Christopher Columbus High School

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

May 2019 Newsletter

From the Office of Principal David Pugh

Congratulations to the Class of 2019!  
 
Your class has successfully completed four years of classroom instruction and represented Christopher Columbus High School as a student in good standing. This is quite an achievement!  I welcome you to our distinguished alumni community which is made up of over 15,000 graduates. Continue to wear our C with great pride and represent us well. You always have a home at Columbus.
 
Parents, thank you for your continued support and for providing us the opportunity to work with your son as an extension of your family during his most formative years.  
Adelante!
On May 25, 2019, 405 young men graduated from Columbus. They will attend many of our country’s top universities. The class was awarded over $24 million in scholarships and completed over 67,000 hours of community service. We hope that the moral foundation they received as Explorers will guide them throughout their life-long learning and that they will always keep in touch with their Columbus family.
It's Time to Set Higher Expectations 
Underclassmen, it is time to develop, grow, 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 would suggest that you read, provide service to our community, and create a plan for your future!  View Article on Setting Higher Expectations

Kudos to the Co-Valedictorians
Special congratulations to the Class of 2019’s co-valedictorians Fernando Salinas and Francesco Baca, both of whom will be attending The University of Florida’s Honors College.
Baccalaureate Mass Celebrates Four Years in Faith
The Baccalaureate Mass is a tradition at Columbus where seniors reflect on their high school years and their journey in faith. As always, we took time to honor our alumni whose sons are about to graduate.  Special thanks to Mrs. Call who helps organize our graduation ceremony and this Mass with our Campus Ministry team.
The Seniors Went “Back in Time” at Prom
The senior class had an extraordinary prom this year at the DoubleTree Miami Airport Convention Center.  The Back in Time themed prom featured classic cars and impersonators of 1950s stars.  Frank Sinatra and Elvis gave performances and Marilyn Monroe was also present.  Special thanks to Mrs. Cedeno and Mrs. Gonzalez for putting on the very memorable experience for our class of 2019.

Three Honorable Mentions at the Silver Knights Awards
Congratulations to the three seniors who received Honorable Mentions at the Silver Knight Awards Ceremony:  Daniel Gonzalez (Athletics Category) Victor Arechavaleta (Digital & Interactive Media Category), and Noah Defauwes (World Languages Category).  The Columbus family is proud of all 13 of  this year’s Silver Knight award nominees for their hard work and dedication to our school and community. Thank you Mrs. Galvez-Cuesta, Mrs. Cibran, Mrs. Amador, Mr.  Martinez, Mrs. Chomat, Mr. Corazon and Mrs. Call for helping prepare our nominees.  

Track & Field - Back to Back State Champions
The Columbus Track & Field Team won the Class 4A State Championships for a second consecutive year.  The Explorers finished with 45 points ahead of second place Flagler Palm Coast High School with 41 points.  Xzavier Henderson won an individual state title in the 400m with a time of 46.77 (a new school record).  Congratulations to the entire team and coaches Foyo, Hardwick, Diaz, and Areces on another outstanding season.

