Student Spotlights – May 2025

Honors Chapel is a great way to show appreciation to our students. Enclosed please enjoy some, but not all, of our students who were honored. At Covenant Christian School, the 3rd Quarter Honors Chapel is a time to pause and reflect on the academic achievement and personal growth of students. This special event brings together students, faculty, and families to celebrate accomplishments of the past quarter.
At CCS, faith and learning are intertwined in every aspect of life, and the Honors Chapel is just one example of how the school community seeks to nurture both academic excellence and spiritual growth. It’s a celebration of all that has been accomplished, all that has been learned, and all that lies ahead.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2024-2025 Mobile County Council PTA Reflections Contest: Kaleb Lofton, Tamia Ray Catlin, Rowan Dungan, Katie Blejwas, Alec Lovett, and De’Kotah Williams. These young artists have truly amazed us with their talent and creativity. We can’t wait to see what they’ll create next.

After studying and producing their own rendition of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Cypress Grove Academy 5th and 6th grade students took a field trip to watch A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Playhouse in the Park.

The Davidson Invitational Model United Nations was held at the Mobile Convention Center, bringing together more than 400 students from nine local schools, including Davidson, Baker, Alma Bryant, Murphy and Barton Academy for Advanced World Studies. This two-day event introduces students to the structure and procedural rules of the United Nations and allows them to engage in meaningful discussions and debate on global issues.

Mobile County Public Schools recently announced its Learning Leading Award winners for the 2024-25 school year: DeCari Carter of Forest Hill, Amberly Hardy of Dodge Elementary School, Caitlyn Zeine of Phillips Preparatory School, and Morghan Cooley of Davidson High School. These students are leaders and positive role models in and outside the classroom.
DeCari Carter, a fifth-grader at Forest Hill Elementary, is a campus Peer Helper and was a leader in planning and implementing the school’s World Kindness Day activity, which was recognized at the National Peer Helper Conference. DeCari enjoys a leadership role in the school’s annual food drive and was a voice for the cereal and peanut butter and jelly drive to benefit Feeding the Gulf Coast. DeCari encourages younger students with puppets and fun skits on Forest Hill’s YouTube channel. In addition, he is an artist who shares his gifts with his teachers and classmates by bringing them his own artistic creations. His art is displayed in classrooms throughout the school, and is teachers say he is a true joy at school because he uses his creative skills to bring happiness to others.
Amberly Hardy, a fourth-grader at Dodge Elementary School, is known as a positive leader who always demonstrates respect for everyone and is always eager to help others. According to her principal, Amberly’s teachers have seen improvement in student behavior because of her positive example. Each morning, she sets up the Eagles Cast broadcast and makes a daily intercom announcement to remind everyone to tune in. She is also a Student Ambassador, representing her school when guests arrive. Outside of school, Amberly plays softball and gymnastics and is known as a kind and supportive teammate. She participates in numerous community projects, including the Stuff the Bus toy drive, a pop top drive for Ronald McDonald House, a food drive for Kingswood United Methodist Church, and projects with Emmanuel AME Church.
Caitlyn Zeine, an eighth-grader at Phillips Preparatory School, is a well-rounded student who serves on the Student Council, is vice-president of the Spanish Honor Society, and placed on the Silver Honor Band. She has led campaigns on behalf of Feeding the Gulf Coast and the bead program at Augusta Evans Special School. She also facilitates the school’s bracelet sale for the Pulsera Project, which benefits artisans in Nicaragua and Guatemala. Her recent work on a documentary about the Gulf oil spill for the South Alabama History Day competition inspired her to organize a clean-up event with Mobile Bay Keeper at Dog River.
Morghan Cooley, a senior at Davidson High School, is the Commanding Officer for the Warrior Battalion Navy JROTC, responsible for leading 170 cadets as they implement strategic unit goals and initiatives. She is President of the Black Student Union, Student Government Senior Class Vice President, and a Red Ribbon Leader. Outside of the classroom, Morghan enjoys volunteer work as a camp counselor with Camp Smile, where she plans effective and safe activities for preteens and teens with special needs.

Little Flower Catholic School is home to five Viking soccer teams from Pre-K through fourth grade. We are so grateful to our coaches for all their hard work and loving support: Jessica Vogelsang, Klaraneisha Taliaferro, Courtney Ward, Liz Harrison, Shanya Griffith, Shiloh Watson, Bridget Ollis, Rebecca Smith, and Nick West. Go Vikings!!

