The school's Fine Arts Department offered several enrichment camps during the month of June:

SJCS Middle School and High School Drama Teacher Teresa McGrath offered a theatre camp in early June. Students ranging from grades 3-7 attended the week-long camp in which they received hands-on acting experiences in warm-up techniques, building characters, and the overall rehearsal process. Every day was spent working toward the production of "The Case of the Bewitched Books," performed on the last day of camp. The production was directed by rising senior Amy Hase and assisted by SJCS students Sarah Bathon, Kevin Carey, Caroline Cooney, Savannah Klosowski, David Rogozenski, and Clare Ruble. Additionally, for the first time, a four-day High School Auditioning Camp was held, in which students learned and implemented new techniques to prepare them for the audition process, both at St. Joseph's and for college.

SJCS Art Teacher Deborah Henderson offered two art camps in June. The first camp was a student camp titled "Collage Art…Telling A Story," based on the artwork of Romare Bearden. Projects were based on a personal memory and students used photographs, magazine cutouts, cloth and other textures, and acrylic paint to recreate the scene or time. The second camp was an adult camp titled "Chalk Pastel/Charcoal Drawing." Adults worked with charcoal to focus on the shape of an object and the different values of white to black. After the black and white drawing was completed, the adults worked with the same object as before, but this time using chalk pastels to focus on seeing different shades of color.

Click here to view more camp photos.

Rising junior Grant McMillan and rising senior Christopher Schrank were selected to participate in the South Carolina Business Week Encampment at Presbyterian College July 10-15. This program is designed to educate high school students on entrepreneurship and the American free enterprise system. Each student attending the program is fully sponsored on scholarship from the business community.

Christopher Schrank was also selected to attend the summer scholars program at the University of Notre Dame June 19 through July 1. This is a unique opportunity for outstanding high school students to explore one of the 13 academic fields of study. For two weeks, participants become part of the Notre Dame student body, through their academic studies, social interactions, and spiritual encounters.

Rising senior Josh Schammel was selected to attend the YMCA Youth Conference on National Affairs July 2-7. This program began in 1968 as a follow-up to the state Youth in Government programs conducted by the YMCA throughout the U.S.

Rising seniors Elizabeth Moore and Grace Hanna were selected to attend the annual Palmetto Girls State June 12-18 at Presbyterian College. Rising seniors David Estes, Brace Plumblee, and Christopher Schrank were selected to attend the annual Palmetto Boys State June 12-18 at Anderson College. Girls State and Boys State are one-week leadership and citizenship-training programs created to further educate outstanding high school students about state and local government.

Fifteen high school students, along with SJCS chaplain Father Longenecker and three chaperones, traveled to El Salvador earlier this month on the school's annual summer mission trip. Class of 2011 graduates Clark Burgess, Maureen Connelly, Natalie Olson, Stephanie Saunders, and Ricky Schosky were joined by Abby Clark, John Dutch, Justin Finigan, Katie Helvey, Madeline Hester, Mitchell Jones, Michael Kopsik, and Justin Peck, along with Spanish speaking students Jose Cabrera and Ivan Gonick, who served as translators. SJCS faculty member Joanna McLucas, SJCS parent Nancy Olson, and Diocese of Charleston seminarian Stephen Beach accompanied the group.

The team enjoyed four work days, two educational days, and three days of recreation. At the CIDECO village, a Catholic housing, education, and employment project, St. Joseph's students helped local students with their English conversation, taught swimming, and played sports with the students. In addition, they sanded and painted hand rails throughout the school and visited the local parish. They also visited a convent of Mother Theresa's Missionaries of Charity, learned about the inner city slum work of a Salesian priest, Padre Pepe, visited the site of the assassination of Archbishop Romero, and learned about the history, geography, politics, and spirituality of El Salvador. In addition, the St. Joseph's team assisted at Mass in village churches, including a colorful village fiesta for Saint Anthony of Padua.

Click here to view more photos.

Math Department Chair George Carr, History Department Chair Kevin Stanton, and History faculty member Meby Carr were all invited to read Advanced Placement exams again this summer.

• George Carr recently returned from Daytona, FL, where he graded AP Statistics exams for his sixth year.
• Kevin Stanton and Meby Carr both recently returned from Louisville, KY., where they graded AP U.S. History exams, Stanton for his fourth year and Carr for her ninth year. Carr was also a second year Table Leader.

Rising seniors Monica Fric and Megan Heijjer both received their Girls Scout Gold Awards recently, the highest honor awarded in Girl Scouts. Among other requirements, each recipient plans, designs, and implements a sixty-hour Gold Award Project that meets an expressed need in the community and will have a lasting impact on society.

• Monica's project was entitled "A Walk Around Greenville." She collaborated with the Upcountry History Museum to create a historical walking tour of downtown Greenville. Inspired by her interest in history, Monica researched historical landmarks in Greenville and designed a brochure that leads visitors through an informative walk. Thanks to her efforts, school groups, tourists, and residents can now enjoy an educational stroll through downtown Greenville. Monica has been in Girls Scouts for eleven years and had previously earned her both her Girl Scout Bronze Award and Girl Scout Silver Award.
• Megan's project was entitled "A Treasure Chest Under The Sea." Inspired by her love of children, Megan worked with the Children's Emergency Center at Greenville Memorial Hospital. She built and painted a toy box with an undersea theme and then held a toy drive to fill the box with trinkets and treasures for the children. Megan also spent many hours sewing surgery caps for the children undergoing surgery…all helping to make a difference in the lives of children who are visiting the Emergency Room. Megan has been in Girl Scouts for ten years and had previously earned both her Girl Scout Bronze Award and her Girl Scout Silver Award.

Rising junior Kaitlyn Posa has been admitted to the "Leadership Quest" Summer Scholars program at Furman University. The Summer Scholars program is an academic enrichment program that engages rising juniors and seniors in small group settings under the direction of Furman faculty members. The experience includes lectures, debates, laboratory research, field trips, group and individual projects, and other activities intended to provide a challenging learning experience.

Selected last year to participate in the Emerging Public Leaders Program at Furman University, Class of 2011 member Emily Cinquemani spent a week at Furman last summer participating in activities focused on public and community leadership. As part of the program, Emily developed and implemented a student-led service project initiative to benefit the community. As a result of research and her own passion for literature, she created a service project called "Readers Rock." Emily sent letters to publishing companies and retailers requesting support for her project and book donations. Two companies donated books and four local agencies worked to distribute the books to needy children. She also solicited the support of the school's new English Honor Society in preparing the books for distribution and putting name plates in the books.

Emily recently presented her project to the Riley Institute Emerging Public Leaders Program judges, and was awarded a Second Place plaque. A $1,000 cash prize was awarded to St. Joseph's for the continuation of this project.

Fourth Quarter Honor Roll

Click here.

At the school's annual year-end celebration, several staff members were recognized for length of service:

• Ten-Year Recognition: John Devanny, Steve Duchaney, Dawn Hawkins, and Salvador Rodriguez
• Five-Year Recognition: Peter Adair, Deborah Henderson, Bill Hudson, Mireya Lumbreras, Denise Mehl, and Sharon Ruble

Seventh grade students in Joanna McLucas's science classes recently tested their peripheral vision as part of a unit on the Brain and Senses. Special devices were used to allow the tester to move an object around the side of the subject, and the students recorded when the subject was able to correctly identify the letter or color. The most difficult part of the lab was for the subject to remain focused ahead and not glance from side to side. The students were surprised to discover that the letters need to be almost directly in front of them in order to be identified correctly.

Click here for more photos.

Congratulations to SJCS Science Teacher Sharon Ruble, who recently won the East Greenville Chapter of the National League of Junior Cotillions (NLJC) Best Mannered Teacher Award. The award was part of an essay contest sponsored by a local chapter of the NLJC, an etiquette and social dance training program for students in grades 6-9. The contest was designed to honor a teacher whom the Junior Cotillion students felt exemplified the customs and courtesies being taught in the NLJC program, and contest entries were to include the teacher's positive characteristics, how the teacher showed courtesy and respect for students, and why the teacher was a good role model. This year’s essay winner was SJCS sixth grader Breanna Anderson. Breanna wrote that her teacher… "Is considerate of others and cares about her student's feelings. She is always available to help her students and she is one of the kindest people at St. Joseph's." Angie Mosley, Director of the NLJC East Greenville Chapter, surprised Mrs. Ruble with an award presentation during class on May 18.

The following athletes were recently named All-State by the High School Sports Report and honored at a banquet in Columbia on June 5, 2011.
Click here.

The Middle School Chess Club recently hosted guest speaker and Senior Chess Master Klaus Pohl. Considered by many to be the greatest champion in South Carolina, Pohl has won the State Championship an unprecedented twelve times, and is one of the strongest players in the Southeast. He shared stories about learning chess in his native Germany, growing up under Nazi and Communist governments, and escaping to West Germany as a teenager. Pohl also shared chess tournament preparation techniques and played an exhibition game against freshman Luke Lepak.

In other Middle School Chess Club news, four members played in the Buncombe Country Scholastic Tournament held recently in Arden, NC. Morrigan Dearman, Charlotte Gayle, Elias Longenecker, and Ben Ragan competed with 120 other students from North and South Carolina in this USCF-rated event. Ben Ragan captured third place and Elias Longenecker took fifth place in the K-12th Grade Division.

St. Joseph's fielded thirty-three sports teams for the 2010-2011 school year: three middle school teams, thirteen junior varsity teams, and seventeen varsity teams. In the school's first year of competition in the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) at the 1A Level, the combined seasons produced: one State Champion (Girls Cross-Country), one State Runner-Up (Varsity Girls Basketball), and four Upper State Runners-Up (Varsity Boys Soccer, Varsity Boys Tennis, Varsity Girls Tennis, and Varsity Girls Volleyball). Varsity Boys Golf finished third in the State, and Varsity Boys Swimming finished third in a combined 1A-2A-3A State Meet. Varsity Boys Baseball, Varsity Boys Basketball, Varsity Girls Basketball, Varsity Boys Soccer, Varsity Girls Soccer, Varsity Girls Softball, Varsity Boys Tennis, Varsity Girls Tennis, and Varsity Girls Volleyball all advanced to the State Playoffs.

The following athletes were named SCHSL Region Two 1A Player of the Year: Kelly Assinesi (Varsity Boys Basketball) and Chandler Consonery (Varsity Girls Tennis).

Two coaches were named SCHSL Region Two 1A Coach of the Year: Grace Franklin (Varsity Girls Basketball) and Marie Kernell (Girls Cross-Country).

Eight athletes were named SCHSL All-State in their various sports: Carol Lewis, Katie Lynam (Varsity Girls Cross-Country), Justin Finigan, Bradley Kauffman (Varsity Boys Golf), Pietro Bottari, Alex Burnikel, Austin Burnikel, Nic Poupore (Varsity Boys Soccer).

Nineteen athletes were named by the High School Sports Report (HSSR) to the SCHSL 2010-2011 All-State Team in their various sports: Aaron Lesiak and Ryan Stamler (Baseball), Kelly Assinesi (Varsity Boys Basketball), Elizabeth Reynolds (Varsity Girls Basketball), Carol Lewis and Katie Lynam (Varsity Girls Cross-Country), Justin Finigan and Bradley Kauffman (Golf), Alex Burnikel, Austen Burnikel, Pietro Bottari, and Nic Poupore (Boys Soccer), Mary Stanton and Meredith Schosky (Girls Soccer), Alli Griffin and Caitlin Rusnak (Softball), Jared Kauffman and Justin Mehl (Varsity Boys Swimming), and David Reed (Tennis).

Four athletes were named to the 2010 All-County Football Team: Freshman Andre Stoddard, juniors David Estes and Michael Kopscik, and senior Eric Holsen. Andre Stoddard was named All-County Running Back and Erik Holsen was named Honorable Mention All-County Defensive Tackle.

Forty-seven athletes were named SCHSL All-Region in their various sports: Aaron Lesiak, David Marable, Ryan Stamler (Varsity Boys Baseball), Kelly Assinesi, Alex Winebarger (Varsity Boys Basketball), Carter Powell (Middle School Boys Basketball), Imani-Grace King, Katherine Reynolds, Caroline Sparr (Varsity Girls Basketball), Cristina Waingart (Middle School Girls Basketball), Ben Longenecker (Varsity Boys Cross-Country), Jennifer Coggins, Dani Inglesby, Carol Lewis, Katie Lynam, Sara Catherine Masaschi (Varsity Girls Cross-Country), Erik Holsen, Tyler Visin (Varsity Boys Football), Justin Finigan, Bradley Kauffman, Alex Kickham, Charly Van Norden (Varsity Boys Golf), Pietro Bottari, Austen Burnikel, Nic Poupore (Varsity Boys Soccer), Shannon Beck, Taylor Boyle, Mary Stanton (Varsity Girls Soccer), Alli Griffin, Caitlin Rusnak, Stephanie Saunders (Varsity Girls Softball), Alex Biscopink, Patrick Mobley, David Reed (Varsity Boys Tennis), Olivia Baumgarten, Shannon Beck, Chandler Consonery (Varsity Girls Tennis), Nicholle Stein, Allison Suhrer (Varsity Girls Volleyball), Hannah Lagaly, Cristina Waingart (Middle School Girls Volleyball), and Connor Bolick, Clark Burgess, Nadir Dbouk, Gabe McCall, Daniel Sokol, Austin Van Houten (Varsity Boys Wrestling).

Click here to view the Athletic Awards Ceremony List of Honorees

Click here to view the Athletic Awards Ceremony Video

In their first year in the South Carolina High School A/AA bracket, St. Joseph's varsity girls soccer program made a name for itself as they entered the State Playoffs ranked second in the region and fourth in the state.

The Lady Knights hosted the first round of the playoffs at home against Brashier Middle College Charter, and came out with a solid 9-0 win. Next they faced Southside Christian School, a team that had managed a 1-0 victory against the Lady Knights earlier in the season. This time, St. Joseph's came out on top with a 4-0 victory over the Sabres. SJCS went on to face Christ Church in the quarter finals. The game started well for the Lady Knights and they were tied 0-0 with ten minutes left in the first half when lightening delayed the game. After a forty minute delay, St. Joseph's lost their momentum and the Cavs managed to overcome them with a 4-1 victory over the Lady Knights.

The varsity squad graduated five players this season: forward Mary Stanton, who has signed to play for Newberry College, midfielder Katie Lynam (College of Charleston), stopper Caitlin Rowe (West Point), marking back Ashley McCarthy (College of Charleston), and goalie Taylor Boyle (University of South Carolina). Meredith Schosky and Stanton made the All-State Team and Shannon Beck, Schosky, and Stanton were named to the All-Region Team.

JV Girls Soccer

While the Varsity squad came up just short of their goal, the JV squad finished their inaugural year with a winning season that only posted two losses.

"I was extremely proud of our girls this season," stated Coach Elizabeth Offerle. "We had a big win against Greenville High School, and finished our season by tying Christ Church in our best game of the year. We were a young team and depended on each player to pull us through. Every single player made an important impact, and we would not have been as successful as we were without the individual and team efforts of the girls."

Offerle feels confident that the JV Lady Knights will continue to build a strong and successful program in the years to come.

"We had a lot of different ages, grades, and experience levels, but we all learned to work together as a team," concluded team member Nikki Williams. "We did a great job kicking off the first JV girls soccer season at St. Joe's."

Headmaster's Farewell Remarks - Part 1:

Headmaster's Farewell Remarks - Part 2:

The school's fifteenth Commencement Exercises were held on Saturday, May 28. The Class of 2011, consisting of 76 members, was offered college scholarship and grant money in excess of $6 million dollars. Sixty-nine members (91%) of the class received scholarship offers, including 64 members who were awarded money from the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education: 14 Palmetto Fellows Scholarships, 46 Life Scholarships, and 4 Hope Scholarships. Seven members of the class were recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation: four were named National Merit Finalists, one was named a National Merit Commended Student, another was named a National Achievement Semi-Finalist, and one was named a National Achievement Scholarship Winner. In addition, eight members of this class have committed to continue their athletic careers. The Class of 2011 was also distinguished by the addition of several new colleges and universities to the ever-growing list of schools to which the previous 529 graduates were accepted, including California Polytechnic State University, Centre University, Daemen College, Liberty University, Ohio State University, The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, and The University of Chicago. For a complete list of college acceptances, please visit the website’s College Guidance page.

Click here to view more photos.

Click here to view the Ernest Rawlins Portrait Studio gallery. (password in June News & Notes)

Click here to view the Greenville News photo gallery.

Click here to read Seth Kiser's Salutatory Address.

Click here to read Theresa Krupka's Farewell Address.

Students celebrated the close of another school year recently with a Team Day Competition. Congratulations to the high school team of the Vikings (Duchaney/Houmis Households), the 2010-2011 Headmaster's Cup winners. Congratulations to the middle school team of the Dragon Slayers (Brandon/McLucas Households), the 2010-2011 Noble Knight winners.

Click here to view more photos.

The St. Joseph's Varsity Boys Soccer Team finished their regular season with a 14-5 record, placing second in the region, and second in the state 1A classification.

After spring break, the Knights went on a seven game winning streak which ended seconds (and inches) away from advancing to the state championship. It was a game of back and forth against local rival Christ Church, with both teams battling tirelessly to the end. With the score tied and less than one minute left in the game, St. Joe's Austen Burnikel took a free kick from thirty yards out and hit the cross bar. With 30 seconds left on the clock, teammate Ryan Bertling, who scored earlier in the game, took a shot and hit the goal post. The game then went into overtime, and the Cavaliers were able to capitalize on a mistake by the Knights to advance to the state finals.

"My heart stopped beating not once but twice in the last minutes of the game." said Coach Frank Kucinic. "I have never had a team compete the way that they did that night. I was quite pleased at the heart, grit, pride, courage, and determination that the boys displayed….they definitely gave people something to talk about."

JV Boys Soccer

This was the first year that St. Joseph's fielded a JV Boys Soccer Team, and already the program has made a name for itself. The team, comprised mostly of boys in grades 7-9, was able to compete with every team they faced, and they finished the season with a 9-5 winning record.

"Several key JV players were asked to play with the varsity team during the play-offs," said Coach Kucinic. "Daniel Escobar, Andrew Grant, Tomas Larrain, and Tariq Namouz all helped lead this team to the success they enjoyed this season. The future looks bright as we look forward to next year."

This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Varsity Boys Tennis Team, but somehow the players didn’t get that message. Not surprisingly, the season began with some growing pains and struggles, and after the first five matches, the Knights posted a disappointing 1-4 record. In some sense that was to be expected. What was not to be expected was what happened after that. Just when it looked like their season might be over, the team began winning. In fact, the squad did not lose again until the finals of the Upstate Tournament. In the end, the team finished the year 7-5, with only Christ Church between them and the Upstate Championship Title.

"These boys are not only resilient, but they are willing to work hard to improve," stated Coach Sean Chapman. "These guys want to win, and as a coach, I couldn’t ask for anything more."

Freshman David Reed maintained the number one spot throughout the year, consistently working to improve his game all season. At number two and number three, respectively, were freshmen Patrick Mobley and Alec Biscopink, who showed tremendous improvement in their respective positions. Rounding out the top five were freshmen Patrick Hudak and Andrew Stein, who brought energy and consistency to the order. Also on the team are eighth graders John Andrew Knight and sophomore Grant McMillan, who demonstrated the overall depth of the team through their success at doubles. Rounding out the top eight was junior Michael Gibson, who brought height and success to the team, particularly at the net.

The team enjoyed solid victories this season against Southside Christian and Landrum, while suffering defeats against Greenville High, Spartanburg Day, Christ Church, and Southside Christian. Perhaps the biggest victory of the season was the Knights third match-up against Southside Christian. The teams had split during the year, and the tiebreaker would determine who went to the tournament. One of the highlights of this match was St. Joe's David Reed's victory over Southside Christian's Ash Abel, a player he had previously never defeated.

"This group has me really excited for next year," concluded Coach Chapman. "Despite the team's youth, if they work at it in the off-season, I firmly expect them to challenge Christ Church next year for the top of our division."

JV Tennis

Even though they ended the season without a winning record, the JV Boys Tennis Team was glad for the opportunity to get together to play, while building their skills in the process.

"This was a rebuilding year for us," stated Coach JD Carino. "I was mainly focused on teaching the guys the core fundamentals, and I’m proud to say that they all improved tremendously. With some more work on their part in the off-season, I'm excited to see what next year brings."

The Class of 2011 took part in the annual Senior Send-Off ceremony held on Friday, May 20. In a high school assembly, faculty members recounted fond memories of the class, the Senior Video was shown, and the annual Red Door farewell ceremony was held. As a tribute to the school’s early beginnings, where every student entered and exited the first campus through a red door, graduating seniors now leave campus on their last day through that same red door.

Prior to the seventy-six members of the Class of 2011 processing out through the door to cheers from students and staff, Headmaster Keith Kiser read the following excerpt:

In the autumn of 1993, St Joseph's School opened its doors. On that August morning, the first thirteen students entered the school through a red door. At the time, the red door was the entrance to a little house next to St. Michael's Lutheran Church on Augusta Road. Since then, by God's providence, the generosity of many friends and family members, and the hard work of countless people, St Joseph’s has become a beacon for fine Catholic education in upstate South Carolina. During our fifteenth anniversary celebration, the red door was donated to St Joseph's and placed here at the center of our school.

Seniors, every door is a symbol of transition. As you cross the threshold, you step into a new chapter on your adventure of faith. Your future is bright because your foundations are sure. If you build on what you have received at St Joseph's, your life will be full of blessings because it will be full of God's grace. Before long, we will celebrate your graduation with all due ceremony and joy, but today, I ask you to pass through this red door as a symbol of your farewell to St. Joseph's Catholic School. This is not the end, but a new beginning. As you go through the red door, remember that Christ calls Himself the door and the way to eternal life. He invites us to step out of our normal expectations and follow Him on the greatest adventure life has to offer: the adventure of faith. To quote Pope John Paul II, "Do not be afraid! Open wide the doors to Christ!"

Seniors, we hope that as you go you will always remember your time at St. Joseph's Catholic School with affection and loyalty. May God bless you and protect you. Fare forward and farewell.

Following the ceremony, seniors were given their Alumni Cards and enjoyed a final Senior Luncheon, prepared by the Parents Guild. That afternoon, the seniors enjoyed their last Team Competition Day on campus.

With their high school career coming to a close, seniors recently celebrated one of their last days on campus wearing t-shirts reflecting their college choice.

Click here for more photos.

Senior Chandler Consonery recently signed a National Letter of Intent to continue her tennis career at Duquesne University (Pittsburg, PA), an NCAA Division I school. Consonery, who remained undefeated in singles matches this year, was named the Class A Player of the Year by the South Carolina Coaches Association of Women’s Sports.

In addition, seven other members of the Class of 2011 will continue their athletic careers in college:

• Kelly Assinesi has committed to continue his basketball career at Liberty University (Lynchburg, VA), an NCAA Division I school. Assinesi, a point-guard who played his first two years of high school ball in California, surpassed the 1,000 point mark in less than two seasons at St. Joseph's.
• Sara Brehmer has accepted a position on the Spirit Dance Team at Clemson University, an NCAA Division I program. Sara has danced for fourteen years, currently dances for Upstate Carolina Dance, and is the only freshman member of the Clemson Rally Cats Dance Team. She will be part of the team's effort for both Clemson football and basketball.
• Alex Burnikel signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer for Clemson University, an NCAA Division I school. Burnikel, named an All-Region, All-Conference, All-State, and High School All-Star player, has also had great success at the state, regional, and national level as a member of the CESA 92 Boys Premier Soccer Team for eight years.
• Jared Kauffman signed a National Letter of Intent to swim for Ohio State University, an NCAA Division I school. Kauffman, a multiple-year MVP for St. Joseph's, holds many state titles and records at the high school level. He was a member of three national championship YMCA teams and four national championship relay teams.
• Ben Longenecker has committed to run Cross-Country at Belmont Abbey College, an NCAA Division II school. Longenecker earned his mark as the fastest runner in the history of St. Joseph's, has three high school State Championships to his credit, and was named to the South Carolina High School League 2010 All-Region, All-County, and All-State Teams.
• Mary Stanton signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer for Newberry College, an NCAA Division II school. Stanton, named an All-Region, All-Conference, and High School All-Star player during her career at St. Joseph's, also competes for CESA 92 Girls Premier Soccer Team.
• Alex Winebarger has committed to continue his basketball career at the University of Dallas, an NCAA Division III school. Winebarger had an outstanding career for the Knights, leading the team in rebounding the past two seasons and scoring over 900 points during his three years on the varsity squad.

The Lady Knights recently wrapped up a successful softball season with an overall record of 13-7 and an 8-4 finish in region play. The team finished third in the region and earned a trip to the District IV Championship in the playoffs. Although falling short of the Upper State Tournament, the team did achieve its goals of reaching the playoffs and finishing in the top tier of the region.

"All of the players, but especially the seniors, were disappointed we did not go further in the playoffs," stated Coach Bill Hudson. "But they have a lot to be proud of coming into a new league and making an impact right away."

Impact is an understatement for the late game performance of the Lady Knights in the second round of the playoffs against Wagener Salley. Down 7-1 and 2 outs away from elimination in the top of the seventh inning, the team battled back to tie the score and then went on to win 10-7 in the eighth inning. Key hits from senior Liz Reynolds led to a finish that will not soon be forgotten as the tide turned from certain defeat to a remarkable victory. Buoyed by this win, the Lady Knights went on to defeat North Central in another elimination game before bowing to Ninety Six in the District IV Championship.

Offensively the team was led by the bats of Elizabeth Bannio, Caitlin Rusnak, Stephanie Saunders and Meredith Moore. Defensively the team was led by the pitching of Alli Griffin, with help from Bannio. Madeleine McMillan, with help from Katie Gagne, handled the catching duties. The infield was anchored by Rusnak and Bannio in the middle and Saunders and Katherine Reynolds at the corners. Jeanne Morrison, Gabrielle Genal, Liz Reynolds, Moore, and Maddy Longenecker covered the outfield with help from Caroline Sparr and Audrey Ward.

The Lady Knights success is reflected in post season accolades. Seniors Rusnak and Saunders and sophomore Alli Griffin were named to the SCHSL 1A Region Two All-Region Team. The future remains bright for the Lady Knights, although the team will be without a lot of familiar faces with the graduation of eight seniors. Senior leadership was a huge contribution, both offensively and defensively, to the success of this season.

"It was a blessing from the start of the season to be able to draw from the depth and experience provided by seniors Kaitlyn Dunphy, Gabrielle Genal, Meredith Moore, Jeanne Morrison, Liz Reynolds, Caitlin Rusnak, Stephanie Saunders, and Caroline Sparr," concluded Coach Hudson. "The experience that these athletes represent is tremendous and cannot be easily replaced. However, they leave the program in great shape as their enthusiasm and dedication has been instrumental in attracting younger players to the game and leading them to step into a bigger varsity role. We had a strong bench this year and a lot of players received good game experience"

JV Softball

The JV Lady Knights, led by Coach Schanon Smith, recently wrapped up their second season of play with a 6-6 record and 4-3 region finish. The team enjoyed a successful first season of SCHSL play with a third place finish in the region.

"The overall level of play was better this year and I am proud of the way the girls rose to the challenge," stated Coach Smith.

The JV squad consisted of the following players: Caty Brown, Jessica Forry, Madeline Fric, Madison Genal, Emma Gross, Hannah Lagaly, Frankie Malafronte, Michelle Malsch, Madeline McChesney, Nicole McEvleen, Gigi Nally, Amanda Nesta, Kira Sawyers, Margaret Stanton, Emma Wetenhall, and Flannery Wood. "It was great to see how the girls improved and developed throughout the season," stated Coach Smith. "I hope to see all of them back next season, but realize that their level of play will earn some a spot at the varsity level."

Congratulations to all the students and staff who were recently recognized at the end-of-year Academic Awards Ceremony.

Click here for a complete list.

Congratulations to SJCS faculty members Joel Brandon, winner of the 2011 Deacon Robert Brady Middle School Excellence In Teaching Award, and Megan Koon, winner of the 2011 Father Hayden Vaverek High School Excellence In Teaching Award. These awards are presented annually to one Middle School and one High School faculty member who demonstrate commitment and dedication to St. Joseph's, while exemplifying the spirit of teaching in all walks of life. The Middle School Teacher Award recipient is selected by vote of the Eighth Grade Class, and the High School Teacher Award recipient is selected by vote of the Senior Class. Joel Brandon teaches seventh grade English and U.S. History, was the Varsity Boys Assistant Tennis Coach this past season, and assisted with the high school's Youth in Government attorney team last semester. Megan Koon teaches high school English and moderates the National English Honor Society and the Book Club.

St. Joseph's Catholic School does not rank its students, and therefore does not name a Valedictorian or Salutatorian. Instead, graduating seniors must meet other criteria in order to receive the top student awards. At the school’s recent year-end Academic Awards Ceremony, Headmaster Keith Kiser presented three members of the Class of 2011 with the school's top three awards:

• The Outstanding Christian Athlete Award was presented to Elizabeth Reynolds. This award is presented annually to the graduating student athlete who best embraces the mission and philosophy of St. Joseph's, both on and off the playing field. Members of the Senior Class may nominate any senior athlete they feel is deserving of this award, whose names are then submitted to the Headmaster, with the recipient being selected by the coaches.
  
• The Father Fox Award was presented to Seth Kiser. This award, named in honor of Father Fox, the first priest to celebrate Mass regularly at St. Joseph's, is given annually to the senior who epitomizes the qualities of Christian charity and compassion. Members of the Senior Class may nominate any senior they feel is deserving of this award, whose names are then submitted to the Headmaster, with the recipient being selected by faculty vote. The recipient delivers the salutatory address at graduation.
  
• The Redemptoris Custos Award was presented to Theresa Krupka. This award is given annually to the senior who excels in scholarship, Christian leadership, and service and who best exemplifies the virtues of St. Joseph and the principles upon which the school was founded. This is the highest honor a student may receive at St. Joseph's. Selection is by faculty vote. Redemptoris Custos is the Latin title for St. Joseph, meaning Guardian of the Redeemer. The recipient delivers the farewell address at graduation.

Twelve SJCS seventh grade students have qualified for State Recognition in the Duke University Talent Identification Program (TIP) by scoring at or above the national average of high school juniors and seniors on at least one part of the SAT or ACT college entrance tests. Kara Cervetti, Jared Chamberlin, Grace Cooney, Hunter Corrin, Alie Fink, John Kelly, Yanni Koutsioukis, Mary Kramer, Nathan Petrofes, Carter Powell, Margaret Utecht, and Miles Weiss will be recognized in a special ceremony at Furman University on May 25.

Forty-six SJCS seventh graders, or 55% of the class, qualified for participation in the Duke TIP by virtue of their performance on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), scoring in the top five percentile in one of the qualifying sections during their sixth grade testing sessions. The Duke TIP helps identify academically promising seventh grade students based on standardized test scores.

