December 2011 – March 2012 - Pope John Paul the Great Catholic
Transcription
December 2011 – March 2012 - Pope John Paul the Great Catholic
e-News Update Email Update Top Stories College Acceptances Merit Scholarship Update 1st JP D-1 Athlete Welcome Class of 2016! House Update Christian Wins New School Board 1st JP State Wrestling Champ New Alexandria and Manassas Bus Summer Camps and Classes A Look back December ‘11 Penny Wars Advent Outreach January ‘12 Orange Out / March 4 LIFE Catholic Advocacy Day M-S-F-D Dance Evening of the Arts February ‘12 Café Lupum March ‘12 December 2011 – March 2012 Sneak-peak at College Acceptances - Class of 2012 First 4-Year Class = Ivy League and other top universities! Members of the first 4-year class to graduate from Pope John Paul the Great have been accepted to some of the top universities in the country, including, so far, three Ivy League schools! Here is just a partial listing: American University; Christendom; Christopher Newport; Dartmouth; Duke; Fordham; Franciscan; George Mason; Georgetown; Georgia Tech; Gonzaga; James Madison; Johns Hopkins; Marquette; Marymount; Princeton; Purdue; Radford; CUA; William and Mary; University of Pennsylvania; UChicago; Mary Washington; UNC-Chapel Hill; Notre Dame; UVA; Villanova; VCU; Virginia Tech. We are exceedingly proud of the academic achievements of our students, and congratulate them, as well as those who helped them reach this point: their parents and the outstanding JP faculty. National Merit Scholarship Finalist Congratulations to Natasha King, Class of 2012, for being named a Finalist in the National Merit Scholarship competition! Selected from 16,000 semi-finalists (the high schools in the Diocese of Arlington had a combined total of six, two of which were from JP), Natasha is currently being considered for a National Merit Scholarship, which will be awarded to fewer than 8,400 students nation-wide. JP wishes Natasha all the best, and we congratulate all of our students who were recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for outstanding academic achievements: Semi-finalist: Courtney Taitt; Commended: Angelica Babauta, Emily Holmes, Charles Miller, Kirsten O’Sullivan, Kelly Ross, Benjamin Weingartner, and Tyler White; National Achievement Scholarship Program also recognized Rohey Jah and Courtney Taitt. To read the semi-finalist press release, please click here. First D-1 Athlete in JP History: Kelly Donovan Also from the Class of 2012, JP’s Kelly Donovan is the first in JP history to sign with a university as a Division I athlete. Kelly and her parents, Mary and Jack, have much to celebrate. Kelly has been captain of the JP girls soccer team (as well as the field hockey and basketball teams) for the past 4 years. Recently, Kelly signed her National Letter of Intent to play Division 1 soccer next fall for American University. Congratulations, Kelly! St. Patrick Day Parade Read more about Kelly in the news: Rock Climbing Kelly Donovan First D1 Athlete - Arlington Catholic Herald, February 2, 2012 Random Lent (Donovan, con’t) Sports Wrap-up Kelly Donovan is John Paul's first Division I player – News & Messenger / Insivdnova.com, January 26, 2012 In-the-News Some recent reports on our news-makers JP Press Release and photos – February 1, 2012 Admissions Applications being accepted for 2012-13 Shadow Program Advancement Luncheon CFC# 71428 Credit card donations now possible! Family Association Paws for Sound Save-the-Date Holy Family 5K Run Welcome Class of 2016! …and Finally John Paul welcomes all the new Wolves who have joined the pack, in particular the Class of 2016! Wolves around the World Blessed Easter Please Forward Contact Us www.jpthegreat.org [email protected] Ph: 703.445.0300 Fax: 703.445.0301 Office Hours: M-F, 7:30am – 3:30pm. *Please note, school will be closed for Easter Break from April 5 at 1:00pm until 7:30am on April 16. Registration Celebration - March 15, 2012. New Wolves register for school! Houses! The House System has already become integral part of the JP experience. To see what the Houses have been up to during the last few months, and for lots of fun photos, please click here! House of the Month Winners: September: Diego October: Martin November: Martin December: More and Ruiz January: More February: Dominic March: Diego Click here to learn more about the House System! Christian Metzler Wins Inspireum Award Fox 5 Morning News does story and shout-out to JP! Congratulations to JP senior and soccer player, Christian Metzler, for winning the Inspireum Award given to soccer players who also lead inspirational lives. Christian, who was first a nominee, then a semi-finalist, and ultimately a