Kellenberg Memorial will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001 on Friday, September 10. At 7:30 PM, the Kellenberg Memorial family is invited to come together to celebrate Mass, followed by a special procession in memory of that day.
“Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of my brothers, you did it to me” – Matthew 25:40
On September 5th, we celebrated the feast day of St. Teresa of Calcutta who urged us “to do small things with great love.” The past few weeks have been a challenging time in our world, and we, as Christians, are called to “help the least of our brothers.” This week, Kellenberg will be sponsoring a Spiritual Day of Action in conjunction with the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross.
Following the natural disasters that have occurred in our country, some proceeds from the Day of Action will go toward St. Peter Claver Catholic Church in the Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans. Father Ajani Gibson, a priest of the parish, is a Catholic University classmate of Brother Peter Sennert, S.M. Currently, a parish relief fund is being established, and KMHS will be assisting monetarily and in prayer. In addition, Kellenberg will “Light It Up Gold” for Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month in September. This cause is near and dear to many Kellenberg families. On September 5th, the Ruchalski and Murphy families joined the Marianist Community in lighting the trees gold surrounding the Kellenberg entrance sign in honor of Mary Ruchalski and Dylan Murphy ’24.
Students may stop into the ARK on Tuesday, September 14th, and Wednesday, September 15th to support these causes. Each donation will be given a lantern to light up their homes/porches/walkways on the weekend of September 18th to “Light It Up Gold” for Pediatric Cancer. A $10 donation would go a long way to help these great causes. If any family is interested in making a larger donation to any of these causes, please contact Mr. Bryan Finn in the ARK. Thank you for your support! 
www.themaryruchalskifoundation.org
www.stpeterclaverneworleans.org
Article by Phoenix writer Michelle Paszek ’24:
Photography by Maeve Duggan ’22
Sr. Nicole Trahan, FMI, visiting Kellenberg Memorial on Monday, spoke during lunch periods and after school about her vocation with students and answered any questions they had about the Marianist Community.
“I always enjoy my time at Kellenberg,” Sister Nicole started. “I was supposed to visit in March 2020, but it was the week everything shut down. It took 18 months, but I was finally able to return!”
While sponsored by the Adele Club, Sr. Nicole’s talks were open to all students and took place in the ARK.
The Adele Club is a girls vocational club that centers around vocational awareness. They meet twice a month on Wednesdays at 5 PM (one of which before XLT) and do many activities such as having a guest speaker, spending time in prayer, doing craft projects, and participating in service events.
Photography by Maeve Duggan ’22
Many members of the Adele Club participated in the Q/A, including junior Olivia Carmody, who shared, “I thought it was so interesting how an ordinary teen who wasn’t perfect went on to figure out how God was using her in her life.”
“I joined Adele Club because it is a great place to gather with girls of the same interest,” Carmody said. “We learn about our vocation, Blessed Adele, and receive guidance for when we leave Kellenberg.”
The Adele Club is moderated by Mrs. Harnisch and is open to all high school girls. Signups will take place September 22nd in the library for those interested in joining.
“I have had the pleasure of visiting with Kellenberg students several times in the past.” Sister Nicole said, “It was a joy to be back and I look forward to visiting again in the future.”
Sr. Nicole is a part of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate (also known as the Marianist Sisters) in Dayton, Ohio and also serves as the Vocations Director, the Director of the Pre-Novitiate Program, as part of the Provincial Leadership team, as a part-time campus minister to the Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School, and contributes to the National Catholic Reporter’s Global Sisters Report.
If anyone would like to reach out to Sr. Nicole or is considering a vocational life, Sr. Nicole encourages reaching out to her via email: fmivocations@gmail.com.
Article by Phoenix writer Nicholas Cortese ’23:
Anybody that you ask will be able to tell you exactly where they were when they heard the news. People all around the world were living their lives as any other day before the details broke through. Once they did, they spread like wildfire. By the time they reached everyone, it became apparent that September 11 will never again be looked at as just a regular day.
