Thankfulness, Gratitude, and Appreciation
Thankfulness, gratitude, and appreciation are three words that are often referred to during the months of November and December. This is a time when we make a special effort to put the needs of others before our own and find ways to engage in kind acts towards one another, especially those who are less fortunate. 

It’s easy for us to get consumed with our busy schedules, academic and athletic competitions, and more school events than one campus can support. So, as we look forward to this Christmas holiday season and extended time away from the hustle, let us remind ourselves of what is most important in our lives. Spending quality time with family and friends, maintaining a healthy and stress-free lifestyle, and strengthening our relationship with God is a good start. 

 

Thank you all for your continued support and cooperation.  Wishing our entire school community a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

On December 17th, under the leadership of head coach Dave Dunn, the Columbus football team captured the FHSAA 4M State Championship after defeating the Apopka Blue Darters at DRV PINK Stadium, Ft. Lauderdale (16 – 13) with a thrilling overtime win. We thank WOW MKTG and our many sponsors for allowing us to offer a spectacular tailgate party.  This is Columbus Football’s 2nd state title and the 18th for our athletic program in team sports.  The Explorer Football Team won its first state title in 2019, also against Apopka.     Congratulations to the Champions!  

 

We were able to give the football team a spirited send-off on the day before the game with a lively pep rally in the gym. Attended by the entire student body, it was undeniably a fun event with lights, cheerleaders, dancers, and a hype video. Thank you Student Activities.

On December 13th, Columbus held an inaugural Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Marcus Lemonis and Mario Sueiras Center for Science & the Arts.  There were plenty of cookies, hot chocolate and candy for all.  The  choir of Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart and the Columbus Band provided the entertainment and the highlight of the evening was a performance of Silent Night by singer Kique Gomez ’22, a Top 13 finalist on this season’s hit TV series The Voice.  Special thanks to Columbus’ Music Director Mr. Keith Cooper and Mr. Bradley Poore, Director Of Performing Arts At Carrollton School Of The Sacred Heart, and to the event organizers Becky Minoso and Zulma Trujillo.   

We held an Elfstravaganza for children with special needs through our LINK Club.  Our young guests had the opportunity to have a quiet and intimate Santa experience at Br. Eugene Plaza and take part in Christmas themed activities.  Special thanks to Mrs. Gonzalez-Rojas, Mrs. Debra Martinez, Ms.  Llontop, Mr. Nuñez and all who helped out on this special day.

Squires Club Spreads Christmas Cheer
The Squires Club went to Our Lady of Altagracia Mission to spread some Christmas cheer and distribute gifts to young children.  Thank you Br. Eladio. 

We are proud to announce our nominees for the 2022-23 Miami Herald Silver Knight Awards, one of the nation's most highly regarded student awards programs. Each of these seniors have excelled academically, maintaining a high GPA, all while serving selflessly in our community:  Jordan Perez (Art), Stefan Anzola (Athletics), Nicolas Postel (Business), Alexis Vivanco (Digital & Interactive Media), Christian Pico (Drama), Enrique Villamil (English Literature), Alan Munschy (General Scholarship), Lucas Figueroa (Journalism), Max Fonseca (Mathematics), David Grenier (Music), Alessandro Fernandez (Science), Gabriel Villar (Social Science), Nicholas Gonzalez (Speech), Armando Rubio (Vocational/Technical) and Michael Rodriguez (World Language).  Thank you Mrs. Galvez-Cuesta, Mrs. Amado, Mr. Lewis and Mrs. Clute.

The Azor Esports Complex officially opened on November 19 (the day of our Open House). The complex consists of two rooms; the Esports Arena which is where the Columbus Gaming Esports Team competes nationally through the High School Esports and Vanta Leagues and the Esports Virtual Reality and Console Lab.  Some of the games being played in the facility include Valorant, Fortnite, Rocket League, Apex Legends, League of Legends, Super Smash Bros, FIFA and Chess.  The complex is located on the third floor of the Mas Technology Building and is open every school day between 2:15pm to 4:15pm with extended hours on Fridays (to 6:15pm).  The Esports Club and Team Moderators are Mr. Andrew Harriman and Mr. Eddie Sanchez.  The complex was made possible due to the vision and generosity of Frank Azor ’99, gaming pioneer and Chief Architect of Gaming at AMD.   

