Class of 2016 alumni John Kemmerly, Joseph Dupré, Mark Beebe, James Stoddard, Brandon Beck, Tristan Diermann, and Kenneth Krizan gather for a debriefing session after meeting with alumni director Michael Prados ’83. The purpose of the meeting was to get the class organized prior to its first reunion in the summer of 2021. It’s also an exciting time to see who emerges as consistent leaders of the group. Blue Jays who graduated in 2015 and 2016 are also reminded that the deadline (Feb. 1) is approaching to apply for the Alumni Service Corps (ASC). The ASC program gives young alumni the opportunity to devote a year of their lives to their alma mater between completing college and moving on to graduate school or a career.

Seniors Brian Balestra, Austin Robert, Cameron Arroyo, Brian Valigosky, Jack Stuke, Grant Jordan, and Michael Scamardo—also known for one day as the “Jesuit Varsity Basketball Team”—enter the Benson Birdcage like professionals, suited up for the Hoops for the Holidays event on December 27. Students from every grade level arrived on campus and made their way to the Gayle & Tom Benson Arena for the fun-filled 5-on-5 basketball tournament. Great work, Blue Jays!

Luc Colomb, Mitchell Stevens, Braden Moncrief, Nicholas Ferna, Ryan Griffin, and James Dugan enjoy some fresh, cold air in Traditions Courtyard before their last exam of the semester (Spanish). Blue Jays attacked the 2nd period of exams—Spanish, French, and Greek—knowing they had just “one more” before “the end” of the semester. For all the bookworms looking to expand their knowledge of the languages, here are three ways to say “one more”: uno más (Spanish), encore un (French), and έν πλειον (Greek). Jesuit High School Offices will be closed for the Christmas holidays from Monday, Dec. 23, at 1:00 p.m. through Wednesday, Jan. 1. School offices will reopen on Thursday, Jan. 2, at 7:30 a.m. Any school business must be taken care of by 1:00 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 23, or it will have to wait until offices reopen on Jan. 2.

Mr. Jeremy Mancheski ’90 (pictured left, head of table), with help from advancement director Tom Bagwill and Br. Terry Todd, S.J. ’58, leads the final planning meeting for the December 27 basketball tournament, “Hoops for the Holidays.” Blue Jays from each grade level serve as class chairs to encourage their peers to form teams and compete in the inaugural event. “Hoops for the Holidays” details are posted on the bulletin board in the hall just outside of the first floor restroom. NOTE, NEW DEADLINE: The “Last Chance” deadline to register is Wednesday at 10 a.m. in Mr. Orillion’s office.

This gingerbread house was made by the winning junior class team as part of Wednesday’s Christmas Week activity. While this activity involved making a tasty treat, Thursday’s activity will require students to be skilled in unwrapping gifts in order to win. The unwrapping battle will be held during lunch in the Student Commons. The fastest unwrappers will win a sweet surprise!

Student Council’s Christmas Week continues with announcements like this: “We’ve just received news from the North Pole that Santa Claus and his elves will be visiting today during lunch in the commons to take Polaroid pictures.” Santa (Gentry Major) was introduced by senior Kennedy Smith (left) and student council executive aide Dylan Sellars (right). Take a look at the remaining events on the Christmas Week Schedule!

The Ochsner Flight Team visits with the Jesuit Medical Society after their helicopter landing on Will Clark Field. Any student interested in interacting with the Flight Care Team was able to fill out a permission slip and join the JMS students for the lunchtime activity. Thanks, Ocshner Flight Care!

Senior Ethan Branch and freshman Nathan Walsdorf announce that registration is open for “Hoops for the Holidays,” a 5-on-5 basketball tournament in the Gayle & Tom Benson Arena to be held on Friday, Dec. 27. The cost to register is $100 per team and is due at the time of registration. Due date to register is Friday, Dec. 18. Click here for full “Hoops for the Holidays” details, and be sure to pick up your registration form at the Student Activities Office.