St. Luke’s 6th grade theater class performed “Middle School Brain” by Debra A. Cole. “The middle school brain is a complicated thing. In this play, the different aspects of Megan’s personality (Sadness, Happiness, Blame, Fear, Worry, Charm, Logic, Confidence, Appearance, and Muscle) are played by different actors. Together, they give an accurate description of the emotional highs and lows that kids experience at this age!” This 6th-grade elective is an awesome chance for our students to get introduced to theatre in a supportive environment that inspires creativity and teamwork.

Council’s first-ever Family S.T.E.A.M. Night was a huge success. We were blown away by the enthusiasm and engagement from our student, families, and teachers. Students had a blast exploring fascinating marine specimens with the Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s BayMobile, piloting the SeaPerch underwater robot, flying drones, producing chemical reactions, creating beautiful artwork, Lego building, driving Vex robots, and so much more. We can’t wait for next year!

Mrs. Holladay’s class had a blast writing sight words in shaving cream! This fun, hands-on activity isn’t just messy—it’s multisensory phonics instruction in action!

Mrs. Bolling and Mrs. Brewer are leading their first grade classes in research based approaches rooted in the science of reading to complete word work during their phonics lesson. These readers are using multisensory tools to ensure fluency and retention!

Little Flower Catholic School parents enjoyed a lovely breakfast with their kids in celebration of National School Breakfast Week. A huge thanks to our cafeteria staff for making it such a successful event!

From Teen Dream to Thriving Business! Sydney with SydneyLetters wowed the learners at Cultivate Studios with her incredible journey as a young entrepreneur. Her story proves that passion, perseverance, and vision can turn dreams into reality. Thank you for inspiring our learners, Sydney!

Ms. Warren’s kindergarten class at E.R. Dickson Elementary School got into the March Madness spirit—book style! The students used brackets to pick their favorite books, and it was a total showdown between the classics and new favorites. We can’t wait to see which book takes home the championship!

Congratulations to the following UMS-Wright Lower School students for their hard work and dedication in reaching their AR goals in the second quarter.
AR 100 Point Club: Ayman Abdalla, Rayan Alsyed, Charlotte Boehm, Isabelle Cook, Arella Crawford, Beth Davis, Cooper Esfeller, Lee Etherton, James Galle, Stephania Hall, Hutch Israel, Sophie Lawrence, Fritz Lursen, Sterling McCraw, Ryder Miller, Eleanor Oswalt, Walt Pilot, Nora Riley, Amelia Self, Fisher Smith, John Spaulding, Jack Thompson, and Francisca Zacchi.
AR Millionaire Club (read over one million words): Nora Riley, Franco Jones, Stephania Hall, Fritz Lursen, Charlotte Boehm, Cooper Esfeller, and John Spaulding.
We are very proud of all of our spectacular AR readers!

Mrs. Harriet Callahan’s high school science students recently had the opportunity to explore the world of aviation with an exciting field trip to Airbus. The visit offered a behind-the- scenes look at aircraft design, engineering, and manufacturing, giving students a deeper understanding of the technology that powers modern flight.
Guided by industry professionals, students toured the facility, observed aircraft production, and learned about career opportunities in aerospace. Interactive exhibits and hands-on demonstrations provided insight into aerodynamics, materials science, and the future of aviation.
Students were divided into groups to participate in the Airbus Escape Room adventure game. They worked steadily assembling mystery puzzles, building upon clues to unlock the chest with all the answers so they could “escape” to the next level of the game. It was a test of problem-solving, teamwork, and critical thinking skills.
This immersive experience inspired future engineers, pilots, and aviation enthusiasts, making it a memorable and educational trip that broadened students’ horizons.

Covenant Christian has the BEST Grandparents! At Covenant Christian, we believe in the power of family to shape and nurture our students, and celebrating our Grandparents is the perfect occasion to bring everyone together on campus. This special day allowed us to honor the wisdom and love that grandparents bring into our lives and served as an opportunity to reflect on the importance of family values rooted in our Christian faith.
A Day of Connection and Gratitude. Through various activities, including heartwarming
performances, Bible readings, mock trials, artwork displays, creative writing presentations,
refreshments, a gently used book sale and of course lots of photo opportunities for memory
making, we rejoiced on campus with pride.
We encourage our students to see their grandparents not just as family members but as role
models who live out the values we hold dear. Whether it’s the deep faith they demonstrate, the
patience they exhibit, or the unconditional love they offer, grandparents teach us lessons that go beyond words.
At CCS, we aim to foster strong family bonds that transcend generations. By spending time with
their grandparents, students can learn about their heritage, discover the importance of service and sacrifice, and experience firsthand the strength that comes from a united family.
A heartfelt thank you to all the grandparents who shape our school community. May God
continue to bless you for the love and wisdom you share.

