The $2,500 Chaffee award goes annually to a top graduating senior in West Michigan planning on a career in engineering, math or the sciences relating to space technology. Kathryn is headed to the University of Michigan, where she plans to major in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, and then consider a space research career.

“I want to set up a lunar colony and do research that could send more people into space, because one day there's not going to be enough room for all the people on Earth," Luczek said. Kathryn has also been accepted at Carnegie Mellon and Rose Hullman. When asked about her award, Kathryn comments “It’s a prestigious award, it’s very exciting.”  Her chemistry teacher, Leigh Eriks, says “We have had many students apply for this award. Kathryn is our first one to win.” In her letter of recommendation, Leigh Eriks also notes “Kathryn is a creative problem solver, tenacious learner and a courageous young woman.”  Kathryn’s Physics teacher, Jeanine Gasper, comments that “She is comfortable in her love of math and science and it is rare to see students who love these two areas of academia and share that passion with everyone around them.” Congratulations Kathryn. We are very proud of you!

Rick Wilson of the Grand Rapids Press wrote a great article about Kathryn winning this award.

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/04/roger_b_chaffee_memorial_schol.html

The award is sponsored by Kettering/GMI alumni and is intended to give students well-deserved recognition, as well as attract qualified students to careers in engineering, mathematics, technology and the sciences. Awardees receive a bronze medallion with the Kettering seal and a portfolio personalized with their name. These students may qualify for Kettering’s Merit Scholarship and are encouraged to apply for admission to the university. Brechting’s scientific endeavors at West Catholic include the FIRST Robotics program and AP Chemistry. She is the daughter of Martin and Jill Brechting, and she is a graduate of Holy Trinity School. Congratulations Anna!

Bob Mock, Kettering Representative; Sharon Piers, Chemistry Teacher; Anna Brechting;

This year's topic asked students to consider the “Advantages and Disadvantages of Public Funded Healthcare.” During the April 19 luncheon, DenBraber was named the second place winner, which earned her $750. Jones, Miles and Wallick all placed third, with each taking home $200. Due to the club's awards match program, Catholic Central received $1350 to support economics instruction within the school.

This scholarship program was established by LMCU in 1991 to honor and recognize the contributions of its founder, Lloyd F. Hutt. Entrants were asked to write a 750 to 1,500 word essay on the topic “Describe Your Best Day Ever: Past, Present or Future.” An independent panel of judges selected the winners after reading each essay, focusing on content and passion for the topic. Of 312 essays submitted, eight students were chosen to receive $2,000 each for their continued education.

Zeigler wrote her essay about her experiences on the West Catholic volleyball team. The essay can be read at https://www.lmcu.org/docs/hutt_booklet_web.pdf . She plans to attend Central Michigan University to study Speech Pathology. She is the daughter of Michael and Lori Ziegler, and she is a graduate of Holy Spirit School. Congratulations Abby!

By connecting talented students, their teachers and research professionals at affiliated symposia and by rewarding research excellence, JSHS aims to widen the pool of trained talent prepared to conduct research and development vital to our nation.

JSHS is sponsored by the research arm of the Department of Defense and administered in cooperation with nationwide colleges and universities. JSHS aims to prepare and support students to contribute as future scientists and engineers -- conducting STEM research on behalf of or directly for the Department of Defense, the Federal research laboratories, or for the greater good in advancing the nation's scientific and technological progress.

Seniors John Capodilupo, Andrew Jakubowski, Thomas Kennedy, Kathryn Luczek, Louie Moran and Kristyna Nunzio submitted papers to the regional competition and all were invited  to present their papers in the regional competition March 25 – 26. John Capodilupo was awarded first place and invited to present his paper at the National Symposium in Bethesda Maryland April 28 – May 2.  He was also awarded a $2,000 scholarship.

Among very tough competition, the students’ preparation and skill were rewarded with medals in three events. Caitlin Morrow and Rachel Szczytko were 2^nd place in Ecology. Kathryn Bishop and Rachel Szczytko earned 2^nd place in Write It Do It. Katie Kosnik and Nick Dyga were 5^th place in Environmental Chem. Overall, the team placed 12^th out of 24 teams in competition. Congratulations to the whole team!

