This is a very exciting time to be an Explorer!  This year, we welcome over 1600 young men and their families into the Christopher Columbus High School Marist community.  We celebrate a new beginning, a new schedule, and a new school calendar.  I am so proud of what we have accomplished over the years (National Merits, Silver Knights, and State and National Championships), but now we must look forward to new challenges that lie ahead.

For the past three years, Columbus along with other Marist schools, has celebrated the 200^th Anniversary of the Marist Brothers, focusing on the foundations of our Marist charism.  This year, as we enter the third century of the Marist Institute, we are called to recognize the significance of the Gier River which is located near the Brothers’ first house in France.  Just as the Gier is a channel of water that flows to the world’s oceans, we as educators serve as important channels for our students by encouraging them to live out the Marist mission and be a vital force for good in their communities.

We celebrated Mass together this week, unified as one in prayer.  It was an incredible experience as Marist Brothers, Marist lay faculty and staff, and students participated.

 

Where there is hatred and divisiveness in the world, let Columbus be the place to develop brotherhood and camaraderie among our students where we respect one another and promote compassion for those less fortunate.

Welcome New Faculty & Staff
We welcome the following new faculty and staff members to the Columbus family:

 

Since their freshman year, Diego Ramos ’18 and his classmate Sebastian Ortiz shared the desire to positively impact the lives of children living with autism.  Together, they came up with the idea for Gear Up For Autism, a day in the park for children with autism to enjoy playing sports and to be given the gear of their favorite sport.  They wanted the event to take place during the summer of 2017 but soon after they started the planning, Sebastian was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and 14 months later, in December 2016, passed away.  We are so proud of Diego who finished what he and Sebastian had started and went on to work tirelessly and with great love to put on the event, in honor of Sebastian.  The event took place, as originally planned, during this past summer on July 21st and benefitted 55 children living with autism. Diego was able to raise close to $20,000 and all of the proceeds of the event benefitted Faith’s Place Autism Outreach, an organization which funds the education needs of children living with autism whose families have a financial need.  The project was a joint effort with the SebastianStrong Foundation.   

 

 

 

We wish the Explorers good luck as they square off against Northwestern tonight at 7:00pm at Traz Powell Stadium.

 

Coding Club Participates in HackMiami
The coding club kicked off their first competition of the school year at a  HackMiami event at Florida International University which counted on the attendance of 150 hackers.  

 

Justin Parrondo (Sophomore) and David Perez (Junior) represented the Explorers in the beginner category, finishing in 5th place.

 

Thank you to Mr. Larrubia, Coding Club Moderator. 

Mr. Martinez Speaks at Speech & Debate Conference
We are proud that our debate team moderator, Mr. Randall Martinez, was selected to speak at the 1st Annual Elevating Speech & Debate Conference in Denver. He discussed Spanish Language Debate as a tool for Latin Empowerment. 

 

We look forward to hearing about more accomplishments from Mr. Martinez and our successful debate team this year.  

Mrs. McCullagh Travelled to South Korea with Korean War Veterans
Columbus history teacher, Mrs. McCullagh, had the extraordinary opportunity to travel through South Korea this summer with the Korean War Legacy Foundation.  She along with other committed educators were able to tour landmarks while honoring Korean War Veterans (more information).

Help Columbus’ Texas Relief Effort
Junior, Charles Trent has organized a Texas Relief Effort and is calling for the Columbus family to donate  clothing, diapers, bottled water, and canned food. 

 

The donations will be accepted through Friday, September 8th and should be delivered to the box in front of Brother Tom’s office (first floor – 87th Ave. end of the B Building).

 

All donations will be given to the Miami office of Teens Exercising Extraordinary Success; they will deliver them to Houston and their Houston branch will distribute them to those in need.  Through our care and compassion, let’s demonstrate that the Columbus family is truly extraordinary.  

Columbus is collaborating with Inspired Gateways in a Cultural Exchange Program.  If your family is interested in becoming a cultural exchange host family for a French student this school year, please contact our French teacher Mrs. Estelle Pugh at epugh@columbushs.com or our Admissions Director, Mr. Michael Marinelli at mmarinelli@columbushs.com.  The French exchange students will live in Miami and attend Columbus for a shortened period of time. The host family will most likely have the student living with them for approximately one month.  We would love to see as many families as possible participate in this cultural enrichment experience opportunity.