Mobile Christian announced their top ten of the senior class at the National Honor Society Ceremony in March. Valedictorian is Matthew Thompson and Salutatorian is Noah Blackburn.

Little Flower students were happy to learn that a cupcake treat awaited anyone who wore green to school on St. Patrick’s Day. Learning about saints in our Catholic heritage is an important part of the school year at Little Flower. Ms. Kaye and the cafeteria staff are always looking for ways to make every day a little better at Little Flower.

Heartwood’s Art Night and Chili Cook-Off brought together students, families, and staff for an evening of creativity and delicious competition. Student Council’s President, Lauren Higgins, taught a class on painting a Bob Ross landscape scene. The event showcased some beautiful artwork.
Meanwhile, the Chili Cook-Off turned up the heat as participants served their best homemade chili recipes. The competition was fierce, from classic, slow-simmered flavors to bold, spicy creations. Attendees enjoyed sampling each dish. A special thank you to Torrenna Powell from Pink Mixer Baking Company and her brother-in-law, John, for voting their favorites and making it a fun and interactive experience. Congratulations to Ed Daniels, who won first place, Julia Maitre, for second place, and Linh Hoach for third place in the chili cookoff. With art inspiring the eyes and chili warming the soul, the night was a perfect blend of creativity, community, and culinary delight—a true highlight of our school year!

Items were donated by ERD students, faculty, and community members as part of Sammekai Cason’s “Pitching In for Precinct 4” Community Service Project to help local first responders. These items included hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, notepads, pens, candy, chips, and other snacks. Sammekai’s classmates also colored thank you notes for the police officers.
Pictured is: Red Ribbon Recipient, Sammekai Cason, with police officers from Precinct 4.

Join us in applauding the exceptional talents of the Council Traditional Black History Month Oratorical Contest winners. These young stars illuminated the stage with their captivating recitations, each delivering a powerful rendition of their chosen poems. Congratulations to Bayleigh Thomas in Kindergarten, Donald Truong in 1st grade, Booker Creighton in 2nd grade, Thomas Rich in 3rd grade, Jade Smith in 4th grade, and Skylar White in 5th grade for their remarkable achievements. Their eloquence and passion have shone bright, honoring the spirit of Black History Month and inspiring us all. Special thanks to Roderick Frye and the incredible B.C. Rain choir, our distinguished judges, and all program participants. A heartfelt thank you to the Honorable Judge Vicki Davis, Circuit Court, 14th Judicial Circuit, for your support and the impactful guest speech you shared with us.

Exploring Alabama’s History and Fun: 4th Graders Discover the Past and Make Memories on Their Annual Montgomery Field Trip.

Our learners at Cultivate Studios had a blast celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with hands-on science fun! From creating rainbows with light reflections in water to the magic of leak-proof Ziploc bags, curiosity and creativity were in full swing. Science + celebration = the perfect mix!

Bright Academy is honored to have our own Ms. Kim Baker recognized as a Golden Apple Teacher! Ms. Kim was selected for her commitment and dedication to teaching students and encouraging them to always be their best! Ms. Kim is a CALT therapist and works with students who have dyslexia to enhance their skills and confidence in reaching their educational goals. Bright Academy is blessed to have Ms. Kim and other wonderful staff members who work tirelessly to help students each day! Congratulations to Ms. Kim!

St. Pius X students completed a unit on the Art of Writing as a part of their art class. The students learned about Master Penmen, of which there are only 11 in the world. After practicing their cursive writing for several weeks, all students in grades 1 through 8 submitted a sample of their handwriting. Pictured with Father Nicholas, Pastor, and Mrs. Mattingly, the art teacher, are the winners of the writing competition. These students received a holy medal of Pope St. Pius X.

St. Pius X tried something different as the culminating activity on Field Day. We had a kickball game with parents competing against the students. Pictured here are some of the parents and grandparents who participated in the fun. These adults showed no mercy to the students, beating the 7th/8th grade team by one point and the 5th/6th grade team by a good margin! Our ever-confident students learned a valuable lesson: never underestimate your elders!

