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Dear Parents and Guardians:
The Class of 2013 is on their way to college and their lives beyond and their mutual successes were celebrated at a wonderful graduation ceremony last week. I am very proud of them! May our graduated seniors always be in the Lord's love; I know that they go forth to do even common things in a great way. With the Class of 2013 moving on, the Classes of 2014, 2015 and 2016 move up in age and leadership preparing to welcome the new Eagle class of 2017!
For the rising seniors falls the task just finished by our graduates, the involved but exciting process of applying to and being accepted to colleges. The rising juniors and sophomores will move deeper into their academic work and prepare to tackle new challenges. For the incoming freshman class, there is natural excitement at leaving 8th grade but also that 'twinge' of uncertainty as to just what this high school experience will bring them. We all look forward to the journey they will commence come August.
A reminder to everyone that the new school year will begin for students on Wednesday, August 14th as we move to our new school calendar, enabling us to administer first semester final exams before everyone leaves on their Christmas holiday. In addition, if all goes according to plan, we will return to school with, for the first time in school history, an air conditioned Moiso Pavilion (gym) along with a totally upgraded heating and AC system in the older buildings. So once again the sounds of workmen will be heard on the campus during the summer months.
God tells us in scripture (Ecclesiastes 3) "For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under the sun." As the school year comes to a close we take time to give Him our thanks in gratitude for the many blessings He has bestowed upon our school community. We also take time to reflect on the charism of SMCHS, Caritas Christi; is the love of Christ real in our hearts and do we reflect that love in our daily actions? As human beings we all fail from time to time to truly be that love but we are called upon to renew our efforts to truly live our charism, doing all we can to be and bring Christ's love to those in our school and in the communities beyond.
I pray that you have a wonderful and safe summer season! As we begin a new year in August, the 2013-14 year with all the "matters under heaven" that we will face it is my prayer that our Lord Jesus Christ will continue to be our visible center, much like the 'C' is at the center of SMCHS, and that all will see that He holds that central position by the way we spread His love.
In conclusion, as this year draws to a close may we always be proud to proclaim that indeed, each and every day is a GREAT DAY to be an EAGLE!
Caritas Christi,
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SMCHS Academic Courses
Santa Margarita's Academic Summer Session program offers blended online classes with the same curriculum content as our traditional classroom courses. Such blended online courses are rigorously monitored by the Director of Assessment and Online Learning, Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Instruction, and department chairpersons to ensure the high quality of this learning experience. After the first face-to-face meeting, the Online Learning Portal becomes your classroom.
Click Here to access the SMCHS Academic Summer Session
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SMCHS Youth Summer Camps
The Eagle Athletic program understands the value in offering summer camps for children looking to become involved in high school sports and just enjoy learning new skills including teamwork and commitment. Youth camps are designed for young athletes in elementary school through middle school. Youth camps are open to all young people in the local community. SMCHS Youth Camps offered are: Boys and girls basketball, football, co-ed swim, co-ed track, girls volleyball, baseball, and co-ed soccer.
Click Here to access the SMCHS Youth Summer Camps
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SMCHS High School Summer Camps
The Eagle Athletic program places a high importance on team training in preparation for competitive sports. High school camps are designed to give each athletic team the opportunity to work out, hold practices and train new players over the summer season. Athletes looking to become involved in high school sports and high school athletes wishing to build their skills are invited to attend any of our high school athletic camps. High school camps are open to all young people in the local community.
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Congratulations Class of 2013
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Graduation by the Numbers
Thousands of people gathered at the UCI Bren Center on Friday, May 31 for Santa Margarita Catholic High School's 23rd commencement ceremony celebrating the Class of 2013.
Donning royal blue caps and gowns, the 376 members of the class processed in ready to celebrate their past four years as Eagles and leap forward into the next chapter of their lives.
The celebration was attended by The Most Reverend Kevin Vann, bishop of Orange, Rev. Gerald M. Horan, vicar of faith formation for the Diocese of Orange, Greg Dhuyvetter, Superintendent of Schools, as well as SMCHS administrators.
The school's four salutatorians, Madison Jaros (Notre Dame), Charles Min (Princeton University), Nicole Minkina (Yale) and Katie Pisarek (Notre Dame) who all tied for the second highest GPA with a 4.88, gave the salutatory address reflecting on their transition from freshmen to seniors.
They thanked the Santa Margarita community for their support as they matured.
"Though our experiences at Santa Margarita, the individuals that we have crossed paths with fostered our sense of Caritas Christi, the love of Christ, which we will spread to each person in our future," Pisarek said. "Parents and teachers, without a doubt your teachings will guide us we enter the next chapter of our lives.
Kayla Matthews, the school's valedictorian who will attend Notre Dame in the fall, echoed that sentiment thanking the school's teachers for their dedication and inspiration.
"As we look back on the past four years we have dreamed, laughed, cried and celebrated," she said. "We have changed for the better and are prepared to change our world for the better."
Principal Ray Dunne took students on a trip down memory lane reading comments teachers had made about the members of the class of 2013 in their elementary school files and goals students had set for themselves back in their younger years. He reminded students to be true to themselves and walk with Christ.
"Our Lord has so much love for each of you and will continue to be there for you," he said. "As you continue your future all he asks is that you be His love to one another and spread His love."
Dunne concluded his remarks with a passage from "Oh the Places You'll Go" by Dr. Seuss.
"Congratulations, you're off to great places, today is your day," he said. "Wherever you fly you will be the best, wherever you go, you will top the rest."
Here's what graduates shared about their experience at SMCHS:
"A lot of hard work went into these past four years. I feel blessed that we received so much support and am excited to start the next chapter in my life."
Taylor Whittingham, USC
"I am going to miss my teachers and friends. Santa Margarita is such a tight-knit community."
Austin Beach, Sonoma State University
"The teachers at Santa Margarita were always so nurturing and cared so much about us."
Hayley Rice, University of Washington
- $30,825,648 in scholarship offers
- 43,300 Combined hours of Christian service
- 376 members of the class
- 99.3% of graduates continuing their education at the college level
- 125 Students graduating with an International Baccalaureate Certificate
- 22% of the Class of 2013 graduated with a 4.0 GPA or higher
- 40 Student-Athletes to Compete at Collegiate Level
- 35 Students graduating with an International Baccalaureate Diploma
- 16 National Merit Commended Students
- 4 National Merit Finalists
- 1 National Merit Scholar
- 1 CIF Championship Team (Girls Water Polo)
- 2 National Championships (Ice Hockey, Pep Squad)
- 3 Individual CIF Champions (Jeff Holsinger, Wrestling; Kaitlyn Merritt, Track & Field; Parker Curry, Track & Field)
- 5 sets of twins
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Annual Senior Awards Night
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Members of the Class of 2013 Honored at Annual Senior Awards Night
With the school year coming to a close, Tuesday marked the beginning of the graduation activities for the Class of 2013. Seniors and their families gathered in the Moiso Pavillion for the annual Senior Awards night to celebrate their various accomplishments over the past 4 years.