The St. Joseph's Knights Chorus was invited to perform at Artisphere, a three-day city-wide arts festival held in downtown Greenville May 13-15. The event featured visual, performing, and culinary arts. The chorus performed various selections from their spring concert, including the traditional Latin piece Soli Deo Gloria and Seasons of Love, which featured soloists Anabel Masaschi and Clare Ruble. A choral medley from Bernstein's West Side Story featured soloists Kevin Carey, Abby DeMars, Allison Espada and Patrick Mobley. The chorus concluded their performance with traditional spiritual, Until I Found the Lord.

The SJCS Fine Arts Department presented an evening of music at the 2011 Deo Gratias (Thanks be to God) Spring Concert held on campus on Saturday, May 14th. For the first time this year, the school combined the spring concert with the annual Deo Gratias end-of-year event to celebrate the school year, highlight accomplishments, and recognize the students and faculty.

The concert opened with performances by the Beginning Band Ensemble, followed by the Advanced Band Ensemble, both conducted by SJCS Band Instructor, Stacey Zaniewski. The bands performed a variety of pieces, including: Danny Boy, Peanuts, Superheroes R Us, and Dancin' on the Bayou. Following, the Band Ensembles, the Strings Ensemble, directed by David and Xiao-Li Saliny, performed several numbers including Eleanor Rigby, I Want to Hold Your Hand, and Lord of the Rings.

The Eighth Grade Chorus and the Knights Chorus, under the direction of Jennifer Gurn and accompanied by Susan Kern, entertained the audience with several selections. The Eighth Grade Chorus performed My Favorite Things and Here Comes the Sun. The Knights Chorus repertoire included Soli Deo Gloria, Seasons of Love, and Until I Found the Lord. The Knights Chorus also entertained the audience with a medley from the Broadway musical, West Side Story, highlighting the vocal skills of four soloists.

Video clips were shown between each ensemble highlighting special events of the year and recognizing award winners from the Academic Awards Assembly held earlier in the week. The school’s Advancement Office hosted a light reception following the concert to add to the evening celebration.

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After overcoming several hurdles and some unbelievable finishes, the St. Joseph's Varsity Baseball Team finished the season with an overall record of 17-6 and a region record of 11-3. The team finished second behind Landrum High School in SCHSL Class A competition.

"The boys set two goals this season…..sweep rival Christ Church and make the playoffs," stated Head Coach JB Barwick. "They accomplished this and so much more, both on and off the field."

In the final championship game of the district playoffs against Great Falls, the boys forced a decisive second game after winning 9-1 in the first game. In what Coach Barwick describes as "the greatest comeback the world has ever seen," the Knights were down to their last bat trailing 15-0 and eventually lost in a four-hour second game 18-17 in the bottom of the last inning.

"Our boys just don't know how to quit, not during the season, not during the last game, not during the last bat," stated Coach Barwick.

Players Aaron Lesiak, Ryan Stamler, Nick Leonard, Andrew Buff, Jack Twomey, Graham Roberts, John Hawkins, Andrew Buff, and Angelo Pahila comprised a young but talented pitching corps with Aaron, Ryan, Nick, and Andrew pulling most of the season’s weight. David Marable caught almost every inning of every game. Alex Malsch played every inning at shortstop and anchored the batting lineup in the leadoff position. David Estes and Doug Cates anchored the outfield for the entire season. Will McLellan got some outfield work and was the team’s backup catcher.

"If there was an award for spirit, sportsmanship, and service to his team, it would go to Will McLellan, who provided unparalleled support to the coaching staff and his teammates," added Coach Barwick. "To Will, he's always in the game."

The future looks bright for St. Joseph's baseball, as seven of the thirteen varsity players are current freshmen. "The St. Joseph's community can be proud of what these boys did, both on and off the field and the character they displayed to the end of the season," concluded Barwick. "It's rare to see opposing fans congratulate your players on a repeated basis after games. It is a privilege to be associated with these boys. Champions aren’t always made on the scoreboard."

JV Baseball

With the bulk of the older boys moving up to varsity this year, the JV squad proved to be every bit as focused and committed as the varsity team. After a strong start, the team began region play against much older teams and held their own. The team finished the season 8-4-1, ending with a huge win over Laurens Academy. Jake Reinstein pitched four stellar innings and Will McLellan stepped in to shut the door on the mound.

Throughout the season, Andrew Buff, Nick Burns, John Hawkins, Will McLellan, Tucker McMillan, Angelo Pahila, Jake Reinstein, and Evan Willoughby provided the pitching. Angelo and Will split time behind the plate. Seventh graders Nick Burns, John Krall, Carter Powell, and Sterling Turman stepped up and held starting positions. Wyatt Nally, AJ Quartararo, and Jack Valente provided a spark to the lineup all year.

"With the majority of the team in the seventh and eighth grade, it was truly exciting to see their drive and character against boys typically in the ninth and tenth grades," stated JV Coach Greg Simms. "They never seemed to be intimidated or give up in spite of the situation. I'm excited to see what next year holds for these boys."

St. Joseph's Varsity Boys Soccer Team defeated Southside Christian 1-0 in a hotly contested match on Saturday, May 14th in front of a home crowd. The Knights advance to the Class A Upper State Championships against Christ Church on Tuesday, May 17 at 7:30 P.M. at CCES. Come out and support your Knights!

Click below for a related article:

Burnikel Lifts St. Joseph's
The Greenville News 05-15-11

Congratulations to senior John Dutch who placed second in the 2011 Congressional Art Competition with his photograph entitled "Time." The piece is on display at the Greer Cultural Center throughout the month of May and will then hang in Congressman Trey Gowdy's Washington, D.C. office. Senior Elizabeth Reynolds and junior Madeleine McMillan also represented SJCS in this competition.

The Fine Arts Department, along with the school's Jubilate Guild, hosted the final Coffeehouse of the school year on Friday, May 6. Senior Ricky Schosky and junior David Rogozenski served as the hosts of this "open mic" event. Highlights included student band performances, a senior-performed Monty Python skit, a four-chord song medley, and "The Existentialist Song" written and performed by juniors Taylor Murphy and Mark Schott.

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High school science students recently completed a variety of labs. Freshmen in Carol Dunn's biology classes examined the protists that live inside of the stomachs of termites. Animal-like protists, which are single celled organisms, break down the cellulose in wood so that termites can digest the wood. In their study of bones, joints, tendons, and ligaments, another biology class compared the bones of a chicken wing to the human arm bones. Students in James Sternberg's chemistry classes tested the pH of household products using natural and chemical indicators. The pH at which an indicator changes color gives students information about the chemistry of the indicator itself. Forensic students in Pauline Bellavance's class simulated a DNA typing technique. Chemistry students in Jennette Pelicano’s class determined the air pressure in the classroom using a hydrogen-producing reaction and the ideal gas law.

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St. Joseph's Middle School Council held their annual "Spring Fling" on Friday, May 6 at Golden Skate in Simpsonville. Over seventy-five middle school students enjoyed the afternoon social.

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St. Joseph's Varsity Boys Golf Team ended their season with a third place finish in the 1A State Championships from amongst twenty schools. Sophomores Bradley Kauffman, Charly Van Norden, Justin Finigan, and Alex Kickham were named to the Region All Star Team.

Congratulations to four freshmen who will travel to the University of Maryland on June 12th to compete in the National History Day Contest against winners from forty-nine other states. Projects presented by Alec Biscopink, Wil Magaha, Noah Schammel, and Emily Wood at the State History Day Contest on April 30th at the State Archives in Columbia were judged to be some of the best in the state. The team of Magaha and Biscopink advanced in the Group Documentary category with their history of the "Greer BMW Plant." Schammel examined the "Cuban Missile Crisis" in the Individual Documentary category, and Wood constructed a research paper detailing "Japanese Internment" during World War II.

Fourteen SJCS students in all traveled to Columbia to compete in this state-wide contest. Other students earning recognition included Elisabeth Noblet and Natalie Rogers, who won the Textile History Award for their entry titled "Child Labor on Mill Hill." The William Barrrett Travis Award for Western U.S. History went to Jennifer Coggins, Berna Williams, and Melissa Zankman for their Group Exhibit titled "The Battle for Little Big Horn." Tyler Grant, Stephen Krupka, Alex Luzzatti, Kevin Norton, and Austin Van Houten also participated in the contest.

The nine medals earned by St. Joseph's students at this year's state contest represent the best showing since the school began competing in History Day in 2007.

The St. Joseph's Middle and High School Chess Teams captured three First Place Individual Trophies and three First Place Team Awards in the Third Annual Upstate Catholic School Chess Tournament held at Prince of Peace on Saturday, May 7th. Nearly sixty players from St. Anthony's, Our Lady of the Rosary, Prince of Peace, St. Joseph's, St. Mary's, and St. Paul's Catholic Schools participated in the event.

• In the Middle School Division, Elias Longenecker won First Place in the 5/6 Grade Division. In the 7/8 Grade Division, Ben Ragan captured First Place and William Tierney won Third Place. Other Middle School players who competed were Savanna Bannio, Matthew Bynum, Cameron Cummings, Morrigan Dearman, Charlotte Gayle, Sydney Richardson, Andrew Schatteman, and Charles Vandross.
• In the High School Division, freshman Luke Lepak captured First Place, senior Miguel Larrain placed second, senior Alex Burnikel took third, and junior Peter Schatteman placed fourth.
• St. Joseph's also captured three First Place Team Awards in three of the five divisions.

Seventh graders Michelle Malsch and Julia Orlandino led the school in the annual May Crowning on Friday, May 6. An ancient Catholic custom held at the beginning of May, the ceremony honors the Blessed Virgin Mary with offerings of flowers, and is meant to symbolize Mary’s beauty and innocence in welcoming the Word of God. Following Michelle and Julia were representatives from the thirty St. Joseph's Households, who all brought flowers to present at the altar. The flowers and the statue of Mary crowned will remain in the High School Commons for the week.

The school community celebrated the feast day of "St. Joseph the Worker" on Friday, April 29th by working in the community for various organizations and charitable causes. St. Joseph's students and staff volunteered for Prince of Peace, St. Anthony of Padua, and Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Schools, St. Mary Magdalene Parish, Catholic Radio, the Knights of Columbus Hall, the Meyer Center, Pendleton Place Children’s Shelter, Harvest Hope Food Bank, Salvation Army Boys and Girls Clubs, Meals on Wheels, Humane Society, Whispering Pines Stables, Friends of the Reedy River, Oakleaf Assisted Living Center, and NHC Nursing Home, just to name a few. Jobs included, but were not limited to, working with special needs children, cleaning, painting, gardening, and yard work, visiting the elderly, and supervising elementary school field days.

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The Advancement Office and the school's St. Anne’s Society sponsored the second annual St. Anne's Spring Social at Harry and Jean's Restaurant on Thursday evening, April 28. Grandparents and friends of the school enjoyed an evening of mingling and dining. Headmaster Keith Kiser updated the group on the highlights of this school year, and thanked the St. Anne's Society for the work they have done on behalf of the school. He referenced many acts of service this organization has performed throughout the history of the school, including the opening of the Mary Lou Foody Memorial Library in 1998. "We don't know how we ever lived without it," stated Headmaster Kiser. Jean Hever also addressed the guests with a heartfelt message of gratitude after serving as the society’s president for the last two years.

Student Council hosted Prom 2011 on Saturday, April 30th at the Sawmill on North Main from 8:30 P.M. to 12 Midnight. Prior to Prom, the SJCS Parents Guild hosted their annual Pre-Prom celebration at the school from 7:00- 8:15 P.M., where parents and siblings joined students for a social hour and viewing of the Senior Video. Following Prom, students enjoyed games, music, food, and prizes at the parent-sponsored After-Prom held at the Greenville Sports Club from 12:30-3:00 A.M.

Congratulations to seniors Cole Buchanan and Anna Mercer, who were voted Prom King and Queen, and to juniors Andrew Anderson and Cory Satterfield, who were voted Junior Prince and Princess.

Click here to view more photos from Pre-Prom.

The National Youth In Government (YIG) organization recently awarded pins for service and leadership, and these pins were presented to St. Joseph's seniors for their participation in South Carolina's YIG program in an all-school assembly on April 28. The following seniors were awarded pins for four years of service: Pete Bynarowicz, Klyn Carr, Kaitlyn Dunphy, and Danielle Sampson. The following seniors were awarded pins for three years of service: Mary Grace Carey, Mike Devon, Natalie Olson, Stephanie Saunders, Tamar Sparrow, and Arianna Wise. These seniors served in leadership positions and as legislators during their years of participation.

With only one game left in regular season play, St. Joseph's Varsity Boys Soccer Team is positioning itself to once again bring home the state title that has eluded them the past couple of years. Posting an overall record of 13-8-1 and a conference record of 7-2, the Knights are currently ranked second in the region. The games have been hard-fought ones, and most of the non-conference games have been against 3A and 4A schools.

"Playing teams in these classifications has truly tested our abilities and the guys have risen to the occasion," stated Varsity Head Coach Frank Kucinic.

Conference play has been exceptional. The Knights recently rolled past four tough conference games, two of which were against the number one and number three ranked teams in the 1A division. The Knights came out on top in the match-up against Southside Christian with a 2-1 victory. Scoring for the Knights was Ryan Bertling, who scored off of a penalty kick, and Davis Osborn, who beat four Southside Christian's defenders to put the ball in the back of the net.

"This goal by Osborn was probably the craftiest goal I've seen in a long time," stated Kucinic. "His ability to find the goal and create something out of nothing was remarkable."

In recent play, St. Joseph's encounter with Christ Church was an evenly contested match, but in the end, CCES was able to capitalize on two of the Knight's errors and the squad fell 2-0. The Knights defeated 3A ranked Walhalla on Friday night 2-0. The team will finish their regular season facing Greenville Tech Charter on Tuesday, May 3 at home.

"This season has been very exciting," stated Head Coach Frank Kucinic. "I have seen many of the guys pouring their heart and souls out for each other."

St. Joseph's will host the first round of the play-offs beginning May 10.

JV Boys Soccer

The St. Joseph's Junior Varsity Boys Soccer Team is in its inaugural season and has posted an 8-5 record to date. The Knights took second place in the Boiling Springs Bulldog Tournament early in the season, losing to eventual tournament champion Spartanburg High 3-1 in the final game.

The squad is led by Team Captain's Tariq Namouz, Andrew Grant, and Tomas Larrain. Namouz and Grant lead a tight defense that gives up less than one goal per match. Also anchoring the defense for the Knights are Collin Miller, Daniel Escobar, Jimmy Fountain, and Aidan Sokol. Midfielders Tyler Grant, JP Kiser, and Walker Seman control the flow of the game, while outside midfielders Ryan Litzinger, Sean Connolly, Patrick McLear, and Nathan Petrofes work up and down the line. Putting the ball in the back of the net is Tomas Larrain, who leads the Knights with 10 goals through 13 games. Also contributing to the effort are Theo Longenecker, Steve Rosenzweig, and Ethan Veideman.

"I have been very proud of the effort the team has put forth this year," stated JV Head Coach Ben Kovaleski. "We have some very talented young players that battle each and every game. This season has been a tremendous success for a first year program."

Congratulations to rising ninth graders Paul List (St. Mary's) and William Tierney (St. Joseph's), who were recently selected as the recipients of the St. Joseph’s Scholar Award. This scholarship, awarded annually to two incoming freshmen, recognizes academic excellence.

The school's annual induction ceremony for the St. Joseph's chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) was held on April 27th in the chapel. Thirty-five new members were inducted into one of the oldest and most prestigious national organizations for high school students. NHS students, selected by a Faculty Council for meeting high standards of scholarship, service, leadership, and character, must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher, as well as demonstrate leadership and service through activities in both the school and the community. Congratulations to Shannon Beck, Jordan Britenburg, Austen Burnikel, Aly Cajka, Claire Capelle, Kayla Dixon, John Dutch, Allison Espada, David Estes, Jensen Grim, Patrick Hamod, Becca Hamod, Katie Helvey, Dani Inglesby, Mitchell Jones, Michael Kopscik, Alexis Krcelic, Timothy Litzinger, Collin McMillen, Katie Mobley, Davis Osborn, Kyle Pietrzak, Brace Plumblee, Kaitlyn Posa, Katherine Reynolds, Clare Ruble, Cory Satterfield, Alex Schaeffer, Joshua Schammel, Peter Schatteman, Mark Schott, Nicholle Stein, Audrey Ward, Jim Warren and Bernadette Wersinger.

The annual Fine Arts Honor Society Inductions were also held at the school on April 27th.

• The following students were inducted into the International Thespian Honor Society (Chapter #6388): Andrew Anderson, Sarah Bathon, Abby Clark, Noah Davis, Allison Espada, Lindsey Foley, Hannah Grim, Savannah Klosowski, Jeremy Mehl, Katie Mobley, Theresa Pometto, Alex VanHaasteren, Katie VanHaasteren, and JP Wilmeth.
• The following students were inducted into the Tri-M Music Honor Society (Chapter #3535): Mary Bathon, Sarah Bathon, Kevin Carey, Caroline Cooney, Kristen Farrenkopf, Ellie Larson, Michelle Lee, Maddy Longenecker, and Theresa Pometto.
• The following students were inducted into the National Art Honor Society: Emily Lang, Margaret Milteer, Sydney Newsome, and Melissa Zankman.

Congratulations to junior Jay Rex, who was awarded First Place in the 3D/Sculpture category at the recent Greenville Technical College High School Art Show. Jay's entry, entitled "Lifecycle," showcased twelve stages of life using paper cutouts placed in a cylinder within a box lit from behind. Junior Madeleine McMillan won Second Place in the Drawing category for her submission of "Butterfly Garden," a pen and ink drawing of the SJCS prayer garden. In addition, the following SJCS art students submitted entries: Grace Mosley (Painting-monochromatic), Allison Espada (Drawing-Prismacolor), Cristina Hernandez (Drawing-Chalk Pastel), Katie Helvey (Drawing-Stippling), Katie McCormick (Painting-Fauvism), and Giovanna Quattrone (Drawing-Chalk Pastel). The exhibition, held on the college’s Greer campus, was open for public viewing March 14-April 16.

Fourteen SJCS students have advanced to the state level in the National History Day Contest by winning a regional competition held at the Greenville County Library on March 24th:

• Alec Biscopink and Wil Magaha (Group Documentary category)
• Alex Luzzatti and Noah Schammel (Individual Documentary category)
• Emily Wood (Research Paper category)
• Stephen Krupka and Austin Van Houten (Group Web-Page category)
• Kevin Norton and Tyler Grant (Individual Exhibits category)
• Elisabeth Noblet and Natalie Rogers; Jennifer Coggins, Berna Williams, and Melissa Zankman (Group Exhibits category)

These students will travel to the State Archives in Columbia, SC on Saturday, April 30th to compete in the state contest. Any student who wins at the state level will automatically qualify to compete at the national level in Washington, D.C. in early June. Last year, two St. Joseph's entries advanced as National Finalists.

Seniors Katie Lynam and Jeremy Mehl were recently named candidates in the 2011 Presidential Scholars Program by the U.S. Department of Education. These two are among a group of fifty-eight South Carolina high school seniors identified as candidates for the scholars program, which honors young people for outstanding academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship, and community service. The candidate pool consists of some 3,000 students nationwide with high SAT or ACT scores. A review committee will narrow that list to about 500 honorees in the semifinal round. Approximately 120 students will make the final round and be invited to an awards program in Washington, DC, this coming June. The Presidential Scholars program was created in 1964 to recognize academic achievement and expanded in 1979 to salute students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, literary and performing arts.

Congratulations to the Koon Household (high school) and the McLucas Household (middle school), both winners in the school's spring "Box Tops for Education" contest held recently. The Household Deans will both receive a SCRIP gift card and each winning household will receive a pancake breakfast. The McLucas Household collected 1,153 box tops, and the Koon Household collected 978 box tops. Special thanks to all the participating households, with over 6,000 box tops collected as a result of this contest. For the 2010-1011 school year alone, Parents Guild has earned over $1,500 from the Box Tops program, helping to offset the many end-of-year events that they sponsor, including After-Prom, the Eighth Grade Convocation, Junior and Senior Luncheons, and the Baccalaureate Reception. Families are encouraged to keep saving box tops and another contest will be announced in the fall.

Congratulations to the following eighth grade students who were awarded prizes in the junior division (Grades 6-8) of the Greenville County and South Carolina Regional Science and Engineering Fair held on March 29: Theo Longenecker, Greenville County Medical Society Alliance Award and a $50 cash prize; William Tierney, Honorable Mention in Engineering; and Sarah Gibson, Honorable Mention in Physics.

The following eighth graders placed well in the SJCS Science Fair and also presented their projects at the competition: Caroline Baer, Haley Berryman, Lizy Hernandez, Morgan Mazur, Patrick McLear, Victoria Schwark, Emma Wetenhall, and Sam Wickert. Middle school science teacher Ryan Koon accompanied the students to the fair.

The St. Joseph's Varsity Boys Tennis Team began this season not knowing quite what to expect. The team would be playing in a different conference against a whole new slate of opponents, and many of the players had played on the school's JV squad the previous season.

"Though the season has been rocky at times, this young team has handled themselves remarkably well," stated returning Head Coach Sean Chapman.

Freshman David Reed holds the number one spot and has competed well, especially considering the caliber of opponents he has faced. At number two and number three, respectively, are freshmen Patrick Mobley and Alec Biscopink, who have shown tremendous improvement in their respective positions. Rounding out the top five are freshmen Patrick Hudak and Andrew Stein, who bring energy and consistency to the order. Also on the team are eighth grader John Andrew Knight, sophomore Grant McMillan, and junior Michael Gibson who, through their success at doubles, have demonstrated the overall depth of the team.

At present, the team has enjoyed solid victories over Southside Christian and Landrum, while suffering defeats against Greenville High, Spartanburg Day, Christ Church, and Southside Christian.

"Though they are young, this squad has really impressed me as they have a lot of fight," added Coach Chapman. "As time goes on, I firmly expect them to win some of the close matches that they previously lost."

JV Tennis

There's a new but familiar face leading the JV Boys Tennis Team this year. JD Carino, Class of 2009 graduate and a current sophomore at Furman University, played tennis for the Knights for four years.

"I was both excited and apprehensive at the beginning of the season," stated Coach Carino. "I was looking forward to the opportunity to work with the boys, but I had never coached students at this age level before and didn’t know what to expect."

After the first few days of tryouts, Carino realized that there was a lot of work to be done to prepare the team for competition. And work they did. The boys went through several weeks of basic drills working on forehands, backhands, and serves. Unfortunately, the weather limited them on the number of days of practice, but the team improved slowly but surely.

"It's been great having players who are so excited to be a part of a team and are always looking forward to getting out on the court for practice," Carino added.

When the first match rolled around, the team was ready for the challenge and the chance to compete. A completely new lineup this year consists of sophomore Connor Bolick at #1, freshman Wil Magaha at #2, sophomore Chris Olin at #3, seventh grader Jacob Meyer at #4, sophomore Jordan Britenburg at #5, and the doubles specialist team of Hollis Lucas and Nadir Dbouk. Rounding out the team are Luke Terry, Andrew Schatteman, and Yanni Koutsioukis.

Although the team started out with a 0-4 record, their first victory came against Camperdown Academy on April 13 and the team was ecstatic. The JV squad has one remaining match for the season against Spartanburg Day on April 26, hoping to end the season with back-to-back victories.

Click here to view more photos from the recent Varsity Match against Landrum.

St. Joseph's held its fifth annual Spring Art Show April 5-12 at the school with both middle school and high school students represented. Categories included drawing, painting, photography, color and design, and 3D/sculpting.

Artwork was judged on three criteria: creativity, composition, and technique. Special guest judges from the Greenville art community included Lynn Greer, local artist; Adam Burgess, J.L. Mann Fine Arts teacher and artist, and Linda McCune, Greenville Technical College Fine Arts professor and artist. The exhibit was coordinated by Deborah Henderson, SJCS Art Teacher.

• Middle School Winners: First Place: Michael Moloney (Sketch Wall/color and design, computer art); Second Place: Billy Bartell and Josh Reidt (Happy Meal/3D); Third Place: Andrew Shatteman (Artist's Mountain/acrylic painting)
• High School Winners: First Place: Maureen Connelly (Walk in the Bark/pen drawing); Second Place: Cory Satterfield (Bridge to the Past/watercolor painting); Third Place: Kayla Twomey (Midnight Moon/acrylic painting)
• Photography winners: First Place: John Dutch (Time), Second Place: Melissa Zankman (White Puppy-Where Are You?); Third Place: John Dutch (Up In Smoke)
• Best in Show: Sydney Newsome (Shredded/3D)

Click here to view more artwork.

SJCS students Cory Satterfield, Klyn Carr, and Chris Schrank pose with Senator David Thomas (R-Greenville) at the Youth in Government (YIG) Day held recently at the SC Statehouse. High school students spent the day lobbying their local legislators and senators for continued funding and use of the Statehouse chambers for Youth in Government.

Congratulations to junior Mark Schott, who qualified for the National Chemistry Olympiad to be held at Furman University on Friday, April 15. Competing against students from North and South Carolina, Mark scored high enough on the qualifying test taken at St. Joseph's on March 23 to secure this honor. Winners from this exam will go on to compete in the international competition in May.

Members of the sophomore class recently enjoyed an overnight retreat at Look-Up Lodge. Headmaster Keith Kiser, Father Jeff Kirby, Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Charleston, and senior members of the SJCS Campus Ministry Team led the students in large group sessions and smaller group discussions. Sophomores also had time for some personal reflection and journaling. Sunday evening allowed an opportunity for adoration and confessions, followed by a camp fire with s'mores. Mass was held on Monday morning and the students were given free time during the afternoon to enjoy the camps facilities, including the giant swing and boating on the lake.

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Members of the Class of 2011 volunteered at the South Carolina Special Olympics held on April 6 at Furman University. Seventy seniors assisted adult athletes associated with the Piedmont Skills Center. Senior class sponsors George and Meby Carr also attended the event.

"Our seniors did a wonderful job and were very enthusiastic about this event," added Meby Carr. "Working with adults presented a different challenge for our students this year, but they were great buddies for their athletes and really got a lot out of this opportunity."

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St. Joseph's held its spring appreciation dinner for Founders Society members on Thursday, April 7 on campus. More than seventy members enjoyed a Beauty and the Beast themed dinner of Beef Ragout, soup du jour, and dessert. Following a brief presentation by Headmaster Keith and Student Body President Mary Kate McClintock, the members were treated to the premier of the spring musical, Beauty and the Beast.

The Founders Society was created in 1998 to ensure the stability and longevity of St. Joseph's mission to promote academic excellence while striving to form the minds, hearts, and souls of its students in the likeness of Christ. Members make an annual, unrestricted gift of $1,000 or more to the Annual Fund, providing tuition assistance to qualified students. For more information, click here.

With the start of the 2011 JV Boys golf season came a lot unknowns, ranging from what age group would make up the team to what schools would be competing. These questions were quickly answered and the season is off to a great start as the team was formed and spring practice began. The team consists of a few players who have had golf tournament experience prior to the season as well as a few others who are first being introduced to tournament play.

The JV team consists of two seventh graders, Clark O’Brien and Jack Mobley, one eighth grader, Bryce Caputo, and two ninth graders, Kalib Williams and Joey Schosky. First year Coach Keith Early, a SJCS graduate and a junior at Furman University, leads this year's squad.

"The mix of tournament experienced players and players who are passionate about being involved in tournament play have definitely been a boost to the team’s performance as the season kicked off," stated Coach Early.

In the first match of the season against Shannon Forest Christian School and Langston Charter at Crosswinds Golf Course, the team played well but fell short of victory. Jack Mobley led the team shooting a solid round of 34, followed closely by Clark O'Brien who shot a 37. Joey Schosky, Kalib Williams, and Bryce Caputo rounded out the team with strong scores of 48, 47, and 49 respectively. The team finished third in the match, but put together a good performance to open the season.

St. Joseph's played Mitchell Road Christian Academy and Oakbrook Preparatory School at Botany Woods in its second match of the season. The team finished third in the match, but the players each posted great scores. Joey Schosky led the team in the match shooting 40. St. Joseph's finished with a team score of 172 with Mitchell Road winning the match followed closely by Oakbrook Preparatory School.

In the third match of the spring season St. Joseph's faced Mount Zion Christian Academy and a rematch against Langston Charter at Carolina Springs. The Knights posted their best finish of the season, finishing second behind Langston Charter. Jack Mobley had his best individual finish in a match, coming in second place with a score of 45. On a very windy day, the team played exceptionally well and is heading in the right direction as they near the midpoint of the season.

"The team has gained lots of experience early in the season that should prove very helpful as we move into the middle of our schedule," concluded Coach Early. "The boys are starting to gain more confidence with each practice and the outlook for the rest of the season is bright. With three matches remaining, there is a growing buzz for each member of the team to keep improving each match."

Varsity Golf

With the first half of the season behind them, the Varsity Boys Golf Team stands with five wins and five losses.

"We had some optimistic expectations following last year's fourth place finish in the SCISA (South Carolina Independent School Association) State Tournament," stated third year coach and fifteen-year club champion Bob Van Norden. "However some chilly and wet conditions this spring, along with some tough venues, including Greenville Country Club's Riverside and Chanticleer courses, have led to some erratic scores and early season losses. We have a very young team that continues to experience growing pains."

It's a young team indeed. The first four starters that have dominated the teams scoring are all sophomores: Justin Finigan, Bradley Kauffman, Alex Kickham, and Charly Van Norden. Freshman Tyler Yearwood and seventh grader Christian Baliker join returning juniors Tyler Lagnese, Jay Rex, and Chris Schrank in rounding out this year's squad.

St. Joseph's has scored convincing victories over Carolina Day, Greer Middle College Charter, Greenville Tech Carter, and Shannon Forest. Two narrow matches resulted in losses to Oakbrook Prep and Wade Hampton High School. The team has also experienced decisive losses to Christ School and local rivals Greenville High and Christ Church.

"Bradley Kauffman has been rock solid in every outing and posts an impressive 4 under par through all the team matches," added Coach Van Norden. "More recently, Justin Finigan and Charly Van Norden have been scoring in the 30's as well since our nine hole matches have returned to our team's home course at Verdae Greens. This should bode well for the second half of the season."

The team is looking forward to competing in the Upstate High School tournament, as well as both the Regional and State Class A Championships.

"With such a young yet talented squad, finishing somewhere in the top ten in these tournaments would be a satisfying and realistic achievement," concluded Van Norden.

Father Louis Leonelli, CFR, of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, visited campus on Wednesday, April 6 for the school's annual Lenten Day of Reflection. During the day's activity period, Father spoke of his conversion and led the students through a brief program surrounding the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Father Leonelli's adoration retreat tied in with the recent International Exhibit on Eucharistic Miracles which visited the school last week. After Father's talk, students were then given time to reflect on his words and ask questions. During their household period, high school students learned more about Eucharistic miracles and used discussion questions to ponder the subject further. During their household period, middle school students participated in an outdoor walk of the Stations of the Cross.

