During an optional community service day for pre-freshmen, a group of Jesuit 8th graders and a lone junior proved that they are sprouting firm foundations as Men for Others. Last weekend, 200 students from across the area planted trees at Joe Brown Park, formerly the Audubon Nature Center, in conjunction with the Audubon Nature Institute. The Jesuit contingent included (from left) science teacher Mr. Andrew Lade ’07, Mason Mahfouz, Dane Moisant, James Bostick, Christopher Gillen, Maxwell Jubenville, Daniel Lichtl, Jackson Gordon, Jacob Nguyen, junior Robert Cerise, and community service director Mr. Kevin Murphy ’00. Photo courtesy of sophomore student photographer RayVan Bellazer.

Jordan Holmer ’12 is spending his first year out of college giving back to his alma mater as a member of the Alumni Service Corps (ASC). ASC participants teach two classes, tutor students, and assist with co-curricular activities, retreats, days of reflection, service days, dances, class-level events, and other programs and activities throughout the school. Here, Jordan is offering his talents to help with the Academic Games program. Applications are now being accepted for the 2017-2018 Alumni Service Corps (ASC). Applicants must be recent graduates of Jesuit High School (Classes of 2012 or 2013) and must have attained a college degree before participating in the program. The deadline to submit applications is Feb. 1, 2017.

Jesuit faces a familiar foe in the opening round of state playoffs, and during a lunchtime pep rally Blue Jays proved that — at the very least — they’ve got the spirit to conquer the Raiders from Archbishop Rummel. Pictured here, team manager Brent Brocato and Student Council president William Fine hype up the crowd, leaving little doubt that Jesuit will emerge victorious. The game kicks off at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12, at Joe Yenni Stadium. Click here for more game details and live streaming information.

In English V AP with Mr. Gary Wyss, the students are the ones doing all the talking. In an effort to increase student engagement, five students are selected to sit in the “inner circle” and lead classroom discussion topics, this time the book The Awakening by Kate Chopin. Christian Gonzalez (bottom right) offers his perspective while (moving clockwise from Christian) Fletcher Lavie, Dylan Meyer, and David Crowson listen and await their opportunity to jump in. Students in the outer circle take notes on the discussion to help broaden their understanding of the text.

Blue Jay spirit soared during Friday’s lunchtime pep rally in Traditions Courtyard. Student Council president William Fine introduced senior members of the varsity football team, offensive lineman Corey Dublin and quarterback Denny McGinnis, who pumped up the crowd and encouraged students to come out for Jesuit’s final regular season game against Brother Martin. The game kicks off at Zephyr Field at 7 p.m. Click here for more details.

If they stayed up the night before watching the Cubs clinch the 2016 World Series, members of the Baseball Card Club certainly weren’t too tired to step up to the plate and talk America’s favorite pastime. On Thursday, students showed off current cards, including several stars from the series runners-up Cleveland Indians, and flipped through club moderator Mr. Kevin Murphy’s binders of players past. In celebration of Chicago’s first title in 108 years, (from left) pre-freshmen Lucas Morse, Hunter Rousselle, and Hunter Hoffmann carefully inspect the 1974 card of legendary “Mr. Cub” Ernie Banks.

On Wednesday, students in Profesora Nilda Rivera’s Spanish classes celebrated the faithful departed during the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos. To honor and remember the dead, Blue Jays brought photos to place on a student-constructed memorial. In addition to the many family members featured, Fr. Raymond Fitzgerald, S.J., Spock, and Gene Wilder found their places among the remembered. Students also painted colorful pictures with dedications to the deceased, and even crafted their own versions of traditional sugar skulls. As each class added its gifts, which included food and drink enjoyed by those who have passed, the space grew more and more alive with memories throughout the day. Here, senior and president of the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica Xavier Oberhelman offers souls the traditional pan de muertos, or bread of the dead.

When it comes to making new friends at Jesuit High School, Fr. Christopher Fronk, S.J., is rubbing elbows with all the right people. Here, Jayson and Br. Billy Dardis, S.J. ’58 enjoy the Jesuit vs. Franklinton football game at Tad Gormley stadium with the next president. Fr. Fronk is visiting Jesuit this week to get acquainted with school life before he arrives for his assignment beginning in January.

Make no bones about it, the Student Council cast a spell on Jesuit students with a series of spook-tacular Halloween events. Following several bone-chilling karaoke performances last week, students trick-or-treated in Traditions Courtyard during lunch on Monday. Here, student council officers (from left) Henry McAloon, Karl Hoefer, and Andrew Stahl toss candy off the balcony to trick-or-treaters below. Students, friends, zombies, and ghouls are invited back to campus for Halloween Movie Night at 6 p.m. in the Auditorium.

Depending upon the audience member, Friday’s lunchtime karaoke was either ghoulishly good or bewitchingly batty. The Student Council kicked off its first day of Halloween festivities in — mostly — shrieking song. Pictured here, senior Andrew Keeler enchants the student body with his haunting rendition of superstar DJ Skrillex’s “Cinema.” On Monday the spine-tingling spirit continues as students enjoy traditional trick-or-treating, as well as scary movie night in Jesuit’s Auditorium.

Choosing the right undergraduate program is no easy decision, but Jesuit is committed to assisting its students throughout the college planning process. On Thursday, an admissions representative from Louisiana Tech University was on campus to talk everything from engineering fields of study to student life. Pictured here, junior Henry McAloon and other interested students jot down notes as the rep explains why Ruston has the school for them.

Jesuit students welcomed a French exchange group this week with true Geais Bleus spirit. The program included 11 students from Le Caousou High School, a Jesuit school in Toulouse, France. Of the group, five boys spent a few days on campus and shadowed students, which included accompanying them to Mr. Patrick Benoit’s French IV/V honors class. Here exchange student Maxence Cumer, hosted by senior Jacob Eymard, speaks with Mr. Benoit as junior Eric Michael Schorr and senior Vincent Baumer work on translations they then compared with the work of their French counterparts.

Jesuit’s Bio-Technology Club, the school’s very own biological processes co-curricular, recently got a gear upgrade. Members showed off their newly emblazoned, bright white lab coats, which will certainly come in handy next week when the club dissects dogfish, its first activity of the new school year. Pictured here are club members with moderator and award-winning science teacher Amy Tassin.

The third floor the Roussel Building was packed with “The Blue Jay Spirit” on Friday night, as Gym Night activity continued well into the night. In addition to pizza, free play, and movies, the featured event of the evening was the annual pre-freshmen basketball tournament, of which Homeroom 808 walked away as the victor. Here they proudly gather for their victory shot.

The Spanish department has teamed up with the Resource Center to show the Diego Rivera traveling exhibit which displays three large reproductions of his murals and paintings. Freshmen Thomas Naoum, John Alikhani, and Joel Guerra get a glimpse of “Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park” during a study break in the Resource Center. Also on display are reproductions of two of the Mexican painter’s other pieces, “The Agitator” and “El Vendedor De Alcatraces.” Students have the opportunity to discuss the paintings in their Spanish classes throughout this week and into the next.

On the eve of the 2016 Presidential Forum, junior Henry McAloon is revealing his decorating chops as he works to convert the gym into an auditorium. On Thursday students will follow a special assembly order with a whole school assembly at the end of the day in the gym for the quadrennial Presidential Forum.  The special assembly schedule can be downloaded here.  On Friday morning students will meet in homeroom (instead of morning assembly) in order to facilitate voting for the mock presidential election.