Tuesday, April 7, 2009
First Boston College Acceptance!
The Saint Martin de Porres High School community recently received word that senior Una Ilisinovic has been accepted to Boston College. According to the BC website, "for the Class of 2012, there were over 30,000 applications for 2,250 places in the four undergraduate divisions." Congratulations to Una on this tremendous accomplishment!
Friday, April 3, 2009
We have much to be thankful for at Saint Martin!
We have not blogged for a few weeks and lots of great things have happened during that time!
- Senior Renee Makupson received the Morrill Multi-cultural Scholarship from The Ohio State University. This scholarship will cover FOUR YEAR'S TUITION. Congratulations to Renee!
- Five of our young women were recently selected to receive the Thea Award sponsored by the Diocesan Office of African American Ministry. These students are:
Samantha King
Chelsea Murray
Sunni Wenson
Tyler Hughley
Ariel Powell
Below are the criteria used for selecting recipients for this award as well as a short biography of Sr. Thea Bowman, for whom the award is named.
Criteria: The “Thea” Award will be given to women in the African American Community who have provided strong and effective leadership and service. Award recipients foster educational opportunities, demonstrate strong personal faith and compassion for others, and have an intense interest in encouraging Black Catholic identity. They continue to dedicate their time and talents to evangelization efforts in the African American community and are concerned with and sensitive to the social teachings of the Church.
Biography: Sister Thea Bowman, a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration, lived life with hope, love and justice for all people. A tireless advocate, Sister Thea always educated and preached about the need to break down racial and cultural barriers. Her spirited presentations combined singing, gospel preaching, along with prayer and story telling, inspired all to live deeply the Christian values of justice and peace. Through her teaching, she was described as a “soul liberator, a mind liberator”. Thea also used music as an important part of her ministry. Sr. Thea died on March 30, 1990 of cancer.
- Junior LaDonna Duncan has been accepted to the Stephanie Tubbs Jones’ Summer Legal Academy. This program will take place on the campus of Case Western Reserve University and is sponsored by the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association.
- Sophomore Angel Caban-Alvarez was accepted to the Learning About Business summer program at Lake Erie College.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Two Saint Martin Lions Recognized
Congratulations to junior basketball players Kenneth Tutstone and Christopher Barnes, Jr. Both Lions were recognized as 2008-09 Associated Press Northeast Lakes All-District Honorable Mentions for Division IV. This list was highlighted in the Sports Section of The Plain Dealer this week.
Kenneth and Christopher contributed to a young and promising team that advanced to the second round of the OHSAA basketball tournament. Congratulations to Coach Myron Jackson and all the Lions for a great season!
Kenneth and Christopher contributed to a young and promising team that advanced to the second round of the OHSAA basketball tournament. Congratulations to Coach Myron Jackson and all the Lions for a great season!
Monday, February 23, 2009
The Miracle of Saint Martin
Contributed by Pete Range, Saint Martin Theology Teacher
During these winter months, when the days seem so long because the earth is so barren, we often long for the miracle of spring. And every year, as the snow slowly melts and spring blossoms we’re born again with the realization that everything in nature points to resurrection. But often, if we look hard enough in our daily lives even in the midst of being buried under snow, we can find semblances of resurrection, even if it’s just waking from our sleep. Nonetheless, to get us through the last few months of gray and slush I wanted to share a quick story that has brought a warm smile to my face during these cold months.
