo and submission by Mary Kelly

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School's Holy Spirit Campus Receives National FBI SOS Cyber Certificate

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School's elementary campuses participated in the FBI Safe Online Surfing program. Each month the FBI recognizes the top school in the nation for one of three categories. Montgomery Catholic's Holy Spirit campus won the starfish category for the month of November 2015, which means the campus received the highest score in the program in the country.

On honors day held on January 14, 2016, Montgomery Catholic president Mrs. Anne Ceasar accepted the Award for the Holy Spirit campus from the FBI for winning the nationwide FBI-Safe Online Searching competition - Starfish category for November 2015 with an overall score of 97 percent.  FBI Special Agent Greg Holston was on campus to present a special certificate to the school. Each student received a certificate from their technology teacher, Mrs. Debbie Mayer for their efforts in helping the school achieve the top score.

MONTGOMERY CATHOLIC PREPARATORY SCHOOL STANDOUT NAMED GATORADE ALABAMA GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR

CHICAGO (January 14, 2016) — In its 31 year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The GatoradeCompany, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, today announced Amaris Tyynismaa of Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School as its 2015-16 Gatorade Alabama Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year.  Tyynismaa isthe first Gatorade Alabama Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year to be chosen from Montgomery CatholicPreparatory School.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic
achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the racecourse, distinguishes Tyynismaa as
Alabama’s best high school girls cross country runner.  Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year award to be announced in January, Tyynismaa joins an elite alumni association of past state award-winners in 12 sports, including Ryan Hall (1999-00, 2000-01, Big Bear HS, Calif.), Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, Mich.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.) and Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.).

The 5-foot-6 freshman distance runner won a second consecutive Class 4A individual state championship with a time of 17:52.25 this past season, leading the Knights to fourth place as a team. The Montgomery Advertiser’s two-time All Metro Female Cross Country Runner of the Year, Tyynismaa took 20th at
the Foot Locker South Regional championships in 18:06. Unbeaten against Alabama competition in 2015,
her third-place finish of 17:42.54 at the 17th Annual  Jesse Owens Classic was the state’s fastest 5K among
prep competitors this past fall.

Tyynismaa has maintained an A average in the classroom. In addition to donating her time as a mentor and instructor for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, she has volunteered locally on behalf of her church.

“I think she is bringing the girls to a new level with how good she is,” said Stephen Bowen, head coach at rival Straughn High. “She is pushing my girls to work harder and get better. She is basically resetting the bar for girls’ cross country.”

Tyynismaa will begin her sophomore year of high school this fall.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport.  The selection process is administered by the Gatorade high school sports leadership team in partnership with USA TODAY High School Sports, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

Tyynismaa joins Gatorade Alabama Girls Cross Country Runners of the Year Kaitlin York (2014-15, American Christian Academy), Karisa Nelson (2013-14, T.R. Miller High School), Carmen Carlos (2012-13, 2011-12, 2010-11 & 2009-10, McGill-Toolen Catholic High School), and Madeline Morgan (2008-09 & 2007-08, Mountain Brook High School), as athletes who have won the cross country award since its inception in 2007.

To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade Player of the Year on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.  For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of past winners and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit www.gatorade.com/poy.

All Metro Honors for Montgomery Catholic Fall Athletes, Anderson & Tyynismaa Named All State

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School is pleased to announce All-Metro honors for twelve fall athletes.

Montgomery Catholic All-Metro cross country runners include three ninth grade athletes: Isabelle Cochran, Grace Leslie and Runner of the Year Amaris Tyynismaa! Tyynismaa won her second straight AHSAA state title by winning the Class 4A State meet with a time of 17:52.25, making her the fastest high school female runner in Classes 1A-6A. She was also named the Super All-State Female Runner of the Year for her efforts during the 2015 Cross Country season.

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School freshman, Amaris Tyynismaa
All-State, All-Class Cross Country Female Runner of the Year

Montgomery Catholic junior, Brian Anderson
Named Second Team All-State, Class 4A

All-Metro Montgomery Catholic football players for 2015 included: sophomore Landon Pritchett, junior Brian Anderson, senior Devin Byrts, and senior Gabe Keating, with senior Blake Johnson and sophomore BJ Barker receiving honorable mentions. Offensive guard Brian Anderson was also named second team All-State, Class 4A.

All-Metro Montgomery Catholic volleyball players included junior Iyana Tate (second team) with honorable mentions to junior Kayanna McKenzie and senior Sarah Murry.

Congratulations to all of these athletes on their 2015 seasons.

Montgomery Catholic Students Participate in Annual "Mass Blast"

Each year Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School students and their families are invited to participate in Catholic Masses throughout the River Region. Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School is proud to be supported by eight parishes in four central Alabama counties, including, Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady Queen of Mercy, St. Bede the Venerable, St. Joseph, St. Peter, St. Vincent de Paul and Holy Family Catholic Community at Maxwell AFB.  This year, students were encouraged to wear their Mass day uniforms to church the weekend of January 9-10, and one family was asked to act as gift bearers. The Pastor and Associate Pastor at each parish encouraged their parishioners to explore Catholic education for their families and to pray for the school and its mission.

Catholic education is a mission of the Church, and our parishes support this mission in so many wonderful ways. Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School is grateful to each of them for the continuous support. Pictured are second grade student Ethan Harbin and his sister Olivia, a first grader, with Monsignor Charles Troncale at St. Vincent De Paul in Tallassee, Alabama.

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.