finalist, was chosen out of more than 250 deserving students nationwide. The Metzler family flew to Kansas City in January to receive the award, which included an academic scholarship presented in the form of a ‘giant’ check , and, as it happened, a standing ovation from ceremony attendees at the National Soccer Coaches Association of America annual convention. Congratulations to Christian and the Metzler family! The JP community is proud of you, and your many accomplishments. To read more about Christian, you may click on the following news links: - Physical Disability Doesn’t Stop Local Soccer Player... Fox 5 video - John Paul’s Christian Metzler… - News & Messenger - Teen Wins Inspiration Award - Arlington Catholic Herald - Press release and interview – Pope John Paul the Great New School Board As part of our strategic growth plan, a new school board has been established to help lead the school forward. The twelve volunteer members of the board work in cooperation with the Principal to advise the administration on critical elements of school progress, including finance, enrollment and marketing, advancement, and strategic planning. In addition to Sister Bernadette McManigal, Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Arlington, and Sister Mary Jordan Hoover, Principal of JP the Great, the board members are as follows: Richard Boak, Richard Borneman, Carlos Chaves, John Donohoe, Richard Gill, Larry Firth, Gerry Hoffman, Sherman Patrick, Marie Pelletier, and Harriet Pricenor. Each brings particular talents to the table as well as a dedication to the success and growth of JP the Great. We thank them for their service ! First JP State Champion Wrestler: Jason Willoughby To close out a successful season, the JP wrestling team competed at the VISAA State Championship held at Hermitage High School in Richmond, VA. The team placed 11th overall in a field of 40 schools. Senior Jason Willoughby became the first athlete in JP history to win a VISAA state championship (170lbs weight division). Jason pinned his opponent in the first period for the championship. John Gonzalez and Peter Subacz, placed 5th in their respective weight classes and Mario Genova placed 6th -all three are also members of the Class of 2012. An article published prior to Jason becoming State Champ: Experience is benefiting John Paul's Jason Willoughby – News & Messenger / Insidenova.com, February 3, 2012 New Alexandria and Manassas Bus Stops JP the Great is expanding bus service to three locations in Alexandria and one additional stop in Manassas for the next school year. The new Alexandria stops include Blessed Sacrament school, St. Mary school, and St. Rita school, in addition to the current stop at St. Louis school. In Manassas, All Saints school is being added to the route which already serves areas in Gainesville and Prince William County. Click here for 2012-2013 bus information and registration info! Summer Camps and Classes at JP JP is offering several summer courses and enrichment seminars for high school and middle school students, as well as sports camps. Please see below for more information or email: [email protected]. * Summer Program Overview (at-a-glance) Academic and Enrichment Courses: * Summer Course Flyer * Course Descriptions * Course Registration Form Sports Camps: * Sports Camp Registration Form Penny Wars By Caitlin McDaniel, Class of 2013 In the month of December, the John Paul community took part in a fundraising competition known as the Penny War. The $2100 collected was donated to the "Be Not Afraid Ministries," an organization which helps families with unborn babies with poor prenatal diagnoses. The inspiration for this fundraiser was Corrine Catherine Stryker, the unborn child of the Stryker family. Corrine was diagnosed with a condition that would make her incompatible with life outside the womb. John Paul the Great welcomed Dr. Bruchalski, the founder of the Tepeyac clinic to tell the school community about the importance of the human person and inform the students about Corrine's condition. After the talk by Dr. Bruchalski, the students took action. The House of Ruiz hosted the Penny War competition. Each House competed to bring in the most pennies, and silver coins or dollars served as negative points, adding a good-natured sabotage element to the game. In the end the House of Ruiz were victorious, but the real winners are those who will benefit from the funds raised. JP thanks the Stryker family for so freely sharing their journey of life and love with our community. Serve. Dance. Smile. The month of December was one of service to the elderly for JP’s Legion of Mary and Service Club. In early December, the