Weekly Update November 25, 2014

Transcription

1 Weekly Update November 25, 2014 Headlines Our Town: The Phoenix Players fall play, Our Town, was a huge success this past weekend, filling Phoenix Hall both nights with larger audiences than at any other previous theatre production at Saint Joseph Prep! On stage, our student actors shone in Thornton Wilder's beloved classic. The play follows the lives of citizens of the fictional town of Grover's Corners, New Hampshire, as narrated by a mysterious omniscient man known only as the Stage Manager, played by Liam Fitzpatrick 16. Fitzpatrick was outstanding in his role, and was supported by a dedicated and talented cast of student actors (and one faculty member!): Theresa Carey 17, Nina Forcellati 15, Lyndsey Grier 18 (particularly impressive as young Emily), McKenzie Jeannette 18, Racheal Kerrigan 17, Phil Legagneur 17, Amelia Li 18, Yilin Lu 17, Michael Martinez 16, Keturah Washington 15, Bryan Williams 16, Shucheng Zhou 17, and Ms. Nia Gipson. Ricky Espada 17 was stage manager for the show, and Joseph Aroush 16 music provided music with his own compositions on guitar. Congratulations to the whole cast and crew! Liam and Lyndsey are pictured below; more photos to come on the website! 1

2 International Thanksgiving: On Saturday afternoon, the Student Council hosted our annual International Thanksgiving Dinner. There were over 70 students and faculty members in attendance! Students and faculty cooked traditional Thanksgiving dishes to share in a potluck with our International Students. Sarah Smith 15 and Tim Kim 15 led everyone in grace before the meal started, thanking everyone for their contributions and expressing how grateful they were for the family of Saint Joseph Prep. Students ate turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, salad and more! Highlights of the dessert table were a homemade pumpkin pie from Ms. Gabriel and a homemade apple pie from Ms. Roberts. 2

3 Week at a Glance Tuesday, November 25: Thanksgiving Mass: 1:30 PM at the Holy Family Chapel: All are welcome to join us! Thursday, November 27: Thanksgiving Football Game: 10:00 AM at Victory Field in Watertown: Come cheer on The Phoenix as they battle St. Clement s! Sunday, December 14: Christmas Concert: Mark your calendars for this awesome event! Week in Review Kairos Retreat: Last weekend, students and faculty traveled to the Craigville Retreat Center on the Cape for our annual Fall Kairos Retreat. Kairos, meaning God s time, is an opportunity for students to grow in their faith and to reflect on their relationships with God, self, and others. We were blessed to have 18 students participate in this meaningful experience, taking time away from the hectic schedules of everyday life to share in God s time with their classmates. A special thank you goes to our student leaders, Samantha Chaisson 15, Julio Castillo 15, Kelly Shea 15, Abby Harnois 15, and Sarah Murphy 16, for leading this outstanding retreat and for showing their classmates what it means to live the fourth a concept one can only understand at the end of the retreat! Fall Athletics Banquet: Last Wednesday, over 230 people attended our Fall Athletics Banquet! Parents, guardians, siblings, and coaches all came together to celebrate the accomplishments of our student- athletes. This was the most successful season in the short history of The Phoenix, with the Volleyball, Boys Soccer, and Girls Soccer all advancing to the state tournament; the Volleyball team advanced to the quarter- finals and the Girls Soccer Team made it all the way to the semi- finals! Check out the website for photos and a complete recap of this wonderful evening at which each team gathered to honor its players. Special recognition goes to our All- League Players: Janyssa Reyes 15, Maryellen Robinson 15, Rachel Sansone 15, Sarah Smith 15, Fatima St. Hilaire 15 (Girls Soccer); Vova Quigley 17, Gianluca Giani 16, Dong Su Kim 16 (Boys Soccer); Samantha Chaisson 15, Sharon King 17, Nina Forcellati 15 (Girls Volleyball); John Devlin 17, Tom Tran 15 (Golf). Admissions: The last opportunity for students applying to join next year s Class of 2019 to take the Catholic High School Placement Test (HSPT) is Saturday, December 13. The application deadline for Saint Joseph Prep is Monday, December 15. Please continue to share the good news of Saint Joseph Prep with your family members and friends as we seek to shape next year s freshman class! Scholar Highlights of the Week Theology Scholars: During the past two weeks, all students in Ms. Hughes and Mr. Russo s Senior Theology classes engaged in a campaign speech project. The project involved presidential and vice- presidential speeches, campaign banners/posters, and a short campaign ad (video). Students were required to demonstrate their knowledge of what makes a country good incorporating the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. 3

