About a dozen students volunteered their time and talent this week to call hundreds of alumni across the country who are supporting Jesuit’s Minds & Hearts Enlightened capital campaign. The gratitude expressed by today’s Blue Jays to those who preceded them was well received and appreciated.

As Top Abshire looks on, student body president Effy Marks makes the following announcement at 3 p.m. dismissal: “This is Effy Marks. The last two times we have played Holy Cross in white jerseys, the Gizzard led the football and soccer teams to two important victories. Tonight, we play them again. We need your support in the Birdcage at 7 p.m. We need the Gizzard big. We need the Gizzard loud. And don’t forget…it’s a WHITE OUT! Go Jays.” 

The Senior Night wrestling dual meet in Benson Arena saw high fives, five-second near falls, and five-point leads. It also saw five Jesuits take time out of their evening schedules to show support for the place they call home. (Pictured here, from left) Theology teacher Fr. David Paternostro, S.J., Fr. Stephen Kramer, S.J., interim president Fr. John Brown, S.J., school chaplain Fr. Kevin Dyer, S.J., and alumni chaplain Fr. Paul Shaughnessy, S.J. stand along the visitors bleachers between matches to enjoy a great view of the wrestling meet and the large crowd of Jesuit students, parents, and friends. Go, Jesuits’!

Jesuit’s chief financial officer Jason Hijuelos interviews senior Andrew Dupuy in Mrs. Kate Arthurs-Goldberg’s public speaking class. All students prepare resumes, experience a mock interview with a guest interviewer, and learn to compose follow-up thank you notes. Thanks to all the faculty and staff who serve as guest interviewers.

Luke LaForge, Luke Besh, Tripp Haddad, and Giovanni Licciardi happily roam the hallways and decide which Career Day classroom they will visit next. While underclassmen listened to a great talk by Career Day featured speaker Walt Leger III ’96, juniors and seniors were given the chance to learn more about specific industries. Jesuit students thank all the Blue Jay alumni who came to Carrollton and Banks for Career Day 2020!

Josh Walker (left) and Chris Gieseler (right) chat in the Philelectic Society office about the upcoming spring musical, Brigadoon, with Michael Harmon, who is sporting a rice hat for the Chinese New Year. The Jesuit cafeteria served lunch around the CHINESE NEW YEAR theme with the following items on the menu:
-Popcorn Chicken w/ Gen Tso Sauce
-Fried Rice
-Glazed Carrots
-California Mixed Veggies
-Assorted Fruit, Fresh Fruit
-Southern Butter Roll
-Fortune Cookie

The Barbershop Blue Jays—Chris Giesler, Carlo Barrera, Amélie Ettinger (Sacred Heart), and Leah Velasquez (Patrick Taylor)—perform at the end of the 2020 Mothers’ Luncheon & Alma Mater Awards event held in the Student Commons. The barbershop quartet performed a trio of songs with the last song, of course, being the Alma Mater. 

Senior student council executive board members Patrick Albright and John Gunaldo plan ahead for the Winter Sports Pep Rally on February 4. Not only did these Blue Jays save energy by planning ahead, they also saved electricity by working in the dark…under a small Christmas light that may hang in the Student Council office for the rest of the month, if not longer! 

Coach Gino Giambelluca (far left), senior Cameron Cancienne (seated, left), Ward Rice ’84 (standing, right), and Aidan Couvillon (seated, right) listen to the morning announcements read by senior soccer player Davis Laibe. Moving indoors due to rain, the feeling of Morning Assembly Blue Jay Spirit remained present Friday as each voice was heard over the intercom. A LSU national champion football player in 2003, Coach Giambelluca encouraged Blue Jays to sport their Tiger attire on Monday for Purple & Gold Day. Soccer players Cancienne and Laibe reminded students to pack John Ryan Stadium for Friday’s soccer rivalry between Jesuit and Holy Cross. Finally, Ward Rice and Aidan Couvillon continued the partnership between the Class of 1984 and the Freshman Sodality and, together, launched the Winter Clothing Drive! Have a great weekend, Jays.

