April 17, 2009 More stories about Catholic schools and their accomplishments

Winners announced in Child Abuse Prevention poster contest

Overbrook Student Council brings lunch, cheer to Saint Thomas Hospital waiting room

Three SBA students receive Grand Recognition in Duke University TIP

Sacred Heart student in state geography bee

Overbrook students win Father Ryan math contest for the 10th time

St. Ann students present ‘Diary or Anne Frank’

St. John Vianney students help with gala

St. John Vianney students in state Science Olympiad

Overbrook School forensics team wins championship

Overbrook School students recognized by Duke University TIP

JPII College Model UN team dominates ASU Conference 

JPII student elected Youth in Government governor

Grade Schools...

Winners announced in Child Abuse Prevention poster contest

Children in first through eighth grade, who attend Nashville public and private schools and participate in community center programs, created the winning entries in the annual Child Abuse Prevention poster contest sponsored by Catholic Charities of Tennessee. The poster entries all illustrated the theme, “What Every Child Needs From Their Parent Is …”

“The poster contest provides an opportunity for teachers and parents to discuss various issues related to child abuse prevention with their children,” said Netsanet Tegegn, child welfare program coordinator at Catholic Charities.

The 2009 poster contest winners are:

• First and second grade: first, Isabelle Hutto, St. Ann School; second, Jimmy Wall, St. Ann School, third, Julia Majek, Martha O’Bryan Center.

• Third and fourth grade: first Reid Vinett, St. Ann School; second, Mrs. Pockery’s third grade class; Smithson Craighead Academy, third, Grace Heller, St. Ann School.

• Fifth and sixth grade: first, Daniel Wesley, St. Henry School; second, Natalie Zimberg, St. Henry School; third, Keller Alexander, St. Henry School.

• Seventh and eighth grade: first, Austin Felts, Madison Ombudsman Center.

The winning posters are on display at the main branch of the Nashville Public Library in downtown Nashville and at East Park Community Center on Woodland Street through April 30. The poster contest winners received prizes donated by Christie Cookies, Laser Quest, Chick-fil-A in Brentwood, Strike Old Golf, and Hermitage Lanes Family Entertainment Center. 

Patrick Barnes, a staff member at the downtown main branch of Nashville Public Library, and Netsanet Tegegn, child welfare program coordinator at Catholic Charities, set up a display of posters entered in the annual Child Abuse Prevention poster contest sponsored by Catholic Charities of Tennessee. The poster entries all illustrate the theme, “What Every Child Needs From Their Parent Is….” The winning posters and additional entries are on display at the library in downtown Nashville and at the East Park Community Center on Woodland Street through April 30.

Overbrook Student Council brings lunch, cheer to Saint Thomas Hospital waiting room

Each week, members of Overbrook School’s Student Council bring sack lunches and a little cheer to families who are spending long and anxious hours in the waiting room at Saint Thomas Hospital. 

Student Council members bring specially made sack lunches containing a sandwich, bag of chips, and bag of cookies or fruit to school each Tuesday. The students then deliver the lunches to Saint Thomas during their lunch/recess hour. Overbrook School is located on The Dominican Campus which sits next door to Saint Thomas Hospital on Harding Road. 

Academic Dean Phyllis McGee initiated the project so the students could interact with the families at the hospital and hopefully provide them with a few minutes of peace and respite from their worries. McGee got the idea when she was on the receiving end of a similar gesture at Vanderbilt University Medical Center last year.

“My brother-in-law stayed in Vanderbilt’s ICU for 50 days last year. We had visitors come constantly and we didn’t want to leave the waiting area. I was there on occasion when a group would bring sack lunches to the ICU waiting area,”. McGee said. “I guess when you experience something like that, it stays with you.

“I called St. Thomas – since we could walk over there – to see if we could start doing it for them,” she said. “The Student Council members were thrilled to get to do the service project.They all bring a sack lunch every Tuesday with what is in it written on the sack itself or an index card. Some put words of encouragement on it, too.”