4 Our Quote of the Week comes from Elizabeth Taranto 15, who along with Reggie Fils 17, spoke with our students during Monday s all- school gathering about her amazing experience on the Kairos Retreat. Encouraging all of our students to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity, Liz talked about the power of the presentations and the close- knit feeling of the community, and then said, But I really can t say anymore because the rest is a secret. What a great way to generate interest in Kairos, by adding an element of mystery to it! CAD Scholars: Last week, our CAD 2 scholars worked on creating materials from scratch, gathering items from the library and online. The students had previously drawn their monitors in 3D; now they had to take a selfie with their ipads, create a jpg file, and convert it in the material editor. Once that was done, they placed their selfie in the monitor so it looked as if they were being seen on their monitors! They also placed a wood material on their desks, learning how to render the grain in order to make it appear closer to real life. Chapel Speaking Program: Chapel Speakers this week were Vivian Ho 18, Tessa Lewis 17, Yumeko Chen 17, Elizabeth Watts 16, Olivia Tirachen 16, Anna Daher 16, Axelle Charles 15, and Silvana Barbosa 15. Vivian entitled her speech Profiles of a Hero and spoke of the incredible impact her father has had on her life. She boldly defined courage as, doing what you think is right no matter how bad the consequences are, and she held up her dad as an example of that definition. Vivian s father, Paul, escaped communist Vietnam in order to come to the United States and make a life for himself. Although his escape was lengthy and risky, Paul made it to America and began his family here. Vivian described her father as the most influential person in her life for his bravery and determination. Sharing her experience of volunteering at the MSPCA (Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), Tessa detailed the various jobs she has had, including the thankless task of cleaning the animal environments. Not so much a dog- person as a cat- lover, Tessa talked about a very special cat named Boris. Boris had been abused by his owners and Tessa s job was to nurse him back to health which she did with care and compassion, ultimately getting Boris healthy enough to transition to a new home. Yumeko spoke eloquently and confidently of how she has come to learn three difficult languages Japanese, Chinese, and English. Explaining how, at first, she was unsure and uncertain in each new culture, overly self- conscious of her pronunciation and vocabulary yet wanting to immerse herself in the language, Yumeko noted that by careful listening and constant practice, she was able to master these highly complex languages. Ironically, it was most of us in the Chapel who felt self- conscious when Yumeko finished, realizing that she is so exceptionally bright and talented. Elizabeth shared with her classmates the things for which she is grateful at Thanksgiving. Focusing on a) family and friends, b) school and opportunity, and c) being from Southie, Elizabeth noted that she has much to appreciate. Explaining that she both has and is still making good friends, and that Saint Joseph Prep has brought her to so many places from the summer Italy trip to the BC College Road event Elizabeth encouraged her classmates not to take for granted what we enjoy. She also spoke honestly and humorously about how, in her neighborhood, there was always a relative watching out for her so she had nowhere to hide! Recognizing that she is now almost halfway through her junior year, Olivia spoke of how quickly 4

