This was a historic year, one that exceeded expectations!  Thanks to the hard work and determination of our students and the commitment to teaching, guiding, and leading of our Marist educators.  I want to especially thank the Marist Brothers for their leadership! The Brothers live the mission and inspire us with their presence, simplicity, family spirit, and love of work.  Thank you parents for your sacrifice, support, and cooperation throughout the school year. We appreciate your generosity!  

 

We look forward to the 2023-2024 school year! Underclassmen, it is time to develop, mature, and focus on your college and career aspirations.  It is time to expect more from yourselves. Develop the work ethic and mindset for success. Christopher Columbus High School provides you with the resources and facilities to achieve your goals!  This summer, I wish you the best. I suggest that you read, provide a service to your community, and create a plan for your future! Make good decisions, not destructive ones.

Be safe and God bless you all. Adelante! 

You are now one of over 16,000 very proud and distinguished alumni. We will never forget the “genuine relationships” that were fostered by our family spirit and cultivated in a Brotherhood built on loyalty, respect, and trust. These relationships are the foundation of St. Marcellin’s vision and Columbus’ mission, forged by caring hearts, tough love, and a support that will last a lifetime.  Continue to represent us well as you meet and accept the challenges ahead and remember that you always have a home at Christopher Columbus High School!  Special thanks to Ms. Ramirez for her hard work coordinating the commencement ceremony at UM’s Wasco Center.    

Congratulations to the Class of 2023 valedictorian, Alan Munschy, and salutatorian, Max Fonseca.  Alan will be attending Cornell University and Max will be attending the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.  They both gave inspiring speeches at graduation, representing the Class of 2023 in an exceptional manner.

Special Graduation Ceremony Held For Six Student Athletes
Due to athletic commitments, six student-athletes in the class of 2023 missed the commencement ceremony at the Watsco Center. To ensure that these outstanding Explorers didn’t miss out on a proper graduation send-off, we hosted a ceremony especially for them in the Lawrence Bell Center with full pomp and circumstance and the participation of the entire administration.  Congratulations Justo Andres Atrio, Parker Doll, Ahmere Foster, Lucas Lapido, Branden Ruiz and Coltton Stouffer.

The Class of 2023's Baccalaureate Mass was a momentous occasion where our school family came together to pray for our graduates. As is the tradition, we recognized the Columbus alumni fathers and grandfathers, a group that significantly grows every year. Special thanks to Mr. Gerardo Gonzalez.

Senior Prom - A Night to Remember
Senior Prom was a memorable evening of dancing and celebration.  Held at the JW Marriott Marquis, the theme this year was The Circus. Special thanks to the SAC team of Ms. Brown and Mrs. Alonso and all the faculty and staff members who served as chaperones.

The last event for the Class of 2023 was a Barbeque Picnic followed by the Diploma and Yearbook Pick-Up.  Come back to see us soon Explorers!

Columbus Led Miami-Dade at the Silver Knight Awards
Columbus was the most honored school in Miami-Dade County at this year’s Silver Knight Awards, South Florida’s most prestigious competition for seniors with a focus on service work. Congratulations to Jordan Perez (Silver Knight winner, Art) as well as to the honorable mention students:  Alan Munschy (General Scholarship), Armando Rubio (Vocational Technical), Alexis Vivanco  (Digital & Interactive Media) and Lucas Figueroa (Journalism). We are proud that Columbus remains the strongest Silver Knight Program in Miami-Dade, 10 years running. Thank you to Mrs. Galvez-Cuesta and her team for inspiring our young men to serve.  

We honored 130 seniors that were recognized by the ACT Student Success program.  The students received distinguished honor cords for their hard work and college and career readiness.  Thank you Dr. Vila and Mr. Garcia-Casals.

Mas Family Program End of the Year Lunch
Mas Program students had the opportunity to gather for lunch at the office of MasTec Inc. and hear from esteemed alums Jose and Jorge Mas, the CEO and Chairman of the Board of the company. The boys were privileged to hear their words of wisdom which further fueled their aspirations.

