Student Spotlights – August 2024

St. Pius X is celebrating 70 years of being established as a parish in the archdiocese. In addition, they are celebrating Mrs. Alvarez’s 25th year as principal of St. Pius X. “I would love to see everyone who went to SPX while I was a student here, or a student in my 2nd-grade class, the computer lab, or the last 25 years as principal. Celebrate with us!”

We are overjoyed to announce that the installation of our new playground is finally complete. At Council Traditional School, we are immensely grateful for this fantastic addition that promises endless fun, laughter, and healthy play for our students. Let the adventures begin!

Congratulations to Ann Dinkel for being selected for the 2024 – 2025 T.A.L.L. Upon completion of the program, she will be eligible for scholarships. T.A.L.L. is an exclusive program offered to hard-working, exemplary high school students with a desire to expand their horizons and their exposure to businesses and organizations around Southwest Mobile County. We are very proud of this senior for being selected!

Rising senior Jordis Roberts was selected to represent CHCA at Girls State, a week-long program dedicated to teaching young women about responsible citizenship, leadership, and patriotism. During the program, students dive into the political process by electing officials at all levels of state government and running a mock government. Jordis had the honor of being elected President Pro Tempore of the Senate and leading Senate Legislative Meetings. Out of 370 participants, she also earned the honor of being the first alternate for Girls Nation.

Five local teens became the sixth class to complete Project Inspire, a hospital-based firearm injury prevention program designed to curb gun violence and recidivism among youth through intentional programming and mentorship in the Mobile community.
The teens were selected to participate in the semester-long program at USA Health University Hospital through a partnership with the James T. Strickland Youth Center. Since it was founded in 2017, Project Inspire has helped 25 teens see themselves through a new lens of empowerment.
“The first step to success is showing up; and this class went above and beyond to engage and truly get the full experience of Project Inspire. I’m so proud of each one of them,” said Project Inspire founder Ashley Williams Hogue, M.D., a trauma surgeon at USA Health University Hospital and an assistant professor of surgery at the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine. “Our graduates have big shoes to fill as those before them have done an excellent job of staying on the right track – the one that leads to success.”
The program seeks to equip participants with the tools and resources they need to reach their full potential. With a focus on education, exposure, and mentorship, students undergo a comprehensive curriculum comprising the pillars of confidence building, educational and professional development, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and career-specific mentorship. All participants receive training and certification in Stop the Bleed and Basic Life Support, and assistance with resume creation and practice job interviews. Additionally, each class participates in a community service project.
“We want to expose them to as many fields as possible,” Williams Hogue said.
At the recent graduation celebration, the teens heard from motivational speakers Dwight Owens, who survived a car crash caused by a drunk driver, and Ishaunna Gully, who survived a domestic violence shooting.
“Shame keeps us from being who we are meant to be,” said Owens, an educator turned motivational speaker who was paralyzed in the 2005 accident. “In life, we learn to turn our pain into purpose.”
For more information about the program, visit the Project Inspire webpage, www.southalabama.edu/colleges/com/departments/surgery/inspire
Pictured: Project Inspire founder Ashley Williams Hogue, M.D., speaks to participants at the Project Inspire graduation ceremony on May 20, 2024, in Mobile, Alabama.

St. Ignatius forms leaders in mind, body and spirit. Middle School Impala students showcased the true nature of #TheCatholicDifference when they volunteered at Dumas Wesley Community Center in June. The Dumas Wesley Community Center focuses on empowering and enriching the local community through interactive programs that aim to strengthen family life, provide immediate human needs and encourage personal responsibility. Way to set a great example of stewardship and community leadership, Impalas! #catholicsbuildcharacter #impalapride #catholicleaders #hispaththeirfuture #hispathstartshere

St. Luke’s “Groovy Beginning” was a HIP success! The 2nd – 5th-grade students put on an impressive show, shining brightly on the BIG stage with their singing and dancing talents. A special round of applause goes out to Mr. D, the JV Cheerleaders, the band, the tech and backstage crew, and all who played a role in bringing this “far out” evening to life!