We hope to carry on the tradition of fine choral performances again this spring.

The Choral Department proudly returns to Italy and Vatican City this summer for the third time. Over 140 students, parents and other pilgrims will be joining this musical pilgrimage to the center of our Catholic faith in late June. The CC Choir has the distinct honor of singing in a Papal Mass with His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, on June 29 as well as being an official ambassador to our sister city of Perugia. The choir will be presenting concerts in historic churches in Assisi, Perugia and Rome. We will be offering masses and prayers for the Catholic Central community while we are in Italy. There will be a Farewell Concert on June 6 at 2:00pm in the Cathedral of Saint Andrew. All are welcome to this free concert to send off our fine choir.

The Choral Department proudly presents our Spring Concert on Thursday, May 6 at 7:00pm in the Cathedral of Saint Andrew. All are welcome to attend this free concert. This last concert of the academic year is a favorite for many as it highlights the beautiful choral music prepared for the Easter season.

Come out for a fun evening of music and fellowship in support of choir members attending our choir pilgrimage to Italy. The Catholic Central Cabaret will be held on May 22-23 at Fenian's Pub in Conklin, MI. Tickets are $10.00 at the door. The performances begin at 7:00pm. Come out and support our wonderful choir members!

Students can take classes in art, band, cartooning, choir, creative writing, drama, dance, and graphic design.  On Friday, June 18, there will be an art show and a performance showcasing the talents of all of the students. 

The cost is $35.00 per student, and registration is due May 31. Brochures are available in the West Catholic main office and the main offices of many local Catholic grade schools. Further details and registration information is available on line at:

http://enigma2075.com/Fine%5FArts%5FWebsite/.

You may also contact Lisa Nawrocki, Chairperson of the West Catholic Fine Arts Department, at (616) 233-5939 if you have questions about the camp.

This is one of the most vibrant and eclectic exhibitions in Grand Rapids. The Citywide Student Art Show celebrates the creativity of over 1,200 students from 73 public and shared-time schools within the Grand Rapids Public Schools. UICA's gallery walls are covered with artwork from Grand Rapids area K-12 students. An opening reception was held for the student artists on March 16.

The following West Catholic students have pieces in the exhibition: Steven Ayers, Andrew Bearinger, Anna Bergquist, Erika Buczkowski, Madelyn Drumm, Kaitlyn Karsten, Katie Klein, Margaret Kline, Andrea Powers, Jenna Rood, Lisa Schumaker, Chelsea Sedlecky, Jacquie Sochacki, Monica Solarewicz, Brandi Stein, Kristi Sterkenburg, Stacy Tapia, Sarah Thimmesch, Jessica Visser, Shaina Wood, and Andrew Wysocki. Their teacher is Mrs. Lisa Nawrocki.

West Catholic senior Billy Nowak has been named the first recipient of the Farmers Student Athlete Citizens Award. This award recognizes outstanding high school student athletes that are making a difference on the athletic field, in the classroom, and in the communities they represent. 

Administrators and coaches from 768 high schools statewide have been invited to nominate student-athletes who carry a grade point average of 2.5 or greater (on a 4.0 scale) and are involved in extracurricular activities (including community service).  Athletic achievements in both individual and team sports will be considered.  The monthly winner is determined by a selection committee comprised of personnel from Farmers Insurance and FSN Detroit. The honorees receive a plaque presented by a local Farmers Insurance agent and are featured in a 30-second vignette ran throughout the following month during FSN Detroit programming.

Nowak is a member of the National Honor Society and he holds a grade point average of 3.6. The nomination submitted by West Catholic football coach Dan Rohn indicated Nowak has never missed a team function in three years and during this previous season he played multiple roles on the team, including center, quarterback and tight end. A dedicated multiple-sport student-athlete, he was noted for his willingness to do whatever it takes for the team.

