October 2023 Student Spotlights – Montgomery

Trinity’s middle school mixed media art class embarked on a daring alligator hunt in the K3 classroom! Mrs. Sprague read an enthralling story and students joined together for a fun craft. Then the room suddenly came alive with students pretending to be alligators!

James Ari’Yah, Yashar’yah, and C’Makyah Brown participated in the 2023 Huntingdon Band Day. These students represented Trinity among over 150 middle and high school students and performed with the Huntingdon College Band!

Mrs. Wallace’s Algebra 2 seniors have a fantastic morning exploring linear functions and relations. “The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics.” – Paul Halmos

Trinity K4 students love when the high school students come to help, the perks of one campus! They enjoyed working on a Chicka Chicka Boom Boom craft together.

LAMP High School senior Rhea Rastogi was recognized this past season by the National Speech and Debate Association as an Academic All American. By earning this recognition, Rhea has earned the NSDA degree of Superior Distinction by accumulating a minimum of 750 competition points; completed at least 5 semesters of high school; demonstrated outstanding character and leadership; and maintained a minimum GPA of 3.7. She is only the third student in LAMP history to receive this recognition.
Rhea also represented LAMP, Montgomery Public Schools, and the state of Alabama at the National Tournament back in June. This year’s tournament was hosted in Phoenix, AZ, and marked the third consecutive year Rhea has qualified to the tournament.

Highland Avenue Elementary was happy to welcome the new Burlington that moved into the neighborhood recently. As part of the new store’s grand opening, Burlington announced that it was donating $5,000 to the school.
Burlington made the donation through the national nonprofit AdoptAClassroom.org. Principal Heather Grayson is shown here at the store’s grand opening.

Students in Mrs. Bonner’s class studied how scientists and engineers develop plans. They were then challenged to design a plan to create a tall tower with seven cups. Students worked in groups of three to create and build their towers. Pictured here are future engineers. Learning is fun at River Region Academy!

Trinity students live out one of our core values: service. Students from the Service Class spent a morning at the Caring Center. They made 200 hygiene packs that will be distributed through First Baptist Church’s Prison Ministries.

Montgomery Christian School graduated 16 productive and amazing students in May 2023.  The end of year program was held at Young Meadows Presbyterian Church exploding with excitement and thankfulness.  These wonderful students successfully matriculated into the following local private and magnet schools:  Baldwin Magnet, Alabama Christian Academy, Holy Spirit Elementary, St. Bede School, Trinity Presbyterian School, River Region Academy and Evangel Christian School.  We are so proud of these confident scholars and their hard work to transition to great local middle schools.

Montgomery Christian School is happy to announce the addition of a second Kindergarten class for the 2023-2024 school year.  Each kindergarten class has 14 students with an amazing teacher and teacher aide.  We are excited about this opportunity for Montgomery families and look forward to growing to 2 classes per grade in the future.  Please contact MCS if you are looking for a Christian school environment for your student or are interested in helping local families invest in their student. You can contact MCS by calling 334-386-1749 or visiting our website at www.montgomerychristianschool.org.

LAMP High School senior Madison Rudolph has been selected to serve as a University of Alabama Early College Ambassador for the 2023-2024 academic year. Madison was selected from a very competitive pool of applicants and will be assisting the university with marketing and recruitment efforts for the upcoming year. While at LAMP, Madison has been involved with several school-based clubs, the National Honor Society, Varsity Girls Soccer, and currently serves as the photo editor of the school yearbook.
The UA Early College Ambassadors are charged with telling the story of UAEC and the impact it can make on students who participate in the program. The ambassadors work alongside their regional UAEC Recruiting Specialists and assist with various events throughout the year including virtual information sessions, speaking at local UAEC recruitment events, and assisting the recruitment team at college fairs in their area. Ambassadors also help the UAEC program expand their social media presence by sharing UAEC information on their social media accounts.
Madison looks forward to spreading the news about the UA Early College Program and the possibility of joining the freshman class at the University of Alabama next fall.

Montgomery Christian School 2023-2024 school year starts off with record enrollment – 118 students. MCS celebrated a great first day on August 10th. Smiles were seen on students faces as the new school year begins. The theme for this year is “Let Your Light Shine” and the Bible verse of emphasis is: Matthew 5:14-16: You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Please help MCS families and future students by praying, giving, or sharing about MCS.  You can contact MCS by calling 334-386-1749 or visiting our website at www.montgomerychristianschool.org.

Students in Mr. Doaty’s class sent him this photo to which he replied, “This made my day! Thank you so much! Tell the students I can’t wait to meet them. I’m ready to be their teacher again.” Mr. Doaty is undergoing treatment for cancer at UAB and is greatly missed at River Region Academy. While the students are in excellent hands with Ms. Hall and Mrs. Brown, we miss Mr. Doaty. He is one of a kind!

