Student Spotlights – November 2024

Bright Academy recognizes our veterans with a special assembly. This year’s special guest speaker is Corporal Mitchell Englund. Thank you to all of our past, present, and future men and women who faithfully and sacrificially serve our country.

St. Luke’s upper school Aerospace Engineering and 6th grade Flight and Space classes studied the effects of the airfoil’s shape on how a plane flies. They built straw jets together with different-shaped airfoils and tested them. They noted the distance the plane flew and whether it landed on or off the target and analyzed what they could change before testing again.

One of the hallmarks of Little Flower Catholic School is the family atmosphere on campus. The teachers make that atmosphere a priority throughout the school day. Faculty meetings provide the opportunity for planning to continue the welcoming space for students and faculty alike.

Davidson High School recently celebrated Homecoming 2024; the theme this year was “Under the Sea.” Students in the SGA worked to decorate the hallways, and the student body and teachers participated in daily themed dress up days. Warrior Nation definitely showed their school spirit this week!

Alabama School of Math and Science students Kingston Barnes, Kimberly Gregson, Kahyeon Jeon, and Alayla Roussell interned in the University of South Alabama’s Borchert Lab, assisting in the investigation of small RNA production in colon cancer. The interns and their graduate student mentors, Noel Godang and Anita Nguyen, organized complex raw sequencing data with the long-term goal of helping to develop new therapeutic strategies.
Project leaders nicknamed the team BASIL, or “Borchert-ASMS Summer Ideas Lab.” This designation highlights the strong bonds between the USA research team and the ASMS community. In addition to the four student interns, several contributors are linked to ASMS. Dr. Glen Borchert, who oversees the lab, is the parent of a current ASMS student. Graduate student Noel Godang is a class of 2019 ASMS alumnus. At the top of the org chart, University of South Alabama’s President Jo Bonner is an ASMS Board of Directors member.
New treatments potentially inspired by the project’s findings could improve cancer survival rates for patients in Alabama and around the world. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 150,000 Americans were diagnosed with colorectal cancer last year. Data from the National Cancer Institute shows that Alabama’s incidence rate for this cancer is nearly 10% higher than the national average. Diagnosed Alabamians need an edge in their fight, and the efforts of these ASMS community members might help provide it.
The team’s research is currently under review by microPublication Biology. Kingston, Kimberly, Kahyeon, and Alayla are on-track to receive coauthor credits before earning their high school diplomas. We applaud these students and their mentors for spending their summer helping others.
Pictured: Kingston Barnes, Alayla Roussell, Kahyeon Jeon, and Kimberly Gregson

Catholic schools participate in a youth sports program called CYO run by McGill-Toolen Catholic. Each Fall grades 2nd and above compete for the title of Toy Bowl Champion in football and eighth graders in the diocese participate in a fundraising competition to be crowned Toy Bowl King and Queen. St. Ignatius has claimed the crown two years in a row! Queen Whitney Clark and King Peter Muller helped St. Ignatius eighth grade students raise $34,190 for CYO. Way to go, Impalas! #impalasleadtheway

Culver’s Restaurant continues to support reading programs at Little Flower Catholic School. When students reach their reading goal, they are rewarded with treats from Culver’s. Little Flower students enjoy balls and other P.E. equipment donated by Culver’s.

We are excited to share that Council Traditional School has been awarded a $500 grant from the Alabama State Department of Education, in partnership with the Alabama Arts Alliance. This generous funding will bring a splash of creativity to our Arts Education program, providing essential art supplies and materials to inspire and nurture our young artists.

Read Write Academy students just finished a science unit on strong structures. They had to use a variety of objects, like toy blocks, cardboard tubes, pieces of cardboard and clay, to build a structure that could hold weight. After a few trial and errors, everyone was successful in building a strong structure. Our students love hands-on learning experiences and activities like these!

St. Pius X Catholic School First-grade students Matias Lumbreras and Matthew Leon are all geared up for art class. They are doing an art project in the style of Jackson Pollock (1912-1956), who invented the “drip technique” of painting. The students enjoyed trying this style of art. Photo by Katie Mattingly

Mobile Christian Elementary enjoyed Harvest Run on September 27th. The fundraiser raised funds for cafeteria improvements. Our elementary students earned a fun day with inflatables, class camp outs, a snow cone party and more!