Mas Family Program Recognition Ceremony
The Class of 2023 Mas Family Program students were celebrated for their exceptional accomplishments at a recognition ceremony in the cafeteria.  It was a well-deserved tribute to honor their unwavering dedication and hard work in the rigorous program.  Thank you to Mrs. Galvez-Cuesta, Mrs. Amador, Mrs. Clute, and Mr. Lewis.

The Columbus Explorers Chapter of The Florida Law Honor Society held an induction ceremony for an exceptional group of pioneering young men interested in the field of Law. As part of the ceremony, they received certificates, pins, and chords. Thank you Dr. Lee.

Miami Herald 1st Team All-Dade Selections - Winter Sports
Congratulations to the following student-athletes who garnered 2022-23 Miami Herald First Team All-Dade selections for their Soccer:  Cristian Ortiz, Alex Ferenczi, Jacob Marino, Evan Ornazabal; Basketball:  Cayden Boozer and Cameron Boozer

CCNN Won 23 Student Production Awards
The CCNN Live Team won 23 Regional National Academy of Arts & Sciences Student Production Awards, a new record for the program. The awards were won for: News Report-Serious News: Battle for the Budget and March for Our Lives; News Report – Light News: Aviating Adolescent, Silvio Plata, Swift Snips; Multimedia Journalist (Hurricane Helpers-Juan Carlos Chaoui); Non-fiction Short Film:  Cowboy; Arts/Entertainment/Cultural Affairs:  Dia de los Muertos-Crossing the Divide, The Voyage October Episode;  Sports Story or Segment:  Balling Through Battles, The Ship October and November Episodes; PSA:  I Blame COVID for That, It’s Cool to be Kind, Commercial:  St. Timothy Carnival; Animation/Graphics/Special Effects:  CCNN Live Graphics Reel, Audio/Sound:  Mad World Orchestra 40 Years of Rock n’ Roll; Director:  Ballin on the Beach, Lucas Figueroa; Editor Balling on the Beach, Jordan Perez; Talent News or Sports:  Michael Martinez Anchor, Juan Carlos Chaoui Anchor, Anthony Martinez Anchor, Andrew Ahrendt Anchor.   Thank you Mr. Delgado, Mrs. Insua and Ms. Rodriguez.

Columbus Films Won Six Student Production Awards
Congratulations to Columbus Films for winning six student production awards.  Aiden Cuervo won five of the six awards for his production “Trials of Twelve” (animation, audio/sound, director, editor and writer).  In addition, Julen Herrerias won for cinematography on “Last Call to Nowhere.”  Thank you Mr. Diaz.

CCNN Live Named Sunshine Standout for a 5th Consecutive Year
The CCNN Live Team also shined at the Florida Scholastic Press Association State Competition. In the Spring Digitals, they won 12 BEST OF THE BEST awards, 40 ALL FLORIDA awards, 28 EXCELLENCE awards, and 24 HONORABLE MENTIONs. They also conquered the on-the-spot contests with 8 FIRST PLACE awards, 1 SECOND PLACE award, and 1 THIRD PLACE award. JC Chaoui and Lucas Delgado took home the titles of BROADCAST JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR and SPORTS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR, respectively.  As a result of all the wins, the program was named the SUNSHINE STANDOUT for the 5th year in a row.  Thank you Mr. Delgado, Mrs. Insua and Ms. Rodriguez.

The Log Wins 35 Awards at FSPA
The Log (school newspaper) won a total of 35 awards at the Florida Scholastic Press Association state competition. Some of the winners include: On the Spot Contests (Nicholas Roiz, 2nd place, hand drawn illustration); Multimedia Team (Dominic Gatto, Tyler Rusk, Nicholas Diaz, Charles Arencibia - 2nd place); PTI Sports Debate (Alexis Vivanco, Emilio Boutros, 3rd place); Best of the Best Awards: Pierre Chammas for Hand Drawn Illustration and Anthony Martinez/Juan Pablo Martinez/ Michael Martinez/Thomas Zarut for Broadcast Commentary, and Jordan Perez for Sports Reaction.  Congratulations to all the winners and to Mr. Busatto,  The Log's moderator.