Jesuit’s MCJROTC Color Guard, Band, and flag crew celebrate the 205th commemoration ceremony of the Battle of New Orleans at Jackson Square. January 8 was the 205th anniversary of the battle. Throughout the week, New Orleanians are celebrating in many different ways. On Friday and Saturday, there will be American and British camps set up at the Chalmette Battlefield inside the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. Along with games, storytelling, and people dressed in period clothing, there will be the firing of cannons and muskets throughout the day.

Junior Blake Johnson sits among students from competing schools as players watch the TV screen, which displays questions about Presidents of the United States of America. The Academic Games team, led by Mr. Jordan Holmer ’12, competed in the first round of the Presidents tournament after school in the Jesuit cafeteria. Presidents is a questions and response game in which players develop an understanding of the personalities, historical contexts, political decisions, and other events of our nation’s leaders. Students sit in groups of three or four for purposes of checking each other’s answers and keeping score. Many such groups may be playing simultaneously in the same room. Players are given a range of Presidents that they may consider for their answer. Keep it up, Gamers!

Maintenance and facilities personnel Kent Broussard and Ken Turner pressure wash the bricks on Traditions Courtyard so that students have a clean setting for the new year. Jesuit thanks the team, under the leadership of new maintenance director David Sansone, for their hard work and continued behind-the-scenes efforts to improve the quality of the building in order to maintain the quality education!

Class of 2016 alumni John Kemmerly, Joseph Dupré, Mark Beebe, James Stoddard, Brandon Beck, Tristan Diermann, and Kenneth Krizan gather for a debriefing session after meeting with alumni director Michael Prados ’83. The purpose of the meeting was to get the class organized prior to its first reunion in the summer of 2021. It’s also an exciting time to see who emerges as consistent leaders of the group. Blue Jays who graduated in 2015 and 2016 are also reminded that the deadline (Feb. 1) is approaching to apply for the Alumni Service Corps (ASC). The ASC program gives young alumni the opportunity to devote a year of their lives to their alma mater between completing college and moving on to graduate school or a career.

Seniors Brian Balestra, Austin Robert, Cameron Arroyo, Brian Valigosky, Jack Stuke, Grant Jordan, and Michael Scamardo—also known for one day as the “Jesuit Varsity Basketball Team”—enter the Benson Birdcage like professionals, suited up for the Hoops for the Holidays event on December 27. Students from every grade level arrived on campus and made their way to the Gayle & Tom Benson Arena for the fun-filled 5-on-5 basketball tournament. Great work, Blue Jays!

Luc Colomb, Mitchell Stevens, Braden Moncrief, Nicholas Ferna, Ryan Griffin, and James Dugan enjoy some fresh, cold air in Traditions Courtyard before their last exam of the semester (Spanish). Blue Jays attacked the 2nd period of exams—Spanish, French, and Greek—knowing they had just “one more” before “the end” of the semester. For all the bookworms looking to expand their knowledge of the languages, here are three ways to say “one more”: uno más (Spanish), encore un (French), and έν πλειον (Greek). Jesuit High School Offices will be closed for the Christmas holidays from Monday, Dec. 23, at 1:00 p.m. through Wednesday, Jan. 1. School offices will reopen on Thursday, Jan. 2, at 7:30 a.m. Any school business must be taken care of by 1:00 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 23, or it will have to wait until offices reopen on Jan. 2.

Mr. Jeremy Mancheski ’90 (pictured left, head of table), with help from advancement director Tom Bagwill and Br. Terry Todd, S.J. ’58, leads the final planning meeting for the December 27 basketball tournament, “Hoops for the Holidays.” Blue Jays from each grade level serve as class chairs to encourage their peers to form teams and compete in the inaugural event. “Hoops for the Holidays” details are posted on the bulletin board in the hall just outside of the first floor restroom. NOTE, NEW DEADLINE: The “Last Chance” deadline to register is Wednesday at 10 a.m. in Mr. Orillion’s office.