Mount St Mary
Catholic High School

Vol. 1 / Issue 1

ARTICLES

“Ultimately, the idea of a Catholic [School] is about the mission to form students to become holy, saintly, well-educated, productive members of the Church and society.”
– Rev. Leonard A. Kennedy, “How to Keep Your University Catholic”​

Hacky Sack “Foot Bag”
Raphael Dunlap

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Hacky after lunch.
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     The art of  Hacky Sack was invented in 1972 by John Stalberger and Mike Marshall of Oregon City, Oregon, as a fun, challenging way to exercise. The game originated  in ancient China, where a leather sack filled with hair was used to help train the soldiers.
​     Hacky Sack evolved. Now it is not just a way to workout or “train soldiers” but a way to meet new friends, bond, and work on your eye-foot coordination.
      The sport is a noncompetitive game, which means it is not necessary to be good to have fun. The game allows people that would not usually hang out together to meet up and play Hacky Sack.
       Hacky Sack is not just a sport, it is an art. Discipline, patience, dexterity, and having fun are just a few results. Patience is needed with this sport, since it will take more than a week to start to control the bag or to even hit it well.
      The rules of the game are simple: 
1. No self serves (players can not throw it to themselves)
2. No hands. Everything else is acceptable.
3. Pass the sack. Complete the circle (everyone will be in a circle and every person in it has to touch it)
4. No apologizing.
      “Hackying has just allowed me to be free. It is a good outlet. I don't have to think. I don't have to stress, I don't think about my problems I can just… sack.” said Jackson Salsman (‘21). He continues, “Since there is such a wide community of Hacky Sackers now, it allows me to connect with more people.”
​     Raphael Dunlap (‘21)  said that "The club was approved on Oct 9, 2019 by the Student Council." Everyone is allowed to join, to play and can bring friends and just hack the sack for a little while. Watch stress fade away and a smile show up instead.
      Anyone who does not want to sack, and still feels the need for something to brighten up the mood of the day is welcomed to come watch.
     The club meets once a week on Monday mornings around 8:00 AM or join the club members at daily hacking outside during lunch.

Open House ​
RaphaeL dunlap


     On Sunday, November 10 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, Mount St. Mary is hosting its annual Open House.  The open house is for prospective students and families to come in, tour the school, meet teachers, meet students, and learn about the  education, athletics, and extracurricular programs.
        “Open House is our primary way of getting families into our school, so they can learn more about us.” said Diane Wilson, “We feel like once they visit us they will learn to love us. We generally have 60-75 families that come in during the two-hour time period.”
        Families will be arriving around 1:00 pm and during the time at The Mount will be able to have a snack, talk to counselors, and receive MSM gifts before leaving. The snacks will be held in the beautiful Rocket Café, and tee shirts will be available at the East wall near Cordova Corridor.
     Some places the guests will be visiting are music, drama, computer, robotics, and athletic rooms as well as various classrooms.
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Come join the fun!
"Inside The Mount" video - Click the picture to watch.
Senior Retreat Video - Click the picture to watch.

In The Spotlight:
​Michael Rischard
Hunter Gum

    Michael Rischard plays basketball and has a long legacy here at The Mount. His grandfather, father and many older siblings graduated from The Mount. He attended St. Eugene in Oklahoma City for 10 years before graduating and enrolling in The Mount. Michael plans to attend Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, after he finishes at The Mount. He wants to major in Biology at Creighton and start a life in Omaha. ​
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Click the picture for the video interview.
           “What is your passion?”
     “My passion is to be kind to others and do what is right. Every day, someone's going to need to be helped with something, and I would love to be the person that helps them.” 

          “What are you most grateful for?”
      “I am grateful for my family because of how much they’ve done for me. They have always been there for me during my best times and my worst times.”

           “How would you like to be remembered?”
     "How kind I was to others throughout my time at Mount St. Mary. My grandfather left a great legacy and I need to help out with it and continue it.”
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​ ​     There is a bit more to the interview - Click on the picture above and hear more about Michael.

in the spotlight:
Coach Jeremy Carey
Joshua Cleary

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Click the picture for the video interview
    Mr. Jeremy Carey began his tenure at Mount St Mary during the 2016-17 school year as an Oklahoma History, World History and AP World History teacher. His position included Assistant Baseball Coach to then Head Coach John Keilty. Mr. Carey grew up in the Tulsa area and attended Bacone College to play college baseball then went on to receive his degree in History and Museum Studies from the University of Central Oklahoma.