It has been twenty years since the infamous attacks on our country. The world still continues to honor all who have been affected by the events. Here at Kellenberg, we are always united, and it is no shock that the school is unified to its fullest extent around the anniversary of these tragedies.
At the start of the morning, the daily prayer video is preceded by a message from chaplain Fr. Thomas Cardone, S.M. He began a commemoration of the events and remarked on how all the faculty members and students at the time remember where they were when the attacks struck.
“At that time it almost seemed like everyone knew someone who was struck by this great tragedy,” commented Fr. Tom. “It was a time of great pain and great love. It was a time of testing and it was a time of faith.”
Fr. Tom mentioned how there was a memorial table set up in the main office and displayed a cross made of the iron from the collapsed building, recognizing that the cross has been venerated and it probably has remains on it, making the object a relic of sorts, a direct piece of the victims of the day.
Fr. Tom then introduced the morning prayer music video, ‘There She Stands’ by Michael W. Smith. Smith’s song was written at the request of President George W. Bush shortly after the fall of the Twin Towers and is traditionally played each year on the 11th at KMHS.
In addition to having Fr. Tom speak on the morning announcements, Kellenberg also hosted a memorial Mass on the night before the twentieth anniversary in the Auditorium. After the Mass concluded, a few students displayed an American flag in front of the school.
Throughout the day, students went to their regular classes while keeping condolences in their prayers. Some teachers, particularly the members of the history staff, covered the topic for the majority of their class.
Euro and American History teacher, Mr. Cioffi made sure to pay his respects to everyone impacted by the crisis as well as all involved in the rebuilding process, stating, “It is important to cover the details and events of the day, the recovery efforts and the heroes on September 11 and the rescue efforts afterward.”
This recovery effort continues two decades later. Even as the end of classes approach, the Kellenberg community continues to do the utmost to spread awareness and love to all. Mr. Basile and the Gregorian Consortium attended the annual memorial service in Point Lookout and held a musical ceremony. The group of twenty-five students had the intention of adding something spiritual.
“Because of the tragedy, people want a God element,” said Mr. Basile. “We’re always asked to perform something religious, so we would do songs like ‘The Prayer of St. Francis’, ‘Lord I Need You’ and ‘Oceans’.”
The collective would also add in a few patriotic selections, as senior Connor Nelson performed ‘God Bless America’. The Point Lookout memorial served as a touching subject to all involved as it perfectly blended national respect and holy faith.
Mr. Basile said, “It is very, very important to not only come out and bring something very important to America, but something important to the faith.”
Twenty years later, while we still heal as a nation, we recognized that September 11 is such a special time because the devastation was followed by hope and love almost immediately, a hope and love that continues to this day, a hope and love that demonstrates some of the greatest parts of God’s everlasting grace.
Featured photographer, Maeve Duggan ’22
Article by Phoenix writer Isabel Connolly ’23
On September 14, the Kellenberg Community held its annual Triumph of the Cross Prayer Service for the first time in two years.
The Triumph of the Cross is a feast in which Catholics meditate on the death of Jesus and celebrate His victory over death. The Kellenberg community celebrates it each year on September 14.
Traditionally the opening prayer service of the school year, the entire faculty and student body unites in prayer to gain a spiritual focus to the academic year.
Last year, however, Kellenberg was unable to have the Triumph of the Cross prayer service due to Covid restrictions. Fortunately, that was not the case this year and on Tuesday, September 14 the Kellenberg community once again came together in prayer.
Archbishop Christopher Cardone, O.P., was the celebrant. Archbishop Cardone is the brother of school chaplain Fr. Thomas Cardone, S.M., and is currently working in the Solomon Islands. In his homily Archbishop Cardone spoke of the importance of the cross. He told the story of when St. Helen found the true cross of Christ. He told the students that they too are called to find the power of the cross in their daily lives. To remind the students of this, they were each given a cross that was later blessed. The students could wear this as a reminder of their identity in Christ.