Service Club visited a local AIDS hospice. Students spent their time providing company and conversation for the terminally ill. Later that month the Service Club along with the Lady Wolves Dance Team visited Envoy Nursing Home in Woodbridge. Students prepared a small dance performance and visited with residents during their trip. Senior, Leah Morrison, says “it was a great chance for me to do what I love [dance] and serve those in need”. Orange Ya Glad to be Pro-Life? Orange Out and the March for Life By Tory Nagel, Class of 2012 Loud music blares through the John Paul the Great gymnasium as the varsity basketball team enters wearing orange warmup shirts. Fans sit silently and anxiously, filling the bleachers waiting for the team to reach the magic number, thirteen. On Friday December 16, Pope John Paul the Great held an Orange Out basketball game in honor of JP student Sarah Jakielski who died of Leukemia only three days earlier. Students from all the schools in the diocese along with local public schools covered them-selves in all things orange from shoelaces to orange ponchos in the name of Sarah and Leukemia awareness. Suddenly, the fans jump to their feet and cheer with an enthusiasm that the school has never experienced before. Considering Sarah died on December 13th, the team scored its thirteenth point in celebration and honor of Sarah’s life and memory. To continue reading, and for more photos, please click here! Catholic Advocacy Day On the heels of the March for Life, a delegation of JP students and faculty traveled to Richmond to participate in the annual Catholic Advocacy Day sponsored by the Virginia Catholic Conference. Students spent time with our school district’s State Senator Linda Puller and Delegate Mark Dudenhefr. While meeting with the representatives, Cassandra Buer (2013) presented on tax credits for private school scholarships, Zach Hoopes (2012) spoke about requiring ultra sounds before having an abortion, and Julianne Leist (2014) discussed fetal pain. Pope John Paul the Great was the only Diocesan High School to attend the event. Students attending Catholic Advocacy Day were: Emily Holmes, Cassandra Buer, Zach Hoopes, Laura Boak, Rebecca Boak, Ruth Long, Matthew Knox, John Gonzalez, Jason Willoughby, Jacquelyn Treco, Julianne Leist, James Leist, Christina Villagomez, Larson Gore, and Sabrina Morales. Father-Daughter, Mother-Son Dance On the evening of January 28, 2012, the cafeteria was filled with members of our John Paul family for our first Father/Daughter, Mother/Son Dance, hosted by the House of Castello. A unique aspect to this dance came from the talented DJs who provided not only music, but also instructions on how to perform various dances. Many of the students and the parents commented later that this helped everyone to feel comfortable and able to participate. Soon the dance floor was hopping with modern hits such as the Cotton Eyed Joe, and Cupid Shuffle, but also more traditional dances such as the Virginia Reel, and one coined the “Jane Eyre dance.” Later in the evening, many tears were shed as the seniors paid tribute to their parents in a touching ceremony as each senior’s words of gratitude and favorite memories were read aloud. Parents and students left John Paul filled with joy and a renewed appreciation for the other. When asked about the dance, one senior exclaimed that it was the most fun that she had ever had at any dance during her four years at John Paul. One father commented, “I don’t think that I’ve seen so many smiling faces in a long time. There was true joy there that evening.” Plans are already underway for the 2nd Annual Father/Daughter, Mother/Son dance next year! Evening of the Arts By Caitlin McDaniel, Class of 2014 The Evening of the Arts is a much anticipated event each year, and was once again a resounding success. JP’s Acting II class hosted and performed in our first-ever dinner theater, presenting the interactive whodunit murder mystery, You Know the Old Slaying. On stage in the theater were the JP choirs and band, as well as the dance class. The hallways were adorned with student works from ceramics class and as well as digital photography. Congratulations to all the talented JP students! Café Lupum On February 25th, some of John Paul’s most artistic and talented students performed in our school’s semi-annual Café Lupum. This coffee-house-pastry-shop –styled-evening consisted of performances by students which included singing, dancing, and acting. The first half of the show was a melody of miscellaneous performances such from Irish Step Dance to piano pieces. James Leist (2013) along with his best friend Garrison Primeau (2013) performed an original