Hundreds of high school volunteers gathered for the 4th Annual Gear Up For Autism Event at Columbus. The event provided a fun day of sports and activities for children with special needs and concluded with an awards ceremony where each child received a medal, their favorite sports gear and a pair of New Balance running shoes.  The event is held each year in honor of the late Sebastian Ortiz  who founded the event with his friend Diego Ramos (both from the class of '18). Special thank to Mrs. Sylvie Galvez-Cuesta.

The Columbus Robotics Team debuted on the world stage in Dallas, Texas, joining over 30,000 students from 811 teams across the globe at the VEX Robotics World Championship, the world’s largest robotics competition. After competing locally throughout the season, our team, Explorer 1 (11342A), ended the championship with 3 wins and 7 losses, ranking 73rd overall in their division. Congratulations to team members Christopher Guzman, Alessandro Fernandez, Nicholas Guzman and Erick Gonzalez for an impressive performance.  Anthony Perez and Mario Villaverde also attended the competition as student ambassadors.  Special thanks to Mr. Rodriguez for guiding and inspiring the students all year long.

The Debate Team ventured to Houston, Texas for the Bluebonnet International Debate Championship where the Novice team made it to the Semi-Finals and finished with a 5-2 record. Luke Meinhardt was awarded 8th best speaker, and Christian San Juan earned his first ever trophy, placing as the 3rd best speaker of the event. Additionally, the team earned the Team Spirit Award. Over Spring Break, Sven Stumbauer competed at the University of Kentucky as the first explorer to qualify at the Tournament of Champions. At the Florida Civics and Debate Championship, Juan Pablo Martinez won 3rd place in Novice Impromptu Speaking, Michael Tabares won 3rd place in Varsity Extemporaneous Speaking and Joseph Alonso was the Runner-up in extemporaneous debate. Our team president, Alan Munschy, ended his CCHS debate career in a memorable way, earning first place in every round he competed in and defending his title of varsity impromptu winner.  Thank you Mr. De Tuya. 

Geography Team Won Miami-Dade Bee for 4th Year
The Explorer Geography Club competed in the Miami Dade County Public Schools Geography Bee and finished in first place. After facing 15 high school teams, our Explorers secured their victory as Miami Dade County champions. This is the fourth consecutive first place standing the club achieves.  Congratulations to:  Antonio Santamaria, Gonzalo Palenzuela, Andreas Lozano, Sven Stumbauer, Herbie King, James Sacher, Nicolas Mirabal, and Enrique Villamil.  Special thanks to Mr. Hermedia.

We held the last college signing celebration of the year.  Congratulations to the following student athletes who will be playing their sport in college:  Soccer: Jacob Marino (University of North Greenville), Luis Dulzaides (Washington and Jefferson College), Martin Peralta (Regis College), Michael Arguelles (Regis College); Lacrosse: Raul Rivero Jr. (Palm Beach Atlantic University), Harrison Evans (Goucher College); Cross Country & Track: Parker Doll (University of South Florida), Giovanni Armas (Florida International University); Golf:  Sebastian Kawas (Marquette University); Baseball: Jovan Swayze (Miami Dade College), Santiago Carilles (Miami Dade College), Nick Zarranz (University of Tampa).  In total for the year, 30 seniors signed athletic scholarship to play their sport in college.