When McGee and the junior high students arrive, hospital employees announce that the Overbrook students have brought sack lunches and they will be in the kitchen area.

“Several people have stopped to thank us and talk to us,” McGee said. “The students have been really great about it when they have.”

The school has also received several thank you notes in the mail from people who have benefited from the sack lunches.

Each year every class at Overbrook from prekindergarten through eighth-grade participates in a service project. The Student Council service work is in addition to the classroom service projects.
 

Three SBA students receive Grand Recognition in Duke University TIP

Eleven seventh grade students at St. Bernard Academy participated in the Duke University Talent Search Program. To qualify, they had to score at least in the 95^th percentile in the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. In the Duke program, seventh grade students can earn State or Grand Recognition with their scores on the ACT or SAT college entrance tests. Participants with the highest scores on the ACT are honored at the Grand Recognition Ceremony held in Cameron Indoor Stadium on the Duke University campus. Students will receive a medallion as an acknowledgement of their achievement. SBA students Madeline Embrey, Jacqueline Ramos and Audrey Shinar receive Grand Recognition. Maire Amlicke, Kenneth Anderson, Kelsey Barrett, Maria Theresa Bottei, Matthew Guzman, Gracyn Husband, and Ana Tantaris will receive State Recognition at Vanderbilt University in May. Pictured are: (bottom row, L-R) Ana Tantaris, Jacqueline Ramos, Maria Theresa Bottei, Kenneth Anderson; (middle row) Audrey Shinar, Madeline Embrey, Maire Amlicke, Kelsey Barrett, Matthew Guzman; (top row) Gracyn Husband, Joseph Bauer.
 

Sacred Heart student in state geography bee

Rhett Kennedy, a seventh grade student at Sacred Heart School in Loretto, recently competed in the Tennessee Geographic Bee, sponsored by Google and Plum Creek. Bees were held in schools with fourth through eighth grade students through the state to determine each school’s Geographic Bee winner. School-level winners then took a qualifying test, which they submitted to the National Geographic Society. In each of the 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Dependents Schools, and the U. S. territories, the National Geographic Society invited the students with the top 100 scores to compete at the state level. Rhett is the son of Todd and Leah Anne Fischer and the late Shannon Kennedy.
 

Overbrook students win Father Ryan math contest for the 10th time

Overbrook math students again let their lights shine, winning the recent Father Ryan Math Contest for the 10th time since 1997. Besides the 10 wins in the Father Ryan Math Contest, which tests students in several areas of math, Overbrook has finished second twice, 1998 and 1999. The Overbrook team, coached by junior high math teacher Marjorie Snow, includes: (front row, L-R) Anthony Swenson, Hailey Smith, Rachel Panther, Bill Leftwich; (back row) Douglas Arney, Griffin Connolly, Mitchell Byarlay, Jack Sheridan.
 

St. Ann students present ‘Diary or Anne Frank’

Friday evening, April 3, 2009, a group of 24 students in fifth through eighth grade at St. Ann School presented Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett’s “The Diary of Anne Frank,” newly adapted by Wendy Kesselman, in Neidert Hall on the St. Ann Church and School campus.

St. Ann’s music and theater arts teacher Amanda Sotiriadis selected the play, and directed the play with fellow faculty member, Gary Beckley, who served as assistant director and crew chief.

One of Sotiriadis’s main responsibilities each year is to select a school play for the fifth through eighth grade students to perform. Last year, students performed the comedy, “Our Miss Brooks” by Christopher Sergel adapted from original material of R.J. Mann. Sotiriadis decided to rotate genres between drama and comedy from year to year to give students the opportunity to develop well-rounded acting abilities. 

Sotiriadis began considering the play after she visited to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., last summer. The junior high curriculum at St. Ann School includes a study of the Holocaust including the reading of “Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl” by eighth grade students. Sotiriadis felt the play would integrate well with existing curriculum and knowing the dramatic talents of many of the students, she knew they were up to the challenge of a production with a serious and compelling message.  

The process of bringing “The Diary of Anne Frank” to the stage at St. Ann School began back in January when students interested in being part of the production had to fill out an application, attend an audition workshop, then audition and attend call backs to be considered for a part in the play.