Macon East Academy Senior Anna Watson participated in the 2023 Montgomery County Distinguished Young Women program. Anna Watson was selected for the top ten and she received the Scholastic Award for all of Montgomery County participants. We are extremely proud of her for doing so well with such large competition. DYW is the largest and oldest national scholarship program for high school girls.

Forest Avenue 2nd graders in Mrs. Moles’s class explored the pollination process by constructing their own bees and then pollinating flowers with Kool Aid.

Three Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School seniors have received money for college in connection with the Distinguished Young Women of Montgomery County scholarship program.
Micaiah Gourdine finished in the Top 10 with a $250 Scholarship and a Presidential Merit Scholarship to the University of Mobile worth $56,000. Kenzie Moore also received a Presidential Merit Scholarship to the University of Mobile worth $56,000. Cameron Johnson received a Dean Merit Scholarship to the University of Mobile worth $44,000.

A BIG CONGRATULATIONS to the 2023-2024 Forest Avenue Chorus led by Ms. Erica Lutz. The chorus already has plans to not only perform for our school, but within our community as well. We are excited the chorus is back and ready for ACTION!

The students in Ms. DeHart’s class are eager to learn! They have been reading about the Statute of Liberty, learning to use a balance scale, practicing their handwriting, and participating in team-building activities. It’s great to love to learn!

Introducing the 2023-2024 peer helpers for this school year led by Mrs. Melissa Friesen and Mrs. Laura Daniel. These 4th and 5th grade students applied and were selected to be the peer helpers for our school. These students may spend time with lower grades helping them or helping their peers get along. Congratulations to each of these students!

FAAM is so excited to have an active Robotics team again and is looking forward to seeing all that they will accomplish this year! The team is led by Mrs. Lindsey Norris and Ms. Tiffanie Bruner.

On Friday, August 25, Saint James students in the History of Rock-N- Roll class visited some of the many sites Montgomery has to offer which feature local musical history. This trip focused on the history of Hank Williams, Sr.
The class visited the Hank Williams Museum and the gravesite of Hank Williams. They also visited a Montgomery staple eatery, and Hank Williams favorite, Chris’s Hot Dogs. Sitting in Hank’s favorite booth was a special treat!
The class is taught by Dr. Sallye York, department chair of the Saint James Arts Department. This class focuses on the local legends as well as vast history of the Rock-N-Roll genre of music. Saint James integrates arts history in classes at all division levels. Saint James School is committed to furthering students’ artistic abilities and arts appreciation.

On September 6, the Saint James School senior class and Kindergarten class had their Buddy Reveal event! The Kindergarten Buddy program has been a favorite program at Saint James for over 25 years, beginning in the fall of 1997.
During the morning’s event, the seniors placed one shoe in a large pile. Each senior’s shoe has a Kindergartner’s name on it. Once the K5 student locates the shoe with his/her nametag, then he/she must locate the matching shoe being worn by a senior. Smiles were seen on all the faces as the students paired up and got to know each other.
The STJ Kindergarten Buddy program will feature activities throughout the year that cement the friendships that will last a lifetime.

The Montgomery Academy seeks to make a positive impact on the community through our ongoing partnerships with several area organizations and expanding our reach through the selection of a K-12 Focus Agency. This year, we are proud to partner with Common Ground Montgomery to support their work empowering youth in disadvantaged communities and changing the odds for future generations. Executive Director, Bryan Kelly, attended our recent Middle and Upper School Public Service Assembly to share the history of the organization and what inspired him to start CGM. Student leaders at MA create opportunities for our community to volunteer, fundraise, and learn about how we can make a difference in the lives of others.

Learning opportunities knocked for our 9th graders as words leapt off the pages, causing their brain cells to dance, as they studied figurative language, including personification and hyperbole. (There is no exaggeration here!)

Saint James Senior Reilly Taylor, daughter of Mrs. Jacki Tucker and Mr. Tim Taylor, was crowned Saint James School’s 2023 Homecoming Queen in halftime ceremonies during STJ’s September 15th match-up against Greensboro.
Queen Reilly’s court included Freshman Attendant Charleigh-Kate Harper, Sophomore Attendant Olivia Patrick, Junior Attendant Tatiana Shuford, and Senior Attendant Ava Card. Queen’s Attendants were Senior Rylee Richardson and Senior Gracie Sommer. The crown bearers were Saint James kindergarten girls whose parents are Saint James alumni. The 2023 crown bearers were Miss Ruth Miller Benton, daughter of Mr. Joshua Baker and Mrs. Grace (Dixon) ‘06 Benton; Miss Berkley Elizabeth Guntharp, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nigel Adam ‘01 (Haley) Guntharp; Miss Daisy Christopher McLemore, daughter of Dr. Lawrence Underwood McLemore ’00, and Dr. and Mrs. Byron P. (Josie) Lawhon; and Miss Palmer Elizabeth Ware, daughter of Mr. Jon Christian and Dr. Ashley (Hooks) ’02 Ware.
After a school-wide homecoming parade, the queen was announced during the afternoon pep rally. Queen Reilly and her court were presented during halftime ceremonies at the homecoming football game that evening. Saint James Board of Trustees Chair, Lt. Col. Dex McCain, Retired, presented Queen Reilly with a silver bowl per school tradition, and Head of School, Dr. Larry McLemore, crowned the 2023 Queen with the assistance of the four crown bearers. The Trojans won the night’s game against the Raiders, 49-14.