This prayer service is always a way to open up the school year in community and faith. To celebrate this idea, this year both parents and grandparents were invited to celebrate and could gather for a small social afterwards on St. John’s field.
After the prayer service, students were able to socialize with fellow classmates as they enjoyed individually wrapped muffins and juice boxes.
During the service the Gregorian Consortium provided the music with songs such as “Lift High the Cross.”
One member of the Gregorian, sophomore Elena Brutus noted her excitement at getting to sing once again for the prayer service. She said, “As I was singing, it felt so amazing to be up there praising God with all my fellow classmates around me.”
After a year hiatus many were happy to be back to the beautiful tradition of the Triumph of the Cross. It was a reminder of the true spirit of the Kellenberg community, being together in prayer and faith.
Photographer- Ernesto Feliciano ’22
Article by Phoenix writer Michelle Paszek ’24:
The Advanced Labs Program is an after-school STEM group at Kellenberg where any high schooler in grades 9-12 can join in on college level labs that prepare them for what they will experience in college.
“It made me appreciate science and all that goes into it”, Senior Angelina Natalie started, “It made me realize how much I enjoy being in the lab doing experiments and growing in knowledge.”
They meet once a week on Mondays from 3:30 to 5:30 and are moderated by Ms. Greco and Mr. Messina. Each week there is a new lab that students can participate in, and it is open for students to come in for whatever lab interests them. The program is more about learning lab techniques rather than doing lab reports.
Senior Monica O’Brien shared, “As someone who isn’t good at science and is not interested in pursuing it in college, I still love going to the Advanced Lab Program because I have the chance to learn new things hands on, compared to a lecture style class.”
One such lab happened on Monday, September 20th, where the members performed an experiment where they took tea and extracted caffeine from the tea leaves.
Sophomore Michael O’Brien said, “As a first timer doing this, it was really interesting and exciting to experience and be a part of. I am so excited to attend many more!”
This is the first of many labs to come for this school year. Anyone interested can join the Advanced Lab Program in room 251 (the chemistry lab) or email Ms. Greco or Mr. Messina with any questions.
Article by Phoenix writer Amir Jeudy ’22:
On September 14th and 15th, the Kellenberg school community came together for the Spiritual Days of Action fundraiser. The funds were raised with the goals of supporting Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month and those affected by Hurricane Ida in mind.
During lunch periods, tables were set up outside the ARK. Students were able to give a $10 donation in exchange for a lantern and a bag. Over the weekend students were asked to place the lantern in front of their homes to “light the way” for pediatric cancer research.
The two foundations the fundraiser was aimed towards assisting were Dylan’s Dream Team, and The Mary Ruchalski Foundation, which both aim to bring awareness to pediatric cancer and its’ severely underfunded sect of cancer research.
Dylan’s Dream Team is an organization founded in the name of Dylan Murphy, a Latin School student who passed away from leukemia in 2018. His foundation aims to bring funding to several Child Life Programs, sponsors scholarships and holds yearly events.
His brother, John Murphy ‘22, regarding the fundraising, said “I’m thankful for all the donations to these causes because it means so much.”
The Mary Ruchalski Foundation faces a similar situation, as Mary passed away from cancer in 2018. Coach Lindsey Ruchalski ‘14 described her sister as someone who was always looking out for others and truly lived with kindness and generosity.
Mary’s life reflected this kindness so much that the hashtag #BeLikeMary has become synonymous with her legacy. The Mary Ruchalski Foundation brings funding to doctors researching her cancer, and aid to families who are financially strained from medical bills.
The other part of the fundraiser aimed to assist with the devastation in Louisiana that Hurricane Ida left in its wake. Father Ajani Gibson, who was a classmate of Brother Peter Stenner S.M. at Catholic University, is a priest at St. Peter Claver Church in New Orleans. Father Ajani shared over the school announcements how St. Peter Claver Church has many parishioners who were deeply affected by Hurricane Ida, and called on the school community to show generosity.