Students taking  Criminal Justice and Criminology classes and those on our Mock Trial Team attended a field trip to the Miami Dade Courthouse where they met with Judge Thomas Rebull ‘88 and Bailiff Michael Cotter.  It was a great educational experience on the court system.  Special thanks to Dr. Lee.

Our Debate Team competed at the 44th Annual Isidore Newman Invitational in New Orleans which had a participation of 43 schools from 10 states. Eight out of the 20 Columbus students who attended made it to elimination rounds.  Sven Stumbauer won second place in Extemporaneous Speaking and won a bid to the Tournament of Champions. Luke Meinhardt advanced to the Semi Finals in Novice Lincoln Debate and took second place in speaker awards. Rene Coto and Santiago Rodriguez advanced to the Quarterfinals in Novice Public Forum.  James Sacher and Joseph Alonso advanced to the Octofinals in their first Varsity Public Forum tournament and Sebastian Santana made it to Semi-finals in Impromptu Speaking and finished 8th overall.  The debaters also had the pleasure of touring Loyola University’s campus, the National WWII Museum, St. Louis Cathedral, and Preservation Hall. Thank you Mr. De Tuya, Mr. Machado, Mr. Rivero and Mr. Leon. Also worth noting is that in early November, Alan Munchy became the champion in Impromptu Speaking at the National Civics and Debate Championship in Orlando.

Thank you to the faculty and staff members who answered the call from the student-led Global Empowerment Mission Club and volunteered two hours of their time sorting food at the GEM Headquarters in Doral. The organization helps provide disaster relief by preparing family care packages for those affected by natural disasters or worn-torn countries.  Special thanks to Br. Al.

CCNN Wins First Place Awards in the STN Challenge. 
CCNN competed in the national Student Television Network Challenge  in the division 1 category against the most experienced and competitive teams across the U.S. The team performed exceedingly well, winning first place in the categories of Best News Story, National Package, Sports Story, and Vertical Feature Story. They also won 2nd Place in Feature Story, Personal Vlog and an Honorable Mention in Commercial.  Watch CCNN Winning Pieces. Thank you Mr. Delgado and Mrs. Insua.

College & Career Guidance News
Over the last two months, The Pat Call & Irene Culmo Center for College & Career Guidance partnered with the School Counseling Department for the Junior Florida College Tour and the Bright Futures Presentations during senior English classes.  The team also participated in Counselor Programs at Bryant and Lynn Universities, hosted a CIALFO 101 training and a College Access Conversation with Cornell University. In December, they hosted a College Application Process session for the Black Student Organization.  Thank you to Mrs. Martinez and Mrs. De La Osa.

The Squires Club, in collaboration with the Knights of Columbus and Marist Cuban Alumni, were able to  serve at the Mission of Our Lady of Altagracia and provide assistance to 50 needy families during Thanksgiving time. Special thanks to Br. Eladio, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Staiano, Mr. Hill, and Mr. Solares. 

The Columbus Hellions competed at the FHSAA 4A State Championship in Cross County. The runners came into the race ranked 8th and finished 2nd.  The team was led by Alejandro Romagosa, Daniel Garcia, Marc Dabby, Gio Armas, Anthony Scarcello, and Mario Suerias. Special thanks to Coach Areces.

Congratulations to Ms. McGrath and the Drama Club for having drama pieces score a Top Honors Award (the highest score). Christopher Ramos won Top Honors in Costume Construction and Nicholas Sutton, Sebastian Arana, and Alexander Naranjo-Sanchez won Top Honors in Ensemble.  "We Loathe Our Customers” scored Excellent.  Nicolas Ferrer (All Star Cast Award), Jorge Alvarez (All Star Tech Award), Matthew Gory (Best Cameo), Carlos Blanch (Excellent, Monologue), Victor Barreda (Superior, Monologue), Maximo Jimenez and Austin Garcia-Hall (Superior in Dialogue), Aiden Garcia, Anthony Toledo, Juan Laracuente, Nicolas Ferrer (Superior in Ensemble Acting), Matthew Gory and Alex Naranjo (Superiors, Solo Musical and Ensemble Acting), Christopher Ramos (Superiors in Costume Design/Construction), Nicholas Sutton and Sebastian Arana (Superiors, Dialogue/Ensemble Acting), Alexander Valcarcel (Superiors, Ensemble Acting/Monologue)

Turkey Drive 
We thank the Columbus Community for their generosity during our Annual Turkey Drive. In total, 353 turkeys were collected and given to the Miami-Dade Police Department for distribution. Special thanks to Mr. Randal Amador, Mr. Pino, and the Campus Ministry Leaders.

