Montgomery Catholic Students Imagine Whirled Peace with Pinwheels for Peace Art Project

In today’s world, peace needs to become more than just a word. On Friday, September 21, 2007, art students at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School will participate in an International art and literacy project, “Pinwheels for Peace.” The students will “plant” pinwheels with messages of peace in the front lawn of the middle and high school, located at 5350 Vaughn Road. This year’s international theme is “Pinwheels Everywhere!”

Pinwheels for Peace is an art installation project started by two Art teachers, Ann Ayers and Ellen McMillan, of Coconut Creek, Florida, as a way for students to express their feelings about what’s going on in the world and in their lives. Groups in over 2,400 locations “planting” approximately a million pinwheels throughout the world have committed to spinning these pinwheels on September 21st. Locally, the Middle & High School Art Instructor, Ms. Joane Grant, has coordinated the Pinwheels for Peace project at MCPS since the project’s inception.

In this non-political art project – Peace is not necessarily associated with the conflict of war; it can be related to violence/intolerance in our daily lives, to peace of mind. To each of us, peace can take on a different meaning, but, in the end, it all comes down to a simple definition: “a state of calm and serenity, with no anxiety, the absence of violence, freedom from conflict or disagreement among people or groups of people.”

For the third year in a row, the Montgomery Catholic middle and high school art students have created pinwheels of all shapes and sizes. As part of the creation process, the students wrote their thoughts about "war and peace / tolerance/ living in harmony with others" on one side. On the other side, they have painted, created collages, etc. and visually expressed their feelings. The students assembled the pinwheels and on International Day of Peace they will "plant" their pinwheels in the front lawn of the high school as a public statement and art exhibit/installation.

Weatherly Named National Merit Semifinalist

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School is proud to announce Jacob Weatherly as a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist. The names of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in the 53rd annual National Merit Scholarship Program were announced today by officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,200 Merit Scholarship® awards, worth $34 million, that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, Semifinalists must advance to the Finalist level of the competition by fulfilling several requirements. About 90 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will be selected as Merit Scholarship winners, earning the Merit Scholar® title.

Established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Program, NMSC is a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance. Scholarships awarded through this program are underwritten by NMSC’s own funds and approximately 500 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.

Photo: Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School National Merit Scholarship Program Semifinalist Jacob Weatherly.

Mayor’s Assistant Jeff Downes '85 Speaks to Senior Economics Class

Mr. Jeff Downes, Executive Assistant to Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright and Montgomery Catholic 1985 Alumni, recently spoke to Coach Joe Arban’s senior Economics classes about opportunity costs and their effect on city budgets and the bottom line. Mr. Downes gave a variety of real examples the capital city faces when considering opportunity costs and the annual budget. Students gained a better understanding of how municipal budgeting, city services, and the costs that affect those services many take for granted each day.

Given an imaginary number and a variety of city services and budget requests, the students had to review the opportunity costs of providing for those requests and services while staying within a set budget. Senior Whitney Barranco said, “I didn’t realize how difficult the decisions for opportunity costs and their affects really were until we had to do it for ourselves. There is a lot more to it than meets the eye. It really brought it all into perspective.”

Pictured: MC Alumni Jeff Downes ’85 speaks to seniors about opportunity costs at Montgomery Catholic.

Record Number of Girls Attend Montgomery Catholic's Cheer Camp

The Montgomery Catholic Varsity Cheerleaders hosted 90 girls in Kindergarten through Sixth Grade at their annual cheerleading clinic on Saturday, September 8th from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. in the Fr. Pat Delahunty Gymnasium on the Vaughn Road campus. At the clinic, the girls were divided into small squads according to age and taught cheers, beginner stunts, chants, and a dance.

All of the participants will perform the cheers they learned in a pre-game show on Friday, September 21st when Montgomery Catholic hosts Montevallo.

Pictured above: Varsity Cheerleader senior Cecily McAlpine shows the Kindergarten & 1st Grade girls the motions to a cheer at camp.

To view photos from the event, click here: http://family.webshots.com/slideshow/560634450PWLtBc;jsessionid=abcO1LiCq9Gq7gFvUlXtr