5 the time is passing for this Class of Noting that the PSAT really counted this fall, and that the college process will be starting in earnest very soon, Olivia entreated her classmates to take advantage of and ownership of every opportunity in high school. Asking her peers to imagine how they will look back on their time at Saint Joseph Prep, Olivia extolled everyone to make new friends, to tackle new challenges, and to create new memories, so that as a class, they would have no regrets when they graduated. Philosophical and spiritual, Anna reflected on how we have had a couple of days off from school this month for a Faculty Professional Day or Veteran s Day but that students in her homeland of Lebanon have had many more days off because of the violence and conflict ravaging their country. Anna noted that we all have a cross to bear, and that just when we think our cross is unfairly burdensome, we realize that the crosses carried by others are far heavier. Reassuring us that God really does know our own suffering, Anna encouraged her classmates to be those who help to carry the crosses of others and to work the peace and justice that God desires among all peoples. Axelle did a marvelous job of talking about and, at points, even confessing to the rather pointless habit of complaining. Admitting that her friends know she is often one to gripe about the impossible essay or the unfair test, Axelle noted that, in the end, the kind of complaining that we do does not really get us anywhere because it is all focused on the past. Axelle bravely and wisely counseled her classmates to look to the future, noting that if we took all of the time and energy we spend on complaining, and used that time to improve our situation and to elevate our progress, we might not have anything about which to complain! Silvana took the occasion, as we approach Thanksgiving, to remind her classmates about being grateful for all of the blessings we enjoy. Looking forward to her own Thanksgiving Dinner with her immediate and extended family all of the aunts and uncles and cousins Silvana reflected on how so many people today do not what we have. Using specific, concrete images to illustrate her points from having the wait until second lunch to eat to having to wait a few minutes longer for the bus Silvana reminded us that many of our brothers and sisters are hungry for days at a time and are homeless, out in the cold for nights on end. Club/Activity Highlights of the Week Robotics Team: There are only two more Robotics meetings for the fall season December 6 and December 20. Then we have the big kick- off on January 3, which marks the beginning of the build season. Please join us and share in the learning, the competing, and the fun! Phoenix Players: If you would like to become involved with Phoenix Players, keep an eye out for auditions for our spring musical, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Auditions will be held this December. For information about upcoming auditions and to see photo and info from our previous plays, visit the Phoenix Players website at sjpphoenixplayers.wordpress.com. National Honor Society Thanksgiving Food Drive: The National Honor Society completed their highly successful Thanksgiving Food Drive for the Little Sisters of the Poor in Somerville, MA. The full story is on the website, but enjoy the photos on the next page. Our thanks to everyone in the Saint Joseph Prep family for making Thanksgiving just a bit better for other families. The school delivered over 400 food items and also donated $725 in Stop- and- Shop gift cards for the purchase of turkeys! 5

6 Student- Athlete Highlights of the Week Fall to Winter: As noted earlier, we had wonderfully successful Fall Sports Banquet last week. Check out our website for the details. The Winter Season begins on Monday, December 1. There is still time to join a team. And know that we are offering a new sport this winter Swimming for both girls and boys! See Mr. Von Euw for information regarding all of our winter sports, and see Ms. Alletag to make sure that all of your health forms are complete. Football: On Saturday, November 16, Head Football Coach Deondre Kennard as well as Senior Captains Will Woods 15, Tim Buccelli 15, Tim Kim 15, and Chris Elize 16 (pictured below) travelled to Dorchester to join Stop & Shop, the YMCA, and the Omega Psi Phi fraternity in packaging turkeys for Thanksgiving. 6

7 The players exhibited their strong faith and their desire for service by getting involved with our community. This is exactly the kind of leadership we expect from our student- athletes, and our thanks go to the coaches and captains for making a difference in the lives of those who struggle and suffer. Come support The Phoenix in the traditional Thanksgiving Game against St. Clement s at 10:00 AM at Victory Field in Watertown. Parents Corner Junior Achievement Academy: Join high school students from Greater Boston to experience the life cycle of a start- up company and develop leadership skills while being mentored by local entrepreneurs. Junior Achievement of Northern New England has developed JA Academy, an after- school program for highly motivated students to explore the world of business by forming and managing their own company. The 13- week program is FREE to accepted students and meets on Wednesdays or Thursdays from 3:30 to 5:30 PM at the Capital One Cafe in Boston s Back Bay. Space is limited! The application deadline has been extended to December 15, but students are encouraged to apply now at: College Counseling and Guidance: Seniors and families should contact Ms. Pabst (elizabeth.pabst@saintjosephprep.org) and Ms. Piendak (melanie.piendak@saintjosephprep.org) in order to schedule appointments to discuss college applications and college planning. It is imperative that seniors and their families engage in this process early and often! MEFA Financial Aid Night: Thursday, December 11, at 6:00 PM in Phoenix Hall. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the financial aid process from a representative of the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority. PSAT Interpretation Night and Junior College Planning Kickoff Presentation: Tuesday, December 16, at 6:00 PM in Phoenix Hall. Come learn how to understand PSAT results. This program will be especially important for juniors and their families! 7