Rising SJCS sixth grader Maggie McMillen and her brother Tucker, a St. Joseph's freshman, work on stringing cranes as part of the Caring Cranes for Japan project, a service project/fundraiser recently created by SJCS junior Collin McMillen. The McMillen family lived in Tokyo from 1997-2002, and the recent tragedy in Japan hit close to their hearts. Origami paper cranes, long a symbol of hope, good luck, and peace in Japan, are part of a Junior Beta Club fundraising project at Maggie's current school, Fork Shoals Elementary. Collin has spent time training the elementary school children on how to make these cranes; the cranes will then be made into chains and hung throughout the cafeteria. The Beta Club's goal is to sell 1,000 paper cranes for $1.00 each.

Congratulations to High School Sports Report (HSSR) honorees Kelly Assinesi and Elizabeth Reynolds (All-State Basketball). Both seniors were honored at the HSSR Winter Sports Banquet held in Columbia on Sunday, April 10.

St. Joseph's Fine Arts Department presents its spring musical, Beauty and the Beast, April 8-10 on the school's campus. Through his own selfish actions, a prince falls prey to a "beastly" curse, affecting not only himself but his castle and its inhabitants. As the frightening Beast, he must first learn to change his ways in order to win the love of the beautiful Belle, even as the handsome - and menacing - Gaston makes his own play for her hand. "Be our guests" as our talented cast and crew enchant you with a "tale as old as time."

The production features Mary Bathon as Belle, David Rogozenski as Beast, Seth Kiser as Maurice, Ian Miller as Gaston, Patrick Mobley as Lefou, Kevin Carey as Cogsworth, Noah Davis as Lumiere, Allison Espada as Mrs. Potts, Theresa Krupka as Madame de la Grande Bouche, Mary Grace Carey as Babette, Tucker McMillen as Chip, Michael McCall as Monsieur d'Arque, and Emily Blake, Allison Gurn, and Clare Ruble as the Silly Girls.

The Ensemble includes: Andrew Anderson, Stefani Azores-Gococo, Sarah Bathon, Katherine Bricco, Clark Burgess, Caroline Cooney, Abby DeMars, Kristen Farrenkopf, Lindsey Foley, Hannah Grim, Amy Hase, Savannah Klosowski, Stephen Krupka, Erin Laliberty, Ellie Larson, Caitlan Lovett, Anabel Masaschi, Jeremy Mehl, Anna Mercer, Katie Mobley, Cara Mohr, Gigi Nally, Tyler Neves, Keitt Panuccio, Jessica Peck, Theresa Pometto, Julia Sexton, Alex VanHaasteren, Katie VanHaasteren, and Amanda Wells.

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The school hosted the Vatican International Exhibition of the Eucharistic Miracles of the World on Tuesday, April 5 in the gym. The exhibit presented an extensive assortment of photographs and historical descriptions of the principal Eucharistic Miracles (about 126 panels) that took place throughout the ages in various countries of the world and which have been recognized by the Church. By means of the panels, students in all of the religion classes had an opportunity to "virtually visit" the places where the Miracles took place. The Miracles are associated with faith in and worship of The Most Blessed Sacrament. This exhibition has already visited more than one thousand parishes in Italy and in other countries and has been translated into numerous languages.

Sixth grade students in Anne Gragtmans' and Sharon Ruble's History Classes recently hosted a Greek and Roman banquet. The girls dressed in togas (Roman tradition) and adorned their foreheads with ivy (Greek tradition), as they enjoyed authentic Greek and Roman cuisine. The Greek and Roman emphasis on the arts and athletics was demonstrated in musical performances of singing and piano playing designed to entertain the emperor. In the Roman custom of the gladiatorial games, two students competed for strength and endurance as onlookers cheered. An oracle added a little spice to the occasion as she shared prophecies for classmates. A surprise visit from Zeus, the ruler of Mount Olympus, brought giggles and thunderbolts as the girls finished their meal. The celebration concluded with expressions of thanks in the Greek language.

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Congratulations to junior Abby Clark, who captured first place at the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) State Leadership Conference held March 25-26 in Charleston. Members of the St. Joseph's chapter participated in this FBLA conference by competing in various categories. Clark won in the Impromptu Speaking category, and also qualified to compete at the National Leadership Conference to be held in June. Sophomore Grant McMillan won second place in Networking Concepts and also qualified to compete at the national level in June. Sophomore Matthew Morel won fourth place in Technology Concepts. SJCS faculty member and group advisor Karl Orbon accompanied the students to Charleston.

Students were recently treated to a musical performance by national jazz artist Tish Oney. She performed for the high school students during lunch and presented information on jazz history, along with a few vocal selections, for the middle school students during their Related Arts period. Tish has recorded two albums (with a third in production) and performs on tour around the country. Her performances include compositions of her own songs, along with arrangements that she has made of other artist’s songs. She earned a Master's Degree in Vocal Performance from Ithaca College and a Doctoral of Musical Arts Degree from the University of Southern California.

The Lady Knights Softball Team entered the 2011 season with a veteran roster, the promise of a strong season, and the excitement of competing in a new league. Expectations remain high as the team enters the middle part of the season and faces the second round of region competition.

The lineup is anchored by many veteran players including seven returning seniors: Team Captain Stephanie Saunders (3B), Kaitlyn Dunphy (1B), Gabrielle Genal (CF), Meredith Moore (RF), Jeanne Morrison (LF), Elizabeth Reynolds (CF), and Caitlin Rusnak (SS). Both Dunphy and Rusnak are in their sixth softball season for the Lady Knights. Other returning team members include juniors Maddy Longenecker (LF) and Madeleine McMillan; sophomores Katie Gagne (C), Alli Griffin (P), and Katherine Reynolds (1B); and freshman Elizabeth Bannio (2B). New members to this year's team include senior Caroline Sparr and sophomore Audrey Ward. The Lady Knights are led by Head Coach Bill Hudson and Assistant Coach Schanon Smith.

Even with a veteran roster, the 2011 season has not been without challenges. The success of the Lady Knights Basketball Team and their run for the state title on March 5 left eight players, including five starters, without time on the field before the first game against region foe Southside Christian on March 7. Following a 7-6 SJCS victory, Coach Hudson noted, "Experience definitely made the difference as the team not only pulled together but made defensive and offensive plays characteristic of many hours of practicing together."

Behind the pitching of Alli Griffin, the team continues to benefit from solid defense in both the infield and outfield. Third baseman Stephanie Saunders and middle infielders Caitlin Rusnak and Elizabeth Bannio provide a range and quickness that turn a lot of potential base hits into outs. Madeleine McMillan moves this year from second base to catcher and continues to improve tremendously from outing to outing.

"I am not sure that Madeleine knew what she was getting into when she agreed to take this spot," added Coach Hudson, "but she has worked extremely hard to master not only the skills but also the physical demands of playing catcher."

Genal, Longenecker, Moore, Morrison, and Reynolds have all contributed solid defense in the outfield. Offensively, the team has been led by the bats of Saunders, Rusnak, Liz Reynolds, Moore, and Bannio.

With a big win on Friday, April 1 against Christ Church (17-2), the team now posts an overall record of 5-2 (4-2 in the region). Recent setbacks against region foes Landrum and Blacksburg have left the team even more determined to work harder and raise their level of play. The Lady Knights continue region play the week of April 4 with matchups against Southside Christian and Whitmire and look forward to key rematches against region foes Blacksburg and Landrum. The team remains steadfast in its goal of competing for a region title and making the state playoffs.

JV Softball

Looking to build off of a very successful first season, the JV Lady Knights, led by Coach Schanon Smith, are well into their second season of play. The team recently finished a big weekend, posting a third place finish in an eight-team tournament held at Pendleton High School on Saturday, April 2. Their only loss was to eventual tournament winner Abbeville.

The JV squad consists of the following players: Caty Brown, Jessica Forry, Madeline Fric, Madison Genal, Emma Gross, Hannah Lagaly, Frankie Malafronte, Michelle Malsch, Madeline McChesney, Nicole McEvleen, Gigi Nally, Amanda Nesta, Kira Sawyers, Margaret Stanton, Emma Wetenhall, and Flannery Wood.

"With such a young team this year, Coach Hudson and I are teaching the girls a lot of the basic fundamentals of the game," stated Coach Smith. "My goal is to afford the girls the opportunity to get better throughout the year, so that they are ready to play at the varsity level when the time comes."

The Headmaster's Office and the Advancement Office hosted an Alumni Panel Presentation at the school on Wednesday, March 23. Five graduates spoke to members of the Class of 2011: Adam Broering '07, Chris Carino '04, Teresa McGrath '01, George Patrick McLeer '06, and Tiffany (Godbout) Sanders '02. Seniors were given the opportunity to ask questions regarding the academic, social, and spiritual aspects of transitioning from high school to college life. The school intends to expand on this concept next year by offering a Senior Seminar course.

Nashville Dominican Sister John Thomas, who currently teaches at St. Mary's School in Greenville, recently visited with sophomores in Sean Chapman's Theology classes. The students had been studying the life of St. Thomas Aquinas, and Sister came to share her wisdom and knowledge of this saint in order to enhance the student's appreciation of St. Thomas. Sister spoke to the classes about how St. Thomas helped to shape her religious vocation. She received a warm welcome from the St. Joseph's students, especially from some of her former students.

The Class of 2014 recently embarked upon the second of three Freshman Connection outings planned for this school year. On Wednesday, March 23, the "Magical Mystery Tour" took the students to Pleasant Ridge Camp and Retreat Center, where they spent the afternoon with the camp staff in a number of large and small group team building activities. The main attraction was the giant swing and SJCS freshmen were the first group to be able to use it. Pleasant Ridge is home to Camp Spearhead and is owned and operated by the Greenville County Recreation District.

Freshman Connection, a new experience introduced to ninth graders at St. Joseph’s this year, was instigated to help ensure the successful transition to high school for the largest class in the school's history. This year-long program was designed to introduce and acclimate ninth graders to the academic, social, and spiritual aspects of high school life at St. Joseph's.

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Fourteen SJCS Latin students competed at the South Carolina Junior Classical League Spring Forum held on March 19 at Greenville High. The students competed against nine other schools, both public and private, in the day-long event. The St. Joseph's students placed third overall with many individual victories in a variety of categories.

• The biggest St. Joseph's victory was a first place finish in the Advanced Certamen Contest, a quiz-bowl like format, with questions on grammar, etymology, mythology, history, and geography. The Certamen Team Members were Keyes Gilmer, Mitchell Jones, Alex Shaeffer, and William Tierney.
• The following students captured first place in their respective category: Kevin Carey, Discus; Liz Hernandez, Latin I Vocabulary; Mitchell Jones, Advanced Grammar; Imani-Grace King, Mottos and Abbreviations/100-Yard Dash; Tim Litzinger, Maps; Brace Plumblee, Advanced Derivatives; Campbell Plumblee, Latin II Vocabulary; Theresa Pometto, Textiles; Alex Schaeffer, Video; William Tierney, Latin I Grammar; and Keyes Gilmer, Margaret Hudson, Imani-Grace King, and Nicholle Stein, Girls Four-Man Kickball.
• These students placed second in their event: Margaret Hudson, Mythology; Mitchell Jones, Jewelry; Imani-Grace King, 200 and 300 Yard Races; Theresa Pometto, Discus; Alex Schaeffer, Advanced Vocabulary; and Nicholle Stein, Maps.
• Three students earned third place honors: Alec Biscopink, Latin II Grammar; Theresa Pometto, Mythology; and Nicholle Stein, Advanced Derivatives.
• Margaret Milteer also won a fourth place ribbon for her pencil sketch and Emma Wetenhall earned a fifth place finish in Ancient Geography. The students were accompanied by SJCS Foreign Language Department Chair and Latin teacher Lavinia Plumblee.

The Fine Arts Department recently took home several honors from the SCISA (South Carolina Independent School Association) Music Festival held on March 10 at the University of South Carolina School of Music in Columbia.

• The following students received Superior Ratings: seventh grade pianists Victoria Jalali and Mary Viedeman, seventh grade vocalists Elizabeth Bullard and Caroline McCoy, freshman vocalist Anabel Masaschi, freshman pianist Taylor Jones, sophomore pianist Kaitlyn Posa, junior pianist Jessica Peck, and senior pianist J.P. Wilmeth.
• The following students received Excellent Ratings: seventh grade vocalist Samantha Silver, freshman violinist Michelle Lee, freshman vocalist Savannah Klosowski, junior pianist Maddy Longenecker, and junior vocalist Abby DeMars.

Jessica Peck accompanied all the student vocalists and SJCS Music Teachers Jennifer Gurn and Stacy Zaniewski accompanied the students to Columbia.

The annual Honor Society Inductions, along with the Junior Class Ring Ceremony, were held on March 23 during a high school assembly.

English Honor Society
The "Mystery and Manners" Chapter of the National English Honor Society, founded in January 2011, recognizes students who have excelled in the area of language arts and who show a genuine love of subject and an interest in promoting literacy and language appreciation in the greater community. Students inducted into the society have earned a GPA of 3.375 overall and 3.5 in English courses, have completed an honors/AP level course, and have completed at least three semesters of high school. English department faculty member Megan Koon serves as the chapter advisor.

• Congratulations to the inaugural student inductees: Cole Buchanan, Sara Campanelli, Claire Capelle, Klyn Carr, Emily Cinquemani, Kerry Cleys, Maureen Connelly, Abby DeMars, Matthew Dix, Allison Espada, Grace Hanna, Amy Hase, Katie Helvey, Dani Inglesby, Mitchell Jones, Patrick Key, Theresa Krupka, Ellie Larson, William Lewis, Katie Lynam, Madeleine McMillan, Jeremy Mehl, Elizabeth Moore, Taylor Murphy, Jessica Peck, Brace Plumblee, Kaitlyn Posa, Cory Satterfield, Stephanie Saunders, Alex Schaeffer, Joshua Schammel, Peter Schatteman, Tamar Sparrow, and Arianna Wise.

Foreign Language Honor Society
The Foreign Language Honor Society is comprised of Latin, French, and Spanish students who have earned an "A" average in both semesters of their second year language and the first semester of their third year language, and who are committed to the study and understanding of other cultures. Foreign Language Department Chair Lavinia Plumblee serves as the chapter advisor.

• Congratulations to the following students: Mitchell Jones, Alex Schaeffer and Nicholle Stein, who were inducted into the Junior Classical League Honor Society for Latin; Caroline Cooney, Anja Gardziola and Kaitlyn Posa, who were inducted into the Societe Honoraire de Francais, and Aly Cajka, Elizabeth Coffey, Justin Mehl and Kyle Pietrzak, who were inducted into the Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapter of the Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica.

History Honor Society
The RHO KAPPA History Honor Society is an honor society for the recognition of achievement and excellence in the discipline of social studies at the high school level. The SJCS chapter was formed in the fall of 2009 for high school students interested in the study of history who would like more opportunities to become involved in historical research, activities, volunteerism, and scholarship. This society is open to all juniors and seniors who meet the qualifications for membership, which includes maintaining a 3.0 GPA or higher, maintaining a B+ average in all history classes, taking at least one honors or advanced placement history class, and continuing to take a history class during senior year. History department faculty member Meby Carr serves as the chapter advisor.

• Congratulations to the following students who were inducted: Alyssa Agostino, Ted Bell, Perry Bolick, JD Brookbank, Sara Campanelli, Claire Capelle, Kerry Cleys, Noah Coish, Abby DeMars, John Dutch, David Estes, Patrick Hamod, Amy Hase, Dani Inglesby, Ellie Larson, Ben Longenecker, Katie Mobley, Taylor Murphy, Kyle Pietrzak, Brace Plumblee, Sara Ruble, Caitlin Rusnak, Danielle Sampson, Cory Satterfield, Joshua Schammel, Peter Schatteman, Mark Schott, Daniel Sokol, Tamar Sparrow, Mary Stanton, Bernadette Wersinger, and JP Wilmeth.

Math Honor Society
Mu Alpha Theta is the National High School and Two-Year College Mathematics Honor Society. The school's chapter, founded in 2011, is dedicated to inspiring keen interest in mathematics, developing strong scholarship in the subject, and promoting the enjoyment of mathematics in high school and two-year college students. The criteria for consideration is a 3.5 math GPA and a 3.0 overall GPA. Math Department Chair George Carr serves as chapter advisor.

• Congratulations to the inaugural student inductees: Andrew Anderson, Mary Bathon, Perry Bolick, Sara Brehmer, Cole Buchanan, Clark Burgess, Claire Capelle, Noah Coish, Maureen Connelly, Abby DeMars, Kaitlyn Dunphy, John Dutch, Allison Espada, Lindsey Foley, Katelyn Forry, Anja Gardziola, Gabrielle Genal, Nick Gragtmans, Patrick Hamod, Grace Hanna, Amy Hase, Cristy Hernandez, Dani Inglesby, Mitchell Jones, Jared Kauffman, Patrick Key, Andy King, Miguel Larrain, William Lewis, Ben Longenecker, Katie Lynam, Kelsey Mazur, Mary Kate McClintock, Daniel McCullough, Collin McMillen, Jeremy Mehl, Anna Mercer, Ian Miller, Elizabeth Moore, Taylor Murphy, Tariq Namouz, Kyle Pietrzak, Lee Ann Plott, Giovanna Quattrone, Jay Rex, Liz Reynolds, Caitlin Rowe, Cory Satterfield, Stephanie Saunders, Josh Schammel, Peter Schatteman, Ricky Schosky, Mark Schott, Chris Schrank, Steven Schwark, Tristan Sexton, Malcolm Soniat, Caroline Sparr, Tyler Visin, and Arianna Wise.

Science Honor Society
The Science National Honor Society was founded in 2000 to encourage and recognize high school students in the sciences. The SJCS chapter was formed in the fall of 2008. This society is open to all juniors and seniors who meet the qualifications for membership, which includes maintaining a 3.0 GPA or higher, maintaining a B+ average in all science classes, and service to the school community. Science Department Chair Joanna McLucas and science department faculty member Jennette Pelicano serve as the chapter advisors.

• Congratulations to the following students who were inducted: Perry Bolick, Claire Capelle, Kerry Cleys, Abby DeMars, Grace Hanna, Amy Hase, Megan Heijjer, Katie Helvey, Dani Inglesby, Mitchell Jones, Michael Kopscik, Madeline McMillan, Collin McMillen, Ian Miller, Elizabeth Moore, Taylor Murphy, Tariq Namouz, Justin Peck, Kyle Pietrzak, Brace Plumblee, Jay Rex, Cory Satterfield, Josh Schammel, Peter Schatteman, Mark Schott, Chris Schrank, and Bernadette Wersinger.

Junior Ring Ceremony
Congratulations to the members of the Class of 2012 who received their class rings. The custom of awarding class rings, originating in 1835 by the graduates of the United States Military Academy at West Point, quickly spread to other institutions as a means of perpetuating the ideals and traditions of each school. The seal on the SJCS ring identifies the rising senior as a St. Joseph's Catholic School Knight and as an upperclassman. The class ring is a unique symbol of pride, class unity, and school recognition.

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Students in Deborah Henderson's eighth grade boys art class recently completed a project called "Build Me Something." The class divided into groups of 2 -3 students each, then the groups brainstormed to choose a topic. The boys enjoyed being able to use X-acto knives, box cutters, spray paint, and hot glue guns. "This project presented a great way for the students to use their problem solving and engineering skills," concluded Henderson.

Seniors Klyn Carr and Kaitlyn Dunphy and juniors Cory Satterfield and Chris Schrank were recently selected to represent SJCS at the Youth in Government (YIG) Day on Wednesday, March 30 at the SC Statehouse. High school students will spend the day lobbying their local legislators and senators regarding the importance of the YIG program to the development of democracy in the next generation. Students will meet with their local representatives and have lunch as a group. Junior Joshua Schammel will be representing the state's YIG delegation at the Committee on National Affairs in June.

Cory Satterfield and Chris Schrank were also selected as High School Resource Staff for the YMCA's Middle School Model United Nations Conference to be held at the YMCA Camp in Black Mountain, NC April 7-9. These students were part of the SJCS Youth In Government delegation this past December and held leadership positions at this event.

This year marked a move to the South Carolina High School League 1A competition for St. Joseph's Varsity Girls Soccer and the team is holding its own. Following a pre-season tournament at Easley High School, at which the Lady Knights defeated 4A Greenwood High School and 4A Nation Ford High School, St. Joseph's finished in fourth place with second day losses to Hillcrest High School and Bishop England.

"This tournament was a great eye-opener for us," stated Coach Shannon Herman. "We saw some excellent, unanticipated strengths within our team while having the opportunity to expose and address our weaknesses early. In particular, I am highly encouraged with our team’s offensive abilities."

The team opened their season on March 7 with a tough 4-0 loss to Eastside High on St. Joseph's home turf. After going the entire first half with a 1-0 score, the Lady Eagles found a hole in the Knights’ defense and slipped three goals into the Knights’ net within the first fifteen minutes of the second half. The Knights quickly recovered and plugged the defensive hole, but were unable to answer with any goals.

Senior Co-Captain Mary Stanton saw the loss as a wake-up call for the team. "This was our first game on our home field, and we fell apart. Sometimes we learn more from a loss than a win, but we are going to be sure this is a lesson we only learn once."

The Lady Knights quickly rallied from that loss and have continued their season with four wins, all on their home turf. On March 8, they defeated Greer Charter High School 7-0. Two days later, St. Joe's crushed 3A Walhalla 4-0. The following week, the team beat Landrum in their first conference game 7-0. On March 21, the Knights secured their second conference win against Southside Christian 8-3.

"The Southside Christian game was tougher than it appears," added Coach Herman. "The Sabres took an immediate lead on us with a corner kick in the first minute. I was really proud of my girls for remaining composed and answering within 30 seconds, but we volleyed goals for the first ten minutes. We simply can’t afford to make the defensive mistakes that we did that first half."

The Lady Knights faced off with 3A neighbor J.L. Mann on March 23. After a hard fought, scoreless first half, the Patriots found the Knight’s net at the beginning of the second half. St. Joe's fought hard to answer, but were unable to penetrate the Patriots’ defense. The loss to Mann gives the Lady Knights a 4-2 season record and a 2-0 conference record.

The Lady Knights Varsity Squad includes seniors Taylor Boyle, Katie Lynam (Co-Captain), Ashley McCarthy, Caitlin Rowe, and Mary Stanton (Co-Captain); juniors Claire Capelle, Katie Helvey, Dani Inglesby, and Sara Ruble; sophomores Shannon Beck, Aly Cajka, Meredith Schosky, and Nicole Stein; and freshmen Aimee Coggins, Melissa Mohr, and Melissa Zankman.

JV Girls Soccer

St. Joseph's has added a JV Girls squad to its soccer sports lineup this year. This team is an extension of the varsity soccer program and is coached by the same staff, with Shannon Herman at the head, assisted by Elizabeth Offerle and Sheldon Robinson.

"We think it is vital that the JV program flow naturally into the varsity program," said Coach Herman. "For this reason, we conduct the majority of our practices together and all three of us try to attend both teams' games. We strive to have one continuous soccer philosophy that translates into a solid, winning soccer tradition at St. Joseph's."

The JV squad is already experiencing significant success. March 17 marked their first game of the season at home against Landrum, which they won by a 7-0 landslide. The next night, the squad competed in a grueling battle with Christ Church Episcopal School for a 2-1 loss. But, the Lady Knights quickly regained their momentum with a 7-0 win at Southside Christian on March 22 and a 2-0 victory at home against Langston Charter Middle School on March 23.

"I have been extremely proud of our JV team so far this season," stated Coach Offerle. "Part of building a solid soccer tradition at St. Joseph's starts with having a strong JV program. We have had some big wins over strong opponents and the girls are dedicated to making our first JV season a successful one."

The JV squad is composed of tenth graders Kaitlyn Posa and Nikki Williams (Co-Captains), ninth graders Anissa Armaly, Jennifer Coggins, Sarah Gibson, Neva Jacobsen, Taylor Jones, Caroline Kelly, Grace Mosley, Kelly Olin, and Emily Wood, eighth graders Mary Ellen Grosskopf, Carley Reinholtz, Charlotte Ruble, and Deanna Zimeri, and seventh graders Tia Caron, Kristen Kauffman, and Bailey Mullins.

Congratulations to all the students who made the Third Quarter Honor Roll.

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The College Guidance Office recently announced that thirteen students out of a class of 77 seniors have qualified for early awards as Palmetto Fellows: Cole Buchanan, Mary Grace Carey, Andrew King, Theresa Krupka, Miguel Larrain, Elizabeth Larson, Kathryn Lynam, Kelsey Mazur, Mary Kate McClintock, Jeremy Mehl, Caitlin Rowe, Tristan Sexton, J.P. Wilmeth. These students met the Early Award requirements by maintaining a minimum cumulative GPA of 4.0 and scoring a minimum of 1400 on the SAT I (Critical Reading and Math) or 32 on the ACT. The Palmetto Scholarship recognizes academically talented South Carolina high school seniors and encourages these individuals to attend colleges in state. Each Palmetto Fellow may receive a scholarship up to $6,700 during their first year of college. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors may receive up to $7,500 per year.

The St. Joseph's Knights Chorus was the featured opening act at The University of Notre Dame Glee Club Concert held on Thursday, March 17th at Prince of Peace Catholic Church. St. Joseph's selections included Mozart's "Ave Verum," "Soli Deo Gloria," accompanied by pianist Susan Kern, and "May the Road to Rise to Meet You" in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. Sophomore guitarist Kristen Farrenkopf and junior pianist Monica Fric accompanied the students. The Notre Dame Glee Club's performance was part of their 2011 Spring Tour Concert Series. Selections from the Glee Club included "Ave Maria," "Danny Boy," and "Notre Dame, Our Mother." Approximately 800 people were on hand to enjoy a beautiful night of music. The event, sponsored by the Notre Dame Club of the Western Carolinas, helped benefit St. Anthony of Padua Parish Food Pantry.

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The St. Joseph's Parents Guild sponsored their second annual ladies night out, Sip into Spring, on Friday evening, March 18. Over one-hundred St. Joseph's ladies enjoyed the first weekend of spring viewing the newest fashions from several local boutiques. Special thanks go to faculty member Sharon Ruble and parent Donna Cajka, along with their committee of parent volunteers: Judy Hudak, Sue Langan, Renee Nally, and Michelle Newsome. SJCS Class of 2005 graduate and Ann Taylor Store Manager Elizabeth Lepak shared her beautiful sense of style and warmth with the group. Music was provided by guest DJ and SJCS faculty member Frank Kucinic. The ladies sampled an assortment of appetizers, pasta, and desserts and enjoyed dancing, friendship, and laughter in the magical setting of Twigs Tempietto.

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Junior Allison Espada and freshman Anabel Masaschi participated in auditions sponsored by the South Carolina Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singers (N.A.T.S) held recently at the USC School of Music in Columbia. Allison advanced to the regional competition in both the Women's Junior/Senior Advanced Classical Music Category and also in the Junior/Senior Advanced Musical Theatre Category. Anabel advanced to the regional competition in the Freshman/Sophomore Women’s Musical Theatre category.

Junior Taylor Murphy placed first overall in the advanced piano division at the South Carolina Federation of Music Clubs Northwestern District I Festival held recently at Bob Jones University School of Music (Piano Competition). He also received a superior rating, the highest honor awarded. In addition, SJCS students Carol Lewis, William Lewis, and Jessica Peck also competed and received Superior ratings and Bernadette Wersinger received an Excellent rating.

The St. Joseph's Varsity Baseball team is off to one of their best start in many years. The Knights are currently 4-0 in region play with a recent wins over Christ Church, Whitmire, Greenville Tech Charter, and Southside Christian.

"With six freshman and four sophomores, we are still very young and we're sure to hit some growing pains throughout the season," stated Head Coach J.B. Barwick. "However, the boys are committed to working hard and reaching the next level in a championship program. The team has greatly benefitted from new Assistant Coach Jeremy Guthrie, who handles pitching duties. Tod Frick and Greg Simms remain as integral members of the staff."

Junior Aaron Lesiak and freshman Ryan Stamler have emerged as the team's leading pitchers. They are followed by a core of additional pitchers that include Scott Burnley, Nick Leonard, David Marable, Angelo Pahila, Graham Roberts, and Jack Twomey. JV player Andrew Buff has pitched some varsity innings and will continue to see time in varsity games.

Cody Davidson, David Estes, Aaron Lesiak, and David Marable lead the attack at the plate, while seniors Doug Cates and L.J. Kleger have been solid defensively, and are quickly regaining their top offensive spots. Alex Malsch and Will McLellan round out the squad, and have contributed at a high level, both on and off the field.

"I'm proud of their overall maturity to be so young and compete against older, more experienced teams," concluded Coach Barwick. "Our challenge is to continue to improve at the fundamentals of the game, focus on one game at a time, and to understand the qualities of a competitor and a champion."

JV Baseball

The JV squad is showing promise as the 2011 season begins. These athletes have posted a 3-0 season-to-date record. Winning their first game in a 2-1 pitching duel with Mauldin Middle School, they also have victories against the Spartanburg Eagles (9-2 and 12-2).

The team is led by ninth graders Andrew Buff (pitcher and shortstop) and Tucker McMillen (outfielder), followed by eighth graders Jake Reinstein (pitcher and catcher) and Evan Willoughby (first baseman). Seventh grade members include infielders Nick Burns and Carter Powell, and outfielders John Krall, Wyatt Nally, A.J. Quartararo, Sterling Turmon, and Jack Valente.

"We're a young JV team, and we will have to battle hard against much older JV teams in our region," stated Head JV Coach Greg Simms. "However, practicing alongside our varsity team everyday benefits us greatly, and will build for a bright future at St. Joseph's."

Congratulations to senior Jeremy Mehl, who earned the highest score of any SJCS student on the American Mathematics Competition (AMC) 12. High school students recently participated in the AMC, the first in a series of exams leading up to the International Math Olympiad, and honor is awarded to those students who earn the highest scores. Jeremy also qualified for the next exam in that series, the American Invitational Mathematics Exam (AIME). Other students who placed well on the AMC 12 included juniors Mark Schott and Mitchell Jones, who placed second and third respectively. On the AMC 10, the highest scorer was sophomore Nic Poupore, followed by sophomore Phillip Key and freshman Noah Schammel, who tied for second place.

Students in Kevin Stanton's ninth grade history classes recently completed research projects for the National History Day Contest in South Carolina. Students selected topics that reflected this year's contest theme "Debate and Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, and Consequences." Projects included a variety of research papers, exhibits, documentaries, and a website entry. Eighty SJCS students participated in this year’s event, held in the school library on Thursday, March 10. Twenty-six students have now qualified as finalists for the Regional History Day Contest to be held at the Upstate History Museum in Greenville and the Downtown Greenville Library on March 25.

