Christopher Columbus High School

A Catholic School for Young Men in the Marist Tradition since 1958

December 2024 Principal's Newsletter

From the Office of Principal David Pugh

A Successful First Semester!
As we reflect on this first semester, we celebrate the incredible accomplishments of our young men both in and out of the classroom. Faith, Brotherhood, Scholarship, and Service have been at the heart of everything we’ve done. From every Mass, retreat, and dance to our spirited sporting events, these moments have been made possible by our passionate and dedicated community of Marist Educators. We give thanks for the trust and sacrifices of our parents, the presence of our Marist Brothers, the leadership of our administration, the hard work and commitment of our teachers, the care and guidance of our counselors, and the unwavering support of our proud alumni. Together, we continue to inspire and empower our young men to live out the Marist spirit in every way that they represent us.
Christmas Blessings from our Administration
Our administration would like to extend our warmest wishes to you for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We are deeply grateful for your support and pray that the coming year brings you abundant blessings.
Tree Lighting Ceremony
We held our 3rd Annual Christmas Tree Lighting on  December 12th.  It was a magical evening filled with holiday lights, music, treats and good cheer. This year there were several news components added to the event including the appearance of Father Christmas, a snow machine, and Tery’s Toy Drive.  Special thanks to Mr. Cooper and the Columbus Band, the Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart Choir, and the St. Brendan Elementary School Choir.  Thank you to everyone who donated  unwrapped toys.  The event would not have been possible without the hard work of Mr. Ramos, Mrs. Cue, Ms. Ramunas and Ms. Lozano.