song with Jim on piano and Garrison on guitar. About their performance, the boys say it was “a lot of fun and a great opportunity”. The second half of the show was a 1940’s theme equipped with traditional dance numbers from our Lady Wolves Dance Team and an acapella performance by the Men’s choir. Everyone from teachers to students enjoyed all of the performances. St. Patrick’s Day Parade JP had a small but mighty delegation march in the annual Manassas St. Patrick’s Day parade on Saturday, March 17. Event organizer and JP dad, Sherman Patrick, encouraged the last-minute entry, guaranteeing fun for all. As the photos below show, he was right. Thanks to cheerleaders Reniah Carlos (2014), Adrienne Pritz (2014), Taylor Putnam (2015), and Julia Ranieri (2014), as well as JP staff members, Fr. Z, Sister Mary Brigid Burnham, Sister Mary Grace Watson, and Ms. Jennifer Cole. A very special participant helped Wolfie march down the parade route, but that identity must be concealed. Connor Patrick (2013) and Joseph Patrick (2015) have been long time volunteers for the parade, but also joined Team JP towards the end of our journey down Center St. We have even bigger and better plans for next year’s entry! Saint Patrick greets Sister Mary Grace just before the parade began. Rock Climbing – Outdoors Club John Paul students celebrated St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th by scaling the rock climbing walls at SportRock in Alexandria. The event, sponsored by JP’s Pier Giorgio Frassati Outdoors Club, involved close to a dozen students who received instruction on climbing and belaying techniques (in laymen’s terms, a belayer is the person on the ground who controls the ropes of the person climbing). Says Outdoors Club advisor and science teacher, Miss Karen Schultz, “The rock climbing trip was a great way for students of different grades and Houses to get to know one another, and for a few students to challenge their fear of heights! And since our patron, Pier Giorgio Frassati, was a faithful young man who loved to climb mountains, this was a special event for us.” More rock climbing events will be scheduled in the future, so stay tuned for updates! A Very Random Lent The experience of Lent this year at JP was complete Randomonium. Yet another creative brainchild of JP Chaplin, Fr. Matthew Zuberbueler, the game Randomonium was a deceivingly well thought-out Lenten program of prayer and action, featuring a life-size game board (not bored) and three comic book episodes of ‘The Recently Discovered Heretofore Unknown Adventures of Saint Gymnasius.’ The Gymnasius series was written by Fr. Matthew with the help of members of the Mission Coalition, and illustrated by Disney Imagineer, Michael Schwalm. St. Gymnasius is a fictional saint whose name belongs to the JP gymnasium when it serves as our temporary church each Wednesday morning for Mass. The Game On the Tuesdays and Thursdays of Lent students and teachers who formed teams played the game. Rolling the die led them from the Random Coast, through the Random Hills and the Random Desert toward Mount Random where the Shrine of Our Lady and the source of the Wolf River can be found. Landing on a “GPM” space entitled players to select a Grace of the Present Moment card which presented some scenario for their response. (An example: A visitor walks into the school. Your team is walking by the chapel randomly. Seeing the visitor you decide to________?) --These and other scenarios enabled students to accrue “tokens”. The Team with the most tokens at the end of the game won. In short, the lesson of the game was to reinforce the importance of giving to others with confidence in a future reward. At the end of each session the Teams selected an orange ADP card (meaning Abandonment to Divine Providence) indicating some form of prayer or outreach for the Team to accomplish within the school (e.g. put away chairs after Mass, pick up trash in the parking lot, befriend or at least pray for a lonely student). The Recently Discovered Heretofore Unknown Adventures of Saint Gymnasius: Episode 1: Random Coast. Includes the “Boogie Board Prayer Plan, for riding the waves when you can’t surf.” Episode 2: Big Stake Burrito. Includes a walk into the Valley of the Random Hills and encounters with hyenas. Episode 3: Desserts for Nacho. Featuring a determined trek across the Random Desert and a mysterious visitor near Mount Random. House Lenten Projects (not so random): House of Dominic: Lenten Cross tags requesting donations of clothing, school supplies and gift cards for families in need at Potomac View Elementary School and House of Mercy. House of Diego: On Saturday, March 31, Members of