Anglers Club Activities
Members of the Anglers Club (Carlos Saladrigas, John Glassford, Nicholas Fleites, and Jorge Galceran) were invited to fish the waters of the Gulf of Mexico where they caught yellowfin tuna. The Anglers Club complete their annual Fish Flamingo Tournament where senior Derek Menendez-Enriquez came away with the win with a 21 1/4” trout.  To end the year, the Club attended the Florida Insider Fishing Report as part of their live studio audience.  The senior  members of the club closed out the year on the Florida waters participating in a sea trial of a VTec boat, riding from Matheson Hammocks to Boca Chica (thank you Adam Pereira ’19 for the invite). 

The Spearfishing Club hosted its end of the year Spearfishing Tournament at Gilbert’s Marina in Key Largo. Coming out on top was returning 2022 champion Daniel Saenz who managed to land the tournament winning grouper. In addition, four senior class members ventured down to Key West to participate in their annual senior spearfishing trip.  Thank you to Coach Dukes for leading both the Spearfishing and Angler Clubs.

LINK Club Hosts Prom for Teens with Special Needs
The LINK club, under the leadership of club President, John-Barry Bertamatti, hosted a prom for teens in the community with special needs. Due to the hard work of the club members and the moderators Mrs. Jeannette Gonzalez-Rojas and Mrs. Debra Martinez, these teens received a true high school dance experience which included a red carpet entrance, photo booth, and parting gifts.  It was a magical night of acceptance, kindness, and love. VIEW VIDEO FROM THE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

The Art and Music Departments hosted the school’s first Art Exhibition & Open Mic Night.  It was an amazing evening of art and music which was made possible with the efforts of Mr. Cooper, Mr. Gomez, Mr. Ventura and Ms. Vento.  Thank you to all who came out in support of the Arts at Columbus. 

The Marist Brothers, Campus Ministry and Columbus Administration hosted an end of year Awards Ceremony for students involved in Campus Ministry.  

Visual Arts Tour NYC 
A  group of Explorers visited New York City for an immersive Visual Arts Tour. This trip gave the young men exposure to famous works of art in the world's great museums and landmarks.   Students had the opportunity to experience the New York City art scene guided by one of the most knowledgeable Art History Teachers in Florida, Mrs. Livia Koepp.   

Congratulations to the newest members of the Spanish Honor Society.  They were inducted in a special ceremony led by Spanish Teacher Dr. Folch. Special thanks to student officers:  Jorge Samudio, Franco Leal, and Eleazar Lopez-Contreras.

Costa Rica Trip
During Easter Break, 42 lucky students and 7 chaperones went on an eight day journey through Costa Rica. The participants were able to zipline, explore the rainforest, learn about coffee and chocolate, take part in cooking workshops, milk cows, and enjoy hot springs, to name just a few of the activities.  The group definitely made memories that will last a lifetime. Special thanks to Mrs. Alonso.

Italy Trip
Also during Easter Break, Ms. Krystal Alegret, Mr. De Tuya and Br. John took a group of students to experience Italy.  Some of the highlights included celebrating Easter Mass at Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, visiting the Colosseum, and taking in the splendor of the magical city of Florence. 

The Columbus Gaming Team won the Rocket League National Championship.  Jose Rojas, Ezequiel Bartra, and Ryan Lezcano went undefeated (16-0) and faced off against a tough Lafayette Jefferson team from Indiana. They ended with a score of 4-2 and took home the National Championship in the Vanta High School Esports League! Thank you Mr. Harriman and Mr. Sanchez.

AP Capstone Showcase
Junior Mas Scholars participated in an academic poster presentation similar to what one might find at a professional academic conference.  They discussed and defended their research and conclusions.   This was the final piece of their AP Research journey and they are one step closer in earning College Board's highly coveted international diploma. Special thanks to AP Research teacher Mr. Kumer and AP Seminar teacher Mr. Crossman as well as Mrs. Galvez-Cuesta.  