"As we move toward graduation, it's fitting we take note of your many accomplishments," said Principal Ray Dunne. "Class of 2013 you have much to be proud of and rightfully so. Without a doubt, you have added much to the greatness of Santa Margarita Catholic High School and I am confident that both collectively and individually your futures are bright."
Senior Class President Chelsea Carey went on to close the ceremony by thanking teachers and parents for helping shape their futures and reminding her fellow classmates that while their journey as SM students may be over, they now begin a new future as SM alumni.
"We have all developed into well-balanced adults. Not only because of the well-balanced education Santa Margarita has provided us, but because of the support of our parents, coaches and teachers."
"In just 10 days we will graduate," she said. "But our commitment to SM shouldn't end there. We are entering the next chapter not as students, but as alumni of SMCHS."
Top Award Recipients
- Scholarships to Military Schools: Jason Engel (Air Force Academy), Sebastian Metoyer (Air Force ROTC Scholarship to study at LMU)
- National Merit Scholar: Nicole Minkina
- Female Athlete of the Year: Emily Loughlin
- Male Athlete of the Year: Jason Engel
- Valedictorian: Kayla Matthews
- Salutatorians: Nicole Minkina, Madison Jaros, Katie Pisarek and Christopher Min
- Caritas Christi Award Recipient: Johnny Stanton
Trinity League Scholar Athletes of the Year
Ryan Merritt is a 4 year varsity letterman in Basketball. His athletic accolades include being selected All Trinity League and serving as Team Captain. Off the court, Ryan is an IB student, the Co-founder of Gimme Shelter Club, a member of the Red for Life club and holds a 4.73 GPA. Ryan will be attending Stanford University and plans to later attend medical school and possibly work as a bio-medical engineer or a doctor.
Brittany Ptak has had an amazing career with the SMCHS volleyball team. She was selected 1st Team All Trinity League her junior and senior years, Trinity League MVP her junior year and Team MVP her senior year. Brittany was named 2nd Team All Orange County her junior year and improved to 1st Team All Orange County her senior year. As a student, Brittany is an AP Scholar, an IB Full Diploma Candidate, a National Commended Scholar and holds a GPA of 4.80. She will be attending Princeton University where she will continue playing volleyball and plans to major in Molecular Biology.
Athletes of the Year
Jason Engel
Jason is a 4 year Varsity letterman in Cross-Country and Track & Field. He holds 6 records in Track & Field including a time of 4:14.93 in the 1600m and has also received All Trinity League honors twice. As a student, he is a member of the National Honor Society, full IB and holds a 4.53 GPA. Jason is a Student Ambassador, Link Crew Leader and the Vice President of the Ronald McDonald Club. Jason will be attending the Air Force Academy on a full scholarship.
Emily Loughlin
Emily helped lead the Girls Varsity Water Polo team to a CIF Championship this year and was selected all CIF this year and last. She is a member of the USA Water Polo Women's Youth National Team and was nominated as a 2013 All American. At Santa Margarita, she holds nine records, was selected All Trinity League three times and was the 2013 Trinity League Player of the year. She has now signed to play Women's Water Polo for Cal Berkeley.
Valedictorians and Salutatorians
Congratulations to valedictorian Kayla Matthews (Notre Dame) and salutatorians Madison Jaros (Notre Dame), Nicole Minkina (Yale), Christopher Min (Princeton) and Katie Pisarek (Notre Dame). These five students will address the Class of 2013 at the 10 a.m. Friday, June 1 commencement ceremony at the UCI Bren Center.
The valedictorian honor is bestowed upon the senior who has earned the highest GPA over seven semesters. The salutatorian title is given to the senior who has earned the second highest GPA. This year, four students tied for the second highest GPA.
Caritas Award Winner
Johnny Stanton, the 2013 Caritas Award winner, stands out among his peers for his modesty, compassion and overall genuine character. The award recognizes a student who embodies all that is good about Santa Margarita and who best exemplifies the school charism of "Caritas Christi," the love of Christ. The recipient of the award is recognized at graduation and sits on stage along with the valedictorians and salutatorians representing the Class of 2013.
Not only is Stanton a standout on the football field, he is a standout in the eyes of his teachers and peers for his well-rounded nature. Admired for his humble attitude in the classroom and on the field, many teachers and coaches commented on what a pleasure he is to be around on a daily basis.
Mr. Francisco Calvo wrote, "I never had the pleasure of teaching Johnny. I did however get to spend a little time with Johnny during the choir performance tour through Italy, as he came with his family to support his sister Kate. Early in the tour I found Johnny after he lost his group and we had some time to talk as we walked back. I was shocked to hear such humility coming from such a star student athlete. He didn't seek to impress me with his football stats, in fact, he never once brought up football or school. We talked about family and friends and he was so gracious and thankful. He is a star athlete but he has never used his popularity or fame to take advantage of anything."
There is no doubt in the minds of the Santa Margarita family that the 2013 Caritas Christi award winner will carry on the legacy of this award in his days to come. Congratulations and thank you Johnny for everything you have given back to the school in your four years here. May you live your life with Caritas Christi forever in your heart.
Congratulations also go out to all of our 2013 Caritas Christi Award Finalists:
Alexandra Rupp
Chloe Lustig
Brittany Ptak
Ryan Merritt
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Scholarship Breakfast Honors Senior Recipients
On Wednesday, May 1st, students and families were welcomed into the athletic banquet room for the annual scholarship breakfast while President Paul Carey opened the reception by congratulating all in attendance on their accomplishments and nearing graduation. The ceremony continued with the designated donors announcing award winners and presenting them with their certificates.
Doreen and Craig Campbell were in attendance to present Anna Fues with the Kaydee Royce Campbell Memorial Scholarship, a scholarship which goes to a deserving senior that plans to work in the medical/healthcare field as Kaydee, a 2006 graduate of the school, had planned to do.
"It's an honor to receive this award because being able to pursue a career in healthcare is such a blessing for me," said Anna. "Kaydee was an amazing person and it was very humbling to receive the award directly from her parents."
Megan Woods '08, a previous award winner of the Eagle Alumni Scholarship, also attended the ceremony and said a few words about what winning this scholarship meant to her.
"To receive this award means that the faculty know how invested you are in the Santa Margarita community," said Woods. "It shows your love for the school and that in years to come you will continue to speak highly of the community that shaped you into that man or woman that you are today."
Other scholarships included the Sarah De Mille Memorial Scholarship, CIF Scholarship and the MUN Senior Scholarship.
