Does Jesuit have a new mascot in the works? Well, not exactly. If you’ve ever walked around campus at lunch time, you may have seen Jesuit’s president, Fr. Christopher Fronk, S.J., walking with his best buddy, Shipmate. Shippy, as he’s affectionately known, is a fetching mixed-breed pup (Yorkshire Terrier and Shih Tzu) and no stranger to hard work. Shippy can sit, shake, rollover, stick-em-up, jump through hula-hoops, and even say his prayers. Fr. Fronk adopted Shippy when he returned from his tour of duty in Afghanistan, and it’s a match made in heaven…

On Wednesday in Traditions Courtyard, Blue Jays on the MCJROTC color guard prepare after exams to become the new leaders of the battalion. As MGySgt. J.R. Piseno directs sophomores Gus Huete and Marseyas Fernandez to practice their march, juniors Will Shropshire and Gabe Dupuy show their support from the back of the line for the previous pair. The rising juniors and seniors in the color guard look forward to continued success and leadership in the MCJROTC program.

About 30 rising seniors met with school administrators in St. Ignatius Hall on Tuesday to take part in the Class of 2018 Student Leadership Meeting. Student council members, team captains, and club presidents discussed ways to improve attendance at school events, grade level interaction, and use of technology in student life. The class leadership initiative was started in 2013 by Fr. Raymond Fitzgerald, S.J. ’76.

The first day of 4th quarter exams ended at noon today, and many hard-working Blue Jays remain hungry for the finish line. Freshmen Luke Haefele, Lloyd Passafume, Stewart Talbot, Connor Quaglino, Hayes Martin, Mr. Ryan Migliore ’11, Tom Levy, Darren Tsang, and Jonathan Tittle feasted on pizza at Theo’s today after exams. Mr. Migliore taught them for either Latin (last year) or Theology (this year). The rising sophomores wanted to get together for lunch with one of their favorite teachers to wish him farewell and good luck in graduate school at the University of Michigan.

One might think that the last thing students would want on their final day of classes is to spend more time with their teachers. While other Blue Jays were racing to get home after a long year of studies, sophomore William Bostick takes time to catch up with his former theology teacher, Mr. James Michalik, talking about – of all things – his upcoming finals. Students will navigate their exam schedule next week as a final test of their knowledge before taking a much deserved break from studies over the summer.

Following the recent Cinco de Mayo celebration, the newly elected student council officers get into the spirit by giving out churros during lunch in Traditions Courtyard. Freshman Keating Landry walks away from the table more than satisfied as juniors Adam Larriviere, John Howell, and Robert Cerise hand out the delicious treats.

On Day 152 of the school year – with only two days to go – students are by this time very much in their element in chemistry class. Juniors Gabe Sims, Chris Ross, Matthew Ward, and Alex Stapp show great ease in navigating the acid/base titration lab for their teacher, Mr. Peter Muller ’81. The state-of-the-art labs were part of a plan to overhaul the science facilities beginning with the 2002 renovations of the third floor labs and completed in 2008-2009 with the four labs on the fourth floor.

Although Jesuit students get plenty of practice with the FOIL method of multiplying binomials in their algebra classes, the Jesuit Fencing Club practices with foils in a totally different way after the 3:00 PM bell rings. Members of the club exchange their books and pens for masks and foils to get in a few practice bouts before leaving campus. The Fencing Club is one of over sixty clubs and organizations on campus which give students a variety of ways to get involved and make new friends – in short, to find a place to belong at Jesuit. Practicing their lunges and parries after school are juniors Ryan Tucker and Matthew Richards.

As the sounds of Jazz Fest floated across the streets of Mid-City, Blue Jays got into the spirit themselves on Friday at lunch with a brown bag concert by Ted Hefko and the Jays. Faculty members Mr. Andy Dykema, Mr. Jason Giaccone, and Mr. Andy Lade ’07 lent their musical talents to the performance, and Jays of all grade levels sat in the shade and enjoyed the beautiful, sunny afternoon.

On May 4, Jesuit bent its admissions requirements to allow a Stormtrooper transfer from the Imperial Academy of the Galactic Empire. Well, not really. In honor of what has rapidly become a full-fledged, inter-galactic holiday, students in some classes were allowed to don a piece of their best Star Wars gear. Pre-freshman Hunter Bouchie proudly wears his Stormtrooper helmet during English class. It was widely thought that the white armor in the helmet, in addition to helping Hunter survive in an variety of environments, would also help him remember his rules for grammar and punctuation.

Todd Crabtree fires a rocket today at Will Clark Field while other students in Mr. White’s Introduction to Engineering class watch closely to see where it lands. As part of their final project, seniors used CAD software and 3D printers to construct a variety of plastic missile designs. There were a few, albeit minor, design flaws, as we can see by the angle of the projectile. (From left Andre Benjamin, Jeremy Hamilton Briggs Lucia, Noah Martin, and Cullen Unsworth)

A special devotion is attached to each month of the Catholic liturgical calendar to help guide the faithful in their prayer. November, for example, is dedicated to the poor souls in purgatory; June, to the Sacred Heart; March, to St. Joseph. The devotion this month is to the Blessed Virgin Mary. To celebrate the beginning of May, Blue Jays celebrated the annual May Crowning Ceremony at Morning Assembly in Traditions Courtyard. Prefreshman Stephen Peterman had the honor of adorning the statue of Mary with a crown of flowers after the student body prayed a litany to Mary and the Hail Holy Queen.

It takes about 12 seconds for 290 students to exit the building on the last day of senior classes. Thoughts of summer afternoons by the pool, a rest from school assignments, and a broader world of possibility all put a smile on many a senior face at 3:00 PM. When students return for Senior Day activities on Friday, the bitter-sweet emotions set in as members of the Class of 2017 consider the many ways in which Jesuit has been the school that truly has changed their lives.

Members of the swim team become adept at their respective swimming strokes if they’re going to compete at the highest levels of high school athletics. On Wednesday at the Senior Week activity on Will Clark Field, there were many different strokes on display as seniors launched themselves down the Slip ‘N Slide to the amazement of of their classmates. Seniors Noah Wilkins and Justin Leveque even put on swim caps and mimicked swimming strokes as they slid down the plastic sheeting.

Although the last week of classes for seniors brings with it the last tests and projects of the quarter, by this time most seniors have it made in the shade. College decisions and applications are a thing of the past, the nostalgia of four or five years having passed way too quickly begins to set in, and the last days of enjoying friendships at Carrollton and Banks makes the school days pass well. On Tuesday, seniors watched the senior intramural cabbage ball game and enjoyed a bowl of jambalaya on Will Clark Field as part of Senior Week activities.

High above the sanctuary at the Jesuit Church of the Immaculate Conception, juniors David Jackson and Jordan Merritt take in the view normally enjoyed only by the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On the annual art field trip, members of the junior class were invited to visit the historic Jesuit Church to learn more about the religious art used to glorify God and even get a close up view of the Mary niche. In addition to the church, juniors also visited the New Orleans Museum of Art and the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden in City Park and the YAYA Glass Studio on LaSalle St. uptown.