In addition to excelling as a student-athlete, Nowak volunteers at St. Alphonsus Church, works as a youth camp director for baseball and football, and participated in a summer retreat at St. Michael’s Church painting and repairing church buildings.

Congratulations Billy!

Catholic Central students not only receive an excellent academic education, but they also receive an education in generosity, kindness and service from both the CC staff and their CC classmates.

Catholic Central High School freshman Sara Den Braber has been featured in a Grand Rapids Press article about how she is helping others while battling a chronic bleeding condition. Sara is coordinating a blood drive at St. Thomas the Apostle parish and elementary school.

Sara has Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). It’s a bleeding condition that affects about 3000 children younger than 16 annually. Its victims’ immune systems destroy platelets required for normal blood clotting. Presently, Sara cannot participate in sports. So far, medical treatments have only offered temporary relief. However, Sara is not immersing herself in self-pity. She’s getting Straight As, taking honors classes and mentoring fifth-graders who belong to her “Challenge” group. She’s an inspiration to her classmates!

Sara has taken a challenge in her life and made it a blessing for others. The blood drive that Sara is coordinating will be held on April 24 from 9:00am until 2:00pm. If you would like to set up an appointment to donate blood, send your name, phone number, email address and preferred time to donate to: sdenb18@yahoo.com.

To get the whole story, please see the wonderful article by Tom Rademacher of the Grand Rapids Press, by clicking the following link:

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/03/you_would_never_know_grand_rap.html.

         Sara and her classmates

Junior diver Danny Selgo also competed in the State finals, finishing 13^th. The team’s diving coach, Steve Burciaga, was also honored as the Division III Diving Coach of the Year.

Two West Catholic swimmers, senior Forrest West and sophomore Hunter Nemmers, also qualified for the State Meet. Forrest finished 29^th in the 100 yard backstroke, and Hunter finished 26^th in the 50 yard freestyle. Congratulations West Catholic Swimmers and Divers!

The West Catholic Swimming and Diving team is coached by Mr. Murray MacGready, assisted by Steve Burciaga (Diving), Steve Kosten, and Dan Lenkiewicz.

Nick Burciaga, Division III Diver of the Year, and his father, Steve Burciaga, Division III Diving Coach of the Year

On Monday, all Fine Arts students wore their Fine Arts Week T-shirts, and the Jazz Band performed at lunch for all students.

Festival of Arts Night was held Tuesday evening and included performances by the WC Jazz Band, Concert Band, Brass Quintet, Concert Choir, and Percussion Ensemble, as well as a video presentation of student art work and an excerpt from the upcoming school musical “Grease” performed by the cast.

On Wednesday, Art students spent the day visiting the Art Institute of Chicago.

The Concert Choir performed and a video of student artwork was shown at an assembly for all students on Thursday.

On Friday, the cast of the upcoming school musical performed “Grease Lightning” at lunch on stage for the student body. That afternoon, the Concert Band concluded the week in competition at the MSBOA State Concert Festival at West Ottawa Harbor Lights Middle School.

The events of the week were coordinated by the teachers in the Fine Arts Department, including Lisa Nawrocki (chair), Darren LaPrise, Josh Doe, Mary Harwood, and Cathy Pearce.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

The Girls Basketball Teams completed a sweep of the OK Blue Conference Championships at all three levels of competition, Freshman, JV, and Varsity, for the 2009-2010 season.

The Freshman team, coached by West Catholic Alumnus Kristen McDonald, completed their season 15-5 and won its second straight OK Blue Conference Championship.  The Junior Varsity, coached by Mark Yondo and Nancy Wagner (1979 State Championship Team Member and West Catholic Alumnus), also won its second straight OK Blue Conference Championship and finished with an awesome 18-2 record.

The Varsity team, coached by Mike Glass, John Beadling, Brenda Sack and Carrie Roys Polega (1997 State Runner-up Team Member and West Catholic Alumnus), won the first Varsity Conference Championship since 2000 and first OK Blue Conference Championship. The team finished the regular season with a 13-1 conference record and a 15-5 overall record and will have all team members returning next season.