December had been a really difficult month for me. Burdened by the extra work of a graduate class and unrealized dreams in the classroom, I was struggling professionally and personally. It all seemed to come to a head when one day while dismissing my students a few were horsing around in the back of the classroom. I had stepped outside with one of my students to quickly do an exit interview, but when I heard the crash I quickly jumped back into the room. Standing around and laughing were a few boys and girls who had accidentally bumped into the file cabinet and knocked off the 2 feet tall Saint Martin statue that watched over the class. I had inherited the statue from our previous freshmen theology teacher, Andrew Staron and I believed he had inherited it from someone else. It had watched over the class for the 3 years now I’ve been teaching and was always a reminder to me to be loving, be patient, be kind and never give up. But now it was broken, and while most of the class was shocked and saddened, those few who showed a lack of remorse hurt. Nonetheless, I didn’t overreact, I was upset, but after all it was just a statue I told myself. And after a very brief investigation I talked to the parties responsible and the importance of behaving at all times – but ultimately I told them people are more important then things and so I told them I loved them and they left the room.
A few weeks later, after some other students made a make shift memorial for Saint Martin including a sign in marker that read ‘R.I.P. Saint Martin’ I gave up hope that it was going to be fixed. Although I told the students who broke the statue they were responsible for fixing it, I knew it was beyond fixing. Some other recourse would have to suffice. December marched on into January and Saint Martin remained as crumbled as I was.
Then, one night while doing a little research late in my classroom, I came across a saint, whose name I’m amiss to remember at this point; who as the legend goes performed a miracle of sorts with a broken vessel. The legend has it that he was walking home one evening and ran into a young boy who was crying over a broken dish that was made of glass and very expensive. The little boy, fearful of his punishment and with no money to fix the vase asked the saint for help. At once the saint puts his hands over the broken glass and miraculously it was restored. Now I’m no saint, but I’ve seen the Lord work in mysterious ways so I’d figure I’d give it a shot with the Martin statue. I checked out the hallway and made sure it was all clear and I walked to the back of the classroom where the broken statue still laid crumbled. I know this may sound crazy that I would even try this, but if you know anything about me you’d probably say I’m a little crazy anyway. Nonetheless, figuring this might be my last option to get the statue fixed I placed my hands over the statue, closed my eyes and whispered to God, “Lord, I believe in your healing power, and I know this is just a statue, but if it be your will let it be new again, in Jesus’ name, Amen,” and then I opened my eyes…
And the statue was still broken. Still in 20 pieces I smiled as I realized I indeed did not have saintly powers. So I prepared by the end of the week to simply have the statue thrown away.
The next morning, however, one of my first period students came up to the room about 7:45 a.m., that time of morning that I’m still waking in preparation of that first class, and caught me off guard as she asked for the statue. It was Essence Flores, the quiet, but perky young freshmen who innocently asked if she could take the statue home to try to fix it. Remembering nothing of the night before I said sure thinking there was no way possible that the statue could really be fixed. After two weeks I had nearly forgot that Essence had taken the statue home when one morning she came walking into the classroom with something hiding under a sheet. Her face was beaming with a smile from ear to ear as she placed the object down on the desk in front of me, “Surprise, Mr. Range!” she exasperated as she lifted the sheet off of the resurrected Martin statue. Newly painted, perfectly restored I remembered at that moment what seemed to be my silly prayer to the Lord, “Let it be new again, in Jesus’ name.” God answered the prayer, and He did it through an unexpected way, through an unexpected person. Essence was so proud as she explained how she fixed it and how her family helped out, and I was so proud of her. Martin was fixed and in a small way my faith was restored; restored in the belief that God answers prayers and can bring newness out of what was destroyed, newness out of the old, and life out of death…
In Mark’s gospel we’re told in chapter 6 that Jesus was not able to perform miracles in his home town because the people did not believe in him. Maybe it was time for me to believe again, to have a little faith. Now, I know this is just a story of a statue, but for me it was about believing again, about being open to the Lord answering prayers in unexpected ways, and ultimately about resurrection. Martin like my winter spirt was crumbled, but through the help of loving kindness both of us were made whole again. So if the snow gets you down or if something is broken in your life or in your heart, ask the Lord to heal it, for as sure as He can restore a statue, and as sure as He will bring the new spring - He will bring healing, and He will bring resurrection.