The school finalists are:

• Research Papers: Ben Dunphy (National Parks), Carol Lewis (Treaty of Westphalia), Emily Wood (Japanese Internment)
• Individual Exhibits: Tyler Grant (NFL Merger), Amanda Nesta (Brown vs. Board), Kevin Norton (1936 Olympics)
• Group Exhibits: Jennifer Coggins, Berna Williams, and Melissa Zankman (The Battle of the Little Big Horn 1876), Elizabeth Jalali and Caitlin Moon (Cuban Missile Crisis), Erin Laliberty and Becca Messer (John Paul II and Ronald Regan: The Holy Alliance), Elisabeth Noblet and Natalie Rogers (Child Labor on Mill Hill)
• Individual Documentary: Alex Luzzatti (Lincolnâ€"Douglas Debates), Patrick Mobley (The Statesmanship of Joel R. Poinsett), Noah Schammel (Cuban Missile Crisis)
• Group Documentary: Stefani Azores-Gococo, Nadir Dbouk, and Campbell Plumblee (Mary Tudor), Alex Biscopink and Wil Magaha, (The Founding of BMW in South Carolina), Kathryn Corasaniti and Caroline Kelly (Women in Olympics)
• Group Website: Stephen Krupka and Austin Van Houten (The Cuban Missile Crises)

The winners of the Regional Contest will qualify for the state contest to be held on April 24 in Columbia.

Senior Michael McCall and juniors Amy Hase and David Rogozenski recently auditioned for undergraduate theatre programs at the Southeastern Theatre Conference held March 2-5 in Atlanta. Over 150 colleges and universities were represented. Both students received several offers when called back to audition for over twenty different schools. Kevin Carey, Caroline Cooney, and Clare Ruble also attended the conference and spent time attending workshops and attending a variety of performances. SJCS Fine Arts Department Chair Teresa McGrath accompanied the students to Atlanta.

Members of the Class of 2011 traveled to Orlando, Florida March 2-5 for the annual senior class trip. The students spent time at Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure Amusement Parks, and Wet 'n Wild Water Park. The weather was warm and sunny, and the seniors enjoyed going on the rides, especially the Rock n’ Roll Rip Coaster and the Hulk. Their favorite attraction was Harry Potter World. The group also enjoyed meals at many of the local restaurants, including Bubba Gumps, Hard Rock Cafe, Margaritaville, and the Latin Quarter. SJCS staff members George Carr, Meby Carr, Megan Koon, Julie Schroeder, and Jimmy Touzeau accompanied the students to Florida.

Click here to view more photos.

SJCS Class of 2005 graduate Laura Gragtmans returned to St. Joseph's on Thursday, March 10 to surprise the sixth grade girls with several theater piece readings and explain some technicalities of theater performance and dialect. The girls listened attentively to pieces from Shakespeare, including a Sonnet popularized by the movie Sense and Sensibility, a Lady Macbeth monologue, a Shanahan monologue, and a selection from the play Anatomy of Gray. After graduating from St. Joseph's, Laura attended the University of Evansville in Indiana where she received a Bachelor of Science. Laura is now in her second year at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut completing a Masters of Fine Arts at the Yale School of Drama.

Congratulations to junior Jay Rex, who was recently presented with his Eagle Scout Award. A six-year member of St. Mary's Parish Troop #521, Jay was honored at the Blue Ridge Boy Scout Council Banquet held on February 27. His Eagle project involved clearing a two-mile nature trail off East Georgia Road in Simpsonville.

The St. Joseph's Wrestling Team finished in the state's Top Ten, with seven wrestlers named to the All-Region Team: Clark Burgess, Connor Bolick, Nadir Dbouk, Gabe McCall, Daniel Sokol, and Austin Van Houten.

"We had a great year," stated Coach Vinson. "We had a couple of tough matches this season that really put the guys to the test and they pulled through. This program is headed for great things in the near future, and I'm glad to be a part of it."

With only one graduating senior, the team is sure to be back even stronger next year.

"Clark (Burgess) is going to be missed. He was a great asset to the team and the younger guys really respected him," concluded Vinson. "However, there are several guys primed for leadership roles and I know they will step up next season."

For the second year, high school students were offered a variety of active learning experiences in early March called Mini-Mester. Designed to enrich and compliment their academic curriculum, each Mini-Mester course was borne out of an interest, hobby, or passion of a SJCS staff member. This year’s offerings included basic woodworking, learning to live a healthy lifestyle, making t-shirt quilts, learning about computer hardware, preparing authentic French cuisine, hiking the Swamp Rabbit Trail, an introduction to pottery, and much more. Some courses were held on campus while others were field experiences; some courses were offered free of charge while others required a fee to cover expenses. All high school Mini-Mester courses met for at least 12 hours over the week’s span, and students earned a .25 credit on a pass/fail basis.

Middle school students were offered a one-day Mini-Mester on March 2 with offerings that included exploring the world of Harry Potter, understanding the basics of budgeting, banking, and investing, navigating the great outdoors, a mini-triathlon, an overnight trip to the zoo, a Red Cross babysitting class, and a cake decorating class to name just a few.

Click here for a complete list of high school course offerings.

Click here for a complete list of middle school course offerings.

Click here to view more photos.

Congratulations to seventh grader Jack Valente, who captured second place for his invention "The Garage Keeper" at the Bi-Lo Invention Convention held March 2-3 at the Bi-Lo Center. Thirty-one SJCS seventh graders presented and over 1,500 Greenville County students in grades 4-8 participated in this annual event.

Click here for more photos.

Congratulations to the Varsity Girls Basketball Team, Class A Runner-Up in the State Championships played at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia on Saturday, March 5. Senior Caroline Sparr, sophomore Katherine Reynolds, and eighth grader Imani Grace King were named to the All-Region Team. Sparr will play in the Greenville vs. Spartanburg All-Star Challenge on March 12 at Byrnes High School. Seniors Elizabeth Reynolds and Stephanie Saunders will play in the Piedmont Athletic Association Senior Showcase on March 11 at Hillcrest High School. The Lady Knights, who posted a 21-6 season record, were previously crowned Upper State Champions and also claimed first place region honors. Coach Grace Franklin was named Region Two Coach of the Year.

In other season-ending basketball highlights, the Varsity Boys Team finished the season with a 19-7 record and placed second in the region. In the state playoffs, the Knights defeated Brashier Middle College Charter (85-65) in the first round, and then lost on the road against eventual Upper State Champions Great Falls (67-38) in the second round. Senior Kelly Assinesi was named Region 2-A Player of the Year, and Assinesi and senior Alex Winebarger were each named to the All-Region Team. Assinesi was also named First Team All-County and was selected to play in the North South All-Star game in Myrtle Beach on March 19.

The JV Boys Basketball Team finished the season with a 12-5 overall record, and an 8-4 conference record, earning the team third place region honors. Season highlights included avenging an early season two point loss to Christ Church with a twelve point win. The Knights also avenged a one point loss to Landrum with an eight point win at home. "The season was a great success and a great test of our program's stability and progress," stated Coach Charles Franklin. "The boys set a few goals for the season, one of which was that no team would beat us twice. With the exception of Blacksburg, we were able to meet that goal."

The Middle School Girls Team took home the third place trophy in the Carolina Middle School Conference Tournament. Seventh grader Christina Waingart was named to the All-Tournament Team. Christina, along with seventh grader Carter Powell, were both named All-Conference Players.

View more highlights from the Girls State Finals:

Photo Gallery

Knights Savor Historic Season After Defeat
The Tribune Times 03-09-11

Knights Fall Short in First Attempt at Silverware
The Greenville News 03-05-11

SJCS faculty and staff prepared and served breakfast to the student body on Tuesday, March 8 in celebration of Fat Tuesday. Doors opened at 7:30 A.M. and students were able to sample and enjoy an array of breakfast casseroles, fresh fruit, pancakes, bagels, donuts, juice, and milk during an extended morning period set aside for the day's activity. Special thanks to SJCS parent Tom Baliker (Mama Mary's Pancakes), Riley Cordell (Pet Dairy), and to SJCS faculty members Marie Kernell and Sharon Ruble, who once again organized this annual event.

Congratulations to freshman Luke Lepak and sixth grader Ben Ragan, both of whom captured First Place at the SC State Scholastic Chess Tournament held in Columbia on Saturday, March 5. In addition, the SJCS Middle School Chess Team earned second place tournament honors. Middle school students Morrigan Dearman, Shane Dunlavey, Elias Longenecker, Noah Perez-Vergara, Ben Ragan, Sydney Richardson, and Charles Vandross contributed to the Middle School Team success. Approximately 70 middle school and high school students competed in this annual event. SJCS Math Teacher Anne Gragtmans and Middle School Chess Club Moderator Doug Ragan accompanied the students to Columbia.

The St Joseph's Varsity Boys Soccer Team has rebounded from several re-building years with the promise of a great season ahead. In pre-season scrimmages, the Knights posted a 2-1 win over sixth-ranked 4-A school J.L. Mann.

The Knights are led this year by Captain Alex Burnikel, along with fellow seniors Miguel Larrain and Craig Scholz, who each bring as much as five seasons worth of experience to the field. Anchoring the defense for the Knights are Captains Pietro Bottari and Nic Poupore, along with J.D. Brookbank, Tariq Namouz, and Tim Litzinger. Also contributing to the defensive effort are freshmen Gene Langan and Alex Luzzatti. Midfielders Ashton Ardoin, Christopher Heijjer, Patrick Jones, Brennan Koslow, Collin McMillen, and Tyler Visin control the flow of the game. Putting the ball in the back of the net is Captain Austen Burnikel, Ryan Bertling, and Davis Osborn.

"The boys have been working extremely hard in the off-season," stated returning Head Coach Frank Kucinic. "If we play to our potential, there's no doubt in my mind that we will be state champion contenders at the end of the season."

The Knights also participated recently in a pre-season tournament hosted by Wando High School in Charleston, where the top teams in the state competed. As the underdogs, the Knights proved to be formidable opponents to every team they faced, allowing only four goals scored over the course of four games and finishing sixth out of a twelve team tournament pool.

"It was nice to finally see the fruits of our labor come to fruition," stated Captain Alex Burnikel.

The Knights face conference opponent Greer Middle College Charter on Tuesday, March 8 at home beginning at 7:00 P.M.

Congratulations to seniors Theresa Krupka and Jeremy Mehl who have been nominated by the school to compete in the National Honor Society Scholarship sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). Nominees were selected based on their leadership skills, participation in service organizations and clubs, outstanding character, and exemplary academic performance. Two hundred NHS winners will be chosen from nominations nation-wide to receive $1,000 college scholarships in spring 2011.

SJCS senior Mary Stanton signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer for Newberry College on Monday, February 28. Currently in her fourth season for the Lady Knights and the team's first season in the South Carolina High School League, Mary plays forward position and has been a team starter every game for the past three years. She was also named a Team Captain this year. Mary was previously recognized by the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) as an All-Region, All-Conference, and High School All-Star player. She has played on CESA soccer club teams for three years, and most recently participated on the 2010-11 CESA 92 Girls Premier Soccer Team.

The recent launch of Space Shuttle Discovery was not only a historic moment in the nation’s space program, but also for St. Joseph's students as their personal signatures were carried up to the International Space Station on the mission. The project is part of the Student Signatures in Space (S3) program, jointly sponsored by NASA and Lockheed Martin. Designed to stimulate student's interest in space and technical studies, S3 gives K-12 students the opportunity to send their digitized signatures into space and feel a personal involvement with the crew and the mission. SJCS students were among over 500,000 other students from around the world selected to sign giant posters in celebration of Space Day (celebrated the first Friday each May). The signatures were all scanned onto a disc, and the disc was manifested as part of Discovery's cargo.

Discovery launched on February 24 and docked with the International Space Station on February 26. The signatures are now orbiting the Earth with the Space Station at 17,500 miles per hour, completing an entire Earth orbit approximately every 90 minutes. The STS-133 mission is scheduled to conclude on March 8, with an 11:35 A.M. EST landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Following the mission, Space Shuttle Discovery will be permanently retired.

Upon conclusion of the mission, the poster that St. Joseph's students signed will be returned to the school for permanent display, along with an official NASA flight certification verifying that the signatures flew in space and a photo of the STS-133 astronaut crew that flew the signatures.

NASA and Lockheed Martin have been conducting the Student Signatures in Space program since Space Day was created by Lockheed Martin in 1997. To date, over six million students have participated in the Student Signatures in Space program.

The SJCS Fine Arts Department and Jubilate Guild hosted their second annual Jubilate Knight: A Grand Celebration For the Arts on Saturday evening, February 26th. The event showcased talent from throughout the St. Joseph's community, including artwork, baked goods, band performances, and song and dance numbers. The faculty duo of Megan and Ryan Koon served as hosts for the evening's festivities, and the following individuals served as judges for the event: SJCS Board of Trustees Chair Margaret Ann Moon, Headmaster Keith Kiser, Athletic Director Jan Carino, and Special Guest Judge George Patrick McLeer '06, Director of the Mauldin Cultural Center. This year's Sir Frolic Award was awarded to junior Allison Espada and freshman Patrick Mobley for their vocal duet performance of "The Prayer."

Click here for a list of performers.

Click here for more photos.

The High School Multi-Media Art Class recently experimented with carving sculptures using balsa foam. This product was easy for students to work with as it offered little resistance to carving tools and could be painted like wood. The students each practiced drawing an animal, and then made two foam sculptures - one practice and one finished project. The finished sculptures were then painted with a two-part resin for sealing.

Click here for more photos.

Following a unit on Spanish culture, Viri Lashley's Spanish IV students recently received a dance lesson from professional dance instructor Grady Patterson. Latin music could be heard playing from the stage as students enjoyed learning the lively steps of Salsa and Cumbia.

The Lady Knights claimed the Class A Upper State Basketball Championship Title by defeating Christ Church (42-34) on February 26, and have now advanced to the championship round of the state playoffs. In prior playoff action, the Varsity Girls Team defeated Ninety-Six (46-33), McBee (43-35), and upset undefeated McCormick High (48-43). St. Joseph's will now face Ridgeland for the state title on Saturday, March 5 at the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia at 11:30 A.M. The team finished their season with an overall 17-6 record and a 13-1 region record to claim first place region honors.

Click on the link below for a related story:
St. Joseph's Girls Advance to Class A State Final
The Greenville News 02-26-11

Click on the link below for a related photo gallery:
CCES vs. St. Joseph's Hoops
The Tribune Times 02-28-11

Congratulations to seventh grader Caroline McCoy, who was recently named a State Winner in the Knights of Columbus Substance Abuse Awareness Poster Contest. Caroline won a $25 gift certificate and her entry is automatically entered in the national competition. Second place honors went to Sterling Turmon and third place honors were awarded to Katie Loudermilk.

Students in Joanna McLucas's seventh grade science classes participate in this event each year, and several other SJCS students also received Honorable Mention: Madison Bolick, Elizabeth Bullard, Margaret Eberly, Michelle Malsch, Jacob Meyer, Cater Powell, Nila Veerabagu, and Mary Veideman.

Representatives from the Knights of Columbus Council 10819 from St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church recently presented the awards at a school assembly.

Congratulations to the Middle School Quiz Bowl Team for finishing as the state runner-up at this year's South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) Quiz Bowl Competition held in Orangeburg on February 22nd. The team, comprised of eighth graders Luke Coffey, Patrick McLear, Josh Reidt, Sam Reidt, and William Tierney, was unbeaten in the semi-final round, and lost only one game in the championship round to the state champion Wilson Hall team. This marks the third runner-up finish for the Middle School in the past six years, during which time the school has also captured two State Championship titles. The team is coached by SJCS Middle School faculty member Peter Adair.

St. Joseph's presents "Jubilate Knight," a Grand Celebration of the Arts, to be held on campus on Saturday, February 26. The event will feature performances by students, parents, and teachers, along with a silent auction consisting of student art work and donations from the Greenville Arts community, as well as cakes decorated by school staff. Seating begins at 6:30 P.M. and performances begin at 7:00 P.M. This annual fundraiser supports the school's Fine Arts Departments (Arts, Dance, Drama and Music Departments).

Click here for a list of performers.

SJCS girls in Lavinia Plumblee's Household spent a recent Wednesday afternoon celebrating Valentine's Day with students in Carolyn Lenhardt's second grade class at St. Anthony's Catholic School in downtown Greenville. The students enjoyed making Valentine cards and snacking on pink cupcakes. The high school girls also enjoyed teaching the younger girls the St. Joseph's victory cheer.

In state playoff action, the SJCS Varsity Girls Basketball Team has advanced to the championship round of the Upper State Finals. In the first round, the team defeated Ninety-Six (46-33) at home on February 14. The Lady Knights then hosted McBee High on February 17 and won 43-35. From there, the team traveled to T.L. Hanna High School on February 21 and upset an undefeated McCormick High team (48-43), handing the Lady Knights their biggest win of the season to date. St. Joseph's will now face Christ Church Episcopal School in the Class A Upper State Finals on Saturday, February 26 at 11:00 A.M. at the Bi-Lo Center in downtown Greenville. The winner of this game will advance to the State Finals in Columbia on Saturday, March 6.

St. Joseph's basketball rolling through playoffs
The Greenville News 02-24-11

The St. Joseph's International Thespian Society Chapter 6388 participated in the Palmetto Dramatics Association and South Carolina Thespian Festival held recently at the University of South Carolina Aiken campus. Over twenty schools from throughout the state competed in the event. SJCS Fine Arts Director Teresa McGrath and parent Cindy Davis accompanied the students to Aiken.

• The following students were recommended to compete in Individual Events at the International Thespian Festival (ITF) to be held in Lincoln, NE in June: freshman Savannah Klosowski was recommended to compete in Solo Musical Theatre with her performance of "On My Own" from Les Miserables; senior J.P. Wilmeth and junior Amy Hase were recommended to compete in Duet Musical Theatre with their song "I'd Give It All For You" from Songs for a New World. Additionally, Wilmeth and Hase were selected to perform their duet as a part of the final Individual Event showcase.
• The school's One-Act Play entry, The Lottery, directed by senior Theresa Krupka, received Honorable Mention. Additionally, senior Seth Kiser received an Excellent rating for his acting performance, sophomore Clare Ruble received a Superior rating for her acting performance, and Theresa Krupka received a Superior rating for her Student Direction.

Click here to view more photos from the One-Act Play.

High school students in Mireya Lumbreras' Spanish Two Classes recently learned food vocabulary and commands in Spanish. The students had a chance to put their knowledge into practice by assembling recipes using real ingredients and explaining their cooking projects to the class.

SJCS History Honor Society Members recently interviewed veterans within the SJCS community. The students participated in the South Carolina Veteran’s History Project sponsored by Senator Jim DeMint's office. Instituted in 2000 by the Library of Congress, this project seeks to chronicle the experiences of America’s war heroes and its veterans. The students had specific guidelines to follow, as their interviews will be housed in the Library of Congress, which is working to collect interviews from as many veterans as possible.

Interviews were conducted with former SJCS faculty member Paul Barra (Korean War), faculty member Joel Brandon's father Colonel James Brandon (Korean War), sixth grader Allison Copsey's grandfather Ron Copsey (Cold War era), and freshman Janis Riddle's grandfather Eddie Worthy (Vietnam War).

Freshmen returned to their middle school households on February 16 for Household Homecoming. What began last year as an annual tradition, St. Joseph's ninth graders were welcomed back with banners and treats as they enjoyed snacks, conversation, and laughter with their former middle school household members. It also provided the eighth graders a time to ask questions about high school, covering topics from high school changes to high school privileges. The freshmen enjoyed their role as mentors and several deans reported there was no shortage of conversation.

"We had a ball," stated Middle School Dean Sharon Ruble. "The girls enjoyed talking about high school study halls, boy/girl classrooms, Catholic school versus public school environment, work load, and social changes. It was also fun having the alumni boys from our brother household come back and visit."

To help ensure the successful transition to high school for the largest class in the school's history, St. Joseph's introduced a new experience for ninth graders this year called Freshman Connection. This year-long program is designed to introduce and acclimate ninth graders to the academic, social, and spiritual aspects of high school life at St. Joseph's.

Two buses filled with members from the SJCS Class of 2014 rolled out of the parking lot on February 9th for the first of three Freshman Connection events planned for the second half of this school year. Students wore blindfolds as they embarked on a "Magical Mystery Tour" theme and were driven to a secret location, which turned out to be the Pavilion in Greenville for an ice skating party.

Freshmen Team Members Carol Dunn, Michelle Houmis, and Jeanne McCoy accompanied the students and served as judges for the event. Prizes were awarded at last week's Freshman Connection lunchtime assembly to the following ninth graders for accomplishments on the ice: Fanciest Footwork (J.P. Kiser), Wipe Out Award (Andre Stoddard and Keiko Okinaga), Wall Hugger Award (Angelo Pahila and Natalia Sanchez), and Judges Choice Award (Adam Miele).

Click here for more photos.

Members of the SJCS Middle School Chess Club visited the NHC Nursing Home on February 10 to demonstrate their chess skills before some enthusiastic residents. Displaying their love of the game were sixth graders Matt Bynum, Morrigan Dearman, Charlotte Gayle, Ben Ragan, Sydney Richardson, and eighth grader Andrew Schatteman. SJCS Club Moderator Anne Gragtmans and Chess Coach Doug Ragan also attended.

Congratulations to SJCS Science Department Faculty Member Sharon Ruble, who placed first in her age group at the Greenville Valley Road Race 8K held on Saturday, February 12. Close to 600 runners participated in the 8K and 16K events. This marked the 34th year of this race.

SJCS Varsity Baseball Coach J.B. Barwick recently invited Landon Powell, starting catcher for the Oakland A's, to visit with the team before he left for spring training. Landon, who played college baseball at the University of South Carolina, shared his story of faith and some life lessons he learned along the way at St. Joseph's baseball practice on February 9. Since 1880, there have only been twenty "perfect games" recorded in major league baseball, and Landon caught one of them last season. After speaking with the boys, Landon answered questions, practiced with the team, and posed for pictures.

"His story was a powerful witness for the team," stated Coach Barwick. "What an awesome role model the boys now have with Landon. He lives in Greenville in the off-season, and my guess is that he'll be back to check in on the team when he can."

Click here to view more photos.

Congratulations to juniors Amy Hase and Maddy Longenecker, who each received an Honorable Mention Award for their essays from the Bill of Rights Institute. As part of a class assignment in Meby Carr's U.S. History Class, students wrote on the topic "What civic value do you believe is most essential to being an American?" There were 24,000 essays entered nation-wide, with 63 Honorable Mention winners. Both students will receive a $100 cash prize and a certificate from the Bill of Rights Institute.

SJCS eighth grader Shane Lotts and seventh grader Zach Seidel were two of twenty-five Boy Scouts recently recognized within the Diocese of Charleston to earn the Ad Altare Dei (AAD) Award this year. Presented to them by Bishop Robert Guglielmone on Sunday, February 6 at St. Joseph’s Church in Columbia, the AAD award is a program that examines all seven sacraments. The boys were required to study each sacrament in depth and to complete workbook assignments and corresponding activities on the sacraments effects in their daily lives. The program takes many months to complete and ended with a retreat in Columbia in January.

St. Joseph's Varsity Girls Basketball Team ended their regular season 17-6 and 13-1 in the region, earning the Region Two 1A Championship. Coach Grace Franklin was named Region Two Coach Of the Year. Seeded #1 in the state playoffs, the girls team will host Ninety-Six High School on Monday, February 14 at 7:00 P.M. The St. Joseph's Varsity Boys Basketball Team regular season ended on February 10 with the Knights defeating Whitmire High 77-42. The Knights ended their regular season 18-6 and 11-3 in region for a second place region finish. Boys playoff action begins on Tuesday, February 15 as the Knights host Brashier Middle College Charter High School at 7:00 P.M.

St. Joseph's Wrestling Team is coming off a strong finish at the region tournament held February 3 at Landrum High School. Six wrestlers make it to the finals: senior Clark Burgess, junior Gabe McCall, and freshmen Nadir Dbouk and Austin Van Houten all finished in first place, while junior Daniel Sokol and sophomore Connor Bolick finished second. The team overall finished the tournament in second place behind Landrum.

"Having six out of our nine guys finishing in the Top Two in the region is fantastic," stated Head Coach Matt Vinson. "These wrestlers continue to amaze me with their strong work ethic."

With a strong second place finish in the tournament and a good showing in the state duals tournament, the team’s confidence seems to be at an all-time high.

"We work hard on and off the mat," stated Team Captain Clark Burgess. "With the two biggest weeks of the season ahead of us, we'll be ready."

Congratulations to SJCS seniors Theresa Krupka, Katie Lynam, Jeremy Mehl, and J.P. Wilmeth, who have advanced to Finalist standing in the National Merit Scholarship Competition by demonstrating, through their distinguished performance, high potential for future academic accomplishment. They will be notified in March of their standing as Merit Scholarship Winners.

Catholic Schools across America celebrated Catholic Schools Week January 30-February 4. The theme for this year, "Catholic Schools: A+ for America," celebrated the fact that Catholic schools are an added value ("a plus") for the nation. Because of their traditionally high academic standards, high graduation rates, and strong moral values, Catholic schools and their graduates make positive contributions to American society. Catholic schools give a high level of service to local communities (the A+ level) because of the many service projects students undertake and Catholic schools give a high level of service to the nation by serving students from all economic backgrounds.

As part of a service initiative for Catholic Schools Week, St. Joseph's Student Council organized a week-long school-wide food drive to benefit two local food banks: St. Anthony of Padua and Our Lady of the Rosary Parish Pantries. One Household competed against another, with various food items pre-selected for each Household. Students amassed over 10,000 units of boxed macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, canned vegetables, spaghetti sauce, cereal, soup, and more…the most food ever collected from a school-wide food drive. The food was assembled in the High School Commons on the final day of the week and then split out and delivered to the various food pantries.

Click below to read a related article on the food drive.
Students Celebrate Record Food Drive
The Greenville News City People 02-09-11

Click onto the links below to view other highlights from the week:
Basketball Jamboree-Catholic Middle Schools
Staff Appreciation Day
Student Appreciation Day
Volunteer Appreciation Day
Household Competition and More

Diocese of Charleston Seminarian and SJCS graduate Andrew Fryml '08 recently visited the school during Catholic Schools Week. He served at Mass and spoke to the student body afterwards about his call to the priesthood. Following Mass, Andrew enjoyed lunch with students from Campus Ministry.

St. Joseph's State Champion Girls Cross-Country Team was recently honored with their championship rings. Pictured are senior Katie Lynam, juniors Dani Inglesby and Madeleine McMillan, freshmen Carol Lewis and Jennifer Coggins, eighth grader Keyes Gilmer, and seventh grader Sara Catherine Masaschi. The girls made history for the school on November 6 by bringing home the school's first SCHSL (South Carolina High School League) 1-A State Championship. This championship comes on the heels of two previous consecutive SCISA (South Carolina Independent School Association) state titles.

As part of a unit on Astronomy and the Space Race of the 1960's, students in Ryan Koon's eighth grade science classes recently completed a laboratory investigation on rocketry. Each group constructed their own rockets which included a solid propellant launch system and parachute recovery system. Groups tested different trajectories to determine the height and distance their rockets could be launched. Each group was able to successfully launch their rocket at least once, and several were able to recover and re-launch their rockets.

Click here to view more photos.

SJCS senior Theresa Krupka has been named the VFW Post #1845 winner in the 2010 Veterans of Foreign Wars Voice of Democracy Audio Essay Contest. David Schuelke, Commander of VFW Post 1845 of Simpsonville, presented Theresa with a certificate and a check on Friday, February 4 at a school-wide assembly. The Voice of Democracy Program, open to all students in grades 9-12, just finished its 63rd year. The contest requires high school student entrants to write and record a three to five minute essay on an announced patriotic theme. "Does My Generation Have a Role in America's Future?" was this year's theme.

Freshmen science students in Carol Dunn's Biology Classes recently traveled to Furman University for a more in-depth study of DNA. Using the college labs, students were able to isolate their own DNA and do DNA electrophoresis experiments. The students gained experience loading electrophoresis gels, observing the banding patterns, and analyzing cancer genes. The students also had an opportunity to visit the planetarium at Furman to observe stars and see a film on the Hubble telescope.

Nine SJCS students competed in the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) District I Leadership Conference held on Saturday, January 29 in Spartanburg. The following students won awards and qualified to compete at the State Leadership Conference in Charleston in March: First place honors went to sophomore Connor Bolick (Business Law), senior Gabrielle Genal (Economics), sophomore Grant McMillan (Networking Concepts), sophomore Matthew Morel (Technology Concepts), and sophomore Audrey Ward (Health Care Administration). Senior Maureen Connelly placed second (Impromptu Speaking), senior Sara Brehmer placed third (Business Calculations), and junior Abby Clark placed fourth (Impromptu Speaking). SJCS Faculty Member Karl Orbon serves as the club moderator and accompanied the students to the conference.

The Eighth Grade Play "Romeo and Winifred" debuts on Thursday evening, February 3rd at 7:00 P.M. General seating begins at 6:30 P.M. and admission is free.

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The St. Joseph's Varsity Boys Basketball Team has been on an incredible run beginning with their victory on January 21over Christ Church (43-38) in front of a sold-out crowd.

The Knights faced Greenville Tech Charter at home on January 25, hoping to avenge a one point loss to the Warriors earlier in the season. A key steal by St. Joe's Craig Scholz in the fourth quarter helped fuel the momentum and a big shot by senior Alex Winebarger tied the game at 47-47. With the clock running down, senior Kelly Assinesi hit a fade away ten footer to win the game 49-47.

On January 27, the Knights traveled to Landrum to decide who would be in sole possession of first place in the region. The game started out fast and furious, with the Knights and Cardinals trading blows throughout the first quarter. Winebarger helped the Knights secure the lead at the end of first quarter, but the pace of the game started to take a toll on the Knights as they trailed 35-27 at the half. Assinesi scored 20 of his game high 29 points in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to pull out the win, as the Knights fell 72-61.

"We played three straight games and it finally caught up to us that night," stated Coach Paul Assinesi. "I was proud of the boys, and we have a chance to beat Landrum at home."

Less than 24 hours later, the Knights were playing their fourth game in six days against cross town rival Southside Christian. The Knights played hard, with Scholz, Kelly Assinesi, and Landry Assinesi supplying the offensive power and Alexander Powell and Michael Kopscik providing tough defense. With this 53-48 victory in hand, the Knights posted a 15-5 overall record and an 8-2 region record.

The Knights face Landrum at home on Friday night, February 4, to conclude the week long Catholic Schools Week celebration. The Knights are bringing a 9-2 region record to this match-up, hoping to defeat Landrum for a share in the region's first place honors.