Congratulations to all of our senior recipients and a very special thank you to all of our generous donors and foundations for continuing to keep Santa Margarita and Caritas Christi present in their lives by giving back to our current Eagles.
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Mothers Club Fashion Show
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Annual Mothers Club Fashion Show Supports SMCHS
The annual Mothers Club Fashion Show and Boutique to support Santa Margarita Catholic High School took place on Sunday, April 28.
About 60 seniors modeled fashions down the runway from retailers including JCPenny, Macy's, Friar's Tux and the Daisy Shoppe. The event culminated in a parade of colleges with Santa Margarita students modeling college sweatshirts showcasing where they are headed as they continue on their educational journey. James Campbell Productions of Hollywood choreographed the show and provided customized styles for all the models. The full-service event production company specializing in fashion shows.
The event took place at San Francisco Solano's new parish hall, the first official event to take place in the new facility following the Blessing by The Most Rev. Kevin Vann, bishop of Orange, this past Sunday. Guests enjoyed lunch catered by Hannah's award-winning restaurant. Participants also had the opportunity to win prizes through a raffle, take home opportunity gift baskets, bid on silent auction items and shop for one-of-a-kind merchandise at the event boutique.
Through various events throughout the year, the Mothers Club raised $10,000 which will go towards constructing a student lounge in the Borchard Library.
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National Merit Scholarship
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Minkina Earns National Merit Scholarship
Senior Nicole Minkina (3rd from the left) was recently announced as a recipient of the 2013 National Merit Scholarship, earning herself a $2,500 scholarship. The 2,500 Merit Scholar designees were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding Finalists in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program. Nicole and all other finalists were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors, who appraised a substantial amount of information submitted by both the Finalists and their high schools: the academic record, including difficulty level of subjects studied and grades earned; scores from two standardized tests; contributions and leadership in school and community activities; an essay written by the Finalist; and a recommendation written by a high school official.
This year's competition for National Merit Scholarships began in October 2011 when approximately 1.5 million juniors in some 22,000 high schools took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. Last fall, the highest-scoring participants in each state, representing less than one percent of the nation's high school seniors, were named Semifinalists on a state representational basis. Only these 16,000 Semifinalists had an opportunity to continue in the competition.
National Merit $2500 Scholarship winners are the Finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state's percentage of the nation's graduating high school seniors
Nicole has dedicated herself to making a difference in the world. This past summer, Nicole took what she learned from her involvement with the Next Step program at SMCHS and the Drug Use is Life Abuse to initiate a drug prevention program in Belarus that is modeled after the Next Step program in Orange County. She is working with the United Nations Development Program, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, and Mothers Against Drug Abuse, a Belarusian anti-drug organization, to provide high school students and educators in Belarus with the tools necessary to conduct drug and alcohol education programs.
Minkina has been involved in Next Step and Drug Use is Life Abuse programs at Santa Margarita Catholic High School for the past three years, during which she has been a group leader and taught middle school students at St. John and Serra Catholic about the harmful consequences of abusing drugs. Last year, she was selected to become a member of the Board of Directors for Drug Use is Life Abuse (DUILA), Next Step's accompanying organization.
In addition to her involvement with Next Step and DUILA, Nicole is an active participant in speech and debate. During her sophomore year, she founded the SMCHS Speech and Debate team, and she is also the captain of the team. Nicole is also a competitor for Irvine Valley College's debate team. During this past year, she won a bronze medal in Lincoln-Douglas Open Division debate at the 2012 California State Championship Debate Tournament. Minkina was also selected from over 50 students on the IVC debate team to be on the National Debate traveling team (that consists of 8 people) to represent IVC and Southern California at the 17th annual National Parliamentary Debate Association's National Championship Tournament. She also competed for IVC at the Phi Rho Pi National Tournament, where she won a bronze in Lincoln-Douglas debate, and a silver in Parliamentary debate.
Nicole has also been very involved with Model United Nations throughout high school. She has travelled to numerous national and international conferences, including the Royal Russell MUN Conference in Croydon, United Kingdom, and the Brown University Simulation of the United Nations in Rhode Island. During her senior year, Nicole will be travelling to China for the Model UN conference taking place in Beijing. As a part of the MUN program at SMCHS, Nicole was the Under-Secretary General of SOCOMUN during her sophomore year, and was on the leadership board of students who planned the 20th annual South Orange County Model United Nations Conference in 2011. Minkina was selected to be Secretary-General of the MUN program for the 2012-2013 school year, she is a Full IB scholar, holds a 4.36 GPA and has been named one of the Salutatorians for the Class of 2013. She will be continuing her education at Yale in the fall.
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Mock DUI Crash Warns of Dangers of Drinking and Driving
On Wednesday, May 15, Friends Against Drinking and Driving put on their 75th mock crash presentation - 22 years after the first presentation, also at SMCHS in May of 1991.
The mock crash is part of The Every 15 Minutes program, a two-day program focusing on high school juniors and seniors, which challenges them to think about drinking, driving, personal safety, the responsibility of making mature decisions, and the impact their decisions have on family, friends, and many others.
The program's name was derived from the fact that in the early 1990's, every fifteen minutes someone in the United States died in an alcohol-related collision. However, with the implementation of the new laws, grass roots organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Students Against Drunk Driving and programs such as these, the death rate is now every thirty minutes, a figure which continues to be unacceptable.
On the first day of the program, Wednesday, May 15, students witnessed a simulated drunk driving collision involving pre-selected students staged on the street. The mock crash on Alas de Paz began with a pre-recorded 911 call that triggered an emergency response by law enforcement, firefighters, paramedics and the coroner. Each agency uses the drill as a training exercise that simulates real life responses.
"This is a tough demonstration to watch but it leaves an important lasting message," said RSM Mayor Tony Beall. "Bad things can happen to good people and one mistake can change your entire life."
Following the mock crash, Orange County Fire Captain Craig Campbell addressed the students and told about losing his daughter, Kaydee- a 2006 graduate of SM-in a 2008 incident while home on Christmas break from Indiana University. The nursing student had stopped to help another motorist involved in a traffic collision on Interstate 5 when a driver struck Kaydee's boyfriend's car which in turn struck Kaydee and killed her instantly. Campbell's wife Doreen held a large picture of their daughter as the fire captain fought back tears a few times in recalling the event.
"You never think it will happen to you," said Campbell. "I never thought when I hugged Kaydee that night, that it would be for the last time."
On the second day of the program, Thursday, May 16, students will hear from a powerful keynote speaker. The assembly will conclude with a call to action challenging everyone to make responsible choices. The two-day Every 15 Minutes Program is dramatic and emotional. Teenagers are constantly reminded about the dangers of drinking and driving. They know the statistics. However, many teens share the belief it will never happen to them. This works to change that perception.