The Lady Explorers tasted gold after winning the MCPSS Middle School Volleyball Small Division Championship match. They worked hard all season and were excited to bring home the hardware for their crowd of fans in the stands! A special thank you goes out to Coach Tamblyn Bohannon and Coach Trina Wilson for leading the ladies through their successful season.

Council Traditional School showed their commitment to our community by joining the Alabama Coastal Clean Up at Dauphin Island. Students and families came together for this service project to protect our beautiful beaches, proving that teamwork makes a cleaner coast. Every small effort counts!

St. Pius X Catholic School students in grades 5 – 8 went on field trips to Dauphin Island to visit the Sea Lab and ride The Duke. While on The Duke, they had hands-on experiences examining the Mobile Bay sea life that was pulled in with the large nets on the boat. Pictured here are some 7th and 8th graders looking at a Stingray, shrimps, and various small fish. Photo by Sonia Nelson

St. Mary Catholic School held their second annual Father-Daughter/Mother-Son/ Dance on September 21 sponsored by St. Mary’s PTO and Toy Bowl Committee. With great food, music by D.J. Father Vrazel, and a fun photo booth, parents and their children in grades K through 5 enjoyed an evening under St. Mary’s Ollis Pavilion! Pictured are Carley and Gaines Boos dancing the night away! Photo by Marian Warner

St. Ignatius hosted the first Leadership Academy speaker of the year, WKRG anchor Devon Walsh. Devon spoke to the entire middle school on the importance of appearance, first impressions, last impressions, social media etiquette and more. She spoke on the power of a firm handshake, eye contact and the use of slang words. We are grateful to Devon for helping our students grow as leaders! St. Ignatius forms leaders in mind, body and spirit. #TheCatholicDifference

Heartwood Christian Academy’s Art Night is one for the memory books. The room was filled with excited parents, students, and teachers—canvasses on easels and fall-colored paint trays lined all of the tables in the room. New friendships were formed and old friendships renewed as we brushed the night away under the expertise of Student Council President, Lauren Higgins. The crowd enjoyed fun, food, and fellowship as they painted their masterpiece, “A Fall Pumpkin” scene. Budding artists and experienced artists united to take photos of their new creations, which were fabulous! Thank you to everyone who attended. All proceeds benefited Heartwood’s Student Council.

Debbie Cummings, Dunkin Ann, Friedlander, and Diane Swearingen earned their National Certificate for STEM Teaching from the National Institute for STEM Education. They now join an elite group of teachers across the nation who have met the fifteen teacher actions across three domains that are at the core of quality STEM instruction. Underpinned by student autonomy, constructivism, explicit/reflective methodology, and 21st-century skill building, this certification is at the cutting edge of STEM pedagogy for K12 education.
Congratulations to these three teachers for their hard work and dedication to St. Luke’s. They have gone above and beyond to enhance their knowledge with this challenging process for the benefit of our students.

In conjunction with the University of Notre Dame, Alliance for Catholic Education teaching fellows serve in five schools in the Mobile area. Mrs. Kati Macaluso, an academic supervisor for ACE, oversees each of these schools, providing support and direction for the teaching fellows. Mrs. Macaluso was pleased to see teamwork in Mr. Luke Paulson’s class recently when she visited Little Flower Catholic School.

Over 230 Davidson High School seniors recently attended the Gulf Coast Challenge College and Career Fair hosted by SAWDC at the Mobile Convention Center. Students were able to meet with over 90 colleges and local businesses about college and career opportunities.

Congratulations to the Barton Explorers and the Semmes Bulldogs for winning the Mobile County Public Schools middle school volleyball championships. Both teams had stiff competition during the finals, with Barton edging out Dunbar 3 games to 1 in the small-school division and Semmes defeating Causey 3-2 in the large school division. You can watch all of the matches on the MCPSS Facebook page or the mcpssTV YouTube channel.