LINK Club Hosted ELFstravaganza for Children with Special Needs
On December 15th, the LINK Club hosted its 3rd annual ELFstravaganza, an inclusive holiday event for the special needs community. Christopher Columbus High School LINK members, along with volunteers from student organizations at Carrollton, St. Brendan, Lourdes, and La Salle joined forces to create moments of pure joy and wonder for some truly deserving children. This year, we were excited to also welcome our first middle school volunteer group: the students of St. Thomas the Apostle. It was a beautiful display of the power of teens working together selflessly to spread love, laughter, and holiday cheer to others.  Thank you to Mrs. Gonzalez-Rojas, Mrs. Debra Martinez, Mr. Nunez and Ms. Llontop.  
Mass to Celebrate the Immaculate Conception
Our Marist school community gathered for Mass celebrating the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Pictured are Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Felix González and Alejandro Garcia.  Thanks to Fr. Milton Martinez, Vocations Director of the Archdiocese of Miami, and Fr. Sebastian Grisales, Parochial Vicar at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Parish; they were assisted by Deacon James Dugard of the Theology Faculty.
Stand for the Silent Club Served in Box of Joy Ministry
Members of the Stand for the Silent Club volunteered at the Cross Catholic Outreach Organization filling Christmas Boxes of Joy for needy children. Our young men wrapped gifts for over 4,000 children in need. Thank you Mr. Garrigo.  VIEW FLORIDA CATHOLIC ARTICLE
SAC Toy Drive
Once again our SAC Toy Drive was a huge success!  SAC joined forces with the Miami Dade Police Department, Corazones de Servicio, and The Caring place to distribute the toys to unprivileged-children.  Thank you Mrs. Alonso and Ms. Brown.
Christmas Concert
Led by musical director, Mr. Cooper, our talented band held its annual Christmas Concert in the cafeteria.  They put everyone in the Christmas spirit and also played their own arrangement of "Say you, Say Me." Watch and listen to the concert in the following links:  Say You, Say Me (Rock Ensemble Arrangement), Spain - Jazz Band  and Full Concert.
Rho Kappa & Patriot Clubs Sponsored Christmas Wreaths for Deceased Veterans
The Rho Kappa (CCHS History Honor Society) and Patriot Clubs partnered together to honor those who served in our country’s armed forces by sponsoring Christmas wreaths for our deceased veterans in Arlington National Cemetery. Through the Wreaths Across America Organization, the clubs sponsored 12 wreaths to be placed on the grave markers of our fallen veterans who dedicated their lives to keep our blessed country safe. We would especially like to honor those in the Christopher Columbus family who served our nation and have been laid to rest. In gratitude, wreaths were dedicated to the parents of Mr. Linfors for their service in the military. Special thanks to Dr. Burrus.
Robotics Team Claimed Victory at Aviation V5RC Skills Event
The Columbus Robotics Freshman Team won the Miramar Regional Park Aviation Day V5RC Skills Event where they competed against 20 teams.  This win secures our freshman team as the first to qualify for the state competition. Congratulations to Mathew Zavatsky, Lawrence Parker, Reinaldo “Reny” Alfonso, and Lucas Asturias. Thank you Mrs. Oses.
Computer Science Day
The Computer Science & Engineering Department held their first Computer Science Day in the cafeteria giving students the opportunity to operate robots,  drones, virtual reality, and 3D printers.  The day also included an hour of code and a thrilling gaming competition against Miami Dade College’s gaming team. It was inspiring to see the joy and curiosity sparked among the students.  Special thanks to our Computer Science Honor Society Officers, Liam Patel and Josh Hernandez and Ms. Rayneri, Mr. Armando Rodriguez, Mr. Oses, and Mr. Harriman.
College & Career Guidance News
Our college counselors attended the Private Colleges & Universities of Florida Breakfast & College Fair at Lynn University and the Tri-County Counselor Breakfast at Nova Southeastern University. The team also partnered with the University of Michigan to host the It's Never Too Early to Plan for College Seminar aimed at fostering early college awareness for 9th–11th-grade students and their families. Counselors also visited senior English classes to assist students in completing the Bright Futures application. 
Representing Columbus at the Marist Mission Conference
Thank you to Br. Dittus, Ignacio Acosta, Christopher Barrera, Robert Chica, Alex Hernandez, Sebastian Hickey, Cristian Paz, Jhon Pineda, Kevin Pinillos, and Emilio Vizcon for representing Columbus at the Marist Mission Conference at Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center, Palm Beach, Florida.  The goal of this program is to share with students about how our Mission of Making Jesus Christ known and loved is lived around the world, in our local communities, and how we can be part of that in our daily lives.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue’s Seminar for EMT Students
The training session was an important component of the course as the students have already started ride-a longs and hospital clinicals.  Thank you Mr. Chica
Basketball Team Ranked #1 in the Country
Our unrivaled varsity basketball team won its six games in December including a big win to Gonzaga Prep which at the time was ranked #2 in the country according to MaxPreps.  Currently, the Columbus Explorers are ranked #1 in the country.   
Football Ends Season at State Semi Finals
Congratulations to our football team on another incredible season.  Though they fell short against Venice in the FHSAA Class 7A State Semifinal, our Explorers fought hard and played with heart. Photo courtesy of Adolfo Robiou.  
Soccer Program Celebrated Senior Night
Our Soccer Program held its annual Senior Night where they celebrated the dedication and hard work of 10 members of the senior class and their families.  As tradition goes, all the seniors started the game which ended with a 0-0 draw. Congratulations to:  Matias Giorgio, CJ Diez-Arguelles, Lucas Gonzalez, Eric Gonzalez, Ricardo Sierra, Tomas Calonge, Andres Gotera, Joseph Musalan, Sebastian Romero, and Lucas Villanueva.  Special thanks to Coach Kam. 
National Signing Day
The Class of 2025 Early National Signing Day Celebration took place on December 4th in the gym with the following student-athletes:  Football:  Bryce Fitzgerald (University of Miami), Hector Chavez (Florida Atlantic University), Jose "JJ" Gomez (Bucknell University), Dylan Gill (University of West Georgia-*Pending Confirmation); Cross Country/Track & Field:  Adrian Cardero ( Florida State University).
Wrestling Team - District 15 Dual Champions
The varsity wrestling team were the champions of the 3A District 15 Dual Championships, the state duals portion of the state series.  The team advanced to the region quarterfinals which will take place in January. Earlier in the month they finished as the runner-up champions at the Captain Archer Memorial Classic in Punta Gorda, FL. Thank you Coach Grant.
Columbus Ice Hockey Team
The  Columbus Ice Hockey Club is competing in their inaugural season in a league sponsored by the Florida Panthers, competing mostly against Broward schools. The team recently competed at the Panthers’ Amerant Bank Arena, home of the defending Stanley Cup champions, where they narrowly lost to Barbara Goleman in a high-scoring game. The roster is made up of:  Christopher, Alegria, Michael Babun, Gabriel Diaz, Gustavo Diaz, Matthew Diaz, Vince Diaz, Ranier Garrido, Lucas Gonzalez, Christian Granier, Tyler Llerandi, Anthony Palermo, Cristian Paz, Gabriel Rodriguez, Tyler Schack, and Michael Tabares.  Thank you Mr. Pino.
Six Debaters Competed in Elimination Rounds at the Cypress Bay Tournament 
Out of our nine debaters who competed at the Cypress Bay High School Tournaments, six made it to elimination rounds. Congratulations to:  Taro Porschke (3rd Place Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate), Christopher Coronado (semifinalist, Impromptu Speaking), and the Public Forum competitors Joseph Alonso, Ignacio Chazaretta, Ale Caram, and Mason Ross.  Thank you Mr. de Tuya.
Theater Program Production
Congratulations to the Theater Program on their successful production “I Quit! A Guide to Leaving Your Job in Style.”  Special thanks to Ms. McGrath.
Business Students Hosted Jon-Michael Geno ‘98
Jon-Michael Geno ’98, an experienced banker, insurance, and finance executive visited with the Business Club and the Business Honor Society to speak about the industry and his career journey.  
12 Students Winners at DECA Districts
DECA is an international organization that offers a variety of competitive events to high school students interested in business and marketing. In our inaugural year offering a DECA Club, we had twelve winners at the District Competition and four achieved first place.  Congratulations to Hospitality Services:  Jean-Manuel Granda, Carlos Gutierrez, Iker Urresti (1st), and Andres Vidal (1st); Finance: Alejandro Caram, Mauricio Gonzalez, Taro Porschke (1st); Sports and Entertainment Marketing: Alejandro Gil (1st), Lucas Hernandez, Julian Sosa; Business Finance: Robert Tompkins; Business Administration: Oscar Pinto. Thank you Mrs. Balado.
Educational Trip to Japan
On November 22nd, Columbus students went to Japan for the first time on an educational tour field trip through EFTours. The unforgettable tour included many cultural landmarks and activities like Osaka Castle, Mt. Inari, Kiyomizu-Dera Temple, Shirakawa-go Village, eating ramen in the Kiyomizu district, and a traditional Japanese matcha tea ceremony.  Thank you Mr. de Tuya.
Adelante Yearbook Earned Crown Award
Led by English teacher and Yearbook moderator,  Katie Essig, our 2023-2024 yearbook earned its first-ever Crown Award from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association—the Pulitzer Prize equivalent in the world of yearbook journalism. 
A.I. Task Force is Established
Under the direction of our Director of Educational Technology & Learning Development, Mr. Omar Delgado, we held our first A.I. Task Force Meeting.  The task force is made up of key members of the school’s administration, faculty and staff and aims to guide the integration of A.I. at Columbus to enhance teacher efficiency, support personalized learning, and prepare students with A.I. literacy for college and careers.  The group is focused on the simplification of A.I. adoption and on fostering ethical and responsible A.I. use for both students and teachers. 