St. Joseph's Catholic School senior Alex Burnikel signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer for Clemson University on Wednesday, February 2. As a four year team member and three year team captain of the SJCS Varsity Soccer Team, Alex has been recognized within the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) as an All-State, All-Region, All-Conference, and High School All-Star Team player. Alex has also been a member of the CESA 92 Boys Premier Soccer Team for eight years, which has had great success at the state, regional, and national level. As a member of the '93 South Carolina Boys State ODP team, Alex was selected for the Region III Team, and competed in tournaments in Florida and Brazil.

The St. Joseph's chapter of the National Honor Society sponsored a free Adult Computer Class on campus on Saturday, January 29. The seminar, led by twenty NHS student volunteers, helped to teach adults and senior citizens the basic use of the Internet and computer programs. SJCS faculty member Michele Houmis served as the day’s moderator.

Congratulations to the following individuals who were recently honored by the High School Sports Report (HSSR):

• Varsity Girls Cross-Country Team members Carol Lewis and Katie Lynam were named to the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) 2010 All-State Cross-Country Team.
• Varsity Boys Swim Team members Jared Kauffman and Justin Mehl were named to the SCHSL 2010 All-State Swim Team.
• Varsity Girls Cross-Country Coach Marie Kernell was named the SCHSL 2010 Female Coach of the Year.

These individuals will be honored at a state-wide celebration on February 20 in Columbia.

The High School Quiz Bowl Team competed in the Dorman High School Cavalier Academic Challenge on Saturday, January 22rd. Senior Jeremy Mehl and juniors Amy Hase, Taylor Murphy, Michael Newton, Jay Rex, Peter Schatteman, Chris Schrank, and Mark Schott competed in five morning preliminary rounds, answering a variety of questions on art, history, literature, math, music, religion, and science. For the second year in a row, the SJCS team qualified to participate in the afternoon semi-final round, competing against teams from throughout the Southeast. Out of fifty-eight teams, St. Joseph's placed ninth overall. The Dorman Tournament is part of the National Academic Qualifying Tournament.

"Our performance was particularly impressive, as many of these teams compete in a variety of quiz bowls across the nation," stated SJCS Quiz Bowl Team Moderator Sean Chapman. "I was very proud of our students."

Congratulations to the following Varsity Football Team members who were recently nominated to the 2010 All-County Football Team: Freshman Andre Stoddard, juniors David Estes and Michael Kopscik, and senior Eric Holsen. Andre Stoddard was named All-County Running Back and Erik Holsen was named Honorable Mention All-County Defensive Tackle.

Sixth grade girls in Sharon Ruble's Science Classes are studying the phylum of the animal kingdom and recently completed a lab on the dissection of grasshoppers. This lab required the students to locate the organs of the digestive system, the reproductive system, and the external anatomy. Stereomicroscopes were used to observe dissected specimens. The girls were assisted by juniors Justin Peck and Meghan Heijjer. This activity enhanced their understanding of the arthropods and concluded their study of the insect class.

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Congratulations to junior Mitchell Jones for her outstanding performance on the National Classical Etymology Exam (NCEE). The exam, sponsored by the National Junior Classical League, measures a student's knowledge of English vocabulary based on Greek and Latin root words. Mitchell earned top honors and was awarded a gold medal for her performance.

The Lego Robotics Team recently competed in the First Lego League Competition held at Sterling School in Greenville, SC on Saturday, January 22nd. Sixth graders Sean Davis, Billy DeGroote, Mathew Nassif, Noah Perez, Jared Rex, Brannon Timms, seventh graders Savanna Bannio, Blake Edwards, Levi Hill, and eighth grader Andrew Schatteman competed under the team name "The Force," along with 21 other teams from area schools. SJCS students enjoyed their second competition as a team, and learned about the different methods of completing the same challenges and more about the competition itself. This event was a regional qualifier for the state competition. Middle school faculty member Sarah Wicker serves as the team advisor and junior Peter Schatteman assisted as the team coach.

Congratulations to the following middle school students chosen to represent the school in the 2011 SCISA Middle School Quiz Bowl Competition: eighth graders Luke Coffey, Patrick McLear, Josh Reidt, Sam Reidt, and William Tierney. These students will represent St. Joseph's in the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) Regional Competition to be held at St. Joseph's on Tuesday, February 8th.

Congratulations to the High School Math Teams, which placed second and ninth in the State Math Meet held on Wednesday, January 20th in Orangeburg, SC. St. Joseph's Team One, consisting of Amy Hase, Jeremy Mehl, Taylor Murphy, Peter Schatteman, and Mark Schott, placed second out of 32 teams representing 19 schools and 160 students. St. Joseph's Team Two, consisting of Mitchell Jones, William Lewis, Caitlin Rowe, and JP Wilmeth, placed ninth. In addition, junior Peter Schatteman had the second highest individual score, and senior Jeremy Mehl had the sixth highest individual score. The event, sponsored by the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA), included the following schools: Ashley Hall, Dorchester Academy, First Baptist Church School, Hammond School, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Hilton Head Preparatory School, The King's Academy, Northwood Academy, Oakbrook Preparatory School, Orangeburg Preparatory School, Pee Dee Academy, Pinewood Preparatory School, Porter Gaud, St. Andrew's School, Thomas Sumter Academy, Williamsburg Academy, Wilson Hall, and Ben Lippen School. Ben Lippen placed first in the meet. SJCS Mathematics Faculty Members and Math Team Moderators George Gábor and Tim Brady accompanied the students to Orangeburg.

In less than two seasons at SJCS, senior basketball player Kelly Assinesi has scored 1,000 points in his St. Joseph's career, achieving the milestone in just his 43rd varsity start for the Knights in the game against Whitmire High School on January 18th. This gives Assinesi, who transferred from California prior to the start of his junior season, a four-year varsity total of 1,700 points. He is currently ranked among the top five players statewide in scoring, assists, steals, and free throws across all SC High School Divisions.

Fifty St. Joseph's community members represented the school in Columbia, SC on Saturday, January 15th for the South Carolina Citizens for Life Rally. Following Mass, the SJCS group joined in a march to the State House with hundreds of people from across South Carolina and from all denominations to protest the crime of abortion. Senator Rick Santorum was the event's keynote speaker.

"Next year, SJCS will make the trip to Washington, D.C. for the annual nation-wide March for Life," stated School Chaplain Father Dwight Longenecker. "On these alternate years, we support our local state-wide efforts. It was very encouraging to see so many young people united for life."

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Following a one-game win in the St. Pius X Christmas Classic in Atlanta, the Lady Knights returned home to win four of their last five games.

"The holiday tournament provided us with great competition," stated Head Coach Grace Franklin. "We held our own and learned a lot. Playing at that level has also helped prepare us for the rest of our season."

The team began their post-Christmas action with a win over Southside Christian 54-42. Leading the way for the Lady Knights was Elizabeth Moore with 14 points, Imani King with 13 points, and Elizabeth Bannio with 10 points. A few nights later, the Lady Knights came up short at home against Charlotte Latin 33-38.

"We got off to a slow start in that game," stated Head Coach Grace Franklin, "and we never could get back in our groove."

The team then cruised to an easy victory over Greer Middle College Charter 54-15. Leading the way again for the Lady Knights was King with 12 points and Moore with 10 points.

"I was glad to see an easy win come our way, as this allowed me to play every player," added Coach Franklin. "It was great to see them all get in the game and show off the hard work they have been putting forth in practice."

St. Joseph's traveled to Blacksburg on January 14th and left with a 47-35 victory. The team dominated the inside game and King led the scoring once again with 14 points, followed by Caroline Sparr with 11 points. The Lady Knights cruised to another victory at home on January 18th against Whitmire 61-18.

"I felt the energy, enthusiasm, and confidence building with each possession," stated Coach Franklin. Every Lady Knight scored in the game, with King and Moore leading all scorers with 20 and 18 points respectively.

The squad takes a 5-1 conference record to Christ Church on Friday night as they try and reverse their only conference loss to date. Game time is 6:30 P.M.

The Middle School Boys Basketball Team has turned the corner this season following a difficult start. Among the challenges facing this young squad is the absence of any returning starters or returning eighth graders from last year's championship team.

"Fortunately, a group of seventh graders who played last year have provided focused leadership and steady play that is now beginning to produce wins," stated Middle School Coach Kevin Stanton.

The team has relied on Carter Powell for tough points and rebounds during the early going and benefited from strong play provided by fellow seventh grade veterans that include Joe Blaso, John Krall, Sean Langan, and Walker Seman. Wyatt Nally and Antonio Zimeri, who joined the team this year, have provided strong inside play along with Christian Baliker, Ken Lava, Matt Moloney, and Jack Mobley. Brothers Brooks and A.J. Quartararo have become valuable contributors to the team. Steady play from Kamden Williams and a consistent and determined can-do approach from Yanni Koutsioukis have helped to shape a competitive group of middle school student athletes.

After tough losses to Shannon Forest, St. Mary's, and Mitchell Road Christian Academy in games played in December, the Knights returned from Christmas break to defeat Southside Christian by a dozen points and edge Spartanburg Day School in a one-point thriller to begin the New Year.

"We encourage St. Joseph's fans to come out and support this group of players as they work to defend last year's conference and tournament championship titles," concluded Coach Stanton.

The Knights face Christ Church on the road on Wednesday, January 19th at 5:15.

The St. Joseph's Varsity Boys Basketball Team returned to action following the Christmas break to play three conference games and one non-conference game beginning January 4th.

In the first game of the week, the Knights faced Southside Christian. By the end of the first quarter, St. Joe's took command and never looked back. Craig Scholz and Michael Kopscik stepped up their game, both offensively and defensively, to lead the Knights to an 86-52 win on the road and a 2-1 conference record.

The Knights then took on Charlotte Latin at home in a non-conference game on January 6th. The Knights moved the ball well to lead 19-10 at the end of the first quarter, but their opponent’s defense kicked into action, and Charlotte led 34-30 at the half. At the end of third quarter, it was Charlotte on top 50-42. With 1:25 remaining, the Knights cut the lead to 59-58, but they missed a tough shot and Charlotte hit a wide open three-pointer to seal the victory 65-58.

Less than twenty-four hours later, the Knights hosted "Parish Night At the Basketball Game," taking on Greer Middle College Charter on January 7th. It was standing room only as area Catholic students and families came out to watch the action. The game started off well for the Knights, and at the end of the first quarter, St. Joe’s led 18-0. The Knights played up-tempo for most of the night, cruising to an 83-30 victory. Junior Tyler Lagnese had a career high 22 points and sophomore Ben Quattrone posted a 15-point career high.

With a tough win January 15th over Blacksburg, the Knights are now 4-1 in conference play. This week, they face conference rivals Whitmire at home (Tuesday) and Christ Church on the road (Friday).

Congratulations to all students who made the Second Quarter Honor Roll.
Click here.

The St. Joseph's JV Boys Basketball Team is off to a strong start. Led this year by Coach Charles Franklin, who brings to the team valuable YBOA, Textile, and AAU assistant and head coaching experience.

Team members include sophomores Cody Davidson, Justin Finigan, Tucker Genal, Jim Warren, and Joey Wooten, and freshmen Ryan Bergman, Gene Langan, Luke Lepak, Alex Luzzatti, Austin Mattison, Feras Namouz, David Reed, Sean Rusnak, and Andrew Stein. Davidson, Mattison, and Warren serve as the team captains.

"I couldn't have asked for a better group of boys to coach in my first season back on the basketball sidelines," stated Coach Franklin. "As a team, we have set a few goals for the season, but most importantly, we want to compete in everything we do. We talk about competing everyday, and it’s this competitive drive that allows us to become a better team."

The team's record currently stands at 6-2. The Knights are looking forward to playing Christ Church again, to hopefully avenge one of two team losses this season.

"We led the entire game against Christ Church up until the two minute mark in the fourth quarter, when a couple of bad decisions and costly turnovers gave them the lead and eventually the win," concluded Franklin. "We are also looking forward to the Landrum game. This game will be a great barometer of where our team and program stands at that point in time."

Girls in Joanna McLucas's seventh grade American History Class recently completed a unit on Colonial America and prepared a variety of colonial recipes for the class. As part of the project, the girls researched tools used in colonial kitchens and the way in which foods were stored. The menu, all prepared by the girls themselves, included Johnny cakes, gingerbread cookies, jumbles, cornbread, apple tansy, and apple pudding.

While most students were still enjoying the Christmas break, the St. Joseph's Wrestling Team competed in two critical Region 2A contests. Traveling to Christ Church Episcopal School, they took on Blacksburg High School and Christ Church . The Knights delivered in a big way, sweeping both matches. With these two wins, the team moved solidly into second place in the region, with only Landrum High School standing in the way of their first region title.

Coach Matt Vinson was quite pleased with the team’s effort. "This team gets better and better every time we wrestle. They continue to stay focused on working hard to win every match."

The Knights will compete against Landrum High School, Wade Hampton High School, Ben Lippen School, and Orangeburg Preparatory Academy in the next two weeks. They will also compete in the Greenville County Championship Tournament January 14-15.

"Our guys know that we have to give our opponents thirty points every match because we don't have wrestlers competing at five weight classes," added Coach Vinson. "With their opponents guaranteed a thirty point lead, the boys know that it's important that they win at every weight class. I am extremely proud of the effort and dedication they have shown."

A team of St. Joseph's sixth grade students captured second place in the 22nd annual Pawndemonium Scholastic Chess Tournament held on Saturday, January 8th in Asheville, NC. Morrigan Dearman, Charlotte Gayle, Elias Longenecker, Ben Ragan, and Henry Smith competed with over one-hundred students in grades K-12 from North and South Carolina. Individual trophies were awarded to Ben Ragan (Second Place) and Elias Longenecker (Third Place). SJCS Middle School Chess Coach Doug Ragan, along with other middle school parents, accompanied the students to Asheville.

Several individuals were recognized at an all-school assembly on January 7th for accomplishments in fall sports within the South Carolina High School League:

• Senior Chandler Consonery was named 1A Tennis Player of the Year by the South Carolina Coaches Association of Women’s Sports.
• The following athletes were named Region Two 1A All-Region: seniors Ben Longenecker, Katie Lynam, junior Dani Inglesby, freshmen Jennifer Coggins and Carol Lewis, and seventh grader Sara Catherine Masaschi (Cross-Country), senior Erik Holsen and junior Tyler Visin (Football), senior Chandler Consonery, sophomore Shannon Beck, and freshman Olivia Baumgarten (Tennis), and sophomores Allison Suhrer and Nicholle Stein (Volleyball).
• Girls Cross-Country Coach Marie Kernell was named Region Two 1A Coach of the Year and South Carolina Track and Cross Country Coaches Association 1A Girls Coach of the Year.

In addition, the following athletes were previously recognized in their various sports:

• The following cross-country runners were named 1A All-State: Jennifer Coggins, Dani Inglesby, Carol Lewis, Ben Longenecker, Katie Lynam, and Sara Catherine Masaschi.
• Eighth grader Hannah Lagaly and seventh grader Cristina Waingart were name Carolina Middle School Conference All-Conference Players (Volleyball).

Karah Viola has joined St. Joseph's Catholic School as the Director of College Guidance. Karah holds a Masters Degree in Educational Counseling from the University of Phoenix, following her undergraduate work at Eastern Illinois University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education and a minor in Psychology. Karah has previous middle school and high school counseling experience, most recently at Cross Episcopal School in Bluffton, SC. Karah and her husband Anthony have two children and reside in Simpsonville.

The SJCS Alumni Board hosted their annual Christmas gathering at Liberty Tap Room in late December. More than a hundred alumni enjoyed hors d'oeuvres and drinks while socializing with classmates from 1998 through 2010. Door prizes were awarded to twelve attendees. The school's alumni network continues to grow and stay connected through the SJCS alumni Facebook page, newsletters, and other alumni sponsored events. Plans are currently underway for quarterly alumni receptions, beginning in March, designed to reconnect graduates with each other and to the greater Greenville community.

St. Joseph's competed in the St. Pius X Christmas Classic Basketball Tournament hosted by St. Pius in Atlanta, GA December 27-29.

In the first round, the Knights saw an eight point lead disappear in the fourth quarter as they battled the home team, St. Pius. With the game tied 50-50 and four seconds left, senior Kelly Assinesi hit a free throw line jumper to help St. Joseph's advance 52-50.

In the semi-final round, the Knights faced a bigger opponent, Pinecrest Academy (GA). With 2:50 left in the fourth quarter and St. Joseph's trailing 59-53, the Knights came alive as senior Alex Winebarger and freshman Alexander Powell each scored two points. Freshman Landry Assinesi stole the ball and made a quick pass to his brother Kelly for the lay-up to tie the game 59-59. With six seconds remaining, Kelly Assinesi hit one of two free throws and the Knight pulled ahead 60-59 as the clock ran out, sending St. Joseph’s into the final round.

"It was a great feeling," stated senior Craig Scholz following the game. "We made it into the finals of a big tournament in Atlanta."

St. Joseph's faced Tampa Catholic (FL) in the championship game. Tampa dominated early and held the lead 29-26 at the half. Their team's size and depth hurt the Knight’s as they increased their lead to 48-37 at the end of three quarters. The Knights tried to close the gap, but came up short when the final buzzer sounded 61-43.

"Tampa Catholic has a long basketball tradition," stated Coach Assinesi. "They are where we want to be eventually. We took a step in the right direction by simply participating in this tournament. The boys should be proud of what they accomplished in Atlanta."

The Knights finished in second place and seniors Assinesi and Winebarger took home All-Tournament honors.

The St. Joseph's Varsity Boys Wrestling Team, recently ranked ninth in the state among Class A teams by scmat.com, has four wrestlers ranked among the state's best in their weight class: junior Gabe McCall is ranked No. 1 in the 171 pound division, freshman Nadir Dbouk is ranked No. 3 in the 103 pound division, senior Clark Burgess is ranked No. 5 in the 160 pound division, and sophomore Noah Davis is ranked No. 10 in the 130 pound weight class.

Making the leap from SCISA (South Carolina Independent School Association) to the SC High School League has been challenging but rewarding for this young team. The Knights are training hard to continue wrestling at a higher level and remain in the hunt for a region title.

"Some schools took a break over the holidays," stated team captain Clark Burgess. "We took a couple of days off to celebrate Christmas, and then we got right back in the wrestling room, working hard and getting ready for our region matches."

The team will start 2011 with a tri-meet involving Christ Church Episcopal School and Whitmire High on January 3rd.

A full house was on hand for St. Joseph's annual Christmas Concert, "Oh Holy Knight," on December 9th. In their inaugural season, the St. Joseph's Beginner and Advanced Band Ensembles performed several Christmas classics under the direction of Stacey Zaniewski. The String Orchestra, under the direction of David Saliny, performed many traditional Christmas songs. Finally, the Men's and Women's Ensembles, along with the Knights Chorus, performed a variety of Christmas music under the direction of Interim Choral Director Robert Lee. Many choral students were spotlighted, including a guitar accompaniment by sophomore Kristen Farrenkopf, vocal duets by juniors Ian Miller and Taylor Murphy, and vocal solo performances by juniors Abby DeMars and Allison Espada. The program concluded with a reception hosted by the school's Jubilate Guild. Patrons donated canned goods to help re-stock St. Anthony's Parish Pantry.

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The St. Joseph's Varsity Boys Basketball Team is currently 6-1 for the season with recent back-to-back wins over Christ Church (46-44) and Spartanburg Christian (49-46).

Before a capacity home crowd in their first South Carolina High School League opener, the Knights battled the Christ Church Cavaliers on Friday, December 10th. With twenty seconds left in the first quarter, senior Kelly Assinesi drained a twenty-five footer to give the Knights a 13-9 lead. The second quarter belonged to the Cavaliers, as the Knights went cold from the field and trailed 23-21 at the half. With the Cavaliers holding an 11 point lead and 3:20 left in the third quarter, three freshmen - Landry Assinesi, Ben Dunphy, and Alexander Powell - sparked the Knights, who closed the gap to 34-31 by the quarter's end. Both teams turned up the intensity in the fourth quarter, but it was the Cavaliers who held a 3 point lead with 2:45 remaining. With seconds left, senior Craig Scholz stole the ball and fired a pass to senior Alex Winebarger, whose three-pointer tied the game 42-42, bringing on overtime. With 1:30 remaining in overtime play, the Knights were up by two when junior Michael Kopscik's offensive rebound gave the Knights a 46-42 lead. Christ Church scored to get within two points, but the Knights held on as the horn sounded and the St. Joe's students stormed the court.

"Our defensive pressure wore them down and created twenty-nine Cavalier turnovers," said Kelly Assinesi after the game. "It was exciting to be part of this game, and to come out on top feels even better."

The Knights took to the road the next night against Spartanburg Christian. After a slow start, strong defense kept the Knight in the game, until Winebarger stepped up, scoring 15 points in two quarters. Despite trailing 27-23 at the half, the third quarter belonged to the Knights, as they held the Warriors to five points, and St. Joseph’s led 34-32 at the end of the third. Both teams played solid defense during a hotly contested fourth quarter, but in the end, the Knights sealed a 49-46 victory.

The team will travel to Atlanta to play in the St. Pius X Christmas Classic from December 27-29th. The tournament will feature all Catholic schools from Florida, Delaware, Georgia, Texas, and Louisiana.

Parents, staff, and friends of the school discovered the school's gymnasium magically transformed into a modern day "Breakfast at Tiffany's" on December 4th for the 2010 Knight Before Christmas Gala. Major event sponsors joined the St. Joseph’s faculty and staff for a special auction preview and reception, sampling hors d’oeuvres prepared by Table 301 and enjoying violin selections by freshman Alec Biscopink. St. Joseph's own "Andrews Sisters" (high school students Mary Bathon, Emily Blake, Mary Grace Carey, Abby DeMars, Allison Espada, and Allison Gurn) entertained arriving guests with numerous Christmas selections, as guests perused over seventy auction items, prepared with special care by student households, clubs, academic or staff departments, and friends of the school. Junior John Dutch served as the evening's photographer.

The highlight of the night was centered on the "Fund the Need" scholarship auction. As Headmaster Keith Kiser introduced 2006 graduate George Patrick McLeer, the crowd listened intently to this accomplished young man as he articulated the blessings he received from a St. Joseph's education. The crowd responded enthusiastically, and the money raised from this auction and others throughout the night directly benefited tuition assistance.

More than 430 patrons enjoyed an evening of dining, dancing, and fellowship, and took home many beautiful treasures. SJCS Director of Advancement Gina Turcotte, Advancement Associate Karen Miller, and SJCS Parent and Gala Event Chair Jeanie Gilmer, along with scores of volunteers, worked tirelessly for over a year to make the evening a Knight to Believe.

Click here to view more photos and listen to George Patrick McLeer's testimonial.

St. Joseph's students and staff helped serve others in a variety of ways during the Advent season.

• Student Council organized, collected, and distributed toys and clothes for the Salvation Army Toy Shop at the Carolina First Center. They also collected diapers, wipes, clothes, and newborn toys to benefit Birthright. Items purchased to assist in both of these drives were funded through the sale of Candy Grams, in which $500 was raised. Finally, this organization collected toiletries to be distributed through Our Lady of the Rosary and St. Anthony’s Parish Food Pantries.
• Lettermen's Club purchased new children’s clothes and donated them to the Salvation Army Toy Shop.
• National Honor Society participated in the canned food drive this year, as well as in the collection and distribution of toys at the Salvation Army Toy Shop.
• Tri-M Music Honor Society sponsored a canned food drive to stock St. Anthony's Food Pantry with the admissions proceeds from the school’s Christmas concert "Oh Holy Knight."
• The Dunn Household sent shoe boxes filled with toys, school supplies, and basic necessities for needy children through Operation Christmas Child.
• The Foster Household donated gently used clothing to the Triune Mercy Center for their laundry closet (which is given to the poor of downtown Greenville).
• The Fryml Household adopted a child from Pendleton Place and the students earned money to purchase Christmas gifts.
• The Gragtmans Household brought ornaments to the residents of NHC Nursing Home in Mauldin. The girls painted nails, helped with bingo, and visited with the residents.
• The Houmis Household/GS Student Youth Group invited all students on a Christmas outing to Brighton Gardens Nursing Home. The event was organized by a Houmis Household graduate.
• The Hudson Household worked with Diligent Hands/Gracious Hearts to clean yards for elderly and handicapped homeowners. The boys raked leaves, cleared brush, and removed trash at three homes.
• The Megan Koon Household collected items for a care package to be shipped overseas as part of their "Adopt-a-Soldier" initiative.
• The Longenecker Household worked with the Knights of Columbus again this year in packing and delivering food boxes to the needy.
• The O'Connor/Stanton Household collected food and supplies for soldiers in Afghanistan. The boys also sent rosaries they made in Household.
• The Pelicano Household raised money for Food for the Poor. A needy family will be given 20 baby chicks and a fruit tree to give them sources of nourishment and income.
• The Plumblee Household donated infant toys, clothes, and baby bottles to Birthright.
• The Ruble Household purchased Christmas books for St. Anthony's K5 and 1st grade students, and the SJCS eighth grade members handed out the new books, along with candy, and read to the children.
• The Schroeder Household adopted a family through the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The students collected money and provided gifts for a family that otherwise would not have had a Christmas.
• The Wicker Household sang Christmas Carols at Oakleaf Assisted Living Center.
• The Wiethop Household worked in the Salvation Army Toy Shop bagging Wish List items for area children.

St. Joseph's Varsity Girls Basketball Team is off to a strong start with a 3-1 season-to-date record, posting early wins over Ben Lippen (29-13) and Shannon Forest (49-41).

"We came out this season playing our type of basketball: man to man attacking defense, rebounding aggressively, and moving and executing offensive plays which led to good shots," stated Head Coach Grace Franklin.

Assisting Coach Franklin this year is Coach Keena Henderson. His knowledge of the game has helped the girls tremendously, as he frequently portrays the opposing team's best player during practices. Team members include Elizabeth Bannio, Chandler Consonery, Monica Fric, Megan Heijjer, Imani King, Elizabeth Moore, Meredith Moore, Caitlyn Rusnak, Elizabeth Reynolds, Katherine Reynolds, Stephanie Saunders, and Caroline Sparr.

"I have high expectations for the Lady Knights this season," stated senior Meredith Moore. "We have worked incredibly hard in the off-season and it is beginning to pay off. Every player has great potential and something to contribute to the game, and I am eager to see that potential play out throughout this season."

The team's home opener on Friday, December 10th gave the team their first loss in a close contest with Christ Church 48-42. Coach Franklin was pleased with the team's hard fought effort, as she saw much improvement over last year's match-up between the two rivals. Dominating the boards for the Lady Knights were Elizabeth Reynolds and Caroline Sparr: Sparr had 11 rebounds, 8 points, and 2 block shots and Reynolds had 5 rebounds, 9 points, and 1 block. Showing no signs of her youth, eighth grader Imani King posted 8 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Sophomore Elizabeth Moore came in the game and scored six points, hitting 2 three-pointers to spark a run of ten points for the Lady Knights. Katherine Reynolds scored 5 points, Elizabeth Bannio 4 points, and Megan Heijjer posted 2 points.

The Lady Knights rebounded from Friday night's loss the very next night by winning on the road against Spartanburg Christian 27-20 on December 11th. The Lady Knights jumped out to an early 11-3 lead and never looked back. Elizabeth Reynolds once again dominated the boards and took advantage of her height over the smaller players that tried to guard her, putting in 10 points from inside, grabbing 10 rebounds, and blocking 3 shots.

The Lady Knights will join the Varsity Boys Team in Atlanta December 27-30 for the eleventh annual St. Pius X Christmas Classic. Other teams in the tournament include: Mercy (NE), Notre Dame (NY), St. Pius X (TX), Pinecrest (GA), St. John Villa (NY), Xavier Prep (LA), and host school St. Pius X (GA). The Lady Knights open play on December 27th at 6:00 P.M. against tournament host St. Pius X.

"As we continue to work hard, believe in ourselves, and enjoy the game, the Lady Knights will continue to be winners," concluded Coach Franklin. "A coach's job is always easy when the players buy into his/her philosophy, and I am glad that my team has come on board. This is going to be a season to remember."

Eighth grade students in David Foster's Pre-Algebra classes recently played a "Me Versus You" white board game to reinforce skills and concepts they had learned. In order to win a round, the majority of students needed to answer the problem correctly on their whiteboards to successfully "beat" the teacher. The game provided students a reprieve from their usual class work, and required the class to be engaged and accountable for their work in each particular problem. The game also gave students immediate feedback when the previously worked out problem was shown.

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Students in Deborah Henderson's art classes were recently photographed working on several projects:

• Artist Georgia O'Keefe served as the inspiration for the High School Drawing Class as each student magnified a flower and completed their drawing using Prismacolor pencils.
• The High School Exploring Art Class worked on one of the school’s favorite art projects--drawing the teachers. Each student drew a favorite teacher using graphite pencils.
• In a project called "Layered Art," the eighth grade boys learned to see shapes that comprise a photograph or painting as well as the relationship between the objects. After drawing the picture to better understand this concept, the boys chose different colored paper to represent each object and cut pieces to layer, reproducing the original photograph out of paper.
• In their study of Baroque Art, the seventh grade girls were taught to draw expressions using cartoons, and they completed the unit by drawing a cartoon of themselves.
• The sixth grade boys painted color charts in order to better understand color groups and mixing colors before they begin painting.

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The school community celebrated St. Nicholas Day at Mass on December 2nd by continuing the revival of the medieval custom of the Boy Bishop. Middle school altar server and eighth grader Andrew Schatteman, elected by his peers to be Bishop of St Joseph's for a day, processed into Mass and afterwards preached a sermon. In honor of St. Nicholas, Andrew and his court distributed candy during middle school lunch, while eighth grader Andrew Pelicano and his assistant, seventh grader Sean Finigan, spread mischief in the revived role of Black Peter and Red Sam.

High school students in Luz Fernandez's Spanish III Class recently made piñatas as part of their understanding of Spanish/Mexican celebrations. Piñatas are a Mexican tradition at most fiestas or celebrations, especially Christmas and birthdays. Some of the materials used for the project included balloons, flour, newspaper, tissue paper, and candies for filling the piñatas.

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St. Joseph's National Honor Society (NHS) students offer tutoring services free of charge after school two days a week. The sessions are held most Mondays and Thursdays in NHS Faculty Moderator Michele Houmis’s classroom (#104). NHS is one of the oldest and most prestigious national organizations for high school students. NHS students, selected by a Faculty Council for meeting high standards of scholarship, service, leadership, and character, must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher, as well as demonstrate leadership and service through activities in both the school and the community.

Congratulations to the cast of the school's spring musical "Beauty and the Beast." Performance dates are April 8-10.
Click here.

With the season just underway, the St. Joseph's Wrestling Team has been very competitive thus far. Led by first year Head Coach Matt Vinson, this year's squad is a young team with only one senior.

"What this team lacks in experience, they make up for in hard work," stated Coach Vinson. "The boys have exceeded all of my expectations. They have simply out-wrestled every team we have faced, and they work harder than any team I’ve ever coached."