"A lot of us as teenagers feel invincible and this crash showed that we're not," said senior Lena Huebscher, one of the student actors from the crash. "This might not have been real today but the consequences of drinking and driving are very real."
The Mock DUI traffic collision was produced by Steve Concialdi, who is the founder of Friends Against Drinking and Driving (FADD). Steve Concialdi is a captain/paramedic for Orange County Fire Authority.
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Eagles Earning Eagle Scout Rank
The Eagle Scout is the highest rank in the Boy Scout of America program. The 1911 "Handbook for Boys," the first publicly available edition, introduced the Eagle Scout Award. Just 23 Scouts had earned the Eagle badge in 1912. More than 2,000 earned the honor in 1922. More Scouts than ever - over 50,000 - now achieve the Eagle Scout ranking each year. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men.
To become an Eagle Scout, a Boy Scout must progress through the ranks; earn 21 merit badges; serve six months in a troop leadership position; plan, develop and complete a service project; take part in a Scoutmaster conference; and successfully complete an Eagle Scout board of review. Below is the 2013 SMCHS Class of Eagle Scouts:
Joseph Micalizio
Age: 18
City: Mission Viejo
Scout Affiliation: 818
Leadership position: Asst. Patrol Leader, Quartermaster
Number of Merit Badges: 30-Camping, Citizenship of the Nation, Personal Management, Life Saving, Wilderness Survival
Special Award: Recipient of Ad Altare Dei Religious Emblem Award
Favorite Scouting memory: Creating a shelter from scraps of sticks, rocks, tarp and spending the night in it.
Description of Eagle Scout project: Constructed shelving unit in the storage room of the Foreign Language Department at SM
Total hours of project: 62 hours
Why this project? I wanted to give something back to SM for my 4 great years as a student.
Other activities/service work: Helped other Eagle Scouts with their projects, volunteered at several homeless shelters in the community.
Noteworthy accomplishments: Recipient: Brotherhood Rank-Order of the Arrow
Why did you want to achieve the Eagle Scout Rank? I wanted to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout because it is an honor that very few Scouts achieve and it helped me gain leadership skills and project management skills.
Ryan Michael Melosini
Age: 15
City: Trabuco Canyon
Scout Affiliation: Troop 623, Portola Hills
Leadership positions: Patrol Leader, Chaplains Aid
Number of Merit Badges: 24 merit badges some of which are law, lifesaving and swimming
Special Awards: Americanism Award presented by the American Legion
Favorite Scouting Memory: When leading my fellow scouts in planning and constructing a theme orientated gateway at a Scout Camporee.
Description of Eagle Scout project: Mission Viejo's Gilleran Park Beautification Project
Why did you want to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout? My goal to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout came from a realization that through being an Eagle Scout, I could serve as an example and a leader of what you can accomplish while being a teenager who is an athlete, excels in school and serves the community. I knew that the process would teach me many skills that would stay with me for life and it has.
Other activities/service work: Varsity Water Polo goalie, Member of the Mock Trial team at SM, MUN member, ASB Commissioner (So. year), Pianist and vocalist, Lead role in SM's spring musical, Volunteer at Mary's Kitchen, Special Olympics and Loaves and Fishes in addition to service while at many Troop projects.
Noteworthy accomplishments: Scholar Athlete Award (2011 & 2012) 4.76 GPA, Selected National Jr. Olympic Water Polo All American 1st team (2011 & 2009), SMCHS Varsity Best Defensive Player of the Year (2011 & 2012)
Aris Simsarian
Age: 17
City: Laguna Hills
Scout Affiliation: Troop 615
Leadership positions: Senior Patrol Leader, Instructor, Bugler
Number of Merit Badges: 31
Favorite Scouting Memory: My favorite scout memory was biking at Trails Beach in San Onofre.
Description of Eagle Scout project: I made 33 signs for the Incredible Edible Park in Irvine, CA. The field is run by Second Harvest Food Bank, a division of St. Vincent de Paul Society and the produce grown in this field gives over 2 million meals a year to the local needy population. The field is not enclosed and produces fresh produce and signs were needed to inform passerby population that the produce is not to be picked by trespassers. The project consisted of 208 man hours.
Why did you want to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout? I wanted to obtain Eagle Scout status as I had been a scout for 7 years and in that time, have camped over 120 nights and done 70 mile hikes to the High Sierra and Philmont Scout ranch in New Mexico; all of which led me to want to achieve this rank.
Other activities/service work: I am an altar boy at St.Timothy Church in Laguna Niguel and participate in the Rocketry Organization of California. I play trumpet for my troop and have participated in the SMCHS orchestra.
Noteworthy accomplishments: Participant in the Chapman University Honor Band.
Brent C. Niemerski
Age: 16
City: Ladera Ranch
Scout Affiliation: Troop 1210
Leadership positions: Patrol Leader, Troop Instructor, Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Number of Merit Badges: 21
Special Awards: Arrow of Light
Favorite Scouting Memory: My favorite scouting memory was attending the National Scout Jamboree in 2010.
Description of Eagle Scout project: Brent worked with the San Gabriel Mountain Trail Builders in restoring over 200 feet of handrail and steps at the historic Crystal Lake in Azusa, CA. With around 50 volunteers and over 1000 hours of work, the stairs and handrails were made safe and stable for public access from the parking lot to the lake below.
Why did you want to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout? I wanted to become an Eagle Scout because I have learned that Eagle Scouts lead by example and I want to be a leader in my community.
Other activities/service work: I am currently a member of Lion's Heart which is a community service group within our community in Ladera Ranch.
Taylor Comroe
Age: 15
City: Foothill Ranch
Scout Affiliation: Troop 1210, Rancho Santa Margarita
Leadership Positions: Den Chief, Troop Instructor, Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader of Community Service, Troop Guide, Junior Assistant Scout Master
Number of Merit Badges: 34
Special Awards: Den Chief Service Award, God and Family Religious Award
Favorite Scouting Memory: My favorite scouting memory was summiting White Mountain, which is the third highest peak in the contiguous United States.
Description of Eagle Scout Project: I built the Stations of the Cross that are displayed throughout the Santa Margarita school campus during the Lenten season.
Other Activities/Service Work: I have participated in many service projects with my scout troop. Some of these outings include maintenance work on trails in the local wilderness and feeding the needy at homeless shelters. I have been a part of many service opportunities in the Saddleback Food Pantry, where I have stocked food for the needy, and I have participated in many Eagle Scout Projects to help my fellow scouts on their way to reaching Eagle Scout.
Noteworthy Accomplishments: Completed a 50-Mile backpack in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range and climbed to the summit of Eagle Scout Peak.
Why did you want to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout?
