Malcolm Villarrubia ’66 prepares the new faculty for the expectations of Jesuit. These new members of the Blue Jay family face multiple new challenges such as remote learning and starting at a new school, but, through the guidance and experience of Villarrubia and all of the returning Jesuit faculty and staff, the new faculty will be prepared and optimistic to start their careers at Jesuit High School. 

With the safety of all students in mind, Jesuit has begun installing new water fountains that allow for hands-free refills. This improvement is just the start of new ways that Jesuit is preparing for the upcoming school year. 

Against all odds, the Jesuit class of 2020 attended their Baccalaureate Mass on Saturday, July 25, 2020, with most of the new 253 Jesuit Alumni in attendance. The conferring of diplomas occurred during the end of the mass in the Chapel of the North American Martyrs with only students in attendance, but the ceremony was live streamed on YouTube for all to see. Congratulations to the 253 graduates who faced a host of challenges during their senior year but overcame all obstacles in their path with enthusiasm, courage, and faith. 

Jesuit’s new administration building is starting to take shape as all four floors are in place, and the walls can be seen set up around the additional wing . The continued hard work of Ryan Gootee General Contractors, L.L.C is becoming noticed as the new wing becomes more polished and dignified. Of course, the tremendous new edition to an already superior campus would not be possible without the generosity from donors to the Minds & Hearts Enlightened capital campaign.

Although many of Jesuit’s service projects have been put on hold due to COVID-19, five rising seniors are still finding ways to serve those in need. Thomas Grady, Seb Upshaw, Will Hawkins, Joshua Guzman, and Chris Gillen have been working with the NOLA Tree Project, which has taken a break from beautifying New Orleans’ public spaces to focus on making sure that the elderly and disabled don’t go hungry during the Coronavirus crisis. These Blue Jays and other New Orleans high school students pack meals donated by Second Harvest Food Bank and deliver them to those who cannot leave their homes during the pandemic.

The Jesuit football program and faculty will look a little different for the 2020-2021 school year. Ed Daniels, left, could not wait to announce the news as WGNO held a Q and A with former Jesuit head football coach and current prefect of discipline Mark Songy and interim head coach Scott Bairnsfather on June 22 to talk about their new roles. Be on the lookout on Wednesday afternoon on WGNO for the airing of the exciting interview. Both are ready to tackle new challenges and triumphs, and we cannot wait to see these Jays fly into their new positions.  

The Retif Oil and Fuel American Legion varsity team faced off against the junior varsity squad on June 18th in the grueling heat. While the game was only a scrimmage, the competition was intense from both sides.  The action is set to begin on Saturday at John Ryan Stadium with the JV team scheduled to play at 10 a.m. and the Varsity at 1:30 p.m. All signs are pointing toward excitement and success at The Ryan. 

Rock’em, Sock’em, Jayson? That’s right, with the superior sketching skills of interim president Rev. John Brown S.J., Jesuit’s Robotics team has a new mascot in room 307 to add to an already tremendous program. Check out how the Jays made it all way to the 2019 Louisiana State Championship here. 

Construction continues at Carrollton & Banks as the frame for the administration wing is put into place. Last week the concrete foundation was laid in the footprint adjacent to the boiler room and the 1926 Banks Street wing. The administration wing is one of the enhancements to Jesuit’s campus brought about by the generosity from donors to the Minds & Hearts Enlightened capital campaign.

What do crows and blue jays have in common? What many might know is that both are members of the same family of birds known as Corvids. What few will know is that, with the hallways more spacious than normal during Covid-19 restrictions, both have made a home a Carrollton and Banks. One of the crows that regularly circles campus made its way into the school building on Monday and flew the hallways normally trafficked by Blue Jays. Good thing Jesuit’s interim president, Fr. John Brown, S.J., is no stranger to handling eccentric animals. Watch the video of Fr. Brown releasing the crow into the school yard.

On May 1 one of Jesuit’s own, Major William J. Walker, III ’03, could be seen flying high over New Orleans and Baton Rouge as part of a four-plane squadron with the Louisiana Air National Guard at Belle Chase. The squadron flew over the cities to honor health care workers that are in the fight against COVID-19. Piloting an F-15C on the left wing of the lead B-52, Walker said “It was an absolute honor to be a part of the event and have an opportunity to show how much our community appreciates the sacrifices that our first responders and frontline medical workers are making during these trying times.”

As New Orleanians embraced Jazz Festing in Place on the last weekend in April, junior Mason Wulff and his father, Steve, delighted neighborhood listeners with a socially distant pop-up Jazz Fest tribute concert. Held in Park Places Triangle in the Navarre neighborhood, the father-and-son-led group “Dos Lobos” (Two Wulffs) powered through a mix of cover songs and original material for an appreciative audience. Civics teacher Jay Combe ’83 was in attendance and captured a video that supplied this Wild Photo. 

Everyone in the Jesuit community is settling in to new environments for work and study. For no one is this more true than Morty, Jesuit’s germ-zapping robot. Instead of training areas and locker rooms, it is now bedsides and medical equipment that the robot is working hard to sanitize. At last report, Morty is certainly holding up to the challenge.

Jesuit’s interim president, Fr. John Brown, S.J., signs diplomas in his office as a sign of hope for a return to the school’s beloved traditions. Keep your eyes on the prize, Blue Jays!

Long-time maintenance member Kent Broussard puts the finishing paint touches on the “switchboard” entrance on Banks Street. The entrance to the school had been temporarily relocated during construction of the pedestrian walkway. Now that the project is in its final stages, the switchboard is open once again for visitors to check in to the school.

Mr. Wade Trosclair ’07 always brings a worldly perspective to class. But these days he’s calling on his own real-world experiences to connect with students during these challenging times. As he shared with his world history charges, Trosclair was a junior at Jesuit when Katrina shuttered the school for several months of 2005. Before returning to campus to complete the academic year, Trosclair studied at a high school in Thibodaux and a satellite Jesuit school on the campus of St. Martin’s. Trosclair is embracing today’s challenge as he did the one 15 years ago, and is doing everything he can to give his students the confidence they will need to succeed in a different “world.”