Montgomery Academy senior Adrianne Lin has been named a Semifinalist in the 69th annual National Merit Scholarship Program! Adrianne will continue in the competition for some 7,140 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million that will be offered next spring. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. To qualify as a Semifinalist, a student must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT® or ACT® scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.

Wilson Albrecht, a senior at Trinity, was named a National Merit Semifinalist in the 69th annual National Merit Scholarship Program! To qualify as a Semifinalist, a student must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT® or ACT® scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test. Congratulations to Wilson!

Edgar Hubbert served as Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School’s ambassador at the Hugh O’Brian Youth (HOBY) Leadership seminar on Troy University’s campus, from May 24 – 26, 2023. HOBY believes all students have the potential to lead. HOBY seminars bring students together across different backgrounds, cultures, and communities and help students discover a newfound sense of awareness, confidence, connection, and purpose. During Alabama’s HOBY seminar, Edgar participated in facilitated dialogue and abilities-based workshops to develop his awareness of leadership strengths and gain an understanding of his leadership values. Through these dynamic activities, Edgar and his fellow ambassadors honed their skills and learned to recognize, amplify, and collaborate their diverse strengths.

The first Sunday in September after the Labor Day holiday is the official day for National Grandparents Day and many schools celebrated it on September 7th. TEA Christian Academy joined in the celebration by inviting grandparents to have lunch with their grandchildren. The students enjoyed sharing a pizza lunch with their grandparents, and this was an opportunity for grandparents to connect with their teachers, classmates, and Principal Dr. Maggie McElroy Washington. TEA Christian Academy is extremely grateful to all the grandparents for supporting their grandchildren at the event.

Prayer is ingrained into every activity at Montgomery Catholic and Monday, September 11 was no exception. Middle and High School students, faculty, and staff began their day on the front lawn gathered around the flagpole. There, Middle and High School Principal Eileen Aaron spoke a few words about the significance of the events of that day 22 years ago. Students then prayed together in remembrance of 9/11 and for all those affected by the tragedy. We pray that God may forever watch over our nation and protect the land of the free.

On Friday, September 15, Montgomery Catholic students served the community at Chappy’s Deli’s 16th Annual Breakfast for Babies to support the Baptist Health NICU. More than 60 students, admin, and faculty served food, helped organize deliveries, and helped with cleanup. In total, the Breakfast for Babies event raised $70,000 through the sale of 5,300 breakfasts and multiple donations throughout the morning. Montgomery Catholic is honored to participate in this wonderful event each year.

The senior class at Saint James School attended the Alabama Shakespeare Festival’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream on Wednesday, September 20. Senior English teacher Dr. Catherine Winn changed the pace from the usual reading of a Shakespearean tragedy in favor of this fabulous comedy. The students spent a month of class reading the play prior to the attendance.
Saint James School supports the community arts programs and makes use of the local educational opportunities, such as ASF, to further education in the arts for its students.

Evangel Christian Academy recently elected the Student Government Association representatives for the 2023-2024 school year. The representatives were excited about the opportunity to serve their school and work on service projects throughout the year. The new leaders elected were Lailah Watts, Joshua McCoy, Madesti Powell, L’Oreal Lewis, and Tobiyas McLemore. Madesti Powell was selected to serve as president. The new SGA members attended a Student Government Association workshop which took place at Vaughn Forrest Church in Montgomery, Alabama.

ACA honored the Back-to-Back State Champion Fishing team! We had a ring ceremony for fishermen and their captains. It was a special night recognizing what a major accomplishment it was to win this title back-to-back years.

On September 11th, WeServe had the opportunity to get out into the community and serve all the first responders with lunch. It was a day that Alabama Christian partnered with the Salvation Army to honor our first responders on a day of remembrance.