the House of Diego and some other friends gathered for morning Mass at three area churches, then began a day of service, which included tearing down a shed and hauling it from the property of an elderly gentleman in Woodbridge, helping prepare an apartment for occupancy at St. Margaret of Cortona Transitional Housing, painting several rooms at Mary's House in Fredericksburg, and doing a significant amount of yard work for the B.A.R.N Transitional Housing in Bristow. Each month, the Houses of More and Gianna hold a food drive for ACTS, "Give from the heart, all year long." A large wooden box is placed in front of the chapel for donations of nonperishable goods. This helps to supply ACTS with food throughout the year, not just during the holidays. Other Houses sponsor service and charitable activities at other times during the school year. To read more about House activities, please see the “Houses!” section of this e-News, and please click here! Winter Sports Wrap-up By Matilda Donovan, Class of 2014 “Swoosh! Splash! Pin! Go team!” The winter sports season was incredibly active and successful. The boys Varsity basketball team made it to the first round of the state playoffs and finished the season ranked 12th in the state. The girls basketball teams also had lively seasons, including a tournament win by the JV team. The Varsity team said goodbye to 8 seniors who will graduate this year. The wrestling team gained a lot of new talent, and said goodbye to a gifted group of seniors who have been part of the team for years. We also hosted the 3rd Annual Wrestling Invitational Tournament. Special recognition and congratulations goes out to Jason Willoughby (2012) who was ranked first in the VISAA 170 pound weight class throughout the season and won the State Championship! This is the first individual state championship to be achieved by a JP athlete! The cheerleading team said goodbye to their founding members and still had radiant smiles on their faces throughout every game. The swim team participated in their first-ever Catholic Nationals Competition in Philadelphia and also qualified 13 athletes for the Virginia State Championship Meet. Kudos to all JP athletes and their coaches for a strong season of competition, team-building, and friendship! In the News Click on the links below to see where we’ve recently made news! In Remembrance of Sarah Jakielski Arlington Catholic Herald - December 13, 2011 A great option for all (JP5K) By Clare Donohoe - John Paul the Great Student Correspondent Arlington Catholic Herald – December 21, 2011 Christian Metzler Inspiration Award Arlington Catholic Herald-January 12, 2012 Physical Disability Doesn’t Stop Local Soccer Player Fox 5 Morning News video – January 26, 2012 Kelly Donovan First D1 Athlete Arlington Catholic Herald- February 2, 2012 Experience is benefiting John Paul's Jason Willoughby News & Messenger / Insidenova.com, February 3, 2012 John Paul boys basketball team headed to states for first time News & Messenger / Insidenova.com, February 27, 2012 (Story and Video) National Merit finalists Arlington Catholic Herald- February 29, 2012 A sweet, substantial dramatic treat By Hope Davis – Pope John Paul the Great Student Correspondent Arlington Catholic Herald – April 4, 2012 From Admissions: Applications Still being accepted Being a new school means we still have room to grow! Rising 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students are encouraged to apply today! Applications for financial aid are also still being accepted. Please visit the Admissions page of our web site for more information. If you have any questions, please contact: [email protected] or call: (703) 445-0300. Shadow at JP! – (7th graders, too!) JP the Great offers 'shadow' opportunities for rising 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students. Come to campus, and experience what it's like to be GREAT for a day! Current available dates include: April 17 and 26; May 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31. Space is limited, and pre-registration is required. To access the on-line Shadow Day Registration System, please click here. NEW: Current 7th graders may Shadow on Thursdays in May! (Dates: May 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31). Preview high school before you enter 8th grade! To access the online Shadow Day Registration System, please click here. From the Advancement Office Thank you to those who supported the JP Outreach Luncheon! The Advancement office hosted the first “JP the Great Outreach Luncheon” on March 27th, in order to make some new friends in the area and raise awareness about our school. The event was a success with more than 