January 2024 Student Spotlights

St. Pius X 5th graders pose with MFD Firefighters who brought the Fire Prevention and Life Safety Trailer to the school. Photo by Sonia Nelson

St. Pius X students pose with Santa Claus after participating in our annual Bike Rodeo. Photo by Sonia Nelson

After enjoying Babes in Toyland at the Saenger Theatre, St. Pius X students enjoyed a picnic lunch at Cathedral Square. Our 4th graders posed in front of one of the beautiful decorations in the square. Photo by Kim Meyers

Veterans in the Little Flower family were honored at the all-school Mass for Veteran’s Day. The veterans were then honored at the Veteran’s Day Dinner, decorated with handmade patriotic items made by our students. The program consisted of a heartfelt tribute read by a Student Government member, a patriotic poem read by the son of a veteran, and America the Beautiful signed by students as they sang. The hard work in preparation paid off, as the veteran family members and friends who gathered were grateful for the memorable day.

Ms. Lynch’s, 1st grade class at CAM made earth clay models as a visualization activity for their Earth/Space science class. Covenant Academy Mobile is fully committed to fueling our passion for innovation through steam-powered education. STEAM Ed. is an approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking. Check out Ms. Lynch’s 1st grade Earth models in the making!

Jr Hi Elective is such a highlight at Covenant Christian School. Students in the Jr. High service elective loved spending time with three rescued puppies. The students learned about how the Mobile SPCA cares for homeless pets, and the students especially enjoyed serving these pups by offering them an hour of fun playtime! Thank you, Mobile SPCA!

Corpus Christi Catholic School 2nd-graders created balloons based on their favorite story and “paraded” around the school. There were plenty of very creative balloons! Pictured: Reece Miller

Acton Academy Mobile learners Dorothy Jane & Sadie prep for their Children’s Business Fair Holiday Market! Every student gets to create a business from start to finish, including creating products, a logo, expenses and profits, pitches and booth preparation & puts it all into action at a public exhibition.

Congratulations to the Clark-Shaw Robotics Team on their big win at the South’s BEST Regional Championship at the University of North Alabama in Florence, AL. They advanced to the semifinals and won the Top Ranked Middle School! We are so very proud of our Clark-Shaw Eagles.

Cypress Grove Academy Logic and Rhetoric School students participated in ropes course challenges at Camp Beckwith to build ingenuity, teamwork, courage.

Congratulations to our spelling bee winner and runner-up in this year’s school wide competition! All the students who participated performed extremely well. Way to go, Eagles. Pictured are Principal, Mrs. Taylor-Jackson; winner, James Colleli; and runner-up, Aisha Raza.
1st Place – James Colleli
2nd Place – Aisha Raza

Acton Academy Mobile hosts The Cookery Project for their weekly Passion Pursuit workshop! Instructor Karrie Nelson taught the learners all about cooking, measuring, working through problems & overcoming mistakes. The Discovery Studio at Acton spends time every week, learning about new possible passions and interests to discover the journey they may lead.

Congratulations to the Mobile Christian Football team who fought hard and won AHSAA 3A State Championship in Tuscaloosa on December 7th!

Student Government officers at Little Flower School serve in various ways throughout the school year. Their leadership roles give them opportunities to help organize food drives, fundraising activities, and demonstrate good examples for the entire student body. They are often called upon to assist with school events and celebrations, and we are grateful for their help. This year’s officers are (left to right): Sarah Dixon (co-secretary), Will Lenaghan (co-secretary), Louis McMaster (president), Kylie Holder (vice president), and Liam Stewart (treasurer).

Everything we do at Corpus Christi Catholic School begins with God. Our school community always shows their generosity through all of our service projects. We have supported the “Box of Joy” project that provides a gift box for children suffering from extreme poverty throughout the world.

The Student Council of Heartwood Christian Academy wishes to thank everyone who collected, organized, prepped, and packed shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. It was a huge success. We delivered 90 shoeboxes to First Baptist Church Tillman’s Corner. In turn, the church will forward the boxes to the Samaritan Purse warehouse in Atlanta for distribution. This is such a blessing to the smallest among us. Thank you for your prayers and your participation.