I joined the scouting program when I was in second grade and since then, I knew becoming an Eagle Scout was something I wanted to do. It was not until I bridged from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts that I realized I was close to accomplishing the goal of earning this rank. By earning merit badges and moving through the ranks of scouting, it gave me the feeling of excitement. I knew I was one step closer to the rank of Eagle. I knew that by joining the scouting program, it gave me the opportunity to experience things that I will never forget. Earning the rank of Eagle Scout has been one of my lifelong goals and it is something that I will cherish forever. Taylor is also a member of the SMCHS Cross Country and Track team.
Brandon Mindt
Age: 18
City: Dove Canyon
Scout Affiliation: Troop 818, Rancho Santa Margarita
Leadership positions: Assistant Patrol Leader, Webmaster
Number of Merit Badges: 31; Life Saving, Environmental Science, Citizenship in the Community, Nation & World, Fire Safety, Family Life, First Aid
Special Awards: Mile Swim, Sea Lion Swim, Tot N Chip (knife safety), Firem'n Chit (Fire safety)
Favorite Scouting Memory: My favorite scouting memory was back in 2010 when a few members of my troop and I went on a four day, 50 mile back packing trip. The trip brought my friends and I a lot closer to each other because of all the time we had to talk to each other. When we finally reached the top of Eagle Scout Peak, I felt like that was one of the best memories that I had throughout my scouting experience. I don't think that I had ever been so amazed and terrified at the same time. The only bummer was it was at 14,000 feet and on the way down I got altitude sickness. This is something I will never forget.
Description of Eagle Scout project: I love cars, so my dad and I went down to the auto shop area of Saddleback College and talked to the professor there to see if there was anything we could do for them. Professor Clifford Meyer said that his students had limited seating for studying before and after class, and nowhere to eat lunch, other than the classroom. He suggested that a good project would be to build them a table and benches for the students. We built 1 - 6' table, 2 - 6' benches, and 2 - 3' benches. The table has a hole in the top for an umbrella.
Other activities/service work: Camp Hi-Sierra, Argus Scouting Adventure, Camp Emerald Bay, Spring Camporee 2008, Camp Chawanakee
Noteworthy accomplishments: Mile swim (in the Ocean), 75 Mile Hiking Award, 75 Mile Biking Award
Why did you want to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout: I wanted to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout because I knew the prestige and honor that came with the rank. I knew that it would stay with me for the rest of my life and it would open numerous doors for me in the future. It is something I can be proud of for the rest of my life and the memories and experiences are something that will stay with me for as long as I live.
James Griffin
Age: 16
City: Foothill Ranch
Scout Affiliation: Troop 1210, Rancho Santa Margarita
Leadership positions: Jr. Assistant Scoutmaster, Troop Guide for High Adventure, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader for High Adventure, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader for First Class Emphasis, Patrol Leader, Troop Historian, Den Chief
Number of Merit Badges: 38; Favorites: Aviation, Whitewater Rafting, Climbing, and Backpacking
Special Awards: BSA Religious Emblem Award - Four Star Recipient, Jim Hawkins Mountaineering Award, Trail Saver Award, Den Chief Service Award
Favorite Scouting Memory: Getting the opportunity to peak Mt. Whitney twice in a two-week period: once as part of a 21-mile day trek, and once as part of a seven-day 50-mile backpack trek!
Description of Eagle Scout project: For my Eagle Project, I led 70 volunteers in the construction of a 90-foot long rock wall bordering the entrance of the Mt. Whitney Fish Hatchery, which is located in Independence, CA. This project, which took two full days and over 1,000 man hours to complete, helped the Fish Hatchery in that it provided the organization with an aesthetically-pleasing entrance that also helped keep visitors from walking over a tough-to-maintain and quickly-eroding slope.
Other activities/service work: The most rewarding Scouting experiences for me have involved high adventure. I am most appreciative of the backpacking and rock climbing opportunities that the Troop has offered me over the years. Through these opportunities, I have participated in two 50-mile backpack trips, which included summiting Eagle Scout Peak in the 100year anniversary of Boy Scouts, and summiting two of the three highest peaks in the contiguous United States. I have also been able to give back by offering over 100 hours of trail-building service to hiking trails within the Southern California Mountains.
Noteworthy accomplishments: Personally, my most rewarding accomplishments have been helping several of my friends to attain the rank of Eagle, and getting to serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the Eagle Scout Court of Honor (awards ceremony) for two of my friends, Taylor Comroe and Brent Niemerski.
Why did you want to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout: I wanted to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout because the badge signifies many of the ideals that I respect as a student and as an individual. Along the way to achieving the rank, I experienced countless rewarding opportunities for service to my community and to my peers. This fueled my desire to continue to work toward achieving Scouting's highest rank.
Congratulations also go out to the following students who have received the Venturing Silver Award, an equivalent to the Eagle Scout rank.
Connor Kann
Age: 17
Award: Venturing Silver Award (Eagle equivalent), Eagle Scout 2011, with 3 palms, Bronze Award in Sports and Religious Life, Gold Award
City: Mission Viejo
Noteworthy Accomplishments: Founder "Venturing Crew 2020, Perfect Vision"; Founder "SeaScout Ship 2020"; helped organize and perform food preparation for 150 cub scouts at Belt Loop Bazaar, helped organize and perform food preparation for over 300 boy scouts at Merit Badge Day, and taught with other crew members Introduction to Leadership Skills for Crews.
John Tanner
Age: 15
City: Las Flores
Awards: Eagle Scout 2010, with 6 palms, Bronze Award in Sports, Outdoors and Religion, Gold Award, Ranger Award, SILVER Award (Eagle Equivalent)
Noteworthy Accomplishments: Founding member Troop 1273, Founder Crew 2020 - VP of Administration, Founder SeaScout Ship 2020, Boatswain (President)
Skyler Yang
Age: 15
City: Rancho Santa Margarita
Awards: Star Scout journey to Eagle, Bronze Award, Sports, Gold Award, SILVER Award (Eagle Equivalent)
Noteworthy Accomplishments: Founder Crew 2020 - VP Programs, Founder SeaScout Ship 2020 - Assistant Boatswain VP Administration
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Operation Interdependence
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Operation Interdependence Delivers Care-Packages to the Deployed 
For the past 4 years the SMCHS O.I. Club has been packing care-packages for our deployed troops overseas with a hand written letter of "Thanks & Prayers" in each one. It is our goal to reach our deployed Heroes to show our support and bring a smile to their faces! Each care-package includes items such as a snack bar, sunscreen, chap-stick, candy, beef jerky, and toiletries.
This year our SMCHS O.I. Club organized and collected supplies, wrote letters, and assembled 500 care-packages for our service men and women deployed overseas that shipped just in time for Christmas. We also sent another 1200 care-packages in March. We were happy to include over 500 Oakley T-shirts and girl scout cookies in our care-packages. It is always wonderful to receive a letter back from one of the units that receives our O.I. boxes. With that in mind, I wanted to share the letter I recently received from MSgt Earl G. Watie.