What is your passion?
     “Teaching [and] baseball. Those are my two passions. I love my job, getting to talk about history, the different mistakes, and helping people understand how history repeats itself.”

What are you most thankful for today?
     “My family. Definitely. Life can sometimes be very tough, and they always help you get through the tough times.”
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What do you want to be remembered by?
     “I want to be remembered by the love of what I do and actually helping people. I make jokes all the time about not caring but in reality I love what I do. I love helping people learn and understand all sorts of things.”

     There is a bit more to the interview -  Click on the picture above.

FooTball Senior Night
​Joshua Cleary

PictureLeft to right: Grady Glass, Dalton Faires, Cooper Glass
The End of a Chapter
   Mount St Mary Rocket Football matches up with Perkins for its final match up of the season and a special time to celebrate its seniors.
       Those seniors being celebrated tonight are: Jaxon Cervantes, Nolan Cox, Dalton Faries, Grady Glass, Cooper Glass, Jose Hernandez, Jacob Magness, and Shain Schwiekhart.
     Head Coach Willis Alexander shared his thoughts on this graduating class, “The seniors have been very instrumental in displaying leadership, guiding and helping get the program go in the right direction."
     The Rockets fought all year, through injury, through off-campus practices due to the construction of the new field, and have grown together with a bond that they will keep for a long time.
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“These boys have done it all,” Coach Alexander said, “And I wouldn’t trade them for anything else in the world.”

Homecoming, a tradition like no other
Joshua Cleary

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From left to right: Cooper Glass, Grace Glass and Grady Glass.
    The smell of burgers and hot links on the grill, the sound of Mr. Larry Pierce, "The Voice of the Rockets," coming from the loudspeakers, a glistening tiara on the head of the queen, and cheers from fans after a big time catch, but most importantly, the sight of a family, one big family, together in fellowship, celebrating a tradition like no other.

Homecoming.

    Mount St Mary Catholic High School is most definitely a school of joy, a school of jubilation, and a school of celebration. As a school with a rich history, and alumni who invest back into the future of their alma mater, homecoming is the perfect opportunity for The Mount to show off what has now been made possible from these generous benefactors. 

Home Coming

    Homecoming means celebration. Homecoming means fellowship. The time of homecoming brings a community together who has a genuine love for peers. Future Rockets starting in preschool all the way to a graduate of the Class of 1958 come together to reflect on what the school has made possible for them.

Home

     Inside the school, dress up days and pep rallies bring the school family together as one. The theme this year focused around “Home." Students know this place as home and so have many others throughout the years. Knowing this place to be one of welcoming, and that it will always be that way, is reassuring to the alumni, so much so they are drawn back every year to come and celebrate the tradition like no other.

​Homecoming.

mesa conference

A day in the life:
​the stairs
Raphael dunlap

PictureCarsten Logan walking up the stairs from the first floor.
     Mount St. Mary, a school where you do not have to play sports to receive a workout. When you visit The Mount the first thing you are going to recognize is the antique and well-preserved building. The school was first built in 1903 as an all girls school by the Sisters of Mercy. The school continues to have its original exterior to this day. 
     Although there was a fire in March 2009 the building was reconstructed with its original brick to preserve the look.
        When you enter the school  you are going to notice them ... the stairs. The Mount has a total of 262 steps inside the building. 
        Walking to  first hour with Tucker Resolute and Ryan Wagner, there are 2 sets of stairs, up 4 steps and  made it in the building. To the right immediately and go up 41 steps. After my first hour I walk to my second hour with Ryan Wagner where I meet his twin Luke Wagner, and take 18 steps down to the first floor. Around this time I am starting to feel the burn. From my second hour I walk down a set of 5 steps and take a hard left down 20 steps to go to class with Luke Harstad. 25 steps to the basement and I enjoy my lunch and enjoy my academic period with my friends Carsten Logan, Hunter Gum, and Noelle Ducote. Continuing my journey, I walk up 63 steps to get to the third floor and where have class with Abraham Garcia. When the bell rings at 3:10 PM I leave by walking down 63 steps to the basement with Ryan Wagner. I go out the door and take 5 steps down stairs to my last 2 sets of the school day. On a normal day I walk 223 stair steps not including walking steps on the halls going to class or lunch. 
 
​       Better than a gym, and we get an education to boot.

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