No other group was as “in tune” as the Barbershop Blue Jays, an a cappella group represented at this week’s Rush Days. Jesuit offers students over 80 co-curricular clubs, teams, and organizations, involvement in which deepens friendships, hones leadership skills, and encourages self-exploration. Members of the Barbershop Blue Jays include junior Thomas Sagona, junior Tommy Curry, freshman Ben Schaubhut, senior Seth Reed, and junior Bo Bell.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees received protection from a set of guards different than the ones on his offensive line at the annual Meet the Saints Luncheon. The Jesuit MCJROTC color guard presented the flags at the event hosted by The Touchdown Club of New Orleans at the Sheraton Hotel downtown on Wednesday, Aug. 31. Color Guard members include (from left) junior Matthew Richards, senior Noah Griffin, senior John Crowson, and junior Melvin Allen. Drew Brees took time out during the luncheon to take a photo with these Blue Jays.

Members of the sophomore Sodality of our Lady hosted a rosary during the second half of lunch. Upon hearing tragic news about a friend of many Blue Jays at Mt. Carmel, the Sodality decided to band together around prayer as a way of trusting in God. The Holy Name Chapel was recently renovated and is a quiet reprieve for many Blue Jays who need to spend time with the Lord throughout the day.

There are many perks of being an upperclassman. One of them is the privilege of throwing the water balloons during Welcome Week activities instead of getting hit by them. Aaron Baker, Bryce Duffy, and Davis Friend enjoy their role of launching water balloons at unsuspecting racers in Wednesday’s lunchtime activity.

Senior Andrew Stahl reaches to steady himself while sliding to the finish of Tuesday’s Welcome Week activity. Students are in the midst of enjoying a Pokémon Go themed welcome back to campus which will conclude with the Mass of the Holy Spirit on Friday.

LtCol Tim Huete plays the part of a job interviewer for senior Cameron Lobell to get good practice applying for work. Students in Mrs. Kate Arthurs-Goldberg’s senior Speech class spent last week putting their best foot forward and learning the tricks of the trade in the interview process. This practice helps foster in Jesuit students the ideal of eloquentia perfecta or “perfect speaking,” which means that graduating students should have the capacity to think and speak well on a variety of topics.

The common lunch period gives students from all grade levels a chance to interact with students of different ages. On Friday, students used blue tape to mark off Four Square courts in the Traditions Courtyard for some spontaneous lunchtime competition. Here freshman Chris Charles prepares to make the slam as other Blue Jays wait their turn to enter the game. Next week during the common lunch period, students will enjoy Welcome Week activities hosted by the student council.

Jayson didn’t want to miss out on all the fun at the Big Brother/Little Brother lunch in the Student Commons. Jayson is a blue jay in a fighting stance, and was originally drawn by cartoonist Walt Kelly, of “Pogo” fame, at the request of the staff of The Blue Jay newspaper. The history of Jayson as Jesuit’s mascot was profiled in Jaynotes Vol. 38, Spring/Summer 2012.

Pre-freshman Hunter Hoffmann shoots a topspin forehand across to classmate Skyler Pitisci during tryouts for the Table Tennis Team. Tryouts are held Wednesday and Thursday of this week after school. The team is one of the many co-curricular organizations seeking new members at the beginning of the school year.

Blue Jays return to class after a mid-morning fire drill. In under five minutes, nearly 1400 students, along with the entire faculty and staff, moved from being seated in their classrooms to being arranged in Morning Assembly rows on Will Clark Field. School administrators schedule an unannounced fire drill early in the year to run through building evacuation protocol for emergency situations.

Basketball players (from left) Sam Ovella, Will Hillery, Hunt Conroy, Will Landrieu, and Chris Beebe traveled upriver on Saturday to assist residents whose houses were damaged by the recent flooding in south Louisiana. The group teamed up with coaches and recent alumni to gut houses and clean debris for parishioners of Immaculate Conception Parish in Baton Rouge. Many teams, clubs, and organizations at Jesuit make community service a valuable part of their co-curricular formation programs.

In the few moments leading up to Morning Assembly, Master Gunnery Sergeant J.R. Piseno reminds this group of pre-freshmen that it’s Friday by going down the line to fist bump each student. Morning Assembly is a tradition that dates all the way back to the days when Jesuit was located on the corner of Baronne and Common streets. There students would gather in the courtyard to hear announcements before beginning the cycle of classes. Now students gather in the Traditions Courtyard every Monday and Friday to get school announcements, hear results of their classmates’ competitions, and be together as a community.

Freshman Seth Trotter pauses before the start of his 5th period math class to pray the Examen, calling to mind the events of the morning and finding ways that God has been moving in his life. Every Tuesday and Thursday after the lunch period, an upperclassman leads the entire student body through the Examen over the intercom. St. Ignatius recommends that, of all the prayers said in the course a busy day, the Examen should be the prayer that is never omitted. Learn more about the daily Examen at ignatianspirituality.com.

Juniors gathered in the auditorium during the first half of their lunch period for a meeting to set the tone for the year. Seniors had a similar meeting during the second half of lunch, and other classes will do the same throughout the week. In addition to some remarks from the grade level guidance counselor, prefect of discipline Mr. Lary Abshire, better known to students as “Top,” took the opportunity to review discipline policy and encourage students to be their best. Also pictured is Mr. Mike Begg, who is assisting Mr. Abshire with disciplinary issues.

Sophomore Braden Bent braves the first-week line for supplies at the Blue Jay Shop, which is open Monday – Friday before school, at lunch, and after school. During the first few days of classes, students receive their syllabi and course policy sheets outlining all the supplies they’ll need for a semester full of learning.

Senior student council leaders find an innovative way to cool down the newest Blue Jays after a high spirited pep rally in the auditorium. The New Student Orientation Day concludes with a pep rally held normally in the gym, but rainy conditions called for a location change. Seniors (from left) William Fine, Carl Hoefer, and Jacob Marshall should be pointing the leaf blower at themselves after their high-energy leadership getting new students charged with Blue Jay Spirit.