"My name is MSgt Watie and I am currently deployed in Helmond Province, Afghanistan. I had the honor of reading Brittany's letter and her 10 year history of support for all of our fellow service men and women deployed overseas in Afghanistan. My Marines and I were truly blessed by her letter and boxes of support and willingness to do something at such a young age. Showing her pride and support of the freedom we are sworn to protect is truly heartwarming! It also fills me with pride to see so many young men and women in the SMCHS O.I. Club taking time out of their day to day activities to show their support, it is greatly appreciated. Please relay to all of the other young men and women that their support is greatly appreciated and well received especially for some of the Marines who may not have family members to send them care-packages or mail showing support. I want to thank you all on behalf of all of them. Thanks again and may God keep you in his grip."
Respectfully Submitted,
MSgt Earl G. Watie G-4
Regimental Chief of Regimental Combat Team 6
God Bless our Troops,
Brittany Pikula & SMCHS O.I. Club Members
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Curry and Merritt Soar to Individual CIF Pole Vault Titles
Congratulations to junior Parker Curry and sophomore Kaitlyn Merritt of the Eagle Track and Field team for each winning the Division 3 CIF Championship in the pole vault. Curry entered the competition ranked 3rd behind the state leader Connor Hall of SLO and Michael Rovzar of Mater Dei. Parker was able to best the field with his first attempt clearance at 15'06", earning him the title of CIF Champion.
Kaitlyn was able to weather an 'off day' by her standards en route to a 12'06" clearance, earning her second consecutive CIF Championship title. Merritt was the class of the field that was made up of 8 Trinity League members in the 9 person field, the lone non-Trinity league member was from Covina High School.
Merritt was also a member of the 4x100 meter team that finished 7th, and the 4x400 meter team that placed 3rd in a school record time of 3:51.00, good enough to qualify for the MASTERS meet.
In a refreshing break from the norm, both of these athletes take their talents beyond the runway, as both compete in the open events as well as the relay teams.
Well-deserving of some recognition is pole vault coach Mandie Rowell of the Eagle Track and Field staff, who now can add to her coaching resume her third CIF Champion in just two years.
In winning their respective CIF titles, both Merritt and Curry advanced to the prestigious Masters meet, a combination of the best athletes from all divisions to see who would advance to the California State Meet to represent the southern section. On the girls side, Merritt took top honors as she won the event by clearing 13'03". On the boys side, Curry managed multiple 3rd attempt clearances in order to achieve the automatic state qualifying mark of 15'04". In the end, Curry matched his school record with a 3rd attempt clearance of 15'10", to advance to the 2013 California State meet.
In Clovis, CA., both Merritt and Curry took their vaulting talents against the best vaulters in the state of California on May 31st for State Prelims, and both qualified for Saturday, June 1st's State Finals. In the end, Parker Curry finished the year on the podium when he tied for 3rd place. Merritt held true to the rankings as she climbed to the highest spot on the podium where she was crowned the 2013 California State Champion. In the end, both Merritt and Curry claimed the title of 2013 Orange County Champions and Division 3 CIF Champions, with Kaitlyn adding a feather to her cap by the way of a State Championship. With both athletes returning next year, we can only wait to see what they do with an encore!
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Eagles Swimmers Enjoy "Sweet Sweep" at Trinity League Finals
The 2013 Swim Season has been a record-setting year for the Eagles, so the 2013 Trinity League Swimming Championships were a showcase for some fast swimming and a plethora of school and league records. With the 6 team championships this year, the Eagles swim team has now won 70 of the past 84 team league titles, a record no team in the Trinity League is close to matching.
The number one ranked Girls Varsity dominated the competition outscoring league rivals 590 to 462.5 (Mater Dei), and JSerra (356), to win their 14th consecutive League Championship. Since the Serra/Trinity League was created in 2000, SMCHS has won every possible league title. The team of Jax Shoults, Emily Gibson, Raquel Remick, and Lizzie Devitt set the school record in the 200 medley relay (1:46.86), Lizzie Devitt defended her 200 IM title with an All-American time (2:02.69), and the relay team of Taylor Calaiacovo, Audrey Johnstone, Sydney Franzen, and Lizzie Devitt won the 200 freestyle relay title.
The Boys Varsity, ranked #5 in Orange County won their 9th League championship with an exciting win over Mater Dei (554 points to 520), Servite (366 points), St. John Bosco (229), JSerra (175), and Orange Lutheran (113). Freshman Grant Shoults shattered 2 League records in the 200 freestyle (1:40.99) and the 500 freestyle (4:30.17), winning both events and breaking the school record in the 500 freestyle that was set in 1998. Senior Max Walsh won the 100 backstroke in a swift :53.14, and the relay team of Marc Morizono (Fr.), Max Walsh (Sr.), Arturo Cerda (So.), and Grant Shoults (Fr.) won the closing race of the day, the 400 freestyle relay holding off top-seeded Mater Dei.
The Girls and Boys Junior Varsity teams won their respective league championships. For the Girls JV, this marked the 14th straight league title they have won. Along the way, the team won every race of the 11 races competed in and set school and league records in the 200 and 500 freestyles (Kelli Baumgardner), the 50 and 100 freestyles (Sophia Baia), the 200 IM (Riley Beeler), and the 100 fly (Sarah Niemi). The Boys JV won their 13th league crown after being seeded to place 2nd behind Mater Dei. Logan Wright set school records in the 50 and 100 freestyles, and David Bao set the school and league record in the 100 back. Austin Engelbrecht won the 200 freestyle, and Spencer Lupin won a double-200 IM and 100 breast.
The Girls and Boys Frosh/Soph teams raced to league championships and records were falling left and right. The Girls Frosh/Soph won their 11th league title and set school and league records in the 200 medley relay, 200 freestyle relay, 200 and 100 freestyles (Fiona Goh), and the 50 breast (Elizabeth Morris). The team won all of the 10 events competed. The Boys Frosh/Soph won their 9th league title with a true team effort. Sam Slobodien set school and league records in the 100 IM, Austin Clark in the 50 back, and Jack Garcia in the 100 free. The 200 medley relay team also set school and league marks.
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Several Eagle Athletes Recognized by the City
From OC Register
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA - The City Council this week recognized students from Santa Margarita Catholic High School for their academic and athletic achievements as well as their character.
Swim team: The Eagles recently won a CIF relay meet by taking three of the seven events, breaking school relay records in the 300 freestyle, the 200 breaststroke and the 200 butterfly. The frosh/soph team dominated the meet, winning six of the seven relay events. The Eagles have produced 53 All-American swimmers, 16 individual CIF champions and have had four swimmers qualify for the Olympics.