BOYS BASKETBALL

The Varsity Boys Basketball team ended its regular season with the team performing at a high level.  Though not winning every game, the guys have competed hard in practice and in competition.  The team finished in 3^rd place in the OK Blue with a league record of 8-6 and an overall record of 9-11.  West Catholic will be the host for the district tournament, where the Falcon seniors will look to leave their mark on the program with a District championship. 

GIRLS BOWLING

The Girls Bowling team completed conference play in second place with a 10-2 record. They finished second in the post-season tournament to a very strong Sparta team. The team had a strong season, with a winning record and several new school record games. The O.K. Blue All-Conference team includes senior Olivia Steil, junior Kayla Feutz, and junior Marissa Steffens.

In the Regional, Marissa Steffens finished 11^th, Kayla Feutz finished 12^th, and Olivia Steil finished 18^th. Unfortunately, only the top 10 move on to the State Tournament.

In the Regional team competition, where the top 3 teams move on to the State Tournament, the team ended its season very close to qualifying in the 4^th spot.

BOYS BOWLING

The Boys Bowling team ended conference play with a record of 10 wins and 2 losses. They ended the regular season with a second place finish in the post-season tournament, just 24 pins out of first. The boys had a very strong season. They worked hard for their second place conference finish.  The All-Conference team includes seniors Zack Kasperlik, Steve Kuzma, Nick Byrne, and sophomore Caleb Steil. 

Zack Kasperlik qualified for the State Tournament by finishing 3rd in the Regional competition on Saturday. Zack knocked down 1177 pins in the six games. Other WC bowlers who did not qualify for State competition but had good games included Trent Clark finishing 17^th and Nick Byrne finishing 19^th.

In the Regional team competition, where the top 3 teams move on to the State Tournament, the team finished in 5^th position 79 pins behind the 3^rd place team.

SKI

The Boys Ski team finished 3^rd among Division II teams in the conference. The Girls Ski team also finished 3^rd among Division II conference teams.

In the Regional, the boys finished 11^th out of 16 teams while the girls finished 12^th out of 15 teams. Steven Kelly earned a 9^th place finish in Giant Slalom, and qualified for the MHSAA State Meet.

At State, Steven placed 32^nd of 70 in the first run of GS. Deciding to "go for it," he bobbled slightly on the second run, finishing with a "no regrets" 59^th place. Steven's participation in the State Meet marks the 10^th time in the last 11 years that WC has participated in the MHSAA State Ski Meet.                     

SWIMMING and DIVING

The West Catholic Boys Varsity Swimming and Diving team took fourth place over all, missing third place by five points to rival TK-Hastings, at the OK Rainbow Swimming and Diving Championships. The Falcons were led by Nick Burciaga, who took first place in diving, setting a new conference record in the process. Nick was also part of the 200 yard and 400 yard freestyle relays that took third place in the Championship finals. Danny Selgo, took second place in diving. On the swimming side, Forrest West took second place in the backstroke and fifth in the 200 yard freestyle; he was also part of the 200 yard and 400 yard freestyle relays. Forrest qualified for the State Meet in the back stroke. Hunter Nemmers took third place in the 50 yard freestyle and sixth in the 100 yard freestyle, qualifying for the State Meet in the 50 yard freestyle. Hunter was also part of the 200 and 400 yard relays.

Because of these efforts, Nick, Danny, Forrest and Hunter all earned All-Conference honors.

The Falcons did a tremendous job to take an overall fourth place finish in the OK Rainbow Conference meet. Congratulations to all the swimmers and divers on a great season. The Falcons finished 3-3 in the league duals and 4-5 overall in duals.

WRESTLING

The Wrestling team’s season came to an end at the Conference Meet where Zac Nowicki took 2^nd, Mitch Norder placed 4^th, Tom Doyle placed 3^rd, and Tony Brechting took 2^nd place. 