This call for generosity was met, as almost $5000 was raised towards these three organizations. As Christians, we are called to give from our abundance. Kellenberg’s student body excelled as they displayed what every Christian should aspire to be.
Article by Phoenix writer Elizabeth Mooney ’22:
On Sunday, September 19, Kellenberg Memorial hosted a Mass and brunch in celebration of Grandparents Day, with both the Junior and Senior class sharing in this day’s festivities. The event is now becoming a time-honored KMHS tradition. This meaningful occasion commenced with a Mass in the auditorium officiated by Fr. Daniel Griffin, S.M. and accompanied by Fr. Albert Bertoni, S.M.
Fr. Dan’s deeply personal homily included a tribute to his grandmother and was extremely moving. He spoke lovingly about his grandmother whom he lost due to COVID early in 2020. Fr. Dan’s grandmother wrote the family a letter talking about how to respect our grandparents and to respect family as the elders are role models to all.
Our Senior Eucharistic Ministers were there to lead the opening procession and assist in administering the sacrament of Holy Communion. Bro. Michael Gillen, S.M. and Brother Patrick Cahill, S.M. were present along with many other KMHS faculty at this beloved event.
Following Mass our Juniors and Seniors along with their grandparents were escorted to the cafeteria for a light brunch with a delightful array of bagels, crumb cake, coffee and juice. The students were able to share this very special meal time with their grandparents, and proudly show them their school.
Mr. Brennan and our SALT volunteers were on hand to serve the brunch boxes and to assist the attendees in clearing their tables.
Senior Marc Cannella, who is a Eucharistic Minister, thoroughly enjoyed the event, saying “It was a really beautiful experience to be able to bring your grandparents to the school to have mass and show them how Kellenberg has affected you spiritually.”
Article by Phoenix writer Angelo Tsassis ’22:
Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the early months of 2020, Kellenberg Memorial was forced to go to remote learning. It’s been a long journey over the past 12 months, but we’re finally back. Each and every student is back in person, and every club, sport, and event is back up and running.
The excitement pulsing through the hallways is palpable. Each student had a different experience in quarantine, but just about everyone had something that they were missing out on. This year, it’s all back. Whether it’s a club you enjoy participating in or a sport you love to play, it’ll happen this year for the first time since before the pandemic.
Some events have already returned. Fall sports, such as football and soccer, are in full swing. Classrooms are filled with students staying after school for their favorite clubs that have returned this year. Kellenberg was even able to hold their first school mass in months.
Mass was an especially great event to have back at Kellenberg, as students and faculty were able to be all together at once in either the gym or the auditorium to celebrate their faith. It’s one of KMHS’ most treasured traditions, and the school as a whole was feeling good about its return.
Senior Michelle Torres summed it up perfectly, saying, “Something I really looked forward to was returning to mass and praying with all my classmates and teachers.”
“We’re happy to be able to take part in a faith event altogether,” added Senior Nick Xhindolli.
Junior Luis Vazquez reminds us of the value of the arts being back in person at Kellenberg. Vazquez says, “It’s been a long time since I was able to be in the same room with the chorus all singing together. Doing virtual and zoom chorus was valuable and a testament to modern technology, but nothing beats singing together in person.”
Sports are also back, which has Kellenberg’s athletes, and fans, brimming with excitement.
“The student section at the ‘White Out’ game last week was incredible. Being together and cheering and watching varsity football win is part of what I was hoping to have back for my senior year at Kellenberg.”
Varsity linebacker Sam Vernot says, “It’s very good to be back with my teammates and to be playing a full season.”
Junior James Agoglia remarked that his favorite part of the school day is also being back out with the team on the football field. However, he also suggests that being in the cafeteria for lunch is something he also missed greatly.
“I forgot how much fun it was just to be with my friends and classmates to eat a meal and have some laughs,” says Agoglia.