During these winter months, when the days seem so long because the earth is so barren, we often long for the miracle of spring. And every year, as the snow slowly melts and spring blossoms we’re born again with the realization that everything in nature points to resurrection. But often, if we look hard enough in our daily lives even in the midst of being buried under snow, we can find semblances of resurrection, even if it’s just waking from our sleep. Nonetheless, to get us through the last few months of gray and slush I wanted to share a quick story that has brought a warm smile to my face during these cold months.
December had been a really difficult month for me. Burdened by the extra work of a graduate class and unrealized dreams in the classroom, I was struggling professionally and personally. It all seemed to come to a head when one day while dismissing my students a few were horsing around in the back of the classroom. I had stepped outside with one of my students to quickly do an exit interview, but when I heard the crash I quickly jumped back into the room. Standing around and laughing were a few boys and girls who had accidentally bumped into the file cabinet and knocked off the 2 feet tall Saint Martin statue that watched over the class. I had inherited the statue from our previous freshmen theology teacher, Andrew Staron and I believed he had inherited it from someone else. It had watched over the class for the 3 years now I’ve been teaching and was always a reminder to me to be loving, be patient, be kind and never give up. But now it was broken, and while most of the class was shocked and saddened, those few who showed a lack of remorse hurt. Nonetheless, I didn’t overreact, I was upset, but after all it was just a statue I told myself. And after a very brief investigation I talked to the parties responsible and the importance of behaving at all times – but ultimately I told them people are more important then things and so I told them I loved them and they left the room.
A few weeks later, after some other students made a make shift memorial for Saint Martin including a sign in marker that read ‘R.I.P. Saint Martin’ I gave up hope that it was going to be fixed. Although I told the students who broke the statue they were responsible for fixing it, I knew it was beyond fixing. Some other recourse would have to suffice. December marched on into January and Saint Martin remained as crumbled as I was.
Then, one night while doing a little research late in my classroom, I came across a saint, whose name I’m amiss to remember at this point; who as the legend goes performed a miracle of sorts with a broken vessel. The legend has it that he was walking home one evening and ran into a young boy who was crying over a broken dish that was made of glass and very expensive. The little boy, fearful of his punishment and with no money to fix the vase asked the saint for help. At once the saint puts his hands over the broken glass and miraculously it was restored. Now I’m no saint, but I’ve seen the Lord work in mysterious ways so I’d figure I’d give it a shot with the Martin statue. I checked out the hallway and made sure it was all clear and I walked to the back of the classroom where the broken statue still laid crumbled. I know this may sound crazy that I would even try this, but if you know anything about me you’d probably say I’m a little crazy anyway. Nonetheless, figuring this might be my last option to get the statue fixed I placed my hands over the statue, closed my eyes and whispered to God, “Lord, I believe in your healing power, and I know this is just a statue, but if it be your will let it be new again, in Jesus’ name, Amen,” and then I opened my eyes…
And the statue was still broken. Still in 20 pieces I smiled as I realized I indeed did not have saintly powers. So I prepared by the end of the week to simply have the statue thrown away.