St. Mary’s Catholic School is getting some new changes this summer including an elementary and middle school switch, and many facility upgrades. St. Mary’s thanks the families who came out to sort through items and move furniture and classroom supplies to prepare for the makeover! Pictured are the Mom and Daughter Kristen and Mary Augusta Zimlich having fun finding treasures in the move!

The Alabama School of Mathematics and Science (ASMS) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the E. O. Wilson Science Research Center, named after famous Alabamian and “the father of biodiversity,” Dr. Edward O. Wilson.
The facility is designed to support advanced STEM learning and the ASMS Research Fellows Program. Research Fellows is an innovative educational program where ASMS students are paired with a faculty mentor to work on a college-level research project throughout the school year. The program participants submit their work for competition at regional and state science fairs, regularly taking home top awards. All participants present at the school’s Spring Research Forum, where alumni evaluators provide feedback, and some students go on to deliver presentations at national conferences. The world-class 32,000 square foot facility includes dedicated research rooms, state-of-the-art laboratory equipment, upgraded classrooms, innovative technology, and collaboration spaces.
To date, ASMS Research Fellows Program students have pursued a range of projects including Heavy Metal Toxicity in Plants, Pop Music in Culture, Small Angle X -ray Scattering, Genetic Algorithms, Solar Sail Deployment Systems in Outer Space, Poetry in Puerto Rico, and many more.
In addition to research opportunities, the Wilson Science Research Center is expected to support workforce development in Alabama by preparing ASMS students to fill the need for high-level STEM jobs. Students will have hands-on learning opportunities to develop skill sets ranging from critical thinking to collaboration to problem solving to data analysis to communication and more. The school aims for ASMS graduates to be even more prepared to gravitate to the top of their professional fields and help solve some of Alabama’s most pressing challenges.
The school would specifically like to thank Governor Kay Ivey and the members of the PSCA committee for seed funding the Wilson Science Research Center as well as the donors, foundations, families, alumni, and friends of ASMS who gave generously to provide the rest of the funds needed to open this new facility.

We are incredibly proud of Myles Hesley, a rising 5th grader from Council Traditional School, for his eloquent delivery of the convocation, grace, and benediction at the 100 Black Men 23rd Annual Gala. The theme of the evening, “Empowering Youth Through Education,” was truly embodied by Myles’ inspiring words. Congratulations to all the scholarship recipients, with over $100,000 awarded to support their educational journeys.

Ellie and Avery were out welcoming one of the many new families to St. Dominic. We’re getting excited for the 2024-25 school year.

Red, white and blue bomb pops put smiles on these campers’ faces at St. Dominic.

Carly Loni Eaton, a junior at Mattie T. Blount High School, received her associate in liberal arts from Coastal Alabama Community College on May 10, 2024. In October of 2023, Carly was inducted into PHI THETA KAPPA HONOR SOCIETY (PTK) an honor society for junior colleges that requires a cumulative 3.5 grade point average (GPA) to be eligible for membership. PTK was established to give recognition to community college students with excellent scholarship and character and has maintained fidelity to its founders’ commitment to provide enrichment in four hallmarks: Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Fellowship. Keep in mind, Carly was a junior in high school while accomplishing these goals.
Carly is actively involved in several activities at Blount High School too, making this accomplishment even more impressive. She is on the A/B honor roll, a member of National Honor Society, an Ambassador for Blount High School, a varsity cheerleader, and a member of Health Occupation Students of America/ HOSA. “Working with Carly is a highlight of my job as an Assistant Principal. Carly is a young lady of outstanding character: disciplined, hardworking, trustworthy, loyal, and responsible,” writes her assistant principal, Dr. Alicia S. Farrell. Congratulations Carly!

Denton Magnet School of Technology was presented with The School of Distinction Award by A+ College Ready. This award is given to a school that has met its school goal for two years of the three-year grant. Denton Magnet exceeded its goal of students who benchmarked or showed significant improvement on the PSAT 8/9. Denton Magnet School of Technology was the only middle school is Alabama to receive the award this year. It was presented during the A+ Leadership Institute held at Bryant Conference Center in Tuscaloosa, AL. Denton Magnet School of Technology is a public magnet middle school in the Mobile County Public School System. The application process for new students opens in October. Follow Denton on Facebook @DentonMagnet or their website DentonMagnet.com for more information.
Pictured: Principal Alastair Stevenson and Instructional Specialist Debra Quinones.