Kaitlyn Merritt: The 10th grader won the CIF Division 3 championship in pole vault. Merritt is ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 3 nationally. She holds the national freshman and sophomore records in pole vault. She set a new school and county record by clearing 13 feet, 8 inches.
SMCHS Hockey Team: The 2013 SMCHS Eagles Ice Hockey team captured the ADHSHL Varsity 1A, California State and USA Hockey National Championships and were recognized by the city for their incredible season.
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Robert Russell Photography
 Robert Russell Sports Photography specializes in professional, action sports photography. Russell photographs SMCHS varsity sports. His work is available for purchase.
Click Here to view galleries from the 2012-2013 school year thus far.
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Summer Assignments
Summer assignments for the 2013-2014 school year are now available online. Please make sure your child has completed their summer reading and all other summer assignments prior to the start of school in the fall.
This is a reminder to parents and students that all levels of English(including Incoming Freshmen) have summer reading assignments for their English classes. While all students were reminded of this in their English classes, the complete assignments and relevant ISBN numbers for the texts can be found under the "Academics" tab on the SM homepage. Please review this information carefully and promptly as many classes have assignments that will be collected on the first day of school."
Click Here to view the list of assignments.
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Freshman Take Note!
Any freshman that is interested in the Model United Nations Program (MUN) is required to take a health class during summer school. Health will be offered as a blended online course over the summer. Health classes will be offered in one of two sessions. You only need to attend one session. This is a blended online course so attendance at the first class meeting is mandatory.
Session 1 - June 12, 2013 to July 1, 2013
Session 2 - July 2, 2013 to July 19, 2013
If you are interested in taking a Summer School course please visit
www.smhs.org/summerprograms
for more information. To register for classes, please log in to the parent portal and click on the summer school tab.
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SMCHS SAT Prep Course
Our 24-hour SMCHS SAT Prep Course is an intense program covering all of the Math and English testing techniques and skills offered in the longer and more expensive courses.
Students enrolled in our 24-hour course may choose either an afternoon class or an evening class.
The 24-hour course generally lasts seven or eight days. The first day is the longest day and will be used to administer an actual SAT test. It will be graded and scored by the students so they can test themselves in the future. This process will also give the students a base score to which they can compare all future test scores.
Class time for the remaining six or seven days will be evenly divided between Math and Verbal classes.
Within these classes the students will learn and practice test taking techniques and shortcuts, learn guessing strategies, complete vocabulary building exercises, and be given valuable essay writing tips specifically for the SAT test.
Click Here for more information and to sign up
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Summer School
Anyone that has received an "F" grade in a class must remediate the course over the summer. Anyone with a "D" grade in a course should remediate the course over the summer. All summer remediation courses are blended online learning courses.
Our online courses are blended courses requiring the student to adhere to strict calendar requirement deadlines and some "face-to-face" meeting time with the instructor for orientation, additional instruction (e.g. labs), and assessments. Final exams must be taken in person under the supervision of a SMCHS proctor. By no means are our blended online courses designed for "independent study" or "self-paced" as they require regular interaction with the teacher and other students in the course. When SMCHS offers a summer school course, students are not permitted to take another course for credit, or credit recovery (remediation) elsewhere at the same time.
Semester 1 (1st semester remediation) - June 12, 2013 to July 1, 2013
Semester 2 (2nd semester remediation) - July 2, 2013 to July 19, 2013
>>Click Here for more information<<
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2013-2014 School Year SMCHS IB Fees Due for the Class of 2014 and the Class of 2015
Class of 2014 and 2015 parents, please check your student's 2013-2014 online schedule of courses. If the schedule contains an IB course the following message pertains to you/your students.
On April 10, 2013 and again on May 13, 2013 an email was sent to all Class of 2014 and Class of 2015 families with a student(s) enrolled in an IB course for the 2013-2014 school year. The email detailed the required paperwork, the 2013-2014 SMCHS IB fee schedule, and the steps necessary to secure a seat in an SMCHS IB course. IB completed paperwork and fees were due on May 15, 2013.
If you have not already done so, please have your student(s) pick up their individual packet from the IB Office as soon as possible. The completed IB paperwork and fees must be received by the IB Office by Friday, June 7, 2013. Students who do not submit the required items by June 7 will be dropped from all IB courses. If you have questions regarding this matter please contact the IB Office. Click Here for the IB website.
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San Francisco Solano
Please join the San Francisco Solano parish community at their annual Rummage Sale on Saturday, June 8th and Saturday, June 15th from 8:00am - 4:00pm each day. Fiesta de Solano will be held this year on Friday, June 28th from 5-10pm, Saturday, June 29th from 12-10pm and Sunday, June 30th from 12-9pm. Please join us for games, rides, live entertainment, food, and a Grand Prize drawing! Pre-sales will take place after all Masses beginning June 8th so stop by to purchase your Grand Prize Drawing Tickets and discounted ride tickets. If you would like to become a sponsor, or donate any products or services to this event, please e-mail Fiesta.de.Solano@gmail.com. New to our fiesta this year is BINGO! Bingo will be held in the new parish center on Friday from 5-9pm, Saturday and Sunday from 4-9pm. Players must be 18 or older. Also new to our fiesta this year is a BOUTIQUE! The Boutique will be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings from 5-9pm. We are in need of vendors to participate, so please contact us if you are interested. Please check the SFS bulletin for information on how to sign up to volunteer at the fiesta.
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Sarah DeMille 5K is Right Around the Corner
We are celebrating the 5 Year Anniversary of the Sarah DeMille 5K Memorial Run here at Santa Margarita Catholic High School this summer. Our 5th Annual Sarah DeMille 5K Memorial Run will take place on Saturday, July 20, 2013-with General Race Time at 8:15am.
With this special 5 Year Celebration in front of us, we are hoping to have as much support for our event as we can at this benchmark time.
We invite you to help-can you participate in our run, or you can become a sponsor for our event, or even help us to underwrite some of the days costs-we'd love to have your support! Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.
The funds raised each year are endowed and then shared through scholarships that are awarded each year to a qualifying senior Lady Eagle Runner-and those monies are used for their college education.
About Sarah and the Scholarship
The Sarah DeMille Scholarship Award was set up in remembrance of Sarah Ashley DeMille, SMCHS Class 2005 Lady Runner. Sarah was killed in an automobile accident at Northern Arizona University. Sarah volunteered to accompany a friend driving a fellow student at NAU home for the weekend so the driver would not have to make the long trip on mountain roads back to NAU alone. The student driving the car lost control while trying to avoid hitting a deer that ran across the road.
The idea for the scholarship and the initial donation to the fund was made possible by Applied Medical. Sarah had worked at Applied Medical for two summers as an intern. Sarah was a true Lady Runner. She loved to run. She loved the team and she loved her ability to make each member believe it was all about personal best. The recipient of the scholarship award is chosen based on the values and attributes of the ideal SMCHS Lady Runner.