The next morning, however, one of my first period students came up to the room about 7:45 a.m., that time of morning that I’m still waking in preparation of that first class, and caught me off guard as she asked for the statue. It was Essence Flores, the quiet, but perky young freshmen who innocently asked if she could take the statue home to try to fix it. Remembering nothing of the night before I said sure thinking there was no way possible that the statue could really be fixed. After two weeks I had nearly forgot that Essence had taken the statue home when one morning she came walking into the classroom with something hiding under a sheet. Her face was beaming with a smile from ear to ear as she placed the object down on the desk in front of me, “Surprise, Mr. Range!” she exasperated as she lifted the sheet off of the resurrected Martin statue. Newly painted, perfectly restored I remembered at that moment what seemed to be my silly prayer to the Lord, “Let it be new again, in Jesus’ name.” God answered the prayer, and He did it through an unexpected way, through an unexpected person. Essence was so proud as she explained how she fixed it and how her family helped out, and I was so proud of her. Martin was fixed and in a small way my faith was restored; restored in the belief that God answers prayers and can bring newness out of what was destroyed, newness out of the old, and life out of death…
In Mark’s gospel we’re told in chapter 6 that Jesus was not able to perform miracles in his home town because the people did not believe in him. Maybe it was time for me to believe again, to have a little faith. Now, I know this is just a story of a statue, but for me it was about believing again, about being open to the Lord answering prayers in unexpected ways, and ultimately about resurrection. Martin like my winter spirt was crumbled, but through the help of loving kindness both of us were made whole again. So if the snow gets you down or if something is broken in your life or in your heart, ask the Lord to heal it, for as sure as He can restore a statue, and as sure as He will bring the new spring - He will bring healing, and He will bring resurrection.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Catholic Schools Week
Why is there a Catholic Schools Week? Is it a narcissistic attempt to elicit praise and tout our successes? Is it an effort to elevate Catholic schools to heights above other systems of education? If these are the reasons to advocate a celebration of Catholic Schools Week, I would be the first to advocate not celebrating this special week. Rather, I believe that Catholic Schools Week is a reminder to the Catholic school community to always focus on our mission, a mission expressed very well in the theme for 2009: “Catholic Schools Celebrate Service.” To me, one of the hallmarks of the Catholic school is the creation of a learning environment in which relationships are based on love, mutual respect and Gospel values. In this nurturing environment, faculty and students are propelled into service of those in need. Thus, I think that Catholic Schools Week is an opportunity to celebrate the life and love that we share. Yet, far from turning us to only look at ourselves, it challenges us to always be looking for ways to follow the Way, the Truth and the Life in proclaiming Good News and transforming the world!
Recent College Acceptances
Please follow this link to see an updated listing of all the colleges and universities Saint Martin students have been accepted to over the last two years. Our community is proud of all the members of the Classes of 2008 and 2009!
We are particularly excited about seven of our students who are the first from Saint Martin to be accepted to Marquette University, Ohio Dominican University, Ohio State University, Otterbein College, St. Louis University, Spelman College, and Spring Hill College.
We are particularly excited about seven of our students who are the first from Saint Martin to be accepted to Marquette University, Ohio Dominican University, Ohio State University, Otterbein College, St. Louis University, Spelman College, and Spring Hill College.
- Una Ilisinovic is accepted to Marquette
- Mariah Watts is accepted to Ohio Dominican
- Renee Makupson is our first student accepted to Ohio State
- Kylie Kelly is accepted to Otterbein College
- JJ Simms is our first student accepted to St. Louis University
- Sunni Wenson is our first acceptance to Spelman
- Abby Mrozek is accepted to Spring Hill
Overall, 67 pecent of our seniors have been accepted to at least one college or university as of 2:00 p.m. Thursday, January 22. Congratulations, members of the Class of 2009!!!
More great news to come...
Friday, January 16, 2009
Heartfelt Thanks
The Saint Martin Student Advisory Board chose to send Christmas cards to some of our men and women in the armed service. Below is the response of one of those who received one of those Christmas cards.
Ms. Vogel,
For ten days in December I was a patient at the Miami Veterans Hospital. I cannot tell you how pleased and happy I was when two days before Christmas, someone walked into my room and gave me a card sent by The Student Advisory Board of your school.
Ms. Vogel,
For ten days in December I was a patient at the Miami Veterans Hospital. I cannot tell you how pleased and happy I was when two days before Christmas, someone walked into my room and gave me a card sent by The Student Advisory Board of your school.
It brought a tear to my eye to think that these students would take time out of their busy lives to send these cards. I cannot tell you how much joy it brought to me, I will save this card for years to come.
Please tell these students that their work is very appreciated.
Thanks for lifting my spirits, when they needed to be lifted.
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