1.3 million juniors in 21,000 high schools nationwide entered the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Qualifying Test. Out of the 1.3 million students, 16,000 were chosen as semi-finalists, and we are thrilled to announce that Nicholas Cooper & Anne Margaret Bridges (L to R) were selected from UMS-Wright!
Nicholas & Anne Margaret will now have the opportunity to advance in the competition for National Merit Scholarships valued in excess of 26 million dollars.
Please join us in congratulating these students on such an outstanding accomplishment!

Each year, UMS-Wright joins families and organizations across the country in observing Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Our “Yellow Day” began 16 years ago as a celebration of the legacy and life of UMS-Wright student, Krisanna Roberts. Krisanna spread sunshine to all who knew her, and she lived kindness. Yellow Day is a time to promote positive living in all that we do. As we spread the yellow spirit, we hope to brighten the days of all families at UMS-Wright while spreading awareness of childhood cancer!
Thanks to Krisanna’s Garden for sponsoring Yellow Day 2024!

Mobile County Public Schools was once again the top school system in Alabama in supporting the American Heart Association, with schools raising a record $195,741. In fact, MCPSS was ranked 25th in the nation for this support. Hutchens Elementary in west Mobile was the top contributor, raising $27,359. And Collier fifth-grader Maci Pugh, born with a heart defect called tetralogy of fallot, was selected as a Youth Heart Ambassador. The other top elementary schools were: Dawes, Collier, Mary B. Austin, Council, Pearl Haskew, Eichold-Mertz, Tanner Williams, Semmes, and Taylor-White.
The top middle schools were Barton Academy, Lott, and Clark-Shaw. Citronelle was the top high school. MCPSS schools participated in the Kids Heart Challenge as well as the American Heart Challenge. Besides raising money to help fund lifesaving research, the schools taught students about heart healthy habits and learned lifesaving skills like Hands Only CPR and the warning signs of stroke.
These schools received the Heart of Gold Award for setting new school records with donations: Maryvale, Pearl Haskew, Robbins, Semmes, Dodge, Holloway, Lott, Wilmer, Dawes, Council, Craighead, and Tanner Williams. These schools were successful in increasing their donation amounts: E.R. Dickson, Fonde, Grant, Hall, Hutchens, O’Rourke, Spencer-Westlawn, Booth, J.E. Turner, Kate Shepard, Breitling, Calcedeaver, Mary B. Austin, Old Shell Road, Callahan, Castlen, Dixon, and Eichold-Mertz.

The community buzzed with excitement as Eichold Mertz Magnet hosted its first inaugural Little Mr. and Miss Investigator Pageant. This pageant showcased the talents, creativity, and charm of our youngest stars. Under the enchanting theme “Dreams to Reality: A STEAM Journey of Possibilities,” children from grades two through five took the stage to express their aspirations and showcase their unique personalities.
The event was a celebration of confidence and ambition, with participants donning imaginative costumes that reflected their dreams. From aspiring astronauts to future scientists, each contestant brought their vision of the future to life, leaving the audience in awe.
Meet the Winners
**2nd Grade Mr. & Miss Explorer:**
Keller Alvarez & Jaycee Miller
**3rd Grade Mr. & Miss Visionary:**
*Adrian Thomas and Emily Simbokoka
**4th Grade Miss Investigator:**
Ansley Messer
**Overall Winners – 5th Grade Mr. & Miss Eichold Mertz:**
*Samuel Nigungeko and Rosie Poulliot
The Little Mr. & Miss Investigator Pageant proved that with determination and a little imagination, dreams can indeed become reality!

The Clark-Shaw Eagles football team opened the season on Aug 29 at home against Phillips Prep. The Eagles offense had a big day running the football. Clark-Shaw was victorious over Phillips by a score of 52-26. It’s been a great season! Way to go, Eagles!

St. Mary Catholic School students showed their Mustang spirit on September 13 at the Lip during a McGill-Toolen Catholic High School Football game. Lots of great food and games were at hand for an evening uniting all Catholic schools together!
Photo by Marian Warner

It is tradition at St. Dominic Catholic School that 5th grade students read the book, The Lemonade War, by Jacqeline Davies. Inspired by the story, the students make their own treats and lemonade to sell. The boys and girls compete to bring in the most profit for a charity. Proceeds from this year’s Lemonade War were $716, and will help feed and shelter people in the local community.