Eichold Mertz Magnet School hosted our first annual Donuts for Dads for grades first through fifth. This event included dads, granddads, uncles and even mentors. So many role models came out to support our children. The event was a success!

Hats off to our outstanding students, sponsors, judges and parents of Eichold Mertz Magnet School of Math Science and Technology. Rory Weatherford, you’re a remarkable runner-up, and a special shout out to Fatima Raza for clinching the title of 2023-2024 Spelling Bee Champion in the 44th round!

The students at Little Flower Catholic School showed their usual generosity during their Thanksgiving Food Drive. Everything from beans to corn to dressing to cranberry sauce and more was brought in to fill the Thanksgiving baskets that helped 30 families in need. This typical expression of assistance for those less fortunate is a hallmark of Little Flower students and their families. Seeing the face of Christ in those who would be provided a Thanksgiving meal was the inspiration for their generosity.

The last week before Christmas Break, students of the LWCC Kingdom Academy participated in Christmas Spirit Week. Students learned about Christmas celebrations around the world. They particularly enjoyed the block party on Friday which included an ‘El Burrito Sabanero’-piñata, referring to the donkey that appears in a popular Latin American Christmas song.

Hands go up and names are signed the moment word gets out that Mrs. Callahan has a field trip planned for her science students. This beloved teacher maintains quite a following. Students not only flock to her amazing, over-the-top science classes, but they also gather when they hear the words ‘Mrs. Callahan’s Field Trip’! Students were introduced to and schooled on the 911 call center and its numerous functions. It was a highly informative field trip with experience gathered from the floor as students were able to question 911 operators. There’s never a dull moment in the 911 Call Center and if you know Mrs. Callahan, there’s never a dull moment in her class!

Mrs. Ginn’s 4th grade Alabama History class at St. Dominic Catholic School made awesome pioneer projects.

Students of the LWCC Kingdom Academy did an outstanding job performing The True Meaning of Christmas. Jesus is the Reason for the Season!

Denton Magnet School of Technology in Mobile was recognized as one of 10 Schools of Excellence by the Alabama Department of Education for showing record academic growth. Denton is one of Mobile County Public Schools’ nine magnet schools and has been named Alabama’s Middle School of the Year by the Alabama Consortium for Technology in Education. It serves students in grades 6-8 and is located on Pleasant Valley Road.
Pictured is: Alabama Board of Education Representative Jackie Zeigler, Denton Magnet School of Technology Principal Alastair Stevenson, Denton A-Plus College Ready Coordinator Debra Quinones, Alabama Board of Education Representative Dr. Tonya Chestnut, and Alabama Department of Education Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey.

Mr. Womack’s 7th grade science class at St. Dominic Catholic School extracted DNA today. Mrs. Michener stopped by to brush up on the lesson as well. Thanks to lab assistant Mrs. Gonzalez for her help and the pictures too.

For our Christmas service project, Read Write Academy students packed over 60 “go-bags” for Mercy LIFE of Alabama that contained necessities such as lotions, soaps, combs, chap sticks, notepads, snacks and so much more. Our students enjoyed doing a simple act of kindness and giving back to our local community.

Students of the Living Word Christian Center Kingdom Academy enjoyed VIP seating during the concert of the Watoto Children’s Choir from Uganda, East-Africa! That same week, the choir visited the Kingdom Academy where students and choir members had breakfast and devotions together. The KA students are now sponsors of two of the Watoto children, providing education and healthcare.

Second and third-grade students at Old Shell Road Magnet School performed “Welcome to the Jungle,” a musical, at Murphy High School on November 7 and 9. The costumes and set were outstanding, and the students gave a marvelous performance as jungle animals in this familiar tale set to beautiful music.

Mrs. Ellison’s religion class at St. Dominic Catholic School focused on salvation history with their Jesse Tree presentation. They have truly become leaders of the school and today they showcased some of their knowledge. This was a great way to get the whole school ready for the 1st Sunday of Advent.