Track & Field Team - District & Regional Champs
The Track & Field team ended the season as district and regional champions. They finished 9th overall at states with a couple of hard fought podium finishes.  In the 100m, Durian Moss finished 4th.  In the 400m, Adrian Cardero finished 4th.  In the Long Jump, Shaddai Carter finished 5th.  Also in 5th, was the 4x100 team team of Darriel Harper, Shaddai Carter, Ahmere Foster, and Durian Moss.  The 4x800 team of Branden Ruiz, James Orange, Parker Doll, and  Mario Sueiras finished 8th overall.  Thank you Coach Areces.

 

 

 

 

Baseball Team - District Champions
The Explorer Baseball Team finished the season as the champions of their district.  Their overall record was 24-5.  Thank you Coach Weber.  

The Lacrosse team won their 3rd consecutive District Championship beating Western high school 19-13.  Thank you Coach Hernandez.

 

The Columbus Connects Leadership Lecture Series brought another distinguished set of panelists to campus to speak to our school community.  The State of the Ports lecture featured Ralph Cutie '84 (CEO of Miami International Airport) and Hydi Webb (CEO of PortMiami). Together Cutie and Webb lead departments that contribute $77 billion to our local economy and support over 600,000 jobs.  It was an honor to host them on campus.  Special thanks to the moderator, alum Richard de Villiers '87 and JB Aleman ’84. 

Eight Explorers competed under the Columbus High School name at the Tap Cancer Out Jiu Jitsu Tournament. Not only did they raise over $800 for cancer research, the small club placed 14th out of 52 actual Jiu-Jitsu Schools. Overall, Columbus had 4 podium finishes, 1 gold by incoming freshman Michael Rojas, 2 silvers earned by senior Nicholas Rojas and moderator Mr. Machado and one bronze championed by senior Douglas Leiva.

Campus Ministry leaders that serve at retreats and Marist Youth as well as members of The Squires participated at the Marist Youth Gathering at Marist College, NY with representatives from Marist Schools in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.  Participants experienced the Marist heritage and learned how to promote Marist charism.  Being Marist is a way of life as we make Jesus Christ known and loved.  Thanks to Mr. Chacon, Ms. Rodriguez, and Mr. Machado.

The 2023 SebastianStrong Foundation’s Science & Technology Scholarship was  awarded to Kevin Saez for his strong leadership skills, service, and desire to pursue a degree in the medical field. Special thanks to Mr. Oscar and Rose Ortiz, Columbus parents who lead the foundation in honor of their late son and Explorer Sebastian Oritz.

The family of the late Rudy Sanchez visited campus to honor Alan Munschy as the recipient of the 2023 Rudy M. Sanchez Memorial Award.  The award was created to  honor the beloved Columbus physics teacher who passed away in 2021. 

Br. Eladio has been a Marist Brother for 68 years and has spent half of those years serving Columbus as a counselor. He has also been the longtime moderator for the Squires service club.  With great enthusiasm, Br. Eladio has mentored countless students, making a tremendous difference in their lives. Although Br. Eladio will be retiring from counseling, he will continue to serve as our trusted school photographer and will have an important presence on campus.

Br. Felix is Retiring as a Teacher
Br. Felix has had a long and happy  educational career in Florida, starting at Monsignor Pace High School where he spent 23 years. In the late 1980s and early 90s, Br. Felix was an assistant principal at Columbus, and later spent four years at the archdiocesan education office as assistant superintendent, followed by 15 years as principal of St. Brendan’s high school. For the last 10 years,  Columbus was blessed to have Br. Felix serve as a math teacher.  Although retiring, we are blessed to have Br. Felix form part of the Columbus family.

Celebrating our Marist Brothers
On May 1st we celebrated Religious Brothers Day. Columbus is blessed to have 13 Brothers on campus serving the school in a variety of ways.  They all provide spiritual guidance and mentorship to our school family. Pictured Left to right on the  top row is Br. Peter Guadalupe, Br. Herb Baker, Br. Kevin Handibode, Br. Edmund Sheehan, Br. Steve Kappes, and Br. Marcos Longoria. Sitting are Br. George DiCarluccio, Br. Michael Brady, Br. Eladio Gonzalez, and Br. Felix Elardo.  Br. Al Rivera, Br. John Healy and Br. Tom Long are missing from the picture. 

