Pre-freshmen Michael Stackpole and Brady Luminais take a look at all of the options for Rush Days. During lunch this week, students are introduced to the 80-plus co-curricular clubs, organizations, and teams during Jesuit’s annual Rush Days held in the Student Commons. Throughout the year, but especially at Rush Days, Blue Jays old and new receive the chance to get involved, meet new people, and expand horizons. Co-curriculars also help students foster meaningful friendships, time management skills, and engage in competition that stimulates personal achievement. The sense of belonging at Jesuit was certainly felt both by eager underclassmen and seasoned upperclassmen.

A big shout-out goes to Mr. Bill Poynot (standing, 2nd from left), father of alumnus Joe Poynot ’09, and Blue Jays from the Class of 1966 (kneeling) for cooking and serving the jambalaya for the annual Big Brother-Little Brother Jambalaya Lunch. This event connects new students to their Big Brothers and to the Jesuit Alumni Association; it’s truly the perfect way to cap off Welcome Week. Jesuit thanks Mr. Poynot and these alumni for the delicious jambalaya!

Welcome Week continues with ice cream and trivia as Matthew Poyner, Jony Morse, and Mandell Blackstone visit the Stranger Things Starcourt Mall for some Scoops Ahoy! ice cream. Blue Jays have to defeat the Demagorgon and enjoy Big Brother-Little Brother Jambalaya at lunch on Thursday.

Blue Jays, meet your student leaders, the 2019-2020 Student Council Executive Board: Effy Marks (President), Chris Charles (Vice President), John Gunaldo (Treasurer), Carlo Barrera (Secretary), Dalton Baglio (Senior Class President), Zack Jaubert (Junior Class President), and Patrick Albright, Hunter Richardson, & Dylan Sellars (Executive Aides). After being sworn in to office on Friday, Aug. 23, student council members hosted their first event of the school year—the Back to School Dance. They returned from the weekend and appeared at Morning Assembly once again, this time to announce the theme and schedule for Welcome Week 2019. Enjoy the week of fun!

School chaplain Fr. Kevin Dyer, S.J., reads from a book containing minutes of a Jesuit New Orleans Sodality meeting in 1919. Fr. Dyer then introduced this year’s theme of the Sodality—Jesus Christ—reminding members that the Anima Christi prayer, when recited at Mass and Eucharistic Adoration, increases devotion to Christ. Both the Sodality and Student Campus Ministry met during the first full week of school in St. Ignatius Hall in order to start a spiritual fire that will bring students closer to the mission of Jesuit High School. Visit the Spirituality page to learn how Christian formation is an integral part of Jesuit’s educational mission. 

Senior executive board aide Dylan Sellars hangs up the first student council flyer of the year, conveniently placed across the student council office and above the water fountains. The flyer promotes the annual Back to School Luau, which is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 24 in the Gayle & Tom Benson Arena. Click here to see all the details! 

Junior Luke Besh takes a look at the new Student Handbook and Planner during the first full week of the 2019-2020 school year. With five minutes remaining in Mr. John Lavie’s last-period math class, students were given the time to organize their upcoming assignments and prepare for after-school activities. In addition to their planners, students can make use of the Weekly Calendar of Events page on the Jesuit website. 

After Investiture ceremony, the featured event of New Students’ Orientation, new Blue Jays ended their day waving goodbye to the past. As instructed by Coach Terry Ursin, the newcomers then turned around to see their Big Brothers, who led everyone in the auditorium to cheers and chants filled with Blue Jay spirit. The welcoming pep rally gave new students a glimpse of future fun events that happen throughout the school year. Leading the pep rally were the Blue Jay Band, the cheerleading team, the new student council executive board, and Coach Ursin.

Senior Big Brother BJ Williams enters the first floor hallway with his Jesuit Little Brothers Troy Holden (left) and Mandell Blackstone (right), who each came prepared and dressed in coat and tie for Pre-Freshman Book Day. The new Blue Jays appreciated the experience of their Big Brothers as they took their ID photos, turned in paperwork, and proceeded through the queue of stations in preparation for the new school year. The Jesuit admissions office thanks the Big Brothers for helping their Little Brothers navigate the second of two Book Days. 

Junior Jeremy Howat leads the charge moving boxes from the loading truck to the Blue Jay Shop as (left to right) freshman Wade Rogers, junior Kian Badie, senior Ryan Castellon, senior Richard Montoya, and junior Zack Casebonne push their carts up the ramp. The half-dozen Blue Jays have kept their business ties strong, all working together for consecutive years to help maintain the order of the Blue Jay Shop. 