Columbus Wins the Miami Herald’s 2019 All-Dade Boys Major Sports Award
Columbus was a big winner at the Miami Herald’s 2019 All-Dade Athletic Awards, taking the Boys Major Sports Award (9A-7A) and having 24 student-athletes recognized.   Henry Parrish, Jr. won Football Offensive Player of the Year while Nick Regalado won Pitcher of the Year, and Nicholas Suarez won Scholar Athlete. Also, Gary Cooper was the Athlete of the Year Finalist and Fred Foyo ’75 was named the Co-Coach of the Year for Track & Field for the second consecutive year. The Columbus football team and family of Ari Arteaga were honored with the annual Leo Suarez/Walter Krietsch Courage Award. Special congratulations to Athletic Director Mr. McKeon, Assistant Athletic Director Mr. Staiano and to all the coaches and players.
Block C Athletic Awards
Congratulations to all the students who received awards at the Block C Athletics Awards Banquet. The three major award recipients were: Carmine D’ascoli (Sportsmanship Award), Nicholas Suarez (Scholar Athlete of the Year), and Gary Cooper (Athlete of the Year). Special thanks to Mrs. Vinson, Mrs. Horowitz, and Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham for coordinating the event.
10 Seniors Signed Letters of Intent to Play Their Sport in College
Congratulations to the following student-athletes who will be playing their sport in college this fall: Nick Calero (Baseball, College of Central Florida), Carlos Linares (Baseball, UMaine), Alex Rodriguez (Baseball, Marymount University), Carlos Valderama (Baseball, St. Thomas University), Andy Bianco (Lacrosse, Lynn University), Christopher Valdes (Soccer, Marywood University), Carlos Varona (Soccer, Marymount University), Eduardo Cardonne (Soccer, Marymount University), Diego Vega (Soccer, St. Thomas University) and Matthew Amor (Swimming, Barton College)
National Spanish Exam Medal Winners
Columbus had a great number of students attain national recognition for their excellent performance on the 2019 National Spanish Exam and Le Grand Concours. Our students earned 51 gold medals, 102 silver medals, 113 bronze medals and over 300 honorable mentions. We are extremely proud of these students and of the excellent faculty that make up our World Languages Department. Thank you for your hard work and dedication.
Hispanic Honor Society Induction
There were 48 students who were inducted into the Spanish Honor Society and the new officers were elected: Matias Assis (President), Jorge de la Osa (Vice-President), Andrew Langer (Secretary), and Jorge Gonzalez- Dunnam (Treasurer). Special thanks to moderator Dr. Folch and to David Florez ‘19 who served as the Master of Ceremony and for his overall commitment to the society. After the ceremony, the new members and their families had a social gathering with food and refreshments.
CCNN Live Named Best News Program by the NFHS Network
CCNN Live ended the year with yet another major accomplishment. The team was named the 2019 Best News Program by the NFHS Network, a joint venture among the National Federation of State High School Associations, its member state associations and PlayOn! Sports. Congratulations to the team and moderators Mrs. Insua and Mr. Delgado.
Students Visit the Kennedy Space Center and Meet Astronaut Steve Smith/Launch Engineer Ryan D’Ambrosia ’11
A group of engineering, robotics and STEM Club students had the opportunity to tour the Kennedy Space Center with Mr. Baez and Mr. Rodriguez. The Explorers had a Q&A session with astronaut Steve Smith, visited the Atlantis/ Apollo/Saturn V exhibits, and met with Columbus alum Ryan D'Ambrosia '11, Launch Engineer for SpaceX. 
STEM Club Project Launched Into Space
The STEM Club’s Conrad Challenge project submission was launched into space in the Moonwalker Capsule which contained all the 2018-19 student submissions. The opportunity was made possible in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the legendary moon landing. Thank you Mr. Rodriguez.
PLTW Biomedical Students Honored at Pinning Ceremony
Members of Ms. Taylor's PLTW Biomedical Class were honored at a pinning ceremony for having completed a successful academic school year.
Principles of Biomedical Students Learn Stop the Bleeding Techniques
Students in Principles of Biomedical Science hosted alumni Erik Alexander '91 and Marco Torres '91 for a workshop on 'Stop The Bleeding' techniques. The students were excited to learn these empowering techniques that can make a difference in life-threatening emergency situations. Thank you Ms. Taylor.
Aviation Club Visits Atlas Air Facilities
The Aviation Club visited the Atlas Air facilities at Miami International Airport for a tour of the flight simulators and briefing rooms for pilots in training. Thank you to moderator Mr. Diaz for accompanying the students.
Students Meet with Free Speech Activist Mary Beth Tinker
Students in Ms. McCullagh’s history class were able to have a video conference with free speech activist and youth advocate, Mary Beth Tinker. Tinker is most known for her role in the 1969 landmark court decision that ruled that students in public school have First Amendment rights.
Anglers and Spearfishing Clubs Visited St. Theresa School/Toured the SeaHunter Boats Factory
The Anglers and Spearfishing Clubs represented Columbus well as they taught the boys and girls of Saint Theresa School how to tie fishing knots like the Clinch, Double, and Albright knots. Both clubs also visited the SeaHunter Boats factory where they learned about the marine industry and took a boat ride to Boca Chica aboard a SeaHunter 45’ and 39’ vessel. Special thanks Mr. Dukes and alumni Eddie Leon, Paul Myrtetus, Bernard Perez, and Ralph Montalvo from SeaHunter.
Anglers Club Attended Florida Insider Fishing Report Taping
The Anglers Club also attended the Florida Insider Fishing Report with Captain Rick Murphy. This marks the third year that the club has attended the live studio audience taping. The topic of the show was redfish and members of the club got the opportunity to ask an industry leading captain about the species and his experience in catching them.  Thanks again Mr. Dukes.
Guidance News:
The Guidance Department has organized a 5 Day/4 Night College Tour of schools in the southeast through IST Campus Tours. The tour includes visits to LSU, Loyola University – NOLA, Tulane University, Auburn University, the University of Alabama, Vanderbilt University, Emory University and the University of Georgia.  For more information and to sign up CLICK HERE.

