Today we celebrate the Eighth Class boys basketball team, coached by Jeff Kinney ’95. A few weeks ago, they finished their season with an exciting game against All Saints and won 57-47! Their student cheering section definitely added to the great energy. In addition, it was a joy to recognize their parents during a special ceremony at half-time. What a way to end the season!

Thank you to ALL who supported the Third and Fourth Class book collection for Books for Newborns! It was an incredible success and we exceeded our goal of 1,000 with 1,562 books collected! Students promoted, collected, sorted and bagged books daily, then helped load up the vehicles yesterday. These books will fill 550 book bags for older siblings of newborns! Way to go, ASH!

Academy super student ice hockey players have wrapped up (or are finishing) their seasons! Hockey requires extensive commitment from players and their families with several practices a week, off-ice training, weekend games and tournament travel. For students to balance their school work and Academy extra-curriculars with the time it takes to practice and play is a testament to their growth in time management and organization skills.

What a wonderful day to share the Academy Love at Be Part of the Heart! From the many activities to highlight our students’ love of learning to the fantASHtic Book Fair to the wisdom shared by Class of 2019 alum panel — joyful Academy spirit was in the air! Thank you to all who joined us. (And, enjoy this Super Bowl Sunday — looks like the KC Chiefs are the ASH favorite to win!)

“Bright” and early on Friday, Sixth Class students were busy collecting donations for Hardee’s 23rd Annual Rise and Shine for Heat-Up St. Louis. Thank you to all who stopped by to say good morning and helped raise money for those in poverty continue to heat their homes. Living Goal 3 — a social awareness which impels to action.

Our 20th Annual Trivia Night was a blASHt! From creative costumes and table decor to tasty beverages and snacks to the Tito’s Walk and fun with the ASH community, it was a successful evening in support of our school. Special thanks to the Fathers’ Club, emcee Bobby Strickland ‘05 and all of our volunteers and sponsors for a fantASHtic night!

This afternoon Eighth Class students planned an assembly in Cribbin Hall Library to launch the second half of the school year. With abundant joy, we welcomed new Seventh and Eighth Class faculty member, Mrs. Nagehan Hill, and new students, followed by a beach ball toss. Then students worked together to form the numerals 2-0-2-3 (look closely;). Thanks to the Eighth Class for leading our community today!

Kudos to the Academy’s robotics team, Robot Enthusiasts, who competed in the First Lego League Competition at Lutheran High School on Sunday and placed third for the Championship Award! They will now advance to the Regional Championship on January 21 in Wentzville.

The ASH team competed against 23 other teams. The teams engaged in research, problem-solving, coding and engineering – building and programming a LEGO robot that navigates the missions of a robot game. As part of Challenge, teams also participate in a research project to identify and solve a relevant real-world problem. This year’s theme was titled “Super Powered.” Each team had to develop a solution to conserve energy consumption or reduce impact of use on the environment.

On Sunday, volunteers gathered at the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen to celebrate our Alumni Day of Service. From start to finish, alums created a Thanksgiving meal: prepping ingredients and making turkeys, sides and desserts, setting up and decorating the dining room and serving the meal, then clean-up.

“The highlight for me was working together to make the recipes,” shares Alexandra Sanchez ‘06, Alumni President. “We all were laughing, enjoying time together, talking about our holiday traditions while making a meal that so many would get enjoy.”

What a joy-filled day to celebrate the feast of our foundress, St. Philippine Duchesne! We were blessed to have Father Art Cavitt share his energy, passion and love for Philippine with our Academy community, including some VERY special guests: Grandparents and Grandfriends! After mass, Grandfriends enjoyed treats and classroom visits, spending the morning with their beloved grandchildren.

“I ask myself, here in this place of Philippine’s home and heart, how does Philippine’s Feast Day speak to us today, now, at this moment?” Mr. Horner shared following mass. “I believe that Philippine is smiling, watching from heaven with happiness in her heart for her school … because she knows that her legacy of love has been picked up and will continue through each of you.”

Eighth Class boys and girls are designing Christmas ornaments in Mr. John Storjohann’s computer class. The assignment was to choose a landmark on campus as the theme for their ornament, sketch it out, and then design it using TinkerCAD, the CAD/CAM program we use for 3D models.

Students have chosen the Shrine, the Round House, the Caire Courtyard fountain, the front gate, etc. Most of them are doing a true 3D design rather than a bas relief style of ornament, although a student is attempting to recreate the John Pils painting as a 3D ornament! As one student said when he was working on a particularly tricky design, “I like a challenge!”