Students packed the Commons at lunch for Jesuit’s pumpkin decorating contest. Each House had its own table with pumpkins and supplies ready to go. Pre-freshmen Oliver Parks and Daniel Sampson worked together on their winning design featuring for Canisius House. Halloween Week wraps up Friday with Truck or Treat in the courtyard and a costume contest during lunch. Photo by sophomore William Truxillo

Blue Jays rally in Traditions Courtyard ahead of Friday night’s matchup for Gizzard Gameday, broadcast from a handmade sports desk crafted by senior Cole Puneky and hosted by Spencer Waguespack ’25. Lunchtime hype peaked as senior Zach Lagraize lined up and drilled a field goal during student activities.
Photo by sophomore William Truxillo

Alumni gathered in Ignatius Hall this week to make phone calls for the Alumni Giving Drive. With some of the most dedicated Blue Jays around, Jesuit alumni recognize the value of their education and show their gratitude by supporting their alma mater each year. Through the Alumni Giving Drive, they help preserve Jesuit’s heritage and traditions for current and future Blue Jays. Jesuit is truly blessed with loyal alumni who are committed to keeping a Jesuit education accessible to as many families as possible.

Seniors Ryan Gourgeot, Aidan McKoin, and Brady Monahan recently transformed into investigators in Amy Tassin’s senior forensics elective, where they recreated real-life crime scenes in detailed dioramas. Complete with labeled evidence and scene reports, each project included a presentation breaking down how key forensic techniques learned in class helped solve the case.

In the spirit of Rivalry Game week, students gathered in Traditions Courtyard during lunch to participate in a series of Student Council-sponsored races. Each participant earned points for their house.

With Will Clark freshly chalked, intramurals fall into action as students from all grades compete for the chance to claim lunchtime gridiron victory. The first league up is flag football. Senior Brady Autin and Andrew Frey square off for a long toss to the touchdown. Who will rise to the challenge and earn Blue Jay bragging rights?

Junior Gareth Berner cheers at morning assembly as the Blue Jay spirit takes down the Lord of the Darkness who wishes to rob Jesuit students of their Blue Jay spirit. Members of the Student Council Executive Board hosted Welcome Week, inviting students to a Harry Potter themed week of fun. Blue Jays have enjoyed mazes, snowballs, dunk tanks, and trivia; with activities like Quidditch and wand jousting left for the week.

Pre-freshman Reid Guedry gets psyched up during the tug-of-war challenge at the first house system pep rally during new student orientation, where new students and their big brothers competed in races, games, and chants after the reveal of their new houses. Canisius House claimed the first victory of the year.

Several rising juniors participated in the AMDG program, a weeklong program at Boston College supporting the Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies. AMDG engaged 625 participants from fifteen high schools, five colleges and universities, and five parishes in a yearlong immersion of faith exploration and service rooted in Jesuit spirituality, drawing on a proven model that guides students toward a more meaningful life. Over the next year, these Blue Jays will partake in spiritual conversations, retreats, pilgrimages, and various local service projects.

Rising seniors Marshal Serio and Michael Brothers were selected by the Louisiana Baseball Coaches Association to play in the Louisiana All-Star State Games. The games were held Monday–Wednesday this week at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

Summer Camp has filled the halls of Carrollton and Banks with giggles and smiles ready for an all-start summer of fun. The summer theme has transformed the halls’ door coverings into Little Leaguers and Hall of Fame displays, dressing the traditional blue lockers with an array of sports equipment. Blue Jay campers are kicking off the start of camp with Plum Street Sno Balls, Pony Tales pony rides, art activities, sports on Will Clark Field, and everything in between.

Students in Mr. Jeff Young’s Spanish I classes are working on their final projects by selecting a traditional Spanish dish, writing a step-by-step recipe in Spanish, and cooking the dish. Each student will then present his creation in a classroom contest judged on authenticity, taste, and cultural insight. This hands-on assignment helps students sharpen vocabulary and grammar skills while immersing themselves in the flavors and traditions of the Spanish-speaking world.

All throughout lunch, the Vatican Media Live camera was displayed across the many monitors in the Student Commons. Students took periodic brakes from their lunch to check for any signs of smoke indicating that the first vote of the conclave had been cast. Though it is unlikely that a pope would be chosen on the first day of voting, the juniors at this table were glued to the screen hoping to catch a glimpse of white smoke.

Every year during Mission Drive, Jesuit faculty members sponsor creative and fun events to raise money in support of the missions. One of the most anticipated is the Guidance Department’s iced coffee and dessert party, awarded to the group of students with the highest bid. This year, Kale Le and his friends—Connor Bussey, Andy Castillo, Declan Womack, Alex Rodriguez, and Cole Dodson—won the prize and joined the Guidance team for a festive lunch filled with sweet treats, iced coffee, and good laughs. This year’s Mission Drive will benefit St. Peter Claver Parish, a Jesuit apostolate in Punta Gorda, Belize. Later this summer, twelve Jesuit students will visit St. Peter Claver parish for their senior service project. Thank you to all who have supported the Mission Drive this Lent.

Students in Mr. Josh LeBoeuf’s Latin I class recently completed their Roman cultural projects. Each student was tasked with creating and presenting iconic artifacts from ancient Rome. From aqueducts to oil lamps, from Romulus and Remus to Pandora’s Box, the student’s presentations brought ancient Rome back to life. 

Civics teacher Jay Combe ’83 encouraged students to attend the New Orleans Book Fest at Tulane University, where seniors Tristan Bartholomew and Matthew Albro and junior Nelson Bensel listened to literary discussions and snapped selfies with Bob Woodward. Woodward, author of 22 bestselling books—15 of which are #1 New York Times bestsellers—has chronicled every president from Nixon to Biden.