In May, the Guidance Department administered over 1400 AP exams to 540 students. Rising Seniors and their parents will be receiving information regarding our College Boot Camp which will take place August 12th - 15th from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. 
French Exchange Student Program Creates Enriching Experiences
Our French exchange student, Louis Brisset, had a marvelous experience at Columbus thanks to his host student Victor Fuentes and his family. Louis took part in a one-month immersion program organized by Inspired Gateways. These types of opportunities have been enriching and beneficial for both our Explorers and their French counterparts. If you are interested in becoming a host family, please contact Estelle Pugh at epugh@columbushs.com.
Patriot Club Replaced Flags Throughout Campus
Thank you to Dr. Burrus and the members of the Patriot Club for ensuring that brand new American Flags replaced all old worn out flags throughout campus.  

End of Year Party at Great Heights Academy
Students in the Best Buddies Club and in Mrs. Gonzalez-Rojas’ Communication Methodology Class were able to participate in the last volunteer activity of the year at Great Heights Academy. The students collaborated on summer crafts, played kickball, baked cookies, and enjoyed a dance party. Our Explorers have been blessed to have forged some special friendships with these students with special needs. Special thanks to Mrs. Gonzalez-Rojas and Mrs. Bell.
12 Students Inducted to International Thespian Honor Society
Twelve new members were inducted into the International Thespian Honor Society for their hard work and dedication to the theater program. Six students received letterman jackets, three seniors received honors graduation cords, and six officers were inducted. Kevin Cordero, a freshman, broke the Columbus record for the most thespian points upon induction and is the first freshman to ever letter in drama. Thank you Mrs. McGrath.
Students Attend Marist Youth Mission Conference in Esopus, New York
Mrs. Eyda Alegret and Mr. Chacon accompanied 13 Explorers to the Marist Brothers Center in Esopus, NY to participate in the 2019 Marist Youth Mission Conference. The conference welcomed over 150 young Marists from the USA, Canada and Mexico who partook in prayer groups, workshops, games, and parties with their peers all with the purpose of helping our students better understand what it means to be Catholic and Marist in today’s society.  
End-of-Year Marist Youth Gathering on Campus
Over 70 students from Columbus and other area high schools gathered for the final Marist Youth meeting of the school year.  At the gathering, 30 seniors were honored and blessed.  Special thanks to Br. Tom.

Celebrating Religious Brothers Day
On May 1st, we celebrated Religious Brothers Day, a day meant to commemorate in a special way the mission and identity of Religious Brothers in the Church.  At Columbus we have 12 Marist Brothers who work tirelessly to make Jesus known and loved among our school community. The Columbus family is blessed to have you! 
Fernando Salinas Awarded the SebastianStrong Foundation’s Science & Technology Scholarship
The 2019 SebastianStrong Foundation’s Science & Technology Scholarship was awarded to valedictorian Fernando Salinas. Fernando, who will attend the University of Florida, will be majoring in biology with the goal of becoming a doctor. Special thanks to Mr. Oscar and Rose Ortiz, Columbus parents who lead the foundation in honor of their late son and Explorer Sebastian Oritz.
Columbus Recognized for Supporting the UM Hurricane Challenge Benefitting Children with Disabilities
The Campus Ministry Council sponsored a school-wide donation drive assisting The University of Miami Physical Therapy students to host the Hurricane Challenge benefitting students with disabilities. Hurricane Challenge provides a day of fun and activities, and sport activities throughout the year. Thank you to Juan Gonzalez ’11, Student Physical Therapist at the Miller School of Medicine, who presented us with the award on behalf of UM.
CCNN Live Interview with Columbus’ New President
Incoming president Thomas Kruczek was on campus in May and our CCNN Live team made it a point to interview him.  Watch the interview and get to know our new president. Interview with Mr. Kruczek.
Andrew Moran is Named New Head Basketball Coach
Andrew Moran
has been named the head basketball coach for the Explorers. Moran, founded Miami Hoop School, a player development program, six years ago and has been an NBA Skills Trainer as well as International Clinician. He was the head basketball coach at Miami Christian School during the 2015 season, leading the Victors to a state championship. He also spent two seasons working with the Miami High Stingarees. Welcome Coach Moran to the Columbus family.
Thank You For Years of Service – Mrs. Savino, Mr. Cunningham, and Mr. Pearce
As the 2018/19 school year comes to a close, we say goodbye to three members of the Columbus family who are retiring and will not be returning to the school next year:  Joanne Savino (Englisher teacher for 38 years), John Cunningham (History Teacher for 27 years), and Dwight Pearce (School Treasurer for 15 years).  We will miss you all and wish you good luck in your future endeavors.
 