Sporting fresh apparel from the Blue Jay Shop, seniors Will Hellmers and Wes Melito jump for the joy of the Christmas season and for the new merchandise on display at Jesuit’s Christmas Boutique on Saturday, Dec. 7. ‘Tis the season to Christmas shop, and there’s no better place to pick up your blue and white gifts than at the Christmas Boutique on Saturday between 8 a.m. and noon in the Student Commons. Shop an array of Boutique items — Jesuit-themed jewelry, towels, a limited number of yard signs, and more — to give to your favorite Blue Jay fans of all ages. During the Christmas Boutique, the Blue Jay Shop will also be selling T-shirts, baseball caps, long-sleeve shirts, jackets, and sweatshirts. Many items will be on sale.

Sporting fresh apparel from the Blue Jay Shop, seniors Will Hellmers and Wes Melito jump for the joy of the Christmas season and for the new merchandise on display at Jesuit’s Christmas Boutique on Saturday, Dec. 7. ‘Tis the season to Christmas shop, and there’s no better place to pick up your blue and white gifts than at the Christmas Boutique on Saturday between 8 a.m. and noon in the Student Commons. Shop an array of Boutique items — Jesuit-themed jewelry, towels, a limited number of yard signs, and more — to give to your favorite Blue Jay fans of all ages. During the Christmas Boutique, the Blue Jay Shop will also be selling T-shirts, baseball caps, long-sleeve shirts, jackets, and sweatshirts. Many items will be on sale.

Junior Luke Battaglia maintains his course of action in Mrs. Monica Younger’s Chemistry I class, keeping his distance while performing a reaction in which he mixes hydrochloric acid with magnesium ribbon. Studying chemical reactions throughout the week, Battaglia and his classmates just completed a section on predicting the products of reactions. In the lab, students predicted the products of the reaction to be magnesium chloride and hydrogen gas. Of course, one cannot distinguish hydrogen gas from air simply by looking at it, so when they generated the hydrogen gas, they captured it in a balloon. They then ignited the balloon to prove it was flammable gas hydrogen. The heat and flash of light generated by the mini “boom” provided the evidence students needed to know they had indeed generated hydrogen gas in the reaction. 

School chaplain Fr. Kevin Dyer, S.J., holds the basket of Holy Souls Intentions as we move from November, the month of Holy Souls, to December, the month of Advent and Christmas. Morning Mass in the Holy Name of Jesus Chapel is a great opportunity for students to start their days preparing for the coming of Jesus. Note that the 2020 liturgical year began on the First Sunday of Advent, December 1, 2019. 

The Class of 1983, who generously provides the turkeys for all of the families in the drive, and alumni of all classes gather on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning to provide meals for 200 families out of the 538. Individual alumni classes also sponsors groups of families in addition to the 200. Special thanks to ’83!

Alumni from the Classes of 1958, 2019, and everywhere in between gather together after they finished packing the 180-plus Thanksgiving Drive boxes to be delivered on Wednesday. After alumni director Mike Prados ’83 thanks the Blue Jays from different classes for devoting their time to the drive, they grouped up for the annual photo. The work does not stop here, though, as more alumni return to Jesuit on Tuesday evening to haul and store turkeys and other refrigerated items, pack 62 more boxes for families who will pick them up, and prepare the Student Commons for another successful Turkey Drive. 

Seniors George Contreras and Brock Hughes stand before the class to play different roles in Hamlet for Mr. Sam Ferguson‘s English IV class. Students have two full days of classes on Monday and Tuesday as they spend their free time and homeroom periods preparing for one of the best days at Jesuit High School—the Thanksgiving Drive. Wednesday is a Special Order: Delivery of Thanksgiving Baskets as the day begins for most students before 6 a.m. at Robért Fresh Market. Offices close at 12 p.m. on Wednesday.

The Jesuit swimming team loads the coach bus with Sulphur, La., as its destination. Last month, Jesuit swimmers swept the relays and scored multiple swimmers in each of the individual events to secure the team’s 36th consecutive metro title. The Blue Jays, who were fresh off winning their 36th straight district title, scored 433 points (more than 200 points higher than the second place scorer) at metro. However, the past is the past. None of that matters now. What’s on the road ahead of them is what matters…what counts. Follow JesuitNOLA Swimming (@JesuitSwimming) on Twitter for LHSAA Swimming State Tournament updates! Go Jays!