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THE TALON ACADEMY OF PERFORMING ARTS SUMMER THEATRE CONSERVATORY
SPREAD YOUR WINGS THIS SUMMER!!
THE TALON ACADEMY OF PERFORMING ARTS
SUMMER THEATRE CONSERVATORY
OFFERING STUDENTS IN GRADES 6th - Incoming 9th
THE OPPORTUNITY TO
DISCOVER, EXPLORE, AND DEVELOP SKILLS IN ACTING, IMPROVISATION, AND MUSICAL THEATRE IN A TWO-WEEK CONSERVATORY
SESSION JULY 8 - JULY 19TH
Each day, students will rotate through three classes taught be educational theatre professionals. Training will include improvisation, collaborative ensemble work, monologue, character development, movement, and musical theatre performance.
ABOUT TAPA
The Talon Academy of Performing Arts is a conservatory training program offered through Santa Margarita Catholic High School. TAPA staff possess a unique blend of artistic, educational, and professional experience. This is an important distinction because the TAPA philosophy of training is rooted in Theatre on Purpose. This philosophy is based on the acknowledgement that every individual is endowed with unique gifts and talents given freely from God and that we are called to nurture and cultivate those talents. Theatre on Purpose therefore uses the performing arts as a way for students to grow not only as artists but as human beings in a positive, disciplined, safe, and nurturing environment.
SUMMER SCHEDULE
Students may enroll in one of the following 3 hour sessions July 8 - 19th
Session 1: 8:30 - 11:30 Showcase: July 19th at 10:30 a.m.
Session 2: 12:30 - 3:30 Showcase: July 19th at 2:30 p.m.
DEADLINE TO SIGN UP IS TOMORROW, FRIDAY JUNE 7TH
COST
$400
Second Student $250
Enrollment Limited. No Refunds.
Make Checks Payable to: SMCHS 22062 Antonio Parkway Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688
OR GO TO ARTS at www.smhs.org
Contact Amy Luskey-Barth, Director of Theatre Arts at bartha@smhs.org
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Eagle Fund
Thank you to all the families, friends and alumni who have given to the Eagle Fund. As of today we have received $126,345 in gifts.
Our Eagle Fund has the power to continue dreams of our founders 25 years ago to provide an excellent Catholic education in Orange County and to sustain our competitive edge as a leader in education.
We are calling on you to please join us in the 25th Anniversary Challenge to achieve 100% participation from our families, alumni, friends, faculty and staff.
Help make your class shine by reaching our 100% participation in giving a gift. YOUR gift will make a BIG difference. Every gift, no matter the size, makes a difference-especially yours.
Please make your gift today.
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SMCHS Scrip Opportunities
Scrip can help reduce your student's tuition or support your student's sport or club while, at the same time, supporting the school's general operating fund.
One of the many scrip programs offered includes Target and their "Take Charge of Education" program. Target and their "Take Charge of Education" program donates up to 1% of purchases made using the Target Visa, Target Card or Target Business Card purchases to K-12 schools located in the U.S. Target tracks purchases charged to participating accounts and distributes the accumulated donations to schools annually.
Now that Target offers a 5% discount on all purchases charged on their Target Visa, Target Card, or Target Business Card, this program is a win-win for you and SM!!
Scrip is an enrichment program and the credit you will see on your student's tuition bill will be your grade! Following are the reference materials you will need to be successful in Scrip 101 and if you have any questions, please email or phone your Scrip Advisor, Catherine Hassen at hassenc@smhs.org or 949-766-6004.
Effective immediately, SMCHS is discontinuing the inkjet cartridge recycling program. You may continue to recycle your inkjet cartridges at any Staples store.
Click Here to read all about our Scrip program and its opportunities
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Arts Alliance
 Arts Alliance is Recruiting Parent Volunteers.
We are looking for one parent to represent each discipline (Choral, Orchestral, Handbells, Theatre, Dance, Band) at the monthly Arts Alliance Meetings. We would also like to have one parent from each Performing Arts class period to help distribute and collect information about upcoming events and opportunities. All parents are encouraged to get involved to help increase the visibility of the Arts at SMCHS both within and outside our community.
What is the Arts Alliance?
We are a new parent led organization formed in 2011 to support the Performing Arts Department. We are fostering an alliance with our faculty, administrators, and community. We are not a booster club. The Arts Alliance is building the foundation for the future of the Arts at SMCHS.
For more information, please feel free to contact any one on the leadership team:
Diana Jennings - diana@brandyouimage.com
Deanna Rule - dce_rule@yahoo.com
Valerie Flynn - jvflynn@cox.net
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Safe Homes 
PTG (Parent Teacher Guild) Executive Board welcomes you all to the 2012-2013 school year! The PTG is comprised of parents, administration, faculty and staff of Santa Margarita Catholic High School. Membership in the PTG is automatic. The PTG supports the SM community in its Christian philosophy, written policies, designated programs and other specific needs. One such sponsored program is Safe Homes.
With a new school year comes many new social events for your student. In order to ensure your child visits only "Safe Homes" this school year, we ask families to make the voluntary commitment by pledging your home a Safe Home. To do this, please click on the link below to learn more about this free program.
Click here for information about Safe Homes and Click Here to view a list of families who have committed to keeping their homes safe. |
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Seniors can pick up all medication, EpiPens, inhalers and diabetic supplies in the Nurse's Office this week and next week during school hours. The office will be open next week until 3:45 pm. We want to congratulate the Class of 2013! It has been our privilege as School Nurses to care for all of you and you will be missed! |
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Santa Margarita Catholic High School students are often featured in promotional materials and publications for the school including, but not limited to, the school directory and yearbook, video and multimedia presentations, press releases, the SMCHS Web site, school newsletters, magazines, social media efforts and marketing pieces. Consent to the above was implied unless you indicated so through the online registration process. Should you have any questions, please contact pr@smhs.org |
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Change Your E-Mail Address?
E-mail is the main avenue of communication that we have with our parents. If at any time your email address or other contact information changes during the school year, please email the school's Registrar Margie Mosman at mosmanm@smhs.org |
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If you no longer wish to receive SMCHS' monthly E-Newsletter, please scroll to the far bottom of this e-mail and click on "SafeUnsubscribe" and you will be directed to a screen to remove your e-mail address from our distribution list. Please note that removing your name from the database will remove you from all electronic notifications from SMCHS in the future, even important information regarding current students.
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Robert Russell Photography
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Robert Russell Sports Photography specializes in professional, action sports photography. Russell photographs SMCHS varsity sports. His work is available for purchase. Bob can be reached at: russellb160@sbcglobal.net
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