Br. Kevin Day at Marlins Park
Br. Kevin not only threw out the ceremonial first pitch during the Marlins vs. Mets game at Marlins Park on May 18th, but he also met Marlins CEO Derek Jeter, Advisor to Baseball Operations Jorge Posada, and Manager Don Mattingly. Br. Kevin was presented with a Marlins jersey with his name and a Columbus jersey from the Columbus vs. Belen game held on March 5, 2012, the first ever game to have taken place at Marlins Stadium. Special thanks to Flash Fernandez ‘84 and Alfred Mesa ‘93 (Marlins VP Public Affairs) for making it a memorable day for Br. Kevin.  WATCH VIDEO 
Columbus Featured in Archdiocesan News for Helping Students Make Positive Decisions
The Archdiocese of Miami recently featured Columbus in an article about avoiding the temptations of drugs, alcohol and vaping. Read Article
Wear What Explorers Wear – Shop the Online Store
At  COLUMBUSEXPLORERS.SHOP you’ll find 2-day shipping on the latest Columbus branded merchandise for men, women, and children. Be sure to check out the store and wear what Explorers wear!
Summer Camps & Programs at Columbus
Columbus offers a wide array of camps and programs over the summer for both our current students and young children. These include the CCNN Live Summer Institute (Broadcast Journalism), Web Ball Baseball Camp, Press On Running Camp, Athletic Team Workouts and our 45th annual Basketball Camp (the longest running basketball camp in Miami-Dade County). View our Summer Camps and Enrichment Programs Web Page to learn about the different opportunities.
Summer Reading:
The summer reading listing will be posted on the school website’s newsfeed by June 10th.  Reading assignments may vary with course and year level.

Summer Office Hours

June 10 – July 1:              7:00am – 4:00pm
July 2 – 31:                       8:00am – 2:00pm
Aug. 1 – 2:                        7:00am – 3:00pm
Beginning Aug. 5:            7:00am – 4:00pm


                           
Upcoming Dates To Remember:

June 10:                Summer School Registration
June 11:                Summer School Begins
July 1:                    Summer School Ends
July 4th:                July 4th Holiday (School Closed)
Aug. 15:                Seniors May Purchase Parking Permits (9:00am in A12)
Aug. 16:                Freshmen/Transfer Students Report for Orientation/iPad distribution at 7:40am
Aug. 17:                New Parents Reception (7:00 – 9:00pm)
Aug. 19:                All Students Report to Homeroom at 7:40am for full day of school
Aug. 20:                New Parents Meeting (last name starts with A – L) 6:30pm in cafeteria
Aug. 21:                Picture Day for all students
Aug. 21:                New Parents Meeting (last name starts with M – Z) 6:30pm in cafeteria
Aug. 23:                Annual CCHS vs. Belen Football Game
Aug. 27:                Back to School Night Freshmen and Sophomore Parents (6:00pm)
Aug. 28:                Back to School Night Junior and Senior Parents (6:00pm)
Aug. 30:                Freshman Field Day & Beach Bash
Sep. 12:                Labor Day Holiday (No School)  
 

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.

Columbus is fully accredited by Cognia and is a member of the Marist Association of Secondary schools, the National Catholic Education Association and the Independent Schools of South Florida.