When St. Luke’s University Campus was the Julius T Wright School for Girls, Mr. Gus Hamner, their headmaster, would walk through the halls ringing his bell. This tradition signaled that the year was officially over and students would exit their classrooms and fall in behind him as they paraded to the Quad for ice cream. Mr. Hamner donated that bell to St. Luke’s with the request that the head of school continue this tradition. In May of 2010, Mr. Palmer Kennedy, did just that. And every year since, with the exception of 2020, because of Covid, we have honored that request.
Mrs. Banks began the parade by the gym and as she passed classrooms, students joined the group being led to the Quad for a summer send-off with popsicles!

St. Ignatius is thrilled to announce the expansion of their Student Success Services program with an on-site psychometrist, Karen Shirah. Ms. Shirah currently works diligently with 3rd-5th grade students possessing learning differences. She will continue to serve this niche. Additionally, Ms. Shirah will offer on campus psychometric testing, testing interpretation and work to cultivate a custom success plan strategy for any Impala student in need. She recently earned her certification from The University of Alabama at Birmingham and is excited to put her new knowledge and passion for helping students succeed to work. Congratulations, Ms. Shirah! “Go forth, and set the world on fire!”-St. Ignatius of Loyola #TheCatholicDifference #hispaththeirfuture #hispathstartshere #catholicleaders #impalapride #impalasleadtheway

The Middle School Scholars Bowl team from Barton Academy for Advanced World Studies qualified for and competed virtually in a national tournament this summer, finishing as one of the top 16 teams in the country. Sara Lovelace, Garrett Philips, and Greta Roddy competed in the final playoffs, with Roddy participating virtually while vacationing in Germany. Cash Tillman and Sydney McGough also competed during the preliminary rounds.

St. Luke’s lower campus students had an enriching and eye-opening experience as they delved into the fascinating world of optometry during their science lab. The young scholars were introduced to the basics of how our eyes work, giving them a glimpse into the field of eye care and vision science. To make the learning process interactive and fun, the students engaged in a hands-on activity involving a common household item: a spoon.As part of their exploration, the students observed their reflections on both the concave and convex sides of the spoon. They were particularly intrigued to discover that their image appeared upside down when looking at the concave side of the spoon, just like our retina!

No summer academic slide for these guys. They are staying sharp by building electric circuits at St. Dominic.

St. Dominic pastor, Fr. Patrick Driscoll, received some well deserved “thanks” from students for all he does to make our school great.

Alabama’s top two school nurses are at Mobile County Public Schools. Larry Scott, LPN, of CLC was named the state’s LPN of the Year, and Dr. Amir English, RN, of LeFlore Magnet was named the RN of the Year by the Alabama Association of School Nurses. Congratulations to these two outstanding professionals.

To conclude their transportation study, St. Luke’s kindergarten classes celebrated with a delightful drive-in movie event that was nothing short of magical. The library was transformed into a drive-in theater, complete with a large screen, a parking lot full of handmade box cars, and snacks. The event was successful, leaving the students with cherished memories of their transportation study.

This field trip is a favorite amongst the high school science students who spent a day with some computer science professors. The first class involved hands-on detail learning about digital forensics. The students learned how to write programming language to hide code within the system. Dr. Black and his associates were well-informed on the topic. The second class of the day was an introduction to drones and AI. Dr. Segev and his team demonstrated a live drone invasion in real time. Their dog was an absolute hit but not your average furry critter. It was a cyber dog that knew commands and greeted the entire class. Dr. Kibby’s lecture on cyber ethics followed a brief on-campus lunch break. It was a wonderful day. HCA’s students learnedso much. We appreciate USA’s computer science department faculty and how well they work with our students.

