Pre-freshman Brett Power, lost in thought, waits for his ride home on Tuesday. The Blue Jay was sitting on the steps leading to the Auditorium entrance on South Solomon Street. In the background is a statue of St. Francis Xavier, one of the original founders of the Society of Jesus. The statue was a graduation gift from a senior class a few years ago. However, the plaque with the class year that gifted the statue is missing. Well, here’s a nugget of info about St. Francis Xavier, written in a Jaynotes issue some seven years ago (Jaynotes, Winter/ Spring 2006-07) by one of our longtime resident theologians, Fr. Nick Schiro, S.J. ’44. The article, “Three Jubilees,” was about three college roommates – Ignatius of Loyola, Peter Faber, and Francis Xavier. According to the story, “Xavier was a harder nut to crack. Francis took an immediate dislike to Ignatius and frequently put him down for his great spiritual desire. But Ignatius saw something special in Xavier and tried in every way to win him over, even helping him out when he was low on funds. He would frequently quote to him the words of the gospel: “Francis, Francis, ‘What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his soul?’” Ignatius finally broke through the hard shell and ignited the flame in Xavier’s heart that would make him the great missionary saint of India.” Something to remember next time you pass that innocuous looking statue with its hand pointed toward the heavens.

Sophomores Rob Hinyub and Alexander Vargas meet with Mr. Bret Hanemann to find out more about being a Big Brother. They are preparing for Welcome Day on May 10 when they will meet with incoming Blue Jays. In their new brotherly role, they will assist the new students with the transition into Jesuit High School.

Three Blue Jay alumni—Colin Fulham ’12, Alex Hotard ’11, and Nick Graves ’11— visited Mr. Dave Storm’s senior chemistry classes to give a demonstration in thermodynamics using an assortment of metal solutions and a blowtorch. The alumni volunteered to return to Carrollton and Banks as part of the “Chem Demo” program at Louisiana State University.

Senior Alex Brewster makes a point to show that his foot touched the home plate—at the expense of losing his glasses—after he rounded the bases in a senior intramural cabbage ball game. The entry price to participate in the intramural games was $10 per team. The benefits include the chance to win a championship t-shirt and creating team names such as these: “Velvet Fog” and “The Commons Are Closed.”

Fr. Raymond Fitzgerald, S.J. ’76 is the main celebrant of the monthly Mass held Thursday, April 10 in the Chapel of the North American Martyrs for the Jesuit community of students, faculty, and staff. The April Mass is the last one of the 2013-14 school year for the whole student body before Fr. Fitzgerald steps down as president of Jesuit next month to focus on his health and fighting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) disease. Father Fitz, you will always be in our hearts and in our prayers.

Members of the Chorus, led by Ms. Kate Arthurs-Goldberg, practice in the Chapel of the North American Martyrs Wednesday after school. The Chorus was spending the afternoon preparing for the school-wide Mass tomorrow and the Stations of the Cross next Wednesday. The chorus assists the school community at all liturgical functions. Members of the chorus grow their musical talents through technical training in voice, music reading, interpretation, and appreciation.

Just before the end of the school day, Blue Jays heard a tapping on the windows—a noise a little different from seasonal rainfall. According to the WeatherBug perched atop the school building, the percussion was caused by pellets of hail brought in with a cluster of strong thunderstorms moving through the southeast. Stadium manager Floyd Guidry captured this picture of hail covering the field at John Ryan Stadium.

Pre-freshman Matthew Richards finds a shady spot in the Traditions Courtyard to peruse the April issue of The Blue Jay Monday after school. Print copies of the fifth issue of the 2013-2014 school year are available in the Student Commons while supplies last. Copies of this issue, as well as past issues, are posted on The Blue Jay Newspaper page. View the online version of Vol. 86, No. 5, April 2014.