As Agoglia points out, one of the main things that have returned this year is simply the wide variety of social interactions that were missing in the 2020-21 school year. Gone are the days of remote classes and isolated cohorts. Students can now change classes and socialize with tons of friends throughout the day, which brings up the overall morale of the school.
According to senior Samantha Collins, even the simple change of classes is a welcome sight of socializing and smiling. The soon-to-be KMHS alumna says, “What excites me about being back at Kellenberg Memorial is having the opportunity to change classes again.” Many students who’ve experienced a normal Kellenberg school year echoed that same sentiment.
Perhaps most of all, things finally feel normal again. Just about everything is the way it used to be. After the difficult challenges we’ve had to deal with and changes we’ve had to make in the past year, normal is the best thing we could ask for.
Article by Phoenix writer Nicholas Cortese ’23:
On Friday, September 23, the varsity football squad showed up to the Mitchell Field Complex with a big win for the “White Out” matchup against Xavier High School.
The importance of unity and team chemistry was displayed immediately starting from the first kickoff on Friday. Each athlete looked calm and collected as soon as he stepped on the turf. The defense was insurmountable at all times, and the offensive forces led by quarterbacks Ethan Greenwood and Devin Page allowed Kellenberg to sour ahead with a 47-7 win.
The game itself served as a sign for things to come. Mr. Meisse believes this win will lead to a power and momentum shift for the Firebirds.
“We definitely had a good performance and it could be the start of some momentum. We can repeat a lot of the things we did. Our schedule should get tougher as we go so it’ll be very important to prepare and get things right.”
Mr. Meisse also thinks that the ‘White Out’ promotions played a part in the win. He recalled being in awe when gazing upon the swarms of white in the stands and noticed the incredible impact the crowds served.
“You could feel the buzz for the game all throughout the day from the beginning of homeroom even though the game was still 10 hours away.”
‘White Out’ is a sports tradition conducted by teams such as the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Winnipeg Jets where the attending fans are asked to follow a dress code based around the color white. It’s a simple concept, but it serves its purpose. The unity in the crowd leads to a feeling of unity for those on the field.
The team plays some crucial home games in the next coming weeks, such as the Homecoming game on October 9 and the Senior Day game on October 23. The Kellenberg staff members will look into adding more promotions to get the student body as involved as possible. With more advertisements and newly founded traditions on the horizon, you can only imagine the heights this group can reach. Regardless of what can be added in the near future, we are in for some spectacular football.
Article by Phoenix writer Mia Habert ’22:
For the first time in almost two years, the Kellenberg Memorial family was back together on Thursday, September 23 for the Mass for the Marianist Martyrs. The entire student body was ecstatic to have back a sense of normalcy for the day. Father Daniel Griffin S.M. celebrated the Mass for the Latin school, Freshmen, and Sophomore divisions. Father Thomas Cardone S.M. celebrated the Junior and Senior division Mass.
In his homily, Father Tom reflected on the lives of some of the martyrs and their impact. On September 18, we celebrate the sacrifice of the Marianist Martyrs of Ciudad. Many of these martyrs devoted their lives to teaching, much like the Marianist community right here at Kellenberg.
The martyrs honored were Blessed Miguel Leibar Garay, Blessed Florencio Arnaiz Cejudo, and Blessed Fidel Fuido, among others. During the lifetimes of these martyrs, they spoke out on the church’s stances during the Spanish Civil War.
Specifically, during 1936, the first year of the war, the religious community was under a great deal of persecution. In John 15:13 it states that “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friend.”
These men were more than prepared to make that ultimate sacrifice to defend their faith. This Mass was a fitting way to reunite the Kellenberg family. As a community, we were able to reunite and reflect on the past of our faith while simultaneously looking forward towards the future as we reconnect.
Article by Phoenix writer Michelle Paszek ’24:
After school on Wednesday, September 22, Dr. Dmitriy Vaysman, MD gave a presentation on the dangers of vaping to the members of the Health Sciences Club in the Biology Lab. “It’s hard to convince young people of anything”, Vaysman started, “Vaping is presented as something cool and not dangerous.” Dr. Vaysman is a Pediatric Pulmonologist at the Catholic Health Services of Long Island and takes care of kids with respiratory and sleep problems.