Nicholas Cantelli ’19, who just graduated, stops by Jesuit to drop off used uniforms for the Used Book & Uniform Sale, set for Wednesday, Aug. 7, from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the Student Commons. The Used Book & Uniform Drop Off took place on Monday, Aug. 5, 9 a.m. to noon. Jesuit thanks the young alumni, returning students, and parents for their generosity and effort that will allow students and parents to shop for great deals at this year’s sale.

Just before leaving for their annual band camp, the spirited and seasoned Jayettes gather with new members of the squad. With the school year just around the corner, the Blue Jay Band and Jayettes are spending the last week of summer gearing up for the fall season. They traveled by bus to Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, where they welcomed new members into their ranks for a week of hard work, team-building, and fun. As the auxiliary to the Blue Jay Band, the Jayettes are spending the week learning the coordinates for the field show for the 2019-2020 school year.

The now emeritus director of alumni affairs, Matias J. Grau, Jr. ’68, closes the front door of the school building as he closes a 44-year chapter of life. That chapter has seen Mr. Grau always displaying the utmost in dedication and professionalism, and for tirelessly working to further the school’s mission in each of his past positions. Grau taught English to all grade levels, including the Advanced Placement course. In addition to teaching English, Grau also served as the English Department Chair, moderated the Student Council, and coached both the cross country team and the pre-freshman baseball team. Grau became the Student Activities Director in 1983, the Admissions Director in 1995, and the Alumni Director in 2002. Of special note were his work as director of the Visiting Authors Program, which brought notable authors like Pat Conroy, Dana Gioia, and Robert McCammon to Jesuit; his efforts to increase the diversity of the student body by increasing enrollment of African-American students as well as commemorating the 50th anniversary of the integration of Jesuit; and his work to enhance the engagement of alumni with their school by establishing the Visiting Alumni Program and building leadership teams for each alumni class. While July 31, fittingly the feast day of St. Ignatius, was Grau’s last day as a Jesuit employee, he knows it will not be his last time on campus. Remember, Mr. Grau: it’s not “goodbye”; it’s “see you soon.”

At Jesuit, there is a firm conviction that leaders are trained, not born. With that resolution in mind, students serving in leadership roles for the 2019-2020 school year are participating in the St. Francis Borgia Leadership Institute, a student leadership development program sponsored by Jesuit High School. The retreat is designed with the threefold purpose of identifying student leaders, offering formation in the virtues of leadership, and fostering collaboration among the different organizations, clubs, and teams within the school community. There were two workshops offered this summer, one at the end of May and one at the end of July (7/25-7/26), in order to accommodate as many student schedules as possible. The program seeks to integrate the role of service, school culture, and spiritual life of the students in formation. Most importantly, the workshop allows student leaders to become familiar with the various principles of leadership in practical situations. The Borgia Leadership Institute was started in 2014 by student activities director Matt Orillion ’98 , who continues to lead it today.

Like father, like son. Both wearing jersey #5, Retif Oil head baseball coach Kenny Goodlett shakes hands with Pedal Valves assistant coach Kenny Goodlett, his father. Their teams played against each other in the second round of the American Legion State Tournament, which continues until the winner is decided on Wednesday, July 24. See the past results on Jesuit’s Scoreboard, and follow the upcoming action on the Jesuit Baseball (Retif Oil) Twitter feed. To read the NOLA.com article on Retif vs. Pedal Valves, click here.

Boy Scouts of America Braden Bent, Zachary Charneco, Jason Dominique, and Justin Fortier—all recent graduates of the Class of 2019—eagerly wait to officially enter the Eagle Scout brotherhood at their Troop 230 Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony. These Blue Jays earned their Eagle Rank at the Sunday afternoon ceremony in the St. Catherine of Siena’s Barrett Auditorium. As a Life Scout, these men demonstrated Scout Spirit by living the Scout Oath and Scout Law. In their Eagle Scout Rank applications, they expressed their duty to God and how they will continue to live the Scout Oath and Scout Law in everyday life. As stated on the Boy Scouts of America Website, potential Eagle Scouts should earn a total of 21 merit badges (10 more than required for the Life rank), including these 13 merit badges: (a) First Aid, (b) Citizenship in the Community, (c) Citizenship in the Nation, (d) Citizenship in the World, (e) Communication, (f) Cooking, (g) Personal Fitness, (h) Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving, (i) Environmental Science OR Sustainability, (j) Personal Management, (k) Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling, (l) Camping, and (m) Family Life. Jesuit congratulates these Blue Jay graduates for going above and beyond in their recent accomplishments. View the Court of Honor Program, which was led in prayer by Jesuit’s own Fr. John Brown, S.J.