The Spanish Club celebrated National Hispanic Heritage Month with a vibrant lunchtime activity featuring homemade piñatas, including a special Tiger piñata. Freshman Amir Fattah, blindfolded, took enthusiastic swings at the candy-filled piñata, guided by the encouraging cheers of his fellow students. This joyful event provided a spirited way for students to engage with and appreciate Hispanic culture while building excitement for the upcoming game.

At the recent Blue & White Night for prospective students, seniors Ethan Lapeze, Kasey Cognevich, Will Allen, and Brewer Nitcher, along with junior Spencer Waguespack, took on leadership roles to showcase their school pride. These student leaders guided potential Blue Jays through various activity stations. Their enthusiasm and dedication provided a welcoming atmosphere, demonstrating the strong sense of community that defines Jesuit.

The student council delivered an outstanding Jesuit Olympics during Welcome Week. The days were filled with entertaining activities and friendly competitions. New students experienced the Blue Jay spirit through rounds of javelin, archery, jousting, equestrian events, and a dunk contest. Special thanks to the executive board for their hard work in planning a successful event.

New pre-freshmen and freshmen cadets participated in a two-day Marine Corps Junior ROTC training event to welcome and prepare them for the upcoming school year. Senior Cadets led the instruction, which included orientation to drill, physical training, and marksmanship.

Visit the Blue Jay Shop to prepare for the upcoming school year. Pick up your school patches, pencil pouches, backpacks, PE uniforms, and other supplies before the back-to-school rush. Blue Jay Shop representatives are available to assist you in finding everything your Blue Jay needs. Fresh shipments of hoodies and t-shirts for blue and white days are also in stock, ensuring you’re ready to start the new school year. The Blue Jay Shop is open weekdays 10 a.m.–3 p.m. or shop online. www.thebluejayshop.com

Rising seniors Ali Alsherees and Tavo Rivera lead 4th and 5th graders campers at Good Shepherd School summer camp. 

Elliot Derbes ’24 assists camper JD at Krewe de Camp, a week-long overnight camp for children with developmental disabilities and their families. Derbes, along with many Jesuit students and alumni, dedicate their time to creating an unforgettable experience for the campers.

Seniors enjoyed a week of festivities celebrating their final days as Blue Jays. After the morning assembly, students were dismissed to the auditorium for the senior talent show. Performers sang crowd favorites in English, Japanese, and Chinese, while other class members showcased their musical prowess on various instruments and perplexed the audience with magic tricks. The celebrations culminated in a commencement luncheon, where the Class of 2024 officially joined the ranks of Jesuit alumni.

Dr. Wagner’s physics class constructed bridges out of spaghetti. This hands-on activity challenged students to apply engineering principles to design structures using noodles, with the goal of creating a bridge that could withstand the maximum weight. The project served as a practical application of physics concepts, encouraging students to think creatively while adhering to the principles of strength and stability. It tested their understanding of theoretical knowledge while fostering teamwork and problem-solving skills as they constructed their spaghetti bridges.

Photo by senior Peter Le

Juniors Will Allen and Duris Holmes, along with 16 candidate teams consisting of 200 local high school students, are being honored for their participation in the 2024 Louisiana Student Visionaries of the Year leadership development program. Allen and Holmes’ team, We Believe in Miracles, exceeded its fundraising goal by amassing an impressive $63,000. The Blue Jays have shown leadership in bringing awareness to  Leukemia & Lymphoma Society by demonstrating innovative research strategy. Collectively, all participating teams raised a total of $612,594 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

As Lent nears its end and anticipation builds for Holy Week, Jesuit students prayed the the Stations of the Cross this Friday during theology classes. Held in the Chapel of the North American Martyrs, a longstanding campus tradition, the event provided students with the opportunity for the Sacrament of Confession, with visiting priests from the archdiocese joining Jesuit’s clergy. Pictured here are altar servers Anthony Amadeo, Jude Schiro, and Thomas Denning lead the Stations with Campus Minister Mr. Nick Blair, S.J. reading the prayers. The entire community is invited to experience a deeper reflection on the Way of the Cross during the Nine Churches Walk on Good Friday. For more information about the Nine Churches Walk, please visit www.ninechurcheswalk.com.

Junior Darrick LeBeouf and senior Israel Fortin and hold copies of Shout, Sister, Shout: The Untold Story of Rock-And-Roll Trailblazer Sister Rosetta Tharpe. LeBeouf and Fortin highlighted Tharpe in their Four on Friday presentation for the Jesuit Men of Color during Black History Month. Holding the poster promoting the event are JMOC co-moderators Jay Combe ’83 and Chris Lamothe. Coincidentally, Combe was close friends in college with Tharpe’s biographer, Gayle Wald. When Wald learned that Tharpe was featured in Four on Friday, which explores music that impacted the Civil Rights Movement, she sent LeBeouf and Fortin signed copies of her book. The inscription on Fortin’s: “To Izzy, Scholarship can make a difference. When I wrote this book, Rosetta Tharpe was in an unmarked grave. Now she is being studied by people; this makes me happy!”

On Wednesday, Blue Jays and girls from other Catholic schools flocked to Jesuit to spend a night of faith, fellowship, and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Focusing on the themes of gratitude, praise, and worship, Camus Ministry Night was founded by senior Elliot Derbes, who had the desire to gather not only Jesuit students, but also students from the area female Catholic schools to pray in adoration and socialize in a night centered on Christ. . Pictured is senior Johnny Stahel and junior Ben Burkett. Photo Credit: James Redmann

On Wednesday evenings, IKON, which is a group of students and teachers led by Dr. Dave Delio and centered on the ideas of St. John Henry Newman, strives to teach young men to grow in wisdom and holiness through seminars and discussion. This week IKON discussed basic economic theories and how modern culture can easily replace faith with finance. The group meets every Wednesday from 5-7 P.M. in St. Ignatius Hall for dinner and discussion and is open to sophomores, juniors, seniors, and alumni. Pictured are Charlie Garitty ’24 and Hayden Welk ’24 having a fervent discussion about capitalism. For more information about the IKON Institute at Jesuit, please visit the NewmanIdea.org.Photo Credit: Junior James Redmann.

Junior James Redmann reflects on the liturgical season of Lent. An excerpt from The Blue Jay Newspaper.

During Lent, many Catholics give up something to improve themselves and show love to God. Often, I find Catholics begrudgingly giving up something just because they are supposed to (myself included). We, as Catholics, should see the sacrifices we make are not just in vain, but to improve our relationship with God. There are many great ways, in which we can show our love to God and learn to appreciate him. Personally, I think adoration and silent contemplative prayer are outstanding ways to improve your relationship with God. I challenge everyone, including myself, to live our lives For the Greater Glory of God this Lent, and I invite all of you to join the Sodality of the Immaculate Conception in their Lenten journey of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Photo of Immaculate Conception Church by junior James Redmann.

Blue Jays gathered in the courtyard during lunch to celebrate the carnival season. Co-curricular groups hosted tables offering king cake and king cake ice cream for students to enjoy. The Student Council distributed traditional parade route snacks of cotton candy and Chee-Weez. The Blue Jay marching band paraded through, filling the air with lively Mardi Gras music, while the Pelicans mascot, King Cake Baby, made a special appearance. Laissez les bons temps rouler!