The 2025 Clark-Shaw Eagles Track & Field season ended with a great finish for both the boys’ and girls’ teams. They both completed their season as the Division Champions over the Scarborough Knights, Pillans Eagles, Chastang-Fournier Falcons, and the Calloway-Smith Wildcats.
The girls’ team dominated the competition by scoring 150 points, 77 more points than the 2nd place team. First place winners on the girls’ team were Kashmir Gamble, Lyndsey Madise, Sicily Wilson, Kennedy Barnes, Trinity Scott, Clarke Haines, Aaliyah Carter, Evie Weeden, Mariasia Robinson, London Wells, Melina Fisher, and Alaina McGrew. The boys scored 108 points, 31 points more than their closest competition. First place winners on the boys’ team were Ashton Dunklin, Connor Reed, Taylin Bumpers, Bryce Weeden, Ayden Sneed, and Tristan Dale. Congratulations on a fantastic season!

The first ever Math League Competition held in Mobile County was hosted at Clark-Shaw Magnet School. Clark-Shaw’s students truly showed off their skills with 7 Clark-Shaw students qualifying for Nationals, which will take place in Houston, Texas.
Sixth grade winners were Bishrem Amarzaya, 2nd place and National Qualifier, and Andy Nguyen, 3rd place. Seventh grade winners were Roxson Odom, 1st place and National Qualifier; Konner Folchi, 2nd Place and National Qualifier; and Eugenio Gonzalez-Espana, 3rd place and National Qualifier. Seventh graders Corbin Perry and Nicholas Luker were also National Qualifiers. Eighth grade winners were Graham Langham, 1st place and National Qualifier; Sophie McDavid, 2nd place; and Jacob Duncan, 3rd place. Great job, Eagles!

CITRONELLE, Alabama — Roseann Byrd, a teacher at Citronelle High School, has been named a finalist for Alabama Teacher of the Year, the Alabama Department of Education announced.
Chosen to represent middle and high schools in state school board District 5, Byrd is now one of the “Sweet 16” finalists. The state will name its Teacher of the Year in May.
Byrd has been teaching for 19 years, the last 11 at Citronelle High School, where she leads Advanced Placement courses in U.S. History, Psychology, and American Government and Politics. She is the school’s Social Studies Department Chair, serves on the Leadership Team, coaches the Academic Team and is Student Council Sponsor. After learning about and researching the A+ College Ready Program, she was instrumental in implementing it at Citronelle High with the goal of improving instructional rigor and raising the school’s state report card grade. The program played a pivotal role in fostering success in Advanced Placement coursework for teachers and students at Citronelle, and resulted in tangible success when the school’s state report card grade rose by 11 points one year later.
Byrd is inspired by the expanding use of transformative technologies to enhance her students’ skills in critical thinking and innovation.
“To be an educator is to embrace the ever-evolving nature of our field with courage and hope,” she said. “The work we do is more than a career; it is a mission that changes lives, shapes communities, and creates possibilities for generations to come.”
Byrd was named Mobile County’s High School Teacher of the Year in January.
MCPSS was home to Alabama’s Teacher of the Year in 2018, and has had a great track record of finalists since then. That includes Alabama’s Secondary Teachers of the Year in 2020 and 2022, a Final Four finalists in 2021, and several other Sweet Sixteen finalists.

St. Pius X sixth grader, Lyman Gray, reacts as his volcano erupts, shooting a massive stream of “lava” into the air. Mrs. McGinley, our middle school science teacher, combined land formation and chemical reactions for this exciting project.

Davidson IB junior Sariah Hossain won the regional Shakespeare Competition in New Orleans! She was awarded $1000 and an invitation to compete nationally in New York City at the Lincoln Center. Congratulations Sariah!

The students of Eichold Mertz Magnet in grades 2 through 5 participated in an exciting ACAP pep rally! The energy and enthusiasm were contagious as the students cheered on their classmates. Second grade walked away with the spirit stick! A special shoutout to the Hankins Middle School cheerleaders for leading the rally and showing so much support. This was an unforgettable event!

Davidson High School’s Hospitality and Tourism students went on a global adventure! From studying the economic impact of tourism to experiencing an immersive taste of India, they’ve explored the world in and out of the classroom. Each student researched a country, designed travel posters, and even flipped through global cookbooks for a cultural deep dive. Their journey ended with a “passport” tour, visiting different countries through their peers’ creative work!