Alma Bryant High and Causey Middle have done it again! After standing out at the Eastern Nationals, Bryant won the high school division and Causey won the middle school category at the NASP Championship Bullseye Tournament in Daytona Beach, Fla. Causey also placed third in the 3D Championship.
Top individual performances:
Grand Bay Middle’s Gunnar Couch shot 295 in Bullseye and 293 in 3D to win the middle school boys category in both competitions. He also placed second in the Scholarship Shoot-off to earn a $4,000 scholarship, and received the $1,000 Academic Archer Scholarship.
Causey’s Alaina Percherke was fourth in middle school girls Bullseye and teammate Logan Taylor was fifth in middle school boys.
Bryant’s Kaitlyn Hastings and Talah Coleman were 13th and 17th in high school girls Bullseye, respectively. Coleman also finished fourth in the Scholarship Shoot-off, earning a $2,000 scholarship.
Dawes Intermediate’s Makynzie Thompson won the elementary school girls category in 3D and placed 11th in Bullseye.
Emilie McConnell was the top finisher for Baker, placing 22nd in high school girls Bullseye.

Congratulations to Molly Stokes for receiving the Junior Citizenship Award in recognition of her leadership, service, and scholarship. Thank you, Midtown Optimist Club, for presenting this prestigious award.

The SECME water bottle rocket team from Clark-Shaw Magnet won third place in the national competition. During the virtual competition hosted by the University of Florida, the Clark-Shaw team of Kaylee Harwell, Hannah Collins, and Evie Weeden presented the engineering concepts they used to design their water bottle rocket. They were invited to national competition after winning the regional SECME competition at Bishop State Community College in April.

St. Pius X has begun offering an interactive, hands-on catechesis approach for children ages 3-6 called the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. In CGS, the goal is to help the child fall in love with God in a setting called an “atrium.” We are very excited to have this program at SPX. To learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, visit www.CGSUSA.org.
Photo by CC Cox

St. Mary’s fifth grade and kindergarten students hold the buddy tradition that began at St. Mary’s so many years ago! At the beginning of each school year, each kindergartener is paired with a fifth grade student who becomes their buddy and shows them the ropes of what it is like to be in the “big” school. These buddies attend weekly Mass together, do arts and crafts together, and have fun reading time together. Many of these buddies become lifelong friends long after leaving the doors of St. Mary’s! Such a fun Mustang tradition!
Photo by Marcelle Naman

Felicia Boren, the newly named Principal at Covenant Christian School is excited about the new school year and we’re thrilled to share her story! Felicia has been at Covenant Christian since 2019 and was named Principal in February 2024. During her CCS tenure, she’s served as an academic advisor, 1st grade and K5 teacher. Prior to arriving at CCS she was a teacher and administrator for 35 years in both private and public schools.
Married for 40+ years with two married daughters and 3 beautiful grandchildren, Felicia appreciates her blessings.
Originally from the Birmingham area, she moved to Mobile in 1994. Starting out in the West Mobile area until moving to Midtown in 2021. Felicia graduated from the University of Alabama (Roll Tide!) with a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education. She later earned her Master’s Degree from the University of Alabama Birmingham.
The combination of faith and education is what initially drew her to the Christian education field. When we spoke with Felicia, she had the following to share. “I am honored to be part of a school with a strong tradition of excellence. Our emphasis on high academic standards along with spiritual growth provides our students with a solid foundation.”
Our doors are always open and we welcome families in the Mobile-area to visit our website www.covenantschool.com and social media platforms to learn more about us.

Leflore Magnet High School’s choir had the incredible opportunity to sing at Carnegie Hall in New York. They performed with other high school choirs from around the country in the National Youth Chorus. They also got the chance to see a Broadway play, visit a museum and see some of the Big Apple. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” LeFlore Choir Director Angelica Dillon said. “I’m just so grateful we had the opportunity to go.”

Mrs. Zakutney (3rd) and Mrs. Hodges (1st) spent 5 days at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab this summer studying climate, sea level changes, living shorelines, weather systems, and coastal land restoration. Both teachers are in charge of the Science curriculum in their grade levels and have a natural love for the subject. Mrs. Zakutney is even known to ship in special projects for the kids to dissect each year! At St. Ignatius, teachers believe a hands-on learning approach is the most effective. Thanks for being amazing teachers, Mrs. Zakutney and Mrs. Hodges! #TheCatholicDifference #STEMleaders #impalapride #catholicleaders

For the 2nd year in a row, Davidson High School is thrilled to announce that all IB candidates for the Class of 2024 have earned the IB diploma! Congratulations, DHS IB Class of 2024! We look forward to seeing you succeed next year.

