Students excel in sports, academics, and service

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Elli McMillan qualified for the Junior Olympics in aerial, halfpipe, and slopestyle sub-disciplines.

Lacrosse player selected for National Senior Showcase

SALT LAKE CITY — Judge Memorial Catholic High School senior Patrick Hagan will participate in the high school lacrosse National Senior Showcase to be held June 19-20 at Bryant University in Rhode Island.

As the 2008-09 captain, Hagan led the Bulldog lacrosse squad to second place in the state. He has been an outstanding defensive player for Judge and was named to the 2009 Utah High School Lacrosse League Division A North All-Conference Team. Hagan was also honored on the 2009 All-State first-team defense along with Bulldog seniors Jack Lund and Anthony Wright. At the post-season team banquet, Hagan was recognized with the team’s Most Valuable Player Award.

"Patrick is an extremely talented athlete who has worked hard to improve his game during his four years at Judge," said Coach Dave Allen, who has been selected as one of eight coaches for the National All-Star Game and will be joining Hagan at the senior showcase. "He has been a major factor in the success of our lacrosse program," he said.

"I’ve had an unbelievable experience playing lacrosse at Judge," said Hagan. "It’s pretty amazing playing with Coach Allen. He’s a great coach, obviously, and he puts morals before winning, which is important to me. I’m looking forward to going with him to the showcase."

The National Senior Showcase is set up in a final-four format with two semifinal games, a third place game, and a championship game.

Siblings qualify for Junior Olympics

Skiing is hard enough for some. Now try adding acrobatic movements to it. It is a physically demanding sport, but siblings and Judge Memorial Catholic High School students Elli and Ian McMillan, dominate the slopes and the air as nationally-ranked competitive freestyle skiers. They both qualified for the Junior Olympics of the United States Ski and Snowboard Association, held in Waterville Valley, N.H. March 9-15. Ian qualified for Junior Olympics in aerials and halfpipe, while Elli qualified in aerials, halfpipe, and slopestyle.

Elli and Ian are dedicated athletes and train year-round with Axis Freeride – a Park City-based ski team – under the tutelage of Chris Haslock, 1988’s seventh place Olympic aerialist. They attend summer training for three to five days a week at the Utah Olympic Park near Kimball Junction in Park City, and train two nights a week there in the winter, and Saturday and Sunday at a local resort. They also attend the Judge after-school conditioning program when time permits.

In addition, Ian competes as a member of the Bulldog lacrosse team, and Elli is part of the girls track and field team. She has medaled at the state meet in both her sophomore and junior years and holds Judge Memorial’s records in long jump and triple jump.

Lady Bulldogs dance their way to college

A number of seniors at Judge Memorial Catholic High School will continue their dancing careers in college.

Natalie Brown’s dancing skills have earned her a scholarship to Benedictine College, where she said she plans to get a minor in dance and be part of the dance team.

"They have a competitive dance program and have won competitions in small dance divisions. I was so thrilled to find out that I, along with only two other freshmen, made the squad," said Brown.

She has been dancing for 16 years and was on a competitive dance team for 14 years, traveling all over the West. She enjoys all types of dance, but she favors jazz, as it is a lyrical type of dancing. Although her major is undecided, she is leaning toward a major in English.

Megan Carpenter said she plans to attend Weber State College and major in science composite with a teaching certificate. She has been dancing for about 13 years and is not planning to stop any time soon. She will minor in dance and has completed an on-campus tryout for a dance scholarship, but is still waiting to hear from the department. At the Spring Dance Awards night, she was honored as the dance program’s most reliable dancer for 2008-09.

Bridgett Fey is the recipient of a Presidential Award for Service and has volunteered with the YWCA throughout her high school years. She has also been dancing and will continue to do so while she attends St. Mary College in Indiana.

"I really am attracted to the psychology field, especially behavioral and cognitive," said Fey. "I don’t know if I’ll major in that, but I do know I’ll be dancing whatever I decide."

Tatiana Mixco is a member of the National Honor Society, an active volunteer, and a great dancer. At Judge’s dance awards banquet, she received the troupe’s The Dancer Award, along with fellow senior Erin O’Brien. This award is the highest honor in dance at the school.

Mixco was accepted into the dance program at the University of Utah after an arduous audition process. Applicants needed to prepare their own original two-minute solo, and Mixco said she began working on her piece in the fall. She will enroll in the College of Fine Arts to study for her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Modern Dance.

"I would love someday to dance professionally with a modern dance company and maybe even teach dance," said Mixco.