Junior Amely Nuñez, a member of the club, shared, “Dr. Vaysman explained the dangers and effects nicotine has on, not only yourself but everyone around you extremely well. It was an overall extremely informative experience.”
He started off with the physical effects of vaping – e-cigarettes can explode, set fire, and can cause physical injury. “What we don’t see is worse,” he continued. He then went into the facts of how it impacts teenagers, with a much higher intensity than adults – whether it be a reduced attention span, an increase in recklessness, or a vulnerability to addictions to other substance uses.
Another large part of his presentation was how although it is illegal to sell to teenagers, companies still try to get to young people earlier in hopes that they will retain it for longer. Using advertising tactics and packaging that is youth-friendly, depicts vaping as “cool”, and makes it look appealing to try, many teenagers end up with addictions, some of which to multiple nicotine products. Dr. Vaysman explained that 90% of adult smokers started before age 18 and 95% of those with an addiction started before age 21.
Junior Ada Turcios shared, “I already knew that vaping was dangerous but never knew the full extent of it. You see things on TV but they don’t fully explain it.”
Article by Phoenix writer Angelo Tsassis ’22:
Tuesday, September 28th was a fantastic day for the Kellenberg Girls’ Varsity Volleyball squad, as they dominated St. John the Baptist by the scores of 25-11, 25-13, and 25-9. Hayley Judge ’22 and Alexandra Eakin ’23 and Nadia Sapano ’23 combined to serve 12 aces in the victory. Teresa Moulder ’22 and Ava DiScala ’22 as well as Chloe Rachello ’23 and Jamie Judge ’23 put in tremendous effort at the net, totaling 16 attacks. Coach Von Schoenermarck explained how the team found their success, saying, “Controlling the tempo of the game is of utmost importance, and we did just that by establishing a strong serve-pass game and maintaining in-system play.” The team will look to continue their momentum on Thursday, September 30th against Holy Trinity.
Article by Phoenix writer Amir Jeudy ’22:
On Friday, September 24th, the 6th and 7th grades competed in Latin School Spirit Day. Latin School Spirit Day is an afterschool competition where each homeroom in the 6th and 7th grade competes against each other in a series of athletic events. Each homeroom was assigned a color that they’d wear in order to show their spirit. The games included kickball, tug-o-war, relay races, knockout, and volleyball. The weather was beautiful, a stark contrast from the rain-filled Friday morning.
Though many homerooms participated, only one was able to walk out a champion. Homeroom 7C won the day in convincing fashion. Many felt the day was a refreshing return to Kellenberg normalcy, as and 7B Marianist Leader Amanda Pillig ’22 remarked, “ The afternoon gave a really good sense of normalcy especially since a lot of these kids haven’t experienced a normal school year in a while, it was nice to see everyone having such a good time.” The Latin Schoolers also had a lot to say about the day. Member of 7F John Vitale ’27 said “It was really fun to run around and I especially enjoyed tug-o-war.” Overall, it was a day enjoyed by all and offered a nice, fierce, and relaxing competition.
From NFCA.org:
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Over 8,800 student-athletes were named 2021 Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athletes, the Association announced on Tuesday afternoon. With the highest total in Association history, it marked the second consecutive year (2018-19) achieving the 8,000-plus plateau.
…
High School (Unweighted) (Full List)
1. Lone Oak (Texas) – 3.941; 2. Kellenberg Memorial (N.Y.) – 3.889; 3. Loogootee Community (Ind.) – 3.865; 4. Apex Friendship – 3.863; 5. Topeka (Kan.) – 3.840; 6. Rochester Adams (Mich.) – 3.837; 7. West Monroe (La.) – 3.835; 8. Elysian Fields (Texas) – 3.829; 9. Cleveland Central (Miss.) – 3.820; 10. River Oaks (La.) – 3.796
Congratulations, Firebirds!!