The elementary school students of Heartwood Christian Academy enjoyed a delightful day while visiting Bellingrath Gardens. Ms. Jess and her students relished their time viewing the beautiful foliage and enjoying the tranquility of the gardens. They engaged in hands-on activities as part of the NatureNauts for Kids. The central theme of the NatureNauts “Leafy Learners”.
September series centered around plants. The students learned about leaf exploration and classification, flower dissection, and more. The workstations offered STEM challenges and hands-on activities for our youngest learners. The students walked away with a better understanding of our plant life.

Our fabulous students are wrapping up their first quarter of academics and we’re thrilled with the results! While they work hard, they play hard too!
Congratulations to the volleyball team on their undefeated season and to the cross-country team for winning the Spirit Award again! It’s wonderful to see such strong support from the cheer teams and spirit squads, too.
As the basketball season kicks off, it’s clear that the enthusiasm and commitment to teamwork are thriving. The YDL Teams are doing a fantastic job fostering skills and sportsmanship in the younger students. Here’s to a successful second quarter filled with Confidence, Compassion, and Steadfast spirit! Keep up the great work!

Happy National Custodian Day! We want to take a moment to recognize the incredible custodial team at Eichold-Mertz Elementary for all they do to keep our school clean, safe, and welcoming. A huge thank you to Mr. Wills, Mr. White, Ms. D. Johnson, Ms. E. Johnson and Mr. Sanderson for your hard work and dedication. From keeping our classrooms spotless to ensuring the hallways shine and providing a clean, safe environment for students to learn and play, your efforts do not go unnoticed. Whether it’s getting things ready for school events or making sure everything is just right, you make a big difference every day. We appreciate them!”

A heartfelt thank you to all the wonderful grandparents who joined us for a delightful picnic at Council Traditional School. Your presence brought so much joy as students showcased their writings and explored the book fair with you. Together, we created unforgettable memories filled with love and excitement!

St. Mary Catholic School 8th graders worked hard this semester raising more than $14,000 for the annual CYO Toy Bowl Classic and will represent their school as the 2024 St. Mary’s Toy Bowl Court. Blakeley Boos will represent St. Mary’s as the First Lady to the Queen. She is joined by her escort Mason Winter and fellow court members to include:. Harper Brabner and Joseph Boucher, Saylor Dyas and James White, Marley Foster and Dylan Brown, Avery Hathorne and Joseph Abraham, Lauren Lang and Renard Knight, Olivia Lomax and Joseph Boucher, Carley McDavid and Dylan Brown, Amelia Renfrow and Silas Powell, Chole Sharpe and Barrett Bullock, Violet Smith and Renard Knight, Mari Evelyn Warner and Silas Powell, and Mary Augusta Zimlich and Wells Andrews.
Photo by Shane Rice

St. Dominic Catholic School students had a week of visitors from the city who help keep the community healthy and safe. These Kindergarten students enjoyed meeting firefighters from Station 19.

St. Luke’s Homecoming Queen 2024 is Rowan Yeager! Rowan was crowned by last year’s queen, Audrey Smith. Congratulations to Rowan & her court: Hannah Baker, Hallie Dickinson, Chloe Lambert, Blakeleigh Ware, Sophie Dolbear, Millie Wilson, Lilly Ann Bufford, and Vivian-Blaire Parish!

7th graders at St. Dominic Catholic School show off their edible cell projects. Students got creative and had fun with plant and animal cell displays in Science classes.

