Montgomery Catholic Third Graders Take Part in "Operation Santa Claus"

Third grade students in Mrs. Tammy Quillin's class at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School filled 180 bags with goodies for clients of Mental Health America (MHA) as part of their annual "Operation Santa Claus" drive. The student began collecting small sample items of shampoo, candy, deodorant, lotions, soaps, toothpaste, and other personal care items in October and enjoyed the entire process. The students also created 180 placemats for MHA to use at their client Christmas luncheon on December 17. Pictured: Montgomery Catholic third grade students Thomas McLaughlin, Katelynn Daniels, Grace Leslie, Tiffany LaGrange, Anthony Jaimes, and Jordan Foster with Mental Health America Montgomery's Executive Director Wanda Marshall Laird.

Montgomery Catholic students partner with MACOA and BBVA Compass

High school art students at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School helped to make the season brighter for Montgomery area elderly this Christmas. Partnering with the Montgomery Area Council on the Aging (MACOA) and BBVA Compass, Montgomery Catholic students decorated hundreds of goodie bags that BBVA Compass Bank employees filled with goodies and MACOA distributed to their clients just in time for Christmas. Montgomery Catholic Art instructor Joane Grant said, "We are proud to partner with these fine organizations each year to bring a little cheer to the Montgomery community." Pictured: MACOA representative Daisy Bolden, Montgomery Catholic art students Cindy Camacho, John Talbot, Lizzie Terino, Matt Christie, Sarah Krause, Miles Whitehurst, Victoria Schmidt, Graham Evans, Jack Merijanian, Nicole Miglionico, and BBVA Compass representative Dana Stephens.

Montgomery Catholic Students Chair "Man of the Year" Ceremony

Montgomery's YMCA program gave its "Man of the Year" award during their 58th Man of the Year Banquet emceed by Montgomery Catholic junior and event co-chair Lizzie Terino. This year's event chairman was Montgomery Catholic senior D'Jara Britton.

The 2009 Man of the Year was awarded to Dr. Roland A. Hester, IV for his medical mission work and service to the youth in Montgomery. Special guest speaker was Mr. Carl Barranco, a 1960 graduate of Montgomery Catholic and the 2008 YMCA Man of the Year. Pictured: YMCA Man of the Year Banquet Chairman D'Jara Britton, Mr. Carl Barranco, and Man of the Year emcee and co-chair Lizzie Terino.

Montgomery Catholic Students Enjoy YMCA's Youth Judicial Program

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School's Youth Judicial participants once again had a wonderfully successful weekend. Senior D'Jara Britton served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, along with her Bailiff Clarissa Deal, presided over 16 judges, 16 bailiffs, several sheriffs, 12 Premiere League teams and 56 upper level teams, all taking part in the YMCA's mock trial competition held at the Embassy Suites in downtown Montgomery.

Montgomery Catholic's Premiere League team, Chad DuBois, Jordan Heymann, John Preston Houston, Zack Hulcher, Megan Karst, Caroline Smith, Jack Starr, and Mary Allison Tyner, learned all about courtroom procedure and ended up placing 2nd of all of the plaintiff teams.

Both of Montgomery Catholic's upper level teams--plaintiff team Ryan Crutchfield, Anna Freedman, Jovon McCloud, Amalia Ortero, ML Shipman, Latajah Sigler, Alex Taylor, and Lizzie Terino--and defense team of Barbara Bradley, Walt Cobb, Dom Godwin, Kevin Norris, Lexie Segrest, Joseph Sutton, and Elizabeth Thrower--all met their gol and placed in the Top Ten!

Seniors Ashley Johnson and Fred Randall worked tirelessly as the press corps all weekend publishing daily newspapers that were distributed to the entire delegation.

Working with the Montgomery Catholic students were four incredible attorneys who willingly gave of their time and expertise. Joe Rech, husband of Middle School Guidance Counselor Sarah Rech, Melinda Perritano, wife of High School Dean of Students Steve Perritano, Melinda's colleague Susan Turley, and Montgomery Catholic alumnae of 2002 Laurel Crawford helped our stduents preparer for this exciting competition.

When asked how this competition compared to football, senior Jovon McCloud replied by saying, "Football is just physical, but this was exhausting!"

Pictured: Montgomery Catholic Youth Judicial Participants just before the competion began Lexie Segrest, Jordan Heymann, Chad DuBois, Amalia Ortero, Elizabeth Thrower, Latajah Sigler, Kevin Norris, Joseph Sutton, Dom Godwin, Barbara Bradley, Walt Cobb, Zack Hulcher, Mary Allison Tyner, Jack Starr, Megan Karst, and John Preston Houston.