Coach Bedsole & the Aqua Dogs had an excellent performance at the 1A-5A AHSAA State Swim and Dive Championship this weekend in Auburn! The Girls’ Team finished 2nd and the Boys’ Team finished 5th! Girls 1M Diving – 1st Place: Mae Elliott: STATE CHAMPION, 2nd Place: Jillian Ngando: Runner-Up, 5th Place – Emerson Barnett. Boys 1M Diving – 3rd Place: Harrigan Weston.
Girls 200 Medley Relay – 1st Place: Lillie Farni, Nancy Skidmore, Kathryn Busbee, Rhea Mostellar: STATE CHAMPION. Boys 200 Medley Relay – 5th Place: Lucas DeGraeve, Owen Nichols, Ethan DeGraeve, Wrenn Landers. Girls 200 Free – 8th Place: Frances Howard. Girls 200 IM – 19th Place: Chloe Barko. Girls 50 Free – 1st Place: Rhea Mostellar: STATE CHAMPION, 7th Place: Arianna Havens, 16th Place: Ann Claire McMillan. Boys 50 Free – 4th Place: Owen Nichols, 5th Place: Wrenn Landers, 9th Place: Walker Busbee. Girls 100 Fly – 6th Place: Kathryn Busbee. Boys 100 Fly – 8th Place: Ethan DeGraeve. Girls 100 Free – 2nd Place: Rhea Mostellar: RUNNER-UP, 10th Place: Lillie Farni. Boys 100 Free – 7th Place: Owen Nichols, 12th Place: Walker Busbee, 15th Place: Lucas DeGraeve. Girls 500 Free – 5th Place: Frances Howard. Girls 200 Free Relay – 2nd Place: Lillie Farni Ann Claire McMillan, Arianna Havens, Rhea Mostellar: RUNNER-UP. Boys 200 Free Relay – 1st Place: Walker Busbee, Lucas DeGraeve, Wrenn Landers, Owen Nichols: STATE CHAMPION. Girls 100 Backstroke – 6th Place: Arianna Havens, 11th Place: Lillie Farni, 16th Place: Chloe Barko. Boys 100 Backstroke – 13th Place: Ethan DeGraeve. Girls 100 Breaststroke – 8th Place: Nancy Skidmore. Boys 100 Breaststroke – 5th Place: Wrenn Landers. Girls 400 Free Relay – 6th Place: Kathryn Busbee, Arianna Havens, Ann Claire McMillan, Frances Howard. Boys 400 Free Relay – 10th Place: James Lewis, Braydon Williford, Ish Chakroborty, Ethan DeGraeve.

Day 1:This year, St. Luke’s Trauma week scenario was an explosion at an outdoor concert where the concert-goers obtained injuries that appeared to be chemical. The initial decontamination process was started and the most severely injured patient was transported to the ER. Mobile Fire & Rescue arrived and Haz Mat began trying to identify what happened and the chemical used.
Day 2: While in the hospital, students found out the patient had chemical burns to her chest, arms, hands, eyes and respiratory tract. Keri Bryant, ER nurse at USA brought several colleagues to discuss how chemical injuries are handled and treated upon arrival.
Day 3: Students learned about the inhalation injuries the patient experienced as a result of the chemical explosion. Dr. Peter Lutz, a pulmonologist with Pulmonary Associates, explained the upper and lower respiratory concerns and possible long-term effects, such as asthma.
Day 4: Alicia Lintner, nurse practitioner and thermal injury specialist from the Arnold Luterman Burn Center, discussed various types of burns and the extent and depth of injuries she treats. She also conducted an activity to calculate the fluid volume a patient would need to receive using the Rule of 9s.
Day 5: On the last day, since the patient suffered severe chemical burns to her eyes, the students learned about corneal transplants and practiced their suture skills using grapes. First they removed a small circular area of grape skin to simulate a cornea, then they attempted to suture it back on.

The fourth graders at St. Paul’s embarked on a heartwarming initiative by dedicating their time to crafting sensory boxes destined for visually, hearing, and mentally impaired children within the Mobile County public school system. Filled with an assortment of tactile treasures such as beads, feathers, cotton balls, and other sensory delights, these thoughtfully curated items aimed to stimulate the senses of their recipients. The shoeboxes, generously donated by St. Paul’s basketball teams, served as the perfect vessels for their creations!
Under the guidance of mobility specialist Amy Hess, a dedicated liaison to the impaired students, teachers received guidelines for assembling the sensory boxes. The packing event, organized by the passionate teacher Kara Frazer in her classroom, culminated in a collection of these meaningful packages. Subsequently, Leslie Lerner took charge of distributing these sensory treasures, ensuring they reached the deserving hands of those who would benefit most. This collaborative effort by the fourth graders showcased not only their creativity but also their empathy and commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of others!