Zac Nowicki was also District champ in his weight class of 103 lbs.   Taylor Nowicki finished 3^rd in District competition, in the 130 lb. weight class.  This qualified both wrestlers to Regional Competition on February 20.  Although both wrestlers gave it their all, they did not advance to State competition this season.

Kelly competed in the giant slalom and finished 59^th overall at State. Kelly said, “I was pumped when I found out I made it to state.” Coach Scott Inman added, “He has led his team by example, demonstrating the rewards of hard work and hard training. It has been a very enjoyable four years working with Steven.” Congratulations Steven!

Catholic Central High School senior John Capodilupo has been named one of 40 finalists to compete at the Intel Science Talent Search 2010, America’s oldest and most prestigious pre-college science competition.

“I am very excited that I was selected as a finalist,” John stated. “It certainly is a great honor and I was quite shocked when I received the phone call letting me know that I was a finalist! However, for me and, I am positive, for the rest of the applicants, our primary concern is not the contest. Instead, what motivates us is the science we are doing. While it is nice to be recognized, I thoroughly enjoy doing my research, and the drive to discover is a direct result from the awesome, and often times, surprising things I learn!”

A member of Catholic Central’s innovative Science Research Seminar, John computed detailed statistics on the clustering of galaxies. His study anticipates a time when cosmologists will use 21 cm electromagnetic waves, emitted by hydrogen when the universe was young (less than a billion years old), to learn more about the structure and evolution of the early universe. John conducted a cluster analysis of objects observed in a very large-array sky survey that will be useful in removing extragalactic foreground “noise” that would otherwise obscure the signal. His clustering analysis is the first such study conducted in a frequency relevant to the detection of the 21cm signal, and his findings are reported in a paper he co-authored, “Clustering at 74MHz,” which has been submitted to Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. John hopes to continue his studies at MIT or Princeton.

Finalists will gather in Washington, D.C. from March 11-16 to compete for $630,000 in awards. The top winner will receive $100,000 from the Intel Foundation. “This year’s finalists are truly inspiring and they reaffirm our belief that programs like the Intel Science Talent Search foster a passion for math and science, subjects that are the foundation of the innovation that is the key to America’s future success,” said Shelly Esque, V.P. of Intel’s Corporate Affairs Group. 

Steve Passinault, Principal of Catholic Central High School, stated “John Capodilupo is a wonderful example of a student who has taken the God-given intellectual gifts that he has been blessed with, and has developed them to their fullest. His work and achievement in the science research program has helped put Catholic Central on the map nationally and is helping CC students get recognized at some very prestigious universities across the country including the Ivy League schools. It is a tribute to Andy Moore who started the program and to Leigh Eriks who is continuing to help students achieve great things within the program.”

Society for Science & the Public (SSP), a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education, has owned and administered the Science Talent Search since its inception in 1942. This year marks Intel’s 12^th year sponsoring the program.

“Through their independent research that tackles some of the most challenging scientific

issues of our time, these 40 finalists are preparing themselves to be the leaders of tomorrow,”

said Elizabeth Marincola, president of SSP. “We congratulate these young innovators on their

extraordinary achievements and welcome them into the prestigious fold of the Science Talent

Search, now in its 69th year.”

Catholic Central High School, established in 1906, has an enrollment of 782 students and is located at 319 Sheldon SE, in Grand Rapids.

West Catholic Band Director Darren LaPrise summed up the students’ achievements with the following statement: “To walk into a room and make a presentation to complete strangers is extremely difficult, particularly if it took you months to prepare it. To walk away and call that presentation successful is one of the best feelings our students can have. That feeling was achieved by many of our Band students at the MSBOA Solo and Ensemble Festival.”