Headed by Jeanette Sawaya, National Dance Teacher of the Year in 2000, Judge’s award-winning Dance Department is one of the school’s artistic treasures, said Rick Bartman, principal.

Student’s writing crosses frontiers

Jamie Pisciotta, a senior at Judge Memorial Catholic High School, has been interested in the arts for a long time, but she recently found her niche in poetry.

"For the first three years at Judge, I was really big into art and thought that was where my artistic bend was. But I think I’ve found my voice with poetry. For me, I find that I’m drawing a picture with beautiful words," said Pisciotta.

Her poem "Coloring You" was accepted for publication in Aerie International, a journal of work designed and produced by an editorial board comprised solely of high school students. This yearly journal publishes a select number of works from young writers and artists from across the globe.

"Of course I was trilled, but pretty much stunned. Me? An international writer? It’s amazing!" said Pisciotta.

Linda Simpson, Pisciotta’s English teacher was not that surprised.

"Jamie is a thoughtful and observant young lady, and those qualities are reflected in her writing. She is able to capture memories and moments with freshness, clarity, a bit of humor, and a touch of wistfulness. Her writing is sometimes deceptively simple looking, but there is always more under the surface," said Simpson.

Pisciotta will attend the University of Utah in the fall. She is considering the medical and writing fields as majors.

Sophomore wins state literature contest

Lizz Graham, a sophomore at Judge Memorial Catholic High School, was named the state winner of the Letters about Literature contest sponsored by the Library of Congress.

Graham was among five Judge students who were named among the 17 state finalists. Her fellow sophomore Jake Winter placed third place in the state-wide competition.

"When we first wrote the essay, I didn’t even know I was entering a contest," said Graham. "I was pretty excited to learn that, first, I had done well. To learn that I actually placed first in the state was thrilling."

For the competition, students were asked to write a personal letter to an author, living or dead, from any genre – fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic – explaining how that author’s work changed the students’ way of thinking about the world or themselves.

Graham wrote to Loung Ung, author of First They Killed My Father.

Three students recognized by Rotary Club

The Rotary Club of Salt Lake City recently held its annual scholarship luncheon to honor local high school students for their service to community.

Nominees from Judge Memorial Catholic High School for the 2008-09 awards were Teresa Highsmith, Alexis Naylor, Chau Nguyen, Rachel Palmer, Morgan Rockwell, and Mike Sayre.

This year’s recipients were Alexis Naylor, who received a $2,000 scholarship; first runner-up Chau Nguyen, who received a $1,000 scholarship; and second runner-up Mike Sayre, who received $500.

Naylor is the outgoing president of Judge Memorial’s Rotary Interact Club. Last summer, she traveled to southern Mexico with fellow Judge students Teresa Highsmith, Rachel Palmer, and Catherine Maxwell, to help victims in villages wiped out by floods.

Naylor is "a caring, dedicated and sincere person with the drive needed to accomplish her goals. She puts others’ needs at the center of her focus and tries to make a difference in her community," said Joan Jensen, a faculty member at Judge Memorial’s religion department.

Chau Nguyen is the Judge Memorial intern at the Inclusion Center for Community and Service. The inclusion center is a human relations organization dedicated to eliminating prejudice, bigotry, and discrimination. She is also co-president of Peace and Justice Alliance.

"Chau is a force for change who brings great hope to the world. I am privileged to work with such an amazing young woman," said Doctor Kandie Brinkman, faculty member in the theology department.

Michael Sayre has volunteered at the Utah Food Bank, the Salt Lake City Marathon, and the No More Homeless Pets organization.

"Mike achieved the Presidents’ Volunteer Service Award each of his four years at Judge. His commitment to our community is remarkable," said Dr. Brinkman.

Students who apply for the Rotary Interact scholarship must demonstrate service activities outside of the classroom and church, as well as service within school and/or church organizations. They also need to demonstrate financial need and knowledge of the mission of Rotary.

Basketball standouts make three-pointer decision

Darnell Crandall and Oliver Hughes, Judge Memorial Catholic High School student-athletes, have indicated their intent to continue their academic and athletic careers.

Crandall will play for Weber State University’s NCAA Division I program and will redshirt his first year. Crandall was part of the 2008 state championship team and, as a senior, earned All-Tournament, All-star, All-Region first team, and All-State first team. In addition, he received a McDonald’s All-American nomination.

Hughes will join Willamette University’s NCAA Division III squad that competes in the Northwest Conference. Hughes was also part of the 2008 state championship team. He has received numerous awards throughout his time at Judge including being named to the second team All-Region 10 team. Hughes has been highly touted by Williamette coaches and is expected to be an immediate impact player for the Bear Cats.