On November 15th, St. Paul’s eighth-grade class orchestrated a morning of music, games, and crafts for the remarkable individuals in the day program at Volunteers of America. Collaborating seamlessly with VOA Director Angelique Frederick and her dedicated staff, along with the enthusiastic support of chaperones Danner Nguyen, Austen Johnson, David Armstrong, Spencer Duran, Yinka Fagbongbe, Dawn Evans, Morgan Hanson, John Morrow, Ryne Baxter, Leslie Lerner, and Laura McGee, the students guided participants through an engaging array of activities at six stations — Beads and Bracelets, Cards, Mosaics, Games, Bingo, and a lively Dance Party. The event proved to be a source of joy for everyone involved!

St. Mary’s students had a week of fun while creating awareness for National Red Ribbon Week sponsored in Mobile and Baldwin Counties by the Mobile Drug Education Council. St. Mary’s Red Ribbon Week Leader, 8th grader, Dominic Evans, organized the week’s activities and rallied the student body to be healthy and drug-free. Each day had a theme to celebrate the week with Monday’s “Be Red-Y to Say No to Drugs” where students dressed in red, Tuesday’s “Sock it to Drugs!” where students sported crazy socks, Wednesday’s “Run away from Drugs” where students wore running shoes, Thursday’s “Lei-off Drugs” where students wore Hawaiian Leis or purchased one for $1 to benefit Veterans Recovery Resources, and finally Friday, where all St. Mary’s students will unite against drugs by wearing their favorite St. Mary’s t-shirt or jersey!
Pictured are St. Mary’s 8th graders: Braydon Arata, Dominic Evans, and Archer LeGrone. Submitted by Marcelle Naman

UMS-Wright Preparatory School’s Veterans Day celebration was a heartfelt tribute to the heroes who have dedicated their lives to preserving our freedom. This year’s guest speaker was Nathan Cox. The school welcomed veterans from the community, extending a warm invitation to those who have bravely served our nation. The day was filled with gratitude, as students, faculty, and guests gathered to pay homage to the sacrifices of our servicemen and women. UMS-Wright’s commitment to honoring veterans, coupled with Nathan Cox’s inspiring words, made the celebration a memorable and meaningful expression of gratitude for the selfless contributions of our military community.

Cottage Hill Christian Academy would like to recognize our 2024-2025 Mobile Azalea Trail Maids! We are proud of Paislei Daughtery and Makenzie Gartman! We know they will be great representatives of CHCA and our community!

CHCA is grateful for the opportunity for our students to learn from community professionals! Thank you to WKRGs Caroline Carithers and Devon Walsh for giving our broadcast journalism class an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at what happens during a daily broadcast!

CHCA 5th graders had a special visit from the DeBakey Drug Education Bus! This program educates children about the dangers of illegal drug use and substance abuse and reminds our students how to be their best selves!

For the past 6 years, our Middle School and Upper School Language Club students have participated in the “Boxes of Joy” service project through Cross Catholic Outreach. This year they filled a record number of 110 boxes! These boxes will now be sent to children in need in Central America and the Caribbean!

Congratulations to Eli Turlington for emerging as the winner of the 2023 CTS spelling bee! Your hard work, dedication, and exceptional spelling skills have paid off. Additionally, a heartfelt congratulations to Baileigh Mosely-Stokes for securing second place in the competition. Your talent and perseverance have earned you this well-deserved recognition. We are immensely proud of all the participants for their impressive performances.

McGill-Toolen Catholic Junior girls getting into character as they explore Colonial Williamsburg. The Junior Williamsburg trip is a McT tradition that began 48 years ago and is something our students look forward to every year.

Spreading holiday joy, one book at a time! Council Traditional’s Holiday Read-a-Thon brought smiles and hugs as Santa himself joined Ms. Simmons’ Kindergarten class for a magical reading session. The week of December 4th was filled with festive cheer and the love for books. Let the joy of reading spread like holiday spirit.