Confirmation Preparation
Our Sacrament of Confirmation Candidates have been preparing to receive the sacrament next month. Formation is led by Mr. Gerardo González, Mrs. Cruz, Mr. Barbeite, Mr. Matthew Chica, Mr. Emmanuel González, and Campus Ministry Leaders.
Black Student Organization Lecture Series
As part of the “Black Leadership Lecture Series", the  Black Student Organization hosted a College Visit with Matthew Pigatt, (author, activist and leadership coach), Glendon Hall (Community Redevelopment Agency Director) and Martin Seals ’24 current freshman at Morehouse College. Earlier in the month they held another panel with Shirelle Jackson, UM’s  Associate Athletic Director, Brian Baptiste, UM’s Senior Deputy Athletic Director, Dr. Tywan Martin, UM’s Kinesiology & Sport Sciences Professor and Dr. Takevess Hatcher, a Taxation Specialist.  Thank you Mr. Campbell.
Arriola Family’s Gift for a Science Lab Renovation
Ricky Arriola ’86 and Danny Arriola ’94 made a transformative gift to STEM education with a $250,000 named gift which will fund the renovation of a Columbus science lab. This contribution is part of our school’s broader master plan, which includes the upcoming renovation of the entire Science D-Building Wing. This project will follow the successful completion of the A-Building Renovation and The Call/Culmo College and Career Guidance Center, continuing Columbus’ mission to provide cutting-edge facilities that support excellence in education.
Campus Ministry Team Leads St. John Neumann Retreat
Thank you to the Campus Ministry Team that led the 7th & 8th Grade Season of Advent Retreat at St. John Neumann Catholic School:  Mr. Daniel Rodriguez, Andres de Atienza, Maximus Barrenechea, Alejandro Garcia, Francisco Rivera, Jacob Fernandez, Demont Brown, Frank Tanda, Jacob Vivolo, Francisco Vazquez, and Mr. Gerardo González.
Columbus Moms Preparing for Freshman Mothers Retreat
Columbus Moms and Mr. Gerardo González met for the first time to prepare the upcoming Freshman Mothers Retreat.  Please keep the retreat team in your prayers.
Make Time for SARA Over the Break   
Don't forget to make time for SARA Over the Christmas break!   Our school has subscribed to this award-winning, mastery-based learning platform PSAT, SAT, ACT preparation. We urge all students to use this valuable resource.
Wyatt Goins & Daniel Perez Awarded Questbridge Scholarship
Wyatt Goins and Daniel Perez were both awarded the Questbridge Scholarship at Vanderbilt University.  The prestigious scholarship includes full tuition for four years plus travel, food and books.
Mateo Martinez ’25 Committed to Row at Temple University
Senior Mateo Martinez is one of the top high school rowers in the country. He rows for the Miami Rowing Club and has recently committed to row at Temple University, one of the top division programs in the United States.