Faculty and staff participated in the process by assisting with auditions to cast students in the role best suited for them. Sotiriadis and Beckley worked with the students after school two days a week January, February and March. The week of the play students attended rehearsals daily after school. Parents supported the students throughout the process by helping at rehearsals, providing snacks and making dinner for the cast and crew the evening of the performance. 

Setting the stage for the production was no small feat. The structures needed to transform the stage area in Neidert Hall into the “Secret Annex” were built and assembled by a group of St. Ann faculty, staff, parishioners and supporters along with the student crew. 

Sound was another key element to make the setting effective and bring the play to life on the stage. Sotiriadis purchased sound effects from Valentino Sound and cast members recorded the numerous voice-overs required throughout the play. Students also had access to high quality sound equipment from Brantley Sound which allowed each cast member to wear their own cordless microphone.

When the day for the performance arrived the cast and crew were ready. They performed a dress rehearsal of Act 1 for the St. Ann School student body Friday afternoon. The students in the cast and crew then stayed after school to fine tune portions of their performance and have dinner together before putting on their costumes and makeup. 

Before the evening performance, the cast and crew spent a few quiet moments together on stage reflecting on the purpose of telling such an important story and remembering the lives of the group of people they would represent.

The audience was thrilled with the performance. The cast beautifully portrayed the varied emotions from the events in the lives of those living in hiding in the Secret Annex, some humorous, frustrating, and joyful, and many terrifying. Many in the audience were moved to tears during the closing scene when Otto Frank, the only survivor of the Holocaust from the Secret Annex played by eighth grade student, Waylon McInturff, sat quietly on stage holding Anne’s diary and recalled for the audience the fates of his family and the others who shared the annex hiding place with him.

“The students really stepped up and did an amazing job portraying the characters with real understanding,” Sotiriadis said. “They got in touch with the story and were able to pass on the actual feelings and emotions of the events on to the audience. Their performance was a tribute to the people in the annex and a story that shouldn’t be forgotten.” 

The students are planning to attend this year’s Yom HaShoah Holocaust Remembrance Ceremony at the state capitol on April 21st.

The cast included Catherine Heller as Anne Frank, Waylon McInturff as Otto Frank, Micaela Bertrand as Edith Frank, Sarah Feely as Margot Frank, Davey Krause as Peter Van Daan, Evie Freeman as Petronella Van Daan, Jacob Babb as Herman Van Daan, Fort Richardson as Alfred Dussel, Amy Gill and Neva Duckworth as Miep Gies, Reuben Hoyos as Mr. Krahler and Margaret Pringle, Neva Duckworth, Megan Melder, Kaitlyn Dedman, Angela Ray, Anna Buchanan and Chris Robertson as the Nazi Soldiers. The crew included Megan Melder, Margaret Pringle, Shea Bradley, Cindy Nguyen, Douglas Anderson, Timothy Junquist, Cameron Wright and Anna Harden.
 

St. John Vianney students help with gala

St. John Vianney Catholic School is preparing for this year’s gala “Caribbean Rhythms” on May 9. The third grade class sits around their class project for auction. Pictured are Haley Brawner, Hannah Sudekum, Edgar Angel, Camrin Considine, Joshua Martinez, Katherine Rose Bullard, Ben Fouche, Danielle Rosselli, Lauren Ashcoff, Megan McCormick, Nathan Siebert, Sarah Gierla, Jackie Whiting, Cainie Brown, Tiegan Clausen, Olivia Silvestri, Sheridan Creasy and Zoee Troynar.
 

St. John Vianney students in state Science Olympiad

The Science Olympiad Team at St. John Vianney School in Gallatin placed in five events at the regional competition, qualifying for the Tennessee Science Olympiad to be held March 28 in Knoxville. Katie Rosenblatt the fifth grade and middle school science teacher at St. John Vianney. Pictured with her are team members (bottom row, L-R) Rose Daugherty, Blythe Clausen, Avalon Huddleston, Dana Clausen, Kelli Yorlano; (top row) Matthew Hager, Megan Gerstner, Meghan Sooker, Ellen Gerstner, Lauren Gierla, Jenna Singer, Caitlyn Sabitino and Jeffrey LeCave.
 