Columbus Community Gathered for Mass
Mass was celebrated school-wide for the Solemnity of All Saints (November 1), Alumni Memorial Mass (November 2), Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (December 8), and the Mother and Son Mass & Breakfast (December 11). Let us remember that Mass is celebrated daily every morning in the Genevieve Abraham Chapel.  Thanks to all who serve our Marist community as we make Jesus Christ known and loved. 

Archbishop Thomas Wenski celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation on November 29.  Thanks to Mr. Andres Aviles, Mr. Matthew Chica, Mr. Rafael Diaz, Mr. Emmanuel Gonzalez, Mr. Andrew Harriman, and the Campus Ministry Leaders for their service and dedication.

Campus Ministry Leaders Armando Rubio, David Iglesias, Victor Castillo, Nicholas Aulet, Jonas Delgado, and Andrew Pozo led the Thanksgiving Prayer Service on November 16. Students had the opportunity to reflect and write what they are thankful for.  Thank you Mr. Gonzalez.

Two of our Robotics Teams competed in the Miami Coral Park/Bots For All Tournament against 48 South Florida teams.  They both qualified to compete against the top 40 teams in Florida at the  State Championship in March.  Congratulations to:  Alessandro Fernandez, Erick Gonzalez, Nicholas Guzman, Christopher Guzman, Cristian Tobchi, Brandon Rizo, Anthony Perez, Mario Villaverde, Daniel Khoury, and Jorge Gonzalez.  Special thanks to Mr. Armando Rodriguez and Mr. Ignacio Soto.

Pickleball Club Hosted Inaugural Event
Mr. Corazon and eleven students participated in the inaugural Pickleball Games at Tropical Park.  Special thanks to Julian Garcia and Julio Ocon, the Pickleball Club officers who came up with the idea. 

Juniors and Seniors enjoyed the Encounter Retreat. Thanks to Mrs. González, Mr. Baez, Mr. Machado, the Encounter Leaders, and alumni who  prepared meals for those present.

Campus Ministry Leaders led the first Lacrosse Team Retreat on December 7th.  It was an opportunity to grow in faith with one another.  Thanks to Mr. Emmanuel González, Coach Steven Hernandez, Coach Cody Morrissey, and the Campus Ministry Leaders.

Special thanks to Dr. Burrus and the Patriot Club for bringing us our Annual Veteran’s Day Event.  The keynote speaker for the event was Shawn “Nick” Knickerbocker ’71 who is a retired U.S. Army pilot who currently works for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Interdiction and Surveillance.  Special thanks to Mike Carricarte ’59 (Retired Colonel and Ranger of the U.S. Army).

Our Columbus Family had a great time at the WOW MKTG Columbus Food & Wine Festival (presented by Ocean Bank and Moët & Chandon).  This popular event drew alumni, parents, and faculty to our cafeteria which was beautifully decorated.  We thank all of our sponsors and attendees.

The Science National Honor Society attended STEM Day at Miami Dade College on November 3rd.  STEM Day highlights the Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Nursing/Health Science academic programs at MDC’s Kendall Campus with demonstrations, activities, and speakers. This was a great opportunity for our students to explore STEM-related career possibilities.  Thank you Mrs. Aycart.

The Science National Honor Society and the Environmental Club, under the guidance of the moderators Mrs. Aycart and Ms. Taylor hosted a Call to Earth Day on November 3rd. The students watched Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax and planted seeds to remind everyone the need to respect and protect nature and our natural resources.  Thank you Ms. Taylor and Mrs. Aycart.

Congratulations to Coach Steven Hernandez and our JV lacrosse team for being crowned champions at the Plant City Autumn Classic.