Congratulations to 7th grade students, Jillian Dempsey and James Woodard who are the recipients of the Yvonne Wehl Van Hyning Memorial scholarship for the 2025-2026 school year. They are pictured with Principal, Mrs. Martin and Fr. Pat

The McT Art Club explored the New Orleans Museum of Art, admiring works from local and world-famous artists and taking in the breathtaking Art in Bloom exhibit. After a stroll through the serene sculpture garden, the day was complete with a classic New Orleans treat—coffee and beignets at Café du Monde in City Park!

The Upper School Theatre Guild was developed because of the desire of our students to perform on stage! This organization made up of students in grades 9-12 puts on two main stage productions each year. We are so proud of Mrs. Delaney and the entire cast and crew on their Spring production of “Once Upon a Mattress, Youth Edition.”
Cast and crew: Joseph Taylor, Hannah Martin, Killian Delaney, Maddox Lavelle, Mohammad Qasim, Sarah Frances Warren, Elizabeth Denson, Walker Busbee, Sydney Elder, Mary Carlton Johnson, Ellie McCormick, Marina Hess, Ella McGill, Harper Williams, Josue’ Heath, Emily Waters, Sophia Tombrello, Lilly Cunningham, Lila Less, Brian Minh, Liam Smith, Brooke Minh, Addison England, Finley Gartman, Caroline Lomax, Baileigh Whiddon, Will Arendall, Walker Busbee, Blake Elmore, Ella McGill, Andy McNair, Jack Sconyers, Adam Shumer, Colton Thomas
We can’t wait to see what you perform next! Thank you to our sponsor, Pilot Catastrophe!

We had a wonderful Academic Picnic for grades K-5 here at Eichold Mertz Magnet. A special thank you to our parent organizer, Mrs. Landress, who facilitated the Academic Picnic. Mrs. Landress has been with the Eichold Family for months and is an asset. We also want to give a big shout-out to the Clark Shaw Magnet cheerleaders for their awesome support and encouragement for our students! Go team!

St. Ignatius middle school students hid little Jesus figurines all over campus during Lent and asked students to participate in a 40 day scavenger hunt to find them. “Everyone needs a little Jesus during Lent.”Each figurine had a bible verse on it. One figurine a day had a heart on it. The student who found the figurine with the heart got to read that specific bible verse on the school announcements each day. At the end of Lent, the homeroom and the individual student with the most little Jesus figurines won a prize. Since one of the pillars of Lent is prayer (prayer, fasting & almsgiving) the little Jesus figurines was a fun way to encourage students to pray specific bible verses while they competed in this fun and prayer-filled Lent scavenger hunt! #TheCatholicDifference

In celebration of Read Across America, St. Luke’s lower campus students enjoyed parading as their favorite book characters. Read Across America is an initiative on reading created by the National Education Association. This motivational and awareness day calls all children in every community across the United States to celebrate reading. Our students were encouraged to dress as their favorite book characters to celebrate our LOVE of reading! After the parade, St. Luke’s Key Club members had a fantastic time sharing the joy of reading by reading to each classroom. There’s nothing quite like the magic of a good book to ignite imagination and foster a love for learning.

St. Luke’s K5 students lit up the stage with their performance of “E-I-E-I OOPS.” The audience was taken on a journey to Farmer MacDonald’s barnyard, where a cast of singing animals entertained with their antics. The plot thickened when the cow, in a surprising turn of events, lost his moo! But worry not, as the barnyard crew rallied together to find a solution!
A round of applause goes to our talented K5 students and their dedicated teachers for delivering an unforgettable show. Their creativity and enthusiasm were truly a testament to the vibrant spirit of St. Luke’s! Bravo to all involved in making this performance a success!

Congratulations to Joe Elkartabani, St. Ignatius class of 2025 and McGill-Toolen Catholic High School future class of 2029. Joe earned the highest grade on the McT placement test which earned him the Henry E. Reimer scholarship and was recognized by the McT Foundation as a St. Augustine scholar. Joe is not only the SGA president but an all-around amazing student, friend & Catholic leader. We can’t wait to watch Joe shine at McT next year! #TheCatholicDifference #impalasleadtheway

Barton Academy for Advanced World Studies has its own campus handyman in Jake Carter, the school’s 2025 Learning Leading Award winner. The ninth-grader routinely helps fix broken equipment or assemble furniture around Barton’s downtown campus. He’s also a key member of the Barton Robotics team, demonstrating his technological and problem-solving skills while also mentoring new team members. He’s a school ambassador and serves the community through his church and through his involvement in Interact, a Rotarian service organization. He is friendly to all and never fails to greet, compliment, check on, or build up those in his vicinity. We are grateful to have Jake as an exemplary Explorer!