Pre-K: Kensley Murphee Kindergarten: Charlotte Newman, Leighton Hensarling, Olive Schmucker, Sanisha Young, Taylor Adams, Zayda Burton
1st Grade: Anderson Washington, Carlos Castellano, Jase Rupe, Jennifer Diego Martin, Myles Oliver, Vanelle Peters
2nd Grade: Avery Godfrey, Avery Smith, Charles Estrada, Kailee Mitchell, Max Dees
3rd Grade: Ansley McCoy, Camille Jones, Haven Dean, Jaidyn Harris, Kenslie Glasper, Mya Belle McLean
4th Grade: Addelyn Liles, Emily Mendoza, Jaxson Taylor, Julia Robinson, Karsyn Harris-Graham, Nufaysah Khan
5th Grade: Aralyn Crenshaw, Braydan Waltman, Eli Venable, Ellie Parker, Parker Dean, Taite Culbreth

St. Pius X Catholic School Fifth-grade students enjoyed the beautiful weather as they painted in the style of Jackson Pollock (1912 – 1956). Perhaps they were extra motivated when they learned one of his paintings sold for $2,000,000 in 2016!  Photo by Katie Mattingly

Barton Academy chemistry students traveled with their teacher, Dr. McCall, to participate in a hands-on culinary experience during a field trip that will last in their memories as the tastiest one during their time at Barton. Bishop State’s head chef, Gabi Wilson, partnered with Dr. McCall to teach the students how to apply Chemistry concepts in the kitchen to make some delicious dishes. The students then got to enjoy the meal that they’d helped create. What yummy fun!

Brigade Leaders for the Mobile County Public Schools JROTC program were honored at promotion ceremonies at their respective schools last month.Selected through a rigorous process, these students’ duties will include organizing events for JROTC units around the county this school year.
They are:
• Cadet Brigade Commander: C/LTC Mercedes English of Murphy High School
• Cadet Command Sergeant Major: C/CSM Zericka McWilliams of Mary G. Montgomery High School
• Cadet Deputy Brigade Commander: C/LTC Hannah Watson of Bryant High School
• Cadet Brigade Operations Officer: C/LTC AnnJene Sanders of LeFlore High School
• Cadet Brigade Logistics Officer: C/LTC Jayvonne Allen of Theodore High School
“Each of these cadets represent the best of Mobile County Public School System JROTC,” said LTC Chevelle Thomas, Director of Army Instruction. “They excel in leadership, academics and more. They have a core drive that centers on character development, discipline and citizenship. I’m excited to see them implement their vision of this student lead program as members of the Brigade staff.”
The cadets were selected for their leadership roles by the JROTC Brigade Cadet Command Selection Board. The JROTC Cadet Selection Board process is one of many programs at MCPSS that helps prepare students to become college and career ready.

The Wonder Studio at Cultivate Studios Mobile earns their first team reward. After weeks of hard work and dedication, the young learners in the classroom earned a special prize: a cookie party! Their efforts in working hard, participating in team projects, and showing kindness did not go unnoticed. The afternoon was filled with excitement as students gathered to celebrate their achievements!

Cultivate Studios Mobile learners pair up for Eagle Buddy time! This fun approach fosters not only academic growth but also important life skills. Younger learners gain confidence and mentorship, while older students develop leadership and communication skills. This dynamic creates a supportive community where students of all ages thrive, enhancing understanding, empathy, and teamwork. By pairing up, students create lasting friendships and learn from each other’s unique perspectives, making education a truly shared journey.

On Thursday, October 3rd, under sunny skies, the entire senior class at St. Paul’s took to the Mobile community, working diligently in nine local gardens. Equipped with rakes, shovels, loppers, and gloves, the students dedicated three hours to chop, lop, prep, plant, and mulch—bringing life and care to the gardens. They were supported by an enthusiastic team of chaperones: Scott McDonald, Dan Drum, Zac Lambrecht, Shane Sullivan, Tyler Kerns, John Brigham, Ashley Lamar, David Armstrong, Karen Duren, Renea Greene, Anne Gill, Ryne Baxter, Drew Tranchina, Matt Williamson, Leslie Lerner, and Laura McGee. The day was a meaningful opportunity for students to give back and make a tangible impact in their community.

In 2005, the town of Blowing Rock, N.C., was quick to send aid to Alma Bryant High School after Hurricane Katrina. Nearly 20 years later, the Hurricanes are returning the favor. Alma Bryant students and staff have gathered essential supplies, including baby formula, canned goods, and water, to send to North Carolina victims in need after Hurricane Helen. This act of kindness is a wonderful reminder of how generosity comes full circle.