Alejandro Caram & Michael Colucci - HOBY Leadership Conference Winners
These outstanding sophomores went through a rigorous three-step nomination process which involved being nominated by a teacher, writing a powerful essay on leadership, and presenting before a committee of faculty and students. Alejandro and Michael truly embody the spirit of leadership and dedication.
Mr. Jesurun Shares Faith and Inspiration at Retreat
Thank you to Theology Teacher Mr. Alex Jesurun for attending the  Kerygma Retreat and sharing his testimony with our sophomores.  Special thanks also to Ms. Llontop and Mr. Lorenzo for leading the retreat with our Campus Ministry student leaders.
uniball Offers Discount to Columbus Families
This month, we proudly honored our talented student-athletes that committed to playing at the collegiate level during our uniball National Signing Day™.  As a token of appreciation, the pen company, is offering an exclusive discount for Columbus families. Visit www.unibrands.co and use code uniball2425CCHS at checkout.
Upcoming Dates to Remember:
12/20 – 1/6:  Christmas Holiday (No School)
1/7:  Classes Resume
1/8:  Electives Fair (Soph/Juniors)
1/15:  Junior Parent Counseling Night (6pm, Café)
1/20:  Martin Luther King Day Holiday (No School)
1/22:  Sophomore Parent Counseling Parent Meeting (6pm, Café)
1/23 & 24:  Brotherhood For Good Retreat (Morningstar Renewal Center)
1/25:  Freshman Mothers Retreat (8:30am – 1:00pm, L Bldg. Dining Hall)
w/o 1/27:  Catholic Schools Week
1/29:  Catholic Schools Week Mass
1/29:  Freshman Parent Counseling Night
1/30 & 31:  Sophomore Kerygma Retreat (Morningstar Renewal Center) 

Marist Youth Group meets every Tuesday at 7:30pm in the Columbus Chapel.
Christopher Columbus High School | 3000 SW 87 Avenue | Miami, FL 33165 | (305) 223-5650
Brotherhood, Faith, and Scholarship define the Marist Brothers Catholic education at Christopher Columbus High School.  By making Jesus Christ known and loved and creating an inspiring academic and extracurricular environment, we prepare young men for higher learning and a life-long commitment to leadership and service through Gospel and Marist values.
Christopher Columbus High School has been selected as a 2024 Cognia School of Distinction and is fully accredited by Cognia, as well as a member of the Marist Association of Secondary Schools, the National Catholic Education Association, and the Independent Schools of South Florida.