The Dalraida Church of Christ continues to coordinate shipments of humanitarian relief supplies into critical areas of the nation of Ukraine. As part of its ongoing operations, Dalraida loaded a cargo container on September 13. This will be project #399 in our efforts to send relief to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022. Joining Dalraida in this load will be ninth graders from Alabama Christian Academy. This service project was chosen by the students and faculty to put into real life the compassion that is desperately needed in our society today. A recent email from Ukraine frames the tragic situation in the lives of many Ukrainians: “There are some villages and small towns in the Kharkiv region where people don’t have anything to eat and eat whatever they can find—cats, dogs, and even rats!”
Throughout the state of Alabama, Dalraida has collected, sorted, packed, and shipped
hundreds of cargo containers. These shipments have made a realized impact on those in Ukraine (see photos and reports at www.dalraida.org/helpukraine). Dalraida Church of Christ has developed a secure distribution network within Ukraine where relief items go directly to citizens and are not merely warehoused. Verified reports and photos show that the people of Ukraine received items shipped.

Montgomery Academy Volleyball players Elle McBride and Caroline McDaniel recently surpassed the 1,000-kill milestone.

Members of The Montgomery Academy Upper School Chorus recently participated in the Southern Invitational Choral Conference at the University of Southern Mississippi. During the conference, students take part in intense rehearsals and high quality performances, meeting with fellow musicians across the southeast. Students learn the music onsite and perform it after two days of rehearsal.

ACA was blessed to have Mr. Andrew Brinley and Mr. Ozgur Uludag visit campus. They spoke to some of our classes and spoke in chapel about how Mr. Uludag came to find his faith. Andrew is the resident missionary in Turkey and Ozgur is the minister at the church in Antalya. He spoke in depth about his walk with Christ and how becoming a Christian helped him see that God’s plan is bigger than anything he could have even imagined. It was a day that most ACA students will not forget. We truly forget how blessed we are sometimes living in the United States.

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School will hold a 150th Anniversary Celebration and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to celebrate 150 consecutive years of shining Christ’s light in the River Region through Catholic Education. This event will be held at the Montgomery Catholic Middle and High School Campus on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 at 9 a.m.
Montgomery Catholic was founded in 1873 by the Sisters of Loretto who purchased the Gerald Mansion in downtown Montgomery at the request of Bishop Quinlon of Mobile and established St. Mary of Loretto School for girls. The opening of the school was delayed until October due to the yellow fever epidemic, during which the sisters welcomed and cared for the sick.
As the school grew in numbers, the Gerald Mansion went through several renovations. By 1929, the boys of St. Peter’s School were absorbed into St. Mary of Loretto. Expanding to multiple locations became the best option, as the high school was renamed Montgomery Catholic High and St. Bede Elementary was erected in 1956. Further undergoing renovations and relocations, the Montgomery Catholic High School campus found a home on Vaughn Road in 1965.
Over the last 60 years, Montgomery Catholic has expanded to include a dedicated middle school campus, an additional elementary campus at Holy Spirit Parish, growing arts and athletic facilities and a reunification as a regional model school titled Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School (MCPS). Today, MCPS serves nearly 800 students and more than 500 families across four campuses in grades K3-12.

Saint James School is proud to announce that Will Alexander has been awarded the distinction of National Merit Semifinalist for 2024. This prestigious honor is awarded to approximately 16,000 students nationwide, from over a million entrants. This honor is well-deserved.
National Merit Semifinalists are recognized for the exceptional academic promise shown by their outstanding performance on the 2022 PSAT tests, as well as their academic record, leadership abilities, honors received, and participation in school and community activities. Identifying these academically talented high school seniors across the nation provides them the opportunity to continue in the scholarship competition vying for one of 7,140 National Merit Scholarships that will be offered in the spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. Over 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and approximately half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the title Merit Scholar.
Will is the son of Crystal Johnson and Terrence Alexander. Will feels that “Saint James has supported me in reaching this goal by helping me to grow. My teachers make sure I’m challenged and held responsible, helping me to learn and grow every day, and my classmates make coming to school enjoyable and a place I like to be.” Will plans to apply to Auburn, Georgia Tech, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Florida State.

Montgomery Catholic’s High School campus science classes are constantly pushed and driven to come up with creative ways to make class more fun. They never seem to miss the mark either.
Mrs. Sington’s Honors Biology class recently learned about the properties of water. They conducted a project in which they counted the number of water drops and soapy water drops it took to fill a penny. This helped them make the connection to the property of cohesion and water surface tension.
Dr. Parker’s AP Physics II class tested what they learned about fluids using Bernoulli and Torricelli’s principle to place a cup in the right place in order to catch water from a pipe. This one got a little messy, but the students didn’t mind.

Montgomery Catholic 4th graders from our St. Bede and Holy Spirit campuses were invited to attend a Youth Golf Clinic on Wednesday, September 13. The clinic was held at Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Prattville during the LPGA Guardian Championship. Professional golfers volunteered their time to host the clinic while they were preparing for their tournament that weekend. They learned the basics and beauty of the sport, even if that meant holding a golf club in their hands for the first time!