30 people in attendance. Our guests enjoyed a light lunch in the sun-lit Theater lobby served by JP Student Ambassadors, while also learning about the progress JP has made in four short years. Students Angelica Babauta (2012) and Benjamin Lawler (2014) spoke about their experiences so far at JP in the areas of Academics, Spirituality, and overall character development. Carl Patton warmly welcomed all the guests, and Sister Mary Grace gave a talk on the grace of giving, and the importance of our mission in today’s world. Thank you to all the parents, staff, and students who made this event possible, and to our guests for allowing us to share our success, enthusiasm, and needs with you! Combined Federal Campaign Pope John Paul the Great Catholic High School participates in the Combined Federal Campaign. Our CFC# is 71428. Thank you for your financial partnership! You are helping to build a lasting legacy at JP the Great! Donate to JP Did you know that it is now possible to support JP the Great via credit card? Please click here to give your gift now! All donations are tax deductible. Thank you for your generosity! From the Family Association Can you hear me NOW?? Too often the answer to that question is ‘no’ if you are in the main gym at JP. As beautiful as our campus is, it’s clear to everyone that an upgraded sound system in the gym will better serve our students and the entire JP community. The gym is used for sports, but also for weekly Mass, guest speakers, and other programs where hearing what’s said it important. The JP Family Association is leading the improvement effort by sponsoring the “Paws for Sound Campaign.” So far, nearly 70% of the goal has been met! But, help is still needed to get to the $10,000 mark, and the deadline has been extended to April 30 so all can participate! The Freshman class is leading the way with donations of $3,113, followed by the Juniors at $2,035. The Sophomore’s and the Seniors have some catching up to do as their classes have brought in $1,103 and $665 respectively. The winning class earns a free dress-down day, and the new sound system means we all win! Please help put us over the top so that we can fund this much-needed item for Pope John Paul the Great! While you can donate as much as you’d like, the minimum donation is $5.00 per paw. Purchased Paws are on display in the gym. Thanks to all who have supported the effort! If you’d like to purchase a "Paw" please contact the front office: (703) 445-0300 or email [email protected]. 5K Run to benefit Holy Family School Holy Family Catholic School – one of our valued partner schools – will be hosting their annual Falcon 5K Run on Saturday, March 19. For more information, please click here. Wolves Around the World (WAW) e-News is always taking WAW submissions! Please email photos of you or your loved ones in Wolf Ware to: [email protected]. Don’t forget to include your name and a brief description of when and where you visited while showing off your JP pride! JP Sophomores volunteered with the Knights of Columbus to clean the Korean War Veterans Memorial. JP recognizes the good work of Ana LeBlanc, Aaron Pekala, Kevin Keegan, and Michelle LeBlanc, and assumes their Wolf Wear is under their sweatshirts! Col. Paul Ross, father of Kelly (2012) and Amy (2014) in Batroun, Lebanon. Thank you for your service to our country, Col. Ross! Rachel Sydow (L), Class of 2013, recently visited Capitol Hill to meet with legislators and Hill staff about the Civil Air Patrol. She was required to wear her uniform, making Wolf Wear impossible, but we congratulate her all the same! Marcus Duquiatan (2012) and Colin Komp (2012) were recently inducted into the Knights of Columbus, Council #4034. They were recognized for their leadership in the Columbian Squires, and for their community service work. Samantha Steward (2012) and Shauna Steward (2014) visit San Francisco, CA! Happy and Blessed Easter! As we spend time in the Garden and at the foot of the Cross, let us also fully enter into the glories of the Resurrection! From our school community to you and yours, we wish you a blessed Holy Week and Happy Easter! Photo by JP Digital Photography student, Patrick Frick, Sophomore. PS: Please Forward e-News! Share the good news about JP the Great with your friends, relatives, and neighbors! Forward e-News! Please add our domain name to your safe list to ensure e-News is delivered! “@jpthegreat.org” or, specifically: “[email protected] and “[email protected].” (To be removed from our e-News list, please email [email protected].) Special thanks to JP students Matilda Donovan, Jessica Gilbert, Caitlin McDaniel, and Tory Nagel for their contributions to e-News!