The Columbus Black Student Organization hosted a Walk in Faith panel discussion in the DiMare Family Lecture Hall. We thank Katrenia Reeves-Jackman (Director of the Office of Black Catholic Ministry - Archdiocese of Miami) and Deacon Thomas Dawson for their time and knowledge.

 

Boston Fall College Tour 
40 Mas Program students traveled to the Boston area for a college tour that included Harvard, Brown, MIT, Babson, Bentley, Boston University, Boston College, Providence College and Northeastern University. They also had the opportunity to attend a Boston Bruins hockey game and received an evening tour of Fenway Park.  Special thanks to Mrs. Galvez-Cuesta, Mr. Lewis, and Mrs. Clute for organizing the trip and chaperoning the students.

No Shave November
60 Explorers participated in No Shave November and Battle of the Beard to help raise funds for men’s cancer-related issues. The winners were seniors Kevin Cruz  and Felipe Solorzano.  Special thanks to Deacon Dugard.

Link Club Celebrated Friendsgiving
There's nothing like celebrating a Friendsgiving at Br. Eugene Plaza with our special friends from Great Heights Academy, a school for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Before the feast, a group of our football players offered a Special Olympics football clinic and a group of OLLA cheerleaders conducted a mini cheer clinic. It was a beautiful day of laughter and inclusivity. Thank you Mrs. Gonzalez-Rojas and Mrs. Debra Martinez.

Tech Entrepreneur Bill Lopez '86 shared his views on running businesses with Mr. Corazon’s Honors Entrepreneurship Class.

Hoby Leadership Award Winners
Congratulations to Christian San Juan and Benjamin Paglieri for winning the Hoby Leadership Award this year.  These students will have the opportunity to attend community leadership workshops, state leadership seminars and gather with their peers from around the globe to learn how to make positive changes in their communities and become global citizens. Special thanks to Br. John.

Congratulations to Armando Rubio and Gabriel Villar for being named 2023 Coca-Cola Scholar Semifinalists.  They are among the 1.7%  of over 91,000 students who applied from across the country. They will continue in the competition for a $20,000 college scholarship. 

Mas Honors student Alejandro Echeverri was awarded the Questbridge Scholarship at Northwestern University (includes full tuition for four years plus travel, food and books) This is the fifth year in a row that a Columbus student has received the Questbridge Scholarship. 

Eagle Scout Zachary Seymour Honors the Marist Brothers
Congratulations to Zachary Seymour for earning his Eagle Scout badge.  His Eagle Scout project involved the creation of an installation at Marist Circle that honors all the Marist Brothers who are no longer with us.  The installation includes a statue of Mary with a plaque dedicated to the deceased Brothers and a cross made out of white stones.  He led a dedication to the Marist Brothers at the site in November.  Several Brothers were present.    

Marist Brother and former Columbus educator and coach, Br. Julio Vitores, passed away on  December 2nd at the age of 89. Br. Julio served Columbus for over 25 years as a teacher of Spanish and French.  He  started the first soccer team at Columbus and began the Mother & Son and Father & Son Mass and Breakfast.  He managed the Columbus bookstore for many years and also served in administrative capacities in the school library and office.  We pray for the repose of Br. Julio's soul. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen 

Javier Gomez joined the technology department and will be responsible for managing the Help Desk,  supporting AV needs at school events and will also act as a liaison for our network support.  Previously, Javier was a system ddministrator at The Collection, automotive dealership and an IT Platform Support Technician at HBO. Welcome Javier!

After an extensive nationwide search, we are  happy to announce that Nick Ramos ’04 has been hired as Vice President of Advancement, a new position to the school that will report directly to the president. Nick spent that last 13 years in higher education at the University of Miami where he focused on major gift fundraising.  In his time at the U, Ramos developed large-scale multifaceted fundraising strategies for the school of nursing and health studies through collaboration with private and corporate philanthropists to expand the school’s endowment and current use of funds.  He holds two degrees from UM, a Graduate Degree in International Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Business and Technology.  Nick will assume the new position on January 9th.

The Log (Student Newspaper) Launched a New Website
The LOG has a new website! thelogcchs.com is where this year's articles will live and be posted from now on. Big thank you to Mr. Busatto (The Log Moderator) and junior Dominic Gatto who helped create and design the website.  Be sure to check the website from time to time.