St. Luke’s Bigs and Littles reunited to collaborate on a service project for Murray Hall residents. It’s always exciting when the Bigs visit the Littles to continue building and sharing their friendships. The sense of community is truly special.

St. Luke’s 5th graders traveled to the “BIG” campus for their official “Sneak Peek.” Their busy afternoon consisted of lunch in the “BIG” dining hall, an art lesson by Mrs. Cummings teaching them how to work with clay, Senior – Garrett Dolbear explained how to use the 3D printer and the various projects it is used for in the new STEM(M) lab, Mrs. Lersch and Mrs. McCleery discussed the many new STEM(M) opportunities offered at St. Luke’s, some of our current 6th graders spoke about their middle school experience thus far, and they attended a middle school play!!!

On Friday, December 8, St. Mary’s Kindergarteners celebrated 70 days of school! St. Mary’s kindergarten teachers Mrs. Amy Duncan and Ms. Alllyson Demouy invited their classes to celebrate in 1970s style! Peace out! Submitted by Marcelle Naman

Congratulations to McGill-Toolen’s new Azalea Trail Maids! For the 2nd year in a row we have the Queen and this year we also have the First Lady in Waiting.
Queen Claire Watson – Pink
First Lady in Waiting Grace Salmon – Purple
Ava Purvis – Blue
Caroline Seese – Green
They are pictured with our current Trail Maids:
Camille Wittendorfer, Mary Evan Nelson, Daylyn McGuire and Queen Jasmine Edwards.

St. Luke’s Biomedical Sciences students recently had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to tour the USNS Comfort Hospital Ship that is currently in Mobile at the Alabama Dry Dock. This unprecedented opportunity gave students a look inside one of the world’s largest floating hospitals, where they learned her home port is Naval Station Norfolk and has been in service since 1987. She was initially an oil tanker but later converted into a hospital. She is 894 feet long, approximately 10 stories in height, and has 1,000 hospital beds (for comparison, Mobile Infirmary has less than 700 beds, and Spring Hill Medical Center has 270!)
The tour was led by Captain Julie Darling, Chief Nursing Officer/Director of Clinical Services. Some areas visited included the Biomedical Equipment Repair room, the Blood Bank, one of four emergency rooms, and one of twelve operating rooms. Our students met other officers and civilians who worked on the vessel and discussed the many primary care and ancillary positions aboard the ship.

6th grade boys at St. Dominic Catholic School played basketball in the SDCS gym. They won their game by working hard and playing together as a team!
The team was surrounded by their parents, grandparents, and teachers. Ms. Seibert had her Eagle gear on to watch the game. We sure do love our Eagles!

Congratulations to Davidson High School’s 2024 – 2025 Azalea Trail Maids! (From left to right)
Krista Pledger (peach)
Isabella McGill (peach)
Maria Blount (lavender)
Nyla Smith (blue)
Keairis Diggs (yellow)

St. Mary’s 8th Graders took a field trip this past December for their History and Religion (Social Justice) classes where one of their stops was Strickland Youth Center.
The students toured the facility, learned about the Juvenile Justice System, and the struggles that families face. The students listened to talks and participated in question and answer sessions with Judge Edmond Naman, Judge Linda Jensen, and Juvenile Court Referee Stefany Gant, all whose own children attended St. Mary’s Catholic School! Submitted by Marcelle Naman

8th Grade Games are coveted at St. Ignatius! Students cannot wait to battle their parents for the title of 8th Grade Games Champion! The girls battle all the moms in volleyball while the boys battle the dads in basketball. After, everyone battles in kickball. This year the girls won the volleyball trophy while the dad’s took the basketball crown by 1 point at the buzzer. We have the best parents and community at St. Ignatius! Everyone dresses up, has lunch together before the event and as always, each event starts with a prayer. #TheCatholicDifference is integrating Christ into your everyday life. 8th Grade Games is a truly special day for our Impala community!