Annette, the red-shouldered hawk who with her mate Dennis built a nest in one of the Banks Street oak trees next to Jesuit High School, was screeching a little more often than usual on Friday. She had good reason to. One of the two eggs Annette has been incubating for the last month suddenly hatched around noon. The hatchling, weighing perhaps 1.2 ounces, appears hungry, while nervous mom keeps a sharp and wary eye on the Wild Photographer. Hopefully, Dennis will come to his senses and soon show up with the groceries for Annette and her brood.

Senior Colin Burgess helps sell pizza for homeroom 1203 to raise money for the Lenten Mission Drive. Mr. Cyril Lagvanec has coordinated the fundraiser for his homeroom for five years running. This year the senior homeroom will buy a total of 650 pizzas and sell slices at $2 a piece. To date, the class has raised over $1,000 for the drive.

Top Abshire, Jesuit’s prefect of discipline, and Marine instructor JR Piseno, soak up the early morning sunshine, and engage in earnest conversation while MCJROTC cadets practice their maneuvers and drilling in preparation for their upcoming Parade & Review. The annual review will take place Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

An anonymous donor has appointed $18.47 million to build and maintain a new 5-story parking garage next to the Roussel Building on Banks Street. “I was inspired by the newly-paved street and my loyalty to the school,” said the donor. The brick-faced building will be the most technologically advanced of its kind, but will honor the decor of Mid-City. “I want it to look like a renovated double, only bigger,” the donor added. It will hold 650 cars, affording each junior, senior, and faculty member his or her own reserved parking space. Amenities will include beverage services, weekly car detailing, and a concierge for special events. The project is set to begin in 2026, commemorating the 100th anniversary of Jesuit’s presence on Carrollton and Banks. Happy April Fools’ Day!

A vacuum sweeper truck makes its way through the school yard, cleaning up the last remaining evidence of the 2014 Blue Jay Bazaar. Less than 24 hours before, the yard was filled with a large stage, tents, booths, confetti, and other evidence of a fun-filled day with the Jesuit community. Hundreds of workers and volunteers helped set up — and then take down — the various equipment, tables, tents, games, and stages required to host the annual event. View photos of the 2014 Bazaar.

Meet Annette, a red-shouldered hawk which is nesting in one of the large oaks on Banks Street adjacent to Jesuit High School. Anticipating the spring season and all that comes with it, Annette and her red-shouldered mate, Dennis, built a cozy home in the oak’s branches about five weeks ago. The Wild Photographer snapped this photo Friday when Annette was looking rather beleaguered. She was soaked from the drenching thunderstorms that plagued the New Orleans area. Annette rarely leaves her nest as she has been nurturing two fine looking eggs for the past couple of weeks. Dennis seems to be a protective mate as he is always nearby, his cries readily heard when he detects any sense of intrusion. It may seem strange that the two hawks have taken up residence along a busy stretch of Banks Street, as opposed to a more quiet nature setting where ornithologists have their binoculars trained on them. The pair of hawks seems to be oblivious to the cacophony of an endless procession of distractions taking place far below on the street. Maybe it’s entertainment to them — workers resurfacing Banks, car doors slamming, truck horns, and sirens of racing fire engines — through it all Annette and Dennis have been stoic and unworried. Certainly by now they feel at home in Mid-City. After all, they are among birds of a feather — all 1,410 Blue Jays.

A trio of sophomores — from left, Gavin Gusler, Austin Ashburn, and Devyn Campiso — studies several flyers promoting student council candidates. Student council candidates are free to create the clever, imaginative, and often very funny flyers to help promote their campaigns for various offices. Candidates will give their campaign speeches on Tuesday, April 1, with elections to follow the next day. If necessary, a runoff will be held on Thursday, April 3.

Senior Jake Eccles turns in his Bazaar raffle tickets to parent volunteer Dina Skinner and takes a piece a candy as a quick treat. The larger reward for each student who turns in his raffle tickets by Friday, March 28, is an incentive holiday on Monday, March 31. The Blue Jay Bazaar is Sunday, March 30, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.