The Spark Studio learners at Cultivate Studios Mobile beam with pride and excitement as they became official Authors & Illustrators publishing their first book: “Curious Kids from Cultivate Studios”. They each spent the summer session writing their drafts, peer editing and working hard to complete the final copy!

Congratulations to Murphy High School’s Nakeria Woods and Clark-Shaw Magnet’s Ashton Dunklin for winning “Outstanding Affiliate Entry” awards at National History Day at the University of Maryland in June. Only two projects from each state receive this recognition. Woods, left, won for her paper, “Zora Neale Hurston’s Anthropological Eyes: An Examination of the Anthropological Work and Impact of Zora Neale Hurston.” Dunklin won for his documentary, “The NBA and ABA Merger.”

Davidson High School’s Varsity and Junior Varsity Cheerleaders declared UCA Cheer Camp was a success! The squad worked hard, won the banana and the jump off, bonded at OWA, dressed in their Golden Era, and took home some trophies! JV came in first place in the JV division for all three categories! Varsity came in 2nd place in the Varsity division for all three categories! Varsity also won the Leadership Award out of ALL the schools and divisions! DHS also had a total of 7 girls (5 JV and 2 VA) make All American! Go Warriors!

Under the direction of St. Mary’s Vacation Bible School Coordinator Elizabeth Blanchette and her crew of volunteers, 85 St. Mary VBS campers enjoyed a fun and faith-filled week! The week was led by a team of adult volunteers assisted by 34 youth volunteers from 6th through 12th grade. St. Mary’s thanks all who donated their time and talent to make this “Radical Ride on the Wings of Prayer” possible! Photo by Marcelle Naman

Congratulations to senior, Emma Rose Tillman, as she represented CHCA at Distinguished Young Women! She was awarded a total of $104,000 in scholarships from various colleges and universities. CHCA junior, Gracie Mills participated as her Little Sister.

Congratulations to fourth grader, David Zylinkski, he was named Library King after earning 425 AR points!

Several Class of 2024 Mobile County Public Schools graduates received generous scholarships from the 100 Black Men of Greater Mobile. Nakeria Woods of Murphy and Josef Holloway of Davidson each received $40,000 over four years to attend the University of South Alabama. Murphy graduate Kayleigh Morgan received $4,000 over two years to attend Bishop State Community College. Kelvin Edwards of Davidson received $5,000 to attend Alabama A&M University in honor of charter member Richard Davis.
The following students received scholarships of $500 or more: Ryan Mosley, Dillon Hudson, Brekiylah Shelton and Aryn Williams of Baker; Leah Phillips and Jaden Nathan of Blount; Andrew Pope of Davidson; Marlon Arrington Firle of Mary G. Montgomery; Jordyn Kennedy and Logan Mitchell of Murphy; and Jordan Guyton of B.C. Rain.

Davidson High School is one of 40 high schools nationwide selected to receive a $5,000 grant from The Rachael Ray Foundation and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) to enhance their ProStart culinary arts and restaurant management program with new equipment, curriculum, and experiential learning opportunities.
The funds from the Rachael Ray ProStart Grow Grant Program will help our culinary program start a competition team; Mrs. Baxter plans to use the funds to buy uniforms, food supplies, and pay for travel. She says, “I am thrilled to receive this Rachael Ray grant for our students. This grant will help to ease some of the financial burden for students on the culinary competition team at Davidson. What a blessing!”
Congratulations to Mrs. Baxter and the culinary program at DHS!

There are never enough ways to say Thank You to teachers, but students at Little Flower Catholic School tried to get the message across to their fine teachers. Students from every grade level helped to spell out their gratitude for all that the teachers have done for them.

