La Salle Academy’s February Recap
On a recent Saturday morning one of our Trustees and his wife arrived at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex to cheer on their daughter at the city championships in indoor track and field. (The venue, located on Staten Island, is a beautiful new facility administered by New York City Parks Department.). They arrived early and soon they found themselves in the stands where the La Salle team’s supporters customarily assemble. Cardinal red appeared all around them!
This serendipitous situation afforded our Board member the chance to engage the mother of one of our runners in conversation. With sincere gratitude she explained how her son, now a junior, is thriving because of the people, program, and care her son finds at La Salle. When I arrived at the Athletic Complex and heard from our Trustee about this parent’s testimony regarding the positive impact of the holistic education we provide, I realized once again what a special place La Salle Academy is!
Recently, we recognized our students who distinguished themselves academically in the first semester. Among those commended were the quartet of Seniors pictured above who earned First Honors, Louis C., Ryan T., Daniel G., and Javier S.
Our students accepted a special invitation from the Office of Black Ministry for the Archdiocese of New York to attend the annual Black History Month Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Jerome J.’ 23, pictured left qualified to represent La Salle at the NY State Poetry Out Loud Competition that will take place on March 11th. Twenty students from across the state will recite classic and contemporary poetry for the chance to represent New York State in the National Poetry Out Loud Competition in Washington, D.C. from May 8-10.
We welcome Ms. Megan Welling as our new Director of Enrollment Management. Megan has an academic background in marketing, in the classroom as a teacher, and worked in the admissions office of a Catholic high school.
During this year’s Catholic Schools Week Br. Edward Shields visited our school and spoke in our Religion classes sharing the story of his vocation as a Christian Brother and educator. Br. Edward is the Vocation Minister for the District of Eastern North America (DENA).
Br. Richard Galvin, Director of Campus Ministry, coordinated a Zoom call for the members of our Lasallian Youth with Br. Oscar Okoth, Director of the Lasallian school with which we are twinned, the Child Discover Centre in Nakuru, Kenya.
Our Varsity Cross Country and Varsity Soccer City Championship teams held a celebratory ceremony with the entire student body. Pictured here is our Cross Country team with their commemorative championship apparel.
We celebrated Senior Night for our Varsity Basketball student athletes along with their family and friends. Congratulations to these young men!
Damien M. ’23 earned CHSAA “A” All-League Team honors this season. With the basketball season concluded, Damien is now gearing up for the baseball season with his respective teammates.
Introducing Volleyball at La Salle! This will be the first time in La Salle’s history that our students will compete in this spring sport. Increased interest from our student population and alumni led us to expand our participation in the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA).
Although our winter break last week curtailed the number of school days in the short month of February many good things happened as noted above.
I send this issue of the recap from Florida, where the Sunshine State is living up to its nickname! Together with our Principal, Ms. Kerry Conroy, I am in Orlando attending the national conference of the Lasallian Association of Secondary School Chief Administrators. I am sandwiching my time at the conference between visits with alumni in the southeastern part of the peninsula and on the Gulf coast. It has been great to meet so many men proud of their alma mater.
I express my thanks for your belief in the power of La Salle and your investment in our students and I wish you a blessed Lenten season.
Brother Thomas P. Casey, FSC
President