A former wrestler at Spartanburg Methodist College, Vinson plans to transfer to either North Greenville University or USC Upstate in the fall, where he will complete his undergraduate degree in Education.

"When I left Spartanburg Methodist, I wasn't sure whether I wanted to transfer to another school and continue wrestling or find an opportunity to coach while I completed my degree," said Vinson. "Working with younger wrestlers has always been my passion, and when this opportunity with St. Joe's came along, I knew it was the right thing to do. I am very fortunate to be able to work with these young men."

The Knights are led by team captains senior Clark Burgess, juniors Gabe McCall and Patrick Hamod, sophomore Noah Davis, and seventh grader Jack Valente. Other team members include juniors Perry Bolick and Daniel Sokol, sophomore Connor Bolick, freshmen Nadir Dbouk and Austin Van Houten, and seventh grader Josiah Tennent.

The team recently competed at the Woodmont Duals at Woodmont High School in Piedmont. Of the eleven teams, St. Joseph's was the only SCHSL 1A school competing. Despite being outmanned by larger and more experienced opponents, the Knights wrestled extremely well, with four wrestlers finishing in the top half of the bracket.

"They are working hard in order to be ready for the start of our region matches," concluded Coach Vinson. "We're very excited about the season ahead."

Seventh grade students recently enjoyed a day retreat at Look-Up Lodge. Assisted by teacher and parent chaperones, the students reflected on the theme of 'Being One.' School Chaplain Father Longenecker, along with the school’s Campus Ministry Team, planned and carried out four different sessions for the day. The Active Session included a game of Capture the Flag, integrating team building and leadership skills. During the Thinking Session, the students heard about how St. Therese and the shepherd boy David both responded positively to God's call when they were about the same age as the seventh graders. The Spiritual Session included a talk by Father Longenecker, Eucharistic Adoration, Confession, and Letters to God. A session called 'Being Thirteen' concluded the day's activities and helped the students look at some personal issues as they move into adolescence. All of this, combined with the celebration of Mass, a hot dog lunch, and beautiful weather, gave the seventh grade students a chance to grow in unity within themselves, with each other, and with God.

SJCS students were invited to become a part of the school's annual Knight Before Christmas Gala this year with a special preview party designed just for them. Friday, December 3rd was designated Gala Spirit Day, and in addition to wearing SJCS spirit wear, students were treated to a candy-bar featuring tables filled with candies, cookies, and steaming hot chocolate. All confections were generously donated by parents, faculty, staff, and community partners. Students were excited to be the first to preview the Gala setup and to enjoy some delicious treats.

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Five high school students battled five middle school students over chess boards in a middle school versus high school challenge match after school on Tuesday, November 30th. High school students Ted Bell, Jose Cabrera, Ivan Gonick, Julio Sanchez, and Peter Schatteman showed great sportsmanship as, one by one, they succumbed to the strategic attacks of the well prepared middle school students. Middle schoolers Shane Dunlavey, Diego Franco, Elias Longenecker, Ben Ragan, and Henry Smith have graciously accepted a request for a rematch next spring.

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The High School Academic Team captured first place at the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) State Quiz Bowl Tournament held November 23rd in Orangeburg. Led by Team Captain Jeremy Mehl, team members Amy Hase, Taylor Murphy, Michael Newton, Jessica Peck, Jay Rex, Peter Schatteman, and Mark Schott competed against eight other schools and successfully answered questions on art, current events, geography, grammar, history, literature, math, music, religion, and science. In the final rounds, St. Joseph's competed against Pinewood Prep and Augusta Christian Schools, both of which required the SJCS team to rebound from sizable deficits. The school's Quiz Bowl Team is coached by faculty member Sean Chapman.

Congratulations to the Wicker Household in the middle school and the O'Connor/Stanton Household in the high school; both first-time winners in the "Box Tops for Education" Fall Household Contest. In the high school, O'Connor/Stanton collected 969 box tops, followed by the Dunn Household with 840. In the middle school, Wicker collected 923 box tops, followed by the Foster Household with 604. The winning households will be treated to a special breakfast at school. A special thank you to all participants. There will be a spring contest so keep saving those box tops!

"Box Tops for Education" is a program designed to help schools earn cash through everyday activities, such as buying groceries and shopping online…all at no additional cost to you. For more information, click here.

Senior Klyn Carr received the Philip T. Bradley Leadership Award at the YMCA's annual Youth in Government (YIG) Conference held at the State House in Columbia November 17-20. This award is the highest honor presented at YIG, and is given in recognition of servant leadership through YIG and four years of high school. Forty-eight SJCS high school students and eight middle school students attended the conference, along with over 1,300 other high school and middle school students from across the state. SJCS faculty members Joel Brandon, Meby Carr, John Devanny, Bill Hudson, and Sarah Wicker accompanied the students to Columbia.

Other noted accomplishments included:

• Seniors Caitlin Rusnak and Stephanie Saunders received two of the four Outstanding Attorney Awards, the only school to have ever earned the distinction of having two honorees in this category. This award is given to those attorneys who are selected to argue in the SC Supreme Court Appeals and Constitution Challenge Cases.
• Sophomores Aly Cajka and Nicholle Stein received a Best Bill Award for their bill on tax breaks to stores that purchase locally grown produce.
• Legislators Aly Cajka, Kevin Carey, Abby DeMars, Grace Hanna, Kaitlyn Posa, and Nicholle Stein had bills passed and signed by the Youth Governor.
• Juniors Cory Satterfield, Joshua Schammel, and Chris Schrank were recommended to attend the Committee on National Affairs next summer.
• Eighth grader Keyes Gilmer received an Outstanding Statesman Award for Middle School.
• The entire high school delegation once again received the Premiere Delegation recognition, an accomplishment that this group has won for the past nine years.

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St. Joseph's recently held its annual Scholastic Book Fair on campus. Students, staff, and parents purchased books for gifts as well as for leisure. In addition to being an event to promote literacy, the Scholastic Book Fair proceeds helped the school library and media center earn over $815 worth of books for the literature and non-fiction sections.

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The St. Joseph's Varsity Boys Basketball Team opened their season against Wade Hampton High on Monday, November 22. The Knights suffered a narrow defeat (59-55) against the Generals in their first showing this season and their first year in the South Carolina High School League, but Head Coach Paul Assinesi was pleased with what he saw.

"I thought the boys played well, all things considered" stated Assinesi. "They seemed anxious to play their first game in the public school league, and the first half showed that anxiety with some mental mistakes and missed easy shots."

By the second half, seniors Alex Winebarger and Craig Scholz had both settled in and played well the balance of the game. Other strong performances were noted by junior Michael Kopscik, senior Mike Devon, and senior Kelly Assinesi with a game high 27 points. The team looked strong on defense as they gained the lead with three minutes left to play, but the Knights could not hold the momentum.

Coach Assinesi was pleasantly surprised by the performance of junior Tyler Lagnese and sophomore Ben Quattrone. "The hard work I put in the off-season seemed to have paid off tonight," stated Lagnese following the game.

Returning for the Knights this season are seniors Kelly Assinesi, Mike Devon, Craig Scholz, and Alex Winebarger, juniors Michael Kopscik and Tyler Lagnese, and sophomore Ben Quattrone. Freshmen Landry Assinesi, Ben Dunphy, and Alexander Powell are new to varsity squad this year, as well as senior transfer Andy King.

"The boys are excited about the opportunity to play in the public school league this year, and we are looking forward to establishing some rivalries with the local schools," concluded Assinesi. "If the boys will continue to work hard, this season should be a lot of fun!"

The Knights open their season at home on Tuesday, November 30th against Ben Lippen School (Columbia).

Congratulations to seventh grader Margaret Eberly, who placed third in the South Carolina Radon Poster Contest sponsored by the Department of Health and Environmental Control. All seventh grade students in Joanna McLucas's science classes recently learned about radon during their unit on the atmosphere and drew rough draft posters. Students were then encouraged to make finished copies and approximately thirty entries were taken to County Square for judging. Margaret's poster will now be entered into the National Radon Poster Contest for a chance to win an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C.

The Science Department hosted their annual "St. Albert the Great" Middle School Science Day on Wednesday, November 17th in celebration of St. Albert the Great, Doctor of the Church and Patron of Scientists. Eighth grade students presented their science fair projects and sixth and seventh grade students presented projects demonstrating scientific concepts. The afternoon was open for family viewing.

In the Eighth Grade Science Fair Category:

• Winners included First Place Sam Wickert (Increasing the Electrical Output of a Solar Cell), Second Place Emma Wetenhall (The Effects of Different Light Bulbs on Energy Used in a House), and Third Place William Tierney (How to Peel an Egg).
• Honorable Mention included: Grant Espada (Biodegradable BB’s), Caroline Baer (The Effects of Temperature on Fingerprint Clarity), Victoria Schwark (Temperature Effects on Battery Life), Haley Berryman (The Effects of Soil on Worm Growth), Hayn Arrington (What is the Best Way to Remove Oil from Water), Morgan Rose Mazur (The Effects of Viscous Liquids on Splatter Size), Theo Longenecker (Does Concentration Affect Pain?), Patrick McLear (What Factors Affect Car Accidents?), Sarah Gibson (How Does PSI in a Soccer Ball Affect the Distance It Travels?), and Lizy Hernandez (The Effects of Weight on Density).

In the Seventh Grade Invention Category, parents voted for their favorite inventions.

• The winners were: First Place Tie: Christian Baliker (Mail Safe) and Jack Valente (Garage Keeper), Second Place 3-Way Tie: Jeffrey Fann (Racket Come Backett), Carter Powell (Waggie Baggie) and Alexandra Alabau (Vi-D), Third Place: Josiah Tennent (Twosies Shoes).

In the Honorable Mention and Teacher’s Choice Categories, the winners were:

• Girls: Elizabeth Bullard (Elasta-Button), Grace Cooney (Flexi Band), Sara Catherine Masaschi (The No-Cut Card), Mary Veideman (I-Cap), Hannah White (Glove Assist), Caroline Calder (Stay Tucked), Emma Gross (Easy Clean), Kristen Kauffman (Capvent), and Nila Veerabagu (The Bedside Bookmate).
• Boys: Nathan Petrofes (C-me), Connor Thorne (Desk on the Go), Ethan Veideman (Flush and Spray), Miles Weiss (Ultra-Tight Height Night Light), Nick Burns (Blister Be Gone Gloves), and Sean Langan (Bino-cap).

The Science National Honor Society voted for their favorite projects.

• The winners of the SNHS awards are: Sixth Grade: Annamarie Bell and Peyton Chittum, Madalyn Palash, William King, and Jackie Curry; Seventh Grade: Carter Powell and Hannah White; Eighth Grade: Sam Wickert, Sarah Warren, Emma Wetenhall, and Grant Espada.

Eighth grade winners will now go on to compete at the Greenville County Science and Engineering Fair in March. All seventh grade students are encouraged to participate in the Bi-Lo Invention Convention later this school year.

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Twenty-nine juniors participated in the school's second annual Kairos retreat held off campus in early November. Kairos, a word meaning "God's time," is a three-day student-led experience totally devoted to God. Held at Catholic high schools around the country, Kairos requires students to step away from their busy schedules, giving up TV, cell phones, i-pods, clocks, and textbooks; anything that would distract them from the purpose of the retreat. Under the guidance of SJCS faculty member Julie Schroeder and the leadership of retreat rector and senior Theresa Krupka, seniors Hannah Grim, Seth Kiser, Ellie Larson, Anna Mercer, Natalie Olson, Caitlin Rusnak, Stephanie Saunders, and Ricky Schosky served as the retreat leaders. These seniors attended the school’s first Kairos retreat held last October, and worked for almost a year on the planning of this year's retreat.

The recent "Trick or Treat so Kids Can Eat" Food Drive netted 1,477 pounds of canned food and boxed cereal, split evenly between St. Anthony's Catholic Church Food Bank and Our Lady of the Rosary Parish Pantry. This annual contest, sponsored by St. Joseph's International Thespian Honor Society and Student Council, ran throughout the month of October. Congratulations to the eighth grade class in the middle school and the senior class in the high school for the largest amount of food collected.

Congratulations to the High School Academic Team, who captured Second Place at the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) Regional Quiz Bowl Tournament hosted by St. Joseph's on November 11th. This year's regional competition, held at Immedion in the Global Business Park adjacent to the school, and was provided to the teams courtesy of SJCS parent Frank Mobley.

After three rounds of play, SJCS defeated Richard Winn Academy, but came up short against Oakbrook Preparatory in a closely fought match (200-195). Led by Team Captain Jeremy Mehl, team members include Amy Hase, Taylor Murphy, Michael Newton, Jessica Peck, Jay Rex, Peter Schatteman, and Mark Schott. These students successfully answered questions on topics in art, current events, geography, grammar, history, literature, math, music, religion, and science.

"This group is very sharp and I often find myself being grateful that I have the answers in front of me," stated SJCS Quiz Bowl Moderator Sean Chapman. "I'm really looking forward to seeing what they will accomplish at state this week."

St. Joseph's has received a bid to compete in the SCISA State Quiz Bowl Championship in Orangeburg on Tuesday, November 23rd.

Congratulations to juniors Allison Espada and Taylor Murphy, who recently auditioned for and were selected to the 2010-2011 South Carolina Music Educators Association (SCMEA) All-State Chorus. Approximately 1,800 students from ninety high schools throughout the state participated in the auditions. Allison was selected as a First Soprano in the Women's All-State Chorus and Taylor was selected as a First Bass in the Men's All-State Chorus. Both students will be performing at Winthrop University in March. In addition, juniors Abby DeMars, Amy Hase, and Ian Miller also auditioned and passed the primary audition. The SCMEA All-State Chorus provides students with an outstanding vocal experience as well as an opportunity for superior choral students to perform together.

St. Joseph's Founders Society members attended a Fall Play Preview Party held at the school on Thursday evening, November 18th, and were the first to view the school's murder mystery performance of A Murder Is Announced. The Fine Arts Department will present three additional performances this weekend: Friday, November 19th at 7:00 P.M., Saturday, November 20th at 7:00 P.M., and Sunday, November 21st at 3:00 P.M. Tickets are available at the door: $10.00 for adults and $7.00 for students and senior citizens. For more information, call the Box Office at (864) 234-9009, ext. 386.

What happens when a group of villagers in Chipping Cleghorn open their morning newspaper to read an advertisement announcing that a murder will take place that very evening? They gather together to witness the event, of course! See what happens when a stranger enters their midst and people's secrets are uncovered. This play, based on the novel by Agatha Christie, will lead you through a cunning mystery plot. See if you can be the first to determine who committed the murder!

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The St. Joseph's Varsity Girls Tennis Team had one of their strongest seasons to date in the school’s inaugural year in the South Carolina High School League. The team boasted a region record of 10-3, losing only to the state champions Christ Church. In the state playoffs, the Lady Knights made it to the Upstate Finals.

"The team really stepped it up this year as we entered the new league and made a statement by taking the number two spot in the region," stated senior team captain Chandler Consonery.

Consonery, who remained undefeated in singles matches this season, helped in that process. She received an automatic qualifying bid to the State Singles Tournament played in Columbia November 12-13, where she was seeded number two.

Consonery lived up to that expectation, losing only to her opponent, the number one player in the state, Tolley Rice, in the Class A-AA State Finals.

Consonery, sophomore Shannon Beck, and freshman Olivia Baumgarten were selected as All-Region players in the High School League. This award is based on a player’s character, tennis ability, and win/loss record.

"The girls on this team are exceptional," stated Coach David Foster. "They put forth 100% effort in the classroom, in practice, and in lessons and clinics outside of school. They call lines fairly and are always sportsmanlike on the court. I couldn’t ask for a better, more respectful group of girls."

Coach Foster is looking forward to the future. "I feel like a strong girls tennis program is definitely beginning to take shape here at St. Joseph's. It's exciting to be a part of this, and it's something I look forward to helping to grow in the future."

SJCS Varsity Girls Cross-Country Coach Marie Kernell was named by the South Carolina Track/Cross-Country Coaches Association (SCTCCCA) as the 2010 Coach of the Year for 1A Girls. The SCTCCCA Coach of the Year award is given to the coach whose team had the highest placing in each classification of the 1A-4A State Championship. It is a recognition of the coach’s efforts, as well as the runners, in achieving first place at the state level. Click here for more information: http://sc.milesplit.com/articles/55289

The school recently named 48 students to fill Youth In Government (YIG) positions as legislators and attorneys for this year’s delegation. YIG, a mock state legislature and trial program sponsored by the YMCA, will be held November 17-20 in Columbia, SC and this will mark the school's ninth year of participation. YIG Moderators and SJCS History Department faculty members Meby Carr and John Devanny will accompany the students to Columbia.

• Senior Class: Legislators: Gabrielle Genal, Payton Holbrooke, Caroline Sparr; Attorneys: Chandler Consonery, Anna Mercer, Natalie Olsen, Caitlin Rusnak, Danielle Sampson, Stephanie Saunders, Mary Stanton, Arianna Wise; Speaker Pro Tempore: Kaitlyn Dunphy; Premier Presider: Klyn Carr; Associate Chief Justice: Mary Grace Carey; Lobbyist: Pete Bynarowicz
• Junior Class: Legislators: Perry Bollick, Claire Capelle, Abby DeMars, David Estes, Grace Hanna, Michael Newton, Sara Ruble, Peter Schatteman, Mark Schott, Chris Schrank; Floor Leader: Joshua Schammel; Newspaper Staff: Jessica Peck; Middle School Presider: Cory Satterfield; Committee Co-Chair: Elizabeth Moore
• Sophomore Class: Legislators: Shannon Beck, Aly Cajka, Kevin Carey, Elizabeth Coffey, Alli Griffin, Kaitlyn Posa, Nicholle Stein, Sam Swift, Audrey Ward
• Freshmen Class: Legislators: Catherine Corsaniti, Ben Dunphy, Stephen Krupka Michelle Lee, Gigi Nally, Alexander Powell, Sean Rusnak, Noah Schammel, Kathryn Schroeder, and Austin VanHouten

St. Joseph's senior Jared Kauffman signed a National Letter of Intent to swim for Ohio State University on Friday, November 12. As a six-year member and two-year team captain of the SJCS Varsity Swim Team, Jared is a four-year MVP and holds multiple state titles and records at the high school level. He was named to the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) All-State Team each year, and was named High School Sports Report "Swimmer of the Year" for three years. Jared is also a member of the Y-Spartaquatics Swim Team, where he has competed at the national level for four years and holds many state titles and records. Jared was a member of three national championship YMCA teams and four national championship relay teams.

The SJCS Fine Arts Department presents Agatha Christie's murder mystery A Murder is Announced November 19-21. What happens when a group of villagers open their morning newspaper to read an advertisement announcing that a murder will take place that very evening? They gather together to witness the event, of course! See what happens when a stranger enters their midst and people's secrets are uncovered. See if you can be the first to determine who committed the murder!

The following high school students have been cast: Theresa Krupka (Letitia Blacklock), Caroline Cooney (Julia Simmons), Daniel Sokol (Patrick Simmons), Amy Hase (Dora Bunner), Clare Ruble (Mitzi), Katie VanHaasteren (Miss Marple), Isabella Mekker (Phillipa Haymes), Emily Blake (Mrs. Swettenham), JP Wilmeth (Edmund Swettenham), Ian Miller (Rudi Scherz), Noah Davis (Inspector Craddock), and Michael McCall (Sergeant Mellors).

Performances are Friday and Saturday, November 19th and 20th, at 7:00 P.M. and on Sunday, November 21st at 3:00 P.M. A ticket order form can be found on the home page of the school website or call the Box Office at (864) 234-9009, ext. 386.

Middle school students and families enjoyed the Fall Fest celebration held on campus on Friday evening, November 5. This annual event, hosted by Middle School Council, was held under the lights on the football field this year, and included many new attractions such as capture the flag, kickball, and an obstacle course. Students also visited many of the past favorite attractions, including face painting, the cake walk, and more. Over eighty families enjoyed food and fellowship in the cafeteria at the hot dog supper.

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St. Joseph's capped its inaugural football season with a 44-0 win against region foe, Whitmire High School. The win was special for the Knights because it was a region win and brought their season record to 2-8. As a result, St. Joseph's has a building block in place for next season and can turn its attention to replacing eight departing seniors.

The team got off to a terrific start with strong showings in each of their first five games before dropping three in a row within the region. With the return of healthy players, the Knights finished the year in dramatic fashion, earning their first shutout and sending their first senior football class off victoriously.

"There are a ton of positive things going on within this program," stated Head Coach Joe Hyland, "and the seniors have been a big part of what we wanted to do in year one. Of course we want to win more games, but I think as you look over the season, we put ourselves in position to win every single game well into the fourth quarter with the exception of our first three region games. I am proud of our boys and I see them getting a better understanding for the speed and physicality of the game."

This fall brought a new experience to St. Joseph's campus, and the ability to play in a new stadium, under the lights on Friday nights caught the attention of the student body and the greater Greenville community.

"The 2010 season was an exceptional start to a promising football program," concluded Hyland. "If the energy swirling about the school continues to grow and build, we can rightfully expect big things sooner rather than later."

The St. Joseph's Middle School Chess Club captured first place in the K-8 Division at the Greenville Scholastic Open Chess Tournament held on Saturday, October 30th in Greenville. The school placed second in the K-6 Division. Billed as the largest chess tournament in the Upstate according to the Greenville Chess Club, this first-year tournament was open to public, private, and home school students in K5 through 8th grade. Over ninety students from twenty-eight schools competed in the event.

In addition, SJCS sixth grader Ben Ragan went undefeated to capture first place in K-6. Other top performers in the K-6 category included Shane Dunlavey and Diego Franco. Top performers in the K-8 category were Cameron Cummings, Elias Longenecker, Henry Smith, and Charles Vandross. Also participating in the tournament for SJCS were Savanna Bannio, Charlotte Gayle, Yanni Koutsioukis, and David Schroder.

SJCS softball players Michelle Malsch, Elizabeth Bannio, and Caty Brown helped their team, the Carolina Sandlappers Girls Fastpitch Softball 14U, place third out of eight teams in the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) Fall Finale Tournament held recently at Lakeside Park in Greenville. The girls, along with their teammates, won their first three games with two shutouts, but lost their last two games. The Carolina Sandlappers, a competitive travel team for girls ages 14 years and younger, is coached by SJCS JV Softball Coach Schannon Smith.

The St. Joseph's Varsity Girls Cross-Country Team made history on Saturday, November 6th, bringing home the school's first SCHSL (South Carolina High School League) 1-A State Championship. This win comes on the heels of two consecutive SCISA (South Carolina Independent School Association) state titles. This year's team scored 32 points, followed by Landrum in second place with 50 points. In a field of 118 runners at the Sandhills Research Park in Columbia, SJCS had five girls in the Top Ten: senior Katie Lynam placed fourth, Carol Lewis fifth, Jennifer Coggins sixth, Sara Catherine Masaschi eighth, and Dani Inglesby placed ninth. Also running for St. Joseph's was Madeleine McMillan (19) and Keyes Gilmer (28), both putting in their personal best times to date.

"Going in, I knew the girls had a good chance to win, but as a coach you never count on it until all five have crossed the finish line," stated Coach Marie Kernell. "They worked extremely hard this season, oftentimes practicing in extreme heat, sometimes rain, and challenging hill and speed work. They never questioned what I asked them to do and they never complained. The girls are very deserving of this title.'

The St. Joseph's Boys Cross-Country team finished fifth out of 21 teams who competed from across the state. Senior Ben Longenecker completed his career with a Top Ten finish (6th place), earning him a spot on the All-State Team. The race was run on the same course as the Coaches Classic that was run earlier this year. Sophomore Sean Connelly improved his time by 1:05, freshman Andrew Stein improved his time by 1:14, and freshman Alexander Powell and his younger brother Carter each set personal best times.

"I was extremely proud of how well the boys finished both individually and as a team," stated Coach George Carr. "I'm already looking forward to next year now that we've got this one in the books."

Click here to view more photos.

Click here to read a related story in the November 7th Greenville News.

Congratulations to SJCS seniors Klyn Carr and Katie Lynam, both named 2010 School Winners in the Wendy's High School Heisman (WHSH) Award. These students were chosen for their outstanding excellence in academics, athletics, and community/school leadership. The WHSH celebrates the achievements of the nation's top high school seniors both in and out of the classroom.

In an effort to raise both funds and awareness for Birthright, Karl Orbon's Faith and Reason Class proposed that, should they succeed in raising $1,000 in a one-week period, Orbon would alter his facial hair and dress in costume as comic book superhero Wolverine. The students met the challenge by collecting over $1,300. Pictured here are some of the students with "Wolverine" on a recent campus Team Competition Day.

St. Joseph's Households enjoyed Team Competition Day on campus on Friday, October 29th in celebration of the Feast of All Saints.

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The Orbon Household traveled to St. Anthony's School recently as part of their continued ministry with the K5 students. The SJCS boys spent the afternoon playing games, helping with Halloween artwork, and enjoying fellowship with the younger students. The boys will visit again in mid-November for their annual "Little Hands are Thankful Too" project, where they will assist the St. Anthony's children in making bagged sandwiches for Project Host Soup Kitchen.

High school students in James Sternberg's chemistry classes recently completed a lab demonstrating the way different elements absorb and emit light. As a sample of the element is put in a flame, a characteristic light is given off by each. By observing the color of light given off by each element, students are able to see how electrons are arranged in the atom.

Congratulations to eighth grader William Tierney, who placed first at the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) Middle School State Math Meet held October 27th in Orangeburg. William was the highest scoring individual overall from amongst 170 competitors. The Middle School Math Team, consisting of eighth graders Keyes Gilmer, Mathew Jennings, Ryan Litzinger, William Tierney and Charles Vandross, along with seventh graders Kara Cervetti, Samantha Johanning, John Kelly, Ethan Veideman, and Hannah White represented the school at this event. The Eighth Grade Team tied for third place. Middle School Math Teacher Sarah Wicker accompanied the students to Orangeburg.

The St. Joseph's Varsity Volleyball Team swept three games from Region 2 rival Christ Church on Monday night (25-19, 25-19, 26-24), and will now face region rival Southside Christian for the Upper State title game on Wednesday, November 3rd at Southside.

The Lady Knights secured a spot in the high school league 1A state playoffs with a second place finish in Region 2, coming in behind 2009 1A State Champions Southside Christian, and have met with much success in their playoff run.

St. Joe's hosted Brashier Middle College Charter in the first round, defeating them in three games 25-9, 25-20, and 25-13. The victory over Brashier placed the Lady Knights in the round of sixteen teams. St. Joseph's then hit the road to face the number one seed from Region 3, North Central in Kershaw, SC. After a two-hour bus trip, the Lady Knights hit the court full of energy and enthusiasm and soundly defeated North Central in three games with scores of 25-18, 25-15, and 25-17.

"North Central seemed a bit shell shocked as they entered this playoff match undefeated in region play with a sixteen-game winning streak snapped by St. Joseph's," added Carino.

"This team has had a great year. We have had our ups and downs over the course of the season, but right now everything seems to be gelling, and there is this feeling among the girls that I have not felt this year. They are hungry for a state championship and right now, they are playing like state champs."

Congratulations to the Middle School Chess Team, who placed second in the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) State Chess Tournament held recently in Orangeburg. Competing for SJCS were Savanna Bannio, Sam Cumby, Shane Dunlavey, Diego Franco, Charlotte Gayle, Elias Longenecker, Noah Perez, Ben Ragan, Andrew Schatteman, and Henry Smith. Over 150 students participated in the tournament in elementary, middle, and high school divisions. Congratulations also to the three high scorers: Henry Smith (5th place), Elias Longenecker (7th place), and Ben Ragan (10th place).

The Fine Arts Department recently presented their Fall Art Exhibit. Artwork completed by students during the summer was on display in the school library as part of Spirit Week. Students displaying their artwork included juniors Abby Clark, Kara Mohr, and Jay Rex; freshmen Emily Lang, Sydney Newsome, and Melissa Zankman; eighth graders Luke Coffey and Thomas Fawcett; seventh grader Josiah Tennent; and sixth grader Danielle Maggio.

The Third Annual Knights Challenge 5K and Family Fun Run, sponsored by the Alumni Board, took place on campus on Saturday morning, October 23rd in conjunction with Homecoming weekend. Runners from ages 7 to 60 competed for commemorative medals on the challenging St. Joseph's campus cross-country course. With twice as many participants as last year, this year's event drew more than fifty runners from the Upstate and beyond, including students, alumni, faculty, parents, and community members. The winning time was run by Baxton Crosby of Charleston. Event sponsors included Corley Plumbing, Air & Electric, C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., Look2Find, and Herlong, Bates, & Burnett Insurance. Special thanks to SJCS Class of 2002 graduate Matt Williams, who served as the event chairman again this year.

Click here to view race results.
Click here to view photos.

SJCS Homecoming festivities began on Friday afternoon, October 22nd, with an all-school pep rally, followed by class float construction. Many former trustees returned to campus that evening for the first annual Board of Trustees tailgating event. Students, families, and supporters enjoyed similar tailgating parties in both parking lots as the school’s athletic booster club, The Knight's Circle, served up plenty of hot dogs, hamburgers, and refreshments. Alumni returned to campus that evening to witness the first varsity homecoming game, as the St. Joseph’s Knights battled the Southside Christian Sabres. The Knights Pep Band made their debut appearance at the game, and members of the Homecoming Court were presented at halftime.

Congratulations to the 2010 Homecoming Court: Freshmen Aimee Coggins and Gene Langan; sophomores Christina Tran and Davis Osborn; juniors Kerry Cleys, Madeleine McMillan, Andrew Anderson and Perry Bolick; seniors Ellen Andrews, Anna Mercer, Liz Reynolds, Alex Burnikel, Seth Kiser, and Chris Quinones. Seth Kiser and Liz Reynolds were crowned Homecoming King and Queen.

View more photos at:
Homecoming Pep Rally
Homecoming

Students and staff celebrated Spirit Week October 18-22 in the days leading up to Homecoming. Click onto the links below to view photo galleries from the weeklong festivities.

America Day
Ninja-Pirate-Cowboy-Space Alien Day
Nerd Day
Character Day
SJCS Pride Day

The Middle School Girls Volleyball Team placed second in the Carolina Middle School Conference. The team also took home the runner-up trophy from the Carolina Middle School Conference Tournament. Congratulations to Hannah Lagaly and Cristina Waingart on being named All-Conference players. The JV Girls Volleyball Team finished a strong season with an 11-1 record. The Varsity Girls Volleyball Team, having earned a berth to the state playoffs by placing second in their conference, will begin competition in the SCHSL 1A State Playoffs on October 25th.