The following students earned First or Second Division ratings at the Festival:

FIRST DIVISION RATED (Excellent)

Brass Quintet Eamon Carmody, Mike Sacha, Ashley Savage, Andrew Bearinger, and Ray Kalinowski    

Percussion Sextet (Mallets) Zach Hartman, Patty Pierzchala, Katrina Marks, Jordan Alber, Katie Hartman, and John Paul

Flute Duet: Anna Brechting and Theresa Brechting

Flute Solo:  Anna Brechting

Flute Solo: Theresa Brechting

Trumpet Solo: Eamon Carmody

Piano solos:  John Paul, Francis Burns, Katie Hartman

SECOND DIVISION RATED (Good)

Trumpet Solo: Jeff Ford

Trombone Solo: Joel Gravelyn

Bass Clarinet Solo: Dominic Frazine

Saxophone Quartet: Josh Laske, Jacob Dean, Stacey Sienkewicz, John Gravelyn

Piano Solo: Mary Francis Eshleman

Congratulations West Catholic Band Students!

This year’s topic was “The Meaning of Courage Today” Their essays will be published on-line on the Grand Rapids Press Newspapers in Education and the Gerald R. Ford Museum websites.

While there, the students attended Mass at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, toured the monuments, visited the Holocaust Memorial Museum, and participated with approximately 300,000 people in the March for Life. They returned to West Catholic very tired but inspired by the trip to continue their pro-life activities.

This group was a part of a record crowd. Unofficial estimates ranged from 250,000 to 400,000 people who came out to support our right to life. Patrick Kniebel, a senior at Catholic Central said, “Seeing all of D.C. and the monuments was neat, but seeing how many people turned out to support our right to life and protest abortion was really cool.” The rally and march attracted people of all races and ages. As they marched along the streets, many on-lookers and supporters lined the sidewalks. The march ran north on 7^th Street to Constitution Avenue, then east along Constitution Avenue to 1^st Street NE, then south on 1^st Street NE to the Supreme Court. Patrick noted how impressive it was to walk along the important buildings and historic locations which making his and Catholic Central’s voice heard. This event provided a great example of what our students at Catholic Central are all about.

CC Students March for Life 2010

On Wednesday, February 3, West Catholic High School inducted three new members into its Religious Vocations Wall of Fame. The induction ceremony was held during an all-school Mass in conjunction with Catholic Schools Week. The new members are Rev. Fr. Khanh Hoang (Class of 1986), Rev. Mr. Edward Harwood (Class of 1972), and Rev. Mr. Gerald Roersma (Class of 1976).

The Religious Vocations Wall of Fame was inaugurated in 2004, and the display was blessed by Bishop Kevin Britt at an all-school Mass concelebrated by the Wall’s first inductees. Since 2004, more honorees have been added to the Wall, and including this year’s three new members, the Wall now displays plaques honoring 18 priests, sisters, brothers and permanent deacons. These honorees are all alumni of West Catholic or its predecessor West Catholic Central. The Religious Vocations Wall of Fame is located outside of the St. Maria Goretti Chapel, adjacent to the school cafetorium.

Fr. Khanh Hoang is a native of Vietnam. He came to the United States at the age of ten as a refugee. He graduated from West Catholic in 1986 and entered Aquinas College. After further study at Seton Hall University and St. Thomas Seminary, he was ordained to the priesthood on June 4, 1994 for the Diocese of Colorado Springs. Due to allergies, he moved to Hawaii in 2003. He is currently serving as Vicar for Clergy for the Diocese of Honolulu.

Permanent Deacon Ed Harwood attended Sacred Heart School and graduated from West Catholic in 1972. He studied theology and Scripture at Aquinas College, and he was ordained to the permanent diaconate on February 10, 2006. Since ordination, he has been assigned to pastoral work at St. Mary’s Parish in Grand Rapids. Ed and his wife Joanne (WC ’71) are the parents of six children, including four WC graduates and one current WC student.

Permanent Deacon Jerry Roersma attended Holy Trinity School and graduated from West Catholic in 1976. He graduated from Aquinas College. He was ordained to the permanent diaconate on February 10, 2006. Since ordination, he has been assigned to pastoral work at Holy Trinity Parish. Jerry and his wife Susan (WC ’75) are the parents of three children, all of whom are WC graduates.