Mary B Austin Elementary School is excited to welcome our new principal, Mrs. Robyn Terry. Since being named the 9th principal of MBA, she has already shown her leadership and empathy as well as her love for education. Not only is she an experienced administrator, but she is also a National Board Certified Teacher. We are looking forward to many wonderful years under her leadership!

McGill-Toolen Catholic High School is excited to recognize William Porr as our National Merit Semifinalist for 2024! Over 1.3 million juniors entered the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2023 PSAT/NMSQT qualifying test. William has made it to the Semifinalist pool of more than 16,000 high achievers.
This is a significant honor, as these students represent the top scores in their state and less than one percent of high school seniors nationwide. William will now compete for over 7,500 National Merit Scholarships, totaling nearly $30 million, to be awarded next spring.

St. Ignatius hosted the first Buddy Mass of the school year in October. The Buddy Program is focused on forming a strong faithful community of leaders across all age groups on campus. Students from 4K through 8th grade are paired together for service projects, games, fun, competitions and Mass throughout the year. Students love getting to know the other grades on campus. This program has fostered an amazing community where most everyone on campus knows each other’s name, regardless of what grade you are in. The Buddy Program is another way St. Ignatius students are formed into strong Catholic leaders. Way to go, Impalas! #TheCatholicDifference #HisPathTheirFuture #HisPathStartsHere

Clark Shaw JV Scholars Bowl competed in their first scholars bowl competitions today against Bryant and Theodore, and they came out victorious. We look forward to competing more throughout the season. Thank you to Bishop State for hosting our matches! #EaglesSoar #SOARtoexcellenceatCSM #mobilecountypublicschools #clarkshawmagnet #EmpoweringMindsSparkingFutures #GrowingGREATNESS

Cottage Hill seniors had the exciting opportunity to attend Manufacturing Day at Bishop State. The event offered them valuable insights into various apprenticeships and program options, showcasing how careers in manufacturing can contribute to the growth of their communities and empower future generations to thrive.

The Phillips Preparatory National History Day Competition Team will create historical research projects and develop skills in communication, project management and historical thinking.
Phillips Preparatory Sponsor – Mrs. B. Lewis Members – A. Biswas, Arita Biswas, J. Brown, C. Fernandez, L. Harvey, L. Hinojosa, R. Hossain, L. Norris, A. Parupalli, B. Prehoda, A. Rajput, M. Shuttlesworth, J. Sonith, C. Stevens, C. Tran, M. Turner, G. Vargas, A. Wendt, A. Williams, I. Williams, S. Worrell, and G. Vargas

Teachers and student representatives from the career technical programs at Davidson High School recently attended the Alabama Joint Leadership Development (JLDC) Conference. These DHS Warriors collaborated with nearly 5,000 others as they worked to develop their leadership skills; students heard from industry leaders and learned about how to be great employees.

Each month, CHCA students focus on living out our core values. This past month, our students had the opportunity to bring the value of Service to life. In response to the urgent needs of those affected by Hurricane Helene in the WNC area, our students united to gather supplies and provide relief to the community.

Congratulations to the Corpus Christi Catholic School 2024 Toy Bowl Court!

CHCA recognized individual classroom spelling bee winners and hosted the 2024 Spelling Bee. Anavin Tongkul claimed the title! We are extremely proud of each student who competed! Hats off to our amazing spellers!

MCPSS students are learning the value of giving back. The National Junior Honor Society at Denton Magnet School of Technology recently raised $500 through an out-of-uniform day for Dance Without Limits, which makes dance accessible to people of all abilities.

Congratulations to eighth-grader Emily Miller, who has been selected for our Red Ribbon Leadership Award. Each fall, Red Ribbon Week is observed nationwide to promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle among youth. As part of the awareness program, the Drug Education Council, Inc. honors outstanding students from Mobile and Baldwin counties who are chosen by their schools as Red Ribbon Leadership Award recipients. These students embody the six pillars of character promoted by Character Counts and the Drug Education Council: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.