5th grader Impalas immersed themselves in colonial life recently. Students started the day making traditional colonial crafts. Girls made a doll out of cornhusks and boys made a spinning whirligig. Students were very excited to make their own butter! Students were also fortunate to witness demonstrations on apothecary, laundry, and clothing from staff at Fort Conde. In the afternoon, students rotated between playing colonial games like Jacks and Nine Holes, making their own silhouettes, and completing a colonial themed escape room. It was a wonderful day of learning in an engaging and fun environment. Special thanks to the teachers and volunteers for making learning fun at St. Ignatius!

Lighthouse Baptist Academy had the privilege of hosting the AISA District II Spelling Bee, providing students with a valuable opportunity to showcase their spelling abilities and experience the camaraderie of healthy and balanced competition. The event brought together talented participants from various schools, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment that celebrated linguistic excellence while encouraging sportsmanship and resilience among the contestants. We look forward to more engaging and enriching activities that promote academic growth and unity! Pictured is Elianna Fox, first place winner.

St. Mary’s kindergarteners studied Christmas Around The World and learned about Christmas traditions in Mexico and Germany in December. As Gingerbread making is a tradition in Germany, students created Gingerbread play-dough in Ms. Allyson Demouy’s class! Submitted by Marcelle Naman.

As Catholics we are called to serve. We are so proud of our Impala third grade students who worked hard organizing, collecting and packaging 255 Boxes of Joy for children in need as their grade level service project. Specials thanks to partner organization Cross Catholic Outreach for inspiring this service project. Great job, Impalas! #TheCatholicDifference

Old Shell Road Magnet School student, Chloe Lopez-Ramos, won the 2023 United Way Christmas Card Art Contest. Congratulations, Chloe. We are so proud of you.

Davidson High School girls’ cross-country team placed 4th at Sectionals and competed at the state meet in November. Varsity girls who competed at state included Lily Hoyle, Isabella McGill, Maycie Drews, Kayla Armstrong, Abigail Keahey, Ava Quinones, Caroline Carter, Julia Panchenko, and Audey Kirby.
The boys’ team came in 2nd place at Sectionals. The top 5 boys also medaled as “top 15”: Phillip Parker (3rd), Levi Webb (9th), Owen Farmer (12th), Trenton McNew (14th), and Jayden Davidson (15th). In addition to these five runners, James Fant, Lorenzo Carr, Hampton Broders, Spencer Stoll, and Jeremy Holland also competed at the state meet.

Phillips Preparatory School’s 6th grade students took action this Thanksgiving, collecting food donations to create special baskets for families in need. Two special PPS families and the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd benefited from their generosity. Thanks to our student council members’ bracelet sales, each basket also included $25 gift cards. We have immense gratitude for our compassionate and caring I.B. Learners who are making a difference in the world around them.

Phillips Preparatory School’s Spelling Bee winner was Raeed Hossain. Raeed beat out 63 contestants in the school-wide spelling bee, and the winning word was “Sumerian” Next up for Raeed is the Mobile County Spelling Bee. Our Pirates wish him luck!

Phillips Preparatory I.B. Learner profile highlight for the month was “Thinker.” Our standout student for this trait is 8th grader, Havilland Lucious. Our I.B. Teacher of the month is Ms. Walton who was acknowledged by multiple students.

Davidson High School recently competed in Trumbauer with their one-act play, An Experiment. They earned the highest scores in the District (Mobile/Baldwin) and will be competing at the state level in December! Experiment also won Best Ensemble, Best Costumes and Best Technical Design.
• Cast & Crew: An Experiment:
Owen Jordan
Ziun Dickson
Sophia Barbosa
Justin Scurlock
Gabe Shelley-Tremblay
Sebastian Brown
Samantha Brown
Allie Whiddon
Courtland Brown
Mendalyn Goleman
Gus Westbrook
Lucid Perry
• Best Actor in a One-Act Play
Gabe Shelley-Tremblay
• All-Star Cast Awards:
Owen Jordan
Ziun Dickson
Sophia Barbosa
Justin Scurlock
Gabe Shelley-Tremblay
Faith Barnett
• Individual Events rated Superior, competing at state:
Faith Barnett – Play Writing
Sariah Hossain – Dramatic Monologue
Ziun Dickson – Dramatic Monologue
Courtland Brown – Comic Monologue
Anslee Schubert – Dramatic Monologue and Solo Musical
• Superior Rating, not competing at state:
Sophia Barbosa – Play Writing