Armando Rubio Received Burger King Foundation Award
Congratulations to Armando Rubio '23 on receiving the prestigious Burger King Foundation Award for his exceptional achievements in high school.

Cameron and Cayden Boozer ‘25  were named to the 2023 Men's U16 National Team, after seven days of training camp in Colorado Springs. Congratulations to the brothers for this amazing honor of representing our country in the sport of basketball.

 

The founder of our weightlifting club, Sebastian Marin, has won the Florida Weightlifting Association State Championship for 16-17 year old boys in the 96KG category. Sebastian has inspired many of his classmates to learn about weightlifting and many are now on the verge of competition.

Our Desmond Family Success Center Director and Learning Specialist Mrs. Beatriz “Betty” Vinson was named a CLAES Nobel Educator of Distinction by the National Society of High school Scholars.  A role model to her students, Mrs. Vinson was nominated by a student for her outstanding dedication and commitment to excellence in the profession.

Science Teacher Bruce Ferguson Honored by M.I.T.
Our science teacher Bruce Ferguson was honored by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Office Admission for being influential in the development of students admitted to MIT.   Mr. Ferguson is a knowledgeable, patient and disciplined Marist educator who greatly impacts his students.  Thank you to Erick Gonzalez ’23 for submitting his name for the recognition.

Mrs. Iris Martinez, Director of our Center for College and Career Guidance, has been appointed to the board of directors of the  Southern Association for College Admission Counseling.   

Longtime Columbus English Teacher and Key Club Moderator, Mr. Andrew Chacon, has been awarded with the G. Harold Martin Fellowship, the highest honor that anyone affiliated with the Key Club or Kiwanis can receive. 

In May, we welcomed Albert Tamayo ‘03 back to Columbus as our new Vice President of Finance.  With over 13 years of experience in accounting and finance, including six years at The Siegfried Group and senior roles at Deutsche Post DHL Group, Albert brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our team. 

Check Out the Latest Columbus Connects Magazine
This special edition is focused on the Marcus Lemonis and Mario Sueiras Center for Science & the Arts and all the good work being accomplished by our newly restructured Office of Advancement.  You'll also find a great article on Steve O'Brien and how he started the Castaways Against Cancer who are currently on their 24th annual journey to raise money for cancer research.   VIEW MAGAZINE HERE. 

8/8:                    New Parent Orientation (6:30pm, Cafe)
8/14:                  Freshman Orientation (7:45am - 12:00pm)
8/14:                  Transfer Students Orientation (9:00am-12:00pm)        
8/16:                  We Are Marist Freshman Retreat A-F (9:00am – 2:00pm)
8:16:                  Senior Orientation (7:45am – 12:00noon)
8/17:                  Junior Orientation (7:45am – 12:00noon)
8/17:                  We Are Marist Freshman Retreat G-O (9:00am – 2:00pm)
8/17:                  Junior College Night for (Juniors & Parents (6:00 – 7:30pm, Cafe)
8/18                   Sophomore Orientation (7:45am – 12:00noon)
8/18:                  We Are Marist Freshman Retreat P-Z (9:00am – 2:00pm)
8/19:                  Freshman Parents Cocktail Party (6:00pm, Café)
8/21:                  First Full Day of School (7:45am – 2:10pm)
8/25:                  Picture Day (All Day)
8/25:                  Freshman Field Day (7:45 – 12:00pm)
8/29:                  Back to School Night 9th & 10th Grade Parents (6:00 – 8:00pm)
8/30:                  Back to School Night 11th & 12th Grade Parents (6:00 – 8:00pm)
9/1:                    Beach Bash School Dance (7:00pm – 11:00pm)