The St. Joseph's Varsity Girls Cross-Country Team was crowned Region Two (1A) Champions at the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) Region Meet held on October 20th at Southside Christian. The Lady Knights also claimed five of the ten All-Region positions: senior/captain Katie Lynam (4th place), freshman Carol Lewis (6th place), freshman Jennifer Coggins (7th place), seventh grader Sara Catherine Masaschi (8th place), and junior/captain Dani Inglesby (10th place). Also running in the region meet for St. Joseph's was junior Madeleine McMillan, freshmen Aimee Coggins and Julia Sexton, and eighth grader Keyes Gilmer.

"We strategized as a team ahead of time and our work paid off," stated senior Katie Lynam. "I ran my personal best time of the season at this event, as did all my teammates. We were quite pleased with our performance and are looking forward to what we can do this weekend."

The girls will run as defending champions in the Greenville County Meet on Saturday, October 23rd at Heritage Park in Simpsonville. From there, they will concentrate on preparing for the SCHSL State Meet on Saturday, November 6th in Columbia.

"I am extremely proud of my team's performance this season," stated Varsity Girls Coach Marie Kernell. "Running in a new league this year with such a young team, I wasn’t sure what to expect. My girls rose to the occasion, giving 110% at every practice and race."

The St. Joseph's Varsity Boys Team placed third out of six teams at the Region Meet, which included Landrum (1st place), Christ Church (2nd place), Greenville Tech Charter (4th place), Southside Christian (5th place), and Greer Middle College (6th place).

"We're actually very fortunate to be in the strongest cross-country region in South Carolina," stated Boys Coach George Carr. "It makes us that much stronger when it comes to the State Championship."

Team captain and senior Ben Longenecker finished second overall, earning him a spot on the Top-Ten All-Region Team. All five of the scoring runners for St. Joseph's boys team (Klyn Carr, William Lewis, Ben Longenecker, Alexander Powell, and Carter Powell) finished in the Top 20, and almost all the varsity runners achieved seasonal personal best times at this event.

The boys third place finish to Christ Church was close enough that Team Captain William Lewis is optimistic about state runner-up possibilities. "That’s a manageable difference to make up in three weeks of training. We’ve got 'em in our sights."

Click here to view photos from the October 12th Home Cross-Country Meet/Senior Send-Off.

Twenty SJCS juniors and seniors participated in training on October 20th in preparation for the upcoming November 2nd elections. This is the first time the training has been held at St. Joseph's, but the tenth year that SJCS students have been trained to work election polls. History Department Faculty Member Meby Carr helps to coordinate this effort with students in her Government and History Classes.

Congratulations to all the students who made the First Quarter Honor Roll.
Click here.

Congratulations to ninth grader Savannah Klosowski, who was recently named one of five finalists in the Greenville In Harmony (GIH) "Sing for Scholarship" Contest sponsored by the local chapter of the Sweet Adelines International. Savannah will perform her song, along with the other finalists, following the intermission at the GIH fall show on November 13th. The winner will be chosen by audience vote. For more information, visit www.greenvilleinharmony.com.

High school students in Julie Schroeder's Honors Physics Class recently completed a lab relating to their study on displacement, velocity, and acceleration. The students drove remote control cars along a straight line path and gathered data for position and time at two-feet intervals. The students used their data to create position vs. time graphs, as well as to calculate the average velocity for each distance interval. They analyzed the graphs looking for intervals of time where the velocity was constant, and intervals of time where the vehicle was either accelerating or decelerating.

The National Catholic High School Honor Roll announced its sixth selection of the top 50 Catholic secondary schools in the United States, and included St. Joseph's Catholic School once again in its list of America's Best. The purpose of the Honor Roll is to recognize and encourage excellence in Catholic secondary education and to distinguish those schools that excel in three categories: academic excellence, Catholic identity, and civic education. St. Joseph's has been recognized by the Catholic High School Honor Roll since the Honor Roll’s inception in 2004.

"Most of our growth in recent years has been in our high school where we now educate nearly 350 students," stated Headmaster Keith Kiser. "Our growth is directly related to the fact that our students receive an excellent education and a Catholic proposal about all of life from teachers and coaches who are highly competent in their respective fields and living attractive lives of Christian faith in front of and with the students. The fact that these efforts are recognized by the Catholic High School Honor Roll with our selection again to the Top 50 list of schools is a confirmation of this fact. The growth we are experiencing is putting pressure on our need to expand our facility sooner than we expected, and we are currently in the silent phase of a capital campaign to ensure that we have enough classroom space to educate the qualified students who wish to attend our school."

The Honor Roll is an independent project of the Acton Institute, an international research and educational organization. It is produced in consultation with an advisory board comprised of Catholic college presidents and scholars. Since its inception in 2004, the Honor Roll has seen over 50 percent of America's nearly 1,300 Catholic high schools participate at least once. All Catholic high schools are invited to apply to the Honor Roll by completing three detailed surveys, indicating that inclusion in the Honor Roll requires exceptional merit in each of the areas measured. This balanced approach assesses a school's adherence to the Church's educational calling, where the best schools offer more than the strong academic preparation for which Catholic education is known. Rather, the best schools also have vibrant Catholic identities and offer sound civic training that help prepare students to live their faith in the world.

This has certainly been the case for SJCS senior Ellie Larson, a National Merit Commended Student who has been at St. Joseph's since sixth grade. "In addition to the incredible academic education I have received at St. Joseph's, attending school here has encouraged me to participate in spiritual activities that I otherwise would have never taken interest in. Planning and leading retreats for younger students has enriched my Catholic faith and provided great opportunities to demonstrate leadership and responsibility, especially as I prepare to help lead a retreat for the junior class that is entirely student run. Activities that I am part of, such as Student Council and National Honor Society, are service and leadership based organizations that encourage playing an active role in one's community. A combination of these extracurricular activities and lessons in the classroom have made me eager to take what I have learned at St. Joseph's, academically, spiritually, and otherwise, and apply it in college and beyond. My time here has taught me the importance of being active in the Church and society to make use of my God given gifts to the best of my ability."

To see a list of the top 50 schools, as well as lists of the 10 honorable mention schools in each category, visit www.chshonor.org.

Senior Jared Kauffman and sophomore Justin Mehl each won two events to lead the St. Joseph's Swim Team to a third place finish in 3A competition at the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) State Swim Meet held at the Carolina Natatorium in Columbia on Saturday, October 9th. "This was our first year in the SCHSL as a 1A team, so swimming against 3A competition was a big change for the swimmers," stated Head Coach Jill Holliday.

Kauffman won the 200 Individual Medley and the 100 Breaststroke. Mehl took first place in the 100 Butterfly and the 500 Freestyle. Junior Josh Schammel captured third place in the 100 Backstroke. Eighth grader Katrina Konopka placed second in the 50 Freestyle, and both Kate Kelly (100 Butterfly) and Aya Nance (100 Breaststroke) placed third for the girls.

First place performances also came from both the boys 200 Medley Relay Team (Jared Kauffman, John Kelly, Justin Mehl, and Josh Schammel) and the boys 400 Freestyle Relay Team (Jared Kauffman, Jeremy Mehl, Justin Mehl, and Josh Schammel). The girls 200 Medley Relay Team (Kate Kelly, Katrina Konopka, Olivia Leftwich, and Aya Nance) placed third in the event.

Other competitors for the boys included Michael Gibson, Neal Satterfield, Noah Schammel, and Connor Thorne. Other competitors for the girls included Kathryn Corasaniti, Caroline Kelly, Olivia Leftwich, Cory Satterfield, and Caroline Sparr.

"For the first year in a new league, going up against 27 other teams in our division, I thought our swimmers did a fantastic job," concluded Coach Holliday. "They will only continue to get better over time."

Seven games into their inaugural varsity football season, the St. Joseph's Knights are continuing to exhibit the spirit that Head Coach Joe Hyland has been asking of his players. With only one win thus far, the team has persevered and remains competitive despite a rash of injuries to a host of starters.

"For the first five games of the season, we were in games that we believe we should have won, but a lot of little things got us," stated Coach Hyland. "It wasn't an issue of heart or effort but the finishing things that beginning programs go through as kids learn how to win."

Hyland admitted that the first three region games presented an opportunity for the players to learn, first hand, the needed physicality of playing the game. "There's only one way to really understand what we need to do to get better, and that is playing good teams," added Hyland.

In a school buzzing with energy behind the newness of this start-up program, the new stadium, the new lights, new uniforms, and even a new fan base have been some of the intangible highlights that have helped get the team off to a competitive beginning.

"The students in the halls and the people in the community have all stood behind the program, and the players feed off of that," said Coach Hyland. "It's rewarding for them to see that their efforts are being both recognized and appreciated."

Noticeable with this football program is the attention given to the lessons of the game. "We want to win every game, no question, and we've had the lead in our first six games," added Hyland. "But football is a great sport, not because of the wins and losses so much as it affords the kids the opportunity to make decisions, problem solve, set goals and priorities, balance their time, make commitments, live for others, handle things like pressure, victory and defeat, overcome fears, learn to trust others as well as yourself, being grateful, reacting to disappointment, and the list goes on."

With three games to go, the Knights have maintained their excitement and continue to focus upon the many good things the players have done in each game, while trying to address the areas that need improvement.

The team faces Christ Church at CCES on Friday, October 15, followed by Southside Christian at SJCS for the Homecoming Game on Friday, October 22. They conclude their season at home against Whitmire on October 29.

High school students in Frank Kucinic's Health and Wellness Class recently had the opportunity to attend a two-day lecture series on the legal ramifications of underage drinking and drug use. Local police officers presented information regarding the realities of poor decision making as it relates to underage drinking, drug use, and how a presence on social networking programs like Facebook could be held against them if not properly used. Greenville County Sheriff's deputies gave witness to important issues that young adults are faced with in today's society, and the difficult real life scenarios they deal with in the community. SJCS faculty member Joel Brandon, a former practicing attorney, spoke about the legal ramifications for minors and their parents regarding underage alcohol and drug use. "My hope is that this program helped our students stay well-informed on these issues in order to make good choices and good decisions," concluded Kucinic.

St. Joseph's Catholic School Varsity Volleyball team members recently sponsored a "Dig Pink" day. Members of the team solicited pledges for the number of digs that they earned during a match played on October 5, as well as sponsored a bake sale during lunch. The team raised $1,045 to benefit the Side-Out Foundation and cancer research.

As part of a unit entitled "Life's Structure and Function," students in Ryan Koon's 8th grade science classes recently completed labs on DNA extraction and blood typing. Using simple household items such as salt water, detergent, and ethanol, students were able to extract and isolate samples of their own DNA from cheek cells. Students also studied the ABO blood groups and successfully identified unknown samples of synthetic blood using blood typing sera. Both of these activities are part of a unit in which students are studying the structure and function of living cells.

Click here to view more photos.

SJCS ninth grader Kira Sawyers recently auditioned for the Carolina Youth Symphony and earned a spot in the first violin section. Kira auditioned with twenty other violinists and was awarded fourth chair. The Carolina Youth Symphony consists of three orchestras and meets on Sunday afternoons at Furman University. Ninth grader Alec Biscopink recently auditioned for and was accepted into the 2010 Western Region Orchestra. Alec competed against students from Greenville, Anderson, Pickens, and Walhalla to earn tenth chair in the first violin section of the High School Orchestra.

Senior Alex Burnikel has verbally committed to play soccer for Clemson University. A defender for the CESA 92 Premier Team for eight years, he has had team and individual success at the local, regional, and national level. He will sign his national letter of intent in February. His recruitment and verbal commitment was recently mentioned on the ESPN website. Click here.

St. Joseph's students and staff are participating in a range of activities during October Respect Life month. On Friday, October 1st, SJCS graduate Fr. Michael Cassabon concelebrated Mass with School Chaplain Fr. Longenecker in celebration of the Memorial of St Therese of Lisieux. Fr. Cassabon spoke of the importance of becoming as little children to enter God's kingdom, and condemned a culture of death in which the most vulnerable unborn children can be killed. On Sunday, October 3rd, approximately 100 students, parents, staff, and supporters stood as witness for the unborn in the annual nationwide Life Chain along Woodruff Road in Greenville. In school, students and faculty are joining in the Rosaries for Life Campaign, which aims to pray tens of thousands of rosaries for the defense of the unborn. Teachers are encouraged to weave pro-life issues into lessons where appropriate, and during the Household Program this month, students will follow a pro-life theme with various activities designed to raise awareness on this issue.

Click here to view more Life Chain photos.

Halfway through the season, the St. Joseph's Varsity Girls Volleyball Team is in second place in Region 2A of the high school league, holding an 8-1 region record. The team recently defeated local rivals Greenville Tech Charter and Christ Church. Sandwiched in between these two region matches, the Lady Knights took on defending state champions Southside Christian.

"This was one of the most exciting matches that we have played in many years," stated Coach Jan Carino. "We knew that we would have to play our best in order to defeat Southside."

In the end, the Lady Knights came up short in a grueling five-game match with scores of 25-17, 21-25, 25-22, 15-25, and 17-19. At one point in the fifth game, the Lady Knights thought they had the match won as Southside hit the ball into the net. The St. Joseph's team was elated and the fans started to rush the court until the referee blew the whistle and called one of the SJCS players in the net. Southside was then awarded the point and they went on to win the next two points to seal the victory.

"We gave them a run for their money and that match could have gone to either team," added Coach Carino. "We have high hopes that when we play them next the result will be in our favor."

The Lady Knights kicked off the second half of region play last week with a victory over Blacksburg on Tuesday (25-7, 25-16, 25-18), followed by a victory over Whitmire on Thursday (25-12,25-5, 25-13).

The team will host a "Dig Pink" game at home on Tuesday, October 5th at 7:00 P.M. against Landrum High School as part of breast cancer awareness month. Members of the team have been accepting pledges for the number of “digs� that occur during this match, and all proceeds go to the Side-Out Foundation to aid in cancer research. Pledges are still being accepted and donors should contact Coach Carino at jcarino@sjcatholicschool.org. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to Tuesday's game.

The Lady Knights will then take on Southside Christian on Thursday, October 7th at Southside.

More than 350 grandparents, grandchildren, and friends of the school enjoyed St. Joseph's fifth annual Grandparents and Friends Day Celebration held on Wednesday, September 29th. Sponsored by the school’s St. Anne's Society, the Parents Guild, and the Advancement Office, the festivities included brunch, a formal program, and campus tours.

The highlight of the program was the presentation of the Grandparent of the Year essay contest winners. Jean Hever, President of St. Anne's Society, Gail Hediger, St. Anne's Society Board Member, and Wendy Lynam, St. Anne’s Society-Parents Guild Liaison, took turns reading the contest runner-up essays, followed by the essay winners accepting their certificates. The 2010 essay contest winners are: eighth grader Addie Egan (Grandmother of the Year Winner) and eighth grader Sarah Warren (Grandfather of the Year Winner). Jean Hever closed her comments with the Grandparents Prayer (below). The crowd enjoyed a video presentation and Headmaster Keith Kiser gave a short state of the school update. The event concluded with a number of grandparents participating in school tours.

Membership in the St. Anne's Society is open to grandparents, parents, and friends of the school, and its primary role has been to inspire learning by supporting the continued growth of the Mary Lou Foody Memorial Library and Media Center.

Grandparents Prayer
Dear St. Anne, you were truly twice blessed to have our blessed Mother as your daughter and Jesus our Savior as your grandson. I know that every period of our lives has its responsibilities as well as its joys. Today, it seems that grandparents have either too little use or too much. Help me to know just where my duties lie in my particular situation and to carry them out as best I can. Take care of my family, my children, and their children. Inspire them all to follow your Grandson and lead truly Christian lives. Keep all of us in your loving care. Never let us turn away from Jesus, and help us, in the end, to receive the joy of entering into your Grandson's glorious presence forever. Good St. Anne, pray for us grandparents. Amen.

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SJCS seniors Stephanie Saunders and Arianna Wise have been named Semifinalists in the 2011 National Achievement Scholarship Program. Conducted by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, the National Achievement Program honors academically promising black youth throughout the nation and provides scholarships to a substantial number of the most outstanding participants. More than 1,600 seniors nationwide received this honor, and they will be notified in January 2011 of their standing as Finalists.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation recently recognized five SJCS students out of a class of seventy-seven seniors. Theresa Krupka, Katie Lynam, Jeremy Mehl, and J.P. Wilmeth were named National Merit Semifinalists, ranking them in the top one percent of the nation’s high school students. These seniors will be notified in February 2011 of their standing as Finalists. One other senior, Ellie Larson, was named a Commended Student, ranking her among the nation's top five percent. The National Merit Scholarship Program, a privately financed academic competition for recognition and scholarships, bases its awards on high school student results on the PSAT.

The SJCS Fine Arts Department and Jubilate Guild hosted their first Coffeehouse of the school year on Friday, September 24th. Students signed up in advance and an "open-microphone" format encouraged student performances in drama, music, singing, etc. High school students and parents enjoyed coffee, dessert, and several hours of entertainment by many of the students, including a few visits from YouTube stars. The next Coffeehouse is scheduled for Friday, October 29th beginning at 5:00 P.M.

Elected student officers from St. Joseph's recently joined elected student leaders from 38 other member schools across the state at the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) Fall Conference held in the House of Representatives Chambers at the State House on September 21st.

The students held their general meeting, which included discussions on the Student Exchange program, the Student Council of the Year, the Honor Society of the Year, and the 2011 Spring Convention. Additionally, resolutions were introduced and will be debated by the students at the Spring Convention slated for next March in Myrtle Beach. Students interested in running for a SCISA office during the 2011 Spring Convention had the opportunity to speak with and question the present elected officials of the association.

The 2010-2011 SCISA officers are President Ron Sweatman, Holly Hill Academy; First-Vice President J.D. Brookbank, St. Joseph's Catholic School; Second Vice-President Kevin Driggers, Pee Dee Academy; Recording Secretary Alexis Kelley, The Carolina Academy; Treasurer Zack Hearne, Florence Christian School; Historian Haley Graham, Laurence Manning Academy; Parliamentarian Celia Wilson, Laurence Manning Academy; and Corresponding Secretary Sara Shuler, Holly Hill Academy.

"These student leaders had an opportunity to participate in the same type democratic process in the exact setting used by our Legislature," said Larry Watt, SCISA Executive Director. "This activity, in addition to the education they are receiving at their respective schools, will help prepare them to become good, productive citizens of their communities and state when they graduate."

The South Carolina Independent School Association is a non-profit, voluntary association of approximately 106 independent schools serving more than 37,000 teachers and students. Founded in 1965, the State of South Carolina incorporated SCISA as an exclusively educational organization with the responsibilities of establishing accreditation standards, coordinating academic and athletic competition, and providing professional development for member organizations.

Seniors Klyn Carr and Kaitlyn Dunphy recently attended a Leadership Conference for Youth in Government (YIG) held September 17-19 in Pawley's Island, SC. Students from around the state met to discuss the structure and content of the 2010 YIG Conference, debate issues of state importance, and participate in activities designed to enhance leadership abilities. Carr and Dunphy were selected based on their demonstrated leadership experience and their leadership roles in this year's YIG. A mock state legislature and trial program sponsored by the YMCA, this year’s YIG conference will be held November 17-20 in Columbia, SC. This will mark St. Joseph's ninth year of participation.

Sixth grade boys in Anne Gragtmans' math classes recently completed long division problems outside using sidewalk chalk. The boys used compatible numbers (numbers easily divisible in their heads) to estimate the more difficult long division decimal problems and to determine if their answers were reasonable. A piece of chalk, the sun, and fresh air gave this sometimes difficult task a gentler twist. The competitive nature of the boys also added to the fun with a race to complete the most number of questions correctly.

Click here to view more photos.

Led by fifth year returning coach and SJCS alumnus Jill Holliday and first year assistant coach Daniel Clemmons, the St. Joseph's Swim Team is off to a strong start after claiming a first place finish in a dual meet against Christ Church and a second place finish in a dual meet with Greenville High School.

"As last year's SCISA (South Carolina Independent School Assn) state champs, the goals are set high for this season," stated Coach Holliday. "While the team as a whole is adjusting to being a part of the South Carolina High School League, it's important to me that each swimmer continues to improve individually."

The team boasts a total of forty-three swimmers, twenty of whom are returning from last year's state championship team.

Members of the boys team include Cole Buchanan, Jose Cabrera, Michael Gibson, Levi Hill, Patrick Hudak, Jared Kauffman, John Kelly, Yanni Koutsioukis, Jeremy Mehl, Justin Mehl, Matthew Morel, Taylor Murphy, Neal Satterfield, Ethan Schaeffer, Josh Schammel, Noah Schammel, Sam Swift, Connor Thorne, and Sam Wickert.

Members of the girls team include Kathryn Corasaniti, Allison Espada, Payton Holbrook, Kristen Kauffman, Caroline Kelly, Kate Kelly, Katrina Konopka, Mary Kramer, Erin Laliberty, Olivia Leftwich, Caitlan Lovett, Anabel Masaschi, Gigi Nally, Aya Nance, Cassandra Reinholtz, Cory Satterfield, Kira Sawyers, Ryana Smith, Caroline Sparr, Margaret Stanton, Alex VanHaasteren, Mary Veideman, Hannah White, and Hannah Wickert.

At the dual meet against Christ Church, the Lady Knights came out on top with a finishing score of 219 to Christ Church's 192. First place finishers included Caroline Kelly (200 Freestyle and 100 Backstroke), Kate Kelly (400 Freestyle), and Katrina Konopka (100 Butterfly and 200 Individual Medley). The St. Joseph's boys team came out on top with a finishing score of 223 to Christ Church's 108. First place finishers included Justin Mehl (400 Freestyle), Josh Schammel (100 Backstroke and 200 Individual Medley), and Sam Swift (50 Freestyle). In addition to these individual events, the 200 Freestyle Relay, the 200 Medley Relay, and the 400 Freestyle Relay teams all took first place for both girls and boys.

At the dual meet against Greenville High, first place finishes for the girls included Kate Kelly (100 Butterfly and 100 Freestyle), Katrina Konopka (50 Freestyle and 200 Freestyle), and both the 200 Medley Relay (Kate Kelly, Katrina Konopka, Olivia Leftwich, Aya Nance), and the 200 Freestyle Relay (Caroline Kelly, Kate Kelly, Olivia Leftwich, Cory Satterfield). First place finishes for the boys included Jared Kauffman (100 Breaststroke and 100 Butterfly), John Kelly (50 Freestyle), Justin Mehl (400 Freestyle), Josh Schammel (100 Backstroke), and both the 200 Medley Relay (Jeremy Mehl, Matthew Morel, Neal Satterfield, Sam Swift), and the 400 Freestyle Relay (Jared Kauffman, John Kelly, Justin Mehl, Josh Schammel).

"From the looks of the first few meets, we are doing a great job of holding our own in a very different league than last year," stated co-captain Jared Kauffman. "We should be in strong contention at the state meet again this year."

Twenty-eight SJCS high school students have earned the designation of AP Scholar by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement (AP) Exams.

• Denise Azores-Gococo, Connor Bolton, Claire DeMars, Jacob Hanna, Meghan Hudak, Taylor LeBlanc, Rodrigo Maceda, Alexandria Panuccio, Lauren Visin, James Williams, and Katie Winebarger qualified for the “AP Scholar with Distinction Awardâ€� by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.
• Faris Armaly, Josh Bathon, Katie Fountain, Jeremy Mehl, Katie Sanders, Stella Watson, and Anna Wilkes all qualified for the "AP Scholar with Honor Award" by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.
• Alex Davidson, Noelle Kling, Theresa Krupka, Mary Lewis, Amanda Morel, Christina Novotny, Jessica Rex, Tara Vales, Caroline Weber, and JP Wilmeth all qualified for the "AP Scholar Award" by completing three or more AP Exams, with grades of 3 or higher.

The College Board's Advanced Placement Program provides motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both based on the successful performance on theses exams.

Students in Susie Benkert's seventh grade Religion classes recently completed a "Potter and Clay" project. The students made creations out of clay. Following this assignment, Mrs. Benkert read Jeremiah 18:1-6 and Isaiah 64:7-8 to the classes. The students were able to associate God as the Potter in their lives, as they are His creation (the clay) that is molded and fashioned into the image of Christ. The class ended with the students singing an acapella rendition of "Abba, Father" by Rev. Carey Landry. Students in Benkert's sixth grade Religion class made miniature Mass vessels out of clay during their recent study of the Mass.

Senior Klyn Carr attended the South Carolina Statehouse's National Constitution Day Celebration held in Columbia on Friday, September 17th in honor of Constitution Day. The program was sponsored by the SC Chapter of American Board of Trial Lawyers and included the James Otis Lecture Series and a talk given by U.S. District Judge Matthew Perry, among others. Students selected for this honor attended the lecture series in the House of Representatives Chamber of the Statehouse, and received a certificate recognizing them as a "James Otis Scholar" as well as a copy of Matthew J. Perry--The Man, His Times, and His Legacy. Klyn was selected based on his interest in government and history.

Congratulations to the forty-six SJCS seventh grade students, representing 55% of their class, who qualified for participation in the Duke University Talent Identification Program (TIP): Alexandria Alabau, David Asbury, Madison Bolick, Elizabeth Bullard, Caroline Calder, Kara Cervetti, Jared Chamberlin, Grace Cooney, Hunter Corrin, Margaret Eberly, Blake Edwards, Jeffrey Fann, Alexandria Fink, Samantha Johanning, John Kelly, Yanni Koutsioukis, John Krall, Mary Kramer, Sean Langan, Katie Loudermilk, Hollis Lucas, Michelle Malsch, Sara Masaschi, Caroline McCoy, Jacob Meyer, Jack Mobley, Wyatt Nally, Harrison O'Brien, Gabby Perrotta, Nathan Petrofes, Carter Powell, Anthony Quartararo, Madeline Sams, Zachary Seidel, Walker Seman, Josiah Tennent, Sterling Turmon, Alexander Unterzaucher, Margaret Utecht, Nila Veerabagu, Daniel Veideman, Ethan Veideman, Mary Veideman, Miles Weiss, Mary Lynn Whitacre, and Hannah White.

These seventh graders became eligible by their achievement on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) or other standardized tests that they took in sixth grade, having scored in the top five percentile in one of the qualifying verbal, math, science, or social studies sections. They are now invited to take the SAT or ACT in December, January, or February for academic recognition.

Eighth grader Grant Espada, along with his father Ben, took part in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's (JDRF) Ride to Cure Diabetes on Sunday, September 12th in Lake Tahoe. This year, 185 JDRF riders joined 1,800 other riders for the annual Tour de Tahoe, riding 72 miles of roadway around Lake Tahoe's coastline, including two mountain passes up to 7,000 feet in elevation. Grant completed the 72 mile ride in less than 6.5 hours, and was named the Best Young Rider of the Lake Tahoe ride. Together, Grant and his father have raised over $6,800.00 for the research and cure of Type 1 Diabetes. Grant was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 2004.

The school marked another milestone on Friday, September 12, 2010 with the celebration of St. Joseph's first varsity home football game. A student-led pep rally helped kick off the event earlier in the day. Later that afternoon, families enjoyed pre-game tailgating and festivities. Knight's Circle Booster Club and Letterman's Club members, along with school staff, volunteered to help with parking, concessions, and admissions as students, parents, alumni, and fans filled the newly built stadium for the first time. SJCS parent Dave Estes provided the "Voice of the Knights" as thirty-six high school players took to the field for the match-up between St. Joseph's and Calhoun Falls. The SJCS cheerleaders led the crowd as the Knights took an early lead, but in the end, Calhoun Falls rallied past St. Joseph's 22-13. In spite of the loss, St. Joseph's has proven that this young program is truly on its way in its first season as a Class A member of the South Carolina High School League.

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Over twelve years ago, a group of philanthropic school leaders formed an organization called the Founders Society. It was about this time that the members of St. Joseph’s second graduating class, the Class of 1998, planted and dedicated the Founders Oak tree on the side lawn of the campus in honor of the generosity demonstrated by the school's founders and benefactors. More recently, the Alumni Board sponsored a "Come Back to Give Back" service day in which the area around the tree was cleared and the original Founders Oak plaque, which had been grown over with leaves and dirt, was unearthed. On the evening of September 8, 2010, Headmaster Keith Kiser opened a new outdoor classroom at this Founders Oak, dedicated to the Founders Society members. Six benches had been purchased for this site, and in time, more seating and a podium will be added.

The Founders Society forms the backbone of the school's Annual Fund and provides students with the best education possible. The society has played a major role since its inception towards achieving the school's Annual Fund goal of over $500,000, for the exclusive purpose of supporting tuition assistance. Since its beginning, St. Joseph's has been committed to offering an excellent, Catholic, college-preparatory education to qualified students who wish to attend, regardless of their ability to pay. For the 2009-2010 school year alone, the school awarded $517,000 in scholarships, tuition assistance, and discounts to approximately forty-two percent of the school families.

Father Hayden Vaverek, a longtime supporter and friend of the school, was present when the Founders Oak was dedicated in 1998. He was also on hand to bless the outdoor classroom on September 8th and concluded with these words:

"To all of you that have made this Outdoor Classroom possible, for all of you that have entrusted St. Joseph's to the education of your children, to all of you who have chosen St. Joseph's to fulfill one of life's most valuable missions, that of the education of children…on behalf of myself and the Board of Trustees, we thank you.�

The St. Joseph's Varsity Girls Tennis Team has shown a marked improvement from last season and Coach David Foster is excited about what this season might hold.

"I'm thankful to be a part of a tennis program where girls want to play for you and want to be a part of the team," stated Coach Foster. "I was excited to welcome a few new team members who have moved up from the JV squad, as well as a returning tennis player who has come back to the team. I was also impressed with the improved play of many returning team members during tryouts."

This year’s team members are seniors Chandler Consonery, Gabrielle Genal, and Katelyn Forry; junior Carly Campbell, sophomores Amy Asbury and Shannon Beck; freshman Olivia Baumgarten, and eighth-graders Caty Brown and Catherine Eberly.

The Lady Knights played in two pre-season scrimmages and won both against Southside High and Riverside High. This past week, the girls had their first two matches against Greenville High and Southside Christian, losing to Greenville, but defeating Southside six matches to one.

Coach Foster sees potential with this year's team and has expectations that it is possible to reach the playoffs. "This year, things seem to be coming together. The girls’ fitness, consistency, and shot-making are at a much higher level than what I have been used to seeing."

JV Girls

The JV Girls Tennis Team is off to a fast start since joining the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL). Led by third year Coach Tricia Brown, the team has claimed victory in three out of four matches to date. Most recently, the team blanked Greenville High 7-0 and Spartanburg Christian School 9-0 last week.

"We lost a couple of players to the varsity squad this year, but I expect the balance of the experienced returning players, coupled with the enthusiasm from our younger players, will be an exciting combination for us this year," stated Coach Brown.

The five returning players include seventh grader Nila Veerabagu at number one, eighth grader Madeline McChesney at number two, sophomore Alex Schaeffer at number five, and sophomore Margaret Milteer at number six. Eighth grader Jessica Forry also returns in a doubles slot. The new players include seventh graders Margaret Eberly and Maggie Milam, eighth grader Sarah Gibson, and ninth grader Campbell Plumblee.