The December blood drive was very successful.  Ninety Two (92) people came to the blood drive to donate, and 73 pints of blood were collected. These totals include 35 new donors who were registered on that day. According to Michigan Blood, West Catholic’s per-student donation levels are the highest in our area. Student volunteers, advised by Mrs. Cynthia Kneibel, staff the event in conjunction with Michigan Blood. The next blood drive at West Catholic is scheduled for Friday, March 5, 2010.

He will be honored January 21^st at the MHSFCA banquet in Battle Creek. Congratulations Coach Rohn!

The Catholic Central Debate Team won the Class B state tournament. After finishing as semi-finalists last year, the team was exhilarated to find themselves hoisting the championship trophy this year.

After going 2-1 in the preliminary rounds, the stage was set for Catholic Central to argue in support of changing the federal poverty line to more accurately measure poverty in the United States against Hamilton High School who had prepared a barrage of disadvantages and solvency attacks. The one and a half hour debate came down to the wire with a fifteen minute judges’ deliberation before the decision. In the end, careful analysis of topicality arguments coupled with the strength of the advantages of the plan, helped ensure the victory for Catholic Central.

This year, the team welcomed back returning Varsity debaters: John Capodilupo (Captain), Kathryn Luczek (Captain), Luke Lowing and Matt Ellis. Returning and new Novice debaters are Andrew Chiari, Francis Mboko, Kevin Zoellner, Kaleigh Fields, Rachel Najar, Tim Kane, Quinn Edwards, Amelia Kimbro and Caroline Liske. The team that represented Catholic Central at the state finals included John Capodilupo, Kathryn Luczek, Luke Lowing, and Kevin Zoellner. The debate team is coached by Mikki Soltis, English teacher. Congratulations to the team for their hard work and Victory!

Many of West Catholic’s fall athletes have earned individual honors this year at the conference, area, and state levels. Congratulations for their achievement!

Boys Cross Country

All-Conference: Blake Bitner, Caleb Teachout, Zeke Timmer

All-State: Blake Bitner, Zeke Timmer

Girls Cross Country

All-Conference: Kelsey Carpenter, Megan Debri

Football

All-Conference: Nick Ford, Travis Mikita, Dan Pittman, Charlie Roberts, Gabe Sochanek, Loren Suggs, Alex Trudell

G.R. Press All-Area Dream Team: Gabe Sochanek (First Team), Alex Trudell (First Team), Dan Pittman (Second Team), Loren Suggs (Second Team), Nick Ford (Honorable Mention), Charlie Roberts (Honorable Mention)

All-State: Gabe Sochanek (Special Mention), Loren Suggs (Special Mention)

Academic All-State: The team received Honorable Mention honors for ranking 12^th in Division 4 based on team grade point average. Individually, Gabe Audu also earned Honorable Mention Academic All-State.

Detroit Lions High School Coach of the Week: Coach Dan Rohn was one of ten Michigan coaches honored at the Detroit Lions football game on December 20.

Girls Golf

All-Conference: Madelyn Drumm, Kayla Feutz

Boys Soccer

All-Conference: David Golembiewski, Matt Karas, Steven Kelly

All-State: Matt Karas (First Team), David Golembiewski (Second Team), Steven Kelly (Honorable Mention), Tim McGough (Honorable Mention)

Girls Swimming

All-Conference: Meghan Arbanas

Volleyball

All-Conference: Rachel Sprenger, Elle Sturgell, Abby Ziegler

Congratulations West Catholic athletes!

Boys/Girls Cross Country: The Boys and Girls Cross Country Teams had great seasons. They were both in the OK-Gold Conference race for most of the year. The Boys Cross Country team qualified for the Division 2 State Finals and the girls came up just short of qualifying. The teams were coached by Mrs. Kelly Schipper and Mr. Jackson Fox.

Girls Golf: The Girls Golf team finished a great first season under new leadership. The team really improved over the course of the season with several new faces leading the way. The team was coached by Mrs. Melanie Loughin.