8 Health Office Updates: Flu season is here. Please help to protect your loved ones by getting a flu shot. Feel free to contact Ms. Alletag if you need help finding a flu shot clinic. The following link has additional information about influenza: season htm. Postural screenings will be done for all 9 th grade students during the month of November. The purpose of this brief, mandatory screening is to detect early signs of possible spinal issues. Please send an to health.office@saintjosephprep.org if you do not want your daughter/son screened. Mr. Nunan s Corner Christ the King Thanksgiving and Our Town This week features a unique confluence, a beautiful convergence, of the Church s celebration of the Feast of Christ the King and our Nation s celebration of Thanksgiving. The former marks the end of the Church year, recognizing that the Risen Jesus is Lord of all, and that at the Last Judgment (the Second Coming), all who have who lived faithful, prayerful, virtuous, and selfless lives will be welcomed into the Eternal Kingdom of God. The latter, of course, marks the beginning of the holiday season, yet we know that it commemorates much more, calling each of us to be grateful for the blessings of family and friends, of food and shelter, of opportunity and freedom, of kin and country. It all coincides with the end of the Month of All Souls, a month in which our Church, perhaps in sync with our Nation, invites us to be grateful grateful for all of those who have gone before us. It is fitting that the names of so many of those individuals have been remembered this month on the altar in our Chapel. Gratitude. Appreciation. Thanksgiving. And Our Town. For those of you blessed to see our recent production of Our Town, you no doubt remember the scene from Act III, when Emily, who has died far too young, returns to earth returns to Grover s Corners. She goes back in time to her 12 th birthday, to the house of her childhood, to the homemade gift from her brother, to the cherished company of her mother, to the anticipated return of her father, and to the special present from her young suitor. She goes back to all of it the smells and sights and sounds and discovers that it is far too much to bear. It is too beautiful too powerful too fleeting too real. Emily s eyes well up with tears as she asks the narrator and by extension each of us Does anyone ever realize life while they live it every, every minute? The Narrator responds wisely and wryly, No. Saints and poets maybe they do some. Permit me to share with you my hope for this Thanksgiving. I am going to try and see the world, if only for a few moments, from the perspective of those saints and poets and to 8

9 realize, as best I can, the precious gift of this life. At dinner on Thursday, I am going to soak in every last detail the faces of my family, the voices around the table, the football game or the Christmas music in the background, the crackle of the fireplace, the smell of the turkey and the stuffing and the pie, the old stories and familiar (sometimes annoying) mannerisms, and the unspeakable grace of the company we are blessed to share for this short time on earth. Emily goes back to the other side after her reliving only some that rather ordinary yet extraordinary day, lamenting, Oh, earth, you re too wonderful for anybody to realize you. Let us strive this week to not offer this same lament. In the spirit of the Feast of Christ the King, let us be present, prayerfully, to all whom we have lost and who now rest in the company of the angels and saints. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, let us be present, really and truly present, to all who are with us now around the table (and even around the country), who bless our lives with their company. In the spirit of Our Town, let us appreciate every last moment of our time together, and just for a bit, realize life every, every minute Finally, enjoy our Weekly Video featuring the Girls Soccer team! And note that Sarah Smith 15 was selected as an EMASS All- Star from the Catholic Central League (small schools). Sarah had the chance to play in a friendly match last Sunday with the other all- stars, and many of her Phoenix teammates came out to support her! 9