Brown also noted that team co-captains Margaret Milteer and Alex Schaeffer, who have played JV tennis for a number of years, continue to give the younger girls a model of determination and team spirit to emulate.

"The team is a great group of girls, and we have a lot of talent this year," stated Milteer. "We really have a good chance to perform well this year."

The JV Girls play at home against Christ Church School on Tuesday, September 14.

Students in Deborah Henderson's art classes were recently photographed working on several art projects:

• The High School Drawing Class was working on drawing a still life with charcoal. Most of the students had not used this medium before and appreciated the rich gray and black colors that were produced.
• The High School Introduction to Art Class completed an "All About Me" project, introducing the students to the idea of expressing themselves without using words. Each student had to include three symbolic elements, one 3-D element, and an answer to the question "How is God speaking to you right now."
• Girls in the Eighth Grade Art Class chose to either decorate a mask or cast their hand(s). There were no boundaries to this project….the students could be as creative as possible.
• Following a study of Renaissance artists, boys in the Seventh Grade Art Class drew self-portraits. They learned how to draw and shade faces, including the correct positioning of features as well as the correct shape and detail of each feature.
• The Sixth Grade Girls Art Class just completed their first project of the quarter, titled "Illuminated Letters," using the first letter of their names. They were challenged to fill up the entire space and to choose colors intentionally while keeping their letter the focal point of the picture.

Click here for more photos.

St. Joseph's teachers are making a significant investment in a new writing program. All faculty, excluding math and fine arts teachers, recently attended an intensive two-day writing workshop in mid-August that introduced them to the Excellence In Writing program. St. Joseph's has joined ranks with the other Catholic grade schools in the Upstate who have chosen to work together on writing as a priority item for our schools. Prince of Peace, St. Mary's, Our Lady of the Rosary, and St. Joseph's are in the process of implementing elements of the Excellence in Writing program at each of the respective schools. Several SJCS history, theology, and science teachers across the grade levels have already implemented aspects of this new program into their curriculum.

Joanna McLucas's seventh grade science classes recently used a variety of demonstrations to examine how air pressure acts in the world around us. In one experiment, students designed procedures to test the fastest way to empty a two liter bottle during their study of the scientific method. The methods were tested and the fastest method in one class, demonstrated by Hannah White, is pictured here.

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SJCS senior Ben Longenecker placed fourth among the top five individual runners at the Eye Opener Cross-Country Meet held in Spartanburg on Saturday, September 4th. St. Joseph's boys competed in this annual event which attracts over 60 teams and over 700 runners from South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia.

Congratulations to sixth grader Sean Miller, who won the Pebble Creek Country Club Junior Golf Championship held on August 28th and 29th. His two-day total was seven strokes better than the nearest challenger, coming in with a score of 39 for nine holes on the Sunday portion of the tournament. This past summer, Sean also competed in the Greenville Chapter of the South Carolina Junior Golf Association's Hootie and the Blowfish Junior Golf Series, where he finished with the fifth highest point total among 32 competitors over eight events in the 10-12 year old flight. Sean is currently under training with Bradley Hughes, a tour professional, who is the head pro at Pebble Creek Country Club.

St. Joseph's welcomed four new faculty members to the teaching staff this school year, for combined total of 45 full-time teachers and 4 part-time teachers. All SJCS parents are invited and encouraged to come and meet all the teachers at "Meet the Teacher" Night on Wednesday, September 8 on campus beginning at 6:00 P.M.

Jill Kriegel, the newest addition to the school's high school English Department, comes to St. Joseph's from Florida, where she taught English at Coral Springs High School for 14 years, before taking time away recently from the high school classroom to pursue her Ph.D. in Comparative Studies with a concentration in British Literature and Ancient/Medieval philosophy. Jill successfully defended her dissertation, entitled: "Augustinian Virtue in the Dickensian World: The Role of Christian Friendship in the Conversion of Souls and the Move Toward the Heavenly City," in April 2010 and was awarded her Ph.D. a week before this school year began. Dr. Kriegel has published many journal articles, edited two forthcoming books for Ignatius Press, served as an English curriculum editor and writer, and taught at the university level while pursing her Ph.D. Read more.

Barbara Ogilbee has taught in the same Catholic grade school in Ohio, St Mary's Central, for 24 years. During those years, she was a junior high instructor in many subject areas including English, reading, spelling, penmanship, science, health, history, civics, art, and religion. At the request of her pastor, Barbara also served her parish as youth minister, receiving a Masters of Arts in Applied Theology in 2009. In addition to teaching and youth ministry, Barbara has also presented at workshops, assisted with curriculum development, and served on a variety of school advisory boards. Moreover, in 2008, she was the recipient of The Lady of The Year Award for the Diocese of Steubenville. Barbara will be teaching all of the eighth grade English classes at St. Joseph's, a subject and grade level she has taught for most of her years as an educator. Read more.

James Sternberg, a graduate of Furman University where he majored in chemistry, is a new addition to the high school science department this year. James comes to SJCS from Washington, D.C., where he recently completed a Masters degree with a concentration in Bioethics from the John Paul II Institute on Marriage and the Family. Prior to his time as a student at the JP II Institute, James taught chemistry for two years in Florida. In between his two years of teaching, he spent time in the seminary discerning a vocation to the priesthood. For the past 12 months, while completing his Masters degree, James was a member of a team that prepared a major exhibit on author Flannery O'Connor for Italy's largest cultural event held each August in the coastal town of Rimini. St. Joseph's is pleased to be able to add a teacher with James background in science, theology, and philosophy to the school's science department. He is teaching chemistry, honors chemistry, and AP chemistry, as well as one section of sacraments and morality. Read more.

Stacey Zaniewski has joined the SJCS Fine Arts Department as the new part-time band teacher. Stacey is a 2008 graduate of Florida State University, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in music education. In addition to her duties at St. Joseph's this year, Stacey will also be teaching music/band at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School. Read more.

Having claimed SCISA (South Carolina Independent School Association) state titles the last three years, the Boys Varsity Cross Country Team is off to a great start on their road to a possible first-time SCHSL (South Carolina High School League) state championship. The team finished first in a recent nine-school scrimmage that included region rival Christ Church School and Hillcrest High School. The team placed second at their regular season opener August 30th at Landrum High School.

This year, the Knights are led by senior team captains Ben Longenecker and Klyn Carr and junior captain William Lewis. The varsity squad is rounded out by junior Andrew Anderson, sophomores Sean Connelly and Cody Davidson, freshmen Alexander Powell and Andrew Stein, and seventh graders Nathan Petrofes and Carter Powell.

"The team’s got a nice balance of seasoned veterans and enthusiastic novices," stated nine-year Head Coach George Carr. "I'm excited to see what they can do over the next two months on the road to state."

The varsity boys will be running in the Championship Division at the Eye Opener in Spartanburg on September 4th and the Hillcrest Invitational on September 7th.

The Boys Junior Varsity Team consists of seniors Andy King, Seth Kiser, Malcolm Soniat, and JP Wilmeth, junior Peter Schatteman, sophomores Philip Key, Michael Kiser, Ben McCormick, and Grant McMillan, freshmen Stephen Krupka, Nick Leonard, Luke Lepak, Steve Rosenzweig, and Aidan Sokol, and eighth grader Joseph Kiser. The JV squad will race in the JV Division at the Eye Opener this weekend.

Following last year's SCISA state championship, the Girls Varsity Cross Country Team opened their season with a first place finish at Landrum, home of the reigning SCHSL 1A state champions, with a score of 24 to 31. Katie Lynam placed second, followed by third place Dani Inglesby, fourth place Carol Lewis, ninth place Sara Catherine Masaschi, and tenth place Jennifer Coggins.

"I have a very young team, having graduated three of my top five runners," stated four-year Head Coach Marie Kernell. "Winning our first meet this season against last year's high school league state champions was an awesome way to begin the season."

The Girls Varsity Team consists of senior captain and six-year team veteran Katie Lynam, junior captain Dani Inglesby and junior Madeleine McMillan, freshmen Carol Lewis, Jennifer Coggins, and Julia Sexton, eighth grader Imani-Grace King, and seventh grader Sara Catherine Masaschi.

"The girls may be young, but they have wonderful role models in their captains," concluded Coach Kernell. "They love to run, they are extremely hard working, and they compete to win. We are known for our 'pack style' running, which is very difficult to beat and very impressive to watch."

The Girls Junior Varsity Team consists of thirteen members: Caroline Calder, Aimee Coggins, Mary Esposito, Keyes Gilmer, Laetitia Grapotte, Savannah Klowski, Carissa Leonard, Becca Messer, Melissa Mohr, Amanda Nesta, Natalie Rogers, Katherine Schroder, and Victoria Zimmerman. They will run their first meet with the varsity team at Southside Christian School on September 21st.

Click here to view more photos.

Congratulations to senior Alex Winebarger and his AAU basketball team, the Southeastern Athletes 17U, who placed ninth in the AAU Division II National Championships held in Orlando, FL in August. The Greenville-based squad was the only South Carolina team to finish in the Top Ten.

SJCS parent and USCF-Certified Chess Coach Doug Ragan led a group of middle school students on Wednesday morning, September 1, for the Chess Club's first meeting of the school year. As this year's middle school Chess Club Moderator, Coach Ragan provided instruction and play for a group of fifteen students. Students came as far as from Lake Keowee to take part in the meeting. Weekly meetings include a review of the Play of the Week (POW), a chess puzzle or exercise handed out at the end of the previous class, short lessons on chess, and time for quick games between students. The club will meet every Wednesday morning at 7:00 A.M. in Anne Gragtman's classroom in preparation for:

• The Greenville Scholastic Open Chess Tournament (October 30 at St. Mary's School)
• St. Joseph's Middle School vs. High School Chess Challenge (this fall at St. Joseph's)
• SC State Scholastic Championship (March 2011 in Columbia)
• Upstate Catholic School Chess Tournament (May 2011 in Greenville)

In addition, the group hopes to have a "Play Chess Morning" at a local senior center and well as visitors from local chess masters and experts to share their experience and offer suggestions.

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The eighth grade class enjoyed a retreat at Look Up Lodge on Sunday, August 29 and Monday, August 30. Father Longenecker was supported by an enthusiastic team of high school Campus Ministry members, who led the students in four sessions on the "Four R's" of Reverence, Respect, Responsibility, and Relationships. The sessions included talks by Headmaster Keith Kiser, Father Longenecker, and Campus Ministry members Clark Burgess, Ricky Schosky, and Arianna Wise. Along with the talks were themed activities, drama, Mass, and Eucharistic Adoration, as well as a campfire, swimming, boating, and time for Look Up Lodge's famous three-man swing. The eighth grade retreat was a great kickoff for the Class of 2015's final middle school year, and was designed to help equip the students for the exciting transitions ahead.

Over 160 high school students enjoyed the welcome back "Beach Bash" held on campus on Saturday, August 28th. Sponsored by Student Council, this annual back-to-school dance is the first of many student-sponsored events hosted by this club each year.

Student Council represents the entire student body and serves to promote fellowship, service, and leadership among the students. The organization is made up of five elected officers, eighteen household representatives, and four appointed members. Weekly meetings are held to plan and carry out the duties of the club. Student Council has the power to initiate and sponsor approved fundraisers, school spirit activities, service projects, and extracurricular activities. The Council also makes suggestions to the faculty and administration of the school. Some of the activities that the group oversees include, but are not limited to, high school dances, student fundraisers, Spirit Week, and food and book drives to benefit local charities. Each spring, officers attend the annual Student Council Convention in Myrtle Beach.

A special program, to be held during the Omega Day Activity Period on Wednesday, September 1, will expose students to a wide variety of clubs offered on campus. Click here for a complete listing.

St. Joseph's Varsity Girls Volleyball Team competed in a sixteen team pre-season tournament held at Byrnes High School on Saturday, August 21st. Competing against several 3A and 4A schools, St. Joseph's was the only 1A team in the tournament. The Lady Knights went undefeated in pool play with impressive wins over Gaffney High School, Chesnee High School, and T.L. Hanna High School.

"This is our first year competing in the high school league, 1A division," stated Head Coach Jan Carino. "We are very excited to be competing in this league, but also a bit apprehensive, as we don't yet know what the other schools will bring to the table."

Their first place finish in pool play earned the Lady Knights a spot in the gold bracket of the single elimination tournament, where they played Eastside High School in the semi-final round. Unable to pull off a victory against Eastside, the Lady Knights took home a third place finish.

"To play in a pre-season tournament with fifteen other 3A and 4A schools and walk away with a third place finish is a great achievement for us,' said Coach Carino. "I was very happy with our performance, and we are only going to get stronger as the season progresses."

Members of the team this year are seniors Ashli Lagaly, Mary Kate McClintock, and Liz Reynolds and sophomores Kayla Dixon, Megan Galloway, Alli Griffin, Alexa Lagaly, Katie McCormick, Kelsey McCormick, Katherine Reynolds, Nicholle Stein, and Allison Suhrer.

"This was a great way to start our season," concluded Carino. "These girls have been working hard all summer to prepare for this. They attended two camps and spent many long hours working on speed and agility."

The Lady Knights will open their regular season with a home tri-match against Shannon Forest and Spartanburg Christian on Tuesday, August 31st and will travel to conference rival Blacksburg on Thursday, September 2nd.

St. Joseph’s welcomed Bishop Robert Guglielmone to campus for the celebration of the Opening School Mass on Friday, August 27th. Prior to Mass, the Bishop opened the Red Door and the Red Door Ceremony began, with all ninth grade and new high school students processing through the door and into the Chapel.

Headmaster Keith Kiser welcomed them with these words:

Seventeen years ago, in the autumn of 1993, St Joseph's opened its doors. On the morning of August 26, 1993, the first thirteen students entered the high school through this same red door, which served as the entrance to a little house next to a Lutheran Church. Since then, by God's providence, the generosity of many friends and the hard work of countless people, St Joseph's has become a beacon for fine Catholic education in the Upstate. Every door is a symbol of a new beginning. As you enter St. Joseph's Catholic High School, we invite you to enter a new world - a world of adventure, friendship, true education, and discovery. Christ calls Himself the door and the way to eternal life, and He invites us to step out of our normal expectations and follow Him. To quote Pope John Paul II, 'Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors to Christ!'

Students of the Class of 2014 and those who have joined us in other high school grades from other schools and from other parts of our country - you have passed through the red door and so become part of St Joseph's Catholic School.

We pray that you will soon feel at home as part of our community. We welcome you!

Click here to view more photos.

The senior class raised over $400 from a recent Car Wash to go towards their senior class gift to the school. Other fundraisers throughout the year include monthly hot dog lunches, a TV raffle, and a tip night at a local restaurant. Guided by an eight-member Senior Senate, this organization helps to plan the fundraisers and activities for the class. The senate also represents the wishes of the senior class to the administration and conveys information back to the class as a whole. In addition to fundraising, seniors enjoy an annual class trip and volunteer at Special Olympics each spring, among other privileges. Meby and George Carr serve as the Senior Class Advisors.

Click here for a complete listing of all 2010-2011 campus clubs and organizations.

Congratulations to ninth grader Tyler Grant, who recently won the state championship in the Age 13 & Under Junior Wakeboarding Division of the International (INT) Amateur Tour. Tyler will represent South Carolina at the 2010 INT US Championships in Orlando, FL October 12-16.

This fall marks the third year of football at St. Joseph's and the inaugural year for the Knights varsity team. Comprised of mostly tenth and eleventh graders who have grown with the program, the Knights are looking forward to the challenges ahead.

"Most of us have been together for three years," stated junior quarterback Aaron Lesiak. "This has proved to be a big help in getting us moving forward and it's something we’ll draw from during the season." A three-year starter, Lesiak is expected to give the Knights an opportunity to be successful right away.

The coaching staff, too, has remained intact with head coach, Joe Hyland and two assistants, Bill Hudson and Jim Coen, continuing to implement a spread offensive system.

"It's been a great experience for me," stated Coen. "The students have responded well and it's been fun watching them get excited about the upcoming season."

The Knights are led by a host of juniors. Lesiak is joined by J.D. Brookbank, David Estes, Michael Kopscik, Brace Plumblee, David Rogozenski, Mark Schott, and Tyler Visin. Additionally, St. Joseph's has added some twelfth graders in Pete Bynarowicz, Erik Holsen, and Chris Quinones, as well as LJ Kleger who is new to the game of football.

Still, it is some of the younger players that have the coaching staff most excited. Many of the ninth graders on the JV squad were on the very first team two years ago. Today, they are leaders of the lower level. "It's been interesting to watch how well some of our ninth and tenth graders have responded," added Coach Hyland. "It's good to see because we will need every player to contribute this season."

The coaches are also interested to see ninth grader Andre Stoddard in action this fall.

"Stoddard has elevated the level of play on our team and he's been a great example of being physical, which has helped us to teach the game," concluded Hyland. Fellow ninth graders Austin Mattison and Sean Rusnak will also help the team develop a more physical approach to the game.

The season opens this Friday night, August 27th with the Knights on the road against local rival Southside Christian at 7:30 P.M.

The 2010-2011 school year began with over 590 students enrolled in grades 6-12. Click onto the galleries below for a look at the first week in photos.

Orientation Day
Welcome Back

Gina De La Cruz Turcotte has joined St. Joseph's Catholic School as the new Director of Advancement. Gina will lead the school in many efforts, including fund-raising, community/donor relations, and external communications fostering the advancement of the school's mission. She holds Bachelor of Science and MHA degrees from Clemson University and the Medical University of South Carolina and is a Certified Fund Raising Executive. Gina worked at the Greenville Hospital System for twelve years, six as a director in the Office of Philanthropy & Partnership. She also holds various leadership positions in the community, such as the Furman University Connections: Women Leaders of the Upstate, Esther Ministries, Greenville Interfaith Hospitality Network, and others.

The SJCS Fine Arts Department presents their summerstock performance of The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood this weekend in three performances: Friday, August 20th at 7:00 P.M., Saturday, August 21st at 7:00 P.M., and Sunday, August 22nd at 3:00 P.M. Don’t miss this adaptation of the legendary tale of Robin Hood leading his Merry Men in battle against the evil Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham…only this time with a hysterical new twist!

Tickets are $10.00 for adults and $7.00 for students and senior citizens and are available at the door. Seating for all performances is assigned on a first-come, first-served reservation basis. Doors open 30 minutes prior to curtain.

Click here to view more photos.

Congratulations to juniors Claire Capelle, David Estes, Grace Hanna and Cory Satterfield, who were recently selected to be part of a group of forty-eight Upstate high school students chosen to participate in Youth Leadership Greenville for 2010-2011. The Greenville Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Greenville County School District, launched Youth Leadership Greenville with the mission of engaging Greenville County youth in a series of classroom and practical learning experiences devoted to developing, cultivating, and nurturing students' leadership potential and engaging them in Greenville's future.

These students will have many opportunities during this eight month leadership program to discover all that Greenville has to offer, examine more closely the careers they may be considering, and to find ways they can make a difference during their senior year in high school.

SJCS eighth grader Katrina Konopka broke the South Carolina State Long Course swimming record in the 50 meter freestyle with a time of 26.85 at the YMCA National Championship Meet held at the University of Maryland July 26 - 30th. Katrina is part of the Y Spartaquatics Swim Club in Duncan, SC. The old record, set ten years ago, was 26.95. Katrina was also part of the 400 meter freestyle relay team, which placed first at the same meet, making the relay team the 2010 National Champions.

The Class of 2011 gathered at Look-Up Lodge on Monday, August 16th for their annual class retreat to help kick off senior year. Following breakfast, the class had sessions with Father Longenecker on the different personality types, and how their own personality type influences important choices in their future. The group celebrated Mass and enjoyed lunch, followed by time for swimming, boating, and the famous three-man swing.

Click here to view more photos.

More than 250 people gathered to enjoy food, fellowship, and fun on Friday evening, August 13th at the school's annual New Family Social. The SJCS Parents Guild provided hamburgers, hotdogs, and all the fixings. Following dinner, Headmaster Keith Kiser addressed the new students and their families, introducing a large number of the faculty and staff who were present. The program also included a viewing of the St. Joseph's Charism Video and a scene from the SJCS Fine Arts Department's upcoming performance of The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood. New students will return to campus on Tuesday, August 17th for Orientation Day.

Click here to view more photos.

SJCS sponsored several summer camps on campus this summer. Over 200 students, ages 8-16, attended a wide variety of camps, including academic, athletic, and enrichment. SJCS faculty and staff, coaches, alumni, high school students, and friends of the school helped to provide instruction for this group of youngsters. Summer camps have become an annual tradition in the summer months on the St. Joseph's campus.

Click here to view more camp photos.

SJCS rising sixth graders Garrett Davidson and Carson Genal, members of the Carolina Sabercats Baseball Team, helped their team to win the 11U GSSSA 3A World Series played in Charleston July 22-25. The Sabercats defeated a team from Goose Creek 10-1 for the title.

A group of current students, alumni, and parents came back to St. Joseph's on Saturday, August 7th to prepare the campus for the coming school year. As part of the first "Come Back to Give Back" Alumni Service Day, attendees spent the morning landscaping the Founders Tree, painting lines in the parking lots, edging the tennis courts, and cleaning out the storage building. Following the work, everyone enjoyed a barbecue lunch provided by the SJCS Alumni Board.

Rising senior Katie Lynam and rising juniors Carly Campbell and Madeleine McMillan recently attended the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine (NYLF/MED). Katie worked at the University of Illinois in Chicago and Carly and Madeleine worked at Emory University in Atlanta. This ten-day program introduces outstanding high school students to the world of medicine and familiarizes them with professionals from some of the nation’s top medical centers and institutions of learning. With close cooperation from many technologically-advanced hospitals, research facilities and medical schools, the forum challenges students to learn about a broad range of topics, including educational requirements, career options, clinical practice, and complex ethical and legal issues facing the medical profession today. Students discuss global epidemics, cures for life-threatening diseases, life as a resident, medical specialties, and primary care with current physicians and patients.

SJCS History Teacher John Devanny has published "The Origins of Jeffersonian Political Economy" in Arator, the academic web journal of the Abbeville Institute. Devanny is also the editor of Arator, a new journal of scholarship in Southern history, thought, and culture, and is intended to be a forum for thoughtful and learned discussion on the American South. The journal can be accessed at www.aratorjournal.org. More information on the Abbeville Institute can be found at www.abbevilleinstitute.org.

SJCS History Teacher Meby Carr was chosen as the South Carolina Representative to the 2010 Presidential Academy for American History and Civics Teachers, a three-week summer seminar held in Philadelphia and Gettysburg, PA and also in Washington, DC. The all-expense paid trip, which ran July 11-29, was an in-depth study of the Declaration of Independence, the Gettysburg Address, and Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech. The seminar was co-sponsored by the Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs at Ashland University.

Rising senior Cole Buchanan recently completed a summer residential internship at Clemson University called Summer Program for Research Interns (SPRI). Held in conjunction with the South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics, SPRI is a statewide program pairing academically talented high school students with scientist mentors in research and development labs across the state for a six-week, hands-on scientific internship. Students conduct research on new or existing projects in real-world laboratory settings in areas such as astronomy, biochemistry, molecular biology, computer science, engineering, physics, microbiology, zoology, and more. In addition, SPRI scholars commit to a written research abstract and an oral presentation at the Governor's School February 2011 Colloquium in Hartsville, SC.

by Emily Cinquemani, Class of 2011

This past school year, Theresa Krupka, Mary Kate McClintock, and I had the opportunity to participate in Youth Leadership Greenville. This program was definitely an eye-opening experience for me. I have lived in the area for most of my life; however, participating in this program showed me that there were many things about the Greenville community that I did not know. The program allowed me to see that Greenville is a great place, but it also has needs and problems that need to be met by everyone who lives in this community.

We visited many areas of the city. For example, we spent an entire day learning about Greenville's history. We visited the Upcountry History Museum and took a scavenger hunt around downtown Greenville. The visit to the museum and the scavenger hunt taught me a lot about the history of Greenville and how it has changed over the years. We also had a quality of life day, in which we learned about all that is done to make Greenville a great place to live. I was amazed by the art and culture we have here. I also liked the tour we took of the Greenville Drive stadium. These experiences allowed me to see that there are many things that make Greenville unique.

My peers and I also learned about the problems that exist in our community. We were taken on a tour of Greenville and saw areas that are home to hungry and homeless people. We were also shown what was being done to try to counter these problems. We visited Project Host, where volunteers work to give the hungry hot meals. I think everyone left these experiences wanting to do more for the community.

Leadership Greenville also taught me more about myself as a leader. At the opening retreat, I learned about team building through the activities we did in the Furman low ropes course. Our speakers also taught me more about leadership style and development. One seminar that I really enjoyed was the college and careers workshop. After this workshop, we were given the opportunity to shadow someone from a career in which we were interested. I was able to shadow a Greenville News journalist. I learned a lot about journalism and what goes into the making of a newspaper.

As part of the program, all of the Youth Leadership Greenville participants were asked to do a "Mix-It-Up" project at their school. The intent of the project was to strengthen the relationships between different groups at school. Theresa, Mary Kate and I worked on a project in which two people paired up and brought a dessert to lunch. These two people were then grouped with another pair and enjoyed the shared dessert and lunch together. Through this project, students were able to get to know others better outside of their usual group of friends.

I was sad to see Youth Leadership Greenville come to an end this year. At the graduation ceremony, we heard wonderful speakers and were reminded to be leaders even after we left the program. As gifts, we were given the book Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss. The experience of this program has encouraged me be more involved in making my community a better place. I have learned that Greenville is a wonderful city, and each person in the community is needed to help make Greenville great.

Former SJCS Guidance Counselor and Sister of Life postulant Virginia Cotter entered the novitiate on Friday, July 23rd in New York, where she received her habit and her newly chosen name, Sister Virginia Joy. After nine months of preparation, postulants enter the novitiate, receive their habit, and begin to be called "Sister." Two years in length, the novitiate consists of both a canonical year and an apostolic year. Throughout the novitiate, Sisters take classes and meet with a novice director in preparation for their vowed life and apostolate.

The Sisters of Life is a contemplative/active religious community of women founded in 1991 by John Cardinal O’Connor for the protection and enhancement of the sacredness of every human life. Conforming their lives to Christ, the Sisters take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience and a fourth vow to protect and enhance the sacredness of human life.

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The SJCS College Guidance Office reported that St. Joseph's students recently posted the highest pass rate in the history of the school on Advanced Placement (AP) exams taken in May 2010, scoring over an 85% pass rate after completing college-level courses at St. Joseph's.

Of the 163 AP exams taken in May covering twelve different subject areas, SJCS students scored a "3" or better on 139 of the tests. A score of "4" was earned on 59 of the exams, and a score of "5" was earned on 56 exams. All St. Joseph's students enrolled in an AP class are required to take the AP exam and must score between "3" and "5" on a five-point scale to earn college credit. Most of the nation's colleges and universities award credit, advanced placement, or both based on successful performance on these exams. The local, state, and national pass rates for 2010 have not yet been announced. Pass rates released in 2009 are as follows: 57% (Greenville County), 57% (State), and 59% (National).

Read Alex Davidson's article recounting his experience on the school's summer mission trip to El Salvador recently published in The Catholic Miscellany.

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Rising seniors Katelyn Forry and Stephanie Saunders participated in the South Carolina Business Week Encampment held at Presbyterian College July 11-16. This program is designed to educate high school students on entrepreneurship and the American free enterprise system. Each student attending the program is fully sponsored on scholarship from the business community.

Two SJCS swimmers broke records at the SAIL (Swim Association Invitational League) Classic Swim Meet held at Westside Aquatic Center on Sunday, July 18th. Rising senior Jared Kauffman and Graham Kauffman (Class of 2009) were both part of the record-setting 200-medley and 200-freestyle boys relay teams. Jared won the 100-individual medley (with a record time of 58.60) as well as the 50-breaststroke (with a record time of 29.55), and finished second in the 50-butterfly. Graham won the 50-freestyle (with a record time of 23.81) as well as the 100-freestyle (with a record time of 52.25), and finished second in the 50-breaststroke. Top qualifiers from divisional meets across the Upstate competed in this annual season-ending event.

Rising sophomores Audrey Ward and Clarissa Sutter attended the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine (NYLF/MED) at Emory University in Atlanta, GA June 20-29. This ten-day program introduced outstanding high school students to the world of medicine and familiarized them with professionals from some of the nation’s top medical centers and institutions of learning. With close cooperation from many technologically-advanced hospitals, research facilities and medical schools, the forum challenged students to learn about a broad range of topics, including educational requirements, career options, clinical practice, and complex ethical and legal issues facing the medical profession today. Students discussed global epidemics, cures for life-threatening diseases, life as a resident, medical specialties, and primary care with current physicians and patients. Each program culminated in a simulation that challenged students to consider a specific issue in public health and presented pertinent recommendations for achieving public awareness and concern.

Rising senior Emily Cinquemani attended the Furman Emerging Public Leaders (EPL) program that ran June 20-26. This highly selective summer program, offered free of charge to a select group of rising high school seniors who want to get involved and make a difference, featured sessions with local, state, and national government leaders, as well as members of the faculty of Furman's Department of Political Science. Students attended lectures, participated in off-campus trips, and interacted with speakers and faculty.

"Participating in Emerging Public Leaders was definitely an amazing experience," stated Cinquemani. "I was able to have a lot of fun and meet other students who genuinely wanted to make a difference in their communities. Furthermore, I was able to learn from my counselors and from the many wonderful speakers we had throughout the week. One of my favorite speakers was Dr. Cynthia King. Dr. King's session taught me a lot about public speaking and gave me the tools to become a more effective public speaker. I was very inspired by the dedication and passion of the leaders in our community."

During the week, each participant developed a plan for a student-led project addressing a need in the community. Students returned home to begin working with local residents and peers on the implementation of their projects. Students will then be invited to return to Furman next spring to present their completed projects.

"At first, I had no idea how I was going to start my service project and get other people involved," concluded Cinquemani. "At EPL, I learned how to make a budget, create a timeline, and involve others. I left confident that I would be able to create and implement my service project. I am honored to have had the opportunity to participate in Emerging Public Leaders."

Class of 2010 member Emily Pietras, the South Carolina State Winner in the Colonial Dames of America National Essay Contest, recently attended a Washington Workshops Congressional Seminar all-expense paid week in Washington, DC. As part of an assignment in Meby Carr's AP U.S. Government class addressing the topic "A Major Supreme Court Decision You Believe To Be Pivotal In Our Nation's History," Emily wrote about the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Gideon v. Wainwright.

Rising senior Miguel Larrain was accepted into the Wachovia Scholars Business Program at the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business. The encampment, held June 19-25, brought high-achieving high school juniors to campus for one week, enabling them to discover the many opportunities available in business. Students had the opportunity to learn the essentials of how a business operates and how executives make business decisions, find out what types of jobs are available in business, and talk with USC students, faculty, and local business executives.