Boys Soccer: The Boys Soccer team completed a tough regular season schedule on their way to a District Tournament run that ended in the Finals to Grand Rapids Christian. The team had many different line ups battling injury and illness, but finished the season strong. The team was coached by Mr. John Matlak.

Football: The Football team made the playoffs for the second straight year. The team finished the regular season with a 5-4 record, qualifying for the Division 4 playoffs. The team was coached by Mr. Tim Rogers.

Volleyball: The Volleyball Team had a great first year under new leadership. The program started to gel towards the end of the season only to come up short in the District Tournament. The program took a lot of steps forward for the future. The team was coached by Mrs. Michelle Morrow.

Girls Swimming: The Girls Swimming team had a strong season under a new coach. The team took 2^nd place in the OK-Rainbow Conference. Many of the girls had strong finishes and we had 10 swimmers qualify for the State Meet. The team was coached by Mr. Adam Vera.

Boys Tennis: The Boys Tennis team had a great season ending in the state finals. The boys finished second place in the OK-Gold Conference and qualified for the State Tournament as a Team. The team was coached by Mrs. Pat Williams.

Fall 2009 1^st Team All OK-Gold Team:

Dominic Ens – Football

Nathan Lowe – Football

Dan Quinn – Football

Maggy Lawrence – Volleyball

Jorgie Watson – Swimming

Kristine Craven – Swimming

Nick Ellis – Tennis

Andrew Jakubowski – Tennis

Andrew Mooney – Tennis

Drew Morley – Tennis

J.P. Rizik – Soccer

Ben Ertl – Soccer

Allison Danhoff – Girls Cross Country

Geoff Albaugh – Boys Cross Country

Congratulations to all our student-athletes on a fine, fall season!

Every year, West Catholic students and staff generously give in many different ways to share the Christmas spirit with the surrounding communities. This year, a number of service projects have been undertaken throughout the school to continue this giving tradition.

For the second year, the entire school participated in a fundraising program to help homeless teens in Grand Rapids. Led by the Student Government and its adviser Mrs. Cindy Kneibel, the school held a Red and Green Day to raise over $1100 to purchase hoodies and pajamas for local teens. These items were distributed in partnership with Grand Rapids Public Schools.

Throughout the year, West Catholic students respond daily by donating to an HTN (Help the Needy) fund. This fund generates thousands of dollars annually. This month, $500 of HTN money was spent to purchase sleeping bags, blankets, nonperishable food items, coats, and other outwear for the local homeless. In addition, students also generously brought in food, clothing, and personal hygiene items. Two carloads of goods were delivered to local missions.

Sophomore and Junior students in Mr. Patrick Nugent’s religion classes have been collecting money this month for the Catholic Church Extension Society. They have chosen worthy causes from Extension’s annual Christmas Wish List. Over $1000 will be sent to support the Church across the United States; helping to sponsor a seminarian for the armed forces, supporting prison ministry in Texas, building a school roof on a New Mexico Indian reservation, and supporting hospital ministry in Puerto Rico.

Art students made over 100 cards for the residents of St. Ann’s home. Student used silkscreen and linoleum block printing to create the hand-made cards. They then addressed them with simple holiday greetings and well wishes for Christmas. “I have two students, Andrea Powers and Megan Rogalski who work at St. Ann’s Home. They are going to bring the cards in for us and they are sure that the residents will really appreciate receiving our Christmas cards,” said art teacher Mrs. Lisa Nawrocki.

WC Arts Students Making Cards for St. Ann's Home

The joy this creates for these young givers is evident on their faces. Toys, clothing, household items and more are brought to the school, wrapped and loaded into cars of the parents of these students who volunteer their time to deliver the gifts. But don’t be fooled. Those receiving the gifts are most certainly gracious and happy to receive, especially in these hard times, however, I wonder if the students and staff at Catholic Central are the ones receiving the best gift of all. After all, it was Jesus himself that taught us that giving is better than receiving. May we all take a moment to appreciate all the times we have been given the opportunity to give as it creates a sense of joy that one cannot find anywhere else.

Pictures of Students Wrapping and Delivering Gifts

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