Calling all Cardinals! This is a photo of the class of 1975. We are celebrating 70 years of St. Pius X and want all our alumni to join us. Call us, and we will let you know about all the festivities this year! Once a Cardinal, always a Cardinal!

Mobile Christian Varsity Cheer squad had a great time at UCA camp this summer. They came home with 1st in overall spirit, 1st in cheer, 2nd in camp cheer, 3rd in band chant, and took home the BANANA which is awarded to the school with the most school spirit all week.

Bright Academy partnered with Sunnyside Theatres to perform live in the production of “The Lion King.”

Satsuma City Schools proudly announces the appointment of Dr. Jason Golden as the new principal of Satsuma High School, following a unanimous decision by the Board of Education at a special meeting held Tuesday morning.
Returning to his alma mater, Satsuma High School, Dr. Golden brings a deep-rooted connection and extensive experience to his new role. “As a proud Satsuma alumnus, I am thrilled to be named the new principal of Satsuma High School,” said Golden. “I am a life-long learner who wants to model the importance of education for all. I am dedicated to fostering academic excellence and community engagement.”
For the past nine years, Dr. Golden has served as principal of Mobile County’s Rosa A. Lott Middle School, which received a 2023-2024 CLAS School of Distinction Award, an award that recognizes school programs that serve as outstanding educational models for other schools in Alabama. He brings more than 15 years of educational leadership experience, has earned the CLAS Certified Instructional Leader credential in 2023 and was recently named the CLAS District 5 Certified Instructional Leader Commissioner.
“We are excited to welcome Dr. Jason Golden to our team,” said acting superintendent Dana Price. “Dr. Golden brings a wealth of expertise in data-driven instruction that promises to elevate our educational standards. His leadership skills, innovative approach, and commitment to excellence are exactly what our district needs to move the needle and advance Satsuma High School to new heights.”
“I am excited to build on Satsuma’s legacy, enhance our innovative programs, and work collaboratively with the faculty, students, and community,” said Dr. Golden. “My family and I are eager to become a part of the Gator family.”
Dr. Golden will commence his duties as principal on July 1st, bringing his vision and leadership to further elevate Satsuma High School’s educational mission.

When older students interact with younger students, everybody benefits. The Viking Advantage at Little Flower embodies these kinds of experiences for students. The older students know they stand as role models and take advantage of the opportunity to lead the younger students.

Eagles of the Year are honored at the Cultivate Studios Mobile End of the Year Exhibition Ceremony! Paisley Azzem and Maks Abbott Young were nominated by their peers for consistent character attributes such as kindness, leadership, hard-work and fun! Director Sydney Loper presents them with their awards!

CGA had the privilege to honor our 2024 kindergarten graduates and concluded the school year with presentations of awards and musical performances.

The Class of 2024 was one for the record books! Collectively, they were accepted to 50 schools around the country. 81% were offered merit-based scholarships and over $8 million was received in scholarship money. 29 out of 96 received ACT scores of 30 or higher (32 of the 96 received an ACT Superscore of 30 or higher). 5 athletes are going on to play their sport of choice at the collegiate level and 3 musicians are marching in collegiate bands. In addition to these accomplishments, 3 members of the Class of 2024 are National Merit Finalists. Now, go and do GREAT things! We are so proud of you!

Bible verses, crafts, songs, snacks and prayers were all part of Little Flower Vacation Bible School. The SCUBA theme set the stage for learning about the ever-flowing love of God. The high energy week was made possible through the volunteers who seemed to enjoy the week as much as the student attendees.

Heartwood Christian Academy’s Archery Team earned the honor of competing at Nationals in Kentucky. The team competed in a total of five tournaments in two days. Congratulations to Jondavid Norstedt, Jarek Hoach, Josalyn Hoach, Annalyn Scott, Laila Evans, Bethany Newell, and McKenzie Peighton for scoring personal bests. Congratulations to archer Josalyn Hoach for ranking 10th place in middle school girls nationally and 1st place in Alabama in the 2024 Genesis Indoor World Championship. Congratulations on a job well done to ALL of HCA’s archers for successfully competing in their first National Tournament and to their talented coach, Shelley Kirk. Go Lions!