Article by Phoenix writer Michelle Paszek ’24:
On Monday, October 4th in room 203, Biology students gathered together to solve a macromolecule mystery escape room with only 45 minutes on the clock. Jeremy Carman, a Freshman, said that “It was a fun experience with Brother Peter. The material is even more enjoyable when it’s outside the classroom with friends and teachers” This is the first of many events that promote Biology Week at Kellenberg. Biology Week is meant to encourage students to get involved in biology by celebrating the study of science and its advancements. “I think it’s a good way to get involved with both the academic side and fun side of school”, Brother Peter Sennert, S.M. started, “It’s a different way of tackling biology in a fun setting.”
Some classes offer an extra credit opportunity for attendance. Freshman Deandrea Hopkins, who is thinking of attending this week’s other events, shared, “To be honest, I heard extra points and I became interested. Plus, the concept was cool”.
Biology Week ties into what the biology students attending are currently learning in their classes – in this case, macromolecules. The week’s other events, which are open to any current biology student, include a scavenger hunt around the school starting in room 126 on Tuesday, a STEM talk given by a veterinarian in the Collab lab at 3:30 on Wednesday, and a biology trivia Kahoot! on Friday in room 125. Freshman Sabrina Hurtado stated, “I wanted to do the biology events that are going on because I wanted to learn more and have fun while doing it. I recommend it!”
However, Biology is not the only science week at Kellenberg – Chemistry Week is also coming up this month. Students can ask their science teachers for more information.
Article by Phoenix writer Griffin Noumair ’24:
On Friday, October 1st, the class of 2024 participated in Kellenberg’s annual sophomore ANOINT Day. Sophomore students walked into school wearing a colorful ANOINT Day themed t-shirt, ready to engage in a day of fun-filled activities.
The first part of the day was spent watching the movie When The Game Stands Tall. The movie was centered around the De La Salle High School football team, who held the record for the longest win streak at 151 games, only to experience a dramatic downfall, including two shocking losses, the tragic murder of a former player, and Head Coach Bob Ladouceur’s near-death experience. The movie goes on to detail the perseverance and grit it took to get back into a winning team.
Afterward, sophomores participated in a multitude of games such as volleyball, gaga ball, soccer, and wiffle ball. Students also learned how to perform CPR and the Heimlich maneuver, courtesy of the health department. Included with the morning activities was a prayerful meditation led by Bro. Peter Sennert, S.M. in the auditorium. In the midst of all the fun, sophomores were also able to enjoy complimentary hot pretzels.
Following a lively morning, sophomores relaxed with their peers to eat lunch. Before heading inside, the entire sophomore class took a picture, as well as with their respective homerooms.
The day ended with Eucharistic Adoration led by Bro. Patrick Cahill, S.M. The altar was covered in an array of different items, from a football to a violin, each representing a sport or club at Kellenberg Memorial. This emphasized the importance of pursuing your God-given talents and whatever you are passionate about. Sophomores exited the building with happy faces, more knowledgeable than they had been entering the building. All in all, everyone grew closer to the members of their class. ANOINT Day 2021 was certainly a successful event and one that nobody will be forgetting anytime soon.
Article by Phoenix writer Grace Garcia ’23:
On Wednesday, September 29th, Kellenberg hosted a Virtual College Night for junior students and their parents. The online webinar from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM provided juniors with information about college admissions. This event was presented by Miss Ronan, Mrs. Marconi, Ms. Gulmi, Mr. Dugal, Mrs. Strauss, and Mr. Tahany.
“College night was very informative, and it was comforting to feel the support from the teachers presenting,” Junior Lianne Chu shared. “I think it was very good at guiding the juniors.”
The night started with a greeting from Miss. Ronan. She then transitioned into explaining what was in the blue folder that the juniors received in homeroom that morning. There were invaluable tools in the folder, ranging from guides to reference sheets, but Miss Ronan drew the students’ attention towards a card with a registration code for Naviance, directions for how to log onto the site, and information about the Reserve Officers Training Course, otherwise known as ROTC.