Overbrook School forensics team wins championship

Overbrook School’s forensics team ended the season undefeated with a big win at the diocesan league championship tournament held recently at St. Ann School.

The team, made up of 34 students in grades five through eight, won seven first place sweepstakes this season, including the league championship. First place wins came at the following tournaments: Holy Rosary, Christ the King, St. Joseph, St. Cecilia State Invitational, Father Ryan and the Overbrook State Invitational.

Deneen Glidwell is the Overbrook forensics coach and theatre instructor. This is her 13th year coaching forensics and the first season coaching at Overbrook. She is supported by co-coaches Katie Marotta and Sarah Vorholt.

“It was a challenge to form a team and not know the personalities of the students, but with hard work and determination their true character and confidence shone through,” said Glidwell. “A bond was formed. They learned that by being dedicated to the team they would, in turn, be successful. They are so lucky to be at a school that offers this wonderful program.”

The 2008-09 Overbrook Forensics Team posed for a photo after performing at a school assembly recently. The team members are: (front row, L-R) Kate Griffin, Anna Fortune, Caroline Kohl, Grace Quigley, Grayson Riggins, Emily Arena, Colleen Kemp, Gray Adelman, Andrew Kazimi; (second row) John Slota, Lucy Scherrer, Bailey Hunt, Maggie MacCurdy, Gracie Castle, Karen Bell, J.B. Lund, Robert Dedman, Jack Sonday; (third row) Dina Manalac, Maddie Lawry, Ellie Wenzler, Velvet Vaughan, Chloe Wall, Cecilia Bellet, Genny Parkes; (fourth row) Sarah Petroni, Morgan Jackson, Maddie Sposato, Briona Clark, Page Forrest; (back row) Christina Quigley, Rachel Overby and Kristin Deneen.
 

Overbrook School students recognized by Duke University TIP

Eleven out of the 18 Overbrook School seventh-graders who participated in the Duke University Talent Identification Program this school year by taking the SAT or ACT College Board exams were recognized for outstanding performances.

Twenty of the school’s seventh-graders, 74 percent of the class, qualified for the program. However, only 18 students chose to participate. From that group, 11 students performed at a high level such that they were recognized as outstanding performers for the state.

This year, in addition to those recognized on the state level for outstanding performances on the test, Overbrook seventh-grader Christina Quigley qualified for “Grand Recognition.” She will be honored this summer at the Grand Recognition Ceremony on the Duke University campus.

The state qualifiers are seventh-graders: Kristin Deneen, Eve Durand, Morgan Jackson, Micah Matthews, Katie McDow, Rachel Overby, Rachel Panther, Sarah Petroni, Hailey Smith and Chloe Wall. 

These students qualified for recognition based on strength of a single score or scores. Overbrook’s state qualifiers are invited to attend the State Recognition Ceremony held at Vanderbilt University on May 16.

To qualify for state recognition, students had to earn a minimum score in one of the subject areas of the ACT test, including 20 in the math and English and 21 in reading, or on the SAT test minimum scores of 520 in math, 510 in critical reading, a combination of 510 in math and 500 in critical reading, or two of the following three: 510 in math, 500 in critical reading and 490 in writing.

To qualify for grand recognition, students had to meet at least one of the following criteria: ACT scores of 28 in English, 28 in math, 30 in reading, 26 in science and 26 composite; SAT scores of 670 in math, 650 in critical reading, combined score of 1850 in math, critical reading and writing.

The Overbrook seventh-graders who were recognized for their outstanding performance on the ACT or SAT for the Duke TIP program are(back row, from left) Kristin Deenen, Eve Durand, Morgan Jackson, Hailey Smith, Rachel Overby, Micah Matthews; (front row) Rachel Panther, Chloe Wall, Christina Quigley and Sarah Petroni.