Next, Mrs. Marconi featured a few books which describe the college application process, notably “Excellent Sheep” by William Deresiewicz, “Who Gets In And Why” by Jeffrey Selingo, and “Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be” by Frank Bruni.
Miss Ronan followed with a presentation about what juniors should be doing right now to prepare for college, for example, keeping their grades as high as possible, forming relationships with teachers who might write letters of recommendation, preparing for standardized tests, and researching colleges of interest.
Miss Ronan elaborated on the SAT and ACT exams, mentioning some important dates and explaining the test-optional, test-mandatory, or test-blind scenarios. If a college is test-optional, the college doesn’t look into your SAT and ACT scores unless you would like. On the contrary, some test-mandatory schools require your scores submitted to them and other test-blind schools pass up on that idea.
Ms. Gulmi talked about what to do when visiting colleges, such as taking pictures, and asking questions. Ms. Gulmi also covered Demonstrated Interest, which is how colleges assess how interested a student is in attending their school. Even simply opening emails from colleges can show them a student’s interest. Finally Ms. Gulmi recommended that students take advantage of interest and request an interview with a college.
Miss Ronan returned to discuss military academies, ROTC, and when to start applying for those. In addition, she spoke about the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and what to do if interested in participating in college sports.
Miss Ronan concluded by suggesting students ask themselves, “Do you want to go to a local college, or do you want to go out of state?” and, “Do you want to go to a big school or a small school?”
The Virtual College Night was an excellent presentation to help orient students and their parents through what can be a very intimidating and confusing process when choosing a college.
Article by Phoenix writer Lillian Stern ’22:
On Saturday, October 5, students and teachers alike rallied to transform Kellenberg Memorial into the school’s iconic Open House event.
S.A.L.T. moderator Mr. Brennan says, “We had well over 3000 people walk through our front doors. It was wonderful to see such a large number of prospective students. At Kellenberg, we want to share the message of Jesus Christ. Getting students in the doors at Open House is the first step in that process.”
Assistant Principal for Admissions, Mr. Benintendi, was has organized the Open House event for the last fifteen year, describes its benefits, saying, “Open House is the most important event used to promote our school. It is organized for students applying to both the Latin School and the High School. It utilizes the entire faculty, coaching staff, parents, and alumni.”
According to Mr. Benintendi, in addition to these numerous volunteers, over six hundred students also volunteer to assist with the day. That number is roughly twenty-five percent of the entire student body helping out.
Mr. Benintendi remarked, “Every year, our visitors remark on how impressed they are with our students and that they are so friendly, warm, and happy to be here.”
One such student, Jonathan Schapowal, expressing how grateful he was to be a student tour guide, said, “The touring process at Kellenberg is a great way for incoming students to get a sense of all the great things this school has to offer. It’s also a wonderful way for seniors to give something back to Kellenberg.”
The student body continues to bring recognition to a place they call their home away from home. Mrs. Mulligan, Assistant Principal for Student Life, insightfully observes, “A motto at Kellenberg Memorial is Service over Self. It is evident on days like Open House that our students are volunteering their service to spread the good word of Kellenberg and they do this by showing Civility, Order and Respect in all things.”
(Photos from top down by Maeve Duggan ’22, Thomas Quattrocchi ’25, Maeve Duggan ’22, and Thomas Quattrocchi ’25)
After last week’s article, “What Have We Gotten Back?” by PhoenixOnline Editor-in-Chief Angelo Tsassis ’22, PhoenixOnline surveyed the student body about what they were most happy to have back after the Covid 19 adjustment of the 2020-21 school year.
A convincing 27.5% of students who took the survey believed that the simple act of changing classes was what they were most happy about. In second and third place respectively, were after-school clubs and activities and athletics. One thing this survey makes clear, KMHS students love being around each other!
